כלאי בגדים ג

And this is: "those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, prisoners of affliction and iron" [Psalms 107:10] — this is because "they rebelled against the words of G-d" [ibid. 107:11] — that is, they exchanged and replaced the words of G-d — for they formed the light of Torah in the opposite direction, as above. And this is also the aspect of: "and the counsel of the Most High they scorned" [ibid.] — counsels are the aspect of the Torah, which is the 613 counsels [taryag atin]. And this is "the counsel of the Most High" — that the counsels and the Torah drawn from the mouth of the Most High were scorned and they formed the light in the opposite direction, as above. And through this: "He humbled their heart through toil" [ibid. 107:12] — for "in the path a person wishes to go, they lead him." And therefore He humbled their heart through toil, "until they stumbled and there was none to help" [ibid.] — for their heart became confused and crooked, which is the aspect of: "He humbled their heart through toil, until they stumbled and there was none to help" — for they stumbled and strayed from the true path until there was none to help them to return and attain the paths of life — for it is hard for them to return to find the truly straight path, since they wandered into very evil paths by forming the light in the opposite direction and turning to a not-good path. And all the more so regarding the verse: "I went astray like a lost sheep" etc. [Psalms 119:176] — in Likutay I:206, see there — that as soon as a person deviates from the straight path he has many, many confused paths etc. And all this is from the aspect mentioned above — for "in the path a person wishes to go, they lead him." And there is no remedy for this except: "and they cried out to Hashem in their distress" [ibid. 107:13] — for crying always helps. For one must return from the darkness and the shadow of death and from his prison — to bind and attach oneself in a firm attachment to Hashem alone — to return to the source of unity, to draw the light again from there and form it for good as above. And then: "He saves them from their troubles" [ibid. 107:13] and brings them out from darkness etc.

But "a brutish man does not know, and a fool does not understand this" [Psalms 92:7] — as it says: "and the flatterers of heart will arouse wrath — they will not cry out, though He has bound them" [Job 36:13] — as we find with Bilam the wicked, who boasted [Numbers 24:16]: "knowing the knowledge of the Most High." And when the angel stood before him — especially when he stood in a narrow place where there was no path to turn right or left, until the she-ass was forced to crouch beneath him — his anger burned and he struck the she-ass, and he did not take to heart the signs of Hashem, may He be blessed, Whose intention, may He be blessed, was in order that he return from his evil way — for he wished to curse Israel and to uproot himself from both worlds through this. And since Hashem, may He be blessed, saw the force of his wickedness so great — therefore He said to him: "go with the men" [Numbers 22:35] — for "in the path a person wishes to go, they lead him" — as Rashi explained there on this verse: "for the ways of Hashem are straight, and the righteous walk in them while sinners stumble in them" [Hosea 14:10], as above. But the upright children of Israel — the more they are pressed and troubled, G-d forbid, the more they flee every time more greatly to Hashem, may He be blessed, in the aspect of "and Pharaoh drew near" [Exodus 14:10] — that he drew Israel near to their Father in Heaven.

And this is: "and it shall come to pass, because [ekev] you hear these judgments" [Deuteronomy 7:12] — specifically ekev [heel] — that is, when the enemies prevail until he is under the heel and the feet, trampled underfoot. In the aspect of: "You have made men ride over our heads" etc. [Psalms 66:12], the aspect of "to prostrate under foot all the prisoners of the earth" [Lamentations 3:34]. And as it says: "who said to your soul: bow down and we will pass over you — and you made your back like the earth" etc. [Isaiah 51:23]. And this is the aspect of ikvos Meshicha [the heels of Mashiach] — that Israel are placed under their heels. And then specifically — one who takes to heart to hear from there "these judgments" — who knows that all comes from the supernal judgment that clothed itself in these in order to bring him back to Himself. And this is: "and it shall come to pass, because you hear these judgments" — and then: "Hashem your G-d will keep for you the covenant and the kindness" [ibid. 7:12] — that Hashem, may He be blessed, will have mercy upon you for the sake of His covenant with our fathers — for "Hashem listens to the needy, and does not despise His imprisoned ones" [Psalms 69:34]. And this is: "and his hand grasped the heel of Esav" [Genesis 25:26] — specifically ba'akev [at the heel] — when Esav strengthens at the end of exile in the ikvos Meshicha, wishing to trample with his heel upon the head of Israel, in the aspect of "he has magnified his heel against me" [Psalms 41:10] — precisely then: "and his hand" — the aspect of faith, the aspect of prayer, the aspect of "and his hands were faithful" etc. [Exodus 17:12] — spread out in prayer — "grasped his heel" to cast him down and humble him through this. For "our strength is only in the mouth" — to seize the craft of our fathers: to cry out to Him, may He be blessed, from wherever one is. And this is the aspect of: "the serpent bit the horse's heels so that its rider fell backward — for Your salvation I hoped, Hashem" [Genesis 49:17-18] — for Shimshon [Samson] was the aspect of Mashiach, as is brought in the Midrash. And all this one merits through the aspect of "for Your salvation I hoped, Hashem" — through not despairing of the mercies, even with a sharp sword resting on his neck, G-d forbid — only hoping always for His salvation and crying out to Him, however one can. Through this, even when he is under the horse's heels as above, he merits to prevail and to fell the enemies, in the aspect of: "the serpent bit the horse's heels and its rider fell backward" as above.

It is thus found that the essential ruin and the great blemish beyond all transgressions in the Torah is when his intellect becomes confused until he forms the light in the opposite direction from the truth — until he makes a transgression into a mitzvah and maintains strife, G-d forbid — as above. And this is the aspect of what our Sages of blessed memory said — and brought in the Shulchan Aruch in the section mentioned above — that when the oppressor intends to make him violate his religion, he must be killed and not transgress — even regarding the other mitzvos of the Torah, when the matter is in public, before ten of Israel; and similarly in a time of religious persecution [she'as hashmad] etc., see there. For when the matter is in public and the oppressor intends to make him violate his religion — it is thus found that his entire intention is to overturn the bowl upon its mouth, G-d forbid — to invert the truth and form the light in the opposite direction — for he wishes to make him transgress the holy religion and invert it to their evil ways. And when the matter is in public and many Jews can, G-d forbid, stumble through this — to err away from the truth, G-d forbid — for this is what the adversary ambushes most of all, as above. And therefore he must be killed and not transgress even a minor mitzvah of the Torah — for the sake of kidush Hashem, so that he should not ruin the formation of the light entirely, G-d forbid, as above. And this is the same reason itself of the three severe transgressions — idolatry etc. — that one must be killed for them and not transgress: because they ruin the formation of the light most of all etc. And for this same reason one must be killed for every mitzvah of the Torah when the oppressor intends to make him violate his religion — and the matter is in public before many of Israel as above. And similarly in a time of religious persecution — for all is one matter, as above.

And therefore when a person sees that obstacles are spreading against him greatly, greatly, to prevent him from the path of truth — and especially through the multitude of great and small opponents and adversaries etc. — he must know that all this comes from the blemish of the covenant, of which it is said: "all who go to her do not return, nor do they attain the paths of life" [Proverbs 2:19]. Therefore they wish to prevent him from the path of life — with many seductive words and incitements and smooth speeches beyond measure. And when the inciters and preventers see that they cannot achieve to push him away from the truth through their evil words — they stand against him to prevent him by force with a raised hand, as is common these days in our many sins. And then there is no remedy except literal mesiyas nefesh [self-sacrifice] — for he must settle his mind: do I not know the truth fully, that my intention is truly acceptable in Heaven — and if my deeds do not come out as well as they should be, the opponents are not opposing my bad deeds but my few good deeds: that I strive and labor to pray with intention and to draw close to truly true people, who guide me in the path of truth — the path in which our fathers walked from of old. And they stand against me to swallow me alive for nothing, G-d forbid — worse than murderers — for one who causes another to sin is worse than one who kills him, as our Sages of blessed memory said. Therefore I am obligated to give up my life — for am I not a Jew? And it is known that every Jew, even the worst by nature, gives up his life for kidush Hashem. Therefore I too am willing to sacrifice my life and body and livelihood for the sake of the truth — for the sake of the holiness of His Name, may He be blessed — and let whatever happen, happen. For is not all this drawn from the blemish of the covenant as above — for which one must give up one's life as above? It is thus found that this is itself my teshuvah and my rectification — for the essential teshuvah and rectification for the blemish of the covenant is mesiyas nefesh as above. Understand — for certainly through mesiyas nefesh, through which he breaks all the obstacles with all his strength in the aspect of mesiyas nefesh, he will certainly through this merit to attain the paths of life — even if he sinned as much as he sinned in the blemish of the covenant. For this is the essential rectification — when he stands in the trial against the opponents and preventers, as has been explained in our words many times elsewhere — see Likutay I:5, and in what we wrote in its explanation in Hilchos Tefillin, Halacha 4, ois 4.

And this is the aspect of: "Comfort, comfort My people" etc. [Isaiah 40:1] — for the essential comfort is the holy Torah and the true tzaddikim of every generation. For the essential comfort in all this bitter and long exile is the holy Torah — as it says: "this is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life" [Psalms 119:50]. But not every person merits to receive good counsel from the Torah properly in every time — for he did not merit etc. Therefore all need the mari chitaya [the giver of wheat] — which is the true tzadik who explains and forms the light of Torah for good — in the aspect of: "behold, I have taken the blessing" etc. [Numbers 23:20] and as above. And this is the essential foundation of our hope and our comfort in every kind of exile — general and particular, physical and spiritual — in the aspect of [Genesis 5:29]: "this one will comfort us from our work and from the toil of our hands." "This one" [ze] — this is the aspect of the true tzadik, who is called ze [this one] — in the aspect of "for this is the whole of man" [Ecclesiastes 12:13] — for the entire world was created only for the sake of ze, and "be commanded to this one" and "this one is equal" etc., as our Sages of blessed memory said. And this: "comfort, comfort My people" — double comfort — for we need specifically double comforts, the aspect of nachamu nachamu: the comforts of the Torah — the aspect of "this is my comfort in my affliction" etc. But from the Torah it is impossible to receive and suckle on one's own as is fitting — for he did not merit etc. — for he may, G-d forbid, form the light of Torah in the opposite direction, as above. Therefore we need yet another comfort upon comfort: which is the power of the true tzaddikim who explain and form for us the light of Torah for good and for blessing — and influence and teach us to receive truly good counsel from the Torah for life and for good and not for death and for evil, G-d forbid. And this is the essential comfort — the aspect of "this one will comfort us from our work" etc., as above. And this: "comfort, comfort" as above. And this is: "says your G-d" [Isaiah 40:1] — speaking in a whisper [amira b'chashai] — (as our Master, our Teacher, and our Rebbe, of blessed memory, explained this for its application elsewhere, in Likutay I:21). This is the aspect of the simple light descending from above before the formation — which is the aspect of speaking in a whisper and in secret — for before the revelation and the formation it is in the aspect of silence and secret. "Your G-d" — this is the aspect of the forming of the light for good — for Elokim is the aspect of Malchus [Kingship], the aspect of the drawing and revelation of His G-dliness and Lordship to the lower worlds — which is the essential aspect of the Name Elokim, as is known. And therefore Moshe Rabbeinu — who is the essential totality of the Torah — lived 120 years corresponding to the 120 permutations of Elokim, which are the aspects of the explanations and permutations of the light of Torah. And similarly several holy tzaddikim who drew the Torah into the world each lived 120 years — namely Hillel HaNasi, and Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai etc. — all corresponding to the 120 permutations of Elokim — (as brought in the writings of the holy Ari, of blessed memory) — in order that they might explain and permute for us the letters of the Torah for good, as above. For this is the essential comfort, as above. And this is: "comfort, comfort My people, says your G-d" as above. And this is: "speak to the heart of Jerusalem" [Isaiah 40:2] — specifically al lev [to the heart] — for the essential forming of the light is in the aspect of the heart, which is the aspect of Binah l'leva [Understanding to the heart] — where the essential forming of the light occurs, which is the aspect of tzayray [the vowel] — for the heart is the throne of Binah, where the Name Havaya is vowelized with tzayray, as is known. And this is the aspect of: "and you shall know today and return it to your heart" etc. [Deuteronomy 4:39] — for one must draw the light of knowledge, which is the light of Torah, to the heart — to form it for good. For this is the essential point as above. And this is what is immediately followed by: "a voice calls in the wilderness: prepare the way of Hashem — make straight in the plain a highway for our G-d" etc. "and the crooked shall become straight" etc. [Isaiah 40:3-4]. For through forming the light for good — through the true tzaddikim — through this all paths to Hashem, may He be blessed, are made straight in every place. Even in places that were a desolate wilderness — and all the straight paths are straightened, and all the ruined, crooked, and tortuous paths etc. — all of which are drawn from those who invert the paths of uprightness and who invert the truth until the straight paths are ruined and become a desolate wilderness, and ruined and confused paths are drawn forth greatly. But now through the true tzaddikim who form the light for good — through this all paths to Hashem, may He be blessed, are rectified, in the aspect of: "a voice calls in the wilderness: prepare the way of Hashem" etc. For all this is drawn from the sparkling of the light of Mashiach drawn in every generation — through which our essential sustenance in exile comes, as above. Then will be fulfilled: "I will give them one heart and one way to fear Me all the days" — speedily in our days, Amen. [This connects to the above:] And this is the aspect of [Psalms 84:6]: "fortunate is the man whose strength is in You — in whose heart are the highways." For one needs intense strength [oz] and great fortitude and strengthening in this world — throughout the numbered days of his life of vanity — to stand against all the rebuffs etc. with which the adversary wishes to push him away, G-d forbid, at every time — G-d have mercy — and mainly through his false rationalizations, through which he forms the light in the opposite direction, G-d forbid, as above. And this is the aspect of: "let us search our ways and examine them" etc. — for one must at every time search and examine and seek counsel for how to escape his vanities and draw close to Hashem, may He be blessed — and at the very least, that one should not fall further, Heaven forbid, through his rebuffs which are clothed in mitzvos, saying to him: look at the depth of your materialism and your many blemishes etc. — and why are you still striving and hoping to draw close?! For all this and the like is drawn from the klipah [shell] and the sitra achra — and mainly from the aspect of the klipah of Bilam, who wishes to form the light of Torah in the opposite direction from the truth. And the essential source of his strengthening is through his great defilement that he draws, G-d forbid — which is the lust of immorality that is drawn from him — spreading at length and breadth in this lust and in these thoughts in many aspects. And not content with this — he also wishes through this to form the light in the opposite direction and to cast the person down entirely into the pit of destruction, G-d forbid — as many have already stumbled and fallen through such thoughts, G-d have mercy — therefore one needs intense strength and fortitude against him beyond measure. And this: "fortunate is the man whose oze [strength] is in You — m'silos bi'lvavam" — the initial letters [oz lo bach m'silos b'levavam] form the acronym Bil'am [ב-ל-ע-ם] — for against the klipah of Bilam one needs intense strength and great fortitude, as above.

And this is the aspect of the prohibition of yayin nesech and the prohibition of the vessels of wine belonging to a non-Jew. For wine is the aspect of gevuros [powers of severity], as is known — which is the aspect of yir'ah [awe] — in the aspect of: "do not look upon wine when it reddens, for its end is blood [dam]." And dam [blood] is the aspect of gevuros, which is the aspect of yir'ah — as it says: "mighty men to drink wine." And therefore wine includes two aspects — for there is the aspect of wine that gladdens: in the aspect of "wine gladdens the heart of man" etc. And there is the aspect of wine that intoxicates. And the essential distinction is according to the aspect of the vessel that receives the wine, as one sees tangibly in the physical realm — for one person is able to drink and then the wine gladdens him, but there is one who is unable to drink and then the wine intoxicates him and confuses his mind — and all this is because he has no vessel to receive it. Similarly in the spiritual realm — the essential rectification of the wine, that it be in holiness, depends on the aspect of the vessel that receives it. For wine is the aspect of yir'ah, the aspect of gevuros and dinim [judgments]. And one whose heart is complete with Hashem and whose faith is strong — who believes that everything is by His will, may He be blessed — then he is always in joy and has no worry or fear at all from anything in the world, in the aspect of: "do not fear a sudden terror" etc. — for since everything is only by His will, may He be blessed, there is nothing to fear, for who can do to him anything great or small without His will, may He be blessed, G-d forbid? — as it says: "Hashem is for me, I shall not fear" etc. And therefore he is always in joy. And even if at times some sufferings come upon him, G-d forbid — it is certainly only for good. Even so, since he knows that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, alone, he can always gladden himself — for the intention of Hashem, may He be blessed, in bringing whatever suffering upon him is certainly only for good: either to remind him to repent, or to scour his iniquities. And if so, all the sufferings, G-d forbid, are great goods. And therefore he can always gladden himself — for he knows that Hashem, may He be blessed, is filled with mercy and His intention, may He be blessed, is certainly for good, and "He will not contend forever" etc., and certainly Hashem will relent and have mercy upon him and make his end good, and the sufferings will be transformed for him into great good for all the worlds and for eternity. And therefore he is always in joy. But one who strays, G-d forbid, from faith and errs, G-d forbid, in the heresies of the sages of nature — and thinks there is nature, G-d forbid — then he has no life at all. For all his days are anger and pains, and "all the days of the wicked he writhes" etc., "in peace a marauder comes upon him" — for he fears that sudden calamity will befall him, and when some trouble or suffering comes upon him he has no one to turn to for salvation. And therefore he is filled always with grief and sufferings and fears and sadness, and has no life at all. And as all this is explained in the holy conversations of our Rebbe, of blessed memory — some of which were printed in Sefer HaMa'asios, see there. It is thus found that one who has complete faith in the will — who knows that everything is by His will, may He be blessed — he merits great joy through the yir'ah produced by the will, in the aspect of "rejoice in trembling" — for all the awe and fears he has from anything in the world are all transformed into great joy, for through this he returns to Hashem, may He be blessed, and knows that everything is for good as above. And as explained there in the teaching mentioned above: that this is the aspect of the joy of Yom Tov through the revelation of the will, in the aspect of "the righteous man rejoices when he sees vengeance — he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked" etc. And as it says: "then man will say: truly there is fruit for the righteous" etc. But the wicked one who inclines toward the wisdom of nature, G-d forbid, is the aspect of "short of days and full of anger" as explained there — for he is truly full of anger, for all his days are anger and pains. He has no life and no joy at all, as above.

And this is the aspect of wine that gladdens and wine that intoxicates — and everything depends on the completeness of faith: that is, to believe that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, as above. For then the wine — which is the aspect of gevuros, the aspect of yir'ah — is the aspect of wine that gladdens, as above. For when one has complete faith and believes that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, then great joy is added to him through the yir'ah — for he knows that the intention of Hashem, may He be blessed, is certainly for good. And this is the aspect of: "the fear of Hashem adds days" — for the yir'ah adds for him life and length of days. For they are dependent upon each other: through the revelation of the will that is drawn from the holy elders as explained there, through this yir'ah is produced as above. And similarly in the reverse: the revelation of the will is drawn through the yir'ah — for when yir'ah comes upon him through the revelation of the will, in that he knows that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, then he has yir'ah of Him, may He be blessed, in the aspect of "and he feared and was distressed" [Genesis 32:8] as it says there. And through the yir'ah he has of Him, may He be blessed, he returns to Hashem, may He be blessed, and repents completely. And the more he draws close to Hashem, may He be blessed, the more the revelation of the will is revealed to him — which is the aspect of: "the fear of Hashem adds days" — that is, the aspect of the holy elder, which is the aspect of length of days: one who extends his days by adding holiness every time — through this the essential revelation of the will occurs, as explained there, see there. And therefore through this he merits joy — for through the revelation of the will, joy comes into being: which is the aspect of the joy of Yom Tov as above. It is thus found that holy yir'ah — even the fear of punishment — is the aspect of joy. For even the fear of punishment is very good as explained in the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory, elsewhere — since he believes that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, and he fears Hashem, may He be blessed, lest He punish him, G-d forbid, for his evil deeds — this fear is very good, for through this he returns to Hashem, may He be blessed. And in any event, however it may be — in any event the sufferings and punishments, G-d forbid, scour his iniquities. And even if he does not merit to strengthen himself to return in complete teshuvah in truth through the sufferings, G-d forbid — in any event he certainly has many, many thoughts of teshuvah through the fear of sufferings, G-d forbid. And therefore even through the fear of punishment one merits great joy — since he knows that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, as above. And this is the aspect of wine that gladdens — for wine is the aspect of yir'ah and gevuros, through which one merits joy when one merits to complete faith etc., as above. But when a non-Jew touches the wine — then it immediately becomes yayin nesech and is forbidden to a Jew. For wine that a non-Jew has touched — this is the aspect of non-Jews, who are the aspect of heresies and the sages of nature, touching the wine — G-d forbid, that is, the fears and terrors — and immediately the wine is blemished: the wine that is the aspect of yir'ah — for they cast a blemish upon it through their touch — for their ordinary thought is toward avodah zarah [idolatry]. And even now, when they no longer engage in literal idolatry — even so they are filled with the heresies of the sages of nature, after whose teachings they always trail — and all heresies are in the aspect of avodah zarah, as our Rebbe, of blessed memory, said elsewhere. And they cast a blemish, G-d forbid, upon the fears and terrors — which is the aspect of wine — for they do not hold that everything depends on the will but rather on nature, G-d forbid. And then the wine — which is the aspect of yir'ah — is in the aspect of wine that intoxicates — for this is actual intoxication, which is an allusion to all troubles and sufferings — as it says: "drunk, but not from wine." For then is the essential strengthening of fear and grief, in the aspect of: "all the days of the wicked he writhes" — for when he does not believe, G-d forbid, in the will, then he is filled always with harsh fear and dread, and all his days are grief and pain. He has no life at all — for when troubles come upon him he has no one to turn to for salvation, and he has no comfort and no solace for his grief and fears as explained in the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory. And therefore the wine — which is the aspect of yir'ah — does not gladden him at all. On the contrary — it intoxicates him and confuses his mind. And this is the essential aspect of intoxication and confusion of the mind: when his faith is blemished through the wisdom of nature, G-d forbid. And therefore the wine is blemished through the touch of the non-Jew — which is the aspect of yir'ah — for it becomes yayin nesech which is the aspect of avodah zarah, the aspect of heresies — for their ordinary thought is toward avodah zarah — that is, the heresies of the wisdom of nature. And through this the wine — which is the aspect of yir'ah — is blemished, and it becomes in the aspect of wine that intoxicates as above.

And therefore our Sages of blessed memory said [Megillah 16b]: that Yosef sent to Yaakov old wine whose da'as zekainim [the mind of elders] is at ease with it. Specifically da'as zekainim — for only the holy elders are able to drink wine in holiness. For through them the essential revelation of the will occurs, as above — through which the yir'ah is produced that is the aspect of wine that gladdens. And then the wine is in holiness as above.

And therefore on Shabbos and the Three Festivals — when the essential revelation of the will occurs, as explained in the teaching mentioned above: that the essential revelation is on Yom Tov. And the revelation of the will of Yom Tov is drawn from the aspect of metzach ha'ratzon [the forehead of will], ra'ava d'ra'avin [will of wills], see there — which is revealed on Shabbos Mincha etc., for Yom Tov receives from Shabbos, as explained elsewhere. It is thus found that the essential revelation of the will is on Shabbos and Yom Tov. And therefore then — on Shabbos and Yom Tov — that is the essential time when one can drink wine in holiness, in the aspect of wine that gladdens. For they are days of joy — for then is the revelation of the will, through which the essential revelation of yir'ah occurs — which is the aspect of wine that gladdens, as above.

And this is the aspect of the klei hayayin [wine vessels]: that one must guard the wine from the vessels of non-Jews — for the essential holiness of the wine depends on it being received into a good vessel, as above. And therefore the essential drinking of wine in holiness is only in a kos shel beracha [cup of blessing]. Specifically a kos [cup] of blessing — and they did not say the yayin [wine] of blessing, but rather gave the essential importance to the cup and called it the kos shel beracha — for the essential holiness of the wine depends on the holiness of the cup. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory called it: kos shel beracha — specifically kos — for everything depends on the vessel that receives the wine, which is the aspect of yir'ah. For kos [cup] in gematria equals Elokim, as is known. And Elokim in gematria equals ha'teva [nature], as is known. And this is the essential holiness: to know that there is no nature in the world at all — for nature itself is from Hashem, may He be blessed, Who sometimes governs the world through some natural pattern in order to test human beings, so that there will be free choice in the world — and in order to show that nature is in His hand. Therefore He changes nature many times — as we have already seen His awesome signs and wonders on all the Yomim Tovim which are a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt etc., as above. But in truth, even nature itself is His providence, may He be blessed — for everything is from Him, may He be blessed, alone. For ha'teva [nature] in gematria equals Elokim — for nature itself is from the living G-d and King of the universe. And this is the aspect of the kos shel beracha — and then the wine is in holiness in the aspect of wine that gladdens as above. For this depends on the vessel that receives the wine being complete — and the essential completion of the vessel is through faith as above. For the kos shel beracha always comes in a place where there is a revelation of the will — namely on Shabbos and Yom Tov, when we make Kidush over the wine and reveal upon the cup of wine specifically the holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov, which is the revelation of the will, as above. For the essential holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov — which is the revelation of the will — is drawn through the Kidush over the wine, and then the will is revealed in the aspect of mikra kodesh [holy convocation] — a remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt — which is said in the Kidush over the cup.

And this is the aspect of the kos of Birchas HaMazon [Grace after Meals] — in the aspect of: "and you shall eat and be satisfied and bless Hashem your G-d for the good land" etc. It is thus found that the essential Birchas HaMazon is to bless Hashem for the Land of Israel that He gave us. And the essential holiness of the Land of Israel is through the revelation of the will — as explained in the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory, many times. And as our Sages of blessed memory said: for this reason the Torah opened with Bereishis [In the beginning] — for by His will He gave it to them and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us. It is thus found that the essential holiness of the Land of Israel is through the revelation that everything is by His will, may He be blessed. And therefore all ten levels of holiness are in the Land of Israel — for this is the essential holiness: that it is revealed that everything is by His will, may He be blessed. And the Beis HaMikdash [Holy Temple], which is holiest of all — there the revelation of the will is greatest. And therefore all the korbanos [sacrifices] are brought there — of which it says: "for a will [l'ratzon]" etc. And this is the aspect of: "for Your servants have cherished her stones" etc. — for they are in the aspect of the revelation of the will as above. And the Even Shetiyah [Foundation Stone] — which is the Holy of Holies — is the aspect of the root of the will: the will within the wills. And therefore there, no one is able to enter except the High Priest on Yom Kippur — for the High Priest merits the aspect of the metzach ha'ratzon [forehead of will]: in the aspect of "and it shall be on his forehead for a will [l'ratzon]" [Exodus 28:38] as explained there — which is the aspect of will within the wills. And therefore on all Three Festivals one is obligated to appear before Hashem — as it says: "three times in the year" etc. "before the face of Hashem." "The face of Hashem" — this is the aspect of will, which is the aspect of panim [face/presence], as explained there. And this is needed specifically on the Festivals — when there is a revelation of the will. And therefore one must appear then in the Beis HaMikdash — where the revelation of the will occurs as above.

For the kos shel beracha is the aspect of tzedakah through which the essential revelation of the will occurs — as explained there in the aspect of: "the good-eyed one will be blessed, for he gave of his bread to the poor" [Proverbs 22:9] — which is said regarding the kos shel beracha. For in truth, wherever the kos shel beracha comes, one must be more tov ayin [generous of eye] — to give of one's bread to the poor — that is, tzedakah. For on Shabbos and Yom Tov one brings the kos shel beracha for Kidush — to draw the holiness of Shabbos and Yom Tov through the cup of wine. And on Shabbos and Yom Tov one must increase in tzedakah — for on Shabbos the essential illumination and completion of all tzedakah is in the aspect of: "the sun on Shabbos is tzedakah for the poor" — as explained in the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory, elsewhere [Likutay I:31]. And on Yom Tov one must certainly increase in tzedakah — for this is the essential joy of Yom Tov as explained in the Torah many times: in every place that it mentions the joy of Yom Tov it mentions the generous gift to tzedakah — as it says: "and you shall rejoice before Hashem your G-d — you and your sons" etc. "and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow" etc. And our Sages of blessed memory said: if you gladden Mine, I will gladden yours. For in truth the essential joy of Yom Tov is through the revelation of the will — which is revealed through tzedakah specifically, as above. And as explained well in the teaching mentioned above, in the aspect of: "send your bread upon the face of the waters, for in the multitude of days you will find it." And this is what is juxtaposed there in the adjacent verse: "give a portion to seven, and also to eight" [Ecclesiastes 11:2] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded it as referring to the days of the Festivals etc. — namely as above: for the essential holiness of the Festivals — that is, the joy of Yom Tov — is through tzedakah, the aspect of "send your bread" etc., as above. It is thus found: when one brings the kos shel beracha for Kidush on Shabbos and Yom Tov — to draw the holiness and joy of Yom Tov through this — then he is in the aspect of tov ayin etc. — for then is the time of tzedakah and generosity of heart as above, through which the holiness of Yom Tov is drawn as above. And as all Israel customarily practice on the Festivals: increasing in tzedakah and sending to the poor the gift of their generous heart — for one cannot receive the holiness and joy of Yom Tov except through tzedakah, through which one merits that the will be revealed — which is the essential holiness and joy of Yom Tov as above. And similarly in Birchas HaMazon — when one brings the kos shel beracha at the meal — from every meal one must give a portion to the poor, as explained in the books. And this is the essential completion of the kos shel beracha — which is given only to the tov ayin [generous person], in the aspect of: "the good-eyed one will be blessed, for he gave of his bread to the poor." For the essential thing is tzedakah — through which the will is revealed, and then the cup is filled with the blessing of Hashem — for then the wine is in holiness. For through the will, holy yir'ah comes into being, which is the aspect of joy — the aspect of wine that gladdens as above. And therefore one must guard the wine from the vessels of non-Jews — for the wine is blemished through the vessels of the non-Jews who wander and are confused in the wisdom of nature. Through this their yir'ah is blemished — and this is the essential evil fear, the evil whip [r'tzu'a bisha]. For any person who merits faith — that everything is by His will, may He be blessed — even the fear of punishment is good. On the contrary — one specifically needs the fear of punishment, and it is impossible to draw close to Hashem, may He be blessed, except through the fear of punishment — as our Rebbe, of blessed memory, wrote, as above. But when one errs, G-d forbid, in the wisdom of nature as above — then all his fears are evil fears, which are complete harsh judgment — the aspect of wine that intoxicates. For this judgment has no sweetening — for he has no comfort for his grief and fear and terror etc., as above. And therefore the wine — which is the aspect of yir'ah and gevuros — is blemished when it enters the vessels of the non-Jews. For as soon as it enters their vessels — which are blemished due to the wisdom of nature — the wine becomes the aspect of wine that intoxicates: the aspect of harsh and complete judgment. And when one drinks this wine, G-d forbid, which is forbidden through the vessels of the non-Jews — it is as if he worships idolatry — for the heresies of the wisdom of nature strengthen within him more and more. For their wine is drawn from there — for this is the essential confusion and mixing of the mind: when faith is blemished through the wisdom of nature, G-d forbid — which is the aspect of wine that intoxicates as above. And therefore all their punishments are called by the name yein ta'ar'elah [wine of trembling]. And Rashi explained it as the language of otem [blocking] — which blocks and dulls their heart — for this is the essential punishment upon them, because they strayed from holy faith and followed the wisdom of nature. Therefore Hashem, may He be blessed, will bring upon them their harsh punishment — and their punishment is the aspect of yein ta'ar'elah which blocks their heart — for their mind becomes confused through the punishment and fears even more, for they have no one to turn to and have no comfort, as above. As it says: "and he looks to the land, and behold, darkness" etc. And this is the aspect of: "for in the hand of Hashem is a cup, and the wine foams, full of mixture — but its dregs they will drain, they will drink — all the wicked of the earth" [Psalms 75:9]. For the essential punishment is in the aspect of wine that intoxicates — the aspect of the cup of trembling, G-d forbid, as above — and essentially through the blemish of the wisdom of nature. For as long as one knows that everything is from Hashem, may He be blessed, there is no grief and suffering in the world at all — everything is only good — as explained in the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory, in many places. And therefore the reward of the righteous who always believed in Hashem is called by the name: yayin ha'meshumar b'anavav mi'sheshes yemay bereishis [wine preserved in its grapes since the six days of creation]. For this is the essential reward — when His will is revealed in the world and all will see that all the troubles we endured in exile were all for our good — and these righteous ones who believed even in exile and grief and their sufferings that everything is for good by His will, may He be blessed, and drew close to Hashem, may He be blessed, through this — which is the aspect of wine that gladdens: for through all the fears and judgments they drew close to Hashem, may He be blessed, and merited joy — through this they will merit in the future, measure for measure, the day that is entirely good, and will merit the preserved wine etc. For then will be the essential joy — and then the wine will be in the aspect of wine that gladdens. For then it will be revealed that everything was for our good — the aspect of: kuloi tov kuloi echad [all good, all one] — which is the aspect of wine that gladdens as above, the aspect of "my cup is full to overflowing." For the essential reward for the future is that we will merit to be included in His will, may He be blessed — which is the aspect of the passing of Moshe in ra'ava d'ra'avin [will of wills] — and this is the aspect of wine that gladdens, the aspect of preserved wine, drawn through the revelation of the will as above. And one who had complete faith in this world and believed that everything is by His will, may He be blessed, will merit this in the future: the aspect of wine that gladdens, preserved wine etc. — that is, to be included in His will, may He be blessed, in the aspect of ra'ava d'ra'avin. Fortunate is the one who merits this! And therefore it is called yayin ha'meshumar b'anavav mi'sheshes yemay bereishis — for this is the essential holiness of the wine: when one believes that Hashem, may He be blessed, created everything in the six days of creation and everything is governed by His will, may He be blessed — which is the essential holiness of the wine, the aspect of wine that gladdens — which is the aspect of the preserved wine etc. as above.