שוכר ג

And therefore, the labors that are close to completing the food — such as baking and cooking — are closer to the drawing force. And therefore they are permitted on Yom Tov. For this tikkun and purification are still needed even on Yom Tov — namely, to rectify the food, to draw the taste into it through baking and cooking. For the taste is drawn from the goodness of Hashem, as it is written: “Taste and see that Hashem is good” (Tehillim 34:9), as brought. 93

A thief pays double [tashlumai kefel].

One can allude to this based on the teaching "Tik'u Tochachah" in Likutay Tinyana 8 — see there the entire teaching.

And this still needs to be drawn on Yom Tov through our actions. For it is taught that on Yom Tov, the worlds do not ascend to the ultimate supernal root, which is the aspect of holiness. Rather, it is only the aspect of mikra kodesh — “calling” the holiness, etc. (as explained in the Kavanos). It emerges that then there is still some foothold for the compelling force, since one still needs then to compel the supernal vitality — the aspect of holiness — to descend below from its level. Even though it does not need to descend as in the weekdays (since on Yom Tov too the worlds ascend to a very lofty level), nevertheless, since they do not ascend to the ultimate root as on Shabbas (which is the aspect of holiness) — the aspect of holiness must still descend somewhat below. 94

And the general principle that emerges from there for our matter: that there are three mochin [mental faculties] that are partitions spread before the lust of adultery, which are the aspect of the three daily t'filos, etc. And when the Sitra Achara nurses from the rachamanus [compassion], then the rachamanus is blemished and becomes cruelty and din [judgment]. Then the mochin are blemished in the aspect of mochin d'katnus [contracted consciousness], and from there the lust of adultery intensifies. And then the t'filah is in the aspect of din, and then the Sitra Achara wants to swallow the t'filah that is in the aspect of dinim, for the nursing of the Sitra Achara is from the dinim.

Therefore, there is still a slight foothold for the compelling force, but through the greatness of the holiness of Yom Tov, the drawing force prevails greatly over the compelling force. However, since it still has some foothold and one still needs a little battle to overcome it — therefore there are still some labors, namely, the labor of ochel nefesh, which are from the labors closest to the food — for the purpose of drawing the taste of the food through baking and cooking and the like. 95

And then a ba'al ko'ach gadol [man of great power] is needed, who can pray a t'filah in the aspect of din, etc. And then the Sitra Achara is compelled to expel and return all the holinesses that she swallowed. And not only this, but she is also compelled to vomit up and expel even her own essential vitality from within her belly, in the aspect of: "the wealth he swallowed he shall vomit up; G-d shall drive it out of his belly" (Iyov 20:15). This is the aspect of gairim [converts], etc. — see there the entire teaching well, for it is awesome.

And this is the aspect of why the thief must pay kefel. For the yetzer hara and the Sitra Achara is called a thief, for he lies in ambush against a person at all times like an actual thief, and goes with the person through numerous kinds of deceptions and trickery and cunning and craftiness, like an actual thief, as it is written: "He sits in ambush in the courtyards, in hidden places" (Tehillim 10:8), etc. And it is written: "He lies in ambush in hiding... he lies in ambush to snatch the poor man" (Tehillim 10:9), etc. And it is written: "they watch my heels" (Tehillim 56:7), etc.

For the taste still needs to be drawn from Above through the labors of ochel nefesh, because some purification through our action is still needed, since even the supernal vitality of all the worlds still needs to be drawn below, etc., as above. 96

And the essential theft of his is in the matter of a person's machshavah [thought], for there is the essential beginning of the dominion of the yetzer hara, G-d forbid — if one is not careful and on guard against him well. For the essential y'tzarim [inclinations] are a person's thoughts, for good thoughts are the yetzer tov and evil thoughts are the yetzer hara, as is explained in the teaching "LaShemesh," etc. (in siman 49) — see there. And the yetzer hara, which is the evil thoughts, lies in ambush against a person at every moment like an actual thief, in order to take hold in a person's thought, in order to bring him to hirhurim [improper thoughts] and lusts, as each person knows in his own soul.

For in truth, the essential yetzer hara is regarding the lust of adultery, as is found in the Zohar and brought in his [Rabbainu's] words of blessed memory: "ikara d'yitzra bisha," etc. And this lust essentially depends on thought, and one who guards his thought well — that he does not begin to think about this matter at all, and does not come to improper thoughts — he is certainly saved from this lust. But the essential cause of all the improper thoughts and the intensification of this lust is drawn from the fact that people do not guard their thoughts properly. And this is because the yetzer hara lies in ambush in one's thought constantly, like an actual thief, and choser [tunnels] himself under the partitions of the mochin, which are partitions spread before this lust. And he, with his cunning, lies in ambush and tunnels himself under them, and inclines a person's thought little by little, through theft and great craftiness, until suddenly one comes to improper thoughts and lusts.

But these labors of ochel nefesh are very close to the drawing force, as above. And therefore, there the drawing force prevails more greatly against the compelling force — as explained there in the above Torah: that the closer a thing is to the drawing force, the more quickly it is drawn there; see there. And therefore, on Yom Tov, one performs only the labors of ochel nefesh, which are closest to the drawing force, where the drawing force prevails most. For so it is on Yom Tov: the drawing force prevails over the compelling force, as above. Only, since one still needs a little prevailing, as above, some labors are still needed — the labors of ochel nefesh, as above. 97

For certainly every member of Yisra'ail greatly desires to be saved from these improper thoughts. But the yetzer hara tunnels against him with great theft and steals his thought, so that it goes outward and thinks foreign thoughts. And the essential intensification of his hold in one's thought is in the way of actual theft, as is known to anyone who pays attention to his affairs. Therefore a person must guard himself very, very well, with extra guarding, at all times, in a manner that he does not begin to let his thought go outward, G-d forbid. For in truth, thought is in a person's hand [control], as is explained in our words many times.

But on Shabbas, it is complete cessation and rest. For then it is like the Olam HaBa — all things return and go back to their supernal root, and the compelling force is nullified before the drawing force as is proper. And then, all the wondrous crafts and tikkunim are completed and perfected — made specifically through the fact that there was a compelling force, through which the drawing force completed these tikkunim, as above. Therefore, on Shabbas, all labors are nullified. For then, everything ascends to its supernal root without our involvement. The compelling force has no dominion whatsoever. Therefore, there is no labor at all on it — no aspect of the compelling force. For then, all things return to their root in peaceful rest and tranquility, without any war at all, as above. 98

It emerges that the essential blemish of the bris, G-d forbid, which is the blemish of the t'filah, is drawn through the aspect of the theft of the Ba'al Davar. And the rectification for this is through the power of the tzaddik, who can pray a t'filah in the aspect of din. Through this the Sitra Achara is compelled to give up what she vomited and to return all the holinesses, and also to expel her own essential vitality itself, etc. — which is the aspect of gairim, etc. — as is explained there.

This monumental halacha, the longest in the series, is built on LM I:70 and its central parable of the clock. Two forces govern all of existence: the koach hamoshech (drawing force) — the n’shamah’s desire to return to its root, embodied in the tzadik, the earth, Eretz Yisrael, the Bais HaMikdash — and the koach hamachriach (compelling/repelling force) — the obstacles, the exile, the cravings, the 39 labors, everything that holds the soul below. Like the mainspring of a clock, the compelling force bends the metal against its nature — but this tension is precisely what makes the mechanism work. 99

And this is the aspect of why the thief must pay kefel, as it is written: "chayim sh'nayim y'shaleim" [he shall pay back two living ones] (Shemos 21:37). That is, when they overpower him and extract from him the theft that he stole from holiness — that is, all the da'as and all the t'filos, etc. that he swallowed — then it is not enough that he is compelled to return all that he swallowed from holiness through his theft, but he is also compelled to return double, that is, kefel. For he is compelled to expel and vomit up also his own essential vitality itself, in the aspect of "from his belly He shall drive it out," etc. — as is explained there. This is the aspect of kefel, for he is compelled to add and pay also from his own, according to the amount of the theft. For he must expel and vomit up also his own essential vitality itself, as above.

From this single duality, Reb Nosson derives: why the 39 melachos come from the Mishkan (the Mishkan is the drawing force established even in the wilderness); why eating connects body and soul (the essential craft of binding the two forces); why Shabbas is complete rest (the drawing force unopposed, the compelling force nullified — holiness in itself); why Yom Tov still has ochel nefesh (mikra kodesh — calling holiness, not holiness itself; still some battle, still some labor needed; but only the labors closest to the goal, since proximity to the purpose means proximity to the drawing force); why the first redemption and the final redemption need each other (Yom Tov = compulsion/signs/wonders; Shabbas = Mashiach conquers without war, through Daas alone). 100

And this is: "if the theft shall surely be found in his hand" (Shemos 22:3), etc. — "in his hand" specifically. For the essential way that the theft is found in his possession is through the aspect of "his hand" — the aspect of "and his hand was grasping the heel of Aysav" (Beraishis 25:26), said regarding Ya'akov. For he merited the kol [voice] — "the voice is the voice of Ya'akov" — which is the voice that waters the garden, etc. This is drawn from the t'filah in the aspect of din of the ba'al ko'ach — through which they overpower the Sitra Achara, who is the aspect of a thief, and extract from him the theft, which is the holiness that he swallowed, and also his own essential vitality — which is the aspect of kefel, the aspect of "he shall pay back two," etc.

The section on the Three Weeks is deeply moving: sitting on the earth is both our degradation (we have fallen to the dust) and our hope (the earth IS the drawing force). The tears of mourning have the power to draw — but they must be tears directed toward the Bais HaMikdash, not the tears of Eisav. And the haftarah of Shabbas Nachamu — “every valley shall be raised” — teaches that the tzadikim can change the earth itself, for they are the root of all its drawing power. 101

And this is the aspect of the sale of Yosef to the Egyptians through theft, as it is written: "for I was indeed stolen" (Beraishis 40:15), etc. And through this they blemished the bris, which is the aspect of Yosef, as is brought in the sefarim. And therefore the essential blemish was through theft. And the essential rectification was at the time of Y'tzias Mitzrayim, when they merited the splitting of the Yam Suf through the power of Yosef HaTzaddik specifically, as it is written: "the sea saw and fled" (Tehillim 114:3). And the essential splitting of the Yam Suf was through the t'filah in the aspect of din of the ba'al ko'ach, in the aspect of: "You shattered the sea with Your strength" (Tehillim 74:13) — as is explained there in the teaching mentioned above. For Yosef, through having withstood the test, merited becoming a ba'al ko'ach gadol, until he merited the aspect mentioned above, which is the aspect of the splitting of the Yam Suf that was in his merit.

✺ Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman ✺ 102 And therefore Yosef merited that two tribes were made from him, as it is written: "Efrayim and Menasheh shall be to me as Reuvain and Shimon" (Beraishis 48:5), etc. For the yetzer hara wanted to overpower Yosef with this lust, until he would not be counted among the tribes, G-d forbid — as our Sages of blessed memory said, that the likeness of his father's image appeared to him and said to him: "the tribes are destined," etc. And Yosef, in his great strength, overpowered the yetzer hara. And then not only was he not diminished from the count of the tribes, but he also merited extracting many holinesses from the Sitra Achara, until he merited a doubled holiness — which is the b'chorah [birthright], which is pi sh'nayim [a double portion] — that his tribe was divided into two tribes. This he merited through having subdued the Sitra Achara until he extracted from her the aspect of kefel. For in his merit they went out of Mitzrayim with great wealth and with the addition of many gairim — which is the aspect of having extracted from the Sitra Achara her own essential vitality — which is the aspect of kefel. And through this he merited that his tribe also was doubled into two, etc.

250 LH_OC3_YomTov 5 - 14 - _MahaduraBatra.html And this is the aspect of tashlumai arba'ah vachamishah [the payments of four and five] when he slaughtered or sold — as it is written: "five cattle he shall pay in place of the ox, and four sheep in place of the lamb" (Shemos 21:37). And it is found in the Midrash that this alludes to the sale of Yosef — see there. That is: when the Sitra Achara intensifies even more regarding the theft she stole from holiness, and wants to swallow it entirely through slaughter and sale, so that it will be completely sunk there, G-d forbid — then in proportion to how much she intensifies, she must afterwards return and add even more from her own essential vitality, when the theft is extracted from her. This is the aspect of the payments of four and five when he slaughtered and sold. For then the kefel alone is not enough, for he must add more and more from his own essential vitality — up to four and five — because he wanted to swallow the holiness more and more. Therefore he must add and expel his own essential vitality more and more. For this is the aspect of: "the time when a man rules over another man, to his harm" (Koheles 8:9) — as is understood. For the more the man of wickedness wants to rule over the man of holiness, it is turned against him to his own harm, for they extract from him his own essential vitality more and more, as above.

LIKUTAY HALACHOS — ORACH CHAIM, PART III 1 And the essential payments of four and five are only for an ox [shor] and a lamb [seh], as it is written: "five cattle in place of the ox... and four sheep in place of the lamb." An ox and a lamb are the aspect of tallis and t'filin, as our master, our teacher, and our rabbi [Rabbainu] of blessed memory wrote in the story of the ox and the lamb, regarding the king who decreed forced conversion — see there, where it is explained that an ox is the aspect of t'filin, for from its hide t'filin are made. And a lamb is the aspect of tzitzis, for from its wool [they are made]. For the essential guarding of the mochin from the lust of adultery is through the mitzvos of tzitzis and t'filin that we put on every day. For every day the mochin are renewed, as is known, in the aspect of "they are new every morning" (Aichah 3:23), etc. And through the renewal of the mochin each day, the lights of tzitzis and t'filin emerge, as is explained in the Kavanos [mystical intentions]. And through our wrapping ourselves in tzitzis and t'filin every day, through this the holiness of the partitions spread [before this lust] of the mochin are drawn upon us, which guard before this lust.

Section 14 And this is the bechina of the distinction between Shabbos and Yom Tov — which consists solely in the labor of food preparation [meleches ochel nefesh]. For the six days of labor [sheishes yemay hama'asehh] — in which Hashem, blessed be He, created all of creation — are in the bechina of the compelling force [koach hamachri'ach], set against holy Shabbos on which He rested from all His labor, when there is only love and will and yearning toward the Root, to be included in the light of the Infinite — which is the bechina of the true supreme drawing force [koach hamoshech ha'elyon]. For the entire creation of the six weekdays is in the bechina of the compelling force — which compelled, so to speak, His divine vitality to descend below into each and every thing of creation, to be bound below against its will in order to vivify and sustain that created thing. For it is known that the divine vitality within every thing of the world yearns and longs and draws itself always toward its supernal root — only that by compulsion and by the decree of the Creator, blessed be He, it is forced to remain bound within creation for the sake of the world's existence. Thus it emerges that the entire creation of all six weekdays is entirely in the bechina of the compelling force. But the essential intent of the creation was for the sake of the ultimate purpose — which is the bechina of Shabbos, which is the bechina of the World to Come, which is the bechina of the drawing force — when everything returns and ascends and is drawn back to its root, as is known. That is, the aforementioned bechina — that all the wondrous artistry of the Creator of Bereishis, Who created all of creation with wisdom and with labor and with such wondrous craft — was all in the bechina of the compelling force and the drawing force cited above: that He contracted Himself, so to speak, and compelled the supernal vitality to descend below to vivify and sustain all the things of creation — which is the bechina of the compelling force, as stated. But they, in their nature, draw themselves toward their root — for every thing draws itself toward its root, as is known. And then, through these two forces together, the wondrous artistry of the Creator of Bereishis will be completed at the time of the ultimate purpose — which is the bechina of Shabbos — when it will be completed through this specifically: through the existence of these two forces, wondrous rectifications [tikunim] and great delights [sha'ashu'im] will be completed, and the pure refined spiritual worlds of the righteous — which is their reward in the future — will be brought to completion. For it is known that the essential purpose of all creation is for the sake of the human being — who possesses free choice. And the essential [arena of] free choice is in the bechina of the compelling force and the drawing force — for all bodily desires are in the bechina of the compelling forces, since the life-energy — the soul — does not desire these things; the soul's desire is only to draw toward its root, which is the bechina of the drawing force, as stated. But it is compelled to eat and drink, etc., for the sake of maintaining the body. 2

For tzitzis is a protection from adultery, as it is written: "and you shall not go astray after your hearts and after your eyes" (Bamidbar 15:39). And similarly t'filin are the aspect of the seal of holiness, the opposite of the seal of the Sitra Achara, which is the aspect of the blemish of the bris, as is explained elsewhere.

But sometimes the yetzer hara and the Sitra Achara intensify so much that they want to blemish even the aspect of the ox and the lamb — that is, the tzitzis and t'filin — that they want, G-d forbid, to tunnel and demolish the partitions of the mochin that are drawn upon every Jewish person every day through the tzitzis and t'filin. And then he must pay four and five — "five cattle in place of the ox," which is the aspect of the blemish of the t'filin, and "four sheep in place of the lamb," which is the blemish of the tzitzis. For tzitzis are in the aspect of daled [4], and t'filin are in the aspect of hey [5]. For the totality of the mochin are in the aspect of daled hey, in the aspect of "the hey was a daled and was restored and became a hey" — for initially the mochin are drawn in the aspect of tzitzis, which is the aspect of daled, the aspect of four tzitzis. For in tzitzis the mochin are not yet fully revealed, for it is a mitzvah whose physical body does not have intrinsic holiness. But afterwards the mochin are revealed more, and the yud enters into the daled and it becomes a hey. The essential aspect of this is accomplished through the t'filin, where the essential revelation of the mochin takes place — which are the aspect of yud — for in the t'filin are written parshiyos [passages] and shaimos [holy Names]. And therefore the t'filin are in the aspect of hey — which are the aspect of the four compartments of the head [t'filin] and the one compartment of the hand [t'filin], which together are five. For t'filin are the aspect of hey. And therefore "five cattle he shall pay in place of the ox," which is the aspect of t'filin, which are the aspect of hey. And "four sheep in place of the lamb," which is the aspect of tzitzis, which is the aspect of daled, as above. And all of this one merits through the t'filah in the aspect of din of the ba'al ko'ach. Through this the Sitra Achara is compelled to expel all the holinesses together with her own essential vitality, more and more, etc. And through this all the aspects explained in the teaching mentioned above are accomplished, until one merits the voice that waters the garden — which is the aspect of shir pashut, kaful, m'shulash, m'ruba [a song that is single, double, triple, quadruple] — which are the ten types of melody, etc. All of this is the aspect of daled and hey, the aspect of tzitzis and t'filin, the aspect of "the hey was a daled," etc. — which is the aspect of shir pashut, kaful, m'shulash, m'ruba, the aspect of ten types of melody — as is explained in the teaching "LaShemesh," etc. (in siman 49) — see there. [And even though it is explained there that tzitzis themselves are in the aspect of daled hey — see there — we have already written many times that every aspect is comprised of all the aspects. For this is a foundational and general principle in all the sefarim of Kabbalah: that even though we say this is the aspect of chesed and this is g'vurah, etc. — but also chesed is comprised of all the s'firos, and similarly g'vurah, and similarly with all the aspects and names and matters mentioned in the sefarim of Kabbalah, as is known. And therefore even though certainly tzitzis are complete mochin, the aspect of the daled that was restored and became a hey — nevertheless, in the generality of the mochin, the tzitzis are considered as the aspect of daled relative to the t'filin, which are the aspect of hey, etc. And remember this rule well, for you will need it greatly in many places.] And this is the aspect of why Yosef did not want to reveal himself to his brothers until all eleven tribes came to him and was fulfilled: "and eleven stars bowing down to me" (Beraishis 37:9). For since then the Sitra Achara wanted to overpower the aspect of Yosef, which is the aspect of the bris, to overpower him greatly — for they wanted to swallow him entirely, G-d forbid — through the aspect of theft and slaughter and sale. For they stole him, and slaughtered a goat — which is the aspect of the blemish of slaughter — and sold him to the Egyptians. Therefore they were compelled to extract from the Sitra Achara all the aspects of the payments of the thief, which are kefel and four and five. The total of all of these comes to eleven, for kefel is two, and four and five are nine, and all together comes to eleven. And corresponding to this, all eleven tribes were compelled to come to him, in order to rectify what they blemished in him — in order to go back and extract from the Sitra Achara all the holinesses from within her belly, in the aspect of tashlumai kefel and four and five, which all come to eleven. This is the aspect of the eleven curtains of goat-hair, the aspect of the eleven spices of the k'tores [incense], through which the essential subduing of the Sitra Achara takes place — that they extract from her even her own essential vitality. This is the aspect of the chelb'nah [galbanum] in the k'tores, which also transforms into a good fragrance. And similarly all the aspects of eleven brought in the sefarim — which are the aspect of the subduing of the Sitra Achara and the extraction of holiness from the deepest depths of the k'lipos [husks] — all of this is the aspect of the payments of kefel and four and five, which together come to eleven. That the Sitra Achara and the yetzer hara, which is the aspect of a thief, is compelled afterwards to return everything to holiness together with his own essential vitality — in the aspect of the eleven spices of the k'tores, etc., as above. And therefore Ya'akov endeavored to extract the b'chorah from Aysav — who is the Samech Mem, who is the yetzer hara, who "had the hunt in his mouth" — who always went in trickery and theft, and wanted to overpower and nurse from Ya'akov at the time when he saw that he was in the aspect of dinim, because all his hold and nursing is from the aspect of dinim, as above. And this is the aspect of: "and Ya'akov cooked a stew" (Beraishis 25:29) — that was during the days of mourning for his father [Avraham], which is the aspect of dinim. And then he [Aysav] said to him: "pour into me now from this red, red stuff" (Beraishis 25:30) — which is the aspect of the severity of the din. For he thought that he would gulp and swallow from the holiness of Ya'akov, through having seen in him a hold of din, which is the aspect of red [adom]. But Ya'akov was a ba'al ko'ach gadol and said to him: "sell me this day your birthright" (Beraishis 25:31) — that is: "I will give you and pour into you from this red, red stuff — that is, from the severity of the din. But you think that through this you will swallow and nurse from holiness. On the contrary, it is the opposite! For through this specifically — that I will pour into you from this red, red stuff, which is the aspect of t'filah in the aspect of din — through this specifically you will sell your birthright to me. For through this I will extract from you the b'chorah, which is pi sh'nayim, for I will extract from you through this specifically all the holinesses that you swallowed, and also your own essential vitality I will extract from you. This is the aspect of pi sh'nayim, the aspect of kefel that the thief pays," as above. And therefore Ya'akov was not satisfied that Aysav merely sell and relinquish his share of the b'chorah so that the two of them would be equal. Rather, the matter was to be reversed — that he should sell the b'chorah to him, so that Ya'akov would be the firstborn and take pi sh'nayim. That is, as above: it is not enough that the Sitra Achara returns what she swallowed from holiness; she is also compelled to return and expel also her own essential vitality, as above — that the vitality of the Sitra Achara shall ascend and be transformed to holiness. This is the aspect of how Aysav was compelled to give up his share of the b'chorah — from which he wanted to nurse from holiness — and also to give Ya'akov the b'chorah, that he should take pi sh'nayim, through extracting from him also his own essential vitality, as above. And therefore through this Ya'akov merited the blessing, as it is written: "he took my birthright, and behold, now he has taken my blessing" (Beraishis 27:36). For he extracted from him all the da'as and all the holinesses and all the hashpa'os and blessings. And all through having poured into him from the red, red stuff. For Ya'akov was a ba'al ko'ach gadol, who had the power — through having poured into him from the aspect of din — that it should lodge in his throat, in his gullet, through which he is compelled to give up what he vomited and to expel everything, also his own essential vitality — as is explained there. And this is also the aspect of Ya'akov's having clothed himself in the garments of Aysav at the time he went to receive the blessings from his father through theft — for "with the crooked You act crookedly." For Aysav wanted to deceive his father Yitzchak — who is the severity of din of holiness — to deceive him to arouse din upon Ya'akov and to draw the blessings to himself, G-d forbid. Therefore Ya'akov clothed himself in the garments of Aysav, which is the aspect of the severity of din. And specifically through this he extracted and received the blessings from Yitzchak. For he was a ba'al ko'ach gadol — that specifically through having clothed himself in dinim, through this specifically he subdued the Sitra Achara, until he extracted all the holinesses from her together with her own essential vitality. And through this he received all the blessings and all the hashpa'os from Yitzchak, who is the aspect of din. For no din could prosecute against him, because he was a ba'al ko'ach gadol. And therefore it is mentioned there: "the voice is the voice of Ya'akov" (Beraishis 27:22), etc. "See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field that Hashem has blessed. And may G-d give you" (Beraishis 27:27–28), etc. For all of this one merits through the t'filah in the aspect of din of the ba'al ko'ach. Through this one merits the aspect of "the voice is the voice of Ya'akov," which is the voice that waters the garden. Through this all the fragrances grow, in the aspect of "see, the fragrance of my son," etc. — as is explained there in the teaching mentioned above, which brings these very verses for this matter — see there well. And this is: "and I have given you one portion [sh'chem echad] over your brothers" (Beraishis 48:22) — this is the b'chorah, pi sh'nayim — "that I took from the hand of the Emori with my sword and my bow" — "with my t'filah," etc. — which is called "sword and bow" — the aspect of t'filah in the aspect of din of the ba'al ko'ach. Through this he merited the b'chorah, and now he gives this to Yosef, for he too merited this through having gone down to Mitzrayim and withstood the test, as above. [This section belongs above, after §4:] The essential lust of adultery is drawn through the theft of the Ba'al Davar, who steals and tunnels through a person's thoughts with numerous schemes and craftiness and thefts, until he brings him to improper thoughts, G-d forbid, as above. And therefore "You shall not commit adultery" is placed adjacent to "You shall not steal" [in the Ten Commandments] — for the essential adultery comes through the aspect of the theft of the Ba'al Davar, as above. And this is the aspect of: "if you saw a thief and ran with him, then with adulterers is your portion" (Tehillim 50:18). That is, the verse rebukes: "if you saw a thief" — which is the yetzer hara — "and ran with him" — and through this "with adulterers is your portion." For in truth you should have been very careful about this thief, for one must guard one's thought very, very well from this thief. And you — not only did you not guard yourself from him, but "if you saw a thief and ran with him" — you consented after him, may the Merciful One protect us — and through this "with adulterers is your portion," as above. Therefore a person must be very careful and on guard that he not be drawn after the evil thoughts that [the yetzer hara] inserts into his mind through his thefts. Rather, he should endeavor with all his strength to expel and drive out the thief from his midst. For in truth, the choice is in a person's hands to drive him out, for thought is in a person's control to direct it as he wishes — and there is the essential place of free will. Fortunate is the one who guards his thought well; "holy" shall be said of him. נְנַח נַחְמָא נַחְמָן מֵאומָ&#x05DF

Section 15 And the essential [arena of] free choice is this: that a person must always strengthen the drawing force over the compelling force — and always remember his ultimate purpose, and draw himself toward his supernal root, which is the bechina of the drawing force. And even what he is compelled to engage in regarding the affairs of this world — such as eating and drinking, etc. — let it be only because of the compulsion that forces him to do so against his will. For certainly a person is compelled to eat, etc., since it is the will of Hashem, blessed be He, that the world be sustained. And when one conducts himself in this way, one will certainly do everything according to the Torah — and through this there will be wondrous rectifications, through the existence of both the compelling force and the drawing force, as stated. And so too all the labors that a person performs throughout the weekdays — they are all in the bechina of the compelling force. For Hashem, blessed be He, created everything so that it should be completed through the human being specifically (as is explained on this elsewhere) — as it is written: "which G‑d created to do". For wheat requires grinding, and lupines require preparation, etc., as the Midrash states. For everything was created for the sake of the human being — and nothing was created in its fully complete state ready for the human being. Rather, everything requires rectification and completion through the human being, as stated. And this is the bechina of all the labors in their totality that a person must perform — all in order to complete that thing so that it becomes fit for the human being for whose sake everything was created. And when a person performs the action and the labor to complete and rectify some thing of creation, through this he draws new vitality into that thing. For example, lupines — before their preparation their taste was bitter and they were not fit for human consumption. And the human being, through preparing and cooking them, draws into them their proper taste. And this taste is drawn from above, from Hashem, blessed be He, Who is the root of everything — only that Hashem, blessed be He, created the lupines in such a way that their good taste is not drawn into them until a person engages with them in preparation and cooking — for it is specifically he who draws into them their essential vitality, which is their good taste. And so with all things of the world — when they are completed through the human being, additional vitality is drawn into them that completes and rectifies the thing in its fullness. And this vitality that the human being draws from above into the thing — that he causes and rectifies through his craft and his labor — this vitality, when it is drawn below, is drawn through the bechina of the compelling force. Just as the essential vitality of the thing when it was created is in the bechina of the compelling force — for by its taste and desire it would draw itself upward to its root, as stated — so too this additional vitality that the human being draws, which is the essential completion of its fullness, is drawn only in the bechina of the compelling force — that the vitality is compelled to be drawn below against its will and its nature, which is only to draw upward, as stated. But the intent of Hashem, blessed be He, is for the good — so that through this specifically the wondrous artistry cited above will be completed. And so a person must intend in all his actions and labors and activities that the entire intention be for the sake of Heaven — as it is written: "In all your ways know Him." And our Sages of blessed memory likewise said: "And all your deeds shall be for the sake of Heaven" — meaning, that in all his activities and labor he should intend to complete that thing so that through this it will return and be drawn to its root with even greater force, as stated. And the essential purpose of all labors is for the eating of the human being — which is the essential sustenance and vitality of the human being — as it is written: "All the labor of a person is for his mouth." For the essential union of body and soul — which are in the bechina of the compelling force and the drawing force — their essential union is through eating. For through the eating of a person, the body compels the vitality — which is the soul — to remain sustained within the person. But the intention must be toward Heaven — that one compels the soul to eat and to remain sustained within the body. And all of this is so that one may merit, through the power of eating, to give thanks and praise to His Name, blessed be He, and to serve Him, blessed be He, as is fitting — through which it will return and be drawn to its root with even greater force, and the intentions of the creation will be completed through this specifically. For through this, worlds and wondrous and awesome rectifications will be completed specifically, as stated. Thus it emerges: all weekday activities [ovdin d'chol] are in the bechina of the compelling force. And Shabbos is in the bechina of the drawing force — for even though all labors and all weekday activities must be sanctified so that one's intention be for the sake of the drawing force, in order to be able to draw to the root with greater force, as stated — nonetheless, since they are in the bechina of the compelling force, the Other Side [sitra achra] fastens onto them more greatly, through the sin of the first Adam. And therefore great clarifications [birurim] are required. 3