ערך מועדים

Sections 25 through 35 · Continuing the Alef-Bais The second letters of the word שְׁאָר [she'or — leaven/remnant] are the letters שַׁבָּת [Shabbos] — for after ש [shin] comes ת [tav], and after א [alef] comes ב [bais], and after ר [reish] comes ש [shin] — which are the letters of Shabbos in reverse [l'mafreia]. For the essential nullification of chametz [leaven] and she'or [sourdough] in the dough — which is the yetzer hara that obstructs [one] from doing His blessed will, and is the aspect of the other god [ail acher], forced apostasy [shmad], G-d forbid — the essential nullification is through the holiness of Shabbos. For then the metzach haratzon [the forehead of will] is revealed — the aspect of ra'ava d'ra'avin [the will of all wills]. And from there the Tzadik draws the supreme encompassing redemption [pidyon elyon hakolel] — until he nullifies the she'or aforementioned and elevates [one] from shmad to ratzon [will].

The essential blemish of faith in the sages comes from those who dispute the truly wise sages — because they are wise in their own eyes in the futile wisdoms of this world, all of which are wisdoms of falsehood — since through these wisdoms one does not merit the true and eternal purpose. And in truth the root of all these wisdoms — whether the outright external wisdoms of the philosophical investigators, or the ordinary wisdoms of the world that are against the point of truth — all derive solely from the fact that their entire intention is only for the sake of the bodily desires. Which is the aspect of weekday eating [achilas chol], where the liver is nourished first and afterwards the brain. And through the holiness of the delight of Shabbos [oneg Shabbos] — when the brain is nourished first — through this — [through this] — all the aforementioned disputants are subdued, and the faith in the sages is repaired.

The greatness of the commandment of the Kiddush Levanah [sanctification of the new moon] is very precious — as our Sages of blessed memory said. And it alludes to the renewal of the world in the time to come — for Israel is destined to be renewed like it. And since the essential faith in the renewal of the world is drawn through the prayer of the [Tzadik who is the] ba'al ko'ach [master of power] — through which the clouds, which are the sitra achra, dissolve and are gone in the aspect of: "I have wiped away your transgressions like a cloud, etc." [Isaiah 44:22] — as explained in the inner teachings — therefore the moon may only be sanctified when the clouds are not covering it. But regarding those who are meticulous not to sanctify it even when it is visible through a thin and light cloud — all of this is out of great love for the commandment, wishing it to be completely clear and pure. But they did not intend well in this. For in this low and dark world — especially now, in these generations, when the sitra achra has spread very greatly — if we wish to be so meticulous in all the commandments and wait until we can fulfill them with great clarity and purity and brightness, especially with the purity of thought which is the essential — then all the Torah and commandments would already be nullified, G-d forbid. And in truth we must fulfill all the commandments as best we can. And only through this do we keep ourselves alive in this bitter exile — in the very slightest light that shines upon us from within the depth of this very darkness and gloom. And if we wish to be scrupulous and stringent with excessive stringencies — we could stumble and fall through this even more, G-d forbid. Therefore certainly, far be it from us to withhold from the commandment of Kiddush Levanah on account of the aforementioned scrupulosities. Rather, we must fulfill it as our Sages of blessed memory said in the Gemara and the Poskim — that one is obligated to sanctify it even when it is visible through a thin cloud. Especially when the time is pressed and close to the end of the time for sanctification. Especially in winter.

The twelve lunar months correspond to the twelve versions of the prayer [nuscha'os hatefilah] — corresponding to the twelve tribes. And the leap month is corresponding to the tribe of Yosef — who was divided into two tribes. And the essential purpose of the leap [ibur] is to align the solar years with the lunar years — that is, to join the twelve tribes, which are the aspect of the twelve versions of the prayer, to the aspect of Yaakov — who is the aspect of the very substance of truth, the aspect of the sun [chamah]. And through this comes the essential perfection of the prayer.

Through being careful about chametz for seven days and eating matzah — through this the da'as [knowledge/awareness] of faith in Providence is revealed. Until one knows in truth that even nature itself — which is the aspect of chametz — also conducts itself solely through His blessed Providence. For G-d created everything and governs everything through His will. And therefore afterwards eating chametz is also permitted.

A person must remember very — [very] — well all the days of his life, each and every day, the day he departed from the land of Egypt — as it is written: "So that you will remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt, etc." [Deuteronomy 16:3]. That is: how he departed from Egypt before the appointed time, only through His kindness — and because of this, what passes over him now passes over him. For in every generation a person is obligated to see himself as if he personally left Egypt. For all of the above passes over every person. And therefore one must remember each and every day the greatness of His blessed kindness — that He brought him out from where He brought him out, which is the aspect of the exodus from Egypt. And even though now what passes over him passes over him — even so, certainly the kindness and goodness that G-d has done with him is certainly not in vain, G-d forbid. Rather, he must now pass through these matters and be tested through them. But in the end G-d will complete His part — and he will merit to draw close to His blessed service and to find all his losses in perfection. For the word of our G-d endures forever.

The essential redemption depends on faith [emunah]. And to complete faith, it is impossible to merit except through truth. And to come to truth is through receiving the holy counsels of the truly righteous Tzaddikim. And this is the aspect of the totality of the Torah — the 613 counsels of the Torah [taryag itin d'oraisa]. And this is the aspect of the great miracle of the exodus from Egypt. For at that time it was still before the giving of the Torah — which is those 613 counsels aforementioned. For since the defilements of Egypt still clung to them very greatly — therefore it was still impossible for them to receive the light of the holy counsels. Because of the defilement of the serpent — which is the aspect of the counsel of the wicked — that still clung to them. And naturally, when one does not merit to receive the light of the holy counsels — then one is distant from truth and from faith. And how can there be a redemption?! And G-d made His kindness wondrous to us — and shined upon us a great and very awesome light that was not in a gradual manner. That is, He shined upon us the light of the very essence of truth before we merited to receive the holy counsels. And through the light of truth we merited great faith — through which the redemption came. And this is the aspect of the great and awesome expanded consciousness [moichin gedolim v'nora'im] alluded to in the commandment of eating matzah — that is, the aspect of the greatness of the illumination of the very essence of truth that shines upon us then. For the essential purpose of the greatness of the expanded consciousness is truth — which is the sum total of all the holy expanded consciousnesses in the world. And therefore chametz is then forbidden with a severe prohibition. For a person's eating corresponds to da'as — for the brain and the da'as are commensurate with the eating. As explained elsewhere. And all the holy counsels are the aspect of the leavening of the holy brain [chamitz hamoi'ach d'kedushah] — for counsel must be [developed] with settled mind and deliberateness, until the matter is well leavened. But corresponding to this there is also the aspect of the leavening of the brain of the sitra achra — which are evil counsels and thoughts and bad ideas that are against the holy Torah. And therefore the yetzer hara is called the she'or sheba'isah [the leaven in the dough]. And there is no wisdom and no counsel to stand against it — except through the holy counsels of the holy Torah. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "I created the yetzer hara — I created the Torah as its antidote." And since at that time it was still before the receiving of the Torah — and it was impossible to wait until they received the light of truth through the holy counsels in a gradual and orderly manner, because the defilement of the serpent — which is the aspect of the counsel of the wicked — still clung to them — therefore chametz and she'or were then forbidden. For then the chametz is the aspect of the leavening of the brain of the sitra achra. Rather, we must receive then the light of truth itself — before it is leavened and clothed in the aspect of counsels. And therefore on Shavuos — when we merited to receive the 613 counsels and the defilement of the serpent ceased from us — then the chametz was sweetened and repaired with great holiness, to the point that specifically then two loaves of leavened bread [shtai halechem] are brought. And this matter of the exodus from Egypt occurs in every person and at every time. For whenever a person is sunk, G-d forbid, in the exile of the soul — there are times when a person is so sunken that it is impossible to reveal to him any holy counsel as to how to emerge from the darkness and the exile. For whatever holy counsel may be given to him — the sitra achra overpowers it and corrupts it through its evil counsels — which are the aspect of the defilement of the serpent. But when G-d has compassion upon a person and wishes to bring within him an awakening to teshuvah — then G-d illuminates in his mind the light of the very essence of truth before the holy counsels are revealed. Through this very truth he is drawn after holiness with great yearning and merits faith. And through this he draws close to the truly righteous Tzaddikim and walks in the path of their counsel. And then he receives the true truth of the true Tzadik and of the holy Torah — through receiving the holy counsels within which the light of truth is clothed. For the counsel of the Tzaddikim is the aspect of "all of it seed of truth." And this too is the aspect of eating maror [bitter herbs] — which is in remembrance of the subjugation and exile. For one must endure great bitterness before meriting to extract the holy counsels from the grip of the sitra achra — which is the aspect of the counsel of the serpent — that confuses all the holy counsels and literally makes life bitter. Which is the aspect of: "And they made their lives bitter with mortar and with bricks" [Exodus 1:14] — b'chomra d'shme'ata ulivun halachta [in the difficulty of the studied law and the clarification of the halacha] — for all of this is the aspect of the extraction and clarification of the holy counsels, which are the sum total of all the halachos in the Torah — the 613 counsels. And it is called counsel and wisdom [etzah v'sushiyah]. But through the illumination of the very essence of truth that G-d shined upon us at Pesach — through this all the aforementioned bitterness was nullified through the illumination of the great expanded consciousness — the aspect of the light of truth — which is the aspect of matzah as above.

Wine elevates the mind above its level. And therefore there are two aspects to it: if one is worthy [zachah] — it becomes a head [rosh]; if not worthy — it becomes impoverished [rash]. For it is impossible to drink wine in great holiness except when one merits the repair of the bris — through which one merits holy counsels and truth and faith. And then one can merit through the wine — that his brain will be elevated and his da'as expanded, until he ascends to the root of da'as: which is the aspect of the root of Torah and commandments — where he is above all the commandments of the Torah. And all the commandments receive their vitality and illumination from there. And when he ascends there, he is inflamed more and more and strengthened more and more to fulfill the commandments of the Torah — because he draws upon himself the light of the root of the commandments. But in the reverse, G-d forbid — when one has not yet merited the aforementioned aspects, and his faith is not yet complete — then through the drinking of wine and intoxication one can greatly corrupt — to the point that all evil paths seem to him like a plain, G-d forbid. As it is written: "For he sets his eye upon the cup — he walks in upright paths" [Proverbs 23:31] — meaning: seemingly straight to him. For since his brain has been elevated above the vessels of his own brain — he no longer sees according to his own level all the warnings of the commandments of Moshe — [Moshe] — our master. And as is explained elsewhere on the verse: "Lest he drink and forget what has been decreed" [Proverbs 31:5]. And therefore at Pesach — when the light of truth itself is revealed above the level of the expanded consciousness — that is, before truth is clothed in the counsels as above — therefore the obligation is to drink four cups of wine. For now, specifically through the wine, the brain is elevated and one receives the light of truth itself above the vessels of the expanded consciousness. And through this the holy faith is completed. And through this the blemish of Adam the first is repaired — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "She squeezed grapes and gave it to him." And the blemish of Noach — as it is said of him: "And he drank of the wine, etc." — as explained in the inner teachings. And therefore they are four cups — corresponding to the four expressions of redemption. For the essential redemption depends on faith as above. And the four cups correspond to the four aspects — which are: faith, and prayer, and miracles, and the Land of Israel. Each cup corresponding to one aspect individually, as explained in the inner teachings.

In every generation a person is obligated to see himself as if he personally left Egypt. For this aspect is in every person and at every time. For the essential bitterness of the exile for every person is the aspect of the entanglement of money and livelihood. And the essential redemption of the soul for every person is commensurate with how much he merits to draw close to the truly righteous Tzaddikim — through which he breaks the desire for money and merits to be happy with his portion. Through feeling his poverty in all aspects: body and soul and money. And through this he merits the aspect of redemption — the aspect of holy wealth. Until through this he can merit even actual great physical wealth. And this is the essential complete redemption that will come through our righteous Mashiach — when all wealth will be returned to holiness for Israel. For they will all be Tzaddikim then. And as is explained in many verses — the great wealth that will be then. And all this will be merited specifically through the bitter poverty they endured in this exile. And even then — when they emerge from this exile and merit wealth — even so they will not forget their poverty and will not become arrogant. Rather, they will consider themselves poor — as it is written: "And a poor and lowly people will take refuge in Him" [Zephaniah 3:12]. And also Mashiach himself is called ani [poor] and "riding upon a donkey" [Zechariah 9:9]. For the essential true wealth — spiritually and physically — is merited through true poverty and lowliness as above.

One who wishes to enter the service of G-d — this is truly the aspect of the exodus from Egypt. For the essential exodus from Egypt is going out from impurity to purity — from the impurity and defilement of Pharaoh and Egypt to the holiness of Israel. As it is written: "When you bring forth the people from Egypt, you shall serve G-d, etc." [Exodus 3:12]. And this is necessarily what passes over a person at every time and in every generation — as our Sages of blessed memory said: "In every generation a person is obligated to see himself as if he personally left Egypt." For all that passed over Israel at the exodus from Egypt, and the receiving of the Torah, and thereafter — and all the wars to conquer the Land of Israel — and all that passed over us afterwards — all of it, precisely and exactly, passes over every person who wishes to merit the life of eternity. For necessarily, many kinds of countless battles will pass over him. And every time he wishes to awaken and strengthen himself in the service of G-d — they intensify each time more, especially in the beginning. Which is the aspect of: "Let the work be heavier upon the men, etc." — said at the beginning of the redemption from Egypt. For when the sitra achra sees that a true Tzadik — in the aspect of Moshe — comes and wishes to bring the person of Israel out from the exile of his soul — it provokes and intensifies against him more and more, and makes this world and the desires and the livelihood heavier upon him — until it is difficult for him to move from his place to return to G-d. But the way of Israel the holy people — who hold the craft of their ancestors in their hands — is that every time they cry out to G-d. And through this they subdue each time Pharaoh and his forces — which are the sitra achra and its sects. But even though they subdue them — even so, they return and intensify every single time. And so, time after time, many times — as we saw with Pharaoh: that every time some plague came upon him he yielded somewhat, and afterwards he hardened his heart and returned and intensified. And even after the entire exodus from Egypt was complete, he returned and gathered his forces and pursued after them and caught up with them at the sea. And then Israel was in great distress and in great straits — as our Sages of blessed memory said on the verse: "My dove in the clefts of the rock, etc." [Song of Songs 2:14]. And likewise precisely so it passes over every person at every time, each according to his level. And this is the aspect of the kriyas Yam Suf [splitting of the Red Sea] — the aspect of: "And the Children of Israel came within the sea upon dry land" [Exodus 14:22]. That is: when the insolent waters — which are the aspect of evil thoughts, etc., which are called literally the depths of the sea — intensify, G-d forbid, and there is nowhere to flee — neither forward nor backward nor to any side. Exactly as was the case then at the splitting of the Sea — the sea was storming before them, the Egyptians were behind them, and on their sides were wild beasts and serpents and scorpions. When then the soul of the person of Israel is in great distress and great straits — then there is no remedy except to cry out to G-d. And then G-d sends him a great strengthening in his heart and his mind — not to look behind him at all at the confusing thoughts, which are the aspect of the depths of the sea aforementioned. Rather, he should rush like a warrior to run the path — to pass through all the thoughts and confusions, etc. — and to walk in the holy path upon which he is engaged: in Torah and prayer, etc. And this is the aspect of: "Speak to the Children of Israel and let them journey forth" [Exodus 14:15] — that they should go their way and leap into the sea — and not think and not look behind them at all. And so they did — they entered into the sea up to their nostrils, as our Sages of blessed memory said. That is, they did not look at all at the insolent rushing waters — rather, they walked in confidence upon their way and engaged in their service in Torah and prayer within the intensification of the roaring crashing waves, which are the thoughts and the confusions. And they did not look behind them at all — rather, they did what they had to do. And then — when G-d saw the firmness of their heart, that they did not abandon their service through any confusion in the world, even though they had already entered the water up to their nostrils — then G-d had compassion upon them and split the sea before them. "And the Children of Israel came within the sea upon dry land." For so it is: when one strengthens oneself with great strengthening to go in one's way in prayer and service — and not to look behind at all — then suddenly they are nullified by themselves entirely, exactly like the sea that was nullified before Israel and turned into dry land.

In the matter of Pesach Sheini [the second Passover] — it is alluded to that there is no despair in the world whatsoever. For even one who is impure or is on a very far road [derech rechokah] from G-d — and is unable to bring the offering of G-d at its appointed time — that is, does not merit to always serve His service in proper order, at its time and season, as is fitting for a person of Israel — even so, if he does not despair of himself because of this and goes to the true Tzadik — who is in the aspect of Moshe — to seek G-d. And asks and requests: "Why should we be diminished from not bringing the offering of G-d, etc.?" [Numbers 9:7]. For even though I have defiled my soul and been distanced from G-d — even so, I ask for counsel and a means as to how to draw close to G-d at least from now on. For certainly there is a counsel for me too as to how to draw close to G-d. Then G-d has compassion upon him — and he merits through this the ultimate elevation. And merits through this to add a Torah portion [parshah b'Torah]. For through seeking and searching for "where is the place of His glory?" — through this one merits the subsequent revelation of the Torah — [of the Torah] — as explained elsewhere.

Even though in truth one must hurry and hasten very — [very] — greatly to rescue one's soul. And especially one who has already stumbled and been caught in what he has been caught, G-d protect us — even so, it is — [it is] — impossible to press the moment. And one must wait and wait — until G-d looks down from Heaven and sees. But even so, even within the time of the waiting and the delay — it is forbidden to remove one's mind from this. Rather, one must hope and anticipate and look forward and count and tell the days — and long and yearn at every time: when will he merit the day of the complete salvation of his soul? And this is the aspect of the Sefirah [Counting of the Omer] — where we do nothing except count the days and the weeks. And through this we draw upon ourselves the holiness of the renewed receiving of the Torah each year. That is, through this very aspect aforementioned — that we want and desire and yearn to receive the Torah. And according to the strength of our will and our strong yearning — certainly we would want to receive it with alacrity immediately and at once. But in truth it is impossible to press the moment — and it is necessary to wait until — [until] — the fiftieth day. But even so, even now it is forbidden to forget and to remove one's mind from this, G-d forbid. Which is the aspect of why we count the days — for the counting shows the very — [very] — essence of the longing and the pining — [and the pining]. Like one who yearns and craves for some matter — then the way is to count the days until he attains his longing. Likewise, we count and reckon the days and the weeks — which shows the essence of the longing and the strong will we have for the receiving of the Torah. And therefore in truth all of Israel is accustomed to fulfill the commandment of counting the Omer with great awakening and great yearning toward G-d. And through this we merit to draw in perfection the aspect of hot words like coals of fire — in the aspect of: "For love is as strong as death, etc." [Song of Songs 8:6]. That is, through the greatness of the holy love and yearning aforementioned — one merits: "its flashes are flashes of fire" [Song of Songs 8:6]. And through this one merits the receiving of the Torah in the aspect of: "And you heard His words from within the fire" [Deuteronomy 4:36] — as mentioned above.

All the days of the year one must prepare himself for Rosh Hashanah — which is the Day of Judgment. For the essential thing is Rosh Hashanah. For just as a person must prepare himself all the days of his life for the great and awesome Day of Judgment in the future — likewise in the particular, he must prepare himself all the days of the year for Rosh Hashanah — which is the Day of Judgment. For it is awesome and dreadful, etc. And especially one must begin and prepare himself when he sees the days approaching — which is from the fifteenth of Av onwards. For then begins the sweetening of the sin of the Golden Calf and the sin of the Spies — through which, in all of this, the holy memory [zikaron d'kedushah] was blemished. As our Sages of blessed memory said: "From the day the Tablets were broken, forgetting descended upon the world." And on the fifteenth of Av began the sweetening of the breaking of the Tablets — and the illumination of the forty days of favor begins to shine. For then they subsequently received on Yom Kippur the second Tablets — which merited the aspect of the repair of memory. And therefore our Sages of blessed memory said: "No days were as good for Israel as the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur." For on the fifteenth of Av begins to shine the illumination from the second Tablets given on Yom Kippur. And therefore on the fifteenth of Av the sin of the Spies was also repaired — for on it the desert generation ceased dying, as our Sages of blessed memory said. And therefore from the fifteenth of Av one must begin to rise at midnight — which is the aspect of the repair of memory. And afterwards during the month of Elul one engages in this more and more. And all of Israel is awakened then and remembers G-d and the World to Come. And this is the aspect of the blowing of the shofar throughout the month of Elul. For the shofar is the aspect of remembrance — as it is written: "And it shall be for you a remembrance" [Numbers 10:10]. And the essential repair of memory flows on Rosh Hashanah — when the essential commandment of the shofar is performed. Which is the Day of Remembrance [yom hazikaron]. For it is the first of the Ten Days of Repentance — and one must draw upon himself the aforementioned remembrance. Through which comes the essential teshuvah. And for this purpose one must journey to the Tzaddikim for Rosh Hashanah. For this is the essential occupation of the Tzaddikim always — to remind us of our eternal purpose in the World to Come, and to teach us counsels and straight paths to merit this. And especially the Tzaddikim engage in this on Rosh Hashanah, as explained in the inner teachings. And this remembrance is in the general and in the particular. And this is the secret of the year [shanah] and the awakening of the year [his'orrus hashanah] at Rosh Hashanah. For the shanah is the aspect of remembrance of the World to Come in the general — for then the soul ascends to the aspect of the World to Come. And afterwards — in the awakening of the year — then one must engage in this in the particular. And afterwards — on Yom Kippur — then comes the completion of the repair of the remembrance. And therefore the second Tablets were given then. And the High Priest entered on it into the innermost chamber, as explained in the inner teachings. And afterwards one enters the sukkah — which is the encompassing clouds of glory [ananei kavod] that protect us so that the evil eye no longer has dominion over us — which is the aspect of the husk of Amalek. So as not to blemish again, G-d forbid, the holy memory we drew upon ourselves in these days — especially on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And this is the aspect of the joy one multiplies on Sukkos — in order to repair also through this the aspect of — [the aspect of] — the imagination [hamedameh]. For all of this is the aspect of the repair of memory aforementioned. And therefore one then takes the four species of the lulav. And the holy Zohar explains that through this we take Him, blessed be He, as it were, in our hands — that is, we draw upon ourselves the remembrance in the particular: which is the aspect of the hints whereby G-d contracts Himself from the Infinite to the infinite [me'ain sof ad ain techlis] in thought, speech, and action each day — and hints to the person everywhere and at all times to draw close to Him. Which is the aspect of the wavings that are waved to all directions. That is, we draw upon ourselves these hints aforementioned.

One must journey to the truly righteous Tzaddikim for Rosh Hashanah. For only they can draw the paths of teshuvah in perfection. And the essential [need] is to sweeten the force of the judgment of Rosh Hashanah and to draw joy upon oneself — through which comes the essential repair of teshuvah. For even though the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is the aspect of a broken heart — for the penitent must have a broken heart. Which is the aspect of: "If the shofar is blown in the city, will the people not tremble?" [Amos 3:6]. But after the broken heart one must come to joy. And this is the aspect of: "Fortunate is the people who know the teruah, etc." [Psalms 89:16]. And adjacent to it: "In Your name they will rejoice all the day, etc." [Psalms 89:17].

The essential holiness of a person is when he confines himself within his home and his chamber — in the aspect of: "Go, my people, enter your chambers, etc." [Isaiah 26:20]. And it is said: "Walk humbly with your G-d" [Micah 6:8]. And this is the aspect of the praise said of Torah scholars: "All the glory of the king's daughter is within" [Psalms 45:14]. For the essential splendor and holiness of a person is when he sits within his home — where the essential flow of holiness resides. But outside is the domain of the dominion of the outer forces. And therefore it would have been fitting that a person always sit within his home. But a person is necessarily compelled to go outside as well every single time. And this is the aspect of ail v'nafak [entering and exiting]. For even though it would have been fitting for a person to always be attached to holiness in the aspect of entry — even so, the essential perfection of holiness is specifically when a person merits to be ail v'nafak. For a person necessarily passes through many ascents and descents every single day. And when he merits to be expert in the halacha [baki b'halacha] — in the aspect of baki b'ail, baki b'nafak [expert in entering, expert in exiting] — to fulfill as it is written: "If I ascend to the heavens — there You are, and if I make my bed in the abyss — behold You are there" [Psalms 139:8] — to hold fast to G-d always with a strong bond, both in ascent and in descent — then he merits to elevate even external places and lower levels all to holiness. And then the descent is the ultimate purpose of the ascent. And this is the aspect of the necessity of leaving the home into the outside every single time. For when one goes outside — which is the aspect of nafak — where the dominion of the outer forces resides — and when one remembers G-d even there and cleaves to Him, blessed be He — then he extracts the holiness of external places and elevates everything to holiness. And this is the aspect of: "When you sit in your home and when you walk on the way" [Deuteronomy 6:7] — the aspect of ail v'nafak. And this is the aspect of Israel walking in the desert — which is a place of outer forces, a place of serpent and fiery snake and scorpion — in order to subdue the sitra achra and to extract the holiness also from there, in the aspect of: "Fortunate is one who enters and exits." And then specifically — when they walk in the desert in outer places, which is the aspect of nafak — and when they merit to find G-d there — then specifically G-d hovers over Israel with very lofty holiness. Which is the aspect of the encompassing clouds of glory that Israel merited in the desert. Which are the aspect of sukkah — the aspect of the mother who hovers over her children [ima d'mesachcha al banin]. Which is a very lofty holiness that hovers and protects over a person specifically at the time when he is in the aspect of nafak — in order to guard him and rescue him lest he fall there, G-d — [G-d] — forbid. And helps him to subdue the sitra achra and to extract specifically from there the holiness. It is thus found that specifically through the aspect of nafak one merits a very great ascent — to the aspect of sukkah. Which is the aspect of descent being the ultimate purpose of ascent aforementioned. And this is the aspect of the commandment of sukkah — which G-d caused us to merit at the beginning of the year, at the beginning of the teshuvah. Which must be in the aspect of ail v'nafak specifically. And the aspect of ail is fulfilled on Rosh Hashanah and the Ten Days of Repentance and Yom Kippur. And afterwards one must fulfill also the aspect of nafak — which is the aspect of the completion [tamah]: that one goes out from the home to sit in the sukkah — to show that when a person is in the aspect of nafak and seeks and — [seeks and] — searches even there to cleave to G-d — then specifically he merits very lofty holiness, the aspect of sukkah. Which is the aspect of the encompassing lights [makifim] that guard and protect the person then — when he is in the aspect of nafak. And through the commandment of sukkah we merit throughout the year to do — [to do] — complete teshuvah in the aspect of ail v'nafak. And at every time we are in the aspect of nafak — the sukkas shalom [shelter of peace] protects us like a mother protecting her child from falling, G-d forbid, when he walks in a dangerous place. And this is what we request specifically at night — which is the aspect of nafak, corresponding to the attribute of day — "and spread over us the shelter of Your peace." For then specifically the shelter of peace guards [us]. For the shelter of peace always guards a person at every time of danger where protection is needed — then the shelter of peace guards. And this is the aspect of: "For He will hide me in His sukkah on the day of evil" [Psalms 27:5] — specifically on the day of evil — which is the aspect of nafak — that is, at the time a person falls from his service. And when he merits to strengthen himself and not despair of himself even then — then the shelter of peace guards us as above.

All the decrees, G-d protect us, derive from sins. And the general repair [tikun hakelali] of all sins is the repair of the bris. And likewise the general repair of speech is the praise of the Tzaddikim. And the general repair of commerce is tzedakah [charity]. And this is the aspect of: "Teshuvah, prayer, and charity avert the evil of the decree" — which correspond to: fasting, voice, and money [tzom, kol, mamon]. For fasting is the aspect of the repair of the bris as above. Prayer is the aspect of the abundance of prayers and praises that one multiplies to G-d on Yom Kippur. And tzedakah is the aspect of the general repair of commerce as above.

A person must know and believe that G-d makes new things at every time — and no day is like another, how much more so that no year is like another. And in every day — and especially in every single year — everything is renewed entirely. And certainly G-d and the Tzaddikim will complete what they have begun. And if in the meanwhile what passes over us in the general and the particular passes over us — and the sitra achra and the baal davar spreads lengthwise and widthwise every single time — even so G-d helps us every day. And especially each year — when we receive the holiness of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur until Simchas Torah. And then the Torah is completed and we begin it again. And in each year new repairs are completed for each person — in a manner that every person can always be renewed for the good. As long as he believes in the truth: that G-d in His goodness each day always renews the act of creation. Especially each and every year. Until in the end the repair will be completed in perfection through our righteous Mashiach — may he come speedily in our days.

At the resting place of the Tzaddikim in their holy graves — there the holiness of the Throne of Glory [kise hakavod] is drawn — which is their inheritance. As it is written: "And a glorious throne shall He cause them to inherit" [I Samuel 2:8]. And therefore there are included all the places of every single person — and every single person can find his place there, until he merits through this to return to G-d. Because there shines the holiness of the aspect of mekomo shel olam [the place of the world] — which is the root of all places. And there every person can find the beginning and the starting point from which he must begin to return to G-d. And for this reason people travel to the graves of the Tzaddikim on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.

On Rosh Hashanah G-d has compassion upon us and judges us to the scale of merit — each person according to his place. And through this we truly enter into the scale of merit — until through this we merit to cry out to G-d from the depths of the heart and to return in teshuvah before Him, blessed be He. And afterwards — on Hoshana Rabbah, at the end of Sukkos — through meriting to sit in the sukkah, which is the aspect of the Throne of Glory, mekomo shel olam — through this all of Israel merits to receive illumination from there. Until we all merit this aspect: to fulfill: "Do not judge your fellow until you have reached his place" [Avos 2:5]. And to know to judge everyone to the scale of merit — even the sinners of Israel — until we merit to bring them all into the scale of merit and to shine upon them the illumination of Rosh Hashanah. That is, that all of them will always find a door and a path of teshuvah in every place they are, at every time. And the essential door and path is to always cry out to G-d from the depths of the heart — however things may be — and to never despair of the cry. Which is the aspect of the abundance of cries that one multiplies on Hoshana Rabbah — crying out many, many times: Hoshana! And one stays awake the entire night and completes the book of Psalms — which is full of cries and wails and pleas, etc., to G-d. Until there is no person in the world who cannot find himself in the book of Psalms — which encompasses all who come into the world in all generations and at all levels in the world down to the very lowest possible level — and stirs them all to return to G-d. For Psalms is a segula for teshuvah. And on Hoshana Rabbah we draw this wondrous path — that every person of Israel should merit through the holiness of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and Sukkos — to judge everything to the scale of merit, and to bring the paths of teshuvah into every single person of Israel: that is, to say Psalms and to cry out to G-d always, however things may be. And likewise one must judge even himself to the scale of merit and fulfill in himself: "Do not judge, etc., until you have reached his place." For certainly even his own place — he does not know from where it is drawn. And whatever passed over him in all his gilgulim [reincarnations], and from where his evil desires and evil thoughts derive, etc. Therefore it is forever forbidden to despair of oneself. For one must fulfill in oneself as well: "Do not be contemptuous of any person" — which is the aspect of the prohibition of bloodshed [shfichus damim], as explained in the inner teachings. For a person is warned against the prohibition of bloodshed also regarding his own soul. As it is written: "But your blood of your own lives, etc." [Genesis 9:5] — and our Sages of blessed memory expounded: "This refers to one who spills his own blood." For even to hold oneself in too much contempt — to the point that he could fall even more through this, G-d forbid — this is certainly a severe prohibition. For one must judge even oneself to the scale of merit — for who knows his own place? And the essential thing: do not despair yourself of the cry — ever. And cry out and implore before G-d always from the depths of the heart — in the aspect of: "Pour out your heart like water before the face of G-d" [Lamentations 2:19]. Through which we will all merit to return to Him, blessed be He. And all of this we engage in drawing [l'hamshich] on Hoshana Rabbah. And therefore we engage then with the willow branches [aravei nachal] — which allude to the sinners of Israel — to fulfill in them also: "Do not be contemptuous of any person" — and to judge them to the scale of merit. And this is the aspect of what is said on Hoshana Rabbah — Mishneh Torah — which revolves and orbits entirely around this very axis: to warn Israel that in all that passes over them, etc. — even so, they should never despair of themselves from the cry. For G-d will not abandon His people — and His compassion never ends. And after all the sins and provocations with which they provoke before Him, blessed be He, in every generation — even so, the right hand of G-d is exalted. And therefore one can always draw close and return to Him, blessed be He, from whatever place one is.

And this is the aspect of the kriyas Yam Suf [splitting of the Red Sea] — the aspect of: "And the Children of Israel came within the sea upon dry land" [Exodus 14:22]. That is: when the insolent waters — which are the aspect of evil thoughts, etc., which are called literally the depths of the sea — intensify, G-d forbid, and there is nowhere to flee — neither forward nor backward nor to any side. Exactly as was the case then at the splitting of the Sea — the sea was storming before them, the Egyptians were behind them, and on their sides were wild beasts and serpents and scorpions. When then the soul of the person of Israel is in great distress and great straits — then there is no remedy except to cry out to G-d. And then G-d sends him a great strengthening in his heart and his mind — not to look behind him at all at the confusing thoughts, which are the aspect of the depths of the sea aforementioned. Rather, he should rush like a warrior to run the path — to pass through all the thoughts and confusions, etc. — and to walk in the holy path upon which he is engaged: in Torah and prayer, etc.