Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 56 - THERE IS A NEWER IMPROVED TRANSLATION

Torah 56: And on the Day of the First Fruits

there is a newer improved translation

And on the day of the first fruits, when you bring a new meal offering to Hashem in your weeks, it shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall do no laborious work (Numbers 28).

א

For there is in every individual of Israel the aspect of kingship [Malchut], and according to each one’s level, so too does one have aspects of kingship. Some rule over their household, some govern more extensively, and some rule over the entire world—each according to the aspect of kingship that one possesses, in the aspects of: “Leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens” (Exodus 18). And these aspects of kingship that each one has are in both revealed [itgalya] and concealed [itkassya] states. In the revealed state, this is the governance that each one has according to one’s level, ruling over certain people in a revealed manner according to the aspect of one’s kingship, as mentioned above. And in the concealed state, even though in the revealed state it appears that one has no governance over certain people, nevertheless, in a concealed and greatly hidden manner, one rules over those people, for their souls are under one’s authority, and they are submissive to one. And also this aspect of kingship in a concealed state is according to each one’s level, in the aspects of: “Leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds,” and so forth. And there is one who, in the revealed state, has no governance at all, yet in a concealed and greatly hidden manner, rules over the entire generation, even over all the tzadikim of the generation, for all their souls are entirely under one’s dominion and kingship, and all are submissive and bowed to one, only it is in a greatly hidden manner, in the aspects of (Malachi 1): “In every place incense is offered and presented to My name,” that even though they worship idolatry, nevertheless, in a greatly hidden manner, they are all submissive to Him, blessed be He, and serve Him, blessed be He, only it is in a greatly hidden manner. Similarly, this aspect of kingship in a concealed state is such that, even though in the revealed state one has no governance, nevertheless, in a greatly hidden manner, one reigns over them, and they are all under one and submissive to one.

ב

And each one must not use the aspects of kingship that one possesses for one’s own pleasure or needs, so that the aspects of kingship do not become like a servant to fulfill one’s desires. Rather, the aspect of kingship should be in the aspect of a free person [ben chorin], (Ecclesiastes 10): “Happy are you, O land, when your king is a free person,” that the kingship should be with you as a free person, not to be used for your pleasure. And this is the aspect of Mordechai, the aspect of mar dror [pure myrrh] (Chullin 139), that the bitterness [marut], which is the kingship, has freedom [dror] and liberty, not to be used for one’s pleasure or needs, but for Hashem, blessed be He, in the aspects of (Obadiah 1): “And the kingship shall be to Hashem,” namely, to use the kingship for the service of Hashem, blessed be He, which is to admonish and reprove all the souls that are submissive to one, each according to the aspects of kingship that one has in both revealed and concealed states. If one rules over one’s household, one must admonish and reprove the members of one’s household, and if one has greater governance, one is obligated to admonish more and more people according to the aspect of one’s kingship.

ג

And one must draw longevity [arichut yamim] into the kingship so that it does not become in the aspect of (Pesachim 87): “Leadership buries its possessor,” for each one, according to the aspect of kingship that one possesses, is in the aspect of a watchman [tzofeh], who is obligated to admonish and reprove the people who are from one’s root, over whom one has the aspect of kingship. And if one admonishes and reproves them, then one fulfills one’s duty and saves one’s soul, as it is said (Ezekiel 3): “I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel… and you, when you have warned the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness… he shall die in his iniquity, but you have saved your soul.” But if one does not admonish and reprove them, then the punishment is upon one [as it is written there], and therefore, “leadership buries its possessor.” And therefore, one must see to draw longevity into the kingship, namely, to ensure that one can admonish and reprove them. But how can one admonish and reprove them, for one does not know what they need, and they are not present for one to reprove them? Therefore, one needs knowledge [da’at] to know how to reprove them.

And to attain this knowledge, this is also through longevity itself. And this is what the world says, that one does not know from one’s life, for the essence of knowing is from life, from longevity. For to attain longevity, this is through engagement in Torah, for the Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He (Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 10, 25). And just as when one needs to call someone, one calls them by their name, so too when one needs to call the Life of Lives [Chai HaChayim] to draw life and longevity from Him, one must call Him by His Name, as it were, and His Name is the Torah, as mentioned above. It follows that through engagement in Torah, one calls forth longevity. And therefore, the king is admonished regarding engagement in Torah more than the rest of the world, because one needs to call forth longevity into the kingship, as mentioned above (Deuteronomy 17): “And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may prolong his days over his kingship.” And this is: “And he shall read in it all the days of his life,” specifically “read in it,” namely, that through engagement in Torah, one calls forth life, as mentioned above. And this is: “The days of his life,” specifically “the days of his life,” for when receiving vitality, it must be received in measure, for without measure and limitation [tzimtzum], it is impossible to receive vitality from Hashem, blessed be He, due to the abundance of light, for an abundance of oil causes the lamp to be extinguished. Therefore, one must receive vitality in measure, and this is achieved through engagement in Torah, for the Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Name is the vessel of the thing, for through that Name, the vitality of that thing is limited (Genesis 2): “A living soul is its name,” that through the Name, the soul and vitality of every thing is limited. And therefore, when one calls a person by their name, they are immediately present because through the Name, all their soul and vitality is limited. Similarly, the Torah is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, meaning that there the vitality from the Life of Lives is limited, for the Torah is the aspect of measures, as the Torah contains letters, words, verses, portions, and sections, which are the aspect of measures through which vitality is limited in measure. And therefore, through the Torah, which is the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is the aspect of measures, one can receive vitality, for through the Torah, one calls forth life and draws vitality into the measures, which are the aspect of days (Psalms 39): “And the measure of my days, what is it?” Namely, the Torah, which is the aspect of “what” [mah], as it is written (Deuteronomy 6): “What are the testimonies, statutes, and judgments,” is the aspect of measures and days, as mentioned above, through which one calls forth vitality into the measures and days, without which it would be impossible to receive vitality due to the abundance of light. And this is: “And he shall read in it all the days of his life,” that through the Torah, one calls forth vitality into the days and measures, as mentioned above. And therefore, one must engage in Torah specifically with the mouth, for when one needs to call someone by their name, one must call them specifically with the mouth, and it is impossible to call them by their name merely in thought. Similarly, it is impossible to call the Life of Lives by His Name except through the mouth, and not through thought alone (Eruvin 54): “For they are life to those who express them,” specifically to those who express them with the mouth, that through this, one merits life, as mentioned above.

It follows that through engagement in Torah, one draws longevity, and then one merits knowledge, for knowledge and intellect are themselves the vitality, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7): “Wisdom gives life to its possessor,” for intellect is the essence of vitality. And through this knowledge, one can draw near and reprove those who need to be reproved. For there are two concealments, and when Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden in a single concealment, it is also very difficult to find Him, but nevertheless, when He is hidden in a single concealment, it is possible to strive and search until one finds Him, blessed be He, since one knows that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from one. But when Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden in a concealment within a concealment, namely, that the concealment itself is hidden from one, meaning that one does not know at all that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from one, then it is utterly impossible to find Him, since one does not know at all about Hashem, blessed be He (Deuteronomy 31): “And I will surely hide,” namely, that I will hide the concealment so that they do not know at all that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden. And then, one certainly cannot find Him, blessed be He, since one does not know at all that one needs to seek Him, blessed be He, for one does not know at all that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from one, for the concealment itself is hidden, as mentioned above. But in truth, even in all the concealments, and even in the concealment within a concealment, certainly even there Hashem, blessed be He, is clothed, for certainly there is nothing that does not contain the vitality of Hashem, blessed be He, for without His vitality, it would have no existence at all. And therefore, certainly in all things, in all deeds, and in all thoughts, Hashem, blessed be He, is clothed there, as it were. And even if, Heaven forbid, one commits a transgression that is not according to the will of Hashem, blessed be He, nevertheless, certainly there is the vitality of Hashem, blessed be He, there, but it is in a hidden and greatly limited state. And the Torah is the vitality of every thing. It follows that in all things, and in all thoughts, even a thought, speech, or deed of transgression, Heaven forbid, there is also the clothing of the Torah, but it is in a hidden and greatly limited state, in the aspect of concealments. For “one who transgresses and repeats, it becomes to him as permitted,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Yoma 86), namely, that through transgressions, one inverts the words of the Living G-d and makes different combinations in the Torah until it becomes from forbidden to permitted, as it is written (Isaiah 5): “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” and so forth. It follows that even within transgressions, the vitality of Hashem, blessed be He, is clothed there, namely, the letters of the Torah, but it is in a hidden state, namely, that through transgressions, one inverts the combinations of the Torah until it becomes from forbidden to permitted, as mentioned above, “one who transgresses and repeats, it becomes to him as permitted.” And this is the aspect of a single concealment. And when Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from one in a single concealment, namely, the aspect mentioned above that it becomes to him as permitted, it is also very difficult to find Him, since it has already become to him as permitted. But nevertheless, it is possible to strive and search until one finds His Name, blessed be He, since, in any case, one knows that it has become to him as permitted. Therefore, even though Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from one, and the transgressions have already become to him as permitted, nevertheless, it is possible that one will take to heart this very fact, namely, that one has fallen and reached the aspect of it becoming to him as permitted, and one will seek and search until one comes out of this, since, in any case, one knows from this that it has become to him as permitted.

But know that there is yet the aspect of a concealment within a concealment, namely, that the concealment itself is hidden, that one does not know at all that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from one, namely, that one does not know at all that the forbidden has become to him as permitted, but all evil things seem to him entirely proper, Heaven forbid. Namely, if, Heaven forbid, after one transgresses and repeats, one commits more transgressions, Heaven forbid, then it is hidden from one even that one knows that it has become to him as permitted, but one does not know at all of any trace of prohibition, and everything is upright in one’s eyes. And this is the aspect of a concealment within a concealment, that the concealment itself is hidden, as mentioned above. And in truth, even within the concealment within a concealment, even there Hashem, blessed be He, is clothed, namely, the letters of the Torah, for without Him, there is no vitality to anything, as mentioned above. But through the multitude of transgressions, one completely inverts the words of the Living G-d until it is transformed from the wisdom of the Torah into folly, until one does not know at all even this itself, that it has become to him as permitted, as mentioned above, which is the aspect of a concealment within a concealment, as mentioned above. Therefore, one must reveal the aforementioned concealments, and this is through drawing longevity into the kingship, which is the aspect of knowledge, as mentioned above. And through this knowledge, one can know that even within the concealment itself, and even within the concealment within a concealment, even there Hashem, blessed be He, is clothed, namely, the Torah. And since one knows that even within the concealments, Hashem, blessed be He, is there, from this itself the concealments are revealed, and Torah is made from them, and even from the concealment within a concealment, Torah is made, for in truth, even there Hashem, blessed be He, is clothed, namely, Torah, as mentioned above. But because they did not know that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden there, this itself is the aspect of the concealments. And immediately, when one knows that Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden there, through this itself, the concealment within a concealment is transformed, and knowledge is made from it, and the Torah that is hidden there is restored to knowledge. And since the concealment within a concealment is restored to knowledge and Torah is made from it, then the Torah itself reproves them, in the aspect of: The Torah proclaims before them, “How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity?” (Zohar, Shemini 36, Acharei 58, Nasso 126). For in truth, the Torah proclaims and cries out and reproves constantly, as it is written (Proverbs 1): “In the chief place of concourse she calls… How long, O simple ones, will you love simplicity?” and so forth. But one does not hear the voice of the Torah’s proclamation because of the aforementioned concealments. And since the concealments are revealed and restored, and Torah is made from them through knowledge, as mentioned above, then immediately, when Torah is made from them, the Torah itself reproves them, “How long, O simple ones,” and so forth, as mentioned above. And this is what is written (Proverbs 31): “She opens her mouth with wisdom,” that through the aforementioned wisdom and knowledge, through which the concealments are revealed and Torah is made from them, as mentioned above, through this, “She opens her mouth,” namely, the aspect of the Torah proclaiming before them, that the Torah itself opens its mouth and reproves them, as mentioned above.

It follows that through engagement in Torah, through which one draws longevity into the kingship, for through it one draws vitality into the days and measures, as mentioned above, and through this one merits knowledge, as mentioned above, through this one can reprove even those who are very distant from Hashem, blessed be He, in the aspect of a concealment within a concealment, as mentioned above. And this is the meaning of (Esther 2): “And every day Mordechai walked before the court of the women’s house,” and so forth. Mordechai, this is the aspect of kingship, as mentioned above. And “every day,” this is the aspect of the Torah, through which one draws vitality to the days and measures, as mentioned above. The “court of the house,” this is the aspect of externality and internality, namely, thoughts and words in which Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden, even the thoughts and words of those who are distant from Hashem, blessed be He. And this is the “court of the women’s house,” from the language of “they were dislocated and sprang” from the place of the world [from the language of the sciatic nerve, gid hanasheh] (Bereishit Rabbah 32, and see Rashi there), that they became distant from Hashem, blessed be He. And there are those who were already somewhat close to Hashem, blessed be He, but have already forgotten Him, blessed be He (Genesis 41): “For G-d has made me forget,” and so forth, that they have already forgotten Hashem, blessed be He. And there are those who even now remember Hashem, blessed be He, but their strength has been weakened (Lamentations 1) and their hand lacks the strength to overcome their inclination. And for this reason, they are called by the name “women” because of these three aspects mentioned above: the aspect of “they were dislocated and sprang,” and so forth, the aspect of forgetfulness, and so forth, and the aspect of their strength being weakened, as mentioned above. And through all this, they are distant from Hashem, blessed be He, and Hashem, blessed be He, is hidden from them in the aspect of the aforementioned concealments. And Mordechai, which is the aspect of kingship, can reprove and admonish them through engagement in Torah, which is the aspect of days and measures, as mentioned above, through which one merits knowledge. Through this knowledge, one reveals the concealment within a concealment and makes Torah from it, as mentioned above, and then the Torah proclaims before them, as mentioned above. And this is, “To know the welfare of Esther,” that through this, one makes knowledge from the concealment within a concealment, which is the aspect of Esther, the aspect of “I will surely hide,” and “what was done with her,” that one makes from the concealment the aspect of “what” [mah], namely, Torah, as it is written: “What are the testimonies,” and so forth, as mentioned above. For from this itself, that one knows that even within the concealment within a concealment, Hashem, blessed be He, is there, from this itself knowledge is made, namely, Torah, and then the Torah proclaims before them, as mentioned above. And this itself is the aspect of the reproof that one is obligated to admonish and reprove, as mentioned above, for through knowledge, one causes the Torah to reprove them, as mentioned above.

And through this reproof, one draws longevity into the kingship so that it does not become in the aspect of “leadership buries its possessor,” which is when one does not reprove the people over whom one has governance, and so forth, as mentioned above. But through the aforementioned engagement in Torah, through which one draws life and longevity, the aspect of knowledge, and so forth, until the Torah proclaims before them and reproves them, it follows that one fulfills the obligation of reproof. Then leadership and kingship do not harm one, as mentioned above, for one draws longevity into the kingship through reproof, as mentioned above. It follows that through longevity, which is the aspect of knowledge, which one draws through the Torah, through this itself, one draws the aforementioned longevity into the kingship, as mentioned above.

ד

And know that the Torah clothed within the concealment within a concealment is specifically a lofty Torah, namely, the secrets of the Torah [sitrei Torah], for because it must be clothed in such low places, namely, among those who have transgressed greatly until it is hidden from them in a concealment within a concealment, therefore, Hashem, blessed be He, devised a plan not to clothe there the simple meanings of the Torah [pshatei Torah], so that the husks [klipot] would not draw much sustenance from there, causing a very great blemish. Therefore, He hides and clothes there specifically a lofty Torah, the secrets of the Torah, which is the Torah of Hashem Himself [see Avodah Zarah 19, and above, Torah 22, section 6], so that the husks cannot draw much sustenance from there. (Exodus 12): “And I will pass through the land of Egypt, I and not an angel, I and not a messenger, I, Hashem, and not…” For in the land of Egypt, where the place of the husks is very strong, therefore, specifically there, Hashem, blessed be He, Himself is clothed and hidden, namely, the Torah of Hashem itself, the secrets of the Torah. Therefore, specifically from the concealment within a concealment, when it is restored and transformed into knowledge, it becomes specifically the Torah of Hashem itself, for there the Torah of Hashem, the secrets of the Torah, is hidden, as mentioned above.

ה

And corresponding to the kingship of holiness [Malchut d’Kedushah] is the kingship of wickedness, namely, the kingship of Haman-Amalek, as it is written (Numbers 24): “The first of the nations is Amalek.” And this is opposite to that, for the kingship of holiness is the aspect of: “Gathering all the camps” (Numbers 10), as it is written (Ecclesiastes 12): “The conclusion of the matter, all is heard: Fear G-d,” which is the aspect of kingship, as it is written (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 3): “Were it not for the fear of the kingship…” Namely, the kingship of holiness is the aspect of the conclusion of the matter, the aspect of gathering all the camps of holiness, the aspect of the camp of Dan, which gathers all the camps, for the law of the kingship is the law [dina d’malchuta dina] (Gittin 10, Bava Kamma 113). And the kingship of the Other Side [sitra achra], gathers wealth, for because it fears that the holy sparks it possesses will be taken from its mouth, it strengthens itself and gathers wealth, which are the sparks of holiness, for they are the aspect of the supernal colors that are in gold, silver, and copper, which are wealth. And this is the aspect of the desire for riches, which is the aspect of kingship. And therefore, Amalek, which is the kingship of wickedness, pursues the camp of Dan, which is the aspect of the kingship of holiness, as mentioned above (Deuteronomy 25): “And he attacked your rear… and he did not fear G-d,” namely, at a time when they lack the strength of the kingship of holiness, which is the aspect of fearing G-d, as mentioned above. For the kingship of Haman-Amalek is the opposite of the kingship of holiness, for the kingship of holiness is the aspect of gathering all the camps of holiness, and the kingship of Haman-Amalek, which is the kingship of wickedness, is the aspect of gathering wealth, as mentioned above, for it strengthens itself with the desire for wealth in order to seize all the holy sparks, as mentioned above. But nevertheless, it avails it nothing, for there is strength in the kingship of holiness, which is the aspect of Mordechai, to extract from it all the wealth and all the holy sparks that it swallowed. And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Megillah 10): “For to the man who is good before Him, He has given wisdom and knowledge,” this is Mordechai, namely, that Mordechai, who is the aspect of the kingship of holiness, as mentioned above, was given wisdom and knowledge, as mentioned above. And this is “good before Him,” the aspect of the Torah, for there is no good except Torah (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 6). “And to the sinner He has given the task to gather and collect,” this is Haman, namely, that Haman, who is the aspect of the kingship of the Other Side, as mentioned above, gathers wealth, as mentioned above. And this is: “To give to the one who is good before G-d,” the aspect of the Torah, that Mordechai, who is the aspect of the kingship of holiness, extracts from him all the wealth and all the holy sparks, and Torah is made from this, as mentioned above, for Mordechai extracts from him all the riches, in the aspect of (Job 20): “He has swallowed wealth and will vomit it up,” (Proverbs 31).

ו

And according to the greatness of knowledge, so too is sustenance [parnassah] obtained with ease, for sustenance with ease depends on knowledge, as it is written (Numbers 11): “The people wandered and gathered,” in foolishness [shtut] (Zohar, Beshalach 62-63), for the more one lacks knowledge, the more one toils and struggles for sustenance. Also, according to the greatness of knowledge, so too is peace [shalom] increased, (Isaiah 11): “And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb… for the earth shall be full of knowledge,” that there will be wondrous peace in the world, so that opposites can dwell together due to the greatness of knowledge that will be then. For through knowledge, peace is increased, for anger and cruelty are nullified through knowledge, for anger and cruelty stem from a lack of knowledge, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7): “Anger rests in the bosom of fools.” And the more knowledge increases, the more compassion and peace increase. And therefore, sustenance is obtained with ease, in the aspect of (Psalms 147): “He makes your borders peace, He satisfies you with the finest of wheat.”

ז

And this is the aspect of Shavuot, for Shavuot is the aspect of great and lofty intellect, which is supernal kindness [chesed elyon] and great compassion, for the greatness of compassion depends on the greatness of knowledge, as mentioned above. For at the time of the giving of the Torah, He appeared to them as an elder full of compassion (Mechilta, Parashat Beshalach, Parashat Yitro, and brought in Rashi, Parashat Yitro). And an elder represents settled knowledge, and on this the greatness of compassion depends, as mentioned above. And therefore, Shavuot is supernal kindness and great compassion. And this is the aspect of the mikveh of Shavuot, which is the aspect of the mikveh of the fiftieth gate, which is the supernal gate of the fifty gates of understanding [binah] (as brought in the Kavvanot of Shavuot), which is the aspect of supernal intellect and knowledge, the aspect of supernal kindness and great compassion, as mentioned above. And therefore, the mikveh saves from all troubles, as it is written (Jeremiah 14): “The hope [mikveh] of Israel, its Savior in time of trouble,” for it is supernal kindness that saves from all troubles. And therefore, the mikveh purifies from all impurities, as it is written (Ezekiel 36): “And I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be purified,” and so forth, for there is no suffering without iniquity (Shabbat 55). And therefore, the mikveh that saves from all troubles and sufferings purifies from all impurities and sins. And this is the aspect of the manna [man], the aspect of the mikveh of the gate of nun [fifty], which is the aspect of great knowledge, for the manna is the aspect of knowledge. And this is the aspect of (Shabbat 104): “An open saying, a faithful simpleton,” an open saying is the aspect of the revelation of knowledge, for speech is the revelation of knowledge, as it is written (Proverbs 2): “From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” And in Egypt, where knowledge was in exile, as it is written (Exodus 6): “And My Name Hashem I did not make known to them,” speech was also in exile (Zohar, Va’eira 25), in the aspect of: “Heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue” (Exodus 4). And when they left Egypt, when knowledge came out of exile, speech was opened, and this is the aspect of an open saying, that speech was opened and knowledge was revealed. And through the revelation of knowledge, the faithfulness of Hashem, blessed be He, was spread and recognized, that He is faithful, promising and fulfilling. And this is the aspect of a faithful simpleton, that His faithfulness was spread, as mentioned above. But in Egypt, where knowledge was in exile, His faithfulness was not spread or revealed. And this is what Rashi explained: “And My Name Hashem I did not make known to them,” I was not recognized in My attribute of truth, for because knowledge was not revealed in Egypt, through this His faithfulness was not recognized, as mentioned above, for kindness depends on knowledge, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of “I” [Anochi], yahiva ketiva, faithful are her sayings (Shabbat 105), that through the giving of the Torah, the saying was opened, and knowledge was revealed, as mentioned above, and through this His faithfulness was spread, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of faithful are her sayings, the aspect of a faithful simpleton, an open saying, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of manna [man], the acronym of ma’amar ne’eman [faithful saying], the aspect of an open saying, a faithful simpleton, as mentioned above, for the manna is the aspect of great knowledge, as mentioned above (Exodus 16): “For at forty one attains understanding” (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5).

ח

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Kiddushin 38): “They ate the manna for forty years, but wasn’t it forty years minus thirty days? Rather, the bread they brought out of Egypt tasted of the manna.” For in truth, the manna, which is the aspect of knowledge, should have been eaten for forty years in its entirety, for forty is the aspect of understanding and knowledge, as mentioned above. Namely, immediately upon leaving Egypt, when knowledge was revealed, they should have eaten the manna immediately. And to this, our Sages, of blessed memory, explained that the bread they brought out of Egypt, namely, the matzot, tasted of the manna, for peace depends on knowledge, as mentioned above, and dispute is the opposite of knowledge. But there is a dispute for the sake of Heaven, which is truly very great knowledge, greater than the knowledge of peace, for in truth, this dispute is great love and peace, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Kiddushin 30): “‘And Vahev in Sufah,’ they did not move from there until they became lovers of one another.” And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Pirkei Avot, Chapter 5): “A dispute for the sake of Heaven, its end is to endure,” namely, that in truth, it is love, as mentioned above. And this is its end is to endure, the aspect of love, as it is written (Numbers 21): “And Vahev in Sufah,” as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of Moshe, for Moshe is the aspect of knowledge, which is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven. And therefore, Moshe is the acronym of Machloket Shamai Hillel [the dispute of Shamai and Hillel] (as brought in Megaleh Amukot, Ofan 74), which is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven. And therefore, the redemption from Egypt was through Moshe, for the essence of redemption is through knowledge, as it is written (Exodus 16): “And you shall know that Hashem has brought you out,” and so forth, (Leviticus 23): “So that you may know,” and so forth. And this is the aspect of the bread [ugah], namely, the matzot they brought out of Egypt, for matzah is the aspect of dispute, as it is written (Isaiah 41): “The men of your strife [matzutecha] shall be as nothing.” And this is: “they brought out of Egypt,” specifically “brought out,” for in Egypt, where knowledge was in exile, there was certainly no dispute for the sake of Heaven, for this depends on knowledge, as mentioned above. And this is: the bread they brought out of Egypt, namely, that the matzah, which is the aspect of dispute they brought out of Egypt, where knowledge was in exile, tasted of the manna, for after they brought out the aspect of dispute from the exile of Egypt, it had the taste of the manna, which is the aspect of great knowledge, which is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 16): “Bread from heaven,” said regarding the manna, (Psalms 35): “He gave bread to my adversaries,” the aspect of dispute, namely, that the manna, which is knowledge, is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven, as mentioned above. And therefore, Dathan and Abiram, who disputed with Moshe, who is knowledge, also blemished the manna and left some of it over (Midrash Rabbah, Exodus, Parashah 1 and Parashah 25, and brought in Rashi, Beshalach), for the manna is the aspect of knowledge, the aspect of Moshe, as mentioned above. And this is what is written in the Holy Zohar (Tetzaveh 183): that matzah is healing [asvata], for matzah, which is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven, the aspect of knowledge, the aspect of peace, as mentioned above, is healing, for peace is healing, as it is written (Isaiah 57): “Peace, peace to the far and to the near, says Hashem, and I will heal him,” for the essence of illness, Heaven forbid, is due to a lack of peace, namely, the dispute of the elements, where one element overpowers another, and peace is healing. And this is why matzah is called “bread of affliction” (Deuteronomy 16), for there is no affliction except from a lack of knowledge (Nedarim 41). And this is the aspect of an ill person, as it is written (II Samuel 13): “Why are you so weak, O son of the king?” And matzah is healing, as mentioned above. And this is: “bread of affliction,” which is healing for the afflicted, as mentioned above.

ט

And to attain a dispute for the sake of Heaven, one must purify and cleanse the heavens so that they are not in the aspect of (Isaiah 50): “I clothe the heavens with blackness.” And to purify and cleanse the heavens is through a true sigh [anachah], for there is in the heart a pulsating spirit [ruach hadofek], which is from the beginning of creation, and it carries all the humors, all the blood, and all the essences [called zaftin]. And this pulsating spirit goes and beats in all the limbs, and through its movement and blowing in them, it shakes and blows and scatters them from decay so that they do not rot or become spoiled, like the wind that blows in the sea, which scatters, blows, turns, and stirs the waters so that they do not rot or become spoiled. And the primary blowing of this pulsating spirit is in the hands, for because the hands are active, it is necessary to blow and scatter them more. And therefore, the doctor, when placing a hand on the pulse, knows all the matters of the patient because there, in the hands, is the primary movement of the pulsating spirit of the heart, which carries everything, as mentioned above. And this pulsating spirit must move in an orderly manner according to its proper arrangement. And there is a serpent [nachash], through which comes sadness of spirit [atzvut ruach] (see Proverbs 15, Isaiah 54, 63), namely, the aspect of the thirty-nine labors [lamed-tet melachot], which is the impurity of the serpent. Through this comes sadness of spirit, and through sadness of spirit, the pulsating spirit does not beat in its proper order, and then the limbs become heavy because the pulsating spirit does not blow in them orderly. And then the hands are in the aspect of (Exodus 17): “And Moshe’s hands were heavy,” for the primary heaviness is in the hands, where the pulsating spirit is primarily, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of the sorrow of hands [itzvon yadayim] (Genesis 5), for the primary damage of sadness of spirit is to the hands, as mentioned above. And when the limbs are heavy, they further burden the pulsating spirit, and it becomes even weaker. And through the pulsating spirit becoming weaker, the limbs become even heavier, and so forth, as the limbs become even heavier, the pulsating spirit becomes even weaker, and this cycle continues until one’s soul departs, Heaven forbid.

And through the sigh, one revives and heals the pulsating spirit and is saved from sadness of spirit, and the pulsating spirit returns and blows orderly in all the limbs, and especially in the hands. And through this, one purifies the heavens, for the hands are the aspect of heavens, fire, and water, which are the aspect of the right hand and the left hand. And this is (Lamentations 3): “Let us lift our hearts to our hands, to G-d in the heavens,” that one must lift the heart, namely, the pulsating spirit in the heart, to the hands, as mentioned above. And this is “to G-d in the heavens,” for through this the heavens are purified, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of (Deuteronomy 32): “For I lift My hand to heaven,” that one must lift the hands so that they become the aspect of heavens, as mentioned above. And when one purifies the hands, the aspect of heavens, through the sigh, through which the spirit in the heart is lifted to the hands, and through this the hands and the heavens are purified, as mentioned above, then it is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven. For all speech receives from the heavens, for there all speech resides, as it is written (Psalms 119): “Forever, Hashem, Your word stands firm in the heavens.” And the speech that is received from the heavens is received from the thunders, in the aspect of (Psalms 18): “Hashem thunders in the heavens,” in the aspect of (Job 37): “G-d thunders with His voice wondrously.” It follows that speech is received from the hands, for they are the aspect of heavens where all speech resides, and the primary reception is through the aspect of thunders, namely, the aspect of the pulsating spirit that is rectified through the sigh, through which the hands are lifted to the heavens. For the pulsating spirit that moves, blows, and scatters everything, primarily in the hands, is the aspect of thunders, in the aspect of: “Hashem thunders in the heavens,” as mentioned above, for the hands are the aspect of heavens, as mentioned above, and there all speech resides, in the aspect of: “Forever, Hashem, Your word stands firm in the heavens,” as mentioned above. It follows that speech is received from the hands, and this is the aspect of: “As Hashem spoke by the hand,” said regarding Moshe and the other prophets, for there all speech resides, and from there it is received, as mentioned above.

And all the speech that is received from there, namely, from the aspect of hands, the aspect of heavens, the aspect of thunders, must not be condemned by the recipient, even if the law is not according to him, since it was received from the heavens. And therefore, in truth, “Both these and those are the words of the Living G-d” (Eruvin 13). And that the law is not according to him, this is impossible for us to understand and attain, for this is the aspect of thunders, from which the speech was received, regarding which it is said: “G-d thunders with His voice wondrously,” complete in knowledge [tmim de’im] (Job 37), and it is impossible for us to attain this, for this is the aspect of the ways of Hashem, which are impossible to attain, namely, the aspect of: “A tzadik and it is good for him, a tzadik and it is bad for him, a wicked person and it is good for him, a wicked person and it is bad for him,” which even Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, did not attain, and regarding this he requested (Exodus 33): “Make known to me, please, Your ways” (see Berachot 7). For “a tzadik and it is good for him” is the aspect of the tzadik whose ruling is followed; “a tzadik and it is bad for him” is the aspect of the tzadik whose ruling is not followed; “a wicked person and it is good for him” is the aspect of the wicked person who draws near to the tzadik whose ruling is followed; “a wicked person and it is bad for him” is the aspect of the wicked person who draws near to the tzadik whose ruling is not followed. And even Moshe did not attain this, for they are the aspect of the ways of Hashem, the aspect of thunders, which are wonders complete in knowledge, which are impossible to attain. And therefore, when speech is received from the heavens, from the aspect of hands, the aspect of thunders, as mentioned above, one must not condemn the recipient, even if the law is not according to him, for this is the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven, that in truth, both these and those are the words of the Living G-d, but it is impossible to attain this, for it is wonders complete in knowledge, the aspect of thunders, as mentioned above.

And this is the meaning of (Job 26): “By His spirit the heavens are made fair, His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent; behold, these are but the edges of His ways, and how faint a whisper we hear of Him, but the thunder of His might who can understand?” “By His spirit the heavens are made fair,” this is the aspect of the aforementioned pulsating spirit that blows in the hands, which are the aspect of heavens, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of: “By His spirit the heavens are made fair,” for through the aforementioned pulsating spirit, one purifies and enhances the heavens, which are the hands, in the aspect of: “Let us lift our hearts to our hands, to G-d in the heavens,” as mentioned above. And this is: “His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent,” that through this, one creates a void in the hands that were heavy and blocked due to sadness of spirit, which is the impurity of the serpent, as mentioned above. And then, when one nullifies the aspect of the impurity of the serpent, and the pulsating spirit blows orderly, then the hands are lifted, and the heavens are purified. And then one receives from them speech, in the aspect of a dispute for the sake of Heaven, which is the aspect of the ways of Hashem, for in truth, both these and those are the words of the Living G-d, as mentioned above. “Behold, these are but the edges of His ways,” namely, this is the aspect of the ways of Hashem, the aspect of: “A tzadik and it is good,” and so forth, which is impossible to attain, as mentioned above, the aspect of thunders, which are wonders complete in knowledge, as mentioned above. And this is: “And how faint a whisper we hear of Him, but the thunder of His might who can understand?” Namely, that in these speeches that are received from the aforementioned heavens, there is no condemnation, and it is forbidden to condemn the recipient, even if the law is not according to him, for this is the aspect of the ways of Hashem, the aspect of thunders, which are impossible to understand and attain, as mentioned above. And “how faint a whisper,” and so forth, namely, that there is no condemnation in them, even if the law is not according to him, and “the thunder of His might who can understand?” For who can understand the thunder of His might, which are wonders complete in knowledge, the aspect of: “G-d thunders with His voice wondrously,” for in truth, both these and those are the words of the Living G-d, but it is impossible to attain this, for it is the aspect of the ways of Hashem, as mentioned above.

And this is the meaning of: “And on the day of the first fruits,” this is the aspect of kingship, as it is written (Psalms 89): “Indeed, I will make him a firstborn, supreme over the kings of the earth.” “When you bring a new meal offering to Hashem,” this is the aspect of a new Torah [see Vayikra Rabbah 13], the Torah of Hashem, which is formed through the aspect of the aforementioned kingship. “In your weeks,” this is the aspect of knowledge, as mentioned above, the aspect of the manna, the aspect of the mikveh of Shavuot, which is the mikveh of the fiftieth gate, as mentioned above. And therefore, Shavuot is called Atzeret, from the language of kingship, as it is written (I Samuel 9): “He shall restrain My people” (see Zohar, Pinchas 256). “It shall be a holy convocation for you,” this is the aspect of the Holy Spirit [Ruach HaKodesh], the aspect of the aforementioned pulsating spirit, namely, that one must call forth the holiness, the aspect of the pulsating spirit, as mentioned above, in order to be saved from the impurity of the serpent, the thirty-nine labors, sadness of spirit, as mentioned above. “You shall do no laborious work,” to nullify the impurity of the serpent, the thirty-nine labors, the sorrow of hands, as it is written (Genesis 5): “He will comfort us from our work and from the sorrow of our hands.”