פקדון וד' שומרים ג

And this is what is written: “Do not look upon wine when it reddens” — namely, the blemish of wine, in the aspect of blood, in the aspect of “when it reddens,” “for its end is blood” — this is the aspect of “do not look” (al taire) — the aspect of the blemish of Hashgachah. For when the wine is purified in the aspect of “if he merits, it makes him a head,” in the aspect of “blood becomes turbid and becomes milk” — which is the aspect of the wine and milk of the Torah, as above — then it is in the aspect of “a good eye” (tov ayin) — the aspect of the eyes of Hashgachah that are drawn through the aspect of wine and milk — namely, through the Torah. And this is the aspect of “His eyes… bathing in milk.” 28

Based on the Torah teaching “Va’eschanan” (in Likutay Tinyana, siman 78) — see there, regarding the matter of the otzar matnas chinam [the treasury of the free gift] that the true Tzaddik receives from it at the time of his simplicity [p’shitus]. Which is the aspect of chesed chinam [free kindness] that was sustaining the world before the giving of the Torah. Which is the aspect of the hidden Torah concealed within the Ten Utterances [Asarah Ma’amaros]. And this is the aspect of the derech l’Eretz Yisroel [the path to the Land of Israel] — through revealing that Hashem, blessed be He, created the world with the Ten Utterances. Through which one conquers Eretz Yisroel, in the aspect of what Rashi explained on the verse “Beraishis” — that the Torah began with “Beraishis” for this reason: that if the nations of the world say “You are robbers [listim atem],” etc., we answer them: “He created it, and by His will He gave it to them, and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us.”

And likewise now, Israel sometimes comes to places that were distant from holiness, and they want to conquer the place and sanctify it with the holiness of Israel, which is the aspect of Eretz Yisroel. And the Sitra Achara would be able to say “You are robbers,” etc. But through believing and revealing that Hashem, blessed be He, created the world, they no longer have any opening of the mouth. For everything is ours — for the world was created for our sake — and by His will He gave it to them, and by His will He took it and gave it to us, etc. See there, all of this, well.

And this is the aspect of “A good eye shall be blessed” (Mishlay 22:9) — the aspect of the cup of wine of blessing, which “requires that one place his eyes upon it” (B’rachos 51a) — the aspect of the eyes of Hashgachah that are drawn through good wine, wine of holiness, the aspect of “ruddy, with beautiful eyes” (Sh’muel I, 16:12), said regarding David, who is the aspect of the cup of blessing. But the blemish of wine, in the aspect of blood as above — is the opposite of this — the aspect of “do not look upon wine,” etc. — “do not look” specifically, as above. 29

For the essential guarding is from the aspect of the mazikay alma [damaging forces of the world], from which are drawn all the thefts, all the losses, all the unavoidable circumstances, and all types of damages in the world. And the essential guarding is through the Torah, as it is written: “Counsel will guard you” [m’zimah tishmor alecha] (Mishlai 2:11). And it is written:

And this is: “When he places his eye in the cup” (Mishlay 23:31) — “in the purse” (bakis) is [also how it could be] written — namely, the craving for wealth, which is the blemish of the bloods, the blemish of wine. For the essential purification is from within the craving for money, as above. For the craving for money is the aspect of dam niddah [the blood of impurity], the aspect of “And their gold as an impurity” (Yechezkel 7:19), as Rabainu, of blessed memory, wrote. And this is “when he places his eye in the cup” — “in the purse” is written — for they are one and the same aspect. For through the craving for money, which is the aspect of the blemish of the bloods, through this the wine is blemished, as above. And through this, the eyes are blemished — the aspect of the blemish of Hashgachah, as above. And this is the aspect of “He placed his eyes on his money” — that in exchange for the money, he gives his eyes. Namely, he blemishes the eyes — the aspect of the eyes of Hashgachah — through the craving for money, as above. For the Hashgachah is drawn through breaking the craving for money, as above. 30

“When you lie down, it will guard you” [b’shochb’cha tishmor alecha] (Mishlai 6:22). For the essential power of the damaging forces of the world to cause harm and loss, G–d forbid, is only through the matter explained above in the Torah teaching mentioned above — that is, through what they say “You are robbers” [listim atem]. For the k’lipos, which are the damaging forces of the world, say that, G–d forbid, everything belongs to them. For this is a principle: the shell [k’lipah] precedes the fruit. And therefore all the bestowals of abundance in the world all pass first through the k’lipos — because of necessity the shell must precede the fruit. (And as is explained in the Torah teaching “Tik’u Emunah,” in Likutay Tinyana siman 5 — that when the abundance comes to the world, it passes through the spirits [shaidim], etc. — see there.)

And this is why we count seven weeks in order to merit Shavuos, to receive the Torah, through which Hashgachah is drawn — which is the aspect of the seven layers of the eye, which are the aspect of the seven days, the seven middos, as is known. And this is the aspect of the seven heads of the two Shinnim — the Shin of three heads and the Shin of four heads — which are the two intellects through which one receives the Torah (as explained there; see there). And corresponding to this, we count seven weeks, which are a preparation for receiving the Torah. 31

And therefore all things need birur [clarification/refinement] — to refine them from their grasp. And when the thing comes to the hand of a person, as long as he does not properly refine it according to the Torah, they say “You are robbers, who conquered something that does not belong to you” — because initially the thing was in their domain, as above. And then they are able to incite and damage that thing, G–d forbid, through some theft or loss or unavoidable circumstance, or the like.

And therefore one must count days and count weeks — which are the aspect of seven lower days and seven upper days — namely, the seven lower days and the seven upper days, which are the aspect of the seven weeks, as brought in the Zohar. And they are the aspect of the two aforementioned intellects — which are the rectification of the upper Chariot and the lower Chariot — which are the aspect of seven days and seven days. For each intellect and each Chariot is comprised of the aspect of seven days and seven middos, as is known. 32

And therefore the essential guarding from them is through the holy Torah. For the Torah is entirely emunah, as it is written: “All Your commandments are emunah” (Tehillim 119:86). That is, through the Torah one reveals the holy emunah that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything and everything is in His domain alone, as it is written: “In the beginning, G–d created the heavens and the earth” (Beraishis 1:1). And since we reveal that He, blessed be He, created everything, the k’lipos no longer have any opening of the mouth to say “You are robbers” and to damage through this, G–d forbid. For we answer them: He created it; by His will He gave it to them, and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us.

And because one needs to receive the Torah through the aforementioned two intellects — which are the upper intellect and the lower intellect — therefore we count days and weeks, which are the aspect of seven days and seven days — the aspect of the two intellects as above. And then one merits receiving the Torah on Shavuos, as above. 33

For in truth, what the thing was initially in their domain was all according to His will, blessed be He. For it is the rectification of the world that the shell should precede the fruit, in order that there should be free choice, etc. But in any case, everything was according to His will, and by His will He gave it to them, and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us. For what was initially with them — everything was for our sake, so that afterward we should take it from their hands to ourselves. For such is the order of Creation — that everything was created for our sake. It is only that it is His will, blessed be He, that initially all things should be in their domain, and afterward He should take from them and give to us.

And this is: “Seven weeks you shall count for yourself; from the time the sickle begins [to cut] the standing crop, you shall begin to count” (D’varim 16:9), etc. For the S’firah is the gathering and purification of the sparks and the souls, as above. And this is “from the time the sickle begins [to cut] the standing crop” — from the time the harvest begins. For the omer permits the harvest — for the harvesting of grain from the fields is the aspect of the gathering and purification of the souls, as is known. And therefore they were forbidden to harvest before the omer, for it is forbidden to harvest them before their time. And their time is from the offering of the omer of barley specifically — for then the Sitra Achara is subdued, and then there is power to purify souls in the aspect of “I have gathered my myrrh,” etc. — which is the aspect of the omer, the aspect of S’firah, as above. And therefore, specifically then, one can harvest the grain from the fields — namely, to gather souls, as above. 34

And since through the Torah they no longer have any opening of the mouth to say “You are robbers,” they no longer have any power to damage or harm — since they no longer have any grasp on this thing. For we have already merited to reveal through the Torah that everything belongs to Hashem, blessed be He, and He in His mercy gave it to us. For what was initially in their domain, that was only as long as the holiness of the holy emunah that He, blessed be He, created this thing was not yet revealed in this thing. But as soon as we reveal the true emunah that Hashem, blessed be He, created this thing, they no longer have any power or grasp in this, and they can no longer cause harm. For they can only cause harm in what they have some grasp — which is drawn to them from the blemish of the Torah, G–d forbid, when one blemishes some letter of the Torah. And the essential blemish is the blemish of emunah, as above. But as soon as one reveals the holy emunah that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything, they no longer have any grasp on this thing — for they can no longer say “You are robbers,” etc. For we have already publicized through the Torah that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything, and by His will He gave, etc., and by His will, etc., as above.

And this is: “And you shall make a festival of weeks to Hashem, from the generosity of your hand that you shall give” (D’varim 16:10), etc. — namely, the aspect of tz’dakah, a generous spirit — through which the craving for money is broken, and through which one merits the festival of Shavuos — namely, receiving the Torah, as above. 35

And therefore in truth, one who engages in the Torah always does not need any guarding, for the Torah guards him, as above. And as our Sages of blessed memory said: “Torah scholars do not need guarding” [talmidai chachamim ainam tz’richim n’tiros]. However, it is impossible for a person to be attached to the Torah always, day and night, without cessation even for a moment — even those who are very diligent in the Torah, as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above. All the more so, there are people who learn little and are idle much. All the more so, simple people who do not learn at all — and if so, from where will they receive guarding?

But their essential life-force and their guarding, in body and soul and money, is only through the great Tzaddik, who is sometimes a simple man, etc., as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above. For he sustains himself during his time of simplicity through the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, which is the aspect of the sustaining of the world before the giving of the Torah — which is the aspect of the hidden Torah concealed in the Ten Utterances, which are the aspect of derech eretz, etc. That is, he knows that every thing was created with the Ten Utterances, in which are concealed the Ten Commandments that are the totality of the Torah, etc. And with this he sustains himself during his time of simplicity. And this is the aspect of the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, the aspect of what the Torah began with “Beraishis,” etc., the aspect of “by His will He gave,” etc., as is explained there in the Torah teaching mentioned above.

And this is why we read [the book of] Rus on Shavuos — which is the revelation of the kingship of Mashiach, the kingship of David. For receiving the Torah, as above, is through the revelation of the kingship of Mashiach (as explained there in the teaching “Happy Is the People”) — that through breaking the craving for money, the aspect of Mashiach is revealed and one merits receiving the Torah. And therefore, on Shavuos, when we merit receiving the Torah through breaking the craving for money, as above, therefore, then is the aspect of the revelation of Mashiach, as above. And therefore we read Rus, as above. 36

It emerges that the great Tzaddik reveals, even during his time of simplicity, the aspect mentioned above — the aspect of “by His will He gave,” etc. On the contrary — specifically during his time of simplicity he gives more life-force to all the people of the world. For they have no connection or relevance to him except through his simplicity, when he lowers himself to them and draws to them life-force from the aspect mentioned above, which is the aspect of the otzar matnas chinam, etc., as is explained there. And therefore this Tzaddik guards the entire world always from all the damaging forces of the world — through revealing that everything is ours, for He, blessed be He, created it, and by His will, etc. And therefore the Tzaddik is called a “shepherd and a guardian” [ro’eh v’shomer], for he guards Israel always through the aspect mentioned above, as above.

And also as is explained in the Torah teaching “V’es Ha’orvim Tzivisi” (siman 4 in Likutay Tinyana) — that all the trade and the labors are the aspect of is’ar’rusa dil’sasa [arousal from below], through which one arouses the power of the Ma’aseh Beraishis [the act of Creation], the aspect of: “The world is built with chesed” [olam chesed yibaneh] (Tehillim 89:3) — etc., see there.

And therefore, David passed away on Atzeres [= Shavuos] (Yerushalmi, Chagigah 2:3). For Atzeres is the aspect of the kingship of Mashiach, and therefore then is his hillula [day of passing and celebration]. And this itself is the aspect of the revelation of Mashiach, for “the sun rises and the sun sets” (Koheles 1:5) — “before the sun of one had set,” etc. (B’raishis Rabbah 58:2). And therefore, on Shavuos, when David was taken away, then immediately Mashiach was born and revealed — who will come speedily in our days, Amen. 37

And therefore the essential rectification of trade and labors is through abundant tzedakah and acts of kindness [g’milus chasadim]. For since one engages in trade and labors, he has no life-force except from the chesed chinam that was sustaining the world before the giving of the Torah, as above in the Torah teaching mentioned above. Therefore he must increase in tzedakah and chesed, in order that he should have the power to arouse the chesed chinam — through which is his essential life-force. For the essential life-force is from the Torah, and since he is idle from words of Torah and engages in trade, he has no life-force except through tzedakah — which is the aspect of chesed — through which he draws upon himself life-force from the chesed chinam that was sustaining the world before the giving of the Torah, as above.

This halacha is built on Likutay Moharan I:13 (“Happy Is the People — Providence”), one of Rabainu’s most intricate teachings, which establishes that complete Divine Providence (Hashgachah) comes through receiving Torah, which comes through gathering souls, which comes through breaking the craving for money via tz’dakah. 38

And even one who engages in Torah abundantly must also give tzedakah — since it is impossible for him to be engaged in the Torah always, as above, and of necessity he must be idle sometimes, and then all his life-force is from the chesed chinam. Therefore he must increase in tzedakah and chesed, as above. All the more so one who is idle much from the Torah. All the more so one who does not engage in Torah at all — he has no life-force except through the tzedakah and acts of kindness that he does, as above.

Reb Nosson maps the entire Pesach–S’firah–Shavuos arc onto this chain: Pesach = Avraham / chesed / tz’dakah / matzah = breaking the craving for money. The omer of barley = “I have gathered my myrrh with my spice” = gathering both the bitter souls (fallen desires = animal food) and the good souls. The S’firah = bringing scattered souls under the count so that not one is lost. Shavuos = Atzeres (Assembly) = all souls finally gathered = Torah received = complete Hashgachah. 39

And the essential tzedakah must be given to tzadikim and upright people who are closer to the great Tzaddik, who sustains the entire world during his time of simplicity through the otzar matnas chinam that only he can receive from it and sustain the entire world through it. For the more one draws close to him through tzedakah and chesed that one gives to him and to all those who are attached to him, through this one can draw more sustenance from the chesed chinam that he draws — through which is all one’s life-force and one’s endurance in this world and in the World to Come, as above.

The Shavuos customs are decoded: staying awake all night = the “Eye that does not slumber” = breaking the “sleep” of the craving for money. Eating dairy = “His eyes bathing in milk” = the eyes of Providence receiving from the open Eye. Reading Rus = revelation of Mashiach / David’s kingship. David’s passing on Shavuos = the sun setting as the new sun of Mashiach rises. 40

And this is the aspect of the four guardians, whose laws differ. For the shomer chinam [unpaid guardian] is exempt from everything; and the sho’ail [borrower] is liable for everything, even for unavoidable circumstances; and the shomer sachar [paid guardian] is liable for theft and loss and is exempt from unavoidable circumstances.

The stunning wordplay: “when he places his eye in the cup (bakos)” / “in the purse (bakis)” = the craving for money blemishes wine (= the bloods) which blemishes the eyes (= Providence). And: “silver refined, purified seven times” = the 7×7 weeks of S’firah purifying the “silver” of the craving for money, extracting the sparks, and making from them Torah. 41

For the shomer chinam is exempt from everything. For since he is a guardian for free and does chesed chinam with the owner of the object and guards for him for free — therefore the responsibility for the thing is not upon him, and the damage is not attributed to him. For from his side there is no damage, since he did chesed chinam — from which is the essential guarding, which is drawn through the true Tzaddik, who guards and sustains everything through the chesed chinam, etc., as above.

✺ Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman ✺ 42 And therefore conversely, the sho’ail is liable for everything, and the entire responsibility of the object is upon the borrower. For we do not attribute the damage to the lender [mash’il]. Since the lender did chesed chinam with the borrower and lent him his object — it emerges that the lender is now holding, in this object, the aspect of chesed chinam, from which is all the guarding, as above. And therefore certainly the damage did not come from the side of the lender, since he is in the aspect of chesed chinam, as above. Therefore the entire responsibility is upon the borrower — for all the benefit is his, and he did not do any chesed with this object.

Hilchos Shavuos

And therefore the shomer sachar is liable for theft and loss and is exempt from unavoidable circumstances. For it is already explained that the essential guarding is from the Torah, through which they cannot say “You are robbers,” etc. But it is impossible to engage in the Torah always, and one must be idle sometimes. But during the time of idleness from the Torah, one receives life-force from the hidden Torah, etc., from the aspect of the chesed chinam.

And this is the aspect of guarding from the two types of damages mentioned above — theft and loss, and unavoidable circumstances. For one who blemishes the Torah entirely, G–d forbid — from there are drawn the aspect of unavoidable circumstances, for the damaging forces of the world overpower and rob from him the thing by force. For they say the opposite — that he is the robber and the bandit, the aspect of “You are robbers.” For since he does not engage in the Torah and does not draw emunah into the world, they have the power, G–d forbid, to say “You are robbers,” as above. And through this they overpower and take from him the thing by force, G–d forbid.

For Shavuos is the Giving of the Torah. And the Torah is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh [the Holy Tongue]. Through this, we subdue the evil of the seventy languages — namely, the craving for promiscuity — and we merit sh’miras habris [guarding the covenant]. For the essential Giving of the Torah depends on guarding the bris, as it is written: “And I carried you on the wings of eagles, and I brought [you]” (Sh’mos 19:4), etc., as Rabainu wrote regarding this. And as it is written: “And now… and you shall guard My covenant” (Sh’mos 19:5), etc. For through sh’miras habris, He chose us from every nation and elevated us above every tongue at the time of the Giving of the Torah. 1

But when one engages in the Torah, he is guarded from them. For they no longer have the power to say “You are robbers,” etc., as above. But because it is impossible to engage in the Torah always, and of necessity one must be idle sometimes — and then one must sustain oneself with the hidden Torah, etc., with the chesed chinam, as above. And one who blemishes this, G–d forbid — who forgets and distracts his mind from the Torah and from Hashem, blessed be He, during his business dealings, and he is then completely distant from the Torah — from this come, G–d forbid, thefts and losses, which come through distraction [hesach hada’as]. For the thief comes only at the time of sleep, or when no one sees or knows about him — the aspect of distraction. And likewise a loss comes through distraction. And this is drawn from having blemished and distracted his mind from the Torah entirely during his business dealings. From this comes his punishment of theft and loss, which is also through the departure of the da’as, as above.

And therefore we stay awake the entire night — in order to subdue the sleep, namely, the aspect of tard’mah [deep slumber], which is the aspect of Targum [Aramaic / the translated languages]. For the essential completeness of Lashon HaKodesh is through breaking and subduing the evil within the Targum, and elevating the good within the Targum to Lashon HaKodesh (as Rabainu, may his light shine, wrote all of this in the teaching “A Prayer of Chavakkuk,” siman 19). 2

But one who is connected to the true Tzaddik — even during the time when he is idle from the Torah and engages in trade, he is connected to the Torah. For he sustains himself with the hidden Torah, as above. Then he is saved even from theft and loss, which come through distraction of the mind — since he does not distract his mind from the Torah at any time. For even during the time of idleness he receives life-force from the hidden Torah, etc., as above.

[continued:] And therefore the shomer sachar is liable for theft and loss and exempt from unavoidable circumstances. For the shomer sachar does not do chesed chinam with the owner of the house, and also the owner of the house does not do chesed chinam with him. Rather, his guarding is in the manner of law and judgment — for he guards the object for the sake of his wages. And this is the aspect of the guarding of the Torah, whose guarding is for the sake of the reward of the World to Come, as it is written: “And you shall observe,” etc. — “which I command you today to do them, and tomorrow to receive their reward” (Devarim 7:11).

And therefore he is exempt from unavoidable circumstances if he guarded properly. For since he guarded properly according to the Torah, the unavoidable circumstances no longer have the power to come from his side. For the Torah guards from unavoidable circumstances — for they do not have the power to say “You are robbers,” etc., as above. But for theft and loss he is liable. For since he took upon himself the guarding in the aspect of the guarding of the Torah, and he did not do chesed chinam with the owner of the house — therefore he is liable for theft and loss, which come from the aspect of the idleness from Torah, when one does not merit to connect oneself then to the chesed chinam, the aspect of the hidden Torah, etc., as above. For this damage we attribute to the shomer sachar, since his guarding is in the aspect of the guarding of the Torah, and it is known that it is impossible in any way not to be idle from the Torah for even a moment. Therefore one must of necessity sustain oneself with the chesed chinam, as above. And therefore this shomer sachar, who did not do chesed chinam and took upon himself guarding in the aspect of the Torah — therefore we attribute to him the damage of theft and loss. For it is impossible for a person to take upon himself the guarding of the Torah without cessation even for a moment except through the chesed chinam, through which he sustains himself during the time of idleness. And one who blemishes this — from there come thefts and losses. Therefore we attribute the damage of theft and loss to the shomer sachar, who did not do chesed chinam and took upon himself guarding in the aspect of the guarding of the Torah, as above.

And therefore we recite Akdamus, which was composed in the language of Targum [Aramaic], before we begin to read the Torah portion of the Giving of the Torah — in order to elevate the good within the Targum to complete Lashon HaKodesh. For Akdamus is an exceedingly lofty and wondrous song and praise, and it was composed in the language of Targum in order to elevate [the good within it] to Lashon HaKodesh through this, as above. 3

And this is the aspect of the maitzarim [the straits — i.e., the Three Weeks between the seventeenth of Tammuz and Tish’ah B’Av], when guarding is especially needed, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And the essential guarding is through the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, which we must draw then — in order that we should merit to return to our Land, from which we were exiled because of our sins.

And likewise, on the second day of Yom Tov, they established a Haftorah that echoes the theme of the Giving of the Torah — namely, “A Prayer of Chavakkuk” — as it is written there: “G-d comes from Taiman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran” (Chavakkuk 3:3), etc. And likewise, the beginning of the Haftorah: “A prayer of Chavakkuk the prophet, upon shigayonos” (Chavakkuk 3:1), etc. — which also speaks of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh through Targum, as Rabainu wrote there: that this is the aspect of receiving the Torah, as above. 4

And all of this is through the power of the Tzaddik mentioned above, who sustains himself during his time of simplicity through the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, etc. For during these days of the maitzarim [bain hametzarim], we must return and draw the aspect of the chesed chinam mentioned above — to make a paved road to Eretz Yisroel, from which we were exiled during these days.

For during the time of exile, the nations and the k’lipos return to saying that Eretz Yisroel and all the bestowals of abundance that depend upon it all belong to them — since Eretz Yisroel is now in their hands. For the essential holiness of Eretz Yisroel is drawn from the aspect mentioned above, from the aspect of “In the beginning He created,” etc. — the aspect of: “The power of His deeds,” etc. (Tehillim 111:6). And therefore when Eretz Yisroel is in the hand of Israel, then it is revealed that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything, and by His will He took it from them and gave it to us — and then all the bestowals of abundance are drawn to Israel, for all the bestowals of abundance are drawn from Eretz Yisroel. But in our exile, when we were exiled from our Land and Eretz Yisroel is in their hands, then the aspect mentioned above, the aspect of “the power of His deeds,” etc., is concealed and covered over. And then they intensify in heresies and say that everything belongs to them, G–d forbid. And therefore now, during the maitzarim, which are the days of the destruction and the exile, one must return and draw the aspect mentioned above — to make a road to Eretz Yisroel. And this is accomplished through the great Tzaddik, through his simplicity, etc., as above — through which he sustains all the simple people, and even those who fell and descended very much, etc., as is explained there at the end — see there. For through the otzar matnas chinam that he receives during his time of simplicity, through this he sustains everyone, as is explained there. And this is the aspect of the weeping and mourning during these days, over the exile of Israel and the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. That is — we have nothing with which to sustain ourselves, since we were exiled from our Land and the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed because of our sins, from which are all the Mochin and all the life-force. And now, in our exile, we are all like ignorant people and boors entirely. And therefore on Tish’ah B’Av, when the destruction is in its fullest severity, therefore all the Mochin are completely removed. And one does not put on tallis and tefillin at all — one only weeps and mourns over the destruction. And then we are all like ignorant people [amay ha’aretz] and completely unlearned — and we have no life-force except from the aspect of the sustaining of the world before the giving of the Torah, etc., mentioned above. But from the intensity of the destruction, even this we cannot draw except through great weeping [b’chiyah rabbah] over the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. For in our great transgressions, it is not enough that the Bais HaMikdash was destroyed and we were exiled from our Land — from which are all the Mochin — not enough this, but an additional grief is added upon our afflictions: that the true tzadikim have also departed because of our sins, whose death is equal to double the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And regarding this one must weep greatly, until we arouse His mercies, may His name be blessed, that He should draw upon us even now the power of the tzadikim — to draw upon us chesed chinam from the otzar matnas chinam that they drew through their simplicity, as above. For through the greatness of their simplicity, through which they drew specifically then the otzar matnas chinam — through this they have the power even now, after their departure, to draw upon us the otzar matnas chinam, to sustain us even now with chesed chinam alone. For the tzadikim are greater in their death than in their lives [g’dolim tzadikim b’misasam yoser mib’chayaihem]. For “life” is the aspect of the wisdom and the Mochin, which are the essential life-force, as it is written: “The wisdom gives life” [hachochmah t’chayeh] (Koheles 7:12). And “death” is the aspect of the departure of the Mochin, which is the life-force. But the tzadikim, even in their death, are called “living.” For even during the time of the departure of the Mochin, they receive life-force from the otzar matnas chinam, as above. And therefore they can sustain the entire world even after their departure — through the power of the otzar matnas chinam that they draw during their time of simplicity, which is the aspect of death, the aspect of the departure of the Mochin. And this is: “Be comforted, be comforted” [nachamu nachamu] — twice “be comforted.” For Hashem, blessed be He, comforts us through the true tzadikim with two types of consolation. For in truth, the essential consolation is the holy Torah, as it is written: “This is my consolation in my affliction, for Your word has given me life” (Tehillim 119:50). But it is impossible to be engaged in Torah always — especially in this bitter exile. However, the tzadikim sustain us even during the time when we do not engage in Torah — through the otzar matnas chinam, which is the aspect of the hidden Torah. And therefore they comfort us doubly, with two types of consolation. That is, through what they enable us to engage in the Torah — that is one consolation. And a second consolation is that they sustain us even during the time of simplicity, from the aspect of the hidden Torah, which is the chesed chinam that was sustaining the world before the giving of the Torah. And this is: “Speak to the heart of Yerushalayim,” etc. — “for she has received from the hand of Hashem double for all her sins” (Yeshayahu 40:1–2). “A voice calls in the wilderness: Prepare the way of Hashem,” etc. “Make straight in the desert a highway for our G–d” (Yeshayahu 40:3). That is — specifically the intensity of our troubles, the greatest of all, will be transformed for us into a great consolation. For the essential trouble, the greatest of all the troubles, is the departure of the tzadikim — as our Sages of blessed memory said: the death of the tzadikim is equal to double the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. And this itself will be transformed for us into a double consolation, the aspect of: “Be comforted, be comforted.” For the tzadikim already toiled during their lives with all their strength, and served Hashem, blessed be He, with wondrous saichel and such great exertion, until they merited even during their time of simplicity to sustain the entire world through the otzar matnas chinam, as above. And through this they accomplished and drew that even after their departure — which is the aspect of the departure of the Mochin and the life-force from the world — even then they sustain the world from the otzar matnas chinam, just as during their lives they sustained the world during their time of simplicity from the otzar matnas chinam, as above. And this is the aspect of: “A voice calls in the wilderness: Prepare the way of Hashem; make straight in the desert a highway for our G–d.” That is, the tzadikim made a paved road in the service of Hashem such that there is a path to draw close to Hashem, blessed be He, even in the aspect of wilderness and desert — and in all the desolate and lowly places, and in all types of crookedness in the world — in all of them there is a straight path to Hashem, blessed be He. And all through the power of the simplicity of the Tzaddik, who was many times an utterly simple man, called ‘prastik’ — who then sustained himself through the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, which is the aspect of the chesed chinam mentioned above — through which he sustains everything even after his departure, as above. And this is that we read Parshas Devarim before Tish’ah B’Av. For all of Parshas Devarim speaks about the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, as is explained there well — that all the admonishment of Moshe there is regarding Israel’s having blemished the derech l’Eretz Yisroel, because they were not strong in their emunah. As it begins there: “Eleven days from Chorev, by way of Mount Sai’ir, to Kadaish Barnai’a” (Devarim 1:2). And as Rashi explained there: “There is no shorter route,” etc. — “And so much was the Sh’chinah exerting itself on your behalf, to hasten your coming to the Land,” etc. And so it continues in all the words of his admonishment throughout the entire sidrah — he admonishes them for having caused a delay in the road to come to Eretz Yisroel, until they were compelled to tarry there forty years. And all of this was through the sin of the Golden Calf [chayt ha’aigel] and the Spies [ham’raglim], who blemished the emunah, as it is written: “And in this matter you do not believe in Hashem,” etc. (Devarim 1:32). For the essential rectification of the derech l’Eretz Yisroel is emunah, which is the aspect of “the power of His deeds,” mentioned above — that is, that we believe that Hashem, blessed be He, created everything, as it is written: “In the beginning He created,” etc. — and by His will He gave it to them, and by His will, etc. And they blemished this, and through this they caused themselves such a delay. And this caused us all the destructions — the destruction of the first Bais HaMikdash and the second. For through this the Sitra Achara has the power to stir up each time to expel Israel from their Land — which is drawn through their saying to them still “You are robbers, who conquered Eretz Yisroel” — since Israel themselves blemished the emunah, through which they blemished the aspect of “the power of His deeds He told to His people,” etc., as above. And therefore we read this before Tish’ah B’Av — for through this is the essential exile and the destruction, as above. And afterward we read Va’eschanan on Shabbos Nachamu — in order to draw the otzar matnas chinam that Moshe Rabbainu drew through his abundant prayers that he prayed to come to Eretz Yisroel — which was all through the power of the otzar matnas chinam, as is explained in the Torah teaching mentioned above. And through this, even though he himself did not come to Eretz Yisroel, even so, through this he drew upon us the otzar matnas chinam — which is our essential consolation during the time of our exile from our Land. For now, the essential life-force is through the chesed chinam that Moshe Rabbainu and all the true tzadikim draw upon us from the otzar matnas chinam — which sustains the entire world always, in all types of descents in the world, throughout all the days of this long and bitter exile, in general and in particular. And through this chesed chinam, they return and make a paved road to Eretz Yisroel, as above — in order that we should merit to return to our Land speedily in our days, amain.