להבין מ״ש ביום השמיני עצרת תהיה לכם

1To understand what is written, “On the eighth day there shall be an atzeres (assembly) for you,” while of the seventh day of Pesach it is written, “an atzeres to Havayah your G‑d.” Now, it is written, “You shall love Havayah your G‑d with all your heart (levavcha), with all your soul and with all your might (me’odecha).”

And on the meaning of “with all your heart (levavcha),” our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “with both your inclinations, with the good inclination and with the evil inclination.” That is: all the force and intensity of the flame, the sparks of burning fire, from every kind of evil inclination in this world, the whole flame shall be turned over into love of G‑d.

2As it will be in the time to come, as it is written, “For then I will turn to the nations a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of G‑d, to serve Him with one shoulder (shechem echad).”

That is: even all the nations, the idol-worshippers, who are the roots of the physical lusts, He will turn to them a pure language, that they may all call, etc. And this is the matter of “darkness being turned into light” (is’hapcha chashocha linehora); and [so] “to serve Him with one shoulder.”

The meaning of shechem (shoulder) is the level of the back, “behind the shoulders” (basar kasfin); that is, like the matter of what is written, “and You turned their heart backward.” It will be turned over to be at the level of “one.”

(And this is also the matter of “And I have given you one shechem above your brothers”: that the refinement (birur) of Yosef, to be from the level of shechem, the level of “one,” is at a level higher than the refinement of the tribes; as is explained at the end of the discourse beginning

“And behold, we were binding sheaves”; and see below on the matter of “with all your might.”) And this is the meaning of ve’ahavta (“you shall love”), which is a term of command

and also a term of the future, saying that in the time to come, “in the end you will love” G‑d with all your heart; for “none that is banished will be banished from Him.”

3“And with all your soul” is the level of a love greater than this, which cannot be grasped in the heart of man, because in physicality there is nothing like it or comparable to it at all; [it is] only for G‑d alone.

And it is the love of the G‑dly soul (nefesh ha’Elokis) alone, as it is written, “My soul, I have desired You.” And this love flames and blazes in the souls of the tzaddikim, for “they are the Sanctuary of G‑d” and “the vessels of the House of G‑d.”

4“And with all your might (me’odecha)” is the level of a love that surpasses them all, which is the level of “great love” (ahavah rabbah) in the extreme (bim’od), which cannot be grasped even in the souls of the tzaddikim; “its ways are high,” exceedingly high, higher and higher than the level of created beings: it is to cleave to Him, may He be blessed, truly, to the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He.

Now, it is written, “Great is G‑d and exceedingly (me’od) praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” So too the love drawn from this is at the level of me’od, without measure or limit; and the soul cannot attain it, since the soul is at the level of a created being, at the level of a vessel and a limit.

But those who merit this great love are the baalei teshuvah (those who return), in the manner of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “In the place where baalei teshuvah stand, perfect tzaddikim cannot stand.”

5The matter is as it is written, “as the advantage of light over darkness.” The meaning is that there is an advantage and superiority to light when it comes from darkness specifically.

That is: when a person takes to heart all his deeds, words and thoughts which were not for G‑d, in all the days of his vain life, which are actual darkness and the hiding of His face, may He be blessed; and nevertheless this is what he desired and craved, etc.

How much more so, and by an argument from the lesser to the greater, is there an advantage and superiority to the light of G‑d; so that because of this the love will increase and grow exceedingly (bim’od), with greater intensity

and higher without end, to bring his soul out of its prison, to pour itself out into the bosom of its Father, the Infinite One, blessed be He, truly, and to cleave to Him truly (and see what is explained on this in the discourse beginning “His left hand is under my head,” in Parshas Ki Sisa).

And this is the matter of “deliberate sins become like merits” through teshuvah: for he will rise and come to reach the level of great love mentioned above.

Therefore even perfect tzaddikim (tzaddikim gemurim) cannot stand [there], because they are at the level of gemurim (“completed”), from the expression “a vessel whose making has been completed”; and they are still at the level of a vessel.

6For this reason our Sages, of blessed memory, cautioned with [the word] me’od (“very”): “Be humble of spirit before every person,” so as to be broken, crushed and subdued, with a lowly spirit, so that the light of love may shine upon him, as “the advantage of light” mentioned above.

And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “One hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world is finer than all the life of the World to Come”; and they said that one should be in teshuvah all his days.

For the World to Come is nothing but a radiance and illumination from Him, may He be blessed, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “The tzaddikim sit and enjoy the radiance of the Shechinah”; and they said, “With the yud the World to Come was created,” as mentioned above.

7And the meaning of “with the yud” is: with the illumination that is drawn forth and spreads out from the level of the yud. For the yud itself is the level of the letters of His great Name, and He and His Name are one.

As it is written, “For His Name alone is exalted; only His glory (hodo) is upon earth and heaven”; and “His glory” is a radiance and illumination from His Name, which alone is exalted.

And Israel are “the people near to Him,” to His very being and essence, as it were, truly, through teshuvah out of the great love mentioned above, to cleave to Him truly, to the Infinite One, blessed be He, alone.

8Now, this matter of teshuvah out of love is the matter of the level of the Exodus from Egypt (yetzias Mitzrayim). And the meaning of yetzias Mitzrayim is to go out of the straits (meitzarim) and limits that limit the love; that is, to go out of the level of a tzaddik into the level of a baal teshuvah mentioned above.

But in each and every person too, according to his level, there is a level of the Exodus from Egypt; even among the common people, in the plain sense: to clear himself of his business and his affairs in the matters of the world. And especially businesspeople need to set times to clear their minds of their business, according to the free time they have.

And so there is an Exodus from Egypt in [every] degree, one level after another, up to the highest of levels, until he reaches the level of great love mentioned above (and see what is explained on this in the explanation on the verse “I, etc., who brought you out of the land of Egypt, etc.”):

92. And this is the matter of the seven days of Pesach, the days of the Exodus from Egypt: it is the time of the arousal of the level of great love mentioned above, from below upward, etc.

But on the seventh day, which is the level of great love in revelation, [it is] “an atzeres to Havayah your G‑d.” And the meaning is like the matter of “If your heart runs, return to the One.”

10As it is written, “My flesh and my heart pine away (kalah); the rock (tzur) of my heart…” The meaning is: at first, “my flesh and my heart pine away,” in an actual expiry of the soul (kelos hanefesh). And afterwards, “the rock of my heart”: tzur is a term of strength, as it is written, “The Rock (haTzur), His work is perfect.”

That is: that he strengthen himself in His stronghold, to be [in the manner of] “against your will you live,” etc., so that there may be for Him, may He be blessed, a dwelling place among the lower realms. And one needs to make a Sanctuary and a place for His dwelling, through occupation with the Torah and the mitzvos, so that Havayah be at the level of “your G‑d” (Elokecha)

that is, that He rest and be vested in the lower realms. (And see what is explained in the discourse beginning “When you go out,” regarding “and Havayah your G‑d will deliver him into your hand”: “Havayah” is Torah and “your G‑d” is mitzvos; see there.

11And see what is explained above in the discourse beginning “For this commandment,” on the meaning of what was said at the Giving of the Torah, “I (Anochi) am Havayah your G‑d”: that is, for the level of Havayah to be drawn forth from the level of Anochi, the matter depends on an arousal from below, through the Torah and the mitzvos, etc.; see there.

And see what is explained in the discourse beginning “You are standing,” on the meaning of “For Havayah your G‑d is a consuming fire”: it means [that He is] like the nature of fire, which, by way of analogy, withdraws upward and does not descend and spread out, etc.,

and therefore He is called “G‑d Most High” (Kel Elyon), etc.; see there. But through an arousal from below, in “running and returning” (ratzo vashov), we draw down [so] that there be “I have called You, Havayah.”

12In the same way one will understand here too the meaning of “an atzeres to Havayah your G‑d”: it is the matter of the drawing down from the Infinite One, blessed be He, “Anochi, the One who is I,” so that it be drawn down to become “Havayah your G‑d”; that is, that He be vested in Torah and mitzvos, etc.

“The Holy One, blessed be He, sits and occupies Himself with Torah,” etc.; and see what is explained on this in the discourse beginning “The Song of Songs.”) And as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Do not read ‘your children’ (banayich) but ‘your builders’ (bonayich)”; for Torah scholars are called builders, since they are occupied with the building of the world.

For the Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world only the four cubits of halachah alone; and it is written, “If not for My covenant by day and by night, I would not have set the laws of heaven and earth.”

13And so too with the mitzvos, and especially the mitzvah of tzedakah, as it is written, “The world is built by kindness (chesed),” and it is written, “The earth is full of the kindness of G‑d.”

And this is the level of the atzeres of the seven days of Pesach: to hold back and restrain the spirit and the soul so that they do not leave their sheath and become nullified from their existence in this great love,

but only to be “like a fire held back (atzur)” in his heart, in the mode of “running and returning.” And see what is explained on the subject of “running and returning” in the discourse beginning “And all the people saw the voices,” and in the discourse beginning “In the section of the libations it is written”:

14But the level of the atzeres of the festival of Sukkos is the matter of what is written, “My tongue shall respond (ta’an) with Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness (tzedek).” It is that through the Ten Days of Teshuvah Israel merits the level of teshuvah out of love mentioned above, and deliberate sins become for him like merits.

Therefore there is also drawn from above to below a very great love, “love in delights,” throughout all the days of Sukkos, at the level of “and His right hand embraces me,” which is

like, for example, one who embraces his friend: he does not let him turn away from him. So too, as it were, they are raised in this love to cleave to Him truly, so as not to be separated from Him, G‑d forbid.

15And this is [the meaning of] “For His kindness has prevailed (gavar) over us.” The meaning is that the kindness of G‑d is mightier and stronger than we are, and does not let us turn aside

to another side, G‑d forbid. And this love too is without measure or limit, to the point of an actual expiry of the soul, as it is written, “My soul pines (kalsah).” (And it must be said that this level is higher than great love;

and this will be understood from what is explained in the explanation on the verse “His eyes are reddish (chachlili einayim),” on the matter of “love in delights,” that it is above the level of great love, etc.) Now, it is written, “Righteousness (tzedek) shall walk before Him, and He will set [it] on the way of His steps.”

The meaning is: tzedek, the attribute of the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael), “shall walk before Him”: through the level of “and His right hand embraces me” mentioned above, it is raised in a great elevation to be truly “before G‑d” (and see what is explained at the end of the discourse beginning “And the king extended to Esther,” on the meaning of “and she stood before him,” and in the discourse beginning “He will revive us after two days,” on the meaning of “and we shall live before Him”). And then “and He will set on the way of His steps”

is the drawing down of His G‑dliness from above to below, down to the level of “the end of action,” as it is written, “How beautiful are your steps in sandals”: that through the Torah, which is called “a way,” the revelation will be drawn down below. (And see what is explained in the discourse beginning “I will sing to Havayah,” on the meaning of “and they shall keep the way of Havayah,” etc.; and see in the Zohar, Shelach (p. 161b):

“Come and see, etc., in the way of pleasantness, etc.”; and in Parshas Mikeitz (p. 197b), on “Her ways are ways of pleasantness.” And see what is explained in the discourse beginning “And I will make your windows of rubies (kadkod),” on the matter of “and all your borders,” etc.

And see in the Zohar, in the Idra Zuta (p. 290a), on “Elokim understands her way,” and what the Arizal wrote on this in the commentary on Sifra DiTzeniusa, ch. 4 (p. 118b, at the end): that “her way” means the mazal of Arich Anpin and the thirty-two paths, etc.

And see further in the Zohar, Parshas Beshalach (p. 57b, at the end); and see what is explained in the discourse beginning “For the mountains shall depart,” on the meaning of “G‑d is righteous in all His ways,” and what is written in the Siddur on this.

And see in Iggeres HaKodesh, section 4, what is written: “And this is [the meaning of] ‘Righteousness shall walk before Him,’ etc.: that one draws the inner dimension of the heart to G‑d; and afterwards ‘He will set on the way of His steps,’ as it is written, ‘and you shall walk in His ways,’ etc.,

in the performance of all the mitzvos, and the study of Torah is equal to them all; for they all ascend to G‑d through the inner dimension of the heart with greater intensity, and far, far higher than their ascent to G‑d through the outer dimension of the heart.” End of quotation.

16This is like what we say in the prayer of Shabbos and Yom Tov, “Sanctify us with Your commandments,” even though we [already] bless, “who has sanctified us with His commandments,” [meaning] that He has already sanctified us.

But [we say it] because the ascent of the performance of the mitzvos to G‑d has levels and gradations, one above the other. And see what is explained in the explanation on the verse “And I will betroth you to Me.”

17and in the discourse beginning “Binding his foal to the vine,” on the meaning of “as the commandments of Your will”; and at the end of the discourse beginning “And you shall make holy garments.” And from this it will be understood how, through the inner dimension of the heart, which is the level of “Righteousness shall walk before Him,” then also the level of “and He will set on the way of His steps,” from above to below, is from a higher level, etc.

And see what is explained in Parshas Vayeishev on the verse “And I will give you places to walk (mahalchim),” etc. And in the same way one will understand why Moshe asked to enter the Land: so that all the mitzvos would be fulfilled through him specifically,

as is found in the Gemara at the end of the first chapter of Sotah. And at the end of the book Pri HaAretz they raised a difficulty on the wording “and they will all be fulfilled through me,” for he should have said, “and I will fulfill all the mitzvos,” etc.

But according to what is explained [here], it is well: for the mitzvos themselves, when they would be done through Moshe, would be from a higher level, etc.; as is understood from what is explained at the end of the discourse beginning “And you shall make holy garments,” mentioned above, on the matter of the three levels there are, in general, in the performance of the mitzvos, etc. And see what is explained in the explanation on the verse “And your appearance is comely.”

From Iggeres HaKodesh mentioned above it is implied that “and He will set on the way of His steps” refers to the ascent of Torah and mitzvos from below to above; and this is in the manner of the Arizal’s second explanation in the commentary on Sifra DiTzeniusa there (p. 119a, at the beginning),

that “her way” means the source from which the level of the mocha setimaah (the hidden brain) of Atik is drawn, etc. However, according to what is written [here], that the meaning of “and He will set on the way” is from above to below, down to the level of the end of action,

this follows the Arizal’s first explanation mentioned above.) And this is [the meaning of] “For His kindness has prevailed over us, and the truth of G‑d is forever”: that the truth of G‑d is drawn from above to below, to be vested in the world. And there is no truth

but Torah. For the attribute of love, even though it is to cleave to Him truly, is nevertheless only the truth of man, and this is not yet the truth of G‑d.

For the truth of G‑d is that He is One and there is nothing else, and there is no one to love at all; and no thought can grasp Him (leis machshavah tefisa bei) in His very self, as it were, except as He is grasped in the Torah,

which is His will, may He be blessed; and “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one.” (And see what is explained at the end of the discourse beginning “And I appeared to Avraham,” on the meaning of “but by My Name Havayah I did not make Myself known to them,” and what is explained on this there, in the discourse beginning “And Elokim spoke, etc. And I appeared, etc.”)

Therefore it is written, “G‑d is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth”: this is Torah specifically (and see Sefer Shel Beinonim, ch. 35, in the gloss; and see what is explained on the verse “And Moshe wrote”).

And this is [the meaning of] “My tongue shall respond (ta’an) with Your word.” The meaning of ta’an is like the matter of what they said, “he responds after him what he says”: because he does not say it himself

but only responds after others. So David, the king, peace be upon him, prayed on behalf of the whole of Israel, who are rooted in his soul: “My tongue shall respond with Your word”; for the Torah is “Your word,” which You have said and which has already gone forth from Your mouth.

And so it is now as well; for every day we bless “who gives the Torah,” for He gives it to us every day, as it is written, “And I have placed My words in your mouth,” etc.

Only that I respond after You what You bring forth from my mouth, which is the revelation of the word of G‑d in the utterances of my mouth, the level of “and the truth of G‑d is forever”; and I do nothing at all, but am like one who responds to what others say.

(And this is an additional and tremendous virtue in occupation with Torah, and not everyone merits it; as is explained in the discourse beginning “Who is enthroned on high,” that this is the matter of Rav Yehudah: that there are two levels in occupation with Torah, the level of a servant, etc.; see there.

But on Shemini Atzeres the souls of Israel merit and receive this level, that there be truly “And I have placed My words in your mouth.” And see in the Zohar, Bereishis (p. 4b), on the matter of “And I have placed My words in your mouth,” in the commentary of the Ramaz there.)

And this comes about through the fact that first, “and in the shadow of My hand I have covered you,” the seven days of Sukkos, “the shade of faith” (tzila dimeheimenusa) (and see nearby). And from where do I merit this? Because “all Your commandments are righteousness (tzedek).”

For all the mitzvos are drawings-down to the level of tzedek, so that it be raised to the level of “before You shall walk”; and in particular through the mitzvos of sukkah and lulav, as mentioned above.

And from there is drawn the level of “and He will set on the way of His steps,” that the end of action and the word of G‑d be revealed at the level of “and the truth of G‑d is forever.” And this is the level of “And G‑d has caused you to declare (he’emircha) this day”: that He brings about the saying in you and brings it forth from your mouth:

183. And this is [the meaning of] “on the eighth day,” after the days of Sukkos, in which there was drawn to them the level of great love in delights mentioned above, the level of “For His kindness has prevailed over us.”

And then on the eighth day, which is a higher and loftier level, “there shall be an atzeres for you”: that it will draw down to you the level of “and the truth of G‑d is forever,” the level of “And G‑d has caused you to declare,” etc.

And this is the matter of the level of “kisses,” which is the bonding of Chochmah, Binah and Daas with Chochmah, Binah and Daas in complete unity. And this is a great principle and sound counsel also in all occupation with Torah: to know faithfully that the Mishnah or the Gemara or the codifiers that one studies

have already been said, and it is the very word of G‑d, and he is only like one who responds, as mentioned above. Only that on Shemini Atzeres this drawing-down is brought about to this level, as mentioned above.

Only first there must be fulfilled what is written before it, “You have caused G‑d to declare (he’emarta) this day,” also a causative form: that we cause and draw down the saying of the Torah and its descent to the lower realms, through the cleaving of our souls to the Infinite Light, blessed be He, in the great love mentioned above, as mentioned above regarding “an atzeres to Havayah your G‑d.”

19The matter is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Whoever reads and studies, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and studies opposite him.” The meaning is that through an arousal from below [there is] an arousal from above; and “spirit brings spirit” from below upward “and draws down spirit,” and the word of G‑d, from above to below; and this is called “opposite him.”

Because the speech and thought of a person in occupation with Torah bear no comparison to the word of G‑d that he draws down at that time; therefore it is not truly vested in it, but is at the level of “opposite him.”

The meaning is that it hovers over him in the mode of an encompassing [light] (makif) (and as several explanations are given elsewhere on the matter of how He encompasses the worlds).

20And through this will be understood the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “The Torah preceded the world by two thousand years.” For according to its plain sense it is not understood, since before the world was created there was no level of time at all; so how can one speak of two thousand years?

But the matter is that “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one,” for it is His will, may He be blessed, and He and His will are one, He who encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). And in order to be vested in the world, it needed to be vested in the level of Chochmah and Binah, which are themselves the level of “two thousand (alpayim) years”: “I will teach you (a’alephcha) Chochmah, I will teach you

Binah,” etc. (And the explanation of the matter, regarding Shemini Atzeres being the level of “there shall be an atzeres for you” in actuality, [as against] what is said of the seventh day of Pesach, “an atzeres to Havayah your G‑d”: the matter is as it is written, “And he is like a bridegroom (chasan) coming out of his canopy.” Chasan is in the singular. And sometimes it says “the jubilation of bridegrooms (chasanim),” in the plural.

And the matter is that “on the day of his wedding” is the Giving of the Torah. For chasan [means] “going down a level” (nachis darga): the descent and drawing down of the Infinite Light below. Therefore the Torah was given with five voices; a voice (kol) is a drawing-down.

For in order for the Torah to be drawn down from above to the very bottom, there are in this five levels of drawing-down, one after another: the first, the drawing of the Infinite Light into Chochmah, “I will teach you Chochmah, I will teach you Binah”; the second, from Chochmah to the emotive attributes (middos); and afterwards into thought, speech and action; as is explained elsewhere.

But in general there are two levels of chasan. The first is the drawing of the light into the Chochmah of Atzilus; this is the Torah as it is above, and the Chochmah shines throughout the whole World of Atzilus.

The second is a further, second descent: what is drawn down to be vested in the Torah of Beriah, which is only the level of “the fallen fruit (novlos) of the supernal Chochmah”; whereas of the very essence of supernal Chochmah it is said, “but My face shall not be seen”; as is explained in Iggeres HaKodesh on the verse “He wraps Himself in light.”

And so it is written in Likkutei Torah at the beginning of Parshas Bereishis, that the Torah that is before us is called “the Torah of Beriah.” And see what is explained on this in Parshas Eikev, regarding the blessing for the land [in Grace after Meals], that this is the matter of “for Your Torah that You taught us”: for “Your Torah” means the Torah as it is in Atzilus, and “that You taught us” means as it was drawn down into Beriah.

And see what is explained on this subject in Parshas Shelach, in the discourse beginning “I [am Havayah your G‑d]” of the section of tzitzis, on the meaning of “His desire is in the Torah of G‑d, and in his Torah he meditates.” And see what is explained on the subject of the two levels of chasan in the discourse beginning “The Song of Songs,” and in the discourse beginning “You have captured my heart,” in Parshas Pinchas.

But there is yet a further, surpassing virtue: to be at the level of “And he is like a bridegroom,” namely the revelation of the inner dimension of the Torah in the time to come, when that very drawing-down that is in the inner dimension of the supernal Chochmah of Atzilus, which is above the order of hishtalshelus, will be revealed also truly below, in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.

It follows that there will be only one level of chasan, for the revelation will be below truly as it is above. And see what is explained in the discourse beginning “When you hearken to the voice,” [on] what is vested within the voice,

which is what is above the level of the five voices themselves, etc. And in exactly the same way one will understand the difference between the level of ordinary occupation with Torah and the level of “My tongue shall respond with Your word”: the level of “shall respond,” etc., means that “Your word” itself,

as the Torah is above, is drawn down and vested in the mouth of the one who studies; and this is the matter of truly “And I have placed My words in your mouth,” only that I respond after You. Whereas in ordinary occupation with Torah, it is only the level of an illumination from the supernal speech that is drawn down below.

And this is the difference between the seventh day of Pesach, of which it is said, “an atzeres to Havayah your G‑d,” which is the matter of the drawing-down into the Torah that is above: that from the level of “For Havayah your G‑d is a consuming fire,” which, like the nature of fire, withdraws, etc., there will be drawn a drawing-down into Torah and mitzvos.

But even so, this drawing-down itself, as it is above, is not drawn down and revealed below, but only the level of “fallen fruit,” etc. But on Shemini Atzeres, of which it is said, “there shall be an atzeres for you,” it means that this very drawing-down that is above is drawn down and revealed below, to you, truly.)