אבילות

And therefore the standard period of excommunication (niddui) is thirty days. And similarly the essential period of mourning (avaylos) is thirty days. For thirty days is one month, and each month the moon is replenished from its diminishment. And the filling of the moon from its diminishment — which is the aspect of v’hayah or halevonah k’or hachamah [and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun] — this is the aspect of the totality of son and student together. For son and student are the aspect of the illuminating mirror (aspaklaryah hame’irah) and the non-illuminating mirror (aspaklaryah she’einah me’irah), as explained in the aforementioned discourse. And the illuminating mirror is the aspect of sun (chamah), and the non-illuminating mirror is the aspect of moon (levonah), as is known. This is the aspect of Moshe and Yehoshua — the aspect of p’nei Moshe kipnei chamah, p’nei Yehoshua kipnei levonah [the face of Moshe is like the face of the sun, the face of Yehoshua is like the face of the moon] — which are the aspect of the attainment of son and student, as mentioned in the aforementioned discourse — see there.

And therefore the measure is thirty [days], which is one month, at which point sun and moon return and gather and are included together as at the beginning — which is the aspect of the totality of son and student together. And this is the essential rectification for the excommunicated one and the mourner from whom da’as and mochin have departed, as mentioned. For the essential departure of da’as is the aspect of separation, heaven forbid, between son and student, between sun and moon. For son is the aspect of the dwellers above (darei ma’alah) and student is the aspect of the dwellers below (darei matah), as mentioned in the aforementioned discourse. And the dwellers above and dwellers below are the aspect of soul and body, as it is written: yikra el hashamayim me’al — this refers to the soul etc. And when da’as departs — which is the life-force, which is the soul — this is the separation of soul and body, which is the aspect of the separation of son and student, through which comes the essential departure of da’as. For the essential da’as is the union of two opposites: chassadim and gevuros, dwellers above and dwellers below, soul and body, the aspect of son and student, as brought elsewhere — for the essential da’as is that which unites two opposites together etc.

And therefore the rectification of the excommunicated one and the mourner — that is, for mochin to return to them — is after thirty [days], which is one month, at which point the blemish of the moon is rectified. For every thirty days the blemish of the moon is rectified, for the moon goes around each month and waxes and wanes and it is clarified and rectified each time every month until it returns and is completely full as it was before its diminishment. And therefore after thirty days, sun and moon reunite — son and student — and one returns to receive da’as which is life, as mentioned.

This [halacha] corresponds to the aspect of milah [circumcision], in that the infant must endure great pain and anguish at the time when the orlah [foreskin] is cut away from him — for the orlah that chafya al bris [covers over the bris] is the aspect of the zuhamas ha-nachash [the venom of the serpent], from which all the blemishes that cling to the desires of this world are drawn — those which are the aspect of cheyzu d'hai alma [the illusory sight of this world]. For the orlah is the aspect of ananin d'mechasyan al aynin [clouds that cover the eyes]; it is the aspect of the cloud and the darkness of the desires of this world and its vanities, which overpower the eyes so that one's sight is not directed toward the tachlis [ultimate purpose/goal], but rather to look sideways — G-d forbid — at the vapors of this lowly world, which are cheyzu d'hai alma shfalah [the vile illusions of this world]. Therefore, when one must remove this orlah, one must endure great pain and anguish — which is the aspect of the pain and anguish of the milah that the infant suffers — so that through this great pain and anguish, he [the infant] squeezes his eyes shut with great force, as is observably evident; and through this, he is included in the tachlis by shutting and clamping his eyes tightly from the cheyzu d'hai alma. This itself is the aspect of the cutting and severing of the orlah, which is the ananin d'mechasyan al aynin — the aspect of the cheyzu v'zuhama d'hai alma [the illusion and filth of this world], as mentioned above. And as is explained in the Torah-teaching referenced above — study it there thoroughly.

Section 13 — The Niddui of Rabbi Eliezer the Great

And therefore the infant is circumcised on the eighth day — after seven days have passed over him, which correspond to the seven days of Bereishis [Creation], which are the aspect of the shivas yemay ha-binyan [seven days of construction] through which the world was created, encompassing all seven midos [divine attributes/qualities] wherein good and evil are intermingled — for there are seven midos in holiness and likewise their opposites, as is known: "this one corresponding to that one" [Ecclesiastes 7:14] etc. And all the desires and yearnings that are the cheyzu d'hai alma are drawn from the seven midos, as is known, and from there comes the grasp of the orlah, which is the aspect of ananin d'mechasyan al aynin — they are the aspect of shivah gilday ayna [the seven layers of the eye], which are drawn from the aspect of "these seven — the eyes of Hashem that range over the entire earth" [Zechariah 4:10]; regarding which our Sages of blessed memory warned us not to look sideways — G-d forbid — but rather to remember at all times that there is a watching eye, as it is written: "Know what is above you — an eye that sees" etc. [Pirkei Avos 2:1]. And therefore we are admonished: "Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look directly before you" [Proverbs 4:25] — that one should direct one's eyes and eyelids to look straight ahead and level, toward the tachlis. And this is the primary trial of a human being who possesses free will, for which purpose he comes into the world — for the entire Torah hinges upon the eyes, as it is written: "and you shall not stray after your heart and after your eyes" etc. [Numbers 15:39]. And therefore the Torah begins with Bereishis, which is the aspect of tlas gevanin d'ayna u-bas ayin [the three colors of the eye and the pupil of the eye], for the entire Torah is drawn solely from the reshimu [imprint/trace, see below] referenced above — the [imprint] of bitul [self-nullification] — as explained in the Torah-teaching above. And it is solely for this that a person comes into this world, which is full of vanities and desires — these being the cheyzu d'hai alma that seek to confuse one's sight. But when a person prevails over them and restricts his sight — not gazing at them — but rather directs his sight to behold the tachlis, through this precisely [dayka] he sees the tachlis in a way that even the angels cannot see and apprehend, for this tachlis cannot be seen and apprehended except through stimu d'aynin dayka [the closing of one's eyes precisely] — meaning precisely when passing through this world of Asiyah [Action] which is exceedingly distant from the tachlis — at the furthest extreme of distance — and there, there, when one prevails to close his eyes as stated above and to direct them toward the tachlis, there precisely can one see and apprehend it — in the aspect of "From afar, Hashem appeared to me" [Jeremiah 31:2] — "from afar" precisely. Therefore it is an absolute necessity that the seven days of orlah pass over the infant — they being the aspect of the shivah gilday ayna etc., as above — and from there precisely must he nullify himself toward the tachlis; this is the aspect of the pain of the milah — through which pain and anguish he shuts his eyes from the cheyzu d'hai alma, and removes from himself the very root of the orlah at its source, which is the zuhamas ha-nachash — ananin d'mechasyan al aynin — and this itself is the aspect of the cutting of the orlah in the physical realm, as above.

And this is the aspect of Bain ha-Metzarim [the Three Weeks of mourning], during which we weep over the destruction — for weeping is the aspect of shutting one's eyes and grieving over the enormity of our distance from the tachlis, so much so that even when we wish to look there, it is very difficult — on account of the destruction of our Holy Temple, machmas einainu [the desire of our eyes]. And we have been so distanced from our Father in heaven that out of the immensity of the grief, tears fall — these being portions of sight, (as our Sages of blessed memory said: "and the clouds return" etc. [Ecclesiastes 12:2] — this is the sight that departs after weeping, as cited in his [Rabbainu's] teachings many times). And through this, the blemish of sight pertaining to the cheyzu d'hai alma is expelled outward — for the core of our weeping is over the fact that our sight was drawn after gazing at the vapors of this world, and through this we became so distanced. Therefore, through this very weeping — by which the tears, the portions of sight, are expelled outward — one banishes from oneself the cheyzu d'hai alma and merits to gaze straight toward the tachlis.

And therefore Rabbi Eliezer the Great was excommunicated for not wishing to concede to the Sages in the matter of the oven of Achnai. For Rabbi Eliezer’s attainment was exceedingly lofty, as brought in the words of our Rebbe, may his memory be for a blessing. And as our Rebbe explains in the aforementioned discourse: that Rabbi Eliezer is the aspect of son, the aspect of ‘Ayin lo ra’asah Elokim zulosecha ya’aseh [eye has not seen, O G-d, besides You, what He will do] — whose initial letters spell Eliezer etc. — see there. And therefore it was impossible to receive his da’as and his attainment, for his attainment was in the aspect of silence (shtikah). And therefore he would inform his student Rabbi Akiva that he would die for the sanctification of Hashem, as our Sages of blessed memory said: he said to Rabbi Akiva before his passing, I wonder if you will die a natural death — for the death of Rabbi Akiva is the aspect of silence, the aspect of shtok kach alah b’machashavah [be silent, so it arose in thought], as written in the aforementioned discourse — see there.

And this is [the meaning of]: "For these things I weep; my eye, my eye, runs with water, because a comforter is far [rachak] from me" [Lamentations 1:16] — "is far" precisely: for the primary consolation from all troubles is beholding the tachlis. But in our sins, because we looked sideways, "a comforter is far from me" — "far" precisely, as above — for the tachlis is very distant. Only through closing one's eyes etc. as above can one look there. But in our many sins, for having looked sideways, we are distant from consolation, which is the tachlis, as above. And the core of the weeping is over the burning of the Torah [scrolls] that were handed over [to destruction] etc. — for the primary consolation from the bitul [self-nullification] mentioned above is through the Torah that one draws from there etc. And through this, one can at any time easily return, nullify oneself, and look toward the tachlis — for in truth a person must always look there, like the patriarchs of the world etc. However, most people do not merit this; therefore He gave us the Torah, which is drawn from the reshimu [imprint] etc. And therefore, when one engages in Torah truly and sets his eyes and heart upon the Torah, through this his heart can re-ignite to look there — and through this, he will draw and bring forth novel Torah insights [chidushay Torah] from there. And this is the primary aspect of the greatness of [the merit of] thoughts devoted to Torah etc. and so on at all times. But through the destruction, we have lost greatly. And therefore we must weep greatly over this, until the Torah from there is once again drawn — for that is the primary consolation.

And this is [the meaning of]: "A voice is heard in Ramah — lamentation and weeping" etc. [Jeremiah 31:14], "Withhold your voice from weeping" etc. "for there is hope for your future" etc. [Jeremiah 31:15–16] — for when one cannot direct one's sight as mentioned above, one must pray and cry out greatly, and one thing depends on the other: for the perfection of prayer comes through the beholding described above, and likewise the beholding described above comes through the words of prayer and Torah. And this is the aspect of iyun tefilah [contemplative / focused prayer] — iyun [contemplation/gaze] precisely [from the root ayin — eye / to see / to gaze]. And this is the greatness of the virtue of making prayers out of Torah-teachings. And therefore: "today is the time to do them — and not tomorrow" [based on Eruvin 22a, expounding Deuteronomy 7:11] — for "among the dead I am free" etc. [Psalms 88:6] — for there in the World to Come one will be nullified into the tachlis without any [special] action, whereas in this world one must bind the reshimu [imprint] with many bonds — this being the aspect of all the practical mitzvos. And the primary one is the binding of the tefillin, which are the essential [embodiment of the] reshimu, and therefore they are the primary means of dveikus [attachment to G-d]. And therefore on Shabbos — which is a foretaste of the World to Come — one does not lay tefillin, for then the reshimu of bitul is maintained without any action, [Shabbos itself serving as] the bond of the tefillin. And this is the aspect of milah performed at its proper time — which precisely overrides Shabbos, for [on Shabbos] all the melachos [labors] that are drawn from the zuhamas ha-nachash are nullified.

And therefore the Sages did not wish to accept the words of Rabbi Eliezer the Great, even though he showed them awesome signs from heaven that the ruling was in accordance with his words. For lo vashamayim hi [it is not in heaven] — that is, the Torah is not in heaven, which is the attainment of the dwellers above, which is the aspect of heaven. For the attainment of the dwellers above it is impossible for us to attain. For the essential rulings of the Torah are only through the aspect of the attainment of the student, which is the aspect of the dwellers below. For the Torah was given on earth and not in heaven. And therefore the rulings of the Torah must be clarified according to the attainment of da’as of the aspect of the dwellers below, which is the aspect of the student — which is the aspect of Yehoshua who received the Torah from Moshe. And therefore Moshe transmitted the Torah to Yehoshua his student precisely, and not to his son Eliezer — who is the aspect of Rabbi Eliezer the Great — as explained in the aforementioned discourse. For lo vashamayim hi, as mentioned. For the attainment of Rabbi Eliezer, which is the aspect of son, the aspect of ayin lo ra’asah etc., it is impossible for us to attain in this world.

And therefore the ancient chassidim [pious ones] would wait one hour before prayer so as to focus their hearts toward the [Omnipresent] Place — to behold the tachlis, through which comes the primary perfection of prayer. And afterwards, one hour to draw and bind the reshimu — from which the Torah comes — well [within themselves]. And therefore, through this, their Torah-learning was indeed blessed, as above — for from there comes the primary Torah, as above — and their work [was blessed] etc., for through this all [extraneous] melachos are nullified. And therefore after the milah, a name is called out for the circumcised infant — for the primary consolation from the pain, after returning from the bitul, [is needed precisely] when the pain intensifies most; and then the primary consolation is through the Torah that is drawn from the radiance of the bitul etc., as above. And this is the aspect of the name that is then called for the infant — for the name is the aspect of Torah, for Oraysa sh'ma d'Kudsha Berich Hu [the Torah is the Name of the Holy Blessed One], and from there all the names of the Children of Israel are drawn, for they are all included within the Torah — for Kudsha Berich Hu v'Yisrael v'Oraysa, kula chad [the Holy Blessed One, Israel, and the Torah — all are one]. Therefore, through the name — which is the aspect of Torah — the infant is revived from the pain and anguish, as above.

And this is the aspect of: "And I said to you: through your blood, live! And I said to you: through your blood, live!" — twice — [Ezekiel 16:6]. That is, "through your blood" — this is the great pain and anguish endured at the time of the cutting, when his blood flows; and the tikun [rectification] for this is to flee to the tachlis. And this is: "through your blood, live!" — for there [in the tachlis] is the source of life, as it is written: "for with You is the source of life" [Psalms 36:10]. And He repeated and doubled it: "And I said to you: through your blood, live!" — this [the second time] is the aspect of the vitality that is drawn after returning from the bitul, consoling and reviving oneself through the Torah, which is life, as it is written: "for it is your life" etc. [Deuteronomy 30:20]. And therefore it doubles "through your blood, live!" twice: for the first instance instructs [one] to flee to the tachlis from within the surge of blood and judgments from which the greatness of the pain springs — this being: "through your blood, live!" — for there, in the tachlis, is the source of life, as above. And the second "through your blood, live!" instructs [one] to revive oneself through the Torah after returning from the bitul — this being the aspect of the calling of the name for the infant after the milah, as above.

And this is the aspect of the mystical kavanah [intent] of the milah: for it is explained in the writings of the Ari [Rabbi Yitzchak Luria] of blessed memory that the intent of the milah is to draw down and reveal the chassadim [acts of lovingkindness] below — so that they should not remain sealed above the chazeh [chest] etc. — as is explained there; see it there. And the matter [is as follows]: it is impossible to reveal the chassadim except through the aspect explained above in the Torah-teaching mentioned — which is: by sealing one's eyes completely from the cheyzu d'hai alma and gazing upon the final eternal tachlis; through this comes the primary perfection of prayer etc. as above.