גרים

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.