Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 21

Likutay Moharan, Torah 21

[In the words of our Rabbi, may his memory be for a blessing]

Chapter Four of the Book of Concealment: Atika (Ancient One), Hidden and Concealed, and so forth.

When you kindle the lamps (Numbers 8:2), and so forth. Rashi explains that the flame [shalheves] should rise on its own.

1. It is written, “Behind and before You have fashioned me” (Psalms 139:5). For there is saichel (intellect) that a person attains through many preliminaries, and this saichel is called by the name אָחוֹר [achor (behind)]. And there is saichel that comes to a person without any preliminary, but rather through a divine flow [shefa Eloki (divine influence)], and this is called by the name קֶדֶם [kedem (before)] and by the name פָּנִים [pnay (face)]. And the fervor [hisla’havus] of the heart is born due to the movement [tnuas] of the saichel. For it is the nature [teva] of movements [tnuos] to generate heat [chom], and according to the speed [mehirus] of the movements [tnuos] of the saichel, so it generates heat [chom] in the heart. It follows that through the shefa Eloki, whereby the saichel is poured into a person with speed [mehirus], such that there is no need to use any preliminary, through this speed [mehirus] the flame [shalheves] of the heart rises continually on its own.

2. But to attain the aspect of the aforementioned shefa Eloki, it is impossible to come to this except by sanctifying one’s mouth, nose, eyes, and ears, and these illuminate for him the aforementioned shefa Eloki. That is, one should guard oneself from uttering falsehood [sheker] from one’s mouth and should have yiras shamayim (fear of heaven), which is the aspect of the nose [chotem], in the aspect of, “And he shall smell with the fear of Hashem” (Isaiah 11:3). And one should have emunas chachamim (faith in the sages), which depends on the ears [udnin], in the aspect of, “Hear the words of the sages” (Proverbs 22:17). And one should close one’s eyes from seeing evil. For these arouse the aforementioned shefa Eloki to come. For the mouth, nose, eyes, and ears depend on the moach (brain), and they arouse the moach to be in the aspect of kedem and in the aspect of pnay. And this is the aspect of, “The beginning of Your word is truth” (Psalms 119:160), which is the aspect of the moach associated with the mouth. And this is, “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of Hashem” (Psalms 111:10), which is the aspect of the moach associated with the nose [chotem]. And this is the aspect of, “Reprove a wise man, and he will love you” (Proverbs 9:8), which is the aspect of the moach associated with the ears [udnin], in the aspect of “Hear the words of the sages.” And this is the aspect of, “And the eyes of both of them were opened” (Genesis 3:7), which is the aspect of the moach associated with the eyes [aynayim]. And these are the seven lamps [nayros], for the mouth, the two nostrils of the nose, the two eyes, and the two ears are the aspect of the seven lamps [nayros]. And the menorah [menarta] is the head [see Introduction to Tikunay Zohar 13b], that is, the moach. And the pnay (face) of the menorah is the aforementioned shefa Eloki.

3. And this shefa Eloki is the aspect of sukkah (booth), for a sukkah is the aspect of being covered with the ruach hakodesh (holy spirit) [see Megillah 14a and 13a, one of Moshe's names was Sukoa, because he covered Israel like a Sukka; and see Leviticus Rabbah 1:4, he was called Avvee Sukoa (Chronicles 1:4:18) because he was the Father of the Prophets and that see with Ruach Hakodesh - Divine Inspiration]. For the ruach hakodesh is the shefa Eloki. And this sukkah comes through seven clouds, which are the aspect of the aforementioned seven lamps [nayros], through which a person attains the pnay of the menorah, that is, the sukkah, that is, the shefa Eloki. And the ruach hakodesh is called by the name of chochmah (wisdom), which is the spirit of chochmah that comes from holiness [kodesh], as is known [see Zohar, Acharay Mos 61a].

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Sukkah 11a; and see also 12a, Tosafos, s.v. “Be’isoaless goaren”): From where do we know that one may cover [the sukkah] only with something that does not receive impurity and whose growth is from the earth? As it is stated, “And a mist ascended from the earth” (Genesis 2:6). What is a mist? It is something that does not receive impurity and whose growth is only from the earth, and so forth. And the mist is these aforementioned clouds, and they are the aspect of holiness [kodesh] and grow from the earth. For the recipient must be a chacham (wise person), as the Holy One, blessed be He, gives chochmah to the wise [chachamim], in the aspect of, “And in the heart of every wise-hearted person I have placed wisdom” (Exodus 31:6) [see Berachos 55a].

4. And the aforementioned sukkah, that is, the aforementioned ruach hakodesh, the aforementioned shefa Eloki, is the aspect of makifin (surrounding lights), for this saichel is exceedingly great, to the point that the moach cannot bear it. And it does not enter the moach but surrounds the head, as we see many deep wisdoms that the human moach cannot comprehend fully, such as many perplexities in which we are confounded, like knowledge [yideyah] and free will [bechirah], which the human moach cannot comprehend. And this saichel is the aspect of makifin, which does not enter the inner moach but surrounds it from the outside. And the inner saichel receives its vitality from this makif.

And know that this is the essence [ikar] of the power of free will [bechirah]: As long as the saichel is not so great as to comprehend knowledge [yideyah] (that Hashem knows everything that was and will be) and (even still there is) free will [bechirah], then the power of bechirah remains in place, for one has the power to choose life or its opposite. But when this makif enters within, and then the human saichel is expanded, and knowledge [yediah] and free will [bechirah] are revealed to the human, then bechirah is nullified. For then, through the expansion of the saichel, one transcends the human realm and ascends to the realm of an angel, and then bechirah is nullified. And this is the essence [ikar] of the power of bechirah: that one does not know the saichel of knowledge [yideyah] and free will [bechirah].

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Berachos 17a): That in the future [l’asid], the tzadikim (righteous) will sit with their crowns on their heads. It was necessary to say “on their heads,” for in the future [l’asid], bechirah will be nullified. And this is “the tzadikim sit,” for sitting indicates the absence of bechirah, as in, “He who sits in the heavens” (Psalms 2:4), which indicates the absence of change. For movement indicates change from one will to another will, and sitting indicates the absence of change, that is, the nullification of bechirah. And their crowns, that is, the makifin, as in, “Saul and his men were encircling David” (1 Samuel 23:26). “On their heads” and not “upon their heads” means that the makifin will enter within the mochin (minds), and then all the wisdoms that one could not comprehend will enter within the mochin, and one will know and attain them. And then one will transcend the human realm and ascend to the realm of an angel, and bechirah will be nullified.

5. And this is the aspect of kiddushin (betrothal), the aspect of chuppah (wedding canopy), for the aforementioned shefa Eloki is the aspect of holiness [kodesh], the aspect of chuppah, the makifin.

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Bava Basra 75a): Every tzadik is burned [nikveh] by the chuppah of his fellow, for the makif of one is greater than the makif of another, and the saichel that is a makif for one is internal [penimi] for another. And this is the aspect of the seven days of feasting that follow the chuppah, which are the aspect of the aforementioned seven lamps [nayros], through which the makif enters within. And this is the aspect of the seven days of mourning, Heaven forfend, that one mourns over him because his soul has departed, so that his soul may ascend to the aforementioned light [ohr] of the pnay through these seven days.

6. And this is the reason for the spitting [rak] of chalitzah (levirate release), as it is stated, “And she shall spit in his face” (Deuteronomy 25:9), specifically “in his face [befanaiv].” For he goes without seed and leaves no blessing [bracha] after him to draw the saichel of the pnay into the world through their good deeds. And his brother does not want to establish his brother’s name, the deceased, and does not want to perform yibum (levirate marriage) for her. For this reason, “she shall spit in his face,” for he does not want to draw the soul of the deceased into the world to rectify the light [ohr] of the pnay. And through this spitting [rak], sometimes the face [pnay] of the deceased is seen, specifically the face [pnay] of the deceased. And through this spitting [rak], he is shamed. And the essence of shame [bushah] is in the face [pnay]. And this is because he did not want to establish the name of his deceased brother.

And this is the aspect of, “And her father spat in her face, shall she not be shamed for seven days?” (Numbers 12:14). Specifically seven days [shivas yamim], which is the aspect of the aforementioned seven clouds, through which the pnay of the menorah shines, and he did not want to establish the name of his deceased brother. Therefore, “she shall spit in his face,” which is the shame [boshes] of the face [pnay].

And Miriam, who blemished the honor of Moses, who is the aspect of shefa Eloki, in the aspect of, “For the skin of his face shone” (Exodus 34:30), and she blemished the aspect of the seven lamps [nayros]. For he was humble, lowly, and patient, and his anger did not burn over his disgrace, and this is the aspect of the nose [chotem] in its perfection. And it is written of him, “Mouth to mouth I speak with him” (Numbers 12:8), which is the aspect of the mouth [peh]. And it is written of him, “And he beholds the form of Hashem” (ibid.), which is the aspect of the eyes [aynayim]. And it is written of him, “In all My house he is faithful” (ibid.), which is the aspect of the ears [udnin], in the aspect of, “A faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Proverbs 11:13) [see Zohar, Idra Rabba 128a]. For this reason, she became leprous, and a leper is the closure of the supernal light [nehura ila’ah] [see Zohar, Tazria 49a], which is the aforementioned light [ohr] of the pnay. And it is written of her, “She shall be shut outside the camp for seven days” (Numbers 12:14).

And this is what Aaron requested, “Please, let her not be like a dead person, who, when he comes out of his mother’s womb, half his flesh is consumed” (Numbers 12:12). For through the closure of the supernal light, she is in the aspect of a dead person, for a leper is considered like a dead person [see Nedarim 64b]. “Who comes out of his mother’s womb” is the aspect of yibum, for through yibum, his wife becomes his mother [אִתְּתֵהּ אִמֵּהּ], and “half his flesh is consumed” means that he has no mate, for the husband and wife are two halves of one body, and now that his wife is his mother, it follows that half his flesh is consumed, and he has no mate.

[Explanation: For one who dies without children, then his wife must undergo yibum, and through yibum, the deceased is reincarnated in the child born from his wife who is married to his brother, as explained in the Zohar (Mishpatim 110a): “His wife is his mother [אִתְּתֵהּ אִמֵּהּ].” This is a great pain and punishment for the deceased, that his wife becomes his mother, for now he must be born from his wife, and his wife becomes his mother. And because of this, the child of the yevamah (levirate widow) born from yibum cannot find his mate except through great mercy, as it is stated (Zohar, Lech Lecha 92a), regarding him it is said, “Lest another precede him with mercy,” see there.] For this child of the yevamah, who is truly her husband, and his wife has become his mother, has no mate since his mate has become his mother. And this is what our Rabbi, of blessed memory, explained regarding Aaron’s request for Miriam, who blemished the saichel of the pnay, which is the blemish of one who dies without children, as above, that she not be punished, Heaven forfend, with the punishment of yibum. And this is, “Please, let her not be like a dead person, who comes out of his mother’s womb,” that she not be like one who dies without children, who must come out again in reincarnation from his mother’s womb, that is, his wife becomes his mother, because of which “half his flesh is consumed,” that is, half his body is consumed, meaning he has no mate, as above, for she is half his flesh, half his body, as above.

7. And sometimes there is that the mochin (minds) and the shefa Eloki are in concealment [he’elem], in the aspect of ibbur (gestation). And then it is good for a person to cry out [tzeakah] whether in prayer or in Torah, when the mochin are concealed. For concealment [he’elem] is the aspect of ibbur, in the aspect of, “The Rock that bore you, you neglected” (Deuteronomy 32:18), like, “And her strength fails to give birth” (Isaiah 37:3). Like a woman whose strength fails to give birth, and when she crouches to give birth, she raises עַיִן [70, ayin] voices, corresponding to the number of words in the psalm “May He answer you” (Psalms 20), and then she gives birth [see Zohar, Pinchas 249a]. And these seventy voices are the aspect of the seven voices that David said over the waters, each comprising ten.

And the tze'akah (crying out) that a person cries out in his prayer and in his Torah when the mochin are concealed, in the aspect of ibbur (pregnancy), these cries are the aspect of the cry of the woman giving birth [yoledes]. And the Holy One, blessed be He, who knows the mysteries [ta’alumos] of the mochin, how they are concealed, He listens to our tze'akah. And the tzeakah is in the place of the cry [tza’akas] of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), as if the Shechinah is crying out, and then the mochin are born. And this is the aspect of: The voice/call [kol] arouses the intention [kavanah], that is, the mochin [see Berachos 24a, Rosh and Rabaynu Yonah there, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 111, and 61:4]. And this is the aspect of, “She shall be shamed for seven days” (Numbers 12:14). Seven days [shivas yamim] is the aspect of the seven voices of David, as above, which are the aforementioned seventy voices, that one must cry out to bring forth the aforementioned light [ohr] of the pnay from concealment to revelation [giluy]. And the revelation [giluy] is the aspect of birth [laydah]. And then, after the birth [laydah], the blood [dam] is transformed and becomes milk [chalav] [see Bechoros 6b]. And this is the aspect of “tikalem” (she shall be shamed), for shame [klimah] causes the red [sumka] to go and the white [chivra] to come [see Bava Metzia 58b], that is, the blood [dam] is transformed and becomes milk [chalav].

And this is, “The Rock that bore you, you neglected [Tz'ur Yiludcha Teshee - צור ילדך תשי],” the initial letters of which are (the same as the initial letters of) צַעֲקָתֵנוּ יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת [Tzaakusainoo Yoadaya Taaloomoas - Our cry, Knower of mysteries] [see Sefer Bris Menucha, Derech Daled]. And this is “teshee,” the initial letters of תִּכָּלֵם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים [Teekulaim Shivas Yumeem - She shall be locked up for seven days].

8. And when a person studies Torah and does not understand in it any novelty [chidush], this is because the mochin and the saichel of that Torah and study are in the aspect of ibbur (pregnancy). And this is called by the name Yaakov, for Yaakov is the aspect of ibbur, in the aspect of, “In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel” (Hosea 12:4). And then one must cry out the aforementioned voices. And this is the aspect of, “The voice is the voice of Yaakov” (Genesis 27:22). When he is in the aspect of Yaakov, in the aspect of ibbur, he needs the voices to bring forth the mochin in the aspect of birth [laydah].

And one whose Torah is without understanding in it any novelty [chidush], he should not expound it to the public, for that Torah, which is in the aspect of Yaakov, in the aspect of ibbur, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, delights [in it], in the aspect of, “And His banner (digloa) over me is love”, read not vidigloa - “and His banner” but viligloogoa - “and his skipping (garbled pronounciation)” (see Medrash Song of Songs 2:4), but it should not be expounded as it is to the public. For one should expound only matters that are clear, as in the statement (Shabbas 145b), “Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister’”. If the matter is clear to you like your sister, who is forbidden to you, say it; but if not, do not say it.

And this is, “For Yaakov, Y-ah has chosen for Himself” (Psalms 135:4). When it is in the aspect of Yaakov, in the aspect of ibbur (pregnancy), without mochin (minds), this study is chosen by the Holy One, blessed be He, in the aspect of “And His banner over me is love.” And it should not be expounded to the public. But “Israel for His segula (treasure),” יִשְׂרָאֵל has the letters לִי ראשׁ [li rosh (to me, head)], that is, the revelation of the mochin, the drawing down of the aforementioned light [ohr] of the pnay, the aforementioned shefa Eloki, within the internal [penimi], as above. And this is the aspect of Yisrael, in the aspect of, “Israel, in whom I will be glorified” (Isaiah 49:3), specifically “in you,” that the crown of glory, that is, the aforementioned makifin, will be drawn down within you, within the internality. For His segula, this Torah can be expounded to the public.

9. Therefore every single person, according to his aspect, has an internal [penimi] and a makif. For we are called a nation of segula (-treasured, special) (Deuteronomy 7:6), like a segula used for healing, even though nature does not require that it be for healing, nevertheless, this thing is propitious for healing. And this is above nature, which the human saichel does not comprehend. Similarly, we were taken by Hashem, blessed be He, as His nation of segula, even though the human saichel does not comprehend all this, how He took a nation from among nations, as at the time of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, when the attribute of justice protested: “These are idol-worshippers, and so forth” [see Genesis Rabbah 57, Exodus Rabbah 21]. Nevertheless, the Holy One, blessed be He, took us as a holy nation. It follows that this matter is like a segula, which is above nature, above human saichel. And this is the aspect of makifin, as above. And one who merits these makifin to generate them and to bring them within, as above, it follows that he merits to understand the segula with certainty. It is fitting to reveal the segula to the nation of segula.

Therefore every single person, according to his aspect, has an internal [penimi (inner)] and a surrounding [makif (surrounding light)], and every single person, according to his aspect, whatever Hashem has granted him to bring/insert the surrounding [makif] inside, and to understand and to innovate some matter, morality/uprightness obligates that he reveal and bring/insert this understanding of the treasure [segula] that was with him as a treasure [segula] to reveal to the nation of treasure [am segula] and to give from his goodness to others.

10. And this is the explanation of “Chapter Four of the Book of Concealment: Atika (Ancient One), Hidden and Concealed, Zi'aira d’Anpin (Small Face) is revealed and not revealed.” Atika is the aspect of the aforementioned makifin, which are hidden and concealed from every side throughout the duration of this world and will not be revealed except in the future. But in Zi'aira d’Anpin, the wisdoms that a person can attain, even in them there is internal [penimi] and makif. And every single person, according to his aspect, has an internal [penimi] and a makif. And these aforementioned perplexities, which the human saichel cannot attain, are from the aspect of Atika. And all the wisdoms that the human moach can attain are the aspect of Zeira d’Anpin. And sometimes they are in concealment [he’elem], in the aspect of ibbur, as above. And this is the aspect of: not revealed. And when it is revealed to him, then it is in the aspect of revealed. And as long as the matter was with him in the aspect of not revealed, in the aspect of concealment [he’elem], it was with him like a segula, as above, which is above his saichel. And afterward, when it is revealed to him, then he benefits others with his goodness, as above.

11. “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1), and so forth. All the troubles, afflictions, and exile [galus] are only according to the measure of the lack of daas (knowledge). And when daas is perfected, then all deficiencies are perfected, in the aspect of, “If you have acquired knowledge, what do you lack?” (Nedarim 41a). And it is written, “Therefore My people are exiled for lack of knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13) [see Sanhedrin 92a].

And the main eternal life [chayim netzachim] will be in the future because of the daas, that daas will increase, and everyone will know Hashem. And through daas, they will be included in His unity, and then they will live eternal life [chayim netzachim] like Him. For through knowledge, they are included in Him, as the sage said: “If I knew Him, I would be Him.” And the main daas will be in the future, as it is written, “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Hashem” (Isaiah 11:9). And because of daas, no good will be lacking, and it will all be good, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Pesachim 50a): (“On that day, Hashem will be One and His Name One.”) Is He not One even now?, and they answered: (But now we bless over evil, “Blessed is the True Judge,” and over good, “The Good and the Benefactor.” But) in the future, all will be “The Good and the Benefactor,” (for in the future, when daas is revealed, they will know that there is no evil in the world at all, only all is good and all is One).

And even the nations [עַכּוּ"ם] will know with the superior/extra daas, but not like us. And they will know that the greatness they had and the lowliness we had during the time of exile [galus], all that greatness was ours, even though now it is impossible to comprehend all this, for one cannot deny the senses. Nevertheless, daas will increase, and everyone will understand that their greatness was our greatness, and for them was the lowliness. And seemingly, this is a great knowledge; nevertheless, this knowledge will be for us a matter of jest and laughter according to the measure of our knowledge. And this is, “Then our mouth will be filled with laughter and our tongue, etc., then they will say among the nations, ‘Hashem has done greatly with these, Hashem has done greatly with us’” (Psalms 126:2). That they will know and say that the greatness He did with us, that is, with the nations [עַכּוּ"ם], “Hashem has done greatly with these,” the greatness was for Israel. Nevertheless, “then our mouth will be filled with laughter,” that is, we will laugh and mock their knowledge and attainment, for our attainment will be infinite and boundless.

And the knowledge [yediah] has for it a makif (surrounding/encompassing entity) and a makif to a makif, as explained above regarding the verse “When you kindle the lamps”. And this is, “Comfort, comfort,” (Nachamoo nachamoo) that is, a makif, and a makif to a makif. For yedeyah is the main comfort [nechamah] for all troubles.

And how is it possible to come to the yedeyos (knowledges): “Your G-d will say (yoamar” ameera bichashay (the language of yoamar-He will say, "ameera", is the aspect of speaking in secret) [see Zohar, Vayayra 25a, Idra Rabba 132a], the aspect of oil [shemen], the aspect of the seven lamps [nayros]. Elokim (G-d) is for raising a voice, the aspect of, “Elokim (G-d), do not be silent” (Psalms 83:2), the aspect of the cry [tza’akas] of the woman giving birth [yoledes], as above.

[From sign 20 until here, in the words of our Rabbi, of blessed memory.]

[Explanation: For it is explained above that through the tzeakah one merits to generate the mochin from their concealment [ta’alumasan]. And through sanctifying the seven lamps [nayros], one merits to bring the makifin within [penim]. For two things are needed for the attainment of holy daas: First, one must generate the mochin, for sometimes the mochin and the shefa Eloki are in concealment [he’elem], and so forth, as above. And for this, one needs tzeakah to generate them. And afterward, when the mochin are born, there are still internal [penimi] and makif within them. And for this, one must sanctify the seven lamps [nayros] to bring the makifin and the shefa Eloki within and to make the makif internal [penimi]. See there well and understand.

And this is what explains the verse “Comfort, comfort,” that is, to merit the attainment of the makifin, which is the attainment of daas, which is the essence of comfort, as above. This is merited through the two aforementioned aspects, which are tzeakah, through which one generates the makifin, and the sanctity of the seven lamps [nayros], through which one brings the makifin within, as above.

And this is: “Your G-d will say” is the aspect of speaking in secret, which is the aspect of oil [shemen], which is in secret, as it is written in the Zohar (Shmini 39a): Wine is for raising a voice, and oil is in secret. And oil [shemen] is the aspect of the seven lamps [nayros], which were of oil [shemen]. “Your G-d” is the aspect of: G-d for raising a voice, the aspect of the aforementioned tzeakah. Through these two aspects, one merits the attainment of the makifin, which is the attainment of holy daas, which is the essence of comfort, the aspect of “Comfort, comfort,” that is, a makif and a makif to a makif, as above].

All the aforementioned matter, explained briefly on the verse “Comfort, comfort” in his holy words, I heard from his holy mouth himself with a slightly more detailed explanation, and I recorded it for myself as I heard it; therefore, I did not refrain from transcribing it.

And he began to speak about the matter of life and death, saying: Between life [chayim] and death [misah], there is no difference except for the measure of one cubit, for now a person dwells here, and afterward he dwells there [and he gestured with his hand toward the cemetary (bais almin]. And afterward, he began to say all this matter: Eternal life [chayim netzachim], and so forth, as follows. That is, one who merits true daas, as above, to know Him, blessed be He, there is no difference for him at all between life [chayim] and death [misah], for he is attached and included in Him, blessed be He, in his life [chayav] and in his death [b’moso]. Only now in his life [b’chayav], his dwelling is here, and afterward, his dwelling is there, as above.

And then I heard from his holy mouth all this matter. And this is it: Eternal life [chayim netzachim] is only for Hashem, blessed be He, for He lives forever. And one who is included in His root, that is, in Him, blessed be He, also lives forever. For since he is included in the One and is one with Hashem, blessed be He, he lives eternal life [chayim netzachim] like Hashem, blessed be He. And similarly, there is no perfection except for Hashem, blessed be He, and outside of Him, all are deficient. And one who is included in Him has perfection. And the main generality, to be included in the One, is through daas (realization of knowledg) of Him, blessed be He, as the sage said: “If I knew Him, I would be Him.” For the essence of a person is the saichel. And therefore, where the saichel thinks, there is the entire person. And when one knows and attains knowledge [yedeya] of Hashem, blessed be He, he is truly there. And the more one knows, the more one is included in the root, that is, in Him, blessed be He.

And all the deficiencies that a person has, whether livelihood, children, or physical health, and all other deficiencies, all are due to the lack of daas. And even though there are those who are completely lacking in daas and yet have all good, in truth, all that they have is nothing. And conversely, one who is perfect in daas but has a deficiency, in truth, the deficiency is nothing, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Nedarim 41a): “If you have acquired daas, what do you lack? And if you lack daas, what have you acquired?” For the main deficiency and perfection depends on daas.

And similarly, anger and cruelty are due to the lack of daas, as it is written, “Anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9). And therefore, a sick person is angry because then he is under judgments, for judgments (dinim) rest upon him, and judgments are mochin of smallness. And therefore, he is in anger.

And in the future, daas will be revealed, and everyone will know Hashem, as it is written, “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Hashem” (Isaiah 11:9). And therefore, anger will be nullified, as it is written, “And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid, etc., and the cow and the bear, etc., they will not harm nor destroy, etc., for the earth will be full of the knowledge of Hashem” (ibid.). For now, it is impossible for them to dwell together, a wolf with a lamb, etc., because of the attribute of anger. But in the future, they will be able to dwell together because anger will be nullified through the daas that will be revealed then.

And behold, in the future, everyone will know Hashem, even the nations [עַכּוּ"ם], as above, “And the earth will be full of knowledge.” But the daas that they will have then, it is possible for us to know and speak of. But the daas that we will have then, it is impossible now even to speak of, for now this daas is in the aspect of makifin, as above. For all the perfection and goodness that the nations have now, in truth, it is nothing, as above: “If you lack daas etc. (what have you acquired?)” And on the contrary, all their greatness and goodness is for our benefit. And in the future, when the earth will be filled with daas, and even all the nations will know Hashem, then they will understand that all the greatness and goodness they had in this world was for our benefit and our greatness.

And this is, “Then they will say in the nations, ‘Hashem has done greatly with these, Hashem has done greatly with us’” (Psalms 126:2). That is, all the greatness that Hashem did with us in this world [that is, with the nations], “Hashem has done greatly with these,” for it was all their greatness [that is, of Israel], for it was for their benefit and their greatness. And this they will understand through the daas and attainment that they will have then. But for us, this daas will be a simple matter and laughter, for our daas will be greatly expanded then. And this is, “Then our mouth will be filled with laughter and our tongue, etc., then they will say among the nations, ‘Hashem has done greatly’”. For this daas and attainment that they will have then to say “Hashem has done greatly,” etc., as above, will be for us laughter and a simple matter, for our daas will be greatly expanded.

And therefore, in the future, they will live eternal life [chayim netzachim], for then daas will be revealed, and they will be included in the One. And therefore, our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Pesachim 50a), “On that day, Hashem will be One and His Name One,” and is He not One even now? But now we bless over evil, “Blessed is the True Judge,” and over good, “The Good and the Benefactor.” But in the future, we will bless over everything, “The Good and the Benefactor,” for in the future, when daas is revealed, they will know that there is no evil in the world at all, only all is good and all is One. And also the exile is only due to the lack of daas, as it is written, “Therefore My people are exiled for lack of knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13). And therefore, the redemption from Egypt was through Moses, who was the aspect of daas. And this is what is written, “And you shall know that I am Hashem who brings you out from under the burdens of Egypt” (Exodus 6:7). For the main redemption is through daas.

And know that even in the future, when the earth will be filled with daas, and the saichel of the makif will become an internal [penimi] saichel, even then there will be other makifin. For certainly, they will not know the essence of Hashem, blessed be He, but each one will attain according to his level and according to his service and effort that he toiled and labored in this world for the sake of Hashem, blessed be He. And even though all will be refined, even the nations, nevertheless, there will be a great difference between them and us. For what will be for them then a great attainment and knowledge [yediah] will be for us laughter and a simple matter, and it will not be considered in our eyes as an attainment at all. And as explained above: “Then our mouth will be filled with laughter and our tongue, etc., then they will say among the nations, ‘Hashem has done greatly’”. For what will be for them an attainment to understand and know the greatness of Israel, and that all their goodness and greatness in this world was all for Israel, and in truth, it is a great attainment, for now in this world it is not understood. Nevertheless, for us, it will not be considered an attainment at all, only laughter and a simple matter, for our attainment and daas will be greatly expanded then. And also among Israel themselves, there will certainly be a great difference between each tzadik and tzadik, all the more so between a tzadik and a wicked person. For what will be a makif for one will be internal [penimi] for another, as above: “Every tzadik is burned by the chuppah of his fellow,” as above, see there.

And as is brought the explanation of the verse, “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Hashem as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). For in the shared saichel, all will be equal, for all will know Hashem, even the nations. But in the depth of chochmah, each one will be according to his level, like the waters that cover the sea, that above, the waters are equal in every place, but in depth, they are greatly distinguished. For in one place, the waters are shallow and close to the earth, and in another place, they are deeper and deeper, and in another place, they are deep to the abyss. So it will be with the attainment of Hashem, blessed be He, in the future.

And this is, “Every tzadik by the chuppah (canopy) of his fellow,” as above. For when one reaches an attainment that he did not know before, and it is for him a new matter, then he is inflamed and burned by the light of that attainment, which is wondrous for him. But one who has already passed through that attainment and now attains matters more awesome and greater than it, he has no fervor from that attainment. And this is, “Every tzadik is burned [nikveh] and inflamed by the chuppah of his fellow,” from the attainment that for his fellow is a simple matter, which does not burn or warm him at all, until he needs to cover and envelop himself, for that attainment does not warm or burn him at all. And the second tzadik, who is lower than him, is burned and inflamed by it.

[And the matter is explained further based on what is explained above, that through the movement of the saichel, and so forth, which is the aspect of shefa Eloki, that is, the attainment of the makifin, the attainment of holy daas, through this, heat [chom] is born in the heart, and so forth.] It follows that the essence of the warmth [chamimus] and fervor [hisla’havus] of holiness is through the attainment of the makifin, the attainment of daas, as above. And through this, the matter is well explained: “Every tzadik is burned, etc., by the chuppah,” etc. That is, for this tzadik, it will be considered a great attainment, such that he will be burned by it, for the attainment of daas generates heat, as above. And therefore, he will be burned by it. But for the tzadik higher than him, it is not considered an attainment at all, and he is not burned or warmed at all by that attainment, but he needs to envelop and cover himself with another, higher attainment to warm himself.

It comes out, that what is explained above regarding the statement, “Every tzadik is burned by the chuppah of his fellow,” which means that he will be burned by the makif of his fellow, for the makif of one is greater than the makif of another, and the saichel that is a makif for one is internal [penimi] for another, and so forth. For the chuppah is the aspect of surrounding lights [makifin], as above. All this is one matter with what we wrote here, for the chuppah, which is the makif, is the aspect of covering and enveloping, which truly warms a person. For the essence of warmth [chamimus] and fervor [hisla’havus] is from the aspect of the attainment of the makifin, as above. And understand this well).

And it can be that there will be several tzadikim, when they come to the World to Come, the attainments that the great tzadik attained in this world will be for them awesome matters, and they will be burned by them. And for the great tzadik, they were attainments of this world.

And similarly, for the nations [עַכּוּ"ם], it will be for them a great attainment when they come to the simple Judaism of an Israelite that he has in this world. That is, they will know from the service of Israel and from the sanctity of their commandments [mitzvot] that they performed in this world, it will be for them an attainment that they will know and feel some sanctity, like a simple upright person who feels in this world in simple service without any attainment. And when the nations come to this, it will be for them a great attainment. But we, the holy nation, there is no measure to our attainment, all the more so to the attainment of the tzadik.

And the perfection of daas is when it is made from makifin into internal [penimiyim], and then one is saved from all troubles. For example, when one lies in wait to ambush and kill his fellow, then he must change his garments so that he will not be recognized, as it is written, “He changes his face and You send him away” (Job 14:20). For by changing the face [pnay] through different garments, one is saved from him. And similarly, in the essence of a person, that is, in the saichel, there are aspects of garments, that is, the saichel of the makif. And one must make the makif internal [penimi] and make for it other makifin, that is, the aspect of other garments. And through this, one is saved from all ambushers and adversaries. For garment in numerical value [gimatria] is חַשְׁמַ"ל [chashmal] (a fiery protective entity, in modern Hebrew it is electricity), and from the chashmal, all destroyers flee. And this is, “Strength and splendor are her clothing, and she laughs at the last day” (Proverbs 31:25). Through the garment, which is the aspect of the chashmal, which is a strong and splendid garment, through this, “she laughs at the last day,” for she is not afraid of it at all, as above. And the main time for this is the month of Elul. And this is “her clothing and she laughs at the last day (Livoosha Vatischak Li'yoam Acharoan לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרון),” the initial letters of which are אֱלוּל [Elul].

And this is the aspect of the seven days of mourning, Heaven forfend etc., so that his soul may ascend to the aforementioned light of the countenance [ohr hapanim], and so forth, see above. And therefore, the mourner, Heaven forfend, is obligated in tearing [kri’ah], for tearing - קְרַ"ע [kra] has the numerical value [gimatria] of 370 lights [nehorin] of the light of the countenance [ohr hapanim, which is the numerical value [gimatria] of twice “E-l” in its full spelling (Alef Lammed), for “E-l” is the light of the countenance [ohr hapanim.

They asked: For there are makifin by the saichel, that is, that do not enter the internal [penimi] human intelligence saichel. And there are makifin for the Torah that surround the Torah and do not enter into the Torah. And among the makifin, there are those that are makifin and stand before the eyes, only that they are makifin and do not enter the saichel. And there are those that are in concealment [he’elem], that have not yet come even to makifin, and this is the aspect of ibbur. And what is to be done so that the makifin of the Torah enter into the Torah within, and the makifin of the saichel enter into the internal [penimi] saichel? That is, that first the makifin of the Torah come and are revealed from the concealment [he’elem] to makifin, and afterward the makifin of the Torah enter within. And similarly, the makifin of the saichel, that which cannot be attained due to human deficiency, will be made from the makif internal [penimi], that is, that it comes from the concealment [he’elem] to makifin, and the makifin will be made internal [penimi].

[This question they asked in the place where they asked, and he, of blessed memory, gave an answer for this. So I heard from his holy mouth explicitly. And afterward, we merited to hear all the aforementioned Torah. And now it is explained for the one who examines the answer to the aforementioned question and difficulty, for the essence of the question is how to generate the mochin from their concealment [ta’alumos], and afterward, when they are generated, how one merits to bring the makifin within. And it is already explained well in what one merits this, that is: Through tzeakah in Torah and prayer, one merits to generate the mochin from their concealment [ta’alumos]. And through the sanctity of the seven lamps [nayros], that is, to sanctify one’s eyes so as not to look at what is forbidden to look at, and so forth, and similarly to sanctify one’s mouth, nose, and ears, as above, through this, one merits to bring the surrounding lights [makifin] within [penimi (internal)]. And the explanation of the matter and its proofs, and where these awesome secrets are hinted at, and so forth, all is explained above well; fortunate is he who sets his heart to study them in truth, to learn and to teach, to observe and to perform, and to fulfill.