תפלת המנחה ג

Live Up The Good Points — Azamru! Hilchos Birchas HaRaiach v'HaHodaah — Halachah 4 Part 6 (§§ 44–47 / Oaseyos מג–מו + Closing Note) COMPLETE · Based on LM II:8 ( Tik'u Tochachah )

§ 44 — The Four Who Must Give Thanks (Continued): Soul-Troubles, Exile, and Distance from Eretz Yisrael

Pray With Your Limbs & Other Devotions of a Nanach Thus all these four are the aspect of the soul's troubles. And in truth, everything is one — for also all the sufferings, dangers, and troubles that befall a person physically, chas v'shalom , are all the aspect of the soul's troubles. For there is no death without sin and no suffering without transgression. The essential suffering is the sins themselves, as Rabbainu zichrono livrachah writes in the Torah " Ki m'rachamam y'nahagem ": the essential suffering of all sufferings in the world is the sins themselves, Rachmana litzlan ; see there. All the sufferings, troubles, and dangers in body and soul — all of which are included in the above-mentioned four — all derive from distance from the tzadik . Through this they are far from Eretz Yisrael and from complete emunah , as above. In the aspect of: "Is it not because my G-d is not in my midst that these evils have befallen me?" — all evils and troubles, chas v'shalom , derive from not feeling Hashem who dwells in our midst and supervises us always — which is the damage of emunah . This damage derives from distance from the tzadik and from Eretz Yisrael , as above.

For all the troubles in the world, Rachmana litzlan , derive from the intensity of exile due to our many sins. For from the day the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed, there is no day whose curse does not exceed that of the previous day, Rachmana litzlan . This is the aspect of the above-mentioned four, which are the aspect of the four kingdoms — in which all the exiles are included, which include all troubles, Rachmana litzlan . Therefore the exile of Egypt — which alludes to all four exiles, all four kingdoms, for they are all called "exile of Egypt," named for their constraining Israel ( maitzarim ), as stated in the Midrash and brought in Rabbainu zichrono livrachah 's words — the exile of Egypt was thus included within all the above-mentioned four. For when we left Egypt, we merited all the miracles and wonders spoken of in the above-mentioned mizmor that discusses the four who must give thanks. For in Egypt we were in exile and captivity and imprisonment — which is the aspect of the one released from prison. Hashem brought ten plagues upon the Egyptians and saved us from them — this is the aspect of the sick one who was healed and saved from illness, as it says: "all the disease that I placed upon Egypt I shall not place upon you" etc. And it says: "Hashem shall remove from you all illness, and all the afflictions of Egypt... that you knew, He shall not place upon you" etc. And we also crossed the sea — Hashem split the sea for us. Afterward we traveled in the wilderness and Hashem brought us through in peace with great miracles and wonders — this is the aspect of the desert-travelers and the sea-travelers mentioned above. Thus all the above-mentioned four who must give thanks — this is the aspect of the exodus from Egypt and the totality of all the redemptions from all the exiles of the four kingdoms, all of which are called "exile of Egypt," as above. The essential element of all the exiles is the distance from Eretz Yisrael — this is the essential exile, as it says: "Israel was exiled from upon its land." And as we say: "Because of our sins we were exiled from our land and distanced from upon our soil" etc. Regarding this we constantly ask that Hashem return us to Eretz Yisrael , as we say every day: "Lead us swiftly upright to our land" etc.; "May it be Your will that You bring us up in joy to our land" — and similarly Tikkun Chatzos and many other prayers in which we plead with Hashem about the length of the exile, to return us to our land soon. Regarding this, the Shechinah laments at all times about the very fact of our distance from our holy land, as our Sages say: "Woe to the children who were exiled from their Father's table and went out from their land." For the essential element of all the exiles — which includes all troubles, as above — the essential thing is because we are far from Eretz Yisrael , where emunah is in its completeness, the essential emunas chidush ha'olam and emunas haHashgachah . From there all the good things, miracles, wonders, and salvations included in the four who must give thanks are drawn. And conversely, chas v'shalom , proportional to the distance from Eretz Yisrael — through which one is far from the completeness of emunah — proportionally one endures, chas v'shalom , troubles and sufferings, Rachmana litzlan , as above. All this derives from the distance from true tzadikim — through which one is far from Eretz Yisrael in the general and particular senses, as above. For the essential delay of the ge'ulah and the essential exile from Eretz Yisrael derives from the damage done to the honor of the true tzadikim , who are the aspect of prophets. As it says: "They mocked the messengers of G-d and despised His prophets." And it says: "The righteous one has perished and no man takes it to heart, and men of kindness are gathered in without anyone understanding" etc. For every person must search and seek greatly for the true tzadik , as above — through which comes the essential tikkun of man, the essential emunah that is the foundation of everything, as above. Proportional to the damage done, chas v'shalom , by not striving to search for the tzadik — proportionally one falls into exile and becomes distanced from Eretz Yisrael . Then one falls into the reverse: he must search and seek all his days yet does not know what he searches and seeks. This is the essential aspect of exile — being in exile and upheaval, wandering and roaming, asking and investigating, seeking and searching with exceedingly great exertion, toil, and effort — not knowing what he seeks and searches for. As we see all this tangibly — whoever looks with the eye of truth sees that most people chase money with tremendous exertion, efforts, and anxieties. It is exactly like one who goes to search and seek something. For no person ever fills his desire for money, as our Sages say: "No man dies with even half his desire in his hand. He who has a hundred wants two hundred" etc. Thus he never fills his desire. He asks and investigates and seeks and searches for money forever, as if he is obligated and enslaved to some lord and ruler to search and seek something. And in truth he himself does not know what he seeks — for until the day of his death he seeks and searches constantly. If so, for whom does he seek and search for money? If he says: "For my children" — who knows whether the money will remain after him for his children? As we see that most wealthy people's children or descendants are poor and destitute. And even if the money were to remain for his children — what is the purpose? His children after him and their generations after them will all need to die just like him. What benefit do they have from all the money? As it says: "for in his death he shall not take it all" etc. Moreover, even his children will not be satisfied by all the money he leaves them. The more money he leaves them, the more they will lack and the greater their worry — for "no man dies with half his desire in his hand," as above. As we see with our eyes — whoever is familiar with the nature of wealthy people's children knows that nearly all of them experience great worry and distress. For example: a wealthy man who has ten thousand adumim [gold coins] and has four or five children. He conducts himself in the manner of the great magnates. Certainly when he has ten thousand, he conducts himself in a way that requires for his livelihood — according to his reckoning — more than ten thousand. For it seems to him he must live in residences and estates costing many thousands, and pearls and jewelry, and the great expenditure every week to dress each of his children in silk and embroidered garments and jewelry — in the manner of the great magnates. He says he doesn't care about himself at all, only about his children — as if it were a mitzvah from the Torah to raise his children this way. He does everything for the satisfaction of his children. But in truth, his children — all their days are anger and pain. For each of his sons and daughters wants to conduct himself in a manner such that all his father's wealth would not suffice for him alone, and more. Until his worry increases every day — for certainly his father cannot give each of his children all his wealth. He gives each according to his judgment and desire, and whatever he gives them is not enough for them. Until great jealousy and hatred fall among his children themselves, and each one envies the other. Each one wants to swallow the other — like Kayin who killed Hevel, because the entire world did not suffice for him. The father himself suffers great distress from the quarreling, hatred, and jealousy among his children. And similar worries and sufferings that each one has all the days of their father's life. Afterward, they all wait for him to die. When he dies, each one wants to receive the entire inheritance as his portion — until most inheritances go to waste through the machlokes among the children. Usually they don't succeed after him and become poor. Since the beginning of the world, everyone says he is thinking for the sake of his children — so his children should have money and wealth. Yet never has anyone in the world been found whose father left him enough that he would no longer be preoccupied with money. Even one who inherits a great fortune from his father still does not die with half his desire in his hand. Thus in vain and for nothing the entire world labors, searching and seeking money always — and nothing do they carry from their toil. As Koheles cried about this throughout his books. How much more so the poor and destitute and other people whose eyes constantly look out for livelihood — they stand in the morning with worry about livelihood and at night they sleep with this worry, wandering the markets and streets to find some way to seek some livelihood. Days and weeks pass and they accomplish nothing. The little livelihood they have reaches them only through Hashem's hashgachah — not from the place they thought, sought, and searched at all, as we see tangibly. All who need livelihood acknowledge this: usually they search for days for income and livelihood, finding nothing at all. Then Hashem arranges for them some income through His hashgachah alone — not from the place they searched and sought at all. Thus their searching and seeking was in vain, for naught and emptiness. Shlomo HaMelech, peace upon him, cried out and said: "If you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of Hashem" etc. — one must seek the ways of holiness with great seeking and searching, like hidden treasures and like silver, as above. "Like hidden treasures and like silver" specifically. Let a person imagine in his mind how much he would seek and search if someone told him he would certainly find a treasure here. If he would search like that for the true tzadik — through whom he would attain all good, as above — he would certainly merit finding him and drawing close to him, and would merit all good. For the essential reason people fall into great exile — wandering in exile, roaming and searching for money — is all because of the damage done by not meriting to search for the true tzadikim , through whom one merits Eretz Yisrael and emunah and hashgachah and wonders — when one does not need exertion and preoccupation at all for livelihood. As it says: "those who seek Hashem shall not lack any good" — "those who seek" specifically: those who search and seek the tzadik in order to draw close to Hashem — then they shall not lack any good. For Hashem will provide all their needs without preoccupation, seeking, and searching — for they merit hashgachah and wonders beyond the natural order, as above. § 45 — Zevulun at the Border of Eretz Yisrael : Tikkun of the Desire for Money This is the aspect of: "Zevulun shall dwell at the shore of the seas; he shall be at the shore of ships, and his border shall reach Tzidon" (Beraishis 49). For Tzidon is the border of Eretz Yisrael , as it says: "the border of the Canaanite was from Tzidon" etc. And there, at the beginning of the border, at the place where Eretz Yisrael begins — there Zevulun is buried. (As I merited being there myself, at his holy grave in the city of Tzidon. And they told me there that from there they begin to reckon the border of Eretz Yisrael .) For Zevulun is the aspect of the tikkun [rectification] of the desire for money. Zevulun provided for Yissachar the tzadik , who was occupied in Torah. Zevulun was occupied in commerce and provided for Yissachar, as our Sages say. This is the essential tikkun of the desire for money, as explained in Rabbainu zichrono livrachah 's words: the essential tikkun of the desire for money is tzedakah . Regarding this it says: "Rejoice, Zevulun, in your going out, and Yissachar in your tents" — this is the aspect of the tikkun of the desire for money, which is the aspect of joy: "Rejoice, Zevulun" — as explained in the Torah " Tzavisa Tzedek " ( LM I:23 ). Thus Zevulun is the aspect of the tikkun of the desire for money. Therefore Zevulun is buried at the border of Eretz Yisrael , in Tzidon — the aspect of "his border shall reach Tzidon" : his end is at Tzidon, which is the border of Eretz Yisrael . This hints that through the aspect of Zevulun — the tikkun of the desire for money — one merits entering Eretz Yisrael . Meaning: through searching and seeking the tzadik , one merits being saved from the searching and seeking of the Sitra Achra — the searching and seeking for money. Through this one merits Eretz Yisrael . For the essential Eretz Yisrael is merited through the tzadik , in the aspect of: "the righteous shall inherit the land." It is impossible to merit Eretz Yisrael except through true tzadikim — this is the aspect of the princes that Moshe appointed to apportion the Land to Israel, as it says: "these are the men... to apportion the Land." For it is impossible to merit Eretz Yisrael except through true tzadikim , through whom one merits emunas chidush ha'olam — which is the aspect of Eretz Yisrael , as above. Therefore Zevulun — the aspect of one who draws close to the true tzadik and serves him with body, soul, and money, and provides all his needs, just as Zevulun toiled in commerce to provide for Yissachar who was occupied in Torah — he merits coming to Eretz Yisrael . Therefore Zevulun stands at the border of Eretz Yisrael — for specifically through the aspect of Zevulun, who draws close to the true tzadik , one merits entering and coming to Eretz Yisrael , as above. § 46 — The Todah Offering: Chametz and Matzah = Shavuos Therefore all the above-mentioned four who must give thanks must bring a Todah [thanksgiving-offering] that comes from chametz and matzah . This is the aspect of Shavuos , when one also brings chametz and matzah — namely, the Two Loaves from chametz and the other menachos from matzah . For all the above-mentioned four — the essential miracles, wonders, and salvations for them are drawn from the aspect of Shavuos , which is Matan Torah . Through this one merits the future chidush ha'olam — when the world will be governed in the mode of Eretz Yisrael : hashgachah and wonders — from which all the miracles, wonders, and salvations of the four who must give thanks are drawn, which include all miracles, as above. This is how David HaMelech, peace upon him, opens this mizmor about the above four: "Let the redeemed of Hashem say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the oppressor. And from the lands He gathered them — from east and from west" etc. This is the aspect of the ingathering of the exiles — the aspect of Eretz Yisrael , where all the ingathering of exiles converges, as it says: "if your dispersed are at the ends of the heavens, from there He shall gather you" etc.; "and Hashem your G-d shall bring you to the Land" etc. For the essential salvation of all the above-mentioned four is drawn from Eretz Yisrael , where hashgachah and wonders beyond the natural order prevail, as above — from which all the miracles and salvations derive, as mentioned above. The essential exile — which includes all troubles in body and soul, all included in the four — the essential thing is the distance and exile from Eretz Yisrael , as above. § 47 — The Upheavals Before Eretz Yisrael : Gathering Sparks from the Depths This is the aspect of the great upheavals and sufferings one must endure before arriving at Eretz Yisrael . One must travel through many routes before arriving at Eretz Yisrael , as it says: "G-d led them around" etc., as brought above. All this is for the sake of the above-mentioned ingathering of the dispersed. For it is stated in the Arizal's Writings in the Kavanos , regarding "bring us in peace from the four corners of the earth" etc.: that wherever in the world a single Jew is cast in exile, in the four corners of the earth, it is considered as if all Israel were exiled there. Through this, he sorts nitzotzos [sparks] from there, and through this they come to Eretz Yisrael ; see there at length. This is the secret of why Israel is scattered now in exile, in places exceedingly far from holiness. Now, this matter is very hidden and concealed, and impossible to understand. For we see that in distant lands, far from the settlements of Israel — such as the lands of Moscow — few Jews were cast there. They dwell among many ovdai kochavim , very few Jews. Until there are more distant cities where only one or two Jews are found in a large city. We see with our eyes that most of these Jews dwelling in such places — nearly all of them are not tzadikim at all. Would that they were bainonim [intermediate ones], for they are very far from Hashem. It is impossible to elaborate on this so as not to speak against any Jew, chas v'shalom — for even the sinners of Israel are full of mitzvos like a pomegranate. If so, how is it possible to understand that through such people, the nitzotzos would be sorted from such depths of the klipos ? But in truth, this is the wonder of the Perfect in Knowledge, and impossible to understand. The principle is: the essential exile is the exile and distancing from Eretz Yisrael , which is the totality of holiness. The essential exile is for the sake of sorting the dispersed — the nitzotzos cast into the depths of the klipos — in the aspect of: "Israel was exiled among the nations only so that converts would be added to them" — which is the aspect of the nitzotzos being sorted from the depths of the klipos . For in truth, at first glance it is difficult to understand the matter of exile: because Israel sinned in Eretz Yisrael , He exiled them to the land of the nations until they would rectify and return to Him and He would bring our righteous redeemer. The matter is very difficult — how can there be hope that in chutz la'aretz , Israel will return? If in the place of our vitality and holiness — Eretz Yisrael , the holy land where the essential holiness of Israel resides — if there the yetzer hara overpowered Israel until it caused them to sin, how can there be hope that in chutz la'aretz , the land of the nations, the impure air — there they will rectify and Israel will return? If so, chas v'shalom , hope is lost!! Does not Hashem desire our rectification? He does not wish to take vengeance upon us — all the exiles and troubles are only for the purpose of tikkun , as it says: "and you shall seek from there Hashem your G-d, and you shall find" etc. But how is it possible that in Eretz Yisrael we did not seek and search and inquire after Hashem, yet in chutz la'aretz , in the land of the nations, we will inquire and seek Him? But in truth, all this is the wonder of the Perfect in Knowledge. They are among the secrets of His wonders. This is the aspect of all the descents and falls that pass over each individual Jew according to his level and standing — until many have fallen to the depths of the lowest abyss, who feel that hope is lost, chas v'shalom . Especially now, at the end of the exile, in these end of days, in ikvisa d'Meshicha — as each person knows in his soul his heart's afflictions and pains. Nevertheless, in the end, all will be rectified and not a single one of them will be lost. For Hashem devises plans so that no banished one remain banished from Him. For in truth, there are times when specifically when a person arrives at a very low place, exceedingly far from holiness — specifically there he will be aroused with a great awakening toward Hashem. As we discussed at the beginning of this discourse above. There are several reasons and aspects to this matter. Part of it is because when Israel was in Eretz Yisrael , the Holy One, blessed be He, showed them great affection. They were drawn very close to Him, and it seemed to them that they were already close to Hashem and they did not seek Him further, and they became lax in their service. And the ba'al davar undermined them every day and at every moment, and through this he overpowered them until he caused them to sin. This is the aspect of: "Turn your eyes away from me, for they have overwhelmed me" (Shir HaShirim 6). See Rashi's commentary there, who explains this matter: that from the great affection He showed them in the Bais HaMikdash , through this they rebelled against Him; see there. This is the above-mentioned matter. Also because when they were in Eretz Yisrael , due to the great holiness of Eretz Yisrael , with any small movement in which they did not conduct themselves in holiness properly, they damaged greatly. Through this damage, greater damage was drawn — for one sin leads to another — and through this the ba'al davar caused them to sin. This is the aspect of: "for you have come to me to recall my sin" — that compared to the holiness of Eliyahu, she was considered wicked even though she was righteous, as Rashi explains there. For this reason they were forced to go out into exile. Then, from the great distance — seeing how far they are from Hashem, having been exiled and scattered in the land of the nations, in impure air, under the dominion of the ovdai kochavim — the souls of Israel strengthen themselves all the more to return to Hashem, as above. Also, there, due to the great impurity of chutz la'aretz , as soon as Israel does any service whatsoever, it is exceedingly precious in His eyes. Even though their service is not in completeness — nevertheless it is very precious in His eyes that in such a distant and impure place they would strengthen themselves to do even this service. Through this He has mercy on them and saves them. This is the aspect of all who fall from the service of Hashem — that through each damage they make or each sin they commit, chas v'shalom , they fall further and further. If so, what will be the end — is hope lost? But everything is according to the above: when Hashem sees that a person distances himself from His service and damages some damage, or transgresses, chas v'shalom , some sin — the Holy One, blessed be He, distances him and he falls further, for "one who comes to defile, the door is opened for him." But if so, chas v'shalom , hope would be lost and it would be impossible for any person to return ever, since each time he falls further, chas v'shalom . But Hashem devises plans so that no banished one remain banished from Him. He turns and maneuvers with His stratagems. When a person falls through sins to a place far from holiness, Hashem arranges for him hints there, according to that place, and arranges for him some merit that he can attain in that distant place specifically. This is his trial and bechirah . If he merits there to remember Hashem, and to do there what he can — what Hashem hints to him wherever he is — he can easily return to Hashem. For according to that place, he can merit through a small service to create nachas ruach and delight and great pleasure for Hashem — what he could not have merited in a holier place. For Hashem receives exceedingly great delight and pleasure when some service rises before Him from a very low and distant place, as understood from the words of our Sages many times. In the aspect of: "when Yisro came and said 'now I know...' — then the Holy Name was elevated and honored above and below." This is the secret of the exile of Israel in the general sense. And in the particular sense — the falls of each individual, as above — this is the essential exile. For the lower and farther from holiness one falls, the more he has there some service and nachas ruach to give Hashem — what even a great tzadik cannot merit, as above. Through this he raises all the nitzotzos and holinesses that fell there to that impure place. For there are many, many holy nitzotzos that fell from many ancient years into the very deepest depths of the klipos . Because they lie in the mire of the deep, in the very deepest abysses — certainly no one can enter there to raise them. Therefore, when a person happens to have sinned until he fell there, chas v'shalom , as soon as he remembers himself in Hashem and is aroused to serve Hashem with whatever service he can do there, according to his lowly place as above — all those nitzotzos cling to him and he raises them from there. In this he creates nachas ruach and immeasurably great delight for Hashem, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of the Jews dispersed in the four corners of the earth, in places distant from Israel. For there are nitzotzos from thousands of years lying there in great exile and distress. If they would smell there the slightest fragrance of a Jew, they would revive themselves greatly. Therefore, as soon as any Jew enters there — even sinners of Israel, for though he sinned, he is a Jew, and the name "Israel" is still upon him — immediately, when those holy nitzotzos smell the fragrance of a Jew, they awaken and cling to him. Even though they still cannot rise — since this man certainly does not have the power to raise them, and therefore usually he falls further through them, due to the abundance of klipos clinging to those nitzotzos , as is known — nevertheless, since he at least holds himself in the faith of Israel and does not convert completely, chas v'shalom , and the name "Israel" is called upon him — this itself is exceedingly precious in Hashem's eyes. Hashem has great delight and pleasure from this — until in the end, this person will rise from there and will raise with him all the above-mentioned nitzotzos . Through this he will rectify all his sins — since specifically through him these nitzotzos rose, which could not have risen through any upright person in the world, for who would have entered such an impure and filthy place? As above. The essential thing is through the power of the great true tzadik , who has the power to raise all these people together with the nitzotzos that clung to them, from all the lowest places — even from the very deepest depths of the lowest abyss, even from the mire of the deep with no foothold. Therefore, as long as a person strives and searches and seeks to draw close to true tzadikim — he has hope forever, no matter what. Even if he has fallen greatly, thousands and myriads of times. For through the power of the tzadik , it can happen that through one thing, one nachas ruach that he gives Hashem in his distant place — he rectifies everything and raises with him all the nitzotzos from such places, which could not have risen through any other person, as above. For this reason a person must endure many upheavals and sufferings before coming to Eretz Yisrael — all for the sake of sorting the above-mentioned nitzotzos , which all need to be gathered to Eretz Yisrael . Through them specifically one merits coming to Eretz Yisrael . In every place one passes through on the way to Eretz Yisrael , he sorts the nitzotzos from there — since his entire intention in traveling and passing through there is for the sake of coming to Eretz Yisrael , where all the nitzotzos gather. Then he merits coming with all those nitzotzos to Eretz Yisrael . In the aspect of: "if your dispersed are at the ends of the heavens, from there Hashem your G-d shall gather you... and Hashem your G-d shall bring you to the Land." All through the power of the tzadik , through whom specifically one comes to Eretz Yisrael , as above. There is still much more to say on this. This is sufficient for one who looks upon the truth, to have mercy on himself to return to Hashem from wherever he is. For the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended, and His mercies are never exhausted. § 48 — " Dirshu Hashem v'Uzo ": The Tzadik Is Called " Oz ," the Secret of Bechirah This is the meaning of: "Seek Hashem and His strength; seek His face always" (Divrai HaYamim I, 16). "Seek Hashem" — one must inquire and seek Hashem greatly, to merit complete emunah in truth. The verse explains how one seeks Hashem — how one merits emunah . This is: "His strength [uzo]." "Uzo" is the true tzadik , who is called oz [strength], as Rabbainu zichrono livrachah writes: the tzadik is called Bo'az — bo oz, bo takfa [in him is strength, in him is might]. For the tzadik is a mighty one who conquers his inclination. He is fierce as a leopard in the service of Hashem. He gives strength and might to Hashem, as it were, in the aspect of: "give strength to G-d." Therefore the tzadik is called "His strength [uzo]." This is: "Seek Hashem and His strength" — one must seek Hashem, to merit complete emunah . This is impossible except by inquiring, seeking, and searching for Hashem "and His strength" — the tzadik . As explained above: one must seek the tzadik greatly, and through this specifically one inquires after Hashem and merits complete emunah , as above. This is: "seek His face always." "His face [panav]" are the tzadikim , who are called anpai Shechinsa [the face of the Shechinah ], as brought in the holy Zohar. As I heard this from Rabbainu zichrono livrachah himself — one must search and seek the face of Hashem, who are the tzadikim . One must search and seek them always until one merits finding them and drawing close to them — for the essential emunah and drawing close to Hashem depends on them, as above. This is: "Remember His wonders that He did" etc. The verse explains how it is possible to search and seek the true tzadikim — for there is great confusion in the world from the magnitude of machlokes created by the azai panim of the generation, as above. To this the verse responds: "Remember His wonders that He did, His signs and the judgments of His mouth." This is the aspect of Matan Torah and the exodus from Egypt — that we merited Hashem's great wonders, He showed exceedingly great and awesome signs, and gave us the Torah which is "the judgments of His mouth." The verse says: remember the power of Matan Torah that we merited after the exodus. Through this power of Matan Torah , we have the power to search and seek the tzadik until we merit drawing close to him, as above. This is: "the seed of Israel His servant, the children of Yaakov His chosen ones. He is Hashem our G-d; in all the earth are His judgments." This is the matter explained above at length: Hashem always prepares the remedy before the blow — the aspect of Hashem arranging for each person illumination from Above, assisting him from the root of the holiness he needs to reach, to help him arrive at that holiness, as explained above. This aspect is the secret of the mysteries of bechirah — impossible to understand how Hashem assists man, and everything is from Him alone, as it says: "for from You is everything" etc., and: "who preceded Me that I should repay?" Yet man still has bechirah , as above. As explained above, this is the aspect of: "Hashem came from Sinai and shone from Sair to them" etc. — Hashem offered the Torah to all the nations and they did not want to accept it, until Israel came and accepted it. This means: Hashem illuminated upon them and hinted to them with hints that they should draw close to Him, and they did not want to accept. But Israel — as soon as He hinted to them and illuminated upon them and wanted to assist them and draw them close — immediately they ran after Him in love and drew close to Him. As it says: "Draw me, we will run after You." Rashi explains there: as soon as You began to draw me, to hint to me through Your emissary that You want to bring me close — immediately "after You we will run" in love, and we preceded "we will do" to "we will hear." And as it says: "You have opened my ears" etc.; "then I said: behold, I have come." Rashi explains there as well: Hashem hinted to them to draw them close — the aspect of "You have opened my ears" — and immediately: "then I said: behold, I have come, in the scroll of the book, to do Your will, my G-d, I desired." For I desired immediately in love and joy to pursue and run after You and to give my life for the sanctification of Your Name. Thus there are here two aspects that, according to man's limited understanding, appear contradictory. In one aspect, it appears that Hashem chose Israel gratuitously, through His great kindness alone. This certainly is impossible to understand — why He chose this nation from among all the nations. For this reason Israel is called am segulah [a treasured nation], for segulah is something impossible to understand, as explained in the Torah " B'Ha'aloscha " ( LM I:21 ). But there is another aspect: Israel merited clinging to Hashem and choosing Him — this too was true, as it says: "I remembered for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your betrothal, your following Me in the wilderness" etc. Through this aspect, Israel certainly deserves to be drawn close with all might. But in truth, through Israel's choosing alone, they would not have been able to draw close to Hashem — for they did not have the power to stand against the yetzer hara and Sitra Achra that prevent and confuse them. The essential closeness they merited — to draw close and be aroused toward Him — was through great assistance from Above. As it says: "You sustain my lot" — Rashi explains: "You placed my hand on the good portion and said to me: choose this for yourself." These two aspects come together: Hashem chose Israel, and Israel chose Hashem. Where the beginning was — this matter is among the deepest hidden secrets, impossible to understand at all. For this is the aspect of makifin that will not be revealed until the future, as understood from the above Torah " B'Ha'aloscha ." This is the essential aspect of Matan Torah . The essential Matan Torah is that holiness was drawn upon Israel so that every person in every generation and every time would have the power to strengthen in emunah and search and seek the true tzadikim of every generation, and merit through this drawing close to Hashem in completeness with complete emunah , as above. Nevertheless, every person has great bechirah in every generation — whether to draw close to true tzadikim or not, chas v'shalom . As we see with our eyes: very few are those who draw close to true tzadikim , as it says: "the little that the righteous has" etc. This is the aspect of: "the seed of Israel His servant, the children of Yaakov His chosen ones." These are the two above-mentioned aspects. "The seed of Israel His servant" — this is the aspect of Israel's choosing, that they chose Hashem through their service and exertion and effort, following Him in the wilderness etc. This is the aspect of "His servant" — they serve Him. For this reason they are called "His servant." "The children of Yaakov His chosen ones" — this is the second above-mentioned aspect: Hashem chose them in His great goodness, as it says: "Hashem chose you to be for Him a treasured nation" etc. These are the two above-mentioned aspects, through both of which Israel drew close to Hashem and received the Torah. So it is in every generation regarding the matter of drawing close to true tzadikim , as above. All through the power of the Torah we already received, as above. Therefore, by "His servant" it says "Israel," and by "His chosen ones" it says "Yaakov." For "Yaakov" is a lesser aspect, and "Israel" is a greater aspect, as is known. At first, when a person needs to draw close to Hashem and lacks the power to draw close due to his great weakness against the yetzer hara , Hashem assists him in a wondrous and awesome way to merit drawing close. His entire closeness through the assistance from Above — this aspect is called "Yaakov," an aspect of katnus [smallness], in the aspect of "in the womb he grasped his brother's heel" — one must receive the greatness of the holiness of Israel through cunning, through stealth and concealment, so the ba'al davar does not accuse, since he has not yet merited drawing close to Hashem through his own service. The essential thing was through the assistance from Above. Therefore this aspect is called "Yaakov." But afterward, when he merits strengthening like a lion in the service of Hashem until he merits drawing close to Hashem through his own service — then he is called "Israel," which is the greater aspect, the aspect of: "your name shall no longer be called Yaakov but Israel." As Rashi explains: it shall no longer be said that you received the blessings through guile and trickery — meaning one can no longer say that through deceit and concealment you received the blessings (= the holiness of Israel). Rather, "Israel shall be your name" — "for you have striven with G-d and with men and have prevailed." For you merited strengthening in your service until you overcame the accusing angels and the opposing people who are drawn from them. Then he is called "Israel." Therefore, by "His servant" — the aspect of bechirah , that Israel chose Hashem through their service (= "His servant" ) — it says "Israel," as above. But by "His chosen ones" — the aspect of Hashem choosing Israel through His kindness — it says "Yaakov," for this aspect is the choosing of "Yaakov," as above. The aspect of Israel's choosing Hashem through their service is the aspect of "Israel," as above. And in truth, everything is one. For also at the beginning, when Israel drew close to Hashem — both generally at Matan Torah , and individually when a person draws close to Hashem and to the true tzadik in every generation and at every time — certainly even at the beginning, in the time of katnus and the start, he had some bechirah through which he merited drawing close. But all this is impossible to understand at all, as above. This is: "He is Hashem our G-d; in all the earth are His judgments" — certainly Hashem is righteous and His judgments are straight, and there is no wrong in Him. Certainly He did not choose us gratuitously, in the general and particular senses. Only it is impossible to understand this, as above. This is: "Remember forever His covenant, the word He commanded to a thousand generations." One must remember His covenant — the Torah — in every generation. Even though we still need the tzadik of the generation, nevertheless we accomplished much through the Torah — through which we have the power to search and seek him and draw close to him. This is the aspect of "the word He commanded to a thousand generations" — as explained above at length: the aspect of Hashem wanting to give the Torah after a thousand generations, and He saw the world could not survive, and He gave it to the twenty-sixth generation. As explained above, all this is the above-mentioned aspect: through Matan Torah we have the power to draw close to the true tzadik of every generation, through whom the essential sorting of emunah is accomplished in every generation, according to the time and day, as above. This is: "which He made with Avraham... saying: to you I shall give the land of Canaan" etc. For the essential purpose of Matan Torah and the purpose of drawing close to tzadikim in every generation — the essential purpose is Eretz Yisrael : to merit emunas chidush ha'olam , which is the aspect of Eretz Yisrael , as above. This is the aspect of: "the portion of your inheritance" — "chevel" [cord/portion] specifically. For in Eretz Yisrael — the aspect of drawing close to true tzadikim , the aspect of emunah , as above — there the chevel d'kedushah [holy cord] is bound. Whoever draws close there — to the tzadik and to Eretz Yisrael — through which he merits complete emunah — he is bound to Hashem with the chevel d'kedushah forever and ever and for all eternity. It shall never be severed and never destroyed, in the aspect of: "with human cords I drew them, with bonds of love." As explained above at length: as long as one strives and searches to draw close to true tzadikim , even if, chas v'shalom , one falls however one falls — it is not considered a fall at all. For on the contrary, then he will raise even more nitzotzos from the most distant places, as above. It is exactly like lowering someone by a cord into the depths of the sea and the lowest abysses — so that he searches and seeks there precious treasures and exceedingly wondrous gemstones. As long as he is tied to the cord, he will never be lost. Exactly so: as long as one ties himself to true tzadikim , and yearns for them, and searches for them — through this one ties himself to the chevel d'kedushah . Then, wherever he descends, the tzadik will raise him from there through the chevel d'kedushah to which he is bound. Not only will he raise him from there — but the very descent and fall will become the ultimate ascent. For through his fall and descent to such places, he will raise from there many precious and holy nitzotzos that could not have been raised through any tzadik except specifically through him, as above. This is: "when you were few in number" etc.; "and they walked from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another people." All this is the secret of Israel's upheaval in exile — from nation to nation and from kingdom etc. This began from the days of Avraham Avinu, from the time it was decreed upon him: "know surely that your seed shall be a stranger" etc. — which hinted also to all the exiles of all the four kingdoms. All this is the secret of the above-mentioned aspect: for the sake of sorting nitzotzos from the depths of the klipos , as above. This is: "He did not allow any man to oppress them... Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm." When Israel descends into exile, both generally and individually, Hashem does not allow them to be oppressed and lost there, chas v'shalom . As it says: "Yet even then, when they are in the land of their enemies, I have not rejected them" etc. All this is through the power and merit of the true tzadikim of every generation, through whom the essential sorting of emunah is accomplished in every generation, every day, as above. This is: "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm." For the tzadikim and all who draw close to them — who are included in them — are called prophets. For every tzadik merits the aspect of ruach n'vuah , through which the essential sorting of emunah is accomplished, as explained above at length. Through this one merits emunas chidush ha'olam , through which one merits the aspect of fragrance — the aspect of Mashiach , as explained in the above Torah . Therefore the true tzadikim are called Mashiach , as Rabbainu zichrono livrachah writes. This is: "Do not touch My anointed ones" [ m'shichai ]; "and My prophets" etc. — the true tzadikim who possess ruach hakodesh , through whose power and merit Israel has survival in exile so they are not lost, chas v'shalom , as above. Through them the essential sorting of emunah is accomplished every single day. Through this the future chidush ha'olam will come, when a new song will be aroused, as above, in the above Torah . This is: "Sing to Hashem, all the earth; proclaim from day to day His salvation." Through drawing close to true tzadikim , we merit the above-mentioned song — the aspect of "Sing to Hashem, all the earth." The essential thing: through the wonders and salvations the tzadikim draw upon us every single day — to sort the emunah every single day according to the day and hour. For this reason one must draw close to true tzadikim in every generation, as above. This is: "proclaim from day to day His salvation" — "from day to day" specifically. For the emunah , which is the essential salvation and redemption from all troubles both generally and individually, must be sorted from day to day specifically, as above — for which one must specifically draw close to the true tzadik of every generation. As all this is explained above at length; see there. From "This is the aspect of the four who must give thanks" in § 43 until here was written in Tzidon, upon my arrival from sea to dry land, at the beginning of the border of Eretz Yisrael . How great are Your works, Hashem; exceedingly deep are Your thoughts. Many things You have done for me... what shall I say? ✦ End of Part 6 (§§ 44–48 / Oaseyos מג–מו + Closing Note) ✦ ✦ Halachah 4 Complete — 47 Oaseyos in 6 Parts ✦ Na Nach Nachma Nachman May'Uman