אונאה א

--link-ref: #7a5c2e;

Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat. Based on Likutay Moharan I:51 ("Amar Rabbi Akiva"). Translated from the Hebrew. And this is: "You wept a weeping for nothing; I will establish for you a weeping for generations." "Weeping" specifically — for it is drawn through sheker [falsehood], which damages the sight of the eyes, as above. And therefore one needs to weep over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash [Holy Temple]. And likewise one who wants to return in truth needs to weep over his sins before Hashem Yisbarach and to request from before Him that He should grant him to draw close to Him, Yisbarach, in truth. As it is written (Yirmiyahu 31:8): "Bivchi yavo'u uvisachnunim ovilaim," etc. ["With weeping they shall come and with supplications I shall lead them"]. For "the judgment is not sweetened except at its root." For the root of the weeping came into being immediately after the Creation — for then the hold of sheker [falsehood] immediately came into being, from which weeping is drawn, as above. And this is the aspect of "do not say 'Water! Water!'" — which are the aspect of tears, and which is a warning against sheker. As it concludes there: "dovair sh'karim lo yikon lineged ainai" ["he who speaks lies shall not be established before My eyes"], etc.; see there in the aforementioned Torah. And this is the secret of the weeping of the lower waters — that the lower waters were weeping: "anan ba'inan limihavai kadam Malka" ["we want to be before the King"] — as is explained in the Zohar and Midrashim. For in truth, weeping is the damage of the sight, as above — and this is the aspect of the blemish of the hashgachah [providence], as above. But in truth, this is the main thing — to include "after the Creation" itself in "before the Creation." And the main aspect of "after the Creation" is in a place where His hashgachah is concealed — where there is the main free will. And there specifically one needs to overpower and to know that also in the place of the concealment of His hashgachah — also there, everything is truly conducted through His hashgachah, Yisbarach, alone. And then one elevates "after the Creation" itself into "before the Creation" — that it should be kulo echad ["entirely one"]. For in a place where His hashgachah, Yisbarach, is revealed, there it is already the aspect of kulo echad ["entirely one"] as it was before the Creation. Therefore it is not considered a great achievement there, this inclusion in "one" — since there is no obstacle or concealment there. And the main service of man is to include "after the Creation" itself in "before the Creation." Meaning, to include nature — the concealment of the hashgachah, where is the hold of sheker, which is the aspect of tears — to include everything in "one," as above. For in truth, sheker [falsehood] itself receives its vitality from Hashem Yisbarach — for the sake of free will. For He, Yisbarach, gives life to all. And this is the aspect of tears — which are the damage of the sight, the blemish of the hashgachah. And in truth, these tears are themselves the power of the sight itself. For within the tears the power of sight is clothed. For from there the tears were drawn. And as is explained in the aforementioned discourse from the words of Chazal: "vishavu he'avim achar hageshem" ["and the clouds return after the rain"] (Koheles 12:2) — this is the sight that follows the weeping. It emerges that the sight is clothed within the weeping. And as Rabbainu, zichrono livrachah, wrote (Siman 250) the matter regarding the saying of Chazal: "and He drops two tears into the Great Sea" — see there. And therefore the tears came into being immediately after the Creation. And this is the secret of the weeping of the lower waters. For at first the world was "water within water." And afterward Hashem Yisbarach separated between them. And between the lower waters and the upper waters there is only the slightest distinction, as Chazal said. And the separation of the lower waters from the upper waters — this is the aspect of "after the Creation" that was separated from "before the Creation." For all things that are closer to their root are included more in "one," and they are in the aspect of kulo echad ["entirely one"] — the aspect of "before the Creation" — relative to the things that are below them. And therefore the upper waters and the lower waters are in the aspect of "before the Creation" and "after the Creation." And as soon as there was a separation between them, tears came into being — which is the weeping of the lower waters, as above. For as soon as "after the Creation" was separated from "before the Creation," the hold of sheker immediately came into being, etc., as above — from which come the tears, which are the damage of the sight, the blemish of the hashgachah, as above. But in truth, also there the hashgachah [providence] is clothed, as above. And this is the aspect of the tears themselves — which are portions of the sight and the hashgachah, except that they were separated from their root. Through which the hold of sheker came into being, as above. And this is the aspect of the secret of what is written in the holy Zohar — that the akum draw sustenance from the remainder of the hashgachah, from "behind the shoulder" [acharai kaspa] — as is brought in the aforementioned Torah. Meaning, that the main sustenance of the akum is from the aspect of tears — which are the aspect of portions of the sight and the hashgachah that were severed from their root. And this is the aspect of the "remainder of the hashgachah," as above. And as Rabbainu, zichrono livrachah, wrote in the Torah "to draw complete hashgachah," etc. (Siman 13) — that upon Yisroel His hashgachah, Yisbarach, is drawn in completeness. Meaning, the light of the hashgachah reaches Yisroel and reaches upon them literally — in the aspect of the striking of the light, that the light of the hashgachah touches us literally — until we return and are depicted in His eyes, etc. But upon the akum the light is scattered and separated before it reaches them. And therefore they do not return and become depicted in His eyes, etc.; see there. It emerges that the sustenance of the akum is from the severing of the hashgachah from its root. And this is the aspect of the tears — which are portions of the sight that were severed from the eyes. And from there is the hold of sheker. For the main hold of sheker is from this aspect — because of the severing of the hashgachah. Meaning, that Hashem Yisbarach sometimes conceals His hashgachah, until it is severed from the da'as [knowledge/awareness], to see with the eyes of the intellect His hashgachah in completeness. And there is the main free will. And one who is a bar da'as [a person of understanding] and looks at the emes [truth] knows that everything is from Hashem Yisbarach. And even the akum and the external places where the hashgachah is severed and concealed — also there, everything is conducted only through His concealed hashgachah that is hidden there. And they are the aspect of the tears — where the eyes of His hashgachah are hidden, and from there is their sustenance, as above. And this is the aspect of "bimistarim tivkeh nafshi mipinai gaivah" ["in hidden places my soul weeps because of pride"] — because of the pride of Yisroel that was given to the akum (as Chazal said, Chagigah 5b). For the pride and greatness of Yisroel that was given to the akum through our many sins — this is from the aspect of the concealment of the hashgachah, which is the aspect of tears, as above. For these tears are in truth portions of the hashgachah that are concealed among the nature and the akum. And this is "bimistarim tivkeh nafshi" ["in hidden places my soul weeps"] — "bimistarim" ["in hidden places"] specifically, as above. For from there is the sustenance of the akum, as above. And this is the aspect of the tears of Eisav the wicked — from which is the main lengthening of the galus [exile]. For their sustenance is only from the aspect of tears — which is the aspect of the concealment of the hashgachah, as above. But we, the children of Yisroel, believe that also in the intensity of the galus and the dominion of the akum — also there, His hashgachah, Yisbarach, is concealed. For the tears themselves — from which is their sustenance — these tears themselves are the aspect of the portions of the hashgachah that is concealed there, as above. And through the fact that we believe that also the concealment of the hashgachah is His hashgachah, Yisbarach — through this we include "after the Creation" in "before the Creation." And this is the main tachlis [purpose], as above. And therefore one needs to weep specifically over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash and likewise over his sins. For "the judgment is not sweetened except at its root." For the weeping of Yisroel is the aspect of the weeping of the lower waters — that weep "anan ba'inan limihavai kadam Malka" ["we want to be before the King"]. And this is the main weeping of Yisroel — who weep over their sins and transgressions that caused the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, or the delay of its rebuilding. And we are far from our Father in Heaven, and from His land we have gone out. And therefore we weep like a son before his father — for "anan ba'inan limihavai kadam Malka" — to draw close to Him in truth. And through this weeping one elevates all the tears — which are in the aspect of "after the Creation," the aspect of the concealment of the hashgachah — one elevates everything to its root, to the aspect of the hashgachah, which is the aspect of kulo echad ["entirely one"]. For from there is the root of the tears. Since one weeps to draw close to Him, Yisbarach, and to be included in Him. It emerges that the tears are included in "one." And this is the main aspect of the inclusion of "after the Creation" in "one," as above; understand this well. And therefore through these tears of Yisroel, the power of the tears of Eisav is nullified — which is the aspect of sheker, which is the aspect of tears, as above. And then their dominion will cease — for all their power is only from the concealment of the hashgachah, from the aspect of tears, as above. But when the tears — the aspect of the concealment of the hashgachah — are included in their root, in the hashgachah — the akum are completely nullified. And Yisroel ascend and are redeemed and take all the greatness. For Yisroel are in the aspect of the hashgachah, as above. For they are included in His unity, Yisbarach. For "Kudsha B'rich Hu vi'Oraisa viYisroel kulo chad" ["The Holy One Blessed Be He, the Torah, and Yisroel are entirely one"], as above. And therefore also Hashem Yisbarach weeps over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. As it is written: "Bimistarim tivkeh nafshi," etc. — as above. In order to sweeten the weeping and to elevate the tears to their root, as above. And this is the aspect of: "He drops two tears into the Great Sea" — which Rabbainu, zichrono livrachah, explained there (Siman 250) — that this is the aspect of drawing portions of His hashgachah to look upon the akum who oppress us, to shatter and nullify them; see there. For through the intensification of the galus [exile] that is drawn through the tears, as above — therefore one needs to subdue and shatter them through tears specifically. For this is the aspect of the sweetening of the judgment at its root. For through the aspect of the tears of Him, Yisbarach, all the tears are nullified and sweetened, and they ascend to their root and are included in the hashgachah. And a complete hashgachah is drawn and revealed through the tears of k'dushah [holiness] specifically. And therefore the level of weeping in k'dushah is exceedingly great. As it is written: "Bivchi yavo'u" ["with weeping they shall come"]. And as is brought in all the s'farim [holy books]. For when one weeps to draw close to Hashem Yisbarach — which is to be included in His unity, Yisbarach — then a great tikkun [rectification] is made through the tears specifically. For through this, "after the Creation" is included in "one," as above. And through this one rectifies his sins — through which he caused separation, chas v'shalom, between Hashem Yisbarach and the totality of the Creation. And this is the main blemish of all the sins, as above. And through the tears, "after the Creation" returns and is included in "one." And this is the main tikkun of all the sins, as above. And this is the aspect of "vi'ainai Leah rakos" ["and the eyes of Leah were soft"] (B'raishis 29:17) — for she was weeping that she should not fall into the portion of Eisav, as Chazal said. "Weeping" specifically. For because the main sustenance of Eisav is from the aspect of sheker [falsehood], which is the aspect of tears, as above — therefore she was weeping specifically, that she should not fall into his portion. Rather, she should merit to be included in Yaakov — whose quality is emes [truth], as it is written: "Titain emes liYaakov" ["You shall give truth to Yaakov"] (Michah 7:20). And through these tears the tears were included in the emes. And the power of the tears of Eisav was nullified — which are the aspect of sheker, whose hold is "after the Creation." For Eisav — all his weeping is over the desires of this world. For he wants to receive the blessing in this world, that he should have all the desires of his heart. And he does not desire to be included in Hashem Yisbarach at all. And these tears are the aspect of sheker, whose hold is in this world, in the aspect of "after the Creation," as above. But the tears of Yisroel — which are the aspect of the tears of Leah — are only to draw close to Hashem Yisbarach. Not to fall, chas v'shalom, into the portion of Eisav — who is the Sitra Achara itself. For every single person of Yisroel — whoever wants to have compassion on himself in truth and to look at his eternal purpose — needs to weep very greatly that he should not fall, chas v'shalom, into the portion of Eisav, who is the yetzer hara. For Leah hints at K'nesses Yisroel [the Congregation of Israel] — who need to weep very, very greatly, like an overflowing stream, not to fall into the portion of Eisav, who is the yetzer hara, chas v'shalom. And whoever sees that the ba'al davar [the Adversary] overpowers him more, and he has already been greatly ensnared, and he is in great danger at all times — he needs to weep more and more. Like Leah our mother, who wept so greatly before Hashem Yisbarach not to fall into the portion of Eisav, until her eyes were soft. And she merited to accomplish her request through her exceedingly great weeping. Likewise, every single person of Yisroel — if he weeps in truth before Hashem Yisbarach many, many times without measure — then he will certainly arouse His compassion, Yisbarach. And he will be saved from falling into the portion of Eisav. And he will merit to draw close to Him, Yisbarach, in truth, and to be included in Him, Yisbarach — through the tears of k'dushah specifically. For through this, "after the Creation" is included in "one," as above. And this is the aspect of kimas chatzos [the rising at midnight] — that one needs to rise at midnight and weep over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash [Holy Temple]. Meaning, to weep over his sins and over his physicality that delays the building of the Bais HaMikdash — so that through this he is considered as if he destroyed it, as Chazal said. For the hashgachah is the aspect of the light of the eyes, as above — which is the aspect of the light of day, the aspect of chesed [lovingkindness]. And the concealment of the hashgachah — the aspect of nature, the aspect of "after the Creation," where is the hold of sheker and the tears — is the aspect of darkness, the aspect of night. And Yisroel connect and include the quality of night in day. For they include "after the Creation" in "before the Creation," as above. And therefore one needs to rise at midnight to weep over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. And through this one shatters the aspect of the night and the darkness — which is the aspect of "after the Creation," from which is the hold of the akum. And we shatter and nullify their hold through kimas chatzos lailah. And then we weep over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash — and through this we engage in its rebuilding. For "whoever mourns over Yerushalayim merits to see its joy," as above. And through this, night will be included in day, "after the Creation" in "before the Creation," as above. For the main revelation of the hashgachah is in the Bais HaMikdash, as above. And this is the aspect of Chanukah — which is the inauguration of the Bais HaMikdash [Holy Temple]. For then we draw the light of the hashgachah [providence] through the Chanukah candles. And this is the main k'dushah of the Bais HaMikdash — for there His hashgachah shines, as above. And this is the aspect of the lights of the Menorah in the Bais HaMikdash — which are the aspect of the drawing of the light of the hashgachah, through which everything is included in "one," as above. And this is the aspect of "el mul p'nai haMinorah ya'iru shivas hanairos" ["toward the face of the Menorah the seven lights shall shine"] (Bamidbar 8:2). For all the seven lights need to be included in "one." For through the hashgachah — which is the aspect of the light of the candles in the Bais HaMikdash — everything is included in "one," as above. And likewise Rabbainu, zichrono livrachah, wrote in the discourse "Vay'hi Mikaitz" (in Likutay Tinyana, Siman 7) — that Chanukah is the aspect of the inauguration of the Bais HaMikdash, the aspect of the tikkun [rectification] of the sin of the spies that caused the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash; see there the matter. And according to what was explained above, this matter is also well clarified, as above. And this is what Chazal said in the Gemara: "Sh'lichus — from where do we derive it?" And they derived it from the Korban Pesach and from T'rumah. As it is said: "Vishachatu oso kol k'hal Yisroel," etc. ["And the entire congregation of Yisroel shall slaughter it"] (Sh'mos 12:6). And likewise they derived from T'rumah that the agent needs to be a "ben b'ris" [a member of the covenant], etc.; see there. For at the Exodus from Mitzrayim, His hashgachah, Yisbarach, was revealed to all who came into the world — through the awesome signs and wonders that Hashem did with us before our eyes. And through the revelation of the hashgachah, "after the Creation" was included in "before the Creation." And this is the aspect of the sh'lichus [agency] — the aspect of "sh'lucho shel adam kamoaso" ["a person's agent is like himself"]. And therefore they derived from Pesach — which is the aspect of the Exodus from Mitzrayim — from there they derived the din [law] of sh'lichus. For the din of sh'lichus is drawn from this aspect — from the aspect of the inclusion of the Creation in "one," which was revealed at Pesach, at the time of the Exodus from Mitzrayim, as above. And therefore the Exodus from Mitzrayim was at midnight. For then night was included in day — the aspect of "lailah kayom ya'ir" ["night shall shine like day"]. For it is stated that on that night it was shining greatly, like during the day. For night was included in day, etc., as above. And therefore the mitzvah of Kiddush HaChodesh [the sanctification of the new month] is the first mitzvah that Yisroel were commanded at the time of their going out from Mitzrayim. And there, in that parashah, the Exodus from Mitzrayim at midnight is mentioned. For it is all the same aspect. For Kiddush HaChodesh is to fill the blemish of the moon — the aspect of "vihayah or halivana ki'or hachama" ["and the light of the moon shall be like the light of the sun"] (Y'shayahu 30:26). And this is the aspect of the inclusion of night in day — the inclusion of "after the Creation" in "before the Creation," as above. And this is the aspect of kimas chatzos lailah [rising at midnight] — to shatter the night, to include it in day. And this is the aspect of the Exodus from Mitzrayim, as above. And this is the aspect of T'rumah — from which they also derived the din of sh'lichus [agency]. For T'rumah, which is the aspect of tzidakah [charity], is the aspect of eyes. As Chazal said regarding T'rumah: "A generous eye — one out of forty," etc. For the main tzidakah is the emunah [faith] — that one believes in Hashem Yisbarach, that everything is through His hashgachah, and one who gives to the destitute will not lack. For "because of this thing Hashem will bless you" (D'varim 15:10). And as it is written: "Vihe'emin baHashem vayachshiveha lo tzidakah" ["And he believed in Hashem and He counted it to him as righteousness"] (B'raishis 15:6). And therefore through T'rumah — tzidakah — one draws the eyes of His hashgachah upon us. Through which "after the Creation" is included in "before the Creation." And this is the aspect of sh'lichus — the aspect of "sh'lucho shel adam kamoaso" ["a person's agent is like himself"]. And specifically when he is a "ben b'ris" [member of the covenant] — who is able to include the entire Creation in "one," as above. And this is that the custom is to give abundantly in tzidakah on Chanukah — in order to draw the light of the hashgachah through the tzidakah. And this is the main aspect of the Chanukah candle, as above.