תפלת המנחה ו

Free for all sacred use, printing, distribution and sharing. Hilchos Birchas HaHodaah [The Blessing of Thanksgiving] — Halachah 5 Part 1 (Intro + §§ 1–8 / Oaseyos א–ח) COMPLETE · Based on LM I:31 ( Ais Lan Bira B'Davra )

Shulchan Aruch text: Four must give thanks: sea-travelers, wilderness-travelers, etc., a sick person who was healed, and one who was imprisoned and released. The mnemonic: "and all who live [v'chol ha' ch a' y ' i ' m '] shall thank You" etc.

Introduction: Letters, Vowel-Points, Longings, and the Four Tikunim

In memory of the true key bearer of the Breslov tradition

Based on the Torah " Ais lan bira b'davra " ( LM I:31 ); see there. The principle is: tzedakah governs all the celestial spheres, etc. All the sufferings a person has on his journeys are due to the celestial spheres, etc. — for there are stars that decree there shall be a road, etc., and stars that decree there shall be a wilderness, etc. Therefore the remedy for this is to give tzedakah before going on a journey, as it says: "righteousness shall go before him and shall direct his steps on the way" etc.

The essential completeness of the spheres — the completeness of tzedakah — is only through Shabbos , etc., which is the aspect of emunah . The essential sustaining of emunah is through the aspect of bris , etc. There are two aspects of bris : the aspect of Avraham, which is bris ilah [the upper covenant] — the firmament that separates between the upper waters and the lower waters; and the aspect of Eliezer, which is bris tata'ah [the lower covenant] — the aspect of Chanoch- Metat , etc. This is the firmament that separates between clean waters and impure waters, between forbidden and permitted, etc. Bris ilah is guarding the holy bris . Bris tata'ah is guarding forbidden and permitted, etc. A person must have both aspects of bris — he must be both a tzadik and a lamdan [Torah scholar], etc.

Rabbi Yisrael Dov Odeser o.b.m.

Through this one merits the aspect of chesed — love and yearning for Hashem — and then he makes souls: he makes vowel-points for the letters of the Torah. For letters without vowel-points are like a body without a soul — they have no movement or function without a soul. So too, the combining and pairing of the letters through the 231 Gates to produce some action — they have no power except according to the vowel-points. The vowel-points are the love and longings, in the aspect of nekudos hakesef [points of silver = points of longing]. The longings are the soul, etc. According to the longings, so are the vowel-points: if one longs for evil, he makes evil vowel-points, and then the letters combine and pair to produce evil actions. If one longs to return in teshuvah , good vowel-points are made — good souls — and the letters move and pair to produce good actions, etc.

Student of Rabbi Yisrael Karduner o.b.m. This is: "if the teacher resembles an angel of Hashem Tz'vakos" — he must be both a tzadik and a lamdan , etc.; see all this there well.

See what pertains to this, printed nearby, in my [Reb Noson's] own words. The principle is: the longings and yearning for something holy are exceedingly precious. Through them a good soul is formed and completed through speech, and it goes forth and transmigrates. Sometimes the soul of holiness transmigrates into a wicked person and thoughts of teshuvah fall upon him, and he can be brought back to good. And conversely, chas v'shalom , how much evil is caused by longing for something evil, chas v'shalom — the soul formed through evil longings sometimes transmigrates into a tzadik and can cause him to sin, chas v'shalom . This is: "there is a vanity that is done on the earth" etc.; see all this there well.

See there regarding the four who entered the Pardais [orchard], etc. He explains there that one who separates a lamdan from a tzadik — who says that being a lamdan alone is a virtue — is in the aspect of Acher who "cut the plantings," who separated the aspect of Metat , the aspect of an angel — the aspect of a lamdan , the aspect of kasher and pasul [permitted and forbidden] — from "Hashem Tz'vakos" — the aspect of a tzadik with good deeds. For in truth, a lamdan — even in Torah — without good deeds is nothing. On the contrary: "if he did not merit, it becomes a potion of death for him." Therefore the teacher must resemble an angel of "Hashem Tz'vakos" — he is a lamdan in Torah and serves Hashem with righteousness and good deeds. Through this he forms the letters of the Torah for good — then "Torah shall be sought from his mouth" : the letters of the Torah seek to receive vowel-points and be formed from his mouth. Through his mouth speaking his holy yearnings and longings, the souls (= vowel-points for the letters) go forth, and the letters are formed and paired for good, etc. For the letters of the Torah are active agents — they are the vitality of everything and govern the world. Everything depends on the vowel-points that people draw through their longings for good or the reverse, chas v'shalom — through which the letters are formed for good or the reverse. Therefore Torah has two powers: "if he merited, it becomes a potion of life" etc.; see all this there well.

Student of Rabbi Moshe Breslover o.b.m. § 1 — The Four Who Give Thanks: Crying Out to Hashem to Overpower the Evil Vapors

Student of Rabbi Nussun of Breslov o.b.m. This is the aspect of the four who must give thanks for the miracle done for them — that they were in distress and were saved: those who wandered in the wilderness, etc. For all the troubles, salvations, and miracles that befall a person throughout his life — everything is according to how he merits forming the letters of the Torah for good, or the reverse, chas v'shalom , according to the longings, as above. Through this the entire world is governed for good, or the reverse, as explained there in the above Torah well.

Student of the holy master

Therefore the essential tikun is crying out to Hashem, as written there in Mizmor " Hodu " which discusses all the above four — where it says regarding each one: "they cried out to Hashem" etc. For the essential distress is because the evil vapors have overpowered — formed from evil longings, from which all troubles come, chas v'shalom , by the letters that govern the world being formed for ill, chas v'shalom , as above. Therefore the remedy is only: "they cried out to Hashem." As our Sages say: "crying out is good for a person" etc. One must pray and cry out to Hashem so the holy vapors overpower and become souls — good vowel-points — to form the letters for good. Through this he is saved from the distress, as above.

For the crying out is the aspect of a strong voice and vapor. Since he is in distress, chas v'shalom — indicating the evil vapors have already overpowered the good vapors — mere prayer in a simple voice is not enough. He must cry out in a great, strong voice to Hashem in order to overpower the holy vapor over the evil vapors, so that his affairs return to good, and through this he emerges from the distress. In the aspect of: "they cried out to Hashem in their distress, and from their afflictions He saved them," as above.

Rabbi Nachman of Breslov

Therefore, when one emerges from distress, he must thank Hashem, as it says: "Let them give thanks to Hashem for His kindness" etc. For the thanksgiving and praise to Hashem — this is the essential cleaving to Hashem, the aspect of will and longing and yearning for Hashem. All the thanksgivings, songs, and praises are included in the ten types of melody, which are all the aspect of a wondrous will and yearning — the essential cleaving to Hashem. This is: "let them give thanks to Hashem for His kindness" — "His kindness" specifically. And the mizmor begins: "Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His kindness endures forever." And it concludes: "whoever is wise... let them consider the kindnesses of Hashem" — "kindnesses" specifically: the aspect of chesed explained in the above Torah , which is the aspect of Avraham — wondrous will, love, and yearning for Hashem. This is: "let them give thanks to Hashem for His kindness and His wonders to the children of men" — through this chesed (= good will and longings), all the wonders in the world are made, by the letters being formed for good, as above.

§ 2 — The Four Correspond to the Four Tikunim

This is the aspect of the four who must give thanks: those who wandered in the wilderness on a desolate path, etc.; those sitting in darkness — in prison — when they are released; the sick who are healed; and sea-travelers when they come up from there. All the dangers these four undergo correspond to the damage done in the aspects explained in the above Torah , through which one attains good longings that rectify everything, as above.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'uman

As explained there: tzedakah governs all the celestial spheres, etc. The essential completeness of tzedakah is through Shabbos - emunah . To merit this is through tikun habris . Tikun habris has two aspects: tzadik and lamdan , etc.; see there. This is the aspect of the four:

Arranged by Simcha Nanach

"They wandered in the wilderness on a desolate path" — this derives from damaging tzedakah , which governs the celestial spheres, as explained there (ois daled). In his words: "Know that the sufferings a person has on journeys are due to the celestial spheres" etc. This is the aspect of: "righteousness shall go before him and shall direct his steps on the way" ; see there. The tikun of the journey is through tzedakah ; see there.

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"Those sitting in darkness" — in prison — derives from damaging Shabbos - emunah . For Shabbos is freedom — the opposite of being imprisoned. See further below.

The sick person who was healed — corresponds to the damage and tikun of bris tata'ah : forbidden and permitted, the firmament separating clean waters from impure waters, between forbidden and permitted, as explained there. This is the aspect of the distinction and sorting between blood and blood — between impure blood and pure blood, between bitter waters and sweet waters. According to the damage done in this, chas v'shalom — when one does not properly separate and sort between blood and blood, between pure and impure — all illnesses come, chas v'shalom . All illnesses come through the overpowering of murky blood through the damage of the four maros [humors], which are the aspect of bitter waters — when one does not merit separating and distinguishing pure blood from impure blood, through sorting the halachah to sort the forbidden from the permitted, the impure from the pure, etc. Thus the sick person who is healed corresponds to the damage and tikun of bris tata'ah , as above.

Sea-travelers who come up — this corresponds to the tikun of bris ilah : the firmament separating the upper waters from the lower waters: "let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, separating water from water." This is the aspect of: "who makes a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters" — from which the power of all ships traveling in the sea is drawn, the aspect of "the way of a ship in the heart of the sea." Therefore all who go down to the sea in ships, doing work in great waters — the essential power to rise from there in peace is through the power of the tzadikim , who are in the aspect of tikun bris ilah , the firmament separating water from water, from which the power of a way in the sea is drawn, the aspect of "who makes a way in the sea," the aspect of "the way of a ship in the heart of the sea," as above.

Table of Contents

Thus these four who must give thanks correspond to the four above-mentioned tikunim : tikun of tzedakah ; tikun of Shabbos - emunah ; tikun bris tata'ah (= forbidden and permitted); and tikun bris ilah (= guarding the holy bris — the essential aspect of tzadik ). Through the tikun of all four aspects, one merits good longings — good souls — through which the letters of the Torah are formed for good, through which one is saved from all troubles and dangers, as above.

§ 3 — PaRDeS: The Four Parts of Torah Correspond to the Four

For the essential purpose of Torah is when one merits good deeds: "the purpose of Torah is teshuvah and good deeds" etc. Torah governs the entire world. The essential thing is how the letters of Torah are formed — through good longings, as above. Through good deeds merited through good longings, the letters are formed for good and all four parts of Torah are rectified. These are the aspect of the above-mentioned four who must give thanks — the aspect of the four above-mentioned tikunim explained in the above Torah : tzedakah , emunah , etc.

[Right-click and select "Update Field" to generate TOC] The four parts of Torah are the aspect of PaRDeS : P'shat , Remez , Drush , Sod , as is known. None of them have completeness except through good longings, through which the essential formation for good is accomplished, as above. This is the aspect of the four who entered the Pardais mentioned in the above Torah : even though they merited entering the PaRDeS , nevertheless they did not all emerge in peace in ultimate completeness — each one according to his longings and good deeds. Rabbi Akiva, who was complete in his good deeds with completeness — he alone entered in peace and exited in peace. Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma, even though they were great tzadikim , were not completely perfect like Rabbi Akiva — therefore one "gazed and was stricken," etc. And Acher — who had a stain in his heart, as proven by his end, when he seized a harlot in the marketplace, as our Sages say — therefore he "cut the plantings" entirely. Even though he was a great and outstanding lamdan in Torah to such an extent, having all four parts of PaRDeS in his hand — since he was not complete in his deeds as befitting, and his longings and desires were for evil — he found his [doom], until he became an apostate and "cut the plantings," Rachmana litzlan . The essential completeness of the four parts of PaRDeS is through good longings. A lamdan without righteousness is nothing.

The four parts of PaRDeS correspond to the above-mentioned four tikunim , which are the aspect of the four who must give thanks: tikun of tzedakah (= journey-travelers), tikun of Shabbos - emunah (= the imprisoned who are released), tikun of forbidden and permitted (= the sick who are healed), and tikun of bris kodesh (= sea-travelers who rise from there in peace). § 4 — P'shat = Bris Tata'ah = Healing the Sick P'shat [the plain meaning] is the aspect of the tikun of bris tata'ah — the aspect of Metat , who encompasses the six orders of Mishnah, who sorts the forbidden and permitted, etc., as above. All this is the aspect of P'shat — the plain halachah , through which the essential sorting of halachah is accomplished, to sort the forbidden from the permitted, etc. All this is the aspect of tikun bris tata'ah , as above. One who damages this — through this illness comes, Rachmana litzlan , by not sorting between blood and blood, between clean waters and impure waters, etc. All this is the aspect of the damage of P'shat — not sorting the plain halachah . This is the aspect of: "they embittered their lives with hard labor" — "with difficulty" : difficulties in the halachah , etc., as brought in the Tikunim. He finds questions and difficulties and cannot clarify and sort it out — and through this "they embittered their lives." This is the aspect of illness that comes through the overpowering of the four humors, the aspect of bitter waters — from which all illnesses come, embittering a person's life, chas v'shalom . Illness is the corruption of life, the aspect of "they embittered their lives" etc. Illness is close to death, as it says: "they reached the gates of death." This derives from damaging the aspect of P'shat , which is the damage of bris tata'ah — not meriting sorting the halachah to sort the forbidden and permitted, to separate clean waters from impure waters, blood from blood — all due to the difficulty and heaviness of the halachah , the aspect of "they embittered their lives with hard labor — with difficulty" etc. Thus P'shat is the aspect of bris tata'ah , whose damage brings illness, chas v'shalom . Conversely, according to the tikun , one merits healing — the aspect of the sick person who was healed, one of the above-mentioned four. § 5 — Remez = Tzedakah = Guiding the Way Remez [allusion] — this is the aspect of the tikun of journey-travelers, which is through tzedakah , as above. For the essential knowledge of the straight path in absolute truth is impossible to indicate explicitly — only through allusion, in the aspect of: "I shall enlighten you and guide you on this path you shall walk; I shall advise — My eye is upon you." It is impossible to explain and specify all the confusions and errors in the walking of paths, even physically — for from every path, many confusing paths branch off to the sides where one can go astray. How much more so regarding spiritual paths in the service of Hashem! It is impossible in any manner to explain to each person the straight path at every day and time — where to turn to save his soul from what he needs saving from. For "there is a path straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death." As our master, teacher, and rabbi zichrono livrachah wrote on the verse "I wandered like a lost sheep" etc. — as soon as one deviates slightly from the path, many confusing paths branch off from there, etc.; see there. Since most of the world has already wandered in the wilderness on a desolate path — for "there is no righteous person on earth" etc., "who does not sin" — through every sin, chas v'shalom , one strays from the path. As we confess every day: "we have gone astray, we have wandered" etc. How is it possible to explain how to return to the straight path? Therefore the straight path cannot be explained explicitly at every moment and with every movement — only through allusion: "I shall enlighten you and guide you on this path you shall walk; I shall advise — My eye is upon you" — one is hinted at every moment which way to go. All this is rectified through tzedakah , in the aspect of: "the righteousness of the perfect shall straighten his way" ; and: "in the path of righteousness I walk." Through tzedakah one merits walking the straight path physically and spiritually, in the aspect of: "He guided them on a straight path" etc. Therefore the aspect of Remez in Torah is the tikun of journey-travelers, through tzedakah that governs the celestial spheres from which all paths derive, as explained there; see there. The spheres revolve every day, every moment, every hour — from which all the changes in the world that Hashem orchestrates are drawn: heat and cold, summer and winter, etc. Also the particular changes every day, for every person, in every place. All in order to hint hints to a person to return to the straight path in truth, according to that day and hour, according to what is hinted at every moment. (As explained in the Torah " Vai'hi Mikeitz — Zikaron ," LM I:54 : hints are given to a person at every moment to return to Hashem.) All through the changes made every day through the movement of the spheres, which the Holy One, blessed be He, governs with wondrous wisdom at every moment — "He changes the times and arranges the stars in their watches in the firmament according to His will" etc. — all to hint to a person the straight path he must return to at that moment and hour. Those who damage this and do not take to heart all these hints that come through the movement of the spheres every day — about this it says: "they do not regard the work of Hashem and do not see the deeds of His hands." As our Sages expound: they do not regard the work of Hashem to bless Him "who forms light" in the morning and "who brings on evening" in the evening — as above. For the essential blessing of "who forms light" in the morning and "who brings on evening" in the evening is to bless Him for the renewal of creation each day: "in His goodness He renews every day constantly the act of creation" — all for the sake of the above hints, to return to the straight path and draw close to Him, as above, and as explained elsewhere. Thus Remez is the aspect of the tikun of journey-travelers, through tzedakah governing the celestial spheres, as above. § 6 — Drush = Shabbos - Emunah = Freedom from Prison Drush [homiletical exposition] — this is the aspect of the tikun of Shabbos - emunah , the world of freedom — the tikun of one imprisoned who goes free. For the essential drushim [homiletical expositions] of Torah are revealed on Shabbos , as is known. All drushim of Torah derive from the thirteen midos through which the Torah is expounded — the aspect of the thirteen tikunai dikna [rectifications of the "beard"], which are the light of the face. The essential illumination of the thirteen tikunai dikna is on Shabbos , when one ascends there, as known in the kavanos of Shabbos . Shabbos is the aspect of emunah — through which specifically one can truly expound the Torah. Emunah is the essential foundation upon which one stands — through which one enters the intellect to expound the Torah. As our master, teacher, and rabbi zichrono livrachah wrote on the verse: "his hands were emunah until the sun came" — through emunah one comes to the intellect, etc.; see there. Therefore emunah is the aspect of Shabbos , the world of freedom — through which comes the essential completeness of da'as (as explained elsewhere, LM II:10 ), through which one can expound the Torah. For when emunah is not in completeness, chas v'shalom , then one's da'as and intellect are imprisoned and held in iron fetters, in captivity and prison, in great confinement. It is known that the human intellect is too short to grasp anything in its fullness and precision. Therefore all the philosophical scholars are confused and lost in all the wisdoms — they still have no clear wisdom, for there are among them many doubts, disputes, and tremendous confusions in all the wisdoms, as known to one versed in them. Through human intellect alone, it is impossible to grasp anything in its truth. Therefore, when one enters any wisdom without emunah , chas v'shalom , his intellect is imprisoned and confined — unable to emerge from there. His mind remains confused and trapped in what he contemplates, unable to emerge in peace — for he cannot grasp it with his human intellect. As it says: "I said I would be wise, but it is far from me" ; "far is what was, and deep, deep — who can find it?" (Koheles 7). This is the aspect of the exile of Egypt, when da'as was in exile and captivity, as is known. Egypt was full of idols — idolatry and heresies, the opposite of emunah . Therefore da'as was in exile and captivity there — for without emunah , da'as and intellect are imprisoned in exile and captivity, unable to escape the confusions through intellect alone without emunah , as above. But when one has emunah , the aspect of Shabbos , he is in the aspect of freedom — for his mind is free. He knows everything on its basis through emunah alone — by believing in the words of our Sages and holy forefathers. Then he has a foundation to stand upon — emunah , upon which everything stands. Through the foundation of emunah , he can enter all the drushim of Torah and emerge in peace, since he has strong foundations through the holy emunah . This is the aspect of: "Chavakuk came and established them on one: the righteous shall live by his faith." "Shall live" — this is the aspect of the true wisdoms of the drushim of Torah, which are the essential vitality: "wisdom gives life" ; "seek Me and live" — whose essence depends on emunah , the foundation of the true drushim , as above. This is what Rabbainu zichrono livrachah writes in the Sefer HaAlef-Bais, under the letter peh , "Redemption of Captives": "When one of Israel is imprisoned in confinement, through this — according to his level — the wellsprings of wisdom are blocked from the sages of the generation. And conversely, when he leaves prison [they are opened]." For imprisonment is the aspect of the wellsprings of wisdom being blocked — da'as in exile and confinement, unable to sort the drushim of Torah properly, as above. The tikun of all this depends on Shabbos - emunah , the world of freedom, as above. This is the aspect of: "I am Hashem your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." "I am Hashem your G-d" — this is the aspect of emunah , the essential foundation of emunah : to believe in Him. Through this: "who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage" — He brought us out of Egypt, from slavery, captivity, and imprisonment, all because da'as was in exile there, as is known. Through emunah — the aspect of "I am Hashem your G-d" — da'as leaves exile, captivity, and imprisonment: this is the essential aspect of Yetzias Mitzrayim , as above. Thus Drush is the aspect of Shabbos - emunah , the tikun of the imprisoned who goes free, as above. § 7 — Sod = Bris Kodesh = Sea-Travelers Sod [the esoteric] — this is the aspect of the tikun of bris kodesh , the tikun of sea-travelers, as above. For the essential secrets of Torah are merited through guarding the holy bris , in the aspect of: "the secret of Hashem is for those who fear Him, and His covenant — to make it known to them." Sod has the numerical value of seventy — one merits this only through guarding the bris , by breaking the desire that encompasses the evil of all the seventy nations, as explained in the Torah " B'krov Alai M'ra'im " ( LM I:36 ); see there, where he writes that by withstanding the trial of this desire — the essential trial and refining — the secrets of Torah are opened to him: "hidden things are revealed to him" etc.; see there. This is the essential tikun of sea-travelers in ships, that they pass through in peace. The essential power to cross the sea derives from the aspect of: "who makes a way in the sea" — from which the power to cross the sea in ships comes: "the way of a ship in the heart of the sea." All this derives from tikun habris , as the essential tikun habris is in the aspect of "who makes a way in the sea," as explained ( LM II:87 ) regarding the kavanos of Elul, which are the tikun habris ; see there. This is the aspect of attaining the secrets of Torah — about which it says spiritually: "those who go down to the sea in ships, doing work in great waters" — only they descend into the sea of wisdom with great and wondrous effort, and only they see the works of Hashem and His awesome wonders: "they saw the works of Hashem and His wonders" etc. No one knows and grasps the greatness of the Creator and His awesome wonders like the masters of the secrets of Torah, as brought in the holy Zohar and Tikunim. But no one merits this except the true guardians of bris kodesh . Therefore anyone wishing to enter PaRDeS — the four parts of Torah: P'shat, Remez, Drush, Sod — cannot enter and emerge in peace except by meriting all the above tikunim . The essential thing depends on guarding bris kodesh , as understood in the above Torah . Then specifically one merits good longings and makes good souls and forms the letters of Torah for good — all four parts of Torah are formed and paired for good, to produce good actions in the world, as above. But one who, chas v'shalom , separates Torah-study from the above tikunim — whose essence is the holiness of the bris — and wants to enter PaRDeS without those tikunim , he can "cut the plantings," chas v'shalom , like Acher . The essential damage is when one wants to enter the secrets of Torah before having rectified bris kodesh properly — for the essential attainment of the Torah's secrets is through guarding the bris , as above. Even the other parts of Torah are not attained in completeness except through guarding the bris . All the above tikunim — emunah , tzedakah , etc. — all depend on guarding the bris , as explained there. Through these tikunim one merits all parts of Torah, as above. Therefore every lamdan must examine his deeds and look within himself: is he clean of sin? Is he holy in guarding the bris properly? If he knows that he has not yet reached this — all the more if he is far from this tikun , as far as is common now due to our many sins — he must know that his Torah still has no completeness except through the great tzadik who is truly holy in the completeness of bris kodesh . When one binds himself to him, then lamdan and tzadik are included together, and then he can be rectified through him — meriting good longings and forming the letters of Torah for good through him. Therefore every person must search and seek greatly for a true Rebbe like this — which is the aspect of: "if the teacher resembles an angel of Hashem Tz'vakos, Torah shall be sought from his mouth" etc., as explained in the above Torah . But if one does not draw close to such a true tzadik — and all the more if he disputes him, chas v'shalom , while he himself is not holy at all, as he knows within himself, yet he prides and boasts only in his lamdan -scholarship, since he is a great lamdan — this is the aspect of Acher who "cut the plantings." He separates lamdan from tzadik , thereby separating the letters of Torah from good vowel-points. The letters remain like a body without a soul — the aspect of "if he did not merit, it becomes a potion of death." This is literally the aspect of death — the departure of the soul from the body. For he too separates the good souls (= the vowel-points) from the letters (= the body relative to the vowel-points), as explained in the above Torah ; see there well. § 8 — The Damage of Korach: Separating Lamdan from Tzadik This is the aspect of the damage of Korach, who disputed Moshe and Aharon. The aspect of: "Korach took" — Targum: "Korach separated" — he separated lamdan from tzadik and said that being a lamdan alone is a virtue. This is what he said: "the entire congregation, all of them are holy" — Rashi: they all heard at Sinai " Anochi " etc. He said: since they all received the Torah and all heard " Anochi " at Sinai, therefore all faces are equal, chas v'shalom . In this he damaged and sinned greatly — for even though they all received the study of Torah at Sinai, they are not all equal in the fulfillment of Torah. The essential completeness is only according to the righteousness of each person, according to how each merits fulfilling the Torah in completeness. Everything depends on the holiness of the bris — which no person knows about his fellow, only he knows his own deficiencies and how he stands in this. Therefore one should certainly nullify himself before the true tzadik — the aspect of Moshe — whose wondrous holiness is visible through the wondrous Torah he revealed to us, and rely on his words, that he certainly knows to whom to give greatness as befitting. Especially Moshe Rabbainu himself, who did everything according to the Divine command. Korach, through his arrogance, disputed him and boasted in his wisdom and learning, and derived a false kal vachomer , and revealed faces in the Torah not according to halachah . He said: a garment entirely of techailes — is it exempt from a techailes thread? etc. And a room full of sefarim — does it require a mezuzah ? etc. When one has no emunah and separates Torah-study from the tzadik , he can certainly depart entirely from the faith, revealing faces in Torah not according to halachah — like Korach who disputed Moshe through this, and Acher who "cut the plantings" through this, as above. Therefore Korach disputed the kehunah [priesthood] — for the Kohain is the aspect of the above-mentioned true Rav : "for the lips of the Kohain shall guard knowledge, and Torah..." ; "if the teacher resembles an angel of Hashem Tz'vakos" etc. Kohain is the aspect of chesed , the aspect of Avraham — love, yearning, and holy longings merited through this Rav who resembles an angel of "Hashem Tz'vakos," as above. Korach, who damaged this and wanted to separate lamdan from tzadik , therefore disputed the kehunah , as above. Therefore Hashem commanded sorting the truth through the staffs: "the man whom I choose — his staff shall blossom." Mateh [staff] is the aspect of Metat — the aspect of a lamdan encompassing the six orders of Mishnah, the aspect of forbidden and permitted, as explained in the above Torah . Hashem commanded each one to place his staff before the Ark of Testimony — "the man whom I choose, his staff shall blossom" — to demonstrate that Aharon's staff (= the true Rav , the angel of "Hashem Tz'vakos" who unites lamdan and tzadik ) — he alone produces fruit: true Torah-novellae, which are the aspect of PaRDeS . Only his staff blossomed and grew and produced fruit: "it brought forth a blossom and flowered a flower" etc. — his Torah-study (= the mateh ) alone succeeded and bore fruit. For he is an angel of "Hashem Tz'vakos" who binds lamdan to tzadik — through which the essential completeness of Torah-novellae (= PaRDeS ) is accomplished. Therefore the kehunah certainly belongs to him — for he merited holy longings and love, the aspect of Kohain , man of chesed , as above. But the staffs of the other princes did not blossom or produce fruit — demonstrating and revealing that they cannot innovate in Torah's PaRDeS (called "a fruit tree producing fruit," as is known) except through the power of Aharon the Kohain , the true Rav resembling an angel of "Hashem Tz'vakos" encompassing lamdan and tzadik . The kehunah belongs to him alone. But one who separates himself from him is the aspect of a dry tree — even if it seems he innovates some novella, it is not considered fruit-bearing at all. As stated in the Zohar: novellae not as they should be are the aspect of "false firmaments," chas v'shalom (as explained in the Torah " Vai'hi Mikeitz ," LM I:54 ) — the aspect of the seven years of famine, chas v'shalom , the opposite of fruit-bearing. It is impossible to succeed in Torah and truly bear fruit except by binding oneself to the true tzadik , the aspect of Aharon the Kohain , "the lips of the Kohain shall guard knowledge" etc. — only he merited that his staff (= lamdan , Metat ) blossoms and bears fruit. The essential completeness of Torah-novellae (= PaRDeS , where all kinds of fruit grow) is only through good longings, through which one merits good deeds, as above. ✦ End of Part 1 (Intro + §§ 1–8 / Oaseyos א–ח) · Continues in Part 2 (§§ 9–15) ✦ Na Nach Nachma Nachman May'Uman Hilchos Birchas HaHodaah [The Blessing of Thanksgiving] — Halachah 5 Part 2 (§§ 9–15 / Oaseyos ט–טו) COMPLETE · Based on LM I:31 ( Ais Lan Bira B'Davra ) § 9 — Korach Swallowed Alive: Separating Letters from Vowel-Points = Death Therefore Korach and his assembly were swallowed alive, as it says: "they descended alive to the pit." The essential death derives from the above-mentioned damage — by not forming the letters of the Torah for good, which is the aspect of "if he did not merit, it becomes a potion of death." This damage derives essentially from not drawing close to the true tzadik — all the more when one disputes him, chas v'shalom , and separates lamdan from tzadik : separating Torah-study from good longings (= good souls, good vowel-points), as above. Through this, "if he did not merit, it becomes a potion of death" — since he separates the letters of Torah from the vowel-points, which is literally the departure of the soul from the body: the essential death, as above. The essential death derives from the sin of Adam HaRishon through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The essential damage of the Tree of Knowledge was this very aspect. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the aspect of Metat , encompassing the six orders of Mishnah — the aspect of forbidden and permitted, etc. — as known in the Tikunim. Hashem commanded him not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge at all — He wanted him to cleave only to the Tree of Life, which is entirely good, and then no sorting would have been needed at all. But he sinned and ate from the Tree of Knowledge through the counsel of the serpent, who was more cunning than all, enticing him to become clever: "your eyes will be opened" etc. — enticing him to pursue only wisdoms and investigations, to know good and evil, without striving after good deeds at all. Until the serpent overpowered him and enticed him to violate Hashem's command, to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He also damaged the holy bris , as our Sages say. Through all this he was in the aspect of "a gossip separates a chief" — he separated lamdan from tzadik , like Acher who "cut the plantings," as above. For through eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and through damaging the bris , he caused a separation between the aspect of lamdan (= the six orders of Mishnah, Metat -angel) and the aspect of tzadik (= guarding the bris , "Hashem Tz'vakos" ), as above. This is the separation of the letters from the vowel-points — the aspect of body and soul. Therefore death was decreed through this — the departure of the soul from the body — for he damaged by separating the vowel-points from the letters, which is literally the departure of the soul from the body, as above. But Adam HaRishon did teshuvah and began to rectify somewhat. Likewise all the tzadikim in every generation work on this tikun . The essential tikun is through true tzadikim who overcame their inclination until they merited tikun habris in truth — through which they merited good longings and making good vowel-points for the letters, through which everything is formed for good: the aspect of life, the aspect of "if he merited, it becomes a potion of life," as above. Whoever wants to protect his life must bind himself to true tzadikim , for with them is the source of life, as above. In every generation they work to rectify the sin of Adam HaRishon through the true tzadikim and those who draw close to them — through which lamdan and tzadik are included together, vowel-points and letters, Torah and good deeds, the encompassing of body within soul: the aspect of life, as above. Nevertheless, since this tikun cannot be completed all at once or in a single generation, the decree of death remains in place and ultimately a person must die. Due to the enormity of the damage of Adam HaRishon's sin, the contamination can only be sorted through the departure of the soul from the body. But in truth, now death is a great good, as it says: "and behold, it was very good — this is death," as our Sages say. For now, after the sin, even great tzadikim cannot return to the source of life in completeness except through the departure of the soul from the body — when "the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to G-d who gave it." Then the contamination of the body decomposes in the dust until, at the time of the Resurrection, the soul and the purified body will reunite and arise in the Resurrection, living true life — eternal life — each according to the good deeds he merited accumulating in this world, and according to his closeness and attachment to true tzadikim and yir'aim , through which he worked to unite soul and body, as above. Through this he will ultimately merit this union in completeness — eternal life, as above. But it is impossible to reach eternal life except through death specifically — so the contamination of Adam HaRishon's sin through the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil decomposes. Through this he made a separation between letters and vowel-points — body and soul, as above. Therefore there must be a separation between them (= death) before they merit a true union (= eternal life), as above. Therefore Korach, who damaged this greatly — disputing Moshe, the true tzadik , the totality of Torah, wanting to separate lamdan from tzadik , as above — as if it were possible to draw life without the true tzadik , as if the letters (= the body) have vitality without the vowel-points, without the true soul. In truth there is no vitality for the body except through the soul, and the soul receives vitality from Above through the vowel-points (= good souls made through good longings that form the letters of Torah for good) — specifically from there vitality flows from the Source of Life to the body and to all the worlds. But one who separates them through the above damage — his life is no life at all, since it does not flow from the Source of Life. Therefore "the wicked in their lifetime are called dead." Therefore Korach, who damaged this — as if there is life without the true tzadik , brazenly defying Moshe Rabbainu through whom the essential drawing of vitality from the Source of Life to all souls to vitalize the bodies is accomplished — received what he wanted. He and his assembly descended alive to the pit — "alive" specifically — and did not merit death and burial. They gave him what he wanted: he wanted to receive vitality by himself without binding to Moshe; on the contrary, he disputed him greatly. Therefore his vitality was severed from the Source of Life and he remained with all his vitality below. Immediately the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them alive to the pit — for that is his place, to live with such life. The earth (= dust) is in the aspect of letters relative to vowel-points, body relative to soul. It is known that the four elements — fire, wind, water, earth — correspond to te'amim [cantillation], nekudos [vowel-points], tagin [crowns], osiyos [letters]. Thus earth corresponds to the aspect of letters — which have no vitality except through the vowel-points that receive vitality via the te'amim from the Source of Life and channel vitality to the letters via the tagin . All these aspects are linked one to another, receiving one from the other, ascending higher and higher, as is known. Likewise all creatures of the world — all created by Hashem from dust, as it says: "everything was from the dust" — all receive one from another, ascending ever higher. Since Korach and his assembly made such a separation and wanted to live by themselves without the tzadik (= Moshe), they remained below with their life, which is in the aspect of dust, as above. Therefore they descended specifically alive to the pit — since they separated their vitality from the Source of Life by disputing the tzadik who is Moshe, as above. § 10 — Pinchas: Zealotry for the Bris = Eternal Life This is the aspect of: "Pinchas son of Elazar son of Aharon the Kohain turned back My wrath... therefore say... it shall be for him and his seed after him a covenant of eternal priesthood" etc. Through Pinchas's zealotry for the bris , he merited the kehunah . For the kehunah — the aspect of chesed , love, yearning, and good longings for Hashem (= the aspect of Avraham, man of chesed ) — is merited through tikun habris , as explained well in the above Torah . Therefore the true tzadik is called Kohain : "the lips of the Kohain shall guard knowledge, and Torah shall be sought from his mouth" — from which our Sages expound: "if the teacher resembles an angel of Hashem Tz'vakos" etc. This encompasses the entire above discourse: "angel of Hashem Tz'vakos" is the aspect of the totality and union of lamdan and tzadik — letters and vowel-points — as above. Therefore Pinchas, who is Eliyahu, merited eternal life in his lifetime — he ascended to heaven and lives forever. He is the exact opposite of the assembly of Korach, who disputed Moshe: they remained with their life far below in the lowest pit, having separated their vitality from the Source of Life through disputing the tzadik , as above. But Pinchas, who fulfilled Moshe's will completely and was zealous for the bris until he merited the kehunah — the above chesed in completeness — good longings that are good souls, the essential true vitality, as above — he merited binding himself to the Source of Life with such completeness that he remained alive and enduring forever. Through his zealotry for "Hashem Tz'vakos" and fulfilling Moshe's will and giving his life to death for this — through this the contamination of the serpent (from the damage of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) departed from him completely, as if he had endured the suffering of death itself and returned alive in the Resurrection of the Dead. Therefore the essential techiyas hamasim [Resurrection] is through him, as our Sages say: "the Resurrection of the Dead comes through Eliyahu, remembered for good." The essential Resurrection — eternal life — is merited by including the letters within the vowel-points, through binding and attachment to true tzadikim who are the aspect of Moshe, who merited tikun habris in completeness. Pinchas, who is Eliyahu, merited all this in his lifetime — therefore he merited true life and lives forever, and all Resurrection will be through him, as above. § 11 — Pinchas's Battle Through Prayer and Forming Letters for Good Therefore Pinchas's essential victory was through tefilah , as it says: "Pinchas stood and prayed" etc. Pinchas's essential battle was against Bilam the wicked, by whose counsel this entire evil affair occurred, as it says: "behold, these caused [sin] by the word of Bilam." For Balak took counsel to send for Bilam because his power was in his mouth, as our Sages say: he said, "Moshe's power is only in his mouth — I too will bring against them a man whose power is in his mouth." All this is the above matter — the great power of good longings, etc., as above; and conversely, the great evil caused by evil longings, chas v'shalom , as above. Moshe Rabbainu — his power was only in his mouth. He merited more than anyone in the world to form the letters of Torah for good — because he was holy in the holiness of the bris with the ultimate holiness, as our Sages say. Therefore he merited good longings and making good souls and vowel-points for all the letters of the holy Torah — until he merited pairing, combining, and forming all the letters of Torah for good. Therefore he alone merited giving the Torah to Israel — what no tzadik before him had merited. Only he, through his awesome holiness, merited forming all the letters of Torah for good — until it was combined in these holy combinations in a way that he could draw it forth and give it to us, to merit us forever. For it is known that the Torah already existed — the Torah preceded the world. But Hashem did not want to give it to human beings until there would be a tzadik who would combine and form it, through his holiness, in good combinations befitting to give to those below. Therefore the world was collapsing until Moshe came and received the Torah — he merited it by combining and unifying the letters of Torah for good through his holiness, as above. The beginning was from Avraham Avinu, who was the man of chesed , as brought in the above Torah . Avraham merited the aspect of guarding bris ilah , through which he merited chesed — good longings — through which he made souls. Therefore he began to combine and form the letters of Torah for good, and merited Torah: "because Avraham hearkened to My voice and guarded My safeguards, My commandments, My statutes, and My teachings." As our Sages say: "Avraham Avinu fulfilled even airuvai tavshilin ." But even though his holiness enabled forming it for good, he did not merit forming it in such completeness that it would be fit to be given to those below. Likewise Yitzchak, Yaakov, and the Tribes — all worked on this and rectified much, but did not complete this tikun in completeness. Until Moshe Rabbainu came, who was holy with such awesome holiness that he merited such good longings and holy desires — for Moshe ascended to the Will within Wills, through which he merited ascending there, as stated in the holy Zohar. Therefore he merited combining and forming it for good with such completeness that it was fit to be given to us — so the entire world would be governed and sustained for all generations through it. Because of this, his power was in his mouth — to govern the entire world as he wished and perform exceedingly great and awesome signs and wonders in the world, which had never been heard or seen. All his power was in his mouth. Since he merited forming all the letters of Torah for good in the utmost completeness, he certainly had the power to perform awesome wonders through the speech of his holy mouth — combining the letters of Torah and speaking holy words through his mouth, through which he performed awesome wonders, governing the world as he wished: water becoming dry land, etc. The entire world is governed through the letters of Torah, according to how one merits combining them, as above and as explained there at the end of the above Torah — the aspect of "in His goodness He renews" etc.; "there is no 'good' but Torah." Therefore Balak took counsel to bring against them Bilam, whose power was also in his mouth. Bilam was in the klipah corresponding to Moshe, as our Sages say. Through his great impurity and exceedingly evil longings, he could combine the letters for the reverse, as above — for "G-d made one corresponding to the other." Therefore Israel was truly in great danger then, as it says: "My people, remember what Balak counseled" etc. But Hashem in His mercy had compassion on Israel and gave power to the good longings of Moshe and Israel to overpower the evil longings and vapors of Bilam the wicked — until He twisted his mouth, and he was compelled to combine the letters for good, to bless Israel. This matter occurs in every generation, as I understood from Rabbainu's words and holy hints zichrono livrachah . Regarding the vapors that emerge through good or evil longings, chas v'shalom , there are many hidden things, as explained somewhat in the above Torah on the verse "there is a vanity done on the earth" — the aspect of the transmigration of souls; see there, and as brought above. Hashem has compassion on His people in every generation and performs great wonders alone, "for His kindness endures forever" — overpowering at every moment the holy vapors and longings (= chesed , as above) over the evil longings and vapors, so they do not destroy the world, chas v'shalom . Therefore Hashem commanded remembering the affair of Bilam: "My people, remember what [Balak] counseled... and what Bilam answered" etc. — to know that even now Hashem does for us as He did then, thwarting the counsel of the Sitra Achra at every turn. In His love and compassion, He sends us in every generation such true tzadikim whose holiness has the power to overpower the holy vapors (formed from good longings) over the vapors of the Sitra Achra (formed from evil longings). The essential battle — Pinchas won through the power of Moshe to fight this war against the counsel of Bilam the wicked. Through his holiness he overpowered the holy vapors and formed the letters of Torah for good. Pinchas's essential victory was through forming the letters for good, as stated in the holy Zohar on the verse "he took a spear in his hand" : he saw the mem etc. which was drifting and about to combine with vav-sav , chas v'shalom — nearly causing destruction, chas v'shalom . He, with his power, took the mem and combined it with the letters of his name, which equal rach [208], and through this r'mach [248 = spear] was formed, and with this he overpowered them. He also engaged in tefilah : "Pinchas stood and prayed." It was an exceedingly intense battle, requiring many miracles, as our Sages say. His entire battle was through combining letters for good, as above. Therefore he merited an eternal kehunah — the aspect of the above love and chesed : "the lips of the Kohain shall guard knowledge" etc., as above. § 12 — The Census After Pinchas: 600,000 Letters of Torah = 600,000 Souls This is why the census of Israel is placed adjacent to this, adding to each Jew a heh and yud from His Name — to say: "My Name testifies for them," as it says: "the tribes of G-d, testimony for Israel" etc. For the tzadik , in his great holiness of bris kodesh , draws the holiness of the bris upon every Jew — until all who bind themselves to him are included in the holiness of the bris , in the aspect of: "your people are all righteous" etc. For every Jew has the aspect of the holiness of the bris through being circumcised, as I heard from him zichrono livrachah . Also, generally there are still many good points of shemiras habris found in every Jew, as our Sages say on the verse: "fenced with roses." But one's own small holiness does not have the power to overpower what needs overpowering — only through the power of the true tzadik who is holy in the holiness of the bris with the ultimate holiness in a completeness beyond which there is none. Whoever merits not disputing him — all the more if he merits drawing close to him and being called by his name — through the power of his holiness he too merits good longings and making souls (= good vowel-points), and overpowering them against the evil souls, and forming the letters of Torah for good — by striving to express the good longings through his mouth, through which he makes good vowel-points for the letters and forms them for good, as above. This is the aspect of "My Name testifies for them." The name is the soul and vitality, as it says: "a living soul — that is its name." Therefore Hashem combined the letters yud-keh from His Name into the names of Israel — to demonstrate that the name (= the soul) of Israel is included in His holy Name. This is certainly great testimony that they are among the guardians of the bris , through which specifically one merits good souls — the aspect of a holy name in which His Name is partnered. This is: "the tribes of G-d, testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the Name of Hashem" — "to give thanks" specifically: the aspect of tefilah and thanksgiving. The essential testimony is tefilah and thanksgiving — what Israel merits, being called by the name of Moshe (= the true tzadik ): they merit increasing tefilah and thanksgiving, formed from good combinations through good longings, as above. This is the aspect of His commanding to count them then. For the 600,000 souls of Israel correspond to the 600,000 letters of Torah. Therefore, after the deed of Pinchas who sanctified the Name in Shittim, He commanded to count them — to demonstrate that the righteousness of the generation's tzadikim prevailed, through the power of Moshe Rabbainu, until all the 600,000 letters of Torah were formed for good, and they are all in their completeness and fullness. This itself is the aspect of the number of the children of Israel — 600,000 in completeness, not one lacking. For His Name testifies for them — they are all rooted and included in the letters of Torah that were all formed for good through Pinchas in the power of Moshe, as above. § 13 — Dividing Eretz Yisrael : Each One's Portion According to His Holiness This is: "to these the Land shall be divided according to the number of names." For Eretz Yisrael is the aspect of emunah , as it says: "dwell in the Land and tend emunah," as our master, teacher, and rabbi zichrono livrachah writes many times. Through the holiness of the bris — through which the letters are formed for good — one merits emunah , as explained in the above Torah . Therefore: "to these the Land shall be divided" — each person according to how much he merits the holiness of the bris , proportionally he has a portion in Eretz Yisrael , which is the aspect of emunah , as above. § 14 — Moshe's Departure and the Appointment of Yehoshua: Bris Tata'ah Included in Bris Ilah Therefore, adjacent to this comes the departure of Moshe and his request from Hashem to appoint a man over the congregation — "let not the congregation of Hashem be like sheep without a shepherd" etc. — and Hashem's response to ordain Yehoshua. For Moshe saw that to conquer Eretz Yisrael (= to merit Israel complete emunah ), there is no one with the power for this like himself — for he was in the aspect of bris ilah , exceedingly holy in the holiness of the bris , as above, through which one merits emunah (= Eretz Yisrael ), as above. Therefore he thought: perhaps the vow can be annulled, and he himself would bring Israel into the Land — since he sees each time who stands against Israel to destroy them, chas v'shalom , as he saw in the affair of Balak and Bilam. Therefore it was fitting that he bring Israel into the Land, for only he knows how to fight all who stand against them physically and spiritually. But Hashem answered that the decree had already been sealed and cannot be annulled — he would depart here. Then he asked Hashem: if so, what will Israel do? As it says: "let not the congregation of Hashem be like sheep without a shepherd." Hashem answered: ordain Yehoshua, his student. Yehoshua is the aspect of na'ar [youth] — the aspect of Metat , bris tata'ah , as it says: "Yehoshua bin Nun was a na'ar" etc. But because he merited serving Moshe so greatly, as it says: "he did not depart from within the tent" — he merited including bris tata'ah within bris ilah : a lamdan included within a tzadik , the essential completeness. Therefore he has the power to lead Israel — through Moshe's laying his hands upon him. He merited through his great service being included in Moshe — including tzadik within lamdan — through which the letters are formed for good, through which the entire world is governed for good, through which Israel can be led and Eretz Yisrael conquered (= emunah ), merited through the inclusion of bris tata'ah within bris ilah (= the binding and inclusion of lamdan within tzadik ), as understood in the above Torah . This is what Moshe said: "Let Hashem, G-d of the spirits, appoint" etc. Hashem answered: "Take Yehoshua bin Nun, a man in whom there is spirit." "Spirits" specifically; "in whom there is spirit" specifically. Everything depends on the spirit and vapor — the soul and breath of life — drawn according to the longings, as above. Moshe requested from Hashem: "Let Hashem, G-d of the spirits, appoint a man" etc. — that he should have the power to overpower the soul and holy breath of life (= the holy vapors) over the spirit and vapors of the Sitra Achra . Hashem answered: take Yehoshua, "a man in whom there is spirit" — "who knows how to go against the spirit of each and every one" — who knows how to overpower the breath of life of each person, strengthening the spirit and holy vapor formed from good longings over the spirit and vapor of the Sitra Achra formed from evil longings. Through this the essential governance of the world for good is accomplished — through which Eretz Yisrael is conquered (= emunah ), the completeness of everything, as above. § 15 — The Korbanos : Tzedakah Governing the Spheres Through emunah , the tzedakah that governs the celestial spheres is completed, as above. This is why adjacent to this come all the parshiyos of the korbanos for every day, Shabbos , Rosh Chodesh , and Yomim Tovim . All the korbanos are voluntary offerings of the heart — the aspect of tzedakah — through which all the celestial spheres are governed. Therefore it is a mitzvah to offer the temidim [daily offerings] every day, morning and evening — at the time of sunrise and sunset, as it says: "two per day." It is a mitzvah to slaughter them corresponding to the day, corresponding to the sunrise and sunset, as our Sages say — to demonstrate that the entire governance of the sun (the greatest of all the spheres, through which the essential order of the seasons is maintained) is entirely through the korbanos of Israel, which are the aspect of tzedakah . He also commanded to add musafim [additional offerings] on Shabbos , Yom Tov , and Rosh Chodesh . For all the changes of seasons are through the spheres — through the seven planets corresponding to the seven days of the week, and through the twelve constellations corresponding to the twelve months in which all the festivals fall, as it says: "let them be for signs and for festivals, for days and years." Therefore musafim must be offered on Shabbos , Yom Tov , and Rosh Chodesh — to govern for good all the celestial spheres in all the changes of the seasons, all of which are governed through tzedakah (= the korbanos ), as above. Thus all the parshiyos of the sedra are linked and adjacent to one another beautifully — "supported forever, formed in truth and uprightness." ✦ End of Part 2 (§§ 9–15 / Oaseyos ט–טו) ✦ ✦ Birchas HaHodaah [The Blessing of Thanksgiving], Halachah 5 — Complete ✦ Na Nach Nachma Nachman May'Uman