ה׳ לי בעוזרי ואני אראה בשנאי

1“Havayah is for me among my helpers, and I shall look upon my enemies.” Now, the wording of the verse seemingly makes no sense, for it implies that there are other helpers and the Holy One, blessed be He, is also among them; but in truth He, blessed be He, is Himself the Helper.

To understand this, and also to understand the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “One who comes to purify, they assist him”: what is [meant by] “they assist him,” in the plural? Is it not so that there is no helper and assister other than the Holy One, blessed be He, alone?

One may also ask about the word “to purify” (letaher), which is a transitive verb and implies purifying others; it should have said “to become pure” (litaher). But, as is known, the Holy One, blessed be He, fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) and encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

The meaning of “fills all worlds” is that He is enclothed within the worlds to give them life and sustain them and to bring them into being from nothing to something; nevertheless He is not actually grasped and enclothed within them, as in the analogy of the soul, which is enclothed within the body to give it life,

for the soul is affected by what happens to the body, whereas concerning Him, may He be blessed, it is written, “If you are righteous, what do you give Him?” etc.

[And] “I, Havayah, have not changed.” It is written, “For You are He before the world was created, and You are He after,” etc.

Rather, He is the level of “encompassing all worlds,” that is, He is holy and set apart from the category of worlds, etc.; and the life-force that spreads within the worlds comes from the level of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, alone: because “King,” His Name, is called upon them,

they live and exist. Therefore the worlds occupy no place with Him, may He be blessed. And this is [the meaning of] “Hear, O Israel, Havayah is our G‑d, Havayah is One.” “Hear” means making [something] heard in the heart: that one should take to heart how the Name is One (echad), the alef within the ches and the dalet,

that is, that the seven heavens and the earth [numbering eight, the ches] and the four directions of the world [the dalet] are nullified to the alef, the One Unique Being of the world, and occupy no place at all, because “Blessed be the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.”

This means that all the worlds, from world to world, are nullified to the level of His Malchus, may He be blessed, which is only the level of a name, like the analogy of a person’s name, which is

only for others, who need to call him by his name; whereas when he is by himself, on his own, the name is nullified and subordinate to him and has no being of its own.

So too, the life-force that spreads in the worlds is only from His attribute of Malchus, may He be blessed, which is the level of a name: that His attribute of Malchus spread over the worlds, so that “King,” His Name, be called upon them.

But in relation to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, Himself, in His own glory, it occupies no place at all, just as before the world was created, when there was He and His Name alone. Therefore “And you shall love Havayah” should be at the level of

“your G‑d”: that He be your G‑d, that you be nullified to Him, may He be blessed, “with all your heart (bechol levavecha)”; that is, that the revelation of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, be drawn within your heart, for the prefixed letter beis of “bechol levavecha” means “within,”

that is, that your will be nullified before, etc., with the good inclination and with the evil inclination, so that the sitra achra (the other side) be subdued, and to be at the level of “es,” that which is subordinate, “to Havayah,” etc. (And see what is written about this in the discourse beginning “Know this day,” in Parshas Vaeschanan.)

And this is “the whole of man,” who was created only for this; and all “the days of our years, in them seventy years,” are in order to draw the revelation of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, down below, into our hearts, each day

little by little, until it is transformed from one extreme to the other, to incline our hearts to Him, may He be blessed, so that the physical heart be moved and drawn to cleave to Him, may He be blessed. For the soul needs no rectification for itself, etc.

2And this is the meaning of the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah. “The Holy One, blessed be He” is holy and set apart, etc., and “His Shechinah” is the level that dwells and is enclothed in the worlds, etc.

That is, that the indwelling of His holiness, He who is holy and set apart, etc., [and of whom it is said,] “I, Havayah, have not changed,” be revealed within the worlds, in the point of the physical heart. And this is what is said in Rabbah, Naso, chapter 12, on “its inside inlaid with love”: this is the Shechinah, as it is said, “And you shall love Havayah your G‑d.”

(See there, 247b.) And see the Gemara (chapter 5 of Yoma, 54a). And see what is written in the discourse beginning “And you shall make holy garments,” on the explanation of “that the Name of Heaven become beloved through you.” And see Zohar III, Vaeschanan (267b), on the subject of love.

32. Now, at a time when the Holy Temple is not standing, the Congregation of Israel is called by the name “barren,” as it is written, “Sing, O barren one, who did not bear” [and see the Zohar, Mishpatim, page 103b at the end, and Mikdash Melech there]; but of the Future to Come it is written, “As soon as Zion travailed, she also bore her children.”

4The explanation is this. Every day we bless, “Blessed are You, Havayah”: that the level of Havayah is “blessed,” that is, drawn down in revelation, in the aspect of “You,” as though He were present before us. Nevertheless, the heart is not so greatly moved in every person; yet one should not say because of this

that the blessing is in vain, G‑d forbid, [meaning] that no revelation of G‑dliness at all is drawn down. For in truth, each and every day a revelation of G‑dliness is drawn down below, and “Havayah is blessed from world to world” each and every day.

But it is not drawn down below so far as to be so much “within man and a deep heart,” and it is not absorbed and grasped into his very innermost core and inwardness

(see what is written in the discourse beginning “The eyes of all,” in Parshas Matos); rather, it is in the state of a barren woman, who expels the seed, which is the flow of the revelation of His G‑dliness that is drawn down from world to world.

And this is [the meaning of] “Every citizen (ha’ezrach) in Israel shall dwell in sukkos.” Ha’ezrach denotes the future, as if to say: what I will cause to shine (lehazriach) within Israel and in their inwardness in the Time to Come, now “they shall dwell in sukkos,” [meaning] that it is revealed upon them in the manner of sukkos and an encompassing light (makif) from above.

But the revelation of G‑dliness does not shine within them and in their inwardness, because she is in the state of a barren woman who expels, etc. (And see the Zohar, Parshas Emor, 103a, on “And about this it is written, ‘Every citizen,’” etc., and the commentary of the Ramaz there; and see what is written on the meaning of ezrach in the discourse beginning “See, I set before you,” on the subject of “Eisan the Ezrachite.”)

But what causes this, that she expels and does not absorb [it] into the heart so that it be moved, etc., is the body and the animal soul, which surround the G‑dly soul and clothe it; they are what hold back and obstruct

from outside, so that this illumination and drawing-down is not revealed in the soul. And they are what distract it and cast it down into the affairs of this world and the pleasures of men, “each according to what he knows in his soul”; and the love is hidden and covered in a garment of sackcloth. And all this is now, in the time of exile.

Whereas of the Time to Come it is written, “As soon as Zion travailed, she also bore her children”: that it will be in the state of birth and the revelation of the love.

But now, in exile, it is in the state of pregnancy and concealment, like a fetus lying in its mother’s womb, which is hidden. (And see what is written in the discourse beginning “And I appeared to Avraham,” etc., also on the subject of pregnancy and birth; and see Zohar II, end of Parshas Vayakhel, 220a, and Parshas Pinchas, 249b.)

And about this it is said, “So that all the peoples of the earth may know”: for “the peoples of the earth” are the body and the animal soul, and “know” (da’as) is related to “and with them he made the men of Sukkos know (vayoda)” (in Judges, chapter 8),

which the Targum renders “and he broke them,” etc. That is, that “the peoples of the earth” should be broken and nullified; and this is through the drawing down of actual da’as,

for “as wax melts before fire, they shall perish,” etc. (And see what is written in Parshas Bechukosai, in the discourse beginning “An explanation of ‘If in My statutes,’” on the subject of engraving, to remove the screen of the animal soul, etc.; see there.)

And this is also “Give thanks to the G‑d of gods (Elokei ha’elokim)”: for Elokim is the level of tzimtzum and concealment, which hides and conceals; that is, when He is enclothed within them.

But when He is revealed as “the G‑d of gods,” that is, as ruling over them, then He breaks and tears apart all the separating screens, and then “for His kindness endures forever” is drawn down, which is the revelation of G‑dliness without hindrance.

And this is “that Havayah is the G‑d (ha’Elokim), there is none else”: that there will no longer be a state of hiding and concealment, and there will no longer be anything besides Him. (And see the Zohar, Parshas Korach, 178b.)

53. Now, the general [source of] this revelation for the whole year is on Shemini Atzeres. And this is [the meaning of] “On the eighth day, there shall be an atzeres for you”:

atzeres denotes absorption (kelitah): that the seed which pours forth the revelation of G‑dliness is absorbed, so that there be the power for the state of birth and the revelation of the love. (And see what is written elsewhere on “and the stronger ones for Yaakov,” in the discourse beginning “And if a woman vows a vow.”) That is,

because the eighth day is the level of “the mother of the children [is] joyful,” and it is “the time of our rejoicing,” in the plural, for the two joys are joined together: the joy from above downward, “Havayah shall rejoice in His works,” with the joy from below upward, “Israel shall rejoice in its Maker.”

6The explanation of the matter, to understand the joy from above downward: joy is the revelation of what was hidden. As in the analogy of a king whose way is to sit in the innermost chambers of his palace (“and in His palace all say, ‘Glory’”; and “all his glory is within”),

but at the time of his rejoicing he shows himself and is revealed to every eye. In this manner [the Sages] instituted in the festival prayer, “You have chosen us,” etc., for [the festivals are] “seasons for rejoicing,” which is the level of revelation.

(And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Mikra’ei Kodesh, end of chapter 1: “However, etc., more revealed, etc., and in this respect the joy of a festival exceeds [that of] Shabbos”; see there.)

And [the prayer] makes this revelation the main thing, and expands on it, as the strength of His love is openly revealed: “You have chosen us,” etc., “and You, Havayah our G‑d, have given us,” etc. And afterward we say, “And Israel shall rejoice in You,” etc.

And it is like “and the ofanim, with a great noise,” etc.: the noise is because of the novelty of the revelation, as they grasp the life-force drawn to them from His holiness, may He be blessed; therefore they thunder and resound with a great, mighty and powerful sound of noise, etc.

7So it is also regarding joy, which comes from breadth of mind and contemplation: as one considers deeply and broadly in his mind the great magnitude of the revelation, how He has made His kindness wondrous, so will he increase the strength of joy in his heart, and his heart will rejoice and exult, “yes, with exultation and song,” etc.

Whereas throughout the year, although [He] is blessed and drawn down so that the level of Havayah be in the aspect of “You,” as though He were present before us, it is not in a state of revealed joy; rather, the joy is hidden within the service.

As it is written, “Because you did not serve… with joy,” etc.: one makes the service the main thing (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And now, let the strength be great”), and the joy is the joy of a mitzvah (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “Binding to the vine”).

But on a festival the joy is revealed. (And see Zohar III, Parshas Korach, 176b, on “And when? At the time that a festival is at hand in the world,” etc., and the commentary of the Ramaz there; and it is explained elsewhere.)

And this is what is written, “They passed through the river on foot (baregel); there we rejoiced in Him.” “River” means the level of “And a river goes forth from Eden”; and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Yuval is its name”; and this is the level of Binah.

And it is the level of “the mother of the children [is] joyful,” as written in Zohar II, Parshas Yisro (84a and 85b), and in Parshas Vayechi (219a), and in other places. And “children” means Torah and mitzvos.

And “the mother of the children” is the level of Binah, as explained in Zohar III, Parshas Shemini (40b, at the end), and it is what is drawn down through the joy of a mitzvah.

And it is known that Binah is called “the hidden world” (alma d’iskasya), as written in Zohar I (Vayetzei, 158b) and in other places. Therefore throughout the year the joy must be hidden within the service, for the hidden world is enclothed in the revealed world (alma d’isgalya).

And this is “and the revealed things are for us and for our children”: the vav and the hei are the “revealed things,” which are Torah and mitzvos, which are called “children.” And this is “for us and for our children.”

And this is “You shall surely send away the mother, and the children you may take for yourself,” as the reason is explained in the Zohar (Vayetzei, 158a): “because she is the hidden world and is not revealed at all.”

That is, one should not make joy alone the main thing, for it is a very high level, and they could not reach it alone,

but rather “and the children you may take for yourself,” which is the level of service in Torah and mitzvos. And then the joy is called specifically “the joy of a mitzvah,” for its revelation is through the mitzvah, which are the “children.”

And this is the level of Binah as it is enclothed in Z’eir Anpin and Nukva. And although the main meaning of “You shall surely send away the mother” concerns the level of comprehension, that it is a level above comprehension, as written in Zohar II, Parshas Yisro (93b), and in Parshas Pinchas (254b),

nevertheless the above explanation is also true. And it is in the manner of what is explained in Iggeres HaKodesh on “How beautiful and how pleasant are you, love, in delights.”

However, on the three pilgrim festivals, which are “seasons for rejoicing,” there is then a revelation of the level of the hidden world, in the manner of “and the mother is sitting upon,” etc.

And about this it is said, “They passed through the river on foot (baregel)”: on each and every one of the three pilgrim festivals (regalim), the souls of Israel pass through the level of the river that goes forth from Eden, which is the level of “the mother of the children,” as above.

Therefore “there we rejoiced in Him,” actually in Him, that is, in the very essence of the Infinite Light itself, which is drawn down and shines in the hidden world; as is known, the revelation of Atik is in Binah.

8Therefore they are “seasons for rejoicing.” And in particular, the festival of Sukkos is called “the time of our rejoicing,” for there was in it a joy greater than on the other festivals.

And this is through the teshuvah of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, and especially on Yom Kippur, through which there is the revelation of Imma Ila’ah (the supernal Mother) over the children; and this is the essence of teshuvah, as written in Zohar III, Vayikra (15b at the end, and 16a at the beginning).

Through this, afterward, on Sukkos, the level of “the time of our rejoicing” is drawn down. Now, on the festival of Sukkos the level of joy is drawn down from above downward, in a revelation of G‑dliness in the manner of a sukkah and an encompassing light (makif), etc.

But on Shemini Atzeres the level of inner revelation is drawn down, the level of “and he is like a bridegroom (chasan) coming forth from his canopy”; chasan is related to “descending a level” (nachis darga) (and see what is written about this in Shir HaShirim, in the discourse beginning “To my mare”),

for every revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that comes from above downward is through the descents and the chain-like progression of the levels (hishtalshelus), from cause to effect, etc.,

and it comes forth from the level of a canopy and a sukkah, from the level of an encompassing light, to be absorbed and grasped into the source of the souls of Israel, in their inwardness, through the joy from below upward; for through an arousal from below [comes] an arousal from above.

(See Pardes, in Erchei HaKinuyim, the entry “Joy,” that “joy” means Binah; and this is in the manner of what was explained above on “the mother of the children [is] joyful.” However, he also wrote there in the name of the Zohar, Vayikra

(page 8b): “And some teach: which is ‘joy’? This is the Congregation of Israel,” etc.; and about this it is said, “For with joy you shall go out,” etc.

And according to what is written, this is the matter: the joy from above downward is the level of Binah, and the joy from below upward is the level of Malchus, the Congregation of Israel,

and it is the level of “the joy of a bride” (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And it shall be like the rejoicing of a bridegroom,” etc., on the subject of the joy of a bride); and then the two joys are joined together: “Israel shall rejoice” and “Havayah shall rejoice in His works.”

94. (Now, on the meaning of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works,” it is explained in the Midrash, Vayikra Rabbah, Parshas Acharei, chapter 20, that it refers to the Time to Come; and so it is also in Zohar I, in the Midrash HaNe’elam, Parshas Toldos

(135a), that it is at the time of the Resurrection of the Dead; and about this it is said, “These are the generations of Yitzchak,” [Yitzchak] denoting laughter, joy and delight that the souls will have then.

And the Ramaz there expanded at length in explaining this matter, and the gist of the matter is that joy is in Binah and comes from the sweetened Gevuros, and it is the level of the Gevurah of Atik.

However, then the flow will come from the inner dimension of Atik; and this is the meaning of “Havayah shall rejoice”: that it is the revelation of the level of the inner dimension of Atik.

10And the meaning of “in His works” is the refinement (birur) of the Name Ban, which is the level of Asiyah (action), so that it be elevated into the level of [the Name] Sag, etc. And see what is written in the explanation on “Who has counted,” on the subject of “I have also (af) made it,” [that] af includes a fourth level,

which is the Supreme Keser, which is revealed specifically in the level of Asiyah, the refinement of the Name Ban, etc.; see there at length. And this is the meaning of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” specifically.

And see what is written in the explanation on “For over all the glory, a canopy,” on the subject of the revelation of the inner dimension of Atik, which is specifically after the refinement of the Name Ban, etc.; see there.

And see more on this in Zohar I, Midrash HaNe’elam, Parshas Vayera (102b and 114a); and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And I will return in peace to my father’s house,” on the subject that in the future they will say to Yitzchak, “For you are our father.”

Now, it is explained there in the Ramaz that from this revelation new souls will be drawn down, to be a crown for the souls of the righteous; and about this it is said, “with their crowns on their heads,” etc.,

as is found in Zohar I, end of Parshas Vayera (119a, at the end); and see Parshas Vayishlach (182a). And see what is written on the subject of the revelation of these souls, that they are from the level of the Infinite Light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is above the kav, etc.; it is in the discourse beginning “And you shall eat, eating.”

And in Zohar III, Vayikra (16a, at the end), it is implied that “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” refers to after the seventh millennium, which is the level of “one [millennium] desolate,” when He will renew His world, as it is written, “the new heavens and the new earth.”

And see also Zohar II, Beshalach (57b), and Parshas Pekudei (259a); and see what is written on this subject in Parshas Vayetzei, concerning “and all that You give me, I will surely tithe to You.”

Now, the simple meaning of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” is that joy is drawn to Him, as it were, may He be blessed, from His works, which are the creatures, as Rashi explains in Chullin, chapter Eilu Tereifos (60a, at the end). And according to the approach above, it is as the Ramaz explained, that “His works”

means the refinement of the Name Ban; and this refinement is the whole of [the meaning of] “today, to do them.” And about this it is said, “which G‑d created to do,” for “to do” means to rectify; that is, the refinement of the Name Ban and the 288 [sparks], etc., which is the level of Asiyah in the general sense, as above.

11And when the level of “today, to do them” is completed, from this will be drawn that “Havayah shall rejoice in His works,” that He spoke and His will was done. And the joy is the revelation of the inner dimension,

that is, the inner dimension of Atik, which is the inner dimension of the supernal delight; and this is in the manner of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “It is a gratification before Me that I spoke and My will was done.”

12And this is the joy from above downward, that is, the inner revelation is drawn from above downward. However, the cause of this revelation comes, on the contrary, from His works, as it were, which is the level of “today, to do them.”

This can also be understood from the opposite, that is, from what is written concerning the generation of the Flood, “And He was grieved to His heart,” etc.; and that was because

“the evil of man was great on the earth,” etc. From this the opposite can be understood: that “Havayah shall rejoice in His works”—this joy is drawn through the fulfillment of “today, to do them.”

And concerning “Israel shall rejoice in its Maker,” in Zohar III, Vayikra (23b), it is explained that this is the meaning of what is written, “Where is Elo’ah my Maker?” If so, one may say that this is what is said in the Sava of Mishpatim (96b)

on “bevigdo vah” (in his betraying her): “And He spreads over her His precious garment. And what is it? The holy Name that is called Elo’ah. And this is ‘bevigdo vah,’” etc.

And so it also wrote there (97b) on the meaning of “her covering” (kesusah): “the spreading of the King’s garment which He spread over her: Elo’ah.” And see the commentary of the Ramaz there, and Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Mayin Nukvin and Mayin Duchrin, discourse 8.

And see what is written on the meaning of “her covering” in the discourse beginning “Declaring the end from the beginning.” And in Zohar III, Parshas Pinchas (219b), be’osav (“its Makers”), in the plural, is explained as the three partners in a person: father, mother and the Holy One, blessed be He.

And it was explained elsewhere that likewise in the soul itself there are these three levels. And [this is] in the manner of what was explained above, in the discourse beginning “On the eighth day, an atzeres,” on the subject of “For my father and my mother have forsaken me, and Havayah will gather me in”:

that the natural love in the G‑dly soul is called “father,” from which is born the doing of mitzvos and good deeds, etc.; see there. And that is because its root is from the level of “kindness to Avraham,” which is Z’eir Anpin of Atzilus.

13It follows that Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus are called the father and mother of the soul, for from them is the root of the love and awe in the soul. And that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives the soul

means the level of a soul to the soul, which is the level of yechidah, the root of the soul, that is, the level of its mazal. And about this it is said, “and Havayah will gather me in.”

And this is the meaning of be’osav (“its Makers”) in the plural. And from this one can understand “Israel shall rejoice in its Maker,” which is on Sukkos, “the time of our rejoicing.”

For through sins it is said, “For my father and my mother have forsaken me,” etc.: that the natural love is not revealed in the soul.

But through the teshuvah of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, about which it is said, “and Havayah will gather me in,” and it is written, “which You swore to our fathers from days of old,” which are the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that precede Atzilus, then from this is drawn the level of “Israel shall rejoice in its Maker”:

[in] what had been distant from them until now, like the analogy of a king’s son who was in captivity, when he returns and comes to his father, etc.

14And see the discourse beginning “Return, O Israel, to [Havayah],” where the subject of “my father and my mother” is explained in a somewhat different way: that is, the levels of Chochmah and Binah in the G‑dly soul, which are called “father

and mother” because they give birth to the emotive attributes (middos), love and awe, which are called “son and daughter.” And the root of Chochmah and Binah in the soul is drawn from Chochmah and Binah above, which are the Written Torah and the Oral Torah. And one who has blemished the Torah, which is His wisdom and understanding, may He be blessed, is called “my father and my mother have forsaken me.”

But nevertheless “and Havayah,” which is the revelation of the very Infinite Light, blessed be He, “will gather me in”; and this is through teshuvah with self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), which is above reason and understanding.

15And this is “Return, O Israel, to Havayah your G‑d.” Therefore, through the teshuvah of the Ten Days of Teshuvah and Yom Kippur, which is the level of “and Havayah will gather me in,” that He gathers and collects all the parts of the soul, etc.,

through this [comes] “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers”: that is, the three partners mentioned above that are in the soul: father and mother, the Written Torah and the Oral Torah; and the Holy One, blessed be He, who is the very Infinite Light, blessed be He. And this is the joy on the festival of Sukkos, of the level of “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers.”

And in the Raya Mehemna, Parshas Pinchas (238b), be’osav in the plural is also explained: that it is in the manner of what is written, “Let us make man,” etc. And this matter is explained elsewhere, in the explanation on

“For this commandment,” etc.: that “let us make” is in the plural because he comprises the entire chain of descent (hishtalshelus), the ten Sefiros, and is not one particular level alone; that is, his root is from the level of Adam Kadmon, which is a general light.

And in Mikdash Melech, Parshas Beshalach (55a), he wrote in the name of Rabbi Chaim Vital that Adam does not allude to a particular level, such as to Z’eir Anpin alone or to Malchus alone,

but rather it alludes to the five partzufim, like Arich, etc. And this is close to what is written, that in the general scheme of the worlds Adam Kadmon is the level of Arich, etc.

16And through teshuvah, which is the level of “and Havayah will gather me in,” it is drawn down that there be “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers” at the level of the general light mentioned above.

However, the level of “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers” reaches up to the root and source of the souls, which is from the level of Adam Kadmon, the general Keser;

but the level of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” is the level of the revelation of the inner dimension of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which is above the level of Adam Kadmon.

For Adam Kadmon is called “the Adam of Beriah” in relation to the Infinite Light. And from the level of this joy and revelation are drawn the new souls that will be revealed in the future, which are above the root of the soul of Adam, the first man, as written in the explanation on “And you shall eat, eating.”

17Now, through the “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers” that will be in the future, there will be drawn the revelation of the level of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works,” which is the joy from above downward.

And something similar can also be understood regarding “the time of our rejoicing” of Sukkos: that through “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers,” which reaches the root and source of the souls, which is from the level of their mazal,

the level of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” is drawn down, which is a revelation from a level above the root of the souls of Israel and their mazal; as written at the end of the discourse beginning “Listen, O heavens,” concerning “and the Holy One, blessed be He, answered them, ‘I will be like dew,’” etc.; see there.

18According to this, the verse “Every citizen in Israel shall dwell in sukkos” is well understood: that is, what I will cause to shine within Israel and in their inwardness in the Time to Come, now “they shall dwell in sukkos,” [meaning] that it is revealed upon them in the manner of a sukkah and an encompassing light, etc., as explained above.

Now, it was explained above that in the meaning of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” there are two aspects. According to the explanation of Zohar I (135, 119 and 182), it implies that it refers to the Resurrection of the Dead and the seventh millennium,

when the new souls will be revealed, as the Ramaz wrote there. And according to the explanation of Zohar III, Vayikra (16a, at the end), it implies that this is after the seventh millennium, which is the level of “one [thousand] desolate,” and afterward the Holy One, blessed be He, will renew His world;

and this is the level of “the new heavens and the new earth that I make,” as is also implied in the Gemara, chapter 11 of Sanhedrin (92b), on the subject of “when He changes the earth,” etc.;

about this it is said, “Havayah shall rejoice in His works.” And perhaps, according to this, “in His works” means the level of the new heavens and the new earth, which are the level of “that I make” specifically, as written about this in Parshas Bereshis; and this is the meaning of “in His works,” etc.

And although it was explained above that “in His works” means the refinement of the Name Ban, one may say that both explanations are true: for after the refinement of the Name Ban, which is the level of “today, to do them,” the revelation of the level of “that I make” is drawn down.

For the one depends on the other. And see Zohar I, Vayera (115a), on “And Havayah did for Sarah”: “doing is above.”

And the level of “that I make” is a still higher level, as is known from the matter of “I am Havayah,” for “I” (Ani)

is the essence of the Infinite Light, the source and root of the Name Havayah, etc. And the difference between the revelation at the time of the Resurrection and the seventh millennium and what will be afterward, when the Holy One, blessed be He, renews His world,

is that what shines then, in the seventh millennium, only as an encompassing light will afterward be drawn down, so that this level is revealed as truly internal, and still higher encompassing lights will be drawn down; for such is the nature of ascents.

Now, the Ramaz explained in Parshas Vayera (135) that about the new souls that will be revealed at the time of the Resurrection of the Dead it is said, “with their crowns on their heads”: that they will be the level of a crown upon the souls of the righteous who came into the world.

And so he wrote there in the name of Rabbi Chaim Vital. And it is known that a crown is the level of an encompassing light. However, when the Holy One, blessed be He, renews His world, then these encompassing lights will be drawn down into the level of the truly internal.

19Now, in this manner one can also understand the matter of Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres. On Sukkos the joy that is revealed from above downward, the level of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works,” is in the manner of a sukkah and an encompassing light; and on Shemini Atzeres it comes forth from the level of an encompassing light to be absorbed and grasped in the inwardness of the souls of Israel.

20Therefore this level is on “the eighth day, atzeres,” which is a level above the seven days of the cycle; that is, it alludes to the level above the “six thousand years that the world exists, and one [thousand] desolate,” which correspond to the six days of Creation and the Shabbos day.

But the level of “on the eighth day” alludes to the level of the new heavens and the new earth, which will be revealed after the level of “and one desolate,” as written in the Responsa of the Rashba, part 1, end of section 9.

And something like this was also explained in the discourse beginning “For the conductor, on the sheminis,” on the subject of circumcision, which was given on the eighth [day], that therefore it is above the level of Shabbos, etc.; see there. Thus far the gloss.

215. Now, when the two joys are joined together on Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres, then there will be no hindrance or obstruction from the body and the animal soul, which hide and conceal, etc.

For joy is a revelation of G‑dliness, which breaks all “the peoples of the earth.” And so we see tangibly, in physical terms, that when a person is steeped in joy, in “the joy of Havayah, which is your strength,” he is far from physical desires, etc.

Now, throughout the year it is said, “And G‑d saw the light, that it was good”: good to be hidden away (see Rabbah, end of Parshas Shelach Lecha, on “Light is sown for the righteous,” and Parshas Terumah, beginning of chapter 35,

on this verse; and see Zohar II, beginning of Parshas Pekudei, 220b, and the commentary of the Ramaz there, and Parshas Balak, 204b; and see what is written in the explanation on “And the Jews accepted,” concerning “We will do and we will hear”),

that is, in Torah and mitzvos, in which and through which a revelation of G‑dliness is drawn down below into the soul of man; for the 248 positive commandments are 248 vessels and are called “the limbs of the King,”

which is, by way of analogy, like a person who grasps one of the limbs of another person, through which he can draw him and lead him to go wherever he wishes. So too, through Torah and mitzvos one draws the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which is enclothed within them, to rest upon one’s soul.

Therefore one is called “one who reads (korei) in the Torah,” for he calls and draws down, etc., as written elsewhere (and see Parshas Beshalach, in the discourse beginning “To my mare”). And “the study of Torah is equal to them all,” for the mitzvos are the level of the outer limbs, and Torah is the level of the inner organs, etc., as written elsewhere.

And this is “And Israel, who sanctify Your Name, shall rejoice in You”: for “Your Name” is the level of His Malchus, may He be blessed, which is only the level of a name, which is the drawing down of the life-force of the worlds;

but Israel draw down the level of the supernal holiness through “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” so that the indwelling of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, Himself, in His own glory, which is enclothed in His commandments, rests and is revealed below. (And see what is written on “who sanctify Your Name” in Shir HaShirim, in the explanation on “Go out and see,” and in Parshas Vayechi, in the discourse beginning “Binding to the vine.”)

And this is “for the sake of the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah”: that the Holy One, blessed be He, who is holy and set apart, etc., be in the level of His Shechinah, which is His attribute of Malchus, may He be blessed, in complete union, so that “their beginning is wedged in their end,” etc.

Therefore they are worthy of this, to be [in the state of] “and they shall rejoice in You”: that there be a revelation of the joy in You, in Your essence, above the level of a name.

For since it is they who draw the Infinite Light down below, therefore it befits them to rejoice as the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is openly revealed.

22And this is the distinction of Israel specifically, for “He has raised up the horn of His people,” whereas the angels ask, “Where is the place of His glory?” etc.

And this is “One who comes to purify (letaher)”: that is, to purify and refine His attribute of Malchus, may He be blessed, and to illuminate it with additional light from the Infinite Light, blessed be He, Himself, in His own glory, from the level of the supernal holiness. And see what is written

at the end of the discourse beginning “Your cheeks are lovely with rows [of ornaments],” on “Thus says Havayah, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Havayah of Hosts: I am the first and I am the last”; and what is written in the discourse beginning

“For You are my lamp,” on the explanation of the verse “I will exalt You, my G‑d the King.” And this is through His commandments, may He be blessed: “they assist him” means that the mitzvos themselves assist him, for they are the vessels in which

and through which the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is drawn down below; only that the mitzvos require intention from the person who does them, that his intention be to cleave to Him, may He be blessed, with the desire of the heart; and “a spirit

brings a spirit and draws down a spirit,” so that the drawing down of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which is enclothed in His commandments, be in revelation below. (And this level is called “to purify,” even though it is the drawing down of the level of the supernal holiness, as above.

But since the level of Malchus is the source of [the worlds of] Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, where there is the level of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, pure and impure, the level of “like a ewe (rachel) that is mute before her shearers,” and through this drawing down from the level of the supernal holiness there also comes about purification from the side of impurity, so that there be no nurture for the external forces, etc., therefore it is called “to purify.”)

(And see what is written in the explanation of the maamar of the Zohar III, Parshas Tazria, on “And if a man’s hair falls out, he is bald; he is pure”; see there, in the explanation of the matter of “pure”; and see what is written on “This is the statute of the Torah,” on the subject of “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one?”)

And in this manner too, the drawing down of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy is called “And I will sprinkle pure water upon you.” And see Zohar III (49a),

that they are from the level of “the crystalline dew” (tala di’vedolcha), which is the Gevurah of Atik Yomin that is enclothed in the Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain); and see there in Mikdash Melech, in the name of a gloss of Rabbi Chaim Vital, that it means a drawing down from the Yesod of Arich Anpin, etc.

And they are called “pure water” because in them and through them purity is drawn down, as it is written, “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one?” etc.

And also “you shall be purified (titharu),” which is said concerning Yom Kippur, the Ramaz explained at the end of Parshas Acharei, is numerically equal to Keser. Thus this supernal drawing down is also termed “purity.”

And that is for the reason stated above. And see the Zohar (102a; Part II, 69b; Part III, 48b). And one may further say [this] in the manner of what the Ramaz wrote in Parshas Kedoshim (page 80b, at the end),

on the meaning of “The fear of Havayah is pure,” that it is the level of the Gevurah of Atik, enclothed in the Mocha Stima’ah; and see there in the Zohar, “it is called holiness,” etc. And in this manner

it is found further in Zohar I (184b), concerning the washing of the hands: “once it has been sanctified, it is called pure,” etc.; and in Part III (42a):

“once they are purified, they are sanctified,” etc.; see there. And according to what is written in Pardes, in Erchei HaKinuyim, the entry “Purity,” purity is principally in the mystery of Gevurah.

But this is not in the ordinary Gevurah of Atzilus, but rather the drawing down of the Gevurah of Atik, as above, the source of purity and of the supernal holiness; and this is also the meaning of “you shall be purified,” etc.

And since Malchus is rooted in the level of Gevurah, and the ultimate goal of its ascent is to receive from the level of the Gevurah of Atik, which are the Gevuros that are utterly sweetened; and this is also the matter of “like the superiority of gold over silver”;

and also concerning gold, the Torah says in many places “pure gold,” as it is written, “a menorah of pure gold,” and concerning the tzitz it is written, “And you shall make a tzitz of pure gold,” etc., “Holy to Havayah.”

23And one may further say, regarding “One who comes to purify (letaher),” that it is in the manner of what is written, “and like the essence of the heavens for purity (latohar)”; and see what is written on this in Parshas Mishpatim, that it is the refinement of the Name Ban until it is included and elevated into the supernal purity (tehiru ila’ah).

And in this manner one can understand the meaning of “One who comes to purify” and to refine His attribute of Malchus, may He be blessed: that it be in the state of “their end is wedged in their beginning,” that is, in the level of the supernal purity, which is from the Malchus of the Infinite One (Ein Sof); and that is, that “I am the first and I am the last” be equal, as written elsewhere.

24And moreover, this level applies to the soul as well. For the saying is known, “The soul that You have placed within me, it is pure”: that the root of the souls of Israel is from the level of the supernal purity. And see what is written on this in the explanation on “If you walk in My statutes.”

But from there it descended wondrously, through “You created it, You formed it,” etc. And the service of man is to be in a state of teshuvah (return), [as in] “and the spirit shall return,” etc.,

as the soul was in its root, in the level of the supernal purity. And this is the meaning of “One who comes to purify”; and through this one likewise draws [this] into the source of the souls of Israel, which is His attribute of Malchus, may He be blessed.

One may also say, on the meaning of “to purify,” [that it is] in the manner of what is written (in Job, chapter 37, [verse] 21), “and a wind passes and clears them (vatetaharem)”: that is, the clouds that darken and hide the revelation of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, which is the level of “a sun is Havayah,” etc.;

and to clear them away is through a drawing down from a higher level, like the matter of “and passes over transgression”; and in this manner is the matter of “and a wind passes and clears them,” as written in the Idra Rabba (133a);

and it is a drawing down from Arich Anpin. And one may further say, on the meaning of “One who comes to purify”: tihara is the Aramaic translation of tzohorayim (noon), which means the time when the daylight is strong. And in Zohar III (129a): “In the parting of the hair goes one path,” etc.;

as it is written, “But the path of the righteous is like the gleaming light, shining ever brighter until the day is established.” And in the explanation of the Idra there, [it is explained] that the level of the path mentioned above, of Arich Anpin, in the parting of the hair, is likened to midday, when the daylight is at its full strength. And in this manner is the matter of noon, which is also when the daylight is strong.

Now, Malchus is called a lamp, as is known; therefore the light of a lamp is beautiful specifically at night, whereas by day, “a lamp at noon (tihara), what use is it?” And as written in Zohar I, Vayechi (232a, at the end):

“A lamp that is lit is seen at night; by day it is hidden.” And the meaning of “One who comes to purify (letaher)” is to refine and illuminate His attribute of Malchus, may He be blessed, so that it be at the degree of the supernal purity, which is the level of “the day established,”

and that is by drawing down the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah. And in this manner it is said of the Time to Come, “And the light of the moon shall be like the light of the sun,” etc.

And this is what is said (in Isaiah, chapter 58), “Then your light shall shine in the darkness, and your gloom shall be like noon”; and that is through the fulfillment of [the mitzvah of] charity, as it is written there.

256. And this is “Havayah is for me,” etc. The meaning of “Havayah is for me” is that the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is drawn down upon one’s soul; and that is through “my helpers,” which are the mitzvos.

(And see what is written on this verse in the Zohar, Part III, 139b; Part II, 95a.) [And to explain the matter, how the mitzvos are “my helpers”:

the meaning and matter of “help” (ezer) is explained in the Zohar on “I will make him a helper”: that it is so that Z’eir Anpin and Nukva be face to face, as written in the Zohar, Bereshis (35a): “But support: this is help.

And this is help from above, that turns above, face to face,” etc., “supported forever and ever,” etc.; see there. And [see] Zohar III (44b, 83b, and 5a at the end).

Now, through this higher union there comes about the level of “help” above as well, in the higher unity (yichuda ila’ah); and this is through the raising of mayin nukvin (feminine waters) from the lower unity (yichuda tata’ah) of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah; and through this specifically, the revelation of the Infinite Light is drawn into Z’eir Anpin. And see the Zohar, Vayikra (7b): “And when is He called One?” etc.

And in Pardes, in Sha’ar 27, Sha’ar HaOtiyos, chapter 18, on the letter samech, the matter of “supported” (semuchim) is explained: that Tiferes is supported by Malchus, and Malchus is supported by Tiferes.

Now, the explanation of this matter, the turning to face to face in the souls of Israel below, is given in the discourse beginning “For the mountains may depart.”

That is, when the souls of Israel by their nature are drawn to the service of G‑d, to love Him and to cleave to Him out of their true will and desire, which is the essence and life of the soul, etc.; which is not so when they are in the state of “they have turned their back to Me,” etc.

26Now, since the turning to face to face is through the fulfillment of the mitzvos, which draw down the revelation of the supernal will, through this there is also drawn into the soul the will to love G‑d with true will and desire, etc. And this is the matter of “and satisfies every living thing [with] will,” etc.; see there.

27And likewise this matter was explained in the discourse beginning “And the number of the children of Israel shall be,” concerning “You have remembered the earth and made it long [for You],” and in the discourse beginning “And Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes,” concerning the meaning and matter of holiness, etc.,

which is the level of great love (ahavah rabbah) that is drawn down and revealed in the soul through “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” which is the drawing down of the supernal will that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), etc.; see there.

And [see] in the explanation on “After Havayah your G‑d you shall walk,” at its end. And therefore the mitzvos are called “my helpers,” for they are what cause the help, so that [the union] be “supported” in the level of face to face. And this is “May He send your help from the Sanctuary (kodesh)”: that is, through “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” etc.

And this is also what is written, “From where (me’ayin) will my help come?” And it is explained in the Zohar, Parshas Yisro (83a, at the beginning), that me’ayin means from the level of Atik Yomin, etc.]

28“And I shall look upon my enemies”: the meaning of “and I shall see” is that it will be in a state of revelation, and this is through “my enemies” specifically, that is, through the transformation of darkness into light, and “so that all the peoples of the earth may know,” etc.,

for then there comes about the level of sight. [As written elsewhere, from the analogy of the power of sight, which is enclothed specifically in the black of the eye: that is, the matter of the transformation of darkness into light, the refinement of the Name Ban; there specifically the level of sight is revealed. See on this in the explanation on “As an eagle rouses [its nest],” etc.]

And the revelation of joy is through the nullification of every hindrance and obstruction from the kelipos and the sitra achra, as it is written, “And when the wicked perish there is song.” (And see what is written on this in Parshas Vayetzei, in the discourse beginning “And I will return in peace”; and see Zohar I, Parshas Noach, 61b, and the commentary of the Ramaz there, and Parshas Chayei Sarah, 121b.)

And the joy that comes from the nullification of the sitra achra is a great joy, with “greater exaltation” than the joy of the soul of the righteous in G‑d, etc., like the analogy of one who goes out of captivity, etc. And about this they said, “In the place where penitents (ba’alei teshuvah) stand,” etc., for “the advantage of light is that which comes from darkness,” etc.

(And one may say that this is in the manner of what is written in Parshas Bereshis on “I will make him a helper against him (kenegdo)”: that the help is drawn from the level of “against him,” and this is greater than the level of “among my helpers,” the performance of the mitzvos; for the level of teshuvah is higher, being the level of “with all your might (me’odecha).”

And as written elsewhere on “Show me your appearance,” etc. And see what is written in Parshas Miketz, in the discourse beginning “Our Rabbis taught: the Chanukah lamp,” on the matter of the luminous speculum (aspaklaria hame’irah), which is the level of the performance of the mitzvos, and the matter of the non-luminous speculum (aspaklaria she’einah me’irah), etc.; and this is the level of the help that is drawn from the level of “against him” specifically.

And this is “And I shall look upon my enemies” specifically; and as written in the discourse beginning “Binding to the vine,” on the matter of “his garment” (suso), etc. And one may also say that [in] “May He send your help from the Sanctuary (kodesh)”:

kodesh is the supernal Chochmah, [for] “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah”; this is the help drawn through the performance of the mitzvos, which are the level of the supernal will enclothed in the supernal Chochmah, etc. But “From where (me’ayin) will my help come?” is from the level of the supernal will that is above Chochmah, as it is written, “And Chochmah, from where (me’ayin) is it found?”

And this is what is drawn through teshuvah, etc. Therefore it is said about this, “I lift up my eyes,” etc., the level of “And I shall see,” etc. And this is also what is said, “from Havayah, Maker of heaven and earth”: for it is found in Pardes, in Erchei HaKinuyim, the entry “Heavenly assistance” (siyata di’shemaya),

that it is the assistance whose drawing down is rooted in the supernal attributes and in Chochmah; whereas the level of “From where will my help come?” is from a level that is above the level of “heaven,” and this is “Maker of heaven and earth,” etc. And see what is written on “For You are my lamp, Havayah, and Havayah illuminates my darkness,”

that this is like the matter above: “For You are my lamp, Havayah” is like the matter of “Havayah is for me among my helpers,” and what is said, “and Havayah illuminates my darkness,” is like the matter of “From where will my help come?” And one may further say about this, according to what was written above, that the level of help is for the Congregation of Israel to be with the Holy One, blessed be He, face to face; and it is explained in Zohar III, end of Parshas Acharei

(77b), that the joining and union of the level of vav and hei is through the level of Chesed, but the joining and union of yud and hei: “their joining does not depend on Chesed,

but it depends on the mazal,” etc. And see what is written on the matter of these two unions on “These are the accounts of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of Testimony.”)

29And this itself is the matter of the two levels of help mentioned above: for “Havayah is for me among my helpers” is the matter of heavenly assistance, where the drawing down is from the level of supernal Chesed, so as to be face to face, in the manner of the union of vav and hei. However,

“From where will my help come?” is the level of the mazal, which is above the order of the chain of descent (hishtalshelus), so that from there, too, it be drawn into the level of vav and hei; and this is as on Shabbos, when Z’eir Anpin and Nukva ascend to the actual place of Abba and Imma,

30and they also receive from the level of the mazal, etc. And in this manner it is said of the Future, “On that day it shall be,” that vav and hei too will be at the level and degree of yud and hei.

And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Krias Shema, end of chapter 27, on the intention of “The help of our fathers”; and these are his words: “Ezras (‘The help of’) is the mystery of the lowering of the chamber of the Holy of Holies below, into the chamber of Will,

and it is called ‘the help of our fathers’; and there we also say ‘true’ four times, for there the first four [Sefiros] of Z’eir Anpin are hidden.” End of quote.

31A summary of the discourse on “Havayah is for me among my helpers”

32It is known that the Holy One, blessed be He, fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) and encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). “Filling all worlds” is from the level of “Your kingdom is a kingdom of all worlds,” the level of a name and a light; and the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, Himself is holy and set apart, and this is the level of “encompassing all worlds.”

Therefore “And you shall love Havayah”: that there be a revelation of “encompassing all worlds,” so that it be grasped “with all your heart”; see what is written in the discourse [in Parshas] Vaeschanan. And this is called the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah.

33(2) And now the Congregation of Israel is called barren, [a woman] who expels the flow. And that is because of the body and the animal soul; therefore there must be “so that all the peoples of the earth may know.” (3) And that is [what happens] “on the eighth day, atzeres,” which denotes absorption; through

[the fact] that the eighth day is the level of Binah, “the mother of the children [is] joyful,” in which the higher level and degree of “He did not cease cherishing her until He called her ‘my mother’” is joined and shines in the level and degree of “He called her ‘my daughter,’”

which is the level of the soul enclothed in the body (see what is written in the discourse beginning “The Song of Songs,” on the matter of the two levels of “bride”); and from there the power is drawn for there to be absorption.

34And that is because joy is the revelation of what is hidden; therefore [the festivals are] “seasons for rejoicing.” And that is because “they pass through the river” that goes forth from Eden on each foot-festival of the three pilgrim festivals;

therefore “there we rejoiced in Him.” Whereas all the year it is “You shall surely send away the mother,” because she is the hidden world. And on Sukkos, “the time of our rejoicing,” [there are] two joys, “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” and “Israel shall rejoice in its Maker”; and on Sukkos it is in the manner of an encompassing light, and on Shemini Atzeres it shines in an internal manner. (4)

And the main meaning of “Havayah shall rejoice in His works” refers to the Time to Come; therefore they will then say to Yitzchak, which denotes laughter,

“For you are our father”: the revelation of the inner dimension of Abba, which is the inner dimension of Atik. And from this revelation new souls will be drawn down. And all this is drawn down through “in His works,” the refinement of Asiyah, “I have also made it.”

35And this is the joy that is revealed from above downward, in the manner of “He did not cease cherishing her until He called her ‘my mother.’” And the joy from below upward is “Israel shall rejoice in its Makers”: “its Makers” means the source and root of the souls, whose root is from the higher levels and degrees of the level of Keser, Chochmah and Binah,

and this is “Let us make man.” And through this it is drawn down that “Havayah shall rejoice in His works,” which is a revelation from above the root and source of the souls; and the two joys are joined.

Therefore “then our mouth will be filled with laughter (s’chok)”: s’chok is numerically [equal to] twice or (light), and numerically [equal to] mekor chaim (the source of life), and numerically [equal to] Or Ein Sof, as written elsewhere.

And it is written, “Every citizen in Israel shall dwell in sukkos”: for on Sukkos, “the time of our rejoicing,” there shines an illumination from both levels of joy mentioned above, and especially on Shemini Atzeres. And through this the power is drawn that the body and the animal soul should not conceal, so that there be the level of absorption.

36(5) And all this is drawn down and revealed on Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres through the service throughout the year: the light [of which it is said] “that it was good,” [good] to be hidden away in Torah and mitzvos, the 248 commandments, which are the 248 limbs of the King.

Therefore, through this, “And Israel, who sanctify Your Name, shall rejoice in You.” And this is “One who comes to purify,” to refine the attribute of Malchus: “they assist him”—the mitzvos. And the meaning of “to purify” is that there be no nurture for the external forces, the chambers of the kelipos, which are the root of the evil inclination.

And this is “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure one?”, “Before Havayah you shall be purified,” “The fear of Havayah is pure.” And see what is written on “And you shall make a tzitz of pure gold.”

37(6) And this is “Havayah is for me”: that the Name Havayah be absorbed in the inwardness and innermost core of the heart; this is through “my helpers,” which are the mitzvos.

And “help” is the matter of “supported forever,” the level of face to face, the level of “To You my heart has said, ‘Seek My face’”; it is through “Your face, Havayah, I will seek,” that is, through the mitzvos (in the discourse beginning “When you go out,” etc., “and Havayah your G‑d will deliver him,” etc.).

And “I shall see” is through “my enemies,” that is, the evil inclination, when it becomes the level of the transformation from darkness to light; and this is the help that is drawn from the level of “against him.”

And this is “May He send your help from the Sanctuary”: that is, through “Who has sanctified us with His commandments.” And the level of “From where will my help come?” is through teshuvah; see what is written in the discourse beginning “Listen, O heavens.”