השכמת הבוקר ה

The general principle relevant to our subject is that there exists an aspect of k'saider [in proper order] and shelo k'saider [not in proper order], which correspond to the aspect of: 2

And this is the aspect of nitteylas yadayim shacharis — the washing of the hands in the morning upon rising from sleep. For day and night correspond to the aspect of Adam and Chavah, the aspect of k'saider and shelo k'saider, etc. For the light of day is the aspect of Adam, which is Chochmah, because light is the aspect of Chochmah and Da'as [knowledge], as is explained elsewhere in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory (Siman 37), and as it is written: "K'yisron ha'or min hachoshech, kein yisron haChochmah" — "As the advantage of light over darkness, so is the advantage of wisdom" (Koheles 2:13). And night is the aspect of Chavah-Malchus, the aspect of "v'lailah l'lailah y'chaveh," and as is explained in the holy Zohar — and is brought above in Hilchos Hashkamas HaBoker (Halacha 3) — that at night the gates of Gan Eiden are sealed, which is the aspect of the withdrawal of Da'as, and the world is conducted through yeda d'Matronisa [the hand of the Queen], which is the aspect of Malchus, as above. 8

And therefore, when one awakens from sleep, one must wash his hands with water. For water is the aspect of Da'as, as in: 12

And therefore, before washing, it is forbidden to touch one's eyes, ears, etc. with one's hands (Shulchan Aruch, Siman 4, Se'if 3). For all of these are the openings of the head and the brain, and all these seven openings are the aspect of the channeling of Da'as that is drawn through these seven openings, which are the aspect of the seven lamps, as explained elsewhere (Siman 21). And therefore, before washing, it is forbidden to touch them with one's hands, so that the aspect of shelo k'saider should not overpower the aspect of k'saider — which is the aspect of Da'as, the aspect of the seven openings of the brain — through the contamination clinging to the hands, which are the instruments of action, whose hold stems from the aspect of shelo k'saider. 22

And this is the aspect of Rosh Hashanah, the aspect of the blowing of the shofar — which is the aspect of the awakening from sleep, as is explained in the Kavanos — that on Rosh Hashanah there is an aspect of sleep, and through the shofar there is the aspect of awakening from sleep. For in Tishrai the world was created — which is the aspect of shelo k'saider, the aspect of תשר״ק, as above. And then, when the aspect of shelo k'saider is aroused, one needs the aspect of sleep — to nullify oneself completely. This is the aspect of the sleep of night, as above. For then, on Rosh Hashanah, it is the first day of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, and the primary teshuvah is to return from gadlus, to humble oneself, and to truly feel one's lowliness and worthlessness. For the primary teshuvah is submission and humility, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (brachos 7a): "One self-rebuke in a person's heart is better than a hundred lashes," etc. And as it is written: "V'over al pesha lish'airis" — "[He] passes over transgression for the remnant" (Michah 7:18) — for one who makes himself like shirayim [leftovers / remnants] (Rosh Hashanah 17a). 30

And this is the aspect of netilas yadayim of Shacharis — when one rises from his sleep. For the pure waters of the washing are drawn through the aspect of the revelation of the da'as — which is drawn through the prayer in the aspect of din mentioned above — which is the aspect of: "for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9) — etc. And from there are drawn these waters of the washing when one rises from his sleep. And therefore, one must wash specifically the hands. For the essential power and strengthening must be given to the hands, so that they should overpower the heel of the sitra achra — in the aspect of: "and his hand was grasping the heel of Eisav" (Genesis 25:26) — "his hand" specifically. For the essential rectification is through the emunah in the renewal of the world, which is the aspect of "hands" — the aspect of: "Indeed, My hand has founded the earth, and My right hand" (Isaiah 48:13) — etc. And therefore, emunah is called by the aspect of "hands," as it is written: "and his hands were emunah" (Exodus 17:12) — etc. For the essential emunah is to believe in Hashem yisbarach — that He created the world yesh me'ayin [something from nothing] — the aspect of "hands," as it is written: "Indeed, My hand has founded the earth, and My right hand," etc. And to believe in the Torah and the practical mitzvos that must be performed with the hands. And through this, one merits the melody mentioned above, which is the aspect of "hands" — the aspect of: "and he played with his hand, and you will be well" (I Samuel 16:16). And through all this, one receives the power of the hands of Yaakov to subdue the heel of Eisav — in the aspect of: "and his hand was grasping the heel of Eisav" — "his hand" specifically, as above. And all this is drawn through the waters of da'as that are revealed through the prayer of the master of power mentioned above — in which we purify the hands after sleep. And therefore, one purifies specifically the hands, etc. — as above. 12

And this is the aspect of the yahrzeit — which is the day on which one's father or mother died — when one says Kaddish (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Daya 376:5, in the Rema) and fasts on it (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 568:8). For then the children engage in rectifying and elevating the soul of their father and mother who died. And death is the aspect of sleep. And when one rectifies and elevates them — this is the aspect of the resurrection of the dead, which is the aspect of the awakening from sleep — the aspect of: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake" (Daniel 12:2) — the aspect of: "And He sustains His faithfulness to those who sleep in the dust." And therefore, the blessing of mecha'yai HaMaisim [Who resurrects the dead] begins with: "Atah gibor — You are mighty forever, my Lord." For the essential resurrection of the dead — which is the aspect of the renewal of the world — is through the prayer in the aspect of din mentioned above. And this is the aspect of "Atah gibor," etc. (And as explained in another place: that in all the prayers, one must draw down the power of the prayer in the aspect of din mentioned above, which is the blessing of Atah Gibor, etc.) 13

And therefore, one fasts on the day of the yahrzeit — to subdue mezona d'gufa [sustenance of the body] through the fast. For through all the above, one merits to subdue mezona d'gufa before mezona d'nishmasa [sustenance of the soul], as is explained there in the Torah-teaching mentioned above — see there the Torah-teaching from beginning to end, and then you will understand our words, with the help of Hashem yisbarach. 15

And therefore, this is practiced each year on the day that one's father or mother died. For the cycles of the year — that Hashem yisbarach revolves and turns the spheres each year — are the aspect of the cycles of the days. For just as each day has day and night, evening and morning — so too, in the general year, there is summer and winter, which are the aspect of day and night. For in winter, the nights are long and it is considered, relative to summer, as the aspect of night. And summer, when the days are long, is the aspect of day relative to winter. As it is written: "Yours is the day, Yours also is the night… You have set all the borders of the earth; summer and winter, You have formed them" (Psalms 74:16–17). And the entire revolution of the year is in the aspect of the revolution of day and night — evening and morning — which is the aspect of the darkness of exile that resembles night, and the light of redemption, which is the aspect of morning — the aspect of the general character of this world, which is called "night," as against the renewal of the world, which is the aspect of the World to Come, which is the aspect of the light of day — as is understood by the discerning. For all of the above are in one category. And therefore, when a year revolves over the soul of the deceased, the children must engage in his rectification at the conclusion of the year — which is the aspect of a revolution of night and day — through which is the aspect of the rectification of the renewal of the world — which is the aspect of the light of day that comes after the darkness of night — through strengthening oneself in emunah throughout the intensity of the darkness of the night — which is the aspect of the exile — the aspect of this world — which is this deceased, who was in this world and now needs to ascend to his place, to all the aspects mentioned above, which are the aspect of light, as above. And therefore, then the children engage in his rectification through Kaddish, etc. — as above. Also, each and every year has Rosh Hashanah, when all the rectifications are essentially drawn — as is well explained in the Torah-teaching mentioned above. For from Rosh Hashanah, the rectifications mentioned above are drawn for the entire year. And therefore, at each annual beginning of the soul of the deceased — which is on the day of the yahrzeit — one must engage in the rectifications mentioned above, as above. 16

For upon the children falls the rectification. For the essential thing is the holy da'as that must be rectified through the aspects mentioned above. And the da'as is the aspect of rachamanus [compassion] that is drawn from father to son, as is explained there regarding the statement of our Sages (Bereishis Rabbah, Vayeira, ch. 54): "To this point — the compassion of the father for the son." And this is: "A father to his children makes known Your truth" (Isaiah 38:19). For the da'as and the rachamanus are one category, as above. And therefore, the son specifically engages in the rectification of his parents — for he must rectify the da'as that is drawn from father to son, from which he was born. And everything is rectified through the aspects mentioned above — through which one merits the melody and the song of the renewal of the world, which is the essential rectification. For this, man came into the world, and for this is the essential obligation and mitzvah to leave children behind him — all for the sake of the rectification of the da'as mentioned above, which is the rectification of the emunah that is clarified from generation to generation — in the aspect of: "and from generation to generation is His faithfulness" (Psalms 100:5) — the aspect of: "generation to generation shall praise Your works" (Psalms 145:4) — etc. — the aspect of: "from generation to generation is Your faithfulness; You established the earth and it stands" (Psalms 119:90). For the essential sustaining of the world from generation to generation — the aspect of: "You established the earth and it stands" — is only for the sake of the clarification of the emunah that is clarified from generation to generation — the aspect of: "from generation to generation is Your faithfulness," as above. Blessed be Hashem forever, Amen and Amen. 17

And this is what our Sages said (brachos 15a): "Whoever relieves himself, and washes his hands, and dons tefillin, and recites Krias Shema, and prays — it is as if he accepted the complete yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom." "Relieves himself" — and expels the waste — this is the aspect of the subjugation and nullification of mezona d'gufa, from which all the waste comes. "And washes his hands" — this is the aspect of netilas yadayim mentioned above, through the waters of da'as. "And dons tefillin" — this is the aspect of da'as and mochin that one now merits through the Tzadik mentioned above, who extracted the da'as from the sitra achra, etc. — as above. "And recites Krias Shema" — this is the aspect of the rectification of the emunah that is accomplished through this, as above. "And prays" — for now is the rectification of prayer in completeness. For afterward — after one was compelled to pray in the aspect of din in order to extract the da'as from the sitra achra, as above — afterward, one rectifies the rectification of prayer properly, which is the aspect of compassion and da'as — which is the essential rectification of prayer, as above. For the essential prayer is to draw down chasadim, to arouse the aspect of the renewal of the world — the aspect of: "the world is built through chesed" (Psalms 89:3) — to arouse the song of chesed that shall be aroused then. And this is the aspect of the abundance of songs and praises that are said during the time of prayer, as above. And then one accepts the complete yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom, certainly — for through drawing down the aspect of the rectification of the renewal of the world, as above — through this, His kingdom and His sovereignty, etc. — are revealed in completeness. For the essential revelation of His kingdom yisbarach will be then — as it is written: "And Hashem shall be King over all the earth; on that day" (Zechariah 14:9) — etc. And it is written: "Hashem reigns — let the earth rejoice" (Psalms 97:1) — "Hashem shall reign forever and ever" (Exodus 15:18) — and so forth many [verses] said regarding the revelation of His kingdom in the Future. And from there we draw the acceptance of the complete yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom now, according to our service — for all of this is for the sake of drawing upon us the holiness of the renewal of the world in this physical world specifically. Through which each person will merit, according to his portion, the song, etc. — of the renewal of the world — which is his portion in the World to Come. 18

And therefore, the essential Exodus from Egypt was at chatzos, as it is written: "At about midnight, I will go out in the midst of Egypt" (Exodus 11:4). For the essential Exodus from Egypt was through the staff of Moshe and Aharon — which are the aspect of prayer in the aspect of din — the aspect of: "and cast it before Pharaoh; it shall become a serpent" (Exodus 7:9) — etc. — as above. Therefore, the essential Exodus from Egypt was at midnight — for then the power of the prayer in the aspect of din is aroused, as above. 19

And this is the aspect of the morning washing: that one draws pure waters drawn from the aspect of the mikveh. And through this, one purifies his hands — which are the aspect of the 28 joints, the aspect of the 28 letters of the account of Creation. For the essential blemish of the aspect of the wisdom of nature — which overpowers during sleep, in the night and darkness — affects them specifically, as above. For through the wisdom of nature, one blemishes the 28 letters mentioned above and attributes things to the arrangement of the Heavens, G-d forbid — as above. And this is the aspect of the tumah that takes hold of the hands specifically during the departure of da'as — that is, during sleep — as above. And therefore, one purifies them through the waters of da'as, drawn from the aspect of alma d'asei, etc. — as above.

And therefore, before the washing, it is forbidden to touch with one's hands the seven openings in the head — that is, the two eyes, the two nostrils, the mouth, and the two ears . For these seven openings are the aspect of da'as, as is brought in the words of our Rebbe in another place . And these seven openings of the head are in the aspect of: "these seven are the eyes of Hashem, ranging over all the earth" — the aspect of da'as, the aspect of hashgachah. And therefore, it is forbidden to touch them with one's hands before the washing — so as not to blemish the holy da'as of the aspect of hashgachah through the contamination of the wisdom of nature that clings to the hands during sleep, as above. And therefore, the essential dominion of the wisdom of nature — where they look only at the arrangement of the Heavens — is at night. For they are called "stargazers." For the wisdom of nature is the aspect of night and darkness — for the essential light is only the hashgachah of Hashem yisbarach alone, as above.

And therefore, one must rise at midnight — to break the sleep — to break the aspect of darkness and night — which is the aspect of the intensity of the exile that is compared to night — that is, the wisdom of nature, from which is the essential exile and darkness, as above. And every member of Israel must awaken from sleep at chatzos — in order to break and nullify the wisdom of nature, through breaking the sleep, etc. — as above. And therefore, when one rises at chatzos, one then mourns over the exile — that Israel was exiled from their land. For the essential exile is through the wisdom of nature, which is the aspect of night and sleep, as above. And therefore, that is the time to rectify this.

And therefore, the first redemption — which is the Exodus from Egypt, which encompasses all the redemptions (for all the exiles are referred to by the name "Egypt," as our Rebbe wrote in another place ) — therefore the redemption began at midnight — as it is written: "At about midnight, I will go out in the midst of Egypt" . For the essential of all the redemptions — in particular the redemption from Egypt — was through the aspect mentioned above in the discourse mentioned above: through the aspect of hashgachah that Hashem yisbarach drew from the ends of the world, from alma d'asei. For then, at the Exodus from Egypt, there was an overturning of the constellations and a nullification of nature. For then Hashem yisbarach revealed His hashgachah through the awesome wonders He performed then, and nullified nature. And all this was through the aspect of alma d'asei — for "from the side of Yovel they went out" — which is the aspect of the fifty gates of Binah, the aspect of alma d'asei, as is known.

And therefore, the redemption was at midnight specifically — that is, He broke the night and the darkness, which are the aspect of the wisdom of nature — and revealed hashgachah in the world. And through this was the essential redemption, as above. And this is the aspect of: "and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die" — "and Hashem passed over" — etc. — and He saved the firstborn of Israel. For "firstborn" is "the beginning" — the aspect of da'as — the aspect of: "the beginning of knowledge" . That is, He subdued the da'as of the sitra achra — which is the aspect of the wisdom of nature — and He strengthened the da'as of holiness — the aspect of the da'as of hashgachah — which is the aspect of: "My son, my firstborn, is Israel" . That is, the da'as of faith in hashgachah — from which is drawn the holy seed of Israel. For Israel is above nature, as above. For they are drawn from there — in the aspect of: "Look now toward the heavens and count the stars… so shall your seed be" . And our Sages expounded that He raised him above the heavens, etc. It emerges that the seed of Israel is drawn from above nature — for according to nature, according to the arrangement of the heavens, Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, was not fit to father children. Only through Hashem yisbarach telling him: "Go out from your astrology" — and raising him above the heavens — that is, above nature — through this, he merited to father children — the aspect of: "so shall your seed be." It emerges that the seed of Israel is drawn, in their root, from the aspect of above nature. And this is the aspect of the "firstborn of Israel" that Hashem yisbarach saved, and He slew the firstborn of Egypt at midnight — to subdue and break and nullify the da'as of the wisdom of nature, and to strengthen the da'as of hashgachah — which is the aspect of the firstborn of the children of Israel, as above.

And this is the aspect of: "And he divided against them" — said regarding Avraham when he pursued the kings. For Avraham revealed the hashgachah of Hashem yisbarach in the world. And therefore, the essential sustaining of the generations of the heavens and the earth is through Avraham — as it is written: "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created [b'hibar'am]" — [read as] b'Avraham . For he revealed the hashgachah of Hashem yisbarach in the world — through which the essential sustaining of the world comes. And therefore, Avraham had the power to divide the night — that is, to break the night — which is the aspect of the nullification of nature — the aspect of kimas chatzos, as above. And then he subdued the four kings — which are the aspect of the four kingdoms, as is brought.

For the essential subjugation of [the nations] is through the nullification of nature, as above. And therefore, because he blemished [his faith] through saying: "By what shall I know that I shall inherit it?" — the exile was decreed on account of this. For he blemished the da'as, which is the aspect of hashgachah — for the essential da'as is the aspect of hashgachah. And hashgachah is the aspect of Eretz Yisrael — in the aspect of: "the eyes of Hashem your G-d are always upon it" — as our Rebbe wrote in another place. And therefore, through blemishing the da'as and blemishing Eretz Yisrael, which is the aspect of hashgachah — through this: "and a deep sleep fell upon Avram, and behold, a fear, a great darkness falling upon him" — which showed him the intensity of the exiles — which are the aspect of deep slumber, the aspect of darkness — whose essential overpowering is through the wisdom of nature — through the blemish of hashgachah, as above.

And this is the aspect of eating matzah and the prohibition of chametz. For matzah is the aspect of da'as, the aspect of mochin d'gadlus [mature intellect], the aspect of hashgachah — which is the essential da'as. And chametz is the aspect of mochin d'katnus [immature intellect], the aspect of Elokim, the aspect of dinim, as is brought in the kavanos. This is the aspect of the wisdom of nature — from which is the essential source of dinim and troubles, G-d forbid, as above. For hateva [nature] has the same numerical value as Elokim, as is brought — from which is the hold of the dinim, as above. For chametz is the aspect of: "when my heart was embittered [yischametz]" — etc. — which is said regarding the kushyos [difficult questions] that fall upon a person regarding the conduct of Hashem yisbarach — which is the aspect of the wisdom of nature, from which come all the heresies and the kushyos.

But matzah is the aspect of da'as, the aspect of emunas hahashgachah [faith in Providence] — which is the essential da'as, as above. For matzah is on account of the fact that they went out in haste and the dough of our fathers did not have time to rise, until the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them and redeemed them — as it is written: "And they baked the dough that they had brought out of Egypt into cakes of matzah, for it had not risen, for they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, and they had not even prepared provisions for themselves" . For they had emunah in the hashgachah of Hashem yisbarach — and therefore they did not prepare any provisions, and they went out in haste.

It emerges that matzah is the aspect of the da'as of emunas hahashgachah — which is the essential greatness of da'as: when one merits the revelation of G-dliness — to see and know that everything is through His hashgachah yisbarach alone. And this is the aspect of haste — for haste is the aspect of above time — that He leaped over the end and took them out in great haste, without any time — but in a single moment and in a brief hour, they came from Ra'amses to Sukkos and were gathered together in a brief hour — six hundred thousand from the entire land of Egypt — as Rashi explained on the verse: "and I bore you on eagles' wings" . All of this is the aspect of above time. That is, He raised them above time — which is the aspect of hashgachah, which is above nature, above time. And through this, they went out without any time, without any preparation — but in a brief hour — for the essential redemption was through the revelation of the hashgachah, which is above time — the aspect of haste.

For haste is the aspect of zerizus [alacrity] — which is a very good trait — the aspect of emunah — the aspect of the breaking of sleep that comes through laziness — the aspect of: "laziness casts into a deep sleep" — and as is brought in another place in the words of our Rebbe: that zerizus is the aspect of emunah — see there. And this is the aspect of zikaron [remembrance] — the aspect of: "Remember this day, on which you went out of Egypt" — etc. — and as it is written: "in order that you shall remember the day you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life" — etc. For it is stated in the words of our Rebbe, at the end of the discourse "V'Eileh HaMishpatim" — which speaks of emunah — : that zikaron is the aspect of emunah. For the essential shich'chah [forgetfulness] is from the aspect of time, etc. And when one knows and believes in truth that everything is conducted only according to the hashgachah of Hashem yisbarach alone — Who is above time — then there is no aspect of forgetfulness at all, etc. — see there and understand. And this is the aspect of zikaron that is said in connection with the Exodus from Egypt — the aspect of: "Remember this day," etc. — "in order that you shall remember," etc. For at the Exodus from Egypt, His hashgachah yisbarach was revealed, as above — which is the aspect of zikaron — above time — above nature — the aspect of haste — the aspect of zerizus, which vivifies the mochin and the da'as, whose essential sustaining is when one knows and believes in the hashgachah. And this is the aspect of matzah — on account of the haste, etc. — etc. — as above.

And this is the aspect of Shabbos HaGadol — that the Shabbos before Pesach is called Shabbos HaGadol — on account of the miracle, etc. For the essential miracles and wonders that occurred at the Exodus from Egypt — that He overturned the constellations and nullified nature and revealed His hashgachah yisbarach in the world — all was drawn from the aspect of Shabbos, which is alma d'asei — "which is entirely Shabbos." From there, Hashem yisbarach, as it were, draws the hashgachah from the aspect of the end of the world, etc. — in the aspect of: "the end has come; the end" — etc. — as explained there in the discourse mentioned above. It emerges that the essential Exodus from Egypt was drawn from the aspect of Shabbos, which is the aspect of the World to Come. And therefore, Pesach too is called "Shabbos" — as it is written: "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Shabbos" — meaning Pesach, as our Sages said . For the essential intensity of the miracle of Pesach is drawn from Shabbos, as above. And this is the aspect of the Shabbos before Pesach, which is called Shabbos HaGadol on account of the miracle — for all the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt were drawn from the aspect of Shabbos, as above. And therefore, it is called "gadol" [great] — on account of the miracles, which are called the aspect of "great" — as it is written: "Tell me the great things that Elisha did" — as our Rebbe wrote there in the discourse mentioned above, on the statement: "and He drops two tears into the Great Sea" — see there.

And this is the aspect of : "On the night [or] of the fourteenth, one searches for chametz by the light of the candle" — and the Tanna called the night "or" [light] — in a refined expression, etc. For the essential searching for and removal of chametz is the aspect of the removal of the aspect of nature from the world — which is the aspect of chametz, as above. And when nature is nullified and hashgachah is revealed — this is the aspect of the nullification of darkness and night, as above — which are the aspect of the intensity of the exiles, drawn from the aspect of the wisdom of nature, as above. For when His hashgachah yisbarach is revealed in the world, then there is no darkness at all — for the essential light is only Hashem yisbarach, as it were, as above. And then: "night shall shine as day," etc. — as it is written: "even the darkness is not dark to You, and night shines as the day; the darkness is as the light" — as it shall be in the Future — as it is written: "and at evening time there shall be light" — as we ask [in the Haggadah of Pesach]: "Illuminate like the light of day the darkness of night." For the essential darkness of night is from the aspect of the wisdom of nature — which is the essential darkness. And emunas hahashgachah is the essential light, as above. And therefore, the night of the searching for chametz — the nullification of nature — the Tanna called "light" — in a refined expression — on account of the nullification of nature, which is the aspect of the chametz that one searches for on that night. Through which, the night is in the aspect of light — the aspect of: "night shall shine as day," etc. — as above. And therefore, the Tanna called that night "light."

And this is the aspect of "a night of watching" — which is guarded from the harmful spirits. For the essential harmful spirits are from the aspect of the wisdom of nature — which is the aspect of dinim — which is the aspect of the idolatrous nations, the destroyers of the world. And then, on the night of the Exodus from Egypt — when there was the nullification of nature at night specifically — in order to break and nullify the aspect of night, which is the aspect of the wisdom of nature — therefore, that night is guarded from all the harmful spirits and from all the dinim. For then hashgachah was revealed — through which all damages and all dinim are nullified, as above.