מזוזה ג

And therefore their rectification was at the time of ki sham’ah ki fokad Hashem es ammo laseis lahem lechem [for she heard that Hashem had remembered His people to give them bread] — where the illumination of will resides, which is the aspect of the illumination of son and student, as mentioned. And then they were rectified through the secret of yibum by Boaz and Rus, who established their name upon their inheritance, as it is written there: v’gam es Rus etc. kanisi li l’ishah l’hakim sheim hames al nachalaso v’lo yikarets sheim hames etc. [and also Rus I have acquired for myself as a wife to establish the name of the deceased upon his inheritance, that the name of the deceased not be cut off etc.].

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.

And the entire episode occurred at the time of the grain harvest and at the threshing floor. For the essential rectification of yibum — which is the aspect of the illumination of son and student, which is the aspect of the illumination of will — is merited at the time of eating precisely. The aspect of v’atah nosein lahem es achlam b’iso, as mentioned. And this is what is written there: al titvad’i la’ish ad kaloso le’echol v’lishtot etc. [do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking etc.]. And it is written: vayochal vayeisht v’yitav libo etc. [and he ate and drank and his heart was glad etc.]. And Rus was occupied there each time to glean the grain, and Boaz gave her each time from the grain and instructed his lads to give her food and drink and to take home whatever she wished, as it is written: v’gam shol tasholu lah min hatzevosim etc. [and also you shall certainly pull out for her from the bundles etc.]. And as the entire matter is discussed there, for they needed to draw down the illumination of son and student, as mentioned — which is the illumination of will which is revealed at the time of eating precisely.

And this is the aspect of vayitzbat lah kali vatochal vatisba vatossar [and he handed her parched grain and she ate and was satisfied and left over] — that is, as mentioned. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory expounded: vatochal — in this world; vatisba — in the days of Mashiach; vatossar — in the resurrection of the dead. For her eating was in such great holiness that she merited the illumination of will at the time of her eating — which is the aspect of the resurrection of the dead that will be in the future to come, when the essential revelation of will shall be. The aspect of ka’eis ye’amer l’Yaakov u’l’Yisrael mah pa’al Eil [at this time it shall be said to Yaakov and to Yisrael what G-d has wrought]. And she merited this illumination at the time of eating, for then one merits this, as mentioned.

And this is what is written there: vatere chamosah eis asher likeita vatotze vatitein lah eis asher hoseirah misov’ah [and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned, and she took out and gave her what she had left over from her fill]. Eis asher hoseirah precisely — which is the aspect of vatossar — for the world-to-come mentioned above. For the essential matter is the aspect of vatossar for the world-to-come, which is the aspect of the illumination of will that is revealed at the time of eating — through which comes the essential rectification, for it is the aspect of the illumination of son and student, as mentioned.

And therefore the very name of the place where this rectification was accomplished was called Beis Lechem [House of Bread] — on account of the aforementioned holy eating. And this is: vayehi bimei shfot hashoftim. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: they were judging their judges etc. — that is, the blemish of the aforementioned judgment. For judgment (mishpat) is the aspect of the illumination of son and student, the aspect of hevvu mesunim badin, the aspect of ki Elokim shofeit etc., as mentioned. And then that judgment was blemished, as mentioned. Therefore vayehi ra’av ba’aretz [there was famine in the land] — they did not merit then to satiety through which the illumination of will is revealed etc., as mentioned — which is drawn from the illumination of son and student from which the kingship receives parnasah, as mentioned. And therefore the blemish of Machlon and Kilyon who did not merit to leave a remnant in the land — which is the aspect of the illumination of son and student, as mentioned — and they were rectified through Boaz and Rus through the secret of yibum, as mentioned.

And therefore the name of the son born to them was called Oved — for he is the aspect of oved admaso yisba lachem [one who works his land shall be satisfied with bread], as brought. For this is the essential rectification: that a son was born to them through whom the illumination of son and student is drawn — which is the aspect of the illumination of will revealed at the time of eating. Which is the aspect of oved admaso yisba lachem, as mentioned.

And this is the aspect of v’zos lifanim b’Yisrael al hage’ulah v’al hatemura shalaf ish na’alo v’nasan l’rei’ehu etc. [and this was formerly done in Yisrael regarding redemption and exchange: a man drew off his shoe and gave it to his fellow etc.]. For when one had to sell his wealth and inheritance to another — where the illumination of will is concealed and clothed within the holy wealth and parnasah, as mentioned — therefore the rectification of the sale was through shoes, which are drawn from the aspect of silence which is the aspect of the illumination of will, as mentioned. And so Boaz did with the redeemer: vayishlof na’alo [and he drew off his shoe]. For through this the illumination of will was drawn — which is the aspect of silence from which the shoes are drawn — which is the aspect of chalitzah, as mentioned. And through the aforementioned rectifications that Boaz and Rus merited to accomplish — which are the aspect of drawing down the illumination of son and student, the aforementioned illumination of will — through this Mashiach was born from them, who is Dovid HaMelech, peace be upon him, from whom Mashiach shall emerge who will come speedily in our days.

For Mashiach will build the Temple which will endure forever, which is the aspect of the illumination of son and student that is comprised in the Temple — for he was anointed with the anointing oil (shemen hamishchah), and for this he is called Mashiach, which is the aspect of shemen mishchas kodesh [the holy anointing oil] — which is the aspect of the aforementioned makifin, which are the aspect of silence, the aspect of the aforementioned illumination of will. For Mashiach is the aspect of silence, for the End (keitz) is sealed and concealed, as it is written: setom hadevarim vachasom [seal up the words and set a seal] etc., and libbeh l’fumeh lo galei [his heart does not reveal to his mouth] — which is the aspect of the uppermost silence, that even far above it is in the aspect of silence, for libbeh l’fumeh lo galei.

And therefore the entire drawing down of the soul of Mashiach was in concealment and in secret and through stratagem: the episode of Lot and his daughters — where even Lot himself did not know in her lying down and her rising up — and the episode of Yehudah and Tamar, and the episode of Boaz and Rus. For everything was in secret and great concealment in order to draw down his soul in secret etc., as brought. For Mashiach is the aspect of secret, the aspect of silence. For Mashiach is above time, the aspect of arichas yamim v’shanim, the aspect of chayim sha’al mimcha nasata lo orech yamim olam va’ed [life he asked of You, You gave him length of days forever and ever] — which is the aspect of the uppermost makifin which are the aspect of silence. And therefore it is forbidden to harbour thoughts, heaven forbid, about the great length of the exile, for it is impossible to attain this — for it is the aspect of the uppermost makifin which are impossible to attain, for they are in the aspect of silence. And therefore the End is sealed and concealed, and the believer shall not be shamed, for in His time he will come, he will not delay — speedily in our days, Amen.

And therefore we recite the blessing over shoes: ha’oseh li kol tzorki [Who has provided me with all my needs]. For all of a person’s needs, which is the totality of parnasah, is drawn from the totality of son and student etc., as explained there — for from there the shoes come, as mentioned.