חכירות וקבלנות ב

Section 16 — Why Shabbos forbids all labor but Yom Tov permits food-preparation labor: Shabbos is cosmically fixed as the complete triumph of the drawing force — no compelling force may be stirred. Yom Tov, by contrast, is sanctified through Israel's own deeds; it represents a partial but not total victory of the drawing force, and the "struggle" is still ongoing. Food-preparation labor (baking, cooking) sits closest to the drawing force of any labor — it finalizes the food, enables the sacred act of eating, and is therefore the one category of labor still permitted. 10

The minimum measure of robbery [gezailah] for which one is obligated to return it is a perutah [the smallest coin]. And likewise the minimum measure of money for the laws of charity [tzedakah] and for all matters is also a perutah. For money is the root of the soul, as is explained well in the words of Rabainu, of blessed memory, in the teaching on gezailah (§69) — and it is the aspect of malchus, the aspect of emunah [faith], from which all souls go forth. And for this reason one must draw the aspect of emunah into wealth, as it says (Shabbos 31a): “nasas v’nasata be’emunah — did you deal faithfully?” For the root of wealth, which is the root of the soul, is in the aspect of emunah, as above — and then it is wealth in holiness, as above. And it is stated in the words of Rabainu, of blessed memory, in the teaching on emunah that begins v’aileh hamishpatim (§7), that emunah — which is the aspect of prayer [tefilah] and miracles — is called the aspect of a perutah, as stated there — this being the aspect of: “the son of David will not come until the perutah is exhausted from the purse,” see there. And this is the aspect of the angel appointed over rain, who resembles a calf and a small coin [agala u’perita], whose lips are the aspect of prayer and faith — the aspect of: “Hashem sefasai tiftach — Hashem, open my lips,” see there. And therefore money — which is the root of the soul, which is the aspect of emunah and is the aspect of rain, since all wealth and bestowals come through rain, as stated in the words of Rabainu, of blessed memory (§60) — is the aspect of prayer, for one cannot receive abundance and wealth except through prayer, through which all bestowals are drawn down, as is known. And therefore the minimum measure of money for all matters is a perutah — for then it is called money, since it has a root in the aspect of emunah, which is the aspect of prayer, the aspect of perutah, as above. And therefore one who robs his fellow of the value of a perutah is as though he takes his soul — for when it is in the aspect of a perutah, which is emunah, as above, then it is in the aspect of the root of the soul; and therefore at that point it is considered as though he takes his soul, for all souls go forth from emunah which is the aspect of perutah, as above. And the primary perfection of money is through charity [tzedakah], as is brought there in the words of Rabainu many times — and therefore the measure of tzedakah is also a perutah, for then the money is perfected in the aspect of emunah, and then it is money in holiness, as above.

And even from a non-Jew it is forbidden to rob, but if a non-Jew makes an error [in a transaction] it is permitted. For the non-Jews have no hold except in the aspect of (Bereishis 27): “v’ha’yadayim y’day Eisav — the hands are the hands of Eisav,” meaning: from the fallen aspect of the hands, where all bestowal is [in the aspect of (Tehillim 145): “poseach es yadecha — You open Your hand,” etc.], for the hands are the aspect of emunah where wealth is [as it says: “v’yadav emunas — and his hands were faith”]. And from the fallen hands, in the aspect of (Tehillim 88): “v’heimah miyadcha nigzaru — and they are cut off from Your hand,” from there they take hold — as is brought: that the hold of the sitro achra [Other Side] is at the tips of the fingers. And this is the aspect of: “the hands are the hands of Eisav,” and his power is only in the hand. Therefore it is forbidden to rob from his hand, for it is forbidden to take from them against the law, as is known — and their hold there is in the hands, as above. But if a non-Jew makes an error it is permitted, for they are far from wisdom and have no hold in wisdom; and all their wealth, which is the aspect of malchus, is without wisdom — as is all understood from the words of Rabainu in the teaching of the small flask [kartlisa] (§18). And this is the aspect of a kingdom without a crown [malchusa b’la siya], for they have no crown of royalty — since the crown is the aspect of moichin [higher mind]. But Israel — all their money, which is in the aspect of holy malchus, the aspect of emunah — its primary hold is in the aspect of chachmah [wisdom], as is known: that holy malchus receives its vitality from chachmah; and as is brought in many places in the words of Rabainu, of blessed memory — that one must draw chachmah, which is vitality, into wealth, and then it is wealth in holiness. But the wealth of the sitra achra — which is the money of the gentiles — is in the aspect of the foolish laughter [s’chok ha’kesil], the aspect of the foolishness of the other god. And this is the aspect of what Rabainu, of blessed memory, said (§25): that the primary beauty [chen] is only in the money of Israel, where the supernal colors are garbed — meaning the aspect of the vitality of chachmah and moichin. But their money is mere dust [afra b’alma], the aspect of dust of gold [afros zahav], and has no vitality or moichin in it — and therefore has no beauty. Therefore a non-Jew’s error is permitted, for as soon as the thing leaves his possession under permitted circumstances — even though it does not leave with his knowledge, since had he known he erred he would not have given it — it is nonetheless permitted, because their money has no hold in da’as [knowledge/awareness], as above, for they have no da’as, as above. And it is only forbidden to take from them by force, for their hold is there [in the hands], as above. But da’as they do not have, as above. And there is therefore an opinion permitting even to annul a loan owed to a gentile, since once the money is not in his hand it has already left him and he has no authority over it, for the money is no longer held by him — since his hold is only in his hands, as above.

Section 17 — The principle: the closer a labor is to the ultimate purpose (eating → gratitude → return to G‑d), the more the drawing force prevails in it, and the more it is permitted on Yom Tov. Distant labors (plowing, sowing, grinding) are too immersed in the compelling-force dimension. On Shabbos, even this last bridge is unnecessary — everything returns to its root without human effort, and the compelling force has no hold at all. 11

But an Israelite — even if the money is not in his hand — it is still held in his da’as, for the primary hold of wealth is in da’as, where its vitality lies. Therefore it is forbidden to rob an Israelite even of money that came into one’s possession in a permitted manner, such as a loan and the like, since it is still under its owner’s authority — for it is held in da’as, as above. And therefore the error of an Israelite is forbidden, since it has not left his da’as, as above.

Hilchos Chol HaMoed

And this is the aspect of: a ben Noach [Noahide] is executed even for less than a perutah’s worth. For the gentiles have no measure of a perutah, since they have no hold in malchus Yisrael which is the aspect of emunah, the aspect of perutah, as above — and all their money is far from the aspect of holy malchus which is the aspect of perutah, as above. And therefore they have no measure of a perutah, as above. And therefore they have no measure at all — for everything of holiness has a measure and limit [shi’ur u’midah], since holiness requires a place and a preparation for it to rest, as is known and as was mentioned above. But they and their money are in the aspect of idolatry, which has no intact measure [shatusai mich’tat shi’urai], for they have nothing to rely upon (for they are in the aspect of shattering and falling, without vessels and measures, in the aspect of tohu va’vohu — but Israel are in the aspect of tikun [rectification], which is through the vessels, which are the aspect of measures and limits). For their wealth is without vitality, as above. And therefore they have no measure either at the beginning or at the end — meaning that among them even less than a perutah counts as money, and they are executed for less than a perutah’s worth; and also their desire for money is without measure and they cannot satisfy their desire for money ever, since they are in the aspect of no measure — the aspect of tohu va’vohu, as above. But Israel are in the aspect of holiness, in the aspect of tikun, where there is a measure and limit for everything, as above. And therefore we are commanded not to desire excess things, but to be satisfied with what one has — for one must give a measure and limit to everything, which is the aspect of tikun, as above.

For Chol HaMoed is the aspect of lashon Targum [the Aramaic language of translation], which is the aspect of Nogah [the “glow” — the intermediate k’lipah between holiness and impurity], which is the intermediary between Lashon HaKodesh [the Holy Tongue] and the other languages of the seventy nations. For Yom Tov is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh (as Rabainu of blessed memory wrote in siman 30): that Yom Tov is the aspect of raising Malchus of holiness from among the k’lipos and subduing the evil kingdom of the four kingdoms. This is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh, which is the aspect of Malchus Peh [the kingdom of the mouth / speech], through which the evil kingdom of the seventy nations is subdued. 1

The matter of robbery, whose prohibition is very severe, and there is no remedy for robbery except when one restores the stolen article to the one from whom it was stolen — as it says: “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah asher gazal — and he shall restore the robbery which he robbed.” And it is forbidden to purchase anything from the robber.

And therefore the Yomim Tovim are called an os [a sign], for they are the aspect of sh’miras habris [guarding the covenant], which is achieved through the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh (as Rabainu wrote in the teaching “T’fillah LaChavakuk,” siman 19). And this is what we say on Yom Tov: “Who chose us from all the nations and elevated us above all languages” — as written above in Hilchos N’si’as Kapayim (siman 1). 2

Based on the teaching that begins “chadi Rabbi Shimon” etc. (§61), see there. And the principle is: that the primary thing is emunah [faith] in the sages [emuna chachamim]; and through the flaw of emuna chachamim, etc., etc. And when one merits to repair emuna chachamim, then the books of the holy Torah multiply — in the aspect of “[of making] many books there is no end” — and through this all the contractions [tzimtzumim] which are the [harsh] judgments [dinim] are sweetened. For a judgment can only be sweetened at its root, and every judgment and contraction must be sweetened by the seichel [intellect/mind] that belongs to it, from which its root derives — and there is for each and every contraction a seichel through which it is sweetened. But there is a supreme wisdom [chachmah ila’ah] in which all the wisdoms are included and from which they all receive — and therefore there all the judgments are sweetened. For with the individual intellects one cannot sweeten the judgment except specifically through that seichel that belongs to that particular contraction, which is its root. But through the aspect of chachmah ila’ah which encompasses all, all the contractions and all the judgments are sweetened. And the Torah emanates from chachmah ila’ah, etc. And this is the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah [Foundation Stone] — the Holy of Holies [Kodesh Kadashim] — for seichel is called “holy” and chachmah ila’ah which encompasses all is the aspect of the Holy of Holies; and this is the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah which encompasses all the contractions in the world, all of which are inscribed in the Even Sh’siyah from which the world was founded, and there they are all sweetened — for it is the aspect of the Holy of Holies, the aspect of chachmah ila’ah encompassing all, etc. And this is the aspect of the stones of Yaakov which were all encompassed in the Even Sh’siyah. And this is the aspect of traveling to the tzaddikim on Rosh Hashanah — that all souls are encompassed in the sage of the generation who is in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah. And the primary [factor] depends on love [ahavah] — there must be love among the souls of Israel so that they are included together in the aspect of Even Sh’siyah, the aspect of the Holy of Holies — as the Zohar says: “anan b’chavivoosah talya — we depend on love,” etc., etc.; see all of this at the end of the aforementioned teaching.

And this is the aspect of the severe prohibition of robbery. For each and every individual of Israel — according to the aspect of his soul, which is the seichel — must accordingly sweeten the various contractions and judgments that belong to the root of his soul, meaning his intellect. As was explained above: that the sweetening of each and every contraction is through the aspect of the seichel belonging to that contraction and its root. And every individual of Israel has some seichel, for every Israelite has a hold in the thought of the Holy One, blessed be He — in the aspect of: “Israel arose in thought,” and thought is the seichel. And according to each Israelite’s hold in the thought of the Holy One, blessed be He — meaning in the aspect of chachmah ila’ah — so according to the aspect of his wisdom and intellect which is his soul that he receives in the aspect of chachmah ila’ah, so accordingly must he sweeten those contractions that belong to his seichel, for the seichel in every individual of Israel is in the aspect of the particular intellects mentioned above — each seichel must specifically sweeten the contraction that belongs to that seichel. And these contractions that belong to each and every individual of Israel according to his intellect and soul are garbed in the money, wealth, and possessions of each individual — for in the money and possessions of each person the primary aspect of the contractions is garbed, in the aspect of (Iyov 37): “mitzafon zahav ye’aseh — from the north, gold comes,” and the primary contraction is from the aspect of the north, the aspect of the left, as is known. And each individual must according to his seichel sweeten the contractions that belong to him — meaning to repair and sweeten the aspect of his money and possessions and all that he has, for there all the contractions belonging to his seichel and his soul’s root are garbed, since the seichel is the soul, as explained elsewhere.

And this is the aspect of the great virtue of the commandment of tzedakah which is equivalent to all the commandments. For it is known that all the commandments are aspects of sweetening, and each commandment according to its root in chachmah ila’ah — “from which the Torah emanates” — has the power to sweeten some aspect of contractions belonging to that commandment, which is the aspect of seichel, for every commandment is an aspect of wisdom from His wisdom, as is brought elsewhere. And therefore every commandment has the power, according to its aspect, to sweeten some contraction belonging to that wisdom of that commandment. And since the primary aspect of all the contractions is garbed in money, which is drawn from the aspect of the left where the contraction is — therefore the primary sweetening of the contractions is through the commandment of tzedakah, for through tzedakah one rectifies and sweetens his money which is the primary aspect of the contraction. And therefore the commandment of tzedakah is great and is equivalent to all the commandments — for the primary sweetening of the contraction is through tzedakah, through which one sweetens the money, for that is the primary contraction, as above.

And Chol HaMoed comes after Yom Tov to complete Lashon HaKodesh. For the essential completeness of Lashon HaKodesh is through lashon Targum. And this is Chol HaMoed — which is a mixture of chol and Moed. For in the weekday (chol), the Sitra Achara holds sway — the aspect of the seventy nations. And the Moed [festival] is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh, as above. And Chol HaMoed is the intermediary between them — the aspect of Targum, as above. And therefore, some labors are forbidden and some are permitted — for it is mixed of weekday and festival, as above. 3

For the primary sweetening of all the contractions is through the particular intellects receiving from chachmah ila’ah encompassing all the intellects, as above, as is well explained in the aforementioned teaching, see there. And it is impossible to receive from there except through the aspect of unity [k’laliyus] — when many souls of Israel are included together, and through this they can be encompassed in chachmah ila’ah, in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies, and thereby they receive power to sweeten the contractions. And this is the aspect of: “it is not comparable when few perform the commandment to when many perform the commandment,” for the primary sweetening depends on the many who perform, who encompass many souls together — and then they can be encompassed within chachmah ila’ah in the aspect of Even Sh’siyah, and thereby the primary sweetening comes, as above — for this is the primary intention of the commandment. And therefore prayer, whose primary purpose is for the sweetening of the contractions and judgments, as is known — the primary prayer is in public [b’rabim], for all the prayers must ascend through the gate of heaven, which is the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah upon which Yaakov lay — the aspect of the Holy of Holies — through which all prayers ascend, as is known. And thereby the prayers have the power to accomplish their effect of sweetening judgment and contraction, as above. And therefore the primary prayer is in public, for many are included together and then specifically they can be encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah, as above — and thereby the primary sweetening, which is the primary repair of prayer, as above.

And therefore the matter was entrusted to the Sages — that they should choose which labors are forbidden and which are permitted, as found in the Poskim. This is the aspect of the Oral Torah, which is the aspect of lashon Targum, the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the aspect of the six orders of the Mishnah — which are the aspect of kasher and pasul, forbidden and permitted, etc., as found in the Holy Zohar. And therefore Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Targum as above, was entrusted to the Sages — for it is the aspect of the Oral Torah, as above. 4

And this is the aspect of why one must accept upon oneself the positive commandment “v’ahavta l’rei’acha kamocha — you shall love your neighbor as yourself” before prayer. For the primary [factor] depends on love, as above — through this the souls of Israel are included together, through the love between them where each loves his fellow as himself; and through this they are included together within the Even Sh’siyah, as above, and thereby all the judgments are sweetened, as above. And therefore Rabbi Akiva said: “this is the great principle of the Torah.” And therefore one must accept this commandment every day before prayer specifically — so that all souls of Israel may be united and become one from all of them, and they may be encompassed together within the Even Sh’siyah where the primary ascent of prayer is, and where all contractions and judgments are sweetened, as above — for this is the primary purpose of prayer: to sweeten judgments, as above. And this is the aspect of tzedakah — for through tzedakah which one gives to souls of Israel, one acquires love and unity of many souls of Israel, as is brought elsewhere; and thereby one can sweeten the contractions and judgments, as above, which are garbed specifically in the money, as above. And therefore one must give tzedakah before prayer, as above.

And the general rule: all labors that are absolutely necessary — namely, for one’s sustenance, or a matter of irretrievable loss (davar ha’avaid), or the needs of honoring the Yom Tov — are permitted. And all other labors are forbidden on Chol HaMoed. For Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Targum, the aspect of Nogah — there is the essential battle and test and refining of each and every one of Yisrael. And whoever still holds onto this level must minimize and forbid upon himself all the labors, and not engage in anything except what is absolutely necessary for his sustenance, etc., as above. For this he is compelled to do in order to live and sustain himself. 5

And the primary tzedakah is when one merits to give tzedakah to a worthy poor person — particularly when one merits to give to the sage of the generation who encompasses all souls of Israel. For the true sage of the generation is in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies, as is brought in the aforementioned teaching — this being the aspect of why people travel to the sage on Rosh Hashanah, see there. It follows that when one gives tzedakah to this true sage who is in the aspect of the Holy of Holies, one is then encompassed within the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah and the Holy of Holies, where the primary sweetening of all the contractions and judgments that are garbed in money takes place, as above.

And this is what is hinted at by the fact that our Sages forbade all labors on Chol HaMoed and only permitted what is necessary, as above. But Yom Tov, which is the aspect of the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh and the complete nullification of evil — which is the aspect of one who has already merited to win the battle and merited sh’miras habris — therefore all labors are forbidden on it. For when evil is completely subdued, all the 39 labors are nullified, for they come from the filth of the serpent, which is the evil. And the essential thing depends on sh’miras habris, which is the aspect of the tal oros [the dew of lights] — the opposite of the 39 labors that come from [the filth of the serpent], etc. 6

For the primary [factor] depends on emuna chachamim — [faith in the sages,] who are the aspect of the perfection of the Torah, etc. — as is brought there, see there. For the root of everything is emunah, and the primary emunah in Him, may He be blessed, depends specifically on emuna chachamim — for the Holy One, blessed be He, is above all, and no thought can grasp Him at all, and it is impossible to attain anything of Him through any seichel; only through emunah does one merit to know of Him, may He be blessed, each one according to what he measures in his heart. And even for emunah it is impossible to merit except through the true tzaddikim and sages of the generation — for they draw faith to all Israel, as explained elsewhere. And since the true tzaddikim are also very far and lofty from us — immeasurably so — and it is impossible to attain them at all through any seichel, therefore we must believe in them. And through emuna chachamim — when we believe in the sages and tzaddikim — through this we are encompassed in them, and through this we merit to nurse from them and to receive emunah through them, to merit complete emunah in Him, may He be blessed. And this is the foundation of the entire Torah, as it says (Makkos 24): “Chavakuk came and established them all upon one: v’tzaddik b’emunaso yich’yeh — the righteous shall live by his faith.”

And therefore, in truth, one who holds onto the level of Yom Tov — namely, who has merited the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh and sh’miras habris — does not need to engage in any labor or commerce at all. And about him it is said: “And strangers shall stand and tend your flocks” (Yeshaya 61:5), etc. 7

And emunah is the aspect of contraction [tzimtzum], as is known — for emunah is the aspect of contraction of the seichel. And therefore through emunah one can sweeten all the contractions, for the primary repair and sweetening of all the contractions is through emunah, which is the holy contraction — the root of all the contractions in the world — in the aspect of (Tehillim 33): “v’chol ma’asaihu b’emunah — and all His works are in faith.” For all the works of creation — meaning the whole world — are aspects of contractions, for in everything there is a contraction of quantity and quality as is explained in the aforementioned teaching. And all of them were created through the aspect of emunah which is the supreme contraction, root of all contractions in the world. And when one merits emunah, all things which are all the contractions are encompassed in emunah, and through emunah they are all encompassed within the seichel, within the Even Sh’siyah, as above. And as is understood from the aforementioned teaching: that specifically through emuna chachamim one is encompassed in the Even Sh’siyah to sweeten all the contractions and judgments, as above.

And this is what is brought in the Holy Zohar: that Yom Tov is the aspect of the talmid chacham, and Chol HaMoed is the aspect of the students and those close to him. For the talmid chacham is the aspect of Yom Tov — for he has already merited to win the battle and merited sh’miras habris and the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh, which is the aspect of Yom Tov. But his people are the aspect of Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Targum, the aspect of Nogah — for they are still grasping their swords, fighting their battle, as above. 8

It follows that the sweetening of all the contractions and judgments is through emunah specifically, as above. And the primary emunah depends specifically on money, as is brought elsewhere in the aspect of “v’emunah me’od — and faith very much.” For the primary sweetening that is accomplished through emunah — the primary thing is to sweeten the aspect of money, which is the primary contraction, as above. And therefore emuna chachamim is only discernible through money — when one merits to give them money — for this is the primary repair of emunah, since emunah is truly manifest in this: when one scatters his money for the true sages. And then he merits genuine emunah and merits to be encompassed in the sages of the generation who are in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies — and thereby all the contractions and judgments which are encompassed in money are sweetened, for all his money where all the contractions are is rectified through his giving from his money to the true sage of the generation, the aspect of the Holy of Holies, the Even Sh’siyah, where everything is sweetened, as above.

And therefore, Chol HaMoed is between one Yom Tov and the next, and there is holiness before and after it. This is the aspect of what is written in the name of the Baal Shem Tov of blessed memory on the verse: “And He shall lead us al mus” (Tehillim 48:15) — by way of analogy, like teaching a child to walk: first they lead him, and then they let him go and walk on his own, etc. So too, at first a person is elevated above his level and given much assistance in his service of Hashem. And then he is tested, to walk on his own; see there. 9

It follows that the sum of all the commandments is for the sweetening of the contractions and judgments, as above — and the primary depends on money, where all the contractions are, as above. And therefore one must scatter money for each and every commandment, as it says: “emes k’neh — buy truth,” and as is brought in the words of our Master, of blessed memory, elsewhere (§23), and as is explained in the holy Zohar — for the primary sweetening of the contractions and judgments depends on the repair of money, as above.

And this is the aspect of Yom Tov and Chol HaMoed. For at first one is elevated to a level of great holiness — the aspect of Yom Tov. And in truth, it is above one’s level, as above. And then one is cast down and tested, as above. And this is the aspect of Chol HaMoed, which is the aspect of Nogah — where is the essential battle, as above. And afterward, one merits to win the battle and to stand in the test. 10

And this is the aspect of the severe prohibition of robbery — that it is forbidden to rob another’s money, even the slightest amount. For each and every individual of Israel — according to his intellect — must accordingly sweeten the contractions that belong to him, as above. And the primary contractions are the aspect of the money and possessions of a person, as above; and each individual can only sweeten his own money and possessions — for it is impossible to sweeten any contraction except through the seichel belonging to it, as above; and each individual of Israel is a particular intellect, as above, who has no power to sweeten except the aspect of the contraction belonging to him — which is his money and possessions, which are his contractions, as above. But another’s money is a different contraction whose sweetening requires a different seichel — meaning through that money’s owner, who is the aspect of the seichel belonging to that contraction, that is, to that money. And this is the severe prohibition of robbery — for through robbery, God forbid, one uproots the money, which is the contraction, from the seichel belonging to it; and that contraction — meaning the money — cannot be sweetened except through specifically that seichel, that is, through its owner. And therefore when one robs it from him and uproots the money and the contraction from its owner, from his seichel, then certainly it cannot be sweetened — for it is only sweetened at its root, as above. And when the contraction is not sweetened, the judgment grows stronger, God forbid, and the sitra achra grows stronger, God forbid, for its hold comes from there, as is known. Not only is the contraction and judgment not sweetened — on the contrary, the judgment grows stronger, for the contraction draws nourishment from a different seichel that does not belong to it, which cannot sweeten it; and when it is not sweetened through it and is cut off from its root, then the nourishment it receives from this other unrelated seichel flows to the sitra achra, God forbid, and the judgment grows stronger, God forbid, as above. And this is the aspect of what our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the generation of the Flood: that their verdict was only sealed on account of robbery. For through robbery the contraction is cut off from its root, God forbid, as above — and then it cannot be sweetened, and the judgment grows stronger, God forbid. And therefore specifically through robbery the verdict was sealed upon them, as above. For as long as there is no robbery, even when there is judgment, God forbid, it can be sweetened through the seichel belonging to it. But through robbery, God forbid — through which the judgment and contraction is cut off from its root — then it cannot be sweetened, and then specifically the verdict is sealed, as above. It follows that one who robs his fellow of the value of a perutah damages the entire Torah — for this is the sum of the entire Torah: to sweeten the contractions and judgments, as above; and through robbery it is impossible to sweeten in any way, as above, since the contraction is cut off from its root, as above. And therefore he damages the entire Torah, as above. And this is the aspect of what our Sages of blessed memory said regarding the verse: “chavur atzabim Efrayim — hach lo” [joined to idols is Efrayim — leave him alone]: “chalak libam —atah ye’ashmu — their heart is divided — now shall they be found guilty.” For as long as there is love among Israel, the judgment has no dominion over them at all — for through love they are included together within the Even Sh’siyah, etc., and thereby all contractions and judgments are sweetened, as above. But when there is, God forbid, hatred and division among them and they are not included together, then they cannot be encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah to sweeten the judgments. And therefore then the judgment can hold sway, God forbid, over those who hate Israel — in the aspect of: “the verdict was only sealed on account of robbery,” which is the aspect of hatred and division, as above. For the primary sweetening depends on love and unity, as above. And therefore there is no remedy for robbery except when one restores it to its owner — as it says: “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah” etc. And as long as he does not restore the robbery to its owner there is no remedy for him through any repentance in the world. For all the repentance for all sins is through the aspect of the all-encompassing seichel — the aspect of chachmah ila’ah, the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies — where the High Priest used to enter on Yom Kippur, into the innermost chamber [lifnai v’lifnim], to atone for the sins of Israel. For every sin is: that through the sin one damages the wisdom and intellect according to the root of his soul, which is the intellect, as above — for through the sin one draws upon himself, God forbid, a spirit of folly, as our Sages of blessed memory said (Sotah): “A person does not commit a transgression unless a spirit of folly enters him.” And when the wisdom is damaged, then one cannot sweeten the contraction and judgment, and then the judgment grows stronger, God forbid — for this is the primary damage of sin, God forbid. For all our service is in order to sweeten judgments, to subdue the sitra achra whose primary hold comes from the aspect of judgments, as is known. And therefore the repair of sin is through repentance — for repentance is the aspect of the supreme intellect, the all-encompassing seichel mentioned above. For repentance is the aspect of binah [understanding], as is known; and binah and chachmah ila’ah are all one, for the three uppermost [sefirot] are considered as one, as is known. That is: through repentance, the aspect of the all-encompassing seichel mentioned above, one returns and receives from there intellect to return and repair and sweeten the contraction and judgment that one damaged, as above. For the primary rectification and sweetening is through the all-encompassing seichel which is the aspect of repentance, the aspect of the Holy of Holies, the Even Sh’siyah, as above. And therefore the High Priest used to enter there on Yom Kippur to atone for sins, as above. And this is the aspect of all the sacrifices [korbanos] that were brought in the Beis HaMikdash for atonement for sins — for in the Beis HaMikdash the all-encompassing seichel of the Even Sh’siyah that was in the Beis HaMikdash was illuminated; and through a person bringing an offering from the labor of his hands, from his money, into the Beis HaMikdash — thereby he would raise and repair and sweeten the aspect of the contraction, and the spirit of folly and the spirit of animality [ruach habehaimiyus] that caused the judgment, God forbid, to grow strong through the damage to the intellect — for it could not sweeten the contraction — would be nullified. And now through the animal sacrifice that one brings in the Beis HaMikdash — where the Even Sh’siyah is — one thereby merits to draw intellect from the Even Sh’siyah and to subdue the spirit of animality, the spirit of folly, and to sweeten the contraction and judgment whose primary aspect is the money — through having brought the offering from one’s money, from the labor of his hands, as above. And through this his sin was atoned, as above. And this is the aspect of: “soneh gezail b’olah — He hates robbery in a burnt offering” [Yeshayahu 61:8]. For even though in the Beis HaMikdash the Even Sh’siyah was there where all contractions and judgments are sweetened, as above — nevertheless one can only be encompassed there through love and unity, as above. And therefore when there is robbery in the offering, then the offering certainly cannot be accepted — for through robbery the contraction is severed from its root, as above, and then one cannot be encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah, since one can only be encompassed there through will [ratzon] and love, as above. And this is the aspect of: “He hates robbery in a burnt offering,” as above. And therefore no repentance or offering helps for robbery except after one restores the robbery. For one cannot be encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah where all judgments are sweetened and all sins are repaired, except through love and unity. But through robbery the contraction is cut off from its root, and then one cannot be encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah in any way. And therefore one cannot repair his sin in any way except when he restores the robbery to its owner — to its root — and then one can merit repentance, to be encompassed within the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, where everything is repaired, as above. And this is the aspect of: one who robbed and does not know from whom he robbed — let him use the money for public needs [tzorchay rabim]. For since he does not know whom he robbed, yet still desires to repair his sin — the Sages advised him to use it for public needs, for when he uses it for public needs — who are encompassed together within the Even Sh’siyah, since they are many, as above — thereby he can repair his sin. For among them it will be possible for him to be encompassed there as well, and thereby repair the sin of robbery: to sweeten the contraction through the many who are included within the Even Sh’siyah, as above. And all of this applies when he does not know — but when he knows, there is no remedy except to restore the robbery, as above. And this is the aspect of the prohibition that the Sages established against purchasing anything from a robber. For every thing in the world has a contraction, and the contraction can only be sweetened at its root — meaning through the wisdom and seichel belonging to it, who is the owner of that thing: the aspect of the wisdom and seichel belonging to that particular contraction garbed in that thing, which is in his possession, as above. And sometimes the object must pass from the possession of this person to the possession of another — and the thing can only pass from one possession to another through the knowledge and good will of the owner. For the primary hold of the contraction — which is the aspect of the object — is in his da’as and intellect, where the root of the contraction lies. And therefore the thing can only leave his possession through his da’as, and the primary depends on his good will. For truly — how is it possible for the thing to pass from the possession of this person to the possession of another? Since this contraction belongs to this person, to this seichel, and it can only be clarified and sweetened through specifically this person’s seichel, as above — how can it pass to another’s possession? But the primary matter of commerce [masa u’matan] is: they must lift the sold object toward its root, to the aspect of chachmah ila’ah, to the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies, which is the root of all the contractions of all things in the world. And when they raise the object there — where all the contractions of the world are included together — and there one can exchange the object so it passes from one contraction to a person of a different [nature], since all the contractions and all the wisdoms are encompassed together there. And this is the aspect of what the Sages said: that lifting [hagbahah] effects acquisition everywhere — for the primary acquisition is through lifting, meaning the aspect of raising the object upward to its supernal root, to the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies — and there specifically the thing passes from one possession to another, since there is the root of everything. And this is the aspect of commerce [masa u’matan] — meaning they carry [nosim] the object upward, and there is the primary aspect of the gift and trade [matan] — for it is possible for the thing to pass from possession to possession only when it is raised upward, as above. And this is the aspect of (Rus 4): “v’zos l’fanim b’Yisrael al ha’ge’ulah v’al hat’murah shalaf ish na’alo v’nasan l’rei’aihu — and this was [the custom] formerly in Israel concerning redemption and concerning exchange: a man would remove his sandal and give it to his fellow.” The removal of the sandal at the time of acquisition alludes to the above — that at the time of acquisition one must be encompassed in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies, where the thing passes from one possession to another, as above. And when one wishes to be encompassed there, one must remove the sandals — in the aspect of: “shal n’alecha mei’al raglecha — ki hamakom asher atah omaid alav admas kodesh hu — remove your sandals from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground” — in the aspect of: “one may not enter the Temple Mount with his sandal” — since there in the Beis HaMikdash is the Even Sh’siyah, and one must remove sandals there. And this is the aspect of removing sandals on Yom Kippur — for then they are encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah, which is the aspect of what the High Priest would enter, on behalf of all Israel, into the innermost chamber, into the Holy of Holies, to the Even Sh’siyah — therefore they must remove sandals then, in the aspect of: “shal n’alecha” etc. And therefore formerly in Israel at the time of commerce — when they needed to be encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah so that there the thing would be exchanged and pass from one possession to another, as above — they would remove the sandal to allude to this. And this is: “al ha’ge’ulah v’al hat’murah — concerning redemption and concerning exchange,” for since the thing must be exchanged and transferred from one contraction to another — and this creates the possibility, God forbid, of the sitra achra taking hold, whose hold is from the aspect of exchanges [t’muros], as is known — since the contraction can only be sweetened at its root; if it enters into another’s possession it cannot be sweetened, as above, and therefore the sitra achra could, God forbid, take hold — since when the contraction is not sweetened, that is the primary hold of the sitra achra. And therefore the primary repair of commerce is: at the time of commerce the object ascends to its supernal root, to the aspect of chachmah ila’ah, to the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies, where everything is encompassed together — and there the object is sweetened and exchanged and passes from one possession to another; and then the object is exchanged in great holiness, and on the contrary the object is further clarified and sweetened, since the object was encompassed at the time of commerce within the Even Sh’siyah. And this is the aspect of “shalaf ish na’alo” — which was the custom in Israel at the time of exchange, when the thing passes from one possession to another, as above. And the primary matter depends on will and love — for one cannot be encompassed there in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, the Holy of Holies, except through love and unity, as above. And therefore the seller must sell with good will and a settled mind — for the primary encompassing there in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah is specifically through will and love, as above. And one also needs a settled mind — for the seichel is the root of the contraction which is the money, and through will and love the seichel is encompassed within the supreme intellect, which is the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, etc., and thereby the thing passes from his possession to his fellow’s — for there, within the Even Sh’siyah, all the contractions of the world converge and are encompassed together, as above. And all of this [only applies] through love and unity — meaning when the seller gives with knowledge and good will, as above. But when one takes the thing by force through robbery, God forbid — then it is impossible to be encompassed there, and on the contrary the thing is cut off from its root, etc., as above. And therefore it is forbidden to purchase anything from a robber — for since the thing came into his possession through robbery and is cut off from its root, then certainly the thing cannot ascend through the robber to its root, to the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, since one can only be encompassed there through will and love, as above. Therefore it is forbidden to purchase from him — for through such an acquisition the sitra achra grows stronger, since the thing is not encompassed in its supernal root and the contraction is not sweetened; every time the thing is exchanged and passes from one possession to another, the sitra achra grows stronger, for its primary hold is from the aspect of exchanges, God forbid, as above. But when one purchases from an upright person, then at the time of commerce the thing ascends to the supernal realm through good will — and there specifically, in the aspect of the supernal root, in the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah which encompasses all, the thing passes from one possession to another; and then the thing is further sweetened, as above. For everything is sweetened there, as above. And this is the aspect of change of form [shinuy ma’aseh] through which the robber acquires the object and need not return it to its owner but only money. For each individual according to his intellect and da’as has contractions garbed in the objects and vessels that belong to him, as above. And therefore each individual desires vessels and objects different from his fellow’s — for example, one desires a vessel with a certain design, and another desires a vessel with a different design — that is, a different contraction — and all is according to the root of their intellects which are the roots of the contractions. And each individual desires other vessels, meaning other contractions. Therefore as long as the vessel is in its original form in the original contraction which it was in the owner’s possession — according to the owner’s will according to his intellect which is the root of the contraction — then the robber is obligated to return specifically that vessel to its owner, in order to return that very contraction to its root, which is its owner, as above. But when the robber has already damaged and changed the vessel with a complete change that cannot return to its original state, and made a different form from it — a different contraction — then the thing no longer belongs to him at all, since it was not made according to his intellect, as above. And therefore he is not obligated to return the actual object, only money — what it was worth — for money he is obligated in any case, since even if the vessel he robbed had been lost he would have to pay; for the robbery is the robber’s responsibility. But the actual object he need not return, since the contraction has now changed — it no longer belongs to the first intellect which was its owner, as above. And this is the aspect of what the law states regarding robbing a convert who died with no heirs: one must return the robbery to the priests when the Beis HaMikdash is standing, as the law is stated in the Gemara. For the priest is a man of lovingkindness [ish chesed] and he sweetens all the judgments which are all the contractions — for the priest receives from the High Priest who entered into the innermost chamber to the Even Sh’siyah, etc., as above. And therefore the priest is a man of peace — for the primary sweetening is through the aspect of peace and unity, through which one is encompassed before the innermost chamber within the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, as above. And therefore all the offerings go through them, for the primary purpose of the offering is to ascend and be encompassed within the aspect of the Even Sh’siyah, where all the sweetening takes place, as above — for through there all offerings and all prayers ascend, for this is the gate of heaven mentioned above. And therefore the primary priestly blessing is peace; and the beginning of their blessing is “may He bless you” — in money, as our Sages said — for there in money is the primary contraction, as above, and there the primary sweetening is needed, which is the aspect of blessing, and the primary blessing to sweeten the contraction which is the aspect of money, as above, is through peace and unity, etc., as above. And therefore robbery that has no owner to whom to return it — to repair the damage through the return so that the contraction returns to its root and can then ascend and be encompassed in its root and be sweetened, etc., as above — when there is no owner to whom to return the robbery to repair it, then the repair is to give it to the priests — for they are the primary aspect of the sweetening of all contractions and judgments. For the priest is the aspect of wisdom, as is known, and he is the aspect of chesed which sweetens all contractions and judgments, etc., as above. And this is the aspect of: “vayvarchem vayired mei’asos ha’chatas v’ha’olah” etc., and Rashi explains: the priestly blessing [birchas kohanim] — for the primary repair of the offerings and prayers is through the priestly blessing, whose primary blessing is peace — the aspect of unity and love — through which one is encompassed within the Even Sh’siyah, where all the sweetening takes place, and through there all offerings and prayers ascend, etc., as above. And this is the aspect of the priestly blessing at the time of prayer, as above. The matter of the severe gravity of the prohibition of robbery which the Sages amplified greatly. And the matter of takanas hashavim [the provision for penitents] which is found specifically in robbery — that if one robbed a beam and built it into a structure, he need not demolish the structure to return the beam, on account of takanas hashavim. And in the case of the festival Sukkah — even if he had not fixed it with mortar — he also need not demolish it, for the commandment of Sukkah fixes it. And the matter of the robber acquiring the stolen article through change of form — for example if he robbed wood and made vessels of it, he need not return the vessels since he acquired them through change of form, and need only return money. Based on the Torah on the verse va’eschanan, which begins with the matter of the simple [p’shitus] conduct of the true tzaddik, etc., in Likutay Tinyana (§78). See the entire teaching there in detail from beginning to end. And the principle: the tzaddik is sometimes in a state of cessation from Torah, and then he is in the aspect of a truly simple person, as they call it prastock [a plain person]; and then he sustains himself only from the aspect of the path of the Land of Israel [Eretz Yisrael], which is the aspect of the free lovingkindness [chesed chinam] that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah, etc. And through this free lovingkindness he sustains all the simple people of the world — even those fallen lowest, those who fell greatly through their sins — and even the nations of the world [umos ha’olam], for all need to receive vitality from the Torah. Yet all receive vitality from the Torah through the true tzaddik who is the aspect of the great simple person, at the time when he is in a state of cessation from Torah — for then he sustains himself from the free lovingkindness that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah, which is the aspect of the path of Eretz Yisrael, which is the aspect of the hidden Torah. For before the giving of the Torah, the entire Torah was hidden within the aspect of the path of the earth — that is, within all the acts, occupations, and crafts done in the world, all of which are drawn from the Ten Utterances [Asarah Ma’amaros] by which that thing was created, as the Sages said. There is no thing that does not have the Ten Utterances through which the world and its fullness were created — and within the Ten Utterances the Ten Commandments [Aseres Hadibros] are hidden. It follows that in every thing with which one is occupied, which contains the aspect of the Ten Utterances through which it was created, there is hidden within it a letter and word of Torah — which is the aspect of the Ten Commandments hidden within the Ten Utterances, which sustain and maintain all the things one is engaged with. And before the giving of the Torah, the world was sustained only through this hidden Torah — which is the aspect of free lovingkindness, the aspect of a treasury of free gifts that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah. And the tzaddik at the time of his simplicity sustains himself from this free lovingkindness, etc., and through this sustains and maintains all the simple people of the world — until he sustains and maintains even the utterly wicked and those who have fallen greatly and even the nations of the world, for he sustains all of them through the free lovingkindness, as above, that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah. And with this the conclusion of that teaching is well connected — where Rabainu, of blessed memory, concluded in his holy conversation: “there is no despair in the world at all, and even in the lowest depths of she’ol and below, etc. — there is no despair in the world at all,” etc., as explained there. For through the true tzaddik mentioned above, one can receive vitality and find the Holy One, blessed be He, in every place — even in the lowest depths of she’ol and below — through the free lovingkindness mentioned above, through which the Holy One, blessed be He, sustained the world even before the giving of the Torah, as above. And this free lovingkindness is the aspect of the path to Eretz Yisrael — for this free lovingkindness is the aspect of the Ten Utterances by which the world was created, which is the aspect of the hidden Torah, as above. And this is the aspect of the path to Eretz Yisrael — for the primary power of the holiness of Eretz Yisrael is through “koach ma’asav higid l’amo laseis lahem nachalas goyim — He declared His power to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations,” as Rashi explains the verse “Bereishis” etc. — that it opened with “Bereishis” so that the nations would not say: “you are robbers” for having conquered the lands of the seven nations — and therefore it opens with “Bereishis” to inform them that He, may He be blessed, created everything, and in His will He gave it to them and in His will He took it from them and gave it to us. It follows that the primary power of Eretz Yisrael is from the aspect of the Ten Utterances by which the world was created — the aspect of “koach ma’asav” — through which Israel can go and conquer Eretz Yisrael. And also here in the Diaspora this aspect is found — for the holy people of Israel sometimes come to places that were very far from the holiness of Israel, etc., and they conquer the place and sanctify it to be an Israelite place — which is also the aspect of Eretz Yisrael. And the sitra achra could say: “you are robbers for having conquered this place that is not yours.” But through “koach ma’asav” — the aspect of the Ten Utterances — that is: knowing that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world with ten utterances, as it says “Bereishis bara Elohim” etc. — through this we have the right to conquer the whole world and sanctify it with the holiness of Israel, since He, may He be blessed, created it, etc., and in His will He gave it to us, etc. It follows that through the free lovingkindness that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah — which is the aspect of the Ten Utterances by which the world was created — through this one goes and conquers Eretz Yisrael, since through this no one can say: “you are robbers,” etc., as above. And this is the aspect of takanas hashavim instituted in robbery. For the primary aspect of the repair of teshuvah [repentance] which helps for all sins is drawn from the aspect of the repair of robbery, which has a remedy through repentance, as it says: “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah asher gazal” etc. And it is stated in the books of ethical instruction [sifray musar] that this verse alludes to repentance for all sins. For the primary aspect of the repair of repentance is drawn from the aspect of the repair of robbery — for the primary repair of repentance, through which repentance for sin helps, is drawn only from the aspect of the free lovingkindness mentioned above that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah. For according to strict Torah law, repentance would not have helped for sin — only what makes repentance help for sin is the lovingkindness of the Holy One, blessed be He, drawn from the aspect of the free lovingkindness mentioned above that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah — where the sins can be transformed into merits through repentance. And therefore truly one cannot merit complete repentance except through the true tzaddik of the generation, who can draw the free lovingkindness mentioned above during his simplicity — through which there is hope for all who have fallen through their sins, as above. And this is what Rabainu, of blessed memory, concluded there: that there is no despair in the world. For all can sustain themselves in their fallen state through the free lovingkindness mentioned above — the aspect of the hidden Torah mentioned above — through which there is hope for them always, even if they have fallen however they have fallen, etc. It follows that the primary repentance is drawn from the free lovingkindness mentioned above. And this free lovingkindness mentioned above is the aspect of the path to Eretz Yisrael — for through this one can conquer Eretz Yisrael and no gentile can say: “you are robbers,” etc., as above. It follows that this free lovingkindness is the aspect of the repair of robbery. For when the robber wishes to return and repair the sin of robbery he committed, he must draw the repair from the root of the repair of robbery — which is the aspect of free lovingkindness mentioned above, which is the path to Eretz Yisrael, through which the collective of Israel is repaired from the aspect of robbery, for they cannot say to them “you are robbers,” since in His will, etc., as above. And from the root of this aspect of the repair of robbery, a repair is drawn for all robbers who wish to return in repentance and restore the robbery. And likewise all penitents — none of them can receive a repair for their sin through repentance except through this free lovingkindness mentioned above, which is the path to Eretz Yisrael, which is the aspect of the repair of robbery, as above. For the repair of repentance does not help through strict law — only through the aspect of free lovingkindness mentioned above, as above. For truly the repentance for all sins is the aspect of the repair of robbery and oppression — for one robbed and oppressed the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Knesses Yisrael [assembly of Israel] through his sins. And therefore it is stated in the holy Zohar, and brought in the words of Rabainu, of blessed memory (§35): that repentance is the aspect of “zarka d’izdrikas l’asar d’isntilas mitaman — an arrow shot back to the place from which it was taken” — that is: to return the thing to the place from which it was taken. For before repentance, every sinner is called a robber — he took the power, vitality, and blessing that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him, and did with it what he did in his sin; and through this he uprooted and robbed this vitality from the Holy One, blessed be He, and from Knesses Yisrael — it follows that he is a complete robber, the aspect of “one who robs his father and mother,” for “father and mother” — this is the Holy One, blessed be He, and Knesses Yisrael — as our Sages of blessed memory said: “whoever enjoys this world without a blessing is as though he robs the Holy One, blessed be He, and Knesses Yisrael, as it says: ‘he that robs his father and his mother’” etc. It follows that even when an upright person commits no actual transgression, but merely benefits from this world in a permitted manner but without a blessing, he is also called a robber — for he received benefit from this world from the Holy One, blessed be He, without a blessing, which is a complete act of robbery. For everything belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He — as it says: “l’Hashem ha’aretz u’m’lo’ah — to Hashem belongs the earth and its fullness” — and He, may He be blessed, does not permit a person to receive benefit and enjoy this world except through a blessing. But when one takes and enjoys without a blessing he is a complete robber, for he robs the Holy One, blessed be He, and Knesses Yisrael, as above — all the more so, God forbid, when one benefits from this world through transgression, God forbid — that is certainly a great robber, as above. And therefore when one wishes to repent, it is the aspect of “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah asher gazal” — he must return and raise the thing that he uprooted from the Holy One, blessed be He, back to its root — in the aspect of the “arrow” mentioned above, “shot back to the place from which it was taken.” It follows that all the repairs of repentance are in the aspect of the repair of restoring the robbery, as above. For truly all the repairs of repentance are drawn from the aspect of the free lovingkindness mentioned above, which is the aspect of the path to Eretz Yisrael, which is the aspect of the repair of robbery — through which no one can say to Israel “you are robbers,” etc., as above. And from the aspect of this repair of robbery, from there a repair is drawn for all sinners — for every matter must be sweetened at its root, as is known. And this is the repair of all sinners — whose vitality and maintenance are drawn only from the aspect of the free lovingkindness mentioned above that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah, etc., as above. And therefore the Sages instituted takanas hashavim specifically in robbery — for the primary aspect of takanas hashavim is drawn from the aspect of the repair of robbery, which is the aspect of the free lovingkindness mentioned above, which is the path to Eretz Yisrael, etc., as above. And the primary takanas hashavim which the Sages instituted in robbery is that the robber need not return the actual stolen article when he has embedded it in a building — this being on account of takanas hashavim, as above. And all of this is drawn from the aspect of the free lovingkindness mentioned above, which is the aspect of the hidden Torah in the Ten Utterances garbed in every craft and occupation, etc., as above. And because of this the robber also acquires the stolen article by law through change of form. And at first glance this is wondrous — how can the robber possibly acquire the stolen article through the change of form? Is not all his handiwork destruction and ruin, since he transgressed the law and robbed and oppressed his fellow? Yet truly everything is drawn from the aspect of free lovingkindness mentioned above, which is the aspect of the hidden Torah in every act and deed in this world — that in every thing the Ten Utterances are garbed, within which Torah is hidden. It follows that in every act and craft done in this world, Torah is hidden and garbed therein — and through this there is existence for the world even when one is idle from or transgresses the Torah, God forbid. For this is the aspect of the free lovingkindness that sustained the world before the giving of the Torah, as above — which is the aspect of the path through which Eretz Yisrael is conquered, etc., as above. And the primary matter is: knowing that the Holy One, blessed be He, is the Former and Creator — He created everything from beginning to end — in the aspect of “Bereishis bara Elohim es hashamayim v’es ha’aretz” etc. And through this knowledge of faith, which is the foundation of everything — as it says: “v’chol ma’asaihu b’emunah” and the entire Torah stands on this, as it says: “all Your commandments are faith,” and as our Sages said (Makkos 24): “Chavakuk came and established them all on one: v’tzaddik b’emunaso yich’yeh” — through this the free lovingkindness mentioned above is drawn, which is the aspect of the sustenance of the world before the giving of the Torah, which now also sustains all the simple people and all those fallen, etc., as above — for their primary vitality and sustenance is through emunah mentioned above. For emunah is the foundation of everything. And as long as a person strengthens himself in complete emunah — knowing and believing that the Holy One, blessed be He, is in every place, “v’leis asar panuy minai — and there is no place devoid of Him,” and in every place His sovereignty holds — even in the ten impure crowns [asarah kirein d’m’sa’avusah] and in all the falls in the world, even if one fell wherever one fell — even there the Holy One, blessed be He, is present, for “malchuso b’chol mashalah — His kingship rules over all.” For He, may He be blessed, created everything in His lovingkindness and sustains everything in His lovingkindness. And even when Israel transgresses the Torah, God forbid, He still sustains the world through His lovingkindness alone — just as He sustained the world for twenty-six generations through His lovingkindness alone before the Torah was given, since “chofetz chesed hu — He delights in kindness” and “chasdei Hashem lo samu v’lo chalu rachamav l’olam — the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended and His mercies have not ceased forever.” And as long as one knows and believes this, there is no fall or descent ever — for one always has hope yet to find the Holy One, blessed be He, and return to Him. And therefore Rabainu, of blessed memory, concluded that teaching: “there is no despair in the world at all,” etc., as above. And all is through the free lovingkindness mentioned above — through the hidden Torah mentioned above — through the path of Eretz Yisrael mentioned above, which is the aspect of the Ten Utterances, the aspect of “Bereishis bara” etc. — meaning the aspect of the way of the earth [derech eretz] mentioned above, which is garbed in every thing — for in every thing Torah is hidden through knowing and believing that the Holy One, blessed be He, created it from nothing by the Ten Utterances within which the Ten Commandments are hidden, and through this that thing is sustained through free lovingkindness even when the Torah has not yet been given or revealed, or when one is idle from Torah, etc., as above. For the Holy One, blessed be He, created all of creation for the sake of man, who is the purpose of all creatures, as is known. And all for the sake of Israel, who would receive the Torah through which they sustain the world — and it is as though they created the world, as it says “bor’acha Yaakov — your Creator, Yaakov,” and our Sages expounded: “my world, my world — who created you? Yaakov created you.” For the Torah was the instrument of His craft [k’li omanuso] — as it says “v’eh’yeh etzlo amon” and the Sages expounded: “do not read ‘amon’ but ‘uman’ [craftsman].” And the Ten Utterances by which the entire world was created are drawn from the Ten Commandments, which are the totality of the Torah. And therefore when Israel received the Torah, that day counted as though Israel created the world anew — for until the sixth of Sivan the world was tottering until Israel received the Torah, as the Sages said (Shabbos 88) about “the sixth of Sivan,” etc. For the world has no existence without the Torah — for the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world specifically for man, that specifically man would sustain the world through his good deeds, as it says: “v’ha’aretz nasan livnay adam — the earth He gave to mankind,” and as it says: “asher bara Elohim la’asos — which God created to do” — that the Holy One, blessed be He, created everything so that man would do and complete it, as is brought (the interpretation is: “to do”). For everything that was created requires repair, as is brought in the Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah §11): wheat needs to be ground, lupine needs [to be processed], etc. — as it says: “l’avdah u’l’shomrah — to work it and guard it” — for man must complete and repair everything. And all of this is to demonstrate and inform that everything depends on man — for everything was created for his sake. And the primary purpose: so that he fulfill the Torah through which he sustains the entire world that was created through the Torah — and then he is considered as though he created the world, as above. And therefore the world has no existence without Israel who received the Torah — for man specifically must sustain the world, since for this purpose everything was created: so that man specifically would sustain everything, as above. But as long as the Torah had not yet been given, then the Holy One, blessed be He, sustained the world through free lovingkindness alone, as above. as above. For through all the thirty-nine categories of labor — which encompass all the labors and occupations in the world — one arouses from below ("itaruta di-letata") which in turn awakens the power of the acts of creation above, through which the world is sustained, as explained there, see there. And this is what Rabainu, of blessed memory, was precise in writing in the Torah teaching we are discussing — on the portion of Va'eschanan — that then before the giving of the Torah, while the Holy One, blessed be He, sustained the world through His lovingkindness, the Torah was hidden within "derech eretz" (the way of the world), etc., as above. For it is necessary that the world's sustenance come through the deeds of human beings specifically, for such was His intention in creation, as above — and primarily through the Torah, as above. But then, before the giving of the Torah, the world's sustenance was through the aspect of "derech eretz" — which is the free lovingkindness mentioned above — namely, that people at least kept themselves from violating "derech eretz." This is the aspect of the totality of all seven Noahide commandments, for all seven commandments are the aspect of "derech eretz" — that which reason obligates one to fulfill. And the foundation is emunah (faith), which is the primary aspect of "derech eretz," the aspect of the Ten Utterances that sustain the world — the aspect of the aforementioned free lovingkindness, which is the aspect of "In the beginning God created" etc., as above. And therefore the verdict of the generation of the flood was sealed only on account of robbery, as the Sages said — for through robbery, in stealing from one's fellow, one also causes damage to "derech eretz." For even though the Torah had not yet been given, nonetheless at minimum by the standard of "derech eretz" it is fitting not to oppress and rob one's fellow — for the primary sustenance of the world then was through the deeds and labors of people engaged in this world, which is the aspect of "itaruta di-letata," as above. And each person, according to his deeds and labor, arouses the power of the acts of creation corresponding to that labor, and through this the world is sustained. Therefore every person acquires a thing through his making and labor — for through his action and engagement he genuinely acquires it, for through him the power of the acts of creation was aroused through which that thing was created, which is the aspect of "acquisition," as Rashi explains on "Creator of heaven and earth" — through making them He acquired them as His own. For the Holy One, blessed be He, gave man this power too: that through his making and engagement the power of the acts of creation is aroused, until it is regarded as though the person himself created the thing — if he conducts his business and labor with holiness and faith. But when one, God forbid, robs his fellow — he is literally demolishing and destroying the world with his own hands, for he causes damage to the power of the acts of creation that was aroused through his fellow's labor, through which his fellow merited that thing. And now he wishes to rob and demolish, God forbid, the power of the acts of creation from his fellow's labor and occupation — and thereby damages "derech eretz," as above. For robbery is the opposite of "derech eretz." Therefore through robbery the verdict of the generation of the flood was sealed and the world was destroyed at that time, for through robbery they damaged "derech eretz" through which the primary sustenance of the world then came, as above. It follows that every person, through his deeds, labors, and occupations in "derech eretz" — which are the worldly engagements in all commerce and crafts — arouses the power of the acts of creation, as above, and through this was the sustenance of the world before the giving of the Torah. And so even now, through this comes the sustenance of all the "simple folk" — the "prostakes" (plain people) — who do not engage in Torah but only in "derech eretz," which is the aforementioned free lovingkindness, etc., as above. But all of this applies only when they conduct their commerce and craft — which is the aspect of "derech eretz" — with faith and integrity and with connection to the true tzaddikim who draw forth this free lovingkindness through their simplicity, as above. But when they cause damage, God forbid, in commerce — and certainly when they rob their fellow, God forbid — they are literally destroying the acts of creation, as above. Therefore the sin of robbery is extremely grave, as our Sages amplified it — for it is considered as though one demolishes and destroys the world, God forbid, since one damages the power of the acts of creation that was aroused through one's fellow's labor and occupation, and when one touches one's fellow's money and occupation one is as if tearing down and demolishing the aspect of the power of the acts of creation that was being repaired through that fellow's money and occupation, as above. But through teshuvah everything is repaired — for the primary teshuvah is in the aspect of "and he shall restore the robbery," etc., as above. For through teshuvah he returns and arouses the lovingkindness and arouses the aforementioned free lovingkindness — which is the aspect of the power of the acts of creation — which is the aspect of the path to Eretz Yisroel, which is the repair of robbery, as above. And then through this lovingkindness, not only is the robbery repaired, but it is also reversed from one extreme to the other — in the aspect of "transgressions become merits" — so that afterward even all the robber's actions done with the stolen object are considered genuine deeds, to the point that the Sages said he acquires it through his change of form. For through the repair of teshuvah the robbery is repaired through the aforementioned free lovingkindness, until the power of the acts of creation is aroused — the aspect of the Ten Utterances — which are continually aroused through every deed and labor of a person conducted with integrity, as above. And now the robbery is repaired in this aspect, to the point that the robber's act is considered a deed and acquisition that he acquires it thereby. And this is the aspect of "takanas hashavim" (the provision for penitents) and the robber's acquisition through change of form — for immediately when he wants to return the robbery, which is the aspect of teshuvah, or even when he does not wish to return it of his own accord but the court compels him and extracts it from him — which is also an aspect of teshuvah, in that the court forces him to fulfill the law and to restore — then the aforementioned free lovingkindness is aroused, the aspect of the power of the acts of creation, which is the path to Eretz Yisroel, which is the repair of robbery. Through this the Holy One, blessed be He, sustains the world through His lovingkindness, until the robber's change of form is considered a genuine deed — for through this every person acquires his desired object, through the power of the acts of creation being aroused by his action, as above. It follows that all of this — namely, that the robber acquires the object through change of form and need not return the beam from the building but only its monetary value, etc., and the provision for penitents — all of this demonstrates the greatness of the power of teshuvah, which is alluded to in the verse "and he shall restore the robbery," as above. For teshuvah has the power, through the aforementioned free lovingkindness, to reverse transgressions into merits. Therefore the robber's act is considered a genuine deed and acquisition, as above. For in truth, the continued existence even of the robber and all sinners — even before they repent — is drawn from the aspect of teshuvah, from the aspect of the aforementioned free lovingkindness, through which the Holy One, blessed be He, exercises great patience with them until they repent. For through this lovingkindness the Holy One, blessed be He, sustains the world when people transgress the Torah, etc., as above. Therefore the robber's act is considered an acquisition, etc., as above — for all of it is through the aspect of the aforementioned free lovingkindness that sustains the world until they repent. And then everything is repaired and transgressions are transformed into merits, as above. And this is what the Sages said — that in the Sukkah of the Chag (Festival), the provision for penitents ("takanas hashavim") was established even though the beam was not permanently fixed in a building. For it has already been explained that the aspect of "takanas hashavim" is drawn from the aspect of the aforementioned free lovingkindness — which is the aspect of the power of the acts of creation, etc., as above. Therefore in the Sukkah of the Festival the provision for penitents was made even more broadly, to the point that even if the beam was not permanently fixed one need not return the beam itself — for the Sukkah is also drawn from the aforementioned lovingkindness, which is the aspect of the power of the acts of creation, as explained in the Torah teaching on "Because you have sinned against me" (§48), see there. Therefore the provision for penitents was applied there even more broadly, as above. All robbers pay according to the value at the time of the robbery. For the restoration of the robbery is the aspect of repentance [teshuvah], as it says: “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah asher gazal — and he shall restore the robbery that he robbed.” And this verse is brought in the books of ethical instruction in connection with repentance — for the primary repentance is to return the thing to the place from which it was taken, in the aspect of the “arrow shot back to the place from which it was taken” (as brought in his words, of blessed memory, elsewhere) — which is the aspect of restoring the robbery: the aspect of “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah asher gazal” etc. For all sins are also called robbery [gezailah] — for through them one robs the thing from its root — as it says: “he that robs his father and his mother” — meaning the Holy One, blessed be He, etc. — as it says in the holy Zohar. It follows that restoring the robbery and paying for it is the aspect of repentance. And repentance is above time [l’ma’alah min ha’zman], as it says in the teaching on the alef-beis (§ABC): the day a person repents is above time and raises all days above time. And likewise Yom Kippur is above time, see there. For this is the primary repair of repentance — that one merits to come above time; and there all the time and days in which one sinned and damaged are nullified, in the aspect of: “v’hayamim harishonim yipolu — the former days shall fall away,” and it is as though one was born today, in the aspect of: “ani ha’yom y’lidticha — I have today begotten you” — which is the aspect of the nullification of time, as is explained in Likutay Torah (§61) on this verse, see there. And therefore all robbers pay according to the value at the time of the robbery — for the payment of the robbery is the aspect of repentance, which is above time, so that all time is nullified and it is as though it is still the day and the original hour; and all the time and days that passed during the days of the robbery, when the sin of robbery was in his hand, are nullified and accounted as though they never were — for this is the primary repair of repentance: that it ascends above time and it is as though now it is the original day and hour, as above. And therefore payment for the robbery is only according to the value at the time of the robbery — for all the time that passed during the days of the robbery is nullified through the aspect of repentance, which is the aspect of the payment of robbery, as above. For truly what brought one to this severe sin — to rob, or oppress, or deceive and defraud one’s fellow, etc. — all of it was through the craving for money that overpowered him so greatly that he came to this severe sin of robbery. And all this was drawn from his having fallen excessively under time — for truly the primary damage of the craving for money, through which people chase their livelihood with such great toil that some come to robbery, is only because they press the hour and do not wait for the salvation of Hashem. For truly the Holy One, blessed be He, sustains and maintains everyone from the horns of wild oxen to the eggs of lice. Only, generally, a person’s livelihood is not given ready and immediately — rather one must wait until his time and moment comes, as it says: “v’atah nosein lahem es achlam b’ito — You give them their food in its time.” And as the Sages said (Gemara Yoma): “what they will call you… and from what is yours they will give you — no person touches what is designated for another,” etc. And a person must only wait and hope constantly for his salvation, as is brought in his holy conversations (Shivos HaRan): that he said: “if only one would wait” etc. For the primary reason people stumble in matters of livelihood through various kinds of damage, God forbid — it is all only because they do not wait for the time and moment when the Holy One, blessed be He, would bestow their livelihood easily; rather they press the hour, and thereby they come to various kinds of damage in business dealings, until some come to actual robbery, God forbid. And all this is drawn from their falling under time — from not taking to heart that all the time of this world flies and floats by in the blink of an eye, and truly there is no time at all. For the primary time that seems to exist is only due to deficiency of da’as — for if one would merit perfect da’as one would know there is no time at all, as is all explained in the teaching on “ani ha’yom y’lidticha” in the aforementioned section. And certainly if one looked well at the nullification of time, one would not press the hour — one would always wait for one’s livelihood until its time came, and would not stumble in any robbery or injustice. And even in permitted matters one would not be so eager and troubled by such great toils and dangers for the sake of money — one would only wait for the salvation of Hashem. For a brief moment one can certainly wait easily, and one who has true da’as — for him all the time of the world is only a brief moment, for time flies very greatly, for truly there is no time at all, as above. It follows that the primary damage of robbery is drawn only from having fallen excessively under time. And this is the aspect of what it says (Koheles 4): “ha’ashikim asher na’asim tachas hashemesh — the oppressions that are done under the sun” — specifically “under the sun,” that is, under time, where all oppressions and robberies are, as above. For truly all craving for money is drawn from foolishness and deficiency of da’as, in the aspect of “lev kesil lis’molo — the heart of a fool is to his left,” from which money and wealth come, as it says: “uvis’mola osher v’chavod — and in its left hand riches and honor.” (As stated in §69 on the severity of the prohibition of robbery, see there.) And there is the primary error regarding time — the illusion that there is time — which is drawn only from deficiency of da’as, as above. And therefore the restoration of the robbery, which is the aspect of repentance, is the aspect of the nullification of time, as above. For the primary repair of robbery — which is the damage of the craving for money — is through the nullification of time, as above. Based on the Torah “nine repairs” [tisha tikunin] (§20), see the entire Torah there. Explained there is the matter of the damage of striking the rock [hakkas hatzur] — that Moshe erred by using his staff of strength [mateh uzo], which was the power of his good deeds, at the time of drawing down Torah. And truly the Holy One, blessed be He, did not command him to take his staff of strength except in order to assemble the congregation and subdue their wickedness, etc. But in prayer one must stand as a pauper and a beggar, and one must connect oneself with the entire congregation that comes to hear the Torah, so that the prayer should be a public prayer, etc., etc. And for this reason a person should not press himself [force matters] regarding anything, but should only request through supplication — if the Holy One, blessed be He, gives, He gives; and if not, not — for it is forbidden to press the hour. For it is like taking something by force and compulsion. And likewise it is so when one is stubborn and presses himself in prayer that the Holy One, blessed be He, must specifically fulfill his request, etc. And through this Moshe was removed, as it says: “lachein lo savi’u es ha’kahal hazeh el ha’aretz — therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the Land” etc. For through the Torah that one draws down, one merits Eretz Yisrael, etc. And the primary [aim] is to draw Torah with the repairs mentioned above — to pour out his heart like water before the Almighty until one draws down warm words like coals of fire, etc. — and to request through supplications specifically, etc., etc. See all this there very well. See also §196 on what was said regarding the Sages’ statement: “When you pray, do not make your prayer a fixed thing [keva],” which is one who presses himself and is stubborn that the Holy One, blessed be He, must fulfill his request — this being the aspect of fixed prayer [tfillos keva]: the language of robbery, as [in the verse]: “v’kava es kov’aihem nefesh — and robbed [kava] their robbers, their lives.” One should only pray through mercy and supplication, etc., see there. And this is the aspect of: “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah asher gazal o es ha’osheik asher ashaik — and he shall restore the robbery which he robbed, or the oppression which he oppressed,” which alludes to repentance for all sins in the world — as is explained in many books of ethical instruction that brought this verse in connection with repentance. For the transgressor is called a robber — the aspect of “one who robs his father and his mother” — which are the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah — as is explained in the words of our Sages. And therefore even one who benefits from this world in a permitted manner, but without a blessing, is called a robber — the aspect of “one who robs his father and his mother” — as the Sages said, all the more so when one benefits through transgression, God forbid. And therefore even the evil inclination [yetzer hara] is called a robber and a violent oppressor, as it says: “matzil ani mechazak mimenu v’evyon m’goizlo — rescuing the poor from one stronger than him, the needy and the destitute from his robber,” which is said of the evil inclination (as explained in the Midrash Bereishis §54): “Is there a greater robber than this?” etc. And this is the aspect of: “mei’ish chamsim tatzreini — save me from men of violence.” And therefore the Sages instituted takanas hashavim extensively in the laws of robbery — as is explained in the statements of our Sages in many laws of restoring stolen goods in which they were lenient on account of takanas hashavim. For the primary power of repentance — to return to the Holy One, blessed be He, for all sins in the world — is received only from the true tzaddikim who engage in this all their lives and after their passing: to return everything to the Holy One, blessed be He. And all the Torah which they draw down and reveal to Israel — all of it is in order to return them to the good, to bring them back in complete repentance — for this is their entire holy intention in the revelation of their Torah: to bring Israel to repentance and good deeds, for “it is not the expounding that is primary but the doing.” But this work of returning the children of Israel to repentance is very hard and heavy, as is understood from the words of our Sages — for with one who has free will it is very hard to help, as is explained in his words, of blessed memory (in Chayay Moharyn). And therefore one must draw Torah with all the repairs explained in the aforementioned teaching, until one merits drawing the holiness of Eretz Yisrael — from which the primary repair of repentance comes, as it says: “u’va l’Tziyon go’ail u’l’shuvay fesha b’Yaakov — a redeemer shall come to Zion and to those who turn from transgression in Yaakov.” And as it says in the portion of repentance: “v’shavta ad Hashem Elokecha v’shamas b’kolo v’shav Hashem Elokecha es sh’vusc’ha v’richamcha” etc. until: “v’heviach’a Hashem Elokecha el ha’aretz — and Hashem your God will bring you to the Land.” And therefore one must be very careful to draw Torah novelties [chidushim] only through mercy and supplication — and not through force and compulsion, God forbid — for then it is impossible to come to Eretz Yisrael, as stated there. And there is more to explain in this. For it is stated in his words, of blessed memory, that the primary holiness of Eretz Yisrael is drawn through “koach ma’asav” — as the Sages say: it was for this that it opened with “Bereishis” — so that if the gentiles say “you are brigands [listim] for having conquered Eretz Yisrael,” they [Israel] say: “the whole earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He” — in His will He took it from them and gave it to us, etc. It follows that Eretz Yisrael can only be conquered through the Torah — by showing through the Torah that opens with “Bereishis” that the entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He, etc. And therefore when the Torah drawn down is not in perfection — meaning when it is not drawn down through mercy and supplication, etc., but through force and compulsion, etc., as above — which is the aspect of a flaw in holy faith, as it says: “ya’an lo he’emant’em bi — because you did not believe in Me,” etc. — for according to the greatness of their holiness this counts as some flaw in holy faith — then it is impossible to reveal faith to all who come into the world, to reveal to them that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world; and then Eretz Yisrael cannot be conquered from them, for they will say “you are brigands,” specifically brigands — since they come to conquer Eretz Yisrael with the power of Torah that was drawn through fixed prayer, which is considered as robbery — and therefore they still can say “you are brigands,” as above. And when the Torah is not perfect — to the point where one can reveal the holiness of Eretz Yisrael through it — then it is impossible to bring about repentance through it. For the primary repair of repentance is specifically through the Torah drawn through prayers of mercy and supplication, etc., until the holiness of Eretz Yisrael is drawn through it, as above. And therefore the primary repair of repentance is alluded to in the laws of restoring robbery, as above. For the primary aspect of the repair of repentance for all sins is to repair the flaw of robbery — the aspect of “one who robs his father and his mother,” etc., as above — and this is only possible through the Torah drawn with the repairs mentioned above — meaning through prayer that is in mercy and supplication specifically, and not through force and compulsion, which is the aspect of robbery. It follows that the primary repair of repentance is through the tzaddikim who repair the root of the flaw of robbery in supernal holiness — meaning that even in their holy prayer they do not come in the aspect of robbery; and through this specifically they draw Torah to perfection, through which they return people to repentance. And therefore the repair of repentance for all sins is called the aspect of the repair of robbery — the aspect of “v’heishiv es ha’gezailah” etc. — for the primary repair of repentance is drawn only from the aspect of the repair of robbery at its root: which is their not coming in their prayers through force — the aspect of robbery — and through this specifically they draw Torah to ultimate perfection, through which they return people to repentance, as above. For Moshe Rabainu — after he erred in this secret through striking the rock, through which he was removed, as it says: “ya’an lo he’emant’em bi” etc. — certainly thereafter repented completely of this and from then on prayed all his prayers only through mercy and supplication, as it says: “va’eschanan el Hashem ba’eis hahi leimor — and I beseeched Hashem at that time, saying” — the language of mercy, supplication, and free gift, as the Sages expounded; and as is brought in the aforementioned teaching on this verse. And he prayed many prayers through mercy and supplication, as [the word] “va’eschanan” teaches, as the Sages said. And even though the Holy One, blessed be He, still did not fulfill his request and told him: “rav lach — enough for you,” etc. — still he certainly accomplished much through his prayers that he asked through mercy and supplication, and he returned and repaired the flaw he had damaged through striking the rock; and especially through his passing, as stated there in the aforementioned teaching: “what was lacking through them was repaired through them.” And from there the true tzaddikim now receive power to draw Torah through the repairs mentioned above — through mercy and supplication — until they draw the holiness of Eretz Yisrael and return and bring people to repentance, as above. For when the great tzaddik stumbles through some subtle error, it is for our benefit — so that through this they return in complete repentance, as their holy way: that for an error less than a hairsbreadth they do great and immense repentance; and through this they endow us with repentance, in the aspect of: “these matters of Torah — no one can stand in them unless he has stumbled in them,” and as the Sages said regarding King David: David was not fit for that incident except to teach repentance [as a lesson], etc. (and as is brought in the Torah beginning chuvas, §22); all the more so Moshe our teacher. Therefore now all our repairs and all our hope to merit repentance is through the Torah that the true tzaddikim now draw through mercy and supplication — which is the aspect of the repair of robbery, etc., as above. And therefore the repair of repentance is alluded to in the restoration of robbery, as above. Now, although this awesome Torah was stated at the loftiest heights on high — for it explains there the secret of the error of striking the rock, which was certainly the most subtle of the subtle — for Moshe Rabainu certainly knew that one must pray with mercy and supplication, as was his practice throughout his life, and particularly at the sin of the Golden Calf and the sin of the Spies, where he said: s'lach na la'avon ha'am hazeh k'godel chasdecha [please forgive the iniquity of this people according to Your great loving-kindness], etc.; and likewise many times. Only at the moment of striking the rock did his opponents and those who disputed him confound him until he came to that subtle error — as it says: ki ha'osheik y'holel chacham v'ya'abed es lev matanah [for oppression confounds the wise man and destroys the gift of his heart] (Koheles) — which our sages applied in reference to Moshe's errors: ki ha'osheik y'holel chacham — "oppression" [osheik] specifically, for all the wickedness and contentiousness of Dasan and Aviram and all those who disputed him are the aspect of oppression and robbery, as above. And through this they caused even some subtle error in Moshe, so that he did not draw the Torah with mercy and supplication. And this is: v'ya'abed es lev matanah — "the gift of his heart" specifically, the aspect of Moshe's heart, which certainly always went in the way of praying with mercy and supplication. But through the oppression and robbery they confounded the wise man — the aspect of Moshe — until he lost "the gift of his heart" — the gift of his heart specifically, the aspect of Moshe's heart, whose heart was the aspect of a gift-heart [lev matanah], who always asked and prayed with mercy and free gift [matanas chinam]; and now through their oppression he also erred and pressed the hour, which is the aspect of oppression, etc., as above. Thus, although this Torah was stated concerning the most loftily exalted tzaddikim, still every single person must draw from this Torah deep counsels for his own soul — even the smallest of the small. (And likewise in the Torah that begins chadi Rabbi Shimon [§61], it is said that from wherever one studies one must draw for oneself counsels and true judgments and upright ways of conduct.) And what emerges for us from this Torah is what he himself, of blessed memory, stated there explicitly, namely: "And for this reason a person should not press himself regarding anything, but rather should request through supplication; if the Holy One, blessed be He, will give — He will give; if not, then not" etc. — and this is a warning for every person. And likewise all the other holy introductions explained there are greatly needed for every person who wishes to walk in the way of Hashem. For every single Jew must draw Torah upon himself each day, as we bless each day [nosain ha'Torah] — lest he be, God forbid, a dry tree etc. And even one who is not on a level of doing this must at minimum make an effort to learn something each day with fresh longing, for this too is the aspect of Torah novellae, as is stated elsewhere. Also, whoever learns Torah must inevitably need to explain some elucidation and interpretation in what he studies. And for all of this each person according to his level must go with the Torah mentioned above — namely, he should know that the primary perfection of his study is to draw upon himself warm words like burning coals, to study with the heat and ardor of holiness. And he must pour out his heart like water before Him, blessed be He, until he draws from the supernal heart warm words like burning coals — and through this he will draw Torah novellae from there as well, as is stated there. And one must take great care with the above warning: not to press the hour, not to make use of the mateh oiz [staff of strength] — which is one's good deeds — in order to draw forth Torah, but only to subdue the evil through the aspect of the mateh oiz. That is: every Jew — even the worst of the worst — certainly has some good deeds, as it says: there is no wicked person [§282]. And when one wishes to approach the holy — to occupy oneself with Torah and good deeds — and the accuser [ba'al davar] wishes to throw him down on account of the enormity of his transgressions, saying to him: who are you to occupy yourself with Torah after you have sinned so greatly? — at that point he must search himself for whatever good points he has, for this is his mateh oiz. He should also make use of the mateh oiz of the true tzaddikim, in whom he takes refuge. But with all of this he should make use [of the mateh oiz] only to subdue the evil — meaning, so that the multitude of his wrongdoings does not cast him into despair, God forbid — but to strengthen himself through all of the above etc. to subdue the evil and to await the salvation of Hashem. But when he wishes to draw upon himself the holiness of Torah — to merit from now on to receive and fulfill the words of the Torah — he must stand like a pauper and like one mute who cannot open his mouth, but only yearn with a strong will toward Hashem and have great compassion upon himself; and through this itself, his heart will warm and he will speak with the warmth of holiness, as is written: na'alamti dumiyah hechesheiti mitov uchroivi ne'kar cham libi b'kirbi b'hagigi tiv'ar eish dibarti bilshoni [I was dumb with silence, I held back from speaking good, and my pain was stirred; my heart grew hot within me, in my meditation the fire burned, I spoke with my tongue] — for this is the way for all who wish to draw close to the holy. For in this matter — the flaw of pressing the hour — many people stumble, great and small alike, until the flaw touches even great and awesome tzaddikim, in the aspect of: ki ha'osheik y'holel chacham etc., as above. For all sins and flaws of all transgressors, God forbid, derive only from the aspect of pressing the hour — that one does not wish to wait. For the evil inclination is only found in its moment, as our sages taught; and if one had waited a short while, one would have merited in this world and the next. And as our sages taught: what she spread out for him as a forbidden bed, she [later] spread for him as permitted — and many similar cases. And this is the primary sin and flaw of Adam the First — that he did not wait with his union until Shabbos night; and not only that, but he wanted immediately to know all the hidden knowledge that was concealed from him, for this was the primary incitement of the serpent: v'hayisem kelokim yd'ay tov vara [and you shall be like God, knowing good and evil]. Thus he pressed the hour in every respect. And as our sages applied the verse to Adam the First: evil ba'yom yoda ka'aso [a fool makes known his anger on that day] (Mishlei). And it is written: k'tzar apayim ya'aseh iveles [one short of patience does foolishness]. And even had he subdued his desire and not eaten from the Tree of Knowledge etc., he would still have needed to wait for the salvation of Hashem and to pray in supplication until he would have attained what he was destined to attain. But he went in the opposite direction — he did not subdue his desire, and he did not wish to wait; moreover, he wished immediately to know and attain all the hidden knowledge at once. And this is the aspect of the flaw of all the [Greek] philosophers, who have not broken their desires at all and wish immediately to know everything — to know something of God's Godliness, which in truth cannot be attained with any genuine understanding except by first breaking one's desires, like the Patriarchs of the world; and thereafter one must multiply prayer and supplication, and not press the hour, but only pray greatly in supplication and request a free gift until Hashem has mercy, as above. And therefore even the greatest and most awesome tzaddikim, may their merit protect us, each erred in some subtle fashion. And if we examine carefully, we find that all the flaws that our sages counted against the great tzaddikim and Patriarchs of the world were all in this aspect — each one according to his own level pressed the hour somewhat. As with the matter of Avraham Avinu, who said: bamah eida ki irashenah [how shall I know that I will inherit it?] — the primary flaw and error being that he was pressing the hour. For as soon as the Holy One, blessed be He, had promised him regarding the inheritance of the Land of Israel, he wanted the matter to be completed immediately, and to know right away in what way and manner they would inherit it. For this is a great principle: all the Patriarchs of the world foresaw the ultimate final end — that it would be very long in coming — and they wanted to attain it immediately. Therefore Avraham asked: bamah eida ki irashenah — for he saw from afar with his holy spirit that although Israel would conquer the Land of Israel, afterward they would be exiled from there, and the Land of Israel would not remain in their hands, and the exile would be very long. Therefore he wished to press the hour, for Hashem to inform him immediately of the ultimate final end — how they would inherit it forever. And therefore he fell short in this, for it is forbidden to press the hour, as above — and especially regarding the ultimate final end, which is the wondrous end [keitz hape'laos]. And likewise Yaakov said: nistara darki maiHashem [my way is hidden from Hashem] — our sages taught that this was his flaw, on account of the sight of his many tribulations — from Eisav, from Lavan, etc. — and especially the tribulation of Yosef. He should have only prayed about this with mercy and supplication before the Holy One, blessed be He. And certainly Yaakov Avinu did so, and certainly prayed greatly — but from the intensity of his tribulations his holy mind was confounded until he said: nistara darki maiHashem etc. For he pressed the hour according to the aspect of his holiness, and did not wait as was fitting, etc. Yitzchak erred regarding Eisav and wished to bless him, for ki tzayid b'fiv [for game was in his mouth]. For [Eisav] was always occupied in fighting with his sword — as it says: yodea tzayid ish sadeh [a man who knows hunting, a man of the field] — and Yitzchak thought that Eisav's intention was good: to fight with his sword on behalf of Yaakov and his descendants, in order to restore the Land of Israel to them. For he saw that it was impossible to conquer the Land of Israel except by receiving strength from Edom to punish those who prevent [Israel's entry] with sword and slaughter. And Yitzchak thought this thing would come about immediately. But in truth he erred in this, for Eisav was completely wicked and did not desire the blessing, and was a great enemy of Yaakov and did not fight at all on behalf of Yaakov. For although in the Torah mentioned above it is written that one must conquer the Land of Israel through the power received from Edom etc., as above — this will happen only in the future, at the ultimate final end, when the true tzaddikim will merit to draw Torah with all the rectifications mentioned above, and then Edom will be compelled, against his will, to give power to Israel to conquer the Land of Israel through the power of his sword. But then [in Yitzchak's time] the power for this had not yet come, and Eisav was a great enemy of Yaakov — therefore [Yitzchak] erred in this, in bringing Eisav close. And this too is the aspect of pressing the hour: that he thought the time had already come when Yaakov would receive power from Eisav's sword etc., whereas in truth he erred in this, as above. And this is the aspect of: va'yikra Yaakov el banav va'yomer he'asfu v'agidah lachem es asher yikra eschem b'acharis ha'yamim [and Yaakov called his sons and said: gather together and I will tell you what shall befall you at the end of days]. And our sages taught that Yaakov Avinu sought to reveal the final end, but it was hidden from him — and he said: perhaps there is some disqualification among them, as [did happen] with Sheim etc. Immediately they all opened and declared: Sh'ma Yisrael Hashem Elokainu Hashem Echad [Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One] — just as there is none other in your heart, so there is none other in our heart. Then he began to speak of other things and to reprove the tribes: Reuven, Shimon, and Levi etc. That is to say: Yaakov erred at the outset by thinking the time had already come to reveal to them the final end — and the Shechinah [Divine Presence] departed from him on account of his having sought to reveal the final end. From this he immediately understood that it is impossible to press the hour in anything — and especially regarding the ultimate final end, the return to the Land of Israel and the complete redemption such that there will be no further exile — which is hidden from all the great tzaddikim; and even those tzaddikim who know something of this are forbidden to reveal it, for what is in the heart may not be revealed to the mouth. And he then understood the greatness of the flaw of pressing the hour, even for great tzaddikim. Therefore he then began to reprove the three tribes concerning their flaws — and the primary flaw of all of them was in the matter of pressing the hour: pachaz kamayim al tosar [unstable as water, you shall not excel]. That is, he went in haste and great confusion and upset his father's bed — and the primary flaw was the aspect of pressing the hour, the aspect of pachaz kamayim. For Reuven was certainly a great tzaddik, as our sages taught: anyone who says Reuven sinned is simply mistaken. But his flaw was that he was zealous for the honor of his mother, as our sages taught; and in truth even this was a great flaw, and the primary flaw was the aspect of pressing the hour. And in this, tzaddikim and upright people also stumble in our time — as I heard and understood from his holy mouth, of blessed memory, who said that this is a great evil inclination for many people, and especially for those of higher standing: on account of one thing that appears to them to be a mitzvah, they abandon everything and come through this to many failings — and especially when they come through this to strife and contention. And if you examine all the affairs that took place between tzaddikim in every generation, all of it was in this aspect: that the accuser led them astray as though the one opposing them was greatly at fault, and it was a mitzvah to give one's life to pursue him, etc. In truth they erred greatly in this, for through contention and strife it is impossible to rectify anything at all — rather, one must settle oneself greatly and reflect and wait at length, in the aspect of pressing the hour, as above. And Shimon and Levi's selling of Yosef was also pressing the hour: they thought that by removing Yosef they were repairing the world, but they erred greatly. For the robber and violent oppressor [chamsan] is the aspect of pressing the hour, as above; and Yosef's brothers who sold him were essentially acting from the aspect of pressing the hour, for they thought to immediately rectify by removing Yosef. And as it is said there in the Torah in the name of one of our master's close disciples: that from the verse [Bereishis 37:28]: va'yimkeru es Yosef la'yishm'elim b'esrim kessef [and they sold Yosef to the Yishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver] it is understood that all the root of this selling was pressing the hour — for twenty [esrim] in gematria is the aspect of y'heiru [to hasten], and kessef is the aspect of kisufin [longing/desire], meaning that their pressing arose from longing and desire — the desire to repair the world immediately and to hasten the redemption. But they erred, for it is forbidden to press the hour, as above. And this is: Y'hudah atah yoduchoh achecha [Yehudah — you, your brothers shall acknowledge you]. For Yaakov Avinu was consoled in his mind and began to draw close to Yehudah. For he saw that although the tribes had sinned in this [pressing the hour], still, in the end everything would be rectified through the aspect of Yehudah, who is the aspect of Mashiach, who will draw Torah with all the rectifications mentioned above — until he completes his [work] and conquers the Land of Israel. And Edom will be compelled to give him the power of the sword, for he will draw Torah only through mercy and supplication. And with the mateh oiz he will use [that power] only to subdue the evil within the congregation etc., as is written there. And this is: Y'hudah atah yoduchoh achecha — yoduchoh specifically, the aspect of the many prayers of Dovid Mashiach who will descend from him, for he will bind himself in prayers with all the souls who hear, until his prayer will be the prayer of the multitudes [tefilas rabim], and every single person will have a share in the Torah. And this is: Y'hudah atah yoduchoh achecha — for certainly all his brothers will acknowledge and praise him, since he will bind himself to them in his prayer, as above. And this is: yadcha b'oref oyvecha etc., gur aryeh Y'hudah etc. — that is, although he waged Hashem's wars greatly and conquered many battles, which is the aspect of making use of the mateh oiz, still he did not use his might and his staff of strength except to subdue the evil; but all his prayers were with mercy and supplication. And this is the aspect of what he was greatly blessed with regarding wine: chachlilay einayim miyayin ul'ven shinayim mechalav [his eyes are red from wine and his teeth white from milk]. For wine is the aspect of gevuros [powers/forces], as is known, and Yehudah — the aspect of Mashiach — made great use of the mateh oiz, which is the aspect of wine. And even so, he received Torah only through mercy and supplication, as above. And this is: chachlilay einayim miyayin — the aspect of gevuros, the aspect of the mateh oiz mentioned above — ul'ven shinayim mechalav — and milk is the aspect of softness, the food of tender infants; meaning that [Yaakov] blessed Yehudah — the aspect of Dovid Mashiach — to merit the two rectifications mentioned above in their fullness, and not to err in them. That is: chachlilay einayim miyayin — the aspect of gevuros, the mateh oiz; and ul'ven shinayim mechalav — the aspect of softness and supplication, as it says: v'anochi ha'yom rach u'm'shuch melech [and I am today tender and newly anointed as king]. And this is the aspect of the vision of the thorn-bush that Moshe saw — v'hinei ha'sneh bo'er ba'eish v'ha'sneh einenu uchal [and behold, the bush was burning with fire and the bush was not being consumed] — and he said: asura na v'er'eh es ha'mar'eh ha'gadol ha'zeh madua lo yiv'ar ha'sneh [let me turn aside and see this great sight — why the bush is not consumed]. That is, Moshe saw the angel of Hashem in a flame of fire from within the thorn-bush — the aspect of his seeing that he had merited the aspect of the fiery coals mentioned above, the aspect of warm words like burning coals, through which the primary drawing-forth of Torah [occurs], as above. Therefore he marveled: why is the thorn-bush not consumed? For the sneh [thorn-bush] is the aspect of the thorns and briars surrounding etc. holiness — those who prevent [Israel] from coming to the Land of Israel and from all things of holiness — whose primary subduing is through the Torah drawn by means of the fiery coals mentioned above, through which one merits to receive strength from Edom to subdue all enemies and preventers, to uphold the law upon its foundation, and to come to the Land of Israel, as above. But he saw the angel of Hashem in a flame of fire — that Torah had been revealed to him to be given through him, and it had been revealed to him in a flame of fire, the aspect of warm words like burning coals through which the primary drawing-forth of Torah [occurs], as above — and still: ha'sneh bo'er ba'eish v'ha'sneh einenu uchal — it was still impossible to consume it, to nullify and break the preventers. Therefore he marveled greatly and said: asura na v'er'eh es ha'mar'eh ha'gadol ha'zeh madua lo yiv'ar ha'sneh through the Torah mentioned above. And Hashem saw that he had turned aside to see, and called to him: Moshe, Moshe! — and he said: hineni [here I am]. And our sages taught: hineni l'chehunah, hineni l'malchus [here I am for the priesthood, here I am for the kingship]. For he thought that certainly the sneh — the preventers mentioned above — would be consumed, and he would come to the Land of Israel and complete the redemption in its fullness, for there [in the Land of Israel] is the priesthood and the kingship that are drawn from the two aspects mentioned above. That is: the aspect of Torah drawn through mercy and supplication — this is the aspect of the priesthood, the aspect of the Kohen who is a man of loving-kindness, the aspect of mercy and supplication, through which one merits Torah in the aspect of the Kohen: yoru mishpatecha l'Yaakov v'sorascha l'Yisrael [they shall teach Your judgments to Yaakov and Your Torah to Israel]. And the kingship — this is the aspect of the mateh oiz mentioned above, the aspect of: Hashem b'uzcha yismach melech [Hashem, the king shall rejoice in Your strength], the aspect of: ad ashis oyvecha hadom l'raglecha, mateh uzcha yishlach Hashem miTziyon, r'deh [until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet; Hashem will send the staff of Your strength from Zion — rule] — the aspect of subduing evil through the mateh oiz, which is the primary aspect of the king: to wage Hashem's wars, to subdue evil. And Moshe thought that all these rectifications had already been fully drawn — therefore he said: hineni l'chehunah v'l'malchus, as above. And Hashem said to him: al tikrav halomah [do not draw near here] — for the time had not yet come. Shal n'alecha mai'al raglecha [remove your sandals from your feet] — meaning, in prayer do not rely on any merit or strength, for: ha'makom asher atah omaid alav admas kodesh hu [the place upon which you are standing is holy ground]. For you are now standing within the holiness — at the loftiest heights of drawing Torah — and there one must stand entirely in the aspect of mercy and supplication, without any reliance on merit or strength whatsoever. Shal n'alecha — for the sandal [na'al] is the aspect of the mateh oiz mentioned above, which it is forbidden to bring into the Beis HaMikdash — as it says: lo yikanes l'har ha'bayis b'ma'analo [one may not enter the Temple Mount with his sandal]. For in the Beis HaMikdash, which is the aspect of ki miTziyon tetzei Torah [for from Zion shall go forth Torah], the primary [quality] is the Torah drawn through mercy and supplication — and therefore one does not bring in a sandal, which is the aspect of the mateh oiz, for in the Beis HaMikdash everything is drawn only through mercy and supplication, as above. But the mateh oiz is used afterward, to subdue evil — outside the Beis HaMikdash, after one has drawn forth Torah, as above. This is also the aspect of the removal of sandals on Yom Kippur [Yom HaKipurim] — for then we are all included within the Beis HaMikdash, within the aspect of the Even Shtiyah, the aspect of the Holy of Holies, where the Kohen Gadol entered on behalf of all Israel, as above — and therefore we remove our sandals then, in the aspect of shal n'alecha etc., as above. And this is what is written in the Midrash: that the tribes sold Yosef and bought sandals for themselves with the money — as it says: v'evyon ba'avur na'alayim [and a pauper for a pair of sandals]. That is: they flawed greatly in the matter of the mateh oiz mentioned above and pressed the hour greatly. Through their flaw they had [a flaw] in the sandals — for they supposed that through selling Yosef they were subduing evil by means of the mateh oiz, which is the aspect of sandals. Therefore they bought sandals for themselves in exchange for the money. But in truth they erred greatly in this, as above. And this is what is stated in the Midrash: and Moshe was tending the flock [v'Moshe hayah ro'eh] — that he kept them far from robbery, and had great compassion for the sheep. And through this specifically he merited to become the shepherd of Israel, as is explained there in the Midrash at length. And likewise Dovid merited to become the shepherd of Israel through this, as is stated there. And this is wondrous: why specifically through this did they merit such greatness — to be shepherds of Israel? But according to the above this is well understood. For the primary merit for giving the Torah and leading Israel comes only through immense compassion, the aspect of: ki m'rachamam y'nagalem [for He Who has compassion for them will lead them]. And the primary [quality] is to distance oneself from the aspect of robbery, which is the aspect of pressing the hour, as above. And this is what is stated in Midrash Rabbah (Shemos, [Parshas Beshalach] §22): that the primary rectification of prayer is to cleanse oneself from robbery — as it says there: a person must purify his heart before he prays; as Iyov said: al lo chamas b'kapai v'sefilasi zacha [for I have not done violence with my hands, and my prayer is pure]. Rabbi Yehoshua the Kohen [said] etc. — and further: any person whose hands are soiled with robbery calls out to the Holy One, blessed be He, and He does not answer him, etc. — until: from where [do we know] that anyone who distances himself from robbery — his prayer is pure? As it says: nki chapayim uvar leivav [one with clean hands and a pure heart], etc. See there the entire passage at length. That is, as above — for the primary rectification of prayer in its ultimate perfection is that one not be overly insistent, not making one's prayer fixed [keva] in the aspect of robbery etc., as above. And therefore certainly when one has, God forbid, actual robbery in hand, one's prayer is not accepted at all — for the primary rectification of prayer is to distance oneself from the aspect of fixedness and robbery even in the spiritual and subtle sense, as above. And through this everything is rectified until one comes to the Land of Israel and merits repentance, as above. And this is the aspect of: all robbers pay according to the value at the time of the robbery [kash'as ha'gezailah] — "at the time of the robbery" specifically. For the primary flaw of robbery is the aspect of pressing the hour — for if one had not pressed the hour, one certainly would not have come to commit any slight wrongdoing at all, and would have engaged in commerce in faith. All the more so would one not have been a robber, God forbid. And therefore when the robber pays — which is the aspect of repentance, the aspect of v'heishiv es ha'gezailah asher gazal [and he shall return the stolen object that he robbed] etc., as above — the primary rectification is to rectify the aspect of the sha'ah [hour/moment] that he flawed at the time of the robbery, when he was pressing the hour. Therefore he must pay according to the value at the time of the robbery specifically — to rectify the aspect of pressing the hour, as above. It is therefore truly so that the primary repair of teshuvah for all sinners and those who have caused blemishes in the world is through the great tzaddikim, who are of the aspect of Moshe — whose extension is present in every generation, clothed within the true tzaddikim who are now engaged in repairing the blemish of the striking of the rock. This is accomplished by drawing forth wondrous and awesome chidushei Torah (novel Torah insights) through mercy and supplication alone, with no pressing of the hour whatsoever. Through this they continuously draw the power to conquer Eretz Yisroel — to receive through the Torah they draw forth, which is complete in all the aforementioned repairs — so that through it they receive power from Edom and the gentile nations under it, to punish those who obstruct, so that they cannot speak disparagingly to impede Eretz Yisroel and all holy matters. Through this the primary drawing forth of teshuvah in the world takes place. For the primary distancing of a person from the Holy One, blessed be He — from returning to Him, may He be blessed — is through opponents who obstruct: the scoffers, the speakers of flattery, those who speak arrogantly and contemptuously of the tzaddik, who distance a person more than anything else from returning to the Holy One, blessed be He. As our Rebbe, of blessed memory, said: people are greater obstacles by far than the evil inclination, as is explained in several of our holy conversations on this matter, and as is clearly observable by anyone who looks at the truth. Therefore, through those tzaddikim who draw Torah in all the aforementioned repairs — until they receive the power to punish or silence the wicked opponents and obstructors — through this the awakening of teshuvah is drawn forth in the world. For the heart of a Jew burns for the Holy One, blessed be He, always, as it is said: "Its sparks are sparks of fire, the flame of God; mighty waters cannot extinguish the love." Even though desires and evil traits pursue him, nonetheless certainly in the end he would overcome them. But the primary obstruction, more than anything, comes from people who impede, as mentioned. Therefore, by humbling the obstructors through the Torah drawn forth in the aforementioned repairs — whose essence is that there is no pressing of the hour — through this teshuvah is drawn forth in the world. Also, since the tzaddik makes no use of the mighty staff during prayer at all, through this he has even greater power with the mighty staff to subdue the evil in the congregation, as is well understood in the aforementioned Torah teaching, see there. And when evil is subdued and one merits teshuvah, this is therefore alluded to in the aspect of teshuvah in the returning of robbery, as mentioned. And therefore the evil inclination is called a robber, as it is said: "Saving the poor from the one stronger than him, and the poor and destitute from his robber," and as is explained in the Midrash on this verse (in Parashas Vayera, 54). Similarly, Dovid cried: "Rescue me, O God, from the evil man; from violent men preserve me." And therefore in the generation of the flood, their verdict was sealed only on account of robbery, as the Midrash says (Parashas 33): "What tips the scale? Robbery." For the essence of all blemishes flows from the aspect of robbery, which is the aspect of pressing the hour — for the evil inclination is only relevant to its moment, and if one withstands the trial for a brief hour, then afterwards the evil inclination will automatically become nullified and depart from him. Therefore the primary repair of teshuvah flows through the tzaddikim who have great compassion and extraordinary patience and do not press the hour at all, as mentioned above. This corresponds to the robbery of the public, of which one does not know what to do — the needs of the many. For there are those who have sinned and caused blemishes so greatly that they have robbed the public — their blemishes affect all of Israel in the aspect of "one who robs his father and mother," meaning the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Community of Israel. In such a case, one's entire repair is only through engaging in the needs of the many for the sake of Heaven. The essence of the needs of the many is to bring them merit for the eternal purpose — which every person needs, and particularly one who has sinned and caused many blemishes, must engage in this. The main effort is to strive to have a share in the drawing forth of the Torah that is drawn forth through the aforementioned repairs, so that it will spread and illuminate the world — for through this is the primary repair of teshuvah for all of Israel, as mentioned. Whether through supporting financially those who engage in this, whether through personal involvement, or through other aspects — for everyone can merit to have a share in this. And through this one will merit the public — the aspect of the needs of the many. This is the primary repair of robbery, which is the aspect that includes all sins, as mentioned, for through drawing forth this Torah the primary repair of teshuvah takes place, as mentioned. This corresponds to the robbery of a convert who has no heirs, which must be returned to the kohanim who serve in the Beis Hamikdosh. For the kohain is a man of chesed, all of whose service is through sacrifices, which are the aspect of prayer — whose primary expression is in the Beis Hamikdosh, which is a house of prayer, where Torah is drawn forth through mercy and supplication, as mentioned — the aspect of "for from Tzion Torah shall go forth," where the ultimate purpose of the repair of teshuvah is achieved when one merits to ascend there, in the aspect of "Who shall ascend the mountain of God? He who has clean hands and a pure heart" — meaning, one who is clean of the aspect of robbery, as in the Midrash. Therefore, to the kohanim does one return the robbery of the convert who has no owner — for through them is the primary repair of teshuvah, which is the aspect of returning the robbery, as mentioned above. (This relates to the above.) This corresponds to the principle: "The Temple treasury only has its place and its time." That is, one who wishes to consecrate himself in the holiness of Israel — his primary counsel is to know that he only has his place and his time: that very hour and place where he stands. He should not think about another hour or another place at all, but should strive and strengthen himself to sanctify himself in that hour and that place. For the other hour and place is an entirely different matter. And so on, as mentioned above. This corresponds to what Yaakov said to Eisov: "I will journey slowly at the pace of the work before me and at the pace of the children" — "until I come" etc. For it is impossible to press the hour at all, as he said before: "for the children are tender" and "if they are driven hard for one day" etc. Therefore one must go and travel only little by little — the aspect of "one who comes to purify is assisted," and we say to him: "Wait." For although one must be greatly diligent in serving Him, may He be blessed — particularly one who has already stumbled, etc. — nonetheless it is impossible to press the hour at all. There is much more to say about this, but it was not written at the time. Several conversations on this have already been explained elsewhere. This corresponds to the aspect of Shavuos and the Omer of barley and the counting. And the matter of the prohibition of chametz on Pesach, and on Shavuos they bring chametz specifically as an offering in the Two Loaves, as it is said: "they shall be baked as chametz." We will now begin to explain a little of the words of the aforementioned holy Torah teaching along the path of ethical guidance and practical counsel for divine service, which is relevant to every person at all times. For this was very much the will of our Rebbe, of blessed memory — that every individual should extract for himself counsel and ethical guidance from each and every Torah teaching he revealed. Even though it was stated from the heights of lofty heights, etc., nonetheless his entire holy intention was to reach and aim into the very heart-point of each and every person, wherever they may be, etc. We have already written a little of this above (in Section 6). To elaborate further: every person needs to draw himself to Eretz Yisroel, for there lies all of a Jew's holiness, as the Torah teaching began when it was spoken (but in writing it began with "Know that there is a soul," etc., as written in the book Chayei Moharan): "One who wishes to be a true Jewish man must go from level to level — this is impossible except through Eretz Yisroel, and when the battle is won, one is called a man of war." To come to Eretz Yisroel is through the Torah that is revealed in all the repairs described there. And although all these repairs were stated concerning the greatest of the truly holy tzaddikim who draw Torah from Heaven through genuine divine inspiration — nonetheless they are all also stated regarding every single individual, as we have written somewhat about this above. For every person must think about his ultimate purpose and his final end, and must strengthen himself to renew himself every day, to begin to study Torah in a manner through which he will merit to draw close to the Holy One, blessed be He — to merit to learn and to teach, to keep and to do and to fulfill, etc. One must draw upon oneself all the repairs described in the aforementioned Torah teaching. For just as the tzaddik who is the Rebbe of the generation requires all the aforementioned repairs in order to draw forth such Torah until one merits through it to break through all obstacles and to come to Eretz Yisroel — so too must each individual who wishes to nurse and receive from this Torah strive to draw himself toward walking in the paths of these repairs, so that he may receive from this Torah in a manner that allows him to win the battle and come to Eretz Yisroel, where lies all the holiness of a Jewish man, as it is said: "For you have not yet come to the resting place and to the inheritance" — which is said of every Jewish man before he comes to Eretz Yisroel, meaning he is not yet in the place of rest and inheritance of Israel. This means every person must multiply prayers and supplications to the Holy One, blessed be He, to merit to truly understand and to take to heart the words of the novel Torah teachings of the true tzaddik, in a way that merits to fulfill them — for that is the essential thing. And when one prays, one must pray with mercy and supplication as a pauper and destitute person begging at doorways, and more than this, and not press the hour. Even though one truly needs to be very swift and hasty to save one's soul — particularly one who has already stumbled and been caught in what one has been caught in, God forbid — nonetheless it is impossible to press the hour. One must wait and wait until "God will look down and see from Heaven." And this is the aspect of the Sefirah — the counting — which is preparation for receiving the Torah, where one does nothing except count the days and weeks, and through this one draws upon himself the holiness of receiving the Torah anew each and every year. That is, the aspect of: we want and desire to receive the Torah, and according to our desire and our strong longing we would wish to receive it with alacrity immediately — but in truth it is impossible to press the hour, as mentioned. Therefore in His mercy He gave us this holy commandment to count and number the days immediately from the morrow of Shabbos — the day we went out from Egypt — until the fiftieth holy day, which is the receiving of the Torah. This shows the greatness of our longing and our strong will to receive the Torah, for our will was to receive it always — but it is impossible to do so in haste, for it is forbidden to press the hour, as mentioned, and one must wait. Yet even so, it is forbidden to forget and to distract one's mind from this, God forbid. Therefore we count the days, for the counting shows the greatness of the intensity of longing and yearning — like one who greatly longs and desires something, who counts the days until he attains his desire. So we count and number the days and weeks, which shows the intensity of our longing and strong will to receive the Torah — as we count the days until we merit this holy hope. Therefore in truth all of Israel customarily fulfills this holy commandment of Counting the Omer with great arousal and great longing for the Holy One, blessed be He, and with the increase of prayers and supplications to purify ourselves from the contamination of Egypt, for all of this is preparation for receiving the Torah, as mentioned. For the Torah was given in fire — this is the aspect of the fire mentioned in the aforementioned Torah teaching, that Torah can only be drawn forth by one whose words are like coals of fire, and one must pour out speech in prayer and supplication until one draws forth words warm as coals of fire, etc. But when praying, one must not press the hour or rely on any merit, but must stand as the lowly and the pauper, etc. Even though the mighty staff is then awakened, etc., this is only to subdue the evil, etc. We have already written above that this is also required of every person who wishes to receive from the Torah of the tzaddik, etc. But before the Holy One, blessed be He, one stands as a pauper and requests only with mercy and supplication, etc. This corresponds to the Omer of barley, which is the aspect of the beginning of the repair of speech. For "she'orah" (barley) has the same numerical value as twice Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf — which are the five gevuros, the aspect of the five articulations of the mouth, etc., as brought in the Kavannos of the Arizal — for the gevuros are the aspect of fire. That is, through the Omer of barley one begins to repair speech, to draw upon oneself words warm as coals of fire. And then one begins to count the Counting of the Omer, which is the aspect of longing and yearning for the receiving of the Torah, and we stand before Him, may He be blessed, as the mute who opens not his mouth — we only count and number the days to merit this holy hope. And through this itself, warm words like fire are drawn upon us, in the aspect of "I was mute in silence; I kept quiet from good, and my pain was stirred up; my heart grew hot within me; in my meditation a fire blazed up — I spoke with my tongue." For such is the path for whoever wishes to approach the holy — to draw near to the Holy One, blessed be He — that the essence is to multiply prayer and personal conversation between oneself and one's Creator, as has been explained many times. But this itself is very difficult. Therefore one must first pause for an hour to stand as the mute, only longing and waiting and lifting one's eyes heavenward that speech be bestowed upon him, and to settle one's mind properly as to where one stands in the world, and to prepare oneself. And one should make use of the mighty staff — meaning the small amount of good points still found within oneself — and the power and merit of the true tzaddikim, upon whom one leans. And all of this one uses only to subdue the evil — that is, that the great quantity of evil within one should not cast one down into despair, God forbid. Rather one strengthens oneself with all the above, etc., to subdue the evil and to await the salvation of God. But when one wishes to draw upon oneself the aspect of the holiness of the Torah — to merit from now on to receive and fulfill the words of the Torah — one must stand as a pauper and as the mute, until through this itself one's heart warms and one speaks with the warmth of holiness, in the aspect of "I was mute in silence... my heart grew hot within me... a fire blazed up... I spoke with my tongue." Through this very path, one begins to speak with warmth like coals of fire, in the aspect of "for love is as strong as death... its sparks are sparks of fire, the flame of God" — for precisely through the intensity of love and longing that we long for the Holy One, blessed be He, in the aspect of "for love is as strong as death," through this its sparks are sparks of fire, etc. Through this one draws the aforementioned sparks of fire as warm words like coals of fire, until one merits to have a share in the Torah that the true tzaddikim draw forth at all times. All of this is the aspect of the Counting of the Omer — when first the Omer of barley is offered, which is animal fodder, the aspect of the absence of speech. To show that at the beginning of our drawing near to the Holy One, blessed be He, we know the truth that we are literally like an animal, having no words and not knowing how to open our mouths to request to merit the receiving of the Torah. And through this itself, in His mercy He places speech in the mouths of the mute like ourselves, until we begin to speak, until each person draws forth according to his level warm words like coals of fire — whose root is the aspect of fear, the aspect of the five letters Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf, which is the aspect of holy gevuros, as mentioned. Therefore we count the days of the Omer — for through the aspect of the Omer of barley, which is the root of holy speech, the aspect of fire, which is the defining characteristic of speech as is known — the aspect of holy gevuros, the aspect of fear — through this speech begins to be repaired from its beginning and root, and through this each person draws forth according to his level warm words like coals of fire. Therefore the counting of the days of the Omer is dependent on the Omer of barley, as it is written: "from the mowing of the Omer" etc., which shows the aspect of longing and yearning — the aspect of requesting only with mercy and supplication like a pauper and destitute person — and through this each person merits according to his level to have a share in receiving the Torah drawn forth for us by the true tzaddikim at all times. For all of this is the aspect of the Counting of the Omer, as mentioned. Also, the letters of "omer" allude to "ayin" (seventy) and "mar" (bitter), indicating that we receive the aspect of explanations and novel insights of Torah encompassed in the seventy faces of Torah — and all of this is drawn from the soul called "Miriam," named for the bitterness it endures as bondage in service of the Torah, etc., as is said there. This is the aspect of "omer" — "ayin mar" (seventy bitter) — that we receive the seventy faces of Torah, the aspect of the totality of explanations and novel Torah insights, from the aspect of "mar" — that is, from the soul that endures bitterness on behalf of the Torah, as mentioned. This corresponds to the aspect of Chashmal — the aspect of "chash-mal" (silence-speech), which our Sages expounded as a language of silence and speech: "at times silent, at times speaking." That is, the primary repair of speech is through first being silent like the mute who opens not his mouth — only longing with strong will for the Holy One, blessed be He, and having great compassion upon oneself, for every person knows in his own soul the extent of the compassion called for at all times. And through this precisely the compassion of the Holy One, blessed be He, is aroused, until one begins to chirp and speak a little, in the aspect of "and from the dust your speech shall be heard," until in His great mercies His supernal heart is moved, and from there warm words like coals of fire are drawn — so that one may nurse and receive from the Torah that the tzaddikim draw forth, etc., as mentioned. This is what our Sages expounded regarding Chashmal: "living fire speaking." That is, as mentioned above — for through the aspect of chash-mal, silence and speech as mentioned, one merits to speak words like coals of fire, the aspect of "living fire speaking," as mentioned. Therefore the haftorah for Shavuos is from the account of the Divine Chariot, whose essence was revealed from within the Chashmal, as is known and understood in Yechezkel. For from there comes the primary receiving of the Torah on Shavuos, when the primary drawing forth of Torah takes place. And so it is at all times when Torah must be drawn forth, which is the aspect of Shavuos, as mentioned. For Yechezkel first saw a stormy wind and a great cloud and a flaring fire, which are the aspects of the impure husks — the aspect of the totality of all the obstructors who prevent one from expressing oneself before the Holy One, blessed be He, from drawing forth Torah, and from coming to Eretz Yisroel. And from there precisely he saw the aspect of "and there was a radiance surrounding them" — the aspect of mixed good and evil, as is known. And from there he saw the aspect of Chashmal, as it is said: "and from within it was like the gleam of Chashmal," that is, the aforementioned aspect of drawing forth warm words like fire through longing, etc., which is the aspect of silence — "I was mute in silence," etc., "my heart grew hot," etc., as mentioned. Through this he saw the holy Divine Chariot, from which comes all receiving of Torah, which is the aspect of genuine prophetic spirit, the aspect of "and I heard a voice speaking," etc., as mentioned. In general: every person who wishes to show compassion to himself and to truly begin at all times to think about his ultimate purpose and his final end — his primary repair is through personal conversation between himself and his Creator, in all the ways of counsel mentioned above. And one who contemplates the matter will understand on his own, according to the time and the moment, how to show compassion to himself at all times in truth, through the aforementioned ways — for it is impossible to explain all of this well. But one who truly desires to show compassion to himself, to improve his ultimate outcome, will understand many things on his own from our words. For it is forbidden to press the hour, as mentioned, and nonetheless one must hasten greatly to save one's soul. Therefore the primary way is the aforementioned path — the aspect of the Counting of the Omer — where one does not press the hour, God forbid, but rather waits seven complete weeks. But on each day and in each of the seven weeks, one does not distract one's mind from seeking and requesting and awaiting and hoping for His great mercy, to draw upon oneself each day and each hour the aspect of warm words, etc., as mentioned. Through this one draws forth each day the aspect of the illumination of receiving the Torah a little, each day and each week — which is the aspect of drawing the intellect-expansion that is drawn each day and each week of the Counting, as explained in the Kavannos. For the primary intellect and wisdom is the Torah, until one merits through this to have a share in receiving the Torah, etc., as mentioned. This corresponds to the aspect of Pesach, when chametz is forbidden with a very severe prohibition, while on Shavuos they bring as an offering the Two Loaves of chametz specifically. For on Pesach, at the beginning of Israel's drawing close to their Father in Heaven — when they need to go from impurity to purity, from the contamination of the filth of Egypt — they did not yet have any power to draw upon themselves all the aforementioned aspects and repairs until they would merit to come to Eretz Yisroel. For they were deeply submerged in exile, as brought in the Kavannos, and were not worthy of redemption through their own deeds, as it is said: "And I passed over you and I saw you wallowing in your blood" etc., and: "You were naked and bare" etc., as brought. Therefore it was impossible to take them out of the contamination of exile except through the aspect of "arousal from above" — that a great and immense light was poured over them in a single moment, etc., as explained in the Kavannos. They therefore were required to leave in haste, which is why they needed to eat matzah and chametz was strictly forbidden, as it is said: "Seven days you shall eat matzah, bread of affliction, for in haste you went out" etc. And it is written: "And they baked the dough... unleavened cakes, for it had not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay" etc. For at the time of the Exodus from Egypt they needed to sanctify their eating greatly. The primary element is the sanctification of bread — the primary food and satiation, which is the chief of all seven species for which Eretz Yisroel is praised, as it is said: "a land of wheat and barley" etc. For the primary redemption is to leave the contamination of Egypt and to merit to come to Eretz Yisroel through the Torah we are destined to receive, as it is said: "And He brought us out from there to bring us to the land" etc. And one cannot come to Eretz Yisroel except by drawing forth Torah in all the aforementioned repairs, as it is said: "When you take the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God," etc., which refers to the receiving of the Torah, as the Sages said. Therefore on Pesach, at the beginning of the redemption, one must draw upon oneself the aspect of the holiness of receiving the Torah, the aspect of the holiness of Eretz Yisroel. And the primary holiness of Eretz Yisroel is in the holiness of Israel's eating, for all the commandments dependent upon the land concern eating alone — first-fruits, terumah, tithes, challah, etc. For the primary beginning of the blemish and corruption was through the blemish of eating — through Adam the first man eating from the Tree of Knowledge, and from there came the entire exile of Egypt, as is known. Therefore now on Pesach, at the beginning of the departure from Egypt, one must repair the blemish of eating — to draw forth the holiness of bread from the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, which is drawn forth through the Torah, as mentioned. But in truth we are currently far from drawing forth Torah through the aforementioned repairs, and through this we are consequently far from the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, as mentioned. Therefore the primary redemption on Pesach is only through the aspect of "arousal from above" — the Holy One, blessed be He, in His mercy pours upon us the light of the holiness of great and immense intellect-expansion from Himself, not through us at all — which is the aspect of the illumination of Torah, which is the primary intellect-expansion, as mentioned. Therefore they needed to leave in haste and could not delay etc., so that the difficult contamination of Egypt would not take hold of them, as brought. Therefore one must sanctify the eating through the aspect of matzah — whose primary requirement is to hasten greatly to bake it in fire immediately when water has been put into the flour, and to be very careful not to wait and delay until it becomes chametz, God forbid. For the repair of bread in holiness is drawn from the holiness of drawing forth Torah through the aforementioned repairs, through which the holiness of Eretz Yisroel is drawn, where the primary holiness of bread is centered — and upon it many land-dependent commandments depend, as mentioned. Therefore the Torah is called bread, as it is said: "Come, eat of my bread," and this is the aspect of "if there is no flour there is no Torah, if there is no Torah there is no flour" — for they are a single aspect, as mentioned, and are interdependent, as mentioned. Therefore all the repairs of bread in their holy root are drawn from the aforementioned repairs of drawing forth Torah. For the water put into the flour has its root in the aspect of the prayer mentioned, in the aspect of "Pour out your heart like water before the face of God." And afterwards it is baked in fire, which is drawn in its root from the aspect of warm words like coals of fire, from which one merits to build the exposition and novel insight that one wishes to draw forth — which is the aspect of bread, the aspect of "Come, eat of my bread." Therefore the essential completion of bread is through fire, as mentioned. But throughout the year, bread is not perfected completely except through fermenting it and waiting a long time from when the water is put in until the baking — for it is impossible to draw forth the explanations of Torah, from which comes the perfection of bread, except through much waiting and delay, as mentioned, for it is impossible to press the hour, as mentioned. But on Pesach, at the beginning of the redemption — to go out from the contamination of Egypt — we do not have the power to draw forth Torah through the aforementioned repairs, as mentioned. And the entire drawing forth of intellect-expansion, which is the illumination of Torah, comes only from above, not through us, as mentioned. Therefore one must hasten greatly to bake the bread in fire immediately when water has been put on the flour — for it is impossible to wait at all until it becomes chametz, so that the aspect of the chametz of the mind — the aspect of "for my heart shall be leavened" — which is the contamination of Egypt, should not take hold, God forbid. For in this matter of the waiting and delaying — that one must wait and look forward greatly and multiply prayers and supplications and extended conversation until one merits to draw upon oneself the aspect of the holiness of the Torah, as mentioned — there is a great trial in this, and almost the primary choice depends upon this. For it is known that everyone desires to fear His name, and even the worst of the worst, as long as he has not entirely thrown off the yoke, God forbid — certainly he desires and longs greatly to return to the Holy One, blessed be He, even if he has fallen and become as distant as he has become, as it is said: "for love is as strong as death... its sparks are sparks of fire, the flame of God; mighty waters cannot extinguish the love" — and Rashi there explains that this is said of the love of every individual Jew for his Father in Heaven. But the primary obstacle is the need to wait greatly and multiply prayers and supplications and to greatly strengthen oneself in everything that passes over him. Therefore many cannot withstand this trial and become lax in looking out for their eternal lives, until they become as distant as they become, God forbid. And even all those whom the Holy One, blessed be He, assists and who remain steadfast in their holiness and do not allow themselves to fall and become lazy, God forbid, from multiplying supplications and pouring out their heart each day like water in all that passes over them — they too would not have had the power to strengthen themselves and to wait, except through the power of the holy Torah which we have already received in general at the time of the giving of the Torah, and through the novel Torah insights we receive in every generation from the true tzaddikim through the aforementioned repairs. For they in their great and awesome holiness draw Torah with such great mercy that holiness also flows upon us from their holiness — giving us also the power to strengthen ourselves and to wait and to multiply supplications and conversation, etc., until "God will look down and see from Heaven." But on Pesach, when the holiness of the illumination of Torah does not flow upon us through the aforementioned repairs but everything is in the aspect of "arousal from above," as mentioned — therefore we cannot wait or allow our minds to become leavened at all, for one must go out in great haste. Therefore it is forbidden to wait until the bread dough becomes chametz — so that the evil chametz of the heart, in the aspect of "for my heart shall be leavened," which greatly confuses a person's mind when he sees that he is waiting a long time and has still not emerged from his contamination, should not further strengthen itself, God forbid. For then at the beginning, the forces of evil lay in ambush for this greatly, and we have no power to subdue them because we have not yet received any Torah at all, and all the intellect-expansion and knowledge flows only from above through His mercy. Because of this they were compelled to go out in haste and could not delay. Therefore chametz is forbidden — for then it is impossible to wait at all, for the contamination of Egypt would take hold, God forbid, and would greatly distort one's heart. But afterwards, after one has already begun to count the days of the Counting and has begun to draw forth the aspect of the illumination of Torah through their longing — then chametz is permitted. For then chametz is drawn from the aspect of leavening of the mind in holiness, which is the need to wait greatly for the salvation of God, as mentioned. For then one has the power to wait through the power of the illumination of Torah one has begun to draw forth through one's longing, etc., which is the aspect of the Counting of the Omer, as mentioned. Therefore chametz was permitted after the seventh day of Pesach, when the Sea of Wisdom was split, as the Sages said, for they cried out to God — meaning, the illumination of Torah flowed upon them more greatly, and then there is power to wait, as mentioned — therefore chametz was then permitted. And therefore on Shavuos, which is the primary receiving of Torah from within the fire, therefore the Two Loaves of chametz are brought as an offering — for the primary repair of receiving the Torah is through waiting greatly and not pressing the hour, etc., as mentioned. And from this the chametz in holiness is drawn, which is brought as an offering on Shavuos, as mentioned. This corresponds to the aspect of "Seven weeks you shall count for yourself from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain" etc. For it is forbidden to harvest before the harvesting of the Omer, which is "the first of your harvests" — for due to the sin of the first man all things became mixed together and require many siftings. The primary damage touched the bread that comes from the earth, as it is said: "Cursed is the ground because of you... in the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread" etc. And because of this was the exile of Egypt, as mentioned. Therefore one must greatly sanctify the bread at the time of the Exodus from Egypt — which is the aspect of the commandment of eating matzah on Pesach and the prohibition of chametz, as mentioned. And therefore it is forbidden to harvest any produce before the harvesting of the Omer on the morrow of Pesach, for through the Omer of barley one begins to repair speech — so that we may draw upon ourselves words warm as coals of fire, through which comes the essential giving of Torah, as mentioned. And therefore at that time the holiness of receiving the Torah begins to illuminate upon us, for such is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He — that immediately when a person begins to engage in harvesting the Omer, the holiness of Eretz Yisroel is drawn, and one merits to receive through it the sword from Eisov, to subdue the obstructors of Eretz Yisroel — through us preparing ourselves for the receiving of the Torah, through which we take from Eisov the power of the sword to subdue the obstructors, as said there. And therefore it is forbidden to harvest any produce until the Omer is harvested, for then the sickle and the scythe with which the produce is cut is drawn from the power of the sword received from Eisov through the holiness of receiving the Torah — through which one cuts and uproots and subdues the enemies and obstructors of Eretz Yisroel. For even when Israel is on their land in Eretz Yisroel, they still need at all times to uproot and nullify those who spread the bad report of the land — who are the obstructors of the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, through whom all the damages and blemishes occurred when Israel was in Eretz Yisroel. For the obstructors of holiness strengthened themselves so greatly that they led Israel to what they led them to, until they were expelled from Eretz Yisroel. For they lie in ambush always against Israel to expel them from Eretz Yisroel, from being gathered into the heritage of God. Therefore we need in Eretz Yisroel to sanctify the bread through many land-dependent commandments — all in order to sift the bread from the contamination of the serpent, from which come all the obstructors of Eretz Yisroel. For the first man was expelled from the holiness of Eretz Yisroel from which he was created, as the Sages said — which is the aspect of the holiness of the Garden of Eden where he dwelt. And then the earth was cursed, as mentioned. Therefore even when coming to Eretz Yisroel, great siftings and repairs are needed to uproot the obstructors of the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, which is the totality of the holiness of a Jewish man. And therefore it is impossible to harvest produce until the Omer is harvested, for then the preparation for receiving the Torah begins, as mentioned — through which, as mentioned, the holiness of Torah flows upon us, through which the power of Eisov's sword is received by us to subdue the obstructors. And from there the scythe and sickle receive their power — which is the aspect of a sword — to harvest the produce in the holiness of Eretz Yisroel, to sift it from the sin of the first man, from the curse that the earth was cursed on his account: "in the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread," as mentioned. And then one begins to count the Counting of the Omer, which is the primary preparation for receiving the Torah — through having begun to repair warm speech like coals of fire through the cutting and offering of the Omer, as mentioned. Therefore the holy Torah made the commandment of counting dependent on "from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain." For the sickle is the aspect of a sword — meaning that at that time the sickle receives its power as a sword from the aforementioned sword, through which the obstructors of Eretz Yisroel are uprooted. One may allude to this in the letters of "charmash" (sickle): the aspect of "chash-mar" — meaning, then one receives the warm speech which is the aspect of "chash" (silence), the aspect of Chashmal, the aspect of "living fire speaking," received from the soul called "Miriam" named for the bitterness she endures in service of the Torah — all of whose words are like coals of fire. This is "chash-mar": "mar" (bitter) is the aspect of the bitterness that the soul endures, from which one receives the power of warm speech, the aspect of "chash" — living fire speaking, etc., as mentioned. Therefore on the day of harvesting the Omer, many enemies of Israel fell a great fall — such as Sancheirev and Midyan, etc., and especially Haman the Amalekite, may his name be blotted out. For "from within him and with him the axe goes against him" — for precisely through the sword of Eisov do we subdue and kill them, through the holiness of receiving the Torah flowing upon us, through which we take the power of the sword from him to subdue the enemies and obstructors of Eretz Yisroel. For all the enemies who arose against Israel all envied the holiness of Eretz Yisroel and wanted to expel Israel from their land, and therefore they fell on the day of harvesting the Omer, as mentioned. And this is Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf: "the prophets said them" (tzofim amarum) — the prophets, who are in the aspect of those who watch and hope for the kindness of God always, in the aspect of "And I — for God I will watch, I will hope for the God of my salvation." They merit the complete speech, which is the aspect of the five letters Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf, as mentioned. (This is the end of the laws of the Counting of the Omer, which is included within the laws of Gezailah, as mentioned above.) [Gematria note:] "Eisov" has the same numerical value as Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf, which are the aspect of 280 judgments and 96. "Ein tzav ela avodah zarah" (there is no tzav except for idolatry), and "tzav" has the same numerical value as Haman with the kollel. "Mordechai" has the value 274, the aspect of "fear and trembling come upon me" etc. And with the five letters and the kollel, the value equals Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf. For "you are the fewest" — because they always diminish themselves — and in every matter of holiness they always feel lacking, and they are filled with holy fear, in the aspect of "happy is the man who fears always." It always seems to them that they do not yet have the perfection of speech whose root is Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf. But Haman thought that speech — from which comes dominion — was already in his grasp. Through this he fell, in the aspect of "before destruction comes pride, and before honor comes humility." Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf — "the prophets said them" (tzofim amarum). "Tzofeh" — a language of watching, hoping, and waiting, as it is said: "And I — for God I will watch, I will hope for the God of my salvation." Through this one merits speech, the aspect of Mem-Nun-Tzaddi-Peh-Chaf, in the aspect of "I was mute in silence" etc., "my heart grew hot" etc. For the defining characteristic of man is speech. And it corresponds to the element of fire — for the mineral, vegetable, animal, and human (dtzach"m) are the aspects of the four elements earth, water, fire, and air (arm"a), and man, who is the speaking being, has his primary nature from the element of fire. Therefore the primary perfection of speech is the aspect of fire, the aspect of "Your strength shall speak," and the gevuros are the aspect of fire. And all the service of man is in the matter of free choice — which is his distinction, for which he was created — to turn away from the evil of the evil inclination that entices him, and to draw himself toward the good, toward the good inclination. For all desires and evil character traits are the aspect of fire, for from fire they emerge. For although man is comprised of all four elements, from which come all character traits and desires, as is understood elsewhere and in our words — yet all comes from the fire in that element. For every element comprises all four elements, and the speaking being — all of his existence comes from the fire-within-fire of the four elements, as brought. For his essential creation was to know the Creator, may He be blessed, through his heart and his mind. And the knowledge of the Holy One, blessed be He, is the aspect of fire, in the aspect of "for the Lord your God is a consuming fire." For knowledge and intellect is like a burning candle, the aspect of "the candle of God is the soul of man" etc. And the heart is the aspect of a burning candle, and there in the heart is the essence of free choice — for the fire in the heart burns for all desires, especially the blazing of the fire, etc. And in the opposite direction it burns greatly up to the heart of the heavens for the Holy One, blessed be He — but this too is not wholly good, for it is beyond measure. Therefore all the repair is through the Torah that was given in fire, which concentrates the fire in both aspects (as said in the Torah "And He gives strength to His king" etc., §78) — in the aspect of: "Were it not for the wings of the lungs that blow over the heart, the heart would burn the entire body in both the aforementioned aspects," as said there. Therefore all the repair is through the novel Torah insights that the tzaddikim draw forth now — who are the aspect of Moshe in all the aforementioned repairs — that is, with mercy and supplication and with extraordinary patience, not pressing the hour at all, etc. For the primary purpose of drawing forth Torah is only to bring to practical action, to return the world to good — and this is extraordinarily difficult. Therefore extraordinary patience is required, as mentioned. For even awe-inspiring and sublime tzaddikim — all their errors were in this matter. But why should we occupy ourselves with understanding and contemplating their errors? It is Torah and we must learn — to understand from them hints for ourselves: if a flame fell upon cedars through pressing the hour, according to the loftiness of their level at the very heights of heights — what shall the hyssop of the wall like ourselves do? For how very much more must we be careful of pressing the hour, from which come all blemishes and corruptions, God forbid. And even when beginning to be aroused to draw near to the Holy One, blessed be He, it is forbidden to press the hour. And this is the aspect of the Counting, which is preparation for the receiving of the Torah, as mentioned. For one must count the days in the aspect of "to number our days, so teach us, that we may bring a heart of wisdom" — for the order of times comes through the celestial spheres, which are above the element of fire, and all the element of fire is drawn from them. And the Holy One, blessed be He, orders the times and distinguishes between day and night and between one day and another in His wisdom. Therefore He counted the days at their creation, as it is said: "And there was evening and there was morning, one day" and similarly "a second day" etc. — all in order to give a boundary and limit to each day, that it should not burn more than appropriate. Therefore darkness preceded light — for speech is the aspect of fire, as mentioned, the aspect of light, as it is said: "The opening of Your words gives light." And darkness is the aspect of the darkness of the mind, the absence of speech — which is the aforementioned aspect of chash-mal (silence-speech), requiring silence to precede speech, as mentioned. For at night is the aspect of longing and yearning for the Holy One, blessed be He, in the aspect of "On my bed at night I sought him whom my soul loves" etc., "I remembered my music in the night; with my heart I meditate; my spirit searches." For the primary service of man is to draw upon himself the holiness of the holy Divine Chariot, which is the aspect of fire, as it is said: "like the appearance of fire that moved between the living creatures" — there is the revelation of His Divinity, may He be blessed. For every person must make himself a chariot for the Shechinah, as was established by the Arizal to say: "I hereby intend to make my entire body a chariot for the Shechinah" etc. But there are four husks that obstruct — three of which are entirely evil, and the fourth is the aspect of "nogah" (radiance), etc. These are the stormy wind, the great cloud, and the flaring fire — where the stormy wind inflames the flaring fire, and the cloud darkens one from seeing the root light of the holy fire. One must draw upon oneself the light of the Chashmal, from which the holy Divine Chariot begins. And the primary drawing forth of the holiness of the Chashmal is through the aforementioned aspect of chash-mal (silence-speech), etc., as mentioned. And then one draws near to the holy fire in the aspect of "for the Lord your God is a consuming fire — He consumes all and destroys all, yet you who cleave to the Lord your God" etc., as brought elsewhere. And through this one burns and destroys the fire of the forces of evil, in the aspect of "from fire they came forth, and fire shall consume them" etc. Therefore one must count the days before the giving of the Torah, to count them for the Omer — the aspect of boundary and measure — to draw upon oneself the holy gevuros, which are the aspect of barley (she'orim), as mentioned, the aspect of the root of warm speech like fire, to draw upon oneself gradually and in measure — which is the primary aspect of the holiness of drawing forth Torah, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of "day unto day utters speech, and night unto night expresses knowledge" — for speech and knowledge to recognize His glory, may He be blessed, is drawn according to the order of the act of creation through the celestial spheres, through which comes the order of times. This is the aspect of "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the work of His hands the firmament tells." For the element of fire, which defines man as a speaking being, is drawn from them, as mentioned. All is drawn from day to day and from night to night — for He has set a law and time for them not to change their function, not to go beyond the limit, as mentioned. Therefore "there is no speech and there are no words; without their voice being heard" — for silence must necessarily precede speech, in the aspect of chash-mal, as mentioned. But the essential element is the will and the hope and the yearning, etc., as mentioned — and through this the heart warms in holiness, etc. And this is "their measuring line goes out through all the earth" — "kav" is a language of hope and expectation and anticipation, and through this "their words reach to the end of the world," as mentioned. And this is: "for them He has set a tent for the sun" — and Rashi in the name of the Tanchuma explains: "from here we learn that the sun is placed within a sheath." That is, as mentioned — for fire and warmth are drawn from the sun. This is what Shlomoh cried: "Tell me, O you whom my soul loves, where do you pasture, where do you rest at noon" — at the time of the sun's peak heat, as Rashi explains — and as it is said: "until the day breathes" etc., and as Rashi explains there. Therefore the sun is placed within its sheath, so it should not scorch the world, God forbid, as Rashi explains there on "and nothing is hidden from its heat" — were it placed in the lower firmament, no person could be hidden from it because of its heat, etc. And all the repair to be saved from this blaze of fire that is drawn from the celestial spheres — and primarily from the sun — about which Koheles said "the evil work done under the sun" specifically — all the repair is through the Torah that hovers over the heart, etc., as mentioned. And this is "the Torah of God is perfect, restoring the soul" — and see Rashi there with his two interpretations, both of which are one for our purposes, where he explains: the Torah of God is perfect, it also illuminates like the sun, etc. Alternatively: "and nothing is hidden from its heat" — for the day of judgment, and "that day which comes shall blaze" — but the Torah of God is perfect, restoring the soul to paths of life, and protects those who study it from that blaze, etc. And this is why Dovid concluded: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You" etc. — for the repair of all this is only through prayer and supplication in the aforementioned manner. This is the aspect of "the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart" — the aspect of "Give ear, O God, to my prayer, attend to the meditation of my speech" etc. For it is impossible to explain and speak everything, etc. — for silence in the aspect of yearning is required before speech, and then in the aspect of "the early Chasidim would wait one hour before prayer," and then, as mentioned. Therefore He warned them repeatedly at the time of the giving of the Torah: "and the people shall not break through to ascend to God, lest He break forth upon them" etc. — for immediately when one desires to truly draw near to the Holy One, blessed be He, one must be very careful about breaking forth, not pressing the hour, God forbid. For the majority of mishaps, God forbid, come through this, as mentioned. Therefore He preceded the commandment of the Counting of the Omer, as mentioned. And for this reason one must be very careful to strive to draw near to the true tzaddikim who draw the ways of Torah through novel Torah insights drawn forth through the aforementioned repairs. For this is the work of the true tzaddikim — to inflame the hearts of the children of Israel, to arouse and awaken them to be inflamed for the Holy One, blessed be He. But they are very careful about the stormy wind, that the fire should not burn too intensely in the aspect of breaking forth, God forbid. (As said in the Torah "Do not lift — there the wind shall go" etc., see there §9 of Likutay Torah.) And this is what the Midrash says in the passage of the Omer: "through the merit of the Omer they come to Eretz Yisroel" — and this is as mentioned above. (This relates to the above.) And this is: "and he is like a bridegroom coming forth from his bridal chamber, he rejoices like a mighty man to run his course" — that is, the aspect of the revelation of the Torah, as it is said: "on the day of his wedding" — this is the giving of the Torah. "And he rejoices like a mighty man to run his course" — that is, through the Torah drawn forth in the aforementioned repairs, through this one merits to strengthen oneself to run one's course, to make a path to Eretz Yisroel. For the primary course and path walked in every place, physically and spiritually, is all only toward Eretz Yisroel, as heard from his holy mouth — for there is the primary rest and inheritance, as mentioned. For we each must show compassion on ourselves, to walk in the holy ways and deep counsels mentioned above — to be very, very careful about the blaze of the fire of the forces of evil, and to draw upon ourselves at all times words warm like coals of fire, and not to press the hour in drawing forth speech in the aspect of chash-mal (silence-speech), etc., as mentioned — so that through this we merit to come to Eretz Yisroel, as mentioned. For even all the subtle errors of the awesome tzaddikim who erred in this — all of it was on account of us, in the aspect of "for oppression maddens the wise and destroys the heart of understanding," as mentioned. As it is said: "And God was incensed with me on your account," and it is written: "The Lord was also angry with me on your account, saying: You too shall not come there. Yehoshua son of Nun who stands before you — he shall come there; strengthen him," etc. For nonetheless Moshe will complete this through his disciples, who are the aspect of Yehoshua — they drew upon themselves all the aforementioned repairs after his passing, which completed the repair of the aforementioned error, as mentioned. And he still stands and serves on high, and multiplies prayers and supplications in the aspect of the aforementioned repairs — until the awakening is drawn upon us to walk in the ways of the aforementioned repairs and to draw them upon ourselves, so that through this everything will be repaired and we will return to our land, etc., as mentioned. Therefore regarding the final redemption it is written: "For not in haste shall you go out" etc. — for the primary repair to return to Eretz Yisroel is through great patience, not pressing the hour at all, etc., as mentioned. (Note: I heard from one of the followers of our teacher — the matter of "to bear guilt thereby" etc., therefore I have placed it here.) This relates to the above, to Section 7, where it is explained that the blemish of the first man was that he pressed the hour — which is the aspect of the blemish of robbery, etc. And its repair was through Shabbos, for "Shabbos protects" — and this is why the Torah portion of robbery (Vayikra 5) concludes with "to bear guilt thereby" — the acronym of which spells: "to God who rested from all the works on the seventh day," as brought. And understand this. ננננמ — Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman — ננננמ End of Hilchos Gezailah — Halachos 1–5

And this is the aspect of the Yom Tov that comes after Chol HaMoed — that one merits the holiness of Yom Tov through the victory of the battle. And therefore Chol HaMoed is also called an os [sign] and it is forbidden to don t’fillin on it — for it is also the aspect of sh’miras habris. For the essential guarding of the Bris depends on lashon Targum — which is the aspect of Chol HaMoed, as above. 11

And this is what our Sages said: “One who disgraces the Mo’ados” and “one who breaches the covenant of Avraham Avinu” (Avos 3:11) — for these are interdependent. Since he disgraces the Mo’ados — which is the aspect of sh’miras habris, the completeness of Lashon HaKodesh — he certainly breaches the covenant. 12

And this is what they explained: “one who disgraces the Mo’ados” — meaning Chol HaMoed. For the essential guarding and completeness of Lashon HaKodesh depends on Chol HaMoed, as above. And this is: “one who reveals faces in the Torah not according to halacha” — for through sh’miras habris, one merits the seventy faces of Torah, which are the aspect of the seventy souls of the house of Yaakov (as Rabainu wrote in the teaching “B’krov Alai M’rai’im,” siman 36). But the blemish of the Bris is through the aspect of “seventy dark faces” (anpin chashuchin). And therefore, through the blemish of the Bris, one “reveals faces in the Torah not according to halacha” — the aspect of the dark faces, as above. 13