עבדים

And this is the aspect of Purim, the aspect of Shekalim, the aspect of tzedakah [charity]. For the tzedakah that the wealthy person gives to the poor — through this the worlds become included: the upper in the lower and the lower in the upper. For the poor person is in the aspect of dwellers of the dust — the aspect of "He raises the poor from the dust" (Psalms 113:7). And the wealth that he has — the abundance of parnasah that is drawn from the Supreme Will, from the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as mentioned above — this is the aspect of daray ma'alah, as understood from the aforementioned discourse. 36

Based on what the Rebbe [Rabbainu, Admo"r] wrote [Likutay Moharan, Torah 266] — that the bechinas Torah emerges from the bechinas Sukkah, which is the bechinas Binah [Understanding], where the aspect of "a woman's breasts" abides — and this is the very distinction between Adam [a human being] and bihaima [an animal], for the animals suckle from the aspect of "an animal's breasts" — see there.

It follows, therefore, that the essential purpose of the Torah is to emerge from the realm of bihaima to the realm of Adam. And for this reason, the nations of the world who did not receive the Torah are not called Adam, as it is written: "And My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men [Adam]; you are called Adam…" [Ezekiel 34:31] — for since they did not receive the Torah, they do not suckle from the bechinas human breast, which corresponds to Binah — that is, the aspect of "mother of understanding" (em la'binah), from which the Torah flows. Therefore they suckle instead from the animal-breast aspect, and are thus in the realm of behemos [animals].

It emerges that when the wealth is in holiness, one merits the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon — in the aspect of "after the master of goods, the wood is drawn" [i.e. desire follows wealth] — for the Ratzon is drawn to the wealth, because there, in the abundance of wealth and parnasah, the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon is clothed, as mentioned above — in the aspect of abundant will and "filled with the blessing of Hashem" (Deuteronomy 33:23). And when the wealthy person bestows upon the poor from his money and thereby literally gives him life — this is the aspect of "awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust." For the poor person who has no parnasah — his da'as is not complete. And this is [the meaning of] "there is no poor person except in da'as" (Nedarim 41a) — for it is all one. And when one draws abundance to him and gives him parnasah, through this one draws to him the aspect of the illumination of da'as, the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon mentioned above, from which parnasah of holiness is drawn. And then the poor and the rich are included together — the giver and the receiver, who are the aspect of daray ma'alah and daray matah — and they become included together. 37

For this reason, the Sefer Torah must be written specifically upon the hides of animals — in order to elevate the bechinas bihaima to the bechinas Adam: that what was once merely animal hide becomes now a Sefer Torah, which is the bechinas Adam, as explained above. As it is written: "This is the Torah of a human being [zos ha'Torah Adam]." [Numbers 19:14] Thus it ascends from the bechinas bihaima to the bechinas Adam — which is the very essence of the Torah's purpose, as above.

And "more than what the householder does for the poor, the poor does for the householder" (Vayikra Rabbah 34:8). For through this itself — that one gives tzedakah from his money to a worthy poor person — through this itself the Ratzon is drawn to him. For certainly not every person merits that the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon should be revealed to him through the parnasah that he receives. But through tzedakah all his money is rectified, and he merits that the illumination of the Ratzon — which is clothed and hidden within the parnasah, for from there the parnasah is drawn, as mentioned above — should be revealed and shine. For the essence of tzedakah is only the Ratzon — the aspect of nedivas lev [generosity of heart], as it is written: "Let your heart not feel bad when you give to him, for on account of this thing Hashem your G-d will bless you" (Deuteronomy 15:10). "On account of this thing," specifically — that is, through the good will — that his heart should not feel bad, etc. — rather, he should give with good will. Through this he merits that the illumination of the Ratzon should shine upon him. And through this "Hashem your G-d will bless you" — for the essence of blessing and parnasah is drawn from there, from the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, etc., as mentioned above. 38

And for this reason, every person is obligated to write a Sefer Torah for himself — for every person must receive the Torah, as it is written: "Not with you alone do I forge this covenant… but with whoever is here with us…" [Deuteronomy 29:13–14] — meaning that every person must break free from and emerge out of the bechinas bihaimeyus [animalistic nature] into the bechinas Adam, and this itself is the meaning of receiving the Torah that each individual receives anew in every generation.

For through the wealthy giving tzedakah from his money to the poor, through this the two aforementioned aspects are achieved — which are the aspect of the illumination of son and student, the aspect of the illumination of daray ma'alah and daray matah, as explained in the aforementioned discourse — see there. For the wealthy — who is the aspect of giver — is in the aspect of daray ma'alah, as mentioned above and as brought there. And the poor — who is the aspect of receiver — is in the aspect of daray matah, the aspect of a mirror that does not shine of its own, d'leis lah migarmeih klum [it has nothing of its own], as is known. And as brought in the aforementioned discourse, the illumination of daray ma'alah and daray matah are the aspect of the shining mirror — the aspect of the perception of Moshe — and the mirror that does not shine — see there. 39

And therefore one must specifically write the Torah — for the writing upon animal hide, as above, is the bechinas receiving the Torah: that the bechinas bihaima ascends to the bechinas Adam. This is the receiving of the Torah in every person and in every era, as above. For even the act of writing itself, and all of its aspects, must all be turned over [transformed] — elevating the bechinas bihaima to the bechinas Adam: for writing is an act of asiyah [physical doing], and asiyah is the bechinas bihaimeyus — for even an animal has asiyah, in that it performs various tasks, except that its doing is without intellect; but a human being's deed is with intellect, and the essence of intellect is the Torah, as it is written: "For it is your wisdom…" [Deuteronomy 4:6].

And the poor person — who is in the aspect of daray matah, in the aspect of dwellers of the dust — at times the poverty can cause him to transgress the will of his Creator, G-d forbid. For since he does not have the abundance of parnasah that is drawn from the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the aspect of the perception of da'as — therefore, since he does not receive this abundance, the da'as is also damaged, G-d forbid. And through drawing abundance to him and giving him parnasah, through this one illuminates upon him the illumination of the Ratzon, the aspect of da'as, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of "awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust" — for "the whole earth is full of His glory". His glory is the aspect of Ratzon, as Rabbeinu of blessed memory wrote — the aspect of "a person's will is his honor". And this is the aspect of "the whole earth is full of His glory." On the contrary — there, in the aspect of earthliness, in the aspect of poverty — there it is full of His glory and His will. For the poor person is close to Hashem, blessed be He, more than anyone in the world, as is known. 40

Thus, when one writes a Sefer Torah, he elevates the asiyah — i.e., the writing — to intellect, i.e., the Torah, which is the bechinas Adam, which is the intellect. It follows that he elevates the bechinas bihaima, which is the bechinas asiyah, to the bechinas Adam, i.e., the intellect which is the Torah, as above.

And conversely, the wealthy person must be aroused with the perception of daray ma'alah — which is the aspect of "Where is the place of His glory?" etc. For the abundance of wealth at its root is from a very exalted place — from the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon. And it would truly be fitting that the person who has wealth and all good should be very close to Hashem, blessed be He. But what we see is the opposite — that for the most part, through wealth a person becomes very distant from Hashem, blessed be He. This comes from the aspect of an excess of light — the aspect of "and his eyes grew dim from seeing" (Genesis 27:1) — that he cannot receive such great good from Hashem, blessed be He. And through this he is damaged even more and becomes distant from Hashem, blessed be He, when he does not merit to sanctify and purify himself to properly receive the wealth in holiness, as explained in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory elsewhere, in the discourse "Ki seitzei lamilchamah" (Likutay Moharan II, 82) — see there. 41

And so it is likewise taught in the words of the Rebbe, his light shine [Likutay Moharan, Torah 19] — that things that are written are in the bechinas asiyah, the bechinas bihaimeyus — for writing is for remembrance, and memory resides in the imaginative faculty (koach ha'medameh), and even an animal has memory — see there. Thus writing, which is for remembrance, is the bechinas bihaimeyus. And for this reason we were commanded specifically to write the Sefer Torah for remembrance, as it is written: "Write this as a remembrance in the Book [ba'sefer]." [Exodus 17:14] — specifically ba'sefer, meaning on parchment made from animal hide — for the writing that serves as remembrance must be specifically upon animal hide, as above, in order to elevate the bechinas bihaima to the bechinas Adam. And this is likewise [the meaning of]: "And now, write for yourselves this song…" [Deuteronomy 31:19] — "…so that this song shall testify for Me against them, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants." [ibid. v. 21] For we are confident that the Torah will not be forgotten even in the intensity of the exile and the strengthening of the sitra achra, G-d forbid, as it is written: "And I will utterly conceal My face…" [Deuteronomy 31:18] — and yet: "…it will not be forgotten…" [ibid. v. 21] — all of this because of the writing of the Torah. Since we write the Torah, we convert the bechinas bihaima into the bechinas Adam, and establish the memory of Torah precisely through the bechinas bihaimeyus. And therefore we are confident that forgetfulness — which is the bechinas bihaima, as stated in the Rebbe's words [Likutay Moharan, Torah 37] — will not prevail, since we have already subdued it and from it, contrariwise, we draw the power of remembrance. And for this reason, "things that are written one may not recite by heart" [Talmud, Gittin 60b] — for one must specifically write them, as above, for this is the very essence of the Torah — to elevate the realm of bihaima to the bechinas Adam, as above. But things that are [transmitted] orally one may not recite in writing — based on what was written above in the Laws of Forbidden Mixtures [Hilchos Ta'arovos, Halacha 1] — see there carefully. And the general principle is: the bechinas Torah she'bichsav [the Written Torah] is the bechinas perfection of the holy tongue descending from Above, which is entirely the opposite of evil — for example, the Torah warns against performing some act; thus there is here evil and good: when one transgresses the Torah it is wholly evil, and when one fulfills the Torah's words it is wholly good. It follows that the Torah entirely subdues the evil. And therefore we write it, and the writing is upon animal hide in order to elevate the bechinas bihaimeyus to the bechinas Adam, as above, and to convert from the inverse to its inverse — from evil to good, from animal to human — which is the very nature of the Torah. However, since there is here both evil and good, there is here the power of free choice, which mediates between good and evil, and then there inevitably emerges a bechinas aytz ha'daas tov va'ra [the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil], which is a mixture of good with evil, etc. Corresponding to this is the bechinas Torah she'be'al peh [Oral Torah], which corresponds to the kelippos aytz ha'daas — the bechinas nogah — in order to separate and clarify between the valid and the disqualified, between the forbidden and the permitted — to separate the good from the evil, to elevate the good to holiness and to subdue the evil. [See the Laws of Forbidden Mixtures, above.] And therefore it is forbidden to write it, for then, on the contrary, G-d forbid, the bechinas bihaimeyus would be strengthened, since it is in the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge, etc., as above. Rather, one must say it orally, for speech is the mediating factor — for it stands between heaven and earth, as the Rebbe wrote [Likutay Moharan, Torah 11] about "the bird that stands between heaven and earth" — and through speech one can separate between evil and good, clarify the good, and subdue the evil, as above. Based on the teaching that begins in [Likutay Moharan,] Torah 22 — the fifth chapter of Sifra de'Tzniusa: "Beraishis bara — Beraishis: a whole utterance; bara: half an utterance — Father and Son, concealed and revealed, etc." — Know that there is a chosom [seal], etc. — see the entire teaching there carefully. Behold, the general principle is: through [declaring] Na'aseh v'Nishma ["We will do and we will hear" — Exodus 24:7] one merits simchah [joy]. And Na'aseh v'Nishma are the bechinas crowns with which Israel was crowned at Chorev [Sinai], and they are the bechinas concealed and the revealed — which are the bechinas Toras Hashem and Toraso ["the Torah of Hashem" and "his Torah" — Psalms 1:2], the bechinas Torah and prayer. For the Na'aseh [We will do] is the bechinas revealed — the bechinas Torah and Toraso; and the Nishma [We will hear] is the bechinas prayer, the bechinas Toras Hashem, the bechinas concealed. And every person must go from level to level — striving to make from the Nishma a Na'aseh, from prayer Torah, from the concealed the revealed, etc. For in every world and at every level there is the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma, and the bechinas Nishma at this level — for this person — is already the bechinas Na'aseh, the bechinas revealed, for another person or at a higher level. And so on, from level to level, from world to world. And when one makes from the Nishma a Na'aseh, from the concealed the revealed — then there is a higher Nishma awaiting him, and so on from world to world, without end — see all of this there carefully. And through Na'aseh v'Nishma one merits joy, and through joy one merits holy boldness (azus d'kedushah) in the form of holy voices (kolos), and through holy boldness one enters into holiness and draws near to the Seven Shepherds (shivas ha'ro'im), who are the totality of Israel's faith — they draw faith down to Israel, and through this one fills the hands and draws illumination from the Seven Shepherds, and one merits the seal of the hands — which is the seal of faith — and through this one merits the two seals. For everything depends on faith, etc. — see there carefully. This, then, is the bechinas mitzvah of writing the Sefer Torah — that every individual in Israel must write a Sefer Torah for himself, or at minimum correct a single letter in one, which is likewise considered as if he himself wrote it entirely. But one who merely purchases a Sefer Torah — it is as one who snatches a mitzvah from the marketplace — for every individual in Israel must receive the Torah anew, as it is written: "which I command you today" [Deuteronomy 6:6], and our Sages expounded [Sifrai]: "Let them be in your eyes each day as if they were new." The essential receiving of the Torah in every person and at every time is through the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma described above. For every single person in Israel, from the smallest to the greatest — each according to his own bechinas — has his own bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma: what he knows and understands — that is his bechinas Na'aseh, the bechinas revealed, the bechinas Torah, etc., as above; and what is hidden and concealed from him — that is his bechinas Nishma, the bechinas prayer, as above. And every person must strive to receive the Torah at all times anew — that is, to merit each time to attain and understand what was previously concealed and hidden from him, and to make from the Nishma a Na'aseh, from the concealed the revealed, etc., as above. And then he will have a yet higher Nishma. And thereafter he must continue further, from level to level, to make from that Nishma a Na'aseh — and then an even higher Nishma awaits him — and so he shall go always, from level to level, emerging each time from this Na'aseh v'Nishma into a yet higher Na'aseh v'Nishma, and so on forever. This is the bechinas writing the Sefer Torah — for the script of the Sefer Torah is the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma: drawing the bechinas Nishma down into the lower realm and making from it a bechinas Na'aseh. For one must write the Sefer Torah lishmah [for its own sake] specifically — for if one did not write it in the name of the holiness of the Sefer Torah, it is disqualified, for holiness has not descended upon it; and one must likewise write all the [Divine] Names in it in the name of the holiness of the Name. The intention the scribe must have — to write it lishmah, for the sake of the holiness of the Sefer Torah and the holiness of the Name — this intention is the bechinas Nishma, the bechinas prayer, which is the bechinas deveikus [cleaving] and bitul [self-nullification] to the Infinite, for from there all holiness is drawn. And the scribe must, prior to writing, attach his thought to Hashem Yisborach — which is the bechinas Nishma as above — in order to draw from there the holiness: that he write it for the name of Hashem Yisborach, for the holiness of the Sefer Torah, and for the holiness of the Name. And with this intention he must write the Sefer Torah. And then, as he writes the letters of the Torah with the intention directed toward Hashem for the sake of holiness, he draws the bechinas Nishma — the bechinas concealed, the bechinas light of the Infinite — into the letters that are inscribed in the Sefer Torah, which are the bechinas Na'aseh, the bechinas physical doing. Thus he draws from the Nishma into the Na'aseh — from Toras Hashem into Toraso, etc., as above. And this is "Black fire upon white fire" — which is the bechinas writing the Sefer Torah. For the Nishma — which is the bechinas concealed — is the bechinas black fire, for the Nishma is called "black" because it cannot be grasped, as in "He set darkness as His concealment" [Psalms 18:12] — the secrets of the Torah are called bechinas darkness and blackness, due to the depth of the attainable, as stated in the words of the Rebbe of blessed memory in the aforementioned teaching — "Whoever wishes to taste the flavor of the hidden light, etc." [Torah 15]. And one must draw the concealed — which is the bechinas black fire — into the bechinas revealed — which is the bechinas white fire — and this is the bechinas writing the Sefer Torah: black fire upon white fire. That is, making the concealed revealed — for when the black fire is drawn into the white fire, meaning when the letters of the Torah are drawn from their root downward until they are inscribed upon the Sefer, then we can understand and grasp them somewhat, and then the concealed becomes revealed, the Nishma becomes Na'aseh. Thus the writing of the Sefer Torah is the bechinas making the Nishma into the Na'aseh. And therefore every person must specifically write for himself his own Sefer Torah — for every person has his own Na'aseh v'Nishma unique to him and his level. And certainly one cannot fulfill [the obligation] with the Sefer Torah written by someone else — for one must attain and receive his own specific Nishma: for another person has a different Na'aseh v'Nishma — either higher or lower than his. If the other is higher, he certainly cannot receive his [friend's] Nishma. And if the other is lower than him — then how can he fulfill [his obligation] with that person's Sefer Torah, which was made from a lower Nishma into a Na'aseh, since he has already surpassed that level and needs a yet higher Nishma? Therefore one must specifically write the Sefer Torah for himself, in order to attain and receive the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma appropriate to his level — and this is the bechinas writing the Sefer Torah lishmah, as above. This is the bechinas Written Torah and the Oral Torah. Hashem Yisborach transmitted His Torah in writing — comprising both Na'aseh v'Nishma — but the person must go each time from level to level and attain new things continually, and emerge from this Na'aseh v'Nishma to a yet higher one. Therefore He did not wish to write and to clarify the entire Torah in writing alone; rather He transmitted the Torah in written and oral forms — for the Written Torah in general is the bechinas Na'aseh — since writing is the bechinas asiyah — and the Oral Torah, which is the bechinas malchus, the bechinas prayer, is the bechinas Nishma. For the essence of the Oral Torah is what the true sages innovate in every generation — whom we are commanded to heed, as it is written: "You shall not deviate from the word, etc." [Deuteronomy 17:11] — and all the innovations and elucidations that the sages derive and introduce in the Torah through the thirteen hermeneutical principles, which are the bechinas Oral Torah, are the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma: making from the Nishma a Na'aseh — for at first they did not understand the Torah's exposition and its innovations, and now through their clarification and innovation the meaning is revealed — what had previously been concealed from us. Thus the Oral Torah is the bechinas Nishma. And therefore the Torah was given both in writing and orally, and every person must engage in both the Written and the Oral Torah — for every person must engage in Na'aseh v'Nishma and ascend at all times from level to level, to innovate in the Torah and to attain the concealed within the Torah and to make from the Nishma a Na'aseh — which is the very essence of the Oral Torah, as above. This is the bechinas Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos. For Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma — the bechinas Written Torah and the Oral Torah — which are the bechinas "writing hand" and the "sealing hand," as stated in the Tikunim [Tikun 18, folio 33]: "The 'writing hand' — that is the Written Torah; the 'sealing hand' — that is the Oral Torah." For Rosh Hashanah is the bechinas Written Torah — the "writing hand" — since on Rosh Hashanah "it is written" [in the books of life and death]. And therefore on Rosh Hashanah we engage with the Written Torah — for in the prayer we say Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofros [Sovereignties, Remembrances, and Ram's-horn blasts] which consist of verses from the Written Torah — for "This day is the beginning of Your works" [High Holiday liturgy]. For on this day the first Man (Adam ha'Rishon) was created, and the essential purpose of the creation of Man was for the receiving of the Torah, which is the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma. But at the very beginning of creation, one can only attain the first Na'aseh v'Nishma, which is the bechinas Written Torah — where the Na'aseh is the body of the Torah text, and the Nishma is its explanation and commentary. And thereafter, when one has merited to know some explanation and commentary, one must proceed from level to level to attain an even higher explanation and innovation — and so on further, until one attains the secrets within secrets of the Torah — rozin and rozin d'rozin [mysteries and mysteries of mysteries] — but at the start, the Na'aseh v'Nishma is in the bechinas Written Torah, as above. And therefore on Rosh Hashanah, which is the beginning of creation, it is the bechinas Written Torah as above, and therefore in the prayer we say many verses from Torah, Prophets, and Writings — which is the Written Torah — which is the bechinas making from Torah a prayer, for we mention many verses of Torah in the prayer at that time. For it is taught in the Rebbe's words — to make from Torah a prayer — as he warned us many times: that whatever quality a person learns, whatever good conduct he encounters, he should pray to Hashem Yisborach that he merit it, to fulfill the Torah that he has learned. And it would seem at first glance that in the aforementioned teaching the opposite is implied — for there it is clarified to make from prayer Torah, as above. But in truth, on the contrary, the aforementioned teaching beautifully clarifies the matter of making from Torahs prayers — for there it is explained that Torah and prayer are the bechinas concealed and revealed, and they are Toras Hashem and Toraso, etc., as above. Behold, prior to the time that a person merits to fulfill the words of the Torah, all of the Torah is in the bechinas concealed for him — for the essential thing is the fulfillment of the Torah, since "not study is primary but action" [Avos 1:17] — and at that point all the Torah that he has not yet merited to fulfill is in the bechinas concealed for him — the bechinas prayer. And then he must make from the Torah a prayer — that is, he must pray to Hashem Yisborach that He grant him the merit to fulfill all the words of the Torah that he has not yet merited to fulfill, which is the bechinas concealed for him, as above. Thus he is making from the Torah a prayer — for the Torah that he has not yet merited to fulfill, which is the bechinas concealed for him, is itself in the bechinas prayer, as above. And afterward, when he merits to have his request answered before Hashem Yisborach and his prayer is accepted — and he merits to reach [that level] and to fulfill all the words of the Torah and the commandments he prayed for — then the Nishma becomes Na'aseh, Toras Hashem becomes Toraso, prayer becomes Torah. And then he has a yet higher Nishma, etc. — meaning he now prays to attain the mysteries and deeper intentions within the commandments, and so on from level to level. [(Thus everything is one — for what was written "to make from the Torah a prayer" refers to the Torah he has not yet merited to fulfill or attain, which is itself what was described in this teaching as making from the Nishma a Na'aseh and from prayer Torah — for the Torah he has not yet merited to fulfill, etc., is in the bechinas prayer, etc. — and it is all one.)] And therefore on Rosh Hashanah — which is the beginning of creation — the Written Torah itself is in the bechinas prayer, for we are then beginning to recognize Hashem Yisborach, and at that point we must pray that Hashem grant us the merit of the first Na'aseh v'Nishma, which is the bechinas writing the Torah, the bechinas Written Torah, as above. And therefore we make from the verses of the Written Torah a prayer — for they are still for us in the bechinas prayer, the bechinas concealed, as above. And this is what we pray on Rosh Hashanah: "And therefore place Your awe, Hashem our G-d, upon all Your works, and Your dread upon all You have created, that all creatures fear You…" [High Holiday liturgy] — that is, we pray that the Nishma become Na'aseh, for the Nishma is the bechinas awe (yirah) — the bechinas beraishis yoray boashes [the primal awe-shame], as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore we beseech Hashem Yisborach that His awe and dread be drawn upon all the deeds (ma'asim) — the bechinas Na'aseh — so that the Nishma should be revealed upon all the Na'aseh, and the Na'aseh will be made from the Nishma, as above. And this is the bechinas Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofros. Malchuyos — that is the bechinas Nishma, which is the bechinas prayer, the bechinas Malchus — for the Nishma, which is the concealed that we wish to attain, is the bechinas Malchus of the higher level: the lowest aspect of the higher level, for the general principle is that one can only grasp from level to level the lowest aspect of the higher level, as is explained elsewhere. Zichronos — that is the bechinas Na'aseh: drawing from the Nishma into the Na'aseh — the bechinas writing — as above; which is the bechinas Zichronos, the bechinas "Write this as a remembrance in the Book" — drawing and revealing from the Nishma into the Na'aseh until it is written in a Book for remembrance, so that we remember Him always. For in truth no thought can grasp Him at all — but we must believe in Him Yisborach and attach our thoughts to Him always — which is the bechinas Nishma, the bechinas prayer, the bechinas bitul and deveikus to the Infinite — until we merit that some attainment and knowledge of His Torah should be revealed to us, which is His oneness — for "the Torah and the Holy One Blessed is He and Israel are all one" — and through this we know something of Him from His greatness and exaltedness and glory Yisborach. And we must bind this knowledge in our heart to remember it forever — in the bechinas writing, in the bechinas "Write them upon the tablet of your heart" [Proverbs 3:3] — so that we never forget Him. Thus when one makes the Nishma into a Na'aseh, this is the bechinas remembrance — the bechinas "Write this as a remembrance in the Book" — as above. And this is the bechinas Zichronos said on Rosh Hashanah. Thus Malchuyos and Zichronos are the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma. And through Na'aseh v'Nishma one merits joy, and through joy one merits holy boldness — the bechinas holy voices. And this is the bechinas Shofros — and this is the bechinas shofar-blast on Rosh Hashanah alongside Malchuyos, Zichronos, and Shofros. For the sound of the shofar is the bechinas holy boldness — the bechinas "He gives His voice a mighty voice" [Psalms 68:34] — as explained in the aforementioned teaching: that this is attained through Na'aseh v'Nishma, as above. And through holy boldness — the sound of the shofar — one enters into holiness and draws near to the totality of the Seven Shepherds who draw down holy faith to Israel — for this is the essential service of Rosh Hashanah: to merit complete faith, as stated in the Rebbe's words in many places. And this is the bechinas Ten Days of Repentance and Yom Kippur. For afterward, one must ascend each time from level to level in order to attain a yet higher Nishma. And this depends upon teshuvah [repentance] — for when one wishes to ascend from this Na'aseh v'Nishma to a yet higher one, there must be a descent before the ascent — for "the descent is for the sake of the ascent" [Likutay Moharan I, 22]. As our Sages said: "Dovid was not suited to that act, nor were Israel suited, etc. — but only in order to teach the path of repentance" [Avodah Zarah 4b] — see all of this in the aforementioned teaching. And when one merits the ascent through the descent — that is, when one merits to attain the Nishma and the concealed — then the descent is transformed into an ascent: all the transgressions [avonos], which are the bechinas descent, are transformed into merits and the transgressions become Torah. And this is what is alluded to there in the aforementioned teaching — the matter of the verse: "On that day the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none" [Jeremiah 50:20] — that in the future, Israel's transgressions will become Torah; and they will search and seek Israel's transgressions in order to find more iniquity, in order for more Torah to be made from it — for they will all be included in the Infinite, in the bechinas "there shall be none" — they will all be absorbed into the Ayin [Nothingness], etc. — see there. For when one merits to attain the Nishma and the concealed, ascending from level to level, one is then included in the Infinite — for the Nishma is the bechinas Infinite, as understood from the aforementioned teaching — and then the descent is transformed into ascent and all transgressions are transformed into merits. And all of this one merits through teshuvah — for teshuvah is very lofty and transcends the Torah in the bechinas secrets of Torah — the bechinas Nishma — the bechinas prayer. And one who has fallen into some fall from the service of Hashem — and even if at times, G-d forbid, one fell into an actual great fall of transgressions, G-d forbid, Heaven have mercy — must strengthen himself greatly, greatly, never to despair, G-d forbid, as is explained by us many times. And when he does not despair and strengthens himself and returns to Hashem with his whole heart — then through that very repentance he merits a great ascent specifically through that fall, for "the descent is the ultimate purpose of the ascent," since through the fall he merited repentance through which he merited the Nishma and the concealed — to ascend from level to level, from this Na'aseh v'Nishma to a higher one. And then he is included in the Infinite and all transgressions are transformed into merits. And this is the bechinas Ten Days of Repentance and Yom Kippur — for on Rosh Hashanah is the beginning, and on Yom Kippur is the conclusion. For all our service in these days is to "saw" [separate and build] the Malchus [Kingship] — and Malchus is faith (emunah) — for the essence is faith: we must reveal the faith in the world, which is the bechinas revelation of His sovereignty. For through faith one knows that He Yisborach is King over all the earth — and this is the essence of our request on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as we say: "And therefore, Hashem our G-d, place Your awe upon all Your works…" and "…that You alone, Hashem, will reign over the entire world in Your glory…" and "…let every creature know that You made it…" and "…and everything that has a soul in its nostrils shall say: 'Hashem G-d of Israel is King and His sovereignty rules over all.'" And similarly many [prayers] — for our entire intention and longing and prayers are that His faith and sovereignty be revealed to all the world's inhabitants. For this is the bechinas "sawing" of the Malchus — that the Malchus and the faith should not remain hidden within Him Yisborach, at which point nothing of Him Yisborach can be known at all — for no thought can grasp Him at all, and He Yisborach can only be known through holy faith. Therefore in these days we engage in repentance — for they are the Ten Days of Repentance. And through each and every repentance performed on each day of the Ten Days, one merits to ascend from level to level and to attain a yet higher Nishma — in the bechinas "descent for the sake of ascent" — for the transgressions are turned into merits through repentance. And according to the level of Na'aseh v'Nishma attained each day, so too does one merit holy boldness — the bechinas kolos — and likewise one merits to draw down holy faith into the world, as all this is explained and understood clearly in the aforementioned teaching. The essential conclusion is on Yom Kippur — for then is the essential forgiveness and atonement, and one merits complete repentance, and Hashem Yisborach forgives the transgressions of His people Israel, and all the transgressions are transformed into merits. And therefore the essential receiving of the Torah is on Yom Kippur — for then Hashem Yisborach was appeased with Moshe and said to him "I have forgiven" for the sin of the Golden Calf, and then Moshe descended with the Tablets — which are the bechinas two witnesses made from Na'aseh v'Nishma — for the Tablets encompass both Written and Oral Torah, which are the bechinas two Tablets in his two hands — right hand and left hand — which are Written and Oral Torah as is known — the "writing hand" and the "sealing hand." For on Yom Kippur "it is sealed" — for then the judgment is concluded, the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma is completed in full, which are the bechinas Written and Oral Torah, as above. For on Yom Kippur one merits the highest Nishma — for one is then included in the Infinite with utter bitul, as it will be in the future — for Yom Kippur is the bechinas World to Come, which has neither eating nor drinking, as is known. And therefore on this holy day, all sins, transgressions, and iniquities committed throughout the entire year are confessed — for now they become Torah from all the transgressions, for they all become merits through the complete repentance done then. And therefore specifically through the confession of transgressions one merits the highest Nishma attained on Yom Kippur — which is the most sublime secrets of Torah — in the bechinas "descent for the sake of ultimate ascent," as above — for the transgressions are transformed into merits and from them the most sublime Torah is made — the secrets of Torah. And then on Yom Kippur is fulfilled: "On that day the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none" — "shall be sought" specifically, as above. And therefore on Yom Kippur the fullness of prayer is attained — one merits five prayers — for then one attains the highest Nishma, which is the bechinas prayer, as above. And therefore on Yom Kippur faith is completed and shines with an exceedingly great light — for then one merits Na'aseh v'Nishma in perfect completeness, through which one merits complete faith, as above. And this is the bechinas five immersions (tevilos) that the High Priest immerses on that day each time he changes from the golden vestments to the white vestments and from the white vestments back to the golden vestments. At first glance it is difficult: for immersing when changing from golden to white vestments — i.e., from the outer service to the inner service — is understandable, since he is entering a higher level of holiness; but when changing from white to golden vestments — from the inner to the outer — why must he immerse? But in truth, according to the above explanation, this is well understood — for the "outer" and "inner" are the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma, the bechinas revealed and concealed. And therefore, immediately when the High Priest entered into the innermost chamber, the place of the Ark, and performed the inner service — and thereby attained the Nishma that is the bechinas concealed — and made from the Nishma a Na'aseh — then he merited a yet higher Nishma. And when he came out to the outer, he performed the outer service from the level of the bechinas Nishma he had at the beginning — for now he had attained a higher Na'aseh v'Nishma. Therefore he certainly must immerse even when going from inner to outer — for each time he is ascending to a higher level of Na'aseh v'Nishma, as above. And this is the bechinas holy voices (kolos) one merits on Yom Kippur — for the five afflictions (inuyim) correspond to five holy voices, as stated in the holy writings — for through Na'aseh v'Nishma one merits voices which are the bechinas holy boldness, as above. And therefore the essential illumination of Yom Kippur is the bechinas kolos, as is known — for then is the essential receiving of the Torah in the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma, as above — through which one merits holy boldness, which is the bechinas kolos, as above. And therefore during all Ten Days of Repentance the holy voices are awakened, and we say each day: "From the depths I have called You, O Hashem — Hashem, hear my voice…" [Psalms 130:1–2] And through this the Malchus — which is the bechinas faith — is "sawn": for the essential faith is received through the voices, which are the bechinas boldness — through which one draws near to the Seven Shepherds, through whom one merits the holy faith, as above. And this is what we say: "If You preserve iniquities, etc., for with You is forgiveness, so that You shall be feared." [Psalms 130:3–4] — For through the forgiveness of transgressions — through which the transgressions are turned into merits — and "the descent is the ultimate ascent" — then one merits to make the Nishma a Na'aseh, etc., as above. And the Nishma is the bechinas awe (yirah) — the bechinas beraishis yoray boashes — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And this is: "for with You is forgiveness, so that You shall be feared" — for through the forgiveness of transgressions, through which one merits to attain the Nishma, one thereby merits awe, for the Nishma is the bechinas yirah, as above. And this is the bechinas Sukkah, made after Yom Kippur. For the essential element of the Sukkah is the sechach [the roof-covering] — the bechinas "mother who shelters over her children" (Imma d'mesakchas al benin). And the essential sechach is from the waste of the threshing floor and winepress (psoles goren v'yekev). And in this we demonstrate the greatness of our power and the immensity of Hashem's kindness — for here we see that He Yisborach has forgiven us all our transgressions, and all the transgressions have been transformed into merits, and from Israel's transgressions Torah has been made. For this we see through the mitzvah of Sukkah — that specifically from the psoles [refuse, remnants] the Sukkah is made — which is the bechinas Israel's transgressions being transformed into merits. For when the transgressions are transformed into merits and from them Torah is made, this Torah is specifically the secrets of Torah (sispray Torah) — the bechinas Nishma, as above — the bechinas teshuvah, which transcends the Torah. And this is the bechinas Sukkah — for Sukkah is very lofty and is the bechinas secrets of Torah, the bechinas teshuvah, the bechinas Imma d'mesakchas al benin — "and call understanding a mother" [Proverbs 7:4] — which is the bechinas secrets of Torah. Thus the Sukkah is the bechinas Nishma, the bechinas secrets of Torah. And it is specifically made from the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress — which are the bechinas chaff and straw — which are the husks that cover the grain — which are the bechinas transgressions — and specifically from them is the Sukkah made. For all this we merit on Yom Kippur — when Hashem Yisborach forgives our transgressions until the transgressions are transformed into merits, as above. And therefore from the psoles specifically the Sukkah is now made — which is the bechinas secrets of Torah, etc., as above. And in this Sukkah we sit all seven days, and we receive the Seven Shepherds in the Sukkah — for now we merit to receive the Seven Shepherds through whom the drawing of holy faith to Israel is primary — and all our service on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur was for this purpose, as above. And in this holy Sukkah we sit, and the Sukkah shelters and guards us from all enemies and pursuers who wish to distance us, G-d forbid — for through the power of the Sukkah we are confident in Hashem Yisborach that we will remain supported and cleaving to Him always, forever and ever, and nothing can distance us from Him. And in the future the Sukkah will specifically protect from Gehinom [the fires of punishment], as it is written: "And there will be a Sukkah, etc., and as a shelter and refuge from the flood and from rain — He rains down upon the wicked fiery coals, etc." [Isaiah 4:6] For the light of the Sukkah is drawn from such a lofty place that there all transgressions are transformed into merits. And therefore the Sukkah shelters and saves from Gehinom — which is the punishment for transgressions, G-d forbid, Heaven have mercy — for the Sukkah transforms transgressions into merits, as above. And therefore we make the Sukkah after Yom Kippur, as above. And this is the bechinas: "And Hashem said: I have forgiven as you have spoken [kidvorecho]." [Numbers 14:20] — "Kidvarecha" specifically — for the Nishma, which is the secrets of Torah, is the bechinas divray Torah [the "words" of Torah] — the matters that surround the commandment — the bechinas "And Hashem spoke to Moshe, etc." — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And the bechinas Nishma — which is the bechinas divray Torah — is the bechinas deveikus to the Infinite, where transgressions are transformed into merits when one merits to attain the Nishma, which is the bechinas divray Torah — for then the descent is transformed into ascent and from transgressions merits are made, as above. And this is what Hashem Yisborach said to Moshe: "Solachti kidvorecho" — "I have forgiven as you have spoken" — specifically kidvorecho: according to your words of Torah, so is the forgiveness — for Moshe merited to attain the bechinas secrets of Torah, which are the bechinas divray Torah — the bechinas Nishma — through which the forgiveness occurs, for the transgressions are transformed into merits, as above. And this is the bechinas: "These are the words that Moshe spoke in the wilderness, in the Arabah, etc." [Deuteronomy 1:1] — and Rashi explained: wherever it says devarim [words], it refers to words of rebuke — for there in the scripture it counts all the places where they angered G-d in the wilderness, in the Arabah, etc. For it is taught in the words of the Rebbe of blessed memory that it is forbidden to speak rebuke — that is, to mention Israel's transgressions and rebuke them for it — except for one who can rebuke in the manner of Moshe Rabbainu, peace be upon him: that through his rebuke he imbued them with a good fragrance — in the bechinas "my spikenard gave forth its fragrance" [Song of Songs 1:12] — "gave" is not written, but rather "gave forth" specifically. Thus Moshe Rabbainu, through his rebuke in which he mentioned Israel's transgressions, specifically gave forth a good fragrance from within them — for he had the power to transform transgressions into merits, having merited to Na'aseh v'Nishma in perfection — for he had attained the bechinas divray Torah, which is the bechinas Nishma, through which the transgressions are transformed into merits, as above. And therefore the rebuke is called "divray" specifically. And this is: "Ayleh ha'devarim asher diber Moshe" — "devarim" specifically — the bechinas divray specifically — the bechinas divray Torah — which is the bechinas Nishma — through which specifically he could rebuke Israel and mention their transgressions in the wilderness, in the Arabah, etc. — for through the bechinas devarim, the bechinas divray Torah, the bechinas Nishma, he transformed all the transgressions into merits — and therefore he mentioned all their transgressions, for they were all transformed into merits through the bechinas ha'devarim asher diber Moshe — the bechinas divray Torah, the bechinas Nishma that he attained — through which all transgressions are transformed into merits, as above — so that then specifically one could rebuke Israel, as above. And so it was with all the tzadikim who rebuked Israel — their rebuke is called "divray" — the bechinas "the words of Koheles" [Ecclesiastes 1:1], etc., as Rashi explained there — for they all rebuked Israel only in the bechinas rebuke of Moshe, which is the bechinas divray Torah — the bechinas Nishma — through which transgressions are transformed into merits — and through that specifically they could rebuke, as above. And this is the bechinas: "And this song shall testify before Him as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants." [Deuteronomy 31:21] — for Moshe Rabbainu, peace be upon him, saw until the end of all generations — that in the future, Israel at the end of days would descend to a very great depth in the era of ikvessa d'Meshicha [the footsteps of the Messiah] — in the bechinas "and she descended wondrous low" — as is written there: "For I know, etc. — and I will utterly conceal My face in that day, etc." [Deuteronomy 31:18] And therefore he wrote the Shiras Ha'azinu [the Song of Haazinu] which speaks of rebuke — for the entire song is words of rebuke, rebuking Israel for their deeds, as it is written: "For they are a generation of reversals, etc." [Deuteronomy 32:20] and the entire portion. And at first glance it is difficult: if so, why is it called a shirah [song]? What praise and song is this? And also: how is it that through this rebuke — the Shiras Ha'azinu — Israel merits that the Torah will never be forgotten from their mouths, as in "it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants"? But in truth, Moshe Rabbainu rebuked them in the manner described above — for he merited the highest Na'aseh v'Nishma — where all transgressions are transformed into merits, and everything he rebuked them for and the evil deeds he mentioned becomes Torah and mitzvos. This is the bechinas "on that day the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none" — as above. And through this bechinas, Israel has continuity even through all the descents and falls of the world. And therefore this rebuke is called a shirah [song] — for the transgressions are transformed into merits and from them song and praise and joy are made — for the essential nature of song is made from the clarification of the good from the evil, as the Rebbe of blessed memory wrote elsewhere — which is itself the bechinas transgressions transformed into merits, where the evil is transformed into good. And therefore through the power of this song — the Shiras Ha'azinu — in which Moshe Rabbainu demonstrated before his death the immensity of his power and attainment, that he merited to ascend to the very highest level — where transgressions are transformed into merits — to the point where he could take rebuke over evil deeds and fashion from it a shirah: therefore through this power he assures Israel that they will never be entirely distanced from Hashem Yisborach, even if they do what they do — even in the intensity of the concealment-within-concealment — in the bechinas "And I will utterly conceal My face" — "yet this song shall testify before Him as a witness, for it will not be forgotten from the mouth of their descendants" — for through this song we see that there is no despair and no fall in the world — for if they merit, all transgressions will be transformed into merits. As we see that Moshe merited to fashion from a rebuke of evil deeds a song and joy, as above. And therefore we can always return to Hashem — only that we must never despair of crying out to Hashem always, as the Rebbe of blessed memory said, as printed at the end of Sefer Ha'Maasiyos — see there. And therefore in these days of the Ten Days of Repentance and Sukkos we occupy ourselves and read Shiras Ha'azinu — for then are the days of repentance and the transgressions become merits in the bechinas "solachti kidvorecho", as above. And all of this is the bechinas Shiras Ha'azinu, as above. And therefore the song concludes: "And He will atone for the land of His people." [Deuteronomy 32:43] — For this song is the bechinas forgiveness of transgressions — the bechinas "on that day the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none" — for from Israel's transgressions Torah is made, etc., as above. And therefore on the last day of Sukkos — Hoshana Rabbah — the Book of Ayleh Ha'devarim [Deuteronomy — Mishneh Torah] is read — for during Sukkos we demonstrate the power we wrought on Yom Kippur — that from Israel's transgressions Torah is made — to the point that we sit in the holy shade and we make from the refuse of the threshing floor and winepress a holy Sukkah — the bechinas transgressions transformed into merits, as above. And therefore at the end of Sukkos, on Hoshana Rabbah — when we must complete the seals, the seal within the seal — which all depend on the faith drawn through the Seven Shepherds, the ushpizin [holy guests] who entered the Sukkah, whom we merit to approach through holy boldness (azus d'kedushah) — which is the bechinas kolos — and one merits this holy boldness through the joy that comes from Na'aseh v'Nishma, which leads to the highest Na'aseh v'Nishma through the descent that is the ultimate ascent, for the transgressions are transformed into merits, as above — as all this is explained clearly in the aforementioned teaching, see there. And therefore at the end of Sukkos, at the completion of the seals, we read the book Ayleh Ha'devarim asher diber Moshe — which is the bechinas divray Torah described above, the bechinas highest Na'aseh v'Nishma — which is the bechinas transgressions transformed into merits, as above. And through this Na'aseh v'Nishma one merits joy, etc. — through which the seals are rectified, the seal within the seal, as above. And therefore immediately after Sukkos, Simchas Torah [the Rejoicing of the Torah] is celebrated — the bechinas "and eternal joy upon their heads." [Isaiah 35:10] — For through the Na'aseh v'Nishma that we merited in all these days, as above — which is the very essence of the receiving of the Torah — through this we merit the joy of the bechinas Simchas Torah, the bechinas "and eternal joy upon their heads" — said of the two crowns which are the adayim [crowns] with which Israel was crowned at Chorev through Na'aseh v'Nishma. For on Simchas Torah: "then a crown is placed upon the head of every tzadik" — as stated in the Tikunim — see there. That is, the aforementioned crowns made from Na'aseh v'Nishma — they are the essential joy of Simchas Torah, the bechinas "and eternal joy upon their heads", as above. And this is why on Simchas Torah the Torah is concluded and immediately begun again from the start — for every year one must begin the Torah anew — that is, every year one must strive to attain a yet higher Na'aseh v'Nishma — for there are seventy facets to the Torah. And it is stated in the words of the Rebbe [Likutay Moharan, Torah 60] that these correspond to seventy years — for every year one must attain new facets of Torah from the seventy facets, which is the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma anew — to attain the concealed aspects of the Torah each time more and more, as above. And we occupy ourselves with this throughout the entire year — to attain each day, each week, each month, a portion of the Torah in the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma — to attain each time the bechinas Nishma of the Torah, the bechinas concealed — until at the conclusion of the year, Israel as a whole attains a new Nishma, and from the Nishma a Na'aseh is made — and then they must attain a new, yet higher Nishma. And this is the bechinas concluding the Torah and immediately beginning again. For the completion represents that they have now attained the Torah this year and made from the Nishma a Na'aseh — which is the totality of the Torah from Beraishis to "before the eyes of all Israel" [Deuteronomy 34:12]. For Beraishis is the bechinas complete utterance — the bechinas Nishma — for at the beginning of the Torah it is still in the bechinas Toras Hashem, the bechinas Nishma. And then one toils in it and devotes oneself to it until one attains it from Nishma to Na'aseh — and then it becomes Toraso. And this is the bechinas Torah's conclusion: "before the eyes of all Israel" — the bechinas making the Nishma a Na'aseh until all Israel attains it eye to eye. And this is: "and all the great terror that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Israel." [Deuteronomy 34:12] The "great terror" — that is the bechinas Nishma, the bechinas yirah — the bechinas beraishis yoray boashes — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And this is: "that Moshe performed" — "performed" specifically — the bechinas Na'aseh — "before the eyes of all Israel" — for he revealed to the eyes of all the house of Israel the secrets of the Torah and made for them from the Nishma a Na'aseh, from the concealed the revealed. Thus the Torah's conclusion alludes to the attainment of Torah from Nishma to Na'aseh. And therefore immediately upon concluding the Torah one must return at once and begin from Beraishis, etc. — for as soon as one merits to make from the Nishma a Na'aseh — the "eyes of all Israel" — immediately one has a new Nishma, which is the bechinas Beraishis — and one must immediately strive and toil to make from this new Nishma a Na'aseh. And therefore they begin from Beraishis immediately — which is the new Nishma they now merit — for this year we must begin to attain the new Nishma from Nishma to Na'aseh, from the concealed to the revealed, from Beraishis — which is sealed and concealed — until "before the eyes of all Israel" — which will be revealed before the eyes of all Israel in the bechinas revealed, as above. And therefore the men of the ma'omod [the lay representatives who accompanied the Temple service] would occupy themselves with the portions of Beraishis and Ha'azinu — for the sacrifices atone and from transgressions merits are made, which is accomplished through the bechinas Na'aseh v'Nishma — which is Torah and prayer, as above. And therefore in the Holy Temple there was Torah and prayer — for the Temple's essential name is Bais Tefillah [House of Prayer], as it is written: "and I shall gladden them in My House of Prayer" [Isaiah 56:7] — for all prayers ascended there, and all the sacrifices are in the bechinas prayer — standing in place of the sacrificial offering. And therefore there in the Temple sat the Sanhedrin engaging in Torah — for they made from prayer Torah, from the Nishma a Na'aseh, as above. And therefore the men of the ma'omod would engage in the portion of Beraishis — which is the bechinas Nishma — to make from the Nishma a Na'aseh, from prayer Torah — through which is the essential forgiveness of transgressions, as above — which is the bechinas Shiras Ha'azinu, the bechinas transgressions transformed into merits through the power of Moshe who attained the highest Na'aseh v'Nishma, as above. And therefore they are called "ma'omod" — for there is no amidah [standing] but prayer. And as the Rebbe wrote there regarding the Talmudic statement: "In the days of Rabban Gamliel they would learn Torah while standing" — see there — for the men of the ma'omod would stand over the sacrifices and engage in Torah, and they made from the Nishma — from the bechinas prayer, the bechinas sacrifices, the bechinas standing (amidah) — Torah. And through this was the essential forgiveness of transgressions through the sacrifices, as above. Based on the awesome story of the Fifth Day [in Sipuray Maasiyos — the Tales of Rabbi Nachman] — the one in which the hunchback (ba'al chatotaros) boasted of the immensity of his greatness in the matter of "the small containing the large" (me'at machzik es ha'merubeh) — surpassing all the attainments of each and every one who had achieved some level in this matter of me'at machzik es ha'merubeh — for he is above them all, for he attained the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh at the very edge of place, beyond which there is no place at all. And therefore he specifically is able to lift and elevate from the bechinas makom [place/space] to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom [above space], and to bring [others] to the holy and awesome tree that is above space — which has three roots: the first root is emunah [faith], the second is yirah [awe], and the third is anavah [humility]; and emes [truth] is the trunk of the tree; and from it branches extend, etc. — see there the entire awesome and sublime matter from beginning to end, carefully. And also the matter of the group that researched the tree, etc. — see there. And this is the mitzvah of writing the Sefer Torah — that every individual in Israel is commanded to write a Sefer Torah for himself. For the writing of a Sefer Torah is in order to merit to ascend from the bechinas makom to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — to reach the holy tree described above — which is the Aytz Chaim [Tree of Life] — wherein lies the essential delight of the World to Come that tzadikim merit through their good deeds. For the tree above is the bechinas Aytz Chaim and sustenance — "and under it all the beasts of the field rest in its shade, and in its branches the birds of the sky dwell" [Daniel 4:9] — as described in the aforementioned story: that beneath the tree all the animals dwell in its shade, and on its branches all species of birds nest — see there. And the delight that exists there is beyond measure, etc. — see there. The essential receiving of the soul's reward is when it merits to come to the aforementioned tree — which is the Aytz Chaim that is above space — where the soul ascends through the Aytz Chaim to delight in Hashem and to behold the pleasantness of Hashem, etc. Fortunate is he who merits this. And this Aytz Chaim is the root of the Torah — which is called "a tree of life to those who hold fast to it" [Proverbs 3:18]. But it is impossible to reach the Aytz Chaim — the holy tree above — except by going on the path that leads to the Aytz Chaim — the bechinas "the path of the Tree of Life" [Genesis 3:24]. And this path consists of all the commandments of the holy Torah, which are called "path" — as it is written: "in all the path that I command you, you shall walk" [Deuteronomy 5:30] — and similarly in many verses. However, because of the breaking of the Tablets, forgetfulness arose, and through this, disputes multiplied among Israel to the point that there is no clear halachic ruling nor clear Mishnah in one place. And from there unfolded all the absolute disputes in the entire world — between Israel themselves and between Torah scholars — especially in these times, when disputes have multiplied due to our many sins. As our Sages said: "In the footsteps of the Messiah, insolence will increase, etc.; a man's enemies are the members of his own household, etc.;" and "rivalry among Torah scholars" [Sotah 49b], etc. And all the disputes and hatreds in the world are rooted in disputes within holiness — the disputes of the Tannaim and Amoraim over the laws and ways of the Torah. And all of this is the bechinas dispute that existed among the group mentioned in the aforementioned story — regarding the path to the tree: some said the path goes eastward, and others said the path goes the opposite way, westward, etc. But all of this stemmed from the fact that they had not yet merited to reach the roots of the aforementioned tree — which are the bechinas shoreshay ha'Torah [the roots of the Torah] — which are the holy character traits of the tree: faith, awe, humility, and truth. And all the disputes in the world stem from the distance from these holy traits — for they are not attained in perfection. But in truth, when the group toiled and labored until they did attain these character traits in perfection — then they all came to one single true agreement — that the path is exactly as it truly is — see there. And for this reason King Dovid, peace be upon him, opened the Sefer Tehillim [Book of Psalms] — which corresponds to the Torah, for five books of Psalms correspond to the Five Books of the Torah — opening with the Psalm "Ashray ha'ish" [Psalms 1:1–3] — which speaks of the holy tree above, from its three roots of faith, awe, and humility, and from the trunk of the tree which is truth. And this is: "Fortunate is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked" — this is the bechinas emunah — for the essential building and growth of holy faith is through the counsels received from tzadikim, as explained in [Likutay Moharan,] Torah 7, Mishpatim Emunah — see there. And similarly explained in Torah Tik'u Emunah [Likutay Moharan II, Torah 5] — that the essential growth of faith is through counsel, in the bechinas "counsel from afar is faithfulness of craftsmanship" [Isaiah 25:1] — see there. And therefore one who follows the counsel of the wicked falls into heresy and false beliefs. Of them it is said: "Take counsel and it will be foiled; speak a word and it will not stand, for G-d is with us." [Isaiah 8:10] — meaning that we believe in Hashem Yisborach that He is with us — which is the opposite of following the counsel of the wicked. And this is: "They take cunning counsel against Your people and conspire against Your treasured ones; they said 'Come…' — for they conspire with one heart against You" [Psalms 83:4–6], etc. — meaning that all the counsel of the nations and the wicked is against holy faith, in the bechinas "for they conspire with one heart against You". And of this it is said: "Hashem has frustrated the counsel of the nations" [Psalms 33:10] — which is the opposite of holy faith. Thus faith depends on counsel — when one does not follow the counsel of the wicked, but receives all counsel from tzadikim. And this is: "Fortunate is the man who did not walk in the counsel of the wicked." And then one merits faith — and this is the first root of the holy tree above. "And he did not stand in the path of sinners" — this is the bechinas second root, which is yirah [awe] — for awe is the opposite of sin, as it is written: "Tremble and do not sin" [Psalms 4:5] and it is written: "…so that His awe be upon your faces, so that you do not sin" [Exodus 20:17]. And throughout the Gemara and all the books, awe is designated by the name yiray chait [one who fears sin] — for the essence of awe is the awe of sin. "And in the seat of scorners he did not sit" — this is the bechinas anavah [humility] — which is the opposite of scoffing (laytzanus), as it is written: "To the scorners He will scorn, but to the humble He gives grace." [Proverbs 3:34] For the essence of scoffing comes from arrogance and haughtiness of spirit — from a person who is puffed up and great in his own eyes, to the point that all people of the world are as nothing in his eyes — and he scoffs at everyone, as this evil plague is found in many people who mock everyone, especially those who are G-d-fearing and upright — finding faults and blemishes in each one. This one he mocks for his prayer, that one he mocks for his study because it is not to his liking; another he mocks for his business dealings, etc. — and so on in other matters. All this comes from his arrogance — for it seems to him that there is no one wiser than himself and that all the world needs to learn from him. And these scorners grow stronger in their scoffing to the point of weakening the resolve of many upright people — causing them to fall from their service through their evil scoffing, Heaven have mercy. And all this comes from their evil arrogance, as above. And therefore scoffing is called an abomination, as it is written: "And it is an abomination to a person to be a scorner" [Proverbs 24:9] — for this is the bechinas arrogance and haughtiness, as it is written: "An abomination to Hashem is every proud-hearted person." [Proverbs 16:5] Thus Dovid included all three aforementioned roots in this verse — faith, awe, and humility — which are the opposite of the counsel of the wicked, the path of sinners, and the seat of scorners, as above. And then: "But his delight is in the Torah of Hashem, and in His Torah he meditates…" [Psalms 1:2] — this is the trunk of the tree — gufah d'ilana — which is truth, which is the Torah, called Toras Emes [the Torah of Truth]. That is — for one who merits to be saved from the three evil groups — the counsel of the wicked, the path of sinners, etc. — who has thereby attained the three traits described above, the three roots — he certainly then merits the trunk of the tree that grows from the three roots, which is emes — which is the Torah — in the bechinas "But his delight is in the Torah of Hashem…" And this: "And he shall be like a tree planted alongside streams of water" [Psalms 1:3] — "a tree planted alongside streams of water" — this is the holy tree above, planted alongside the most sublime streams — the bechinas "the stream of G-d is filled with water" [Psalms 65:10]. And: "which gives its fruit in its time and its leaf does not wither, and everything he does shall prosper." "Which gives its fruit in its time" — this is the bechinas emunah — for faith is the bechinas power of growth and the power of sprouting, as explained in the Torah of arichas apayim [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 155]. "And its leaf does not wither" — our Sages expounded [Sukkah 21b]: "Even the mundane conversations of Torah scholars require study" — and this is the bechinas yirah, as understood from the Torah Pasach Rabbi Shimon [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 60] — that through the stories of tzadikim — which is the bechinas "its leaf does not wither" — through that is the essential yirah — see there. And certainly this tzadik who has the power to build and reveal awe through his conversations and stories — he is surely filled with awe, and all his words and conversations are said in awe and reverence — for without that, he would certainly not have the power to reveal awe through his conversations. And similarly it is explained in his words many times — that the essence of speech is from yirah, which is the perfection of speech, as explained in the Torah Tefilas Havakuk [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 19]. And therefore: "and its leaf does not wither" — which is the bechinas mundane conversations of Torah scholars that require study — this flows from the second root which is yirah, as above. "And everything he does shall prosper" — this is the bechinas third root, anavah [humility] — which completes all the roots — for humility is greater than all of them, and then the tree — which is emes — grows and is completed. And this is the bechinas "and everything he does shall prosper" — the bechinas "and your glory — succeed, ride on in the cause of truth and humble righteousness." [Psalms 45:5] Thus it is found that King Dovid, peace be upon him, first mentioned the qualities of the person who merits to be saved from the three obstacles to the three roots — the counsel of the wicked, etc. — and afterward mentioned what he attained through this: that he merited the Torah, which is the trunk of the tree — the bechinas Toras Emes — which is the bechinas tree planted alongside streams of water — whose fruit, leaves, etc. — all these good qualities sprout from the three holy roots above. Fortunate is he who merits them. And this is the bechinas: "Trust in Hashem and do good; dwell in the land and tend faithfulness." [Psalms 37:3] "Trust in Hashem" — this is the bechinas yirah — the bechinas "those who fear Hashem, trust in Hashem" [Psalms 115:11] — for one who is G-d-fearing trusts in Hashem that he will lack nothing, in the bechinas "for nothing is lacking for those who fear Him" [Psalms 34:10]. And similarly it is stated in the Sefer Aleph Bais [letter Bais, Bitachon, section 3] that awe and trust are bound to each other — see there. And this is: "In G-d I trust; I shall not fear — what can flesh do to me?" [Psalms 56:12] — for when I merit to trust — which is the bechinas yirah from Hashem Yisborach — I certainly no longer fear any external fears from flesh and blood. For when one attains holy awe, all fallen fears — of fearing flesh and blood and the like — are nullified. And this is the bechinas "I will trust and not be afraid" [Isaiah 12:2] — as above. "And do good" — this is the bechinas emes [truth] — the bechinas "He does not withhold good from those who walk in integrity" [Psalms 84:12] and it is written [Isaiah 39:8]: "The word of Hashem is good, etc., for there will be peace and truth in my days." For emes is the trunk of the tree — which is the Torah, called Toras Emes, which is called "good" — as it is written: "For I have given you good teaching — My Torah, etc." [Proverbs 4:2] — as our Sages said [Avos 6:3]: "there is no good but Torah." And similarly stated in the Torah Omar Rabbi Akiva [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 51] — that truth is entirely good, etc. — see there. "Dwell in the land" — this is the bechinas anavah — who makes himself like the land and the dust — the bechinas "and my soul shall be like dust to all" [prayer of Elokai Netzor]. And as our Sages said: one who becomes a dwelling-place for the dust in his lifetime. "And tend faithfulness" — this is emunah. Thus all four traits above are included in this verse — which are the holy tree and its roots. And then immediately follows: "and delight in Hashem" [Psalms 37:4] — for in the holy tree above there is the essential delight and pleasure of the World to Come — for this tree is the bechinas Aytz Chaim where the reward of tzadikim and upright people is received. Fortunate are those who come there. And this is the bechinas Patriarchs — Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov — and Moshe Rabbainu — through whom the Torah was drawn into the world. For the beginning of the path of Torah started with the Patriarchs, and afterward the essential receiving thereof was through Moshe Rabbainu — as stated in the words of the Rebbe of blessed memory. For the Patriarchs and Moshe are the bechinas tree and its roots above. Avrohom — the bechinas emunah — for he was the foremost of the believers, as it is written: "And he believed in Hashem." [Genesis 15:6] Yitzchok — the bechinas yirah — the bechinas pachad Yitzchok [the "dread of Yitzchok"]. [Genesis 31:42] Yaakov — the trunk of the tree — the bechinas emes — as it is written: "grant truth to Yaakov" [Micah 7:20] — for he is the very substance of the Torah, which is Toras Emes. And as it is written: "Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov." [Deuteronomy 33:4] And as stated in the writings of the Ari of blessed memory — that Yaakov is the bechinas Torah. However, since the third root — anavah [humility] — was not yet complete in its ultimate perfection in Yaakov's time — for there is no one who attained humility in perfection like Moshe — therefore the Torah was not completed and was not given through Yaakov, until Moshe came and attained the ultimate perfection of humility — as it is written: "And the man Moshe was exceedingly humble — more than any person on the face of the earth." [Numbers 12:3] And then the holy tree was completed — through his completing the third root, which is anavah — which is the greatest of all. Therefore he merited to receive the Torah, whose root is the Aytz Chaim — the holy tree above, as above. It follows that the root of the Torah is the bechinas Aytz Chaim — the aforementioned tree — which is above space (l'ma'alah min ha'makom). And therefore in truth our Sages said [Bava Basra and Megillah] that the place of the Ark and the Keruvim [Cherubim] is not within the measurements [of the Temple] — for there is the Torah, and therefore it is not within the measurements — for it is in the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom. And everything that is closer to the Ark and the Tablets is more so in the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh — for between the two staves of the Ark, all of Israel stood — as our Sages said on the verse "Draw near hither" [Yevamos 16b] — that He contracted all of them between the two staves of the Ark — and this is one of the places where the small contained the large (me'at machzik es ha'merubeh). And in the Temple: "they stood crowded but prostrated themselves with ample space" [Avos 5:5] — which is also the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh. And similarly: in Jerusalem no one ever said to his fellow "the place is too narrow for me" [Avos ibid.] — also the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh. And similarly, the entire Land of Israel is called eretz tzvi [the land of the deer]: "just as the deer's skin cannot contain its flesh — so too the Land of Israel, etc." — for as long as Israel dwelled upon it, it contained them all. And in the future, when Moshiach comes speedily in our days, it will contain all Israel with abundance — and now it is very small, as our Sages said [Gittin 57a] — and this too is the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh. For wherever there is holiness, it is the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh — as our Sages said. And the loftier the holiness, the higher is the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh. And so on higher and higher — until the place of the Ark, which is not within the measurements at all — which is the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom entirely, as above — for the place of the Ark where the Torah is — is encompassed by the Aytz Chaim, which is above space, as above. And therefore every individual in Israel is obligated to write a Sefer Torah for himself — for when he writes the holy letters of the Torah upon a scroll, he brings the letters of the Torah — whose root is above space — into the bechinas makom, upon the gevil and kelaf [parchment] which occupy physical space. But this is the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh at a supremely lofty level — for through the letters of the Torah all the worlds were created, and upon each and every letter of the Torah stand thousands upon thousands of worlds. I have also heard from his holy mouth — that within the word Adam [אדם] are depicted all the forms of every human being in the world, and within the word bihaima [בהמה] are depicted all the forms of every animal — and so with all the creatures of the six days of creation. Thus the letters are in the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh of the most wondrous order. And therefore through writing the Torah in a Sefer — bringing the Torah into the bechinas makom — one thereby elevates all of the bechinas makom to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — for it is impossible to exit the bechinas makom and enter the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom except through the tzadik who is in the bechinas hunchback above — who attained the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh at the ultimate level, beyond which there is no higher level — and only he can raise and elevate from the bechinas makom to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom. And all of this he attained because he bowed his body and took upon himself the yoke of Torah in ultimate perfection — so that he resembled a hunchback — because from earliest times he never straightened his holy body from its bowing beneath the yoke of Torah — for he merited in perfection the bechinas "He bent his shoulder to bear" [Genesis 49:15] the yoke of Torah — the bechinas sons of Kehas who carried the Ark with the Tablets — of whom it is said: "for the sacred service is upon them — they shall carry on the shoulder" [Numbers 7:9]. And as our Sages said: "A person should always make himself as an ox for the yoke and as a donkey for the load." And through bearing the yoke of Torah in perfection — one thereby merited to carry and lift much upon his shoulders — so that he resembled a hunchback. For through the Torah one can carry and lift everything — in the bechinas "the Ark carries those who carry it" [Sotah 35a] — for the essential purpose of a person's coming to this world was for this: to raise and elevate the makom to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom. For Hashem Yisborach contracted Himself, so to speak, in order that there be space for the creation of the world [as explained in Aytz Chaim at the beginning — see there] — in order to create the world for the sake of Israel, that they should know and recognize Him in this world specifically — which is the ultimate purpose of space (makom). And the essential completeness is to return everything to its source — to return the makom to its root, to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — for Hashem Yisborach drew forth and created the world from Ayin [Nothingness] into Yesh [Existence], from above space into the bechinas makom, in order that the person be tested and refined thereby — through coming into the bechinas yeshus [substantiality] in the bechinas makom, where all the person's trials are — in this physical world which is the ultimate makom. And when one merits to withstand the trial and to sanctify his eyes properly, then he sanctifies the makom. And wherever there is holiness, me'at machzik es ha'merubeh — and the loftier the holiness, the higher is the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh, as above. Until one merits the ultimate holiness — the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh in ultimate perfection — until one merits to ascend from the bechinas makom to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom entirely — from Yesh to Ayin — and then merits the abundant good that is stored up [for the righteous]. And this one merits through the Torah — which is our life — to merit through it eternal life — to be included in Him Yisborach. And therefore one must write the letters of the Torah in script upon the Sefer — in order to bring the Torah into the bechinas makom — and through this specifically one merits to be included in the great tzadik above — in the bechinas hunchback — through which one merits the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh in ultimate perfection — until one merits to ascend to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom entirely — to the holy tree above — which is the Aytz Chaim — the root of the Torah — where is the essential reward of all who fulfill the Torah, as above. And this is the bechinas "a tree of life to those who hold fast to it" — for whoever holds fast and grasps the Torah, it raises and carries him to the Aytz Chaim which is above space — in the bechinas "the Ark carries those who carry it", as above. Also — in the writing of the Sefer Torah — all three roots above and the trunk of the tree are included. For the letters themselves are in the bechinas emunah — as the Rebbe wrote in the Torah Kartalisa [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 18]. And the letters must be complete — not missing even the tip of a Yud — for in each and every letter, the final point that completes the form of the letter is the bechinas Yud, as explained in the Torah Kartalisa above. And the Yud is the bechinas anavah — for Yud is the smallest of the letters — the bechinas ultimate humility. And therefore the Yud alludes to the World to Come, as is known — for the essential delight and life of the World to Come can only be received through the bechinas anavah, as the Rebbe wrote in the Torah "Chayyim Nitzchiyim" [Likutay Moharan II, Torah 72] — that the humility of each person will be revived at the resurrection of the dead and will merit the life of the World to Come — see there. And one must write the Sefer Torah lishmah — for the sake of the holiness of the Sefer Torah, for the sake of Hashem. And this is the bechinas yirah — for through directing one's intention toward Hashem, awe is drawn — in the bechinas "to revere the great and awesome Name" [Deuteronomy 28:58] — the bechinas "and he feared My Name" [Malachi 2:5]. And through this the holiness descends upon the Sefer Torah — for yirah is the bechinas kodesh [holiness], as it is written: "Fear Hashem, His holy ones" [Psalms 34:10] — and as it is written: "G-d is greatly dreaded in the council of holy beings, and awesome to all around Him." [Psalms 89:8] Thus through writing the letters in their completeness lishmah — through this all three roots above are completed: for through the writing of the letters, emunah is drawn; through the completeness of the letters, anavah is drawn; and through writing lishmah, yirah is drawn. And through these three roots, the holy tree grows and is completed — which is emes — which is the general principle of the Sefer Torah — Toras Emes — which is built and erected from the writing of the letters in their completeness lishmah — which is the bechinas tree — the bechinas Aytz Chaim — that grows from the three roots above, as above. And therefore through writing the Sefer Torah one draws upon oneself the holiness of the tree above — which is the bechinas Aytz Chaim above space — and through this one sanctifies the makom until one merits to ascend to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — which is the essential completeness for which we came into the world, as above. And therefore every individual must write the Sefer Torah for himself — or at minimum correct a letter in it — for he himself must sanctify his own place wherever he is — by drawing and binding the letters of the Torah to himself in the bechinas makom — in order to elevate the makom to the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — in order to merit to ascend to the tree above, as above. And therefore all the holy writings are written only upon the hides of pure domesticated animals, wild animals, and birds. For it is known that since the sin of the first Man (Adam ha'Rishon), the Torah became clothed in physical garments — in the bechinas katanos or [garments of skin] — as stated in all the holy books. For before the sin the person could attain the Torah in its inwardness — in the bechinas katanos ohr [garments of light] with an Aleph — but after the sin, as it were, the person's mind became materialized to the point that he can only attain the Torah through physical garments — the bechinas katanos or [garments of skin with an Ayin]. And from there comes forgetfulness — for the essential cause of forgetfulness is due to physicality — for spirituality does not occupy space, but physicality occupies space, and then there is forgetfulness, for one does not have enough room in one's mind to grasp everything. As all this is explained in Torah 110 on the verse: "This Sefer Torah shall not depart from your mouth" [Joshua 1:8] — the word לא ימוש from the language of mamashus [tangibility/solidity] — for the essential forgetfulness is due to tangibility and physicality that occupy space — see there. And from then onward all places became materialized — until they became very distant from the bechinas me'at machzik es ha'merubeh — all the more so from the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom entirely. For at first the person dwelled in Gan Eden where the Aytz Chaim was located — as it is written: "and the Tree of Life in the midst of the Garden" [Genesis 2:9] — which is the bechinas aforementioned tree — the bechinas inner dimension of the Torah that is entirely above space. And Adam was holy and his mind was pure and very spiritual, and he dwelled in a holy and pure place — in Gan Eden. Therefore, had he not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, he could have elevated in his lifetime all the places and included them in the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — which is the Aytz Chaim that was close to him there. But through his sin he was expelled from Gan Eden and descended into the physicality of place. And even the Torah was obliged — for his benefit — to clothe itself in physical garments — the bechinas katanos or — so that he would have some grasp of it. And then he became distanced from the Aytz Chaim — from the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — as it is written: "And Hashem G-d made for Adam and his wife garments of skin (katanos or) and clothed them" [Genesis 3:21] — which alludes to the garments of the Torah that became clothed in the bechinas katanos or [skin-garments] — as stated and as above. And immediately afterward the Torah relates how he was expelled from Gan Eden so that he not touch the Aytz Chaim, as it is written immediately: "And Hashem G-d said — Behold, the man, etc. — and Hashem G-d sent him away from Gan Eden to work the earth, etc. — and He drove out the Man, and placed the Keruvim east of Gan Eden and the flame of the revolving sword, to guard the path of the Aytz Chaim." [Genesis 3:22–24] For this and that are intertwined — for he became distanced from holiness, from the bechinas l'ma'alah min ha'makom — and even the Torah clothed itself in the bechinas katanos or — the bechinas physicality, the bechinas makom. And therefore he was distanced from Gan Eden — from the Aytz Chaim that is above space. And therefore now we must specifically write the Torah upon hide specifically — in order to bring the Torah into the bechinas makom specifically, as explained above regarding the essence of writing the Sefer Torah, as above. And we must write it upon hide specifically — which is the bechinas katanos or — the essential bechinas makom, as above. For all this is the bechinas "the judgment is sweetened only at its root" — for specifically through writing the Torah upon hide — bringing [the Torah into the bechinas makom]… Based on the Torah "Tik'u Tochachah" [Likutay Moharan II, Torah 8] — see there carefully, the entire teaching. And it is explained there [in section 8] that the essential faith comes through the clarification of the imaginative faculty (biyur ha'medameh), which is clarified through the spirit of prophecy — and this is the meaning of the fact that the entire world hung suspended until the sixth of Sivan, etc. For the essential faith is belief in the creation of the world (emunah b'chidush ha'olam), which cannot be understood by any intellect — only through faith attained through prophecy — which is the bechinas receiving the Torah, etc. And for this reason one must search and seek greatly, greatly, after a true tzadik who has the bechinas prophetic spirit, etc. — see all of this there carefully. And this is the bechinas mitzvah of writing the Sefer Torah — for the writing of the Torah is for the clarification of the imaginative faculty (medameh) — for the essential writing is for the sake of remembrance, as it is written: "Write this as a remembrance in the Book" [Exodus 17:14], and memory resides in the imaginative faculty, as explained elsewhere. Through writing the Torah, the memory of holiness is preserved — which is the bechinas biyur ha'medameh, as above. And therefore every individual in Israel must write a Sefer Torah for himself and cannot fulfill [the obligation] with the Sefer Torah of another — even if his fathers left him a Sefer Torah, he does not fulfill [the mitzvah] until he writes it himself or at minimum corrects it in some way. For the writing is for the clarification of the medameh — which pertains to each and every letter according to one's level — according to the bechinas one's own medameh. For the clarification of the medameh — which is the clarification of faith — every person must clarify for himself according to his own bechinas — for every person was created for nothing other than this: for the clarification of faith — which is the foundation, the essence, and the general principle of the entire Torah. As our Sages said: "Havakuk came and stood them all on one — and the tzadik lives by his faith." [Makkos 24a] And therefore each person must clarify for himself according to his own bechinas, according to the root of his soul and according to his deeds. Therefore each individual must specifically write a Sefer Torah for himself — in order to clarify his medameh, which is the clarification of faith according to his bechinas, as above. And this is why the commandment to write the Sefer Torah is formulated as the writing of the shirah [song] — as it is written: "And now, write for yourselves this song, etc." — from which our Sages derived the commandment to write the Sefer Torah. For through the clarification of faith one merits the song that will be aroused in the future — as explained there [in the teaching] — from which all songs of the world flow. And therefore the writing of the Torah is called the writing of the shirah — for through writing the Torah, the medameh is clarified — which is the clarification of faith — through which one merits the aforementioned song from which all songs [flow], as above. And this encompasses the entire bechinas Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos until Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah — when the Torah is concluded and immediately begun again. And all the Torah portions read during these times speak of the passing of Moshe and his testament — in which he gathered and assembled all of Israel and informed them of what would befall them until the very end, as it is written: "Gather to me all the heads of your tribes, etc., and I will have heaven and earth testify against them, etc. For I know, after my death, that you will surely act corruptly, etc. — and now, write for yourselves this song, etc." [Deuteronomy 31:28–29, 31:19] For Moshe informed them of all the troubles and exiles that would befall them — all because of the blemish of faith — as our Sages said: "Israel was exiled only because men of faith ceased among them." [Shabbos 138b-139a] And as explained in the Rebbe's words many times. And in all these days from Rosh Hashanah to Simchas Torah we engage in the rectification of faith — which is the bechinas Malchus — which we labor to build and rectify in these days, as explained in the intentions of the Ari of blessed memory. And therefore we read those portions in which Moshe warned them and rebuked them on the day of his death — the essential point being the blemish of faith — as explained there. And he hinted to them that the essential rectification is through writing the shirah — which is the bechinas writing the Sefer Torah — which is the bechinas biyur ha'medameh — which is the rectification of faith, as above. For it is explained in the aforementioned teaching that all the rectifications mentioned there take place on Rosh Hashanah and throughout the month of Tishrai — see there. And the essential rectification is for faith — which is the foundation of everything — achieved through the bechinas prophetic spirit, etc. — see there — through which one merits the voice of the song that will be aroused in the future, etc. For the rectification and building of faith is the bechinas rectification and building of Malchus — as explained in the holy writings — which is worked on from Rosh Hashanah until Shemini Atzeres — see there. For on Rosh Hashanah the world was created — [Note: The text of Section 4 continues at great length elaborating on the themes of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Hoshana Rabbah, and Simchas Torah in relation to the clarification of faith and the mitzvah of Sefer Torah. Sections 5 through 27 continue below.] And the essential rectification began with Avrohom, who was the first to draw the path of Torah into the world, for he merited true prophetic spirit (ru'ach nevuah), through which he began to clarify the medameh [imaginative faculty] and to draw forth emunah [faith] into the world. But the essential rectification came in the days of Moshe, through the giving of the Torah, through which the essential clarification of emunah occurred. And then he rectified the world to such a degree of completeness that had they not sinned afterward, everything would have been rectified — as it is written, "I said: you are divine beings" [Ps. 82:6] — and as our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded on the verse "engraved [charut]" — freedom from the angel of death. But through the sin of the Golden Calf they returned and corrupted, and drew back the pollution of the serpent, which is the confusion of the medameh, from which all heresy comes — which is the blemish of emunah. And at that moment the world was nearly destroyed, had not Moshe His chosen one stood in the breach before Him [Ps. 106:23], and his counsel was deep — in that he shattered the Tablets, and Hashem, blessed be He, agreed with him — for he saw that the Sitra Achra [Other Side] was gaining great strength, and it was impossible to rectify everything at once by force. Rather, one must rectify little by little each year. And even though what passes over Israel each and every year, in general and in particular, is very great, and in most years people cause much damage — and because of this the exile has been prolonged so greatly, for we have not only failed to undo the original sins but have added new ones upon them — nevertheless, Hashem, blessed be He, and the tzadikim will complete their task of rectifying the world. And the rectification is specifically through the bechinas shattering the Tablets, which caused forgetting in the world — which is the bechinas withdrawal of the mochin [divine intellect] — meaning that he drew this path into the world: that each time the rectification begins anew, and whenever any blemish or corruption occurs, Heaven forbid, a forgetting will be drawn to forget each time what has passed, and to begin each time anew — as our Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote that forgetting is a great rectification in this bechina, see there. And this is the bechinas completing and beginning of the Torah each and every year, and the completing and beginning spans from Rosh Hashanah to Simchas Torah, for then we are engaged with the Torah portions that he commanded them at the time of his departure, until on Simchas Torah the entire Torah is completed and immediately begun again. For then on Simchas Torah the rectification that began on Rosh Hashanah is concluded. And the essential rectification is that every year one must clear out the old mochin and begin anew — for even every single day the mochin are renewed in the bechinas "new every morning, great is Your faithfulness" [Lam. 3:23]. How much more so on Rosh Hashanah, which is the beginning of the year — when all our entreaty is "renew for us a good year" — meaning: may we merit a completely new year, for each year an entirely new rectification begins, as an illumination flows from the new song that will awaken in the future, in the bechinas "Sing to Hashem a new song, for He has done wonders" [Ps. 98:1] — for Hashem, blessed be He, renews wonders at all times. And the essential renewal flows from Rosh Hashanah, when He renews both the year and the month together. And then there flows the bechinas renewed mochin upon the entire year, that we should merit to renew ourselves each time and to begin each time anew, and what has passed should be covered with a forgetting so that nothing will be able to cast one down — in the bechinas "even these will forget, yet I will not forget you" [Is. 49:15], which our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded in relation to the sin of the Calf, which encompasses all sins in the world. And this is the bechinas rectification of the shattering of the Tablets, which caused forgetting — as our Sages, of blessed memory, stated. And therefore the Torah is concluded with the verse "before the eyes of all Israel" [Deut. 34:12] — which refers to the shattering of the Tablets, as our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded — for this is the essential rectification and the wondrous heroism of Moshe, who drew a wondrous rectification specifically through the shattering of the Tablets — so that every person may, each time, withdraw and set aside his mind and intellect, and forget and remove from his consciousness altogether everything that has passed, so that he may strengthen himself and not fall in any manner, only to begin each time anew. And it is specifically in this manner that the Torah is concluded and immediately begun anew: "In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth" [Gen. 1:1]. For this is the essential teshuvah [repentance/return] that is drawn each year during Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance — to renew oneself each time — in the bechinas "Return us, Hashem, to You, and we shall return; renew our days as of old" [Lam. 5:21] — the bechinas "you will be renewed like the eagle" [Ps. 103:5]. And therefore each year the Torah is concluded and begun again during these days from Rosh Hashanah to Simchas Torah — for the concluding and beginning of the Torah is itself the bechinas conclusion and end of the year and the beginning of a new year. And so too a person himself must embody this bechina — to conclude and to begin — meaning: to finish and to complete and to clear out everything that has passed is past, and to begin now fresh. For the three dimensions of Olam [World], Shanah [Year], and Nefesh [Soul] are a single bechina, and all of them receive their vitality from the dimension of Torah as is known, and all of them are renewed in these days from Rosh Hashanah to Simchas Torah — which is the bechinas concluding and beginning of the Torah, which is the essential rectification, as above. And this is the bechinas Tablets and the shards of the Tablets that lie together in the Ark — for the Tablets are the bechinas memory, since the Tablets are the totality of the Torah that one must write for memory, as above. And the shards of the Tablets are the bechinas forgetting, as above. And both of them lie in the Ark — for one cannot remember the Torah except through the bechinas forgetting, through forgetting and removing from one's mind everything that passes over one each time — in a manner that one will not fall through memory. For in matters of memory and forgetting one must carefully calibrate one's path: even though one must greatly remember all the words of the Torah, nevertheless forgetting is a very great good — for there are many things that one needs to forget and remove from one's mind specifically, so as not to be confused and not to fall, Heaven forbid, as above — as it is explained in his [Reb Noson's] writings, and it is impossible to elaborate on this here, and one who understands will understand for himself — see there in the Sipuray Ma'asiyos [Stories of Ancient Times] at its end. And this is: "Hear, O daughter, and see" [Ps. 45:11] — which alludes to the beginning of the Torah, Beraishis, as it is stated in the Tikunay Zohar: "in Beraishis there lies 'hear' (shim'i), there lies 'daughter' (bas), there lies 'see' (r'i)" etc. And this is "and forget your people and your father's house" [Ps. 45:11] — for the essential beginning of the Torah each time anew is through forgetting — which is the bechinas connection of the Torah's end, "before the eyes of all Israel," back to its beginning, which is Beraishis. For "before the eyes of all Israel" alludes to the shards of the Tablets that caused forgetting — and it is specifically through this that one can begin each time anew, which is the bechinas beginning of the Torah, Beraishis, as above. And this itself is the bechinas clarification of the medameh — for the medameh becomes confused each time, and its rectification is through sleep (shaynah), which is the bechinas forgetting, the bechinas removing past thoughts entirely. And through this the mochin are renewed in the bechinas "new every morning." And this is the bechinas sleep and the awakening from sleep on Rosh Hashanah, as is explained in the kavonos [mystical intentions] — and all of it is for the renewal of the mochin, as above. But the essential point is for each person to draw from this practical counsel for himself — so that even one who is as he is may derive advice from this to strengthen himself: by removing and forgetting from his mind each time everything that has passed. And he should know and believe that Hashem, blessed be He, makes new things at all times, and no day resembles another — how much more so that no year resembles another — and every day and in particular every year everything is renewed entirely. And surely Hashem, blessed be He, and the tzadikim will complete what they began. And even if what passes over us — in general and in particular — is what it is, and the Sitra Achra and the Adversary expand themselves in length and breadth each time, nevertheless Hashem, blessed be He, helps us every day and in particular each year when we receive the holiness of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur through to Simchas Torah, when the Torah is concluded and begun again. And each year new rectifications are completed for each person, in a manner that everyone can always renew themselves for the good — provided one truly believes that Hashem, blessed be He, renews in His goodness each day always the work of creation, and in particular each and every year — until in the end the rectification will be completed in perfection through our righteous Moshiach, who will come speedily in our days, for he will surely come and will not delay. And this is the bechinas Sukkos — when one leaves one's home and enters the sukkah, and then returns from there to one's home on Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, when the Torah is concluded and begun anew. For the holiness of a person's home is drawn from the Torah which begins with Bais of Beraishis. And moreover, Beraishis is the letters of rosh bayis [head of the house] — as is stated in the Tikunim. And each year we must renew the holiness of our home, just as we renew the Torah each year — concluding it and beginning it anew, as above. Therefore one leaves the home and enters the sukkah, which is the bechinas Clouds of Glory (Annanay Kavod), from which the root of the Torah is drawn — as is understood from the Torah there, that the totality of prophecy, which is the bechinas Torah, is drawn from kavod [glory/honor], see there. Therefore each and every year, when one is engaged in concluding the Torah and returning to begin it anew, one must leave one's home and enter the sukkah, which is the bechinas Clouds of Glory, the bechinas root of the Torah — in order to draw from there the renewal of the Torah afresh, as above. And therefore immediately after Sukkos is Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, when the Torah is begun with Bais of Beraishis — for afterward the holiness of one's home is renewed, which is the bechinas holiness of the Torah that begins with Bais, as above — through our having entered the sukkah, which is the bechinas Clouds of Glory which are the root of the Torah, drawn from prayer in the bechinas din [strict judgment] of the Ba'al Ko'ach [Master of Strength] who engages in this throughout Rosh Hashanah — as is explained in the Torah there — see there carefully. For all of this is merited through the holiness of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which are the Ten Days of Repentance corresponding to the Ten Commandments — which are ten levels of prophecy — through which one merits emunah in the creation of the world, that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything with the Ten Utterances (asorah ma'amaros), as is explained there. And corresponding to this are the Ten Days of Repentance, and their completion is on Yom Kippur — when the Kohen Gadol [High Priest] enters the innermost chamber, to the place of the Ark and the Tablets, which are the totality of Torah in the bechinas spirit of prophecy that clarifies the medameh etc., as above. And therefore it is impossible to enter there except with the sacrifices of the bull and the goat, as it is written, "With this shall Aharon come" [Lev. 16:3] — for all the sacrifices are the bechinas clarification of the medameh, as is explained elsewhere. And the essential clarification is in the Temple, where the Ark and the Tablets stand. But on Yom Kippur one must enter the very place of the Tablets — into the Holy of Holies — with the blood of the bull and the goat, because then one must draw forgiveness and pardon for all the transgressions that flow from the pollution of the serpent, which is the confusion of the medameh. And this is the bechinas incense (ketores) with which one enters the innermost chamber — which is a sweet fragrance — for the essential rectification is to merit a sweet fragrance (ray'ach tov), in the bechinas "my spikenard gave forth its fragrance" [Song 1:12] etc. — which is the bechinas fragrance of the incense that elevates holiness from the very depths of the kelippos [husks], until all transgressions give forth sweet fragrance — which is the bechinas chelbenah [galbanum] of the incense, which alludes to including the transgressors of Israel in our prayers. For everything is turned to good through the power of the true tzadikim who know how to make a true Rosh Hashanah and to pray the prayer in the bechinas strict judgment, as above — until they draw all the rectifications explained there — until one merits the voice of Moshe, through which everything gives forth sweet fragrance, see there. And this is the bechinas songs that were sung over the sacrifices — for through the sacrifices the medameh is clarified, as above, and through this one merits the aforementioned song, which is the essential rectification — and from there is drawn the song that the Levi'im sang in the Temple. And this is the bechinas writing of the Sefer Torah with a reed and specifically with black ink — for the essential writing is to clarify the medameh through the spirit of prophecy within the holy Torah scroll. And the spirit of prophecy is drawn from prayer in the bechinas strict judgment of the Ba'al Ko'ach, which is the bechinas staff of strength (matte oz) with which Moshe split the sea — in the bechinas "You broke the sea with Your strength" [Ps. 74:13] etc. — as is explained there carefully. And this is the bechinas reed and the quill (kulmus) with which one writes the Torah scroll — for the reed and quill are in the bechinas matte oz above, through which the sea was split, as above. As it is stated in the holy Zohar: "In the first exile, with your staff you split the sea; and in the final exile, with your reed, which is the quill, you shall split the sea of Torah." And this is the bechinas writing all the holy books, which are now permitted to be written, on account of "it is a time to act for Hashem — they have nullified Your Torah" [Ps. 119:126] — as our Sages, of blessed memory, stated — for the essential redemption depends on this: to split the sea of wisdom through the quill that writes books of truth, as above. And therefore one writes specifically with black ink, which is the ultimate contraction, the bechinas strict judgment — for the writing is drawn from the matte oz, which is prayer in the bechinas strict judgment, as above. For the essential writing is to clarify the medameh in order to merit complete emunah — to believe in the creation of the world, as above. And the medameh through which holy emunah is attained is the bechinas ultimate contraction of the intellect — for it is the bechinas very lowest level of the intellect — as is known and understood — which is the bechinas blackness (shacharus): "I am black yet comely" [Song 1:5]. For the essential beauty and splendor with which one adorns and praises and glorifies Him, blessed be He, is specifically through this blackness and contraction of the medameh through which holy emunah is attained. And all the revelation of the glorious splendor of His Majesty — which is the essential beauty and loveliness of the entire world — comes through this: through the true tzadikim who merit the bechinas true prophetic spirit, until they clarify the medameh of all those who draw close to them — through which they merit complete emunah, through which they merit to magnify and glorify and adorn His great Name, blessed be He — as is explained at the end of that Torah teaching, that all descriptors and praises are in the bechinas medameh, for in the innermost mind He, blessed be He, is utterly beyond all praises and descriptors, see there. And this is the bechinas why it is forbidden to touch the Torah scroll with bare hands without the cloth wrapping — to teach that the essential Torah, included in Him, blessed be He — for it is His unity, blessed be He — we have no physical touch in it whatsoever, Heaven forbid, and we have no grasp in the holy Torah — only through many garments (levushim). For all of this is the bechinas "and by the hand of the prophets I was likened" [Hos. 12:11] — meaning that He, blessed be He, likens Himself through the prophets in many imaginings (dimyonos), so that we may merit to know Him, blessed be He — which is the bechinas clarification of the medameh, as above, through which the essential emunah is attained, as above. And all the imaginings are the bechinas garments, so to speak, as is known. But it is forbidden to touch with physical hands the essence of the Torah — for the Torah itself is divested of our physicality, as above. And it is impossible to draw sustenance from it except through many garments, as above. And therefore one writes on animal hide specifically — for animal hide is the bechinas ultimate contraction of the medameh. And through the reed with the ink with which the letters of the holy Torah are written upon it — which are the bechinas prophetic spirit — through this the hide, which is the medameh, is clarified and purified — which is the bechinas clarification of the medameh, as above. See from this the Laws of Tefillin, section 4. The Laws of the Mezuzah are connected to the Laws of the Sefer Torah. And this is the bechinas mezuzah — for one must affix the mezuzah at the entrance of the home in order to draw the holiness of Eretz Yisroel into the home. For through this comes the essential existence and sustaining of the home — for the home is not called by the name "home" except through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel. For the essential nature of the home is to enter into it, from outside to within (mi'chutz lifnim). And this is only through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — for in the lands outside Israel everyone is "outside" (bechutz), for it is called chutz la'oretz [outside the land], where everything is "outside." For the home must be built with wisdom (chochmah), as it is written, "with wisdom a home is built" [Prov. 24:3]. (As our Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote elsewhere.) And the essential wisdom and knowledge (da'as) is to know and recognize Him, blessed be He — as it is written, "let not the wise man glory in his wisdom" etc., "but only in this shall one who glories glory: in the fact that he understands and knows Me" [Jer. 9:22-23]. And only for this purpose should the essential building of the home be — to have a place to live out the days of one's life — for the essential vitality of a person is within his home and dwelling, as is tangibly evident — meaning: in order to draw true wisdom into one's home, to know and recognize Him, blessed be He — which is the essential vitality, as it is written, "wisdom gives life" [Eccl. 7:12]. And this is only through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, where the essential da'as and true chochmah to know Him, blessed be He, is found — for the air of Eretz Yisroel makes one wise with true wisdom, which is to recognize and know Him, blessed be He. And therefore one who dwells in Eretz Yisroel is like one who has a G-d, while one who dwells outside the Land is like one who has no G-d [Kesubos 110b]. And therefore one who sits outside the Land — even if he sits in paneled houses — is as though he sits completely outdoors, for it is called chutz la'oretz — literally outside — as above. And therefore the essential home is only by drawing into it the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — for even in the lands outside Israel one must draw the holiness of Eretz Yisroel. And this is through the mezuzah that one affixes at the entrance of the home — for the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel is the bechinas emunah, as it is written, "dwell in the land and cultivate emunah" [Ps. 37:3]. And as is explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching — that the holiness of Eretz Yisroel comes through "the power of His deeds" [Ps. 111:6] — through knowing that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything by His will, yesh may'ayin [existence from absolute nothingness], and guides everything in His providence in particular over every thing etc. And this holiness is drawn into the home through the two passages in the mezuzah that one affixes at the entrance of the home — namely: Shema and V'hayah Im Shamoa — which are the essential emunah: Shema Yisroel etc., which is the essential emunah of unity (yichud). And the passage V'hayah Im Shamoa etc. is the bechinas emunah in divine providence — that everything is conducted by His will and providence, blessed be He — as is explained in that passage: "And it shall come to pass that if you hearken diligently to My commandments" etc., "then I will give rain for your land in its season" etc. And conversely, "Guard yourselves" etc., "and you turn away" etc., "and He will restrain the heavens" etc. — thus that passage explains that everything is under His providence, blessed be He. And therefore through these two passages in the mezuzah, the holiness of Eretz Yisroel is drawn into the home — which is the essential nature and sustaining of the home, as above. For holy emunah and holy chochmah are one and depend upon each other. (As will be explained below.) And therefore in Eretz Yisroel, where the essential emunah is found, as above — there is the source of wisdom, as our Sages, of blessed memory, stated: "The air of Eretz Yisroel makes one wise." And they said: "There is no wisdom like the wisdom of Eretz Yisroel." And the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel — which is the holy emunah and holy chochmah that all Israel merit there — flows from the Temple that stands there. And from there one must draw the holiness to all the homes of Israel through the mezuzah that one affixes at the entrance of the home. For the essential partitions of the home (mechitzos ha'bayis) are drawn from the bechinas partitions of the intellect (mechitzos ha'seychel), through which the essential comprehension of true wisdom to know Him, blessed be He, is attained. For in truth Hashem, blessed be He, fills the entire world with His glory — and even in all the external places His divinity is concealed there, through which all their vitality comes — as it is written, "and You give life to all of them" [Neh. 9:6]. And the essential concealment — why not everyone knows His divinity, blessed be He, as they should — is only on account of the abundance of light (ribuy or): because there are no contractions (tzimtzumim) and vessels (kaylim) to receive the da'as, for an abundance of light cannot be received — as is known. And therefore the essential knowing is through the partitions of the intellect, which are the bechinas partitions and vessels to receive holy da'as through them. And from there are drawn the bechinas partitions of the home of Israel — which must be built with wisdom, in the bechinas "with wisdom a home is built" etc. — needing to draw the bechinas partitions of the home so their holiness flows from the partitions of holy intellect. For the essential home must be built so that one has a place to study and pray within it. And even one who is incapable of this must intend to raise his children within it to Torah study, and to bring into it guest-scholars (talmidai chochomim) as guests. And then the partitions of the home are the bechinas holy partitions of intellect — through which the essential comprehension of wisdom is attained, as above. And therefore the essential holiness and vitality of Israel — upon which all the worlds depend — is only through the Temple, which is the house of our lives (bais chayainu). For this is the essential bechinas holiness of the Temple: to draw the indwelling of His Presence there — meaning: that we may attain and recognize Him through the holiness of the partitions of the Temple and its vessels. For from the day that the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He desired to have a dwelling place in the lower realms (dirah b'tachtonim) — and this came from the very depth of His love for Israel. For in truth, from the greatness of His exaltedness, blessed be He, it is impossible to attain Him in any world — as it is written, "behold, the heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain You" [I Kings 8:27] — yet only from His love for Israel He contracted Himself to cause His Presence to dwell within the partitions of the Temple. And therefore all our vitality comes from there — for the essential vitality is to know Him, blessed be He — as it is written, "for He is your life" [Deut. 30:20] etc. And from the holiness of the Temple, vitality flows to all the dwellings and homes of Israel — who draw into them the holiness of the Temple, which is the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel — through the mezuzah that one affixes at the entrance of the home. For the Temple is the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel, which is sanctified with ten gradations of holiness, and the essential holiness is the Temple — and especially the Holy of Holies, which is the holiest of all. And the essential holiness of the Holy of Holies is that there stands the Ark with the Tablets, which contain the Ten Commandments — which are the bechinas ten levels of prophecy, through which the medameh is clarified — through which one merits emunah in the creation of the world: to believe that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything with the Ten Utterances, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching. For all the prophets draw their prophecy from there, from the Holy of Holies — for the essential prophecy flows from between the two Keruvim [Cherubim], as is explained elsewhere. And therefore the Ark with the Ten Commandments stands on the place of the Even Shetiyah [Foundation Stone], from which the world was founded — as it is written, "from Zion, the perfection of beauty, G-d shines forth" [Ps. 50:2] — to teach and to make known to all who come into the world that the beginning of the world's existence, from which the creation of the world began yesh may'ayin [existence from absolute nothingness], which is the point of the Even Shetiyah — this cannot be made known to the world except through the Ten Commandments, which are the bechinas prophetic spirit. For specifically through this, emunah in the creation of the world that began from the Even Shetiyah is drawn: to believe that the beginning-point of the world, which is the Even Shetiyah, was created by Hashem, blessed be He, yesh may'ayin — which is emunah in the creation of the world, which is attained only through the bechinas prophetic spirit, which is the bechinas Ten Commandments that stood in the Temple upon the point of the Even Shetiyah from which the world was founded, as above. And this holiness is drawn to all of Eretz Yisroel — for this is the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel, as above. And through the mezuzah that one affixes at the entrance of the home, this holiness is drawn to all the homes of Israel — for in the two passages of the mezuzah the essential emunah is explained, as above. And there all the Ten Commandments are included — as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: all the Ten Commandments are included in the passage of Shema — through which the medameh is clarified and one merits emunah — through which the holiness of Eretz Yisroel and the Temple is drawn — which is the essential rectification and sustaining of the home, as above. And therefore the mezuzah is affixed at the entrance (pesach) of the home — for emunah, which comes through the clarification of the medameh, is the doorway and the gate (sha'ar) through which one enters to know and recognize Him, blessed be He — in the bechinas "I will betroth you to Me in emunah, and you shall know Hashem" [Hos. 2:22]. For it is impossible to enter into holy da'as except through emunah — as is known. And therefore emunah is the bechinas doorway and the gate, through which one enters to know Him, blessed be He, and to draw close to Him and to be encompassed in Him, blessed be He — in the bechinas "this is the gate of Hashem, through which the righteous shall enter" [Ps. 118:20] — the bechinas "open the gates, that a righteous people may enter, a keeper of faithfulness (shomer emunim)" [Is. 26:2]. For emunah comes through the clarification of the medameh, and the medameh is the doorway and gate of the intellect — as we see even in the external sciences of the philosophers, who begin all their investigations through the imaginings of the medameh, comparing and inferring one thing from another, until they arrive at their wisdom — as is known to whoever is somewhat familiar with them, that all their wisdom is through inferences and imaginings. And because their medameh is not clarified, they are therefore confused in all their wisdoms — for most wisdoms are not clear to them, as is known — and in particular in the comprehension of divinity, in which they know nothing at all. And therefore most of them went greatly astray and became confused through the confusion of the medameh, until they came to various heresies, errors, and false beliefs — each according to his error — and all of it through the confusion of the medameh from which their wisdom begins. For the medameh is not clarified in them because they did not merit to receive the Torah and to receive the bechinas prophetic spirit from true tzadikim — and therefore the pollution of the serpent — which is the confusion of the medameh — has not ceased from them, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching. And conversely, in holiness — the holy nation of Israel, who merited to receive the Torah and to draw close to true tzadikim who possess the bechinas holy spirit in every generation — through this the medameh is clarified, through which one merits emunah, through which one merits the true wisdoms of the holy Torah through the holy medameh — by comparing one matter to another, which flows from the bechinas thirteen hermeneutical principles through which the Torah is expounded: kal va'chomer [inference from minor to major], gezayrah shavah [analogical inference], binyan av [constructive precedent] — which are the holy inferences of the paths of the holy Torah — through which all the Torah innovations and divine comprehensions of the true Torah sages are drawn. It is thus found that the medameh is the bechinas doorway and gate of the intellect. And therefore through the clarification of the medameh one merits the holy emunah, which is the essential gate and doorway of holiness, as above. Therefore at the entrance of the home one affixes the mezuzah — which is the two passages of the Torah, within which all the Ten Commandments are included, and all the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven and the yoke of commandments — all of which is the bechinas prophetic spirit, the bechinas emunah, as above. And through this the entrance of the home is sanctified — to be the bechinas doorway and gate of holy intellect and wisdom, which is the essential holiness of the home, in the bechinas "with wisdom a home is built" — meaning: that the holiness of the clarification of the medameh shall be drawn, which is the bechinas holy emunah, which is the bechinas holiness of the doorway and gate of wisdom, which is the bechinas "home," as above. This is the bechinas holiness of Eretz Yisroel, the holiness of the Temple, which is drawn into the home, as above. And therefore the passage of the mezuzah concludes with the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — as it is written, "in order that your days and the days of your children be multiplied upon the land" [Deut. 11:21] etc. For the essential purpose of the mezuzah is to draw the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — which is the holiness of the Temple — into the home, as above. And this is: "in order that your days be multiplied" etc. — for this is the essential vitality and length of days — for the essential vitality of a person is that each day of his life his emunah grows stronger and stronger — namely: emunah in the creation of the world, which is the essential emunah — until his mind and da'as are renewed each day, in the bechinas "new every morning, great is Your faithfulness" [Lam. 3:23]. For only this is called "life" — in the bechinas "and the righteous shall live by his faith" [Hab. 2:4], and it is written, "wisdom gives life" [Eccl. 7:12]. For holy emunah and holy chochmah are one — for through emunah one merits holy chochmah, and the more chochmah one attains, the more one's emunah is strengthened. For the essential holy chochmah is that one comprehends and becomes wise enough to understand that one knows nothing at all — only that one perceives from afar how greatly one must believe in truth in Hashem, blessed be He, and in the true tzadikim — in the bechinas "from afar Hashem appeared to me" [Jer. 31:3] etc. — and in the bechinas "I said I would become wise, but it is far from me" [Eccl. 7:23] — as our Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote: that the essential wisdom is that one understands that wisdom is far from him etc. — as is explained all of this elsewhere. But one must return to this innumerable times each day — for one must renew one's emunah each day, which is the essential renewal of the mochin each day, which is the essential vitality, as above. And this is the bechinas two times of reciting Shema that we say each day — evening and morning — which are the essential holy emunah that conclude with "in order that your days be multiplied" etc. — for this is the essential vitality, as above. And this must be affixed at the entrance of the home in which one dwells — for within the home is the essential vitality of a person, as is tangibly evident — in order to draw into the home the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, the holiness of the Temple — which is the house of our lives, from which the essential vitality comes, as above — in the bechinas "in order that your days and the days of your children be multiplied upon the land" etc., as above. And this is what was said [in the Talmud]: "There are elders in Babylon — he marveled: it is written 'in order that your days be multiplied upon the land.' When he saw that they came early and left late in the House of Study, he said: it is because of this that it benefits them." Meaning: he marveled at how they could receive vitality outside the Land — for there is no vitality except in Eretz Yisroel, as above. But when he saw that they came early and stayed late in the synagogues and Houses of Study, he said: that is why it benefits them. For through Torah and prayer — and the essential is Krias Shema [the recitation of Shema] — with which we come early and stay late in the synagogues and Houses of Study — through this the holiness of Eretz Yisroel is drawn even outside the Land. And this is the essential vitality in this bitter exile in which we are outside the house of our lives. As it is written, "though I had removed them far among the nations and scattered them among the lands, yet I was for them a minor sanctuary (mikdash me'at) in the lands where they came" [Ez. 11:16]. These are the synagogues and Houses of Study, as our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: "I scattered them among the nations and dispersed them among the lands, yet I was for them a minor sanctuary — these are the Houses." And from there one must draw the holiness of emunah — which is the essential vitality — to all the homes of Israel, through the affixing of the mezuzah at the entrance of the home, as above. And this is the bechinas what is written in the Shulchan Aruch: a doorway is not obligated in a mezuzah until it has two doorposts and a lintel (mashkof). There is an allusion here — for this is the bechinas three things whose root is in kavod [honor/glory], from which prophecy flows — namely: wise, mighty, and wealthy. For prophecy only rests upon one who is wise, mighty, and wealthy — as is explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching. And these three bechinos have their root in kavod, as is explained there. And one who merits holy kavod through the bechinos explained there, merits through wisdom, might, and wealth to true holy prophetic spirit. But one who blemishes kavod and does not strive in all his movements, deeds, and conduct for the glory of Hashem, blessed be He — but only desires his own honor — then he blemishes wisdom, might, and wealth — which are the three things through which a person commonly seeks honor and greatness — as is stated in his [Reb Noson's] writings: as it is written, "let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, the mighty man in his might, the wealthy man in his wealth" [Jer. 9:22]. And from there are drawn the false prophets, who are the false leaders. For just as through holy kavod — meaning: one who flees utterly from his own honor and strives in truth only to multiply the honor of the Omnipresent, blessed be He — through this one merits to holy wisdom, might, and wealth: meaning that one does not use wisdom, might, and wealth for one's own honor at all — only for the honor of Hashem, blessed be He. And then through this one merits the bechinas prophetic spirit, through which the medameh is clarified, through which the holy emunah flows — which is the essential greatness of drawing close to true tzadikim, as above. Correspondingly, in reverse — each person according to how he blemishes this: in that he blemishes kavod and has ulterior motives for his own honor, and receives wisdom, might, and wealth for his own honor — through this there flows upon him the spirit of falsehood of the false prophets, which is the spirit of falsehood of the false leaders, through whom the medameh becomes confused and one comes to false beliefs. And all of this flows from their pursuit of honor — and their desire to increase their honor through wealth and might, overpowering all who refuse to submit to their rule; and through wisdom — to be accepted as great sages. And through this they are the opposite of the bechinas true leaders who possess holy spirit. And therefore through them the medameh becomes confused and emunah is blemished, as above. And this is alluded to in the aforementioned law — that the essential affixing of the mezuzah applies when the doorway has two doorposts and a lintel. For the two doorposts and lintel — through which the essential rectification of the entrance of the home is made — are the bechinas aforementioned three things through which the essential rectification and clarification of the medameh is made, which is the bechinas doorway as above — namely: the bechinas wisdom, might, and wealth. And the essential is wisdom — which is above everything — which is the bechinas lintel (mashkof) that rests and overlooks (shokef) the two doorposts — which are the bechinas might and wealth, which are in the bechinas two pillars — the bechinas "supporters of the Torah" (tomchai oraysah) who support and hold the lintel upon them — which is wisdom — that they bear and carry it upon themselves. For the essential is true wisdom: namely, to know Him, blessed be He — as is explained there in that very verse: "let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, the mighty man in his might, the wealthy man in his wealth, but only in this shall one who glories glory: that he understands and knows Me" [Jer. 9:22-23]. Thus: it began with three — wise, mighty, and wealthy — and concluded with one — the greatness of wisdom and intellect: "that he understands and knows Me." For might and wealth have no greatness in themselves — only in that they support and uphold wisdom. For the essential greatness and purpose is true wisdom for His sake — which is "that he understands and knows Me." And then there is also greatness in might and wealth when they are conducted for Heaven's sake, only for the honor of Hashem, blessed be He, and not for one's own honor at all. And all their greatness is that they hold and support true wisdom — through might they overpower those who oppose and obstruct, and through wealth their heart is free to engage in true wisdom. And therefore might and wealth are in the bechinas two doorposts that bear and carry the lintel upon them — which is the bechinas wisdom, called mashkof from the language of hashkafah [oversight and perception] — for through true wisdom one sees far ahead. For wisdom is the bechinas sight and perception, as it is written, "the eyes of both of them were opened" [Gen. 3:7] — which was said in the name of wisdom. And therefore when the home has two doorposts and a lintel — alluding to wisdom, might, and wealth — then the mezuzah rectification is needed, which is the bechinas clarification of the medameh — which is the bechinas emunah that is clarified through the rectification of these three bechinos — wisdom, might, and wealth of holiness — from which prophetic spirit is drawn when they are received in holiness as one ought. For the holy mezuzah — which is the bechinas prophetic spirit, the bechinas emunah as above, drawn from all the rectifications explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching — rectifies the two doorposts and the lintel and the entrance made by them — which are wisdom, might, and wealth — through which the bechinas prophecy flows and the medameh is clarified, which is the rectification of the entrance. Through this the essential emunah — all of it — is rectified through the two passages of the mezuzah, which are passages of Torah within which the entire Torah is included — which is the essential bechinas prophetic spirit of Moshe Rabbenu, drawn from all the aforementioned rectifications. And therefore through it the entrance is rectified with all the above — and through this emunah is completed and one merits to draw the bechinas holiness of Eretz Yisroel into the home etc., as above. And this is the bechinas what they were commanded in Egypt — that they put the blood upon the two doorposts and upon the lintel of the houses etc. For Egypt was full of idols and foreign worship, which flowed from the pollution of the serpent — which is the confusion of the medameh — as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah teaching. And at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, when they needed to exit from this pollution and to merit the receiving of the Torah — which is prophetic spirit — through which their pollution ceased, which is the confusion of the medameh — as is explained there. Therefore Hashem, blessed be He, had compassion upon them and gave them the commandment of the blood of milah [circumcision] and the blood of the Passover offering — so that they would have the strength through this at that moment to exit Egypt: to flee from the might of their pollution, which is the confusion of the medameh. For the essential grip of the medameh is in the blood — where the vitality of the body resides, received through the animal soul (nefesh ha'chiyuni), which is the animal soul within a person — which is the bechinas medameh — as is known and understood from the books. And therefore through the blood of the Passover offering and the blood of milah, they clarified the blood — which is the bechinas clarification of the medameh. For all the sacrifices that come from animals are for the clarification of the medameh, which is the bechinas animalistic nature (bihaimeyus), from which all sins come, Heaven forbid — and therefore they bring an animal for a sacrifice, slaughter it, humble the medameh, and throw the blood upon the altar. For the essential grip of the medameh is in the blood — for the altar that stood in the Temple is where the medameh is clarified — for all prophetic spirit and holy spirit is received from the Temple, as above. And Hashem, blessed be He, had compassion upon them that they should bring the Passover sacrifice in Egypt — so that the rectification of the sacrifice should also be made there in Egypt — in order to subdue the pollution of Egypt, which is the confusion of the medameh — through the throwing of the Passover blood. Therefore He commanded them to put from the blood upon the lintel and the two doorposts of the house of Israel — which are the bechinas aforementioned three things — wisdom etc. — from which the entire rectification of the medameh through prophetic spirit is drawn, as above. For the blood of the Passover sacrifice, which flowed from the rectification of all the aforementioned bechinos — for the essential Exodus from Egypt was drawn from the bechinas "cast it before Pharaoh and it will become a serpent" [Ex. 7:9], which is prayer in the bechinas strict judgment, from which the aforementioned rectifications flow, until the medameh was clarified and the pollution of Egypt subdued etc. — as is explained there. And from there the bechinas slaughtering of the Passover offering flowed. (As is explained elsewhere — that the rectification of slaughter, and in particular the slaughter of the sacrifices, is through the power of the matte oz, which is prayer in the bechinas strict judgment, which is the bechinas knife [chalif] etc. — see the Laws of Slaughter.) And therefore through the blood of the Passover offering that was placed upon the lintel and the two doorposts, the entrance was rectified and the pollution of the serpent — which is the confusion of the medameh — was subdued, through which the essential Exodus from Egypt came, as above. And this is the bechinas what is written in the Midrash on the Torah portion of Chayay Sarah — that the "sons of Heth" (bnay Ches) are mentioned ten times in that portion in connection with the purchase of the Cave of Machpaylah — to teach you that whoever supports the purchase of a tzadik is considered as if he fulfilled all the Ten Commandments. For the Cave of Machpaylah was the first inheritance that Avrohom our forefather purchased in Eretz Yisroel — for all the striving of Avrohom our forefather was to merit a portion in Eretz Yisroel — for he was the first to reveal the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, as is stated in the Zohar: "he probed and probed until it was revealed to him" — as is cited in his [Reb Noson's] writings. But on account of the sin of the first Man, even though Hashem, blessed be He, had promised to give the land to his descendants, he himself did not merit it — and he was compelled to purchase the Cave of Machpaylah as a burial place for Sarah etc. And this was also a wondrous miracle from Hashem, blessed be He, that He brought out such a holy place from the Sitra Achra — from Efron, as is cited — for the essential rectification of burial is in Eretz Yisroel. For the essential decree of death was for the rectification of the medameh — in which the pollution of the serpent gripped it, which is the confusion of the medameh — which it is impossible to fully purify except through death, which was decreed then when the pollution of the serpent gripped it through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. For through death and burial the pollution will decompose and one will arise in a new body at the resurrection — when the future renewal of the world occurs, and then emunah will increase and grow to the ultimate perfection, in the bechinas "new every morning, great is Your faithfulness" [Lam. 3:23] — which refers essentially to the time of the resurrection, when the world will be renewed. And therefore the essential rectification of burial is in Eretz Yisroel — for all the future renewal of the world after the resurrection will be in the bechinas Eretz Yisroel, as is explained there. Therefore those who die in Eretz Yisroel are the first to be resurrected — as our Sages, of blessed memory, stated. For the essential clarification and rectification of the medameh that is accomplished through death and burial — all of it is through the bechinas Eretz Yisroel, whose entire holiness is the bechinas rectification of the medameh, which is the perfection of emunah, as above. And therefore Avrohom greatly labored and strove to purchase the Cave of Machpaylah as a burial place for Sarah and all the forefathers — all for the clarification of the medameh, which is the rectification of emunah, which one merits through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — in life and in death through burial, as above. And the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel is through "the power of His deeds" — through knowing that Hashem, blessed be He, created the world with the Ten Utterances. And therefore the sons of Heth who merited to assist Avrohom in making his purchase — a portion of land in Eretz Yisroel — were mentioned ten times, corresponding to the Ten Commandments, which are the bechinas Ten Utterances. For all the holiness of Eretz Yisroel comes through the Ten Utterances — through believing that Hashem, blessed be He, created the world yesh may'ayin with the Ten Utterances, as above. And this is attained only through the Ten Commandments, which are the bechinas ten levels of prophecy etc., as above. And therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, derived from this: regarding anyone who fulfills the purchase of a tzadik — it is as if he fulfilled the Ten Commandments — which are the bechinas prophetic spirit, as above — through which it is revealed that Hashem, blessed be He, created the world with the Ten Utterances — through the clarification of the medameh and the meriting of emunah, as above. For when the tzadik makes a purchase, he clarifies the medameh — for this is why all commerce in the world exists: for the clarification of emunah through the clarification of the medameh — as they said: "did you conduct your business faithfully (b'emunah)?" [Shabbos 31a]. For all the different colors and varieties of all the objects in the world are all in the power of the medameh, where all the imaginings reside, and where all commerce lies — since this one desires a certain object and that one desires this, and they exchange one for the other or sell one to the other — and all of it is in the bechinas power of the medameh, where desire and longing for all objects resides — for the intellect is far from all of this. And therefore one must conduct business with emunah in order to clarify and purify the objects from the pollution of the serpent — which is the confusion of the medameh — that grips all things. And the tzadik who makes a purchase surely purchases it in holiness and purity and clarifies the medameh through this. Therefore one who assists him is considered as if he fulfilled the Ten Commandments — which are the bechinas prophetic spirit through which the essential clarification of the medameh comes. For the tzadik's purchase is in the bechinas clarification of the medameh drawn from the Ten Commandments, as above — all of which began with the purchase of Avrohom our forefather, peace be upon him, who purchased the first portion in Eretz Yisroel — where the essential clarification of the medameh takes place — through which the essential rectification of emunah comes, as above. For Avrohom is the head of the believers, and he is the essential one who first began to purify the world from the pollution of the serpent and to clarify the medameh and to draw emunah into the world. And this is why it is juxtaposed after "and the field and the cave that was in it arose for Avrohom" [Gen. 23:17-18], the verse "and Avrohom was old, advanced in days" etc. [Gen. 24:1]. For the essential old age and length of days is attained only in Eretz Yisroel — which is the land of the living — as it is written, "in order that your days be multiplied" etc. "upon the land," as above. And therefore now, after Avrohom merited to purchase a portion of inheritance in Eretz Yisroel — specifically then he merited in perfection holy old age and length of days, in the bechinas "and Avrohom was old, advanced in days" — which was juxtaposed after this. For the essential old age and length of days is when one merits holy emunah and chochmah to renew one's mind and da'as each day — in the bechinas "new every morning" etc. — which is attained only in Eretz Yisroel, as above. And therefore "and Avrohom was old, advanced in days" is juxtaposed after the portion of the purchase of the Cave of Machpaylah, as above. And this is what is juxtaposed to this: "and Hashem blessed Avrohom in everything" [Gen. 24:1]. For the essential of all holy providential abundances (hashpaos) are in Eretz Yisroel — where the clarification of the medameh occurs — through which one exits the pollution of the serpent, from which all blockage of abundance comes, Heaven forbid — through its having been cursed then: "in sorrow shall you eat" etc., "in the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread" [Gen. 3:17-19] — from which flows all the labor and burdens of livelihood in commerce and the thirty-nine categories of labor — for all the labors are for the clarification of the medameh from the pollution of the serpent. (As explained above in the matter of the one who fulfills the purchase of a tzadik, as above.) But Avrohom — through having merited the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, through purchasing an inheritance in Eretz Yisroel, as above — through this: "and Avrohom was old, advanced in days" — which comes through the perfection of holy emunah and chochmah that he merited through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — which are the essential vitality — as it is written, "the righteous shall live by his faith" [Hab. 2:4], and it is written, "wisdom gives life" [Eccl. 7:12]. And therefore through this: "and Hashem blessed Avrohom in everything" — meaning: he merited all the good and holy abundances and great holy wealth — for he merited to clarify everything from the pollution of the serpent, which is the confusion of the medameh, through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, as above. And this is the bechinas "when you sit in your home and when you go on the path" [Deut. 6:7] — which is said in Krias Shema, which is the Torah portion of the mezuzah that one affixes in the home. For this is a great principle — that the essential rectification of a person, and of all the worlds that depend upon him, is through the bechinas renewal (hischadshus) — as our Rebbe, of blessed memory, warned in a loud voice, in a very strong voice, when he rebuked us and aroused and awakened us with his awesome words — and said then in these words: "one must not be old [alt tor men nit zayn]" etc. — as has been printed in part at the end of Sipuray Ma'asiyos, see there. For the essential teshuvah [repentance] is in the bechinas renewal — as it is written, "return us, Hashem, to You, and we shall return; renew our days" etc. [Lam. 5:21] — and it is written, "you shall be renewed like the eagle" [Ps. 103:5]. And the essential exile from Eretz Yisroel and the destruction of the Temple, and all the sufferings endured in exile — all of it flowed through their falling from the bechinas renewal of the mochin to the bechinas "old" — in the bechinas "and you will grow old (v'noshantem) in the land" [Deut. 4:25]. Specifically "v'noshantem" — meaning: they became stale there, as though the holiness of Eretz Yisroel were old and stale, Heaven forbid. And through this all the destruction came, as is explained there in the Torah portion. And therefore that very Torah portion warns them to remember well all the wonders and awesome things He did with them from the day of the giving of the Torah — the like of which has not been heard since the day of the creation of the heavens and the earth — as it is written, "ask now about the early days" etc. [Deut. 4:32]: "Has anything like this great thing ever happened?" etc. etc., "has a people heard the voice of G-d speaking" etc. [Deut. 4:33]. And since you yourselves merited to hear the voice of the words of the living G-d — namely: true prophecy — through this it is fitting for you to humble and nullify all manner of heresies and confusions of emunah — which are the bechinas foreign worship and idols that befell them — as is written there earlier: "and you will corrupt and make for yourselves an idol" etc. [Deut. 4:25]. For through prophetic spirit one merits to nullify all confusions of emunah that flow from the confusion of the medameh — for one merits to clarify the medameh and to believe in the creation of the world. And this one must draw upon oneself each day — for Hashem, blessed be He, renews in His goodness each day always the work of creation. And correspondingly, a person must renew his mind each day — in the bechinas "new every morning, great is Your faithfulness." And this is what that Torah portion concludes with: "And you shall know this day and take it to your heart, that Hashem is G-d" etc. [Deut. 4:39]. "And you shall know this day" — specifically: that one must renew the knowledge each day, in the bechinas "which I command you today" — said in Krias Shema — which our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: "each day let it be in your eyes like something new." And so too that Torah portion concludes: "and you shall guard His statutes" etc. "which I command you today" etc., "and in order that you lengthen your days upon the land" etc. [Deut. 4:40]. For this is the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel — whose governance is through providence and wonders, which is the bechinas future creation of the world — where one can merit this knowledge — for one who merits to draw upon himself in perfection the holiness of Eretz Yisroel will merit to renew himself each actual day — and certainly at the changes of holy times, which are Shabbosos and festivals and new months. (As is understood from his holy discourses.) And this is the essential length of days — in the bechinas "the fear of Hashem adds days" [Prov. 10:27] — the bechinas "one who is old has acquired wisdom" (zakken zeh kanah chochmah) — the bechinas "in order that your days and the days of your children be multiplied upon the land" etc. And as it is written in the aforementioned verse: "and in order that you lengthen your days upon the land" etc. For the essential is emunah — and the essential emunah is to believe in the creation of the world, as above. And this holy emunah one must draw upon oneself anew each day — in accordance with that day, in accordance with the changes of that day in general and in particular. For no day resembles another — as is explained in the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory, and cited in our writings many times. And in accordance with how strong one's emunah in the creation of the world is, so too does one merit the future renewal of the world — as is explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching. And in truth it is all one — for one who merits complete emunah through drawing close to true tzadikim draws upon himself each day and at all times the bechinas future renewal of the world. For this is the entirety of a person — who was created only for this — for one did not come into this passing world except to serve Hashem and to recognize Him, blessed be He. And in accordance with the good deeds one merits through them, so will one merit true and eternal good at the time when the world is renewed in the future — when the essential receipt of the reward of the World to Come takes place — in which every Jew has a portion. For all Israel have a portion in the World to Come. It is thus found: that the service of a Jewish person each day — which is for the eternal purpose — is to draw upon oneself through this service the holiness of the future renewal of the world. And all the changes that Hashem, blessed be He, makes in the world each day — and all the turnings and wondrous causations that He arranges in His mercy with His awesome designs, to hint to us hints each day to bring us close to Him, blessed be He (as is explained in the Torah Vayhi Miketz Zikaron, see there) — all of it entirely — is so that the person be rectified and all parts of the worlds depending upon him be able to be renewed in the future — so that one has a good portion in the future renewal of the world, which is the World to Come. And therefore each and every day there flows an entirely wondrous renewal. And a person must pay attention to this each day — as is explained in the Torah Vayhi Miketz on the verse "you have become very great" etc. And even one who has not the understanding to grasp this properly must in any case believe in this — that each day an entirely new thing flows — as we say: "each day He does new things" etc. And this is the bechinas "new every morning, great is Your faithfulness" — meaning: one must have great emunah to believe in this: that Hashem, blessed be He, renews His world each and every morning — which is the bechinas "new every morning." (Understand this well.) And this bechina — namely: the bechinas renewal — the renewal of the mochin and holy emunah — flows each day in the bechinas "new every morning." And at each change of holy times — new months and festivals — there flows a greater renewal of the mochin. And especially on Rosh Hashanah — when the creation of the world took place — for on Rosh Hashanah the world was created — and then is the essential bechinas renewal for the entire year. And therefore then is the bechinas sleep and the awakening from sleep, as above. And therefore then it is essential that each person draw upon himself the bechinas future renewal of the world. And therefore the future renewal of the world is mentioned on Shemini Atzeres — which is the entirety of the blessing of the zichronos [remembrances], when the future great Day of Judgment is mentioned — when the world will be renewed — as it is written, "who observes and gazes until the end of all generations" etc. [Rosh Hashanah liturgy] — then the world will be renewed in the future. And therefore one must travel to true tzadikim for Rosh Hashanah — to receive from them holiness from the bechinas their holy spirit — in order to merit in perfection emunah in the creation of the world — so that one merits to draw upon oneself the bechinas future renewal of the world each day, as above — meaning: to begin each day anew and not be cast down by anything. This is the essential teshuvah, as above — for one must know and believe that each day an entirely new thing occurs, as above. And for this one engages then in concluding the Torah and returning to begin it, as above. And therefore then one draws upon oneself anew the holiness of Eretz Yisroel — in the bechinas "the eyes of Hashem your G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year" [Deut. 11:12] etc. And this is the bechinas Sukkos — when one goes out from one's home into the sukkah and afterward returns into the home on Shemini Atzeres, when the Torah is concluded and begun again — and it is all one bechina. For it is already explained that the rectification of Rosh Hashanah continues until Shemini Atzeres — as is explained in the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory. And the entire rectification is the bechinas renewal, as above — the bechinas "renew for us a good year" (chadaysh alainu shanah tovah) — specifically "renew" (chadaysh). And therefore each person must renew also the holiness of his home — which is drawn from the holiness of the Temple through the mezuzah, as above. For this holiness flows from the totality of the Torah that begins with Bais — which is the Bais of Beraishis — which is the bechinas rosh bayis [head of the house]. And therefore each year after Yom Kippur one must leave one's home and enter the sukkah — which is a temporary dwelling (diyas ara'i) — which is the bechinas root of the holiness of the home. For the sukkah is the bechinas Clouds of Glory — the bechinas "and the glory of Hashem appeared in the cloud" [Ex. 16:10] — which flows from prayer in the bechinas strict judgment of the Ba'al Ko'ach who engages in this throughout Rosh Hashanah, as is explained there. From those Clouds of Glory, prophetic spirit flows from between the two Keruvim, which the Kohen Gadol entered on Yom Kippur — as it is written, "for in a cloud shall I appear upon the kapores [Ark cover]" [Lev. 16:2]. And from those Clouds of Glory — which are the root of prophecy, as is explained there — from them flows the holiness of the sukkah — as it is written, "I caused the children of Israel to dwell in sukkos" [Lev. 23:43] etc. — and our Sages, of blessed memory, explained: these are the Clouds of Glory. And therefore when one leaves the sukkah, specifically then the Torah begins with Beraishis — for the Torah, which is the totality of prophetic spirit, flows from kavod [glory/honor] — as is explained there — which is the bechinas sukkah, which is the Clouds of Glory. (And this is what our Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote on the verse "and Yaakov traveled to Sukkos and built himself a house" etc. [Gen. 33:17] — see there, for it is connected to this.) It is thus found: after Sukkos, on the day of Shemini Atzeres — when the rectification of Rosh Hashanah is completed — when one departs from the past year into this new year — and the essential rectification is renewal, as above. And therefore one begins the Torah anew — for the essential renewal is the renewal of da'as and mind, which is the totality of the holy Torah that one must now begin anew, as above. And therefore Hashem, blessed be He, commanded us that we also renew the holiness of our home then. For then on Shemini Atzeres one returns from the sukkah into one's home. And through this we draw the holiness of our home entirely anew — through having left the home and entered the sukkah, where the root of the holiness of the home is — which is the holiness of the Torah that begins with Bais, as above. And from there we draw the holiness of the home anew. And then after the days of Sukkah we return and enter the home anew on that very day of Shemini Atzeres — when we begin the Torah itself anew with the Bais of Beraishis — for it is all one, as above. And through the holiness of the holy sukkah we draw upon ourselves the higher holy power — so that throughout the entire year, at every time when one leaves the home to go outside — whether for a brief moment or when one goes on some actual journey, near or far — the holiness of the sukkah will protect us, which is the bechinas Clouds of Glory that protected Israel when they traveled through the desert. And through this, the journey and displacement of going outside the home at times will be entirely for good — for each time one must renew one's da'as and mind, which is the bechinas renewal of the holiness of one's home — where the drawing of wisdom resides, as above. For this is the essential reason why Hashem, blessed be He, leads a person through many exiles and displacements and journeys — when one is compelled to leave one's home — for the essential holiness of a person is within one's home, as it is written, "the glory of man is to sit in a home" (kis'iferes adam laveshes bayis) [Sanhedrin 103b]. And it is written, "fortunate are those who dwell in Your house" [Ps. 84:5] etc. And this is the entirety of the praise of Yaakov our forefather — who was "a wholesome man dwelling in tents" — the opposite of Esav, who was "a cunning hunter, a man of the field" — for there in the field outside, all corruptions and blemishes are found — the bechinas "for she was found in the field" [Deut. 22:27] — the bechinas "fallen in the field" etc. (As this is cited in the books.) But nevertheless — even the Jewish person who is from the side of Yaakov, who should always sit in his home and tent where the essential holiness is, as above — it is nevertheless compelled that he go outside at times, and all of it is for good — for the sake of renewal — in the bechinas "fortunate is he who enters and departs" (zaka'ah man d'a'yil v'nafik) [Zohar]. For this is the bechinas general ascents and descents of every Jew — for the descent is for the sake of the ascent — in the bechinas "the descent is the ultimate purpose of the ascent." But all of this depends on complete emunah through drawing close to true tzadikim who possess prophetic spirit — who draw emunah in the creation of the world upon each person in perfection, each day anew. Until one merits to draw upon oneself the holiness of the future renewal of the world each day, as above — for one must know and believe that everything that passes over a person each day and at every time and every hour — all of it is entirely wondrous renewals of the one primordial Creator, blessed be He — who created His world yesh may'ayin [from absolute nothingness] for the sake of the human being who possesses free choice — in order that one merit the abundant good that is stored away for the future renewal of the world. And therefore what passes over one passes over in accordance with the person, and in accordance with the day, and in accordance with the place etc. And all of it is for the sake of the aforementioned renewal. And one who does not fall into "old age" and stale staleness, Heaven forbid, as above — can renew oneself each time for good, even if something passes over one. And the essential is through drawing close to true tzadikim and their holy books — who merited to renew themselves in perfection each day through the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, as above. And this is the bechinas "when you sit in your home and when you go on the path" — for it is compelled that a person leave the home where all his holiness lies. And when one leaves the home, one must place one's hand on the mezuzah — to draw upon oneself the holiness of the holy mezuzah, which is the holiness of holy emunah — to draw it upon oneself even outside, for all the time one is outside — whether for a moment or on some actual journey. And then on the path — where there is no mezuzah — one draws upon oneself the holiness of emunah through the bechinas sukkah, which is the root of the holiness of the home and which protects a person on the path, as above. And then through the path specifically one merits to renew one's mind — which is the holiness of one's home — specifically through this. For this is the general rule: that continuous pleasure is no pleasure — and therefore the renewal of the mochin comes through the bechinas temporary sleep (shaynah) first — which is the bechinas commerce, the bechinas going out on a journey. And this is the bechinas general exile of Israel — when we were driven from our land and from the Temple — the house of our lives — to the lands outside Israel, which is considered as though we lie completely outside. In the bechinas "the holy stones are poured out at the head of every street" [Lam. 4:1] — and our hope was nearly lost, Heaven forbid — were it not for Hashem's help to us: that He sends us each time true tzadikim, who are the bechinas rosh bayis [head of the house], who teach us even outside — meaning: in the bechinas outside the Land — and there too the holiness of Eretz Yisroel is drawn upon us, the holiness of the Temple — in the bechinas "yet I was for them a minor sanctuary." And the essential is through the holy emunah that is drawn upon us through their holy spirit — and through this they bring us each time from without to within, into the bechinas "home" — which is the holiness of the Temple, the holiness of the Torah that begins with Bais of Beraishis Bara Elokim es ha'shamayim v'es ha'oretz [In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth] — which is emunah in the creation of the world — which is the essential holiness of the home — through which one enters from without to within. And one who strengthens oneself in this will merit that all the exile turns to good — for through this we will merit the building of the [Temple] home in the future — with a wondrous renewal. For then the essential renewal will be for good — in a wondrous perfection — as it is written, "behold, I make something new, now it shall spring forth" [Is. 43:19], and similarly much. And all of this applies to the general collective of Israel, and also in particular to every person and every time — all the ascents and descents — and at the time of descent it is the bechinas "going out" (v'nafik), the bechinas "when you go on the path" — leaving outside the home, which is the boundary of holiness. And when one then strengthens oneself through the power of one's emunah — that there is no despair in the world, and one believes that Hashem, blessed be He, makes new wonders each day, and everything will turn to good through the power of the true tzadikim who merited a wondrous renewal at all times — then one merits that the descent is the ultimate purpose of the ascent. For through the descent — the bechinas "going out" (v'nafik) — specifically through this, one's mind and da'as are renewed, and one returns and enters one's home anew. And therefore each time one returns and enters from outside into the home, one must place one's hand upon the mezuzah and draw upon oneself the holiness of the mezuzah, which is the holiness of the home, anew. Just as each year one leaves home for the sukkah in order to renew the holiness of one's home, as above. And from there one draws the holiness to renew one's mind — which is the holiness of one's home — at every going out and coming in. And this is the bechinas "when you sit in your home and when you go on the path" — about which [Moshe] warned us to speak of His Torah and emunah — as it is written, "and you shall speak of them when you sit" etc. [Deut. 6:7] — which is as above. And this is the bechinas what sometimes happens: that a person is driven from his home for some time, and then returns to his home — and all of it is for good, as above. And this is the bechinas Mizmor Shir Chanukas Ha'bayis [Psalm 30 — "A song at the dedication of the Temple"] that we say each day — for the bechinas chanukas ha'bayis [dedication of the home] — which is the bechinas dedication of the Temple, which is the bechinas renewal of the mochin — must be drawn each day anew. And therefore that Psalm speaks especially about the matter of strengthening: praising Hashem, blessed be He, for having helped one to strengthen oneself and not fall in any manner — for the entire Psalm speaks of this — as it is written, "I will exalt You, Hashem, for You have drawn me up, and have not let my enemies rejoice over me" etc., "Hashem, You have raised my soul from the grave; You have revived me from going down to the pit" etc. — until concluding: "You have turned my mourning into dancing for me" etc. For everything turns to good, as above. And this is what the Psalm concludes with: "so that my kavod [glory] may sing to You and not be silent" etc. For the essential clarification of emunah is through the rectification of kavod — from which prophetic spirit is drawn etc., as above. And this is: "so that my kavod may sing" — specifically "may sing" (y'zam'recha) — the bechinas song (zemmer) and singing (shir) — which is the melody mentioned there that will awaken in the future at the time of the renewal of the world, see there. Which is the essential rectification and hope of each person — as is understood there, as above. And this is: "and he arose and went, and Esav despised" etc. [Gen. 25:34] — that he rose and went and did not kiss the mezuzah, as is cited. And all of this is juxtaposed to the verse "and Yaakov was a wholesome man dwelling in tents" [Gen. 25:27]. And it is stated in the Yalkut Reuvayni that this is the secret of the mezuzos, which is the bechinas truth (emes) — see there, a wondrous thing. For the entire blemish of Esav was that he was "a man of the field" — the opposite of the holiness of the home in which the mezuzah is affixed, which is the bechinas "Yaakov, a wholesome man dwelling in tents." And the essential blemish was that he did not kiss the mezuzah — meaning: he did not draw upon himself the holiness of the mezuzah when he went outside to the field. For the Jewish person — who is from the side of Yaakov, the wholesome man — even when going outside, places his hand on the mezuzah, and through this draws the holiness of the mezuzah even while being outside — through the power of the holiness of the sukkah, which is also the bechinas Yaakov — the bechinas "and Yaakov traveled to Sukkos and built himself a house" etc. [Gen. 33:17] — as above. But Esav — the opposite of all this — when going outside does not place his hand on the mezuzah, for he has no emunah — and therefore he is truly a "man of the field." For Esav is in the bechinas blemish of bodily sustenance (mezonoh d'gufa), which is the opposite of spiritual sustenance (mezonoh d'nishmasa) — which is the bechinas "the voice — the voice of Yaakov" (ha'kol kol Yaakov) [Gen. 27:22] — through which [Yaakov's] hand grasps the heel of Esav etc. — as is all explained in the aforementioned Torah teaching. For the entire holiness of emunah is drawn through the bechinas "the voice — the voice of Yaakov" etc. — see there. And therefore the entire blemish of Esav was through eating — as he said, "feed me, I pray you" etc. [Gen. 25:30] etc. And therefore the entire Torah portion is beautifully connected and juxtaposed through all of the above. Translated from the Hebrew of Likutay Halachos, Yoreh Dayah II, Hilchos Sefer Torah 1–4. Connected to the Laws of the Sefer Torah Based on what Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, his memory be a blessing, wrote [in Likutay Moharan, Torah 266 — see there]: that one must build one's home with wisdom, in the bechinas [bechinas — aspect, dimension] of \"B'chochmah yivaneh bais\" [\"Through wisdom a house is built\"] [Proverbs 24:3]. But one who builds without wisdom becomes impoverished — the bechinas \"chochmas ha'miskayn bezuyah\" [\"the wisdom of the poor man is despised\"] [Ecclesiastes 9:16]. And therefore through the mitzvah of Sukkah one can build and not be harmed, for the Sukkah is the bechinas binah [understanding] through which one can build — see there. And this is the bechinas mezuzah. For it is stated in Rebbe Nachman's teachings [in Likutay Moharan I, Torah 23] that the mezuzah is the bechinas ashirus [wealth, abundance] — as it is written: \"And the Almighty shall be in your refuge, and silver in abundance to you\" [Job 22:25] — see there. And therefore we affix the mezuzah in order to draw ashirus into the home, in order to rectify the blemish of wisdom which is the bechinas chochmas ha'miskayn bezuyah [the wisdom of the poor man is despised]. And through the mezuzah — which is the bechinas ashirus — this is rectified. And through this the home is rectified, whose continuity depends on the rectification of wisdom, as above. And so it is stated in other places in the Rebbe's teachings that wisdom depends on wealth, in the bechinas \"The wealth of the rich is his fortified city\" [Proverbs 10:15] — see there [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 60]. And through the wealth drawn through the mezuzah, the home is protected, for wealth is the wholeness and protection of the soul, as stated in the Rebbe's words [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 69] — and this is the bechinas \"Hashem shall bless you with wealth, and guard you from the harmful ones\" — that is, through the wealth one is guarded from the harmful ones, for wealth is the protection of the soul. And therefore the Sukkah of the festival is exempt from the mezuzah. For all the power of the mezuzah — which is the bechinas rectification of wisdom — flows from the bechinas Sukkah, which is the bechinas saichel [intellect], as above. Therefore the Sukkah itself is certainly exempt from the mezuzah, for from there flows all the rectification of the home — that is, the intellect — as Rebbe Nachman wrote on the verse \"And Yaakov traveled to Sukkos and built for himself a house\" [Genesis 33:17] — see there. And therefore all the laws of the mezuzah are as the laws of the Sefer Torah in all its laws — for it too is comprised of all the Torah, for Shema and V'hayah Im Shamoa are the generality of all the Torah. For the bechinas mezuzah is the bechinas Torah that emerges from the bechinas Sukkah — through which the home is rectified in the bechinas b'chochmah yivaneh bais [\"through wisdom a house is built\"] — which flows from the bechinas Sukkah as above — from which comes the Torah, as it is written: \"Do not forsake the Torah of your mother\" [Proverbs 1:8] — the bechinas im [mother] is binah [understanding] — see all of this in Rebbe Nachman's words on the verse \"Yaakov traveled to Sukkos\" — see there. And what emerges from there [in that teaching] is that the true tzadik is the rosh bayis [head of the house] — and he illuminates all the homes of Israel. And this head who illuminates the house is the bechinas Shem Hashem [the Name of Hashem] — the bechinas Hashem echad ushemo echad [\"Hashem is one and His name is one\"] [Zechariah 14:9]. And he is the bechinas mochin [divine intellect] and the bechinas me'oray or [lights of luminance] — bechinas me'or ainayim [\"light of the eyes\"]. And he illuminates the house — that is, the Bais HaMikdash [the Holy Temple] and all the homes of Israel. And through this, homes are saved from the fires of arson — for this is the bechinas me'oray aysh [\"fires\"], Heaven forbid — which are the opposite of the me'oray or [lights of luminance] — for fires are the bechinas impure name of the external forces, which are the opposite of Hashem's Name. And through the me'oray or which is the bechinas rosh bayis — the bechinas Shem Hashem — through this, homes are saved from the bechinas me'oray aysh which are the bechinas impure names of the external forces — see all of this teaching carefully. And this is the bechinas mezuzah — for the primary mitzvah of affixing it to the doorpost of the house is for protection, so that the holy people of Israel be guarded from the external forces. For the mezuzah is the bechinas Shem Hashem, for the essential Name of Hashem is the Torah — for \"Oraissa shma d'Kudsha Brich Hu\" [\"the Torah is the Name of the Holy One Blessed be He\"] — as it is stated in the holy Zohar. And the mezuzah is the two parshiyos [Torah passages] which are the generality of all the Torah — for Shema and V'hayah Im Shamoa are the acceptance of the kingship of Heaven and the acceptance of the commandments, which is the generality of all the Torah — the bechinas Shem Hashem as above. And in particular the verse Shema Yisroel — which is Hashem's Name itself, so to speak — the bechinas \"Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad\" — which is the essential Name of Hashem, blessed be His Name, so to speak. And therefore it is a mitzvah upon us to affix these two passages — which are the bechinas Shem Hashem — near the doorpost of the house, so that the house be guarded from the external forces. For the mezuzah which is the bechinas Shem Hashem illuminates the house in the bechinas rosh bayis, as above. And through this we are guarded from the external forces, which are the bechinas shem ha'tumah [the impure name] — the opposite of Hashem's Name, as above. And this is the bechinas Name Sha-dai written on the mezuzah. For the Name Sha-dai is the bechinas tzadik yesod olam [\"the tzadik is the foundation of the world\"], as is known. And the tzadik yesod olam — the bechinas Sha-dai — is himself the bechinas rosh bayis — the bechinas Shem Hashem that illuminates the house — for this is the essential bechinas mezuzah which is the bechinas Shem Hashem, as above. For it is impossible for Hashem's Name to be drawn to illuminate the house except through the bechinas tzadik yesod olam who is the glory and the head of all the generations — who is in the bechinas Sha-dai. And as is explained well in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore the mezuzah — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem — illuminates the house and guards it from the impure names of the external forces, through the Name Sha-dai on the mezuzah which is the bechinas tzadik yesod olam who is the head and the glory, as above. And through this the bechinas B'raishis rosh bayis [\"In the beginning — the head of the house\"] is realized — that the head illuminates the house — and through this the house is guarded, as above. And this is the bechinas ruling that the mezuzah is to be affixed in the upper third of the doorpost. For it is stated there at the end of the aforementioned teaching that the beauty of the esrog [citron] also flows from the aforementioned tzadik and head. And all the generations also flow from him, in the bechinas \"He calls the generations from the beginning\" [Isaiah 41:4] — see there. And the essential beauty [hiddur] is the people of Israel, who are a third of the children of Noach — in the bechinas Shem — the bechinas Shem Hashem — see there carefully and you will understand, for it is a matter of wondrous and awesome depth. This is the way of the holy Rebbe of blessed memory — may I be an atonement for his resting place — whose every word is wondrously and awesomely deep beyond measure; fortunate is the one who merits to understand them at least in their plain meaning — see there carefully. And this is the bechinas affixing the mezuzah in the upper third of the doorpost of the house. For the mezuzah — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem that illuminates the house through the tzadik yesod olam, the bechinas Sha-dai of the mezuzah, who is the head and the glory as above — from him all generations and all glory and beauty flow to the house. This is the bechinas hiddur ha'esrog [the beautification of the esrog] — for the esrog is the bechinas bayis [house], the bechinas Malchus [Kingdom], the bechinas Rochail, as is known. And therefore the affixing of the mezuzah is in the upper third, for there is the essential beauty that flows from the rosh bayis [head of the house] — for the essential beauty is in the bechinas shlish ha'elyon [the upper third] — in the bechinas \"hiddur mitzvah ad shlish\" [\"the beautification of a commandment, up to one third\"] [Bava Kamma 9b] — as explained there in the aforementioned teaching. And this third which is the essential beauty is certainly the upper third, for it is most exalted and finest of all, for there is the essential beauty, as above. And therefore the mezuzah — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem that illuminates through the tzadik yesod olam, as above — its place is in the upper third of the doorpost of the house, where the essential beauty is — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem as above — for it is the third from the children of Noach [i.e., the people of Israel who descended from Shem] — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem as above. And [the end of the teaching was forgotten by me because it was not written down immediately]. Thus through the mezuzah, the house is guarded from the impure name. And through this the house is guarded from fires, for fires flow from the bechinas impure name — which is the bechinas me'oray aysh, as above. And this is why it is brought to recite Tikun Chatzos [the midnight lamentation service] near the mezuzah — for Chatzos is a rectification to be saved from fires, as is explained well in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore it is good to recite Chatzos near the mezuzah, for they are a single bechinas. For through the recitation of Chatzos one merits to place splendor (pe'ayr) in place of ashes (ayfer) — so that the illumination of the tzadik — the bechinas pe'ayr [splendor], the bechinas me'oray or, the bechinas Shem Hashem — should be drawn in place of ayfer — that is, me'oray aysh — meaning the fires of the impure name are subdued and overcome, and the me'oray or — the bechinas pe'ayr which is the bechinas Shem Hashem — illuminates instead — as explained there. And this occurs through Tikun Chatzos as explained there. And this too is the bechinas mezuzah — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem, the bechinas pe'ayr, the bechinas me'oray or — which illuminates the house and through this the me'oray aysh — which is the bechinas shem ha'tumah — are subdued and nullified. Thus the mitzvah of the mezuzah and Tikun Chatzos are a single bechinas. And therefore it is good to recite Tikun Chatzos near the mezuzah, as above. And this is the bechinas Shavuos when we receive the Torah — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem, as above. And therefore it is customary to stay awake the entire night — and to study Torah. For sleep is the bechinas withdrawal of the me'oray or — which are the bechinas mochin, the bechinas me'or ainayim. For during sleep the me'or ainayim is withdrawn and the mochin depart — which are the bechinas me'oray or flowing from Hashem's Name, as above. And therefore the essential time of sleep is at night — which is in the bechinas me'oray aysh [fires], the bechinas dinim [severities] — in the bechinas \"and in the evening it appeared as the appearance of fire in the night\" [Numbers 9:15] — for in the evening the light sets in the west — which is the bechinas withdrawal of the me'oray or, as explained at the beginning of the aforementioned teaching. And therefore that is the time of sleep — which is the bechinas withdrawal of the me'or ainayim, which are the me'oray or, as above. Therefore on Shavuos when one must receive the Torah — which is the bechinas Shem Hashem, the bechinas me'oray or — one stays awake the entire night in order to subdue sleep, which is in the bechinas me'oray aysh as above, in order to transform night into day, so that the bechinas me'oray or — which is the opposite of sleep — should prevail as the bechinas me'or ainayim — so that we merit the receiving of the Torah which is the bechinas Shem Hashem, the bechinas me'oray or, the bechinas me'or ainayim. For the holy Torah is in the bechinas \"telas guonin d'eyna u'bas ayin\" [\"the three colors of the eye and the iris\"] — the bechinas ta'amim [cantillation], nekudos [vowel-points], tagim [crowns], osiyos [letters] — as brought elsewhere. And therefore in the morning one eats dairy foods — the bechinas blood being transformed and becoming milk, as is brought. For blood being transformed and becoming milk — this is the bechinas me'oray aysh being subdued and the me'oray or prevailing — as explained well in the Laws of Meat and Milk — see there. And this is what is brought in the Midrash that the receiving of the Torah was through the mitzvah of meat and milk — for through this the angels could not indict against the receiving of the Torah — for the Blessed One said to them: \"Did you not eat meat and milk in the days of Avrohom?\" — see there. For through Israel being scrupulous regarding meat and milk — through which they merit that the me'oray aysh should not prevail, and then the me'oray or prevail as explained in the Laws of Meat and Milk above — through this they merit the receiving of the Torah which is the bechinas Shem Hashem, the bechinas me'oray or, as above. The klal [general principle] is: one must guard the soul greatly, and the essential guarding of the soul is through kavod [honor] — for the soul is clothed in kavod. And one must see that there be a panim [face] to the kavod, that the brazen-faced ones — who are in the bechinas \"dogs with fierce spirit\" — who are the false leaders and rulers — should not draw nourishment from it. And when kavod is blemished and has no face, then the brazen-faced ones of the generation take the kavod. And then Malchus [Kingship] is in the bechinas tzedek [justice], and one must draw the bechinas Hashem so that tzedek become tzedakah [charity/righteousness] — see all of this there carefully. And this is the bechinas mezuzah — for the mezuzah is a protection for the soul. For the essential purpose is to guard the soul clothed in kavod. For the house is where the essential kavod dwells — for the essential honor of a person is only in his home — as it is written: \"Like the glory of a person is to dwell in a house\" [Isaiah 44:13]. The essential honor and glory of every person is in his home. For the home is the bechinas Malchus [Kingship] — the bechinas bais malchus [royal house] — for the portion of Kingship that each person has is in his home — the bechinas \"ruling in his own home\" [Esther 1:22]. And Malchus is the bechinas kavod — the bechinas melech ha'kavod [\"the King of Honor\"] [Psalms 24]. And this is the bechinas \"All the glory of the princess is within\" [Psalms 45:14] — the essential bechinas kevod Malchus [royal honor] is within, in the house. And therefore greatness and elevation are called by the name "house" — as it is written: \"And it was because the midwives feared G-d that He made them houses\" [Exodus 1:21] — and our Sages expounded: houses of kehunah [priesthood] and houses of malchus [royalty]. For "house" is the bechinas kavod, the bechinas Malchus, as above. And therefore our Sages said: \"his house — this is his wife.\" For the home is in the bechinas Chava [Eve], woman — who is the bechinas kavod — who is \"Aim kol chai\" [\"mother of all living\"] [Genesis 3:20] — in whom all souls are clothed, as in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore the gathering of souls — that is, family — is called "house" — for they are called bais av [father's house]. And as it is written: bais Yisroel, bais Aharon [\"House of Israel, House of Aaron\"] [Psalms 115:12] etc. For all souls are clothed in the home which is the bechinas kavod — the aim kol chai as above. Because the soul is clothed in the home — which is the bechinas kavod — therefore the home requires great protection, for one must greatly guard the soul clothed in kavod, as above. And the essential purpose is to see that there be a panim [face] to the kavod — that the brazen-faced ones — who are the bechinas \"dogs with fierce spirit\" — who are the false leaders and rulers — should not draw nourishment from it. And this is the bechinas mezuzah. For through the mezuzah affixed to the house, one draws the bechinas panim [face] to the house — which is the bechinas kavod. For the mezuzah is the two passages of Krias Shema. And it is known that the essential drawing of mochin [divine intellect] and da'as [knowledge] is through Krias Shema — as explained in the kabbalistic intentions. And the essential panim is the mo'ach [brain] and the da'as — in the bechinas \"a person's wisdom illuminates his face\" [Ecclesiastes 8:1] — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. For the essential perfection of kavod is when the kavod is in the presence of those who understand — for then the kavod has holy panim, for the essential panim is da'as, as above. And therefore one must build the home with wisdom — as it is written: \"Through wisdom a house is built and through understanding it is established and through knowledge the chambers are filled\" [Proverbs 24:3–4]. For one must draw the mochin — which are Chochmah [wisdom], Binah [understanding], and Da'as [knowledge] — to the home and all its chambers so that the home — which is the bechinas kavod — should have holy panim, as above — in order that the souls within it be guarded. And this is accomplished through the mezuzah — which is the two passages of Krias Shema — which are the bechinas mochin as above. And therefore the mezuzah is a protection — for through drawing the panim to the kavod which is the bechinas bayis — through this the souls within it are guarded, as above. And therefore our Sages said: \"Everyone who occupies himself with building becomes impoverished.\" And it is stated in Rebbe Nachman's words that this is also an expression of sakanah [danger] — for there is certainly great danger when one builds a home which is the bechinas kavod. For perhaps the kavod comes because of the departure of the soul, Heaven forbid — for the soul departs through the kavod, as above — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore one must be very careful to build the home with wisdom for Hashem's sake — in order to draw panim to the kavod — so that Hashem's honor should fill the home built for Hashem's Name. And then, on the contrary, one merits to receive souls through the home — in the bechinas \"your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your house, your children like olive saplings\" [Psalms 128:3] — for there all souls are clothed, as above. And therefore the mezuzah is affixed near the entrance (pesach), for the entrance is the face of the home — as Rashi explains, that the entrance is called panim [face/front]. And as is explained in the Talmud regarding the fixing of ma'aser [tithes] — that produce is not obligated until it sees the face of the house — that is, the entrance specifically. For the essential drawing of kavod into the home is through the entrance — in the bechinas \"Lift up your heads, O gates, and be uplifted, O eternal entrances, and let the King of Honor enter\" [Psalms 24:7]. And this is what King Dovid, peace be upon him, requested: \"Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will enter through them and give thanks to Yah\" etc. [Psalms 118:19]. For as long as one does not draw the bechinas panim to the doorway of the house — which is the bechinas kavod — then Malchus is called tzedek [justice] as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And then there is nourishment for the external forces — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore the gate is closed, so that the brazen-faced external forces should not draw nourishment from the kavod — in the bechinas \"This gate shall be closed for the six working days, and on the Shabbos day it shall be opened, and on the New Moon day it shall be opened\" [Ezekiel 46:1]. For on the six working days when the external forces have nourishment, the gate is closed — in the bechinas \"And Yericho was shut up and closed\" etc. [Joshua 6:1], as is brought. But on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh [New Month] and the like — when mochin are drawn to Malchus — the bechinas panim, the bechinas \"v'anpin nahahrin b'nahiru ila'ah\" [\"and the face shines with supernal radiance\"] — then the gate is opened — in the bechinas \"u'v'yom ha'Shabbos yipasach\" [\"and on the Shabbos day it shall be opened\"]. And therefore King Dovid requested: \"Open to me the gates of righteousness\" — that the gates of holiness, called \"sha'arai tzedek\" [gates of righteousness], should open for him — for as long as the mochin had not been drawn to the kavod as above, they were closed. And Dovid requested that they be opened: \"for I shall enter through them and give thanks to Yah.\" For Yah are the mochin, as is known. And this is: \"This is the gate of Hashem — the righteous shall enter through it.\" [Psalms 118:20] \"The righteous\" specifically — for the essential rectification of Malchus is through tzedakah [charity] — through which one elevates it from tzedek to tzedakah — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. And it is they — the righteous who give charity — who can enter through the gates — in the bechinas \"tzadikim yavo'u vo\" [\"the righteous shall enter through it\"] — for they are the ones who do tzedakah — who elevate Malchus from tzedek to tzedakah — through which the gate is opened as it is on Shabbos, as above. And this is: \"Open the gates that a righteous nation which keeps faithfulness may enter\" [Isaiah 26:2] — for before the righteous, that is the one who gives tzedakah, the gate is opened, as above. And this is \"shomer emunim\" [\"who keeps faithfulness\"] — for the essential protection of the doorway of the house is through Israel's faith — which is the mezuzah — which is the passages of yichud [Unity] — which is the essential protection. For through this one draws panim to the kavod, as above. And then Malchus is in the bechinas tzedakah, as above. And therefore the essential intention in building the home must be in order to bring worthy poor people into it — and for there to be a gathering of the wise within it — as our Sages said: \"Let your home be open wide and let the poor be as members of your household. Let your home be a meeting place for the wise\" [Avos 1:4–5]. For through this the kavod is complete and then the kavod has holy panim — and then the home — which is the bechinas kavod — is a holy house. For through one's home being open wide and the poor being as members of one's household — that is, tzedakah — through this one elevates the kavod in the bechinas transforming tzedek to tzedakah — and then specifically one can enter into the house. For then the holy doorway is open, as above. And this is why it states juxtaposed: \"He shall receive blessing from Hashem and charity from the G-d of his salvation\" [Psalms 24:5] — that is, through tzedakah — through this: \"this is the generation that seeks Him, those who seek Your face\" etc. [Psalms 24:6]. For through this one merits panim, as above. For through tzedakah one elevates Malchus from tzedek to tzedakah and draws mochin to the kavod — for tzedakah is the bechinas mochin, as is brought elsewhere. And through this specifically: \"Lift up your heads O gates, and the King of Honor shall come in\" — for then specifically the gate is opened — for the holy kavod enters — in the bechinas \"u'va melech ha'kavod\" [\"and the King of Honor shall come in\"], as above. And this is the bechinas \"Let your home be a meeting place for the wise\", as above — for through the wise, panim is drawn to the kavod. For the essential panim is wisdom and mochin, as above. But one who builds the home, Heaven forbid, out of arrogance — for his own honor — to show off his honor and lord over the poor people for nothing — this is the bechinas \"Hashem demolishes the house of the arrogant\" [Proverbs 15:25] — this is the bechinas house and the greatness of the false leaders who build ruins for themselves — and of this it is said: \"Woe to the one who builds his house without righteousness and his upper chambers without justice\" [Jeremiah 22:13]. For when the kavod has no face and the kavod which is the bechinas bayis is with the false leaders — who have great houses for their own honor — then Malchus is in the bechinas tzedek [justice] and there is nourishment for the Sitra Achra [Other Side], Heaven forbid. And then when they draw nourishment from the bechinas tzedek, even that tzedek is blemished in them — and then their house is called \"boneh baiso blo tzedek\" [\"builds his house without righteousness\"] — for even the name tzedek which belongs to holiness alludes to the fact that holiness has contracted greatly, and the mochin and the panim have departed from the kavod until they are able to draw nourishment, Heaven forbid. And the moment they draw nourishment, certainly the bechinas tzedek is blemished within them — in the bechinas \"in the place of justice — there is wickedness\" [Ecclesiastes 3:16]. And this is the bechinas \"boneh baiso blo tzedek u're'aihu ya'avod chinam\" [\"builds his house without righteousness, who makes his neighbor work for nothing\"] — this is the bechinas false leaders who lord over the poor for nothing. They use the people of Israel and work them for nothing — for they received no eternal benefit from them. And they lord over the impoverished people for nothing — in the bechinas \"u're'aihu ya'avod chinam\" [\"makes his neighbor work for nothing\"]. And therefore their house is called the bechinas \"boneh baiso blo tzedek\" — for the kavod is blemished in them and they have no face, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas Name Sha-dai written on the mezuzah. For the Name Sha-dai is the bechinas tzadik [righteous one], as is known — the bechinas tzadik chonen v'nosen [\"the righteous one gives graciously\"] — the bechinas ba'al tzedakah [possessor of charity] who draws blessing — in the bechinas \"and I will pour out for you a blessing without limit\" [Malachi 3:10] — this is the bechinas Sha-dai — the bechinas \"and may the Almighty give you mercy\" [Genesis 43:14]. For the Name Sha-dai bestows blessing, life, and mercy without limit. And through this — through the bechinas tzedakah, the bechinas Sha-dai — through this the essential elevation of kavod which is in the bechinas bayis, as above. And through this the soul clothed in the kavod is guarded, as above. And this is the bechinas \"U'chesavtam al mezuzos baisecha\" [\"And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house\"] etc. And our Sages expounded [Shabbos 55a]: \"Zaz maves\" [\"death moves away\"] — this is the bechinas tzedakah tatzil mi'mavess [\"charity saves from death\"] — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. For the mezuzah is the bechinas mochin, the bechinas tzedakah — which elevates Malchus from tzedek to tzedakah — through which \"zaz maves\" [death moves away] — in the bechinas tzedakah tatzil mi'mavess — in the bechinas \"l'ma'an yirbu yemaichem vi'yemay venaichem\" [\"so that your days and the days of your children shall be multiplied\"] stated in the mezuzah — for his days and the days of his children — that is, the souls dependent on him — are drawn life and length of days through the mezuzah — which is the bechinas drawing panim to the kavod — which is the bechinas bayis — through which the souls clothed in the kavod are guarded, as above. And this is what the Sages said in the Midrash on the verse \"l'ma'an yirbu\" etc. — for the drawing of life is through the bechinas panim which is wisdom, as above — in the bechinas \"wisdom gives life\" [Ecclesiastes 7:12]. And this is why \"v'achalta v'savata\" [\"and you shall eat and be satisfied\"] is mentioned in the mezuzah. This is the bechinas tzadik ochel l'sova nafsho [\"the righteous one eats to the satisfaction of his soul\"] [Proverbs 13:25] — the bechinas breaking the desire for food — the bechinas \"u'v'sadcha livhemtecha\" [\"and in your field for your animal\"]. That you should subdue your animalistic side — as explained in Rebbe Nachman's words on this verse — see there. For through the breaking of the desire for food one elevates the kavod away from the brazen-faced ones and draws panim to the kavod — which is the bechinas mezuzah, as above. And this is the bechinas Shema and V'hayah Im Shamoa written in the mezuzah — this is the bechinas two hands of love (ahavah) and awe (yirah) through which the soul is born and raised. For Shema is the bechinas ahavah [love] — the bechinas \"v'ahavta es Hashem Elokecha\" [\"and you shall love Hashem your G-d\"]. And V'hayah Im Shamoa is the bechinas yirah [awe] — as it is written there: \"Beware for yourselves\" [Deuteronomy 11:16] — which is the bechinas yirah. For through awe and love the essential birth and growth of the soul clothed in the kavod which is the bechinas bayis is guarded through the mezuzah, as above. Based on what is explained at the end of Sefer Likutay Moharan — printed alongside the Sippuray Ma'asiyos [the Tales, i.e., the famous stories of Rebbe Nachman] — on page 15: \"It is fitting for a person to accustom himself to be in the World to Come\" etc. — see there. From the matter of the tav'n (310) worlds [based on the Talmudic statement in Uktzin 3:12 that G-d will bestow upon every righteous person 310 worlds] which are the delight of the World to Come — that a person must remind himself of them in order to draw himself and detach himself from the desires of this world and its vanities. And these 310 worlds are built from machlokes [dispute/division] — that is, through the tzadik who judges everyone favorably, even those who dispute him, and makes peace amidst the conflict — which is the bechinas sections of stones, etc. And builds from them houses — in the bechinas shalom bayis [domestic peace/peace of the house]. And from these houses, worlds are formed until the 310 worlds are assembled — in the bechinas \"to give those who love Me substance (yesh)\" [Proverbs 8:21] [the word yesh — substance — has the numerical value of 310] — see all of this there carefully. And now the juxtaposition of the Mishnah is well understood: \"Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: in the future the Holy One Blessed be He will bequeath to each and every righteous person 310 worlds\" etc. [Uktzin 3:12]. \"Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta said: the Holy One Blessed be He found no vessel to contain blessing for Israel except for peace\" [ibid.]. For it is the same thing — for the 310 worlds of each righteous person are made from the bechinas shalom [peace] — that is, through one's weighing all things favorably and making peace amidst the conflict, as above. And therefore the Tanna placed these two statements — regarding the 310 worlds and regarding the value of peace — adjacent to each other, for they are a single bechinas: the 310 worlds are built from peace and the resolution made amidst conflict, as above. And this is the bechinas mezuzah affixed at the entrance of the home — in order to remind oneself of the World to Come — so as not to forget Hashem, blessed be He. For this is the essential purpose of the mezuzah — to remember Hashem, blessed be He — as it is written: Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad [\"Hear O Israel, Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One\"] — which is the essential bechinas memory of the World to Come. For the essential World to Come is when they will recognize and know His unity, blessed be He — as it is written: \"On that day Hashem shall be One and His Name shall be One\" [Zechariah 14:9]. And it is written: \"for they shall all know Me\" etc. [Jeremiah 31:33]. This is the essential delight of the World to Come. And as Rebbe Nachman wrote elsewhere [in Likutay Moharan II, Torah 2]. And this memory — of Hashem, blessed be He — which is the memory of the World to Come — one must be especially careful to guard it when building a home. For one who builds a home is as though he forgets, Heaven forbid, the World to Come — and makes himself a permanent dwelling in this transient world that passes away. For certainly if one deeply contemplates with truth the permanence of the life of the World to Come and the swiftness with which this world passes like a passing shadow, like a dissolving cloud, etc. — certainly there is no greater madness than this: to want to build for himself a home for this brief moment that is certain to pass away from here without doubt, swiftly and quickly. And therefore Yehonadav ben Rechav truly commanded his children to dwell in tents and not build houses etc. [Jeremiah 35:6–7]. For one who builds his home without knowledge and forgets the World to Come is certainly worse than a madman. And of this it is said: \"Woe to the one who builds his house without righteousness and his upper chambers without justice\" [Jeremiah 22:13]. \"The one who says: I will build myself a great house\" etc. And it is written: \"He builds his house like the moth\" etc. And it is written: \"The sons have built ruins for themselves and the houses are set to become heaps\" etc. [Job 15:28] — and many similar passages. Therefore upon entering the home, one must be very careful to immediately remember the World to Come — for there is the essential home and there is the essential permanence. And what one builds for oneself in this world is also only for the sake of the World to Come — in order that one can serve Hashem, blessed be He, within one's home through Torah study, prayer, hospitality, and honor of Shabbos etc. For each person must intend in the building of his home that his home should be a house of Torah, a house of prayer, a meeting place for the wise, a home open wide — with the poor as members of the household. And then his home is the house of Hashem. And of this it is said: \"Through wisdom a house is built\" etc. And then it is certainly a great mitzvah to build a home for Hashem's sake. And therefore one must affix the mezuzah — in order to immediately upon entering the home remember the unity of Hashem, blessed be He. This is the bechinas memory of the World to Come. And then specifically the home is fit to be built and to endure — for one does not forget the World to Come, and does not make for himself a permanent dwelling in this transient world, Heaven forbid. Rather, on the contrary, one builds one's home specifically for the sake of the memory of the World to Come — which is the unity of His Name, blessed be He — as above. And then one's home is built through the righteous who establish the world — who labor to build many homes until they form from them 310 worlds — for they build these homes of the 310 worlds from conflict — that is, from the peace they make amidst conflict — in the bechinas shalom bayis etc., as above. And from there one's home is built. For the essential building of the home is for peace. For outside is the bechinas machlokes [conflict] — for each one is divided for himself — they are dispersed and separated and do not gather together. But in the house, there is the gathering and assembly together — in the bechinas shalom u'achdus [peace and unity] — the bechinas shalom bayis. And this is the bechinas Name Sha-dai on the mezuzah. The letters: shin-yud = 310 (ש״י), dalet (ד). The shin-yud = 310 — these are the bechinas 310 worlds which are the delight of the World to Come, as above. The dalet is the bechinas dalet of the word echad [one] — which is the bechinas shalom v'achdus [peace and unity] made from the conflict — which is also the bechinas dalet — the bechinas four directions — the bechinas \"For I have spread you to the four directions of the heavens\" [Zechariah 2:10]. And from there the 310 worlds are built — through making peace and unity amidst the conflict — and including and unifying all four directions in the bechinas dalet d'echad [the dalet of the word echad] — for one believes that all four directions of the world and all the differing opinions among them all return to one place — to the source of His unity, blessed be He — which is the bechinas dalet d'echad. For conflict is the bechinas four directions of the world — each one pulling toward its own side: one to the right and one to the left, one to the east, etc. But in truth the root of conflict is entirely unity. For the root of all holy conflict is the dispute of the Tannaim and Amoraim — this one forbids and this one permits etc. — as Rebbe Nachman wrote elsewhere. And the root of the disputes of the Tannaim and the righteous flows from the bechinas beginning of the tzimtzum [divine contraction] of the chalal ha'panoy [the vacated space] — which cannot be grasped — as all of this is explained well in the Torah \"Bo El Paro\" [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 64] — see there carefully. It is explained there that the dispute between the righteous is the bechinas chalal ha'panoy — for the light of the holy souls of the righteous is the bechinas light of the Ain Sof [the Infinite]. And everything the righteous speak — they are creating worlds — for they are partners with the Holy One Blessed be He in the act of creation — as it is said: \"What I do in heaven and earth\" etc. [Beraishis Rabbah]. And if all the righteous were one, the light would be Ain Sof and there would be no place for the creation of the world. Therefore it is necessary for each one to pull toward his own side — which is the bechinas machlokes in which they have differing opinions and each one is drawn to his own side. This is the bechinas drawing the Ain Sof light toward the sides — and through this the bechinas chalal ha'panoy is formed — and then there is a place for creation — that is, the creation of worlds that the righteous create in every generation, as above. And this holy dispute among the righteous is in truth peace and tranquility — in the bechinas \"Elu v'elu divray Elokim chayyim\" [\"These and these are words of the living G-d\"] — whose letters spell echad [one] — as Rebbe Nachman wrote elsewhere. For in truth it is entirely one — only it is impossible to grasp this with human intellect in any way — for the bechinas chalal ha'panoy cannot be grasped, as explained there. But when this conflict descends below it sometimes falls and becomes absolute conflict, Heaven forbid. And the tzadik who inclines toward kindness and judges everyone favorably — and makes peace amidst the conflict — and builds from them 310 worlds as above — this tzadik elevates all the conflict in the world to its root — to the bechinas conflict of the chalal ha'panoy which in truth is entirely one, as above. And this: that he judges them all favorably — that their intention is for the sake of Heaven — for the world was unable to bear the light of the tzadik whose light is very great for the world to bear — thus it was necessary for there to be some conflict and differing opinions among the sages — for each one is drawn to his own side, which is the bechinas drawing the Ain Sof light toward the sides — and through this the bechinas chalal ha'panoy is formed and there is place for creation etc., as above. And through this — through the tzadik judging all favorably and elevating all conflict to its root — to the bechinas conflict of the chalal ha'panoy — and knowing and believing that in truth this conflict is entirely one, as above — and through this he makes peace amidst all conflict — through this he builds the 310 worlds which are the delight of the World to Come. For the essential 310 worlds — which are the reward of the righteous in the World to Come — are the bechinas divine insights which the righteous will attain — the divine insights of His Godliness and unity, blessed be He — which are wondrous such that spiritual buildings and palaces are formed from them — the bechinas 310 worlds. Fortunate are those who merit them. And all the insights cannot be attained except through the tzimtzum [contraction] of the chalal ha'panoy. For had there been no tzimtzum, everything would be Ain Sof and there would be no place for creation — and there would be no concept of receiving reward, and there would be no insight or knowledge for the righteous. For there in the bechinas this tzimtzum is the root of free choice — for from it flow all the severe judgments (dinim) from which the yaytzer hara draws all its nourishment, as is known. And one who merits to shatter the yaytzer hara and sweeten the root of the judgments — merits through this very tzimtzum specifically to attain all the attainments that are impossible to attain except through there being tzimtzumim, as is known. And then through this specifically one builds all the palaces and houses — of which it is said: \"Fortunate is the one whom You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts, we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house\" etc. [Psalms 65:5] — the bechinas \"One thing I asked of Hashem… to dwell in the house of Hashem… to behold the pleasantness of Hashem\" etc. [Psalms 27:4] — the bechinas \"How beloved are Your dwellings, Hashem of Hosts\" etc. [Psalms 84:2]. And one multiplies the building of houses and palaces and sacred and awesome courtyards and chambers until one builds the 310 worlds, as above. And this is the bechinas Shema and V'hayah Im Shamoa — which are the acceptance of the kingship of Heaven and the acceptance of the commandments. For from these two bechinos [dimensions] the 310 worlds are built — for the essential building of the 310 worlds comes from the light of intellect and the tzimtzum — and through these two bechinos specifically — when they are unified together in ultimate unity — through them come all the insights that are the bechinas 310 worlds, as above. And this is the bechinas Shema and V'hayah Im Shamoa. For Shema is the acceptance of His unity, blessed be He — for one believes in Him, blessed be He, that He is one — singular and unified — and the entire passage of Shema is stated in the singular — which alludes to the very essence of the light of the true intellect — which is entirely one. But V'hayah Im Shamoa is stated in the plural. This alludes to the tzimtzumim of the intellect — where the bechinas differing opinions begins. For each one receives the intellect of attaining His Godliness, blessed be He, according to what one measures in one's heart. And this is: \"V'hayah im shamoa tishme'u\" etc. [\"And it shall come to pass if you hearken diligently\"]. \"Shamoa\" — this is the bechinas very essence of intellect — the bechinas Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad — which is the bechinas root essence of the intellect. \"Tishme'u\" — in the plural — meaning that you shall hear and receive the light of this true intellect — each one according to his own tzimtzum in his mind — according to what he measures in his heart. And so the entire order of this passage proceeds in the plural: \"l'ahavah es Hashem Elokaichem u'l'avdo b'chol levavchem\" [\"to love Hashem your G-d and to serve Him with all your hearts\"] etc. [Deuteronomy 11:13]. And therefore in this passage specifically the Torah warns: \"Hishomru lochem pen yifteh levavchem acharay ha'avodah zarah\" [\"Beware for yourselves lest your heart be enticed toward false worship\"] [Deuteronomy 11:16] — which is the bechinas machlokes — the bechinas chalak levavam [\"their heart is divided\"] [Hosea 10:2]. And as our Sages said: \"I wonder if this house will not become false worship\" — since there was conflict there — as is brought in Rebbe Nachman's words [Likutay Moharan I, Torah 251]. For when the intellect enters into the tzimtzumim — where necessarily it divides into four directions and each one attains according to what he measures in his heart — from this flows the root of conflict. Therefore there one must be very careful against absolute conflict, Heaven forbid — which is the bechinas false worship. And this: \"V'samtam es divaray ayleh al levavchem\" [\"And you shall place these words upon your hearts\"] etc. — that you should place these words that I warn you — regarding the faith of His unity, blessed be He, and the acceptance of His commandments — place them upon your hearts — that each one according to the measure in his heart should receive these words — meaning: even though the measure in the heart of each one differs from the other and divides one from another — nevertheless do not deviate, Heaven forbid, through this toward another side — the path of absolute conflict and false worship, Heaven forbid. Rather receive and place these words upon your hearts — that is, always return to the source of unity — to know and believe that all the differences of opinion and all the conflict and all the tzimtzumim that flow from them all return to one place — for everything flows from Him, blessed be He, as above. And therefore regarding the affixing of the mezuzah, it concludes in the singular — as it is written: \"U'chesavtam al mezuzos baisecha\" [\"And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house\"] etc. For the home is knafia d'chola [\"the wing that includes all\"] — for this is the essential rectification of the home through the mezuzah — that through this the home becomes the bechinas shalom bayis — the bechinas gathering and assembling all the divided opinions together — so that they all be included in unity and peace, as above. And this is the bechinas \"Yehi baisecha bais va'ad lachochomim\" [\"Let your home be a meeting place for the wise\"] [Avos 1:4]. Bais va'ad [\"meeting place\"] — this is the bechinas gathering of the wise who assemble in some house in order to deliberate on the rectification of the community and the like — where the path is for each one to say his opinion according to his intellect — and afterward they weigh between all the opinions and enact ordinances. This is the essential name bais va'ad. And in this bechinas every person from Israel's home must be — that in his home the peace shall be drawn between the sages who differ in their views — all for the sake of the eternal rectification of the world. And in this bechinas shall be the building of his home — which is the bechinas resolution and peace amidst conflict that flows from its root — the chalal ha'panoy — through believing that in truth all is one, as above. And this is: \"So that your days and the days of your children shall be multiplied upon the land that Hashem swore to your forefathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.\" [Deuteronomy 11:21]. For this verse speaks essentially of the reward of the World to Come — as our Sages said: \"it says 'to give to them' not 'to give to you' — from here [we derive] the resurrection of the dead from the Torah.\" And this: \"upon the land\" — this is the holy ground, the land of the living. And this: \"as the days of the heavens above the earth\" — this is the bechinas 310 worlds that the righteous will merit in the World to Come — which are built and formed through the intellect and the tzimtzum — which are the bechinas heavens and earth. For heavens are the bechinas intellect and earth is the bechinas tzimtzum — as is understood elsewhere. And from both of them together specifically every world of the 310 worlds is built — for from one bechinas alone it is impossible for a world to be built — only from both together — from heavens and earth, from the bechinas intellect and tzimtzum — a world is built until the 310 worlds are formed — which are the reward for the righteous in the World to Come. And this verse is the conclusion of the two passages of the mezuzah. For the essential bechinas mezuzah is to draw and to remind oneself of the bechinas World to Come — the 310 worlds — which are the bechinas heavens and earth, as above. And this is the bechinas \"B'raishis bara Elokim es ha'shamayim v'es ha'oretz\" [\"In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth\"] [Genesis 1:1]. B'raishis — \"rosh bayis\" [\"head of the house\"] — as it states in the Tikunay Zohar. Rosh is the bechinas intellect in the head. Bais [house] — these are the bechinas mechitzos [partitions] — the bechinas tzimtzumim. And from these two bechinos G-d created the heavens and the earth — which are the totality of all worlds that are all included in the bechinas heavens and earth — the bechinas intellect and tzimtzum — which are the bechinas soul and body, lights and vessels. For heavens are the bechinas soul. And earth is the bechinas body — as our Sages said [Sanhedrin 91b]: \"He calls to the heavens above — this is the soul; and to the earth — this is the body.\" And the soul is the intellect — as it is written: \"and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding\" [Job 32:8] — as Rebbe Nachman wrote. And the body is the bechinas tzimtzum — from which all physicality flows until physical bodies are formed. And even all the higher and loftier and very spiritual worlds are all comprised of lights and vessels — bechinas soul and body — that flow from the bechinas light of the intellect and the higher tzimtzumim that flow from the beginning of the tzimtzum of the bechinas chalal ha'panoy — as is understood from the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory. Thus heavens and earth are the bechinas soul and body — lights and vessels — that flow from the bechinas B'raishis — rosh bayis — intellect and tzimtzum — from which all worlds are built both spiritually and physically. And this is: \"es ha'shamayim\" — to include their derivatives — \"v'es ha'oretz\" — to include their derivatives. The derivatives of heavens and earth are the bechinas totality of all worlds — all included in heavens and earth, as above — which flow from the bechinas B'raishis — rosh bayis — as above. And this: \"l'ma'an yirbu yemaichem\" etc. — referring to the day that is entirely long — which is the World to Come — as our Sages expounded everywhere. \"Al ha'adamah asher nishba Hashem\" — this is the holy ground — the Land of the Living — which is the bechinas 310 worlds that the righteous will inherit in the World to Come. \"Asher nishba Hashem l'avosaichem lases lahem\" — \"l'sasom\" not \"lochem\" [\"to give to them\" not \"to give to you\"] — from here: the resurrection of the dead etc. — meaning, the World to Come — which is after the resurrection. And this: \"kimay ha'shamayim al ha'oretz\" [\"as the days of the heavens above the earth\"] — this is the bechinas days and the measures that each one merited to illuminate and draw from the heavens upon the earth — that is, according to how each one sanctified and purified himself — and merited to occupy himself with His Torah and service, blessed be He — through which one drew the light of intellect to the tzimtzumim — until one sweetened all the tzimtzumim and conflict and included them in unity. This is the totality of heavens and earth — from which all worlds are built, as above. And so each one will merit length of days for the world that is entirely long — upon the holy ground — meaning that one will merit the World to Come — which is the bechinas 310 worlds built through this, as above. And therefore all the gatherings and assemblies of the people of the world are called by the name "house" — as it is written: bais Yaakov, bais Yisroel, bais Aharon [\"House of Jacob, House of Israel, House of Aaron\"] etc. — and many similar usages. For "house" is the bechinas gathering and assembly — the bechinas unity and peace — to transform all conflict into peace, as above. And for this purpose one must affix the mezuzah in the home, as above. \"Send away the mother and take the young for yourself… that it may be good for you and you may lengthen your days\" [Deuteronomy 22:7]. — Based on what our Rebbe, may his light illuminate, wrote [in Likutay Moharan I:67] that kavod [honor/glory] is the bechinas aim kol chai [mother of all life], for it is the root of the soul. Therefore when honor comes to a person, he must be extremely careful — for perhaps the honor has come because of an approaching departure from the world, in the bechinas: \"the glory of Hashem shall gather you\" [Isaiah 58:8]. For sometimes through the honor that comes to a person — which is the root of the soul — the soul departs through it to the kavod. But for the most part, honor comes for good — meaning it comes with a new soul that is clothed within the kavod. See there well. And this is the bechinas: \"whoever pursues honor — honor flees from him\" — for when one pursues and draws after the honor, the honor flees from him, and through this he may depart, for his vitality and soul are drawn after the honor while the honor flees — and through this he departs, as above. Therefore one must be extremely careful when new honor comes to him, as above — namely, that he should not pursue the honor, lest he depart through this, as above. Rather one must flee from honor and diminish one's own honor, only striving to extract the soul clothed within the honor — but from the honor itself one must flee, for perhaps it has come because of departure, as above. And this is the bechinas shilluach ha'kain: for the mother sitting upon the young — this is the bechinas kavod which is the mother of all life, and the young are the bechinas souls, which are in the bechinas tzippor [bird], as written [Psalms 11:1]: \"How can you say to my soul, flee to the mountain like a bird?\" And this is the bechinas: \"do not take the mother upon the young — send away the mother.\" For one must send away the bechinas kavod — not to take honor for oneself but to flee from honor, as above. For only: \"and the young you shall take for yourself\" — namely, the souls — take for yourself. That is, strive only to receive and take the soul clothed within the honor — but from the honor itself one must flee, as above. Because one may depart through it, as above. And this is: \"that it may be good for you and you may lengthen your days\" — the opposite of one who pursues honor, through whom may come departure, as above. But when one flees from honor in the bechinas \"shallayach t'shallayach es ha'aim\" [send away the mother], then: \"you shall lengthen your days\" — for one receives a new soul and new vitality from the honor, as above. Based on what our Rebbe of blessed memory, may the memory of the righteous tzadik be for a blessing and may I be an atonement for his resting place, wrote on the verse \"Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?\" [Genesis 22:8] — see there carefully [Likutay Moharan II:12]. And the general principle that emerges from there in brief: the vitality of the kelippos [husks] and the Sitra Achra [the Other Side] derives from the bechinas ma'amar sotum [the sealed utterance]. And this is the bechinas: yerida hi tachlis ha'aliyah [descent is the ultimate purpose of ascent] — for when a person falls to wherever he falls, Heaven forbid, to the external places, and then gazes upon himself and sees that he is very far from Hashem Yisborach, and begins to search and seek: \"Where is the place of His glory?\" — then he ascends to the ultimate height in the bechinas yerida hi tachlis ha'aliyah. For Ayeh [where?] is the bechinas ma'amar sotum, from which the vitality of all the kelippos and Sitra Achra is drawn — through the great concealment and hiddenness of this utterance, which is a supremely sealed and hidden utterance. But now — through falling to the external places and seeking and asking \"Where is the place of His glory?\" — through this one ascends to the ultimate height, to the bechinas Ayeh which is the bechinas ma'amar sotum above. See there — all of this well — and you will understand, for it is a very subtle and exceedingly deep matter. And this is the bechinas mitzvah of shilluach ha'kain — for it is stated in the Tikunim and in many places that kan tzippor [a bird's nest] alludes to the Shechinah, as it were. And when the bird's nest chanced before him ba'derech [on the road] specifically — as our Sages taught: \"ba'derech\" — to the exclusion of a prepared nest — this alludes to the exile of the Shechinah, as it were, which has wandered from its place. For in our many sins the Shechinah is in exile, in the bechinas ki yikarai l'fanecha kan tzippor ba'derech — ba'derech precisely, in the bechinas displacement and exile, as it were. And now it falls upon each person before whom this bird's nest chanced, to see to work to repair this bird's nest in order to elevate the Shechinah from the exile, as it were. And the essential repair is through the bechinas above — through the bechinas Ayeh, the sealed utterance — for the essential exile of the Shechinah is that His kingship Yisborach has become concealed, as it were, through the strengthening of the kelippos and Sitra Achra in our many sins. But one who merits to recognize Him Yisborach now in this bitter exile — who merits to believe and know that in truth His kingship rules over all — and even though the nations who are the kelippos rule over Israel the holy people, even so we believe that the kelippos themselves receive vitality from Him Yisborach, for He gives life to them all and His kingship rules over all — only that they receive vitality from the bechinas Ayeh, the sealed utterance, as above. And through believing and knowing this truly — through this they are subdued and fall, for their essential vitality is only from the bechinas concealment and hiddenness of the sealed utterance above. But immediately when one merits to know and reveal that even they receive vitality from Him Yisborach — then they have no vitality and are subdued and nullified completely, and then His kingship Yisborach is revealed, as it were. For the essential concealment had been from the strengthening of the kelippos, as above — but when the kelippos are nullified, then His kingship Yisborach is revealed, as it were, as above. And this is the bechinas shilluach ha'kain: shallayach t'shallayach es ha'aim — this is the bechinas Ayeh, the sealed utterance. For when one sends away the mother, she flies up and becomes hidden from his eyes and her place is not known — ayeh [where is she?]. And through this — through sending away the mother — one alludes to and shows that the root of the vitality of these birds is from the bechinas Ayeh. For the mother is the source of their vitality — the chicks need their mother and their vitality depends on the mother — and when one sends away the mother, one connects the root of their vitality, which is the mother, to the bechinas Ayeh, the sealed utterance, as above. Then one can take the young — to repair and elevate them. For the essential displacement of the bird's nest was from the strengthening of the kelippos, as above, which caused His kingship to become concealed, as it were — which is the bechinas exile of the Shechinah, as above. But when one sends away the mother and her place is not known — Ayeh — through this one reveals that the root of the vitality of these birds which is the mother is in the bechinas Ayeh, for from there is the vitality of all things in the world, for He gives life to them all. And even the kelippos themselves receive vitality from this bechinas — and when one reveals this, immediately they are subdued and nullified, as above. And then one can take the young, for all evil and the kelippos that had grasped them have already been nullified — through which the bird's nest was in the bechinas exile and displacement. For now all of them have been nullified through the bechinas shallayach t'shallayach — which is the bechinas Ayeh — through revealing this bechinas they are subdued and fall, and His kingship Yisborach is once again revealed, as it were, as above. Based on the teaching: \"Blow [the shofar] to draw peace into the world\" in Likutay [Moharan] I:14. And this is the bechinas shilluach ha'kain — for kan tzippor is the bechinas nishmasin kaddishin d'istarkun me'asrayhu [holy souls that have been driven from their place], as explained in the Tikunim. And this is: \"for a bird's nest will chance before you on the road\" — the bechinas exile of the Shechinah, like a wandering bird from its nest. For the Shechinah is in exile with the holy souls that fell until they are wandering and displaced — which is the bechinas bird's nest on the road, in every tree, etc. — meaning in exile and displacement — namely the souls that fell through their evil deeds and are far from holiness, displaced in exile, in the humiliation of galus. And the mother brooding upon the chicks — the mother is the bechinas kavod [divine honor/glory] which is the mother of all life, as explained elsewhere — for all souls are rooted in the kavod, and therefore the kavod is called the mother of all life. Therefore the essential revelation of His glory Yisborach is through extracting these souls from the exile and returning them in teshuvah, as explained in the aforementioned teaching. For as these souls exit the exile, so too, in accordance with their level, the kavod exits the exile — for there is the root of their soul, namely in the kavod, as above. And this is: \"and the mother is brooding upon the chicks\" — for the kavod broods and hovers over them like a mother over her children, to protect them lest they sink, Heaven forbid, in the humiliation of the exile. Therefore the verse warns: when you wish to take and merit this bird's nest — namely, to merit these souls to bring them out of exile and draw them close to Hashem Yisborach — \"do not take the mother upon the young\": be careful not to take the kavod for yourself along with these souls. For it is impossible to draw these souls close to Hashem Yisborach except through Torah, which is the root of all souls — and the Torah can only be merited through ultimate humility and lowliness, as explained there in the aforementioned teaching. Namely, that one flees from honor and does not regard one's own honor at all, but is humble and lowly in one's own eyes. And then specifically when one is humble and does not want any honor for himself — then precisely one merits the Torah and can elevate these souls and bring them out of the humiliation of exile and magnify the glory of Hashem Yisborach through this and restore the kavod to its root, as explained all this there in the aforementioned teaching. But when one wishes, Heaven forbid, to take honor for oneself with these souls — then one cannot draw the souls close at all, for the essential depends on humility, as above. And this is what the verse warns: \"do not take the mother upon the young\" — namely, do not take for yourself the mother, which is the kavod, \"with the young\" which are the souls — meaning do not desire, Heaven forbid, your own honor, and do not draw these souls close in order to magnify your own honor, Heaven forbid. Rather: \"send away the mother.\" Then: \"and the young you shall take for yourself\" — meaning, do not want any honor for yourself at all and be truly humble, and restore the kavod to its root. This is: \"send away the mother — shallayach t'shallayach es ha'aim\" — send away the kavod from yourself and restore it to Hashem Yisborach, to its root. And then: \"and the young you shall take for yourself\" — for then precisely you will be able to merit the young, namely the souls above, to draw them close to Hashem Yisborach. For through sending away the mother — the kavod from yourself — and being humble in truth, through this you merit the Torah and through this you can draw all souls close to Hashem Yisborach, and as above in the aforementioned teaching. But when you wish, Heaven forbid, your own honor and wish to take for yourself the mother with the young — the kavod with the souls — then you cannot draw the souls close at all, for the essential depends on humility, as above. And this is: \"shallayach t'shallayach\" — even to purify the metzorah [the person afflicted with tzara'as]. For the metzorah is one who spreads slander — a divider of companions — and birds [tzipporim] purify him, as explained in the aforementioned teaching. Namely, that the repair of the metzorah who caused strife between husband and wife and between person and companion — his repair is through the kannim [nests] which are the souls above who are in the bechinas kan tzippor as above — for through these, namely through drawing near and elevating these souls to Hashem Yisborach, peace is drawn and the strife is repaired. And through this the metzorah is purified and repaired from his impurity, for the strife which is the impurity of the metzorah is nullified and peace is drawn. Therefore the Torah warned not to take the mother upon the young even to purify the metzorah. For if one wishes, Heaven forbid, to take also the mother with the young — the kavod with the souls — then one cannot draw the souls close at all. Since one is taking for oneself also the mother which is the bechinas kavod, then one cannot draw peace and cannot purify the metzorah at all. For on the contrary, the essential repair of the metzorah — namely to draw peace — depends on shilluach ha'kain precisely — namely through sending away the mother, the kavod, meaning not taking any honor for oneself, rather sending away and restoring the kavod to its root, as above. For through this one merits the Torah and through this merits the souls and draws them close to Hashem Yisborach, and through this peace is drawn and the strife is repaired. And through this the metzorah is purified from his impurity — for the strife which is his impurity is nullified and peace is drawn. Therefore the purification of the metzorah does not override shilluach ha'kain, for the essential purification is through shilluach ha'kain precisely, as above. And this is what is stated in the Tikunim: \"efro'chim — moray Mishnah, baytzim — moray Mikra\" [chicks — masters of Mishnah, eggs — masters of Scripture]. For all these souls are rooted in the Torah which includes all the souls of Israel, as above. Therefore they are called moray Mishnah, moray Mikra — for there is the root of each soul's soul, each one according to his grasp of his root — this one in Scripture and this one in Mishnah. \"For a bird's nest will chance before you on the road, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs — and the mother is brooding upon the fledglings or upon the eggs — do not take the mother upon the young; send away the mother and take the young for yourself…\" [Deuteronomy 22:6–7] Based on the teaching cited in Sichos Niflaos [Extraordinary Conversations], section 72, how much one must strengthen oneself at every moment against the yaytzer hara — see there carefully. For there are many levels of the yaytzer hara. And every time a person arouses himself toward Hashem Yisborach and wishes to do some holy act — especially to draw close to true tzadikim and their followers — immediately the yaytzer hara he had before is killed and nullified. But he immediately has a new yaytzer hara greater than the first — for the greater a person is than his fellow, the greater his yaytzer [evil inclination]. And from this comes what sometimes happens: that precisely when one comes to the tzadik, one's desire is lost, etc. See there everything explained there, and understand it well for practical application — how much and how many times one must strengthen oneself at every moment against the new yaytzer hara that constantly renews itself in the person. And it is explained there that the supreme root of all evil inclinations flows from the bechinas gevuros v'dinim [severities and judgments] — and even great and awesome tzadikim have a yaytzer hara, only it is literally a holy angel, etc. etc. See there what is explained regarding the Zohar's statement that even Keser Elyon [the Supernal Crown] is black before the Cause of all causes, etc. See there. And it is explained there regarding the thoughts that confuse many people — especially in their prayer — when many thoughts and confusions and imaginings come upon them, and whatever one tries to remove and dispel them from one's mind and turn one's head here and there, it does not help. On the contrary, they grow stronger. For this is the nature of these impure evil inclinations: the more one tries to overpower these thoughts, the more they grow stronger, etc. Therefore the counsel is that a person should not pay attention to them at all and not be bothered by their standing before him — rather, do what is yours to do in whatever Torah or prayer one is engaged in, and pay no attention to them at all, etc. But this is only a counsel for the moment — as long as one's body has not yet been sanctified. The essential goal is to sanctify and purify oneself, etc., until one merits to be purified and clarified from these confusions and imaginings completely, etc. See there all of this carefully. And this is the bechinas: \"for a bird's nest will chance before you on the road\" — for it is stated in the holy Zohar that this alludes to souls that have been driven from their place, etc. And it is known that all the Torah, prayer, and good deeds a person engages in — through all of them he is engaged in clarifying holy sparks — namely, souls that fell and descended to where they descended through the sin of Adam and through the sins of each individual. The person must elevate and clarify them through Torah and prayer and good deeds. And this is: \"for a bird's nest will chance before you on the road\" — these are the souls in the bechinas souls that have been driven from their place, as above. And \"on the road, in any tree, etc.\" — the bechinas displacement and exile, as above. And you wish to merit them — to take them — namely to elevate and clarify them. That is, the Torah alludes to the person at the time he comes to engage in some holy matter — and especially when engaged in the words of Torah and prayer, when he is then engaged in taking and elevating fallen souls from the place where they were banished and descended — which is the bechinas: \"for a bird's nest will chance before you\" — these are the souls that have been driven from their place. And \"on the road, in any tree, etc.\" — the bechinas displacement and exile, as above. And you wish to take them — namely you wish to engage in some holy matter, through which you are engaged in taking and meriting the bird's nest which is in exile — namely to elevate and clarify these fallen souls, as above. And this is: \"and the mother is brooding upon the fledglings or upon the eggs\" — for it is known in the holy writings that in everything there is the bechinas ten sefiros — for the sefiros are His attributes Yisborach through which He gives life and governs the entire world from beginning to end. For every thing in the world that a person wishes to speak or do requires first a thought — and first it arises in thought in concealment. Afterward his thought descends from concealment to revelation, and then he contemplates his thought whether to do or speak and how to do or speak, and so on. Then the matter is decided in his mind, and then he brings it from potential to actuality — from thought to speech, and then to action. And all these things pass over the person in everything of the world, even in each and every word — only in ordinary words that do not require deep consideration, all these levels pass with wondrous speed, so that one does not discern them at all. But in a great matter the person can discern well how all these levels pass over him before completing the speech, and all the more so in action. And all these levels in thought, before the speech and action are born, are in the bechinas three first sefiros, etc. as is known. And afterward when the speech and action are born and revealed, this is the bechinas seven lower middos which are the bechinas seven days of building from which all things in the world are composed, as is known. And the essential birth and revelation of every thing is through the bechinas Binah which is called Aim HaBanim [the mother of the children] — for when the matter comes to the level of contemplation [hisvonnenuss], there the matter is finalized in thought and then the thing is born and goes out and is revealed in the world. And even afterward when the thing is born and revealed, still the contemplation of the intellect follows after it — for it is the way with all things that the intellect contemplates the thing even after it has gone into actuality, to grow it and complete it with wholeness. And this is exactly like the mother: first the child grows inside her all the days of pregnancy. Then when the time of birth arrives and she gives birth to the child, still afterward she follows the child to nurse and raise it and complete it. So it is with all things of the world: first the thing is concealed in the contemplation of the intellect in the bechinas pregnancy until it is complete and goes forth and is revealed in the bechinas birth. And afterward still the contemplation follows after it until the matter is completed in its fullness. Therefore the bechinas Binah is called Aim HaBanim [mother of the children], as is known. And at the root above, all ten sefiros are completely holy — especially the three first which are counted as one, which are entirely good with no severity whatsoever. Only from the bechinas Binah do judgments arise from her, as explained in the Zohar and writings at length many times. But above it is still all holy and good — only when it descends below it sometimes becomes, Heaven forbid, from the categories of judgment — until from the categories of judgments it extends further and further below until it becomes a very coarsened yaytzer hara. For all evil inclinations draw their root from judgments, as above. And because of this in this lower world, before a person wishes to speak or do something holy, foreign thoughts and evil reflections and many confusions come upon him in thought — each one according to his level. And the essential strengthening of the thoughts and confusions is at the time he is engaged in bringing the speech and action from potential to actuality — in the bechinas \"at the opening sin crouches\" [Genesis 4:7] — the bechinas openings of your mouth. At the time he wishes to open his mouth and bring forth the holy speech — and from speech to action — then the sin which is the yaytzer hara and his forces crouches to confuse him and prevent him with many evil thoughts and confusions. For since the essential bechinas birth of all things is through the bechinas Binah — the mother of children, as above — since at its root judgments arise from her, and judgments even holy ones are the root of all evil inclinations — therefore below in the physical world of Asiyah the essential judgment and impurity is aroused which is the yaytzer hara in the bechinas contemplation of intellect — confusing the intellect that is engaged in its contemplation to speak holy words. It confuses him with many kinds of confusions before the speech and during the speech and after it, as above. And then when the person sees that the evil thoughts and confusions grow very strong upon him, he has great suffering from them, and he wishes to seize and capture and fight with them to return them to holiness. But not every person merits this — for most people whose yaytzer hara is coarsened as above, and it overpowers him with very many great confusions: the more he wishes to overpower them and fight with them, they grow stronger against him, as above. And the essential remedy: that he abandon the thoughts and not stand against them at all and not look back at all — rather, do what is his to do in what he is engaged in, in Torah and prayer, etc. And he should be very strong and steadfast in his mind to stand at his place and bring his thought into the words he speaks, and not look back at all at the confusing thoughts. And then they will automatically depart. And even if they come again afterward, also then not look at them at all, and they will certainly depart. And so even if they come upon him many times — if he will be very stubborn and persistent not to answer them anything and not to look back at all — this is his essential counsel. And he can engage in Torah and prayer etc. and they will depart automatically. But if he wishes to fight with the thoughts to seize and capture them, his prayer will be confused Heaven forbid, and the thoughts will grow stronger Heaven forbid, as above. And this is what the Torah alludes to us with this mitzvah: \"for a bird's nest will chance before you on the road, etc.\" — when you wish to engage in some holy matter, which is then the bechinas meriting the bird's nest — to take and elevate fallen souls — this is the bechinas \"for a bird's nest will chance before you, etc.\" as above. And especially at the time of engaging in words of Torah and prayer — which are the bechinas tzipparta d'ka'ay ad karsulai [the bird that stands to the ankles], etc. For speech is called tzippor [bird], as explained in section 11. And this is the bechinas \"u'vaal kenafayim yaggid davar\" [he who has wings conveys a matter] — for birds and tzipporim which are winged are in the bechinas speech. And this is: \"and the mother is brooding upon the fledglings, etc.\" — namely the bechinas Aim HaBanim which is the contemplation of intellect is always brooding upon the words which are in the bechinas fledglings or eggs whose wings are not yet complete — namely the words that do not yet have completeness. And the contemplation of intellect broods over them to grow them and complete them. And since in this world the coarsened evil inclinations above are grasped by most people — which confuse the person greatly, as above — and the essential provocation of the yaytzer hara and his forces is in the thought and intellect, since it strengthens itself to reverse the thing Heaven forbid — for the person needs to contemplate his intellect in great holiness through which all holiness is born, and it with its scheming strengthens itself precisely against the contemplation of intellect which is the bechinas Aim HaBanim, and strengthens itself against this bechinas to confuse it with many kinds of confusions when one is engaged in bringing the holy speech from potential to actuality — this is the bechinas \"and in sin my mother conceived me\" [Psalms 51:7]. Therefore the Torah warns: \"do not take the mother upon the young — send away the mother and take the young for yourself.\" That you should be careful not to run after the mother — which are the confusions in the intellect — to seize and take them. For then neither this nor that will you succeed in — for you will be unable to pray and also the thoughts will grow stronger Heaven forbid, as above. Because of the great force of the exile of these fallen souls, when one engages to overpower the thoughts they grow stronger, as above. Therefore the essential counsel is: \"send away the mother and take the young for yourself\" — do not look at and not gaze back at the mother at all — which are the confusions and imaginings that have grasped the contemplation of your intellect. Rather let them go and do not run after them to fight with them at all. And through this itself you will send them and remove them from yourself — in the bechinas \"shallayach t'shallayach es ha'aim.\" Only: \"and the young take for yourself\" — the young are the souls being clarified through the holy words, etc. — take these alone for yourself, and merit them to elevate and clarify them. But the mother — which is the bechinas \"and in sin my mother conceived me\" — which are the strengthened imaginings and confusions in the contemplation of your intellect — send away and remove from your mind and not look at them and not fight with them to seize and grasp them. For you do not have the power for this because of the great force of the exile, as above. And this is the bechinas: \"If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place — for calmness settles great sins\" [Ecclesiastes 10:4] — namely, if the spirit of the ruler, which is the yaytzer hara and his forces who wish to rule over you, Heaven forbid — in the bechinas \"an old and foolish king\" [Ecclesiastes 4:13], since at every time a person is still in exile, it is called a bechinas king and ruler, may the Merciful One protect us — and the verse gives you counsel: if the spirit of the ruler rises and grows strong upon you — namely the thoughts and imaginings and confusions of the ruler which is the yaytzer hara and his forces — then the essential counsel is: \"do not leave your place\" — do not leave your place to look back Heaven forbid, to fight with the confusing thoughts. Rather stand at your place with strength and courage and in no way abandon your place — rather do what is yours in what you are engaged in. And then automatically all the confusions will depart — which are the bechinas great sins, for all of them flow from a person's sins and transgressions. And this is: \"for calmness settles great sins\" — for the counsel of not looking at them at all is a cure. For through this it settles the great sins which are the confusions and imaginings — for through this counsel you will be cured and will settle and abandon them automatically, for they will depart by themselves through this, as above. And this is in the bechinas: \"My heart is desolate, my strength has failed me… those who seek my life lay traps, and those who seek my harm speak malice and treachery all day long. But I am like a deaf man — I do not hear, and like a mute who does not open his mouth; and I was like a person who does not hear, and in whose mouth there are no rebukes…\" [Psalms 38:11–15] — see there the entire psalm. That is, as above. When the confusions grow very greatly — in the bechinas \"my heart is desolate\" — and the person has no strength to stand against them because of the great force of exile — in the bechinas \"my strength has failed me\" — then the essential counsel is the bechinas: \"but I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, etc. and I was like a person who does not hear, etc.\" — namely that one makes oneself as though not hearing, and not look at them and not answer them in one's mind at all, so they should not grow stronger Heaven forbid, as it is written there: \"For in You, Hashem, I hope — You shall answer, etc.; for I said lest they rejoice over me, etc.; for I am prepared for my downfall, etc.; for my iniquity I declare, etc.\" For because of the multitude of sins through which the confusions grow stronger, whatever one wishes to answer them and stand against them, through this they will grow stronger Heaven forbid, as above. Therefore one only needs to be like a deaf person who does not hear, etc., and not look at them at all, as above. And this is the bechinas: \"My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep place…\" [Song of Songs 2:14] — and Rashi explained: this was said about that hour when Pharaoh pursued them and overtook them camping at the sea, and there was no place to flee before them from the sea, and no turning away because of the wild beasts. To what were they compared at that hour? To a dove fleeing from a hawk and entering the cleft of rocks, and a snake was hissing at her — if she enters further, there is the snake; if she comes out, there is the hawk. The Holy Blessed One said to her: \"Show me your appearance\" — to whom do you turn in the time of distress? \"Let me hear your voice\" — and the children of Israel cried out to Hashem, as above. And all this matter passes over every person at the time he wishes to enter the service of Hashem — for the yaytzer hara and his forces which are the bechinas Pharaoh and Egypt pursue him with many kinds of pursuit. And all their strength is from the judgments they draw from, and from the force of the arousal of the judgments that are aroused against him — as our Sages taught: \"whoever vindicates himself below, they vindicate against him from above, etc.\" Through this they pursue him from all sides with many kinds of obstacles and delays and suffering and confusions. And it is exactly like the Exodus from Egypt — for from behind the Egyptians pursued them, and before them the sea stormed, and from their sides were wild beasts — until there was no place to flee in any direction. Like a dove fleeing from a hawk, etc. And all these matters pass exactly over every person in every time. And each one can understand for himself all of this according to his level and worth — how many ascents and descents pass over him many and many times, all of which flow from the bechinas above of the exile of Egypt. For the essential exile is the exile of the soul — and all exiles are designated by the name Egypt. And all this flows from the matter explained in the Sichos above — that there are many levels of the yaytzer hara, and from the multitude of powers and levels in the yaytzer hara flows all of this — that at every moment it renews itself from fresh. And if one wishes to look back at those thoughts — certainly they will grow stronger Heaven forbid, as above. Therefore there is no remedy except to cry out to Hashem from whatever place one is, and not turn and look back at all, as above. For everything that passed over Israel in the Exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah and afterward — and all the wars to conquer the Land of Israel — and all that has passed over us since — all of it, as it were, passes over every person who wishes to merit to life in the world that endures. For one must inevitably pass through many kinds of battles without measure. And at every time that one wishes to arouse and strengthen himself in the service of Hashem, they grow stronger at every time — especially at the beginning. Just as it was in the Exodus from Egypt: immediately when Moshe came to Pharaoh to take out Israel, he provoked them further and said: \"let the work be heavier, etc.\" For when the Sitra Achra sees that a true tzadik in the bechinas Moshe comes and wishes to take a Jewish person out of the exile of his soul, it provokes and grows stronger against him more and more, and makes heavy upon him the yoke of this world and desires and sustenance — until it is difficult for him to move from his place to return to Hashem Yisborach. But the way of Israel the holy people who hold the craft of their forefathers in their hands: at every moment they cry out to Hashem. And through this they subdue at every moment Pharaoh and his forces — the Sitra Achra and its companies. But even though they subdue them, they return and grow stronger at every time — and so time after time many times — like Pharaoh who at every time some plague came upon him was somewhat subdued, but afterward returned and grew stronger as written: \"and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he made his heart heavy, etc.\" And even after Hashem Yisborach brought upon him all ten plagues and was compelled to send Israel out of Egypt, he returned and gathered all his forces and pursued after them. And exactly so it passes over every person at every time. And each person can understand in himself all of this according to his level and worth — how many ascents and descents pass over him many and many times, all of which flow from the bechinas above of the Egyptian exile. And all this flows from the matter explained in the Sichos — that there are many levels of the yaytzer hara. And even after the giving of the Torah — when their impurity ceased and they merited the prophetic level of face to face — even afterward it provoked them until it caused some of them to sin in the sin of the Golden Calf. And the matter is very wondrous: from where did this come — that after their impurity ceased and they merited face-to-face prophecy, they should then fall so greatly? But all of this flows from the matter above — that there are many levels of the yaytzer hara, and even great and awesome tzadikim have a yaytzer hara which is a holy angel etc. etc. And from this flow all the trials mentioned in the Torah that our forefathers tested the Holy Blessed One. For even though this yaytzer hara of the tzadikim is literally a holy angel — the bechinas gevuros v'dinim — they had not yet merited to sweeten it, etc. Even so, the tzadikim who did not merit to sweeten these judgments and break this yaytzer hara which is a holy angel could have it provoke them so greatly that it could fell them very greatly Heaven forbid. And misled them from Hashem Yisborach and led them greatly astray — as they erred then in the Golden Calf, were it not for Moshe who stood in the breach and brought them out of this and atoned for them. And so went over this and that with many great ones who were of high rank and afterward fell greatly, may the Merciful One protect us. And all this comes from the bechinas above. Therefore our Sages said truly: \"Do not trust in yourself until the day of your death.\" Therefore one always needs to cry out to Hashem and remove and cast from oneself all the wisdoms from which come all the confusions — only to walk in truth and in temimus [wholeness/simplicity]. And then one will never fall — for cries and prayers and supplications and requests help always, whatever happens. And this is the bechinas splitting of the Reed Sea — the bechinas: \"And the children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry ground\" [Exodus 14:22]. Namely when the insolent waters grow strong Heaven forbid — which are the bechinas many reflections and confusions, etc., which are the bechinas depths of the sea — and there is no place to flee, neither forward nor backward nor from any side: when the Jewish soul is in great distress and constraint — in the bechinas \"my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the steep place, etc.\" as above — then there is no remedy except to take one's mind off it and not look back at all. Rather, hasten like a mighty warrior to run a course, to pass over all the thoughts and confusions, and go on the path one is engaged in — in Torah and prayer etc. — and not look back at all, as above. Only do what is yours, as above. And this is the bechinas: \"Speak to the children of Israel and let them journey\" [Exodus 14:15] — that they should go on their way and leap into the sea and not think and not look back at all. And so they did: Nachshon leaped into the sea, and after him all Israel — and they went in the sea up to their nostrils, as our Sages taught. Namely they did not look at the waters rushing — the insolent waters, the bechinas depths of the sea, which are the confusions and evil reflections and many thoughts confusing them in their service, especially in their prayer. Rather they leaped into the depths of the sea and went on their safe way and engaged in their service in Torah and prayer etc. in the midst of the strengthening of the roaring of the sea's waves which are the thoughts and confusions. And they did not look back at all — only did what was theirs, as above. And certainly the more they strengthened themselves not to look at them and to go among them — certainly the depths of the sea grew stronger against them more and more — like two people fighting one with another. But Israel the holy people did not look at all of this and fulfilled the counsel above — to strengthen themselves not to look at them at all, only to go on their holy way in the midst of the rushing waters up to their nostrils. And then when Hashem Yisborach saw their firm hearts — that they do not abandon their service in any confusion of the world — then He had compassion upon them and split the sea before them: \"and the children of Israel came into the midst of the sea on dry ground.\" For so it is: when one strengthens greatly to go on one's path in prayer and service, and not to look back — then suddenly they are entirely nullified — exactly like the sea that was nullified before the children of Israel and turned into dry ground, as above. And this is the bechinas dispute of Korach and all his congregation — who were very great people of great attainment and holy spirit, as written: \"leaders of the congregation, called of meeting, etc., heads of the Sanhedrin, etc.\" And especially Korach who was the greatest of the Levites, as explained in all the books. And from where did this come — that they fell so greatly to dispute with Hashem and Moshe and Aharon and all the Torah? But all of this flows from the bechinas above — that even great and awesome tzadikim have a yaytzer hara, only it is a bechinas holy angel — namely the bechinas gevuros v'dinim elyonim [supernal severities and judgments] that they need to sweeten, etc. as above. And they need great battle in their minds to conquer and break this yaytzer hara — even though it is holy and pure. And one who blemishes in this and does not sweeten the judgment properly can fall into errors and stumbling-blocks through this. But there are thousands and tens of thousands of levels in this — for there are many tzadikim who blemished in this, and even though their blemish was very great, even so they remained at their place and died in their righteousness. But there are those who blemished in the bechinas higher yaytzer hara above — and through this it provoked them so greatly that it felled them all the way down completely, Heaven forbid, and they denied the foundation Heaven forbid — as we find with the four who entered the Pardes. Certainly all four were very high in rank — who merited to enter the Pardes. But only one survived in completeness — he is Rabbi Akiva, who entered in peace and departed in peace. But Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma looked and were stricken, looked and died — even so they remained in their righteousness and died in their righteousness, only they blemished some blemish. But Acher [the Other One] cut the plantings and left his world completely, Heaven forbid — and the essential cause of his error was through the bechinas angel, namely through seeing the angel Metatron who was given permission to write the merits, etc. Namely his error was through the force of the judgment that was then clothed in the bechinas an angel and gave him room to err. And he did not stand the trial — to complete his mind and wisdom — but went after the contemplation of his intellect until he cut the plantings, Heaven forbid. And therefore our Sages truly said: they brought in Metatron and gave him sixty fiery lashes — why did he not stand before him? For it is understood from this that some judgment was then clothed in Metatron wishing to provoke him and test him. And this is the bechinas higher yaytzer hara — the bechinas a holy angel, the bechinas gevuros u'gevuros [judgments and severities], as above. And this is the bechinas dispute of Korach and his congregation. For Korach was a Levite and was the greatest of the Levites. And it is known that Levi is the bechinas root of holy and awesome judgment — for Kohen is the bechinas chesed [kindness] and Levi is the bechinas gevurah v'din [severity and judgment] as is known. Therefore Hashem Yisborach gave the Levites to the Kohanim — that they be attached to them in service — so that the Levi would be included within the Kohen to sweeten the judgment at its root. And therefore the essential tikun is through the Levi who is the bechinas din being attached to the Kohen and serving him in all needs of the service. As written: \"they shall be attached to you and serve you\" [Numbers 18:2]. And through the Levi who is the root of judgment being subordinate to the Kohen and serving him — through this the judgment of the Levi who is the root of judgment is included in the Kohen who is chesed, and the judgment of the Levi which is the root of judgment is sweetened. Through this the essential tikun occurs — and through this all the atoning and forgiveness of sins occurred. For all sins and transgressions are through the evil inclinations that all flow from judgments, as above. And judgment is only sweetened at its root. Therefore it was not possible that the atonement and tikun of the Temple service be through the Kohen — the man of chesed — alone. For they needed to sweeten the judgment at its root. Therefore the Levi necessarily had to be attached to the Kohen and be subordinate to him and to minister and serve him in all the needs of the service, as above. Through this the judgment that is the Levi was included in the Kohen who is chesed, and the judgment was sweetened at its root — through which were all the atonements and forgiveness. And Korach was a Levi and was the greatest of the Levites — and certainly was grasped more than others in his root in the bechinas gevuros u'dinim [judgments and severities]. And in truth this was from the side of his greatness — for at the root all judgments are holy and pure, exceedingly, and they are the completion and tikun of the worlds. Only they must be sweetened — to include them in chesed. And this is all our service, as is known. And Korach — according to his great rank of being the greatest of the Levites — certainly had many very great high judgments in him. And all his service was that he needed to sweeten them. And the essential sweetening was that he needed to nullify himself completely to Aharon the Kohen who was the ultimate of chesed. But because of his arrogance, the judgment provoked him and he did not stand the trial — and he became jealous of Aharon and did not want to be included in him. And immediately from the moment he separated himself in his heart from Aharon, the judgments grew stronger in him — and the more he separated himself the more the judgments provoked him. For his root was judgments and severities, as above. Until the judgments provoked him so greatly that they felled him completely — to the point where he disputed with Hashem and His anointed one — with Moshe and Aharon and all the Torah. And from the great multitude of the judgments in him — from which the evil inclinations draw their hold — therefore he had the power to mislead and incite and lead astray great tzadikim with holy spirit, like the two hundred and fifty heads of the Sanhedrin — leaders of the congregation called of meeting etc. That is, as above: for the essential yaytzer hara of the great ones is the bechinas gevuros v'dinim that they do not merit to sweeten — this being the bechinas Korach who was a Levite whose root is judgment, who did not merit to sweeten the judgment, as above. And therefore he had the power to mislead the great ones of Israel so greatly, as above. And his entire error was that from his arrogance he imagined that everyone is equal, and did not want to believe that even the holy tzadikim need great battle with the higher yaytzer hara which is the bechinas dinim, as above. And he said that whoever merits the rank of the great ones no longer needs battle at all. And if so, everyone is equal and there is no distinction between Moshe and Aharon and the other great ones — and especially since then all Israel were at a very high rank, for their impurity had ceased and they merited face-to-face prophetic level. And this is what he said: \"Rav lochem — enough for you — for all the congregation are all holy and Hashem is in their midst — why then do you exalt yourselves over the congregation of Hashem?\" [Numbers 16:3]. Namely as above — he challenged: why do you exalt yourselves, etc.? Since all heard at Sinai from the Almighty Himself — as our Sages expounded. Namely that all are of high rank and their yaytzer hara was nullified — for their impurity ceased and they merited face-to-face prophecy — and if so what is your extra rank, Moshe and Aharon, above all? For how is there room for further rank after all of us merited to the highest heights? But in truth all of this he erred from his arrogance. For in truth, even though their impurity ceased, still every single one needed great battle with the higher yaytzer hara which is the bechinas a holy angel — the bechinas gevuros v'dinim. And therefore in truth many stumbled afterward in the sin of the Golden Calf and the Spies, as above. And even those who did not stumble — still there are wars upon them in the bechinas above. And since there are still wars upon them, certainly they are not all equal and there are levels between them without measure. For each person according to how much he merited to break his higher yaytzer hara — namely to sweeten the judgment — so he merits some level. And therefore certainly one cannot compare and liken the rest of Israel — even though all are holy — to the feet of Moshe and Aharon. And even the true great ones of Israel cannot compare themselves to Moshe and Aharon who merited what they merited. And Korach blemished in this and said: \"for all the congregation are all holy, etc., and why do you exalt yourselves, etc.?\" And since he denied the rank of Moshe and Aharon, he denied all the Torah that was given through them — until he and all his congregation were lost. And all of this through the provocation of the judgments from which the essential yaytzer hara flows from beginning to end, as above. And this is what he asked: \"A garment all of techeiles [blue-dyed wool] — is it obligated in tzitzis? And a house full of books — is it obligated in a mezuzah? And a bright white patch as large as a bean is impure — if it spreads over the entire body it is pure?\" as our Sages taught. This is the bechinas blemish above — that he wished to understand everything with his wisdom and believed there is no knowledge and intellect above his knowledge and intellect, and went with his false reasonings. And therefore he asked: a garment entirely of techeiles — how can it be obligated in tzitzis? For behold a garment of another material — a single thread of techeiles exempts it, etc.! Namely since techeiles is so high and holy that a single thread of techeiles has the power to repair the garment of another material and make it as though it were entirely tzitzis and techeiles — and in truth certainly it is so, for through the threads of tzitzis the entire tallis becomes as though entirely tzitzis. For certainly the holiness of the tzitzis whose essential element is techeiles spreads over the entire tallis and the tallis becomes as though entirely techeiles, entirely tzitzis. And therefore we bless \"l'histatef b'tzitzis\" — to wrap oneself in tzitzis — and we do not bless to wrap in a tallis that has tzitzis hanging from it. For our wrapping is only in tzitzis, for through the threads of tzitzis the tallis becomes holy in the holiness of tzitzis, as though it is entirely tzitzis. And therefore Korach erred and asked: since techeiles is so high and holy that a single thread of techeiles can exempt the garment of another material and make the tallis as though entirely tzitzis and techeiles — if so, all the more so when the tallis itself is entirely of techeiles, is it not right that it exempts itself? And certainly this is a great difficulty according to his error — that whoever reaches the higher levels no longer needs battle at all. And therefore he said: \"for all the congregation are all holy, etc., and why do you exalt yourselves, etc.?\" But in truth govoha me'al govoha shomer [He Who is high watches over the high] — and heights above heights without end and without measure. And the Torah and Israel and the Holy Blessed One are all one — and there is no end and no limit to the virtue of the holy Torah's commandments. Just as the lowest of the low must fulfill the commandments of the Torah — to wrap in tzitzis and other commandments — to repair and sanctify him; so too the greatest of the great, who is very holy, also needs to wrap in those tzitzis and the same with other commandments. Only that certainly with him the repair made through the mitzvah is according to his level and what he needs. As stated in the Tikunay Zohar regarding tefillin: for the wicked they are a binding for all their accusers, etc.; for the intermediate, etc.; for the tzadikim, etc. But even so, all need to put on tefillin equally — and there is no distinction in the making of tefillin between the tefillin of the wicked and the tefillin of the great tzadikim. Only the repair made through the tefillin is certainly not the same for all, for they repair each person according to his level and his rank. And so with all the commandments — for the reasons of the commandments we cannot grasp at all, as written: \"Wondrous are Your testimonies — therefore my soul has kept them\" [Psalms 119:129]. And as explained with us regarding this many times. And therefore even though a single thread of techeiles has the power to repair the entire tallis until the tallis becomes as though entirely tzitzis — even so, a tallis that is entirely of techeiles is also obligated in tzitzis. For even a tallis that is entirely techeiles needs the repair of tzitzis — even according to his reasoning, for his reasoning is that a tallis entirely of techeiles has higher virtue and holiness. But in truth there is no virtue or holiness at all to a tallis entirely of techeiles over other tallisim. For the essential virtue of techeiles is only when making from it the threads of tzitzis according to their law, for their own sake, or in the priestly garments. But not in their place of commandment, there is no virtue at all to techeiles over other kinds. And he erred in two ways: he erred in thinking there is virtue to a tallis entirely of techeiles. And even according to his error he erred greatly — for even if there were great virtue to a tallis entirely of techeiles, even so it would also need the repair of tzitzis according to its level. Just as the high tzadikim need the repair of the commandments according to their rank, as above — for even at the high levels there is the bechinas yaytzer hara — the bechinas gevuros v'dinim — and repair and sweetening is needed there too. And all repairs and sweetenings from beginning to end are all made through these commandments that Hashem Yisborach gave us through Moshe our teacher. For all the commandments are very high and are very composed from all kinds of repairs needed in all the worlds from beginning to end. And this is what he also asked: \"a house full of books — is it obligated in a mezuzah?\" etc. — this is also as above regarding tzitzis, and it is understood by itself. And conversely he also erred and asked: \"a bright white patch as large as a bean is impure — if it spreads over the entire body it is pure?\" For his entire error was that he believed there is a limit — that whoever reaches a high level no longer needs service, tikun, and further ascent. And he also erred conversely — and believed that whoever, Heaven forbid, is at the very lowest rung and fell to the bechinas tumah [impurity], Heaven forbid — his hope is already lost from Hashem, Heaven forbid, and he has no more purity. But in truth everything is the opposite. For even one at very high levels — height above height — even so there are still heights above them without measure until infinity. And as can be understood from the tale of the Seven Beggars — in all kinds of wondrous praises of all the holy companies described there — that the smallest of each and every holy company was very, very high. And even so he was of no comparison to the one higher than him. And also the one higher than him had no comparison to the one yet higher — and so on, as stated there. And conversely: even one who, Heaven forbid, is at the very lowest rung — in the ultimate of lowliness and baseness — even in the haichalin d'mesavusa [palaces of impurity] there too is no end or limit to His divinity Yisborach. And just as there is no end to His divinity in the higher levels — for govoha me'al govoha etc. — so too exactly there is no end and limit to His divinity Yisborach in the lower levels. For even in the lowest levels — in the ultimate of the lowest rung, Heaven forbid — there is no place and no impurity where one cannot find also there Hashem Yisborach. For His kingship rules over all. And as explained in the words of our Rebbe of blessed memory, many times — on the contrary: sometimes when a person is at the very lowest rung and the Sitra Achra and impurity spread greatly over him and wish to swallow him completely, Heaven forbid — then precisely Hashem Yisborach has compassion upon him and sends him purity and assistance from Above so that he can revive himself and return to Him Yisborach. Or at least he will not be lost completely. For Hashem did not say to wipe out the name of Israel. As written: \"For He sees that their strength is gone and none is left, bond or free, etc. — See now that I, I am He, etc.\" [Deuteronomy 32:36–39]. And written: \"I looked and there was no helper; I was astonished and there was no supporter — then My own arm saved me, etc.\" [Isaiah 63:5]. And this is alluded to in this mitzvah of nega'im [skin afflictions]: a bright white patch as large as a bean is impure, and if it spreads over the entire body it is pure. For precisely sometimes when one reaches the ultimate of falling, then it is the ultimate of ascent — and purity and tikun are drawn upon him from the place from which they are drawn. For there is no grasp of His understanding Yisborach and His greatness is unfathomable and it is impossible to grasp His ways Yisborach. And Korach blemished and erred in all of this until he cut the plantings — namely he set a limit and end to the commandments of the Torah which are simple unity with Him Yisborach, as above. Therefore he asked all these vain questions above, as above. And this is the bechinas: \"The G-d Whose way is perfect — the word of Hashem is pure; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him\" [Psalms 18:31]. \"To all who take refuge in Him\" precisely — whoever they may be, from the smallest to the greatest, and above the greatest of the great, and below the lowest of the lowly — to all of them the Torah, which is the word of Hashem, is a shield. And this is the bechinas: \"the G-d Whose way is perfect\" — the Torah which is called the way of Hashem, as written: \"in all the way that I commanded you, you shall walk, etc.\" And written: \"and they shall guard the way of Hashem.\" And the verse says that His way Yisborach which is the Torah is perfect — in the ultimate of perfection — for \"the word of Hashem is pure\" — it is pure and refined in awesome and deep wisdom so greatly that it helps and shields and saves all who come into the world from beginning to end — the bechinas: \"a shield to all who take refuge in Him.\" \"To all who take refuge\" precisely, as above. And this is the essential perfection and wholeness of the Torah — that it is perfect and complete in all kinds of completeness — in the bechinas \"Toras Hashem temimah\" [the Torah of Hashem is perfect] — and helps and repairs everything as it is for all levels — from the highest of levels to the end of all levels. For if there were, Heaven forbid, any level in the world — above or below — that the Torah would not help, Heaven forbid, because of the greatness of his rank or because of the depth of his descent and fall Heaven forbid — then there would be a deficiency in the Torah, Heaven forbid. But in truth Toras Hashem temimah — in the ultimate of wholeness — and there is no level in the world that the Torah does not shield and save — the bechinas \"the G-d Whose way is perfect, etc. — a shield to all who take refuge in Him\" — \"to all\" precisely, as above. And this is what the Torah warned in many places: \"as the citizen, so the stranger shall be before Hashem — as you, so the stranger\" [Numbers 15:15]. And many similarly — to teach and reveal that the Torah was not given for these alone or for those alone, but to all was it given — to great and small and intermediate, in whatever level one is. For the ezrach [citizen] alludes to the great tzadikim who have already aged in their good deeds. And the gerim [strangers] alludes to the ultimate of the low ones — who until now did the deeds of idolaters, and certainly even now they are not completely purified from the impurity of their sin. And even so, the Torah was given to all of them equally. And even the greatest of the great must fulfill the commandments of the Torah in their simple form. And even the lowest of the low — the commandments of the Torah benefit them and are their life forever, as above. And this is why Moshe gathered all the levels of Israel before his passing and warned them that all of them must fulfill all the words of this Torah — as written: \"You are all standing today — all of you — your heads, your tribes, your elders and your officers, etc. from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water\" [Deuteronomy 29:9–10]. See from whom he began and with whom he concluded: he began from the heads of Israel who are the bechinas very great in rank, and goes through counting all the levels in the world included in these ten he counts — until he concluded: \"from the hewer of your wood to the drawer of your water.\" These are the Gibeonites who converted not for the sake of Heaven but only out of fear, as our Sages taught. And they allude to the ultimate of the lowest rung. And he gathered all of them before his passing and said that to all of them he transmits the Torah — as written there: \"to pass you into the covenant of Hashem, etc.\" And so he warned there that for all the generations until the end he transmits the Torah — as written: \"and not with you alone, etc. — for both he who is here with us today before Hashem our G-d, and him who is not here with us today\" [Deuteronomy 29:14–15] — to teach that to all was it given, to all levels in all generations until the end. For all will succeed forever through the Torah — whoever they may be and whatever level they are. For the way of the Torah is a shield to all who take refuge in Him, as above. And this is what Moshe said to them: \"Take for yourselves pans of Korach, etc. and put incense upon them.\" And Rashi explained: here — for you — is a beloved implement. For the incense is the most beloved of all — yet the potion of death is placed within it, as those who were burned were Nadav and Avihu, etc. For Nadav and Avihu also blemished through the bechinas higher yaytzer hara — the bechinas a holy angel — the bechinas gevuros v'dinim. For it seemed to them that according to the greatness of their powerful holiness, they too were fit to offer incense. But they only stumbled in a very fine matter and transgressed: \"lest they breach to Hashem to come up\" [Exodus 19:24] — this being the bechinas \"in their drawing near before Hashem and they died\" [Leviticus 16:1]. And as our Rebbe of blessed memory wrote there in section 72 above in that conversation about the higher yaytzer hara of the tzadikim — he wrote there: and also in the matter of drawing close to Hashem Yisborach there is a great yaytzer hara — the bechinas \"lest they breach, etc.\" See there. And this itself is the bechinas blemish of Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma who gazed more than was proper, etc. For the incense is very, very high and nullifies motana [death/plague], for the incense sweetens all the judgments from beginning to end — for the elevation of the incense reaches to infinity, as stated in the holy Zohar. But according to the great holiness of the incense, no one is fit to engage with it except the Kohen who is worthy of this. But the stranger who draws near shall die — for on the contrary, through him the judgment is drawn even more and more from its root. Since he wished to touch holiness so high when he is not worthy of it — then Heaven forbid the judgment is aroused more from there where it has roots, for it provokes it to draw more from its root. Heaven forbid. And this is the great prohibition for strangers to draw near to holy things — such as eating terumah and kodesh, or carrying the Ark and holy vessels, etc., as explained in the Torah with many warnings. Therefore Korach and his congregation who wished to touch what was not theirs — Moshe warned them regarding the incense which is the highest of all. And even there one must be careful of the yaytzer hara and judgment that exists there — for one who touches it improperly, not at its proper time — all the more a stranger — on the contrary the incense kills him. Because from the power of its holiness precisely the judgment that exists there is aroused and the judgments below draw from its root more and more, Heaven forbid, as above. And so it truly was that Korach and his congregation were lost through this. But the Kohen who is worthy to offer incense — he nullifies motana and sweetens and nullifies all the judgments in the world. Therefore after the swallowing of Korach — when Israel complained until the plague began — Moshe commanded Aharon to run and hasten to offer incense. For incense sweetens all the judgments in the world when offered by one worthy of this. And then he showed them that the incense does not kill Heaven forbid, as they were complaining and mocking about him — as Rashi explained there. Rather the sin is what kills — when one who is not worthy of it offers it. But when the Kohen who is worthy of it offers it — he stops the plague and nullifies motana. For there is no sacrifice that sweetens all the judgments like the incense. And this is the bechinas what they were commanded after the dispute of Korach — to take the staffs of all the leaders of Israel and the staff of Aharon, etc.: \"And Moshe came to the Tent of Testimony and behold the staff of Aharon for the house of Levi had blossomed, etc.\" [Numbers 17:23]. A staff is the bechinas bechirah [free choice] — which is the bechinas a staff that inclines to this side or to that side. And this is the bechinas Moshe's staff that was transformed from staff to serpent and from serpent to staff, as stated in the Tikunim. And as cited in the words of our Rebbe of blessed memory in the Torah Betach B'Hashem va'aseh tov in section 79. And Moshe merited at the vision of the burning bush to strip his body completely, as cited in the Tikunay Zohar — and then it was said of him: \"and the staff of the Divine is in my hand\" [Exodus 17:9] — \"in my hand\" precisely — that the bechirah was entirely in his hand — in the bechinas \"tzadikim — their heart is in their control\" as cited in the Torah Betach B'Hashem, see there. And so Aharon certainly merited this too — for Moshe and Aharon are both equal to one another, as our Sages taught. And this is what Hashem Yisborach commanded to show a wondrous sign through the staffs precisely — to teach the rank of Aharon that even though he merited the ultimate perfection — that already having broken the bechirah and the staff in his hand as above — even so he does not content himself with this. Rather he still serves Hashem Yisborach with wondrous self-dedication and merits at every moment to break his higher yaytzer hara which is the bechinas dinim. And through this even now after having broken the physical bechirah and the staff in his hand as above — even so he still rises from level to level and grows and blossoms at every moment — in the bechinas: \"the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn.\" And this is the bechinas: \"for the staff of Aharon for the house of Levi blossomed, and put forth buds and bloomed blossoms and bore ripe almonds\" [Numbers 17:23] — namely that even after having broken the bechirah and \"the staff of the Divine is in my hand\" as above — even so he is blossoming and growing. For he is not a dry tree, Heaven forbid, and does not stand at one level. Rather he is blossoming and growing in his service of Hashem Yisborach from level to level. For even the tzadikim who have broken the physical yaytzer hara — this being the bechinas \"the staff of the Divine is in my hand\" — even they still have the higher yaytzer hara above, and need to break it. And since they still have battles, certainly they still rise from level to level in the bechinas \"and put forth buds and bloomed blossoms, etc.\" And therefore this was given as the sign: \"the man whom I shall choose — his staff shall blossom\" — to teach that he is blossoming and still rising from level to level. And this is his greatness above all other leaders of Israel. For even among the true great tzadikim — the bechinas leaders of Israel — there is a great distinction between them and the tzadik greater than them greatly — the bechinas Moshe and Aharon, etc. as above. The opposite of the evil view of Korach and his congregation who denied this and said: \"for all the congregation are all holy, etc., and why do you exalt yourselves, etc.?\" as above. And this is the bechinas what is said immediately afterward: \"you and your father's house shall bear the sin of the sanctuary, etc.\" [Numbers 18:1]. For this is the service of the tzadikim — to sweeten the judgments of all Israel. Through this they take them out from sins that come through the yaytzer hara whose vitality is from the judgments, as above. For the great tzadikim break the higher yaytzer hara which is the bechinas dinim and sweeten and nullify all the judgments. And through this they nullify the power of the yaytzer hara and save Israel from sins. And therefore the tzadikim accept upon themselves suffering for the sins of Israel — as written: \"Surely our sicknesses he has carried and our pains he has borne\" [Isaiah 53:4]. For the great tzadikim attribute all the deficiencies to themselves — saying that it is because they have not sweetened the judgment properly that Israel come to sins, Heaven forbid. And therefore they bear the sins of Israel. And this is the bechinas: \"you and your father's house shall bear the sin of the sanctuary, etc.\" For they must guard Israel from sins — for they must engage in sweetening all the judgments in the world — and through this they nullify the power of the yaytzer hara and save Israel from sins, as above. And in this bechinas there are many distinctions even among the great tzadikim — the fathers of the world — as stated in the Zohar, the distinction between Noach and Avrohom and Moshe. For Moshe merited to sweeten the entire force of the judgments more than all of them — and dedicated himself and saved Israel. And the essential completion of this bechinas will be completed through Moshiach who is Moshe himself, who is still dedicating himself for Israel and bearing illnesses for them all the days of the exile — until he completes his work: to sweeten all the judgments from Israel and nullify the power of the yaytzer hara, and bring the redemption speedily in our days, and return all Israel to Hashem Yisborach in truth. For this is the essential service of Moshe Moshiach — to sweeten the supreme root of the lofty judgment above, above — until all the judgments below are automatically nullified, and all the evil inclinations that draw from them. And through this Israel will return to Hashem Yisborach — and the redemption will come speedily in our days — and He will restore all Israel to Hashem Yisborach in truth. As written: \"And a Redeemer shall come to Zion and to those who return from transgression in Yaakov — speedily in our days — Amen.\" "If a bird's nest chance before you on the way, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs…" [Deuteronomy 22:6] — Based on the Torah Sod Kavanas HaMilah [Likutay Moharan I:63] on the verse "Serafim…six wings…" [Isaiah 6:2], concerning the matter of megaleh tefoch u'mechaseh tefoch — revealing a handbreadth and concealing a handbreadth — regarding the tzadik and regarding Hashem Yisborach. Sometimes the tzadik, in relation to the world, is in the bechinas megaleh — revealing and drawing close to them — and sometimes in the bechinas mechaseh — concealing himself and withdrawing from them greatly, until the minds of those who draw near are confounded. And similarly regarding Hashem Yisborach — one must be in the bechinas both revealing and concealing. For one must cleave and draw near to Hashem Yisborach as though He were revealed and drawing near — yet the more one draws nearer, the more one must distance oneself — meaning, know that one is very far from Hashem Yisborach. For if one thinks and imagines that one has already drawn near and knows the knowledge of Hashem Yisborach, this is a sign that one knows nothing at all. And this is the bechinas: "Peace, peace to the far and to the near…" [Isaiah 57:19]. See there. And this is the bechinas shilluach ha'kain — for this is a great fundamental that one must know: that one does not know at all. For Oraisa [Torah] and Kudsha Brich Hu [the Holy Blessed One] and Yisroel kulla chad [Israel are all one] — and just as it is impossible to attain Him Yisborach, for no thought can grasp Him at all, so too it is impossible to attain the Torah. And so too it is impossible to attain the greatness of the souls of Israel — even of the least of the least — and what is happening with each individual and for what he came to this world and what will become of him. But if so, since everything is sealed and utterly hidden — we would not know any matter of divine service, nor how to serve Hashem Yisborach. Yet out of His love and compassion for Israel His people, He revealed His secret to our forefathers, until His compassion prevailed and He gave us the Torah through Moshe His servant, who illuminated our eyes and made known to us all the Torah and the commandments which are our life to observe in this world. Yet even now, although we know the Torah and the commandments, we still do not know at all — as written: "Wondrous are Your testimonies…" [Psalms 119:129]. We are only obligated to observe the Torah as He commanded — but the reasons of the commandments and the inner dimension of the Torah are sealed and hidden from us, as written: "I said I will become wise, but it is far from me" [Ecclesiastes 7:23]. Therefore one must remember well all stated above in the aforementioned Torah — regarding the tzadik and Hashem Yisborach — to know that the more one draws near, the more one is still far. And this applies both to Hashem Yisborach and to the tzadik. Yet just as Hashem Yisborach and the Torah and the tzadikim are sealed and utterly hidden from us — so too are they close, present, and revealed to us greatly. And conversely — just as they are revealed and close — so too are they far and hidden. Both are true — in the bechinas "Shalom la'rochok v'la'korov" — for Kudsha Brich Hu is sotum v'galyo [hidden and revealed], and so is the Torah, and so are the tzadikim. And as explained in the Torah Vayasev — regarding emunah — that the essence of faith is precisely in what one does not know and understand. Yet for the believer, it is revealed and known as though seen with one's eyes, because of the greatness of complete faith. Therefore one must know: sometimes when Hashem Yisborach helps him and a spark flashes — even though in truth it is genuine closeness from Him and a great and wondrous chesed — one should not err and think one is already near. For one must know all the above: the more one is drawn near, the more one is still very far — for His greatness is without limit. Nevertheless one must know that every drawing near is wondrous chesed — for it is genuine closeness and eternal salvation. Yet the ultimate perfection of salvation is still far, and one must still stand and await salvation greatly. This is the bechinas: "he saw the place from afar" [Genesis 22:4]. And: "his sister stood from afar" [Exodus 2:4] — they gazed at salvation from very far away. For this was the essential trial of Avrohom: Hashem had promised him to multiply his seed and for them to inherit the Land with the holy place of the Bais HaMikdash — then commanded him to slaughter Yitzchok. Yet he did not question His ways and went wholeheartedly to slaughter him. On the third day: "Avrohom lifted his eyes and saw the place from afar" — he saw the place, Har HaMoriyah, where his descendants were destined for all greatness and good and knowledge of Hashem — he saw all the good hope his descendants would merit there — yet from very far away. For he was now bringing Yitzchok to be slaughtered. And Miriam first prophesied that Moshe would save Israel — then she saw him being cast into the water — and our Sages taught that her father slapped her on the head. Yet she stood from afar, awaiting from a distance for her prophecy to be fulfilled, even though he was being thrown into the water. And so it is in every generation in general and particular. And even after Hashem Yisborach saved Avrohom and commanded "do not send forth your hand" — he immediately needed to seek Yitzchok's match. Then he heard Rivkoh was born — salvation — yet still from afar: she was an infant of one day and Yitzchok was thirty-seven years old. Then he came home and found his righteous wife Sarah had died, with no place to bury her except through great effort and miraculous assistance to acquire Machpaylah from Efron. And then great miracles were needed to bring Rivkoh out from the house of Besuel and Lavan. And so with all that befell Yitzchok whose wife was barren, and especially all that befell Yaakov above all others — and each time Hashem Yisborach helped greatly. Yet the perfection of ultimate salvation was still far. And even now in this generation — after Hashem Yisborach already helped our forefathers who established the congregation of Israel in the world, gave us the Torah, and built the Bais HaBechira — there is no counting all the goodness and wonders He performed for us. As we say: "Were our mouths filled with song…" — yet still we are far from the ultimate salvation. One who looks at the truth truly sees Hashem's salvation and the wonders of His chesed each day, as we say: "For Your miracles that are with us every day, and Your wonders and goodness at every moment…" Yet even so, complete salvation is still far, for we are held in our many sins in the grip of this exile until the burden has nearly become unbearable — and especially the exile of the soul, which is the essential exile, as each person knows the afflictions of his own heart. Yet we see Hashem's salvation at every moment — for we merit each day to lay tallis and tefillin and observe many mitzvos. And even one who lacks understanding to see His wonders each day must at least believe — as our Sages instituted we say three times daily: "For Your miracles that are with us every day…" And: "Blessed is Hashem Who daily loads us with benefit…" [Psalms 68:20]. And: "Hashem's kindnesses have not ended, His mercies are renewed each morning; great is Your faithfulness" [Lamentations 3:22–23] — Rashi explains: the chasodim are renewed each morning. All the salvations are in the bechinas "vayar es ha'makom me'rochok" — we see salvation at every moment, yet it is still far. And through this each one according to his level can strengthen himself in the bechinas: "From afar she brings her bread" [Proverbs 31:14] — lachma d'Oraisa [the bread of Torah] — for the counsels of Torah can only be received from very far away precisely, in the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. For every good point in which Hashem helped him flows from very, very far away. Yet His compassion is very great and He brings his bread of Torah — his salvation — from very, very far. And even after bringing it, he is still very far — and that itself is his closeness. For the distancing is the ultimate closeness: when one knows one is very far, one is precisely at the ultimate closeness to Him Yisborach — and the moment one considers oneself close, one is very far, as above. And this is the bechinas: "If a bird's nest chance before you on the way, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs…" — for it is known and explained in the Tikunim that this alludes to the exile and wandering of the Shechinah and Kneses Yisroel in general and in particular — about which it is said: "Like a wandering bird from its nest…" [Proverbs 27:8]. When a Jewish person wanders and drifts in the exile of his soul, being in the bechinas "ba'derech" — the road — the bechinas wandering and exile. "In any tree" — he has not yet clarified the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil; the Tree of Life and the Tree of Death are still mingled within him, in the bechinas "and from there it divided" [Genesis 2:10]. "Or on the ground" — the ultimate of physicality. Yet even so, Hashem Yisborach arranges there in His wondrous chesed that one finds efro'chim [fledglings] or baytzim [eggs] — the bechinas holiness of Torah and mitzvos. As stated in Tikunay Zohar: efro'chim — these are moray Mishnah [masters of Mishnah]; baytzim — these are moray Mikra [masters of Scripture]. But all is still in katnus [smallness], as explained there: "their wings are not yet complete." And the mother is brooding over the fledglings or eggs — this is the bechinas ima d'mesakchet al banin [the mother sheltering her children], the bechinas "aim la'binah tikra" [call understanding mother] — the bechinas Shechinsa Ila'ah [supernal Shechinah], the collective of the three first sefiros, of which it is said: "in what is too wondrous for you, do not inquire" — the bechinas "kevod Elokim haster davar" [the glory of Hashem is to conceal a matter]. In truth, certainly all the goodness and chesed that Hashem helps him with — even in his great distancing — to seize some Torah and mitzvos, even if not whole — is exceedingly precious and a great salvation. And certainly everything flows from a very high and lofty place — in the bechinas "meemehrchak tovi lachmoh" as above. This is the bechinas mother brooding over the fledglings: the mother is Binah Imma Ila'ah [the Supernal Mother] — the concealed world — brooding over these fledglings and eggs — the good points of Torah and mitzvos — that He arranges for one who is so distant and wandering. For Hashem Yisborach thinks from afar to benefit each person, as written: "He devises plans so that no outcast shall be banished from Him" [II Samuel 14:14]. But He warned: "do not take the mother with the young" — do not take also the mother — the contemplation of the hidden and concealed — "with the children" — the goodnesses and salvations Hashem chanced before you. Even though everything flows from there — for the mother herself is brooding over fledglings and eggs whose wings are not yet complete — still you have no permission to take the mother with the children. That is, do not immediately want to contemplate and see the ultimate salvation — for even though Hashem Yisborach has helped you greatly, you have no grasp yet of the mother, which is the supreme contemplation that is the ultimate salvation — for Imma Binah is the bechinas alma d'atay [the World to Come]. Therefore: "send away the mother" — for in what is too wondrous for you, do not inquire. Know that you are still very far from ultimate salvation. Only: "and the children you may take for yourself" — the fledglings and eggs, the points of Torah and mitzvos Hashem arranged for you — take them, engage with them, bring them from smallness to greatness. But ultimate salvation — the bechinas supernal contemplation — is still far, for you still do not know at all, as above. Therefore: "send away the mother." And this is the bechinas: "ki yikarai" — "if it chance" — to the exclusion of the muzmon [a prepared nest]. For the essential warning of "send away" applies only to one who is in the bechinas "if it chance before you on the way" — still in great exile and wandering, with Hashem chancing the nest before him on the road. But one for whom the bird's nest is muzmon — who has already labored greatly in his service of Hashem until meriting to prepare the holiness — for everything holy requires zimun [readiness], as stated in the holy Zohar — he can certainly take the mother with the children, according to his own level. For the great tzadikim, for whom the bird's nest is muzmon, certainly merit to attain the hidden secrets of Torah — the bechinas mother, as above. And this is the bechinas: "Turn your eyes from me, for they overwhelm me…" [Song of Songs 6:5] — see Rashi there. For certainly "your hair is like a flock of goats… your teeth like a flock of ewes… like a piece of pomegranate is your temple" — and Rashi explains all this as the abundance of Hashem's cherishing of the good deeds and mitzvos of even the lightest of Israel. Certainly you too are most beloved in My eyes. But even so: "Turn your eyes from Me, for they have overwhelmed Me" — in the First Temple I showed you excessive affection, and now it is necessary that you turn your eyes from Me, not to restore now the Kapores and Aron and Keruvim until the time of the end of wonders. And so it is with every person at every time — especially now in the grip of this exile, in the ikvos Meshicha. Understand this well, to draw from it counsel and strengthening — for it is your life forever, as written regarding shilluach ha'kain: "that it may be good for you and you may lengthen your days" [Deuteronomy 22:7]. For this is the essence of life: when one merits to contemplate each day the abundance of His compassion and chesed — yet even so is still far — this is the essential perfection of knowledge and wisdom, the essence of life. And through this one can be renewed each day in the bechinas "chadoshim la'bokorim rabba emunasecha" [renewed each morning, great is Your faithfulness]. Understand well. Therefore Shlomo HaMelech, peace be upon him — although wiser than all men — afterward confessed regarding himself that he had greatly erred in this, imagining he was already near to Hashem Yisborach, as written: "Unto Ithiel, and Uchal" [Proverbs 30:1] — confessing about having said "Iti Kail" [G-d is with me], as our Sages taught. For in truth one does not know at all — as he explained afterward: "For I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man; nor did I learn wisdom…" [Proverbs 30:2–3]. That is, as above. And this is the bechinas: the ner Chanukah [Chanukah candle] is forbidden to use for its light — unlike the ner Shabbos, where the mitzvah of lighting is precisely to use its light for oneg Shabbos [Shabbos delight]. For it is explained in the kavonos of the Ari of blessed memory that the ner Chanukah is a very great light — the collective encompassing of the three yichudim — that is drawn down very low: below ten tefochim, to the very force of Asiyah. This is the novelty and wonder of ner Chanukah: through the great power of the miracle — when Matisyahu and his sons prevailed over the wicked kingdom that sought to cause Torah to be forgotten — and when the Chashmonai kingdom defeated them, they merited a wondrous salvation, and the lights of the Menorah burned miraculously for eight days. Through this they established for us to kindle the holy ner Chanukah — so great in its luminance that we can draw it down, each person, to below ten tefochim, to illuminate even there this light of Torah and mitzvos, in the bechinas: "for a candle is a mitzvah and Torah is light" [Proverbs 6:23]. And therefore it is forbidden to use its light — because since this light is drawn down to the place of the Sitra Achra's hold, one may not use this holy light lest the external forces grasp it, as explained in the kavonos. But the ner Shabbos — since on Shabbos all worlds ascend, Asiyah to Yetzirah and Yetzirah to Beriah etc. — the candle is lit in a high place where the Sitra Achra has no hold, and therefore one may use its light. All this is the above matter: the ner Chanukah draws down the light — the salvation that Torah will endure — from very far, from a very high place, to a very low place, below ten tefochim. Therefore it is forbidden to use its light — for the light is not yet ours in completion. Only this itself is the wondrous chesed: that we draw such a holy and awesome light into our homes, for each person, below ten tefochim, as above. And this is the bechinas what our Sages taught: "Ner Chanukah — ish u'baiso" [the ner Chanukah — one person and his household]; the mehadrin light a candle for each individual; and the mehadrin min ha'mehadrin add each day. For the essential mitzvah is one candle for a person and his household — since the essential lighting is only to see it and gaze upon the miracle — one candle suffices, for all can gaze upon it and contemplate the power of the miracle, to be aroused in the service of Hashem Yisborach. But the mehadrin light a candle for each individual — so that each person takes to heart that Hashem Yisborach also performs miracles for him personally and illuminates him in His goodness unto his own mind — to rouse him from his sleep. For many err: even a decent person who contemplates Hashem's great chesed for us in every generation — that we have survived such exile — may still err personally, not sensing for himself the power of the miracle. For he knows his own heart's afflictions and his soul's great pains, and each day the yaytzer hara overpowers him — until he can mistakenly think himself to be in ultimate darkness, Heaven forbid, and that the light does not reach him. Even though he sees the light and believes Hashem illuminates us with Torah, his salvation — still he does not believe for himself personally that the light reaches him. Therefore the mehadrin light a candle for each individual — so each person knows that even to him personally the light reaches. For Hashem performs wondrous miracles for him personally; he merits the light of Torah and mitzvos — the good points he seizes each day, especially one who has merited to draw near to the true tzadikim. Only the light is still in the bechinas "vayar es ha'makom me'rochok", as above. But the light illuminates him with wholeness — for himself, personally — even amid the powerful darkness in which he is caught, in the bechinas: "Though I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light to me" [Micah 7:8]. Through this he merits at every moment to seize much good — his eternal hope — and can strengthen himself and rouse himself from sleep each time, as above. And the mehadrin min ha'mehadrin add and go each day — for not only does one draw the light to himself personally, even though it is from very far away — for on the contrary, this is his essential tikun — but furthermore he adds each day. For one who is strong in faith and gazes upon Hashem's wonders performed anew each day — in the bechinas "chadoshim la'bokorim rabba emunasecha" — believing the chasodim renew each morning, for "Hashem's kindnesses have not ended" — he adds in drawing the light upon himself with additional illumination each day. For in truth Hashem Yisborach illuminates us each day with additional light through the power of the tzadikim, in the bechinas: "The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining ever brighter until the perfect day" [Proverbs 4:18] — the light increasing every moment until the perfect day. And even though we are now in bitter exile — His hidden light grows each day, and from it flows the renewal of creation, as we say: "Who in His goodness renews each day, continually, the act of Creation." This is the bechinas conclusion of the blessing over the lights: "May a new light shine upon Zion…" For certainly Hashem Yisborach will complete what He began — for certainly our light will come, which is Moshiach Tzidkainu: "for in Your holy name You swore to him that his light would never be extinguished forever." Therefore even though we are far from the light and must only see it — each person must still kindle it for himself personally, and furthermore add and increase. For Hashem Yisborach adds upon each person His light of chesed and salvation each day, as we say: "For Your miracles that are with us every day…" And this is the bechinas: "And he reached the place, and lodged there, for the sun had set" [Genesis 28:11]. Regarding Avrohom it is written: "he saw the place from afar" — but regarding Yaakov: "he reached the place" — for he merited more, literally reaching the place (as cited in the holy Zohar). Yet even so, he knew the place was still very far — until the time of the end. Therefore "he lodged there" — alluding to the troubles and darkness of exile. "For the sun had set not in its time" — this is the bechinas what befalls every person: sometimes in Hashem's compassion a great light opens to him and he imagines he will surely become a worthy person — then suddenly it becomes dark, as though the sun set before its time. And Yaakov was informed in his dream that all this is the bechinas "a ladder set on the ground and its top reaching to the heavens" — for this is all of a person's divine service: going from level to level like climbing a ladder. "Angels of Hashem ascending and descending" — these are the tzadikim who must have many ascents and descents — for before the ascent there must be a descent, and the descent is the ultimate purpose of the ascent. Therefore a person should not be astonished or fall in spirit from all that befalls him. Neither in ascent nor in descent should one err: when seeing some salvation and spark, do not think the light is already yours — know you are still very far, as above. And through this one will not fall when later seeing the light darken — the descent. For in truth, the light that illuminated him has not been extinguished — the light of His chesed Yisborach illuminates always. Only everything is in the bechinas "meemehrchak tovi lachmoh" and "vayar es ha'makom me'rochok." But ultimately Hashem Yisborach will complete what He began — one must always be awaiting salvation, in the bechinas: "and all eyes look expectantly to You" [Psalms 145:15]. As we say: "for Your salvation we hoped all the day." And this is the bechinas Hallel of Chanukah, as we say: "They established these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great Name." For Hallel is the bechinas joy — said joyfully over all the miracles, past and future, the days of Moshiach and the ultimate future, as Rashi explains [Psalms 26] on "to tell of all Your wonders." For all written above — the essence is to arrive at simchah and not the opposite. Some may fall into depression and melancholy, Heaven forbid — which is more harmful than anything — upon seeing the great distance from the light. Therefore one who truly cares for himself must convert everything to simchah — for precisely through seeing the great distance of the light from him, one should rejoice exceedingly. For after all, one sees that the light is literally present: one does kindle the holy ner Chanukah in one's home! And with all the mitzvos: one takes tefillin — of very great and sublime lights — and places them literally on one's head and arm. Is there greater closeness? And even if one knows the light of tefillin is still far — on the contrary, this is our joy: we are healed with such precious and wondrous remedies coming from such great distance! Therefore they established for us all the Yamim Tovim [festivals] and ordained Hallel on them — as written: "He made a memorial of His wonders; gracious and compassionate is Hashem" [Psalms 111:4]. Rashi explains this is a great act of compassion from Him — that He fixed for us the festivals as a memorial of His wonders. For through crying and prayer alone it is difficult to endure — one can fall from the crying itself upon seeing the abundance of troubles. Therefore it is wondrous chesed that He established the festivals as a memorial of His wonders, and ordained that we say Hallel — to praise and extol Him with joy over the great miracles, encompassing all miracles past and future — so we merit to convert everything to simchah, the essence of strengthening, in the bechinas: "the joy of Hashem is your strength" [Nehemiah 8:10]. The essential point: the more one understands the great distance of the light, the more one should strengthen in joy over His chesed Yisborach — that the light is literally in one's home. This is the bechinas ner Chanukah. We see that the Chashmonai tzadikim prevailed over the wicked kingdom that wanted Torah to be forgotten, and drew the continued existence of Torah into the world — and we still hold the Torah today. All this is hinted at in the ner Chanukah: the light of Torah was illuminated for us from very, very far away. For the greater the patient, the greater the physician and medicines required. Since Hashem Yisborach foresaw our great weakness in exile, He prepared such miracles so we merited to kindle the holy ner Chanukah — indicating the tzadikim draw upon us the light of Torah from very, very far away. And in this is great hope — for He will certainly bring us out of all our troubles, since we see at every moment lights so distant and lofty, literally present with us. And if we are still far — one must know not to fall in spirit. But one must always convert everything to joy: the distant and sublime light is literally in my home! This is the bechinas Hallel and joy — to strengthen oneself through joy to await salvation and to be confident: just as His chesed prevailed to make for us such great miracles, enabling us to have such wondrous lights from such great distance — in the bechinas "meemehrchak tovi lachmoh" — we are confident He will certainly save us in His compassion, making new and wondrous miracles until we return to Him in truth and He completes what He began, "for the word of our G-d shall stand forever." As written: "And You are exalted forever, Hashem" [Psalms 92:9] — Rashi: forever Your hand is uppermost. And this is what was said in the Second Temple at Simchas Bais HaShoyaiva: "Our forefathers who were in this place — their backs were to the Sanctuary of Hashem and their faces eastward… but we — our eyes are to Hashem!" Repeated: "We are to G-d, and our eyes are to G-d!" The Gemara explains: "anu l'Yah mishta'chavim" [we bow in thanks to G-d] and "u'l'Yah aynaynu m'yachalos" [our eyes await G-d]. That is, as above: they would bow and give thanks to Hashem Yisborach for the great salvations and wondrous chesed He performed — rebuilding the Bais HaMikdash anew. This is l'Yah anu mishta'chavim — bowing is the bechinas giving thanks for the past. But they knew how far they were still from complete redemption. Therefore they said a second time: "u'l'Yah aynaynu m'yachalos" [our eyes await G-d] — for certainly, even though Hashem already helped them with such salvation, as written: "in our bondage our G-d has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us before the kings of Persia…" [Ezra 9:9] — still their eyes await G-d for the complete redemption. And so now in this exile we see wondrous miracles and chesed each day, as we say three times daily: "For Your miracles that are with us every day…" And we must give thanks greatly. But we must know all salvations come from very far away, as above — and each day await salvation ahead, in the bechinas "l'Yah anu mishta'chavim u'modim" and "u'l'Yah aynaynu m'yachalos." And they mentioned the shame of the ancients — that their forefathers who were in this place turned their backs to the Sanctuary, bowing eastward, doing many shameful and abominable things. The matter seems puzzling — why mention shame in their joy? But all of this was in order to come to joy and strengthening in Hashem and His holy Torah. They mentioned how the ancients fell into such abominations — because all their falling came through haughtiness and arrogance, which brings a person to all evils. From arrogance flows the root of all falls — until they could not strengthen themselves and draw near to Hashem even from a distant place, for they could not bear the smallness and lowliness in their own eyes. Those who are distant through their desires, when wishing to strive and draw near, must at least feel their own lowliness and distance, and trust in the ever-renewing power of His chesed — that even they can draw near. But they were arrogant and could not bring themselves so low — until the spirit of foolishness prevailed and they fell into such abominations. Therefore the celebrants remembered the opposite: "our forefathers… but we are to G-d — we know all Hashem saves us is through wondrous chesed, we bow and give thanks, and still our eyes await G-d" — for we know our distance from Him Yisborach. And this is the essence of our joy: that He saved us from such distance with such wondrous salvations. And this is the bechinas Mizmor Shir Chanukas HaBayis l'Dovid [Psalm 30] — recited daily before prayer — speaking of every individual person: the greatness of wondrous salvation He bestowed in His compassion, and throughout containing supplication for the future. "I will extol You, Hashem, for You have drawn me up… Hashem, my G-d, I cried out to You and You healed me; Hashem, You brought up my soul from the grave…" [Psalms 30:2–4]. For certainly — after all that has befallen the person until that very day, with Hashem helping him — now standing wrapped in tallis and tefillin, ready to pray before his Creator — he must immediately give thanks and bless Him for all this chesed, saying with joy: "I will extol You, Hashem, for You have drawn me up… You brought up my soul from the grave…" For after all, one stands now in the royal garments and crowns — tallis and tefillin — to pray before the King of kings of kings! "Sing to Hashem, His chassidim…" — if even now, due to one's great physicality, one lacks the mind to sing for the greatness of this chesed, one arouses the chassidim — the true tzadikim — that they should sing to Hashem and give thanks to His holy Name for drawing close those who are so distant. For the essential drawing near of the distant is through these tzadikim — therefore they should sing to Hashem, for only they know the wondrous power of this chesed which is beyond comprehension. And so the entire Psalm continues: "For His anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for life…" And then: "And I said in my security: I shall not be moved forever. Hashem, in Your favor You had established my mountain as strong — You hid Your face and I was terrified" [Psalms 30:7–8] — the entire matter above: not to err as though one has drawn near in completion, for one still needs much salvation. Therefore: "To You, Hashem, I call… what profit is there in my blood…? Hear, Hashem, and be gracious…" And immediately one returns to joy: "You have turned my mourning into dancing; You have removed my sackcloth and girded me with joy" [Psalms 30:12]. For the essential point is to return to joy each time — the moment one knows one's distance, one must remember the abundance of His compassion that draws near and not repels. For the very distancing is closeness — for Hashem desires and longs for the prayer of Israel and wants them to request and pray before Him at every moment for every matter. And the conclusion: "That my glory may sing praises to You and not be silent; Hashem my G-d, I will thank You forever" [Psalms 30:13]. For Hashem pours out salvation each day — so they may sing to Him always, anew each day — in the bechinas "l'ma'an y'zamrecha kavod v'lo yidom". This is His glory Yisborach — when they pray to Him each time for each thing lacking. As written: "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor Me" [Psalms 50:15]. And: "Hashem my G-d, l'olam odeka" — l'olam certainly — for this is the entire delight of the World to Come: to give thanks and bless Him always forever. Then we will understand the wondrous power of the chasodim He performed with us each day — to keep us standing at our place, saved from falls such as those in earlier generations, as they mentioned: "our forefathers who were in this place…" which all came through falls, Heaven forbid. And so in every generation, and especially in these generations. Therefore every person must give thanks each day — and precisely the more one feels one's distance, the more one must give thanks, as above. And therefore all of this is recited in the Mizmor Shir Chanukas HaBayis — the bechinas Chanukah. For the essential salvation and hope is the building of the Bais HaMikdash — the place that our forefathers saw from afar, where all our hope lies, where is the essential drawing near of Israel to their Father in Heaven. In our service in the depths of exile we must each day draw upon ourselves the bechinas chanukas ha'bayis. For anyone who has understanding — it is as though the Bais HaMikdash was built in his days. And each person, according to the small illumination of mind that Hashem bestows upon him in His chesed each day in the bechinas "chadoshim la'bokorim" — through this the bechinas holiness of chanukas ha'bayis is drawn upon him. Therefore we recite Mizmor Shir Chanukas HaBayis each day — recalling all the above, which is the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov — all of which is the bechinas Chanukah, as above. And this is the bechinas prohibition of chodosh — the new grain — which is forbidden to eat until the sixteenth of Nisan, the day after Pesach, when the Omer of barley is offered. For at Pesach the beginning of Israel's drawing near to their Father in Heaven takes place — it is the time of the Exodus from Egypt, when they go out from the forty-nine gates of impurity and enter the forty-nine gates of holiness. As explained in the kavonos and cited in our works: on the first day of Pesach, all the mochin are drawn down — a time of very great drawing near. Then on the second day, the first of the Sefirah, the mochin withdraw, and one begins receiving them gradually in proper order. This is what the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory taught, that this is the bechinas \"He leads us over death\" — like when one teaches a child to walk: at first one supports the child with one's hands, then suddenly removes the hands so the child will walk on its own. So too in divine service: at the beginning of drawing near, Hashem assists a person and leads him on the straight path. Therefore the initial fervor of chassidus is strongest — and afterward one falls from that blazing enthusiasm, because the fire that came from above is removed and one is left to walk on one's own. This is the bechinas Pesach and the Sefirah. This pattern repeats with every person, countless times in countless different forms — as Rashi explains on the verse \"You are all standing today\" [Deuteronomy 29:9]: \"as today, which brings darkness and light, so too He will yet bring darkness and light upon you.\" All this is encompassed in our words above, built upon the teaching concerning \"Peace, peace to the far and to the near.\" We find: on the second day of Pesach, the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov descends upon Israel — for that is when they need it. The great light that shone upon them at the Exodus on the first day of Pesach begins to withdraw on the second day, and Mitzrayim — the Sitra Achra — begins again to pursue them. All this is the bechinas above: distancing is the ultimate drawing near. Therefore one is forbidden to eat the new grain until the day after Pesach, when this bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov descends upon Israel — for one must receive bread and livelihood only through this bechinas. Just as Torah-bread of lachma d'Oraisa is drawn from very, very far away — so too does one need to know this regarding actual bread and livelihood: that all mezonos [sustenance] comes from a very high, very distant place, as stated in the writings of the Ari of blessed memory on the saying of our Sages: \"Children, life, and sustenance — these do not depend on merit but on mazal\" — the bechinas supernal mazal, the Tikunay dikna kaddisha, the attributes of notzer and nake [the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy] — which are exceedingly lofty levels, as known. Therefore our Sages truly said: \"A person's livelihood is as difficult as the splitting of the Reed Sea\" — and doubly as hard as childbirth, and harder than redemption. Given how far livelihood is from a person, it would not be fitting for sustenance to reach him at all — yet Hashem Yisborach sustains the entire world in His goodness, with grace and lovingkindness and compassion. Therefore whenever any measure of sustenance and livelihood reaches a person — whether much or little — he must know that everything is pure chesed. He is not worthy of it at all; it is entirely through His compassion, that He brings him livelihood from so very far away — literally in the bechinas \"meemehrchak tovi lachmoh.\" This knowledge is needed in several ways: so that his heart does not become haughty with his wealth, imagining he deserves the riches — as occurs with many who, the moment some abundance reaches them, begin conducting themselves grandly, until their worry is greater than before because they feel constantly lacking relative to how grandly they wish to live; and when profits do not come as desired, such a person is filled with anger and pain and complaints against His attributes, as though Hashem Yisborach were obligated, as it were, to grant him riches. But in truth one must know that all Hashem bestows is great chesed — for the abundance comes from so very far away. Therefore let not his heart be haughty with wealth, and let him not complain against His attributes. For what he truly needs, let him trust in Hashem's Name that He will provide through His chesed. And similarly for the poor and the destitute: they too must know this — that livelihood comes from very far away through His chesed — and therefore must trust, for the G-d Who has shepherded them since their birth in His chesed and brought them sustenance from such distance will have compassion upon them all the days of their lives and give them the necessary livelihood. Let them not worry about tomorrow's trouble — for precisely when one knows livelihood comes from so very, very far away, especially the poor who see how distant livelihood is from them, and how even the little they have comes to them miraculously each day — when one knows this clearly, one will not trouble one's mind and thoughts over livelihood, but will cast one's burden upon Hashem. Since one knows there is no natural cause that draws livelihood — only Hashem Yisborach provides from very far away through His chesed — He in His compassion will provide whatever is necessary each and every day, with grace and lovingkindness and compassion. Therefore new grain is forbidden to eat until the day after Pesach — when this bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov descends upon Israel, and only through this bechinas should one receive bread and livelihood — this being the bechinas eating the Mahn, in the bechinas \"Torah was given only to those who ate the Mahn\" — meaning, knowing that livelihood flows like the Mahn, which did not fall all at once for the whole week or month but only day by day, as our Sages said: so that their eyes would look heavenward. And so sustenance flows to each person according to his level, in a way that leads him to look heavenward always — knowing that livelihood comes only from Him Yisborach, from very far away. As written: \"For not from east or from west… but G-d judges…\" [Psalms 75:7–8]. One must not conduct oneself grandly — and what is truly necessary, Hashem Yisborach will certainly provide. For this is precisely the bechinas above — of far and near: the moment one knows how far salvation is from him, yet Hashem Yisborach saves him at every moment through His wondrous chesed from very far away — through this one is immediately drawn near. For when one knows everything is through Hashem's wonders and chesed, salvation is immediately very close — \"for nothing is too difficult for Hashem\" — for nothing is beyond Him. But the moment one errs and imagines one is literally close already, one is immediately very far — for in truth, drawing near to Hashem Yisborach and likewise livelihood are exceedingly far from a person. Therefore one must remember all the above well each day: both regarding drawing near to Hashem and regarding livelihood and all of one's needs. And this is the bechinas Omer of barley that is offered then — which permits the new grain. For all salvations, all drawing near of Israel to their Father in Heaven, all livelihood and all abundance — all flows from that place: the place of the Bais HaMikdash, about which it is said: \"he saw the place from afar.\" Even when standing in the Bais HaMikdash in Temple times, one needed to know at every moment how far one was from the holiness of that awesome place — and the essential cause of the destruction was a blemish in this: they imagined all their goodness was already in their hands and rebelled against Hashem, as written: \"Like their pasture so they became satisfied; they were satisfied and their heart became haughty, therefore they forgot Me\" [Hosea 13:6]. This is what I brought above from Rashi's explanation of the verse: \"Turn your eyes from Me…\" — that from the abundance of affection He showed them in the First Temple, they rebelled against Him. For at the height of closeness, one must know the distancing — and precisely then one is truly close, provided one does not err. One must always remember one's distance and rejoice precisely thereby in His chesed that He draws one near from such a closeness — as above. And this is also the bechinas what the holy Zohar writes: \"Whoever is small is great; whoever is great is small\" — and this goes around in a cycle. As understood there in the holy Zohar in its place, there is great depth — see there. Yet through our words above one can understand something of it, drawing counsel and strengthening from it — to draw near and not be pushed far by whatever befalls one, whether in matters of divine service or in matters of livelihood and children and so on. And this is the bechinas sacrifices that were brought in the Bais HaMikdash — where they would take a physical animal and physical flour-offerings and libations and elevate them as offerings — for the ascent of the offerings reaches a very, very far place, as the holy Zohar states: the ascent of the offerings reaches to Ain Sof. For there, in the Bais HaMikdash, they saw this bechinas each day — the bechinas \"vayar es ha'makom me'rochok\" — for \"the heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain You…\" Yet Hashem Yisborach in His compassion contracted the resting of His Shechinah into the Bais HaMikdash. And from the immensity of His compassion He commanded to elevate a physical animal as a sweet-smelling offering — and through this all good abundances flowed to the world. All of this is the bechinas wondrous things very distant from the intellect — the bechinas \"I said I will become wise but it is far from me\" — the bechinas \"meemehrchak tovi lachmoh.\" And this is the bechinas Omer of barley that permits the new grain — for the Omer of barley is an even greater wonder: barley is animal feed, yet Hashem commanded that precisely barley — animal fodder — be brought then the day after Pesach, to show the wonders of His chesed: that He can elevate and draw near even such distancing as barley — animal food. And through this there is drawn upon Israel the da'as to know the fullness of their distance — for we have no wisdom, like an animal literally, as written: \"And I am bestial and know nothing; I was as a beast before You\" [Psalms 73:22]. This is the essential drawing near in the bechinas la'rochok v'la'korov. Therefore precisely the Omer of barley permits the new grain for eating — for it is impossible to eat bread and receive livelihood except through this bechinas: knowing the fullness of the distance — which is the essential drawing near. This bechinas flows on the day after Pesach. And this is the bechinas six measures of barley that Boaz gave to Rus — which are the bechinas six wings explained in the Torah above, in which all our words above are encompassed — see there. As explained there: Rus requested: \"spread your wings over your maidservant\" [Ruth 3:9]. Therefore Boaz gave her six measures of barley — alluding to the bechinas six wings above. Barley specifically — in the bechinas Omer of barley that was being worked with at that time, as written: \"and they came at the beginning of the barley harvest\" [Ruth 1:22]. And Rashi explains: \"the verse speaks of the reaping of the Omer.\" For Rus was a righteous convert, and from her our Sages derived all the laws of the drawing near of converts. For all the drawing near of converts — who are in the bechinas those distant from Hashem Yisborach — happens only through the bechinas above: shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. The ger [convert], and likewise one who is far from Hashem through his sins, when coming to draw near — which is also a bechinas ger — it is very difficult to bring him near, for the adversary surrounds him and undermines him greatly, as cited in his teachings many times. Therefore the essential drawing near happens through the bechinas above: knowing the fullness of his own distance on his side, and knowing the fullness of the drawing near from the side of Hashem's wondrous and immense compassion. When one knows all this with clear knowledge and complete emunah, one can draw near in the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov — which was said primarily regarding converts and ba'alai teshuvah, as known. Therefore the essential drawing near of converts and ba'alai teshuvah is through this bechinas distancing and drawing near — as our Sages taught: a convert who comes to convert is told: \"What did you see that you came to convert? Do you not know that Israel in this time is downtrodden and oppressed and battered, and suffering comes upon them?\" If he accepts this and says: \"I know and am not worthy\" — they accept him. Afterward they inform him of various commandments and penalties — and all this was learned from the passage of Naomi and Rus, as our Sages expounded. For Rus was a great righteous woman who converted in absolute truth and accepted everything — until she said: \"Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.\" Our Sages explained that Naomi told her of the four forms of capital punishment administered by the court — and she replied: \"Where you die, I will die.\" And about the two types of burial — and she replied: \"And there I will be buried.\" And then: \"And she saw that she was determined to go with her and ceased to speak to her\" — from which they learned that one does not turn away a sincere convert, but draws close. And so it is with drawing near of those distant from the truth. Understand deeply how far Rus the righteous accepted — that Naomi warned her of four forms of capital punishment and two types of burial, as though to say: perhaps you will not be able to withstand the test and transgress, Heaven forbid. And she responded: \"As you die, I will die\" — however it may be, I desire the truth of the holiness of Israel, and whatever happens to me, let it come. For it would seem that Rus should have answered: why do you frighten me with four forms of capital punishment — certainly I have free will and will not transgress such grave sins. But Rus the righteous in her wholesome righteousness replied: even if the adversary overpowers me and brings me, Heaven forbid, to what he is able to cause a person to stumble — even so I accept the holiness of Israel in truth, whatever may come. And then Naomi drew her near with great closeness, and she became a great righteous woman, meriting that Moshiach should come forth from her who will bring the entire world to repentance. And so it is with every person who comes to draw near to the truth: the essential drawing near is through distancing — and even afterward, when one has drawn very near, one must at every moment remember one's distance. And this goes in a cycle — in the bechinas shalom shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. Let us return to the matter of Chanukah. As explained in the Torah above, there is a serpent and an ant in its mouth — which is the secret of what is written in the holy Zohar: \"What is the serpent that flies through the air?\" — see there. Explained there: the serpent is the bechinas external wisdoms of the philosophers, which are empowered through evil speech — for through evil speech one makes wings for the serpent [i.e., gives power to the philosophers]. For through holy speech one makes wings of holiness — see all this there carefully. All this is the bechinas power of the miracle of Chanukah, whose essential purpose was to subdue the wicked kingdom of Greece — which is the bechinas wisdom of the heretics, whose root is the Greek sages. As explained in the words of our Sages: all their wisdom is called chochmas Yevanis [Greek wisdom]. For all the provocation of the Greeks against Israel came from their evil wisdom that was empowered at that time through their teacher Aristotle the Greek, may his name be blotted out — whose heresy is known and famous, for all his evil views are contrary to the holy Torah, as is known to those who look upon the truth truly. And because the Greeks followed his evil views, they provoked Israel — who were so firm in the ways of the holy Torah — and rose up against Israel to make them forget the Torah. Their entire power came through evil speech — the bechinas lashon hara and so on. Therefore the essential subduing of them was through holy speech — the bechinas wings of holiness — which is the bechinas prayer and supplication and cries and outcries that Matisyahu and his sons the righteous offered abundantly — praying and crying to Hashem Yisborach, as explained in the sacred texts. For the essential subduing of the wicked Greek wisdom, which is the essential contamination of the serpent, is through holy speech of Torah and prayer — especially through prayer, through which holy wings are made that subdue the wings of the serpent. For wicked Greek wisdom is the opposite of the bechinas wings above — the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov — which is the bechinas \"I said I will become wise, but it is far from me\" — which is all the wisdom of the righteous and upright among Israel: that even one who merits great wisdom and true knowledge of Him Yisborach, each time knows his distance ever more greatly. This is the essence of wisdom: to realize that wisdom is far from him [as written in Likutay Tinyona section 44]. All the more so one of smaller understanding who has not yet sanctified his body or broken some desire — his da'as is certainly not yet complete. How much more so one who knows his blemishes and filthiness in all the desires — who must certainly know how far he is from the complete knowledge of true tzadikim and upright ones. This is the essential holiness of Israel: to minimize and diminish themselves, as Rashi explains on the verse \"for you are the fewest…\" — \"for you minimize yourselves.\" But the wise unto evil — the bechinas Greek sages — their way is to run and fly in their wisdom to investigate what they have no permission to approach. They are defiled with all the filths of every desire, yet seek to investigate and know the knowledge of His divinity — and through this they have truly become greatly confused and gone astray, arriving at great heresy. For it is impossible to know His divinity except for the holy ones and those separated from all desires and all types of desire for honor, truly and completely — like the forefathers of the world. The rest of the world need only believe in them and in their holy words, as has been explained many times. It follows: the essential evil wisdoms — the bechinas wicked Greek wisdom — are the opposite of all the above, the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. For the wise unto evil run and fly to investigate where they have no permission, wanting all questions and confusions and crookedness of their mind and all the foolishness of their understanding to be immediately resolved. Through this they truly distance themselves greatly from Hashem and His service. The essential blemish and repair depends on speech: through blemished speech — especially through lashon hara, and all the more so when speaking lashon hara against the upright and true tzadikim — one makes wings for the serpent, thereby strengthening within oneself the false wisdoms and heresies drawn from Greek wisdom, the contamination of the serpent. Through this many questions and crookedness of heart assail him — because he wants to resolve everything and know everything that is not his domain. The essential repair: through holy speech — guarding oneself from evil speech and multiplying holy speech of Torah and prayer, especially multiplying prayer and supplication and personal conversation between oneself and one's Creator. Through this one makes and repairs the bechinas holy wings — the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov — through which one subdues the wings of the serpent above. For the essential bechinas this is to draw near precisely through distancing — the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. One cannot merit this except through holy speech, especially through prayer. For the matter of far and near appears at first to contradict itself, Heaven forbid — and the essential peace and resolution between them is merited through speech. For speech is the bechinas \"a bird whose feet stand in the water while its head reaches to the firmament of heaven\" — as explained in the Torah \"Ani Hashem Hu Shemi\" [Likutay Moharan I:11]: a person must know the fullness of his distance from Hashem, yet even so must know and believe that from the side of His compassion He is very close to each and every one — even those very distant through their evil deeds. The essential means is speech — for through speech we can call to Him from very far away and He draws near to us through this, as written: \"Hashem is close to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth\" [Psalms 145:18]. And: \"What great nation is there that has G-d so close to it as Hashem our G-d whenever we call upon Him\" [Deuteronomy 4:7]. And this is the bechinas \"Boray niv sfosayim, shalom shalom la'rochok v'la'korov\" — \"boray niv sfosayim\" precisely: for through niv sfosayim — through speech — one merits precisely to the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. And this is why our Sages established to say in the Chanukah prayer: \"They established these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise to Your great Name\" — emphasizing especially the Hallel and thanksgiving, which is the repair of speech. Even though the essential miracle was the matter of the Menorah lights — for which they established kindling the holy ner Chanukah — even so, in the prayer they mentioned only the thanksgiving and praise of Chanukah. For the entire essential power of the Chanukah miracle — which occurs each year anew — is to subdue the evil wisdoms of the world drawn from wicked Greek wisdom, which seek to fly in their intellect where they have no permission. And to merit the opposite: the bechinas shalom la'rochok v'la'korov — knowing each time the fullness of one's distance, in order to draw near precisely through this. None of this is merited except through holy speech — the bechinas Hallel and thanksgiving, meaning prayer. Therefore they established to say: \"They established these eight days to give thanks and praise\" — \"to give thanks and praise\" precisely — for the essential repair is through the speech of prayer, in the bechinas \"boray niv sfosayim shalom shalom la'rochok v'la'korov.\" One who attends closely to understand the meaning of the words of this verse — \"boray niv sfosayim\" — can draw from it counsel to strengthen oneself in the matter of personal conversation between oneself and one's Creator. For this is the essential repair for the matter of far and near above. Through this personal conversation one can express everything before Hashem Yisborach — expressing in one's speech the fullness of one's distance — and even so, drawing near to Hashem Yisborach precisely through this, by remembering the immensity of His boundless compassion as our forefathers and Sages revealed to us. But generally the personal conversation itself is very difficult — for from the fullness of one's distance one has no words to speak, as known to whoever tries to accustom himself to this. But Adonainu [the Rebbe] of blessed memory has already warned us: even so, strengthen yourself with every kind of strengthening to practice this conduct each day, as we know how very many times he warned about this greatly. For even the preparation and the will alone — when one prepares oneself and desires to speak but cannot yet speak — even this is very precious before Him Yisborach. If one will be very strong in this, Hashem Yisborach will certainly help and will create speech within one's mouth — in the bechinas \"boray niv sfosayim\" — literally boray [creates], for the words that come to a person are literally a new creation. For certainly one is very far from speech because of one's distance — but when one is strong and prepares oneself to speak and converse between oneself and one's Creator, and is strong in this for some time with powerful desire and longing, then Hashem Yisborach helps and sends words into one's mouth — literally a new creation. Hashem Yisborach in His compassion creates words for one and prepares them into one's mouth — the bechinas \"boray niv sfosayim\" — boray precisely. And through this one merits to the bechinas shalom shalom la'rochok v'la'korov. As written: \"A person has preparations of the heart, but from Hashem comes the answer of the tongue\" [Proverbs 16:1] — the person must prepare his heart, meaning the preparation above, and then Hashem Yisborach creates speech within his mouth — \"and from Hashem comes the answer of the tongue.\" As we say: \"O Lord, open my lips…\" — Hashem Yisborach Himself, as it were, opens his lips to speak and express what is in his heart. For everything is from Him Yisborach — only the person must prepare himself with desire and longing, and Hashem will help him to speak and express his conversation. Therefore all this matter of shalom la'rochok v'la'korov is alluded to in the parashah of the bird's nest — for all this matter is in the bechinas repair of wings, which is the bechinas birds and flying creatures that are winged beings. And this is the bechinas what is written in the Midrash [Midrash Rabbah, parashah Miketz, chapter 91] — and this is its language: \"Yaakov saw that there was shever [grain/breaking] in Egypt. For yesh shever — this is the famine. Ki yesh sever — this is the abundance of hope. Ki yesh shever — and Yosef was brought down to Egypt. Ki yesh sever — and Yosef is the ruler. Ki yesh shever — and they will enslave them and afflict them. Ki yesh sever — and afterward they will go out with great wealth. 'He who speaks to the sun and it does not shine… and seals the stars' — these are the ten tribes that were going in and out of Egypt not knowing that Yosef was alive.\" The Midrash thus reads shever as also meaning sever — hope and expectation. This is the matter above: distancing is drawing near, and the Jewish person — in the bechinas Yaakov — must always await salvation. Within the trouble and the tightness and the great pain of the soul and its exile, as each person feels in himself — one must look and see precisely from there hope and expectation for the redemption of one's soul, to return to Him Yisborach. In the bechinas \"Yaakov saw\" — the Jewish person — \"that there was shever in Egypt\" — that there is sever and hope in Egypt. In Mitzrayim specifically — the bechinas force of exile in general and in particular, for all exiles are called by the name Mitzrayim — there, precisely within the breaking and the trouble, is great hope and expectation, as in the Midrash: \"ki yesh shever, va'avaddum v'inu osam — ki yesh sever, v'acharai chen yaytz'u b'rechush gadol.\" And so it is in the present exile, and so in every person particularly — for all this is the bechinas shalom shalom la'rochok v'la'korov: distancing is the essential drawing near. And this is the bechinas what Hashem Yisborach promised Yaakov: \"I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up\" [Genesis 46:4]. It is explained in sacred texts that in this verse the entire secret of Israel's exile is alluded to — and essentially it is the exile of the soul: all the ascents and descents that pass over the Jewish person — for this is the essential secret of exile and redemption. All is in the bechinas \"Anochi ayred imcha Mitzraymah v'Anochi a'alcha gam aloh\" — descent is the ultimate purpose of ascent, as cited. The essential point is strengthening: one must strengthen oneself greatly, greatly, with all one's might, in the force of the bitterness of the descent — even when it seems one is nearly at the point of no return, Heaven forbid — for precisely from there Hashem Yisborach will have compassion and save him and draw him near. For Hashem will not abandon His people. As written: \"When I said: my foot is slipping, Your lovingkindness, Hashem, supported me\" [Psalms 94:18]. And: \"And I said: my strength has perished and my hope from Hashem — this I recall to my heart, therefore I hope: Hashem's kindnesses are not ended, for His mercies are not exhausted, they are renewed each morning…\" [Lamentations 3:18–23]. And in many verses — and especially in the words of our Sages, it is explained that precisely when Israel is at the ultimate of tightness and trouble, Heaven forbid, precisely then there is hope and expectation for great salvation, as explained in the Midrash on the verse: \"and he shall go up from the land\" [Hosea 2:2] — see there. And so it is with every individual at every time — for Hashem Yisborach turns the blow into healing, as our Sages said. All this is alluded to in the verse: \"Anochi ayred…\" To explain the matter further: it is known that there is a Holy Name derived from this verse — \"Anochi ayred imcha Mitzraymah\" — as cited in the prayers of the book Sha'arai Tziyon and in the prayers recited on the night of Hoshana Rabbah after Tehillim, which were established to beseech and pray for salvation from all kinds of troubles through the power of the Holy Name derived from this verse — \"Anochi ayred imcha…\" — which is AMY-NTZAH [אמ\"י נצ\"א] and so on, see there. The derivation of this Holy Name is as follows: this verse contains thirty letters from \"Anochi\" through \"gam aloh.\" These are divided into three groups of ten letters each: \"Anochi ayred imcha\" is ten letters; from \"Mitzraymah v'Anochi\" until the Yud of \"v'Anochi\" is ten letters; and then the Yud of \"v'Anochi\" and the words following — \"a'alcha gam aloh\" — are ten letters. One letter is taken from each of the three sections — and through this the above Name is derived: the Alef of the first \"Anochi\", the Mem of \"Mitzraymah\", and the Yud above — yielding the Name AMY [אמ\"י]. Then the Nun of \"Anochi\", the Tzadik of \"Mitzraymah\", the Alef of \"a'alcha\" — and so on through all, in this order: \"Anochi ayred imcha Mitzraymah v'Anochi a'alcha gam aloh.\" One who reflects carefully can understand from this wondrous allusions to the matter above — to strengthen always, to await great salvation in all that befalls one. For this verse contains three sections: the descent into exile, the exile itself, and the ascent from within the exile. The first section — \"Anochi ayred imcha\" — is the bechinas descent into exile. One must know and believe that even at the time of the descent itself, Hashem Yisborach is with him — \"Anochi — Myself, as it were — ayred imcha.\" The second section — \"Mitzraymah v'Anochi\" through the final Yud — alludes to the exile itself, encompassing all exiles. And the moment one enters into the exile — the descent — immediately the ascent begins. Therefore it is written immediately: \"v'Anochi a'alcha.\" Thus the first \"Anochi\" alludes to the descent into exile; the second \"Anochi\" alludes to the ascent from within exile. But at the time of the exile and descent, when the beginning of the sprouting of the horn of salvation — drawn from the second \"v'Anochi\" — begins, then the adversary wishes to overpower even more — like two people fighting: when one sees the other gaining strength, he strengthens himself further in provocation and intensification. This is the essential force of the bitterness of the present exile — because it is now the ikvos Meshicha [the footsteps of Moshiach], and Hashem Yisborach awaits each day to hasten the redemption — therefore the adversary intensifies all the more, in general and particular, as is known. This is alluded to in the secret of the Name derived from this verse: the middle section is \"Mitzraymah v'Anochi\" — for the exile of Mitzraim encompassing all exiles seeks to overpower even the second \"v'Anochi\" and conceal the sprouting of the horn of salvation drawn from there. From the great intensification of their power — concealing and hiding everything — it would have been nearly hopeless, Heaven forbid, were it not that Hashem came to our aid. For when they spread even further against holiness, wishing to conceal it entirely — in the bechinas \"the wicked lies in wait for the righteous and seeks to slay him\" [Psalms 37:32] — then precisely Hashem will not abandon him in their hand. As explained in section 208 on this verse — see there — that the Sitra Achra and the adversaries wish to spread out to cover the tzadik entirely until he cannot breathe, Heaven forbid — but Hashem Yisborach will not abandon him in their hand. And this is the secret of the final Yud of the second \"v'Anochi\" which belongs to the third section and joins the words \"a'alcha gam aloh\" — to allude that when they spread even over the second \"v'Anochi\" wishing to conceal the sprouting horn of salvation drawn from there, to sink them in exile — Hashem Yisborach will not abandon them, for \"His hand holds the heel of Esav\" [cf. Genesis 25:26]. As Rashi explains: he [Yaakov] does not allow him to complete his kingdom until Yaakov comes and takes it from him. For the Yud of Yaakov — which is the bechinas this final Yud of the second \"v'Anochi\" — when they wish to overpower and spread even over it, Heaven forbid, to conceal everything — then this Yud strengthens itself and joins the words \"a'alcha gam aloh\", so that everything is turned into great ascent. Understand this well — for even though the verse is divided into three sections: descent into exile, exile itself, ascent from exile — in truth everything is encompassed in two bechinasos. For the moment one enters into the exile — into the descent — the ascent immediately begins. Therefore \"v'Anochi a'alcha\" is written immediately. This is the bechinas filling of the moon's diminishment: the moment it reaches ultimate diminishment, it immediately begins to fill — which alludes to the redemption from within the force of exile, as known. And as written: \"For He sees that their strength is gone, with none remaining, free or bound… See now that I, I am He…\" [Deuteronomy 32:36–39]. In truth to truth, everything is one — for the descent itself is the ascent, in the bechinas \"descent being the ultimate purpose of ascent.\" But the essential exile is the exile of da'as — that the adversary wishes to conceal and hide da'as entirely, as though there is no hope, Heaven forbid — as written: \"With murder in my bones my oppressors taunt me, saying to me all day long: Where is your G-d?\" [Psalms 42:11]. And in many other verses — until they wish to conceal even the second \"v'Anochi\" which is the beginning of the sprouting of the horn of salvation. But when they wish to conceal and hide everything entirely, Hashem Yisborach will not abandon him in their hand. For the final Yud of the second \"v'Anochi\" strengthens itself and joins the words \"a'alcha gam aloh\" — and everything is turned into great ascent. And if you examine more carefully you will see wonders. For this Yud of the second \"v'Anochi\" — which joins \"a'alcha gam aloh\" from where the essential ascent comes, being what stood for us and our forefathers in our exile, not allowing the Sitra Achra to spread even over it — this same Yud joins the first Name derived from this verse: AMY — which is the Alef of the first \"Anochi\", the Mem of \"Mitzraymah\", and this Yud above. We find: even from the beginning of the descent into exile — the bechinas \"Anochi ayred imcha\" — and from the very first moment of the exile itself — the bechinas Mem, first letter of \"Mitzraymah\", the beginning of exile — immediately and instantly the Yud above joins them. The Yud which is the final letter of the second \"v'Anochi\" — from which comes the hope and ascent — forming the Name AMY. All this to reveal and teach that even from the beginning of the descent into exile and from the very beginning of the exile itself, this Yud stood with us: from which comes the ascent — and it itself stood with us at the beginning of the descent and the exile itself, to guard us and save us from sinking there, Heaven forbid. For Hashem Yisborach declares the end from the beginning — and as explained in the Midrash on the verse \"And it was at that time that Yehudah went down…\" [Genesis 38:1]: even before the first exile began, the ultimate Redeemer — who is Peretz — was born, see there. Understand well all the above. Translated from the Hebrew of Likutay Halachos, Yoreh Dayah II, Hilchos Sefer Torah 1–4, Hilchos Mezuzah 1–4, and Hilchos Shilluach Ha'Kain 1–5. In merit of Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman. It is forbidden to eat new grain [tevoah chadashah] until the waving of the Omer which permits the new: For it is stated in the words of Rabbainu in section 62 that food must be food that has been clarified [birur], and the clarification of foods is through emunah — and emunah is completed through bringing speech out of the bechinas exile of Egypt, out of the narrowness of the throat [meitzar ha'garon]. And this is accomplished through fasting, by which one cleaves to the achorayim [back-aspect] of holiness. For the fast is the bechinas achorayim — returning each time to the beginning, as one writes the Name Havayah in its achorayim form: Yud-Kuf and so on, each letter returning to the first letter. So too the fast — see there. For all beginnings are difficult, since at the beginning one goes out from one reversal to another reversal. And afterward one receives strength each time from the beginning, and so on — see there carefully in the ma'amar \"Vayasev Elokim.\" Now the birur of foods is to clarify them from animal food [ma'achal bihaima] to human food [ma'achal adam], as cited in the words of Rabbainu, may his light shine (in section 263), that there are foods which have not yet been clarified into human food and they cause great harm to the person — and therefore in Israel's eating, many mitzvos depend upon it, all in order to clarify them from animal food as above. And especially with bread, upon which many many mitzvos depend, as our Sages of blessed memory stated: ten mitzvos depend upon bread. For just as in the physical realm we see tangibly that grain is clarified through clarification after clarification, and all the clarifications are in order that it emerge from animal food to human food — for at first the grain is only grass and fodder which is animal food, and afterward it grows more until the human food within it appears, namely the grain kernels. But still the psoles [refuse] which is chaff and straw — animal food — covers them, and one must clarify it through threshing and winnowing. And afterward one must grind it and sift it, and all these refinements are all in order to clarify it from animal food to human food — so too the ten mitzvos that depend upon bread, in order to clarify it spiritually from animal food to the bechinas human food. And therefore one is forbidden to eat new grain until the offering of the Omer, for it needs to be rectified and clarified beforehand from animal food as above. And the rectification is through the Omer — for the Omer comes from barley which is animal food, and they make from it specifically a korban. And it is known that all the korbanos are to subdue the animal force and elevate from the bechinas bihaima to the bechinas adam. And therefore through the Omer which comes from barley specifically — which is animal food — and they make from animal food a korban which is the bechinas adam, as is known — through this the animal force is subdued, and through this all the grains are clarified from animal food to human food, for the animal force is subdued and clarified and elevated to the bechinas adam through the offering of the barley Omer — making from animal food a korban as above. And therefore all the mitzvos of the Omer are called by the name hanafas ha'Omer [waving of the Omer], as written: \"And you shall do on the day of your waving the Omer\" [Leviticus 23:12] and so on — for it is the bechinas hanafah [waving]: waving and lifting and raising it above its level, from animal food to human food which is the bechinas korban as above. And this is accomplished through the hanafah itself — for the birur of foods is through emunah, and the hanafah is the bechinas emunah. For the hanafah is moving forward and back to the One to Whom the four directions of the world belong; moving up and down to the One to Whom heaven and earth belong. It follows that the hanafah is the bechinas emunah — believing that the totality of all six directions of the world is all from Him Yisborach, and everything is subjugated to Hashem Yisborach. And through this very thing one clarifies and elevates from the bechinas bihaima to the bechinas human food — which is the bechinas hanafas Omer s'orim as above. And this is done on the first day of the Sefirah — for the first day of the Sefirah is the bechinas beginning, for then one begins to go out from reversal to reversal: from the forty-nine gates of impurity to the forty-nine gates of holiness — which is the essence of the bechinas Exodus from Egypt — and afterward one receives strength from this beginning as above. And this is the bechinas counting of the Omer: that one must count the days that have passed together with the present day, in order to receive each day strength from the earlier days, to receive strength from the beginning which was difficult — to go out from reversal to reversal. And this is what one counts: \"today three days, four days\" and so on. And one does not say \"today is the fourth day of the Omer, today is the third day\" and so on — for the essential purpose of the counting is to return to the first day and to the days that preceded it, in order to receive strength from the beginning. Therefore one includes all the days that have passed and the present day together, saying \"four days, five days\" — in order to receive strength from the beginning as above. It follows that the counting of the Omer is the bechinas cleaving to the achorayim of holiness — namely returning each time to the beginning as above — through which one exits the exile of Egypt as above — through which emunah is completed — and through which is the birur of foods. And therefore on the first day one waves the Omer which is the bechinas birur as above. And this is done on the first day which is the beginning — which is the essence. And afterward one returns each time to the beginning which is the bechinas cleaving to the achorayim of holiness — through which the foods are clarified, which is the bechinas hanafas ha'Omer as above. And therefore on the night of the Omer reaping, many many nations that came against Israel suffered a great downfall. Also the downfall of Haman Amalek was on this day when he was hanged — for then is the essence of the subduing of the Sitra Achra through the power of the beginning, going out from reversal to reversal as above. Based on the ma'amar \"Tiku\" beginning from the rebuke in Likutay Tinyona section 8: For it is stated there at the beginning of the ma'amar — and cited above several times — that through eating, which is mezonah d'gufa [bodily sustenance], the mezonah d'nishmasa [soul's sustenance] is weakened. For through eating one strengthens, Heaven forbid, the akev [heel] of the Sitra Achra — in the bechinas: \"He who eats my bread has raised his heel against me\" [Psalms 41:10], and so on. And the rectification for this is the bechinas voice, and so on. And to arrive at this voice is through prayer — for the essence of prayer is compassion and supplication, and the essence of compassion depends on da'as, and so on. And when the Sitra Achra suckles from the compassion, then the compassion and the da'as are blemished, and so on. And then the prayer is in the bechinas judgment [din], and from this comes the lust for immorality [ta'avat niyuf], and so on. And then when there is lust for immorality — blemish of da'as — then the prayer is in the bechinas din and the Sitra Achra swallows it, for the Sitra Achra is the bechinas dinim, and therefore it swallows the prayer which is in the bechinas din, Heaven forbid. Then one needs a master of great power [ba'al ko'ach gadol] who will pray a prayer in the bechinas din — for this prayer of the powerful master, being in the bechinas din, stands against the Sitra Achra at its throat until it is compelled to vomit up all that it swallowed from the holiness — in the bechinas: \"He swallowed wealth and vomits it up\" [Job 20:15] — and so on. Then it vomits and brings out all the da'as and the prayers and the compassion that it had swallowed, and everything returns to holiness — and then converts are made, and so on, as explained there — see there. And through this nevuah [prophecy] spreads, and so on, and one merits the voice above — through which all fragrances grow, which are the bechinas Moshiach, and so on — see there carefully. And this is the bechinas splitting of the Reed Sea and the battle with Amalek — see there carefully. And this is the bechinas the prohibition of chodosh — that one is forbidden to eat from the five species of grain until the sixteenth of Nisan, when they offer the barley Omer. For the barley Omer is a novelty — that they bring animal food as a korban. But in truth it is in the bechinas described above — for it is the bechinas prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master above. And this is the bechinas barley Omer: for the korban is the bechinas prayer, as our Sages of blessed memory said that prayer is in place of korban. And when they offer animal food as a korban, this is the bechinas prayer in the bechinas din — for adam [human] is the bechinas da'as and compassion, and bihaima is the absence of da'as and compassion. For compassion and da'as are one bechinas — for one depends on the other, as explained in the ma'amar above. And therefore when they offer the barley Omer which is animal food — the bechinas absence of da'as and compassion, the bechinas din — this is the bechinas prayer and korban in the bechinas din. And then the Sitra Achra wishes to swallow this korban because it is its side — for the Sitra Achra is the bechinas bihaimiyus, blemish of da'as and compassion, the bechinas dinim. And therefore it wishes to swallow such a korban which is animal food. But since the Kohanim who are the bechinas ba'alai ko'ach — for the Kohanim are called men of valor [anshei chayil gibborei ko'ach], as our Sages of blessed memory expounded on the verse: \"And the men of valor were commanded\" — \"these are the Kohanim,\" and so on. And therefore when the holy Kohanim, masters of power, offer the barley Omer in the Bais HaMikdash upon the altar — then when the Sitra Achra wishes to swallow this korban because it is animal food, bechinas din as above — this korban which is the bechinas prayer stands against it at its throat — in the bechinas: \"At its neck rests strength\" [Job 41:14], as cited above regarding prayer. And then it is compelled to give vomiting — in the bechinas: \"He swallowed wealth and vomits it up\" — as above. And then the masters of power extract from it through this all the da'as and holiness it had swallowed. And this is what they need specifically on the sixteenth of Nisan — for then Israel needs to begin to engage in the repair of da'as, to repair the blemish of the exile of Egypt. For on the fifteenth of Nisan Israel goes out in every generation from the contamination of Egypt. But then Hashem Yisborach raised and lifted them above their level — yet they had still not repaired at all, nor had they yet purified themselves from their contamination. But immediately after the first day of Pesach they return to it gradually, and then they need to begin to repair and purify themselves from the contamination of Egypt gradually — day by day — which is the bechinas counting of the Omer, as known. And the essence of the repair and purification is to repair the blemish of da'as — for the essence of the exile of Egypt was due to the blemish of da'as: that Adam the first man blemished through eating from the Aytz HaDa'as [Tree of Knowledge] of good and evil, through which suckling was drawn to the Sitra Achra from the holy da'as. And now on the sixteenth of Nisan — which is the first of the counting of the days of purity and purification — we need to repair this: to repair the blemish of da'as, namely to bring out all the holiness and da'as that the Sitra Achra swallowed, to extract its swallowing from its mouth and return everything to holiness. And this is accomplished through offering the barley Omer — animal food as a korban — which is the bechinas prayer in the bechinas din that stands against the Sitra Achra at its throat as above. Through which it brings out and vomits up all the holiness and da'as against its will, and everything returns to holiness, and the holy da'as is completed and rectified, as it were. And therefore one begins to count the Sefiras ha'Omer — which is to purify ourselves from the contamination of Egypt, to repair the blemish of da'as. And the essence of the counting is for the offering of the barley Omer — as we say: \"one day to the Omer, two days to the Omer.\" For the essence of the counting is for the offering of the barley Omer, since the essence of the repair is through the barley Omer as above. And therefore the Omer permits new grain for eating — for before the offering of the Omer we are forbidden to eat new grain, lest the mezonah d'gufa be strengthened, Heaven forbid — through which the akev of the Sitra Achra would be strengthened, Heaven forbid, in the bechinas: \"He who eats my bread has raised his heel against me,\" as above. And the essence of the prohibition is only regarding eating bread specifically — namely the five species of grain which are called bread. For da'as depends on eating: as the holiness of the eating, so is the completeness of da'as, as explained elsewhere. And the essence of da'as depends on the bechinas of bread from the five species of grain — which are the bechinas da'as, the bechinas heh ha'da'as. And therefore the essence of the meal is called by the name of bread, for it is the essence of the importance — for the essence of the complete da'as through eating depends on the bechinas bread specifically as above. And therefore the essence of the concern lest the akev of the Sitra Achra be strengthened through eating is through eating bread specifically — which is the bechinas da'as, for their essence of suckling is from da'as which is the essence of vitality, as known. And this is the bechinas: \"He who eats my bread\" — \"my bread\" specifically, for the essence of the strengthening of the akev of the Sitra Achra is through the essence of eating which is bread — which is the essence of da'as — where they always lie in ambush and await to suckle from there: from the bechinas da'as which is the vitality of all things. And therefore one cannot eat bread from the five species of grain except through the repair above — namely through the offering of the barley Omer, through which da'as is repaired as above and eating is repaired through this — as explained there in the ma'amar above: that through the bechinas prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master, through this one merits the voice above, through which the blemish of eating — which is mezonah d'gufa — is repaired. See there carefully. And therefore one is forbidden to eat new grain until the offering of the Omer — for the grain which is bread which is the essence of eating, the bechinas da'as, one cannot eat except through the repair accomplished through the offering of the barley Omer, which is the bechinas prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master through which the blemish of eating is repaired, as explained there carefully. And therefore the downfall of Haman was on the sixteenth of Nisan — for then he was hanged. For through prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master, through this da'as is completed and the blemish of the lust of immorality is repaired — which is the bechinas blemish of da'as, the blemish of the contamination of Egypt. And this is the bechinas battle of Amalek, as explained there in the ma'amar above — see there. For the downfall of Haman Amalek, whose suckling is from da'as, is through the prayer above which is the bechinas barley Omer — see there carefully. And therefore many many nations that came against Israel suffered a great downfall on that night of the reaping of the barley Omer, as explained in the words of our Sages of blessed memory — for the power of all the nations, who are the bechinas wicked kingdom, the essence of their strengthening, Heaven forbid, is through the suckling of the Sitra Achra from da'as and compassion, Heaven forbid. Through which the mochin become mochin d'katanus — bechinas dinim — through which they are strengthened, Heaven forbid. And therefore through the barley Omer — which is the bechinas repair for this as above — through this they are subdued and fall. And therefore the time of the offering of the Omer is on the sixteenth of Nisan — for after the middle of the month, which is the sixteenth of the month, the diminishment of the moon begins. And the diminishment of the moon is the bechinas dinim, the bechinas the prayer that is in the bechinas dinim — for prayer is the bechinas malchus, the bechinas moon, and it needs to be only in the bechinas compassion and da'as which is the essence of the fullness of the moon — the essence of the completeness of malchus — in the bechinas: \"For He guides them with compassion\" [Isaiah 49:10], the bechinas: \"and doing kindness to His anointed, to Dovid\". And through the moon's complaint [kitrugah] this was diminished — the bechinas the diminishment of compassion and da'as which is the essence of the light illuminating the moon, which was diminished through the complaint — and becomes the bechinas dinim, Heaven forbid. These come from the moon's diminishment, as known. And therefore at the time of the moon's diminishment — after the middle of the month, namely on the sixteenth day when the bechinas diminishment and judgment begins — then one needs a great powerful master who will pray a prayer in the bechinas din, so that through this he will extract all the da'as and compassion from the Sitra Achra that suckled through the moon's diminishment, and so on, as above. And this is the bechinas barley Omer as above. And therefore its time is on the sixteenth of Nisan — immediately after the middle of the month, at the beginning of the diminishment — when this repair is needed as above. And the essence of the matter is only in the month of Nisan which is the head of months — the totality of all months. And then the moon's diminishment is repaired on the sixteenth of it through the barley Omer as above. For Nisan is the head and totality of all months, as written: \"This month shall be for you the head of months, the first\" [Exodus 12:2] and so on. And this is the bechinas the he-goat [sa'ir] of Rosh Chodesh which comes as atonement for the diminishment of the moon — as our Sages of blessed memory stated on the verse: \"One he-goat as a sin-offering to Hashem\" [Numbers 28:15]: \"Bring upon Me atonement…\" And it is stated in the holy Zohar, parashas Pinchas, that the he-goat is from the side of Esav, \"a hairy man\" [ish sa'ir] — the bechinas din — and he receives this he-goat. And it asked there: if so, why is it said \"to Hashem\"? See there the answer. And according to what was said above, this is well resolved — for this he-goat of Rosh Chodesh is literally the bechinas of a korban and prayer in the bechinas din. For the he-goat is a korban to Hashem — only it is in the bechinas din from the side of Esav the hairy man. And through this Esav, who is the Sitra Achra, receives it and wishes to swallow it. But this he-goat stands against it at its throat as above — until it vomits up and brings out all the holiness it had swallowed, and everything returns to holiness, and the diminishment of the moon is completed and everything is repaired in wholeness. It follows that everything is correct — that the he-goat is a korban to Hashem and nevertheless Esav receives it and suckles from it — and this is precisely the essence of the repair as above. For through this it vomits up and brings out all the da'as and holiness it had swallowed, and so on, as above. And this is the bechinas barley Omer offered on the sixteenth of Nisan at the beginning of the moon's diminishment in the first month — which encompasses all months as above. And this is the bechinas barley Omer — a play on language [loshon nofel al loshon] with the bechinas Esav the hairy man — the bechinas the he-goat of goats above. For the barley Omer is also in this bechinas — for it is animal food, and so on, as above. But this is the essence of the repair — for through this specifically: \"he swallowed wealth and vomits it up\" — \"and vomits it up\" specifically, the bechinas true vomiting — that it is compelled to give vomiting through this korban which is in the bechinas din, which it wishes to swallow — yet it stands against it at its throat until it is compelled to vomit, and so on, as above. As explained well in the ma'amar above regarding prayer — see there carefully. And this: \"Chayil bala vayakiyenu\" — the initial letters of this verse form a holy Name as cited — this is in gematria sixteen [י\"ו] — meaning the bechinas the sixteenth of Nisan when they offer the barley Omer, through which \"chayil bala vayakiyenu\" as above. And so it is understood in the holy Zohar that the secret of the offering of the Omer is in the bechinas: \"chayil bala vayakiyenu\" — in order that it flee from the eishes chayil [woman of valor], the bechinas malchus d'kedushah that is repaired through the barley Omer in the bechinas repair of the moon's diminishment as above. Understand this, and see there in the Zohar in parashas Emor. And this is the bechinas the splitting of the Reed Sea and the battle of Amalek — all of which occurred during the days of the Sefirah before the giving of the Torah. For it is stated there in the ma'amar above that the prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master above is the bechinas splitting of the Reed Sea and the battle of Amalek — see there. And through this one merits nevuah — which is the bechinas receiving the Torah, when all of Israel merited nevuah. And all this was accomplished during the days of the Sefirah through the offering of the barley Omer — which is the bechinas above: prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master. Through which the splitting of the Reed Sea and the battle with Amalek were accomplished, and one merits the receiving of the Torah at the end of the days of the Sefiras ha'Omer as above — see there in the ma'amar above carefully and you will understand. And this is what is written in the Megillah of Rus: \"And they came at the beginning of the barley harvest\" [Ruth 1:22]. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: \"the verse speaks of the reaping of the Omer.\" For through the barley Omer the holy malchus is repaired as above. And the holy malchus is the bechinas malchus Moshiach. And so it is explained there in the ma'amar above: that through prayer in the bechinas din of the powerful master, one merits fragrance — which is the bechinas Moshiach — as explained there on the verse: \"And he saw that rest was good…\" [Genesis 49:15] and: \"and he became a forced laborer\" — the bechinas Moshiach who will come forth from Oved who was born of Rus. And therefore at the time when Rus and Naomi came there — through which the dynasty of malchus of Dovid Moshiach was born — the verse reveals that the time of their arrival was at the time of the reaping of the barley Omer. For the repair of the holy malchus — which is the bechinas malchus Moshiach — is accomplished through the bechinas barley Omer as above. Rus was also a righteous convert, and converts are made through the repair of prayer in the bechinas din above — therefore she came specifically at the time of the reaping of the Omer as above. [This belongs to what was said above.] And this is what Haman said: \"The barley Omer has come and defeated me.\" For the barley Omer specifically defeated Haman Amalek as above — for the essence of his downfall is through this as above. And the wicked kingdom is nullified and the holy malchus — the bechinas malchus Moshiach — is elevated as above. Based on the ma'amar "Dirshu Hashem v'uzzo" in the first book, section 37 — see there the entire ma'amar. And the general principle is that every person must subdue the body [guf] before the soul [nefesh] — that is, the material element which is the bechinas death, the foolishness of the body of the four elements which is the bechinas bihaima [animality], foolishness, darkness, forgetfulness, and external wisdoms — before the soul which is the bechinas tzurah [form], adam [the human], wisdom, light, memory, and the wisdoms of Torah. Therefore one must separate oneself from all bodily lusts in order to strengthen the soul over the body — and this is accomplished through fasting, through which the four elements are weakened and the material element of foolishness, darkness, forgetfulness, and animality is nullified, while the intellect and form, light and memory, the human element, is strengthened and elevated. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory stated: "Agra d'ta'anis­a — tzidkasa" [the reward of a fast-day is the charity]. And one must give charity for the Land of Israel, through which one merits the avira dachya [pure air] — the bechinas breath of the mouth that contains no sin — through which one merits that the merit of the ancestors is remembered and judgment is sweetened and kindness is drawn down. For kindness is the bechinas nefesh, the bechinas Torah. And judgment is the bechinas guf, the bechinas foolishness. And this is the interpretation of: "Those who devour my people eat bread, yet they have not called upon Hashem" [Psalms 14:4]. And the general principle is that one must elevate and strengthen the soul over the body — which is the bechinas sweetening of judgments — and then the power of Mant­zpa"ch is sweetened, which is the root of the souls, for the five names of the soul correspond to the five bloods which are the five letters Mant­zpa"ch, the five articulations of the mouth. And one must sweeten these judgments and powers so that abundance and kindness flow. And the essential matter is accomplished through strengthening oneself to elevate the soul over the body — through which is the essential sweetening of all powers and the drawing of kindness. For through the soul one rises in the bechinas mayin nukvin in the bechinas: "See with what I come before you." And then all the powers of Mant­zpa"ch and all the judgments are sweetened and MRYW DYN ADNY is formed and kindnesses are drawn and a great abundance flows, called by the name Omer [saying], and the Torah which is the bechinas chesed is revealed — see there all this carefully. And this is the bechinas the prohibition of chodosh — that it is forbidden to eat grain of the five species until they offer the barley Omer on the morrow of Shabbos, the sixteenth of Nisan. And even to reap the grain is forbidden before the reaping of the Omer. For on the fifteenth of Nisan we went out from Egypt. And the essential Exodus from Egypt is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body — for this is the essential Exodus from Egypt which encompasses all exiles, since all exiles are called by the name Egypt [Mitzrayim] because they oppress Israel [metzarim] (Bereishis Rabbah, chapter 16) — meaning the exile of the bodily lusts in which the nations cling, as explained in the words of Rabbainu, may his memory be blessed, many times. And when, Heaven forbid, the bodily lusts overpower the Israelite soul, that is the dominance of the body over the soul — this is the essential suffering and exile of Israel. And every person of Israel must have compassion on his soul and stand in the test and strengthen the soul over the body, to leave the exile of the lusts of the four kingdoms — which is the bechinas Exodus from Egypt encompassing all the exiles of all four kingdoms. As it is written: "And also the nation that they will serve…" [Genesis 15:14] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "and also," to include the four kingdoms, all of which Hashem Yisborach made known to Avraham at the time He made known to him the exile of Egypt — for all of them are called the exile of Egypt because they oppress Israel, as above. For this is the essential narrowing: the bechinas contraction, suffering, and judgments that come through the dominance of the body over the soul, Heaven forbid. And the essential Exodus from Egypt is that the soul shall overpower the body — in the bechinas: "When you take the people out of Egypt, you shall serve G-d…" — which is the receiving of the Torah, which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body, for the soul is the bechinas Torah. And therefore all exiles are encompassed in the four kingdoms, for all exiles stem from the four elements of the body — the dominance of the body over the soul, Heaven forbid — which is the essential exile, as above. And this is the bechinas of the four expressions of redemption stated regarding the Exodus from Egypt, corresponding to which are the four cups on Pesach, for the essential redemption is the bechinas dominance of the soul over the body which is the four elements. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory said: the Torah was given only to those who ate the Mahn — for the Mahn is holy eating which is the elevation of the soul, which is the bechinas da'as, the bechinas Torah, the bechinas: "A righteous man eats to satisfy his soul" [Proverbs 13:25] — for the Mahn is the bechinas Mosheh, the bechinas da'as, as is known. And therefore through eating the Mahn the soul was elevated, which is the bechinas Torah — and therefore the Torah was given only to those who ate the Mahn. For the essential elevation of the soul is through the breaking of the lust for eating — for the essential connection of the soul to the body is through eating, which is the life-force of the human, and if a person does not eat he dies and his soul departs from his body, Heaven forbid. Thus eating connects the soul to the body — and therefore everything depends on the holiness of eating. For when, Heaven forbid, the lust for eating overpowers, and one eats for one's pleasure in order to fill one's belly and satisfy one's bodily lusts, Heaven forbid — then the body dominates the soul, Heaven forbid. And conversely, if one sanctifies oneself and eats with great holiness solely for one's soul — in the bechinas: "a righteous man eats to satisfy his soul" — then the soul overcomes the body, and everything depends on the eating which is the mediator between soul and body. And therefore the essential subduing of the body — the four elements — is through fasting, for fasting is the breaking of the lust for eating, through which the body is subdued before the soul, as above. And this is the bechinas eating of the Mahn, which is the bechinas of fasting — the bechinas: "And He afflicted you and caused you to hunger, and He fed you the Mahn" [Deuteronomy 8:3] — "and He afflicted you" connotes fasting. There is also a tradition that Israel fasted before they ate the Mahn, for eating of the Mahn is holy eating attained through fasting — which is the bechinas: "a righteous man eats to satisfy his soul," the bechinas elevation of da'as and Torah which is the bechinas Mahn. And therefore even now, it is impossible for Israel to eat any food to satisfaction except when they sanctify and purify the food so that it be in the bechinas Mahn — so that through this food the soul is elevated over the body, as through the Mahn, as above. And especially must they sanctify the bread which is the essential life-force of the human, for "pita sa'ada d'liba" [bread sustains the heart], and the essential life and satiation are through bread. And therefore one must especially sanctify the bread so that it be in the bechinas Mahn, the bechinas satiation of the soul, the bechinas: "a righteous man eats to satisfy his soul," as above. And this is the bechinas prohibition of chodosh — for it is forbidden to eat any grain of the five species until the barley Omer is offered first. For through the offering of the Omer, judgment is sweetened and kindness is drawn — which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body — subduing the bechinas bihaima, foolishness, matter, body, and darkness, and elevating the bechinas nefesh, the bechinas adam, wisdom, memory. For barley is animal food — and through the offering of the barley Omer, the bechinas bihaima, the body, is subdued and sweetened, and one ascends from bihaima to adam, from body to soul. For s'orah [barley] in gematria is twice Mant­zpa"ch with its totality, as cited in the sacred writings — meaning the bechinas five bloods, the five names of the soul, which are the bechinas five letters Mant­zpa"ch — which are sweetened through the waving of the barley Omer, through which the powers are sweetened and kindnesses drawn, and the soul is elevated and the body subdued, ascending from bihaima to adam, from body to soul, as above. And therefore the essential beginning of the preparation for receiving the Torah is through the barley Omer, for then one begins to prepare oneself for receiving the Torah — counting seven weeks for the receiving of the Torah. For the essential receiving of the Torah depends on this: subduing the body which is the bechinas bihaima, and elevating and strengthening the soul which is the bechinas adam which is the bechinas Torah, as explained in the ma'amar above. And therefore it is impossible to eat any grain of the five species until the barley Omer is offered first — for through the offering of the Omer, judgment is sweetened and ascending from bihaima to adam, from body to soul is accomplished. For the five species are called bread, and the essential holiness of bread depends on the offering of the barley Omer — for through this the five letters Mant­zpa"ch are sweetened and the judgment sweetened and the bechinas bihaima subdued and one ascends from bihaima to adam, from body to soul, as above. And therefore immediately when the Mahn ceased, Israel offered the Omer and then ate grain, as written: "And the children of Israel ate of the produce of the land from the day after Passover…for the children of Israel had no more Mahn…" [Joshua 5:11–12] — as above. For the Mahn ceased specifically on the day of the Omer, precisely so that immediately after the Mahn, Israel would eat from new grain that the Omer had permitted. For this bread permitted through the Omer is also the bechinas Mahn, the bechinas satiation of the soul, as above — for Israel cannot eat bread except when it is in the bechinas Mahn, since the Torah was given only to those who ate the Mahn, as above. And therefore they were required to offer additional korbans at the time of the waving of the Omer, as written: "And you shall do on the day of your waving the Omer…" [Leviticus 23:12] and so on. For the korbans are the bechinas elevation of the soul from bihaima to adam, from body to soul — as explained in the ma'amar above regarding shechitah: that even through the shechitah of ordinary animals [chulin] the soul is elevated from the living [chai] to the speaking [medaber], from bihaima to adam — all the more so through the korbans themselves, for this is the essential intention of all the korbans: to elevate the soul from chai to medaber, from bihaima to adam. And therefore when a person sins and is drawn after the bodily lusts, he must bring an animal as a korban — through which he returns and subdues the bechinas bihaima and elevates the soul to the bechinas adam. In the bechinas: "When a man among you brings an offering to Hashem, from the animals — from the cattle and from the flock you shall offer your sacrifice" [Leviticus 1:2] — for through the korban he ascends from bihaima to adam. And therefore Israel did not go out from Egypt until they first offered the Pesach sacrifice — for the essential subduing of the Egyptians was through the offering of the Pesach, as is known. For through the Pesach sacrifice the bechinas bihaima and the material — in which the Egyptians and all the nations cling — was subdued, and the soul which is the bechinas adam was elevated — which is the essential Exodus of Israel from Egypt, as above. And therefore before Israel went out from Egypt there was the plague of darkness for Egypt — for the body is the bechinas bihaima, the bechinas darkness, and the soul is the bechinas adam, the bechinas light — which is the bechinas of death and life. And therefore Hashem Yisborach struck the Egyptians with the plague of darkness, and for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwelling places — to show the distinction and separation between Israel and Egypt. For each received what was fitting for them — the Egyptians who are the nations who pursue only bodily lusts their whole lives, which is the bechinas darkness and death — therefore they had great doubled and redoubled darkness, for they clung to the darkness of body and matter. And Israel the holy, who sanctified themselves and subdued the body before the soul — therefore for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwellings, showing the dominance of the soul over the body which is the bechinas light and life, as above. And therefore during the three days of dense darkness, all the wicked of Israel who did not wish to go out from Egypt died — for those sinners of Israel were so sunken in the darkness of matter and body that they did not wish to leave the exile of Egypt which is the exile of the body, as above — therefore they died then during the three days of dense darkness, for darkness is the bechinas death, the bechinas body, as above. For as long as the powers of body and soul are not fully separated and clarified — as long as the body is not fully subdued before the soul — then the powers of body and soul are intermingled, in the bechinas mixture of good and evil, and then even the nations who cling to the body can receive some life-force — since the soul has not yet been purified from the body's grip. But then at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, Hashem Yisborach worked wonders with us through Mosheh Rabbainu, may he rest in peace, and Israel merited then to fully subdue and break the bechinas body before the soul — matter before form — until all six hundred thousand of Israel merited a spirit of prophecy, to speak with Hashem face to face at the time of the giving of the Torah. And therefore then at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, the soul was clarified and purified from the body's grip — which is the bechinas Egyptians — and therefore all the darkness and death was drawn to the Egyptians and to the wicked of Israel who did not wish to go out. And to all the children of Israel who are the bechinas nefesh, light and life — therefore for all the children of Israel there was light in their dwelling places. For each remained in their portion, as above. And therefore they merited then great light — for it is taught that during those days of darkness a great light shone to Israel, the light of the future — as above. For since their soul was purified then and elevated over the body, therefore the great light of the future was revealed without any grip of darkness — which is the bechinas body — for their souls were purified from the body and darkness entirely, and all the darkness remained with the Egyptians who are the bechinas body, as above. And this is the bechinas of the plague of the firstborn — which came about through the blood of the Pesach sacrifice. Through this Hashem passed over to strike Egypt and passed over [pasach] the children of Israel — as above. For the offering of the Pesach is the bechinas elevation of the soul from bihaima to adam, from body to soul, from darkness to light, from death to life, from forgetfulness to memory, as above. And therefore then Israel was redeemed from Egypt and Israel — who are the bechinas nefesh — were clarified and purified from the exile of Egypt. And the nations — who are the bechinas guf — had death ruling over them: the firstborns of Egypt died, for in them death and the bechinas body and darkness held sway. And Israel received life and light — for they are the bechinas nefesh, for they merited that the soul be elevated over the body. This is the bechinas offering of the Pesach through which they went out from Egypt — in the bechinas: "And I said to you: in your blood live… in your blood live" [Ezekiel 16:6] — "in your blood" specifically, which is the blood of the Pesach and the blood of circumcision, which are the bechinas of the five bloods that were clarified and repaired then at the time of the Exodus from Egypt — as is known that they correspond to the five letters Mant­zpa"ch doubled, from which came the ten plagues upon the Egyptians corresponding to the ten bloods — five pure bloods and so on. For the essential Exodus from Egypt was through the purification of the said bloods, which is the purification of the soul — meaning the elevation and dominance of the soul over the body — through which the body was nullified entirely and all Egypt — who cling to the body — fell, for their suckling was nullified. And this is why there came upon them ten plagues through this, and darkness and the death of the firstborn — all of which is the bechinas body — and Israel merited great light and life and Torah, all of which is the bechinas nefesh, as above. And this is: "in your blood live" — specifically through the bloods they received life and light — for they merited that the bloods be purified, meaning the bechinas nefesh, and the soul was elevated and strengthened over the body which is the bechinas life, as above. And this is the bechinas: "Remember this day on which you went out from Egypt" [Exodus 13:3] — "remember" specifically — for the soul is the bechinas memory, as above. And therefore one must remember the Exodus from Egypt all the days of one's life, as written: "So that you shall remember the day of your going out from Egypt all the days of your life" [Deuteronomy 16:3] — for the Exodus from Egypt, which is the bechinas elevation of the soul, is the bechinas memory, the bechinas life. And this is: "all the days of your life" — "your life" specifically, as above. And this is the bechinas that the reaping of the Omer overrides Shabbos — for on Shabbos it is forbidden to do any work which is ouvadin d'chol [weekday activities], which is the bechinas body — for the six days of work are the bechinas body and matter and animality, and foolishness, in contrast to Shabbos which is the bechinas nefesh, the bechinas adam, the bechinas da'as. For all the labors of the six working days are the bechinas body, the bechinas action, the bechinas performance of labor, the bechinas matter, the bechinas foolishness, the bechinas: "The people went about and gathered — in foolishness" [cf. Numbers 11:8]. And Shabbos is the bechinas nefesh, the bechinas: "for on it He rested and was refreshed [vayinafash]" [Exodus 31:17]. Therefore one then merits an additional soul [nefesh yesairah], which is the bechinas da'as, as it says regarding Shabbos: "To know that I am Hashem Who sanctifies you" [Exodus 31:13]. And therefore then is the cessation and rest from all the labors which are the bechinas body and matter. For then is the illumination of the soul — which is the bechinas cessation and rest, the bechinas the World to Come, when the essential eternal life will be — for then will be the world of souls. For the essential life is when the body is nullified and included in the soul until one merits to know Hashem in body and soul. And this is the ultimate purpose of Israel — that they merit after the Revival of the Dead to live eternally in body and soul, when the body will be pure and clear in ultimate purity in the bechinas nefesh itself, and then will live eternal life and know Hashem in body and soul together — and then the future light will be revealed, which is the Or HaGonuz [hidden light] for the righteous. For when the body is included in the soul — that is the bechinas light and life. And the purpose of the creation of man was for this ultimate goal — and therefore Hashem Yisborach placed the first man in the Garden of Eden, for Hashem Yisborach desired that man merit this ultimate purpose already during his physical lifetime: that body and soul be as one and live eternal life and know Him forever in their bodies. But all this depended on the holiness of eating — which is the connection of body and soul. And therefore the first mitzvah commanded to the first man was regarding eating: he was commanded not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil — meaning not to eat an eating that is the bechinas mixture of good and evil through which the body could overpower, Heaven forbid. And since the first man transgressed this, therefore he was expelled from the Garden of Eden — which is the bechinas the dwelling of souls where they dwell after their departure — and since he ate from the Tree of Knowledge and the body overpowered, he was expelled from the Garden of Eden and death was decreed upon him — which is the bechinas body. For now it is impossible to merit this ultimate purpose in fullness except after death, when the body will decompose and be purified — and then each will merit to know Hashem in body and soul according to how much he toiled in this world to break the bodily lusts and subdue the body before the soul. And through the sin of the Aytz HaDa'as, it was decreed upon him: "By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread…" [Genesis 3:19] — which is the ouvadin d'chol [weekday activities]: the thirty-nine labors, corresponding to the thirty-nine lashes corresponding to the thirty-nine curses that came through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge — for the body, which is the bechinas action and weekday activities, that is the thirty-nine labors. But Shabbos protected the first man, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Shabbos shielded him." For Hashem Yisborach had mercy on us and gave us the Shabbos — which is a foretaste of the World to Come, the bechinas elevation of the soul — and then is complete cessation from all thirty-nine labors. And through the holiness of Shabbos we are able to draw the holiness of Shabbos over the six weekdays, and to sanctify the thirty-nine weekday labors so that they be in the bechinas holiness of Shabbos — in the bechinas thirty-nine lights [tal oross] — in the bechinas the labor of the Tabernacle [Mishkan]. For all thirty-nine labors are derived from the Tabernacle, to show that Israel's thirty-nine labors — a holy nation — must be in great holiness, in the bechinas labor of the Tabernacle, as is cited in the words of Rabbainu, may his memory be blessed, elsewhere: that the essential matter is "he who toiled on Erev Shabbos shall eat on Shabbos" — for this is the essential work in this world, which is the bechinas body: to strengthen oneself, to sanctify oneself, to break the body and subdue the body before the soul. And through this one merits the World to Come which is the world of souls. And this is the bechinas of needing to sanctify the thirty-nine labors on the six weekdays — through which one merits Shabbos, in the bechinas: "Six days you shall do your work and on the seventh day is Shabbos" — for the holiness of Shabbos is merited according to how much one merits to sanctify during the weekdays. For then is the essential service and battle — to strengthen the soul over the body, the holiness of Shabbos over the weekdays, eternal life over transient life — that all one's desire and effort all the weekdays, which are the bechinas the days of this world, the bechinas body — be to subdue and nullify the body and matter before the soul, so that the body be included in the soul — which is the bechinas totality of the six weekdays in Shabbos, the totality of the days of this world in the World to Come — in the bechinas: "And Avraham was old, come into the days" — "s'av v'a'al b'yomin": they merited to enter and ascend to the World to Come with all the days of this world, all of which were holy and pure until they all ascended and were included above in the bechinas World to Come which is the world of souls. And then when one merits that the thirty-nine labors be in the bechinas labor of the Tabernacle — then all thirty-nine labors are in the bechinas thirty-nine lights [tal oross]. For the structure of the Tabernacle is like the structure of the Garden of Eden — which is the world of souls, the bechinas World to Come, when the dead will live and the body will be included in the soul and they will live eternal life. And this is the bechinas thirty-nine lights — for thirty-nine lights is the tal [dew] of Revival, as written [Isaiah 26:19]: "Your dead shall live, my corpse shall rise, awaken and sing, you who dwell in the dust — for Your dew is the dew of lights…" — for thirty-nine lights is the dew of the Revival of the Dead, which is eternal life, the bechinas nefesh. And all this is merited through the holiness of Shabbos — which is a foretaste of the World to Come — that through resting on Shabbos from all thirty-nine labors, from the ouvadin d'chol, one merits thereby to strengthen the soul over the body until one merits to draw the holiness of Shabbos over the six weekdays, until even on the six weekdays one merits to strengthen the soul over the body and the thirty-nine labors are sanctified — which are the bechinas body — in the bechinas thirty-nine lights which are the bechinas eternal life, the bechinas nefesh. Therefore the essential nullification of labor on Shabbos from all thirty-nine labors is in order to merit to strengthen the soul over the body — to merit thirty-nine lights, the dew of Revival, eternal life — in the bechinas: "those who taste it merit life" [from the Shabbos zemer], in the bechinas: "there is none like You our Savior for the Revival of the Dead" which is mentioned on Shabbos — for Shabbos is a foretaste of the World to Come, the bechinas Revival of the Dead, when they will live eternal life in body and soul — which is the bechinas Shabbos, as above. And therefore the reaping of the Omer — which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body — for the essential elevation of the soul is through the waving of the barley Omer, through which one goes from bihaima to adam, from body to soul; and the essential beginning of receiving the Torah begins through this specifically, through the barley Omer — therefore the reaping of the Omer overrides Shabbos. As our Sages of blessed memory stated: "In plowing and harvesting you shall rest" [Exodus 34:21] — "excluded is the reaping of the Omer which is a mitzvah." For the reaping of the Omer — being a mitzvah — is the essential elevation of the soul, and through this one merits to receive the Torah through which one merits to eternal life which is the bechinas thirty-nine lights. And therefore the Omer is reaped even on Shabbos — which is the bechinas nefesh. For specifically through this reaping one merits the elevation of the soul, as above. And this is why the Torah linked the waving of the Omer to the holiness of Shabbos, as written: "On the morrow of the Shabbos the Kohen shall wave it" [Leviticus 23:11] — for the essential bechinas of the waving of the Omer is Shabbos, the World to Come, merited through this. Through the elevation of the soul over the body — which is the bechinas waving of the barley Omer, waving and elevating it to Hashem, ascending from bihaima to adam, from body to soul, from darkness to light, from external wisdoms to the wisdoms of Torah — as above. And therefore the waving of the Omer is on the sixteenth of Nisan — for Nisan is the head of months, since in Nisan we were redeemed from Egypt, and the essential redemption is the redemption of the soul from the exile of bodily lusts, as above. And this is the bechinas filling of the moon from its diminishment — for the moon's diminishment is the bechinas blemish of the soul, for the moon is the bechinas the soul of Dovid, as is known. And when, Heaven forbid, sins overpower — meaning the dominance of the body over the soul — then it is the moon's diminishment. And when the soul overcomes the body, that is the bechinas filling of the moon — the moon which is the bechinas nefesh is complete and full. For the moon's diminishment is the bechinas darkness, for its light is diminished and darkened at its diminishment — which is the bechinas body which is the bechinas darkness. And when the moon is filled it is the bechinas light — for then its light is complete. And this is the bechinas nefesh which is the bechinas light. And therefore the redemption from Egypt was on the fifteenth of the first month — for then "sihara b'ashlamos'a" [the moon in its fullness], which is the bechinas nefesh, the bechinas dominance of the soul over the body, light over darkness. And therefore the essential redemption was at night — on the Night of Vigil [lail shimurim] — for the essential redemption depended on this: that they merited to repair the moon's diminishment until the night was as bright as day, as is taught that that night was illuminated — which is the bechinas filling of the moon, the essential redemption. And therefore the sanctification of the month [kiddush hachodesh] was the first commandment given to Israel at their Exodus from Egypt — for the essential redemption from Egypt depends on this mitzvah of the sanctification of the month: the repair and filling of the moon from its diminishment — which is the bechinas elevation of the soul, the essential Exodus from Egypt, as above. And therefore on the sixteenth of the first month — when the moon begins to diminish, for on the fifteenth the moon is at ultimate fullness and on the sixteenth is the first day the moon begins to diminish — therefore the barley Omer is offered on that day. For through the barley Omer the soul — which is the bechinas moon — is repaired and filled. For through the barley Omer the body is subdued and one ascends from bihaima to adam, from body to soul, from darkness to light — which is the repair and filling of the moon. And therefore it is done on the sixteenth — when the diminishment begins — for the essential need is to ascend from bihaima specifically to adam — which is why specifically barley Omer is offered — animal food — in order to sweeten judgment at its root. And for this same reason the Omer is offered on the sixteenth specifically, when the moon begins to diminish — which is the bechinas body, darkness, bihaima — in order to sweeten the bechinas bihaima, darkness, body — which is the essential repair and filling of the moon that is the bechinas nefesh — when one merits to transform bihaima to adam, darkness to light, body to soul. For this is the essential work of the human in this world — to break the body and its lusts and transform body specifically to soul. For the soul in its root shines greatly — but Hashem Yisborach brought it down to this world specifically for this: that the soul overcome the body in order to transform the body into soul — for then the soul is complete and full in wholeness, with even greater elevation and strength, as is known. And this is the bechinas the Shabbos eating — for it is a great mitzvah to eat on Shabbos and to multiply the Shabbos meals, for on Shabbos is the elevation of the soul. And therefore then eating is in holiness — for through eating on Shabbos the soul is strengthened over the body. For the essential connection of soul and body is through eating, as above. And therefore one must especially sanctify the eating, as above. And therefore Shabbos eating is greater and more precious than a fast, as Rabbainu, may his memory be blessed, wrote elsewhere [section 57] — for the essential wholeness of the soul is when one merits holy eating specifically. For through eating one gives life to the body and connects body and soul together. And therefore when the eating is in holiness as appropriate — in the bechinas Shabbos eating which is the bechinas satiation of the soul, the bechinas: "a righteous man eats to satisfy his soul" — then the body is included in the soul through the eating specifically, for through holy eating the body connects with the soul and the body is transformed into soul, since the eating is in holiness in the bechinas satiation of the soul, as above. And this is the bechinas the sanctification of the month [kiddush hachodesh] and the intercalation of years — for this mitzvah is the bechinas repair and filling of the moon, in order to equalize the lunar years with the solar years — which is the bechinas filling of the moon: that the light of the moon be as the light of the sun. And therefore the essential reason the Torah commanded this mitzvah is for the sake of the barley Omer — that it be in its proper time, as written: "Observe the month of spring [chodesh ha'aviv]" [Deuteronomy 16:1] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "Observe" — that the spring be in its proper time, from which they derived the intercalation of years: for the sake of the barley Omer being in its proper time. For the offering of the barley Omer is the bechinas filling of the moon, which is the bechinas kiddush hachodesh and intercalation of years, as above. And this is the bechinas the sanctification of the moon [kiddush levonah] recited then: "And to the moon He said that it shall renew itself, a crown of splendor for those borne from the womb, who are destined to renew themselves like it" — and so on. For the renewal of the moon — the filling of the moon from its diminishment — which is the bechinas transforming from body to soul, as above — this is the bechinas renewal of the world that will be in the future, when Israel is destined to renew themselves like it and stand in the Revival of the Dead in body and soul together, when the body will be renewed in the bechinas nefesh, as above. Which is the bechinas the offering of the barley Omer — ascending from bihaima to adam. And this is the bechinas renewal of the moon, the filling of the moon from its diminishment. And therefore one says then: "Dovid, King of Israel, lives and endures" — for this is the bechinas eternal life that will be in the future after the Revival, as above. And this is the bechinas: "May dread and fear fall upon them" recited then — for through this: that the body is transformed into soul, which is the bechinas kiddush hachodesh above — through this all the nations, whose grip is on body and physical matter, fall and are subdued. And this is: "By the greatness of Your arm they are still as stone" — "as stone" specifically — for they will remain in the bechinas inanimate [domem] like a stone which is physical matter — for the vitality they had from the soul has now ceased, since when the body is transformed to soul, their suckling is nullified — and therefore through the bechinas kiddush hachodesh — which is the bechinas purification of the body that transforms into soul — through this their suckling is nullified and the nations remain entirely inanimate in the bechinas: "they are still as stone," as above. And this is why one says then "Shalom aleichem" — for this is the essential peace: when the body is included in the soul. For as long as the body is not included in the soul there is great conflict — in the bechinas: "There is no peace in my bones because of my sin" [Psalms 38:4]. For certainly it is impossible in any way that the soul be transformed, Heaven forbid, into body entirely — for the soul always longs for its root to do the will of its Creator, and even if one is a complete wicked person, Heaven forbid, and his body has already dominated his soul greatly — even so, in the innermost of his soul it certainly cries out very greatly in a bitter and mighty voice and yearns and longs greatly to return to its root. For the will of the soul is the true will — meaning the will of Hashem Yisborach. And Hashem's will certainly endures forever, and no one can change and nullify His will, Heaven forbid, in any way in the world, as written [Psalms 92:9]: "And You are exalted forever, Hashem" — and Rashi interpreted: "Your hand is always uppermost." And as written [Psalms 118:16]: "The right hand of Hashem is exalted…" For certainly Hashem Yisborach will complete His own according to His will. And the purpose He desired in creating His world will be fulfilled — that the lower beings specifically serve Him — meaning to transform the body to soul. And therefore certainly the soul always strongly longs to do its Creator's will even if the body overpowered as it did, Heaven forbid. And therefore it is impossible for there to be peace for the wicked — as written: "There is no peace, says G-d, for the wicked" [Isaiah 48:22] — for there is always conflict between soul and body, and from this all manner of conflict in the world branches out. And therefore there is no peace except when one merits to strengthen the soul over the body so that the body transforms into soul — for then there is complete and true peace. For the righteous merit to fully break the body until the will of the body is entirely nullified and transformed into soul itself — which is the essential peace. And therefore in the future, when all will merit this, there will be the wondrous peace in the world as written: "And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb…" [Isaiah 11:6] — for then all will be included in His will Yisborach, and bihaima will be included in adam, body in soul, as above. And therefore at the time of the sanctification of the moon — which alludes to this — for kiddush levonah is the bechinas dominance of the soul over the body, as above — therefore one says "Shalom aleichem" then. For this is the essential peace, as above. And this is why Shabbos is called "Shabbos Shalom" [Shabbos of peace], and as we say then: "Spread over us the sukkah of Your peace." For Shabbos is the bechinas dominance of the soul over the body, the bechinas World to Come — which is the bechinas peace, as above. And therefore the offering of the Omer — which is the essential preparation for receiving the Torah, to go from body to soul — is accomplished through the produce of the land, which is from the vegetable kingdom [tzomayach]. For the essential combination of the four elements is through the tzomayach. For there is the inanimate [domem], the vegetable [tzomayach], the animal [chai], and the speaking [medaber] — which correspond to the four elements: fire, wind, water, earth — and they correspond to the four letters of the Holy Name. Thus the tzomayach corresponds to the Vav of the Name, and the Vav connects all letters of the Name together, as is known. And this is the bechinas the tzomayach which connects all four elements together — for the tzomayach grows from the earth which is the domem, and the chai and the medaber eat it and sustain their souls within them. Thus the tzomayach encompasses and connects all four elements together — for through the tzomayach there is connection between the four elements: the tzomayach is connected with the domem for it grows from there, and it is included in the chai and medaber for it has the power to sustain and nourish them. And therefore the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil is from the tzomayach — for the essential bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which is the bechinas choice and the mediator between the four elements — the body — and the soul, is the bechinas tzomayach that grows from the earth. For the essential life-force of all created beings is through the tzomayach, and even human beings — the essential eating is bread, for by it man shall live, for all other foods do not truly satisfy a person — and therefore one does not recite the full Birchas HaMazon over them, only over bread. And even if a person eats from the animal kingdom — the animal itself was created and sustained only through the tzomayach which is the food of all animals, birds, and all living creatures. Thus in the tzomayach, human and animal are partners — they are the bechinas body and soul — for both eat the tzomayach. And it is the essential connection between body and soul, between bihaima and adam — for the essential life-force and satiation of the human, through which the soul is sustained within him and soul connects with body, is through the tzomayach — bread from the earth. And therefore when one merits to eat the tzomayach — bread of the earth — with great holiness, then the body is subdued and included in the soul and all four elements which are the totality of the body are included in the soul. For the tzomayach is the mediator between human and animal — for although the category of chai is higher than tzomayach, nevertheless more precious and elevated souls are clothed in the tzomayach — for in the plants of the earth very precious and high souls are clothed, only they are clothed there in very great concealment until they are in the lower category of tzomayach, lower than the category of chai. But in their root they are very elevated — in the bechinas: "For man is the tree of the field" [Deuteronomy 20:19] — for in the trees of the field human souls are especially clothed. Therefore the tzomayach rises and connects the spirit of the animal with the spirit of the human — for it sustains both, being in the bechinas Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. For sometimes one can merit through eating the tzomayach to attain the spirit of the human and go from bihaima to adam — for very elevated souls are clothed therein — and sometimes the reverse, Heaven forbid. As is alluded to in the words of Rabbainu, may his memory be blessed, elsewhere: that in the fruits of the earth very elevated and precious souls are clothed. And therefore the transformation from one element to another is not seen with the senses as it is seen in the tzomayach that grows from the earth — for all things grow and come into being from their own kind: humans — who are the category of medaber — give birth to human children in their likeness. Likewise an animal — the category of chai — is born from an animal in its likeness. But the tzomayach grows and comes into being from the earth — from an entirely different element — the domem. This is the novelty in the tzomayach that no other element has: that the element of tzomayach grows specifically from the domem — an entirely different element. And therefore in the tzomayach that grows from the earth we see with our senses that it is possible to transform from bihaima to adam, from chai to medaber, from body to soul — just as we see that it is transformed from the element of earth and the domem to tzomayach. For this is a general rule: every level that is higher than the one below it is in the bechinas nefesh relative to the lower one — just as the category of medaber is in the bechinas nefesh relative to the chai, and the chai — the animal — is in the bechinas guf relative to the human. Similarly the tzomayach relative to the domem is in the bechinas nefesh, and the domem is in the bechinas guf relative to it. For the four elements correspond to the four worlds: Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah. And it is known that Yetzirah relative to Asiyah is the bechinas nefesh and Asiyah is the bechinas guf relative to Yetzirah. Thus through the tzomayach growing specifically from the earth, we see with our senses the transformation from body to soul: that the body gives strength to the soul so that it grows and sprouts and performs its work in the service of Hashem — specifically through being clothed in the body. For the body gives strength to the soul — and specifically through the body does the soul grow and develop in the service of Hashem Yisborach — like the tzomayach that grows from the earth specifically, which is in the bechinas guf relative to it. For the transformation from element to element is not seen with the senses as it is seen in the tzomayach that grows from the earth — where the essential becoming and growth of the tzomayach is upon a different element lower than itself — the element of earth which is the domem — and specifically through it does it grow and sprout from the earth. Thus the power of the earth — which is the bechinas guf — grows the tzomayach which is in the bechinas nefesh relative to it, and the power of the earth is transformed and included in the tzomayach — which is literally the bechinas transformation from body to soul. And therefore the tzomayach cannot grow from the earth except through rains — for the waters of rain are the bechinas chesed, for water is the bechinas chesed, and they are called "gevuros g'shomim" [powers of rains] — for they descend with might from the bechinas powers and this is the bechinas sweetening of judgments: the powers and judgments are sweetened until specifically from them descends the abundance which is waters of kindness descending through might — in the bechinas gevuros g'shomim. As it is stated in the holy Zohar: "mayya l'ymina inun" [water is to the right] and so on. And therefore it is taught: gevuros g'shomim. Thus rains descend only through the sweetening of judgments — the sweetening of the five powers of Mant­zpa"ch — which is the essential bechinas elevation of the soul, as above — meaning that judgment is sweetened and transformed from judgment to kindness, which is the bechinas transformation from body to soul, as above. And this is the bechinas of the greatness of rains as our Sages of blessed memory elaborated — for it is impossible for rains to fall except through the repair of the deeds of those below. As it is written: "And all the plants of the field were not yet in the earth, and all the grass of the field had not yet sprouted, for Hashem G-d had not sent rain… and there was no man to work the ground" [Genesis 2:5]. For the essential sweetening of powers — transforming from judgment to kindness through which the rains descend specifically — depends on the deeds of those below specifically. According to how much they strengthen themselves to subdue the body and go from body to soul, so the judgment is sweetened and kindness is drawn — through which the rains descend. And then the tzomayach grows from the earth — which is also the bechinas elevation of the soul, as above. And this is the bechinas the fasts decreed for lack of rain — for our Sages of blessed memory decreed many fasts for rain more than for other matters, and the entire tractate of Taanis [fasts] speaks essentially of the fasts for rain and opens: "From when does one mention the powers of rain." For through fasting is the essential subduing of the body before the soul, as explained well in the beginning of the ma'amar above. And through this specifically the rains descend. And therefore the powers of rain are mentioned in the blessing of Revival of the Dead — for the Revival of the Dead is that we merit to rise in the Revival in body and soul, and then the body will be entirely purified and the body will be transformed into soul, as above. Which is the bechinas gevuros g'shomim that descend through the sweetening of judgment — transformed from judgment to kindness — which is the bechinas transformation from body to soul, from death to life in the bechinas Revival of the Dead. And this is the bechinas of the extreme greatness of rains — that all the promises of the Torah speak of rains and the earth giving its produce. As written: "If you walk in My statutes…I will give your rains in their season, and the earth shall give its produce…" [Leviticus 26:3–4] — and similarly many times. For when rains descend and the earth gives its produce and the plants grow from the earth, we see the effect of Israel's work — that they merited through their service and fulfillment of Torah to subdue the body and transform body to soul, until judgment was sweetened and the attribute of judgment was transformed to the attribute of mercy — which is the bechinas rain and growth of tzomayach from the earth, as above. Which is the bechinas Revival of the Dead when the body will be transformed into soul, as above — which is the essential reward. For the essential reward of Torah and mitzvos will be after the Revival — which is the bechinas rain as mentioned above — which is why the powers of rain are mentioned in the blessing of Revival, as above. And this is the adjacency: "And G-d give you of the dew of heaven and of the fat of the earth, and abundance of grain and wine — nations shall serve you…" [Genesis 27:28] — for when Hashem Yisborach bestows upon Israel abundance of grain and wine, which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body through which the growth of tzomayach from the earth is multiplied and blessed and great abundance flows in the world — through this the nations who cling to the body are subdued and fall before Israel who are the bechinas nefesh — in the bechinas: "nations shall serve you." And therefore Yaakov received this blessing from Yitzchak — for Yaakov merited through his service to sweeten the powers of Yitzchak, until he received specifically from there the blessings which are the bechinas elevation of soul over body, the bechinas sweetening of judgment transformed from the attribute of judgment to the attribute of mercy — which is the bechinas: "And G-d give you…" as above. And therefore it occurred to Yitzchak to bless Esav — for Yitzchak's intention was that he wished to convert Esav, thinking it possible to convert him so that he would transform toward holiness. For Esav would deceive his father — "for he had prey in his mouth" [Genesis 25:28] — and the Targum renders: "for he would eat of his hunting" — therefore Yitzchak said to him: "Bring me venison and make me delicacies and I shall eat…" For he thought that Esav's intention was for good — that he brought him venison to eat so that he would be included in holiness through Yitzchak eating from his hunting. For truly, one who merits to feed and sustain the righteous can certainly thereby merit to full repentance, to subdue the body and elevate the soul — which is the bechinas agra d'ta'anis­a tzidkasa: the essential elevation of the soul through the fast is the charity — for the essential subduing and elevation of the soul is through the holiness of eating, as above. And therefore when one gives charity and diminishes one's money and bodily lusts — for with that money one could have filled some bodily lust, yet one breaks one's bodily lust and takes the money and gives it to the Torah scholar who engages in Torah and the service of Hashem — and the Torah scholar relative to the ordinary person is in the bechinas nefesh relative to the body, in the bechinas Shabbos relative to the six weekdays, as is stated regarding Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: "You are the Shabbos of all the days." Thus through this charity — feeding and sustaining the Torah scholar — one subdues the body before the soul. And therefore the essential elevation of the soul is through this — in the bechinas agra d'ta'anis­a tzidkasa, as above. But the wicked Esav had no such intention at all — for he had no desire to become subdued before holiness at all. His entire intention in bringing venison for his father to eat was solely through deceit and wickedness — to deceive his father so as to accomplish all his bodily lusts through his father. And because he always deceived Yitzchak, Yitzchak thought that through his bringing venison to eat, his evil body could be subdued to become a chariot for holiness — for through a tzadik eating from an ordinary person's food, that ordinary person can merit to repent, to transform from body to soul, from ordinary person to Torah scholar, as above. But Rivkah heard all this and was not pleased with it at all — for she knew the full extent of Esav the wicked's evil, that he had absolutely no desire to draw near to holiness — he was only deceiving his father. Therefore if he were to receive the blessings, Heaven forbid — not only would he not become a chariot for holiness, but through this he would even become more empowered, Heaven forbid, and the body in the bechinas Esav would overpower the soul even more by having suckling from holiness, Heaven forbid. Therefore Rivkah endeavored to take the blessings from Esav so that Yaakov should receive them — for Yaakov is worthy of the blessing, since all his efforts are to transform body to soul, which is the bechinas blessing, kindness, and life, as above. And this is what Yitzchak said to Esav: "Take your implements…" [Genesis 27:3] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "Examine your knife and slaughter properly so that you do not feed me a nevailah [improperly killed animal]." For through proper shechitah the soul is elevated from chai to medaber — which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body — as explained at length in the ma'amar above regarding the ritual slaughterers [shochtim] — see there. And therefore, since Yitzchak's intention was for good — to subdue Esav's evil body before holiness — therefore he warned him to slaughter properly, for through this the soul ascends, as above. And this is the bechinas of the custom to fast on the day one's father or mother died — in order that their souls ascend above through the fast of their children. For through fasting is the elevation of the soul, as above — and "a son brings merit to his father" [Sanhedrin 104a] — therefore through children fasting and subduing the body before the soul, through this the soul of their father and mother ascends upward and upward. And therefore one learns Torah in their merit — for Torah is the soul, as explained in the ma'amar above. And all the Torah that their children learn and reveal in the world — through this the light of their souls shines ever more and through this the soul of their father and mother who brought them into the world is elevated. This is understood from the end of the ma'amar above, regarding the words of our Sages of blessed memory: "Be careful with the children of the common people, for from them Torah goes forth." For they have very precious souls and we do not know the splendor of their beauty except through their Torah. And this is the bechinas of the candle lit in their merit — for the soul is the bechinas light, as above. And Torah is also called light, as written: "The lamp of Hashem is the soul of man…" [Proverbs 20:27] and: "For a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light" [Proverbs 6:23] — meaning the bechinas elevation of the soul from darkness to light. And this is the bechinas of the Kaddish recited, which magnifies the honor of Hashem Yisborach — for the essential matter is to magnify the honor of Hashem Yisborach, since everything was created for His honor and honor is the root of the soul, as explained in the beginning of the ma'amar above: that the essential purpose of creation was: "so that they would know Him" — as written: "Everyone called by My name and whom I created for My glory…" [Isaiah 43:7]. And as explained at the end of the ma'amar: that one must therefore honor the children of the ordinary people, so that the soul will yearn for its root which is honor — and the essential honor is the honor of Hashem Yisborach. For when a soul of Israel merits to magnify and honor His great Name, blessed be He, this is the essential honor of the soul — in the bechinas: "Those who honor Me I will honor" [I Samuel 2:30]. And therefore the children recite Kaddish and sanctify and magnify and honor His great Name — and through this the soul grows and is magnified, and through this the soul yearns to be included in its root, and through this the illumination of the soul is revealed, and through this the soul and Torah are elevated over the body. Through which the soul of their father and mother ascends — for through this the souls ascend in the bechinas mayin nukvin, the bechinas: "See with what I come before you." And therefore it is a great benefit for the soul of father and mother when children merit to teach genuine Torah insights — as I heard from Rabbainu, may his memory be blessed: that through innovating Torah insights one does great and immeasurable good for one's father and mother — for the essential revelation of the soul's illumination is through novel Torah insights, as understood from the end of the ma'amar above, as above. And therefore even the reaping itself of the Omer is a mitzvah, as our Sages of blessed memory stated: \"Excluded is the reaping of the Omer which is a mitzvah\" — and it is forbidden to reap any grain before the reaping of the Omer. For the reaping of Israel's grain must be with great holiness — since at the time of reaping, the tzomayach is reaped and separated from the earth. For until now the tzomayach and the domem [earth] were joined together, and now the tzomayach is separated from the earth — which is the bechinas separation of the soul from the body. For tzomayach and domem are the bechinas soul and body, as above. And therefore the reaping must be with great holiness so that the elements ascend from level to level — from domem to tzomayach, which is the bechinas from body to soul, as above. And this is the bechinas of the many mitzvos commanded at the time of reaping the grain: leket [gleanings], shikchah [forgotten sheaves], and pe'ah [corner of the field]. And afterward: t'rumos and ma'assros — and the Torah linked these to the reaping, as written: \"And when you reap the harvest of your land you shall not complete the corner of your field in your reaping, and the gleanings of your harvest…\" [Leviticus 23:22]. And similarly regarding shikchah: \"When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf…\" [Deuteronomy 24:19]. For these mitzvos are linked to the reaping so that the reaping be sanctified and one merit through it to ascend from level to level, from body to soul, as above. For all these mitzvos linked to the reaping — leket, shikchah, pe'ah — the Torah commanded to give them all to the poor: meaning the bechinas charity. For the essential elevation of the soul is through charity, as above, in the bechinas agra d'ta'anisa — tzidkasa. And therefore the Torah commanded to multiply charity at the time of reaping — the mitzvah of leket, shikchah, and pe'ah — so that the reaping of the tzomayach from the earth be in the bechinas elevation of the soul, as above. And similarly after the reaping one must sanctify the grain through many mitzvos — and all of them are the bechinas charity: namely t'rumos and ma'assros for Kohanim, Levites, and the poor — all in order to clarify the grain from the chaff and straw which are the klippos that precede the fruit, the bechinas body, the bechinas Esav who asked his father how to tithe straw. And the essential clarification — which is the bechinas elevation of the soul — is through charity. Therefore one must multiply gifts from the grain which are the bechinas charity. And therefore each time there is any clarification and elevation of the grain one gives a gift to the Kohanim or to the poor — for at first, when the fruit sprouts and is completed from the earth, that is the bechinas clarification of the tzomayach from the earth, when the fruit that had been hidden and concealed in the earth becomes visible — therefore one separates bikkurim [first fruits] for the Kohen through which one merits to elevate the soul, as above. And similarly at the time of reaping — a greater clarification — for then the fruit is completed and fully separated from the earth — therefore one gives gifts to the poor, as above. But even though it has already been reaped from the earth entirely, chaff and straw still cover the grain — they are the klippah that precedes the fruit, the bechinas body, the bechinas physical materiality to which it still clings. Therefore one must toil to clarify the grain and thresh it, to clean it from chaff and straw — separating the fruit from the klippah that clings to bodily physicality. And therefore one must then give the priestly gifts — t'rumos and ma'assros — whose obligation applies only after the threshing. And similarly at the time of the final completion of the bread — when one puts water into the dough, which is the essential completion at which point it becomes human food — for as long as it has not become dough it is still in the bechinas bihaima, for grain before threshing and grinding is not human food but animal food. Therefore at the final stage one must separate challah [the dough-portion]. For all these gifts are the bechinas charity which is the elevation of the soul. And therefore they are given each time when the grain is clarified and ascends further from bihaima to adam — which is the bechinas elevation of the soul. For the holy soul present in every thing must be clarified and purified through many clarifications — clarification after clarification, as is known. And every clarification is the bechinas elevation from body to soul, from bihaima to adam — accomplished through charity, which is the bechinas gifts to the poor and priestly gifts, as above. And therefore most gifts go to the Kohen — for the Kohen is the man of kindness, which is the essential bechinas elevation of the soul from judgment to kindness. And this is the bechinas of the ma'assar [tithe] given to the Levite, and the Levite gives terumas ma'assar [heave-offering from the tithe] to the Kohen — for the root of the souls is the five letters Mant­zpa\"ch, which are the five powers, and this is the side of the Levite, as is known. For the soul's root is in the powers [gevuros] — and therefore it has the strength to sustain the body, for it is the bechinas powers. But in truth the essential wholeness of the soul is when the powers are sweetened through the kindnesses, as is known. And therefore the soul is the bechinas chesed relative to the body — for the soul's essential longing is to ascend to its root to do its Creator's will, and its root above is the bechinas chesed — for the root of all is kindness, through which the world was created: \"The world shall be built on kindness\" [Psalms 89:3]. But the essential sweetening of the powers to transform them into kindness is through subduing the body before the soul, as above. And therefore gifts are given to the Levite — who is the root of the souls — and he gives from them to the Kohen — the man of kindness — and through this the judgments are sweetened at their root. And through this the soul has the power to be elevated over the body, as above. For this is interdependent — through one's subduing the body and giving one's grain gifts to Kohanim and Levites, one merits that the soul ascends and the powers are sweetened. This is the bechinas of the Levite giving to the Kohen, and the powers being included and sweetened through the kindnesses — which is the Kohen — as above. And through the sweetening of the powers one merits that the soul is elevated and strengthened even more over the body, until it nullifies the body entirely before the soul. And therefore the essential strengthening of the soul over the body is through charity, as above. And therefore it is forbidden to begin reaping before the reaping of the Omer — for the essential elevation of the soul from bihaima to adam is specifically through the barley Omer, as above. And therefore through the reaping of the Omer one merits to sanctify all grain reaping — so that the reaping be with holiness in the bechinas elevation of the soul. And therefore it is forbidden to reap before this — for Israel's grain reaping must be with great holiness in the bechinas elevation of the soul — which is accomplished through the reaping of the barley Omer as a mitzvah, as above. And this is the bechinas: \"The peoples will praise You, O G-d — the peoples will all praise You. The earth has given its produce…\" [Psalms 67] — for through the earth giving its produce, which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body, through this the nations — who are the bechinas body — are nullified and they come also to draw near to holiness — in the bechinas: \"the peoples will all praise You\" through \"the earth giving its produce,\" as above. And this is the bechinas: \"I will not give you over to the shame of famine among the nations\" [Joel 2:19] — for famine, Heaven forbid, is a shame for Israel who are the bechinas nefesh. For famine shows the dominance of the body, Heaven forbid — through which the earth does not give its produce — for the domem overcomes the tzomayach, Heaven forbid, as above. And therefore in the future — when we return to Hashem and Hashem Yisborach returns to us, as is explained there [in Joel] with all the assurances that Hashem Yisborach assures Israel: that they will know and recognize Him, which is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body — each person according to how much he merited to strengthen his soul over his body — therefore it is stated there regarding the assurance of plenty that they will be saved from famine: \"I will not give you anymore over to the shame of famine among the nations.\" For plenty and satiation is the bechinas elevation of the soul over the body — through which Israel draws near to their Father in heaven and knows and recognizes Him. As explained at the beginning of the ma'amar above: that the essential purpose of creation was \"so that they would know Him\" — and then Rabbainu, may his memory be blessed, begins to speak there of body and soul. For through the strengthening of the soul over the body one knows and recognizes Him Yisborach. And this is what is written there [Joel 2] regarding the assurance of plenty — that they will be saved from famine: \"And you shall eat and be satisfied and praise the name of Hashem… and you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and I am Hashem your G-d and there is none other…\" [Joel 2:26–27]. For through meriting plenty — meaning the strengthening of the soul over the body — through this one merits to know and recognize Him in body and soul, as it will be in the future: \"and you shall eat and be satisfied… and you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel…\" as above. For through holy eating — in the bechinas: \"a righteous man eats to satisfy his soul,\" in the bechinas: \"and you shall eat and be satisfied and praise the name of Hashem\" — for the essential eating is for one's soul, to praise Hashem's Name — through this is the essential totality of body in soul, as above. And through this one merits to know Hashem — in the bechinas: \"and you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and I am Hashem your G-d and there is none other…\" Amen and amen. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory stated: \"The day of rain is as great as the day the Torah was given.\" For rains are the bechinas elevation of the soul — which is the bechinas Torah, as above. And they also stated there in tractate Taanis: \"The day of rain is as great as the Revival of the Dead — and therefore it was established in the blessing of Revival of the Dead\" — meaning as above. For rains are the bechinas strengthening of the soul over the body — the body included in the soul — which is the bechinas Revival of the Dead, the bechinas eternal life that will be in the future, as above. Based on the Torah teaching "Tefillas l'Chavakuk" (Likutay Moharan I:19) — see there the entire teaching carefully. The general principle: through the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh (the Holy Tongue), one subdues the desire for immorality, which is the encompassing evil of all seventy nations. The perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is the bechinas Chavah — woman — which is the bechinas holy speech through which the world was created. Through this, Hashem blessed-be-He elevated us above all tongues. The essential perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is through Lashon Targum (the Aramaic translation-tongue), as in the verse: "Hashem cast a deep sleep upon the man, and he slept, and He took one of his ribs" — for it was then that the woman was built, as it is written: "Hashem built the rib into a woman" — meaning that Chavah, the woman, who is bechinas fear of Hashem and bechinas perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, has her essential building through tardaimah (deep sleep) — whose numerical value equals that of Targum. For the essential perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is through Lashon Targum, which is the intermediary between Lashon HaKodesh and the tongues of the seventy nations. Lashon Targum is the bechinas Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, bechinas Nogah, the place of the scales where the essential free choice, weighing, and trial of the person occurs. One who merits to break his desires and conquer his yetzer thereby clarifies the good within Targum, and then Targum — bechinas Nogah — is included in holiness, in bechinas Lashon HaKodesh. The reverse, Heaven forbid, for one who does not merit. One who merits to perfect Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum — all his eating and drinking is then from the sparkling of the letters within the thing he eats and drinks, for in everything in the world there are letters through which that thing was created. These are the letters of Lashon HaKodesh through which the world was created. And one who merits to perfect Lashon HaKodesh as above, merits that the letters within every thing will sparkle and illuminate through him — and then all his eating and drinking is only from the sparkling of the letters within the thing he consumes, in the bechinas of "He will send your help from the Sanctuary, and from Zion sustain you" — see there the entire teaching carefully. This is the bechinas of the prohibition of chodosh — the prohibition against eating of the new grain, which is the essential eating, until the Omer is offered, and it comes specifically from barley. For Israel, a holy nation, must have all their eating be in the bechinas described above — to be sustained only from the sparkling of the letters within the thing they eat — and this is the essential perfection and rectification of holy eating. This cannot be attained except through the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, as above. This is the bechinas of the barley Omer — which is the bechinas of the rectification and perfection of speech, as brought in the kavanos of the Ari of blessed memory: that barley (se'orah) is the bechinas twice Mantzpa"ch, from which the essential speech derives. For the five letters Mantzpa"ch are the five outlets of the mouth, as brought in the writings many times. That is: barley is the bechinas of Lashon Targum, through which the essential building and perfection of the speech of Lashon HaKodesh — through which the world was created — is accomplished. For the essential speech, which is the bechinas of the twenty-two letters of Lashon HaKodesh, is the bechinas of wheat — for wheat (chitah) has the numerical value of twenty-two, as brought in this same Torah teaching: it is the bechinas of "He made it like a storehouse of wheat" — see there. And barley is the bechinas of Lashon Targum — which is the bechinas of deep sleep and slumber, through which the essential building and perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, which is the bechinas Chavah, the woman, is accomplished, as above. For barley is the feed of animals — which is the bechinas of the absence of da'as — which is the bechinas of deep sleep and slumber, which is the withdrawal of da'as. And deep sleep and slumber are the bechinas of Lashon Targum, as above. [And so it is brought in another place in the Torah: "Rebbe Shimon opened" (I:60) — that animal feed is the bechinas of sleep, which is the withdrawal of da'as, the withdrawal of the Face — see there. For the essential perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is to merit through it illuminating Faces, bechinas "Face to face Hashem spoke with you" — see well in that Torah teaching, Tefillas l'Chavakuk.] Therefore the Omer must be brought specifically from barley, immediately after the first day of Pesach, and only then is the new bread permitted to eat, and then the counting of Sefiras HaOmer begins — so that the souls of Israel may be purified from their contamination, to emerge from the contamination of Egypt and merit receiving the Torah on Shavuos. For at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, on the first night of Pesach, we merited the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh through which the world was created — for then at the Exodus we were elevated above all tongues. For that was the beginning of Israel's drawing close to their Father in Heaven. For He took us out from the exile of Egypt — which encompasses all the exiles of all seventy nations, wherein lies the essential impurity: the desire for immorality, which is the encompassing evil of all seventy nations. Egypt is composed of all of them, for the Egyptians are the children of Cham, steeped in licentiousness — they are "the nakedness of the land", as is brought. And Hashem blessed-be-He in His mercy took us out then from Egypt, from the forty-nine gates of impurity — from the desire for immorality, which is the essential impurity of all seventy nations. Then He began to choose us from all peoples and to elevate us above all tongues, for then the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — the word of Hashem through which the world was created — was revealed. For at the Exodus, He shattered the natural order and altered nature with great and wondrous signs and wonders — and through this the renewal of the world was revealed: that Hashem created the world and governs His world according to His will, and He chooses His people Israel for whose sake He created and sustains all. All the world saw this with their own eyes through all the ten plagues that came upon the Egyptians with wondrous signs and an extraordinary alteration of nature, and Israel was saved from them — all in order to compel Pharaoh to send Israel His people out of Egypt. Therefore then the word of Hashem was revealed — which is the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh through which the world was created — for then it was revealed that "by the word of Hashem the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts." For since it was then revealed that Hashem created the world, it was certainly revealed then the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — the word of Hashem through which the world was created — through which we were elevated above all tongues and drawn close to Him then. Yet even though we merited then the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, and a wondrous and mighty illumination shone upon us — nevertheless the Lashon HaKodesh was still not complete. For it was only in the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh coming from above, which still lacks completion in this world, and has no completion except when it is completed in this world from below through Lashon Targum — that is, through striving to clarify the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is bechinas Nogah, which is bechinas Targum — for that is when the essential perfection of Lashon HaKodesh occurs, as above. For at the time of the Exodus everything was still in the bechinas of is'arusa dil'ayla (arousal from above), as is brought. For Israel was not yet worthy to be redeemed through their deeds alone, as is brought — rather Hashem blessed-be-He, as it were, was compelled to take them out immediately so they would not sink further there, as it is written: "they could not tarry", as is brought. For in Egypt, before the receiving of the Torah, it was impossible to complete Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum — for this clarification of the bechinas of Lashon Targum is impossible except through Torah, which encompasses the bechinas of shnayim mikra v'echad targum (reading the parasha twice and once in Targum), which is the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum. For Torah is the bechinas Tree of Life — the rectification of the Tree of Knowledge — and the essential rectification and clarification of good from evil is through Torah, which encompasses the Written Torah and the Oral Torah: which is the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum. For the Written Torah is the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — all of Torah, Prophets, and Writings are in Lashon HaKodesh — and the Oral Torah is the bechinas of Lashon Targum, which is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, bechinas Nogah. This is the bechinas of the Six Orders of Mishnah — which are the bechinas of valid and invalid, impure and pure, forbidden and permitted — that is, the bechinas of good and evil, as is brought. Through the bechinas of the Six Orders of Mishnah — which are the entirety of the Oral Torah — one clarifies good from evil: one clarifies the valid from the invalid, the impure from the pure, and so forth — which is the bechinas of clarifying the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the bechinas of clarifying Lashon Targum, through which the essential perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is accomplished, as above. And therefore the essential Oral Torah was written in Lashon Targum — which is the Gemara, which our Sages of blessed memory arranged in Lashon Targum, wherein the essential clarification of all the legal rulings of Torah — valid and invalid, and so forth — occurs. Also the Written Torah itself encompasses Lashon HaKodesh and Targum, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "From where is Targum derived from Torah?" For the totality of Torah is the bechinas of the holy speech of Hashem blessed-be-He through which He created the world — which is Lashon HaKodesh, as above. "With the Torah, the Holy One blessed be He created the world" — and Torah sustains the world. And the essential sustaining of the world through Torah is through the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum — that is, through Israel, a holy nation, being tested and refined in this world of choice, conquering their yetzer, breaking their desires, distancing from immorality, and fulfilling the mitzvos of the Torah — thereby clarifying the good in Targum, the good in the Tree of Knowledge, and perfecting Lashon HaKodesh in the bechinas of its perfection through Lashon Targum. But in Egypt, before receiving the Torah, it was impossible to fully clarify good from evil, and they were unable to clarify Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum. And therefore Israel did not have the power to subdue the contamination of Egypt and to leave. Only Hashem blessed-be-He in His mercy had compassion on us in His kindness and in the merit of our forefathers, and He leaped over the end of days and took us out Himself in the bechinas of is'arusa dil'ayla — which is bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh alone, before it was perfected through Lashon Targum — which is the perfection that is completed from below by us in this world. Rather, He Himself completed Lashon HaKodesh with a wondrous illumination from above, and revealed to all eyes that He blessed-be-He created His world through speech, and He also rules now through His speech, and gives power to the tzaddikim to alter nature as He wills — and through this He took them out of Egypt with wondrous signs, as above. But even though a wondrous and mighty illumination shone upon us then, nevertheless this is still not the ultimate perfection, because it was only in the bechinas of is'arusa dil'ayla and was not yet in the bechinas of the perfection completed from below by us — which is the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, as above. Therefore that illumination lasted only for a brief time on the first day. After it immediately departed, from the second day we must begin again anew to complete the holiness — namely, Lashon HaKodesh — through us, to complete the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum from below, as above — for that is the essential perfection, as above. This is the bechinas of the barley Omer that we must bring on the second day of Pesach — for barley is the bechinas of the clarification of Lashon Targum, which is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as above. For barley encompasses both the food of man and the food of animals — barley is fed to animals, but one can also clarify it and make human food from it — while wheat, its entire eating is only human food. Wheat is the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, which is the bechinas of the holiness of Israel who are called adam. But barley encompasses both — bechinas Lashon HaKodesh, which is the bechinas adam, and bechinas the tongue of the seventy nations, which is the bechinas behaimah — for it is both human food and animal food. For it is in the bechinas of Lashon Targum, which is the intermediary between Lashon HaKodesh and the tongues of the peoples, as above. Therefore through it is the essential clarification — which is the essential building and perfection of Lashon HaKodesh in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, as above. Therefore the Omer must be brought specifically from barley, as above. This is what is written in the Tikkunim and the Zohar — that the barley Omer is the bechinas of minchas kena'os (the meal-offering of jealousy), which is the bechinas of the korban of the sotah (suspected wife) — which was from barley — through which it was determined whether she had been unfaithful to her husband, or whether she was pure. And as the Zohar writes there: "she is the testing of the Woman of Valor" — see there. This is as above: for the barley meal-offering is the bechinas of the clarification and refinement of Lashon Targum, wherein lies the essential examination, trial, and refining of the rectification of the bris — which is the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh. For it is in the bechinas Nogah — sometimes included in holiness and sometimes, Heaven forbid, the reverse — all according to the deeds of the person. If he does not merit, Heaven forbid, then Nogah is included in impurity — which is the bechinas of Lashon Targum becoming included in the tongues of the nations, Heaven forbid. But when he does merit, Nogah is included in holiness — Lashon Targum is included in Lashon HaKodesh — and then the essential perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is achieved precisely through this, as above. This is the bechinas of the barley minchas sotah — she is examined by it whether she is in the bechinas of the Woman of Valor, the bechinas of a woman who fears Hashem, the bechinas of rectification of the bris, the bechinas of perfection of Lashon HaKodesh — or the reverse, Heaven forbid. And so the entire community of Israel must bring the barley meal-offering on the second day of Pesach — through which they clarify the bechinas of Targum and perfect Lashon HaKodesh in the bechinas of its perfection through Lashon Targum, as above. And then precisely the new bread is permitted to eat — for then, when they merit to perfect Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, they bring an illumination and sparkling to all the letters within every thing through which it was created, as above. And then all eating and drinking is only from the sparkling of the letters within the thing, as above — which is the essential holiness of Israel's eating. And as long as Israel has not perfected their food in this bechinas, it is not fitting as their food — therefore they are forbidden to eat chodosh until they bring the barley Omer, through which their food is completed in this bechinas: that all their food should be from the sparkling of the letters alone, as above. This is the bechinas of the prohibition of chametz on Pesach. For since on Pesach, at the time of the Exodus, everything was in the bechinas of is'arusa dil'ayla — the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh coming from above before it was perfected from below through Lashon Targum, as above — therefore then, chametz is forbidden with a very severe prohibition of bal yeira'eh u'val yimatzeh (it shall not be seen and not be found), and we must eat only matzah. For it is brought that chametz is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — meaning that chametz can only be eaten when one clarifies the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, as above. But on Pesach, when it was in the bechinas of is'arusa dil'ayla in the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh coming from above, and we had not yet clarified the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, the bechinas of Lashon Targum — therefore then we must flee and distance ourselves from chametz to the utmost degree. For then through chametz, Heaven forbid, all the evil of the seventy nations would be aroused and they would suckle from holiness through chametz — which is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, through which they ascend to suckle from holiness whenever the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, the bechinas Targum, is not clarified. Therefore then we must be very careful about chametz and eat only matzah and completely destroy the chametz. For matzah is the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh and chametz is the bechinas Targum — for matzah spelled with a Heh is the bechinas of the five outlets of the mouth, which is the speech of Lashon HaKodesh — the essential speech. And chametz spelled with a Ches is the bechinas behaimah (as brought in the teaching: "they asked Rabbi Yossi ben Kisma", I:57) — the bechinas of absence of speech, for the tongues of the nations are the bechinas of the tongue of the stammerer and are not in the category of human speech. Therefore on Pesach, when we do not yet have the power to clarify the chametz — which is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, as above — chametz is then included in the tongues of the nations, which are the bechinas behaimah, the absence of speech. Therefore chametz is forbidden with a very severe prohibition — and all our eating is matzah, which is very great mochin — the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh in the wondrous and mighty illumination coming from above, as above. But immediately on the second day of Pesach we bring the barley Omer and then begin the rectification described above — to complete Lashon HaKodesh from below through Lashon Targum, as above — and then we begin counting Sefiras HaOmer, to go from impurity to purity. And through this we clarify the holiness step by step, day by day, until we merit on Shvi'i shel Pesach (the seventh day of Pesach) to fully subdue and nullify the contamination of Egypt — for that was when the definitive downfall of Egypt occurred, at the splitting of the Reed Sea. And then chametz was permitted after Pesach, for then at the splitting of the Reed Sea the bechinas of rectification of the bris was revealed — the bechinas of Yosef, the bechinas of "the sea saw and fled, it went out" — which is the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, which Yosef merited through withstanding his trial, as brought in that Torah teaching. And therefore then the handmaid at the Sea saw what Yechezkel the prophet did not see, as our Sages of blessed memory taught. For then was the bechinas of the clarification of the Tree of Knowledge — which is the bechinas of the staff of Moshe, which at first transformed from staff to serpent and from serpent to staff, and now was completely included in total good, and revealed Hashem's Divinity in the world — through splitting the Sea and casting Egypt, the encompassing evil, into the raging waters, and Israel passed through the Sea on dry land. Then the bechinas of the evil handmaid was subdued, and then the illumination for receiving the Torah shone — for they were immediately commanded afterwards several laws and statutes, as it is written: "there He placed for him a statute and ordinance, and there He tested him." Then shone upon them the bechinas of the clarification of the Six Orders of Mishnah — which clarifies valid and invalid, and so forth — subduing the evil handmaid and then also the handmaid was included in holiness, as is explained in the Tikkunim — see there. Therefore then the handmaid at the Sea saw, and so forth. And because then was the bechinas of clarifying the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum — therefore after Shvi'i shel Pesach chametz was permitted. For after the clarification described above, chametz is included in holiness, and then through it is the essential perfection of holiness — in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum, as above. See in the Torah teaching Tefillas l'Chavakuk at its end, in the appendices — where it explains the verse "His word-doers, to hear the voice of His word" — that when Lashon HaKodesh comes from above it still lacks perfection until it is completed from below in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum. And this is the secret of the kavanos of the mitzvah of milah and so forth — for everything Hashem created requires rectification, see there carefully. And all this is the bechinas of what we have explained here regarding Pesach and Sefiras HaOmer: that Pesach is the bechinas of is'arusa dil'ayla — the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh coming from above — but then, for the sake of the redemption, the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh was drawn down from above with a wondrous and mighty illumination so that they could be redeemed. For at the time of the Exodus, the revelation that Hashem created the world was revealed in a wondrous and awesome manner, and this revelation of the renewal of creation is the bechinas of perfection of Lashon HaKodesh through which the world was created, as above. Nevertheless the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh was still not completed from below in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Targum — and therefore we must immediately on the second day begin this rectification through bringing the barley Omer, as above. Then we begin counting Sefiras HaOmer — in which we purify ourselves day by day in the bechinas of is'arusa dil'tata (arousal from below). And therefore we count towards the Omer specifically — for the barley Omer is the bechinas of Lashon Targum that completes Lashon HaKodesh, as above — which is the bechinas of the perfection through which holiness, the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, is completed from below. Therefore we count towards the Omer the days — which is Sefiras HaOmer — which is the bechinas of is'arusa dil'tata, through which we draw holiness down upon ourselves each day through the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer — to go out from the forty-nine gates of impurity to the forty-nine gates of holiness — to merit to fully complete Lashon HaKodesh from below, in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum — which is the bechinas of the perfection through which Lashon HaKodesh is completed from below, as above. And therefore on Shvi'i shel Pesach — when we have already counted six days — then great mochin are drawn down (bechinas of reshimu d'gadlus d'Abba, as brought in the kavanos): we draw great holiness upon ourselves through us, through the bechinas of is'arusa dil'tata. Therefore then is the splitting of the Reed Sea, and then the Egyptians — who are the encompassing evil, as above — are fully subdued. For then Lashon HaKodesh is perfected in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum — through our having already counted six days of Sefiras HaOmer. For then the bechinas of rectification of the bris is revealed — the bechinas of Yosef, the bechinas of Yesod, the bechinas of "the sea saw and fled, and went outside". Therefore then immediately after Shvi'i shel Pesach, chametz is permitted — for chametz can only be eaten through the rectification of the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which is rectified through Lashon Targum when one merits to clarify it and complete Lashon HaKodesh through it — which is attained on Shvi'i shel Pesach, as above. See the Torah teaching Tefillas l'Chavakuk and understand the matters well. This is the bechinas of the story of Bilaam — that Hashem blessed-be-He showed us extraordinary kindness and was unwilling to listen to Bilaam, and Hashem reversed it, and Hashem blessed-be-He glories in this great kindness He did for us in saving us from wicked Bilaam — as it is written: "My people, remember what Balak king of Moav counseled, and what Bilaam answered him." And this is the bechinas of the opening of the mouth of the she-donkey — that Hashem blessed-be-He performed such a miracle that He opened the mouth of the she-donkey and it spoke and rebuked him — all for the sake of saving Israel. For the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh is the bechinas of Ruach HaKodesh — the bechinas of "let there be a double portion of your spirit upon me", the bechinas of Ruach HaKodesh speaking thus — as explained well in this Torah teaching above. And it is impossible to merit the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, Ruach HaKodesh, except for one who merits rectification of the bris — for then one merits perfecting Lashon HaKodesh in ultimate perfection, in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum. For the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, which is Ruach HaKodesh, and the rectification of the bris are interdependent, as explained there — see there. Therefore it is impossible to attain prophecy, Ruach HaKodesh, through the path of holiness, except for one who merits rectification of the bris in ultimate completeness. Therefore Moshe Rabeinu, who is the master of all prophets — as it is written: "There arose no prophet again in Israel like Moshe" — was therefore holy with the holiness of the bris to the ultimate degree of holiness and perishus (separation), as it is written: "But you, stand here with Me." Likewise all of Israel's prophets were all very holy and pure in the holiness of the bris. Only because they did not attain the holiness of Moshe — therefore their prophecy was through a dim lens (aspaklaryah she'ainah me'irah) — only Moshe merited the ultimate perfection of prophecy through a bright lens (aspaklaryah hame'irah). For it is impossible to attain prophecy — which is Ruach HaKodesh, the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh — except through rectification of the bris, as above. But "this opposite that, Hashem made" — Hashem gave the power of free choice to man, and the essential free choice is in the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — bechinas Nogah, bechinas Lashon Targum — which is the intermediary between the side of holiness (Lashon HaKodesh) and the side of impurity (the tongues of the seventy nations). And there, in the bechinas of Targum, bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, bechinas Nogah — there is where the essential choice and weighing occurs. One who wishes to elevate holiness and merit Lashon HaKodesh in perfection — which is the bechinas of Ruach HaKodesh — can only do so by powerfully mustering himself to conquer his yetzer and break all desires, and especially to break the desire for immorality. And in accordance with how much he breaks his desire, so does he clarify the good in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the good in Targum, and perfect Lashon HaKodesh — the bechinas of Ruach HaKodesh. And the more he perfects Lashon HaKodesh, the more power he gains through the speech of Lashon HaKodesh to subdue the encompassing evil and nullify the desire mentioned. And so it cycles around until he merits the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh and the rectification of the bris in completeness, as above. For the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh and the rectification of the bris are interdependent, as above. And we have already explained elsewhere that with things that are interdependent one does not know from where to begin. The truth is that one must begin from both of them — and from whichever bechinas of them one starts first, it is good, provided one's intention is for the sake of Heaven, to merit the side of holiness. That is: there is one whose beginning is from the breaking of the desire described above — and in proportion to his breaking of this desire, he merits the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, as above. And there is one whose beginning is from the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh — that is, he sanctifies his speech with great holiness and engages much in holy speech: words of Torah, prayer, and hisbodedus (personal secluded prayer) — which is the essential bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh (as is explained in the Likutay Aytzos). And the more he increases in Torah and prayer — which are the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh — through this he merits to break the desire mentioned above. And in proportion to how much he merits breaking that desire, so does he merit yet more to the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh — and so it cycles around, as above — until he merits rectification of the bris and perfection of Lashon HaKodesh in ultimate completeness, and then he merits Ruach HaKodesh. For Ruach HaKodesh is the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, which depends on the rectification of the bris, as above. Therefore it is impossible to receive the spirit of prophecy from above through the path of holiness except when one rectifies and clarifies the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — which is the bechinas Targum — for then precisely does one complete the holiness, the bechinas Lashon HaKodesh, and fully subdue the encompassing evil, and then receive the spirit of prophecy through the path of holiness in completeness, like Moshe Rabeinu and all the prophets, as above. For as long as there is any hold of the evil of the Tree of Knowledge — the bechinas Targum — upon him, he cannot receive the spirit of prophecy from holiness, because the bechinas of deep sleep, the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, and so forth are still confused and mixed within him. And then if he wishes to ascend to holiness to receive the spirit of prophecy, the evil of the Tree of Knowledge will seize him and confuse him with false prophecy, as is explained in the writings. And even if he is clean from transgressions, but has not broken the desire properly in a permissible manner — still he cannot merit true prophecy in completeness, because he has not yet properly clarified the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, the bechinas Targum — which is the essential perfection of holiness, and through which one ascends and is included in holiness in the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, the bechinas Ruach HaKodesh, as above. But the wicked sorcerers — Bilaam and his associates — go in exactly the opposite direction, for they do the complete reverse. For Bilaam was sunken in the encompassing evil to the ultimate degree of filth — as our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the verse "are you familiar with the she-donkey?": that he performed the act of intimacy with the she-donkey. And yet he sought to draw upon himself a spirit from above — the bechinas of the spirit of prophecy — through Targum, which is the Tree of Knowledge, which is Aramaic, through which he ascended to suckle from holiness — in the bechinas of "From Aram Balak, king of Moav, led me" — "from Aram" specifically — that is, through Aramaic, Lashon Targum, through which the kelipos ascend to suckle from holiness, in the bechinas of "the Aramean sought to destroy my father" — as all this is explained well in that Torah teaching. For Hashem created the world only for the sake of free choice, as is known — therefore He gave free choice enormous power. And just as the tzaddikim have the power to clarify the Tree of Knowledge, the bechinas Targum, and to perfect Lashon HaKodesh and thereby fully subdue the encompassing evil, and to merit the spirit of prophecy through the path of holiness as above — so correspondingly Hashem gave power to Bilaam and his associates who do not wish to break their desires and subdue the evil of the Tree of Knowledge: not only did they not break their evil and not clarify the Tree of Knowledge, the bechinas Targum — but their wickedness strengthened within them to such a degree that they asserted themselves through the force of their evil to ascend through the Tree of Knowledge, through Targum, to suckle from holiness — to draw the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, the bechinas of the spirit of prophecy, to their places — to draw the spirit of prophecy upon themselves through the path of impurity, the path of the evil of the Tree of Knowledge — the opposite of the tzaddikim who clarify the Targum bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge and perfect holiness, subduing the encompassing evil completely and meriting the spirit of prophecy through the path of holiness, as above. And he went in the opposite direction entirely — to ascend through Targum to suckle from holiness and to draw the spirit of prophecy — the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — upon himself through the path of impurity, to strengthen the encompassing evil over Lashon HaKodesh, to strengthen, Heaven forbid, the dominion of the nations who are the encompassing evil over Israel, Heaven forbid — who are elevated above all tongues, in the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — the opposite of the tzaddikim. And he became ever more powerful in the opposite direction to ascend through Targum to suckle from holiness and draw the spirit of prophecy — the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — upon himself through the path of impurity, to empower the encompassing evil over Lashon HaKodesh — Heaven forbid — as above. All this is explained well in the Torah teaching "when evildoers approach me" (I:36), on the verse "behold, I have received a blessing, and blessed" — see there. And Hashem blessed-be-He, as long as He desires the world's continuity, does not wish to nullify the power of free choice — for the world was created for its sake. Rather, through His wondrous strategies, He took and extracted speech from him through his own choice. For Israel, a holy nation — whoever feels within himself that he is not holy as he should be — humbles and nullifies himself before Hashem blessed-be-He, and does not wish to venture into great and wondrous things beyond him, to draw upon himself the spirit of prophecy in the bechinas of Ruach HaKodesh — for he knows he is far from this. And if he were to seek to draw visions and dreams upon himself, he could damage himself even more, as many have stumbled in this. Rather, he goes in simplicity and asks Hashem to help him emerge from his lowliness and to merit to sanctify himself properly — and then if he merits and becomes worthy of receiving Ruach HaKodesh through the path of holiness, Hashem who is good will do with him as He wills. But Bilaam and his students do the opposite, as above — steeped in all the impurities and mustering themselves to draw upon themselves through the path of impurity the supernal spirit — for the person who has free choice has the power to draw it upon himself as he wishes according to his choice — to good or, Heaven forbid, the reverse, as above. And Hashem blessed-be-He, as long as He desires the world's continuity, does not wish to nullify the power of free choice — for the world was created for its sake — rather through His wondrous strategies He took and extracted speech from him through his own free choice. And this is the bechinas of the opening of the mouth of the she-donkey — that Hashem performed such a miracle, opening the mouth of the she-donkey that spoke with him and rebuked him, and he could not withstand her rebuke — and through this was the essential cause of his downfall. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "It is a great disgrace to him — he goes to destroy an entire nation through his speech and yet he cannot withstand the she-donkey." For certainly now he could no longer withstand her — since Hashem had already arranged through his own deeds and choice that speech be drawn to the she-donkey, as above. Therefore he no longer had dominion over speech. For even though speech was now in a very low and filthy place — by the she-donkey — nevertheless since the she-donkey has no free choice, Hashem could easily extract the speech from there and elevate it to its root. For what is essentially difficult in His eyes blessed-be-He is to break the power of free choice, which has great power as above. And it was because of this that Israel was in great danger, as above — for Hashem desires justice and does not wish to nullify the power of free choice — for this was the entire reason the world was created, as above. But now that Hashem had taken speech from him and transferred it to the she-donkey according to justice and law as above, and opened the mouth of the she-donkey — the power of speech through his free choice was already lost. Therefore he had no power against Israel — on the contrary, he was compelled to speak according to the will of Hashem and to reverse the curse into a blessing. As Rashi explains on the verse "return to Balak and speak thus": the speech was like a bridle in his mouth. And he was compelled to reverse the curse into a blessing, as above. For the power of dominion over speech had already been taken from him — having been transferred to the she-donkey by just law through his own free choice, as above. And from there, Hashem blessed-be-He clarified it easily, since she has no free choice. And then the power of dominion over speech returned to Hashem blessed-be-He, and he was compelled to speak according to the will of Hashem — to bless Israel, as above. The general practical lesson and counsel that emerges from all this — a person must know that he has free choice, and that free choice has very great and mighty power, as explained above. And certainly the attribute of good is abundant above its opposite — and if so, a person should learn an a fortiori argument from them: if Bilaam, who was so wicked and impure, and so utterly distant from holiness and from Lashon HaKodesh — nevertheless through the power of his mighty free choice he was able to ascend through Targum to draw Lashon HaKodesh, the bechinas Ruach HaKodesh, to himself and attain prophetic visions within his impurity, like Moshe Rabeinu in holiness — as our Sages of blessed memory taught: "in Israel there arose no prophet like Moshe, but among the nations of the world one arose — and that is Bilaam" — and all this because the free choice of man has great power, and a person has the power to strengthen his mind to such an extraordinary degree that he can draw upon himself whatever he wishes, provided the mind be very strong and powerful in its inner and outer dimensions — as is explained in the teachings of Rabeinu and elsewhere. How much more so — an a fortiori argument a thousand times over — when a Jew wishes to draw holiness upon himself, the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, in his place where he is — and his intention is for the sake of Heaven, that through this he may merit to return and restore his holiness. Certainly he has the power for this always, at every time and every hour — even if he has fallen through his sins to very shameful places, may the Merciful One protect us, as is common now in these generations because of our many sins. And even if he is still caught in what he is caught in, Heaven forbid — nevertheless his free choice has the power to strengthen himself even in his low place and so forth, wherever he is, to draw upon himself the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh. That is, even though the person is as he is, Heaven forbid — nevertheless if he will be strong in his resolve always to speak holy speech — words of Torah, prayer, and hisbodedus — which are all the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh — and his intention is to thereby subdue and break his evil, in order that he may return to Hashem — certainly it is good for him. For certainly no word of holiness is ever lost — and in the course of days Hashem will have mercy on him, and all the words of holiness he has brought forth from his mouth, which are the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh, will be gathered together. And through this he will subdue and nullify the encompassing evil. The essential thing is to be very strong in this — for days and years — even if much passes over him. For free choice is always free — and the essential power is through speech, in the bechinas of "mighty in strength who do His word". For one must know: even though the Torah teaching described above states that the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh and the rectification of the bris are interdependent — and that whoever blemishes the bris does not merit the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh — if so, one might be bewildered: for according to this, the bread fell into the well! What then have the Sages helped us with their guidance, having revealed to us the counsel to subdue the encompassing evil through the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh? Is not the one contingent on the other — and whoever has not yet emerged from the encompassing evil does not merit the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh? From where then will his help come? But truly, "the ways of Hashem are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them." For certainly to merit ultimate completeness it is only possible when one merits both together — the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh and the rectification of the bris, which are interdependent. But as long as one has not yet merited this, a person must begin from wherever he begins — and from whichever bechinas he begins, even with a single good point in the world, it is good for his soul and spirit. For certainly no word of holiness is ever lost — and even if he is as he is, he has the power in his free choice to strengthen himself with words of holiness, which are the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh. And if he multiplies holy words of Torah, prayer, and hisbodedus — ultimately they will be gathered and help him in this world and the next world. And likewise no moment of conquering his yetzer is lost — for even though he has not yet fully merited the rectification of the bris — nevertheless everything he has sometimes merited in striving against his yetzer and working to pull himself away from evil is never lost at all, even if it did not fully succeed as it should — as is explained in the teachings of Rabeinu on the verse "when their waves rise, You still them." And all this cannot be fully explained in writing — only each one who truly wishes and will not deceive himself will understand many things from these words of ours. And this is: "Take words with you and return to Hashem" (Hoshea 14:3). "With you" specifically — in the place where you are, even in very low and coarse places. Nevertheless "take with you" specifically — "words" — and through this you will return to Hashem. For as long as words are with you, certainly you always have hope to return to Hashem. As the Midrash says on this verse: "I ask of you nothing but words." And as is brought in the teachings of Rabeinu on the verse "whenever I speak of him I remember him greatly" (I:78) — see there. For Bilaam and his associates mustered through the force of their wickedness to draw holy speech to themselves in exile — to strengthen evil over good, Heaven forbid, as above. And he had the power for this from the strength of free choice, as above. Were it not that Hashem was with our help — but because his intention was to do evil, certainly his end was to be cut off, as our Sages of blessed memory taught. But a Jew, whose intention is for good — who strengthens himself in the depth of his falling, Heaven forbid, to speak holy words in the bechinas of Lashon HaKodesh — certainly he always has the power for this, as above. And since his intention is for good — to return to Hashem and to make a pleasing spirit before Him — then the tzaddik who has already merited the ultimate perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, he elevates and clarifies his holy words which are in the bechinas of Targum as above, and completes through them Lashon HaKodesh in the bechinas of perfecting Lashon HaKodesh through Lashon Targum. And this is: "Return, O Israel, to Hashem your G-d, for you have stumbled through your iniquity" — that the iniquities will be reckoned as inadvertent sins, as our Sages of blessed memory taught. And this is: "take words with you" — as above: that even in your place where you are, you should speak holy words — which is the bechinas of Targum, as above — which is the bechinas of inadvertent sins, as explained in that Torah teaching on the verse Tefillas l'Chavakuk al shigionos (prayer of Chavakuk concerning errors) — which Rashi explains as "according to its Targum." See there. And since through the holy words one speaks in his place where he is, the iniquities are transformed into inadvertent sins — afterwards the complete tzaddik easily elevates them to total good, as above. And this is: "say to Him: forgive all iniquity and accept the good" — that afterwards we ask Hashem to bear and forgive all the iniquity completely — in the bechinas of "forgive all iniquity", which Rashi explains to mean "all iniquity forgive" — that is, that all the iniquity be borne and forgiven completely, as above. And this is: "and accept the good" — that it be transformed into complete good, as above. Based on what Rabbaynu, his light should shine, explains (Likutay Moharan I:19). The halacha states: "Three years shall it be orla for you, and in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, praises (hillulim) to Hashem…" The general principle: the comprehensive evil — that is, utterly evil — is the tongues of the seventy nations, while Lashon Targum is the bechinas Nogah, the bechinas Etz HaDa'as Tov v'Ra — the intermediary between good and evil. Now, the comprehensive evil — utterly evil — is the bechinas of the three impure klippos, and they are the bechinas of the three years of orla. Therefore they are called by the name orla — that is, the bechinas flaw of the covenant (bris), which is called arel (uncircumcised), for the comprehensive evil is the flaw of the covenant, as explained there. Therefore in the fourth year one is commanded to bring the fruit up to Yerushalayim to eat them there specifically. For the essential rectification of Israel's eating is through the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, as explained there — that when one merits the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh one can then eat in rectified fashion. See there. Therefore during the three years of orla one is completely forbidden to eat the fruit, for they are the bechinas of the comprehensive evil, which is the bechinas of the nations' tongues — the opposite of Lashon HaKodesh. But the fourth year, which is against the fourth klippa — Nogah — mixed good and evil, bechinas Targum — then there is a rectification for the fruit through bringing them up to Yerushalayim, the holy city, which is the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh. For Yerushalayim is the bechinas Malchus, as it is written "Hashem reigns in Yerushalayim" — and Malchus is mouth, that is, the bechinas speech of Lashon HaKodesh. Therefore the fourth-year fruit are brought up to Yerushalayim so that the bechinas Targum will be included in Lashon HaKodesh — that is, the fourth-year fruit that are the bechinas Targum ascend and are included in Yerushalayim, the holy city, which is the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, as above. This is the bechinas of "He will send your help from the sanctuary, and from Tzion He will support you" — as Rabbaynu, his light should shine, explains there (ibid.) with regard to the rectification of the meal through the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh. See there. And this is "and from Tzion" — specifically from Tzion, for through Tzion and Yerushalayim is the rectification of the meal, for they are the bechinas of the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, as above. But when one cannot bring them up to Yerushalayim it is forbidden to eat them — for the aforementioned evil, which is the bechinas of the three years of orla, could prevail and suckle from holiness through the fourth-year fruit that are the bechinas Targum, as above. For the essential suckling of that evil from holiness is through Lashon Targum, as explained there. See there. Therefore it is forbidden to eat them as they are — only to bring them up to Yerushalayim, as above. And then through the holiness of Yerushalayim the evil within them — that is, the bechinas evil within Targum — is subdued, and the good ascends and is included in Lashon HaKodesh, as explained there. And this is the bechinas of "and in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, hillulim to Hashem" — kodesh specifically, that the fruit be included in holiness, that is, the perfection of Lashon HaKodesh, as above. And this is kodesh hillulim — that is, the bechinas Lashon HaKodesh which is hillulim to Hashem. If one cannot bring the fruit up, one redeems them onto money (kesef). For it is stated in the words of Rabbaynu, his light should shine (Likutay Moharan I:68), that all souls have their root in wealth, and therefore everyone craves money. See there. And therefore through money one can acquire all things in the world, and money is more significant than anything, as it is written: "And money answers everything" — for in all things in the world there are souls, as is known, and all those souls crave money which is their root, as above. Therefore as soon as they see money they long for it and crave it, and therefore through money one can immediately acquire all things in the world without any effort — for everything craves money, as above. Therefore one can redeem fourth-year fruit and ma'aser sheni onto money — for the money, which is the root of the souls, has the power to redeem and exchange for the fruit, meaning that the souls and vitality within them emerge from them and are included in the money, since it is the root of the souls, as above — and it thus becomes the literal substitute (temurah) for the fruit. Therefore one must redeem specifically onto coins — that is, a matbei'a (coin) that has an image (tzura) upon it — as understood there in the words of Rabbaynu, his light should shine, that the essential money is the coins (matbei'os) which acquire all things and which are the roots of the souls, as above. Based on what Rabbaynu of blessed memory wrote on the verse "A well dug by nobles…" (Bamidbar 21:18) — see there carefully (Likutay Moharan II:72). The general principle: the essential Revival of the Dead that will occur in the future will be only for shefilus — lowliness. Each person's shefilus will be revived and will arise at the Revival, for the essential eternal life of the future will be only for shefilus. See there carefully. These eternal life are attained through shame (busha), which is the bechinas teshuva, which one merits through illuminations of Torah (beirurei Torah) that one merits through the sparkling of the intellect (mochin) that sparkles through the gaze of the true tzaddik when one merits to see oneself with him. See there all this carefully. When one merits shame, one becomes ashamed even to extend food to one's own mouth — for "one who eats what is not his is ashamed to look him in the face" (Aramaic adage). Through this shame one merits teshuva, which is the bechinas eternal life — the essential eternal life being only for shefilus — and one merits the shefilus of Moshe Rabbaynu, and so on. See there carefully and carefully. One should examine the words of Rabbaynu of blessed memory in this teaching: why did he specifically use the matter of eating — that through shame one becomes ashamed even to extend food to one's mouth, as above? What is the specific connection of eating to this shame? For in truth, all the words of Rabbaynu of blessed memory are living words of G-d and were said with great precision. There are profound secrets and numerous interpretations in every single teaching, and particularly in the interconnection of topics — for in every word there is a complete intention. There is no room to elaborate on this here. The matter is: the essential rectification of eating — that it be in holiness — is through busha, which is the bechinas teshuva, through which one merits eternal life, namely that the shefilus is revived, and one merits shefilus. For the essential ultimate goal is shefilus — to know the Creator blessed-be-He — and it is impossible to know Him blessed-be-He, which is the essential eternal life, except through shefilus. Therefore in the future when they will live eternal life and will know and recognize Him blessed-be-He — which is the essential delight of the World to Come — the essential eternal life will be only for shefilus, as above. For it is impossible to attain knowledge of Him blessed-be-He except when one merits to be in the bechinas of total ayin — absolute nullity — in total shefilus in truth. When a person eats, through the eating the material and the sense of self (yeishus) are enlarged. When the material and yeishus grow and increase, the bechinas ayin — which is shefilus — can, G-d forbid, become concealed and diminished. This is what the Torah feared: "Lest you eat and be satisfied… and your heart becomes proud, and you forget Hashem…" (Devarim 8:12–14). Eating without shame brings pride of spirit and forgetting Him blessed-be-He — bechinas eating from the Etz HaDa'as as Adam HaRishon sinned, of whom it is written: "On the day you eat of it you shall surely die" — for through such eating, by which come pride and haughtiness, one forgets Him blessed-be-He, G-d forbid — this is the bechinas of death, the opposite of eternal life. For the essential eternal life is to know Him blessed-be-He — only through shefilus, as above. Through pride it is impossible to know Him — this is the bechinas of death. Therefore one must eat in holiness in a manner whereby through the eating one merits shefilus, the essential life, as above. Such eating is through busha — through meriting shame through the Torah — whereby one merits to eat with shame, being ashamed even to extend food to one's mouth. When one eats with shame — bechinas teshuva, through which one merits eternal life, bechinas shefilus — through this eating shefilus is drawn more and more. This is the bechinas of the tzaddik's eating: "The righteous eats to satisfy his soul" (Mishlai 13:25) — for the essential eating is for life, and the essential human life is through eating. But when one eats materially without shame, the material and yeishus grow and pride comes, one forgets Him blessed-be-He, G-d forbid — then to the contrary, one dies through one's eating, bechinas "on the day you eat thereof you shall surely die" — the bechinas of "the wicked, even in their lifetime, are called dead." The essential busha upon which holy eating depends comes through Torah illuminations that one merits through the sparkling of the mochin received from the tzaddik's gaze, as explained there — and this comes through guarding the covenant. This is the bechinas of the flaw of eating from the Etz HaDa'as — eating that does not flow from Torah illuminations from pure mochin, through which one merits eternal life through busha. But eating from the Etz HaDa'as is eating that flows from confused mochin from the flaw of the covenant — through which busha is removed, for there is no shame except in a place of nakedness (ervah). When one damages the covenant one removes shame from one's face, and eating without shame flows from confused mochin, bechinas Etz HaDa'as, opposite of Torah illuminations. Of such eating it is said: "On the day you eat thereof…" — the opposite of true eternal life, as above. This is the bechinas of the orla prohibition. The three years of orla stem from the flaw of the Etz HaDa'as, as is known and brought in the Midrash: "Who will remove the dust from your eyes… for your children wait three years!" In those first three years when the evil of the Etz HaDa'as prevails, it is completely forbidden to eat the fruit — therefore they are called orla. This is the bechinas of the coarseness of material (gassos haChomer) that comes through eating that is not in holiness, bechinas eating from the Etz HaDa'as. For pride (gassos) is a bechinas of addition and excess, as written: "He pays for the excess — that is pride" (Iyov 33:17), as Rashi explains — gassos is multiplication of yeishus. This is the bechinas of orla: through such eating, material accumulates on material until one becomes literally arel — just as the literal orla is an addition over holy flesh, covering and sealing the holy covenant. So too, through such eating, material accumulates until one is literally sealed by pride — through which one forgets Him blessed-be-He, as above. Therefore we are forbidden to eat the fruit in the three years of orla, until the fourth year when good begins to be revealed — then one may eat. But still a rectification is needed to clarify them from bechinas eating of the Etz HaDa'as to holy eating — through shame, through which one merits shefilus, as above. Therefore one must bring the fruit up to Yerushalayim. Yerushalayim is the bechinas yira shalem — complete awe — bechinas yirei boshes (G-d-fearing and shame), for awe is shame as is known. Therefore there, in Yerushalayim, one must bring the fruit at the beginning of their rectification — for there one merits to eat them with busha, the essential rectification. There one merits the bechinas shefilus, for there in Yerushalayim is the Bais HaMikdash, where the Even Shasiya is — the foundation point of the world — and this point is the bechinas ayin from which everything flows. This point is the Bais HaMikdash, which is the bechinas mochin, as explained in the above teaching. For through the mochin — bechinas beirurei Torah — one merits this point of ayin, as above. Therefore there in the Bais HaMikdash and Yerushalayim is the essential rectification of holy eating — through busha — so that through the eating done there one merits eternal life, bechinas shefilus, bechinas ayin, the bechinas Even Shasiya from which the world was founded. This is "Rock dwells and lodges, from there he digs food" (Iyov 39:28) — which Rabbaynu of blessed memory explains in the above teaching regarding Torah illuminations — the sela being the bechinas Even Shasiya as Rashi explains — and through the bechinas Even Shasiya, bechinas shefilus, bechinas ayin, one merits through Torah illuminations (bechinas be'er and sela). This is where the rectification of holy eating flows from — "from there he digs food" — eating with shame, the essential rectification. See there carefully in the above teaching and reflect very carefully. This is the bechinas of Shabbos eating, which is exceedingly precious — for Shabbos is the bechinas busha and teshuva, and therefore on it the eating is of great holiness, and one merits through it eternal life of the World to Come, as above. Therefore the essential oneg Shabbos is the Shabbos eating — for on Shabbos one must specifically eat, since through Shabbos eating specifically one merits eternal life, as above. For Shabbos is the bechinas World to Come, bechinas "those who taste it merit life", as explained there. Through Shabbos eating true life — eternal life of the World to Come, bechinas shefilus — is added. Understand well. Blessed be Hashem forever, amen v'amen. Based on the ma'amar "Sound the Tekiah" in Likutay Moharan II:8 (beginning: "Even though rebuke is a great matter…"). See there the entire ma'amar from its beginning. Section 1. This is the bechinas of the three years of orla — for they correspond to the three mochin (intellects), which are three partitions spread out against the desire for immorality. For it is explained there that there is mazona d'gufa (the food of the body) and mazona d'nishm'sa (the food of the soul). Through mazona d'gufa the mazona d'nishm'sa is weakened, and conversely — through subduing the mazona d'gufa, the mazona d'nishm'sa is strengthened. It is the bechinas of scent (rei'ach), and the drawing down of mazona d'nishm'sa comes through the Voice that waters the garden, through which all good fragrances grow — which are the bechinas of yira (awe), as in the verse: "Your voice I heard in the garden, and I was in awe". And it is specifically through this Voice that one can rebuke Israel — for it is impossible to rebuke Israel except through one who can do so in the manner of the rebuke of Moshe, whose rebuking of them over their sins caused him to add and bestow upon them a good fragrance, as in the verse: "My spikenard gave forth its scent." Through the aforementioned Voice he is able to arouse all good fragrances that are the mazona d'nishm'sa, and specifically thereby can he rebuke them. See there. And the attainment of this Voice comes through the prayer of the man of strength (ba'al ko'ach) who prays a prayer in the bechinas of din (judgment). See there carefully. For through this he draws out all the vitality and da'as from the klippa — all that it swallowed from holiness, in the bechinas of: "He swallowed wealth and vomits it up" — and he even draws out its own very core vitality. And this is the bechinas of converts. And through this the honor of Hashem grows. And through this one merits the aforementioned Voice — which is the mazona d'nishm'sa. And this is the bechinas of the war against Og, King of Bashan, as explained there at the end of the ma'amar — that everything discussed in the ma'amar is the bechinas of the war of Og. See there. Section 2. The essential rectification of mazona d'nishm'sa — which is the scent, the ikar — is through the rectification of da'as, which consists of the three mochin that are the partitions spread against the desire for immorality, as explained in the aforementioned ma'amar. The essential corruption occurs when the sitra achara prevails until it suckles from the da'as, the bechinas of "and the serpent was cunning" — for then the desire for immorality intensifies, which comes through the corruption of the moach (intellect) that serves as a partition against that desire. Then one needs the prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, and then specifically one merits the aforementioned Voice through which all the fragrances grow — the mazona d'nishm'sa. But when da'as is flawed and the desire for immorality intensifies, one certainly does not merit the mazona d'nishm'sa. The essential flaw of da'as — that is, the flaw of the desire for immorality, which is the flaw of the mazona d'nishm'sa — comes through the overpowering of the mazona d'gufa, through which the mazona d'nishm'sa is weakened. This is the bechinas of the flaw of eating from the Etz HaDa'as Tov v'Ra: when Adam HaRishon ate from the Etz HaDa'as and the mazona d'gufa overpowered, through this the mazona d'nishm'sa was weakened, and through this the sitra achara suckled from the holy da'as — the bechinas of "and the serpent was cunning" — and through this he fell into the desire for immorality, as it is brought that Adam HaRishon sinned through the desire for immorality. And all this came upon him through the sin of eating from the Etz HaDa'as — that is, the mazona d'gufa — through which the da'as was damaged until he came to the desire for immorality and the mazona d'nishm'sa was weakened, for these are dependent on one another, as understood from the aforementioned ma'amar. Therefore the rectification of Adam HaRishon was through the aforementioned Voice, as in the verse: "Your voice I heard in the garden, and I was in awe" — spoken of Adam HaRishon — for Adam HaRishon did teshuva over his sin, and the essential teshuva and rectification of the sin of Adam HaRishon — which is the aforementioned flaw, that the mazona d'gufa overpowered the mazona d'nishm'sa, and the da'as was weakened and the desire for immorality intensified — the essential rectification of this is through the prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, at which point the sitra achara wants to swallow even this prayer since it is in the bechinas of din. But since this prayer is in the bechinas of din from a truly great ba'al ko'ach, this prayer stands against the sitra achara in its very gullet until it is compelled to vomit up and disgorge all the vitality of holiness that it swallowed. As explained well there in the ma'amar. And this is the bechinas of: "And they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles" (Bereishis 3). Chavora (girdle) — this is the bechinas of prayer in bechinas din, the bechinas of: "Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one." That is, one must gird oneself with great strength and great courage to pray a prayer in the bechinas of din — which is called a sword, the bechinas of: "The exaltation of G-d in their throats, and a double-edged sword in their hands" — prayer in the bechinas of din, which is the bechinas of sword, the bechinas of din. And this is "And they sewed fig leaves" — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "With the thing in which they sinned, with it they were rectified." For the tree from which they ate was the fig tree, as above — for the essential corruption and flaw of eating from the Etz HaDa'as was that through it they fell into the desire for immorality, which is mochin d'katnus (smallness of intellect), and the dinim strengthened and from there the sitra achara suckled, as above. Therefore the rectification must be in the very thing that was corrupted — that one must strengthen oneself to pray a prayer in the bechinas of din specifically, with great strength, until this prayer stands against the sitra achara in its gullet. And this is "And they sewed fig leaves" — they took the very thing they corrupted, which is the bechinas of the intensifying of dinim that intensified through their sin. And this is the bechinas of te'einah (fig), which is a language of din — the bechinas of: "For a pretext (to'anah) he seeks" (Shoftim 14), which is a language of accusation and judgment. That is, they took a fig leaf — which is the thing they corrupted, the bechinas of dinim — and made themselves girdles: they girded themselves with great strength and prayed a prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, the bechinas of: "Gird your sword upon your thigh" — spoken of prayer, as brought elsewhere. For prayer is called a girdle, as it is written: "Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his waist" (Yeshaya 11) — faithfulness being the bechinas of prayer, as explained elsewhere. And this is the bechinas of: "The mandrakes give forth their fragrance" (Shir HaShirim 7). Rashi explains that these are figs, as it is written: "Hashem showed me two baskets of figs, one basket very good and the other very bad." In the future both will give forth good fragrance — that is, through the prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, which is the bechinas of fig leaves that rectifies the sin of Adam HaRishon with the very thing that was corrupted, as above — through this one merits the aforementioned Voice, through which all good fragrances grow, until one merits the rebuke of Moshe, through which even the evil deeds raise up good fragrance, the bechinas of: "My spikenard gave forth its scent." And this is: "The mandrakes give their fragrance" — the two baskets of figs give good fragrance, even the bad figs, for they were rectified through the prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, which is the bechinas of rectifying the sin of Adam HaRishon — the bechinas of "And they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles", as our Sages said: "With that which they sinned, with it they were rectified." And this is the bechinas of: "The fig tree has formed its early figs, and the vines in blossom give forth their fragrance" (Shir HaShirim 2) — for through the rectification of the fig tree, that is, the rectification of the sin of Adam HaRishon through prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach — through this one merits the good fragrance that flows through the Voice that waters the garden, which is the bechinas of: "Your voice I heard in the garden, and I was in awe" — spoken of Adam HaRishon, as explained in the ma'amar. And this is: "The fig tree has formed its early figs, and the vines have given forth their fragrance" — for the fragrance flows through the rectification of the fig tree, which is the bechinas of "And they sewed fig leaves", as above. Section 3. And this is the bechinas of the three years of orla — that one must wait when planting a fruit tree, three years without eating the fruit. For through waiting three years and not eating the fruit, one weakens the mazona d'gufa — which is the rectification of the flaw of the Etz HaDa'as Tov v'Ra, in which the mazona d'gufa overpowered. As it is brought in the Midrash that the three years of orla one waits is the rectification of the eating from the Etz HaDa'as, as they said there: "Who will remove the dust from your eyes, Adam HaRishon! For you were unable to wait even one hour — and behold, your children wait three years!" Thus it emerges that through waiting the three years of orla one rectifies the sin of Adam HaRishon, for one weakens the mazona d'gufa, as above. And through this the mazona d'nishm'sa is strengthened — which is the rectification of da'as, the three mochin that are the three partitions spread against the desire for immorality, as above. Therefore the three years of orla are specifically called orla — for orla is the flaw of the bris. That is, through these three years of orla one subdues the flaw of the bris, through waiting these three years and not eating the fruit, subduing the mazona d'gufa — through which the mazona d'nishm'sa is strengthened, which is the rectification of da'as, that is, the three mochin, as above. And therefore the three years of orla apply specifically to fruit trees — for there one must especially rectify the flaw of the sin of Adam HaRishon, whose sin was in the species of tree, for he ate from the Etz HaDa'as. Therefore the essential hold of the orla years is in tree species, and therefore specifically in tree species one must wait the three years of orla — to rectify through this the sin of Adam HaRishon, as above. Section 4. And this is the bechinas of neta revai (fourth-year planting), as it is written: "And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, hillulim to Hashem." For after the three years of orla — during which the sitra achara holds sway over the fruit and one is completely forbidden to eat the fruit, so that the mazona d'gufa should not overpower — after these three years one still cannot eat the fruit unless one first rectifies them from the flaw of the hold of the Etz HaDa'as, until the fruit is in the bechinas of mazona d'nishm'sa — which is the bechinas rei'ach, the bechinas yira — drawn down through the Voice, which is the bechinas of the melody that will be awakened in the future, which is the shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba (simple, doubled, tripled, quadrupled song) — which is the ten types of melody, as explained well there in the ma'amar. This is accomplished by bringing the fruit in the fourth year up to Yerushalayim, where all the fragrances and yiros (awe-states) are — for Yerushalayim is named for yira, the bechinas yira shalem (complete awe), as is brought. And there are all good fragrances, for there is Har HaMoriya, named for the fragrance of the incense (k'tores). For in Yerushalayim there are ten levels of holiness, which are the bechinas of ten types of melody — which are the entirety of holiness. Therefore in Yerushalayim all the sacrifices (korbanos) are eaten, for the korbanos atone, and then the sins (avonos) are transformed into merits (zchuyos), and then all the sins raise up good fragrance — the bechinas of "My spikenard gave forth its scent." And this is the bechinas of rei'ach nicho'ach (a pleasing fragrance) said of all the korbanos — for through the korbanos that atone, the bechinas of good fragrance is drawn down, for even the sins now raise up good fragrance through the korbanos that atone, as above. And this is the bechinas of eating the korbanos in Yerushalayim — for when one merits the good fragrance through the korbanos that atone, the eating is in the bechinas of mazona d'nishm'sa, which is the bechinas rei'ach, as above. And therefore they are eaten in Yerushalayim and the Beis HaMikdosh, for there are all the fragrances and yiros, as above. And therefore there the eating is in the bechinas of mazona d'nishm'sa, the bechinas rei'ach, as above. And this is the bechinas of eating neta revai in Yerushalayim — in order to elevate the fruit from the bechinas of the three years of orla, from the bechinas of mazona d'gufa, which is the bechinas of eating from the Etz HaDa'as Tov v'Ra whose sin was in tree-species. Therefore in the fourth year the fruit must be clarified from this flaw, and this is accomplished by bringing them to Yerushalayim and eating them there — for there the eating is in the bechinas of mazona d'nishm'sa, the bechinas rei'ach, the bechinas yira, as above. And this is: "And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, hillulim to Hashem" — that then one merits to eat the fruit in Yerushalayim where all the fragrances grow through the aforementioned Voice, which is the ten types of melody encompassed in Yerushalayim and the Beis HaMikdosh, where the Levi'im engage in their song and their music. And this is the bechinas of kodesh hillulim to Hashem — hillulim specifically, the bechinas of ten types of melody, which are the ten hillulim of the bechinas of "Hallelu Kel b'kodsho, halleluhu bir'kia uzo…" (Tehillim 150) — which are ten hillulim corresponding to the ten types of melody stated in the Book of Tehillim, which is the bechinas of the aforementioned Voice that waters the garden, through which all the good fragrances grow, and through which the fruit is rectified in the fourth year, emerging and being clarified from the bechinas orla, from the bechinas flaw of the Etz HaDa'as, from the bechinas of mazona d'gufa — for they are eaten in Yerushalayim where all the fragrances are, through the ten types of melody, through which the eating is holy in the bechinas of mazona d'nishm'sa. And this is: "And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, hillulim to Hashem — hillulim specifically," as above. And this is accomplished in the fourth year specifically, for then, by bringing the fruit to Yerushalayim, one awakens the shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba that one merits to be awakened then — through having waited the three years of orla and in the fourth year having brought the fruit to Yerushalayim, where all the fragrances and yiros grow through the aforementioned Voice of melody, which is the shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba, as above. Section 5. Therefore the New Year for Trees (Rosh HaShana l'ilanot) is in the month of Shevat — for Shevat is the eleventh month, and then Moshe undertook to explain the Torah, as it is written: "And it was in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, Moshe undertook to explain the Torah…" (Devarim 1). For Moshe then delivered rebuke to Israel, as it is written there: "These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel" — and Rashi explains that these are words of rebuke, for he recalled there all the sins of Israel: "In the wilderness, in the plain…" and so on. And when Moshe rebuked Israel he was awakening the Voice that waters the garden — through which all the sins raise up good fragrance — and specifically through this could he rebuke them, for this is the bechinas of the rebuke of Moshe, as explained there in the ma'amar. Now how beautiful and how pleasing is the juxtaposition — that the rebuke of Moshe is placed next to the war against Og, King of Bashan: "These are the words… after he smote Sichon… and Og, King of Bashan…" For the war of Og is through the aforementioned Voice, as above — specifically through which one can rebuke Israel in the bechinas of the rebuke of Moshe, as explained well there in the ma'amar. For all the matters of the ma'amar are encompassed in the war of Og that Moshe defeated — see there. And therefore Moshe could not rebuke Israel until he had defeated and killed Og, for then he merited the aforementioned Voice that waters the garden — through which even all the sins raise up good fragrance, as above — and specifically thereby could he rebuke them. This is: "These are the words… in the wilderness, in the plain…" — rebuke — "after his smiting…and Og, King of Bashan" — for specifically through this could he rebuke them, since through the war of Og he merited the aforementioned Voice, through which even all the sins raise up good fragrance, as above — and thereby could he rebuke them, as above. And this is: "And it was… in the eleventh month" — that is, in Shevat, which is the New Year for Trees — for the war of Og, that is, subduing the sitra achara that suckled from the da'as, requires prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, through which one draws out all the vitality from the klippa and converts are made, and through this one merits the aforementioned Voice through which all the fragrances grow, as above. And this is the bechinas of the eleven spices of the k'tores — for through them all the sparks of holiness are clarified from the klippos. For the clarification of holiness from the klippos through the eleven spices of the k'tores is the bechinas of what draws out the vitality from the klippa through the prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach. For holiness is always in the bechinas of ten — there is no matter of holiness with fewer than ten — but the vitality of the klippos is in the bechinas of eleven, as is known: this being the bechinas of the eleven chieftains of Eisav (alufei Eisav), the bechinas of the eleven curtains of goat-hair. And this is the bechinas of the eleven spices of the k'tores — for since through the k'tores they needed to clarify holiness from the depths of the klippos, the k'tores had specifically eleven spices, in order to subdue and sweeten the din at its root — that is, the klippos which are the bechinas of the intensification of din, whose suckling and vitality is in the bechinas of eleven — are subdued at their very root, specifically through the eleven spices of the k'tores, which is the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din — that is, one prays a prayer in the bechinas of din that seems to belong to them, since they are bechinas dinim, and thereby specifically their vitality is drawn out. Similarly, specifically eleven spices of k'tores were brought — for these are the bechinas dinim, since the dinim that are the hold of the klippos suckle from the bechinas of eleven. But the power of the k'tores is so great that specifically through it — through the eleven spices — their vitality is drawn out, in the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din through which specifically the vitality is drawn from the klippos, as above. And this is the bechinas of chelbena whose smell is foul, that was in the k'tores — for they were compelled to mix chelbena whose smell is foul into the k'tores, and through this the k'tores was in the bechinas of din — from which the chelbena whose smell is foul draws. And specifically through this the k'tores would clarify all the clarifications from the klippos, and they were included in holiness, until even the chelbena was included in the k'tores and raised up a good fragrance — this being the bechinas of sins transformed into merits, that even the sins raise up good fragrance, the bechinas of "My spikenard gave forth its scent." For together with the chelbena there were eleven spices — without the chelbena there would have been only ten spices, but with the chelbena there were eleven — and specifically through this the k'tores was in the bechinas of prayer in bechinas of din, which is the number eleven, the bechinas of chelbena. And therefore the k'tores would descend to the very depths of the klippos to clarify all the clarifications from there — for the sitra achara wanted to swallow and suckle from the k'tores since it was in the bechinas of din, as above. But through the enormous strength and power of the k'tores it stood in their very gullet until they were compelled by the k'tores to vomit up all the holinesses they had swallowed, and specifically through them all the clarifications were clarified, until one merited the good fragrance — the mazona d'nishm'sa — through the k'tores specifically, which is the good fragrance, for even the chelbena was transformed to good fragrance, the bechinas of "My spikenard gave forth its scent," as above. Thus the eleven spices of the k'tores are the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din — through which one merits the good fragrance that is the mazona d'nishm'sa, which is the rectification of the sin of Etz HaDa'as Tov v'Ra, as above. Therefore the New Year for Trees is in Shevat, the eleventh month — for then one can clarify and rectify the sin of Adam HaRishon who sinned with the Etz HaDa'as, whose rectification is through the eleven spices of the k'tores, which is the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din. And therefore then is the New Year for Trees, since his sin was in a species of tree. Therefore in Shevat, the eleventh month, is the time of rectification, and therefore then is the New Year for Trees with regard to orla and neta revai — for orla and neta revai are the rectification of the Etz HaDa'as, as above. And therefore in the eleventh month Moshe undertook to explain the Torah, after having smitten Og — for then is the essential rectification of the war of Og, which is through prayer in the bechinas of din, which is the bechinas of the eleven spices of the k'tores, the bechinas of the eleventh month — when the sitra achara vomits up all the holiness and all the da'as that it swallowed. And then the true tzaddik, the bechinas of Moshe, merits great da'as — that is, the revelation of Torah — and through this can rebuke Israel, as above. And therefore then Moshe rebuked Israel and then undertook to explain the Torah. For all this was accomplished through prayer in the bechinas of din, which is the bechinas of the war of Og, the bechinas of the eleven spices of the k'tores, the bechinas of the eleventh month, in which is the New Year for Trees, which is the rectification of the flaw of the Etz HaDa'as. Section 6. And this is the bechinas of what Moshe began his rebuke with: "Eleven days from Chorev, by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea" (Devarim 1). For the essential rebuke is through the bechinas of eleven, which is the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din, from which the klippos suckle — and specifically thereby are they subdued, for it stands in their very gullet, as above. And this is the bechinas of eleven days from Chorev — that when one wishes to destroy the dwelling of the klippos, one must then travel by way of Mount Seir to extract the vitality from there. Therefore one needs for this the bechinas of eleven days — that is, the bechinas of the eleven spices of the k'tores, which is the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din that stands in their gullet. And then the sitra achara must disgorge and vomit up all the holiness it swallowed, until it vomits up even the very core of its own vitality. And this is "to Kadesh Barnea" — that it is compelled to shake and expel all the holiness outward. And this is Barnea — a language of vomiting, that it expels its phlegm and discharge outward — that is, the sitra achara vomits and disgorges outward all the holinesses it swallowed. And this is accomplished through prayer in the bechinas of din, which is the bechinas of eleven days, the bechinas of eleven spices of the k'tores, the bechinas of the eleventh month, as above. Section 7. And this is the bechinas of: "Incense (k'tores) gladdens the heart." For through the eleven spices of the k'tores one merits the aforementioned Voice, which is the bechinas of ten types of melody, which are the bechinas of joy — as it is written: "Upon a ten-stringed instrument and upon the harp… for You have gladdened me, Hashem, with Your deeds" (Tehillim 92). And therefore this verse is said in the psalm "A song for the Shabbos day" which Adam HaRishon said after his teshuva — for the ten types of melody, the bechinas of "upon a ten-stringed instrument and upon the harp," are the rectification of the sin of the Etz HaDa'as — the overpowering of the mazona d'gufa. For the ten types of melody are the bechinas of the Voice that waters the garden, through which all the fragrances grow — the mazona d'nishm'sa, as above. Section 8. And this is the bechinas of Yosef HaTzaddik — he was the eleventh tribe according to the order of their births. For the essential clarification of holiness from the klippos was through Yosef HaTzaddik, in the bechinas of: "Elokim has gathered my disgrace" — said of Yosef — for through him all the disgraces, which are the klippos, are gathered and nullified. For Yosef was a great ba'al ko'ach — for he conquered his desire and stood fast in the trial, which is the essential strength and courage of the aforementioned ba'al ko'ach, as in the saying: "Who is mighty? One who conquers his desire" (Avos, ch. 4). Therefore Yosef descended to Egypt before Israel — for the sitra achara thought it would swallow Yosef, since his descent to Egypt was through his being clothed in the bechinas of din. For he would bring their evil reports to their father — which is the bechinas of din — and through this he was sold to Egypt, and even Ya'akov himself feared lest he be swallowed among the sitra achara, as he said: "Yosef has been torn apart — a wild beast has devoured him." "Has devoured him" specifically — for he thought that the sitra achara had swallowed and consumed him. But Yosef was a great ba'al ko'ach. And then, on the contrary — through descending to Egypt he drew out from them all the holinesses they had swallowed through the sin of Adam HaRishon, and clarified all the sparks from Egypt. Therefore the essential redemption was through Yosef HaTzaddik, as it is written: "G-d will surely remember you, and you shall bring up my bones from here." And as it is written: "And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him." For the essential exodus from Egypt was through prayer in the aforementioned bechinas of din, as understood from the ma'amar — this being the bechinas of: "Cast it before Pharaoh — let it become a serpent (tanin)", as explained there. And all this was through Yosef, for he was a great ba'al ko'ach, as above. And therefore the splitting of the Sea of Reeds was in the merit of Yosef HaTzaddik, as it is written: "The sea saw and fled" — and our Sages expounded: "The sea saw and fled, and went out." For the splitting of the Sea of Reeds is the bechinas of: "You broke the sea with Your strength" — which is through prayer in the bechinas of din, which is the mateh oz (staff of strength), as explained there in the ma'amar. And this was accomplished through Yosef, as above. Section 9. And therefore the essential power of Pinchas — that he prayed a prayer in the bechinas of din at the time that he zealously acted over the matter of Zimri — his essential power came from being of the seed of Yosef HaTzaddik. As it is written: "And Elazar son of Aharon took a wife from the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Pinchas." Our Sages expounded: from the seed of Yosef who subdued his desire, and from the seed of Yisro who fattened calves for idol worship — for Yisro is associated with Yosef. And therefore they were joined together, for through Yosef, the aforementioned ba'al ko'ach, converts are made — which is the bechinas of Yisro — for through this the sitra achara is compelled to disgorge even the core of its own vitality, as explained there in the ma'amar. Therefore from Yosef and from Yisro, who are related to each other as above, from both was born Pinchas, who was also a ba'al ko'ach and prayed a prayer in the bechinas of din in the matter of Zimri — through which converts are made, as above. Section 10. And this is the bechinas of the eleven curses and eleven blessings with which Moshe blessed the tribes — excluding Shimon. And because he did not bless him, he did not say a curse against him either — for the matter of Zimri was in the tribe of Shimon, since Shimon is the tukpa d'dina (the very force of din), as is brought, and therefore there the desire for immorality intensified most — for all the twenty-four thousand who fell in the matter of Zimri were all from the tribe of Shimon, as Rashi explains there. And it was not possible to subdue them except through Pinchas, who was a great ba'al ko'ach who prayed a prayer in the bechinas of din. And prayer in the bechinas of din is in the bechinas of eleven, the bechinas of the eleven spices of the k'tores — which is the bechinas of Yosef, who was born as the eleventh, and Pinchas came from his descendants, as above. For the essential subduing of the klippos is at their root specifically, that is, in the bechinas of eleven, as above. And therefore Moshe stated eleven curses and eleven blessings, excluding the tribe of Shimon — to teach that the subduing of the intense din of Shimon, that is, the desire for immorality, is through the bechinas of eleven — the eleven spices of the k'tores — which is the bechinas of prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, which is the bechinas of Pinchas who zealously acted over the matter of Zimri, who was from the tribe of Shimon. Therefore the New Year for Trees, which is the rectification of the sin of the Etz HaDa'as that sinned with tree-species, is in the month of Shevat, the eleventh month — for the essential rectification is through the bechinas of eleven, the eleven spices of the k'tores, as above. Section 11. And this is the bechinas of what is stated: "There are four New Year's Days" (Rosh HaShana 1) — for at each New Year's Day the prayer is in the bechinas of din, as mentioned in the ma'amar regarding the essential Rosh HaShana. And similarly for all four New Year's Days — which are days of judgment — for the essential clarification of dinim is through the moach (intellect), which is the head (rosh), for "all things are clarified in thought." Therefore at all the Roshei Shanim (New Year's Days) — which are in the bechinas of heads, the bechinas of the moach — one must then sweeten the dinim, that is, clarify and extract all the vitality of holiness from the klippos — which is the essential sweetening of the dinim, when one nullifies the hold of the klippos in which they grip. And the essential clarification is through prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, as above. And then one merits the shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba. And this is the bechinas of the four New Year's Days — the bechinas of shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba — which one merits through prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, employing this prayer at the four New Year's Days in order to clarify the holy da'as from the klippos, to perfect and complete the holy da'as, which is the bechinas of head, the bechinas of Roshei Shanim, as above. Section 12. And this is the bechinas of why Shiras HaYam (the Song of the Sea) is read always in the month of Shevat, close to the fifteenth of Shevat, which is the New Year for Trees. For the fifteenth of Shevat is always close to Shabbas Shira (the Sabbath of Song), and sometimes Shabbas Shira falls on the fifteenth of Shevat itself. For the fifteenth of Shevat — which is the New Year for Trees with regard to orla and neta revai, the bechinas of the rectification of the sin of Adam HaRishon through the Voice that waters the garden, which is the shir pashut kaful meshulash meruba — is accomplished through prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, as above. All this is the bechinas of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the bechinas of: "You broke the sea with Your strength," as explained well in the ma'amar. And this is the bechinas of Shiras HaYam — for through the aforementioned mateh oz through which was the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, one merits the song, the bechinas of shir pashut etc., as above. Therefore Shiras HaYam is read in Shevat close to the fifteenth — the New Year for Trees — for this is the bechinas of this rectification, as above. Section 13. Therefore when Ya'akov went out to meet Eisav he prayed a prayer in the bechinas of din, as it is written: "I am diminished (katonti) by all the kindnesses…" — the bechinas of smallness of the kindnesses, that is, he prayed his prayer in the bechinas of smallness of kindnesses, the bechinas of din — for he needed to battle with Eisav, who is Amalek from whom he descended, who is the impurity of the serpent, as is known. Therefore against him he needed prayer in the bechinas of din, in order to extract from him the vitality — all the da'as that it swallowed from holiness, as above. Section 14. And this is the bechinas of the birthright (bechora) that Ya'akov took from Eisav through guile, by feeding him of "the red, the red stuff." For the bechora is the bechinas da'as — the firstborn is the beginning (reishis), the bechinas reishis da'as, as brought elsewhere. And therefore through feeding him of "the red, the red" — which is the bechinas dinim, the bechinas prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, that stands in its very gullet, as above — through this he drew out from him all the da'as that it had swallowed from holiness, which is the bechinas of the bechora that it sold him. For the bechora is the bechinas da'as, as above. And therefore Ya'akov transmitted this power of prayer in the bechinas of din to Yosef, as it is written: "And I, I have given you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Emorite with my sword and with my bow." Rashi explains: this is the bechora that he took from Eisav through his prayer and supplication — as above. For the bechora, which is the holy da'as that Eisav (the serpent) swallowed through the sin of Adam HaRishon, Ya'akov extracted from him through his prayer and supplication, called sword and bow — which are instruments of war and din: prayer in the bechinas of din, as above. And therefore he transmitted this to Yosef — for Yosef was a ba'al ko'ach and was able to extract all the holiness from the klippos and the sitra achara through prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, as above. And this is the bechinas of: "Reuven, you are my firstborn, my strength and the beginning of my vigor" — that he would have been fitting to receive the bechora, which is the da'as I extracted from Eisav through my strength and the beginning of my vigor — through this same great strength, for the core of his power was through guarding his covenant, as above. For the essential power is through guarding the covenant, as above. And through my great strength I secured the bechora from Eisav. But "unstable as water" — therefore the bechora was given to Yosef, who was a great ba'al ko'ach through having stood fast in the trial, and therefore merited the bechora — which is the da'as drawn out from the sitra achara, the bechinas of Eisav — through prayer in the bechinas of din of the ba'al ko'ach, as above. Section 15. Therefore the essential selling of Yosef was through Shimon — as Rashi explains on the verse "And he took Shimon and bound him before their eyes": he was the one who cast him into the pit; he said to his brothers: "Come, let us kill him." For Shimon, who was the tukpa d'dina, afterwards had the desire for immorality intensify most in his tribe — for all the twenty-four thousand who fell in the matter of Zimri were all from the tribe of Shimon, as Rashi explains there. Therefore he wished to contend with Yosef, who is the bechinas bris — for the adversarial force wished to overpower Yosef through the intense din of Shimon. But Yosef was such a great ba'al ko'ach that he merited to subdue and nullify the intense din of Shimon, in the bechinas of: "And he took Shimon and bound him." For Yosef drew out all the holiness from the sitra achara through his enormous strength from having stood fast in the trial, as above. And therefore he merited that Pinchas descended from him — who zealously acted over the matter of Zimri, who was from the tribe of Shimon — and his subduing was through Pinchas, who was from the seed of Yosef, as above. And this is the bechinas of: "For Hashem heard that I am hated — and she called his name Shimon." For the rectification and sweetening of the bechinas of Shimon, which is the intensity of din, is through prayer in the bechinas of din — through which one merits the rebuke that causes even all the sins to raise up good fragrance, as above. And this is: "For Hashem heard that I am hated" — the bechinas of the one who rebukes Israel, who is hated, as our Sages said: "That Torah scholar who is beloved by the people of his town — it is because he does not rebuke them in matters of Heaven." Thus it emerges that the one who rebukes is hated. And this matter has been brought in the words of Rabbaynu of blessed memory elsewhere (Likutay Moharan I:10) in connection with this verse. Therefore she named him Shimon after the rebuke that is called "hated," as above. For the essential rectification and sweetening of the bechinas of Shimon is through the prayer of the ba'al ko'ach, through which one merits the rebuke of Moshe, which added and bestowed good fragrance upon Israel through his rebuking them — the bechinas of "My spikenard gave forth its scent," as above. The Matter of the Three Years of Orla, and in the Fourth Year the Fruits Must Be Brought Up to Yerushalayim, etc. Section 1. In accordance with the Torah "Sound the Tekia" (Likutay Moharan II:1) — and the general principle relevant to our subject: the Jewish person was created to have dominion over the angels, etc. But one must guard oneself greatly from the jealousy of the angels, lest they push him away, Heaven forbid. The counsel for this is to hold fast to the roots of the souls of Israel, which are hewn from beneath the Throne of Glory — this being the bechinas of Chava, the mother of all life, which is the bechinas of: "And Hashem Elokim built the rib," etc. But one must recognize the m'fursomim [the well-known figures] among them in whom all the souls are included — for there are various false m'fursomim whose entire greatness derives only from brazenness, for brazenness is a kingship without a crown. This one attains through the building of Yerushalayim, which is the bechinas of the completeness of the awe that depends upon the heart, etc. For this one must break the three lusts which spoil the awe in the heart: the lust for money, the lust for sexual immorality, and the lust for eating. To merit emerging from these lusts, one must properly receive the three pilgrim festivals (sholosh r'golim), etc. — see there. And thereby one merits awe, which is the bechinas of the building of Yerushalayim. And through this one merits prayer, which is the word of Hashem, etc., etc. — through which one merits to hold fast to the roots of the souls, and then one's dominion over the angels will be sustained, etc. And then one can "make" Rosh HaShana, etc. — see there, all of this well. Section 2. This is the bechinas of the three years of orla, which serve to rectify the sin of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — as is hinted in the words of our Sages of blessed memory who said: "Who will remove the dust from your eyes, O Adam HaRishon! — for behold your children wait three years," etc., as explained in the Midrash. For Adam HaRishon was created to have dominion over the angels, and so it was — he did indeed have dominion over them before the sin, as is explained in the Zohar and the Midrashim regarding the enormous greatness and dominion over the angels that Adam HaRishon possessed before the sin. As our Sages of blessed memory said: the angels would roast flesh for him and filter wine for him, etc. And because of this very thing the angels became intensely jealous of him, until the Samael provoked him, etc., as is explained in those places — for Hashem blessed be He knew that the angels would be jealous of him, and therefore hinted to him that he should hold fast to the roots of the souls, which are the bechinas of Chava, the mother of all life — this being the bechinas of "And Hashem Elokim built the rib," etc., which was said regarding Adam HaRishon. For Chava was the mother of all life, who was comprised of all souls. But he needed to take great care not to attach himself to the souls of the false m'fursomim, who derive their standing only from brazenness, as above. For they were already present in their roots in that time, being from the bechinas of the nine hundred and seventy-four generations that existed before the creation of the world — they are the brazen-faced of the generation, and they are the leaders of the people, as is brought in the holy Zohar. And because Adam HaRishon needed to guard himself from them, therefore Hashem blessed be He commanded him: "Of every tree of the garden you shall surely eat, but of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil you shall not eat" — for the trees of the garden are the bechinas of holy souls, as it says in the holy Zohar: "all souls go forth from the great Tree." For all the trees of Gan Eden draw nourishment and receive from the bechinas of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the garden, which comprises all the souls hewn from the Throne of Glory — for the Tree of Life stands beneath the Throne of Glory, through which all souls descend and ascend when they need to come to this world from there, and likewise in the reverse direction when they need to return and ascend from this world to their place and their root, for all of them must descend and ascend through the Tree of Life, as is known. But there is a Tree of Knowledge in the garden, which is the bechinas of the root of the souls of the false m'fursomim, who are the bechinas of the brazen-faced of the generation — this is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for they are intermingled from good and evil. For certainly any false mefursam necessarily has some good in him, for without that he would have no power to draw souls of Israel after him — since it is the nature of Jewish souls to be drawn only toward good. And therefore certainly it is impossible for there to be a false mefursam except when he has a little good, in the bechinas of: "Any falsehood which has no truth at its beginning cannot endure," etc. Only the evil and falsehood in him outweigh the good — this being the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And through this Adam HaRishon was commanded: "Of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil you shall not eat" — so that he would not attach himself and bind himself to the roots of the souls of the false m'fursomim, who are the bechinas of the brazen-faced ones who were withered before their time. But the Samael provoked him and incited him to transgress this very commandment — to eat from the Tree of Knowledge — and through this he no longer had the strength to stand in his dominion over the angels, and they pushed and toppled him, in the bechinas of: "For on the day you eat from it you shall surely die." "He who descends from his level — of him it is said, 'and he died'" — as it says in the holy Zohar (Nasso, 135b). For through the sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge he damaged all three lusts mentioned above, which needed to be broken in order to know how to recognize the roots of the souls of the brazen-faced ones, etc.: the lust for money, immorality, and eating, as above in that Torah teaching. And he damaged all of them through eating from the Tree of Knowledge. And this is what is written: "And the woman saw that the tree was good for food" — this is the lust for eating; "and that it was a delight to the eyes" — this is the bechinas of the lust for immorality, which depends on the eyes, as it is written: "and you shall not go astray after your heart and after your eyes"; "and the tree was desirable" — this is the bechinas of the lust for money, regarding which it says: "Do not covet." And since he damaged all three lusts, certainly he no longer had the strength to stand in his dominion, etc., as above. Section 3. This is the bechinas of the three years of orla: when one plants a fruit tree, one must wait three years of orla. Precisely three years — corresponding to the three lusts above — in order to break and nullify those three lusts, so as to guard the tree from drawing nourishment from the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — Heaven forbid — from the bechinas of the roots of the souls of the false m'fursomim, so that its nourishment should come only from the bechinas of the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, etc. And this is: "And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a hillulim to Hashem" — that one must bring the fruits up to Yerushalayim — meaning as above: that after one merits to subdue the three lusts above, which are the bechinas of the three years of orla as above, one then merits the bechinas of building Yerushalayim, which is perfect awe resting in the heart. And therefore after the three years of orla one must bring the fruits up to Yerushalayim, which is the bechinas of yira sholom attained by subduing the three lusts, through refraining from eating the fruits during the three years of orla, as above. And through the bechinas of building Yerushalayim one merits prayer, as above in that Torah teaching. And this is: "And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a hillulim to Hashem." "Kodesh hillulim" precisely — the bechinas of prayer, which is praises and hillulim to Hashem, attained through the bechinas of building Yerushalayim, attained by subduing the three lusts above — this being the bechinas of the prohibition of eating the fruits during the three years of orla, and the netah r'vai: bringing the fruits in the fourth year to Yerushalayim, as above. Section 4. And then one can "make" Rosh HaShana, as explained in that Torah teaching. And this is the bechinas of the tekios whose acronym is kuf-shin-tav [Tekia, Shevorim, Terua], which are the bechinas of the patriarchs — Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov — as is brought: for the three patriarchs are the bechinas of the three pilgrim festivals, since Pesach corresponds to Avraham, etc. That is, through the tekios — Tekia, Shevorim, Terua — the bechinas of kuf-shin-tav, the bechinas of the three patriarchs — through this one rouses the power of the three pilgrim festivals, through which one subdues the three lusts above. Through this one merits awe — in the bechinas of: "If a shofar is blown in a city and the people do not tremble" — this being the bechinas of Rosh HaShana, when a great awe is drawn down in the bechinas of "Therefore let Your fear fall," etc., "and Your dread," etc. And through this one merits prayer, for the essential construction of prayer is on Rosh HaShana, as is explained in the kavvanos. And through prayer — which is the word of Hashem, in the bechinas of: "By the word of Hashem the heavens were made" — one merits that the brazenness of the brazen-faced falls and is nullified, etc. And then one can attach oneself to the roots of the holy souls — through which one can "make" Rosh HaShana, as explained in that Torah teaching. It is thus found that the essential bechinas of Rosh HaShana comes about through the tekios, which are the bechinas of the three pilgrim festivals that subdue the three lusts above. Through this one merits all the bechinohs described there, until one merits to "make" Rosh HaShana. And therefore it is called Rosh HaShana "yom terua" — a day of the terua blast — for the essential bechinas of Rosh HaShana comes about through the three sounds of the shofar, which are the bechinas of the three pilgrim festivals. And all of this is the rectification of Adam HaRishon's sin — who was created to have dominion over the angels, and damaged this, etc., as above. For all his sin was on Rosh HaShana — the day he was created — and on that day he was supposed to draw down all the rectifications mentioned above. Through this he would have merited the holiness of Rosh HaShana and all would have been rectified, but he damaged this on that very day. Therefore all our rectification now is through Rosh HaShana — when we must gather many souls on Rosh HaShana to the true tzaddikim, who are the true roots of the souls of Israel, who can "make" Rosh HaShana — through which everything is rectified. Amen and amen. Section 5. For the essential head and beginning of all rectifications is through Rosh HaShana — "Rosh" [head] precisely. For Rosh HaShana is the first day of teshuvah, that is, the beginning of teshuvah, for it is then the first of the Ten Days of Teshuvah. For in truth the beginning of teshuvah and rectification is very difficult and heavy, since it is very hard to know and find the head and the beginning — for in general all the rectifications and counsel each depend upon one another, and because of this it is difficult to find the head and the beginning. For example, in this Torah teaching it is explained that one must arrive at the ultimate goal: that his dominion over the angels should be sustained. For this one must properly receive the three pilgrim festivals, through which one breaks the three lusts above, through which one merits the awe in the heart — through which an angel is created that draws down prophecy, etc. — through which one merits prayer, etc., etc. — through which the brazenness of the brazen-faced falls, etc., and then one can attach to the roots of souls, through which the dominion is sustained, etc., and then one can "make" Rosh HaShana, etc. — see there. It is found that according to the structure of this holy Torah teaching, the essential beginning is from the three pilgrim festivals — that through properly receiving the three pilgrim festivals, one merits to break the three lusts above, until one merits all the bechinohs above. And in truth certainly whoever merits to be strong and go on this path — who is strong to receive the three pilgrim festivals properly and draws the da'as upon himself through the three pilgrim festivals, and through this breaks all three lusts, until he merits all the above — certainly praiseworthy is he. But because of our many sins the counsel has been lost from us — for even the counsel itself is heavy and difficult for us to fulfill, for we do not know how to merit to receive the three pilgrim festivals properly, in a manner that we could renew our mind and understanding at each and every festival, until we merit through the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals to break and nullify all three lusts above. And therefore we have not yet merited to break all three lusts properly, and because of this we are far from all the rectifications above. And moreover because of this very thing — that we are far from properly breaking the three lusts — since the three lusts are the opposite of the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals, certainly as long as one has not nullified these three lusts he is far from the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals, because these three lusts are the opposite of the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals, as above. Therefore it is difficult and heavy to find the head and the beginning — and so it is with most of the counsel and rectifications: it is difficult and heavy to find the head and the beginning, since in general each one depends upon the other, and no one knows from where to begin — as Rabbaynu of blessed memory has explained this elsewhere. Therefore the essential head and beginning of all the rectifications in the world is through Rosh HaShana. And therefore it is called Rosh HaShana — "Rosh" precisely — for there is the essential head and beginning for entering the service of Hashem, for it is the first day of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, that is, the beginning of teshuvah and rectification. Section 6. For the reason it is difficult to find the way to return to Hashem blessed be He is because of the sin of Adam HaRishon and because of the abundance of our sins — through which all places and paths have become confused, making it difficult to find the way to return to Him. For the essence of teshuvah is to return the matter to the place from which it was taken, in the bechinas of: "An arrow that is shot to the place from which it was taken" (as explained in Siman 35). But because of our many sins it is very hard for us to find our place — to know how to return to the place from which we were hewn. And this is what Hashem blessed be He asked Iyov about, when He challenged him for having harbored doubts about His ways: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "Where were you?" — meaning, where was your portion, where was it in Adam HaRishon? For Adam HaRishon was comprised of all souls, and Hashem asked him whether he knew where his place had been in the stature of Adam HaRishon — as is brought extensively in the writings of the holy Arizal in Sefer HaGilgulim, see there. That is, Hashem asked him whether he had already merited complete teshuvah — to return to the place from which he was taken — and since he still did not know his place in the stature of Adam HaRishon, certainly he had not yet merited complete teshuvah to return to the place from which he was taken. And since he still did not know his place, and because of this all that befell him befell him — for everything Hashem brings upon a person is all for his good, to return him to the straight path, and Hashem causes things to unfold with a person in many ways, according to what He knows of the place of each individual — for He knows how to bring about with each person those gilgulim and circumstances appropriate for him. And since no one can know the place of every individual from beginning to end, it is therefore impossible to understand His ways, and because of this it is very difficult to find the head and the beginning of teshuvah — since no one can know his own place, because from the sin of Adam HaRishon many souls fell from him and their places became greatly confused, and likewise through the sins of each individual. Therefore the essential rectification of teshuvah can only begin through the true tzaddikim who grasp the Throne of Glory — that is, the roots of the souls of Israel — who can "make" Rosh HaShana, for they are in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam [the place of the world] and know the place of each individual from beginning to end. And they know how to "make" Rosh HaShana — which is yoma d'dina, to judge every individual toward the scale of merit — as explained in this Torah teaching: because they know the roots of all souls and are in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, and know the place of every individual from beginning to end, they can judge everything toward the scale of merit and "make" Rosh HaShana — the first day of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, the beginning of teshuvah. For they find merit for everyone according to his place — they know how to incline even the worst of the worst to the scale of merit, for this is the essence of the merit they find for him: in order to turn him toward life — to truly bring him to the scale of merit, to restore him in complete teshuvah truly. For apart from this, everything is vanity and there is no merit or good in the world except when through this merit one will merit some true and eternal good to arrive at the true ultimate purpose. And therefore certainly the true tzaddikim who can "make" Rosh HaShana judge everything toward the scale of merit according to the place of each individual — and the main thing is that through this they truly bring them to the scale of merit and introduce into them thoughts of teshuvah. And this is what we see with our own eyes: that on Rosh HaShana and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, some thought of teshuvah reaches every individual of Israel and all cry out to Hashem from the depth of their heart. And from where does this come? All of this is drawn only from the true tzaddikim who can "make" Rosh HaShana — because they know the place of each individual, as above — through which they judge all toward the scale of merit and truly bring all into the scale of merit, and introduce into them thoughts of teshuvah, and illuminate for them in their minds the root of the counsel and the head and the beginning of entering into the paths of teshuvah — the essence of which is to cry out to Hashem constantly from the depth of the heart. This is the essential bechinas of Rosh HaShana and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, and the essence is Rosh HaShana itself, which is the head and the beginning — when everything begins with the true beginning, which is to cry out to Hashem from the depth of the heart, in the bechinas of: "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem — from the depths of depths." And all of this is drawn upon each individual of Israel from the great tzaddikim who know the place of each and every one, as above — who judge all toward the scale of merit and make Rosh HaShana, as above. And from there is the essential beginning of teshuvah for each individual of Israel. And therefore one must travel to true tzaddikim for Rosh HaShana, for from them is the essential holiness of Rosh HaShana. For even those far from them who do not travel to them — all of them still receive from them the holiness of Rosh HaShana, which is the awakening of teshuvah, as above. But certainly all those who draw close to them and travel to them for Rosh HaShana — they are certainly the primary receivers of the holiness of Rosh HaShana, which is drawn only from the tzaddikim, as above. Section 7. It is thus found that the essential head and beginning comes from Rosh HaShana, as above. And the essential beginning is that on Rosh HaShana everyone begins to cry out from the depth of the heart to Hashem blessed be He, in the bechinas of "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem." And this beginning flows throughout the entire year upon everyone who wishes to return — at whatever time that may be — for the essential beginning flows from the bechinas of Rosh HaShana, that is, from the bechinas of "From the depths I called to You" — namely, to cry out to Hashem blessed be He for the path to teshuvah, that He illuminate one's eyes to know from where to begin returning to Him. And this is the bechinas of: "Throne of Glory, exalted from the beginning, the place of our Sanctuary." "Throne of Glory" — this is the bechinas of the roots of the souls of Israel, which is the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, as above — there is the root of the beginning and the start of every individual. For there is the place of each and every one. And this is "exalted from the beginning" — meaning the Throne of Glory, the roots of the souls of Israel, the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, is exalted above the beginning and start of every individual — for it is elevated above all the places which are the bechinas of the beginning of each individual, since all places are comprised within it, and it is above all the places which are the bechinas of the beginning of each individual, as above. And this is "the place of our Sanctuary" — for through this bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, etc., as above — one can sanctify and purify the place of each and every individual, through knowing the place of each individual — through which one can judge him toward merit and find him an opening to teshuvah, and illuminate for him the place and the path through which he should return to Hashem. And this is "the place of our Sanctuary" — for through this one can sanctify and purify the place of each individual, by knowing his place — through which one judges him toward the scale of merit and brings him back in complete teshuvah according to his place, as above. Section 8. And this is why one travels to the graves of the tzaddikim on Rosh HaShana — for at the resting place of the tzaddikim, all the places of each and every individual are included there. For at the place of his rest, the holiness of the Throne of Glory is drawn down — which is their inheritance, as it is written: "And a Throne of Glory He shall bequeath to them." And therefore there it is the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, and every individual can find there his own place and return to Hashem. And this is the bechinas of: "And he saw his beginning, for there is the portion of the lawgiver hidden" — that is, at the burial place of the tzaddik, who is the bechinas of Moshe — "there is the portion of the lawgiver hidden" — there every individual can see his own beginning, that is, the beginning and start that he needs to begin to return to Hashem. For there all the places of every individual are gathered, which are the bechinas of the beginning and start of each individual. And this is: "And he gathered the heads of the people" — for the tzaddik who is the bechinas of Moshe merits to be in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam through having attached himself to the roots of the souls of Israel in whom the heads of the people are included — for all souls are divided under the heads and leaders, as explained at the beginning of that Torah teaching. And this is: "He performed the righteousness of Hashem and His judgments with Israel" — "the righteousness of Hashem": that the tzaddik performs the righteousness of Hashem, meaning that he strives to justify all who come to the world and to judge everything toward the scale of merit — just as Hashem Himself performs charity and kindness with us and judges us toward the scale of merit always, because He is the m'komo shel olam and knows the place of each individual, as above. Likewise the tzaddik who grasps the roots of souls also performs the righteousness of Hashem — he justifies all toward the scale of merit, just as Hashem does, as above. And this is: "and His judgments with Israel" — that this tzaddik can "make" Rosh HaShana, to judge and decide for all of Israel. For he can judge everything toward the scale of merit because he is in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, as above. Section 9. And this is: "Sound the shofar on the new moon," etc., "a testimony concerning Yosef he established" — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: on Rosh HaShana, Yosef went forth from the prison. And the essential Exodus from Egypt was in the merit of Yosef, in the bechinas of: "And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him." And all three pilgrim festivals are a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt. It is therefore found that the essential holiness of the three pilgrim festivals also flows from the bechinas of Rosh HaShana — when Yosef went forth from prison — through which they went out of Egypt, and we merited the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals. For the essential bechinas of the sanctification of the new month, which is the rectification of the diminishment of the moon — through which comes the holiness of all the festivals, as it is written: "He made the moon for the appointed times" — is through the holiness of Rosh HaShana, which falls on Rosh Chodesh, when Hashem Himself says: "Bring an atonement for Me," etc., as explained in that Torah teaching. And then through Israel doing teshuvah, they thereby bring atonement and forgiveness upon Him, so to speak — for "through an awakening from below, an awakening above is awakened." As it is written: "With God we will act valiantly" — for our service is a need of the Most High, and they depend upon each other. Just as the essential beginning of our teshuvah on Rosh HaShana is through Hashem's merciful establishment of Rosh HaShana on Rosh Chodesh — when He Himself seeks atonement — through which we have an opening to come before Him, etc., as explained there. Likewise this very thing — that we merit teshuvah on Rosh HaShana — through this we bring atonement upon Him, for everything depends upon our teshuvah. And this is the essential request of Hashem from Israel: "Bring an atonement for Me" — that we the children of Israel, we specifically, must bring atonement upon Him for having diminished the moon, from which all blemishes come — for everything depends upon us, for "a prisoner cannot free himself." And therefore through the teshuvah we do on Rosh HaShana, we thereby bring atonement upon Him. And through this the diminishment of the moon is filled — this being the bechinas of the sanctification of the new month, from which come all the festivals. It is therefore found that the essential bechinas of the sanctification of the new month — which is the rectification of the diminishment of the moon — is through Rosh HaShana. And therefore all the Exodus from Egypt — which is the bechinas of the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals, the bechinas of the sanctification of the month, the bechinas of "This month shall be for you the first of months" — which was the first commandment given to Moshe at the time of the Exodus from Egypt — all this rectification flows from Rosh HaShana. That is, because even then, the holiness of Rosh HaShana shone upon them in a great concealment — in the merit of Yosef who went out from prison on Rosh HaShana — in the bechinas of "a testimony concerning Yosef he established." And because of this Moshe was challenged about the sanctification of the new month — because the sanctification of the month is the bechinas of the filling of the diminishment of the moon, which is the bechinas of the root of teshuvah, the bechinas of "Bring an atonement for Me" — and the beginning of teshuvah is very difficult, as above. Therefore Moshe was greatly challenged by this, until Hashem revealed to him the secret of the sanctification of the month, which is the root of teshuvah beginning from Rosh HaShana — on which Yosef went out — through which came the essential Exodus from Egypt, which is the bechinas of the sanctification of the month, the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals, as above. And therefore the Tanna placed the laws of the sanctification of the month in tractate Rosh HaShana — for the essential bechinas of the sanctification of the month is through Rosh HaShana, which Hashem established in His immense mercy on Rosh Chodesh — a very great and supreme act of kindness, as above. And therefore the essential Exodus from Egypt also came about through the multitude of cries and outcries that the children of Israel cried out to Hashem — as it is written: "And we cried out to Hashem our God, and He saw our affliction," etc. And it is written: "And the children of Israel groaned," etc., "and they cried out, and their cry ascended to God," etc. That is, for the essential Exodus from Egypt is through the bechinas of Rosh HaShana, whose essence is the bechinas of voices, the bechinas of "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem" — the bechinas of the voice of the shofar, which is the bechinas of "From the straits I called to Yah," etc. For the essential Exodus from Egypt was through Yosef who went forth from prison on Rosh HaShana, as above — for Yosef too went forth on Rosh HaShana through his crying out to Hashem, as it is written after those verses of "Sound the shofar": "In distress you called and I delivered you," etc. — that is, as above. Section 10. Now on Rosh HaShana all our concern is to build and rectify the bechinas of malchus [kingship], as explained in the kavvanos. That is, we are then engaged in elevating and rectifying the prayer — which is the word of Hashem — to redeem and liberate it from the exile, etc., as explained in that Torah teaching. And through this we merit that the holiness of Rosh HaShana should be drawn upon us — which is the bechinas of: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place" — which one merits through complete prayer. Through this one can attach to the roots of souls, which are the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, etc., the bechinas of m'komo shel olam — through which one can judge everything toward the scale of merit — which is the bechinas of the holiness of Rosh HaShana, etc., as explained there well — see there. And everything is accomplished through the true tzaddik, as above. For this true tzaddik who has already broken all the lusts, etc., until he merited all the rectifications above, until he merited that he has the power to "make" Rosh HaShana — he draws upon us, upon each individual of Israel who are close to him, the holiness of Rosh HaShana: that he judges us toward the scale of merit and truly brings us into the scale of merit, until thoughts of teshuvah reach each individual. And one begins to cry out to Hashem from the depth of the heart, and from there one begins to enter the paths of teshuvah and to draw all the rectifications above — until we too merit to grasp the roots of souls and to "make" Rosh HaShana, as above. And the summary of all the rectifications above is to receive the three pilgrim festivals properly — in order to break the three lusts above. And this we draw through the shofar, through the tekios whose acronym is kuf-shin-tav — the bechinas of the three patriarchs, which are the bechinas of the three pilgrim festivals, as above. And through this one merits awe — this being the bechinas of the shofar, the bechinas of: "If a shofar is blown in a city," etc. And through this one merits prophecy — namely the bechinas of the giving of the Torah, which was given with the voice of the shofar and is recalled on Rosh HaShana. For the essential completeness of the spirit of prophecy was attained at the moment of the receiving of the Torah, as it is written: "Face to face Hashem spoke with you." "Hashem spoke" — this is prophecy, as Rabbaynu of blessed memory wrote elsewhere. And through prophecy one merits to the completeness of prayer. And this is the essential bechinas of Rosh HaShana: to build the prayer, which is the bechinas of malchus, as is known. And the essential completeness of prayer is that all the sichei hasodeh [plants of the field] should return and give their power into the prayer. In the bechinas of "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field," etc. — which is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, etc., as explained there well — see there. And this is all our concern on Rosh HaShana: for we are then engaged in praying for the sprouting of the horn of Mashiach — which is the essential malchus d'kedusha that we must reveal on Rosh HaShana. As we pray: "And the sprouting of the horn of David Your servant, and the preparing of a lamp for the son of Yishai Your anointed," etc., "And You, Hashem, shall reign alone," etc., "Reign over the entire world," etc., "The Holy King, the King of Judgment," etc. For it is all one — for the completeness of prayer is the bechinas of malchus d'kedusha, as above. And the essential malchus d'kedusha is the kingship of Mashiach — when His kingship blessed be He will be revealed to all eyes, for then: "And Hashem shall be King over all the earth," etc. And the essential completeness of prayer — which is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, which is malchus d'kedusha — is when the prayer is completed and comprised of all the sichei hasodeh, as above. And this is what is needed on Rosh HaShana — when Adam HaRishon was created. And he was supposed to pray and to bring out all the sichei hasodeh, as it is written: "And all the sichei hasodeh were not yet in the earth," etc., "for Hashem Elokim had not caused it to rain," etc., "and Adam was not [yet]," etc. And Rashi explains: until Adam came and recognized the benefit of rain and prayed for it, etc. — for they stood at the entrance to the earth until Adam came, etc. It is therefore found that all the sichei hasodeh did not come out in the earth until Adam came on the day he was created — which is Rosh HaShana — and prayed for them, and rain fell, and then they went forth. And then it was revealed that all the sichei hasodeh — all their power, growth, and emergence into the world — is only through prayer. And they are obligated to return all their power into the prayer, which is the word of Hashem, which is their root. But Adam HaRishon still had to pray further to complete the rectification of the worlds in their entirety. And then all the sichei hasodeh would have ascended and been incorporated into his prayer in the ultimate completeness — in the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach — for he was then to draw down the rectification of Mashiach, as is known. But through his sin with the Tree of Knowledge, not having prayed his prayer properly, all was damaged through this, and we must on every Rosh HaShana rectify this — as is understood from the kavvanos. Therefore the essential completeness of prayer on Rosh HaShana is in the bechinas mentioned: that all the sichei hasodeh should ascend and all their power should be incorporated into the prayer — which is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach that must be drawn on Rosh HaShana, as above. And we are engaged in this rectification throughout the Ten Days of Teshuvah — to rectify the prayer in this bechinas, that all the sichei hasodeh give their power into the prayer — through which all the medicines are nullified, for all healing powers are drawn into everything we eat and drink, in the bechinas of: "And He will bless your bread and your water, and I shall remove illness from your midst," etc. — see there, all of this well. And this is the bechinas of the mitzvah to eat on Erev Yom Kippur — for it is explained in the kavvanos that on Erev Yom Kippur the n'sira [the separation] is completed — see there — meaning that then the construction of malchus, which is the construction of prayer, is completed, as above. And the essential completeness of prayer is that all the sichei hasodeh give their power into the prayer, until all the medicines of the doctors are nullified — for we can draw all the powers of healing into everything we eat and drink. And when one merits this, then certainly eating is a great mitzvah — for then eating is of great completeness, since the life-force is drawn into one's eating from its supernal root, from the bechinas of the word of Hashem. And all the powers and life-force of all the sichei hasodeh are comprised in what he eats — and this bechinas flows from the spark of Mashiach. And then certainly great light and great holiness shines in his eating from his root, from the bechinas of the word of Hashem. And therefore then certainly his eating is a great mitzvah. And therefore on Erev Yom Kippur — when the construction of prayer is completed in this bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, when the life-force and power of all the sichei hasodeh flow into his eating from the root, from the bechinas of the word of Hashem — therefore then it is a great mitzvah to eat, as above. And then on Yom Kippur one merits the completeness of prayer in its ultimate perfection — that is, one is then sustained from the voices of prayer alone, without their being clothed in anything — for on Erev Yom Kippur we merited that through prayer all the life-force of all the sichei hasodeh would flow into what we eat and drink, when eating is certainly of great completeness and great holiness. But now on Yom Kippur one merits to be sustained from the voices of prayer alone, without needing the powers and life-force of the prayer to be clothed in anything at all. Section 11. And this is the bechinas of the Sukkah that one makes after Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur — for Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos are all in the bechinohs of the Throne of Glory, upon which the Holy One blessed be He sits on these days in order to judge us toward the scale of merit — because the Throne of Glory is the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, through which He knows our place — each and every individual — and through this He judges us toward the scale of merit with great and wondrous kindness and mercy, in the bechinas of: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place," as brought there in that Torah teaching. For the judgment of Rosh HaShana extends until the end of Sukkos — when on the last day of Sukkos, which is Hoshana Rabbah, is the completion of the sealing for good, as is known. And therefore throughout all these days His throne is properly prepared and established for sitting upon it in judgment — to judge and decide for us with mercy, through the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, which is the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, as above. And this is what Rabbaynu of blessed memory revealed with awesome words in his story of the Chair — brought among us — where he said that he saw on the Chair: Rosh HaShana. Rosh HaShana as it is in its supernal root, and likewise Yom Kippur, Sukkos — and then he revealed awesome things. That is: Karsayhu [His throne] — shvivvin di nur [flames of fire], etc. — Karsay-hu stands as an acronym for: Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, Sukkos. See and behold the wonders of Hashem! It is therefore found that Rosh HaShana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos are all rooted in the bechinas of karsayhu, the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of: "Your throne was established from of old" — said about these days — all in order to judge us toward the scale of merit, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas of the Sukkah one makes after Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur — in this Hashem reveals to us the greatness of His love and affection for us, Israel His close people — and reveals to us that He judged us on Rosh HaShana toward the scale of merit with great kindness and mercy, according to the place of each individual — for He is m'komo shel olam, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas of the Sukkah — about which the Torah said that each individual should leave his place and dwelling and enter the Sukkah, which is the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of m'komo shel olam — for the Sukkah is the bechinas of "Mother who covers over her children" [ima d'msakkecha al banin], the bechinas of "mother of understanding" [im labina], the bechinas of Chava, the mother of all life — the roots of souls — which is the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of m'komo shel olam — through which bechinas Hashem's compassion is roused to judge us on Rosh HaShana with great mercy. And therefore now, on Sukkos, He commanded us that all of us should leave our places and enter the Sukkah, whose root is the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, as above — to reveal to all and make manifest that He elevates and brings us into the bechinas of our root — the bechinas of m'komo shel olam — through which He judges us toward the scale of merit with great and wondrous kindness, as above. For it was already explained above that the essential kindness of Hashem in judging us toward the scale of merit according to the place of each individual is that through this Hashem truly brings us to the scale of merit and returns us in complete teshuvah — for this alone is the essential good and true kindness that Hashem constantly does for us, and especially more so during these awesome days, whose root is Rosh HaShana, as above. That is — for each individual goes astray through his sins and lusts to a place where he has strayed, in the bechinas of: "I have strayed like a lost sheep," etc. — until he no longer knows how to return to his place, because of which he is far from teshuvah. For the essence of teshuvah is to return to his place from which he was taken — in the bechinas of the zarka, etc., as above. And Hashem has compassion upon us on Rosh HaShana — He finds each and every individual his place, and inclines toward kindness — to see merit for each individual, that his place caused him what it caused him. And through this He truly brings him to the scale of merit and shows him from the root of his place, from the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, until he knows the path to return to his place and his supernal root — which is the essence of teshuvah, as above. And therefore now on Sukkos Hashem reveals to us this love and kindness He showed us on Rosh HaShana through the holy mitzvah of Sukkah, commanding us to leave our homes and places and enter the Sukkah — to show that we are no longer at all in our original place that caused each person what it caused, according to his deeds. For now we are sitting in the Sukkah, which is the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of m'komo shel olam — where the root of our place rests for each individual — which is the essence of teshuvah, the essence of the kindness of Rosh HaShana, which is now revealed to all through our leaving our places to enter the Sukkah, which is the bechinas of Chava, the mother of all life, etc., as above. Section 12. And therefore one covers the Sukkah with waste matter (psoles) specifically. As our Sages of blessed memory said: the verse speaks of the waste of the threshing floor and the wine press. In this Hashem reveals that He judges us toward the scale of merit according to the place of each individual, as above. For the waste (psoles) of the grain is the bechinas of the place of the grain — for example, wheat growing from the earth: we see that the wheat itself does not come out of the ground in its complete state. Rather, first the straw and the stalk come forth — which is the waste of the grain — and from the straw the wheat emerges, and all the sustenance and nourishment of the wheat flows through the stalk and the straw. Likewise with fruits growing on a tree: from the ground only the tree itself grows — solid wood — and from it grow branches and twigs and leaves, which are also solid wood and pure waste — and from them the fruit grows, with all its nourishment and life flowing through the twigs and branches and the tree, which is solid wood. Likewise a person is formed from a fetid drop and grows in his mother's womb, drawing all his life-force through the navel attached to his mother — and precisely through these, his particular places, the life-force and the soul are drawn upon him from the supreme and awesome Source — from the place where the souls of Israel are hewn, where no thought can grasp at all. And this is truly the wonders of the Perfect of Knowledge, as it is written: "I thank You for I am awesomely, wondrously formed; wondrous are Your works," etc. For Hashem created all things in the bechinas of klipa [husk] and fruit, and the klipa is the place of the fruit — for all fruits and grains are located within their husks, as seen with the physical eye, as above. And this is because of the impurities and waste of the primordial kings (malkin kadma'in), etc., which flow from the judgment of the initial tzimtzum [contraction], which is the essential place of the whole world. For when He willed to create the world, there was no place for the creation, so He contracted the light to the sides — which is the root of judgment — and through this a place for the creation was formed, and there He drew the light of the Ein Sof by way of the kav [ray], and through this all the worlds came into being, etc., as explained in the beginning of Etz Chayyim and brought in our words many times. It is thus found that before creation, and likewise with all things in the world before they come into the world, there must be some bechinas of contraction before the light and life-force of that thing is drawn — through which it is created and comes into the world. And because the contraction is the root of judgment — from which is the essential hold of the sitra achara and the klippos — therefore Adam HaRishon needed to clarify everything through his prayer, but he damaged this through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. From then on the earth was cursed and it was decreed upon him: "And you shall eat the herb of the field; by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread." That is, all things will come forth clothed in waste and klippos, and the klipa will always precede the fruit. And this is the whole of our labor all our days — to clarify all things from the klippos and waste that preceded them. And because the klipa has taken hold of the fruit greatly, having preceded it, it is truly very difficult to perform this clarification, and because of this many stumble in this world and fall to where they fall — Heaven have mercy. Only the true tzaddikim — the mighty of power who overcome their evil inclination — they clarify everything. And not only that, but through the force of their righteousness they rouse Hashem's mercy upon us, that He should have compassion and not judge us according to our deeds, but look upon our place — the place of each and every individual — through what places he was drawn into this world. For the place of each individual is the bechinas of the husk and waste that preceded the fruit, as above. And through this He has compassion and judges us toward the scale of merit, as above. And this is: "And I will no longer continue to smite all living things as I have done, for the inclination of a man's heart is evil from his youth." And our Sages expounded: from the time he shakes free to go forth from his mother's womb — "from his shaking free to go forth from his mother's womb" precisely — meaning that his place caused him to sin, because he came from such an impure place. And as David said: "Behold, in sin I was formed, and in transgression did my mother conceive me." This is why one covers with waste material specifically — for the waste is the bechinas of the place of each individual, through which He judges us toward the scale of merit with great kindness according to the place of each individual. For He is m'komo shel olam, and all of this is the bechinas of the Sukkah, as above. And when Hashem judges us toward the scale of merit through the place of each individual, which is the waste that caused him to sin — it is thus found that sins are transformed into merits. And this is the bechinas of "descent for the sake of ultimate ascent" — for precisely through the husk and waste that preceded the fruit, from which all sins come, Heaven have mercy — through this very thing He has compassion and judges us toward the scale of merit, as above. Therefore from the waste specifically is made the holy s'chach [covering], which is the essential Sukkah — for the essential Sukkah is to merit being judged in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, in the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, Chava the mother of all life — and this is accomplished through the waste specifically, which is the husk that precedes the fruit, which is the bechinas of the place of each individual. Through this He looks at the place of each individual, judges us toward the scale of merit, and transforms sins into merits, as above. Section 13. And this is the bechinas of the creation of the world: "First darkness and then light" — the bechinas of: "And the earth was formless and void, and darkness," etc. "And the spirit of Elokim" — this is the spirit of Mashiach. "Hovered over the face of the waters" — and Rashi explains: the Throne of Glory stood and hovered in the air, etc. — namely as above. For the darkness that preceded the light is the bechinas of the husk that precedes the fruit — from which it comes that at first the earth was formless and void and dark, from which come all the exiles and the dominion of the nations, which preceded the kingship of Mashiach, who will come speedily in our days (as our Sages of blessed memory expounded in the Midrash on this verse — "and the earth was formless," etc. — about the four kingdoms). And this is the bechinas of: "and the spirit of Elokim hovered," etc. — which is the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of the spirit of Mashiach comprised of all souls — meaning that the essential rectification is through the spirit of Mashiach who grasps the Throne of Glory, the roots of souls, the bechinas of m'komo shel olam — through which He judges us toward the scale of merit and transforms darkness to light, sins to merits, as above. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said (Shabbas 77b): "Why do goats walk at the head and then sheep? — Like the creation of the world: first darkness and then light." Goats — this is the bechinas of the dominion of the nations, who are called goats and se'irim, as it is written: "And the he-goat is the king of Greece," and as it is written: "Behold, Eisav my brother is a hairy man [ish sair]." Sheep — this is the bechinas of Israel, who are compared to sheep, as Rashi explains. That is: why does the dominion of the nations precede our dominion? And the answer is: like the creation of the world — first darkness and then light. For the entire creation of the world is in this bechinas — that the tzimtzum, which is the essential totality of place, preceded the totality of the world. And from this it flows that darkness preceded light, and the husk precedes the fruit, as above. Section 14. And this is: "For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden makes its seeds sprout, so Hashem Elokim shall make righteousness and praise spring forth before all the nations." And now according to the above, the verse is well explained. Namely: "as the earth brings forth its growth and as a garden" etc. — like the plants and seeds growing in the earth, all of which come out through the waste that preceded them, for the husk precedes the fruit, as above — that is the merit Hashem finds for us, as above. "So Hashem Elokim shall make righteousness," etc. — "so" precisely, for precisely through this will He make righteousness and kindness spring forth for us — because He knows our inclination and the place of each individual, etc., as above. And this is the conclusion: "He shall make righteousness and praise spring forth before all the nations." "Before all the nations" precisely — for the nations among whom we were in exile, in their lands, in their dwelling places — they caused us all the sins, as it is written: "And they mingled among the nations," etc. And through this He has compassion upon us — because He knows the place of each individual, etc., as above. And this is: "I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey." And Rashi explains: from the greatness of His love He ate the wood together with the fruit — that is, as above. For from the greatness of His love for Israel He transforms the wood and waste into fruit — that is, the bechinas of the forgiveness of sins, the transformation of sins into merits, because He knows the place of each individual, that the waste which preceded the fruit caused him what it caused. That is the bechinas of covering with the waste of the threshing floor and the wine press — with psoles specifically, as above. Section 15. It is thus found that the Sukkah is in the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, as above. And this is: "He grasps the face of the throne; He spreads His cloud over it." "His cloud" — this is the bechinas of the Clouds of Glory, which are the bechinas of the Sukkah, which is in the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, the bechinas of: "He grasps the face of the throne," as above. Section 16. And this is the bechinas of Hoshana Rabbah — when the sealing is completed. And then the rectification we began on Rosh HaShana is concluded. That is, on Rosh HaShana Hashem had compassion upon us and judged us toward the scale of merit according to our places — for He knows the inclination of each individual according to his place, for He is m'komo shel olam, as above. And through this He truly brought us to the scale of merit and introduced into us a path to teshuvah — to cry out to Hashem from the depths of the heart, in the bechinas of "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem" — which begins on Rosh HaShana, as above. And now on Hoshana Rabbah, at the end of Sukkos, all of Israel merits this bechinas — to fulfill: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place" — only to judge everything toward the scale of merit, and to fulfill: "Do not despise any person" — whoever he may be. For on Sukkos we all merited to sit in the Sukkah, which is the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, m'komo shel olam. And through this an illumination from the bechinas of m'komo shel olam shone upon each individual of Israel — to know how to judge everything toward the scale of merit, even the sinners of Israel, the worst of the worst — until we merit to bring all of them to the scale of merit and to illuminate in them the illumination of Rosh HaShana, so that they will always find an opening and a path to teshuvah in every place they are, at every time. And the essential opening and path is to always cry out from the depths of the heart to Hashem, whatever state one may be in — and never to despair of crying out, ever, as Rabbaynu of blessed memory warned us about this countless times in many different formulations. And this is the bechinas of why one increases crying out on Hoshana Rabbah — so many times, "Hoshana, Hoshana!" etc. And one stays awake all night and completes the entire book of Tehillim, which is full of cries and outcries and pleas and supplications and requests and prayers to Hashem in so very many different holy formulations and eloquent expressions — which are said on the holy Rosh HaShana, and encompass all who come into the world — until there is not a single wicked person or sinner in the world who cannot find himself in the book of Tehillim, which encompasses all who come into the world in all generations and all levels, from beginning to end — down to the ultimate descent, the furthest from which there is no further descent, Heaven have mercy. For all of them he rouses with his cries and prayers to return to Hashem. And as Rabbaynu of blessed memory explains (Likutay Moharan II:73) that Tehillim is a remedy for teshuvah. And on Hoshana Rabbah — which is the last of the days of Sukkos, when it is the bechinas of David, as is known — therefore we draw this wondrous rectification that every individual of Israel should merit, through the holiness of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur and through having fulfilled the mitzvah of Sukkah and the Four Species — all of which are in the bechinas of the Throne of Glory, m'komo shel olam, the bechinas of Karsay-hu shvivvin di nur, etc., as above — through which we merit to judge everything toward the scale of merit and to introduce the paths of teshuvah into each individual of Israel: namely to recite Tehillim and to cry out to Hashem always, whatever state one may be in. And likewise one must judge even oneself toward the scale of merit — even though one knows the pains of one's own soul and one's multitude of sins, which are so numerous as to defy counting, Heaven have mercy — even so, one must apply to oneself as well: "Do not judge until you have reached your own place" — just as one must apply it toward another: "Do not judge your fellow," etc. For certainly one does not know one's own place either — for certainly one does not know from what place he was drawn, and all that befell him in all his gilgulim, and from what places his evil inclinations and evil thoughts are drawn, etc., etc. Therefore it is forbidden ever to despair of oneself, as Rabbaynu of blessed memory warned us so many times without measure. For one must judge even oneself toward the scale of merit — one must apply to oneself also: "Do not despise any person" — so as not to transgress the prohibition of bloodshed, Heaven forbid, as explained there in that Torah teaching, that the prohibition of "Do not despise any person" is a prohibition of bloodshed — see there. Therefore to despise oneself excessively to the point that one might fall through it, Heaven forbid — this is certainly a serious prohibition, for it is the prohibition of bloodshed — which applies to oneself as well, as it is written: "One who sheds the blood of a person," etc., and "But your blood, for your lives" — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded, and it is cited in Rashi's commentary: "to include one who sheds his own blood." For one must judge oneself toward the scale of merit, as explained in the Torah teaching "I will sing to my God while I yet live" (Siman 282) — for who knows one's own place? And the essential thing is never to despair of crying out — this being the bechinas of Hoshana Rabbah, which one merits through having entered the Sukkah, through which we all — all the children of Israel — merited the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, through which we merit to judge everything toward the scale of merit, even oneself, as above. And this is the bechinas of: "And it came to pass on that day that Yitzchak returned and dug the wells of water," etc. — that on Rosh HaShana there was the bechinas of digging wells of water, and now on Hoshana Rabbah one returns and digs the wells of water again, as explained in the holy Zohar (Tzav, 32). That is — wells of water are the bechinas of voices and cries to Hashem, the bechinas of: "Pour out your heart like water before the face of Hashem" — the bechinas of the seven voices David declared over the water, which are drawn on this day, as is brought. That is, all the rectifications that are completed on this day are the bechinas of voices — to cry out and beseech before Hashem always from the depth of the heart, in the bechinas of: "Pour out your heart like water before the face of Hashem" — this being the bechinas of the book of Tehillim that one completes on that day, through which we all merit to return to Him, as above. And therefore one is then engaged with the willow branches (aravei nachal), which alludes to the sinners of Israel, as is brought — to fulfill: "Do not despise any person" — for: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place" — this is the essential rectification that began on Rosh HaShana and is completed on Hoshana Rabbah, as above. And this is the bechinas of Mishneh Torah which is read on the night of Hoshana Rabbah — for the entire book of Mishneh Torah [Devarim] consists of Moshe's words of rebuke with which he rebukes Israel with a rebuke of kindness, to show them the kindness of Hashem and His goodness and righteousness always — how much they angered Him in so many places, yet still His love and mercy remain upon them, as it is written: "And now, Israel, what does Hashem your God ask of you?" etc. And Rashi explains: although you have done all this, still His mercy and love are upon you — after all you have sinned before Him, He asks of you nothing but fear, etc. — and there is no fear other than prayer, as it is written: "A woman who fears Hashem shall be praised" — as Rabbaynu of blessed memory explains many times. That is: Moshe warns and admonishes Israel for all generations, that no matter how much they sin before Him, Heaven forbid — Hashem does not ask of them anything but fear, which is prayer: to pray and cry out to Him always. And as it is written: "Call upon Me in the day of distress, I will deliver you and you shall honor Me." And this is why at the beginning of his words Moshe mentioned all the places where they had provoked Him — as it is written: "These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Israel — beyond the Jordan, in the wilderness, in the Aravah," etc. And Rashi explains: he enumerated here all the places where they provoked Him, etc. That is — for Moshe's rebuke was a rebuke of kindness, as explained in the Torah teaching "Sound the Tekia" — Rebuke (Likutay Moharan II:8) — see there: that Moshe gave his rebuke in a manner that would not, Heaven forbid, rouse through his rebuke the bad odor of the evil deeds they had done, thereby weakening them, Heaven forbid. Rather, on the contrary — through his rebuke he would strengthen them and add and give them a good fragrance, etc., as explained there. And therefore he mentioned all the places where they provoked Him — "all the places" specifically — for in this he reminded them of merit and kindness, for he fulfilled: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place". For he merited to grasp the Throne of Glory, in the bechinas of "He grasps the face of the throne," etc., through which he was in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam. And therefore he knew that all those places where they provoked the Omnipresent — the places themselves caused them to sin, for they traversed the wilderness, a place of fiery serpents and scorpions and drought, etc. — which are places where the klippos and the sitra achara are at their strongest, as is known — and they needed to battle very powerful and harsh klippos that were in such places. And this caused them many times to not be able to withstand the trial and to stumble as they stumbled. And as our Sages of blessed memory said about the verse: "And Israel settled in Shittim", etc. — that the place caused them to sin, as it says in the holy Zohar. It is therefore found that by mentioning the places specifically where they provoked Him, he found merit for them — the merit of Rosh HaShana, which is: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place," etc., as above. And thus the entire book of Devarim revolves around this axis — to remind Israel of all they provoked Him with, and yet not to despair of mercy ever — for His mercy does not end. As they saw with their own eyes that even after the sin of the golden calf He did not withhold His mercy from them — and likewise after the other sins He treated them with kindness, until they are now ready to enter the Land of Israel. Therefore they should know, for all generations — with whatever befalls them until the coming of Mashiach in general, and specifically each individual whatever happens to him — never to despair of mercy. As our Sages of blessed memory said: even if a sharp sword is resting on a person's neck, let him not withhold himself from mercy. And they said: "It is good for a person to cry out — whether before the decree is issued or after it is issued." And this is that he related his prayers — how he prayed and pleaded before Hashem: as it is written: "And I fell before Hashem," etc., "and I said," etc. All of this to teach the children of Israel to strengthen themselves in prayer and crying out to Hashem always — for His mercy never ends. And this is the bechinas of the Song of Ha'azinu, which encompasses everything that befell Israel and everything that will befall them in the future — in general and in particular — until the end. And after all these things, ultimately: "For Hashem will judge His people when He sees that the hand is gone," etc. And this is why he began with the words: "For I call in the name of Hashem; ascribe greatness to our God." That is, Moshe said to Israel: from me you shall see and do likewise. For know that everything I merited in this world — all of it was through calling out to Hashem always, in the bechinas of: "For I call in the name of Hashem." And likewise hasten and do as I did, and: "ascribe greatness to our God" — that you too call to Hashem always, as I did — for this is the essential greatness of His honor, as it is written: "Call upon Me in the day of distress, I will deliver you and you shall honor Me." And as our Sages expounded on this verse: "For I call in the name of Hashem" — you: "ascribe greatness to our God", etc. — that you should answer after me: "Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever." That is, as above — that just as I call to Hashem always, so shall you do, forever and ever. And this is the bechinas of: "Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever" — that the Name of His glorious Kingdom is blessed forever and ever, even after all the sins and provocations that each individual angers Him with in every generation. For the right hand of Hashem is raised forever, as it is written: "But You are exalted forever, O Hashem." And as it is written in the Song: "He caused no ruin for him" — and Onkelos renders: "not to Him" — for no blemish reaches Him blessed be He, as it is written: "I, Hashem, have not changed." And therefore one can always draw close to Him — as I heard from the mouth of Rabbaynu of blessed memory, who said that even in the lowest depths of hell one can be close to Him. And this is the bechinas of: "Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom forever and ever," as above. And therefore Moshe warned them about this at the beginning of the Song — for this is his essential intention in this holy Song that encompasses everything. As he said of it: "And this Song shall speak before Him as a witness — for it will not be forgotten from the mouths of his seed." And his entire intention was that they should always strengthen themselves in Hashem — to trust in His mercy and to cry out and pray to Him always, just as he conducted himself all the days of his life, in the bechinas of: "For I call in the name of Hashem — ascribe greatness to our God." And therefore he preceded all his words and warned them to listen to his words well, as it is written: "Listen, O heavens," etc., "my teaching shall drip as the rain, my words shall flow as the dew," etc. That is, he warned that his words should enter their ears like rain and dew that fall as water drops upon the earth and then wonderful plants sprout from them — likewise his words should enter their hearts like dew and rain and grow in their hearts and bear good fruits. For these words — to always strengthen oneself in Hashem — need to be listened to very well, to understand one matter from within another, to understand well how far one must always strengthen oneself, as indicated by the hints of the tzaddik. And as King David of blessed memory said: "I shall educate you and show you the way in which you should go; I shall advise you with My eye — do not be like a horse or like a mule without understanding," etc. For David first related his troubles, saying that from the greatness of his troubles he is compelled to roar all day, as it is written: "For I kept silent, my bones wore out with my moaning all day long — for day and night Your hand was heavy upon me," etc. "For this let every pious person pray to You at a time of finding — only let the great waters not reach him; You are a shelter for me, from distress You preserve me; sounds of deliverance surround me, Selah." And our Sages of blessed memory expounded (Shocher Tov, Tehillim 140): "You sing before Me and I will deliver you." It is therefore found that in these verses he describes how one must always strengthen oneself in prayer and crying out to Hashem, in order to be saved from the great waters that flood this world — which seek to destroy a person, Heaven forbid, from both worlds. And through this he concludes: "I shall educate you and show you the way in which you should go; I shall advise you with My eye" — that I indicate to you with My eye that you should not pay attention to any rejection that seeks to repel you, whoever it may come from — whether the thoughts that come upon you yourself, or the rejections drawn from others, etc. — over all of them pay no attention, only understand my words in which I show you the way and indicate to you with My eye that you should always strengthen yourself in crying out and roaring to Hashem, as above. And this is what Moshe Rabbaynu said: "my teaching shall drip as the rain," etc. — that these words need to grow and bear fruit in your heart, like dew and rain. So too strengthen yourself always in whatever befalls a person all the days of his life. And what are the words? "For I call in the name of Hashem — ascribe greatness to our God" — that you too call to Hashem always as I did, forever and ever. And therefore Mishneh Torah is read on the night of Hoshana Rabbah — for this is the essential bechinas of Hoshana Rabbah, to draw this path upon each individual — to always cry out to Hashem, as above. — [Connected to what precedes:] And this is: "They wandered in the wilderness in the wasteland, they found no inhabited city — and they cried out to Hashem," etc. That when a person is distanced from his place, he then wanders in the wilderness and does not know the path to return to his place, in the bechinas of "they found no inhabited city" — then the essential counsel is: "and they cried out to Hashem." For this is the essential bechinas of the beginning that flows upon each individual of Israel on Rosh HaShana — the bechinas of "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem," as above. Section 17. Let us return to the subject of the three years of orla and netah r'vai [the fourth-year planting] mentioned above. And therefore when one plants a tree one must wait precisely three years — for according to the above it is explained that the essential rectification is through Rosh HaShana, as above. Therefore it is impossible to drive out the klippos that hold fast to the tree at the time of planting — whose nourishment comes from the three lusts above — except precisely through three years, in which there are three Rosh HaShanas, for it is rooted there in Rosh HaShana as well, as above. And therefore, even though in one year there are three pilgrim festivals that nullify the three lusts above — even so, precisely three years are needed, that is, three Rosh HaShanas. For it is a known principle that each midda is comprised of all the other midos — both in holiness and in its opposite. Therefore the three pilgrim festivals — through which the three intellectual faculties (mochin) are drawn to nullify the three midos above — each festival, that is, each moach, is comprised of all three, as is known. And likewise in the opposite: each of the three evil midos above is comprised of all three. And because of this the rectification is also very difficult and heavy — since it is impossible to begin and complete the rectification all at once, because each midda is comprised of the rest. For example in the matter explained above: that the rectification of the lust for money is through the moach and da'as drawn on Pesach, and the rectification of the lust for immorality through Shavuos, etc. It is difficult to fully rectify the lust for money on Pesach — because the lust for money is bound up with and comprised within the lust for immorality, as above and as explained elsewhere — and the rectification of the lust for immorality has not yet flowed — the da'as of Shavuos to rectify it properly. And likewise with the other midos. And therefore the essential beginning and rectification is through Rosh HaShana — when the tzaddikim illuminate upon us the illumination of teshuvah from its root, as above. And the essential illumination is that every individual should merit to be roused — from wherever he is — to cry out and clamor and roar to Hashem from the depth of the heart, for this is the essential thing and without it one cannot begin or rectify anything — because of the abundance of heaviness, obstacles, and confusions, etc., as above. But one cannot fully rectify except through precisely three years in which there are three times three pilgrim festivals — because each midda is comprised of three, and they are three comprised within three. Therefore one must wait precisely three years of orla — three years specifically, as above. And the essential rectification is through Rosh HaShana, as above. And therefore the essential year for the reckoning of orla planting is calculated from Rosh HaShana, as explained in the Gemara and the decisors. And this is the bechinas of the tekios, which are tripled in every aspect — as the Mishnah states: the order of the blasts is three of three-three. For the tekios are the bechinas of rectifying the voices that rouse from the depths, in the bechinas of: "From the straits I called to Yah" — that through the tekios the illumination of teshuvah is drawn upon Israel, so that they will always merit to cry out to Hashem from the depths of the depths of their hearts, from wherever they are. This is the essential rectification, as above. And therefore they are three of three-three — for through the voices and cries one merits to draw the rectifications of the three pilgrim festivals, which rectify the three lusts above, upon which everything depends, as above. And since the three evil midos above are also three-within-three, as above — therefore the tekios are three of three-three. And therefore we blow so many voices, so many times, three by three — for such is the matter: one needs to multiply cries and outcries to Hashem all the days of one's life and never tire, ever. As Rabbaynu of blessed memory warned us not to despair of crying out ever — for the rectification of any matter cannot happen all at once, especially one who has caused damage as much as he has caused — certainly he needs to be patient in his rectification, in the bechinas of: "One who comes to be purified — they say to him: Wait." And as brought in the writings [of the Arizal] regarding the rectification of Adam HaRishon's sin — that because of the greatness of his sin it is impossible to rectify in one day, but only from Rosh HaShana until Shemini Atzeres — and even during all this time it is not fully rectified, but only a little by little in every year, until the time when death will be swallowed up forever. All the more so now — when each individual has added sins and damages on top of Adam HaRishon's sin — certainly it is impossible to rectify in one instant, only little by little. And it is known that the evil inclination and his legions lie in wait for a person always — and as soon as one begins to rouse toward Hashem in any cry or plea and the like, he immediately rouses himself to increase and provoke more than usual, because he sees that this person wants to flee from him. And as our Sages of blessed memory said: "The greater one is than his fellow, his evil inclination is greater than his." And since the person is still in great smallness — for he has barely been roused toward Hashem, and has only begun his rectification by less than a hairsbreadth — and even through this the adversary provokes against him with great intensity, to damage him, Heaven forbid. Therefore it is very difficult to stand against him. And because of this many are far from teshuvah — for in truth most of the children of Israel — virtually all of them — rouse to thoughts of teshuvah each and every time, for even the sinners of Israel are filled with regret. But because of the enormous provocation and intensity of the adversary who provokes against one each time, as above, many fall immediately — and some after some time, Heaven have mercy. Therefore the essential remedy is only to cry out to Hashem always. And this is the bechinas of every blast in the shofar sounds: a Tekia at the beginning and a Tekia at the end. For the essential sound mentioned in the Torah is the Terua — but our Sages of blessed memory received a tradition that every Terua must have a plain tone before it and a plain tone after it. For the voice of the Tekia, which is a simple/plain voice — this is the bechinas of the fact that at the very beginning of the rectification — when the beginning is very difficult, as above — one only needs to cry out a simple voice to Hashem from the deepest depths of the heart. For one still does not know any counsel or stratagem for how to emerge from the trap of the evil inclination, and one does not even know how to seek Hashem. One only needs to cry out a simple voice from the depths of the heart, in the bechinas of: "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem." And then through the simple voice of his crying out — which is the bechinas of the Tekia — Hashem rouses His mercy upon him and begins to shine in his mind the beginning of the illumination of rectification, and hints to him the order of prayer: to cry out to Hashem to illuminate upon him the illumination of the three intellectual faculties — the bechinas of the three pilgrim festivals — upon which the essential rectification depends, as above. And this is the bechinas of the Terua voice, which is a tripled sound — hinting at the three mochin, the three pilgrim festivals. That is, now we cry out to Hashem to illuminate upon us the rectification of the three pilgrim festivals, etc., as above. And Hashem hears the voice of our Terua and our crying out with mercy. And He immediately begins to illuminate upon us some beginning of the rectification from there. And then immediately, as soon as that very thing begins — the adversary provokes to damage this inception of rectification, Heaven forbid. And then one must immediately blow another Tekia afterward — for immediately after the spark of some point of the beginning of rectification shines, one must immediately cry out again a strong and simple voice from the depth of the heart — which is the Tekia after the Terua — in order to repel the satan, lest he damage the point of rectification one has begun, Heaven forbid. And this is the bechinas of: "Remove the satan from before us and from behind us" — that one must cry out very much to Hashem that He remove the satan from before the rectification and from behind the rectification, as above. And this is the bechinas of a simple tone before and a simple tone after — for we have no power to drive him away and repel him except through simple crying out and pleading from the depth of the heart to Hashem, as above. And afterward one must again go back and begin to draw another point of the beginning of rectification — and one must again blow a simple tone before it and a simple tone after it, and so always. For every time one must cry out simple voices before the beginning of each point of rectification and after it — because of the great provocation that provokes every time, as above. For we have no power to stand against him except by seizing the ancient craft of our fathers — to always cry out to Hashem. Section 18. And this is the bechinas of the question our Sages of blessed memory had about the sound of the Terua — whether what we call Shevorim is it, or whether it is what is called Terua. And they ruled to cover all the doubts and blow all of them, etc. For it is explained in the beginning of that Torah teaching that the rectification is through the three pilgrim festivals, through which the three lusts above are rectified — the lusts for money, immorality, and eating — and through this one merits awe, prophecy, and complete prayer, etc. And afterward it writes there: but there are three services that spoil the service of prayer, which are the bechinas of idolatry (avoda zara), sexual immorality (giluy arayos), and bloodshed (sh'fichus damim), etc. — see there. It is understood there that one cannot draw the rectification of prayer through the three pilgrim festivals that rectify the three lusts above, except by breaking and nullifying the three services above. Now it would seem at first glance difficult — why is the lust for immorality counted twice? For first it mentions the rectification of this lust among the three lusts that are rectified through the three pilgrim festivals — the lusts for money, immorality, and eating. And then it returns and counts it among the three evil services — idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed. But it appears that there is a distinction between the three services and the three midos. The three services — idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed — need to be completely broken and nullified in the ultimate sense. But the three midos — lusts for money, immorality, and eating — need rectification through the three intellectual faculties: meaning each of these three midos must be corrected — to subdue and nullify all the evil in it, and clarify the good in it — for there is good and evil in them. In holiness all these things are needed and it is impossible without them. For example, money: the lust for money is certainly a very bad midda, as explained in Rabbaynu's words many times. But even so, in holiness certainly money is needed — as explained in his words the virtue of holy money. And likewise immorality: for the sustenance of the world in holiness and purity as befitting — it is certainly a great mitzvah, for it is the first commandment in the Torah. And likewise eating: certainly one cannot survive without eating. And a person is obligated to eat in holiness for the sustenance of his soul, as it is written: "A tzaddik eats to satisfy his soul." And especially on Shabbos and festivals. It is thus found that all three midos require clarification and rectification — to subdue the evil in them completely and to clarify only the good, to conduct oneself with the good in them in great holiness and purity according to His will. But the three services above — idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed — must be completely broken and nullified in the ultimate breaking and nullification. For idolatry — and even a defect of faith, which is the bechinas of idolatry — must certainly be broken and nullified completely so that no remnant of idolatry should remain in us, Heaven forbid — meaning that no trace of a defect of faith should remain in a person, Heaven forbid. And likewise sexual immorality — it is certainly completely forbidden — for sexual immorality is called by a prohibition. And in it there is no good, and certainly one must break it completely so that no trace of any thought at all should remain. And likewise bloodshed, and even the humiliation of people — which is called bloodshed, as explained there — is certainly completely forbidden, for it is forbidden to humiliate any person in the world, as they said: "Do not despise any person." It is therefore found that these three services need to be completely broken and nullified, with nothing of them remaining at all. But the three midos above — money, immorality, and eating — the Torah speaks of their holiness even in what is permitted. Even though one needs great effort and great holiness to break all these lusts even in what is permitted — as they said: "Sanctify yourself in what is permitted to you" — even so, certainly one must necessarily use these three midos in holiness for the sustenance of the world, as above. And therefore he mentioned the lust for immorality twice — among the three services and among the three midos above — for there is a distinction between them, as above. For here in the rectification of the three midos, he speaks of the holiness of the lust for immorality even in what is permitted — the ultimate holiness of sanctifying oneself in what is permitted, to such a degree that one drives out even the lust that holds on to him from his suckling, etc. — see there. For here in these three midos he speaks of the ultimate holiness even in what is permitted — that one must be greatly holy in these three midos even in what is permitted, and not use them for his own needs and lusts at all, but only what is necessary for the service of the Creator in great holiness and purity according to His will, as above. And there is a hint that this is the doubt our Sages of blessed memory had about the Terua sound — whether it is what we call Shevorim, etc. For Shevorim is also a tripled sound — and alludes to the three services above that must be broken (shevorim = breakings) and nullified completely. And therefore it is called Shevorim — the language of breaking — as above. But the threefold Terua alludes to the rectification of the three midos above, which have good and evil in them. And therefore it is called Terua — which is both the language of breaking, as it is written: "you shall break them with a rod of iron" — and also the language of friendship and connection, as it is written: "and the proclamation of the King is in him." For in these three midos there is the bechinas of: the left pushes away and the right draws close — for there is good and evil in them — and one must break and drive away the evil in them and clarify the good, to conduct oneself with the good in them in great holiness, as above. And therefore the sound is called Terua, encompassing both meanings, as above. And they doubted whether the essential rectification on Rosh HaShana begins with breaking the three services above — which is the bechinas of the tripled sound of Shevorim — or whether one needs to draw the rectification of the three midos above — which is the bechinas of the Terua. And they ruled to do both, and then each one separately, with a simple tone before each and after each. For in this matter too one does not know from where the beginning is — and one must cry out a full simple voice from the depth of the heart before each inception of any point of rectification and after it, in order to draw the illumination of all the rectifications described in that Torah teaching, little by little on Rosh HaShana — to merit throughout the entire year to complete teshuvah, to rectify everything properly according to its proper time and season. For the essential beginning is on Rosh HaShana — and from Rosh HaShana the life-force and rectification flows for the entire year. And therefore it is called Rosh HaShana — "Rosh" [head] precisely — for there are three dimensions: world, year, soul (olam, shana, nefesh). And just as in the dimension of the soul — the human stature — the essential life of the person depends upon the head, where the mochin reside that give life to the entire stature of the body, as is known to those expert in anatomy — that the life of the entire body down to the toenails all flows from the brain, where the essential dwelling of the soul that gives life to the body is found, each limb according to its life-force — so too literally: this holy and awesome day is called Rosh HaShana — "Rosh" precisely. That is, in it is the essential brain and life of the entire year — for in it all the rectifications begin, and it gives life to all the days of the year — just as the head in a person gives life to the entire body, and there is no sensation or life in any limb except through the life-force drawn to it from the head and brain, as is known. Likewise there is no life and rectification in all the days of the year except through Rosh HaShana — "Rosh" precisely, which gives life to the entire stature, as above. Section 19. And when we look carefully at the words of Rabbaynu of blessed memory — we find that the three midos above and the three services above depend upon each other. For the three midos are: lust for money, immorality, and eating. And the three services are: idolatry (avoda zara) — meaning defect of faith; sexual immorality (giluy arayos); and bloodshed (sh'fichus damim) — meaning: "Do not despise any person." And these three depend upon those three — for the lust for money and idolatry are one bechinas, as explained in Siman 23 in the Torah "You commanded righteousness": that all the idolatries are buried in money, etc. — see there. And immorality and sexual immorality are certainly one bechinas. And likewise the lust for eating and "Do not despise any person" are one bechinas — for the defect of the lust for eating is a defect of honor, as explained in the Torah: "And Hashem Elokim built the rib," etc. (Siman 67). And this is the bechinas of: "Do not despise any person" — not to defect honor. For each individual of Israel has a portion in holy honor, which is the honor of Hashem. And therefore it is forbidden to humiliate any of them — only to honor each individual. And then one merits honor, in the bechinas of: "Those who honor Me, I will honor" — that is, the bechinas of the rectification of holy honor. It is therefore found that the three midos and the three services depend upon each other and one cannot rectify any one of them without the other — for one cannot fully rectify the lust for money as long as one has not broken and nullified idolatry completely — which is the defect of faith. And likewise in the opposite: one cannot merit to complete faith as long as one has not nullified the lust for money — for the essential completeness of faith is in money. And likewise one cannot sanctify oneself in the lust for immorality in what is permitted properly, as long as there is any trace of sexual immorality in him — meaning any evil thoughts. And likewise in the opposite: it is certainly difficult to be entirely saved from forbidden thoughts as long as one has not sanctified oneself in what is permitted properly. And likewise with the lust for eating, as above. Section 20. And the general principle: all the Torah and mitzvos are in the bechinas of the human stature, as is known. And just as in the human stature every limb depends upon its fellow, and the entire human stature is all bound and linked together in so many ways and paths and ties — through the sinews, veins, blood flow, and movement of air which is the vital spirit that must be received each time for all the limbs, etc., etc. — likewise literally with all the Torah, mitzvos, and all the good and evil midos: everything is bound and linked together in so many countless ways and paths. And if in the wisdom of anatomy and medicine it is difficult to know the science in full — and even all the scholars who have researched this since the earliest times have been unable to grasp the matter in its entirety, as is known the confusions that exist in it, where later authorities have refuted the views of the earlier ones in most matters, and even they are still bewildered about the flow of the blood and many other things — all the more so in the stature of the Torah and mitzvos, it is difficult to know and understand well from where the beginning and rectification of each individual is — according to his place and root in the Torah and in the stature of Adam HaRishon, and according to what befell him in all his gilgulim, and according to what happened to him in this body and everything that happened to him each and every day. And about this it is said: "To all things I have seen an end, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad." And therefore it is impossible to begin any beginning and rectification except through the true tzaddik who has already withstood the trials and broken all the lusts completely, and has merited what he has merited — who illuminates and draws upon each individual the illumination of teshuvah from its root. And the essential is through Rosh HaShana — which is the bechinas of the Head that gives life to the entire stature, as above. And the essential is the bechinas of: "From the depths I called to You, O Hashem" — namely that the tzaddik finds the place of each individual and judges him toward the scale of merit according to his place, and truly brings him into the scale of merit until he is roused to teshuvah — to cry out, to clamor, to roar to Hashem with a strong voice from the depth of the heart. For this is the essential thing — as one sees in practice that during the days of Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur all of Israel cry out to Hashem from the depth of the heart. And this is drawn from the true tzaddikim who know how to "make" Rosh HaShana, as above. And through this one merits to draw all the rectifications throughout the entire year — for the entire year depends upon Rosh HaShana, as above. Section 21. And this is the bechinas of netah r'vai — that one must bring it up to Yerushalayim to eat it there. For after the three years of orla have passed — which are the bechinas of the three lusts above and the three services above — and through having waited the three years of orla, the klippos that nourished from the tree have been nullified. And then one must bring the fruits to Yerushalayim and eat them there — for through the nullification of the three services and the rectification of the three lusts above, one then merits the service of prayer in completeness: that all the sichei hasodeh ascend and return and give their power into the prayer, which is the word of Hashem — which is the great Lender, etc. And then all medicines are nullified, for all the powers of all the herbs return into the prayer, and from there the power of all healing is drawn into everything we eat and drink, in the bechinas of: "And He will bless your bread and your water, and I shall remove illness from your midst," etc. And this is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, etc. — when the prayer is in this completeness that all the sichei hasodeh return their power into the prayer, in the bechinas of: "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field" — this is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, etc. — see there, all of this well. And this is the bechinas of eating the fruits in Yerushalayim — for Yerushalayim is the place of prayer, for there is the Beis HaMikdash, the House of Prayer — for there is the place of awe, as above. Therefore there one must bring the fruits and eat them there. And through this one elevates the power of the fruits into the prayer, which is the bechinas of Yerushalayim. And through this the prayer is completed in the ultimate completeness through the ascent of the sichei hasodeh and their incorporation into the prayer — which is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, as above. For by bringing the fruits of netah r'vai to Yerushalayim — through this the tree is rectified, so that from now on all the fruits of the tree that will grow on this tree will always have all their powers ascend into the prayer, which is the essential rectification of the worlds — for this is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach. And likewise by bringing the grain and fruits of ma'aser sheni to Yerushalayim — through this all the grain and fruits are rectified, that they return and have all their powers ascend into the prayer, which is the bechinas of Yerushalayim. For it is forbidden for us to eat grain and fruits except when we rectify them with the mentioned rectification, that they should always return all their powers to the source of their life — which is in prayer, which is the word of Hashem, which is this bechinas of the completeness of prayer — the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach — through which one merits that dominion over the angels will be sustained, which is the rectification of all the worlds that were created for the sake of man — that he should merit to this, as explained there. Section 22. And this is what the Torah promises many times: that when we truly serve Him, He will give us rain in its time and the earth will give its produce, as it is written: "And it shall come to pass, if you hearken well," etc., "and I shall give the rain of your land in its time" — and conversely: "Beware for yourselves," etc., "and there will be no rain, and the earth will not give its produce." And likewise in the verse: "If you follow My statutes" — and in many places. For the essential promise is regarding the matter above: that He will give the rain that grows all the plants — which differ from each other in appearance, taste, and scent — the acronym of which is matar [rain] — for the scent is primary, for all of them need to return and give their power to their root which is in the prayer — to be included from all the sichei hasodeh in the bechinas of "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field" — whose acronym is yevul [produce], as explained in that Torah teaching and in Siman 11 — see there. And this is certainly a great promise: that the earth will give its yevul — that all will return their power into the prayer — which is the rectification of all the worlds, the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, as above. Section 23. And this is the bechinas of eating the man [manna] — the bechinas of: "The Torah was only given to those who eat the manna." For in the days of Moshe, when they went out of Egypt through the multitude of cries that they cried out to Him, they then merited to receive the holiness of the three pilgrim festivals — all of which are a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt — and then the prayer was in great completeness, until they merited to draw all the powers of eating and drinking into a new creation that Hashem created for them, which was the well and the manna. For now too, when one merits prayer in completeness, all the powers of all the fruits and plants are drawn into the bread and water one eats and drinks — through which one needs no medicine at all, as above. But now it is only in concealment and one does not see this with the eyes. But in those days, through the great power of Moshe and his generation, they merited such completeness of prayer that all could see with their own eyes that they drew the powers of all foods and beverages into a new food and drink — the manna and the well — which changed into all the flavors in the world, for they contained all the powers of all fruits and foods in the world, through all of them having returned their power into the prayer, and from there all the powers were drawn into the manna and the well, as above. For Moshe merited to grasp the Throne of Glory, in the bechinas of: "He grasps the face of the throne" — in order to be saved from the jealousy of the angels. Therefore certainly he merited the completeness of prayer mentioned: that all the powers of all foods ascend into the words of prayer — through which one merits to grasp the roots of souls, which are the bechinas of the Throne of Glory. And from the great completeness they then merited — therefore Hashem revealed to all eyes that they merited this through the manna and the well He gave them, which had all the flavors — for they contained all the powers of all foods and meals in the world, through all of them having returned their power into the prayer, and from there all the powers were drawn into the manna and the well, as above. Section 24. And this is the bechinas of: "At the end of three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce," etc. For it was already explained above regarding the three years of orla — that precisely three years are needed to subdue the three lusts and three services, as above, for they are three-within-three, etc. And therefore after every three years one is obligated in biur [removal] — to remove from one's home all the priestly gifts and Levitical tithes and ma'aser sheni, etc. For all the gifts given to the kohen and Levi from the grain, and the ma'aser sheni — all of this is in order to rectify the grain and fruits with the mentioned rectification, so that they can have all their powers and life-force elevated and incorporated into the prayer, as above. For by giving the priestly and Levitical gifts from the grain and fruits — in this we reveal that Hashem created everything through His speech and we give Him His portion. And through this all the powers of the grain and fruits ascend to their root, which is the word of Hashem — which is prayer — through which it was created. This is the essential completeness of prayer, as above. Therefore one is obligated in biur precisely after three years — for precisely after three years the prayer is more complete, because through those three years the three services have been nullified and the three lusts rectified, as above. And then the prayer is in the completeness mentioned, that all the sichei hasodeh ascend and are incorporated into the prayer, etc., as above. And therefore then is the time to bring all the fruits of ma'aser sheni to Yerushalayim and to give all the priestly and Levitical gifts to their recipients — so that the fruits and grain will be rectified to have all their powers ascend to their root into the prayer. For then is the time of greater completeness of prayer, since the three years have passed, as above. And this is the bechinas of the mitzvah of the declaration of ma'aser — one must declare verbally, precisely: "I have removed the holy portion," etc. For the declaration is the bechinas of prayer — for the essential mitzvah of removal is to elevate all the powers of the fruits and grain into the prayer, which is this bechinas of the declaration — the prayer one prays then: "Look down," etc. And this is: "Look down from Your holy dwelling, from the heavens, and bless Your people Israel and the land," etc. — we pray: we have done what is upon us; now do what is upon You. As Rashi explains there: just as we have done what is upon us and elevated all the powers of the grain to their root into the word of Hashem by fulfilling the mitzvah of all the gifts from the grain, as above — likewise do what is upon You: "and bless Your people Israel and the land," etc. — meaning that You should draw blessing from the heavens — that all the powers of all the fruits and all the healing should flow into everything we eat and drink. For this is the essential blessing — in the bechinas of: "And He will bless your bread and your water, and I shall remove illness from your midst," etc., as above. Section 25. And this is the bechinas of being able to desecrate (challel) the fruits of netah r'vai and ma'aser sheni onto silver coins and bring the silver to Yerushalayim to eat it there with the sanctity of ma'aser sheni — for the essential purpose of bringing these fruits to Yerushalayim is to elevate all the powers of the fruits to their root, which is the word of Hashem — which is prayer — so that we can draw all the powers of the plants into everything we eat and drink, as above. And therefore one can desecrate the fruits onto silver and bring the silver to Yerushalayim to purchase other fruits with the silver and eat them with the sanctity of those fruits — for we can elevate the powers of the fruits to their root, where all powers are included. And there one can certainly transfer the power and holiness of these fruits into other fruits — for this is the essential bechinas of bringing the fruits of ma'aser sheni and netah r'vai to Yerushalayim: to elevate the powers of the fruits into the prayer, so we can draw all the powers into everything we eat, as above. And because of this one can certainly transfer the power and holiness of these fruits to draw it to other fruits — for at the root, all is one, as above. And therefore the essential desecration is specifically through silver, as it is written: "And you shall give [the silver]," etc. For "silver answers everything" — as one sees in practice that for silver one can buy all kinds of fruits in the world and all things. It is therefore found that silver is comprised of all powers — for everything can be bought with silver. And this is because at its root, silver is very high — for the root of money in holiness is very high, as is known in Rabbaynu's words. For money at its root above is the bechinas of the supernal colors, which are the root of all influences. For through prayer — which is the word of Hashem — the colors are drawn and revealed, in the bechinas of: "By the word of Hashem the heavens were made." "Heavens" — these are the bechinas of the supernal colors, as brought elsewhere. And from these colors all influences and all powers of all things flow. And these colors are the bechinas of money, as above. And because money at its root is comprised of all powers — therefore below as well it is comprised of all, for everything can be bought with money. And the bechinas of: "silver answers everything." And because of this the essential desecration of ma'aser sheni and netah r'vai fruits is specifically through silver — for silver is comprised of all powers, for it is the beginning of the influence drawn from the word of Hashem, where at first the influence is contracted into the bechinas of silver where there is already a form given to the influence, but all the powers are still comprised there together. And then the influence and power is drawn to each plant and each thing as befitting it. And therefore specifically through silver one can desecrate the fruits — to transfer the power and holiness of those fruits and draw them into other fruits — for silver specifically has this power, because there all powers are comprised, as above. And when the powers and life-force flow and descend from their root to the angels and the stars, etc., until they flow below — this is called by the name of a loan, as it says: "all the stars lend to one another, the moon lent from the sun," etc., as explained all of this in that Torah teaching. And therefore the prayer — which is the word of Hashem — is called the great Lender: "And the Host of the Heavens bow down to You" — the acronym of which is malveh [lender], etc. — see there. For a typical loan is in silver, as it is written: "If you lend silver," etc. For the drawing of the powers from their root downward is the bechinas of silver which is comprised of all powers, as above. For above, all powers are comprised together, and therefore the supernal influence of silver is formed from them — silver being comprised of everything. And this influence of silver is borrowed and received, the heavenly hosts one from another — in the bechinas of: "all the stars lend to one another" — until it descends below and all that comes below divides the powers to each thing as befitting it. And this is the bechinas of: "And Yosef gathered all the silver," etc. And this is the bechinas of the spoils of Egypt and the spoils of the sea, the bechinas of: "and afterward they will go forth with great wealth" — for Hashem did not want to take them out of Egypt until they asked each one from his fellow for silver vessels, etc. — all for the clarification of the holy sparks, which are clarified greatly through money and wealth of holiness — when one elevates the money and wealth from the sitra achara to holiness. For Egypt was full of idols and idol worship and they did not believe in Hashem's providence, but said: "The Nile is mine, I made it" — for there the rain does not fall, and therefore there heresy increased greatly. And therefore there it is difficult to elevate the powers and life-force of all the grain and plants into the prayer — because the rain does not fall there — as is understood in that Torah teaching: that the essential bechinas of elevating all the powers of the sichei hasodeh into the prayer is because they grow through rain, etc. — see there. And therefore in truth in Egypt there is no place of prayer at all, as Rabbaynu of blessed memory explains (Siman 7) — as it is written: "When I go out of the city I shall spread my hands," etc. And therefore Hashem, through His wondrous miracles, caused all the lands to come to Egypt to buy grain, and for Yosef to gather through this all the silver, etc. And afterward Israel brought all this silver to the Land of Israel. And through this they elevated all the powers of grain and plants to Yerushalayim, which is the bechinas of prayer. And through this they rectified all the holy sparks that were in them — for everything was rectified through this. For this is literally the bechinas of the desecration of ma'aser sheni fruits onto silver and eating the silver in Yerushalayim. Likewise this is the bechinas of the silver and wealth Israel brought up from Egypt to the Land of Israel. And this is because silver is comprised of everything — and therefore through it one can transfer the powers and holiness of those fruits to draw them into other fruits. For at the root all is one, as above. Section 26. [Kil'ayim:] And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ayim [mixed species] of plants — such as grafting trees of different species (kil'ay ilan), mixed seeds (kil'ay z'ra'im), and mixed vineyard planting (kil'ay hakerem). For the essential rectification of all plants is when all their powers ascend and are incorporated into the prayer, in the bechinas of: "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field," as above. And therefore it is forbidden to plant them as kil'ayim — not to mix the powers below together — for when one mixes two kinds of seeds or grafts a tree with a different species, it is then impossible for them to ascend and be incorporated in the root — in the bechinas of the word of Hashem which is prayer. For even though above in the root all is one — even so, when the powers descend below, the power of each kind of plant and tree flows to its own species specifically. For each species is different from the other in appearance, taste, and scent — the acronym of which is matar, as explained in that Torah teaching. For this is truly the wonders of the Perfect of Knowledge — that different powers are drawn from one root that encompasses all the powers of all species. And when they flow below, each species must necessarily be on its own, and they should not be mixed as kil'ayim, Heaven forbid. For below there is the grasp of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — from which comes the grasp of the serpent's impurity — and each species must clarify itself on its own, according to its place, power, and life-force. And it is impossible to clarify it except in its own place when there is no admixture of another species — for there is no thing in the world that has no place, which was drawn from the beginning of the contraction, from which comes the root of the place of all the world, as is known. And from there comes the place of each thing in the world, and it is impossible to clarify anything except in its specific designated place. But when one mixes two species together, the grasp of the impurity intensified in the mixture specifically, and then it is impossible to clarify — and impossible to have the power of the species ascend to its root in the word of Hashem, which is prayer — for the path becomes confused: for each one cannot ascend through the path through which it came and was drawn into this world — and now, when this plant is mixed with another species, their path has become confused, and they cannot ascend to their root in the word of Hashem. And this is a very great defect — for the essential rectification is to elevate all the sichei hasodeh to their root in the word of Hashem, which is the essential completeness of prayer, the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, etc., as above. Section 27. And this is the bechinas of: "On the first of Tishrei — Rosh HaShana — for years, for planting, for vegetables, for shmitta and yovel." For on the first of Tishrei — which is Rosh HaShana — then the prayer is in the bechinas mentioned: in the bechinas of: "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field" — that all the powers of the field return and give their power into the prayer, as above — which is their essential rectification, as above. And therefore then it is Rosh HaShana for all the plantings and vegetables — for then is their essential rectification, as above. And this is: "for shmitta and yovel" — for this is the essential holiness of shmitta and yovel: that they are a Shabbas to Hashem, and all their holiness is in the matter of the plants, as it is written: "Your field you shall not sow and your vineyard you shall not prune," etc. And all of this to reveal that the land belongs to Hashem — for then it is Shabbas to Hashem, when all the powers of all the sichei hasodeh ascend and are incorporated in their root — like Shabbas Bereishis, when all the worlds ascend to be incorporated in their root, as is known. And as Rashi explains: just as it is said of Shabbas Bereishis, so it is said of shmitta, etc. And therefore then everything is ownerless (hefker) — for all distinctions of domains exist below, where each one is separate from the other, but above in the root all is one. And this is the bechinas of yovel — when the essential ascent of all things to their root occurs, in the bechinas of: "In this year of yovel you shall return each man to his possession." For Yovel stands as an acronym of: "Vayetze Yitzchak Lasu'ach BaSodeh" [And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field] — as explained in that Torah teaching. For all the powers of all the sichei hasodeh ascend and have their power incorporated in the prayer — which is the essential rectification of the worlds. For this is the bechinas of the spark of Mashiach, etc. And through this one merits that dominion over the angels will be sustained, and the dominion will be maintained, etc., as above. And through this one merits the bechinas of Rosh HaShana — which one can only merit through grasping the Throne of Glory — through which one merits to be in the bechinas of m'komo shel olam, where there is a place for each individual. And through this one judges all toward the scale of merit, etc., as above. And all of this is attained through the bechinas of "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field" mentioned — which is the bechinas of yovel. And therefore during the yovel there is great freedom, and all return and ascend to their root, and all is rectified then through the completeness of prayer that is incorporated and completed then in the bechinas mentioned — through all the sichei hasodeh, as above. And since on Rosh HaShana the prayer is in the bechinas mentioned — therefore it is Rosh HaShana for shmitta and yovel — for all their holiness is in the bechinas of siach hasodeh: the bechinas of "And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field" — which is the bechinas of Rosh HaShana, as above. And therefore yovel too is called Rosh HaShana, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "What year has its Rosh HaShana on the tenth of the month? You must say: that is the yovel." For Rosh HaShana and yovel are one bechinas — as above. Preamble. According to the Torah teaching "Tefillah L'Chavakuk" [A Prayer of Chavakuk] in Siman 19 mentioned above in Hilchos Orlah: For the Holy Tongue is in the bechinas of "one language" — as Rashi explains: "one language" — the Holy Tongue. For holiness is unity, as is known. But the languages of the nations are in the bechinas of mixture and kil'ayim [mixture of species] — the bechinas of many calculations — in the bechinas of: "For there Hashem confused the language of all the earth, and from there He scattered them," etc. For they are truly blended and confused — and this is the bechinas of kil'ayim. For in every species there are the letters according to its root and life-force, and when one mixes two species together, they become the bechinas of the languages of the nations, as above. And therefore it is forbidden to sow them in the earth — for the earth is the bechinas of the Holy Tongue, in the bechinas of: "Let the earth bring forth living creatures." "Living creatures" — this is the bechinas of speech, as it is written: "and the man became a living creature," and the Targum renders: "a speaking spirit." And therefore the earth brings forth and grows all things in the world — for it is the bechinas of Chava, the woman who is the mother of all life. And this is the bechinas of "a woman is her husband's ground." And therefore it is forbidden to sow kil'ayim in the earth — lest one give sustenance, Heaven forbid, to the comprehensive evil, which is the languages of the nations, from the earth which is the bechinas of the Holy Tongue. And therefore the sowing itself is forbidden — all the more so eating, as above. And therefore the essential prohibition is in the Land of Israel — for the Land of Israel is the bechinas of the completeness of the Holy Tongue, as brought above. For the Land of Israel was chosen from all lands for Israel, the Holy Tongue from all languages, and Israel from all nations. It is thus found that the Land of Israel, the Holy Tongue, and Israel are all one. But the other lands were divided among the other nations. And therefore the prohibition of kil'ayim does not apply there — for the seventy nations are themselves the bechinas of kil'ayim, the bechinas of "For there Hashem confused the language," etc. — only that by rabbinic decree it is also forbidden in the Diaspora. For because Israel dwell there outside the Land, there is some holiness of the Land of Israel there — as I heard from Rabbaynu, his light shall shine, that in every place where Israel dwell, it is the bechinas of the Land of Israel. And therefore the Sages decreed to forbid it there as well. And therefore the prohibition of kil'ay hakerem [vineyard mixture] is extremely severe — for the essential nourishment of the seventy nations from holiness flows through Targum [Aramaic translation], as explained there — for it is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as above. And the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the grapevine — as our Sages of blessed memory said: the tree that Adam HaRishon ate was a grapevine. And therefore its prohibition is extremely severe, as above. And therefore the essential prohibition is wheat and barley with a grape-pit (chartzin) adjacent by hand's reach — for in truth, with trees, the prohibition of sowing kil'ayim is not as severe as written in the Shulchan Aruch, where it is stated that it is permitted to mix tree seeds with other seeds and plant them. For with trees the kil'ayim prohibition is not so severe — because trees, being large and important, are not confused and blended together. And therefore the Holy One blessed be He only commanded the trees to go forth each according to its species — but not the grasses. For the trees are the bechinas of a person, as it is written: "For man is a tree of the field." And they are closer to holiness — therefore the sitra achara does not take hold of them as strongly. And therefore they are not confused and are not subject to kil'ayim except through actual grafting (harkava), as stated in the Shulchan Aruch. But the grapevine is more severely prohibited when mixed with grains — because it is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge, as above. Therefore the essential prohibition is when there are two types of grain which are already kil'ayim, and also a grape-pit among them — then it is kil'ay hakerem, whose prohibition is extremely severe. For then the kil'ayim draw nourishment from holiness — from the completeness of the Holy Tongue — through the grape-pit, which is the grapevine, which is the Tree of Knowledge, through which their nourishment flows, as above. And then they become mixed together and are further prohibited. And this is what is written regarding kil'ay hakerem: "lest it become holy (pen tikdash)." The opposite of the completeness of the Holy Tongue, which is holiness (kodesh) itself — when it is damaged and falls, it too becomes in the bechinas of "tikdash" — the bechinas of the fall and damage of the Holy Tongue. And this is what our Sages said: "it will be set ablaze [tukad aish]" — for from the fire they came and the fire shall consume them — as Rabbaynu explains there regarding the verse "let coals fall upon them." All of this is in the Torah teaching of "Tefillah L'Chavakuk" which speaks of the completeness of the Holy Tongue — see there. According to the Torah teaching "I am Hashem, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another," etc., in Likutay Moharan Siman 11 — see there the entire teaching. And the general principle for our subject: Through guarding the covenant (sh'miras habris) in two aspects — yichuda ila'a and yichuda tata'a — namely, the guarding of the covenant of the tzaddikim whose conjugal union is from Shabbos to Shabbos, and the guarding of the covenant of the masses whose union is during the six weekdays. But in any case they guard their covenant according to the Torah, not departing from the laws of the Torah. And through guarding the covenant in completeness in these two aspects above, one thereby merits anava [humility] — which is the bechinas of honor in completeness: to diminish one's own honor and to increase the honor of Hashem. And likewise in the reverse: through humility one merits guarding the covenant — for each depends upon the other. And through complete honor one merits dibur hama'ir baTorah [speech that illuminates in the Torah]. And through speech that illuminates in the Torah — through studying Torah and articulating words of Torah explicitly by mouth — the speech illuminates for him all the places where he needs to do teshuvah, until he merits true teshuvah hamishkal. And through this he merits to emerge from a lowly and degraded level, and through every act of teshuvah he rises from level to level — until he merits to attain understanding of the Torah in its depths, etc. — see there, all of this well. Section 1. And this is the bechinas of Chanukah — for the Chanukah lamp is the bechinas of dibur hama'ir baTorah mentioned above, which is the bechinas of the light of the Chanukah lamp. For: "A mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light." For the essential purpose of the Chanukah lamp is to return and draw the light of the Torah — for the wicked kingdom of Greece arose against Israel to make them forget Your Torah, etc. Therefore we must return and draw the light of the Torah — the bechinas of dibur hama'ir baTorah — which is the light of the Chanukah lamp, as above. And therefore one kindles the Chanukah lamp near the doorway, in the bechinas of light, in the bechinas of (Tehillim 119): "The opening of Your words gives light." And through this light of the Chanukah lamp — which is the bechinas of illuminating speech, the bechinas of the illumination of honor — through which one merits to illuminating speech, in the bechinas of "And the earth was illuminated by His glory," as explained there in that Torah teaching — through this one merits teshuvah. For the speech illuminates for him all the places where he needs to do teshuvah. And through this he merits to emerge from the degraded level, etc. And this is the bechinas of why the Chanukah lamp is kindled below ten tefachim — for this is the bechinas of drawing the light, the bechinas of illuminating speech, so that it illuminates even in the lowest levels — which is the bechinas of below ten, where the Divine Presence does not rest. For the Divine Presence has never descended below ten tefachim. And now through the mitzvah of the Chanukah lamp — which is the bechinas of "a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light," the bechinas of illuminating speech, as above — the light shines even in those lowest levels, until one merits to see a path to emerge from the degraded and lowly level, to do complete teshuvah, and to attain understanding of the Torah in its depths, as above. And this is what is brought there in that Torah teaching — on the saying of our Sages of blessed memory: "People say in the town: 'Greens, greens, take while they are green!'" Yarka [greens] is the bechinas of teshuvah, the bechinas of "And he marshaled [vayarek] his trained men" — in the portion of Shoftim [Devarim 20], alluding to those who are set apart, which is the bechinas of teshuvah, as explained there: "Who is the man who is afraid?" etc. And this is the bechinas of Chanukah — which is the bechinas of teshuvah, merited through the light of the Chanukah lamp, the bechinas of the illuminating speech that shines upon all the places where one needs to do teshuvah, as above. And therefore it is called Chanukah — which is in the language of "Vayarek es chanichav" [and he marshaled his trained men], the language of training [chinuch] — the bechinas of Chanukah. As our Sages of blessed memory said: that he trained them in the commandments — that is, the bechinas of teshuvah. For when a person begins to do teshuvah, this is the bechinas of Chanukah — that he trains himself in the service of Hashem. And this one merits through the illuminating speech of the Torah, which is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp, as above. Section 2. And therefore it is forbidden to make use of the light of the Chanukah lamp — for the essential illuminating speech flows through the completeness of honor: through diminishing one's own honor and increasing the honor of Hashem, etc., as explained there in that Torah teaching. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of making use of the Chanukah lamp's light — for the light of the Chanukah lamp is the bechinas of the illumination of honor, through which the speech of the Torah becomes illuminated, as above. And therefore it is forbidden to make use of it — for it is forbidden to derive use and benefit from the honor of the holy Torah, in the bechinas of: "And one who made use of the crown [of Torah] passed away." For one may not take any pleasure or use from the honor of the Torah. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "Do not make it a crown with which to aggrandize yourself, nor a spade with which to dig," etc. Rather, one must return all the illumination of honor to Hashem alone. Section 3. And this is the bechinas of the Hallel of Chanukah — which is the bechinas of complete honor, the bechinas of: "So that my honor may sing to You and not be silent," as explained in that Torah teaching. "So that my honor may sing to You" — this is the bechinas of Hallel, in which one sings and praises and magnifies the honor of His Name. And therefore this verse — "So that my honor may sing to You and not be silent" — is the conclusion of the psalm "A song for the dedication of the House", which is the bechinas of Chanukah — the dedication of the Temple (chanukas habayis), as is brought. For then the Hallel is completed — in the bechinas of "So that my honor may sing to You and not be silent" — which is the bechinas of complete honor. And through this the speech of the Torah becomes illuminated — which is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp, as above. And complete honor is merited through guarding the covenant in two aspects, as above — which are the bechinas of yichuda ila'a and yichuda tata'a, which are the bechinas of "Shma Yisrael" and "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso," etc. And this is the bechinas of Chanukah — Chanu-kah [they rested on the] twenty-fifth: meaning the twenty-fifth of Kislev. And it is found in the Tikkunim that the twenty-fifth of Kislev corresponds to the twenty-five letters of the Yichud that Israel recite every day in Shma Yisrael. And therefore then they kindle the Chanukah lamp — which is the illuminating speech, merited through the twenty-five letters of Shma Yisrael, the bechinas of yichuda ila'a. Also the name Chanukah is the language of Chanoch-Metatron, as Rabbaynu of blessed memory wrote elsewhere. And Chanoch-Metatron is the bechinas of yichuda tata'a of the six weekdays — when the dominion of Chanoch-Metatron prevails. It is thus found that Chanukah comprises both yichuda ila'a and yichuda tata'a — meaning that the illumination is drawn from yichuda ila'a to yichuda tata'a, from those great in spiritual level to the masses and the smaller ones. That is: on the twenty-fifth of Kislev — which is the bechinas of the twenty-five letters of the Yichud, the bechinas of yichuda ila'a — they then draw the illumination of Chanukah which is the bechinas of Chanoch-Metatron, in order to illuminate even those who are smaller in spiritual level, that they too should merit holiness and purity — the bechinas of guarding the covenant in the bechinas of yichuda tata'a. They receive this holiness from the tzaddikim of the generation who are great in spiritual level and who are the bechinas of yichuda ila'a. For yichuda tata'a — the bechinas of Metatron — the bechinas of the six weekdays — the essential holiness is received from Shabbos, from the bechinas of yichuda ila'a. And this is what is drawn on Chanukah, as above. And through this one merits the illuminating speech, which is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp, as above. Section 4. Also the essential illumination of honor flows through the thirty-nine lights (tal oros) — which are the bechinas of the work of the Mishkan, which contained all the thirty-nine labors — in the bechinas of tal oros [dew of lights], as explained well in that Torah teaching. And this is the bechinas of Chanukah — the dedication of the Temple (chanukas habayis hamikdash), which comprises the thirty-nine labors in the bechinas of tal oros — through which comes the essential illumination of complete honor. And through this one merits the illuminating speech, which is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp, as above. And therefore the custom is to recite V'yehi No'am after kindling the Chanukah lamp — for V'yehi No'am was said at the time of Moshe's erection of the Mishkan. As our Sages of blessed memory said: that Moshe blessed them that the Divine Presence should rest upon the work of the Mishkan and upon the work of their hands. And this is what is doubled in that verse: "and may the work of our hands be established for us, and the work of our hands establish it" — for it is all truly one. For the work of a person's hands — all his occupations, labors, and commerce, all of which are comprised within the thirty-nine labors — must be purified and performed in great holiness and purity, until all his occupations become the bechinas of the work of the Mishkan in the bechinas of tal oros, as above. That is no'am Hashem [the pleasantness of Hashem]. And therefore Moshe combined together the blessing upon their handiwork and the blessing upon the work of the Mishkan — for it is all one, as above. And therefore this V'yehi No'am is recited at the time of kindling the Chanukah lamp — for the Chanukah lamp is the bechinas of the illuminating speech of the Torah, which is the bechinas of the thirty-nine lights — the thirty-nine holy labors of the Mishkan and the Temple, as above. That is the bechinas of Chanukah — the dedication of the Temple. For then the portion of the erection of the Mishkan is read: "And it came to pass on the day that Moshe finished" — and therefore V'yehi No'am is recited then, having been said at the time of the Mishkan's erection — in order to merit to rectify the thirty-nine labors in the bechinas of the thirty-nine lights, in the bechinas of the Mishkan in its construction, as above. Section 5. And this is the bechinas of kil'ay ilan [tree-species mixture] — which does not carry the prohibition of kil'ayim except through grafting, while other forms of kil'ayim do not apply to it, and it is permitted to mix tree seeds with other seeds and plant them, as stated in the Shulchan Aruch. For it is explained there in that Torah teaching what our Sages of blessed memory said: "When the Holy One blessed be He commanded the trees to go forth each according to its species, the grasses drew an inference by themselves: if trees, which are large and are not frequent [in their unions], were commanded to go forth each according to its kind — we who are small and frequent, all the more so that we must go forth each according to our kind." And Rabbaynu of blessed memory explained there that this is the bechinas mentioned — the bechinas of guarding the covenant in the two aspects above. That is: those who are smaller in spiritual level, whose union is during the six weekdays, must guard the covenant very well — at the very least not to damage the covenant, Heaven forbid. And they must draw a kal v'chomer [inference from minor to major] from those greater in spiritual level. And this is the bechinas of: "if trees, which are large and are not frequent" — those great in spiritual level, who are the bechinas of trees that do not engage in union frequently — only from Shabbos to Shabbos — and yet were commanded "to go forth each according to its species" — meaning that even they must guard themselves greatly in the guarding of the covenant. As it is written: "And the children of Israel shall keep the Shabbos" — whose acronym spells bi'ah [conjugal union], which is the bechinas of the union from Shabbos to Shabbos, as brought in the writings of the Arizal of blessed memory. That is, Hashem warned even those greater ones: "and they shall keep," etc. — that they too must greatly guard themselves from damaging the covenant, Heaven forbid — even though their union is not frequent. How much more so those smaller in spiritual level, who are small and frequent — whose union is also during the six weekdays — certainly they must guard themselves "each according to its species", meaning the guarding of the covenant — at the very least not to depart from the laws of the Torah, Heaven forbid, etc. — see there. And this is the bechinas of what was explained above: that yichuda tata'a receives from yichuda ila'a — that the masses, the smaller ones, receive their guarding and their holiness from the greater ones, as above. And therefore Hashem did not command the grasses — who are the bechinas of the smaller ones — to go forth each according to their kind. Rather, He commanded the trees, who are the bechinas of the greater ones. And the smaller ones must learn the kal v'chomer from the greater ones — for the smaller ones need only learn from the greater ones. That is: their essential guarding and holiness they receive only through the greater ones — from whom they learn and from whom they receive the holiness and the guarding. And this is the bechinas of the ruling regarding kil'ay ilan — that for trees there is no prohibition of kil'ayim in sowing in the earth; only when it has grown and become a tree is there a prohibition of kil'ayim — specifically the prohibition of grafting with a different species. For trees are the bechinas of the great ones and the tzaddikim — who do not require as much guarding, for they are in the bechinas of: "No evil befalls the tzaddik." And the essential guarding they need — even though they must still guard themselves greatly as above — their essential guarding is only from gadlus [greatness/pride], as explained in that Torah teaching: that gadlus and licentiousness depend upon each other. And therefore the tzaddikim who are the bechinas of ilan ravr'va [the great tree] — who have already merited ultimate holiness in completeness, the bechinas of yichuda ila'a — certainly no longer fear the evil inclination regarding physical lust, Heaven forbid. And their essential guarding is only from gadlus — which is the bechinas of damage to the covenant, as above. And this is alluded to in the law of kil'ay ilan — that with trees there is no prohibition of kil'ayim in sowing in the earth. For when one plants tree seeds in the earth, there is no prohibition of kil'ayim — that is, when the tzaddik who is the bechinas of a tree, as above, is in the bechinas of smallness and lowliness — like seeds which are small and planted in the earth, the bechinas of lowliness, the bechinas of "And my soul shall be as the dust to all" — then there is no prohibition of kil'ayim upon him at all. For then he has no need to guard himself at all — for certainly no other species will attach to him or mix with him, for "No evil befalls the tzaddik." And because of this the tzaddik can lower himself to the lower levels to engage with the masses — to draw holiness upon them and bring them back in teshuvah. For he does not fear that any damage from them will attach itself to him, Heaven forbid — for "No evil befalls the tzaddik," as above. And his essential guarding is only from gadlus, as above. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of grafting with a tree — for when the tree has grown from the earth and ascends upward, then one must guard it from grafting it with another species. That is: when the tzaddik has ascended to a higher level, then his essential guarding is that he remain "each according to its species" — the bechinas of guarding the covenant. For then he needs great guarding not to be caught by gadlus, Heaven forbid — which is the bechinas of damage to the covenant. But when he is in the bechinas of smallness — the bechinas of seeds planted in the earth — then he needs no guarding at all, as above. For his essential guarding is when he has ascended above, like a tree growing from the earth and ascending upward — for then he needs guarding to remain "each according to its species," in the bechinas of guarding the covenant, which is the bechinas of true humility. Preamble. According to the teaching "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" [I am Hashem your God] etc., in Likutay Moharan the First, Siman 4 — see there the entire teaching in full, from its beginning to its end. And the general principle: through viduy devarim [verbal confession] before a Torah scholar, through this one returns the Malchus [Kingship] to its root. And through this, the Malchus — which is the bechinas of Elokim, the bechinas of judgment — ascends and returns to its root in Hashem blessed be He, to the bechinas of the Havayah [the Name of Mercy], the bechinas of chesed. And then Havayah-Elokim — which are chesed and gevurah — become altogether one. And then one knows that all the events of his life are entirely for his good. And this bechinas is a foretaste of the World to Come, etc. And through returning the Malchus to its root — that is, through viduy devarim before a Torah scholar: that one does teshuvah for all his transgressions and breaks all the desires and all the evil character-traits that are drawn from the four elements, etc., as explained there — and one confesses by verbal confession before a Torah scholar, through which one returns the Malchus to its root as above — through this, one becomes included within Ein Sof [the Infinite]. And this is the bechinas of zarka d'izdrikkat la'atar d'itnatal mitamman [Aramaic: the arrow that was hurled to the place from which it was taken] — that one returns the Malchus to Ein Sof, which is the Will that is within all wills. For the Malchus — which is the bechinas of the letters of speech — every single letter has clothed within it the will of Hashem blessed be He: for it was Hashem's will that this letter should have such a shape, and that another letter should have a different shape. It is thus found that the wills — that is, the shapes of the letters — are the manifestation of His Kingship blessed be His Name. And all these wills — that is, the shapes — are drawn from the will of Ein Sof, which contains no shape. And all things and all existence in the world come from the letters — that is, from the Malchus — for existence is because of the Malchus: for the Holy One blessed be He willed that His Kingship be revealed in the world, and therefore He created the world from ayin [nothingness] to yesh [existence]. And all the wills — that is, the shapes — and all existence, the bechinas of Malchus — receive their vitality from the will of Ein Sof, as they have said: "In every place where you find His greatness," etc. And this is the bechinas of hispashtus hagashmiyus [the stripping away of physicality] — for when one wishes to be included within the will of Ein Sof, one must nullify one's own existence. And this is the bechinas of the departure of Moshe on Shabbos at Minchah time — when there is a revelation of ra'ava d'ra'avin [Aramaic: the will of wills], which is the bechinas of the will of Ein Sof from which all the wills receive their vitality — and this was because Moshe nullified all his existence, as it is written: "And we — what are we?" etc. And this is what we observe: that sometimes a person becomes inflamed within the prayer — and all of this is through Hashem's compassion upon him, that the light of Ein Sof is opened for him, etc. And in the moment when he becomes nullified toward Ein Sof, he is then in the bechinas of "and no man knew" — that even he himself does not know himself at all. But this bechinas must be in the mode of ratzo vashov [running and returning] — in order that his existence be sustained. For the Holy One blessed be He desires our service, as it is written: "You desire the praise of those formed from dust, kneaded from clay." And therefore it must not remain thus permanently — only until the Holy One blessed be He Himself comes and takes his soul. But while he lives, the hispashtus hagashmiyus must be in the bechinas of ratzo vashov. It is thus found that when he is in the bechinas of shov [returning], he must then manifest also to his own mind. For at first, in the moment of dveykus [cleaving] to Hashem, the mind becomes nullified, as it is written: "and no man knew." And when he is in the bechinas of shov — when he returns to his mind and to his existence — then he returns to his mind. And when he has returned to his mind, he then knows the unity of Ein Sof and His goodness. And then there is no distinction between Hashem and Elokim, between the attribute of judgment and the attribute of mercy — for in Ein Sof, Heaven forbid, no change of will is applicable: for changes exist only in the change of shapes. But through a person's dveykus to Ein Sof, where there is no change of will — for there the will is simple — afterwards there remains within him a reshimu [impression] from this unity. And then, having returned to the mode of shov, the reshimu shines upon the mind, so that he knows that everything is good and everything is one. And this is the bechinas of: "You have been shown to know that Hashem, He is the God," etc. — see there, all of this well. Section 1. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ayim — for the essential purpose of Creation was for this end: that the entire Creation should return and be included within Ein Sof. This is the essential purpose of all created beings in the world — that they return to their first root. For Hashem blessed be He brought forth the entire Creation from ayin to yesh for the sake of Israel, the holy nation — so that through their service and their dveykus to Him blessed be He, all created beings should ascend and the whole be returned to its first root: that the whole should return and be included within Ein Sof. But for as long as the world continues to exist, this bechinas must of necessity be in the mode of ratzo vashov — for Hashem blessed be He desires the world's continuity, so that we may serve Him blessed be He specifically in this lowly world below, which is His entire delight and pleasure, as above. And this is the bechinas of: "And every plant of the field had not yet been in the earth, and every herb of the field had not yet sprouted — for there was no man to work the ground" [Bereishis 2:5]. For in truth the growth and rise of all the plants in the world is nifl'os temim de'im [the wonders of the Perfect of Knowledge] — for thereby we see at all times the wonders of the Creator blessed be He, Who works wonders at every moment: from a single grain of seed there grow many sheaves, and the essential growth is after the grain has decomposed in the earth and become as nothingness and void — then what was sown returns and grows from it, whether trees or grain or the like. And therefore it is impossible for anything to grow and sprout except through sowing specifically in the earth. For the essential power of growth and sprouting is through the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof blessed be He in the bechinas of hispashtus hagashmiyus mentioned above. For growth and sprouting is a bechinas of a new creation — and therefore it is impossible except through sowing the grain in the earth. And the earth is the bechinas of lowliness, the bechinas of ayin [nothingness] — and there the grain decomposes until it becomes as nothingness and void, with only a trace remaining. Then the sown thing becomes included within Ein Sof — through having decomposed and been stripped of its physicality — and then it returns and comes back from there, from ayin to yesh, and returns and is renewed with greater abundance. Until it emerges and grows and sprouts into a great tree or the like. But it is impossible for anything to return and ascend to its first root — to become nullified in the light of Ein Sof and be renewed there in the bechinas of ratzo vashov as above — except through the human being. For everything was created for the human being, and adam [man] in gematria equals mah [forty-five, the bechinas of nullification]. And Hashem blessed be He placed power and wisdom within the human being — for he has the power through his free will to strip himself of all physical materiality and to cleave to Hashem blessed be He, until he becomes nullified and included within the light of Ein Sof in ratzo vashov throughout all the days of his life. And through this, the entire world in its totality is included with him within Ein Sof — for everything depends upon him, as above. And therefore every plant of the field and every herb of the field had not yet sprouted and had not yet come out into the open air of the world — until the first man came and prayed for rain, as Rashi explains there. For prayer is the bechinas of dveykus and bitul toward Ein Sof — and through this he elevated all the seeds and returned them to their root in Ein Sof, and through this he drew back from there the blessing and the supernal bounty which are the rains — and through this all the plants and all the grasses sprouted. And so it is now: it is impossible for any plants to grow except through the human being, and the essential means is prayer. For rain falls only through the prayers of Israel, as it is written [Iyov 36]: "and He commanded it with His intercessors." For prayer is the bechinas of dveykus and bitul toward Ein Sof. For the essential perfection of prayer — to bring about rain through it — is only when one prays with mesirus nefesh [self-sacrifice] in the bechinas of hispashtus hagashmiyus, as the early Chassidim would pray with hispashtus hagashmiyus. And therefore they were always answered in their prayers and rains fell through their prayers immediately — as many such accounts are cited in tractate Ta'anis. And through this specifically the plants grow — for the essential growth is through the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof in ratzo vashov, which is the bechinas of prayer, as above. Section 2. And by this is resolved the difficulty of why the Torah wrote the rewards and recompenses of the commandments in terms of the falling of rain — as it is written: "If you walk in My statutes," etc., "and I will give your rains in their proper time," etc. And similarly many such passages. For the falling of rains — through which the earth gives its produce — indicates the completeness of their service at its ultimate level: that they have merited to attain the ultimate perfection through fulfilling the Torah and the commandments, until they have merited to become nullified within the light of Ein Sof. And through this they merit to draw down rains and to cause all the earth's vegetation to grow — for the essential growth is through this, as above. Section 3. And therefore when the first man sinned through the Tree of Knowledge, the earth was cursed on his account. For the essential purpose of the creation of man was for this end: that he merit to become nullified and included within the light of Ein Sof and His unity blessed be He — as it will be in the Future. And had he not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, man would have merited this end in perfection even while alive in his body: to cleave and be included within the light of Ein Sof while still in his body, as it will be in the Future after the Resurrection. And he would have known that everything is entirely good, entirely one — as it will be in the Future, as above. And therefore Hashem blessed be He warned him: "and from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, do not eat from it," etc. For He warned him not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge through which one knows good and evil — meaning one knows the distinction between good and evil, that there is a distinction between good and bad events. And therefore He warned him not to eat this eating — for man was created to merit the complete knowledge in which there is no distinction between chesed and judgment, for all is good, all is one: attained through bitul toward Ein Sof, as above. And therefore since man damaged in this regard, the earth was cursed on his account, as it is written [Bereishis 3]: "In the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread," etc. For now man requires great effort before he draws sustenance and livelihood — for now it is impossible to become nullified toward the light of Ein Sof in ratzo vashov to draw from there sustenance: which is the bechinas of the growth of grain and bread from the earth, whose growth is only through bitul toward Ein Sof as above. And now this is impossible except through great and immense effort — because of the contamination of the serpent that attached itself to man. And therefore man requires great effort to break all the desires and character-traits — and then he will merit to this bitul. And through that person who merits to this, specifically through him do all the plants grow and all livelihood is drawn to the world. Section 4. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ayim — for each thing differs in its form and likeness, and all these forms are according to the letters which are the bechinas of Malchus clothed within that thing: which are the bechinas of the wills drawn from the will of Ein Sof that contains no form at all — for His will blessed be He was that this letter should have this shape, and through it this thing should be created in this form and this order. And so it is with all the details of Creation, as explained above in the Torah teaching mentioned. And all these wills and forms of all things in the world are drawn from the will of Ein Sof that contains no form at all, etc., as above. And it is impossible for things to be included in Ein Sof except through hispashtus hagashmiyus and bitul hayeshus [nullification of existence]. And then the wills clothed within the forms are included within the simple will of Ein Sof that contains no form — from which all the wills and all the forms are drawn. And therefore it is impossible for them to return and be included within Ein Sof except when one is careful not to change Hashem's will blessed be He — that each thing should stand in the shape and form that the Creator blessed be His Name fixed for it. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ay zera'im [mixed seeds] and kil'ay hakerem [vineyard mixture] — for the sowing and the sprouting is the bechinas of bitul within the light of Ein Sof in ratzo vashov, as above. And this is impossible except when one does not change the forms from Hashem's will blessed be He clothed within all the wills that are within all the forms — for then all the wills within all the forms can return and go back to their root: to become nullified within the simple will from which their form and shape were drawn. But when one mixes the seeds, Heaven forbid, and sows kil'ayim, Heaven forbid — the forms become intermingled. And through this, the wills clothed within them are, as it were, uprooted from Hashem's will of Ein Sof, since the forms have been changed not according to their kind. And then they are unable to return and be included within Ein Sof or to draw from there the supernal will — and this is the corruption of Creation. For the essential purpose of Creation is that it should return and be included within Ein Sof, as above. And this is impossible except when one guards against mixing the forms — rather, each thing should stand in its form and shape. For then the particular will clothed within each individual form is connected to the will of Ein Sof that contains no form. And then one can strip the thing of its physicality so that it returns and is included within Ein Sof, as above. But when one mixes the seeds and sows kil'ayim and the forms are thereby intermingled — through this one uproots them from the simple will, and they are unable to return and be included within Ein Sof or to draw from there the supernal will. And this is the essential damage of all transgressions — and therefore it is impossible to be included within Ein Sof except through viduy devarim, as above. For the essential damage of a transgression, Heaven forbid, is that one damages the Malchus — the letters of speech, which are the wills and the forms — and changes them and uproots them from their root, drawing them to the Other Side, Heaven forbid. And therefore the essential repair is through viduy devarim — for through this one returns and elevates the utterances, the bechinas of Malchus, the bechinas of wills, to their root: through having returned and repaired the combinations of the letters — which are the wills — in their proper order, as explained in the Torah teaching mentioned. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ayim: that one mixes and changes the forms and the wills — and through this uproots them from their root, so that they are unable to be included within the will of Ein Sof that contains no form at all, as above. Section 5. And therefore the Torah was stricter regarding the prohibition of kil'ay hakerem [vineyard mixture] — which is more stringent than all other kil'ay zera'im and ilan [tree mixtures]. For wine has two aspects: "If he merited — it becomes rosh [head/leading]. If he did not merit — it becomes rash [poor/destitute]. If he merited — it gladdens him. If he did not merit — it devastates him" [Yoma 76b]. For there is wine that gladdens and there is wine that intoxicates. When one merits to drink wine with holiness as is proper, the wine then elevates his mind and gladdens his heart — the bechinas of "and wine gladdens the heart of man" [Tehillim 104] — and then his mind is exalted and he merits to know that Hashem He is the God: which is the essential perfection of the mind. For as above: to know that Havayah and Elokim are entirely one, as above — this is the essential joy, the bechinas of "and wine gladdens the heart." For when one merits to this knowledge and knows that everything is for the good — certainly he is constantly in joy. And this is the bechinas of the Future joy — when then the joy will be great, as it is written [Tehillim 126]: "Then our mouths will be filled with laughter," etc. — meaning we shall be joyful, for then we will merit to this knowledge that all is good. And therefore that will be a world of joy. And this is the bechinas of the joy of wine — the bechinas of the wine that gladdens — the bechinas of "and wine gladdens." For through the wine of holiness one's mind is elevated until one merits to the knowledge mentioned above, which is beyond human intellect. And then one knows that all is for his good, for all is entirely good — through which joy increases greatly. And this is the bechinas of the preserved wine [yayin hashamur] that we will merit in the Future in the World to Come, when all will be entirely good, etc., as above. But there is wine that intoxicates, Heaven forbid — and one who does not merit: through the drinking of wine he entirely loses his mind. For this bechinas of bitul mentioned above is not attained by everyone — not everyone who wishes to take the Name may take it. And it is impossible to merit the bechinas of bitul mentioned above except when one first sanctifies oneself and breaks all the character-traits and desires drawn from the four elements, and returns in complete teshuvah and confesses by verbal confession before a Torah scholar — then specifically can one be included within Ein Sof. And even then it is impossible to become completely nullified — for Hashem blessed be He desires our service. Therefore the bitul must be in the bechinas of ratzo vashov, as above. But one who is still immersed in physical desires — certainly it is impossible for him to merit the bechinas of bitul. And even if there sometimes flickers in him [an impulse] and he wishes to rise and be included within Ein Sof more than is fitting for him according to his level — he can damage through this, Heaven forbid: which is the bechinas of "lest they break through to come up to Hashem." And even with great tzaddikim we find with the four who entered the Pardes — that only Rabbi Akiva entered in peace and emerged in peace. Therefore one must ask greatly of Hashem blessed be He to merit this bitul according to one's level — in holiness and purity — so that the abundance of light should not harm him, Heaven forbid. For the abundance of oil causes the lamp to be extinguished, Heaven forbid. All the more so through the drinking of wine — although one's mind is elevated through the wine — but when one does not merit, his mind becomes entirely confused and he falls into intoxication. For the bitul mentioned above toward Ein Sof is the bechinas of the mind being stripped and departing from the vessels of the brain-faculties and being included within Ein Sof — for certainly the vessels of the brain-faculties cannot receive the light of Ein Sof. And afterwards when he returns from the bitul, there remains within him only the reshimu [impression]. And then the reshimu illuminates the mind — to know that Hashem He is the God and all is entirely good, as above. Therefore the vessels of the brain-faculties must be holy and pure in order to be able to receive the light of the reshimu of the bitul. And this is the bechinas of wine — through which the mind is elevated beyond the vessels of the brain-faculties. And therefore the vessels of his brain-faculties must be strong enough to receive the expansion of the mind that comes through the wine — and then he can know through this a complete knowing: in the bechinas of chamra v'reichanei pachkin [Aramaic: wine and fragrances open the mind], in the bechinas of "and your palate is like the good wine, flowing to my Beloved in uprightness" [Shir haShirim 7] — meaning that he goes and cleaves to his Beloved in love and brotherhood and friendship, in the love of mishor [uprightness], in the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof — which is his Beloved and his Friend, as it is written [ibid. 5]: "This is my Beloved and this is my Friend." But when one does not merit and his brain-faculties vessels are not strong — then they are unable to receive the expansion of the mind that comes through the wine. And then the abundance of oil causes the lamp to be extinguished: his mind and brain become entirely confused. That is the bechinas of the wine that intoxicates — the bechinas of "he did not merit — it devastates him" — for he becomes utterly astounded from the abundance of the mind. And this is the bechinas of the sin of the first man who ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — which was wine — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "she pressed the grapes and gave it to him." And also Noach damaged in this, as is brought — as it is written: "And Noach, the man of the earth, began and planted a vineyard, and he drank of the wine and became drunk," etc. And the essential damage of both of them was that they looked above their level — which is the bechinas of the wine that intoxicates, as is brought in the holy books. And this is the bechinas of the sin of Nadav and Avihu — as our Sages of blessed memory said: that they entered the Sanctuary while intoxicated with wine. And this is what is written: "When they approached before Hashem and they died." For it is all one: "when they approached before Hashem" — meaning they peeked and drew close more than was fitting, above their level. That was the essential damage of theirs — and this is itself the bechinas of those intoxicated with wine, as above. Section 6. And therefore one must guard the wine greatly from the touch of non-Jews — that it not be damaged, Heaven forbid, and not become, Heaven forbid, the bechinas of the wine that intoxicates. And therefore the Torah was stricter with the prohibition of kil'ay hakerem — for wine requires greater guarding against kil'ayim, so that the planting may be included in its root and the wine may be drawn from its root in holiness: which is the bechinas of the wine that gladdens — which is the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof, from which all the seeds and all the plantings grow when they are each according to their kind, as above. But when one mixes kil'ayim in the vineyard, Heaven forbid, the wine is damaged and becomes the wine that intoxicates — for it is unable to receive the light of Ein Sof, since the forms and the wills have been intermixed and changed through the mixing of the kil'ayim in the vineyard, as above. For wine requires greater guarding than all the seeds against kil'ayim — because wine is the bechinas of the expansion of the mind, which is the essential bechinas of bitul. And therefore it requires additional guarding, as above. Section 7. And therefore the essential drinking of wine is only on Shabbos and Yom Tov, over the cup of Kiddush. For on Shabbos and Yom Tov the light of Ein Sof shines more — for this is the essential holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov: that the light of Ein Sof is opened then. And therefore through the wine one draws the holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov through the cup of Kiddush — for through the cup of wine of Kiddush one merits to become nullified and included in the light of Ein Sof and to draw the holiness from there, as above. And this is the bechinas of the cup of wine of Havdalah — for when Shabbos or Yom Tov departs, one must then draw the reshimu of the bitul so that it illuminates the mind. For Shabbos and Yom Tov is the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof, which is opened then, as above. And after Shabbos and Yom Tov — this is the bechinas of returning from the bitul. And then through the cup of wine of Havdalah one draws the reshimu of the bitul so that it illuminates the mind — also during the six weekdays: that one merits to know also then that Hashem He is the God, that all is entirely good, as above. And therefore Kiddush and Havdalah are recited specifically over the wine, as above. Section 8. And this is the bechinas of: one who plants kil'ayim in a vineyard renders forty-five grapevines forbidden — specifically mah [45]: the bechinas of mah mentioned above — which is the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof. For through this one draws from mah to a hundred [me'ah], as explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned, regarding the saying of our Sages of blessed memory: "and it was filled from one orbit of the eye — three hundred jugs of oil" — see there. But when one plants kil'ayim in the vineyard, thereby damaging the bechinas of mah — the bechinas of bitul mentioned above — therefore he renders forty-five grapevines forbidden — specifically mah [45]. For this too is in the bechinas of mah, the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof, as above. Section 9. And this is the bechinas of prayer — which is the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof, as above in the Torah teaching mentioned. And therefore there are four aspects in prayer, corresponding to the four worlds Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah — as is known: namely, the Korbanos [sacrificial readings], Pesukay D'Zimrah [verses of praise], Birkas Krias Shma [blessings surrounding the Shma], and the Sh'moneh Esray prayer, etc., as is known. For first one must repair the four elements — which in their root are the bechinas of the four letters of the Name, which is the bechinas of the four worlds Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah mentioned above — for it is impossible to merit the bechinas of bitul mentioned above except when one repairs all the character-traits drawn from the four elements, which are the bechinas of the four worlds mentioned above, as is known. And therefore in prayer one must arrange the four aspects mentioned — namely Korbanos and Pesukay D'Zimrah, etc. — in order to clarify and repair the four elements, the bechinas of the four worlds mentioned above. And then one merits the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof — which is at the conclusion of the Sh'moneh Esray, corresponding to the world of Atzilus where the essential bitul toward Ein Sof is. And the essential bitul is after the Sha'liach Tzibbur [prayer leader] completes the Sh'moneh Esray — for then one falls upon one's face and commits one's soul to Hashem, which is the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof. And therefore viduy [confession] is recited before Nefilas Apayim [falling upon the face] — which is the bechinas of bitul. For it is impossible to merit the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof except through viduy devarim, as above in the Torah teaching mentioned. And this is the bechinas of the Kaddish recited between world and world — between Korbanos and Pesukay D'Zimrah, and likewise between Yishtabach and Yotzer [the blessing before Shma]. For we must repair all four worlds — which are the bechinas of the four elements — that they all become holy and pure, so that they all ascend and are included above, higher and higher, and are all nullified within the light of Ein Sof. And then we will know that Hashem He is the God, as above — which is the bechinas of the World to Come. And this is the bechinas of Kaddish — which is the magnification of His great Name blessed be He: the bechinas of Yisgadal v'Yiskadash Sh'may Rabbah [may His great Name be magnified and sanctified]. For the essential magnification of His Name blessed be He is the bechinas of Hashem-Elokim — which is the complete Name, the bechinas of the great Name — as it is written [Tehillim 104]: "Hashem my God — You are very great." Meaning: the Name Hashem-Elokim is very great. For this Name, when it is unified and included together — the bechinas of Hashem He is the God — this is the essential greatness and exaltedness of His blessed be He: the bechinas of the magnification of His Name blessed be He — as it will be in the Future when Hashem will be One and His Name will be One, as explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned. And therefore the essential intention of Kaddish is to unify and join three Names of Elokim with three Names of Havayah — that is, the bechinas mentioned above: the bechinas of Hashem He is the God. And therefore through Kaddish, one world becomes included within the world above it, etc. For the essential inclusion is in this bechinas — the bechinas of Hashem He is the God — the bechinas of all is entirely good: to know that all one's experiences are for his good. For all the ascending and inclusion from level to level and from world to world — all this is the bechinas of bitul. And then, according to the ascent and the inclusion, so too does one merit to know — that is, to expand one's mind continually and to understand that all is for his good: the bechinas of Hashem He is the God. And this is the bechinas of Kaddish between world and world — through which one ascends from world to world. For Kaddish — which is the magnification of His Name blessed be He, the bechinas of Hashem He is the God — this is the bechinas of bitul, which is the bechinas of ascent from world to world, as above. And through this all the worlds are purified and sanctified — until one merits afterwards to complete bitul toward Ein Sof, higher and higher. And then one merits to the greatest knowledge in perfection — and knows with complete knowing that all is for his good: which is the bechinas of Hashem He is the God. And this is the bechinas of what one concludes prayer with shalom [peace] — for shalom is the joining of two opposites: that is, chasadim [mercies] and gevuros [severities] — meaning to know that all is for his good. Which is the bechinas of the bitul merited at the conclusion of prayer, as above. And therefore there is no Kaddish between Geulah [the redemption blessing] and Tefillah [the Amidah] — that is, between Beriah and Atzilus. For in Atzilus there is the essential bitul — and there one is included within Ein Sof itself, as it were — which is beyond all knowledge, beyond all the holies. As is understood from the Torah teaching mentioned: that in the very moment of bitul one cannot say that all is for the good — for there one knows nothing of oneself at all, in the bechinas of "and no man knew": even he himself did not know. And therefore Kaddish is not applicable there — which is the expansion of the mind to emerge from mochin d'katnus [small mind] to mochin d'gadlus [large mind], to know that Hashem He is the God and all is for the good. For all this is needed in the lower worlds — where the illumination from the bechinas of Ein Sof must be drawn upon them so they may know that all is for the good. But there in Atzilus — when one merits to bitul itself — there: how could the drawing down of holiness and mind be applicable? For one is entirely nullified, in the bechinas of: even he himself did not know, as above. Section 10. And after Nefilas Apayim — after the bitul — one returns in the bechinas of ratzo vashov. And then the reshimu of the bitul illuminates the mind: to know that Hashem He is the God. And then one knows in perfection that all is for the good. And then all the bounties are drawn — for the essential drawing of abundance is through this knowledge: the bechinas of all is entirely good, the bechinas of "if one has acquired knowledge, what does he lack?" And therefore one recites afterwards the order of Kedushah and Tefillah L'David [prayer of David], etc. — for all this is the bechinas of drawing the abundance from the knowledge mentioned above. And therefore a drunkard is forbidden to pray — for before prayer the worlds have not yet been repaired, and then the wine is the bechinas of the wine that intoxicates, as above. And therefore when one has drunk wine, he cannot become nullified within the light of Ein Sof in holiness and purity as is fitting. And therefore he is forbidden to pray — for one who is not holy and pure and wishes to break through and ascend to Hashem above his level has thereby damaged greatly, as above. And therefore when one is drunk, he is forbidden to pray, for prayer is the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof — his mind would become entirely confused and he could not become nullified in ratzo vashov in a gradual, holy, and pure manner, as above. Section 11. And this is the bechinas of the cup of Birchas HaMazon [Grace after Meals] after the eating — for the eating is from the growths of the earth: specifically bread from the earth, upon which one is obligated in Birchas HaMazon. And the essential growth of plants from the earth is in the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof, as above. And therefore through the eating one merits to become nullified within the supernal will — that is, the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof: which is the illumination of the will that one merits in the time of holy eating — as explained in the teaching Merachamam Y'nahalem, etc. [Likutay Moharan II, Siman 7]: which is the bechinas of "the tzaddik eats to the satisfaction of his soul" — the bechinas of "and He shall satisfy your soul with tzachtzachos [radiant lights]": that in the time of holy eating one merits to the lights of tzachtzachos, as explained in the teaching Tik'u, etc. [Likutay Moharan II, Siman 5] — which are beyond the Sefiros: the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof. And therefore then, after the eating, the wine is in the bechinas of the wine that gladdens — the bechinas of "and wine gladdens the heart of man, and bread sustains the heart of man." And therefore wine during a meal does not intoxicate, as our Sages of blessed memory said — and this is as above. And this is the bechinas of the cup of wine of Birchas HaMazon — for Birchas HaMazon is recited upon satiation. And then there is power to draw the wine of holiness — the bechinas of the wine that gladdens — which is the bechinas of the illumination of the will mentioned above: the bechinas of bitul toward Ein Sof in great holiness, as above. [Source cross-reference: Kil'ay HaKerem, Halacha 4 is in Hilchos Orlah, Halacha 4. And Halacha 5 is in Hilchos Orlah, Halacha 5, section 8.] [Preamble / Single Section.] Based on the Torah teaching \"Tefillah l'Chavakuk\" [Prayer of Habakkuk], Siman 19, mentioned above in the Laws of Kil'ayim. It is forbidden to plow, or to lead, or to perform any similar [act] with any species of animal kil'ayim [mixed-species pairs]. The essential prohibition is when one performs any labor [melachah] with them — but without labor there is no prohibition except for crossbreeding, as is written in the Shulchan Aruch. For the prohibition of animal kil'ayim is likewise so that the languages of the nations should not be strengthened — for all types of kil'ayim are in the bechinas of the languages of the nations, the bechinas of \"for there Hashem confused the language,\" etc., as above [in Hilchos Kil'ay HaKerem, Halacha 1]. And the essential prohibition is when one performs labor with them — for all labors are encompassed within the thirty-nine melachos, which are drawn from the damage of the Tree of Knowledge. Through [the Tree of Knowledge] thirty-nine curses were pronounced, and from there come the bechinas of the thirty-nine melachos. Therefore one must guard them greatly — to sanctify them and clarify them from the contamination of the serpent. And therefore it is forbidden to perform labor with kil'ayim — which is the bechinas of the languages of the nations, the bechinas of the damage of the Tree of Knowledge — for then the labor is damaged in the bechinas of the contamination of the serpent, the bechinas of thirty-nine curses — and the languages of the nations are thereby strengthened, Heaven forbid. And likewise crossbreeding is certainly forbidden — for the essential damage of the Tree of Knowledge, which is the bechinas of kil'ayim as above, is the damage to the bris [covenant of holiness], as is explained there. And this damage extends even to animals, who tasted from the Tree of Knowledge — as our Sages of blessed memory said — and through this they came to desire those not of their own kind, as it is written: \"for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth,\" as Rashi explains. And therefore it is forbidden for us to crossbreed kil'ayim — for kil'ayim is the bechinas of the languages of the nations drawn from the damage of the Tree of Knowledge. And the essential damage and prohibition is in crossbreeding, as above. But without this, the prohibition applies only at the time of labor, as above — for all the melachos are clarifications and refinements: through them one clarifies the food from the waste. And therefore one must guard then against kil'ayim, as above. [Preamble.] Based on the Torah teaching that begins \"Ani Hashem Hu Sh'mi uCh'vodi l'Acher Lo Esain\" [I am Hashem, that is My Name, and My glory I will not give to another], etc. — see there the entire teaching carefully, Siman 11 [Likutay Moharan I:11]. It is explained there that one who merits the rectification of the bris [covenant] — which is the bechinas of yichuda ila'ah [upper unification] and yichuda tata'ah [lower unification]: the bechinas of trees and grasses that emerged each according to its own kind, etc. — through this one merits the bechinas of the thirty-nine dews of light [tal oros] encompassed within the Vav of Kavod [glory] in its fullness, from which comes the perfection of the radiant speech through which one merits complete teshuvah, etc. And one who damages the bris, Heaven forbid, falls into the bechinas of thirty-nine curses, thirty-nine lashes. But one who guards the bris — even when he performs the thirty-nine melachos, they are in the bechinas of the labor of the Mishkan [Tabernacle], in the bechinas of the thirty-nine lights mentioned above, etc. — see there carefully. Section 1. And this is the bechinas of what the Torah warned: \"You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together\" [Devarim 22:10]. And the essential prohibition is that it is forbidden to perform any labor through two species of animal together. For the essential rectification of the bris is in the bechinas of l'minehu [each according to its own kind], as explained in the Torah teaching mentioned. And therefore when two species of animal or living creature are joined together at the time when they perform some labor — this is a great damage. For all the melachos are encompassed within the thirty-nine melachos, and the thirty-nine melachos must be greatly guarded so that they are not damaged, Heaven forbid, in the bechinas of the thirty-nine curses, as above. And the essential guarding is through the bechinas of guarding the bris. And therefore at the time when one performs the thirty-nine melachos, one must be exceedingly careful regarding the bechinas of damage to the bris. And therefore the Torah forbade that two species of animal intermix at the time of performing any labor from the thirty-nine melachos — so that the thirty-nine melachos should not be damaged through the intermingling of the species, which is the bechinas of damage to the bris. For the essential rectification of the bris is in the bechinas of l'minehu, as above. And therefore the essential stringency is that the two species not be combined at the time of any labor — for that is the time of the essential warning, as above: so that the thirty-nine melachos should not be damaged through the bechinas of damage to the bris through the intermingling of two species. And then, Heaven forbid, the thirty-nine melachos would be in the bechinas of thirty-nine lashes, etc., as above. For we must perform the thirty-nine melachos in the bechinas of thirty-nine lights — which depends on the rectification of the bris, which is the bechinas of l'minehu, as above. Section 2. For in truth, each person must be careful — even when performing some labor from the thirty-nine melachos — not to fall, Heaven forbid, into the physical aspect of the labor, which is the bechinas of animality [behemiyus] from which the contamination of the serpent takes hold: the bechinas of thirty-nine lashes, as above. Rather, one must sanctify oneself to draw the holiness of Shabbos upon the six weekdays — to sanctify the thirty-nine melachos and clarify the good within them, so that they may be in the bechinas of the labor of the Mishkan, in the bechinas of thirty-nine lights, as above. And all this depends on the rectification of the bris — which is the bechinas of the holiness of Shabbos, as is known, and as above. And therefore one must be careful when performing some labor through animals that two species should not join together — which is the bechinas of damage to the bris, as above. For one must elevate everything to holiness — to elevate the bechinas of animal to the bechinas of man [adam]. For the bechinas of adam is da'as [knowledge-consciousness] — which is the bechinas of the rectification of the bris. And this is the bechinas of Kavod [glory] in its fullness. For the essential glory is in the bechinas of adam, as is brought elsewhere. And it is the bechinas of radiant speech — for speech is the defining quality of adam. But behemah [animal] is the opposite of all this — for behemah is the absence of da'as, the bechinas of damage to the bris, which is the bechinas of animality, as is brought. And it is the bechinas of the absence of Kavod — for the essential Kavod is in the defining quality of adam, and the animal has no speech. And one must elevate and clarify from animal to adam — for all was created for man's sake. And once one merits the rectification of the bris and has da'as, he can clarify and elevate everything — and can elevate from animal to adam: this is the essential perfection of holiness. And therefore when one performs some labor through an animal, and the animal serves man, one must see to it that the bechinas of animal ascends to the bechinas of adam. For one who merits the bechinas of rectification of the bris — all that attaches to him and all the things that serve him are encompassed within him and rise and are included within the bechinas of the stature of adam [komas adam], as is understood from Rabbeinu's words elsewhere. It follows then that the bechinas of animal must be included within the bechinas of adam — which is the bechinas of Kavod in its fullness, the bechinas of radiant speech. Through this one merits to complete teshuvah — for the essential teshuvah is to ascend from animal to adam. For all sins are the bechinas of animalistic behavior — and through teshuvah one repairs the sin and ascends from animal to adam. And this is the bechinas of sacrificial offerings [korbanos] that atone for sin — for through bringing an animal and offering it to Hashem, the bechinas of animal thereby ascends to the bechinas of adam: the bechinas of \"a person [adam] from among you who brings a sacrifice to Hashem — from the domestic animal,\" etc. [Vayikra 1]. And therefore the offerings atone for sin, which is animalistic behavior, as above. And therefore the Torah forbade two species of animal from joining at the time of performing some labor — so that the labor should not be performed through the bechinas of damage to the bris, etc., as above. So that one can elevate from animal to adam, etc., as above. And therefore the Torah mentioned plowing specifically — as it is written: \"You shall not plow,\" etc. For plowing is the first of the thirty-nine melachos, as explained in the Mishnah: \"the principal labors — one who sows, and one who plows.\" And the Gemara explained that plowing should have been listed first, etc. Section 3. And this is why the Torah mentioned ox and donkey [specifically] — even though in truth any two species combined are forbidden to perform labor. But the essential damage is in the bechinas of damage to the bris, damage to da'as, as above. And it is brought that pure animals [chayos t'horos] are the bechinas of pure thoughts, while impure animals are the bechinas of evil thoughts — for in the side of holiness there is lion, ox, eagle: which are the bechinas of holy thoughts, the bechinas of rectification of da'as. And corresponding to them are the dog, the donkey, the hawk, etc. It follows that the donkey corresponds to the ox. And the essential empowerment of the Sitra Achra [Other Side] is from the left side, which is the bechinas of ox — as it is written: \"and the face of an ox on the left.\" And therefore when ox and donkey are joined — this is the essential empowerment of the Sitra Achra, Heaven forbid: the bechinas of damage to the bris, damage to da'as — through the donkey suckling from the ox, Heaven forbid. Through this comes the essential strengthening of the Sitra Achra, Heaven forbid — for their essential power is from the left side of holiness, which is the bechinas of the holy ox, as above. And therefore even though all two-species combinations are forbidden — nonetheless the Torah mentioned ox and donkey [as the paradigm case], for the essential damage is the bechinas of damage to da'as, which comes about when ox and donkey combine, Heaven forbid, as above. And therefore on Shabbos — when the Sitra Achra is subdued and subjugated, and then there is rectification of da'as — it is stated in the holy Shabbos: \"so that your ox and your donkey may rest\" [Shmos 23:12]. For on Shabbos there is rest and repose from all thirty-nine melachos — and then everything is included within holiness, and the Sitra Achra is subjugated, and da'as is complete. Therefore it is then stated: \"so that your ox and your donkey may rest\" — for all is included within holiness, and even the Sitra Achra becomes a chariot to holiness. And this is what is said of Yaakov when he departed from the house of Lavan: \"and I have had ox and donkey\" [Bereishis 32:6]. For he brought everything to holiness — for in Lavan's house he performed many clarifications. And when he departed from there he immediately merited the holiness of Shabbos — as it is written: \"and he encamped before the city,\" regarding which our Sages of blessed memory expounded that he established the techum [Shabbos boundary], etc. And therefore he then declared with pride: \"and I have had ox and donkey\" — that he subdued everything to holiness, in the bechinas of \"so that your ox and your donkey may rest\" stated regarding Shabbos, as above. And therefore the Sitra Achra is called by the name chamor [donkey], as is brought in the words of our Sages of blessed memory on the verse: \"and he saddled his donkey\" [Bereishis 22:3] — that he subjugated the Sitra Achra. And so it is brought on the verse: \"The morning was light, and the men were sent away — they and their donkeys\" [Bereishis 44:3]. For the essential empowerment of the Sitra Achra, Heaven forbid, is through the bechinas of chamor — which corresponds to the holy ox, which is the bechinas of the left side of holiness, as above. For their essential nourishment comes from there — from the left side, as above. And this is the bechinas of the firstborn donkey [peter chamor] which is forbidden in benefit and must be redeemed with a lamb [seh] to be given to the Kohen as its substitute — and then the firstborn donkey becomes permitted for benefit. For Israel must elevate everything to holiness — to elevate the bechinas of animal to adam: this is the bechinas of rectification of the bris, as above. And therefore also the firstborn of domestic animals is given to the Kohen — for the firstborn is the beginning: the bechinas of the beginning of da'as. And one must give it to the Kohen — for the Kohen is the bechinas of da'as, the bechinas of rectification of the bris — as it is written: \"for the lips of the Kohen guard da'as,\" etc. And as it is written: \"My covenant was with him\" — the bechinas of an eternal covenant of priesthood. And therefore all firstborn animals belong to the Kohen — in order to clarify and elevate the bechinas of animal to adam. For through giving the firstborn to the Kohen — who is the bechinas of rectification of da'as, rectification of the bris, as above — through this one clarifies, rectifies, and elevates the animalistic aspect to adam: the bechinas of da'as, the bechinas of Kohen, as above. For the Kohen offers the firstborn as a sacrifice — and through the sacrifice one elevates from animal to adam, as above. And through this all subsequent offspring are rectified and the animalistic aspect is clarified — for everything follows the beginning. And through the firstborn — which is the first of the offspring and is given to the Kohen — all subsequent offspring are thereby rectified automatically. And Israel has the power to clarify and elevate them from animalistic to adam. And all this applies to the firstborn of pure animals [behemos t'horos]. But impure animals have no power to be clarified so that they would be included within the bechinas of adam. And therefore they are forbidden for us to eat — and therefore they carry no law of firstborn. Only regarding the donkey did the Torah command to redeem the firstborn donkey [peter chamor] with a lamb given to the Kohen — for the essential nourishment of the Sitra Achra — the bechinas of chamor, the bechinas of Egypt — comes from the neck [oref]: the bechinas of Pharaoh. And therefore the Torah commanded [va'arafto] — to break its neck. But the essential mitzvah is to redeem it — as our Sages of blessed memory said: the mitzvah of redemption precedes [breaking the neck], etc. — so that the firstborn donkey also becomes a chariot to holiness through the lamb given to the Kohen, as above. And therefore the impure animals have no firstborn law — only the donkey carries the mitzvah of pidyon peter chamor. For the essential nourishment of the Sitra Achra is from the bechinas of chamor, as above. And therefore the firstborn of the donkey — which is the bechinas of beginning, corresponding to the beginning of da'as in holiness — the Torah therefore forbade it in benefit. For there is no power to bring it into holiness directly — only its rectification is through redeeming it with a lamb. And the lamb is given to the Kohen — for the lamb is also a type of domestic animal, from which the donkey-nourishment [i.e., of the Sitra Achra] draws — but the lamb can be clarified and elevated to holiness. For it is a pure animal, and in particular a lamb [seh] is the most choice of animals, closer to holiness than all other animals — as our Sages of blessed memory said: the ram is entirely holy: its wool for techeiles, its horns for shofaros, etc. And therefore when one redeems the peter chamor with a lamb, taking a lamb as its substitute and giving it to the Kohen — then the firstborn donkey becomes permitted for benefit. For after this it is permitted to use it, since it now comes through the exchange of the lamb. Through this, the firstborn donkey also becomes a chariot to holiness — through having been exchanged for the lamb, which is also a type of animal from whose nourishment it drew — but this lamb can be clarified and is given to the Kohen and included within holiness. And through this, also the peter chamor — which is its substitute — becomes a chariot to holiness. And therefore it becomes permitted for benefit. And therefore the Egyptians — who are the bechinas of chamor [donkey], as it is written: \"whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys\" [Yechezkel 23:20] — for they are the children of Cham, which is the bechinas of servitude: for the essential bechinas of servitude is in Egypt, as is brought elsewhere. And slaves are a people resembling the donkey, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded on the verse: \"Stay here with the donkey [im hachamor]\" [Bereishis 22:5]. Therefore they worshipped the lamb [taleh] — for they wished to draw from holiness through the lamb, which is a type of animal from which their nourishment draws, and it is closer to holiness than all other animals, as above. And therefore when Israel went forth from there, Hashem blessed be He commanded them to bring a lamb as the Passover sacrifice — in order to elevate the bechinas of lamb to holiness and to sever their nourishment so that the Egyptians would have no more nourishment from it. And therefore they were immediately commanded: \"And a firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a lamb,\" as above. And therefore all the Patriarchs were shepherds specifically — for all their service was only to clarify and elevate animal to adam, as above. And the essential bechinas of this is through the flock [tzon] — for they are a type of animal closest to holiness, as above. And this is what Yaakov said: \"and I have had ox and donkey, flock and manservant and maidservant\" [Bereishis 32:6]. For he elevated everything to holiness — and even the Sitra Achra became a chariot to holiness. And all this was through the flock that he tended. And this is what it says of David the King, peace be upon him — that through his having been a shepherd of flocks, he merited to be the shepherd of Israel and to lead Israel on the straight path: that they would merit to break the spirit of animality [ru'ach habehamiyus] — which is the essential service of man. And this is the essential kingship over Israel — to merit Israel with this, that they should break the spirit of animality. And therefore David merited to this through his having been a shepherd of flocks, as it is written: \"From following the nursing ewes he brought him\" [Tehillim 78:71], etc., as above. Understand this! Blessed be Hashem forever, amen and amen! And this is what is stated regarding the peter chamor: \"and if you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck [va'arafto]\" [Shmos 13:13]. For the essential nourishment of the Sitra Achra — the bechinas of chamor, the bechinas of Egypt — is from the neck [oref], the bechinas of Pharaoh [whose name connotes oref, the back of the neck]. And therefore the Torah commanded \"va'arafto\" [break its neck]. But the essential mitzvah is to redeem it, as our Sages of blessed memory said: the mitzvah of redemption comes first, etc. — so that the peter chamor too should become a chariot to holiness through the lamb given to the Kohen, as above. [Preamble.] \"You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together\" [Devarim 22:10]. For it is brought in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory in the Torah teaching that begins \"Chadi Rabbi Shimon\" [Siman 61] that the essential sweetening of all the tzimtzumim [contractions/constrictions] and all the dinim [stern judgments] is through the seichel [intellect/wisdom-principle] that belongs to each and every tzimtzum. For each tzimtzum and judgment is drawn from a particular seichel — for \"all of them are clarified within thought\" [kulhu b'machshava isbariru]. And all these intelligences have no power to sweeten except when they receive from the all-encompassing seichel that encompasses all the intelligences and all the tzimtzumim in the world — which is the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah [Foundation Stone], the Holy of Holies, through which all the tzimtzumim and all the dinim of the world are sweetened, etc. — see there all of this carefully. Section 1. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of animal kil'ayim — that it is forbidden to perform labor with two species of animal together. For all the labors in the world are the bechinas of tzimtzumim — for the essential craft of labor is to constrict the thing within this particular tzimtzum: to bring out a vessel for its purpose. And all these tzimtzumim of the thirty-nine melachos must be repaired and sweetened — to clarify them from the contamination of the serpent, from the sin of the first man. Through [the first man's sin] thirty-nine curses were pronounced — and from there the labor and toil of all the thirty-nine melachos descended: which is the bechinas of [Bereishis 3]: \"In the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.\" And therefore every person must sanctify himself — to conduct his business dealings and his labor and work in great holiness for the sake of Hashem — in order to clarify all the occupations and labors that are all encompassed in the thirty-nine melachos and to clarify them all from the contamination of the serpent. And the essential sweetening and clarification of all the thirty-nine melachos — which are the bechinas of tzimtzumim — is through the seichel that belongs to each labor and tzimtzum. For within each and every labor there is some seichel — for there is no craft or labor that does not have within it some intellect and wisdom. And this seichel has a root above in the seichel of holiness. Therefore one must see to it to perform the labor and business dealings in great holiness — to connect the seichel that is within the labor to its root: that is, to the particular supernal seichel that belongs to that seichel and tzimtzum of that labor. For through this that tzimtzum is sweetened — for a din is sweetened only at its root: that is, through the particular seichel that belongs to it, which is its root. And this is the bechinas of what is written regarding Betzalel — who was the head of all the craftsmen who occupied themselves with the holy labor in the construction of the Mishkan: \"And I have filled him with a divine spirit of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and in all manner of work,\" etc. [Shmos 31:3]. For Betzalel knew the wisdom, understanding, and knowledge that belonged to each and every labor — the bechinas of \"to devise skilful works, to work in all manner of work,\" etc. [ibid.]. For he knew how to devise thoughts — that is, the thought, wisdom, and seichel belonging to each and every labor. And through this the tzimtzum of that labor was sweetened. For Betzalel knew how to combine the letters through which heaven and earth were created — for the letters through which each thing was created are the bechinas of the seichel that belongs to each thing. For \"by the word of Hashem the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host\" [Tehillim 33:6]. And within each utterance there is wisdom and seichel — for speech is the revelation of da'as, as it is written: \"From His mouth come knowledge and understanding\" [Mishlei 2:6]. That is, the wisdom and seichel through which that thing came into being — as it is written [Tehillim 104]: \"All of them You made in wisdom.\" And Betzalel knew the letters through which heaven and earth were created — that is, the letters and the seichel that belongs to each and every thing from the creation of heaven and earth — all of which are the bechinas of tzimtzumim through which Hashem blessed be He contracted each thing until it came into being in this form and this image. And therefore he occupied himself with the labor of the Mishkan — for there all thirty-nine melachos were present. For \"all thirty-nine melachos we derive from the Mishkan\" [Shabbos 49b]. For the Mishkan is the bechinas of the Holy Temple, which is the bechinas of da'as, the bechinas of holiness — for the seichel is called kodesh [holy], as above. That is: there all the wisdoms and all the intelligences are encompassed, all receiving from the all-encompassing seichel — which is the Holy of Holies, the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah, as above. For all the tzimtzumim and all the melachos are drawn from the Even Sh'siyah — for from it the world was founded, and from it were drawn all the tzimtzumim of all created things and of all the labors of the world. And therefore it is brought in the Shulchan Aruch: those women who have the custom not to spin wool after the [first of] Av — this is a custom, because the Even Sh'siyah was annulled [i.e., the Temple was destroyed]. For from the Even Sh'siyah all the melachos are drawn — which are the bechinas of tzimtzumim. For each and every tzimtzum receives from its seichel which is its root, and all receive from the all-encompassing seichel — which is the bechinas of the Holy of Holies, the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah, from which the world was founded, as above. Section 2. And this is the bechinas of what is forbidden — to plow, to lead, and to perform labor with two animals together. For all the tzimtzumim — which are the bechinas of dinim — this is the bechinas of behemah [animal]: the absence of da'as. For mercy and chesed are the bechinas of da'as, while tzimtzum and din is the bechinas of diminished da'as — as is explained in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory many times. And one must clarify, sweeten, and elevate from animal to adam. This is the essential service of man in this world — for man is the seichel, which is the defining quality of adam. And he must clarify all the tzimtzumim and all the dinim — which are the bechinas of absence of da'as, the bechinas of behemah — to clarify them from animal to adam, from din to chesed. And one must clarify and sweeten each din and tzimtzum specifically through the seichel that belongs to it — which is its root. And this is the essential rectification of the thirty-nine melachos — which are the bechinas of tzimtzumim as above — to clarify them from the contamination of the serpent and to sweeten them in the bechinas of the thirty-nine labors of the Mishkan, as above. And therefore it is forbidden for a person to perform labor with two species of animal together. For then two species of tzimtzumim are intermingled together — which are the two species of animals, which are the essential grasp of the din and tzimtzum. For [the din] grips most strongly where da'as has been most diminished. And therefore behemah — which is the ultimate of diminishment and total absence of da'as — there the grip of din and tzimtzum is at its ultimate. And therefore it is impossible to clarify it except when it is specifically of its own kind — then it can be sweetened at its root through the channel that belongs to it: that is, through the seichel that belongs to it. But when two species are mixed together, the tzimtzumim are intermingled. And then it is impossible to elevate each one to its root — to the seichel that belongs to it alone in particularity — and then it is impossible to sweeten it. For the essential sweetening is through the particular seichel that belongs to it alone. And when they are not sweetened — because two species of animals have been mixed together, which are the ultimate tzimtzumim — then the contamination of the serpent takes hold, Heaven forbid, in that labor from the thirty-nine melachos that is performed with them. For the essential grasp [of the Sitra Achra] is from the mixture — which is the bechinas of the mixture of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Section 3. And this is the bechinas of what is brought in the holy Zohar on the verse \"You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together\" — \"for they are two kinds of evil\" [trei zinei bisha], etc. And at first glance this is difficult — for are not even two species of pure animals forbidden to perform labor with together, as is explained in the Shulchan Aruch? But in truth, according to what was explained above — that one must clarify and sweeten each and every tzimtzum specifically through the particular seichel that belongs to it. And when two species of animals are mixed together during some labor, the tzimtzumim are intermingled and it is impossible to sweeten each one through the seichel that belongs to it. And then the contamination of the serpent takes hold, Heaven forbid, from this mixture that has been intermingled during the occupation with the thirty-nine melachos — where their essential grip lies — in the bechinas of \"with pain you shall eat\" [Bereishis 3:17] and \"in the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread,\" etc.: which are the thirty-nine melachos, etc., as above. Therefore whenever two species of animals are mixed in a forbidden manner — that is, at the time of plowing and similar [labor] — even two species of pure animals — immediately the mixture of ox and donkey is aroused, Heaven forbid: the two kinds of evil. For when they combine together, Heaven forbid, the din is greatly strengthened, Heaven forbid. For this [mixture of ox and donkey] is aroused through the forbidden mixing of any two animal species — even pure ones. For since they are mixed and the tzimtzum of the thirty-nine melachos cannot be sweetened, the thirty-nine melachos of the Sitra Achra are thereby aroused, Heaven forbid — which are the thirty-nine curses, which are the contamination of the serpent: which is the bechinas of the mixture of the two kinds of evil — the ox and the donkey — which are Esav and Yishmael, as is known. And therefore the Torah encompassed the prohibition of animal kil'ayim with ox and donkey — even though in truth all two-species combinations are forbidden, even two pure species. For the Torah hinted to us the damage that is caused through animal kil'ayim even of pure species — for the ox and donkey are thereby intermingled, Heaven forbid: the two kinds of evil, etc., as above. Section 4. And this is [the meaning of] what our father Yaakov sent to Esav: \"I have had ox and donkey, flock,\" etc. [Bereishis 32:6]. For Yaakov was \"beauty\" [shufra] — a reflection of the beauty of the first man [Adam HaRishon]. And he is the essential rectification of the sin of the first man, as is brought. And Esav is the contamination of the serpent — whose essential power is when he combines together with Yishmael: which is the bechinas of the mixture of ox and donkey, as above. And therefore when Yaakov took the blessings from [Esav] and Esav sought to avenge himself, Heaven forbid — therefore [Esav] went to Yishmael and took his daughter [in marriage]: in order to combine with Yishmael — which is the combination of ox and donkey — so that through this he could overpower [Yaakov], Heaven forbid. And therefore when Yaakov emerged from Lavan's house to face Esav, he sent him [the message]: \"I have had ox and donkey\" specifically. Meaning: I have merited to clarify and rectify the contamination of the serpent — to the point that even the ox and the donkey have been clarified and sweetened with me. For with me each and every herd is separate and I clarify each species on its own through the seichel that belongs to it. And all the intelligences that belong to each and every thing are all encompassed in the Torah — which encompasses all the intelligences, receiving from the supernal wisdom, from the all-encompassing seichel, from the Holy of Holies, from the Even Sh'siyah. Through this comes the essential sweetening, in the bechinas of the Luchos HaEven [Tablets of Stone] — as is explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned, see there. And this is the juxtaposition: \"With Lavan I sojourned [garti] and I have tarried until now — and I have had ox and donkey.\" For our Sages of blessed memory said: \"With Lavan I sojourned — and I observed the 613 commandments.\" That is: through the 613 commandments — which are the totality of the Torah that encompasses all the intelligences and all the sweetenings of all the tzimtzumim of the world — through this: \"I have had ox and donkey, flock and manservant and maidservant\" — for he merited to clarify and sweeten each species on its own through the particular seichel that belongs to it, encompassed within the holy Torah, as above. And therefore [Yaakov's message] began with ox and donkey — as it is written: \"I have had ox and donkey,\" etc. For there lies the essential clarification, as above. And therefore when Yaakov sent the gift to Esav — from each and every species of animal — he placed [each species] in the hand of his servants: each herd on its own, to inform Esav that he does not transgress, Heaven forbid, the prohibition of animal kil'ayim — and that with him each species is clarified on its own. For through this each and every species of animal is sweetened through the seichel that belongs to it. And through this the contamination of the serpent is nullified — from which come the grips of Esav and Yishmael. Therefore certainly Esav would be subdued before him. And this is what is written regarding Shabbos: \"so that your ox and your donkey may rest\" [Shmos 23:12] — \"your ox and your donkey\" specifically. For Shabbos is the bechinas of the all-encompassing seichel, the bechinas of the Holy of Holies, the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah. For Shabbos is ra'avah d'ra'avin [will of wills], the bechinas of the Holy of Holies — as it is written: \"for it is holy to you.\" For on Shabbos the Torah was given — which flows from the supernal wisdom, from the all-encompassing seichel, as above. And therefore on Shabbos all the thirty-nine melachos are nullified. And therefore whenever [the Torah] warned them about the labor of the Mishkan, it first warned them about Shabbos — for the essential rectification and purification of the thirty-nine melachos — which is the bechinas of the labor of the Mishkan — is through Shabbos, which is the Holy of Holies, where all the intelligences and all the tzimtzumim are encompassed, and there all the melachos are nullified within their supernal root. And therefore the Torah warned about resting one's animal on Shabbos — and encompassed them all as ox and donkey. For on Shabbos one must give rest to the animal from all labor, so that through this the labor and tzimtzum — which is the bechinas of behemah — should be sweetened through the nullification of the labor of Shabbos. And through this they ascend and are included within the bechinas of Shabbos, which is nicha l'kula [rest for all] — where all the melachos and all the tzimtzumim are completely nullified and all are sweetened there. Until one merits to draw the holiness of Shabbos also upon the six weekdays — to sanctify all the thirty-nine melachos. For through the holiness of Shabbos — the bechinas of the Holy of Holies, etc., as above — through this all are sweetened and clarified in the bechinas of the thirty-nine labors of the Mishkan, as above. And therefore the Torah encompassed all the animals as ox and donkey — for there lies the essential clarification from the contamination of the serpent, which are Esav and Yishmael, who are the bechinas of ox and donkey, the two kinds of evil. And through the holiness of Shabbos — through giving rest from the thirty-nine melachos even to the animal on Shabbos — through this the grip of the Sitra Achra is nullified even from ox and donkey. And then the ox and donkey are included within the holiness of Shabbos in the bechinas of \"so that your ox and your donkey may rest — as you\" [Devarim 5:14]. \"As you\" [kamocha] specifically — that the animal should be included within adam: that each and every tzimtzum — which is behemah — should be sweetened through the seichel that belongs to it, which is the bechinas of adam, as above. Section 5. And therefore when our father Yaakov fled from before Esav it is written: \"And he encountered the place and lodged there,\" etc. \"And he took from the stones of the place and placed them at his head,\" etc. [Bereishis 28:11]. And then all the stones were included and became one stone — for they were all included within the Even Sh'siyah upon which Yaakov lay. Which is the bechinas of the sweetening of all the tzimtzumim through their inclusion within the Even Sh'siyah, as above. And as all of this is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned — see there. Therefore this occurred at the time when he was fleeing from Esav — for the essential subduing of Esav is through this, as above. And therefore [the passage] is juxtaposed: \"and he encountered the place,\" etc., alongside Esav's going to Yishmael. As it is written: \"And it was when Esav saw that Yitzchak had blessed Yaakov\" etc. [Bereishis 28:6]. And then [Esav] became jealous and wished to overpower him and avenge himself. And therefore he went to Yishmael — so that the two kinds of evil should combine together, Heaven forbid: ox and donkey, as above. And this is: \"and Esav went to Yishmael,\" etc. [ibid. 9]. And then: \"And Yaakov went out from Be'er Sheva and went toward Charan, and he encountered the place\" — which is the Even Sh'siyah — \"and he took from the stones of the place and placed them at his head,\" etc. — and they were all included within one stone: that is, within the Even Sh'siyah. Which is the bechinas of the sweetening of all the tzimtzumim of the world through the particular intelligences that belong to them — for all receive from the all-encompassing seichel from the Even Sh'siyah. Through this comes the essential sweetening, both in general and in particular, as is explained there. And through this sweetening — through all the tzimtzumim being included within the Even Sh'siyah — Esav and Yishmael were thereby subdued: ox and donkey, whose grip comes from the dinim when the tzimtzumim are not sweetened through the mixture and kil'ayim, Heaven forbid, as above. And therefore before Yaakov came to that place, to the Even Sh'siyah, he had previously occupied himself with Torah for fourteen years in the house of Ever — as our Sages of blessed memory derived from the verse: \"and he lay in that place\" — in that place he lay [and not earlier], etc. For specifically through having occupied himself with Torah previously in the house of Ever — through this specifically: \"and he lay in that place.\" Through this specifically he merited to come to that place — which is the Even Sh'siyah — and merited to include all the tzimtzumim within their root in the Even Sh'siyah: which is the bechinas of all the stones that became one stone, as above. And through this all the dinim were sweetened and the grip of Esav and Yishmael was nullified, as above. For to be included within the Even Sh'siyah is impossible except through the Torah — which flows from the supernal wisdom — for through it specifically can one ascend and be included within the Even Sh'siyah: the bechinas of the Holy of Holies — which is the bechinas of the Luchos HaEven, as is explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned, see there. Section 6. And therefore Hashem blessed be He brought all the animals and beasts before man [Adam HaRishon] to see what he would name each one — and \"whatever the man called each living soul, that was its name\" [Bereishis 2:19]. For the name and vitality of each animal and beast is the life-force drawn from their root — which belongs to each particular species. And all are drawn from man [adam] — who is da'as, who encompasses all the intelligences. For man was created from the place of the Temple [Beis HaMikdosh] — so that he would be encompassed within the Even Sh'siyah. Therefore he knows all the particular intelligences that belong to each animal and beast — which are their names and their vitality. For he must clarify them: to elevate each and every species to its root, so that they all become encompassed within the Even Sh'siyah. And this is the bechinas of the korbanos [sacrificial offerings] that were [brought] in the Holy Temple — for through this the animals were encompassed within the Holy Temple, within the Even Sh'siyah, as above. Section 7. And therefore all the animals and beasts were compelled to enter Noach's Ark. For Noach's Ark is the bechinas of Yom Kippur — as is brought in the Tikkunim — which is the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah, the Holy of Holies. For on Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol entered there. And therefore at the time of the severe judgment of the Flood, all the animals and beasts were compelled to enter Noach's Ark — which is the bechinas of the Holy of Holies — so that each and every tzimtzum would be sweetened through its seichel, as above. And therefore they entered specifically each according to its kind. Those that remained faithful to their own species and did not transgress the prohibition of animal kil'ayim — for it is impossible to enter Noach's Ark, into the bechinas of the Holy of Holies, the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah, except when one guards against kil'ayim — that each species be on its own. For then each one is sweetened through the seichel that belongs to it, which receives from the Even Sh'siyah, as above. For even when one merits to sweeten the tzimtzumim through the all-encompassing seichel itself — as is explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned — it is impossible to be encompassed there except each according to its kind. For one must be encompassed there through the tzimtzum and channel that flows from there, from the Even Sh'siyah. And therefore it is forbidden to mix the species — for then it is impossible to be encompassed there and to receive sweetening from there, neither in general nor in particular, as above. And therefore all the animals and beasts, etc., entered Noach's Ark — those that remained faithful to their species specifically. And through this all the tzimtzumim and all the severe dinim that were in the world then were sweetened there. And through this they merited to emerge from there to their families — as it is written: \"to their families they went out from the Ark\" [Bereishis 8:19]. For each species emerged again from the Ark — which is the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah, from which all the tzimtzumim are drawn, as above. And therefore Noach offered sacrifices from them — for the korbanos are the bechinas of the sweetening of the tzimtzumim through the intelligences that belong to them, as above. For Noach clarifies and rectifies and sweetens all the thirty-nine melachos from the contamination of the serpent — as it is written: \"This one will comfort us from our deeds and from the toil of our hands from the ground,\" etc. [Bereishis 5:29]. For Noach is the bechinas of the holiness of Shabbos, as is brought — the bechinas of nicha l'ila'in nicha l'tata'in [rest for those above, rest for those below], etc. And therefore through him all the tzimtzumim — which are the bechinas of the thirty-nine melachos, the bechinas of all species of animals each according to its kind — were sweetened and clarified. For all were sweetened and clarified through Noach's Ark, which is the bechinas of Yom Kippur, the bechinas of the Even Sh'siyah — where all the dinim and all the tzimtzumim of the world are sweetened: through the all-encompassing seichel which is the bechinas of the Holy of Holies, from which come all the sweetenings, as above. Section 8. And therefore the letters of the Torah must each stand on their own — and if one letter is attached to another, [the Torah scroll] is invalid [pasul]. For each and every letter is the bechinas of a seichel that receives from the all-encompassing seichel through the channel that belongs to it. And through this it has the power to sweeten the tzimtzum that belongs to it. And therefore each letter must stand on its own — and it is forbidden for the letters of the Torah to be attached one to another. So as not to mix the tzimtzumim and the intelligences — for then it is impossible to sweeten them, as above. And therefore a person is permitted to plow, lead, etc. with all of them [i.e., with any animal combined with himself] — for man is the all-encompassing seichel that sweetens all the tzimtzumim and dinim that are the bechinas of behemah, as above. And therefore man has no mixing or intermingling with the animals — on the contrary: man is the seichel that is their sweetening. And therefore man does not carry the prohibition of kil'ayim in relation to animals — and is permitted with all of them to perform labor, to plow, to lead. For man does not intermingle or combine with the animal at all — for he is their seichel and their sweetening, as above. [Preamble.] "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together" [Devarim 22:10]. According to the Torah teaching [in Likutay Moharan II, Siman 2], the days of Chanukah are days of thanksgiving and praise [hodaah], etc. — see there the entire Torah teaching, and what is written there at the end: that through this one merits to draw the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays. For the weekdays are the bechinas of sadness [atzavus], etc. But Shabbos is the bechinas of son [ben], the bechinas of nicha l'ila'in v'tata'in [rest and contentment for those above and those below], the bechinas of joy, etc. — the bechinas of "this one will comfort us from our work and from the toil of our hands" [Bereishis 5:29], for Shabbos consoles and gladdens everything from sadness, etc. And through this — through drawing the holiness of Shabbos into the six weekdays — the simple Oneness of Hashem blessed be He is thereby revealed. For during the six weekdays there are changing [mishta'nim] activities, as on each day a different [mishtane] act was created [in the creation of the world]. And this is [a challenge] against the human intellect — that changing activities should flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. For the human intellect is incapable of comprehending this; only through Shabbos do we merit that the simple Oneness of Hashem blessed be He is thereby revealed. For Shabbos points to the faith of Divine Unity — that we believe that all the changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He, Who created them all during the six days of creation and rested on the Shabbos. And this bechinas — to reveal the simple Oneness, to know and believe that all the changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He — this bechinas is precious beyond measure, even before Him blessed be He, etc. For when the bechinas of simple Oneness is revealed below, the simple Oneness of Hashem blessed be He is revealed above as well — in the bechinas of "You are One and Your Name is One, and who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land," etc. — see there. Section 1. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ay behemah — that it is forbidden to perform labor with two species of animal or beast together. For each and every species is a bechinas of a different [mishane] act, and we are required to believe that all the species that differ from one another — which are the bechinas of changing activities — all flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. And even though the intellect is incapable of comprehending this, as explained above — for it is beyond the human intellect — nevertheless we are required to cast aside our intellect and understanding and to know the truth: that it is not within the power of our intellect to comprehend the wonders of His creation; only to rely upon faith and to believe the truth with complete faith — that all the changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. And this faith is merited through Shabbos: that is, through drawing the joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays, etc., as above in the Torah teaching mentioned. And therefore it is forbidden to perform labor with two species together. For all thirty-nine melachos are ovdin d'chol [weekday activities] — the bechinas of the six days of work [sheshes y'may hama'ase]. But on Shabbos all melachos are nullified. And the essential grip of the sadness of the six weekdays lies within the thirty-nine melachos — which are the bechinas of "in the sweat of your brow" [Bereishis 3:19], the bechinas of "in sadness you shall eat it" [Bereishis 3:17]. And one must sanctify the thirty-nine melachos — which are the bechinas of the six days of work — through the holiness of Shabbos: to draw the holiness and joy of Shabbos upon all the six weekdays, that is, upon all the thirty-nine melachos, to clarify them from the contamination of the serpent, from sadness, from the bechinas of "in sadness you shall eat it." For one who merits to sanctify oneself as befits — even when one performs some labor among the thirty-nine melachos on a weekday, it is also in holiness and purity in the bechinas of Shabbos holiness, as is explained in the Torah teaching Merkeves Phar'oh v'Cheilo [Siman 38, letter zayin]. And the essential sanctification of the thirty-nine melachos on weekdays is through drawing upon them the holiness and joy of Shabbos — through which it is revealed that all changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. This bechinas is precious beyond measure, for it is impossible to comprehend it through the human intellect; only through faith, which is merited through drawing the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays, as above. And this is the bechinas of the prohibition of kil'ayim — that it is forbidden to mix two species together, so as not to strengthen the bechinas of changing activities beyond measure to the point where it would become impossible to reveal that they flow from the simple One. For even now this bechinas is precious beyond measure — for it is against the human intellect that changing activities should flow from the simple One, as above. But Hashem blessed be He created each and every species with wondrous wisdom, specifically so that through it His simple Oneness could be revealed. Even though each species differs from its fellow, nevertheless specifically through this one sees His mighty acts and wonders without limit — that He created such differentiated creatures, each one differing greatly from its fellow, and yet all of them flow from His simple Oneness blessed be He and exalted. For all creatures were created only in order to know and recognize Him blessed be He through this — as it is brought in the holy Zohar: b'gin d'yishtam'du'in lei [so that they should come to know Him]. For Hashem blessed be He drew each and every species He created from His simple Oneness, and placed within each one such power that specifically through these species — which differ from one another, which are changing activities — specifically through them they should come to recognize and know His simple Oneness blessed be He, and know the power of His might and wonders, as it is written: "How manifold are Your works, O Hashem," etc. [Tehillim 104:24]. But it is impossible to know and believe that the changing activities flow from Him blessed be He except when one guards the order of creation — that each species be on its own. But when one intermingles forbidden mixtures [kil'ayim], Heaven forbid, one alters the order of creation and strengthens the bechinas of changing activities beyond measure — through mixing two different species together — until the Sitra Achra and the kelippos take hold in them, whose grip comes from mixture and kil'ayim — which is the bechinas of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. Until it becomes impossible to reveal His simple Oneness from within these changing activities that have been mixed together contrary to the order of creation. For it is impossible for any changed activity to return and be included within the simple Oneness except through the path and channel drawn from there — from its root — from the simple One. And then specifically through it the bechinas of simple Oneness is revealed. But when one alters the order of creation, Heaven forbid, through kil'ayim and mixture — the path and order become confused until it is impossible for it to ascend to its root to be included in the simple One. And then its life-force [chiyuso] flows only through the kelippos and the Sitra Achra — which are the bechinas of heresy [kefirah]. And then the differences are strengthened beyond measure until it is impossible to reveal the simple Oneness from within the changing activities — which is the essential rectification of all the worlds, as above. And therefore the essential prohibition of kil'ayim applies specifically at the time of labor. For then, at the time of labor, one must be especially careful to draw the Shabbos holiness into the six weekdays — in order to clarify the thirty-nine melachos from the contamination of the serpent, from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, from sadness, from the bechinas of "in sadness you shall eat it," as above. And the holiness of Shabbos is the bechinas of the revelation of simple Oneness from within changing activities, as above. And when one mixes kil'ayim at the time of labor — one causes damage to the bechinas of the revelation of simple Oneness from within changing activities, which is the bechinas of Shabbos holiness. And therefore the prohibition applies specifically at the time of labor — for then one must draw the Shabbos holiness, as above. Section 2. And this is why the Torah mentioned specifically ox and donkey [shor v'chamor] — even though in truth all two species are forbidden. For ox and donkey are the bechinas of the kelipah of Esav and Yishmael, as is brought. And Esav and Yishmael are the contamination of the serpent — who are the opposite of the Holy Tongue [lashon hakodesh], which connects to Shabbos: through which one draws the Shabbos holiness, etc., through which the simple Oneness is revealed, etc. — as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned, see there. For Esav and Yishmael are the bechinas of the seventy nations [ummos] — which are the seventy languages, the opposite of the Holy Tongue. For all seventy nations are encompassed within Esav and Yishmael — as is explained in the Torah teaching Rebbi Yochanan Mishtaai [Siman 16], that all the gentile nations are encompassed within these two nations — Esav and Yishmael. And the seventy nations are the seventy languages, which are the opposite of the Holy Tongue that belongs only to Israel — through which He chose us from all peoples and exalted us above all tongues, as is brought elsewhere. Thus, Esav and Yishmael — who are the generality of the seventy languages — are the opposite of the Holy Tongue that connects to Shabbos. For they are the bechinas of the contamination of the serpent, the contamination of the thirty-nine melachos that hold sway during the weekdays when one does not sanctify them through drawing the holiness of Shabbos into the weekdays, as above. For it is impossible to draw the holiness of Shabbos into the weekdays except through the Holy Tongue that connects to Shabbos — which is merited through truth that illuminates within speech, etc. And Esav and Yishmael are the opposite of "truth to Yaakov" [Michah 7:20]. For they are the bechinas of "men of bloodshed hate the sincere" — as is mentioned in the Torah teaching — for they are men of bloodshed in truth. For Esav is admoni [red], full of blood. And of him it is said "and he was weary" [Bereishis 25:29] — from the killing. And likewise of Yishmael it is said: "And Sarah saw the son of Hagar making sport [m'tzachek]" [Bereishis 21:9] — and Rashi explained: also concerning the shedding of blood. Therefore they are the opposite of truth — for of them it is said: "whose mouth speaks falsehood and whose right hand is a right hand of deceit" [Tehillim 144:8,11]. For they are the opposite of the bechinas of todah halakhah [thanksgiving-law], the bechinas of the delight of the World to Come [sha'ashu'a olam habah], which is the bechinas of chesed l'Avraham [lovingkindness to Avraham]. For they are the bechinas of the dross and refuse [sigim v'p'solet], the bechinas of tokfa d'dina kashya [the force of harsh judgment], the bechinas of chaff and straw — from which comes the hardness that covers over the halachah [legal ruling] and prevents it from being clarified, as is understood in the Tikkunim. For they do not choose the World to Come — which is the bechinas of todah halakhah. Rather, they chose their portion of this world, which is full of sadness and grief — as it is written: "and he did not want blessing and it remained far from him" [Tehillim 109:17]. Thus, Esav and Yishmael are in every respect the opposite of all the bechinohs spoken of in this Torah teaching — through which one merits to draw the Shabbos holiness into the six weekdays to reveal the simple Oneness of Hashem blessed be He, etc. And therefore the Torah mentioned the prohibition of kil'ay behemah in the name of the mixture of ox and donkey — which are the bechinas of the combination of the two kinds of evil [trei zinei bisha], which are Esav and Yishmael, as is brought in the Zohar and the holy writings — to indicate that through kil'ay behemah, through combining two species of living creatures at the time of performing some labor among the thirty-nine melachos — through this one causes damage to the bechinas of the revelation of simple Oneness from within changing activities, as above. For one thereby causes the combination, Heaven forbid, of the two kinds of evil — which are the ox and donkey of the kelipah — which are the bechinas of Esav and Yishmael, who are the opposite of all the bechinohs above through which simple Oneness is revealed. For Esav and Yishmael are the opposite of all this, as above — which is precisely the damage caused through the combination of two species at the time of labor, as above. Section 3. And therefore it is written regarding Shabbos: "so that your ox and your donkey may rest" [Shmos 23:12] — "ox and donkey" specifically. Even though regarding the law of resting animals, one is commanded about the resting of all animals and beasts — nevertheless the essential purpose of the commandment is to draw the rest and nicha [contentment] specifically upon the bechinas of ox and donkey, in order to subdue the grip of the ox and donkey of the kelipah — which are the bechinas of Esav and Yishmael — who are the essential contamination of the serpent that takes hold during the weekdays within the thirty-nine melachos, as above. And therefore Yaakov — who merited to subdue the kelipah of Esav and Yishmael, for his bed [mitaso] was complete [sheleimah] — therefore it is said of him: "I have had ox and donkey," as is brought. For Yaakov embodies the essential truth spoken of in this Torah teaching — the bechinas of "grant truth to Yaakov" [Michah 7:20]. For Yaakov merited all three pillars of truth: prayer [tefillah], Torah, and holy matchmaking [shidduchim]. For of him it is said: "and he encountered the place," etc. — and he elevated prayer to its perfection in the bechinas of beis [house], for Yaakov called [the place] beis [house] — as is explained in the Torah teaching Mishpatim [Siman 10]. And he merited Torah — as it is written: "Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov" [Devarim 33:4]. And as it is written: "With Lavan I sojourned and I observed the 613 commandments." And he merited holy and true shidduchim [matches] — for he merited his true matches: Rochel and Leah, etc. — through whom he established a complete lineage [mitah sheleimah] without any disqualification, from whom went forth all the House of Israel. And therefore Yaakov kept Shabbos — as our Sages of blessed memory said — that is, as above in the Torah teaching. And therefore the essential revelation of simple Oneness from within changing activities came through Yaakov — who merited to establish the twelve tribes, each of whom had a unique perspective [da'ah m'yuchus]. For each of the tribes had a unique character [goon m'yuchus] — in the bechinas of the specific color of his stone in the Choshen [breastplate] — which is the bechinas of a different [mishane] activity from his fellow. And yet regarding the foundation of faith, they all agreed in one mind and declared with one mouth at the time of Yaakov's passing: Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad. This is the essential perfection of the revelation of simple Oneness — when many who differ in their perspectives agree in one mind, as is explained in this Torah teaching — this is the bechinas of halachah k'rabbim [the ruling follows the majority], see there. For Avraham and Yitzchak — in whose days the holiness of Israel had not yet been fully clarified — therefore each of them merited to establish only one son within the holiness of Israel: Avraham established Yitzchak alone, and Yitzchak Yaakov alone. And the second son that each had — whose perspective differed [da'ah mishane] — for no two people think exactly alike. And as soon as the faith reached two differing perspectives, the contamination of the serpent took hold in Yishmael — who was in the bechinas of a different act, a different perspective from Yitzchak — until he did not merit to turn his different perspective to be included in the simple Oneness. Likewise Esav, who differed from Yaakov, did not merit to be included together with Yaakov in one mind regarding the essential foundation of holy faith. For at that time the impurity had not yet been fully clarified — until it would be fully revealed in the bechinas of simple Oneness from within different activities [pe'ulos mishtanos]: that is, that all the different opinions should agree upon the essential foundation of truth and faith — to believe that all the changing activities and all the different opinions in the world all flow from the simple One. But Yaakov merited this fully — for he merited to establish many sons: twelve tribes, each of whom had a different perspective, for each had a unique character, a bechinas of a different activity. Yet regarding the foundation of faith they all agreed in one mind and declared with one mouth Shema Yisrael, etc., Hashem Echad. This is the essential perfection of the revelation of simple Oneness: when many who differ greatly in their perspectives agree in one mind, as above. Therefore Yaakov merited to fully subdue the kelipah of Esav and Yishmael. And therefore it is said of him: "I have had ox and donkey." For he merited to subdue the kelippos that grip the ox and donkey — and to bring even the bechinas of ox and donkey under the hand of holiness. For Yaakov guarded against kil'ayim — not to combine two species together — as it is written there in the portion [parashah] regarding the gift he sent to Esav: "and he placed them in the hands of his servants, each herd by itself," etc. — to indicate that he was careful about kil'ayim, as is brought — that is, as above. Section 4. And this is the bechinas of Chanukah [Chanukah]. For the holy days of Chanukah are days of thanksgiving and praise [hodaah] — the bechinas of the delight of the World to Come [sha'ashu'a olam habah], etc. — as is explained in this Torah teaching. That is: during the holy days of Chanukah, through the great power of the miracles and wonders and awesome deeds that Hashem blessed be He performed for us in those days at this time — through this we draw into the world this path of thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah]: that is, to engage always in thanking and praising Hashem blessed be He for all the miracles and wonders He performed for our ancestors and for us from the earliest times until now, in general and in particular. And to remember well and not to forget all the wondrous kindnesses He bestows upon us at every moment — as it is written: "and do not forget all His beneficences" [Tehillim 103:2]. For in truth this path of thanksgiving and praise is a wondrous way to draw close to Hashem blessed be He from wherever one is. For this world is full of troubles and suffering and grief — as it is written: "all his days are pain and grief" [Koheles 2:23]. And it is written: "Man is born to toil, of few days and full of agitation" [Iyov 14:1]. And there is no good in the world except the Torah — "for there is no good but Torah" [Avos, chapter 3]. And from the very weight of the troubles and sufferings and obstacles of this world, it is difficult and heavy upon a person to draw close to His service blessed be He. And even to pray and to pour out one's pain before Hashem blessed be He is also very difficult — on account of the multitude of obstacles and sufferings that seal the heart, until one cannot open one's mouth or draw close to any pure service. As each and every person knows the heaviness that lies upon him time and again, day after day, etc. And therefore there is a great counsel for this: that at every moment one should remind oneself of all the true and eternal kindnesses that Hashem blessed be He has done for one's ancestors and for oneself — for each and every individual in particular. And the most important thing: that one merited to be of the seed of Israel, from those who received the Torah, and that He separated us from those who go astray in the ways of philosophical inquiry and rationalist investigation, etc., which are common in this world today. For every individual among Israel — if he will look carefully at all that has passed over him from his beginning — will see and understand the kindnesses of Hashem and His goodness and His wonders upon him without measure. As we recite three times every day in the Shemoneh Esrei: "We give thanks to You and recount Your praise: for our lives... and for Your miracles that are with us every day, and for Your wonders and goodnesses at all times — evening, morning, and afternoon," etc. And as we recite in Nishmas: "Even if our mouths were full of song as the sea... we could not sufficiently give thanks to You, Hashem... for even one of the thousand thousands and myriads of myriads of times — the goodnesses, miracles, and wonders that You have done for our ancestors and for us." The principle is: when a person sees the magnitude of his troubles in body, soul, and livelihood — that he is very far from Hashem blessed be He, as he himself knows; and in livelihood and in body he also has sufferings, as is common among most people; and even when some actual trouble comes upon him, Heaven forbid — he must not become completely confused and undone on account of the troubles and sufferings, Heaven forbid. Rather, at every moment — and especially in a time of trouble, Heaven forbid — he should turn his eyes, heart, and mind to contemplate and take account of the kindnesses of Hashem and His goodnesses that He has done for him until now. For every person — as he is, since he is among the Jewish people and dons tallis and tefillin every day and proclaims His Oneness blessed be He twice daily — it befits him to give thanksgiving and praise to Hashem blessed be He every single day, for the very fact of His kindness and goodness blessed be He toward him — that he merited to be among Israel, those who received the Torah. How much more so — as each person knows in his own soul — how many wondrous personal kindnesses Hashem blessed be He has done for him from his beginning until that very day. And one must accustom oneself to thank and praise Hashem blessed be He for all the kindnesses He has done for him. And through this his heart will become firm and confident — that also now Hashem blessed be He will not remove His kindness and goodness from him — and his heart will be strengthened to cry out and implore Hashem blessed be He to save him also now from all the troubles and sufferings. As Dovid said [Tehillim 108:11]: "Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who has led me unto Edom?" — meaning: the One Who has helped me until now and led me unto Edom — He will also bring me to the fortified city. And this is [the meaning of]: "With praise [m'hallel] I call upon Hashem" [Tehillim 18:4] — before I call upon Him blessed be He about my troubles, I praise and extol Him for the kindnesses and mercies He has done for me until now. For specifically through this I am able to call upon Him, as above. And this is: "sacrifice to God a thanksgiving-offering... and call upon Me in a day of trouble" [Tehillim 50:14-15] — meaning: even before one has been saved from the current trouble and one must call upon Him blessed be He, one must first bring thanksgiving for the past, as above. Then specifically — "and call upon Me in a day of trouble," as above. And as our Sages of blessed memory said: one must give thanks for the past and make requests for the future. For when one does not give thanks for the past, it is very difficult to call upon Hashem blessed be He — because of the great sealed-heartedness that comes from the multitude of troubles, as above. Especially now, in the length of this exile, when there is almost no day that is not more troubled than the previous, Heaven forbid — and livelihood is very constrained, and the adversarial force [ba'al davar] spreads over every individual lengthwise and breadthwise, and strife and accusation and jealousy and hatred increase at every moment. And every time one wishes to begin to leave what one must leave and draw close to some service of Hashem, one is not allowed and is provoked even more, Heaven forbid. And from the very weight of the multitude of obstacles, one cannot open one's mouth to pour out one's words before Him blessed be He. Therefore one must go greatly in this path: that every time one comes to pour out one's words before Hashem blessed be He, or to draw close to some holy matter, one should remind oneself of the multitude of kindnesses and mercies that Hashem blessed be He has done for one from one's beginning until this very day. And through this one's heart will be strengthened to trust in Hashem — that He will hear one's prayer also now. And through this one will be able to draw close to Him blessed be He and pour out one's words before Him as befits, as above. Section 5. And this is the bechinas of what is required — to draw the joy and holiness of Shabbos into the six weekdays — as is explained there at the end of the Torah teaching mentioned. For it is explained there that through todah halakhah [thanksgiving-law] one merits that the three pillars of truth should shine within the four aspects of speech [ribua hadibur], etc. — through which one merits to draw the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays, etc. — see there. That is: the thanksgiving-offering [todah] is brought when one is saved from trouble — as is explained there. For in the future everything will be todah and praise [hodaah] to His Name blessed be He. For then all the troubles of this world will be nullified and everything will be good — and one will engage only in the bechinas of todah: to thank and praise His Name blessed be He. But one must draw the holiness of the World to Come also into this world. This is the bechinas of drawing the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays. For Shabbos is the bechinas of the World to Come — which is entirely good. And the weekdays are the bechinas of this world — which is full of sufferings and troubles, rachmana litzlan — as it is written: "man is born to toil" [Iyov 5:7]. And it is written: "also all his days are pain and grief" [Koheles 2:23]. But Hashem blessed be He desires the continued existence of the world, and He sweetens and nullifies in every instance the sufferings and troubles of this world through His kindness and goodness and salvation — which He conducts with us day by day. And one must look carefully at all the kindnesses He has bestowed upon us, and bring thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah] for this, as above. And this is the bechinas of drawing the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays: that is, the holiness and joy of the World to Come — which is entirely Shabbos, for there the essential thanksgiving and praise [will be] drawn also into this world, even in times of trouble. For even in times of trouble, Heaven forbid, one should look at the kindnesses Hashem blessed be He has done for us until now. And within the trouble itself there is certainly some relief when one looks carefully — as Admo"r blessed be his memory explains on the verse: "In distress You have relieved me" [Tehillim 4:2] — Siman 195, see there well. And through this one must bring thanksgiving to praise and extol His Name blessed be He for the past. And through this one can call upon Him and cry out for the future, as above. And this is: "to You I will sacrifice a thanksgiving-offering and call upon the Name of Hashem" [Tehillim 116:17] — that is, as above. Section 6. And this is [the meaning of] the Psalm: "A Psalm of Dovid, when he fled from his son Avshalom — Hashem, how many are my oppressors," etc. [Tehillim 3]. And our Sages of blessed memory said [Berachos 7b]: should it not have been a kinah [lamentation] of Dovid rather than a mizmor [psalm of praise]? But [the reason is that] when he saw that it was his own son [who rose against him], he rejoiced [knowing that a son has mercy on his father]. Another explanation: that he saw his military formation [tachsiso] standing firm, etc. But still this is difficult regarding Dovid himself: what did he see that at a time of such great trouble — when he was fleeing from Avshalom — that he would seek to find some relief within the trouble and sing of it to Hashem blessed be He? And furthermore, the beginning of the Psalm does not speak in the language of song but in the language of a great cry — as it is written there: "Hashem, how many are my oppressors, many rise against me," etc. But all of this is the matter explained above: that King Dovid — peace be upon him — saw himself then in a very great and bitter trouble. He was forced to flee from his son Avshalom — on account of the evil deed that occurred from Amnon, and Tamar, and Avshalom, his children. And from the very bitterness of his great trouble — especially because the adversarial force [ba'al davar] sought to bring him to the very depths of despair. For it said in his heart: Behold, you see that all this has come upon you on account of the episode of Bas Sheva — and there is no longer hope for you, Heaven forbid — as is explained in the Psalm itself: "Many say of my soul: there is no salvation for him through God, selah" [Tehillim 3:3]. And Rashi explained: on account of that sin. And from the very magnitude of the trouble to the very soul, his holy mind was confused to the point that he could not even pour out his words and cry to Hashem blessed be He as was his custom. For troubles, rachmana litzlan, can, Heaven forbid, greatly distort the heart away from Hashem blessed be He, rachmana litzlan. As our Sages of blessed memory said regarding Dovid — that then, when he was fleeing from Avshalom, he contemplated idolatry [avodah zarah] — as they expounded on the verse: "And Dovid came to the top where one would bow down," etc. [Shmueil II 15:32]. For when a person is in trouble, Heaven forbid, he is in great danger also regarding his integrity and his Jewishness. For sometimes the heart becomes greatly distorted through troubles and sufferings — until one harbors thoughts against Hashem blessed be He — in the bechinas of "the foolishness of man perverts his way, and yet his heart rages against Hashem" [Mishlei 19:3]. For in this world a person always has free choice, and in everything and every conduct with which Hashem blessed be He deals with him and arranges for him at every time — there is within it the bechinas of "the righteous walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them" [Hoshe'a 14:10], Heaven forbid. Just as when Hashem blessed be He sends a person good — children, wealth, and all good — some recognize the kindness of Hashem and His goodness toward them and are stirred through this to draw close to Him in righteousness and good deeds, etc. While there are those, Heaven forbid, to the contrary — in the bechinas of "and Yeshurun grew fat and kicked" [Devarim 32:15], etc. Likewise in the opposite case: when Hashem blessed be He tests and chastises a person with sufferings and troubles, Heaven forbid — with poverty and constraints and persecutions, etc., rachmana litzlan — this is also a great trial. For Hashem blessed be He sent it all for his good — in order that he should thereby remember to return to Him — as it is written: "for they will return to iniquity" [Hoshe'a 11:5], etc. But because of the great power of free choice, there are times when on the contrary — through the troubles, Heaven forbid — the heart becomes even more distorted away from Hashem blessed be He. As our Sages of blessed memory said regarding poverty — that it makes one lose one's mind before one's Creator. And so it is explained in the words of Admo"r blessed be his memory — that in times of trouble, Heaven forbid, one must strengthen oneself greatly greatly against the evil inclination — because its root is drawn from harsh judgments [dinim]; see there in the Torah teaching L'hischazek B'chol Pa'am K'neged HaYetzer HaRa [Siman 72]. And therefore it is said of the wicked: "he rages and laughs and has no rest" — but of the righteous it is said: "in Hashem I praise His word, in God I praise His word" [Tehillim 56:11] — as Rashi explains there: whether He comes with me through the attribute of mercy or through the attribute of judgment, etc. But in any case, a person always has free choice, as above. And in every matter and situation in which Hashem blessed be He conducts Himself with him and arranges things for him at every time — there is within it the bechinas of "the righteous walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them," Heaven forbid. And therefore Dovid — when he was in such great trouble, having been driven from Yerushalayim, etc. — until he fell into a very diminished state of mind [mochin d'katnuss], to the point that our Sages of blessed memory hold that he contemplated idolatry — how much more so could he not open his mouth to organize his prayer properly. But through the very essence of his righteousness, Hashem illuminated his eyes and sent into his heart this counsel described above: he began to look at the kindnesses Hashem blessed be He had done for him from his beginning. And he searched and found that even within this very great trouble itself there was also some relief. For he turned the matter over in his mind to the good — what appeared to be a doubled and redoubled trouble: that the one pursuing him was his own son, rachmana litzlan. But he reversed it to good and said: ordinarily a son has mercy on his father. And he also found relief within his trouble — that he saw his military formation standing firm, that the Sanhedrin, etc., stood with him, etc. And therefore, on account of these kindnesses that he searched for and found — that Hashem blessed be He was doing for him even within the trouble — as Rabbeinu blessed be his memory explains on the verse: "in my distress You have relieved me" [Tehillim 4:2] — in addition to the kindnesses Hashem blessed be He had done for him from his very beginning — on account of all these, he began to say the Psalm of Dovid [Mizmor l'Dovid] and wanted to sing and give thanks to Hashem blessed be He for all these kindnesses. And as soon as he began to sing and give thanks to Hashem blessed be He for the kindnesses — immediately his heart and mind were relieved. And then specifically his mouth was opened and he began to pray and cry out properly: "Hashem, how many are my oppressors, many rise against me," etc. And the entire Psalm follows this path — that even though his enemies multiplied and many rose against him until many said, etc., that there was no hope for him, Heaven forbid, on account of the sin of Bas Sheva. Nevertheless: "but You, Hashem, are a shield for me," etc. [Tehillim 3:4]. And so in this pattern proceed the majority of the Psalms in Tehillim — giving thanks to Hashem blessed be He for the past and crying out for the future. And in the midst of the words of his cry and supplication he returns to give thanks and then cries out again. Go and see and you will find this in many Psalms that proceed in this pattern. And therefore his book is called by the name Tehillim [Praises] — which is a language of praise and thanksgiving — even though most of its content is great cries and supplications and requests. But all his cries and supplications were specifically in the manner of mizmor [psalm], thanksgiving and praise, song and melody, etc. — in all ten expressions of song. That is, as above: in all troubles he turned his heart to give thanks for the past. And then he was able to cry out for the future — in the bechinas of giving thanks for the past and requesting for the future, as our Sages of blessed memory said. Section 7. And this is the bechinas of the Psalm Hodu that is recited at the entrance of Shabbos — which speaks of the four who are required to give thanks [arba'ah tzrichim l'hodos]. This encompasses all the troubles that pass over a person — for all of them are encompassed within these four [categories of those who give thanks] — as is explained elsewhere. And the essential [category] is the troubles of the soul: all the ascents and descents that pass over every person, from the smallest to the greatest, according to his own level and station. All of this is encompassed within this Psalm — as is understood in the holy books. And therefore regarding these troubles in the physical and spiritual — in body and soul — one must cry out greatly, greatly to Hashem blessed be He at every moment, in a great voice that does not cease, as is explained in this Psalm: "and they cried out," etc. But before all the cries, [the Psalm] precedes and begins — immediately at the opening of the Psalm — with "Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His lovingkindness is eternal": to know and to make known and to show that such is the path of crying out about all troubles, rachmana litzlan — that first, immediately, one must give thanks to Hashem for the past, and be confident that He blessed be He hears the prayer of every mouth and always saves through one's cry. And then specifically: "and they cried out and they cried out," etc. For then specifically — through the bechinas of "Give thanks to Hashem," etc., the bechinas of todah that one brings even in times of trouble, for the past kindnesses and for the reliefs within the trouble itself — through this specifically can one cry out to Hashem. And then: "from their distress He saves them" [Tehillim 107:13]. And then: "they give thanks to Hashem for His lovingkindness and for His wonders" [Tehillim 107:21]. For afterward they merit to be completely saved from the trouble — and then certainly they bring thanksgiving in full perfection as befits. For the thanksgiving brought when one is saved from trouble is the bechinas of sha'ashu'a olam habah [delight of the World to Come], as above in the Torah teaching. And the thanksgiving and praise given to Hashem blessed be He for the past, etc. — even in times of trouble — this is the bechinas of drawing the Shabbos holiness — which is the World to Come, where troubles are nullified — into the weekdays, which are this world, which are days of trouble, as above. For this world on its own is full of troubles and grief, rachmana litzlan, as above. But Hashem blessed be He relieves us even in times of trouble and bestows wonderful and eternal kindnesses upon us also in this world. And we are obligated to thank Him even in times of trouble, as above — which is the bechinas of drawing the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays, as above. And through this specifically one merits to cry out to Hashem blessed be He to be saved from the trouble entirely. And then we merit the bechinas of perfect thanksgiving and praise — which is the bechinas of the World to Come, as above. And therefore this Psalm Hodu is recited at the entrance of Shabbos — for then we must draw the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays so that all six weekdays should be included in the Shabbos holiness. Therefore we recite this Psalm Hodu — which is the "four who are required to give thanks" — which is this bechinas: the bechinas of drawing the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays — to nullify the sadness and grief of the weekdays, the bechinas of "in sadness you shall eat it" — to draw upon them the holiness and joy of Shabbos, which is the bechinas of the World to Come, which is the bechinas of todah and thanksgiving [hodaah], as above. And all of this we merit through the holy days of Chanukah — which are days of thanksgiving — for then one draws the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays, as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned, see there. That is, as above. Section 8. And this as well is the bechinas of "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together." For ox and donkey are the two kinds of evil [trei zinei bisha] — the bechinas of Esav and Yishmael, who are the totality of all the nations of the world, the totality of all the exiles, the totality of all the troubles. For the essential source of all the troubles is through the exiles — that we are in exile among the nations of the world, all of whom are encompassed within Esav and Yishmael, who are the bechinas of ox and donkey. And the Scripture warned not to mix them together — through the prohibition of the mixture of kil'ayim: so as not to cause, Heaven forbid, the mixing and combining of the troubles together. For then it would be impossible to bear them, Heaven forbid. That is: one must not cause confusion in one's mind, Heaven forbid, such that it seems to him as if the entire world has fallen upon him — as people commonly say in times of trouble, Heaven forbid — as if, Heaven forbid, all the troubles have come upon him at once without any relief whatsoever. And the two things are connected: one who speaks thus, Heaven forbid, and through this his heart becomes distorted away from Hashem blessed be He — and he cannot cry out to Him — then, Heaven forbid, the troubles truly multiply over him, rachmana litzlan. For whoever runs after his pain — the pain runs after him, Heaven forbid. Rather, one must give breadth to one's mind — to find relief even within the troubles themselves. And to bring thanksgiving and praise at every moment. For in truth, within every trouble in the world there is within it some relief — the bechinas of "in my distress You have relieved me" [Tehillim 4:2], as above. And as our Sages of blessed memory said on the verse: "But He will not put out His hand" [Iyov 30:24], and it is written: "He does not release all His anger" [Tehillim 78:38]. Which is the bechinas of "and place a space between herd and herd" — said of our father Yaakov — as our Sages of blessed memory expounded this regarding the troubles and the exiles: that Yaakov intended, through not mixing kil'ayim, to place space between the troubles [tzaros]. This is the bechinas of "and place a space between herd and herd" [Bereishis 32:17] — between trouble and trouble, between exile and exile — as our Sages of blessed memory expounded. That is, as above. For Yaakov subdued the kelipah of Esav and Yishmael — who are the bechinas of ox and donkey — the bechinas of "I have had ox and donkey": that is, he subdued the kelippos that draw their life-force from the judgments [dinim] and troubles — those that seek to distort the heart in times of trouble as if there is no hope, Heaven forbid. This is the greatest trouble beyond all the troubles themselves. This is the essential pain of the exile — that the nations who oppress us mock and shame us and say there is no hope, Heaven forbid — as it is written: "my enemies taunt me — breaking my bones — saying to me all day long, where is your God?" [Tehillim 42:11]. And it is written: "all day long my humiliation is before me," etc. [Tehillim 44:16]. And so in many places. And all this is in the bechinas of the combining of the kelipah of Esav and Yishmael together — who are the totality of all the troubles and exiles, as above. But our father Yaakov subdued them from Israel and commanded [his servants] to guard — that each herd should be on its own, not to mix kil'ayim, which are the bechinas of the mixture of ox and donkey, as above. Only to place space between herd and herd — to place space between the troubles: that even in times of trouble, Heaven forbid, one should look at the space and the relief that Hashem blessed be He has relieved him with, and the kindnesses He has bestowed upon him from his beginning. And even within the trouble itself He relieves him, as above. And through this one will be able to cry out to Hashem blessed be He — and one will be saved entirely from all the troubles through His great kindness and wonders, as above. Section 9. And all of this is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. For the miracle of Chanukah occurred during the Second Temple era — when the wicked kingdom of Greece arose to make Israel forget His Torah, etc., and sought to nullify the service of the Temple. And Hashem blessed be He, in His abundant mercies, stood by us in our time of trouble and performed awesome and wondrous miracles for us through Matisyahu and his sons — the Kohanim — until they defeated the Greeks and restored the Temple service to its place through a wondrous and awesome miracle [involving] the lamps of the Menorah: that the small quantity of oil burned for eight days, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For all the days of the Second Temple there was no complete redemption [ge'ulah sheleimah] — as our Sages of blessed memory said. That is: the essential [purpose of] the days of the Second Temple was only in the bechinas of "and place a space between herd and herd" — which our father Yaakov established: that there should always be space and relief between trouble and trouble, between exile and exile — in order that Israel should have the strength to hold firm and bear the bitterness of the exile, as above. And the kelipah of the wicked kingdom of Greece saw and understood this — that this Temple would not endure and would certainly be destroyed; it was only a space and relief between exile and exile, so that Israel could survive, as above. Therefore it sought to overpower Israel and immediately destroy the Temple service, and to subjugate Israel under their hand, Heaven forbid — so that the exile and troubles should be continuous and combined together, Heaven forbid — so that Israel would not be able to survive, Heaven forbid. And therefore the kingdom of Greece is called by the expression tit ha'yavon [the mud of Greece] — the bechinas of "I sank in deep mire [b'yaven metzulah] where there is no standing" [Tehillim 69:3] — which is the bechinas of a long and continuous trouble — like this exile that is so long and so bitter. And over this Dovid HaMelech, peace be upon him, cried out: "I have sunk in deep mire where there is no standing" — at the great length of the bitterness of exile. And the wicked kingdom of Greece sought to overpower Israel and subjugate them immediately, Heaven forbid — so that the exile would begin then, Heaven forbid — so that Israel would not be able to survive. And truly, certainly, if the Temple service had been destroyed then, and the exile had begun then, it certainly would have been difficult to survive. For now our essential continued existence throughout this long exile is only through the reliefs that Hashem blessed be He has given us until now, as above. Therefore Hashem blessed be He had mercy on His people and thwarted the plans of our enemies and reversed the entire matter — turning it from one extreme to the other. For not only did the Greeks fall with a great defeat and the House of Chashmonai seize the kingdom, and Israel was sustained in its greatness and in the Temple service for many years. But also He performed for us this great and awesome miracle of the Menorah lamps — through which these eight days of Chanukah were established. And they made for us a new holiday and drew into the world this awesome light and rectification — that through the holy days of Chanukah we should always have the power to draw upon ourselves this holy path of thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah]. In all the troubles we suffer in this long exile — in general and in particular — we can sustain ourselves by remembering His wonders until now, and thanking and praising Him always — in the bechinas of giving thanks for the past, etc., as above. Which is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. For this bechinas we merit through the days of Chanukah — which were established then through the greatness of the miracle of the Menorah lamps, as above. And therefore Chanukah is called by the expression chinuch [dedication/initiation] — the bechinas of the dedication [chanukas] of the Temple. For not only did we not have the Temple service destroyed — we also merited, through the great power of the miracles, to draw this rectification: to make Chanukah every year. That is: we merit, even within the power of this exile, to begin again each time to dedicate [l'chanech] the Temple. For in this — that we observe Chanukah during the days of exile, the days of thanksgiving [y'may hodaah]: that we thank and praise Him blessed be He for the great miracles He performed for us until now, that we had the strength to survive until now. And we are confident through this — as He has helped us with His mercies until now, so He will hear our prayers and cries always — until He redeems us with a complete redemption. And we will build our Temple — through this very [path]: for the essential redemption and the building of the Temple will come through this, through our prayers and cries, as is known. And as Rabbeinu blessed be his memory wrote [Siman 2] on the statement of Rabbah bar bar Chanah: "when it became hot it turned over," etc. And all our cries and prayers — that we are still strengthening ourselves to cry out and pray to Hashem blessed be He — are only through the bechinas of Chanukah, through the bechinas of thanksgiving [todah], as above — through giving thanks for the past, etc., as above. It thus emerges that even now we are dedicating the Temple through Chanukah. For the essential building of the Temple speedily in our days will come through this — through our having merited the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise even now, in the height of exile. This is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. And likewise it is so for every person and every time: the essential initiation [chinuch] into the service of the Creator blessed be He is through this bechinas — the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah] — which is the bechinas of Chanukah. For according to what passes over each and every individual — as each person knows in his own soul the multitude of sufferings and troubles from the desires of the evil inclination, and from livelihood, etc., rachmana litzlan — certainly it would have been difficult to survive until he merited a complete redemption [ge'ulah sheleimah]: that is, to become a proper upright person as befits — which is the bechinas of complete redemption. And therefore in truth, how many have begun and fallen. And there are those who continued in their service for many days and years — but afterward could not bear the bitterness and heaviness of the adversarial force and fell, each one as they fell, rachmana litzlan. But whoever truly desires to have mercy on his life — his essential continued existence is through the bechinas described above: that in all that passes over him — however it may be — even if he sees that he himself is very culpable in his deeds, which are not good, etc. — nevertheless, there is no person, even the most inferior of all the inferior, for whom the Holy One blessed be He does not bestow wonderful kindnesses every day. As we were instructed to recite every day: "we thank You... for Your miracles that are with us every day... and for Your wonders and goodnesses at all times," etc. And certainly the words of our Sages of blessed memory are upright and true — and we must all believe very strongly that certainly Hashem blessed be He does miracles and wonders and kindnesses with each and every person every day and at every moment and hour. And if one wishes to look, one will see much with one's own eyes, and remind oneself well of how many goodnesses the [Heavenly] Place has done for him. And we have already said many times that whatever kindness a person merited — whatever good point he achieved — it is certainly never lost. And regarding this they established for us to say in Nishmas: "Even if our mouths were full of song," etc. For all the world in its entirety, with all its desires and sufferings and vanities, is not worth as much as a single point of a single mitzvah that each Jew merits every day. And one must accustom oneself — whatever passes over him, however it may be — to remind oneself at every moment of the kindnesses and wonders that Hashem blessed be He has done for him until now. And through this one will be strengthened to cry out and pray to Hashem blessed be He always — in the bechinas of giving thanks for the past and requesting for the future. And through this one will merit in the end to a complete redemption — to return to Hashem blessed be He in truth. This is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. And therefore it is called Chanukah — for through this bechinas specifically one is initiated [mishanech] into the service of Hashem, as above. For all the good a person does in his days of childhood [y'may katnuso] — that is, all the time he has not yet merited to a complete understanding [da'as shalaim] of the service of Hashem blessed be He as befits — for then, even if he is of great years, he is called a child [katan] on account of the smallness of his mind [katnuss hada'as]. And all the service of those days — even though it is not fully complete — is nevertheless very good and precious before Hashem blessed be He. For all of this service is literally a bechinas of chinuch [initiation/training] — just as one initiates a small child to recite some blessing and be dressed in fringes [tzitzis], etc., and all the other matters of educating the young [chinuch hak'tanim] — which are a very great mitzvah. Even though the child afterward does childish and immature acts — nevertheless, every single movement in which he obeys his father is precious before his father and before Hashem blessed be He. Because through this he is being initiated into the service of Hashem blessed be He. Likewise it is literally so even for a great man — all the time he has not yet merited to the proper completeness. Even if he is as far as he is far — nevertheless every point and movement of holiness is precious beyond measure. For it is the bechinas of chinuch. And the essential chinuch is through thanksgiving and praise for the past — through which one is strengthened to cry out for the future, as above. And therefore it is called Chanukah, as above. Section 10. And this is the bechinas of the eight days of Chanukah. For it is explained there in the Torah teaching that the Chanukah lamp [ner Chanukah] is the bechinas of the light of truth that illuminates within the four aspects of speech [ribua hadibur] — that is, through thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah] — the bechinas of halachos — one merits that the three pillars of truth should shine within the four parts of speech. Which is the bechinas of the Holy Tongue [lashon hakodesh] that connects to Shabbos. Through this one draws the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays, etc. Through which the simple Oneness is revealed from within changing activities, etc. — see there carefully. And this is the bechinas of the eight days of Chanukah. For seven [representing] five [shiv'a-chamisha] days correspond to the three pillars of truth shining within the four parts of speech. And through this one merits to draw the Shabbos joy into the weekdays — which is the essential bechinas of Chanukah, as is explained there in the Torah teaching. And this is the bechinas of the eighth day — which is called Zos Chanukah [this is Chanukah]. For specifically on the eighth day the rectification of Chanukah is completed — through having drawn the illumination of the three pillars of truth within the four parts of speech during the first seven days. Through which we merited to draw the Shabbos joy into the weekdays. This is the bechinas of the eighth day, the bechinas of Zos Chanukah. For the three pillars of truth that shine within the four parts of speech — which is the bechinas of "God [Eil] the Almighty [Elokim] Hashem has spoken" [Tehillim 50:1] — this is the bechinas of the three Patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, who are the bechinas of the three pillars of truth — the bechinas of Eil Elokim Hashem, as is known. And all of them are encompassed in Yaakov — for Yaakov encompasses all three Patriarchs, as is known. For in Yaakov truth was completed in perfection — in the bechinas of "grant truth to Yaakov" [Michah 7:20]. For Avraham — the man of loving-kindness [chesed] — is the bechinas of prayer [tefillah], which is the bechinas of chesed. For the essential prayer consists of mercy and supplication — that Hashem blessed be He give us a free gift of chesed. For Avraham was the first to begin illuminating the path of prayer in the world. For the entire beginning of his service was through prayer — as is understood in the words of Rabbeinu blessed be his memory. Yitzchak is the bechinas of Torah — the bechinas of "Torah was given from the mouth of the Almighty [Gevurah]" — the bechinas of the might of Yitzchak [gevuras Yitzchak] — the bechinas of the sound of the shofar at the giving of the Torah, which was the shofar of the ram of Yitzchak [at the Akeidah], as our Sages of blessed memory said. Yaakov is the bechinas of the rectification of truth in holy matchmaking [shidduchim]. For the essential rectification of shidduch and union — which is the rectification of the covenant [bris] upon which everything depends — Yaakov merited fully. For Avraham and Yitzchak — even though they merited their true unions by connecting with the holy Matriarchs — nevertheless the rectification of true holy matchmaking had not yet been completed. For Avraham was compelled to marry Hagar, and Yishmael came from him. And Yitzchak — even though he did not marry a maidservant — nevertheless Esav came from him. Therefore the rectification of matchmaking and union had not yet been fully completed. But Yaakov's bed was complete [mito sheleimah] without disqualification — therefore he merited to draw the rectification of true holy matchmaking to its full completion. It thus emerges that the three Patriarchs are the bechinas of the three pillars of truth — and they illuminate within the four parts of speech, which are the bechinas of the four Matriarchs: Sarah, Rivkah, Rochel, and Leah — who are the bechinas of the completeness of speech. For a woman who fears Hashem is the bechinas of the speech of the Holy Tongue — the bechinas of Chavah [Eve] the woman — as is explained in the Torah teaching Tefilah L'Chabakuk [Siman 19]. See there, for it is well known that all the Matriarchs worked the rectification of Chavah — that is, the rectification of the speech of the Holy Tongue that Chavah damaged. And the three Patriarchs and four Matriarchs rectified this — for they merited to illuminate the three pillars of truth within the four parts of speech. Through which the speech of the Holy Tongue was rectified in its perfection, as above. Section 11. And all of this is the bechinas of the seven branches of the Menorah [shiv'ah kanai haminorah]. And this is the bechinas of the seven days of the week — in which all created beings were created during the six days of work and Shabbos on Shabbos. For the essential creation was through the speech of the Holy Tongue — as it is written: "By the word of Hashem the heavens were made" [Tehillim 33:6], etc. And as Rashi explained on the verse: "this one shall be called woman [ishshah] for from man [ish]" [Bereishis 2:23] — from here [we learn] that the world was created in the Holy Tongue. But the essential existence and root of creation was through truth — by which heaven and earth were sealed [nachtemu], as our Sages of blessed memory said on the verse: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth [eis]" — [eis] whose final letters [sofay seivos] form emes [truth]. And as soon as Hashem blessed be He wished to create the creation, He immediately began on the first day to draw the illumination of one pillar of truth. And according to the pillar of truth drawn on that day — likewise the speech was completed and illuminated. And likewise was the creation of that day. And so on the second and third day, etc. It emerges that in the first three days the three pillars of truth were completed — which are the bechinas of the three Patriarchs. And so it is understood in Tikkunay Zohar. And in the three subsequent days — which are the 4th, 5th, and 6th — the three parts of speech were drawn. And Shabbos is the bechinas of the ultimate completion of speech — the bechinas of malchus peh [kingdom-mouth], the bechinas of Shabbos malkata [the Shabbos Queen]. And it would have been fitting for the entire creation to be completed on the seventh day — for then speech was completed through which the creation was essentially made. But Hashem blessed be He blessed and sanctified the seventh day as a day of rest and nicha. For on it He rested from all His work that He created to do [asher bara Elokim la'asos]. That is: on Shabbos He did not create any creation — rather, everything that needed to be created on Shabbos He doubled and made on the sixth day — as our Sages of blessed memory expounded on this verse: "that God created to do [la'asos]" — as brought in Rashi's commentary. That is: on the sixth day He drew two rectifications of speech — the rectification of the three branches and the rectification of malchus peh. And therefore on that day — the sixth — speech was completed. And therefore on it man was created — for man is the essential completion of speech. For the definition of man is [that he is] a speaking being. And then the Holy Tongue was completed — which connects to Shabbos. And therefore man was created on the sixth day — in order to enter Shabbos immediately, as our Sages of blessed memory said. That is: man — who is speech in its completeness — was created on the sixth [day], close to Shabbos, so as to enter Shabbos immediately. For the completion of speech — which is the Holy Tongue — connects to Shabbos, as above. And through man — who is the completion of speech, created on the sixth day close to Shabbos — through this one draws the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the six weekdays — in order to reveal the simple Oneness from within changing activities. For the entire purpose of all of creation was for this — that everything was created for man: so that he should reveal through holy speech that all the changing activities created during the six days of work all flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He and exalted. Which is merited specifically through the holiness of Shabbos, drawn into the weekdays through the completion of speech — which is the Holy Tongue that connects to Shabbos, as above. And if the first man had merited not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil — which is the bechinas of the rationalist investigations [chakiros] regarding changing activities, which mix good and evil — he would have merited this immediately on the first Shabbos in ultimate perfection. And the entire world would have been rectified immediately — for all would have known the truth as it is, as will be revealed in the future: that "all will know Hashem" [Yirmiyahu 31:33]. But through the damage of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil — that caused his faith to be damaged and he sought to enter into rationalist investigation to understand with his intellect how good and evil — which are the essential differences, the essential bechinas of changing activities — how all this flows from the simple One — through this the entire world was damaged. For in truth it is impossible to comprehend this with the intellect, only through faith, which is merited through the holiness of Shabbos, as above. Nevertheless, Hashem blessed be He — full of mercy — took pity on him and on the entire world that depended on him, and illuminated upon him the holiness of Shabbos — until he merited teshuvah [repentance], as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Shabbos shielded him." Only now many many rectifications are needed in every generation, year by year, in order to merit drawing the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays — to rectify the world from its curse, from the bechinas of "in sadness you shall eat it", from the bechinas of sadness — through the joy of Shabbos that the righteous draw into the weekdays. And one must rectify little by little at every time, as is brought in the holy writings, until the rectification is completed in the days of Mashiach our righteous one — may he come speedily in our days. And therefore as soon as the first man merited to be aroused to teshuvah through the holiness of Shabbos, he opened and said the Psalm "A Psalm — a Song for the Shabbos day: It is good to give thanks to Hashem" [Tehillim 92] — as our Sages of blessed memory said, that this Psalm was said by the first man then. That is: he immediately grasped and understood that even within his very damage and great sins — that he had damaged so much for generations — nevertheless Hashem blessed be He had already done wonderful and awesome kindnesses for him even on that very day, as is understood in the Torah portion. And one must immediately thank Hashem for this, and through this one is strengthened to cry out for the future. And therefore he immediately said: "It is good to give thanks to Hashem," etc. — to tell all generations that this is the essential path to draw close to Hashem blessed be He: through thanksgiving and praise, as above. And this is: "It is good to give thanks to Hashem" — "good" certainly. For even for the most inferior of all the inferior it is a very good and wonderful path, as above. Fortunate is one who merits this. Section 12. And this is: "Give a portion to seven and also to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth" [Koheles 11:2]. That is: one must draw the seven rectifications mentioned above — which are the three pillars of truth that shine within the four parts of speech. These are the bechinas of the seven branches of the Menorah, the seven days of the week. All these seven bechinohs illuminate during Chanukah — that is, through these seven bechinohs one draws the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays, which is the essential bechinas of Chanukah. And this is "and also to eight" — the bechinas of the eight days of Chanukah, as above. And this is: "for you do not know what evil will be on the earth" — that is, the exile grows very long and who knows what tomorrow will bring. Therefore we must draw upon ourselves at every moment the bechinas of the illumination of the days of Chanukah — which is the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise, as above. To give thanks for the past, even in times of trouble, Heaven forbid — even at a time when one has not merited to serve Hashem as befits — even if one is as one is. As above. For specifically through this is the essential continued existence of Israel in exile, in general and in each and every particular person. And now the verse connects very well: "Give a portion to seven and also to eight" — which is the bechinas of Chanukah, the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise, through which comes the essential continued existence through all the evils and troubles, Heaven forbid, as above. And this is: "for you do not know what evil will be on the earth" — perhaps what will pass over you, Heaven forbid, will seem such that it is impossible to survive in any way. But through the bechinas of Chanukah — the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise — that you will always remember the kindnesses of Hashem and His wonders upon you, as above — through this you will be strengthened at every moment in the bechinas of giving thanks for the past and crying out for the future. And through this you will merit to wondrous salvations at every moment — until you merit a complete redemption speedily, amen and amen. Section 13. And this is the bechinas of what is brought in the [Lurianic] holy intentions [kavanos]: that the essential drawing of the light of the Chanukah lamp flows from the bechinas of the holy Name NaChaL [Nun-Ches-Lamed] — which flows from Binah — whose letters are the initials of "L'hadlik Ner Chanukah" [to kindle the Chanukah lamp] — see there. That is: it is brought in the kavanos of prayer that this Name NaChaL is the initial letters of "Nafshenu Chiksah La'Hashem" [our soul has longed for Hashem] [Tehillim 33:20]. And this is the essential holiness of Chanukah — that one draws into the world the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise, which is the sha'ashu'a olam habah [delight of the World to Come] — which is the bechinas of Binah [the World to Come], as is known. And from there one draws the bechinas of the illumination of the holy Name NaChaL — whose letters begin "Nafshenu Chiksah La'Hashem". That is: that we should always merit to wait and hope for the salvation of Hashem. Through seeing the multitude of salvations and wonders He has performed for us until now — which is the bechinas of todah v'hodaah described above — from which the illumination of the three pillars of truth within the four aspects of speech flows. This is the bechinas of the kindling of the Chanukah lamp — as is explained in the words of Admo"r in the Torah teaching mentioned. It emerges that the kindling of the Chanukah lamp flows from the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise — which is the sha'ashu'a olam habah, the bechinas of Binah — from which flows the Name NaChaL described above, which is the bechinas of "Nafshenu Chiksah La'Hashem": to always wait and hope for Hashem. Which is the bechinas of todah described above — to give thanks for the past and request for the future. This is the essential bechinas of Chanukah, as above. See the Torah teaching and the kavanos and you will understand well. And with Hashem's kindness and salvation I hope to explain all the Chanukah kavanos according to the Torah teaching mentioned — as it has been stirring in my heart and illuminating in my mind — and to Hashem belongs the salvation. Section 14. And behold, it is explained there in the kavanos that the Name NaChaL described above — with the kollel [inclusive digit] — has the gematria of dam adam [the blood of man], see there. And it is also the gematria of Chanukah. That is: as is written in the Torah teaching mentioned — that the essential bechinas of Chanukah is drawn from the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise, which is the sha'ashu'a olam habah. And it is explained there that the todah [thanksgiving offering] is called halakhah [on account of the walking of the bloods that go in order when one emerges from trouble — for in a time of trouble, Heaven forbid, the bloods rush over the heart, etc. And afterward, when one emerges from the trouble, the bloods go in order, etc.]. And this is the bechinas of halachos, the bechinas of chesed, etc. And through this the truth illuminates within the four aspects of speech, etc. For initially it was in the bechinas of "men of bloodshed hate the sincere," etc. — see there. That is, the bechinas of the kavanos described above: that one must intend during Chanukah to cause the blood and life-force [chiyus] to be absorbed into the limbs — that the bloods should go in order. Which is the essential rectification of the trouble. This is the bechinas of todah halakhah — through which truth illuminates, etc., as above. And the illumination of truth within the four aspects of speech is the bechinas of the kindling of the Chanukah lamp at the entrance of the house, as is explained there. Which flows from the bechinas of todah halakhah — from the bechinas of the walking of the bloods in order — which is drawn from the Name NaChaL described above. Which we merited through the bechinas of "Nafshenu Chiksah La'Hashem" — that we always hoped in Hashem and cried out and prayed to Him — through which we were saved from all the troubles, as above. And the illumination of truth is in three pillars — which are the bechinas of Eil Elokim Hashem — the bechinas of Torah, prayer, and holy matchmaking [shidduchim]. And this is the essential kavvanah of the kindling of the Chanukah lamp — to illuminate the truth, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas of what is brought in the kavanos: that one must intend each day [of Chanukah] for the filling [miluy] of the aleph of Ehyeh, and intend Ehyeh twice — equaling in gematria emes [truth]. And each day one draws the filling of the aleph of Ehyeh — spelled out Aleph-Hey-Yud-Hey — which equals in gematria emes. See there. And these are the eight rectifications [tikkunim] — the first eight of the thirteen attributes of mercy [talissar m'chilin d'rachamei], see there. That is, as above: the essential light that illuminates and kindles the Chanukah lamp is the light of truth — the bechinas of Ehyeh twice Ehyeh, equaling in gematria emes. One must intend this each day of the eight days of Chanukah. (And this matter of eight times emes — we heard this from his holy mouth himself, after he delivered the Torah teaching mentioned. For he spoke of this in connection with the Torah teaching.) And these eight times emes that illuminate during the eight days of Chanukah — which are the eight fillings of Ehyeh — as is explained there in the kavanos. The eight fillings — their essential root and source are the three fillings of Ehyeh, as is known: which are 161, 151, 143 — that is, Ehyeh spelled with yudim, with heys, and with alephs. As is known, the essential fillings of Ehyeh are these three. And the other fillings are combinations of them — as is understandable for one who studies there. And these three fillings of Ehyeh — which are the root of all — are the bechinas of the three pillars of truth described above. For emes [truth] is Ehyeh times Ehyeh, as above. That is: the first filling — Ehyeh with yudim — is the bechinas of chesed. This is the bechinas of prayer [tefillah] — which is the bechinas of chesed, as above. For prayer is the bechinas of yud — for the essential perfection of prayer is with a quorum of ten [b'minyan asarah]. The second filling — Ehyeh with heys — is the bechinas of gevurah. This is the bechinas of Torah — given from the mouth of the Almighty [haGevurah], as above. For the Torah is the bechinas of hey — the bechinas of the five books of Torah [chamisha chumshay Torah]. The third filling — Ehyeh with alephs — is the bechinas of mercy [rachamim], the bechinas of Yaakov, the bechinas of holy matchmaking and unions. For aleph is the bechinas of adam [man] — for there is no adam without aleph, as it is stated in Tikkunay Zohar in the introduction, page 7. (Which is the bechinas of the Name M"aH — the Divine Name [Havayah] spelled with alephs equaling in gematria adam.) Which is the bechinas of the rectification of holy matchmaking and unions. For the essential holy union — in order to complete the image of God [tzelem Elokim] — is the bechinas of adam: which is not completed except through the union of man and woman in holiness and purity as befits. As it is written: "male and female He created them, and He called their name adam" [Bereishis 5:2]. And it is written: "And God created man in His image — in the image of God He created him — male and female He created them" [Bereishis 1:27]. And therefore they bless at the marriage canopy [chupah]: "Who formed man in His image." And they conclude: "Who forms man [yotzer ha'adam]." For as long as there is no union, the stature [komah] of man — who is the image of God — is not completed. And therefore Yaakov — who merited a complete bed, achieving the ultimate holiness of the rectification of matchmaking, as above — therefore he is the essential bechinas of the adam of the Divine Chariot [adam shebamarkavah] — whose form is Yaakov's image, as is known. And therefore the third filling — Ehyeh with alephs, which is the bechinas of adam — is the bechinas of the rectification of holy matchmaking and unions, as above. And all the rectifications are drawn from the thirteen attributes of mercy, as is explained there. That is: the essential bechinas of Chanukah — through thanksgiving and praise — through our having been saved from troubles, as above — flows from the thirteen attributes of mercy. For the essential salvation from all troubles comes from there — through His abundant mercies blessed be He, which are the bechinas of the thirteen attributes of mercy — through which He saves us from all our troubles. Whereupon one brings thanksgiving [todah] — which is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. And the thirteen attributes of mercy are the bechinas of the thirteen hermeneutical principles [middos] through which the Torah is expounded — from which all the halachos are clarified. That is, as above: todah is the bechinas of halakhah, the bechinas of chesed. That is: through studying halachos — which flow from the thirteen principles, etc. — one arouses the thirteen attributes of mercy. Through which Hashem blessed be He has mercy upon us and saves us from all our troubles. Through which one brings thanksgiving. And therefore todah is the bechinas of halakhah — which is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. And on account of this very fact, the halachos are called chesed [lovingkindness] — because through them one arouses the thirteen attributes of mercy, from which comes the essential chesed and mercy. And from there come all the salvations and miracles and wonders He performed for us in those days at this time — and that He performs also now with us every year, in every generation, every day, every moment and hour. All of which is the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah] — the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. And the essential general kavvanah of the kindling of the Chanukah lamp is to draw the great and awesome light from all three holy unifications [yichudim] — which are: Havayah-Ehyeh, Havayah-Elokim, Havayah-Adonoy — which equal in gematria ner [lamp]. Their root and essential source is drawn from the supernal unification — which is Havayah-Ehyeh — which is in the bechinas of Binah, the World to Come — to draw all these lights also below, to the bechinas of malchus when she is below in her place: that even when she descends into the lower worlds — in Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah — to give food to her household, even there the illumination of these great lights should flow upon her as well. For on holy Shabbos, when the Shabbos lamp is kindled at the entrance of Shabbos — then malchus ascends to great heights above and above. And then she receives these lights above. But this is the novelty of the miracle of Chanukah: that we merit on Chanukah to draw these awesome lights to malchus below — in her place — in the bechinas of netzach, hod, yesod — the bechinas of the legs [raglin] — see there in the kavanos very carefully. And you will understand that this is the core and essence of all the kavanos. That is: all the kavanos of Chanukah are to kindle and illuminate the light through all the bechinohs of the rectifications explained in the Torah teaching — which are the bechinas of all the kavanos of the holy Ari [z"l]. And all of this is in order to merit to draw the holiness, light, and joy of Shabbos also into the weekdays. Which is the bechinas of malchus also below in her place — that is, on weekdays when she does not ascend as on Shabbos and Yom Tov — even then she should receive all the great illuminations described above. Which are the bechinas of the three unifications mentioned — equaling in gematria ner [lamp] — which are the bechinas of the holiness and light of Shabbos, as above. And the essential purpose: to reveal the simple Oneness — to know, make known, and have it known that He — the Creator blessed be His Name — is the former and the Creator, and that all changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be His Name. Which is the bechinas of "Know that Hashem is God" [Devarim 4:35] — as is explained in the Torah teaching, see there. And this is the bechinas of the three unifications described above — equaling in gematria ner [lamp]. For the [unification] Havayah-Ehyeh, Havayah-Elokim, Havayah-Adonoy — through these three unifications [the Name equal to] 72, 63, 45 — equals in gematria l'hadlik [to kindle] — seventy-five [with the definite article] — as is explained in the kavanos, see there. And the essential [flow] comes from the supernal unification — which is Havayah of the 72 and Ehyeh of 161 — equaling in gematria regel [foot/leg], etc. — see there in the kavanos. That is: through the thanksgiving and praise merited during Chanukah — through the greatness of the miracle Hashem blessed be He performed for us then — which is the bechinas of sha'ashu'a olam habah, the bechinas of halachos, the bechinas of chesed — through this the truth illuminates, etc. And this is the bechinas of the supernal unification Havayah-Ehyeh. For Ehyeh is the bechinas of emes [truth] — equaling in gematria Ehyeh times Ehyeh, as above. And this truth illuminates from the Name Havayah — which is the essential Name through which all the drawing of all the rectifications flows. Encompassing everything from beginning to end, as is known. And this is the bechinas of Havayah of the 72 — which is higher than all, being in the bechinas of Keser — from which all the chesed and mercy flows — to be saved from all the troubles. And therefore it equals in gematria chesed. For there are all the thirteen attributes of mercy. And therefore there is the essential thanksgiving and praise — for from there come all the salvations. It thus emerges that the Name of 72 — equaling in gematria chesed — is in the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise, from which the truth illuminates. This is the bechinas of Ehyeh, as above. And this is the bechinas of the unification Havayah-Ehyeh — the first unification described above. And the truth illuminates within the four aspects of speech. And this is the bechinas of the unification Havayah-Adonoy. For Adonoy is the bechinas of speech — as it is written: "Adonoy, open my lips" [Tehillim 51:17]. And the four letters of the Name Adonoy are the bechinas of the four aspects of speech — which are the bechinas of the four camps of the Shechinah, the bechinas of the four banners [degalim] — which are the twelve tribes, the sons of Yaakov. Who is the bechinas of emes — divided into four banners. And each contains three tribes — which is the bechinas of the Name Adonoy described above: four letters, each letter in its full spelling consisting of three letters — like Aleph-Lamed-Fey, Dalet-Lamed-Tes, etc., as is known. And the Name Havayah spelled with M"aH [alephs] — this is the bechinas of emes. For the Name M"aH and Ehyeh are in the bechinas of one — for from the aleph of the Name M"aH comes the Name Ehyeh, as is brought in the kavanos. And Ehyeh is the bechinas of emes, as above. Also M"aH in gematria is adam — which is the bechinas of Yaakov, the adam of the Divine Chariot, as above. And Yaakov is the bechinas of emes, as above. Therefore the truth that illuminates within the four aspects of speech is the bechinas of the unification of Havayah of M"aH and Adonoy, as above. And this unification is below — in the bechinas of netzach, hod, yesod, the bechinas of the legs [raglin] — as is explained there. And it is drawn from the supernal unification Havayah-Ehyeh — equaling in gematria regel [foot/leg] — which is the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise, from which the truth illuminates, as above. And through the illumination of truth within the four aspects of speech — through this the Shabbos holiness is drawn into the weekdays. And it is revealed that all changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He, as above. And this is the bechinas of the unification Havayah-Elokim described above — as is explained in the Torah teaching — which is the bechinas of "Know that Hashem is God" [Hashem Hu HaElokim], as above. And therefore this unification is in the bechinas of chesed, gevurah, tiferes — the bechinas of hands [yadayim] — which are the vessel of the actions of all the changing activities that Hashem blessed be He created during the six days of creation — as it is written: "My hand has founded the earth and My right hand..." [Yeshayahu 48:13]. And therefore there one must reveal that Hashem is God — that all the changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. Which is the bechinas of the unification Hashem Elokim, as above. Section 15. And therefore one reads during Chanukah the Torah portion of the Nesi'im [princes/tribal leaders] — who were twelve, representing the generality of the twelve tribes — who were four banners, each containing three tribes. Which is the bechinas of the four camps of the Shechinah, the bechinas of the four aspects of speech — illuminated by the three pillars of truth. And therefore each banner contains three — for the three pillars of truth illuminate within each and every part of the four parts of speech, which are the bechinas of the four banners, as above. And these four banners traveled around the Mishkan and the Aron [Ark] — within which were the Luchos [Tablets] — which reveal His Unity and Oneness blessed be He. As it is written there: "I am Hashem your God," etc. — to indicate that all twelve tribes — encompassed within four banners — who are divided into many different perspectives: for they are six hundred thousand souls, each one having a perspective that differs from his fellow. And yet all these different perspectives — which are the bechinas of changing activities — are all encompassed in one mind, as if they were literally one soul. For they all believe with one heart in the One God — that all changing activities flow from Him blessed be He, as above. And they all travel around the Ark and the Tablets — and all their thoughts are bound and fixed there: d'chol r'u'in taman [all their will is there] — to be included in His Unity and Oneness blessed be He. All of which is the bechinas of the revelation of simple Oneness from within changing activities — through many agreeing in one mind, as above. Which is precious beyond measure before Hashem blessed be He, as above. And this is: "Return, return, O Shulamite! Return, return, and we will gaze upon you! What will you see in the Shulamite — as in the dance of the two camps?" [Shir HaShirim 7:1]. And Rashi explained [this as referring to] the nations and the Sitra Achra that seek to entice the congregation of Israel, saying to her: "Return, return" — "return" from behind [the Divine] Presence — "the Shulamite" — the one who is complete [sheleimah] in her faith with Him, etc. And she responds: "What will you see in the Shulamite?" — what greatness can you take away that she would be equal even to the greatness of the banners? — etc., see there. And at first glance it is wondrous: why did [the Shulamite] seize specifically upon the greatness of the banners? But according to what was explained above, it is well understood: for this is the response to their question — as they entice her to turn away from the [Divine] Presence, God forbid. And she responds to them: how can you entice us, Heaven forbid — since we have merited to the greatness of machalas ha'machanos [the dance of the camps] — which is the greatness of the four camps of the banners. Where each banner differed from its fellow — for each banner bore the three colors of the three stones in the Choshen of its three tribes. All of which is the bechinas of differing colors, differing perspectives, differing activities. And yet regarding our holy faith, all agreed in one mind, as above. Through which the simple Oneness of Hashem blessed be He was revealed, as above. Certainly you no longer have the power to entice me, God forbid — for my faith has already been strengthened through the four camps of the banners, where many different perspectives were encompassed in one true mind, as above. And therefore one reads the portion of the Nesi'im during Chanukah — for all of this is the bechinas of Chanukah, as above. And this is: "the tribes of Hashem — testimony for Israel, to give thanks," etc. [Tehillim 122:4]. For the twelve tribes of Hashem — who were encompassed in one mind at the time of Yaakov's passing, declaring all together with one mouth Shema Yisrael, etc. — just as there is only One in your heart, so too there is only One in our hearts — this is testimony for Israel that they are firm in their faith for eternity. And this is: "to give thanks to the Name of Hashem." For all of this is the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise [todah v'hodaah] — which is the bechinas of Chanukah. Through which the simple Oneness is revealed from within changing activities. Which is the bechinas of shivtei Yah eidus l'Yisrael [the tribes of Hashem are testimony for Israel], as above. Section 16. For all this is interconnected. And this is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp adding and going [ner Chanukah mosif v'holech] [increasing each night]. For the Torah is intertwined — its beginning in its end and its end in its beginning. For through the great miracle Hashem blessed be He performed for us in those days at this time — on account of this they established these eight days of Chanukah to thank and praise His great Name blessed be He. And through the thanksgiving and praise with which one praises [Him] for the miracle — through this the light of truth illuminates, etc., which is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp light, as above. And as soon as one kindles the first Chanukah lamp and draws the light of truth within the four aspects of speech — and speech is completed, which is the Holy Tongue that connects to Shabbos — through this one draws the holiness and joy of Shabbos into the weekdays. And then it is revealed: Hashem is God [Hashem Hu HaElokim] — that all changing activities, which are in the bechinas of the Name Elokim, flow from the simple One. For all is One — for Hashem is God. And this is the ultimate rectification spoken of in this Torah teaching — which one merits through the mitzvah of Chanukah. And as soon as one merits this — to draw the joy of Shabbos into the weekdays, to reveal the simple Oneness from within changing activities — immediately the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise is strengthened and increased even more. For one merits that also now, in the days of exile and troubles passing over Israel in general and in particular — all that passes over each and every individual in body and soul — that even in times of trouble and confusion and the enormous obstacles and constraints described above, one will always give praise and thanksgiving to His Name blessed be He for the great kindnesses He has done for us until now. And to look at the reliefs He relieves us with even in times of trouble, as above. Which is the bechinas of drawing the Shabbos holiness into the weekdays — as is explained above in letter zayin very well. Which is also the bechinas of the revelation of simple Oneness from within changing activities. For when one merits this, one certainly is not confused by any trouble, Heaven forbid — since one knows that everything comes from Him blessed be He. And as is explained many times elsewhere. For the essential source of all the troubles and sufferings, Heaven forbid, is from the bechinas of changing activities that flow from the bechinas of the Name Elokim, from the bechinas of judgments [dinim]. For the troubles and sufferings and judgments, Heaven forbid, are the essential bechinas of changing activities — for they alter the mind of man. Which is the essential trouble and evil, Heaven forbid — that [the world] is not conducted according to man's understanding and will. For what is against man's will is evil in his eyes and he suffers to receive it. But when one knows and believes that everything flows from Him blessed be He — Who is absolutely simple in the ultimate simplicity, Whose entire intention blessed be He is always for the good — certainly one will find within all the troubles great reliefs, to console and gladden oneself: to give thanks for the past and cry out for the future. And through this all the troubles will be completely nullified, as above. It thus emerges that through the Chanukah lamp that we kindled on the first night — through the bechinas of thanksgiving and praise that Matisyahu and his sons drew into the world — through which they rectified the quality of Hod [splendor/gratitude], as is brought — that is, they drew this rectification into the world: to thank and praise Him blessed be He always, through which this lamp illuminates, the light of truth, etc., as above — through this the Shabbos holiness is drawn into the weekdays, etc. Through which the thanksgiving and praise is enlarged and strengthened and increased more and more, as above. And then also the light of truth — that comes through the thanksgiving — is enlarged as well. Which is the bechinas of the Chanukah lamp, as above. And therefore on the second night it adds and goes [increases]. For the light of the Chanukah lamp is enlarged through the increase of the thanksgiving — which we merited through the drawing of the Shabbos holiness, etc., that we drew through the kindling of the first night's lamp. As above. And so through the increase of the light of truth, etc., on the second night — which is the bechinas of an additional drawing of Shabbos holiness, etc. — through this the thanksgiving is further increased and enlarged. Through this the light of truth is further increased and illuminated. And therefore on the third night it adds yet again. And so it goes around and around — therefore at every time it adds and goes — until one merits [to complete] the eight days of Chanukah. For then the Hod [quality of thanksgiving] is fully rectified — which is the eighth quality [midah sh'minit]. Which is the essential rectification that Matisyahu and his sons drew — who rectified the quality of Hod, as is brought. That is: they established this quality in the world — that we merit always to thank and praise His Name blessed be He, however things may be — even in the height of this long and bitter exile, in general and in particular. For we will always merit to recognize His kindnesses and wonders upon us without limit — at every time and every day and every hour. And through this we give thanks to His Name blessed be He always — in the bechinas of "Hashem my God, I will praise You forever [l'olam odeka]" [Tehillim 30:13] — "forever" specifically, however things may be. And therefore the Psalm Shir Chanukah HaBayis [Psalm 30] concludes with this verse: "Hashem my God, I will praise You forever." For this is the essential rectification drawn through all eight days of Chanukah — which are the bechinas of the dedication [chanukas] of the Temple. Where each night the Menorah lamps are increased — night after night, more and more — through which the thanksgiving grows each day more and more. Until on the eighth day one merits to fully rectify the thanksgiving. Until we merit to thank Him blessed be He always — at every time — each and every person, in all that passes over him — in the bechinas of "Hashem my God, I will praise You forever" — forever specifically, however things may be, as above. Section 17. And this is the bechinas of: "And this was the work of the Menorah: hammered gold from its base to its flower — it was hammered" [Bamidbar 8:4]. And Rashi explained: it needed to be made from a single piece [mikshah achas]. That is: the essential purpose of the commandment of making the Menorah is in order to illuminate the light of truth, etc., in order to reveal that all changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. And for this it hints — by commanding that it be made from hammered work, from a single piece specifically — to indicate that all the cups, knobs, and flowers, and all the ornaments on the seven branches of the Menorah — which are the bechinas of the seven days of creation, within which the root of all the changing activities created through them was through the completion of speech rectified through truth, as above — all of this flows from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. In the bechinas of "from its base to its flower — it was hammered" — for everything was made from one piece. For all the differences flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He and exalted forever, as above. Section 18. And this is the bechinas of what is brought in the kavanos: that during Chanukah one rectifies the bechinas of "and the hollow of Yaakov's thigh was strained [vatika kaf yerech Yaakov]" [Bereishis 32:26] — when Yaakov wrestled with the ministering angel of Esav [sar shel Esav]. For vatika kaf yerech Yaakov is the bechinas of the damage to the tamchei oraisa [supporters of Torah] — as is brought in the holy Zohar: that he struck the tamchei oraisa [those who support Torah study] — which are the bechinas of the legs [raglin]. Which is the bechinas of the damage to the halachos — which are the bechinas of todah [thanksgiving], as is understood in the Torah teaching. And during Chanukah one draws the bechinas of todah halakhah — which is the bechinas of the rectification of the legs [tikkun haralaim] — the bechinas of the rectification of the tamchei oraisa — through which the halachos are born, as is explained there. And this is what is written there in the Torah portion: "and the sun shone for him" [Bereishis 32:32] — to heal his lameness [tzeli'asoh]. As our Sages of blessed memory said: for the rectification of the legs — which is the bechinas of the healing of his lameness — the bechinas of the rectification of the Torah. For the Torah [oraisa] is the bechinas of the rectification of the diminishment of the moon [tikkun pegimas hal'vanah] — the bechinas of "and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun" [Yeshayahu 30:26] — as is explained there in the Torah teaching. And therefore the sun shone for him even at the time when it was nighttime — when the moon shines. For then the day was lengthened, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For he merited to draw the future light — whereby "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun," etc. — would be fulfilled. Section 19. And therefore the Torah portion of the Nesi'im — which is the portion of the dedication of the altar [chanukas hamizbei'ach] — concludes with the verse: "When Moshe came to the Tent of Meeting to speak with [Hashem], he heard the Voice speaking to him," etc. [Bamidbar 7:89]. For this verse is the third text [kasuv sh'lishi] that adjudicates between two contradicting texts [sh'nay k'suvim hamachish'in zeh es zeh], as Rashi explained there. And it is the last of the thirteen hermeneutical principles through which the Torah is expounded. For the thirteen principles are the bechinas of the thirteen attributes of mercy — from which comes the essential salvation from all troubles. And there is the essential thanksgiving and praise, as above. And therefore the thirteen principles conclude with this one — of the two contradicting texts, etc. For this is the essential rectification of the thirteen hermeneutical principles of the Torah — which are the bechinas of halachos, the bechinas of the thirteen attributes of mercy, the bechinas of todah [thanksgiving]. To draw all the rectifications spoken of in the Torah teaching — until we merit to reveal the simple Oneness from within changing activities. Which is the bechinas of two contradicting texts — until the third text comes and adjudicates between them. For all the difficulties and variations within the Torah, and all the holy disputes [machlokes d'kedushah] among the Tanna'im and Amora'im and among the true righteous ones and upright ones — all of this is in order to reveal that all changing activities flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He. For all the changing activities of all creation flow from the letters of the Torah, as is known. And just as each letter has a different form from its fellow, and the combinations of words differ from one another — so too all creatures differ from one another. But in truth all the letters and words and Torah portions, etc. — which differ from one another — specifically through them one recognizes and knows Him blessed be He. For the Torah was given for this purpose: to know Him Who spoke and the world came into being. For oraisa sh'ma d'kudsha brich hu [the Torah is the Name of the Holy One blessed be He] [Tikkunay Zohar, Tikkun 10, page 25b]. And it is impossible to know of His simple Oneness except through this very Torah — clothed in these letters and words. And because in this world it is impossible to fully comprehend the ways of the Torah — it therefore seems at every moment that there are some variations and difficulties in the Torah. Such as two contradicting texts — where before the third adjudicating text arrives, it appears to us as if there were, Heaven forbid, some contradiction in the Torah. And similarly: one text says "seven days you shall eat matzah" and another text says "six days" [Shmos 13:6-7], etc. And many other similar cases. And all this is because of our diminished intellect — that we do not comprehend the ways of the Torah properly. Therefore Hashem blessed be He had mercy upon us and transmitted to us the ways of the Torah through the Sages — to expound it through the thirteen hermeneutical principles. Through which they resolve all the variations and adjudicate between the contradicting texts. And through this knowledge flows upon us — to know and believe, just as the Torah is entirely One — even though according to our limited intellect there appeared to be many difficulties and variations in the Torah — so too all the variations in the world, which are all the changing activities, are all one at their root. For they all flow from the absolutely simple One blessed be He — only one cannot comprehend this with one's intellect. And this is the bechinas of holy dispute [machlokes d'kedushah]. For everything is for the sake of sweetening the judgment [din] at its root — as is brought in the Torah teaching Kamim Alai Merei'im [Siman 277]. For through holy dispute among the righteous — there are thus greatly different perspectives among them. And yet regarding the foundation of faith, they are all included in one mind. For all of them intend for His Name and Oneness blessed be He — in order to clarify the halachah properly, as our Sages of blessed memory said: "many disputes in the house of study," etc. And therefore through holy dispute — through this specifically the simple Oneness is revealed from within changing activities. Through this: that such divided and different perspectives are all encompassed in one mind regarding the foundation of faith — for all of them believe in one mind in Hashem and in His servant Moshe. And all their intention in their dispute is entirely to reveal His simple Oneness in the world. For the perspective of one inclines that the halachah is thus — and the proper path through which His Oneness blessed be He will be revealed is such. And the perspective of another inclines toward a different halachah and path. And in truth both these and those are words of the living God [ilu v'ilu divray Elokim chayyim]. For they were all given from one Shepherd [meiro'eh echad]. For through both of them the simple Oneness will specifically be revealed from within changing activities — through such divided perspectives encompassing ultimately their entire intention in one mind: to be included in His Oneness blessed be He, as above. And this is what is explained there in the Torah teaching: that through halachos — which are the bechinas of todah — through this all the bechinohs explained there are drawn, until one merits to reveal the simple Oneness from within changing activities. That is, as above. For the halachah is the ruling of the law — clarified from differing opinions, where one rules as forbidden and another as permitted, etc. — until the halachah is clarified according to the ways of the Torah. And then specifically the simple Oneness is revealed from within changing activities, as above. Section 20. And this is the bechinas of "in the multitude of people is the king's glory" [Mishlei 14:28]. For the more Jewish people unite together — the greater His honor and glory blessed be He is increased. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "it is not the same for a few who perform the commandment as for the many," etc. That is, as above: the more Jewish people join together — to do His will blessed be He — the simple Oneness is more revealed. For more [people] — who have even more different perspectives — join in one mind to do His will blessed be He. And this is the bechinas of: "And when it rested he said: Return, Hashem, to the tens of thousands and thousands of Israel" [Bamidbar 10:36]. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "this teaches that the Shechinah does not rest upon fewer than two ten-thousands," etc. — for when Israel [are gathered in these numbers], this causes [the Shechinah to rest], etc. For the more Israel multiply — the more holiness is drawn and revealed. Through so many perspectives — which differ so greatly. For the more there are, the more different perspectives there are. And the more the differences multiply and [these people] join together to serve Him blessed be He — the more the simple Oneness is revealed. Through such multiplied perspectives — which are so many different changing activities — joining together in one mind to draw close to Him blessed be He, as above. [Translator's Summary — Hilchos Kil'ay Behemah, Halacha 4.] This halacha — the longest in Hilchos Kil'ay Behemah and among the longest in the entire volume — is based upon the Torah teaching of Likutay Moharan II, Siman 2. It develops a grand, sweeping vision connecting the prohibition of mixing animal species (kil'ay behemah) to the deepest themes of exile, redemption, faith, and the power of gratitude. The preamble and first section establish the foundation: the prohibition of kil'ay behemah is a bechinas of the revelation of simple Divine Oneness (achdus hapashut) from within the diversity of changing activities and creatures. Each species represents a different mode of Divine expression; mixing them at the time of labor undermines the ability to trace all differences back to their single Source — thereby strengthening the grip of the Sitra Achra and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. The rectification comes through drawing the holiness of Shabbos into the six weekdays, through which one perceives that all changing acts flow from the One. Sections 2–3 identify ox and donkey as the bechinas of Esav and Yishmael — the forces most opposed to the Holy Tongue, to truth, and to the World to Come. Yaakov, whose bed was complete and who guarded each herd separately, embodied the supreme rectification: twelve tribes with radically different natures who nonetheless proclaimed Shema Yisrael in perfect unison. Sections 4–5 pivot to the central theme of thanksgiving (todah v'hodaah): the great practical counsel for every person in times of distress. Even before crying out in prayer, one must first recall and articulate Hashem's past kindnesses — finding relief even within the trouble itself. This draws down the holiness of Shabbos (the World to Come) into the troubled weekday (this world), enabling genuine prayer and salvation. Sections 6–7 derive this principle from Dovid HaMelech's Psalm when fleeing Avshalom — a model of turning confusion into song by first looking for the good. The Psalm Hodu sung at the entrance of Shabbos embodies this same structure. Sections 8–9 apply the teaching directly to Chanukah: the holy days of Chanukah are themselves this rectification — drawing the path of todah into the world so that Israel can survive the long exile, finding space between one trouble and the next, and ultimately initiating (chinuch) each soul into Hashem's service through gratitude. Sections 10–11 reveal the deeper structure: the eight days of Chanukah correspond to the three pillars of truth (prayer, Torah, holy matchmaking — the three Patriarchs) shining within the four aspects of speech (the four Matriarchs). Together these form seven-plus-one — the seven branches of the Menorah, the seven days of creation, and the eighth day of completion. Adam HaRishon himself established this pattern by saying Psalm 92 on the first Shabbos. Sections 12–16 build from Koheles 11:2 to the Lurianic kavanos of the Chanukah lights: the holy Name NaChaL, the three fillings of Ehyeh corresponding to the three Patriarchs, the gematria connections of truth (emes), and the three unifications (Havayah-Ehyeh, Havayah-Elokim, Havayah-Adonoy) drawn by the Chanukah lights. The lights increase each night because each night's thanksgiving generates more truth, which generates more Shabbos holiness, which generates more thanksgiving — a virtuous spiral completing the rectification of Hod on the eighth day. Sections 17–19 connect the Menorah (mikshah achas — hammered from one piece) to the revelation of Oneness within multiplicity, rectify Yaakov's thigh-wound through the halachos of Chanukah, and conclude with Moshe entering the Tent of Meeting — the final of the thirteen hermeneutical principles — showing that holy dispute itself reveals Divine unity. Section 20 closes with the ultimate expression of the theme: "in the multitude of the people is the King's glory" — the more diverse souls unite in service of Hashem, the more His simple Oneness shines through the multiplicity. Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman. Cross-references: Hilchos Kil'ay Behaimah, Halacha 5; Hilchos Orlah, Halacha 5, paragraph 8. Based on what is written in the teaching Ha'i Man etc., in Siman 29 [of Likutay Moharan, Part I] — that one must guard one's garments very carefully, for they are the bechinas malchus [kingship/sovereignty], see there. And the essential rectification of garments is through the rectification of the overall sinews [giddin] — which is the rectification of the covenant [bris], through which the mind [da'as] is elevated. And from there whiteness [levononiss] flows to rectify the garments, see there. And sha'atnez [the forbidden mixture] is a blemish to the mind [da'as], for it is the bechinas the mind of the Sitra Achra [the Other Side]. For wool and linen are two opposites — the bechinas Kayin and Hevel. For Hevel brought from the firstborn of his sheep [bechoros tzono], which is the bechinas wool — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "That ram was entirely holy — its wool for techeiles [blue-dye]," etc. And Kayin brought linen [pishsim], as our Sages of blessed memory said. For wool is the bechinas chassadim [loving-kindnesses], the bechinas the crimson thread [leshon shel zehoris] that whitens sins — as is explained there — as it is written: "Even if your sins be [red as crimson]... like wool they shall become" [Yeshayahu 1:18]. And linen is the bechinas gevuros [powers of severity] — as it is written: "And the man Gavriel was clothed in linen" [Daniel 10:5]. And therefore it is impossible for wool and linen to join together except through a human being — but without that there is no joining between them at all. For the human being is the bechinas da'as [mind/knowledge], who unites two opposites together — as is explained in the words of Rabbeinu, may his light shine, many times. And therefore the prohibition of kil'ayim [mixed species] applies only in the act of wearing [levisshah], but it is permitted to make them and keep them — for even if one sews them together and joins them, they still have no joining and no power to draw from holiness — except when a person wears them, for then they draw from holiness and are joined through the person, who is the bechinas da'as that unites two opposites together, as above. And all things in the world are mingled with good and evil, and the Sitra Achra has a foothold in them. And particularly in garments, there it has the greatest foothold — as is known. Therefore when kil'ay begadim [mixed species in garments] are joined together — that is, wool and linen not in the context of a commandment — then on the contrary, from this comes the da'as of the Sitra Achra, for the Sitra Achra takes hold there, as above. And this is the essential blemish of garments — reversed from its opposite. For the rectification of garments is through the holy da'as, and kil'ay begadim is literally the opposite — the bechinas the da'as of the Sitra Achra, as above. Therefore in the context of a commandment — that is, kil'ayim in tzitzis [ritual fringes] — it is permitted. Indeed, the essential commandment of tzitzis was according to [the Ari z"l] through kil'ayim in the time when techeiles [blue dye] was available — as it appears from the halachic authorities. For when the two opposites — wool and linen — are joined in the context of a commandment, from this is generated the holy da'as, which is the rectification of garments, as above. And this is especially so through the techeiles — as is explained well above in Hilchos Tzitzis [Halacha 1], see there. And therefore the prohibition of kil'ay begadim is called sha'atnez — for the blemish of garments is the blemish of speech [dibur], as is explained well in the aforementioned teaching, see there. And sha'atnez is the bechinas the blemish of speech, for these are the bechinas the letters that fell and were shattered — and they therefore require rectification, as is known. And it is the bechinas speech that is not heard [dibur she'ayno nishma'] — as is explained there at the beginning of the teaching. For this is the bechinas the fallen letters mentioned above, which are sha'atnez, etc., as above. For the essential shattering came about because [the letters] did not receive the light of the ear [or ha'ozen] — as it states in the Eitz Chayyim. And this is the bechinas speech that is not heard — meaning that it did not receive the light of the ear, which is therefore not called speech at all, for it is the bechinas broken letters, as above. And this is the bechinas sha'atnez, as above — which is the bechinas the blemish of garments, as above. And this is what is written in the holy books: that one who is dressed in sha'atnez — his prayer does not ascend — for it is the bechinas speech that is not heard, as above. See all this in Hilchos Tzitzis, see there carefully. And therefore also regarding tzitzis: garments stored in a box [k'li kapsa] are exempt from tzitzis, and garments are not obligated in tzitzis except when a person wears them. For the garments themselves, as long as no person is wearing them, have no vitality or significance in them — for they are in the bechinas malchus d'lays lah mi'garmah k'lum [sovereignty that has nothing of its own]. Only when a person wears them — who is the bechinas da'as that illuminates within them — are they then completed. And then it is relevant to speak of commandment and transgression regarding them — for one must guard them from kil'ayim, as above. And one must affix tzitzis to them in order to guard them, as above in Hilchos Tzitzis. And this is the bechinas malta albishayhu yakira [the garment I clothe them with is precious — Aramaic] [Bava Kama 91]. For the essential beauty and importance of garments is when they are worn, as above. And therefore garments are called in the expression malta [garment], which is an expression of speech [dibur] — for garments are in the bechinas speech, as above. Cross-reference: Hilchos Sha'atnez, paragraph 2. Verse: "You shall not wear sha'atnez — wool and linen together. You shall make for yourself fringes [gedilim]." Based on what Rabbeinu of blessed memory explains in the teaching Tik'u — "in the wilderness, from faith" — in Likutay [Moharan] Tani'na [Part II], Siman 5. And it states there that when the fallen faith is raised and rectified, converts are made. And these converts introduce pride [ga'avah] into Israel — for our Sages of blessed memory said: "In secret places my soul shall weep on account of pride [mi'p'nay ge'ivah]" — on account of the pride of Israel that was given to the nations, etc., see there. And through the pride that the converts introduce comes the desire for sexual immorality [ta'aves na'of], Heaven forbid — as our Sages of blessed memory said. And therefore we need the protectors [meganim] of the generation — those who shield us and save us from this desire. And then [one raises] from the seal of the Sitra Achra — the bechinas chassam b'saro [the seal of his flesh — i.e., the blemish of the covenant] — which is the blemish of the desire for sexual immorality — and it becomes the holy seal, the bechinas tefillin, which are the holy seal. For the essential rectification of the mind [mochin], the bechinas tefillin, is through subduing the desire for sexual immorality, etc. See all this there carefully. Section 1. And this is the bechinas the rectification of garments — that one must be very careful to rectify one's garments. For in garments and clothing — there the pride [ga'avah] has its foothold. For the root of garments is the bechinas pride — the bechinas "Hashem reigns, He has donned pride" [Tehillim 93:1]. For Rebbi Yochanan called his garments "my honorers" [m'chabdosa] [Bava Kama 91]. It thus emerges that garments are the bechinas honor and glorification — the bechinas pride. And therefore one must be very careful with garments lest the pride of the Sitra Achra take hold in them, Heaven forbid. For through this, Heaven forbid, comes the desire for sexual immorality — the bechinas the seal of the Sitra Achra, as above. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said [Berachos 6]: "These garments of the Rabbis that are worn out [d'valu minayhu] — [come from plagues of human beings]" — for they come from the blemish of chassam b'saro that comes through pride, as above. And therefore they take hold in garments, for there is where pride has its foothold, as above. For the converts who introduce pride into Israel, as above — their foothold is in the bechinas garments, for the converts' foothold is in the bechinas the holy fringes [kanfay hak'dushah] — as is brought [in the holy books] — which is the bechinas the corners of garments. It thus emerges that garments require rectification and protection, lest the pride of the Sitra Achra take hold in them — from which comes the desire for sexual immorality, Heaven forbid, as above. And this is the bechinas tzitzis — which are the rectification of garments. For tzitzis are the bechinas the protectors [meganim] explained in the aforementioned teaching — who protect us from the aforementioned desire. For tzitzis are a protection from sexual immorality [shmirah min ha'na'of] — as is brought [in the holy books] — for they are the bechinas protectors, the bechinas wings [k'nafayim] that protect and save from the aforementioned desire — the bechinas "and under His wings you shall take shelter" [Tehillim 91:4]. And this is the bechinas what Rabbeinu explains there on the verse: "For to God are the shields of the earth [maginay eretz]" — whose initials spell malach [angel]. And this is the bechinas tzitzis, which are the bechinas wings — the bechinas a winged angel [mal'ach ba'al k'nafayim]. For the tzitzis are the bechinas maginay eretz explained there — for they are the holy wings that protect us and save us from the desire for sexual immorality. For tzitzis are a protection from sexual immorality, as above. And therefore the tzitzis are attached to garments — for there is where the essential rectification of the protectors is needed, as above. And therefore after donning tzitzis one puts on tefillin — which are the holy seal, as above — which are made and rectified through the protectors, which are the bechinas tzitzis, as above. For the essential tefillin are made through the protectors who save from the desire for sexual immorality — as is explained there. See there carefully. Section 2. And this is the bechinas the prohibition of sha'atnez — wool and linen together. For garments need to be guarded from the bechinas pride, etc., as above. And the essential pride and glorification is the bechinas the totality of all colors [k'lalius hagonin] — for this is the essential glorification, the bechinas pride — as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory many times. That the essential glorification is the bechinas the totality of all colors [k'lalius hagonin] (and pride and glorification are one and the same bechinas). And wool and linen are the bechinas all colors in their totality — for all colors are included in the bechinas two colors: chassadim and din [loving-kindness and judgment], in which all colors are included, as is known. And this is the bechinas wool and linen — for wool is the bechinas chassadim, as it is written: "Even if your sins be [red as crimson]... like wool they shall become" [Yeshayahu 1:18]. And as it is written: "And the hair of His head like clean wool" [Daniel 7:9]. And linen is the bechinas gevuros [powers of severity] — as it is written: "And the man Gavriel was clothed in linen" [Daniel 10:5] — which is flax [pishtan], as our Sages of blessed memory said. It thus emerges that wool and linen are two opposites — the bechinas chassadim and gevuros — which are the totality of all colors. And this is the bechinas pride and glorification. And therefore we are forbidden to dress in garments made from a mixture of wool and linen — which are the totality of all colors, which are the bechinas garments of pride and glorification, as above. For garments such as these — garments of pride and glorification, the bechinas the totality of all colors — are fitting only for Him alone, blessed be He, as it were: the bechinas "Hashem reigns, He has donned pride." But we are forbidden to clothe ourselves in garments of pride — for below, from these one can become seized, Heaven forbid, by actual pride — the bechinas the desire for sexual immorality, Heaven forbid. Except in the context of the commandment of tzitzis — where it is permitted by the law to dress in kil'ayim of wool and linen. For tzitzis are the bechinas the rectification of da'as, the rectification of the covenant, the rectification of the mind [mochin], as above. And when the da'as is rectified, then from wool and linen comes actual unity — for this is the essential rectification of da'as: when the chassadim and gevuros are joined and unified in actual oneness. For the essential da'as is the joining of chessed and gevurah, as is known. And therefore when da'as is complete, from wool and linen comes actual unity, as above. And therefore in the context of the commandment of tzitzis, kil'ayim is permitted by the law, as above — for in the context of a commandment, one can clothe oneself in the bechinas His garments as it were — the bechinas garments of pride, the totality of all colors. For then the pride of the Sitra Achra has no power to take hold there — for the tzitzis protect us, as above. For tzitzis are the rectification of da'as, through which oneness is created between chessed and gevurah, as above. And then oneness and peace are made between wool and linen, and the Sitra Achra and pride have no foothold there at all. And this is the bechinas the priestly garments [bigday k'hunnah], which were made from kil'ayim [mixed species]. For they are the bechinas the garments of Hashem blessed be He as it were — for He, blessed be He, is called Kohen [priest] as it were, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And His garments are the bechinas priestly garments. And therefore also the earthly Kohen is permitted to resemble Him, blessed be He — to dress in garments of kil'ayim, which are the bechinas the totality of all colors. For all the Temple service and sacrifices are the rectification of da'as, the rectification of the covenant — and then kil'ayim is permitted, as above. But not in the context of the commandment of tzitzis or priestly garments — then kil'ayim of wool and linen is forbidden. For not in the context of a commandment can we join them together so that there is peace between them — that it should be actual unity. For they are two opposites, as above. And therefore through joining wool and linen — which are two opposites — from this, Heaven forbid, comes the nurturing of the Sitra Achra, the bechinas the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. For its essential nurturing is from the blemish of da'as, from the confusion of da'as — which is the bechinas strife [machlokes], the bechinas wool and linen when there is no adjudication [hakra'ah] between them through the rectification of da'as. And therefore through wearing kil'ayim of wool and linen, Heaven forbid — from there the Sitra Achra is nourished, Heaven forbid. And then the garments are corrupted and become actual pride — the pride of the Sitra Achra. From which comes the desire for sexual immorality — the blemish of da'as, as above. For the essential pride descended from the bechinas "pride He has donned" — the bechinas the totality of all colors, as above. And below, when there is no rectification of da'as, no adjudication as above — then, Heaven forbid, it is blemished and becomes actual pride, etc., as above. Section 3. For the blemish of pride is the blemish of da'as, the blemish of sexual immorality — which is itself the blemish of the kil'ayim of wool and linen, because there is no adjudication between them, as above. For the essential pride and glorification is fitting only for Him alone, blessed be He. And for Him, blessed be He, as it were, pride and humility are actual unity — for "wherever you find His greatness, there you find His humility" [Megilah 31a]. And this is the bechinas the totality of all colors — that all colors are included together and from the diversity of colors comes the bechinas unity. For the creation is the bechinas yesh me'ayin [something from nothing] — and this is the bechinas pride and humility. For pride is the bechinas yesh [being/existence] — that one considers oneself as actual yesh — which is the essence of pride. But humility is the bechinas actual ayin [nothingness]. And Hashem blessed be He, at the time of creation, was clothed in pride as it were — which is the bechinas the creation of the world, as above. And this is the bechinas "Hashem reigns, He has donned pride" — for the creation in general is the bechinas His garment, blessed be He, and it is the bechinas pride, the bechinas yesh, as above. But for Him, blessed be He, before and after the creation it is all one — the bechinas "Hashem is One and His Name is One." And therefore pride and humility are all one — the bechinas "wherever you find His greatness, there you find His humility," as above. And this itself is the bechinas the totality of all colors — that the diversity of colors, as it were, are included in simple Oneness [achdus pashut]. For all colors in their totality are the bechinas chessed and din — which flow from the bechinas before the creation and after the creation. For before the creation all is goodness and lovingkindness. And after the creation — from there the foothold of judgment. And when the post-creation is included in the pre-creation — which is the bechinas the total pride of holiness within humility — this is the bechinas the inclusion of all judgment within lovingkindness. And then all colors are simple Oneness, as it were. And this is the bechinas the garments of pride and glorification of Hashem blessed be He as it were — which are composed of all colors as it were — that all colors are included together in the bechinas actual unity, as above. But below, when there is no adjudication — when one wears wool and linen — strife [machlokes] is generated, and then actual pride comes, Heaven forbid. For the essential pride [comes] when one does not include, Heaven forbid, the yesh within the ayin — and it seems to the person that he himself is actual yesh, Heaven forbid. Which is the essential pride — when a person does not nullify all his being [yeshus] to be included in the ayin. Through which, in accordance with his level, the post-creation, which is the bechinas yesh, is included in the pre-creation, which is the bechinas ayin. But when one has pride, Heaven forbid, one separates, Heaven forbid, the yesh from the ayin — and then there is no peace, Heaven forbid, between chessed and din, as above. Which is the bechinas wool and linen, as above. It thus emerges that wool and linen — which are the bechinas chessed and din — when there is no adjudication and peace between them, through the blemish of wearing kil'ayim not in the context of the commandment of tzitzis — this itself is the bechinas the blemish of pride: that one separates, Heaven forbid, the yesh from the ayin as it were. And this itself is the blemish of da'as, the blemish of the covenant. Understand this well — for all this is clear to one who understands. Only in the context of the commandment of tzitzis — which are the rectification of the covenant, the rectification of da'as — is kil'ayim permitted. For then through the rectification of da'as, unity is created between wool and linen, and the pride of the Sitra Achra is nullified and the holy pride is included within humility — which is the bechinas the rectification of da'as, the rectification of the covenant. And all colors are included together in the bechinas unity — the bechinas "Hashem is One and His Name is One." Blessed be Hashem forever. Amen and Amen. Verse: "You shall not wear sha'atnez — wool and linen together. You shall make for yourself fringes," etc. Section 1. Based on the teaching Bo el Par'oh ["Come to Pharaoh"] — on the subject of the chalal hapanuy [the empty void/space] — in Likutay [Moharan] Part I, Siman 64. See the entire teaching there. And the general principle: There are heretical philosophies and investigations [chakiros] that flow from the chalal hapanuy — regarding which it is said: "All who enter there do not return, nor attain the paths of life" [Mishlei 2:19]. And it is forbidden to enter into these investigations and difficulties [kushiyos] — for it is impossible to find an answer to them in this world in any way whatsoever. For they flow from the bechinas the chalal hapanuy — from which He, blessed be He, contracted [tzimtzem] and vacated [panah] His Divinity, as it were — in order that there should be a place for creation. For without this contraction of the empty void, everything would be Ayn Sof [Infinite] and there would be no place for creation. And therefore these difficulties and investigations that flow from there — from the bechinas the chalal hapanuy — certainly it is impossible to find His Divinity there: that is, to find an answer and rational settlement for them. For then everything would revert to Ayn Sof again and there would be no place for creation at all. Therefore it is impossible to settle these difficulties rationally in any way — even though in truth they are not wisdom at all [genuinely sound arguments], only that we have no power to settle them now. For they flow from the chalal hapanuy — from which He, blessed be He, contracted and vacated His wisdom and Divinity. For all the creation was through wisdom — but in the chalal hapanuy, He vacated, as it were, His wisdom. In order that there should be a place for creation, as above. Therefore it is impossible to find in these difficulties that flow from the chalal hapanuy — it is impossible to find in them wisdom and reason to settle the difficulties. For then everything would revert to Ayn Sof, etc. See there. Therefore it is forbidden to enter at all into these difficulties that flow from the chalal hapanuy — only to rely on faith alone. For through faith one passes and goes beyond all the wisdoms, etc. For these confusions and difficulties — that is, the investigations of the heretics that flow from the bechinas the chalal hapanuy — it is impossible to resolve them now, until the future to come. For then this secret of the chalal hapanuy will be revealed — which it is impossible to understand now in any way. For in truth certainly also within the chalal hapanuy there is His Divinity and wisdom, blessed be He, in concealment [b'he'alaim]. For there is nothing whatsoever devoid of His vitality. But then — when His Divinity, blessed be He, is also there — then it is no longer vacant. And therefore one must say of it two opposites: that there is and there is not [yesh v'ayin]. That in truth, truly, His Divinity is there in great concealment — and yet it is vacant [panuy]. And this it is impossible to attain except in the future, when this secret of the chalal hapanuy will be revealed — which is like that grasshopper [kamtza] whose garment is from itself and within itself [d'livushay minay u'vay] [Iyov 10:11]. For the contraction of the chalal hapanuy is the bechinas garments [lEvushin]. And then in the future this secret of the garment of the chalal hapanuy — that it is like the grasshopper whose garment is from itself and within itself — will be revealed. Etc. See all this there, very carefully. Section 2. And this is the bechinas the prohibition of sha'atnez. For all garments flow from the bechinas the chalal hapanuy — which is the bechinas garments, as above. And therefore it is forbidden to have a mixture of sha'atnez in garments — that is, it is forbidden to mix wool and linen together in garments. For linen is the bechinas the ultimate contraction [t'chlis hatzimtzum] — which is the bechinas the chalal hapanuy, the bechinas gevuros — as it is written: "And the man Gavriel was clothed in linen" [Daniel 10:5]. And wool is the bechinas the wisdom and knowledge [chochmah v'da'as] that flows within the chalal hapanuy — which is the bechinas chessed and mercy. For wool is the bechinas the rectification of the beard [tikun dikna] — the bechinas "from the straits I called upon Y-H" [min ha'meitzar karassi Y-H] [Tehillim 118:5] — whose letters are an anagram of tzemer [wool] [mem-tzaddik-reish = tzaddik-mem-reish] — as is brought in the holy writings. And this is the bechinas [Daniel 7:9]: "His garment white as snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool" — which is the bechinas chassadim and da'as, the bechinas "an elder — this one has acquired wisdom" [zakein zeh kanah chochmah]. For the essential drawing of da'as — which is the totality of all creation that was created through wisdom — is in the bechinas the rectifications of the beard [tikunay dikna] — through which is the essential rectification and continued existence of the world, as is known. And therefore it is forbidden to mix wool and linen together in garments — in order not to arouse the investigations of the chalal hapanuy, which is the bechinas garments, as above. That is: that one should wish, Heaven forbid, to enter into those investigations — and wish to settle them and resolve them, to find His Divinity there. Which is impossible to attain in this world. And that is the bechinas wool and linen together — the bechinas yesh and ayin, the bechinas the contraction of the chalal hapanuy, which is the bechinas linen. And yet His Divinity and wisdom are there — which is the bechinas wool, as above. And even though in truth it is so — nevertheless it is impossible to attain this now, and it is forbidden to enter into this investigation. And this is the bechinas that it is forbidden to mix in garments wool and linen together. For there in the bechinas garments — in the bechinas the chalal hapanuy — it is forbidden to join wool and linen together there. That is: it is forbidden to investigate there. Even though in truth there is Divinity there — and yet it is vacant, as above. And when one wears sha'atnez — Heaven forbid, wool and linen together — then one can draw upon oneself this kelipah [husk] that flows from the chalal hapanuy: that is, the investigations of the chalal hapanuy that cannot be resolved — regarding which it is said: "All who enter there do not return," etc. For garments are in the bechinas the chalal hapanuy, as above. Section 3. And therefore in the context of a commandment, kil'ayim in garments is permitted — such as kil'ayim in tzitzis and priestly garments. For the garments of commandments are in the bechinas the World to Come [olam habah / alma d'atay]. For all commandments are in the bechinas the World to Come — to merit through them the life of the World to Come — as it is written: "In order that it be good for you... forever, in a world that is entirely good and entirely long" [Devarim 22:7]. And then in the World to Come, this secret of the chalal hapanuy will be revealed — how wool and linen are joined together, that is, yesh and ayin, etc., as above. And therefore in garments of commandment — which are the bechinas the World to Come — kil'ayim is permitted. For then this secret of the chalal hapanuy will be revealed: how two opposites are included in it, as above — which are the bechinas wool and linen. But now it is impossible to attain this, and it is forbidden to enter into this at all. And therefore in weekday garments — which are the bechinas this world — it is forbidden to join wool and linen together. For now it is impossible to attain this at all, and it is forbidden to enter into this, as above. Section 4. And therefore now, after the destruction [of the Temple], we have no permission whatsoever to wear kil'ayim. For we have no priestly garments and no techeiles in tzitzis. For in the time when the Temple was standing, they were able at the time of the commandment to attain the bechinas the World to Come — when this will be revealed, as above. But now it is impossible for us to attain this at any time, and it is forbidden to enter into this at all. For the essential completion of da'as [is present] in the time when the Temple stands — which is the bechinas da'as, as is brought elsewhere. Section 5. And Kayin blemished in this and brought from waste matter [psoless] — which is flax [pishsim] — as it is written: "And Kayin brought from the fruit of the ground as an offering to Hashem" [Bereishis 4:3]. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded that he brought from waste matter — which is linseed [zera pishtan]. For he wished to enter into this investigation of the chalal hapanuy — which is the bechinas linen, as above — to find Hashem blessed be He there as well. And therefore he brought an offering from flax specifically. For a sacrifice is the bechinas the revelation of Divinity — for one brings and elevates the thing to its root — and through this the sparks and the Divinity within that thing are revealed and ascend. And Kayin wished to reveal the Divinity within linen — which is the bechinas the chalal hapanuy. And therefore he brought his offering from there. And therefore he blemished greatly — for it is forbidden to enter there at all and to reveal the Divinity that is there. For it is impossible to attain and reveal this, as above. And regarding this it is said: "In what is too wondrous for you, do not inquire" [Talmud Yerushalmi, Chagigah 2:1; cf. Ben Sira 3:21]. This is the bechinas [Mishlei 25:2]: "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter" — for His vitality and Divinity, blessed be He, is there in great concealment and hiddenness. And therefore one must only rely on faith alone, as above. And therefore "But to Kayin and to his offering He paid no attention" [Bereishis 4:5] — for as it were, He vacated [panah] His Divinity from there — from the bechinas the chalal hapanuy, which is the bechinas Kayin's offering, as above. And therefore certainly "to Kayin and to his offering He paid no attention" — He paid no attention, certainly, to there — for He vacated His Divinity from there as it were, as above. But Hevel brought from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat — which are the bechinas the revelation of Divinity within creation, where the essential sacrifices are: the revelation of His Divinity in the bechinas the wool of sheep, as above. And therefore "Hashem paid attention to Hevel and to his offering" [Bereishis 4:4] — for there is the essential revelation of His Divinity, as above. And this is the bechinas "And it was, when they were in the field — Kayin rose up against his brother Hevel and killed him" [Bereishis 4:8]. That is: he denied the essential principle and killed Hevel and caused his death — for death is the bechinas withdrawal [histalkus], that is, that he withdrew the Shechinah, as it were — that is, he withdrew the Divinity that flows within the chalal hapanuy: through which was all the creation that was created through wisdom — which is the bechinas Hevel's offering, the bechinas the wool of sheep, as above. And Kayin, because he entered into the investigation of the chalal hapanuy — which is the bechinas linen — therefore he was led astray there to the point where he killed Hevel and removed him from the world. For he wished to remove the Divinity that had been revealed within the chalal hapanuy — for he came to great heresy through the investigations of the chalal hapanuy. For regarding this it is said: "All who enter there do not return," etc. And this is the bechinas "I did not know — am I my brother's keeper?" [Bereishis 4:9]. For Hashem blessed be He asked him: "Where is your brother Hevel?" — meaning: where is the drawing of Divinity, which is the bechinas Hevel, as above? And he answered: "I did not know," etc. — for he was led astray through the investigations and heresies of the chalal hapanuy, as above. For it is forbidden to enter there — only to rely on faith alone, as above. And so it is brought in the Midrash: that Kayin through his sin wished to return the entire world to chaos and void [tohu vavohu] — that is, as above. Verse: "You shall not wear sha'atnez — wool and linen together. You shall make for yourself fringes," etc. Section 1. Based on what Admo"r [our master, teacher, and Rebbe] of blessed memory wrote on the verse "And the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn" [Mishlei 4:18], etc., in Siman 133 [of Likutay Moharan Part I]. See there. And the general principle: The light of the tzaddik [righteous one] and of the Torah is exceedingly great — thousands upon thousands and tens upon tens of thousands of times greater than the world. It would have been fitting that the world should not be able to conceal and hide this great light — since the world is so very tiny compared to this great light. However, because the world stands close in front of one's eyes — through this the world blocks and stops up before one's eyes, preventing one from seeing the great light of the Torah and the tzaddikim. But one who is somewhat wise and turns his eyes even a little away from the world — immediately the wondrous light of the Torah and the tzaddikim can illuminate for him. And he will see that the entire world is as nothing and nullity compared to this wondrous light — for this small world has no power to block before this great and awesome light except because it stands close in front of one's eyes, as above. Section 2. And this is the bechinas the prohibition of sha'atnez — that it is forbidden to wear wool and linen together. And each one by itself is permitted to wear — only wool and linen together are forbidden. For garments [levushin] are exceedingly lofty and precious things — as is understood from the holy books, particularly in the words of Admo"r of blessed memory. For all the lofty supernal lights can only be received through various garments [levushin] — which are the essential rectification of the [spiritual] worlds, as is known. And there are many, many bechinas in garments — for there are garments and garments upon garments, etc., etc. For even the supernal lights are the bechinas garments compared to the light that is higher than them. And so upward and upward to the Infinite — for the essential core of the light is the light of the Ayn Sof [the Infinite], which no thought can grasp at all. Except that through His mercy, He contracted Himself and clothed Himself in many rectifications and garments and garments upon garments — so that we all could know something of Him, blessed be He. And therefore even the holy souls — which are the essential core of the light compared to us — they are also the bechinas garments compared to the lights that are higher than them — as it states [in the Zohar]: "Garments He prepared for them, from which souls fly out to human beings," etc. [Zohar III, 70a]. And all the garments — which are the rectification of all the worlds — are all rectified and drawn only through the true tzaddikim. They are the essential sustenance and foundation of all the worlds. For all their effort and service is to rectify the royal garments [livushay malka] — to draw rectifications, to clothe the supernal light in many contractions and garments — so that we all merit to receive the supernal lights, in order to know and believe in Him, blessed be He. For this is all their work: to introduce into the world the knowledge of the truth of His Divinity, blessed be He — "so that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is God" [Melachim I, 8:60] — which is impossible except through drawing the supernal light and clothing it in many garments, as above. Section 3. And this is the bechinas the garments of wool and linen — which are the essential totality of all garments. For wherever the Torah says "garment" [beged] unqualified, it refers only to wool and linen — as is taught [in the name of] Rebbi Yishmael. For wool garments are the bechinas the light of the tzaddik — who draws it through garments in order to reveal His mercy and goodness, blessed be He, in the world. Which is the bechinas wool — whose root is drawn from the bechinas the rectifications of the beard [tikunay dikna], as is known — the bechinas "from the straits I called" [min ha'meitzar karassi] — letters of tzemer [wool] — as is explained in the writings. That is: the tzaddikim — their entire effort is to bring close all the world, even those very far away — to bring them all close to Hashem blessed be He. For this is the essence of His greatness and glory, blessed be He. And their entire power to bring close those who are very far is through their meriting to recognize the greatness of His goodness and mercy and His goodness, blessed be He, to all — and they make known to everyone that there is hope for all to draw close to Him, blessed be He. For His mercy and goodness still rest upon them — for "the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended, His mercies have not ceased" [Eichah 3:22]. And this is the bechinas the thirteen rectifications of the beard [talisar tikunay dikna] — which are the bechinas the thirteen attributes of mercy, as is known. And this is the bechinas wool — which are the bechinas the rectifications of the beard, as above. That is: the tzaddikim draw the exceedingly lofty light — which is the bechinas the thirteen attributes of mercy, in which all ways of His mercy and goodness to the world for everyone are included. And from the essence of their attainment they know how to clothe this awesome and wondrous light in the bechinas garments — in order to introduce the da'as [knowledge/awareness] even into those very far away — to bring them all close to Hashem blessed be He, as above. And these garments are the bechinas woolen garments that flow from there, as above. And this is the bechinas the crimson thread [leshon shel zehoris] that whitened sins on Yom Kippur — as it is written: "Even if your sins be [red as crimson]... and if they be red like crimson, like wool they shall become" [Yeshayahu 1:18]. As our Sages of blessed memory said — for wool flows from the supernal light described above, which the tzaddikim draw: where it is all mercy, and all sins are transformed there into merits, as above. And this is the bechinas "sheep for your clothing" [k'vasim lilevushecha] [Mishlei 27:26] — which is the bechinas the secrets of the Torah, supernal lights that are drawn through garments in the bechinas the wool of sheep. And as our Sages of blessed memory expounded [Chagigah 13a]: "Matters that are the innermost mystery of the world [she'hem k'vushono shel olam] shall be under your garment" — in the bechinas "and for the covering of the Ancient One," etc. — as our Sages of blessed memory expounded [Pesachim 119a]. And one who merits to draw close to tzaddikim such as these — who have this power described above — will certainly merit all good forever. Fortunate is he. And even if one has become very, very corrupted — nevertheless all will certainly be rectified through these tzaddikim — who have the power to rectify all kinds of corruptions, sins, iniquities, and transgressions in the world. For the tzaddikim can atone for the sins of their people — as it is written: "And a wise man can atone for it" [v'ish chacham y'chaprenah] [Mishlei 16:14] — as is brought in the words of Admo"r of blessed memory many times. For they draw such supernal lights through such wondrous garments — through which everything is rectified, as above. But even this light of the tzaddik — it is impossible to receive it in itself. For even though he covers and clothes his great light in many wondrous garments as above — nevertheless the world is still not worthy to receive his light. And because of this there are found obstacles, hinderers, and covers — dividers that prevent one from receiving the light of this tzaddik. And they are all the matters of this world and the strife [machlokes] that prevent one from drawing close to the tzaddik. For [it is possible] only for one who strengthens himself to break through all the hindrances and obstacles. And this is a great goodness. For if these screens and obstacles did not exist, the world would not be able to bear his light at all, as above. But now — since this world blocks and interrupts, preventing one from drawing close to the true tzaddik — then whoever merits to break the obstacles and draw close to him: through this, garments and vessels are made. And through this specifically one can receive his great light. As is brought elsewhere: that through the breaking of obstacles, vessels and garments are made to receive the light. And whoever breaks more and more obstacles — has more and greater vessels and garments to receive the light. And whoever does not strengthen himself to break the obstacles of this world — then this world stands before his eyes and blocks him from seeing the great light of the tzaddik. And this too is a goodness — for through this, not everyone sees the light of the tzaddik. For certainly whoever is not worthy — meaning, whoever has not broken the obstacles of this world — certainly does not need to see the light of the tzaddik. For it would blind his eyes — for the abundance of light cannot be received. And as Rabbeinu of blessed memory explains [Siman 114] on the verse "Who covers the heavens with clouds," etc. — that it is a goodness for the tzaddik what those who oppose him do to him, etc. And also on the verse "The wicked watches for the tzaddik," etc. [Siman 208]. For a little of the opposition is a goodness — lest he be publicized more than necessary, etc. See there. For "The paths of Hashem are straight — and the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them" [Hoshea 14:10]. For those who draw close to the tzaddik — the obstacles of this world are a great goodness for them. For specifically through this they were able to receive the light of the tzaddik. And those who do not strengthen themselves to break the obstacles and cannot receive his light — because the world blocks before them — that too is for the good, so that the tzaddik not be publicized more than necessary. It thus emerges that the paths of Hashem are straight — for everything is for the good — only that the transgressors stumble through their own [actions]. For for themselves it is a stumbling that they do not merit to draw close to the tzaddik — but for the world it is good, as above. And in truth also among those far away there are many distinctions. For there are those who cannot receive the light of the tzaddik because they do not strengthen themselves to break the obstacles — but even so they do not dispute against him. But there are those who, because of the materialism of this world that stands before them, dispute against the tzaddik. And this too is the bechinas "the righteous walk in them and transgressors stumble in them" — for those who dispute are the bechinas transgressors who stumble. For they alone stumble through the blocking of this world that overcame them to such a degree that they stumbled completely and disputed against him. But those who do not dispute — they at least are considered righteous compared to them, and they are the bechinas "the righteous walk." For for them it is a goodness that the light of the tzaddik is hidden from them. Since they do not merit to break the obstacles and have no vessels to receive the light — were they to see the light of the tzaddik, it would blind their eyes from the abundance of light, and they would become opponents and disputants entirely. Section 4. And this is the bechinas woolen garments and linen garments. For woolen garments are the bechinas the light of the tzaddik — that is, what the tzaddik draws — the great light in the world from the place from which he draws — through wondrous garments — to reveal His mercy and goodness, blessed be He, in the world. Which is the bechinas woolen garments, as above — which are drawn from the bechinas the rectifications of the beard — which is the bechinas the light of the tzaddik, as above. And linen garments are the bechinas the earthly [materiality] that blocks and prevents one from seeing the light of the tzaddik — which is the bechinas all the obstacles, screens, dividers, and hinderers that prevent one from drawing close to and seeing the light of the tzaddik. Which is the bechinas linen — which is the bechinas judgments [dinim] and gevuros — as it is written: "And the man Gavriel was clothed in linen" [Daniel 10:5]. And from the bechinas dinim and gevuros flow all the obstacles and hinderers that come from the materiality of the earth and all that is upon it. For all material things flow from the bechinas judgments, which are the bechinas contractions [tzimtzumim] — from which come all material things — from which come all the hinderers and obstacles. But in truth this too is very much needed — for everything is for the good, as above. And therefore it is forbidden to join wool and linen together in garments. For as long as the linen — which is the bechinas the materiality that obstructs, etc. — is distant from the wool — which is the bechinas the light of the tzaddik — it cannot conceal and hide the light of the tzaddik to such a degree. But when one brings the linen close and joins it to the wool — then the materiality stands before the eyes [directly] and obstructs more and more from seeing the light of the tzaddik — until it is completely hidden from him, Heaven forbid. As is explained above: that the essential hiding of the light of the tzaddik is because the materiality of this world stands before the eyes, close up, and blocks from seeing the light of the tzaddik, etc., as above. And therefore one must distance the linen from the wool in garments — so that the obstacles, which are the bechinas linen, should not spread before the light of the tzaddik — which is the light of the eyes, from which comes the bechinas wool, as above. For the essential light of the eyes flows from the light of the tzaddik — who is the essential light that illuminates in all the worlds. And from him the eyes and all bearers of light receive illumination. And as is understood elsewhere in the Torah Bereishis — "Before the eyes of all Israel" [Devarim 34:12] [in Likutay Tani'na, Siman 67] — that the essential light of the eyes is from the tzaddik, etc. See there. And therefore the tzaddikim are called "the eyes of the congregation" [einay ha'eidah] — for they are the essential light of the eyes, as above. And the essential light is da'as — as it is written: "For there is an advantage to wisdom over foolishness as the advantage of light over darkness" [Koheles 2:13]. And as it is written: "And the eyes of both of them were opened" [Bereishis 3:7] — and Rashi explained: on account of wisdom it is said. And the essential light of the eyes and da'as was not given to a person except to look and contemplate with his eyes and his mind upon Hashem blessed be He and upon the tzaddikim and the Torah and the commandments — from which flows the essential light of his eyes and mind — so that he can see their wondrous light. As it is written: "Your eyes should look straight ahead" [Mishlei 4:25], etc. But Hashem blessed be He gave free choice [bechirah] to a person — and the essential choice depends on the eyes — as it is written: "And you shall not go astray after your hearts and after your eyes" [Bamidbar 15:39] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "The eye sees and the heart covets" [Yerushalmi, Berachos 1:5]. For even the coveting of the heart is the bechinas the eyes — meaning the eyes of the mind and thought in the heart, that sees the thing in his heart and covets it, Heaven forbid. And for the sake of free choice, Hashem blessed be He placed before the eyes the materialism of the world — which is all the matters of this world. And then there is free choice for a person: if he wishes, he turns his eyes away from the materialism of this world — and then he sees with his eyes the great, wondrous, and pleasant light of the tzaddikim and the Torah, from which comes all the light, as above. But if he does not wish to turn his eyes and mind and thought from the materialism of this world — then the materialism of this world stands before his eyes and blocks him from seeing the great light of the tzaddik and the Torah, as above. And this is the bechinas the prohibition of sha'atnez — not to join in garments wool and linen together — lest the materialism of the world — which is all the obstacles in their totality, which are the bechinas linen, as above — spread before the light of the eyes, Heaven forbid. Which flows from the light of the tzaddik who draws it in the world — which is the bechinas wool, as above. Section 5. And therefore in tzitzis and priestly garments, kil'ayim is permitted. For because of the great holiness of these garments — of tzitzis and priestly garments — the linen has no power to conceal and hide the light of the tzaddik. On the contrary: the linen is purified with a great purification, to the point where from it specifically are made wondrous vessels to receive through them the great light of the tzaddik. As is explained above: that whoever merits [to break the obstacles] — the obstacles are a great goodness for him. For specifically through this he has vessels to receive the wondrous light — which would have been impossible to receive without this, as above. For tzitzis are the bechinas the light of the tzaddik — which is the essential light of the eyes — the bechinas "And you shall see it and remember," etc. [Bamidbar 15:39]. For tzitzis is the expression of seeing and beholding — the bechinas "peering through the cracks" [meitzitz min ha'charakim] [Shir HaShirim 2:9]. And this is what we say before the donning of tzitzis: "Hashem my God, You are very great... Who wraps Himself in light like a garment" [Tehillim 104:1-2]. For the essential supernal light — which is the light of Hashem blessed be He and of the tzaddikim and of the Torah — flows through garments specifically. The bechinas "Who wraps Himself in light like a garment" — which is the bechinas the commandment of tzitzis, which is the first commandment performed at the light of day. For tzitzis are attached to garments and they are the rectification of all garments — meaning that they rectify and purify the garments and garments, lest they conceal the light. On the contrary: through the garments specifically one should receive the light in gradation and in proper measure, as above. And so it is brought in the Midrash: that the essential light of the seven days of creation flowed from the bechinas His garments, blessed be He. As is brought in Midrash Rabbah: Rebbi Shimon ben Y'hotzadak asked Rebbi Shmuel bar Nachmani — "From where was the light created?" He said to him: "This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He wrapped Himself in it like a garment and the radiance of His glory blazed from one end of the world to the other." He said to him: "This is said explicitly in Scripture!" [As it is written:] "Who wraps Himself in light like a garment" [Tehillim 104:2], etc. — that is, as above: that the essential light flows through the bechinas garments, as above. And this is what we say before donning tzitzis: "Hashem my God, You are very great" — that is: You, Hashem, are very great — and from the very essence of Your greatness we had no power to bear Your great and awesome glory. But in Your great mercy You contracted and clothed the light — so that we could receive it. And this is: "You have donned majesty and splendor" [hod v'hadar lavashta] [Tehillim 104:1] — that You clothed in garments and coverings the majesty and splendor of the supernal light — so that we could receive it, as above. And in Your wondrous mercy You draw the light in gradation and in measure — according to the capacity of the garments [k'fi ha'lEvushin] — so that the light should not be too great and exceed the capacity of the garments and vessels — which causes shattering [sh'virah], Heaven forbid, as is known. And this is: "Who wraps Himself in light like a garment" — "like a garment" [k'salmah] specifically — meaning: according to the garment, so does He draw the light. And this is: "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" [Tehillim 104:2]. "Heavens" is the bechinas the light of the tzaddik, who is called "heavens" because he merits to awe and love in their completeness — which are called "heavens" [shamayim] — fire [aysh] and water [mayim] — as is brought elsewhere. And this is: "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" — likewise as above: that He stretches and draws the light of the tzaddik in the world like a curtain — that is, like the curtain [y'ri'ah] — which is the bechinas the partitions [mechitzos] that block, through which are the essential vessels to receive the light of the tzaddik. And according to the curtains and partitions — which are the bechinas garments — so does He stretch and extend the light of the tzaddik, who is called "heavens," as above. And in this depends the essential free choice of a person — for "Hashem is righteous in all His ways" [Tehillim 145:17]. And all the paths of Hashem are kindness and truth — and He created everything in wisdom — in a manner that there should be free choice for a person: so that whoever wishes can, through these partitions and screens, receive through them specifically the light of the tzaddik in the bechinas garments, as above. But if he does not wish — then the partitions block before his eyes and he sees nothing of the light of the tzaddik, as above. And this too is for the good, as above. [Translator's note: With this, Hilchos Kil'ay Begadim concludes. The four halachos — building upon Likutay Moharan I:29, II:5, I:64, and I:133 respectively — trace four profound dimensions of the sha'atnez prohibition: (1) the rectification of garments through covenant and holy da'as; (2) pride, the desire for immorality, and the protection of tzitzis; (3) the chalal hapanuy and the limits of philosophical investigation; (4) the light of the tzaddik, the obstacles of materialism, and the garments-vessels that receive and transmit supernal light. Together they weave a seamless tapestry in which the simple halachic detail — "do not wear wool and linen together" — opens into the deepest mysteries of creation, rectification, and the soul's path to its Creator.] Cross-references: Hilchos Orlah, Halacha 2, paragraph 8. For it is stated in the holy writings regarding the greatness of the firstborn [bechor] — based on the secret of "a woman does not form a covenant," etc.; "a woman does not become pregnant," etc. — that the first time [a man cohabits with a woman], he makes for her the bechinas a vessel [kli] within which she afterward receives the male seed from which children are formed. And all the sons she bears — all of them [receive their root] from the bechinas this vessel. And the firstborn, who is the first, receives the essential [share] from the bechinas this vessel, and is included within all of them — therefore they are all obligated to honor him. See there. And it appears to my humble understanding that this is the bechinas what is stated in the teaching Gezailah [Robbery] in Siman 69 [of Likutay Moharan Part I]: The general principle is that the root of all souls is in wealth [ashirus], and the woman — who is entirely the bechinas nefesh [soul] — all her completion is through wealth. And this is the bechinas the money of kidushin [betrothal] through which he completes her. And therefore through this she becomes acquired to him — and afterward he gives her a k'subah [marriage contract], which is the completion of her soul. And the husband always endeavors to complete her through wealth and sustenance that he gives her. See there. And this wealth is the root of the souls of the children — and all of them depend upon the money through which he completes her. See there carefully. That is: at first she has no completion whatsoever, and afterward he begins to illuminate her and complete her through the money of kidushin — which is the completion of her soul — but this is only an illumination in the world [ha'arah b'alma], and she is not yet fully completed and acquired to him, except through the chupah [wedding canopy]. And the essential chupah is the yichud [union] — as it states in the halachic authorities. And then, in that single act, he gives her everything he has and illuminates within her the five gevuros [powers of severity], which are the bechinas wealth — in the bechinas "from the north gold comes" [Iyov 37:22] — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. For then the essential completion [occurs] — which is through wealth. And therefore he then becomes obligated in the k'subah — for a betrothed woman [arusah] has no k'subah, and the essential obligation of the k'subah is on account of the first conjugal act [zivug], as it states in the halachic authorities. See there. For then he completes her soul through the bechinas wealth, as above. And this is the bechinas the k'subah being money, as above. And therefore the k'subah is two hundred zuz — in the bechinas [Pe'ah Chapter 8]: "One who has two hundred zuz may not take from charity." It thus emerges that through the k'subah of two hundred zuz, he elevates her from the bechinas poverty and destitution that she was in previously — as is known — and completes her in the bechinas wealth. For one who has two hundred zuz is not poor, as above. And therefore the essential k'subah by Torah law [d'oraisa] is only for a virgin [besulah], as above. And therefore also a rapist or seducer is obligated to pay fifty shekels as a fine — and from there they derived the k'subah, for the money of the k'subah is the bechinas wealth of the vessel mentioned above. And this is the bechinas the fifty shekels of the k'subah. For at first, before she is completed through her husband — and she is in poverty and destitution — she is in the bechinas tzedek [justice, i.e. malchus], as is known. And it is stated in the words of Rabbeinu [in Siman 67] that the letters of tzedek indicate this — for tzedek is [spelled] Yud-Nun, and the Yud turns its face away from the Nun — which is the bechinas malchus — the bechinas "before the sun, Yinon is his name" [Tehillim 72:17] — and the Dalet [indicates] that she is in destitution and poverty, and the Kuf, etc. And afterward, when he completes her as above and illuminates within her chessed and gevurah — which are the bechinas Hay — she is then transformed from Dalet to Hay and becomes from tzedek — tzedakah [charity/righteousness]. And this is the bechinas the Nun shekels she now receives — for now she is completed and is in the bechinas Nun, as above. And at first she lacked completion, for the Yud was turning its face away from the Nun. And now they turn face to face, and she receives the five chassadim and gevuros — each of which is itself included within [the ten of the] Yud mentioned above — and this is the bechinas Nun. And now she is completed in all her bechinas, for she is completed in the bechinas Nun which is the bechinas malchus, as above. And this is the bechinas the fifty shekels, which are two hundred zuz — the opposite of poverty, as above. And then, when she has the aforementioned completion, she is fit to bear children — for she has already received the root of the souls of the children, which is the wealth, as above. And then she can receive the souls of the children and give birth to them. And afterward all the children who are born — all of them receive from the bechinas this vessel, that is, the bechinas the wealth which is the root of their souls, as above. And the firstborn receives the first portion against them all. It thus emerges that the greatness of the firstborn is that he has a greater portion in the wealth than his brothers, as above. See there in the aforementioned teaching — the bechinas yerushah [inheritance]. See there. And the general principle is that the importance of the firstborn is through the bechinas wealth that he has in greater measure. Therefore his redemption [pidyon] is with money [kesef] — for afterward, through the sin of the Golden Calf [chet ha'egel], the firstborn were blemished and the blemish was in the bechinas wealth — in the bechinas "and gold I multiplied for them," etc. [Hoshea 2:10] — the bechinas v'day zahav [literally "enough gold" — alluding to the Golden Calf] — as Rashi explained. And the Kohanim who did not sin were then chosen in their stead. It thus emerges that the Kohanim received and merited the greatness and importance of the firstborn — and therefore they merited the Temple service [avodah] in their place — for the service enriches, like the ketores [incense]. It thus emerges that the vitality [chiyus] of the firstborn is [now] with the Kohen. And the firstborn, having lost his greatness through the blemish, has a foothold of the Sitra Achra in him — particularly because there they [the forces of evil] have the greatest hold: in the bechinas malchus, which is the bechinas the firstborn, as above — the bechinas [Tehillim 89:28]: "I too shall appoint him as firstborn." And this is the bechinas wealth, which is the bechinas malchus — therefore he must be redeemed through charity [tzedakah] given to the Kohen, in the bechinas "and charity saves from death" [Mishlei 10:2]. As is stated there in the aforementioned teaching — that the rectification of malchus and wealth is through charity. See there. And the charity is given to the Kohen specifically — and in the form of redemption [pidyon] from the Kohen. For the firstborn must be returned to the Kohen — where the root of his soul and vitality lies — for the Kohanim merited them, as above. And through this [the Kohen] elevates him and takes him out from the Sitra Achra's grip — so that they should have no hold on him, Heaven forbid — for they only have a hold on something that has been blemished and whose vitality has departed, as is known. And as is stated in the aforementioned teaching. But when one sanctifies the firstborn and returns him and subjects him to the Kohen — where his vitality is, as above — it emerges that he has returned to his root and vitality. Then they have no hold on him at all. And afterward, when one wishes to redeem him from the Kohen, one must redeem him with money specifically — for the money given to the Kohen is literally in exchange for the firstborn. For the greatness of the firstborn is the bechinas wealth, as above. And therefore one gives the Kohen five shekels — corresponding to the five chassadim of the bechinas tzedakah — as is stated in the words of Rabbeinu, may his light shine. Through this he redeems him and saves him in the bechinas "and charity saves," etc. And each shekel is four zuz. It thus emerges that in five shekels the bechinas malchus — which is the bechinas wealth, which is the bechinas the firstborn — is alluded to. For at first it was [the letter] Dalet and it was transformed and became Hay when he is redeemed and completed. And therefore he must be redeemed after thirty days — for in each month the moon, which is the bechinas malchus, is completed and rectified. And therefore the firstborn — who is the bechinas malchus — is then completed. And before thirty days he is still considered a possible stillborn [nefel] — for the plague [ma'aras], Heaven forbid, from there causes askara [croup] among infants, Heaven forbid. And each month [the moon] is filled and its light is rectified. And as is stated in the words of Rabbeinu [in Siman 151] — that the recital of u'v'rashay chodeshaychem [on New Months] is a segulah [remedy] for children. See there. And therefore after one month, the infant is no longer considered a possible stillborn and has become viable [bar kayyama]. And then it is fitting for redemption — through which he is rectified and completed, as above. And therefore Bnay Yisrael did not merit wealth in Egypt until after the plague of the firstborn. For when the firstborn of Egypt were subjugated and Israel merited the birthright in the bechinas "my firstborn son Israel" [Shemos 4:22] — then Bnay Yisrael merited all the wealth of Egypt. For the wealth is in the bechinas the firstborn, as above. And this is the bechinas [the Haggadah]: "Had He slain their firstborn but not given us their wealth — it would have been sufficient [dayyenu]" — for they are one bechinas, as above. Therefore [the Torah] juxtaposes them to each other, as above. Based on the teaching that begins Mishara d'sakina b'mai katlay lah [The sharpening of a knife — with what is it slaughtered?], etc. See there carefully, Siman 30 [of Likutay Moharan Part I]. And it is stated there: that sometimes the bechinas the Dalet falls — which is the bechinas lower wisdom [chochmah tata'ah], the bechinas malchus. And then they [the forces of evil] have nurturing from there, and from this are formed the four kingdoms [arba malchiyos] — which is the wicked kingdom, the kingdom of Amalek that includes them all — the bechinas "the first of the nations is Amalek" [Bamidbar 24:20]. And one must see to cut and separate the bechinas the Dalet from them — so that they should have no nurturing from there. And this is accomplished through chessed [loving-kindness] — the bechinas Avraham. Through this one cuts the bechinas the four kingdoms, the bechinas malchus, from them — in the bechinas "reap according to lovingkindness" [kitzru l'fi chessed] [Hoshea 10:12]. See there. Section 1. And this is the bechinas the commandment of the firstborn [bechor] that belongs to the Kohen. For the firstborn is the bechinas malchus — the bechinas "I too shall appoint him as firstborn" [Tehillim 89:28]. For the firstborn is the first birth, and all births are the bechinas the revelation of His kingship, blessed be He. For the essential revelation of His kingship, blessed be He, is through the creation of the world, as is known. And therefore the more creatures are born and come into the world, the more His kingship, blessed be He, is revealed. And therefore the firstborn — who is the first birth — is the bechinas the revelation of kingship, as above. For birth is the bechinas the contraction of da'as from supernal wisdom [chochmah ila'ah] to lower wisdom [chochmah tata'ah] — through which birth comes about. It thus emerges that birth is the bechinas lower wisdom, the bechinas malchus. And the essential is the first birth, which is the firstborn — which is the bechinas the beginning of revelation. For everything follows the beginning [ha'kol holech achar ha'hatchalah]. And therefore the bechinas malchus is named with the title "firstborn" — the bechinas "I too shall appoint him as firstborn" — said of King Mashiach, as above. And therefore when the firstborn is born — who is the bechinas the revelation of holy malchus — then, measure for measure [zeh l'umas zeh], the wicked kingdom [malchus harish'ah] wishes to prevail and nurture itself, Heaven forbid, from the holy malchus. For the wicked kingdom is also the bechinas firstborn — the bechinas the kingdom of Esav-Amalek, which is [also called] "firstborn." And this is why Yaakov our patriarch strove greatly to acquire the birthright from Esav — in order to subjugate the wicked kingdom beneath the holy kingdom. For the essential kingship is the bechinas firstborn, as above. And when he acquired his birthright from him, through this the kingdom of the wicked Esav — which is the wicked kingdom — was nullified. And therefore when a firstborn is born among Israel, one must give him to the Kohen. For when a firstborn is born — who is the bechinas malchus, as above — one must see to separate and cut him off from the wicked kingdom's firstborn of the Sitra Achra, as above. And this is accomplished through the Kohen — the man of chessed. For through chessed, one cuts the holy malchus off from the wicked kingdom — as is explained well in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore through giving the firstborn to the Kohen, one thereby cuts and separates the holy malchus — the bechinas the holy firstborn — from the wicked kingdom — through the Kohen, the man of chessed — in the bechinas "reap according to lovingkindness," as above. For the Kohen is the bechinas chessed, the bechinas Avraham — of whom it is said: "You are a priest forever" [Tehillim 110:4]. And this is the bechinas what is brought: that the firstborn, before he is redeemed, is subject to the dominion of the Sitra Achra. And through the redemption, one takes him out from their power — that is, as above. For they cling to nurture specifically from the bechinas the firstborn — which is the bechinas malchus from which they draw their nurturing, as above. And through the Kohen, the man of chessed, one cuts and separates him from them, as above. Section 2. And this is the bechinas the redemption — that one redeems him with five shekels given to the Kohen. For it is stated there in the aforementioned teaching that the essential matter of meriting the bechinas lower wisdom — the bechinas malchus mentioned above — is through hating ill-gotten gain [sonay vatza], that one must hate money with utter hatred, etc. See there. For the essential nurturing of the wicked kingdom is through the lust for money — for from there is their essential nurturing, from wealth that is not in holiness. And as is explained regarding this also elsewhere. And therefore when one wishes to redeem the firstborn from the Kohen, one must then rectify one's money and wealth — which is the bechinas malchus — so that the Sitra Achra should have no nurturing from the bechinas malchus through money. For their essential nurturing is from there. And therefore one must give money to the Kohen. And through this one breaks the lust for money — by having one's money taken and given to the Kohen. And also in this itself one rectifies the money and wealth — which is the bechinas malchus — through giving the money to the Kohen. For the Kohen rectifies money and wealth — for he is a man of chessed who cuts the holy malchus from the Sitra Achra through chessed. And therefore this money and wealth that comes into his hands from the Israelite — namely, the five shekels that the Kohen takes — immediately when the money comes into his hands it is cut and separated from the Sitra Achra, from the wicked kingdom, through chessed, as above. And when the money and wealth — which is the bechinas malchus, from whose wealth that is not in holiness the essential nurturing of the wicked kingdom comes, as above — are rectified: then immediately upon the rectification of the wealth, the firstborn returns to the Israelite. For now it is already permitted for the firstborn to be in the Israelite's possession — for they no longer have any nurturing from the bechinas the firstborn's malchus — through the five shekels given to the Kohen, through which the money and wealth were rectified and cut and separated from the Sitra Achra, from the wicked kingdom. And now they no longer have any nurturing from the holy malchus — the bechinas the firstborn — for their essential nurturing is through wealth, as above. Section 3. And therefore one must give specifically five shekels — for malchus is the bechinas Hay, as is known. And when malchus is in exile, Heaven forbid, and they are nurturing from it — it is then in the bechinas Dalet, the bechinas destitution and poverty. For the wealth has been blemished, Heaven forbid, and they draw from there, Heaven forbid, and the wealth flows to them, Heaven forbid. And then the holy malchus is in the bechinas destitution and poverty — the bechinas Dalet. But when one elevates the wealth and malchus to holiness, it is then the bechinas Hay — for all the wealth and all the bounty returns to holiness. And when malchus is in the bechinas wealth, it is the bechinas Hay. And this is the bechinas the five shekels given to the Kohen — for through this the wealth returns to holiness through the Kohen, the man of chessed, who cuts the Dalet from the wicked kingdom. And then malchus is in the bechinas Hay — the bechinas wealth — the bechinas "and I will pour out upon you blessing until there be no more" [Malachi 3:10]. And this is the bechinas twenty silver [pieces] — for the five shekels given to the Kohen are twenty silver [coins]. This is the bechinas the rectification of the holy malchus, the bechinas lower wisdom — which rises from the wicked kingdom through the Kohen, the man of chessed. And then lower wisdom joins with supernal wisdom — from which is the essential sustenance of lower wisdom, as is understood and explained in the aforementioned teaching. And when lower wisdom and supernal wisdom are joined — this is the bechinas twenty silver [coins]. For they are two Yuds — the bechinas "ten, ten — the spoon" [asarah asarah ha'kaf] [Bamidbar 7:86] — as is known. Section 4. And this is what Rashi explains regarding the reason for the five shekels of the redemption of the firstborn: "Thus was the selling price of Yosef — twenty silver [coins] — for he was the firstborn to Rachel," etc. For the commandment of the firstborn was commanded to Bnay Yisrael immediately upon their departure from Egypt — for the essential exodus from Egypt depends on this: to subjugate the firstborn of the Sitra Achra and to take out from there the holy firstborn. For the essential exile of Egypt began through the selling of Yosef, who was a firstborn. And through this, the holy firstborn — which is the bechinas the holy malchus — was brought, as it were, into the exile of Egypt. And particularly since they sold him for twenty silver [coins] and blemished the wealth, as above. And therefore through this specifically the matter unfolded and they descended to Egypt — for they gave power to the kingdom of Egypt, the wicked kingdom, through selling to them the holy firstborn, which is Yosef, as above. And therefore it was impossible for them to leave until Hashem smote all the firstborn of Egypt — in order to subjugate the firstborn of the Sitra Achra that had nurtured itself from the holy firstborn — from which was their essential power, as above. And therefore when they left, Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him — for on this the essential redemption depended: through returning and bringing out the holy firstborn — the bechinas Yosef — from there, and returning to rectify the aforementioned blemish. And therefore when they left Egypt they merited the great spoils of the Egyptian wealth [bizas Mitzrayim] — for the wealth returned to holiness, since this was the essential rectification, as above. And this is what is written: "And Moshe took the bones of Yosef," etc. And our Sages of blessed memory said that all of Israel were occupied with the spoils while Moshe was occupied with the bones of Yosef — for in truth they are entirely one and this depends on that. For what Moshe did — taking the bones of Yosef, the holy firstborn, and returning them and taking them out from the wicked kingdom — and what Israel did — taking the possessions of Egypt and all their wealth — these are all one bechinas. And the entire redemption depended on this. For the essential redemption was through subjugating the wicked kingdom's firstborn of the Sitra Achra and elevating from there the holy malchus — the bechinas the holy firstborn, the bechinas Yosef. And then all the wealth must be taken out from the Sitra Achra and brought into holiness, as above. And therefore at that time it was a great commandment to take the spoils of Egypt — and Hashem blessed be He warned them greatly regarding this, as is explained in the verse there. For it is the bechinas the rectification of the holy malchus — upon which the essential redemption depends, as above. And therefore when they left Egypt, they were commanded immediately regarding the commandment of the firstborn — to redeem him with twenty silver [coins] — just as was the selling of Yosef, through which they descended into the evil Egyptian exile. So too in the opposite direction: at every time when a firstborn is born — when one must see that the wicked kingdom should not have nurturing from there, Heaven forbid — one must give twenty silver [coins] to the Kohen, the man of chessed. And through this one cuts the holy malchus from them — in the bechinas "reap according to lovingkindness," as above. Section 5. And this is also the bechinas what Rabbeinu explains there regarding the aforementioned matter elsewhere — that through this the womb of the woman in difficult labor [mak'sheh laled] is opened — the bechinas "the doors of my womb" [daltay bitni] [Iyov 3:10]. And this is the bechinas "cut it into four" [chatchu l'arba]. See there. Understand this. And this is the bechinas "every firstborn that opens the womb" [peter kol rechem] — which one gives to the Kohen, the man of chessed. For through chessed comes the bechinas "cut it into four" — through which birth comes about. And the essential is the first birth — for the essential is the beginning. Understand this well. Blessed be Hashem forever. Amen and Amen. Based on the teaching Ki Seitzei la'Milchamah ["When you go out to war"] in Likutay [Moharan] Part II, Siman 82. See the entire teaching there. Section 1. And the general principle: there is the bechinas k'seder [in order] and the bechinas shelo k'seder [not in order] — which are the bechinas aleph-beis [the Hebrew alphabet in order] and tav-shin-reish-kuf [in reverse] — the bechinas Adam and Chavah. Adam is the bechinas Havayah spelled out with alefs [av"h], gematria 45 [mah]. And Chavah is the bechinas malchus-mouth [peh]. And each person must see to bind the bechinas shelo k'seder — the bechinas Chavah — to the bechinas Adam-mah, to the bechinas k'seder. And then the bechinas shelo k'seder is nullified and all becomes k'seder. For "in a place where there is male and female, they are not mentioned there [in the same breath]" [b'atar d'is d'char nukva lo idkhar taman]. But one who separates the bechinas Chavah-malchus for himself — meaning one who has arrogance and says "I will reign" — it emerges that he is drawing the bechinas malchus to himself and not binding it to Hashem blessed be He, to the bechinas k'seder. Then he goes in the mode of shelo k'seder — for he is within the bechinas shelo k'seder, the tav-shin-reish-kuf of malchus-Chavah. And one must do teshuvah and humble oneself and be in the bechinas mah — as it is written: "And we are what [u'nachnu mah]" [Shemos 16:7]. And then one binds the bechinas malchus to Hashem blessed be He — to the bechinas mah — and the bechinas Chavah returns to the bechinas Adam-mah, and all becomes k'seder. Etc. And the bechinas k'seder is called Yud — for malchus, called "d'lays lah mi'garmah k'lum" [which has nothing of its own], and the Holy One blessed be He draws into it the vitality of wisdom called Yud. And this is Yud Vav Dalet [the spelling-out of Yud]. And this is: "Behind and before You have formed me, and placed Your hand upon me" [achor v'kedem tzartani v'tashet alay kapecha] — "read not kapacha but kapacha [your kafs]" — that is: Yud, gematria kaf [twenty], etc. See there. Section 2. And this is the bechinas the redemption of the firstborn from the Kohen with twenty silver [coins] — which are five sela'im [shekels]. For the creation in general is the bechinas malchus — for the essential creation was for the sake of the revelation of His kingship, blessed be He. For "there is no king without a people" [ayn melech b'lo am], as is known. And therefore the creation in general is in the bechinas shelo k'seder — the bechinas Chavah-malchus-tav-shin-reish-kuf, as above — the bechinas "in Tishri the world was created" [b'Tishri nivra ha'olam]. Tishri is the bechinas tav-shin-reish-kuf [tav-shin-reish-yud] — not in order [shelo k'seder] — the bechinas din [judgment]. And the essential completion and rectification of creation is when it is bound to Hashem blessed be He — which is the bechinas k'seder, the bechinas Havayah spelled out with alefs — the bechinas aleph-beis in order. For the essential creation was for the sake of wisdom — that is, to know Him blessed be He — as it states: b'gin d'yishtamod'in lah [in order that they know Him] [Zohar]. For this is the essential wisdom: to know and recognize Him blessed be He and to be bound and cleaving to Him always. And then the totality of creation is in completion and everything proceeds in order — for the totality of creation, the bechinas malchus — which is the bechinas shelo k'seder — is nullified to the bechinas Adam-mah-k'seder, as above in the aforementioned teaching. And when a firstborn son is born, this is the bechinas a new creation [bri'ah chadashah]. For the human being is the ultimate purpose of all created beings — and everything was created for the sake of the human being — and he is the totality of all creation, for within the human being all created beings are included and depend, as is known. And therefore when a person is born into the world, it is the bechinas a new creation. And the essential is the firstborn — who is the first birth — the bechinas a new creation. And therefore one must return him to the bechinas k'seder. For this firstborn that was born — who is the bechinas the totality of creation, the bechinas malchus — is in the bechinas shelo k'seder, and one must return him to k'seder. For the firstborn is the beginning of malchus — as it is written: "I too shall appoint him as firstborn." Therefore one must give the firstborn — the bechinas the totality of creation, the bechinas malchus — to the Kohen, the man of chessed, who is the bechinas k'seder — the bechinas Havayah spelled with alefs — which is the bechinas chessed. And through this all becomes k'seder — for the totality of creation, the bechinas malchus — which is the bechinas the firstborn — is returned to the Kohen, the man of chessed, who is the bechinas da'as — as it is written: "For the lips of the Kohen preserve knowledge [da'as]" [Malachi 2:7]. For da'as and chessed are one bechinas — as is explained in various places many times. And through this the first birth — which is the bechinas a new creation — is rectified. And all becomes k'seder, as above. And the bechinas k'seder is the bechinas Yud — gematria kaf [twenty] — as above. And therefore one gives a kaf [twenty] of dinars to the Kohen for the redemption — kaf as above. And therefore one redeems him with silver [kesef] — for wealth and money is on the left [smol] — as it is written: "In her left hand is wealth and honor" [Mishlei 3:16]. And the left is the bechinas din, the bechinas shelo k'seder, as is known. And through giving twenty silver [coins] to the Kohen, the man of chessed — through this one returns the bechinas shelo k'seder, which is the silver and money — the bechinas smol [left] — to k'seder, which is the Kohen, the man of chessed, who is the bechinas k'seder, as above. Section 3. And therefore the essential exodus from Egypt was through the plague of the firstborn. And then the firstborn of Israel were sanctified, and they were commanded immediately regarding the sanctification of the firstborn — as it is written: "Sanctify to Me every firstborn" [Shemos 13:2], etc. For the essential exile of Egypt was in order to rectify the sin of Adam the First — who blemished the covenant and separated the bechinas Chavah-malchus to himself and separated her from Hashem blessed be He. For this was the essential blemish — that a separation was made between the bechinas Chavah and Adam. For this was the essential counsel of the serpent: to remove the bechinas Adam — as Rashi explained: "In order that Adam should die and he should marry Chavah" — meaning he wished to separate the bechinas Chavah from Adam, so that then the bechinas Chavah would be in the mode of shelo k'seder. And then it has no vitality, and then the grip of the Sitra Achra — which is the impurity of the serpent — dominates it. For their essential nurturing is from the bechinas shelo k'seder when it is separated from the bechinas k'seder, Heaven forbid — in the bechinas "shadow of death and not order" [tzalmavet v'lo sdarim] [Iyov 10:22]: the essential nurturing of the Side of Death, the bechinas tzalmavet, is from the bechinas "not order," the bechinas shelo k'seder, as above. And therefore the essential counsel [of the serpent] was: "and you shall be as God" [va'hiyyisem k'Elokim] — "you will be creators of worlds like Him" [as Rashi explained] — that is, the bechinas "I will reign" [ana emloch] — that he wished to separate the bechinas Chavah-malchus from Hashem blessed be He, that they should draw the kingship — the bechinas Elokim — to themselves: the bechinas "and you shall be as God." And the essential blemish was the blemish of the covenant — for through the blemish of the covenant one creates a separation between the Holy One blessed be He and His Shechinah as it were, between Adam and Chavah, between the bechinas k'seder and the bechinas shelo k'seder. For one must break one's desire and bend one's evil inclination and emerge from the physical desire — only to intend for the sake of Hashem blessed be He alone, in order to fulfill His commandment alone. And then one binds the bechinas Chavah-woman to Hashem blessed be He — and then all is k'seder. But when one blemishes the covenant, Heaven forbid, and is drawn after physical desire — then one separates the bechinas Chavah-woman from da'as and separates the totality of creation from Hashem blessed be He. For one wishes to satisfy one's desire and draws the bechinas Chavah to oneself — the bechinas "I will reign" — and does not elevate her to Hashem blessed be He. And then all becomes shelo k'seder — for it is in the bechinas shelo k'seder — until one merits to return to Hashem and return all to k'seder, as above. And therefore through the sin of Adam the First, all things became in the bechinas shelo k'seder — for nothing proceeds in order; rather, everything requires great toil and effort — the bechinas "in toil shall you eat it" [Bereishis 3:17], which is the bechinas shelo k'seder — the bechinas "and thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you" [ibid. 3:18] — as Rashi explained: when you sow grain and legumes, it sprouts thorns and thistles for you, etc. — which is the bechinas shelo k'seder: that the order is changed, so that thorns and thistles come up from the grain, Heaven forbid. And each person, according to his teshuvah and his good deeds, and according to his humility and meekness — so does he return the bechinas shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder and rectify the sin of Adam the First, according to his level. And this is the bechinas the Egyptian exile — for all the exiles and all the sufferings, Heaven forbid, are all in the bechinas shelo k'seder: that things do not proceed as the person desires, in order. For in truth the essential order of creation was that Israel should be supreme over all and rule over the entire world — for all Israel are the children of kings, and kingship belongs only to them. For they are in the bechinas the firstborn son — who is the bechinas malchus — as it is written: "My firstborn son, Israel" [Shemos 4:22]. And when Israel are in exile, Heaven forbid, and the nations rule over them — this is the bechinas shelo k'seder. And all this flows from the sin of Adam the First, as above. And therefore the exile was decreed through Avraham our patriarch's blemishing — when he said "whereby shall I know" [bameh eidah] [Bereishis 15:8]. For through this he blemished in da'as — which is the bechinas mah — through saying "whereby shall I know" [bameh eidah]. And through this the bechinas shelo k'seder was generated — which is the bechinas exile, as above. And therefore the Egyptian exile unfolded through the selling of Yosef — who was the firstborn to his mother — for twenty silver [coins]. And they blemished the bechinas the firstborn, the bechinas malchus. For the essential jealousy toward him was about the bechinas malchus that they saw in him — as it is written: "Will you indeed reign over us?" etc. [Bereishis 37:8]. And they did not wish to bind malchus to its root — and they separated malchus: that is, Yosef, who was the firstborn, they separated from his father Yaakov — who is the bechinas wisdom [chochmah], as is known. For Yaakov transmitted all his wisdom to Yosef the firstborn — as it is written: "For he was the son of his old age, ari bar chakim hu leh" [Bereishis 37:3; Onkelos] — all that he had learned from Shem and Ever he transmitted to him. For Yaakov was binding the firstborn — the bechinas malchus — to the root of his vitality, which is wisdom, as above. And they separated him from his father, sold him as a slave to Egypt, and blemished the bechinas the firstborn — the bechinas malchus — and separated him from wisdom, from his father, from the root of his vitality. And they wished to draw malchus to themselves — as it is written: "Will you indeed reign over us?" etc. And through this the matter unfolded and they descended to Egypt — to exile — to the bechinas shelo k'seder — as it is written: "And they embittered their lives with hard service," etc., "all their labor with which they made them labor in crushing rigor" [Shemos 1:14]. And it is brought in the Midrash that they reversed the order and gave the work of man to woman — and likewise the reverse [Medrash Rabbah Shemos 1:12]. For all their labor with them was in the bechinas shelo k'seder, as above. But Yosef — through his meriting to stand in the trial of the desire for sexual immorality and guarding the covenant and not being drawn after his desire — through this he returned the bechinas Chavah to Adam, the bechinas shelo k'seder to k'seder, as above. And therefore he merited wisdom — as it is written: "There is none as wise and discerning as you" [Bereishis 41:39]. And therefore the essential redemption was through him — as it is written: "And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him" [Shemos 13:19]. For through Yosef they merited to leave the exile — to return shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder, as above. And therefore the essential redemption was through the sanctification of the firstborn — as it is written: "My firstborn son, Israel." And they were commanded immediately regarding the sanctification of the firstborn. For the sanctification of the firstborn is the bechinas returning the bechinas shelo k'seder — the bechinas malchus — to the bechinas Adam — to the bechinas k'seder. In this depends the essential redemption from all exiles and all sufferings, as above. Section 4. And this is the bechinas "And you shall say: it is the Pesach sacrifice to Hashem — who passed over the houses of Bnay Yisrael when He smote Egypt and our houses He saved" [Shemos 12:27]. For "judgment is only sweetened at its root" [ayn ha'din nimitak ela b'shorasho]. And therefore when one merits to return the bechinas shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder, then all becomes k'seder. And then the essential redemption from the sufferings and exile is through the bechinas shelo k'seder that is included within k'seder. And this is the bechinas "who passed over [pasach] the houses of Bnay Yisrael" — which is the bechinas shelo k'seder — the bechinas skipping and leaping, not in order [dilog v'k'fitzah shelo k'seder]. And this very bechinas itself saved the firstborn of Israel and slew the firstborn of Egypt — as it is written: "He cleared a path for His anger" [Tehillim 78:50]. And Rashi explained: "That same attribute itself that smote Egypt saved Israel." For the bechinas shelo k'seder is the bechinas din. And when it is bound to its vitality — to the bechinas k'seder — then all becomes k'seder, the bechinas rachamim [mercy]. And therefore Israel was saved through this — for this very bechinas shelo k'seder took them out from exile, from the bechinas din, from the bechinas shelo k'seder, and bound them to the root of their vitality — the bechinas k'seder. For now in the redemption, shelo k'seder was included within the bechinas k'seder, as above — through which the essential redemption came, as above. But Egypt — they separated the bechinas shelo k'seder from k'seder. For Pharaoh said: "Who is Hashem that I should heed His voice?" [Shemos 5:2]. And he separated and uprooted himself from Hashem blessed be He — that is, from the Name Havayah, blessed be He. For he said: "Mine is my river and I made myself" [Yechezkel 29:3] — the arrogance that was in him — the bechinas "I will reign" — and he did not wish to return malchus to Hashem blessed be He. And therefore it is stated that Pharaoh's hold was only upon the Name Elokim and not upon the Name Havayah. For he wished to separate, Heaven forbid, the bechinas Elokim — which is the bechinas malchus — from the bechinas din, the bechinas shelo k'seder — from the bechinas Havayah, k'seder. Therefore he loved the curse and it came upon him — for the entire bechinas shelo k'seder was turned against him. And it avenged him and slew the firstborn of Egypt through p'sichah [stepping over] and leaping — the bechinas shelo k'seder. For he had not bound the bechinas shelo k'seder-malchus to the root of its vitality — which is the bechinas mah. And therefore they were left without vitality and fell as dead corpses. And therefore the essential blow was upon their firstborn — for the firstborn is the bechinas malchus, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas "And you shall say, the Pesach sacrifice." "And you shall say" specifically — the bechinas speech [dibur] — the bechinas Pesach: peh sach [a mouth that speaks] — which is the bechinas Chavah-malchus — which is the expression of speech. For the essential redemption was through returning the bechinas speech, the bechinas Chavah-malchus-shelo k'seder, to the bechinas k'seder — the bechinas mah, as above. And this is what Moshe said: "And they shall say to me, what is His Name?" — "mah say to them" [Shemos 3:13-14] — mah specifically. For the essential redemption is through the bechinas mah — which is the bechinas k'seder, as above. And this is the bechinas the Seder of Pesach — for the service done on the night of Pesach is called by the name Seder [order]. For the essential redemption of Pesach was through the bechinas seder — that is, through shelo k'seder being included within k'seder, as above. And therefore on Pesach, the mochin [mental/intellectual states] that are shelo k'seder [not in order] enter — for the mochin d'gadlus [expanded mind] precede the mochin d'katnus [constricted mind]. For through this the bechinas shelo k'seder is sweetened and included within k'seder — which is da'as and the mind. For "judgment is only sweetened at its root." And therefore the mochin were compelled to enter in a shelo k'seder fashion — in order to rectify and sweeten the bechinas shelo k'seder and bind it to the bechinas the mind and da'as. And then all returns to k'seder — for when the bechinas shelo k'seder is bound to da'as, it returns from shelo k'seder and all becomes k'seder, as above. Section 5. And this is the bechinas the filling of the moon from its diminishment [miluy ha'levanah mi'p'gimosah]. For the sun and moon are the bechinas k'seder and shelo k'seder — Adam and Chavah — as is known. And therefore "the sun knows its setting" [Tehillim 104:19] — but "the moon knows not its setting" [ibid.] — for sometimes it enters along a long path and sometimes along a short path — as our Sages of blessed memory said [Sukkah 29a]. It thus emerges that the motion of the moon is shelo k'seder — for sometimes it comes along a long path, etc. But the sun knows its setting and always travels the same path — the bechinas k'seder. And one must fill the moon from its diminishment and unite the sun and moon — and then all becomes k'seder. Which is the bechinas "and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun" [Yeshayahu 30:26], etc. And therefore Israel was commanded regarding the sanctification of the New Moon [kidush hachodesh] first of all — at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. And there in that Torah portion, the plague of the firstborn and the saving of the firstborn of Israel are mentioned. For the sanctification of the New Moon is the bechinas the rectification of the moon's diminishment — which is "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun" — which is the union and conjunction of shelo k'seder with the bechinas k'seder. Which is the bechinas the Exodus from Egypt and the sanctification of the firstborn, as above. And this is the bechinas "and those who are redeemed of him — from a month old shall you redeem" [Bamidbar 18:16] — "from a month old" specifically. For the redemption of the firstborn is in the bechinas the [New] Month [chodesh] — for in each and every month the moon is filled from its diminishment through the commandment of the sanctification of new months. And therefore one does not redeem firstborns until a month has passed over him — which is the bechinas the rectification of the moon's diminishment — through which shelo k'seder returns to the bechinas k'seder — the bechinas "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun." Which is the bechinas the redemption of the firstborn, as above. Section 6. And this is the bechinas the monetary redemption [pidyon b'kesef] performed for all types of sufferings and judgments that come upon a person, Heaven forbid. For all sufferings and judgments, Heaven forbid, flow from the bechinas shelo k'seder, as above. And therefore one gives money to the true sages of the generation — and the money is the bechinas smol [left], shelo k'seder. And the sage is k'seder — which is the bechinas wisdom, as above. For the wise man and the teacher [rav] is the bechinas the Kohen, man of chessed — as it is written: "For the lips of the Kohen preserve knowledge and Torah," etc. [Malachi 2:7]. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded [Mo'ed Katan 17a]: "If the teacher resembles an angel of the Lord of Hosts," etc. And therefore through giving money to the true sage and tzaddik — through this shelo k'seder is returned and all becomes k'seder, and all the judgments — which are the bechinas shelo k'seder — are sweetened and nullified. For all becomes k'seder, as above. And because through the sin of Adam the First all became shelo k'seder, as above — therefore the order of the birthright was confused, and Esav came out before Yaakov and wished to take the birthright for himself. For the birthright — which is the bechinas Chavah-malchus — was blemished and became in the bechinas shelo k'seder. And therefore Yaakov was compelled to toil with great toil until he merited afterward — through his good deeds — to return and take the birthright from Esav. For Yaakov merited to rectify the sin of Adam the First — and returned shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder and all became k'seder. And the birthright returned to him — which is the true order — as it is written: "My firstborn son, Israel." And therefore Yaakov gave the birthright to Yosef — because Reuven disturbed his father's resting places [bilbel yitz'ay aviv] and separated between husband and wife. Through this he separated shelo k'seder from the bechinas k'seder. And therefore Scripture accounts it to him as if he had lain with her — for disturbing his father's resting places, through which he separated between man and wife — this is literally the bechinas the blemish of the covenant, which also separates the bechinas Chavah-malchus to itself, as above. And through this he blemished in the birthright — which is the bechinas malchus. And therefore the birthright was taken from him and given to Yosef — who had withstood the trial and guarded the covenant — through which he returned the bechinas shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder. And through this he merited the birthright — the bechinas malchus, as above. Section 7. And therefore the essential redemption of Egypt was through Moshe. For Moshe is the bechinas mah — as it is written: "And we are what [u'nachnu mah]" — through which one merits to return the bechinas shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder. Through this is the essential redemption, as above. And therefore Moshe gave the Torah to Israel — for the essential wisdom is the Torah. For there is no wisdom like the wisdom of the Torah — as it is written: "Observe and perform it, for it is your wisdom and your understanding" etc. [Devarim 4:6]. For the Torah is the bechinas mah — as it is written: "What [mah] is the testimony," etc. [Shemos 12:26]. And through meriting the Torah — through this one binds all of creation to the root of its vitality, which is the Torah — and all becomes k'seder. And this is the bechinas the sedarim [orders/tractates] within the Torah — the bechinas the fifty-three Torah portions [gimel nun sdarim d'oraisa] and the Six Orders of Mishnah [shishah sidray Mishnah]. For the Torah is in the bechinas mah-wisdom-k'seder — for through fulfilling the Torah all becomes k'seder, as above. Section 8. And this is the bechinas tefillin-mochin — for the first Torah portion [within the tefillin] is "Sanctify to Me every firstborn" [Shemos 13:2]. For the sanctification of the firstborn is the bechinas returning and binding all of creation to the mind [moach] and wisdom — which is the bechinas binding the tefillin, through which one binds oneself to the mind and wisdom. Which is the bechinas tefillin of the head and tefillin of the arm — on the left arm — binding together shelo k'seder, the bechinas the left, to the bechinas k'seder — to the bechinas the head and mind, as above. And this is the bechinas why the head tefillin has four compartments [batim] and the arm tefillin has one compartment. For it is stated there in the aforementioned teaching that the path through which one merits to bind shelo k'seder to k'seder is through the path that Moshe took — namely: "If I ascend to heaven, You are there; and if I make my bed in the underworld, behold You are there" [Tehillim 139:8] — to find Hashem blessed be He always, both in descent and in ascent. For sometimes when a person rises upward he forgets Hashem blessed be He, etc. And this comes from an excess of light, etc. And therefore one must contract the light — the bechinas "and I will shield My hand" — said of Moshe. And therefore the head tefillin — which alludes to the bechinas "if I ascend to heaven" — has four compartments. For there, because of the abundance of light, more contractions are needed — the bechinas four compartments. But in the arm tefillin there is only one compartment — for the arm tefillin is bound on the left arm, the weak arm [yad kehah]. This is the bechinas "and if I make my bed in the underworld, behold You are there" — that even in the Sitra d'Smala [Side of the Left], in the bechinas the weak arm — even there one can find Hashem blessed be He — in the bechinas "behold You are there." Therefore there is only one compartment — for there one does not need to contract the light as much, because there the light is small. On the contrary — one needs to reveal it there — in the bechinas "behold You are there." Therefore there is only one compartment, as above. And this is the bechinas "if I ascend to heaven, You are there" — "there You are" [sham atah] specifically — which is an expression of hiddenness and concealment. That is: there in heaven, if I ascend there — "You are there" — meaning that You conceal Yourself from me there, for You are far from me. But "if I make my bed in the underworld, behold You are there" [hinecha] — the bechinas "the whole earth is filled with His glory" [Yeshayahu 6:3]. For specifically below one can find His Divinity in greater revelation — if one seeks Him there — in the bechinas "behold You are there" [hinecha]. And as is understood in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory in the teaching Ki M'rachamam Yin'halem [Likutay Tani'na, Siman 7] — for above they ask "Where is the place of His glory?" and below they say "The whole earth is filled with His glory," etc. See there. Section 9. And therefore the essential redemption of the firstborn is specifically a firstborn to the mother — for the mother is the bechinas Chavah, the mother of all living, which is the bechinas shelo k'seder. From there all sins flow, Heaven forbid, when one does not merit to return the bechinas Chavah-shelo k'seder to the bechinas Adam-k'seder — in the bechinas "for in iniquity was I formed, and in sin did my mother conceive me" [Tehillim 51:7]. And this is the bechinas "a wise son brings joy to a father" [Mishlei 10:1] specifically. And "a foolish son is the grief of his mother" [ibid.] specifically. For from the bechinas father — who is the bechinas Adam-k'seder — wisdom flows, the bechinas a wise son. And from the bechinas mother-Chavah-shelo k'seder — from there comes the grip of foolishness, whose grip is only in the bechinas shelo k'seder. And therefore one must see to return the bechinas Chavah-shelo k'seder to the bechinas k'seder. And therefore the essential redemption of the firstborn is of a firstborn to the mother — in order to return the bechinas Chavah, the mother of all living, the bechinas shelo k'seder, to the bechinas k'seder — to the bechinas wisdom. Which is the bechinas the redemption of the firstborn given to the Kohen, as above. Section 1. Based on the Torah V'es ha'aravim tzivisi l'chalk'lecha ["And the ravens I have commanded to sustain you"] in Likutay [Moharan] Part II, Siman 4. See the entire Torah there carefully. And the general principle for our purposes: The festivals [yamim tovim] call out and reveal that everything proceeds according to His will alone, blessed be He — and there is no natural compulsion [chiuv ha'teva] whatsoever. For on every festival, Hashem blessed be He performed awe-inspiring signs and wonders for us, etc. However, there are "evil beasts" [chayyos ra'os] that pounce and tear — which are the sages of nature [chachmay ha'teva] — who prevail with the roar of their growl against the proclamation-voice of the festival. For they wish to demonstrate with their deceptive wisdom that everything proceeds according to nature, Heaven forbid, and they deny [the existence of] [Divine] will, etc. And the subjugation of these evil beasts — the sages of nature — is through the great sage of holiness, who can bind all the [Divine] wills to the root of will [shoresh ha'ratzon]. For there is the bechinas the departure of Moshe [histalkus Moshe] — as is known — and it is the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon [the "forehead of will" — from the verse "and it shall be on his forehead as an expression of will"] — the bechinas "and it shall be on his forehead as an expression of will" [Shemos 28:38], etc. But against this there is the bechinas the metzach ha'nachash [the forehead of the serpent] — which is the root of the wisdom of nature, etc. And this metzach ha'nachash is nourished from the elders of the generation [ziknay ha'dor] — those who prolong their days — when they lack completion. For "an elder [zaken] — this one has acquired wisdom" [Kiddushin 32b]. And the person must ensure that all the days that come to him — everything he has experienced over his lifetime — are added to increase holiness and da'as each and every day, etc. But when the elders who prolong their days in the generation blemish their days, etc. — from this the metzach ha'nachash is nourished, etc. And this is the bechinas "short of days, full of wrath" [k'tzar yamim sva ragaz] [Iyov 14:1]. And the rectification for this is charity [tzedakah]. For through charity one rectifies and elevates the blemish of the falling of the days and the da'as of the elders who are not as they should be, etc. — from which came the nurturing of the metzach ha'nachash. And then the metzach ha'nachash is subdued and falls, and one can bind all the wills to the root of will — and the evil beasts, the sages of nature, are subdued. And then the proclamation-voice of the festival is heard — that everything proceeds according to the will of the Creator, blessed be He. And then awe flows, etc. And through the awe, chessed [lovingkindness] pours forth — in the bechinas "for Aaron's staff budded for the house of Levi" [Bamidbar 17:23], etc. And through chessed the entire world is sustained by His lovingkindness alone, etc. — in the bechinas "and strangers shall stand and tend your flocks, and you shall be called priests of Hashem" [Yeshayahu 61:5-6], etc. And this is the great quality of charity — which is very difficult at the outset, etc. See all this there carefully. Section 2. And this is the bechinas the sanctification of the firstborn — for the essential revelation of [Divine] will was at the time of the Exodus from Egypt. For all the festivals that reveal the will are all a commemoration of the Exodus from Egypt — for then, at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, Hashem blessed be He performed signs and awe-inspiring wonders for us. And the essential Exodus from Egypt was through the plague of the firstborn. For Pharaoh hardened his heart and was unwilling to send Israel away through all the awe-inspiring signs and wonders he performed with him in the first plagues — until He brought upon him the plague of the firstborn. And all this was because of the intensification of the aforementioned "evil beasts" — the bechinas the sages of nature who deny [Divine] will. And even when they see a wonder and an extraordinary and awe-inspiring sign, they endeavor to negate it. And this is the bechinas the chartumay Mitzrayim [sorcerer-sages of Egypt] — who were great sages for evil. For all the foundations of the scholarship of the philosophers are drawn from the wisdom of the bnay kedem [children of the east] — from which was the wisdom of the chartumay Mitzrayim — except that they then also knew the wisdom of sorcery and impure names. And this knowledge has since been forgotten, leaving only the wisdom of the nature-philosophers — who inherited the foundations from the wisdom of the bnay kedem, as above. And these sages for evil — the bechinas the chartumay Mitzrayim — prevailed each time with their evil wisdom to negate the awe-inspiring signs that Moshe performed in the first plagues. For they are the bechinas the aforementioned evil beasts, who always prevail to deny the will and to strengthen the wisdom of nature, Heaven forbid, as above. And through this Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he refused to send the nation — until Hashem blessed be He brought the plague of the firstborn upon him. And then he was compelled to acknowledge the truth — that Hashem blessed be He governs His world according to His will — and he sent Israel away. For the firstborn is the bechinas reishis [beginning/first], the bechinas da'as — as is explained elsewhere. And therefore Israel is called firstborn — as it is written: "My firstborn son, Israel." For all Israel are included within Moshe — who is da'as, as is known. And therefore the generation of that time was called dor de'ah [the generation of knowledge]. That is: Israel is the bechinas firstborn — the bechinas da'as — for they can bind all the wills to the root of will, to the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon. Through this the evil beasts — the sages of nature who deny the will — are subdued. And as is explained above: that through holy wisdom and da'as one binds all the wills to the root of will, to the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon — through which the evil beasts are subdued, as above. And therefore the essential Exodus from Egypt was through the plague of the firstborn. For then He subjugated and felled the firstborn of the Sitra Achra — which is the da'as of the Sitra Achra, the wisdom of the evil beasts, the sages of nature. And He strengthened and elevated the holy da'as and wisdom — which is the bechinas the firstborn of Israel. For the firstborn is the bechinas da'as, as above. And therefore Yaakov our patriarch strove greatly to take the birthright from Esav. For Esav is the wild boar of the forest [chazir ya'ar] — the bechinas chayyas kaneh [the beast of the reeds], the bechinas the aforementioned evil beasts — the sages of nature, as above. And therefore he took the birthright from him — in order to subjugate and fell his [Esav's] da'as, lest it nurture itself from the bechinas the firstborn — which is the holy da'as. Rather, he took the birthright for himself — to merit through it for his descendants — so that Israel should be called firstborn. For the essential da'as in its completeness — the bechinas the birthright — belongs to Israel, who in their complete da'as bind all the wills to the root of will. Through this they subjugate and fell the evil beasts — the bechinas chayyas kaneh, the bechinas Esav, the bechinas the sages of nature, as above. For the prince [sar] of Esav is the prince of Egypt — as is brought [in the holy books]. And therefore they did not leave Egypt until He brought upon them the plague of the firstborn — for then the prince of Esav was subdued and fell: the firstborn of the Sitra Achra, the bechinas the da'as of the Sitra Achra of the sages of nature. And the holy firstborn was strengthened and elevated — the bechinas the da'as of Israel — who bind all the wills to the root of will. For that is the bechinas Moshe — who departed to there. And then the aforementioned evil beasts were subdued, and the proclamation-voice of the will was heard through all the awe-inspiring signs and wonders that Hashem blessed be He performed with them. And then Pharaoh was compelled to acknowledge the truth — that everything proceeds according to the will of the Creator, blessed be He, His Name — and to send Israel out. For the evil beasts no longer had the power to growl against the revelation of the will that was then revealed through the awe-inspiring signs and wonders — for their da'as had already fallen and the holy da'as of the firstborn of Israel who were saved and rescued from among the firstborn of Egypt had been strengthened and elevated. Through this it was revealed that the essential da'as — the bechinas the birthright — belongs only to Israel. For the firstborn of the Sitra Achra — the bechinas the firstborn of Egypt — all fell and died. And then the holy da'as was strengthened to the point that they bound and elevated all the wills to the root of will — through which all the evil beasts, the sages of nature, fell. And then Pharaoh was compelled to acknowledge the will — and then he sent Bnay Yisrael, as above. Section 3. And therefore then the firstborn were sanctified to be given to the Kohen. For the Kohen is the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon — for all the Kohanim are sanctified with the sanctity of Aharon — of whom it is said: "and it shall be on his forehead as an expression of will" [Shemos 28:38]. And therefore the firstborn — who is the bechinas da'as — must be given and bound to the Kohen — so that da'as should be bound and included always in the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon — which is the bechinas the Kohen — in order to bind through this all the wills to the root of will, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas the redemption of the firstborn that one must redeem with money [kesef] — for the money given for the firstborn to the Kohen is the bechinas charity [tzedakah] — which is the essential rectification. For the essential rectification is through charity — which rectifies the blemish of the falling of the days of the elders who are not as they should be, etc., as above. And therefore one must give the redemption — which is the charity — to the Kohen specifically. For the Kohen is the bechinas the holy elder [zaken d'kedushah] — the bechinas "like the goodly oil upon the head, running down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron" [Tehillim 133:2] — the bechinas dikna d'kahana rabba [the beard of the High Priest]. And the holy elder specifically must receive all the charities of Israel. And through this comes the essential rectification — namely, to subjugate the metzach ha'nachash that is nourished from the blemished elders, etc. For when one gives charity, Heaven forbid, to the aforementioned blemished elders — then the blemish is increased even more, Heaven forbid. For the metzach ha'nachash is strengthened even more, Heaven forbid — since one has given power and vitality to the aforementioned blemished elders. And this is the bechinas "in the time of Your anger, act against them — stumble them by means of the poor who are not among the protectors" [Tehillim 5:9-10 in context] — which are the aforementioned blemished elders. And this is "in the time of Your anger" specifically — for they are in the bechinas wrath and rage — the opposite of will — the bechinas "short of days, full of wrath," as above. And therefore one must pray greatly to Hashem blessed be He — that one merit to have one's charity reach the holy elders who add holiness and da'as each and every day. And then specifically is the metzach ha'nachash subdued — since the holy elder is strengthened over the elders of the Sitra Achra. And then the vitality and days that fell from the blemished elders — from which came the nurturing of the metzach ha'nachash — are elevated, as above. And then the metzach ha'nachash is subdued and the metzach ha'ratzon shines — and it is revealed that everything proceeds according to the will of the Creator, blessed be He, His Name, as above. And this is the bechinas the redemption of the firstborn — which one must give to the Kohen specifically. For the Kohen is the bechinas the holy elder, as above — to whom specifically one must give the redemption, which is the bechinas charity — in order to subjugate the metzach ha'nachash and to reveal the will, as above. And therefore it is called pidyon [redemption] — for it is a literal redemption: the sweetening of judgments. For the power of judgment and rage — the bechinas the metzach ha'nachash, the bechinas "short of days, full of wrath" — is sweetened and nullified. And the illumination of the will is drawn and extended — which is mercy and great lovingkindness. For through this the world is sustained by His lovingkindness — in the bechinas "the world is built upon lovingkindness" [Tehillim 89:3] — the bechinas "and you shall be called priests of Hashem," as above. Section 4. And therefore the firstborn is redeemed from a month old — as it is written: "and those who are redeemed of him — from a month old shall you redeem," etc. For the essential redemption of the firstborn is to rectify the blemish of the falling of the days of the elders who are not as they should be — which is rectified through the redemption from the Kohen, which is the bechinas charity to the holy elders, as above. And then the holiness of the holy elder is drawn — which is the holiness of the true tzaddikim, the holy elders — who are alone called elders in the bechinas "an elder — this one has acquired wisdom." For they add holiness and wisdom and da'as each and every day — as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. And this is the bechinas the sanctification of the firstborn — for bechor [firstborn] is the expression of reishis — beginning and initiation. Which is the essential holiness of the Israelite — who must strengthen himself to renew himself each and every day: to begin each day completely fresh, and never to fall into the ziknah [old age] and seivah [hoariness] of the Sitra Achra. That is: not to become "old" [zaken], Heaven forbid, in his service and his deeds — whether good or bad, Heaven forbid. Rather, one must renew oneself each day as if one were born today. As Rabbeinu of blessed memory said at the time he revealed this Torah: "It is forbidden for a person to be old [zaken] — even a tzaddik and a chassid — it is forbidden to be old in one's service. Rather, begin each time fresh." All the more so those of lesser level; all the more so those who are truly diminished — who certainly are forbidden by a severe prohibition to consider themselves as "old people" — as if they are already old in their evil deeds, Heaven forbid, and it is impossible for them to return, Heaven forbid. Rather they must strengthen themselves each day freshly and forget all the past — only as if they were born today anew. And this is the essential holy old age [ziknah d'kedushah] — when one begins each day fresh and adds holiness and da'as each day. And therefore all Israel are called firstborn — as it is written: "My firstborn son, Israel." For this is the essential holiness of Israel: that they should not be old people of the Sitra Achra, Heaven forbid — drawn from the "old and foolish king" [melech zaken u'k'sil] [Koheles 4:13] — the bechinas "short of days, full of wrath." Rather, they should renew themselves each day as if they were born that day — which is the bechinas firstborn, the bechinas reishis [beginning] and initiation each time. Which is the essential holy old age, as above. And therefore the firstborn is redeemed from one month old — for each month the moon renews itself, and Israel count by the moon. For this is the essential holiness of Israel — that they renew themselves each time like the moon. And therefore they are destined to be renewed like it — for each one, just as he strengthened himself to renew himself each time — so will he merit in the future to renew his soul for the good, in the bechinas "renew your youth like an eagle" [Tehillim 103:5]. And therefore the essential holiness of Rosh Chodesh [the New Month] is through the holy elders — who know the secret of the calendar [sod ha'ibbur] — who establish the new months. For the holy elders — the bechinas "an elder — this one has acquired wisdom" — are in the bechinas renewal each time in their holiness and service of Him blessed be He. Which is the bechinas the sanctification of Rosh Chodesh — which is the renewal of the moon — which is the secret of the calendar. This was transmitted only to the aforementioned elders — the bechinas "an elder — this one has acquired wisdom" — the bechinas "for it is your wisdom and your understanding," etc. [Devarim 4:6]. And therefore the firstborn is redeemed from one month old — for this is the essential redemption, the essential holiness of the firstborn — in the bechinas renewal [chodesh] — to renew oneself each time. Which is the bechinas the holiness of the holy elder. And for this the redemption comes — which is the bechinas charity — in order to elevate the fallen days of the elders who are not as they should be — who have fallen to the bechinas the old age of the Sitra Achra — who do not add holiness each day. And to draw the holiness of the holy elder — who renews himself each day — which is the bechinas firstborn, the bechinas reishis and beginning — the bechinas "My firstborn son, Israel," as above. Through this the metzach ha'nachash is subdued and the metzach ha'ratzon shines — through which the proclamation-voice of will is heard, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas tefillin — which are on the forehead [metzach] — in order to reveal the metzach ha'ratzon: to bind the revelation of will that was revealed at the Exodus from Egypt to the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon. For the Torah portions of the tefillin speak of the Exodus from Egypt and that everything proceeds according to His will, blessed be He. And therefore the first portion is "Sanctify to Me every firstborn" — for this is the essential bechinas tefillin: the bechinas the renewal of the mochin [mental/spiritual faculties] each day — as if one were born today. Which is the bechinas firstborn, the bechinas reishis, as above. See in Hilchos Tefillin — based on the Torah of Orech Apayim ["long-suffering"] and based on the story of the leather — there the entire matter is explained at wonderful length. See there. Section 5. And the matter of the five shekels of the redemption — there is an allusion that they correspond to the five rectifications explained in that Torah. For it is explained there that through charity one elevates and rectifies the blemish of the falling of the days of the elders who are not as they should be. And then the metzach ha'nachash — which is nourished from there — is subdued and falls. This is the bechinas the first rectification. And then the light of the holy elders — who are the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon — is strengthened and shines. This is the bechinas the second rectification. And then the sages [chachamim] can bind all the wills to the root of will — and the will is revealed in the world, that everything proceeds according to His will, blessed be He, alone. This is the bechinas the third rectification. And through the will, awe [yirah] flows — which is the bechinas the fourth rectification. And through the awe, a vessel is made to receive chessed — and then all the work of creation is sustained by His lovingkindness alone — which is the bechinas the fifth rectification. And all these five rectifications flow and are rectified through the charity that rectifies the elders who are not as they should be, etc. — through which all these rectifications are effected — as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. And therefore charity is the bechinas Hay [five] — as is explained elsewhere. And this is the bechinas the five shekels of the redemption of the firstborn, as above. It thus emerges that the essential sanctification of the firstborn to the Kohen is in order to reveal the metzach ha'ratzon — in order to bind all the wills to there — in order to reveal the illumination of the will — to make known to the world that there is no natural compulsion whatsoever, only that everything proceeds according to His will, blessed be He, alone, as above. And this is what is stated in the Shulchan Aruch: "Once the forehead [paldaas] has emerged, it is considered as having been born" — for the essential birth depends on the forehead, which is the metzach. For the essential purpose of all births in the world is to reveal the will in the world — for this is the reason Hashem blessed be He sustains the world and renews each day the work of creation — and gives power and vitality to give birth from generation to generation — all in order to reveal His Divinity in the world — as it is written: "Generation to generation shall praise Your works and declare Your mighty deeds" [Tehillim 145:4] — that they should know and make known to one another the works of Hashem and His mighty deeds — that He created everything by His will and governs and sustains everything by His will. And therefore one must sanctify the firstborn — who is the first birth — and all births follow from it — in order to reveal through this that everything proceeds according to the will of the Creator, blessed be He, as above. And therefore the essential birth depends on the forehead — for the root of will is in the forehead, in the bechinas the metzach ha'ratzon, etc., as above. Based on the Torah "Ki Merachamam Yenahaggem" [Likutay Tinyana, Siman 7] — see there. According to the Torah Ki Merachamam Yenahaggem in Likutay Tinyana Siman 7 — see there — it is explained there that the essential obligation which a person is obligated to fulfill, to leave behind him children for the sustaining of the world, is primarily to strive to establish children who possess da'as [knowledge/awareness] — who will know Hashem blessed be He, etc. See there regarding the matter of ben u'salmid [son and student] — through whom his da'as [knowledge] remains in the world — for this is the essential remainder of a person, for nothing at all remains from a person after his death except the da'as which he illuminated in his sons and students, etc. See there all of this carefully. And it is explained there that through the totality of ben u'salmid, whoever is an ish chayil [a man of valor/strength] can receive at the time of eating the illumination of the ratzon [Divine will], etc. — for the essential sustenance [parnasah] flows from the yam ha'chochmah [sea of wisdom] which is drawn through ben u'salmid, etc. See there all of this carefully. And this is the bechinas the mitzva of the sanctity of the firstborn — to give him to the Kohen and to redeem him from the Kohen with money. For when a son is born to a person, one must strive that there should be drawn upon him the illumination of the aforementioned holy da'as — which is the da'as of the true Rav [teacher/master] of holiness that illuminates through son and student — for this is the essential purpose of the mitzva of producing a son, as above. And the essential child is the firstborn — who is the first birth from which all subsequent births are drawn — as it is known. Therefore the father must draw the sanctity of the aforementioned da'as upon the firstborn son. Therefore one must give him to the Kohen and redeem him from the Kohen — for the Kohen embodies the aspect of the aforementioned Rav who illuminates through son and student, as is explained there (in section 4). Therefore, through the Kohen, the sanctity of the aforementioned da'as is drawn upon the son — which is the essential vitality and sustenance of the son — for without this, he is not called by the name of adam [a human being] at all, as is explained there. Therefore one must redeem the firstborn from the Kohen with money — for it is explained there that the essential parnasah flows from the da'as of son and student. And therefore one can receive at the time of eating the illumination of the ratzon, etc. Therefore all of Yisroel are obligated to give to the Kohen the priestly gifts [matanos kehunah] from all their eating, and before separating the gifts it is forbidden to eat from the grain, etc. — for all eating and sustenance flows from the Kohen who is comprised of the illumination of son and student, as above. And therefore the Kohanim were commanded to bless Yisroel — to bestow upon them sustenance and wealth — as it is written: "Yivare'checha Hashem" ["May Hashem bless you"]. And our Sages of blessed memory interpreted this as referring to wealth. For all money and sustenance flows from the Kohen. And that which is juxtaposed to this — "Yaer Hashem panav elecha vichuneka" ["May Hashem cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you"] — this is the aspect of the illumination of the face, which corresponds to the makifim [surrounding lights] that illuminate in the yam ha'chochmah — from which the illumination of the ratzon is drawn at the time of eating — as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. For all money and wealth is drawn from there, as above. And through giving the priestly gifts to the Kohen from what one eats, through this is drawn the sanctity of the da'as of the Kohen — which is the aspect of the da'as of son and student — and through this the eating is sanctified and one can merit at the time of eating the illumination of the aforementioned ratzon. And this is the aspect of the great virtue when one merits to give money to the true tzaddikim [righteous ones] in order to redeem his soul or the soul of those who emerged from his loins from all kinds of suffering, illness, and afflictions, Heaven forbid — specifically through the money that one gives to the true tzaddik, who is the Rav of truth that illuminates through son and student. For all kinds of suffering and afflictions, Heaven forbid, are drawn only from a blemish in da'as, Heaven forbid — that is, through removing one's mind, Heaven forbid, from remembering Hashem blessed be He at every moment — in the aspect of: "Is it not because my God is not within me that all these evils have found me?" [Devarim 31:17] — for there is no suffering without sin, and all sins are drawn through the ruach shtus [spirit of foolishness] which is the aforementioned blemish in da'as, as is explained there at the beginning of the aforementioned Torah. And the essential suffering and afflictions, Heaven forbid, are drawn through the blemishing of the illumination of the ratzon through the blemish of da'as — for when one merits to draw from the Rav the aspect of the illumination of the aforementioned da'as, through this the illumination of the ratzon is drawn at the time of eating, and through the illumination of the ratzon, all goodness, kindness, compassion, and all salvations in the world are drawn — for all of them flow from the illumination of the supreme ratzon. And each person, according to how much he blemishes, Heaven forbid, the aforementioned da'as — and does not strive to seek a true Rav such as this in order to receive from him the aforementioned da'as — correspondingly the illumination of the ratzon is blemished, Heaven forbid. And from the blemish of the ratzon, all deficiencies and all sufferings, Heaven forbid, are drawn. For all things are drawn from the illumination of the ratzon, as above. And because of this, when Adam HaRishon [the first man] blemished the da'as through eating from the Tree of Knowledge, the essential part of his curse was in the matter of sustenance — as it is written: "In sadness shall you eat of it; with the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread" [Bereishis 3:17-19], etc. Even though in truth all troubles, sufferings, and all illnesses, Heaven forbid, are all drawn from this curse — for the essential blemish of Adam HaRishon who blemished the da'as reached to eating and sustenance, in that he did not merit the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating — and from there all sufferings, Heaven forbid, are drawn, as above. Therefore in this — that he was cursed in the matter of eating and sustenance, "with the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread" — which is the aspect of charon af [burning anger], the opposite of ratzon — in this is included all sufferings, Heaven forbid, for all of them are drawn from the blemish of the ratzon at the time of eating, which is drawn from the blemish of da'as, as above. And this is the aspect of: "All the toil of a person is for his mouth" [Koheles 6:7] — that all the toil, sufferings, and troubles of a person are all on account of his mouth, on account of the blemish of eating — in that he does not merit to receive then the illumination of the ratzon, as above. And this is because he blemished the da'as, as above. And this is what concludes there: "and the soul is never satisfied" — namely the aspect of the blemish of da'as, for the essential satiation and fulfillment of the soul is through da'as which is the essential vitality of the soul, as it is written: "wisdom gives life" [Koheles 7:12]. And then it is said: "He fills the hungry soul with goodness" [Tehillim 107:9] — which is the da'as, the opposite of the blemish of da'as about which it is said: "without knowledge the soul is not good" [Mishlei 19:2]. For the essential vitality in completeness and fullness is through da'as, as it is written: "and through knowledge shall the chambers be filled" [Mishlei 24:4]. For when one lacks da'as one is always lacking, in the aspect of: "You lacked knowledge — what did you acquire?" etc. And this is the aspect of: "And Yehoshua bin Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom" [Devarim 34:9] — "full" specifically — (in the aspect of "and fill the earth", the aspect of "the whole earth is filled with His glory" [Yeshayah 6:3] — all of which is through holy da'as — see there carefully at the end of the aforementioned Torah how much he elaborates there on the word maleh [full], connecting "full of the spirit of wisdom" with "and fill the earth", "the whole earth is filled with His glory", etc. See there and understand well). It emerges that the essential fulfillment of the soul is da'as. And this is: "and the soul is never satisfied" — which is the blemish of da'as — through which "all the toil of a person is for his mouth" — that he has toil and sufferings, Heaven forbid, on account of his mouth, on account of not meriting the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating — from which all sufferings and deficiencies come — through the money and sustenance being blemished on account of the blemish of da'as — until one does not merit the illumination of the ratzon, as above. Therefore one gives money for redemption [pidyon] to the tzaddik who draws the aforementioned illumination of da'as — for through the money that one gives, all his money is rectified and the aforementioned illumination of the ratzon is drawn upon his money and sustenance — which is the essential rectification drawn through the illumination of the da'as. And when the ratzon illuminates, all deficiencies are rectified and filled — for all salvations and good things come through the illumination of the ratzon, as above. And because of this, after eating specifically, we petition for all salvations in Birkas HaMazon [Grace After Meals], where we say many supplications of HaRachaman [the Merciful One] and petition for all things. For the essential rachamanut [compassion/mercy] is the illumination of the da'as that the true Rav illuminates through son and student — which is the essential compassion in the aspect of "Ki Merachamam Yenahaggem" ["For He who has compassion upon them will lead them"]. The essential compassion flows and illuminates at the time of eating — for then this compassion is revealed through the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates then. Therefore then we say HaRachaman many times and petition for all salvations — for all salvations are drawn from the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates at the time of eating specifically, as above. And this is the aspect of the redemption of the firstborn with money. For through the money given to the Kohen — who is comprised of the da'as of son and student from which all money and sustenance come, as above — through this all his money is rectified and the illumination of the ratzon is drawn upon him, which is the illumination of the da'as. And through this, da'as is drawn upon the firstborn son — which is the essential rectification — for immediately when a son is born, according to the da'as drawn upon him — this being the essential birth, that it should be called by the name of human birth, as above — so too is drawn some measure of abundance of money and sustenance upon him, as above. But everything requires rectification — to clarify and rectify it — and to extract it from the blemish of the sin of Adam HaRishon and from his blemish of da'as. And the rectification is through the Kohen who embodies the aspect of the Rav that illuminates through son and student. And the essential bond to the Kohen is through the money one gives him — through which all his money is rectified and the illumination of the ratzon is drawn upon his money and sustenance, which flows from the illumination of the aforementioned da'as. And through this, the first birth is rectified — which is the birth of the firstborn — that it should be in the aspect of the sanctity of da'as, which is the essential fulfillment of the soul and its vitality. And all of this is through the illumination of the ratzon received through the Kohen, as above. And this is the aspect of the great virtue when one merits to give money to support the true Rav and those attached to him who labor to draw the holy da'as to sons and students — about which it is said: "Rejoice, Zevulun, in your going out, and Yissachar, in your tents" — as our Sages of blessed memory taught [Devarim 33:18] — for when one gives money and sustenance to the aforementioned true Rav, this Rav certainly merits at the time of eating the aforementioned illumination of the ratzon. And then the essential completion of the rectification of the aforementioned da'as occurs — when he merits through this the illumination of the ratzon. And then the one who gives also merits that the illumination of this da'as and ratzon is drawn upon him as well — for the essential illumination of the da'as in its completeness is revealed and completed through the illumination of the ratzon that one merits at the time of eating. Therefore certainly one who merited to feed and sustain the tzaddik — the illumination of this da'as and ratzon is drawn upon him. And through this — to all salvations and all good, as above. And this is the aspect of the five shekels one must give to the Kohen — which are one hundred ma'ah — as the Torah was precise and explained the calculation of the shekel explicitly, as it is written: "and his redemption, from a month old shall you redeem him according to your valuation, five shekels of silver by the shekel of the Sanctuary — twenty gerah it is, and a gerah is a ma'ah" [Bamidbar 18:16]. And our Sages of blessed memory stated that the five shekels of the firstborn correspond to the sale of Yosef — who was the firstborn of Rachel — whom they sold for twenty pieces of silver. Now at first glance this is difficult to understand — because the tribes sold Yosef to the Yishmaelim, must Yisroel redeem the firstborn from the Kohen? And even the children of Yosef themselves are obligated to redeem the firstborn. However, in truth the essential sanctity of the firstborn is in the aforementioned aspect — that one must sanctify the first birth so that the holy da'as should be drawn upon it, as above. For the essential birth in truth is only the birth of da'as — as is understood from the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory — and this is the secret of the Exodus from Egypt. For in Egypt, da'as was in exile — until Pharaoh, who is the kingship of the sitra achara [the other side], said: "Who is Hashem?" [Shemos 5:2], etc. And when they went out of Egypt, then da'as was born and revealed — and from there are drawn all the births of Yisroel. For every single person of Yisroel, from the greatest to the smallest, has some portion in the holy da'as — for every single person of Yisroel is a portion of the Divine from above and has a root in the thought of the Holy Blessed One — which is the root of the holy da'as. Therefore when one person of Yisroel is born, according to his aspect there is drawn some revelation of da'as in the world — for through the birth and addition of one of Yisroel, the da'as in the world is added to, grows, and increases — to know Hashem, the Creator of all, the One, Who supervises and governs, blessed be He. Only that due to the great strengthening of the sitra achara from the sin of Adam HaRishon and from the sins of subsequent generations — particularly in the time of exile — the concealment and hiddenness intensify greatly. For it is known that the shell precedes the fruit, and most births are drawn through the intensification of desire — as it is written: "in sin did my mother conceive me" [Tehillim 51:7]. Therefore the da'as drawn through birth is in great concealment and smallness. And therefore the mother is ritually impure after birth — due to the great provocation of impurity that is stirred then — since it sees that some da'as is now drawn into the world. For impurity always trails after holiness, as is known. Therefore the Torah commanded: "and on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised" [Vayikra 12:3]. And this was juxtaposed to the portion of the impurity of birth — for the foreskin [orlah] also stems from there — for the foreskin, which is from the side of impurity, covers the holy covenant [bris kodesh] whose root is in the supernal da'as, through which the drawing of da'as from generation to generation passes. Therefore one must circumcise the foreskin and reveal the crown, etc., as is understood in the mystical intentions [kavanos]. The general principle is that through every birth of Yisroel, da'as is drawn — only one needs several rectifications to bring it out from concealment to revelation, and afterward to grow it from smallness to greatness, etc. And the essential birth is the first birth, which is the firstborn, as above. Therefore one must sanctify it and redeem it from the Kohen — through whom is the essential drawing of the aforementioned da'as — for the Kohen is the one who serves in the Temple, where there is the essential illumination of the da'as of son and student, as explained in the aforementioned Torah. Therefore: "One who possesses da'as is as though the Temple was rebuilt in his days" — as our Sages of blessed memory said — namely, as above. And therefore the essential sanctity of tefillin — which are the aspect of the sanctity of the mind [moichin] that every single person of Yisroel must draw upon himself each day to recognize and know the Creator, blessed be He — the essential sanctity of tefillin is the aspect of the sanctity of the firstborn — for from there the holy portions of the tefillin begin, as it is written: "Sanctify unto me every firstborn" [Shemos 13:2], etc. And therefore the entire Torah is compared to tefillin, as it is written: "so that the Torah of Hashem should be in your mouth" [Shemos 13:9], etc., as our Sages of blessed memory expounded — for the Torah, which is the essential revelation of the aforementioned holy da'as — to know Him, blessed be He — as it is written: "You have been shown to know that Hashem is the God" [Devarim 4:35] — embodies the aspect of the tefillin of the mind, which is the aspect of the sanctity of the birth of the firstborn — which is the aspect of the birth of the holy mind, as above. And all this began from Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, who was the first to merit revealing His Divinity in the world. Therefore he merited the priesthood [kehunah], as it is written: "You are a Kohen forever" [Tehillim 110:4], as our Sages of blessed memory stated — for certainly the kehunah — which is the aspect of the illumination of the da'as of son and student — belongs to him, for he was the first to begin to labor in this, to illuminate this da'as in the world. Therefore one must give five shekels to the Kohen for the redemption of the firstborn — corresponding to the heh of Avraham — from which is the essential holy birth — in the aspect of: "Avram cannot beget; Avraham can beget" [see Bereishis 17:5, Rashi] — for Avraham was the first who needed to give birth to the holy offspring of Yisroel. Therefore he could not beget without this heh — which is the aspect of the heh of da'as — which he merited through illuminating da'as in the world through the converts he made, as is explained (in Siman 53). For certainly the nations of the world beget even without this heh. And even Avraham himself begat Yishmael before he merited this heh. Only the birth of Yitzchak — who was the first born in the holiness of Yisroel — it was not possible to beget him without this heh, which is the aspect of the heh of da'as. Through which was born such a holy birth — which is the birth of Yitzchak, from whom came Yaakov and all of Yisroel after him — through whom da'as is drawn in the world to know Hashem, blessed be He. And the sanctity of this heh must be drawn upon every first birth — which is the birth of the firstborn — in order to draw through this da'as in the world. Therefore one must redeem the firstborn with five shekels specifically — corresponding to this heh of Avraham — which is the heh of da'as from which is the essential holy birth, as above. And these five shekels are one hundred ma'ah, as the Torah was precise to count — that each shekel is twenty gerah, totaling one hundred — for the essential money and wealth flows from the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates in the yam ha'chochmah, as above — which is the aspect of Mah [numerical value 45], as above — and one must draw it from Mah to Me'ah [one hundred], as is understood from his words, of blessed memory, elsewhere (in Siman 4). And from there all the blessing of wealth — in the aspect of: "And Yitzchak sowed, and he found a hundredfold" [Bereishis 26:12], etc. — for Yitzchak is the aspect of yir'ah [fear/awe], the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak [Fear of Isaac] — for all the rectification of the aforementioned holy da'as and the illumination of the ratzon in sustenance and wealth — all is through yir'ah, as is explained well in the aforementioned Torah. Therefore Yitzchak, who is the aspect of yir'ah, merited to draw from Mah to Me'ah — the blessing of wealth — which is the aspect of the hundredfold, as above. And this is the aspect of the one hundred ma'ah which are the five shekels given to the Kohen for the redemption of the firstborn — in order to draw da'as through the Kohen, who merits the illumination of the ratzon through the money he receives — drawing from Mah to Me'ah, as above. And similarly Yaakov purchased the portion of the field for one hundred kesitah — which are one hundred ma'ah — and through this he revealed His Divinity in the world, as it is written there: "and he erected there an altar and called it El, the God of Yisroel" [Bereishis 33:20] — namely as above. For all the Forefathers were fully occupied throughout their entire lives with this — to draw this holy da'as into the world — and all their actions and dealings were only for this — to make known that Hashem is the God. And therefore Yaakov strove to take the birthright from Esav — and he took it from him at the time of eating specifically — as it is written: "And Yaakov simmered a stew, and Esav came from the field, and he said: 'Let me swallow some of this'", etc., "and he said: 'Sell me as of today your birthright'" [Bereishis 25:29-31], etc. And our Sages of blessed memory taught that on that day, Avraham Avinu died, and Yaakov cooked lentils to comfort his father, etc. — for it is explained in the aforementioned Torah that every person must labor in this to draw this holy da'as into the world — and this is the essential remainder [hasha'arah] of a person after his death — in the aspect of chalifos [exchanges/substitutions], etc. And Avraham who labored in this all his days — and left this holy da'as for generations after him until this very day. Therefore on the day of his passing, Yaakov labored to comfort and to feed his father — in order to draw through eating specifically the legacy of the aforementioned da'as of Avraham — through the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates at the time of eating. And this is the secret of the comforting meal [seudat havra'ah] for the mourner — who is comforted through the comforting meal — for when one's relative passes away, Heaven forbid, and the da'as departs according to the level of the soul that departed — and this is the essential mourning, over the da'as that departed — then the mourner is comforted through the comforting meal, to show that certainly it has not departed entirely, and certainly an illumination of his da'as remains — and it is received through the eating of Yisroel specifically, as above. And the essential [comforting meal] is at the passing of true tzaddikim who labored in this to illuminate da'as in the world — particularly Avraham who was the first to labor in this. Therefore Yaakov labored to cook food to feed his father — to draw the legacy of the da'as of Avraham through the comforting meal — and this is what our Sages of blessed memory stated: that lentils and eggs are cooked to show that the world is like a wheel that revolves — namely the aspect of "one generation passes and another generation comes" — that the generation that goes is the generation that comes — in the aspect of the revolving of souls [gilgulim], as is known. That is, to show that the deceased has not departed entirely, Heaven forbid — rather, the sanctity of his da'as certainly remains in the world — for he is like a revolving wheel — for even though one edge of the wheel descends below, it has not departed entirely — for immediately the other edge of the wheel rises, as is seen in actuality. Similarly when the tzaddik departs — and it appears that he has departed — but in truth he has not departed at all — for immediately the lower edge rises and illuminates in the world — which is the legacy he left in the world through his books and students. For with simple people who did not rectify their deeds properly, this wheel alludes to reincarnations — that one is compelled to come in a reincarnation to return and draw the da'as — to illuminate in the world the impression [roshimu] that remains of his da'as after his departure. But the true tzaddik — immediately at the very moment of his departure, his holy da'as illuminates in the aspect of the aforementioned revolving wheel. It thus emerges that Yaakov labored then to draw the illumination of the legacy of the da'as of his grandfather Avraham Avinu. And then Esav came from the field — exhausted from murder and adultery, as our Sages of blessed memory stated — which is the opposite of the aforementioned da'as. And he said: "Let me swallow some of this", etc. — to eat a coarse eating, an eating of the sitra achara — for he did not believe that through eating one can draw the illumination of the ratzon which is the illumination of the da'as, which is the legacy of Avraham. Therefore Yaakov said to him, appropriately and correctly, at its proper time: if so, "sell me today your birthright" — for why do you need the birthright, which is the illumination of the aforementioned da'as, since you deny all this? And immediately Esav agreed and admitted to him, saying: "Behold, I am going to die — so what use to me is the birthright?" — meaning: since he is going to truly die an eternal death, and nothing of him will remain in this world — therefore why does he need the birthright which is the illumination of the da'as — for he does not believe in all of this. It thus emerges that the verse is well aligned and precise — juxtaposing his death to the disparagement of the birthright, as above. And so too the entire portion, with Hashem's blessed help, is beautifully and compellingly expounded according to all of the above. Therefore indeed Yaakov merited through this to also receive the blessing of wealth from Yitzchak — for the one depends on the other, as above. For Yitzchak erred regarding Esav, as our Sages of blessed memory stated — and therefore wanted to bless him before his death through eating specifically — for he thought that if Esav would feed him, and his intention would be to receive the legacy of his da'as before his death, then he could illuminate da'as within him at the time of eating specifically, as above. Therefore Yitzchak was precise and said: "and I will bless you before Hashem, before my death" — "before my death" specifically — for all his will and intention was to leave his da'as behind him after his death, as above. Therefore he wanted to bless Esav with wealth before his death at the time of eating specifically, as above. But Rivkah knew of Esav's wickedness — that he had no desire for the blessing which is the holy da'as, only for material lusts in this world alone. Therefore she hastened and called Yaakov — urging him to prepare and bring food to his father, as he loved it — in order to receive from him the holy legacy of his da'as before his death, at the time of eating specifically, as above. For this was the entire intention of Rivkah our mother and Yaakov our father — and with the kindness of Hashem it succeeded for them. And he then received the blessing of wealth — in order to merit through this the illumination of the ratzon which is the illumination of the da'as, as above. Therefore at the time he blessed him with wealth and sustenance, he gave him dominion and kingship — as it is written there: "And may the God give you of the dew of the heavens" [Bereishis 27:28], etc. — which is sustenance and wealth — "peoples shall serve you" [ibid.] — namely, kingship and dominion — for one needs dominion and kingship to be an ish chayil, in order to receive wealth with the illumination of the ratzon, as is explained well in the aforementioned Torah. And this is what Yitzchak said when Yaakov entered with the food: "See, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field that Hashem has blessed" [Bereishis 27:27] — this is the aspect of the aforementioned illumination of the ratzon, which is the aspect of Mah — the aspect of meh chamis [what do you see?] — which is the secret of smell — for there no thought grasps at all — only as one who smells fragrances — in the aspect of "Flee, my Beloved, and be like a gazelle", etc., "upon the mountains of spices" [Shir HaShirim 8:14] — (as is explained somewhat in our words in Hilchos Birchas HaRei'ach, see there and understand). And therefore Esav cried out: "He took my birthright, and see, now he has taken my blessing" [Bereishis 27:36] — for the one depends on the other — for the blessing was taken through the birthright, as above. And this explains: "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments", etc., "I will give your rains in their time", etc., "and you shall eat your bread to satiety" [Vayikra 26:3-5], etc. And many have marveled greatly that only this-worldly rewards were mentioned — sustenance and satiety — as this difficulty is raised by many commentators. But according to the above it is well resolved. For the essential promise — when it promises them sustenance and satiety — the essential thing is what they will merit through the sustenance and satiety: the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates at the time of eating specifically, as above. Which is certainly a great promise — for this is the essential purpose in this world and in the World to Come forever. For this is the aspect of: "As in the days of your coming out of Egypt I will show him wonders" [Michah 7:15] — Mah [what] specifically — which is the aspect of: "How great is Your goodness which You have hidden for those who fear You" [Tehillim 31:20], etc. — which is the reward of the World to Come — that they merit to receive illumination from there — in the aspect of the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating. And therefore the Torah promises them with the blessing of eating and satiety as the reward for Torah and mitzvos — which are the essential sanctity of the aforementioned da'as — for at the time of eating specifically they will merit the illumination of the ratzon of the future, when they merit the aforementioned da'as which is the observance of Torah and mitzvos, as above. And likewise it is explained in this portion for one who truly studies the Torah — for when it promises them all the blessings of sustenance and satiety, and elaborates on this until "you shall eat old produce" [Vayikra 26:10], etc. — in the midst of this it goes on to promise them the great intensity of their closeness to Him, blessed be He — that they will merit through this: as it is written there immediately: "And I will place My Tabernacle among you" [Vayikra 26:11], etc., "and I will walk among you, and I will be a God to you, and you shall be a people to Me" [ibid. 12], etc. And Rashi explained: "I will stroll with you in the Garden of Eden" — namely the delight of the World to Come. And what Rashi concluded there: "One might think: you will fear Me — therefore the Torah states: 'and I will be a God to you'" — for the essential delight of the World to Come is the aspect of the aforementioned illumination of the ratzon — in the aspect of "As in the days of", etc., as above — that they will then merit to combine both perceptions together — Mal'a [fullness] and Mah — which is the essential closeness to Him, blessed be He — in the aspect of "I will stroll with you in the Garden of Eden". And all of this can only be merited through yir'ah [fear/awe] — as is explained there. Therefore Rashi was precise and concluded: "One might think: you will fear Me — therefore the Torah states", etc. — for one can only merit all of the above through yir'ah — in the aspect of: "How great is Your goodness which You have hidden for those who fear You" specifically. And all this — Yisroel will merit to receive a great illumination from this even in this world at the time of eating — and on account of this He blessed them everywhere with the blessing of eating specifically — because then they receive the illumination of the ratzon, which is the essential purpose in this world and the World to Come. And truly I did not understand from the outset what the commentators' difficulty was regarding the Torah mentioning material promises — for it is explicitly stated in this portion that there are spiritual promises which are the essential purpose in this world and the World to Come forever — as is explained and elaborated in this portion from "And I will place My Tabernacle among you" — which is the Temple where the essential perception of the aforementioned da'as occurs — and "I will walk among you", etc., until the end of the portion. Only that one can question what connection there is between the blessing of eating and sustenance and the promise of "I will walk among you", etc. But according to the awesome introduction above — which our Admo"r of blessed memory revealed in the aforementioned Torah — that through the illumination of the aforementioned da'as, which is the observance of Torah and mitzvos, one merits the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating specifically, as above — the verse is well resolved and connected. And similarly wherever it promises them with the blessing of eating and sustenance — even where it is cryptic and not explicit as here — one learns the cryptic from the explicit — that the essential intention in the blessing of sustenance and eating as the reward of Torah is because in eating — which one merits through the Torah which is the da'as — in this eating the illumination of the ratzon illuminates, which is the essential purpose in this world and the World to Come, as above. And this is the aspect of: "and you shall eat your bread to satiety". And similarly in the portion "V'hayah im shamo'a" it is written: "and you will eat and be satisfied" — namely the aspect of the aforementioned illumination of the ratzon — which is the essential satiety — in the aspect of "He satisfies every living creature with its will [ratzon]" [Tehillim 145:16] — which is the aspect of: "A righteous person eats to the satiety of his soul" [Mishlei 13:25] — for the essential satiety is through the illumination of the ratzon. As it states in the holy Zohar: "It is the will of satisfaction that he has experienced" — see there. And this is what concludes: "I am Hashem your God who took you out", etc., "and I led you upright" [Vayikra 26:13] — Rashi explained: "with upright stature" — this is the aspect of what is explained there in the aforementioned Torah — that to merit the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating, one must be an ish chayil who has a portion in holy kingship and dominion. Therefore Hashem, blessed be He, reminds them of the kindness He did for them — that He took them out of Egypt from being slaves — that is, He took them out of exile so that the wicked kingdom would not rule over them. And He continues to explain: "I broke the yoke-bars of your burden and led you upright" — with upright stature — namely the aspect of men of valor, etc. — the opposite of servitude. On the contrary — each and every person of Yisroel will have a portion in holy kingship — through which specifically they will merit the illumination of the ratzon, as above. See all of this in the aforementioned Torah and you will well understand our words. And this explains: "and you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword, and five of you shall chase a hundred" [Vayikra 26:7-8], etc. For one must strengthen himself with all his might to be an ish chayil, etc. — so that he will have a portion in holy kingship and dominion. See below regarding the verse "Your kingship is a kingship of all worlds" [Tehillim 145:13], etc. — for the essential kingship and dominion is holy dominion — that is, when one strengthens himself to illuminate da'as in his fellow, etc. And this is: "and you shall chase your enemies", etc. For at first glance, it is wondrous — what is the blessing of this promise that they will chase their enemies, etc.? Is this the true purpose of Yisroel, the holy nation — to chase their enemies and strike them down by the sword, to avenge and shed blood, Heaven forbid? Does not Hashem, blessed be He, desire peace — and bless His people Yisroel with peace — and would it not have sufficed with the promise of "I will give peace in the land"? Why must we chase after enemies? But in truth it is known that all the worlds were created only to recognize and know Him, blessed be He — as it states in the holy Zohar: "in order that they should know Him". And therefore everything was created for Yisroel — who should receive His Torah, which is the holy da'as — through which they recognize and know Him, blessed be He. Therefore all greatness and kingship belongs only to Yisroel who do His will — who merit this da'as for which everything was created. Therefore only they are called adam [human beings], as our Sages of blessed memory stated — for one who lacks this da'as is an animal in human form, as is explained at the beginning of the aforementioned Torah. And because of this, each person is obligated to labor in the settlement of the world — that is, to bring the true da'as into others — which is the essential labor in the settlement of the world, as is explained there, as above. And when Yisroel merit to do His will, they are obligated to strive with all their strength to bring this da'as also into the nations of the world — as it is written: "Tell among the nations of His glory" [Tehillim 96:3], etc. And it is written: "Make known among the peoples His deeds" [Tehillim 105:1], etc. And similarly in many verses. And this is all the obligatory wars that Yisroel were commanded — all in order to return them to truth, to make known to them that Hashem is the God — which is the true purpose. And this is the essential promise of "and you shall chase your enemies", etc. — in the aspect of: "seek peace and pursue it" [Tehillim 34:15] — in the aspect of what the holy Zohar states: "Praiseworthy is one who grasps the hand of a wicked person and seeks to pursue him". For this pursuit is the essential true peace — for as long as they do not merit the aforementioned da'as and do not do His will, Heaven forbid, and do not depart from sins and blemishes, Heaven forbid — even if it appears that he has great peace, this is no peace at all — for there is no peace, says Hashem, for the wicked — for as long as his deeds do not ascend well according to His will, blessed be He — how is it possible to have true peace? For even within himself there is no peace — as it is written: "there is no peace in my bones because of my sin" [Tehillim 38:4] — (see this elsewhere). And this is the aspect of: "and you shall chase your enemies" — that when they do His will, they are commanded to chase their enemies — in order to return them to the good path, to bring them close to truth — which is the essential true peace — in the aspect of: "Love truth and peace" [Zechariah 8:19]. Which is the aspect of: "seek peace and pursue it" — in the aspect of: "seeks to pursue him". And this is: "and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword" — that is, through prayers and supplications which are called a sword — in the aspect of: "by my sword and my bow" [Bereishis 48:22] — as is explained at the beginning of the Torah (Siman 2, Likutay part 1) that the essential weapons of holiness are prayers and supplications — see there. And this is: "and five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand" [Vayikra 26:8], etc. And Rashi explained that they will fall before you in a manner that transcends nature. For one needs to be an ish chayil, etc. — who has a portion in holy dominion — and be very firm in his conviction in the truth. For in the end, truth will certainly be revealed — for truth stands firm — and "truth will spring from the earth" [Tehillim 85:12], etc. Therefore certainly five who firmly hold to the truth have the power to chase a hundred — to pursue them with words of truth and with supplications and entreaties to Hashem, blessed be He, which are the aspect of the sword and weapons of Yisroel — until they conquer them and bring into them the true da'as. And afterward: "a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand" — all as above. And then: "I will turn to you" [Vayikra 26:9], etc., "and I will establish My covenant with you". And Rashi explained: not like the first covenant which you broke — rather a new covenant that shall not be broken, etc. "And I will walk among you — I will stroll with you in the Garden of Eden", etc. For the essential totality of all these promises is the ultimate delight of the righteous in the World to Come, in the Garden of Eden — where the essential delight is that they will recognize and know Him, blessed be He — in the aspect of "and I will be a God to you", etc. Only that since it is impossible to merit all this except for one who labored on the eve of Shabbos, etc. — and the essential labor and striving in this world is to emerge from the curse of Adam HaRishon's sin — whose essence was in the matter of eating — until one merits through eating specifically the illumination of the ratzon — which is the aspect of "How great is Your goodness", etc. — as above. Therefore the portion begins, "If you walk in My statutes" — with the promises of the blessing of eating — for through this they will merit the illumination of the ratzon which is the essential purpose, as above. And Yaakov passed the birthright to his son Yosef — for he was a son of his old age. "Old" — one who has acquired wisdom [see Kiddushin 32b], as our Sages of blessed memory stated — and it is brought in Rashi's commentary that everything he learned from Shem and Ever he transmitted to him. Therefore, since he transmitted to him his holy wisdom and da'as, he therefore gave him the birthright — which is the aspect of the sanctity of da'as that the tzaddik must leave behind to his sons and students, as above. For the birthright should have gone to Reuven — but when he defiled his father's bed, through this he blemished the da'as — and therefore his birthright was given to Yosef who merited to preserve the da'as in its completeness — for he withstood the test of this very desire — which is the essential preservation of da'as. And the tribes were jealous of him because he brought a bad report about them. Therefore they suspected him of all things he said against them, as our Sages of blessed memory stated: "Whoever disqualifies, disqualifies through his own blemish". They also saw with the holy spirit that Yerovam and Achav would descend from him — who would serve idolatry — therefore they suspected him of misleading his father, similar to Esav — until they permitted his blood. And this is the aspect of the dream he told them: "and behold, we were binding sheaves", etc., "and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright" [Bereishis 37:7], etc. "And his brothers said to him: 'Shall you indeed reign over us?'" [Bereishis 37:8]. For in truth his brothers erred regarding Yosef — for in truth he was a great tzaddik who merited to receive the essential da'as from his father. Therefore in the dream it was shown to him that he would reign and rule — and it was shown to him specifically through the grain of the field that they were binding into sheaves — namely the aforementioned matter — that through da'as one merits to receive the illumination of the ratzon through kingship and dominion — therefore it was shown to him that he merited this, and they alluded to him specifically through the sheaves of the field — which is the aspect of the abundance of sustenance — to show that he merited dominion and kingship — through which the sheaves of the field grow — namely the abundance of sustenance, etc. For he merited this through the greatness of the aforementioned da'as that he received from his father, as above. And his brothers understood his interpretation of the dream regarding this matter — therefore they were jealous of him and said: "Shall you indeed reign over us?", etc. For they said that he was the opposite — that he was misleading his father — and wanted to reign and rule with the kingship of the sitra achara — like Yerovam who descended from him — who reigned over Yisroel and led them greatly into sin through the two golden calves he made for them. For in money and wealth in holiness it is very, very lofty — for it is drawn from the hands [yadayim] that are in the yam ha'chochmah, etc. — and therefore the illumination of the ratzon shines there, as above. But this can only be merited by the true tzaddik and those truly attached to him — who receive from him the aforementioned da'as that illuminates through son and student, as above. But on the contrary, Heaven forbid — one who does not receive the aforementioned da'as — all the more so one who opposes the tzaddik who illuminates the aforementioned da'as — all his downfall is through money and wealth — for below, all of this world is gripped by money — as is explained elsewhere (in Siman 23). And as it is written: "Silver I multiplied for them and gold — they made for Baal" [Hoshea 2:10] — (see this elsewhere). Therefore the tribes erred and said that Yosef wanted to reign over them with the kingship of the aforementioned sitra achara — until they permitted his blood. And this is what Yehudah said to them: "What profit if we kill our brother?", etc., "Come, let us sell him to the Yishmaelim" [Bereishis 37:26-27], etc. And the matter is very wondrous — did it enter Yehudah's mind that they wanted to kill Yosef for profit and money, that he said to them: "What profit if we kill", etc.? For did he not know the truth — that their intention was for the sake of Heaven, according to their error — that they wanted to kill him so that he would not mislead them or others from the true faith that they received from their father? Certainly their intention was not at all for any money or profit? Only Yehudah alluded to them the aforementioned matter — since according to your view you wish to remove him so that he should not ruin the holy da'as that the Forefathers began to draw in the world — and then you will be able to draw this holy da'as yourselves — therefore he said to them: "What profit?", etc., "Come, let us sell him", etc. — meaning: according to this view it is better to sell him and receive money for him. And you, the tribes — all of you being holy — when you receive money for him, you will thereby receive and elevate the illumination of the ratzon that shines in money when received properly — and then you will rectify the matter properly. For what according to your view Yosef wanted to blemish in the da'as — which is the blemish of the ratzon that shines in money — which is the blemish of kingship and dominion — therefore it is better that you sell him — and through this you will bring him down from the dominion — and he will no longer be able to reign over you with the kingship of the sitra achara, Heaven forbid, and ruin the da'as through the multiplication of wealth as Yerovam did, etc. On the contrary — you will receive the price of his sale — and through this you will merit to receive and elevate the illumination of the ratzon that fell to Yosef according to their error — and you will elevate it and receive the illumination of the ratzon through the money you receive from his sale. It thus emerges that according to their error, Yehudah said to them correctly — for in truth certainly the tribes also had great da'as that they received from their father — only they erred regarding Yosef, who received more da'as than them, and they thought the opposite, as above. Therefore they sold him for twenty pieces of silver which are one hundred ma'ah — which is the aspect of the aforementioned one hundred she'arim [gates/measures]. For they erred and said that through this they would draw the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates through drawing wealth in holiness from Mah to Me'ah, as above. But they greatly erred in this, as explained in the Torah — for even great tzaddikim can err regarding the tzaddik greater than them — until they want to kill him or sell him for money, etc. Therefore the rectification is through the five shekels — which are twenty pieces of silver, one hundred ma'ah — that are given for the redemption of the firstborn — through which the sanctity of da'as is drawn — which is the aspect of drawing the ratzon that illuminates in money, as above. And the essential mitzva of the redemption of the firstborn from the Kohen was commanded to Yisroel after the incident of the Golden Calf — at the time of the erection of the Tabernacle [Mishkan] — when the Kohanim were sanctified in place of the firstborns — and they were commanded to redeem all the firstborns with five shekels of silver — as is written in the portion of Bamidbar. For all the matter of the Golden Calf came through the aforementioned blemish — that they blemished in the wealth, in the silver and gold — until they made from it an idol of the Calf — as it is written: "and enough gold" [Devarim 1:1, see Rashi] — as our Sages of blessed memory stated. And all this was because they blemished the honor of Moshe their teacher — who is the essential illumination of the da'as that illuminated in us for generations — to know Him, blessed be He — and gave us the Torah with such awesome signs. And from the great jealousy of the Erev Rav [mixed multitude], they misled Yisroel — until they said: "For this Moshe, the man, we do not know what has become of him" [Shemos 32:1] — saying he had died and departed. Therefore: "Arise, make for us a God" [ibid.], etc. And the essential blemish was that they did not believe in the greatness of Moshe's power — that even according to their error — that he had already died and departed — certainly his da'as remained with his students Aharon, Chur, and Yehoshua, etc. And they denied this — until they said: "Arise, make for us a God" — for one who denies the true tzaddik comes to deny Hashem, blessed be He. And when they blemished Moshe — who is the da'as — certainly the wealth fell to them into the sitra achara. Therefore they made from the wealth specifically an idol — which is the Calf made from the abundance of gold, as above. And the work of the adversary [Satan] succeeded through casting in the tablet which had written upon it "Rise, ox" — through which Moshe had raised the bones of Yosef from Egypt. For Yisroel could not leave Egypt until they raised Yosef's bones with them — as he made them swear: "God will surely remember you" [Bereishis 50:25], etc. — for the entire redemption depended on this. For Yosef was the true tzaddik who is one of the seven shepherds who drew the holy da'as in the world. And the entire drawing of the da'as of the true tzaddik is not only in his lifetime — on the contrary — after his death and departure his da'as illuminates more and more in the world — for "The righteous are greater in their death than in their lifetime". As it states in the holy Zohar: "after the righteous depart, they are found more", etc. And regarding this it is said: "And I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living" [Koheles 4:2], etc. As our Sages of blessed memory stated (Shabbos 30) — since they have already died and their decrees and rectifications still stand. Therefore the essential Exodus from Egypt was through Moshe raising the bones of Yosef — through which he drew the illumination of Yosef's da'as — which is the aspect of the illumination of the ratzon that Yosef merited through his holy dominion. And through this, Yisroel left Egypt from under the governance and kingship of the sitra achara. Therefore Moshe specifically labored with the bones of Yosef at the time when Yisroel were occupied with the spoils of Egypt — as it is written: "A wise-hearted man takes mitzvos" [Mishlei 10:8], as our Sages of blessed memory expounded. And at first glance it is difficult — for the wealth that they raised from Egypt was also a great mitzva — for Hashem blessed be He had warned them greatly about this, as it is written: "Please speak, and let them borrow" [Shemos 11:2], etc. But in truth, the essential mitzva of raising the wealth from Egypt — as He had promised Avraham Avinu: "afterward they shall leave with great wealth" [Bereishis 15:14] — the essential promise and the essential mitzva was in the aforementioned aspect — because through the wealth and riches one merits the illumination of the ratzon, which is the essential purpose. But this can only be merited through the true tzaddik — who is Yosef the tzaddik — who illuminates this illumination more after his departure. Therefore Moshe specifically labored with the bones of Yosef at that time — while Yisroel were occupied with the spoils of Egypt — to receive and elevate the wealth from the sitra achara to holiness — in order to receive through this the illumination of the ratzon drawn from the illumination of the da'as through the bones of Yosef the tzaddik, as above. But as one opposite the other — just as holiness has the power — so too Hashem, blessed be He, gave power to the sitra achara that comes to defile, Heaven forbid. And all for the sake of free choice [bechirah] which has great power — (as is explained elsewhere). Therefore with this very name through which Moshe raised the bones of Yosef, the Calf arose from the abundance of their gold. For when they blemish the wealth, the sitra achara can reverse it completely, Heaven forbid — until idolatry is made from the wealth — because at its root it contains such lofty holiness — in the aspect of the illumination of the ratzon, as above. For it is known that wherever there is greater holiness — when blemished there, Heaven forbid — the blemish is very great. For one opposite the other — evil opposite good, etc. And because of this, Aharon was compelled to engage in this himself — for he saw that it was impossible to overpower them and turn their minds to the truth. Therefore he thought: perhaps he could strengthen the hidden holiness within the gold they gave — to elevate it with the force of his power until their evil inclination would be nullified. But the work of the adversary succeeded. Yet even so — through Aharon engaging in it with strategies and delaying them — until in the meantime Moshe arrived, as Rashi explained there. Through this, in the end, Moshe and Aharon prevailed — until they burned the Calf and rectified the sin through the making of the Tabernacle — which was made from the wealth of Yisroel, from gold and silver, etc. And there His Divinity was revealed and the illumination of the da'as and the illumination of the ratzon shone. And then Aharon and his descendants after him were sanctified as Kohanim — and likewise all the tribe of Levi — because they did not err in the Calf and did not blemish the wealth, as above. And then they were commanded to redeem the firstborn from the Kohen with silver — for the firstborns had erred in the Calf and were removed from the service that had been in their hands — and they were commanded to redeem them from the Kohen with silver — which is the rectification of wealth, as above. Which is the rectification of the sin of the Calf, as above. Which is the aspect of the rectification of the sale of Yosef for twenty pieces of silver — all of which was a blemish of the illumination of da'as, a blemish of the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates in silver and wealth. And through the redemption of the firstborn with silver, one returns and elevates the wealth to holiness — and draws the illumination of the da'as and the ratzon — and rectifies all this, as above. Therefore it is a great mitzva to eat on Shabbos — for the essential illumination of the aforementioned da'as is on holy Shabbos, as is explained elsewhere. And therefore the Torah was given on Shabbos — for the Torah is da'as, as above. Therefore then at the time of eating the illumination of the ratzon illuminates — and therefore then it is a great mitzva to eat and drink — in order to receive at the time of eating the illumination of the ratzon, through which the essential drawing of the aforementioned da'as occurs, as above. And therefore the essential revelation of the Torah — which the tzaddikim reveal to their students — is on Shabbos. And the essential time is at the Shabbos meal — for at the time of the Shabbos meal, the aforementioned ratzon illuminates — through which the essential drawing of da'as from the Rav to the student occurs, as above. And therefore there is more Torah revealed specifically at the third meal [Seudah Shlishis] — for then Moshe Rabbeinu departed — for he departed at the time of Mincha of Shabbos, when Ra'ava D'Ra'avin [the Will of Wills] — the ratzon within ratzonos — illuminates. For the essential true da'as, as above, is drawn through Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him — who opened for us the light of da'as to know that Hashem is the God, as above. Therefore he departed on Shabbos at Mincha — at the ratzon within ratzonos — for the essential leaving over of da'as from generation to generation forever is through the illumination of the aforementioned ratzon. For the adversary and the sitra achara strengthen themselves greatly in every generation against those who come to receive this holy da'as. Therefore the essential rectification is through the illumination of the ratzon that He implants within them — so that however the situation may be, at the very least their will, longing, yearning, and desire for Hashem, blessed be He, will remain strong always. And through this He strengthens and sustains them in their place — lest they ever fall. Therefore at the time of Seudah Shlishis — when the illumination of the ratzon shines at the time of the meal specifically, as above — therefore then there is greater labor in revealing Torah and drawing da'as to students. For the essential leaving over of da'as is through the illumination of the ratzon, as above. Which is the aspect of the departure of Moshe on Shabbos at Mincha — at the ratzon within ratzonos — in order that his da'as should remain after him, after his departure, forever — through the illumination of the ratzon he draws then. Through which the essential drawing of the da'as of the tzaddik also after his departure from generation to generation to all eternity, as above. And this is the aspect of Lag BaOmer — for the essential joy then is that Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai departed — and left behind such a legacy of holy da'as in the world — which is the holy Sefer HaZohar. Through which: "they will go out from exile" [see Zohar III, 124b] — as he expounded on the verse: "for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of his descendants" [Devarim 31:21], etc. And therefore this secret is hinted in the verse: "and they ate there on the mound" [Bereishis 31:46] — in the aspect of "the mound as a witness" [ibid.], as brought in the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory. And this is: "and they ate there" specifically — for through the eating of Yaakov and his sons the tzaddikim, through this they drew the illumination of the ratzon — which is the aspect of the illumination of the legacy of the da'as of the tzaddik. Which is the aspect of the departure of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai on Lag BaOmer — who left such da'as in the world — whose essence is drawn through the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating specifically. And therefore: "and they ate there" — "and they ate" specifically, as above. For the students of Rebbe Akiva departed between Pesach and Atzeres [Shavuos] — and the world was desolate, etc. — as our Sages of blessed memory stated. For between Pesach and Atzeres — which are the days of Sefiras HaOmer [Counting of the Omer] — one labors then to draw this holy da'as. The beginning of its drawing is at Pesach — when He took us out through Moshe Rabbeinu from Egypt — and then the holy da'as was born and revealed through the awesome signs and wonders he performed before all — through which he opened the light of da'as in the world — and made known that Hashem is the God, Who rules and governs in His world to do with it as He wills. But then at Pesach, da'as was drawn in a wondrous illumination — not in a gradual manner. And afterward, on the second day, this great da'as departs — and one begins to draw the da'as gradually in order — through the waving of the Omer, and through the mitzva of counting — (see this elsewhere in Hilchos Petter Chamor). And the essential drawing of this holy da'as is to draw it from generation to generation forever. And in the days of Rebbe Akiva, his holy da'as needed to be drawn to his students — so that his da'as would remain forever. And the adversary stirred up contention among them — until all of them departed during the days of the Sefirah specifically — because that is when one must draw the da'as, as above. Therefore he stirred himself then specifically — as is always his way: in the time and place where he sees that there is labor to rectify — then specifically he stirs up all his strength to ruin, Heaven forbid. But: "You, Hashem, are exalted forever" [Tehillim 92:9] — for the rectification was through Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai and his students — who was among the students of Rebbe Akiva. For Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai received the da'as from his teacher Rebbe Akiva — and illuminated it in his students forever. Therefore we rejoice on the day of his departure specifically — which is Lag BaOmer — for this is the essential joy. For after the departure of the true tzaddik, the da'as illuminates even more. And this is the essential greatness of the tzaddik — who drew such great and holy da'as into the world and illuminated it in his students — until the da'as remained for eternal generations forever. And therefore we count the days of the Sefirah at the time when the grain grows — and we petition each day: "The earth has given its produce; may God, our God, bless us" [Tehillim 67:7], etc. And the entire count of the days of the Sefirah is from the bringing of the Omer of barley until Shavuos when they bring the Two Loaves of wheat. For the Omer permitted the eating of Yisroel — for it is forbidden to eat before the waving of the Omer — for through the da'as drawn by the waving of the Omer, one merits to draw the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating — which is the essential rectification of the eating of Yisroel, as above. Therefore then we petition for this — that the earth should give its produce and God should bless us — for the essential blessing is the illumination of the ratzon, which is the source of blessing — in the aspect of: "May Hashem bless you and guard you; may Hashem cause His face to shine", etc. [Bamidbar 6:24-25] — as above. Which is the aspect of what we petition during the Sefirah: "May God be gracious to us and bless us; may He cause His face to shine with us, Selah" [Tehillim 67:2] — namely the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating and sustenance — which they receive then — for then the grain grows, as above. And similarly the manna — which is the aspect of the sustenance of Yisroel — was drawn during the days of the Sefirah on the fifteenth of Iyar. For the manna is the aspect of the illumination of the ratzon drawn through the da'as of Moshe — in the aspect of: "for they did not know what it was" [Shemos 16:15] — in the aspect of Mah — in the aspect of the ultimate of knowledge which is that one cannot know — which is the aspect of the illumination of the ratzon, as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. Therefore: "The Torah was only given to those who ate the manna" [Mechilta on Shemos 16:4] — for because during the days of the Sefirah the aforementioned is drawn — therefore then sustenance flows in the aspect of manna — in the aspect of: "the earth has given its produce" — through which one receives the illumination of the ratzon — through which the essential sustaining of the drawing of da'as from generation to generation forever occurs, as above. And this is: "Seven weeks shall you count for yourself, from when the sickle is first put to the standing grain" [Devarim 16:9], etc., "and you shall celebrate the festival of Shavuos to Hashem your God with the free-will offering of your hand which you shall give" [ibid. 10]. For on Shavuos — which is the reception of the Torah, when the essential drawing of the aforementioned da'as occurs — then the essential rectification is through charity and money given to true tzaddikim — in the aspect of: "the free-will offering of your hand which you shall give". For through this all his money and sustenance is rectified — and he merits the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating — through which the essential sustaining of the drawing of da'as occurs, as above. And this explains: "Your kingship is a kingship of all worlds, and Your dominion is in every generation" [Tehillim 145:13] — which is juxtaposed to the verse: "Hashem supports all who fall" [ibid. 14], etc., and "The eyes of all" [ibid. 15], etc. For it is explained in the aforementioned Torah regarding the aforementioned da'as of son and student — through which the illumination of the ratzon is drawn at the time of eating — that to merit this one must be an ish chayil and not the opposite — which is the matter of weakness and limp hands, called in Yiddish shlemazalnik, etc. And then specifically one can merit the exceptional illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating, etc. See there all of this carefully. And how it goes on to explain there: that the Malchus [kingship] gathers all the trust — that all look to sustenance — and rises with them and receives the sustenance from the yam ha'chochmah [sea of wisdom] — which is the da'as of son and student, as above — namely from the yadayim [hands/hints] that are in the yam ha'chochmah — in the aspect of: "this great sea and broad of hands" [Tehillim 104:25], etc. For the hints are called yadayim [hands], in the aspect of: "I have stretched out my hand", etc. And therefore one who wants to gird his loins to provide sustenance for his wife and children and all who depend on him — must be an ish chayil, etc. — who will have the aspect of dominion and kingship — in order to have a portion in holy kingship — in order to be able to receive sustenance from the aforementioned yadayim where the illumination of the ratzon shines, etc., as above. And therefore specifically then one merits the exceptional illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating — which is the sustenance, as above. And the explanation of these matters according to our humble understanding is as follows: the essential illumination of the aforementioned da'as is very great and powerful encouragement for each and every person — wherever he may be — which is the essential illumination for those who dwell below — to strengthen and fortify them, to arouse them, and to make known to them that Hashem is still with them and near to them, etc. — for "the whole earth is filled with His glory", etc. And each person, according to how much he follows the truth of this holy da'as, so merits he to be an ish chayil, diligent — and merits to receive for himself the aspect of kingship and dominion. And then specifically he can provide sustenance for his wife and children and all who depend on him — and can merit great holy wealth through this — and receive in eating, sustenance, and wealth the illumination of the ratzon — which is the essential sustaining of the drawing of the aforementioned da'as. And the essential thing is emunah [faith/trust] — as I understood from his holy conversations which he had with us after the aforementioned Torah — that through emunah one merits the exceptional illumination of the ratzon — until one does not know at all what he desires — and will cry out, etc. — as is printed at the end of the Sipuray Masiyos [Stories], see there. And it is related to the aforementioned Torah — for all is one. For one who strengthens himself with complete emunah in Hashem, blessed be He, and believes that Hashem, blessed be He, is full of the entire world with His glory — and that even as he is, Hashem, blessed be He, is still beside him and with him and close to him always — then certainly he is an ish chayil and has a portion in the aspect of kingship and dominion. For emunah is the essential strengthening — in the aspect of: "Hashem has donned strength, He has girded Himself" [Tehillim 93:1] — in the aspect of: "and righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and emunah the girdle of his hips" [Yeshayah 11:5]. Which every single person of Yisroel must draw upon himself anew each day — to gird himself with emunah in Hashem, blessed be He — and to be like a mighty warrior arrayed for battle — to fight the battle of Hashem each day. And upon this we bless each day: "Who girds Yisroel with might" — which is the aspect of: "Prepare to meet your God, Yisroel" [Amos 4:12]. And the essential battle is to strengthen oneself — not to fall in any manner — and the essential strengthening is through the yam ha'chochmah of the true tzaddik that illuminates through son and student, as above. And the essential thing is through the hints — for it is impossible to explain everything verbally — and one must understand the hints that are hinted to us at every moment through the yadayim in the yam ha'chochmah. And then when one truly believes that Hashem is still with him — then certainly he receives strength and holy dominion and kingship — which is the essential true kingship — in the aspect of: "All Yisroel are the children of kings" [Shabbos 128a]. For it is known and clear to every intelligent person that there is no true dominion and kingship in the world except holy kingship — that is, when one has some kingship and dominion in order to magnify His honor, blessed be He — which is the aspect of the kingship that endures forever — in the aspect of: "for kingship belongs to Hashem" [Tehillim 22:29]. But any aspect of kingship, dominion, and arrogance that is not for the sake of Heaven — all of it is futile vapor with no substance — as it is written: "and the men of renown are as nothing" [Yeshayah 40:23], etc. For today here and tomorrow in the grave — and his kingship is not an eternal kingship. And: "if his greatness reaches to the heavens" [Iyov 20:6], etc., "he shall perish forever like his dung" [ibid. 7], etc. Therefore the essential kingship and dominion is when one merits to strengthen himself and to know that Hashem is still with him — and through this, not only does he strengthen himself — but he is also able to arouse and strengthen the hearts of others — to draw the illumination of the aforementioned da'as to sons and students in great numbers — each according to his aspect. And this is the essential true kingship that endures forever — for "His kingship rules over all" [Tehillim 103:19]. As our Sages of blessed memory stated: "Who are kings? The Sages" — as it is said: "Through me, kings reign" [Mishlei 8:15]. For when one illuminates some word of the holy da'as in his fellow — his fellow becomes his student — and he is in the aspect of a Rav — which is the essential kingship — in the aspect of: "Who are kings? The Sages" — namely those who illuminate the true da'as of the holy Torah in the world — in the aspect of: "Through me, kings reign". Therefore one who desires true life — and strives to draw upon himself the aforementioned holy da'as — is forbidden to be weak and limp-handed (called in Yiddish shlemazalnik). Rather one must strengthen one's hands in Hashem — and strive to have a portion in the aspect of kingship and dominion — through illuminating da'as in one's fellow — through which one rules over them with true dominion — in the aspect of: "A righteous person rules" [Shmuel II 23:3], etc. — as is understood elsewhere. And as is explained at the beginning of the aforementioned Torah — that every person must fulfill this — to labor in the settlement of the world — to speak with one's fellows of the true and eternal purpose — to illuminate within them fear of Heaven, etc. — for: "He created it not for emptiness, He formed it to be inhabited" [Yeshayah 45:18], etc. See there. "Lasheves" [to be inhabited] specifically — in the aspect of kingship that is called yeshivah [sitting/session] — in the aspect of: "and the king sits on his throne" [Esther 1:2], etc. — in the aspect of: "there is no sitting in the Temple courtyard except for the kings of the House of David alone" [Sotah 40b]. For every single person of Yisroel must have a portion in holy kingship — through illuminating da'as in his fellows, etc., as above. And then specifically he can receive sustenance and wealth — and merit through this the aforementioned exceptional illumination of the ratzon. And this is the aspect of: "Your kingship is a kingship of all worlds" — that His kingship, blessed be He, reigns and rules over all worlds entirely — from the beginning of all levels to the end of all levels — and even in the lowest of the low and beneath it — for "there is no place empty of Him". As it is written: "and His kingship rules over all". But to know and make known this to all who come into the world — this is only through the true tzaddikim who labor in this to draw the aforementioned holy da'as — through which they make known the power of His dominion, blessed be He, from generation to generation. And this is what the entire holy psalm speaks of — which is Tehillah L'David — about which our Sages of blessed memory stated: "One who recites Tehillah L'David three times each day is guaranteed a portion in the World to Come" — as it is written there: "Generation to generation shall praise Your works", etc., "they shall pour forth the remembrance of Your abundant goodness" [Tehillim 145:7], etc. — as Rashi explained there, see there. "All Your works shall thank You, Hashem, and Your pious ones shall bless You; they shall speak of the glory of Your kingship", etc., "to make known to the sons of man His mighty deeds and the glorious splendor of His kingship" [Tehillim 145:10-12] — "Your kingship", etc. Namely that the pious ones — who are the true tzaddikim — make known to human beings His mighty deeds and the glorious splendor of His kingship. For they make known that "Your kingship is a kingship of all worlds", etc., as above. And the essential thing is through sustaining His kingship and dominion from generation to generation forever — in the aspect of: "and Your dominion is in every generation". For this is the essential illumination of the aforementioned da'as — that His kingship and dominion, blessed be He, should endure from generation to generation forever, as above. And this is through: "Hashem supports all who fall, and straightens all who are bent" [Tehillim 145:14] — namely the aspect of the drawing of the aforementioned da'as into those who dwell below — whose essence is to support and straighten all who fall and are bent — to strengthen and fortify them — to assist and raise them up so that they do not fall — through making known to them that Hashem is still with them — for "the whole earth is filled with His glory", as above. And through this the Malchus [kingship] rises and receives sustenance through the trust of all the world — whose eyes look to sustenance — through which it receives sustenance from the yadayim [hands/allusions] in the yam ha'chochmah — through which the illumination of the ratzon illuminates at the time of eating — which is all the aspect of: "the eyes of all look to You with hope, and You give them their food in its time, specifically — You open Your hand and satisfy every living creature with ratzon" [Tehillim 145:15-16], etc. — as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah, see there. And therefore they are juxtaposed to one another, as above. And this is the aspect of the Lechem HaPanim [Showbread] — which we were commanded that bread should always be present before Hashem in the Temple. And on Shabbos the Kohanim ate them. For the essential illumination of the ratzon is on Shabbos — which is the aspect of the great virtue of the mitzva of eating on Shabbos — for then at the time of eating the essential illumination of the ratzon occurs, as above. Therefore it was necessary that there be in the Temple bread continually without interruption — for the essential da'as is in the Temple which is comprised of the aspect of son and student, etc. — as is explained well in the aforementioned Torah. And the essential sustaining of the da'as is through the ratzon that illuminates at the time of eating specifically, as above. Therefore it was necessary that in the Temple — which is the aspect of the da'as of son and student — there should be Lechem HaPanim placed there continually without interruption even for a moment — as our Sages of blessed memory stated — so that the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates in bread and sustenance specifically should be drawn there, as above. And therefore it is called Lechem HaPanim — on the account of the illumination of the ratzon — which is the aspect of the illumination of the face [panim] — in the aspect of: "May Hashem cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you" [Bamidbar 6:25], etc. — as is explained there. Therefore the portion of Lechem HaPanim in the Torah portion of Emor is juxtaposed to the portion of the mitzva of the candles of the Menorah — this being the aspect of: "to brighten the face with oil" [Tehillim 104:15] — namely the aspect of the illumination of the face, the illumination of the ratzon that illuminates in the bread — in the aspect of: "and bread sustains the heart of man" [ibid.] — as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. And this is what is juxtaposed in Shmuel — regarding David who fled to Achimelech the Kohen — who gave him the Lechem HaPanim to eat — and the sword of Golyat the Philistine. For Hashem, blessed be He, arranged through His wonders that King David ate the Lechem HaPanim — since he merited to be such an ish chayil — to wage the battles of Hashem — to slay Golyat the Philistine. For one who is an ish chayil, etc., merits the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating — through having a portion in kingship and dominion. Therefore King David — who merited the essential holy kingship — for he was a wondrous and awesome ish chayil — who slew Golyat and fought all the battles of Hashem — therefore certainly he merited the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating. Therefore the matter of the sword of Golyat — which was given to him — was juxtaposed to the matter of the Lechem HaPanim with which he was fed. For David needed to eat the Lechem HaPanim — which is the essential holy eating that the Kohanim eat — in order to receive the illumination of the ratzon for all of Yisroel. For since he was such an ish chayil who slew Golyat — and needed to conquer the kingship over all of Yisroel — certainly he deserved to eat the Lechem HaPanim — which is the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating, as above. Therefore they were juxtaposed to one another, as above. Therefore even the Kohanim were men of valor, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded on the verse: "and the men of valor were distorted" [see Yoma 38a] — for the Kohanim ate all the holy eatings — which are the sacrifices, terumah, first fruits, etc. — all in order to atone for Yisroel through their eating — in the aspect of: "the Kohanim eat and the owners are atoned" [Pesachim 59b]. And all through the illumination of the ratzon they merited through such holy eatings — that they merited to receive within them the illumination of the ratzon — through which is the essential atonement and forgiveness for all sins. For through the illumination of the ratzon, Hashem, blessed be He, becomes appeased with Yisroel and forgives all their sins. Therefore the Kohanim were men of valor — for it is impossible to merit the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating except for one who is an ish chayil, as above. And this is the aspect of the table of kings — that the kingship and dominion is referred to by the name of the table — as it is written of David, who is the essential holy kingship: "You prepare a table before me against my adversaries" [Tehillim 23:5]. For the holy king merits a table before Hashem — that is, to receive the illumination of the ratzon through eating at the table, as above. Which is the aspect of: "You have anointed my head with oil" [ibid.] — in the aspect of: "to brighten the face with oil and bread to sustain the heart of man" [Tehillim 104:15] — as above. See in the Torah Ki Merachamam Yenahaggem, the aforementioned, and you will understand. And this too is the bechinas the mitzva of the firstborn of a pure animal — which is given to the Kohen, who then offers it in the Temple — with the fat and the blood [burned on the altar] and the meat eaten by the Kohanim. For Yisroel must sanctify even the birth of their animals — and the essential is the first birth — so that the sanctity of da'as should be drawn through it. For even the birth of an animal must be sanctified — since Yisroel eat it — and the essential vitality of a person, which is the da'as and wisdom — as it is written: "wisdom gives life" [Koheles 7:12] — is drawn through eating. Therefore one must sanctify the eating of Yisroel. And therefore when a pure animal gives birth, one must sanctify the first birth so that da'as should be drawn through it. And this is accomplished by giving the firstborn to the Kohen — and the Kohen, who embodies the bechinas da'as of son and student, offers it in the Temple which is the essential [place of] the da'as of son and student — as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. And therefore there in the Temple, the illumination of the ratzon shines through the sacrifices — which are called by the language of the eating of the altar, as this expression is used by our Sages of blessed memory many times — as for instance: "and it is consumed by the fires" [v'ne'echal l'ishim], etc., and similarly many others. And as it is written: "I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride" [Shir HaShirim 5:1] — and Rashi explained that this was said regarding the erection of the Tabernacle — "I gathered my myrrh", etc., "I ate my forest together with my honey" — which is interpreted as referring to the sacrifices. For the sacrifices brought on the altar in the Temple are in the bechinas eating — through which the illumination of the ratzon shines — as it is written: "You shall offer it for your acceptance" [lirtzonchem tizbachu] [Vayikra 19:5]. And it is written: "They shall ascend upon My altar for acceptance" [ya'alu al mizbichi l'ratzon] [Yeshayah 60:7]. And similarly many others. For the illumination of the aforementioned da'as — whose essential sustaining is through the illumination of the ratzon — illuminates in the Temple to a greater degree, as above. Therefore there one elevates from the animal to the human — which is the general principle of all sacrifices which atone for all sins. For when a person sins, he falls from the da'as which is the defining quality of a human being — and then he is in the bechinas an animal, as above. And then he must bring an animal as a sacrifice in the Temple — and the Kohen offers it there. And through this, one elevates the animal from animal to human. And through this, one rectifies what one ruined — for through one's sin one fell from human to animal — and now through the sacrifice one is elevated from animal to human. And this is the general principle of the service of Yisroel — that one must clarify and elevate all the lower levels upward. For this purpose the human being was created: to make known His Divinity, blessed be He, in all the very lowest levels — which is the bechinas illuminating those who dwell below — which is the essential thing — the bechinas: "and You desire praise from the clods of earth" [Tehillim 113:7 area; cf. Zohar], etc. Therefore one must give the firstborn to the Kohen — so that the Kohen should offer it in the Temple — and eat the meat with the sanctity of a sacrifice — through which the illumination of the ratzon is drawn — which is the essential rectification, as above. For Yisroel must sanctify their eating with many sanctities — and the essential is through the Kohen, who is the bechinas the true Rav and tzaddik — through which da'as is drawn — whose essential sustaining is through the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating, as above. And therefore at the time of the erection of the Tabernacle, the nesi'im [princes/leaders] specifically brought offerings for the dedication of the altar. For the nesi'im — who possess the quality of elevation [hispanas'us] in the bechinas holy kingship — they merit to a greater degree at the time of eating the illumination of the ratzon, as above. Therefore it was specifically they who brought their offering for its dedication. For through them is the essential rectification — as is explained above — that whoever has a greater portion in holy kingship, merits to a greater degree the illumination of the ratzon at the time of eating. Which is the bechinas the sacrifices — which is the essential rectification, as above. For the entire Tabernacle — which is the bechinas the Temple — was built for this purpose: to rectify the blemish they had blemished through the wealth — by making idolatry from it. To rectify all this through making the Tabernacle from their gold and silver — where in the Tabernacle the da'as was drawn — until they merited the illumination of the ratzon, etc. — through which there is forgiveness for all sins, as above. Therefore the nesi'im, who are in the bechinas kingship, were specifically the ones who dedicated it, as above. Based on the Torah "Tefilah L'Chavakuk" in Siman 19, as previously cited in Hilchos Simanay Behemah V'Chayah Tehorah, Halacha 1. For all permitted things — such as pure animals and other permitted things — are from the bechinas the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, which is the bechinas leshon Targum [the Aramaic tongue]. Therefore they require rectification and clarification through the eating of Yisroel — through which they are elevated to holiness, to the bechinas leshon hakodesh [the holy tongue]. And therefore their essential rectification and clarification is through the holy speech of the blessing — which one must recite over every thing before deriving benefit from it. For through the blessing — which is the bechinas leshon hakodesh — which one recites over the permitted thing, which is the bechinas leshon Targum as above — through this the goodness within the thing that is eaten — which is the bechinas goodness within the Targum — rises and ascends in its fullness to leshon hakodesh, and this is its rectification. Therefore Yisroel have the power through their speech to make the permitted into the sacred — such as consecrating an animal as a sacrifice — and then it becomes consecrated with bodily holiness [kedushah haguf]. For the holy speech of a Jew — which is the bechinas leshon hakodesh, since Yisroel merited leshon hakodesh — can elevate the animal from the profane to the sacred. That is: to elevate the leshon Targum — which is the bechinas the permitted thing — to the bechinas leshon hakodesh, through one's speech saying "sacred" [kodesh]. And then the animal or the like becomes consecrated with bodily holiness and is forbidden in benefit to a person — only to be elevated on High. For the animal itself becomes sacred in the bechinas the fullness of leshon hakodesh — which is the bechinas the sanctity of Yisroel. Therefore there is no permission whatsoever for human benefit or eating — for the essential purpose of eating is to rectify and clarify the living creature that is eaten. But without this purpose, it would not have been permitted to kill a living creature for the sake of another living creature. Therefore before the sin of Adam HaRishon, he was not permitted to kill an animal and eat it — for they did not need rectification then. Only afterward — through the sin of the Tree of Knowledge — afterward, when the rectification began in the days of Noach after the Flood, then it was permitted to kill an animal and eat it in order to rectify it. And therefore when an animal becomes sacred in the bechinas the fullness of leshon hakodesh, it is not permitted except to elevate it on High — like the souls of Yisroel which ascend in the bechinas a sacrifice before Hashem, blessed be He. And even the fact that the Kohanim and the owners eat from certain sacrifices is only what they merited from the High Table [shulchan gavoah] — for the sacrifice, being sacred, is fitting only for the High, as above. And the Kohanim — who are holier than Yisroel in the bechinas the fullness of leshon hakodesh, for they are more strictly in the bechinas guarding the covenant — as it is written: "for they observed Your word and kept Your covenant" [Devarim 33:9] — therefore they merit the priestly blessing, which is specifically in leshon hakodesh. As is explained above in Hilchos Nesi'as Kapayim, Halacha 1. Therefore they merit from the High Table to eat the sacred. And therefore the firstborn animal — which is itself in the bechinas leshon hakodesh — for the firstborn is the bechinas malchus [kingship] — as it is written: "I too will make him a firstborn" [Tehillim 89:28] — and malchus is the mouth [peh], which is the bechinas leshon hakodesh — which is the bechinas shnayim mikra [reading the Torah portion twice], as is explained in the words of our Rabbeinu, may his light shine. Therefore the firstborn is sacred with bodily holiness from the womb — for it is itself in the bechinas leshon hakodesh, as above — for it is the first of all those born after it and includes them all — which is the bechinas malchus, the bechinas leshon hakodesh, which encompasses all tongues. For all of them receive from it and draw sustenance from it — for the world was created through leshon hakodesh. As it is written: "And the entire earth was of one language" [Bereishis 11:1] — in leshon hakodesh, as Rashi explained. And afterward: "Hashem confused the language", etc., and from there He scattered them. It thus emerges that leshon hakodesh is the firstborn and first among all languages and encompasses them all. Therefore the firstborn animal is itself sacred in the bechinas leshon hakodesh, as above — and belongs to Hashem, blessed be He, alone, as above — as it is written: "Sanctify unto Me every firstborn" [Shemos 13:2]. And Hashem, blessed be He, awarded it to the Kohen — for the Kohen merits the sacred, as above — and particularly regarding the firstborn, since the Kohanim merited the sanctity of the firstborn in place of the firstborns of Yisroel — as above in Hilchos Pidyon Bechor, Halacha 1. In the matter of the sanctity of the firstborn — that one must give it to the Kohen: Based on the teaching beginning \"Vayehi Miketz\" — that one must guard the memory [zikaron], etc. (see there, Siman 54) — and at the end of that teaching it is explained that one must guard the mind [moach] and the memory from the koach hamidameh [power of imagination], which is the power of animality. And through leshon hara — speaking slander — one is a fool [ksil], and falls from da'as and holy love to animal love, which is the love of illusion [ahavas hamidumiyus], etc. And the essential rectification is through the bechinas \"hand\" — the bechinas joy — which clarifies the good spirit from the bad spirit, from the bechinas sadness of spirit, through the bechinas melody [nigun], etc. For the instrument is the gathering of the spirit, etc. And therefore when there is a hole in an instrument one cannot play upon it — for then it is in the bechinas \"a fool expresses all his spirit\" — the bechinas \"his spirit departs, he returns to his earth,\" etc. See there carefully. And this is the bechinas the mitzva of the firstborn animal that must be given to the Kohen. For the firstborn is the beginning [reshis], the bechinas da'as — which is the aforementioned zikaron [memory/mindfulness] — which is the enlargement of da'as, as above — the bechinas tefillin, as above. For the first paragraph of the tefillin is the sanctity of the firstborn [kedushah bechor]. And therefore Yisroel — who attach their thought constantly to the World to Come, for this is the essential service of Yisroel: to constantly remember the World to Come — are therefore called the bechinas firstborn, as it is written: "My son, My firstborn, Yisroel" [Shemos 4:22]. For firstborn is the bechinas da'as, the bechinas tefillin, the bechinas the aforementioned zikaron — which is the cleaving of thought to the World to Come, as above. For the World to Come is in the bechinas firstborn — which is the beginning [reshis] — for the World to Come preceded the world. It thus emerges that the firstborn is in the bechinas the aforementioned da'as and zikaron. Therefore one must guard it from the koach hamidameh, the power of animality — for one must guard the aforementioned zikaron and da'as from the koach hamidameh, as above. Therefore one must give the firstborn to the Kohen — who is the bechinas holy love [ahavas dikedushah], opposite to the koach hamidameh, as is explained in the aforementioned teaching — for the Kohen takes a handful [v'kamatz hakohen], as explained in the aforementioned teaching, which is the opposite of animal love, the love of illusion — as explained there carefully. It thus emerges that through giving the firstborn to the Kohen, one guards the zikaron and da'as from the koach hamidameh, the power of animality — for the Kohen is the bechinas holy love, as above. Therefore the Kohen must offer the firstborn as a sacrifice — for the essential rectification and clarification of the koach hamidameh is through the bechinas sacrifice, through which one elevates and clarifies the human spirit from the animal spirit — in the bechinas: "when a person [adam ki yakriv] from among you brings a sacrifice to Hashem, from the animals" [Vayikra 1:2] — which is the bechinas melody [nigun] that rectifies the koach hamidameh by clarifying the good spirit from the bad spirit, namely the human spirit from the animal spirit. And as is explained in the words of our Rabbeinu, may his memory be a blessing, elsewhere — that the clarification of the human spirit from the animal spirit, in the bechinas: "who knows the spirit of the sons of man that ascends upward... and the spirit of the animal that descends downward" [Koheles 3:21] — is through the bechinas melody. See there. Therefore at the time of the sacrifice offering the Leviyim would sing upon the platform [duchan]. It thus emerges that the sacrifice is in the bechinas "hand," the bechinas joy, the bechinas melody explained in the aforementioned teaching — through which one clarifies the good spirit, etc., and subdues the koach hamidameh. For the verse "and you shall rejoice in all the sending forth of your hand" [usmachtem b'chol mishlach yedchem] [Devarim 12:7], explained in the aforementioned teaching, refers to the sacrifices brought on the festival — which are the essential joy — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "there is no joy except with meat of peace-offerings [shelomim]." For the sacrifices are the bechinas joy, the bechinas "and you shall rejoice in all the sending forth of your hand," the bechinas melody — through which one clarifies the good spirit, the human spirit, the bechinas da'as, from the animal spirit, from the power of animality, the koach hamidameh. Therefore one gives it [the firstborn] to the Kohen — who is holy love — and he rectifies it by offering it as a sacrifice — through which the koach hamidameh is clarified and rectified through the rectification wrought by melody, as above. And therefore all sacrifices are through the Kohen — who is holy love — for all sacrifices come for this purpose: to rectify the koach hamidameh, the power of animality — to clarify and rectify it and elevate it to the bechinas holy love, the bechinas Kohen. And this is the bechinas placing one's hand [semichah] on the sacrifices — "with the hand" specifically — for there the spirits are deposited. And the essential clarification is through the hand, in the bechinas: "and he played with his hand" [v'nigeyn b'yado] [Shmuel I 16:23], etc. See there carefully in the aforementioned teaching, and you will understand all this. And therefore: "all that has a blemish you shall not offer" [Vayikra 22:20] — for a blemish [mum] is a deficiency [chesaron]. And when there is a deficiency and a hole in the instrument, it is impossible to clarify the good spirit from the bad spirit — for then it is in the bechinas "a fool expresses all his spirit," the bechinas "his spirit departs, he returns to his earth" — for the instrument must be whole. See there carefully. And therefore the firstborn or other sacrifice — which are offered in order to clarify the good spirit from the bad spirit — which is the essential bechinas the sacrifice — must therefore be whole, without any blemish or deficiency, so that one can clarify it and so that it not be in the bechinas "a fool expresses all his spirit" — lest the koach hamidameh return and strengthen itself, Heaven forbid, in the bechinas "his spirit departs, he returns to his earth" — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. See there carefully. And this is what our Rabbeinu of blessed memory explains there: that one who speaks slander is a fool [ksil] and falls from holy love to animal love — for a slanderer has a blemish. For all who disqualify [others] do so through their own blemish [kol haposeil b'mumov poseil]. And therefore since he has a blemish, he cannot clarify the good spirit, etc. — in the bechinas "a fool expresses all his spirit" — and therefore the slanderer, who has a blemish, is a fool, as above. Understand this. This verse "a fool expresses all his spirit" is also said in its plain sense about one who speaks lashon hara — who speaks much and reveals his fellow's blemish. And through this his own blemish is revealed. Therefore he is a fool — for he is in the bechinas a broken and flawed vessel upon which it is impossible to play, and one cannot clarify the good from the bad through such a vessel, as is explained there. See there. And therefore the firstborn is forbidden in shearing [gizah] and labor [avodah] — for shearing and labor are weekday activities [uvdin d'chol], the bechinas servitude [avdus] — and servitude is the bechinas sadness of spirit [atzvus ruach], as is explained elsewhere. And the essential rectification of the firstborn and the sacrifice is to clarify the good spirit from sadness of spirit — which is a dejected spirit [ruach niche'ah], an evil spirit — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching and as above. Therefore the firstborn and the sacrifice are forbidden in all types of labor — which are the bechinas sadness of spirit — for one must clarify and elevate it from the bechinas sadness of spirit to the bechinas good spirit, in order to subdue the koach hamidameh and elevate it to holy love, the bechinas Kohen, as above. Also the firstborn is in the bechinas the aforementioned zikaron — which is the cleaving of thought to the World to Come, as above — which is the day that is entirely Shabbos. Therefore it is forbidden in weekday activities. And this also is the bechinas the five shekels of silver with which the human firstborn is redeemed. For regarding the person himself, the essential clarification and rectification of the koach hamidameh is through rectifying one's money — as is explained in the words of our Rabbeinu of blessed memory in the teaching Ashray Ha'am — to draw down Providence [hashgachah] (Siman 13) — that the rectification of money, namely honest business dealings and contentment with one's portion, is the bechinas the melody of the Levite [nigunah d'Levai], the bechinas "take up song and give the drum" [s'u zimrah u'snu sof] [Tehillim 81:3] — which is the bechinas business dealings [masa u'matan]. See there. And this is accomplished through charity [tzedakah]. It thus emerges that the rectification of money is the bechinas melody — and through melody the koach hamidameh is clarified, as above. Therefore the firstborn — which is the bechinas the aforementioned zikaron that must be guarded from the koach hamidameh, as above — and therefore one must give it to the Kohen who is holy love, opposite to the koach hamidameh, as above — therefore its redemption is through money. For through giving one's money to the Kohen — which is the bechinas tzedakah — one rectifies one's money. And the rectification of money is the bechinas melody, as above — and through melody the koach hamidameh is clarified, as above. And through this the firstborn is redeemed and rectified — for the essential redemption and rectification of the firstborn is through the rectification of the koach hamidameh — for the firstborn, which is the bechinas zikaron, must be guarded from the koach hamidameh, as above. And through giving one's money to the Kohen specifically, that money clarifies the good spirit from the bad spirit mixed within the money — for many holy sparks are clothed within money, and there too is the essential grip of atzvus ruach [sadness of spirit] — for its essential grip is in money — in the bechinas: "in sorrow shall you eat it" [Bereishis 3:17] — which is the sadness of money and livelihood. And through giving one's money to the Kohen — who is holy love — through this the money is rectified and clarified. And then the koach hamidameh is rectified, as above. And through this the firstborn is redeemed and rectified. Therefore one gives five shekels — corresponding to the heh of da'as [five being the numerical value relevant to the five chassadim] — the bechinas the rectification of da'as, opposite to the koach hamidameh, as above. And these are five shekels of silver — for from the right side [sitrah di'yminah], the mind is white like silver [mocha hivrah k'kaspa] — that is, the rectification of da'as through the bechinas the Kohen on the right. And these are shkalim — the bechinas melody, the bechinas the mishkal [weight/measure] of song — for one must play melody in measure, rising and falling in the melody according to the measure — which is the essential clarification. See there and understand. And therefore the firstborn applies only to males [z'charim] — the bechinas the aforementioned zikaron [memory] — for it is the bechinas a male son [ben zachar], as is explained there. See there. [Addendum relating to the above:] The rectification of money is the bechinas melody, as above — the bechinas the aforementioned hand — the bechinas the toil of one's hands [yegia kapav] — the bechinas "and you shall rejoice in all the sending forth of your hand" — which is interpreted according to the wealth and money with which Hashem has graced one — from which comes joy when one merits to clarify and rectify it through the sacrifices one brings on the festival from the toil of one's hands. Understand this well. Verse: "Every firstborn that is born of your herd and your flock, the male, you shall sanctify to Hashem your God; you shall not work the firstborn of your ox, nor shear [the firstborn of your flock]..." Based on the teaching "Tik'u" in Likutay [Moharan] Tinyana, Siman 5. See the entire teaching there. The general principle is that the essential thing is faith [emunah] — and each person must search himself and always strengthen himself in perfect faith. And to merit faith, one must strive and find the waters from which faith grows — that is, one must cry out from the depths of the heart, in the bechinas "from the depths I called to You, Hashem" [Tehillim 130:1], the bechinas "their heart cried out to Hashem" [Eichah 2:18]. And through this, counsels are revealed — in the bechinas "deep water is counsel in a person's heart" [Mishlei 20:5] — and through this faith grows, etc., etc. And this is the bechinas the creation of the world: first darkness and then light, etc. And to draw up and reveal the aforementioned waters, an ish tevunos [man of understanding] is needed — and an ish tevunos is one who polishes the soul by drawing down Divine spirituality into constrictions [tzimtzumim] — through which he draws down livelihood [parnasah], which is the bechinas "and He shall satisfy your soul in brilliance [tzachtzachos]" [Yeshayahu 58:11], etc. And through raising fallen faith, converts are made. And since these converts are made from the gathering up of fallen faith, they can harm Yisroel, etc. — for they introduce pride into Yisroel. And through this the leaders of falsehood seize the sword of pride, etc. — and through this, Heaven forbid, the desire for sexual immorality strengthens, etc. And to be saved from this are the protectors [meganim] of the generation who shield and save us from the desire for immorality — for they subdue the seal of the Sitra Achra that comes through pride, which is the bechinas chasam besaro [the seal of his flesh] — namely subduing and nullifying the desire for immorality — and elevate it from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal, the bechinas tefillin, the bechinas "place me as a seal upon your heart" [Shir HaShirim 8:6], the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem" [Shemos 28:36], etc. See all this there carefully. And this is the bechinas the sanctity of the firstborn of a pure animal — which was sanctified at the time of the Exodus from Egypt — through which tefillin are made. As it is written in the Torah portion Bo: "Sanctify to Me every firstborn," etc. And this portion is the first paragraph of the tefillin. For the sanctity of the firstborns is the bechinas elevating and clarifying the holy faith — and elevating from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal, the bechinas tefillin. For the essential emunah is in the bechinas an animal — for the essential fullness of faith is to completely set aside one's mind and wisdom and make oneself like an animal, and to believe in Hashem, blessed be He, and in the true tzaddikim with perfect faith alone. For the essential faith is in what the intellect does not understand — for in what the intellect does understand, faith is not applicable, as is explained elsewhere. Therefore the essential faith is in the bechinas: "But I am brutish and do not know; I was as an animal before You" [Tehillim 73:22] — the bechinas: "Man and animal Hashem saves" [Tehillim 36:7] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: those who are wise in knowledge like the first Adam [Adam HaRishon] and yet make themselves like an animal. And as Shlomo HaMelech, peace be upon him, said — he who was wiser than all people — and yet he said: "For I am more brutish than any man, and I have not the understanding of a human being" [Mishlei 30:2]. And as it is written: "I said I would be wise, but it was far from me" [Koheles 7:23]. Therefore one who wishes to merit eternal life — true and everlasting life — must completely set aside his mind, intellect, and wisdom, and rely only on faith alone. And this is the greatest wisdom of all wisdoms — as is explained in our words elsewhere. For when one remains strong in faith alone — for days and years — without any intellectual investigations at all in one's mind, then certainly in the course of many days one will merit to attain and understand true Divine insights and wisdoms that cannot be attained by human intellect at all. Provided one does not make this a test but walks in simplicity and straightforwardness in upright and true faith. Therefore the essential faith is in the bechinas an animal — that one should make oneself like an animal that has no intellect whatsoever. But one must also guard oneself greatly from false beliefs — not to be a fool who believes everything. And this is the bechinas pure animals and impure animals — that Hashem, blessed be He, warned us to distinguish between the impure and the pure. For faith is in the bechinas an animal as above — but the straight holy faith of Yisroel is the bechinas pure animals. And false beliefs are the bechinas impure animals. For this reason the Patriarchs of the world were shepherds. And they are called the Seven Shepherds — "shepherds" specifically — for the first Patriarchs' entire service was to reveal holy faith in the world. Therefore Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, who was the head of the believers — and was the first to begin to reveal and draw down holy faith in the world — therefore he dug wells of water. For this is the bechinas that he dug and delved and revealed the depths of the well — which is the bechinas holy faith, whose essential growth is from the depths of the well, from the bechinas the aforementioned waters — the bechinas "deep water is counsel" — the bechinas "from the depths I called to You, Hashem," as above. For through Avraham's digging of the water wells, he revealed the waters from which faith grows, as above. Therefore the nations and the Sitra Achra always strove to seal up Avraham's wells — as it is written: "And all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Avraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them up," etc. And Yitzchak returned and dug them again — as it is written: "And Yitzchak dug again the wells of water" [Bereishis 26:18], etc. And regarding Yaakov it is written: "And he rolled the stone from the mouth of the well" [Bereishis 29:10]. And regarding Moshe it is written: "And he sat down by the well" [Shemos 2:15]. For all of them labored and toiled at this — to dig and reveal the well of living waters, which is the bechinas holy faith, whose growth is from there — from the bechinas deep water, etc., as above. And therefore since the Patriarchs merited to draw out and reveal holy faith — which is called a well of living waters — therefore they were all shepherds of animals. For they were engaged in tending animals — and through this they were clarifying and refining the faith, which is in the bechinas an animal in its lack of intellect, as above. In order that the faith should be clarified — to distinguish the holy faith from false beliefs, from foolish and vain beliefs. Therefore their matches were found to them at the well — for a woman who fears Hashem is the bechinas faith, as is known — therefore they found their matches at the well of water, from which faith grows, as above, which is the bechinas their match, the bechinas "a woman who fears Hashem." Therefore it is impossible for a woman to unite with her husband except through immersion [tevilah] in water — for the daughters of Yisroel, whose root is from the bechinas faith which is called "a woman who fears Hashem" as above — must immerse in water so that the holy faith, whose growth is from there from the bechinas deep waters, should grow. And then the daughters of Yisroel are purified from dam nidus [menstrual blood] — which is the contamination of the serpent, the bechinas false beliefs and heresy. For the essential growth of faith is from the bechinas the well of living waters — which is the bechinas the immersion in the mikvah of water by the daughters of Yisroel, who are the bechinas faith, as above. Therefore mikvah water purifies Yisroel from all forms of impurity in the world — for all forms of impurity flow from heresy and false beliefs, which is the essential impurity and contamination — the bechinas the contamination of the serpent who introduced heresy into the world. For all impurities come through the evil inclination which is called el acher [other god], i.e., heresies. Therefore through the mikvah water — from which faith grows — one merits to again draw out and reveal holy faith. And through this all impurities are nullified — which are the bechinas heresies and false beliefs — and one is purified from them. As it is written: "And I will sprinkle upon you pure water and you shall be purified from all your impurities" [Yechezkel 36:25]. For pure water is the bechinas the waters of the Yisroel mikvah — which are drawn from the depths of the well, from the bechinas the well of living waters, from the bechinas the aforementioned deep waters — through which holy faith grows. And then when this one rises, the other falls — and all heresies and all false beliefs are nullified, and one is purified from all the impurities that flow from them, as above. And this is the bechinas the sanctity of the firstborn pure animal — that one must give the firstborn pure animal to the Kohen. For one must clarify the holy faith — which is the bechinas a pure animal — from the bechinas chasam besaro, in which it becomes seized at the time of its fall. To clarify it from there and elevate it to the holy seal — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. Therefore one must give the firstborn animal to the Kohen, who is holy to his God. For through this one clarifies the first birth from the bechinas chasam besaro — which seizes hold in all births from the sin of Adam HaRishon, who blemished in this, as is known. Therefore one must sanctify the first birth — namely the firstborn — by giving it to the Kohen — through which it is elevated to the holy seal, the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem" — which is the Kohen, who is called holy — as it is written: "holy is he to his God." And he offers the firstborn on the altar as a sacrifice — and through this one elevates and clarifies the animal, which is the bechinas faith, from the bechinas chasam besaro to the bechinas "engravings of a seal, Holy to Hashem." And the essential is the firstborn — which is the first birth — for everything follows the beginning. And all this Yisroel merited at the time of the Exodus from Egypt — when they were immediately commanded regarding the sanctity of the firstborns — as it is written there: "Sanctify to Me every firstborn" etc. For the essential Exodus from Egypt was when holy faith was revealed to all eyes through the awesome wonders that Hashem, blessed be He, performed — in order to reveal faith in His Divinity. As it is written: "And you shall know that I am Hashem" [Shemos 6:7]. And as is written there regarding each plague: "So that you shall know that the land belongs to Hashem" [Shemos 9:29] etc., and similarly many others. Therefore then the firstborns were sanctified — which was the bechinas clarification of faith — to elevate it to the holy seal, as above. For the essential of all births is through faith — which is the bechinas woman, as above. For da'as and faith are the bechinas man and woman. And just as in the physical realm it is impossible to produce any offspring without the union of male and female — likewise it is impossible for da'as and intellect to produce any good offspring for the rectification of the world except through faith. That is: when da'as unites with faith — through which they unify the Holy One Blessed be He and His Shechinah. And one who separates, Heaven forbid, da'as from faith is a quarrelsome person [nirgon mafrid aluf] who separates the aluf [Champion/Leader] of the world. And this is literally the bechinas immorality — the bechinas chasam besaro mizovo — the bechinas emitting seed wastefully — that one draws out drops of the mind and intellect without union with one's life-partner, which is the bechinas holy faith. From which are born harmful spirits of the world, Heaven forbid, as is known. Similarly, when one reveals and gives birth to some intellect from one's mind without attachment to faith — this intellect is the bechinas harmful spirits of the world — which greatly harms the world. For through this, heresy and false beliefs are drawn out, which destroy the world, Heaven forbid. Therefore when they left Egypt — when holy faith was revealed in the world — therefore the bechinas birth was sanctified. Which is the bechinas the sanctity of the firstborns — which are the first birth of faith — for all births are through faith, as above. Therefore then the firstborns of Egypt died and the firstborns of Yisroel were sanctified to Hashem. For the firstborns of Egypt are the bechinas the birth drawn from false beliefs — for "God made one corresponding to the other" [Koheles 7:14]. And the firstborns of Yisroel are the bechinas the birth drawn from holy faith. And at the Exodus from Egypt, holy faith was revealed and strengthened — and then the birth drawn from faith was sanctified — which is the bechinas the sanctity of the firstborns who open every womb among Yisroel. For the essential beginning — namely the first birth, when faith was opened and revealed until it gives birth and brings forth holy offspring. Therefore one must sanctify the firstborns — to give them to Hashem — in order to clarify them from the bechinas chasam besaro — which is the bechinas the blemish of faith that seizes hold in all births from the sin of Adam HaRishon — in the bechinas: "Behold, in iniquity I was formed, and in sin my mother conceived me" [Tehillim 51:7] — to clarify them from this and elevate them to the holy seal, the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem." And then when this one rises, the other falls — and the firstborns of Egypt fall. Therefore one must sanctify the firstborns through the Kohen, for the sanctity of the firstborn is through this bechinas, as above. And therefore one gives the firstborn to the Kohen — for the Kohanim are the sons of Aharon. And Aharon merited the priesthood in the merit of: "and he will see you and be glad in his heart" [Shemos 4:14] — as our Sages of blessed memory expounded. For the entire service of the Kohen in the sacrifices is this aforementioned bechinas — elevating and clarifying from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal. For this is the essential general principle of all sacrifices — that all of them come from animals — and through offering the animal as a sacrifice, one clarifies the holy faith, which is the bechinas an animal, from the bechinas false beliefs, from the bechinas chasam besaro — from which all sins in the world come — and elevates it to the holy seal, as above. For all clarification of the holy sparks from the klippos that is accomplished through the sacrifices — as is known — all of this is the aforementioned bechinas: clarifying from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal. And this is accomplished through the Kohanim — the sons of Aharon. For Aharon merited this through going out to meet Moshe with joy — and not being jealous of his brother's greatness, even though he was older than him. And through this he broke the pride of the false leaders — who puff themselves up against the poor people for no reason, and chase after honor, and seize greatness for themselves, and pursue the true leaders, and are envious of the greatness of the truly righteous. For Aharon was literally the opposite of this — for he was the true leader of Yisroel at that time. As it is written: "to them in the land of Egypt" — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: that prophecy was spoken through Aharon. And yet he did not lord himself over his younger brother — on the contrary, he humbled himself before him and nullified himself, broke the pride, and truly rejoiced in his heart at the greatness of his brother Moshe. It thus emerges that Aharon broke the pride from which flows the bechinas chasam besaro, as above. Therefore Aharon merited through this the priesthood — that his service forever would be to break and nullify from Yisroel the bechinas chasam besaro, the bechinas the desire for immorality, and to elevate to the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem" — which is inscribed on the tzitz [golden forehead-plate] on Aharon's forehead. For Aharon merited this by breaking pride — through which he nullified the bechinas chasam besaro that flows from pride, as above — and elevated everything to the holy seal, the bechinas "engravings of a seal", etc., as above. For Aharon converted converts — as it is written: "and many he returned from iniquity" [Malachi 2:6]. And as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Be from the students of Aharon... loving people and bringing them close to Torah." But the converts he brought close could cause harm — for they introduce pride, through which comes the desire for immorality, Heaven forbid. But Aharon broke the pride, as above — and did not lord himself over the true tzaddik, his brother Moshe. And then he handed over all his converts and penitents — all of them he delivered to Moshe. And Aharon had been the leader of Yisroel and nullified himself and delivered all the greatness to his brother. It thus emerges that he elevated the converts and penitents to Moshe — who is holy da'as, the bechinas tefillin, the bechinas holy seal, the bechinas "and Moshe was shepherding" [Shemos 3:1] — as explained in the aforementioned teaching. It thus emerges that through this very act — that Aharon went out to meet Moshe, and nullified the pride, and rejoiced in his heart, and delivered all the greatness to his brother — through this he nullified the bechinas chasam besaro, which is the bechinas pride, and elevated everything to the bechinas Moshe — which is the bechinas tefillin, the holy seal. For he delivered all the greatness and elevation and all his people — those he had returned to repentance and whose leader he had been — he delivered everything to Moshe, since Moshe then became the essential leader. It thus emerges that through this he was elevating from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal. Therefore in reward for this he merited the priesthood — whose service forever is with the sacrifices that are sanctified to Hashem — which is also the aforementioned bechinas: clarifying from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal. As above. Therefore one gives the firstborn to the Kohen — for the sanctity of the firstborn, which is the first birth, is in this bechinas: elevating from chasam besaro to holiness — the bechinas "sanctify to Me every firstborn" etc. — for it ascends to holiness, to the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem," as above. And therefore Aharon merited greater sanctity of the covenant than all Yisroel — for the Kohanim were commanded more mitzvos regarding the sanctity of the covenant than Yisroel. As it is written: "A harlot, or one who has been violated, or a divorcee, or a chalulah — these he may not marry, for he is holy" [Vayikra 21:7] etc. For this is the nullification of the desire for immorality — through breaking pride, which is the bechinas chasam besaro, etc., as above. And therefore Aharon nullified from Yisroel the desire for immorality — which is the impurity of Amalek. For the clouds were in the merit of Aharon — and the Clouds of Glory nullified the klipah of Amalek. For Amalek could not rule over Yisroel who were within the cloud — only over the stragglers [hanecheishalim] whom the cloud expelled. Therefore after the death of Aharon — when the Clouds of Glory departed — then Amalek came against them. As it is written: "And the Canaanite, the king of Arad, heard" etc. [Bamidbar 21:1] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded that this was Amalek, who heard that Aharon had died and the Clouds of Glory had departed, etc. For Aharon the Kohen nullifies the desire for immorality — which is the bechinas Amalek, as above — and draws down the seven clouds, which are the bechinas the Seven Shepherds, which is the bechinas tefillin — as stated in the aforementioned teaching. And similarly it is explained in the aforementioned teaching that the clarification and elevation — elevating from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal of tefillin — through breaking pride — this bechinas is the bechinas cloud [anan]. As is explained there on the saying of our Sages of blessed memory: "When the Rabbis rose from the study hall of Rav Huna they would shake out their cloaks" — meaning that they broke the pride — and clouds arose — the bechinas "And the rainbow shall be in the cloud" [Bereishis 9:13] — the bechinas the rectification of the covenant, elevating from the bechinas pride, from the bechinas chasam besaro, to the bechinas tefillin. And this is "v'chasei l'shimsha" [it covered the sun] — meaning tefillin, etc. See there. And this is the bechinas Aharon the Kohen's seven clouds, which subdue the klipah of Amalek — which is the desire for immorality. For Aharon merited this through breaking pride before Moshe, as above. For the essential redemption from Egypt depended on Aharon humbling himself before Moshe. For Moshe Rabbeinu's level was exceedingly elevated — and from the very greatness of the immensity of his level — being utterly elevated and exalted above the people of the world — he could not reveal himself at all to the world. And this is the bechinas: "for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue" [Shemos 4:10] — for Moshe Rabbeinu is the bechinas heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue — that it is difficult and burdensome for him to speak with the people of the world at all, for he was elevated and exalted and very distant from all the world. Therefore it was impossible for his level and holiness to be revealed except through Aharon the Kohen — who was at that time the leader of Yisroel before Moshe Rabbeinu was revealed — as it is written: "you shall be to him as God, and he shall be your mouth" [Shemos 4:16]. For Aharon, by virtue of his great level, merited to comprehend the level of Moshe — and he revealed his level to all Yisroel. For everything depended on him — for everyone relied on him, since he had been their leader before. Therefore had it not been for Aharon's humility — that he broke pride and nullified himself before Moshe — it would not have been possible to leave Egypt through Moshe himself. And the Exodus from Egypt is itself the aforementioned bechinas — drawing out and clarifying all the holy sparks from the bechinas chasam besaro to the bechinas tefillin. Which is the bechinas the Exodus from Egypt — when all the hosts of Hashem, all the holy sparks, went out from the exile of Egypt, from ervat ha'aretz [the nakedness of the land], from the blemish of the covenant. For the essential Exodus from Egypt was the rectification of the covenant — for the Egyptian exile was to rectify the blemish of the seminal emissions of Adam HaRishon — which is the bechinas chasam besaro — as is brought in the words of our Rabbeinu of blessed memory in the aforementioned teaching. Therefore at that time the firstborns were sanctified to the Kohen — who is the bechinas Aharon — for Aharon merited this as above. And therefore the clarification that clarifies faith from the bechinas chasam besaro to the bechinas mochin [mental lights] of tefillin — which are the bechinas the Seven Shepherds — is the bechinas Aharon the Kohen's seven clouds, as above. For they are called clouds [ananin] — for the essential faith is the bechinas darkness and cloud, in the bechinas: "and Your faithfulness in the nights" [Tehillim 92:3]. For the essential faith is to completely darken one's eyes and completely set aside one's mind — which is the bechinas darkness. And specifically through this one merits to recognize Hashem, blessed be He — when one darkens the eyes of one's da'as completely and relies on faith alone — in the bechinas: "He made darkness His hiding place" [Tehillim 18:12]. And this is the bechinas: "as light excels over darkness" [Koheles 2:13] — for it is impossible to merit the light of da'as except from within the darkness — which is the bechinas faith — where one completely darkens one's eyes and relies on faith alone. Then one merits the advantage of light from darkness — "from the darkness" specifically — as is brought in the holy Zohar. And this is the bechinas the blackness of tefillin — for blackness is the bechinas darkness. For the essential revelation of the tefillin's mochin is only through strengthening faith alone — in the bechinas: "I am dark but beautiful" [Shir HaShirim 1:5] — when I darken myself — meaning when I darken the eyes of my mind completely and do not engage in any intellectual investigations whatsoever into Your holy ways, and I rely on faith alone — then "beautiful" — for I merit the beauty and glory of tefillin and mochin. For it is impossible to merit holy mochin except through faith. For through perfect and genuine faith — for days and years — one afterward merits to recognize Hashem, blessed be He, with complete knowledge. In the bechinas: "And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know Hashem" [Hoshea 2:22] — that through faith one merits da'as, the bechinas tefillin. Therefore the tefillin of the hand [tefillin shel yad] precede the tefillin of the head [tefillin shel rosh] — for the tefillin of the hand are the bechinas malchus, the bechinas faith — called yad kehah [the dim hand], an expression of darkness — the bechinas "Your faithfulness in the nights," as above. For the essential beginning of attaining the tefillin and mochin is through faith, as above. And this is the bechinas the pure firstborn [bechor tam] — for it is forbidden to offer it unless it is tam [unblemished/wholesome]. For "all that has a blemish shall not be offered" [Vayikra 22:20]. For holy faith is the bechinas temimus [wholesomeness/perfection]. For it is stated in the words of our Rabbeinu of blessed memory elsewhere (in Siman 31) that the completeness of all things is faith — and without faith all things are deficient. Even Torah and holy da'as have no completeness without faith. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "Chavakuk came and established them all upon one: 'the righteous one shall live by his faith'" [Makos 24a], etc. See there. For in truth the essential perfection is only the holy faith — for there is no perfection except in the bechinas faith. And without faith, all things are deficient — for in truth it is impossible to truly and perfectly attain anything except through faith. Therefore da'as itself is certainly deficient — as it is written: "I said I would be wise, but it was far from me" [Koheles 7:23]. Therefore even one who merits to attain some insight and knowledge — such as one who merits to attain some proper intention [kavanah] in some mitzva — even if one attained a true intention: if one wishes to perform the mitzva with that intention alone, certainly this is not perfection. For "double is wisdom's gift" [Iyov 11:6] — for even this intention one certainly cannot attain to its ultimate extent with complete perfection. All the more so since there are seventy facets of the Torah — and each facet contains thousands and tens of thousands of interpretations without end. And certainly there is no tzaddik on earth who can attain even one mitzva in complete perfection — for "its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea" [Iyov 11:9]. As it is written: "To every limit I have seen an end; Your commandment is exceedingly broad" [Tehillim 119:96]. Therefore if one wishes to fulfill the mitzva with only that intention — certainly one has fallen far short. For the intention of the mitzva extends without end. Therefore one always needs faith — for faith is perfection. For when one performs the mitzva with faith — believing that Hashem, blessed be He, commanded us to perform this mitzva from the side of His will and reason, for He, blessed be He, desires this for whatever reason He desires — then included in this intention are all the intentions of the world with complete perfection. For in His will, blessed be He, who desired that this mitzva be done — in this are all intentions included with complete perfection, for His will encompasses everything. And one who performs the mitzva with this in mind — then the mitzva is complete — for all intentions are included in this with complete perfection without end, as above. Therefore even one who merits to attain a true intention — one always must combine with it faith — and then one's intention and mitzva have perfection. But if one relies on one's intention and wisdom alone, one has no perfection and falls far short. And because of this, it is forbidden to derive any halachic ruling from kavanos [mystical intentions] — that is, to derive any halachic ruling or practice based on the kavanos. For this is a great prohibition. As I heard from our Rabbeinu of blessed memory: that one who wishes to innovate novel interpretations in Torah — is permitted to innovate whatever one wishes, if one is worthy of it. Provided one does not derive any halachic ruling from one's innovations and homiletical teachings that one innovates in Torah. For the halachic rulings of Torah must be clarified only according to the words of our Sages of blessed memory in the Talmud and the halachic authorities. But Heaven forbid to derive any ruling based on speculative arguments that one innovates and expounds in Torah in the way of homiletics, mysteries, and Kabbalah. [Text note: something appears missing here.] The principle is that we cannot derive any halachic ruling or practice from our speculation regarding the intentions and secrets of Kabbalah — even to be stringent. About this it is said: "You shall not turn aside from the matter... right or left" [Devarim 17:11]. For even to the right — namely to be stringent and add a prohibition — we must conduct ourselves only as Hashem, blessed be He, and our Sages of blessed memory commanded us. And these words are upright to one who understands and straight to those who find knowledge. For in truth one can stumble even more if one wishes to follow one's own wisdom. And as our Rabbeinu of blessed memory hinted in many places — that it is forbidden to rely on one's wisdom at all, only on faith alone, as our Sages of blessed memory transmitted to us. Let us return to our subject: that the essential perfection is only faith alone, as above. Therefore faith is called temimus — the bechinas: "You shall be wholesome [tamim] with Hashem your God" [Devarim 18:13]. For faith is whole and perfect with ultimate perfection — for "all things are wearisome; no one can utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing" [Koheles 1:8] etc. And even if the wise person says he will know — "he cannot find it" [Koheles 8:17]. Therefore there is no perfection for da'as and Torah except through faith. For it is impossible to attain anything in da'as with complete perfection except through faith. For since one believes in Hashem, blessed be He, and in His righteous ones and in His mitzvos with perfect faith — one is whole with ultimate perfection. For faith has no limit — for one believes in the Truth which is infinite — even though it is impossible to attain it through da'as in any way. But faith encompasses everything without end and limit. Therefore one needs faith to be whole without any blemish at all — in the bechinas: "You are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you" [Shir HaShirim 4:7]. And then one merits to attain great da'as through this — as above. For through complete faith one merits da'as, as above. And this is: "you are all beautiful... with me from Lebanon, O bride; with me from Lebanon come, look" etc. [Shir HaShirim 4:8] — Lebanon is the Temple, which is the bechinas mochin. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "Whoever has da'as, it is as if the Temple was built in his days." For Lebanon is the bechinas levona d'mocha [the frankincense of the brain], as is brought in the holy Zohar. And this is: "with me from Lebanon, O bride" etc. — as Rashi explained: from the time you depart from the Temple until you return and come back there, you shall always be with Me, etc. See there. Meaning: when one merits complete faith with ultimate perfection — and the faith spreads through all the limbs — so that all 248 of his limbs are filled with complete faith. As our Rabbeinu of blessed memory explains on the verse: "and his hands were faithful until the sun set" [Shemos 17:12] — that faith must be in all the limbs — and then one merits to attain intellect afterward. And this is: "you are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you" — meaning that the faith, which is the bechinas a bride [kalah] that is made up of all perfection as above, is in the bechinas "you are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you" — that faith is whole in all the limbs with no blemish in any limb. For faith is the bechinas complete stature [komah shleimah]. And when there is some deficiency and blemish in faith, then there is some deficiency and blemish in some limb — according to the blemish in the faith. And then it is impossible to attain da'as through this faith that has no completeness in all 248 limbs. But when faith is with ultimate perfection — in the bechinas "you are all beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you" — then: "with me from Lebanon, O bride; with me from Lebanon come" — that you will always merit complete da'as, which is the bechinas Lebanon, as above. For through complete faith one merits da'as, as above. And this is: "with me from Lebanon come" — meaning that Hashem, blessed be He, says to the Community of Yisroel — who are believers and are therefore called bride, which is the attribute of faith as above — that even in the time when they are distanced from da'as, which is the bechinas Lebanon, the whiteness of the mind [levona d'mocha] as above — with all this, through complete faith they shall always be with Me from the time they depart and are distanced from da'as until they return and come back to da'as, which is the bechinas Lebanon. And this is: "with me from Lebanon come" — as Rashi explained there: from the time you depart until you come back, you shall be with Me. And this is what he concludes: "look from the top of Amanah" [Shir HaShirim 4:8] — meaning: afterward you will sing praises and thanksgivings to Hashem, blessed be He, Who grants you this da'as. And this is the bechinas the firstborn that must be tam — without any blemish at all, even a thread-like blemish of the eye [dokin sheba'ayin]. And then it is fit to ascend on the altar — to ascend to holiness — to be clarified and elevated to the bechinas mochin, the bechinas holiness, as above — which is the bechinas the sacrifices, as above. For it is impossible for the sacrifice to ascend to the bechinas holiness, to the bechinas mochin, except when it is whole without any blemish. For the essential ascent is through complete faith — through which one merits da'as, which is the bechinas tefillin, etc., as above. And it is impossible to merit this except when the sacrifice is whole without any blemish. Which is the bechinas faith with perfection, without any deficiency — the bechinas: "be wholesome [tamim] with Hashem" — the bechinas: "and Yaakov was a wholesome man" [Bereishis 25:27]. And this is the bechinas bechor tam [wholesome firstborn], as above. For the sanctity of the firstborn is the bechinas the clarification of faith — ascending to the bechinas tefillin mochin, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas: all the blemishes that disqualify Kohanim also disqualify women. For the Kohen must be whole without any blemish — which is the bechinas complete faith. And then he can offer sacrifices to clarify faith to the bechinas mochin tefillin, as above. Therefore the blemishes that disqualify Kohanim — for these blemishes hint that faith is not complete — therefore certainly these blemishes also disqualify women. For a woman who fears Hashem is the bechinas faith and must be without any blemish — in the bechinas: "you are all beautiful", etc., as above. And this is itself the bechinas the blemishes of those who offer sacrifices — therefore they share the same ruling, as above. And this is what is written regarding a Kohen with a blemish: "The bread of his God, from the most holy things and from the holy things, he shall eat; but he shall not come to the veil" [Vayikra 21:22–23]. For it is stated there in the aforementioned teaching that the tzaddik — through his eating — in the bechinas: "the righteous one eats to satisfy his soul" [Mishlei 13:25] — through this polishes his soul in the bechinas: "and He shall satisfy your soul in brilliance" etc. And through this he is in the bechinas ish tevunos [man of understanding] — and through this he can reveal the deep waters from which faith grows, etc. See there. Therefore the Kohen with a blemish — which is a sign that faith is not complete — must strive to eat in holiness in order to merit through this to rectify the faith, as above. And this is: "the bread of his God... he shall eat" — for the essential rectification of the blemished one, which is the blemish of faith, is through eating the sacred things — namely holy eating — in the bechinas: "the righteous one eats to satisfy his soul." Through which faith is rectified, as above. And therefore the Kohanim atone through their eating of the sacred things — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "Kohanim eat and owners are atoned." For the essential atonement and rectification of all sins is through the rectification of faith — for the blemish of all sins is in the bechinas faith. As it is written: "and you will turn and serve other gods" [Devarim 11:16] — that immediately when one turns away from Hashem, blessed be He, and transgresses any sin, Heaven forbid — one immediately is serving other gods, Heaven forbid. For all sins flow from the evil inclination which is called el acher [other god], i.e., heresies, as above. Therefore the rectification and atonement is through the Kohanim's eating — the bechinas: "Kohanim eat and owners are atoned." For through eating the sacred things, they polish their souls — as above — through which faith returns and grows — and they raise the fallen faith — which is the rectification of all sins in the world, as above. And this is the bechinas: "from when do they recite the Shema in the evening? From the time the Kohanim enter to eat their terumah" [Berachos 2a]. For the recitation of Shema is the faith of unity — and one merits this through the eating of the tzaddikim — which is the bechinas the eating of the Kohanim's terumah, which is holy eating — through which one merits faith, as above. And this is the bechinas: "you shall not work the firstborn of your ox" [Devarim 15:19]. For labor [avodah] is sadness [atzvus] — the bechinas: "in sorrow shall you eat it" [Bereishis 3:17]. And the eating of the firstborn must be with joy — as it is written: "and you shall eat there... and the firstborns of your herd and your flock, and you shall rejoice before Hashem your God" etc. [Devarim 12:18]. For the essential rectification is through eating with joy — through which one strengthens the power of the angel [mal'ach] and subdues the bechinas chasam besaro — which is the essential sanctity of the firstborn, as above. And this is the essential bechinas the Exodus from Egypt — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. Therefore labor is forbidden regarding the firstborn — so that the bechinas sadness, Heaven forbid, should not take hold in it — which is the bechinas labor, as above. And as is explained elsewhere: the essential rectification to subdue the bechinas chasam besaro, etc. — this is accomplished through joy, as above — which is the bechinas the joy of tefillin, as is explained there. See there. And this is the prohibition of shearing [gizah] — as it is written: "and you shall not shear the firstborn of your flock" [Devarim 15:19]. For the essential holiness is in the hairs — which are the bechinas the sparkling of the mochin, the bechinas tefillin — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. The bechinas: "and the hair of his head like clean wool" [Daniel 7:9]. See there. And therefore Yaakov Avinu and his sons were greatly occupied with tending sheep. For the essential clarification of faith was through Yaakov. For Avraham and Yitzchak began to reveal faith and dug wells, as above. But then it was still not possible to clarify and reveal faith in complete perfection — to elevate it to the bechinas mochin tefillin, as above. For in their days the drops of Esav and Yishmael had not yet been clarified — which it is forbidden to elevate to the mind, as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. See there. Therefore the essential tefillin are in the bechinas Yaakov — who is the bechinas tefillin, as is known: "the beauty of Yaakov is like the beauty of Adam" — which is the bechinas tefillin, which are called pe'er [glory]. For in the days of Yaakov the drops of Esav and Yishmael had already been clarified and come out. And then one can elevate and clarify from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal. For as long as the drops of Esav and Yishmael had not come out, the clarification was not complete — lest the drops of Esav and Yishmael ascend to the mind, which is the blemish of tefillin, as is explained there. But in the days of Yaakov — when they had already come out — then the clarification was complete: from the bechinas chasam besaro to the holy seal, which is tefillin — which are the bechinas Yaakov. Therefore Yaakov merited to guard the first drop for his life-partner [l'natrah tipah kadma'a l'vat zugayh] — as is stated in the holy Zohar — as it is written: "my strength and the first of my vigor" [Bereishis 49:3]. For he merited the complete clarification — to subdue and nullify the bechinas chasam besaro and to merit tefillin, as above. And therefore he fathered a firstborn son in holiness — which is the bechinas the clarification and elevation of faith to the bechinas holiness, as above. But in the days of Avraham and Yitzchak it was necessary that the husk [kelipah] precede the fruit — that Esav and Yishmael come out before Yitzchak and Yaakov. And Yaakov had to toil greatly until he took the birthright from Esav. And all this was because the drops of Esav and Yishmael had not yet come out — and therefore the birthright, which is the bechinas tefillin as above, was in exile until Yaakov — when the drops of Esav and Yishmael came out. And then he merited complete tefillin, as above. And then the birthright was drawn into holiness — for the birthright is the bechinas tefillin, for the first paragraph [of tefillin] is "sanctify to Me every firstborn," as above. Therefore Yaakov was occupied with tending flocks — which is the bechinas the clarification of faith, as above. And then during the tending of the flocks he engaged in the service of tefillin — as is brought that Yaakov engaged in the service of tefillin through the branches he peeled in the troughs of water. "Ba'rahatim" — this is the bechinas the running of the mind [rahitay mochin], the bechinas: "the king is held captive in the tresses" [ba'rahatim] [Shir HaShirim 7:6] — which is the bechinas tefillin. For the tefillin are made through the clarification of faith — which he merited through tending the flocks, as above. And this is the bechinas: "And Yaakov set the branches which he had peeled in the troughs of water" [Bereishis 30:38] etc. For Yaakov drew down the tefillin — the clarification of faith — from the troughs of water — meaning from the bechinas the depths of the well, from the bechinas deep water from which faith grows, as above. Therefore when Yaakov saw Rachel — who is the bechinas the perfection of faith — then: "he rolled the stone from the mouth of the well, like one who removes a stopper from a bottle" [Bereishis Rabbah 70:12] — as our Sages of blessed memory said. For before that the stone had been great upon the mouth of the well from which faith grows — for it was not possible to reveal faith easily from the well of living water, as above — because of the drops of Esav and Yishmael who delay and blemish the faith, as above. But in the days of Yaakov and Rachel, the drops of Esav and Yishmael had already been pushed outside — and then Yaakov merited to reveal faith in complete perfection — which is the bechinas Rachel "fair of form and fair of appearance" [Bereishis 29:17] — the bechinas: "you are all beautiful, my beloved" — the bechinas faith with ultimate perfection. And then he rolled the stone from the mouth of the well like one removing a stopper from a bottle — for now faith was revealed in complete perfection, as above. And this is the bechinas the speckled, spotted, and streaked [akudim, nekudim, u'vrudim] — which Yaakov merited to be born among his flocks. For he clarified faith so much through tending his flocks — until he elevated faith to the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem" — to the bechinas tefillin glory, the totality of all colors — the bechinas speckled, spotted, and streaked, which are the totality of all colors. For all the mochin which are the bechinas tefillin — namely all types of da'as, mochin, attainments, and holy constrictions [tzimtzumim] through which one attains understandings of His Divinity, blessed be He — all of them are included in the bechinas speckled, spotted, and streaked — which are the totality of all Atzilus [World of Emanation] — as is understood from the writings of the Arizal. And this Yaakov drew down specifically through tending his flocks — for he merited all this through complete faith — by clarifying through tending his flocks until he merited through this complete da'as, the bechinas mochin tefillin — which are the totality of all the holy colors — the bechinas speckled, spotted, and streaked, as above. And this he clarified from Lavan's flocks — meaning he clarified holy faith from false beliefs — which are the bechinas Lavan's flocks, for he worshipped idolatry and believed in the terafim [household idols], which are false beliefs. Therefore Yaakov had to toil greatly at this — and performed many acts — and had several heavenly assistances for this — to merit that the flocks should give birth to speckled, spotted, etc. All this was for the aforementioned clarification. For through this he merited to draw down the faith of Yisroel, holy faith, etc., as above. And this is the bechinas: "And I raised my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold... and the angel of God said to me in the dream... raise your eyes now and see — all the he-goats mounting the flock are speckled, spotted, and streaked" etc. [Bereishis 31:10–12]. For Yaakov merited then a dream through an angel — which one merits through the aforementioned clarification from the bechinas chasam to the bechinas the seal of tefillin. Through which one merits a dream through an angel — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore it is also written regarding Aharon the Kohen: "For the lips of the Kohen shall guard da'as... for he is a messenger [mal'ach] of Hashem of hosts" [Malachi 2:7]. For Aharon is in the bechinas the maginay eretz [shields of the earth] who clarify from the bechinas chasam, etc. to the bechinas tefillin — which is the bechinas mal'ach Hashem Tzeva'os [messenger of Hashem of hosts]. As is explained there — that mal'ach [מלאך] is an acronym for "Ki La'Elokim Maginay Eretz" ["for to God are the shields of the earth"] [Tehillim 47:10]. See there. And this is: "the nobles of the peoples are gathered — the people of the God of Avraham" [Tehillim 47:10] — meaning converts — as Rashi explained there — "for to God are the shields of the earth," etc. For the maginay eretz clarify and rectify the converts — for they elevate from the bechinas chasam, etc. that the converts cause — and elevate to the bechinas the seal of tefillin — in the bechinas me'od na'aleh [most exalted]. Me'od is the side of death [sitrah d'mosa] — which is the bechinas chasam besaro — na'aleh — elevated upward through the maginay eretz — who elevate from the bechinas chasam to the bechinas tefillin, to the bechinas "engravings of a seal: Holy to Hashem." And therefore the Kohanim are forbidden to enter the Temple and approach the altar until they sanctify their hands and feet with the holy water sanctified in the kiyor [washbasin]. For the essential drawing down of holiness is through water — from which faith grows. For their essential service was the rectification of faith, as above. And this is the bechinas the washing of hands [netilas yadayim] in water before eating. For eating must be in the bechinas: "the righteous one eats to satisfy his soul." Through which one polishes the soul and merits to draw up the waters through which faith grows, as above. Therefore one must first wash one's hands — in order to strive and draw down these waters from which faith grows — which is the bechinas the hands — the bechinas: "and his hands were faithful" [Shemos 17:12]. And then one merits afterward in one's eating to draw down and reveal these waters — in the bechinas: "and a man of understanding draws it up" [Mishlei 20:5] — who draws up these waters and reveals faith in complete perfection. And this is the bechinas the testing of the sotah [suspected adulteress] through holy water. For the sotah — who is an adulterous woman — this is the bechinas idolatry, the blemish of faith. As it is said regarding idolatry: "the adulterous woman who takes strangers instead of her husband" [Yechezkel 16:32]. And she is the bechinas the blemish of the covenant, the bechinas the seal of the Sitra Achra. Therefore her testing is through the water — for one must strive and reveal the holy waters from which faith grows — and one throws there earth from the floor of the Tabernacle. For earth [afar] is a vessel for everything [manah d'chulhu] — the bechinas faith — as is explained there in the aforementioned teaching. And through this she is tested: if she is pure — which is the bechinas complete faith — then: "she shall be cleared and shall conceive seed" [Bamidbar 5:28]. This is the bechinas holy birth — which is the bechinas elevating and clarifying from the bechinas chasam besaro, from the bechinas the blemish of the covenant, to the holy seal, the bechinas tefillin — the bechinas the Exodus from Egypt, which is the bechinas holy birth — the bechinas: "sanctify to Me every firstborn, the opener of every womb," etc., as above. And if not — if she blemished faith — then: "her belly shall swell and her thigh shall fall" [Bamidbar 5:27] — this is the bechinas the terrible afflictions that come from the blemish of faith — as is explained in the aforementioned teaching. And therefore the essential clarification and rectification here is through holy water — from which faith grows, as above. And since Aharon the Kohen always engaged in clarifying from the bechinas chasam to the bechinas seal, the bechinas Moshe, the bechinas tefillin — which he merited through delivering his greatness to Moshe, etc., as above — because of this he thought he could subdue the evil thought of the Erev Rav [mixed multitude] who wanted to worship idolatry and draw in false beliefs. Therefore he took from their hands and fashioned it with an engraving tool [cheret] — for he thought he could subdue them and clarify them from false beliefs, which are the bechinas chasam besaro. For they worshipped the Calf only in order to permit themselves immorality, etc. — and he thought he could subdue and clarify this as he always did. But he erred in this — for the Erev Rav were the bechinas the drops of Esav and Yishmael that cannot be clarified. Who bring about perverted judgment — the bechinas: "therefore perverted judgment emerged," the bechinas: "therefore this Calf came out" [Shemos 32:24]. Therefore when Moshe came down, he tested them with water like sotos — as it is written: "and he scattered it upon the face of the water" [Shemos 32:20]. For Moshe returned and drew down holy faith through the water from which faith grows, as above. For he cried out mightily to Hashem, blessed be He, from the very depths of his heart — through which the aforementioned deep waters are revealed. And through this he tested them like sotos — and through this the believers in holy faith were clarified from the believers in false beliefs, as above. Therefore specifically after the incident of the Calf, Aharon was consecrated into the priesthood. For specifically then — when the wickedness of the Erev Rav was revealed — as it is written: "for Aharon had let them loose to the mockery of their enemies" [Shemos 32:25] — and then they were pushed away and distanced from holiness. And then the drops of Esav and Yishmael — who are the Erev Rav — were pushed outside. And therefore specifically then Aharon was consecrated into the priesthood — and merited to begin engaging in the service of sacrifices. Through which he clarified from the bechinas chasam to the holy seal, as above. See there very carefully in the aforementioned teaching — particularly at the end, regarding the rectification of justice which is through pushing away the drops of Esav and Yishmael, etc. See all this there carefully — and then our words, with the help of Hashem, blessed be He, will be pleasing to you.