חול המועד א

And the general rule is that the Tzaddik of truth [Tzaddik ha’emes] is the grace [chain], the beauty [p’air], and the splendor [y’fi] of all the worlds, in the aspect of “and Yosef was beautiful of form and beautiful of appearance” (B’raishis 39:6), etc. And through him one can gaze at oneself, in all the dimensions [midos] that come from the four foundations [arba y’sodos] — how he holds fast to them. For all the four foundations are drawn from the Tzaddik, who is the aspect of y’sod haP’shut [the foundation of the simple meaning], the aspect of “Tzaddik y’sod olam” [the righteous one is the foundation of the world], etc., the aspect of “and a river goes out from Eden to water” (B’raishis 2:10), etc. And they were the four heads [of the rivers], etc. For His Name [Sh’mo] is enmeshed [mishtateif] in eight, etc. And the Name of Hashem is in the aspect of four letters [oaseyos]. And from there the four foundations chain down, and at the outset they are in the aspect of four appearances [arba mar’os] — the aspect of three colors of the eye [g’vanim d’ayna] and the pupil [bas ayin], etc. And this is the aspect of Shabbas, etc. And therefore Shabbas, which is the aspect of three colors of the eye and bas ayin, shines [m’ir] to the Bais HaMikdash, etc. And all of this is the aspect of the lights of light [m’oray ha’or]. And when the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed, this is the aspect of the departure of the lights of light [histalkus m’oray or], and then the chas v’shalom [G-d forbid] gained strength — the lights of fire [m’oray aish], in the aspect of “from the bitter He sent fire,” etc. And this is the aspect of “and fire went out in Tzion and consumed its foundations” (Aichah 4:11), etc. For through the churban of the Bais HaMikdash — the aspect of the departure of the lights of light — the lights of fire gained strength, and through this all the four foundations [y’sodos] are damaged. For the tikkun [rectification] of all the four foundations, which are the totality of all the midos [dimensions], is through the lights of light drawn from the Tzaddik, from the aspect of Shabbas, which was shining in the Bais HaMikdash, etc. (See there, all this is well explained.)

And this is the bechina of the seudah [feast] of Purim — for now, when they have subdued the ayin ra'ah and merited tov ayin, now the eating is in holiness, in the bechinas "and he ate and drank and his heart was merry, etc." as stated — which is the bechina of the eating of Shabbos, when it is a great mitzvah to eat three meals corresponding to the three Forefathers. For on Shabbos it is the bechinas tov ayin, as stated. And then the three Forefathers shine — who are the bechinas tov ayin, for through them the ayin ra'ah is subdued, as stated. And therefore on Shabbos it is a great mitzvah to eat — as it is written: "And Moshe said: eat it today, for today is Shabbos... see, etc." [Shemos 16:25] — "see" specifically. For on Shabbos the eyes shine forth, in the bechinas "see that Hashem has given you the Shabbos." And through this itself it is a mitzvah to eat: "eat it today" — for then the eating is in holiness, as stated.

And therefore the bond [k’shura / hiskashrus] to Tzaddikim is even more [important] than the Churban [destruction] of the Bais HaMikdash. For the main purpose of the lights of light [m’oray or] is drawn from the Tzaddik, who is the aspect of Shabbas that shines to the Bais HaMikdash. And therefore anyone who has in him Daas [awareness/knowledge] as if the Bais HaMikdash were built in his days — for when there is in him Daas, which is the m’chin [the brains/consciousness] — this is the aspect of the Tzaddik whose generation merits to know and to have m’chin, which are the aspect of lights of light, etc. It is certainly as if the Bais HaMikdash were built in his days, for the main purpose of the building and the existence of the Bais HaMikdash is through the Daas and the m’chin, which are the aspect of the lights of light that shine to the Bais HaMikdash, as above. And this is the aspect of the four fasts [arba ta’aniyos] that we need to fast over the Churban of the Bais HaMikdash, which is the aspect of the departure of the lights of light [histalkus m’oray or], etc., chas v’shalom, as above. For the main purpose of eating in holiness [achilah bi’k’dusha] is through the lights of light drawn from the Tzaddik of truth, through whom all the four foundations [y’sodos] are rectified and clarified, as above. For all types of food are included in the four foundations, as is known. And therefore they are also the vitality [chiyus] of the body, for every [body part] is also from the four foundations. And therefore when the lights of light are illuminated through the Tzaddik — which is the aspect of building the Bais HaMikdash — through this, all the four foundations are rectified, as above. Then [there is] eating in holiness, in the aspect of the Tzaddik “eats to satisfy his soul” [ochail l’sova nafsho] (Mishlai 13:25). And then all the four foundations are included in holiness, firmly rooted within the foundation of the simple meaning [y’sod haP’shut]. And then all the four foundations are included in the aspect of the lights of light, which is the aspect of m’chin [consciousness], the aspect of the light of the Tzaddik, as above. And then eating in holiness, including the n’shamah [soul], which is also the aspect of m’chin, the aspect of lights of light, the aspect of “and the soul of his masters are within them”. And the body [guf] is the aspect of lights of fire [m’oray aish], for fire [aish] is the foremost [harishon] of the four foundations. And all the desires [ta’avos] of the body all come from fire, and the heat of the body that gives rise to all the desires. It emerges that the main tikkun of eating in holiness is through the Tzaddik of truth, through whom all the four foundations are rectified and included firmly in the aspect of lights of light, the aspect of m’chin, and then eating in holiness, including the n’shamah, which is also the aspect of m’chin, the aspect of lights of light. And this is the aspect of “the Tzaddik ‘eats to satisfy his soul’” [Tzaddik ochail l’sova nafsho], as above. And therefore all the sustenance and plenty [hashpa’os and s’vi’ah] are drawn from the Tzaddik of the generation, in the aspect of Yosef — who is the aspect of “and a river goes out from Eden to water”, etc. For all things are drawn from the four foundations, which are all drawn from the Tzaddik, etc., as above — who is the aspect of “and a river goes out from Eden to water” the garden [gan], as above. For the Tzaddik waters and irrigates the land [ha’aretz], for through him are drawn all the hashpa’os [sustenance]. For all the rains and the produce [matar] descend through the Tzaddik, as is written: “Hashem does not rain upon the land, and there is no person” (B’raishis 2:5), etc. — meaning that the Tzaddik, through whom all the rains are drawn to the entire face of the earth, for he is the aspect of “and a river goes out from Eden to water”, etc., and from there it separates, etc. And therefore all the hashpa’os are drawn through the Tzaddik, in the aspect of “Yosef sustains [y’chalkel] his father and his brothers,” the aspect of “and all the land came to Mitzrayim to Yosef to procure [grain],” for Yosef is the ruler [ha’shalit] — he is the provider [ha’mashbir], etc. For Yosef, who is the ruler — who is the Tzaddik of the generation, from whom are drawn all the four foundations — he is the head of the household [rosh habayis], etc. (as explained in the ma’amar as above) — who is [the aspect of] “a river goes out from Eden to water”, etc. — he is the provider. For from him are drawn all the plenty [s’vi’os] and all the sustenance [hashpa’os], which are all included in the four foundations that are drawn from the Tzaddik, as above. And therefore there is a great mitzvah to eat on Shabbas, as is written: “eat it today, for today is Shabbas for Hashem” (Sh’mos 16:25). For on Shabbas they illuminate [m’irin] the aspect of lights of light [m’oray or], as above. And then eating in holiness [achilah bi’k’dusha] is accomplished, as above. And therefore there is a mitzvah to eat on Shabbas. And this is what the Torah was given with the taste [ta’am] of eating Shabbas — because Shabbas is the aspect of lights of light. And this is what is written: “eat it today” — for “Shabbas today for Hashem.” “See” [R’u] — specifically, for this is the aspect of lights of light, which are the aspect of “seeing” [r’iyah], the aspect of three colors of the eye and bas ayin [pupil] (as explained in the ma’amar as above, on this passage; see there). And therefore, because Shabbas is the aspect of “seeing” [r’iyah] — the aspect of lights of light — therefore “eat it today,” for because of this there is a mitzvah to eat on Shabbas, for then eating in holiness when they illuminate the lights of light, the aspect of the Tzaddik of truth, the aspect of the Bais HaMikdash, as above. And therefore, when the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed and the lights of light [m’oray or] departed, it was decreed to fast four fasts [arba tzomos]. For now, when the lights of light departed through the Churban of the Bais HaMikdash, it became hard to eat in holiness, as above. For then the four foundations are damaged in their physicality [gashmiyus], which are the aspect of lights of fire [m’oray aish], etc., as above. Since the lights of light departed, the four foundations are damaged, and on the contrary, rather, the eating was hard to eat in holiness, and therefore they need to fast four fasts and then to subdue the four foundations through this — and to merit through the fasts to return and to illuminate the aspect of lights of light which are the m’chin [consciousness/brains], as above. For when the lights of light departed, which is the aspect of Shabbas that illuminates to the Bais HaMikdash — when the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed, the light of Shabbas was concealed — and then there is no eating in holiness. When there is no eating in holiness, the four foundations are included in their physicality [gashmiyus], the aspect of lights of fire. And all the desires [ta’avos] of the body come through fire and the heat of the body, from [the aspect of] machlokes [strife/division] (as explained in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory). It emerges that through the sins [avonos] that damaged the machlokes [strife] and gave power, chas v’shalom, to the Sitra Achara [Other Side] — which prevails over holiness [k’dusha] — therefore dinim [harsh judgments], chas v’shalom, are aroused upon him, and those dinim place upon him the distresses [tzaros], chas v’shalom, which are as if in opposition to [his] will — the aspect of machlokes. And therefore the tikkun for all this is ta’anis [fasting]. For the general rule is that in opposition to every type of machlokes, the tikkun is ta’anis, in the aspect of “abundant peace” [marbeh tz’dakah, marbeh shalom]. And the main purpose of ta’anis is tz’dakah [charity/righteousness], for “the reward of a fast is the charity” [agra d’sa’anisa tzidkasa]; see there. Blessed is Hashem forever, Amain and Amain.

Likutay Halachos - Hilchos Chol HaMoed 1

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