Translation:Likutei Halakhot/Yoreh Deah
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Worms[edit]
Halakhah 4[edit]
The subject of worms [tola`im], which are forbidden specifically when they creep on the earth. That is, worms that grow in vegetation attached to the ground, or on detached vegetation if [the worm] separates from it. In these cases they are prohibited due to "teeming things that teem on the earth" [Lev. 11]. But [those that form] on detached vegetation and have not separated from it are permitted.
Oth 1[edit]
First we shall explain some of the sparks that flash in my mind, some hints in the awesome story of the Seven Beggars in its story of the Sixth Day when the handless one came and boasted of the enormous awesomeness of the power in his hands. See the whole story there, regarding the king's daughter that the [evil] king captured, and he saw in a dream that she will kill him, and he thought about what to with her etc., and thereby the love between them deteriorated and she fled from him into the Watery Castle that has ten walls of water; and he pursued her with his army and shot all the ten arrows at her and they hit her; and she fled inside the ten walls of water and remain faint; and the handless one heals her, for he has such power in his hands that he can extract all the ten kinds of arrows, and can enter inside all the walls of water etc., and knows all the ten kinds of pulsebeats, and can play all the ten kinds of melody that are her healing etc. (take a good look there at all this):
Oth 2[edit]
The utmost meaning of this story is hidden away from all the worlds, but nevertheless all of us are permitted to seek and request some allusions in it, whatever we can find, as I understood from his words mentioned above. And the concept is that the king's daughter is the aspect of the Israelite souls that are called "king's daughter," the aspect of "Hear, daughter, and see" [Ps. 45:11], the aspect of "all-glorious is the king's daughter, within" [Ps. 45:13]. And the king who captured her is the Yetzer haRa`/Evil Inclination, the aspect of the "old and foolish king." And he saw in a dream that she would kill him, for he himself sees and discerns that ultimately the souls of Yisrael will overcome him, kill him and expel him from the world, in the aspect of, "and the spirit of impurity I will drive away from the earth" [Zach. 13:2]. And this is the aspect of slaying the Angel of Death, who is the Yetzer haRa`, the aspect of "sacrificing the Todah/Thanksgiving offering" [Ps. 50:23], which our Rabbis z"l expounded (Sanh. 43b) is someone who sacrifices his Yetzer haRa` etc.
And he devised evil thoughts about her, what to do to her, and thereby the love between them deteriorated and she fled from him. That is, because the Yetzer haRa`, even when the Israelite lifeforce [nefesh] is subjugated under it, on account of seeing she will ultimately defeat him etc. and thereby he begins to devise thoughts on the lifeforce, what to do to it — thereby the love between them deteriorates. For at first there was a little affection and tie between the Israelite soul and the Yetzer haRa`. For due to the enormity of her exile while captive to him, she forgot her eminence so much that she had a little affection and tie with him. But on account of her lifeforce seeing and discerning that he devises thoughts on her and wants to exterminate her entirely, God forbid, thereby she begins to bolster herself against him and devise thoughts against him, how to escape from him. So the love and connection between them spoils, until she escapes from him, in the aspect of, "Jacob fled" [Gen. 31:22], who is the generality of the Israelite lifeforce (as explained before elsewhere), the aspect of, "that the people had fled" [Ex. 14:5], and as Dawidh Hamelekh a"h said, "Who would give me a limb like a dove? ... I would haste me to a shelter" etc. [Ps. 55:7,9].
And the king took his whole army and pursued her. For the Yetzer haRa` collected all his forces and chased after the Israelite lifeforce, for when he sees the vitality wants to escape from him and she flees from him, then he collects all his forces and chases her. For the more her vitality fortifies itself against him, the more he fortifies himself against her; and as our Rabbis z"l said, "The greater the person, the greater his Yetzer" [Suk. 52a]. And he reached her at the Watery Castle that has ten walls of water etc., and she fled into this castle, and passed through and entered in all the ten walls of water, until she reached inside etc. Water is the aspect of the consciousness and the Torah which is called "water," as it says, "And the earth shall be full of knowledge of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea" [Isa. 11:8], and like it says, "Ho, everyone that thirsts, come for water" [ibid. 55:1]. And there, they are ten walls of water; this is the aspect of the Torah as a whole that is composed of the Ten Commandments which are the aspect of ten levels of prophecy (as explained in the torah "Tik`u", LM II #8:3).
And it is impossible to go in the waters of knowing Hashem, except through the Torah which is the aspect of walls and dividers within the waters of knowledge that wash like the sea, as whoever enters them drowns. For on account of Knowledge’s vastness it cannot be received, and it is impossible to enter the knowledge of Hashem — on account of the aspect of Ribui Or/Overload of Light, for "too much oil causes the lamp to go out," as is known — except by the power of the Torah, the foundation of which is Emunah, the aspect of "All your mitzwoth are Emunah" [Ps. 119:86]. And Emunah is called a "Wall," as it says, "I am a wall" etc. [Song 8:10], and Rashi explains that Emunah is strong like a wall. And whoever is within the realm of accepting the Torah, who knows by himself, or has received from his rabbis the ways of the gates of these walls of water which are the ways of the Torah, he can enter in them, through all the ten walls, into the very interior. But whoever does not know the ways of the Torah and enters in the Sea of Wisdom and the Knowledge without the Torah, drowns and sinks there unto destruction, which is the aspect of all the naturalistic probing wise men, who are the aspect of the evil kingship, who entered the Sea of Knowledge without the Torah and sank in the apostasy and thereby lost out from both worlds.
But the Israelite soul fled inside all the ten walls, until she entered inside the interior. That is, she fled from the Yetzer haRa` into the Torah, as our Rabbis z"l said, "If this wretched one assails you, drag him to the Beith Midrash" etc. [Kid. 30a]. And he ordered to shoot her with all the ten kinds of arrows. This is the aspect of the enormity of the surge and the fight, as he most attacks Talmidei Chakhamim who delve in the Torah, for the depths of the sea surge upon them the most, as is known, as our Rabbis said, that he leaves the other nations in peace and just attacks Yisrael, and not only that, but he leaves all Yisrael in peace and only attacks Talmidei Chakhamim, as written, "For he has done great things" [Joel 2:20], as he extends his hand upon great figures [Suk. 52a].
And this is the aspect of all the ten kinds of arrows that he shot at the king's daughter who fled inside the walls of water. That is, he fired all the kinds of bad poison he has, and bolstered himself with all his powers, with all the aspect of the "Ten Crowns of Impurity" against the soul of the Talmid Chakham which fled into the Torah. And she fled inside all the ten walls of water, which is the Torah as mentioned, and remained faint on account of the bad poison arrows that he shot at her. And he, that is, the handless one who had wondrous power in his hand, heals her.
And the essence of her healing is by means of the ten kinds of melody which are the aspect of joy, as it says, "On the ten-stringed, and with the psaltery... for You, Hashem, have made me glad through your work" [Ps. 92:4-5] (as our Rabbis z"l have said). For the essence of the arrows, which are the surge of the Sitra Achra, is by means of melancholy, the aspect of "and dust shall be the Serpent's food" [Isa. 65:25]; dust is the aspect of melancholy and sloth, as Rabbeinu z"l said (LM #189), that the essence of the Yetzer haRa`'s attack is in blemishing the Covenant, God forbid, for "the essence of the Yetzer haRa` is for forbidden relations" etc., as Rabbeinu z"l said. And the essence of sexual craving and blemish of the Covenant is by means of melancholy (as I heard from Rabbeinu z"l, and as brought in his words many times). And therefore the Qelipah that is strengthened in blemish of the Covenant is named "Lilith," after the yelalah/wailing and melancholy.
And therefore Rabbeinu z"l established ten psalm songs to repair the Covenant, which are the aspect of the ten kinds of melody, the aspect of joy. For the essence of Covenant blemish is by means of melancholy, the aspect of, "and it grieved Him at His heart" [Gen. 6:6] that is said of the generation of the Flood, who blemished the Covenant and "corrupted their way on the earth" [ibid :12]. And conversely the repair of the Covenant is by means of joy, the aspect of the ten kinds of melody. And thus Rabbeinu z"l wrote elsewhere (in LM #24), that the essence of the Shekhinah's exile is melancholy etc., and similarly in many places. Therefore the essence of the king's daughter's healing, the aspect of the Israelite vitality, is ten kinds of melody, the aspect of joy as mentioned.
And it is necessary to know all the ten kinds of pulsebeats, and this person knows by having power in his hands to give wisdom to all the appointees in the world (as written there in the story; see there). For he needs to know the sicknesses and the descent of each person. And this is the aspect of knowing the pulsebeat of the king's daughter, the aspect of the Israelite vitality. And this is the aspect of, "Take unto you Yehoshu`a... a man in whom is spirit, and lay your hand upon him" [Num. 27:18]. Laying the hands is the aspect of this power of giving wisdom with his hands. And this is, "a man in whom is spirit," as he knows how to deal with every person's spirit, as he knows the pulse spirit of each one, as he knows the pulses, which are the aspect of spirit; all their lackings and illnesses, and how to go about their healing and draw unto them the repair of joy from the aspect of the ten kinds of melody.
Oth 3[edit]
And Rabbeinu z"l's words, especially this story, apply in general and in particular in every regard. For in general, the king's daughter is the aspect of the Holy Kingship, which is the root of all the souls, the root of all the worlds, as they all were created to reveal His Kingship through lowly mankind specifically. And the king who took her is the Evil Kingship that is drawn from the slag of the "Primordial Kings that died" and were broken and left behind 288 Sparks, and from them is the nursing of the Qelipoth, that aspect of the Wicked Kingship that always wants to overcome the Holy Kingship, to take the Holy Kingship, the aspect of the King's Daughter, to itself, to conceal His Blessed Kingship from the world.
And her fleeing into the water is the aspect of, "and the earth was astonishingly void, and darkness" etc. [Gen. 1], which this is the aspect of the destroyed worlds from which the Evil Kingship gets power, from which the ten kinds of arrow get power. And "the spirit of God" is the spirit of Mashiach; the Holy Kingship is the Mashiach's Kingship, which is when His Blessed Kingship will be revealed to everyone's eyes. "Hovering over the face of the water," is the aspect of the ten walls of water into which the Holy Kingship, Mashiach's Kingship, fled. And this is the "hovering" — like one who is become sickly, weak and nearly expired, God forbid, his spirit just hovering. And "water" is the secret of the new MaH light, which is the World of Repair, for water is the aspect of MaH in accord with the root of the four Elements, for it is known in the Arizal's writings that there is the aspect of TaNT"A (Ta`amim/Cantillations, Nequdoth/Vowel-spots, Tagim/Crowns, Otiyoth/Letters), and they are the aspect of AB SaG MaH BaN, and they are ABY"A (Atziluth/Emanation, Beriyah/Creation, Yetzirah/Formation, `Asiyah/Completion), and from them descend the Four Elements, Fire-Spirit-Water-Earth, which are the aspect of Inanimate-Botanic-Animal-Speaking. And the essence of the Breaking was in the aspect of BaN, so the repair is by the new MaH lights. Hence, the breaking was in the aspect of Dust, which is the aspect of Completion, where the main grip of the Qelipoth is, the aspect of, "and the Serpent's bread shall be dust." And the repair was by the aspect of Water which pertains to MaH.
For, the root of Fire-Spirit-Water-Dust is the aspect of AB SaG MaH BaN. Hence Dust is the aspect of BaN, as that is where the Breaking occurred, and Water is the aspect of MaH, as the repair is from there. And therefore waters purify from all impurities and one cannot enter any sanctity except by purification and immersion in water. The Kohanim at their service, the purification of a woman for her husband, the purification of all Yisrael entering the Covenant at the giving of the Torah, and the purification of the convert when he enters the Yisraelite religion — they are all purified by water. For Water is the aspect of the light of MaH, which is the aspect of the repair, as the essence of purity stems from there. But since the Evil Kingship prevailed against the Holy Kingship, even though it fled into the water — for it had shot all the ten kinds of arrows at it, for even after the repair it was still not perfectly repaired and there remained 288 Sparks among the Qelipoth, which the Qelipoth derive strength from, and from which are drawn the ten kinds of arrows, which are the aspect of "Ten Crowns of Impurity" which are all drawn from that slag, as they assail even after the beginning of the repair, by means of the Sparks that remained among them — thus on account of this, water is prone to impurity, for impurity stalks it exceedingly. For when some repair is begun, as long as it is not perfectly finished, they assail it and stalk it exceedingly, like two people fighting, when one sees the other winning and then he bolsters himself against him and assails him all the more (as explained elsewhere).
Oth 4[edit]
And this is the aspect of the parting of the Sea of Reeds, the aspect of, "and the waters, a wall to them" [Ex. 14:22] that is drawn from the aspect of those ten walls, for Yisrael as a whole are the aspect of the king's daughter, the Holy Kingship that is comprised of the souls of Yisrael. And the other king took her, the aspect of Par`oh king of Mitzrayim, and his power is from his angel the S"M, who is the minister of Mitzrayim as is brought. And this is the secret of Sarah being taken to Par`oh's house and to Avimelekh's house, as all this hints to the Mitzrayim exile, for all this is the aspect of the king's daughter's being taken unto that king. And the Evil Kingship saw she would ultimately rise up and kill him, the aspect of, "And Hashem plagued Par`oh and his house over the thing of Sarah" etc., and the scripture, "And God came to Avimelekh in a night dream and said to him, Behold, you die because of the woman that you have taken" etc.
And similarly afterwards when he wanted to seize all of Yisrael in exile, it is written, "Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply... and fight against us, and go up from the land" [Ex. 1:10], for the Evil Kingship sees from afar that their end is to be cut off, therefore they devise thoughts what to do to the king's daughter, which are Yisrael as a whole, until finally she fled from him, the aspect of, "And it was told to the king of Mitzrayim that the people were fled" [Ex. 14:5]. So they came and told him that she is found by the Watery Castle, and the king and his forces went to capture her, the aspect of, "And Par`oh harnessed his chariot and took his people with him [v. 6] ... and overtook them encamped by the sea [v. 9]." So she fled into the water and entered inside all the ten walls, for all the walls of water opened for them, the aspect of, "and the water, a wall for them." And thereby she traversed the sea in peace, the aspect of, "and the Yisraelites went on dry land in the sea" [v. 29]. But Par`oh and his army who pursued them drowned in the sea.
And his firing all the ten arrows at her, this is the aspect of, "And the angel of God moved... and went behind them" [v. 19]. And Rashi explained that they received all of Mitzrayim's arrows and ballista projectiles, and even though the angel of God, which is the Shekhinah, absorbed the arrows and thereby Yisrael were saved and traversed the sea in peace, nevertheless the poison of Mitzrayim's arrows reached Yisrael and harmed them, for the war was immense both above and below, spiritually and physically, as is brought. And as it says (v. 10), "and behold, Mitzrayim was advancing after them," as they saw the angel of Mitzrayim advancing after them to assist, and when the angel, which is the S"M, saw Yisrael fleeing into the sea and the sea spitting before them and the water a wall for them, then he fired the arrows at them, as he assaulted them and cast the arrows' poison at them, which are the foreign ideologies of apostasy and idolatry, which this is the aspect of, "but they were rebellious at the sea, at the sea of Reeds" [Ps. 106:7], as they said, "Just as we are going out from this side [Mitzrayim is going out of the sea from another side]," as it says, "and trouble shall pass through the sea" [Zech. 10:11], as even then there was some apostasy in Yisrael, as some bad mindsets were cast at them that were drawn from the aspect of the arrows shot at them.
And from this come all the trials wherewith our fathers tested Hakadosh Barukh Hu: with the Calf, the Spies etc. And they are Ten Trials that are drawn from the ten arrows that he fired at them into the ten walls of water; and still we are not healed from them. And from this come all the maladies of Kenesseth Yisrael in her exile, crying, "Sustain me with flagons/cakes, spread my bed with swollen fruit, for I am love-sick" [Song 2:5]. The aspect of "acquainted with disease" [Isa. 53:3], the aspect of, "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises" etc. [ibid. 1:6], as all these illnesses are drawn from the ten kinds of arrows which are all the Qelipah's powers and the Yetzer Hara's armies as whole, which cast their arrows' poison at the souls of Yisrael, whence come all the apostasy, doubts, confusions, obstacles and bad cravings, and everything that masks, cuts off and obstructs from following Hashem Yithbarakh; in regard to both individuals and the whole of Yisrael, the exile extending so long — everything is drawn from this aspect of the ten kinds of arrows, the aspect of, "Your arrows are gone deep into me" etc. [Ps. 38:3], cried by Dawidh Hamelekh a"h, who is the aspect of the Holy Kingship, the King's daughter, the aspect of the the souls of Yisrael as a whole. And this is the aspect of (Lam. 3:12), "He has bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow," which is said of Yisrael's exile as a whole. And this is the aspect of, "They have set their arrow on the bowstring, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart" [Ps. 11:2].
And the king's daughter could not endure the pain of the poison of the arrows smeared in extremely bad and grievous poisons, especially for such a long time. But Hashem Yithbarakh "made the cure before the blow," for her, by helping her flee inside the ten walls of water, which are the Torah — for the Torah is the essence of Life and Healing, for "Hashem's Torah is perfect, the restorer of vitality" [Ps. 19:7] — from the paths of death to the ways of life, for Kenesseth Yisrael which fled into the waters of the Torah, thereby has power to endure the bitterness of the exile which is the aspect of the arrows' bitterness. And had she not fled into the Torah she would not have potential to endure at all. But by means of the Torah, even though the arrows have reached her even there, as mentioned, presently she has the potential to anyhow endure by the power of the Torah, which is the essence of vitality, the aspect of, "precisely it is your vitality" [Deut. 30:20] and Hashem Yithbarakh "gives strength to the weary" and gives her power to endure the arrows' bitterness by the Torah's power, until ultimately the True Healer comes, who is this handless one, and heals her perfectly, as mentioned.
This is the meaning of [Ex. 15:1], "Az yashir Moshe/Then Moshe will sing:" It says "will sing" rather than "sang." From here we learn that Moshe will sing in a future time to come. For even though they sang a jubilant song at that time, they still did not attain drawing all the ten types of melody perfectly, to finish the King's Daughter's healing perfectly. They only drew sanctity and emanation from the Ten Types of Melody from which they attained the Song at the Sea. But the essential Song in its perfection will only be in the future, when Mashiach, who is Moshe himself, will come. For "Mah-shehayah hu sheyihyeh/ that which was is that which will be" [Eccl. 1:9], as is known; the aspect of, "Az yashir Moshe/ Then Moshe will sing" — "then" specifically, Moshe will perfectly sing all the the ten types of melody [Pesachim 117a; Zohar III:101a; LM I:205; II:92; Tikkun haKlali], whereupon the healing of the King's Daughter, who is the aspect of the Shekhinah and Kenesseth Yisrael, will be complete. For then there will be aroused a New Song, the aspect of, "Mizmor, shiru Lashem shir chadash, ki-nifla'oth asah/ A song, Sing to Hashem a new song: for he has done wondrous things" [Ps. 98:1], which is the aspect of the "Song of Wonders," the Song that is Single, Double, Triple and Quadruple [Y YH YHW YHWH, see TZ 51b], that will be "awoken" in the future.
And therefore they concluded, "Hashem will reign forever and ever" — a future tense — for, the revelation of His kingship, which is the aspect of the healing of the King's Daughter, who is the Dominion of Holiness, will be in the future, as His kingship will be revealed before the eyes of all; the aspect of, "And Hashem will be King over all the earth" [Zach. 14:9]. And then the joy and happiness will be perfect in all the worlds, through the ten types of melody being aroused, which are the aspect of joy as mentioned. And this is the aspect of [Ps. 99], "Hashem has reigned, the earth will rejoice," the aspect of (Ps. 96:11), "The heavens will be joyous, the earth will rejoice, and they will say among the nations, Hashem has reigned."
Then will be fulfilled the verse (Ps. 47:7-8), "Make music (zammeru) to God, make music; make music to our King, make music. For God is King of all the earth" etc. For the essential revelation of His Blessed kingship, the aspect of the King's Daughter's healing mentioned above, is through music and melody, the aspect of the ten types of melody mentioned, the aspect of "Acknowledge Hashem on the harp, play to Him on the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing to Him a new song," etc. (Ps. 33:2-3), and many such verses explaining the revelation of His Blessed kingship through song, music, and melody, which all of this is the aspect of the ten types of melody, which are the King's Daughter's healing, which is the aspect of the revelation of Holy Kingship, namely to know that the Kingship is Hashem's.
Oth 5[edit]
And behold, when you finely examine this story's words, you will find that Rabbeinu z"l spoke of four things, and each of the four are composed of ten. And they are:
- Ten kinds of arrows
- Ten kinds of walls of water, which are ten kinds of charity
- Ten kinds of pulsebeats, which are ten measures of wisdom.
- Ten kinds of melody, which are the aspect of [balancing the ten winds]
(see there, the whole story).
"And knowledge is easy to one who discerns" [Prob. 14:6]; they allude to the Four Worlds ABY"A (Atziluth/Emanation, Beriyah/Creation, Yetzirah/Formation, `Asiyah/Completion), and all the aspects of these four I related above, that they are the aspect of TaNT"A, which are Ta`amim/Cantillations, Nequdoth/Vowel-spots, Tagim/Crowns, Otiyoth/Letters), which are the aspect of the four Names AB etc., which are the root of the four worlds ABY"A, Atziluth/Emanation, Beriyah/Creation, Yetzirah/Formation, `Asiyah/Completion, which are the aspect of the Four Elementals, Fire, Spirit, Water, Earth, which are Inanimate, Botanic, Animal, Speaking (as brought in the Writings and as mentioned).
And this is known, that each of these four things are comprised of ten Sefiroth, as is known, for `Asiyah is the aspect of Letters, the aspect of BaN, whence is the elemental of Dust, corresponding to Inanimate, comprised of ten. And similarly Yetzirah, the aspect of MaH, Crowns etc. And similarly the rest. And this is the aspect of the four aspects of ten each, that are explained in the story. For ten arrows are the aspect of `Asiyah, for there in `Asiyah is the main grip of the Qelipoth and the Sitra Achra, as is known, whence are all the arrows that afflict the Shekhinah and Kenesseth Yisrael, the aspect of the Holy Kingship, the aspect of the king's daughter. Ten kinds of walls of water are the aspect of Yetzirah, which is the aspect of MaH, which is the aspect of the elemental Water etc. (as explained above). Ten kinds of pulsebeats are the aspect of Beriyah corresponding to SaG, the aspect of vowel spots etc. as mentioned, for the ten kinds of pulsebeats are the aspect of spots, as brought in the Tikkunim, "Sometimes [the spirit] beats.. like a tzere.. and sometimes like a sheva, or qamatz" etc.; see there [TZ 108a]. Ten kinds of melody are the aspect of Atziluth corresponding to cantillations etc. as mentioned. For cantillations are the aspect of the ten kinds of melody, the aspect of playing the accents. Hence the four aspects in the story are the four aspects TaNT"A, the aspect of the four Names etc., that include all the worlds. And all the repairs included in all of them need to be drawn forth, all in order to heal the Queen's Daughter, to save her from that king etc., from the Evil Kingship. For the essence of the uncoiling of the worlds from head to bottom, was all for the sake of Malkhuth/Kingship, in order to reveal His Kingship, as is known.
| Y-H-W-H | Y | H | W | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TaNT"A | Ta`amim/Cantillations | Nequdoth/Vowel-spots | Tagim/Crowns | Otiyoth/Letters |
| Expansions | AB | SaG | MaH | BaN |
| ABY"A | Atziluth/Emanation | Beriyah/Creation | Yetzirah/Formation | `Asiyah/Completion |
| Elements | Fire | Spirit | Water | Earth |
| Kingdom | Speaking | Animal | Botanic | Inanimate |
| 7 Beggars Day 6 | Ten kinds of melody — [balancing the ten winds] | Ten pulsebeats/vowel spots — ten measures of wisdom | Ten walls of water — ten charities | Ten arrows |
Oth 6[edit]
Hence `Asiyah, the aspect of Dust, is where is the main grip of the arrows, which are the aspect of the Qelipoth's and Sitra Achra's onslaughts. Therefore whatever is closer to the earth is more gripped by impurity. Therefore worms that creep on the earth, which are closer to the earth than all animals, as they creep and swarm right on the ground, are thus all forbidden, as no sort of them are permitted for consumption. For they are all forbidden due to "a creeping thing that creeps on the earth" — "creeps on the earth" specifically, for that is where the most grip of the Sitra Achra is, the aspect of "and dust shall be the serpent's food," the aspect of, "and dust you shall eat all the days of your life." And thus from there are all the ten kinds of arrows, as mentioned; therefore they are all forbidden. But the worms in detached vegetation as long as they are not separated, which are not in the category of "creeping on the earth," are permitted. For the essence of the prohibition is on account of them creeping on the earth, where is the main grip of the Sitra Achra, the aspect of the arrows as mentioned.
Oth 7[edit]
And this is the aspect of the Parashah of the Korban Tamid/Continual Offering which we recite in the morning [Num. 28], which is for purifying and repairing the world of `Asiyah, as is known. And the essential thing is to subdue the Qelipah called "TOLA`/Worm," through the aspect of "`OLAT tamid/Continual Burnt-Up Offering" (as brought in the Qawanoth). For, there, in `Asiyah, is the main grip of the aspect of TOLA`, which is an utterly hard Qelipah, as from it descend all the worms that swarm on the earth, which are the power of `Asiyah's impurity, which are subdued by the Qorbanoth/Offerings, the aspect of Korban Tamid, the aspect of `Olat Tamid as mentioned. For, the Qorbanoth are extremely lofty, and they have the power to purify the force of `Asiyah's impurity (as explained in the Ketavim).
For, explained in this story is that this person had such power in his hands, that when he shoots an arrow, he can bring it back etc. And thereby he has power in his hands to heal the Queen's Daughter etc.; see there. Now, seemingly it is puzzling why he mentioned in his boasting that he shoots an arrow and brings it back; shouldn't he just mention that he can bring back and take out the arrows, which is the essence of the story, as thereby he heals the Queen's Daughter, as he removes from her all the arrows that the king shot at her? So what is the benefit of shooting the arrows, as he mentions he can shoot the arrows and bring them back? Wouldn't it be better that he not shoot them at all? But, even the aspect of shooting the arrows is needed for the healing, and this is the secret of "sweetening the decrees at their root." And therefore it is impossible to remove the arrows that the king shot at her except by him shooting arrows at her and drawing them back, and thereby automatically extracting and nullifying all the bad arrows that the king shot at her. For the Wicked Kingship's arrows, which are the assault of the Qelipah, are all drawn from the power of the Strictures, as is known, and it is impossible to extract and nullify them except by sweetening the judgements, and the judgements are impossible to sweeten except at their root, as mentioned. And therefore this one with the power, who occupies himself in healing the King's daughter, cannot heal her except by shooting, at her, arrows that are the aspect of the root of the judgements. But these arrows, the aspect of strictures, are not harmful to her; just the opposite, thereby specifically he sweetens all the judgements at their root and removes from her all the arrows that were shot at her and he heals her.
And this is the aspect of slaughtering the Qorbanoth, which purify the `Asiyah, which is where the grip of the ten kinds of bad arrows is. For, a sword or knife of slaughter is the aspect of the force of judgement, from which descends the grip of the Sitra Achra, as they are the aspect of the aforementioned arrows, as they are the aspect of `Esau's sword, the aspect of, "and you shall live by your sword" [Gen. 27:40]. And `ESau is named after `ASiyah, for he is the force of `Asiyah's impurity, for sword and arrows are one aspect, as it says (Prov. 25), "An axe, a sword, and a sharpened arrow." And similarly, in holiness, with Hashem Yithbarakh it is written, "If I have twofold [unleashed] My sword [like] lightning {i.e. as lightning flashes from one end of the sky across to the other end, against My people in retribution}, My hand will yet have hold on [strict] justice..." [Deut. 32:41], and Rashi explains, "Flesh and blood shoots an arrow and cannot retrieve it, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, shoots an arrow and does retrieve it." And Rabbeinu z"l brought this verse regarding this story; see there. Hence, sword and arrow are one facet; that is, through slaughtering the Qorbanoth with sword and knife — which are the aspect of arrows, the aspect of the force of judgement in holiness as mentioned — thereby are removed from the beast all the arrows of the Sitra Achra, which are the bad admixture, which is the force of beastly spirit in which it is gripped. And by the sword of slaughter, all the judgements are sweetened at their root and all the bad is removed from it, and human spirit is refined from beastly spirit, the good from the bad, by this aspect of shooting arrows and returning them, which this is the aspect of slaughter, as mentioned. And therefore the essence of slaughter is by to and fro motion, as our Rabbis z"l said: long enough to move to and fro, is the required length of a knife. For the essence of slaughter is in the aspect of to and fro motion, the aspect of the arrows being shot and brought back, which is the aspect of sweetening the judgements at their root as mentioned.
And this is the aspect of Rabbeinu z"l saying in the torah "Tik`u Tokhachah" (LM II #8) regarding the strong person who can, with proper intent, utter prayer in the aspect of judgement, that specifically through this he can extract from the Sitra Achra all that it swallowed in holiness, by prayer in the aspect of judgement, etc.; see there. This is as mentioned above, for when the prayer was in the aspect of judgement, by means of the compassion being spoiled and the sexual craving waxing strong etc., then the Sitra Achra swallows the prayer. And when the Sitra Achra grows strong, this is the aspect of the arrows shot at the Shekhinah, as it were. And then this one with the power needs to pray specifically prayer in the aspect of judgement, which is where the Sitra Achra nurses from, and therefore this prayer is also the aspect of arrows. But specifically through this strong person's prayer in the aspect of judgement, he removes all the arrows from the Shekhinah, from the King's Daughter. For specifically by this strong man's prayer, he subdues and nullifies the Sitra Achra and removes out of its mouth what it swallowed, whereby the arrows that it shot at the King's Daughter are nullified, which all this is the aspect of sweetening the judgements at their root, as also explained before. And see elsewhere where it is explained that this is the aspect of slaughter, which pertains to prayer, in the judgement aspect of the strong person, namely as mentioned (and see more about this below, if Hashem wills it).
Oth 8[edit]
And this is the aspect of fish and locust needing no slaughter. And our Rabbis z"l learned it out from the verse, "and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that swarms" etc. [Lev. 11:46], that locust are like fish and so require no slaughter. For there is reason to say that the matter of the Watery Castle in the story alludes to secret of the wisdom and intelligence that exists in the Chalal haPanui/Vacated Space that was generated by the Tzimtzum/Constriction, as is known. But first you need to take a thorough look at the torah "Go to Par`oh" (LM #64). And further, look at what I found in the handwriting of Rabbeinu z"l himself, as he wrote that torah in his own holy words:
And this is the aspect of the Watery Castle, for it is explained there in that story in these words, "For there is a Watery Castle, and there they are ten walls one within the other, all of water, and even the floor they walk on there inside the castle is also of water. And likewise there are trees and fruits there, all of water. And the beauty and great marvel of this castle needs no telling, for it is definitely a most wondrous marvel, since it is a castle of water. To enter in this castle is impossible, for whoever would enter it would drown in the water, since it is entirely water. But the Queen's Daughter fled there" etc.; see there.
And there is reason to say that all this alludes to the secret of the Vacated Space from which He constricted His light, making it seem there is no light of wisdom and intellect there, therefore it is truly impossible to find His Godliness there through any wisdom or intellect. But in truth, even in the Vacated Space itself there is His Blessed light, which is wisdom and intelligence, only this intellect that is hidden and secret pertaining to the Vacated Space's constriction is impossible to reach and discern now until the future to come, when the Vacated Space will be revealed that it is [B"R 21:5], "like the locust [qamtza], whose vestment is part of itself" [lit. "whose clothing is of Him and in Him"], which this is the aspect of, "And my righteousness will testify for me at a future date" etc. [Gen. 30:33], the aspect of, "I donned righteousness" [Job. 29:14]. (Take a good look at all this there.)
Hence, even the constriction itself, which is the Vacated Space, with Wisdom becomes like all of Creation itself, as by Wisdom it becomes the aspect of, "With wisdom You have made them all" [Ps. 104:24], only it is impossible to discern it in this world with this intellect, how in truth even in the Vacated Space there is His Blessed light, which is the light of Wisdom. But nevertheless it is vacated in order that there should be space for Creation. This is absolutely impossible to grasp presently with human intellect until the future to come (as thoroughly explained there; see there).
And this is the aspect of the ten walls of water, for water is the aspect of wisdom and intelligence, the aspect of, "And the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea" [Isa. 11:9]. And there in the aspect of water, namely in the aspect of the true wisdom and intellect that will be revealed in the future, there is a Castle of Water which is ten walls of water etc., which are wondrous and awesome structures, and fruits etc., and it is all of water. And this is impossible at all to discern with our intellect, how structures are built of the water itself; but this itself is the aforementioned aspect, the aspect of the Vacated Space mentioned, that in truth it has intelligence, and everything is generated from His intelligence, which is the aspect of water. Namely, all of Creation and all the constriction of Creation which is the Vacated Space, is all generated by His Blessed charity, which is the aspect of water, only it is impossible to discern this. And this is the aspect of the Watery Castle that has ten walls etc., all of water, for water is the aforementioned aspect of intelligence.
And ten walls allude to all of Creation which was created with Ten Utterances, which are the aspect of Ten Repairs, the aspect of the Ten Sefiroth; and all these Ten Repairs, Ten Sefiroth, Ten Utterances, which are the entirety of Creation, would be impossible to extract and reveal except by the the Vacated Space's Constriction, for otherwise there would be no space for Creation, as mentioned. But nevertheless in real truth there too in the Vacated Space itself there is intellect and awareness. Hence it is not vacated, only this is impossible to discern as mentioned. Hence, all of Creation in entirety and all the constriction of the Vacated Space, everything is generated from the water itself, which is the aspect of intelligence, only it is impossible to discern this through intellect. And therefore in truth this Castle of Water is a wondrous marvel and there is no man who can enter it because he would drown in the water, as it is boundless. For there is definitely no one who can enter in the Vacated Space to probe this intelligence, for he would drown there, for regarding this it says [Prov. 2:19], "None who go to her return" (as explained there in that torah).
And therefore also in physical Creation, everything is created from water, for Hashem Yithbarakh created water first in all of Creation, as our Rabbis z"l said: First the world was water in water [Y. Chagiga 2:1], then He created all of creation in entirety from the water, as it says [Gen. 1], "Let the waters gather together... and let the dry land appear" etc. Hence Dust itself was generated from Water, and then He created from Dust all the earthly derivatives. Hence everything was generated from water, for the earth and the dust itself was generated from the water as mentioned, like it says, "Who spread out the earth over the water" [Ps. 136:6], and all this alludes that everything was generated and descended from the aspect of the aforementioned ten walls of water, which are the root of all Creation entirely that was generated by Wisdom within the Constriction, as He constricted the light of His Wisdom to the sides, and the Wisdom is the aspect of water, as mentioned. And in truth even the Constriction itself is from Water, for in the Constriction as well is hidden and concealed wisdom and intellect, only it is imperceptible. Hence everything is from water, as all the Constrictions, which are the entirety of Creation with all its constriction, are all from water, for all is from [His] wisdom and intellect, only this is incomprehensible, for it is forbidden to probe the aspect of the Vacated Space as mentioned.
And therefore in this physical world the main part of Creation is founded on physical dust, because Man — who has free will, who is the essence, as for him all was created — was created on the earth specifically, for it was necessary to constrict the water until there was earthly dust in order that man and all that was created could exist on it. For man cannot enter in water, for there it is the secret of the Constriction's intellect, mentioned above, that will not be revealed until the future when shall be fulfilled, "And the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea" — "as the waters cover the sea" specifically, namely the awareness will be tangibly shown like the waters that cover the sea, which have the aspect of the ten walls of water, which are drawn from the secret of the intellect of the Vacated Space's Constriction as mentioned.
And in the future this awareness will be revealed, for they will know Hashem with a wondrous intellect, that even though He constricted His light to the sides in order for there to be place for Creation, nevertheless "there is no place void of Him" and He fills all the worlds and pervades them etc. For they will attain the intellect of the Vacated Space, and the earth will be filled with all this awareness "like the waters that cover the sea" specifically, namely they will know that all this is like the waters that cover the sea, where there are ten walls that until now have not been revealed in the world; but then they will attain those ten walls. And like the perceptions of these ten walls, which are the aspect of the waters that cover the sea, so will they be aware of Hashem, for it is all one aspect as mentioned. For as long as the intellect of the Vacated Space is not revealed, it is impossible to be fully aware of Hashem. And therefore now the essence of our vitality is the Emunah that the True Tzaddiqim put in us, as they get revelation from there, from the intellect that will be revealed in the future; but in the future this awareness and intellect will be revealed how even in the Vacated Space His Blessed light is hidden; and then all the problems, doubts and confusions about Hashem Yithbarakh will be answered, even the problems that are drawn from the Vacated Space (as explained in that torah "Go to Par`oh;" take a good look there). And therefore finely examine the verse, "And the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea" specifically, for the knowledge is really in the aspect of the water on the sea, which is the secret of the ten walls of water, which are the secret of the Vacated Space's intellect that will be revealed in the future as mentioned.
And all the ten kinds of arrows are drawn from the aspect of the Breaking of the Vessels, from which the Qelipoth were generated, which are the aspect of all the arrows. And the essence of the breaking was in the aspect of the name BaN, which is the aspect of Dust. And Water is the aspect of the new name MaH, where the repair is from, as mentioned. And therefore there are the ten walls of water which are the secret of the intellect of the Vacated Space that will be revealed in the future, which is the aspect of the repair. For the essence of the breaking was on account of the great concealment, as the secret of the Constriction's intelligence was hidden, as from this is the power of the harsh judgements, and thereby the strictures prevailed, which are the aspect of the slag that was in the vessels, and thereby they could not bear the light, for it exceeded their power, and thereby they broke, and from there were generated the Qelipoth. But in the future, as the intellect of the Vacated Space's intellect will be revealed, the Breaking will be completely repaired and all the Qelipoth will be nullified. Hence, even the problems drawn from Exceedence of Light, from the Breaking of the Vessels, they too have their main power and nursing from the aspect of the Vacated Space, namely from the problems drawn from the Vacated Space that are unanswerable. For the essential genesis of the Qelipoth that were made by the Breaking, their main genesis and power is from the beginning of the Constriction, which is the root of the stricture [din]. (Discern thoroughly, all this.)
And take a good look at the Arizal's writings and you will find these things explained, if you have intelligent eyes. And one can tangibly see as regards the problems, that they are all interdependent, as even the answerable problems that are drawn from the Qelipoth that were generated from the Breakage, they too are rooted in and are interdependent with the problems of the Vacated Space that are unanswerable, and therefore it is forbidden to enter in probing at all, for even the answerable problems, in an eyeblink one can enter from them into unanswerable problems, for it is all interdependent. For even the Qelipoth, which were generated from the Breakage, the essence of their root and power is from the beginning of the Vacated Space's constriction as mentioned. For if the secret of the constriction were not hidden, there would be no genesis of the Qelipoth at all, as mentioned.
And therefore in the future, when the secret of the constriction's intellect will be revealed in truth, all the Qelipoth will be nullified entirely, and "He will swallow up death forever" [Isa. 25:8] and "I will cause the spirit of impurity to pass out of the land" [Zach. 13:2] will be fulfilled, and as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the new name MaH, which is the aspect of the World of Repair, which is drawn from the aspect of `Atiq/the Ancient One, as the essence of the repair's perfection will be complete only in the future. But even though the repair was already begun at the time of Creation's genesis, as discerned in the Writings, which this is the aspect of the new name MaH's secret, which He drew in order to repair the vessels, and from it is the genesis of all the Atziluth and all the Beriyah entirely — still, however, many sparks remained in the Qelipoth for the sake of free will, that they not be perfectly refined until Mashiach's coming.
And on account of these still unrefined sparks — which are the aspect of vessel fragments that are still unrepaired for the sake of free will, on account that the Vacated Space's intellect still has not shined in them perfectly, which this is the essence of the repair, as mentioned — there still remains the grip of the Qelipoth, which are the probers' problems and the apostasy, whence is the Yetzer Hara`'s power (as explained by us many times), and whence are all the ten kinds of arrows that are drawn from the breaking of the Vessels which are still not resolved, as mentioned. And therefore even though the king's daughter fled inside the ten walls of water, which are the aspect of the repair as mentioned, all the ten kinds of arrows reached her there, which have the power of the strictures that are still not refined, as mentioned.
And we are involved in this all our days, to refine the bad from the good, to refine and repair the rest of these sparks, in order to extract the arrows from the king's daughter and heal her. For, everyone, in accord with his transgressions, God forbid, thus gives power to the vessels' fragments, and the arrows prevail over the Shekhinah, as it were, God forbid, in the aspect of, "For Your arrows are gone deep into me" [Ps. 38:3], the aspect of, "He has bent His bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow" [Lam. 3:12] that was said during the Exile that happened through Yisrael's transgressions. And of this is said, "But he was wounded because of our transgressions, he was crushed because of our iniquities... a man of pains, and acquainted with disease" [Isa. 53:5,3], that is said of Mashiach's soul which suffers maladies and blows, who is the kingship of holiness, the aspect of the king's daughter, who suffers pains and afflictions etc. from the ten kinds of arrows.
And conversely, every one, in accord with his repentance and in accord with his good deeds, so does he add power to the Tzaddiq who involves himself in the king's daughter's healing, to extract all the arrows from her and heal her. And the whole time of the exile it is said of the Shekhinah and Kenesseth Yisrael [Lam. 2:13], "For your breach is great like the sea; who can heal you?" and the scripture [Jer. 8:22], "Is there no balm in Gil`ad? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?" and the scripture [Isa. 1:5-6], "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint; From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises" etc., all from the arrows. But in the future will be fulfilled [Deut. 32:39], "I have wounded, and I heal:" He heals with that by which He wounds, in the aspect of, "My hand will yet have hold on [strict] justice..." [ibid. :41] that is said there about this matter, that his shooting an arrow and bringing it back, whereby he heals the king's daughter as mentioned, this is the aspect of sweetening the judgements at their root as mentioned.
Oth 9[edit]
And all the Torah the the mitzwoth, everything is for the sake of refining the sparks left behind by the Breaking of the Vessels, as is known, whereby we extract the arrows from the king's daughter as mentioned. And this is the aspect of slaughter, which is the aspect of sweetening judgements at their root as mentioned, which this is the aspect of the one with the power shooting arrows and bringing them back as mentioned. And the essence of sweetening judgments at their root is by this aspect, namely by drawing revelation from the World of Repair, from the intellect of the constriction's secret that will will be revealed in the future, whereby all the judgements are sweetened at their root. For the essence of all the judgments' root is from the start of the Constriction, as known, as from there descend and are generated all the strictures until sometimes they generate harsh judgements by means of the surge of the Qelipoth that were generated the Vessels' breakages.
And when one wants to sweeten the judgements, it is impossible to sweeten them except at their root, namely one needs to go up to the root of the stricture that is drawn from the beginning of the Vacated Space's Constriction. And whoever can enter in there, for instance, those that are Tzaddik of the Era, that are of such great stature that they are in the aspect of Moshe, they can sweeten all the judgements at their root. For the essence of the judgements is from the intellect of the Vacated Space being hidden. For the essence of judgements is from hiding of the knowledge, for knowledge is the aspect of compassion, and concealment of knowledge is the aspect of judgements (as explained in Rabbeinu z"l's words many times). And the essence of concealment of knowledge in this world is drawn from concealment of the knowledge that is in the Vacated Space. And from thence is the grip of all the strictures, the Qelipoth, and the problems. And therefore whoever can enter the beginning of the Vacated Space's constriction and knows and perceives that there too Hashem Yithbarakh is hidden and concealed, and draws revelation from the knowledge and the repair that will be revealed in the future, thereby are automatically sweetened all the judgements from which all the constrictions and concealment were nursing, since it is revealed that Hashem Yithbarakh is found even there. And this is the aspect of sweetening the judgements at their root, namely by the beginning of the constriction, which is the root of all the judgements, by knowing that there too is Hashem Yithbarakh hidden, whereby everything is repaired, as mentioned.
Oth 10[edit]
Hence, the essence of the aspect of slaughter is the aspect of sweetening the judgments at their root, drawing and arousing the root of the judgment, which is the beginning of the constriction, which this is the aspect of the sword and knife of slaughter. And since we are fulfilling Hashem Yithbarakh's mitzwah with this sword and performing slaughter as he commanded us, hence we reveal that even in the grip of judgement, in the aspect of sword and knife, there too is hidden and concealed His wisdom and compassion. For in real truth, slaughter is a great compassion on the animal, as it is the essence of its eternal repair. And therefore through the mitzwah of slaughter we sweeten the judgements at their root and refine the good from the bad, human spirit from beastly spirit, which is the aspect of lack of knowledge, the aspect of the judgments' slag; we extract them and sweeten and repair them through the knife of slaughter, in the aspect of sweetening the judgements at their root as mentioned.
And therefore fish and locust need no slaughter, for the root of fish and locust is from the aspect of the repair that will be revealed in the future, therefore they need no slaughter. For fish grow in water, which is the aspect of the ten walls of water, which are the aspect of the repair that will be revealed in the future as mentioned. And therefore tzaddiqim are compared to fish, for tzaddiqim are the aspect of Mashiach (as Rabbeinu z"l explained elsewhere), the aspect of the World of Repair, as in each era they draw wondrous repairs from the aspect of the repair that will be revealed in the future, which is the aspect of the ten walls of water as mentioned. And the essence of maintaining the walls of water is in the merit and power of the mitzwah of charity (as explained in the story). And therefore the kosher indicators of fish are fins and scales; and the main thing is the scales, for whatever has scales has fins. For scales are the aspect of charity, the aspect of [Isa. 59:17], "And He donned righteousness like a coat of mail," the aspect of the armor of scales (as thoroughly explained before in H' Dagim; see there). For charity is the aspect of the Vacated Space's intellect that will be revealed in the future, "like the locust, whose garment is part of itself," the aspect of, "And my righteousness will testify for me" etc., the aspect of, "I donned righteousness," and as thoroughly explained in the torah "Go to Par`oh;" see there. And therefore charity pertains to the ten walls of water which are the aspect of the repair that will be revealed in the future, which this is the aspect of charity as mentioned. And thus it is explained above in H' Dagim, that charity is the aspect of water; take a good look there, for it relates to here, for charity is the aspect of the ten walls of water, the aspect of the World of Repair, which is the Vacated Space's intellect that will be revealed in the future, which is the aspect of charity, the aspect of "I donned righteousness" etc. as mentioned.
And therefore locust as well are likened to fish and are exempt from slaughter, for locust too are from the aspect of the repair that will be revealed in the future, as the constriction is "like the locust, whose garment is part of itself" (as explained in that torah "Go"), which this is the aspect of [Ex. 10:4], "Behold, tomorrow I bring locust in your borders." And therefore locust are juxtaposed to fish [Lev. 11:46, as mentioned] and are exempt from slaughter, for their root is from the aspect of the repair that will be revealed in the future; therefore they definitely need no slaughter, for the essence of slaughter pertains to sweetening judgements at their root to draw the repair from the intellect that will be revealed in the future at the beginning of the constriction etc. as mentioned. And since fish and locust are themselves drawn from this aspect, they require no slaughter.
Oth 11[edit]
And this is Rabbeinu z"l's writing there in that story that the walls of water are held up by the winds; see there. Accordingly, the king's daughter's healing is through the ten kinds of melody that are attained by this person who can cause all the ten kinds of wind to be balanced, see there, for the walls of water, which are the aspect of the Vacated Space's intellect, cannot be comprehended except through the aspect of melody (as thoroughly explained in the aforementioned torah "Go"), that the essence of the repair is through melody, which this is the aspect of, "Then Moshe will sing [yaShiR]" [Ex. 15:1], the aspect of, "Go, see/sing [taShuRi] from the head, faith" [Song 4:8] (take a good look there at all this).
For truthfully all the four aspects explained in this story, which are the four aspects TaNT"A (Ta`amim/Cantillations, Nequdoth/Vowel-spots, Tagim/Crowns, Otiyoth/Letters) etc., everything is interdependent, and each thing rises up and repairs the other, as discerned in the story, that she fled from the arrows into the walls of water, and the walls of water themselves are kept standing by the winds, which are the aspect of the spirit of pulse and spirit of melody, for the spirit of melody gives vitality to the spirit of pulse (as explained in LM II). For the four aspects of TaNT"A as well are all interdependent and they draw from each other, and the essential ultimate perfection of the repair is by the aspect of Ta`amim, which is the aspect of playing the melody of the Ta`amim, which is the root of all, and it is the repair of all (as discerned in the Arizal's writings and in this story). Discern thoroughly, all this.
Shaving[edit]
Halakhah 1[edit]
The prohibition of shaving the pe'ot and the beard [zakan, same root as zaken/old/elder], according to what is written in the essay Meishra DeSakina/Bed of Knives in Likutei Moharan #30, that a person's hairs correspond to Chokhmah Tata`ah/the Lower Wisdom, which is the essence of perception [of the Torah], which corresponds to Malkhut/Kingship; see there. And it is necessary to draw life unto it. Therefore we must raise it to the Ohr HaPanim/Light of the Face [of God, as it were] which illuminates via three "legs" which correspond to binah-liba [understanding corresponds to the heart]. And it is necessary to cut it off from the Four [Evil] Kingships which are the Sitra Achra/Other Side so that they will not feed from Chokhmah/Wisdom which corresponds to Malkhut as mentioned, which corresponds to daleit [the letter ד which can be read "de'leit," "which has not," for Malkhut has nothing of itself but only what it receives from the other Sefirot]. And this is accomplished via chesed/kindness/generosity, corresponding to Avraham. And chesed is revealed via tokhacha/rebuke/inspiration; see there.
איסור גילוח הפאות והזקן ע"פ מ"ש במאמר מישרא דסכינא סי' למ"ד שהשערות הם בחי' חכמה תתאה שהוא עיקר ההשגה שהוא בחי' מלכות ע"ש.. וצריך להמשמיך לה חים. ע"כ צרייכן להעלותה אל אור הפנים המאיר בג' רגלים שהם בחי' בינה לבא. וצריך לחתכה מן הד' מלכיות שהם הס"א שלא יהי' להם יניק' מן החכמה בחי' מלכות כנ"ל שהוא בחי' דלית וזה נעשה ע"י חסד בחי' אברהם והחסד נתגלה על ידי התוכחה עיין שם.
And behold, the pe'ot and the beard are the Ohr HaPanim/Light of the Face, Hadrat Panim/honoring the face, corresponding to attainment of wisdom, as is written, "Vehadarta penei zaken/And you shall honor the face of the elder" [Lev. 19:32], since the beard is the glorification of the face, Ohr Hapanim, which corresponds to Wisdom, as is written, "Chokhmat adam ta'ir panav/The wisdom of a man illuminates his face." For the beard corresponds to the Thirteen Midot [Dimensions] of Torah Exposition, as all this is brought in the words of Rabbeinu, see there, that they are the root of attaining wisdom. And therefore the beard and the pe'ot are hairs, because they correspond to perception of wisdom, since the essence of perception corresponds to hairs, which are Lower Wisdom, as written. And this is the aspect of the Thirteen Midot which correspond to the beard, as mentioned, that is, the aspect of measure and constriction for the Upper Intellect, as written there, which is the aspect of hair, aspect of shi`ura d'atvun d'oraita/dimensions of the letters of the Torah, which are aspect of midot. And therefore it is forbidden to pass a razor upon the beard and pe'ot because there [in them] is the root of life and length of days, which corresponds to the beard, as mentioned, and it is injust to wave a life-shortening object upon a life-lengthening one, as Chazal said regarding the altar. And therefore it is forbidden to cut and destroy them, for on the contrary, in them is the root of the ascents of the Lower Wisdom, for they are the Light of the Face as mentioned. And this is the two pe'ot and beard corresponding to three legs which are the Light of the Face as mentioned. For the two pe'ot are aspect of left and right and the beard is in the middle which is aspect of three legs which correspond to the Three Pariarchs who are right, left and center. And the main point of the Light of the Face is the beard, and it is the main point of attainment of wisdom. And by means of the two pe'ot which are aspect of right and left -- which correspond to kindness and rebuke, for kindness is right and rebuke corresponds to stringencies, aspect of the left -- through this we merit to the aspect of beard, aspect of the Light of the Face as mentioned and as written there. But all the rest of the hairs even though they too correspond to the waste products of the brain, despite this because they are in the aspect of waste products, there is feeding of the Sitra Achra from them, for that is where they feed from mainly. And therefore when they grow long it is necessary to cut them, in the aspect of "cut him in four" [I Sam. 15:33 and Rashi there], in order to not give them sustenance from the Lower Wisdom which corresponds to dalet as mentioned. And therefore it is a big mitzvah to take a haircut on the eve of a Festival in order to cut it off from the Four Kingships, so that you can go up [to Yerushalayim] on the Three Festivals which are the Light of the Face as mentioned.
והנה הפאות והזקן הם אור הפנים הדרת פנים בחי' השגת החכמה כמ"ש והדרת פני זקן שהזקן הוא הדרת פנים אור הפנים שהוא בחי' החכמה כמ"ש חכמת אדם תאיר פניו. כי הזקן הוא בחי' שלש עשרה מדות שהתורה נדרשת בהן כמובא כל זה בדברי רבינו ע"ש שהם עיקר השגת החכמה. וע"כ הזקן והפאות הם שערות כי הם בחי' השגת החכמה שעיקר ההשגה הוא בבחי' שערות שהוא החכמה תתאה כמ"ש. וזה בחי' י"ג מדות שהם בחי' הזקן כנ"ל, היינו בחי' מדות וצמצומים להשכל העליון כמ"ש שם שזה בחי' שערות בחי' שיעורא דאתוון דאורייתא שהם בחי' מדות. וע"כ אסור להעביר תער על הזקן והפאות כי שם. עיקר החים והאריכות ימים שזה בחי' זקן כנ"ל ואינו בדין שיונף המקצר על המאריך כשחז"ל לענין מזבח. וע"כ אסור לחתכם ולהשחיתם כי אדרבה שם עיקר עליות החכמה תתאה כי הם אור הפנים כ"ל. וזה ב' פיאות וזקן כנגד ג' רגלים שהם אור הפנים כנ"ל. כי ב' הפאות הם בחי' ימין ושמאל והזקן באמצע שזה בחי' ג' רגלים שהם כנגד ג' אבות שהם ימין ושמאל ואמצע. ועיקר אור הפנים הוא הזקן והוא עיקר השגת החכמה. וע"י ב' הפאות שהם בחי' ימין ושמאל שזה בחי' חסד ותוכחה כי החסד הוא ימין והתוכחה הוא בחי' גבורות בחי' שמאל ועי"ז זוכין לבחי' זקן בחי' אור הפנים כנ"ל כנ"ל וכמ"ש שם. אבל כל שאר השערות אף שהם ג"כ בחי' מותרי מוחין עכ"ז מחמת שהם בבחינת מותרות יש בהם יניקה להס"א כי משם עיקר יניקתם. וע"כ כשנגדלין הרבה צריך לחתכם בבחי' חתכו לד' כדי שלא ליתן להם יניקה מן החכמה תתאה שהוא בחי' ד' כנ"ל. וע"כ. מצוה גדולה לגלח ערב הרגל כיד לחתכה מן הד' מלכיות כדי שתוכל לעלות בשלש רגלים שהם אור הפנים כנ"ל
Halakhah 2[edit]
According to the essay "U'vyom haBikurim/And on the day of the firstfruits -- ve'et ha`oravim tziviti lekhalkelekha/I have commanded the ravens to feed you" in Likutei Moharan II #4; take a good look there. For we need to make a vessel and a channel to receive the chesed/kindness, and this is accomplished by yir'ah/awe [of God]. And awe is accomplished by ratzon/[holy] desire. And desire is accomplished mainly by connecting to the root of desire which corresponds to metzach haratzon/"the forehead of the [holy] desire." And opposite this there is the aspect of the metzach hanachash/"the forehead of the Serpent" which is the opposite of the desire. And the metzach hanachash feeds mainly from the elders of the generation who are not complete, for they do not add holiness and knowledge to their days the whole time that they grow older, etc., see there. But tzedakah/charity alleviates this; see there. And this aspect of "shortness of days, full of anger" that is from the blemish of the beards/elders [zekenim] which is aspect of shortness of days -- from this feeds the metzach hanachash which is the aspect of anger, opposite of desire. But via the beard/elder of holiness we merit to desire, aspect of "zaken venaso-panim/the elder and the man of rank [lit. raised face]" (Isa. 9:14); panim/face corresponds to desire; take a good look there.
1. And therefore the Torah warned us to not destroy the the corners of the beard (pe'ot hazaken), God forbid. And the prohibition is mainly with a razor specifically. Because the hairs of the beard correspond the days of oldness, tangibly. For the hairs of the beard are very supernal and lofty lights which have been constricted in the aspect of hairs which are like pipes and constrictions. And this corresponds to days, for days are an aspect of constrictions and dimensions, as brought. And therefore as long as a man ages one day of his life he needs to add more holiness and knowledge each day in order to merit to illuminate light and knowledge on this day. And this is the aspect of hairs, tangibly. And therefore we need to not damage, God forbid, or destroy the corner of the beard, God forbid, in order to not blemish the aspect of the beard, to not give sustenance, God forbid, to the aspect of the metzach hanachash/Forehead of the Serpent, which feeds off of the fallenness of the days of agedness, which is tangibly the waste and falling of the beard's hairs, for the hairs of the beard are aspect of the days of agedness, as mentioned. And the main prohibition is with a razor, which is like a sword, which cuts down the days, because the sword was created to cut down the days of a man, and it is injust for it to wave over that which lengthens which is the holy beard which is aspect of length of days as mentioned. For the razor and sword are the aspect of Esav who was blessed with this, as is written, "Ve`al-charbekha tichyeh/And by your sword shall you live" [Gen. 27:40], and it cuts down the days of a man. For the main shortening of the days of a man God forbid is when he does not add holiness and knowledge each day of his life, as mentioned. And this happens, God forbid, via Esav who is the Samech-Mem who incites the man away from the ways of life and shortens his days thereby, God forbid, as mentioned. And therefore he was blessed with the sword, which shortens the days of a man, as our Rabbis obm explained. And by this itself that he shortens the days of a man God forbid, that is, that he restrains and incites a man from adding holiness to his days as mentioned, by this itself Esav who is aspect of the metzach hanachash gets sustenance, aspect of anger, opposite of [holy] desire, the grip of judgement. For he is aspect of `Amalek who descended from him, who is aspect of metzach hanachash, the root of the naturalistic sophistry, the grip of the overcoming of heresy. For the root of apostasy and heresy is the aspect of Amalek, as brought in the words of Rabbeinu z"l. Hence Esav-Amalek is aspect of shortness of days, filled with anger, for he is aspect of the sword, aspect of the sword of the samekh-mem, who shortens days physically and spiritually, as mentioned. And by this itself he feeds, being aspect of anger, aspect of metzach hanachash, the root of naturalistic sophistry, the opposite of holy will, God forbid. And therefore the prohibition of destroying the beard is mainly with the razor which is like a sword, for it is only justice to not wave the [life-]shortening thing upon the lengthening thing. Because the main prohibition of destroying the beard is in order to not give, God forbid, sustenance to the metzach hanachash from blemish of the falling of the days of elderness which corresponds to destroying the hairs of the beard as mentioned. And therefore the main prohibition is with a razor or sword for by this a person blemishes very, very much, God spare us. For he destroys the holy beard via a razor or sword and gives, God forbid, sustenance to the razor or sword which is the aspect of Esav, aspect of metzach hanachash from the falling of the hairs of the beard God forbid. And therefore the main prohibition is with a razor, for this is the main blemish, to not give sustenance, God forbid, to the aspect of razor or sword which is the aspect of anger, aspect of metzach hanachash from the falling of the hairs of the beard as mentioned.
2. And by this is the made clear and revealed to the eye of an intelligent person that it is because of this that the sophistry of philosophy and heresy overcame exceedingly in the lands of Germany and their likes, for due to our many sins they were taken captive in the homelands of the Accuser and became widely accustomed in this great sin of destroying the corners of the beard. And in truth according to the [kabbalistic] writings and books of holiness, even destruction by other methods permitted by law is also a very, very tremendous blemish, God spare us; the Merciful One save us from that punishment. For all the hairs of the beard are very supernal and lofty and awesome pipes, and there is no one who can conceive and grasp in his mind the astounding loftiness of the holiness of the holy beard, and vice-versa it is unfathomable, God spare us, the punishment of one who destroys and raises his hand and spoils such a lofty holiness. But due to our many sins, over the length of time many of them have broken through the fence, and they transgress five negative commandments boldly and they destroy the beard with an actual razor. Woe for their souls! For evil has been payed abundantly upon them, and by means of this the naturalistic sophistry becomes strong there. For the metzach hanachash which is the root of the naturalistic sophistry feeds from the falling of the beard, as mentioned; understand.
3. And this is the aspect of the prohibition rounding the pe'ah/corner-hairlock of the head. And the pe'ot are essentially next to the padachat which is the metzach/forehead. For the pe'ot are aspect of yir'ah/awe [of God] for pe'ah is gematria of Elokim [=86] which corresponds to yir'ah as it says, "et ha'Elohim yir'a/fear God" (Eccl. 12:13), and the root of yir'ah is by way of the desire, as mentioned. And therefore we let the pe'ot grow next to the forehead because from the aspect of the forehead of the desire, which is the root of the desire, issues forth awe which is the aspect of pe'ot as mentioned. But in order that God forbid the metzach hanachash, which is the root of the naturalistic sophistry, not overcome, which picks up a blemish and apostasy even at the root of the desire, at the metzach haratzon as mentioned --therefore we need to let the corner of the beard grow and not destroy it, God forbid, in order that the metzach hanachash not overcome, God forbid, as mentioned. But via the holy beard the revelation of the desire overcomes -- for the metzach hanachash is suppressed -- so the metzach haratzon overtakes the root of the ratzon and then we merit to awe which is the pe'ot that are next to the forehead as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the prohibition of shaving the pe'ot and the beard, which are from one concept, for they are interdependent, as mentioned. And therefore the entire Judaism depends on this. For this is the main course of the Yisraelites and our main work, that we merit to reach the aspect of "ve`amedu zarim u're`u tzo'nkhem/and strangers shall stand and feed your flocks" etc. (Isa. 61:5). That is, that we should not need to be involved in any business of this world, only in the service of Hashem all day. And this is impossible unless His mercy abounds upon us, the aspect of "ve'atem kohanei Hashem tikarei'u/and you shall be called the priests of Hashem" (ibid. 6). And it is impossible to receive the kindness except through yir'ah, and the awe is accomplished by the desire, through the aspect of the forehead of the desire etc., as all this is explained in the essay mentioned above; take a good look there. And therefore the root of Judaism depends on the pe'ot and the beard, because through this the aspect of the desire is revealed, through the aspect of the beard as mentioned, aspect of the "zaken venaso-panim/the elder and the man of rank (`lifted face')," as mentioned. And when we merit to awe then automatically the kindness is bestowed. For the kindness is always being bestowed abundantly; we just need a vessel and a channel to receive the kindness, as explained there; see there. Hence via the beard and pe'ot we merit to awe and then we merit to receive the bounty of kindness, and then we do not need to be involved in any business, for the world is sustained by His kindness. And then we can be involved in the service of Hashem all day. And this is our main longing of Yisrael, to reach this. And therefore the essence of Judaism depends on the beard and pe'ot as mentioned. See the essay "U'v'yom haBikurim" mentioned above; take a good look at the whole essay.
Halakhah 3[edit]
"Lo takifu pe'at roshekhem, velo tashchit et pe'at ziknekha/You shall not round the corners of your head, and you shall not destroy the corners of your beard" (Lev. 19:27). According to the essay Meishra deSakina etc. in Likutei Moharan #30; see the entire essay from beginning to end.t
1. And this is the aspect of the prohibition of shaving the pe'ot and the beard which are hairs adjacent to the face. For the Malkhut/Kingship, the Chokhmah Tata'ah/Lower Wisdom mentioned in that essay corresponds to hairs, aspect of shi`ura de'atvun de'oraita/dimensions of the letters of the Torah, as thoroughly explained in that essay, through which hairs which are aspect of constrictions we can attain perceptions of His Blessed Divinity. And therefore it is prohibited to destroy the hairs of the beard and the pe'ot which are the hairs closest to the face. Because the main life of the Malkhut/Kingship which is the aspect of Chokhmah Tata`ah/Lower Wisdom is from the Light of the Face which shines in the three Legs as mentioned. And therefore the hairs which are close to the Light of the Face, which are the pe'ot and beard, are the main way through which the wisdom and the constriction for the perception of His Blessed Divinity are drawn down, because the root of the life of the Malkhut, Chokhmah Tata'ah, is the aspect of the hairs which is the Light of the Face as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the beard and two pe'ot corresponding to the three Legs in which the Light of the Face shines.
2. And therefore the essence of the Yisraelite religion and the root of Judaism depends on the beard and the pe'ot, and by them is a Jew recognized, "...that [he] is from the seed that Hashem has blessed" (Isa. 61:9), from the seed of Yisrael. And whoever has a "different spirit with him," God forbid, and wants to deny, God forbid, the God of Yisrael, the start of his denial is casting, God forbid, the beard and the pe'ot off of him. For in truth the whole Yisraelite religion depends on the beard and the pe'ot, for all the words of our holy Torah and all the mitzvot are all an aspect of constrictions for perceiving His Blessed Divinity, as explained in that essay. For each and every letter and word of our holy Torah -- Written Torah and Oral Torah -- and each mitzvah and each kosher custom of Yisrael the holy and chosen people, are all dimensions and constrictions through which we merit to attain perceptions of His Blessed Divinity, each one according to what he fits in his heart, according to what he merits via his service and effort in Torah, mitzvot and good deeds, and separation from the bad. And all these constrictions and dimensions, aspect of dimensions of the letters of the Torah, they are all aspect of hairs as mentioned, and they are all drawn down from the hairs of the Holy Beard [so to speak] and Its pe'ot. For each and every hair of the pe'ot and of the Holy Glorious Beard are all aspects of lofty channels and holy constrictions from which all the wisdom of the Torah and the mitzvot are drawn down, through which we perceive His Blessed Divinity. For the thirteen tikunim/"states of perfection" of the Holy Beard correspond to the Thirteen Attributes of Torah exegesis which are the entirety of the holy Torah. Woe for he who touches, God forbid, to destroy one hair of the holy beard and the pe'ot with contempt in his soul and with malice and treachery! Woe for him and woe for his soul! for he uproots himself and his soul from the God of Yisrael and has no portion in Torat Moshe! Woe for their souls, for evil has been recompensed upon them! And because of that, due to our very many sins, the sophistry of philosophy and heresy has become widespread in Germany and its surroundings, for they have completely thrown the yoke of the kingship of Heaven off of them in these generations, and cast off their beards and most of the pe'ot and go dressed in the others' clothing, etc. as mentioned. For it is made clear in that essay that sometimes the Malkhut-Chokhmah Tata'ah falls among the Four [Evil] Kingships. And this is the aspect of the "shout of a ruler among fools" [Eccl. 9:17], that the Malkhut shouts out in a bitter voice, that the Wisdom has fallen amongst the fools, that the fool wants to "be wise," that is, that they want to overcome, God forbid -- via their external wisdoms, which are the philosophy and heresy which are truthfully foolishness, by means of the Chokhmah Tata'ah having fallen -- the aspect of the Malkhut in exile, etc. And therefore when they destroy their beards in Germany, by this they blemish in the constrictions of perceptions of His Blessed Divinity mentioned above, in Lower Wisdom, in Kingship as mentioned. And therefore through this, God forbid, the outside wisdoms are strengthened, which are the wisdoms of philosophy. And therefore they are involved there in the external wisdoms exceedingly, by destroying the corners of their beards with contempt in their souls and transgressing five Torah prohibitions each time. For they are interdependent, as mentioned -- external wisdoms via destruction of the corners of the holy beard as mentioned. But in truth they do not transgress only five prohibitions. For when they destroy the corners of their beard it is as if they transgress the whole entire Torah. For the whole entire Torah depends on this, as mentioned. For via the razor and the knife that they raise upon the holy beard to destroy it, God forbid -- through this, God forbid, the kingship of `Amalek overcomes, who is the entirety of the Four [Evil] Kingdoms, as mentioned in the aforementioned essay. For Amalek is from the seed of the wicked Esav, who feeds from the aspect of "ve`al charbekha tichyeh/and by your sword you shall live" (Gen. 27:40), whose main feeding is when the Lower Wisdom is blemished, the Kingship mentioned above, which is the aspect of "cherev nokemet nekam-brit/the sword that avenges the vengeance of the Covenant" (Lev. 26:25), as explained in that essay. And this is the aspect of, "Cut him in four" [I Sam. 15:33 and Rashi there] mentioned there in that essay. For the main elevation and repair of the Kingship is via repair of the holy sword through which we cut off the Malkhut which is aspect of dalet from the Four [Evil] Kingships in the aspect of "Cut him in four" and subjugate the sword of Esav who is the Kingship of `Amalek, aspect of "And by your sword you shall live," as mentioned. But when someone raises, God forbid, a razor or knife -- which is the aspect of a sword -- upon the holy beard, he blemishes very, very severely in the Kingship of Holiness, which results in the "sword that avenges the vengeance of the Covenant," the main feeding of which is from the Light of the Face, from the aspect of the hairs of the beard and the pe'ot as mentioned, and God forbid, the sword of Esav overcomes, the aspect of the Kingship of `Amalek who is the entirety of the Four Kingships. And they came to all this through blemishing the Covenant [of Abraham, i.e. they cast away circumcision, family purity (taharat hamishpachah), etc.] first, for surely no man raises his hand to destroy the corner of his beard, God forbid, unless he first blemishes the holy Covenant exceedingly much, through which he blemishes in the brain, in the Lower Wisdom mentioned, and evil thoughts carry on inside him, external wisdoms, until the evil spirit beguiles him to destroy his beard, God forbid, through which he uproots himself completely from the Kingship of Holiness, from Lower Wisdom, from the perception and faith of Yisrael, and has no portion in Hashem Yitbarakh and His holy Torah and in His holy people Yisrael, as mentioned.
3. But the root of the kindness, through which we sever the Kingship from the Four [Evil] Kingships as mentioned is drawn down by means of rebuke, for via rebuke, kindness is revealed. And the rebuke is according to the Torah and the prayer of each and every person, according to the boldness of each and every one, etc., as all this is well explained in that essay. And all this is included in the holy beard. For "se`arot dedikna kashishim le'achpashah ledinim/the hairs of the beard are coarse in order to subdue harsh judgements," as explained in the holy Zohar. And this is the aspect of the `azut dikedushah/holy brazenness mentioned, corresponding to `az vekasheh/bold and hard, through which is the main attainment of the Torah and prayer, which are included in the holy beard. For the entirety of the Torah that we renew is the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy as our Rabbis obm said, that HaKadosh Barukh Hu "wrapped himself" and taught Moshe the order of prayer, and then revealed to him the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, etc. For the root of prayer is mercy and pleading, to arouse the Thirteen Attributes of His Blessed Mercy which are included in the thirteen tikunei dikna/states of perfection of the beard, as known. And by means of this, by means of the Torah and prayer which are according to the boldness of each person, the elder who sits in yeshivah knows how to lehokhiach/rebuke/inspire each and every person and open his mouth in wisdom, in the aspect of "piah potchah bechokhmah/she opens her mouth in wisdom" etc. For all the tikunei dikna surround the holy mouth, and the revelation of the channels of the holy wisdom of the beard of holiness, aspect of the elder sitting in yeshivah, is revealed only through the holy mouth through which is the root of revelation of all the wisdom that is drawn down via channels of the hairs of the pe'ot and beard. And via revelation of this wisdom of rebuke, mercy is drawn down, through which we raise up the Malkhut from the exile of the four [Evil] Kingships and raise it to the Light of the Face which shines in the Three Legs, which is aspect of, "Malkhut `olah `ad hadikna kadisha/Kingship rises up to the Holy Beard," which is the Light of the Face. For, perception of His Blessed Godliness which is revelation of His holy Kingship is via many constrictions. And each and every constriction is aspect of Malkhut from a higher world and level. For, the Lower Wisdom, the aspect of Malkhut in the world of Atzilut, is above and much higher than the Upper Wisdom that is in the world of Beri'ah. And when we need to raise up the Malkhut/Chokhmah Tata'ah from the exile we need to arouse and drawn down an illumination from the root of the Malkhut. That is, from the aspect of Malkhut/Chokhmah Tata'ah that is in the root the upper worlds. And by this you will understand and be enlightened a little bit of the clues in that essay. For raising the Malkhut from the four mentioned is via prayer which is the root of Malkhut as explained in another place. And therefore the main remedy of raising the Malkhut is via the holy beard which is aspect of Light of the Face. For the holy beard is also drawn from the aspect of constrictions, from the aspect of Malkhut that is in very, very high and lofty worlds, as explained in Etz Chayim, that the lights of the beard are drawn down from the two pe'ot which are aspect of Elokim, gematria of pe'ah, aspect of Malkhut as explained there. Understand this thoroughly.
4. And therefore the main point of the Three Festivals is the chakhamei hador/sages of the era, who are the ziknei hador/elders of the era, as our Rabbis obm said: "...asher tikre'u otam bemo`adam/which you shall proclaim in their time" (Lev 23:4), meaning, even if you err, etc. For, raising the Kingship on the Festivals up to Light of the Face depends on the zekinim/elders specifically, for the zaken/elder is aspect of the Light of the Face as mentioned.
For, the elders and the sages know how to guard the month of Aviv to be in its season, and they intercalate the years and fix months, on which the proper state of the Festivals all depend, for the months are twelve, but their entirety is thirteen. And this is the aspect of the secret of the intercalation, which is the thirteenth month. And these thirteen New Moons are repairs of the Malkhut which is aspect of the moon. For the months are counted by the moon. And they are drawn from the thirteen tikunei dikna, for the main raising of the Malkhut is via the thirteen tikunei dikna, which are an aspect of the Light of the Face which shines in the Three Festivals as mentioned.
And therefore kiddush hachodesh/sanctifying the New Moon is the first mitzvah that Yisrael were commanded, for kiddush hachodesh is aspect of the Malkhut-Chokhmah Tata'ah mentioned above, aspect of constrictions of attainments of His Blessed Godliness, which includes the whole entire Torah.
5. And this is aspect of the Four Parshiyot/Torah readings that we read before Pesach which is the head of the Three Festivals, for then is the beginning of the revelation of His Blessed Godliness which is revealed to Yisrael via Exodus from Mitzrayim/Egypt and the parting of the Sea of Reeds, etc. For, the Four Parshiyot correspond to Malkhut which corresponds to dalet, which we need to sever from the exile of the Four [Evil] Kingships which are all called galut Mitzrayim/, as as Rabeinu z"l said (in siman 'ד), in the name of the Midrash, that all the exiles are called galut Mitzrayim -- see there -- for the are metzayerim/afflicting/constricting Yisrael.
And this is aspect of Parashat Shekalim which we read first. This is aspect of tzedakah/righteousness/charity, aspect of the chesed/generosity/mercy mentioned, by means of which we reap and cut the Malkhut from the Four Malkhuts, in the aspect of "zir`u lachem litzedakah, kitzru lefi-chesed/sow for yourselves according to tzedakah, [and] reap according to chesed," as mentioned in that essay. Parashat Zakhor is the aspect of subduing `Amalek who is the generality and the head of the Four Kingships, for he is made of all of them, as mentioned. Parashat Parah is for purifying Yisrael from the impurity of the dead, that is, when we raise the Malkhut, the aspect of the assembly of Yisrael, from the Evil Malkhut, from Haman and `Amalek, then we need to purify from the filth of the Serpect which is the Side of Death which is the aspect of the Malkhut of Haman-`Amalek, as is known. And therefore we need the ashes of the heifer, to be purified from this. And the red heifer is aspect of the tokhachah/rebuke/inspiration of the Rebuker, through which he purifies Yisrael from their transgressions. And this is aspect of red, aspect of the judgment, aspect of the tokhachah mentioned. And therefore the heifer purifies the impure and impurifies all the pure ones who are involved in it. This is the aspect of the tokhachah of the true Rebukers of the Era, through which they purify the impure from their transgressions and bring them back in complete teshuvah. And whoever is involved in tokhachah is impurified by this, for, some blemish from the transgressions of those whom they are involved with to purify them and bring them back from their transgressions clings to them, God forbid. And this is the aspect of the red heifer which purifies the impure and impurifies the pure. But nevertheless the reward of the mokhiach/rebuker exceeds his loss. For, afterwards he purifies himself easily just by immersion and setting of the sun. But he purified the impure ones completely, who were impure with the actual impurity of the dead, with the impurity of the Serpent. And by means of his rebuke he brings them back in complete teshuvah and cleanses them. And therefore the heifer is named after Moshe, as our Rabbis obm said, and all the heifers need to be sanctified from his ashes, from the one that Moshe processed. For Moshe is the head of all the true rebukers, for he was involved in this very much, and devoted his soul for Yisrael always, to rebuke them, to bring them back in the right way. And even though a blemish that was great according to his soul reached him, as is written, "Lekh, red/Go, go down" etc. [Ex. 32:7], despite this he did not leave his place, but devoted his soul for them all his days, to rebuke them and bring them back in the right way. And therefore everyone needs to receive from the aspect of the heifer of Moshe, that is, from his good rebuke as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the red heifer being a mitzvah of the lieutenant Kohanim, for the Kohen haGadol/Chief Kohen is aspect of the Rav of the Era, as is written, "ki siftei Kohen yishmeru da`at vetorah/for the lips of the Kohen shall guard knowledge and Torah" etc. "And if the Rav resembles" etc. (Mo`ed Katan 17). And it is impossible to receive the great wisdom of the Rab of the Era who is aspect of the Great Kohen, except via his holy students. And this is the aspect of interpreter whom they customarily had in the earlier generations, that the sage would always speak via an interpreter, for it is impossible by oneself to receive the wisdom of the True Sage and the Rav of the Age, except via an interpreter, who is aspect of his students, who reveal and explain his wisdom and rebuke to the many. For, in the True Rav himself they have no grasp at all; only by means of his students, and as Rabeinu z"l said regarding the verse, "B'yad-kol-adam yachtom; lada`at, kol-anshei ma`asehu/The hand of all man, He seals; to know [is via] the men whom He has made;" [Job 37] see there [Likutei Moharan] #140. And this is aspect of the repairs of the Red Heifer, which is aspect of tokhachah of the True Chakham to purify Yisrael from their transgressions, is done via a deputy of the Kohanim specifically, aspect of translator, aspect of students of the True Chakham who is aspect of the Kohen haGadol.
Parashat haChodesh is the root of raising the Malkhut which is aspect of Rosh Chodesh, as mentioned, for via Rashei Chadashim are the proper times of all the Festival times, which is when the raising of the Malkhut etc. is, as mentioned.
6. And all four of these parashiyot by means of which we sever the Malkhut from the four malkhuts and afterwards it goes up to the Light of the Face on the Three Festivas -- this is aspect of the Four Children explained in that essay, who are aspect of Malkhut, which is aspect of dalet, as written there. Parashat Sheqalim which is tzedakah to the poor, is aspect of Yitzchak who is the Wise Son, for the poor person is from sitra dedina kashia/the side of harsh judgement, from the aspect of Yitzchak, and by tzedakah which we give him we enliven him, and return to him his face and wisdom which went away from him due to the pressure of his poverty, in the aspect of "chokhmat-hamisken bezuyah/the poor man's wisdom is despised" (Eccl. 9). And therefore by tzedakah we merit to the Ohr haPanim/Light of the Face, as it says (Ps. 16), "Ani betzedek echezeh paneikha/As for me, I shall see Your face in righteousness." And the Light of the Face is aspect of chokhmah/wisdom, as mentioned, aspect of "chokhmat adam ya'ir panav/the wisdom of a man lights his face." And therefore Yitzchak, which is aspect of the wise son, which is the aspect of tzedakah, which is aspect of Ohr haPanim, aspect of chayim/life, aspect of chokhmah. This is sweetening of the "severities" of Yitzchak, from which the poverty originates, God forbid. Parashat Zachor is the supression of `Amalek, who is the seek of the wicked Esav. This is aspect of the Evil Son, who is Esav, as written there. P. Parah which is aspect of tokhachah/rebuke, through which we are privileged to teshuvah/repentence, as mentioned -- this is aspect of the Son Who Does Not Know How to Ask, who is aspect of Yishma`el, who did teshuvah, as written there. P. Hachodesh -- then the Malkhut starts to go up to the Ohr haPanim, for that is when the dawning of Pesach begins, which is the first Festival. And therefore in this parashah are said all the laws of Pesach. This is aspect of the Simple Son, who is Ya`akov, "ish tam/the simple man," as mentioned there, for Ya`akov is aspect of Ohr haPanim, aspect of "mevakshei paneikha, Ya`akov, Selah/those who seek your face -- Yaakov, Selah!" (Ps. 24), as Rabeinu z"l said several times.
7. And this is aspect of "bed, table, chair and lamp" [II Kings 4:10; Berakhot 10b] which are the four repairs of the Shekhinah, which is aspect of the daleit (the four sons) mentioned above. Lamp -- is the Wise Son, for the lamp is the head which is aspect chokhmah in the brain, aspect of "veshemen `al roshkha al-yechsar/do not let oil be lacking upon your head" [Prov. ?], aspect of "shemen mishchat kodesh/holy anointing oil" which is aspect of da`at/knowledge, as known. Chair is aspect of complete throne which is aspect of wiping our Haman-Amalek who is of the seed of Esav who is the Wicked Son. For, the throne is not complete until the seed of Amalek is annihilated. Table is aspect of teshuvah that atones, which is aspect of the Son Who Does Not Know How to Ask, as mentioned, for the table atones like the altar (as our Rabbis z"l said in Berakhot 55a). Bed is aspect of the Simple Son, aspect of Ya`akov whose bed was complete, in the twelve tribes of Yah, which are four flags, corresponding to four camps of the Shekhinah, which is aspect of the four above, for Ya`akov includes them all, and he raises the Malkhut which is aspect daleit/4, aspect of "ishah yir'at Hashem/woman who fears Hashem," as is known to the Ohr haPanim, aspect of "mevakshei paneikha, Ya`akov" as mentioned. And therefore Ya`akov married four wives, and from them went forth four banners, aspect of the four mentioned.
And therefore on Pesach we all lean on the bed, for the bed is made up of the four camps, aspect of four banners, aspect of the four mentioned.
8. And this is the aspect of Pesach, the prohibition of chametz, and eating matzah etc. For on Pesach Moshe took Yisrael out of Mitzrayim. And then he revealed to them perception of His blessed Godliness. And therefore Pesach is the chief festival, for Pesach is the aspect of chesed, aspect of Avraham, as is known. And the main repair of the Malkhut, chokhmah tata'ah mentioned above, that is, to sever it from the four [evil] Malkhuts mentioned above, and raise to the Ohr haPanim which shines in the three festivals, is [accomplished] by the chesed, as mentioned. And because Pesach is the beginning of the revelation of His blessed Godliness in a very, very great light, as is brought [in the sefarim], therefore at that time chametz is prohibited in even a tiny amount, for the only [difference] between chametz (חמץ) and matzah (מצה) is the tiny amount, which is the space and opening that is between the point inside the ה and its roof -- which is the difference between the [letter] chet and [letter] ה, between חמץ and מצה, for perception of Godliness is impossible to attain except via great constrictions, from [עילה לעלול], from Upper Intellect to Lower Intellect, for leit machshavah tefisa [bo] klal/"thought cannot grasp [Him] at all." And therefore the main thing is emunah, which is aspect of the chokhmah tata'ah mentioned above, the Malkhut mentioned above. And all the perceptions and all the constrictions are all an aspect of emunah, which is the foundation of the whole entire Torah. As is written, vetzadik be'emunato yichyeh/but the just shall live by his faith" [Hab. 2:4]. And as is written (Ps. 119), kol mitzvoteikha emunah/all your commandments are faith[ful]. For, people who are simple or undervalued certainly cannot attain perception of Godliness. And their main life and hope, to be privileged to the everlasting purpose, the true purpose, is only through emunah. And even someone who has a great intellect and is charif/sharp and very learned in Torah, in charifut/sharpness and depth in Shas and Poskim, and even someone who has a hand in the wisdom of kabbalah, in the books of the holy Zohar and the Arizal's writings, so long as he has not purified himself from the zuhamat hanachash/filth of the Serpent, and has not yet completely broken the cravings of his body and its material, and still has some grip and speck of a thing from the cravings of his body and the vapors of this world, his intellect is certainly not yet complete, and it is prohibited for him to enter into the wisdom of the perception of His blessed Godliness at all, for he can stumble greatly and fall, God forbid, the Merciful One save us. So he needs to be be strong just in emunah and cast away his intellect completely, and rely only on our holy patriarchs and on the true tzadikim who subdued their [evil] inclination and broke the material completely, for only they merited to perception of His blessed Godliness in utter completion. And even tzadikim as these who cleaned and sanctified themselves from the zuhamat hanachash completely and broke all the cravings and nullified the body and the material completely, they too have their main strengthening only through the holy faith, as understood in the words of Rabeinu z"l in several places. For it is impossible to attain any...
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