ענין שבועות א

For Chol HaMoed is the aspect of lashon Targum [the Aramaic language of translation], which is the aspect of Nogah [the “glow” — the intermediate k’lipah between holiness and impurity], which is the intermediary between Lashon HaKodesh [the Holy Tongue] and the other languages of the seventy nations. For Yom Tov is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh (as Rabainu of blessed memory wrote in siman 30): that Yom Tov is the aspect of raising Malchus of holiness from among the k’lipos and subduing the evil kingdom of the four kingdoms. This is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh, which is the aspect of Malchus Peh [the kingdom of the mouth / speech], through which the evil kingdom of the seventy nations is subdued.

And this concealment — that the face of Hashem is hidden within those who do evil, and afterward their downfall is brought about through it, in the bechinas "the face of Hashem is against those who do evil, to cut them off" — this concealment is the bechinas Esther, who was taken into the house of King Achashverosh. For Esther is the bechinas hiddenness [hastara] — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Where is Esther alluded to in the Torah? In the verse: 'And I will surely hide [haster astir], etc.'" [Chulin 139b]. For Esther was beautiful of form and fair of appearance — for a thread of grace was drawn over her, for beauty and charm were drawn upon her from the Supernal Countenance — from the bechinas three hundred and seventy lights of the supernal lights of the Face. It thus emerges that Esther is the bechina of the Supernal Countenance that was hidden in great hiddenness and concealment — that the holiness was so concealed that Esther the righteous woman was taken into the house of King Achashverosh. And this is the bechinas "the face of Hashem is against those who do evil, to cut them off" — that Esther was taken, who is the bechina of the hiddenness whereby the face of Hashem is hidden within those who do evil. And through this Haman and his seed were cut off — who are the ayin ra'ah. And therefore specifically after Esther was taken into the king's house — then specifically Haman was elevated, as it is written: "After these things, the king elevated Haman, etc." [Esther 3:1]. For then specifically — at the time when the face of Hashem is hidden within those who do evil — they then have all their greatness through the face of Hashem specifically, which is hidden within them — which is the bechinas Esther who was taken into their home. And afterward, through this specifically, comes their downfall — in the bechinas "the face of Hashem is against those who do evil — to cut them off" as stated — as is explained in the aforementioned ma'amar. And the essential thing is prayer — for at the time of concealment when the ayin ra'ah prevails and the face of Hashem is hidden within them — then indeed Israel were in great danger, for the ayin ra'ah — which was Haman — prevailed over them greatly. Particularly since they had stumbled in Babylon with foreign women — which is the blemish of that lust, which is the essential ayin ra'ah — and also they had benefited from the feast of that wicked one, which is the blemish of eating — the bechina of the blemish of eating from the Tree of Knowledge — through which the evil of heart took hold, G‑d forbid — which is the bechinas ayin ra'ah, as stated. And therefore his power was very great. But Hashem sent them then Mordechai and Esther — and Mordechai was specifically strengthened through the very greatness of the concealment — that Esther was taken into the king's house, which is the bechina of the concealment of the face of Hashem as stated — from which the greatness of the wicked Haman was drawn. And Mordechai was specifically strengthened through this — for this is the bechina of the shadow that is drawn through the Holy One's extending His hand to advocate merit on behalf of the wicked and to exalt him in order to cast him down — through which the light of the tzaddik's eyes is specifically strengthened and he looks afar and prays to Hashem. And this is the bechinas Mordechai who gave his heart and gazed and believed in Hashem — that certainly Esther was not taken into the house of the uncircumcised for nothing — and he believed that certainly it was for the salvation of Israel, as Rashi explained there — meaning that he understood through the very concealment itself — which is the bechinas Esther's being taken — that certainly the judgments of Hashem are righteous and upright. And through this his heart was strengthened and he prayed to Hashem. And the more Haman grew powerful, the more he did not harbor doubts, G‑d forbid, against Hashem — on the contrary, he greatly strengthened himself and greatly multiplied prayer and supplication and crying out to Hashem, as it is written: "And he went through the city and cried out a great and bitter cry" [Esther 4:1]. And so all Israel with him cried out and prayed and supplicated and pleaded before Hashem. And the essential prayer is to awaken the merit of the Forefathers — through which one merits Eretz Yisrael — as is explained in the aforementioned ma'amar. And therefore they decreed a fast of three days — corresponding to the three Forefathers — as is cited: "d'imhon a'alas Esther kodam malka" — [Aramaic:] "it was with them [the Forefathers] that Esther entered before the king" [Zohar]. And therefore on the third day Esther donned royalty — she was clothed in the holy spirit — the bechinas "uv'asar d'avahan taman Shecinsa taman" [where the Forefathers are, there the Shechinah is]. Therefore on the third day — in the bechina of the three Forefathers who were awakened through their prayer and their outcry — it is cited that then Eliyahu went and awakened the Forefathers. And through this Esther donned royalty — which is the Shechinah — the bechinas "uv'asar d'avahan taman Shecinsa taman d'hi Eretz Yisrael" — which is the bechinas chalah zechus avos, etc. And through this — that they drew down the bechinas Eretz Yisrael through the three Forefathers, through their prayer and Mordechai's prayer — whose prayer was in proper form with absolute perfection as explained in the aforementioned ma'amar — through this they merited that not only did the wicked Haman not see upon Mordechai what he had wished to see — but it was completely reversed: Mordechai the righteous saw upon the wicked Haman what he had wished to see upon him, and they hanged Haman on the tree that he had prepared for Mordechai. All this is as is explained in the aforementioned ma'amar — that the tzaddik merits through the aforementioned bechinas to see upon the wicked man what he had wished to see upon him. And all this was fulfilled then in the days of Mordechai and Esther — that they merited through their great prayer to see upon him what he had wished to see upon Mordechai, as stated.

And therefore the Yomim Tovim are called an os [a sign], for they are the aspect of sh’miras habris [guarding the covenant], which is achieved through the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh (as Rabainu wrote in the teaching “T’fillah LaChavakuk,” siman 19). And this is what we say on Yom Tov: “Who chose us from all the nations and elevated us above all languages” — as written above in Hilchos N’si’as Kapayim (siman 1). And Chol HaMoed comes after Yom Tov to complete Lashon HaKodesh. For the essential completeness of Lashon HaKodesh is through lashon Targum. And this is Chol HaMoed — which is a mixture of chol and Moed. For in the weekday (chol), the Sitra Achara holds sway — the aspect of the seventy nations. And the Moed [festival] is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh, as above. And Chol HaMoed is the intermediary between them — the aspect of Targum, as above. And therefore, some labors are forbidden and some are permitted — for it is mixed of weekday and festival, as above. And therefore the matter was entrusted to the Sages — that they should choose which labors are forbidden and which are permitted, as found in the Poskim. This is the aspect of the Oral Torah, which is the aspect of lashon Targum, the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the aspect of the six orders of the Mishnah — which are the aspect of kasher and pasul, forbidden and permitted, etc., as found in the Holy Zohar. And therefore Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Targum as above, was entrusted to the Sages — for it is the aspect of the Oral Torah, as above. And the general rule: all labors that are absolutely necessary — namely, for one’s sustenance, or a matter of irretrievable loss (davar ha’avaid), or the needs of honoring the Yom Tov — are permitted. And all other labors are forbidden on Chol HaMoed. For Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Targum, the aspect of Nogah — there is the essential battle and test and refining of each and every one of Yisrael. And whoever still holds onto this level must minimize and forbid upon himself all the labors, and not engage in anything except what is absolutely necessary for his sustenance, etc., as above. For this he is compelled to do in order to live and sustain himself. And this is what is hinted at by the fact that our Sages forbade all labors on Chol HaMoed and only permitted what is necessary, as above. But Yom Tov, which is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh and the complete nullification of evil — which is the aspect of one who has already merited to win the battle and merited sh’miras habris — therefore all labors are forbidden on it. For when evil is completely subdued, all the 39 labors are nullified, for they come from the filth of the serpent, which is the evil. And the essential thing depends on sh’miras habris, which is the aspect of the tal oros [the dew of lights] — the opposite of the 39 labors that come from [the filth of the serpent], etc. And therefore, in truth, one who holds onto the level of Yom Tov — namely, who has merited the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh and sh’miras habris — does not need to engage in any labor or commerce at all. And about him it is said: “And strangers shall stand and tend your flocks” (Yeshaya 61:5), etc. And this is what is brought in the Holy Zohar: that Yom Tov is the aspect of the talmid chacham, and Chol HaMoed is the aspect of the students and those close to him. For the talmid chacham is the aspect of Yom Tov — for he has already merited to win the battle and merited sh’miras habris and the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh, which is the aspect of Yom Tov. But his people are the aspect of Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Targum, the aspect of Nogah — for they are still grasping their swords, fighting their battle, as above. And therefore, Chol HaMoed is between one Yom Tov and the next, and there is holiness before and after it. This is the aspect of what is written in the name of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory on the verse: “And He shall lead us al mus” (Tehillim 48:15) — by way of analogy, like teaching a child to walk: first they lead him, and then they let him go and walk on his own, etc. So too, at first a person is elevated above his level and given much assistance in his service of Hashem. And then he is tested, to walk on his own; see there. And this is the aspect of Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed. For at first one is elevated to a level of great holiness — the aspect of Yom Tov. And in truth, it is above one’s level, as above. And then one is cast down and tested, as above. And this is the aspect of Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Nogah — where is the essential battle, as above. And afterward, one merits to win the battle and to stand in the test. And this is the aspect of the Yom Tov that comes after Chol HaMoed — that one merits the holiness of Yom Tov through the victory of the battle. And therefore Chol HaMoed is also called an os [sign] and it is forbidden to don t’fillin on it — for it is also the aspect of sh’miras habris. For the essential guarding of the Bris depends on lashon Targum — which is the aspect of Chol HaMoed, as above. And this is what our Sages said: “One who disgraces the Mo’ados” and “one who breaches the covenant of Avraham Avinu” (Avos 3:11) — for these are interdependent. Since he disgraces the Mo’ados — which is the aspect of sh’miras habris, the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh — he certainly breaches the covenant. And this is what they explained: “one who disgraces the Mo’ados” — meaning Chol HaMoed. For the essential guarding and completeness of Lashon HaKodesh depends on Chol HaMoed, as above. And this is: “one who reveals faces in the Torah not according to halacha” — for through sh’miras habris, one merits the seventy faces of Torah, which are the aspect of the seventy souls of the house of Yaakov (as Rabainu wrote in the teaching “B’krov Alai M’rai’im,” siman 36). But the blemish of the Bris is through the aspect of “seventy dark faces” (anpin chashuchin). And therefore, through the blemish of the Bris, one “reveals faces in the Torah not according to halacha” — the aspect of the dark faces, as above. And this is why they chose the precise word “ham’vazeh” [“one who disgraces”] for the desecration of the Mo’ados. Namely, the aspect of the blemish of the Bris — from which come all the disgrace and humiliation. For the essential kavod [honor] depends on sh’miras habris (as our master, our teacher and our Rabainu, whose light should shine, wrote; see there). This brief but dense halacha maps Chol HaMoed onto the concept of lashon Targum — the Aramaic translation-language that stands between Lashon HaKodesh (the Holy Tongue = Yom Tov = the talmid chacham who has already won the battle) and the seventy languages of the nations (the weekday = the dominion of the Sitra Achara). Chol HaMoed is Nogah — the intermediate realm where good and evil are intermixed, where the essential battle and test takes place. From this, Reb Nosson derives: why some labors are forbidden and some permitted (because it is mixed of weekday and festival); why the matter was entrusted to the Sages (because it is the aspect of the Oral Torah, which is itself the aspect of Targum — the discernment of permitted and forbidden, kasher and pasul); why Chol HaMoed falls between the first and last days of Yom Tov (like the Baal Shem Tov’s parable of teaching a child to walk: first you hold him, then you let go, then you catch him again); and why disgracing Chol HaMoed is linked to breaching the Bris — because the essential guarding of the covenant takes place precisely in the realm of Targum/Nogah, where the battle is fought. ✺ Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman ✺

Likutay Halachos – Laws of Purim, Halacha 3 (Part 1)

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