חזקת קרקעות ד

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman

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.