הושענא רבה א

And the general principle [introduced there] is: when the blemish of emunah [pegam ha'emunah] is repaired, converts [gairim] are thereby produced. And the gairim bring ga'avah [arrogance] into Israel; and through arrogance, a blemish of licentiousness [pegam niyuf] comes about, G‑d forbid. And the detractors [slanderers] of the generation draw up [elevate] the blemish of the lust for licentiousness, and from it comes the bechinas mochin-tefillin [the higher mind-states associated with the tefillin] — the bechinas a seal of holiness [chosom dikedushah]. And then it is the bechinas a dream through an angel — which is the bechinas [the level of] man — rather than a dream through a shade [demon], G‑d forbid, which is the bechinas [the level of] animal. However, foods have a share in [shaping the nature of] dreams. For this [rectification] one requires simchah [joy], which is the strengthening of the angel; and the essential strengthening of the angel is in Nisan. And at that time it would have been fitting for the blemish of that impurity to be annulled. However, there are cases where [the blemish] comes about through the corruption of justice [kilkul hamishpat], and the corruption of justice comes about through the raising up of the drop of Eisav and Yishmael [i.e., drawing impure elements up into the brain]. And then, through the corruption of the thrones of justice [kis'os lamishpat], the "loves" fall from the [Divine] Chariot [Merkavah], etc. For this [rectification] one requires the binding of the Chariot — the bechinas "His chariot was woven of purple [argaman], etc." [Shir HaShirim 3:10]. [See there the entire ma'amar well.]

The berachos are entrusted to the Kohanim because they are the aspect of shomray habris [guardians of the covenant]: "Yoru mishpatecha l'Yaakov... u'vrischa yintzoru" — "They shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov... and guard Your covenant" (Devarim 33). The B'nai Levi did not err with the Aigel [the Golden Calf], which was the aspect of p'gam habris. As our Sages said: "Yisrael did not worship avodah zarah except to permit for themselves illicit relations publicly." All desires — especially the desire for immorality, which is the inclusive evil of all desires — come from the shattering of the vessel of Chesed, from which fallen loves derive. 3 The Kohanim may bless only in Lashon HaKodesh, standing, with the raising of hands, and in a loud voice. 2 Section 1. Now, Haman the wicked — being of the seed of Amalek, who is appointed over this blemish of impurity — wished to overpower Israel during the time of the seventy-year Babylonian exile, which is the bechinas shainah [sleep], [as is cited in the sefarim]. And his overpowering of Israel was through the blemish of foods, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "For what reason were the enemies of Israel [a euphemistic term for Israel itself] in that generation deserving of destruction? Because they derived pleasure from the feast of that wicked one" [Megillah 12a]. For impure foods are the bechina of the blemish of Adam's eating from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil — through which he blemished the drops of the brain [tipei hamoyach]. And through this he was cursed: "b'itzavon tochlena" — "in sorrow shall you eat it" [Bereishis 3:17]. And therefore the essential rectification is through simchah [joy] — the opposite of "in sorrow shall you eat it." But one cannot achieve rectification except through pure [kosher] foods, whose rectification is when one merits to eat them with joy, as is explained there. However, impure foods that the Torah has forbidden have no rectification whatsoever — and therefore one who derives pleasure from them is drawn toward, G‑d forbid, the aforementioned "in sorrow" — which is the blemish of the sin of Adam the first [Adam harishon], from which is drawn, G‑d forbid, the aforementioned impurity, over which Haman-Amalek is appointed. And through this the enemies of Israel [i.e., Israel itself] in that generation became deserving of destruction, G‑d forbid — for regarding this blemish it is said: "On the day you eat from it, you shall surely die" [Bereishis 2:17]. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory further said: "Because they bowed to the idol, etc." [Megillah 12a] — and this is the very same thing; they do not disagree, for the one is dependent on the other. For bowing to idol-worship is a blemish of emunah — which is the beginning of the blemish. And from this pegam ha'emunah, the aforementioned blemish of impurity then follows, [as is explained there in the aforementioned ma'amar, see there]. And our Sages of blessed memory also said concerning Adam harishon that he blemished emunah — as they said: he denied the fundamental principle [of faith] — for all the aforementioned bechinos [aspects] are bound together: the blemish of emunah, and the blemish of the aforementioned impurity, and the blemish of foods, G‑d forbid, [as is explained there, see there well]. For Haman's hold was from the blemish of the Tree of Knowledge [aytz hada'as], as our Sages of blessed memory said: "From where [is Haman alluded to] in the Torah? As it is said: 'Ha'min ha'aytz' [Genesis 3:11]" [Chullin 139b] — which is as stated above. And therefore he wished to overpower [Israel] in the month of Adar, in which Moshe died — for the death of Moshe is the bechina of the withdrawal of da'as, the bechinas shainah. And then is the time of his [Haman's] overpowering, G‑d forbid — when there is no rectification in all the aforementioned bechinos. Section 2. Also, the essential strengthening of the angel is in Nisan, [as is explained there] — for at that time the appointments of all the angels are given, and at that time the [Divine] will is renewed, and it is then their time of joy. And Haman calculated to overpower them in the month of Adar, which is at the furthest possible remove from Nisan — for he reasoned that the further a given month is from Nisan, the more the strength of the angel weakens within it. Therefore he wished to overpower [Israel] specifically in Adar, which is at the furthest extreme from Nisan. And this is why the verse is precise: "He cast the Pur, that is the lot, from day to day, and from month to month — the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar" [Esther 3:7]. "To the twelfth month" — specifically — for this was precisely his evil intention: since it is the twelfth month from Nisan, which is the furthest possible remove from it, no other month being more distant from Nisan than Adar, which is the last month. Therefore he wished to overpower them in it, G‑d forbid — for he calculated that in it the strengthening of the angel had already weakened the most, since the essential strengthening is in Nisan, as stated. And this is what is written: "Yeshno am echad — there is one people" [Esther 3:8]. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: Yeshno am echad — the word yeshno implies the language of shainah [sleep] [Megillah 13b] — for the main force of his power is at the time of shainah, as stated. Section 3. And the rectification came about through the fast, as it is written: "And fast on my behalf, etc." [Esther 4:16] — for fasting is a rectification of the blemish of eating [pegam hama'achalim]. For through fasting, simchah is produced — which is the bechinas a ta'anis chalom [a fast for a troubling dream], [as is well explained there, see there]. And therefore Purim was established as simchah, feasting [mishteh], and a yom tov — for the essential rectification is through the bechinas simchah, which is the rectification of foods in the bechina of the strengthening of the power of the angel, as stated. And this is the bechina of the Purim feast — for one must specifically increase in feasting on Purim, since one has merited rectifying the foods. Therefore it is a great mitzvah at that time to rejoice and greatly increase the se'udah, to fulfill: "Go, eat your bread with simchah" [Koheles 9:7] — which is the bechina of the rectification of shainah, the rectification of the aforementioned blemish of impurity, [as is explained there, see there]. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said: "When Adar enters, simchah is increased" [Ta'anis 29a]. For the essential rectification is simchah — which is the strengthening of the angel, as stated. And this is why they were precise: "When Adar enters, etc." — for in truth the essential simchah should rightfully have begun in Nisan, for that is when the essential renewal of the [Divine] will occurs and it is then the time of simchah, [as is explained there]. But since the wicked Haman planned to overpower us in Adar through the blemish of foods, as stated — and after we merited to overpower him through the rectification of simchah, as stated — therefore we now begin simchah from Adar. And this is: "When Adar enters, simchah is increased" — namely, because as soon as Adar enters we begin in simchah, which is the strengthening of the angel, in order to subdue and break the power of the wicked Haman through this, as stated. For in truth, although the essential strengthening of the angel is in Nisan, nevertheless we are able to strengthen the power of the angel throughout the year — and this is accomplished through simchah, for through simchah the power of the angel is strengthened as though the [Divine] will had been renewed at that very moment, [as is explained there]. And therefore we now begin simchah from Adar, which is the strengthening of the angel, as stated. And therefore the essential defeat [of Haman] took place in Nisan, for that is when the essential strengthening of the angel occurs, as stated. Section 4. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said: "What did Esther see [as her reason] for inviting Haman to the feast? To fulfill: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him bread, etc., for you heap coals upon his head'" [Mishlei 25:21–22; Megillah 15b]. "Coals" [gachalim] — specifically — for Haman's overpowering was through the blemish of foods, as stated. And the essential overpowering, G‑d forbid, works as follows: when there is no strengthening of the angel, the shaidim [demons] receive and draw great sustenance from foods, and the power of the shade [demon] becomes mixed into the foods. And since the shaidim receive, G‑d forbid, the power of the angel — and the appearance of the angels is "like torches, like coals of fire" [Daniel 10:6] — therefore when [the shaidim] receive, G‑d forbid, the angelic force, they thereby overheat with the aforementioned impurity through this, G‑d forbid. And this was Esther's intention when she invited him to the feast — so that she would give him bread to eat. She — specifically — for this is the rectification of foods: when we give them bread to eat. For when there is no strengthening of the angel, they draw much from the abundance [shefa], and we are nourished from the residue, G‑d forbid — since the shaidim receive much of the livelihood and the power of the shade becomes mixed into the foods. And therefore livelihood flows to the idol-worshippers, G‑d forbid, abundantly. But when there is a strengthening of the angel — so that the shaidim receive from the livelihood only enough for bare subsistence [k'dei chiyuno b'tzimtzum] — then all the abundance is ours, and they are nourished from the residue, and it is then we who give livelihood to them. And this is a great rectification — when we distribute livelihood to them — for in truth, they need to receive bare subsistence in a contracted measure, as is cited. It follows: when we give and distribute livelihood to them, this is the bechina of the rectification of foods. And therefore Esther invited Haman, to fulfill what is said: "If your enemy is hungry, etc." — for in truth one must give them enough for their [bare] life in a contracted measure. But this itself is a great rectification, since we are the ones giving to them. And this is: "for you heap coals upon his head." For now it is reversed — when they seize the abundance on their own and draw greatly from it, G‑d forbid — that is, when there is no strengthening of the angel — then they receive the power of the angel, which is the bechinas fiery coals, and they thereby overheat and are strengthened, G‑d forbid. But now, after [Israel] merited the rectification of foods through the fast, as stated — therefore Esther at that time invited Haman, to show that he no longer has the power to draw from the abundance; rather, she must be the one to give it to him, as stated. And it is well known that when abundance from holiness is drawn to them intentionally, it serves to subdue and humble them. And therefore now, when Esther distributes the abundance to Haman — who is the Sitra Achra — then it is certainly coals she is heaping upon his head. "Coals" — specifically — namely, the aforementioned fiery coals, the bechina of the power of the angels whose appearance is like coals of fire — for now, when they receive the power of the angel in a contracted measure sufficient only for bare subsistence, which is the bechinas their subjugation — then the coals of the angels blaze against them and burn them away, for from fire they issued forth and fire shall consume them. For this is the rule: when they receive much of the abundance, they are thereby strengthened, G‑d forbid, and they receive the power of the angel, which is the bechinas fiery coals, etc., as stated. But when they cannot receive much — only what is given to them in a contracted measure sufficient for subsistence — which is the bechinas their subjugation — then, on the contrary, the coals of the angels fall upon their heads and burn and consume them. And this is the bechinas: "for you heap coals upon his head" — "coals" specifically, as stated. Section 5. And this is the bechinas mishloach manos ish l're'aihu [sending portions, one man to his fellow] — manos [portions] — specifically the bechinas man [manna], for the man descended from shechakiim [the Heavenly sphere where the manna is ground], and shechakiim is the dwelling-place of the angels — and it is the bechina of the strengthening of the angel in the bechinas play and simchah [sechoik v'simchah], [as is explained in the aforementioned ma'amar, see there]. And therefore the man that descended from there was an exceedingly holy food, for the Sitra Achra had no hold over it whatsoever, since it descended from shechakiim — which is the strengthening of the angel, as stated. And therefore the man was like something enclosed in a box — to show that the Sitra Achra had no hold over it, just as a thing placed in a box cannot be accessed by a stranger — for the man was without chaff [motz] and without straw [teven], for the Sitra Achra had no hold over it. And this is the bechinas mishloach manos on Purim — to show that now the rectification of foods has been achieved. And therefore now the shefa [abundance] flows generously from one person to his fellow, for now we have no fear whatsoever of the Sitra Achra — for the Sitra Achra has no hold over the foods of Purim, since now is the strengthening of the angel through the simchah of Purim, as stated. And therefore it is called mishloach manos — the bechina of the man that descended from shechakiim, where the play and simchah [reside], which is the strengthening of the angel, as stated. And this is the reason why it is customary to cover the mishloach manos with a cloth when sending it — this is an allusion to the man that was like something enclosed in a box. And just as it is written in the Shulchan Aruch that Shabbos loaves are covered with a cloth as a remembrance of the man, etc. — for mishloach manos is likewise the bechina of the man that was like something enclosed in a box — for the Sitra Achra has no hold over the foods of Purim, for then is the strengthening of the angel, as stated.