חזקת קרקעות ג

And therefore the land — which is the aspect of emunah — is not acquired and established in the hand of the buyer except through a shtar, which is the aspect of Torah SheBichsav — the aspect of emes. Through which one comes to emunah.

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan II:4. Translated from the Hebrew. Continued from Part 3.

And this is the aspect of: movable goods that have no acharayus [responsibility/guarantee] are acquired together with goods that have acharayus — meaning, the kinyan of movable goods agav [together with] land, which is the most effective kinyan. For all acquisitions of movable goods are for the sake of the birur of the sparks. And the main birur is through emunah. And therefore the movable goods are acquired through the land — for the sparks are refined through the emunah, as above.

And therefore the land itself is not acquired and established except through a shtar — meaning the writing of Yisroel, which is the aspect of Torah SheBichsav. For the land itself — which is the aspect of emunah itself, as it were — cannot ascend and go from one domain to another except through the aspect of Torah SheBichsav, which is the aspect of the shtar. For each time the land goes from the domain of the seller to the buyer, it is the aspect of the ascent of the emunah. For it goes from the domain of the seller to the domain of the buyer in order to refine there new birurim. And through this is the main element of its ascent from galus, when it finishes refining.

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 the tikkun of the sin of the Eigel — which came about through the questions and denials of the Eirev Rav, who are the aspect of Amalaik, as is stated in the Zohar and Midrashim, that they were intermingled from Amailaikim, etc. — the main tikkun was through the Mishkan that Mosheh made, as Chazal said. For the Mishkan, the aspect of the Beis HaMikdash, was built and made with partitions and boundaries and holy vessels such as these, that were drawn from the k'dushah of the Da'as mentioned above — of the aspect of the aforementioned freedom [chairus].

And the main partitions are made from the aspect of "s'yag lachochmah sh'sikah" ["A fence for wisdom is silence"], as above. For within these holy partitions and boundaries, the aforementioned Da'as is drawn. All of this is the aspect of the tikkun of the aforementioned questions and denials, which are the aspect of the sin of the Eigel, as above.

And this is the aspect of Parashas Sh'kalim that is read before Purim — in order to subdue Haman-Amalaik, who is the aspect of the aforementioned Eirev Rav. And therefore they are called "sh'kalim" — the aspect of mishkal [weight/measure]. For one must be careful to draw this Da'as in measure and in weight, and to be silent in the place where one needs to be silent — the aspect of "va'asu s'yag laTorah," as above. Through which is the main building of the Mishkan, as above.

And this is the aspect of: "He'ashir lo yarbeh v'hadal lo yam'it" ["The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less"] (Sh'mos 30:15). This alludes to the aspect of the aforementioned Da'as — of the son and the student, who are the aspect of the dwellers above and the dwellers below. That one must illuminate in the dwellers above the aspect of "mah" [what], etc. And in the dwellers below the aspect of "m'lo chol ha'aretz k'vodo" ["the whole earth is full of His glory"]. And this is the aspect of: "He'ashir lo yarbeh" — "the rich" are the aspect of those who are elevated in rank; "lo yarbeh" — for one must be careful that he should not err that he already has a great share in this Da'as, for one must show him that he still does not know at all — the aspect of "meh chamis," etc. ["What did you see?"].

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 conversely: "Hadal lo yam'it" — "the poor," the aspect of those who are small in rank; "lo yam'it" — as if his share is small and meager in the building of this Da'as, which is the aspect of the building of the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash. For on the contrary, Hashem Yisbarach dwells with the lowly and the poor specifically, as it is written: "Eshkon es daka" ["I dwell with the crushed"] — "ki m'lo chol ha'aretz k'vodo," etc. For in every level and in every aspect there is the aspect of the dwellers above and the dwellers below, etc. — which are the aspect of the son and the student, etc. And therefore the rich and the poor are in the aspect of the dwellers above and the dwellers below. For the wealth and the abundance is drawn from the Da'as of the son and the student, etc. And see in Hilchos Shabbos, Halachah 3, §9, where something similar is explained on the verse "He'ashir lo yarbeh v'hadal," etc., as above.

And this is the aspect of the counting of Yisroel, that they were commanded to count them through the sh'kalim, as it is written: "Ki sisa es rosh b'nai Yisroel lifkudaihem," etc. ["When you take the count of the children of Yisroel according to their numbers"] (Sh'mos 30:12). For the counting is in order to join them and to connect them and to include them together — all six hundred thousand nefashos of Yisroel — so that they should illuminate in one another the aforementioned Da'as and receive from one another. For this Da'as is very lofty and exalted — which is to know and to recognize the Creator, the singular Primordial One, Yisbarach v'Yis'aleh, in the ultimate completeness of emunah.

And each member of Yisroel has a share in this holy Da'as. And each one needs to receive from his fellow and to illuminate in his fellow — according to what illumination is drawn upon him from his Rebbe, the aspect of Mosheh. And as is understood and explained in the aforementioned Torah.

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 therefore one must count them and include them and join them together. But through the counting, chas v'shalom, the plague can take hold, chas v'shalom. For the Adversary will want to provoke them, chas v'shalom — to breach the boundary, that each one will want to enter the boundary of his fellow in what does not pertain to him. And through this he could enter into questions that according to his understanding are difficult for him to resolve, etc., as above.

Therefore, just as each one needs to receive from his fellow and to illuminate in his fellow the illumination of this Da'as, as above — likewise he needs to be careful to stand in his place and not to breach the boundary. And as is explained above — that this is the aspect of "va'asu s'yag laTorah," the aspect of "s'yag lachochmah sh'sikah," which applies in every aspect and in every level.

For just as the true tzaddik — who is the Rebbe and the Chacham, through whom all the Da'as is drawn — needs to be careful to make the "fence for Torah" through silence, so as not to enter into the Makifim [surrounding lights] that one does not need to grasp, etc., as above — likewise each and every person, according to what he receives of this Da'as, needs to be careful for his own nefesh not to rush and not to be hasty to ask questions that are not fitting for him — so that his da'as should not become completely confused.

And likewise when one speaks with one's fellow about yiras Shamayim, to introduce this Da'as into one's fellow and to receive from him — in the aspect of "umekablin dein min dein" ["and they receive one from another"], as is explained there — one needs to be very careful also to draw the aforementioned partition of silence, not to breach the boundary, chas v'shalom, and not to gaze upon one's fellow excessively, and also not to receive from one's fellow excessively what is not fitting for him according to his level.

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.