ענין שבת ויום טוב ג

Ashehr kuras es Avruhum ooshvoo-usoa liYischuk.that He made with Abraham, swore to Isaac,

10 וַיַּעֲמִידֶהָ לְיַעֲקֹב לְחֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּרִית עוֹלָם Section 14 And this is the bechina of the distinction between Shabbos and Yom Tov — which consists solely in the labor of food preparation [meleches ochel nefesh]. For the six days of labor [sheishes yemay hama'aseh] — in which Hashem, blessed be He, created all of creation — are in the bechina of the compelling force [koach hamachri'ach], set against holy Shabbos on which He rested from all His labor, when there is only love and will and yearning toward the Root, to be included in the light of the Infinite — which is the bechina of the true supreme drawing force [koach hamoshech ha'elyon]. For the entire creation of the six weekdays is in the bechina of the compelling force — which compelled, so to speak, His divine vitality to descend below into each and every thing of creation, to be bound below against its will in order to vivify and sustain that created thing. For it is known that the divine vitality within every thing of the world yearns and longs and draws itself always toward its supernal root — only that by compulsion and by the decree of the Creator, blessed be He, it is forced to remain bound within creation for the sake of the world's existence. Thus it emerges that the entire creation of all six weekdays is entirely in the bechina of the compelling force. But the essential intent of the creation was for the sake of the ultimate purpose — which is the bechina of Shabbos, which is the bechina of the World to Come, which is the bechina of the drawing force — when everything returns and ascends and is drawn back to its root, as is known. That is, the aforementioned bechina — that all the wondrous artistry of the Creator of Bereishis, Who created all of creation with wisdom and with labor and with such wondrous craft — was all in the bechina of the compelling force and the drawing force cited above: that He contracted Himself, so to speak, and compelled the supernal vitality to descend below to vivify and sustain all the things of creation — which is the bechina of the compelling force, as stated. But they, in their nature, draw themselves toward their root — for every thing draws itself toward its root, as is known. And then, through these two forces together, the wondrous artistry of the Creator of Bereishis will be completed at the time of the ultimate purpose — which is the bechina of Shabbos — when it will be completed through this specifically: through the existence of these two forces, wondrous rectifications [tikunim] and great delights [sha'ashu'im] will be completed, and the pure refined spiritual worlds of the righteous — which is their reward in the future — will be brought to completion. For it is known that the essential purpose of all creation is for the sake of the human being — who possesses free choice. And the essential [arena of] free choice is in the bechina of the compelling force and the drawing force — for all bodily desires are in the bechina of the compelling forces, since the life-energy — the soul — does not desire these things; the soul's desire is only to draw toward its root, which is the bechina of the drawing force, as stated. But it is compelled to eat and drink, etc., for the sake of maintaining the body.

Section 15 And the essential [arena of] free choice is this: that a person must always strengthen the drawing force over the compelling force — and always remember his ultimate purpose, and draw himself toward his supernal root, which is the bechina of the drawing force. And even what he is compelled to engage in regarding the affairs of this world — such as eating and drinking, etc. — let it be only because of the compulsion that forces him to do so against his will. For certainly a person is compelled to eat, etc., since it is the will of Hashem, blessed be He, that the world be sustained. And when one conducts himself in this way, one will certainly do everything according to the Torah — and through this there will be wondrous rectifications, through the existence of both the compelling force and the drawing force, as stated. And so too all the labors that a person performs throughout the weekdays — they are all in the bechina of the compelling force. For Hashem, blessed be He, created everything so that it should be completed through the human being specifically (as is explained on this elsewhere) — as it is written: "which G‑d created to do". For wheat requires grinding, and lupines require preparation, etc., as the Midrash states. For everything was created for the sake of the human being — and nothing was created in its fully complete state ready for the human being. Rather, everything requires rectification and completion through the human being, as stated. And this is the bechina of all the labors in their totality that a person must perform — all in order to complete that thing so that it becomes fit for the human being for whose sake everything was created. And when a person performs the action and the labor to complete and rectify some thing of creation, through this he draws new vitality into that thing. For example, lupines — before their preparation their taste was bitter and they were not fit for human consumption. And the human being, through preparing and cooking them, draws into them their proper taste. And this taste is drawn from above, from Hashem, blessed be He, Who is the root of everything — only that Hashem, blessed be He, created the lupines in such a way that their good taste is not drawn into them until a person engages with them in preparation and cooking — for it is specifically he who draws into them their essential vitality, which is their good taste. And so with all things of the world — when they are completed through the human being, additional vitality is drawn into them that completes and rectifies the thing in its fullness. And this vitality that the human being draws from above into the thing — that he causes and rectifies through his craft and his labor — this vitality, when it is drawn below, is drawn through the bechina of the compelling force. Just as the essential vitality of the thing when it was created is in the bechina of the compelling force — for by its taste and desire it would draw itself upward to its root, as stated — so too this additional vitality that the human being draws, which is the essential completion of its fullness, is drawn only in the bechina of the compelling force — that the vitality is compelled to be drawn below against its will and its nature, which is only to draw upward, as stated. But the intent of Hashem, blessed be He, is for the good — so that through this specifically the wondrous artistry cited above will be completed. And so a person must intend in all his actions and labors and activities that the entire intention be for the sake of Heaven — as it is written: "In all your ways know Him." And our Sages of blessed memory likewise said: "And all your deeds shall be for the sake of Heaven" — meaning, that in all his activities and labor he should intend to complete that thing so that through this it will return and be drawn to its root with even greater force, as stated. And the essential purpose of all labors is for the eating of the human being — which is the essential sustenance and vitality of the human being — as it is written: "All the labor of a person is for his mouth." For the essential union of body and soul — which are in the bechina of the compelling force and the drawing force — their essential union is through eating. For through the eating of a person, the body compels the vitality — which is the soul — to remain sustained within the person. But the intention must be toward Heaven — that one compels the soul to eat and to remain sustained within the body. And all of this is so that one may merit, through the power of eating, to give thanks and praise to His Name, blessed be He, and to serve Him, blessed be He, as is fitting — through which it will return and be drawn to its root with even greater force, and the intentions of the creation will be completed through this specifically. For through this, worlds and wondrous and awesome rectifications will be completed specifically, as stated. Thus it emerges: all weekday activities [ovdin d'chol] are in the bechina of the compelling force. And Shabbos is in the bechina of the drawing force — for even though all labors and all weekday activities must be sanctified so that one's intention be for the sake of the drawing force, in order to be able to draw to the root with greater force, as stated — nonetheless, since they are in the bechina of the compelling force, the Other Side [sitra achra] fastens onto them more greatly, through the sin of the first Adam. And therefore great clarifications [birurim] are required.

Va-yameedehu liYaakoav lichoak liYisru-ail birees oalum.and confirmed in a decree for Jacob, for Israel, as an eternal covenant,

Section 16 Therefore on Shabbos all labors are forbidden — for on Shabbos it is forbidden to arouse the bechina of the compelling force, since then is the essential strengthening of the drawing force — for then everything flows back and returns to its root and its rest, as stated. And therefore on Shabbos all labors are nullified — for then everything ascends to the supernal root of all things, of all creation in its entirety, which is the bechina of holiness, in the bechina of: "and you shall guard the Shabbos, for it is holy." But on Yom Tov — even though then too it is the bechina of the strengthening of the drawing force over the compelling force, for all the Yamim Tovim are a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt, when Pharaoh and Egypt who had seized Israel in exile — which is the bechina of the compelling force — were subdued, and Hashem, blessed be He, took us out from there to bring us to the Land of Israel and to receive the Torah, so that we should arrive at our ultimate purpose and our root — all of which is the bechina of the drawing force. And therefore on Yom Tov too, all labors which are in the bechina of the compelling force are nullified, as stated. But on Yom Tov there is still some bechina of struggle between the compelling force and the drawing force — for Shabbos is fixed and established from the beginning of creation, when everything will return to its root, as stated. But Yom Tov is sanctified only through Israel, through their good deeds — which cause the drawing force to prevail over all the compelling force — and through this they merit to go out from the exile of the nations, who are in the bechina of the compelling force. And through this the Yamim Tovim were sanctified — for through every good deed of the Fathers of the world who strengthened through their good deeds the drawing force over the compelling force, through this we merited to go out from the Egyptian exile and to nullify their compelling force, and to return to drawing ourselves toward our root — to receive the Torah and to return to the Land of Israel. All of which is the bechina of the strengthening of the drawing force. And so in every generation, Israel must sanctify the Yamim Tovim — which is why one blesses on Yom Tov "Who sanctifies Israel and the seasons" — for Yom Tov: Israel are they who sanctify it, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For then on Yom Tov one still requires an arousal from below [is'arusa dilesata] to strengthen the drawing force over all the compelling force. And because there is still some bechina of struggle between the drawing force and the compelling force on Yom Tov — only that through the power of the sanctity of Yom Tov the drawing force is strengthened further over the compelling force, as stated — therefore on Yom Tov there are still some labors permitted, which are the labors of food preparation [meleches ochel nefesh] — as it is written: "However, that which is eaten by every person — that alone may be prepared for you." For on Yom Tov one must still engage in the labors of food preparation — which are those labors close to completing the food, to rectify it and to draw the taste into it — such as baking and cooking, which is the essential labor of food preparation permitted on Yom Tov. For all labors distant from eating are forbidden on Yom Tov — such as plowing and sowing, afiyah [baking], reaping, and grinding for the needs of that very day — these are forbidden on Yom Tov. [Translator's note: afiyah — baking — appears here in the Hebrew source in the middle of the list of forbidden labors, though the very next sentence explicitly permits baking on Yom Tov. This appears to be a scribal anomaly in the source text; it is rendered here as found.] Only baking and cooking and the like, which are very close to the completion of the food's rectification, are permitted on Yom Tov. For the closer the labor is to the completion of the food, the closer it is to the drawing force. For the essential eating — even though it is in the bechina of the compelling force, as stated — its essential purpose is for the sake of the drawing force, so that through it one gives thanks and praise to Hashem, blessed be He, and returns and is drawn toward one's root, as stated. And all the labors of the world performed for the sake of eating — which is the sustenance of the blood [the life-force of the body] — even though they are all in the bechina of the compelling force, as stated, their essential purpose is for the sake of the drawing force, as stated — so that the thing should be completed, so that the human being should eat and the world be sustained, and one should serve Hashem, blessed be He, and draw oneself and all that depends upon one toward one's root — which is the bechina of the drawing force.

11 לֵאמֹר לְךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת-אֶרֶץ-כְּנָעַן חֶבֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶם Section 17 And this is what a person must intend in all his actions and his labor — that everything is for the sake of the ultimate purpose, which is to return and draw and be included in one's root. But it has already been explained that the Other Side fastens onto all labors since the sin of the first Adam, and great toil and great clarifications are required. And the more distant a labor is from the ultimate purpose, the greater the clarification needed there — for the Other Side fastens on more greatly there, since it is further from the ultimate purpose. And therefore the compelling force strengthens there more — since it is still far from the bechina of the drawing force. For the essential drawing force strengthens more as the thing approaches its ultimate purpose — such as when a person actually eats the food, for then the bechina of the drawing force is strengthened: which is the bechina of the goodness within the food, through which the person yearns and longs toward his root. And this is what our master, teacher, and Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote (in Likutay Tinyana §7) — that at the moment of eating one can merit an illumination of the will [he'aras haratzon], etc. — which is the bechina of the drawing force, as stated. And therefore the labors that are close to completing the food — such as baking and cooking — are closer to the drawing force. And therefore they are permitted on Yom Tov — for this clarification and rectification is still needed even on Yom Tov: namely, to rectify the food and draw the taste into it through baking and cooking. For the taste is drawn from the goodness of Hashem, as it is written: "Taste and see that Hashem is good" — as is known. And this one must still draw down on Yom Tov through our own effort — for it is stated that on Yom Tov one does not ascend to the ultimate root, which is the bechina of kodesh [absolute holiness] — rather it is in the bechina of mikra kodesh [a holy convocation], which calls toward the holiness, etc. (as explained in the kavanos [mystical intentions]). Thus it emerges that there is still some hold for the compelling force on Yom Tov — since one must still compel the supernal vitality, which is in the bechina of holiness, to descend below from its level. Even though it need not descend as much as on a weekday — since on Yom Tov too the worlds ascend to a great height — nonetheless, since they do not ascend to the ultimate supernal root as on Shabbos, which is the bechina of kodesh, only the bechina of holiness must descend somewhat below. Therefore there is still a slight hold for the compelling force — only that through the great sanctity of Yom Tov the drawing force prevails over the compelling force. But since it still has some hold and a measure of struggle is needed to prevail over it, there are still some labors on Yom Tov — which are the labors of food preparation, as stated. These are the labors very close to the food, which are for the sake of drawing the taste of the food through baking and cooking and the like. For the taste must still be drawn from above through the labors of food preparation — since the supernal vitality of all the worlds must still be drawn down somewhat, as stated. But these food-preparation labors are very close to the drawing force, as stated — and therefore there the drawing force prevails over the compelling force the more — as is explained in the Torah teaching cited above: that the closer something is to the drawing force, the more swiftly it is drawn there; see there. And therefore on Yom Tov one performs only the labors of food preparation — which are closer to the drawing force, where the drawing force prevails more — for such is [the nature of] Yom Tov: the drawing force prevails over the compelling force, as stated. Only since some further strengthening is still needed, as stated — therefore some labors are still needed on Yom Tov, which are the food-preparation labors, as stated. But on Shabbos it is complete rest and tranquility — for then it is a foretaste of the World to Come, when all things return to their supernal root and the compelling force is nullified before the drawing force as is fitting. And then all the artistry and rectifications that are made specifically through the existence of the compelling force — which through this the drawing force completes these rectifications — are concluded and fulfilled, as stated. Therefore on Shabbos all labors are nullified — for then everything ascends to its supernal root without our [effort]. And the compelling force has no dominion whatsoever — therefore there is no labor in it at all, since labor is in the bechina of the compelling force — for then all things return to their root in peaceful, tranquil rest, without any struggle whatsoever, as stated.

Laimohr lichu etain es eretz kinu-an chevel nachalaschem.saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your allotted heritage.”

This passage is the Mahadura Batra (Later Edition) addendum to the Laws of Yom Tov in Likutay Halachos Orach Chaim III, positioned in the source text between Yom Tov §5 and the Laws of Chol HaMo'ed. It consists of four sections numbered 14–17, continuing the sequential numbering of the earlier Yom Tov sections in the same Later Edition.

12 בִּהְיוֹתָם מְתֵי מִסְפָּר כִּמְעַט וְגָרִים בָּהּ The entire passage works out a single conceptual framework — koach hamoshech versus koach hamachri'ach — first developed in the earlier Yom Tov halachos (drawing on Reb Nachman's Torah "Vayehi bayom hashemini kara Moshe"), and here applies it to explain three things:

Beehi-yoasum misay meespur keemat vigureem bu. Section 14 — The metaphysics of creation: all six weekdays operate through the compelling force (divine vitality coerced into matter against its yearning to return to its source); Shabbos is the drawing force completing the cycle. Human free choice is the battleground between the two.

They were then few in number, a mere handful, sojourning there,

Section 15 — The inner intention of all labor: a person must conduct every weekday activity — eating, work, craft — with the awareness that it is the compelling force at work, and consciously dedicate the purpose to the drawing force. The example of lupines (a bitter vegetable requiring extended preparation) illustrates how human labor draws divine taste-vitality into raw creation. All labor ultimately aims at eating; eating aims at service of Hashem; service of Hashem draws everything back to its root.

Section 16 — Why Shabbos forbids all labor but Yom Tov permits food-preparation labor: Shabbos is cosmically fixed as the complete triumph of the drawing force — no compelling force may be stirred. Yom Tov, by contrast, is sanctified through Israel's own deeds; it represents a partial but not total victory of the drawing force, and the "struggle" is still ongoing. Food-preparation labor (baking, cooking) sits closest to the drawing force of any labor — it finalizes the food, enables the sacred act of eating, and is therefore the one category of labor still permitted.

Section 17 — The principle: the closer a labor is to the ultimate purpose (eating → gratitude → return to G‑d), the more the drawing force prevails in it, and the more it is permitted on Yom Tov. Distant labors (plowing, sowing, grinding) are too immersed in the compelling-force dimension. On Shabbos, even this last bridge is unnecessary — everything returns to its root without human effort, and the compelling force has no hold at all.