שילוח הקן א

And this is the aspect of the commandment of Raishis HaGez [the first of the shearing] to give to the Kohen. For the wool-shearing of the flock is the aspect of the halachos of the Torah, as explained in this Torah discourse — in the aspect of kevasim lilvushecha [lambs for your clothing], in the aspect of k’Rachel lifnei gozezehah [like Rachel before her shearers] from whom halachos are shorn. And this is the aspect of parnasah and wealth, for all wealth flows from the flock, in the aspect of v’ashtrois tzonecha [the flocks that enrich their owners], as our Sages of blessed memory said. For wealth flows from the halachos that are shorn from the aspect of the flock, in the aspect of bismolah osher v’chavod [in her left hand are riches and honour], as explained in the aforementioned Torah discourse.

And because wealth flows from the aforementioned aspect of the left, therefore the Tanna [the scholar who studies Mishna] is compelled to fall in his learning into some subtle aspect of she-lo lishmah [not for its own sake], which is the aspect of the left, in order to draw down parnasah and wealth. And through this it comes about that the scholar who learns Torah she-b’al peh [Oral Torah] — these halachos — becomes an opponent against the true tzaddikim. For he who did not merit [to learn lishmah] has Torah become for him a deadly poison. For the opposing scholar sees in the Torah nothing but the aspect of she-lo lishmah, which is the aspect of Lavan, and it becomes for him a mouth to speak arrogantly against the tzaddik etc., as explained there in the aforementioned Torah discourse.

And this is the aspect of the commandment of Raishis HaGez which the Torah commanded to give to the Kohen — the man of chesed [loving-kindness], who is the aspect of the right — in order to clarify, refine, and elevate the wool-shearing of the flock, which is the aspect of the halachos mentioned above, so that they ascend and are all included in the aspect of the right, the aspect of lishmah [for its own sake], which is the aspect of the Kohen the man of chesed who is the aspect of the right, into whom the entire shearing is included, through the raishis [the first portion] that is given to him. For through this they are elevated to the aspect of the right.

And therefore we are commanded to receive the halachos from the Kohen, as it is written: yoru mishpatecha l’Yaakov [they shall teach Your laws to Yaakov] etc. And it is written: v’kamta v’alis el hamakom [and you shall arise and go up to the place] etc. v’asisa k’chol asher yorucha ha-kohanim ha-Levi’im [and you shall do according to all that the Kohanim the Levi’im instruct you] etc. For the Kohen is in the aspect of the right and merits to clarify all the halachos to the aspect of the right, the aspect of lishmah — which is the essential clarification of the halachah to its truth. For all the Kohanim are sons of Aharon the High Kohen, who merited the Kehunah [priesthood] because he did not envy his brother Moshe who was younger than him in years — on the contrary, he accepted him as master, as it is written: v’ra’acha v’samach b’libo [and he will see you and rejoice in his heart]. Through this he merited the Kehunah, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And therefore Aharon merited to be the first and chosen student before Moshe our teacher, as our Sages of blessed memory said: how was the order of the Mishnah [transmitted]? Aharon entered and Moshe taught him his chapter, etc. It turns out that Aharon received first-hand all the clarified halachos from the mouth of Moshe our teacher. And so he merited for his descendants that the Kohen-sons should teach the laws and halachos to Yisrael throughout all generations, for they are in the aspect of the right as mentioned, for their father Aharon had no opponent whatsoever and no one who disputed the true tzaddik — who is Moshe — as mentioned. And therefore Raishis HaGizzah is given to them — which is the aspect of the halachos — in order to clarify and refine them through this, to elevate them to the aspect of the right, which is the aspect of the Kohen, as mentioned. And therefore Naval [the Carmelite], who is the aspect of Lavan the Aramean as brought — the aspect of the unfit scholar who opposes and disputes the tzaddik by inclining only toward the left, the aspect of she-lo lishmah, from which come wealth etc., as explained there — therefore Naval rebelled and disputed against Dovid HaMelech at the time of the shearing of the flock precisely, as it is written there: vayehi gozeim l’Naval [and there were shearers for Naval] etc. And then Naval became an opponent against Dovid and ruled on Torah not in accordance with the halachah and said: mi Dovid [who is Dovid?] etc. hayom rabu ha’avadim ha’mispartzim me’al adoneihem [today many slaves have broken away from their masters] etc. He said that Dovid was not fit to enter the congregation, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And all this was at the time of shearing the flock precisely. For he did not merit to clarify the shearing — which is the aspect of wealth — to elevate it to the right. And through this he inclined only to the left and issued Torah rulings contrary to the halachah and became an opponent and rebel against Dovid, who is the true Torah scholar who studies lishmah and clarifies all halachos to their truth, as our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the verse yefei to’ar [handsome in appearance] etc.: that he illuminates the face of halachah. And Hashem was with him — meaning the halachah follows him. And therefore Yaakov fled from Lavan precisely when Lavan went to shear his flock, as it is written: v’Lavan halach ligzoz es tzono va-tignov Rachel es ha-terafim asher l’aviha [and Lavan went to shear his flock, and Rachel stole the terafim that belonged to her father] etc. va-yignov Yaakov es lev Lavan ha-Arami al b’li higid lo ki vore’ach hu [and Yaakov stole the heart of Lavan the Aramean by not telling him that he was fleeing]. For it is permitted for tzaddikim to deal with tricksters through trickery — for the entire dealings of Yaakov with Lavan the Aramean from beginning to end were all concerning the clarification of the aforementioned halachos: to nullify the opposition of the opponents and disputants, from which comes all the corruption of the generations, the destruction of the Temple, and the prolonging of the exile in our many sins. For all of it comes through dispute and baseless hatred, through which the Temple was destroyed and the exile still continues in our many sins. And all the dispute flows from the opposition that flows from studying she-lo lishmah only for money and honour, until they see in the Torah only the aspect of the left etc., until it becomes for them a mouth to speak arrogantly against the true tzaddikim and the worthy ones of the generation, as explained there where all of this is expounded on the parasha of va-yishak Yaakov l’Rachel [and Yaakov kissed Rachel] etc. va-yaged Yaakov l’Rachel [and Yaakov told Rachel] etc. And from this we can understand allusions that the entire remainder of the parasha was said on this matter. And therefore Yaakov laboured to clarify all the wealth from Lavan precisely. For the entire downfall of the disputant and opponent — the aspect of Lavan — is on account of the wealth that flows from the left of the Torah as mentioned. And in our many sins, in every generation, the Sitra Achra [Other Side] prevails until the disputants — the aspect of Lavan — draw wealth to themselves, and most of the wealthy are attached to them — since they are in the aspect of the left from which wealth comes. But in truth all the wealth and parnasah of the entire world flows only from the aspect of Yaakov who is the man of truth, the aspect of Yaakov ish tam [Yaakov, a wholesome man], who is the aspect of the true tzaddik who studies Torah lishmah and whose Torah is pure without any dross whatsoever. He inclines only slightly — a little of a little — toward the aspect of she-lo lishmah for the good of the world, in order to draw down parnasah and wealth to the world. And there, at the root of the flow of wealth that the true tzaddik draws down, the wealth is clear and pure from the grasp of the Sitra Achra. But when the unfit scholar studies the Torah of the Tanna and inclines only to the grossly flawed aspect of the left of she-lo lishmah — to be haughty, to provoke, and to be called Rabbi and Rav for the sake of wealth and money alone, making the Torah into an axe and a crown etc. — then the wealth descends, heaven forbid, and falls to the Sitra Achra, and the wealth reaches for the most part those who are outside, in the aspect of the left which is the Sitra Achra, which is the nations and the wicked etc. And all this flows from the sin of the First Adam who sinned in this through Chavah his wife at the advice of the primordial serpent who was more cunning than all the beasts of the field — cunning above all in the manner of Lavan the Aramean — who seduced Chavah first, who is the aspect of the Oral Torah, the aspect of Rachel, the aspect of ishah yir’as Hashem [a woman who fears Hashem], which is the aspect of Chavah who is the aspect of speech, who is the aspect of the Oral Torah, the aspect of v’laylah l’lailah yechaveh [and night to night utters speech] etc. And the trickster serpent seduced her to issue Torah rulings contrary to the halachah — to permit eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as it is written: lo mos temutun [you shall not surely die]. He pushed her until she touched it, and [she] learned a false kal va-chomer [argument from the minor to the major]: just as there is no death in touching etc. For we have already explained that all wealth flows from the woman, for the woman is in the aspect of the left relative to her husband who is the aspect of the right, and from there comes wealth. And it is necessary to include the left in the right (l’achla’a smala bi-ymina), and then everything is rectified as is known. And then the tzaddik clarifies and elevates all the halachos — which are the Oral Torah — to the aspect of embrace, kiss, and union, as explained there at the end of the aforementioned Torah discourse. And all the holy unions of the true tzaddikim and their physical unions flow only from there, which is the aspect of the union of Yaakov and Rachel and the kissing — the aspect of va-yishak Yaakov l’Rachel etc. But one who is not a tzaddik and inclines toward physical lusts — as much as he inclines toward physical desire, so does he fall to the aspect of the left. And through this all his learning is also in the aspect of the left etc. Therefore his only rectification is through the true great tzaddik who is the aspect of Yaakov who is utterly holy and pure in this desire — both in his union and in his Torah study, all his intention is only for Heaven alone, to arouse the supernal unions and kisses, the aspect of va-yishak Yaakov l’Rachel etc. But the serpent seduced Chavah until she seduced Adam until he inclined from this and fell to the aspect of the left, to the aspect of physical desire, as our Sages of blessed memory said: the First Adam blemished the covenant. And through this he issued Torah rulings contrary to the halachah, which is the aspect of eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. And therefore he was cursed precisely in the matter of parnasah, as it is written: b’itzavon tochalenah [in pain shall you eat of it] etc. For the essential blemish reaches the parnasah that flows from the aspect of the left, as mentioned. And all the Patriarchs, and Yaakov in particular, laboured to rectify the sin of the First Adam by clarifying all of this. And this was the entire business of Yaakov with Lavan, as mentioned. And therefore when Yaakov clarified and elevated Rachel from the house of Lavan the Aramean, he then clarified from him his great wealth through the flock precisely, from which all wealth comes. And therefore precisely at the time of shearing the flock — which is the aspect of clarifying the halachos, the aspect of clarifying the wealth, as mentioned — precisely then did Yaakov strive to flee from the house of Lavan the Aramean, lest he overpower him in great dispute at the time of the shearing precisely — like the dispute of Naval against Dovid, who is the aspect of Lavan, which was at the time of the shearing precisely, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the entire portion of Bil’am whom Balak hired, for [Balak] said: the power of Moshe is only in his mouth — we too will stand against him with a man whose power is in his mouth. For it is stated in the books of Kabbalah that Lavan, Naval, and Bil’am are one aspect in the secret of gilgul [reincarnation] — that is, the aspect of the unfit scholar, whose entire power comes only from the true tzaddik — the aspect of Moshe — all of whose power is in his mouth, the aspect of the Oral Torah, from which the entire world and its fullness, and all its life-force and parnasah, flows. And through studying the Oral Torah truly lishmah, through this all the governance of the world is in his hands, and he can govern the world as he wishes and perform awesome wonders. But zeh l’umas zeh asah ha-Elokim [this opposite this did G-d make] etc. Therefore in every generation there exist aspects of disputants and opponents whose entire power comes from those who study the Oral Torah she-lo lishmah etc., as mentioned. They are the aspect of Lavan, Naval, and Bil’am — whose power is in his mouth precisely. In his mouth precisely, for his entire power comes only from the Oral Torah, through which it becomes for him a mouth to speak as mentioned. And in truth Yisrael were then in great danger, as our Sages of blessed memory said: ami z’chor na mah ya’atz alecha Balak [my people, remember what Balak counselled against you] etc. min ha-Shittim etc. But through the great power of Moshe our teacher we were saved from his evil mouth. For Moshe’s power was so great that he could clarify and elevate all the words that the disputants speak, and make of them halachos to elevate the Shechinah in the aspect of embrace, kiss, and union etc., as explained well in the aforementioned Torah discourse — see there. And through this: v’lo avah Hashem Elokecha lishmo’a el Bil’am va-yahafoch Hashem es ha-kelalah livrachah [and Hashem your G-d would not listen to Bil’am, and Hashem turned the curse into a blessing]. For all their evil words were turned into Torah halachos, from which come all the blessings and parnasah and wealth, which all return to the worthy Yisrael who are joined and included with their teacher Moshe, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the opening of the mouth of the she-donkey (hason), which is a wondrous and sublime miracle that Hashem blessed-be-He performed then — a miraculous wonder such as had never been — as stated in the Midrash: the opening of the mouth of the she-donkey was a miracle unlike any that had ever been. For precisely through this wondrous and awesome miracle did the Holy One blessed-be-He distort the mouth of the wicked Bil’am to turn curse into blessing. For through this precisely Hashem blessed-be-He showed the greatness of the power of Moshe: that he was able to elevate all the words spoken by disputants in contempt and abuse like these, and turn them all into a blessing — to make of them halachos as mentioned. For it has already been explained that in accordance with the holiness of a person in the general desire [teshukah klaliyus], so does he merit to clarify the halachos of the Oral Torah, which are the aspect of Rachel, the aspect of ishah yir’as Hashem. But certainly not every person merits this in completeness. Therefore the rectification of all people is only through the true tzaddik who merits this in ultimate completeness — like Moshe, Yaakov, and Dovid etc. — until all their unions were in the aspect of embrace, kiss, and union as explained in the writings of the Ari of blessed memory and in the holy Zohar, which Rabbeinu of blessed memory explained: that this is accomplished through the tzaddik clarifying the words spoken against him by the disputants and making of them halachos etc. And whoever is included and joined to this tzaddik, he [the tzaddik] rectifies and elevates him as well, until he merits clarified halachah, since all his Torah, all his conduct, all his life-force, and all his existence come from him. But Bil’am was the complete opposite of this — he blemished his desires to such an extent that he fell into this desire to such a degree that he performed the act of sexual intercourse with the animal, and wanted to draw the aspect of kiss and union downward to the very lowest level — not only to physical desire (for even the worthy who fall into physical desire in a permitted way require great rectification through the aforementioned great tzaddik, until it all ascends to its root in the aspect of the supernal union and kiss mentioned above — how much more so the wicked who fell into transgressions, heaven forbid, may the Merciful protect us, whose rectification is extremely difficult as is known in all the books). One can only be rectified if one merits in one’s lifetime to draw close to such a tzaddik who has the aforementioned power to rectify even him. But the wicked Bil’am fell into this evil desire to such an extent that he performed intercourse with an animal, and opposed Moshe — the aspect of the true tzaddik — greatly. And in his evil impurity he prevailed to such a degree that he wanted to draw the holy speech of the Oral Torah to that place, until he had power in his mouth to speak slander against the true tzaddik — the aspect of Moshe — and to curse and blaspheme. For he wanted to turn all the words of the Oral Torah to his evil way, heaven forbid, so that the Oral Torah would become for him a mouth to speak arrogantly against the true tzaddik and his people — the aspect of Moshe and Klal Yisrael — wanting to uproot them entirely through his evil and impure mouth. And all in the aforementioned aspects. And therefore Hashem blessed-be-He performed a miraculous wonder and showed the greatness of the power of Moshe — by performing then a miraculous sign unlike any that had ever been: that the she-donkey herself opened her mouth and spoke with Bil’am and rebuked him. That is: through the great power of Moshe he was able to elevate even all the halachos that had fallen to such a loathsome place, into actual animality — to elevate them even from there and to clarify and refine them and turn them into halachos and return them to their original place. Through this the supernal embrace and kiss etc. are accomplished in holiness, as mentioned. Until he performed the miraculous wonder that the she-donkey herself opened her mouth and spoke — for Moshe through the greatness of his power elevated speech from there, from the very ultimate descent and fall, until the she-donkey herself spoke and rebuked him. And through this he showed for all generations the greatness of the power of the true tzaddik: that he can elevate speech from the very ultimate fall and descent, beyond which there is no descent. For in truth in every generation as well, all the evil words spoken by the disputants against the true tzaddik and his people all flow from this aspect: because they first defiled their covenant, each according to his own blemishes. Therefore they are attached to the disputants who engage in Torah, but their learning is she-lo lishmah as mentioned, and they too are not clean in this desire. And through this it becomes for them a mouth to speak as mentioned, from which comes all the corruption of the generations etc., as mentioned. But Hashem blessed-be-He showed then the greatness of the power of the true tzaddik — the aspect of Moshe — who can elevate and clarify the speech that flows from the Oral Torah even from the very ultimate descent and loathsomeness, which is the aspect of the opening of the she-donkey’s mouth, as mentioned. And therefore [the donkey] said: ha-haskein hiskanti [have I ever been wont to do this?]. And its Targum is ha-mailaf olifna [have I not taught you?] — the language of learning. For she rebuked him and informed him of his evil corruption, as our Sages of blessed memory said on this verse: ha-haskein hints at his impurity by which he defiled himself with the donkey, as it is written: va-tehi lo sochenes [and she served him]. And this itself is the aspect of his evil learning that wanted to invert the truth — the aspect of ha-mailaf olifna: that is, she rebuked and said to him: halo anochi atoncha asher rachavta alai me’odecha [am I not your donkey upon which you have ridden all your life?] etc. For you have always ridden upon me and done with me what you did. Ha-haskein etc., ha-mailaf olifna etc., to do this to you, to turn you from your evil path? For you prevailed so much in your impurity that you conducted yourself with the speech you drew to such impurity as you pleased. But now your end has come, for the angel stood against you in the power of Moshe, who has the power to extract speech from the place where you brought it down, until you are compelled to acknowledge the truth and to bless Yisrael. For Moshe — the aspect of the true tzaddik — can extract words from wherever they are and turn them into blessings, which are the aspect of halachos, as mentioned. And through this itself was his entire downfall: in the aspect of u-shma malchusa u-ktalei [and the kingdom heard and killed him] etc. — see there well in the aforementioned Torah discourse and you will understand. And this: ason [she-donkey] = the letters of Tanna, for he wanted to invert, heaven forbid, the learning of the Tanna toward the she-donkey, as mentioned. And this: ki hikkisani zeh shalosh regalim [for you have struck me these three times] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: you seek to uproot a nation that celebrates three Regalim [festivals]. For on the three Regalim they ascend to the Temple, where the clarification of the halachos is through the Kohen, as it is written: v’kamta v’alis etc. And through this: v’al yachmod ish [and no man shall covet] etc. And therefore they are three Regalim corresponding to the three aspects of embrace, kiss, and union. For in the three festivals the totality of all the unions are contained, as brought. That is: there are tzaddikim of the aspect of Moshe who draw down the holiness of the three Regalim — making from all the aforementioned evil words halachos, through which the aspects of holy embrace etc. are accomplished, which are the aspects of the three Regalim, as mentioned. And see in the aforementioned Torah discourse how the aspect of embrace, kiss, and union etc. is explained there: that the embrace is accomplished through the tzaddik receiving suffering in love and rejoicing in the suffering he has from the disputants etc. And this is the aspect of embrace, the aspect of vi-mino t’chabkeini [and his right hand embraces me] — through this he elevates the Shechinah to the aspect of ani chavatzeles [I am the rose], the aspect of Binah-liba, the aspect of va-yarak es chanichav [and he armed his trained men] etc. And according to this we can explain in detail that the three Regalim — Pesach, Shavuos, Sukkos — correspond to the aforementioned aspect: they are embrace etc. For Pesach corresponds to the aspect of embrace, which is in the aspect of the right etc. — this is the aspect of Pesach which is in the aspect of the right, the aspect of Avraham, as brought. And this is the aspect of va-yarak es chanichav etc., which happened through Avraham on the night of Pesach, when he pursued the kings, as our Sages of blessed memory said — and there that verse va-yarak is written. And then the Shechinah ascends in the aspect of ani chavatzeles — green like the rose — because Yisrael had not yet good deeds, for it was before the giving of the Torah. And the entire redemption was from the aspect of Binah, which is the aspect of Yoveil [Jubilee], as stated in the holy Zohar — and this is the aspect of va-yarak mentioned, as explained there in the aforementioned Torah discourse. And on Shavuos, then it is the aspect of the kiss, in the aspect of yishakeini mi-nishikos piv [let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth] which is said about the receiving of the Torah, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And therefore Shavuos is in the aspect of Yitzchak as brought: this is the aspect of receiving the Torah from the mouth of the Almighty through the voice of the shofar of Yitzchak’s ram, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For the union of kisses is also a complete union, only it is the aspect of a supernal, very lofty union, which can only be united through giving one’s life for the sanctification of Hashem’s name (kiddush Hashem), as is understood in the writings of the Ari of blessed memory — which is the aspect of Yitzchak who gave his life for kiddush Hashem at the time of the Akeidah. And this is the aspect of Rabbi Akiva whose soul departed with a kiss [b’neshikah] on the word Echad, for that was the essential giving of his life for kiddush Hashem. And on Sukkos, then is the essential complete union at Shemini Atzeres, when the Nukba retains the drop etc., for then is the essential complete union — which is the aspect of Yaakov, the aspect of v’Yaakov nasa Sukkosah [and Yaakov travelled to Sukkos]. And therefore Yaakov’s couch was perfect (mitaso sheleimah) without any invalidation. For Avraham and Yitzchak, although they merited to effect very lofty unions in the aspect of embrace and kiss, nevertheless when the union came and descended below it was not yet in ultimate completeness, and therefore below there was still some dross in the aspect of Yishmael and Esav. But Yaakov’s power was so great that even in the complete union below there was no aspect of any hold whatsoever for the Sitra Achra. And therefore his couch was perfect, as it is written: va-yishtachu Yisrael al rosh ha-mitah [and Yisrael bowed upon the head of the bed] — for the Shechinah was there. For he drew down the complete union in the supernal holiness without any hold of dross whatsoever. And therefore when Bil’am turned to bless Yisrael he said: ma ekkov [how can I curse?] etc. As it is written in the Midrash: if he had sought to curse another nation, such as the children of Avraham and Yitzchak, I could have — but Yaakov is a king who chooses his own portion etc., for ki cheilek Hashem amo Yaakov chevel nachalaso [for Hashem’s portion is His people; Yaakov is the cord of His inheritance] etc. And so too it is written there in the Midrash on the portion of the she-donkey: what did he foresee that he came before him three times etc.? He showed him signs of the Patriarchs etc.: if he had sought to curse the children of Avraham, he would have found on this side and that side the children of Yishmael and the children of Keturah; if he had sought to curse the children of Yitzchak, he would have found in them one side of the children of Esav etc. But in the children of Yaakov he found no dross to strike at etc. — that is, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of v’charbo shlufa b’yado [and his sword drawn in his hand]. And it is explained in the Midrash: thus [the angel] said to him: the mouth was given to Yaakov, as it is written ha-kol kol Yaakov [the voice is the voice of Yaakov] etc. — and you would exchange your faith and come upon them with theirs? I too will come upon you with yours etc. For all the exiles and troubles that befall Yisrael, and all the redemptions and salvations — all of it depends on this matter explained in the aforementioned Torah discourse. For it is known that the entire world is sustained and governed only through the holy Torah. And if all were studying Torah lishmah alone without any ulterior motive whatsoever, certainly the world would already be entirely rectified and all influences and blessings would be in the world. And the essential source of all corruption is through dispute, for most learners do not study lishmah, and even those who study somewhat lishmah it is not as pure and clear as required. And all their rectification is through the true tzaddik — the aspect of Moshe — who studies Torah lishmah in ultimate purity without any aspect of dross whatsoever. And if the entire world would nullify themselves before him, all would be entirely rectified. But in our many sins, not only do they not nullify themselves before him — they actually dispute and oppose him. And all the dispute and opposition flow from the aforementioned aspect explained in the aforementioned Torah discourse: because the great tzaddik is compelled against his will to incline slightly to some subtle aspect of she-lo lishmah — the aspect of the left — in order to draw down wealth and honour etc. And through this the scholar who is not properly fit sees in the Torah nothing but the aspect of she-lo lishmah, for he who did not merit, Torah becomes for him a deadly poison. And through this the Samech-Mem [the Accuser] incites him until the Oral Torah becomes for him a mouth to speak arrogantly against the tzaddik etc. And from this come all the destructions, may the Merciful protect us, as mentioned. And these were all the wars of Yaakov with Esav and all the stratagems he was compelled to employ against him in order to receive the blessings from Yitzchak. For Yitzchak erred regarding Esav, since ki tzayid b’fiv [for he had game in his mouth] — he trapped his father with the words of his mouth precisely, for he asked him: Father, how does one tithe straw? etc. — as if he were righteous and conducted himself only according to the Torah with extra stringencies. And all of it was falsehood and deceit. For Esav walked only after his evil desires, and principally after the general desire [for he hunted women etc.], as our Sages of blessed memory said. And yet he certainly also engaged in the Torah that the Patriarchs engaged in, which they received from Shem and Ever. But all his learning was only she-lo lishmah in the grossly physical manner, for he did not desire the blessing — all his learning was only to deceive his father, the aspect of ki tzayid b’fiv, as our Sages of blessed memory said. Until Yitzchak our Patriarch erred because of his great deceptions. For this corruption began from the sin of the First Adam as mentioned. And the Patriarchs began to engage in its rectification and clarification, but the rectification was not completed until Moshe our teacher came and clarified and elevated all the Torah laws, until he merited to receive the entire Torah with all its halachos in detail. And then it would have been fitting for the world to be entirely rectified. But in our many sins they corrupted [matters] through the sin of the Golden Calf, which also came through the evil learning of the Erev Rav [Mixed Multitude] who studied Torah she-lo lishmah with falsehood and deceit, until they misled Yisrael and [the Torah] became for them a mouth to speak slander against Moshe, until they made the Calf. And the principal [cause] was through the abundance of gold and wealth they had then — for all the wealth flows from Moshe who is the true sage, through his inclining slightly toward the left for the sake of wealth and honour as mentioned. And it became for them a deadly poison until they misled Yisrael through this, as it is written: v’chasef hirbeisi lah v’zahav asu la-Ba’al [and silver I multiplied for her and gold they made for the Baal]. And as our Sages of blessed memory said on the verse v’di zahav etc. And all this flows from the general desire, which is the desire for licentiousness, as our Sages of blessed memory said: Yisrael only worshipped the Calf in order to permit for themselves etc. For these matters are connected: the tzaddik engages only in unifying the Holy One blessed-be-He and His Shechinah in all his actions and movements, in his Torah study, in all his affairs, and particularly in his union which is in wondrous holiness in the aspect of supernal unions — the aspect of va-yishak Yaakov l’Rachel etc., as mentioned. For with him everything is one — his service in Torah study and his service in eating, drinking, and union is all only for Hashem alone, to effect holy unions, to reveal His divinity and kingship in the world. But most people do not merit this, and even the worthy and righteous do not merit this in completeness, for it is an enormous battle — particularly regarding the general desire, as is known. And in proportion to how much one inclines in this desire for one’s own pleasure, correspondingly one does not merit that one’s learning be of the required purity and clarity. And all one’s rectification is only through the aforementioned great tzaddik who can elevate everything, as mentioned. But when the desire of this world prevails in him to the point that he inclines entirely to the left, until it becomes for him a mouth to speak against the great tzaddik and he disputes and opposes him — and from him the rest of the even more materialistic multitude learn, more and more, until there are those who are deeply contaminated with transgressions and outright prohibitions, may the Merciful protect us — particularly as is common nowadays, may the [Divine] Place grant atonement. Through this all the corruptions are created, may the Merciful protect us, and through this comes all the prolonging of the exile in our many sins. And this is the entire matter of the blessings that Yaakov was compelled to obtain wisely from Yitzchak his father, for [Yitzchak] erred regarding Esav as mentioned. And all this was because Esav went after his desires, in particular the aforementioned desire, as it is written: va-yehi Esav ben arba’im shanah va-yikach etc. va-tihyena maras ruach l’Yitzchak u-l’Rivkah [and when Esav was forty years old he took [wives] etc., and they were a vexation of spirit to Yitzchak and Rivkah]. And as Rashi explains there: he is compared to a pig that stretches out its hooves etc. And this: va-tichehein einav me-r’os [and his eyes grew dim so that he could not see] — that from the great wickedness of Esav, who engaged in such deceit, even Yitzchak the true tzaddik had his eyes dim from seeing the truth, until he wanted to bless, heaven forbid, the wicked Esav. And he said to him: havi’ah li tzayid [bring me game] etc., for he thought Esav truly wanted to feed him and support him — the aspect of ki tzayid b’fiv. For certainly Yitzchak understood that Yaakov engaged in Torah and service more than Esav who was ish sadeh [a man of the field] while Yaakov was ish tam yoshev ohalim [a wholesome man, dwelling in tents]. He only thought that Esav was willing to support Yaakov, as he was accustomed to bringing game to Yitzchak — therefore he wanted to bless him with wealth so that he could support Yaakov. For Yaakov, who is the tzaddik himself who studies Torah in ultimate holiness lishmah in complete perfection, although he inclines slightly to the left for the sake of parnasah and wealth, nonetheless he has no leisure to fully portray the wealth, and of necessity his work is done through others. And for this necessity Zevulun must support Yissachar — the aspect of semach Zevulun b’tzeis’cha v’Yissachar b’ohalecha etc. And therefore Yitzchak thought to bless Esav with parnasah for this reason: so that he would support Yaakov the tzaddik. Through this Esav would certainly have been rectified and returned in teshuvah. And therefore Yitzchak was precise and said to him: va-asei li mat’amim ka-asher ahavti [and make me delicacies as I love]. And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: ka-asher ahavti — from positive commandments. And v’lo ka-asher sanesi [and not as I hate] — from negative commandments. That is: he warned him that the delicacies should be only to the right — which is the aspect of positive commandments — and not to the left which is the aspect of negative commandments. That is: all his intention in the delicacies should be only for the aspect of the right, for the sake of the tzaddik, to support him, so that through this he too would return from left to right, as mentioned. And Rivkah was listening as Yitzchak spoke etc. And she knew the truth: that all of Esav’s intention was only to do evil, as mentioned. Therefore she warned Yaakov to seize the blessings wisely from his father. And this is that she dressed him in the garments of Esav etc. and also dressed his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the skins of the young goats etc. And through this v’lo hikiro ki hayu yadav ki-dei Esav achiv se’aros [he did not recognise him for his hands were like the hands of Esav his brother, hairy]. Va-yivaracheihu [and he blessed him]: this is an allusion that the tzaddik — the aspect of Yaakov — who studies Torah only lishmah, is compelled to clothe himself in the aspect of hairiness, in the garments of Esav which are the aspect of she-lo lishmah, the aspect of the left — in order to receive the blessing of parnasah and wealth that flows from the left, as mentioned. And this is what Yitzchak said: ha-kol kol Yaakov v’ha-yadayim yedei Esav [the voice is the voice of Yaakov but the hands are the hands of Esav] etc. And through this precisely va-yivaracheihu [he blessed him]. For he said: the voice is the voice of Yaakov — in holiness and wondrous purity and clarity. And yet, the hands — which are the instruments of action that draw down wealth — are in the aspect of the hands of Esav, in some aspect of the left. Through this precisely he blessed him with wealth, for precisely through this aspect does one draw down wealth and honour as mentioned. And this too is the aspect of ha-kol kol Yaakov — two voices: the first kol [voice] written full [with a vav] and the second deficient [without a vav] — hinting at the two aforementioned aspects of the tzaddik when engaging in Torah: of necessity the holy voice must comprise two voices, right and left, in order to draw down wealth and honour as well. And therefore the second voice is deficient [lacking the letter vav], for in the left — the aspect of tzafon [north] — there is the deficiency, for tzafon is deficient and from there precisely gold flows, the aspect of wealth, as it is written: mi-tzafon zahav ye-eteh [from the north comes gold]. And this is what is written: va-yavei lo yayin va-yesht [and he brought him wine and he drank] — the aspect of the wine that gladdens, explained in the aforementioned Torah discourse as the aspect of embrace. And after that it is written: gesha na u-shaka li b’ni va-yigash va-yishak lo [come near now and kiss me, my son, and he came near and kissed him] etc. — the aspect of the aforementioned kiss. That is: Yaakov cleaved himself truly to the Torah of his father Yitzchak in the aspect of embrace and kiss etc. and elevated all the evil words of the aspect of Esav and made of them halachos etc., as mentioned. And then [Yitzchak] blessed him with extraordinary wealth, as it is written: v’yiten lecha ha-Elokim mi-tal ha-shamayim u-mishmanei ha-aretz etc. ya’avducha amim etc. [and G-d give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth etc., nations shall serve you etc.] — that all the nations who are outside, from the aspect of the Sitra d’smala [Left Side], will all be subjugated and nullified to him, and all the influence and wealth that flows from the left will all flow to him, for all of it comes from him alone through his Torah engagement in the aforementioned aspect, as mentioned. And afterward, when Esav entered with the delicacies, then va-yecherad Yitzchak charadah gedolah ad me’od [and Yitzchak trembled with a very great trembling] for Gehinom entered with him. And then Yitzchak agreed from his own knowledge with the blessings with which he blessed Yaakov and said: gam baruch yihyeh [he shall also be blessed]. For then the evils and the falsehood of Esav became known to him — that all his learning was only she-lo lishmah alone in complete falsehood. Therefore certainly all the blessing of wealth belongs to Yaakov. But Esav wept and cried greatly until he prevailed and [Yitzchak] blessed him: v’al charbecha tichyeh v’es achicha ta’avod [and by your sword you shall live, and your brother you shall serve] etc. For the wicked Esav is the aspect of the Samech-Mem (who clothes himself in all people who are not fitting, and particularly in scholars and Torah students who are not as they should be, where he is most closely attached, as our Sages of blessed memory said) — he still had power to cry out and accuse. For then these aforementioned blemishes had not yet been clarified. For they will not be clarified until Mashiach comes. And therefore there is no clarified halachah and no clarified Mishnah in one place, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And therefore va-yiz’ak ze’akah gedolah u-marah [and he cried with a great and bitter cry] etc., until he prevailed and [Yitzchak] blessed him: v’al charbecha tichyeh etc. For the sword is the aspect of gevuros [powers], the aspect of the hard judgement of the left. As long as the learning of Torah is not clarified as required and the learners dispute against the true tzaddikim, the sword of Esav, heaven forbid, has power to prevail. But nonetheless [Yitzchak] said to him: v’es achicha ta’avod [and your brother you shall serve], for as long as the blemish is not excessively great, Esav is still compelled to be subjugated to Yaakov — in the aspect of v’es achicha ta’avod. He only has power to live by his sword against the other nations, but not against Yisrael who are the children of Yaakov, for Yaakov certainly has both powers — both in his mouth and in the sword which is the aspect of the left — for even the power of the left, the aspect of the sword, all flows from him, as mentioned. Only: v’hayah ka-asher tarid [and it shall be that when you prevail], then u-farakta ulo me’al tzavarecha [you shall break his yoke from your neck] — which alludes to this bitter, final exile, which is the aspect of the exile of Esav, which is the Torah scholars. And hem tuku l’raglecha [they were prostrated at his feet] etc., and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: these are the Torah scholars who wear down their feet from city to city etc. And therefore they would go to distant academies to study Torah, for the clarification of the halachos is in the aspect of the feet, as mentioned. For it has already been explained that the essential speech comes from halachos which are the Oral Torah, and speech is called regel [foot/leg] as it is written: tzedek yikra’eihu l’raglo [righteousness calls him to his feet] and it is written tzedek tedabeirun [speak righteousness]. And when one studies she-lo lishmah to be haughty and to provoke, until the Oral Torah becomes for him a mouth to speak arrogantly and contemptuously against the tzaddik — this is the aspect of the blemish of the feet, for the blemished speech is called regel as it is written: lo ragal al leshono [he did not slander with his tongue]. And therefore slander and evil speech are written in the language of walking, as it is written: lo teilech rachil b’amecha [you shall not go about as a tale-bearer among your people], as Rashi explains there. And therefore Yisrael were compelled to wander and travel in the desert through all the journeys, in order to lift up, raise, and clarify all the halachos that fell through the sin of the First Adam and the earlier generations who blemished the halachos as mentioned. For the corruption began from the sin of the First Adam as mentioned. And also all the generations before the giving of the Torah blemished in this by disputing against the tzaddikim who were in those generations, such as Noach and Mesushelach. For in those generations all the learning was only oral, for they engaged in the academy of Shem and Ever, and all who were touched in their hearts by the fear of Hashem would receive from them also then straight paths to draw close to Him blessed-be-He. But they were few, and most of the world disputed against them because they inverted the words of the living G-d, until it became for them a mouth to speak against the tzaddikim. For it is known that the wicked of the earlier generations were great in wisdom and in the learning of Divine Names etc., which they had then — only through their evil desires they stumbled in them, in the aspect of u-foshe’im yikashlu vam [and transgressors shall stumble in them], until it became for them a mouth to speak as mentioned. And for this reason Yisrael travelled in the desert for forty years, journeying on foot from place to place, to clarify and elevate the halachos from their fall through the great power of Moshe our teacher. And therefore they received the Torah halachos each time in their travelling in the desert according to what they merited to clarify each time, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of va-yichtov Moshe es motz’eihem l’mas’eihem al pi Hashem [and Moshe wrote their departures according to their journeys by the word of Hashem] etc. — va-yichtov [and he wrote] precisely. For when they merit to clarify the fallen halachos of the Oral Torah and elevate them and make of them halachos again, then they must return and include them within the Written Torah. As we see with all the sages of the Talmud of blessed memory, who clarified for us all the halachos and laws of the Oral Torah, and they labour regarding every halachah to find it within the Written Torah, for there is no matter that is not alluded to in the Torah — leika milta d’lo r’miza b’orayta [there is nothing that is not hinted at in the Torah]. And therefore all that they received orally and all the novellae in Torah — all must be found within the Written Torah through allusion or through plain derivation etc. And therefore they challenge regarding every law and halachah: minailan [from where do we derive this]? For although they received the halachah orally, nonetheless it must necessarily be found in the Written Torah as mentioned. And this is the aspect of va-yichtov Moshe es motz’eihem l’mas’eihem etc. — that their departures and journeys through which they elevated and clarified all the halachos of the Oral Torah, Moshe wrote them in the Written Torah — to show that he had the power to include all the journeys, which are the aspect of clarifying the halachos of the Oral Torah, within the Written Torah. And this is the essential completeness: to unify and connect the Oral Torah with the Written Torah. And this is the aspect of all the exiles that pass over Yisrael, who go in exile wandering and drifting, and all the journeys and upheavals of Yisrael in general and in particular — all of it is for the sake of clarifying the halachos that fell through the dispute that brings banishment and upheaval, heaven forbid, as explained elsewhere. And therefore one must intend in one’s travel, walking, and wandering that one’s intention be to clarify through this the halachos that fell, which are the aspect of halichos olam [the ways of the world], as mentioned. And even one who is not on such a level and has no power for this, and whose travel is for the sake of money and parnasah, must intend that all his walking and travel be in order to earn money so that he will be able to support the true Torah scholars who engage in Torah lishmah and who clarify the halachos and true Torah novellae. For all the money, wealth, and parnasah flows from them as mentioned. And every person must strive to restore the wealth and parnasah to its original Master, for this is the essential rectification of all the worlds, as mentioned. And therefore the one who is excommunicated (menudeh) and placed under cherem [ban] is forbidden to wear sandals and must minimise speech. For excommunication and the ban are [imposed] for transgressing the laws of the Torah, and principally for disgracing Torah scholars — which is the first of the twenty-four matters for which one is excommunicated, as written in the Shulchan Aruch Siman 334, paragraph 43: for twenty-four matters one excommunicates a person, and these are: the first is one who disgraces a sage, even after his death. For the essential power one has to disgrace the true sage comes from having studied the Oral Torah she-lo lishmah, or from being close to such a scholar — and from there a mouth is made for him to speak as mentioned, for the halachos fell by him until a mouth was made for him to speak. Therefore he is obligated to remove the sandal. For shoes are drawn from the aspect of kasnos or [garments of skin] which are protection for the feet, made after the sin of the First Adam who blemished the halachos as mentioned, as explained there in the parasha: va-ya’as Hashem Elokim l’Adam u-l’ishto kasnos or va-yalbishem [and Hashem G-d made for Adam and his wife garments of skin and clothed them]. And it states in the Zohar: at first kasnos or [garments of light] with an aleph — after they sinned they became kasnos or [garments of skin] with an ayin. For now it is impossible to receive the light of Torah except through many garments, which are the aspect of kasnos or [garments of skin]. And this is a great good, for through this precisely one can clarify and elevate the halachos from their fall — since one can clothe and cover them in many coverings and garments. And from there are drawn the aspect of the shoes, which are protection for the feet, which are the essential completeness of all the garments. And as our Sages of blessed memory said: a person should always sell everything he has and purchase shoes for his feet. For there, in the aspect of the feet, the protection is most needed, for the halachos are the aspect of the feet as mentioned, and they fell in the aspect of raglehah yoredos maves [her feet go down to death] through those who did not merit, for whom Torah became a deadly poison. And the shoes are the protection for this, that the klippos [husks of impurity] should not draw excessively from the feet, which are the aspect of halachos, as mentioned. And all this power they receive from the true sage, who is the true tzaddik, who has the power to clarify and elevate the halachos from the place where they fell and to make of them once again halachos through wondrous ways. Of him it is said: mah yafu fe’amayich ba-ne’alim [how beautiful are your feet in shoes] etc., which refers to Yisrael’s ascents for the Regel [festival pilgrimage], as our Sages of blessed memory said: for their entire ascent to the Temple on the three Regalim was for this purpose. For there, in the Temple, is all the clarification of the halachos, as explained above on the verse: ki hikkisani zeh shalosh regalim [for you have struck me these three times]. And therefore they are called Regalim — Regalim precisely, as mentioned. But one who disgraced the true sage certainly must undergo niddui and cherem and must remove his shoes, for he has no shoes, no kasnos or, as mentioned. And therefore it is forbidden to speak many words with him, for the essential blemish is in his speech, which became for him from the Oral Torah a mouth to speak arrogantly against the tzaddik, as mentioned. For the essential aspect of cherem in holiness is explained in the verse: kol cherem la-Hashem [all that is banned belongs to Hashem]. That is: one who sees that he has some money and wealth and fears lest the Sitra Achra get a hold in it — for it is most closely attached to wealth on account of its flowing from the left as mentioned — therefore he consecrates and bans everything to Hashem: either for the upkeep of the Temple or for the Kohanim, through whom is the clarification of all the halachos as mentioned. And when the wealth and money return to them it returns to the root of its holiness — and this is the essential rectification, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of holy cherem: banning and expelling all hold of the Sitra Achra from this object and returning and elevating it entirely to holiness, as mentioned. And conversely, one who disgraces the true sage — they excommunicate, banish, and expel him, so that he no longer has any portion or hold in the holy speech that flows from the halachos of the Oral Torah as mentioned. And through this they remove from him all his life-force that flows from there as mentioned. For the essential life-force comes from speech that flows from the Oral Torah, as it is written: va-yehi ha-adam l’nefesh chayah [and man became a living soul] — and its Targum is l’ruach memalela [to a speaking spirit] (as explained elsewhere). And therefore through niddui and cherem one can uproot him from his life-force and wealth, all of which flow from the speech of the Oral Torah, from which he is uprooted through the niddui, as mentioned. Unless he returns truly and repents completely for his evil words — then he can be rectified through the true sage he disgraced. For [the sage] can return and clarify all the halachos as mentioned, and through this he too can be rectified if he returns truly. For [the sage] will return and elevate him to the root of the holiness of the halachos, which is above in the aspect of kasnos or with an aleph. For the true tzaddik merited through the great strength of his holiness to the aspect of kasnos or with an aleph — the root of the Torah where the left is nullified and included in the right, for there everything is right (kola yemina). And this is the aspect of removing the shoes when entering the Temple, as they said: a person may not enter the Temple Mount with his staff, his shoe etc., for there the root of Torah and halachos shines. And this is what was said to Moshe when he saw the vision of the Burning Bush — which was for the sake of receiving the Torah — He said to him: shal ne’alecha me’al raglecha [remove your shoes from upon your feet], for the place etc. For Moshe saw: v’hinei ha-seneh bo’er ba-eish v’ha-seneh einenu uchal [and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed]. And he marvelled greatly and said: asura na v’er’eh es ha-mar’eh ha-gadol ha-zeh madua lo yiv’ar ha-seneh [let me turn aside now and see this great vision, why the bush is not burnt]. For Hashem blessed-be-He revealed Himself to him from within the bush, because imo anochi b’tzaras ha-galus [I am with him in the distress of exile], as our Sages of blessed memory said. And the essential exile comes through the fall of the halachos as mentioned. Therefore Moshe saw that the bush burned with fire etc. For the bush is the aspect of the thorns and thistles surrounding the rose — which is the aspect of the Oral Torah that fell to the unfit learners, through which it is among them in exile, like a rose among the thorns. And although they engage in Torah which is the aspect of fire, the aspect of halo koh devari ka-eish [is not My word like fire] — nonetheless the fire of Torah has no power to burn and consume the bush, which is the aspect of the aforementioned thorns and thistles. And therefore Moshe marvelled greatly: why does the bush not burn in the fire of Torah? And Hashem blessed-be-He answered him: al tikrav halom shal ne’alecha me’al raglecha [do not come close here, remove your shoes from upon your feet]. For to grasp this secret requires the removal of shoes, until one ascends to the aspect of the place of the supernal Temple — the aspect of the roots of Torah, where the aspect of kasnos or with an aleph shines. And this is what is stated in the Tikkunei Zohar: shal ne’alecha — this is the woman [i.e., the feminine aspect]. That is: one must separate oneself completely in ultimate separation from the lower union, only to effect and unite the supernal unions accomplished through the clarification of the halachos in the aforementioned aspect explained in the aforementioned Torah discourse. And then [Moshe] will understand that throughout all the days of exile it is impossible to entirely burn away the bush, for the tzaddik necessarily has in his learning the aspect of the left for the sake of parnasah — which is the life-force and sustenance of the world — and from there the power of the bush flows. For this rectification and clarification will not be completed in perfection until Mashiach comes, when there will be clarified halachah, and then will be the essential ascent of the feet in the aspect of v’amdu raglav ba-yom ha-hu al har ha-zeisim [and his feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives] and in the aspect of ad d’matu raglin b’raglin [until feet reach feet] brought in the Zohar and writings of the Ari of blessed memory. But throughout all the days of exile the tzaddikim clarify and elevate the halachos each time according to what needs to be rectified at that time. And therefore indeed Moshe declined the mission and said: shelach na b’yad tishlach [send now by whomever You will send]. For he knew that the clarification would not be completed through him. But Hashem blessed-be-He compelled him to go in order to give the entire Torah to Yisrael and to take Yisrael out of the exile of Egypt, for it is impossible to clarify everything in one instance. And all our life-force and existence in every generation until Mashiach comes — all of it is through the power of Moshe who merited to receive the entire Torah by clarifying all the halachos. And although they later corrupted, as they corrupted, to the point that there is no clarified halachah and no clarified Mishnah in one place — we already have the power through the tzaddikim of every generation to sustain ourselves through the Torah we received. For on the contrary: precisely because one knows the halachah only through great labour, through this the tzaddikim and the worthy merit great spiritual attainments through labouring truly and engaging in Torah lishmah with enormous effort, until they clarify the halachos and Torah novellae in every generation. Through this we sustain ourselves in every generation until Mashiach our righteous one comes speedily in our days and completes the rectification in perfection, as mentioned. And were it not for the Torah that Moshe our teacher gave us, we would have no existence or life-force whatsoever. And the essential rectification in every generation is through the true tzaddikim and those who join them, who engage in Torah lishmah, who elevate all the fallen halachos to their root — until our righteous Mashiach comes speedily in our days and completes the rectification in perfection, as mentioned. Amen and Amen. And this is the aspect of im tashiv mi-Shabbas raglecha [if you turn back your foot from Shabbos] — for the essential exile and upheaval is on the six weekdays. For the six weekdays are in the aspect of the six orders of the Mishnah, which are the aspects of kosher and invalid, impure and pure, forbidden and permitted — where the essential labour is to clarify the halachah and to distinguish the permitted from the forbidden, the valid from the invalid etc. And from there flow all the journeys, which are the aspect of exile and upheaval, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of va-yimararu es chayeihem [and they embittered their lives] etc., said concerning the exile time, as it states in the Tikkunei Zohar: va-yimararu es chayeihem ba-avodah kashah [and they embittered their lives with hard work] — b’kushya [with difficulty]. b’chomer [with mortar] — these are halachos. u-vileinim [and with bricks] — this is the clarification of the tradition (libun shema’ateta) etc. That is: the essential bitterness of exile flows because they blemished the study of the holy Torah, until there is needed the bitterness and great labour to clarify and whiten the halachah, from which comes the exile and upheaval as mentioned. But on Shabbos there is rest and freedom, and therefore then there is no exile and upheaval, for it is forbidden to go beyond the Techum [Shabbos boundary] on Shabbos. For Shabbos is a foretaste of the World to Come, where the essential completeness of the clarification of the halachah will then take place. And all the power to clarify and whiten the halachah on the six weekdays — which are the aspect of the days of exile — all comes from the power of the holiness of Shabbos that flows upon the weekdays. For Shabbos is the completeness of da’as [knowledge] that will be revealed in the future, when all the Torah halachos will be grasped in their ultimate clarified truth. And one will also then understand all the inner secrets of each and every halachah: how to cleave oneself to Him and to be included in Him blessed-be-He through each and every individual law — in the aspect of: kol ha-shoneh halachos b’chol yom muvatach lo she-hu ben ha-Olam ha-Ba [whoever studies halachos every day is assured that he is a son of the World to Come]. For according to the effort one expended in this world to study and review halachos, so will he merit in the World to Come: the attainment of the inner knowledge and secrets of the halachos, which is the essential aspect of oneg Shabbos [Shabbos delight] — the pleasure and joy of the World to Come. And therefore on Shabbos the feet ascend — in the aspect of im tashiv mi-Shabbas raglecha [if you turn back your foot from the Shabbos]. For the clarification and refinement of the halachos in completeness is the aspect of the ascent of the feet as mentioned. And therefore the essential union of Torah scholars is on Shabbos, when the union is in holiness in the aspect of the clarification of the halachos, as explained above. And all of this is through the power of the tzaddik, who is the aspect of the Shabbos of all the days. And this is the aspect of Bein HaMetzarim [the Three Weeks], when one mourns then for the exile and the destruction of the Temple, which flows from the fall of the halachos through studying she-lo lishmah to be haughty etc., until the halachos are so blemished by them that it becomes for them a mouth to speak against the true tzaddik as mentioned, from which come all the destructions as mentioned. And therefore the custom is not to eat meat during these days, to indicate that the halachos have become hidden from us through the great destruction that took place in those days. Therefore one does not eat meat, in the aspect of am ha-aretz lo yochal basar [the ignoramus shall not eat meat]. For speech is the soul, in the aspect of va-yehi ha-adam l’nefesh chayah l’ruach memalela as mentioned. And one who knows how to elevate all fallen speech and to make of it halachos again can eat meat — to clarify and elevate the soul that is in transmigration in the animal and to return it to [the level of] the speaking being. But now, in the days close to Tisha B’Av when the destruction was at its most intense, we have no power to clarify the halachah, therefore it is forbidden to eat meat in the aspect of am ha-aretz lo yochal basar, as mentioned. And therefore “students should not be struck during those days,” for the striking of students also flows from the bitterness of exile — because of which it is difficult to arrive at the clarification of the halachah and the Talmudic tradition, and therefore they must be struck. And this flows from Moshe’s striking of the rock, which came through those who disputed him — from which comes all the effort that must be exerted in [clarifying] the Talmudic tradition, as is stated in the holy Zohar and brought in the aforementioned Torah discourse: ilu lo hikkah Moshe ba-tzur la hayu tar’chei rabbanan bi-shma’atatah [had Moshe not struck the rock, the Sages would not have needed to labour in Talmudic tradition] etc. But during these days of Bein HaMetzarim, when the bitterness of the destruction is at its most intense, it is forbidden to strike them. For now it is more difficult to clarify the halachah, and striking can corrupt and harm the students, for at the time of the destruction itself it is impossible to clarify — and therefore it is forbidden to study at all on Tisha B’Av, only matters of tragedy. And similarly it is forbidden then to don tefillin, and the removal of shoes is required. For it is all one aspect: for tefillin are the mochin [intellectual faculties] where the clarification of the halachos resides, from which the rectification of the shoes flows, in the aspect of: just as tefillin, so shoes. And on Tisha B’Av all this has been corrupted, therefore then all of this is forbidden. Rather one must mourn greatly over the destruction of the Temple and sit on the ground and truly humble one’s mind. And so each day one must sit on the ground and mourn at midnight, and through this one merits to clarify the halachah — in the aspect of kol ha-mis’abeil al Yerushalayim zocheh v’ro’eh b’simchasah [all who mourn for Yerushalayim merit to see its joy]. And the essential joy is the Torah — the halachos — which they will attain then, in the aspect of pikudei Hashem yesharim mesamchei leiv [the precepts of Hashem are upright, rejoicing the heart], the aspect of simchah l’ish b’ma’aneh fiv u-davar b’ito mah tov [joy to a man is the answer of his mouth, and a timely word — how good is it]. And Rashi explains: they ask concerning the laws of the festival etc. And as it is written: sas anochi al imrasecha [I rejoice at Your word] etc. And this is the essential consolation — the aspect of nachamu nachamu ami [console, console My people] etc.: kol korei ba-midbar panu derech Hashem yashru ba-aravah mesilah lElokeinu kol gai yinassei etc. v’hayah he’akov l’mishor [a voice calls in the wilderness: prepare the way of Hashem, make straight in the desert a highway for our G-d; every valley shall be lifted up etc. and the crooked shall become straight]. For all of this announces the clarification of the Torah halachos — that they will attain in completeness all the ways and highways in the Torah that are now concealed, and in the future will be revealed in completeness, in the aspect of v’ha-rechassim l’vika’ah [and the hills into a plain]. And v’hayah he’akov l’mishor [and the crooked shall become straight]. And this is: v’niglah kevod Hashem v’ra’u chol basar yachdav ki pi Hashem dibber [and the glory of Hashem shall be revealed and all flesh shall see together, for the mouth of Hashem has spoken]. For all will see the words that fell below through those who disputed the true tzaddikim — from which came all the destruction — and all will then see and understand that they are the halachos that fell, which are the mouth of Hashem that spoke these halachos. For now only the true tzaddik grasps this as mentioned, but in the future v’ra’u chol basar yachdav ki pi Hashem dibber will be fulfilled — that all the winding, crookedness, and concealment in the halachah that flows from the fall of Torah through unfit learners, from whom the halachos became a mouth to speak against the tzaddik as mentioned — all will then see together that these are the words of the mouth of Hashem, the halachos that fell below as mentioned. For then all will be clarified and elevated to their root until all will see from where those words flowed. And through this v’niglah kevod Hashem [the glory of Hashem shall be revealed], for the honour will be returned to its root. For the honour of the tzaddik is His honour blessed-be-He. And He is more particular about the honour of the tzaddik than about His own honour, as our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the matter of Iddo the Prophet. And this is how Malachi concluded: hinei anochi shole’ach lachem es Eliyahu ha-navi lifnei bo yom Hashem ha-gadol v’ha-nora v’heishiv leiv avos al banim etc. pen avo v’hikkeisi es ha-aretz cherem [behold I send you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem, and he shall turn the hearts of fathers to children etc., lest I come and smite the land with a ban]. For from the verse v’heishiv leiv avos al banim etc., our Sages of blessed memory expounded: Eliyahu will come only to make peace in the world — that is, to abolish the dispute that was created through those who study she-lo lishmah etc., from which come all the destructions as mentioned. And therefore he said before this there: zichru Toras Moshe avdi asher tzivissu oso b’Chorev al Yisrael chukim u-mishpatim [remember the Torah of Moshe My servant, which I commanded him in Chorev for all Yisrael, statutes and ordinances]. That is: Malachi concluded the books of the Prophets and warned Yisrael to remember well the Torah of Moshe our teacher etc., all the statutes and ordinances which are all the halachos that he transmitted to us — to remember them well as required and to preserve them in one’s mind and not forget them, so as not to increase dispute in Yisrael. As our Sages of blessed memory said: through forgetting, disputes increased among the Tannaim. And from this the total dispute was extended through the later generations studying she-lo lishmah in the excessively material manner, as mentioned. And therefore he immediately said: hinei anochi shole’ach lachem es Eliyahu ha-navi v’heishiv leiv avos etc. — that is, he prophesied to them that the completion of the rectification will be only through Eliyahu and Mashiach, as mentioned. And this is pen avo v’hikkeisi es ha-aretz cherem [lest I come and smite the land with a ban], for the essential cherem is for the disgrace of the true Torah scholar who labours to rectify all of this — which is all the corruptions and the prolonging of the exile, as mentioned. Therefore he warned them on this to remember the Torah of Moshe and all the halachos he transmitted to us, and not to disgrace the true sage — pen avo [lest I come] etc. For the essential cherem applies to this, as mentioned. And therefore he repeated and concluded: hineini shole’ach lachem es Eliyahu ha-navi lifnei bo yom Hashem ha-gadol v’ha-nora [behold I send you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem]. For despite all this, ultimately Hashem blessed-be-He will complete His [work] and the truth will be revealed. As Malachi extended [his words] before this and said: chazku alai divcheichem [your words have been strong against Me] etc. — referring to those who speak arrogantly against the tzaddik, which is considered as if speaking against Hashem blessed-be-He, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And he concludes: az nidebru yir’ei Hashem ish el re’eihu etc. [then those who feared Hashem spoke with one another] etc. And Rashi explains, and this is his language: az nidebru v’gomer — I respond to your words: then, when the wicked acted wickedly and the good ones walked in gloom on their account, they spoke of those who feared Hashem so as not to be attached to their evil deeds. And I — their words were not forgotten before Me. And although I do not hasten to repay their recompense, for I listened and heard and commanded to write for them a book of remembrance, and their words were established by Me for the day that I will create a treasure which I have stored and set aside to pay My recompense therein. And there I will show you what is between the righteous and the wicked. Until here his language. And on this he concludes at the end: zichru Toras Moshe avdi etc. until hinei anochi shole’ach lachem es Eliyahu ha-navi lifnei bo yom Hashem ha-gadol v’ha-nora. For then will be the completion of the rectification, and all will see the truth. May it be His will that [Mashiach] come speedily in our days, Amen.