כבוד רבו ות"ח ג

Likutay Halachos – Yoreh Daya – Hilchos Kibud Av va'Aim 3

Based on the Torah "L'hamshich Shalom" [To Draw Down Peace], Siman 14 of Likutay Moharan — see there for the complete Torah teaching. Opening verse: "וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל... שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים... וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִית יִהְיֶה כָּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַה' וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית..."

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Based on the Torah "L'hamshich Shalom" [To Draw Down Peace] in Siman 14 — see there for the entire Torah teaching. And it is explained there that no person merits the Torah except through lowliness (shiflus) etc., through which he breaks his pride from four bechinot [aspects] of lowliness. For a person must make himself small before those greater than himself, and before people of his own level, and before those smaller than him, and sometimes when he himself is the smallest of the small he must still make himself small relative to his own level — imagining himself in his own eyes to be below his own level, in the bechina of "שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו" ["Let each man remain beneath himself"] etc.; see there.

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And this is the bechina of the three years of orla (forbidden fruit) and the neta revai [fourth-year planting]. For it is stated that the three years of orla correspond to the three completely impure kelipos [husks], and the neta revai corresponds to the bechina of nogah which is a mixture of good and evil. And these four kelipos every person must nullify and shatter — for this is the essential trial and bechirah [free choice] of a person: to stand against all the bad character traits that flow from these four kelipos that precede the fruit. And through this he will merit the fruit. And the sum of all bad character traits is contained within pride (ga'avah), which is idolatry — which is the opposite of the Torah, whose essence is humility, the bechina of ayin [nothingness]. For the sum of all Torah is to nullify oneself utterly until one is included in the Infinite — and pride is the opposite of this. For pride is comprised of all four above-mentioned kelipos that need to be shattered through the four above-mentioned bechinot of lowliness — that is, to be lowly and small before the great, the middling, and the small (which are three aspects), and one must also make and nullify oneself until one is lowly in one's own eyes, below one's own level, in the bechina of "שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו" as above. And these four aspects correspond to the four above-mentioned kelipos. For one who has some form of pride above one's own level — wanting to liken oneself to the great, or to the middling, or even to the small — when in truth he is smaller than all of them (for he is the smallest of the small), yet through his pride he is great in his own eyes, above his level — this is the bechina of the three completely impure kelipos that are: the great cloud, the blazing fire, and the stormy wind — all of which are the bechina of pride and self-aggrandizement, noise and strife — wanting to elevate oneself in the three superior aspects, which are the great, the middling, and the small. And this is the bechina of "one who acts like Zimri and seeks the reward of Pinchas" — for in truth he is smaller than all three above-mentioned aspects, yet he elevates himself in his own eyes and likens himself to them. Therefore he is the bechina of the three completely impure kelipos mentioned above. But one who shatters these three aspects of pride — yet still does not make himself smaller than his own level — this is the bechina of kelipos nogah, which is a mixture of good and evil. Sometimes it is subsumed in the good, and sometimes the reverse — for sometimes, because he is not small relative to his own level, he falls into complete pride above his level, which is the bechina of nogah being subsumed in evil, as above. And sometimes he feels his lowliness until he is small in his own eyes below his level, and then he is subsumed in the good.

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And this is the bechina of the three years of orla and neta revai. For when one plants a tree, it is forbidden to eat from its fruits until one has shattered and nullified from it the kelipos that precede the fruit — which are the four above-mentioned kelipos contained within pride, as above. For the tree requires this clarification (beirur) especially, because the original sin of the first man (adam harishon) was through the tree — the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And all of his sin came through the pride that the primordial serpent inserted into them, saying: "וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹקִים" ["and you will be like G-d"] — for they wanted to elevate themselves and rise and liken themselves to the Supernal. For the tree by its nature is tall and very high in its stature, which is the bechina of pride and haughtiness, the bechina of "כִּי כִגְבֹהַּ אֲרָזִים גָּבְהוּ" ["for like the height of cedars was their height"]. Therefore a great clarification is needed to nullify from its fruits the grasping of pride, which is the bechina of the sum of all bad character traits, as above. Therefore the Torah warned us: "וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים" ["you shall treat its fruits as its orla for three years"] etc. — not to eat from its fruits for three years, in order to nullify the three completely impure kelipos, which are the three aspects of pride above. And in the fourth year, the fruits must be brought up to Yerushalayim — for Yerushalayim is the bechina of yirah shalem [complete awe], as our Rabbis z"l said. That is, the bechina of the completeness of awe, which is the essential wholeness, attained through humility, as is explained there in the above-mentioned Torah teaching.

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Likutay Halachos

For Yerushalayim is the royal city of Israel, which is malchus d'kedushah [holy kingship], and the essential greatness and holiness of kingship is the bechina of true humility and lowliness, as explained by Admo"r z"l in the Torah "Be'er Chaparuha Sarim" (Likutay Tinyana, Siman 72) — in the bechina of "בִּמְקוֹם גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שָׁם אַתָּה מוֹצֵא עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ" ["in the place of His greatness there you find His humility"]. Therefore through bringing the fruits there, one merits to nullify and clarify kelipos nogah until one merits the fourth aspect of lowliness mentioned above — that is, to be lowly and humble below one's own level, which is the essential lowliness, the bechina of the lowliness of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, who said: "וְנַחְנוּ מָה" ["and what are we?"]. And this is what is written about Yerushalayim in the future: "וְרָאֲמָה וְיָשְׁבָה תַחְתֶּיהָ" ["and it will be raised and will sit beneath itself"] etc. This is the above-mentioned bechina, the bechina of "in the place of His greatness there you find His humility." And this is: "ve'ra'amah" — that however much it rises and becomes elevated and exalted above — "ve'yashvah tachteha" — so too shall it sit beneath itself, so that it will be in the bechina of "שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו" — that all those dwelling there will merit true lowliness, making themselves smaller than their own level. And therefore it was that in Yerushalayim the little contained the great — for people never said "I have no room to lodge in Yerushalayim." All of this was due to the lowliness and self-nullification of the bechina of ayin, through which it becomes the bechina of the little containing the great. For humility, which is the bechina of nothingness and emptiness, is in the bechina of that which is without boundary and can contain everything. Therefore, since Yerushalayim is in the bechina of humility and lowliness — which is the essence of its holiness, for the essential holiness is humility and lowliness — therefore to there must the fruits be brought in the fourth year, in order to clarify the fruits from the fourth kelipa mentioned above, and to merit true humility in the bechina of "שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו" as above. And this is: "וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ" ["And in the fifth year you shall eat its fruit"]. For when one merits to nullify and shatter one's pride in the four above-mentioned aspects — which is the bechina of the shattering and nullification of the four above-mentioned kelipos in which all the bad character traits are contained, as is known — then one merits to be included in the four letters of the Name [of Hashem], which are the root of the four elements: fire, wind, water, and earth, which are the bechina of inanimate, vegetable, animal, and human. Around them are the four above-mentioned kelipos that must be shattered until one clarifies all four elements and becomes included in the four letters of the blessed Name. And then, when one is small in one's own eyes below the four above-mentioned aspects, one becomes included in the bechina of the kutz shel yud [the tip of the letter Yud], which is above everything, as is known — where there is no grasping of evil whatsoever. And then it is permitted to eat the fruits anywhere, as it is written: "וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ". The fifth year corresponds to the bechina of the kutz shel yud, which is the bechina of the simple [foundational] element — the bechina of tzaddik yesod olam [the righteous one is the foundation of the world], which is the root and vitality of all four elements. And then one can eat the fruits anywhere, for the evil has already been nullified through fulfilling the mitzvah of orla and not eating the fruits for three years, and thereafter neta revai, through which the fruits were brought up to Yerushalayim. And this is: "וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ" ["And in the fifth year you shall eat its fruit to add its produce to you"]. For when one merits to nullify pride entirely and reach the ultimate humility, then blessing and additional abundance and great goodness flow upon one — in the bechina of "מָאן דְּהוּא זְעֵיר הוּא רַב" ["whoever is little is great"]. And this is the bechina of l'hosif lachem tevuaso — "to add": this is the bechina of Yosef (yosif/hosif — "he adds"), the bechina of tzaddik yesod olam, from whom all influences and blessings flow, as is known — the bechina of "וְיוֹסֵף הוּא הַשַּׁלִּיט הוּא הַמַּשְׁבִּיר לְכָל עַם הָאָרֶץ" ["and Yosef was the ruler, he was the one who provided for all the people of the land"] — for all the people of the land, which are all human beings in the world, draw their vitality and receive their influence solely from the tzaddik who is the bechina of Yosef, the bechina of the fifth foundation, which is in the bechina of the kutz shel yud — which is the hidden vitality within all four elements. And one does not merit this except through the ultimate humility and lowliness in all four bechinot, as above. And the one depends upon the other — for each person, to the degree that he works to nullify himself and truly feels his lowliness, so too does he merit to draw close to the true tzaddik, who has already merited ultimate nullification in all aspects, in the bechina of mah completely — which is the essential excellence and greatness of the true tzaddik, for humility is greater than all, as our Rabbis z"l said. And likewise, the more one draws close to the tzaddik and is included in him, so too does one merit more of true humility — which is his entire rectification. For the essential cause of every person's distance from Hashem Yisborach and from true tzaddikim and from Torah — which are his entire vitality — is essentially pride and honor flowing from the bechina of orla mentioned above. And every person must strive to nullify from himself all aspects of pride, as above — and then he will merit the bechina of "וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁית תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ" etc., as above. And this is the bechina of the splitting of the Red Sea by the staff of Moshe. For Paro was extremely proud, saying: "מִי ה'" ["Who is Hashem?"] and "לִי יְאוֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִינִי" ["my river is mine and I made myself"]. And therefore the redemption came through Moshe, who was the most humble of all people and said "וְנַחְנוּ מָה", the bechina of ultimate lowliness in all aspects, as above. Therefore the essential completion of the redemption was the splitting of the Red Sea, which transformed the sea into dry land. For the essential humility is in the bechina of dust — that one place oneself as dust. And the water is above the dust, corresponding to the vegetable (tzome'ach), which is above the inanimate (domem). And it is there that pride begins — the bechina of the noise and tumult of the waves of the sea, which crash and raise themselves up, as it is written: "וַתְּרוֹמֵם גַּלָּיו" ["and its waves are raised"]. This is the bechina of pride. And as it is written: "אַתָּה מוֹשֵׁל בְּגֵאוּת הַיָּם בְּשׂוֹא גַּלָּיו" ["You rule the swelling of the sea; when its waves rise..."] etc. But Hashem Yisborach placed sand as a boundary for the sea — which is the bechina of the element of dust — which breaks their pride every time, and they are unable to raise themselves and go beyond their boundary, as it is written: "וְהָמוּ גַּלָּיו" ["and its waves roar"] etc. Therefore at the Exodus from Egypt, when Paro pursued them — he being the bechina of pride — the miracle was therefore through the splitting of the Red Sea. For Hashem Yisborach showed them through Moshe that He can transform sea into dry land, so that it would become land and earth, the bechina of humility, from waters as great as these which hold the grasping of pride. That is: Israel, who are in the bechina of humility, as it is written: "כִּי אַתֶּם הַמְעַט מִכָּל הָעַמִּים" ["for you are the smallest of all the peoples"], as our Rabbis z"l interpreted — for they are included in Moshe who was very humble — therefore the sea with its abundance of waters and its roaring waves fled and split before them and was overturned into dry land and earth, the bechina of lowliness. And Paro and his army, who were in the bechina of pride, were drowned within it — and their toil returned upon their own heads, "כִּי תְמוֹתֵת רָשָׁע רָעָה" ["for evil shall slay the wicked"] — for their pride itself drowned them. Therefore the Song began: "אָשִׁירָה לַה' כִּי גָאֹה גָּאָה" ["I will sing to Hashem for He has triumphed gloriously"]. And as Onkelos translated: "אֲרֵי אִתְגָּאֵי עַל גֵּיוְתָנַיָּא" ["for He was exalted over the prideful"]. For the essence of the splitting of the Red Sea was the shattering of pride, as above. And therefore [the Song] concluded: "ה' יִמְלֹךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד" ["Hashem will reign forever and ever"] — the bechina of malchus d'kedushah, the bechina of "ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ" ["Hashem reigns, He has garbed Himself in pride"] — which shatters and nullifies all the pride in the world. For His kingship and His pride Yisborach is the ultimate humility — the bechina of "in the place of His greatness there you find His humility," as above. And this is the bechina of the Fifteenth of Shevat (chamisha asar b'Shvat), which is the New Year for trees regarding the laws of orla and neta revai. For the twelve months of the year correspond to the twelve tribes of G-d (shivtei Kah). And they are called by the name shvatim [tribes/branches], for they are the bechina of branches (shvatim and anafim) issuing from the holy tree, which is the bechina of Yaakov who is the body of the tree (gufa d'ilana), as in "all souls go out from the great tree" (me'ilana ravrava nafkin). And these twelve tribes are contained within the four camps of the Shechinah [Divine Presence], which are the four banners (arba degolim). Corresponding to them are the four seasons of the year. And all these four bechinot emerge from the four letters of the Name — from which the four mochin [minds] flow, and from there the four elements, which are the bechina of the three colors of the eye and the pupil (bas ayin). Corresponding to them in the kelipah are the four kelipos — the three impure kelipos and nogah — which are the bechina of the three years of orla and neta revai, as above. And just as in holiness there is the bechina of the three colors of the eye and the bas ayin [pupil], and the essential point is the bas ayin from which all vision and knowledge emerge through the eyes of the intellect — through the three colors that illuminate towards it — so too, in reverse, is the corresponding pattern in the kelipah: the essential grasping of all the kelipos is through the bechina of nogah, which corresponds to the bechina of bas ayin, from which they all draw their sustenance, as is known. And in all four seasons of the year, one must clarify the good from the evil and shatter the four above-mentioned kelipos that correspond to them. The four seasons begin from Nissan. It follows that the season of Teves is the fourth season, corresponding to the bechina of bas ayin above — where the essential clarification occurs, as above. And the season spans three months: Teves, Shevat, Adar. It follows that the Fifteenth of Shevat is the exact midpoint of the season — which is the bechina of the midpoint of the bas ayin. Therefore it is then that the New Year for trees occurs — for there is where the essential clarification from pride — which encompasses all bad character traits — takes place. For the essential clarification is in the bechina of the nekudas bas ayin, which is the bechina of the fourth level of lowliness mentioned above — that one be lowly and humble below one's own level until one is in the bechina of mah. And then one is included in the bas ayin d'kedushah, which is the bechina of the true holy point — through which one becomes included in what one becomes included above above, for the essential ascent and inclusion above above in the light of the Infinite is through humility and lowliness. And the essential [attainment] is when one reaches the fourth level of lowliness mentioned above — which is the ultimate humility, the bechina of the lowliness of Moshe Rabbeinu, who is the bechina of the true tzaddik, as above. And this is merited through bringing the fruits to Yerushalayim, where ultimate humility is attained, as above. For there is the Beis HaMikdash, where the Even Shesiyah [Foundation Stone] is located, from which sinews go out to all the lands, as Rashi explains on the verse "וְנָטַעְתִּי בָּהֶם עֵץ כָּל פְּרִי" ["and I will plant among them a tree of every fruit"]; see there. For the nekudas Even Shesiyah is the bechina of the ultimate humility and lowliness. For lowliness is the bechina of dust (afar), and the essential holiness of the dust is in Eretz Yisrael and Yerushalayim — and the essential point is in the Beis HaMikdash, in the nekudas Even Shesiyah, where the gate of heaven is. For it is impossible to ascend to the heavens — which is above above — except through humility and lowliness. For in physical terms it is certainly impossible to ascend even a single parsa [measure], all the more so to the heavens. But through humility and lowliness — which is the bechina of ayin — one can ascend to the heavens and above above. And this is the bechina of "וְהִנֵּה סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה" ["and behold a ladder was set on the earth and its top reached the heavens"]: when it is "set on the earth" — in the bechina of humility and lowliness, the bechina of earth and dust literally — then specifically "its top reaches the heavens," for one can ascend above above, as above. And this is the bechina of "יְרוּשָׁלַיִם הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָהּ יַחְדָּיו שֶׁשָּׁם עָלוּ שְׁבָטִים" ["Yerushalayim that is built as a city joined together — where the tribes went up"]. For the essential ascent of the shivtei Kah is in Yerushalayim specifically — where they can ascend to the Yerushalayim on high, because there they merit the bechina of true lowliness mentioned above. And this is the bechina of the redemption (pidyon) of neta revai fruits with money — that they can be redeemed with money and the money brought to Yerushalayim, as is the law of ma'aser sheni, about which it is stated: "וְנָתַתָּ הַכֶּסֶף בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תְּאַוֶּה נַפְשֶׁךָ בַּבָּקָר וּבַצֹּאן" ["and you shall give the money for whatever your soul desires — cattle or sheep..."] etc., as our Rabbis z"l derived from the verse "קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַה'" ["holy hilulim for Hashem"]. For the essential shattering of pride is through money and possessions — which are wealth (ashirus), which is the bechina of kingship (malchus). For the essential dominion and greatness belongs to the wealthy person — for everyone needs him — and therefore he must be especially vigilant against pride. Therefore the Torah warned against pride specifically in relation to great wealth, as it is written: "הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ" ["beware for yourself"] etc. — "וְכֶסֶף וְזָהָב יִרְבֶּה לְךָ וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לְךָ יִרְבֶּה וְרָם לְבָבֶךָ" ["and silver and gold will multiply for you and all that you have will multiply and your heart will become haughty"] etc. — "וְזָכַרְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ" ["then you shall remember Hashem your G-d"] etc. For the essential pride and self-elevation is in the matter of money and possessions — as is plainly observed, that from small to great, most people lose their world through the lust for money — and the essential cause is pride and honor: for each one wants to conduct himself above what he actually has. The lowly and humble long for garments of honor far beyond their means, and the middling want even more expensive clothing and fine household articles, and the wealthy pursue silver vessels and jewellery etc. — things without limit. For "one who has many possessions multiplies vanity," and the more possessions and wealth a person has, the more exalted becomes his heart, until he becomes arrogant in his wealth as though all the world and all its possessions were owed to him — until many lose both worlds through this, as is well known. Therefore the Torah warned the king not to multiply silver and gold for himself "lest his heart become haughty above his brothers" — for the essential grasping of pride is in money, as above. For the essential nullification of pride is through the true tzaddik, who truly merits the bechina of mah — that is, the fourth bechina above: "שְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחְתָּיו" — that he is lowly and humble below his own level, as above. For as long as a person does not reach the level of holding himself below his own smallest level — even if he has already shattered the arrogance of the three preceding aspects — and does not go beyond his place, as above: pride can still stir and reawaken within him. For the sustenance of the three completely impure kelipos — which are the bechina of the three levels of complete arrogance — comes from the bechina of nogah, which is the fourth bechina, as is known. Therefore as long as one has not shattered the fourth bechina — to be lowly below one's own level — pride can still return and reawaken, G-d forbid. Therefore in truth the essential shattering of pride — which is the sum of everything — is through the true tzaddik, who has already genuinely merited the bechina of ultimate nullification in all four above-mentioned aspects. And in truth, the one depends upon the other — for each person, to the degree that he strives to nullify himself and to feel his lowliness plainly, to feel the pain of his transgressions and deficiencies and the vastness of his distance from Hashem Yisborach and from Torah etc. — so too does he merit to draw close to the true tzaddik. For certainly, one who feels his lowliness and his deficiency, and wishes to spare his soul and be saved from eternal death and worldly sufferings, and to merit eternal life — will certainly not look at any obstacle, most of which stem from honor: from fear that people will mock and disgrace him etc. And even other types of obstacles — from his wife, his father-in-law, his father etc. — all of them are entirely nullified for the one who feels even a little of his lowliness and deficiency, and who sees and understands for himself the nature of his situation and standing in this world, and to what extent his actions have gone astray etc. And certainly he will strive with all his strength to draw close to whoever can attend to his healing. And through this he will draw close to the truth — that is, to the true tzaddik. And the more one draws close to the true tzaddik, the more one feels one's own lowliness — for the essential nullification of pride is through the tzaddik who truly merited the bechina of mah, as above. And as is explained elsewhere (in the Torah "Ve'aileh HaMishpatim," Likutay Aleph, Siman 10 etc.). It follows that the essential nullification of pride is when one merits the fourth bechina above — which is the bechina of bas ayin, the bechina of the clarification of kelipos nogah, as above. And therefore the essential nullification of pride is in money — for money and wealth are in the bechina of bas ayin above, which contains all the colors, since money and wealth are the bechina of malchus, which is the bechina of bas ayin in which all colors are visible (d'khal gvanin itchazyan beh), as is known. Therefore "הַכֶּסֶף יַעֲנֶה אֶת הַכֹּל" ["money answers everything"] — for all desires and all types of merchandise and all things in the world can be purchased with money. For money and wealth are in the bechina of bas ayin which contains all the colors — since all the things in the world flow from the supernal colors, which are the bechina of the midos [attributes], and all of them are contained in the bas ayin, which is the bechina of wealth and kingship. Therefore there, in money, is where the essential trial of pride and honor is — which encompasses all the midos — for it is the bechina of bas ayin, which corresponds to the bechina of nogah, where the essential trial and bechirah takes place, as above. Therefore the fruits of neta revai can be exchanged specifically for money, and the money brought to Yerushalayim. For the holiness of the fruits is transferred to the money — since in money is where all exchanges and acquisitions in the world take place, because money contains everything — for it is in the bechina of bas ayin, as above. For the essential pride is in the eyes, as it is written: "רוּם עֵינַיִם" ["haughty eyes"]. And one who shatters all four above-mentioned aspects of pride and nullifies oneself utterly, merits to gaze with one's eyes above above — to behold the pleasantness of Hashem. For it is impossible to rise from level to level and to gaze upward except through ultimate self-nullification, as above. And the essential [attainment] is when one merits the holiness of the bechina of bas ayin in completeness — from which comes the essential vision — that is, through shattering pride in all four above-mentioned aspects, as above. כִּלְאֵי אִילָן וְכִלְאֵי זְרָעִים וְכִלְאֵי הַכֶּרֶם וְכִלְאֵי בְּהֵמָה וְכִלְאֵי בְּגָדִים And this is the bechina of all the prohibitions of kilayyim [forbidden mixtures] — which are kilay eelan [mixed tree grafts], mixed seeds, kilay hakerem [mixed vineyard plantings], kilay behaimah [mixed animal breeding], and kilay begadim [mixed garments — sha'atnez] — all of which the Torah juxtaposed to one another, as it is written in Parashas Kedoshim: "אֶת חֻקֹּתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ בְּהֶמְתְּךָ לֹא תַרְבִּיעַ כִּלְאַיִם שָׂדְךָ לֹא תִזְרַע כִּלְאַיִם וּבֶגֶד כִּלְאַיִם" ["you shall keep My statutes: your animal you shall not breed kilayyim, your field you shall not sow kilayyim, and a garment of kilayyim..."] etc. And so too in Parashas Ki Setzei the prohibition of kilay hakerem is juxtaposed to the passage of "you shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together" and afterward "you shall not wear sha'atnez" etc., "tassels you shall make for yourself" etc. For all the obstacles to serving Hashem Yisborach flow from the soiled garments (begadim tzoa'im), as is explained there in the above-mentioned Torah teaching — on the saying of Rabba bar bar Chana, "רְמָא כּוּפְתָּא וְסָכְרָא לְיַרְדְּנָא" [he cast a large stone and blocked the Jordan] — that the soiled garments produced by one's sins, from which come all the obstacles and barriers etc., interpose like a river between oneself and the holiness, which is the bechina of Eretz Yisrael; see there. And the essential power of the soiled garments to prevent one from the true path of life is through pride and illusory honor of this world. For certainly, one who truly feels his lowliness and takes to heart how he is filthy with his many sins, desires, and deficiencies — he would certainly crawl on his hands and knees and seek with all his strength the true healer who can heal the illnesses of his soul. For who could endure being clothed in soiled and defiled garments? But the soiled garments themselves confuse his mind and distort his heart until he acts as if he does not know the filth of his deeds — and he still desires the honor of this world and falls into pride and coarseness of spirit. And through this he is unable to draw close to the truth, out of fear that people will mock him and he will be considered in their eyes as a fool or a madman. Especially now, in our many sins, in which it has come to pass: "וַתַּשְׁלֵךְ אֱמֶת אַרְצָה" ["and truth was cast to the ground"] and "סָר מֵרַע מִשְׁתּוֹלֵל" ["one who departs from evil is considered mad"] and "הַכָּבוֹד נֶהְפַּךְ לְזָרִים" ["honor has turned to strangers"] and "יִרְאֵי חֵטְא נִמְאָסִין" ["those who fear sin are despised"] etc. But one who takes to heart the pain of his deeds that are not good, and truly feels his lowliness — he will certainly recognize the truth in its truthfulness and will shatter all the obstacles in the world and draw close to the truth wherever it is. And therefore pride is called mosoros [surpluses/excesses], as it is written regarding Moav: "עַל-כֵּן יִתְרָה עָשָׂה" ["therefore it produced surplus"] — on account of his pride, as it is written: "שָׁמַעְנוּ גְאוֹן מוֹאָב גֵּא מְאֹד" ["we have heard the pride of Moav, exceedingly proud"] etc. — "גַּאֲוָתוֹ וּגְאוֹנוֹ" ["his arrogance and his pride"] etc. And it is written: "וּמְשַׁלֵּם עַל יֶתֶר עֹשֵׂה גַאֲוָה" ["and He repays the one who commits excess pride"]. For pride is literally the bechina of mosoros — the bechina of idolatry — the bechina of vomit and excrement, which are the excess and refuse of the body — the bechina of the soiled garments mentioned above. And their essential power to prevent one from the truth is through pride, as above. And it is already explained in his [the Rebbe's] words z"l that the essential obstacles are the obstacles of the mind (mochin), as is explained in Siman 49 of Likutay Tinyana — that is, through the fact that one's mind (da'as) has become mixed up and inclines away from truth, and one does not wish to take truth genuinely to heart. For through every transgression and deficiency, one damages the letters of the Torah that are the root of one's soul. For through transgression and deficiency one becomes distanced and severed, G-d forbid, from the letter one has damaged. And then the letters of the Torah arrange themselves for that person in different combinations — the reverse of truth — in the bechina of: "if one does not merit, the Torah becomes for him a potion of death," as our Rabbis z"l said on the verse "וְשַׂמְתֶּם" etc. And from there flow all the evil thoughts and inverted reasoning that lead many astray from the true path, as it is written: "הַמְהַפְּכִים אֹרְחוֹת יֹשֶׁר" ["those who pervert the straight paths"] etc. And it is written: "הוֹי הָאֹמְרִים לָרַע טוֹב וְלַטּוֹב רַע" ["woe to those who call evil good and good evil"] etc. And all this comes through pride, which flows from the soiled garments — from which come all the obstacles, as above. For through pride one's wisdom departs from him, as our Rabbis z"l said — meaning, the true wisdom of Torah departs from him and he inclines toward reasoning that is the reverse of truth. For it is already explained in the above-mentioned Torah that no person merits the Torah except through true lowliness in all four above-mentioned aspects — and then specifically does one merit to engage in Torah to the ultimate perfection, until one can illuminate the roots of the souls of Israel etc. and make penitents and converts etc. And to merit this fully, none merits it except the true tzaddik who is genuinely humble in the bechina of mah, the bechina of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him. But also all those who are aroused to draw close to this tzaddik must at least truly feel their lowliness — for without this it is impossible for them to draw close at all, since the soiled garments will prevent them, as above. It follows that the essential source of all obstacles flows from the fact that the letter-combinations of the Torah he has damaged have become mixed up — through which his mind becomes confused with inverted reasoning and foreign ideas, from which come all the obstacles, whose essence is the obstruction of the mind, as above. And this is the bechina of all the prohibitions of kilayyim — for all types of kilayyim are forbidden to us: not to mix the letters of the Torah that are their root. For every thing in the world — inanimate, vegetable, animal, and human — every single thing has its root in the letters of the Torah. And through kilayyim, G-d forbid, one causes the letters of the Torah — which are their root — to become mixed up, G-d forbid. And from there come all the obstacles in the world, as above. Therefore they are called by the name kilayyim, which is the language of obstacles (meni'os), as it is written: "וַיִּכָּלֵא הָעָם מֵהָבִיא" ["and the people were held back from bringing"], "אַתָּה ה' לֹא תִכְלָא רַחֲמֶיךָ" ["You, Hashem, do not hold back Your mercies"] etc. — and similarly many [times]. And it is written: "וּבְבָתֵּי כְּלָאִים הָחְבָּאוּ" ["and in the houses of imprisonment they hid"] — which is the prison-house that prevents one from going out. For all the obstacles in the world come through the bechina of kilayyim — which is the bechina of mixture and confusion — through the fact that the letters of the Torah have become mixed up, G-d forbid, through one's deficiencies. And from there come all the confusions of the mind and inverted reasoning, from which come all the obstacles, as above. And this is: "אֶת חֻקֹּתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ" ["you shall keep My statutes"] — which precedes the prohibitions of kilayyim, for this is the opposite of kilayyim: that is, the Torah warns es chukkosai tishmoru — to observe well the statutes of the Torah and not to exchange the Torah's statutes, G-d forbid — that is, not to cause the Torah's combinations and statutes to become confused, G-d forbid, through the prohibition of kilayyim, as above. And therefore the essential rectification is through the true tzaddikim, who are able to engage in Torah with the proper holiness until they illuminate all the letters of the Torah in completeness — as is required to arouse and awaken those souls, until they are aroused to complete repentance. For the tzaddik must combine the letters of the Torah into wondrous novel teachings at every occasion, according to what is needed for the rectification of those souls who have become distanced from their root — guiding and directing them on the straight path, with the good counsel appropriate to the time and the season and the root of their soul and the rectification needed for the deficiencies they have caused. And for this reason one truly must search and seek very greatly for such a true tzaddik. And this is the bechina of Purim. For Haman became exceedingly proud, as our Rabbis z"l said, and persecuted the true tzaddik — the bechina of Mordechai — until he wanted to destroy etc., G-d forbid, all the Jews. For he was from the seed of Amalek, who has always been a rod of chastisement for Israel — and he is the essential filth of the serpent (zuhamas hanachash), from which all the obstacles come, flowing from the deficiency of the garments — the bechina of soiled garments — that derived from the sin of the first man whose essential deficiency was in the garments, as it is written: "מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ כִּי עֵירֹם אָתָּה הֲמִן הָעֵץ" ["who told you that you are naked — have you eaten from the tree?"] From there Haman derived, as our Rabbis z"l said: "Where is Haman [alluded to] in the Torah?" — "הֲמִן הָעֵץ" ["from the tree?"]. And this is the bechina of: "Haman from the Torah" — specifically "from the Torah" — for all of Haman's intensification is "from the Torah" — that is, from the letters of the Torah that became mixed up through the sin of the first man who ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and through the sins of each and every individual. And this is: "כִּי יָד עַל כֵּס יָהּ מִלְחָמָה לַה' בַּעֲמָלֵק מִדֹּר דֹּר" ["for a hand is upon the throne of G-d: war for Hashem against Amalek from generation to generation"] — for the Holy One blessed be He swore that His Name is not whole etc. For the souls who draw close are called palga [half], because they still need to shatter the many obstacles that flow from the soiled garments, which are the filth of Haman-Amalek, may his name be blotted out. Therefore the Holy One blessed be He swore that His Name is not whole and His throne is not whole — and He is, as it were, in the bechina of palga [half] and partition, until the memory of Amalek is blotted out and the obstacles are nullified and the souls are rectified — these souls who are in the bechina of palga. For all the souls of Israel are included in His blessed Name, and as long as the filth of Amalek remains — from which come all the obstacles through which those souls are in the bechina of palga — His blessed Name too is divided in the bechina of palga, as it is written: "כִּי עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה" ["for I am with him in distress"] — for His Name is associated with ours. Therefore the essential rectification was through Mordechai, who tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes — for he knew that the essential deficiency was in the matter of garments, as above. And he went out into the city and cried out with a great and bitter cry. For there is no remedy against the multitude of obstacles that come from soiled garments except to humble oneself to the dust, to strip off the garments of one's pride, and to cry out greatly and bitterly to Hashem Yisborach — a great and bitter cry like that of Mordechai — until Hashem looks down and sees from the heavens. As Mordechai merited afterward, through the great power of the miracle of Purim, when everything was overturned for good — as it is written: "וּמָרְדְּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת תְּכֵלֶת" ["and Mordechai went out from before the king in royal garments of techeiles"] — the bechina of the rectification of garments (tikun halevushim), the bechina of the techeiles of the tzitzis, which are the essential rectification of garments. For tzitzis are the bechina of the sum total of all the Torah novellas (chiddushei Torah) that the tzaddikim combine for the good, for the rectification of the souls, as above — for they are the bechina of chalukas d'rabbanan [the scholarly garment]. And this is the bechina of "גְּדִלִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לָךְ" ["tassels you shall make for yourself"], written adjacent to the passage of kilayyim — for tzitzis are the rectification of the bechina of kilayyim, being the bechina of the sum of all obstacles that flow from the deficiency of the garments, as above. And this is the bechina of what our Rabbis z"l said of Mordechai — that he was called "Pesachyah" (Pesachyah) because he would "open (pose'ach) with words and expound them" (pose'ach b'dvarim v'dorshonom). For this is the essential rectification — and through this came the great power of the miracle of Purim. And likewise it occurs every year and every generation: to subdue the filth of Amalek through the true tzaddik who is in the bechina of Mordechai-Pesachyah, who "opens with words and expounds them" — for at every occasion he opens with the words of the letters of the Torah and expounds them and combines them into wondrous Torah novellas according to the generation, and according to the person, and according to the place and the time — in a manner that illuminates each person with a spark from the root of his soul in the letters of the Torah, so that they will return to Hashem in truth. This is the bechina of the tzaddikim who "bless the Torah first" (mevarkhim baTorah techilah), as is explained there; see there. For it is explained there in the above-mentioned Torah that the essential arousal to teshuvah [repentance] that the tzaddik arouses in the souls of Israel is through engaging in Torah with such holiness until he stirs the roots of the souls of Israel that are rooted in the letters of the Torah — and through this he introduces into them an arousal to repentance etc. And this is the bechina of Mordechai who was called Pesachyah — who "opens with words and expounds them." "Opens" (pose'ach) specifically — for he opens and initiates and arouses the sparkling of the letters of the Torah in which all the souls of Israel are rooted, and expounds them and combines them into wondrous new combinations according to the generation and the time and the season, until he introduces the arousal of repentance into the souls of Israel, teaching them knowledge and deep, wondrous counsel through his holy homilies until he rectifies them. This is the bechina of the miracle of Purim — which came through Mordechai, through whose efforts they returned and accepted the Torah anew to fulfill it in truth, as it is written: "קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ" ["they confirmed and accepted"] — and as our Rabbis z"l said. And all of this was through his "opening with words and expounding them," as above. Therefore Haman made a tree fifty cubits tall on which to hang Mordechai. For the sum total of all the letters of the Torah — which are all of Israel, the roots of souls, as above — are all contained within the fifty gates of binah [understanding]. And therefore the Torah was given on the fiftieth day, which is Shavuos. And the essential point is the fiftieth gate, which is the root of all the letters of the Torah, as is understood from the words of our Rabbis z"l who expounded the verse "וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאלֹקִים" ["and You diminished him slightly from G-d"] — that Moshe attained forty-nine gates, all except the fiftieth gate. For it is the root of everything. And although it was not given over to Moshe, nonetheless he drew and received from there all the Torah novellas he attained. And the essential rectification of all those who have damaged their letters of Torah through their sins — those letters being their root — and who become distanced from them: their essential rectification and repentance is through the fiftieth gate, which is the root of repentance (teshuvah), being in the bechina of binah, the bechina of Yom Kippur which is the bechina of yovel [Jubilee], the bechina of the fiftieth year, the bechina of the fiftieth gate of binah. Therefore the essential rectification of all who are in need of rectification is through the true tzaddik who, through his service, merits to ascend there and draw from there novellas of Torah — which is the essential bechina of "blessing the Torah first," the bechina of Mordechai who "opens with words and expounds them": that they can ascend to the fiftieth gate, which is the root of Torah and the opening and beginning of Torah, and from there they draw again the illumination of the letters of Torah until the stirrings of repentance reach all the sinners and converts. For they know through this how to illuminate the letters of Torah in their root and draw from there novellas of Torah in wondrous combinations — in a manner that enables them to guide and direct all those who are very far distant on the true path, as is appropriate for them, as above. And Haman, may his name be blotted out, was deeply grasped in the kelipah and Sitra Achra — and was comprised of all fifty gates of impurity, which correspond to the above-mentioned fiftieth gate [of holiness]. And it is impossible to subdue him except through the tzaddikim who can ascend to the fiftieth gate of holiness. Therefore when his lot fell on the day on which Moshe died, he rejoiced — for he assumed that now there would be none who would have the power like Moshe to ascend to the fiftieth gate and draw from there Torah novellas according to the generation and the time. Therefore he made a tree fifty cubits tall to hang Mordechai upon it — to cast him down from there. For he did not believe that Mordechai had the power to stand against such a kelipah as this, which is in impurity corresponding to the fiftieth gate of holiness. But in truth, Mordechai's level was exceedingly, exceedingly high — as is cited in the writings of the Ari z"l regarding the great greatness of Mordechai — for Mordechai "opened with words and expounded them": he was able to ascend to the beginning and opening of the Torah, which is the root of Torah, the bechina of the fiftieth gate above. And he was able to rectify all of Israel through this — by introducing stirrings of repentance into them from there, until all of them cried out to Hashem Yisborach. And through this he merited to overturn the matter upon Haman's head — and they hanged him and his sons specifically on that same fifty-cubit-high tree. For specifically from there he caused his downfall — through the strength of his power of knowing how to draw the illumination of the letters of Torah from there, as above. And therefore the beginning of their [Israel's] mistake was through wearing the priestly garments at [Achashverosh's] banquet. For the essential deficiency touches upon garments, as above. Therefore the Kohen, whose task was to atone for the sins of Israel through his service, needed to wear the priestly garments to atone and rectify the deficiency of the above-mentioned soiled garments. And the essential deficiency of the soiled garments is through pride and honor, as above. Therefore the essential deficiency and honor bears upon garments — for the essential pride is in garments, which in their root are exceedingly elevated, the bechina of "ה' מָלַךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ" ["Hashem reigns, He is garbed in pride"]. And when one causes damage in this, G-d forbid, through one's sins and falls into the pride and honor of the Sitra Achra — the lusts and vanities of this world — the essential deficiency of pride is in the garments, as is plainly observed: how many lose their world through running after garments and jewelry etc. And as Admo"r z"l said on the verse "וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ בְּבִגְדוֹ" ["and she seized him by his garment"] etc. Therefore the Kohen Gadol was dressed in very precious garments containing all the colors — gold, techeiles, purple (argaman) etc. — and above all of them the choshen [breastplate] and ephod [apron], containing very precious gems, upon which were engraved the names of the children of Israel — which contain fifty letters, being the bechina of the sum of the letters of the Torah contained in the fifty gates of binah, as above. For the Holy One blessed be He, the Torah, and Israel are all one. And the Kohen Gadol bore all of this upon his heart in order to elevate and rectify all the lust for dominion and wealth — in which the essential grasping of pride is, as above. And in our many sins, when the wicked kingdom prevailed and exiled Israel, they also captured in the exile the priestly garments and dressed in them — thinking they had the power to annihilate Israel entirely. And especially through introducing into them the lust for wealth — to covet garments of honor and precious gems and stones — since we no longer had a Kohen Gadol to rectify all this. On the contrary, the Sitra Achra clothed itself in them. And in truth it was a time of great distress. But "חַסְדֵי ה' כִּי לֹא תָמְנוּ" ["the kindnesses of Hashem — for they did not end"] etc. — and "מֶמְשַׁלְתְּךָ בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר" ["Your dominion is in every generation"]. And He sent then Mordechai, who instilled in Israel the spirit not to despair of mercy in any manner whatsoever — and they all cried out to Hashem Yisborach with all their heart, and dressed in sackcloth and ashes, and despised all precious garments of worldly desire — which are literally the bechina of soiled garments. And through this the matter was overturned — and they hanged Haman on the fifty-cubit-high tree, and Mordechai extracted from him all the wealth into holiness, as it is written: "וַתָּשֶׂם אֶת מָרְדְּכַי עַל בֵּית הָמָן" ["and she appointed Mordechai over the house of Haman"]. And then: "וּמָרְדְּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בִּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת תְּכֵלֶת" ["and Mordechai went out from before the king in royal garments of techeiles"] etc. — the bechina of the techeiles of tzitzis, which are the bechina of the rectification of garments, as above. And similarly regarding Esther it is written: "וַתִּלְבַּשׁ אֶסְתֵּר מַלְכוּת" ["and Esther wore royalty"]. For this is the essential rectification, as above. Until through this they merited afterward to build the Beis HaMikdash and return the priestly garments to their place and holiness. And therefore the matter of the soiled garments is mentioned in the verse regarding Yehoshua the Kohen Gadol — for he was the first who needed to serve in the Second Temple. And because of the severity of the exile, his sons stumbled until the deficiency of soiled garments touched even him. Therefore the entire rectification of the redemption came through the prayers of the tzaddikim — the men of the Great Assembly — who prayed then and worked to rectify this, until Zechariah the prophet effected the removal of the soiled garments from him and the clothing of him in festive garments (machalatzos). And therefore the Kohen Gadol would not enter the Holy of Holies in the eight garments containing gold and precious gems — only in the four white garments. This teaches that even though the Kohen Gadol wore those precious garments with great holiness in order to rectify the deficiency of the lust and desire for wealth bound up in precious garments — which is the bechina of the choshen hamishpat [breastplate of judgment] containing precious gems, which he bore upon his heart to rectify the perversion of justice. For all those who commit deficiency in the bechina of "יְכַלְכֵּל דְּבָרָיו בְּמִשְׁפָּט" ["he weighs his words with judgment"] — who pervert and damage the bechina of weighing one's words with judgment, which requires every person according to his level and station to be very careful to conduct his household properly — as Rashi explains there — and not to covet and desire what is not fitting for him, and to look in all things only at the ultimate purpose: whether this will bring honor to Hashem Yisborach, and to nullify his own pride and honor. All of this is the bechina of yechalkel devarav bemishpat. And one who causes damage in this is in the bechina of perversion of justice. And the Kohen Gadol engaged in his garments — and especially in the choshen — to rectify all this. But nonetheless, on Yom Kippur it was forbidden to enter [the Holy of Holies] in these garments — for "a prosecutor cannot become a defender," as our Rabbis z"l derived — to teach that even the Kohen Gadol who wore these garments containing gold and precious gems with great holiness, as above — nonetheless, in the innermost sanctum, where the ultimate supernal holiness is, it was forbidden to enter in them. For there the wealth and desire for gold and precious gems are utterly nullified — for it is impossible to enter there except in white garments only, which is the essential ultimate perfection of the supernal rectification, in the bechina of "בְּכָל עֵת יִהְיֶה בְגָדֶיךָ לְבָנִים" ["at all times let your garments be white"]. And this alludes to the fact that even the great tzaddikim who can serve Hashem Yisborach through gold and precious gems etc. — even so, there is a height above height where it is forbidden to enter in this, but only in the bechina of literally white garments. And there is the essential atonement and forgiveness for all the sins of Israel, in the bechina of "אִם יַאְדִּימוּ כַתּוֹלָע כַּצֶּמֶר יִהְיוּ" ["if they be red like crimson they shall become like wool"] etc. For the essential atonement (selichah) of Yom Kippur came through the [Kohen Gadol's] entering the Holy of Holies in white garments alone, as above. And understand this well — for it is impossible to explain everything — and one who truly desires life will understand from this a great deal, in order to nullify his pride and to weigh his words with judgment etc., as above. And this is the bechina of the great joy of Purim. For when the glory of Hashem Yisborach is elevated through the multitude of converts and penitents who are made through the bechina of Mordechai who "opens with words and expounds them" etc., as above — which is the bechina of "וְרַבִּים מֵעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ מִתְיַהֲדִים" ["and many of the peoples of the land converted to Judaism"] — through this the joy greatly increases, in the bechina of "יְהִי כְבוֹד ה' לְעוֹלָם יִשְׂמַח ה' בְּמַעֲשָׂיו" ["Let the glory of Hashem be forever; let Hashem rejoice in His works"]. For the essential increase of holy glory is through humility, through which Torah is merited etc., as above. Therefore through this they merit joy, in the bechina of "וְיָסְפוּ עֲנָוִים בַּה' שִׂמְחָה" ["and the humble will add joy in Hashem"]. And it is written: "יִשְׁמְעוּ עֲנָוִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ" ["the humble will hear and rejoice"]. And this is the bechina of "וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הוּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ" ["and it was in the days of Achashverosh — this is the Achashverosh..."]. For the entire narrative of the holy Megillah revolves around this matter — narrating the power of the miracle: how the wicked kingdom, which is the bechina of pride — the bechina of idolatry — prevailed and sought to destroy Israel, G-d forbid. For the essential cause of all troubles and all exiles is pride, which is the opposite of Torah — for one only merits Torah through humility, as above. And this is: "and it was in the days of Achashverosh" — that is, the wicked kingdom, the bechina of pride. And this is what our Rabbis z"l said: "the brother of the head (rosh) and the like of the head" — meaning, all those who are ensnared by the wicked kingdom and caught up in pride are in the bechina of "the brother of the head and the like of the head." "Rosh" [head] is the bechina of pride and self-elevation — the bechina of "עַל-כֵּן יָרִים רֹאשׁ" ["therefore he will lift his head"] — which is the bechina of "רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק" ["Amalek is the first of nations"], being the filth of the serpent that inserts pride into a person — which is the bechina of head and self-elevation. And each person, to the degree he is ensnared in pride, is in the bechina of "the brother of the head and the like of the head" — which is the head of the Sitra Achra, the bechina of the root of the attribute of pride of the Sitra Achra, from which he receives his arrogance. And this is: "הוּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ מֵהֹדּוּ וְעַד כּוּשׁ" ["this is Achashverosh who ruled from Hodu to Cush"]. For the bad attribute of pride clothes itself in every person — from great to small — as is plainly observed: even the lowly and despised have pride. And this is: "who ruled from Hodu to Cush." "Hodu" is the bechina of the great and distinguished — the bechina of glory, splendor, and beauty. "Cush" is the bechina of the lowly and ugly in their deeds, like Cush who is black with the blackest blackness, as it is written: "הֲיַהֲפֹךְ כּוּשִׁי עֹרוֹ" ["can the Cushite change his skin?"]. That is: the kingdom of Achashverosh — the bechina of primacy and pride — rules and clothes itself in the grand and in the lowly. And from there come all their troubles, sorrows, and pains. And this is: "וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ" — wherever it says "and it was in the days of" (vayehi bimei) it is nothing but trouble — for all troubles and sorrows come through pride, with each one wanting to elevate himself and conduct his household above his own level in the way of wealth and honor etc., as though all the world is his and as though he will live forever. And this is: "wherever it says 'and it was in the days of' — it is trouble"; and "and it will be in the day" (v'hayah bayom) — it is joy. As is explained at length in the Midrash. For pride is in the bechina of multiplicity — arrogantly bloated about the world as though his days are many, as it is written in Koheles, when it stresses the vanity of a person's greatness in this world: "if a man begets a hundred children and has many years of life" etc. For in truth and reality the days of our life are vanity. And as it is written: "יָמֵינוּ כְּצֵל עוֹבֵר" ["our days are like a passing shadow"]. For in truth there is no time at all, and time flows only from the bechina of that which is beyond time — for the sake of bechirah. And a person must know that he has in his world only that day and that hour alone, which come to him from whence they come — so that he can acquire eternal life in that day and hour. For in a moment the day and hour will fly away — and what profit does he have in all his toil worked for the wind? Therefore the essential holiness is in the bechina of: "today, if you heed His voice" (hayom im b'kolo tishma'u), as Admo"r z"l explains (in Siman 272 of Likutay, Part I). And through those who merit to serve Hashem and fulfill this, Moshiach will come — as they [the Rabbis] said: when will the Master come? "Today — if you heed His voice," as he cited there regarding Rabba bar bar Chana's saying "orzila bar yoma" [a young lion of the day]. But pride is the opposite of all this — for one becomes haughty in one's own mind and wants to conduct oneself with grandeur as though one's days were many and as though one's vanishing days have permanence. And from there come all the troubles, may the Merciful protect us, as above. Therefore "and it was in the days of" is trouble — for this is the bechina of pride, the bechina of multiplicity, as though one's days are many and as though the foolish and vain deeds one is occupied with will have permanence. One engages in building and buying silver vessels and gold vessels and jewelry etc. — all of which is the bechina of vayehi bimei, as one would relate about some king or minister etc., about which "and it was in the days of" is said. And in truth, all the deeds that every person engaged in — those who follow pride and honor of this world — are all vanity and chasing after wind, toil and anger and pains: the bechina of "wherever it says 'and it was in the days of' — it is nothing but trouble." For all the deeds done under the sun, in exchange for Torah, with each person who runs after idols of silver and gold — all of this is because of pride and honor. All of these deeds: "and it was in the days of — nothing but trouble," as it is written: "כִּי כָּל יָמָיו כַּעַס וּמַכְאוֹבוֹת" ["for all his days are anger and pains"] etc. But the essential joy is in the bechina of "and it will be in the day" — that all one's hope, joy, and vitality is only in the one day in which one engages in the service of Hashem, and one works to connect the day to the bechina of "וְהָיָה יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַה'" ["and it will be one day, it will be known to Hashem"] — that this day endures forever. And there is where the essential vitality and joy are. And this is the bechina of "one hundred and twenty-seven provinces" — for our Rabbis z"l expounded that they correspond to the hundred years, twenty years, and seven years of the life of Sarah. For Sarah is the bechina of malchus d'kedushah, the bechina of she who reigned over the entire world — whose essence is humility, the bechina of "in the place of His greatness there you find His humility." And this is the bechina of "hundred years and twenty years and seven years" — the bechina of the great, the small, and the middling. And as the holy Zohar expounds this verse on the matter of pride: "מָאן דְּהוּא רַב הוּא זְעֵיר וּמָאן דְּהוּא זְעֵיר הוּא רַב" ["whoever is great is small, and whoever is small is great"], as is written in Parashas Shelach lecha: "a son of a hundred years" is the bechina of the great, "seven years" is the bechina of the small, and "twenty years" is the bechina of the middling. And Sarah, who merited true humility — which is the essential vitality, the bechina of chayei Sarah [the life of Sarah] — was, when a hundred years old, as though twenty; and when twenty, as though seven. For she made herself small in every bechina — so that even when she was a hundred years old she was small in her own eyes as though twenty and as though seven. And not only that, but she was even smaller in her own eyes still further. This is the bechina of "the years of Sarah's life — all of them equally good" (shanei chayei Sarah kulam shavim l'tovah). For the essential good life is humility, as above. (And as is explained in the Torah "Be'er Chaparuha Sarim," Siman 72 of Likutay Tinyana.) That is: the four times "years" mentioned regarding Sarah alludes to the four aspects of lowliness stated in the above-mentioned Torah — that one be small in one's own eyes compared to the great, the small, the middling, and compared to one's own level etc. — for this is the essential vitality of one's days and years. And this is: "the years of Sarah's life — all of them equally good," for she merited truly good life through holding herself below her own level, as above. And Achashverosh, who is the bechina of the wicked kingdom, the bechina of pride, is the opposite of this — ruling of his own accord, as our Rabbis z"l derived. And on the "one hundred and twenty-seven provinces" — he has pride and self-elevation in all bechinot: great, middling, and small, which are the bechina of hundred, twenty, and seven, as above. And this is: "בִּשְׁנַת שָׁלֹשׁ לְמָלְכוֹ" ["in the third year of his reign"] — corresponding to the three aspects in which one becomes arrogant, which are wisdom, might, and wealth etc. And this is: "בְּהַרְאֹתוֹ אֶת עֹשֶׁר כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ וְאֶת יְקָר תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדֻלָּתוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים" ["in his showing the wealth of his royal glory and the honor of his magnificent greatness, for many days"] etc. For the essential pride and self-elevation is in wealth, as above. The wicked kingdom — the bechina of pride — shows every person during his vain days of life the wealth of his royal glory etc.: how much wealth and honor he has — silver vessels and gold vessels and jewelry and vessels of all kinds. As it is written there: "חוּר כַּרְפַּס וּתְכֵלֶת אָחוּז" ["white, fine linen, and techeiles fastened"] etc., "מִטּוֹת זָהָב וָכָסֶף עַל רִצְפַת בַּהַט" ["couches of gold and silver on a pavement of marble"] etc. — all of this being the bechina of all kinds of wealth, wondrous vessels, precious gems and jewelry, gold and silver and types of precious garments that a person sees during his vain days of life — all of which the Sitra Achra, the bechina of the wicked kingdom, shows him at every moment in the bechina of "in his showing the wealth" etc. — so that he will be drawn after it and lose his world through this, G-d forbid. And so too the entire Megillah speaks of this — for this is the essential power of the miracle of Purim that occurs in every generation, every year. For when those who are arrogant in the wealth of the Sitra Achra prevail and seek to destroy Israel through the counsel of the wicked Haman, may his name be blotted out — Hashem Yisborach hastens the healing before the blow and takes vengeance upon them through themselves, for "מִנֵּהּ וּבֵהּ אַבָּא לֵיזִיל בֵּהּ נַרְגָּא" ["from it and through it — the father goes with the axe in it"] — as it is written: "וְכִתְּתוּ גּוֹי בְּגוֹי" ["and nation will strike nation"] etc. And as it is written: "וְסִכְסַכְתִּי מִצְרַיִם בְּמִצְרַיִם" ["and I will set Egypt against Egypt"]. As we saw in the great miracle of Purim — through the great arrogance of Achashverosh, Vashti, and Haman, they quarreled with one another until Vashti was killed — she who had caused many troubles to Israel — and was killed specifically through the counsel of Haman, through his immense arrogance, with the hedyot [lowborn] leaping up first etc. And through this very thing came his own tremendous downfall afterward — for such is the way of Hashem Yisborach, as it is written: "תְּמוֹתֵת רָשָׁע רָעָה" ["evil slays the wicked"] — for their own arrogance uprooted them. And Esther the righteous received the greatness and the kingship — for Esther is the bechina of humility, the bechina of "אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בְּמִסְתָּרִים" ["if a man hides himself in secret places"], which Admo"r z"l explained in relation to humility; see there. And this is the bechina of Mordechai — the bechina of mar deror [pure myrrh]: "mar" meaning bitterness, "deror" meaning freedom and kingship. The bechina of: "for tzaddikim — the beginning is suffering and the end is tranquility": first he endures bitterness and makes himself utterly lowly in truth — and through this he afterwards merits freedom and greatness, as it is written: "וּמָרְדְּכַי יָצָא מִלִּפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ" etc. For "טוֹב אַחֲרִית דָּבָר מֵרֵאשִׁיתוֹ" ["the end of a matter is better than its beginning"]. And as it is written: "אַל תִּתְהַדַּר לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ כִּי טוֹב אֲמָר לְךָ עֲלֵה הֵנָּה" ["do not glorify yourself before a king — for it is better that he should say to you: come up here"] etc. And this is: "לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂוֹן וִיקָר" ["to the Jews there was light and joy and gladness and honor"]. "Orah" [light] — this is Torah: the bechina of engagement in Torah to illuminate the roots of souls — through which one creates penitents and converts, as above. And this is merited through true humility. And this is "vesimchah" [and joy] — this is a Festival (Yom Tov). For then one merits true humility, as is explained in Siman 135 of Likutay Part I, on the verse "כִּי אֶקַּח מוֹעֵד" ["for I will take a set time"] etc. And therefore in all the Festivals the prayer begins with the giving of the Torah, as one says "אַתָּה בְחַרְתָּנוּ" ["You chose us"]. For every Festival is a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt, during which the Torah was given. And on every Festival one draws upon oneself the acceptance of the Torah through the lowliness and humility one merits then — which is the essential bechina of Festival joy: the bechina of "יִשְׁמְעוּ עֲנָוִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ" ["the humble will hear and rejoice"], as above. And through this one creates penitents and converts. And this is "vesasson" [and gladness] — this is circumcision (milah). For this is the bechina of converts and penitents — since a convert can only enter the holiness of Israel through circumcision. And similarly penitents must circumcise the orla of their hearts, as it is written in the portion of repentance: "וּמַלְתֶּם אֶת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם" ["and you shall circumcise the orla of your hearts"] etc. And through this the glory of Hashem Yisborach is elevated. And this is the bechina of "vikar" [and honor] — the bechina of preciousness and honor, the bechina of "אִם תּוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל" ["if you bring forth the precious from the worthless"] — which is stated regarding the honor elevated from the disgrace of exile through making penitents and converts etc., as is explained in the above-mentioned Torah. For when they humbled and brought down Haman — who is the pride — they merited all of this, as above. And this is how the Megillah concludes: "דֹּרֵשׁ טוֹב לְעַמּוֹ וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל זַרְעוֹ" ["seeking good for his people and speaking peace to all his offspring"]. "דֹּרֵשׁ טוֹב לְעַמּוֹ" — this is the bechina of the Torah homilies that Mordechai merited through his "opening with words and expounding them," through which he was able to draw souls close to Hashem Yisborach. And this is: "seeking good for his people" — they are the people of Israel, all of whom are rooted in the letters of the Torah. And Mordechai would illuminate them each time with a spark from the roots of the letters of the Torah that he expounded — through which he aroused them to repentance at every occasion, as above. And through this the holy glory was elevated to its root. And through this peace was drawn, as is explained in the above-mentioned Torah that begins "to draw down peace in the world." And this is: "וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל זַרְעוֹ" ["and speaking peace to all his offspring"]. For through this, peace is drawn, as above. And this is: "l'chol zar'o" — for he merits that peace should flow to all his offspring — for he drew luminous and pure souls to his offspring through his illuminating the roots of the letters of the Torah. And the peace drawn through this certainly flows even more to his offspring who came into this world through this. And this is: "and speaking peace to all his offspring" — the bechina of "וְכָל בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי ה' וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָיִךְ" ["and all your children shall be taught of Hashem and great shall be the peace of your children"]. For when Torah scholars merit children who are Torah scholars — through their "blessing the Torah first," the bechina of Mordechai who "opened with words and expounded them" — through this: "great shall be the peace of your children," for through this peace is drawn, as above. And this is the bechina of what Admo"r z"l said: that Purim is hinted at in the secret of the verse "וְאִם מִפְּאַת פָּנָיו יִמָּרֵט רֹאשׁוֹ" ["and if from the side of his face his head becomes bald"] etc., which is an acrostic for Purim. For this verse speaks of the bechina of afflictions (nega'im), and afflictions come from coarseness of spirit (gasas ha'ruach), as Rashi explains in Parashas Metzora on the verse "וְעֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב וּשְׁנִי תוֹלַעַת" ["and cedar wood and hyssop and crimson thread"]. This is the bechina of Purim — for all the bechinot of Purim involve subduing the kelipah of Haman-Amalek, which is the bechina of pride and arrogance, as above. And this is the bechina of the four appearances of afflictions — corresponding to the four bechinot of lowliness mentioned above, which subdue and rectify the four appearances of afflictions that come from arrogance, as above. And this is what Rashi explains at the beginning of Parashas Tazria: "Rabbi Simlai said: just as the creation of a human being came after all the animals, birds, and fowl, so too his Torah [i.e., the laws pertaining to humans] was taught after all the animals and fowl." For the creation of the human being after all the animals etc. is for the above-mentioned reason: so that he should subdue the arrogance and merit Torah and the service of Hashem in truth. For it is impossible to merit Torah and service and repentance and good deeds — each person according to his bechina, from small to great — except through the shattering of pride and coarseness of spirit, as above. And for this purpose, the human being was created last, as our Rabbis z"l said: "The human being was created last so as to enter the banquet immediately." Another explanation: "so that if his mind becomes arrogant, one can say to him: a gnat preceded you in the work of Creation" — that is, the human being was created only for the purpose of engaging in Torah and the service of Hashem all his days. Therefore he was created last — so as to enter the banquet immediately — that is, so that everything he needs for his livelihood should already be prepared before him, and his mind should be settled through them to recognize the greatness of the Creator Yisborach. And therefore everything was created before the sixth day, and he was created on the sixth day close to Shabbos, after everything had already been created for his sake and prepared before him — so that he could enter the Shabbos meal immediately, without needing to wait or to disturb his mind with anything, but rather merit the Shabbos meal immediately: that he merit at once to engage in the service of Hashem. For this is the essential purpose of the Shabbos meal — the bechina of the future feast that the tzaddikim will merit, which Adam HaRishon was meant to merit immediately had he fulfilled His command Yisborach. And this is what our Rabbis z"l said there: "Another explanation: so that if his mind becomes arrogant, one says to him: a gnat preceded you" etc. — meaning, it is impossible to merit the above-mentioned holy feast even if one has free time from all other occupations and possesses all the riches of the world, except through lowliness. And immediately when one becomes arrogant and one's mind swells, one is told: a gnat preceded you — for then one is actually subservient before all the animals and birds and fowl, as our Rabbis z"l said: "If one merited — one rules over them; if one did not merit — one becomes subservient before them." And so too it is for every person even now — when Hashem Yisborach gives a person wealth and possessions — many animals and fowl and produce and fruits and garments etc. — as though everything had been created for him. And in truth it is so — for everything was created for him, so that he could enter the banquet etc. — that is, so he would engage in the service of Hashem. And through this he would merit the feast prepared for the tzaddikim etc. But each person according to his bechina — it is impossible to merit this except through true lowliness, as above. And immediately when one becomes arrogant and one's mind swells, one is brought down and told: a gnat preceded you, as above. It follows that the essential purpose of man's creation after all animals etc. is for the sake of lowliness — so that through this he merits Torah. And this is what the Torah hinted at in Parashas Tazria: by mentioning the law of the human when born — which is the bechina of the creation of the human being who is born and created and goes out as a new person into the world — and mentioning him at the end, after all animals, beasts, and birds — to say: just as his creation comes after all the animals, beasts, and birds — which is so that he should remember his lowliness — so too his Torah was expounded after all the beasts and birds. For they are one and the same bechina: the reason he was created last is itself also in order that he merit Torah through lowliness. And therefore his Torah was expounded last, just as his creation [came last] — for it is all one bechina. For even his creation last was for the sake of Torah — since one cannot merit Torah except through humility and lowliness. For this reason the human being was created last — as above. And therefore the laws of afflictions were juxtaposed to this — as they come from arrogance, as above. And this is what Admo"r z"l said there: that Purim rectifies the sin of Korach, as is hinted at in the above-mentioned verse. For the entire deficiency of Korach was his quarrel against the true tzaddik — which was Moshe — through his coarseness of spirit and pride, as our Rabbis z"l said. Therefore the rectification is on Purim, when the kelipah of Haman-Amalek — which is pride — is subdued. And through this, strife is nullified and peace is drawn. The bechina of "וְדֹבֵר שָׁלוֹם לְכָל זַרְעוֹ" ["and speaking peace to all his offspring"] — with which the Megillah concludes. For this is the essential rectification, as above. Translation from Likutay Halachos of Reb Nosson of Breslov (Yoreh Daya, Vol. II). נַ נַח נַחְמָ נַחְמָן מְאוּמָן