נטילת ידים לסעודה ד

This is the aspect of the morning Kri'as Shma and the evening Kri'as Shma. The evening Kri'as Shma — its time is the entire night, all the time of lying down. The morning Kri'as Shma — its time is only in the morning until three hours, the time of arising. For the revelation and flash of Godliness that flashes forth and illuminates in a person's heart — this is the aspect of the breaking forth of light in the morning. The essential light of the sun is the light of Hashem, from Whom all lights shine, as it says (Tehillim 27): "Hashem ori" — "Hashem is my light." Just as in the physical world we see the sunlight breaking forth from the east in the morning, illuminating the face of the earth — as we say: "Who opens each day the doors of the gates of the east, and breaks open the windows of the firmament" — and as it says (Yeshayahu 58): "Az yibaka kashachar orecha" — "Then your light shall break forth like the dawn" — so too exactly: when Hashem helps and illuminates, and a flash of Godliness shines in the heart — it is the aspect of the actual breaking forth of light. Suddenly the da'as is split open and His light shines — something impossible to relate to another. 2

The revelation of light is the aspect of n'vu'ah [prophecy] — the aspect of "I saw Hashem" — the aspect of the verse "B'Shem Hashem Eloakeyenu nazkir" whose initial letters spell navi [prophet]. The essential prophecy is during the day. Therefore to the prophets of the nations of the world, prophecy is revealed only at night — as our Sages said (Beraishis Rabbah 20) — for to them prophecy arrives only through is'ar'usa dil'aila, since they are certainly not worthy. Therefore prophecy comes to them at night specifically. 7

Thus the essential flash of light is in the morning — which is the aspect of is'ar'usa dil'sasa completed through the yearning of the entire night. But at night — the aspect of the beginning of Creation, the beginning of the day — the is'ar'usa dil'sasa is not yet complete, and the light arrives only through is'ar'usa dil'aila, in the aspect of (Shir HaShirim 5): "Ani y'shainah v'libi air, kol dodi dofaik" — "I am asleep but my heart is awake — the voice of my Beloved knocks" — in the aspect of: "Dodi shalach yado min hachor, u'mai'ai hamu alav" — "My Beloved sent His hand through the opening, and my innards stirred for Him." Hashem illuminates the person who is at the lowest level — the aspect of the darkness of night, the aspect of exile — shining a great flash in his heart and mind. All so he will be drawn after Him, in the aspect of (Shir HaShirim 1): "Mashchaini acharecha narutzah" — "Draw me, we will run after You." Therefore immediately afterward the flash and illumination vanishes and passes — for the flash was only to hint to him the sweetness of the light, so he would pursue it. This is the essential aspect of the proclamation [karoz] that calls to a person each time to return to Him. 10

This is the essential teshuvah — that we ourselves merit returning to Him through our own awakening. For this is the "dispute" between Hashem and Yisrael: Hashem calls to us (Malachi 3): "Shuvu aileye v'ashuvah alaichem" — "Return to Me and I will return to you" — that we should return first. But Yisrael say (Aichah 5): "Hashivainu Hashem ailecha v'nashuvah" — "Return us to You, Hashem, and we shall return" — that He should bring us back. 13

This is the aspect of the ten kinds of melody in which Sefer Tehillim was composed. As our master Rabbainu z"l said (LM I:237): the essential connection and attachment is through melody — in the aspect of (Beraishis 29): "Hapa'am yilaveh ishi aileye" — "This time my husband will be joined to me" — said when Levi was born, who engage in song upon the duchan [the platform in the Bais HaMikdash]. Song and melody — the aspect of Tehillim — through this the essential connection of K'nesses Yisrael with her Beloved. The essential distance, chas v'shalom, is due to the "dispute" above: Yisrael wanting Hashem to awaken them first, and He wanting K'nesses Yisrael to awaken first. 16

This is hinted in the verses (Shmuel II:23) that Rabbainu z"l brought (LM II:73) regarding the greatness of reciting Tehillim: "U'n'um hagever hukam al" — "the utterance of the man raised on high" — who raised the yoke of teshuvah, as our Sages expounded (Mo'ed Katan 16b). Through "M'shi'ach Elokay Yaakov u'n'im z'miros Yisrael" — "the anointed of the God of Yaakov, the sweet singer of Yisrael" — which is Sefer Tehillim that he composed, drawn from the aspect of Mashi'ach who attains the fiftieth gate that encompasses both awakenings together — through which is the essential drawing close of Yisrael to their Father in Heaven from wherever they are. 20

Therefore we do not say the essential Kri'as Shma and its blessings in the morning until we first say mizmoray Tehillim — the Pesukay d'Zimrah [Verses of Song] that were established to recite before Kri'as Shma and its blessings. For the essential acceptance of the Unity — through which K'nesses Yisrael connects with Hashem — is impossible except through Pesukay d'Zimrah, which are psalms of Tehillim encompassing both awakenings. Through this the essential unification. 22

And this is the aspect of the Jewish custom to eat bread with honey on Rosh Hashanah — for one dips the prusa d'hamotzi [the piece of bread over which the hamotzi blessing was recited] in honey. For the main eating of a person should be only bread with salt — for so is the way of the Torah: "You shall eat bread with salt" [pas b'melach tochal] . For in truth, in bread and salt are included all the flavors and all the sweetness of all the fruits and all foods in the world — as explained above, since bread's root and vitality come from the aspect of the remozim of the true daas, which is the main totality of all the goodness of the taste of daas, from which come the tastes of all the fruits, etc., as above. For in truth a person needs to minimize the desire [ta'avah] of nature. And as he wrote in his [Rebbe Nachman's] rhymes, of blessed memory: "We eat only to sustain our body and minimize the desires of our nature". And as it is stated in the Mishnah among the forty-eight things through which the Torah is acquired: through minimizing pleasure [mi'ut ta'anug] . For the complete tzadikim break the desire for eating entirely — especially the greatest of the elite tzadikim, who broke the desire for eating to the ultimate degree, until they merited to derive no pleasure from their eating — not even a hairsbreadth — but merited the aspect of "A tzadik eats to satisfy his soul" , the aspect of "And He will satisfy your soul in parched places" , etc. Fortunate are they — as is understood from the Torah "Tikoo" II . And therefore in truth they merited to live good lives through their eating of bread and water, as described in the Stories [Sipurey Ma'asiyos] in the story of the Second Day — regarding the deaf man who lived a good life because he ate bread and water, etc. But also other upright people [k'sheyrim] who wish to walk in the path of Torah need, at the very least, to accustom themselves to follow in their footsteps — and at the very least must minimize their eating of fruits and other foods, and the main food should be bread with salt, which is the way of the Torah — for in truth one can taste in the bread the flavor of all foods that are included within it. As also among coarse people there are those who take more pleasure from eating bread and water than do princes who eat the delicacies of kings — and they are indeed stronger and taller than the princes. All the more so in the holiness of Israel and the Torah, one can accustom oneself to vivify oneself with bread and water until one senses in it all the flavors — as is understood from the story of The Wise Man and the Simple Man : that for every food he wished to eat, he would command that a piece of bread be brought for him, and would lavishly praise that food as if he were truly eating it — because in truth that is the matter, that the tastes of all foods are hidden in bread, and if one wishes, one can sense in it all the flavors of all the fruits, as above. And similarly it is brought in the holy Zohar that a person's satisfaction depends on his desire, as it states there: "The desire for satiation he places upon himself", etc. . And similarly concerning the tastes of foods — it depends on his will, such that if he desires to be satisfied with bread, he can sense in it all the flavors he desires. And this is the aspect of: "The Torah was given only to those who ate the manna" — for the manna contained all the flavors a person desired. However, as is understood from the Torah [of Rebbe Nachman], even then they had free choice about this — for the wicked who despised the manna did not wish to sense in it all the flavors — therefore they despised it and said, "And our soul loathes this light bread" , and so too many [similar instances]. Therefore in truth it is said, "And He afflicted you and made you hungry and fed you the manna which you did not know", etc. — "He who feeds you manna in the wilderness", etc. — "in order to afflict you and to test you, whether you would walk in His Torah or not", etc. . And similarly in several other verses it is said that eating the manna was a test — that is, as above. And this is the matter that our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: "There is no comparison between one who sees and eats to one who does not see but eats" , etc. — that is, those who disputed the manna wanted to actually see all the foods prepared and arranged before them to eat them, and did not wish to eat the manna willingly and sense in it all the flavors. And since they did not wish to sense [the flavors], they certainly did not sense them — therefore they despised it and sinned greatly thereby, which is the sin of the complainers who sought a pretext to separate from [Hashem's] place — through which many died and they called that place "the graves of craving," for there they buried the craving people, etc. But also now the same thing happens to much degree with every person who wishes to walk in the path of the Torah, as above. And therefore at the time of birchas hamotzi one must dip the hamotzi portion in salt specifically — for that is the main eating and satiation, and all flavors are there, etc., as above.

But on Rosh Hashanah one dips the prusa d'hamotzi in honey — to allude that we are now rectifying the sin of Adam the First, which occurred on this day, whose main sin was in the matter of eating — for he ate from the Tree of Knowledge [eitz ha'daas]. And likewise the sins of all people that need to be rectified now on Rosh Hashanah, which is the first of the Ten Days of Repentance. And we allude that through the power of the tzadikim we rectify all the sins and merit complete teshuva — until we merit to sweeten and rectify the force of the harsh judgments [gevuros], which are the aspect of honey, as brought in the kavanos [mystical intentions] — until the honey is in the aspect of the manna, of which it is said "and its taste was like a wafer with honey" — which contained all the sweetness of flavors. For the totality of all sweetness in all fruits and foods is the aspect of honey, as above. And we eat the hamotzi portion with this honey — to indicate that our hope is to merit the above-mentioned level: to eat bread in the aspect of manna — to sense in it all the sweetness of flavors in the world, which are the aspect of honey, as above. For in truth in bread are hidden all the flavors of the world, for its vitality comes from the remozim of the true daas of the tzadikim — which is the eternal observance of Torah, etc. — as above — within which are included all the flavors of all intellect and wisdoms in the world, etc., as above.

For the main sin of Adam the First was in this matter — that he was drawn after the pleasantness and sweetness of the Tree of Knowledge, which is the bodily desire [ta'avas ha'guf], which is itself the aspect of external wisdoms of this world, which have a sweetness of intellect. But it is of no use toward the eternal ultimate purpose — on the contrary, it is very harmful, as above. And as is explicit in the Torah, as it is written, "And the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and the tree was desirable to bring one to wisdom, and she took of its fruit and ate" — that is, as above. Because the taste of intellect and the taste of eating are one and the same aspect — for the root of the taste of food is drawn from daas, as above. Therefore, just as the eating [affects the daas], so is the daas drawn [after the eating] (and as is explained in the Torah "And it came to pass that they were emptying their sacks", Torah 17 in Likutay [Moharan I:17] — see there). And Hashem warned Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, because "on the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die" — for this food does not bring the life that flows from true wisdom, which is the aspect of "wisdom gives life" — rather it is drawn from external intellectualism that appears sweet at first and whose end is the ways of death. This is the aspect of "good for food and desirable to bring one to wisdom" — for they are one and the same aspect, because the taste of the fruit of the tree and the taste of the intellect drawn from there are all one — and they are all only the desire of this world. And the serpent, who was the cleverest of all — extremely cunning for harm — incited them to this, as it is written, "For G-d knows that on the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings", etc. . This is precisely the evil matter being done under the sun in these generations — that [people] spread out into external wisdoms drawn from the defilement [zuhama] of the serpent, whose sages are immersed in all the desires of the world, and they seduce, incite, and lead astray to be drawn after the sweetness of the intellect of these wisdoms — which are the aspect of the harmful foods that bring death to the world, as above. As it is said about them, "For the lips of a strange woman drip honey and her palate is smoother than oil — but her end is bitter as wormwood", etc. , which has been said about external wisdoms, as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, expounded there . This is the aspect of "good for food and desirable to bring one to wisdom" — for it is all one — for all their wisdom is drawn from desires, because just as they have desire for food and other desires, so too do they have evil desires for their evil wisdom. And what the serpent said to them, "you will be like divine beings" — this is precisely what is explained in their books: that through their wisdoms they can attain their ultimate purpose — which is to reach the ultimate of their wisdoms, etc. — which to them means that their soul is included in the divine, which is the Active Intellect [sekhel ha'po'el], as is understood in their books. As many holy books cry out bitterly about this — such as the book Avodas HaKodesh, etc., and the holy Shelah, etc. And as is explained from this in Likutay Moharan II .

But we are warned against all this. And therefore we are warned that all our eating should be in accordance with the Torah, as it is written, "and Your Torah is in my inward parts" — and as Rashi explains there: "All my eating [is] according to Your word". Because we must eat all foods in holiness according to the Torah and recite a blessing over each thing before and after, so that through the eating we merit to receive vitality, which is holy intellect [sekhel d'kedusha] — for the main intellect is the wisdoms of the holy Torah, whose main [goal] is the study that leads to deed — to the eternal observance of Torah, as above. Therefore the main food should be bread and salt, as above, for their root is drawn from this holy study, within which all the world's studies are included — which are the aspect of all the flavors of the fruits and foods of the world, as above. But now on Rosh Hashanah, we must merit teshuva — to turn everything to goodness through the power of the true tzadikim who have completely separated themselves from all the desires of this world. Therefore we eat bread with honey at birchas hamotzi — to indicate that we hope to merit a good and sweet year, which is to merit teshuva and good deeds, which is the main goodness — that we merit to have the honey included within the bread, that we merit to sense all the sweetness of flavors in the world — which are the aspect of honey — to sense them all within eating bread, which is the aspect of eating manna — which is the aspect of the shofar, which is the aspect of receiving the Torah that is recalled on Rosh Hashanah, in the aspect of "You revealed Yourself", etc. . For "the Torah was given only to those who ate the manna", etc. — as above. And therefore it is explained in the mystical intentions [kavanos] of the Arizal that honey is alluded to in the shin-vov [numerical value 306] of shofar, which equals [the numerical value of] honey [dvash]. And together with the hand holding the shofar it is shin-chaf [320], etc. And through this the dinim [harsh judgments] are sweetened. And according to our approach, this alludes to the above matter — that the main rectification is through the remozim of daas, as above, within which all the world's flavors are included — which are the aspect of honey. And this is the hand that holds the shofar, which is the aspect of remozim, the aspect of "I have stretched out My hand", as above — and it rectifies the honey, because the main rectification of all the imagined sweetness of this world is through the remozim, as above — through which one understands [how] to accustom oneself to separate from it and to be satisfied with little, in the aspect of "If you have found honey, eat what is sufficient for you, lest you surfeit of it and vomit it", etc. — until one merits that all flavors be included within the bread. And similarly all the flavors of all types of intellect will be included within the true intellect — which is the intellect of the observance of Torah — that all one's wisdom and intellect will be only to understand counsel that will bring to the eternal observance of Torah. This is the aspect of "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Hashem; a good intellect have all who practice it" . And it is written, "Behold, the fear of Hashem — that is wisdom", etc. . And all this is the aspect of the hand that holds the shofar, as above — for the sounds of the shofar too are the aspect of the above-mentioned remozim, as above.

For on Rosh Hashanah is the main holy gathering — when all Israel gather in synagogues and houses of study. And primarily, those who gather by the true tzadikim, who are the aspect of Moshe — the main true shepherd who gathers the dispersed of Israel, etc. — as above — from whose holy Torah are drawn all the remozim of the holy daas, which alludes to every person in every place and level that he is, and even at the very lowest descent, G-d forbid — [the tzadik] alludes to him there too, remozim to return from there, etc. — and at the very least [alludes] that he not sink further, G-d forbid, etc. Therefore on Rosh Hashanah the remozim shine in greatest measure — for through this comes the main teshuva merited on Rosh Hashanah — through joining oneself to the holy gathering through the remozim, as above. Therefore the custom of Israel is Torah [minhag Yisroel Torah], that they eat the hamotzi bread portion with honey. For then, through the power of the above-mentioned tzadikim, all types of sweetness — which are the aspect of honey — are included within the bread — which is the aspect of all the flavors of daas being included within the main daas, which is the daas of the eternal observance of Torah — which is the aspect of "Good taste and knowledge teach me", etc. , which is recited before the shofar, as above.

And this is the aspect of [the law]: "For all leaven and all honey you shall not burn from them a fire-offering to Hashem; as a first-fruits offering you shall bring them", etc. . "And every meal-offering of yours you shall salt with salt", etc. . And Rashi explains: and what can you bring from leaven and honey? The first-fruits offering — which are the two loaves of bread that come from chametz [leavened bread], and the bikkurim [first-fruits offering] that come from honey, etc.

For all the offerings come only from matzah [unleavened bread], which is the aspect of manna that contained all the flavors — as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: the cake that was matzah that Israel brought out from Egypt — they tasted in it the flavor of manna . Because all the offerings come to atone for the sins of the community or the individual — and all sins stem from Adam's original sin, when the defilement of the serpent descended through eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is the aspect of the prohibition of chametz, as brought — the aspect of the leavening [chimutz] of the brain of the sitra achara, which is external wisdoms and evil thoughts, etc. And because of this, chametz is forbidden on Pesach — for then we must purify and refine ourselves from the defilement of Egypt, which we were in during exile, drawn from Adam's original sin, as brought. Therefore then chametz is forbidden, because it cannot be sorted out at that time, etc. Therefore we must eat matzah, which is the aspect of manna — which is the aspect of the daas of Moshe, the true shepherd, etc. — as above. Only on the seventh day of Pesach — when the splitting of the Red Sea occurred, when the above-mentioned daas shines most greatly, the aspect of "This is the great and wide sea that has hands" [ha'yam ha'gadol u'rechav yadayim], which are the aspect of remozim — then chametz was permitted, because then [Israel] could sort it out and rectify it for eating by Israel — since they received the remedy [asvesa] first, which is the matzah, which is the aspect of manna — through which they could merit after the splitting of the Red Sea — i.e., after the seventh day of Pesach — to eat leavened bread in the aspect of manna, as above (in section 34). And on Shavuos, which is the giving of the Torah — through which comes the main revelation of Moshe's daas — through which comes the main totality of the worlds — through which ratzon shines most greatly, as above — therefore then the two loaves [shtei halechem] are brought in the Temple specifically from chametz — for then the illumination of ratzon shines very greatly through the leavened bread specifically brought in the Temple — through the remozim hidden in the bread, for specifically through the remozim is daas rectified until one can leaven [lachmiatz] one's brain in holiness to attain what one attains through this — and yet not go beyond the boundary at all, G-d forbid. Therefore then they also bring honey — which is the aspect of the totality of sweetness, being the flavor of all the fruits and foods that were impaired through Adam's original sin — and now they have been rectified through the acceptance of the Torah — until the illumination of ratzon also shines in them — and the honey is included in the bread — which is the aspect of "as a first-fruits offering you shall bring them to Hashem" on Shavuos. For the honey — the totality of the sweetness of flavors — is included in the bread within which all the flavors are hidden, because there the main remozim are hidden, etc., as above. And therefore on Rosh Hashanah, when the sound of the shofar is renewed — the aspect of the giving of the Torah — and the gathering of the dispersed, etc. — therefore we eat bread with honey, which is the aspect of the leaven and honey from which one brings a first-fruits offering on Shavuos, at the time of the giving of the Torah — the totality of the worlds, etc. — as above. For now [the leaven and honey] have been further rectified and sorted so that they can be eaten in holiness even outside the Temple — for the main rectification of the giving of the Torah is drawn most greatly on Rosh Hashanah, because after the receiving of the Torah on Shavuos, they ruined [everything] through the sin of the Golden Calf. And the rectification is in the forty last days — from Elul until Yom Kippur. And the main [rectification] is on Rosh Hashanah — the beginning of the Ten Days of Repentance — when it is the beginning of the year and the day on which Adam the First was created, sinned, and repented, which established this day for all generations, as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, stated. Therefore the tzadikim toil more on this rectification on Rosh Hashanah — through the gathering of Israel who converge upon them, as above. Therefore each person eats bread with honey in their home — for the honey is included in the bread, etc. — as above. And this is what is juxtaposed to this: "And every meal-offering of yours you shall salt with salt and not cease the salt of the covenant of your G-d", etc. — which greatly extols the salt, that He made an eternal covenant with it, to indicate and make known that even though He commanded that a first-fruits offering be brought from leaven and honey — even so the main rectification is through the covenant of salt, through which is the main binding together of the worlds, as above (in section 61), and all the flavors are drawn from there, as above (in section 62). And therefore also in ordinary eating, the main rectification is to eat bread with salt, which is the way of the Torah. Only on Shavuos alone is the first-fruits offering brought from leaven and honey. And likewise on Rosh Hashanah one eats the hamotzi portion with honey — because then the sound of the shofar is awakened, which is the aspect of the giving of the Torah and the gathering of the dispersed, etc., as above. But the main rectification is through the aspect of the eternal covenant of salt, etc., as above. Therefore, "upon every offering of yours you shall bring salt" — and likewise in ordinary eating, the main rectification of eating is bread with salt, as above.

And this is the aspect of why the fruits of the Land of Israel precede [others] for the blessing — for there is the Temple, through which comes the main totality of the worlds — through which comes the main illumination of ratzon — which is the main importance of the food, as above. And this is the aspect of what our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said regarding everything that precedes [] being given precedence in the blessing — that the second eretz [land] interrupted the matter. Therefore olives precede barley, and dates — which are called dvash [honey] in this verse — precede the grape. Thus olives and dates come after wheat and barley, from which bread is made — because the main [thing] is to include oil and honey within the bread of the five species, which are included in wheat and barley. For the manna — which contained all the flavors — is called honey (and oil) as it is written, "and its taste was like a wafer with honey" , as above. And it is also called oil, as it is written, "and its taste was like the taste of rich oil" . And it is written, "I fed you fine flour and oil and honey" . For oil is the totality of all richness/fattiness, and honey is the totality of all sweetness — which is the totality of all the flavors of the fruits. And they must be included within the bread of wheat and barley, as above. Therefore olive oil and honey follow and are reckoned after wheat and barley, which are the totality of the five species of grain from which bread is made, as above. And the main [goal] is to rectify the honey — which is the main sweetness of flavors — toward which the young and those lacking daas are typically drawn. And this is alluded to in this verse — that begins with wheat and ends with honey, for the end is embedded in the beginning — to allude that the main rectification of foods is in the Land of Israel, where the totality of the worlds is, as above — through which is rectified the sin of Adam the First who defiled [himself through] eating and was drawn after the sweetness of the Tree of Knowledge, which is the aspect of honey. For through the holiness of the Land of Israel — the aspect of the sanctity of the allusions of the above-mentioned holy daas — through this, honey is included in wheat, which is the head and totality of all types of bread made from the five species of grain, as above. And therefore it is written concerning the Land of Israel in that passage: "a land in which you shall eat bread without poverty, you shall lack nothing in it" . And in the holy books it is explained that the meaning is that there the bread is so flavored that one does not eat bread out of poverty and lack, etc. And as is explained in his words, of blessed memory — that is, as above, for there in the Land of Israel all the sweetness of flavors is included in the bread — therefore there one does not eat bread in poverty and lack, for within the bread all the world's flavors are included. And this is the aspect of "you shall lack nothing in it" — referring to the bread itself mentioned first — that you shall lack nothing in it, for all the world's flavors are included within it, as above.

And behold, the entire matter of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, and the Four Species has already been explained extensively according to the above-mentioned Torah ["For He who has mercy upon them will guide them"] in the preceding laws: in the Laws of Sukkah, Halacha 4; and in the Laws of Vows [Nedarim], Halacha 4, section 8; and in the Laws of Presumptive Ownership of Movables [Chezkas Mitaltelin], Halacha 3, section 8. But now our discussion is to explain that the main rectifications are accomplished in the month of the aisanim — which is Tishrei — through the merit of the holy gathering that binds itself to the true tzadikim, who are the aspect of Moshe, the aspect of the true shepherd who gathers them, the aspect of "And Moshe was a shepherd" — which is the aspect of Rosh Hashanah, the aspect of tekias shofar that gathers the dispersed, etc., as above. And likewise on Yom Kippur, people appease one another so that there be peace among all Israel — which is the main sustaining of the gathering, that there be no division of hearts and dispute among them, G-d forbid, which would destroy the gathering, G-d forbid. And this is the aspect of Sukkos that follows — the aspect of the sukas shalom [the hut of peace], the aspect of the Clouds of Glory, in which all six hundred thousand souls of Israel were gathered. And the Clouds of Glory were in the merit of Aharon the Kohen, who loved peace, pursued peace, loved all creatures and brought them close to the Torah — which is the main sustaining of the gathering and its holiness, to draw the above-mentioned holy daas, which is the totality of the worlds — which is the aspect of the kohen, etc. — as above (in section 59). And this is the aspect of "All the native-born of Israel shall dwell in the booths" — to allude to the totality of the souls of Israel who gather within the sukas shalom. And therefore all the seven shepherds [shiva ro'im] enter the sukkah — for they are the aspect of the totality of all the true shepherds of every generation, who are the aspect of "Like a shepherd tends his flock, with his arm he gathers the lambs", etc. — who toil to gather all the dispersed and sustain the gathering for all generations, as above. And this is the aspect of what our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: "All of Israel can fulfill their obligation with one sukkah" — for the sukkah is the aspect of the assembly and gathering of all Israel, as above. And this is the aspect of "And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, heard" — who is Amalek — "he heard that Aharon had died and the Clouds of Glory had departed, and he came to wage war against Israel", as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said . For the main battle of Amalek is against those weak in strength among Israel, who were expelled by the cloud, in the aspect of "He struck the weakest among you who were in the rear" , etc., as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said. And the true shepherd — the tzadik, the aspect of Moshe — battles for them to save them from the klipa of Amalek and his armies and their evil views, and to bring them and gather them within the holy gathering assembled within the Clouds of Glory — as it is brought in the holy Zohar, which brings there the passage of "And the Canaanite heard", etc., for the matter of Sukkah — see there. For Moshe the true shepherd renews the Clouds of Glory even after the departure of Aharon the Kohen — for the well, the cloud, and the manna all returned in the merit of Moshe, as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, stated. Therefore he then made the copper serpent — and if a serpent bit a person, and he gazed at the copper serpent, he lived. And our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: "Does a serpent kill or give life?! Rather, when Israel would look upward, they were healed, and if not, they would perish" . This is the aspect of the above-mentioned remozim, as explained above (in section 88) regarding "And it was that when Moshe raised his hand, Israel prevailed", etc. — for they are one and the same aspect, as understood from the Mishnah Rosh Hashanah, where they are juxtaposed — to indicate that they all must look upward — i.e., the aspect of the remozim of the above-mentioned daas, which are the main illumination of daas — to be mindful at all times through the holy remozim of the above-mentioned daas, to strengthen oneself to remain in one's place, etc., as above. For sometimes the remozim of the raising of his hands are not sufficient — and he must also make an action for this, like Moshe who then made the copper serpent and alluded to them the fear of punishment [yiras ha'onesh] — that they should not forget that there are fiery serpents — harsh and bitter punishments. Therefore you are compelled to look upward, for there is no place to flee from His harsh and bitter punishments — even in this world — certainly after death, in Gehinnom, the hollow of the sling [kaf ha'kela], and transmigrations [gilgulim], etc., G-d have mercy — except to look to Him, blessed be He, and to constantly raise one's eyes on high, in the aspect of "To You I lift my eyes", etc. . As our Master, Teacher, and Rebbe, of blessed memory, hinted to us — and said that the essence is the fear of punishment, even though it is written in the holy books that one must specifically have fear of the Divine Majesty [yiras haromemus], etc. But in truth, if only we would merit to be saved through what we must be saved [from] through fear of punishment. And similarly we heard in the name of several great tzadikim who said that the main thing is fear of punishment. And he then alluded to us very, very well how very much one must be afraid and tremble from fear of punishment, etc. And this is the aspect of the copper serpent that Moshe made — and through it he alluded to them to look upward — that is, through the fear of punishment, as above. For the main thing is the true remozim, as above. And through this Moshe — the aspect of the true tzadik — waged the war of Amalek to save those weak in strength from being separated from the holy gathering, from within the Clouds of Glory. And this is the aspect of the sukkah, which is the aspect of the Clouds of Glory, as above.

For the matter of the copper serpent came about through the war of Amalek, as is understood from Rashi's commentary there and in Parashas Eikev on the verse "And the children of Israel traveled from the wells of the children of Yaakan to Moserah", etc. — that when this war came upon them — the war of Amalek — they turned back, etc. And then Moshe made the copper serpent, etc.

And therefore the commandment of hakhel [the assembly] is on Sukkos — for then is the main time of gathering, as above. And therefore in Parashas Vayeilech — which speaks of the end of Moshe's departure, on his final day, when he rebuked them greatly for they would in the future sin and the Temple would be destroyed, as explained there in these Torah portions — therefore he then commanded them the mitzvah of hakhel, to allude that the entire rectification is through the aspect of hakhel — that many of Israel will assemble and gather to engage in G-d's service and draw close to the true tzadikim, who are the aspect of Moshe — which is the aspect of the mitzvah of hakhel that was in the Temple, for "Whoever has wisdom, it is as if the Temple were built in his days" . And at the end [of the Torah portion] it says, "Assemble to me all the heads of your tribes and your elders" . And similarly Yaakov before his death said, "Gather together and hear, O sons of Yaakov", etc. — to indicate that the main rectification at the end of days is through the congregation and gathering together toward the true shepherd, who is the aspect of Moshe, as above. And therefore the haftarah on Sukkos is: "Then Shlomo assembled, and they assembled to King Shlomo at the festival" . For then is the main rectification of the gathering and its sustaining, as above. And therefore Koheles is read then — which speaks greatly of the vanity of the world, that all the world is vanity of vanities. And it is called Koheles because Shlomo spoke all his words before the assembly [b'hakhel], as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, stated — for through the gathering and assembly of many souls of Israel together, one can inform and penetrate the heart more that all the world is vanity of vanities — for each person could have erred and thought there was some worldly pursuit for someone, but through Koheles — i.e., this true tzadik who possesses the collection of wisdom [kibbutz ha'chachma], as Rashi explains on the verse "Vanity of vanities, says Koheles" — who gathers together all people and understands what happens to all of them — he can show that everything is vanity, for the whole world is full of sorrows, etc., as it is written there, "for all his days are pain and vexation", etc. — and that there is no good in the world except to turn away from evil and do good. And as he concluded: "The sum of the matter, all having been heard: Fear G-d and keep His commandments — for this is all of man" — i.e., for there is no person in the world except this one who fulfills this: to fear Hashem and keep His commandments. For one who lacks this true daas is not a person at all, as is explained at the beginning of the Torah we are studying. And therefore about this tzadik who merited this in perfection, it is said: "This is all of man" — as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: "the whole world was only created for his sake", and for this one to attach to him, etc. And all who come into the world must gather around him to receive from him the true holy daas — to draw close to Hashem, blessed be He — and each one, according to his closeness to him, is within the category of man — for "this is all of man," as above.

And therefore the main mitzvah of Sukkah is eating in the sukkah, as is written in the Shulchan Aruch: the custom is to recite the blessing only at the time of eating . For the sukkah is the aspect of the makifim [encompassing lights], as explained in the kavanos — that is, the aspect of the encompassing partitions [mechitzos ha'makifin] explained there in the above-mentioned Torah, on the statement of our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing: "In the future, the partitions of the tzadikim will be inside those of the ministering angels", etc. — which is the aspect of the illumination of ratzon at the time of eating, as explained there. Therefore we must eat in the sukkah. And precisely then one recites the blessing leishev b'sukkah — for the main mitzvah of sukkah is to merit the above-mentioned illumination of ratzon at the time of eating — which is the aspect of the illumination of the above-mentioned encompassing lights — the aspect of "At that time it shall be said to Yaakov and to Israel, what G-d has wrought" , which is the aspect of the partitions of the sukkah, as above. And the main illumination of ratzon at the time of eating comes through the malchus [Kingship] ascending with all the trusts and receiving sustenance from the hands — which are the remozim in the sea of wisdom, etc., as is explained there in the Torah. And this is the aspect of the Four Species taken in the hands on Sukkos, waving them in every direction — all of which is the aspect of remozim, which are the aspect of hands, as above. And the main [intention] is to allude to each person not to despair but to strive to be included within the holy gathering that draws the waters of daas from the fountains of salvation. For the Four Species allude to all the factions among Israel, as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: the esrog [citron] has taste and fragrance, etc. — down to the willows of the brook [aravei nachal] which have neither taste nor fragrance, etc. — and they are all bound together, which is the aspect of "His bundle is upon the earth" , as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said. And through this even the transgressors of Israel — the aspect of the willows of the brook — are included within the holy gathering and are rectified as well, for "all that is connected to the pure is pure". And therefore greater effort is exerted on Sukkos with the willows, as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said: large bundles of willows were brought, etc. — and particularly on Hoshana Rabbah. For the main effort is for the sake of the willows of the brook — to arouse them too to attach and gather into the holy gathering, for that is their entire rectification, as above. And with this bundle, one prays for sustenance — for the main sustenance is received through the trusts that the malchus gathers — and it ascends and receives the sustenance from the hands, which are the remozim, as explained there — which is the aspect of the Four Species held in the hands, as above. See the preceding laws cited above.

And therefore Sukkos is called Chag Ha'Asif [the Festival of the Ingathering] — that gathers all types of food. And this itself is the aspect of the gathering and assembly of the souls of Israel who assemble then within the sukas shalom, within the Clouds of Glory, as above. For it has already been explained that all the flavors of all foods are drawn from daas, which is the Torah drawn through the gathering of the souls of Israel, as above (in section 91). And the main [element] is bread, in which all flavors are contained, as above. And therefore the main mitzvah of eating in the sukkah is eating bread — for fruits are permitted to be eaten outside the sukkah, since they have no fixed meal status, as is explained in the Shulchan Aruch. And the main obligation of sukkah is with eating bread. And precisely then one recites leishev b'sukkah — for the main gathering of all the flavors of all fruits and all foods is in bread, as above. And therefore on Sukkos — when the main rectification of the gathering and assembly of souls of Israel occurs, as above — therefore then is the rectification of all foods, the aspect of Chag Ha'Asif that gathers all types of food. That is to say: one gathers the taste of all foods into the sukkah — which is the assembly and gathering of Israel's souls — and the main gathering of all foods is the bread, in which are gathered all the flavors of foods, in the aspect of the above-mentioned manna — until we merit through eating to the extraordinary illumination of ratzon at the time of eating specifically — which is the aspect of the mitzvah of eating in the sukkah, as above. And all this is merited through the above-mentioned daas, which is the totality of the worlds — drawn through the assembly and gathering of Israel, as above. It is thus found that the assembly and gathering of the souls of Israel — through which is drawn the above-mentioned daas — and the gathering of all foods are one and the same aspect. And all this is merited on Sukkos through all the rectifications drawn during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as above.

And this is the aspect of Shemini Atzeres — when the rectification of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos is completed, as explained in the mystical intentions of the Arizal, of blessed memory. Therefore it is called atzeres — a term of assembly and gathering — for the main totality of all the rectifications drawn from Rosh Hashanah through Shemini Atzeres is the aspect of rectifying the gathering and assembly of Israel's souls — that the true tzadikim — the aspect of the shepherds of Israel — toil most greatly throughout the entire month of Tishrei, from Rosh Hashanah through Shemini Atzeres, to gather and assemble all the dispersed of Israel, that they may all return to Hashem in truth — and stand in their place in a manner that the holy gathering will be sustained for all generations — upon which depends the entire complete redemption [geulah sh'leima], in the aspect of "Hashem builds Jerusalem; He gathers the dispersed of Israel" . And so too the haftarah recited at every public fast day — which is the aspect of teshuva — "says Hashem who gathers the dispersed of Israel, I will yet gather more upon his gathered ones" . And the main rectification of this is accomplished on Rosh Hashanah through tekias shofar, the aspect of "And it shall come to pass on that day that a great shofar shall be sounded and those who were lost shall come", etc., "and those who were dispersed", etc. . And the completion is on Shemini Atzeres. And therefore it is called atzeres — a term of assembly and gathering, as above.

And therefore it is the custom then to call each person up to the Torah — for this is all our occupation this month: to gather and assemble and bring all up to the Torah, as above — for the completion of this rectification is completed on Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, as above. And therefore all are called up to the Torah then, as above.

And this is the practice of going to the graves of tzadikim in Elul — and particularly on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and the eve of Yom Kippur — in order to merit to effect the request of "Forgive, please" [selach na] on Yom Kippur — until we merit the dedication of the [spiritual] Temple [chanukas habayis] — which is impossible except through the power of the tzadikim who have departed — which is the aspect of "For you will not cross this Jordan; command Yehoshua and strengthen him and make him firm, for he will cross", etc. — as above (in section 81).

And this is the aspect of birchas harayach [the blessing over fragrance] — that one recites a blessing before [smelling it], but afterward there is no need to recite any blessing, as is written in the Shulchan Aruch . For the essence of all birchas hanehenin [blessings over enjoyments/benefits] is in order to reveal and illuminate the aspect of the good and wonderful fragrance [rayach] — which is the aspect of the extraordinary illumination of ratzon [Divine will] that is merited at the time of eating, as above. For the illumination of ratzon merited at the time of eating through the generality of son and student [kelaliyus ben v'salmid], as above — is merited through the holy awe [yirah] that approaches and comes to a person at the time of eating — as is explained in Likutay Moharan II, Torah 77, on the verse "At the time of eating, come close hither", etc. . For the main ratzon is drawn at the time of eating because the malchus [Kingship] — which is the source of yirah [awe/fear] — receives sustenance from the hands that are in the sea of wisdom, etc. — as is explained there in the Torah of "For He who has mercy upon them will guide them," which we are now engaged in — see there. And the essence of all the final blessings recited after eating is for this purpose — to draw yirah upon oneself, through which ratzon shines, as above. For the first blessing one recites is to reveal that the whole earth is full of His glory [m'lo kol ha'aretz k'vodo] — which is the revelation of the above-mentioned holy daas. For when one blesses Hashem and acknowledges that He brought forth bread from the earth, or created the fruit of the tree, etc. — through this one reveals and publicizes the glory of His Kingship, blessed be He, which fills the entire world — and He supervises at all times and creates everything: bread, fruits, and all foods — all of which is the aspect of "the whole earth is full of His glory" — which is the aspect of the above-mentioned daas. And then one eats the food. And then the yirah comes to the person — through which one merits the illumination of ratzon, for whoever is a person of valor, etc. And for this purpose all the final blessings were instituted — to draw yirah upon oneself, from which come all the blessings and acknowledgments — the aspect of "A woman who fears Hashem, she shall be praised" — through which comes the main illumination of ratzon, as above. And yirah and ratzon are the aspect of rayach [fragrance] — the aspect of "He will smell [v'hariycho] with the fear of Hashem" , as is explained in his [Rebbe Nachman's] words, of blessed memory, several times. And this is also the aspect of the extraordinary ratzon — which is the aspect of rayach. For one attains a wondrous ratzon and yearning [hishtokekus] for Hashem, that one does not know at all what one wants — which is the aspect of good fragrance, that one does not know at all what one wants — only like k'man d'arach reychah [one who merely smells a fragrance], as brought in the holy Zohar — the aspect of "Like the fragrance of your oils" , etc. Which is the main vitality of the soul, as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said. The main reward in the World to Come — which is the thirteen rivers of pure balsam oil [nahara d'afarsemona dachya] that the righteous inherit in the World to Come — which is itself the aspect of "How great is Your goodness that You have hidden away for those who fear You" — which is the aspect of the illumination of ratzon that the fearful [yerei'im] specifically merit — for yirah is the aspect of rayach, through which one merits the great and wondrous ratzon — which is the ultimate purpose of fragrance — which is the aspect of the fragrance of Gan Eden, which is the fragrance of the offerings that atone for sins — which are the aspect of bad odor [rayach ra] — and through the power of the tzadik who draws the above-mentioned daas — that the whole earth is full of His glory — and strengthens all to return and draw close to Hashem from wherever they are — through this he draws the aspect of "Forgive, please" [selach na] of Yom Kippur — through which sins are transformed into merits and give off a good fragrance — in the aspect of "My nard gave its fragrance" , as is brought elsewhere . It is thus found that the essence of the final blessing over foods is for the drawing of the good fragrance, which is the main [aspect] of the foods — as explained elsewhere: it is the aspect of drawing yirah and the extraordinary ratzon, as above. Therefore, over fragrance there is no need for a final blessing — because all its enjoyment is the fragrance, which is the aspect of the rectification of foods — the aspect of yirah and ratzon, as above. For as soon as one reveals through the first blessing that Hashem created this good fragrance, immediately the good fragrance shines — which is the aspect of yirah and ratzon — which is the essence of the purpose — therefore certainly no final blessing is needed, as above.

And this is the aspect of the superiority of the Land of Israel — where there is the main totality of the worlds — the main drawing of the above-mentioned holy daas — through which comes the main illumination of yirah and ratzon — all of which is merited in the Land of Israel, as above. For the main [element] of the Land of Israel is the Temple [Beis HaMikdash], which is called Har HaMoriya [the Temple Mount] — on account of the fragrance of the ketores [incense], as our Sages, may their memory be for a blessing, said . And there is the place of yirah, as it is written, "How awesome is this place" . And there is the main illumination of ratzon, the aspect of "Its inside inlaid with love" , etc. — as above. And this is the aspect of "Go for yourself from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you" — and Rashi explained: "He did not reveal the land to him immediately, so as to make it dear in his eyes", etc. — that is, because since the main perfection of the Land of Israel is that there one merits the above-mentioned extraordinary illumination of ratzon — therefore He did not reveal the land to him immediately, in order to make it dear in his eyes — so that he would desire, yearn, and crave more and more to come there. And through that specifically, he would merit to come there and receive the holiness of the Land of Israel in perfection — whose essence is the ratzon and yearning for Hashem, blessed be He — which is the aspect of the totality of all the obstacles that every person has with regard to a holy matter. And the greater the holy matter, the more obstacles it has — all for this purpose: because the essence of holiness is to merit ratzon, which is the essence of the purpose, as above — therefore they are held back so greatly, so that one will have a stronger ratzon, through which one will merit the holy matter in perfection and receive it properly with good will and wondrous yearning — which is the main purpose. For even afterward, when one comes to the Land of Israel or to a holy matter, one must still strengthen oneself with good ratzonos and great yearnings [kisufim] for Hashem, blessed be He — for that is the main thing, as above.

And this is [the verse]: "And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great" — that He promised him regarding children, money, and renown [shem]. This is the aspect of the above-mentioned holy daas that is merited in greater measure in the Land of Israel. For "children" [bonim] — this is the aspect of the illumination of son and student [ben v'salmid] mentioned above. For students [talmidim] are also called children. And through the illumination of son and student, one merits livelihood and wealth, as is explained there. And this is what He promised him regarding money — as it is written, "and I will bless you" — [meaning] "with money" [b'mamon] — for through this daas one merits money and wealth, as above. And this is "and I will make your name great" — this is the aspect of the illumination of the above-mentioned ratzon, which is the aspect of "For Your name and Your remembrance is the desire of the soul" . And all the more one strengthens oneself with good ratzonos and holy yearnings for Hashem, the more one is included within His holy Name — and similarly His Name is magnified in the world, and all yearn and wish to be included in it and to draw close to it. And this is the aspect of the heh added to his name — as it is written, "Neither shall your name any more be called Avram, but your name shall be Avraham" — for the letter heh is the aspect of asa k'lilah d'leis bah mashashusa [a light letter with no substance] — which is the aspect of mah ["what"] that has no substance, only desire and ratzon alone — which is the aspect of the holy Name Mah — which is the Name of Havaya, blessed be He. For the heh is the aspect of ratzon, the aspect of Mah — which Avraham merited through the greatness of his ratzon and holy yearnings for Hashem, blessed be He — through which he merited the Land of Israel and the magnification of his Name, etc. And as is explained in his [Rebbe Nachman's] words, of blessed memory, that the main service of Avraham our patriarch was the good ratzon — for he was the first generously-hearted one [nadiv lev ha'rishon], for there was no Torah yet at that time. And all his service was only ratzon, yearning, and holy cravings [kisufin tovim]. And so too now, after the giving of the Torah, the main [thing] is the good ratzon. And as explained in our many words about this.