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Laws of a Guarantor, Halachah 4 – Part 2 (§§6–10)

Based on Likutay Moharan I:15, "V'Atem Tihyu Li Mamleches Kohanim."

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Laws of a Guarantor, Halachah 4 – Part 2 (§§6–10)

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:32.

For during Bain HaMetzarim, dinim [judgments] prevail, chas v'shalom, which is the aspect of the fallen yiros, as above. And therefore Chazal said that one must be very careful not to go out alone from the fourth [hour] until the ninth, as is explained in the Shulchan Aruch, for all of this is the aspect of the fallen yiros. And therefore one must then strive especially to elevate these fallen yiros, and this is through the aforementioned fasts and through the recitation of chatzos [the midnight lamentation], through which one mourns the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. And the main [purpose of] the recitation of chatzos is the aspect of mishpat, as is explained elsewhere (in Siman 149), as it is written, "Chatzos laylah akum l'hodos lach al mishp'tai tzidkecha" ["At midnight I arise to thank You for Your righteous judgments"] (T'hilim 119:62). For the main mourning is to mourn over one's deeds, for they caused the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, since "whoever in whose days the Bais HaMikdash was not rebuilt, it is as if it was destroyed in his days," as Chazal said. And one must mourn over one's sins and weep over them very, very much, and judge himself and examine his deeds and rectify them from now on. And through this he will merit the building of the Bais HaMikdash, for "all who mourn over Yerushalayim merit to see her joy," for through the mourning that one mourns over Yerushalayim and examines his deeds and attributes the destruction to himself — for every person, according to his sins, has a share in every generation in the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash — and likewise, each person, according to how much he judges himself and merits to rectify his deeds, has a share in the building of the Bais HaMikdash that will be built in the future, speedily in our days, through the rectification of the deeds of each and every one of Yisroel. For the main building of the Bais HaMikdash is through mishpat, as it is written, "Tziyon b'mishpat tipadeh" etc. ["Tziyon will be redeemed through judgment"] (Y'shayah 1:27). For the main destruction was through the blemish of the mishpat, as above. And therefore through the tikkun of the mishpat, the Mikdash will return to its foundation. And this is what Chazal said (Shabbos 129b): "A Jew who has a lawsuit with a non-Jew should avoid it before Tisha B'Av" etc. For then are the days of the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, which is the blemish of the mishpat, and then the mishpat and din have fallen to them, as above. Therefore it is then difficult for Yisroel to succeed in mishpat against the nations, since the mishpat of k'dushah has fallen and clothed itself among the nations, as above. And therefore we then need great effort through fasts and practices of mourning, through which we afflict ourselves from meat and wine etc., in order to elevate the mishpat and the fallen yirah to its root, as above. And therefore one mourns the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash for specifically three weeks, for the main tikkun of all the above is through Shabbos Kodesh. For on Shabbos, all the fallen yiros ascend — which are all the dinim and troubles that frighten a person, chas v'shalom — for on Shabbos all the dinim are sweetened and nullified, in the aspect of "v'chol shultanay rugzin umaray d'dinin kulhu arkin v'is'abru minah, v'lais shultana achora b'chulhu almin" etc. ["all rulers of wrath and masters of judgment all flee and are removed from it, and no other dominion [exists] in all the worlds"] (Zohar). For then no destroyer or damager has permission to frighten or execute any din at all. For then, on Shabbos, all the dinim — which are the aspect of the fallen yiros — are nullified, and then the yirah ascends to its root, which is da'as. For on Shabbos there is the completeness of da'as, as is brought, that Shabbos is the aspect of da'as. For then the yirah ascends to the root of da'as, through which the da'as is completed, as above. And as Rabbeinu z"l wrote elsewhere (in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 17). And therefore the main tikkun of the building of the Bais HaMikdash — which is the elevation of the yirah etc. as above — is through Shabbos, as it is written, "Es Shabsosai tishmoru umikdashi tira'u" ["My Shabbosos you shall guard, and My Mikdash you shall revere"] (Vayikra 19:30). For on Shabbos, all the dinim and all the fallen yiros are nullified, and then the yirah ascends to the root of da'as, which is the main aspect of the building of the Bais HaMikdash, as above. And this is the aspect of the Kiddush over a cup of wine on Shabbos. When one wishes to leave the six weekdays and enter the holiness of Shabbos, to draw upon us the k'dushas Shabbos [holiness of Shabbos], one must make Kiddush over a cup of wine. For the cup of wine is the aspect of yirah, the aspect of malchus [kingship], as Rabbeinu z"l wrote elsewhere — that yirah is the aspect of malchus, as they said, "Were it not for the fear of the government" [people would swallow each other alive] (Avos 3:2). And this is the aspect of the cup of wine of Kiddush, as is brought in the kavanos [mystical intentions], for kos [cup] has the gematriya [numerical value] of Elokim — this is the aspect of "Elokim yira" ["fear G-d"], the aspect of yirah, the aspect of malchus. And this is the aspect of yayin [wine], the aspect of red wine, as it is written, "Al taireh yayin ki yis'adam" ["Do not look upon wine when it is red"] (Mishlei 23:31) — which is the aspect of din, the aspect of yirah. That is, upon the entrance of Shabbos, when one goes from the weekdays to Shabbos, the main beginning to draw the k'dushas Shabbos Kodesh is through immediately upon the entrance of Shabbos elevating all the fallen yiros to their root in the da'as, which is called kodesh. For da'as is called kodesh, as is known. And this is the aspect of Kiddush over the cup of wine — that one elevates and raises the aspect of the kos, the aspect of yayin, which is the aspect of yirah, elevating it to its root, which is the da'as that is called kodesh. And therefore one must receive the kos with both hands, for the hands are the aspect of mishpat, which is the amuda d'emtza'isa [the middle pillar], which is comprised of three — which are the body and the hands, as is known. And this is the aspect of "v'so'chaiz b'mishpat yadi" ["And My hand grasps judgment"] (D'varim 32:41). And these hands, which are the aspect of mishpat, receive the kos and elevate it — which is the aspect of the elevation of the yirah, as above. And therefore one holds the kos opposite the navel of the heart, for there is the main [place of] yirah, which is a matter entrusted to the heart, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. And then one recites the Kiddush and testifies that Hashem Yisbarach created everything in the six days of Creation and rested on Shabbos. Through this, all the fallen yiros and all the fears are nullified, for "Hashem li, lo ira, mah ya'aseh li adam" ["Hashem is with me, I will not fear; what can man do to me?"] (T'hilim 118:6). For since one knows that Hashem Yisbarach created everything and everything is in His domain, why should I fear any master or anything in the world? For without His permission, who can do anything to me? For everything is in His domain alone, and I have nothing to fear except the Master of the domain, Who is the singular Creator, Yisbarach. And therefore it is called Kiddush [sanctification], for through this the yirah ascends to the da'as, which is the aspect of kodesh, as above. And there, when the yirah is included in the holy da'as, through this one ascends and is included in the ultimate, supernal holiness, which is the aspect of the or haganuz [hidden light], sisray Oraysa [the secrets of the Torah], which is called kodesh, as above in the aforementioned Torah, see there. This is the main aspect of the k'dushas Shabbos, which is a semblance of the World to Come, when we will merit the or haganuz that will be revealed in the future. And this is the aspect of the taking of permission that is received before the blessing over the wine of Kiddush, when they say "Savri" ["With your permission"] or "Birshus" ["By your leave"] — in order to receive permission from all those present. For when one wishes to nullify the fallen yiros and elevate the yirah to its root, which is the da'as, the aspect of kodesh as above, all the r'shuyos [domains/permissions] must be gathered together in order to be included in Echad [the One], where everything is good, everything is kodesh, as above, and where all the dinim are nullified, as above. For the main hold of the dinim and the fallen yiros is only from being distant from Echad, as above. And therefore, when Yisroel sinned with the Aigel [Golden Calf] and sought many r'shuyos [authorities], chas v'shalom, afterwards Hashem Yisbarach said to Moshe, "Hinai Anochi sholai'ach l'fanecha mal'ach" etc. ["Behold, I am sending before you an angel"] (Sh'mos 32:34) — that He handed over His authority, kiv'yachol, to the angel to lead Yisroel. And therefore Moshe did not desire this, as it is written, "Im ain Panecha holchim al ta'alainu mizeh" etc. ["If Your Presence does not go, do not bring us up from here"] (Sh'mos 33:15). For as soon as authority was given to another, even to a holy angel, nevertheless — since the authority chained down and became distant from Echad — from this they have a hold, chas v'shalom, and the destroyer, chas v'shalom, can come to have authority — the fallen yiros that have permission to harm, chas v'shalom — only through the multiplication of authorities and kingdoms, when they are multiplied through sins, chas v'shalom, in the aspect of "b'fesha eretz rabim sareha" ["through transgression, a land has many rulers"] (Mishlei 28:2). For from there is the main hold of the k'lipos and the yaitzer hara [evil inclination], whose main hold is from heresies that are drawn only from the fact that sometimes Hashem Yisbarach gives authority to an agent and angel, from which chains down the hold of heresies and dinim — where they say, chas v'shalom, "there are two authorities," as Chazal said about Acher [Elisha ben Avuyah] who erred through this, as it is stated there in Chagigah (15a): "Acher — what did he see? He saw Metatron who was given authority" etc. "He said, 'Infer from this...'" etc. And therefore, when Hashem Yisbarach wished to send an angel and give him authority to lead Yisroel, He warned Yisroel to be very careful not to err, chas v'shalom, through this, as above. And this is what is written there: "Hinai Anochi sholai'ach mal'ach l'fanecha...hishamer mipanav...al tamer bo" ["Behold, I am sending an angel before you...be careful of him...do not rebel against him"] (Sh'mos 23:20–21). And Chazal expounded: "al t'mireni bo" — "do not exchange Me for him." For you must be careful — since authority was given to him — that you should not err, chas v'shalom, into heresy, as Acher erred. "For My Name is within him" — for in truth he has no authority on his own, chas v'shalom, at all. Rather, everything he does is by My authority and My mission, "for My Name is within him," as above. It turns out that the more authority chains down — even in holiness, even to holy angels — nevertheless, from this their hold chains down, chas v'shalom, as above. And therefore before the K'dushah [in the prayer service], the angels gather their authorities together so that they can be included in Echad, which is the ultimate holiness, as above. And this is what is written: "V'nosnim b'ahavah r'shus zeh lazeh l'hakdish l'Yotzram...K'dushah kulam k'echad onim" etc. ["And they lovingly give permission, one to another, to sanctify their Creator...the K'dushah — they all respond as one"] etc. For through all their authorities being gathered together and the many authorities being nullified, through this all the chitzonim and all the fallen yiros are nullified. For no destroyer has any authority, since all the authorities are included in Echad. And then the yirah ascends to its root, which is da'as, which is the aspect of kodesh. And therefore, when they give permission one to another and are included together in Echad as above, then "they all respond as one and say b'yirah — Kadosh" — "b'yirah" [with fear/awe] specifically, for then the yirah is in its completeness and is included in kodesh, which is the da'as, which is the root of the yirah, as above. And this is the aspect of the taking of permission before the Kiddush, for then the fallen yirah ascends. Therefore all the authorities must be gathered together, through which all the fallen yiros are nullified, as above. And through this the yirah ascends to its root, to the aspect of kodesh, which is the da'as. This is the aspect of the Kiddush, as above. And this is the aspect of the three times "Elokim" and three times "sh'vi'i" ["seventh"] that are said in the Kiddush. This is the aspect of the three aforementioned aspects, which are the main k'dushas Shabbos that is drawn through the Kiddush — namely, yirah, mishpat, and da'as. For the yirah ascends through the mishpat to the da'as — these are three aspects, which are the aspect of three times sh'vi'i and three times Elokim in the Kiddush. For it is stated in the kavanos that the three times sh'vi'i and Elokim as above correspond to the three ascents of the malchus, which ascends through Netzach-Hod-Y'sod, and through Chesed-G'vurah-Tiferes, and through Chochmah-Binah-Da'as, which is called kodesh — see there. And these are the three aforementioned aspects. For malchus is the aspect of yirah, as above. And at first, during the weekdays, when the fallen yiros prevailed, then the sparks of malchus were among the chitzonim. And now all the holinesses that were clothed in the fallen yiros ascend and are included in the holy yirah, which is the malchus of k'dushah. And at first, when the yirah is included in k'dushah, it is in the aspect of Netzach-Hod-Y'sod, which is the aspect of raglim [feet/legs], for there is the place of yirah and malchus — called eretz [earth], as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. And eretz is the aspect of raglim, in the aspect of "v'ha'aretz hadom raglai" ["and the earth is My footstool"] (Y'shayah 66:1), the aspect of Netzach-Hod-Y'sod as above. And the main elevation of the yirah is through mishpat, which is the aspect of yadayim [hands], the aspect of "to'chaiz b'mishpat yadi," the aspect of the amuda d'emtza'isa, the aspect of Chesed-G'vurah-Tiferes. And this is the aspect of the ascent of malchus through Chesed-G'vurah-Tiferes. And through the mishpat, the yirah ascends to its uppermost root, which is the yirah ila'ah [supernal fear], whose root is in da'as, which is the aspect of kodesh. And then the malchus, which is the yirah, ascends and is included in Chochmah-Binah-Da'as, which is its root. And therefore in the t'filah as well, a threefold K'dushah is recited, and the main [emphasis] is through the yirah, as above, as it is written, "V'nosnim r'shus...onim v'omrim b'yirah — Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh." For through the elevation of the yirah, the K'dushah is threefold in the three aforementioned aspects. And these three aspects are the aspect of the three Avos [Patriarchs], for the main ascent of the malchus on Shabbos is to be included in them. This is the aspect of the three s'udos [meals] eaten on Shabbos, which are the t'las avahan [three Patriarchs], as is known. For Avraham is the aspect of the right, the aspect of the holy da'as, for "misitra diymina mocha chivarta k'chaspa" ["from the right side is the white brain, like silver"] (Zohar). And as is explained in the aforementioned Torah on the pasuk "Har zeh kansah y'mino" — that through Avraham, the aspect of the right, one merits sisray Torah [the secrets of the Torah], the aspect of kodesh, etc. And Yitzchak is the aspect of yirah, the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak [the Fear of Yitzchak]. And the main tikkun is through Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat, as it is written (T'hilim 81:5), "Mishpat l'Eilokay Yaakov" ["Judgment for the G-d of Yaakov"]. For Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat, connects and elevates the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak, the aspect of yirah, to the aspect of Avraham, who is the aspect of da'as, as above. This is the main aspect of the k'dushas Shabbos, as above. And therefore the main Shabbos is in the aspect of Yaakov, as it is written, "V'he'echalticha nachalas Yaakov avicha" ["And I will feed you the inheritance of Yaakov your father"] (Y'shayah 58:14). And as Chazal said, that Yaakov kept the Shabbos. For the main k'dushas Shabbos is through the aspect of Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat that elevates the yirah to the da'as, through which all the fallen yiros are nullified, as above. This is the nachalas Yaakov, which is a nachalah b'li m'tzarim [inheritance without boundaries], as Chazal said (Shabbos 118a). That is, the aspect of the nullification of all the mazikim [damagers], which are the fallen yiros — the main m'tzarai [oppressors of] holiness that oppress Yisroel, chas v'shalom, in the aspect of "kol rod'feha hisigu'ha bain ham'tzarim" ["all her pursuers overtook her between the straits"] (Aichah 1:3). And through the k'dushas Shabbos, all the m'tzarim of k'dushah — which are all the dinim and all the fallen yiros — are nullified. For then "all the rulers of wrath and masters of judgment all flee and are removed" etc. And therefore the main tikkun is through Yaakov. For from Avraham came Yishma'ail, and from Yitzchak came Eisav. And Yaakov — "his bed was complete without any impurity." For as long as Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat, had not yet come, the dominion of the mazikay alma — whose sustenance is from the aforementioned fallen yiros — had not yet been completely nullified. And therefore Eisav and Yishma'ail came from them — the mazikay alma who destroyed the Bais HaMikdash, the place of the holy yirah as above — and all because the mishpat was not yet established, as above. Until Yaakov came, who is the aspect of mishpat, through which the main sweetening and elevation of Pachad Yitzchak to the aspect of da'as, which is the aspect of Avraham, [is achieved]. Through this everything is sweetened. For Yaakov is the b'ri'ach hatichon hamavri'ach min hakatzeh el hakatzeh ["the middle bolt that extends from end to end"] (Sh'mos 26:28), for he decides and includes Avraham and Yitzchak — connecting the aspect of Yitzchak, the aspect of yirah, to the aspect of Avraham, the aspect of da'as, through his middah, which is the aspect of mishpat, as above. And therefore the Mikdash of the future, which will correspond to Yaakov, will never be destroyed, as Chazal said. For the main tikkun of the building of the Bais HaMikdash is through the aspect of mishpat, which is the aspect of Yaakov, as above. And this is what Yaakov said when he saw the place of the Bais HaMikdash: "Mah nora hamakom hazeh, ain zeh ki im Bais Elokim" etc. ["How awesome is this place; this is none other than the House of G-d"] (B'reishis 28:17). And Chazal said (P'sachim 88a) on this pasuk: that Yaakov called it "Bayis" ["House"] — that it would never be destroyed. And now it is well-explained that the end of the pasuk is connected to its beginning. For he merited to attain the yirah in its completeness through the mishpat, which is his middah as above. And therefore he said, "Mah nora hamakom hazeh" — meaning, he expressed the enormity of the completeness of the holy yirah that he attained here. And through the completeness of the yirah, the aspect of "mah nora hamakom," it will never again be destroyed. And this is the conclusion: "ain zeh ki im Bais Elokim" — "Bayis" specifically, the aspect of the Third Bais that will be in the merit of Yaakov, which will never be destroyed. And this is the aspect of "V'zacharti es brisi Yaakov, v'af es brisi Yitzchak, v'af es brisi Avraham ezkor, v'ha'aretz ezkor" ["And I will remember My covenant with Yaakov, and also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember, and the land I will remember"] (Vayikra 26:42). It counts them in reverse order, beginning with Yaakov. For the main g'ulah [redemption] and the future building is through him, for this pasuk is stated after the tochachah [reproof], where Hashem Yisbarach warned Yisroel: "V'im lo tishm'u...v'im es mishpatai tig'al nafshechem" etc. ["And if you do not listen...and if your soul rejects My judgments"] (Vayikra 26:14–15). Then what will come upon them will come, chas v'shalom. And all these dinim are the aspect of the fallen yiros, from which come all the troubles and decrees, chas v'shalom — all drawn, chas v'shalom, from the blemish of the mishpat, the aspect of "v'im es mishpatai tig'al nafshechem." And therefore at the end, when He comforts them, He promises them that through the merit of the Avos they will be saved from all the troubles, and mainly through Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat — who connects the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak to the aspect of Avraham, which is da'as, through which all the fallen yiros and all the troubles and all the decrees are nullified, as above. And therefore it begins with Yaakov, as above, for the main tikkun is through the aspect of Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat, as above. And this is: "v'ha'aretz ezkor" — the aspect of the elevation of the yirah, which is called eretz, the aspect of "eretz yar'ah" ["the earth feared"] as above. For the main tikkun and sweetening is through the elevation of the yirah, as above. And this is the aspect of the three s'udos of Shabbos. For the s'udah [meal] of the night is the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak, as is brought in the kavanos. And the s'udah of the morning is the aspect of Avraham. And the s'udah sh'lishis [third meal] is the aspect of Yaakov, who is the aspect of mishpat — which is the main tikkun, as above. And therefore, at Minchah of Shabbos, all the dinim are completely nullified and "ra'ava d'ra'avin ishtakach" ["the will of wills is found"]. For during the weekdays, the dinim prevail at Minchah, which is the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak. But on Shabbos at Minchah, it is the aspect of Yaakov, the aspect of mishpat, which elevates all the yiros and all the dinim to their root. And then all the dinim and all the yiros are sweetened and nullified. And therefore then all the dinim are completely nullified — and all through the mishpat, as above. And therefore then "ra'ava d'ra'avin ishtakach" — for then one ascends to the ultimate ascent, to the aspect of nachalah b'li m'tzarim, which is the aspect of the attainment of sisray Oraysa, which is the aspect of Ayin [Nothingness], the aspect of Atik [the Ancient One], to which one ascends during the s'udah sh'lishis, which is the aspect of ra'ava d'ra'avin — which is the aspect of nachalah b'li m'tzarim, without limit, which is the sisray Torah that are not grasped within any limit. As Rabbeinu z"l wrote there in the aforementioned Torah. And therefore then one innovates and reveals chidushay Oraysa [novel Torah insights], for then the sisray Oraysa are revealed through the aspect of mishpat, the aspect of Yaakov — which is the main tikkun. For everything depends on the aspect of the mishpat, through which everything is sweetened and ascends, as above.

Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 1. Final part of Halachah 4.