Patach Rebbe Shimon (Rabbi Shimon Opened) and said: “It is a time to do for God; [they have abrogated Your Torah]” (Psalms 119:126). Why is it “a time to do for God”? It is because “they have abrogated Your Torah.” What is “they have abrogated Your Torah”? This is the Supernal Torah, which would be nullified were this rectification not enacted. It refers to Atik Yomin .
It is written (Deuteronomy 33:29): “Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you?” And it is written (Exodus 15:11): “O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?”
He called to Rabbi Elazar his son and seated him to his right, and to Rabbi Abba, [whom he seated] on the other side. Then he said: “We are the encompassment of all things. The rectifications have in the meanwhile been effected.” [The fellowship] was silent. Then they heard a sound, and their knees knocked together. What sound was it? It was the sound of the heavenly entourage gathering. (Zohar III, 128a)
Know! there are paths of Torah that involve very great contemplation, such contemplation that can be attained only by means of wealth. Just as with the Torah’s elementary interpretations, “If there is no bread, there is no Torah” (Avot 3:17), and at the very least one must have a livelihood, so too, for this contemplation, which is very great, a person must have very great wealth. One must possess bounteous riches from which nothing is lacking, since this contemplation requires having all the wealth of the world.
The Yissakharites had this contemplation, in the aspect of “from the Yissakharites, men adept at understanding” (1 Chronicles 12:33). They merited this only by means of wealth, the aspect of “Yissakhar is a strong-boned donkey” (Genesis 49:14), which Onkelos renders as “[Yissakhar is] abounding with possessions.”
This is why Moshe and all the prophets possessed very great wealth, so that they might attain this contemplation through it. And since the Torah involves this contemplation, the Torah itself is therefore called riches.
The same is true of those through whom the Torah was transmitted; they were extremely wealthy. For example, Moshe Rabbeinu, who brought the Torah to the Jews, was very wealthy, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory. Likewise Rebbe, who compiled and sealed the Mishnah, and also Rav Ashi, who sealed the Talmud and established its comprehensive framework; they, too, were extremely wealthy, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory. Because they established and arranged the entire Oral Law, and through them the Torah was passed on, they, too, were wealthy, as explained above. This is because to achieve the aforementioned contemplation one must possess great wealth.
This is the aspect of “PSoL (carve) for yourself” (Exodus 34:1), which our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: The PSoLet (shavings) shall be yours (Yerushalmi, Shekalim 5:2). With regard to the elementary interpretations of Torah, one must first provide introductory information before presenting an original interpretation. Afterwards, the introductions are set aside and we arrive at the intended insight—since that is the main thing, and all the preceding material and introductions are the aspect of psolet that has been chiseled and carved away from around the intended insight. The same applies to the contemplation of Torah. One must first go round and round a number of times before arriving at the intended insight. The main thing is the intended insight, and all the circling is the aspect of psolet—the aspect of wealth, by means of which one attains contemplation.
This is the aspect of “PSoL for yourself”—the PSoLet shall be yours. It was from there that Moshe became wealthy, since the shavings of the Tablets are the aspect of circling; that one chisels and carves round and round [the focus of] the contemplation. And [the shavings], as explained above, are the aspect of wealth, through whichone attains contemplation.
Hence, the letters of MaMON (money) are an acronym of Misham Nitasher Moshe (from there Moshe became wealthy). And the vav is the aspect of the Tablets from which Moshe became wealthy, because the Tablets were six handbreadths long by six handbreadths wide, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory (Bava Batra 14a) .
2. The way to attain this wealth is by means of the rectifications of Atik, the aspect of length-of-days, the aspect of an elder. For a person needs length-of-days in order to receive in them the wealth of contemplation.
Length-of-days is that a person must attempt to extend and increase his days, because the place where each day starts for each person is certainly narrow at first. In other words, at the beginning of the day, the devotions that he must perform on that day—e. g., praying, studying [Torah], and the like—are extremely difficult for him. Due to this, the day’s beginning is narrow, since he must begin little by little and then afterwards expand and progress in his devotions.
Thus a person must attempt to increase, expand and extend each successive hour; increasing and expanding it with increased holiness. Likewise, when the next day arrives, it should progress and expand with even more increased holiness. And so too each time, his days should expand with increased holiness. This is the aspect of length-of-days.
Hence Avraham, who merited the aspect of an elder/length-of-days, as a result merited wealth, the aspect of “Avraham was elderly, well advanced in years, and God had blessed Avraham with everything” (Genesis 24:1). This is likewise the aspect of “I gained understanding from the elders” (Psalms 119:100)—by means of the aforementioned aspect of an elder one achieves contemplation, which stems from the wealth infused into length-of-days, which is the aspect of an elder, as explained above.
3. The aspect of an elder—that is, always expanding and extending one’s days with increased holiness, as explained above—is achieved through fear. Each day, this fear brings increased holiness, because through this the days are extended and expanded, in the aspect of “The fear of God prolongs one’s days” (Proverbs 10:27). And this is the aspect of “The fear of God is His treasure house” (Isaiah 33:6), the aspect of “He built her like a storehouse”—narrow on top and wide at the bottom (Berakhot 61a). Although the day’s beginning is narrow, afterwards, as a result of fear, it expands and progresses with increased holiness, as explained above.
Thus it is through fear that we merit length-of-days, which is the aspect of an elder/the rectifications of Atik, through which we merit wealth. This is because fear protects against the opposite of wealth, namely poverty, which stems from the aspect of “Grace is deceptive, and beauty is vain” (Proverbs 31:30). For there are various forms of deceptive grace that a person effects in the way he stands or eats or speaks with people. This is true of other things as well; each thing has a different grace that is unique [to it]. And all these types of deceptive grace stem from vain beauty, in the aspect of “Grace is deceptive,” when “beauty is vain”—i.e., one who does not guard against the beauty of women consequently acquires the desires associated with deceptive grace. Yet fear is the opposite of this, as it is written, “Grace is deceptive, and beauty is vain; it is for her fear of God that a woman is to be praised!”
Therefore, when Avraham and Yitzchak arrived at a place where fear was non-existent and sought to enter there, they immediately sensed this; since, commensurate with their extensive holiness, they began to sense the beauty of the women. Thus they sensed that there was no fear there, and so forbade themselves relations with their wives, as with one’s sister; as it is written (Genesis 20:11), “for I said, the one thing missing in this place is the fear of God…” Afterwards, Avraham rectified this [absence of fear] and drew length-of-days, as it is written (Genesis 21:34), “Avraham lived in the land of the Philistines for many days,” the aspect of “The fear of God prolongs one’s days,” as explained above.
Later on, the Philistines corrupted all the rectifications that Avraham had instituted, the aspect of “all the wells… the Philistines stopped up” (Genesis 26:15). Therefore, when Yitzchak arrived there, he too had to forbid himself relations with his wife as if she were his sister, until he had drawn length-of-days there; this being the aspect of fear, which saves a person from this [vain beauty], as explained above. And then she was permitted to him, as it is written (ibid.:8), “After [Yitzchak] had been there a lengthy time, Avimelekh looked out…” By his drawing length-of-days he merited wealth there, as it is written (ibid.:12), “Yitzchak sowed in that land and in that same year reaped a hundredfold…,” as explained above.
Thus, whoever lacks fear and is not protected from the aspect of “beauty is vain” experiences poverty, as it is written (Proverbs 6:25-26), “Do not lust for her beauty in your heart.… For on account of a harlot [one will lack] even a loaf of bread.” Wealth and vain beauty are opposites. This is because wealth is produced by extended breathing. Beauty, however, is produced by suspended breathing, since at the moment the drop of semen emerges, breathing must stop. There are two reasons for this: a) so that the breathing, the cool air that one constantly takes in, does not cool off the drop, which has to be warm when it emerges if it is to produce offspring; and b) since the ejaculatory force is engaged in issuing and pushing out the drop, breathing must stop. Breathing entails exhaling air and inhaling air. Since the ejaculatory force is occupied with pushing out the drop, one cannot exhale the air, and consequently breathing is suspended. This breath of air that was previously inhaled and remained there is encompassed in the ejaculatory force, and through it the drop emerges.
And to the degree that the breath is pure and clear, the offspring is likewise fair and healthy. For if the breath is pure and clean, then the drop that emerges, in which this breath is encompassed, is likewise clear and clean. And then the offspring is accordingly fair and healthy. But if there is turbidity within the breath, the drop becomes turbid as well. This is the aspect of “Man is like hevel (a breath)” (Psalms 144:4), since the formation of the offspring is in accordance with the breath; and it is the aspect of “The children of men are but hevel” (ibid. 62:10), since the breath determines whether the offspring will be fair and healthy, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “beauty is hevel,” since the beauty is commensurate with the hevel (breath). Thus it is that vain beauty stems from suspended breathing. We find, therefore, that someone who desires the beauty of women acquires the aspect of suspended breathing. He is then the opposite of wealthy, since [wealth] is the aspect of extended breathing.
This is because all the different types of wealth—i.e., the different grains, and all the trees and grasses and different metals—require rainfall. Similarly, all the storehouses are [filled] by the rains, as it is written (Deuteronomy 28:12), “God will open for you His bounteous store, [the heavens,] to provide rain for your land.” And the rains are from the aspect of breathing; that we inhale and receive air from the outside, as it is written (Job 37:10), “By the breath of God ice is made and the expanse of water is poured out.” This is the aspect of “The rich man’s wealth is KiRyat oozo (his stronghold)” (Proverbs 18:11)—i.e., the wealth is produced by the aspect of breathing, which is the KaR (cool) air that one constantly receives from the outside, as explained above. And this is “kiryat OoZo,” the aspect of “the torrential rain of OoZo (His strength)” (Job 37:6) .
This is as it is written (Jeremiah 14:22), “Is there in the vanities of the nations the ability to bring rain?” For in the hevel of the nations—which is the aspect of suspended breathing, the aforementioned “beauty is hevel”—there is no aspect of rain. This is because the rains are produced only by the breath, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “Riches gotten through hevel will dwindle” (Proverbs 13:11)—as a result of the aforementioned vanity, wealth dwindles.
This is likewise the aspect of “the kar ruach (cool spirit) of an understanding man” (Proverbs 17:27). By means of the KoR ruach (composure), which is the KaR ruach of the breath, one merits the aforementioned contemplation that stems from wealth, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “the NeShaMaH (soul) from the Almighty enables them to understand” (Job 32:8). In the main, contemplation is produced by the NeShiMaH (breathing), the aspect of “cool ruach,” as explained above.
Breathing is the main factor in the proper functioning of the intellect. This is because in order for the intellect to function properly, so that it can attain contemplation, above all it needs the oils in the body. The intellect is like a lit lamp. It is lit as a result of the oils that are drawn to it, like the oil drawn to a burning wick. But when there are no oils in the body, the intellect cannot be lit in contemplation. This leads to people going insane; as a result of the body’s moisture drying up there are no oils to burn, and this destroys the mind.
All the moisture and oils in the body are maintained by breathing, because “if not for the lobes of the lungs fanning the heart, the heart would consume the entire body” (Tikkuney Zohar #13, p. 28a). Thus it is that the oil and moisture are present in the body mainly as a consequence of breathing; that the lungs receive cool air from the outside in order to cool off the heart. This <is what> enables the intellect to exist and to be lit in contemplation, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “The soul of man is the lamp of God” (Proverbs 20:27). The existence and proper functioning of “God’s lamp,” which is the intellect, result mainly from breathing, as explained above.
4. Fear is perfect when it is in the aspect of three lines: fear of Heaven, fear of one’s master, and fear of one’s father and mother. Thus, when the sage of the generation merits worthy students and worthy children, fear is perfect. This is because the fear that the generation’s sage and rabbi has is the aspect of fear of Heaven; the students fear the master, the aspect of fear of one’s master; and the children have fear of their father and mother. By virtue of these three fears, fear is made perfect.
Now the aspect of fear of each one of these three must itself be comprised of three. That is, the rabbi’s fear, which is fear of Heaven, must be comprised of all three mentalities: chokhmah (wisdom), binah (understanding) and daat (knowledge). This is because the rabbi’s fear stems primarily from his contemplating the greatness of the Creator, may His Name be blessed, which he examines and analyzes with his intellect. Thus it is that his fear is produced by the intellect. Therefore, it is necessary that there be a full fear in all the three mentalities, in his chokhmah, his binah and his daat; they all need to be filled with the fear of God.
And the student’s fear, which is fear of one’s master, stems from the teaching he receives from the master. It must infuse all the elements of the teaching, as it, too, is the aspect of three lines—i.e., the aspect of “a threefold teaching” (Shabbat 88a) .
And the child’s fear, which is fear of one’s father and mother, must be drawn in the aspect of an inheritance, in the aspect of “A house and riches one inherits from one’s forefathers” (Proverbs 19:14). This fear must be applied to all the divisions of wealth, which are an inheritance, as explained above—i.e., the aspect of the three lines, the aspect of “A person should always divide his capital in thirds: a third invested in business, a third in the ground, and a third in his hand” (Bava Metzia 42a) .
These three divisions of wealth correspond to the three times wealth is mentioned in the Torah. For throughout the entire Torah, ashirut (“wealth”) is mentioned only these three times: in connection with Sodom, as it is written (Genesis 14:23), “so that you shall not say, ‘It is I who made Avram wealthy’”; in connection with Rachel and Leah, as it is written (ibid. 31:16), “All the wealth that God has taken away…”; and in connection with the shekel [census], as it is written (Exodus 30:15), “The wealthy may not give more.”
“A third invested in business” corresponds to the ashirut mentioned in connection with Sodom, since of Sodom it is written (Job 28:4), “that are forgotten by the wayfarer.” This is because [in Sodom] they wanted to prevent business activity, which is the aspect of “a wayfarer,” as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:18), “Rejoice, Zevulun, in your journeys.” Therefore, business activity is particularly needed; this being “a third invested in business.”
“A third in the ground” corresponds to the ashirut mentioned in connection with Rachel and Leah. In truth, the essence of wealth is solely for the sake of contemplation. Barring that, wealth is only for women and those like them with constricted daat. This is as they said: “All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children”—i.e., all the wealth is only for women and those like us with constricted daat. But you, “now, whatever God has instructed you, do it!”—i.e., you need the wealth in order to contemplate God’s greatness. Corresponding to this is the aspect of “a third in the ground,” the aspect of a woman is “like the ground” (Sanhedrin 74b) .
“A third in his hand” corresponds to the ashirut connected with the shekel [census], where it is said: “to atone for your souls.” [This is] the aspect of “in Whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the spirit of all human flesh” (Job 12:10) .
5. Fear is revealed through the effecting of special providence for barren women. Giving birth reveals fear, the aspect of “Trembling seized them there; pangs, like a woman giving birth” (Psalms 48:7). This is because giving birth causes the blood and the severities, which are the aspect of fear, to emerge. And this is especially so when a barren woman is granted special providence, since until then the blood and severities were thoroughly blocked. Therefore, afterwards, when they emerge, fear is revealed all the more.
The extent to which fear is revealed is thus commensurate with the [number of women giving] birth. When a single barren woman is granted special providence, fear is revealed; when many women are granted special providence, there is an even greater revelation of fear. This is the aspect of “pangs, like a woman giving birth”—the extent to which fear is revealed is commensurate with the birth.
38
וְעַל כֵּן בְּרֹאשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה הָיָה פְּקִידַת יִצְחָק (ראש השנה יא.), שֶׁהוּא תֹקֶף הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה מְאֹד, בְּחִינַת פַּחַד יִצְחָק. כִּי כְּשֶׁנִּפְקְדָה שָׂרָה, נִפְקְדוּ כַּמָּה עֲקָרוֹת עִמָּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה נג).
Therefore, the granting of special providence [that led to the birth] of Yitzchak—he being an extremely potent revelation of fear, the aspect of “the Dread of Yitzchak” (Genesis 31:42)—occurred on Rosh HaShanah (Rosh HaShanah 11a). For when Sarah was granted special providence, numerous barren women were granted special providence with her, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory.
This is likewise the aspect of “Yet I have borne him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:7). The birth of Yitzchak, who is the revelation of fear, brings to length-of-days/an elder, in the aspect of “The fear of God prolongs one’s days,” as explained above.
6. The granting of special providence to barren women is achieved by waking people from their sleep. For there are people who sleep away their days. Although it seems to everyone that these people are serving God and are occupied with Torah and prayer, God nevertheless has no pleasure whatsoever from their service because all their devotions remain below and are incapable of rising and ascending on high.
<This is because their devotions lack life-force and vitality.> Intellect is the essence of life-force, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:12), “Wisdom instills life into those who possess it.” Thus, when the service is with intellect, this instills it with vitality so that it can ascend. But when a person falls into the aspect of a constricted consciousness, the aspect of sleep, [the devotions] cannot ascend on high.
<There are a number of aspects to this.> There are those who have fallen into the aspect of sleep as a result of lusts and evil deeds. And there are some who are devout and admirable people, but have fallen as a result of eating. For it sometimes happens that when a person eats a food that has yet to be refined for human consumption, his mind falls into the aspect of sleep. Just as in the physical realm there are foods that induce sleep and others that inhibit it, in the spiritual realm, too, there are foods that have not been refined, which cause people to fall into the aspect of sleep, <into the aspect of constricted mentalities>.
But when a person eats in holiness and purity, it is the aspect of lechem hapanim (the showbread)—<i.e., bread that brings to the aspect of panim (countenance), namely the intellect,> since the intellect is the countenance, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 8:1), “A man’s wisdom lights up his countenance.” However, when his eating is not in holiness, he loses his countenance—i.e., his intellect—and falls into the aspect of sleep.
The main purpose of food is to revive the heart, as it is written (Ruth 3:7), “he ate and drank and his heart was in good spirits”; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Bread satiates the heart (Bereishit Rabbah 48:11). However, when the food is not refined or a person does not eat it in holiness, it brings evil to the heart. Evil-heartedness mars the countenance, as it is written (Nehemiah 2:2), “Why is your countenance so dour? It can only be [that you harbor] evil in your heart.” And the reverse is likewise true, seeking the countenance—i.e., that he should return and seek his countenance—is contingent upon rectification of the heart, as it is written (Psalms 27:8), “In Your behalf my heart says, ‘Seek My countenance.’”
Therefore, it sometimes happens that when the food is not refined, so that the heart is marred, this causes him to lose the countenance and fall into the aspect of sleep. Then it is necessary to rouse him from his sleep. Yet it is impossible to rouse him unless he stirs on his own, since there must be an arousal from below. It is just that when he stirs on his own, if there was no one attempting to rouse him, he would go on sleeping. Thus, as soon as he stirs, it is necessary to show him his countenance and to enclothe him in the countenance that left him while he slept. This is the aspect of waking from sleep.
Now, when we want to show a person his countenance and rouse him from his sleep, it is necessary to enclothe the panim (countenance) for him in the telling of stories. For the Torah has seventy panim (faces), which are the aspect of seventy years, for each [face] is different from the next.
There are three reasons it is necessary to enclothe specifically the countenance. The first is as when healing a blind person: we need to keep him shut up so that he does not see the light suddenly, and also diminish the light, so that what he does suddenly see, does not harm him. So too, when a person has been asleep and in the dark for a long time and we want to show him his countenance and rouse him, we must enclothe his countenance in the telling of stories, so that suddenly seeing the light does not harm him.
{“As for me, I will behold Your countenance with righteousness; I will be sated when I awaken to Your image” (Psalms 17:15).} This is the aspect of “As for me, I will behold Your countenance with righteousness.” “Righteousness” is the aspect of clothing, the aspect of “I clothed myself in righteousness” (Job 29:14). Then, “I will be sated when I awaken to Your image,” since afterwards he will be able to see while awake—i.e., when they awaken and rouse him from sleep—because the sudden light will not harm him, as explained above.
And the third reason is that the external forces already attached to him will not let him go. It is therefore necessary to enclothe his countenance, altering it, so that they cannot recognize him, in the aspect of “You alter his countenance and send him off” (Job 14:20) .
And there are a number of aspects to enclothing the countenance. There are times when we enclothe his countenance in the telling of a story. Yet, sometimes it is impossible to rouse him through his own countenance, and so it is necessary to show him an exalted countenance. Occasionally, the enclothing is also in words of Torah—that is, when delivering an exalted Torah lesson that is impossible to recite as is, we enclothe it in a lower and lesser Torah lesson.
This is the aspect of “O God, renew Your work of recent times” (Habakkuk 3:2). “Renew,” Rashi explains, means “rouse.” And this is “Your work”—i.e., telling stories; “of recent times”—i.e., the aspect of stories of the seventy faces, which are seventy years, as explained above. That is, we rouse him by telling stories that are of recent times—i.e., the stories of the seventy faces, as explained above.
However, it happens that a person falls from all the seventy faces, such that there is no countenance that can rouse him except by telling stories from ancient times. All the seventy faces, the seventy years, receive life-force from there. This is the aspect of Atik /an elder/a distinguished countenance; all the seventy faces receive life-force and distinction from there.
This is likewise the aspect of “abundant kindness” (Exodus 34:6). Anyone who teaches his student a single law does him a kindness, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever prevents his student from serving him, it is as if he denies him kindness (Ketuvot 96a). Serving a sage is the aspect of the laws that a student receives from his master. Thus it is that a master teaching his student is the aspect of kindness. Therefore, when he rouses him by means of one of the seventy faces, enclothing him in the aspect of “O God, renew Your work of recent times,” as explained above, it is the aspect of ordinary kindness. But when he rouses him by telling stories from ancient times, it is the aspect of “abundant kindness,” since all the countenances and all the kindnesses receive from there.
7. Now, when someone works to rouse people, he must protect himself from unworthy students lest their evil attach itself to him and harm him. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever teaches an unworthy student… (Chullin 133a) .
Likewise, our Sages, of blessed memory, prohibited writing [the tefilin scrolls] on the skin of a non-kosher animal, as it is written (Exodus 13:9), “in order that God’s Torah may be in your mouth”—from what is permitted to your mouth (Shabbat 108a). And when one person teaches another, it is an aspect of writing, since the tongue is the aspect of “My tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe” (Psalms 45:2) ; [the teaching] is engraved and written on the student’s heart, as in (Proverbs 3:3), “write them on the tablet of your heart.” This is why it is imperative <that he take care> that his words not be written on the aspect of the skin of a non-kosher animal—i.e., a student who is unworthy.
Even so, it is impossible for a human being to protect himself so that unworthy students do not hear him. For this, it is necessary that his teaching be “to study, teach, safeguard and laASot (practice)”—i.e., studying with his student should be as if he made his companion and as if he made the words of Torah. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever teaches his companion’s son Torah, it is as if ASa’o (he made him)… and as if ASa’o (he made it)—the words of Torah… (Sanhedrin 99b). And when he teaches with this intention, God <Himself> protects him, keeping his words from being recorded in the memory of an unworthy student; but rather, [the student] forgets them.
And when a person works to rouse [people] through telling stories, his conversation and telling likewise must be in the aforementioned aspect of the teaching—i.e., to study and laasot, as explained above. This is the aspect of “The conversation of Torah scholars requires study” (Sukkah 21b)—i.e., whatever is needed for the teaching is likewise needed for his conversation, which is the aspect of telling stories, as explained above.
This is the explanation of “their leaves litruphah (for healing)” (Ezekiel 47:12). “Their leaves” is the aspect of the conversation of Torah scholars, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said <regarding the verse> “Their leaves will not wither” (Psalms 1:3)—even the conversation of Torah scholars [requires study] (Sukkah, ibid.). And this is “LiTRuPhaH”: L’haTiR PeH (to unbind the mouth)—i.e., the aspect of “from what is muTaR to your PeH (permitted to your mouth).” When his conversation is in the aspect of “the conversation of Torah scholars requires study”—i.e., “to study, teach, safeguard and practice,” as explained above—then he is protected from unworthy students. This is the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth”; “How do we know that we do not write [tefilin except on the skin of a kosher animal]…,” as explained above.
8. This is the aspect of what the Sages, of blessed memory, explained concerning this verse “their leaves litruphah”— l’hatir peh of the mute and l’hatir peh of the barren (Sanhedrin 100a). Rousing people from their sleep by telling stories—which is the aspect of “their leaves for healing,” as explained above—this is what leads to the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute. Earlier, when they were in the aspect of sleep, they did not hear the sage’s rousing and their ears did not hear his words. “Fortunate is the one who speaks to ears that hear” (Zohar II, 186b), but they were like the deaf. They did not hear at all, and because of this they were unable to speak, since “the term ‘deaf,’ unless modified, refers to someone who neither hears nor speaks” (Terumot 1:2)—i.e., because he cannot hear, he cannot speak. But now that the sage rouses them and they hear his words, they can speak. This is the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute <by means of the aspect of “their leaves,” as explained above>. {“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the bnei chalof (orphans)” (Proverbs 31:8) .}
This is likewise the aspect of “Open your mouth for the mute,” which in turn brings about the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the barren. These words, which had been repressed inside them for so long because they were deaf and mute, now emerge, and they do so with great strength, in the aspect of “Strong warriors, O’Sei (makers of) His word” (Psalms 103:20). And this strength reaches the reproductive organs, the aspect of “my strength and the first fruit of my vigor” (Genesis 49:3). That is, the generation’s God-trusting people, who are the aspect of the reproductive organs, receive this strength, in the aspect of “But they who put their hope in God will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). This is why the kidneys are called “trusters,” since the kidneys are reproductive organs.
Thus, when the generation’s God-trusting people receive the strength in these words, they receive it by right and justly; each one receives this strength commensurate with his trust. This is the aspect of “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the bnei chalof.” < Bnei ChaLoF are the generation’s God-trusting people,> the aspect of “But they who put their hope in God yaChLiFu (will renew) their strength.” <That is,> by means of “Open your mouth…,” the strength in the words reaches the reproductive organs, the God-trusting people, who receive it by right and justly, as explained above.
It is therefore necessary to ensure that the speech organs are near and close to the reproductive organs, so that they can receive the strength in the words, as explained above. They should not be in the aspect of “You are close to their lips, but far from their kidneys” (Jeremiah 12:2). This is why the organs of speech and reproduction are very similar: as these are filled with veins and nerves, so are those. They are a single aspect, since procreation comes about by means of the <organs> of speech, as explained above. This is the aspect of “their leaves for healing”— unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, since the one is dependent upon the other, as explained above.
This is the aspect of union through kissing and sexual union. Union through kissing precedes sexual union, as is brought in the sacred writings. The strength in the words, the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute, which is the aspect of union through kissing, brings to sexual union, the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the barren, as explained above.
It is likewise the aspect of breaking an earthen dish when formalizing an engagement. We break it to show that now that this bond has been made, its objective is procreation; that it is in the aspect of trust, the aspect of kidneys, which are reproductive organs, as explained above. This is the aspect of “Her husband’s heart trusts in her” (Proverbs 31:11), as a result of which the aspect of trust of the Other Side is nullified and broken.
This is why we break an earthen dish, in the aspect of “and you put your trust in fraud and corruption… It is shattered as [one shatters] a potter’s jug… so that no earthen shard is left in its breakage…” (Isaiah 30:12, 14). The trust of holiness created by the engagement, as explained above, is the opposite of the trust of the Other Side, which is in the aspect of breaking an earthen dish, as explained above. In addition, we hint to [the couple] that if they fail to conduct themselves in holiness and betray the aspect of trust/procreation, God forbid, then they will be in the aspect of breaking an earthen dish, which is caused by “the trust of the unfaithful” (Proverbs 25:19), as explained above.
This is “Trust not an aluph (confidant); guard the openings of your mouth from she who lies in your bosom” (Micah 7:5). That is, it is not possible for trust, namely the reproductive organs, to be close to the words, which is the aspect of “ALuPh”—an acronym of L’hatir Peh Ilmim (unbinding the mouth of the mute). This is the meaning of “from she who lies in your bosom”—i.e., that this should lead to procreation; “from she who lies in your bosom” is the aspect of “let her lie in your bosom” (1 Kings 1:2). The only way that this is possible is by “guard[ing] the openings of your mouth,” as explained above.
And this is “Let him put his mouth to the dust; there may yet be hope” (Lamentations 3:29). “Dust” is the aspect of an absence of speech, as it is written (Isaiah 29:4), “and your speech will be lower than the dust.” That is, a person must instill the aspect of speech <in the one who is the aspect of “dust,” since he is in the aspect of a mute, in order> to unbind the mouth of the mute, as explained above. Through this, the strength of the words reaches those who hope in God, who are the reproductive organs, as explained above. This is <“Let him put his mouth to the dust,” as explained,> “there may yet be hope”—in order that the words might reach those who hope in God. And this is “your descendants will be like the dust of the earth” (Genesis 28:14), since procreation is dependent on the aforementioned aspect of “Let him put his mouth to the dust.”
{“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal shame” (Daniel 12:2).} This is likewise the aspect of “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake”—i.e., they wake them and rouse them from their sleep, as explained above. This is “who sleep in the dust of the ground”—from the aspect of an absence of speech, as explained above.
And this is “some to eternal life.” <That is, those who are worthy of receiving the ability to speak will have “eternal life”>—i.e., the aspect of speech, as it is written (Genesis 2:7), “man thus became a living soul,” which Onkelos renders as: “a speaking spirit.” This is the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute.
“And some to disgrace”—i.e., the aspect of “Disgrace has broken my heart” (Psalms 69:21). [This is] the aspect of forgetfulness, breaking the heart, which is the aspect of the breaking of the Tablets, as in, “the tablet of your heart.” And the breaking of the Tablets brings to forgetfulness, as the Sages, of blessed memory, said: Had the First Tablets not been shattered, there would be no forgetfulness (Eruvin 54a). In other words, those who are not worthy of receiving, who are the aspect of the skin of a non-kosher animal, forget [what they heard], as explained above.
9. This is the aspect of the shofar. The shofar is the aspect of rousing from sleep; as is brought in the holy works, the shofar hints to: “Wake up, O sleeper, from your slumber.” This leads to unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, as explained above.
This is likewise the aspect of tekiah, shevarim, teruah. TeKiAh is the aspect of an absence of speech, the aspect of “TaKAta (If you have shaken) hands with a stranger, you have been trapped by the words of your own mouth” (Proverbs 6:1, 2) ; teRUAh is the aspect of speech, the aspect of “The tzaddik’s lips yiRAU (provide sustenance) for many” (ibid. 10:21). SheVaRim is the aspect of trust, the aspect of “SiVRo (his hope) is in God, his Lord” (Psalms 146:5) ; which is the aspect of the reproductive organs, as it is written (Isaiah 66:9), “Shall I aShBiR (bring on labor) and not bring on birth?”
The shofar, which is the aspect of rousing from sleep, brings to the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, as explained above. This is the strength of the words that emerge with force from those who have been roused from their sleep, who were initially in the aspect of an absence of speech because they were like deaf-mutes, as explained above. But now, when they are roused from their sleep for the sake of God, so that they hear the rousing of the true sage, they begin to speak, as explained above. These words enter the reproductive organs, which are the aspect of the generation’s God-trusting people, and as a result special providence is granted to barren women; this being the aspect of Rosh HaShanah, since it was then that Sarah was granted special providence…, as explained above. All this is the aspect of the shofar blown on Rosh HaShanah, the aspect of tekiah, teruah, shevarim, as explained above.
And as a result of the special providence granted to barren women, fear is revealed, as explained above. This is the aspect of shofar, as it is written (Amos 3:6), “If a shofar is sounded in a city, are the people not frightened?…”
This is also the aspect of the shofar being narrow on top and wide at the bottom, which is the aspect of “From narrow straits I called out to God; God answered me with great expanse” (Psalms 118:5), as is brought. For by means of the shofar, as explained above, fear is revealed, through which one merits length-of-days—that is, to always expand and extend one’s days with increased holiness. This is the aspect of “narrow on top and wide at the bottom,” the aspect of “The fear of God is His treasure house,” the aspect of “He built her like a storehouse…,” as explained above.
And this is the aspect of the rectifications of Atik, which are the aforementioned aspect of length-of-days, the aspect of the beard, as explained above. For the beard, too, is narrow on top and wide at the bottom, as is brought in the Kavanot: The rectifications of the Beard are the aspect of “From narrow straits I called out…[God] answered me with great expanse…” At first it is narrow, but afterwards it progressively expands, as explained above. This is because the beard is the aforementioned aspect of length-of-days—that is, always expanding and extending one’s days with increased holiness, which one merits through fear, as explained above; all this being the aspect of the shofar, as explained above. Thus it is that by means of the shofar—which is the aspect of rousing from sleep, through which special providence is granted to barren women—fear is revealed, as explained above.
And fear subdues the vain beauty, as explained above. This is the aspect of the havalim (breaths) of the shofar, which is the aspect of “beauty is hevel.” For ShoPhaR connotes beauty, the aspect of “ShaPRu (beautify) your deeds” (Vayikra Rabbah 29:6)—i.e., the breaths of the shofar subdue vain beauty, since shofar is the aspect of revealing fear, as explained above.
Rabbi Yochanan said: All the days of that tzaddik [Choni HaMaagel] … He said, “Is it possible for someone to sleep seventy years?” Once, while traveling, he noticed a man planting a charuv (carob tree). He said to him, “Since the carob tree does not bear fruit for seventy years,is it so obvious to you that you’ll live seventy years to eat from it?” The man answered him, “I found a world with carob trees. Just as my fathers planted for me, I, too, am planting for my children.” [Choni] sat down to eat a meal. Drowsiness overcame him and he slept. A grotto formed around him and covered him from sight. Thus, he slept for seventy years. When he woke, he noticed a man eating from that carob tree. “Do you know who planted this carob tree?” he asked him. “My grandfather,” answered the man. “Surely I must have slept seventy years,” [Choni] said. He saw his donkey, which had given birth to several generations of mules (Taanit 23a) .
Choni HaMaagel was very great. As [the Sages] said in that same passage: “When [Choni] would enter the study hall, he would solve for the rabbis any question that they had,” since there was no face of Torah that was hidden from him. Thus, he asked:
Is it possible for someone to sleep seventy years?—That is, how is it possible to fall into the aspect of sleep from all the seventy faces, <the seventy years>? For although it is possible to fall from one face or more, it hardly seems possible to fall from them all.
he noticed a man planting a charuv. He said to him… is it so obvious to you that you’ll live seventy years to eat from it?—“Charuv” is the aspect of an elder/ Atik. This is because charuv [alludes to] cypress trees, which are the aspect of Mordekhai. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “In place of the brier, a cypress shall rise” (Isaiah 55:13)—this is Mordekhai (Megillah 10b). And Mordekhai is the aspect of “abundant kindness”—since they are numerically equivalent—which is the aspect of Atik .
In other words, he noticed someone telling stories from ancient times, which are the aspect of Atik, as explained above. He asked him: “Is it so obvious to you that you’ll live seventy years?” “Live” is the aspect of rousing from sleep, the aspect of speech, as explained above. That is: Did you at all attempt to rouse people by telling stories of recent times?
{That is, he asked him: How can you engage in telling such exalted stories from ancient times, when unworthy students, who are not in the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth,” might hear you? Have you already attempted and tried to rouse them by telling stories of recent times, which are within the seventy years, the seventy faces of the Torah? [Have you] succeeded in rousing them from their sleep through this—by means of your words reaching worthy students, who are the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth,” the aspect of “to eat from it,” as explained above—so that you now want to engage in telling even more exalted stories, the stories from ancient times? How are you not afraid to tell such exalted stories as these, when unworthy students might hear you?}
The man answered him, I found a world with carob trees—That is, even if I tell stories from ancient times, which are the aspect of charuv, as explained above, I can induce the aspect of forgetfulness, so that the unworthy students will forget it, as explained above.
{That is, as clarified earlier, when the tzaddik attempts to rouse the world from sleep by telling stories, God protects him so that his words are forgotten from the hearts of unworthy students, as explained above.}
Just as my fathers planted for me, I, too, am planting for my children—That is, just as I was born by means of the aforementioned telling of stories <from ancient times>, in the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, “I, too, am planting for my children”—i.e., our children, too, <will be> born through this, as explained above.
{The explanation: He said to him that he had to tell stories such as these in order that special providence be granted to barren women. Just as my fathers engaged in telling stories, and through this brought about procreation, the aspect of the special providence granted to barren women, as explained above, and as a result gave birth to me, so too, I have to give birth to my children by this means. This is because procreation is brought about mainly by means of storytelling, as explained above. This is: “Just as my fathers planted for me, I, too, am planting for my children,” as explained above.}
[Choni] sat down to eat a meal. Drowsiness overcame him and he slept—That is, he ate his meal, and as a result of eating became drowsy and slept—i.e., by eating, he fell into the aspect of sleep commensurate with his spiritual level. As clarified earlier, it sometimes happens that eating causes one to fall into the aspect of sleep.
[covered him from sight] so that no one knew—People do not recognize when someone is in the aspect of sleep. They think he is occupied with Torah and serving God, when in truth it is all the aspect of sleep, as explained above.
he noticed a man eating from that carob tree—That is, he saw him engaged in the aforementioned telling of stories. He was eating from them—i.e., the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth.”
Do you know who planted this carob tree? he asked him—That is, [did he know] from which time this story comes; since it is possible for a person to tell a story [he thinks is] from <ancient times>, when in fact it took place only <three or> four years earlier.
My grandfather, answered the man—This is the aspect of an elder/ Atik. That is, he answered him that the stories he tells are stories from ancient times, which are the aspect of an elder/ Atik, as explained above.
Surely I must have slept seventy years, [Choni] said—That is, he surely fell into the aspect of sleep from all the seventy faces, which are the aspect of seventy years, as explained above.
He saw his donkey, which had given birth to several generations of mules—This is the aspect of wealth, the aspect of “Yissakhar is a strong-boned donkey.” For this brings to great wealth, as explained above: By means of the aforementioned telling of stories, through which one rouses people from sleep, [the aspect of] unbinding the mouth of the mute <and> unbinding the mouth of the barren <is made>. Through this, fear is revealed. Fear brings to length-of-days/an elder/the rectifications of Atik, and this causes wealth to be infused into length-of-days, as explained above.
11. And this [is the explanation of the opening passage]: Rabbi Shimon opened and said: “It is a time to do for God…” [Why is it “a time to do for God”? It is because “they have abrogated Your Torah.” What is “they have abrogated Your Torah”? This is the Supernal Torah, which would be nullified were this rectification not enacted. It refers to Atik Yomin.It is written: “Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you?” And it is written: “O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?”He called to Rabbi Elazar his son and seated him to his right, and to Rabbi Abba, [whom he seated] on the other side. Then he said: “We are the encompassment of all things. The rectifications have in the meanwhile been effected.” [The fellowship] was silent. Then they heard a sound, and their knees knocked together. What sound was it? It was the sound of the heavenly knufya (entourage) gathering.
This is the Supernal Torah, which would be nullified were this rectification not enacted. It refers to Atik Yomin—That is, the Supernal Torah, which is the aforementioned aspect of contemplation. It is nullified and cannot exist unless it is created by the aforementioned aspect of rectification. This is the aspect of the rectifications of Atik, the aspect of length-of-days mentioned above.
It is written: Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you? And it is written: O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?—This is the aspect of an arousal from below, which is praise for the Jews, who rouse themselves from below; the aspect of “Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you?” Afterwards, there is an arousal from on high, as explained above. This is the aspect of “O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?”
He called to Rabbi Elazar his son… and to Rabbi Abba… Then he said: We are the encompassment of all things—That is, the aspect of perfection of fear, which is produced by the aforementioned aspect of three lines: the aspect of fear of Heaven, fear of one’s master, and fear of one’s father and mother. Thus it is that fear is perfected through Rabbi Shimon, his son Rabbi Elazar, and his student Rabbi Abba. This brings to length-of-days, the aspect of the rectifications of Atik, as explained above.
They were silent. Then they heard a sound—That is, those that were in the aspect of mutes, who could not speak because of the aspect of sleep, as explained above. “Then they heard a sound”—i.e., the aspect of rousing from sleep, the aspect of “Fortunate is the one who speaks to ears that hear,” as explained above.
and their knees knocked together—This is the aspect of procreation, the aspect of sexual union. By means of rousing from sleep, which is the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute, there is an unbinding of the mouth of the barren, as explained above. This is the aspect of union through kissing preceding sexual union, as explained above.
What sound was it ? It was the sound of the heavenly KNuFya gathering—That is, the aspect of telling stories, enclothing within them the faces of the Torah, as explained above. Enclothing is the aspect of KaNaF (a wing), the aspect of “Your Master will not yeKaNeF (conceal Himself) anymore” (Isaiah 30:20). And as a result of this enclothing, people are roused from sleep and begin to speak, in the aspect of “a winged creature will speak the word” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). All this, as has been explained above.
הָאִדְּרָא רַבָּא קַדִּישָׁא (נשא דף קכח)
The Idra Rabba Kadisha:
פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר: עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה'. אַמַּאי עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה', מִשּׁוּם דְּהֵפֵרוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ. מַאי הֵפֵרוּ תּוֹרָתֶךָ, תּוֹרָה דִּלְעֵלָּא, דְּאִיהִי מִתְבַּטְּלָא אִי לָא יִתְעֲבִד בְּתִקּוּנֵי דָּא. וּלְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין אִתְמַר.
Patach Rebbe Shimon (Rabbi Shimon Opened) and said: “It is a time to do for God; [they have abrogated Your Torah]” (Psalms 119:126). Why is it “a time to do for God”? It is because “they have abrogated Your Torah.” What is “they have abrogated Your Torah”? This is the Supernal Torah, which would be nullified were this rectification not enacted. It refers to Atik Yomin .
כְּתִיב: אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי כָמוֹךָ, וּכְתִיב: מִי כָמוֹךָ בָּאֵלִים ה'.
It is written (Deuteronomy 33:29): “Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you?” And it is written (Exodus 15:11): “O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?”
קָרָא לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵהּ, אוֹתְבֵהּ קַמֵּהּ, וּלְרַבִּי אַבָּא מִסִּטְרָא אָחֳרָא, וְאָמַר: אֲנַן כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא. עַד כָּאן אִתְתַּקְּנוּ קַיָּמִין. אִשְׁתִּיקוּ, שָׁמְעוּ קָלָא, וְאַרְכֻּבָּתַן דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן. מַאי קָלָא, קָלָא דִּכְנוּפְיָא עִלָּאָה דְּמִתְכַּנְפֵי:
He called to Rabbi Elazar his son and seated him to his right, and to Rabbi Abba, [whom he seated] on the other side. Then he said: “We are the encompassment of all things. The rectifications have in the meanwhile been effected.” [The fellowship] was silent. Then they heard a sound, and their knees knocked together. What sound was it? It was the sound of the heavenly entourage gathering. (Zohar III, 128a)
א דַּע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ שְׁבִילֵי הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַזֹּאת כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי עֲשִׁירוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבִּפְשָׁטֵי אוֹרַיְתָא "אִם אֵין קֶמַח אֵין תּוֹרָה" (אבות פ"ג), וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים פַּרְנָסָה, כְּמוֹ כֵן לַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַזֹּאת, שֶׁהוּא גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עֲשִׁירוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הוֹן רַב, וְלֹא תֶּחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּ, כִּי צָרִיךְ כָּל הוֹן דְּעָלְמָא, לַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַזֹּאת.
Know! there are paths of Torah that involve very great contemplation, such contemplation that can be attained only by means of wealth. Just as with the Torah’s elementary interpretations, “If there is no bread, there is no Torah” (Avot 3:17), and at the very least one must have a livelihood, so too, for this contemplation, which is very great, a person must have very great wealth. One must possess bounteous riches from which nothing is lacking, since this contemplation requires having all the wealth of the world.
וּבְנֵי יִשָּׂשׂכָר, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם זֹאת הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת, בִּבְחִינַת (דברי הימים־א יב): וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשׂכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה; לֹא זָכוּ לָזֶה כִּי־אִם עַל יְדֵי עֲשִׁירוּת, בְּחִינַת (בראשית מ״ט:י״ד): יִשָּׂשׂכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם; וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ: עַתִּיר בְּנִכְסִין.
The Yissakharites had this contemplation, in the aspect of “from the Yissakharites, men adept at understanding” (1 Chronicles 12:33). They merited this only by means of wealth, the aspect of “Yissakhar is a strong-boned donkey” (Genesis 49:14), which Onkelos renders as “[Yissakhar is] abounding with possessions.”
וְעַל כֵּן מֹשֶׁה וְכָל הַנְּבִיאִים הָיָה לָהֶם עֲשִׁירוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, כְּדֵי לָבוֹא עַל יָדוֹ לַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַזֹּאת. וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּהַתּוֹרָה הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַזֹּאת, עַל כֵּן נִקְרֵאת הַתּוֹרָה הוֹן.
This is why Moshe and all the prophets possessed very great wealth, so that they might attain this contemplation through it. And since the Torah involves this contemplation, the Torah itself is therefore called riches.
וְכֵן כָּל מִי שֶׁעָבַר דֶּרֶךְ יָדָם הַתּוֹרָה, הָיָה לָהֶם עֲשִׁירוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, דְּהַיְנוּ מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ, שֶׁהֵבִיא הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הָיָה עָשִׁיר גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה; וְכֵן רַבִּי, שֶׁסִּדֵּר וְחָתַם הַמִּשְׁנָיּוֹת; וְכֵן רַב אַשֵׁי, שֶׁהָיָה חֲתִימַת הַתַּלְמוּד, וְסִדֵּר אֶת כָּל הַתַּלְמוּד, שֶׁגַּם־כֵּן הָיוּ עֲשִׁירִים גְּדוֹלִים מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (גיטין נט ועיין ב"מ פה). כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁתִּקְּנוּ וְסִדְּרוּ אֶת כָּל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּעַל פֶּה, וְעָבַר דֶּרֶךְ יָדָם הַתּוֹרָה, עַל כֵּן הָיוּ גַּם כֵּן עֲשִׁירִים כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי צָרִיךְ עֲשִׁירוּת גָּדוֹל לַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַנַּ"ל.
The same is true of those through whom the Torah was transmitted; they were extremely wealthy. For example, Moshe Rabbeinu, who brought the Torah to the Jews, was very wealthy, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory. Likewise Rebbe, who compiled and sealed the Mishnah, and also Rav Ashi, who sealed the Talmud and established its comprehensive framework; they, too, were extremely wealthy, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory. Because they established and arranged the entire Oral Law, and through them the Torah was passed on, they, too, were wealthy, as explained above. This is because to achieve the aforementioned contemplation one must possess great wealth.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שמות ל״ד:א׳): פְּסָל לְךָ, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ירושלמי שקלים פה ונדרים לח): הַפְּסֹלֶת יִהְיוּ שֶׁלְּךָ וְכוּ'. כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁבִּפְשָׁטֵי הַתּוֹרָה, קֹדֶם שֶׁמְּחַדְּשִׁין אֵיזֶה פְּשָׁט, צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר מִקֹּדֶם הַקְדָּמוֹת, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מַשְׁלִיכִין הַהַקְדָּמוֹת, וּבָאִים אֶל הַמְכֻוָּן, כִּי הָעִקָּר הוּא הַמְכֻוָּן, וְכָל הַדְּבָרִים וְהַהַקְדָּמוֹת שֶׁמִּקֹּדֶם הֵם בְּחִינַת פְּסֹלֶת, שֶׁנִּנְסָרִין וְנִפְסָלִין סְבִיב הַמְכֻוָּן; כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַתּוֹרָה צָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ מִקֹּדֶם, וּלְסַבֵּב בְּכַמָּה סִבּוּבִים, עַד שֶׁבָּאִים אֶל הַמְכֻוָּן, וְהָעִקָּר הוּא הַמְכֻוָּן, וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַסִּבּוּבִים הֵם בְּחִינַת פְּסֹלֶת, וְהֵם בְּחִינַת עֲשִׁירוּת שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ בָּאִים אֶל הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת.
This is the aspect of “PSoL (carve) for yourself” (Exodus 34:1), which our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: The PSoLet (shavings) shall be yours (Yerushalmi, Shekalim 5:2). With regard to the elementary interpretations of Torah, one must first provide introductory information before presenting an original interpretation. Afterwards, the introductions are set aside and we arrive at the intended insight—since that is the main thing, and all the preceding material and introductions are the aspect of psolet that has been chiseled and carved away from around the intended insight. The same applies to the contemplation of Torah. One must first go round and round a number of times before arriving at the intended insight. The main thing is the intended insight, and all the circling is the aspect of psolet—the aspect of wealth, by means of which one attains contemplation.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: פְּסָל לְךָ – הַפְּסֹלֶת יִהְיֶה שֶׁלְּךָ, מִשָּׁם נִתְעַשֵּׁר מֹשֶׁה, כִּי זֶה הַפְּסֹלֶת שֶׁל לוּחוֹת, הֵם בְּחִינַת הַסִּבּוּבִים, שֶׁנִּנְסָרִין וְנִפְסָלִין סָבִיב סְבִיב הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת, וְהֵם בְּחִינַת עֲשִׁירוּת כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ בָּאִים אֶל הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת כַּנַּ"ל.
This is the aspect of “PSoL for yourself”—the PSoLet shall be yours. It was from there that Moshe became wealthy, since the shavings of the Tablets are the aspect of circling; that one chisels and carves round and round [the focus of] the contemplation. And [the shavings], as explained above, are the aspect of wealth, through whichone attains contemplation.
וְזֶה אוֹתִיּוֹת "מָמוֹן", רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת: מִשָׁם נִתְעַשֵׁר מֹשֶׁה. וְהַוָיו הוּא בְּחִינַת הַלּוּחוֹת, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִתְעַשֵּׁר מֹשֶׁה, כִּי הַלּוּחוֹת אָרְכָּן ו' וְרָחְבָּן ו' וְכוּ', כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה
Hence, the letters of MaMON (money) are an acronym of Misham Nitasher Moshe (from there Moshe became wealthy). And the vav is the aspect of the Tablets from which Moshe became wealthy, because the Tablets were six handbreadths long by six handbreadths wide, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory (Bava Batra 14a) .
(ב"ב יד): ב וְלָבוֹא לָעֲשִׁירוּת הַזֹּאת הוּא עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק, בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, כִּי צָרִיךְ אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל בְּתוֹכוֹ אֶת הָעֲשִׁירוּת שֶׁל הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת.
2. The way to attain this wealth is by means of the rectifications of Atik, the aspect of length-of-days, the aspect of an elder. For a person needs length-of-days in order to receive in them the wealth of contemplation.
וַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, הַיְנוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ שֶׁיִּרְאֶה לְהַאֲרִיךְ וּלְהַגְדִּיל יָמָיו, כִּי כָל יוֹם וָיוֹם מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁמַּתְחִיל אֵצֶל כָּל אֶחָד, בְּוַדַּאי בַּתְּחִלָּה הוּא קָצָר, הַיְנוּ שֶׁבִּתְחִלַּת הַיּוֹם קָשָׁה עָלָיו מְאֹד הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם, כְּגוֹן לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלִלְמֹד וְכַיּוֹצֵא, וְעַל כֵּן הַיּוֹם בִּתְחִלָּתוֹ הוּא קָצָר, כִּי צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל מְעַט מְעַט, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מִתְרַחֵב וְהוֹלֵךְ בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ.
Length-of-days is that a person must attempt to extend and increase his days, because the place where each day starts for each person is certainly narrow at first. In other words, at the beginning of the day, the devotions that he must perform on that day—e. g., praying, studying [Torah], and the like—are extremely difficult for him. Due to this, the day’s beginning is narrow, since he must begin little by little and then afterwards expand and progress in his devotions.
וְצָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לִרְאוֹת לְהַגְדִּיל וּלְהַרְחִיב וּלְהַאֲרִיךְ כָּל שָׁעָה וְשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא אַחַר כָּךְ, לְהַגְדִילָה וּלְהַרְחִיבָה בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה. וְכֵן כְּשֶׁבָּא יוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי, יִהְיֶה הוֹלֵךְ וּמִתְרַחֵב בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה יְתֵרָה. וְכֵן בְּכָל פַּעַם וּפַעַם יִהְיוּ יָמָיו מִתְרַחֲבִין בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים:
Thus a person must attempt to increase, expand and extend each successive hour; increasing and expanding it with increased holiness. Likewise, when the next day arrives, it should progress and expand with even more increased holiness. And so too each time, his days should expand with increased holiness. This is the aspect of length-of-days.
וְאַבְרָהָם שֶׁזָּכָה לִבְחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זָכָה לַעֲשִׁירוּת, בְּחִינַת (בראשית כ״ד:א׳): וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן בָּא בַּיָּמִים וַה' בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים קי״ט:ק׳): מִזְּקֵנִים אֶתְבּוֹנָן; שֶׁעַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת זָקֵן הַנַּ"ל בָּא לְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת, שֶׁהוּא בָּא עַל יְדֵי עֲשִׁירוּת, שֶׁנִּמְשָׁךְ לְתוֹךְ אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת זָקֵן כַּנַּ"ל:
Hence Avraham, who merited the aspect of an elder/length-of-days, as a result merited wealth, the aspect of “Avraham was elderly, well advanced in years, and God had blessed Avraham with everything” (Genesis 24:1). This is likewise the aspect of “I gained understanding from the elders” (Psalms 119:100)—by means of the aforementioned aspect of an elder one achieves contemplation, which stems from the wealth infused into length-of-days, which is the aspect of an elder, as explained above.
ג וּבְחִינַת זָקֵן, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַרְחִיב וּלְהַאֲרִיךְ יָמָיו בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה בְּכָל פַּעַם כַּנַּ"ל, הוּא עַל יְדֵי יִרְאָה, שֶׁהַיִּרְאָה מְבִיאָה תּוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְאָרְכִין וְנִתְרַחֲבִין הַיָּמִים, בִּבְחִינַת (משלי י׳:כ״ז) יִרְאַת ה' תּוֹסִיף יָמִים; וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו ל״ג:ו׳): יִרְאַת ה' הִיא אוֹצָרוֹ, בְּחִינַת (ברכות סא): עֲשָׂאָהּ כְּאוֹצָר, שֶׁהוּא קָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה וְרָחָב מִלְּמַטָּה; כִּי הַתְחָלַת הַיָּמִים הֵם קְצָרִים, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מִתְרַחֲבִין וְהוֹלְכִין בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה עַל־יְדֵי הַיִּרְאָה כַּנַּ"ל.
3. The aspect of an elder—that is, always expanding and extending one’s days with increased holiness, as explained above—is achieved through fear. Each day, this fear brings increased holiness, because through this the days are extended and expanded, in the aspect of “The fear of God prolongs one’s days” (Proverbs 10:27). And this is the aspect of “The fear of God is His treasure house” (Isaiah 33:6), the aspect of “He built her like a storehouse”—narrow on top and wide at the bottom (Berakhot 61a). Although the day’s beginning is narrow, afterwards, as a result of fear, it expands and progresses with increased holiness, as explained above.
נִמְצָא, שֶׁזּוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי הַיִּרְאָה לַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לַעֲשִׁירוּת, כִּי הַיִּרְאָה שׁוֹמֶרֶת מֵהַהֶפֶךְ שֶׁל עֲשִׁירוּת, דְּהַיְנוּ עֲנִיּוּת, שֶׁבָּא עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת: שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי. כִּי יֵשׁ כַּמָּה מִינֵי חֵן שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר, שֶׁעוֹשִים בַּעֲמִידָה וּבַאֲכִילָה וּבְדִבּוּרוֹ עִם אֲנָשִׁים, וְכֵן בִּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים, וּלְכָל דָּבָר יֵשׁ חֵן אַחֵר מְיֻחָד. וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַחִנּוֹת שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר, הֵם בָּאִים עַל־יְדֵי הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, בִּבְחִינַת: שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי. דְּהַיְנוּ, מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִשְׁמָר מִיֹפִי הַנָּשִׁים, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ תַּאֲווֹת שֶׁל אֵלּוּ הַחִנּוֹת שֶׁל שֶׁקֶר, וְיִרְאָה הוּא הֶפֶךְ מִזֶּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ל״א:ל׳): שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת ה' הִיא תִתְהַלָּל.
Thus it is through fear that we merit length-of-days, which is the aspect of an elder/the rectifications of Atik, through which we merit wealth. This is because fear protects against the opposite of wealth, namely poverty, which stems from the aspect of “Grace is deceptive, and beauty is vain” (Proverbs 31:30). For there are various forms of deceptive grace that a person effects in the way he stands or eats or speaks with people. This is true of other things as well; each thing has a different grace that is unique [to it]. And all these types of deceptive grace stem from vain beauty, in the aspect of “Grace is deceptive,” when “beauty is vain”—i.e., one who does not guard against the beauty of women consequently acquires the desires associated with deceptive grace. Yet fear is the opposite of this, as it is written, “Grace is deceptive, and beauty is vain; it is for her fear of God that a woman is to be praised!”
וְעַל כֵּן אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק, כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ לַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ שָׁם יִרְאוֹת, וְתֵכֶף כְּשֶׁרָצוּ לִכְנֹס לְשָׁם הִרְגִּישׁוּ זֹאת, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהִתְחִילוּ לְהַרְגִּישׁ, לְפִי עֵרֶךְ גֹּדֶל קְדֻשָּׁתָם, יֹפִי הַנָּשִׁים, וְעַל כֵּן הִרְגִּישׁוּ שֶׁאֵין שָׁם יִרְאָה, וְעַל כֵּן אָסְרוּ עַל עַצְמָן זִוּוּג נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן כַּאֲחוֹתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית כ׳:י״א): כִּי אָמַרְתִּי רַק אֵין יִרְאַת אֱלֹקִים בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְכוּ'. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ תִּקֵּן אַבְרָהָם זֹאת, וְהִמְשִׁיךְ אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם כא): וַיָּגָר אַבְרָהָם בְּאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים יָמִים רַבִּים, בְּחִינַת: יִרְאַת ה' תּוֹסִיף יָמִים כַּנַּ"ל.
Therefore, when Avraham and Yitzchak arrived at a place where fear was non-existent and sought to enter there, they immediately sensed this; since, commensurate with their extensive holiness, they began to sense the beauty of the women. Thus they sensed that there was no fear there, and so forbade themselves relations with their wives, as with one’s sister; as it is written (Genesis 20:11), “for I said, the one thing missing in this place is the fear of God…” Afterwards, Avraham rectified this [absence of fear] and drew length-of-days, as it is written (Genesis 21:34), “Avraham lived in the land of the Philistines for many days,” the aspect of “The fear of God prolongs one’s days,” as explained above.
וְאַחַר־כָּךְ קִלְקְלוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים כָּל הַתִּקּוּנִים שֶׁתִּקֵּן אַבְרָהָם, בְּחִינַת (שם כו): וְכָל הַבְּאֵרוֹת וְכוּ' סִתְּמוּם פְּלִשְׁתִּים. וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁבָּא יִצְחָק לְשָׁם, הֻצְרַךְ גַּם כֵּן לֶאֱסֹר זִוּוּגוֹ כַּאֲחוֹתוֹ כַּנַּ"ל, עַד אֲשֶׁר הִמְשִׁיךְ שָׁם אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת יִרְאָה, שֶׁמַּצֶּלֶת מִזֶּה כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז הֻתְּרָה לוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם): וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר אָרְכוּ לוֹ שָׁם הַיָּמִים וַיַּשְׁקֵף אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְכוּ'. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, זָכָה שָׁם לַעֲשִׁירוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם): וַיִּזְרַע יִצְחָק בָּאָרֶץ הַהִוא וַיִּמְצָא בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִוא מֵאָה שְׁעָרִים וְכוּ', כַּנַּ"ל.
Later on, the Philistines corrupted all the rectifications that Avraham had instituted, the aspect of “all the wells… the Philistines stopped up” (Genesis 26:15). Therefore, when Yitzchak arrived there, he too had to forbid himself relations with his wife as if she were his sister, until he had drawn length-of-days there; this being the aspect of fear, which saves a person from this [vain beauty], as explained above. And then she was permitted to him, as it is written (ibid.:8), “After [Yitzchak] had been there a lengthy time, Avimelekh looked out…” By his drawing length-of-days he merited wealth there, as it is written (ibid.:12), “Yitzchak sowed in that land and in that same year reaped a hundredfold…,” as explained above.
כִּי מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ יִרְאָה, וְאֵינוֹ נִשְׁמָר מִבְּחִינַת הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּא לַעֲנִיּוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ו׳:כ״ו): אַל תַּחְמֹד יָפְיָהּ בִּלְבָבֶךָ, כִּי בְעַד אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה עַד כִּכַּר לָחֶם. כִּי עֲשִׁירוּת וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי הֵם שְׁנֵי הֲפָכִים, כִּי עֲשִׁירוּת הוּא מֵאֲרִיכוּת הַנְּשִׁימָה, וְיֹפִי הוּא מֵהֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה. כִּי בִּשְׁעַת יְצִיאַת הַטִּפָּה זַרְעִיּוּת, אֲזַי צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת הֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה, מִשְּׁנֵי טְעָמִים: א'. כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְקָרֵר הַטִּפָּה עַל יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה, שֶׁהוּא אֲוִיר הַקַּר, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל בְּכָל רֶגַע מִבַּחוּץ, כִּי צְרִיכָה לָצֵאת בַּחֲמִימוּת, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה רָאוּי לְהוֹלָדָה. וְהַב'. כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁעוֹסֵק כֹּחַ הַדּוֹחֶה לְהוֹצִיא וְלִדְחוֹת הַטִּפָּה, עַל כֵּן הוּא בְּהֶכְרֵחַ הֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה, כִּי הַנְּשִׁימָה הוּא מוֹצִיא רוּחַ וּמַכְנִיס רוּחַ, וּמֵחֲמַת שֶׁעוֹסֵק כֹּחַ הַדּוֹחֶה לִדְחוֹת הַטִּפָּה, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהוֹצִיא הָרוּחַ, וְעַל כֵּן הוּא הֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה. וְזֶה הָרוּחַ וְהַהֶבֶל שֶׁנִּכְנַס מִקֹּדֶם וְנִשְׁאַר שָׁם, הוּא מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּהַכֹּחַ הַדּוֹחֶה, וְעַל יָדוֹ יוֹצְאָה הַטִּפָּה לַחוּץ.
Thus, whoever lacks fear and is not protected from the aspect of “beauty is vain” experiences poverty, as it is written (Proverbs 6:25-26), “Do not lust for her beauty in your heart.… For on account of a harlot [one will lack] even a loaf of bread.” Wealth and vain beauty are opposites. This is because wealth is produced by extended breathing. Beauty, however, is produced by suspended breathing, since at the moment the drop of semen emerges, breathing must stop. There are two reasons for this: a) so that the breathing, the cool air that one constantly takes in, does not cool off the drop, which has to be warm when it emerges if it is to produce offspring; and b) since the ejaculatory force is engaged in issuing and pushing out the drop, breathing must stop. Breathing entails exhaling air and inhaling air. Since the ejaculatory force is occupied with pushing out the drop, one cannot exhale the air, and consequently breathing is suspended. This breath of air that was previously inhaled and remained there is encompassed in the ejaculatory force, and through it the drop emerges.
וּכְפִי זַכּוּת וְצַחוּת הַהֶבֶל, כֵּן הַוָּלָד מְלֻבָּן וּמְזֹרָז, כִּי אִם הַהֶבֶל זַךְ וְנָקִי, אֲזַי הַטִּפָּה שֶׁיּוֹצֵאת, שֶׁמְּלֻבָּשׁ שָׁם הַהֶבֶל הַזֶּה, הִיא גַּם כֵּן צָחָה וּנְקִיָּה, וַאֲזַי הַוָּלָד גַּם כֵּן מְלֻבָּן וּמְזֹרָז. וְאִם יֵשׁ עֲכִירוּת בְּתוֹךְ הַהֶבֶל, אֲזַי נִתְעַכֵּר הַטִּפָּה גַּם כֵּן. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים קמ״ד:ד׳): אָדָם לַהֶבֶל דָּמָה; כִּי כְּפִי הַהֶבֶל, כֵּן הִתְהַוּוּת הַוָּלָד. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שם סב): אַךְ הֶבֶל בְּנֵי אָדָם; כִּי הַהֶבֶל הוּא מְלַבֵּן וּמְזָרֵז הַוָּלָד כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי; כִּי הַיֹּפִי הוּא כְּפִי הַהֶבֶל כַּנַּ"ל. נִמְצָא, שֶׁהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי הוּא מֵהֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה. וְעַל כֵּן מִי שֶׁחוֹמֵד יֹפִי הַנָּשִׁים, נִמְצָא שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל בְּחִינַת הֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה, וְעַל כֵּן הוּא בְּהֶפֶךְ מֵעֲשִׁירוּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת הַנְּשִׁימָה.
And to the degree that the breath is pure and clear, the offspring is likewise fair and healthy. For if the breath is pure and clean, then the drop that emerges, in which this breath is encompassed, is likewise clear and clean. And then the offspring is accordingly fair and healthy. But if there is turbidity within the breath, the drop becomes turbid as well. This is the aspect of “Man is like hevel (a breath)” (Psalms 144:4), since the formation of the offspring is in accordance with the breath; and it is the aspect of “The children of men are but hevel” (ibid. 62:10), since the breath determines whether the offspring will be fair and healthy, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “beauty is hevel,” since the beauty is commensurate with the hevel (breath). Thus it is that vain beauty stems from suspended breathing. We find, therefore, that someone who desires the beauty of women acquires the aspect of suspended breathing. He is then the opposite of wealthy, since [wealth] is the aspect of extended breathing.
כִּי כָּל מִינֵי עֲשִׁירוּת, דְּהַיְנוּ כָּל מִינֵי דָּגָן וְכָל הָאִילָנוֹת וַעֲשָׂבִים וְכָל מִינֵי מַתָּכוֹת, הֵם רַק עַל־יְדֵי גְּשָׁמִים, וְכֵן כָּל הָאוֹצָרוֹת הֵם עַל־יְדֵי גְּשָׁמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים כ״ח:י״ב): יִפְתַּח ה' לְךָ אֶת אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב לָתֵת מְטַר אַרְצְךָ וְכוּ'. וְהַגְּשָׁמִים הֵם מִבְּחִינַת הַנְּשִׁימָה, שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין וּמְקַבְּלִין אֲוִיר מִן הַחוּץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב ל״ז:י׳): מִנִּשְׁמַת אֵל יִתֶּן קָרַח וְרֹחַב מַיִם בְּמוּצָק. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי י״ח:י״א): הוֹן עָשִׁיר קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ; הַיְנוּ שֶׁהָעֲשִׁירוּת הוּא עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַנְּשִׁימָה, שֶׁהוּא אֲוִיר הַקַּר שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין בְּכָל רֶגַע מִן הַחוּץ כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ: קִרְיַת עֻזּוֹ, בְּחִינַת: גֶּשֶׁם מִטְרוֹת עֻזּוֹ (איוב ל״ז:ו׳).
This is because all the different types of wealth—i.e., the different grains, and all the trees and grasses and different metals—require rainfall. Similarly, all the storehouses are [filled] by the rains, as it is written (Deuteronomy 28:12), “God will open for you His bounteous store, [the heavens,] to provide rain for your land.” And the rains are from the aspect of breathing; that we inhale and receive air from the outside, as it is written (Job 37:10), “By the breath of God ice is made and the expanse of water is poured out.” This is the aspect of “The rich man’s wealth is KiRyat oozo (his stronghold)” (Proverbs 18:11)—i.e., the wealth is produced by the aspect of breathing, which is the KaR (cool) air that one constantly receives from the outside, as explained above. And this is “kiryat OoZo,” the aspect of “the torrential rain of OoZo (His strength)” (Job 37:6) .
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב (ירמיהו י״ד:כ״ב): הֲיֵשׁ בְּהַבְלֵי הַגּוֹיִם מַגְשִׁמִים; כִּי בְּהַבְלֵי הַגּוֹיִם, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הֶפְסֵק הַנְּשִׁימָה, בְּחִינַת הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי הַנַּ"ל, אֵין שָׁם בְּחִינַת גְּשָׁמִים, כִּי גְּשָׁמִים הֵם רַק עַל־יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי י״ג:י״א): הוֹן מֵהֶבֶל יִמְעַט – עַל־יְדֵי הֶבֶל הַנַּ"ל, נִתְמַעֵט הַהוֹן.
This is as it is written (Jeremiah 14:22), “Is there in the vanities of the nations the ability to bring rain?” For in the hevel of the nations—which is the aspect of suspended breathing, the aforementioned “beauty is hevel”—there is no aspect of rain. This is because the rains are produced only by the breath, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “Riches gotten through hevel will dwindle” (Proverbs 13:11)—as a result of the aforementioned vanity, wealth dwindles.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שם יז): וְקַר רוּחַ אִישׁ תְּבוּנָה – עַל־יְדֵי קֹר רוּחַ, שֶׁהוּא רוּחַ הַקַּר שֶׁל הַנְּשִׁימָה, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁבָּא עַל־יְדֵי עֲשִׁירוּת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (איוב ל״ב:ח׳): וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּבִינֵם, כִּי עִקַּר הַהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת – עַל יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה, בְּחִינַת קַר רוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל.
This is likewise the aspect of “the kar ruach (cool spirit) of an understanding man” (Proverbs 17:27). By means of the KoR ruach (composure), which is the KaR ruach of the breath, one merits the aforementioned contemplation that stems from wealth, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “the NeShaMaH (soul) from the Almighty enables them to understand” (Job 32:8). In the main, contemplation is produced by the NeShiMaH (breathing), the aspect of “cool ruach,” as explained above.
כִּי עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הַשֵּׂכֶל, הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה, כִּי עִקַּר הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עַל תִּקּוּנוֹ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן, הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַשְּׁמָנִים שֶׁבַּגּוּף. כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל הוּא כְּמוֹ נֵר הַדּוֹלֵק, כִּי הוּא דּוֹלֵק עַל יְדֵי הַשְּׁמָנִים שֶׁנִּמְשָׁכִין אֵלָיו, וְהֵם כְּמוֹ שֶׁמֶן שֶׁנִּמְשָׁךְ אֶל פְּתִילָה הַדּוֹלֶקֶת. וּכְשֶׁאֵין שְׁמָנִים בַּגּוּף, אֵין הַשֵּׂכֶל יָכוֹל לִדְלֹק בְּהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת. וּמִזֶּה בָּאִים מְשֻׁגָּעִים, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְיַבְּשִׁין לֵחוֹת הַגּוּף. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתְקַלְקֵל הַמֹּחַ, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ שְׁמָנִים לִדְלֹק.
Breathing is the main factor in the proper functioning of the intellect. This is because in order for the intellect to function properly, so that it can attain contemplation, above all it needs the oils in the body. The intellect is like a lit lamp. It is lit as a result of the oils that are drawn to it, like the oil drawn to a burning wick. But when there are no oils in the body, the intellect cannot be lit in contemplation. This leads to people going insane; as a result of the body’s moisture drying up there are no oils to burn, and this destroys the mind.
וְכָל הַלֵּחוֹת וְהַשְּׁמָנִים שֶׁבַּגּוּף הֵם עַל יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה, כִּי אִלְמָלֵא כַּנְפֵי רֵאָה דְּנָשְׁבִין עַל לִבָּא, הֲוֵי לִבָּא אוֹקֵד כָּל גּוּפָא (תיקון יג דף כז:). נִמְצָא, שֶׁעִקַּר קִיּוּם שַׁמְנוּנִית וְלֵחוֹת שֶׁבַּגּוּף הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה, שֶׁמְּקַבֶּלֶת הָרֵאָה רוּחַ קַר מִבַּחוּץ לְקָרֵר הַלֵּב, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה קִיּוּם הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁיּוּכַל לִדְלֹק בְּהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי כ׳:כ״ז): נֵר ה' נִשְׁמַת אָדָם, שֶׁעִקַּר קִיּוּם וְתִקּוּן נֵר ה', שֶׁהוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל, הוּא עַל יְדֵי הַנְּשִׁימָה כַּנַּ"ל.
All the moisture and oils in the body are maintained by breathing, because “if not for the lobes of the lungs fanning the heart, the heart would consume the entire body” (Tikkuney Zohar #13, p. 28a). Thus it is that the oil and moisture are present in the body mainly as a consequence of breathing; that the lungs receive cool air from the outside in order to cool off the heart. This <is what> enables the intellect to exist and to be lit in contemplation, as explained above. And this is the aspect of “The soul of man is the lamp of God” (Proverbs 20:27). The existence and proper functioning of “God’s lamp,” which is the intellect, result mainly from breathing, as explained above.
נִמְצָא, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי יִרְאָה זוֹכִין לַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ הָעֲשִׁירוּת, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ בָּאִים לְהִתְבּוֹנְנוּת כַּנַּ"ל:
And so it is by means of fear that we merit length-of-days, which draws the wealth through which we attain contemplation, as explained above.
ד וּשְׁלֵמוּת הַיִּרְאָה הִיא בִּבְחִינַת שָׁלֹשׁ קַוִּין, בְּחִינוֹת מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם, וּמוֹרָא רַבָּךְ, וּמוֹרָא אָב וָאֵם. וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ חֲכַם הַדּוֹר, שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לְתַלְמִידִים הֲגוּנִים וּלְבָנִים הֲגוּנִים, אֲזַי הַיִּרְאָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת. כִּי יִרְאַת הֶחָכָם וְהָרַב שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, הוּא בְּחִינַת מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם. וְהַתַּלְמִידִים, יֵשׁ לָהֶם יִרְאַת הָרַב, בְּחִינַת מוֹרָא רַבָּךְ. וְהַבָּנִים, יֵשׁ לָהֶם מוֹרָא אָב וָאֵם. שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שָׁלֹשׁ יִרְאוֹת אֵלּוּ, הַיִּרְאָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת.
4. Fear is perfect when it is in the aspect of three lines: fear of Heaven, fear of one’s master, and fear of one’s father and mother. Thus, when the sage of the generation merits worthy students and worthy children, fear is perfect. This is because the fear that the generation’s sage and rabbi has is the aspect of fear of Heaven; the students fear the master, the aspect of fear of one’s master; and the children have fear of their father and mother. By virtue of these three fears, fear is made perfect.
וּבְחִינַת יִרְאָה שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד מֵהַשָּׁלֹשׁ הַנַּ"ל, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּלוּל מִשָּׁלֹשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ. דְּהַיְנוּ מוֹרָא שֶׁל הָרַב, שֶׁהוּא מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּלוּל בְּכָל הַתְּלָת מֹחִין: חָכְמָה בִּינָה דַּעַת. כִּי עִקַּר יִרְאָתוֹ שֶׁל הָרַב, הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, שֶׁחוֹקֵר וְדוֹרֵשׁ בְּשִׂכְלוֹ. נִמְצָא שֶׁיִּרְאָתוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַיִּרְאָה מְלֵאָה בְּכָל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה מֹחִין, בְּחָכְמָתוֹ וּבִינָתוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ, כֻּלָּם יִהְיוּ מְלֵאִים מִיִּרְאַת הַשֵּׁם.
Now the aspect of fear of each one of these three must itself be comprised of three. That is, the rabbi’s fear, which is fear of Heaven, must be comprised of all three mentalities: chokhmah (wisdom), binah (understanding) and daat (knowledge). This is because the rabbi’s fear stems primarily from his contemplating the greatness of the Creator, may His Name be blessed, which he examines and analyzes with his intellect. Thus it is that his fear is produced by the intellect. Therefore, it is necessary that there be a full fear in all the three mentalities, in his chokhmah, his binah and his daat; they all need to be filled with the fear of God.
וְיִרְאַת הַתַּלְמִיד, דְּהַיְנוּ מוֹרָא רַבָּךְ, שֶׁהוּא עַל יְדֵי הַלִּמּוּד שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מֵהָרַב, צְרִיכָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נִמְשֶׁכֶת בְּכָל חֶלְקֵי הַלִּמּוּד, שֶׁהוּא גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת שָׁלֹשׁ קַוִּין, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹרַיְתָא תְּלִיתָאָה (שבת פח):
And the student’s fear, which is fear of one’s master, stems from the teaching he receives from the master. It must infuse all the elements of the teaching, as it, too, is the aspect of three lines—i.e., the aspect of “a threefold teaching” (Shabbat 88a) .
וְיִרְאַת הַבֵּן, שֶׁהוּא מוֹרָא אָב וָאֵם, צָרִיךְ לְהַמְשִׁיכָהּ בִּבְחִינַת נַחֲלַת אָבוֹת, בְּחִינַת (משלי י״ט:י״ד): בַּיִת וָהוֹן נַחֲלַת אָבוֹת. וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁתִּתְפַּשֵּׁט הַיִּרְאָה עַל כָּל חֶלְקֵי עֲשִׁירוּת, שֶׁהֵם נַחֲלַת אָבוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. דְּהַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שָׁלֹשׁ קַוִּין, בְּחִינַת (ב"מ מב): לְעוֹלָם יְשַׁלֵּשׁ אָדָם מָעוֹתָיו, שְׁלִישׁ בִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא, וּשְׁלִישׁ בְּקַרְקַע, וּשְׁלִישׁ בְּיָדוֹ.
And the child’s fear, which is fear of one’s father and mother, must be drawn in the aspect of an inheritance, in the aspect of “A house and riches one inherits from one’s forefathers” (Proverbs 19:14). This fear must be applied to all the divisions of wealth, which are an inheritance, as explained above—i.e., the aspect of the three lines, the aspect of “A person should always divide his capital in thirds: a third invested in business, a third in the ground, and a third in his hand” (Bava Metzia 42a) .
וּשְׁלֹשָׁה חֲלָקִים אֵלּוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּעֲשִׁירוּת, הֵם כְּנֶגֶד שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּעָמִים עֲשִׁירוּת שֶׁנִּזְכָּר בַּתּוֹרָה. כִּי בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָֹּה לֹא נִזְכָּר עֲשִׁירוּת, כִּי־אִם שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים אֵלּוּ. דְּהַיְנוּ: אֵצֶל סְדוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית יד): וְלֹא תֹאמַר אֲנִי הֶעֱשַׁרְתִּי אֶת אַבְרָם. וְאֵצֶל רָחֵל וְלֵאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם לא): כִּי כָל הָעֹשֶׁר אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֱלֹקִים וְכוּ'. וְאֵצֶל שְׁקָלִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות ל׳:ט״ו): הֶעָשִׁיר לֹא יַרְבֶּה.
These three divisions of wealth correspond to the three times wealth is mentioned in the Torah. For throughout the entire Torah, ashirut (“wealth”) is mentioned only these three times: in connection with Sodom, as it is written (Genesis 14:23), “so that you shall not say, ‘It is I who made Avram wealthy’”; in connection with Rachel and Leah, as it is written (ibid. 31:16), “All the wealth that God has taken away…”; and in connection with the shekel [census], as it is written (Exodus 30:15), “The wealthy may not give more.”
כִּי שְׁלִישׁ שֶׁבִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא, הוּא כְּנֶגֶד הָעֲשִׁירוּת שֶׁנִּזְכָּר אֵצֶל סְדוֹם, כִּי בִּסְדוֹם כְּתִיב, (איוב כ״ח:ד׳): הַנִּשְׁכָּחִים מִנִּי רָגֶל; כִּי הֵם רָצוּ לְבַטֵּל הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ל״ג:י״ח): שְׂמַח זְבֻלוּן בְּצֵאתֶךָ, עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ דַּוְקָא מַשָּׂא־וּמַתָּן – וְזֶהוּ שְׁלִישׁ שֶׁבִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא.
“A third invested in business” corresponds to the ashirut mentioned in connection with Sodom, since of Sodom it is written (Job 28:4), “that are forgotten by the wayfarer.” This is because [in Sodom] they wanted to prevent business activity, which is the aspect of “a wayfarer,” as it is written (Deuteronomy 33:18), “Rejoice, Zevulun, in your journeys.” Therefore, business activity is particularly needed; this being “a third invested in business.”
וּשְׁלִישׁ שֶׁבְּקַרְקַע, הוּא כְּנֶגֶד הָעֲשִׁירוּת שֶׁנִּזְכָּר אֵצֶל רָחֵל וְלֵאָה. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת עִקַּר הָעֲשִׁירוּת, הוּא רַק בִּשְׁבִיל הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת, אֲבָל בְּלֹא זֶה, הָעֲשִׁירוּת הוּא רַק בִּשְׁבִיל נָשִׁים וּקְטַנֵּי הַדַּעַת כְּמוֹתָן. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ: כִּי כָל הָעֹשֶׁר אֲשֶׁר הִצִּיל אֱלֹקִים מֵאָבִינוּ לָנוּ הוּא וּלְבָנֵינוּ; הַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּל הָעֲשִׁירוּת הוּא רַק בִּשְׁבִיל נָשִׁים וּקְטַנֵּי הַדַּעַת כָּמוֹנוּ; אֲבָל אַתָּה – וְעַתָּה כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֵלֶיךָ אֱלֹקִים עֲשֵׂה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהָעֲשִׁירוּת בִּשְׁבִיל הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת בִּגְדֻלַּת ה'. וּכְנֶגֶד זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת שְׁלִישׁ שֶׁבְּקַרְקַע, בְּחִינַת (סנהדרין עד:): אִשָּׁה קַרְקַע עוֹלָם.
“A third in the ground” corresponds to the ashirut mentioned in connection with Rachel and Leah. In truth, the essence of wealth is solely for the sake of contemplation. Barring that, wealth is only for women and those like them with constricted daat. This is as they said: “All the wealth that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children”—i.e., all the wealth is only for women and those like us with constricted daat. But you, “now, whatever God has instructed you, do it!”—i.e., you need the wealth in order to contemplate God’s greatness. Corresponding to this is the aspect of “a third in the ground,” the aspect of a woman is “like the ground” (Sanhedrin 74b) .
וּשְׁלִישׁ בְּיָדוֹ, הוּא כְּנֶגֶד הָעֲשִׁירוּת שֶׁאֵצֶל שְׁקָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁם: לְכַפֵּר עַל נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם, בְּחִינַת (איוב יב): אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי וְרוּחַ כָּל בְּשַׂר אִישׁ:
“A third in his hand” corresponds to the ashirut connected with the shekel [census], where it is said: “to atone for your souls.” [This is] the aspect of “in Whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the spirit of all human flesh” (Job 12:10) .
ה וְהִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה הוּא עַל יְדֵי פְּקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת, כִּי עַל יְדֵי לֵדָה, נִתְגַּלֶּה יִרְאָה, בְּחִינַת (תהילים מ״ח:ז׳): רְעָדָה אֲחָזָתַם שָׁם חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה. כִּי עַל יְדֵי הַלֵּדָה יוֹצְאִין דָּמִים וּגְבוּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵן בְּחִינַת יִרְאָה, וּבִפְרָט כְּשֶׁנִּפְקְדָה עֲקָרָה, שֶׁהָיוּ הַדָּמִים וְהַגְּבוּרוֹת נֶעֱצָרִין כָּל כָּךְ עַד עַתָּה. עַל כֵּן אַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁיּוֹצְאִין, נִתְגַּלֶּה הַיִּרְאָה בְּיוֹתֵר.
5. Fear is revealed through the effecting of special providence for barren women. Giving birth reveals fear, the aspect of “Trembling seized them there; pangs, like a woman giving birth” (Psalms 48:7). This is because giving birth causes the blood and the severities, which are the aspect of fear, to emerge. And this is especially so when a barren woman is granted special providence, since until then the blood and severities were thoroughly blocked. Therefore, afterwards, when they emerge, fear is revealed all the more.
וּכְפִי הַלֵּדָה כֵּן הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה, כִּי כְּשֶׁנִּפְקְדָה עֲקָרָה אַחַת, נִתְגַּלָּה יִרְאָה, וּכְשֶׁנִּפְקְדוּ הַרְבֵּה עֲקָרוֹת, נִתְגַּלָּה הַיִּרְאָה בְּיוֹתֵר. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת חִיל כַּיּוֹלֵדָה – כְּפִי הַלֵּדָה כֵּן הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה.
The extent to which fear is revealed is thus commensurate with the [number of women giving] birth. When a single barren woman is granted special providence, fear is revealed; when many women are granted special providence, there is an even greater revelation of fear. This is the aspect of “pangs, like a woman giving birth”—the extent to which fear is revealed is commensurate with the birth.
וְעַל כֵּן בְּרֹאשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה הָיָה פְּקִידַת יִצְחָק (ראש השנה יא.), שֶׁהוּא תֹקֶף הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה מְאֹד, בְּחִינַת פַּחַד יִצְחָק. כִּי כְּשֶׁנִּפְקְדָה שָׂרָה, נִפְקְדוּ כַּמָּה עֲקָרוֹת עִמָּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה נג).
Therefore, the granting of special providence [that led to the birth] of Yitzchak—he being an extremely potent revelation of fear, the aspect of “the Dread of Yitzchak” (Genesis 31:42)—occurred on Rosh HaShanah (Rosh HaShanah 11a). For when Sarah was granted special providence, numerous barren women were granted special providence with her, as taught by our Sages, of blessed memory.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (בראשית כ״א:ז׳): כִּי יָלַדְתִּי בֵּן לִזְקֻנָיו; כִּי עַל יְדֵי לֵדַת יִצְחָק, שֶׁהוּא הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה, עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, בְּחִינַת זָקֵן כַּנַּ"ל, בִּבְחִינַת: יִרְאַת ה' תּוֹסִיף יָמִים כַּנַּ"ל:
This is likewise the aspect of “Yet I have borne him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:7). The birth of Yitzchak, who is the revelation of fear, brings to length-of-days/an elder, in the aspect of “The fear of God prolongs one’s days,” as explained above.
ו וּפְקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּעוֹרְרִין אֶת בְּנֵי אָדָם מִשְּׁנָתָם. כִּי יֵשׁ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁיְּשֵׁנִים אֶת יְמֵיהֶם, וְאַף שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לְהָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֵם עוֹבְדִים אֶת הַשֵּׁם, וְעוֹסְקִים בְּתוֹרָה וּבִתְפִלָּה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן כָּל עֲבוֹדָתָם אֵין לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נַחַת מֵהֶם, כִּי נִשְׁאָר כָּל עֲבוֹדָתָם לְמַטָּה, וְאֵין יָכוֹל לְהִתְרוֹמֵם וּלְהִתְעַלּוֹת לְמַעְלָה.
6. The granting of special providence to barren women is achieved by waking people from their sleep. For there are people who sleep away their days. Although it seems to everyone that these people are serving God and are occupied with Torah and prayer, God nevertheless has no pleasure whatsoever from their service because all their devotions remain below and are incapable of rising and ascending on high.
כִּי עִקַּר הַחִיּוּת הוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת ז): הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה אֶת בָּעָלֶיהָ. וּכְשֶׁהָעֲבוֹדָה הִיא עִם שֵׂכֶל, מְשִׂימִין בָּהּ חִיּוּת שֶׁתּוּכַל לְהִתְעַלּוֹת, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁנּוֹפֵל לִבְחִינַת מֹחִין דְּקַטְנוּת, בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה, אֵין יָכוֹל לְהִתְעַלּוֹת לְמַעְלָה.
<This is because their devotions lack life-force and vitality.> Intellect is the essence of life-force, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:12), “Wisdom instills life into those who possess it.” Thus, when the service is with intellect, this instills it with vitality so that it can ascend. But when a person falls into the aspect of a constricted consciousness, the aspect of sleep, [the devotions] cannot ascend on high.
וְיֵשׁ שֶׁנָּפְלוּ לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה, עַל יְדֵי תַּאֲווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים רָעִים. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁהֵם אֲנָשִׁים כְּשֵׁרִים וְיָפִים, רַק שֶׁנְּפִילָתָם הוּא עַל יְדֵי אֲכִילָה. כִּי לִפְעָמִים כְּשֶׁאוֹכֵל הָאָדָם מַאֲכָל שֶׁלֹּא נִתְבָּרֵר עֲדַיִן לְמַאֲכַל אָדָם, עַל יְדֵי זֶה נוֹפֵל מֹחוֹ לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה. כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁבְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת, יֵשׁ מַאֲכָלִים שֶׁמַּרְבִּים שֵׁנָה, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁמְּמַעֲטִים שֵׁנָה, כְּמוֹ כֵן בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת, יֵשׁ מַאֲכָלִים שֶׁלֹּא נִתְבָּרְרוּ, שֶׁמַּפִּילִין לִבְחִינוֹת שֵׁנָה.
<There are a number of aspects to this.> There are those who have fallen into the aspect of sleep as a result of lusts and evil deeds. And there are some who are devout and admirable people, but have fallen as a result of eating. For it sometimes happens that when a person eats a food that has yet to be refined for human consumption, his mind falls into the aspect of sleep. Just as in the physical realm there are foods that induce sleep and others that inhibit it, in the spiritual realm, too, there are foods that have not been refined, which cause people to fall into the aspect of sleep, <into the aspect of constricted mentalities>.
וּכְשֶׁאוֹכֵל בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְטָהֳרָה, אֲזַי הוּא בְּחִינַת: לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים, כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל הוּא הַפָּנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת ח׳:א׳): חָכְמַת אָדָם תָּאִיר פָּנָיו. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאֵין אֲכִילָתוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, אֲזַי אוֹבֵד פָּנָיו, הַיְנוּ הַשֵּׂכֶל, וְנוֹפֵל לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה.
But when a person eats in holiness and purity, it is the aspect of lechem hapanim (the showbread)—<i.e., bread that brings to the aspect of panim (countenance), namely the intellect,> since the intellect is the countenance, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 8:1), “A man’s wisdom lights up his countenance.” However, when his eating is not in holiness, he loses his countenance—i.e., his intellect—and falls into the aspect of sleep.
כִּי עִקַּר הַמַּאֲכָל הוּא לְהַחֲיוֹת הַלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (רות ג׳:ז׳): וַיֹּאכַל וַיֵּשְׁתְּ וַיִּיטַב לִבּוֹ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה מח): פִּתָּא סַעֲדָא דְּלִבָּא. וּכְשֶׁאֵין הַמַּאֲכָל מְבֹרָר, וְאֵין אוֹכֵל אוֹתוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה – אֲזַי מֵבִיא רֹעַ אֶל הַלֵּב, וְעַל יְדֵי רֹעַ הַלֵּב נִתְקַלְקֵל הַפָּנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (נחמיה ב׳:ב׳): מַדּוּעַ פָּנֶיךָ רָעִים, אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם רֹעַ לֵב. וְכֵן לְהֵפֶךְ, בַּקָּשַׁת הַפָּנִים, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר וִיבַקֵּשׁ פָּנָיו, הוּא תָּלוּי בְּתִקּוּן הַלֵּב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים כ״ז:ח׳): לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי בַּקְּשׁוּ פָנַי.
The main purpose of food is to revive the heart, as it is written (Ruth 3:7), “he ate and drank and his heart was in good spirits”; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Bread satiates the heart (Bereishit Rabbah 48:11). However, when the food is not refined or a person does not eat it in holiness, it brings evil to the heart. Evil-heartedness mars the countenance, as it is written (Nehemiah 2:2), “Why is your countenance so dour? It can only be [that you harbor] evil in your heart.” And the reverse is likewise true, seeking the countenance—i.e., that he should return and seek his countenance—is contingent upon rectification of the heart, as it is written (Psalms 27:8), “In Your behalf my heart says, ‘Seek My countenance.’”
וְעַל כֵּן לִפְעָמִים עַל יְדֵי מַאֲכָל שֶׁאֵין מְבֹרָר, שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ נִתְקַלְקֵל הַלֵּב, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אוֹבֵד הַפָּנִים, וְנוֹפֵל לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה. וְצָרִיךְ לְעוֹרְרוֹ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ. וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְעוֹרְרוֹ, כִּי אִם כְּשֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר מֵעַצְמוֹ, כִּי צָרִיךְ אִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא. רַק כְּשֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר מֵעַצְמוֹ, אִם לֹא הָיוּ מְעוֹרְרִין אוֹתוֹ, הָיָה נִשְׁאָר יָשֵׁן יוֹתֵר. עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁמִּתְעוֹרֵר, לְהַרְאוֹת לוֹ פָּנָיו, וּלְהַלְבִּישׁ אוֹתוֹ בְּפָנָיו שֶׁנִּסְתַּלֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָה, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה:
Therefore, it sometimes happens that when the food is not refined, so that the heart is marred, this causes him to lose the countenance and fall into the aspect of sleep. Then it is necessary to rouse him from his sleep. Yet it is impossible to rouse him unless he stirs on his own, since there must be an arousal from below. It is just that when he stirs on his own, if there was no one attempting to rouse him, he would go on sleeping. Thus, as soon as he stirs, it is necessary to show him his countenance and to enclothe him in the countenance that left him while he slept. This is the aspect of waking from sleep.
וּכְשֶׁרוֹצִין לְהַרְאוֹת לוֹ פָּנָיו וּלְעוֹרְרוֹ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ, צְרִיכִין לְהַלְבִּישׁ לוֹ אֶת הַפָּנִים בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת. כִּי יֵשׁ שִׁבְעִים פָּנִים לַתּוֹרָה, וְהֵם בְּחִינַת שִׁבְעִים שָׁנִים, כִּי כָּל אֶחָד מְשֻׁנֶּה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ.
Now, when we want to show a person his countenance and rouse him from his sleep, it is necessary to enclothe the panim (countenance) for him in the telling of stories. For the Torah has seventy panim (faces), which are the aspect of seventy years, for each [face] is different from the next.
וּצְרִיכִין לְהַלְבִּישׁ אֶת הַפָּנִים דַּוְקָא, מֵחֲמַת שְׁלֹשָׁה טְעָמִים: אֶחָד – כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּרַפְּאִין אֶת הָעִוֵּר, צְרִיכִין לְסָגְרוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה אֶת הָאוֹר פִּתְאֹם. וּצְרִיכִין לְצַמְצֵם לוֹ אֶת הָאוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק לוֹ מַה שֶּׁיִּרְאֶה פִּתְאֹם. כְּמוֹ כֵן לָזֶה שֶׁהָיָה בְּשֵׁנָה וּבְחֹשֶׁךְ זְמַן רַב, כְּשֶׁרוֹצִין לְהַרְאוֹת לוֹ פָּנָיו וּלְעוֹרְרוֹ, צְרִיכִין לְהַלְבִּישׁ לוֹ אֶת הַפָּנִים בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק לוֹ פִּתְאֹם הָאוֹר.
There are three reasons it is necessary to enclothe specifically the countenance. The first is as when healing a blind person: we need to keep him shut up so that he does not see the light suddenly, and also diminish the light, so that what he does suddenly see, does not harm him. So too, when a person has been asleep and in the dark for a long time and we want to show him his countenance and rouse him, we must enclothe his countenance in the telling of stories, so that suddenly seeing the light does not harm him.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים י״ז:ט״ו): אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ. צֶדֶק הוּא בְּחִינַת לְבוּשִׁין, בְּחִינַת (איוב כ״ט:י״ד): צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי. אֲזַי: אֶשְׂבְּעָה בְהָקִיץ תְּמוּנָתֶךָ; כִּי אָז יָכוֹל לִרְאוֹת אַחַר־כָּךְ בְּהָקִיץ, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁמְּקִיצִין וּמְעוֹרְרִין אוֹתוֹ מֵהַשֵּׁנָה, כִּי לֹא יַזִּיק לוֹ הָאוֹר פִּתְאֹם כַּנַּ"ל.
{“As for me, I will behold Your countenance with righteousness; I will be sated when I awaken to Your image” (Psalms 17:15).} This is the aspect of “As for me, I will behold Your countenance with righteousness.” “Righteousness” is the aspect of clothing, the aspect of “I clothed myself in righteousness” (Job 29:14). Then, “I will be sated when I awaken to Your image,” since afterwards he will be able to see while awake—i.e., when they awaken and rouse him from sleep—because the sudden light will not harm him, as explained above.
וְהַטַּעַם הַשֵּׁנִי – כִּי צָרִיךְ לְהַלְבִּישׁ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְאַחֲזוּ הַחִיצוֹנִים בּוֹ.
The second reason that enclothing [the countenance] is necessary is so that the external forces do not attach themselves to him.
וְהַטַּעַם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי – כִּי הַחִיצוֹנִים הָאוֹחֲזִין בּוֹ, לֹא יַנִּיחוּ אוֹתוֹ לָצֵאת, עַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְהַלְבִּישׁ אֶת פָּנָיו, כְּדֵי לְשַׁנּוֹתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ מַכִּירִין בּוֹ, בִּבְחִינַת (איוב י״ד:כ׳): מְשַׁנֶּה פָנָיו וַתְּשַׁלְּחֵהוּ.
And the third reason is that the external forces already attached to him will not let him go. It is therefore necessary to enclothe his countenance, altering it, so that they cannot recognize him, in the aspect of “You alter his countenance and send him off” (Job 14:20) .
וְיֵשׁ כַּמָּה בְּחִינוֹת בָּזֶה שֶׁמַּלְבִּישִׁין אֶת הַפָּנִים, כִּי יֵשׁ שֶׁמַּלְבִּישִׁין אֶת הַפָּנִים שֶׁלּוֹ, בְּסִפּוּר מַעֲשֶׂה. וְיֵשׁ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְעוֹרְרוֹ בַּפָּנִים שֶׁלּוֹ, וְצָרִיךְ לְהַרְאוֹת לוֹ פָּנִים גָּבוֹהַּ. וְלִפְעָמִים מַלְבִּישִׁין גַּם כֵּן בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים תּוֹרָה גָּבוֹהַּ, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָמְרָהּ כָּךְ כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא, וּמַלְבִּישִׁין אוֹתָהּ בְּתוֹרָה נְמוּכָה וּקְטַנָּה מִמֶּנָּה.
And there are a number of aspects to enclothing the countenance. There are times when we enclothe his countenance in the telling of a story. Yet, sometimes it is impossible to rouse him through his own countenance, and so it is necessary to show him an exalted countenance. Occasionally, the enclothing is also in words of Torah—that is, when delivering an exalted Torah lesson that is impossible to recite as is, we enclothe it in a lower and lesser Torah lesson.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (חבקוק ג׳:ב׳): ה' פָּעָלְךָ בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים חַיֵּיהוּ. חַיֵּיהוּ, פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: עוֹרְרֵהוּ. וְזֶהוּ: פָּעָלְךָ, הַיְנוּ סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת. בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים, שֶׁהֵם שִׁבְעִים שָׁנִים כַּנַּ"ל. הַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּעוֹרְרִין אוֹתוֹ עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵן בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים, הַיְנוּ הַמַּעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים כַּנַּ"ל.
This is the aspect of “O God, renew Your work of recent times” (Habakkuk 3:2). “Renew,” Rashi explains, means “rouse.” And this is “Your work”—i.e., telling stories; “of recent times”—i.e., the aspect of stories of the seventy faces, which are seventy years, as explained above. That is, we rouse him by telling stories that are of recent times—i.e., the stories of the seventy faces, as explained above.
אֲבָל יֵשׁ שֶׁנָּפַל מִכָּל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים, עַד שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְעוֹרְרוֹ בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים, כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת, שֶׁכָּל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים, שִׁבְעִים שָׁנִים, מְקַבְּלִין חִיּוּת מִשָּׁם. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת עַתִּיק, בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת הַדְרַת פָּנִים, שֶׁכָּל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים מְקַבְּלִין חִיּוּת וְהִדּוּר מִשָּׁם.
However, it happens that a person falls from all the seventy faces, such that there is no countenance that can rouse him except by telling stories from ancient times. All the seventy faces, the seventy years, receive life-force from there. This is the aspect of Atik /an elder/a distinguished countenance; all the seventy faces receive life-force and distinction from there.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וְרַב חֶסֶד; כִּי הַלּוֹמֵד אֶת תַּלְמִידוֹ הֲלָכָה אַחַת, הוּא עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ חֶסֶד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (כתובות צו): כָּל הַמּוֹנֵעַ תַּלְמִידוֹ מִלְּשַׁמְּשׁוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ מוֹנֵעַ מִמֶּנּוּ חֶסֶד. וְשִׁמּוּשׁ חֲכָמִים, זֶה בְּחִינַת הֲלָכוֹת שֶׁהַתַּלְמִיד מְקַבֵּל מֵהָרַב. נִמְצָא שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁהָרַב לוֹמֵד עִם תַּלְמִידוֹ, זֶה בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד. וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁמְּעוֹרְרוֹ עִם אֵיזֶה פָּנִים שֶׁל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים, שֶׁמַּלְבִּישׁ אוֹתוֹ בִּבְחִינַת: ה' פָּעָלְךָ בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים חַיֵּיהוּ כַּנַּ"ל, הוּא בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד סְתָם, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמְּעוֹרְרוֹ עַל־יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת, הוּא בְּחִינַת: וְרַב חֶסֶד, כִּי כָּל הַפָּנִים וְכָל הַחֲסָדִים מְקַבְּלִין מִשָּׁם:
This is likewise the aspect of “abundant kindness” (Exodus 34:6). Anyone who teaches his student a single law does him a kindness, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever prevents his student from serving him, it is as if he denies him kindness (Ketuvot 96a). Serving a sage is the aspect of the laws that a student receives from his master. Thus it is that a master teaching his student is the aspect of kindness. Therefore, when he rouses him by means of one of the seventy faces, enclothing him in the aspect of “O God, renew Your work of recent times,” as explained above, it is the aspect of ordinary kindness. But when he rouses him by telling stories from ancient times, it is the aspect of “abundant kindness,” since all the countenances and all the kindnesses receive from there.
ז וּכְשֶׁעוֹסֵק לְעוֹרֵר בְּנֵי אָדָם, הוּא צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר עַצְמוֹ מִתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִדְבָּק בּוֹ מֵהָרַע שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק לוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חולין קלג): כָּל הַמְלַמֵּד לְתַלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן וְכוּ'.
7. Now, when someone works to rouse people, he must protect himself from unworthy students lest their evil attach itself to him and harm him. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever teaches an unworthy student… (Chullin 133a) .
וְכֵן אָסְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קח) לִכְתֹּב עַל עוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת ה' בְּפִיךָ – מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ. וּכְשֶׁלּוֹמֵד עִם אַחֵר, הוּא בְּחִינַת כְּתִיבָה. כִּי הַלָּשׁוֹן הוּא בְּחִינַת (תהילים מ״ה:ב׳): לְשׁוֹנִי עֵט סוֹפֵר מָהִיר, שֶׁנֶּחֱקָק וְנִכְתָּב עַל לֵב הַתַּלְמִיד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ג׳:ג׳): כָּתְבֵם עַל לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ. וְעַל כֵּן צָרִיךְ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ דְּבָרָיו נִכְתָּבִין עַל בְּחִינַת עוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה, הַיְנוּ תַּלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן.
Likewise, our Sages, of blessed memory, prohibited writing [the tefilin scrolls] on the skin of a non-kosher animal, as it is written (Exodus 13:9), “in order that God’s Torah may be in your mouth”—from what is permitted to your mouth (Shabbat 108a). And when one person teaches another, it is an aspect of writing, since the tongue is the aspect of “My tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe” (Psalms 45:2) ; [the teaching] is engraved and written on the student’s heart, as in (Proverbs 3:3), “write them on the tablet of your heart.” This is why it is imperative <that he take care> that his words not be written on the aspect of the skin of a non-kosher animal—i.e., a student who is unworthy.
אַךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְבָשָׂר וָדָם לִהְיוֹת נִשְׁמָר בְּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁמְעוּ תַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים מִמֶּנּוּ. וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לִמּוּדוֹ, לִלְמֹד וּלְלַמֵּד וְלִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי לִמּוּדוֹ עִם תַּלְמִידוֹ, יִהְיֶה כְּאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוֹ לַחֲבֵרוֹ, וּכְאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוֹ לְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין צט:): כָּל הַמְלַמֵּד בֶּן חֲבֵרוֹ תּוֹרָה, כְּאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוֹ וְכוּ', וּכְאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוֹ לְדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה וְכוּ'. וּכְשֶׁלּוֹמֵד בְּכַוָּנָה זוֹ, אֲזַי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹמֵר אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ דְּבָרָיו נִכְתָּבִין בְּכֹחַ הַזִּכָּרוֹן שֶׁל הַתַּלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ הָגוּן, רַק יִהְיוּ נִשְׁכָּחִין מִמֶּנּוּ.
Even so, it is impossible for a human being to protect himself so that unworthy students do not hear him. For this, it is necessary that his teaching be “to study, teach, safeguard and laASot (practice)”—i.e., studying with his student should be as if he made his companion and as if he made the words of Torah. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Whoever teaches his companion’s son Torah, it is as if ASa’o (he made him)… and as if ASa’o (he made it)—the words of Torah… (Sanhedrin 99b). And when he teaches with this intention, God <Himself> protects him, keeping his words from being recorded in the memory of an unworthy student; but rather, [the student] forgets them.
וּכְשֶׁעוֹסֵק לְעוֹרֵר עַל־יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שִׂיחָתוֹ וְסִפּוּרָיו גַּם כֵּן בִּבְחִינַת הַלִּמּוּד הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ לִלְמֹד וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (ע"ז יט:): שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים צְרִיכִין לִמּוּד, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁצְּרִיכִין אֶל הַלִּמּוּד, צְרִיכִין גַּם כֵּן אֶל שִׂיחָתוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
And when a person works to rouse [people] through telling stories, his conversation and telling likewise must be in the aforementioned aspect of the teaching—i.e., to study and laasot, as explained above. This is the aspect of “The conversation of Torah scholars requires study” (Sukkah 21b)—i.e., whatever is needed for the teaching is likewise needed for his conversation, which is the aspect of telling stories, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ (יחזקאל מ״ז:י״ב): וְעָלֵהוּ לִתְרוּפָה. וְעָלֵהוּ, זֶה בְּחִינַת שִׂיחַת תַּלְמִיד־חָכָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם בע"ז): וְעָלֵהוּ לֹא יִבֹּל – אֲפִלּוּ שִׂיחַת תַּלְמִיד־חָכָם וְכוּ'. וְזֶהוּ: לִתְרוּפָה – לְהַתִּיר פֶּה; הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ. כִּי כְּשֶׁשִּׂיחָתוֹ הִיא בִּבְחִינַת שִׂיחַת תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים צְרִיכִין לִמּוּד, הַיְנוּ לִלְמֹד וּלְלַמֵּד לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי נִשְׁמָר מִן תַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ כַּנַּ"ל, מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין כּוֹתְבִין וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the explanation of “their leaves litruphah (for healing)” (Ezekiel 47:12). “Their leaves” is the aspect of the conversation of Torah scholars, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said <regarding the verse> “Their leaves will not wither” (Psalms 1:3)—even the conversation of Torah scholars [requires study] (Sukkah, ibid.). And this is “LiTRuPhaH”: L’haTiR PeH (to unbind the mouth)—i.e., the aspect of “from what is muTaR to your PeH (permitted to your mouth).” When his conversation is in the aspect of “the conversation of Torah scholars requires study”—i.e., “to study, teach, safeguard and practice,” as explained above—then he is protected from unworthy students. This is the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth”; “How do we know that we do not write [tefilin except on the skin of a kosher animal]…,” as explained above.
ח וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין ק) עַל פָּסוּק זֶה: וְעָלֵהוּ לִתְרוּפָה – לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים וּלְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שֶׁמְּעוֹרֵר בְּנֵי אָדָם מִשְּׁנָתָם עַל־יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת: וְעָלֵהוּ לִתְרוּפָה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־ זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים. כִּי מִקֹּדֶם כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בִּבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה, וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִים הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הֶחָכָם, וְלֹא הָיָה נִשְׁמָע לְאָזְנֵיהֶם דְּבָרָיו, כִּי זַכָּאָה מָאן דְּמַלֵּל עַל אֻדְנָא דְּשָׁמַע (זוהר תצוה קפו:), אֲבָל הֵם הָיוּ כְּחֵרְשִׁים וְלֹא הָיוּ שׁוֹמְעִים כְּלָל. וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה לֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לְדַבֵּר, כִּי סְתָם חֶרֶשׁ הוּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ וְאֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר (תרומות פ"א ע"ש, חגיגה ב:), דְּהַיְנוּ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר. וְעַכְשָׁו שֶׁמְּעוֹרְרוֹ הֶחָכָם, וְשׁוֹמֵעַ דְּבָרָיו, אֲזַי יְכוֹלִים לְדַבֵּר. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים,
8. This is the aspect of what the Sages, of blessed memory, explained concerning this verse “their leaves litruphah”— l’hatir peh of the mute and l’hatir peh of the barren (Sanhedrin 100a). Rousing people from their sleep by telling stories—which is the aspect of “their leaves for healing,” as explained above—this is what leads to the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute. Earlier, when they were in the aspect of sleep, they did not hear the sage’s rousing and their ears did not hear his words. “Fortunate is the one who speaks to ears that hear” (Zohar II, 186b), but they were like the deaf. They did not hear at all, and because of this they were unable to speak, since “the term ‘deaf,’ unless modified, refers to someone who neither hears nor speaks” (Terumot 1:2)—i.e., because he cannot hear, he cannot speak. But now that the sage rouses them and they hear his words, they can speak. This is the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute <by means of the aspect of “their leaves,” as explained above>. {“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the bnei chalof (orphans)” (Proverbs 31:8) .}
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי ל״א:ח׳): פְּתַח פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם: וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת, כִּי זֶה הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁהָיָה מְצֻמְצָם אֶצְלָם כָּל כָּךְ זֶה זְמַן רַב, שֶׁהָיוּ חֵרְשִׁים וְאִלְּמִים, עַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵא הַדִּבּוּר, הוּא יוֹצֵא בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים ק״ג:כ׳): גִבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ עֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ. וְזֶה הַכֹּחַ בָּא לִכְלֵי הוֹלָדָה, בְּחִינַת (בראשית מ״ט:ג׳): כֹּחִי וְרֵאשִׁית אוֹנִי, דְּהַיְנוּ בַּטְחָנֵי הַדּוֹר, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, הֵם מְקַבְּלִין זֶה הַכֹּחַ, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו מ׳:ל״א): וְקֹוֵי ה' יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ. וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרָאִין הַכְּלָיוֹת בַּטוּחוֹת, כִּי הַכְּלָיוֹת הֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה.
This is likewise the aspect of “Open your mouth for the mute,” which in turn brings about the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the barren. These words, which had been repressed inside them for so long because they were deaf and mute, now emerge, and they do so with great strength, in the aspect of “Strong warriors, O’Sei (makers of) His word” (Psalms 103:20). And this strength reaches the reproductive organs, the aspect of “my strength and the first fruit of my vigor” (Genesis 49:3). That is, the generation’s God-trusting people, who are the aspect of the reproductive organs, receive this strength, in the aspect of “But they who put their hope in God will renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31). This is why the kidneys are called “trusters,” since the kidneys are reproductive organs.
וּכְשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין בַּטְחָנֵי הַדּוֹר, זֶה הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל הַדִּבּוּר, הֵם מְקַבְּלִין עַל־פִּי דִּין וּמִשְׁפָּט, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי בִּטְחוֹנוֹ, כֵּן מְקַבֵּל הַכֹּחַ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: פְּתַח פִּיךָ לְאִלֵּם, אֶל דִּין כָּל בְּנֵי חֲלוֹף, בְּחִינַת: קֹוֵי ה' יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ. שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי פְּתַח פִּיךָ וְכוּ', עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יוֹצֵא כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר אֶל כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, שֶׁהֵם הַבַּטְחָנִים, שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין אוֹתוֹ עַל־פִּי דִּין וּמִשְׁפָּט כַּנַּ"ל.
Thus, when the generation’s God-trusting people receive the strength in these words, they receive it by right and justly; each one receives this strength commensurate with his trust. This is the aspect of “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the bnei chalof.” < Bnei ChaLoF are the generation’s God-trusting people,> the aspect of “But they who put their hope in God yaChLiFu (will renew) their strength.” <That is,> by means of “Open your mouth…,” the strength in the words reaches the reproductive organs, the God-trusting people, who receive it by right and justly, as explained above.
וְצָרִיךְ לִרְאוֹת, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כְּלֵי הַדִּבּוּר סְמוּכִין וּקְרוֹבִין אֶל כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לְקַבֵּל כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ בִּבְחִינַת (ירמיהו י״ב:ב׳): קָרוֹב אַתָּה בְּפִיהֶם וְרָחוֹק מִכִּלְיוֹתֵיהֶם. וְעַל כֵּן הֲוָיָה אַחַת לִכְלֵי הַדִּבּוּר וְלִכְלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, כִּי אֵלּוּ מְלֵאִים גִּידִים וַעֲצַבִּים כְּמוֹ אֵלּוּ, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינָה אַחַת. כִּי עַל יְדֵי כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר, נַעֲשֶׂה הַהוֹלָדָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וְעָלֵהוּ לִתְרוּפָה – לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים, וּלְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת, כִּי זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה כַּנַּ"ל:
It is therefore necessary to ensure that the speech organs are near and close to the reproductive organs, so that they can receive the strength in the words, as explained above. They should not be in the aspect of “You are close to their lips, but far from their kidneys” (Jeremiah 12:2). This is why the organs of speech and reproduction are very similar: as these are filled with veins and nerves, so are those. They are a single aspect, since procreation comes about by means of the <organs> of speech, as explained above. This is the aspect of “their leaves for healing”— unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, since the one is dependent upon the other, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג הַנְּשִׁיקִין וְזִוּוּג הַגּוּפָנִי, שֶׁזִּוּוּג הַנְּשִׁיקִין קוֹדֵם לַזִּוּוּג הַגּוּפָנִי, כַּמּוּבָא בַּכְּתָבִים. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי כֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר, בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְמִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג הַנְּשִׁיקִין, עַל־יְדֵי־ זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה זִוּוּג הַגּוּפָנִי, בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
This is the aspect of union through kissing and sexual union. Union through kissing precedes sexual union, as is brought in the sacred writings. The strength in the words, the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute, which is the aspect of union through kissing, brings to sexual union, the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the barren, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שְׁבִירַת כְּלֵי חֶרֶס, שֶׁשּׁוֹבְרִין בִּשְׁעַת הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת הַזִּוּוּגִים. לְהוֹרוֹת, שֶׁעַכְשָׁו שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת, שֶׁהוּא בִּשְׁבִיל הוֹלָדָה, שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת בִּטָּחוֹן, בְּחִינַת כְּלָיוֹת, שֶׁהֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי ל״א:י״א): בָּטַח בָּהּ לֵב בַּעְלָהּ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְבַּטֵּל וְנִשְׁבָּר בְּחִינַת הַבִּטָּחוֹן דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא.
It is likewise the aspect of breaking an earthen dish when formalizing an engagement. We break it to show that now that this bond has been made, its objective is procreation; that it is in the aspect of trust, the aspect of kidneys, which are reproductive organs, as explained above. This is the aspect of “Her husband’s heart trusts in her” (Proverbs 31:11), as a result of which the aspect of trust of the Other Side is nullified and broken.
וְעַל זֶה שׁוֹבְרִין הַכְּלִי חֶרֶס, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו ל׳:י״ב): וַתִּבְטְחוּ בְּעֹשֶׁק וְנָלוֹז וְכוּ', וּשְׁבָרָהּ כְּנֵבֶל יוֹצְרִים, וְלֹא יִמָּצֵא בִמְכִתָּתוֹ חֶרֶס וְכוּ'. כִּי הַבִּטָּחוֹן דִּקְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי הַהִתְקַשְּׁרוּת כַּנַּ"ל, הוּא לְהֵפֶךְ מֵהַבִּטָּחוֹן דְּסִטְרָא אָחֳרָא, שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת שְׁבִירַת כְּלִי חֶרֶס כַּנַּ"ל. וְגַם מְרַמְּזִין לָהֶם, שֶׁאִם לֹא יִתְנַהֲגוּ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וְיִבְגְּדוּ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בִּבְחִינַת הַבִּטָּחוֹן, בִּבְחִינַת הַהוֹלָדָה, אֲזַי יִהְיוּ בִּבְחִינַת שְׁבִירַת כְּלִי חֶרֶס, שֶׁזֶּה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי מִבְטַח בּוֹגֵד כַּנַּ"ל.
This is why we break an earthen dish, in the aspect of “and you put your trust in fraud and corruption… It is shattered as [one shatters] a potter’s jug… so that no earthen shard is left in its breakage…” (Isaiah 30:12, 14). The trust of holiness created by the engagement, as explained above, is the opposite of the trust of the Other Side, which is in the aspect of breaking an earthen dish, as explained above. In addition, we hint to [the couple] that if they fail to conduct themselves in holiness and betray the aspect of trust/procreation, God forbid, then they will be in the aspect of breaking an earthen dish, which is caused by “the trust of the unfaithful” (Proverbs 25:19), as explained above.
וְזֶה (מיכה ז׳:ה׳): אַל תִּבְטְחוּ בְּאַלּוּף, מִשֹּׁכֶבֶת חֵיקֶךָ שְׁמוֹר פִּתְחֵי פִּיךָ. הַיְנוּ, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַבִּטָּחוֹן, הַיְנוּ כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, סְמוּכִין אֶל הַדִּבּוּר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אַלֻּף, שֶׁהוּא רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים. וְזֶה: מִשֹּׁכֶבֶת חֵיקֶךָ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַעֲשֶׂה מִזֶּה הוֹלָדָה. וְזֶה: מִשֹּׁכֶבֶת חֵיקֶךָ, בְּחִינַת (מלכים־א א): וְשָׁכְבָה בְּחֵיקֶךָ. וְזֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי: שְׁמֹר פִּתְחֵי פִּיךָ כַּנַּ"ל:
This is “Trust not an aluph (confidant); guard the openings of your mouth from she who lies in your bosom” (Micah 7:5). That is, it is not possible for trust, namely the reproductive organs, to be close to the words, which is the aspect of “ALuPh”—an acronym of L’hatir Peh Ilmim (unbinding the mouth of the mute). This is the meaning of “from she who lies in your bosom”—i.e., that this should lead to procreation; “from she who lies in your bosom” is the aspect of “let her lie in your bosom” (1 Kings 1:2). The only way that this is possible is by “guard[ing] the openings of your mouth,” as explained above.
וְזֶה (איכה ג׳:כ״ט): יִתֵּן בְּעָפָר פִּיהוּ אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה. עָפָר הוּא בְּחִינַת הֶעְדֵּר הַדִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו כ״ט:ד׳): וּמֵעָפָר תִּשַּׁח אִמְרָתֵךְ. הַיְנוּ, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִיתֵּן בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּא כּחַ הַדִּבּוּר לְקוֹוֵי ה', שֶׁהֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְזֶהוּ: אוּלַי יֵשׁ תִּקְוָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ הַדִּבּוּר לְקוֹוֵי ה' כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ (בראשית כ״ח:י״ד): וְהָיָה זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ, כִּי הַהוֹלָדָה תְּלוּיָה, עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת יִתֵּן בְּעָפָר פִּיהוּ הַנַּ"ל:
And this is “Let him put his mouth to the dust; there may yet be hope” (Lamentations 3:29). “Dust” is the aspect of an absence of speech, as it is written (Isaiah 29:4), “and your speech will be lower than the dust.” That is, a person must instill the aspect of speech <in the one who is the aspect of “dust,” since he is in the aspect of a mute, in order> to unbind the mouth of the mute, as explained above. Through this, the strength of the words reaches those who hope in God, who are the reproductive organs, as explained above. This is <“Let him put his mouth to the dust,” as explained,> “there may yet be hope”—in order that the words might reach those who hope in God. And this is “your descendants will be like the dust of the earth” (Genesis 28:14), since procreation is dependent on the aforementioned aspect of “Let him put his mouth to the dust.”
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (דניאל י״ב:ב׳): וְרַבִּים מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר יָקִיצוּ; הַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּקִיצִין וּמְעוֹרְרִין אוֹתָן מִשְּׁנָתָן כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ: מִיְּשֵׁנֵי אַדְמַת עָפָר – מִבְּחִינַת הֶעְדֵּר הַדִּבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל.
{“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal shame” (Daniel 12:2).} This is likewise the aspect of “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake”—i.e., they wake them and rouse them from their sleep, as explained above. This is “who sleep in the dust of the ground”—from the aspect of an absence of speech, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: אֵלֶּה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית ב׳:ז׳): וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ: לְרוּחַ מְמַלְּלָא, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים.
And this is “some to eternal life.” <That is, those who are worthy of receiving the ability to speak will have “eternal life”>—i.e., the aspect of speech, as it is written (Genesis 2:7), “man thus became a living soul,” which Onkelos renders as: “a speaking spirit.” This is the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute.
וְאֵלֶּה לַחֲרָפוֹת וְכוּ' – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת (תהילים ס״ט:כ״א): חֶרְפָּה שָׁבְרָה לִבִּי, בְּחִינַת שִׁכְחָה, שְׁבִירַת הַלֵּב, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שְׁבִירַת הַלּוּחוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ. וְעַל־יְדֵי שְׁבִירַת הַלּוּחוֹת בָּא שִׁכְחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין נד): אִלְמָלֵא לֹא נִשְׁתַּבְּרוּ לוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת לֹא הָיְתָה שִׁכְחָה; הַיְנוּ שֶׁאוֹתָן שֶׁאֵינָן רְאוּיִין לְקַבֵּל, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת עוֹר בְּהֵמָה טְמֵאָה, נִשְׁכָּח מֵהֶם כַּנַּ"ל:
“And some to disgrace”—i.e., the aspect of “Disgrace has broken my heart” (Psalms 69:21). [This is] the aspect of forgetfulness, breaking the heart, which is the aspect of the breaking of the Tablets, as in, “the tablet of your heart.” And the breaking of the Tablets brings to forgetfulness, as the Sages, of blessed memory, said: Had the First Tablets not been shattered, there would be no forgetfulness (Eruvin 54a). In other words, those who are not worthy of receiving, who are the aspect of the skin of a non-kosher animal, forget [what they heard], as explained above.
ט וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שׁוֹפָר, כִּי שׁוֹפָר הוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה, כַּמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים, שֶׁשּׁוֹפָר מְרַמֵּז בְּחִינַת: עוּרוּ יְשֵׁנִים מִתַּרְדֵּמַתְכֶם; וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים וּלְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.
9. This is the aspect of the shofar. The shofar is the aspect of rousing from sleep; as is brought in the holy works, the shofar hints to: “Wake up, O sleeper, from your slumber.” This leads to unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: תְּקִיעָה, שְׁבָרִים, תְּרוּעָה. תְּקִיעָה הוּא בְּחִינַת הֶעְדֵּר הַדִּבּוּר, בְּחִינַת (משלי ו׳:א׳-ב׳): תָּקַעְתָּ לַזָּר כַּפֶּיךָ נוֹקַשְׁתָּ בְּאִמְרֵי פִיךָ. תְּרוּעָה הוּא בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר, בְּחִינַת (משלי י׳:כ״א): שִׂפְתֵי צַדִּיק יִרְעוּ רַבִּים. שְׁבָרִים זֶה בְּחִינַת בִּטָּחוֹן, בְּחִינַת (תהלים קמו): שִׂבְרוֹ עַל ה' אֱלֹקָיו; בְּחִינַת כְּלֵי הוֹלָדָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ס״ו:ט׳): הַאֲנִי אַשְׁבִּיר וְלֹא אוֹלִיד.
This is likewise the aspect of tekiah, shevarim, teruah. TeKiAh is the aspect of an absence of speech, the aspect of “TaKAta (If you have shaken) hands with a stranger, you have been trapped by the words of your own mouth” (Proverbs 6:1, 2) ; teRUAh is the aspect of speech, the aspect of “The tzaddik’s lips yiRAU (provide sustenance) for many” (ibid. 10:21). SheVaRim is the aspect of trust, the aspect of “SiVRo (his hope) is in God, his Lord” (Psalms 146:5) ; which is the aspect of the reproductive organs, as it is written (Isaiah 66:9), “Shall I aShBiR (bring on labor) and not bring on birth?”
כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַשּׁוֹפָר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים, וּלְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁכֹּחַ הַדִּבּוּר, הַיּוֹצֵא בְּכֹחַ מֵאֵלּוּ שֶׁנִּתְעוֹרְרוּ מִשְּׁנָתָם, שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ בִּבְחִינַת הֶעְדֵּר הַדִּבּוּר, כִּי הָיוּ כְּחֵרְשִׁים וְאִלְּמִים כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁמְּעוֹרְרָם מִשְּׁנָתָם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַד שֶׁשּׁוֹמְעִים הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַחֲכַם הָאֱמֶת, אֲזַי מַתְחִילִין לְדַבֵּר כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה הַדִּבּוּר, בָּא לְתוֹךְ כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת בַּטְחָנֵי הַדּוֹר כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה פְּקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, שֶׁאָז נִפְקְדָה שָׂרָה וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל. וְכָל זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוֹפָר שֶׁתּוֹקְעִין בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּקִיעָה תְּרוּעָה שְׁבָרִים כַּנַּ"ל.
The shofar, which is the aspect of rousing from sleep, brings to the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, as explained above. This is the strength of the words that emerge with force from those who have been roused from their sleep, who were initially in the aspect of an absence of speech because they were like deaf-mutes, as explained above. But now, when they are roused from their sleep for the sake of God, so that they hear the rousing of the true sage, they begin to speak, as explained above. These words enter the reproductive organs, which are the aspect of the generation’s God-trusting people, and as a result special providence is granted to barren women; this being the aspect of Rosh HaShanah, since it was then that Sarah was granted special providence…, as explained above. All this is the aspect of the shofar blown on Rosh HaShanah, the aspect of tekiah, teruah, shevarim, as explained above.
וְעַל יְדֵי פְּקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת נִתְגַּלֶּה יִרְאָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שׁוֹפָר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (עמוס ג׳:ו׳): אִם יִתָּקַע שׁוֹפָר בְּעִיר וְעָם לֹא יֶחֱרָדוּ וְכוּ'.
And as a result of the special providence granted to barren women, fear is revealed, as explained above. This is the aspect of shofar, as it is written (Amos 3:6), “If a shofar is sounded in a city, are the people not frightened?…”
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שׁוֹפָר, שֶׁהוּא קָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה וְרָחָב מִלְּמַטָּה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת (תהילים קי״ח:ה׳): מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָהּ עָנָנִי בַּמֶּרְחַב יָהּ, כַּמּוּבָא. כִּי עַל יְדֵי הַשּׁוֹפָר הוּא הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל יָדָהּ זוֹכִין לַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַרְחִיב וּלְהַאֲרִיךְ יָמָיו בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה יְתֵרָה בְּכָל עֵת, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת קָצָר מִלְמַעְלָה וְרָחָב מִלְּמַטָּה, בְּחִינַת: יִרְאַת ה' הִיא אוֹצָרוֹ, בְּחִינַת עֲשָׂאָהּ כְּאוֹצָר וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
This is also the aspect of the shofar being narrow on top and wide at the bottom, which is the aspect of “From narrow straits I called out to God; God answered me with great expanse” (Psalms 118:5), as is brought. For by means of the shofar, as explained above, fear is revealed, through which one merits length-of-days—that is, to always expand and extend one’s days with increased holiness. This is the aspect of “narrow on top and wide at the bottom,” the aspect of “The fear of God is His treasure house,” the aspect of “He built her like a storehouse…,” as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים הַנַּ"ל, בְּחִינַת זָקָן כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי הַזָּקָן גַּם כֵּן קָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה וְרָחָב מִלְּמַטָּה, כַּמּוּבָא בַּכַּוָּנוֹת: שֶׁתִּקּוּנֵי דִּקְנָא הֵם בְּחִינַת: מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי וְכוּ' עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחַב וְכוּ', שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה הִיא קְצָרָה וְאַחַר־כָּךְ הוֹלֶכֶת וּמִתְרַחֶבֶת, הַיְנוּ כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי זָקָן הִיא בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמַּאֲרִיכִין וּמַרְחִיבִין יָמָיו בְּכָל עֵת בְּתוֹסְפוֹת קְדֻשָּׁה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁזֶּה זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי יִרְאָה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁכָּל זֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוֹפָר כַּנַּ"ל. נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַשּׁוֹפָר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה פְּקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְגַּלֶּה יִרְאָה כַּנַּ"ל,
And this is the aspect of the rectifications of Atik, which are the aforementioned aspect of length-of-days, the aspect of the beard, as explained above. For the beard, too, is narrow on top and wide at the bottom, as is brought in the Kavanot: The rectifications of the Beard are the aspect of “From narrow straits I called out…[God] answered me with great expanse…” At first it is narrow, but afterwards it progressively expands, as explained above. This is because the beard is the aforementioned aspect of length-of-days—that is, always expanding and extending one’s days with increased holiness, which one merits through fear, as explained above; all this being the aspect of the shofar, as explained above. Thus it is that by means of the shofar—which is the aspect of rousing from sleep, through which special providence is granted to barren women—fear is revealed, as explained above.
וְיִרְאָה מַכְנִיעַ אֶת הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַהֲבָלִים שֶׁל הַשּׁוֹפָר, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, כִּי שׁוֹפָר לְשׁוֹן יֹפִי, בְּחִינַת: שַׁפְּרוּ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם (מ"ר אמור פ' כט); הַיְנוּ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַהֲבָלִים שֶׁל הַשּׁוֹפָר, נִכְנָע הֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי, כִּי שׁוֹפָר הוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת הַיִּרְאָה כַּנַּ"ל:
And fear subdues the vain beauty, as explained above. This is the aspect of the havalim (breaths) of the shofar, which is the aspect of “beauty is hevel.” For ShoPhaR connotes beauty, the aspect of “ShaPRu (beautify) your deeds” (Vayikra Rabbah 29:6)—i.e., the breaths of the shofar subdue vain beauty, since shofar is the aspect of revealing fear, as explained above.
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
10. This is the explanation of:
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כָּל יָמָיו שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הַצַּדִּיק וְכוּ', אָמַר: מִי אִיכָּא דְּנָיֵם שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. יוֹמָא חַד הֲוָה קָאָזֵל בְּאֹרְחָא, חַזְיֵהּ לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּנָטַע חָרוּבָא, אָמַר לֵהּ: מִכְדֵי חָרוּבָא עַד שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין לָא טָעִין, פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ דְּחָיִית שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין, וְאַכְלֵת מִנֵּהּ. אָמַר לֵהּ: אֲנָא עַלְמָא בְּחָרוּבָא אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּהּ, כִּי הֵיכֵי דִּשְׁתַלִי לִי אֲבָהָתִי, אֲנָא נַמִּי שְׁתַלִי לִבְנָאִי. יָתִב וְקָא כָּרֵךְ רִפְתָּא, אַתְיָא לֵהּ שִׁינְתָא, וְנַיִם. הָדְרָא עֲלֵהּ מְשׁוּנִיתָא, וְאִכְסֵי מֵעֵינָא, וְנַיִם שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. כִּי קָם אִתְעַר, חֲזִי לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאָכֵל מֵהַהוּא חָרוּבָא. אָמַר לֵהּ: יָדַעְתָּ מָאן שְׁתַלֵהּ לְהַהוּא חָרוּבָא, אָמַר לֵהּ: אַבּוּהָּ דְּאַבָּא, אָמַר: וַדַּאי נַיְמִי לִי שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. חֲזָא לְחַמְרֵהּ דְּקָא יָלְדָה לֵהּ רַמְכֵי רַמְכֵי וְכוּ' (תענית כג):
Rabbi Yochanan said: All the days of that tzaddik [Choni HaMaagel] … He said, “Is it possible for someone to sleep seventy years?” Once, while traveling, he noticed a man planting a charuv (carob tree). He said to him, “Since the carob tree does not bear fruit for seventy years, is it so obvious to you that you’ll live seventy years to eat from it?” The man answered him, “I found a world with carob trees. Just as my fathers planted for me, I, too, am planting for my children.” [Choni] sat down to eat a meal. Drowsiness overcame him and he slept. A grotto formed around him and covered him from sight. Thus, he slept for seventy years. When he woke, he noticed a man eating from that carob tree. “Do you know who planted this carob tree?” he asked him. “My grandfather,” answered the man. “Surely I must have slept seventy years,” [Choni] said. He saw his donkey, which had given birth to several generations of mules (Taanit 23a) .
כִּי חוֹנִי הַמְעַגֵּל הָיָה גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁם בְּסֻגְיָא זוֹ, דְּכַד הֲוָה עָיֵל לְבֵי מִדְרָשָׁא, כָּל קֻשְׁיָא דַּהֲווֹ לְהוֹ לְרַבָּנָן הֲוָה מְפָרֵק לְהוּ, כִּי לֹא הָיָה שׁוּם פָּנִים שֶׁל תּוֹרָה נִסְתָּר מִמֶּנוּ. וְעַל כֵּן שָׁאַל:
Choni HaMaagel was very great. As [the Sages] said in that same passage: “When [Choni] would enter the study hall, he would solve for the rabbis any question that they had,” since there was no face of Torah that was hidden from him. Thus, he asked:
מִי אִיכָּא דְּנָיֵם שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לִפֹּל לִבְּחִינַת שֵׁינָה מִכָּל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים, כִּי אַף שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לִפֹּל מִפָּנִים אֶחָד אוֹ יוֹתֵר, אֲבָל אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר לִפֹּל מִכֻּלָּם.
Is it possible for someone to sleep seventy years?—That is, how is it possible to fall into the aspect of sleep from all the seventy faces, <the seventy years>? For although it is possible to fall from one face or more, it hardly seems possible to fall from them all.
חַזְיֵהּ לְהַהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּנָטַע חָרוּבָא, אָמַר לֵהּ, וְכוּ' פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ דְּחָיִית שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין, וְאָכַלְתָּ מִנֵּהּ. חָרוּב זֶה בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת עַתִּיק. כִּי חָרוּב הוּא בְּרוֹשִׁים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה י:): תַּחַת הַנַּעֲצוּץ יַעֲלֶה בְרוֹשׁ – זֶה מָרְדֳּכַי. וּמָרְדֳּכַי הוּא בְּחִינַת רַב חֶסֶד, כִּי הֵם בַּמִּסְפָּר הַשָּׁוֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עַתִּיק.
he noticed a man planting a charuv. He said to him… is it so obvious to you that you’ll live seventy years to eat from it?—“Charuv” is the aspect of an elder/ Atik. This is because charuv [alludes to] cypress trees, which are the aspect of Mordekhai. As our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “In place of the brier, a cypress shall rise” (Isaiah 55:13)—this is Mordekhai (Megillah 10b). And Mordekhai is the aspect of “abundant kindness”—since they are numerically equivalent—which is the aspect of Atik .
הַיְנוּ שֶׁרָאָה אֶחָד שֶׁעוֹסֵק בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת עַתִּיק כַּנַּ"ל. וְשָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ: מִי פְּשִׁיטָא לָךְ דְּחָיִית שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין. חָיִית, זֶה בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה, בְּחִינַת דִבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל. הַיְנוּ: כְּלוּם בָּחַנְתָּ לְעוֹרֵר עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים.
In other words, he noticed someone telling stories from ancient times, which are the aspect of Atik, as explained above. He asked him: “Is it so obvious to you that you’ll live seventy years?” “Live” is the aspect of rousing from sleep, the aspect of speech, as explained above. That is: Did you at all attempt to rouse people by telling stories of recent times?
וְאַכְלֵת מִנַּיְהוּ – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דְּבָרֶיךָ נִשְׁמָעִים, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים הֲגוּנִים.
to eat from it—This is the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth”—i.e., that your words should be heard; that the students should be worthy.
[הַיְנוּ שֶׁשָּׁאַל אוֹתוֹ: אֵיךְ אַתָּה עוֹסֵק לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת גְּבוֹהוֹת כָּאֵלֶּה שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת, שֶׁמָּא יִשְׁמְעוּ תַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים, שֶׁאֵינָם בִּבְחִינַת מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ כַּנַּ"ל, וְכִי כְּבָר נִסִּיתָ וּבָחַנְתָּ לְעוֹרֵר עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל בְּקֶרֶב שָׁנִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּתוֹךְ הַשִּׁבְעִים שָׁנִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים לַתּוֹרָה, וְעָלָה בְּיָדְךָ לְעוֹרְרָם מִשְּׁנָתָם עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה, כִּי הִגִּיעוּ דְּבָרֶיךָ לְתַלְמִידִים הֲגוּנִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ, בְּחִינַת: וְאַכְלֵת מִנַּיְהוּ כַּנַּ"ל, עַד שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה עַכְשָׁו, לַעֲסֹק עוֹד בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת הַגְּבוֹהִים יוֹתֵר, שֶׁהֵם סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת. וְאֵיךְ אֵין אַתָּה מִתְיָרֵא לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת גְּבוֹהִים כָּאֵלֶּה, אוּלַי יִשְׁמְעוּ תַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים].
{That is, he asked him: How can you engage in telling such exalted stories from ancient times, when unworthy students, who are not in the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth,” might hear you? Have you already attempted and tried to rouse them by telling stories of recent times, which are within the seventy years, the seventy faces of the Torah? [Have you] succeeded in rousing them from their sleep through this—by means of your words reaching worthy students, who are the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth,” the aspect of “to eat from it,” as explained above—so that you now want to engage in telling even more exalted stories, the stories from ancient times? How are you not afraid to tell such exalted stories as these, when unworthy students might hear you?}
אָמַר לֵהּ: אֲנָא עַלְמָא בְּחָרוּבָא אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּהּ – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ שֶׁאֲסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חָרוּבִים כַּנַּ"ל, אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְהָבִיא בְּחִינַת שִׁכְחָה, שֶׁהַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים יִהְיֶה נִשְׁכָּח מֵהֶם כַּנַּ"ל.
The man answered him, I found a world with carob trees—That is, even if I tell stories from ancient times, which are the aspect of charuv, as explained above, I can induce the aspect of forgetfulness, so that the unworthy students will forget it, as explained above.
[הַיְנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבֹאָר לְעֵיל, שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק שֶׁעוֹסֵק לְעוֹרֵר הָעוֹלָם מֵהַשֵּׁנָה עַל־יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹמְרוֹ, שֶׁדְּבָרָיו יִהְיוּ נִשְׁכָּחִין מִלֵּב הַתַּלְמִידִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים כַּנַּ"ל].
{That is, as clarified earlier, when the tzaddik attempts to rouse the world from sleep by telling stories, God protects him so that his words are forgotten from the hearts of unworthy students, as explained above.}
כִּי הֵיכֵי דִּשְׁתַלִי לִי אֲבָהָתִי, אֲנָא נַמִּי שְׁתַלִי לִבְנָאִי – הַיְנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוֹלִידוּ אוֹתִי עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת הַנַּ"ל, בִּבְחִינַת: לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים, לְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, הָכֵי נַמִּי שְׁתַלִי לִבְנָאִי, הַיְנוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה גַּם כֵּן נוֹלָדִים בָּנֵינוּ עַל יְדֵי זֶה כַּנַּ"ל:
Just as my fathers planted for me, I, too, am planting for my children—That is, just as I was born by means of the aforementioned telling of stories <from ancient times>, in the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute and unbinding the mouth of the barren, “I, too, am planting for my children”—i.e., our children, too, <will be> born through this, as explained above.
[פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ, שֶׁהוּא מֻכְרָח לְסַפֵּר סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת כָּאֵלֶּה, בִּשְׁבִיל פְּקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת. כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲבוֹתַי עָסְקוּ בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ הַהוֹלָדָה, בְּחִינַת פְּקִידוּת עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה הוֹלִידוּ אוֹתִי, כֵּן אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לְהוֹלִיד אֶת בָּנַי עַל יְדֵי זֶה, כִּי עִקַּר הַהוֹלָדָה נִמְשָׁךְ עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ: כִּי הֵיכֵי דִּשְׁתַלִי לִי אֲבָהָתִי, הָכִי נַמִּי שְׁתַלִי לִבְנָאִי כַּנַּ"ל]:
{The explanation: He said to him that he had to tell stories such as these in order that special providence be granted to barren women. Just as my fathers engaged in telling stories, and through this brought about procreation, the aspect of the special providence granted to barren women, as explained above, and as a result gave birth to me, so too, I have to give birth to my children by this means. This is because procreation is brought about mainly by means of storytelling, as explained above. This is: “Just as my fathers planted for me, I, too, am planting for my children,” as explained above.}
כָּרֵךְ רִפְתָּא, אַתְיָא לֵהּ שִׁינְתָא וְנַיִם – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאָכַל סְעֻדָּתוֹ, וְעַל יְדֵי הָאֲכִילָה בָּא עָלָיו שֵׁנָה וְנַיִם, הַיְנוּ שֶׁנָּפַל לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה לְפִי עֵרֶךְ מַדְרֵגָתוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הָאֲכִילָה, כַּמְבֹאָר לְעֵיל, שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים עַל יְדֵי הָאֲכִילָה יָכוֹל לִפֹּל לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה כַּנַּ"ל.
[Choni] sat down to eat a meal. Drowsiness overcame him and he slept—That is, he ate his meal, and as a result of eating became drowsy and slept—i.e., by eating, he fell into the aspect of sleep commensurate with his spiritual level. As clarified earlier, it sometimes happens that eating causes one to fall into the aspect of sleep.
הָדְרָא עֲלֵהּ מְשׁוּנִיתָא – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַסִּבּוּבִים וְהַדִּמְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁמְּחַזְּרִין וְסוֹבְבִין סָבִיב בִּשְׁעַת הַשֵּׁנָה.
A grotto formed around him—This is the aspect of the circling and the fantasies that keep going round and round at the time of sleep.
וְלָא יְדַע בִּרְיָתָא – כִּי הָעוֹלָם אֵין מַכִּירִין בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה, כִּי נִדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, וּבֶאֱמֶת הַכֹּל הוּא בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה כַּנַּ"ל.
[covered him from sight] so that no one knew—People do not recognize when someone is in the aspect of sleep. They think he is occupied with Torah and serving God, when in truth it is all the aspect of sleep, as explained above.
כִּי קָם אִתְעַר – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת מִלְּמַטָּה.
When he woke—This is the aspect of an arousal from below.
חַזְיֵהּ לְהַאי גַּבְרָא דְּאָכֵל מֵהַאי חָרוּבָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתוֹ עוֹסֵק בְּסִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת הַנַּ"ל. וְאָכֵל מֵהֶם – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מִן הַמֻּתָּר לְפִיךָ.
he noticed a man eating from that carob tree—That is, he saw him engaged in the aforementioned telling of stories. He was eating from them—i.e., the aspect of “from what is permitted to your mouth.”
אָמַר לֵהּ: יְדַעְתָּ מָאן שְׁתַלִי לְהַאי חָרוּבָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁמֵּאֵיזֶה זְמַן הוּא סִפּוּר הַמַּעֲשֶׁה הַזֹּאת, כִּי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁאֶחָד מְסַפֵּר מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה כְּבָר, וּבֶאֱמֶת לֹא הָיָה כִּי אִם לִפְנֵי אַרְבַּע שָׁנִים.
Do you know who planted this carob tree? he asked him—That is, [did he know] from which time this story comes; since it is possible for a person to tell a story [he thinks is] from <ancient times>, when in fact it took place only <three or> four years earlier.
אָמַר לֵהּ: אַבּוּהָּ דְּאַבָּא – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת עַתִּיק. הַיְנוּ, שֶׁהֵשִׁיב לוֹ, שֶׁהַסִּפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בָּהֶם, הֵם סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת שֶׁל שָׁנִים קַדְמוֹנִיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת עַתִּיק כַּנַּ"ל.
My grandfather, answered the man—This is the aspect of an elder/ Atik. That is, he answered him that the stories he tells are stories from ancient times, which are the aspect of an elder/ Atik, as explained above.
אָמַר: וַדַּאי נַיְמִי לִי שִׁבְעִין שְׁנִין – הַיְנוּ שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי נָפַל לִבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה מִכָּל הַשִּׁבְעִים פָּנִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת שִׁבְעִים שָׁנִים כַּנַּ"ל.
Surely I must have slept seventy years, [Choni] said—That is, he surely fell into the aspect of sleep from all the seventy faces, which are the aspect of seventy years, as explained above.
חֲזָא לְחַמְרֵהּ דְּקָא יְלַדָה לֵהּ רַמְכֵי רַמְכֵי – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת עֲשִׁירוּת, בְּחִינַת: יִשָּׂשׂכָר חֲמוֹר גָּרֶם; כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ עֲשִׁירוּת גָּדוֹל כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי עַל יְדֵי סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה מְעוֹרְרִין מֵהַשֵּׁנָה כַּנַּ"ל, עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים לְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת – שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִתְגַּלֶּה יִרְאָה, וְעַל יְדֵי הַיִּרְאָה נִמְשָׁךְ אֲרִיכוּת הַיָּמִים, בְּחִינַת זָקֵן, בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ הָעֲשִׁירוּת לְתוֹךְ הָאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים כַּנַּ"ל:
He saw his donkey, which had given birth to several generations of mules—This is the aspect of wealth, the aspect of “Yissakhar is a strong-boned donkey.” For this brings to great wealth, as explained above: By means of the aforementioned telling of stories, through which one rouses people from sleep, [the aspect of] unbinding the mouth of the mute <and> unbinding the mouth of the barren <is made>. Through this, fear is revealed. Fear brings to length-of-days/an elder/the rectifications of Atik, and this causes wealth to be infused into length-of-days, as explained above.
וְזֶה: פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְאָמַר: עֵת לַעֲשׂוֹת לַה' וְכוּ' –
11. And this [is the explanation of the opening passage]: Rabbi Shimon opened and said: “It is a time to do for God…” [Why is it “a time to do for God”? It is because “they have abrogated Your Torah.” What is “they have abrogated Your Torah”? This is the Supernal Torah, which would be nullified were this rectification not enacted. It refers to Atik Yomin. It is written: “Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you?” And it is written: “O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?” He called to Rabbi Elazar his son and seated him to his right, and to Rabbi Abba, [whom he seated] on the other side. Then he said: “We are the encompassment of all things. The rectifications have in the meanwhile been effected.” [The fellowship] was silent. Then they heard a sound, and their knees knocked together. What sound was it? It was the sound of the heavenly knufya (entourage) gathering.
דָּא תּוֹרָה דִּלְעֵלָּא דְּמִתְבַּטְּלָא אִי לָא אִתְעֲבֵד בְּתִקּוּנֵי דָּא, וּלְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין אִתְמַר – הַיְנוּ תּוֹרָה דִּלְעֵלָּא, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת הִתְבּוֹנְנוּת הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא מִתְבַּטֵּל וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְקַיֵּם, אִם אֵינוֹ נַעֲשֶׂה עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנִים הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק, בְּחִינַת אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים הַנַּ"ל.
This is the Supernal Torah, which would be nullified were this rectification not enacted. It refers to Atik Yomin—That is, the Supernal Torah, which is the aforementioned aspect of contemplation. It is nullified and cannot exist unless it is created by the aforementioned aspect of rectification. This is the aspect of the rectifications of Atik, the aspect of length-of-days mentioned above.
כְּתִיב: אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי כָמוֹךָ. וּכְתִיב: מִי כָמוֹךָ בָּאֵלִים ה' – זֶה בְּחִינַת אִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְתַתָּא, שֶׁהוּא שֶׁבַח שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמִּתְעוֹרְרִים מִלְּמַטָּה, בְּחִינַת: אַשְׁרֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִי כָמוֹךָ; וְאַחַר כָּךְ הוּא אִתְעָרוּתָא דִּלְעֵלָּא כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת: מִי כָמוֹכָה בָּאֵלִים ה'.
It is written: Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you? And it is written: O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?—This is the aspect of an arousal from below, which is praise for the Jews, who rouse themselves from below; the aspect of “Happy are you, O Israel! Who can compare to you?” Afterwards, there is an arousal from on high, as explained above. This is the aspect of “O God! Who among the mighty ones can compare to You?”
קָרָא לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵהּ וְכוּ' וּלְרַבִּי אַבָּא, וְאָמַר: אֲנַן כְּלָלָא דְּכֹלָּא – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שְׁלֵמוּת הַיִּרְאָה, שֶׁהוּא עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת שְׁלֹשָׁה קַוִּין הַנַּ"ל. בְּחִינַת: מוֹרָא שָׁמַיִם, וּמוֹרָא הָרַב, וּמוֹרָא אָב וָאֵם. נִמְצָא, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּנוֹ, וְרַבִּי אַבָּא תַּלְמִידוֹ, נִשְׁלָם הַיִּרְאָה. שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה בָּא אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנֵי עַתִּיק כַּנַּ"ל.
He called to Rabbi Elazar his son… and to Rabbi Abba… Then he said: We are the encompassment of all things—That is, the aspect of perfection of fear, which is produced by the aforementioned aspect of three lines: the aspect of fear of Heaven, fear of one’s master, and fear of one’s father and mother. Thus it is that fear is perfected through Rabbi Shimon, his son Rabbi Elazar, and his student Rabbi Abba. This brings to length-of-days, the aspect of the rectifications of Atik, as explained above.
אִשְׁתִּיקוּ, שְׁמַעוּ קָלָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאוֹתָן שֶׁהָיוּ בִּבְחִינַת שְׁתִיקָה, בְּחִינַת אִלְּמִים, וְלֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִים לְדַבֵּר עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה כַּנַּ"ל. שְׁמַעוּ קָלָא – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה, בְּחִינַת זַכָּאָה מָאן דְמַלֵּיל עַל אֻדְנָא דְּשָׁמַע כַּנַּ"ל.
They were silent. Then they heard a sound—That is, those that were in the aspect of mutes, who could not speak because of the aspect of sleep, as explained above. “Then they heard a sound”—i.e., the aspect of rousing from sleep, the aspect of “Fortunate is the one who speaks to ears that hear,” as explained above.
וְאַרְכְּבוּתֵהּ דָּא לְדָא נָקְשָׁן – זֶה בְּחִינַת הוֹלָדָה, בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג הַגּוּפָנִי. כִּי עַל יְדֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשֵּׁנָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת לְהַתִּיר פֶּה אִלְּמִים, עַל יְדֵי זֶה לְהַתִּיר פֶּה עֲקָרוֹת כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג הַנְּשִׁיקִין שֶׁקּוֹדֵם לַזִּוּוּג הַגּוּפָנִי כַּנַּ"ל.
and their knees knocked together—This is the aspect of procreation, the aspect of sexual union. By means of rousing from sleep, which is the aspect of unbinding the mouth of the mute, there is an unbinding of the mouth of the barren, as explained above. This is the aspect of union through kissing preceding sexual union, as explained above.
מַאי קָלָא, קָלָא דִּכְנוּפְיָא עִלָּאָה דְּמִתְכַּנְפֵי – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת, שֶׁמַּלְבִּישִׁין בָּהֶם אֶת הַפָּנִים שֶׁל תּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל. כִּי הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת הוּא בְּחִינַת כָּנָף, בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו ל׳:כ׳) וְלֹא יִכָּנֵף עוֹד מוֹרֶיךָ; וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה הַהִתְלַבְּשׁוּת מְעוֹרְרִין מֵהַשֵּׁנָה וּמַתְחִילִין לְדַבֵּר, בִּבְחִינַת (קהלת י׳:כ׳): וּבַעַל כְּנָפַיִם יַגֵּיד דָּבָר, הַכֹּל כַּנַּ"ל:
What sound was it ? It was the sound of the heavenly KNuFya gathering—That is, the aspect of telling stories, enclothing within them the faces of the Torah, as explained above. Enclothing is the aspect of KaNaF (a wing), the aspect of “Your Master will not yeKaNeF (conceal Himself) anymore” (Isaiah 30:20). And as a result of this enclothing, people are roused from sleep and begin to speak, in the aspect of “a winged creature will speak the word” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). All this, as has been explained above.