And it was they emptying their sacks

וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם "And it was, as they were emptying their sacks, and behold — each man's bundle of money was in his sack…" [Genesis 42] [Language of our Rabbi, of blessed memory] "And it was, as they were emptying their sacks, and behold — each man's bundle of money was in his sack, and they saw their bundles of money, they and their father, and they feared. And Jacob their father said to them: Me you have bereaved — Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and Benjamin you would take — upon me were all of them." [Genesis 42:35–36] — The opening and closing verse of this Torah.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman ✦ Complete edition — every word rendered, every source cited, all parenthetical elaborations rendered in full, all verse decodings complete, the fish allegory fully decoded, the closing verse decoded word by word. Nothing omitted.

Fear and Love Through the Tzaddik — The Exaltation of Israel — Root of All Creation Because fear and love are impossible to receive except through the tzadikim of the generation — because the tzadik of the generation, he reveals the fear and the love — because the tzadik seeks and searches always to reveal the wills of Hashem blessed be He — because there is in every thing a will of Hashem blessed be He. They, in the general of creation: that is, what Hashem blessed be He wanted — to create the world in general. And so in the details of creation, in every thing and thing in detail, there is a will of Hashem blessed be He — that is, that Hashem blessed be He wanted that this thing will be so, in this form and in this power and in this nature. And another thing — there is to it another form and another power and another nature and conduct. And the tzadik searches and seeks always after these wills — to attain and to know the will of Hashem blessed be He in every thing. For example: from what was the will of Hashem blessed be He that the lion will have such power and might, and in this form and in this nature and conduct that there is to the lion? And to its opposite — a small mosquito: he is weak in power very much, and there is to it another nature and form and conduct. And so in details of details — for example, in the lion itself: from what is this limb of the lion its form so, and there is to it such power and nature? And another limb — there is to it another form and another power and nature and conduct. And so in all the rest of what was created in the world — inanimate, growing, living, speaking — that in all of them there are many changes without number between every one and its fellow, and so in every one and one in itself, there are in it many changes in details of details between every limb and limb. And likewise in grasses and trees and all the rest of the details of creation — that in all of them there are very many changes in their forms and in their powers and their conducts. And all was from the will of the Creator blessed be His name, that wanted that this will be so and this so. And the tzadik searches always after these wills and attains and finds them — through the exaltation [תִּפְאֶרֶת] that he finds in Israel, in general and in detail and in details of details — because the whole world, all of it, was not created except for Israel. As it is said: "Bereishis — for Israel, who are called 'beginning'" [Vayikra Rabbah 36] — because Israel ascended in the thought first [Bereishis Rabbah 1]. That is: Hashem blessed be He foresaw the exaltation and the pleasures [הַשְׁעֲשׁוּעִים] that He will receive from Israel — as it is written [Isaiah 49]: "Israel — that in you I glorify [יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר]." And for this He created all the world. It is found: that all the world, all of it, was created only for the exaltation with which He glorifies in Israel. And this was the general of creation — that is, the general of creation was for the general of the exaltation that He will receive from Israel. And so the details of creation — they are for the details of the exaltation of Israel. Because there is in every one and one from Israel an exaltation in detail, with which Hashem blessed be He glorifies with him in detail — and even in the least that is in Israel, even transgressors of Israel — all the time that the name Israel is called on him, because they are called transgressors of Israel — there is in him an exaltation in detail with which Hashem blessed be He glorifies with him in detail. And so in details of details — because there is in every limb and limb and in every movement and movement of Israel a different exaltation. And there is sometimes a certain least one in Israel who shakes with his paya [sidelock] — and Hashem blessed be He, He has great exaltation also from this. And the tzadik — through that he seeks and searches always and finds the exaltation that there is in Israel, in general and in detail and in details of details, in every limb and movement of every one and one from Israel as above — through this he knows and attains all the wills of Hashem blessed be He that He had in all the creation, in general and in detail and in details of details. Because all the wills of all the creation — all of them were for the exaltation of Israel as above. And every thing and thing was created in its will, in this power and in this nature and conduct, according to the exaltation that there is in every one from Israel. It is found: when one knows and finds the exaltation that there is in Israel in general and in detail and in details of details — he knows all the wills that there are in the general of creation and in the details of creation and in details of details.

📖 Parenthetical — [Rabbeinu's elaboration] Because the exaltation with which Hashem blessed be He glorifies in Israel — it is the root of creation. That is: the generality of the exaltation of general Israel — what Hashem blessed be He glorifies with general Israel — this is the root of the generality of all the creation in general. And so: the detail of the exaltation — what Hashem blessed be He glorifies with every one from Israel in detail — this is the root of that thing, the detail of creation that was created for this exaltation. And so in details of details: that the exaltation that Hashem blessed be He receives in details of details from every limb and movement of every one from Israel — this is the root of the details of details of creation — that is, of every limb and limb in details of details of every created thing and created thing. And the generality: because the main creation was for the exaltation with which He glorifies in Israel, and this exaltation is the root and the vitality of all creation in generality and in detail and in details of details — because all the wills of Hashem blessed be He in the creation of His world, in general and in detail and in details of details, were according to the exaltation that He receives from Israel in general and in detail and in details of details. Because the generality of creation was created in this form and in this order and conduct that there is to the generality of creation — according to the generality of the exaltation that He receives from general Israel. And so every thing in detail was created in this form and in this nature — according to the detail of the exaltation that He receives from every one from Israel in detail. And so in details of details as above. And therefore I lengthened to repeat the words, from the greatness of their fineness and their depth. And through this — that the tzadik reveals the exaltation of Hashem blessed be He with which He glorifies with His people Israel — that through this all the wills of creation are revealed as above — through this the fear and the love are revealed. Because through the revelation of the exaltation — the fear is revealed. For through the revelation of the exaltation of Israel, with which they glorify with Him blessed be He — through this falls fear. Because the exaltation of Israel is the aspect of tefillin, which are called pe'er [glory/splendor] [Berachos 11]. And through them fear is revealed — as our Sages of blessed memory said [Berachos 6]: "From where do we know that the tefillin are strength to Israel? As it is said: 'And all peoples of the earth shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you, and they shall fear you.'" It is found: that through the revelation of the exaltation with which Israel glorify with Him blessed be He — through this falls fear. And likewise: through the revelation of the exaltation of Hashem blessed be He that He glorifies in Israel — that this is the aspect of the tefillin of Hashem blessed be He — as our Rabbis of blessed memory said [there]: 📖 Parenthetical — [The tefillin of Hashem] From where do we know that the Holy One blessed be He places tefillin? Etc. And it is there: that the tefillin of Hashem blessed be He have written in them the exaltation with which He blessed be He glorifies with His people Israel — as it is there: that in the tefillin of the Master of the world it is written: "And who is like Your people Israel" etc., because "Who is a great nation" etc. Through this exaltation, the fear of Hashem blessed be He is revealed — that is: to fear from before Him blessed be He. And through this the fear is revealed even on the haters of clouds [שׂוֹנְאֵי עֲנָנִים]. Because in truth — from before the king, certainly all fear and tremble. But even so — on the day of the birth of the king, the day genusia of the king, when the king wears his garments of exaltation — then the fear is revealed more and more. Because even though that beforehand all already knew of the king — with all this it affects the soul of the seer more and more, as is known. 📖 Parenthetical — [Why seeing affects the soul more] Because every thing that one sees with the eyes affects his soul from it more than if he had known it through knowledge alone, without actually seeing it with the eyes — as is brought in books. For example: when one tells a man of the greatness of the king — even though he knows the things clearly — even so, it does not affect his soul all so much, to fear all that much from the king, as at the time when he sees with his own eyes literally the greatness of the king, when he is dressed in the garments of his exaltation and leads his armies etc. — that then there falls upon him fear more, because the soul is affected more through the seeing.

And therefore: through the tzadik revealing the exaltation that glorifies in Israel — that this is the aspect of the day of birth of the king, the day genusia of the king — that is: that the aspect of the kingship is born. Because the main aspect of the kingship is only through Israel, who receive His kingship — because there is no king without a people. And then — on the day of birth of the kingship, the day genusia of the king — that is: when the exaltation of Israel is revealed — then the soul of the seer is affected, and His fear is revealed and falls upon all, and even upon the haters of clouds. And this is [Psalms 68]: "Upon Israel His glory [עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל גַּאֲוָתוֹ]" — when His glory and His splendor are revealed upon Israel, then: "and His strength is in the clouds [וְעֻזּוֹ בַּשְּׁחָקִים]." "Strength" — this is the aspect of fear — as mentioned above: "from where do we know that the tefillin are strength to Israel" etc. — that is: that His fear is revealed even upon the haters of clouds [שׂוֹנְאֵי עֲנָנִים], because it affects the soul of the seer as above. And through the revelation of the exaltation — that this is the aspect of the revelation of fear — through this the will is revealed, which is the aspect of love. Because such is the way of the king on the day genusia of the king, when he wears garments of exaltation: that then great fear falls upon all, and all tremble and crawl from His face — and after that, the king reveals his will to every one and one, and distributes and gives gifts to every one and one, according to his honor, according to the will of the king and his love that he has toward every one and one. That this is the aspect of love. And as through the revelation of the exaltation — that the tzadikim reveal, that Hashem blessed be He glorifies with Israel — through this they reveal the wills of Hashem blessed be He that there are in every thing and thing as above — so on the day genusia of the king, when it is the revelation of the exaltation, then it is the revelation of His will blessed be He. Because after that he reveals his will to every one and one, and gives them gifts and exalts their horn to every one and one according to his will as above — and this is the aspect of the revelation of love. Because from the beginning, at the time of the revelation of the exaltation, His dread and His fear fell upon all — and after that, when they see the will of the king and his closeness to every one and one — through this they approach him and love him. 📖 Parenthetical — [The inner connection: fear → will → love] As through the exaltation with which Hashem blessed be He glorifies with Israel — through this were all the wills of creation as above — so through the fear that was made from the revelation of this exaltation as above — through this were revealed after that the will: that the king appeased after that to every one and one and approaches them in his will etc. as above — that this is the aspect of love as above. It is found: that fear and love are drawn through the tzadik — who reveals the exaltation — through which he finds all the wills that Hashem blessed be He had in all the creation etc. as above — that through this, fear and love were made as above. And this is the aspect of [Psalms 89]: "For the splendor of their strength is You, and in Your will our horn is exalted [כִּי תִפְאֶרֶת עֻזָּמוֹ אָתָּה וּבִרְצוֹנְךָ תָּרוּם קַרְנֵנוּ]." "The splendor of their strength" — this is the aspect of the fear that is revealed through the revelation of the exaltation as above, because strength is the aspect of fear as above. And then: "in Your will our horn is exalted" — because He reveals His will and exalts the horn of every one and one as above — that through this comes the revelation of love as above. It is found: that the tzadik reveals the fear and the love.

The Completion of the Altar — Through Converts

Why Only Some Nations Find It — The Good Subdued Under Their Hand — The Writing of Israel But from where comes this — that specifically these find in their books the opposite of their faith and return and recognize the faith of Israel — and the others find nothing at all and remain in their faith? But know: that this is because of the aspect of the good that is subdued under their hand — that is: the aspect of portions of souls of Israel that are subdued by them. Because all the good is only the aspect of souls of Israel — that is: when the nations overpower and do not allow Israel to perform the mitzvos — as we find that they decreed that they should not circumcise their sons and that they should desecrate the Shabbos [see Rosh Hashanah 19] — it is found: that the good that Israel needed to do is subdued under their hand. And so when they prevent Israel from the service of Hashem blessed be He — through the causation that they cause through the taxes and tributes that they impose upon them, and so through that they prevent goods from Israel — through all this the good is subdued under their hand — that is: portions of the souls of Israel. And at the beginning, this good that is subdued by them remembers that it came from a very holy and elevated place. But after that — they overpower this good and subdue it under their hand — until it is caught and bound by them — until the good itself forgets its excellence. And through the Israelite speech that goes out and is written in their books as above — then this good that is subdued there finds it in their books — that is: it finds there the opposite of their faith. And then this good remembers its excellence — how it came from a very elevated place — that is: that it is portions of the souls of Israel, for whom all the worlds were created — and "they are the formers, dwellers of plantings with the king in his work" [1 Chronicles 4] — because the Holy One blessed be He consulted with the souls of Israel to create the world [Bereishis Rabbah 8; Midrash Rus 2]. And then this good begins to grieve and to long — over having fallen from such a high place, and now it is subdued in their hand and coming, God forbid, to annihilation and loss — and it wants to draw itself and to return to its place. And because the good is already very tied and caught by them in bonds of knots — therefore, when the good begins to return, it draws and tears with it from their evil. And this is the aspect of the converts who come to convert — that they are the aspect of the evil that is torn from them along with the good, through the good returning to its place. Because it is impossible for the good to return by itself because of the greatness of the connection by which it is tied and bound there — and of necessity it tears with it from the evil. And this is the aspect of the converts. And this is the aspect of [Isaiah 44]: "This one writes his hand to Hashem [זֶה יִכְתֹּב יָדוֹ לַה']" — Rashi explains: these are the ba'alei teshuvah — that is: the aspect of the good that returned and returns to its place. And this is made through the aspect of writing as above — the aspect of "and it was found written that Mordechai had told" as above. "And in the name of Israel he will call himself" [there] — these are the converts — because through the good returning and returning to its place, converts are made as above. And this: "In the writing of Israel he is not written, and to the land of Israel he shall not come" [Ezekiel 13] — that is: when there is no aspect of the writing of Israel through which converts are made as above — through this: "and to the land of Israel he shall not come" — that is: one does not merit the completeness of the altar that is called "altar of land" [Exodus 20; and see Bereishis Rabbah, parsha 14] — whose completeness is through converts as above. And this: "All in writing from the hand of Hashem upon me He made wise" [1 Chronicles 28] — because completeness of the intellect is through writing as above. Because through the writing above — the aspect of "and it was found written that Mordechai had told" as above — through this converts are made, and through converts the altar is completed, and through the completeness of the altar the intellect is completed as above. It is found: that through the aspect of writing above, the intellect is completed. And this: "To repair the world in the kingdom of Shaddai, and all sons of flesh shall call in Your name" [from the Alenu prayer] — this is the aspect of teshuvah that returns the good to its place as above — because Shaddai is the aspect of teshuvah that returns in teshuvah on the damage of idolatry. Because Shaddai is the aspect of: "there is enough in My Divinity for every creature" [as brought in Rashi, Lech Lecha 17] — and there is no need for any other service. "To turn to You all the wicked of the land" — this is the aspect of the converts. "Recognize and know all dwellers of the world" — this is the aspect of the completeness of the knowledge that is made through this as above. And this: "And Shaddai was in your distress, and silver of flights was to you [וְהָיָה שַׁדַּי בְּצָרֶיךָ וְכֶסֶף תּוֹעָפוֹת לָךְ]" [Job 22] — that through the aspect of silver of flights — that is: the aspect of "wealth adds many friends" — that through this is made a flying air that purifies the air as above — through this are made the aspects of Shaddai, that is: teshuvah and converts — because Shaddai is the aspect of teshuvah as above. · · ·

The Repair — The Altar — Proper Eating Subdues the Foolishness And the repair for this — to subdue and to nullify the foolishness of the intellect — it is through the aspect of the altar. Because the main suckling of the foolishness, that is the kelipot, it is only from the aspect of the altar [see Zohar, Terumah 139b] — that is: the aspect of eating — because "the table of a man atones as the altar" [Berachos 55b]. And from there is their main suckling. And therefore: even after a man's proper eating — in necessity there will be to him some confusion of the mind a little after the eating — and this is because the suckling of the foolishness is from there. But it is necessary that one not give vitality to the kelipot except for their vitality in tzimtzum [contraction] — and no more. And then, when the altar is as its repair — that is: the eating in its proper way — then the kelipot are subdued, that is: the foolishness. Because one gives to them no power and vitality except their vitality in contraction, which one is compelled to give to them — as is known — but one gives to them no power and vitality beyond their vitality. And therefore, through proper eating, the foolishness is subdued and the intellect is elevated — as we find in the Gemara [Bava Kama 72b]: in the question that Rava asked of Rav Nachman etc., and in the morning he said to him etc. — and this that he did not say to him in the evening: that he had not eaten the meat of ox etc. — it is found: that through his not eating, his mind was not clear — because through eating, the foolishness is subdued and the intellect is elevated. But when one eats as a glutton and a drunkard — that this is the aspect of damage to the altar — then the kelipot, that is the foolishness, suckle more than the proper amount — and then the foolishness overpowers the intellect. But through proper eating — it is subdued as above. And this is the aspect of [Zevachim 53b]: "Altar in its portion of tearing" — this is the aspect of [Psalms 111]: "Prey He gave to those who fear Him [טֶרֶף נָתַן לִירֵאָיו]" — the aspect of eating in properness, through which one subdues and tears them — that is: the kelipot and the foolishness. But through damage to the altar — that is: damage to the eating — through this one gives power to the foolishness, and it makes from tearing a torn mind, that overpowers through this as above. · · ·

The Completion of the Altar — Through Converts And to complete the damage to the altar — it is through converts. Because all idolatry has no power except from damage to the altar. And this is [Malachi 1]: "In every place incense is offered and presented to My name [בְּכָל מָקוֹם מֻקְטָר מֻגָּשׁ לִשְׁמִי]." Because even though they are worshippers of idolatry — all their power comes from damage to the portions of the altar. And therefore Hashem blessed be He says: incense is offered and presented to My name — because their power is from the holy spark of the altar of holiness that fell there.

And through converts — through that every one casts away his faith and goes after the faith of Israel — through this the idolatry is subdued, which was made from damage to the portions of the altar. And then the sparks of the portions of the altar return to their place, and the altar is completed. And this is the aspect of [Numbers 23]: "He does not lie down until he eats prey, and blood of the slain he drinks [לֹא יִשְׁכַּב עַד יֹאכַל טֶרֶף וְדַם חֲלָלִים יִשְׁתֶּה]" — and its Aramaic translation: "and property of the nations it inherits." "Eats prey" — this is the aspect of completeness of the altar, the aspect of "altar in its portion of tearing" as above. And this is made through: "and property of the nations it inherits" — that is: through converts — as our Sages of blessed memory said [Bava Basra 42, 53b, 149 and in several places]: regarding the inheritance of the convert — whoever precedes in the property of the convert acquires it.

The Opening Verse Decoded — Jacob Rebukes His Sons — The Whole Torah Recapitulated

How Converts Are Made — Tzedakah, the Calm Air, and the Speech of the Tzaddik Written in the Nations' Books But how is it possible to make converts — and behold, they are very distant from the holiness of Israel? And from where comes this — that it comes into their minds to convert? But know: that this is made through the aspect of [Proverbs 19]: "Wealth adds many friends [הוֹן יוֹסִיף רֵעִים רַבִּים]" — that is: through tzedakah that one gives to a Torah scholar who is included from several souls of Israel. Because in truth — how is it possible for the nations to come to the faith of Israel, and behold they are very distant from Israel? And how is it possible to speak to them that they should hear and come to the holy faith? But — as when one is very distant from his fellow and it is impossible to speak to him that he should hear, one needs to write to him in writing — so too, one needs to send an aspect of writing to them, until they can hear even though they are distant.

Because the main sense of hearing is because the letters of speech are engraved in the air, and the airs strike one against the other, until it comes to the ear of the hearer. And therefore: when the air is calm and pure and clear — then when one who is able to speak speaks, the speech is heard from afar — as one sees with the senses. But when there is a windstorm — then it is impossible for his fellow to hear — because the wind confuses and separates the portions of the airs and scatters them — until it is impossible for his fellow to hear even the voice, all the more the speech itself. And through tzedakah — one takes souls, because one takes friends and lovers to himself — as Munbaz said [Bava Basra 11]: "My fathers stored wealth, and I stored souls." It is found: that all that one gives tzedakah to more people — through this he acquires more friends to himself. And through this — the love that one acquires through the tzedakah — through this the air is purified. And all that one gives tzedakah to more people and acquires love with more people — through this the air of calm and purity is increased more — because love is attachment of spirit in spirit: that is, the spirit of the lover in the spirit of the beloved — that this is the aspect of the calm air, that their spirits are calm one with the other, because there is no evil spirit — which is hatred — that separates between them. Because hatred is the aspect of evil spirit — as it is written [Judges 9]: "And Hashem placed an evil spirit between Avimelech and the men of Shechem." And Rashi explains: hatred — it is found that hatred is the aspect of the evil spirit, confusion of the air, through which one cannot hear the speech.

And to its opposite: love and friendship is the aspect of the calm and pure air — through which the speech is heard from afar. And this is made through tzedakah — the aspect of "wealth adds many friends" — that through tzedakah one takes friends and lovers to himself — that through this is made the aspect of the calm and pure air as above. And all that one increases to give tzedakah to more people — the aspect of the calm and pure air is increased more. Because when one gives tzedakah to one man — it is found that he acquires one lover, and then his spirit is attached to his spirit, and a small area of calm and pure air is made. And when one gives tzedakah to two people — a larger area of calm and pure air is made. And so — all that one increases to give to more people and acquires more friends and lovers — in the aspect of "wealth adds many friends" — the area of calm and pure air is enlarged and increased more and more. And therefore: the main thing is to give tzedakah to true tzadikim and to proper poor people who are included from several souls of Israel — because through this he enlarges very much the area of the calm and pure air as above. Because through the tzedakah that he gives to them alone, he acquires many very many friends — because they are included from many souls — and through this the aspect of the calm and pure air is increased more as above.

And then — when the air is calm and pure — then when this one who is able to speak speaks — the Israelite speech, which is holy speech — then this speech is written and engraved in the air, in the aspect of [Psalms 45]: "My tongue is the pen of a quick scribe [לְשׁוֹנִי עֵט סוֹפֵר מָהִיר]." And then the speech goes and is heard from afar — in the aspect of [Esther 9]: "And his fame goes in all the provinces [וְשָׁמְעוֹ הוֹלֵךְ בְּכָל הַמְּדִינוֹת]" — because on account of the air being calm and pure, it can be heard from afar. And then this speech is written in their books of the nations — province and province as its writing — and then the nations find in their books the opposite of their faith. As we find with several converts who converted because of this — because they found in their books the opposite of their faith. And from where comes this — that they now find what is opposite to their faith? But this comes through the speech of the tzadik that was engraved and written in the air — in the aspect of "my tongue is the pen of a quick scribe" — and the air was pure and calm through the aspect of "wealth adds many friends" — until the speech went in the aspect of "and his fame goes in all the provinces" — and was engraved and written there in their books. And through this aspect they found in their books the opposite of their faith, and through this they converted. As is told of several converts who converted through this — through finding in their books the opposite of their faith. And all this is drawn from the aspect above as above.

And this is the aspect of [Esther 6]: "And it was found written that Mordechai had told [וַיִּמָּצֵא כָּתוּב אֲשֶׁר הִגִּיד מָרְדֳּכַי]." Mordechai — he is the aspect of denial of idolatry — as it is written: "A Jewish man [אִישׁ יְהוּדִי]" — as our Rabbis of blessed memory said [Megilla 13]: all who denies idolatry is called Yehudi [Jewish]. That is: the speeches that Mordechai spoke — which are speeches of denial of the nations — they were written in the air, until they were found written in their books as above. And this: "And it was found written that Mordechai had told" — that the speeches which Mordechai told — which are speeches of the faith of the true tzadik — were found written in their books. Because the speech of the tzadik went to afar until it was written and engraved there in their books — and through this they found in their books the opposite of their faith — because they found there the holy speeches which Mordechai told, who is the aspect of the tzadik as above. And this: "And it was found written that Mordechai had told" as above. And then when these nations come and find there the opposite of their faith — from this converts are made — in the aspect of [Esther 8]: "And many from the peoples of the land became Jews [וְרַבִּים מֵעַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ מִתְיַהֲדִים]."

🗺️ Translator's Summary — Torah 14

"And you shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, etc." [Exodus 19:6] — and: "These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." [Exodus 19:6]

One who wishes to taste the flavor of the Hidden Light [לִטְעֹם טַעַם אוֹר הַגָּנוּז] — that is, the secrets of Torah [סוֹדוֹת הַתּוֹרָה] that will be revealed in the future — must elevate the quality of yirah [awe/fear] to its root [לְהַעֲלוֹת מִדַּת הַיִּרְאָה לְשָׁרְשָׁהּ].

And through what does one elevate the yirah? Through the aspect of mishpat [judgment / self-judgment]. As it is written : "A king through judgment establishes the land [מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ]." And eretz [land/earth] is the aspect of yirah — as it is written : "The earth feared [אֶרֶץ יָרְאָה]."

That is: one should judge all of his affairs [כָּל עֲסָקָיו] — as it is written : "He will sustain his words with judgment [יְכַלְכֵּל דְּבָרָיו בַּמִּשְׁפָּט]." That is: he shall judge and adjudicate within himself [שֶׁיִּשְׁפּט וְיָדִין בְּעַצְמוֹ] all his affairs.

And through this he will remove from himself all the fears [כָּל הַפְּחָדִים] — and the aspect of yirah will ascend, clear and pure [יִרְאָה בָּרָה וּנְקִיָּה] — and there will remain only the fear of the Name [יִרְאַת הַשֵּׁם], and no other fear.

For when a person does not judge and adjudicate himself [כְּשֶׁאֵין אָדָם דָּן וְשׁוֹפֵט אֶת עַצְמוֹ] — then they judge and adjudicate him above [דָּנִין וְשׁוֹפְטִין אוֹתוֹ לְמַעְלָה], for: "if there is no judgment below, there is judgment above [אִם אֵין דִּין לְמַטָּה יֵשׁ דִּין לְמַעְלָה]" .

When the Evil Overpowers — The Good Goes into Concealment — Comes Out Through Birth — Converts And know: that sometimes, when the evil sees that the good yearns and draws itself and wants to return to its place — then they overpower the good more and bring it into greater concealment — that is: they bring it into the interior of their thought. That is: they begin to think thoughts about this good — and through this they insert the good into greater concealment and hiding in the interior of their thought.

And then the good goes out through the birth that they beget — because the good is hidden and concealed in the interior of their thought, and from there comes the birth — and therefore the good goes out in the seed of the births. And then there is no power in the evil of the births to overpower the good that is in them — and then the good goes out through the births and converts are made. And this is the aspect of [Psalms 87]: "Hashem counts in the writing of peoples: this one was born there, selah [ה' יִסְפֹּר בִּכְתוֹב עַמִּים זֶה יֻלַּד שָׁם סֶלָה]."

"In the writing" — this is the aspect of the good that goes out through the aspect of the writing as above. And this: "this one was born there, selah" — that the good was clothed in the births and goes out through them as above. And this is what Rashi explains: "this one was born there" — that they are Israel who are defiled among the nations — that is: the aspect of the good subdued by them, which is the aspect of portions of the souls of Israel as above. And this is the aspect of: "He does not lie down until he eats prey" — this is the aspect of completeness of the altar, the aspect of "altar in its portion of tearing" as above. "And blood of the slain he drinks" — and its Aramaic translation: "and property of the peoples it inherits" — that is: the aspect of converts. And this: "and property of the peoples" — that is: the aspect of the good that was covered by the nations, who brought it into concealment and hiding in the interior of their thought as above — that goes out through the seed of the births and converts are made, and through this the altar is completed as above.

The Allegory of Rav Safra — The Fish With Horns — The Goat of the Sea — Decoded And this is the explanation of: Rav Safra was telling: "One time we were going in a ship, and we saw that fish that took out its head from the water, and it had horns, and engraved on them: I am a creature of light that is in the sea, and I was three hundred parsang, and I am going to the mouth of the Leviathan." Rav Ashi said: "That was a sea goat, that digs, and it has horns." [Bava Basra 74] 📜 Rashbam's Explanation — Term by Term "Creature of light" — from the small creatures that are in the sea.

"To its mouth of Leviathan that will eat me today" — [the fish says this about itself]. "Sea goat" — for all that there is on dry land there is in the sea — except the weasel, as stated in the laws of slaughter in Chullin. "That digs" — digs in the sea with its horns to seek its sustenance.

"We saw that fish that took out its head from the water etc." — this is the aspect of the good, which is the portions of the souls of Israel, together with the converts as above. Because fish — their gathering purifies them [see Chullin 27b] — this is the aspect of the portions of the souls, the aspect of [Job 34]: "His spirit and His soul He gathers to Him [רוּחוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ אֵלָיו יֶאֱסֹף]." And the aspect of converts — in the aspect of [Psalms 47]: "Nobles of the peoples are gathered [נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֱסָפוּ]." And on account of this the Sages are called "masters of gatherings" [Koheles 12] — that they gather the good with the converts. "Took out its head from the water" — that is: that it takes out the intellect from the flooding of the insolent waters, which is the foolishness that floods over the intellect, as above. "And it had horns, and engraved on them: I am a creature of light that is in the sea, and I was three hundred parsang, and I am going to the mouth of the Leviathan" — this is the aspect of tzedakah, which is the aspect of "wealth adds friends" as above — that it is the main horn existing for the World to Come, as in the saying of Munbaz [Bava Basra 11b]: "My fathers stored below, and I stored above." "And engraved on them" — that is: through the tzedakah, engraving is made — the aspect of the writing above as above — in the aspect of "and his fame goes in all the provinces" — to the good that is subdued among the nations, and it arouses it in teshuvah to return to its root.

Because the good remembers of itself: "I am a creature of light that is in the sea" — that is: that I am above all the worlds. Sea — that is: the mem is the four worlds [מ = 40, and yud = ten — four worlds multiplied]; yud is the aspect of the wisdom that spreads in all the worlds — as it is written [Psalms 104]: "All in wisdom You made [כֻּלָּם בְּחָכְמָה עָשִׂיתָ]." And this "creature of light that is in the sea" — that is: as a light that floats above a water — so the soul, which is the good, is above all the worlds. "And I was three hundred parsang" — that is: the soul remembered that it was in the aspect of: Israel ascended in the thought first, and the Holy One blessed be He consulted in it in the creation of the world — in the aspect of "they are the formers, dwellers of plantings with the king in his work" — that He consulted with the souls of Israel at the time of the creation of the world. That is: it remembered that it was in such a great degree as above. 📗 Decoding "Three Hundred Parsang" Three — this is the aspect of thought that divides into three heads: thoughts of the intellect [מַחְשָׁבוֹת שִׂכְלִיּוֹת], thoughts of the middos [character attributes], and practical thought.

Parsang — the aspect of foot [רֶגֶל] — that is: advice — as [Exodus 11]: "And all the people that are at your feet [אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֶךָ]" — those drawn after your advice. That is: the soul remembered that it was first in thought — and He consulted in it in the creation of His world. And now: "I am going to the mouth of the Leviathan" — that is: to annihilation and loss, God forbid. And through this it has mercy on itself and is aroused to return to its root as above — and ba'alei teshuvah and converts are made as above. Rav Ashi said: "That was a sea goat that digs and has a horn."

Goat — this is the aspect of strength, that is: fear — the aspect of "for the splendor of their strength is You" as above. "That digs" — that is: the aspect of the tzadik who searches always after the exaltation that is in every one from Israel as above. "And it has a horn" — that is: the aspect of "and in Your will our horn is exalted" — that is: the love that is revealed through the tzadik as above. Because through all the aspects above — the light of the tzadik is revealed — and through this one merits fear and love as above. But there are two aspects of Torah: there is the aspect of the nigleh [the revealed Torah] and the aspect of the nistar [the hidden Torah]. The Opening Verse Decoded — Jacob Rebukes His Sons — The Whole Torah Recapitulated And this: "And it was, as they were emptying their sacks" — that is: the aspect of "I clothe the heavens with blackness and sackcloth I place as their covering etc." — heavens — that is: fear and love as above. And when they empty the sack and the darkness from the fear and the love — "and behold, each man's bundle of money was in his sack" — this is the aspect of the tzadik, the aspect of [Proverbs 7]: "A bundle of money he took in his hand [צְרוֹר הַכֶּסֶף לָקַח בְּיָדוֹ]" — which are the tzadikim, as Rashi explains there. "In his sack" — that is: that the light of the tzadik is darkened and clothed and covered in blackness and sackcloth. That is: they feel that the sack and darkness that was on the fear and the love — this is because of the sack and darkness that darkened the light of the tzadik to them as above. "And they saw their bundles of money — they and their father" — that is: they saw and recognized that their bundles of money depend on the matter and the form that are called "they and their father." This — the matter: which is the vessels of the deed. And their father — he is the intellect, that is called father — the aspect of "father in wisdom" [Megilla 13b]. That is: as above — that the revelation of the light of the tzadik, that one merits to recognize it and to understand and to taste and to see its great light — it depends only on completeness of the deeds and purity of the intellect. "And Jacob their father said to them" — that is: the rebuke of the intellect that rebukes the material things — which are the vessels of the deed — that the foul smell adheres to the vessels of the deed. 📗 Jacob's Words — Each Phrase Decoded "Me you have bereaved" — that through turbid deeds one causes annihilation and loss to the intellect. "Joseph is not" — this is the aspect of "wealth adds many friends" as above. "And Simeon is not" — this is the aspect of "and his fame goes in all the provinces" — that is made through the aspect of "wealth adds" as above. "And Benjamin you would take" — this is the aspect of altar in its portion of tearing, which is Benjamin — that the main completeness of the intellect depends on this as above. That is: the intellect rebukes and says: the main deficiency that clouds the mind depends only on the vessels of the deed — that is: tzedakah, which depends on the deed — the aspect of [Isaiah 32]: "And the deed of tzedakah shall be peace [וְהָיָה מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שָׁלוֹם]" — that through it the intellect is completed as above. Because when one gives tzedakah — through this converts are made as above, and through this the altar is completed — which is the aspect of the table of man — that is: one merits to eat in holiness. And then the intellect is completed, and then one merits to see the light of the tzadik, and through this one receives from him fear and love as above. 📜 Compiler's Note [Language of our Rabbi, of blessed memory.] 🗺️ Translator's Summary — Torah 17 The following is prepared by the translator to aid study. It is not part of Rabbeinu's original text. Torah 17 is a great Torah — nine sections, each interlocking. Its subject is how fear and love are received in the world, and every thread of the Torah leads back to this beginning and end. 🔗 The Master Chain — Torah 17 ▶ The Tzaddik seeks and finds Hashem's will in all creation → he does this by finding the exaltation [tif'eres] within every Jew [because the whole of creation was made for Israel's exaltation]. ▶ Revealing the exaltation → reveals fear [like the king's birthday: seeing the king in his glory affects the soul more than mere knowledge]. ▶ Revealing the exaltation → then reveals the king's will [he distributes gifts] → which is love. ▶ When the Tzaddik's light is darkened — fear and love are darkened [the sackcloth over the heavens] — because of turbid deeds and foolishness of the intellect. ▶ Repair: proper eating at the altar/table → subdues the kelipot/foolishness. ▶ Completion of the altar → through converts [who return the sparks of the altar to their place]. ▶ Converts come through: tzedakah → purifies the air [love = attachment of spirits = calm air] → the Tzaddik's holy speech is engraved in the air → travels far → written in the nations' books → the subdued good [portions of Jewish souls] awakens, recognizes its origin, and returns → tearing converts with it. ▶ Sometimes: the evil hides the good in their thoughts → the good comes out through their offspring → converts from the births. ▶ The fish allegory [Bava Basra 74]: fish = the good + converts; horns = tzedakah / the writing; "creature of light in the sea" = the soul's memory of its supernal origin; "three hundred parsang" = three heads of thought × advice/feet; "mouth of Leviathan" = annihilation → mercy on oneself → teshuvah. The sea goat = the Tzaddik: digs = searches for exaltation; horn = reveals love. ▶ The opening verse: sacks emptied = darkness of fear/love removed; bundles of money = light of the Tzaddik hidden in sackcloth; "they and their father" = deeds and intellect; Jacob rebukes = intellect rebukes deeds: Joseph [tzedakah-speech] is not; Simeon [fame in provinces] is not; Benjamin [altar/tearing] — completeness of intellect → seeing the Tzaddik's light → fear and love. Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman ✦ Complete edition — every word rendered, every source cited, all parenthetical elaborations rendered in full, all verse decodings complete, the fish allegory fully decoded, the closing verse decoded word by word. Nothing omitted.