חלה ג

Therefore the entire rectification was through the rainbow of the covenant that Hashem promised (Bereishis 9): "My bow I have placed in the cloud." The rainbow of the covenant is the aspect of Rosh HaShanah when the shofar is blown — teki'ah, shevarim, teru'ah — whose sign is kash"t [=keshes, rainbow], as brought in his words z"l. This is the power of the great true Tzadik — the rainbow of the covenant, as in the holy Zohar (Vayikra 15, Pinchas 215). This is Shabbos holiness — the three meals are the three shofar sounds, the three points. He was promised that even within the cloud and very great darkness — "when I bring clouds upon the earth" — even then "the rainbow will be seen in the cloud." Through the Tzadik — the rainbow of the covenant — Shabbos holiness is drawn through the Rosh HaShanah gathering, when the holy sounds — sign kash"t — are blown, sustaining the gathering of Yisrael: "On that day a great shofar will be blown, and the lost in Ashur and the cast-away will come" (Yeshayah 27). Through all this, the teshuvah pathways are drawn — the expertise of ayeil and nafik, to hold oneself even in She'ol Tachtiyos: "and if I make my bed in She'ol, behold You." Through this, Yisrael will fulfill His will — to return at least "like the eye of a needle." As the Zohar Chadash states: "If Kneses Yisrael opens teshuvah like the eye of a needle, I will open great gates." But even this minimal teshuvah is exceedingly hard because the adversary fells one each time — rectifiable only through the expertise drawn by the Tzadik, the rainbow of the covenant. Therefore Hashem promised Noach not to worry upon leaving the teivah — nafik — for Noach saw the great provocation of the yetzer hara. But Hashem promised through the rainbow of the covenant — the true Tzadik encompassing all rectifications, drawing teshuvah pathways — the expertise through which everything is rectified until the complete redemption comes speedily in our days, amen. 127

Therefore we mention in Birchas Zichronos (Mussaf of Rosh HaShanah) at its beginning the matter of Noach: "And also Noach You remembered with love when You brought the Flood waters… therefore his remembrance came before You…" We remind Him of His immense kindness and mercy — how He desires the world's continuity. Even in Noach's days, when such darkness was in the world, He remembered Noach, brought him from the teivah, and promised to sustain the world through the rainbow of the covenant — Rosh HaShanah's holiness. Now that we have already merited the Avos — as we mention their merit afterward: "And I will remember My covenant with Yitzchak" (Vayikra 26) — and Moshe Rabeinu gave us the Torah, and such Tzadikim revealed the holiness of Rosh HaShanah and the greatness of the gathering — now it is fitting that He remember His covenant in their merit and draw upon us the teshuvah pathways, that we merit returning to Him and He to us, until the redemption is brought near speedily (see os 48). 128

This is the aspect of airoovay Techumin: where one places the Shabbos meal, from there the Techum Shabbos begins. Shabbos is the aspect of teshuvah, whose essence is the two expertises — expert in ayeil, expert in nafik — the Techum Shabbos of two thousand amos, the two alephim. Through teshuvah an aleph is made. The essential expertise — the teshuvah pathways — is to be extremely careful not to go outside the Techum Shabbos, outside holiness's boundary. The totality of holiness is Shabbos holiness, and this expertise means: in whatever passes over him, one guards oneself not to fall completely, not to go outside the techum. Every person inevitably endures much — especially one who already sinned; when wanting to return, the ocean depths rage — foul thoughts, as understood from the Arizal's writings and our Sages' words. This is essential teshuvah: overcoming so as not to fall completely. It is impossible to detail for each individual — the variations are immense even within one person. But all is included in his holy, awesome words where he called this "expert" — one must be very expert: expert in ratzo and ayeil according to one's level, expert in shov and nafik according to one's level — to fulfill "and if I make my bed in She'ol, behold You": even in She'ol Tachtiyos, never despair. As explained in those conversations and deep eitzos in our books — fortunate is he who grasps them. 129

All this is Techum Shabbos. The essential Shabbos holiness is Shabbos eating — entirely holy — through which teshuvah pathways are drawn. Therefore where one places the Shabbos meal-measure, from there the techum begins — one acquired shvisah there. The essential acquisition of Shabbos rest is through the Shabbos meal. As in siman 277, Likutay I, "Tzadik kaTamar yifrach": the holy path is conquered and broadened through Shabbos eating — "check in the teeth and you will find in the feet" (Shabbos 152). The essential holy path the Tzadik makes — the teshuvah pathways — draws eitzos and hischazekus so that all return to Hashem, even the very weak who desire to return — all will merit through the teshuvah pathways drawn into the world, the aspect of Shabbos, essentially through Shabbos eating. 130

The essential Techum Shabbos is derived from the Machaneh Yisrael, which was twelve mil. Therefore mid'Oraisa the techum is twelve mil. But our Sages enacted only two thousand amos, seeing the great strengthening of the kelipos in exile. These two thousand amos are the measure between the Aron and the Camp: "But there shall be a distance between you and it of about two thousand amos" (Yehoshua 3). Rashi: "Like the measure of Techum Shabbos, so they could go to pray before it." The essential war is the war of Amalek — against the weak ones whom the cloud expelled. Yehoshua fought with Moshe's power so Amalek would not fell them completely: "and he tailed you — all the weakened ones behind you" (Devarim 25). Rather, to return them in teshuvah, bringing them within holiness's boundary — the Machaneh Yisrael, where the Ohel Mo'ed and Aron stood, from which holiness is drawn. The more distant one is, the more holiness and expertise must be drawn from a higher, holier place. Therefore the techum's measure is from the Machaneh Yisrael — the essential techum is that each person remains in the Camp and Amalek cannot cast him out. One constantly strengthens oneself to hold onto the true Tzadikim and their talmidim — Moshe and Yehoshua — who fight Amalek in every generation to return and build the Beis HaMikdash and bring Yisrael back to Eretz Yisrael. 131

This is also airoovay chatzairos: the essential eiruv rectification is through the Shabbos meal. Through sharing in the Shabbos meal, carrying in and out between domains becomes permitted. Without an eiruv, it is forbidden even between two reshus hayachid domains. The general prohibition of the thirty-nine melachos is the aspect of carrying from domain to domain — berurim (os 30). Our Sages were stringent that even from one domain to another is forbidden — all for the expertise's rectification. Just as one must be careful in ayeil and nafik not to leave one's boundary nor rush beyond it, one must not rush into one's fellow's boundary, in ayeil or nafik. 132

In nafik, certainly chalilah that one look at one's fellow to do as his deeds — one can lose his world in an instant. Dovid HaMelech warned (Tehillim 1): "Happy is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked… nor sat in the company of scoffers." It is known how much the scoffers of the generation bring a person down — especially those calling themselves proper and pious. Hashem should save Yisrael from them. But even in ayeil, one must be very expert not to look at one's fellow who appears righteous compared to oneself, lest one fall — though "envy of scholars increases wisdom" (Bava Basra 21), there is the aspect of "the righteous walk in them and transgressors stumble in them" (Hoshei'a 14). Many fall through jealousy of those who seem more righteous, falling completely in their mind. One must not be a fool but be expert: one's jealousy of better fellows should be for good, to draw closer to Hashem — as hinted in the story of the Chacham and the Tam, where the Tam answered: "That is his work and this is my work." 133

Therefore our Sages enacted that even between domains, carrying on Shabbos is forbidden — so as not to damage the expertise. The rectification is through the Shabbos meal — the eiruv. Through the Shabbos meal the expertise is rectified, then carrying from house to house within the courtyard becomes permitted — the connection between domains will be only for good: they will join in love and peace, each learning from the other for good, drawing closer to Hashem. All this is the expertise in halachah, rectified through the Shabbos meal — the eiruv. 134

This is "And Hashem said to Avram: Lech Lecha — from your land, your birthplace, your father's house, to the land…" and "I will make you a great nation" (Bereishis 12). As explained, the three mitzvos upon entering Eretz Yisrael — cutting off Amalek's seed, appointing a king, building the Beis HaBechirah — are the three points, the aspect of teshuvah. The essential teshuvah is "zarka — cast to the place from where it was taken" — one must leave all the places to which one strayed and return to the source from which one's neshamah was hewn. Every Jew's neshamah-root is exceedingly lofty, but it descended into this world's earthliness for bechirah — so that through this precisely it returns to its source in wondrous completeness. Every person endures many adventures — trials, refinements, ascents and descents without measure — all of Hashem's intention for good: "everything the Merciful One does is for good." All the refinements and trials are the war of Amalek. One must be expert in ayeil and nafik: "and if I make my bed in She'ol, behold You." When one merits enduring — humiliations, bloodshed, refinements, and trials — this is cutting off Amalek's seed, the lower point, through which one merits teshuvah — Keser, the upper point — Moshe, the Beis HaMikdash. The drawing from upper to lower is the vav within the aleph — appointing a king. 135

This is what Hashem said to Avraham — hinting to every person: "Lech lecha" — go to yourself. The essence of a person, what is called "I," is only the neshamah (siman 22, Likutay I). When speaking to a person — "you" or "go" — the intention is the neshamah, the person's essence. The Torah warns: Lech lecha — go to yourself, to your neshamah's source. All your journeying in this world — intend to go to yourself. "Me'artzecha" — from your earthliness, wherever you descended where it seems hard to leave — overcome and go from your earthliness to your neshamah. "Umimoladtecha" — however you were born, whatever physicality, even though this is a great obstacle — "Behold, in iniquity I was formed" (Tehillim 51) — go from your birthplace to yourself. "Umibeis avicha" — family, neighbors, relatives among whom you were raised, from whom there are many obstacles — sometimes physically, sometimes through opinions opposed to truth. From all, go forth to your neshamah. Believe that the Holy One Blessed Be He does not come with tyranny against His creatures — you have the power to stand in all this (Likutay Tinyana, siman 46). 136

"El ha'aretz asher ar'eka" — Eretz Yisrael, the totality of holiness, the Beis HaMikdash, the source of all neshamos. Rashi: "He did not reveal the land immediately, to endear it and reward him for each utterance." This is the essential trial: Hashem does not show a person during the trial what he will merit — if one could see, there would be no trial. Who would throw eternal pleasantness away for momentary foolishness? But the trial is that one does not see — great hischazekus is needed. If one overcomes, one will be rewarded for every utterance beseeched before Hashem — then the good will be exceedingly dear, since one never imagined such pleasantness — as several Tzadikim said (Yerushalmi Avodah Zarah 3:1): "I said: I have labored in vain… yet surely…" 137

"V'e'escha l'goy gadol va'avarechecha va'agadlah sh'mecha" — the three points. "V'e'escha l'goy gadol" — cutting off Amalek's seed, whose entire war is to cause Hashem's Name to be forgotten and to distance the weak: "and he tailed all the weakened." Whoever subdues him magnifies Hashem's Name by drawing close the distant and weak — "a great nation" through multiplying the holy gathering, the opposite of Amalek's intent. "Va'avarechecha" — drawing blessing from upper to lower point: "like Chermon's dew… for there Hashem commanded blessing" (Tehillim 133) — appointing a king, through whom shefa is drawn (Likutay Tinyana siman 16). "Va'agadlah sh'mecha" — called Avraham with an added hei of da'as — Moshe, the Beis HaMikdash, the upper point. Afterward one still endures ascents and descents — requiring great expertise. Therefore: "ve'heyai berachah" — the blessing will endure, one will always remain standing, never falling forever, remaining in the drawing of blessing from upper to lower point. 138

"And Avram went as Hashem spoke, and Lot went with him" — although Avram did as Hashem spoke, Lot — the yetzer hara — went with him always, refusing to separate, for trial and bechirah. Through this precisely, the highest sparks are refined from the kelipos' depths — as Avraham refined from Lot specifically the soul of Mashiach. 139

"And there was famine in the land, and Avram descended to Mitzrayim" — our Sages say this was a great trial: He tells him to ascend to Eretz Yisrael, then causes him to leave. This is all our words: one must be ayeil and nafik, very expert, never falling in mind, never questioning Hashem, only believing "Hashem is righteous and His judgments straight" — all His intention for good. As with Avraham: arriving in Eretz Yisrael, there was famine — forcing him to Mitzrayim, the nafik — yet he withstood the trial until ascending "very laden with cattle, silver, and gold" — sparks refined there. So it passes over every person. As Admo"r z"l writes (siman 8, "Ra'isi Menoras Zahav"): all descents and ascents are hinted in "Avram descended to Mitzrayim" and "Avram ascended from Mitzrayim" — expert in ayeil, expert in nafik. 140

"And he went on his journeys… to the place where his tent had been at first… to the place of the altar he had made there at first, and Avram called there in the Name of Hashem" (Bereishis 13). Rashi: "Also now he called in Hashem's Name." When one overcomes in nafik through all descents until returning to one's place, one must return to the original path — calling in Hashem's Name as at first. He did not fall from his good path through everything that passed — he returns each time to his true path, calling always to Hashem. 141