סימן כ"ב

Siman Twenty-Two — Chosum B'soch Chosumסימן כב — חותם בתוך חותם The discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum was said on the second day — Thursday — of the Ten Days of Repentance — of the year [5]565.

And through Hashem's mercy and kindness — His kindness prevailed over us — and Hashem arranged afterwards that we did not lose this Torah — for we merited afterwards on the second day that he then revealed to us a high, long, broad, and very deep Torah — and it is the above discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum. And this discourse was said suddenly — for at first he sat and spoke with us as was his custom. And beforehand he commanded one person to bring him oil and a wick to prepare him an olive-oil candle. And then he himself lit the candle — for such was his way at times — that he would suddenly light an olive-oil candle. And the matter was understood that he was thereby sweetening judgments. And then close to the lighting — with the candle burning close to his table — he was speaking with us with great awe. And in the meantime he commanded a Selichah [supplication] booklet to be brought before him — and one was brought. And he opened it and recited some portion of a Selichah of Yom Kippur. And all this was before all of us who stood around him — and he sat on his chair close to his table in his room. And in the meantime he began to speak of Gehinnom and the Garden of Eden — that the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom are in this world — and entered from topic to topic until he completed the entire discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum. And the discourse lasted approximately four hours. And all that passed then is impossible to describe in writing. Fortunate the hour — fortunate the moments — that we merited to stand before him. And afterwards on the Shabbas after Sukkos he said that for this Torah he paid a thousand red coins [adumim] to the gatekeeper on high — at the place where he was — and so on — as is elaborated in its place. And Rosh Hashonoh fell then on Thursday and Friday. And on the Shabbas of Repentance following it — we were uncertain whether we would merit that he would come out of his room to sit with us at the third meal and reveal Torah to us — for it was not his custom to sit with us at the third meal except at known times. And we were standing and waiting near his room. And in the meantime he suddenly opened the door of his room with great urgency — and great fear fell upon all the people who stood near there — and they were very startled and astonished. And he first called for his elder daughter to come to him — and she immediately entered his room. And he began to speak with her about the passing of his small daughter Feigah — and she began again to deny and conceal it. And he said: "I already know the truth — that she has passed away." And she was compelled to tell him explicitly. And he did not enter to us because of this for the third meal. And he observed one hour of mourning at the end of Shabbas. And then he entered our large room and spoke with us as was his custom. And then he asked one of them whether he had cried on Rosh Hashonoh. And said then that the essential quality of crying is when it comes from joy. And he then revealed the wondrous matter: "b'shimcha yagilu kol hayom" — whose initials spell bechiyah [crying] — as is elaborated in Siman 175. And he said then that he had at that time — in Chassidic parlance — a great illumination [hara'ah] to say Torah — but through the above it was disturbed. And he recounted that his above-mentioned small daughter who had passed away came to him with a great complaint. And because of this he was compelled to ask until they informed him as above. And because of this the matter was disturbed — and he did not say the great Torah he had been prepared to say as above.

When he said the matter of the Sages' teaching : "one who blows in a pit…" — see there on the matter of the revelation of the secret of the echo-voice [kol havrah] — he then said himself that there is a difficulty at first glance: for it is elaborated there that one who is not in the aspect of flesh cannot hear the voice itself — but only the echo-voice. And yet the Sages said: "those who stand outside" — and Rabbainu explained that this means those who are not in the aspect of flesh — and yet they said: "if they heard the voice of the shofar they fulfill their obligation." And this is difficult: for Rabbainu himself elaborated above that those who are not in the aspect of flesh cannot hear the holy voice itself — which is the aspect of the voice of the shofar — and they only hear the echo-voice. How then did the Sages say they fulfill their obligation? Rabbainu himself noted this precisely and did not elaborate to resolve the matter explicitly. Only he said in his holy conversation: "this too is not understood." But from his words it is understood that there are things within. And what appears from his words: even one who has not yet merited to be close to the soul and the true Tzaddik in the aspect of flesh — nonetheless if he forces himself greatly and turns his ear well with great force to hear the voice of the soul and the voices of the true Tzaddikim — he also has hope to hear the holy voice itself and not only the echo-voice. And it is exactly like the above legal matter of the voice of the shofar — for those who stand inside certainly heard the shofar voice as elaborated in the Shulchan Aruch. Only those who stand outside — they need careful discernment whether they heard the shofar voice or the echo-voice. So too regarding what Rabbainu explained: those who stand outside who are not in the aspect of flesh — they must carefully discern whether they heard the holy voice or only the echo-voice. But if they force themselves very much and turn their ears well — they too can hear the holy voice itself and not only the echo-voice. But one who merits to be in the aspect of flesh — he needs no discernment at all — for he will certainly hear the shofar voice which is the holy voice itself. And so it appears in my humble opinion. [All the above regarding this discourse is copied from Chayyay Moharan.] When he said then that all voices are the aspect of impudence [azus] — he said then that even the sound of clinking coins of charity-giving is also the aspect of holy impudence [azus d'kedushah].

Section 6 — Letter ו — [on Letter Hay of the discourse] And through Hashem's mercy and kindness — His kindness prevailed over us — and Hashem arranged afterwards that we did not lose this Torah — for we merited afterwards on the second day that he then revealed to us a high, long, broad, and very deep Torah — and it is the above discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum. And this discourse was said suddenly — for at first he sat and spoke with us as was his custom. And beforehand he commanded one person to bring him oil and a wick to prepare him an olive-oil candle. And then he himself lit the candle — for such was his way at times — that he would suddenly light an olive-oil candle. And the matter was understood that he was thereby sweetening judgments. And then close to the lighting — with the candle burning close to his table — he was speaking with us with great awe. And in the meantime he commanded a Selichah [supplication] booklet to be brought before him — and one was brought. And he opened it and recited some portion of a Selichah of Yom Kippur. And all this was before all of us who stood around him — and he sat on his chair close to his table in his room. And in the meantime he began to speak of Gehinnom and the Garden of Eden — that the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom are in this world — and entered from topic to topic until he completed the entire discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum. And the discourse lasted approximately four hours. And all that passed then is impossible to describe in writing. Fortunate the hour — fortunate the moments — that we merited to stand before him. And afterwards on the Shabbas after Sukkos he said that for this Torah he paid a thousand red coins [adumim] to the gatekeeper on high — at the place where he was — and so on — as is elaborated in its place.

And likewise it is brought in the kavvanos: "Hashem will answer you on the day of distress" — its initials equal Yud-Beis-Kuf [Yabak] in numerical value. And likewise "He will answer us on the day of our calling" — its initials spell Yabak. It follows that these support each other. Or: one can explain literally — as it means: that: "Hashem will answer you on the day of distress" is in the manner of the verse: "from the straits I called to Yah — He answered me in wide expanse" — which alludes to the blowing of the shofar as is brought in the kavvanos. And it is also brought in his words in the discourse Pasach Rabbi Shimon, Siman 60. And see Zohar Beshalach p. 60 on the matter of "from the straits" above — regarding the shofar blast. And see Zohar Vayakhel, p. 196, on the matter of: "when you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you — and you sound the alarm" — also regarding the shofar blast. When he said then that all voices are the aspect of impudence [azus] — he said then that even the sound of clinking coins of charity-giving is also the aspect of holy impudence [azus d'kedushah].

Section 9 — Letter ט — [on Letter Zayin of the discourse] When he said the matter of the Sages' teaching [Rosh Hashonoh 27b]: "one who blows in a pit…" — see there on the matter of the revelation of the secret of the echo-voice [kol havrah] — he then said himself that there is a difficulty at first glance: for it is elaborated there that one who is not in the aspect of flesh cannot hear the voice itself — but only the echo-voice.

Now Rabbainu revealed to us through this: from where comes this aspect — that even at the time of the cry one cries only about one's material deficiencies and not about the true goal — the reason comes because the soul has become so distanced from the body — and the body has so overwhelmed in impudence — that it is not in the aspect of flesh relative to the soul — which is the aspect of the essential. Therefore: even when some holy voice is stirred — which is the voice of the cry itself — for all holy voices come only from the side of the soul's illumination as above — but because the echo-voice is stirred against it — which is the voice of the destroyers [mechablin] created through one's sins — and they cry as well: "give us life, give us food" — and when the holy voice is not powerfully awakened — they rest. But when the holy voice is stirred — which is the above-mentioned voices of the cry — through which one merits to break the body's impudence — and when one merits to fully break the body's impudence — then automatically all these above destroyers will be finished and lost through one's complete repentance — therefore they are stirred then to accuse and cry against him with their voices: "give us life, give us food." And through this they confuse his mind — until even he himself does not merit to hear his own holy voice — only the echo-voice — meaning: he too does not cry about the true goal of breaking the body's impudence and receiving the soul's illumination in perfection — but he too cries only about his material deficiencies and bodily needs. And then his own voices are themselves in the aspect of the body's impudence — the aspect of "they howl like dogs" above — which is the aspect of not hearing the holy voice but only the echo-voice which are the voices of the destroyers above. Therefore he is not stirred to repentance through his crying — but only cries to fill the body's deficiencies. And it follows automatically from the above that through such voices it is difficult to be saved from the troubles and receive salvation — for the essential salvation that comes through crying is because through the cry itself the body's impudence is broken — and then there is no more need for the troubles and one is saved. But through the above voices — which are themselves in the aspect of the body's impudence — how will one be saved from the troubles that came only to break the body's impudence? And this is what the prophet Jeremiah cries about: "if our sins have answered against us" — meaning: the sins are crying within us — which is the aspect of the echo-voice above. And through such cries it is certainly difficult to receive salvation as above. Nonetheless: "Hashem — act for Your Name's sake — and have mercy on us — for Your sake alone." There — at the end of Letter Hay — "this day is the aspect of the shofar voice — for its mitzvah is by day — in the aspect of 'Hashem will answer you on the day of distress'" — At first glance this is entirely not understood. And it is possible that it means: for in this Psalm there are seventy words — corresponding to the seventy voices of a woman in labor — which are the aspect of the totality of the holy voices. And as is understood in Siman 21 and in Siman 36. And therefore here too — where he elaborates that breaking the impudence of the Sitra Achra is only through the holy voices — this too is included in: "Hashem will answer you on the day of distress" through the above voices. Or: one can say that he relied on the end of this Psalm which concludes: "He will answer us on the day of our calling" — that we are answered through our calling out with the holy voices.

And yet the Sages said: "those who stand outside" — and Rabbainu explained that this means those who are not in the aspect of flesh — and yet they said: "if they heard the voice of the shofar they fulfill their obligation." And this is difficult: for Rabbainu himself elaborated above that those who are not in the aspect of flesh cannot hear the holy voice itself — which is the aspect of the voice of the shofar — and they only hear the echo-voice. How then did the Sages say they fulfill their obligation? Rabbainu himself noted this precisely and did not elaborate to resolve the matter explicitly. Only he said in his holy conversation: "this too is not understood." But from his words it is understood that there are things within. And what appears from his words: even one who has not yet merited to be close to the soul and the true Tzaddik in the aspect of flesh — nonetheless if he forces himself greatly and turns his ear well with great force to hear the voice of the soul and the voices of the true Tzaddikim — he also has hope to hear the holy voice itself and not only the echo-voice. And it is exactly like the above legal matter of the voice of the shofar — for those who stand inside certainly heard the shofar voice as elaborated in the Shulchan Aruch. Only those who stand outside — they need careful discernment whether they heard the shofar voice or the echo-voice. So too regarding what Rabbainu explained: those who stand outside who are not in the aspect of flesh — they must carefully discern whether they heard the holy voice or only the echo-voice. But if they force themselves very much and turn their ears well — they too can hear the holy voice itself and not only the echo-voice. But one who merits to be in the aspect of flesh — he needs no discernment at all — for he will certainly hear the shofar voice which is the holy voice itself. And so it appears in my humble opinion. [All the above regarding this discourse is copied from Chayyay Moharan.] And see further in the above Chayyay Moharan — on the matters and events of that Shabbas after Sukkos — which was the celebration of the betrothal [farshpil] of his above-mentioned daughter Miriam. And it is elaborated there that he recounted that on that Rosh Hashonoh he was given expenses of a thousand red coins after all needs [meaning: he was given from on high this abundance in addition to his own annual needs] — and he was at the place he was — and it was a place where very high Torah was said — and he went there — and a gatekeeper stood there — and he gave him the thousand red coins — meaning: this abundance.

Section 12 — Letter יב — [on Letter Zayin continued] And he entered there and heard what he heard.

And according to this one can explain this too literally and briefly: for when the holy voice is stirred — then immediately the echo-voice is stirred against it — namely: the voice of the sins that cry against him and accuse him. And then if one is not in the aspect of flesh relative to the soul — it is difficult for him to hear the holy voice — whether of himself or of the Sage — which is the aspect of the shofar voice — the aspect of the holy impudence which is the aspect of joy. [This itself is also the aspect of the crying whose essential quality is from joy as above.] Through which the body's impudence — the impudence of the Sitra Achra — is broken. But if one does not merit — one only hears the echo-voice — namely: the voice of the sins that accuse him and cry against him — meaning: all his sins and thoughts arise in his mind and confuse his prayer and cry — and his mind weakens even further. And then the impudence of the Sitra Achra increases upon him further. And then one must pray that Hashem have mercy on us for His Name's sake alone — which is the aspect of "if our sins have answered against us — Hashem — act for Your Name's sake" — as above. And the discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum above is from that Torah of that place — only it is a little and a portion of what he heard there. See there. There — at the end of Letter Hay — "this day is the aspect of the shofar voice — for its mitzvah is by day — in the aspect of 'Hashem will answer you on the day of distress'" — At first glance this is entirely not understood. And it is possible that it means: for in this Psalm there are seventy words — corresponding to the seventy voices of a woman in labor — which are the aspect of the totality of the holy voices. And as is understood in Siman 21 and in Siman 36. And therefore here too — where he elaborates that breaking the impudence of the Sitra Achra is only through the holy voices — this too is included in: "Hashem will answer you on the day of distress" through the above voices. Or: one can say that he relied on the end of this Psalm which concludes: "He will answer us on the day of our calling" — that we are answered through our calling out with the holy voices.

There — Letter Khes — "and when the flesh is in this aspect — then: 'and to Jerusalem a herald'" — One can say: when one merits the aspect of flesh — this is like the aspect of heralding the building of Jerusalem — "faithful city" . For initially he was very far from this aspect — since he was so far from the holiness of his soul and the holiness of the true Tzaddik — that he could not hear the holy voice at all. If so: how will he merit to break the body's impudence — the Sitra Achra's impudence — and draw close to the holy shepherds and complete the faith? But now that he has merited the aspect of flesh — he will certainly merit to hear the holy voice — and through this will merit to the perfection of faith — the aspect of the building of Jerusalem. It follows that the aspect of flesh is the aspect of heralding Jerusalem as above. And likewise it is brought in the kavvanos: "Hashem will answer you on the day of distress" — its initials equal Yud-Beis-Kuf [Yabak] in numerical value.

Section 16 — Letter טז — [on Letter Yud of the discourse] And likewise "He will answer us on the day of our calling" — its initials spell Yabak. It follows that these support each other. Or: one can explain literally — as it means: that: "Hashem will answer you on the day of distress" is in the manner of the verse: "from the straits I called to Yah — He answered me in wide expanse" [Psalms 118] — which alludes to the blowing of the shofar as is brought in the kavvanos. And it is also brought in his words in the discourse Pasach Rabbi Shimon, Siman 60. And see Zohar Beshalach p. 60 on the matter of "from the straits" above — regarding the shofar blast. And see Zohar Vayakhel, p. 196, on the matter of: "when you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you — and you sound the alarm" [Numbers 10] — also regarding the shofar blast.

Section 17 — Letter יז — [on the same matter] But even so one needs to understand: if so — since the body is so impudent that its impudence is not broken through the voices — but on the contrary the voices themselves are only about bodily needs — then if Hashem has mercy on us for His Name's sake and saves us even materially and removes all the afflictions — then certainly the body will be even more empowered in its impudence. And if so — is this truly mercy — that Hashem has mercy for His Name's sake and leaves one forever in the body's impudence, G-d forbid? Therefore one must necessarily say that Jeremiah himself prayed about this very matter — that Hashem do for His Name's sake in this very thing — and put in our hearts that we merit to turn our ears well to the holy voice itself and not to the echo-voice. And even though we are not in the aspect of flesh — nonetheless we merit to hear the holy voice itself — from the side of the soul's illumination — and through this the body's impudence will be broken and then automatically we are saved from all the troubles and merit complete salvation also materially as above.

Section 18 — Letter יח — [end of Letter Yud-Alef] But even so — to elaborate somewhat on why he specifically designates the matter of shofar blasting with the word hayom hazeh [this day] — because its mitzvah is by day: one can say it means: in the manner of the Sages' teaching [Rosh Hashonoh 28]: "nighttime is not the time of shofar." And for our matter one can allude through this: for as long as a person is completely immersed in darkness, G-d forbid — then he does not feel his soul's distress at all. And he is like a dumb stone, G-d forbid — and does not sigh or cry out over his soul's distress at all.

There: "through damaging impudence one can come to the corruption of faith" — see Sotah 32b — on the matter of the she-goat sin-offering [se'iras chatas] of idolatry: "there the sinner must be shamed and go — so that he be forgiven through it" — meaning: since one has certainly damaged impudence — therefore its rectification is through the shame that one is shamed. As the early authorities explained on the verse: "and the King of Egypt died — and the children of Israel sighed from the labor" [Exodus 2] — for they began to feel the distress of their souls — which they had not before, when they were sunk in such lowliness and bitterness that they did not sigh or cry out at all.

There — at the very end of the discourse — on the matter of: "every Tzaddik is scorched by his companion's canopy — woe to that shame" — we have already examined this above in Siman 6 in the discourse Kra Es Yehoshua: is it fitting to say that this is the reward of the World to Come — that each Tzaddik be shamed before his companion? See there what we elaborated. And according to this discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum it will also be understood — for it is elaborated in Letter Yud-Alef that to ascend from level to level one needs a descent before the ascent. And the plain explanation: since also the first level was a good level and it is good for one even at that level — therefore one must have a descent — and through this one strengthens even more to ascend from one's descent — until one ascends to a level higher than one's first. Therefore: in the future when no descent whatsoever is applicable from one's level — since free will is nullified — therefore every Tzaddik will be scorched by his companion's canopy — woe to that shame. And through this he strengthens to ascend even more. For in the future everything will be entirely repentance — as in Letter Yud-Alef itself. And repentance means that one merits each time to greater attainment — as is elaborated in the above Siman 6. And how will one merit to ascend to greater attainment without a prior descent? But through the above shame one strengthens to ascend to greater attainment as above. There: "and likewise regarding the Sage — if one is not in the aspect of flesh relative to the Sage — one only hears the echo-voice" — meaning: the voice of the sins. And one does not repent through the Sage's rebuke — but on the contrary: one falls even more in mind and the sins and body's impudence increase even more against one, G-d forbid.

Section 22 — Letter כב — [on Letter Yud-Beis] It follows that the aspect of the shofar voice — which is the aspect of: "from the sound of my sighing" — is already some sprouting of the horn of salvation — since one already feels one's soul's distress and cries out to Hashem who answers in the time of distress. And this is the aspect of why the blowing of the shofar is commanded by day specifically — meaning: when some illumination from the soul and Da'as is drawn upon one — to feel one's distress — how the body's impudence and the foreskin of the flesh have overwhelmed everything — to the point where the soul cannot draw close to the body. Then one sighs and cries out over this. And in truth — the sigh and cry itself is also already from the side of the soul's illumination — which has mercy on the body as well and wishes to shine within it. Therefore it is in the aspect of the light of day — the aspect of shofar blasting whose mitzvah is by day. Only: this illumination is the light of day at its beginning. And through the sigh and cry itself one merits to break the body's impudence and circumcise the flesh's foreskin — and then one can receive the essential light — which is the soul's illumination in perfection. There — Letter Zayin — on the matter of the echo-voice [kol havrah] — "if our sins have answered against us" — To elaborate on the matter somewhat: in my humble opinion — for all the afflictions and troubles that Hashem, G-d forbid, sends upon a person — in particular or in general — all of this is only to break through it the body's impudence — and to awaken him to repentance — so that the soul can draw close to him and illuminate him — which is the perfection of his goal. Therefore when troubles come upon a person — there is no counsel — only to cry out to Hashem — as it is written: "and they cried out" — for through the holy voices of the cry itself — the body's impudence is automatically broken — and then one is automatically saved from all the troubles.

Section 23 — Letter כג — [on the matter of one sixtieth] Section 14 — Letter יד — [on Letter Khes of the discourse]

Regarding what is elaborated there in Letters Daled and Hay: that all voices are the aspect of impudence — and through them the body's impudence — the Sitra Achra's impudence — is broken — and one merits to draw close to the holy shepherds. And afterwards in Letter Tes it is elaborated that to come to the holy impudence itself is through joy — namely through na'aseh v'nishmah. The matter is — in my humble opinion: for all the holy voices are the aspect of holy impudence — meaning: they come from this aspect — as it is written: "see — He gives forth His voice, a voice of strength" . And therefore through them the Sitra Achra's impudence is broken. But to come to this quality of holy impudence itself in perfection — is through joy — in the aspect of: "for the joy of Hashem is your strength [ma'uzchem]" . And joy comes from the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah — which is the aspect of Torah and prayer — revealed and hidden. And the essential perfection of joy comes from the aspect of nishma — which is the aspect of prayer — the aspect of fear — meaning: the essential perfection of joy which is the aspect of holy impudence is attained through a person not wishing to remain on one level in the service of Hashem. For the level one has already attained and at which one now stands — this is the aspect of na'aseh — the aspect of Torah relative to oneself. Rather: one constantly longs to attain what is hidden from one — and to ascend each time to a higher level — which is the aspect of nishma — the hidden — the aspect of prayer — fear — shame. For one has not yet attained this level — and it is in the aspect of the Infinite relative to one's level. But even so one longs and yearns with all one's heart to come to this high level — and prays for this — and cleaves to it with great cleaving and complete self-nullification — with fear and great shame — for one is deeply shamed before this high and hidden level — and yearns and longs greatly to come to it — and through this very fear and great shame — specifically through this one merits joy — the aspect of: "rejoice with trembling" . This being the joy of the two crowns of na'aseh v'nishmah — the aspect of: "and eternal joy upon their heads" . For na'aseh v'nishmah is this aspect: that we now do what we can do and fulfill according to our level at which we now stand [only: if we say in our mind that we have already attained perfection at this level — this is the essential deficiency of perfection. For the essential perfection is in the Infinite — therefore: even one who merits true perfection beyond which there is no greater perfection in all created beings — he still has reason to be shamed before the Holy One Himself — for He too fulfills the Torah and prays — as is elaborated at the end of the discourse] — and nishmah: that we constantly long and yearn with great cleaving and with all our heart — for shmi'ah [hearing] is in the heart — as is elaborated in Letter Tes — to hear and attain the aspect of the level higher than ours and hidden from us. And so on each time without end literally. And this aspect of nishma is the essential perfection of the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah for each one according to his level — for this aspect is without end as above. Therefore from there comes the essential joy. And through this joy one merits holy impudence according to each one's level of na'aseh v'nishmah. And one who is still at a small level — who has not yet fully broken the body's impudence — merits through the above to cry holy voices and to sigh greatly over the lowliness of his level. And these voices are also the aspect of holy impudence — and through them the Sitra Achra's impudence is broken. And likewise through strengthening oneself to cry holy voices — and likewise through the voice of the true Sage — through this the illumination from the aspect of holy impudence is drawn upon one — attained through the joy of the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah. And through this the Sitra Achra's impudence is broken — and one merits to draw close to holiness and to the building of Jerusalem — the faithful city. But according to this — the cry must be essentially only about this — that the body's impudence has overwhelmed everything to the point where the soul cannot draw close to it and one has become very distanced from Hashem thereby — and this caused all the material troubles — in order to break at any rate the body's impudence through afflictions. It follows automatically that one must cry only about this. But if one is not stirred to repentance through the afflictions — to strive henceforth to break the body's impudence and have all one's cries be about this — rather: even at the time of the afflictions one cries only to be saved from the afflictions themselves and to have ample livelihood and all good — the Sages said on this in the Tikkunim [Tikkun 6]: "they howl like dogs: 'give us life, give us food'" — "like dogs" specifically — the aspect of: "and the dogs are bold of spirit." For the deficiency of livelihood and other similar afflictions come only to break the body's impudence — and here — not being stirred thereby to cry about breaking the body's impudence — but crying in the simple sense about one's deficiencies — it follows that these cries themselves are also only from the body's impudence — the aspect of: "they howl like dogs." Now Rabbainu revealed to us through this: from where comes this aspect — that even at the time of the cry one cries only about one's material deficiencies and not about the true goal — the reason comes because the soul has become so distanced from the body — and the body has so overwhelmed in impudence — that it is not in the aspect of flesh relative to the soul — which is the aspect of the essential. Therefore: even when some holy voice is stirred — which is the voice of the cry itself — for all holy voices come only from the side of the soul's illumination as above — but because the echo-voice is stirred against it — which is the voice of the destroyers [mechablin] created through one's sins — and they cry as well: "give us life, give us food" — and when the holy voice is not powerfully awakened — they rest.

Regarding what is elaborated in this discourse — that one must ascend each time from level to level — and convert the nishma which is the aspect of prayer into na'aseh which is the aspect of Torah — and in Likutay Tinyana it is elaborated that one must convert Torah into prayer — meaning: when one learns in a book any matter of the service of Hashem — or hears any way in the service of Hashem from a true Tzaddik — one should convert it into prayer and pray to Hashem that one merit also to all of this. See in this in Likutay Halachos: Orach Chayyim, Laws of Rosh Chodesh, Halacha 5; Yoreh De'ah, Laws of Torah Scrolls, Halacha 2; Choshen Mishpat, Laws of Gifts, Halacha 5 — where it is elaborated that in truth the two matters are all one. For when one converts Torah into prayer — meaning: one prays to fulfill what is said in it in the perfection of deed and perfection of intention — it follows that then at the time of prayer one longs and yearns to attain this Torah level. And presumably this Torah level is higher than one's level — and it is hidden from one in the aspect of nishma — since one has not yet merited to it — but only longs and prays to merit to come to this level. It follows that then — when one prays about this and longs for it — this Torah level is still only in the aspect of the hidden — the aspect of prayer — the aspect of nishma. And afterwards when one prays greatly about this and strives until one merits to come and attain this level — then it is already with one in the aspect of the revealed — the aspect of na'aseh — the aspect of Torah. It follows that this aspect that was at first hidden with one — the aspect of prayer — the aspect of nishma — has now become revealed — the aspect of Torah. It follows that what is elaborated here — to convert the aspect of prayer into Torah — and what is elaborated there — to convert Torah into prayer — all goes to one place. And see further in Likutay Halachos in the above Laws of Gifts and in the Laws of Ma'akeh [guard-rail] and in several other laws founded on this above discourse — see there and you will see great wonders of our holy Torah and wondrous paths in the fear of Hashem all the day. And see Proverbs 14: "life of flesh is a healed heart" — and its interpretation is from the language of flesh [basar]. And the Sages in Midrash Vayera, ch. 57, expounded it from the language of good news [besorah]. And see Midrash Naso, ch. 14: "and much study is weariness of the flesh" — "if you have labored greatly in their holy words — the Holy One gives you a heart of flesh [lev basar] and good tidings from your flesh [mibesarcha besorot tovos]" — most precisely relevant to our matter.

Siman Twenty-Three — Tzavvis Tzedekסימן כג — צוית צדק But when the holy voice is stirred — which is the above-mentioned voices of the cry — through which one merits to break the body's impudence — and when one merits to fully break the body's impudence — then automatically all these above destroyers will be finished and lost through one's complete repentance — therefore they are stirred then to accuse and cry against him with their voices: "give us life, give us food." And through this they confuse his mind — until even he himself does not merit to hear his own holy voice — only the echo-voice — meaning: he too does not cry about the true goal of breaking the body's impudence and receiving the soul's illumination in perfection — but he too cries only about his material deficiencies and bodily needs. And then his own voices are themselves in the aspect of the body's impudence — the aspect of "they howl like dogs" above — which is the aspect of not hearing the holy voice but only the echo-voice which are the voices of the destroyers above. Therefore he is not stirred to repentance through his crying — but only cries to fill the body's deficiencies. And it follows automatically from the above that through such voices it is difficult to be saved from the troubles and receive salvation — for the essential salvation that comes through crying is because through the cry itself the body's impudence is broken — and then there is no more need for the troubles and one is saved. But through the above voices — which are themselves in the aspect of the body's impudence — how will one be saved from the troubles that came only to break the body's impudence? And this is what the prophet Jeremiah cries about: "if our sins have answered against us" [Jeremiah 14] — meaning: the sins are crying within us — which is the aspect of the echo-voice above. And through such cries it is certainly difficult to receive salvation as above. Nonetheless: "Hashem — act for Your Name's sake — and have mercy on us — for Your sake alone." But even so one needs to understand: if so — since the body is so impudent that its impudence is not broken through the voices — but on the contrary the voices themselves are only about bodily needs — then if Hashem has mercy on us for His Name's sake and saves us even materially and removes all the afflictions — then certainly the body will be even more empowered in its impudence. And if so — is this truly mercy — that Hashem has mercy for His Name's sake and leaves one forever in the body's impudence, G-d forbid? Therefore one must necessarily say that Jeremiah himself prayed about this very matter — that Hashem do for His Name's sake in this very thing — and put in our hearts that we merit to turn our ears well to the holy voice itself and not to the echo-voice. And even though we are not in the aspect of flesh — nonetheless we merit to hear the holy voice itself — from the side of the soul's illumination — and through this the body's impudence will be broken and then automatically we are saved from all the troubles and merit complete salvation also materially as above.

Section 2 — Letter ב — [on Letter Gimmel of the discourse] The matter of the Torah of Hashem and the Prayer of Hashem — elaborated in Letter Yud — including: "this is the aspect of Bereishis bara" — as elaborated there — even though these words are very high and exalted and entirely beyond us — nonetheless it appears in my humble opinion to bring them somewhat closer to the intellect. For with the Torah Hashem created the world — and Hashem guides His world according to the Torah — as is understood in Letter Alef as well: that the verdict must be a Torah verdict. And this aspect of governance is according to the Torah of Hashem. And Hashem is great in kindness and inclines toward kindness — and whatever He can vindicate Israel according to the Torah of Hashem — He certainly vindicates them. Nevertheless He reveals the verdict to the aspect of the teachings of Hashem [limuday Hashem] — in order that they go and rebuke Israel and bring them back to the good — in order to sweeten the verdict. But there is also the aspect of the Prayer of Hashem — which is the aspect of before creation — meaning: sometimes Hashem, as it were, prays — meaning: draws and stirs such compassion that is, as it were, beyond the aspect of the Torah of Hashem through which creation is governed. For even though it is elaborated in the discourse that even the Torah of Hashem itself is truly beyond the starting-point of creation — meaning: no created being has any attainment of it — since it is literally the Torah of Hashem — nonetheless: Hashem guides creation according to the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. But because of His abundant mercy and kindness — He also prays and draws upon Israel such compassion that is beyond this aspect. And one who merits to be included in the Infinite — truly beyond the starting-point of all creation — so that his Torah is literally the Torah of Hashem and his prayer is literally the Prayer of Hashem — he can then also stir and draw the above-mentioned compassion that is, as it were, beyond the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. But since it is impossible for him to be in this aspect of total inclusion in the Infinite — in complete self-nullification and continuously — lest he be entirely nullified from existence — only this aspect of inclusion must be in the aspect of ratzo v'shuv [as is also elaborated in Siman 4: Ma'amar Anochi] — and also because it is perceptible that he is still among created beings — therefore: when he merits to draw and stir compassion upon Israel through his prayer which is the aspect of the Prayer of Hashem — this compassion also becomes the aspect of the governance of the Torah of Hashem — since one of the created beings merited to draw and stir such compassion. And perhaps also those compassions that Hashem Himself stirs and draws through His prayer as it were — since such compassion has already been drawn into the governance of creation — perhaps they too are then included in the aspect of the governance of the Torah of Hashem. And then Hashem prays and stirs even greater compassion further. And so on each time without end — for His mercy is very great — boundlessly great. And likewise those Tzaddikim who merit to the Torah of Hashem and Prayer of Hashem literally — the compassion they draw and stir through their prayer which is literally the Prayer of Hashem — then becomes the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. And they ascend even further from level to level in the aspect of the total inclusion in the Infinite Himself — for each time they draw through their prayer — literally the Prayer of Hashem — very great, high, and vast compassion. And from this compassion too becomes then the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. And they pray further and draw further even greater compassion. And so on without end literally, as it were. And through this is resolved what at first glance seems incomprehensible about those Tzaddikim who merited to be included in the Infinite truly — to the point that their Torah is literally the Torah of Hashem and their prayer literally the Prayer of Hashem — what do they do afterwards? For certainly even after this they must go from level to level in the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah from this to what is higher. And how is this applicable — since they have already attained the ultimate level of the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah that is above all — which is the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah of Hashem Himself — which is the aspect of the Torah of Hashem and the Prayer of Hashem? But according to the above this is somewhat understood. And I was afraid to elaborate further on such exalted matters — and if I have erred, G-d forbid — He is merciful and will forgive.

And they were precise in this — that they gave her what she had not asked for — see there what they elaborated on this. And according to Rabbainu's approach it can also be explained in this manner: she asked for a true sign — therefore she said: "give me a sign of truth" — which is the aspect of the light of the face — the aspect of life as above. And they answered her: it is not yet possible to shine for her the light of truth itself — only let her bind herself in the aspect of faith. And faith is called thus when truth is combined with it — "emunah is called thus when truth combines with it." Therefore: when you bind yourself in the holy faith — you will automatically be cleaved and bound to the light of the face of holiness — which is the aspect of truth. For there is no faith without truth — as is also elaborated in Letter Alef. And through this the above precise point in Letter Gimmel in the name of Rabbainu is more deeply understood — for even those who stand outside can hear the shofar voice through this — that they cry about this very matter — "if our sins have answered against us — Hashem — act for Your Name's sake" — as above. [And one can add: this is what the Sages expounded — brought in Rashi there: "act for Your Name's sake" — meaning: Your Name that is shared with our names. For it is known that a person's name indicates their vitality and soul — the aspect of: "a living soul — this is his name" [Genesis 2]. Now the soul is afraid to draw close to the body when it is so strong in its desires — for it may be caught in the body's impudence and strength — as is elaborated in Letter Hay. But Hashem, as it were, is not afraid of this — as the Sages expounded [Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 2:1] on the verse: "and I will pass through the land of Egypt — I and not an angel". And if so: "act for Your Name's sake that is shared with our names" — meaning: our souls. Draw upon us illumination from Your holy and awesome Name — and this illumination can shine even in the body that is so very strong in impudence — until its impudence is broken and it receives the soul's light.] And through this the above precise point in this matter in Letter Gimmel in the name of Rabbainu is understood in even fuller elaboration — for even those who stand outside can hear the shofar voice through this. There: "and likewise regarding the Sage — if one is not in the aspect of flesh relative to the Sage — one only hears the echo-voice" — meaning: the voice of the sins. And one does not repent through the Sage's rebuke — but on the contrary: one falls even more in mind and the sins and body's impudence increase even more against one, G-d forbid. And according to this one can explain this too literally and briefly: for when the holy voice is stirred — then immediately the echo-voice is stirred against it — namely: the voice of the sins that cry against him and accuse him. And then if one is not in the aspect of flesh relative to the soul — it is difficult for him to hear the holy voice — whether of himself or of the Sage — which is the aspect of the shofar voice — the aspect of the holy impudence which is the aspect of joy. [This itself is also the aspect of the crying whose essential quality is from joy as above.] Through which the body's impudence — the impudence of the Sitra Achra — is broken.

Section 4 — Letter ד — [on Letter Hay of the discourse] And see in Sha'ar HaHakdamos, p. 75 — where it is written: "the Malchus of Atzilus becomes the aspect of Ein Sof relative to Beriyah" — and it is also known that every world contains the aspects of Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriyah, and Atzilus. And see Zohar Noach, p. 65: "all those lights — they are all called Ein Sof" — see there further and in many places there.

Section 5 — Letter ה — [on the discourse continued] But if one does not merit — one only hears the echo-voice — namely: the voice of the sins that accuse him and cry against him — meaning: all his sins and thoughts arise in his mind and confuse his prayer and cry — and his mind weakens even further. And then the impudence of the Sitra Achra increases upon him further. And then one must pray that Hashem have mercy on us for His Name's sake alone — which is the aspect of "if our sins have answered against us — Hashem — act for Your Name's sake" — as above.

And see Zohar Yisro, p. 87: "how many faces are there — radiant faces — non-radiant faces… fortunate are Israel who are grasped by the supernal faces of the King… and the nations are grasped by those far faces — those lower faces… and on account of Avraham — when Yishmael was circumcised — he merited that his dwelling and portion was placed in the place that rules over all those far and lower faces… as it is written: 'over the face of all his brothers shall he dwell'" . "Rabbi Yehudah said: the Holy One therefore proclaimed and said: 'you shall have no other gods before My face'" . There — at the end of Letter Yud-Alef — the punishments for all matters Avraham our patriarch exchanged for the subjugation of the kingdoms — but the punishment for impudence remained in Gehinnom. One can say: since the subjugation of the kingdoms itself is also only through the impudence of rulership without a crown [malchusa b'lo taga] — therefore it is impossible for the punishment of the impudent to come through the subjugation of the kingdoms — but only through Gehinnom — the aspect of: "the impudent person — to Gehinnom."

There — at the end of the above discourse — "and as it is written: 'and dust shall be the serpent's food all the days of your life'" — See Ra'aya Mehaimna, Pinchas: "those who hate gain — like a person content with his portion — and not like the mixed multitude [Erev Rav] — children of the evil maidservant — who are like the serpent for whom all the earth is before him — as it is written: 'and the serpent's bread is dust' — and he would like to be satiated from his dust which is lacking for him — and so too those who covet money who are never satiated from all the money in the world." This is somewhat aligned to our matter. There — Letter Khes — "and when the flesh is in this aspect — then: 'and to Jerusalem a herald'" [Isaiah 41] — One can say: when one merits the aspect of flesh — this is like the aspect of heralding the building of Jerusalem — "faithful city" [Isaiah 1]. For initially he was very far from this aspect — since he was so far from the holiness of his soul and the holiness of the true Tzaddik — that he could not hear the holy voice at all. If so: how will he merit to break the body's impudence — the Sitra Achra's impudence — and draw close to the holy shepherds and complete the faith? But now that he has merited the aspect of flesh — he will certainly merit to hear the holy voice — and through this will merit to the perfection of faith — the aspect of the building of Jerusalem. It follows that the aspect of flesh is the aspect of heralding Jerusalem as above. And see Proverbs 14: "life of flesh is a healed heart" — and its interpretation is from the language of flesh [basar]. And the Sages in Midrash Vayera, ch. 57, expounded it from the language of good news [besorah]. And see Midrash Naso, ch. 14: "and much study is weariness of the flesh" — "if you have labored greatly in their holy words — the Holy One gives you a heart of flesh [lev basar] and good tidings from your flesh [mibesarcha besorot tovos]" — most precisely relevant to our matter. Section 20 — Letter כ — [at the very end of the discourse] The matter of the Torah of Hashem and the Prayer of Hashem — elaborated in Letter Yud — including: "this is the aspect of Bereishis bara" — as elaborated there — even though these words are very high and exalted and entirely beyond us — nonetheless it appears in my humble opinion to bring them somewhat closer to the intellect. For with the Torah Hashem created the world — and Hashem guides His world according to the Torah — as is understood in Letter Alef as well: that the verdict must be a Torah verdict. And this aspect of governance is according to the Torah of Hashem. And Hashem is great in kindness and inclines toward kindness — and whatever He can vindicate Israel according to the Torah of Hashem — He certainly vindicates them. Nevertheless He reveals the verdict to the aspect of the teachings of Hashem [limuday Hashem] — in order that they go and rebuke Israel and bring them back to the good — in order to sweeten the verdict. One can also explain literally and simply: for it has already been elaborated above that the aspect of nishma — the aspect of the hidden — the aspect of the Torah of Hashem — is the aspect of Bereishis — the complete utterance — the aspect of fear — the aspect of shame — the aspect of supernal wisdom — supernal Eden. It follows that on the contrary: the shame and humiliation with which each Tzaddik will be shamed before his companion who is higher in level — this very shame is the aspect of supernal Eden — the aspect of: "and the shame of face — to the Garden of Eden" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And perhaps through this very shame — by which he is shamed before the higher level — he merits joy and holy impudence — until he strengthens to ascend also to that level as above. And see in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Priestly Blessing [Nesi'as Kapayim], Halacha 4. But there is also the aspect of the Prayer of Hashem — which is the aspect of before creation — meaning: sometimes Hashem, as it were, prays — meaning: draws and stirs such compassion that is, as it were, beyond the aspect of the Torah of Hashem through which creation is governed. For even though it is elaborated in the discourse that even the Torah of Hashem itself is truly beyond the starting-point of creation — meaning: no created being has any attainment of it — since it is literally the Torah of Hashem — nonetheless: Hashem guides creation according to the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. But because of His abundant mercy and kindness — He also prays and draws upon Israel such compassion that is beyond this aspect. And one who merits to be included in the Infinite — truly beyond the starting-point of all creation — so that his Torah is literally the Torah of Hashem and his prayer is literally the Prayer of Hashem — he can then also stir and draw the above-mentioned compassion that is, as it were, beyond the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. But since it is impossible for him to be in this aspect of total inclusion in the Infinite — in complete self-nullification and continuously — lest he be entirely nullified from existence — only this aspect of inclusion must be in the aspect of ratzo v'shuv [as is also elaborated in Siman 4: Ma'amar Anochi] — and also because it is perceptible that he is still among created beings — therefore: when he merits to draw and stir compassion upon Israel through his prayer which is the aspect of the Prayer of Hashem — this compassion also becomes the aspect of the governance of the Torah of Hashem — since one of the created beings merited to draw and stir such compassion. And perhaps also those compassions that Hashem Himself stirs and draws through His prayer as it were — since such compassion has already been drawn into the governance of creation — perhaps they too are then included in the aspect of the governance of the Torah of Hashem. And then Hashem prays and stirs even greater compassion further. And so on each time without end — for His mercy is very great — boundlessly great. And likewise those Tzaddikim who merit to the Torah of Hashem and Prayer of Hashem literally — the compassion they draw and stir through their prayer which is literally the Prayer of Hashem — then becomes the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. And they ascend even further from level to level in the aspect of the total inclusion in the Infinite Himself — for each time they draw through their prayer — literally the Prayer of Hashem — very great, high, and vast compassion. And from this compassion too becomes then the aspect of the Torah of Hashem. And they pray further and draw further even greater compassion. And so on without end literally, as it were. And through this is resolved what at first glance seems incomprehensible about those Tzaddikim who merited to be included in the Infinite truly — to the point that their Torah is literally the Torah of Hashem and their prayer literally the Prayer of Hashem — what do they do afterwards? For certainly even after this they must go from level to level in the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah from this to what is higher. And how is this applicable — since they have already attained the ultimate level of the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah that is above all — which is the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah of Hashem Himself — which is the aspect of the Torah of Hashem and the Prayer of Hashem? But according to the above this is somewhat understood. And I was afraid to elaborate further on such exalted matters — and if I have erred, G-d forbid — He is merciful and will forgive. And see in Sha'ar HaHakdamos, p. 75 — where it is written: "the Malchus of Atzilus becomes the aspect of Ein Sof relative to Beriyah" — and it is also known that every world contains the aspects of Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriyah, and Atzilus. And see Zohar Noach, p. 65: "all those lights — they are all called Ein Sof" — see there further and in many places there. There — at the end of Letter Yud-Alef — the punishments for all matters Avraham our patriarch exchanged for the subjugation of the kingdoms — but the punishment for impudence remained in Gehinnom. One can say: since the subjugation of the kingdoms itself is also only through the impudence of rulership without a crown [malchusa b'lo taga] — therefore it is impossible for the punishment of the impudent to come through the subjugation of the kingdoms — but only through Gehinnom — the aspect of: "the impudent person — to Gehinnom." There: "through damaging impudence one can come to the corruption of faith" — see Sotah 32b [Sotah 32b] — on the matter of the she-goat sin-offering [se'iras chatas] of idolatry: "there the sinner must be shamed and go — so that he be forgiven through it" — meaning: since one has certainly damaged impudence — therefore its rectification is through the shame that one is shamed. There — at the very end of the discourse — on the matter of: "every Tzaddik is scorched by his companion's canopy — woe to that shame" — we have already examined this above in Siman 6 in the discourse Kra Es Yehoshua: is it fitting to say that this is the reward of the World to Come — that each Tzaddik be shamed before his companion? See there what we elaborated. And according to this discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum it will also be understood — for it is elaborated in Letter Yud-Alef that to ascend from level to level one needs a descent before the ascent. There — on the matter of: "the whole world is one sixtieth of Gehinnom" — see Ta'anis 10: "the whole world is one sixtieth of the Garden — and the Garden is one sixtieth of Eden — and Eden is one sixtieth of Gehinnom." And one must say that this means here too: the whole world — including the Garden and Eden — is one sixtieth of Gehinnom. And this is so: because the one who damaged holy impudence — which flows in its root from the aspect of the Garden and Eden as is elaborated in the discourse — therefore his punishment is to descend to Gehinnom which is the opposite of it — and which is sixty times its measure. [And see Brachos p. 57: our fire is one sixtieth of Gehinnom. And impudence comes from the element of fire — as is known.] And the plain explanation: since also the first level was a good level and it is good for one even at that level — therefore one must have a descent — and through this one strengthens even more to ascend from one's descent — until one ascends to a level higher than one's first. Therefore: in the future when no descent whatsoever is applicable from one's level — since free will is nullified — therefore every Tzaddik will be scorched by his companion's canopy — woe to that shame. And through this he strengthens to ascend even more. For in the future everything will be entirely repentance — as in Letter Yud-Alef itself. And repentance means that one merits each time to greater attainment — as is elaborated in the above Siman 6. And how will one merit to ascend to greater attainment without a prior descent? But through the above shame one strengthens to ascend to greater attainment as above. 📋 Translator's Summary — Siman 22 (Chosum B'soch Chosum) One can also explain literally and simply: for it has already been elaborated above that the aspect of nishma — the aspect of the hidden — the aspect of the Torah of Hashem — is the aspect of Bereishis — the complete utterance — the aspect of fear — the aspect of shame — the aspect of supernal wisdom — supernal Eden. There — Letter Alef — "and these people…" — See Brachos 6b: "who walks in darkness with no light…" — what is the reason? Because he should have trusted in Hashem's Name and did not trust. This is relevant to our matter: for when one damages faith and trust in Hashem and pursues money — this is the aspect of darkness of the face [chashuch anpin] — darkened faces. It follows that on the contrary: the shame and humiliation with which each Tzaddik will be shamed before his companion who is higher in level — this very shame is the aspect of supernal Eden — the aspect of: "and the shame of face — to the Garden of Eden" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And perhaps through this very shame — by which he is shamed before the higher level — he merits joy and holy impudence — until he strengthens to ascend also to that level as above. And see in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Priestly Blessing [Nesi'as Kapayim], Halacha 4. There — on the matter of Elazar Ze'ira and so on — meaning: they suspected him of having pride [gadlus]. And in the Gemara it is explicitly elaborated: "he thought it was arrogance [yuhara]." And this is elaborated according to the Sages' teaching [Bava Basra 96]: "all who are arrogant — they are not admitted into the enclosure of the Holy One — as it says: 'the arrogant one — he shall not abide [yinveh]' — and it is written there: 'Your holy abode [n'veh kodshecha].'" It is elaborated that through pride and arrogance one does not merit to enter naveh kodshecha — which is the aspect of the seven shepherds — who are the totality of holiness — through whom holy faith is completed — which is the aspect of Jerusalem — as is elaborated in the discourse. There — on the matter of: "the whole world is one sixtieth of Gehinnom" — see Ta'anis 10: "the whole world is one sixtieth of the Garden — and the Garden is one sixtieth of Eden — and Eden is one sixtieth of Gehinnom." And one must say that this means here too: the whole world — including the Garden and Eden — is one sixtieth of Gehinnom. There — in the above discourse — Letter Gimmel — "when Rachav beseeched… she said: 'give me a sign of truth'… and they said to her: bind this thread of crimson — this is the aspect of faith… and the crimson thread — this is the aspect of the shining of the light of the face." See Zohar Vayechi, p. 241. And this is so: because the one who damaged holy impudence — which flows in its root from the aspect of the Garden and Eden as is elaborated in the discourse — therefore his punishment is to descend to Gehinnom which is the opposite of it — and which is sixty times its measure. [And see Brachos p. 57: our fire is one sixtieth of Gehinnom. And impudence comes from the element of fire — as is known.] Regarding what is elaborated there in Letters Daled and Hay: that all voices are the aspect of impudence — and through them the body's impudence — the Sitra Achra's impudence — is broken — and one merits to draw close to the holy shepherds. And afterwards in Letter Tes it is elaborated that to come to the holy impudence itself is through joy — namely through na'aseh v'nishmah. And for our matter one can say: for to merit this intellect — to gaze upon the light of Divinity — which is the aspect of the light of truth itself — the light of the face — only the true Tzaddik merits this intellect in its fullness — the aspect of: "an understanding heart — there the Tzaddik is saved from it." And those of lesser stature must bind themselves well to the Tzaddik and nullify their mind to him in complete faith. Through this they too merit to receive some shining from the aspect of the light of the face that shines upon them through the holy faith — until they too merit to the nullification of the desire for money and to live true life — which is the aspect of radiant faces [anpin nehirin]. The matter is — in my humble opinion: for all the holy voices are the aspect of holy impudence — meaning: they come from this aspect — as it is written: "see — He gives forth His voice, a voice of strength" [Psalms 68]. And therefore through them the Sitra Achra's impudence is broken. But to come to this quality of holy impudence itself in perfection — is through joy — in the aspect of: "for the joy of Hashem is your strength [ma'uzchem]" [Nehemiah 8]. And joy comes from the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah — which is the aspect of Torah and prayer — revealed and hidden. There — Letter Hay — "and every mitzvah a person performs without money…" — this aspect is called righteousness [tzedek]. This means: since he is not willing to spend money for it — he is still far from the aspect of radiant faces — the aspect of truth. Therefore the mitzvah is then called only tzedek — for "emunah is called thus when truth combines with it." Therefore when he breaks his desire for money for the sake of the mitzvah — which means he is cleaved to the holy faces — the aspect of truth — then the mitzvah is called emunah [faith]. And the essential perfection of joy comes from the aspect of nishma — which is the aspect of prayer — the aspect of fear — meaning: the essential perfection of joy which is the aspect of holy impudence is attained through a person not wishing to remain on one level in the service of Hashem. For the level one has already attained and at which one now stands — this is the aspect of na'aseh — the aspect of Torah relative to oneself. Rather: one constantly longs to attain what is hidden from one — and to ascend each time to a higher level — which is the aspect of nishma — the hidden — the aspect of prayer — fear — shame. For one has not yet attained this level — and it is in the aspect of the Infinite relative to one's level. There: "and who has a shilya for a mule? For a non-Jew has not even a beis vlad." This means: for only the money and abundance have a root above — which is the ohr tzach u'metzuchtzach [clear and polished light]. For there it is certainly seen how all abundance flows only from the aspect of the light of the face — the aspect of truth — the aspect of: kushta ka'i [truth stands]. As Rabbainu elaborates further below. But idolatry — which is the desire for money — has no root at all. Therefore it has not even a beis vlad — since it has no root from which to receive. Therefore it also cannot bestow abundance — the aspect of: "another god is infertile and bears no fruit" . And since it has no root at all — anyone who is already entangled after it and falls into this idolatry of money is certainly unable to concentrate his mind at all to gaze upon the root of the money — which is the ohr tzach u'metzuchtzach — flowing from the aspect of the light of truth — the light of the face. And he is already immersed in its very opposite — and imagines that he can draw abundance through the idolatry of the desire for money — which is falsehood and darkness — the aspect of darkened faces [anpin chashuchin]. And how can one in his state gaze upon the root of the abundance? And therefore he answered them: "and is there salt without the money?" — meaning: I answered you only according to your question's approach — that if there were any possibility even for one who merited the rectification of the covenant [tikun habris] to fall, G-d forbid, into the desire for money — then his counsel would be to gaze upon the root of the abundance. For he can certainly gaze upon Divinity in the aspect of: "from my flesh I behold G-d" . But in truth your question requires no answer at all — for one who merited the rectification of the covenant and the light of the King's face shines upon him — as elaborated in Letter Beis — it is necessarily impossible for him to fall at all into the darkness of the desire for money, G-d forbid. For light repels darkness — and malt mammon chaser [malt = diminished money] — for through the rectification of the covenant the desire for money is automatically nullified — as is elaborated in the discourse. But even so one longs and yearns with all one's heart to come to this high level — and prays for this — and cleaves to it with great cleaving and complete self-nullification — with fear and great shame — for one is deeply shamed before this high and hidden level — and yearns and longs greatly to come to it — and through this very fear and great shame — specifically through this one merits joy — the aspect of: "rejoice with trembling" [Psalms 2]. This being the joy of the two crowns of na'aseh v'nishmah — the aspect of: "and eternal joy upon their heads" [Isaiah 35]. For na'aseh v'nishmah is this aspect: that we now do what we can do and fulfill according to our level at which we now stand [only: if we say in our mind that we have already attained perfection at this level — this is the essential deficiency of perfection. For the essential perfection is in the Infinite — therefore: even one who merits true perfection beyond which there is no greater perfection in all created beings — he still has reason to be shamed before the Holy One Himself — for He too fulfills the Torah and prays — as is elaborated at the end of the discourse] — and nishmah: that we constantly long and yearn with great cleaving and with all our heart — for shmi'ah [hearing] is in the heart — as is elaborated in Letter Tes — to hear and attain the aspect of the level higher than ours and hidden from us. And so on each time without end literally. And this aspect of nishma is the essential perfection of the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah for each one according to his level — for this aspect is without end as above. Therefore from there comes the essential joy. And through this joy one merits holy impudence according to each one's level of na'aseh v'nishmah. And one who is still at a small level — who has not yet fully broken the body's impudence — merits through the above to cry holy voices and to sigh greatly over the lowliness of his level. And these voices are also the aspect of holy impudence — and through them the Sitra Achra's impudence is broken. And likewise through strengthening oneself to cry holy voices — and likewise through the voice of the true Sage — through this the illumination from the aspect of holy impudence is drawn upon one — attained through the joy of the aspect of na'aseh v'nishmah. And through this the Sitra Achra's impudence is broken — and one merits to draw close to holiness and to the building of Jerusalem — the faithful city. And how sweet in this context are the Sages' words that expounded on the verse Shema Yisrael — brought below in Siman 120: "a parable of a king who betrothed Israel with na'aseh v'nishmah — they lost the na'aseh by making the Golden Calf — Moshe said to them: you have lost the na'aseh — guard the nishmah — therefore: 'Shema Yisrael.'" For in truth: the matter of nishma — meaning: not to be content with one's level but to long constantly with great cleaving and with all one's heart — for this matter rises to the Infinite literally as above. And likewise it descends to the ultimate bottom — for one who tends to be content with one's level — then when one also descends from that level to a lower level — one is also content with that lower level. And through this very thing one can descend, G-d forbid, each time to the lower level. As the early authorities explained on the verse: "the path of life ascends above for the perceptive — in order to turn away from Sheol below" [Proverbs 15] — meaning: a person must contemplate his ways — to strive to ascend each time further in the level of the service of Hashem. For if not — he descends, G-d forbid, lower each time — until he can descend to Sheol, G-d forbid. For a person does not stand on one level — and if he does not ascend — he descends, G-d forbid. But one who is at the level of nishma above — then even when one descends, G-d forbid, even from one's first level — one is certainly not content with the level one has descended to. Rather: one expects to ascend from this descent to a level even higher than the level one was at before the descent — and that this descent be the ultimate ascent — the aspect of: "for you have stumbled in your sin" [Hosea 14] — as is elaborated in Letter Yud-Alef — meaning: "you have lost the na'aseh" — meaning: you have also descended from the level you were at before. Section 7 — Letter ז — [end of the discourse Tzavvis Tzedek] At any rate: "guard the nishmah" — and then: expect to ascend from your descent — and perhaps through this the descent will be converted to the ultimate ascent — and you will merit to come to the higher level that was in the aspect of nishma for you even before the descent — and now you will merit to reach it and attain it. Regarding what is elaborated in this discourse — that one must ascend each time from level to level — and convert the nishma which is the aspect of prayer into na'aseh which is the aspect of Torah — and in Likutay Tinyana it is elaborated that one must convert Torah into prayer — meaning: when one learns in a book any matter of the service of Hashem — or hears any way in the service of Hashem from a true Tzaddik — one should convert it into prayer and pray to Hashem that one merit also to all of this. See in this in Likutay Halachos: Orach Chayyim, Laws of Rosh Chodesh, Halacha 5; Yoreh De'ah, Laws of Torah Scrolls, Halacha 2; Choshen Mishpat, Laws of Gifts, Halacha 5 — where it is elaborated that in truth the two matters are all one. For when one converts Torah into prayer — meaning: one prays to fulfill what is said in it in the perfection of deed and perfection of intention — it follows that then at the time of prayer one longs and yearns to attain this Torah level. And presumably this Torah level is higher than one's level — and it is hidden from one in the aspect of nishma — since one has not yet merited to it — but only longs and prays to merit to come to this level. It follows that then — when one prays about this and longs for it — this Torah level is still only in the aspect of the hidden — the aspect of prayer — the aspect of nishma. And afterwards when one prays greatly about this and strives until one merits to come and attain this level — then it is already with one in the aspect of the revealed — the aspect of na'aseh — the aspect of Torah. It follows that this aspect that was at first hidden with one — the aspect of prayer — the aspect of nishma — has now become revealed — the aspect of Torah. It follows that what is elaborated here — to convert the aspect of prayer into Torah — and what is elaborated there — to convert Torah into prayer — all goes to one place. And see further in Likutay Halachos in the above Laws of Gifts and in the Laws of Ma'akeh [guard-rail] and in several other laws founded on this above discourse — see there and you will see great wonders of our holy Torah and wondrous paths in the fear of Hashem all the day. Section 8 — Letter ח — [on the mezuzah elaborated in Letter Daled] On the matter of the mezuzah elaborated in Letter Daled: see Ra'aya Mehaimna, Zohar, portion Pinchas, p. 257: "the Shechinah is called mezuzah from the side of the central pillar of the letters of Haveye'ah — and from the side of the Tzaddik — the secret of the covenant — it is called Shadai." And see there also on p. 258: "mezuzah — the seal of Shadai — Tzaddik and Shechinah — the doorpost of the mezuzah." And see on p. 266: "they lift their heads and gaze at the holy seal." And in the commentary of the Ramaz there. And see in Tikkunim, Tikkun 22, p. 66 — on the matter of: "falsehood has no feet" — and on the matter of the other god — but the forms of the Greek are the markings in the Name of the Holy One in this seal of the mezuzah which is Shadai on the outside and Haveye'ah on the inside — and this is the seal of the covenant of circumcision. And see in Likutay Torah of the Holy Ari, portion V'Eschanan: mezuzah has the numerical value of Adnut — and the matter of Shadai on the outside and Haveye'ah on the inside. And see there in Likutay Iyov on the verse: "and Shadai shall be your treasure" — do not read "your treasure" [b'tzarecha] but rather "your hinges [b'tzirecha]" — the aspect of hinges and doors. And from this you will understand what is written here in this discourse: "and this is: 'and Shadai shall be your treasure'" — meaning: through the mezuzah — for the mezuzah is the aspect of "and Shadai shall be" — the aspect of "and Shadai" on the inside [i.e. "v'haya" is within the mezuzah] and Shadai on the outside. [For the Name Shadai is written on the outside of the mezuzah facing the word "v'haya im shamo'a" which is inside.] And "your treasure" — as above.