ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים וגו' ובמדרש (רבתי ריש פרשה פ"ט) קץ שם לחושך וכו' (איוב כ״ח:ג׳) שכל זמן שיצר הרע בעולם אופל וצלמות בעולם וכו', הנה מבואר בכוונת האר"י זללה"ה ענין בירורי ניצוצות הקדושות שנפלו בעת השבירה, וצריך האדם להעלותן ולבררן מדומם לצומח חי מדבר, לברר הניצוץ הקדוש שבתוך הקליפה כו', וזה תכלית עבודת איש ישראל, בתורה ומצוות וכוונת אכילה, כמבואר כל אחד במקומו:
“And it came to pass, at the end of two years . . .” (Genesis 41:1) “He makes an end to darkness” (Job 28:3). A limit was set as to how long the world will remain in darkness. For as long as the evil inclination is in the world, there is darkness and distress; when the evil inclination is removed from the world, there will be no more darkness and distress. Midrash Rabbah, Miketz 89:1 The mystical writings of the Arizal1Rabbi Yitzchok Luria (1534-1572), one of the most influential kabbalists in history, known also as the Arizal, the “Lion,” of blessed memory. explain the concept of the extraction of the holy sparks, that fell in the time of the breakage [of the vessels],2See the Baal Shem Tov on the Torah portion Toldos, footnote 3. and how a person must raise these sparks from the level of mineral to vegetable, animal and speaker.3According to the Arizal, as a consequence of the primordial breaking of the vessels, and the subsequent sin of Adam, sparks of holiness became dispersed in all things in this world, on all levels of existence: mineral, vegetable, animal, and even human. On the one hand, the food chain produces a natural process of elevation, as plants grow from the ground, animals eat them, and man eats animal. However, human beings also elevate the sparks in the mineral and vegetable kingdoms by consuming them directly, or making use of them in other ways. The Baal Shem Tov’s list also includes “speakers,” that is, human beings; for while all people can participate in the process of uplifting sparks, not all actually do so. It depends upon how a person uses his life. One who puts the strength he receives from eating into the service of G-d uplifts the sparks that were in the food. However, a person who eats for physical gratification, and does not invest his energy into good deeds, merely traps the sparks in a further level of corporeality. However, if this person helps another person fulfill a mitzvah (for instance, a gentile worker in a Jewish religious institution), then the sparks are uplifted from him as well, and the Divine Presence is reconstituted in the world. Extracting these sparks of holiness from among the “shells”4Kelipot, the lower realms of reality that cover and conceal the essence of the Divine, as a shell covers a fruit. is the purpose of all a Jews actions, in Torah study, fulfillment of the commandments, and in the mystical intentions of eating.
2
ונודע כי כל ניצוץ שבתוך דומם וצומח וכו' יש בו קומה שלימה מן רמ"ח אברים ושס"ה גידים [רוחניים] וכשהוא בתוך הדומם והצומח וכו' הוא בבית האסורין שאינו יכול לפשוט ידיו ורגליו, כי אם ראשו על כרעיו ועל קרבו, ומי שיוכל בטוב מחשבתו וכוונתו להעלות הניצוץ הקדוש מצומח לחי מדבר, הוא מוציאו לחירות, ואין לך פדיון שבויים גדול מזה, וכמו ששמעתי ממורי וכו'. ובפרט אם בן המלך בבית האסורין, ובא אדם אחד בהשתדלותו, והוציאו מבית האסורין מעבדות לחירות ששכרו כפול ומכופל, אמנם כל זה הוא בדין ומשפט עליון אשר קץ שם לחושך, עד מתי יהיה בבית האסורין, ואימתי יזכה לצאת חפשי, ועל ידי מי יהיה היציאה לחירות וכו': (בן פורת יוסף דע"ד ע"ב).
Each spark found within these lower levels of existence has a complete form,5Literally, a “full stature,” komah shleimah. Just as a human being has limbs and organs that are arranged according to a certain pattern, with the preeminent organ being the head, and moving from there down to the feet, so each holy spark also has a complete spiritual stature. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov speaks about each Torah commandment also as having a komah shleimah, with the “feet” of the commandment represents its lowest aspect; the part of the commandment whose details are least observed, or least fulfilled with enthusiasm. with 248 [spiritual] organs and 365 sinews.6The Talmud sets the number of human limbs and organs at 613 (the same as the number of Biblical commandments). These are referred to as the 248 organs and 365 sinews. However, as long as it is on that level, it is imprisoned, with its head is on its knees and belly,7As long as the spark of holiness, whose source is the human being himself, is trapped within the non-human world, it cannot express itself fully in the service of G-d. The Baal Shem Tov uses the image of a fetus, doubled over, with its head on its knees. Only when this spark is incorporated in a human being, who serves G-d, can it attain its realized state. unable to extend its hands and feet. A person who has good thoughts and intentions, can uplift the spark of holiness from the these levels brings them out to freedom.8This is also the meaning of the Pascal lamb, that was roasted with its head upon its stomach, in fetal position, to symbolize the slavery of the Jewish people in Egypt, who were not able to achieve their full stature as servants of G-d, until the exodus. On this, see Derech Mitzvosecha, mitzvah Korban Pesach, by the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubovitch. This is the greatest fulfillment of the mitzvah of redeeming captives. And since it is the king’s son himself who is in captivity, a person works to free him from his imprisonment will certainly receive abundant reward. Nevertheless, everything follows the supernal judgment that puts a limit to darkness, and has determined just how long something will remain imprisoned, when it will deserve to exit, and through whom it will attain freedom. Ben Poras Yosef, p. 74b
ויהי מקץ שנתים ימים וגו' ובמדרש (רבתי ריש פרשה פ"ט) קץ שם לחושך וכו' (איוב כ״ח:ג׳) שכל זמן שיצר הרע בעולם אופל וצלמות בעולם וכו', הנה מבואר בכוונת האר"י זללה"ה ענין בירורי ניצוצות הקדושות שנפלו בעת השבירה, וצריך האדם להעלותן ולבררן מדומם לצומח חי מדבר, לברר הניצוץ הקדוש שבתוך הקליפה כו', וזה תכלית עבודת איש ישראל, בתורה ומצוות וכוונת אכילה, כמבואר כל אחד במקומו:
“And it came to pass, at the end of two years . . .” (Genesis 41:1)
“He makes an end to darkness” (Job 28:3). A limit was set as to how long the world will remain in darkness. For as long as the evil inclination is in the world, there is darkness and distress; when the evil inclination is removed from the world, there will be no more darkness and distress.
Midrash Rabbah, Miketz 89:1
The mystical writings of the Arizal1Rabbi Yitzchok Luria (1534-1572), one of the most influential kabbalists in history, known also as the Arizal, the “Lion,” of blessed memory. explain the concept of the extraction of the holy sparks, that fell in the time of the breakage [of the vessels],2See the Baal Shem Tov on the Torah portion Toldos, footnote 3. and how a person must raise these sparks from the level of mineral to vegetable, animal and speaker.3According to the Arizal, as a consequence of the primordial breaking of the vessels, and the subsequent sin of Adam, sparks of holiness became dispersed in all things in this world, on all levels of existence: mineral, vegetable, animal, and even human. On the one hand, the food chain produces a natural process of elevation, as plants grow from the ground, animals eat them, and man eats animal. However, human beings also elevate the sparks in the mineral and vegetable kingdoms by consuming them directly, or making use of them in other ways.
The Baal Shem Tov’s list also includes “speakers,” that is, human beings; for while all people can participate in the process of uplifting sparks, not all actually do so. It depends upon how a person uses his life. One who puts the strength he receives from eating into the service of G-d uplifts the sparks that were in the food. However, a person who eats for physical gratification, and does not invest his energy into good deeds, merely traps the sparks in a further level of corporeality. However, if this person helps another person fulfill a mitzvah (for instance, a gentile worker in a Jewish religious institution), then the sparks are uplifted from him as well, and the Divine Presence is reconstituted in the world. Extracting these sparks of holiness from among the “shells”4Kelipot, the lower realms of reality that cover and conceal the essence of the Divine, as a shell covers a fruit. is the purpose of all a Jews actions, in Torah study, fulfillment of the commandments, and in the mystical intentions of eating.
ונודע כי כל ניצוץ שבתוך דומם וצומח וכו' יש בו קומה שלימה מן רמ"ח אברים ושס"ה גידים [רוחניים] וכשהוא בתוך הדומם והצומח וכו' הוא בבית האסורין שאינו יכול לפשוט ידיו ורגליו, כי אם ראשו על כרעיו ועל קרבו, ומי שיוכל בטוב מחשבתו וכוונתו להעלות הניצוץ הקדוש מצומח לחי מדבר, הוא מוציאו לחירות, ואין לך פדיון שבויים גדול מזה, וכמו ששמעתי ממורי וכו'. ובפרט אם בן המלך בבית האסורין, ובא אדם אחד בהשתדלותו, והוציאו מבית האסורין מעבדות לחירות ששכרו כפול ומכופל, אמנם כל זה הוא בדין ומשפט עליון אשר קץ שם לחושך, עד מתי יהיה בבית האסורין, ואימתי יזכה לצאת חפשי, ועל ידי מי יהיה היציאה לחירות וכו':
(בן פורת יוסף דע"ד ע"ב).
Each spark found within these lower levels of existence has a complete form,5Literally, a “full stature,” komah shleimah. Just as a human being has limbs and organs that are arranged according to a certain pattern, with the preeminent organ being the head, and moving from there down to the feet, so each holy spark also has a complete spiritual stature. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov speaks about each Torah commandment also as having a komah shleimah, with the “feet” of the commandment represents its lowest aspect; the part of the commandment whose details are least observed, or least fulfilled with enthusiasm. with 248 [spiritual] organs and 365 sinews.6The Talmud sets the number of human limbs and organs at 613 (the same as the number of Biblical commandments). These are referred to as the 248 organs and 365 sinews. However, as long as it is on that level, it is imprisoned, with its head is on its knees and belly,7As long as the spark of holiness, whose source is the human being himself, is trapped within the non-human world, it cannot express itself fully in the service of G-d. The Baal Shem Tov uses the image of a fetus, doubled over, with its head on its knees. Only when this spark is incorporated in a human being, who serves G-d, can it attain its realized state. unable to extend its hands and feet. A person who has good thoughts and intentions, can uplift the spark of holiness from the these levels brings them out to freedom.8This is also the meaning of the Pascal lamb, that was roasted with its head upon its stomach, in fetal position, to symbolize the slavery of the Jewish people in Egypt, who were not able to achieve their full stature as servants of G-d, until the exodus. On this, see Derech Mitzvosecha, mitzvah Korban Pesach, by the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubovitch. This is the greatest fulfillment of the mitzvah of redeeming captives. And since it is the king’s son himself who is in captivity, a person works to free him from his imprisonment will certainly receive abundant reward. Nevertheless, everything follows the supernal judgment that puts a limit to darkness, and has determined just how long something will remain imprisoned, when it will deserve to exit, and through whom it will attain freedom.
Ben Poras Yosef, p. 74b