יום הכפורים ב

Section Tes [ט] And it was for this reason that Haman made a tree fifty cubits tall to hang Mordechai from it and cast him down from there — for he sought to blemish the root of holy wealth, which is the bechina of magnifying the Name and the soul of Israel — for all of them are rooted in the names of the twelve tribes, which contain fifty letters. And therefore these fifty letters of the twelve tribes of Y-H were engraved on the stones of the Choshen [Breastplate] and the Ephod — which are the bechina of wealth, for they were extremely precious stones — and the High Priest bore them upon his heart, and upon them were engraved the names of the children of Israel — which are the root of the souls and the names of all Israel, all of whom are rooted in these fifty letters that are engraved upon these precious stones that are the bechina of wealth — for the Name and the soul have their root in wealth, as stated. And therefore they were upon the heart of the High Priest in the Choshen Mishpat [Breastplate of Judgment] — to draw down the bechina of the fire of judgment, as stated — to subdue the evil that seeks to attach itself to these souls and to the heart of the one who draws them close (as explained there), as it is written: "And Aharon shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart, etc." And likewise our master, teacher, and Rabbainu, of blessed memory, brings there the connection from the Choshen Mishpat to the matter of the fire of judgment cited above — as is explained regarding the ribua [square] which is the bechina of judgment, as it is written: "It was square, doubled" — said of the Choshen Mishpat — which is as stated above. And the wicked Haman sought to cast Mordechai down from there — but Mordechai, through the force of his cry and his prayer, drew down the bechina of the fire of judgment cited above, until he heaped burning coals upon Haman's head, and returned his recompense upon his own head, and they hanged him and his sons upon that very tree — for all his defeat came through the fifty letters cited above, which are the bechina of the holy Name of Israel, the bechina of holy wealth, which Mordechai merited in holiness. And through this he cast Haman down from there and they hanged him and his sons on the tree, and all the wealth returned to holiness, as stated. And therefore fifty is the bechina of the minimum threshold of wealth — as it is stated in the Mishnah: one who has fifty zuz and engages in trade with them shall not take from tzedakah — for the root of wealth flows from the fifty letters cited above that are in the names of the tribes, in which each one of Israel has his name and soul rooted — for from there comes all wealth, as stated.

And this is the bechina of sukkah — for the walls and partitions of the sukkah are the bechina of the stretched-out partitions [mechitzohs perusos] of the mochin. For the three mochin are three partitions stretched out before the desire of licentiousness — (as explained there in the teaching cited above). And this is the bechina of the walls and partitions of the sukkah. And therefore there are three walls — for the essential [number of] sukkah walls is three — as our Sages of blessed memory said — corresponding to the three mochin which are stretched-out partitions before the desire of licentiousness. For the sukkah is the bechina of intellect and mochin — the bechina of "the mother who shelters over her children" — the bechina of "call understanding 'mother'" — the bechina of contemplation and intellect — the bechina of mochin. And therefore one makes the sukkah after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — for on Rosh Hashanah the prayer is in the bechina of judgment [din] — and through this one extracts from the Sitra Achra all the waters of da'as and holiness that it had swallowed, etc. And the Sitra Achra — which is the bechina of clouds [ananeem] — the bechina of "He covered you with a cloud" [sakkosah ve'anan lach], etc. — fades and goes. And gairim are made, and the Glory is revealed, and thunder is made — the bechina of "clouds that pour water" [annanay d'shafchay maya] — the bechina of the waters of da'as — the bechina of "and the glory of Hashem was seen in the cloud." And through this the spreading of prophecy is drawn — which comes from the souls of Israel whose roots are in the Glory. And through the prophecy the holy faith is clarified and strengthened and false beliefs are nullified — for the essential clarification of faith is through the rectification of the imaginative faculty [hamidameh], etc. And through faith the renewal of the world is revealed — and the essential renewal of the world in the future will be through the bechina of faith. And the renewal of the world will be in the bechina of the Land of Israel — for the essential Land of Israel is through the bechina of "the power of His deeds" [koach ma'asav], etc. And then [the world] will be governed only through Providence and miracles — like the Land of Israel. And then the song of miracles will be awakened — which is the song that will be awakened in the future — the song that is simple, double, triple, quadruple [shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba] — to be played on 72 strings — the bechina of chesed — the bechina of "the world is built on kindness" [olam chesed yibaneh]. And this song is the bechina of the voice of the one who rebukes [kol hamochiach] — the bechina of the voice of Yaakov — the bechina of the river that goes out from Eden to water the garden — through which all fragrances and fears grow. And through this one can rebuke — the bechina of "my spikenard gave its fragrance" [nirdi natan reicho], etc. See all of this there extremely carefully — and you will understand and see wonders upon wonders. And the departure and nullification of the clouds and the Sitra Achra — this is the bechina of the forgiveness of sins — the bechina of "I have erased your sins like a cloud" [machisi khe'av psha'echa], etc. — see there. Section 6 And therefore after Rosh Hashanah — when the prayer is in the bechina of judgment and then one extracts from the Sitra Achra all the holiness it had swallowed, and the Sitra Achra — which is the bechina of clouds — fades and goes — therefore after Rosh Hashanah comes Yom Kippur: the forgiveness of sins — the bechina of the departure and nullification of the clouds which are the Sitra Achra — the bechina of "I have erased your sins like a cloud, and your transgressions like a mist" [machisi khe'av pesha'echa uchhe'anan chato'osecha], etc., as stated. And then the blemish of the brain and prayer is rectified — for through Rosh Hashanah — which is the bechina of prayer in the bechina of judgment — one extracts from the Sitra Achra the waters of da'as, etc., and the mochin are restored — which are the bechina of stretched-out partitions before the desire of licentiousness. And this is the bechina of the mitzvah of sukkah — which one merits after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. For through the rectification made on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — through this the mochin are rectified, as stated — and through this the bechina of walls and stretched-out partitions of the mochin is made — which are the bechina of the three walls of the sukkah — that are stretched-out partitions to protect before the desire of licentiousness — which is the bechina of the wars of Amalek (as explained there in the teaching cited above). For the partitions of the sukkah are stretched out to protect before the impurity of Amalek — for the essential subduing of Amalek is through the bechina of sukkah — which is the bechina of the Clouds of Glory [ananay kavod] (as explained in the holy Zohar). For regarding Amalek it is said: "And the Canaanite king of Arad heard" — that is Amalek — "that Israel was coming." And Rashi explained: he heard that Aharon had died and the Clouds of Glory had departed. But through sukkah — which is the Clouds of Glory — the bechina of Amalek is subdued and nullified — which is the bechina of the desire cited above — the bechina of "who happened upon you on the way" [asher karkha baderech]. For the walls of the sukkah are the bechina of stretched-out partitions before this desire — the bechina of the three mochin which are stretched-out partitions, etc., as stated. Section 7 And therefore one begins to engage with the sukkah immediately after Yom Kippur — for then the clouds of the Sitra Achra — which are the bechina of sins — are nullified and gone, as stated. And then: immediately when one [thing] falls, the other rises — namely through the nullification and departure of all the clouds of the Sitra Achra — through this the bechina of the Clouds of Glory [ananay kavod] is revealed — the bechina of "and the glory of Hashem was seen in the cloud" — which are the bechina of the walls of the sukkah that come through the rectification of the brain's partitions — through which one merits the bechina of "and the glory of Hashem was seen in the cloud" — the bechina of the Clouds of Glory (as explained there in the teaching cited above). And this is the bechina of sukkah, as stated — the bechina of "and spread over us Your sukkah of peace" [ufros alenu sukkas shelomecha] — the bechina of stretched-out partitions, as stated. Section 8 And then the waters of da'as flow out — the bechina of "for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea" [ki simalay ha'aretz de'ah es Hashem kamayim layam mechasim] — and gairim convert (as stated in the teaching cited above). And this is the bechina of Simchas Beis Hasho'aivah which one merits during Sukkos — the bechina of "and you shall draw water with joy" [ushavtem mayim b'sason] — and its Aramaic translation: "and you shall receive new teaching" [u'sekablun ulpan chadat] — the bechina of the abundance of waters of da'as that now flow out in great abundance — through the rectification made on Rosh Hashanah through prayer in the bechina of judgment — through which the Sitra Achra vomits up all the holiness, all the da'as, all the prayer, and all the compassion it had swallowed, etc., as stated. And then the waters of da'as flow out in great abundance — the bechina of "as the waters cover the sea" — the bechina of "the G-d of glory thundered, Hashem over many waters." And therefore one makes Simchas Beis Hasho'aivah — for then one draws the waters of da'as through the rectification made through the prayers of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, etc., as stated. And therefore then one draws the water with very great rejoicing — and one who has not seen the joy of Simchas Beis Hasho'aivah has never seen joy in his life. For through this — through the da'as now being drawn, which was revealed through the prayer of the Days of Awe, as stated — through this one merits that the future song will be awakened, as stated. For from there is the essential joy — for the essential joy will be at the time the song cited above is revealed. For then "our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with song." For the essential joy will be in the future when the song cited above is awakened. And now during Simchas Beis Hasho'aivah the future joy is awakened — through the awakening now of the song that will be awakened in the future, etc., as stated. Section 9 And this is the bechina of the spreading of prophecy cited above — which one merits through the Glory that is revealed through the flowing out of the waters of da'as — and through the rectification of the stretched-out partitions of the brain — which are the bechina of the walls of the sukkah. For from the bechina of sukkah one receives holy spirit [ruach hakodesh] and prophetic spirit [ruach nevuah] — for sukkah is the bechina of one sheltered in holy spirit — (as explained in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, in §21). For the measurement of the sukkah — ten tefachim — our Sages of blessed memory derived from the keruvim who sheltered with their wings over the kapores [Ark cover] — from which prophetic spirit is received — as it is written: "And he heard the voice from between the two keruvim." And through prophetic spirit the imaginative faculty [hamidameh] is clarified — and through this one merits faith. And through faith the renewal of the world is revealed — and one merits chassadim — through which the renewal of the world will be in the future — the bechina of "to tell of Your kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness in the nights" [l'hagid baboker chasdecha ve'emunascha balaiylos] — the bechina of "the world is built on kindness" [olam chesed yibaneh]. And all of this is the bechina of sukkah — for from there is the prophetic spirit, as stated. Through which the imaginative faculty and faith are clarified. And this is the bechina of sleeping in the sukkah — for the imaginative faculty [hamidameh] is the bechina of sleep — for then the intellect departs and only the imaginative faculty remains. And then during sleep — in the bechina of the imaginative faculty — is the essential clarification and rectification of faith (as explained elsewhere — the bechina of "new each morning is Your great faithfulness" [chadashim labekarim rabbah emunasecha]). And therefore there is an obligation to sleep in the sukkah — in order to rectify the bechina of the imaginative faculty — through which the faith is clarified and rectified, as stated. For through the sukkah — from which prophecy is drawn, as stated — through this is the essential clarification and rectification of the imaginative faculty and faith, as stated. Section 10 And this is the bechina that the essential sukkah [roofing] is from the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress. "Refuse of the threshing floor and winepress" is the bechina of the imaginative faculty [hamidameh]. And this is the bechina of the requirement that the sukkah's shade exceed its sunlight. For the sun [chamah] is the bechina of intellect — as cited in §1: the sun is the bechina of the light of intellect — the bechina of Yaakov — see there. And the shade that darkens the sunlight — this is the bechina of faith — the bechina of sleep — the bechina of the imaginative faculty. And the essential knowledge of Hashem, blessed be He, is only through the bechina of faith — as is known. And this is the bechina of "Hashem is your shade" [Hashem tzilecha] — for it is impossible to know of Hashem, blessed be He, except through the bechina of faith — which is the bechina of night — the bechina of shade — the bechinot of the imaginative faculty. And therefore the sukkah — which is the bechina of prophecy and holy spirit, as stated — through which the imaginative faculty and faith are clarified — must have more shade than sunlight. For the essential comprehension and knowledge one merits only through faith — the bechina of shade. And therefore the essential [purpose] is to clarify the imaginative faculty — which is the bechina of shade, as stated. And this is the bechina that the sechach must be from the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress — this is the bechina of the imaginative faculty — which is the bechina of the power of the animal [koach habehamiyus] — the bechina of the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress — which is animal food. For eating is the bechina of da'as — for the brain follows the eating (as cited elsewhere). And the food of a person — this is the bechina of da'as — which is the defining quality of the human being. And the refuse of the eating — namely the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress — which is animal food — this is the bechina of the imaginative faculty — which is the power of the animal [koach habehamiyus] (as cited elsewhere). And the essential clarification is in the bechina of the animal power — which is the imaginative faculty — for there is where the essential clarification [beiur] is — as is known. And through this is the essential clarification of faith. And therefore the sukkah is from the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress — which is the essential sechach — through which its shade exceeds its sunlight — which is the bechina of the clarification of the imaginative faculty and faith, as stated. Section 11 And through faith one merits the gathering of chassadim — through which the renewal of the world will be in the future — the bechina of "to tell of Your kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness in the nights," etc., as stated. And this is the bechina of sukkah — for sukkah is the bechina of chesed — as is known — the bechina of the embrace of the right hand — as is known — for during Sukkos all the chassadim are gathered (as explained in the kavanos). And through the gathering of all the chassadim, the renewal of the world will be — the bechina of "the world is built on kindness." And therefore sukkah alludes to the renewal of the world — as cited in the holy books: that sukkah alludes to the World to Come [alma d'asay] — for the World to Come is called by the name "sukkah" — as it is written: "and a sukkah shall be for shade by day" [vesukkah tihyeh l'tzel yomam]. And therefore the Torah said: "Go out of your permanent dwelling and dwell in a temporary dwelling" [tzei midiras keva v'sheiv b'diras arai] — to allude to the renewal of the world. That this world has no permanence, G‑d forbid — rather Hashem, blessed be He, renewed His world and will renew His world in the future — as cited: that sukkah alludes to this. Thus: sukkah alludes to the future renewal of the world — when we will merit to sit in the sukkah of the Leviathan in Sukkos of Clouds of Glory — the bechina of "and a sukkah shall be," etc. And therefore all the nations of the world — when they will wish to merit the greatness and honor of Israel — will be tested through the mitzvah of sukkah (as our Sages of blessed memory said) — for the World to Come is the bechina of sukkah, as stated. Section 12 For sukkah is the bechinot of walls and partitions of mochin — through which one merits guarding the covenant [shemiras habris] — through which one merits the bechina of Glory — the bechinot of prophecy — through which the imaginative faculty is clarified, as stated — through which one merits faith, as stated — through which the chassadim are gathered and one merits the renewal of the world that will be in the future. And all of this is the bechina of sukkah, as stated. And then the future song will be awakened — which is the simple, double, triple, quadruple song to be played on 72 strings — the bechina of chesed, etc., as stated. And this is the bechina of the joy of Sukkos — as it is written: "the time of our rejoicing" [zeman simchaseinu]. For from there is the essential source of all the joys in the world — for they all flow from the bechina of the joy that will be in the future — the bechina of "for you shall go out in joy" [ki vesimchah seitze'u] — the bechina of "joy and gladness shall overtake them," etc. — for then joy and song [chedvah v'nigunah] will be awakened in the world when the new song cited above is awakened. And therefore since during Sukkos one merits that the song cited above will be awakened — from which all joys [flow] — therefore it is "the time of our rejoicing." And this is the bechina of Simchas Beis Hasho'aivah cited above. And through the melody cited above — through this all the fragrances and fears grow — which are the nourishment of the soul [mezon d'nishmasa]. And through this the body's nourishment [mezon d'gufa] is subdued (as explained in the teaching cited above). And this is the bechina of the mitzvah of eating in the sukkah — which is the essential mitzvah of sukkah. For through the mitzvah of sukkah — through which one merits the voice of the melody cited above — which is the bechina of "the voice — the voice of Yaakov" [hakol kol Yaakov] — through this the heel of Eisav is subdued [ekev Eisav] — which is the heel of the Sitra Achra — which strengthens itself through eating — which is the body's nourishment. For one merits through this voice the bechina of fragrance — which is the soul's nourishment [mezon d'nishmasa]. And therefore one can eat in holiness — so that the eating should be in the bechina of the soul's nourishment [mezon d'nishmasa]. And therefore it is a mitzvah to eat in the sukkah — for then the eating is in the bechina of the soul's nourishment through the mitzvah of sukkah — through which one merits the voice of the melody cited above — through which all the fragrances cited above grow. And therefore sukkah is in the bechina of Yaakov — as it is written: "and Yaakov journeyed to Sukkos" [v'Yaakov nasa Sukkosah] — (as cited in the holy Zohar: that sukkah is in the bechina of the voice — the voice of Yaakov — which is the voice of the melody cited above), as stated. Section 13 Thus it emerges: sukkah is the bechina of the renewal of the world — which one merits through the chesed — which one merits through faith, etc., as stated. And through this one awakens the voice of the melody that will be awakened in the future — which is the simple, double, triple, quadruple song — which are the bechina of 72 strings, etc., as stated. And this is the bechina of the four species taken during Sukkos — which correspond to the four letters of the Name — Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh — which is the bechina of the simple, double [song], etc., as is known. And therefore: one lulav, two willows, and three myrtles — this is simple, double, triple. And the esrog includes all four — as is known — for it is the bechina of the final Heh — the bechina of malchus — which includes them all. And it is the bechina of the quadruple song. And therefore one recites the blessing "al netilas lulav" — for the lulav is the bechina of "the righteous one flourishes like a palm" [tzaddik katamar yifrach] — which is the bechina of the river that goes out from Eden to water the garden — as is known — through which all fragrances and fears grow, as stated. And this is the bechina of the wavings — in order to awaken the fragrance from the da'as — for the essential fragrance is through the completion of da'as — as is known. For through da'as one merits the melody cited above — through which all the fragrances grow. And therefore one waves the lulav and its species — to awaken the fragrance from the da'as. And therefore there are 72 wavings — corresponding to the 72 strings — the bechina of chesed — upon which this song will be played, as stated. And this is the bechina of the wavings — for the essential melody is through wavings [ni'enu'im] — plucking the strings of a lyre — the bechina of "leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills" [medaleg al heharim mekafetz al hagvaot] (as explained at the end of the teaching cited above). And therefore the essential mitzvah of taking the lulav and its species is during the recitation of Hallel — for this is the essential bechina of the four species: the bechina of the simple, double [song], etc. that will be awakened in the future — which is the bechina of the songs and praises [shiros v'sishbachos] — the Hallel — that will be awakened then. Thus: the four species and Hallel are one bechina — the bechina of the song, Hallel, and thanksgiving that will be played in the future, as stated. And therefore the essential taking of the four species is during the Hallel. And through all this one merits immediately to Shemini Atzeres — which is Simchas Torah — for through all the bechinot cited above one merits the song cited above — which is the bechina of joy. For from there is the essential joy, as stated. And therefore one merits afterward immediately to Simchas Torah — when joy and song [chedvah v'nigunah] are awakened in the world — and all Israel rejoice and are glad in Him, blessed be He, and in His holy Torah. Which is the bechina of the World to Come — when the song cited above will be awakened. And all of this one merits through all cited above — through the prayer of Rosh Hashanah — through which one merits the forgiveness of sins which is Yom Kippur — and through this da'as is completed and one merits sukkah — and one merits all the bechinot cited above — until one awakens the voice of the melody cited above throughout all seven days of Sukkos through the four species, as stated. And then the bechina of song, melody, and joy cited above emerges and is revealed on the day of Simchas Torah — which one merits immediately after Sukkos through all the bechinot cited above, as stated. And therefore one takes the four species in the hands — this is the bechina of "and his hand grasps the heel of Eisav" [v'yado ochezes ba'akeiv Eisav] — for through the four species the voice of the melody cited above is awakened — which is the voice of Yaakov that subdues the heel of Eisav — in the bechina of "and his hand grasps the heel of Eisav." And therefore the mitzvah of the four species is specifically in the hands — for the essential [purpose] is to clarify the imaginative faculty in order to merit complete faith — through which the renewal of the world is revealed, etc. (as explained in the Torah cited above — see there). And the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty is specifically through the hands [yadayim] — in the bechina of "and by the hand of the prophets I am compared" [uviyad haneviim adameh] — as explained in the Torah cited above. "By the hand" — specifically. And as explained in the Torah "Vayehi Miketz — zikayon" (§54) — see there carefully. And it is explained there at the end: that the essential subduing of the imaginative faculty is through the bechina of the hand. For the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty — to subdue the evil in it and clarify and purify the good in it — in order to merit complete faith, as stated — is only through the bechina of the hands — which are the totality of the Torah's mitzvos that are encompassed in the hands — which are the instruments of action — the bechina of practical mitzvos [mitzvos ma'asiyos]. For the essential faith is to perform all the mitzvos specifically in action and deed — and action is through the hands. And therefore all the Torah is encompassed in the hands — as Rebbi Eliezer said before his departure: he raised his two hands and said: "Woe for the two Torahs that will depart from the world" [voy lisrain Torin d'yistalku mei'alma]. For the right hand and the left hand are the bechina of the Written Torah and the Oral Torah — as is cited. Also the two hands allude to the two Tablets that Moshe received in his two hands — as it is written: "and the two tablets upon my two hands." For in the two hands there are ten fingers — five on the right and five on the left — corresponding to the Ten Commandments on the two Tablets — five on one tablet and five on the second — which are the bechina of the ten levels of prophecy (as explained in the Torah cited above) — through which is the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty (as explained there). For the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty is through the Torah — which is the bechina of the prophetic spirit — encompassed specifically in the hands. For the essential faith is practical mitzvos — to perform all the mitzvos in action simply, without sophistications, even though it is impossible to understand their reasons. Which is the bechina of "and his hands were faithful" [v'yadav emunaih] — "his hands" specifically — for the essential faith is in the bechina of the hands — which are the instruments of action, as stated. And as explained in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, on this verse regarding the distancing of oneself from the study of philosophical inquiry books [sifray hamechakarim] — for they lead to great heresy [epikorsus] — which is the bechina of Amalek, etc. — see there in Likutay Tinyana in the teaching beginning "Ikar hatachlis", etc. (§19). For the imaginative faculty is the bechina of action [asiyah] — the bechina of the power of the animal [koach habehamiyus] — which is the power of the body — which is the bechina of action. For the essential inner intellect of truth — in its very essence — is extremely remote from the body and cannot clothe itself within the body that is coarsened by the desires at all. And none can merit it except the true righteous ones who have fully broken all the bodily desires — until they have completely nullified their bodies in the utmost nullification — in the utmost perfection beyond which there is no perfection. But all the intellect of all the world — all of it is only the bechina of the power of the imaginative faculty — even all the great wisdoms that philosophers and inquirers have discovered — all through the power of the imaginative faculty that compares one matter to another until they arrive at new discoveries. But the inner contemplative intellect itself — to recognize the One Who spoke and the world came into being — this cannot be merited through any intellect — only when one fully, fully breaks all the bodily desires with utmost nullification. And even though it is impossible for [most of] the world to attain divine comprehension through their intellect — since most of them have not fully broken the bodily desires — even so, Hashem, blessed be He, had mercy on the world and placed in the imaginative faculty the power of faith — so that there should be within them the power to draw upon themselves complete faith — if they wish to look upon the truth truly. For even though it is impossible to understand — since they have not yet merited the inner intellect — since they have not yet fully nullified the body — even so, if at least they will recognize their place in truth: that they are remote from the essential intellect — and will draw themselves to faith — to believe in the voice of the words of our holy ancestors who fully nullified the material — like Moshe and the Patriarchs, etc. — then they can merit complete faith in the utmost [degree] — and through this they will merit all goodness. And the essential [path to] faith is through the clarification of the imaginative faculty — which one merits through drawing close to the true righteous ones who have prophetic spirit (as explained there — see there). And the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty is through the bechina of the hand — namely the bechina of practical mitzvos and upright conduct [hanhaagos yesharos] received from the true righteous ones. Which is the bechina of the totality of all 613 mitzvos that we received through Moshe Rabbainu, peace be upon him. And so in every generation — through drawing close to true righteous ones who lead us on the straight path and teach and warn us to perform all the mitzvos with their particulars and conditions, etc. — and through this is the essential clarification of faith — through which is the essential vitality of the world of action [olam ha'asiyah] — as it is written: "and all His deeds in faithfulness" [v'chol ma'asehoo be'emunah]. And therefore even if a person wishes to engage in deveikus [cleaving to G‑d] alone without performing practical mitzvos — this too is vanity — and one can stumble greatly through this — as many have already stumbled through this. And regarding this it was said: "Do not be overly wise — and do not be more clever than needed — lest you be confounded" [al techkam harbeh v'al tischakam yoser lama tishomem]. For one must hold to both: to do much — to serve Hashem, blessed be He, through Torah, prayer, and many practical mitzvos — and this is the essential [path]. And if one also merits the bechina of deveikus — good — to hold to both. And truly the very act and doing of Torah and good deeds — this is the essential deveikus — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "and to Him you shall cleave" — and how is it possible to cleave to Him — for He is a consuming fire? Rather: cleave to His attributes, etc. — which are the totality of the Torah and mitzvos. And as it is written: "After Hashem your G-d shall you walk, and Him shall you fear, and His commandments shall you keep, and His voice shall you hear, and Him shall you serve, and to Him shall you cleave." It is explained in this verse that one must fulfill everything — the performance of practical mitzvos and deveikus — and truly all is one for one who merits complete service (as understood from the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory). Thus it emerges that the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty — which is the clarification of faith — is through the hands. Therefore one takes the lulav and its species specifically in the hands — for the mitzvah of taking the four species flows from the bechina of the prayer in the bechina of judgment of the powerful one [ba'al koach] — which is the bechina of mateh oz [the staff of might] — which is the bechina of Rosh Hashanah. For through this prayer one subdues the Sitra Achra and extracts from it all its vitality — all the da'as and holiness and prayer and compassion it had swallowed, etc. — and gairim are made — and His glory is increased — from which is the root of the souls of Israel. And from there prophecy is drawn — through which the imaginative faculty and faith are clarified — through which one merits the melody cited above, etc., as stated. And this is the bechina of the taking of the four species — for the lulav — over which one recites the blessing "al netilas lulav" — is the bechina of the mateh oz cited above — the bechina of "the righteous one flourishes like a palm." Namely: through taking the lulav and its species we demonstrate that we have won the battle on Rosh Hashanah — having merited to receive from the true righteous ones the power of prayer in the bechina of judgment — which is the bechina of mateh oz. Which is the bechina of the lulav and its species that we take during Sukkos. And as it is written in the holy Zohar: "Who has won? One who holds the weapons of war" [man natza? man d'achid manay krava] — which are the four species. Thus the four species are the bechina of our weapons — the bechina of the weapons of war — which is the bechina of the mateh oz [staff of might] through which one prays on Rosh Hashanah. And from this flows to us this holy mitzvah — for we merit afterward during Sukkos to take the holy lulav and its holy species in our hands — which are the weapons of war drawn through the bechina of the mateh oz cited above. And through this we now rejoice — having merited to win the battle — as it is written: "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of the beautiful tree," etc. "and you shall rejoice before Hashem your G‑d" [u'semachtem lifnay Hashem Elokaichem] — for the essential joy is in the lulav and its species — drawn from the mateh oz cited above — from which the melody cited above is drawn — from which come all joys, as stated. And this is the bechina of the willow-branches bound together within the four species — for the willow-branches allude to the bechina of the sinners of Israel and gairim — who all return to Hashem, blessed be He, through the mateh oz cited above. And this is the bechina of the myrtle — which corresponds to the three Patriarchs — as is known. For the Patriarchs are the bechina of the roots of the souls of Israel — from which prophecy [flows] — the bechina of "with seventy souls your ancestors descended" [b'shiv'im nefesh yardu avosecha] — the initials spell navi [prophet] — as explained there. "Your ancestors" specifically. And through this one merits prophecy — through which the imaginative faculty and faith are clarified. And this is the bechina of the esrog — which is the essential [species] — for the esrog is the "fruit of the beautiful tree" [pri eitz hadar] — it is the bechina of faith-malchus — as is known — the bechina of "you are entirely beautiful, my beloved" [kulach yafah rayasi]. For the essential beauty and splendor of the Community of Israel [Knesses Yisrael] is the holy faith they possess. For all four species illuminate toward the esrog — for the essential intention of the taking [netilah] is to draw all the rectifications cited above — drawn from the prayer cited above — from the bechina of the mateh oz cited above — in order to reveal and illuminate the holy faith in the world. Which is the bechina of the esrog — which is the bechina of malchus-faith, as stated. And therefore one takes the four species in the hands — for the essential clarification of the imaginative faculty and faith is specifically through the hands, as stated. And through this one merits the song cited above — which is the simple, double, triple, quadruple song — which is also the bechina of the four species, as stated. Which is the bechina of Hallel and thanksgiving and songs of praise that will be played in the future, as stated. And therefore the essential taking of the four species is during the Hallel. And this is the bechina that Hallel alludes to the future — as Rashi explained on the verse: "I will wash my hands in cleanliness and encircle Your altar, Hashem" [erchatz benikayon kapai va'asovevah es mizbachacha Hashem] — which is the bechina of the four species — as our Sages of blessed memory derived. "To declare Your kindness in the morning and Your faithfulness in the nights" [l'hagid baboker chasdecha] — Rashi explained: this is Hallel which contains [references to] the past, and contains [references to] Gog, and contains [references to] the days of Mashiach, and contains [references to] the future World to Come. Thus: Hallel encompasses all the wonders up to the future — for it is in the bechina of the song of wonders that will be awakened in the future — the song cited above — which is awakened during Sukkos through the four species. And therefore one completes the full Hallel with them. And therefore one waves during Hodu laHashem at the beginning and end — for the essential wavings are in the bechina of chesed, as stated. And therefore there are 72 wavings — to awaken the bechina of the song of chesed cited above, as stated. And therefore one waves during "Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His kindness is forever" at the beginning and end — to draw the bechina of the song of chesed, as stated. This halacha is the longest in the Laws of Sukkah — twelve sections plus a closing paragraph — and constitutes a complete theological treatise on the sukkah, lulav, and the Days of Awe as one unified spiritual journey. The organizing structure, drawn from LM II §§1 and 8, is a chain: Rosh Hashanah prayer (in the mode of judgment, mateh oz) → extraction of da'as from the Sitra Achra → clouds of the Sitra Achra disperse → Yom Kippur forgiveness → Clouds of Glory revealed = sukkah walls → prophetic spirit from between the keruvim → clarification of the imaginative faculty (midameh) → faith (emunah) → gathering of chassadim → renewal of the world → the future song of 72 strings = simple-double-triple-quadruple. The key innovation in Sections 10–12: the sechach (threshing-floor refuse = animal fodder = animal faculty = midameh) is precisely the material that must be rectified. The sukkah's shade being greater than its sunlight is not just a halachic threshold — it is a statement that faith (emunah = shade, night, the midameh's domain) must exceed and contain the intellect's light. "Hashem is your shade" — Hashem is known only through faith, which is the shadow that the intellect cannot penetrate. The 72 wavings (revealed here as corresponding to 72 strings of the future song) explain why the standard 18 wavings per Hodu (6 directions × 3 = 18 × 4 = 72 total over the full Hallel) carry this cosmic weight. The four species = the four letters of the Divine Name = the fourfold song = single/double/triple/quadruple. The esrog as the final Heh of Havayah encompassing all four is one of the most elegant structural observations in all of Likutay Halachos. The long digression on the imaginative faculty (koach hamidameh) in Sections 11–12 — on why most human beings cannot access true inner intellect and must rely on faith — culminates in a passionate defense of practical mitzvah-performance over abstract deveikus, and of drawing close to true tzaddikim who transmit the straight path. This is a direct expression of Breslov's core teaching.

Likutay Halachos — Laws of Yom Kippur, Halacha 2

body {

font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;

background-color: #fdfaf5;

color: #2c1a0e;