34-AndYouShallBetoMeaKingdomofPriests
[Note from English translator: This Torah explores the role of the tzadik [righteous person] in illuminating Israel’s hearts through the nekudah [point] and mela’fum [this is a vowel that sounds: oo. It is usually called: shoorook. It is a dot in the front of the middle of the Hebrew letter vuv - וּ. Mela'fum literally means: full mouth], nullifying reproaches via holy love and speech.]
[Inthelanguageofourrabbi,ofblessedmemory] AndyoushallbetoMeakingdomofpriestsandaholynation.ThesearethewordsthatyoushallspeaktothechildrenofIsrael (Exodus 19:6).
1.
It is written (Psalms 69:20): Reproachhasbrokenmyheart. That is, reproaches and disgraces break the heart of a man. The rectification is by means of connecting his heart to the nekudah [point, divine spark] that belongs to his heart at that time. Thereby, the reproach dwelling on his heart is nullified.
2.
Behold, this is a general principle: The government is in the hand of the tzadik [righteous person] to act according to his will, as our sages expounded (Talmud Bavli, Mo’ed Katan 16b): Tzadikrules, and so on, who rules over Me, the tzadik [righteous person]. This is (Genesis 42:18): AndJoseph,heistheruler. He is the root of the generality of souls of Israel, and they are his branches that receive from him. The main [purpose] of the government is to illuminate and arouse their heart to the service of Hashem, blessed be He, as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:21): Hear,Hashem,thevoiceofJudah,andtohispeoplebringhim. That is, to illuminate the illumination of the tzadik [righteous person] in the branches, that is, in the heart of Israel. This is: Andtohispeoplebringhim.
3.
This aspect, that is, AndJoseph,heistheruler, is the aspect of mela’fum [this is a vowel that sounds: oo. It is usually called: shoorook. It is a dot in the front of the middle of the Hebrew letter vuv - ו. Mela'fum literally means: full mouth. see Sha’arei Tzion, gate of rectification of the soul], the bris [covenant, referring to circumcision], chariot to the yesod [foundation], that Hashem of it in the vocalization of mela’fum [vowel וּ, full mouth; see Tikkun 70]. For the mela’fum [the vowel: וּ] is the letters mulaipum [full mouth], to indicate that the vessel of abundance, that is, the mouth of the tzadik [righteous person], is full from the divinity of Hashem, blessed be He. For, apparently, it is difficult: Why do we need prayer, when Hashem, blessed be He, knows thoughts? But the speech is the vessel of abundance in which the abundance is received, as it is written (Deuteronomy 1:45): AndHeblessedyouasHespoketoyou. That is, according to the speech, so is the abundance. If the speech, that is, the vessel of abundance, is in perfection and fullness, then it can receive much abundance. The speeches of the tzadik [righteous person] are certainly in perfection and fullness, therefore able to draw the abundance to Israel. By means of this, it is called the aspect of melepum [full mouth], to indicate that his mouth is in fullness and perfection.
4.
Every one from Israel has in him the aspect of Tzadikrules, which is the aspect of melepum [full mouth], as it is written (Isaiah 60:21): Andyourpeople,allofthemtzadikim[righteous]. This is the explanation (Psalms 114:8): Israel,hisgovernments. That is, who rules over Me, the tzadik [righteous person]. For every one from Israel has a precious thing, which is the aspect of nekudah [point], that is not in his fellow, as in the story of Abbaye and Abba Ummana (Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 21b), who said to him: You cannot do the deed of Abba Ummana, and so on. This aspect that he has more than his fellow influences, illuminates, and arouses the heart of his fellow. His fellow needs to receive arousal and this aspect from him, as it is written: Andreceivingthisfromthat [Targum: And this one called to that one] (Isaiah 6:3). For before the giving of the Torah, the government was in the hand of Hashem, blessed be He. After the giving of the Torah, He gave the government to the hand of all Israel, each according to his aspect. For the letters of the Torah are the clothing of the will of Hashem, blessed be He. For the will of Hashem, blessed be He, is that the commandments be so; for example, the commandment of tefillin [phylacteries] was His will to be in four sections and leather boxes, not silver, for such is His will. Thus, His will is clothed in all the Torah. Now that the Torah is given into our hands, the will of Hashem, blessed be He, is given into our hands, that we rule, as it were, to make His will according to our will. This is the aspect of Israel,hisgovernments, as above. This is what our sages expounded (Yerushalmi, Rosh Hashanah 4:1): ManythingsYouhavedone,You,Hashem,myG-d, before the giving of the Torah, and after the giving of the Torah, YourwondersandYourthoughtstowardus. That is, all is in our hands. This is (Psalms 81:6): IamHashem,yourG-d,whobroughtyouupfromthelandofEgypt. That is, before the giving of the Torah, all was I. After the giving of the Torah, Widenyourmouth,andIwillfillit. This is the aspect of mela’fum [וּ, full mouth], which is the aspect of AndJoseph,heistheruler. That is, who rules over Me. That is, the abundance is according to the expansion of the mouth, and according to the vessel of speech, each one according to his aspect.
5.
The mela’fum [וּ, full mouth], that is, the aspect of AndJoseph,heistheruler, is the aspect of nekudah [point] with vav [letter vav]. For the aspect of Joseph is drawn from chokhmah [wisdom] and binah [understanding], as it is written (Genesis 41:39): Aftermakingknowntoyouallthis,thereisnodiscerningandwiselikeyou. That is, chokhmah [wisdom] and binah [understanding]. By means of this, AndJoseph,heistheruler is made. Chokhmah [wisdom] is the aspect of nekudah [point], that is, yud [letter yud], a ma’yan [spring]. Binah [understanding] is a nachal [stream] drawn from the ma’yan [spring]. On account of the drawing, it is vav [letter vav], called nachal [stream], drawn from the ma’yan [spring] that is yud [letter yud].
6.
The aspect of mela’fum [וּ, full mouth] exists in generality and particularity. For the ten commandments with the tablets are the aspect of mela’fum [וּ, full mouth], which is yud [letter yud], and the tablets are vav [letter vav], as our sages said (Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 14a): The tablets, their length six and their width six. The Torah with the world is also yud [letter yud] and vav [letter vav]. For the Torah is yud [letter yud], called (Psalms 111:10): Thebeginningofchokhmah[wisdom]. The world is vav [letter vav], created in six days of creation. The tzadik [righteous person] with Israel is also yud [letter yud] and vav [letter vav]. For the tzadik [righteous person] is yud [letter yud], for the tzadikim [righteous] are called sages of the congregation [see Introduction to the Zohar, page 8; Exodus 27; see Ma’orai Or]. Israel is the aspect of vav [letter vav], for they are tamkeioraita [supporters of Torah] and are called vaveiha’amudim [hooks of the pillars]. With every one from Israel by himself, there is also the aspect of yud [letter yud], vav [letter vav], yud [letter yud], on account of the mouth, as it is written (Psalms 49:4): Mymouthspeakswisdoms. Vav [letter vav], on account of Andthemeditationofmyheart,understandings, which is the aspect of tablets, which are vav [letter vav], as above, as it is written (Proverbs 3:3): Bindthemonyourthroat,writethemonthetabletofyourheart.
7.
When the heart, that is, the aspect of vav [letter vav], the aspect of tablets, is immersed in evil loves, that is, reproaches and disgraces, called orlatlev [foreskin of the heart] (Deuteronomy 10:16), then it is in the aspect of broken tablets. Reproach is the aspect of orlah [foreskin], as it is written (Genesis 34:14): Wecannotgiveoursistertoamanwhohasorlah[foreskin],forreproachitistous. It is the aspect of fallen and broken love. For it is known that the evil inclination and the klipot [shells, spiritual husks] were formed from shevirathakelim [breaking of the vessels; see Hall of the Points, Gate of Breaking of the Vessels, chapter 3]. For the shevirathakelim [breaking of the vessels] of chesed [lovingkindness] fell to binah [understanding] of Creation, that is, binah [understanding], the heart [Patah Eliyahu]. The light of chesed [lovingkindness] remained in yesod [foundation] of Emanation, which is the aspect of (Proverbs 10:14): Tzadik,yesod[foundation]oftheworld. Thus, evil loves come from the shevirathakelim [breaking of the vessels] of chesed [lovingkindness]. This is what Onkelos translated: Forreproachitistous, for chisuda [humiliation] it is to us. For the reproach, that is, orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], that is, evil loves, is made from the shevirathakelim [breaking of the vessels] of chesed [lovingkindness]. This is seen in sense, that Onalltransgressionscoverslove (Proverbs 10:12). Even if one sins against his fellow, he does not reproach him, for love covers all transgressions. When the bris [covenant] of love between them is corrupted, that is, the aspect of shevirathakelim [breaking of the vessels] of chesed [lovingkindness], then he reproaches him. For the reproach is from the shevirathakelim [breaking of the vessels] of chesed [lovingkindness], as above. When the heart is immersed in reproach, that is, in orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], the aspect of broken tablets, that is, Reproachhasbrokenmyheart. When he connects the heart, that is, the aspect of vav [letter vav], as above, to the yud [letter yud], that is, nekudah [point], which is the aspect of the tzadik [righteous person], where the light of holy love dwells—for the light of chesed [lovingkindness] remained in yesod [foundation] of Emanation—then the evil loves, that is, the reproaches, that is, orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], are nullified. For the tzadik [righteous person], who is the nekudah [point] where holy love dwells, illuminates to the vav [letter vav], which is the aspect of the heart. The reproach, that is, orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], is nullified, for Onalltransgressionscoverslove, where holy love dwells. This is what our sages said (Talmud Bavli, Nedarim 32b): The Holy One, blessed be He, sought to bring out priesthood from Shem. Because he preceded the blessing of Abraham to the blessing of the Place, He took it from Shem and gave it to Abraham, as it is said: YouarepriestforeveronmywordMalkiTzedek[kingofrighteousness] (Psalms 110:4). When the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the priesthood to Pinchas, He said: Behold,IgivetohimMybris[covenant]ofpeace (Numbers 25:12). For the priesthood is the aspect of love, it is Abraham, dwelling in the place of bris [covenant] of peace, that is, the tzadik [righteous person], yesod [foundation] of the world.
8.
It turns out that every one needs to speak between himself and his Creator, so that the aspect of nekudah [point], the aspect of Mymouthspeakswisdoms, illuminates to the vav [letter vav], which is the aspect of Andthemeditationofmyheart,understandings. Thereby, the orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], that is, reproaches, that is, evil loves, is nullified. Also, every man needs to speak with his fellow in yirasshamayim [fear of heaven], to receive arousal in his heart from the nekudah [point] that is in his fellow more than in himself, as it is written: Andreceivingthisfromthat. For this aspect that is in his fellow more than in himself is the aspect of nekudah [point]. There, in this nekudah [point], dwells the love called priest. This nekudah [point] is the aspect of tzadik [righteous person] regarding his fellow. This nekudah [point] illuminates to the heart of his fellow, called vav [letter vav]. All these points, that is, the nekudah [point] called Mymouthspeakswisdoms, and also the nekudah [point] that is in every one, that is not in his fellow, are branches to the tzadik [righteous person], who is the nekudah [point] of generality of all Israel. All need to receive first from the tzadik [righteous person]. Afterward, they receive this from that, and each one receives from himself and in himself. By means of these three aspects, the reproaches, that is, orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], that is, evil loves, are nullified. This is: Onalltransgressionscoverslove. For there dwells holy love. When Joseph, the tzadik [righteous person], was born, Rachel said: G-dhastakenawaymyreproach (Genesis 30:23). For when the nekudah [point] where holy love dwells was revealed, the reproaches, that is, orlatlev [foreskin of the heart], that is, evil loves, were nullified. This is written of Joseph (Genesis 45:14): Formymouthspeakstoyou. Rashi explains: As my mouth, so my heart [see Megillah 16b]. That is, he illuminated his nekudah [point] in his vav [letter vav], illuminating Mymouthspeakswisdoms in Andthemeditationofmyheart,understandings. It is written of him (Genesis 50:21): Andhespoketotheirheart. Rashi explains: Words that settle on the heart. That is, he illuminated his nekudah [point] of generality in the heart of all Israel. Thus, by means of these three aspects, that is, connection to the tzadikim [righteous], who illuminate in him, for they are the nekudah [point] of generality of Israel and arouse his heart; also by speaking with his fellow, each one can illuminate and arouse his fellow’s heart; also by himself speaking between himself and his Creator, he can arouse his heart by means of Mymouthspeakswisdoms and remove from himself orlatlev [foreskin of the heart]. This is the explanation: AndyoushallbetoMeakingdomofpriests, that is, the aspect of holy love, as above, Andaholynation, that is, holiness, which is the aspect of nekudah [point] and vav [letter vav], the aspect of the heart, as above. By what means do you come to the aspect of love and the aspect of holiness, vav [letter vav]? By means of ThesearethewordsthatyoushallspeaktothechildrenofIsrael. For Moses is the nekudah [point] of generality of the souls of Israel. All need to receive first from the nekudah [point] of generality. Afterward, each one needs to illuminate in his fellow from the nekudah [point] that is in him. Also, he can illuminate from himself and in himself from the nekudah [point] in him, which is Mymouthspeakswisdoms, to the vav [letter vav], which is Andthemeditationofmyheart,understandings. Then he is called a holy nation, that is, holiness, vav [letter vav], where the nekudah [point] illuminates to the vav [letter vav]. Thereby, AndyoushallbetoMeakingdomofpriests, that is, holy love. For when you receive from all these points, whether from himself and in himself, or from the points in every one from Israel, or from the nekudah [point] of generality, where all the points dwell, there dwells holy love, called priest, as it is written: Behold,IgivetohimMybris[covenant]ofpeace. The nekudah [point] is the bris [covenant] of peace, as it is written in Etz Chaim: The light of chesed [lovingkindness] remained in yesod [foundation] of Emanation. [When he speaks with his fellow in yirasshamayim [fear of heaven], he receives the nekudah [point] in his fellow’s heart without a garment. Sometimes, he receives the nekudah [point] from his fellow by means of other things that he tells with him. For sometimes one can receive light and arousal for the service of Hashem, blessed be He, from the nekudah [point] of his fellow by means of secular talk that they speak with him. Then, he receives the light of the nekudah [point] by means of clothing. For sometimes the nekudah [point] needs to clothe itself, and it clothes itself in these speeches, and he receives from it.]