עדות ד

Based on the Torah "Ki Saitzai LaMilchamah" [When you go out to war] in Likutay Tinyana at its end, Siman 82; see there from beginning to end. And the general principle is that one must include the aspect of shelo ka'seder [not in order] within the aspect of ka'seder [in order], which is the aspect of mah [what — i.e. self-nullification], from where the essential life-force derives, in the aspect of "what are our lives, what is our strength" etc. And when a person sees that things are going for him shelo ka'seder, he should know that he has gadlus [inflated ego], which is the aspect of "I shall reign" [ana emloch], which separates the aspect of Malchus [kingship] for himself etc. Therefore he should do t'shuvah and humble himself and be in the aspect of mah etc.

And the essential t'shuvah is accomplished in the month of Elul, when Moshe made a derech k'vushah [a beaten path] to travel upon — a path of t'shuvah. And the path of t'shuvah that Moshe made in Elul was through binding himself with all the levels and revealing and making known that Hashem Yisborach is in every place, in all the levels that exist in the world, in the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there" (Psalms 139:8). For even in the eser kisrin d'mesaavusa [ten crowns of impurity], even there Hashem Yisborach is found, in the aspect of "and His sovereignty rules over all" etc. And this is the aspect of the chirik [the lower vowel-point], in the aspect of "and through the chirik, to reign over the lower ones" etc. And likewise in every ascent upon ascent, he found Hashem Yisborach there. For sometimes, from the abundance of good that is given to a person, he becomes distant etc. But Moshe Rabbeinu revealed that even there Hashem Yisborach is found etc. And this is the aspect of the segol [the upper vowel-point] etc.; see all of this there well.

Tifeelu liMoashe eesh hu-Eloaheem, Adoanuy mu-oan attu hu-yeesu lunoo bi-dohr vudohr.

And this is the aspect of testimony through two, and "two are like a hundred" [tray k'me'ah]. For the witnesses come to reveal the truth, and the essential truth is through the aforementioned aspect — through nullifying oneself in the aspect of mah, until shelo ka'seder is included in ka'seder. For falsehood, which is the opposite of truth, has its essential hold from the aspect of shelo ka'seder. For truth is the aspect of ka'seder, and falsehood is the aspect of shelo ka'seder. For truth is when one says about each thing as it is — for instance, about silver, "silver," and about copper, "copper" etc. — which is the aspect of ka'seder, that one states the truth according to the order of Creation of these things. But falsehood is the aspect of shelo ka'seder, that one wishes to change the order of Creation and says about silver that it is copper, or the reverse. And likewise every falsehood that one speaks — it is all the aspect of shelo ka'seder, that he changes the true order of that object or matter and states it not according to the order of the event that occurred.

A prayer of Moses, the man of G-d. O Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation.

Biterem hureem yooludoo vatichoalail eretz visaivail oomai-oalum ad oalum attu ail.

It emerges that falsehood is the aspect of shelo ka'seder. And therefore the essential nullification of falsehood is through the aspect of the path of t'shuvah that Moshe made in Elul — which is to include the lower point in the upper point, through which shelo ka'seder is included in ka'seder etc., as above. For this is the essential completeness of truth: when the truth is complete from beginning to end, from the peak of all levels to the end of all levels. For emes [truth] is beginning, middle, and end, as is brought: for the alef is the first of all the letters, and the tav is the last of all the letters, and the mem is in the middle, as is brought. That is, the essential truth is when it is truth from beginning to end, as above.

For the alef, which is the first of all the letters — this is the aspect of alef-bais, ka'seder. And the tav, which is the last of all the letters — this is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf, shelo ka'seder, as is written at the beginning of the aforementioned Torah: that the aspect of ka'seder is the aspect of alef-bais, and the aspect of shelo ka'seder is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf [i.e. the reverse alphabet]. That is, the alef of emes is the aspect of alef-bais ka'seder, the aspect of the upper point. And the tav of emes — this is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf shelo ka'seder, the aspect of the lower point. And the mem of emes, which is in the middle — this is the aspect of that which connects and includes the lower point in the upper point, to include shelo ka'seder in ka'seder. And this is the essential completeness and life-force and rectification of all Creation, as is understood from the aforementioned Torah.

Before the mountains came into being, before You brought forth the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity You are G-d.

For the mem is the aspect of the forty days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom HaKippurim. In these forty days Moshe ascended on high and made the beaten path for the aforementioned t'shuvah — which is to include the lower point in the upper point, to include shelo ka'seder in ka'seder, to include the tav — the aspect of the end, the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf shelo ka'seder — in the aspect of the alef, which is the beginning, the aspect of alef-bais ka'seder. So that everything is included together through the mem that is in the middle, and then the aspect of emes [truth] is completed — which is the essential rectification of the world. For with it the Holy One, Blessed be He, sealed His world, as it is written: "B'reishis bara Elokim" — the final letters spell emes, as is brought. For the essential truth is when it is truth from beginning to end: that in every level in the world one finds Hashem Yisborach, Who is truth itself — whether in ascent or in descent — and one does not overturn the truth shelo ka'seder, whether on account of the ascent or on account of the descent.

3 תָּשֵׁב אֱנוֹשׁ עַד-דַּכָּא וַתֹּאמֶר שׁוּבוּ בְנֵי-אָדָם For sometimes a person, on account of his ascent — in wealth, or in wisdom, being an outstanding scholar of Torah — through this turns from the truth and overturns it from its true order, and disputes true tzadikim and G-d-fearing people, because he says arguments that are the opposite of the actual truth. For there is no end to the empty words one can say about anything to overturn it from the truth, and it is impossible to explain and refute all the errors and all the reverse arguments. Rather, the truth testifies for itself, and whoever has a Jewish heart and nullifies himself in the aspect of mah and desires the actual truth and does not wish to deceive himself — he can know and understand the truth well.

Tushaiv enoash ad daku vatoamehr shoovoo vinay udum. And likewise, sometimes on account of a great descent — that he fell and descended into the exile of desires greatly, each person according to his descent — until on account of this his spirits fall, as if hope is lost, until the Ba'al Davar [Adversary] wants to make him despair of mercy, chas v'sholom, and it seems to him that in truth his hope has already been lost, chas v'sholom. And all of this is because he overturns the truth shelo ka'seder. For in truth, the actual truth is not so. For Hashem Yisborach has already revealed to us His abundant mercies that do not cease, through Moshe Rabbeinu and through the true tzadikim who followed him, who revealed that Hashem Yisborach is in every place — as is explained in this Torah: that Moshe Rabbeinu revealed that even in the eser kisrin d'mesaavusa, which is the totality of all the impurities in the world, Rachmana litzlan, even there Hashem Yisborach is found, as above. Therefore the essential completeness of truth is when it is truth in every level, from beginning to end, as above.

You return man to dust; You decreed, “Return you mortals!” It emerges that the essential truth is when the lower point is included in the upper point etc., as above. And this is the aspect of two testimonies. For when two align their testimony, this is the aspect of the two points being included together. For wherever there are two of Yisroel, the aspect of the two aforementioned points shines in them. For certainly no two people are equal, and certainly one is greater than the other — as is written in the Mishnah regarding two witnesses: "They bring in the greater one first" etc. (and as is brought above on this topic). And wherever there is a greater and a lesser, they are drawn in their root from the aspect of the two aforementioned points, which are the upper point and the lower point.

And when these two are included together and state their testimony equally, the Torah trusts them like a hundred. For certainly their words are truth, since the essential truth comes only through this — through the two points being included together. And this is the aspect of two witnesses who align their words: both of them say the same thing, which is the aspect of the two points being included together — and this is the essential truth, as above.

Key elef shuneem bi-ainechu ki-yoam esmoal key yaavor vi-ashmooru valuylu. And this is: "By the mouth of two witnesses etc., a matter [davar] shall be established [yakum]" — "yakum davar," specifically. For davar [word/matter] is the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of Chavah, which is the aspect of dibur [speech], which is the aspect of Malchus Peh [Kingship = the Mouth]. From there the aspect of shelo ka'seder is drawn when one separates, chas v'sholom, the Malchus for oneself, as is written there.

For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that has passed, like a watch of the night.

And the essential rectification is to raise and establish the dibur — the aspect of Chavah, the aspect of Malchus — to its root, to the aspect of ka'seder. And this is accomplished through the two witnesses who testify truthful testimony, as above. And this is: "By the mouth of two witnesses etc., yakum davar" — that they establish and raise the aspect of davar, the aspect of Malchus Peh, the aspect of shelo ka'seder, to its root, to the aspect of ka'seder — through revealing the truth between the litigants, as above.

5 זְרַמְתָּם שֵׁנָה יִהְיוּ בַּבֹּקֶר כֶּחָצִיר יַחֲלֹף And this is the aspect of the great virtue of peace and the repugnance of machlokes [dispute], as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Dispute is despised, and peace is great." For the more that several people of Yisroel are included together in peace and love, the more the aforementioned points are included together, and the more shelo ka'seder is included in ka'seder — which is the essential rectification of all the worlds, which were created for this purpose, as is understood by the discerning from the aforementioned Torah.

Ziramtum shainu yeehi-yoo baboakehr kechutzeer yachaloaf. And therefore Moshe Rabbeinu, each time there was machlokes against him and against Aharon, said: "And we — what [mah] are we?" (Exodus 16:7). And likewise: "And Aharon — what is he, that you complain against him?" (Numbers 16:11). For the essential rectification is through the aspect of mah. For all those who dispute and fight against him are from the aspect of shelo ka'seder, who wish to overturn the truth from its true order, as above. And therefore the rectification for this is the aspect of mah: one must nullify oneself in the aspect of mah, and through this everything will be included in the aspect of ka'seder, and the aspect of shelo ka'seder will be nullified, as above. And through this all the enemies and disputants who draw sustenance from there — from the aspect of shelo ka'seder — will fall and be nullified. For everything is nullified through the aspect of mah, which is the aspect of ka'seder, as above.

You engulf men in sleep; at daybreak they are like grass that renews itself;

And this is the aspect of the immersion of the mikveh. For all impurities are drawn from the aspect of shelo ka'seder, which is the aspect of dinim [judgments], from where the Sitra Achara draws sustenance, and from where all impurities derive. And when one wishes to purify oneself, one must nullify oneself in the aspect of mah and be included in the aspect of ka'seder. And this is through the immersion of the mikveh. For the measure of forty se'ah corresponds to the forty days in which Moshe ascended and made the beaten path for the aforementioned t'shuvah, through which everything is included in the aspect of ka'seder.

And therefore, through entering the waters of the mikveh of forty se'ah — the aspect of the aforementioned mem [forty] — and being concealed and covered there within the water and being nullified there, through this one is included in the aspect of mah, in the aspect of ka'seder. Through this all the impurities that are drawn from the aspect of shelo ka'seder are nullified, and one ascends from impurity to purity, for one is included in the aspect of ka'seder, as above. And see in the Kavanos [mystical intentions of the Arizal], where it is explained that the forty se'ah of the mikveh correspond to the forty days that Moshe ascended.

6 בַּבֹּקֶר יָצִיץ וְחָלָף לָעֶרֶב יְמוֹלֵל וְיָבֵשׁ And this is the aspect of: "And I call to witness against them the heavens and the earth" (Deuteronomy 4:26). For heaven and earth are the aspect of the upper point and the lower point, which are the aspect of two witnesses, as above. And in it is the matter of Rosh HaShanah. And this is the aspect of Rosh HaShanah and Yom HaKippurim, which are the Ten Days of Repentance, corresponding to the aspect of the yud mentioned above, which is made through including shelo ka'seder in ka'seder, as is explained there in the aforementioned Torah. For on Rosh HaShanah the world was created, and the entire world was created only in order to reveal Malchus through the person. And therefore the entire service on Rosh HaShanah is to include shelo ka'seder in ka'seder — which is the aspect of the sweetening of the judgments that one is occupied with most on Rosh HaShanah, which is the Day of Judgment. For all the judgments are from the aspect of shelo ka'seder, which is the aspect of dinim. For the general Creation of the world is in the aspect of shelo ka'seder relative to Hashem Yisborach, in the aspect of "In Tishrei the world was created" (Rosh HaShanah 10b). Tishrei is the aspect of tav-shin-reish-kuf — shelo ka'seder. For certainly the physicality of the world is the aspect of shelo ka'seder relative to His Wisdom, Yisborach, which is the aspect of Chochmah — koach mah [the power of "what"]. For certainly physicality is the opposite — that is, the aspect of shelo ka'seder relative to the aspect of mah. But in truth, these are His mighty acts and awesome deeds — that He created something from absolute nothingness. And it was all in order to reveal His sovereignty. Through this, specifically — through the person believing in the truth and nullifying himself, together with the entire world that depends upon him, in the aspect of mah, and constantly connecting His G-dliness in his thought in the aspect of chashov — mah [think — what], as is written there at the end of the aforementioned Torah — through this one returns the aspect of shelo ka'seder, which is the aspect of the totality of the world, to be included in the aspect of ka'seder. And this is the essential completeness and fulfillment and sustaining of the world, in the aspect of "To Hashem is the earth and its fullness" (Psalms 24:1), as is written there. And this is all our service on Rosh HaShanah, when the world was created — which is the aspect of shelo ka'seder, as above, which is the aspect of dinim, as above. For then we are occupied with publicizing His sovereignty, which rules over all — that is, that the entire world, which is the aspect of shelo ka'seder, is entirely included in Him, Yisborach, which is the aspect of ka'seder. For we do not separate, chas v'sholom, the aspect of Malchus for ourselves, Heaven forbid. Rather, we acknowledge and make known that "His sovereignty rules over all" — that He, Yisborach, reigns and rules over all, from the height of all levels to the end of all levels, to the very lowest level. For even in the eser kisrin d'mesaavusa, His sovereignty rules, Yisborach. And therefore we say in all the blessings on Rosh HaShanah: "King over all the earth" etc. And likewise: "Reign over the entire world in its totality" etc. For this is the essential service of Rosh HaShanah — to reveal His sovereignty, which rules over all, in the aspect of "To Hashem is the earth and its fullness," which we say at the entrance of Rosh HaShanah. For through this, the aspect of shelo ka'seder — which is the totality of the world — returns to be included in the aspect of ka'seder. And through this is the essential sweetening of the judgments that are held in the aspect of shelo ka'seder, as above. And this is the aspect of: "I call to witness against you today the heavens and the earth" (Deuteronomy 30:19), [the portion] that we always read close to Rosh HaShanah. For specifically two witnesses are needed to reveal the truth from amidst the falsehood, and they are the aspect of heaven and earth — which is the aspect of above and below, the lower point and the upper point, in the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there." For the totality of the Torah is emunah [faith], as it is written: "All Your mitzvos are faith" (Psalms 119:86). And as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Chavakuk came and established them upon one — which is faith" (Makkos 24a). And the essential emunah, which depends upon truth, as is written elsewhere — is in the two aforementioned aspects. That is, one must believe in Hashem Yisborach, that He is the Singular Primordial One — He was, He is, and He will be. And just as one must believe in His existence, Yisborach, so too one must believe that He is the Creator, the Former, the Governor — King, Ruler, and Sovereign — and He oversees everything from beginning to end. For when one does not believe, chas v'sholom, that He, Yisborach, rules over all perpetually and that "His sovereignty rules over all," he is a denier who "cuts the plantings." And therefore the essential emunah is in the aspect of: "And you shall know today and return it to your heart, that Hashem is G-d in the heavens above and upon the earth below — there is nothing else" (Deuteronomy 4:39). For one must crown Him above and below, in the heavens above and upon the earth below, to believe that "His sovereignty rules over all." And this itself is the aspect of "Hashem is G-d" [Hashem hu HaElokim] — for Hashem [the Tetragrammaton] is the aspect of mah, for Havayah filled with alefs is numerically mah, as above. And Elokim is the aspect of Malchus, as it is written: "And G-d is my King from of old" (Psalms 74:12). That is, to unify the aspect of Malchus — the aspect of shelo ka'seder — in the aspect of mah, through knowing and believing that "His sovereignty rules over all," as above. And therefore the entire Torah is called aidus [testimony], as it is written: "And He established a testimony in Yaakov" (Psalms 78:5). The aspect of the two Luchos HaAidus [Tablets of Testimony] — "two," specifically, for specifically two witnesses are needed, as above. And therefore the two Luchos HaAidus were given on Yom HaKippurim, which is the completion of the aforementioned forty days, in which Moshe ascended and made the beaten path for t'shuvah — which is in the two aforementioned aspects, in the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there" — which are the aspect of two witnesses, the aspect of heaven and earth, above and below, who reveal the truth, which is the aspect of beginning, middle, and end. For this is the essential t'shuvah: when one knows and believes that Hashem Yisborach is found with him always, at every time and in every place where he is, as it is written: "In all the places of His dominion" (Psalms 103:22). And through this he will merit to travel upon the path of t'shuvah that Moshe made. For the essential power of the yetzer hara and the Sitra Achara — all their power comes through the falsehood, which is the evil, which is the impurity, as is written in the Torah "Amar Rabbi Akiva" (Siman 51). For first it causes the person to sin through its lies, misleading him through many types of deceptions. And afterward, when it comes to his mind to return, it weakens his resolve and implants in his heart that Hashem Yisborach has already departed from him, and he is so distant that it is impossible for him to return. But in truth it is the opposite — for in truth "His sovereignty rules over all," even in the eser kisrin d'mesaavusa. And as it is written: "Who dwells with them amidst their impurities" (Leviticus 16:16). And as Rashi explains: even when they are impure, the Sh'chinah is with them. And therefore one must know that this is the essential path of t'shuvah that Moshe made in Elul. And the true tzadikim and those who follow them draw this path in every single year. And the essential thing is that they know and make known, in many languages and warnings and proclamations without number, that Hashem Yisborach is still with us — with each and every one, even with the worst sinner in the entire world. For "His sovereignty rules over all," in the aspect of "and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there." And as long as a person turns this over in his mind and heart and truly implants this in his heart, in the aspect of "And you shall know today and return it to your heart, that Hashem is G-d in the heavens above and upon the earth below" etc., as above — then certainly he has great hope all the days of his life to merit the path of t'shuvah in truth. For this is the essential path of t'shuvah that Moshe and the tzadikim who followed him made, as above, in the aspect of: "Who makes a path in the sea and a trail in mighty waters" (Isaiah 43:16). For this verse is the secret of the kavanos [mystical intentions] of Elul, as is brought. And the simple intention that emerges from this for all simple people is that Hashem Yisborach, in His mercy, has made known to us through His true tzadikim that "He makes a path in the sea" etc. That is, even within the depths of the very great seas that sweep over the person like the roaring waves of the sea itself, in the aspect of "all Your breakers and waves have passed over me" (Psalms 42:8), in the aspect of "and You cast me into the depths, into the heart of the seas" (Jonah 2:4), in the aspect of "You placed me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the depths" (Psalms 88:7) — and likewise in many verses — all the more so, as a person knows within himself what he has gone through and to where he has descended and been cast through his deeds. Nevertheless, even there, there is always a path and a trail to return to Him, Yisborach. And the essential path is made through the aforementioned aspect — through knowing and believing that "His sovereignty rules over all," as above — in the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there." And this is the secret of the intention of Elul, the aspect of the aforementioned path that every person can merit, in whatever place he is — especially in Elul — if he believes in all of this in truth and in simplicity, as above. And this is: "The testimony of Hashem is trustworthy; it makes the simple wise" (Psalms 19:8). That is, one who takes to heart that aidus Hashem — which is the Torah — is trustworthy, that certainly all its words are trustworthy — through this "it makes the simple wise." Through this, certainly the simpleton will become wise — the one who sinned and blemished and was enticed after the desires of this world and was led astray to wherever he was led astray. He can certainly become wise to return to the truth from wherever he is, through believing in aidus Hashem, which is the Torah, that was given on the two Luchos HaAidus on Yom Kippur, when the path for t'shuvah that Moshe made was completed. For it makes known and testifies that "His sovereignty rules over all," in the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens" etc. "and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there" — which is the aspect of two witnesses who reveal the truth, which is the aspect of the Torah, the aspect of the two Luchos HaAidus, as above. And through this the Torah, which is aidus Hashem — trustworthy — "makes the simple wise." For all the simpletons in the world — those who are enticed after their inclination, chas v'sholom — can become wise, through taking to heart at every moment that Hashem is still with them, and certainly there is for them a path and a trail to return to the truth even now. For the path that Moshe made, in the aspect of "Who makes a path in the sea," is a true path and thoroughfare and trail for them as well — provided that they believe in the testimony of the Torah that testifies to all of this, which certainly possesses trustworthiness, in the aspect of "the testimony of Hashem is trustworthy," as above. And this is the aspect of: "And I shall take for Myself trustworthy witnesses — Uriyah and Zecharyah" etc. (Isaiah 8:2). And our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Uriyah is a sign for Zecharyah" (Makkos 24b). For Uriyah prophesied and testified about the destruction, and Zecharyah about the Redemption and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. And when you see that the prophecy of Uriyah has been fulfilled — that the Beis HaMikdash has been destroyed — believe and anticipate that the testimony and prophecies of Zecharyah will be fulfilled: that the Beis HaMikdash will return and be rebuilt. And this is a hint for every person in every place where he is. For each person of Yisroel, according to his deeds, experiences the aspect of exile and the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash — that is, the exile of the soul through evil deeds, chas v'sholom, which is the aspect of the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash. For "whoever lacks knowledge, it is as if the Beis HaMikdash has been destroyed in his days" (Sanhedrin 92a). And conversely, to the degree that he rectifies his deeds and merits t'shuvah, so does the aspect of the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash illuminate upon him — the aspect of the redemption of the soul, which is the essential Redemption, in the aspect of "Draw near to my soul and redeem it" (Psalms 69:19), as is brought in the name of the Ba'al Shem Tov, zaicher tzadik v'kadosh livrachah. And as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: "Whoever possesses knowledge, it is as if the Beis HaMikdash has been built in his days." And therefore, when a person sees the length of the exile of his soul and its destruction — until the end of the redemption of his soul is concealed from him, just as the end of the Redemption of the Jewish people as a whole is concealed, in the aspect of "the end of wonders" (Daniel 12:6), as the prophet cries out: "Until when, the end of wonders?" — nevertheless, he must take to heart all of the above: that certainly Hashem Yisborach is with him even now, in the aspect of "and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there." And through this, certainly the redemption of the soul will come — which is the aspect of the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. For one must know and believe that just as one can damage, so can one repair — as our Master, Teacher and Rebbe, of blessed memory, said, as is written elsewhere. And on the contrary, "the measure of good is greater" (Sotah 11a). For ultimately, certainly we will return to Hashem and the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt, as many prophets and tzadikim have promised us, as it is written: "Afterward the Children of Yisroel will return" etc. (Hosea 3:5). And it is written: "And I will cause you to walk in My statutes" etc. "and I will remove the heart of stone" etc. (Ezekiel 36:26–27). And likewise in many verses — all the more so, the abundance of assurances and promises that the true tzadikim have warned us: that there is no despair in the world at all. And as it is written: "It is good to wait silently for the salvation of Hashem" etc. (Lamentations 3:26). And the essential thing is that one believe in the trustworthy witnesses — who are the prophets and true tzadikim who strengthen and encourage us about all of this. They are the aspect of the aforementioned trustworthy witnesses, the aspect of Uriyah and Zecharyah. Just as the words of Uriyah were fulfilled and the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, so certainly the words of Zecharyah will be fulfilled and the Beis HaMikdash will return and be rebuilt. And likewise with every person: just as he can cause through his deeds the delay of the building of the Beis HaMikdash — and it is reckoned as if he destroyed it — so certainly there is hope that he will return and rebuild it through the rectification of his deeds. For certainly, ultimately, everything will be rectified, and his soul too will be rectified, and he will return to Hashem, and He will have mercy upon him. And the essential thing is through the aspect of aidus Hashem ne'emanah, as above — the aspect of two trustworthy witnesses, which are the aspect of the two aforementioned points, the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens" and "if I make my bed in the abyss" — which is the essential truth that shines from beginning to end. One must take to heart the point of truth always, every day and at every time and every hour, in every place where he is, as above. And this is: "Your testimonies are exceedingly trustworthy; holiness befits Your House, Hashem, for length of days" (Psalms 93:5). And as Rashi explains, and this is his language: "Your testimonies" — which Your prophets testified and promised, regarding Your House, that holiness befits it — "are exceedingly trustworthy regarding Your House," and "for length of days" — He awaits them. And even though the days have been long, they are exceedingly trustworthy to Hashem. End of Rashi's language. And this is "Your testimonies" — "Your testimonies," specifically — the aspect of the two aforementioned trustworthy witnesses, the aspect of aidus Hashem ne'emanah, who strengthen and encourage Yisroel to hope and anticipate salvation always. For "His sovereignty rules over all" etc. etc., as above. These testimonies "are exceedingly trustworthy regarding Your House, where holiness befits" — which is the Beis HaMikdash, which will certainly be rebuilt, even though the days grow long, as above. And likewise certainly the da'as [knowledge] will return to each person of Yisroel who believes in this and anticipates salvation always — which is the aspect of the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash, as above. Also, "Hashem, for length of days" alludes to Rosh HaShanah, which is called orech yamim [length of days], in the aspect of the two days of Rosh HaShanah, which are k'yoma arichta ninhu [like one long day] (as our Master, Teacher and Rebbe, of blessed memory, said in the Torah "Teekoo Memshalah" in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 1). For all of the above is rectified the most on Rosh HaShanah, when the world was created — which was Adam and Chavah — and they needed to return and include shelo ka'seder in ka'seder, through which everything would have been rectified (and see about this in our words in Hilchos N'tilas Yadayim Shacharis, Halachah 3; see there). But they sinned then, and everything was blemished and damaged, and everything became shelo ka'seder. But Hashem Yisborach had mercy upon them and showed the way to t'shuvah to Adam on that very day, and the rectification began. But the essential rectification requires Yisroel to be occupied with it each year from Rosh HaShanah until Sh'mini Atzeres, as is brought. For on Rosh HaShanah the true tzadikim exert themselves to draw down the aforementioned path of t'shuvah that Moshe made, as above. "Your testimonies are exceedingly trustworthy" etc. — the aspect of the truthful testimony of the Torah, which is the aspect of the aforementioned path of t'shuvah, as above. This true testimony — the aspect of the aforementioned path of t'shuvah — is revealed and illuminates the most on Rosh HaShanah, in the aspect of "Hashem, for length of days" — which is Rosh HaShanah, which is yoma arichta [the long day]. For then the tzadikim are occupied with sweetening the judgments that are held in the aspect of shelo ka'seder, and including everything in the aspect of ka'seder. And all of this is through the aforementioned path of t'shuvah, which begins to illuminate the most on Rosh HaShanah, which is the first of the Ten Days of Repentance, when the tzadikim strive to reveal the aforementioned path in the world, through which everything will be rectified, as above. And this is the aspect of Rosh HaShanah being on Rosh Chodesh. For it is known that Rosh HaShanah and Rosh Chodesh are the aspect of the sun and the moon. For years are counted by the sun and months by the moon, as is brought. And the sun and the moon are the aspect of ka'seder and shelo ka'seder. For "the sun knows its setting" (Psalms 104:19) — this is the aspect of ka'seder, that its course is in order. But "the moon does not know its setting" — for sometimes it comes at length and sometimes it comes in brevity, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said. This is the aspect of shelo ka'seder. And all our service constantly is to fill the blemish of the moon, as is known. This was caused through the complaint of the moon, which said: "It is impossible for two kings to use one crown" (Chullin 60b). This is the aspect of the moon — the aspect of shelo ka'seder — not wanting to be included in the sun in one crown, and wanting to reign by itself, in the aspect of "ana emloch" [I shall reign]. And through this it was diminished, in the aspect of "I shall reign" [ana emloch]. And through this it was diminished and blemished, and everything became shelo ka'seder. For when the aspect of the moon — the aspect of Malchus — is separated from the aspect of the sun, which is the aspect of ka'seder, then everything becomes shelo ka'seder, as above. And we must rectify this. And this is the secret of Kiddush HaChodesh [the sanctification of the new month]: to fill the blemish of the moon, so that shelo ka'seder is included in ka'seder, which is the rectification of everything. And the essential rectification is accomplished on Rosh HaShanah, when both are included together — Rosh HaShanah and Rosh Chodesh — which are the aspect of the sun and the moon, the aspect of ka'seder and shelo ka'seder being included together, which is the essential rectification. And this is needed the most on Rosh HaShanah, when the world was created etc., as above. And therefore Rosh HaShanah falls on Rosh Chodesh, as above. And therefore Kiddush HaChodesh was through specifically two witnesses. And all the laws of Kiddush HaChodesh based on witnesses were arranged for us by our Sages, of blessed memory, in Maseches Rosh HaShanah — and all of this with precise intention, certainly — to indicate that the entire secret of Kiddush HaChodesh through two trustworthy witnesses has its essential foundation on Rosh HaShanah, when Rosh HaShanah and Rosh Chodesh are included together — which are the aspect of the sun and the moon together, as above. And this is the aspect of: "Blow the shofar at the month's [renewal], at the concealment, for the day of our festival" (Psalms 81:4) — which is Rosh HaShanah, which is a festival when the moon is concealed, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said. For Rosh HaShanah is established on Rosh Chodesh, when the moon is concealed — for it is then at its ultimate diminishment, and then it begins to be filled. All of which alludes to the essential rectification: to include shelo ka'seder in ka'seder — which is accomplished specifically through reaching the ultimate diminishment, that is, through diminishing and making oneself small and shattering the ego utterly. And through this one is included in the aspect of ka'seder. And this rectification is accomplished essentially on Rosh HaShanah, as above. And this is: "For it is a statute for Yisroel, a judgment for the G-d of Yaakov" (Psalms 81:5). For then, on Rosh HaShanah, all who enter the world must be judged. And the essential judgment is to rectify all the aspects of shelo ka'seder that result from all the corruptions and injustices done in the world — all of which are the aspect of shelo ka'seder, for they are not conducted according to the proper order. Through this the world is conducted shelo ka'seder. And on Rosh HaShanah, all of this is judged, in order that everything return ka'seder. And therefore, immediately adjacent is: "A testimony upon Yehosef He placed it" etc. (Psalms 81:6). Yosef alludes to the Jewish people as a whole, who are called by the name of Yosef, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, and as is brought in Rashi's commentary. For Rosh HaShanah is the aspect of "a testimony upon Yehosef" — who are the Jewish people as a whole — the aspect of aidus Hashem ne'emanah, as above, the aspect of "Your testimonies are exceedingly trustworthy" — that certainly everything will be rectified soon, through the aforementioned path of t'shuvah that Moshe made, with which the true tzadikim are occupied: striving to reveal it on Rosh HaShanah, as above. And this is what Dovid cried out: "Do not deliver me to the desire of my tormentors, for false witnesses have risen against me, breathing violence" etc. (Psalms 27:12). For the yetzer hara and its forces are the aspect of false witnesses. For all their power comes through the falsehood, which is the evil etc., as above. And they are the opposite of the two aforementioned trustworthy witnesses, which are the aspect of the totality of the Torah, the aspect of the two Luchos HaAidus — which remind and encourage the person each time not to despair of mercy. For it was for this reason that the two Luchos HaAidus were given on Yom Kippur, which is a time of favor, a day of forgiveness and pardon, the final day of the aforementioned forty days that begin from Elul, in which Moshe made the aforementioned path of t'shuvah. And Yom Kippur is the essential completion, in which Hashem Yisborach was reconciled with Moshe in joy and said to him: "I have forgiven" (Numbers 14:20). He agreed with him that the beaten path for the aforementioned t'shuvah would be completed — through which He would forgive Yisroel their sins each year on this day. For this is explained in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory: that Yom Kippur only atones for those who repent. And therefore certainly, since Hashem Yisborach was reconciled with Moshe to forgive on Yom Kippur the sins of Yisroel each year, He must certainly also help Yisroel with this — that they return in t'shuvah, so that He can forgive them. And therefore in truth Yom Kippur helps in all aspects, for it is a day of forgiveness and pardon, and it is the day of completion of the aforementioned forty days in which the aforementioned path for t'shuvah was made. And therefore specifically then the two Luchos HaAidus were given — which are the aspect of two trustworthy witnesses who testify to Yisroel the truth of His goodness and kindness, Yisborach: that He dwells with us always, and His right hand is always extended to help us return and draw us near to Him. Only we must take this to heart and believe in it at every moment, as above. And this is the aspect of the t'rain sahadin [two witnesses] that a person needs each day: on weekdays, milah [circumcision] and t'fillin; and on Shabbos, Shabbos and milah — as is written in the Holy Zohar. That is, the aspect of the two aforementioned trustworthy witnesses. For as long as a person has the two aforementioned witnesses — milah and t'fillin, or Shabbos — they testify and assure him at every moment that His love for us endures, even if we have descended as far as we have descended. For since we still merit these two holy witnesses — that we are sealed with His holy seal upon our bodies with the sign of the holy bris, and we are crowned and adorned with the crown of splendor of the holy t'fillin, and we have the precious gift that was stored away in His treasure-house, and Shabbos is its name. But the Sitra Achara — which is the yetzer hara and its forces — are the aspect of false witnesses, who implant in the person's heart the opposite of all of this. And it is the enticer, it is the misleader, the accuser: first it entices the person with whatever it entices, and afterward it accuses above and below. And just as it accuses and prosecutes above to distance His mercy from Yisroel, chas v'sholom, so too it accuses all the more in the person's heart, as if hope has already been lost, chas v'sholom. But in truth, His mercies, Yisborach, do not cease, as He has promised us countless times without number, as above. And regarding this, Dovid prayed: "Do not deliver me to the desire of my tormentors, for false witnesses have risen against me" — which are the Sitra Achara, which are false witnesses that wish to testify in the person's heart the opposite of the truth that the two trustworthy witnesses testify, in order to distance the person completely, chas v'sholom. And this is: "Had I not believed that I would see the goodness of Hashem" etc. (Psalms 27:13). "Lulay" [had I not] — its letters spell Elul, as is brought — to allude that were it not for the power of the secret of the intentions of Elul, which are the aspect of "If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; and if I make my bed in the abyss, behold, You are there" — which is the aspect of the aforementioned path for t'shuvah, which is the aspect of two trustworthy witnesses, the opposite of the aforementioned false witnesses — were it not for this, the false witnesses would have already risen against me and consumed me, chas v'sholom, as Rashi explains there. But Hashem Yisborach has been our help, for He revealed to us through His true tzadikim the secret of the intention of Elul, which is the aspect of the aforementioned path for t'shuvah — which is the opposite of the aforementioned false witnesses. And through this is all our strengthening, forever, as he concluded there: "Hope in Hashem; be strong and let your heart take courage, and hope in Hashem" (Psalms 27:14). And as Rashi explains there: and if your prayer was not accepted, be strong and take courage and hope again in Hashem. For Hashem is with us always, as above. And therefore we say all of this throughout the entire month of Elul until the completion of the sealing for good, which is Sh'mini Atzeres. This halachah (14 osiyos) applies LM II:82 — "Ki Saitzai LaMilchamah" — to the laws of testimony. The core framework revolves around the polarity of ka'seder (in proper order) and shelo ka'seder (out of order). Truth = ka'seder; falsehood = shelo ka'seder. The word emes itself (alef-mem-tav) encodes this: alef = the beginning = alef-bais ka'seder = the upper point; tav = the end = tav-shin-reish-kuf shelo ka'seder = the lower point; mem = the middle = the 40 days from Rosh Chodesh Elul to Yom Kippur = Moshe's beaten path of t'shuvah that connects the two. Two witnesses embody the two points: every pair has a greater and lesser, an upper and lower. When they align their testimony, the two points are included together — shelo ka'seder is absorbed into ka'seder — and truth is complete from beginning to end. This is why the Torah trusts two like a hundred. This is why "yakum davar" — specifically the davar (= Malchus/speech/Chavah/shelo ka'seder) is raised and established into its root in ka'seder. The halachah extends outward through Rosh HaShanah (Tishrei = tav-shin-reish-kuf = shelo ka'seder; it was created then; the essential service is including the world-as-shelo-ka'seder in ka'seder). Through mikveh (40 se'ah = the 40-day mem). Through peace vs. machlokes. Through sun and moon (ka'seder and shelo ka'seder; Kiddush HaChodesh through two witnesses). Through the daily two witnesses of milah/t'fillin (Shabbos on Shabbos). And profoundly, through the message that Hashem is everywhere — even in the lowest abyss — which is the path of t'shuvah that Moshe carved from Elul through Yom Kippur, giving hope to every soul in every place, forever. Based on Likutay Moharan II:82 — "Ki Saitzai LaMilchamah"