סימן נ"א-אמר רבי עקיבא

Or one can say the meaning of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" — for this will be the essential receiving of their reward — that even in this world — which is the aspect of many reckonings [cheshbonos rabbim] — the aspect of the distance from the One — where opposition and evil and impurity and falsehood rule — the righteous merited in this world to subdue their inclination — to break and nullify the evil and impurity — and merited to draw the Providence of Hashem — until through this what is after the creation — which is the aspect of the many — is included in what is before the creation — which is the aspect of entirely one — entirely good — entirely holy. Through this specifically — in the World to Come — each Tzaddik will merit to receive his reward and to attain the light of oneness and goodness — each Tzaddik according to his level as above. It follows that the receiving of the reward of the righteous — and the differentiation of levels that will be between them even then — is specifically through the aspect of the multiplicity and opposition that exists in this world. This being the aspect of: "what You have done for those who take refuge in You — opposite the children of man [neged bnei adam]" — "opposite" specifically — as is elaborated elsewhere. And see Zohar, portion Balak, p. 196: "'who walked in darkness' — 'who walked' should have been written — Rabbi Elazar [said]: because they dwelt together and then were immediately separated" — and so on. And see there in Mikdash Melech: for in holiness — at first the female was joined to the male back to back — and afterwards she was sawn apart — and then she reunited with him face to face. And the kelipah — when it was sawn apart and separated — then the day of Shabbas came — and it remained in separation — and could no longer unite face to face. And this is what is written: "they dwelt in union and concluded in separation." See there in the name of the Holy Ari. And through this one can also explain the above verse — for at first they are in union — and afterwards they are sawn apart — and then reunite face to face — in order to produce fruits — which is the aspect of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds." But: "another god is infertile and bears no fruit" — this being the aspect of what the Sages expounded in Kiddushin, p. 40: on this very verse — "the merits have a principal and fruits" — as it is said: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" — "transgression has no fruits." Meaning: as above. Said on the first night of Shavuos [5]563.

📋 Translator's Summary — Siman 51 (Amar Rabbi Akiva) And it was repeated afterwards before Rabbi Nosson — of blessed memory — while he sat and was writing it in the book with ink. And these words — "for before the creation" — were said with great deliberateness — and with precision of each and every word — in a manner that is impossible to convey in writing.

📋 Translator's Summary — Siman 52 (HaNi'or BaLayla) And for our matter: for the wicked are drawn after the multiplicity and separation — the aspect of the distance from the One. Therefore in the World to Come — when it will be entirely one — then: "the path of the wicked shall perish" as above. But the righteous — on the contrary — specifically through the separation and opposition and distance from the One in this world — they merit in this world to break all of this — and to include what is after the creation in what is before the creation. Which is the aspect of: the reunion face to face — which is made specifically through the sawing apart as above. And through this specifically they merit to produce fruits in this world and in the World to Come — in the aspect of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" as above. And see in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Ribbis [Interest] [Hilchos Ribbis], Halacha 5 — where extensive and wondrous matters are elaborated on the above discourse.

Said on Shabbas Chanukah of the year [5]563. And there are several wondrous accounts regarding this discourse — but this is not the place to elaborate on them — and they are well elaborated in Chayyay Moharan. I heard from Rabbi Nosson — of blessed memory — that he then mentioned the matter of: sometimes for headache remedies — they bleed the veins of the leg. [And I do not remember in connection with what he told this.] And in my humble opinion there is a connection between this account and what is elaborated there in Letter Beis — that the entire world is the clothing of the lower levels of holiness — namely: the aspect of the raglin [feet/walking] of holiness — the aspect of: "and the earth is the footstool of My feet" . Even though the upper levels of holiness also have some revelation in this world — nonetheless the revelation does not clothe itself essentially in this world — only an illumination shines in the aspect of the feet. But the aspect of the feet reveals itself essentially in this world. And afterwards it also elaborates: how one must draw the mochin in the head — to deepen one's thought and to expand one's understanding — to understand the allusions — which are the aspect of the feet of holiness clothed in this world. But the expansion of the intellect must be in measure and contraction. And likewise one must have the quality of contentment [histapkus]. And see the discourse at its end — where he said then: that this is the aspect of the kindling of the Chanukah candle — the aspect of: "to draw the holy abundant oil [lameishkhah mishcha rabbas kudsha] — and to kindle the candle [l'adleka butzina]." And see in the kavvanot of Chanukah — where it is elaborated: for there are three unifications — one corresponding to Netzach-Hod-Yesod — for only until there does her height reach — and in this unification it is Haveye'ah-Adnut. And sometimes she is at the height of the chest — and then it is Haveye'ah-Elokim. And sometimes she is equal to his crown — and then it is Haveye'ah-Eheyeh. And these three unifications have the numerical value of ner [candle]. And on Chanukah one draws for her light from these three unifications. And this is the intention of the kindling. For on Chanukah she corresponds to Netzach-Hod-Yesod. And then one draws for her light from the head. And since the essential drawing is from that light which is drawn to her from the head — which is the unification Haveye'ah-Eheyeh — for when they are full with yuds they have the numerical value of regel [foot/leg] — and this light cannot be drawn to her except for a brief time — therefore also the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah candle is only for a brief time. And this is: "until the foot ceases from the marketplace [ad sh'tichle regel min hashuk]" — and so on. And therefore it is forbidden to make use of its light. See there in the kavvanot — and you will find that all of Rabbainu's words above are elaborated there. There — at the end of the discourse — "and since it will be all one — how is differentiation possible [in the receiving of reward in the World to Come] between one and his companion according to his level?" But there is in this a secret that it is impossible to understand. The author writes: Through this it is well understood and elaborated — the explanation of the verse: "say to the righteous — for he is good — for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" [Isaiah 3]. "Woe to the wicked — it is evil — for the recompense of his hands shall be done to him." At first glance this is not understood — for it opens in the singular: "the righteous — for he is good" — and concludes in the plural: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds." [And see the end of tractate Sukkah — where the Sages alluded that it is in the manner of: "good for the righteous — good for his neighbor" — see there.] But according to the above it is understood: for the essential hope of the righteous and the receiving of their reward is in the World to Come — when it will be in the aspect of entirely good — entirely one. And therefore it is said regarding this: "the eye has not seen." And therefore it opens in the singular — for then it will be entirely one. And all the righteous are then designated by the name of one Tzaddik. And likewise the receiving of their reward — which is the aspect of: "say to the righteous — for he is good" — for then it will be entirely one — entirely good. But nonetheless regarding the attainment of the oneness and goodness of the World to Come — they will not all be equal — rather each one according to his level. This being the aspect of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" — in the plural. For even though it is impossible to say of the reward of the righteous — each one — in the singular — since it will then be entirely one — entirely good. This being the aspect of: "say to the righteous — for he is good" as above. Nonetheless: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" — for there will be many righteous — and each and every Tzaddik will then receive the light of oneness and his goodness according to the fruit of his deeds and according to the service he served Hashem in this world. And in truth it is impossible to understand this — for there is a secret in it as above. For this is the aspect of: "how great is Your goodness which You have treasured away for those who fear You" [Psalms 31]. And likewise regarding the punishment of the wicked — G-d spare us — it says: "woe to the wicked — it is evil" — for since they are drawn in this world after impurity, falsehood, and evil — therefore in the World to Come — when it will be entirely good and the evil will be nullified — then of the enemies too it is said: "for behold Your enemies, Haveye'ah" — "behold Your enemies shall perish" [Psalms 1]. Siman Fifty-Two — HaNi'or BaLaylaסימן נב — הניעור בלילה It is said: "and the path of the wicked shall perish" — and: "when the wicked perish there is joy." Or one can say the meaning of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" — for this will be the essential receiving of their reward — that even in this world — which is the aspect of many reckonings [cheshbonos rabbim] — the aspect of the distance from the One — where opposition and evil and impurity and falsehood rule — the righteous merited in this world to subdue their inclination — to break and nullify the evil and impurity — and merited to draw the Providence of Hashem — until through this what is after the creation — which is the aspect of the many — is included in what is before the creation — which is the aspect of entirely one — entirely good — entirely holy. Through this specifically — in the World to Come — each Tzaddik will merit to receive his reward and to attain the light of oneness and goodness — each Tzaddik according to his level as above. It follows that the receiving of the reward of the righteous — and the differentiation of levels that will be between them even then — is specifically through the aspect of the multiplicity and opposition that exists in this world. This being the aspect of: "what You have done for those who take refuge in You — opposite the children of man [neged bnei adam]" [Psalms 31] — "opposite" specifically — as is elaborated elsewhere. And see Zohar, portion Balak, p. 196: "'who walked in darkness' — 'who walked' should have been written — Rabbi Elazar [said]: because they dwelt together and then were immediately separated" — and so on. And see there in Mikdash Melech: for in holiness — at first the female was joined to the male back to back — and afterwards she was sawn apart — and then she reunited with him face to face. And the kelipah — when it was sawn apart and separated — then the day of Shabbas came — and it remained in separation — and could no longer unite face to face. And this is what is written: "they dwelt in union and concluded in separation." See there in the name of the Holy Ari. And through this one can also explain the above verse — for at first they are in union — and afterwards they are sawn apart — and then reunite face to face — in order to produce fruits — which is the aspect of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds." But: "another god is infertile and bears no fruit" — this being the aspect of what the Sages expounded in Kiddushin, p. 40: on this very verse — "the merits have a principal and fruits" — as it is said: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" — "transgression has no fruits." Meaning: as above. And for our matter: for the wicked are drawn after the multiplicity and separation — the aspect of the distance from the One. Therefore in the World to Come — when it will be entirely one — then: "the path of the wicked shall perish" as above. But the righteous — on the contrary — specifically through the separation and opposition and distance from the One in this world — they merit in this world to break all of this — and to include what is after the creation in what is before the creation. Which is the aspect of: the reunion face to face — which is made specifically through the sawing apart as above. And through this specifically they merit to produce fruits in this world and in the World to Come — in the aspect of: "for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds" as above. And see in Likutay Halachos, Laws of Ribbis [Interest] [Hilchos Ribbis], Halacha 5 — where extensive and wondrous matters are elaborated on the above discourse.