סי' ב אמור אל הכהנים

On Rosh HaShanah We Engage in the Shofar-Soundings to Drive Away the Husks It is explained in Tikkunay Zohar, Tikkun 13, p. 36, that on Rosh HaShanah one engages in the Shofar-soundings — Tekia, Sh'vorim, Teruah — to remove the husks (klippos) that cover and darken the light of the Keshes (Rainbow), and through this, the light of the Messiah is drawn down. And the sign of it is: "Do not hope for the footsteps of the Messiah until you see the rainbow in dazzling colors". Because the very vitality of the Messiah is prayer — and all his battles that he will wage, and all the conquests he will conquer, all come from there; and his primary sword and bow is prayer and supplication — therefore Israel at that time greatly multiply their prayers and supplications, and pray extensively for the building of the holy Malchus and the sprouting of the glory of David Your servant, and the preparation of a lamp for the son of Yishai, Your anointed one, etc. Because for this one needs the dimension of Yosef — who is the dimension of guarding the Bris (covenant/holy bond) — and also the dimension of Yaakov — who is the dimension of Mishpot (justice/judgment) — and justice is merited through Tzedaka (charity); therefore one greatly increases [giving] charity at that time, and prays extensively to rectify the blemish of the Bris. And this is the dimension of going to the graves of Tzadikim on Erev Rosh HaShanah — for the true Tzadikim are a great rectification for the blemish of the Bris, as is understood in Likutay Mohara"n, Siman 109. This is the dimension of HaMelech HaKadosh and Melech HaMishpot ["The Holy King" and "King of Justice"] which one says at that time — for then one is engaged in building the Malchus and the rectification of prayer, which depends upon guarding the Bris — for this is the very essence of holiness, as the Sages, z"l, said: "Wherever you find [holiness]… there you find [the guarding of the] Bris". And one needs also the dimension of justice for this, as above.

This is the dimension of "Blow the Shofar in the month [of Tishray]" — i.e., the Shofar-soundings of Rosh HaShanah — and the verse concludes: "for it is a statute for Israel — the judgment of the G-d of Yaakov" [Ps. 81:5] — hinting at guarding the Bris [chok] and the dimension of judgment of Yaakov, as explained in the main text of this discourse above. And this is the dimension of: "A testimony in Yosef He placed it" — and the Sages, z"l, expounded that on Rosh HaShanah, Yosef went out of prison — and therefore the merit of Yosef, the dimension of guarding the Bris, shines most intensely at that time. The Three Blessings — Malchuyos, Zichronos, Shofaros Malchuyos — corresponding to the dimension of the Kingdom of the Messiah, whose very vitality comes from prayer, which is the dimension of Malchus, as is known, and as is brought elsewhere. Zichronos — corresponding to the dimension of Yosef, the dimension of the Bris, as is brought in the Zohar on the verse "all your males shall appear before Me" [Ex. 23:17] — and this is the dimension of "He remembered His covenant forever" [Ps. 111:5]. Shofaros — corresponding to the dimension of Yaakov, the dimension of judgment, the dimension of "the beauty of Yaakov" [Lam. 2:1], as is brought in the Zohar — for through the sound of the Shofar, the essential quality and measure of Yaakov is aroused — the dimension of justice — and through this the essential rectification is accomplished.

And this is why the Sages, z"l, said: "The horns of most animals are invalid for the Shofar because they do not have an inner masculinity" [Rosh HaShanah 26b] — for the Shofar, which is the dimension of Yaakov, must be included also from the dimension of Yosef — the dimension of masculinity, the dimension of the Bris — for Yaakov and Yosef go together as one, as it is said: "And the body and the covenant are considered one" — and this is the essential substance of his progeny: "These are the generations of Yaakov — Yosef" [Gen. 37:2]. And therefore if one removed the masculinity (zichrus) of the Shofar and perforated it, and blew through it — it is invalid — for one also needs the dimension of justice, the dimension of Yaakov, which is the Shofar itself. And this is the dimension of the Teruah which is the dimension of Yaakov, as is explained in the Zohar. And Zichron Teruah [Remembrance of the Teruah — Lev. 23:24] is when it is included also with the dimension of Yosef. And this is said regarding Rosh HaShanah that falls on Shabbos — when one mentions [the soundings] but does not actually blow the Shofar: because the risk is that one might bring the Shofar into a public domain [thereby desecrating the Shabbos], and Shabbos desecration would be in the dimension of the quality of Yosef, as is explained in the Zohar. Therefore one does not blow — rather, through the holiness of Shabbos itself both dimensions shine — for Shabbos is also in the dimension of the inheritance of Yaakov, as the Sages said. Only in a place where there is a fixed Rabbinical court — such as in Yavneh — where the dimension of justice which is the dimension of Yaakov shines more intensely, does one blow even on Shabbos.

Because one must connect all prayers to the true Tzadik — the dimension of Moshe — for only he can illuminate and rectify the prayers of Israel in their completeness and build from them the structure (koma) of the Divine Presence and the Sanctuary; and he himself is in the dimension of the Messiah, as is explained — therefore one must travel especially to the true Tzadik on Rosh HaShanah. And because the letters of the Torah, which are the holy sparks of souls, come and are included within prayer to be renewed there, etc. — therefore one recites in the Rosh HaShanah prayers many verses from the entire Tanach [Torah, Prophets, and Writings] and verses regarding the Giving of the Torah, etc. Afterwards One Engages in Repentance — Yom Kippur

Afterwards one engages in this throughout the Ten Days of Repentance — for through repentance, the light of the Messiah is drawn down, as is explained in Sefer HaMidos. And the essence of repentance is through prayer and supplication — the dimension of "Seek G-d when He may be found; call upon Him when He is near; let the wicked forsake his way" etc., [Is. 55:6–7] as the Sages, z"l, expounded — until one merits on Yom Kippur. Then Malchus, which is the very light of the Messiah, is nourished only from the five voices — the secret of the Five Afflictions and Five Prayers of Yom Kippur. Then there is drawn most intensely the secret of the discourse we are engaged in: that the very vitality of the Messiah is from prayer. This is the secret of "from the Maid of the Palace she drew out a breath of life for the Messiah" [Zohar, Teruma 177]. Because within the Pardashka mentioned above is rooted the matter of the forgiveness of sin and the overlooking of transgression, and from there is rooted the sweetening of judgments — as all of this is understood in the Zohar, Teruma p. 177, in the Sifra d'Tzniusa, and in the Idra Rabba, Nasso, p. 136, and in the Idra Zuta, p. 289 — therefore on Yom Kippur is the essential sweetening of judgments and forgiveness of sins. And then all the service [is performed] by the High Priest (Kohain Godol), who is most holy in the holiness of the Bris — for he is admonished even regarding a widow. The Sages, z"l, expounded: "With this shall Aharon enter" [Lev. 16:3] — in the merit of circumcision. And the High Priest wears eight garments corresponding to the eight days of circumcision, and he is the dimension of Aharon, who is the dimension of judgment (mishpot), as is explained in the above discourse.

Then the dimension of the erection of the Sanctuary is drawn — which is built from the prayers of Israel. And therefore immediately on the day after Yom Kippur they were commanded regarding the matter of the Sanctuary. And also the dedication of the Temple of Solomon was on Yom Kippur. Then the letters of the Torah are also renewed within prayer — which is the dimension of what [the Sages taught]: the completion of the reception of the Torah on the Second Tablets was also on Yom Kippur, as the Sages, z"l, expounded on the verse: "On the day of his wedding" [Song of Songs 3:11] — "this is the Giving of the Torah" [Taanis 26b], as the commentators have explained. After Yom Kippur — The Loving-Kindnesses Enter After Yom Kippur, the [supernal] loving-kindnesses (chassodim) begin to enter — as is explained in the Kavanos — the dimension of what the discourse concludes: that even though it appears that through our prayers and Torah the redemption will come, nonetheless we need His loving-kindness — for were it not for His kindness, we would have drowned, heaven forbid, in exile. Therefore, after all the holy rectifications drawn through prayer and repentance until Yom Kippur, nonetheless the completion of salvation and rectification is through the kindness of G-d — the dimension of the loving-kindnesses that enter at that time. And therefore one enters the Sukka, which alludes to the Supernal Sukka — the dimension of Bina — and to the Lower Sukka — the dimension of Malchus — which is the dimension of Leah and Rachel. These are the dimension of the seven Names: 72, 63, 45, 52, 161, 151, 143 — their numerical value (gematria) is 689, which is the gematria of Pardashka, as brought in the writings of the Ar"i z"l. And this is the dimension of Messiah Son of David, who came specifically from Leah. His essential vitality is from prayer, which is itself included from both dimensions mentioned above — the spoken words of prayer, and the intention (kavona) of the heart in prayer — the dimension of "prepare their heart" [Ps. 10:17], as the Sages said. And see Siman 48 [of Likutay Mohara"n], where it is also explained that the Sukka is the dimension of prayer with intention and strength. This is the dimension of "the Sukka of David that has fallen" [Amos 9:11] — the dimension of the light of the Messiah who is called bar nofal [the fallen one]. The mitzvah of Sukka is a remembrance of the encompassing Clouds of Glory — the dimension of the nullification of the clouds of the Stra Achra, which are the dimension of alien thoughts that nullify the intention of prayer, which is the dimension of [G-d's] honor (kovod), as is explained in the main text. The Four Species — Recalled and Praised within the Sukka This is also the dimension of the Four Species — which one takes and blesses within the Sukka as explained in the Kavanos — and they allude to all the four groupings within Israel, which is the dimension of the totality of the souls of Israel. Afterwards one recites with them the Hallel prayer — which is the dimension of the totality of the prayers of Israel, containing past and future, etc., as the Sages, z"l, said. And one also recites with them Hoshanos. Therefore one waves [the four species] during "Give thanks to G-d" and during "Please, G-d, save now" — the dimension of the totality of prayers, which is [G-d's] praise and the request for one's needs, as is explained in the main text. The primary blessing is on the taking of the lulav, which is the tallest of all — and alludes to the dimension of the Tzadik, to whom all the groupings of Israel must attach themselves in their prayer. The Tzadik is the dimension of Maor HaGodol — the Great Luminary — and illuminates the esrog, which is the dimension of Maor HaKoton — the Small Luminary. This is the dimension of "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day — a fruit of a beautiful tree" etc. [Lev. 23:40], and the Sages, z"l, expounded that this is the dimension of "all my bones shall say [G-d, who is like You]" [Ps. 35:10] — the dimension of the completeness of prayer — for the lulav resembles the spine, and this is the dimension of Yosef the Tzadik, the dimension of Tzadik Chai Olamim — the Tzadik who is the life of the worlds — the dimension of the eighteen vertebrae of the spine. The esrog resembles the heart — the dimension of Messiah Son of David, who is the heart of the world, as is understood in the story of the Seven Beggars. Therefore it is called Hadar [beauty/adornment] — the dimension of "splendor and glory You place upon him" said of Messiah Son of David. The hadas [myrtle] resembles the eyes — the dimension of judgment, the dimension of "the eye of judgment" — and the Sages, z"l, taught that the myrtle alludes to Yaakov, who is the dimension of justice. The arova [willow] resembles the lips — the dimension of prayer, the dimension of "G-d, open my lips" [Ps. 51:17]; and it also alludes to the letters of the Torah — the souls of Israel — as it is said of them: "And they shall sprout among the grass, like willows by streams of water" [Is. 44:4]. Sh'mini Atzeres — The Sacred Union is Completed Afterwards, on Sh'mini Atzeres, comes the "union of the Matron" face to face — the dimension of [the Zohar's] "when he warms with her, she turns", as is explained in the main text. The feminine [Malchus] retains the drop so that it does not miscarry — for now, even though through prayer the structure (koma) of the Divine Presence is built, it is only in the dimension of preparation for union — the dimension of "we prepared and baked and cooked" [before Shabbos]. But even so, because the salvation is not yet complete, one might err and say that the prayers produce no fruit — the dimension of "we thought it was dry land". But Sh'mini Atzeres alludes to the complete salvation that will come in the future — when there will be the true union of the Matron face to face, and every union and unification accomplished through the prayers of Israel will be seen to have produced fruit and complete birth, as it were. And then the joy is very great, for the holy building is completed and the sacred, awe-inspiring union is accomplished — which was engaged in during all the Days of Awe in their completeness. And then also the letters of the Torah that come within prayer are renewed and completed greatly — this being the dimension of all Israel ascending to the Torah and rejoicing greatly — the dimension of: "the maidens behind her, her companions, are brought to You; they are led with joy and gladness" [Ps. 45:15]. See the main text. Translator's Summary — Siman 2 Siman 2 is based on the discourse Emor el HaKohanim (Likutay Mohara"n). The central theme: the Messiah's entire life-force is prayer. On Rosh HaShanah — through the Shofar soundings — the husks covering the rainbow of the Messiah are removed. The rectification requires the joining of two dimensions: Yosef (the guarded Bris) and Yaakov (justice/judgment) — hence visiting Tzadik's graves and increasing charity on Erev Rosh HaShanah. The Three Blessings map precisely: Malchuyos = Messiah/Prayer; Zichronos = Yosef/Bris; Shofaros = Yaakov/Justice. Yom Kippur is the apex of prayer-building (Five Prayers = Five Voices). Sukkos and the Four Species encode the same structure — prayer, Bris, Tzadik-connection — culminating in Sh'mini Atzeres when the union is perfected.