נחלות ד

And therefore, when we wish to leave the impurity of Egypt and to merit receiving the Torah, we begin with the waving of the omer of barley, which is the tikkun of fear, which comes first. And then we count the days, and each and every day we count toward the omer, as we say: “Today is one day of the Omer,” and so on with all of them. And through this, we draw upon ourselves the tikkun of fear each and every day, by counting toward the omer of barley. And through the fear, love is automatically drawn — for the owner of the lost item searches for his loss, as above. And through this, we purify the mochin — in the aspect of “from the right side, the white brain is like silver.” 17

And in it will be explained the matter of Sefiras HaOmer and Shavu’os, which is the receiving of the Torah.

Based on the Torah teaching “Ashrai S’mimai Darech” in siman 1 — see there.

And this is the essential purification — going from the impurity of Egypt, from the blemish of Daas, to the purity and holiness of Daas, as above. Only that the beginning is from fear, as above. And then, when we purify ourselves in the 49 days of the S’firah and rectify the fear and the brain, then the thunder is heard on the day of receiving the Torah, and then we merit the joy of Shavuos — the aspect of “eternal joy,” the aspect of the aspaklaryah ham’irah — namely, the joy from the mitzvah itself, as above: that one feels the delight of Shabbas — namely, the World to Come — within the mitzvah itself, as above. 18

And the general principle that emerges from there for our purposes is that the Jewish man must always look into the saichel [intellect] of every thing, to draw close through this to Hashem, blessed be He. For the saichel is a great light, the aspect of the sun, etc. And this is the aspect of the letter ches, for “wisdom gives life” (Koheles 7:12), etc. But since the light of the saichel is very great, it is impossible to merit it except through the aspect of nun, which is the aspect of Malchus, as it is written: “Before the sun, yinon [shall endure] his name” (Tehillim 72:17), etc. And this is the aspect of the l’vanah [moon], etc.

And then, when one merits this joy, then one can sweeten all the harsh judgments, for he knows the difference between before a decree and after a decree, as above. And then one can say: “For my sake the world was created,” as above — for he is able to rectify the world, as above. And this is the aspect of receiving the Torah on Shavuos, which is the sixth of Sivan — when the world was established, for it had been hanging in the balance until the sixth of Sivan, etc. It emerges that on the sixth of Sivan, when Yisrael received the Torah, then all Yisrael could say: “For my sake the world was created.” And this is through the aspect of the aforementioned joy, as above — through which one can say: “For my sake the world was created,” as above. 19

And corresponding to this is the aspect of Aisav, who despised the birthright, in the aspect of: “A fool does not desire understanding, but only the revealing of his heart” (Mishlai 18:2) — the aspect of the wicked kingdom, etc. And this is the aspect of the yetzer tov and yetzer hara, etc. And one must strengthen the Malchus of holiness over the wicked kingdom — the yetzer tov over the yetzer hara, etc. And the essential thing is through the Torah, etc. And then the ches connects with the nun, and the aspect of chain [grace] is formed. And through this all the prayers and requests are accepted, and the grace and importance of Israel is elevated in the physical and the spiritual, etc.

And this is the aspect of what we count: seven weeks. For through the S’firah, one merits receiving the Torah, and then one merits the aforementioned joy — namely, to feel the World to Come, which is the aspect of Shabbas, within the mitzvah itself. And this is the aspect of “Remember it from the first day of the week,” as above. 20

And this is the explanation of the teaching of Rabbah bar bar Chanah: “This wave that sinks [a ship],” etc. — “and there is seen a spark of white fire at its top.” For at first the yetzer hara clothes himself in mitzvos, etc. “And they strike it with clubs,” etc. — that is, the essential subduing of the yetzer hara is through the Torah, etc. For the transgressor is a madman, for a person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of folly [ruach sh’tus] enters him, etc. And just as madmen need to be struck and have names [of holiness] placed upon them, etc. — so too through the Torah that one studies, one subdues and drives out the spirit of folly, which is actual madness. And then the Malchus of holiness is strengthened, which is the aspect of the contraction [tzimtzum] of the saichel — through which one merits to receive the saichel gradually and in measured proportion, which is the essential vitality and purpose, etc., as above.

And this is the aspect of what we count — seven weeks “from the morrow of the Shabbas” until “the morrow of the Shabbas” — in order to draw the aspect of Shabbas upon all the days of the S’firah, in order to merit the aforementioned joy, which is the aspect of “Remember it from the first day of the week.” For the seven weeks correspond to the seven days of Creation, in which the world was created. And the essential creation was through the mitzvos, as above. And one must feel the aspect of Shabbas — which is the World to Come — in each and every day, namely, in the performance of the mitzvos, which are the sustaining of the seven days of Creation. 21

And this is the aspect of the mitzvah of the waving of the Omer of barley and Sefiras HaOmer, which are the beginning and preparation for the receiving of the Torah. For it is explained in the Kabbalistic writings that during all the days of the Sefirah one receives all the mochin [mentalities] of katnus [smallness] and gadlus [greatness], first and second, gradually and in measured proportion, on each and every day, as is well explained there — see there. One also receives all the five chasadim and five g’vuros and their general aspects, which are in the aspect of seven times seven, and one receives them during the seven weeks of the Sefirah.

And therefore, we need to count seven weeks, so that each day of the seven days of Creation will be included in Shabbas. For in seven weeks there are seven Shabbosos, and then every day of the seven days of Creation is included in Shabbas — namely, to feel the aspect of Shabbas, which is the World to Come, in the performance of the mitzvos — which are the aspect of the seven days of Creation that were created through the mitzvos, as above. 22

And it is explained there that on each and every day, the Malchus of Z’air Anpin illuminates the Malchus of the Nukvah — for example, on the first day, the Malchus within Chesed of the first [category] enters the Chesed that is his, and likewise the Malchus within G’vurah of the first enters the Chesed that is hers, and the Malchus of his illuminates the Malchus of hers. And on the second day, the Yesod within Chesed of the first enters the Chesed that is his, and the aspect of the Malchus is pushed into the G’vurah that is his, and likewise in the Nukvah, etc. And the Malchus that was pushed into his G’vurah illuminates the Malchus that enters her G’vurah, etc. And so on each and every day.

For even the seventh day, which is itself Shabbas Kodesh, also needs, before the Giving of the Torah, to have a week counted corresponding to it — so that it will be included in “a day that is entirely Shabbas.” For in truth, Shabbas is a taste of the World to Come; but even so, it is possible that even on the day of Shabbas, one’s intention is for the sake of the reward of the actual World to Come [as a separate reward]. And therefore, one needs to be refined during the days of the S’firah — to refine all seven days of Creation, and even Shabbas Kodesh itself — in order to draw upon them the aspect of the World to Come, “a day that is entirely Shabbas” — in order to merit feeling the World to Come in all seven days of Creation — namely, in all the performance of mitzvos — until one does not want any World to Come at all; rather, his joy is from the mitzvah itself, as above. 23

It emerges that when you examine the kavanos [mystical intentions] well, you will see that the essential rectification on each day is in the aspect of the Malchus within each and every attribute — see there well, in the kavanos that are explained in detail for each and every night, at the end of chapter 7 of Sha’ar Sefiras HaOmer.

And this is the aspect of “You shall count fifty days” (VaYikra 23:16) — and it does not say “49 days.” For the essential S’firah is for the sake of the fiftieth day, which is the aspect of the great Yovel [Jubilee], the aspect of the World to Come, as is known — namely, to draw the aspect of the fiftieth day upon all 49 days of the S’firah. That is, to feel the World to Come, which is entirely Shabbas — which is the aspect of the fiftieth day — within all the seven weeks — which are the aspect of the seven days of Creation, which are the aspect of the mitzvos, as above. For this is the essential purpose and completeness that one merits through the S’firah, on the day of receiving the Torah, as above. 24

That is, through the waving of the Omer and the counting on each day of the forty-nine days of the Sefirah, we begin to draw upon ourselves the holiness of receiving the Torah, which is the aspect of the drawing of the mochin — which is the essential aspect of receiving the Torah. And the essential thing is through rectifying the aspect of Malchus, which is the aspect of nun, which is the aspect of contraction and measure to receive the Chochmah and the mochin gradually and in measured proportion. For without the rectification of the aspect of the measure and the contraction, which is the aspect of Malchus, it is impossible to receive the Chochmah and the mochin because of the excess of light. For the light of the saichel is very great, and it is impossible to receive it except through the aspect of Malchus, which is the aspect of measure, the aspect of nun, as it is written: “Before the sun, yinon his name” — as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above.

And through the S’firah, through which one merits receiving the Torah — namely, the aforementioned joy — then one can clothe prayer in stories. And on this account it is called S’firah — for through this, one can clothe prayer in sipurai d’varim [stories / conversations]. For in truth, S’firah — which means “counting” (minyan) — and “story” (sippur) are one and the same aspect. And therefore they are called by one name. For all the stories and conversations in the world — which are the totality of the world — their essential sustenance derives from the aspect of the counting of number. For number is the aspect of “after the creation” — for “before One, what do you count?” (Sefer Y’tzirah 1:7). And this is the aspect of before the creation. It emerges that the entire creation and all the stories of this world derive their sustenance from the aspect of the counting of number, which is the aspect of “after the creation.” 25

Therefore one must bring the Omer of barley, which is the general aspect of all the contractions. That is, through the waving of the Omer of barley, all the contractions and the measures are rectified — which are the aspect of Malchus — so that we can through this receive the mochin gradually and in measured proportion. For without the rectification of the aspect of the measures and the contractions, it is impossible to receive the mochin, as above. And this is the aspect of the fifty days of Sefiras HaOmer, which are the rectification of Malchus, as is explained above — that the essential illumination and rectification on each and every day is in the aspect of Malchus, as above. And therefore they are fifty days, corresponding to the aspect of nun mentioned above, which is the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of “before the sun, yinon his name” — that is, before the sun — before receiving the mochin and the saichel and the Chochmah, which are the aspect of the sun, as is explained there — one first needs to rectify the aspect of Malchus, which is the aspect of nun, the aspect of “yinon his name” — which is the aspect of the nun days of Sefiras HaOmer, as above.

And therefore, through the S’firah, through this one merits to clothe prayer in stories. For through the S’firah, one merits to purify the brain and merits the aforementioned joy — through which one can clothe prayer in stories (as explained in the aforementioned teaching). For specifically when one merits the aforementioned joy — specifically then one can clothe prayer in stories. For when one merits the aforementioned joy — namely, that he has joy from the mitzvah itself, which is the joy of the Holy One, blessed be He — then he is included, through the mitzvah, within Hashem, blessed be He. And the entire world is included with him within Hashem, blessed be He — for the mitzvos are the sustainers of the world, as above. And when he is included through the mitzvah within Hashem, blessed be He, it emerges that the entire world — whose sustenance is through the mitzvos — is also included within Hashem, blessed be He. And then, when the entire world is included within Hashem, blessed be He, then certainly one can make from all the stories and conversations — prayers, and clothe prayer in stories — since the entire world is included within Him, blessed be He. 26

And the general intent of the waving of the Omer of barley and the counting is to go out from the contamination and impurity of Mitzrayim and to merit the receiving of the Torah, which is the essential Chochmah and saichel — in order to merit to look upon the saichel that is in every thing and to draw close through this to Hashem, blessed be He. For everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created, He created only for His glory — to merit to recognize Him and to serve Him through all the things in the world. But one does not merit this except through the holy Torah, as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above. For through the Torah one subdues the wicked kingdom, which is the aspect of foolishness and the spirit of folly, which are the generality of all the cravings and evil character traits, which are the spirit of folly and actual madness — for a person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of folly enters him. And this is the essential contamination and impurity of Mitzrayim from which we need to purify ourselves during these days of the Sefirah, as we say in the Sefirah: “in order to purify us from our klippos and from our impurity,” etc.

And therefore, specifically then one can say: “For my sake the world was created” — for certainly the world was created for his sake, since through him the world is included within Him, blessed be He. And this is what Rabainu, of blessed memory, was precise about, writing at the end of the aforementioned teaching regarding the verse “Together the mountains shall sing” (Tehillim 98:8) — that through joy, the tzaddikayya can clothe their prayer in stories together. For through the joy specifically — through which they are included together with the entire world within Him, blessed be He — they can clothe their prayer in stories together, as above. Understand this well. 27

And therefore one brings the Omer of barley, which is animal food — which is the absence of da’as. For the essential sustenance of foolishness is from the aspect of the mi’ut hal’vanah [diminishment of the moon], which is the blemish of Malchus. For the Malchus — the aspect of the moon, the aspect of nun mentioned above — is the generality of all the contractions and measures of the saichel, without which it is impossible to receive the saichel, as above. It emerges that the essential rectification of the saichel is through the aspect of Malchus, which is the aspect of the generality of all the contractions and measures, as above. But since it is the aspect of contraction and measure, and every contraction is the aspect of din [judgment] — therefore sometimes the sustenance of foolishness, which is the complete absence of da’as, derives from there. Therefore one must first sweeten and rectify the aspect of Malchus through the waving of the Omer of barley — which is an offering of animal food, which is the aspect of the absence of da’as, the aspect of the contraction of the mochin, through which is the essential receiving of the mochin, as above.

Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen. 28 For in holiness, this aspect is very precious — that is, the aspect of b’haimah [animal/beast]: to make oneself like a beast, as if one has no da’as at all. As Dovid said: “And I am boorish and know nothing; I was like a beast with You” (Tehillim 73:22). And as Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote on the verse: “All to whom Hashem gave wisdom in the beast” (Shemos 36:1) — that it is a great wisdom to make oneself like a beast. For through this is the essential receiving of the true da’as and saichel. For this is the aspect of the contraction of the mind mentioned above, the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of nun mentioned above, which is the aspect of measure and contraction — that is, it is impossible to receive any true da’as and saichel unless one makes oneself like a beast, as if one knows nothing at all. As our Sages of blessed memory said: “The Torah endures only in one who makes himself as if he knows nothing.” And then through this specifically one merits to receive the saichel and the mind gradually and in measured proportion.

Belongs to [the section] above: 29 And also when one receives some saichel and da’as, one must know each time that one still knows nothing at all, as Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote many times. And through this one merits to receive new mind and da’as each time. And this is the aspect of holy contraction and measure, the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of nun mentioned above — through which is the essential receiving of the mochin, as above.

“When Shabbas comes, rest comes” (B’raishis Rabbah 10:9), as it is written: “And G-d completed on the seventh day” (B’raishis 2:2). And therefore, it is fitting to say also regarding Shabbas that through it the world was created — for the rest [of Shabbas] is the sustaining of the world, as above. 30

But “this corresponding to this G–d has made” (Koheles 7:14), and in every thing there is good and evil. And therefore sometimes the Sitra Achra overpowers and draws sustenance from the aspect of the contraction mentioned above, for their essential sustenance is from the aspect of the absence of da’as, from the aspect of contractions that are the aspect of dinim, as is known. And when they draw sustenance from there — which is the aspect of the diminishment of the moon — then they invert the matter from the opposite to the opposite, as it is written: “They who invert the paths of uprightness and are crooked in their ways” (Mishlai 2:15).

For in truth, one must use every thing and every attribute in its place and at its time, in holiness and purity as is proper. That is, in truth a person must be very careful not to do animal-like deeds, G–d forbid. For the boundary of a person is that he should be far from animal-like deeds, which are all the evil cravings — which are foolishness and folly and madness, the aspect of an actual beast. And for this purpose Hashem, blessed be He, graces man with da’as — so that he should distance himself from animal-like deeds. For the da’as — which is the boundary of man — is the opposite of all the cravings, which are the aspect of beastliness, foolishness, and folly.

According to the aforementioned teaching, the matter of the halachic concept of a paid guardian (shomer sachar) — who is liable for theft and loss but exempt from unavoidable accidents (onsin) — can be explained. For every matter has a root in the Torah. 31

And when one merits to drive out the beastly cravings, then one’s saichel is strengthened and elevated. To the degree that the beastly cravings are subdued, so is one’s saichel elevated — for when this one falls, this one rises. And then, when one reaches the saichel, one must know the truth: that one is still far from wisdom, in the aspect of: “I said I would become wise, but it is far from me” (Koheles 7:23) — that the essential wisdom is to realize that the wisdom is far from him, as Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote. And then one must specifically make oneself like a beast — like Dovid HaMelech, peace be upon him, who was certainly a great and true sage, and said: “And I am boorish and know nothing; I was like a beast with You.” And this is the aspect of “beast” in holiness, the aspect of: “Man and beast You save, Hashem” (Tehillim 36:7). As our Sages of blessed memory said: “People who are clever in da’as like Adam HaRishon, yet make themselves like a beast.”

Behold, the concepts of an unpaid guardian (shomer chinam) and a paid guardian (shomer sachar) correspond, according to what is apparent, to the two modes of service described in the aforementioned teaching — namely, the aspect of the one who serves with joy, who does not want any reward of the World to Come, etc., as above; and this is the aspect of the shomer chinam [unpaid guardian], who does not want any reward. And the shomer sachar [paid guardian] is the aspect of the one who serves in order to receive a reward. And therefore they differ in their laws. 32

It emerges that a person must not do animal-like deeds, G–d forbid — and then his saichel is complete. And then specifically he must know that he is far from da’as, and he should be in his own eyes like a beast that has no da’as, as above. And this is the aspect of Malchus of holiness, which is the aspect of measure and contraction of da’as — which is the aspect of “beast” in holiness, that one contracts his da’as as if he knows nothing at all — through which is the essential receiving of the da’as and saichel, as above. But regarding the cravings, he does not do any animal-like deed at all, G–d forbid, as above.

But the Sitra Achra and the klippos incite a person from the opposite to the opposite, G–d forbid. As we find many people who are sunk in all the cravings, as they themselves know, and they do actual animal-like deeds — and yet they want to know wisdoms, and they are wise in their own eyes and understanding in their own sight. And they want to cast a blemish upon the holy, G–d forbid — to find difficulties and deficiencies in the great true tzaddikim and the genuine righteous, as if everyone needs to learn saichel from them.

For the shomer chinam is exempt from everything. And the shomer sachar is liable for theft and loss but exempt from unavoidable accidents. For to arrive at the aforementioned joy — namely, that one does not want any reward of the World to Come, etc. — is through thunder, etc. And for this, one needs to empty the brain of chametz — namely, alien thoughts, fantasies, etc. — and also, one needs to guard the fear, that he not have fallen fears, etc. And then one can hear the voice of the thunder, and then one merits the aforementioned joy — namely, that one does not want any reward of the World to Come as the reward for the mitzvah, etc., as above. 33

Especially the great wicked ones who are the group of the philosophical investigators, who occupy themselves with external books and their languages — whose wickedness is well-known to all, and who are sunk in all the evil cravings and are suspected of all the transgressions in the Torah, as is well-known. And they are worse than beasts in the abundance of the contamination of their evil cravings. And they brazenly push forward their faces like dogs, and say that they are wise and understanding, and call the genuine righteous and truly G–d-fearing ones by the name of fools and simpletons and dupes — and turn the dish over on its face. And they interpret the entire Book of Mishlai, etc. — which disparages the fools — they interpret it as referring to the righteous and G–d-fearing who truly follow the Torah. Woe to them! Woe to their souls! And regarding them it is said: “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and understanding in their own sight” (Yeshayahu 5:21). And it is written: “Behold, they have despised the word of Hashem — and what wisdom do they have?” (Yirmeyahu 8:9).

Now, the shomer chinam — whose root is from the aforementioned level, namely the aspect of the one who serves without wanting any reward, etc. — since he is from this level, and one cannot arrive at this level except when one has rectified and purified the brain and the fear — and when the brain (Daas) and the fear are rectified, then there is no damage or harm at all. 34

The general principle is that these wicked ones invert the paths of uprightness from the opposite to the opposite. For they do actual animal-like deeds and yet they are wise in their own eyes and want to investigate and know all things — how the Holy One, blessed be He, conducts His world — and they raise difficulties and investigations against Hashem and against His true tzaddikim and His truly G–d-fearing ones. And all of this derives from the blemish of the measure and the contraction mentioned above, which is the aspect of Malchus. For to the degree that the aspect of Malchus is blemished — which is the aspect of the moon, etc., as above — to that degree the darkness and the klippah strengthen, which inverts the truth from the opposite to the opposite, as above.

For there are two kinds of damages: theft and loss, and unavoidable accidents (onsin). Now, theft and loss come from the blemish of Daas, for all thefts and losses come through the withdrawal of Daas. For the essential nature of theft is that it occurs without the person’s knowledge, and likewise with loss. It emerges that theft and loss come from the withdrawal of Daas, from the blemish of Daas. 35

To the point that this blemish and error extends even among the somewhat righteous, who say wisdoms of vanity while they have not yet departed from animal-like deeds. And yet they are wise in their own eyes and say opinions and wisdoms of falsehood in the ways of Hashem. And this is the aspect of what Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote at the end of the Torah teaching mentioned above, on the teaching of Rabbah bar bar Chanah: “And there is seen a spark of white fire at its head,” etc. — that the adversary clothes himself in mitzvos, etc. But in truth he is a destructive angel. And this is the aspect of all the wisdoms of vanity found nowadays, which are all the devices of the yetzer hara and the klippah, which distorts their hearts and clothes himself in mitzvos.

But unavoidable accidents (onsin) — namely, an armed bandit or a wild animal — these occur with the person’s knowledge; only he is unable to overcome them. But they come from the blemish of the fallen fears. For one who does not elevate all the fallen fears to their root — namely, to supernal fear — then he fears everything: bandits, wild animals, and the like. And they can overpower him, for all these onsin from bandits, etc. — they all derive from the fallen fears that have become clothed in these things, as is known. But one who merits rectifying the supernal fear in its completeness and elevates all the fallen fears to their root — then he does not fear anything, whether from a robber or a wild animal and the like — since he elevates the fear to its root, they have no power to overpower him. And the essential reason he fears them and they can overpower him is only because he does not elevate the fear to its root, and because of this he fears them and they can overpower him. 36

For example, [they say] that it is a mitzvah to pass the time of Sh’ma and tefillah in order to pray with a clean body — and they spend most of their days on cleanliness and pass the time of Sh’ma and tefillah every day. And in the end they do not pray with a clean body at all, let alone that they do not pray with clean and pure thoughts at all — to the point that for the most part they do not know what they are saying. And many great tzaddikim have already cried out about this. Especially Rabbainu, of blessed memory, who said explicitly that it is a great error and foolishness and a seduction of the yetzer hara to waste precious time on foolish stringencies like these. And this is not the intent of the Shulchan Aruch and the Poskim at all, as is understood to one who examines their words well — for on the contrary, in most places they are very, very lenient about this. And if in some places one can err regarding some stringency about this, one must follow the majority of Poskim, most of whom are lenient about this, as is explained elsewhere at the beginning of siman 92. And as we have seen from all the great ones of earlier generations, who did not practice this foolish and vain stringency. But this is not the place to elaborate on this.

And similarly in many matters the adversary clothes himself in mitzvos — all of which derives from wisdoms of vanity, which derive from the aspect mentioned above: that they invert the truth — doing animal-like deeds and wanting to know wisdoms and inventions. And in truth this one depends on that one. For all the sustenance of the Sitra Achra is from the blemish of Malchus, from the aspect of the diminishment of the moon, as is known — that is, from the aspect of the blemish of the contraction mentioned above. That is, through all the cravings and transgressions, G–d forbid, one blemishes the Malchus in the aspect of the contraction mentioned above. And when the contraction is blemished and damaged, through this one is unable to contract his mind to receive the true da’as gradually and in measured proportion. And then his da’as goes beyond bounds, and through this he is misled and confused by wisdoms of foolishness and vanity — because he has no contraction to receive the true mind and saichel, which are impossible to receive except through the rectification of the contraction, which is the aspect of Malchus, through which one receives the saichel gradually and in measured proportion — which is the essential rectification of the saichel, as above.

It emerges that theft and loss come from the blemish of Daas, and unavoidable accidents come from the blemish of fear. And one who guards the Daas and the fear in their completeness is saved from all damage — namely, from theft and loss and from unavoidable accidents. 37

Therefore, when one goes out from Mitzrayim, one must bring the Omer of barley — which is animal food, which is the aspect of the generality of all the contractions, as is brought in the kavanos — in order to sweeten and rectify the aspect of the contraction and the measure and the boundary of the da’as at its root, in order to merit the aspect of “beast” in holiness. That is: not to do animal-like deeds, and yet to know that one is far from the saichel, and to be in one’s own eyes like a beast, as above. And this is the aspect of: “And he shall wave the Omer before Hashem,” etc. (Vayikra 23:11) — that one must wave the aspect of the Omer, the aspect of the generality of the measures and contractions, the aspect of “beast” of holiness — to wave everything to Hashem, to conduct oneself in this according to His will, blessed be He, and not the opposite, G–d forbid, as above.

And therefore, the shomer chinam — whose root is from the aforementioned level, namely that he does not want any reward, etc. — and one cannot arrive at this level except through the tikkun of Daas and fear — and when the Daas and the fear are rectified, then there is no damage or harm: neither theft and loss nor unavoidable accidents. And therefore, the shomer chinam is exempt from everything — for all the damages that come — whether theft and loss or unavoidable accidents — certainly did not come from his doing. For from his side, there is no damage or harm, since he is at the level of the completeness of Daas and fear, as above, through which one is saved from both kinds of damages, as above. And therefore, these damages are not his responsibility, but rather the responsibility of the depositor, for from his side there is no damage or harm — and certainly the fortune of the depositor caused it, as above. 38

And through this waving of the Omer, one nullifies the foolishness and the spirit of folly, so that it has no sustenance at all from the aspect of the contraction, from the aspect of Malchus, from the aspect of “beast.” For one waves it to Hashem — not to use the aspect of the contraction, the aspect of “beast,” except for the sake of Hashem, blessed be He, as above. And this is the essential preparation and beginning for the receiving of the Torah, which is the da’as. For it is impossible to receive the da’as except through the rectification of the measure and the contraction, which is rectified through the waving of the Omer of barley, as above. And then one begins to count the nun [fifty] days, which is the aspect of the nun mentioned above — which is the aspect of the contraction, the aspect of Malchus, the aspect of “before the sun, yinon his name,” as above. And through this we go out from impurity to purity.

But the shomer sachar — whose aspect is that of the one who serves in order to receive a reward, which is the aspect of one who serves from fear. For the one who serves from fear — his service is contingent on something, for he does not feel the delight in the mitzvah itself; rather, his service is because of the fear — that he fears [losing his reward]. And this is the aspect of the one who serves in order to receive a reward — whose service is contingent on the reward of the World to Come, that he fears lest he lose the good reward. 39

And the essential intent of the Sefirah in its straightforward sense is that one must know that a person’s days are numbered and counted, in number and in count, each and every day. And the person will need to give an accounting for each and every day, for no day goes to waste, G–d forbid. And even a single hour and moment does not go to waste, G–d forbid. In the aspect of: “Seven complete weeks shall they be” (Vayikra 23:15) — that the seven weeks, which are the days of the Sefirah, must be complete and whole in the service of Hashem, and not a moment of them should go to waste, G–d forbid. For the seven weeks allude to all the days of a person’s life, which are comprised within the seven days of the week. For all the days of the world are comprised within the seven days of the week — which are the seven days of creation — for there is no day in the world other than the seven days of the week, which cycle repeatedly for all the days of the world. Therefore all the days of a person’s life are comprised within the seven days, which are the aspect of the seven days of the week. And each day is comprised of all seven days. Therefore they are the aspect of seven weeks, which are the forty-nine days of the Sefirah.

It emerges that the one who serves in order to receive a reward — this is the aspect of the one who serves from fear. For the one who serves from love — which is the aspect of the completeness of Daas, for Daas is connected to love, for “from the right side, the white brain is like silver” — then, when his service is with love and Daas, then he does not want any reward, and his service is not contingent on anything; rather, it is from love and d’vaikus [attachment] and joy, rejoicing in the mitzvah itself and feeling the delight in the mitzvah itself, and he does not want any reward, as above. 40

The mitzvah is to count each and every day — in order to know and remember the days of his fleeting life, that all the days that he is alive upon the face of the earth are numbered and counted in number and in count, as it is written: “For years of number shall come” (Iyov 16:22). And “if like the days of a hired worker are his days” (Iyov 7:1). And it is written: “The number of the days of his fleeting life” (Koheles 6:12). And it is written: “To count our days, thus make known” (Tehillim 90:12), etc.

And therefore, the shomer sachar — who is from the aspect of the one who serves in order to receive a reward, which is the aspect of the one who serves from fear — and since he has only rectified the fear, and the Daas has not yet been rectified (for if he had also rectified the Daas, he would not want any reward, as above) — and since he wants reward, which is the aspect of the one who serves in order to receive a reward, which is the aspect of the one who serves from fear, and the Daas is not yet in its completeness — therefore, the shomer sachar is liable for theft and loss but exempt from unavoidable accidents. For theft and loss, which come from the blemish of Daas — he is liable for them, because they come from his side, since he has not rectified the Daas in its completeness — through which come thefts and losses, through the blemish of Daas, as above. But from unavoidable accidents he is exempt, for the unavoidable accidents do not come from his side, since he has merited the aspect of fear. For the shomer sachar is from the aspect of the one who serves from fear, as above. And when one merits fear, one is saved from unavoidable accidents, as above. And therefore, the unavoidable accidents do not come from his doing, and therefore he is exempt from unavoidable accidents, as above. 41

And therefore it is forbidden for a person to push himself from day to day. Rather, one must know well that this day will never come to him again for all the days of his life. For tomorrow is an entirely different matter, and it would be well if he pays in its time — that he should merit tomorrow to fulfill his obligation for what he needs to pay to Hashem, blessed be He — the obligation of the time of tomorrow itself. But in any case, it is utterly forbidden to deceive oneself by pushing off from day to day. And as Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote on the verse: “Today, if you will listen to His voice” (Tehillim 95:7) — that the essential service for one who wants to listen to His voice, blessed be He, and to cleave to Him: the essential thing is to know that the essential thing is “today.” “Today” specifically, etc. — as is explained there (in siman 272 — see there).

And this is the aspect of the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer, which is the beginning and preparation for receiving the Torah — to teach that it is impossible to receive the Torah unless one knows that the essential thing is this day in which one stands, and not to push off from day to day. For all the days of a person are numbered and counted, as above. And this is the aspect of: “Today, if you will listen to His voice” — that is, if you want to listen to His voice and to receive the Torah, it is impossible for you to receive except through the aspect of “today” — to know that the essential thing is this very day, as it is written: “This day I command you to do” (Devarim 7:11) — “this day” specifically. And it is written: “That which I command you today.” And many similar — “today” specifically, as above. For through counting and enumerating seven complete weeks before the receiving of the Torah — which are the aspect of the generality of a person’s days, as above — through this one goes out from impurity to purity, and draws truth and holiness upon oneself. That one should always know, each and every day, that the essential thing is this very day, as above — which is the essential aspect of the receiving of the Torah, which is comprised of all the days and the measures, as it is written: “And what is the measure of my days” (Tehillim 39:5), as is explained in the Torah teaching “U’v’yom HaBikkurim” (siman 56). For before the receiving of the Torah, at the time when we need to purify ourselves from the contamination of Mitzrayim, we need to count the days aloud, in order to remember this well: that a person’s days are numbered and counted. For because of the contamination of Mitzrayim, the Sitra Achra and the klippos can confuse the mind, G–d forbid, so that one deceives himself as if today is not fitting for the service of the Creator, blessed be He, and wants to push off from day to day. Therefore one must count the days aloud, for speech has a great power to remind a person even at a time when he is not clean from his contamination, as it is written: “Whenever I speak of him, I remember him still” (Yirmeyahu 31:19), etc. — as is explained (in siman 78). But once we have counted the forty-nine days of the Sefirah and have merited to go out from the contamination of Mitzrayim and to receive the Torah on Shavu’os — then we no longer need to count the days aloud every day during the rest of the year. For on our own we merit to remember this every day — since we have already drawn upon ourselves the holiness through the mitzvah of Sefirah and the receiving of the Torah, as above. For this is the essential holiness: to remember each and every day that this day is numbered and counted, and one must fulfill the obligation of the day — on this very day, specifically, as above. And therefore one counts the days to the Omer, for the Omer is the aspect of the rectification and sweetening of all the contractions and the boundaries of the mochin — in order to receive the mochin gradually and in measured proportion, and not to give sustenance, G–d forbid, to the Sitra Achra excessively from the contractions and the measures, so that they should not invert the truth, as above. And therefore one counts the days to the Omer. For in truth, each and every day contains a unique wisdom and saichel. This is the essential light of the day, which is the light of the sun, which is the saichel, as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above. And similarly it is explained in the Story of the Third Day [from the Sipurai Ma’asiyos]: that each and every day comes with songs and riddles, etc. — which contain all the wisdoms of the world. See there well, and you will understand that all the wisdoms of the world are comprised within the days, for the light of day is the saichel. And this is: “For there is an advantage to wisdom over foolishness like the advantage of light over darkness” (Koheles 2:13). But on each day there is darkness that precedes the light, for night precedes day in the order of creation, as it is written: “And there was evening and there was morning, one day” (Beraishis 1:5). And in its root in holiness, it is a great rectification that the darkness precedes the light. For the darkness is the aspect of the absence of da’as, the aspect of the contraction of the mochin — which is the aspect of the moon, whose dominion is at night, which is the aspect of Malchus, as above. For the essential rectification and receiving of the mochin is specifically through her, as above. But because of the blemish of the deeds of mankind, which are the aspect of the blemish of the diminishment of the moon — through this, sustenance is drawn to the Sitra Achra, G–d forbid, from there, from the aspect of the contraction mentioned above. For from there is their essential sustenance, as above. And from there is the essential hold of the wicked kingdom, which is the contamination of Mitzrayim. For their essential sustenance is from the blemish of the Malchus of holiness, which is the aspect of the blemish of the contraction mentioned above — which is the aspect of the diminishment of the moon, as above. And from there all the blemishes in the world derive. And then, G–d forbid, actual darkness overpowers — which wants to darken the light of the day entirely. That is, it wants to confuse the da’as and darken the light of truth, which is the light of the saichel and the true wisdom that shines on each and every day — which is the essential light of day. And from this derive all the confusions and the obstacles and the hindrances of each and every day. From this derive all the errors mentioned above — that the person wants to push off this day. To the point that for the most part it seems to him as if this day is not numbered and counted at all among the days of his life — as if on this day it is impossible to serve Hashem, blessed be He. And in truth, certainly, according to the spreading and expansion of the Sitra Achra and the klippah on each and every day, it is certainly very difficult to engage in the service of Hashem — especially in tefillah, where all the confusions in the world come (as is explained in the Torah teaching “Maishra” in siman 30 — see there). But one must know that even so, this day is a day, and it counts in the accounting. And certainly there is good in it — only the darkness covers it, for the klippah precedes the fruit. And one must strengthen oneself and make the effort to break the klippah — which is the generality of all the obstacles and confusions and errors and deferrals — and to know and to believe that specifically on this very day one can draw close to Hashem, blessed be He, according to one’s level. And “if you seek Him, He will be found by you” (Divrai HaYamim I 28:9), and you will merit to find the good that is in this very day. For “there is no day in which there is no good,” as it is taught in the holy Zohar (brought in siman 84). And this is its language: “Come and see — all the six days of creation, etc. — and you will not find a day in which there is no good, etc. And every day has a fence from the outside, so that no person enters to that good — such as darkness that covers the light,” etc. Therefore one must know that what seems to a person as if today it is impossible for him to pray with kavvanah, to study, and to engage in the service of Hashem — this derives only from the darkness that precedes the light, which derives from the blemish of the contraction mentioned above. From there derives the “fence from the outside” that is upon the good of each day, as is explained in the Zohar mentioned above. And from there come all the errors and deferrals of every person on every day — where it seems as if this day is nothing, as if it is not among the days of his life, as if today it is impossible to draw close to Hashem, blessed be He, at all. As is found among most people who do not examine their ways well. Especially when one has some occasion or event, for better or for worse, G–d forbid — then the day becomes completely confused for him. To the point that most of their days are spent in this way, in vanity and emptiness, may the Merciful One save us. For example: on this day there is a fair and a market day; on this day one needs to calculate his accounts; on this day one goes out on the road; during these days one is on the road, wandering and traveling and being tossed about; on this day one arrives from the road and needs to lift the load from the wagon and arrange the merchandise and distribute it properly, etc.; on this day one encounters some argument and quarrel with someone; on this day one is invited to some feast — and similar distractions and confusions of various kinds on each and every day. To the point that nearly every day contains some great distraction and confusion. And even on the remaining days when there are no such events, it still seems to him, for the most part, each day, as if this day is nothing, as above. And all of this derives from the “fence from the outside” that is upon each day, as above — which derives from the darkness that precedes the light, that is, from the aspect of the blemish of the contraction mentioned above, which is the aspect of the rectification of the diminishment of the moon, as above. Therefore one counts the days to the Omer specifically, for the Omer is the aspect of the sweetening of the contraction mentioned above, the aspect of the rectification of the diminishment of the moon. Through which the sustenance of the darkness and the Sitra Achra is nullified — which is the aspect of the fence that is upon each and every day. Through which one merits to know the truth: that on each and every day there is good, and one must make the effort to draw close on this very day to Hashem, blessed be He, according to that day. For all the days are numbered and counted — and this is the aspect of the mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer, as above. And this is what is written: “The day for building your fences; that day the boundary will be far removed. It is a day, and to you he will come — from Ashur” etc. (Michah 7:11–12). And see there in the commentary of Rashi, who explained it according to its context — that the speech is directed at the nations who provoke Israel. See there. And according to our topic, it will be explained well: that Israel says to the nations — who are the aspect of the Sitra Achra and the klippos that surround the holiness, from whom come all the obstacles and confusions and deferrals of each day, to the point that it seems as if this day is not a day at all — and this is: “The day for building your fences.” That is to say: You, the Sitra Achra and the obstacles and deferrals, you say that this day is only for building your fences — that is, the fences of the Sitra Achra, which are the aspect of the fence that is upon each and every day, preventing one from drawing close to the good that is in each day, as it is taught in the Zohar mentioned above: that every day has a “fence from the outside,” etc., as above. And this is: “That day the boundary [chok] will be far removed” — that you say that the day is only for building your fences, that is, the fences and barriers upon each day that are the obstacles and deferrals. But it is far from engaging on this day in the Torah, which is called chok [statute] and mishpat [judgment]. And this is “that day the chok will be far removed” — that on this day the chok, which is the Torah, will be far removed, for it is impossible to engage in Torah and service on this day, due to the deferrals and obstacles, as above. But in truth it is not so! For “it is a day, and to you he will come.” For certainly this day is a complete day, and we will certainly make the effort and strengthen ourselves to engage on this very day in Torah and the service of Hashem, and to break your fences and all your obstacles — you who want to darken and conceal the light of the day. In the aspect of: “It is a day, and to you he will come.” And similar to what Rashi explained according to its context, and this is his language: “‘It is a day, and to you he will come’ — the prophet says: that day that you mock, saying it is null and gone — it is a day! It is guarded and preserved and is not null. ‘To you he will come’ — the nations, to destroy you. ‘From Ashur,’ who is the chief of those who harm us, ‘and fortified cities,’” etc. See and understand and look, you the student, and you will see that it is made explicit in the holy spirit of Rashi, of blessed memory, all of our words clearly explained. That is, the prophet says in the name of Israel to the Sitra Achra and the klippos — which are the generality of the nations — “It is a day, and to you he will come.” That very day that you mock, saying it is null and gone — as if this day is null and goes to waste and emptiness, G–d forbid, and it is impossible to draw close to Hashem, blessed be He, on it, due to the great spreading and expansion of the fences and barriers and confusions that overpower greatly on each day, until it seems on each day that on this day it is impossible to serve Hashem, blessed be He. But in truth it is not so, for “it is a day — guarded and preserved and not null.” “To you he will come” — the nations and the Sitra Achra — “to destroy you.” That on this very day there will come upon you destruction and demolition — that we will merit to demolish your fences and barriers, until we merit to draw close to the good that is in this very day, as above. And this is “from Ashur, who is the chief of those who harm us — fortified cities” — that is, the generality of all the klippos and other forces, which are comprised within the nations. Their chief is Ashur, who was the first to exile Israel from their land, for the beginning of the exile of the Ten Tribes began from Ashur, as Rashi explained — that he is the chief of those who harm us, “and fortified cities,” etc. That is, together with the generality of the other klippos and the Sitra Achra, which are the aspect of “fortified cities” [arai matzor] — that they literally build fortified cities around every person, which are the aspect of fences and many barriers and walls of copper and bars of iron. And they spread and expand very, very much on each and every day, to prevent a person from fulfilling the obligation of each day in its day. As it is written: “A small city with few people in it, and a great king came upon it and surrounded it and built great siege-works against it” (Koheles 9:14). And all of these fortified cities — which are the generality of the fences and obstacles and deferrals of the Sitra Achra — all of them we will merit to destroy. For we know that specifically this day in which we stand — it is a day! For certainly it is a complete day and is not null, G–d forbid, as you say. “And to you he will come” — the nations and the Sitra Achra — “to destroy you,” as above. And this is the aspect of the general kavanos of the Sefirah — see there well at the end of chapter 6, where the kavanos are arranged well in detail for each and every night, and you will see the great variations on each and every day. And the general principle is that during all the seven weeks, which are the forty-nine days of the Sefirah, we receive on each and every day a unique mind [moach]. For now we are receiving the mochin gradually and in measured proportion on each and every day. But we do not receive them in order, but rather as we received them on the first night of Pesach — not in order. Only then we received them all in haste, in a single moment, but now we receive them gradually and in measured proportion during all the days of the Sefirah — but not in order. For we receive the mochin of gadlus before the mochin of katnus. See there the wondrous variations — for example: on the first day of the first week one receives gadlus 1 of Abba; on the second day, gadlus 1 of Imma; on the third day, katnus 2 of Abba and Imma; on the fourth day, gadlus 2 of Imma; on the fifth day, katnus 1 of Abba and Imma; on the sixth day, the r’shimu of gadlus 2 of Abba; and on the seventh day, the atzmmus of gadlus 2 of Abba. And with this the first week is completed. And everything enters into the aspect of the moach of Chochmah, which is the general aspect of the first week. And afterward, in the second week, one receives all these mochin and they are drawn into the moach of Binah, etc. And all of these aspects are in every person and at every time. For even though one does not know the explanation of the kavanos in their depth, nevertheless, this we know and believe: that all of these aspects are made and drawn in every generation and every year, in every person according to his level. For the generality of all the mochin and the wisdom and the saichel is to know and recognize the Creator, blessed be He — this is the essential da’as, the essential receiving of the Torah, as it is written: “And you shall know today and bring it into your heart, that Hashem is G–d,” etc. (Devarim 4:39). For through each and every mitzvah and through each and every word of Torah study, one merits to draw upon oneself da’as and saichel to draw close to Him, blessed be He, and to recognize Him, blessed be He — which is the essential purpose. And this is the generality of all the kavanos of the Ari z”l — most of which are to draw mochin. That is, the intent of all the mitzvos is to draw mochin and da’as upon every person, that he should merit to recognize the Creator, blessed be He, in this world and in the World to Come, according to his level. And through each and every mitzvah, a unique moach and saichel is drawn, to know and recognize Him, blessed be He, in this aspect — “for His understanding is without number” (Tehillim 147:5). And according to the unification that one causes Above, so is the flow of da’as drawn upon the person, that he should merit to recognize Him, blessed be He. And during the days of the Sefirah, when we need to go out from the contamination of Mitzrayim that has taken great hold upon them — therefore we need to receive the mochin not in order, as is explained in the kavanos. And corresponding to each moach that needs to be received on each and every day in its particularity, there is correspondingly a klippah that precedes the fruit, which is the aspect of the “fence from the outside” that is upon each and every day, as above. And according to the great variations among the mochin, so too there are many variations in the fences and barriers upon each and every day — for “this corresponding to this G–d has made.” And from this you will understand on your own that from there derive all the types of deferrals and confusions that come upon a person every day, to the point that it seems as if this day is not a day of the days of his life. For on this day there is this cause and this hindrance and this confusion, etc. For everything derives from the great variations among the days. For it can be that even though on previous days one prayed a little and had some measure of ease, but now it is harder than ever. For it can be that the earlier days were in the aspect of mochin of gadlus for him — where the hold of the external forces, which are the obstacles, is not so great. But now he needs to receive the aspect of mochin of katnus. And sometimes it is the aspect of katnus 1, which is a smaller katnus, and there is also katnus of katnus — where the Sitra Achra has a greater hold. And therefore it seems to him that it is hard to stand against the obstacles of this day. But in truth, one must believe that certainly even on this day there is good in it. Only one must break the fence according to that day, in order to merit the good that is in this very day, as above. For even though in the generality of Israel, the mochin are not received out of order except on Pesach and afterward during the days of the Sefirah — but at all [other] times they are received in order — nevertheless, it is already explained that the reason they are compelled then to receive them out of order is because of the great hold of the Sitra Achra, which is the contamination of Mitzrayim, due to which it is necessary to receive the mochin out of order, as above. And therefore, when a person is not clean from his sins and needs to do teshuvah, then he too is in the aspect of going out of Mitzrayim. And then he too needs, even during the rest of the year, to receive the mochin out of order, according to the aspect of his going out from Mitzrayim — that is, from the contamination of his sins. And similarly, countless variations come upon him, until each time it seems to him that now it is impossible in any way to serve Hashem, blessed be He. And all of this comes from the variations of the mochin that come each day — for correspondingly, the fences and barriers upon each and every day also expand, as above. And therefore one must strengthen oneself on each and every day according to that day. And if sometimes they expand greatly against him, to the point that it is impossible for him in any way to pray properly — even so, he must know and believe that even this day is a day, and it is numbered and counted among the days of his life. And if it is impossible to pray properly in any way on this day, he should make the effort to do another form of service — such as to study more, or to engage in mitzvos and acts of chesed, or to say other supplications and requests and conversation between himself and his Creator, and the like. For Hashem, blessed be He, wanted to give Israel merit; therefore He gave them much Torah and mitzvos. And blessed be Hashem, we have with what to enliven ourselves on each and every day — through the many types of study of the holy Torah and through the many, many types of mitzvos, etc. And the essential thing is that one should make the effort not to be deceived, G–d forbid, that this day is null and gone. For one must consider each day that he has nothing but that day alone — in the aspect of: “Today, if you will listen to His voice,” as above. And after one counts the forty-nine days of the Sefirah, one merits Shavu’os, when the essential receiving of the Torah takes place. And then one merits to receive the aspect of Keser [Crown], as is brought in the kavanos. And it is taught in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory (in siman 6), that Keser has the connotation of waiting [hamasanah], as it is written: “Kassar li ze’air” [wait for me a little] (Iyov 36:2). And then is the ultimate rectification of the aspect of the contractions in all the aspects. For during the seven weeks that one counts beforehand, one rectifies the contraction of the mochin — so that the mind should not go beyond the boundary of holiness, so that one should not think evil thoughts, in cravings and fantasies and external wisdoms and wisdoms of vanity and all types of thoughts that are beyond the boundary of holiness. All of which derive from the aspect of the contamination of Mitzrayim, which draws sustenance from the blemish of the contraction of holiness, which is the aspect of the Malchus of holiness — for they are from the aspect of the wicked kingdom. All of this we are engaged in rectifying during all the days of the Sefirah, as above. And according to the rectification, so is the illumination of the mochin of holiness drawn upon us. Until on Shavu’os, on the fiftieth day, one receives the mochin in their completeness, and the holiness from the Fiftieth Gate is drawn upon us — and then is the essential receiving of the Torah. Then the contraction of the mochin is rectified in a higher aspect. That is: even when one is guarded from the blemish of the contraction mentioned above — not to think thoughts from outside, as above — and one merits the mochin of holiness, one still needs to be very careful and guarded, even within holiness, not to go beyond one’s boundary. And this is the aspect of the warning that was given very strongly before the receiving of the Torah: “lest they break through to go up to Hashem” (Shemos 19:21). It emerges that one needs to rectify the mochin in two aspects, which are the aspect of two types of contractions. That is: one contraction at the time of wanting to receive the mochin — that one must rectify the contraction so that the mind does not go beyond the boundary of holiness to the outside, that one should not think thoughts from outside, etc., as above. And this is rectified during the forty-nine days of the Sefirah, as above. And afterward, even when one receives the mochin, one needs to rectify the second contraction — that even within holiness one should not go beyond one’s boundary, in the aspect of: “Into that which is wondrous beyond you, do not inquire” (Chagigah 13a), etc. And this is the aspect of the warning: “lest they break through to go up to Hashem,” etc. And this needs to be rectified on Shavu’os through the aspect of Keser. For Keser has the connotation of waiting, as above — that is, it is forbidden to break through to go up to Hashem. And as is brought in the words of Rabbainu, of blessed memory, on this subject in several places. And these two rectifications — every person must also be very, very careful about them. For a person must be very careful every day to fulfill the obligation of the day in whatever way possible. For one must know that all his days are numbered and counted, and he will need to give an accounting for every day and every hour, and he has nothing in his world except that day — which is the aspect of the mitzvah of the Sefirah, as above. Therefore he certainly needs to be very, very diligent each and every day, to strengthen himself in His service, blessed be He, with whatever his hand can find to do with his strength. But even so, one must wait a great deal until he merits that his service be in completeness and as it should be. In the aspect of: “One who comes to purify himself — they assist him; they say to him: wait” — as is brought in the Torah teaching “K’ra es Yehoshua” (siman 6), where this is the aspect of Keser, as is explained there — see there. And this matter is impossible to explain well in writing, and there are many holy conversations that we heard and understood from his holy mouth. A few of them are explained in some places — and see at the end of the Sipurai Ma’asiyos, beginning with: “Even though a person must be diligent,” etc. — see there. And this is the aspect of: “You are not required to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it” (Avos 2:16). And these two aspects are received during the forty-nine days of the Sefirah and Shavu’os. For during the forty-nine days of the Sefirah, one counts the days to know that the days are numbered and counted, as above — therefore one must be very, very diligent in His service, blessed be He. And on Shavu’os, one rectifies the second contraction — not to break the boundary to go up to Hashem, but rather to wait for the salvation of Hashem always, in whatever passes over him. And that the diligence should not cause him to break beyond measure entirely, G–d forbid. For this is a great principle: that in every thing and every attribute in the world there is good and evil, and the adversary lies in ambush for a person always, to capture him in his net, G–d forbid, with all types of devices and deceptions and stratagems in the world — more than the mouth can speak and the heart can think. And one must always set one’s heart upon the truth, and look well into everything — what will come of this — so that one is not captured in his net, G–d forbid. For certainly at first the adversary overpowers a person greatly, to prevent him entirely from the path of life, G–d forbid. But when a person awakens a little and wants to return to Hashem — to pray or to study and the like — he spreads himself against him and prevents him with many obstacles and weaknesses and confusions without measure. To the point that many times, even when one prays and studies, the service is not in completeness and as it should be — especially since many times and seasons he confuses him entirely due to the anxieties of livelihood and the like. And not enough for him is all this, but he further lies in ambush for him as if hope is lost, G–d forbid — as if it is impossible for him any longer to draw close to Hashem, blessed be He, properly, since days and years pass and he is still as far away as he is far. And in truth, this too is the devices of the adversary. And this too is the aspect of what is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above — that the adversary clothes himself in mitzvos, inserting into his heart lassitude and weakness through the mitzvos and the fear that he clothes himself in. As if he wants his benefit, and rebukes him on account of his being so far. But in truth his intent is to harm — to prevent him and weaken him even from the little service that he wants to engage in. Therefore, everyone who wants to enter the service of Hashem must be very careful to hold onto both. In the aspect of: “It is good that you hold onto this, and also from that do not let go of your hand” (Koheles 7:18), etc. That is: to be very, very diligent in His service, blessed be He, and “whatever your hand finds to do, do with your strength” (Koheles 9:10) — with great diligence, the matter of each day in its day, and not to push off from day to day, G–d forbid, as above. And even so, one must wait a great, great deal. That even when one sees that his service is not complete, and even if sometimes he cannot do anything at all — even so, he should wait and look forward to the salvation of Hashem, as it is written: “Only to G–d be silent, my soul,” etc. “Only to G–d — silence, my soul,” etc. (Tehillim 62:2,6). And it is written: “It is good to wait in silence for the salvation of Hashem” (Aichah 3:26). And this is the aspect of the guarding of the Torah, as it is written: “Guard and hearken” (Devarim 12:28). And it is written: “Be very careful to do,” etc. (Yehoshua 22:5). For one needs very great guarding from the devices of the adversary in all the ways and aspects, until one merits to do and fulfill all the words of the Torah. And shmirah [guarding] has the connotation of waiting, as it is written: “And his father guarded [shamar] the matter” (Beraishis 37:11) — that is, it is impossible to merit to fulfill all the words of the Torah in completeness, to cleave to Him, blessed be He, in truth, except through the aspect of guarding and waiting. For one must wait a great deal until he merits what he merits. For even one who merits the service of Hashem properly and engages much in Torah and tefillah and good deeds — he too must wait a great deal until he merits completeness as is proper. For the essential ultimate purpose of the service is to recognize Him, blessed be He, as it is taught in the holy Zohar: “so that they may come to know Him” [b’gin d’yisht’mod’in laih]. And for this one must wait a great deal. But we would not have had the strength to wait so long. For according to the good point [n’kudah tovah] in the heart of each one of Israel, it burns and blazes very much to be incorporated in Him, blessed be He, and to cleave to Him. Therefore, in His mercy, He gave us the holy Torah — for she is our life and the length of our days. For through the Torah we have with what to enliven ourselves all the days that we are waiting for His salvation, to be incorporated in Him, blessed be He, in completeness. For the Torah is His unity, blessed be He, and through the Torah itself we merit to come to the true ultimate purpose — to cleave to Him, blessed be He. But also one whose service is not in completeness, and even if it seems to him that he is still completely far, and even if he truly is so — even so, he must wait and look forward to His salvation, and enliven himself in the meantime with whatever he can: sometimes with Torah, sometimes with tefillah, sometimes with hisbodedus and conversation between himself and his Creator, sometimes with conversation with a friend or one’s rebbe, sometimes with the performance of some mitzvah and act of chesed, sometimes with will and longing and yearning — which is the essential thing, as is explained in his words, of blessed memory: that the essential thing is the will [ratzon], etc. And in the meantime, one studies as if one is studying, and prays as if, etc. — see there. And this is the aspect of the first redemption and the final redemption, which has no interruption — for there is no exile after it — which are the aspects of Pesach and Shavu’os. For Pesach is the aspect of the first redemption, when one eats matzah, which is the aspect of haste [chipazon], as it is written: “Seven days shall you eat matzos upon it, for in haste you departed,” etc. (Devarim 16:3). And this is the aspect of diligence — that one must be very diligent in the service of Hashem, with great diligence, and not push off from one day to the next, G–d forbid. And this is the aspect of Sefiras HaOmer, as above. And therefore, from then one immediately begins to count the forty-nine days of the Sefirah, as it is written: “And you shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the Shabbos” (Vayikra 23:15). The Torah made the mitzvah of counting dependent on the morrow of the Shabbos, which is the first day of Pesach — called Shabbos, as Rashi explained. For during the days of the Sefirah we draw upon ourselves the mochin of Pesach, which are the aspect of diligence, the aspect of haste. (Only on Pesach one receives all the mochin at once, while during the Sefirah one receives those same mochin gradually during all the days of the Sefirah, as above.) But Shavu’os, which is the receiving of the Torah, is the aspect of the final redemption, about which it is said: “For you shall not go out in haste, and in flight you shall not go” (Yeshayahu 52:12), etc. And therefore one then brings the two loaves [sh’tai halechem] from chametz specifically, as it is written: “They shall be baked leavened,” etc. (Vayikra 23:17). And chametz involves a delay of time, the aspect of waiting. That is, one must not rush to go up to Hashem. Rather, amidst the great diligence, one must be careful to also hold onto this — to wait a great deal, in the aspect of “they say to him: wait” — which derives from the aspect of Keser, which is received on Shavu’os, which has the connotation of waiting, as above. And this is the aspect of the final redemption, which has no interruption. For when one merits this — the aspect of waiting — then one will certainly merit a complete redemption from the exile of his soul. For certainly, in the end of the end, he will return to Hashem and He will have mercy upon him — for the kindnesses of Hashem are not exhausted, etc. And about this it is said: “Upon my guard-post I will stand and station myself,” etc. “For there is yet a vision for the appointed time,” etc. “If it tarries, wait for it,” etc. (Chavakkuk 2:1–3). This is said regarding the final redemption, and this applies also to every person and every time. For the essential redemption is the redemption of the soul. Although one must hurry greatly to save his soul from whatever he needs to be saved from — even so, when he sees that his redemption is greatly delayed, he must strengthen himself to wait a great deal for His salvation — until Hashem looks down and sees from the heavens, as it is written: “And I will always hope” (Tehillim 71:14). And just as it is regarding the general redemption of Israel — that certainly each day one must fall on his face and cry and plead greatly before Him, blessed be He, that He should hasten our redemption immediately, for the exile has been prolonged upon us and the strength of the bearer has failed — even so, when one sees that the exile is extended, one must still wait more and more, as it is written: “If it tarries, wait for it, for it will surely come and will not be late” (Chavakkuk 2:3). So it is in particular with every person. Although one must cry much before Hashem, blessed be He, and plead before Him for his soul, that He should redeem it quickly from the cravings of this world and its vanities — even so, when he sees that the matter is greatly delayed, he must hope and wait a great deal, times after times — perhaps Hashem will look upon his affliction, for He will not contend forever and will not bear anger for eternity. And even though the prevention is from our side, because we are not worthy in our deeds as we should be — and even if this is truly so — even so, as long as he lifts his eyes heavenward and guards and looks forward and waits for His salvation, blessed be He, through this itself Hashem, blessed be He, will have compassion and mercy upon him, and will bring him close to His service in truth, and everything will be turned to good. And this is: “For there is a day — the watchmen [notz’rim] have called out on Mount Efrayim,” etc. (Yirmeyahu 31:5). And Rashi explained: notz’rim is an expression of guarding [sh’mirah]. That is to say: there is a day when those who guarded the Torah will be called, and they will say “arise,” etc. — see there. That is, one who is a notzer — who guards and waits for the salvation of Hashem, as above — certainly has a day. For in the end of the end, the day that he awaits will arrive — that he will merit to draw close to Him, blessed be He. In the aspect of: “For there is a day — the watchmen have called out on Mount Efrayim: Arise, let us go up!” In the aspect of: “It is a day, and to you he will come” — which is also said regarding the final redemption (as Rashi explained there) — which is the aspect of Shavu’os, which is the completion of the rectification of the Sefirah, as it is written: “You shall count fifty days” (Vayikra 23:16). For all the forty-nine days one counts in order to arrive at the fiftieth day, which is Shavu’os, when one merits the aspect of Keser, which is the aspect of waiting — which is the aspect of the guarding of the Torah, as above. For in truth, the essential rectification of the aspect of the Sefirah is when one merits Shavu’os, which is the aspect of waiting, as above. That is, the aspect of the Sefirah is that a person must, all the days of his life, remember very, very much on each and every day that it is numbered and counted, in number and in reckoning, so that he will strengthen himself to engage in the service of Hashem as much as he can, as above. But after all of this — even if he is among the “masters of accounting” and he reckons with himself every day, and he remembers and knows well that his days are numbered and counted and limited — even so, due to the great strengthening of the Sitra Achra, which strengthens itself against the holiness greatly with all types of devices (for “this corresponding to this G–d has made”), and especially against one who wants to enter the service of Hashem — therefore it can be that even so the adversary will overpower him, G–d forbid, and confuse his service, G–d forbid. And not enough for him is this, but he will want, G–d forbid, through this, to demolish the days of his counting — to say to him: “What profit is it that you count your days each time and think about your end each day, since you see that with all of this you are not managing to be as His will, blessed be He, in truth? For your strength has been exhausted and your inclination overpowers you, may the Merciful One save us.” But if he reflects wisely upon the truth to its depth, he will say and respond to his heart: “And if so — shall I on account of this cease entirely, G–d forbid, from counting my days? Surely even so my end will come, and I will be compelled to give an accounting for each and every day. Therefore, even if whatever will pass over me passes — I, upon my guard-post I will stand, to guard and look forward and wait for the salvation of Hashem. And in the meantime I will snatch from the service of Hashem whatever I can, each and every day, a little or a lot, in the aspect of: ‘Snatch and eat, snatch and drink, for this world that we are in is like a wedding feast’” — which is said regarding the eating of Torah and mitzvos, which is called “eating,” as it is written: “Come, partake of my bread” (Mishlai 9:5). And when he is strong and steadfast on this path — that he counts and enumerates his days even though it seems to him that he is not fulfilling the obligation of the day, and even if the truth is indeed so, even so he will not demolish his counting on account of this — for: “Even though I am not fulfilling my obligation each day, even so my days are numbered and counted. Therefore I am obligated to place all my heart and my aspiration and my hope to wait and look forward to the salvation of Hashem,” as above. And then specifically he will be able to fulfill the aspect of the mitzvah of the Sefirah all his days. It emerges that specifically through the aspect of waiting, which is the aspect of Shavu’os, one can draw upon oneself the aspect of the mitzvah of the Sefirah all his days. For he will merit to think about his days every day and to snatch what he can, since he thinks about his end each day. And then he will certainly merit that the day of his salvation will arrive — that he will draw close to Hashem, blessed be He — in the aspect of: “For there is a day — the watchmen have called out.” “Watchmen” [notz’rim] specifically, which is an expression of guarding and waiting, as above. And this is the laws of the guardians [shomrim]: that all the guardians must take an oath, even on a claim of doubt — a Torah-mandated oath [sh’vu’ah d’Oraisa] — something we do not find elsewhere in the entire Torah. For there is no Torah-mandated oath on a claim of doubt. (And even though a single witness obligates an oath even when the claim is one of doubt — on the basis of the witness — the answer is readily at hand, for there the certain claim of the witness exists, and the essential obligation of the oath is due to the words of the witness who knows with certainty. But guardians are obligated in a Torah-mandated oath on a claim of complete doubt.) For the essential guarding is to guard the thing from all types of damages. And all types of damages come from the aspect of the wicked kingdom, which is the aspect of Aisav who despised the birthright — which is the aspect of foolishness, the aspect of: “A fool does not desire understanding” (Mishlai 18:2). For the wicked kingdom, the aspect of Aisav, is the aspect of the “boar of the forest” [chazir haya’ar], the aspect of the “beast of the reeds” [chayas kaneh] — which are the aspect of the damagers of the world. From there come all the thefts and robberies and denials and all types of damages in the world. For the wicked kingdom is the aspect of foolishness, as above, from which all the damages come. For the da’as guards from all the damages, and through foolishness all the damages come, as Rabbainu, of blessed memory, wrote in the Sefer HaAlef-Bais: “When you cause some damage, know that you have blemished the da’as.” And therefore, the essential guarding is through the aspect of the Malchus of holiness. When one merits to strengthen the Malchus of holiness over the malchus of the Sitra Achra — through this one subdues and nullifies all the damages that come from the aspect of the malchus of the Sitra Achra, as above. And therefore Malchus is the aspect of Shamor [Guard] (as is known in the Zohar and the writings of the Ari z”l, regarding Zachor [Remember] and Shamor — Zachor for the male [d’chura] and Shamor for the female [nukvah], which is the aspect of Malchus, as is known). For the essential guarding is through the aspect of Malchus, as above. And therefore, the essential guarding is through the Torah. Through this one strengthens the Malchus of holiness over the malchus of the Sitra Achra, through which one nullifies all the damages, as above. For through the Torah, through which one gives power to the Malchus of holiness — which is the aspect of the rectification of the contraction of the mochin, the aspect of nun — through this the illumination of the saichel and the wisdom is drawn, which is the vitality of every thing, which is the aspect of ches. And then one merits to look upon the saichel that is in every thing in the world, to draw close through this to Hashem, blessed be He — which is the aspect of the sun, the aspect of Yaakov, who merited the birthright, as is explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned above. And then one is guarded from all the damages. For the light of day — the aspect of the sun, which is the aspect of the light of the saichel — saves from all the damages. For the generality of the damagers of the world have no dominion in the light of day. For all their dominion is only in the darkness and at night — “in it all the beasts of the forest creep forth” (Tehillim 104:20). And as it is written: “He digs through houses in the dark; by day they seal themselves away” (Iyov 24:16). And it is written: “And at night he is like a thief” (Ovadyah 1:5). And therefore, through the Torah — through which one merits to look upon the saichel that is in every thing, which is the aspect of the light of day — through this one is saved from all the damages. And therefore through this the Malchus of holiness is strengthened, which is the aspect of Shamor — which is the aspect of the mistress of the house [akeres habayis], who guards all the possessions of the house from all types of damages, as above. It emerges that the essential guarding is through the Torah. And this is the aspect of: “When you walk, it will lead you; when you lie down, it will guard over you,” etc. (Mishlai 6:22). And it is written: “Discretion will guard over you; understanding will watch over you” (Mishlai 2:11). For the Torah guards from all the damagers of the world, as above. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory truly said, regarding the law, that Torah scholars do not need guarding [n’tirusa], for the Torah guards them — as is explained in the law, regarding the principle that a Torah scholar need not contribute to the expenses of guarding the city. For in truth it is very difficult to guard anything, for there are many, many types of damages from which it is impossible to guard except through the salvation of Hashem, as it is written: “If Hashem does not guard a city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil” (Tehillim 127:1). And therefore, the essential guarding is through the Torah, as above. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory truly said: “Distance yourself from deposits [pikadonos].” For the guarding is very difficult, as above. For the essential guarding is in a place where damage is common — that is when one gives the thing to a guardian to guard. But the guarding from the damages is very difficult, for the damagers of the world are always lying in ambush for every thing. For they are opposed to the Malchus of holiness, which is the aspect of the lowest level of holiness — which is the aspect of guarding — because it is adjacent to the external forces. And they lie in ambush against her always, to ruin and damage, G–d forbid, the things and possessions that she guards, when they find some blemish, G–d forbid — through which they have the power to overpower her, G–d forbid. And therefore a person has great battles at every blemish. And especially in matters of external service — which are one’s money and possessions — for in them are many, many holinesses and sparks. But because they are in the aspect of externality, in the aspect of “when you go out” (as is explained in the Torah teaching “Ki Saitzai LaMilchamah” in siman 280) — where the external forces are actually adjacent, lying in ambush to draw sustenance from there and to destroy and ruin, G–d forbid. And therefore it is difficult for a person to guard even his own possessions — all the more so should he distance himself from accepting upon himself the guarding of deposits of others. For the essential guarding as it should be is to look upon the thing with one’s eyes well and not to avert one’s eye from it. That is, one must look upon the saichel that is in that object, and connect it to the true saichel and da’as — through which is the essential guarding, as above. And this is certainly difficult for a person, for this is the essential battle of a person in this world: not to be drawn after the materiality of the thing, but rather to look upon the saichel that is in every thing. And therefore all the guardians require a Torah-mandated oath, even on a claim of doubt. For we suspect him that he blemished the guarding through some negligence or some misappropriation [sh’lichas yad], etc. — because the guarding is in the aspect of external service, in a place adjacent to the external forces, where they have a great hold. Therefore it is difficult to be guarded from their hold, from which come all the negligences and misappropriations and all the denials and damages, as above. And therefore, as soon as one becomes a guardian, a Torah-mandated oath falls upon him immediately, even on a claim of doubt. For the oath is the aspect of connection [hiskashrus]. For the oath is taken while holding a sacred object [n’kiitas chaifetz], which is the Sefer Torah — through which is the essential rectification of the guarding, as above. For the essential rectification of the guarding is through connecting the externality to the internality — that is, when one looks upon the saichel that is in every thing, which is the very essence of the internality. And this one merits through the Torah, as above. And therefore, every guardian must take an oath. For we do not believe him regarding the guarding having been done properly except through the oath while holding a sacred object, which is the Torah — through which one connects everything to the internality of the saichel that is in every thing — through which is the essential rectification of the guarding at its root, as above. And this is the reason the Torah called the guardian ba’al habayis [master of the house], as it is written: “The master of the house shall approach the judges” (Shemos 22:7). And Rashi explained that this is the guardian, who is called “master of the house.” And at first glance, the expression is puzzling — why is the guardian called “master of the house”? After all, if one gave him the object to guard outside, all the laws of the guardians still apply — so why should he be called “master of the house”? Also, surely the essential “master of the house” is the owner of the object — so how can the Torah now call the guardian “master of the house” on account of that moment when he became a guardian over it? But in this the holy Torah hinted to us the reason for all the laws of the guardians — that the Torah was stringent upon them to guard very well, as is explained in the words of our Sages of blessed memory, and all of them must take a Torah-mandated oath while holding a sacred object. For all this is because this guardian has girded his loins to become the “master of the house” over this object — that is, to connect the externality to the internality, which is the internality of the saichel that is in every thing, which is the root of the thing and its vitality — from which comes the essential guarding, as above. And therefore he is certainly called “master of the house.” For the house of a person is the aspect of internality in contrast to places that are outside. And the essential purpose of building a house is so that one may enter it from outside to inside — the person together with all his possessions. And therefore the house is a guarded place, for the essential guarding is through the aspect of internality — that is, through bringing everything from outside to inside, and connecting it to its root, which is the wisdom — which is the essential internality, as above. And therefore one must build the house with wisdom, as it is written: “With wisdom a house is built, and with understanding it is established,” etc. (Mishlai 24:3). That is, one must build the house for the sake of Hashem, in order to engage in it in the true wisdom — which is the holy Torah. For every person must intend in the building of his house that just as in the physical sense he builds the walls of the house so that he may have a place to enter from outside to inside — he and all his possessions — so too in the spiritual sense he should bring everything from outside to inside, elevating all things from the aspect of externality and connecting them to the internality — which is the wisdom, which is the root of everything, as it is written: “All of them You made with wisdom” (Tehillim 104:24). And therefore this guardian who girds his loins to guard the thing is called “master of the house.” For this is the essential aspect of guarding — guarding the thing from all types of damages that come from the outside, that is, from the damagers of the world who are called “external ones” [chitzonim], for their essential hold is on the outside, in the aspect of externality. And this guardian must guard the thing from them and connect it and elevate it to the internality, which is the aspect of the house. And therefore the guardian is called “master of the house.” And because this is a difficult service — for this is the essential toil and service of every person in this world, to elevate and connect everything from outside to inside through the service of Torah and mitzvos, especially the guarding of possessions and money of a person, which is itself the aspect of external service, as above — therefore the guarding is very difficult. For because their essential hold is on a person’s possessions and money, and especially since when one gives a thing to guard, it is certainly in a place where damage is common, as above — therefore it is very difficult for the guardian to fulfill the obligation of guarding so as to be worthy of being called “master of the house” over the object — that is, to connect the object from outside to inside, which is the aspect of “master of the house,” as above. Therefore the Torah imposed upon him an oath while holding a sacred object, which is the Torah, through which one connects everything to its root, as above. And this is: “The master of the house shall approach the judges [Elokim]” — “master of the house” specifically. For this “approaching” is for the oath, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded. And therefore the Torah calls him here by the name “master of the house” — for it is on account of this that he must take an oath. Because the essential rectification of the guarding is in the aspect of “master of the house” — to connect and elevate from outside to inside, which is very difficult. Therefore we do not believe him except through the oath while holding a sacred object, as above. And this is: “The master of the house shall approach Elokim” — for one must bring close and elevate everything to Elokim, for He, blessed be He, created everything with His wisdom, and He is the root of everything, as above. And this is the aspect of sh’mirah bib’alim [guarding when the owner is present in the borrower’s service], which is exempt from everything — which is a great wonder on the plain level: why should the borrower be exempt because the owner did him an extra favor at the outset and also lent himself to him? But everything is according to what was explained above. For the essential guarding is in the aspect of externality, as above. And the owner of the object, in relation to the guardian, is in the aspect of internality. For in every thing and every level there is the aspect of internality and externality, and every level that is higher than its fellow is in the aspect of internality in relation to the one lower than it. And therefore, the owner of the object is in the aspect of internality in relation to the guardian or the borrower, upon whom falls the guarding — which is in the aspect of externality. And therefore “guarding when the owner is present” is exempt. And specifically when the owner of the object was with him in his work at the time of the borrowing, as our Sages of blessed memory said. For since this owner of the object has already become a guardian for his fellow, it emerges that he has descended to the aspect of externality in relation to his fellow, and his fellow is in the aspect of internality in relation to him, as above. Therefore, afterward, when his fellow borrows from this guardian some object, the obligation of guarding no longer falls upon him, since he is in the aspect of internality in relation to the owner of this object. For this owner of the object has already become a guardian for him, and has descended to the aspect of externality, while he in relation to him is in the aspect of internality. Therefore the obligation of guarding can no longer be established upon him, for the essential reason for all the laws of the obligation of guarding is only because the guardian obligated himself to go out to the outside and to elevate and connect the object from outside to inside, which is the essential aspect of guarding. It emerges that the essential obligation of guarding is in the aspect of externality. And since he borrowed “in the owners” — the owners being subordinated to him for guarding, and they are in the aspect of externality in relation to him — the obligation of guarding can no longer fall upon him. For it is impossible for him to be in the aspect of externality in relation to them, since he has already become in relation to them the aspect of internality, since they are with him in his work at the time of the borrowing, and they are obligated to guard his possessions. This is the aspect of externality in relation to him, as above. For the essential obligation of guarding is in the aspect of externality, as above. Therefore “guarding when the owner is present” is exempt. And this is the mitzvah of mezuzah, which is a guarding for the house. For the mezuzah is at the place through which one enters from outside to inside — and there one needs great guarding from the external forces that hold onto the outside. Therefore one must affix a mezuzah there, at the entrance. For the mezuzah is the aspect of the entirety of the Torah, for in it are written the two passages — Sh’ma and V’hayah Im Shamo’a — which are the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven and of the mitzvos, which are the generality of the entire Torah. Through this one subdues the wicked kingdom, which is the aspect of foolishness, from which is the hold of all the external ones and the damagers of the world. And one subdues and nullifies them all, and strengthens the Malchus of holiness, and merits to connect the house with everything in it to the very essence of the internality, which is the wisdom of the holy Torah — through which is the essential rectification of the building of the house, in the aspect of: “With wisdom a house is built,” as above. For the Torah is in the aspect of a house, in the aspect of the bais of Beraishis. Also, the word Beraishis itself is rosh bayis [head of the house], as it is taught in the Tikkunai Zohar. For the essential building of the house must be with wisdom, which is the Torah — through which one elevates and brings everything from outside to inside, and connects every thing to the saichel and wisdom that is in it, which is its internality and its vitality, as above. It emerges that the mezuzah is the aspect of the strengthening of the Malchus of holiness (and so it is taught in the Kabbalistic writings, that mezuzah has the numerical value of Adni [the Name corresponding to Malchus]) — that one strengthens over the wicked kingdom, which is the aspect of foolishness, etc., the aspect of the Malchus of holiness, as is known, as above. And this is the aspect of: “And they strike it with clubs upon which are engraved names,” etc. For the mezuzah is in the form of a staff [makkel], and it is entirely holy names. And through this one subdues the foolishness, etc. — so that they should not take hold on the house. Rather, the house shall be guarded and sustained through the wisdom, in the aspect of: “With wisdom a house is built,” as above. And this is the reason that “in order that your days be multiplied,” etc., is juxtaposed to the verse “and you shall write them upon the doorposts [mezuzos],” etc. (Devarim 11:20–21). For through the mezuzah, life and length of days are drawn, as our Sages of blessed memory expounded: “Mezuzos — zaz maves [death departs].” For the essential life is through connecting the thing to its root, which is the wisdom — which is its vitality and its internality, as it is written: “Wisdom gives life” (Koheles 7:12). Therefore, through the mezuzah that is affixed at the entrance of the house — through which one can bring from outside to inside and connect everything to the wisdom, as above — through this, life is certainly drawn. For from there is the essential life, as above. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the principle that women are obligated in the mitzvah of mezuzah, for it is written “in order that your days be multiplied” — “do men need life and women do not need life?!” — said in wonderment. That is, the essential life is the connection of body and soul. And therefore, the essential life is truly when one connects the externality to the internality — which are the aspects of body and soul — and this is the aspect of the mezuzah, as above. And through this is the essential guarding, as above. And therefore Shamor is the aspect of the female [nukvah], the aspect of Malchus, as above. For there is the essential guarding — for there one must guard oneself especially from the hold of the external forces, which are the sitra d’mosa [side of death]. For they are the world of separation [alma d’fairuda], who want to separate the internality from the externality — which are the aspects of body and soul. Therefore Hashem, blessed be He, warned us greatly about the guarding of the Torah, as it is written: “And you shall guard yourselves very much for your souls,” etc. “For she is your life,” etc. (Devarim 4:15, 30:20). For the essential life is through the Torah, through which one connects the externality to the internality — which is the essential life. And this is the aspect of: “See life with the woman,” etc. (Koheles 9:9). For there is the essential warning — to draw life there, because she is adjacent to them [the external forces]. Therefore one must guard oneself very much, according to the Torah, to see life with the woman specifically. For this is the essential life — when one connects and elevates the aspect of the woman, which is the aspect of the body, the aspect of externality, to the internality, which is the wisdom, as above. And this is what our Sages of blessed memory wondered regarding the mezuzah — “do men need life and women do not need life?” Surely on the contrary, the essential life needs to be drawn there specifically, in the aspect of “see life with the woman,” as above. And therefore Yaakov Avinu was compelled to become a guardian for Lavan, and through this specifically he merited his match [zivug] — which is the fear of Hashem, as it is written: “And Israel served for a woman, and for a woman he guarded” (Hoshaia 12:13). For Yaakov fled from Aisav because he had taken from him with his wisdom the birthright and the blessing, as it is written: “And he deceived me these two times” (Beraishis 27:36). And Onkelos translated: “and he outsmarted me” [v’chakmani]. For the birthright is the aspect of the saichel, as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above — see there. For Aisav despised the birthright, which is the saichel, and sold it for the craving of eating — for “a fool does not desire understanding.” For he did not believe that there is in every thing an internality that is its essential vitality, and that one must connect every thing to its root — through which one merits eternal life. And he did not believe in this. And therefore he said: “Behold, I am going to die — and what use is the birthright to me?” (Beraishis 25:32). For he did not choose life, and said that he is going to die. For he is from the world of separation, which is the side of death, and does not believe in true life — that one can connect every thing to its root, which is the essential eternal life. And therefore he despised the birthright, which is the service of the Omnipresent that was originally performed by the firstborn. For through the korbanos one connects and elevates everything to its root — and on this account it is called korban [offering, from the root “to draw close”], as is known. And he denied this and said that he is going to die, for he did not believe in eternal life. For Yaakov, the aspect of the generality of Israel, believes that the essential life is in the future — that we will merit eternal life through the Torah and the mitzvos, through which one connects everything to its root, which is the essential eternal life. But Aisav did not believe in this, and said that he is going to die an eternal death — “and what use is the birthright to me?” — which is the aspect of the saichel, the aspect of the service of the korbanos to connect everything to its root. For he denied this due to the cravings of his heart — for “a fool does not desire understanding.” And therefore Yaakov said: “Sell me today your birthright” (Beraishis 25:31) — so that Aisav would have no remaining hold on the holiness of the saichel. And then Yaakov merited the birthright, which is the saichel. And afterward he also took from him the blessing. And therefore Aisav was very angry, and said: “Is it because his name is Yaakov [meaning: he deceives]? And he deceived me these two times — he took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing” (Beraishis 27:36). For Aisav thought that he sold the birthright to Yaakov — which is the saichel — and he would take for himself the blessing in the physical sense, which is all the wealth and eating and drinking. But in truth everything belongs to Yaakov. For the essential vitality of all the wealth and all the things in the world is only from the saichel and the wisdom. And since Yaakov merited the wisdom, which is the essential vitality, certainly the blessings and the wealth and all physical good also belong to him by right — for the horse is secondary to the rider. And therefore Yitzchak truly said: “He too shall be blessed” (Beraishis 27:33). And as Rashi explained there — that Yitzchak was trembling, etc., until Aisav told him that he had taken the birthright from him. Then he said: “If so, I blessed him rightly — he too shall be blessed.” That is, since he had already taken the birthright from him — which is the saichel — certainly all the blessings in the physical sense also belong to him. For the physical is secondary and nullified before the spiritual, which is the vitality of every thing, as above. And then Yaakov fled to Lavan, to take a wife from there, and guarded his flock for this purpose. For Yaakov, after he merited the birthright and the blessing, saw that it is still a great battle to connect the two of them together always — to always connect the externality to the internality. And therefore he first went to the house of Shem and Aiver and engaged there in the Torah for fourteen years. For the essential connection is through the Torah, as above. And when he departed from there, he encountered that place, which is the site of the Bais HaMikdash — where all the korbanos ascend, which elevate all the things of the world to their root. And there is the essential connection and elevation of all things to their root, as is known. And therefore he saw there “a ladder set upon the earth, and its top reaching the heavens” (Beraishis 28:12). That is, he saw that the person and everything dependent upon him and attached to him — all is in the aspect of a ladder set upon the earth, its top reaching the heavens. For every thing has a root Above. And even though here the thing is set upon the earth — for it is clothed in earthliness and physicality — but its top reaches the heavens. For there is in it wisdom and saichel, which is the aspect of the head [rosh], which reaches up to the heavens, higher and higher. And one must connect everything to its root. And therefore he was then promised the guarding, as it is written: “And behold, I am with you and will guard you” (Beraishis 28:15), as above. For there is the essential guarding — when one needs to connect the externality to the internality, as above. And then he went to the house of Lavan and became a guardian specifically. For through the guarding that he guarded properly, in the ultimate completeness — through this he rectified the aspect of the attribute of guarding at its root. That is, he merited to guard all the possessions of the world from the hold of the external forces — only to connect all the externality to the internality, as above. And through this he merited his match, as it is written: “and for a woman he guarded.” For she is in the aspect of Shamor, as above — for there is the essential guarding, as above. And therefore Yaakov sent to Aisav: “Thus says [your servant Yaakov]: with Lavan I dwelled, and I was delayed until now” (Beraishis 32:5). And our Sages of blessed memory expounded: “And I kept the 613 mitzvos — ‘and I had ox and donkey, flock,’” etc. That is, he sent to Aisav that he no longer has the power to accuse him, for he had already fulfilled the entire Torah during the time of guarding, when he guarded the flock of Lavan, and he connected all the externality to the internality. And through this: “and I had ox and donkey,” etc. — “and I had” [vay’hi li] specifically. For Yaakov is himself the saichel, as above. That is, he connected everything to himself, to the aspect of the saichel, which is the aspect of Yaakov. And since he merited this in completeness — to connect all things to their root — he no longer has what to complain about or to accuse him of, as is explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned above, that through the Torah the chain [chain] and the importance are elevated before all, etc. And this is: “And I have sent to tell my lord, to find chain [chein] in your eyes” (Beraishis 32:6) — “chein” [grace] specifically. For through the Torah, through which one connects everything to the saichel, the ches connects with the nun, and the aspect of chein [grace] is formed. And then the essential chain and importance are with Israel, and all are nullified before them. And this is what he also said to him then, when he encountered him: “The children that G–d has graced [chanan],” etc. (Beraishis 33:5). For then specifically he informed him that the children that are his, who are the generality of Israel, he drew them in the aspect of chein [grace]. For they will connect everything to its root — therefore he has no power over them at all, as above. And this is the aspect of the Parah Adumah [Red Heifer], which is juxtaposed to the dispute of Korach. And it is taught in the P’sikta: “Why is the passage of the Parah juxtaposed to the dispute of Korach?” etc. “And he did not know — the statute of the Parah Adumah will be a great atonement for Israel” — as is brought in the Yalkut HaR’uvaini — see there. For the Parah Adumah — its service is performed outside [the camp]. And therefore it purifies from the contamination of the dead. For the dead person generates a very severe contamination because a separation has been made between the internality and the externality — which is the essential nature of death. And then the external forces take a great hold, for they are the sitra dim’sa’ava [side of impurity]. And therefore the essential purification is through the Parah Adumah, whose service is performed outside specifically — for she purifies all the places of the external forces and drives out their hold from there, to the point that she has the power to purify from the contamination of the dead. And therefore indeed the mitzvah of the Parah Adumah is a great wonder, as it is written: “This is the statute [chukas] of the Torah — a statute I have decreed,” etc. And about her it is said: “I said I would become wise, but it is far from me” (Koheles 7:23). For in truth, this matter of connecting the externality to the internality — that is, to look in every thing at the true saichel that is in it, and to draw close through all things to Hashem, blessed be He — this matter is very lofty and hidden from people, and it is impossible to merit it except through the holy Torah, through which one subdues the yetzer hara and strengthens the yetzer tov over the yetzer hara. Through which the aspect of the Malchus of holiness is strengthened, which is the aspect of the contraction — through which specifically one can attain the saichel mentioned above. And each one, according to how much he breaks the cravings of his heart, so does he merit this saichel. And even one who breaks the cravings must be careful to have a contraction in his saichel — not to break through the boundary, to gaze upon that which he has no permission. All the more so one who is still sunk in cravings — he certainly needs to contract his saichel, not to rush to know more than is fitting for him according to his level. Therefore the essential wisdom and true saichel is the emunah — which is the generality of the Torah, as it is written: “All Your mitzvos are emunah” (Tehillim 119:86). That is, one must conduct oneself in every thing according to the holy Torah. And when one looks at some thing, one should know and believe with complete emunah that certainly there is in this thing a great saichel, and one can recognize through this thing the greatness of the Creator, blessed be He, and draw close through this to Hashem, blessed be He. And if he merits to know and understand in this some saichel that pertains to the service of Hashem, blessed be He — good. And if not, he should contract his saichel and rely on emunah, until he merits to purify his body as it should be — then he will merit to understand as is fitting for him. But in any case, even as long as he does not understand well the saichel that is in every thing, he believes with emunah that in truth there is in it great wisdom and saichel — for “all of them You made with wisdom” — and everything is for the purpose of drawing close through this to Hashem, blessed be He, and recognizing Him, blessed be He, through this, as it is written: “Everything that Hashem has made is for His sake,” etc. (Mishlai 16:4). For this is the essential free will [b’chirah] — that one does not understand and see the wisdom and the saichel, which is the G–dly vitality that is in every thing. For if everyone saw this eye to eye, certainly there would be no free will, for certainly everyone would choose the wisdom and saichel, which is the very essence of the good and the pleasantness of every thing, above which there is nothing. And who would be so foolish as to cast away such sweet pleasantness and pursue thick, turbid physicality? But because Hashem, blessed be He, in His wisdom, concealed from the world the wisdom that is in every thing, and it is impossible to attain it except through great toil and effort in Torah and mitzvos — and even afterward it is impossible to attain it in this world to its ultimate conclusion, but only in the future, when “the earth shall be filled with knowledge,” etc. (Yeshayahu 11:9). And as it is written: “Also the world [ha’olam] He placed in their hearts, without a person being able to find the deed that G–d has done from beginning to end” (Koheles 3:11). And Rashi explained: ha’olam is written deficiently [without a vav] — an expression of he’leim [concealment] — that He concealed from the creatures, etc. And this is: “without a person being able to find the deed that G–d has done from beginning to end.” That is, that we should trace every thing from its beginning [rosh] to its end [sof] — its internality, which is the saichel that is in it, which is the aspect of the head [rosh], the aspect of “its top reaching the heavens” — that we should trace it to its end [sof], which is its externality and physicality — to grasp everything, how they are connected and unified together. For this is impossible to grasp in this world except through great toil in Torah and mitzvos. And even afterward it is impossible to grasp in completeness until the future, after the resurrection — at the time of the receiving of the reward. For then we will grasp and know everything that was done in this world, and everything that Hashem, blessed be He, intended in the creation of the world and everything in it, and in His governance of all the days of the world, from beginning to end. And therefore, because now it is impossible to grasp and understand the saichel that is in every thing, therefore the power of free will exists. And the holy people of Israel believe in Moshe Rabbainu and in his Torah, and in all the tzaddikim after him, and walk in their ways. And they believe that in every thing there is an inner G–dly vitality, which is the saichel that is in every thing, which is its purpose. And they conduct themselves in every thing according to the Torah, and through this they connect the externality to the internality — through the emunah, which is the essential saichel. Until there are found tzaddikim who attain great perceptions in this matter. And they too contract their saichel so as not to break through the boundary excessively, as above. For the essential rectification is through the contraction. For even the wicked ones and the philosophers [m’chakrim] want to contemplate and look upon the saichel that is in every thing, but they have no contraction in their saichel. And they do the deeds of Zimri and seek wisdom and saichel like Pinchas — for they do actual animal-like deeds and are sunk in all the cravings greatly, and they want to investigate everything and understand every thing to its depth. And because of this they are greatly confused with many strange opinions and great heresy [apikorsus]. But “not so is the portion of Yaakov,” as above. And therefore Israel, who are all called righteous, are in their death called “living,” as our Sages of blessed memory said: “The righteous in their death are called living.” For all our service and toil is for the sake of the purpose, which is after death — when we will merit to arise in the resurrection of the dead, when the essential receiving of the reward will take place, as it is written: “Today to do them, and tomorrow” (Devarim 7:11) [to receive the reward], etc. For then we will grasp in completeness everything that transpired in this world, etc. And then we will know and understand well the saichel of every thing — which will be the receiving of the reward. And therefore Israel live forever. For they connect the externality to the internality always, through the Torah, which is the emunah — and this is the essential life. For the essential life is the connection of the externality with the internality, which are the aspects of body and soul, as above. For we believe that even after death — when the internality separates from the externality, that is, the soul from the body, which is the essential nature of death — the separation is not a complete, eternal separation, G–d forbid. Rather, it is only temporary, until the time of the resurrection. And even at the time of death, before the resurrection, there remains in the body a kista d’chiyusa [a residual spark of life], as it is taught in the holy Zohar. On the contrary — the essential connection of the internality with the externality, that is, the soul with the body, is specifically through the death. And therefore “it was very good — this is death,” as our Sages of blessed memory said. For the death, for upright Jews, is only like sleep — through which the soul is renewed and strengthened more, in the aspect of “new each morning,” etc. (Aichah 3:23). So too is the death — that because of the sin of Adam HaRishon, it is impossible to attain the purpose in completeness in this body except through death. For then the dust shall return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return, etc. And then the body will be purified in the earth, and the soul will be renewed Above — until after the resurrection, when one will arise with a purified body and soul that will be connected forever. And then they will receive their reward in completeness. And then will be the essential life, which is eternal life. And then we will grasp the connection of the externality with the internality in completeness — which is the essential life of every thing. But because at the time of death the soul distances itself from the body, and no vitality remains in the body except in the utmost diminishment, in a very great concealment — therefore the sitra dim’sa’ava takes a very great hold on the dead. For to the degree that the internality is close and connected to the externality, so are all the forces of impurity driven out from the externality. For in the internality they have no hold. Therefore the dead person, from whom the internality has greatly distanced itself, generates a very severe contamination. But even so, we believe that even in the dead there is a connection, in a great concealment, with the internality — for there remains in him the kista d’chiyusa. And specifically through this he will merit true life afterward, after the resurrection, as above. And this is what the mitzvah of the Parah Adumah alludes to — which is a great statute, and it is impossible to grasp it. But in any case, through this mitzvah of the Parah Adumah, we see that it is possible to be purified even from the contamination of the dead. For the ashes of the Parah purify from this, because the Parah — her service is performed outside, and she has the power to descend into the very depths of the places of the hold of the external forces, and to drive out their hold from there — until she connects even the very utmost of the externality to the internality. And through this she purifies from the contamination of the dead, which derives only from the distancing of the internality from the externality, as above. And Korach, in his dispute, blemished all of this. For he disputed Moshe, who is the generality of the Torah, and through this he divided the internality from the externality. And this is the aspect of: “And Korach took” (Bamidbar 16:1) — and Onkelos translated: “And Korach separated himself” [v’isp’leig]. For he divided and separated the internality from the externality. For he denied the essential principle and did not believe that one can connect the externality to the internality through the Torah and the mitzvos. And all of this was because of the cravings of his heart — because of his coarseness and his arrogance, for he pursued honor. And because of this he broke through the boundary and the contraction, and set his mind to investigate the reasons of the mitzvos of the Torah. And he asked investigations and questions that it is forbidden to investigate — for they are the statutes [chukos] of the Torah, in which it is impossible to grasp a reason in this world. For he blemished the contraction of the mochin. And this was precisely what he needed to rectify, for Korach was a Levi, and Levi is the aspect of contraction, the aspect of din [judgment]. And for this reason Moshe shaved all the Levi’im, by the word of Hashem — in order to remove the hairs [s’aros], which are a very great intensification of din [tukfa d’dina], that takes hold on the side of Levi. For because of the blemish of the Golden Calf, there was a hold for the Sitra Achra, and their essential hold is in the hairs, which draw sustenance from the aspect of din and contraction, which is the aspect of the side of Levi. And therefore it was necessary to shave all their hair — in order to remove the hold of the Sitra Achra, so that the Levi’im would remain only in the aspect of the holy contraction, without the hold of the Sitra Achra. For this contraction is a great rectification — since it is impossible to attain the true saichel, the aspect of the Kohen, except through this contraction. And therefore Korach needed to subordinate himself greatly to Aharon HaKohen and his sons. And then the contraction would have been incorporated with the saichel, in the aspect of the chein mentioned above in the Torah teaching mentioned above — through which everything would have been rectified. But Korach, because of the craving for honor, blemished all of this and disputed Moshe and Aharon, and wanted to be a Kohen. And he blemished the contraction, for he wanted to attain the saichel without contraction. And through this he destroyed his saichel entirely, and went outside, and disputed the entire Torah, and divided the internality from the externality — since he did not believe in the Torah, as above. Therefore his punishment was that the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them alive to She’ol. For so it was fitting for him — for they showed him what he had blemished: that he wanted to divide the externality from the internality. And then in his life he is called dead, in the aspect of: “The wicked in their lifetime are called dead.” And since Korach was the first who disputed so greatly against Moshe and divided so greatly the externality from the internality — therefore immediately the earth snatched him and swallowed him alive, downward to the place fitting for him — to the aspect of the utmost externality, which is in the lowest depths of the earth, in the lowest She’ol. For the heavens and the earth are the aspects of internality and externality. And therefore the person walks upright between the heavens and the earth — for he is a ladder set upon the earth, in the aspect of externality, for he is clothed in a body, but his top reaches the heavens, which is the saichel, which is the aspect of the upper part of the thing, the aspect of internality. For the person must connect everything to its root, and then he lives forever. But Korach, who divided so greatly and separated the internality from the externality — between the heavens and the earth — therefore the earth opened its mouth and swallowed him alive, immediately. For there is his place — for there is the utmost physicality and externality. And now Parshas Chukas is very beautifully connected to Parshas Korach, as is brought in the P’sikta mentioned above, which said: “Korach said: ‘Is it not enough that he removed me from the Kehunah and its gifts, but he also shaved my head and made me into a fool?’ Immediately he became jealous of Moshe and instigated the dispute. And he did not know — the statute of the Parah Adumah will be a great atonement for Israel.” End quote — see there. That is, as above. For the Parah Adumah, which purifies from the contamination of the dead, is the opposite of the error of Korach, who divided the internality from the externality. For through the mitzvah of the Parah we see that even in the very utmost of externality one can descend and connect even those places to Hashem, blessed be He, as above. For the Parah Adumah is the aspect of the ultimate contraction — which is the aspect of the intensity of the redness [admimiyus], which is the intensity of din, the aspect of the ultimate contraction. But through the power of this mitzvah, the Kohen had the power to sweeten even this contraction, until specifically through this contraction — the aspect of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering — specifically through this they would connect the externality to the internality, until they would be purified from the contamination of the dead. And this is the aspect of the cedar-wood and hyssop and scarlet thread — that the one who was lofty and became arrogant like a cedar should lower himself like a hyssop and like a worm, as our Sages of blessed memory said. That is, one must contract the mind, and not be arrogant, to be wise in one’s own eyes, wanting to grasp everything beyond one’s saichel. Rather, one should contract one’s mind and lower oneself like a hyssop and like a worm, and rely upon emunah. And through this specifically one merits to purify the very utmost of the externality and to connect the externality to the internality. And this is the aspect of the joining of the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering — which is the aspect of the ultimate contraction, as above, especially since it is burned in fire, which is the aspect of the intensity of din — and they join and place it upon “living water” [mayim chayim], which is the aspect of the waters of the chasadim [kindnesses]. For internality and externality, at their root, are drawn from Chesed and G’vurah, as is known. And through this one is purified from the contamination of the dead, whose essential contamination is through the distancing of the internality from the externality — which is the soul from the body. For we believe that death is a great good. For through this we will merit to connect the externality to the internality — which is the essential eternal life, as above. And this is the aspect of: “And he shall place upon him living water” (Bamidbar 19:17) — “living” [chayim] specifically. For they are purified from the contamination of the dead and merit life, as above. “For every matter of transgression,” etc. “He shall pay double to his fellow” (Shemos 22:8) — the aspect of: “He shall pay double life” — for “it is double to wisdom” (Iyov 11:6) — for “her entire household is clothed in scarlet [shanim/sh’nayim]” (Mishlai 31:21) — “double” [two]. And this is the aspect of: “The wisdoms of women have built her house” (Mishlai 14:1) — this is the wife of On ben Peles. “And the foolish woman tears it down with her hands” — this is the wife of Korach. For it is already explained above that the essential building of the house must be with wisdom — that is, to merit through the house to connect all the externality to the internality. And this is the aspect of the generality of the entire Torah, which begins with the bais of Beraishis, which is rosh bayis [head of the house], as above. And then one merits life — for “wisdom gives life.” And this is the aspect of the mitzvah of mezuzah, which is the essential rectification and guarding of the house, about which it is said “in order that your days be multiplied,” etc. — which is the aspect of “see life with the woman.” For since she is adjacent to the aspect of externality, therefore there one must be especially careful to see to it that wisdom and life are drawn there specifically, as is explained above at length. And this is: “The wisdoms of women have built her house.” The wisdoms of women specifically build the house upon its foundation. For there specifically one must be careful to connect the externality to the internality, in order to merit life, as above — through which is the essential building of the house, where one brings in and connects all the externality to the internality, which is the aspect of the house, as above. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory expounded this verse regarding the dispute of Korach. For the dispute of Korach, which was instigated by his wife, was the very opposite of the building of the house. For through his dispute he wanted to separate, G–d forbid, G–d forbid, the internality from the externality, as above. And therefore it is said about his wife, who caused all of this: “And the foolish woman tears it down with her hands” — for she specifically caused the aspect of the tearing down of the house, as above. But the wife of On ben Peles, who saved her husband from the dispute — about her it is said: “The wisdoms of women have built her house” — “built her house” specifically. For the building of the house is the opposite of the dispute, as above. And this is the aspect of sh’lom bayis [peace of the home].