“Vayehi Mikeitz (It was after) two years’ time, and Pharaoh dreamed he was standing near the river, when suddenly out of the river seven cows came up….” (Genesis 41:1, 2)
“YHVH, Elohay (God, my Lord), You are very great; You have clothed Yourself in majesty and splendor. You have wrapped Yourself in light as in a cloak; You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain.” (Psalms 104:1, 2)
A person must carefully guard his memory so that he does not fall into forgetfulness, the aspect of “a demise of the heart.” And the essence of memory is to be continually <very> mindful of the World to Come. One should never entertain the thought, God forbid, that there is only a single world. Through this that he attaches his thought to the World to Come, the unification YHVH-Elohay is achieved.
{This is because YHVH -Elohim is the aspect of the Complete Name, which is the aspect of the World to Come, as is brought. A similar explanation appears in Sava d’Mishpatim, p.98, on this verse: “YHVH, Elohay”—this is the illumination of faithfulness; the ascent of thought, and the World to Come.}
2. This aspect of always being mindful of the World to Come—i.e., affixing one’s thoughts on the World to Come—applies in the general and in the particular. In the general, this is how a God-fearing person ought to act: Right when he gets up in the morning, before beginning anything at all, he should immediately remind himself of the World to Come. Afterwards, he should do this in the particular.
This entire world is an enclothing of the lower levels of holiness—i.e., the aspect of the feet of holiness, as it is written (Isaiah 66:1), “and the earth is My footstool.” Even though from the upper levels of holiness there is likewise a manifestation in this world, however, in this world the manifestation is not enclothed in the essence, but is only <as> the radiance that shines in the aspect of the feet.
Each day has in it thought, word and deed. The Holy One, blessed be He, contracts His Godliness ad infinitum, to the center point of the corporeal world <on which man> stands. He arranges for him thought, word, and deed according to the particular day, and the particular person, and the particular place, and He enclothes hints for him in this thought, word and deed that He arranges for him, in order to bring him closer to serving Him.
Therefore, a person has to <rigorously immerse thought, word, and deed> in this, and to expand his understanding—to understand what the particular hints are that are enclothed in the thought, word and deed of this day that the Holy One has arranged for him, whether in physical labor or business activity. And in all this that the Holy One arranges for him each day, he has to deepen and expand his thoughts on this so as to understand the hints of the Holy One.
Nevertheless, expansion of the intellect in this must be with measure so that it does not go beyond the limit of holiness. He should expand his thought on this only commensurate with the capacity of his intellect. Likewise, he must not look into this beyond his level, because “In that which is hidden from you, do not inquire” (Chagigah 13a) .
This is the explanation of “gadalta me’od (You are very great). You have clothed Yourself in majesty and splendor.” That is, when a person wants to take something from this world—this being the aspect of “You have clothed Yourself in majesty and splendor,” which are the aspect of the feet enclothed in this world *—it shouldbe in the aspect of “GaDaLta me’od.” In other words, the haGDaLah (expansion) of the intellect should be with measure and contraction. This is me’od (very)—the left side, from which the contraction occurs. {As it is written there in Sava d’Mishpatim: me’od is the left side.}
And even someone who knows and understands this, that is he merits understanding the hints that God sends him in every matter, and as a resultwants to occupy himself with this alone—i.e., he would occupy himself only with the matters of this world since he understands the hints the Holy One sends through them…. But the truth is otherwise, because a man has to possess the quality of contentment. He has to find contentment in this world with only those things he absolutely needs from this world.
The reason for this is twofold: The first reason is that the holiness that enclothes itself in the matters of this world is the aspect of the feet, a <very> low level of holiness, in the aspect of “The sins I trod upon surround me” (Psalms 49:6). The forces of evil are around it always, and are eager to draw nourishment from [the feet]. As a result it is a dangerous situation, which is why one has to be content with only the necessities. The second reason is that there is a higher service than this, one which is on a higher level of holiness. A person has to serve God with those higher and more holy forms of service.
{In other words, even a righteous man or sage whose mind is so great that he can understand the hints the Holy One sends him in every thing, on every day, even in mundane matters, so that because of this he can serve God with whatever exists in the world, even with mundane matters, and as a result, God forbid, he will want to occupy himself with this alone—i.e., with mundane matters—since he knows the hints they contain and can come closer to serving God through them… But the truth is otherwise, because it is forbidden to increase one’s involvement with the matters of this world, even for someone who knows and understands the above mentioned hints, because of the two reasons given above: 1) because this [way of] service, through the matters of this world, is a very dangerous situation, etc., as explained above; 2) because there is a level of holiness and service higher than this—i.e., the holiness of Torah and mitzvot. Therefore, even when someone knows the hints, he must possess the quality of contentment, finding contentment with this world in the necessities alone, as explained above.}
Contentment corresponds to “You have wrapped Yourself in light as in a cloak.” This is the aspect of light that is full. But the wicked, who have no contentment, in the aspect of “but the belly of the wicked [always] lacks,” for them the me’orot (light) is lacking, corresponding to (Proverbs 3:33), “The me’eirat (curse) of God is on the house of the wicked.” The righteous, however, who do possess the quality of contentment, in the aspect of “A righteous man eats to satiate himself,” for them the light is full. This is in the aspect of (Genesis 1:4), “The Lord saw that the light was good”—“good” is nothing other than the righteous person, as it is said, “Say of the righteous man that he is good” (Isaiah 3:10) .
And even from this contentment itself a person has to separate off some for charity. This corresponds to “You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain.” For the Ark of the Covenant, which is the aspect of a poor man, is beneath the curtain. The curtain provides for the Ark of the Covenant, this being the aspect of charity.
{The explanation is as follows: Through the charity that the giver provides for the receiver, a union is made between the righteous person and the Community of Israel—the aspect of the righteous person providing for the Community of Israel. This is the aspect of the curtain providing for the Ark of the Covenant, corresponding to “You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain,” as explained above.}
3. As for the common people, who do not have the intellect to go deeply into all this so as to understand the hints, as explained above, all this happens to them automatically, by means of sleep, tzitzit, tefilin, Torah study, prayer, and doing business.
Sleep is the aspect of attaching one’s thoughts to the World to Come in a general way, as explained above, corresponding to “YHVH, Elohay (God, my Lord),” which was mentioned above. The reason for this is that while sleeping, [a person’s] soul ascends to the World to Come.
Tzitzit and tefilin correspond to “GaDaLta me’od.” Tefilin are the aspect of haGDaLah (expansion) of the intellect, which was mentioned above. {This is because, as is known, tefilin are the aspect of intellects—i.e., expanding the intellect so as to understand all the hints that God sends him each day, as explained above.} And tzitzit is the above mentioned aspect of contraction, which is the aspect of me’od. This is because t’kheilet is the Throne of Judgment, which is the aspect of contraction This is why tzitzit precedes tefilin, in the aspect of “His left arm is under my head” (Song of Songs 2:6), and then afterwards “his right arm embraces me.” {For, as explained above, the left side is the aspect of judgment/contraction, which is the aspect of tzitzit, while the right side is the aspect of intellect/ tefilin .}
Torah is the aspect of contentment, which was mentioned above. For Torah corresponds to “the tree of life” (Proverbs 3:18), because it contains sustenance for all—i.e., everyone has all he needs from it. We see from this that [the Torah] is the aspect of contentment. And in Torah study itself there is the aspect of contentment. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The work is not yours to finish” (Avot 2:16). The study of Torah is therefore the aspect of contentment. And even the common people, who are incapable of study, they fulfill being involved in Torah by reciting the Shema, as our Sages said (Menachot 99b) .
Prayer corresponds to “majesty and splendor,” which was mentioned above. This is because prayer is [for the] transient life. This corresponds to “and the earth is My footstool,” which was mentioned above—i.e., the aspect of the feet of holiness that are enclothed in this world, as explained above.
And doing business corresponds to “You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain”—i.e., the aspect of union between the righteous person and the Community of Israel, which was mentioned above. This is because the righteous person and the Community of Israel are the aspect of masa u’matan (doing business). The righteous person is called masa (carrier) because he carries the world “like a nurse carries an infant” (Numbers 11:12). He also carries all blessing, as it is written (Proverbs 10:6), “Blessings settle upon the head of the righteous,” and “he carries off a blessing from God” (Psalms 24:5). He carries the drop of seed of all the souls, in the aspect of “carrying a measure of seed” (ibid. 126:6), and he provides for the Community of Israel, who distributes to all the world. On account of this the Community of Israel is called matan (provider), because “she provides food for her household and a daily portion for her maidens” (Proverbs 31:15) .
The union between the righteous person and the Community of Israel is achieved through masa u’matan. This is because everything in the world has in it sparks of holiness that fell at the time of the Shattering of the Vessels. “Shattering” is the aspect of letters that shattered and fell into each and every thing of this world. For every thing has its time: it must come at that time, to that person who shares the same root with those sparks in that thing.
Thus, when that thing comes to this person, and he receives vitality from it—i.e., from the shattered letters that are there—through this the shattered letters are encompassed in this person, in his vitality. They become a complete entity, and infuse the vitality of the entire body. Through this the letters are restored and become complete. Then that thing must stay with this person, for him to use, until the letters and sparks that are associated with his root terminate. After this it leaves his possession for someone else; the time has come for the remaining letters to have an ascent. They share the same root with that other person and so depart for his possession.
Still there are times when the thing returns to that person who had it originally. Since he did not possess the components of soul-spirit-higher soul <that relate to the letters>, he was unable to complete these letters until now that these components of soul-spirit-higher soul have become his. Through them he is able to complete the remaining letters, which in the meanwhile had to remain with the other person.
And when he completes these letters, he gains illumination in his soul-spirit-higher soul because of the illuminations of these letters that came to him and which he completed. Through this illumination he illuminates the root of his soul-spirit-higher soul, which is with the righteous person and the Community of Israel; the root of all the souls <being there>, as explained above. As a result of this shining there is <an arousal and> a union between the righteous person and the Community of Israel, who are called masa u’matan. On account of this, all buying and selling and all study are called “doing business,” because through them the righteous person and the Community of Israel—who are called masa u’matan—unite, as explained above.
4. Now in order to guard the above mentioned memory, a person has to watch himself so that he does not succumb to the aspect of an evil eye, which corresponds to a demise of the heart. This is because memory is essentially dependent upon the eye, in the aspect of “and as a reminder between your eyes” (Exodus 13:9). Thus forgetfulness comes from an evil eye, from a demise of the heart, in the aspect of “I am forgotten from the heart like the dead” (Psalms 31:13). This is because an evil eye and the demise of the heart are one aspect, for “the eye’s seeing depends upon the heart” (Avodah Zarah 28b). Therefore, concerning Naval, who possessed an evil eye, it is said that “his heart died within him” (1 Samuel 25:37) .
A demise of the heart is the aspect of the shards of the Tablets. The heart is the aspect of Tablets, in the aspect of “inscribe them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). Forgetfulness comes from the shards of the Tablets, as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: Had the first Tablets not been shattered, there would be no forgetfulness in the world (Eruvin 54a). We see then that forgetfulness is essentially the result of an evil eye. This is the aspect of a demise of the heart/the shards of the Tablets, from which forgetfulness essentially comes, as explained above.
Thus Avshalom, who viewed his father’s kingship with an evil eye, was <also> attributed with a demise of the heart, as it is said, “He took three darts [in his hand] and drove them into Avshalom’s heart” (2 Samuel 18:15). He therefore left no male offspring, because he blemished the memory through an evil eye, as explained above. And when King David, of blessed memory, fled from his kingdom because of Avshalom, and Shimi the son of Gera cursed him, <David> said, “Perhaps God will look into my eye” (ibid. 16:12). Specifically “into my eye,” because when a person sees that he is affected by an evil eye, if he does not feel himself capable of standing up to it and saving himself from it, he must flee from it.
On the other hand, a person who is capable of rectifying it should do so; he should discover the nature of this aspect of evil eye in order to determine the root that requires his rectification. For there are a number of aspects of evil eye. When he falls subject to an evil eye of pridefulness, when he views his friend’s success with an <evil> eye, he has to humble [this evil eye] at the root of pridefulness—i.e., at the root of kingship, which is the aspect of Mashiach. [Mashiach] is the root of kingship, in the aspect of “He grants power to His king, and raises the horn of His anointed one” (1 Samuel 2:10). He is also the aspect of a good eye, in the aspect of “with beautiful eyes and good vision” (ibid. 16:12), which was said of David, who is Mashiach. {It has been taught: Abba Shaul says: I used to be an undertaker. Once, a me’arah (cavern) opened below me, so that I was standing up to my nose in the eyeball of a dead man. When I turned back, they said: That was the eye of Avshalom (Niddah 24b).}
I used to be an undertaker—Abba Shaul always strove to rectify the evil eye, which is called <a demise of the heart,> death, as explained above. <This is: “I used to be an undertaker”—I used to rectify the evil eye, as explained above.>
Once, a me’arah opened below me—Me’ARah is the aspect of cleaving [to God], corresponding to “as the MaAR (embrace) of a man with his spouse” (1 Kings 7:36). “Below me” is the aspect of truth, corresponding to “Truth springs forth from the earth” (Psalms 85:12). This is because “one with a good eye is blessed” (Proverbs 22:9), and blessings are the aspect of truth, as it is written (Isaiah 65:16), “he who blesses himself in the land, will bless himself by the God of truth.”
so that I was standing up to my nose in the eyeball of a dead man—That is, because of the cleaving to God, I wound up endangering myself by entering the eyeball of a dead man—i.e., an evil eye—to the point where I had to use the aspect of Mashiach in order to humble the evil eye. This is the meaning of “up to my nose,” which corresponds to “The breath of our nostrils, God’s anointed” (Lamentations 4:20) .
When I turned back, they said: That was the eye of Avshalom—That is, Avshalom succumbed to this aspect of the evil eye. This is: “When I turned back”—i.e., after the rectification—I returned the aspect of Mashiach to its place, to the aspect of “back.”
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כִּי שָׁם שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, בִּבְחִינַת (שיר השירים ז׳:ו׳): מֶלֶךְ אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים, בְּרָהִיטֵי מֹחִין (תיקון ו דף כא).
For the root of Mashiach is there, in the aspect of “the king is bound in the ReHaTim (zealousness)” (Song of Songs 7:6)—by the ReHiTei (fluidity) of the mind (Tikkuney Zohar #6, p.21b) .
“Bound” is the aspect of the knot of tefilin, which is the aspect of “back,” as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: “you will see My back” (Exodus 33:23)—this is the knot of tefilin (Berakhot 7a) .
And this is the explanation of “may the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of life” (1 Samuel 25:29), which was said of David—i.e., the knot of tefilin. This is because the tefilin are the aspect of life, as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory (Menachot 44a): Whoever dons tefilin merits life, as it is said (Isaiah 38:16), “O God, [with these things] on them, they will live.”
Therefore, they did not tell him that it was the eye of Avshalom until he turned back. For if he had known this earlier, it is likely that he would not have endangered himself so by entering into an evil eye such as this, because it is a great danger.
5. It is necessary to protect the eye from the imagination. Even someone who possesses a good eye has to beware of this. We see that even someone with good vision can make a mistake by looking from afar, so that what he imagines is the opposite of the truth. This is why one needs extra caution in this.
For the imagination stems from slander. This is because the imagination is the power of animality; an animal too has this imagination. Thus someone who speaks slander succumbs to animality, and so the imagination, which is animality, overpowers him. For “someone who speaks slander is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18).
{“My people are destroyed, because they had no knowledge. You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from serving Me” (Hosea 4:6).} And when the daat (knowledge) departs from him, his love of God declines and he succumbs to the love for animality <and the imaginary>, in the aspect of “You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from kahein (serving) Me.” “Kahein” is the aspect of “Avraham, My beloved” (Isaiah 41:8), corresponding to “You will be a kohein (priest)” (Psalms 110:4), and to “then the kohein shall scoop up” (Leviticus 5:12). Then the imagination, which is the power of animality, overpowers him, in the aspect of “My people are nidmu (destroyed), because they had no knowledge”— niDMu is the meDaMeh (imagination), <which comes in the absence of daat, as explained above>.
6. Now this imagination is always in search a repository on which to rest. It therefore constantly attempts to reside in the mouth of those who study Jewish law. If they formulate some new Torah insight, it is an acceptable and credible insight because it comes from the imagination which likens one thing to another. Yet the bad that [the insight] contains surpasses the good.
These insights are thus detrimental to earning a living. The reason is that through Torah insights, heaven and earth are created, as it is written (Isaiah 51:16), “and I have declared to Zion: You are My people”—do not read this ami (My people) but imi (with Me), just as I create heaven and earth through My word…. (Zohar, Introduction, p .4b-5a). And through this all influx and blessing comes into the world, as it is written, “God will open for you His good treasury in heaven” (Deuteronomy 28:12). But when the Torah insights stem from the imagination, then “firmaments of futility” are created (Zohar, ibid.), through which famine comes to the world. Although they also contain some good, for they are words of Torah, which are the aspect of contentment, nevertheless since the bad surpasses the good, the bad therefore increases and the good is eliminated, in the aspect of “but there was no way of knowing that they were inside them” (Genesis 41:21). The aspect of the seven years of famine overpower the aspect of the seven years of contentment, God forbid, which corresponds to the bad overpowering the good to the point where the good is no longer recognizable because of the bad, in the aspect of “but there was no way of knowing…,” as explained above.
Now, the reason the imagination attempts to reside in the mouth of the one who studies Jewish law is that it was created on the eve of Shabbat at dusk, when the sanctity of the day set in and no physical form was created for it. As it is written in the Zohar concerning the verse, “that the Lord created, to make” (Genesis 2:3). There it is explained that the forces of evil, which are the aspect of the imagination, were being created on the eve of Shabbat at dusk when, suddenly, the sanctity of the day set in and they remained disembodied. See there.
Thus this imagination, which is the aspect of the evil forces, a disembodied spirit, seeks for itself a body in which to reside. It goes to those who study Jewish law, because they create everything through their words of Torah. <And the imagination supposes> that through them a body will be created for it in which to be enclothed. {“Yosef said to Pharaoh, ‘Pharaoh’s dream has a single meaning…. The reason that Pharaoh had the same dream twice is because the process has already been set in motion by the Lord, and the Lord is rushing to do it’” (Genesis 41:25, 32).}
This is the explanation of what is written, “the same dream twice”—i.e., the reason the dream, which is the aspect of the imagination, endeavors to reside with the one who studies Jewish law is “because the process has already been set in motion by the Lord, and the Lord is rushing to do it.” This corresponds to “that the Lord created, to make,” which was mentioned above. Everything had been set in motion on the eve of Shabbat at dusk, when the sanctity of the day set in, so that the Lord rushed “to make” it without a body. Because of this it always attempts to reside with the one who studies Jewish law, as explained above.
And this is the explanation of “Pharaoh’s dream has a single meaning.” In other words, PhaRaOh’s dream, which is the aspect of the imagination, is the power of nullity, as it is written (Exodus 5:4), “taPhRiOo (diverting) the people.” This comes from oneness, from love {because oneness is the aspect of love, as explained elsewhere}—i.e., from fallen love, <for they have the same numerical value>. This corresponds to “My people are nidmu, because they had no knowledge,” because “You have rejected knowledge…,” as explained above.
We see then that with the departure of knowledge that stems from slander—which corresponds to “someone who speaks slander is a fool,” i.e., knowledge departs from him—he thereby falls from the love of God to the love of animality. Then the imagination, which is the power of animality, overpowers him, and because of the imagination the memory is blemished and he succumbs to forgetfulness. {“My people are nidmu (destroyed), because they had no knowledge. You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from kahein (serving) Me. You forgot the Torah of your God, I will likewise forget your children.”}
So come now and see how good and pleasant is the connection of all [the different parts] of this verse: “My people are destroyed…,” which was mentioned above.
This is the explanation of “My people are nidmu, because they have no knowledge”—because of a blemish in knowledge, the medameh gains strength, as explained above.
And this is the explanation of “You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from kahein Me”—because of a blemish in knowledge he falls from loves that are holy, which is the aspect of kohein. Then the medameh, corresponding to “My people nidmu …,” overpowers him, as explained above.
This is how the verse there concludes: “You forgot the Torah of your God”—surely “forgot,” for through the blemish of knowledge, because of which the imagination gains strength, the memory is blemished and forgetfulness occurs, as explained above.
And this is the explanation of “I will likewise forget your children”—for by blemishing the memory and succumbing to forgetfulness, he therefore has no male offspring, as was brought above regarding Avshalom, who did not merit having male offspring because he blemished the memory, as explained above. This is, “I will likewise forget your children.”
This is why Pharaoh’s decree was specifically against the males, because Pharaoh is the aspect of the imagination, which is the power of nullity. He overpowers the memory, which is the aspect of a male offspring. For when the imagination gains strength, God forbid, it blemishes and nullifies the memory, God forbid, as explained above.
And this is the explanation of “Then Pharaoh gave orders…. ‘Every boy who is born you shall throw into the river’” (Exodus 1:22). Specifically “the river,” because Egypt’s river is PIShON—i.e., the aspect of PI ShONeh (the mouth of one who studies) Jewish law, which is where the imagination resides. In other words, [Pharaoh] wanted to blemish the memory, which is the aspect of male offspring, by means of the imagination that resides in the mouth of the one who studies Jewish law, as explained above.
7. Now, the way to subdue the imagination is through the aspect of the hand, corresponding to “by the hand of the prophets I have been imagined” (Hosea 12:11). And “hand” is the aspect of joy, corresponding to “and you shall rejoice in all the effort of your hand” (Deuteronomy 12:7). This is also the aspect of musical instruments that are played with the hand, by means of which prophecy would come to rest upon the prophets, as it is written, “get me a musician…” (2 Kings 3:15) .
For an instrument is a gathering of the ruach, which is a mixture of good and evil. There is a ruach of depression, a gloomy ruach, a ruach of evil, as it is said of Shaul, “an evil ruach began to terrify him” (1 Samuel 16:14). There is also a good ruach, as it is written, “Let Your good ruach guide me on level ground” (Psalms 143:10). This is the aspect of the ruach of prophecy, Divine ruach .
But when a person is a mixture of good and evil, he cannot receive truthful prophecies. Thus it is written of Shaul (1 Samuel 19:24), “he began to prophesy… and he lay arom (naked).” Rashi explains that this connotes madness, because he had been infused with a ruach of folly, a ruach of depression. {“Let our lord order the courtiers attending you to look for someone skilled at playing… his hand will play, and it will be good for you” (1 Samuel 16:16).}
The person whose hand plays an instrument collects and gathers up with his hand the good ruach, the ruach of prophecy, from within the ruach of depression. Thus he must be “skilled at playing,” knowing how to collect and gather and find the components of the ruach one by one, in order to build the tune, the joy—i.e., to build the good ruach, the ruach of prophecy, which is the opposite of a ruach of depression. For he has to raise and lower his hand on the instrument he is playing in order to direct the buildup of the joy to perfection.
Thus, when the prophet hears this music from one who is “skilled at playing,” he receives from him the ruach of prophecy which [the musician] gathered with his hand from within the ruach of depression. This is the explanation of “his hand will play, and it will be good for you”—specifically “it will be good for you,” because he gathers and refines the good from within the evil.
And the main gathering and building up of the ruach of prophecy is by means of the hand, because the deposits of the ruach are there, as it is written (Psalms 31:6), “Into Your hand I deposit my ruach,” and as in (Job 12:10), “in Whose hand is the life of every living thing and the ruach of all human flesh.” This is the explanation of “As the musician played, the hand of God came upon him” (2 Kings, ibid.) .
We see then that by playing a musical instrument with his hand, a person thereby extracts the good ruach from the evil ruach, this being the aspect of the ruach of prophecy, as explained above. All this is the aspect of subduing the imagination, which is the aspect of an evil ruach, a foolish ruach, that would blemish and confound the aspect of the good ruach, the ruach of prophecy. [And the imagination] is subdued and eliminated by means of joy, which comes from the one who plays music with the hand, as explained above. For the main strengthening of the imagination is by means of depression, because the imagination is the aspect a depressed ruach /a gloomy ruach /an evil ruach, which confounds the good ruach /the ruach of prophecy, this being the aspect of memory/attaching one’s thoughts to the World to Come, which was mentioned above.
It is therefore impossible to receive the ruach of prophecy/Divine ruach except by means of joy, which is the aspect of playing music with the hand, as in, “As the musician played, the hand of God came upon him,” the aspect of “his hand will play, and it will be good for you,” as explained above.
Now this musician has to be “skilled at playing,” as explained above. Also the instrument on which he plays has to be whole, so that the ruach, which is a mixture of good and evil, does not emerge all at once. This is why he must be “skilled at playing,” and why the instrument he plays must be whole, so that he can properly extract and direct the music to perfection. This corresponds to extracting the good ruach, which is the aspect of joy/the ruach of prophecy, from the ruach of depression/the ruach of evil, as explained above. For when the instrument is not whole, or he is not skilled at playing and so does not know how to raise and lower his hand in order to extract the good ruach from the evil ruach, it is said of him (Proverbs 29:11), “A fool vents all his ruach”—i.e., he gives out all the ruach at one time, so that the music is certainly not built up.
This is because the essential beauty of the music is achieved through the extraction of the ruach {this is the air from which the sound comes, as is known to those skilled in music}. In other words, the aspect of music comes essentially through the extracting of the good ruach from the evil ruach. But when he brings out the ruach all at once, it comes out as it is: a mixture of good and evil. As a result, the music and joy are not built up, and the imagination is not subdued.
This corresponds to “His ruach goes out; he returns to his adamah (dust)” (Psalms 146:4). “To his aDaMaH” is the aspect of the meDaMeH. In other words, when all the ruach comes out, he returns and goes back to the imagination. This is because he has not subdued the imagination, since he is unable to gather and extract the good ruach, so that all the ruach, which is a mixture of good and evil, comes out.
However, if he has the aspect of the hand that gathers and extracts the aspect of the good ruach from the evil ruach, he can then subdue the imagination, in the aspect of “by the hand of the prophets I have been imagined,” as explained above. For the essence of the aspect of prophecy comes from the above mentioned aspect of the hand that extracts the good ruach from the evil ruach and through this subdues the imagination, which is the aspect of the evil ruach mixed with the good ruach, as explained above.
This is the explanation of what is written, “Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the ruach in his palms? Who has wrapped the waters in a robe? Who has established all afsay (the ends) of the earth?” (Proverbs 30:4) .
Who has gone up to heaven and come down?—This is the aspect of the musician. The musician goes up and down in the music, because he has to go up and down on the scale of the strings in line with the song’s notes in order to gather the ruach. And this is:
Who has gathered the ruach in his palms?—Literally, “in his palms,” which are the hands, because the root of the ruach is there, as explained above. The essential aspect of the ruach is in the hands, because the deposits of the ruach are there, as explained above. And this is:
Who has wrapped the waters in a robe?—“Waters” is the aspect of the heart, as it is written (Lamentations 2:19), “Pour out your heart like water.” In other words, by gathering the ruach, he “has wrapped the waters in a robe”—he guards the heart so that the imagination does not rule over it. And this is:
Who has established all afsay of the earth?—Through this he elevates the aspect of the feet that is enclothed in this world. “Afsay” is the aspect of the feet, as it is written (Ezekiel 47:3), “They led me [through the water]; the water was afsayim (ankle-deep).”
For by playing music with the hand, as mentioned above, the imagination is subdued. Then he merits memory, which is the aspect of his knowing to understand all the hints that are in each thing in the world. These [hints] are the aspect of the vitality of Godliness, the aspect of the feet of holiness that are enclothed in all that exists in the world, as explained above. This is the explanation of “Who has established all the ends of the earth?”—he elevates and establishes the feet of holiness that are enclothed in this world, as explained above.
8. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“It was mikeitz (after) two years’ time, and Pharaoh dreamed he was standing near the river, when suddenly out of the river seven cows came up.”}It was mikeitz two years’ time—“Two years’ time” is the aspect of those who speak slander, of whom it is said (Numbers 14:34), “one year for each day, one year for each day.” Because of them the aspect of a love for holiness was corrupted and blemished, this being the aspect of “and the priest shall kamatz (scoop up),” as explained above. And this is MiKeiTZ—the aspect of a blemish of the KaMaTZ .
when suddenly out of the river…—That is, because of them there is seven years of contentment and seven years of famine, good and bad, as explained above. The bad gains strength and overpowers the good, in the aspect of “but there was no way of knowing that they were inside them.”
And the rectification is YoSeF, in the aspect of “The Lord has aSaF (gathered away) my humiliation” (Genesis 30:23). He mitigates the bad, which is the aspect of famine, in the aspect of (Ezekiel 36:30), “so that you will never again be humiliated before the nations because of famine.” He is the aspect of “gathered the ruach,” corresponding to “a man in whom there is the ruach of the Lord” (Genesis 41:38). And this is what was said of him: “Yosef will place his hand on your eyes” (ibid. 46:4)—by means of the hand, the eye is protected from the imagination, as explained above.
9. This corresponds to “During the night I recall my song; I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches” (Psalms 77:7). The night—when the ruach is deposited, corresponding to “Into Your hand I deposit my ruach,” as mentioned above—is the time to collect the good ruach from within the evil ruach. In other words, this is the main time for hitbodedut: secluding oneself with one’s Master and speaking at length with the Holy One; speaking with one’s heart and seeking the good ruach—i.e., the good points one still has, so as to extract them from within the evil ruach, this being the above mentioned aspect of music. Through this the memory is guarded—i.e., through this he merits being mindful that his ultimate purpose is the World to Come, and to continually think about his end, and always attach his thoughts to the World to Come. All this is the aspect of memory, as explained above.
This is the explanation of “During the night I recall my song; I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches.” If you study this verse carefully, you will find that all its words explain everything that has been mentioned above.
I recall—This is the aspect of memory, that a person has to always be mindful of the World to Come. This is the aspect of my song—i.e., the aspect of music mentioned above, which is the aspect extracting the good from the evil, as explained above. For by means of the aspect of music and joy a person can remind himself of the World to Come. This is because the memory is guarded by playing music with the hand, which is the aspect of joy, as explained above. And this is:
I commune with my heart—By means of the aspect of music and joy, the heart is guarded from the imagination, as explained above. Then a person can pour out his heart like water before God, this being the aspect of “Who has wrapped the waters in a robe?” which was mentioned above; in the aspect of “Pour out your heart like water in the presence of God.” And this is:
I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches—Through this he is roused to speak with his heart about his eternal purpose, that being the World to Come, and to search and seek to find the good points, the aspect of the good ruach he has within him, in order to return to God through this. For the essence of repentance is subduing the evil ruach and extracting the good ruach, as is known.
10. This is the aspect of waking at midnight. A harp hung over David’s bed, and when midnight arrived it would play by itself (Berakhot 3b). In other words, at midnight the aspect of sacred music drawn from the harp of David is aroused, this being the aspect of extracting the good ruach, etc., as explained above. That is therefore the time to strengthen one’s Divine service: to awaken then to engage in the service of God, to speak at length to the Holy One. For it is mainly then that the above mentioned extracting through the aspect of playing music on an instrument occurs; this being the aspect of the harp of David, which played then, as explained above. Understand well the practical application of these matters.
11. This lesson was taught on Shabbat Chanukah. After delivering the lesson, [the Rebbe] said: “I have now spoken of how to kindle the Chanukah lights, the aspect of drawing the oil of great holiness and kindling the lamp [with] ‘sacred anointing oil’ (Exodus 30:25). This is the daat, as is known—i.e., expanding the daat, which was mentioned above, this being the aspect of memory.” But he did not explain this any further.
Who has gathered the ruach in his palms? Who has wrapped the waters in a robe?… This is the explanation of “He causes His ruach to blow and the waters to flow” (Psalms 147:18). By means of “He causes His ruach to blow”—this that he gathers and collects the ruach in his hand—as a result, “the waters flow.” This corresponds to “Who has wrapped the waters,” which is the aspect of the heart, corresponding to “Pour out your heart like water,” as explained above. See there.
13. The general principle is that which our Sages of blessed memory said: A person should not deduce a gezerah shavah -parallel of his own (Pesachim 66a). For a person might deduce his own parallel and it can stem from the imagination, because he is medameh (likens) one thing to another, as explained above. See there.
It is therefore forbidden for a person to deduce his own parallel—i.e., to liken one thing to another—unless he received it from his teacher, who received it from his teacher, back to Moshe Rabbeinu, of blessed memory, directly from the Almighty—in order to be spared from the imagination. Understand this.
וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל הַיְאֹר. וְהִנֵּה מִן הַיְאֹר עֹלֹת שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת וְכוּ': (בראשית מ״א:א׳-ב׳)
“Vayehi Mikeitz (It was after) two years’ time, and Pharaoh dreamed he was standing near the river, when suddenly out of the river seven cows came up….” (Genesis 41:1, 2)
יְיָ אֱלֹקַי גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד, הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ. עֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה, נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְּרִיעָה: (תהילים ק״ד:א׳-ב׳)
“YHVH, Elohay (God, my Lord), You are very great; You have clothed Yourself in majesty and splendor. You have wrapped Yourself in light as in a cloak; You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain.” (Psalms 104:1, 2)
א כִּי צְרִיכִין לִשְׁמֹר מְאֹד אֶת הַזִּכָּרוֹן, שֶׁלֹּא יִפֹּל לְשִׁכְחָה, בְּחִינַת מִיתַת הַלֵּב. וְעִקַּר הַזִּכָּרוֹן הוּא לִזְכֹּר תָּמִיד בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּדַעְתּוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁאֵין עוֹלָם אֶלָּא אֶחָד. וְעַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁמְּדַבֵּק מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה יִחוּד ה' אֱלֹקַי הַנַּ"ל.
A person must carefully guard his memory so that he does not fall into forgetfulness, the aspect of “a demise of the heart.” And the essence of memory is to be continually <very> mindful of the World to Come. One should never entertain the thought, God forbid, that there is only a single world. Through this that he attaches his thought to the World to Come, the unification YHVH-Elohay is achieved.
(כִּי ה' אֱלֹקִים הוּא בְּחִינַת שֵׁם מָלֵא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, כַּמּוּבָא. וְכֵן מְבֹאָר בְּסָבָא מִשְׁפָּטִים דַּף צח עַל פָּסוּק זֶה: ה' אֱלֹקַי – דָּא שֵׁרוּתָא דִּמְהֵמְנוּתָא, סְלִיקוּ דְּמַחֲשָׁבָה דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי):
{This is because YHVH -Elohim is the aspect of the Complete Name, which is the aspect of the World to Come, as is brought. A similar explanation appears in Sava d’Mishpatim, p.98, on this verse: “YHVH, Elohay”—this is the illumination of faithfulness; the ascent of thought, and the World to Come.}
ב וּבְחִינָה זוֹ, לִזְכֹּר תָּמִיד בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, דְּהַיְנוּ לְאַדְבָּקָא מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי, הוּא בִּכְלָלִיּוּת וּבִפְרָטִיּוּת. בִּכְלָלִיּוּת – כָּךְ רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת מִנְהַג יִרְאֵי הַשֵּׁם: תֵּכֶף בַּבֹּקֶר בַּהֲקִיצוֹ, קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּתְחִיל שׁוּם דָּבָר, יִזְכֹּר מִיָּד בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ יַעֲשֶׂה זֹאת בִּפְרָטִיּוּת,
2. This aspect of always being mindful of the World to Come—i.e., affixing one’s thoughts on the World to Come—applies in the general and in the particular. In the general, this is how a God-fearing person ought to act: Right when he gets up in the morning, before beginning anything at all, he should immediately remind himself of the World to Come. Afterwards, he should do this in the particular.
כִּי כָּל הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הוּא הִתְלַבְּשׁוּת מַדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת שֶׁל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין שֶׁל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו ס״ו:א׳): וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדֹם רַגְלָי. אַף שֶׁגַּם מַדְרֵגוֹת הָעֶלְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם גַּם כֵּן הִתְגַּלּוּת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אַךְ שֶׁאֵין הַהִתְגַּלּוּת מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּעֶצֶם בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם, כִּי אִם הֶאָרָה שֶׁמֵּאִיר בִּבְחִינַת רַגְלִין. אֲבָל בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין מִתְגַּלִּין בְּעֶצֶם בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם.
This entire world is an enclothing of the lower levels of holiness—i.e., the aspect of the feet of holiness, as it is written (Isaiah 66:1), “and the earth is My footstool.” Even though from the upper levels of holiness there is likewise a manifestation in this world, however, in this world the manifestation is not enclothed in the essence, but is only <as> the radiance that shines in the aspect of the feet.
וְכָל יוֹם יֵשׁ בּוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מְצַמְצֵם אֱלֹקוּתוֹ מֵאֵין סוֹף עַד אֵין תַּכְלִית, עַד נְקֻדַּת הַמֶּרְכָּז שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַגַּשְׁמִי שֶׁעוֹמֵד עָלָיו, וּמַזְמִין לוֹ לְכָל אָדָם מַחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה, לְפִי הַיּוֹם וּלְפִי הָאָדָם וּלְפִי הַמָּקוֹם, וּמַלְבִּישׁ לוֹ בְּזֹאת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁמַּזְמִין לוֹ רְמָזִים כְּדֵי לְקָרְבוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ.
Each day has in it thought, word and deed. The Holy One, blessed be He, contracts His Godliness ad infinitum, to the center point of the corporeal world <on which man> stands. He arranges for him thought, word, and deed according to the particular day, and the particular person, and the particular place, and He enclothes hints for him in this thought, word and deed that He arranges for him, in order to bring him closer to serving Him.
בְּכֵן צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲמִיק מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בָּזֶה, וּלְהַגְדִּיל בִּינָתוֹ, וּלְהָבִין מַהוּ הָרְמִיזוֹת בִּפְרָטִיּוּת, שֶׁמְּלֻבָּשׁ בְּזֹאת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה דִּבּוּר וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל זֶה הַיּוֹם, שֶׁהִזְמִין לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, הֵן מְלָאכָה אוֹ מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁמַּזְמִין לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל יוֹם, צָרִיךְ לְהַעֲמִיק וּלְהַגְדִּיל מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בָּזֶה, כְּדֵי לְהָבִין רְמִיזוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ:
Therefore, a person has to <rigorously immerse thought, word, and deed> in this, and to expand his understanding—to understand what the particular hints are that are enclothed in the thought, word and deed of this day that the Holy One has arranged for him, whether in physical labor or business activity. And in all this that the Holy One arranges for him each day, he has to deepen and expand his thoughts on this so as to understand the hints of the Holy One.
אַךְ הַהַגְדָּלוֹת הַשֵּׂכֶל בָּזֶה, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת בְּמִדָּה, שֶׁלֹּא יֵצֵא מִגְּבוּל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, רַק לְפִי שֵׂכֶל אֱנוֹשִׁי שֶׁלּוֹ כֵּן יַגְדִּיל הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה בָּזֶה. וְכֵן לֹא יִסְתַּכֵּל בָּזֶה לְמַעְלָה מִמַּדְרֵגָתוֹ, כִּי בַּמֻּפְלָא מִמְּךָ אַל תִּדְרֹשׁ (חגיגה יג).
Nevertheless, expansion of the intellect in this must be with measure so that it does not go beyond the limit of holiness. He should expand his thought on this only commensurate with the capacity of his intellect. Likewise, he must not look into this beyond his level, because “In that which is hidden from you, do not inquire” (Chagigah 13a) .
וְזֶה: גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד, הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ. הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לִקַּח דָּבָר מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין הַמְלֻבָּשִׁין בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם*, יִהְיֶה בִּבְחִינַת גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד. הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַהַגְדָּלַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, יִהְיֶה בְּמִדָּה וּבְצִמְצוּם. וְזֶה מְאֹד, שֶׁהוּא סִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא, שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ הַצִּמְצוּם. [כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּסָבָא שָׁם: מְאֹד, דָּא הוּא סִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא]:
This is the explanation of “gadalta me’od (You are very great). You have clothed Yourself in majesty and splendor.” That is, when a person wants to take something from this world—this being the aspect of “You have clothed Yourself in majesty and splendor,” which are the aspect of the feet enclothed in this world *—it shouldbe in the aspect of “GaDaLta me’od.” In other words, the haGDaLah (expansion) of the intellect should be with measure and contraction. This is me’od (very)—the left side, from which the contraction occurs. {As it is written there in Sava d’Mishpatim: me’od is the left side.}
וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ וּמֵבִין בָּזֶה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לְהָבִין הָרְמָזִים שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל דָּבָר, וְאִם כֵּן יִרְצֶה לַעֲסֹק רַק בָּזֶה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיַּעֲסֹק רַק בְּעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא מֵבִין הָרְמָזִים שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מְרַמֵּז בָּהֶם. אַךְ בֶּאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵּן, כִּי צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, לְהִסְתַּפֵּק מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם רַק בַּמֶּה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ לוֹ בְּהֶכְרֵחִיּוּת מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם.
And even someone who knows and understands this, that is he merits understanding the hints that God sends him in every matter, and as a resultwants to occupy himself with this alone—i.e., he would occupy himself only with the matters of this world since he understands the hints the Holy One sends through them…. But the truth is otherwise, because a man has to possess the quality of contentment. He has to find contentment in this world with only those things he absolutely needs from this world.
וְזֶה מֵחֲמַת שְׁנֵי טְעָמִים: א'. מֵחֲמַת שֶׁזֹּאת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה הַמְּלֻבֶּשֶׁת בְּעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הוּא בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין, וְהִיא קְדֻשָּׁה נְמוּכָה, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים מ״ט:ו׳): עֲוֹן עֲקֵבַי יְסֻבֵּנִי; שֶׁהַקְּלִפּוֹת מְסַבְּבִין אוֹתָהּ תָּמִיד, וְרוֹצִין לִינֹק מֵהֶם, עַל כֵּן הוּא מָקוֹם מְסֻכָּן, בְּכֵן צָרִיךְ לְהִסְתַּפֵּק רַק בְּהֶכְרֵחִיּוּת. וְעוֹד, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה גְּבוֹהָה מִזּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא קְדֻשָּׁה גְּבוֹהָה מִמֶּנָּה, וְצָרִיךְ לַעֲבֹד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּאוֹתָן הָעֲבוֹדוֹת וְהַקְּדֻשּׁוֹת הַגְּבוֹהוֹת מִזֶּה.
The reason for this is twofold: The first reason is that the holiness that enclothes itself in the matters of this world is the aspect of the feet, a <very> low level of holiness, in the aspect of “The sins I trod upon surround me” (Psalms 49:6). The forces of evil are around it always, and are eager to draw nourishment from [the feet]. As a result it is a dangerous situation, which is why one has to be content with only the necessities. The second reason is that there is a higher service than this, one which is on a higher level of holiness. A person has to serve God with those higher and more holy forms of service.
[הַיְנוּ, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ הַצַּדִּיק וְהֶחָכָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מֹחַ גָּדוֹל, עַד שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהָבִין אֶת הָרְמָזִים שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מְרַמֵּז לוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר בְּכָל יוֹם, אֲפִלּוּ בְּעִסְקֵי חֹל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא יָכוֹל לַעֲבֹד אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, אֲפִלּוּ בְּעִסְקֵי חֹל. וְאִם כֵּן יִרְצֶה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, לַעֲסֹק רַק בָּזֶה, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּעִסְקֵי חֹל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא יוֹדֵעַ הָרְמָזִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם, וְיָכוֹל לְהִתְקָרֵב לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל יָדָם. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵּן, כִּי אָסוּר לְהַרְבּוֹת בְּעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אֲפִלּוּ לְמִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ וּמֵבִין הָרְמָזִים הַנַּ"ל, מֵחֲמַת שְׁנֵי הַטְּעָמִים הַנַּ"ל: א', מֵחֲמַת שֶׁזֹּאת הָעֲבוֹדָה בְּעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא מָקוֹם מְסֻכָּן מְאֹד וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל; וְהַב'. מֵחֲמַת שֶׁיֵּשׁ קְדֻשָּׁה וַעֲבוֹדָה גְּבוֹהָה מִזֶּה, דְּהַיְנוּ קְדֻשַּׁת הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְווֹת. וְעַל כֵּן אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ הָרְמָזִים הַנַּ"ל, הוּא צָרִיךְ הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, לְהִסְתַּפֵּק מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם בְּהֶכְרֵחִיּוּת לְבַד כַּנַּ"ל].
{In other words, even a righteous man or sage whose mind is so great that he can understand the hints the Holy One sends him in every thing, on every day, even in mundane matters, so that because of this he can serve God with whatever exists in the world, even with mundane matters, and as a result, God forbid, he will want to occupy himself with this alone—i.e., with mundane matters—since he knows the hints they contain and can come closer to serving God through them… But the truth is otherwise, because it is forbidden to increase one’s involvement with the matters of this world, even for someone who knows and understands the above mentioned hints, because of the two reasons given above: 1) because this [way of] service, through the matters of this world, is a very dangerous situation, etc., as explained above; 2) because there is a level of holiness and service higher than this—i.e., the holiness of Torah and mitzvot. Therefore, even when someone knows the hints, he must possess the quality of contentment, finding contentment with this world in the necessities alone, as explained above.}
וְהַהִסְתַּפְּקוּת הוּא בְּחִינַת: עוֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹר מָלֵא. כִּי הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, בִּבְחִינַת (משלי י״ג:כ״ה) וּבֶטֶן רְשָׁעִים תֶּחְסָר; אֶצְלָם מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר, בִּבְחִינַת (שם ג) מְאֵרַת ה' בְּבֵית רָשָׁע. אֲבָל בַּצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם הַהִסְתַּפְּקוּת, בִּבְחִינַת: צַדִּיק אֹכֵל לְשׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ (שם יג), אֶצְלָם הוּא אוֹר מָלֵא. בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית א׳:ד׳) וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקִים אֶת הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב – אֵין טוֹב אֶלָּא צַדִּיק, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו ג׳:י׳): אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב (יומא לח:):
Contentment corresponds to “You have wrapped Yourself in light as in a cloak.” This is the aspect of light that is full. But the wicked, who have no contentment, in the aspect of “but the belly of the wicked [always] lacks,” for them the me’orot (light) is lacking, corresponding to (Proverbs 3:33), “The me’eirat (curse) of God is on the house of the wicked.” The righteous, however, who do possess the quality of contentment, in the aspect of “A righteous man eats to satiate himself,” for them the light is full. This is in the aspect of (Genesis 1:4), “The Lord saw that the light was good”—“good” is nothing other than the righteous person, as it is said, “Say of the righteous man that he is good” (Isaiah 3:10) .
וַאֲפִלּוּ מִזֶּה הַהִסְתַּפְּקוּת גּוּפֵהּ, צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ מִמֶּנּוּ לִצְדָקָה, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה, כִּי אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עָנִי, הִיא תַּחַת הַיְרִיעָה, וְהַיְרִיעָה מַשְׁפִּיעַ לַאֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה.
And even from this contentment itself a person has to separate off some for charity. This corresponds to “You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain.” For the Ark of the Covenant, which is the aspect of a poor man, is beneath the curtain. The curtain provides for the Ark of the Covenant, this being the aspect of charity.
[פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה שֶׁמַּשְׁפִּיעַ הַנּוֹתֵן לְהַמְקַבֵּל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה יִחוּד צַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁבְּחִינַת צַדִּיק מַשְׁפִּיעַ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת הַשְׁפָּעַת הַיְרִיעָה לַאֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית, בְּחִינַת: נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה, כַּנַּ"ל]:
{The explanation is as follows: Through the charity that the giver provides for the receiver, a union is made between the righteous person and the Community of Israel—the aspect of the righteous person providing for the Community of Israel. This is the aspect of the curtain providing for the Ark of the Covenant, corresponding to “You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain,” as explained above.}
ג וַהֲמוֹן עַם, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם זֶה הַשֵּׂכֶל לְהַעֲמִיק בְּכָל זֶה, לְהָבִין הָרְמָזִים כַּנַּ"ל, נַעֲשֶׂה אֶצְלָם כָּל זֶה מִמֵּילָא, עַל־יְדֵי שֵׁנָה, וְצִיצִית, וּתְפִלִּין, וְתוֹרָה, וּתְפִלָּה, וּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן.
3. As for the common people, who do not have the intellect to go deeply into all this so as to understand the hints, as explained above, all this happens to them automatically, by means of sleep, tzitzit, tefilin, Torah study, prayer, and doing business.
כִּי הַשֵּׁנָה הִיא בְּחִינַת לְאַדְבָּקָא מַחֲשַׁבְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי בִּכְלָלִיּוּת כַּנַּ"ל, בְּחִינַת ה' אֱלֹקַי הַנַּ"ל. כִּי בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָה, הַנְּשָׁמָה עוֹלָה לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
Sleep is the aspect of attaching one’s thoughts to the World to Come in a general way, as explained above, corresponding to “YHVH, Elohay (God, my Lord),” which was mentioned above. The reason for this is that while sleeping, [a person’s] soul ascends to the World to Come.
וְצִיצִית וּתְפִלִּין הֵם בְּחִינַת גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד. כִּי תְּפִלִּין, הֵם בְּחִינַת הַגְדָּלַת הַשֵּׂכֶל הַנַּ"ל. (כִּי תְּפִלִּין הֵם בְּחִינַת מֹּחִין כַּיָּדוּעַ, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַגְדָּלַת הַשֵּׂכֶל לְהָבִין כָּל הָרְמָזִים שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז לוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל יוֹם כַּנַּ"ל). וְצִיצִית הוּא בְּחִינַת הַצִּמְצוּם הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מְאֹד הַנַּ"ל, כִּי תְּכֵלֶת כֻּרְסַיָּא דְּדִינָא (כמו שכתוב בזוהר שלח לך דף קעה), שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת צִמְצוּם. וְעַל כֵּן צִיצִית קוֹדֶם לִתְפִלִּין, בִּבְחִינַת (שיר השירים ב׳:ו׳): שְׂמֹאלוֹ תַּחַת לְרֹאשִׁי, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ: וִימִינוֹ תְּחַבְּקֵנִי, [כִּי שְׂמֹאל הוּא בְּחִינַת דִּין, בְּחִינַת צִמְצוּם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת צִיצִית כַּנַּ"ל. וְיָמִין הוּא בְּחִינַת מֹחִין, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלִּין כַּנַּ"ל].
Tzitzit and tefilin correspond to “GaDaLta me’od.” Tefilin are the aspect of haGDaLah (expansion) of the intellect, which was mentioned above. {This is because, as is known, tefilin are the aspect of intellects—i.e., expanding the intellect so as to understand all the hints that God sends him each day, as explained above.} And tzitzit is the above mentioned aspect of contraction, which is the aspect of me’od. This is because t’kheilet is the Throne of Judgment, which is the aspect of contraction This is why tzitzit precedes tefilin, in the aspect of “His left arm is under my head” (Song of Songs 2:6), and then afterwards “his right arm embraces me.” {For, as explained above, the left side is the aspect of judgment/contraction, which is the aspect of tzitzit, while the right side is the aspect of intellect/ tefilin .}
וְתוֹרָה, הִוא בְּחִינַת הַהִסְתַּפְּקוּת הַנַּ"ל, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה הִיא בְּחִינַת עֵץ הַחַיִּים, דְּמָזוֹן לְכֻלָּא בֵּיה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד דֵּי סִפּוּקוֹ מִמֶּנָּה. נִמְצָא שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הִסְתַּפְּקוּת. וְגַם בְּלִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה בְּעַצְמָהּ, יֵשׁ בְּחִינַת הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות פ"ב): לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר; וְעַל כֵּן, לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה הוּא בְּחִינַת הַהִסְתַּפְּקוּת הַנַּ"ל. וַאֲפִלּוּ הֶהָמוֹן שֶׁאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לִלְמֹד, הֵם מְקַיְּמִין עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁקּוֹרִין קְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות צט:).
Torah is the aspect of contentment, which was mentioned above. For Torah corresponds to “the tree of life” (Proverbs 3:18), because it contains sustenance for all—i.e., everyone has all he needs from it. We see from this that [the Torah] is the aspect of contentment. And in Torah study itself there is the aspect of contentment. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The work is not yours to finish” (Avot 2:16). The study of Torah is therefore the aspect of contentment. And even the common people, who are incapable of study, they fulfill being involved in Torah by reciting the Shema, as our Sages said (Menachot 99b) .
וּתְפִלָּה, הוּא בְּחִינַת הוֹד וְהָדָר הַנַּ"ל, כִּי תְּפִלָּה הִיא חַיֵּי שָׁעָה (כשאחז"ל שבת י), הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: הָאָרֶץ הֲדֹם רַגְלָי הַנַּ"ל, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רַגְלֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה הַמְלֻבָּשִׁין בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל:
Prayer corresponds to “majesty and splendor,” which was mentioned above. This is because prayer is [for the] transient life. This corresponds to “and the earth is My footstool,” which was mentioned above—i.e., the aspect of the feet of holiness that are enclothed in this world, as explained above.
וּמַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, הִיא בְּחִינַת: נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה הַנַּ"ל, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת יִחוּד צַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנַּ"ל. כִּי צַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֵם בְּחִינַת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן; הַצַּדִּיק נִקְרָא מַשָּׂא, כִּי הוּא נוֹשֵׂא אֶת הָעוֹלָם, כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאוֹמֵן אֶת הַיּוֹנֵק (במדבר י״א:י״ב), וְהוּא נוֹשֵׂא כָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי י׳:ו׳): וּבְרָכוֹת לְרֹאשׁ צַדִּיק; כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים כ״ד:ה׳): יִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת ה'. וְהוּא נוֹשֵׂא הַטִּפָּה זַרְעִיִּית שֶׁל כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת (שם קכו): נוֹשֵׂא מֶשֶׁךְ הַזָּרַע; וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהִיא נוֹתֶנֶת לְכָל הָעוֹלָם. וְעַל שֵׁם זֶה נִקְרֵאת כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מַתָּן, עַל שֵׁם (משלי ל״א:ט״ו): וַתִּתֵּן טֶרֶף לְבֵיתָה וְחֹק לְנַעֲרוֹתֶיהָ.
And doing business corresponds to “You have stretched out the heavens like a curtain”—i.e., the aspect of union between the righteous person and the Community of Israel, which was mentioned above. This is because the righteous person and the Community of Israel are the aspect of masa u’matan (doing business). The righteous person is called masa (carrier) because he carries the world “like a nurse carries an infant” (Numbers 11:12). He also carries all blessing, as it is written (Proverbs 10:6), “Blessings settle upon the head of the righteous,” and “he carries off a blessing from God” (Psalms 24:5). He carries the drop of seed of all the souls, in the aspect of “carrying a measure of seed” (ibid. 126:6), and he provides for the Community of Israel, who distributes to all the world. On account of this the Community of Israel is called matan (provider), because “she provides food for her household and a daily portion for her maidens” (Proverbs 31:15) .
וְיִחוּד שֶׁל צַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן. כִּי כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם יֵשׁ בּוֹ נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ בִּשְׁעַת שְׁבִירָה, וּשְׁבִירָה הוּא בְּחִינַת אוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּרוּ וְנָפְלוּ לְכָל דָּבָר וְדָבָר מִזֶּה הָעוֹלָם. וְכָל דָּבָר יֵשׁ לוֹ שָׁעָה, וְצָרִיךְ לָבוֹא בְּשָׁעָה זוֹ לְאָדָם זֶה, שֶׁהוּא מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ אֶחָד עִם אוֹתָן הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּזֶה הַדָּבָר.
The union between the righteous person and the Community of Israel is achieved through masa u’matan. This is because everything in the world has in it sparks of holiness that fell at the time of the Shattering of the Vessels. “Shattering” is the aspect of letters that shattered and fell into each and every thing of this world. For every thing has its time: it must come at that time, to that person who shares the same root with those sparks in that thing.
וּכְשֶׁמַּגִּיעַ זֶה הַדָּבָר לְאָדָם זֶה, וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל חִיּוּת מִזֶּה הַדָּבָר, הַיְנוּ מֵהָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִכְלָלִין הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַנִּשְׁבָּרִים בְּזֶה הָאָדָם, בַּחִיּוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, וְנַעֲשֶׂה מֵהֶם קוֹמָה שְׁלֵמָה, וּמִתְפַּשֵּׁט בַּחִיּוּת שֶׁל כָּל הַגּוּף, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִשְׁלָמִין הָאוֹתִיּוֹת, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם שְׁלֵמוּת. וְצָרִיךְ לִשְׁהוֹת הַדָּבָר אֵצֶל זֶה הָאָדָם לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בּוֹ, עַד שֶׁנִּפְסָקִין הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַשַּׁיָּכִין לְשָׁרְשׁוֹ, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ יוֹצֵא מֵרְשׁוּתוֹ לְאָדָם אַחֵר, שֶׁהִגִּיעַ הָעֵת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עֲלִיָּה לְהָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַנִּשְׁאָרִים, שֶׁהֵם מִשֹּׁרֶשׁ אֶחָד עִם הָאָדָם הָאַחֵר, וְעַל־כֵּן יוֹצֵא לִרְשׁוּתוֹ.
Thus, when that thing comes to this person, and he receives vitality from it—i.e., from the shattered letters that are there—through this the shattered letters are encompassed in this person, in his vitality. They become a complete entity, and infuse the vitality of the entire body. Through this the letters are restored and become complete. Then that thing must stay with this person, for him to use, until the letters and sparks that are associated with his root terminate. After this it leaves his possession for someone else; the time has come for the remaining letters to have an ascent. They share the same root with that other person and so depart for his possession.
וְלִפְעָמִים חוֹזֵר הַדָּבָר וּבָא לְאוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם שֶׁהָיָה שֶׁלּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹ אָז חֶלְקֵי נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ נְשָׁמָה אֵלּוּ, לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל אָז לְהַשְׁלִים הָאוֹתִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ, עַד עַתָּה שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לוֹ אֵלּוּ חֶלְקֵי נֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה, שֶׁעַל יָדָם יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁלִים אֵלּוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת הַנִּשְׁאָרִים. וּבֵין כָּךְ, הֻכְרַח לִשְׁהוֹת אֵצֶל אַחֵר.
Still there are times when the thing returns to that person who had it originally. Since he did not possess the components of soul-spirit-higher soul <that relate to the letters>, he was unable to complete these letters until now that these components of soul-spirit-higher soul have become his. Through them he is able to complete the remaining letters, which in the meanwhile had to remain with the other person.
וּכְשֶׁמַשְׁלִים הָאוֹתִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ, נִתּוֹסֵף לוֹ הֶאָרָה בַּנֶּפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה שֶׁלּוֹ, מֵחֲמַת הֶאָרוֹת אוֹתִיּוֹת אֵלּוּ שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ אֵלָיו וְנִשְׁלְמוּ אֶצְלוֹ, וְעַל־יְדֵי הֶאָרָה זוֹ מֵאִיר בְּשֹׁרֶשׁ נֶפֶשׁ־רוּחַ־נְשָׁמָה שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בְּצַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֵם שָׁרְשֵׁי כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־יְדֵי הַהִתְנוֹצְצוּת הַזֹּאת, נִתְיַחֵד צַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנִּקְרָאִים מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל שֵׁם זֶה נִקְרָא מִקָּח וּמִמְכָּר, וְכָל הַדְּבָרִים, וְכָל הַלִּמּוּד – מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן. כִּי עַל יָדָם נִתְיַחֵד צַדִּיק וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנִּקְרָאִים מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן כַּנַּ"ל:
And when he completes these letters, he gains illumination in his soul-spirit-higher soul because of the illuminations of these letters that came to him and which he completed. Through this illumination he illuminates the root of his soul-spirit-higher soul, which is with the righteous person and the Community of Israel; the root of all the souls <being there>, as explained above. As a result of this shining there is <an arousal and> a union between the righteous person and the Community of Israel, who are called masa u’matan. On account of this, all buying and selling and all study are called “doing business,” because through them the righteous person and the Community of Israel—who are called masa u’matan—unite, as explained above.
ד וּכְדֵי לִשְׁמֹר הַזִּכָּרוֹן הַנַּ"ל צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִפֹּל לִבְחִינַת רַע עַיִן, לִבְחִינַת מִיתַת הַלֵּב. כִּי עִקַּר הַזִּכָּרוֹן תּוֹלֶה בָּעַיִן, בִּבְחִינַת (שמות י״ג:ט׳): וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ; כִּי הַשִּׁכְחָה בָּא עַל־יְדֵי רַע עַיִן, עַל־יְדֵי מִיתַת הַלֵּב, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים ל״א:י״ג) נִשְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵת מִלֵּב. כִּי רַע עַיִן וּמִיתַת הַלֵּב הֵם בְּחִינָה אַחַת, כִּי שׁוּרְיָנָא דְּעֵינָא בְּלִבָּא תַּלְיָא (כשרז"ל ע"ז כח:). וְעַל כֵּן נָבָל שֶׁהָיָה רַע עַיִן, נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ (שמואל־א כה): וַיָּמָת לִבּוֹ בְּקִרְבּוֹ.
4. Now in order to guard the above mentioned memory, a person has to watch himself so that he does not succumb to the aspect of an evil eye, which corresponds to a demise of the heart. This is because memory is essentially dependent upon the eye, in the aspect of “and as a reminder between your eyes” (Exodus 13:9). Thus forgetfulness comes from an evil eye, from a demise of the heart, in the aspect of “I am forgotten from the heart like the dead” (Psalms 31:13). This is because an evil eye and the demise of the heart are one aspect, for “the eye’s seeing depends upon the heart” (Avodah Zarah 28b). Therefore, concerning Naval, who possessed an evil eye, it is said that “his heart died within him” (1 Samuel 25:37) .
וּמִיתַת הַלֵּב הִיא בְּחִינַת שִׁבְרֵי לוּחוֹת. לֵב, הוּא בְּחִינַת לוּחוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת (משלי ג׳:ג׳): כָּתְבֵם עַל לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ; וְשִׁכְחָה הִיא עַל־יְדֵי שִׁבְרֵי לוּחוֹת, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ערובין נד): אִלְמָלֵא לֹא נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ לוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת לֹא הָיְתָה שִׁכְחָה בָּעוֹלָם. נִמְצָא, שֶׁעִקַּר הַשִּׁכְחָה, הִיא עַל־יְדֵי רַע עַיִן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מִיתַת הַלֵּב, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שִׁבְרֵי לוּחוֹת, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם עִקַּר הַשִּׁכְחָה כַּנַּ"ל:
A demise of the heart is the aspect of the shards of the Tablets. The heart is the aspect of Tablets, in the aspect of “inscribe them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). Forgetfulness comes from the shards of the Tablets, as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: Had the first Tablets not been shattered, there would be no forgetfulness in the world (Eruvin 54a). We see then that forgetfulness is essentially the result of an evil eye. This is the aspect of a demise of the heart/the shards of the Tablets, from which forgetfulness essentially comes, as explained above.
וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁהָיָה עֵינוֹ רָעָה בְּמַלְכוּת אָבִיו, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ מִיתַת הַלֵּב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל־ב יח): וַיִּקַח שְׁלשָׁה שְׁבָטִים וַיִּתְקָעֵם בְּלֵב אַבְשָׁלוֹם. וְעַל כֵּן לֹא הִנִּיחַ בֵּן זָכָר (שם ועיין סוטה יא), כִּי פָּגַם בַּזִּכָּרוֹן, עַל־יְדֵי רַע עַיִן כַּנַּ"ל. וְדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, בָּרַח אָז מִמַּלְכוּתוֹ מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם, וְקִלֵּל אוֹתוֹ שִׁמְעִי בֶּן גֵּרָא, וְאָמַר (שם טז): אוּלַי יִרְאֶה ה' בְּעֵינִי. בְּעֵינִי דַּיְקָא, כִּי מִי שֶׁרוֹאֶה שֶׁנּוֹפֵל לְרַע עַיִן, אִם אֵינוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיּוּכַל לַעֲמֹד בָּזֶה לְהִנָּצֵל מִמֶּנּוּ, צָרִיךְ לִבְרֹחַ מִמֶּנּוּ.
Thus Avshalom, who viewed his father’s kingship with an evil eye, was <also> attributed with a demise of the heart, as it is said, “He took three darts [in his hand] and drove them into Avshalom’s heart” (2 Samuel 18:15). He therefore left no male offspring, because he blemished the memory through an evil eye, as explained above. And when King David, of blessed memory, fled from his kingdom because of Avshalom, and Shimi the son of Gera cursed him, <David> said, “Perhaps God will look into my eye” (ibid. 16:12). Specifically “into my eye,” because when a person sees that he is affected by an evil eye, if he does not feel himself capable of standing up to it and saving himself from it, he must flee from it.
אֲבָל מִי שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְתַקֵּן, אֲזַי צָרִיךְ לְתַקֵּן. וְצָרִיךְ לִרְאוֹת מַהוּת בְּחִינַת הָרַע עַיִן, כְּדֵי לֵידַע הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְתַקֵּן עַל יָדוֹ, כִּי יֵשׁ כַּמָּה בְּחִינוֹת רַע עַיִן. וּכְשֶׁנּוֹפֵל לְרַע עַיִן שֶׁל הִתְנַשְּׂאוּת, שֶׁעֵינוֹ צָרָה בְּהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, צָרִיךְ לְהַכְנִיעַ בְּהַשֹּׁרֶשׁ שֶׁל הַהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת, הַיְנוּ בְּשֹׁרֶשׁ הַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מָשִׁיחַ, וְהוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמַּלְכוּת, בִּבְחִינַת (שמואל־א ב): וְיִתֶּן עֹז לְמַלְכּוֹ וְיָרֵם קֶרֶן מְשִׁיחוֹ. וְהוּא בְּחִינַת טוֹב עַיִן, בִּבְחִינַת (שם טז): יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וְטוֹב רֹאִי, הַנֶּאֱמָר בְּדָוִד, שֶׁהוּא מָשִׁיחַ:
On the other hand, a person who is capable of rectifying it should do so; he should discover the nature of this aspect of evil eye in order to determine the root that requires his rectification. For there are a number of aspects of evil eye. When he falls subject to an evil eye of pridefulness, when he views his friend’s success with an <evil> eye, he has to humble [this evil eye] at the root of pridefulness—i.e., at the root of kingship, which is the aspect of Mashiach. [Mashiach] is the root of kingship, in the aspect of “He grants power to His king, and raises the horn of His anointed one” (1 Samuel 2:10). He is also the aspect of a good eye, in the aspect of “with beautiful eyes and good vision” (ibid. 16:12), which was said of David, who is Mashiach. {It has been taught: Abba Shaul says: I used to be an undertaker. Once, a me’arah (cavern) opened below me, so that I was standing up to my nose in the eyeball of a dead man. When I turned back, they said: That was the eye of Avshalom (Niddah 24b).}
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר אַבָּא שָׁאוּל:
This is what Abba Shaul said:
קוֹבֵר מֵתִים הָיִיתִי. כִּי אַבָּא שָׁאוּל הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְתַקֵּן תָּמִיד אֶת הָרַע עַיִן, הַנִּקְרָא מִיתָה כַּנַּ"ל.
I used to be an undertaker—Abba Shaul always strove to rectify the evil eye, which is called <a demise of the heart,> death, as explained above. <This is: “I used to be an undertaker”—I used to rectify the evil eye, as explained above.>
פַּעַם אַחַת נִפְתְּחָה מְעָרָה מִתַּחְתַּי. מְעָרָה – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת דְּבֵקוּת, בְּחִינַת: כְּמַעַר אִישׁ וְלֹיוֹת (מלכים־א ז). מִתַּחְתַּי – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת אֱמֶת. בִּבְחִינַת (תהלים פה): אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמַח. כִּי טוֹב עַיִן הוּא יְבֹרָךְ (משלי כ״ב:ט׳), וְהַבְּרָכוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת אֱמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ס״ה:ט״ז): הַמִּתְבָּרֵךְ בָּאָרֶץ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בֵּאלֹקֵי אָמֵן;
Once, a me’arah opened below me—Me’ARah is the aspect of cleaving [to God], corresponding to “as the MaAR (embrace) of a man with his spouse” (1 Kings 7:36). “Below me” is the aspect of truth, corresponding to “Truth springs forth from the earth” (Psalms 85:12). This is because “one with a good eye is blessed” (Proverbs 22:9), and blessings are the aspect of truth, as it is written (Isaiah 65:16), “he who blesses himself in the land, will bless himself by the God of truth.”
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר אַבָּא שָׁאוּל, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הָאֱמֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, נִפְתְּחָה לוֹ דְּבֵקוּת.
This is what Abba Shaul said: Because he possessed the quality of truth, cleaving to God opened for him.
וְעָמַדְתִּי בְּגַלְגַּל עֵינוֹ שֶׁל מֵת עַד חָטְמִי – הַיְנוּ מֵחֲמַת הַדְּבֵקוּת, הֶעֱמַדְתִּי עַצְמִי בְּסַכָּנָה לִכְנֹס בְּגַלְגַּל עֵינוֹ שֶׁל מֵת, הַיְנוּ בְּרַע עַיִן, עַד שֶׁהֻצְרַכְתִּי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בִּבְחִינַת מָשִׁיחַ, כְּדֵי לְהַכְנִיעַ אֶת הָרַע עַיִן. וְזֶה: עַד חָטְמִי, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ ה' (איכה ד׳:כ׳).
so that I was standing up to my nose in the eyeball of a dead man—That is, because of the cleaving to God, I wound up endangering myself by entering the eyeball of a dead man—i.e., an evil eye—to the point where I had to use the aspect of Mashiach in order to humble the evil eye. This is the meaning of “up to my nose,” which corresponds to “The breath of our nostrils, God’s anointed” (Lamentations 4:20) .
וּכְשֶׁחָזַרְתִּי לַאֲחוֹרַי, אָמְרוּ לִי: עֵינוֹ שֶׁל אַבְשָׁלוֹם הָיְתָה – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאַבְשָׁלוֹם נָפַל לִבְחִינַת הָרַע עַיִן הַזֶּה. וְזֶהוּ: כְּשֶׁחָזַרְתִּי לַאֲחוֹרַי, הַיְנוּ אַחַר הַתִּקּוּן, שֶׁחָזַרְתִּי בְּחִינַת מָשִׁיחַ לִמְקוֹמוֹ, לִבְחִינַת אֲחוֹרַי,
When I turned back, they said: That was the eye of Avshalom—That is, Avshalom succumbed to this aspect of the evil eye. This is: “When I turned back”—i.e., after the rectification—I returned the aspect of Mashiach to its place, to the aspect of “back.”
כִּי שָׁם שֹׁרֶשׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ, בִּבְחִינַת (שיר השירים ז׳:ו׳): מֶלֶךְ אָסוּר בָּרְהָטִים, בְּרָהִיטֵי מֹחִין (תיקון ו דף כא).
For the root of Mashiach is there, in the aspect of “the king is bound in the ReHaTim (zealousness)” (Song of Songs 7:6)—by the ReHiTei (fluidity) of the mind (Tikkuney Zohar #6, p.21b) .
אָסוּר, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת אֲחוֹרַי, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ז): וְרָאִיתָ אֶת אֲחוֹרָי – זֶה קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין.
“Bound” is the aspect of the knot of tefilin, which is the aspect of “back,” as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory: “you will see My back” (Exodus 33:23)—this is the knot of tefilin (Berakhot 7a) .
וְזֶה (שמואל־א כה): וְהָיְתָה נֶפֶשׁ אֲדוֹנִי צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים, הַנֶּאֱמָר בְּדָוִד, הַיְנוּ קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל תְּפִלִּין. כִּי תְּפִלִּין הֵם בְּחִינַת חַיִּים, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות מד): כָּל הַמַּנִּיחַ תְּפִלִּין זוֹכֶה לְחַיִּים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' עֲלֵיהֶם יִחְיוּ.
And this is the explanation of “may the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of life” (1 Samuel 25:29), which was said of David—i.e., the knot of tefilin. This is because the tefilin are the aspect of life, as in the teaching of our Sages, of blessed memory (Menachot 44a): Whoever dons tefilin merits life, as it is said (Isaiah 38:16), “O God, [with these things] on them, they will live.”
וְעַל כֵּן לֹא אָמְרוּ לוֹ שֶׁעֵינוֹ שֶׁל אַבְשָׁלוֹם הָיְתָה, עַד שֶׁחָזַר לַאֲחוֹרָיו. כִּי אִלּוּ הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מִקֹּדֶם מִזֶּה, אֶפְשָׁר לֹא הָיָה מְסַכֵּן עַצְמוֹ כָּל־כָּךְ לִכָּנֵס בְּרַע עַיִן כָּזֶה, כִּי הוּא סַכָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה:
Therefore, they did not tell him that it was the eye of Avshalom until he turned back. For if he had known this earlier, it is likely that he would not have endangered himself so by entering into an evil eye such as this, because it is a great danger.
ה וְצָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר אֶת הָעַיִן מִכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא טוֹב עַיִן, צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר מִזֶּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִים, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ רְאִיָּה יָפָה יָכוֹל לִטְעוֹת, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁרוֹאֶה מֵרָחוֹק, וְנִדְמֶה לוֹ לְהֵפֶךְ מִן הָאֱמֶת. עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ שְׁמִירָה יְתֵרָה לָזֶה.
5. It is necessary to protect the eye from the imagination. Even someone who possesses a good eye has to beware of this. We see that even someone with good vision can make a mistake by looking from afar, so that what he imagines is the opposite of the truth. This is why one needs extra caution in this.
וְהַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה בָּא עַל־יְדֵי לְשׁוֹן הָרָע, כִּי כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה הוּא כֹּחַ הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת, כִּי גַּם בְּהֵמָה יֵשׁ לָהּ זֶה הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה. וְהַמּוֹצִיא דִּבָּה הוּא נוֹפֵל לְבַהֲמִיּוּת, וְעַל כֵּן נִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת. כִּי מוֹצִיא דִּבָּה הוּא כְּסִיל (משלי י׳:י״ח),
For the imagination stems from slander. This is because the imagination is the power of animality; an animal too has this imagination. Thus someone who speaks slander succumbs to animality, and so the imagination, which is animality, overpowers him. For “someone who speaks slander is a fool” (Proverbs 10:18).
וּכְשֶׁהַדַּעַת נִסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ, נוֹפֵל מֵאַהֲבַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְנוֹפֵל לְאַהֲבַת הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת. בִּבְחִינַת (הושע ד׳:ו׳): כִּי אַתָּה הַדַּעַת מָאַסְתָּ, וָאֶמְאָסְךָ מִכַּהֵן לִי. כַּהֵן, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו מ״א:ח׳): אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי. בְּחִינַת (תהילים ק״י:ד׳): אַתָּה כֹהֵן, בְּחִינַת: וְקָמַץ הַכֹּהֵן (ויקרא ה׳:י״ב). וְאָז מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת, בִּבְחִינַת (שם בהושע): נִדְמוּ עַמִּי מִבְּלִי הַדָּעַת. נִדְמוּ, הַיְנוּ כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה:
{“My people are destroyed, because they had no knowledge. You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from serving Me” (Hosea 4:6).} And when the daat (knowledge) departs from him, his love of God declines and he succumbs to the love for animality <and the imaginary>, in the aspect of “You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from kahein (serving) Me.” “Kahein” is the aspect of “Avraham, My beloved” (Isaiah 41:8), corresponding to “You will be a kohein (priest)” (Psalms 110:4), and to “then the kohein shall scoop up” (Leviticus 5:12). Then the imagination, which is the power of animality, overpowers him, in the aspect of “My people are nidmu (destroyed), because they had no knowledge”— niDMu is the meDaMeh (imagination), <which comes in the absence of daat, as explained above>.
ו וְזֶה הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ תָּמִיד כְּלִי לִשְׁכֹּן שָׁם, וְעַל־כֵּן הוּא מַחֲזִיר תָּמִיד לִשְׁרוֹת עַל־פִּי שׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת. וְעַל־כֵּן, אִם הֵם מְחַדְּשִׁים דָּבָר בַּתּוֹרָה, הוּא חִדּוּשׁ נָאֶה וּמִתְקַבֵּל (בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז: גְּלַייךְ), כִּי הוּא בָּא מִכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא מְדַמֶּה מִלְּתָא לְמִלְּתָא, אַךְ שֶׁהָרַע שֶׁבּוֹ הוּא יוֹתֵר מֵהַטּוֹב.
6. Now this imagination is always in search a repository on which to rest. It therefore constantly attempts to reside in the mouth of those who study Jewish law. If they formulate some new Torah insight, it is an acceptable and credible insight because it comes from the imagination which likens one thing to another. Yet the bad that [the insight] contains surpasses the good.
וְאֵלּוּ הַחִדּוּשִׁים מַזִּיקִים לְפַרְנָסָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי חִדּוּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה נִבְרָאִים שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו נ״א:ט״ז): וְלֵאמֹר לְצִיּוֹן עַמִּי אָתָּה – אַל תִּקְרֵי עַמִּי אֶלָּא עִמִּי; מָה אֲנָא עֲבַדִי שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא בְּמִלּוּלִי וְכוּ' (כ"ש בזוהר בהקדמה דף ה). וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּאִים כָּל הַהַשְׁפָּעוֹת וְהַבְּרָכוֹת לָעוֹלָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים כ״ח:י״ב): יִפְתַּח ה' לְךָ אֶת אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכוּ'. אַךְ כְּשֶׁהַחִדּוּשִׁים הֵם עַל־יְדֵי כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, אֲזַי נִבְרָאִין רְקִיעִין דְּשָׁוְא (בזוהר שם), וְעַל יָדָם בָּא רָעָב לָעוֹלָם. וְאַף שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם גַּם כֵּן טוֹב, שֶׁהֵם דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת שֹׂבַע, אַךְ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהָרַע יוֹתֵר מֵהַטּוֹב, עַל כֵּן הָרַע גּוֹבֵר, וְהַטּוֹב נִתְבַּטֵּל, בִּבְחִינַת: וְלֹא נוֹדַע כִּי בָאוּ אֶל קִרְבֶּנָה (בראשית מ״א:כ״א), שֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בְּחִינַת שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הָרָעָב עַל בְּחִינַת שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הַשָּׂבָע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הָרָע עַל הַטּוֹב, עַד שֶׁאֵין נִכָּר הַטּוֹב מִפְּנֵי הָרָע, בִּבְחִינַת: וְלֹא נוֹדַע וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
These insights are thus detrimental to earning a living. The reason is that through Torah insights, heaven and earth are created, as it is written (Isaiah 51:16), “and I have declared to Zion: You are My people”—do not read this ami (My people) but imi (with Me), just as I create heaven and earth through My word…. (Zohar, Introduction, p .4b-5a). And through this all influx and blessing comes into the world, as it is written, “God will open for you His good treasury in heaven” (Deuteronomy 28:12). But when the Torah insights stem from the imagination, then “firmaments of futility” are created (Zohar, ibid.), through which famine comes to the world. Although they also contain some good, for they are words of Torah, which are the aspect of contentment, nevertheless since the bad surpasses the good, the bad therefore increases and the good is eliminated, in the aspect of “but there was no way of knowing that they were inside them” (Genesis 41:21). The aspect of the seven years of famine overpower the aspect of the seven years of contentment, God forbid, which corresponds to the bad overpowering the good to the point where the good is no longer recognizable because of the bad, in the aspect of “but there was no way of knowing…,” as explained above.
וּמַה שֶׁמְּחַזֵּר הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה לִשְׁרוֹת עַל־פִּי שׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת, הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא נִבְרָא בְּעֶרֶב־שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְקִדֵּשׁ עָלָיו הַיּוֹם, וְלֹא נִבְרָא לוֹ גּוּף, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (בראשית דף מז ומח, ובפרשת תרומה דף קנה:) עַל פָּסוּק: אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים לַעֲשׂוֹת, שֶׁמְּבֹאָר שָׁם, שֶׁהַקְּלִפּוֹת שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, נִבְרְאוּ בְּעֶרֶב־שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וּבְתוֹךְ כָּךְ קִדֵּשׁ עָלָיו הַיּוֹם, וְנִשְׁאֲרוּ רוּחַ בְּלֹא גּוּף וְכוּ' עַיֵּן שָׁם.
Now, the reason the imagination attempts to reside in the mouth of the one who studies Jewish law is that it was created on the eve of Shabbat at dusk, when the sanctity of the day set in and no physical form was created for it. As it is written in the Zohar concerning the verse, “that the Lord created, to make” (Genesis 2:3). There it is explained that the forces of evil, which are the aspect of the imagination, were being created on the eve of Shabbat at dusk when, suddenly, the sanctity of the day set in and they remained disembodied. See there.
וְעַל כֵּן זֶה הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַקְּלִפּוֹת, שֶׁהוּא רוּחַ בְּלֹא גּוּף, הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ גּוּף לִשְׁרוֹת בּוֹ, וְהוֹלֵךְ אֵצֶל הַשּׁוֹנֵי הֲלָכוֹת, כִּי הֵם בּוֹרְאִים הַכֹּל בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָתָם, עַל כֵּן הוּא הוֹלֵךְ וְשׁוֹרֶה אֶצְלָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִבְרָא לוֹ גּוּף לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בּוֹ עַל יָדָם:
Thus this imagination, which is the aspect of the evil forces, a disembodied spirit, seeks for itself a body in which to reside. It goes to those who study Jewish law, because they create everything through their words of Torah. <And the imagination supposes> that through them a body will be created for it in which to be enclothed. {“Yosef said to Pharaoh, ‘Pharaoh’s dream has a single meaning…. The reason that Pharaoh had the same dream twice is because the process has already been set in motion by the Lord, and the Lord is rushing to do it’” (Genesis 41:25, 32).}
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם בפרשה הנ"ל): וְעַל הִשָּׁנוֹת הַחֲלוֹם, הַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהַחֲלוֹם שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, הִשְׁתַּדְּלוּתוֹ לִשְׁרוֹת עַל הַשּׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת. כִּי נָכוֹן הַדָּבָר מֵעִם הָאֱלֹהִים, וּמְמַהֵר הָאֱלֹהִים לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ. זֶה בְּחִינַת: אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים לַעֲשׂוֹת הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהָיָה נָכוֹן הַכֹּל עֶרֶב שַׁבָּת בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת, וְקִדֵּשׁ הַיּוֹם, וּמִהֵר אֱלֹקִים לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בְּלֹא גּוּף, וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה הוּא מַחֲזִיר תָּמִיד לִשְׁרוֹת עַל הַשּׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the explanation of what is written, “the same dream twice”—i.e., the reason the dream, which is the aspect of the imagination, endeavors to reside with the one who studies Jewish law is “because the process has already been set in motion by the Lord, and the Lord is rushing to do it.” This corresponds to “that the Lord created, to make,” which was mentioned above. Everything had been set in motion on the eve of Shabbat at dusk, when the sanctity of the day set in, so that the Lord rushed “to make” it without a body. Because of this it always attempts to reside with the one who studies Jewish law, as explained above.
וְזֶה: חֲלוֹם פַּרְעֹה אֶחָד הוּא (שם), הַיְנוּ חֲלוֹם פַּרְעֹה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, כֹּחַ בָּטֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות ה׳:ד׳): תַּפְרִיעוּ אֶת הָעָם; הוּא בָּא מֵאֶחָד, הַיְנוּ מֵאַהֲבָה, (כִּי אֶחָד הוּא בְּחִינַת אַהֲבָה, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר). הַיְנוּ מֵאַהֲבָה נְפוּלָה כַּנַּ"ל, בְּחִינַת: נִדְמוּ עַמִּי מִבְּלִי הַדָּעַת, כִּי אַתָּה הַדַּעַת מָאַסְתָּ וְכוּ', כַּנַּ"ל.
And this is the explanation of “Pharaoh’s dream has a single meaning.” In other words, PhaRaOh’s dream, which is the aspect of the imagination, is the power of nullity, as it is written (Exodus 5:4), “taPhRiOo (diverting) the people.” This comes from oneness, from love {because oneness is the aspect of love, as explained elsewhere}—i.e., from fallen love, <for they have the same numerical value>. This corresponds to “My people are nidmu, because they had no knowledge,” because “You have rejected knowledge…,” as explained above.
נִמְצָא, עַל־יְדֵי הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, שֶׁבָּא עַל־יְדֵי לְשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: מוֹצִיא דִּבָּה הוּא כְּסִיל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ הַדַּעַת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נוֹפֵל מֵאַהֲבַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, לָאַהֲבוֹת הַבַּהֲמִיּוֹת, וְאָז מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ הַבַּהֲמִיּוּת, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, נִפְגָּם הַזִּכָּרוֹן וְנוֹפֵל לְשִׁכְחָה:
We see then that with the departure of knowledge that stems from slander—which corresponds to “someone who speaks slander is a fool,” i.e., knowledge departs from him—he thereby falls from the love of God to the love of animality. Then the imagination, which is the power of animality, overpowers him, and because of the imagination the memory is blemished and he succumbs to forgetfulness. {“My people are nidmu (destroyed), because they had no knowledge. You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from kahein (serving) Me. You forgot the Torah of your God, I will likewise forget your children.”}
וְעַתָּה בּוֹא וּרְאֵה, מַה טּוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים עַתָּה קֶשֶׁר כָּל הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה: נִדְמוּ עַמִּי וְכוּ' הַנַּ"ל.
So come now and see how good and pleasant is the connection of all [the different parts] of this verse: “My people are destroyed…,” which was mentioned above.
וְזֶהוּ: נִדְמוּ עַמִּי מִבְּלִי הַדָּעַת – שֶׁעַל יְדֵי פְּגַם הַדַּעַת, מִתְגַּבֵּר כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל.
This is the explanation of “My people are nidmu, because they have no knowledge”—because of a blemish in knowledge, the medameh gains strength, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: כִּי אַתָּה הַדַּעַת מָאַסְתָּ וָאֶמְאָסְךָ מִכַּהֵן לִי – כִּי עַל־יְדֵי פְּגַם הַדַּעַת, נוֹפֵל מֵאַהֲבוֹת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת כֹּהֵן כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, בְּחִינַת נִדְמוּ עַמִּי וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
And this is the explanation of “You have rejected knowledge, and so I have rejected you from kahein Me”—because of a blemish in knowledge he falls from loves that are holy, which is the aspect of kohein. Then the medameh, corresponding to “My people nidmu …,” overpowers him, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁסִּיֵּם שָׁם בְּפָסוּק זֶה, וַתִּשְׁכַּח תּוֹרַת אֱלֹקֶיךָ – וַתִּשְׁכַּח וַדַּאי, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי פְּגַם הַדַּעַת, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מִתְגַּבֵּר הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִפְגָּם הַזִּכָּרוֹן וּבָא לְשִׁכְחָה כַּנַּ"ל.
This is how the verse there concludes: “You forgot the Torah of your God”—surely “forgot,” for through the blemish of knowledge, because of which the imagination gains strength, the memory is blemished and forgetfulness occurs, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: אֶשְׁכַּח בָּנֶיךָ גַּם אָנִי – כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁפּוֹגֵם בַּזִּכָּרוֹן וְנוֹפֵל לְשִׁכְחָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֵין לוֹ בֵּן זָכָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא לְעֵיל לְעִנְיַן אַבְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה לְבֵן זָכָר מֵחֲמַת זֶה שֶׁפָּגַם בַּזִּכָּרוֹן כַּנַּ"ל, וְזֶהוּ: אֶשְׁכַּח בָּנֶיךָ גַּם אָנִי כַּנַּ"ל:
And this is the explanation of “I will likewise forget your children”—for by blemishing the memory and succumbing to forgetfulness, he therefore has no male offspring, as was brought above regarding Avshalom, who did not merit having male offspring because he blemished the memory, as explained above. This is, “I will likewise forget your children.”
וְעַל כֵּן גָּזַר פַּרְעֹה עַל הַזְּכָרִים דַּיְקָא, כִּי פַּרְעֹה הוּא בְּחִינַת הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא כֹּחַ בָּטֵל כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא מִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הַזִּכָּרוֹן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת בֵּן זָכָר כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי כֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הוּא פּוֹגֵם וּמְבַטֵּל, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶת הַזִּכָּרוֹן כַּנַּ"ל.
This is why Pharaoh’s decree was specifically against the males, because Pharaoh is the aspect of the imagination, which is the power of nullity. He overpowers the memory, which is the aspect of a male offspring. For when the imagination gains strength, God forbid, it blemishes and nullifies the memory, God forbid, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ, (שמות א׳:כ״ב): וַיְצַו פַּרְעֹה וְכוּ' כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד הַיְאֹרָה תַּשְׁלִיכֻהוּ – הַיְאֹרָה דַּיְקָא, כִּי יְאוֹר מִצְרַיִם זֶה פִּישׁוֹן (כמובא בפירש"י פ' בראשית), הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת פִּי שׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת (זוהר בראשית כו: ובתיקון נה), שֶׁשָּׁם שׁוֹרֶה הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל. הַיְנוּ שֶׁרָצָה לִפְגֹּם הַזִּכָּרוֹן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת בֵּן זָכָר, עַל יְדֵי הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, הַשּׁוֹרֶה עַל פִּי שׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת כַּנַּ"ל:
And this is the explanation of “Then Pharaoh gave orders…. ‘Every boy who is born you shall throw into the river’” (Exodus 1:22). Specifically “the river,” because Egypt’s river is PIShON—i.e., the aspect of PI ShONeh (the mouth of one who studies) Jewish law, which is where the imagination resides. In other words, [Pharaoh] wanted to blemish the memory, which is the aspect of male offspring, by means of the imagination that resides in the mouth of the one who studies Jewish law, as explained above.
וּלְהַכְנִיעַ הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת יָד, בְּחִינַת (הושע יב): בְּיַד הַנְּבִיאִים אֲדַמֶּה. וְיָד הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שִׂמְחָה, בְּחִינַת (דברים יב): וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם בְּכָל מִשְׁלַח יֶדְכֶם. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כְּלֵי זֶמֶר שֶׁמְּנַגְּנִין בַּיָּד, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שׁוֹרָה הַנְּבוּאָה עַל הַנְּבִיאִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (מלכים־ב ג): קְחוּ לִי מְנַגֵּן וְכוּ'.
7. Now, the way to subdue the imagination is through the aspect of the hand, corresponding to “by the hand of the prophets I have been imagined” (Hosea 12:11). And “hand” is the aspect of joy, corresponding to “and you shall rejoice in all the effort of your hand” (Deuteronomy 12:7). This is also the aspect of musical instruments that are played with the hand, by means of which prophecy would come to rest upon the prophets, as it is written, “get me a musician…” (2 Kings 3:15) .
כִּי הַכְּלִי הוּא הִתְאַסְּפוּת הָרוּחַ, וְהוּא מְעֹרָב טוֹב וָרַע. כִּי יֵשׁ עַצְבוּת רוּחַ, רוּחַ נְכֵאָה, רוּחַ רָעָה, כַּנֶּאֱמָר בְּשָׁאוּל (שמואל־א טז): וּבִעֲתַתּוּ רוּחַ רָעָה. וְיֵשׁ רוּחַ טוֹבָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קמג): רוּחֲךָ טוֹבָה תַּנְחֵינִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִישׁוֹר; וְהוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, רוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
For an instrument is a gathering of the ruach, which is a mixture of good and evil. There is a ruach of depression, a gloomy ruach, a ruach of evil, as it is said of Shaul, “an evil ruach began to terrify him” (1 Samuel 16:14). There is also a good ruach, as it is written, “Let Your good ruach guide me on level ground” (Psalms 143:10). This is the aspect of the ruach of prophecy, Divine ruach .
אַךְ כְּשֶׁהוּא מְעֹרָב טוֹב וָרַע, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל נְבוּאוֹת אֱמֶת. וְעַל כֵּן כָּתוּב בְּשָׁאוּל (שמואל־א יא): וַיִּתְנַבֵּא וְכוּ' וַיִּפֹּל עָרֹם, וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: לְשׁוֹן מְשֻׁגָּע; כִּי הָיָה מְעֹרָב בְּרוּחַ שְׁטוּת, עַצְבוּת רוּחַ.
But when a person is a mixture of good and evil, he cannot receive truthful prophecies. Thus it is written of Shaul (1 Samuel 19:24), “he began to prophesy… and he lay arom (naked).” Rashi explains that this connotes madness, because he had been infused with a ruach of folly, a ruach of depression. {“Let our lord order the courtiers attending you to look for someone skilled at playing… his hand will play, and it will be good for you” (1 Samuel 16:16).}
וְזֶה שֶׁמְּנַגֵּן בַּיָּד עַל הַכְּלִי, הוּא מְקַבֵּץ וּמְלַקֵּט בַּיָּד אֶת הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, מִתּוֹךְ עַצְבוּת רוּחַ. וְצָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת יוֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן, שֶׁיֵּדַע לְקַבֵּץ וְלִלְקֹט וְלִמְצֹא חֶלְקֵי הָרוּחַ אַחַת לְאֶחָת, כְּדֵי לִבְנוֹת הַנִּגּוּן, הַיְנוּ הַשִּׂמְחָה, הַיְנוּ לִבְנוֹת הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, שֶׁהוּא הֶפֶךְ עַצְבוּת רוּחַ. כִּי צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת וְלֵירֵד בְּיָדוֹ עַל הַכְּלִי שֶׁמְּנַגֵּן, כְּדֵי לְכַוֵּן לִבְנוֹת הַשִּׂמְחָה בִּשְׁלֵימוּת.
The person whose hand plays an instrument collects and gathers up with his hand the good ruach, the ruach of prophecy, from within the ruach of depression. Thus he must be “skilled at playing,” knowing how to collect and gather and find the components of the ruach one by one, in order to build the tune, the joy—i.e., to build the good ruach, the ruach of prophecy, which is the opposite of a ruach of depression. For he has to raise and lower his hand on the instrument he is playing in order to direct the buildup of the joy to perfection.
וּכְשֶׁהַנָּבִיא שׁוֹמֵעַ זֶה הַנִּגּוּן מֵהַיּוֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן, אֲזַי מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, שֶׁקִּבֵּץ זֶה בְּיָדוֹ מִתּוֹךְ הָעַצְבוּת רוּחַ. וְזֶה: וְנִגֵּן בְּיָדוֹ וְטוֹב לָךְ (שם בשמואל־א יט) – וְטוֹב לָךְ דַּיְקָא, שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט וּמְצָרֵף הַטּוֹב מִתּוֹךְ הָרָע.
Thus, when the prophet hears this music from one who is “skilled at playing,” he receives from him the ruach of prophecy which [the musician] gathered with his hand from within the ruach of depression. This is the explanation of “his hand will play, and it will be good for you”—specifically “it will be good for you,” because he gathers and refines the good from within the evil.
וְעִקַּר הִתְקַבְּצוּת וּבִנְיַן הָרוּחַ נְבוּאָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַיָּד, כִּי שָׁם פִּקְדוֹנוֹת הָרוּחוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ל״א:ו׳): בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב י״ב:י׳): אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי וְרוּחַ כָּל בְּשַׂר אִישׁ. וְזֶה (שם במלכים): וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְּנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד ה':
And the main gathering and building up of the ruach of prophecy is by means of the hand, because the deposits of the ruach are there, as it is written (Psalms 31:6), “Into Your hand I deposit my ruach,” and as in (Job 12:10), “in Whose hand is the life of every living thing and the ruach of all human flesh.” This is the explanation of “As the musician played, the hand of God came upon him” (2 Kings, ibid.) .
נִמְצָא, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּנַגֵּן בַּיָּד עַל הַכְּלִי זֶמֶר, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מְבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ רָעָה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְכָל זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת הַכְנָעַת הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ רָעָה, רוּחַ שְׁטוּת, שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִפְגֹּם וּלְבַלְבֵּל אֶת בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, וְהוּא נִכְנָע וְנִתְבַּטֵּל עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה, הַבָּאָה עַל־יְדֵי הַמְּנַגֵּן בַּיָּד כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי עִקַּר הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַמְדַמֶּה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי עַצְבוּת, כִּי הַמְדַמֶּה הוּא בְּחִינַת עַצְבוּת רוּחַ, רוּחַ נְכֵאָה, רוּחַ רָעָה, שֶׁהוּא מְבַלְבֵּל אֶת הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת זִכָּרוֹן הַנַּ"ל, בְּחִינַת לְאַדְבָּקָא מַחֲשַׁבְתָּא בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי הַנַּ"ל.
We see then that by playing a musical instrument with his hand, a person thereby extracts the good ruach from the evil ruach, this being the aspect of the ruach of prophecy, as explained above. All this is the aspect of subduing the imagination, which is the aspect of an evil ruach, a foolish ruach, that would blemish and confound the aspect of the good ruach, the ruach of prophecy. [And the imagination] is subdued and eliminated by means of joy, which comes from the one who plays music with the hand, as explained above. For the main strengthening of the imagination is by means of depression, because the imagination is the aspect a depressed ruach /a gloomy ruach /an evil ruach, which confounds the good ruach /the ruach of prophecy, this being the aspect of memory/attaching one’s thoughts to the World to Come, which was mentioned above.
וְעַל כֵּן אֵין יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מְנַגֵּן בַּיָּד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְהָיָה כְּנַגֵּן הַמְּנַגֵּן וַתְּהִי עָלָיו יַד ה', בְּחִינַת: וְנִגֵּן בְּיָדוֹ וְטוֹב לָךְ וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
It is therefore impossible to receive the ruach of prophecy/Divine ruach except by means of joy, which is the aspect of playing music with the hand, as in, “As the musician played, the hand of God came upon him,” the aspect of “his hand will play, and it will be good for you,” as explained above.
וְזֶה הַמְנַגֵּן, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יוֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן כַּנַּ"ל. גַּם צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכְּלִי בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תֵּצֵא כָּל הָרוּחַ הַמְעֹרָב טוֹב וָרַע בְּבַת אַחַת. וְעַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יוֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן, וְגַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכְּלִי שֶׁמְּנַגְּנִין עָלֶיהָ שָׁלֵם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְבָרֵר וּלְכַוֵּן הַנִּגּוּן בִּשְׁלֵמוּת כָּרָאוּי, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁמְּבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שִׂמְחָה, בְּחִינַת רוּחַ נְבוּאָה, מִן הָעַצְבוּת רוּחַ, שֶׁהוּא רוּחַ רָעָה כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי כְּשֶׁאֵין הַכְּלִי שָׁלֵם, אוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ נַגֵּן, וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לַעֲלוֹת וְלֵירֵד בְּיָדוֹ לְבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ רָעָה, עָלָיו נֶאֱמַר (משלי כ״ט:י״א): כָּל רוּחוֹ יוֹצִיא כְּסִיל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמּוֹצִיא כָּל הָרוּחַ בְּבַת אַחַת, וַאֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי אֵין נִבְנֶה הַנִּגּוּן.
Now this musician has to be “skilled at playing,” as explained above. Also the instrument on which he plays has to be whole, so that the ruach, which is a mixture of good and evil, does not emerge all at once. This is why he must be “skilled at playing,” and why the instrument he plays must be whole, so that he can properly extract and direct the music to perfection. This corresponds to extracting the good ruach, which is the aspect of joy/the ruach of prophecy, from the ruach of depression/the ruach of evil, as explained above. For when the instrument is not whole, or he is not skilled at playing and so does not know how to raise and lower his hand in order to extract the good ruach from the evil ruach, it is said of him (Proverbs 29:11), “A fool vents all his ruach”—i.e., he gives out all the ruach at one time, so that the music is certainly not built up.
כִּי עִקַּר נְעִימַת הַנִּגּוּן נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי בֵּרוּר הָרוּחַ, (שֶׁהוּא הָאֲוִיר, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם הַקּוֹל, כַּיָּדוּעַ לְחַכְמֵי הַנְּגִינָה), הַיְנוּ שֶׁעִקַּר בְּחִינַת הַנִּגּוּן, הוּא עַל־יְדֵי בֵּרוּר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ רָעָה. וּכְשֶׁיּוֹצֵא כָּל הָרוּחַ בְּבַת אַחַת, יוֹצֵא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מְעֹרָב טוֹב וָרַע, וַאֲזַי אֵין נִבְנֶה הַנִּגּוּן וְהַשִּׂמְחָה, וְאֵין נִכְנָע הַמְדַמֶּה.
This is because the essential beauty of the music is achieved through the extraction of the ruach {this is the air from which the sound comes, as is known to those skilled in music}. In other words, the aspect of music comes essentially through the extracting of the good ruach from the evil ruach. But when he brings out the ruach all at once, it comes out as it is: a mixture of good and evil. As a result, the music and joy are not built up, and the imagination is not subdued.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים קמ״ו:ד׳): תֵּצֵא רוּחוֹ יָשׁוּב לְאַדְמָתוֹ. לְאַדְמָתוֹ, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמְדַמֶּה. הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵא כָּל הָרוּחַ, אֲזַי חוֹזֵר וְשָׁב אֶל הַמְדַמֶּה, כִּי לֹא נִכְנָע הַמְדַמֶּה, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְלַקֵּט וּלְבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, וְיוֹצֵא כָּל הָרוּחַ הַמְעֹרָב טוֹב וָרַע.
This corresponds to “His ruach goes out; he returns to his adamah (dust)” (Psalms 146:4). “To his aDaMaH” is the aspect of the meDaMeH. In other words, when all the ruach comes out, he returns and goes back to the imagination. This is because he has not subdued the imagination, since he is unable to gather and extract the good ruach, so that all the ruach, which is a mixture of good and evil, comes out.
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּחִינַת יָד הַנַּ"ל, הַמְלַקֵּט וּמְבָרֵר בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ רָעָה, אֲזַי מַכְנִיעַ הַמְדַמֶּה, בִּבְחִינַת: וּבְיַד הַנְּבִיאִים אֲדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי עִקַּר בְּחִינַת הַנְּבוּאָה, הוּא מִבְּחִינַת הַיָּד הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁמְּבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִן הָרוּחַ רָעָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַכְנִיעַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ רָעָה הַמְעֹרָב בְּרוּחַ טוֹבָה כַּנַּ"ל:
However, if he has the aspect of the hand that gathers and extracts the aspect of the good ruach from the evil ruach, he can then subdue the imagination, in the aspect of “by the hand of the prophets I have been imagined,” as explained above. For the essence of the aspect of prophecy comes from the above mentioned aspect of the hand that extracts the good ruach from the evil ruach and through this subdues the imagination, which is the aspect of the evil ruach mixed with the good ruach, as explained above.
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ל): מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד, מִי אָסַף רוּחַ בְּחָפְנָיו, מִי צָרַר מַיִם בַּשִּׂמְלָה, מִי הֵקִים כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ.
This is the explanation of what is written, “Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the ruach in his palms? Who has wrapped the waters in a robe? Who has established all afsay (the ends) of the earth?” (Proverbs 30:4) .
מִי עָלָה שָׁמַיִם וַיֵּרַד – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַמְנַגֵּן, כִּי זֶה הַמְנַגֵּן, הוּא עוֹלֶה וְיוֹרֵד בַּנְּגִינָה, כִּי צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת וְלֵירֵד בְּמִדַּת הַנִּימִין, כְּפִי מִשְׁקַל הַשִּׁיר, כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּץ הָרוּחַ: וְזֶה:
Who has gone up to heaven and come down?—This is the aspect of the musician. The musician goes up and down in the music, because he has to go up and down on the scale of the strings in line with the song’s notes in order to gather the ruach. And this is:
מִי אָסַף רוּחַ בְּחָפְנָיו – בְּחָפְנָיו מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהֵם הַיָּדַיִם, כִּי שָׁם שֹׁרֶשׁ הָרוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל. שֶׁעִקַּר בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ הוּא בַּיָּדַיִם, שֶׁשָּׁם פִּקְדוֹנוֹת הָרוּחוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה:
Who has gathered the ruach in his palms?—Literally, “in his palms,” which are the hands, because the root of the ruach is there, as explained above. The essential aspect of the ruach is in the hands, because the deposits of the ruach are there, as explained above. And this is:
מִי צָרַר מַיִם בַּשִּׂמְלָה – מַיִם בְּחִינַת לֵב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איכה ב׳:י״ט): שִׁפְכִי כַמַּיִם לִבֵּךְ. הַיְנוּ שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט הָרוּחַ, הוּא צוֹרֵר מַיִם בַּשִּׂמְלָה, שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵר הַלֵּב שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁלֹט עָלָיו הַמְדַמֶּה. וְזֶה:
Who has wrapped the waters in a robe?—“Waters” is the aspect of the heart, as it is written (Lamentations 2:19), “Pour out your heart like water.” In other words, by gathering the ruach, he “has wrapped the waters in a robe”—he guards the heart so that the imagination does not rule over it. And this is:
מִי הֵקִים כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא מֵקִים בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין הַמְלֻבָּשׁ בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם. אַפְסֵי, בְּחִינַת רַגְלִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יחזקאל מז): וַיַּעֲבִרֵנִי מֵי אָפְסָיִם.
Who has established all afsay of the earth?—Through this he elevates the aspect of the feet that is enclothed in this world. “Afsay” is the aspect of the feet, as it is written (Ezekiel 47:3), “They led me [through the water]; the water was afsayim (ankle-deep).”
כִּי עַל־יְדֵי נִגּוּן בַּיָּד הַנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִכְנָע הַמְדַמֶּה, וַאֲזַי זוֹכֶה לַזִּכָּרוֹן הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהָבִין כָּל הָרְמָזִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חִיּוּת אֱלֹקוּת, בְּחִינַת רַגְלֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, הַמְלֻבָּשִׁים בְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ: מִי הֵקִים כָּל אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ – שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה וּמְקַיֵּם בְּחִינַת רַגְלֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה הַמְלֻבָּשִׁין בְּזֶה הָעוֹלָם כַּנַּ"ל:
For by playing music with the hand, as mentioned above, the imagination is subdued. Then he merits memory, which is the aspect of his knowing to understand all the hints that are in each thing in the world. These [hints] are the aspect of the vitality of Godliness, the aspect of the feet of holiness that are enclothed in all that exists in the world, as explained above. This is the explanation of “Who has established all the ends of the earth?”—he elevates and establishes the feet of holiness that are enclothed in this world, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים. שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים הוּא בְּחִינַת מוֹצִיאֵי דִבָּה, הַנֶּאֱמָר בָּהֶם (במדבר י״ד:ל״ד): יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה יוֹם לַשָּׁנָה; שֶׁעַל יָדָם נִתְקַלְקֵל וְנִפְגַּם בְּחִינַת אַהֲבָה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: וְקָמַץ הַכֹּהֵן כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה: מִקֵּץ – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת פְּגַם הַ"קָּמַץ".
8. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“It was mikeitz (after) two years’ time, and Pharaoh dreamed he was standing near the river, when suddenly out of the river seven cows came up.”} It was mikeitz two years’ time—“Two years’ time” is the aspect of those who speak slander, of whom it is said (Numbers 14:34), “one year for each day, one year for each day.” Because of them the aspect of a love for holiness was corrupted and blemished, this being the aspect of “and the priest shall kamatz (scoop up),” as explained above. And this is MiKeiTZ—the aspect of a blemish of the KaMaTZ .
וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם – הַיְנוּ הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל.
and Pharaoh dreamed—That is, the imagination, as explained above.
וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל הַיְאֹר – הַיְאֹר זֶה פִּישׁוֹן, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת פִּי שׁוֹנֵה הֲלָכוֹת, שֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר עֲלֵיהֶם הַכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל.
he was standing near the river—The “river” is PiShoN, i.e., the aspect of Pi ShoNeh Jewish law which the imagination overpowers, as explained above.
וְהִנֵּה מִן הַיְאֹר וְכוּ' – הַיְנוּ שֶׁעַל יָדָם בָּא שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי שָׂבָע וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי רָעָב, הַיְנוּ טוֹב וָרַע כַּנַּ"ל. וְהָרַע מִתְרַבֶּה וְגוֹבֵר עַל הַטּוֹב, בִּבְחִינַת: וְלֹא נוֹדַע כִּי בָאוּ אֶל קִרְבֶּנָה.
when suddenly out of the river…—That is, because of them there is seven years of contentment and seven years of famine, good and bad, as explained above. The bad gains strength and overpowers the good, in the aspect of “but there was no way of knowing that they were inside them.”
וְתִקּוּנוֹ הוּא יוֹסֵף, בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית ל׳:כ״ג-כ״ד): אָסַף אֱלֹקִים אֶת חֶרְפָּתִי; שֶׁהוּא מַמְתִּיק אֶת הָרָע, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָרָעָב, בִּבְחִינַת (יחזקאל ל״ו:ל׳): אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִקְחוּ עוֹד חֶרְפַּת רָעָב בַּגּוֹיִם. וְהוּא בְּחִינַת: אָסַף רוּחַ וְכוּ', בְּחִינַת (בראשית מ״א:ל״ח): אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ אֱלֹקִים בּוֹ. וְזֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ, (שם מו): וְיוֹסֵף יָשִׁית יָדוֹ עַל עֵינֶיךָ – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַיָּד, נִשְׁמָר הָעַיִן מִכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל:
And the rectification is YoSeF, in the aspect of “The Lord has aSaF (gathered away) my humiliation” (Genesis 30:23). He mitigates the bad, which is the aspect of famine, in the aspect of (Ezekiel 36:30), “so that you will never again be humiliated before the nations because of famine.” He is the aspect of “gathered the ruach,” corresponding to “a man in whom there is the ruach of the Lord” (Genesis 41:38). And this is what was said of him: “Yosef will place his hand on your eyes” (ibid. 46:4)—by means of the hand, the eye is protected from the imagination, as explained above.
עַיֵּן בְּסָבָא (משפטים דף צח.) מַה שֶּׁדָּרַשׁ עַל פָּסוּק: ה' אֱלֹקַי גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד וְכוּ':
See how the Sava d’Mishpatim (p.98a) explains the verse “YHVH, Elohay (God, my Lord), You are very great….”
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: (תהלים עז): אֶזְכְּרָה נְגִינָתִי בַּלָּיְלָה עִם לְבָבִי אָשִׂיחָה וַיְחַפֵּשׁ רוּחִי. בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁאָז הוּא פִּקְדוֹנוֹת הָרוּחוֹת, בְּחִינַת: בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי הַנַּ"ל, אֲזַי הַזְּמַן לְקַבֵּץ הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה מִתּוֹךְ הָרוּחַ רָעָה. הַיְנוּ שֶׁאָז עִקַּר הַזְּמַן שֶׁל הַהִתְבּוֹדְדוּת, לְהִתְבּוֹדֵד בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין קוֹנוֹ, וּלְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, לָשׂוּחַ עִם לְבָבוֹ, וּלְחַפֵּשׂ הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, דְּהַיְנוּ הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ עֲדַיִן, לְבָרְרָם מִתּוֹךְ הָרוּחַ רָעָה. שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת נִגּוּן הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִשְׁמָר הַזִּכָּרוֹן כַּנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכֶה לִזְכֹּר תַּכְלִיתוֹ הָאַחֲרוֹן לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְלַחֲשֹׁב תָּמִיד עַל סוֹפוֹ וּלְאַדְבְּקָא מַחֲשַׁבְתֵּהּ בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי תָּמִיד, שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת זִכָּרוֹן כַּנַּ"ל.
9. This corresponds to “During the night I recall my song; I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches” (Psalms 77:7). The night—when the ruach is deposited, corresponding to “Into Your hand I deposit my ruach,” as mentioned above—is the time to collect the good ruach from within the evil ruach. In other words, this is the main time for hitbodedut: secluding oneself with one’s Master and speaking at length with the Holy One; speaking with one’s heart and seeking the good ruach—i.e., the good points one still has, so as to extract them from within the evil ruach, this being the above mentioned aspect of music. Through this the memory is guarded—i.e., through this he merits being mindful that his ultimate purpose is the World to Come, and to continually think about his end, and always attach his thoughts to the World to Come. All this is the aspect of memory, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: אֶזְכְּרָה נְגִינָתִי בַּלָּיְלָה, עִם לְבָבִי אָשִׂיחָה, וַיְחַפֵּשׂ רוּחִי. אִם תְּדַקְדֵּק בַּמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה, תִּמְצָא שֶׁבְּכָל הַמִּלּוֹת הָאֵלֶּה בְּכֻלָּם מְבֹאָר כָּל עִנְיָן הַנַּ"ל.
This is the explanation of “During the night I recall my song; I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches.” If you study this verse carefully, you will find that all its words explain everything that has been mentioned above.
אֶזְכְּרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת הַזִּכָּרוֹן הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִזְכֹּר תָּמִיד בְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נְגִינָתִי, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַנִּגּוּן הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת בֵּרוּר הַטּוֹב מִן הָרָע כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת נִגּוּן וְשִׂמְחָה, יְכוֹלִין לִזְכֹּר עַצְמוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. כִּי שְׁמִירַת הַזִּכָּרוֹן הוּא עַל־יְדֵי נִגּוּן בַּיָּד, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שִׂמְחָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ:
I recall—This is the aspect of memory, that a person has to always be mindful of the World to Come. This is the aspect of my song—i.e., the aspect of music mentioned above, which is the aspect extracting the good from the evil, as explained above. For by means of the aspect of music and joy a person can remind himself of the World to Come. This is because the memory is guarded by playing music with the hand, which is the aspect of joy, as explained above. And this is:
בַּלָּיְלָה, כִּי עִקַּר בֵּרוּר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה הוּא בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁאָז הוּא פִּקְדוֹנוֹת הָרוּחוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ:
During the night—For the main extracting of the good ruach is at night, which is when the ruach is deposited, as explained above. And this is:
עִם לְבָבִי אָשִׂיחָה – כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת נִגּוּן וְשִׂמְחָה הַנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִשְׁמָר הַלֵּב מִכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה כַּנַּ"ל. וְאָז יָכוֹל לִשְׁפֹּךְ לִבּוֹ כַּמַּיִם לִפְנֵי ה', שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת: מִי צָרַר מַיִם בַּשִּׂמְלָה הַנַּ"ל, בִּבְחִינַת: שִׁפְכִי כַמַּיִם לִבֵּךְ נֹכַח פְּנֵי ה'. וְזֶהוּ:
I commune with my heart—By means of the aspect of music and joy, the heart is guarded from the imagination, as explained above. Then a person can pour out his heart like water before God, this being the aspect of “Who has wrapped the waters in a robe?” which was mentioned above; in the aspect of “Pour out your heart like water in the presence of God.” And this is:
עִם לְבָבִי אָשִׂיחָה וַיְחַפֵּשׂ רוּחִי – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְעוֹרְרִין לָשׂוּחַ עִם לְבָבוֹ מִתַּכְלִיתוֹ הַנִּצְחִי לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וּלְחַפֵּשׂ וּלְבַקֵּשׁ לִמְצֹא הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת, בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה שֶׁבְּקִרְבּוֹ, כְּדֵי לָשׁוּב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה. כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא, לְהַכְנִיעַ הָרוּחַ רָעָה, וּלְבָרֵר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה, כַּיָּדוּעַ:
I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches—Through this he is roused to speak with his heart about his eternal purpose, that being the World to Come, and to search and seek to find the good points, the aspect of the good ruach he has within him, in order to return to God through this. For the essence of repentance is subduing the evil ruach and extracting the good ruach, as is known.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קִימָה בַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה, כִּי כִּנּוֹר הָיָה תָּלוּי לְמַעְלָה מִמִּטָּתוֹ שֶׁל דָּוִד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הָיָה מְנַגֵּן מֵאֵלָיו (כשארז"ל ברכות ג:). הַיְנוּ שֶׁבַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָז נִתְעוֹרֵר בְּחִינוֹת הַנִּגּוּן דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, הַנִּמְשָׁךְ מִכִּנּוֹר שֶׁל דָּוִד, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת בֵּרוּר הָרוּחַ טוֹבָה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־כֵּן אָז הַזְּמַן לְהִתְגַּבֵּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, לָקוּם אָז לַעֲסֹק בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, לְפָרֵשׁ שִׂיחָתוֹ לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי אָז עִקַּר הַבֵּרוּר עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת נִגּוּן בַּכְּלִי הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת כִּנּוֹר שֶׁל דָּוִד שֶׁמְּנַגֵּן אָז כַּנַּ"ל. וְהָבֵן הֵיטֵב דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ לְמַעֲשֶׂה:
10. This is the aspect of waking at midnight. A harp hung over David’s bed, and when midnight arrived it would play by itself (Berakhot 3b). In other words, at midnight the aspect of sacred music drawn from the harp of David is aroused, this being the aspect of extracting the good ruach, etc., as explained above. That is therefore the time to strengthen one’s Divine service: to awaken then to engage in the service of God, to speak at length to the Holy One. For it is mainly then that the above mentioned extracting through the aspect of playing music on an instrument occurs; this being the aspect of the harp of David, which played then, as explained above. Understand well the practical application of these matters.
זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה נֶאֶמְרָה בְּשַׁבָּת חֲנֻכָּה, וְאַחַר שֶׁאָמַר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת אָמַר: אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי עַתָּה אֵיךְ מַדְלִיקִין נֵר חֲנֻכָּה, בְּחִינַת לְאַמְשָׁכָא מְשַׁח רְבוּת קֻדְשָׁא וּלְאַדְלָקָא בּוּצִינָא (זוהר בראשית לא, ויקרא ז, שמיני לז, אמור פח, קד, בהעלותך קנד), שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת קֹדֶשׁ (שמות ל׳:כ״ה), שֶׁהוּא הַדַּעַת, כַּיָּדוּעַ. הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַגְדָּלַת הַדַּעַת הַנַּ"ל שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת זִכָּרוֹן הַנַּ"ל; וְלֹא בֵּאֵר יוֹתֵר:
11. This lesson was taught on Shabbat Chanukah. After delivering the lesson, [the Rebbe] said: “I have now spoken of how to kindle the Chanukah lights, the aspect of drawing the oil of great holiness and kindling the lamp [with] ‘sacred anointing oil’ (Exodus 30:25). This is the daat, as is known—i.e., expanding the daat, which was mentioned above, this being the aspect of memory.” But he did not explain this any further.
שַׁיָּךְ לְעֵיל:
12. Addendum relating to the lesson:
מִי אָסַף רוּחַ בְּחָפְנָיו מִי צָרַר מַיִם בַּשִּׂמְלָה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ, (תהילים קמ״ז:י״ח): יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ יִזְּלוּ מָיִם. עַל־יְדֵי יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ, שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט וּמְאַסֵּף הָרוּחַ בְּיָדוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִזְּלוּ מָיִם, בְּחִינַת: מִי צָרַר מַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַלֵּב, בְּחִינַת: שִׁפְכִי כַמַּיִם לִבֵּךְ, כַּנַּ"ל, עַיֵּן שָׁם:
Who has gathered the ruach in his palms? Who has wrapped the waters in a robe?… This is the explanation of “He causes His ruach to blow and the waters to flow” (Psalms 147:18). By means of “He causes His ruach to blow”—this that he gathers and collects the ruach in his hand—as a result, “the waters flow.” This corresponds to “Who has wrapped the waters,” which is the aspect of the heart, corresponding to “Pour out your heart like water,” as explained above. See there.
כְּלַל הָעִנְיָן הוּא, מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (פסחים סו, נדה יט:): אֵין אָדָם דָּן גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה מֵעַצְמוֹ, כִּי יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁהוּא דָּן גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה מֵעַצְמוֹ, וְהוּא מִכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, שֶׁמְּדַמֶּה מִלְּתָא לְמִלְּתָא כַּנַּ"ל, עַיֵּן שָׁם.
13. The general principle is that which our Sages of blessed memory said: A person should not deduce a gezerah shavah -parallel of his own (Pesachim 66a). For a person might deduce his own parallel and it can stem from the imagination, because he is medameh (likens) one thing to another, as explained above. See there.
עַל כֵּן אָסוּר לָדוּן גְּזֵרָה שָׁוָה, הַיְנוּ לְדַמּוֹת מִלְּתָא לְמִלְּתָא, מֵעַצְמוֹ. אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן קִבְּלָהּ מֵרַבּוֹ, וְרַבּוֹ מֵרַבּוֹ, עַד מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, מִפִּי הַגְּבוּרָה, כְּדֵי לְהִנָּצֵל מִכֹּחַ הַמְדַמֶּה, וְהָבֵן:
It is therefore forbidden for a person to deduce his own parallel—i.e., to liken one thing to another—unless he received it from his teacher, who received it from his teacher, back to Moshe Rabbeinu, of blessed memory, directly from the Almighty—in order to be spared from the imagination. Understand this.