מלמדים א

And this is the aspect of tzedakah. For through the mitzvah of tzedakah one merits drawing upon oneself the light of the aforementioned holy nekudah, which is the aspect of tzadik. For one who gives tzedakah is in the aspect of a tzadik, as is brought, in the aspect of "a tzadik is gracious and gives" (Psalms 37:21) — which is the aspect of the aforementioned nekudah, which is the aspect of tzadik, the aspect of Yosef HaTzadik, who merited being great in tzedakah, as it is written, "And Yosef sustained his father and his brothers" (Genesis 47:12) etc. And through this he merited the aspect of the aforementioned nekudah, the aspect of "a tzadik rules" — which is the aspect of "And Yosef — he was the ruler" (as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah), as it is written, "And Yosef — he was the ruler, he was the provider" (Genesis 42:6) etc. For through being the provider and sustainer of the entire world with livelihood — the aspect of "a tzadik is gracious and gives," the aspect of a master of tzedakah — through this he merited the aspect of "And Yosef — he was the ruler," the aspect of "a tzadik rules," the aspect of the light of the aforementioned nekudah.

And therefore before tefilah one must give tzedakah, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For the primary purpose of tefilah is that the nekudah should illuminate from the mouth to the heart, in the aspect of "my mouth shall speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding" etc., as is explained there. Therefore one must first give tzedakah, in order to reveal and illuminate the light of the nekudah that is in the mouth — through the tzedakah, through which is the primary completeness of the tzadik, which is the aspect of the aforementioned nekudah, as mentioned above. And therefore the primary holy speech of the mouth (dibur peh dikedushah) is made through tzedakah, as our Master of blessed memory wrote (in Likutay Tinyana, Torah 15), as it is written, "In your mouth (b'ficha)" — this is tzedakah. And it is written, "The free-will offerings of my mouth, please accept, Hashem" (Psalms 119:108) — as is brought in his holy words. For the primary completeness of holy speech of the mouth is from the aforementioned nekudah, whose primary illumination is through tzedakah, as mentioned above. And this is the great greatness of tzedakah — that it is weighed as equal to the entire Torah, as our Sages of blessed memory elaborated at length regarding the immensity of the greatness of tzedakah. And before every holy matter, one must set aside tzedakah, as is brought in the seforim. For the primary generality of the Torah and all holy matters — everything is in order to merit the aspect of tzadik: to bind the nekudah to the heart, to rectify the sh'virah, to nullify all the desires, which are the evil loves — which are sitra d'mosa [the side of death] — drawn from the sh'viras keilim, as is known. Therefore tzedakah is the rectification for all this — for the primary completeness of the light of the nekudah is through tzedakah, as mentioned above. And this is what our Master of blessed memory wrote elsewhere (in Likutay Tinyana, Torah 4): that tzedakah is the beginning of all beginnings in the service of Hashem etc.; see there. For all the service of Hashem — everything is to illuminate the light of the nekudah, as mentioned above — and this one merits through tzedakah, as mentioned above. And the primary greatness of tzedakah is that through tzedakah one merits binding oneself at every time to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart at that particular time specifically, in the aspect of "Fortunate are those who guard justice (mishpat), who do tzedakah at every time (b'chol eis)" (Psalms 106:3). "At every time" specifically — for one must do tzedakah at every time, in order to bind oneself at every time to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart at that particular time specifically, as mentioned above. And this is: "Fortunate are those who guard mishpat." For the speaking between oneself and one's Creator — through which one binds the light of the nekudah to the heart, as mentioned above — this is the aspect of mishpat: one who judges and adjudicates himself and rebukes himself to fulfill the words of the Torah. And as is understood from the words of our Master of blessed memory elsewhere (in Torah 59), who calls hisbodedus and conversation between oneself and one's Creator by the name mishpat. And also because the primary thing is to bind oneself to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart at that time — and this is the aspect of mishpat. For mishpat is amuda d'emtza'isa [the middle pillar] — that is, one directs the mishpat and does not incline to the right or the left, but rather directs oneself to bind oneself to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart then, at that particular time specifically. In the aspect of "to execute the mishpat of His servant and the mishpat of His people Israel, the matter of each day in its day (d'var yom b'yomo)" (I Kings 8:59). "The matter of each day in its day" specifically — that is, as mentioned above: to direct the mishpat to bind oneself to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart on that day, as mentioned above. For there in that verse it speaks of tefilah and conversation between oneself and one's Creator, as it is written there at the beginning of the verse: "And let these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before Hashem, be near to Hashem our G-d day and night, to execute the mishpat of His servant" etc. "The matter of each day in its day" — that is, as mentioned above: that all the words and supplications that one makes before Hashem, blessed be He, should be in the aspect of mishpat, d'var yom b'yomo — to bind oneself at every time to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart on that day, as mentioned above. And this is what is written there: "to incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways" (I Kings 8:58) etc. For through the aspect of mishpat, the aspect of the aforementioned nekudah — through this one merits inclining the heart to Hashem, blessed be He, as mentioned above. And the connection of the verses is in the manner of "he teaches and then explains": at first one asks to "incline our hearts to Him" etc., and then he explains through what one merits this: through "and let these words of mine with which I have made supplication be near" etc. — that one should merit such hisbodedus that one's words should be close to Hashem, blessed be He, until He draws upon us the aspect of mishpat, the aspect of the aforementioned nekudah that pertains to our heart at that time — the aspect of d'var yom b'yomo. And through this one merits "to incline our hearts to Him, to walk in all His ways," as mentioned above. And this is: "Fortunate are those who guard mishpat" — who guard and direct the mishpat to bind oneself at every time to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart at that time, as mentioned above. This one merits through "doing tzedakah at every time," as mentioned above. For the primary coming-into-being of time (hishavus hazman) is through tzedakah and chesed, as is explained in the Story of the Seven Beggars, in the story of the Third Day; see there the entire story of the Third Day. It is explained there that the primary coming-into-being of time is through chasadim shel emes [true kindnesses]. Therefore, through tzedakah, which is the aspect of chasadim shel emes — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Tzedakah is repaid only according to the chesed in it, as it says, 'Sow for yourselves for tzedakah and reap according to chesed'" (Hosea 10:12) — therefore through tzedakah, time comes into being. Therefore through it one can bind oneself to the nekudah that pertains to one's heart at that time and moment — since all time comes into being through it, as mentioned above. And see in the aforementioned story of the Third Day, and you will find in it some allusions based on the aforementioned Torah. For it is explained there that there is a Heart of the World that cries out constantly to a Spring etc.; see there well this wondrous and awesome matter. And the matter in brief: there is a Spring that stands upon the mountain etc., and there is a Heart of the World that stands at the edge of the world. And this Heart cries out constantly to the Spring with intense longing etc., and also the Spring longs for the Heart. And this Heart has two weaknesses: one from the intensity of the longing and crying out — that it cries and longs constantly for the Spring; and the other from the sun that pursues it and burns it — because it longs and wants to go and draw close to the Spring. And there is no rest for the Heart except when the great bird comes and spreads its wings over it and shields it from the sun — then it has some respite. And also then, at the time of respite, it gazes also toward the Spring and yearns for it. But since it yearns for it so much, why does it not go and draw close to the Spring? But etc. And this Spring has no time etc. And the general principle: the primary sustaining of the Spring and the Heart in the world is through the K'vad Peh [the one who is "heavy of mouth"] mentioned above — who in truth possesses complete perfection of speech in the utmost completeness, only that he is called k'vad peh because he is heavy of mouth regarding speaking words that are not praises to Hashem, blessed be He. But in truth he possesses an awesome and exalted completeness of speech — for when he begins to speak his songs and riddles etc., they contain all wisdoms, such that there is no creature in the world that would not want to hear him. And this K'vad Peh goes and gathers all the chasadim shel emes and brings them to the Ish Chesed HaEmes [the Man of True Kindness] — and through this, time comes into being. And then he gives a day to the Heart, and the Heart gives the day to the Spring etc. And when this day travels and comes from where it comes — then it comes with wondrous riddles and songs, and everything is according to the day. For there are differences between the days — for there is the first day of the week and the second day etc. And similarly there is Rosh Chodesh and Yamim Tovim and Yom HaKippurim etc.; see there all this well. And although "no person can come to dry land to show this interpretation" — for exceedingly deep are His thoughts in the stories that he told, especially in this awesome story of the Seven Beggars, about which he said that it surpasses them all. And there is no single word in it that does not contain an awesome and exalted intention etc. — nevertheless, whatever allusions we are able to find, we are obligated to toil and find. For things spoken through ruach hakodesh, especially at such an exalted level, bear everything — all words of truth that one finds in them, each according to his understanding. And behold, in this story is explained somewhat the matter of the aforementioned Torah, which speaks of the binding of the heart to the nekudah — upon which depends the rectification of the worlds. For through the binding of the heart to the nekudah, the sh'virah is rectified — which is the rectification of everything. And this is the aspect of the aforementioned story: the Heart cries out constantly to the Spring etc. For the Spring is the root of all good nekudos, as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah — that the nekudah is the aspect of chochmah, a spring (ma'ayan); see there. And therefore the Heart cries out constantly to the Spring — for the primary rectification of the Heart, which is the rectification of the entire world, is through the nekudah, which is the aspect of the Spring, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of the weakness that the Heart has because the sun pursues and burns it — this alludes to the heat of the yetzer hara and the desires, which are the fallen loves, which are the charafos lev, sh'viras lev. They pursue the holy heart of the Jewish person and want to burn it, G-d forbid. For all the desires and preoccupations of this world and its confusions — all are called "under the sun (tachas hashemesh)," as is explained throughout the book of Koheles many times, as it is written there, "What profit is there for a person in all his toil that he toils under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:3). And it is written, "who has not seen the evil deed that is done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 4:3) — that it refers to all the evil deeds done in the world as being done "under the sun." For all the desires and all evil deeds and confusions — all are under time. For above time, there is no hold at all for evil deeds. And the primary marker of time is through the sun, which is the head of all the heavenly bodies through which Hashem, blessed be He, directs time — and therefore all time is called "under the sun." And there specifically is where what happens in the world happens: where each person is tested and refined — whether he will stand against the evil deeds done under the sun. And this holy and awesome Heart mentioned above — even though in truth it is completely clean of all the evil deeds done under the sun, for it speaks of a holy and exalted Heart, as is understood there — nevertheless, the blemishes of the pursuit of this world by other people of the world affect it, which is the aspect of the evil deeds done under the sun. In the aspect of "Indeed, our sicknesses he bore" (Isaiah 53:4), in the aspect of "he was wounded for our transgressions" etc. And this Heart cries out constantly to the Spring with awesome cries and intense longing — for from there is its vitality, as mentioned above. And also this longing and crying out to the Spring is considered a weakness — because it is beyond measure. But the primary rest of the Heart is when the great bird comes and spreads its wings, and then it has respite from the sun. And also then the Heart gazes and longs toward the Spring etc.; see there. And this matter can be alluded to based on what is explained in the Torah "V'yitein oz l'malko" (Torah 78); see there what is explained there regarding the immensity of the greatness of holy speech (dibur dikedushah), which is the primary vitality. And this is the aspect of: "Were it not for the wings of the lungs (kanfei re'ah) that fan upon the heart, the heart would burn the entire body." It is explained there that sometimes the heart burns for Hashem, blessed be He, exceedingly — but it is beyond measure, to the point that it could burn the entire body. But through speech of Torah and tefilah, this heat is cooled so that it should not be beyond measure. And similarly the reverse: sometimes, G-d forbid, a person burns toward the desires of this world so much that it too could burn the entire body, G-d forbid. But through speech of Torah and tefilah, this fire too is cooled. And this is the aspect of "Were it not for the wings of the lungs that fan upon the heart" etc. For the wings of the lungs are the Torah, and they fan upon the heart to save it from both aforementioned conflagrations. And the wings of the lungs — which are the words of Torah and tefilah, called "wings" (as is explained elsewhere) — this is the aspect of the wings of the great bird in the aforementioned story. And as is explained in the Tikunim regarding the aforementioned matter, where it says "were it not for the wings of the lungs that fan upon the heart, the heart would burn the entire body" — and it brings on this the verse: "And the keruvim spread their wings over the kapores" (Exodus 25:20) — "kaparta — this is the heart"; see there. It turns out that the wings of the lungs that hover over the heart — which are the aspect of the words of Torah and tefilah, as mentioned above — are the aspect of the wings of the keruvim, which are birds (tziporim). That is, the aspect of the wings of the great bird in the aforementioned story — that spreads its wings over the Heart and saves it from the burning and pursuit of the sun. And then the Heart has respite from both weaknesses, as is understood there in the aforementioned story. For both aforementioned weaknesses depend on each other: because the sun — which represents the desires of this world — pursues the Heart and burns it, therefore also the crying out and longing that the Heart cries and longs for the Spring is beyond measure and is considered a weakness. But when the bird comes and spreads its wings and saves it from the sun — that is, from the desires of time — then the second weakness is also nullified. For then the Heart does not cry and long except in measure and in graduated fashion. And this is what is written there: that also then, when the Heart has respite, also then it gazes and looks and beholds the Spring and longs for it etc.; see there. That is: even at the time of the Heart's respite, it also longs for the Spring — only that then the longing is in graduated fashion and in measure, because it has respite from the pursuit of the sun, which represents the desires of this world, as mentioned above. And behold, it is explained that the entire primary sustaining of the Heart of the World is through the Spring — at which it gazes and beholds and longs. And this is the sustaining of the entire world — for there is no sustaining without a heart, as is explained there. And the entire sustaining of the Heart and the Spring in the world — all is through the K'vad Peh, who gathers all the chasadim shel emes, from which time comes into being. Through which the Ish Emes gives a day to the Heart, and the Heart to the Spring — through which the Spring and the Heart can exist in the world. And then there is sustaining for the Heart through the crying out and longing and gazing toward the Spring, and similarly the Spring toward the Heart — through which they are bound together and vitality is drawn from the Spring to the Heart, and it has sustaining. And through this the entire world is sustained. And all this is the aspect of what was explained above: that through tzedakah — which is the aspect of chasadim shel emes, through which time comes into being — through this one can bind the heart to the nekudah, which is the aspect of the binding of the Heart to the Spring, as mentioned above. For from the aforementioned aspect explained in the aforementioned story — regarding the crying out of the Heart to the Spring — from there is drawn all hisbodedus and conversations between oneself and one's Creator and the cries etc. that the children of Israel cry from the heart to Hashem, blessed be He. For everything is from there — for the Heart in the aforementioned story is the root of the hearts of all Israel, and the Spring in the aforementioned story is the root of all the nekudos of all Israel, both collective and individual. And just as the aforementioned Heart has no vitality except from the Spring — at which it gazes constantly and longs for it and cries out to it constantly, through which vitality is drawn to it from the Spring, as is understood there in the aforementioned story — so too individually, the heart of every single Jew: its primary vitality and sustaining is through the longing and crying out to the nekudah whose root is from the aforementioned Spring. And this is the aspect of all hisbodedus and conversation and crying out between oneself and one's Creator. And this is the great greatness of tzedakah: through tzedakah, which is the aspect of chasadim shel emes — through this, time comes into being, together with all the songs and riddles, which are the holy and wondrous words of the K'vad Peh. Through all this is the primary sustaining and vitality of the Heart, which receives from the Spring, as mentioned above. For since all time comes into being through tzedakah and chesed, therefore through it one can bind oneself to the nekudah that is drawn from the Spring — that pertains to one's heart at that particular time specifically, as mentioned above. Halacha 5 is in Hilchos Shevuos 2. Continuation of LM I:34, §§10-13. Filed under Hilchos Tzedakah. Still based on the nekudah concept from Melamdim 4. §10: Tzedakah = drawing the light of the nekudah/tzadik upon oneself. "Tzadik chonein v'nosein" = Yosef HaTzadik who sustained the world → "Yosef hu hashalit." Give tzedakah before tefilah so nekudah illuminates from mouth to heart. "B'ficha" = tzedakah (LM II:15). "Nidvos pi r'tzei na Hashem." §11: Tzedakah = weighed as entire Torah. "Haschalas kol hahaschalos b'avodas Hashem" (LM II:4). All avodah = illuminating the nekudah → merited through tzedakah. §12: Primary greatness: through tzedakah one binds to the nekudah shayach l'libo b'chol eis. "Ashrei shomrei mishpat oseh tzedakah b'chol eis." Hisbodedus = mishpat (LM 59) = amuda d'emtza'isa. "D'var yom b'yomo" = nekudah of each day. "L'hatos l'vaveinu eilav." §13: The great section connecting LM I:34 to the Story of the Seven Beggars (Third Day). Tzedakah/chesed → time comes into being (chasadim shel emes). The Heart of the World cries to the Spring (= root of all nekudos). The Heart = root of all Jewish hearts. Two weaknesses: (1) excessive longing, (2) sun (= yetzer hara / desires / "tachas hashemesh" of Koheles). Great bird spreads wings = kanfei re'ah = words of Torah/tefilah (LM 78: "ilmalei kanfei re'ah d'nashbin al liba, havei liba okid kol gufa"). Keruvim = tziporim = the great bird. Kanfei re'ah cool both fires (burning for Hashem beyond measure AND burning for worldly desires). K'vad Peh gathers chasadim shel emes → time → day given to Heart → Heart to Spring → Heart gazes at Spring = hisbodedus/crying out to Hashem. Everything flows from this root. Tzedakah → hishavus hazman → binding heart to nekudah shayach l'libo ba'eis hazos.