סימן מ

Therefore when He chose us from all the nations and elevated us above all tongues — He also gave us the holiness of the Land of Israel — where the Shechinah dwells — which is the aspect of the holy tongue — the holy spirit. And therefore the Sages said that the essential holy spirit is in the Land of Israel. And see in the holy Zohar, Shemos, p. 152: that in the place of the Temple — which is the source of the holiness of the Land of Israel — there all the letters of the alef-beis shine — which are the aspect of the holy tongue. Therefore when the spies spoke slander about the Land of Israel they damaged the aspect of the holy tongue greatly. And when Moshe prayed to rectify this, he said: "and now may the power of Hashem be magnified" — so that through this the matter would be rectified. And this is what the Sages said : at the time when Moshe heard "slow to anger even for the wicked" he did not agree to this — and therefore he now said: "and now may the power of Hashem be magnified as You have spoken, saying — slow to anger even for the wicked." For in truth the essential meaning of patience with the wicked is only for this: perhaps they will return in repentance — or worthy children will come from them — and this is the essential perfection of holiness — the aspect of the holy tongue — when one elevates even the good within the translation [targum] into the holy tongue. And this is the aspect of what the Sages said : "in the place where penitents stand — even the completely righteous cannot stand" — for the completely righteous are the aspect of the holy tongue itself — and penitents are the aspect of the elevation of the good within nogah to the holy tongue — which is its essential completion. And therefore at the time of the sin of the spies — Moshe prayed that He be patient even with the wicked — so that through this the power of Hashem's holy tongue would be strengthened more — as above. It has already been elaborated elsewhere: that the matter of this discourse also applies now.

Section 11 — Letter יא — [end of the discourse] "One who knows of Eretz Yisrael." And so on. For by looking at the general gathering that assembles by him — of blessed memory — on Rosh Hashonoh — and on Erev Rosh Hashonoh — and so on — as elaborated in the discourse. There: "but there is a doubled bounty [shefa kefulah]." And so on. The connection of this matter to the above discourse — see in Likutay Halachos, Hil'chos Birchas HaMazon, Halacha 4, Letter 16 — what he elaborated on this. And see there further. And so on — as elaborated in the discourse. Section 11 — Letter יא — [end of the discourse]