חזקת מטלטלין ב

Chapter headings from the above halachah; and in it, the topic of Chanukah: 191

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew.

A guarantor at the time of the giving of money becomes obligated without a kinyan. Not at the time of the giving of money, he does not become obligated except through a kinyan.

And this is the aspect of the tremendous power of the miracle of Chanukah: that then they established for us to kindle the Chanukah candle below ten t'fachim (handbreadths). It is explained in the kavanos that we draw the generality of the illumination of the three yichudim (unifications) very far down, etc. — to illuminate the Malchus with the immense illuminations mentioned above in its own place, even though it has no ascent then, etc. 192

The topic of a guarantee is according to the teaching "Uv'yom HaBikurim" — "V'es ha'orvim tzivisi l'chalkeleika" ["And the ravens I have commanded to sustain you"], etc. — in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 4; see there the entire teaching.

That is: in the immense compassion of Hashem, blessed be He, Who saw that the malchus of the Sitra Achara was strengthening very, very greatly — the wicked kingdom wanted to cause His Torah to be forgotten entirely — and He foresaw that afterward this exile would continue to be prolonged exceedingly — therefore He had mercy upon us and performed wondrous miracles for us during the holy days of Chanukah. And He added miracle upon miracle: that the little bit of oil that was sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol — which was only enough to burn for one day — burned for eight days. Until they established from this the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah candle. Which is that through the power of the great and awesome tzaddikim we should merit to draw the light of the Torah — the aspect of: "a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light" — also very far below. That holy s'farim like these should be increased in the world, with such deep wisdom that they illuminate the face of the earth — until they can illuminate also very far below, in the intensity of Asiyah. And also there, the Written Torah and the Oral Torah should be unified together in wondrous completeness, in absolute unity — until there too the Written Torah should be completed through the abundance of the s'farim of the Oral Torah, until the Torah should be included in the Foundation Stone, Kodesh HaKodashim. Through which all the dinim in the world are sweetened. Through which the counsel will be completed — so that even the very, very lowly and fallen will be able to find counsel for their souls, to rescue their souls from the pit, to be illuminated with the light of life. 193

For the main thing is the ratzon [will/desire]. A person must accustom himself to yearn and to long and to pine at all times for Hashem Yisbarach and for His Torah and His mitzvos, and to always strive that he should have good, strong r'tzonos [desires] of k'dushah. And as Rabbainu z"l said in his holy conversation with us at that time when he revealed the aforementioned Torah — for then we heard the holy conversation that is printed in the Sichos HaRan, beginning with "Olam hazeh aino k'lum" ["This world is nothing"]. There is explained the tremendous greatness of the ratzon toward k'dushah. For Rabbainu z"l said that the main avodas Hashem [service of G-d] is the ratzon. For to actually serve Hashem — no one knows who is the one that could say that he serves Hashem Yisbarach, and even an angel and a seraph cannot boast that he can serve Hashem, etc. Rather, the main thing is the ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach. And even though it seems that everyone desires to draw near to Hashem Yisbarach — for "all desire to fear Your Name" — nevertheless, not only is no one person comparable to his fellow in the matter of the ratzon, but even within a single person, no one day is comparable to another in the matter of the ratzon, etc., as is explained there — see there. And similarly, Rabbainu z"l spoke about this many times in many different expressions — that the main thing is only the ratzon and the longings, that one should desire and yearn always with a strong ratzon to truly do His will, Yisbarach. And if despite this one does not merit — what can be done? And let him strengthen himself not to cease and not to abandon the ratzon, chas v'shalom. Rather, let him desire more, with r'tzonos that are even stronger, and let him strengthen himself with a strong ratzon and great longings for Hashem Yisbarach always, at all times, forever and ever. For the main thing is the ratzon.

And therefore the oil was sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol. For the Kohen Gadol would enter the innermost sanctum on Yom Kippur, to the aspect of Kodesh HaKodashim — where the completeness of the Torah is, for there stood the Tablets of Stone, and from there is all the sweetening mentioned above, as is explained there. 194

For in truth, the main ultimate good of the holy neshamah is that it should merit the ultimate completeness of the ratzon, which is the aspect of the "ratzon shebar'tzonos" [the will within wills] — that the neshamah should merit having strong, true r'tzonos for Hashem Yisbarach until it merits to be included in "Ra'ava d'Ra'avin" [the Will of Wills], which is the ratzon shebar'tzonos. This is the completeness and the supreme level above all levels.

For the pure Menorah in the Bais HaMikdash — all its illumination was from there, from the Tablets of Testimony that were in the Bais Kodesh HaKodashim. As it is written: "In the Ohel Mo'aid, outside the curtain that is over the Testimony, Aharon and his sons shall arrange it," etc. That is, as mentioned: for the lights of the Menorah — all their illumination is from the aspect of the completeness of the Torah that was in the Bais Kodesh HaKodashim, as mentioned. But all of this we only merited in the Bais HaMikdash and in the Mishkan. But now, in the intensity of the exile, Hashem, blessed be He, had mercy upon us and established for us to kindle the Chanukah candle — to draw this illumination, the aspect of the completeness of the Written Torah through the Oral Torah, also very far below, to illuminate for all the lowly ones who are in the intensity of Asiyah — to illuminate in them also very deep counsels, through the abundance of the holy s'farim that are made from chiddushai Torah such as these, that complete the Written Torah in such completeness that all the dinim are sweetened — until deep counsels illuminate also below ten [t'fachim], etc. For Chanukah is the aspect of the tikkun of Netzach — where the essential place of counsel is, which is the aspect of raglayim (feet/legs), as is explained elsewhere. 195

As we find regarding Mosheh Rabbainu, alav hashalom, who was the choicest of the human species — and who is greater for us than Mosheh, the master of all the prophets and the true tzaddikim of all generations? And at the end, at the time of his histalkus [passing] — when he certainly merited the ultimate completeness of the level that is impossible to attain — the entire main essence of the extraordinary greatness of his level was that he merited at the time of his holy histalkus to be included in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, which is the ratzon shebar'tzonos, as is explained in the holy Zohar (T'rumah) — that the histalkus of Mosheh was on Shabbos at Minchah, at Ra'ava d'Ra'avin.

And this is the aspect of: "The Shulchan (Table) in the north and the Menorah in the south" — the Shulchan with the Lechem HaPanim (Showbread) was opposite the Menorah, as it is written: "And the Menorah opposite the Shulchan." For the one depends on the other: through the holiness of the Menorah and its candles that illuminated through the completeness of the Torah in the aspect of the Tablets of Stone, etc. — as mentioned, for this is why it was commanded: "In the Ohel Mo'aid, outside the curtain that is over the Testimony, Aharon shall arrange it," etc. — which alluded to him that the light of the candles of the Menorah is drawn from the Tablets of Testimony in the Bais Kodesh HaKodashim, as mentioned — through this is the aspect of the holiness of the Shulchan, upon which was the Lechem HaPanim from Shabbos to Shabbos. Which is for the purpose of drawing upon Yisrael the holiness of eating, to purify the foods from the blemish of the foul vapors mentioned above, which blemish the counsel, as mentioned. And the essential tikkun is through Shabbos eating, which is the aspect of the Lechem HaPanim that was on the Shulchan. And therefore the Shulchan and the Menorah were placed adjacent, one opposite the other — for they depend on each other. For the holiness of the foods, to clarify from the vapors mentioned above, is through the abundance of s'farim, etc. — which are the aspect of the light of the Menorah. Through which is the tikkun of the completeness of counsel, as mentioned. 196

It emerges that the completeness of the ratzon is higher than everything. And the entire main purpose of the entire Torah and the mitzvos is to merit the ratzon and to be included in the supernal Ratzon. For Mosheh Rabbainu is himself the aspect of the Torah and the mitzvos. And therefore Mosheh Rabbainu has the gematria of taryag [613], for he is himself the aspect of the totality of the 613 mitzvos of the Torah. And the ultimate completeness of the level of Mosheh Rabbainu is that he was included in the ratzon shebar'tzonos, in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as above. It emerges that the purpose of all the mitzvos — which are the aspect of Mosheh Rabbainu, as above — the main purpose is to merit the ratzon in completeness, which is the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos, as above. For all the mitzvos we do should be "l'ratzon l'fanav" [for favor before Him], as Chazal said: "Nachas ruach l'fanai" ["It is gratifying before Me"] — "that I said and My will was done." Meaning, that we should merit through the mitzvos to be included in the supernal Ratzon, which is the aspect of the histalkus of Mosheh, who is the totality of the Torah and the mitzvos, as above. For the main reason for the descent of the neshamah to this turbid and lowly world is only for the sake of the ratzon — so that it should merit the ratzon in completeness. And for this reason the neshamah was compelled to descend and to distance itself from the place of its exalted status, and to come into the physical world, turbid and lowly, and to be enclothed in a physical body, in coarse and materialized matter, in this world of Asiyah, at the ultimate distance from the place of its honor. And all this was for the sake of the ratzon. For Hashem Yisbarach wished to grant merit to Yisroel, that they should merit all good — the true good in completeness that surpasses everything. And Hashem Yisbarach knows that the main ultimate good is to merit the ratzon in completeness, as above. Therefore the neshamah was compelled to distance itself from the place of its honor and to descend to this physical world, so that the ratzon should intensify even more. For this is known through the senses: that the more one is distanced, the more the ratzon intensifies. For the son — as long as he is with his father, even though his love is very strong, nevertheless it is not applicable to say that he has ratzon and yearning for his father, since he is with him always. But when the son travels away from his father to some place, then he yearns with a strong ratzon for his father. And the more the son is distanced from his father, the more the r'tzonos and the longings and the yearnings for his father intensify. And therefore the neshamah was compelled to descend from its very, very lofty place and to be enclothed in this physical world that is distant at the ultimate distance from the root of the neshamah of Yisroel — so that the ratzon of the neshamah should intensify even more, because it is very far from its Father's table. For the more one is distant from his father, the more the ratzon intensifies, as above. And in truth, this is the main test and b'chirah [free will] of the person. For in truth, the more one is distanced, the more the ratzon intensifies. And as long as the ratzon is in completeness as it should be, one will certainly merit through this very distancing specifically a wondrous level, for one will merit to be included in the supernal Ratzon, in the ratzon shebar'tzonos, through one's very strong ratzon that one merited specifically in this distant world, as above. For specifically because of the greatness of the distancing one merited a strong ratzon in completeness, as above — for only for this did one descend to this world: in order to merit specifically here the supernal Ratzon, because this world is so very distant, at the ultimate distance, as above. However, Hashem Yisbarach gave b'chirah [free will] to the person, and therefore "es zeh l'umas zeh asah Elokim" ["G-d made this opposite that"] (Koheles 7:14). For He created in this world many things and enclothed in them His vitality, Yisbarach, and gave b'chirah to the person. Meaning, that there are also r'tzonos for the desires of this world, and these r'tzonos oppose the ratzon of k'dushah. For the essence of all the desires are fallen r'tzonos, and therefore they are called "ta'avos" [desires/cravings], which is an aspect of wanting and ratzon. And when the desires of this world overpower, chas v'shalom — which are r'tzonos of the Sitra Achara — then, chas v'shalom, the ratzon of k'dushah is blemished. Until, chas v'shalom, one can forget entirely the ratzon of k'dushah, until one forgets to yearn and to long for Hashem Yisbarach. And in truth, all the things that Hashem Yisbarach created in this world toward which a person has desire — He created everything for our benefit, for the sustenance of the person. For in truth it would have been impossible for the person to endure in this world even for a brief moment, given the greatness of the ratzon and the longings and the yearning of the holy neshamah within the person, which constantly yearns to return to its Beloved, to the source from which it was hewn, with a very strong and powerful ratzon. For the root of the neshamah above is from the source of the Ratzon — from the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, which is the root of the neshamos of Yisroel that are included in Mosheh Rabbainu — the nature of the neshamah being always to yearn with a very strong ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach. Especially upon its coming to this lowly and physical world, so distant at the ultimate distance from the place of its k'dushah — because of which the ratzon intensifies here in this world more and more, as above. And therefore, given the greatness of the extraordinary intensity of the strong ratzon that the neshamah has in this world to return above to its root, it would have been impossible for the neshamah to endure in the body even for a brief moment. Therefore "l'michyah shalach Elokim" ["G-d sent for sustenance"] — all the matters of eating and drinking and the like that G-d created in this world, through which the neshamah can endure in the body in this world. For in all the desires of this world, supernal r'tzonos are enclothed in them. For in all of them there are holy, supernal nitzutzos that are drawn from the supernal Ratzon. And because the neshamah finds also in this world supernal r'tzonos that are enclothed in everything, therefore it is somewhat willing to linger in this world — in order to elevate these r'tzonos, so that the light of the ratzon should be added upon it more and more, through meriting to elevate all the fallen r'tzonos that are enclothed in all the affairs of this world — in eating and drinking and the like. It emerges that in truth all the things of this world toward which a person has ratzon and desire — everything is for good, for the sustenance of the world, as above. And therefore the nefesh of the person is sustained within him through eating and drinking, because supernal r'tzonos are enclothed in them. And only through this does the neshamah have sustenance in this world, because it finds also here supernal r'tzonos, as above. But because these r'tzonos are enclothed in physical things, the Sitra Achara has a hold in them. Therefore a person must strengthen himself greatly not to fall into desire, into a physical ratzon, chas v'shalom, through which, chas v'shalom, the ratzon of k'dushah would be blemished, chas v'shalom, as above. Therefore one must be satisfied with very little in all matters of this world. And even the small amount that is necessary — one must strengthen oneself very, very much that it should be in k'dushah and in purity, in a manner that the ratzon of k'dushah not be blemished through it. Rather, on the contrary — through everything one eats and drinks and the like, one should merit the ratzon of k'dushah more and more, as Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere: that one who merits can receive specifically at the time of eating the illumination of the Ratzon. It emerges that the general principle is the ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach — for only for this does a person come to this world, and it is the main purpose of the person, as above. And this is the aspect of t'shuvah, which is very great — to the extent that one can merit through t'shuvah that the sins should be transformed into merits. And this is the aspect of "descent before the ascent" — that before a person has an ascent in avodas Hashem, he must have a descent before the ascent, for the descent is the purpose of the ascent, as is brought. And at first glance the matter is puzzling and not understood: why through the descent specifically should one merit an ascent?! But according to the above it is well understood. For the main reason a person comes to this world is for the sake of the ratzon, for which the neshamah was compelled to descend to this very distant world, so that the ratzon should intensify even more, given the greatness of the distancing, as above. Therefore, when one descends and falls, chas v'shalom, into some desire or transgression, chas v'shalom, then one becomes even more distant. And then, if one merits afterward to remind oneself and to return in t'shuvah to Hashem Yisbarach, then afterward certainly the ratzon intensifies more and more, because one knows within oneself the greatness of one's distance from Hashem Yisbarach through the abundance of one's sins. Therefore certainly one's ratzon is strong and powerful and mighty, very, very much, for Hashem Yisbarach, beyond measure and estimation. And therefore one can merit through this specifically an even greater level, for "in the place where ba'alei t'shuvah stand, completely righteous tzaddikim cannot stand" (Brachos 34b). For they merit a stronger ratzon because they were more distanced, as above. And therefore, before a person needs to ascend to an even greater ascent, he must have a descent beforehand. For all the ascents and the levels are in the aspect of the ratzon, as is understood from the words of Rabbainu z"l. And therefore, when a person needs to ascend to an even greater ascent — meaning that he should merit more and more ratzon — certainly he must have a descent before the ascent, so that the ratzon should intensify even more, as above. And through this he will merit an ascent to an even higher level. For the intensification of the ratzon even more — this itself is the ascent, as above. And in truth, when a person has a descent before the ascent, he is then in tremendous danger. For many have sunk in their descent, Rachmana litzlan, as is brought in the s'farim. For even though through the descent and the distancing the ratzon intensifies even more — that is, if one merits to remember one's exalted status and not to forget to yearn always with a strong ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach. But it can be, chas v'shalom, that through having descended and become distant, one forgets, chas v'shalom, Hashem Yisbarach, and falls, chas v'shalom, into the r'tzonos of the Sitra Achara, which are the desires of this world, until one can forget the ratzon of k'dushah entirely. And therefore, in truth, certainly "praiseworthy is one who has not sinned." For even the person — the fact that he is enclothed in this world alone — is also in great danger, that he can forget the ratzon of k'dushah, chas v'shalom, through the blemished r'tzonos of this world, even through the r'tzonos of permitted things. All the more so when, chas v'shalom, one stumbles in some sin and transgression and becomes even more and more distant — certainly he is in very great danger, for he can, chas v'shalom, forget entirely the ratzon of k'dushah, because he has become so very distant. But one who has already stumbled in some sin and transgression — and even if he has transgressed very, very much, and even if he did what he did — nevertheless, if he strengthens himself at the very least not to forget Hashem Yisbarach, and at the very least reminds himself each time and accustoms himself to yearn and to long for Hashem Yisbarach with a strong ratzon always — this is the main t'shuvah. And one can merit through this a great ascent, and all the sins will be transformed into merits. For one can merit a very, very strong ratzon because one was more distanced, as above. And the general principle is that there is no despair in the world at all. And even if a person is as he is — as long as he still remembers Hashem Yisbarach and has a ratzon to return to Him Yisbarach — even though it has been a long time already that he yearns to return to Him Yisbarach and he still has not merited t'shuvah; on the contrary, he blemished even more and added sin upon transgression, chas v'shalom — nevertheless, let him strengthen himself to yearn and to long for Hashem Yisbarach always, at all times. And through this, certainly in the end he will ultimately merit to emerge from his follies, and will certainly merit t'shuvah, without any doubt. And this approach is a good and sound eitzah for every person in the world, from the greatest to the smallest. Whether a very great tzaddik or a truly worthy person who needs to go from level to level, higher and higher. And whether people who are very small in level — and even those who lie in the lowest depths, soiled by very evil deeds — nevertheless, through the aspect of the ratzon, all of them can ascend from the very lowest depth to the height of levels. And it is impossible to explain in writing the tremendous greatness of the ratzon and the longings of k'dushah, according to what we understood from the words of our holy Rabbainu z"l, according to what we merited to hear from his holy mouth itself. For in writing it is impossible to explain even a fraction, even a part of a thousandth. And he already revealed many, many lofty Toros on this that have already been printed. But even more than this we understood from his holy mouth and from his holy movements and his wondrous allusions at the time he spoke about this many, many times. And every person, according to what he is, must accustom himself very much in this — to yearn and to long always for Hashem Yisbarach with a strong and powerful ratzon. And this matter certainly every person can fulfill, even the most lowly of the lowly. And it is impossible to spoil or undermine this eitzah in any manner whatsoever, for one who wishes to fulfill it. For granted, all the things and all the eitzos that exist in the world — the ba'al davar [adversary] can overpower to prevent the person from doing them. But ratzon alone — this is impossible to undermine in any manner whatsoever. For however it may be, nevertheless: I want to return to Hashem Yisbarach with a strong ratzon! For who is so foolish and senseless that he would not want the true and eternal good? It is only that it is difficult for him to overcome what he needs to overcome. But at the very least, the ratzon of every member of Yisroel who believes in Hashem Yisbarach is certainly very, very strong to return to Him Yisbarach. Only because they do not know the greatness of the ratzon — that the ratzon itself is very good — therefore, when they see that many times they desired with a strong ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach and nevertheless still did not merit avodas Hashem Yisbarach, and also they blemished somewhat more — therefore they despair of themselves and they forget to yearn further, until the ratzon becomes hidden from them. And in truth, this blemish is worse than all of them. For however it may be, at the very least let him not weaken the ratzon, and not abandon and not forsake the ratzon. On the contrary, let him accustom himself to yearn and to long each time more and more, with a ratzon that is stronger and stronger for Hashem Yisbarach. And this ratzon itself is very good, and one can merit through this complete t'shuvah in truth, and to ascend to all the levels of k'dushah, as above. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 1. And this is what is written: "Hishbati eschem b'nos Y'rushalayim bitz'vaos o b'aylos hasadeh, mah ta'iru umah t'or'ru es ha'ahavah ad shetechpatz" ["I adjure you, O daughters of Y'rushalayim, by the gazelles or the hinds of the field: do not arouse and do not stir up the love until it desires"] (Shir HaShirim 2:7). Meaning, K'nesses Yisroel says to the nations and the Sitra Achara — who are called tz'vaos and aylos hasadeh, who are the aspect of predatory wild beasts that maul and tear, who are the aspect of the chachmay hateva [naturalist philosophers], who are the blemish of the ratzon, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah — for from them is the main ko'ach of the yaitzer hara, which is called "ail acher" [a foreign god] — k'firos, as is known. And the holy people of Yisroel say to them that nothing that they do and strive to accomplish will help them to corrupt, chas v'shalom, the love that is between Yisroel and their Father in Heaven — through the seductions and enticements by which they seduce and entice each and every person with whatever they entice him with, to distance him from Hashem Yisbarach, chas v'shalom. All this will not help them. For even though they have already tripped us many, many times, nevertheless we still desire and yearn for Hashem Yisbarach with a very, very great desire and ratzon and yearning. And this is: "Mah ta'iru umah t'or'ru es ha'ahavah ad shetechpatz." For it will not avail you, what you are engaged in doing — hatred and corruption, chas v'shalom — as Rashi explains there. For nothing will avail at all, since it is impossible ever to nullify the ratzon of k'dushah. For certainly every single member of Yisroel, as he is, still desires and yearns to return to Hashem Yisbarach. And since they still have ratzon and longings for Him Yisbarach, certainly they will never be able to distance Yisroel from Hashem Yisbarach. For in the end, they will all ultimately return to Him, since the ratzon to return to Him Yisbarach is always strong, as above. For the ratzon is drawn from the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, which is the aspect of Atika Kadisha [the Holy Ancient One], where no blemish reaches at all, as is known. Where it is stated: "Im chatasa mah tif'al bo" ["If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?"] (Iyov 35:6) — as is known. And therefore, against the ratzon no blemish or sin can cause corruption at all. For the ratzon overpowers everything, for there no blemish reaches at all — and understand this. For the aspect of the ratzon, which is drawn from the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — this is the aspect of the Or HaAin Sof [the Infinite Light]. And therefore the aspect of the ratzon is impossible to corrupt in any manner whatsoever. For the light of the ratzon is the aspect of the Or Ain Sof, which is never interrupted, for it has no end and no limit. For after all the corruptions, chas v'shalom, in the end we yearn for Him Yisbarach with a strong ratzon. For the light of the ratzon is the aspect of the Or Ain Sof that has no end, as above. And this is the tremendous greatness of the levels of the k'dushah of Shabbos Kodesh, which surpasses everything. For Shabbos is entirely ratzon, as we say: "V'Shabbas kodsh'cha b'ahavah uv'ratzon hinchaltanu" ["And Your holy Shabbos with love and with ratzon You bequeathed to us"]. For on Shabbos the Ra'ava d'Ra'avin shines — the ratzon shebar'tzonos. And therefore on Shabbos all the thirty-nine m'lachos [categories of creative labor] are nullified, as is explained well in the aforementioned Torah. And therefore, through the keeping of Shabbos Kodesh, all one's sins are forgiven, as Chazal said (Shabbos 119b). For through the ratzon all the sins are transformed into merits. For the main element of t'shuvah is the aspect of the ratzon of k'dushah, as above. For the main element of t'shuvah is the charatah [remorse] — that one regrets very much having done that deed. And the main element of the charatah is the ratzon, that one now has a ratzon of k'dushah — that one regrets very much what one did. Meaning, that one would have been very pleased if one had not done this. It emerges that the main element of the charatah is the ratzon of k'dushah — meaning that now one does not want the transgression at all; rather, one's ratzon is: "If only I had not committed the transgression." And through this charatah, which is nothing but the ratzon of k'dushah, through this one is forgiven. And therefore on Shabbos, when one merits the ratzon of k'dushah, through this one merits t'shuvah, which is the aspect of Shabbos, as Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere — the aspect of "v'shavta ad Hashem Elokecha" ["and you shall return to Hashem your G-d"] (D'varim 30:2). For the main t'shuvah is the aspect of the ratzon of k'dushah that intensifies even more after the sin, if one merits to be aroused to t'shuvah. And through this the descent is transformed into an ascent, and the sins are transformed into merits. For through the sins, upon which one afterward merited to do t'shuvah, through this one merits a stronger ratzon, as above. And this is what Chazal said (Shabbos 118b): "Whoever delights in the Shabbos is given an inheritance without boundaries." For the k'dushah of oneg Shabbos, which is the aspect of the ratzon, the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — this is the aspect of an inheritance without boundaries, where no constraint has dominion or reaches at all. The "constraint" refers to the Sitra Achara and dinim, which are called the "m'tzarim" [boundaries/constraints] of k'dushah. For in the aspect of the ratzon of k'dushah, no Sitra Achara or k'lipos can reach at all, as above. For the ratzon of k'dushah of Yisroel can never be nullified. For sometimes, chas v'shalom, they can overpower to nullify Yisroel from some mitzvah, or to cause them to stumble, chas v'shalom, in some failing through their overpowering, chas v'shalom. But the ratzon they can never nullify. For nevertheless, we desire with a strong ratzon to return to Hashem Yisbarach. And this is the aspect of: "Mah ta'iru umah t'or'ru es ha'ahavah ad shetechpatz," as above. And therefore the k'dushah of Shabbos — which is the aspect of the ratzon of k'dushah — is called an inheritance without boundaries. For against the ratzon of k'dushah there is no constraint of the Sitra Achara or k'lipos that can corrupt it, chas v'shalom — the aspect of: "Mah ta'iru...ad shetechpatz," etc., as above. And behold, the general principle is that the main purpose of the person in this world is the ratzon of k'dushah for Hashem Yisbarach, as above. And the main beginning of avodas Hashem, and the end and the purpose — everything is the aspect of the ratzon. For the main thing is the ratzon, as above. For the neshamah is the aspect of ratzon, for the totality of nefesh, ruach, and neshamah is called "nefesh," and nefesh is an expression of ratzon, as it is written: "Im yesh es nafsh'chem" ["If it is your will"] (B'raishis 23:8). For the root of the neshamah is from the aspect of the supernal Ratzon, and its main purpose is that it should return to the place from which it was hewn — that it should merit to be included in the ratzon shebar'tzonos, in the aspect of the neshamah of Mosheh Rabbainu, as above. But because the neshamah is enclothed in the physical body in the world of Asiyah, which is very distant and materialized, therefore it is in danger and in a test. For, chas v'shalom, it can forget the ratzon of k'dushah through the greatness of its distance and through the fallen r'tzonos that are enclothed in the desires of this world, etc. Therefore Hashem Yisbarach had compassion upon us and gave us His Torah and His holy mitzvos, which are called "taryag itin d'Oraisa" [613 counsels of the Torah], as it is stated in the holy Zohar. Through the performance of these holy mitzvos we merit to sanctify our bodies and this entire world of Asiyah. For every single mitzvah is drawn from His ratzon, Yisbarach — for His ratzon was that we should perform this mitzvah in this particular manner; for example, tzitzis of wool and linen on the corner of the garment specifically, and similarly with the other mitzvos, as Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere (Siman 33, 34). And through our performing this mitzvah with our physical body, with physical things of this world specifically, through this we sanctify a part of our body. And likewise a part of this world that corresponds to this mitzvah. And through this we merit, according to the aspect of the mitzvah, to remind ourselves in this world and in this body to yearn for Hashem Yisbarach with a strong ratzon. And then Asiyah [action/the physical world] is included in the Ratzon. And this is the main purpose — the aspect of "sof ma'aseh b'machshavah t'chilah" ["the end of action was first in thought"]. For this is the main delight and pleasure of Him Yisbarach — when we merit through the performance of His mitzvos to include the ultimate purpose of Asiyah in the supernal Ratzon. And this one merits through the holy mitzvos, which are supernal r'tzonos that we fulfill through physical things specifically, of this world, and with the physical body. For the main completeness of the ratzon is when the ratzon rises from this physical world that is the most distant — for this ratzon is stronger and shines more because of the greatness of the distance, as above. And this is the aspect of tz'dakah, which is equivalent to the entire Torah. For the main illumination of the ratzon is through tz'dakah, as is explained in the aforementioned teaching — see there what is explained there: that through tz'dakah one elevates and rectifies the blemish of the fallen days of the elders that are not as they should be, from which, chas v'shalom, the "forehead of the serpent" draws nourishment. And it [the forehead of the serpent] opposes the aspect of the "forehead of the Ratzon," which is the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos. And through tz'dakah one nullifies the nourishment of the forehead of the serpent, and then the forehead of the Ratzon is strengthened and revealed — the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos. And through this the voice of the calling of Yom Tov is heard — which calls and reveals the ratzon, in the aspect of "mikra kodesh" [a holy convocation]. And through the revelation of the ratzon one merits yirah [awe]. And through the yirah, chesed [kindness] flows — for through the yirah an engraving and a vessel is made to receive the flow of chesed. And then, when the chesed flows, one does not need to do any labor or business for the sake of parnasah. For it is fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem, uv'nai naichar ikaraichem v'chormachem, v'atem kohanai Hashem tikarai'u" ["And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and vine-dressers, and you shall be called the priests of Hashem"] (Y'shayahu 61:5-6). "Kohanai Hashem" specifically — the aspect of chesed. For the world is sustained through His chesed, and all the thirty-nine m'lachos are nullified — which are all the businesses and the dealings and the labors that one does. For even though the thirty-nine m'lachos are also the aspect of the service of the Creator — since the thirty-nine m'lachos are derived from the Mishkan, and all the businesses and the dealings and the labors that one does, which are all included in the thirty-nine m'lachos, are all in the aspect of the work of the Mishkan when one merits to do them in k'dushah; and "the pattern of the Mishkan is like the pattern of the work of B'raishis [Creation]," etc. — nevertheless, if His chesed were flowing, we would not need to do any business at all, etc. And the main flow of the chesed is through the ratzon that is revealed through the tz'dakah, as above. For the main element of tz'dakah is in the aspect of "v'es ha'orvim tzivisi l'chalkeleika" ["And the ravens I have commanded to sustain you"] (M'lachim I 17:4). Meaning, that one should transform the cruelty into compassion. For one who gives tz'dakah by his nature, because he is a compassionate person — it is not so significant. Rather, the main thing is to break the cruel heart into compassion — like the raven, which is cruel by its nature and was transformed into compassion to sustain Eliyahu. Similarly, each person must transform the cruelty that he has in his nature into compassion, and distribute tz'dakah beyond his nature. And through this is the main revelation of the ratzon. For "from within it and from itself, let the axe come against it." For through transforming the anger and the cruelty that is in his nature into compassion and into giving tz'dakah, through this the anger is nullified — which is the opposite of the ratzon — and the ratzon is revealed, etc. And through this all the businesses and the servitude and all the thirty-nine m'lachos are nullified, for it is fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim," etc., as above — see all this there well. And behold, according to the above, the matter is well explained. For the main ratzon is when one merits a true ratzon in this world of Asiyah — for which the neshamah descended specifically to this world. And then, when one merits ratzon in this very distant world — through which the ratzon is stronger and shines more, as above — then Asiyah is included in the Ratzon. And Asiyah, which is the aspect of anger and din, is transformed into the Ratzon. And this is the main completeness of the ratzon: to transform anger into ratzon — which is the aforementioned aspect: to transform Asiyah into Ratzon. For Asiyah — meaning all the mundane activities and all the businesses, which are the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos — is literally the opposite of the ratzon. For the ratzon is the aspect of bitul [nullification], the aspect of Shabbos. And all the activities are literally the opposite of it. For the Asiyah is the aspect of anger and din, for the main hold of all the dinim is in Asiyah, as is known. For all the activities, which are the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, are drawn from the sin of Adam HaRishon, through which he was cursed: "B'itzavon tochalenah" ["In sorrow shall you eat of it"] (B'raishis 3:17); "B'zai'as apecha tochal lechem" ["By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread"] (B'raishis 3:19). Through which one is compelled to toil in these thirty-nine m'lachos. And one must toil greatly to do the thirty-nine m'lachos in great k'dushah, in order to clarify them from the contamination of the serpent — which is the thirty-nine curses that were cursed then in the sin of Adam HaRishon, which are the aspect of thirty-nine lashes. All of which is the aspect of anger and din. And the main drawing of k'dushah upon the entire world of Asiyah and upon all the thirty-nine m'lachos is through the ratzon, as above. For through the ratzon — through yearning for Hashem Yisbarach in this world of Asiyah with a very strong and powerful ratzon for many days and many years — through this one merits to transform Asiyah into Ratzon, until one can merit to nullify from Yisroel all the thirty-nine m'lachos and all the businesses. And everything is through the ratzon, as above in the aforementioned Torah. And therefore the main revelation of the ratzon is through the tz'dakah, which transforms anger into ratzon, as above. And through this one merits to draw the illumination of the Ratzon into this world of Asiyah — to nullify and to transform the world of Asiyah into Ratzon, so that all the thirty-nine m'lachos and all the businesses will be nullified from Yisroel. And they will merit only to yearn and to pine and to long for Hashem Yisbarach with a very strong and powerful ratzon, all their days, forever. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 2. For through the tz'dakah that one gives to a poor person — and the poor person is in the aspect of Asiyah, for there is the main hold of poverty, as is known that the aspect of Asiyah is called "poor," for the main poverty is drawn from the aspect of "b'itzavon tochalenah" ["in sorrow shall you eat of it"], which is the aspect of Asiyah, the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, as above. And therefore, for the most part, the poor person is in anger and in rage always, for he is in the aspect of Asiyah, from where is the main hold of din and rage. And this generous person who transforms his cruelty and volunteers to give tz'dakah — this is the aspect of ratzon, which is the aspect of a "generous spirit," a "free-will offering of the heart," that he is agreeable with ratzon and with his good free-will of his heart to give tz'dakah. And therefore, through the tz'dakah — which is the aspect of a generous spirit, the aspect of ratzon — that he bestows upon the poor person, who is the aspect of Asiyah, the aspect of rage: through this he draws the illumination of the Ratzon into the aspect of Asiyah, and through this he transforms Asiyah and rage into Ratzon. And also with the physical senses one can see this. For initially the poor person was in pain and in rage because of the greatness of his poverty and his hardship, and he was complaining, chas v'shalom, against Hashem Yisbarach. And through having given him his full need, through this his spirit is calmed and he is agreeable and appeased, and the rage that had seized him at first is nullified, and the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon is drawn upon him. And this is the main mitzvah of tz'dakah: to nullify the rage, to transform the rage into ratzon. As we find in several places, that the main admonition regarding tz'dakah is to nullify the complaint of the poor person, as is brought in the holy Zohar regarding that poor person who was complaining, etc. — that there was, chas v'shalom, a great din through this, Rachmana litzlan. And as it is written: "V'hayah ki yitz'ak ailai" ["And it shall be, when he cries out to Me"], etc. (Sh'mos 22:26). It emerges that through the tz'dakah that one gives to a poor person, through this one transforms the aspect of rage, the aspect of Asiyah, into Ratzon. And this is the main reason for the person's descent to this world, and this is the main generality of all the mitzvos of the Torah, as above. And therefore the mitzvah of tz'dakah is equivalent to the entire Torah, and wherever "mitzvah" is mentioned unspecified it refers to the mitzvah of tz'dakah, as is brought. For the main generality of the performance of all the mitzvos in this world of action specifically is to transform Asiyah into Ratzon, and this is accomplished through tz'dakah most of all, as above. And this is what the Torah warned: "V'lo yaira l'vavcha b'sit'cha lo, ki biglal hadavar hazeh y'varechcha Hashem Elokecha b'chol ma'asecha uv'chol mishlach yadecha" ["Let your heart not be grieved when you give to him, for because of this thing Hashem your G-d will bless you in all your deeds and in all the work of your hands"] (D'varim 15:10). For the main element of tz'dakah is the good ratzon — to transform the rage and the cruelty into ratzon, as above. And therefore one must give tz'dakah with a good ratzon, without any ill-will of the heart, in order to nullify the rage and to draw the ratzon — and this is the main element of tz'dakah. Through which one merits to nullify all the thirty-nine m'lachos of the mundane, in which the contamination of the serpent has a hold — the aspect of the thirty-nine curses. And this is: "Ki biglal hadavar hazeh y'varechcha Hashem" — "y'varechcha Hashem" specifically — the opposite of the curses of the sin of Adam HaRishon, which is "b'itzavon tochalenah," the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos. For through tz'dakah with a good ratzon, one merits to draw the illumination of the Ratzon upon the world of Asiyah, and Asiyah is included in the Ratzon. And through this, all the activities and all the thirty-nine m'lachos are nullified, for the world is sustained through His chesed alone, which is the aspect of blessing and chesed, as above. "Ki biglal hadavar hazeh y'varechcha Hashem Elokecha b'chol ma'asecha uv'chol mishlach yadecha" — for blessing and chesed are drawn upon all the activities through the illumination of the Ratzon, until one merits to nullify all the activities entirely, for Asiyah is included in the Ratzon, as above. And all of this is through the tz'dakah that transforms rage, the aspect of Asiyah, into Ratzon, as above. And this is "y'varechcha Hashem" — with money, etc. For through the ratzon one merits the aspect of "v'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc., "v'atem kohanai Hashem tikarai'u," as above. And this is the aspect of a guarantor. For the guarantor who enters between the borrower and the lender and assures the lender that the borrower will repay him — this is the aforementioned aspect: that he obligates himself to return the thing to its root from which it was taken, to elevate Asiyah to Ratzon. For the borrower is in the aspect of Asiyah and servitude, the aspect of "eved loveh l'ish malveh" ["a borrower is a servant to the lender"] (Mishlai 22:7). For the main element of all the loans and the debts — which are the aspect of poverty and hardship — everything is drawn from the aspect of "b'itzavon tochalenah," etc., which is the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, because of which there is all the deficiency of parnasah [livelihood], because of which one is compelled to engage in all the businesses. And whoever is seized more by the contamination of the serpent falls into more worries and servitude and businesses, until they fall into debts and loans, which are literally servitude — the intensity of Asiyah, the aspect of "eved loveh l'ish malveh," as above. And the borrower must strive greatly to fulfill the mitzvah of repayment of a creditor — a mitzvah — to strive to repay the lender on time. And then he nullifies the aspect of the servitude, the aspect of the loan and the debt, which is the aspect of Asiyah. And it returns and is included in the Ratzon, for the thing has returned to its place — to the lender, who is the aspect of ratzon, for he bestowed chesed upon him with his free-will and his good ratzon. For g'milus chasadim [lending kindness] is the aspect of tz'dakah, and even greater, as Chazal said (Sukkah 49b): "G'milus chasadim is greater than tz'dakah." For all the wealth is drawn from the aspect of the supernal Ratzon, from which are all the bestowals, as above. And therefore money is called "kesef," an expression of kisufin [longing] and ratzon, for from there is its root in k'dushah, as above. And therefore "kol rai'a l'ish matan" ["every man is a friend to one who gives gifts"] (Mishlai 19:6); "ohavai ashir rabim" ["the lovers of the rich are many"] (ibid. 14:20). And everyone yearns and longs for him and attaches themselves to the wealthy person, as is brought in the words of Rabbainu z"l (Siman 68). All this is because money in its root is drawn from the aspect of ratzon, as above. And therefore "m'zonai lav bizchusa talya ela b'mazala" ["sustenance does not depend on merit but on mazal"] (Moed Katan 28a), as Chazal said — which is the aspect of the supernal mazal, which is the aspect of the dikna kadisha [the holy beard], as is known, which is the aspect of ratzon, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah — that the illumination of the Ratzon is through the aspect of the holy beard; see there. And therefore, when the borrower pays off the debt to the lender and fulfills "repayment of a creditor is a mitzvah," through this he nullifies the aspect of the servitude — which is the aspect of debt — and the servitude and the Asiyah rise and return and are included in the Ratzon, which is the aspect of the lender who bestows chesed — the aspect of ratzon, as above. But because sometimes the lender does not wish to trust the borrower that he will repay him properly, therefore the guarantor enters and assures the lender that the borrower will repay him on time. It emerges that the guarantor assures the repayment of the debt from the borrower to the lender, which is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore, in truth, Chazal said: "Distance yourself from guarantees" (Y'vamos 109a). For even though it is a great mitzvah to lend to a poor person, and if so this guarantor is certainly also performing a mitzvah — for through him the lender lent to the borrower — nevertheless, he must distance himself from this as much as possible. For who knows if he will escape from loss? For this person who has come to the point that he needs to borrow and be a debtor — it is very difficult that he should merit to repay properly, since he has fallen into literal servitude, the aspect of "eved loveh," etc. And the servitude is the intensity of Asiyah, where is the main hold of poverty. And the more one descends, chas v'shalom, further into the aspect of Asiyah, into servitude, chas v'shalom, the more the poverty intensifies, chas v'shalom. And therefore this borrower, who is the aspect of "eved loveh," the aspect of literal servitude — it is very difficult for him to nullify the poverty, the aspect of servitude, and to pay off the debt. For the paying off of the debt is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above, which is the aspect of the entire avodah of the person in this world — for which the neshamah descended to this world of action, in order to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And as was explained earlier (in Hilchos HaOseh Shali'ach): that the generality of the avodah in this world is the aspect of paying off the debt — that we pay off our obligation to Hashem Yisbarach, for we are obligated to elevate all the worlds to Hashem Yisbarach; see there. And in truth, also the person in this world is in very, very great danger. And therefore Chazal said: "It would have been better for him not to have been created than to have been created" (Eiruvin 13b). For even though the fact that he descended to this distant world is a great benefit for him if he merits it — for through this specifically he can merit the illumination of the Ratzon in completeness, and to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, which is the main delight and pleasure of Him Yisbarach, as above — but who knows if he will merit this? For because of the extreme materiality of this world of Asiyah, chas v'shalom, one can forget entirely the ratzon, as above. And therefore one must certainly distance oneself from guaranteeing — which is the aspect of obligating oneself to be a guarantor that the borrower will certainly pay off [his debt to] the lender, which is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. For who knows if the borrower will fulfill the mitzvah of repayment? For since he has descended to the aspect of a loan and a debt, it is very difficult to repay. And it requires great toil for this, as one sees with the physical senses — that one who, chas v'shalom, becomes a debtor, it is very difficult for him to emerge from the debts, nearly all his days. And for the most part, they die as debtors. And all the denials and the disavowals are most commonly found among debtors. And this is what Chazal said: "If only he would repay on time" — "if only," certainly, for it is very difficult to emerge from debt, for this is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, for which one needs a great z'chus [merit], as above. And therefore Chazal warned: "Distance yourself from guarantees," as above. Therefore the totality of the entire Torah is called by the name "arvus" [guarantee], as it is written (Mishlai 6:1–3): "B'ni im aravta l'rai'echa, takata lazar kapecha...asei zos aifo b'ni v'hinatzel, ki vasa b'chaf rai'echa, laich hispareis urohav rai'echa" ["My son, if you have guaranteed for your fellow, if you have struck your hands for a stranger...do this then, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your fellow — go, humble yourself, and importune your fellow"]. And Rashi explains: "B'ni im aravta" — a guarantee of money as its literal meaning, etc. Another interpretation: "B'ni im aravta l'rai'echa" — after you have become a guarantor to the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is your "fellow," as it is written, "Zeh dodi v'zeh rai'i" ["This is my Beloved and this is my Fellow"] (Shir HaShirim 5:16). And you accepted upon yourself at Sinai and in the Plains of Mo'av with an oath and a pledge to keep His mitzvos. "Takata lazar kapecha" — that you may return and turn away from His ways and cling to heretics, etc. "Asei zos aifo b'ni v'hinatzel," etc. It emerges that the obligation and the acceptance that we accepted upon ourselves to keep His holy mitzvos is called arvus, as above. For in truth it is the aspect of a guarantee of money literally, and everything is one. And both interpretations of Rashi are included together. For the performance of all the mitzvos in this world is to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above — and this is the aspect of a guarantee of money literally, as above. For just as the guarantor obligates himself that the borrower will pay off [his debt], and he is obligated to strive in this, for he has become a guarantor that the borrower will pay off [his debt to] the lender — through which it is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above — so too, every person obligates himself to Hashem Yisbarach upon his descent to this world, that he will elevate and connect all of Asiyah to the Ratzon, that the world should return and be included in its root. And this is the aspect of paying off the debt, as was explained earlier in Hilchos HaOseh Shali'ach — see there — meaning that Asiyah should return and be included in the Ratzon, which is the root of everything, as above. It emerges that the person has obligated himself in an obligation of arvus literally to Hashem Yisbarach, and therefore it is called by the name "guarantor," as above. And this is the aspect of: a guarantor at the time of the giving of money becomes obligated without a kinyan, but after the giving of money he does not become obligated except through a kinyan. For the main reason why one needs some kinyan specifically to uphold all the business dealings and the transactions between one person and another is only in order to draw the illumination of the Ratzon, through which all things are upheld and one can no longer change. For in truth, it is certainly fitting for a person to stand by his word. And when one sells or buys an item from his fellow through words alone, one should certainly uphold the faithfulness of one's word. But that changes and disavowals are commonly found in business dealings — this is drawn only from the blemish of the ratzon. For the ratzon is the aspect of emunah [faith]. For the main ratzon is that one believes that everything is conducted through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. And even though above we spoke about the matter of the ratzon and the yearning for Him Yisbarach, and in the aforementioned Torah it speaks about the matter of the ratzon of Hashem Yisbarach — that we believe that everything is through the ratzon of Hashem Yisbarach alone — in truth, everything is one, for this depends on that. For one who truly believes in the aforementioned Ratzon — meaning that everything is conducted only through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone — certainly he yearns and desires and longs for Him and for His service, Yisbarach, with a very strong ratzon. And even if sometimes he falls from his level, and even if he has fallen, chas v'shalom, Rachmana litzlan, nevertheless, as long as he has complete emunah in Hashem Yisbarach and believes that everything is conducted only through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone — certainly he still has a very strong ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach. For in the end of ends, what will become of him in his end? For "there is no darkness and there is no shadow of death where the workers of iniquity can hide" (Iyov 34:22). For certainly the multitude of his sins, Rachmana litzlan, will not be able to hide him from before Him Yisbarach. And in the end of ends, he will need to give a reckoning before the throne of His glory, Yisbarach. And what will he do on the day of reckoning? Therefore, even though it is possible that sometimes a person puts all this to his heart, and even more than this, and nevertheless he is unable to overcome his desire — but nevertheless, at the very least, he certainly has a very, very strong ratzon always to return to Him Yisbarach, since he believes in the ratzon of Hashem Yisbarach and that everything is conducted through His ratzon, Yisbarach, and Hashem Yisbarach repays every person according to his deeds and the work of his hands. Who is so foolish that he would not yearn and desire with a very, very strong ratzon, with the expiration of the soul, to return to Him Yisbarach — to be saved from the lowest depths and from the other punishments, harsh and very bitter, Rachmana litzlan, and to merit the life of the World to Come and eternity? It emerges that through the emunah of the aforementioned Ratzon — that one believes in Hashem Yisbarach, that everything is through His ratzon alone — through this one certainly has a strong ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach. And all this, that one merits the ratzon even though one does not yet merit His service Yisbarach — still, one's hope from Hashem is not lost. For in the end of ends, one will merit to be a proper person according to His will, Yisbarach, through the yearning and the ratzon — if one perseveres and accustoms oneself in this greatly, to yearn always for Hashem Yisbarach and for His Torah and for His service, as above. And this matter is well explained from the implication of the conversation that we heard at the time he revealed this Torah. And all the denials and the disavowals and the changes that occur between people in business dealings — everything is drawn from the aspect of denials, from the blemish of emunah. For one who has complete emunah in Hashem Yisbarach and believes that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone — certainly he conducts his business dealings also with complete emunah, and he never changes his word. And because all the businesses and all the dealings — all of which are drawn from the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos — are in the aspect of the blemish of the ratzon, which is the aspect of emunah. As is explained in the aforementioned Torah: that when one merits the ratzon in completeness, then one does not need to engage in any business or any dealings at all, for the world is sustained through His chesed, as above. It emerges that if we merited the ratzon in completeness, we would not need to engage in any dealings or business at all. And therefore, denials and disavowals and changes are most commonly found in business dealings — because the business dealings are drawn from the aspect of the blemish of the ratzon, which is the aspect of the blemish of emunah. And from the blemish of emunah are drawn all the disavowals and the denials and the changes in business dealings, as above. And therefore one must strengthen oneself very, very much to strive to conduct business dealings with complete emunah, that the "yes" should be "yes" and the "no" should be "no," and one should never change or exchange one's word. For because denials and changes are commonly found there, which are drawn from the blemish of the ratzon, as above, therefore whoever is compelled to engage in business dealings needs great strengthening to be saved from the denials and disavowals that are commonly found there, as above. And the main eitzah to merit this — that one's business dealings should be conducted with emunah — is to give much tz'dakah. For through tz'dakah one draws the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the aspect of emunah, as above. And through this one merits to draw emunah and ratzon into the business dealings, and then one will merit that one's dealings should be conducted with emunah, which is the aspect of ratzon, as above. For in truth, if all of us merited to give tz'dakah as is fitting, the business dealings would already be nullified entirely, and we would not need to engage in any dealings or labor or business at all, as mentioned above in the aforementioned Torah. For through tz'dakah, the ratzon shines and is revealed, through which all the activities of the thirty-nine m'lachos and all the business dealings are nullified, as above — for it would be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc., as above. But also, as long as one does not merit this — to nullify the labors and the business dealings entirely — and one is still compelled to engage in business dealings and labor for the sake of parnasah, nevertheless, one must at the very least see to it and conduct one's business dealings in k'dushah, with complete emunah. And this too one merits through tz'dakah, through which the ratzon shines, which is the aspect of emunah, as above. And according to the illumination of the ratzon, the aspect of emunah, through tz'dakah — to that extent the denials are driven away from the business dealings, which are drawn from the contamination of the serpent that has a hold in the thirty-nine m'lachos. For through tz'dakah one nullifies the "forehead of the serpent," as above. And then one merits that the thirty-nine m'lachos should be in the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos of the Mishkan, which are in the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon. For the Mishkan was made from the free-will offering and the good ratzon of each and every member of Yisroel, as it is written: "Mai'ais kol ish asher yidvenu libo tik'chu es t'rumasi" ["From every person whose heart moves him, you shall take My offering"] (Sh'mos 25:2) — which is the aspect of tz'dakah, a free-will offering of the heart, the aspect of ratzon. For one who merits to draw the illumination of the Ratzon through the tz'dakah — even when he does the thirty-nine m'lachos and business dealings, he does not fall into physical Asiyah. Rather, on the contrary, he sanctifies the aspect of Asiyah and draws the illumination of the Ratzon even into the Asiyah, as above. And this is the main completeness of the ratzon, and he elevates Asiyah into Ratzon, as above — until he can merit to nullify the activities of the thirty-nine m'lachos and the business dealings entirely. And then he will merit to increase in tz'dakah more and more, through which he will draw the ratzon more and more, until the business dealings are nullified entirely, as above. It emerges that the main k'dushah of business dealings — to merit to conduct business dealings with emunah, never changing one's word — one merits through the tz'dakah, which is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And because of this, Chazal established that business dealings are not acquired except through a kinyan that is appropriate for each matter. All this is because denials and changes are commonly found in business dealings, which are drawn from the blemish of the ratzon, as above. Therefore they discerned the final intent of people — that they do not complete the transaction with their ratzon in completeness as long as there has not been a complete kinyan. For the da'as [mind] and the ratzon in business dealings is somewhat blemished, as above. Therefore changes and fluctuating r'tzonos are commonly found in it, and all this is drawn from the blemish of the ratzon from which the business dealings are drawn, as above. Therefore they said that the transaction is not completed except through the kinyan that they established for each matter. For through the kinyan, the illumination of the Ratzon is drawn into the business dealing, and then it is impossible to change any longer. And this is the aspect of kinyan sudar [acquisition through a garment], which acquires in all matters. For the garments are in the aspect of the illumination of tz'dakah, in the aspect of "tzedek lavashti vayilbashaini" ["I put on righteousness and it clothed me"] (Iyov 29:14). For through the tz'dakah is the main drawing of the ratzon, as above. For through the tz'dakah one transforms the rage, the aspect of Asiyah, into ratzon — and this is the main completeness of the ratzon, which is the aspect of the performance of all the mitzvos of the Torah in order to elevate Asiyah into Ratzon, as all of this has been well explained above. And this is the aspect of the garments, the aspect of the chaluka d'rabbanan [the garment of the Sages] — that from all the mitzvos and the merits that one performs in this world, from them is made the chaluka d'rabbanan, which is garments for the neshamah, so that it can do and be included in the place to which it needs to ascend. And as long as the neshamah has no garments, it cannot ascend to its place. And at first glance this is puzzling: Is not the main purpose to merit to recognize Hashem Yisbarach face to face, and to be included in the supernal Ratzon, in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin? And why does the neshamah need garments specifically? For is not a garment an aspect of concealment and contraction — that one conceals and enclothes the light in garments?! But according to the above it is well explained. For the main completeness of the neshamah is that it should merit the ratzon, as above. And the main ratzon is through distancing, as above — for which the neshamah descended specifically to this distant world, so that it should merit the ratzon in completeness here, as above. And then, when the neshamah merits to do good deeds in this world, from every mitzvah and good deed that it performed in this world, from it is made a garment for the neshamah. And the garment is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that the neshamah merits through the mitzvah. Meaning, that it merits in the upper world the light of the supernal Ratzon, which is in the aspect of "matai v'la matai" ["reaches and does not reach"], the aspect of "ratzo vashov" ["running and returning"]. For the main thing is only when there is a hindrance — the aspect of a garment that conceals and prevents the light. But in this world, the garment is very coarse and physical, until one cannot see the light at all. But in the upper world, one merits spiritual, refined garments — and the garments themselves are the aspect of r'tzonos. Meaning, that the garments contract and conceal the light only so that the ratzon should intensify. And the garment itself is the aspect of the light of the ratzon — the aspect of "arba mei'os almin d'chisufin d'yarsin tzadikaya l'alma d'asei" ["four hundred worlds of longing that the righteous inherit in the World to Come"]. For there are garments and worlds of ratzon, the aspect of worlds of longing. For there are many distinctions in ratzon, as Rabbainu z"l wrote. And this is the superiority of the neshamah of the tzaddik over the angels. For because it was in this world, in the world of Asiyah, and it merited the illumination of the Ratzon in this world through its good deeds — through this it merits in the upper world the completeness of the illumination of the Ratzon, which is through many garments, the aspect of the chaluka d'rabbanan. And the more one merits mitzvos and good deeds, the more garments increase. And correspondingly, one merits the illumination of the Ratzon more, for the main illumination of the Ratzon is through the aspect of holy garments, as above. It emerges that the garments are in the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, the aspect of tz'dakah. And therefore through kinyan sudar one draws the illumination of the Ratzon into the business dealing — through taking the corner of his garment. For the garments are in the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And then the transaction is completed and it is impossible to change, for all the changes that are drawn from the blemish of the ratzon are nullified — for the illumination of the Ratzon has already been drawn through the garments, through kinyan sudar, as above. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 3. And therefore the guarantor who guarantees not at the time of the giving of money does not become obligated except through a kinyan. For at the time of the giving of money, the guarantor becomes obligated immediately. For at the time of the giving of money — meaning when the lender gives the money to the borrower — then it is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon. For the main illumination of the Ratzon is through tz'dakah and g'milus chasadim, as above. And therefore, at the time of the loan and the giving of money that flows from the lender to the borrower, this is the aspect of the drawing of the ratzon from the lender who bestows chesed, who is the aspect of a generous heart, the aspect of ratzon — from where all wealth and money come. And for this reason, money is called in the Torah "kesef," an expression of kisufin [longing] and ratzon, for from there is the root of money — from the aspect of ratzon, as above. And therefore, at the time of the giving of money from the lender to the borrower, the illumination of the Ratzon is drawn, which is the aspect of emunah, as above. And therefore, then certainly the guarantor becomes obligated without any kinyan at all. For no kinyan is needed, since the illumination of the Ratzon is present here — and this is the aspect of all the kinyanim, as above. But not at the time of the giving of money, then one does not become obligated except through a kinyan, through which the illumination of the Ratzon is drawn, through which all the kinyanim are completed and it is impossible to change any longer, as above. And this is the aspect of Shabbas Nachamu [the Shabbos of Consolation]. For the main consolation from all the sufferings is Shabbos Kodesh, which is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. For the main element of all the sufferings are the sufferings of the soul — that one does not merit to truly do His will, which is the main purpose in this world. And aside from this, everything is vanity. For "what profit has a person in all his toil?" And whether he has money or not, either way he will spend his days equally. And "already the coming days — everything is forgotten." And in the end of ends, "what profit has the rich over the poor?" And they do not escort a person [after death] — not silver and not gold and not precious stones and pearls — but only Torah and good deeds alone. And certainly one who does not wish to be a fool and a simpleton and senseless, to deceive himself, chas v'shalom — it is certainly fitting for him not to place upon his heart any pain or worry in comparison to this pain of the suffering of the soul. And it is fitting for him to yearn all his days to merit the service of Hashem Yisbarach, and not to want any other ratzon except to draw near to Hashem Yisbarach. But we have no consolation to console ourselves over the suffering of the soul — that we see the greatness of our distance from Hashem Yisbarach, and "all desire to fear Your Name," and yet we still do not merit to draw near to Him in truth. And therefore all our consolation is only Shabbos Kodesh, which is the aspect of the ratzon, as above. Meaning, through Shabbos we merit the ratzon in completeness — to yearn and to long always for Hashem Yisbarach, however it may be. And this is the main consolation. For as long as one desires with a strong ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach, certainly there is still hope. For in the end of ends we will merit to return to Him Yisbarach in truth, as above — the aspect of "Mah ta'iru umah t'or'ru es ha'ahavah ad shetechpatz," as above. And this is: "Nachamu nachamu ami...dab'ru al lev Y'rushalayim v'kir'u aleha ki nirtzah avonah" ["Comfort, comfort My people...speak to the heart of Y'rushalayim and proclaim to her that her sin has been accepted"] (Y'shayahu 40:1-2) — "ki nirtzah avonah" specifically. For the rectification of the sin is through t'shuvah, which is the aspect of ratzon, as above. And then the sin is transformed into a merit. For from the sin is made the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon — for through the sin upon which one merited to return, one merited the illumination of the Ratzon even more, as above. And this is "ki nirtzah avonah" — for the sin is transformed into a merit and is included in the aspect of Ratzon, and this is the main purpose, as above. For Shabbas Nachamu is the consolation for the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash — meaning that one mourns over it during the period Bein HaM'tzarim [Between the Straits], from the seventeenth of Tamuz until the ninth of Av. And the main destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is the aspect of the blemish of the ratzon, which is the blemish of emunah. For the Beis HaMikdash is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon. For there all the korbanos [offerings] were offered, and they are the aspect of ratzon, as it is written: "Lirtzonchem tizbackuhu" ["For your acceptance shall you slaughter it"] (Vayikra 19:5). And through this, the Beis HaMikdash is called the aspect of kodesh [holiness], which is the aspect of ratzon that is called kodesh. For this is the main k'dushah: to believe that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, and to yearn and to long for Him Yisbarach always with a strong ratzon, as above — as Rabbainu z"l wrote there in the aforementioned Torah regarding the Shalosh R'galim [Three Pilgrimage Festivals], which are called for this reason "mikra kodesh," etc.; see there. And the main k'dushah of the Beis HaMikdash is from the aspect of Kodesh HaKodashim [the Holy of Holies], for there is the main k'dushah. For Kodesh HaKodashim is the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — the ratzon shebar'tzonos. For the ratzon is called kodesh, and therefore the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos is the aspect of Kodesh HaKodashim. And therefore the main yirah [awe] is drawn from the Beis HaMikdash, which is called yirah, as it is written: "Mah nora hamakom hazeh" ["How awesome is this place"] (B'raishis 28:17). For the yirah is made through the ratzon that shines in the Beis HaMikdash, as above. And therefore on the Shalosh R'galim we needed to go up on the pilgrimage to see the face of Hashem in the Beis HaMikdash. For the Shalosh R'galim are mikra'ai kodesh, when the ratzon is revealed, as above in the aforementioned Torah. And therefore one needs to go up then to the Beis HaMikdash, for there is the main revelation of the Ratzon that is drawn from the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos, the aspect of Kodesh HaKodashim. And as is explained in the aforementioned Torah: that one needs to connect all the r'tzonos to the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos, and this one merits in the Beis HaMikdash, as above. And this is: "Shalosh p'amim bashanah yeira'eh kol z'churcha es p'nai Hashem" ["Three times a year shall all your males appear before the face of Hashem"] (Sh'mos 23:17). "P'nai Hashem" ["the face of Hashem"] specifically — this is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that is called "panim" [face], as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. And this is: "V'lo yaira'u fanai raikam" ["They shall not appear before My face empty-handed"] (Sh'mos 23:15). For it is impossible to receive the light of the Panim, which is the aspect of ratzon, except through tz'dakah, as above. And therefore they required then, on Yom Tov, to bring korbanos of n'darim [vows] and n'davos [free-will offerings], which are the aspect of tz'dakah, a free-will offering of the heart, the aspect of ratzon — in order to draw the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the aspect of the illumination of the Panim, which one merits on the R'galim in the Beis HaMikdash, to which one ascends on the pilgrimage, as above. And this is: "Mah yafu p'amayich ban'alim bas nadiv" ["How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O daughter of the noble"] (Shir HaShirim 7:2). "Bas nadiv" specifically — the aspect of free-will offering of the heart, the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that one merits when ascending on the pilgrimage three times a year, about which this verse is stated — "Mah yafu p'amayich," as Rashi explains there. And therefore the Torah especially warned to give tz'dakah on the R'galim, as it is written: "V'samachta lifnai Hashem Elokecha atah uvincha uvitecha...v'hager v'hayasom v'ha'almanah," etc. ["And you shall rejoice before Hashem your G-d — you and your son and your daughter...and the stranger and the orphan and the widow"] (D'varim 16:11). And Chazal expounded: "If you gladden Mine, I gladden yours." For the main simchah of Yom Tov is according to the revelation of the Ratzon that one merits, as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah — the aspect of "Yismach tzaddik ki chazah nakam, p'amav yirchatz," etc. ["The righteous one shall rejoice when he sees vengeance; he shall wash his feet"] (T'hilim 58:11); see there. And the main revelation of the Ratzon is through tz'dakah, as above. And therefore on Yom Tov, when one needs to reveal the ratzon, therefore one needs then to increase in tz'dakah, as above. And through this is the main simchah of Yom Tov, for the main simchah is through the revelation of the Ratzon, as above. And this is: "If you gladden Mine" — meaning that you give tz'dakah — "then I gladden yours," for the main simchah is through the illumination of the Ratzon that one merits through tz'dakah, as above. It emerges that in the Beis HaMikdash there was the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the aspect of emunah, as above — and this is the main simchah of Yisroel, as above. And the main destruction of the Beis HaMikdash was through the blemish of the ratzon, which is the blemish of emunah, as Chazal said (Shabbos 119b): "Y'rushalayim was not destroyed except because men of faithfulness ceased from it." Also, they did not have compassion on one another and they did not give tz'dakah. For, on the contrary, they were robbing the poor, as it is written (Y'shayahu 5:8): "Hoy magi'ai bayis b'vayis," etc. ["Woe to those who join house to house"]. And as it is written: "Le'echol aniyim mai'aretz," etc. ["To devour the poor from the land"] (Mishlai 30:14). And similarly in many p'sukim. And because of this, the illumination of the Ratzon was blemished, as above — until the predatory wild beasts that maul and tear overpowered. They are the nations who deny the Ratzon, and they destroyed the Beis HaMikdash, as it is written: "Sha'agu tzor'recha b'kerev mo'adecha," etc. ["Your enemies roared in the midst of Your appointed place"] (T'hilim 74:4). And according to the simple meaning, the intention of the verse is about the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash that the enemies destroyed, as Rashi explains there. And Rabbainu z"l explained this verse in the aforementioned Torah regarding the roaring of the enemies who are the heretics, who are called predatory wild beasts that deny the Ratzon, etc.; see there. And in truth, everything is one. For the roaring of the enemies who deny the Ratzon — this itself is the aspect of the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, as above. And from the day that our Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, all simchah has become bitter. For "the joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has turned into mourning" (Eichah 5:15). For the main simchah is through the revelation of the Ratzon, as above, and the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is the aspect of the blemish of the ratzon, as above. And therefore the simchah has ceased, as above. And therefore every person must mourn and weep greatly over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. And the main weeping is over the blemish of the ratzon — over the fact that we do not now merit the illumination of the Ratzon in completeness, because our Beis HaMikdash has been destroyed, as above. For through the mourning and the weeping over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, one sweetens and nullifies the power of the weeping of Eisav HaRasha, through which the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash came about. And the main prolonging of this bitter galus [exile] is only because of this, as is brought. For Eisav HaRasha is the aspect of the contamination of the serpent, which is the aspect of the thirty-nine mundane m'lachos. And therefore Eisav is called by an expression of "Asiyah" [action], for he is the main intensity of the contamination of physical Asiyah, which is the contamination of the thirty-nine m'lachos — which are the aspect of the thirty-nine curses, the thirty-nine lashes — which are the worries and the toil and the pursuit of this physical world. And these thirty-nine m'lachos, which are the aspect of Eisav, are the aspect of sadness and melancholy, the aspect of "b'itzavon tochalenah." For the main hold of the sadness is in the aspect of physical Asiyah, the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos — the opposite of the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the opposite of Asiyah, which is the aspect of simchah, as above. And Yaakov, who is the generality of Yisroel, is in the aspect of ratzon, from where is the root of the neshamah of Yisroel — the aspect of simchah, as above. The aspect of "sova s'machos es panecha" ["fullness of joys is Your face"] (T'hilim 16:11), which is the aspect of Yaakov, as it is written: "M'vakshei fanecha Yaakov selah" ["Those who seek Your face — Yaakov, selah"] (T'hilim 24:6). For the illumination of Panim is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. For Yisroel have reason to rejoice always — over having merited to be in His portion, Yisbarach, and to believe in Him Yisbarach, that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, and this is the main simchah, as above. For when one knows and believes in truth that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone — certainly one is joyous and happy always. For His intention and His ratzon, Yisbarach, is certainly for good always, for "whatever the Merciful One does, He does for good" (Brachos 60b). And the nations, who are the aspect of Eisav, are in the aspect of sadness and weeping and mourning. For it is certainly fitting for them to be pained and to mourn all their days over their evil portion. For they pursue all their days after this physical world, which is full of worries and sadness, and "all their days are anger and pains" (Koheles 2:23), and they are distant from Hashem Yisbarach and from the eternal purpose. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 4. And behold, the main weeping of Eisav HaRasha was over the matter of the blessings that Yaakov took from him through deception. For Yitzchak wished to bless Eisav. And at first glance the matter is astonishing: how did Yitzchak Avinu err in loving Eisav HaRasha to the point that he wished to bless him? And even if Eisav deceived him, at the very least he certainly knew that Yaakov was far more righteous than him, for he was "an innocent man, dwelling in tents." And "shall the kohenes be less than the innkeeper's wife?" — at the very least it would have been fitting to bless Yaakov the tzaddik first, with intention! But in truth, Yitzchak Avinu certainly knew that the portion of Yaakov was in Torah and t'filah and avodas Hashem, and the portion of Eisav was the pursuit of this world — for he was a skilled hunter, a man of the field. But Eisav HaRasha deceived his father to the point that he thought that he too desired the tachlis [ultimate purpose] and loved Torah scholars and wished to support them. For in truth, Eisav HaRasha — even though his portion was the physical world, and not to bear upon himself the yoke of Torah and mitzvos — nevertheless, if he had wished, he could have been a merkavah [chariot] for the k'dushah if he loved Yaakov. For it would have been fitting for him to support Yaakov, and to toil and labor all his days for the sake of Yaakov his brother, in order to sustain him so that he could engage in Torah — like Z'vulun and Yissachar, about whom it is stated: "S'mach Z'vulun," etc. (D'varim 33:18). For in truth, this is the main tachlis of the masses, the simple people who do not engage in Torah and engage in parnasah and business dealings with the thirty-nine m'lachos — they must strive with all their might to support proper Torah scholars. And this is their main tachlis. For through this, Asiyah is included in the Ratzon. For the Torah is the aspect of ratzon, as above. And they engage in Asiyah — meaning in conducting business dealings and the thirty-nine m'lachos. And through their supporting the talmidai chachamim from their business dealings, through this Asiyah is included in the Ratzon, and this is the main tachlis, as above. And Eisav HaRasha deceived his father with great deceit, until he thought that he held to this quality — that he loved talmidai chachamim and wished to support them. And this is: "Vayehav Yitzchak es Eisav ki tzayid b'fiv" ["And Yitzchak loved Eisav, for game was in his mouth"] (B'raishis 25:28). And its Targum is: "For he would eat from his hunting." And the matter is puzzling — that a tzaddik like Yitzchak Avinu would love a rasha because he gives him to eat! But in truth, the main element of his love was that he thought that Eisav HaRasha loved the talmid chacham and wished to support him. And therefore he loved him because of the food that he gave him — for through this he thought that he wished to support the talmid chacham, which is the main tachlis of Eisav if he had done this in truth. And this is what he would do to deceive him — he would ask him: "Father, how does one tithe salt and straw?" For t'rumos and ma'asros that one gives to the kohen — this is the aspect of tz'dakah, free-will offering of the heart, that one gives to the kohanim in exchange for their service, as they serve in the Ohel Moed [Tent of Meeting]. And this is the aspect of tz'dakah that one gives to the talmid chacham, who is called a kohen, who is engaged in the service of Hashem Yisbarach. Through which is the main illumination of the Ratzon — that one draws the illumination of the Ratzon into the aspect of Asiyah in order to nullify the contamination of the serpent, so that Asiyah should be included in the Ratzon, as above. And for this reason, the main t'rumos and ma'asros and gifts to the poor are from the produce of the field. For the labor of the field is the main element of the thirty-nine m'lachos, for the majority of the labors are in the field, for the field is the main aspect of physical Asiyah, and there is the main hold of the contamination of the serpent — the aspect of "v'nachash afar lachmo" ["and the serpent — dust is his food"] (Y'shayahu 65:25). And therefore the Torah warned Yisroel to sanctify the produce that comes from the field through t'rumos and ma'asros and gifts to the poor, which are the aspect of tz'dakah, through which one sanctifies the aspect of Asiyah, as above — that one draws the illumination of the Ratzon into the Asiyah, and Asiyah is included in the Ratzon, as above. It emerges that the main sanctification of Asiyah, to be included in the Ratzon, is through tz'dakah. And this is the aspect of: "V'hayah ma'aseh hatz'dakah shalom" ["And the work of tz'dakah shall be peace"] (Y'shayahu 32:17). "Ma'aseh" ["work/action"] specifically — for through this, the Asiyah is sanctified, as above. And peace is made between two opposites, for Asiyah is included in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore, Eisav, who was deceiving his father until he thought that he wished to support the talmid chacham — therefore he asked him: "Father, how does one tithe?" etc. — as if he desired to increase in tz'dakah through t'rumos and ma'asros, to the point that he was uncertain whether even to separate ma'asros from straw and salt. But in truth, all of this was deceit. For, on the contrary, not only did he not wish to support his brother Yaakov the tzaddik, but even on the contrary, he was a great hater of the tzaddik Yaakov. And because of this deceit, with which he misled his father, Yitzchak therefore wished to bless him. Meaning that he wished to give him an abundance of parnasah in this world, as it is written: "V'yiten l'cha haElokim mital hashamayim umishmanai ha'aretz" ["And may G-d give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth"] (B'raishis 27:28). For this is the blessing he wished to bless Eisav HaRasha with — for he thought that he wished to engage in the labor of the field with the thirty-nine m'lachos and to support his brother the talmid chacham. Therefore he said that it would be good to bless him with this blessing, so that he would engage in the labor of the field and support his brother the talmid chacham. For Yaakov does not need this blessing at all, for he does not need to engage in any business at all — only in Torah and avodas Hashem, and Eisav his brother would support him. Just as will be in truth in the future, when it will be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. For their main tachlis is to support Yisroel, so that they can engage in Torah and avodas Hashem Yisbarach. And therefore Yitzchak said: "Havi'ah li tzayid v'ochelah," etc. ["Bring me game and I shall eat"] (B'raishis 27:4). For specifically through bringing him game to eat — to support the talmid chacham — through this he would receive the blessings. For certainly, if Eisav truly wished this — that he would labor in the field work and support Yaakov his brother the talmid chacham — certainly the blessing would have been coming to him, in the merit of Yaakov, so that he could support him. But in truth, the rasha, the aspect of Eisav, does not desire this at all. Rather, he wishes to receive the blessings only for himself and his desires — to fill all his desires. And on the contrary, he wishes to persecute, chas v'shalom, his brother the tzaddik. "V'Rivkah shoma'as b'daber Yitzchak" ["And Rivkah was listening as Yitzchak spoke"] (B'raishis 27:5). For Rivkah knew all this well — that Eisav was a complete rasha and his intention was to do evil. Therefore she sent Yaakov to receive the blessings through deception from his father. For Yaakov the tzaddik — it was impossible for him to receive the blessings, which are the abundance of parnasah in this world, except through this deception — that he was compelled to dress himself in the aspect of physical Asiyah, which is the aspect of Eisav, in order that he could receive parnasah. And this is that she dressed him in the garments of Eisav and he was not recognized — "for his hands were like the hands of Eisav his brother, hairy, and he blessed him" (B'raishis 27:23). For in truth, Yaakov in his root is distant from physical parnasah, for his portion is only Torah and mitzvos — the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the opposite of physical Asiyah. And in truth, in the future when Mashiach comes speedily in our days, Yisroel will not engage in any business, for it will be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. And therefore, if Yaakov had entered before Yitzchak without the garments of Eisav and had asked him to bless him — that Hashem Yisbarach should give him abundance and success in his livelihood affairs — Yitzchak would not have been agreeable to this. For he would have said to him: "Why do you need to think of parnasah at all? For you need only to engage in Torah and t'filah, and your parnasah will be done through others. And they are the ones who need to request parnasah in order to support you, for this is their main tachlis. But you need to be only a 'dweller of tents,' and not think of any parnasah at all." Just as it will truly be in the future, when it will be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. And as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said (Brachos 35b): "Is it possible that a person plows at the time of plowing and sows at the time of sowing, etc. — what will become of the Torah? Rather, when Yisroel do the will of the Omnipresent, their work is done through others." For Yitzchak wished that the world should be conducted immediately as it will be in the end, when Mashiach comes speedily in our days. For Yitzchak is the aspect of the intensity of holy yirah, the aspect of "Pachad Yitzchak" ["the Fear of Yitzchak"], which is drawn through the aspect of ratzon, as above in the aforementioned Torah. And this is the aspect of "Yitzchak ben Avraham" ["Yitzchak son of Avraham"]. For Avraham is the aspect of ratzon, for he is called the first n'div lev [generous heart], as Rashi explains on the verse "N'divai amim ne'esafu" ["The nobles of the peoples gathered"] (T'hilim 47:10). For all of the avodah of Avraham was only through the ratzon — that he would yearn and long always for Hashem Yisbarach with a very strong ratzon, until he merited what he merited. As Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere — for he was the head of the converts, and there was not yet any Torah or mitzvah, and he had no avodah except the ratzon alone. And through this itself he merited that Hashem Yisbarach revealed to him the entire Torah, etc., as Chazal said. It emerges that Avraham is the aspect of ratzon. And therefore he begot Yitzchak, who is the aspect of yirah, for the yirah is made through the ratzon. And therefore Yitzchak wished that the world should be conducted immediately as it will be in the future, at the time of the g'ulah [redemption] that will be in the aspect of Yitzchak — in the aspect of "ushvu'aso l'Yitzchak" ["and His oath to Yitzchak"], as is brought. For the main g'ulah will be through the yirah that will be revealed through the illumination of the Ratzon, through which the world will be sustained through His chesed — the aspect of "olam chesed yibaneh" ["the world is built through chesed"] (T'hilim 89:3) — which is the aspect of "v'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc., as above. And therefore it is written regarding Mashiach: "Vaharicho b'yiras Hashem" ["And he shall be animated by the awe of Hashem"] (Y'shayahu 11:3). For the main chesed that will be revealed in the future — the aspect of "v'oseh chesed limshicho l'Dovid" ["and He does chesed for His anointed, for Dovid"] (T'hilim 18:51) — will be through the yirah, as above, through which the world will be sustained through His chesed. And all of this will be through the greatness of the revelation of the Ratzon that will be in the future. For then everyone will know Him, from their smallest to their greatest, for "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Hashem," etc. (Y'shayahu 11:9). And all will recognize and know that everything is conducted only through His ratzon and His hashgachah [providence] alone, and there is no teva [nature] at all. For even the teva itself as it is now — it too is all through His ratzon and His hashgachah at every moment and instant. And the teva is in His hand, Yisbarach, at every moment and instant, like clay in the hand of the potter. For He Yisbarach created the teva, and He conducts and sustains the teva, and He with His ratzon changes the teva at every moment that He wishes, for everything is through His ratzon alone. And Yitzchak Avinu wished that the world should be conducted immediately in this manner — in the aspect of "v'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. And therefore he was not agreeable to bless Yaakov with dew and rain for the sake of parnasah. For his parnasah would be done through others — so why should he think at all of the needs of physical dew and rain, which are for the sake of field work, which has no relevance to him at all? Rather, those who would engage in his parnasah — they would receive this blessing, in the merit of Yaakov, so that they could support him, as above. But in truth, at that time the world had not yet been purified and cleansed entirely from the contamination of the serpent that was drawn through the sin of Adam HaRishon. And the intensity of the contamination of the serpent then clung to Eisav HaRasha through his evil deeds — until he became an enemy to his brother, Yaakov the tzaddik, and did not wish to support him at all. On the contrary, he wished to persecute him. And he did not desire to receive the blessing of physical parnasah except for himself and his desires — to fill the desires of his evil belly, and in order to persecute Yaakov even more. And about him it is stated: "Vaye'ehav k'lalah vat'vo'aihu v'lo chafetz bivrachah vatirchak mimenu" ["And he loved the curse and it came upon him, and he did not desire the blessing and it was distanced from him"] (T'hilim 109:17). For he loved the curse, which is the curses that were cursed from the sin of Adam HaRishon — the thirty-nine curses, which are the aspect of the thirty-nine physical m'lachos, the aspect of "b'itzavon tochalenah," "b'zai'as apecha tochal lechem," etc. And he loved this curse, and he chose it for his portion, for he was a man of the field. "And he did not desire the blessing" at all — for he did not desire at all to be a merkavah for Yaakov, to support him, in order to be included in the blessing. And through this, in truth "the blessing was distanced from him." For Yaakov received all the blessings. For as long as the contamination of the serpent has not yet been completely rectified, and the masses who engage in labors and business dealings do not support the talmidai chachamim — correspondingly, they still need to engage in labors and business dealings. For according to how much Yisroel increase in tz'dakah — and the main tz'dakah is to support talmidai chachamim — correspondingly, they drive away the contamination of the serpent, the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, and the worries and the businesses are diminished. For even among those who engage in business dealings and labors — not all are equal: for sometimes the parnasah comes easily through a slight cause without great toil, and sometimes great toil is required and the profit is meager. And everything is according to the merit of the tz'dakah, through which the contamination of the serpent, the thirty-nine m'lachos, is driven away — and correspondingly the business is diminished. Until in the future, when it will be fulfilled: "Tziyon b'mishpat tipadeh v'shaveha bitz'dakah" ["Tziyon shall be redeemed through justice and her returnees through tz'dakah"] (Y'shayahu 1:27) — then the Ratzon will be revealed. And then we will not need to engage in any business or labors at all, for it will be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. But now, as long as we do not merit this, Yisroel too need to engage in some business and dealings in order to draw parnasah, as above. And this is the aspect of Yaakov Avinu dressing himself in the garments of Eisav in order to receive the blessing from his father — which is the blessing of dew and rain for the sake of parnasah. For Eisav is the aspect of physical Asiyah, the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, as above. And Yaakov is in truth distant from this, for he is in the aspect of ratzon, as above. But because the world is not yet rectified, and the rasha does not wish to support the tzaddik, therefore Yisroel too — the proper ones who are the aspect of Yaakov — need to dress themselves in the garments of Eisav, in physical activities that are business dealings and the thirty-nine m'lachos, in order to draw parnasah. And this is: "V'lo hikiro" ["And he did not recognize him"], "for his hands were like the hands of Eisav his brother, hairy," etc. For hair is the aspect of the excess of the intellect, from where the rage and the dinim have their hold, as Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere (Siman 69). For the brain is the aspect of compassion, which is the aspect of ratzon, and the hair is the aspect of the excess of the intellect — the aspect of rage and dinim. And therefore Eisav, who is the intensity of Asiyah, the intensity of rage and din — therefore he was full of hair, all of him "like a garment of hair" (B'raishis 25:25). And therefore they called his name Eisav — "Eisav" specifically, an expression of Asiyah, physical action, which is the aspect of rage, as above, which is the aspect of hair, as above. And therefore Yaakov was compelled to dress himself in the aspect of the garments of Eisav — in the aspect of hair, which is the aspect of Asiyah, the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos. This is a remez [allusion] that also the proper members of Yisroel need to engage in some business for the sake of parnasah now, because the illumination of the Ratzon has not yet been revealed in completeness, as above. But when Yaakov — the aspect of the proper members of Yisroel — dresses himself in the garments of Eisav for the sake of parnasah — meaning that they engage in some business and dealings for the sake of parnasah, as above — they sanctify and purify the business and the dealings and the thirty-nine m'lachos with great k'dushah. For they conduct their business dealings with complete emunah, and then all their businesses and their thirty-nine m'lachos are in the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos of the Mishkan, as above. And this is the aspect of: "Vayarach es raiach b'gadav...vayomer r'eh raiach b'ni k'raiach sadeh asher baircho Hashem" ["And he smelled the fragrance of his garments...and he said: See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field that Hashem has blessed"] (B'raishis 27:27). And Chazal said that it was the fragrance of Gan Eden that entered with him. This is the aspect of the work of the Mishkan — for "the pattern of the Mishkan is like the pattern of Gan Eden." Meaning, when Yaakov — the aspect of the truly proper members of Yisroel — when they dress themselves in the garments of Eisav — meaning when they engage in business dealings and enterprises, which is the aspect of the garments of Eisav — then their enterprises and their work emit a good fragrance like the fragrance of Gan Eden, which is the aspect of the pattern of the Mishkan. For all their work and their enterprises are in the aspect of the work of the Mishkan, as above. And then Yaakov received the blessings of dew and rain, etc. — which is the blessing of parnasah. For as long as the chesed does not flow in completeness, one needs businesses and the thirty-nine m'lachos — to perform them in great k'dushah, in the aspect of the work of the Mishkan, in order to draw parnasah, as is well explained in the aforementioned Torah; see there well. For only the tzaddikim and the talmidai chachamim and the truly proper ones merit partially the mode of conduct of the future, when it will be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim," etc. — meaning that they do not engage in any business or labor at all. But the rest of Yisroel need to engage in business dealings and labor in k'dushah, as above. And the main element of their rectification is that they should intend, in their engaging in business dealings, to support the true talmid chacham, as above. And through this, each person merits — according to the tz'dakah that he gives to the talmid chacham — to nullify the contamination of the serpent, which is the thirty-nine m'lachos, until all of Yisroel will merit that they will not need to engage in any business or dealings at all. And this rectification will be completed in fullness when Mashiach comes speedily in our days — for then it will be fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. And Yisroel will not engage in any business or labor at all, as above. And this is the aspect of: "Es b'chorasi lakach, v'hineh atah lakach birchasi" ["He took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing"] (B'raishis 27:36). For the service of the korbanos was initially in the firstborn, and afterward it was given to the kohanim, as Chazal said. And the main service of the korbanos is the aspect of the revelation of the Ratzon that was in the Beis HaMikdash. For all the korbanos are a free-will offering of the heart, the aspect of ratzon. And therefore it is stated regarding all the korbanos: "Lirtzonchem tizbackuhu," as above. For through the korban, one elevates from animal to man, as is known — meaning that one clarifies and elevates the aspect of Asiyah, which is the aspect of animality, elevating it to the aspect of ratzon, which is the aspect of da'as, the aspect of adam. For the main nefesh of the person is the aspect of the light of the ratzon, as above. And therefore the acts of the korbanos are called "avodah" [service]. For in truth this is the main avodah — to elevate the aspect of servitude, the aspect of Asiyah, the aspect of animality, into the aspect of ratzon, which is the aspect of the neshamah of Yisroel, who are called "adam." And this is what we pray in "R'tzai" — regarding the service of the korbanos, that they should be accepted as a ratzon, as it is written: "Us'hi l'ratzon tamid avodas" ["And may the service always be for favor"]. And therefore the blessing of R'tzai is called "avodah," as is explained in the Gemara and poskim. For the main element of the service of the korbanos is that they should be included in the supernal Ratzon — meaning that Asiyah should be included in the Ratzon. And therefore all the korbanos were in the Beis HaMikdash, for there is the illumination of the Ratzon. And the main service of the korbanos is through the kohanim. And one needs kohanim in their service, and Levi'im on their platform, and Yisroel at their post. For the kohen is the aspect of the chesed that is revealed through the yirah that is made through the ratzon, through which chesed all the thirty-nine m'lachos are nullified — which are the contamination of the serpent that is drawn from the blemish of the ratzon, as above. And therefore Yisroel were needed at their post, where they would engage in Torah, which is the aspect of the revelation of the Ratzon. For the entire Torah is His ratzon, as above. And the main revelation of His ratzon is through engagement in Torah, for there His ratzon, Yisbarach, is enclothed, as is explained in the words of Rabbainu z"l elsewhere (Siman 33). And therefore at their post they would engage in Ma'aseh B'raishis [the account of Creation], for Ma'aseh B'raishis reveals that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, for He Yisbarach created everything from beginning to end. And therefore everything is certainly through His ratzon. And through this, through revealing the Ratzon, through this yirah is made — which is the aspect of Levi'im on their platform, for yirah is the side of the Levi'im, as is known. And through the yirah, chesed is drawn — which is the aspect of the kohen, as above. And through this chesed it is fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem...v'atem kohanai Hashem tikarai'u" — "kohanai Hashem" specifically, the aspect of "olam chesed yibaneh." And all the thirty-nine m'lachos are nullified, which are the aspect of Asiyah. And therefore the main avodah is with the kohanim. For the main act of the avodah is to purify the world of Asiyah, that Asiyah should be included in the Ratzon, as above, and this is accomplished through the kohen, the man of chesed, who nullifies the contamination of the thirty-nine m'lachos, the aspect of Asiyah. And then Asiyah is included in the Ratzon — and this is the main aspect of the korban, as above. And therefore a person who sins brings a korban. For all the sins are drawn from the contamination of the serpent, which is the intensity of Asiyah, the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, the aspect of sadness — "b'itzavon tochalenah" — from which all the sins are drawn, chas v'shalom. And therefore, through the korban that the kohen offers in the Beis HaMikdash — through which the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos is nullified, and the contamination of the serpent is nullified from the world of Asiyah, and Asiyah is included in the Ratzon — through this, all the sins that were drawn from there are atoned for and nullified, as above. And the sins are transformed into merits — for the sins are included in the aspect of Ratzon, in the aspect of "ki nirtzah avonah," as above. And therefore on the R'galim, when the main revelation of the Ratzon occurs, therefore they would then increase in korbanos of the public and the individual. And each person was obligated to bring an olas r'iyah [burnt offering of appearance] and shalmay simchah [peace offerings of joy] according to the generosity of his heart. For then on the R'galim one needs to reveal the ratzon, as above. And therefore one needs to increase in korbanos, for the korbanos are the aspect of the revelation of the Ratzon, the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore the main simchah of Yom Tov is through the korbanos, as it is written: "V'achalta lifnai Hashem Elokecha ma'aser...v'samachta," etc. ["And you shall eat before Hashem your G-d the tithe...and you shall rejoice"] (D'varim 14:23-26). And as Chazal said: "There is no simchah except through the meat of an animal from which one brings a korban" (P'sachim 109a). For the main simchah of Yom Tov is according to the revelation of the Ratzon. And the main revelation of the Ratzon is through the korbanos, as above. And this is what is brought in the kavanos [mystical intentions]: that the korbanos purify the aspect of Asiyah. And for this reason one recites the korbanos at the beginning of the t'filah, for then is the rectification and the elevation of Asiyah. And it is stated in the holy Zohar that the elevation of the korbanos reaches until Ain Sof [the Infinite]. For Ain Sof is the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos, Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as is known. For the main element of the korbanos is to purify and refine the world of Asiyah — and this is the main illumination of the Ratzon, when one merits a strong ratzon in the world of Asiyah. And then Asiyah is included in the Ratzon. And through this, they ascend and are included in the Ain Sof, in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin. For it is impossible to be included in the Ain Sof, in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, except when one refines and purifies the aspect of Asiyah and includes Asiyah in the Ratzon — for which the person descended to this world, as above. It emerges that all the korbanos are the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon — meaning the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon. And initially the avodah was in the firstborn, and Eisav was a firstborn. And if he had merited to do good deeds, he would have merited to perform the service of the korbanos. For certainly he had b'chirah to choose the good. But even afterward, when he inclined to another path and did not wish to engage in complete avodah like Yaakov his brother — if he had desired at the very least the love of his brother and had supported him and had given him all his needs — this would have been considered also as the service of the korbanos literally, which the firstborn is obligated to perform, as above. For one who supports a talmid chacham is considered as if he offered all the korbanos. For the eating of the tzaddik is greater than korbanos, as Rabbainu z"l wrote in Sefer HaAlef Beis HeChadash (letter alef, Achilah, siman 7). As Chazal said: "Whoever brings a gift to a talmid chacham, it is as if he offered bikurim [first-fruits]," etc. Also it is stated (Brachos 10b): "Whoever hosts a talmid chacham in his home, it is as if he offered the t'midin [daily offerings]." For through the tz'dakah that one gives to a talmid chacham and supports him, through this Asiyah is included in the Ratzon, as above — and this is literally the aspect of korbanos. But Eisav did not desire this. On the contrary, he persecuted Yaakov. For "he did not desire the blessing" — for he did not wish at all to draw near to Hashem Yisbarach and to the tzaddikim. Rather, all his desire and his ratzon was only to draw upon himself all the desires of his evil heart. And therefore he sold the birthright for the sake of the desire of eating, as it is written: "Vayavo Eisav min hasadeh v'hu ayef, vayomer hal'itaini na min ha'adom," etc. ["And Eisav came from the field and he was exhausted, and he said: 'Feed me, please, some of this red stuff'"] (B'raishis 25:29-30). For the event occurred specifically at the time he came from the field and he was exhausted — meaning that he was exhausted and weary from the contamination of the servitude of Asiyah, for he pursued the work of this world, the physical Asiyah, and did not draw himself toward the ratzon of k'dushah at all — only toward its opposite, to the intensity of Asiyah and the pursuit of this physical world. And therefore Chazal said: "V'hu ayef" — "from the murder" and from the other transgressions that Chazal enumerated. For everything is included in the aspect of "v'hu ayef" — which is the aspect that he drew upon himself the curse of "b'itzavon tochalenah," the aspect of the contamination of the thirty-nine m'lachos, from which all the sins are drawn, as above. For they are the contamination of the serpent, as above. Therefore everything is included in "v'hu ayef," as above. And then he said to Yaakov: "Hal'itaini na," etc. And through this he demonstrated his great wickedness. For not only does he not wish to support the talmid chacham — the aspect of Yaakov — but he also wishes to rob the tzaddik. And he wants the tzaddik to toil for him, chas v'shalom, and to give him to eat, to fill his evil belly. And therefore Yaakov Avinu fulfilled: "Im ikaish titapal" ["With the crooked, act crookedly"] (Sh'muel II 22:27). And he said to him: "Michrah chayom es b'chorascha li" ["Sell your birthright to me today"] (B'raishis 25:31). For since you do not desire any avodah at all, and you do not wish to draw yourself toward the ratzon of k'dushah and to support the talmid chacham — which is the aspect of the service of the korbanos that pertains to the firstborn, as above — and you do not desire this at all; rather, all your ratzon is only the exact opposite — only to fill your belly and to pursue the contamination of physical Asiyah, the aspect of "v'hu ayef" — therefore it is certainly fitting for you to sell me the birthright. For you no longer have any portion in k'dushah at all. And then he sold him the birthright with a complete ratzon, for "he did not desire the blessing" or the birthright at all, as it is written: "Lamah zeh li b'chorah" ["What use is this birthright to me?"] (B'raishis 25:32). For the blessing and the birthright are the aspect of ratzon, the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon — and this is the main blessing, which is drawn from the supernal Ratzon. And this is the aspect of korbanos, the aspect of the birthright. And he did not desire this at all. Rather, on the contrary, all his desire was, chas v'shalom, to transform the Ratzon into Asiyah — for all his r'tzonos were only after the desires and the cravings of the world of Asiyah. Therefore Yaakov Avinu took the birthright from him justly, and gave him in exchange the physical eating-desires of this world — which is bread and a stew of lentils, etc. And each one remained in his portion. For Yaakov received for himself all the good that had been held captive by Eisav in galus — which is the aspect of the nitzutzos of the light of the Ratzon that had been with him, which is the aspect of the birthright, as above. And Yaakov gave him "ha'adom ha'adom hazeh" ["this red, red stuff"] — which is the intensity of din, the intensity of physical Asiyah, which is the refuse of the eating, the refuse of Asiyah — the aspect of the hold of the Sitra Achara. And he removed the refuse from himself and gave everything to Eisav. And each one remained in his portion that he chose for himself. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 5. And this is what Rashi wrote — that Yitzchak was distressed at first and said: "Perhaps I acted improperly in that I blessed Yaakov first." But when he heard from him that he also sold him the birthright, then he said: "This is what I was distressed about, etc. — now, indeed, blessed shall he be." Meaning as above. For the main error of Yitzchak was that he thought that Eisav — even though he was a rasha — loved the talmid chacham and wished to support him. And therefore he needed to bless him with parnasah so that he could support the talmid chacham, as above. But when Yitzchak heard that Eisav HaRasha had sold the birthright — and in this he demonstrated his wickedness, that he did not desire the blessing, for he did not desire at all to be included in the Ratzon through the talmid chacham, which is the aspect of the birthright, the aspect of korbanos, as above, and he did not desire this aspect at all; rather, on the contrary, he sold his birthright to Yaakov for the sake of the desire of physical eating — therefore Yitzchak said: "This is what I was distressed about, etc. — now certainly, blessed shall he be as well." For certainly the blessing belongs only to Yaakov, for the blessing and the abundance are drawn from the source of the Ratzon, and this is the aspect of Yaakov. Only that I wished to bless Eisav — it was all for the sake of Yaakov, so that he could support [him], etc., as above. But now that you do not desire this — certainly the blessing and the birthright belong to Yaakov, etc., as above. And then "Vayisa Eisav kolo vayeivk" ["And Eisav raised his voice and wept"] (B'raishis 27:38) — "vayeivk" ["and he wept"] specifically. For the weeping is the excess of the melancholy, and this is the aspect of the intensity of the contamination of Asiyah, the aspect of "b'itzavon tochalenah." For sadness is melancholy, from which come the weeping and the tears. And therefore Eisav HaRasha — through his evil weeping he was arousing the intensity of the contamination of the serpent, the intensity of Asiyah, in which he was held. And he cried out a great cry that he should give him the desires of this world. And then Yitzchak was compelled to silence his mouth and gave him his evil desire. For at that time the world was not yet rectified, and the Sitra Achara still had a hold in the world. And as long as the Sitra Achara is not completely nullified, one must perforce give it its vitality, as is known. And therefore, when Eisav was aroused with the intensity of his hold in his root — which is weeping and sadness and melancholy, which is the intensity of the contamination of the serpent, the intensity of Asiyah — then Yitzchak was compelled to fill his belly, as above. And all the sufferings and the galus and the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash — everything was drawn through his evil weeping, as is known. For through his evil weeping he was arousing the contamination of the serpent, which is the aspect of "b'itzavon tochalenah," the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos of Asiyah, etc. — which are the blemish of the ratzon. And Eisav is the Samael himself. And therefore he overpowered through this until he introduced his contamination into the world and blemished the ratzon and introduced denials into the heart — until even some of Yisroel were caught in his net. For he is the main "forehead of the serpent," from whom all the predatory wild beasts that maul and tear — many from among our people — who are the heretics who introduce denials and foreign ideas even into some of the members of Yisroel — all of them draw nourishment from him. And through this he overpowered until he destroyed our holy House. For the main destruction was through the blemish of the ratzon, as above. And this is the aspect of: "V'hayah ka'asher tarid ufarkta ulo" ["And it shall be, when you are aggrieved, you shall break off his yoke"] (B'raishis 27:40). "Tarid" is an expression of wailing and sadness, as it is written (Y'shayahu 15:3): "Yoraid babchi" ["descending in weeping"]. And as Rashi explains there. Meaning, when you overpower, chas v'shalom, and introduce sadness into Yisroel — then "ufarkta ulo" ["you shall break off his yoke"]. For then you will be able to overpower, chas v'shalom. For the main overpowering of the Sitra Achara — which is the aspect of Eisav HaRasha — is through sadness, chas v'shalom — when they introduce, chas v'shalom, sadness into Yisroel. And the main sadness is the aspect of the blemish of the ratzon, as above. For the main simchah is when one knows that everything is through His ratzon, as above. And therefore the main overpowering [of the Sitra Achara] is through sadness, chas v'shalom, which is the blemish of the ratzon. And behold, in truth, Yisroel, a holy people, should always rejoice, for they are drawn from the source of simchah, which is the aspect of ratzon. For, praise to the living G-d, blessed be His Name forever — we have reason to rejoice all our days forever: "asher bara'anu lichvodo v'hivdilanu min hato'im," etc., "v'lo sam chelkainu kahem," etc. ["Who created us for His glory and separated us from those who go astray, and did not make our portion like theirs"]. But since our Beis HaMikdash was destroyed — which is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, which is the simchah of Yisroel — and through this the sadness and the weeping of Eisav HaRasha overpowered, chas v'shalom — therefore we are compelled to mourn every day over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, and especially during Bein HaM'tzarim, and to weep very, very much over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, in order to nullify through this the weeping of Eisav HaRasha. For "the din is not sweetened except at its root," and "from within it and from itself, let the axe come against it." For all his overpowering is through the contamination of Asiyah, which is the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, the aspect of sadness and melancholy and weeping — all of which is the opposite of the ratzon, as above. And therefore we must mourn and weep over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, and through this we sweeten and nullify the weeping and the sadness through the weeping itself. For "from within it and from itself, let the axe come against it." For in truth, in every matter there is good and evil — "v'yesharim darchei Hashem, v'tzaddikim yailchu vam, uphosh'im yikashlu vam" ["the ways of Hashem are straight; the righteous walk in them, and the sinners stumble in them"] (Hoshaia 14:10). For in weeping there are two aspects: good and evil. For the essence of the weeping and the sadness is from the Sitra Achara, from the aspect of Eisav, which is the aspect of Asiyah, where is the main sadness, as above. For all the weeping of Eisav HaRasha was over the desires of his evil heart — for all his desire was that his father should give him all the desires of his heart, and he wept over this. And this weeping is the ultimate contamination, which is the intensity of Asiyah, which is the essence of sadness, etc., as above. But the weeping of Yisroel, the holy people, is the exact opposite. For all our weeping is over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash — that we have been distanced from our Father in Heaven, and we do not merit the illumination of the Ratzon that was shining in the Beis HaMikdash. And the main weeping is that each and every person weeps over his sins. For "what was, was" — for the Beis HaMikdash has already been destroyed, and the past is gone. Rather, the weeping is that each and every person must mourn and weep very, very much over his sins and his evil deeds, which cause the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash in every generation. For "whoever in whose days the Beis HaMikdash is not rebuilt — it is as if it was destroyed in his days" (Y'rushalmi Yoma 1:1). It emerges that the main weeping of Yisroel is the aspect of ratzon. For we weep and grieve over having been distanced from His ratzon, Yisbarach, and we yearn and long with a strong ratzon to return to Him Yisbarach in truth. And this is the entire main element of our weeping. And therefore the weeping of Yisroel is the aspect of ratzon. It emerges that they are transforming the weeping — which is the aspect of Asiyah, as above — transforming it into Ratzon. And they sweeten the din at its root. For they transform the weeping into ratzon — for they weep from the intensity of the ratzon that we have to return to Him Yisbarach and to His service and to our Beis HaMikdash, etc. And it is from the opposite to the opposite of the weeping of Eisav HaRasha, who wept for the sake of the desires of Asiyah, as above. And therefore through the weeping specifically one nullifies the power of the weeping of Eisav, which is the aspect of Asiyah. For we transform the weeping, the aspect of Asiyah, into Ratzon. And therefore the weeping of Yisroel is very great and precious in the eyes of Hashem Yisbarach, as it is written: "B'vchi yavo'u uv'sachanumim ovilaim" ["With weeping they shall come and with supplications I will lead them"] (Yirmiyahu 31:8). For the weeping of Yisroel is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, and this is the main tachlis, as above. For the main weeping of Yisroel should be like an infant who weeps from the greatness of the yearning that he has for his father — as I heard from Rabbainu z"l. And this is the aspect of: "V'hineh na'ar bocheh" ["And behold, a youth was weeping"] — immediately "vatachmol alav" ["and she had compassion on him"] (Sh'mos 2:6), as is stated in the Tikkunim. For when Yisroel weep like an infant weeping to return to his father, then certainly "vatachmol alav." For this is the aspect of ratzon — that they transform Asiyah into Ratzon. Through which they arouse His good ratzon and His compassion upon us, as above. And therefore, after the mourning and the weeping of Bein HaM'tzarim and Tishah B'Av, one merits afterward Shabbas Nachamu — "Shabbas Nachamu" specifically. For Shabbos is the main consolation, for the main consolation is the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And this one merits through the weeping. [As] Chazal [said]: "Whoever mourns over Y'rushalayim merits to see her in her joy." For through the weeping of Yisroel, through this one merits ratzon, which is the aspect of simchah. For the main simchah is through the ratzon, as above. For they weep to return to Him Yisbarach, and through this they transform the weeping into ratzon. And through this itself they transform the mourning and the weeping into simchah — the aspect of "sisu itah," etc., "kol hamisablim," etc. ["Rejoice with her...all who mourn over her"] (Y'shayahu 66:10). For the main simchah is through the illumination of the Ratzon, and this is the aspect of the simchah of Yom Tov, as above. And therefore, two people who borrowed from one person — each becomes a guarantor on behalf of the other. For all of Yisroel are guarantors for one another. For the generality of the fulfillment of the Torah and the mitzvos is the aspect of arvus, as above, as it is written: "B'ni im aravta l'rai'echa," etc., as above. For the guarantor obligates himself that the borrower should return and pay off [his debt to] the lender — and this is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, which is the aspect of the generality of the Torah and the mitzvos, for everything is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore all of Yisroel are guarantors for one another. For it is impossible to fulfill the Torah and the mitzvos except through the aspect of ratzon, for the main avodas Hashem is the aspect of the ratzon, as above. And each person, according to how much he accustoms himself to strengthen his ratzon and his longings and his yearnings for Hashem Yisbarach with a ratzon that is ever stronger — correspondingly he merits to draw near to Hashem Yisbarach and to His Torah and His mitzvos. And all the ascents from level to level and from height to height that every member of Yisroel must ascend at all times — everything is according to the intensification of the ratzon, for the main thing is the ratzon, as above. And the main tachlis is the ratzon, for also the main tachlis is to be included in the ratzon shebar'tzonos, in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as above. For the beginning of drawing near to Hashem Yisbarach and the end of the tachlis — everything is the aspect of ratzon, for the beginning and the end — everything is the aspect of ratzon, as above. And to be included in the Ratzon is impossible except through unity and love and peace — that all of Yisroel should be included together in great love and unity. For the main illumination of the Ratzon is according to how much one merits to be included in the simple Oneness, Yisbarach. For the main illumination of the Ratzon is through emunah — meaning through believing that everything is conducted only through the ratzon of the simple Oneness alone, and there is no ratzon in the world except the one ratzon of the singular Creator, blessed be His Name, Who alone conducts His world through His unique ratzon — "and as He wills He acts with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand" (Daniel 4:32). And according to one's emunah in the ratzon of the Oneness, Yisbarach — correspondingly each person merits ratzon, meaning to yearn and to long with a strong ratzon to draw near and to serve Him Yisbarach, as above. It emerges that the main illumination of the Ratzon is the aspect of unity. And therefore, the more that Yisroel are included together — the more they merit to be included in the Oneness, which is the aspect that they are included in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore "v'ahavta l'rai'acha kamocha" ["love your fellow as yourself"] is a great principle of the Torah. For the main element of the Torah is the ratzon, and it is impossible to merit the ratzon except through love and unity — in order to be included in the ratzon of the Oneness, Yisbarach, as above. And therefore Yisroel, a holy people, who are in the aspect of unity — as Chazal said, that Yaakov had seventy souls and they are called "nefesh" in the singular, and Eisav had sixteen souls and they are called "nafshos" in the plural — for Yisroel are from the source of unity, and all of Yisroel are considered as one person. Therefore they merited to receive the Torah on Shavuos, which is the aspect of ratzon. For on Shavuos He was revealed to them as an Elder — which is the revelation of the Ratzon, the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, which is the aspect of the dikna kadisha, the aspect of the mei'tzach haratzon, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. For through the wondrous unity that was among them then, as it is written: "Vayichan sham Yisroel neged hahar" ["And Yisroel encamped there opposite the mountain"] (Sh'mos 19:2). And Chazal said: "Vayichan" — all of them as one, in great unity, etc. And therefore they merited to be included on Shavuos in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, through which they received the entire Torah, which is the aspect of ratzon, as above. And therefore all of Yisroel are guarantors for one another regarding the fulfillment of the Torah and the mitzvos. And at first glance the matter is puzzling: why should each person be obligated to be a guarantor on behalf of his fellow? Is it not enough to extricate himself? And it is also difficult: does not your guarantor need a guarantor? For each person is not confident even for himself — that he will merit to emerge in peace from this world — so how can he also take upon himself the obligation of a guarantee on behalf of his fellow? But in truth, it is impossible to fulfill the Torah and the mitzvos except through the arvus — that each person becomes a guarantor on behalf of his fellow. For the main fulfillment of the Torah — which is the aspect of the ratzon, as above — is through the unity, as above. And therefore whoever wishes to accept upon himself the yoke of Torah and mitzvos — which is primarily through the intensification of the ratzon, as above — must be included in the generality of Yisroel, in great unity, as above. And therefore at the time of the receiving of the Torah, they certainly immediately became guarantors for one another. For as soon as one wishes to receive the Torah, one must immediately be included together — all of them as one — in order to be included in the Ratzon, as above. And then certainly each person is a guarantor on behalf of his fellow, since all are considered as one. And specifically through this — that each person is a guarantor on behalf of his fellow, which is the aspect of unity — through this specifically they can fulfill the Torah. And without this, it would not have been possible at all to fulfill the Torah. For the main fulfillment of the Torah — which is the aspect of the ratzon — is through the unity, that they are all considered as one, as above. It emerges that specifically through the arvus — which is the aspect that they are all considered as one — through this specifically is the main fulfillment of the Torah, as above. For love and unity is the aspect of ratzon, as it is written: "B'ahavah uv'ratzon" ["with love and with ratzon"]. For the main love and unity is in the aspect of the ratzon — that each person is agreeable to his fellow and there is no difference of ratzon between them, and they are all included in one ratzon. Through which they are included in the supernal Ratzon, which is the ultimate unity, as above. And in truth, also the arvus itself — that each person is a guarantor on behalf of his fellow — also in this it is impossible to fulfill and to discharge one's obligation of the arvus except through the ratzon. For the main arvus — that each person is a guarantor on behalf of his fellow — is that each person is obligated to rebuke his fellow, as is explained in the words of Chazal. And in truth, who can rebuke his fellow? For he does not know what his fellow lacks. And also, who knows if his fellow will listen to his words? And even if he listens, who knows if he will be able to overcome what he needs to overcome to return to Him Yisbarach? Therefore it is certainly very difficult to fulfill the mitzvah of tochachah [rebuke] and to discharge the obligation of one's arvus, for which one has become a guarantor on behalf of all of Yisroel. As Chazal said: "Not every person is fit to rebuke," etc. And since we do not merit to fulfill the mitzvah of tochachah and to discharge the obligation of the arvus — and if only we could extricate ourselves! — therefore we cannot fulfill this mitzvah except through the ratzon: that our ratzon should be very strong to see the welfare of our fellows and the welfare of all of Yisroel. Meaning, that they should all merit the true and eternal good — that they should merit to return to Hashem in truth and to draw near to Him Yisbarach. For only this is true welfare and success, and aside from this everything is vanity. For in truth, even the mitzvos that it is possible to fulfill — we cannot fulfill them except through the ratzon. For example, the mitzvah of tzitzis and t'filin and engagement in Torah and tz'dakah, etc. — certainly one who believes and knows a little of the greatness of each and every mitzvah knows that all the mitzvos are very, very distant from us. And therefore, in truth, we have many hindrances and obstacles before we merit to fulfill some mitzvah as it should be. For at first there are many hindrances and obstacles and confusions before one puts on the tallis and t'filin. And afterward, even when one puts them on, it can be that one's mind is still confused with foreign thoughts, to the point that one does not know at all that one is wearing the garments of the King, in the wings of the mitzvah of the holy tallis and the holy and awesome tzitzis, and crowned with the crowns of the King, with the crown of the glory of the holy and awesome t'filin — and one's heart is very far from their k'dushah. It emerges that we are very distant from fulfilling a mitzvah in completeness, even the most habitual mitzvos. All the more so the mitzvos that are not so habitual every day — certainly there are innumerable hindrances upon them before one fulfills them. And even when one fulfills them, one needs a great z'chus to fulfill them as they should be. Therefore certainly we cannot fulfill the Torah and the mitzvos — even the habitual mitzvos — except through the ratzon, as Rabbainu z"l said, as above: that the main thing is the ratzon — to yearn always with longing and a strong ratzon to fulfill His mitzvos, Yisbarach. And in the meantime, one learns as if one learns, and one prays as if one prays, and one does mitzvos as if one does mitzvos. And he said in this language: "Nor velin — der vayil davint men klamersht; der vayil lernt men klamersht; der vayil tut men mitzvos klamersht" ["Only desiring — meanwhile one prays, so to speak; meanwhile one learns, so to speak; meanwhile one does mitzvos, so to speak"]. And all this — even regarding the habitual mitzvos that it is possible to fulfill — also the main thing is the ratzon, as above. All the more so the mitzvos that are not in a person's power to fulfill, such as the aforementioned mitzvah of tochachah — certainly it is impossible to fulfill it except through the ratzon, as above. For each person is obligated to love his fellow and all of Yisroel literally as himself, as it is written: "V'ahavta l'rai'acha kamocha." And just as a person himself — certainly if he has a brain in his head, it is certainly fitting for him not to want any other ratzon except to merit to draw near to Him Yisbarach, for only this is true welfare, and aside from this there is no welfare in the world at all. And likewise, every person is obligated to yearn and to long that all of Yisroel should merit to draw near to Him Yisbarach. And in the meantime, if it is possible for him to speak some word with his fellow about the matter of avodas Hashem — certainly how good and how pleasant. For every member of Yisroel is obligated to speak with his fellow about yiras shamayim [awe of Heaven], as Rabbainu z"l wrote in several places. But the main thing is the ratzon, as above. As it is written in the Ra'aya M'haimnah regarding Mosheh Rabbainu, alav hashalom: "Uv'gin dahavyas chashiv b'chayecha d'ilu havah efshar lach haveis m'hadeir kula alma t'chos Kudsha B'rich Hu," etc. — see there, where the tremendous greatness of Mosheh's level is explained because of this — that he was thinking all his days that if it had been possible for him, he would have returned the entire world to Hashem Yisbarach. It emerges that even Mosheh Rabbainu, alav hashalom — the main mitzvah of tochachah he was fulfilling through the ratzon — that he was yearning always to return the entire world to good. And through this he merited what he merited. And this is the aspect of what Chazal said: "One does not rebuke a person except close to death — for so Mosheh did not rebuke them except close to death, and so Yaakov Avinu," etc. (Sifrai, D'varim 2). Meaning, for the main tochachah — which is to fulfill the mitzvah of arvus — is through the ratzon, as above. For the main aspect of the arvus is to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore the main tochachah is only close to death, for then one begins to be included in the Ratzon, and then the ratzon shines in him even more — because he is close to the histalkus. For the histalkus of the tzaddik is that he departs and is included in the aspect of Ratzon — like Mosheh Rabbainu, alav hashalom, who was included at the time of his death in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as above. And because close to his death the aspect of the Ratzon begins to shine in him — therefore specifically then he can rebuke them. For the main tochachah, the aspect of arvus, is the ratzon, as above. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 6. And this is the aspect of the three times "Tzidkas'cha" that we say on Shabbos at Minchah — corresponding to the three tzaddikim who departed then, who are: Yosef, Mosheh, and Dovid. For they departed on Shabbos at Minchah, when Ra'ava d'Ra'avin shines, the aspect of the mei'tzach haratzon [forehead of Ratzon]. And therefore we say corresponding to them three times "Tzidkas'cha" specifically. For the main illumination of the Ratzon, the mei'tzach haratzon, is through tz'dakah specifically. For through tz'dakah one subdues the mei'tzach hanachash [forehead of the serpent], and then the mei'tzach haratzon shines, as above in the aforementioned Torah — the aspect of the illumination of the dikna kadisha, the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin. It emerges that the main illumination of the Ratzon — the aspect of the mei'tzach haratzon that shines on Shabbos at Minchah — is through tz'dakah. And therefore we say then three times "Tzidkas'cha" specifically, as above. And through the illumination of the mei'tzach haratzon — the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin that is revealed through these three tzaddikim: Yosef, Mosheh, and Dovid — through this the voice of the calling of the Shalosh R'galim is heard, for they call out and reveal the Ratzon, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. For the Shalosh R'galim correspond to these three tzaddikim, and through them all the aspects explained in the aforementioned Torah are accomplished; see there. And the main point in brief: through the ratzon that is revealed on Yom Tov, the yirah is made. But there are predatory wild beasts that maul and tear, who are the heretics who blemish the ratzon — through which the voice of the calling of Yom Tov is not heard, etc. Therefore one needs to connect all the r'tzonos to the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin that shines on Shabbos at Minchah, etc. But there is the aspect of the mei'tzach hanachash, etc., that wishes to cast blemish and denials even into the root of the ratzon, etc. Therefore one needs to increase in tz'dakah, through which one subdues the mei'tzach hanachash, and then the mei'tzach haratzon is revealed — the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — and then the voice of the calling of Yom Tov is heard, which reveals the Ratzon. And through the ratzon, yirah is made. And through the yirah, a vessel is made to receive the chesed. And then one does not need to engage in any business, for it is fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. — through the greatness of the outpouring of chesed, the aspect of "olam chesed yibaneh," etc.; see all of this there well. And this is the aspect of the Shalosh R'galim — Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos — and Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur and Hoshana Rabbah. And all of them receive from Shabbos, which is the first of the mikra'ai kodesh. For the main revelation of the Ratzon is on Pesach, which is the first of the R'galim. For then Hashem brought us out of Mitzrayim with trials, with signs and with awesome wonders, through which it was revealed that everything is only through His ratzon alone, as is explained in the aforementioned Torah regarding all the Shalosh R'galim — that all of them call out and proclaim the Ratzon, because on all the Shalosh R'galim Hashem Yisbarach performed awesome signs with us, etc. But the main awesome signs and wonders were on Pesach, which is the first of the R'galim. For then we went out from servitude to freedom with awesome signs, and through this it was revealed that everything is conducted only through His ratzon alone. And the main element of Y'tzias Mitzrayim, which is Pesach, was in the merit of Yosef, as it is written: "Vayikach Mosheh es atzmos Yosef imo" ["And Mosheh took the bones of Yosef with him"] (Sh'mos 13:19). And as is brought: for had Yosef not descended to Mitzrayim first, it would not have been possible for Yisroel to leave from there, because of the great contamination that was there. But through Yosef descending first and being sold there as a slave — which is the aspect of servitude, the intensity of Asiyah, where the contamination of the serpent has its hold in the aspect of servitude, as above — and the main aspect of servitude was in Mitzrayim, which was from the seed of Cham, whose offspring were cursed to be "a slave of slaves" (B'raishis 9:25), and the contamination of the serpent clung exceedingly to all his offspring, as is known. And Yosef, with the greatness of his awesome k'dushah — he descended into the midst of the intensity of the contamination of Mitzrayim, into the midst of the aspect of servitude, as above. And he had a great test there. And nevertheless he conquered his yetzer from the wife of his master. Through this he broke and subdued and nullified the contamination of Mitzrayim. And only through this did Yisroel have the strength to be in Mitzrayim and not to sink there, chas v'shalom, as it is written: "Ki l'michyah shalchani Elokim lifnaichem," etc. ["For G-d sent me before you to preserve life"] (B'raishis 45:5). For only through him did Yisroel merit to leave from there, to be saved from the intensity of their contamination. It emerges that Y'tzias Mitzrayim — that we went out from servitude to freedom — this is the aspect that they subdued the aspect of servitude, which is the aspect of Asiyah where the contamination has its hold, as above. And they subdued this through the greatness of their ratzon that they always had for Hashem Yisbarach. And through this they merited to go out from servitude to freedom, and they subdued the aspect of servitude, and they merited to include Asiyah in the Ratzon. For they merited to receive the Torah on Shavuos, for then they were included in the ratzon shebar'tzonos, as above. And therefore Hashem Yisbarach began: "Anochi Hashem Elokecha asher hotzeisicha mai'eretz Mitzrayim mibeis avadim" ["I am Hashem your G-d Who brought you out of the land of Mitzrayim, from the house of slaves"] (Sh'mos 20:2). And likewise in many places He links the fulfillment of the Torah to Y'tzias Mitzrayim, as the Zohar questions, etc. For the fulfillment of the Torah is the aspect of Y'tzias Mitzrayim — from servitude to freedom — meaning to subdue the aspect of servitude, the aspect of Asiyah, through the ratzon, which is the main fulfillment of the Torah, as above, in order to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore in every generation a person is obligated to see himself as if he himself went out of Mitzrayim. For every person must go out from servitude to freedom — to subdue and to nullify the contamination of Asiyah, the aspect of servitude, the aspect of the yoke of the worries of this world, which are the aspect of the thirty-nine m'lachos, and to merit to be included in the Ratzon — to yearn always for Hashem Yisbarach, as above — to transform Asiyah into Ratzon, as above. And this is what Chazal said: "In the merit of four things Yisroel were redeemed [from Mitzrayim]: that they did not change their names, and they did not change their language, and they were fenced off from illicit relations, and from idolatry." (The compiler says: let the reader not wonder that he also counts the merit of abstinence from idolatry, for in many places in the words of Chazal the opposite is found. But it is found explained in Midrash Rabbah, B'midbar, chapter 3, on the verse "Motzi asirim bakosharos" — that in the merit of the proper ones among them who did not serve idolatry, through this they were redeemed; see there. It emerges that both are the words of the living G-d — that they were also redeemed in the merit of abstinence from idolatry. Now I have found further in the aforementioned Midrash Rabbah, chapter 13, that all three tribes — R'uvain, Shimon, Levi — did not serve idolatry, and therefore they merited to be counted on their own at Y'tzias Mitzrayim; see there. Behold, it is explained [that] the truth of his words, z"l, [is] that also in the merit of abstinence from idolatry they were redeemed.) For all these four things indicate the greatness of the ratzon that they always had for Hashem Yisbarach, even while they were in the land of Mitzrayim. And this is the aspect of "they did not change their names." For the name is the aspect of ratzon, which is the nefesh, which is an expression of ratzon, as above. And this is the aspect of the name — the aspect of "nefesh chayah hu sh'mo" ["a living soul is his name"], as Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere. And therefore "sh'mo" [his name] has the same gematria as "ratzon," as is brought. And this is the aspect of: "L'shimcha ul'zichrecha ta'avas nafesh" ["For Your Name and Your remembrance is the desire of the soul"] (Y'shayahu 26:8). And each member of Yisroel, according to his root in the supernal Ratzon — which is the root of every neshamah of Yisroel — correspondingly he has a Yisroel-name. And correspondingly he must always strive to shine upon his name and his nefesh the illumination of the Ratzon, from where his nefesh and his name are rooted. And this is what Chazal said: "A person should always learn in the place that his heart desires" (Avodah Zarah 19a). For the place of Torah that his heart desires most — there is the root of his nefesh and his name. And therefore after his death they ask a person: "What is your name?" For the generality of the Torah is the aspect of ratzon, which is the aspect of his name, as above. And therefore Yisroel in Mitzrayim — who did not cease their ratzon from yearning for Hashem Yisbarach — therefore they did not change their names. And this indicates the greatness of the ratzon of k'dushah, as above. And through this they merited the g'ulah — to go out from servitude to freedom, which is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And therefore these heretics who are common nowadays, who blemish the ratzon as above — therefore they mostly change their names and call themselves by the evil appellations that have been given to them. Woe to them! Woe to their souls! Certainly they will not merit the g'ulah if they do not return. For also in Mitzrayim there were wicked ones who did not merit the g'ulah, as Chazal said on the verse "vachamushim alu," etc. — "one out of five hundred," etc. And this is: "they did not change their language." For the main revelation of the ratzon of k'dushah, which is the nefesh, is in speech — in the aspect of "nafshi yatz'ah b'dabro" ["my soul departed when He spoke"] (Shir HaShirim 5:6), as Rabbainu z"l wrote. And therefore the holy tongue of Yisroel indicates the ratzon of k'dushah — the aspect of the nefesh whose main revelation is in the holy speech, which is the aspect of the holy tongue. For the tongue is the quill of the heart. And each person, according to his ratzon — whether for good or for the opposite — correspondingly one can understand and hear from his words, which are the revelation of the nefesh, which is the ratzon, as above. And therefore the holy tongue is the aspect of the ratzon of k'dushah. And therefore, in that they did not change their language, and all their speech consisted of holy words in the aspect of the holy tongue — in this they indicated the greatness of their holy ratzon to draw near to Hashem Yisbarach, as above. And this is: "they were fenced off from illicit relations and from idolatry." For idolatry is denials, which is the blemish of the ratzon. For the main illumination of the Ratzon is through emunah — through believing that everything is through His ratzon alone, as above — which is the opposite of idolatry and denials. And this is the aspect of "fenced off from illicit relations." For through the r'tzonos of the Sitra Achara — which are the desires of this world — the ratzon of k'dushah is blemished, as above. And each person, according to how much he falls to the pursuit of the desires of this world — correspondingly the ratzon of k'dushah is blemished in him. And the main thing is to fence oneself off from the desire for adultery, for there is the main intensification of the ratzon of the Sitra Achara. And therefore: "No'ef ishah chasar lev" ["He who commits adultery with a woman lacks a heart"] (Mishlai 6:32). For his heart is diminished and blemished — that is, the ratzon of k'dushah that is in the heart of every member of Yisroel, which is diminished and blemished through the desire for adultery. And therefore denials and adultery depend on one another, as Rabbainu z"l wrote elsewhere. For one depends on the other: according to how much one fences oneself off from the desire for adultery, correspondingly one merits the ratzon of k'dushah, which is the aspect of emunah, as above. And likewise the reverse. It emerges that all these four things are the aspect of the ratzon of k'dushah. For through these four things — that they did not change their names, etc. — in this they demonstrated the greatness of their longing and the intensity of their ratzon of k'dushah to draw near to Hashem Yisbarach. And therefore through these four things specifically they merited to leave Mitzrayim, from servitude to freedom, and to receive the Torah — for all of this is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And all of this was in the merit of Yosef the tzaddik, as above. Shavuos is the aspect of Mosheh. For then Yisroel received the Torah through Mosheh Rabbainu, who is the generality of the Torah. And then He was revealed to them as an Elder full of compassion — the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin. And therefore Shavuos is in the aspect of Shabbos, as is brought. For on Shavuos it is the aspect that one connects all the r'tzonos to the root of the Ratzon, to the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin that shines on Shavuos, which is the aspect of Mosheh, as above. And in our many sins, even though Yisroel merited to receive the Torah on Shavuos and merited the illumination of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, nevertheless afterward what happened happened. For they blemished the emunah of the Ratzon and served idolatry and made the Eigel [Golden Calf]. And all of this was through the overpowering of the mei'tzach hanachash, which is the contamination of the serpent — which is the Eirev Rav [Mixed Multitude], who overpowered Yisroel and misled them until they blemished the root of the Ratzon, the mei'tzach haratzon, and served idolatry, which is the aspect of denials — the blemish of the ratzon, as above. And therefore they overpowered in their wickedness and gathered specifically against Aharon. For Aharon is the aspect of the mei'tzach haratzon, as it is written regarding Aharon the Kohen: "V'hayah al mitzcho l'ratzon" ["And it shall be upon his forehead for favor"] (Sh'mos 28:38). For they blemished then the mei'tzach haratzon, as above — until the blemish reached even Mosheh, as it is written: "Laich raid," etc. ["Go down"] (Sh'mos 32:7). For Mosheh's root is in the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as above. And their blemish reached up to the root of the Ratzon — until the blemish reached Mosheh, who is himself the aspect of the root of the Ratzon, as above. And therefore from the day they made the Eigel — which is the seventeenth of Tammuz — and they blemished then the Ratzon, the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash was then decreed. As Chazal said: the decree that was decreed through the spies — "You wept a weeping for nothing," etc. — began from the day they made the Eigel. For from then all the decrees began, Rachmana litzlan, as it is written: "Uv'yom pokdi," etc. ["And on the day I visit..."] (Sh'mos 32:34). For the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash is the aspect of the blemish of the Ratzon, as above. And Mosheh Rabbainu, alav hashalom, prayed before Hashem Yisbarach for forty days. And Chazal said that the middle forty days were in anger. For anger and rage is the opposite of ratzon — for they had blemished the ratzon, as above. But through the multitude of the prayers and the entreaties of Mosheh, through this Hashem Yisbarach was appeased and He transformed the rage into ratzon, and He became favorably disposed toward Yisroel in the last forty days — which are from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom HaKippurim. And therefore these days are y'mai ratzon — "y'mai ratzon" [days of Ratzon] specifically. For in them the supernal Ratzon shines every year, in every generation. And then one must strive greatly to draw upon oneself strong r'tzonos and great longings for Hashem Yisbarach. And through the ratzon, yirah is made, as above. And therefore these days are called "Yamim Nora'im" [Days of Awe] — which are Elul and the Aseres Y'mai T'shuvah until Yom Kippur. For then is the main revelation of the intensity of the yirah of k'dushah that is drawn through the revelation of the Ratzon that is revealed then even more, as above. And therefore all of Yisroel practice the custom of increasing greatly in tz'dakah during these days. For the main tikkun is through tz'dakah. For the main damage is through the mei'tzach hanachash, etc., as above. And now one needs to subdue and nullify it. And the main subduing of it is through tz'dakah, as above. Therefore one needs then, during the Yamim Nora'im, to increase greatly in tz'dakah to worthy poor people, in order to subdue the mei'tzach hanachash, in order to reveal the illumination of the Ratzon, in order to merit the yirah — which is the main aspect of Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim, the aspect of "uv'chain tein pachdecha," etc. And this is what the early ones gave as a mnemonic for these days: "Aryeh sha'ag, mi lo yira" ["A lion has roared — who will not fear?"] (Amos 3:8). For then a great yirah is aroused through the revelation of the Ratzon, as above. And this is "Aryeh sha'ag" specifically. For there are predatory wild beasts that maul and tear, who are the heretics who deny the Ratzon, as above — who are the aspect of "uva ha'ari v'hadov," etc. ["and there came a lion and a bear"] — which is stated in the episode of Dovid with Golyas, etc., as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. And now, during the Yamim Nora'im, through the abundance of tz'dakah, one merits to subdue the mei'tzach hanachash — until the evil venom of the predatory wild beasts, who are the deniers, is nullified. And then the heart of the deniers is transformed from evil to good, until all of them acknowledge the Ratzon, as is explained at the end of the aforementioned Torah regarding the statement of Chazal: "Hava tzipurai m'lichai bahadan parchu l'hu" ["there were salted birds with them and they flew away"] — that those who were initially confused by the error of the heretics flew out and departed from their error through the greatness of the revelation of the Ratzon. And then the predatory wild beasts — who are the deniers — are transformed from the opposite to the opposite. For whereas at first they were roaring with their voice against the Ratzon that was revealed on Yom Tov — for they were roaring with their erroneous reasoning and were denying the Ratzon — now they are transformed, until they themselves roar and call out the revelation of the Ratzon. Through which yirah is made, as above. And this is the aspect of: "Aryeh sha'ag, mi lo yira" — that the lion itself, which is the chief of the predatory wild beasts that roar against the Ratzon — the aspect of "uva ha'ari v'hadov," as above — now is transformed, until the lion itself — which is the aspect of the wild beasts, the aspect of the deniers — they themselves roar and proclaim the Ratzon and make known themselves that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone. Through which yirah is made, as above — the aspect of "Aryeh sha'ag, mi lo yira," as above. And then the intensity of the yirah is revealed on Rosh HaShanah, which is the aspect of Pachad Yitzchak, the aspect of "hayitaka shofar b'ir v'am lo yecheradu" ["Shall a shofar be sounded in a city and the people not tremble?"] (Amos 3:6). For all of this one merits through the revelation of the Ratzon that is revealed then, for they are y'mai ratzon, as above. And on Yom HaKippurim, then is the completion and the end of the forty y'mai ratzon. And then is the completion of the receiving of the Torah, which is drawn from the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos, the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin, as above. For Yom HaKippurim is called "Shabbas Shabbason," which is the aspect of Ra'ava d'Ra'avin that shines then. For Shabbos is the aspect of ratzon, as above. And therefore then on Yom HaKippurim is the main t'shuvah. And then Hashem Yisbarach forgives all the sins of Yisroel. For the sins are transformed into ratzon — the aspect of "ki nirtzah avonah," as above. And therefore then on Erev Yom Kippur one increases in tz'dakah exceedingly — for then is the main illumination of the Ratzon, the aspect of the mei'tzach haratzon. And therefore all the avodah of Yom HaKippurim is valid only through the Kohen Gadol, who is the aspect of the mei'tzach haratzon, as above. And therefore one needs to increase in tz'dakah exceedingly, in order to subdue the mei'tzach hanachash, etc., and to reveal the mei'tzach haratzon, as above. And therefore then on Yom HaKippurim one merits five t'filos. For then the t'filah is in completeness, for the main t'filah is according to the illumination of the Ratzon. For the main t'filah is the aspect of d'vaikus, the aspect of ratzon — in order to draw the supernal Ratzon, as we say in all the t'filos: "Y'hi ratzon mil'fanecha," etc.; "yihyu l'ratzon imrai fi" ["May the words of my mouth be for favor"]. And therefore one needs to give tz'dakah before the t'filah, in order to illuminate the illumination of the Ratzon — which is the main completeness of the t'filah, as above. And therefore then on Yom HaKippurim, when the main illumination of the Ratzon occurs — for then all the sins are transformed into ratzon, as above — then the t'filah is in completeness. And therefore one prays then five t'filos, and this is in the aspect of the hei of tz'dakah, through which is the main illumination of the Ratzon — which is the aspect of t'filah, as above. For tz'dakah and t'filah are one aspect, as is known. And the main completeness of the tz'dakah is the aspect of the hei of tz'dakah, through which the din and the rage are sweetened and transformed into ratzon. And from tzedek, which is dinah [strict judgment], tz'dakah is made — which is the aspect of compassion and ratzon — through transforming one's cruel heart from rage to ratzon. Through this one merits to transform from tzedek to tz'dakah, as above. And this hei is the aspect of the five t'filos of Yom HaKippurim, which is the aspect of the completeness of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And through the yirah that we merited to receive during these Yamim Nora'im through the illumination of the Ratzon — through this a great chesed is drawn, as above. And this is the aspect of Sukkos: for then all the inner and encompassing chassadim shine, which begin to be revealed and to shine immediately after Yom HaKippurim, and the main element of their illumination is on the Yom Tov of Sukkos. Meaning, the aspect of the outpouring of the chesed that flows through the yirah, as above. And Sukkos is in the aspect of Dovid — the aspect of the Sukkas Dovid that we must raise through the mitzvah of sukkah, in the aspect of: "Bayom hahu akim es sukkas Dovid hanofeles," etc. ["On that day I will raise up the fallen sukkah of Dovid"] (Amos 9:11). For Dovid is Mashiach, for then all the aforementioned aspects will be completed. And then we will merit the aforementioned chesed — which is the aspect of Sukkos — in the aspect of "v'oseh chesed limshicho l'Dovid." And then the simchah will be magnified, as it is written: "Ki v'simchah taitzai'u...sason v'simchah yasigu," etc. ["For with joy you shall go out...gladness and joy shall overtake (you)"] (Y'shayahu 55:12, 35:10). For the main simchah is through the revelation of the Ratzon, as above. And therefore Sukkos is called "z'man simchosainu" [the time of our joy]. For then is the main completeness of the illumination of the Ratzon, through which is the main simchah of Yom Tov, as above. And then all the nations toil for the sake of our parnasah — in the aspect of "v'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. And therefore on Sukkos we offer seventy bulls for the sake of the seventy nations. For then we have peace with them, for they have all already recognized the truth. For Sukkos alludes to the days of Mashiach, as above, for then "olam chesed yibaneh" will be fulfilled. And then everyone will recognize the truth — that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach — and the greatness of the preciousness and the k'dushah and the importance of Yisroel, until they will all be subordinate to us and will do all our work — the aspect of "v'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. For they will know that this is their main tachlis. And therefore we offer then seventy bulls for their sake — and this indicates the greatness of the peace even with them, since they have already recognized the truth, as above. Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 7. Final part of Halachah 3. And afterward one performs Hoshana Rabbah, and then is the completion of the sealing — the aspect of a seal within a seal. For on Yom HaKippurim at N'ilah one seal was made, and now one makes a seal upon a seal. And everything is through the power of the tz'dakah that Yisroel give throughout the entire year, and especially during these days. For one needs two seals for the k'dushah, through the tz'dakah. For the subduing of the mei'tzach hanachash is through the tz'dakah, through which the emunah of the Ratzon is revealed — that one believes that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone. And emunah is the aspect of a seal, as is known. Meaning, that one makes a seal for the k'dushah, so that strangers should no longer have dominion and should no longer be able to blemish the ratzon. And this tikkun of the seal is made through the tz'dakah. For tz'dakah is the aspect of malchus, which is the aspect of the seal of k'dushah, as is known. But even when one subdues the mei'tzach hanachash through the tz'dakah and reveals the Ratzon — if the ratzon is not yet strong, they can still cast doubt, chas v'shalom, upon the ratzon. And through this, chas v'shalom, the mei'tzach hanachash could return and overpower, chas v'shalom. And therefore one needs again to give tz'dakah, for always their subduing is through tz'dakah, as all of this is well explained in the aforementioned Torah; see all of this there well. And this is the aspect of the two seals of k'dushah — that one needs to seal the emunah, which is the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon mentioned above; one needs to seal it with two seals through the tz'dakah. Meaning, that the denials and the doubts should not touch it, as above. And this is accomplished on Yom HaKippurim, for then is the first seal. And afterward one merits the chesed that is revealed through the yirah that is made through the ratzon. And then we have a great peace with the nations, as above, for it is fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc., as above. And then we become afraid — because they have already joined with us — perhaps, chas v'shalom, they will return and cast some doubt upon the ratzon. For even though they have already been subdued and no longer have the strength to wage war and to introduce denials, nevertheless they can, chas v'shalom, introduce doubts into the heart, as above. Therefore one needs again to arouse the power of tz'dakah on Hoshana Rabbah. And then one seals a seal upon a seal — sealing once more the holy emunah through the power of tz'dakah, in order to nullify all the doubts and to strengthen the emunah of the Ratzon with great intensity. And this is what is stated in the holy Zohar: on that day — "Vayashav Yitzchak vayachpor es b'airos hamayim asher chafru bimay Avraham aviv vayast'mum P'lishtim," etc. ["And Yitzchak returned and dug the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Avraham his father, and the P'lishtim had stopped them up"] (B'raishis 26:18). The wells of water — this is the aspect of the power of tz'dakah, which is called "water," the aspect of "shlach lachmecha al p'nay hamayim" ["Cast your bread upon the waters"] (Koheles 11:1), as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. And Yitzchak is the aspect of the holy yirah that is made through the ratzon that is revealed through the tz'dakah, as above. And therefore on Hoshana Rabbah, then Yitzchak — who is the yirah — returns and arouses the power of the merit of the tz'dakah of Yisroel, in order to seal a seal upon a seal — so that they should no longer be able to blemish the ratzon at all, as above, so that the yirah should be in completeness, which is the attribute of Yitzchak, as above. And therefore then one takes the arvay nachal [willow branches], which allude to the sinners of Yisroel. And this is the aspect of "hava tzipurai m'lichai bahadan parchu l'hu," etc. — meaning that all the sinners of Yisroel — who are the nefashos of Yisroel that were caught in the net of the error of the philosophers — now they emerge to peace and return to the k'dushah, through the greatness of the intensification of the Ratzon that is revealed then, as above. And the main power of the arvay nachal to be included in the k'dushah is through the tz'dakah, as above. And this is the aspect of "arvay nachal" — the aspect of the orev [raven] mentioned above, the aspect of "v'es arubbasam tikach," as is explained in the aforementioned Torah. For through the tz'dakah — the aspect of the orev — through this the Ratzon is revealed, through which the sinners of Yisroel return to the k'dushah. And this is the aspect of "arvay nachal" — "arvay" specifically. And then one reads Mishneh Torah, which is the tochachah with which Mosheh rebuked Yisroel close to his death, in Arvos Moav. For the tochachah close to his death — this is the aspect of the revelation of the Ratzon, as above. And this is the aspect of Sefer T'hilim that one recites then. For T'hilim is entirely ratzon and wondrous d'vaikus. For all of Sefer T'hilim — all of them are holy utterances of longing and yearning and extraordinary ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach. And this is the main element of the t'filah and the supplications and the requests and the songs and the praises that Sefer T'hilim comprises — for all of this is the aspect of a wondrous ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach, as above. And afterward one merits Simchas Torah. For when one merits the illumination of the Ratzon in completeness, then is the main simchah, as above. And therefore then one reads in the Torah the histalkus of Mosheh, who departed in Ra'ava d'Ra'avin — in the ratzon shebar'tzonos. For the main simchah, the aspect of Simchas Torah, is drawn from the revelation of the Ratzon that we merited through Mosheh Rabbainu, alav hashalom. For he illuminated our eyes and revealed to the entire world that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach — through all the signs and the wonders that Hashem sent him, etc., "and for all the signs and the wonders, and for all the great awe that Mosheh performed before the eyes of all Yisroel" (D'varim 34:11-12). For through all of this it was revealed that everything is through His ratzon, Yisbarach, alone. And through this Mosheh merited to be included in the ratzon shebar'tzonos. And through this a great and wondrous simchah is drawn — the aspect of Simchas Torah. For the main simchah is through the revelation of the Ratzon, as above, and this is the aspect of the simchah of Yom Tov. And this is the aspect of what Chazal connected the fifteenth of Av to Yom HaKippurim, as it is written in the Mishnah: "There were no better days for Yisroel than the fifteenth of Av and Yom HaKippurim," etc. (Ta'anis 26b). For on the seventeenth of Tammuz the Luchos were broken, which is the aspect of the blemish of the Ratzon, which is the generality of the Torah, etc., as above. And then the middle forty days began, which were in anger — the opposite of the ratzon. But the main anger lasted only until Tishah B'Av. And afterward the anger and the rage began to be sweetened and to be transformed into ratzon. For during these middle forty days, even though it was in anger, nevertheless during them Hashem Yisbarach became appeased toward Mosheh — until He said to him at the end of these forty days: "P'sal l'cha sh'nay luchos," etc. ["Carve for yourself two tablets"] (Sh'mos 34:1). It emerges that at the end of the middle forty days, Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh. And the main sweetening was on the fifteenth of Av, as Chazal said that on it the dead of the wilderness ceased. And the dead of the wilderness — this is the aspect of the blemish of the ratzon. For the main element of the dead of the wilderness was from the sin of the Eigel, as Chazal said that from then this decree was decreed. And on the fifteenth of Av the dead of the wilderness ceased. It emerges that the rage that was on account of the sin of the Eigel — which is the blemish of the ratzon — on account of which there were the dead of the wilderness — this rage ceased and was nullified on the fifteenth of Av. It emerges that the fifteenth of Av — then the rage ceased. For then it was close to the end of the middle forty days, when Hashem Yisbarach began to become favorably disposed toward Mosheh and to transform the rage into ratzon — until He said to him: "P'sal l'cha," etc. Through which he merited to receive the last Luchos on Yom HaKippurim. It emerges that Yom HaKippurim and the fifteenth of Av are one aspect. For the main illumination of the Ratzon of Yom HaKippurim — when he received the last Luchos — this ratzon began to shine from the fifteenth of Av, as above. And therefore they are Yamim Tovim, for the main k'dushah of the Yamim Tovim is through the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And this is what they would say: "Tz'enah ur'enah b'nos Tziyon...b'yom chasunaso" — "this is Matan Torah"; "uv'yom simchas libo" — "this is the building of the Beis HaMikdash, may it be built speedily in our days" — as Chazal said (Ta'anis 26b). For the Torah and the building of the Beis HaMikdash are the aspect of the illumination of the Ratzon that begins to shine on the fifteenth of Av, as above. For the Torah is drawn from the aspect of the ratzon shebar'tzonos, which is the root of the neshamah of Mosheh, as above. And this is the aspect of the Beis HaMikdash, for the main element of the Beis HaMikdash is the aspect of ratzon, as above. And this is the aspect of "na'aseh v'nishma" ["we will do and we will hear"] — that Yisroel preceded at the time of Matan Torah "na'aseh" to "nishma." This indicates the intensity of the desire of their ratzon that was then in great force — to the point that they preceded "na'aseh" to "nishma" and were willing to do whatever Hashem Yisbarach would want, even though they did not yet know what to do. Nevertheless, they were willing to do. For the main ratzon is the aspect of an extraordinary ratzon without any knowledge at all — only a wondrous and very strong desire and ratzon for Hashem Yisbarach, as is understood from the words of Rabbainu z"l. And this is "na'aseh" before "nishma." For "nishma" is the aspect of the ratzon of the heart, for hearing depends on the heart. Meaning, that they said: We wish to do — come what may — and the main tachlis [is] in order that we should merit the illumination of the Ratzon more and more, which is the main tachlis. And this is the aspect of "nishma," which is the aspect of the heart, the aspect of ratzon, as above. And therefore Chazal called "na'aseh v'nishma" an aspect of simchah, as Chazal said on the verse: "V'simchas olam al rosham" ["And eternal joy upon their heads"] (Y'shayahu 35:10), as is brought in the words of Rabbainu z"l (Siman 22). For the main intensity of the simchah is through the greatness of the illumination of the Ratzon, as above. And this is what we say on Motzaai Shabbos: "Vihi no'am...uma'aseh yadeinu kon'nah aleinu, uma'aseh yadeinu kon'naihu" ["And may the pleasantness...and the work of our hands establish for us, and the work of our hands — establish it"] (T'hilim 90:17). In order to subdue the k'lipah of Eisav, whose hold is in Asiyah, as is known — in order to sanctify the Asiyah and to include Asiyah in the Ratzon. And to draw from the k'dushah of Shabbos — which is the aspect of ratzon — upon the six weekdays, which are the aspect of Asiyah, as above. And therefore on Motzaai Shabbos we say: "V'yiten l'cha haElokim" — which is the blessing of Yaakov that he received from Yitzchak and drove Eisav away from the blessing. For through the k'dushah of Shabbos — the aspect of ratzon — we drive away and nullify the contamination of Eisav, which is the contamination of the thirty-nine m'lachos. And we merit to draw the k'dushah of Shabbos upon the days of work — to sanctify the thirty-nine m'lachos and to draw the blessing of Yaakov into the aspect of Asiyah — to sanctify the Asiyah, so that Asiyah should be included in the Ratzon. And this is the aspect of the inclusion of the six weekdays in Shabbos, which is entirely ratzon and simchah, as above. And see in the Pri Eitz Chaim, the kavanos of "Vihi No'am," etc. And this is the aspect of: "Birtzos Hashem darchay ish, gam oyvav yashlim ito" ["When Hashem is pleased with a man's ways, He makes even his enemies at peace with him"] (Mishlai 16:7). "Birtzos Hashem" — meaning, when one merits to be included in the Ratzon through the yearnings and the longings for Hashem Yisbarach, as above — then all the enemies and the haters are nullified. For the main nourishment of the haters is from the aspect of Asiyah, which is the aspect of rage, the aspect of hair, etc. — from where the great hater, Eisav, the hairy man, has his hold, as above. But through the illumination of the Ratzon, the contamination of Asiyah is nullified, and the rage is nullified and transformed into ratzon. And then all the haters are nullified, for it is fulfilled: "V'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc. — that the haters are transformed into lovers and toil for the sake of our parnasah. For a great peace is drawn into the world — as it will be in the future, for then will be the main revelation of the Ratzon, as it is written: "V'gar z'ev im keves...v'aryeh kabakar yochal teven," etc. ["And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb...and the lion shall eat straw like the ox"] (Y'shayahu 11:6-7). For all the predatory wild beasts that maul and tear are nullified. For the naturalist scholars, who are the heretics, are called wild beasts, as above. And in truth, all the nourishment of the wild beasts literally is from the heretics, who are deniers of the Ratzon, through which rage overpowers, chas v'shalom, as above — from which the anger and the rage of the predatory and mauling wild beasts is drawn. But through the illumination of the Ratzon, when the rage is nullified, then all the wild beasts will be nullified, for their anger and their rage will be nullified. And there will be a great peace in the world — the aspect of "v'gar z'ev im keves," as above. And this is: "Birtzos Hashem darchay ish" — through the illumination of the Ratzon — through this "gam oyvav yashlim ito," the aspect of "v'amdu zarim v'ra'u tzonachem," etc., as above. And this is "yashlim" specifically — the aspect of shalom [peace] that is made through the ratzon, the aspect of "v'gar z'ev im keves," as above. And therefore tz'dakah is called by the name "arvus" [guarantee / surety], as it is written: "V'es arubasam tikach" (M'lachim I 18:23). Which Rabbainu z"l explained there as the aspect of tz'dakah, which is the aspect of the orev [raven]; see there. For through the tz'dakah, Asiyah is included in the Ratzon, and this is the aspect of arvus, as above. And therefore all the needs of a person are called by the name "arvus," as it is written (Y'chezkel 27:9): "Kol oniyos hayam umalachaihem hayu bach la'arov ma'aravech." And Rashi explains, and this is his language: "'la'arov ma'aravech' — an expression of 'aruvah'; they are all the needs of a person by which he lives. And his wealth is his 'aruvah' and his success and his life." End of his words. For the connection and binding of the nefesh with the body is through eating and drinking and the other essential needs of a person by which he lives. For without this, it would not have been possible for the holy nefesh of a person to endure in this world at all — not even for one day — because of the greatness of its desire and its ratzon to return to the source from which it was hewn. For it is drawn from the supernal Ratzon, as above. But because the nefesh finds also in this world supernal r'tzonos that are enclothed in all the needs of a person — in eating and drinking and other necessities — therefore it endures in the body of the person, in order to elevate these r'tzonos that are enclothed in this world of Asiyah, in order to include Asiyah in the Ratzon — and this is the main delight and pleasure of the Yisbarach. And therefore the main endurance of the nefesh within him is through eating specifically — because there are enclothed supernal r'tzonos, through which the nefesh endures in the body, as above. And therefore eating and drinking and the other needs are called by the name "arvus," as above. And as is explained in the verse "v'es arubasam tikach" mentioned above, according to its plain meaning — where its interpretation there concerns the needs of a person; see there. For through the needs of a person, which are the life of the person, the nefesh endures within him. And through this, Asiyah is included in the Ratzon. For the person was created and endures in the world all the days of his life only for this — in order to include everything in the supernal Ratzon, as above. And therefore all the needs of his vitality are in the aspect of arvus — which is the aspect of the inclusion of Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore one must be very careful that all of one's eating and drinking and other needs should be with great k'dushah — that all of one's intention should be only for the sake of His ratzon, Yisbarach, as it is written: "B'chol d'rachecha da'eihu," etc. ["In all your ways know Him"] (Mishlai 3:6) — in order to include everything in the supernal Ratzon, for which one descended to this world: to cause the ratzon of k'dushah to prevail over the Asiyah, and to include Asiyah in the Ratzon, as above. And therefore one must make do with very little in all of one's physical needs, and not to use except what is essential — so that one should not be blemished, chas v'shalom, by the fallen and blemished r'tzonos that are enclothed in this world, which blemish, chas v'shalom, the ratzon of k'dushah, as above. For in these r'tzonos that are enclothed in the physical needs, there is a place of very great danger. And one must distance oneself from them — in the aspect of "harchek min ha'airvonos" [distance yourself from guarantees] — as above. Except for what is very essential according to the Torah. For through the mitzvos of the Torah one sanctifies and purifies all things in the world, and they are all included in the supernal Ratzon — and this is the aspect of the generality of the Torah, as above.