סימן ס"ב

Now: it is elaborated above that Rabbainu said one cannot go from level to level except through the Land of Israel — and then said that his intention was literally the Land of Israel with those houses and courtyards as above. If so, it needs to be understood: how did Rabbainu himself go from level to level before he was in the Land of Israel? [For it is known that even then he was already a great and wondrous Tzaddik as is explained elsewhere.] And likewise several other great Tzaddikim who could not come to the Land of Israel — such as the Baal Shem Tov and several others like him — as is known. And through this the altar is completed — and through the completion of the altar the intellect is completed.

There — in the above discourse — at its end: also before he said this Torah he had related some time earlier a wondrous vision that he saw — at the place he saw it — while awake or in a dream. And he said that the Torah beginning Tes Tikkunin [the nine rectifications] above is an explanation of this wondrous vision that he related. And then this good yearns greatly and draws itself to return to its place — until it pulls and uproots with it even some of the evil of those people — and this is the aspect of converts. And until through this they merit to see the light of the true Tzaddik who reveals the fear and love through engaging to reveal the glory of Israel. And in truth this same aspect also operates for the good itself that was captured — for through remembering its nobility — which is drawn through the Tzaddik's revealing the glory even of this good — then great fear falls upon it — the aspect of: "I am a small creature from the sea and I am going to the mouth of the Leviathan" — meaning: toward destruction and loss, G-d forbid. And likewise great love is stirred in it to draw itself with all its power to return to its place. And this is why immediately after "I am going to the mouth of the Leviathan" — Rav Ashi said: "This sea goat [izei d'yama]" — this being the fear that was revealed through the glory. And "this is d'vechishah" — being the aspect of the Tzaddik who constantly searches for the glory within every person of Israel. One can explain: the stirring of this good is drawn from the aspect of the fear that is revealed through the glory that the Tzaddik searches specifically for the glory within every person of Israel — even the least of them. For the Tzaddik does not need to search so much for the great Tzaddikim of Israel — for of them it is said: "Israel — through you I am glorified" [Isaiah 49]. Section 10 — Letter י — The Vision But through their glory alone the revelation of Malchus is not yet sufficient to cause the revelation of fear — for the Tzaddikim of the generation are few — as the Sages said [Sukkah 45b] and also said: "I have seen the people of elevation and they are few." Rather: the essential revelation of fear is through the glory the Tzaddik finds in every person of Israel — even the least — for there one must search for the glory that Hashem receives from them — until through this is also revealed the glory that Hashem wishes to receive even from this good that is captured among them — and through this great fear and great awakening falls upon this good. But nonetheless — through fear alone it perhaps still could not return to its place — so deeply was it captured among them and so fallen was its mind. But "and it has a horn" — this being the aspect of love — for great love was also stirred in it through this — until it draws itself to return to its place. Until converts are produced thereby. And through this very thing the light of the Tzaddik who engages in this to reveal the fear and love is revealed — by engaging to reveal the glory within every person of Israel. There — Letter Gimmel — "For the essential sustenance of the kelippos — namely folly — is only from the aspect of the altar…" [See the holy Zohar, Terumah, p. 139 — on the matter of the copper altar. And see there also on p. 181 and on p. 268b.] To explain the matter somewhat: in my humble opinion it is understood from the matter of eating that it is clear and apparent that everything was created only for man's sake — and the essential purpose and refinement of all parts of creation — inanimate, vegetative, animate, and speaking — is only through the speaking man [ha'adam hamidaber]. For from him Hashem receives glory from all the details of his movements that serve Hashem — and this glory is the root of all the desires of creation. And it follows automatically that even within the category of man the essential glory of Hashem is only from Israel — the aspect of: "Israel — through you I am glorified" — and the Sages said [Yevamos 61]: "You are called adam…" — and all creation was for their sake. Therefore man was permitted to eat from all the parts of creation above — since all of them were created only for his sake — and moreover: this is their essential rectification — for this is why they were created — when a man eats them and receives from them strength for the service of the Creator, and through this Hashem receives gl