קידושין א

And rising at chatzos is conducive to drawing great chesed during the day, which is the aspect of great daas and mochin (expanded consciousness) for praying in completeness, as is understood from the holy books. For at chatzos there is the aspect of the revelation of the concealment, and daas is drawn down, and then there is a very great arousal of teshuvah. But the essential revelation of daas in its ultimate fullness — through which teshuvah is in completeness as befits — is in the light of day. For then a great light is drawn down, and great chesed and exceedingly great daas are revealed in the light of day, as is brought. And then one merits the rectifications of prayer, which is the aspect of teshuvah in completeness and great rectification, in the aspect of the aforementioned mikveh. 38

Based on the Torah teaching that begins 'Chadee Rabbi Shimon' in Likutay Moharan I (§61) — see there the entire teaching. The essential point for our purposes: through a flaw in one's faith in the sages (emunas chachomim) all the dimensions described there become damaged, and through this one's counsel becomes divided — see there at length. The rectification for all of this comes through the waters that purify and repair everything.

These waters are in the dimension of the Waters of Strife (May M'rivah), in the dimension of conflict — for it is through the conflict that comes upon a person that he is aroused to teshuvah. When he returns in teshuvah, all the holy books of the Torah are once again counted precious in his eyes, and then the books multiply without end, in the dimension of 'making many books without end' (Koheles 12:12). Through the multiplication of the holy books of the Torah that multiply through the conflict — in the dimension of 'and a man of my strife wrote a book' (Iyov 31:35) — through being aroused to teshuvah through the conflict as above, all the tzimtzumim (contractions) and all the dinim (judgments) in the world are sweetened.

For every tzimtzum and every din must be sweetened at its root, because a din is sweetened only at its own root. The root of the dinim is the intellect (saichel), for 'all are clarified in thought' (Zohar). There is a particular intellect (saichel prati) for every tzimtzum and every din — this particular intellect is the root of that specific din and tzimtzum, and that din and tzimtzum cannot be sweetened except through that very particular intellect which is its root.

However, there is also an all-encompassing intellect (saichel hakolel), which is the dimension of Supernal Wisdom (Chochma Ila'ah), which encompasses all the particular intellects and all the tzimtzumim in the world. There, within the all-encompassing intellect, all the tzimtzumim and all the dinim in the world are sweetened in two dimensions — for within the particular intellect one can sweeten only that tzimtzum and din which belongs to it and flows from it, whereas within the all-encompassing supernal intellect all manner of tzimtzumim and dinim in the world are sweetened, for it is the supernal all-encompassing intellect.

Moreover, even when one sweetens a particular tzimtzum through its own particular intellect which is its root, even then it cannot be sweetened through the particular intellect alone, except insofar as that particular intellect receives from the all-encompassing intellect — for through this it has the power to sweeten that tzimtzum and din which belongs to it. It follows that the supernal all-encompassing intellect sweetens all manner of tzimtzumim and dinim in the world in two modes — in general (b'chlal) and in particular (u'v'frat) — as above.

The Torah emerges from the dimension of the all-encompassing supernal intellect, for 'Oraisa mi'Chochma Ila'ah nafkat' (the Torah issues forth from Supernal Wisdom). However, the Torah cannot ascend and be subsumed within Supernal Wisdom — the all-encompassing intellect — except when the Torah achieves wholeness. And the wholeness of the Torah comes through the multiplication of holy books that continually increase, for then the Torah becomes ever more complete and has the power to ascend and be subsumed within Supernal Wisdom — the all-encompassing intellect — which is the dimension of the Even Shesiya (Foundation Stone), Kodesh Kodoshim (Holy of Holies).

For the intellect is called kodesh (holy), for from there come salvation and sweetening, as in 'He shall send your help from the kodesh' (Tehillim 20:3). The all-encompassing intellect is the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the dimension of the Even Shesiya. And then the Torah is in the dimension of the Luchos HaEven (Stone Tablets) that are subsumed within the Even Shesiya — Kodesh Kodoshim — which is the all-encompassing intellect.

And when the Torah is subsumed there and receives from there, then all the tzimtzumim and dinim in the world are sweetened — for through the all-encompassing intellect all is sweetened, as above. This is the dimension of the Stones of Yaakov, all of which were subsumed within the Even Shesiya, and this is the dimension of 'Hen Tavay Shaday ya'aneni,' whose initial letters spell Shesiya (שתיה), for there all the reshimos (traces) and tzimtzumim are sweetened.

And this is 'a man of my strife wrote a book' — for through the multiplication of books that come about through conflict as above, the Torah becomes whole and is subsumed within the Even Shesiya in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the all-encompassing intellect, and through this all is sweetened as above — see there carefully.

This is the dimension of the sefer kerisus — the document of severance — through which his wife is dismissed from him and becomes free to marry whomever she wishes. For the woman is in the dimension of tzimtzum and din, since the primary aspect of all tzimtzum and din is in the dimension of the left, which is the side of the feminine (sitra d'nukva), as is known. And the man is in the dimension of the saichel that sweetens the tzimtzum, as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu, of blessed memory, that the primary intellect — in the dimension of settled wisdom (yishuv hada'as) — is in the dimension of the masculine (sitra d'duchura).

As our Sages of blessed memory said: 'Bring my sons from afar' (Yeshayahu 43:6) — these are the exiles in Babylonia, whose minds are settled upon them like sons. 'And my daughters' — these are the exiles in other lands, whose minds are not settled upon them like daughters. It follows that the primary settled wisdom, the dimension of intellect, is in the sitra d'duchura, while the woman is in the dimension of unsettled wisdom, which is the dimension of tzimtzum and din, as is explained elsewhere — that the primary grip of the dinim and tzimtzumim comes from unsettled wisdom. Therefore all the vitality of the woman comes through her husband, as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'A woman is blessed only through the fruit of her husband's body' — for the man, being in the dimension of the saichel, draws sweetening to sweeten the dimension of tzimtzum and din that holds her, and through this blessing, flow, and vitality are drawn. This is the dimension of the prohibition of aishes ish (another man's wife). For the essential holy union (zivoug d'kedushah) is in the dimension of drawing the holy saichel to sweeten the specific tzimtzum that belongs to it — which is his wife — for every tzimtzum and din, which is the dimension of the woman, has a saichel through which it must specifically be sweetened — and that saichel is her husband, as above. But to another man she is forbidden with the severity of the prohibition of aishes ish, for she has already been bound to her husband through their marriage, and she is now forbidden to the entire world. Not only is she unable to receive sweetening from anyone other than her husband — for a din is sweetened only at its own root, which is the specific saichel belonging to that tzimtzum, which is the dimension of her husband — but moreover, the power of the sitra achra and the klippos is greatly strengthened, Heaven forbid, if she commits adultery against her husband. For when the tzimtzum, which is the dimension of the woman, receives from another saichel that does not belong to it and lacks the power to sweeten that tzimtzum, then not only does it fail to sweeten the tzimtzum, but the tzimtzum and din are actually greatly and terribly strengthened, Heaven protect us. For the essential root and grip of the din comes from the saichel, and the masters of din always seek to draw from the saichel in order to strengthen their judgment, Heaven forbid — but through the saichel itself comes their sweetening, for the saichel has the power to sweeten them at their root, as above. But when the tzimtzum receives, Heaven forbid, from a saichel that does not belong to it and lacks the power to sweeten it, then that tzimtzum draws power from that saichel to strengthen its din further, Heaven forbid — and so the din is greatly strengthened, in the dimension of the severity of the prohibition of aishes ish, Heaven protect us. For from the strengthening of the dinim that comes when the tzimtzum joins with a saichel that is not its own kind, Heaven forbid, comes the essential grip of the sitra achra and the power of the klippos, as is known. Therefore when the husband no longer desires his wife and wishes to dismiss her from him, he must write her a sefer kerisus — which is the get. For the get is called sefer — in the dimension of the sefer kerisus. And through this sefer of the get that the Torah has commanded, through this he ascends to the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect, where all the particular intellects and tzimtzumim are included. Therefore from there he can draw the dimension of kerisus and separation — that his wife should be separated from him, that is, that the tzimtzum and din whose root is there should be separated from his intellect and should no longer have any bond with him. For the essential distinction between the particular intellects and tzimtzumim — that this tzimtzum belongs only to this specific intellect and must be sweetened through this specific intellect, while that tzimtzum must be sweetened only through another specific intellect — all these distinctions and differences exist only below. But above, in the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, no change or distinction between the intellects and tzimtzumim is relevant, for there all is one. Therefore when one wishes to separate the tzimtzum from the saichel so that she will have the power to join with whoever she wishes, one must ascend to the supernal all-encompassing intellect where all is one, and there it is possible to completely nullify the bond between this tzimtzum and this saichel, for there all is nullified. And afterward one descends from there in the dimension of a sefer kerisus — they are separated one from the other. This is the dimension of the get — which is a sefer kerisus — and specifically sefer, as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'Sefer korsah v'ain davar acher korsah' (a document severs her — and nothing else severs her). For she cannot be separated from him except through the dimension of sefer — the get — through the mitzvah of sefer kerisus that causes them to ascend to Chochma Ila'ah. For it is impossible to ascend there except through the dimension of sefer, in the dimension of 'a man of my strife wrote a book,' and when they are subsumed there, the bond between them is nullified there — for there no bond is relevant, for there all is one. And then they return from there in the dimension of sefer kerisus, a get of dismissal, and she is dismissed from him, for the bond has already been nullified at its supernal root. This is the dimension of kiddushay shtar (betrothal through a document). As our Sages of blessed memory said — the Torah equates the 'havayah' (coming together) with the 'yetziah' (going out): just as going out is through a shtar, so too coming together is through a shtar. For both the bond between them and the separation between them are accomplished through a shtar — the dimension of sefer. For at the time of their marriage, when she must join with him, she ascends together with him through kiddushay shtar — which is the dimension of sefer — to the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah, and there they are subsumed together and receive from there vitality and intellect in the dimension of bond and union. Therefore the joining is always through the dimension of sefer — in the dimension of kiddushay shtar, as above. And even if he does not betroth her through a shtar, he must write her a kesuvah, which is also in the dimension of sefer — as our Sages of blessed memory said, 'from the book of her kesuvah, we learn...' — for she cannot join with him except through the dimension of sefer. Through this she ascends with him to receive vitality and intellect from the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah, for it is impossible to receive from there except through the dimension of sefer as above, and there is simple undifferentiated light that encompasses all, and from there one can draw the light to the dimension of the particular intellects and tzimtzumim as one wishes — either in the dimension of joining, so that the tzimtzum joins this saichel through the light drawn from there through the dimension of sefer (the kesuvah and kiddushay shtar). And all the sweetening of all the unions is drawn from the power and vitality received from the all-encompassing intellect through the dimension of this sefer. And conversely, when he wishes to dismiss her, he must give her a get — which is a sefer kerisus — in the dimension of sefer, through which he again ascends to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect and there completely nullifies the bond at its supernal root, and from there he draws intellect and vitality in the dimension of kerisus — that there should no longer be any joining of this tzimtzum to him — for the bond between them has already been nullified at the supernal all-encompassing root, as above. This is the verse (Hoshea 2:1-2): 'And the number of the children of Yisrael shall be like the sand of the sea... and it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, it shall be said to them, Children of the living God.' Rashi explains: Why are consolation and suffering placed adjacent to one another? Rather, it is like a king who quarreled with his wife and summoned the scribe to write her a get, but in the middle, he was reconciled with her. He said: Let it not go out blank — go and double her kesuvah — and so it was, as above. For the essence of the get, which is the sefer kerisus, is drawn by returning and being subsumed in the supernal intellect, and there nullifying the bond between them as above — but immediately upon ascending there, all the tzimtzumim and all the dinim in the world are sweetened. Therefore it is quite common that a husband and wife quarrel many times until they come to the rabbi to write a get — and then specifically at that point they are reconciled and appeased. This is from the dimension described above — for as soon as the dimension of the get is aroused, that one must draw the separation, the nullification of the bond from the supernal all-encompassing intellect — but there all is sweetened. Therefore since they spoke of a get, sometimes there flows upon them specifically from there the dimension of sweetening from the all-encompassing intellect that sweetens all — from the same place from which they needed to draw the nullification of the bond between them, as above, and from there also all joining and all sweetening are drawn. Therefore they can be reconciled specifically through this, for sweetening and reconciliation are drawn from the supernal all-encompassing intellect to which they wished to ascend in order to nullify the bond through the get. And since they prepared themselves to ascend there to nullify the bond, illumination and sweetening flowed upon them from there, and through this they reconsidered and were reconciled and appeased now specifically — for all the sweetening and all the resolution of conflict are drawn from there specifically, as above. However, most people cannot receive from there except a mere illumination, and therefore most times the get does go through — for they lack the power to sweeten the conflict between them; rather, on the contrary, they ascend there to nullify the bond at its root, which is the dimension of the get as above. But the Blessed Name is full of mercy, and He has already chosen us from all the nations at Matan Torah (the Giving of the Torah), which is called 'the day of His wedding' — as our Sages of blessed memory said, 'On the day of His wedding' — this is Matan Torah. And He has already sworn to our forefathers and to us that He would never distance us forever, as it is written: 'If you break My covenant of the day...' (Yirmiyahu 33:25), 'and yet even this...when they are in the land of their enemies, I have not despised them...' (Vayikra 26:44). And likewise many promises that He promised us that we are His treasured nation forever, and as it is written: 'Where is the document of severance of your mother whom I sent away?' (Yeshayahu 50:1). Therefore when the Blessed Name sometimes uses language of distancing, Heaven forbid, His intent is only for the sake of drawing near — like the parable of the king above who called the scribe to write a get, and afterward added to her kesuvah specifically through this. For specifically through the fact that he called the scribe to write a get to distance her, Heaven forbid — and the distancing, to nullify the bond between them from long ago, cannot be accomplished except by ascending to the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah, the all-encompassing intellect, where the bond cannot be nullified except at its supernal root as above — and the Blessed Name is full of mercy, and as soon as they ascend there, immediately His abundant mercies are aroused, and the matter is reversed. Not only does He not nullify the bond there, Heaven forbid — on the contrary, He draws from there a great illumination to nullify all the tzimtzumim and all the dinim in the world, and all the angers and all the offenses He had against Yisrael in general and in particular — He sweetens and nullifies all of it through the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah that was aroused to draw illumination from there in the dimension of sefer kerisus, Heaven forbid. For now it is reversed, and on the contrary, great sweetening is drawn from there to sweeten all — for His entire intention in calling the scribe to write a get, that is, in mentioning the language of distancing, Heaven forbid — His entire intention was for great goodness, for the sake of drawing near. This is the dimension of 'distancing that is ultimately drawing near' brought in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory. For specifically through mentioning the dimension of distancing — that one needs to draw the nullification of the bond, Heaven forbid, from its supernal root in the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah — immediately His mercies were aroused and great sweetening was drawn from there, and all was sweetened as above. And this is: 'And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, it shall be said to them, Children of the living God' — b'makom specifically — for specifically in the place of the distancing, in the dimension of the get, Heaven forbid, where He wanted to write in that very place — there shall it be reversed and sweetened, and they shall be called Children of the living God. For from there specifically all the sweetening in the world flows, as above. This is the dimension of haforas nedarim (the annulment of vows) — what the husband annuls the vows of his wife. For vows (nedarim) are in Binah, which is in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Yom Kippur, as is known — for then the Kohen Gadol enters into the innermost chamber, to the Even Shesiya in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, to atone for all the sins of Yisrael, which is the dimension of the sweetening of all the dinim in the world. For there is no death without sin and no suffering without transgression, as our Sages of blessed memory said — all suffering and dinim, Heaven forbid, come through sins — and the atonement for transgressions that the Kohen Gadol draws from the Even Shesiya is the dimension of sweetening all the dinim, as above. Therefore we say Kol Nidrai on Yom Kippur, as is known — for vows are in the dimension of Yom Kippur, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect. For the neder (vow) is the matter of a person prohibiting something upon himself, and then that thing is forbidden to him like all other Torah prohibitions — and it is a wonder how a person can have the power to make himself a new Torah, to bind a prohibition upon himself for something not written in the Torah. But the explanation is according to the above — for 'Oraisa mi'Chochma Ila'ah nafkat,' and every person has a portion in the Torah, for the person is the Torah itself, as it is written 'Zos haTorah adam' (This is the Torah: a person) — as Rabbeinu of blessed memory wrote many times. Therefore through the neder, which is in the dimension of the supernal intellect — the root of the Torah — a person has the power to draw upon himself from there a new prohibition that will be binding upon him as a complete Torah prohibition. For from there, from the dimension of neder, all the Torah flows as above. And every person has the power to ascend there through the neder and draw upon himself a new prohibition from there to bind upon himself — and then that thing is forbidden to him like all other Torah prohibitions. It turns out that he has made a new Torah upon himself through the neder — for from the dimension of neder, which is the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect, one can draw new illumination to the Torah. Therefore a solitary expert (yachid mumche) or three laymen (sheloshah hedyotos) have the power to release the vow, as it is written 'Lo yachel devaro' — he himself may not profane it, but others may profane it for him. For the essential illumination from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect cannot be drawn except through the tzaddik of the generation, who is in the dimension of the yachid mumche — who is the essential dimension of the all-encompassing intellect relative to all others, as explained there in that Torah teaching. Therefore the yachid mumche can release his vow — for he can draw a very great illumination from the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah, the all-encompassing intellect, through which the vow that was drawn from there is nullified. The chacham who is the essential dimension of the all-encompassing intellect has the power to nullify the power of the vow, which is merely an illumination drawn from there. And similarly three laymen can also nullify the vow — for three from Yisrael are in the dimension of threefold holiness (kedushah m'shuleshes), which is the dimension of the totality of holiness, the dimension of Kodosh Kodosh Kodosh — within which all the sweetening is included. For the tzimtzum that has power from the saichel called kodesh, as above — when it is sweetened, it becomes doubly holy — for then the saichel, which is in the dimension of kodesh, is drawn to the dimension of the tzimtzum, and then even the tzimtzum and din are called kodesh because they are subsumed within the saichel called kodesh. But the holy saichel alone does not have the power to sweeten the tzimtzum so that it too is called kodesh, except when it receives power from the supernal all-encompassing intellect, which is Kodesh Kodoshim. This is the third holiness — the supernal holiness, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim. This is the threefold holiness: the supernal holiness — the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, Kodesh Kodoshim — and the holiness of the saichel and the holiness of the tzimtzum that is also subsumed within the holiness of the saichel — which is its sweetening at its root, as above. And wherever there are three from Yisrael — a bais din — they are in the dimension of the three Patriarchs, the dimension of threefold holiness as above, and therefore they have the power to ascend to the supernal intellect where the root of the neder is, and to nullify the vow that this person made and release it — as the yachid mumche also releases the vow through the fact that he has the power to be subsumed more fully in the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect, through which the vow drawn from there is released. And this is the dimension of the husband's and father's annulment of vows — for the husband is in the dimension of the saichel that sweetens the tzimtzum and din that is in the dimension of his life-partner, as above. And the essential sweetening comes through receiving from the all-encompassing intellect, as above. Therefore he has the power to annul her vow — for she has no power to receive from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect from which the vow flows, except through her husband specifically, as above. Therefore all her vows depend upon him specifically — 'her husband may uphold it and her husband may annul it' — for the drawing of the illumination from the all-encompassing intellect to her, from which her vow flows, is through him specifically. Therefore he has the power to uphold her vow or to annul it, for all depends upon him, as above. Therefore all vows and all oaths are released before the giving of the get — for it is impossible to dismiss one's wife who has been bound to him with a strong and firm bond through chuppah and kiddushin, except through the get, through drawing an illumination from the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect where the bond is nullified at its root, as above. Therefore vows are released first — for through the releasing of vows one ascends to the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect, which is the dimension of Kol Nidrai that we say at the entrance of Yom Kippur, in order to be able to enter before the Innermost — to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim where the Kohen Gadol enters on Yom Kippur. For from there comes the essential holiness of Yom Kippur, the essential forgiveness of sins through teshuvah, which is the dimension of the sweetening of all the dinim in the world, as above. And this is why all those present at the time of the giving of the get are told to contemplate teshuvah — for teshuvah is the dimension of Yom Kippur, the dimension of the releasing of vows through regret (charatan), which is the dimension of teshuvah. All of this flows from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect where all the dinim in the world are sweetened — from which one needs to draw illumination to nullify the bond through the sefer kerisus, as above. Therefore Yaakov Avinu, at the time he went to take a wife, specifically at that moment encountered the place (vayi'fga bamakom) — which is the place of the Even Shesiya, the place of Kodesh Kodoshim. And there all the stones were subsumed within the Even Shesiya in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — which is the dimension of the sweetening of all the tzimtzumim and dinim — as is explained there in that Torah teaching. For it has already been explained that the essential bond between man and his wife through chuppah and kiddushin also flows from the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect — from which he draws illumination to bind her to him, to continually draw saichel from there to sweeten the tzimtzum and din that is the dimension of the woman who marries him, which is the dimension of kesuvah and kiddushin, as above. Therefore kiddushin is called in the language of kodesh — for it is the saichel called kodesh from which the sweetening of the tzimtzum flows, as above. Therefore specifically at the time Yaakov went to seek his match (zivugo), specifically then he merited this dimension — to be subsumed within the supernal intellect, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — and to include within it all the tzimtzumim and all the intellects and all the souls, which is the dimension of the twelve stones all subsumed within one stone, in the Even Shesiya in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, as above. And through this specifically he merited to take a wife who fears Hashem and to beget the twelve holy tribes — for he merited to sweeten all the tzimtzumim at their root, which is the dimension of marriage, as above. And therefore immediately when he saw this, immediately 'Yaakov made a vow...' (Beraishis 28:20). For then certainly he had to ascend to the place of the neder, which is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — which is the dimension of Kol Nidrai that we say on Yom Kippur. Therefore the Kohen Gadol is forbidden to perform the service on Yom Kippur if he has no wife, as our Sages of blessed memory taught — for it is impossible for him to sweeten the tzimtzumim and dinim through the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, as above, except when he is married to a woman. For the essential sweetening of the tzimtzumim comes through marriage of holiness (nissuin d'kedushah), and then he has the power to elevate all the tzimtzumim to their root and sweeten all through the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, as above. Therefore a Kohen is forbidden to marry a divorcee — for all Kohanim are included within the Kohen Gadol, who sweetens all the dinim in the world through the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, and all the Kohanim receive from him. For all the Kohanim always need to sweeten their din, which is the dimension of atonement for sins through the korbanot (offerings) that the Kohanim constantly bring to atone for Yisrael — for the atonement for all sins is the dimension of sweetening the dinim, as above. Therefore the Kohen is an ish chesed, a man of peace — which is the essential dimension of kehunah (priesthood), as it is written: 'Behold I give him My covenant of peace, and it shall be for him and his descendants a covenant of eternal priesthood' (Bamidbar 25:12). Therefore Aharon the first Kohen loved peace, as our Sages of blessed memory said, as it is written (Malachi 2:5): 'My covenant with him was life and peace.' For it is impossible to ascend there to the all-encompassing intellect and to sweeten the dinim except through love and peace — as is explained at the end of that Torah teaching regarding the teaching of the Holy Zohar: 'Anan b'chavivusah talya' — that Yisrael must love one another greatly with a soul-love, and then they are all subsumed together within the souls of the true tzaddikim, who are in the dimension of Kohen Gadol — and through this all the dinim in the world are sweetened. Therefore the divorcee is forbidden to the Kohen — for divorce (gerushin) is in the dimension of strife and conflict, for he draws for her an illumination from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of kerisus and separation and distancing, which is the dimension of din and conflict. Therefore she is forbidden to the Kohen who is a man of peace, as above. This is the dimension of the prohibition against returning one's divorcee after she has been married to another. For she cannot marry another except through the power of the get that her first husband gave her. It follows that the second husband is in complete opposition to the first husband — their minds are in complete and utter contradiction — for he drew for her the dismissal from the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of distancing, that is, he was unable to sweeten her tzimtzum and din, and therefore he dismissed her and drew for her an illumination from the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of nullification of the bond between them at its root — which is the dimension of the get — and through the power of this get she goes and marries the second husband with this very power. It follows that the second husband reverses the form of the distancing — the get — and goes and marries her with this very power so that she shall be his wife, that is, he binds her to him through the power of the illumination drawn from the all-encompassing intellect to sweeten her tzimtzumim and dinim — which is the essential dimension of the bond of marriage, as above. It follows that he is the complete opposite of the first. And this is what Rashi explained on 'and she went out and became the wife of another man' — this is not the match (ben zugo) of the first, and so on — for he is in complete opposition to him, as above. And therefore the first husband cannot return and take her after she has been defiled — for she is called defiled (temayah) to him after she has been bound through the power of his distancing to the complete opposite — which is the second husband who married her and bound her to him through the power of his distancing. For this is the dimension of conflict and inversion of thought (hipuch hada'as), from which the impurity and the sitra achra take hold. Therefore he has no power to sweeten her tzimtzumim and dinim any further because of the great strength of the conflict against him that has taken hold of her through the marriage of the second, who is in complete opposition to his thought. And this is why the Torah ends the verse: 'Her first husband who sent her away cannot return and take her... and you shall not cause the Land to sin...' — for this flaw touches Eretz Yisrael, which receives its holiness from the writing (kesav) of Yisrael, which is in the dimension of the holiness of the holy Torah's books, as explained at the beginning of that Torah teaching. Therefore the flaw of moshiv gerushaso (returning one's divorcee) — which is the flaw in the sefer kerisus, the flaw in the writing (kesav) of Yisrael — is a flaw in the holiness of Eretz Yisrael, in the dimension of 'you shall not cause the Land to sin.' For the power of the get to dismiss one's wife — which is the power received from the all-encompassing intellect to nullify the bond — is the dimension of the power of the writing of Yisrael received through the ordination (semicha) from the wise man of the generation, who is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect who ordains his students and draws upon each one illumination from the all-encompassing intellect. From this they receive the power of the writing of Yisrael, from which comes the essential holiness of Eretz Yisrael. But through the sin of returning one's divorcee — which is a flaw in the get, a flaw in the writing of Yisrael — this can cause, Heaven forbid, the exile of Yisrael from Eretz Yisrael. For exile from Eretz Yisrael, Heaven forbid, flows from a flaw in the writing of Yisrael, as is explained in that Torah teaching. Therefore at the conclusion of the get it is written 'k'das Mosheh v'Yisrael' — according to the law of Moshe and Yisrael — for the power of the get comes through the totality of the Torah, which is the law of Moshe and Yisrael. Specifically through this power can one draw power from the all-encompassing intellect — as explained above, that it is impossible to receive from there except through the totality and wholeness of the holy Torah, as above. For it is impossible to dismiss one's wife through the get except by ascending to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect to nullify the bond at its root, as above. Therefore one must draw this power from the totality of the Torah — which is the law of Moshe and Yisrael — for specifically through this one can ascend there to dismiss one's wife through the get. Therefore there are twelve lines in the get, corresponding to the twelve stones of Yaakov — which correspond to the twelve tribes — all subsumed within the Even Shesiya at the time he went to take a wife. For specifically through this power one now needs to nullify the bond at its root, as above. Therefore it is customary that there be a minyan of ten at the time of the giving of the get — for there is no holiness with fewer than ten. For the dismissal of the get must be drawn from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, which is the root of holiness — the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — as above. And it is impossible to draw holiness from there except through ten, as is known. This is the dimension of the threefold holiness that cannot be said with fewer than ten — the dimension of the threefold kedushah (Kodosh Kodosh Kodosh) — which is the dimension of three levels as described above: to draw the holiness from the all-encompassing intellect — which is the supernal holiness — to the particular saichel, which is the second holiness — and from there one must draw the holiness and intellect to sanctify the tzimtzum and din so that it is subsumed within holiness — which is the sweetening of the din at its root. This is the dimension of the three kedushot as above. And from this supernal holiness the dismissal of the get must be drawn — therefore ten are required, for there is no holiness with fewer than ten. Therefore the man's name and her name and the name of their place and the time must be mentioned within the get — for this is the essential torfeh (substance) of the get — for their names and the name of their place and the time are in the dimension of the totality of all the tzimtzumim, all of which are included in the dimension of shem (name), which is the root of all tzimtzumim in the world, as is known. And the totality of all tzimtzumim is included in the dimension of makom (place), tziyur (form/image), and zman (time), as is explained elsewhere — which is the dimension of the name of the place, the time, and their own names — for the dimension of tziyur is the body of the thing that stands and is formed in this place and at this time, such as a house or other inanimate, vegetative, living, or speaking being. Therefore it is impossible for anything to exist without these three tzimtzumim of makom, tziyur, and zman within which all tzimtzumim are included. This is the dimension of the name of the place, the time, and their own names, as above — all of which must be mentioned within the get, in order to nullify them all at their root within the supernal all-encompassing intellect, in order to draw dismissal for his wife from there — which is the essential dimension of the get, as above. This is the dimension of what our Sages of blessed memory said: 'Whoever divorces his first wife, even the altar sheds tears upon him — the mizbe'ach (altar) specifically. For the mizbe'ach was in the Bais Hamikdash where korbanot were brought to atone for sins, which is the dimension of sweetening the dinim, as above — receiving this power from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the Even Shesiya that was in the Bais Hamikdash, from which all the atonements and sweetening flow, as above. And one who divorces his first wife must draw from the all-encompassing intellect, from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, to nullify the bond as above — and therefore he is in complete opposition to the dimension of the mizbe'ach. For he does not wish to sweeten the din and tzimtzum and divorces his wife — therefore the mizbe'ach sheds tears upon him. For the dimension of the mizbe'ach is the complete opposite — for through the mizbe'ach all the dinim are sweetened and all sins are atoned through the all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the dimension of the Even Shesiya that was in the Bais Hamikdash, as above. This is the dimension of yibum (levirate marriage) and chalitzah. For every member of Yisrael must leave behind children, and if not, Heaven forbid, his soul cannot ascend above — as is explained in the Holy Zohar. And the essential fulfillment of this great mitzvah — to bear children in this world and leave behind a blessing — is in the dimension of the rectification of counsel (tikkun ha'aitza) described above, which is the dimension of the sweetening of tzimtzumim through the saichel — which is the dimension of holy union (zivoug d'kedushah), as above. For man and woman are in the dimension of saichel and tzimtzum, as above. The essential mitzvah of marriage is so that through the holy union the tzimtzum — in the dimension of the feminine side (sitra d'nukva) — should be sweetened through the saichel, which is the masculine side (sitra d'duchura), as is known and as above. Therefore they cannot be joined except through chuppah and kiddushin — for no saichel, which is the dimension of kodesh, can sweeten any tzimtzum or din except through receiving from the all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, as above. This is the dimension of chuppah and kiddushin — for the chuppah is the dimension of the supernal encompassing intellect (saichel ha'elyon hamakif), which is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, Chochma Ila'ah, which is in the dimension of an encompassing light (makif) relative to the particular intellects. This is the dimension of the Bais Hamikdash, Kodesh Kodoshim, which is called chuppah — as it is written: 'The canopy that King Shlomo made for himself...' (Shir HaShirim 3:9-11). Rashi explains this refers to the chuppah of concealment and honor, which alludes to the Bais Hamikdash, to the Kodesh Kodoshim, to the Holy Ark that stood in the place of the Even Shesiya, as Rashi explains there regarding 'its floor was spread with gold, its interior was lined with love by the daughters of Yerushalayim.' For the root of love in the supernal holiness of holy husband and wife flows from there — from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, which is the supernal all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of the appiryon and chuppah. From there power is drawn to the particular saichel to sweeten the tzimtzum and din — which is the essential holy union and unification (yichud d'kedushah), the dimension of sweetening the dinim that occurs through every holy union, as is known. This is the dimension of chuppah and kiddushin — for from the chuppah, which is the all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the particular saichel receives — which is the dimension of kodesh — to sweeten the din and tzimtzum, which is the dimension of kiddushin in the language of kodesh. For the essential sweetening comes through the saichel called kodesh, as above. It follows that the essential mitzvah of marriage is the dimension of sweetening the tzimtzum and din through the saichel, through receiving from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim from which comes the essential bond — for from there comes the essential power of sweetening, as above. And all of this is accomplished through the multiplication of the holy books of kedushah, which is the rectification of conflict — through which the counsel is rectified and one is saved from divided counsel and from the counsel of women, and one merits wholeness of counsel — as explained in that Torah teaching. For wholeness of counsel is the dimension of sweetening the dinim, as explained in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory elsewhere on the verse 'v'shuah b'rov yoetz' (salvation comes through much counsel), see there. And this is the dimension of the greatness of the obligation to leave behind children — for all of this is for the sake of rectifying the counsel. For the totality of all the Torah is called by the name 'aitza' (counsel), as it is written: 'Mine is the counsel and wisdom' (Mishlai 8:14). Therefore the 613 mitzvos are called in the Holy Zohar 'taryag atin d'Oraisa' (613 counsels of the Torah) — for the entire creation, which was created for the sake of Yisrael so that they would fulfill the Torah, was all for the sake of our meriting to know Him, as is stated in the Zohar: 'in order that they would know Him' — for this is the ultimate purpose of all purposes. And it is impossible to know Him except through the Torah, which is the dimension of aitza, the dimension of the 613 counsels of the Torah. For all 613 mitzvos and their branches and details, all the Rabbinic mitzvos and all the detailed observances and holy customs of Yisrael in general and in particular — all of this is in the dimension of counsels (aitzos) to merit knowing and recognizing Him, which is all the reward of the World to Come, as it is written: 'For the earth shall be full of knowledge of Hashem' (Yeshayahu 11:9). And all the doubts (sfaikos) and all the division of counsel that each person has — the essential doubt and division of counsel comes from the root of the doubt — which is the doubts and divided counsels in the service of Hashem. For there too there are many doubts and divided counsels — such as the questions and doubts in many laws found in the Shas and Poskim, all of which are in the dimension of divided counsel — not knowing how to fulfill the mitzvah, which is the dimension of counsel as above. And likewise the doubts and divided counsel that each individual has in the service of Hashem — for most people have many divided counsels in serving Hashem: at first it seems to him he must conduct his service in one way, and afterward it seems he must conduct himself in a completely different way, as is known to anyone who has entered somewhat into the service of Hashem. And from there, divided counsels flow into the world in other mundane matters — in commerce and the like. For in truth no counsel is truly called counsel unless through it one merits drawing closer to Hashem, to turn from evil and do good — for 'there is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against Hashem' — meaning that all matters that are against Hashem, that do not lead to drawing closer to Him, are not called wisdom and counsel at all. For in truth all is vanity of vanities, the whole world and all its desires — all is vanity — and what advantage does a person have in all his toil? And if one finds a wondrous counsel how to acquire money or other desires — is that called counsel? That one gave counsel to his soul on how to cause his own death and how to distance himself from eternal life? Certainly no counsel is truly called counsel except when through it one merits coming to the service of Hashem or to matters pertaining to His service in truth. Therefore the essential counsels are what Yisrael merit in every generation — to draw counsels and saichel from the all-encompassing intellect on how to draw near to Him and to know and recognize Him. And this is the dimension of the greatness of the obligation to leave behind children — for every member of Yisrael is in the dimension of a particular intellect and particular knowledge, in the dimension of new counsel on how to recognize Him. For no two people are alike, as is known, and no two generations are alike — and from the day Hashem created man on the earth until the end, there have never been and never will be two people alike even in two generations. For even one who is a gilgul (reincarnation) from the soul of his companion is still not identical to his companion, as I heard from the mouth of Rabbeinu of blessed memory — for the Holy Blessed One does not do the same thing twice. Therefore throughout all time no gilgul transmits all parts of the first soul exactly, but rather this soul combined with another soul from another place, or this spirit with this soul, and so forth. It follows that it is another matter entirely from the first. Therefore every Jewish soul that comes into this world is in the dimension of a new intellect and new counsel on how to attain and recognize Him — for whatever more Yisrael multiply, the form and likeness of His image, as it were, is further completed — as is explained elsewhere. And the image and likeness of His form, the dimension of tzelem Elohim, is the totality of all the intellects (mochim), as is known — through which one merits to know and attain and recognize Him. It follows that the more Jewish souls are born, the more complete counsels for drawing near to Him flow — which is the essential dimension of wholeness of counsel, as above. This is the essential dimension of the greatness of the mitzvah and obligation to establish children, as above. And this itself is the dimension of the sweetening of the tzimtzum — for the revelation of the counsel that flows through a Jewish soul that he brought into the world is the dimension of the sweetening of the tzimtzum, as above. And then specifically — the one who has departed can ascend to his holy place, to the place called Kodesh Kodoshim, where the ascent of souls occurs after their departure — in the dimension of 'Who shall ascend the mountain of Hashem...' (Tehillim 24:3), as is explained in the Holy Zohar. For since he merited in his lifetime to beget children in this world — which is the dimension of drawing the counsels, the dimension of sweetening the dinim from the all-encompassing intellect — through this he now merits to ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim from which comes the root of children, the root of all the intellects and all the counsels, as above. Therefore children are called 'limudai Hashem' (those taught by Hashem), as it is written (Yeshayahu 54:13): 'And all your children shall be taught by Hashem, and great shall be the peace of your children.' For 'limudai Hashem' are in the dimension of netzach and hod, the dimension of counsels, as is known and as brought in the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory many times. And this is 'all your children are limudai Hashem — and great shall be the peace of your children' — 'great shall be the peace' specifically — for the children who are limudai Hashem, in the dimension of counsels, are in the dimension of peace, the opposite of conflict. For one merits complete counsels — which are in the dimension of children — only through the rectification of conflict, through returning in teshuvah and rectifying the flaw of conflict, as explained in that Torah teaching. And this is 'and see children's children, peace upon Yisrael' — that they should not need to come to chalitzah and yibum, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded. For the essential chalitzah and yibum is to rectify the flaw of counsel, which is the flaw of peace as above. For one must leave behind children so that complete counsels for attaining divinity will flow, as above. But when one does not merit to have children — Heaven forbid — then his soul cannot ascend above, to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, to the all-encompassing intellect. For since he did not merit in his lifetime to draw the counsels from there and sweeten the tzimtzumim — which is the dimension of children — he cannot ascend there. And therefore his wife needs yibum to rectify his soul through his brother — and she is forbidden to the outside world until she has done yibum or chalitzah, as it is written: 'The wife of the deceased shall not go outside...' For she is still bound to him just as in his lifetime — for death has not separated them — since his soul cannot ascend above because he did not merit in his lifetime to sweeten the dimension of tzimtzum, which is the dimension of his wife, and did not merit to reveal the dimension of complete counsel — which is the dimension of children — which is the essential dimension of sweetening. And therefore since he did not merit to this and his soul remains wandering below, his wife is still bound to him. For the bond and separation between man and wife — so that she becomes permitted to another — all comes through the supernal all-encompassing intellect, where it is possible to bind or release the bond — which is the dimension of the get, the dimension of sefer kerisus, as above. Therefore when he leaves behind children, and has thus sweetened the tzimtzum according to his dimension through an illumination from the all-encompassing intellect from which comes the root of children and all the sweetening, his wife is also separated from him even at his death — through the illumination from the all-encompassing intellect where the soul's ascent occurs after departure, that he merits some dimension of ascent there through the children he left behind who flow from there. But when he has no son or any offspring, he cannot ascend there, and therefore the bond has still not been released — for the bond between man and wife cannot be released except by ascending there. And therefore his wife is forbidden to the outside world even after his death — for she is still bound to him, since he cannot ascend to the all-encompassing intellect to release the bond, having left no children. Therefore the rectification comes through his brother specifically — his brother must do yibum for his wife. For a din is sweetened only at its own root specifically, and every tzimtzum has a particular saichel through which specifically that tzimtzum is sweetened and not through another saichel — which is the dimension of the prohibition of aishes ish, as explained above. And this is the dimension of the prohibition of arayos (incest) — that all close relatives are forbidden. For the essential sweetening of the tzimtzum, which is the dimension of the revelation of counsel to know Him, is specifically from a distance — in the dimension of 'from afar she brings her bread,' said of the aishes chayil (woman of valor). And this is the dimension of 'from afar Hashem appeared to me' (Yirmiyahu 31:3) — 'from afar' specifically — for the essential prevention of attaining and knowing Him comes from the excess of light that we cannot receive — as excess oil causes the lamp to be extinguished. Therefore the essential rectification comes through the multiplication of holy vessels and tzimtzumim through which one merits to receive the intellect of the attainment of His divinity in a graduated and measured manner. Therefore He forbade us the arayos — all close relatives — so that the union should not be in the dimension of excess light, for then the tzimtzum cannot be sweetened due to excess light, as is known. Therefore when one dies without children, Heaven forbid, the prohibition of aishes ach (brother's wife) is pushed aside — for since his brother died without children and did not merit to ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim from which comes the root of children, and as our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the Kodesh Kodoshim: 'Why is it called the room of beds? Because there lies the procreation of Yisrael' — for from there, from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, comes the essential birth which is the revelation of counsel, the dimension of sweetening the tzimtzum, as above. Therefore one who died without children, Heaven forbid, and did not merit to ascend there — he remains attached to the legs of his brother, and all his rectification comes specifically through his brother. For it is known that every dimension includes all dimensions — and therefore just as in general there is the dimension of the general intellect and the particular intellects, so too every family and household is in the dimension of a general intellect and particular intellects. For the father is in the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect — for av (father) is in wisdom (chochma), the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah, the all-encompassing intellect. And all the children that flow from him are in the dimension of particular intellects. And then each son needs to draw his intellect to the dimension of particular intellects corresponding to him — which are the children that each son begets — and so from generation to generation forever, drawing the saichel from father to son, from general intellect to particular intellect, in order to sweeten all the tzimtzumim and clarify all the dross — to reveal the holy counsels drawn from the all-encompassing intellect — to reveal His divinity and truth to all who come into the world, as it is written: 'A father will make known Your truth to his children' (Yeshayahu 38:19). And all these particular intellects drawn from one father — which are the children he begets — are all brothers, close to one another because they all flowed from one all-encompassing intellect. And therefore aishes ach (brother's wife) is forbidden except when required as a mitzvah — so as not to cause excess light, Heaven forbid, if it were drawn from two adjacent intellects to sweeten one tzimtzum — for then the light of the all-encompassing intellect would be increased beyond measure, causing total breaking of the vessels (sheviyas kaylim), Heaven forbid, as is known. Therefore when a woman is separated from her husband through a get or through the husband's death, she is forbidden to all his relatives — for it is forbidden to draw for her further illumination from the dimension of that all-encompassing intellect that was already drawn to her from her first husband, lest excess light be caused that leads to the breaking of vessels, Heaven forbid, as above. But the wife of a childless brother — it is a mitzvah to do yibum. For his brother died without children and did not merit to ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, to draw the light fully enough to produce offspring — which is the revelation of counsel — as above. Therefore the rectification must come specifically through his brother, who is in the dimension of the adjacent intellect to him — for 'a brother is born for adversity' (Mishlai 17:17). 'For adversity' — meaning the dimension of din and adversity (tzarah) that flows from the strength of the tzimtzum that his brother did not merit to sweeten, since he did not establish descendants. Therefore his rectification and sweetening comes through his brother — the dimension of 'a brother born for adversity' — for his brother is close to him and receives from the same intellect that he received from — which is the dimension of the father, who is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect relative to them. Therefore his brother can return and draw from that dimension of the all-encompassing intellect to rectify and complete the sweetening of the tzimtzum that his brother did not merit to complete — which is the secret of the yibum — marrying the wife of his brother, which is the tzimtzum that is now rectified through the adjacent intellect at its root, which is his brother. For it is impossible for the yibum to be through the father himself, returning to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect itself — for then it would certainly be excess light, since the father is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect relative to them. And to the outside world she is certainly forbidden — for she has still not been separated from his brother, since he was unable to ascend to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect. Therefore the rectification is through his brother, who is the dimension of the adjacent intellect to him — for now there is no prohibition of aishes ach at all, for there will be no excess light, Heaven forbid, since his brother died without children and did not merit to draw the light from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect. Therefore, on the contrary, now the essential rectification comes specifically through his brother, who is the dimension of the adjacent intellect to him, who can return and draw the sweetening from that all-encompassing intellect of his brother — for they draw from one all-encompassing intellect. And so he will rectify and sweeten the dimension of the tzimtzum that his brother needed to sweeten, and he will establish in his brother's name, and so forth. This is the dimension of chalitzah — 'remove your shoe from your foot, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground' (Shemos 3:5) — in the dimension of the removal of shoes on Yom Kippur. For then one ascends to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim from which comes all the atonement of Yom Kippur, and there the removal of shoes is required. And this is the dimension of 'a person shall not enter the Temple Mount with his shoe.' The essential holiness of the Bais Hamikdash comes from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim from which comes the essential holiness of all ten levels of holiness. And when one needs to elevate the dimension of Malchus (kingship/sovereignty) — which is the dimension of the G-d-fearing woman, the dimension of the totality of all tzimtzumim — when they need to be elevated to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the removal of shoes is required — in the dimension of the removal of shoes on Yom Kippur, as above. And this is the secret of chalitzah — for when the yavam (brother-in-law) does not wish to do yibum for her, she cannot be separated from him except through chalitzah. For the removal of shoes is required in order to ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, where the bond is nullified at its root, as above. For it is known in the kavanos (mystical intentions) of Yom Kippur that on that day the Shechinah in the dimension of Malchus ascends together with Binah — which is the dimension of Yom Kippur tren (the dual Yom Kippur), as is explained in the kavanos. For it is impossible to attain divinity except through many tzimtzumim — from supernal intellect to lower intellect. And all the tzimtzumim from which all created beings are made are all included within the dimension of Malchus, which is the lowest intellect that receives vitality and saichel through many particular and general intellects one above another, all the way to the supernal all-encompassing intellect. And through all of this the tzimtzumim and dinim are sweetened and counsels are revealed — ways and straight paths for drawing near to His service — to merit knowing and recognizing Him. And always the dimension of Malchus — the totality of all tzimtzumim — can only receive through many particular intellects, which are in the dimension of channels and vessels through which to receive from the supernal all-encompassing intellect. This is what one merits through the mitzvos of the Torah — which are the 613 counsels of the Torah — for each mitzvah is a counsel flowing from a particular intellect through which a form and path is created to receive illumination and vitality and saichel from the dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect in the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim. Through this one merits to recognize Him — for it is impossible to receive from the all-encompassing intellect except through the particular intellects, which are in the dimension of vessels and channels through which to receive the illumination of the supernal intellect. For from the all-encompassing intellect itself it is impossible to receive due to excess light. But when one transgresses Torah prohibitions, Heaven forbid, then according to the transgression and flaw, that path and channel — which is the dimension of the particular saichel — is damaged. And then one is unable to receive from the all-encompassing intellect due to excess light causing the breaking of vessels, Heaven forbid, and then the sitra achra has a hold and draws from the saichel — and through this they distort his mind and confuse his understanding with strange views and false counsels. And this is what we find in many people who have strayed from the path of truth — in some matters they are overly strict with themselves, and they have much melancholy and many scruples that even many great and true tzaddikim were not strict about. They multiply their scrupulosity and confuse their minds with much melancholy until they cannot pray properly or perform any mitzvah properly due to their mental confusion from their melancholy. And in other matters they are excessively lenient. Some scrupulously observe stringencies and melancholy, and then commit outright transgressions, Heaven protect us. And some do not commit outright transgressions with their hands, but they go idle from Torah and prayer with devotion and do not diligently pursue the gates of service in truth — rather all their piety and service is their multiplying unusual excessive stringencies in certain behavioral matters. And likewise many other examples where their counsels and conduct are inverted from the truth. All of this flows from sins and transgressions — for when one transgresses a mitzvah, the counsel is damaged according to the mitzvah he has flawed — and accordingly he cannot receive from the all-encompassing intellect, because the vessels and channels and pathways through which they receive are damaged. But the Blessed Name desires kindness and wishes our rectification — therefore out of His love and compassion He prepared the remedy before the wound, and preceded teshuvah to the world, and gave us the holy Yom Kippur on which all sins are forgiven through teshuvah. Meaning: on Yom Kippur, through teshuvah, one merits that the dimension of Malchus — the dimension of the totality of all tzimtzumim — should ascend on its own to the very dimension of the supernal all-encompassing intellect, without the intermediary of the particular intellects as ordinarily, since due to transgressions it is impossible to receive through the particular intellects, for the pathways have been damaged by transgressions. Rather, through teshuvah one merits to ascend to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect itself, to sweeten there all the tzimtzumim and dinim — which is the atonement for all sins — to sweeten all through the all-encompassing intellect itself, without the particular intellects. This is the greatness of Yom Kippur — for then the Kohen Gadol enters the innermost chamber to the place of the Even Shesiya, Kodesh Kodoshim itself, and sweetens there all the dinim and atones for all the sins of Yisrael — for throughout the year it is forbidden to enter the Kodesh Kodoshim, since it is impossible to enter there to sweeten the dinim and tzimtzumim through the all-encompassing intellect itself — for on the contrary it would make things worse, since it is impossible to receive from the all-encompassing intellect itself due to excess light causing the breaking of vessels, which is the dimension of death, as is known. This is 'and he shall not come at all times into the holy place...and he shall not die, as died Nadav and Avihu' — from excess light causing breaking, which is the dimension of death, Heaven forbid, as above. But on Yom Kippur, it is a time of favor, and then through the power of the teshuvah of Yisrael over the ten days of teshuvah from Rosh Hashona until Yom Kippur, there is then the power for the Kohen Gadol to enter into the innermost chamber himself — to the place of Kodesh Kodoshim — to sweeten all the dinim there through the all-encompassing intellect itself — which is the dimension of the forgiveness of all sins drawn from there, as above. And even on Yom Kippur, only the Kohen Gadol whose holiness is very great can enter there — therefore the essential teshuvah for one who wishes to truly merit teshuvah and repair his transgressions is impossible except through the great true tzaddik. For the true tzaddik is greater than the Kohen Gadol, as our Sages of blessed memory said (Sotah 4b): 'It is more precious than rubies — more than the Kohen Gadol who enters the innermost chamber.' Therefore the true tzaddik can enter wherever he can enter and sweeten there all the tzimtzumim and dinim in the world and repair all the transgressions through the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect itself, as above. This is what is stated in that Torah teaching — that there are two dimensions of sweetening: through the particular saichel and through the all-encompassing intellect. And it concludes that the essential sweetening is through the all-encompassing intellect — for even when one sweetens through the particular saichel, it is impossible to sweeten through it except when it receives from the all-encompassing intellect. And moreover, through the particular saichel one can sweeten only the tzimtzum and din that belongs to it — but through the all-encompassing intellect all things can be sweetened. If so, seemingly it is difficult: why not always sweeten through the all-encompassing intellect itself, which has greater power to sweeten all with superior sweetening? Why through the particular saichel at all, when the particular saichel always needs to receive from the all-encompassing intellect? But according to the above the answer is fine — for it is impossible to sweeten through the all-encompassing intellect at all times due to excess light, as above. Therefore one must always sweeten through the dimension of the particular saichel that receives from the all-encompassing intellect, and not through the all-encompassing intellect itself, so that there should be no excess light, Heaven forbid. But when there is a time of favor — such as Yom Kippur — then the Kohen Gadol, who is the dimension of the tzaddik of the generation, can enter the Kodesh Kodoshim itself — the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect — and sweeten all the tzimtzumim and dinim through the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect itself. For due to the great holiness of Yom Kippur, there is then the power to receive from there through the power of teshuvah. And then it is the ascent of Malchus itself — for Malchus itself, which is the dimension of the totality of tzimtzumim, ascends of itself to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, without the mediation of the particular intellects — and then the tzimtzumim and dinim are sweetened with superior sweetening until the dimension of tzimtzumim and physical garments is completely nullified — which is the shoes (mina'alim). For always, since one must receive the light through many garments and tzimtzumim so that the klippos and dregs should not be strengthened through excess light, therefore many garments and physical ones are required — down to the dimension of shoes, which are the ultimate tzimtzumim, the dimension of coats of skin (kasnos ohr). They are a great protection against the klippos so they do not draw from the light — for the shoes, being the ultimate clothing and tzimtzumim, block them. Therefore in truth throughout the entire year one must be very careful to have shoes on one's feet — as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'A person should always sell whatever he has and buy shoes for his feet.' But now on Yom Kippur, when the sitra achra has no dominion — as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'All year long it has permission to accuse, except on this day.' For then the grip of the sitra achra and klippos is completely nullified — therefore shoes are not needed, and it is also forbidden to wear shoes, which are excessive physical tzimtzumim — for now these tzimtzumim called shoes are completely nullified. For the dimension of Malchus, the totality of tzimtzumim, ascends by itself to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, and has the power to receive the great light of the all-encompassing intellect and to sweeten all the dinim — until the dimension of mina'alim is completely nullified — which is the ultimate physical tzimtzumim, as above. And this is the dimension of the removal of shoes on Tisha B'Av, and similarly for a menudeh (one under ban) and an avel (mourner), Heaven forbid — for they are all one dimension. Just as at a time of favor — which is the dimension of Yom Kippur — the removal of shoes is required because then Malchus, the dimension of the totality of tzimtzumim, must ascend by itself — without the mediation of the particular intellects — to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, where it is impossible to ascend with shoes, the excessive physical tzimtzumim. For there it is the dimension of light (ohr) spelled with aleph — not coats of skin (ohr) spelled with ayin — which in the Torah of Rabbi Meir was written 'kasnos ohr' spelled with aleph, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For he merited the light of the Torah at its root, to such an extent that his students could not fathom the depths of his thought, because he merited the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect that we cannot comprehend. And there is the dimension of teshuvah, the dimension of Yom Kippur, the dimension where transgressions are transformed into merits. Therefore he would say 'one hundred and fifty facets pure and one hundred and fifty facets impure,' as our Sages of blessed memory said — for he had the power to elevate from impurity to purity and to transform transgressions into merits through the roots of teshuvah, which is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Yom Kippur. And there the dimension of shoes — coats of skin — is nullified, as above. Similarly, by contrast, on Tisha B'Av when the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed — which is the totality of all the holinesses and all the particular intellects, all of which were destroyed and damaged through the sins of Yisrael — then nothing remains except the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, where no flaw can reach. But it is impossible to receive from it due to excess light. And therefore in truth then it is the dimension of the breaking of vessels — which is itself the dimension of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash and its vessels — for all the Bais Hamikdash and its vessels were in the dimension of vessels and channels to draw vitality and sweetening from the all-encompassing intellect, from Kodesh Kodoshim, and now all has been broken and destroyed. And then there is no drawing from anything except a little vitality in great concealment from the all-encompassing intellect — and even though it is impossible to draw from it due to excess light causing the breaking of vessels from which comes the grip of the klippos — in truth it is only a very tiny amount of vitality in the ultimate tzimtzum and hiddenness and concealment that is drawn. But at least the little vitality that the world has in order to be sustained and not utterly destroyed on Tisha B'Av at the time of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash comes only from the supernal hidden holiness — the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim. As is understood from the words of Rabbeinu of blessed memory in many places — that at the time of the great power of the sitra achra, in the great strength of the exile, in the great fall of a Jewish soul who has fallen very deeply, Heaven forbid, to the side of impurity — then specifically he cannot receive vitality from any particular holiness, only from the very supernal holiness that can be concealed and hidden even in completely impure places and give life to those who have fallen there, in the dimension of 'and I shall pass through the land of Egypt' — it was I and no angel. For in Egypt, which was full of idols and filth, and Yisrael were sunken there in the forty-ninth gate of impurity — specifically then they had vitality only from the Blessed Name Himself, as it were — in the dimension of the very supernal holiness, the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, as above. As is explained in the Torah 'u'v'yom habikurim' on concealment and within concealment (§56), see there — and as is also explained in the Torah on the verse 'and where is the lamb for the offering' (Likutay Tinyana §12), see there — which is the dimension of 'a descent that is ultimately ascent,' see there. And this is the dimension of the removal of shoes on Tisha B'Av, and similarly for the menudeh and the avel — for they are all one dimension. Since due to the great power of the sitra achra and the dinim and the side of death, Heaven forbid — through the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, which is the flaw and damage of the particular intellects, as above — and similarly the menudeh who has transgressed a Torah commandment, which is also the dimension of the flaw of the particular intellects — and similarly the avel where a Jewish soul has departed, which is the dimension of a particular counsel and saichel — therefore at these times it is impossible to receive from any particular holiness, lest the klippos take hold more. Therefore it is impossible to receive vitality except from the supernal holiness itself, from the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect itself in a path of great concealment and hiddenness in the ultimate tzimtzum. Therefore there too is the removal of shoes — as with Yom Kippur — for at every time that one needs to receive from the dimension of the supernal holiness, the all-encompassing intellect itself, the removal of shoes is required. The difference is: on Yom Kippur one ascends there due to the great time of favor that shines then through the great power of the teshuvah of Yisrael — and then one receives the light abundantly and sweetens all the dinim — for it is the dimension of Yom Kippur tren, where Malchus joins with Binah — the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — together. But on Tisha B'Av it is by contrast — for through the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, the flaw of the particular intellects, then Malchus descends. And then Binah, which is the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, needs to descend together with her in order to give her life in her fall — lest she fall completely, Heaven forbid. This is the dimension of 'and the two of them went' (Ruth 1:19) — the two together, tren haihin ka'chada. This is the dimension of 'she shall weep, weep' (Aichah 1:2) — two weepings over the two destructions, over Yerushalayim of above and Yerushalayim of below. For this is the dimension of the concealment that the all-encompassing intellect — the dimension of Binah — must be hidden in exile to give life to the dimension of Malchus, the totality of the world, the totality of the tzimtzumim — since it is impossible for her to receive except from the supernal holiness itself. And therefore at this time too there is the removal of shoes — as on Yom Kippur — because the little vitality is received only from the supernal all-encompassing intellect — for from there specifically one receives vitality in great concealment at the time of descent and exile. And therefore then too the removal of shoes is required, since there, in the dimension of the supernal holiness, the removal of shoes is required. Therefore in truth a descent is ultimately an ascent — for since at the time of descent and exile one in any case truly receives from the supernal holiness, on the contrary, specifically there the Blessed Name is clothed and hidden to give him life in his fall — and He hints to him hints from afar to return to Him easily by simply sitting still. If a person remembers this at the time of his great descent and fall and believes this with complete faith — that specifically in his place the Blessed Name Himself hides and conceals to give him life, as it were — then certainly he can merit to draw near to Him from wherever he is and transform the descent into a great ascent. Therefore even the removal of shoes on Tisha B'Av and for the avel and menudeh, Heaven forbid, is great goodness — for through this he recognizes his place and fulfills the commandment of our Sages of blessed memory on Tisha B'Av and the like, understanding that the removal of shoes is required to indicate that he has flawed all the holinesses. And he has no vitality except from the Blessed Name Himself, in great concealment — for he has no vessels, which are the mitzvos, through which to receive from there. Rather, the Blessed Name in His mercy conceals and hides Himself to give him life in himself, as it were, in the strength of his descent — and therefore they remove shoes, to indicate that they have no vessels and tzimtzumim to receive the light properly. Through this itself he can be aroused to teshuvah — since in any case the Blessed Name gives him life, even though he is in a dimension of descent. And since the Blessed Name gives him life even now, he can be aroused now also to teshuvah and return to Him from his place wherever he is, and transform the descent into a great ascent — that he should merit teshuvah, which is the dimension of Yom Kippur, through which one ascends there to the dimension of supernal holiness, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — in the dimension of ascent. For through teshuvah one becomes worthy to ascend there and receive from there great abundance and great goodness for Bais Yisrael — to sweeten all the tzimtzumim and dinim — which is the dimension of atonement for all sins — and then the transgressions are reversed and transformed into merits, which is the dimension of 'a descent that is ultimately an ascent,' as above. This is the dimension of 'there were no better days for Yisrael than the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur' (Taanis 26b) — for both are one dimension. For the fifteenth of Av is the dimension of the rectification and sweetening of Tisha B'Av, as our Sages of blessed memory said — for on Tisha B'Av came the decree of the Desert generation who died every year in the desert, and on the fifteenth of Av the dying of the Desert generation ceased. It follows that the fifteenth of Av is the dimension of the rectification and sweetening of Tisha B'Av, and therefore it is in the dimension of Yom Kippur. For when one merits on Tisha B'Av to be aroused to teshuvah through seeing the greatness of one's descent and believing that specifically there the Blessed Name Himself is hidden — through this one merits the dimension of teshuvah, the dimension of Yom Kippur, when one truly ascends there and all is sweetened, as above. Therefore the fifteenth of Av — which is the sweetening and rectification of Tisha B'Av — and Yom Kippur are one dimension. And this is that on them the daughters of Yisrael would go out and say: 'Young man, lift your eyes...' — as it is written (Shir HaShirim 3:11): 'Go out and see, O daughters of Tziyon, King Shlomo, in the crown that his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding and on the day of the joy of his heart.' For specifically then — on the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur — it is the dimension of the holy wedding. For the holy wedding and marriage flows from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, as above — which is the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, the dimension of Keser, the dimension of the totality of the three upper sefiros — which is the dimension of 'in the crown that his mother crowned him' — which is Binah, as is known. And 'on the day of his wedding' — this is Matan Torah. 'And on the day of the joy of his heart' — this is the building of the Bais Hamikdash. For both are one dimension — for 'Oraisa mi'Chochma Ila'ah nafkat,' which is the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim from which comes all the holiness of the Bais Hamikdash, as above. And from there comes the essential joining of the holy wedding and marriage, as above. And this is what one merits on the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur specifically — for both are one dimension — when one merits to ascend to the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect to sweeten all, which encompasses all the dimensions described above. And this is the dimension of the chalitzah of the yevamah — for when the yavam does not wish to do yibum, she cannot be separated from him except through chalitzah. For the removal of shoes is required in order to ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, where the bond is nullified at its root, as above. For the shoes are in the dimension of the rectification and wholeness of counsel — for shoes are a protection for the feet against the drawing of the klippos, so they do not take hold in the dimension of the feet. For the essential strengthening of the klippos and sitra achra is against the holy counsels — which are the dimension of the feet — as it is written: 'and all the people who are at your feet' (Devarim 33:3). And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: 'those who follow your counsel.' For the feet are in the dimension of netzach and hod, the dimension of counsels, as is known. For in the very root of the saichel we have no grasp at all, and there the klippos have no hold either — for there it is written 'evil shall not sojourn with You' (Tehillim 5:5). Their entire strengthening is below, in the place of the feet — which is the dimension of counsels — for when they see holy counsels (the 613 mitzvos which are 613 counsels of the Torah, and all the other holy counsels included within them), then the sitra achra is strengthened to weaken the counsels, Heaven forbid, and casts doubt into them and inverts the path and introduces errors and doubts and confusions into all the holy counsels — until sometimes inverting the counsel entirely, so one says of evil 'good' and of good 'evil,' permitting the forbidden and forbidding the permitted. And sometimes it introduces such doubts and confusion that one does not know how to settle any counsel at all and one's counsel is always divided. The shoes, which protect the feet against the drawing of the klippos, are in the dimension of the rectification of wholeness of counsel. Therefore they are called mina'alim — in the language of ni'eelah and segirah (locking and closing) — for they block the klippos from taking hold in the holy feet — which are the dimension of holy counsels — so the klippos cannot introduce doubt into the holy counsel, which is the dimension of the feet, and cannot divide the counsel into two, Heaven forbid. Rather, the counsel shall be whole — locked and closed without doubt and division. For the holy shoes (mina'alim d'kedushah) flow from the dimension of the light of the tefillin — which are in the dimension of coats of skin (kasnos ohr) — as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'Just as tefillin, so too shoes.' And tefillin are in the dimension of emes (truth), the dimension of Yaakov — as Rabbeinu of blessed memory wrote elsewhere. For the counsels, which are the dimension of feet, are the dimension of the path made through walking — for when one knows the counsel of how to conduct oneself, this is the dimension of knowing the path on which to walk. Therefore all the Torah, which is the dimension of counsels and holy conduct, is called 'derech' (way/path) — as it is written: 'on all the path that I commanded you, you shall walk' (Devarim 5:30), and it is written (Tehillim 119): 'In the path of Your commandments I run,' and many similar expressions. And when one does not know the counsel of how to conduct oneself and the counsel is divided — this is the dimension of not knowing on which path one walks. And regarding this Dovid Hamelech, peace be upon him, prayed (Tehillim 143): 'Make me know the path on which I should walk...' (Tehillim 119): 'Guide me in the path of Your commandments...' — and the essential rectification of wholeness of counsel, to know which path to walk, is through emes (truth) — for truth is one, and every person who is uncertain about a path and conduct and does not know how to settle counsel in his soul, the essential remedy is the emes. He should see to draw himself only toward the truth and look only at the emes and ask of the Blessed Name that He lead and guide him in the path of truth. As it is written (Tehillim 25): 'Guide me in Your truth and teach me.' And as it is written (Tehillim 86): 'Show me Your way, Hashem, I will walk in Your truth.' And as it is written (Tehillim 43): 'Send out Your light and Your truth, they will guide me, bring me to Your holy mountain and to Your dwelling places.' And through the light of truth one merits wholeness of counsel. But lest the klippos strengthen at every opportunity to take hold, Heaven forbid, of the feet — which are the dimension of counsels — and confuse the counsel each time, therefore from the dimension of the light of truth the dimension of shoes flows — which are the protection for the feet, locking and closing the holy counsel so that no stranger can touch it and confuse and divide it, Heaven forbid. For the shoes flow from the light of truth through the dimension of tefillin, as above. And the shoes also flow from the dimension of the chashmal below — in the feet the clothing of the chashmal becomes physical in the dimension of shoes, as is known. And the chashmal flows from the light of truth in the heart, as explained in the Torah 'Ashrai ho'am' with the ta'am zarqa (§35), see there. But this dimension of shoes only comes about when one receives the sweetening of tzimtzumim through the particular intellects as above. But on Yom Kippur, when one ascends to the all-encompassing intellect itself, then the shoes are completely nullified — for then no protection is needed at all, since there at the root of the saichel in the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect they have no dominion at all and division of counsel is not relevant there at all, as above. Therefore the prohibition of wearing sandals on Yom Kippur, as above. And on Tisha B'Av it is the opposite — for then it is the ultimate descent, and then all the paths and pathways and all the holy counsels have been damaged and destroyed through the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash through our sins. And then one must also remove the shoes — to indicate that now we cannot draw the protection of shoes, and therefore then truly 'there is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel' — for all the intellects and particular saichliyim depart. And we have none to rely upon except our Father in Heaven, Who Himself will have mercy upon us and give us life through the all-encompassing intellect Himself, concealed and hidden in the depth of descent — that then we receive the little vitality from there specifically, as above. And then at the time of descent — such as Tisha B'Av, or an avel and menudeh, Heaven forbid, and similarly every night at midnight when holiness is in the ultimate concealment — then the removal of shoes is required, indicating the nullification of counsel and its division, to show that now all the intellects and saichliyim have departed through our sins. And therefore we have no wholeness of counsel and the counsel is divided and we do not know how to settle counsel in our souls on how to return from the depth of exile in which each individual has fallen to wherever he has fallen. For in truth sometimes a person falls into such doubts and divided counsels that it is utterly impossible for him to know the truth of how to conduct himself — and whatever he strives to find wholeness of counsel, his counsel is confused many times over. And as I heard from the mouth of Rabbeinu of blessed memory — that there are times when it seems to a person he must conduct himself in such and such a way, and it is completely decided in his mind with strong reasoning that certainly he must conduct himself this way. And then when it is decided in his mind to conduct himself so, meanwhile another reason rises in his mind until his first counsel is completely overturned, and reasons arise in his mind that he must conduct himself in the complete opposite of what he thought before. This is the dimension of divided counsel as above. And sometimes the division of counsel strengthens so greatly that he has no way of determining the counsel one way or another — and the more he strives to find wholeness of counsel, the more his counsel is confused each time. As I heard from Rabbeinu of blessed memory — sometimes it seems to a person he must conduct himself thus and so, and it is completely resolved in his mind with strong reasoning that certainly he must conduct himself this way. And then when it is resolved in his mind to conduct himself so, meanwhile another reason arises in his mind until his first counsel is completely overturned, and reasoning arises in his mind that he must conduct himself in the complete opposite of what he thought before. This is the dimension of divided counsel. And when a person sees himself stuck in this darkness for a long time and wishes each time to strive to find counsel to emerge from darkness to light, and his hope is dashed, and he still has not returned from the darkness in which he is trapped — until it seems to him that he has no counsel on how to emerge from what he must emerge from, and his counsel is very divided — then this itself is his rectification: that he should cry out to the Blessed Name about this itself, that he has fallen so far and distanced himself so much that he does not know wholeness of counsel on how to emerge from darkness to light. For certainly there is no despair in the world at all — and certainly in his very place there are counsels on how to emerge from darkness to light, from evil to good — but through our sins the counsels have been hidden from him, in the dimension of (Iyov 38:2) 'who is this who darkens counsel with words?' Therefore his rectification is that he at least know the truth — that he has fallen so far — and cry out to the Blessed Name to show him the counsel and path on how to truly conduct himself. And as Dovid Hamelech, peace be upon him, cried out much about this, as it is written (Tehillim 13): 'How long must I take counsel in my soul?...' — for it appears from his words that he was greatly uncertain about the matter of counsel and was taking counsel in his soul each time on how to conduct himself, and still did not know the counsel in its wholeness, until he cried out to the Blessed Name. For in truth even the very great tzaddikim in lofty degrees go through matters of divided counsel regarding the conduct of the world — as I understood from the mouth of Rabbeinu of blessed memory — how much more so the lowly in worth, and how much more those captured in the prison of desires and confusing thoughts — they must pray greatly to the Blessed Name to show them wholeness of counsel on how to return to Him — for certainly in every place where they are there is counsel and strategy on how to emerge and return from there. But they do not know the counsel and their counsel is always divided — therefore their rectification is that they know the truth that they do not know any counsel, and pray to the Blessed Name about this. As Dovid Hamelech, peace be upon him, cried: 'I am sunk in deep mire where there is no standing, I have come into deep waters...' (Tehillim 69:3). And this is the dimension of (Tehillim 142): 'In this path on which I walk they have hidden a snare for me, a net they have spread for my steps...' — for Dovid Hamelech prayed regarding all of Yisrael, and saw that some fall so greatly that it seems to them there is no counsel on how to emerge from the darkness. For in every path and counsel they wish to follow in order to merit drawing near to Him, snares and many nets are laid upon them and their counsel is always ruined. But in truth the entire rectification is this very thing — that they cry out to the Blessed Name — and then they will merit that the descent will be the ultimate ascent, as is explained in Likutay Tinyana §12 — see there carefully, it will be most pleasant to you. And as is explained in our words at length elsewhere. And then one merits to ascend to the dimension of ayeh (where?) — which is the dimension of supernal holiness, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect, as above. And this is the dimension of the removal of shoes on Tisha B'Av — for the removal of the shoe indicates the departure of the dimension of wholeness of counsel protected by the dimension of shoes, as above — for now the intellects have departed and there is no counsel. And this very thing is the rectification — when one knows that there is no counsel and cries and weeps about this before the Blessed Name — which is the dimension of the kinot and lamentations said on Tisha B'Av — for 'Aichah' (how?) is the dimension of the above: one confesses to the Blessed Name that we have fallen so greatly through our sins that the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed and all the saichliyim departed — and no one among us knows how far, and we do not know any counsel on how to return and draw near to Him — for 'the harvest has passed, the summer has ended, and we are not saved' — and we do not know now what to say or how to justify ourselves, only to cry 'Aichah' many times. As we say on Tisha B'Av 'Aichah' many many times — which is the essential totality of the kinot (lamentations). For we know nothing else but to cry 'Aichah' — which is the dimension of 'ayeh' above — meaning we weep for our souls that we have distanced ourselves so far that we do not know at all 'aichah' (where) we are and what is the path and counsel to return to Him. And this is what Rabbeinu of blessed memory said (§247): that 'taikoo' said in the Shas (Talmud) is in the dimension of missing rectification, and the nun is bent and becomes kinot (lamentations). And in the future all will be rectified, and then the 'taikoo' will be rectified — for all the questions will be resolved. And then it will return and be made from kinot a tikkun (rectification). See there. For 'taikoo' said regarding a question and doubt in the Shas is the dimension of divided counsel — not knowing the din regarding a mitzvah, which is the dimension of counsel as above. And all of this comes from the lack of rectification (tikkun) — which is the dimension of the flaw of all the particular saichliyim from which all the sweetening and counsels flow — which were all flawed through the sins of Yisrael, which is the dimension of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, as above. For all the saichliyim are all the dimension of tikkunim (rectifications) to draw the saichel of attaining and knowing His divinity through them — in the dimension of the world of tikkun (olam hatikun), as is known. For all the contractions of the lights through many intellects are all in the dimension of tikkunim, as is known. But at the time of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash the tikkunim described above were flawed, and then the nun of tikkun departed and it became taikoo — which is the dimension of doubts, the dimension of divided counsel, as above. And then from the tikkun it becomes the dimension of kinot, as is said on Tisha B'Av, which is the dimension of 'Aichah' as above. And through this very thing it returns and is rectified — the tikkun and the doubt are rectified. For through the dimension of kinot itself one returns and rectifies — for through crying and saying kinot, which are in the dimension of 'Aichah,' the dimension of 'ayeh' — meaning one weeps and says that one does not know at all 'aichah' (where) to strive to find counsel to truly return to Him — through this itself the Blessed Name has mercy upon him and shows him the straight and true path on how to conduct himself. And one merits knowing the counsel — and from kinot is made tikkun. And the 'taikoo' — the doubt, the divided counsel — is rectified, for through the cries of 'Aichah' one merits knowing the true path and counsel on how to conduct oneself — which is the dimension of the resolution of the question, the transformation of 'taikoo' and kinot into tikkun, as above. And this is the dimension of 'Nachamu nachamu ami' (be comforted, be comforted, My people) — 'speak to the heart of Yerushalayim, for she has received her guilt-offering, for she has taken from the hand of Hashem double for all her sins' (Yeshayahu 40:1-2). 'Nachamu nachamu ami' — double consolation. 'For she has received her guilt-offering' — that the sins have been transformed into merits and will. 'For she has taken from the hand of Hashem double for all her sins' — for in all the sins the flaw is caused in double measure — in the dimension of 'send away you shall send away' (shalay'ach t'shalach), the dimension of 'and the two of them went' (vatailachnah shetaihen) — upper Shechinah and lower Shechinah — which is the dimension of the concealment and hiding of the supernal holiness below at the time of descent and distancing, as above. And when one merits through this very thing to ascend — through this itself the primary ascent comes. And then one merits through teshuvah that transgressions are transformed into merits and the descent becomes the ultimate ascent — and then one merits to ascend to the dimension of Yom Kippur, the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim, where the ascent of imma and brata (mother and daughter) together occurs — in the dimension of 'Yom Kippur tren,' the opposite of the descent when the two descended together in the dimension of 'vatailachnah shetaihen' — for now the two ascend together. And then the consolation is double — in the dimension of 'Nachamu nachamu' — 'for she has taken from the hand of Hashem double.' For through having been struck double — in the dimension of 'bacho sivkeh tren' (she weeps, weeps — two weepings), the dimension of 'shalay'ach t'shalach,' which flows from the dimension of 'vatailachnah shetaihen,' as above — and now when all is rectified, then the consolation is double in the dimension of 'Nachamu nachamu' — for Malchus, the dimension of holiness below, ascends and is subsumed within the holiness above, in the dimension of Yom Kippur — where imma and brata ascend together. This is the opposite of the descent when the two descended together. And then the consolation is double in the dimension of 'Nachamu nachamu — for she has taken from the hand of Hashem double.' And this is the dimension of 'v'yarkah b'fanav' (and she shall spit in his face). For it is brought in books of medicine that saliva (rok) is like a cleansing agent (boris) that cleanses everything from filth and waste — similarly the saliva benefits the clarifying and expelling power. For the saliva separates the parts of food within the stomach one from another and benefits digestion. And it is already explained in the Torah 'Chadee Rabbi Shimon' above that the essential divided counsel flows through the residue of food that rises to the brain and heart and confuses one's counsel until it weakens and divides — in the dimension of 'the counsel of women who arrange all their words in the bathroom,' see there. And all of this is caused through a flaw in faith in the sages, see there. And it is already explained that the children one begets are the dimension of clarification and wholeness of counsel — which is the essential dimension of holy union, as above. And the essential clarification is through the man — for the essential clarification of wholeness of counsel is from the masculine side (sitra d'duchura) as above, since the essential dimension of divided counsel is from the feminine side (sitra d'nukva) — the dimension of the counsel of women. And this is the secret of the saliva (rok) of the chalitzah — for the saliva is in the dimension of the clarifying and expelling power that pushes away the waste and residue, as above, which benefits the clarification of counsel. For when the purity of the food is clarified and the waste is expelled outside and the residue does not strengthen, then the counsel is clear and whole, and then one merits to beget children in holiness — which are in the dimension of complete counsels, as above. And this is what is brought in the writings regarding the saliva present in the mouth before union, citing proof from the words of our Sages of blessed memory that the saliva is present in his mouth, and it is brought there that this is the secret of the union of kisses before physical union, see there. Meaning: the saliva is in the dimension of the clarifying power of good from waste and residue, which benefits the union of holiness intended for offspring — which is the dimension of the clarification of complete counsel. For through the clarification and expulsion of the waste accomplished through the saliva, the counsel is complete — which is the essential rectification of holy union, the dimension of holy birth. And the woman receives this power of clarification and expulsion — which is the dimension of the clarification of counsel — from her husband, through the 'that breath He casts within her' (huah rucha d'shadai b'gava), as is known. For the essential clarification of counsel — through which comes the essential birth — flows from the husband, from the masculine side. He specifically has this power to clarify the counsel from the dimension of the counsel of women, from the dimension of divided counsel. For even in birth itself there is need for much clarification — for the drop (tipah) is clarified through many clarifications, the good and pure is clarified out and the waste is expelled outside — and through this comes the essential rectification of birth, which is the dimension of the clarification of counsel. And this clarification receives power from the saliva that benefits the separation, as above. Therefore for the chalitzah — which needs to separate and divide from her first husband so there shall no longer be any bond between them — the Torah commanded 'v'yarkah b'fanav' (and she shall spit in his face). And it is brought that in the saliva the face of the deceased can be seen — meaning through the saliva she draws out from herself the vitality she received from him, which is the dimension of 'that breath He cast within her,' through which she was bound to him. And this she draws out through the saliva specifically — for the essential 'that breath He cast within her' — the power of vitality he drew for her — is only the dimension of the power of clarification of counsel, which is the dimension of children, as above. She who now needs to separate and go from him — this is drawn out from her through the saliva — which is also in the dimension of the clarifying power, as above. See and understand and behold the wonders of Hashem — the wonders of Him Who is perfect in knowledge (tamim dayos) — how many awesome and wondrous powers the Creator has placed in every matter of man, and how many concealed secrets in every thing. To such an extent that even in the saliva there are wondrous innovations even in physical terms according to the masters of anatomy and medicine — what the Blessed Name created as wondrous powers in man in every matter beyond all reckoning. And all receives vitality from the innermost secrets of Hashem — which are awesome secrets, supernal secrets, the mysteries of the Torah that are in every particular of man. This is the dimension of the Torah commandments that depend upon all the limbs of man, as is known — to such an extent that specifically through the saliva the yevamah is dismissed from her husband. For the saliva benefits the clarifying power — through which comes the essential clarification of counsel, which is the essential dimension of the birth of children — in order to reveal many counsels to reveal and make known His divinity to all who come into the world, as above. 'In order that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is the God, there is no other' (Melachim I 8:60). And this is the dimension of the erasure of the Sotah portion upon the holy waters in the Bais Hamikdash, and earth is also placed from the floor of the Bais Hamikdash. And through all of this the Sotah is tested — and if she is pure, goodness flows to her through this in the dimension of 'v'niksah v'nizre'ah zara' (she shall be cleared and shall conceive seed), which is the dimension of sweetening the din — then kindness and goodness flow. For the Sotah who has betrayed her husband has flawed in the particular intellects through which she needed to receive sweetening through the saichel belonging to her specifically — and she betrayed her husband and received from another. Through this the din is greatly strengthened and the sitra achra and klipah are very much strengthened, Heaven protect us — which is the dimension of the severity of the prohibition of aishes ish, as above. Therefore it is necessary to erase a Torah portion through her — namely the Sotah portion itself — and through this she is tested. For erasing a Torah portion is the dimension of nullification of the particular saichel — and then it is only possible to receive from the all-encompassing intellect itself. Therefore she is tested for good or bad — for from the supernal all-encompassing intellect one receives in two dimensions: at the time of sin and the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash, Heaven forbid — when all the intellects and particular saichliyim were flawed and departed, and no vitality is drawn except a little vitality in great concealment from the all-encompassing intellect — and then if she does not merit to return, the wicked will die in their wickedness. For from the all-encompassing intellect she has no power to draw — and then the destructive forces of the world, Heaven forbid, take vengeance upon her, if she does not have the merit that suspends judgment — as our Sages of blessed memory said: 'merit suspends.' For the merit can help her by the Blessed Name extending her some years until she returns, so that she should not be cut off completely from both worlds — for teshuvah always helps, as above. But if she is pure — then on the contrary, great kindness and superior sweetening flow upon her through this — for now the dimension of the all-encompassing intellect has been aroused, from which the vitality flows since the portion was erased — and since she is truly pure, then she merits that through this great sweetening flows to her. For there all is sweetened, as above. Therefore superior goodness flows to her — the dimension of 'v'niksah v'nizre'ah zara.' If she had previously given birth with difficulty, she shall give birth with ease. For from there come all the sweetening and all goodness and kindness. And therefore the portion is erased into the holy waters. 'Holy waters' — this is the dimension of the purifying waters through which one merits to rectify faith in the sages and complete the counsel and ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim. And this is 'from the dust that shall be on the floor of the Mishkan' — for earth from the Mishkan is required, whose holiness flows from the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — to which one ascends to test the Sotah, as above. For at the time of the flaw the vitality flows only from there. And because there are no vessels to receive — the particular saichliyim having been flawed through sins — then the destructive forces can take hold, Heaven forbid — those who punish, Heaven forbid. But the Blessed Name extends His patience in order that they return, as above. And when one merits, great sweetening and all goodness and kindness flow from there, as above. Blessed is Hashem forever, amain and amain. Root source: Likutay Moharan §61 ("Chadee Rabbi Shimon") — through conflict and teshuvah, holy books multiply without end; all tzimtzumim are sweetened through the all-encompassing supernal intellect (saichel hakolel) — the dimension of Chochma Ila'ah, Kodesh Kodoshim, the Even Shesiya. Woman and man: The woman is in the dimension of tzimtzum and din (feminine side, unsettled wisdom); the man is in the dimension of saichel (masculine side, settled wisdom). All the woman's vitality flows through her husband, who draws sweetening from the all-encompassing intellect to sweeten her tzimtzum. This is the prohibition of aishes ish. The get as ascent: To write a get, the husband must ascend to the dimension of Kodesh Kodoshim — the all-encompassing intellect — where all particular bonds are nullified at their root. There all is sweetened; therefore it is common that couples reconcile specifically when a get is about to be written. Israel's eternal bond: "Ayyeh sefer kerisus imchem" (Yeshayahu 50:1) — Hashem never gave Israel a written bill of severance; therefore the bond is eternal and unbreakable. Every invocation of distancing is ultimately the ultimate drawing near — hisrachakus tachlis hiskarevus. Yom Kippur and Tisha B'Av: Both require removal of shoes, but for opposite reasons. On Yom Kippur, Malchus ascends in great favor to Kodesh Kodoshim and all is sweetened; on Tisha B'Av, Malchus descends and Binah descends with her to sustain her in concealment — yet even in descent, Hashem Himself gives life, and from there teshuvah is possible. Yeebum and chalitzah: Children = rectification of counsel = sweetening of tzimtzum. One who dies childless cannot ascend; his wife remains bound. His brother performs yibum because brothers share the same father-root (the all-encompassing intellect). Chalitzah = removal of the shoe = ascending to Kodesh Kodoshim to release the bond. The saliva (rok) of chalitzah: Saliva is the clarifying-and-expelling power. The wife expels through it the spiritual vitality (rucha d'shadee b'gavah) she received from her husband — specifically the power of clarification of counsel, the dimension of children — thus releasing the bond. [הטקסט העברי יוכנס כאן]