מה טובו אוהליך יעקב כו׳

1“How goodly are your tents, Yaakov,” etc. [We need] to understand the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory: “Whoever calls Avraham ‘Avram’ transgresses a prohibition, as it is said, ‘And your name shall no longer be called Avram.’ But if so, does whoever calls Yaakov ‘Yaakov’ [transgress] as well? There it is different, for Scripture itself went back and restored it,” etc.

And the explanation is that it is impossible to come and reach the level of Yisrael except by first preceding it with the quality and level of Yaakov. And see in Parshas Vayishlach, page 174a.

2Now, of Yaakov it is written, “For he has supplanted me these two times.” And to understand this, one must first understand the question: why did the soul descend into this world in order

to receive reward afterwards in Gan Eden? Surely before its descent it was certainly in Gan Eden, and was delighting in the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence); so what is the advantage [gained] through its descent, etc.? Now, there are several answers to this.

But the true answer is as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “One hour of teshuvah (return) and good deeds in this world is better than the entire life of the World to Come”; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “In the place where ba’alei teshuvah (those who return) stand, perfect tzaddikim cannot stand.”

Now, the souls, before their descent into the body, are certainly perfect tzaddikim. But this is their advantage in their descent into the body: that they become the level of ba’alei teshuvah, for then they are far, far above tzaddikim

(and see on this in the discourse beginning “These are the journeys,” regarding “which G‑d created to make,” etc.; and in the discourse beginning “And now, I pray, let [the power] be great,” that this is the matter of “those who stand” and “those who walk”; and in the discourse beginning “Who has counted the dust of Yaakov”; and in the discourse beginning “My offering, My bread,” etc.).

Now, there are three kinds of teshuvah. The first is the lower teshuvah (teshuvah tata’ah): that one should “turn away from evil” completely, so as not to cause a blemish through physical sins in thought, speech and action.

And one must do teshuvah: to regret the past and to uproot one’s will from the evil, etc., so that one will not want to be separated from His unity and oneness, may He be blessed, as was explained above.

And this teshuvah is in prayer, through one’s saying “Blessed are You, Havayah, our G‑d (Elokeinu)”: that the level of “our G‑d” be drawn down within us. And this is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), as it is written in Parshas Vayelech (31:17): “Is it not because

my G‑d (Elokai) is not within me that these evils have found me?” (And see on this in the Zohar, Part I, page 160: “and they rule over him,” etc., “and who causes [this]?” etc.; and in Midrash Rabbah, Seder Naso, section 10, page 237a, on the matter of “and many evils shall find him,” etc.; and in Parshas Va’eschanan, page 289a.)

And it is written, “Rather, your iniquities have separated between you and your G‑d” (in Isaiah, chapter 59:2). It follows that iniquity is a separating screen between a person and “our G‑d.”

And elsewhere the meaning and matter of “our G‑d” (Elokeinu) was explained: that we say this specifically of the Name Elokim. That is because, in order for there to be “my G‑d within me,” which is the meaning of “our G‑d,”

this is impossible except through tzimtzum (contraction), in the manner of “He contracted His Shechinah between the two poles of the Ark,” etc.

For at first glance this is not understood: is it not [written], “The whole earth is full of His glory,” and “The heavens and the earth I fill,” and no expression of contraction is mentioned about this at all? So why, regarding the poles of the Ark, did our Sages, of blessed memory, say, “He contracted His Shechinah”?

But the explanation is that although it is said, “The heavens and the earth I fill,” nevertheless He does not shine in them at the level of revelation, but only at the level of concealment;

for, after all, He is called “the most hidden of all hidden things.” But between the poles of the Ark, His light, may He be blessed, was revealed at the level of revelation.

3And this is as is explained elsewhere: that in G‑dliness the matter of withdrawal and spreading forth does not apply at all, but only the matter of concealment and revelation. For in truth, “the heavens, etc., I fill,”

only it is at the level of concealment; whereas between the poles of the Ark it shone at the level of revelation. It is like, by way of analogy, thought in a person, which shines in the foot as well, as [will be explained] below.

Only, in the foot it is at the level of concealment and of an encompassing [light] (makif); but in the brain it shines at the level of actual revelation, and not only at the level of concealment and encompassing, as is explained on this at length in the discourse beginning “And Korach took.”

4Now, for His G‑dliness to shine at the level of revelation is impossible except through tzimtzum (contraction), for this revelation is a contraction for Him, may He be blessed. [It is] like speech, by way of analogy: it is the revelation, and it is a lowering and a descent relative to the teacher, etc.

And in the same way, to be called actually “our G‑d” comes about through tzimtzum, etc. Therefore this level is not mentioned with all the Names, but specifically with the Name Elokim.

And this is the matter of the first teshuvah (return): that there be the level of “my G‑d within me.” (But we need to understand: for it is written, “For Havayah’s portion is His people,” that is, a person’s soul is a portion of the Name Havayah, blessed be He, as is written in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 4.

If so, how can we say that it is only of the Name Elokim specifically that we say “our G‑d”? But the explanation is this: after all, we say “Havayah our G‑d”; if so, this means that the Name Havayah itself is actually “our G‑d.”

And the meaning is that certainly every soul has a portion of the very Name Havayah, blessed be He, as was explained in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, there, chapter 4, mentioned above, and as is written in the discourse beginning “But Havayah your G‑d would not listen to Bilaam,” etc. And see what is written in the discourse in the section of the libations.

Only, this drawing-down is through the Name Elokim. For the Name Havayah is the light and the life-force (chayus), and the Name Elokim is the level of the vessels through which the light is drawn, and they are the level of letters, as is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim (Tanya), Part II, end of chapter 4.

And as is written in the discourse beginning “And Elokim spoke,” etc., “And I appeared to Avraham,” etc., on the matter of “When is Havayah great? When He is in the city of our G‑d,” etc., up to: “And this is [the meaning of] ‘And Elokim spoke to Moshe and said to him: I am Havayah’: that through the level of Elokim there is the revelation of the Name Havayah,” etc. See there.

And see on the matter of “For Havayah’s portion is His people” in the Zohar, Part I, 96b, 161b; Part II, 96a; Part III, 62b, 94a, 286b. And these are the words of the Ramaz (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto) there: “In every place they are attached to Him, whether in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah or in Atzilus;

for ‘the portion of Havayah’ is the four letters of Havayah, which are the soul of the four worlds; each one has a portion in their inner dimension.” End of quote.

And in Parshas Terumah, 134b, he wrote, and these are his words: “Although there is separation between Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah and Atzilus, that is at the level of the vessels of the worlds, but not at the level of the inner light that spreads through them; for its mystery is the Name Havayah: yud in Atzilus, hei in Beriah, vav and hei in Yetzirah and Asiyah.” End of quote.

And this needs examination: if so, how can one say that all Israel, each and every one, actually has a portion of the Name Havayah, which is the level of Atzilus itself, that is, either the supernal Atzilus itself or the Atzilus within Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah?

For surely most souls are from Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah proper, and not from the Atzilus within Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. And see on this in the Ramaz, at the beginning of Parshas Mishpatim, the passage beginning “What is the addition to the soul.”

And it can be said that, even so, the root of all of them is from Atzilus itself; only, the meaning of “souls of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah” is that the soul that is in the body is only from Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, but its actual root, it can be said, is in all of them from Atzilus itself, as was explained in the explanation on “My dove, in the clefts of the rock.” And even the soul that is enclothed in the body is from the level of the Name Havayah,

along the lines of what is written in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar HaShemos, Sha’ar 44, chapter 4: that the ten inner vessels of Beriah are Names of Havayah; and the souls are drawn from the inner dimension of the vessels.

At any rate, from this the meaning of “our G‑d” is understood: that the Name Havayah itself is “our G‑d,” our very strength and life-force. And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “Israel is holy to Havayah.”)

5Summary. The matter of “He has supplanted me,” etc. Three kinds of teshuvah. The first: to “turn away from evil,” so that “your iniquities” will not “separate,” etc.; and then the level of “our G‑d” comes about.

And this is “Blessed are You, Havayah, our G‑d.” And the matter of the meaning of “our G‑d,” and “He contracted His Shechinah.” And the matter of “Havayah’s portion is His people,” and the meaning of “Havayah our G‑d.” 2. Now, the meaning of “your iniquities separate,” etc.,

is explained in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 5: for it is written, “And He breathed into his nostrils,” etc., which is a drawing-down from the level of the inner dimension of the life-force, which is the level of “Havayah’s portion,” blessed be He;

and just as, by way of analogy, when a person blows toward some place, if there is something that intervenes and interrupts in between, the breath of the one blowing does not rise and reach that place at all, exactly so [it is] if there is something that intervenes and interrupts between a person’s body and the level of the supernal breath.

But in truth no thing, physical or spiritual, forms a barrier before Him, may He be blessed, etc.; rather, as is written in Isaiah, “Rather, your iniquities have separated,” etc. And the reason is that they are against the Supernal Will, blessed be He, which gives life to everything, etc. See there.

6And see what is written in the discourse beginning “My offering, My bread,” on the matter of the soiled garments, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “It wraps around him,” etc. See there. And in Reishis Chochmah, Sha’ar HaAnavah, chapter 6, in the middle of the chapter, in the passage beginning “And when a person remembers”: “They are a partition between Israel and their Father in Heaven,” etc.;

“they cause a separation between the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel; and this is the mystery of ‘Rather, your iniquities have separated,’ etc.” End of quote.

And see on the meaning of “partition” in the discourse beginning “And you shall make a tzitz (headplate)”; and on the matter of what is written there on “In all their affliction,” in Shemos Rabbah, section 2, regarding “from the midst of the thorn-bush”; and see in the Zohar, Part II (69b and 131a).

And see what is written in the explanation on “My dove, in the clefts,” on the meaning of “I clothe the heavens with blackness,” etc. And what he wrote, “they cause a separation,” is understood:

for when the influence is drawn down through a coarse and thick garment of sackcloth, there is no revelation of G‑dliness in the world, for this coarse garment completely hides the body.

And see what is written in the explanation on “These are the journeys.” And see in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 6, on the matter of “And for your transgressions your mother was sent away”; and in the Zohar, Part III, Parshas Acharei (74b).

And this is the meaning of “your iniquities have separated”: that they are what cause the influence of the Shechinah to be enclothed in the Ten Sefiros of Nogah, etc.; and this is the partition that interrupts, etc.

And the explanation is that “Yaakov is the cord of His inheritance”; and by a person lowering himself to be drawn after physical desires, whether forbidden or even permitted, which are drawn from the chambers of the kelipos (husks), he thereby likewise causes, above, the enclothing of the influence of the lower hei, mentioned above, in the Ten Sefiros of Nogah.

7And when one does teshuvah (return) and uproots one’s will from the vanities of the world, one likewise causes, above, the level of “the lower hei returns (tashuv hei) to its source,” etc.

And this is the meaning of “Blessed are You, Havayah, our G‑d”: that then nothing separates between the person and “our G‑d,” etc. And see in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 8, that this is the meaning of “And He cleanses”: He cleanses those who return, to wash and cleanse their souls of the soiled garments, etc. See there.

And the second teshuvah is the teshuvah at the level of “and do good.” That is: although he “turns away from evil” completely, yet he does too little in the mitzvos and in “do good,” [in] exerting himself in Torah and prayer.

That is, laziness. And of this it is said (Psalms 14), “There is none who does good, not even one.” And Emek HaMelech, Sha’ar Kiryas Arba, chapter 145, explains that through this one causes the withdrawal of the supernal “good,” which is Yesod (foundation).

And the explanation is as it is written, “Say of the tzaddik (the righteous one) that he is good.” The attribute of tzaddik is the binding and joining of the drawing-down from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), so that it is drawn down and shines at the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus), within the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin); and this is called the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah (Divine Presence).

And see in Sefer Shel Beinonim (Tanya), chapter 41; and see what is written on “And I will walk among you”; and see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “For the mountains shall depart”; and see in the Zohar, Part III (110b), on “And do good, dwell in the land.”

(and 225b), and in the Ramaz there. And this is the meaning and matter of “one who serves G‑d” (oved Elokim), explained in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 15: that it is from the expression “tanned hides” (oros avudim);

and so he rectifies the concealment that comes from the tzimtzum (contraction) of the Name Elokim, through exerting himself in “do good,” to battle with nature and the [evil] inclination, etc.;

for likewise, through this he draws down the supernal union of “a sun and a shield is Havayah Elokim,” so that the shield and the sheath do not conceal; and it is like the matter of the interweaving of Ado-nai in Havayah, etc.; and the Gevuros (severities) are sweetened by the Chasadim (kindnesses), which is the essence of the union.

Therefore, when one does not do good as one should, one causes the judgments to prevail, as is written there (110b): “for then fire blazes and burns the world with its flames,” etc.;

whereas through the supernal union, which is the drawing-down of the Chasadim, which is the revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, that encompasses all worlds, within memalei kol almin,

then the Gevuros of memalei kol almin are also sweetened. And this is what is written in the Zohar, Part III (end of 42b): “Rabbi Yosi said,” etc., “she has nothing in her mouth,” etc. See there, in the commentary of the Ramaz, and consider this carefully.

Now, where something is higher in level, there the blemish is greater. That is: when one whose soul is lofty is idle from “do good” and is not “one who serves G‑d,” the sin causes a blemish, and his fall is greater than [that caused by] the sin of a common person who does not “turn away from evil.”

For it is written, “For man is a tree of the field,” and it is explained in the Zohar, Part III (202b), that the root of a person’s soul is the level of a tree of “that field which Havayah has blessed,” etc. See there, and in the commentary of the Ramaz.

Now, by way of analogy, a fruit-bearing tree has fruits below, near the ground, and it has fruits above, high over high.

Now, the fruits above, although they are higher, yet when they fall down, when the wind comes and tears them off,

then they fall down farther from the tree than those that grow below, which, even when they fall to the ground, do not fall so far away; and as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “from a high roof into a deep pit.”

8And along these lines our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “According to his greatness was his downfall.” And so it is with the fruits of the tree, the Tree of Life, which are the souls: for Israel arose in [G‑d’s] thought, and what is higher in level, its fall is lower.

And so it is, too, with the shattering of the vessels (sheviras hakeilim) of the World of Tohu: whatever had its root higher up therefore fell lower down. That is why the vegetable gives life to the animal,

9and the animal [gives life] to the speaking [being]: for in their root they were higher, and so, when they fell, they fell lower, etc. See what is written on this in the discourse beginning “The heads of the tribes.”

Therefore, as for the blemish of the lofty soul, one who is a Torah scholar: when he blemishes in “do good,” his sin is greater than the actual sin of an unlearned person (am ha’aretz).

And so it is implied in the Gemara (Yoma, chapter “Yom HaKippurim,” 86a): “Such as I, if I walk,” etc. See there. Therefore the teshuvah for “do good” must be greater.

And there is no contradiction to this from what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “If a person transgressed a positive commandment and did teshuvah, he does not move from there before he is forgiven,” which is not so with a prohibition, where teshuvah suspends [the punishment] and Yom Kippur atones; from which it would seem, at first glance, that for a positive commandment teshuvah is not needed as much

as for a prohibition. For this has already been explained in Iggeres HaTeshuvah: what our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “he does not move from there before he is forgiven,” means that he is forgiven the punishment, but nevertheless the light is missing, etc.; and therefore one cannot learn from there any leniency for positive commandments, etc. See there.

But in order to do teshuvah such that the light that was lacking through the neglect of a positive commandment will also be filled, for this one must do a tremendous teshuvah, “From the depths I have called You,” etc.

And this teshuvah is the matter of the request in prayer, “Blessed are You, Havayah.” That is: the request of the teshuvah for the absence of “do good” is to bind oneself and cleave to the Name Havayah, which is sovev kol almin and the level of the encompassing [light] (makif), etc.;

and it is above the level of “our G‑d,” which is the level of memalei kol almin. That is because the positive commandments and the prohibitions depend on the Name Havayah; therefore, to draw down the light that is drawn through the mitzvos is the matter of cleaving to the Name Havayah itself.

10And this is along the lines of what was explained in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, there, chapter 8: “And once ‘a wind has passed and cleansed them,’ his soul can then return ‘unto Havayah,’ blessed be He, Himself, and ascend higher and higher to its source, and cleave to Him, may He be blessed, in a wondrous union,

as it was united with Him, may He be blessed, in perfect union before it was breathed forth by the breath of His mouth, may He be blessed,” etc. See there. That is, as it was included in the Name Havayah itself.

(Now, according to what is written above, that the meaning of “our G‑d” too is the matter of “Havayah our G‑d,” for “Havayah’s portion is His people,”

if so, what is the difference between the first level and this second level, which is to cleave to the Name Havayah itself? But the explanation is according to what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “And Elokim spoke,” etc., [on] “But by My Name Havayah I was not known to them.”

For the meaning is the level of the Name Havayah before it comes to revelation in the emotive attributes (middos), etc., up to: “And this was Yaakov’s intention in his prayer, ‘And Havayah will be my G‑d’: that is, Havayah alone, He Himself, will be for me at the level of Elokim,” etc.

And it can further be said, along the lines that there are two interweavings: in the interweaving of Havayah in Ado-nai, the Name Ado-nai prevails, and this is the first level; but in the interweaving of Ado-nai in Havayah, the Name Havayah prevails, and this is the second level here.

Now, the matter of this teshuvah (return) in “do good” is that one should do the mitzvah with joy and gladness of heart, and not [as] “a commandment of men learned by rote.” And see what is written on “Binding his foal to the vine,” on the matter of “He washes his garment in wine,” etc., and what is written in the discourse beginning “Therefore say to the children of Israel,” etc.)

11Summary. The meaning of “separate” in Iggeres HaTeshuvah, chapter 4, and in Reishis Chochmah, Sha’ar HaAnavah, chapter 6. “I clothe the heavens with blackness.” “Yaakov is the cord.” “And He cleanses.”

And the second teshuvah, in “do good.” The level of “good” joins sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin. “One who serves G‑d.” “A tree of the field.” And this teshuvah is to be included in the Name Havayah itself; and the doing of the mitzvos with joy, etc. 3.

And the third teshuvah is: although he “turns away from evil” completely and also “does good” completely, the teshuvah is then greater still; and it is

as it is written (Malachi 3:7), “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” The meaning is as is explained elsewhere on the meaning of “all his days in teshuvah”: that it does not mean for sins, G‑d forbid, for if so, what is [the meaning of] “all his days”?

Rather, the teshuvah is for the distance: for even though he does good and keeps the mitzvos, nevertheless he can still be at the level of a self-standing existence (yesh) and entity.

And even love is still at the level of yesh: there is one who loves. And the essence of teshuvah is as it is written, “And the spirit returns to G‑d,” etc.: that is, that he desire to return to his source and root, the level of “Israel arose in [G‑d’s] thought.”

12That is, that he desire to be included in and to cleave to the very essence of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is far, far above the level of memalei kol almin and sovev kol almin, for it is not within the bounds of worlds at all, etc.

And as the phrase says, “Who is exalted from the days of the world.” And along these lines it is said at the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds, “Until Your people pass over, Havayah”: that is, above the Name Havayah.

For the Name Havayah (the yud is Chochmah, etc.) is called sovev kol almin; and at the Splitting of the Sea the revelation was from far above the level of sovev kol almin, and through this “He turned the sea into dry land”: the hidden world came into the revealed [world] itself, etc.;

and along the lines of what is written in the Zohar, Part III, Parshas Shelach (158b), on “Is Havayah in our midst, or not (ayin)?”: that the level of Ayin is Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One), which is above the Name Havayah, etc.

Now, the root of the souls of Israel is from this level, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Know from where (me’ayin) you came,” etc.; “There is no (ein) mazal for Israel,” etc.; and “flowing streams from Lebanon”; “With Me from Lebanon, O bride.”

13And this is the matter of this tremendous teshuvah: that he desire to return and be included in the very essence of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, itself. And this is “Return to Me”: to Me, Myself.

And see in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41, chapter 3: that in the level of Yechidah in the soul the actual G‑dly spark is enclothed; this is like Keser (the Crown), which is called Yechidah, and in it is enclothed the lowest level of the Emanator, etc. See there.

If so, this teshuvah is that he return and be included in the level of his root, which is Keser, Arich Anpin and Atik Yomin. And this is the third teshuvah, of the level of Neshamah: that it return and be included in its root, the level of Chayah [and] Yechidah, etc.

14Now, this teshuvah is to the level of the Torah. For the Torah is called “the parable of the Ancient One” (mashal hakadmoni), for it is a parable and a garment for the level of the Ancient One of the world (Kadmono shel olam), that which is not within the bounds of worlds at all,

which is the very essence of the Infinite Light itself; as was explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the section beginning “David, you called them songs,” and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And I was with Him as a nursling.”

Therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Sanhedrin 99b): “Whoever occupies himself with Torah makes peace in the household above and in the household below.”

And the meaning of “in the household above” is explained elsewhere: that he joins the levels of sovev and memalei, etc., because it is the drawing-down of a level higher than sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin, etc.

15And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “On the eighth day, an assembly,” on the matter of “Study is great, for it leads to action.” And also, through the mitzvos the drawing-down is at the level of an encompassing [light] (makif),

but through the Torah the revelation is drawn down at the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus), as it is written, “And Your Torah is within my innards.” “In your midst, the Holy One”: and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “as though the Holy One dwells within his innards.”

16And this is also the meaning of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, in Midrash Eichah, at its beginning: “The Holy One, blessed be He, overlooked idolatry, forbidden relations and bloodshed, but He did not overlook contempt for the Torah.”

For just as a person has outer limbs and inner organs, on which life itself depends (which is not so with the outer limbs, for even if his hand is cut off he can live, only he will be maimed),

but with the inner organs, even through a mere puncture, if the lung or the membrane of the brain is punctured, he is a treifah (fatally defective) and cannot live, because the essence of the soul and the life-force (chayus) depends on them; so above, the mitzvos are called “the 248 limbs of the King,” which are the level of vessels and outer limbs,

but the Torah, which is His wisdom, may He be blessed, is truly an inner vessel and organ, for the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) is enclothed only in Chochmah (wisdom) specifically; and therefore He did not overlook, etc.

17And this is what is written at the Giving of the Torah: “I am Havayah your G‑d.” The meaning: “Havayah your G‑d” is sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin; but “I” (Anochi), “Who I am,” is the very essence of the Infinite Light, which is above even sovev kol almin;

and it is that which is revealed and drawn down to be “Havayah your G‑d” in actuality, for this level of the Name Havayah is drawn from the level of Anochi itself; as it is written, “From the depths I have called You, Havayah.”

“From the depths”: that is, from the very essence of the Infinite Light itself, from which it is drawn to be “Havayah your G‑d” in actuality, through occupation with the Torah, which is also from the level of depth, as it is written, “Your thoughts are very deep.”

And as is written in Midrash Rabbah, Seder Vayikra, at the end of section 3: “Fortunate is the person who has words of Torah in him and they are kept in his hand,” etc.;

“of him the verse says, ‘Counsel in a man’s heart is deep waters’ (Proverbs 20), and it says, ‘From the depths I have called You,’ and it says, ‘A prayer of the poor man.’” End of quote.

And this is through teshuvah (return) first, so that he will occupy himself with the Torah for its own sake, as is explained elsewhere on the matter of “Show me your countenance, let me hear your voice,” etc.

And the matter of “because they did not first recite the blessing over the Torah.” And the matter of “for my prayer, that it be close to my bed”: so that occupation with the Torah will come after the desire of the heart (re’usa d’liba) in prayer, etc.

And this is “Blessed are You, Havayah our G‑d”: “You” is His being and essence, may He be blessed, which is above the level of the Name Havayah, [that it] be drawn down to be “Havayah our G‑d” in actuality.

18Summary. The third teshuvah, to the essence of the Infinite Light, which is above sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin: “Until Your people pass over, Havayah.” And this is “And return to Me,” Myself. And this is through occupation with the Torah. The inner organs. And this is “I am Havayah your G‑d.”

194. Now, all three teshuvos mentioned above are called bechor (firstborn), for the three letters of bechor are units, tens and hundreds:

the beis is units, the kaf is tens, the reish is hundreds. And this is because the three teshuvos mentioned above correspond to the three levels of souls, of Asiyah, Yetzirah and Beriah; and these are, in general, the three levels of Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah,

which must be refined, rectified and raised up through the three teshuvos mentioned above. And the meaning is: the first teshuvah, of “turn away from evil,” is that of the level of Nefesh and the level of Asiyah (Action),

and it is closer to outright sin, because the World of Asiyah is close to the abode of the kelipos (husks) and the external forces, which is the evil inclination; therefore the Nefesh of Asiyah can commit an outright transgression, as it is written, “A soul (nefesh) that sins.”

20And its teshuvah is to uproot one’s will from the evil; and through uprooting one’s will one arouses above that life-force not be drawn to the external forces from the Supernal Will, etc.

And the second teshuvah is that of the level of Ruach and the level of Yetzirah (Formation). And the third teshuvah is that of the level of Neshamah; and therefore one must return more, from the depth of the heart, for its fall is greater than [that of] both of them.

And as the Maggid, whose soul is in Eden, said: the foreign thoughts of perfect tzaddikim cause more blemish than the grave sins of the unlearned. And this is “And round about Him it storms (nis’arah) greatly,” etc.

(in Psalms, chapter 50); and our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, is exacting with those around Him to a hairbreadth” (the last chapter of Yevamos, 121b).

And see the reason for this in the Pardes, Sha’ar 29, Sha’ar HaTe’amim, chapter 3, at the end of the passage beginning “Pasek”; and in the Tikkunei Zohar, beginning of Tikkun 19 (37a).

And this is the matter of the three letters of bechor, which are units, tens and hundreds: for in Beriah (Creation), which is Neshamah, the Sefiros are each composed of ten, and [each of the] ten of ten; therefore they are at the level of hundreds.

And in Yetzirah they are composed only of ten; and in Asiyah they are only at the level of a single point, as is written in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 47, chapter 5, that in Asiyah it is the level of a point alone.

21And also in Sha’ar HaPartzufim, Sha’ar 29, at its end, he wrote of the matter of point, Sefirah, partzuf (configuration): that the Sefiros of Asiyah are utterly small and are called a point relative to the Sefirah, etc. See there.

And these three letters are also alluded to in the matter of the blessings: baruch (blessed), that is, for the three drawings-down of “You, Havayah, our G‑d,” as mentioned above; and it is alluded to in the word barech (bless), [as in] “my birthright (bechorasi)… my blessing (birchasi),” etc.

And this is “Sanctify to Me every firstborn”: that the three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, which are Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah, be raised up through the three levels of teshuvah (return) mentioned above, and be refined from their shattering, and ascend to the World of Atzilus (Emanation).

And this is “to Me.” And see what is written on “And I will betroth you to Me.” And this is “One hour of teshuvah is better”: that there is an advantage of light out of darkness that has been refined, for through this light is added, etc.

(And regarding these three teshuvos of Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah, it can be said that they said: “He did not cease showing her affection until He called her ‘My daughter’… until He called her ‘My sister’… until He called her ‘My mother.’”

And the matter of “the advantage of light out of darkness” is that by transforming darkness into light, additional light is drawn down into Atzilus from the level of “He made darkness His hiding place”; and from the level of “Sanctify to Me every firstborn” there is drawn from above the level of “The chariot of G‑d is myriads,” etc., “Extol Him who rides upon the heavens.” See in the Zohar, Part II, Terumah)

(165b), and in the Ramaz there. And it is also a drawing-down from the level of the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah that are above Atzilus; see in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Arich Anpin, chapter 4.

And this is the matter of “If He sets His heart upon him, He will gather to Himself his spirit (ruach) and his soul (neshamah)”; and see in the Zohar, Part III, Pinchas (247a and 226b), on the matter of “the river Kevar.”

And all this is through taking the birthright from him, for Esav was the firstborn, as is explained in the discourse beginning “See, the scent of my son” and in the discourse beginning “When Pharaoh sent”; and this is the matter of his coming out first, etc. See there well.

And one must take his birthright from him through the teshuvos mentioned above; that is, by uprooting the will from the desires of this world, both in “turn away from evil.”

22And this is “Sanctify to Me”: “Sanctify yourself in what is permitted to you.” And in his will and desire, in “do good” and in occupation with the Torah. For through this uprooting of the will he takes from him his very birthright.

For the evil inclination and the kelipos (husks) also receive life-force from the Supernal Will, for otherwise they would have no life-force; and on the contrary, they raise themselves up to draw nourishment from above the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), from the level of “and abundant in kindness,” of which it is said, “If you are righteous,” etc., “and your transgressions are many,” etc.

23And this is “Though you soar aloft like the eagle,” as is explained elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “And a man wrestled.” And when a person withdraws his will from the desires of this world,

so that he does not want them at all, he likewise arouses above that G‑d’s will be withdrawn from them, from bestowing on them light and life-force from the level of “and abundant in kindness,” etc., [giving] only in a contracted way, enough for their life, etc.

24And this power is because Israel arose in [G‑d’s] thought; and therefore, even when [they are at] the level of “And I was among the exiles,” it is “by the river Kevar,” the level of the primordial thought.

And this is “Havayah is your shadow”: just as a shadow turns after the person, so He, may He be blessed, is, as it were, your shadow; so much so that when a person withdraws his will from evil, he arouses the same above, literally.

25And by setting his will and desire on “do good,” he causes above the revelation of the inner dimension of the Supernal Will in the Ten Sefiros of holiness, etc.

And the matter of uprooting the will is what is written, “Your brother came with cunning”: that is, the brotherhood and attachment to the matters of this world, eating and drinking, should not be with true attachment, but only “with cunning,” in the manner of the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “as though compelled,” etc.;

so that this is a descent for him, only he intends merely to effect refinements (birurim); that is, he eats in order to pray with the strength of the eating, etc. (As is written in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, section 231.)

26Summary. Three teshuvos: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah; and they are units, tens, hundreds; point, Sefirah, partzuf; that is, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. And “Sanctify to Me”: that through this they be refined and included in Atzilus. And the meaning of “Sanctify”: by uprooting his will, he likewise arouses above.

And through this he draws down additional and surpassing light to “the One who rides upon the heavens,” “the chariot of G‑d,” “the river Kevar,” etc. That is, through the teshuvah three levels are drawn from this: “My daughter,” “My sister,” “My mother,” etc.

275. And this is “How goodly are your tents, Yaakov.” The meaning: the two teshuvos of “turn away from evil” and “do good” are the level of Yaakov, yud-akev (a yud and a heel); for they are the level of action, to “turn away from evil and do good,” and through this one draws the yud into the level of the heel.

28And also, “Yaakov” everywhere means the seven lower [Sefiros], and “Yisrael,” li rosh (“a head for Me”), is the level of the intellect (mochin), the first three [Sefiros], as is written in the [Arizal’s] Likkutei Torah, at the end of Parshas Vayetzei: “Now, everywhere the seven lower [Sefiros] are called by the name Yaakov,” etc. And the seven lower [Sefiros] are the level of Ruach and Nefesh,

and the first three [Sefiros] are Neshamah. Therefore the first two teshuvos, of Nefesh and Ruach, are the level of Yaakov; and this is “He has supplanted me (vaya’akveini) these two times”: that is, the two teshuvos mentioned above.

29And they are called “your tents”: a tent is the level of an encompassing [light] (makif); for through the mitzvos encompassing [lights] are drawn down, but it is not yet enclothed within him at the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) itself; for the drawing-down to be truly inward is through the Torah.

As is known from the matter of “Sanctify us with Your mitzvos and grant our portion in Your Torah”: that through the mitzvos there comes about the level of kiddushin (betrothal), which is only a drawing-down of encompassing light from the level of sovev kol almin, like the ring of betrothal, etc.;

and through the Torah the drawing-down is at the inner level: “on the day of his wedding,” this is the Giving of the Torah, the drawing-down of the drop of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), etc.

30Now, through “turn away from evil” it is drawn down that there be the level of “our G‑d,” and through “and do good,” the level of the revelation of the Name Havayah.

However, this revelation is at the level of an encompassing [light] (makif) and a tent. And this is “And Yaakov was a simple man, dwelling in tents”: that is, the two tents mentioned above, of the drawing-down of “Havayah our G‑d,” etc.

And the meaning of “How (mah) goodly”: that is, when he is at the level of mah (“what”) and self-nullification (bittul), and does not appear as a yesh (something); and as it is written, “And walk humbly with your G‑d,”

then they are “goodly,” as it is written, “that it was good,” and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “that it was good to be hidden away”: that is, the level of “and walk humbly,” etc.

(And as is explained elsewhere, that the covered Chasadim (kindnesses) are the level of the Tree of Life, and from the chest downward, where there is revelation, it is called the Tree of Knowledge, etc.; and see what is written in the explanation on “These are the journeys,” on the matter of the forty-two journeys, etc.) And see what is written in the discourse beginning “Yaval was,” on the matter of “the father of all who dwell in tents,” etc.

“Your dwellings, Yisrael”: that is, at the level of Yisrael He dwells at the truly inner level, and not only at the level of a tent and an encompassing [light].

And this is through occupation with the Torah, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “From the time the Holy Temple was destroyed, the Holy One, blessed be He, has nothing in His world but the four cubits of halachah.” It follows that the Torah is the level of an inner indwelling, like “And I will dwell within them.”

31And this is the matter of Yisrael, li rosh (“a head for Me”): for in the head there is the revelation of the intellect (mochin), and the life-force of the soul as a whole, at the inner level; whereas in the other limbs it is only at the level of an encompassing [light],

like thought, which shines in the foot as well: for as soon as it arises in a person’s will and thought to move his foot, the foot moves, and no delay at all is needed.

This is only because thought shines in the foot as well; but even so, this illumination is only at the level of an encompassing [light], for the foot does not grasp the essence of the thought. But in the head and in the brain thought shines at the level of revelation, inwardly, etc.

32And in the same way, it is called Yaakov, yud-akev, for through action the light of sovev kol almin shines at the level of an encompassing [light]; but [in] Yisrael, li rosh, through occupation with the Torah, the light of sovev kol almin shines and is revealed at the level of the inner dimension itself, etc.

And this is “[Your name] shall no longer be called,” etc., “for you have striven (sarisa) with Elokim”: that is, he rules over the Name Elokim, in the manner of “You will decree, and it will be fulfilled,” etc., as the matter is mentioned in the Zohar, Part III, Behar (110b).

That is because the Name Elokim is the level of a shield for the Name Havayah, and through occupation with the Torah one brings it about that there be no gap and no separating screen;

for whoever occupies himself with Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, reads and studies opposite him, etc.; and therefore he is at the level of “for you have striven,” etc.

But the main explanation of the difference between “your tents” and “your dwellings” is according to what is written, “And you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the Mishkan (Tabernacle)”; whereas the Mishkan [itself] is ten curtains of “twisted fine linen (shesh), blue and purple,” etc. Shesh (“six”) is the matter of the six attributes, from which “fit and unfit” are drawn, etc.

And this is also the matter of the colors, as is written of this in the Zohar, Part II (Terumah 139a). And this is the matter of the Torah: “and scarlet (tola’as shani),” [the worm] whose strength is only in its mouth, etc. And this is the matter of “your dwellings, Yisrael.”

But as for the curtains of goats’ hair, which are what is called “tent,” the explanation is that they are from the refinements (birurim) that are refined from kelipas Nogah through “turn away from evil” and “do good,” which are the first two teshuvos.

For it is written, “Esav my brother is a hairy man,” for from the level of goats’ hair the external forces draw nourishment. But of Yaakov it is written, “And I am a smooth (chalak) man”: “Havayah’s portion (chelek) is His people,” as mentioned above.

However, through the refinements in “turn away from evil” and “do good,” he refines [what is] from the level of goats’ hair, as it is written, “And the skins of the kids of the goats she put upon his hands,” etc.;

and this is also that from them a protection is made, to be a tent, protecting the Mishkan, which is the level of Torah, to guard it from the external forces and to repel them.

As is written in the Gemara, chapter 12 of Yevamos (106a): “Rabbah, who engaged in Torah, lived forty years; Abaye, who engaged in Torah and in acts of kindness (gemilus chassadim), lived sixty years.”

And in the same way, too, the businessmen protect the Torah scholars, etc., who are supported through them, etc. And see what is written elsewhere on the meaning of “Your hair is like a flock of goats that streamed down,” etc.

And see on the matter of “And you shall make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the Mishkan” in the Zohar, Part II, Terumah (160a), Pekudei (233b).

(And it can further be said on the matter of “your tents,” according to what is written in Midrash Rabbah, Seder Naso, section 12, near its end: “‘How goodly are your tents, Yaakov’: this is the Tent of Meeting in the desert, and in Shiloh, and in Nov and Givon.” This implies that “your dwellings, Yisrael” is the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

And the explanation is that the Tent of Meeting is called the temporary dwelling of the Holy One, blessed be He, but the Sanctuary in Jerusalem was a permanent dwelling, as is written of this in the discourse beginning “And Yehudah approached him.” And see the Zohar, Part II, Terumah) (164b), Pekudei (241a).

And in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Mi’ut HaYareach (the Diminution of the Moon), chapter 2. And so it is with the level of Yaakov and the level of Yisrael: for businessmen are called Yaakov, and when they set times for Torah, it is called a temporary dwelling;

but Torah scholars, who occupy themselves with the Torah constantly and as a fixed practice, their Torah is called a permanent dwelling. And this is “He established a testimony in Yaakov and set a Torah in Yisrael”: for the level of the Torah itself,

which is the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), called the supernal chamber of the Holy One, blessed be He, where the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, rests constantly, is revealed at the level of Yisrael;

but the level of “testimony” is only a radiance from the level of the higher Chochmah, like the matter of “the fallen fruit (novlos) of wisdom”; it is drawn down at the level of Yaakov, and therefore it is called a temporary dwelling.

33And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “Sing and rejoice,” on the matter of testimony and Torah, and at the end of the discourse beginning “The Torah [that Moshe] commanded”; and see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “And this is the commandment,” that the Torah is also called a house, as it is written, “Do not read ‘your children’ (banayich),

but ‘your builders’ (bonayich).” And it is found in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41, chapter 3, that it can be said that tents are the intermediate between a garment and a house. See there. And in the same way, when one sets only [fixed] times for Torah, it is called a tent, which is intermediate between the level of the encompassing [light] (makif) of a garment and the level of the higher encompassing [light] of a house.

But when one occupies himself with Torah as a fixed practice, he is called “your builders.” And this is “Havayah loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Yaakov” (in Psalms, chapter 87); and our Sages, of blessed memory, said (first chapter of Berachos, page 8a):

“Havayah loves the gates that are distinguished (metzuyanim) in halachah more than the synagogues and the houses of study.” And this is in the manner of the advantage of the level of “your dwellings” of Yisrael over the level of “your tents” of Yaakov.

And as it is written, “He declares His words to Yaakov, His statutes and His judgments to Yisrael”; and this is like the matter of testimony and Torah. And see on the matter of “He declares His words,” etc., in Midrash Rabbah, Seder Bo (section 15 and section 19), Mishpatim (section 30).

It can also be said, in the manner explained in the discourse beginning “Those who come, Yaakov will take root; Yisrael will bud and blossom,” that the level of the flourishing of the future is the level of Yisrael; and so the revelation of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the Torah, which is the inner dimension and essence of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), will be in the future.

346. Let us return to the matter of the three levels of teshuvah (return). For at first glance, we find in the books only two levels of teshuvah: the lower teshuvah (teshuvah tata’ah) and the higher teshuvah (teshuvah ila’ah).

For teshuvah means tashuv hei (“the hei returns”), and there is a lower hei and a higher hei, and these are the two teshuvos mentioned; as is written in Reishis Chochmah, Sha’ar HaTeshuvah, chapter 2.

But the explanation is according to the saying of the Zohar, Part II, Mishpatim (end of 106b), which is quoted in Reishis Chochmah there; and these are its words: “And once he holds fast to the Tree of Life, he is then called a ba’al teshuvah,

for the Congregation of Israel (Knesses Yisrael) is also called teshuvah, and he is called the ba’al (husband) of teshuvah. And the early ones said: ‘ba’al teshuvah,’ literally.

And because of this, even perfect tzaddikim cannot stand in the place where ba’alei teshuvah stand.” End of quote. And the Mikdash Melech there explains, on “he is then called a ba’al teshuvah”: since he holds fast to Z’eir [Anpin], he is therefore called the level of ba’al, that is, one who bestows upon the level of the lower hei.

35And this is what it says, “for the Congregation of Israel,” which is Malchus (sovereignty), “is also called teshuvah”: that is, it too is called teshuvah, like Binah (understanding), which is the higher hei; and it is the lower hei.

And since the ba’al teshuvah holds fast to the Tree of Life, which is Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes), he is therefore called ba’al teshuvah: that is, he causes a supernal drawing-down into the level of Malchus, that is, a drawing-down from sovev kol almin into memalei kol almin, through “and do good.”

36Therefore he is called a ba’al in the literal sense: one who bestows upon this teshuvah, etc. Thus it is understood how within the level of the lower teshuvah, which is the matter of “the lower hei returns,” there are two levels: the teshuvah of “turn away from evil” and the teshuvah of “and do good.”

For through “turn away from evil” one causes the lower hei to return to the vav; that is, through the sins one causes the enclothing of the lower hei in Nogah, as was explained above on the matter of “And for your transgressions your mother was sent away,” etc.

However, through “turn away from evil” this level is rectified, as is written in Reishis Chochmah there; and it will be understood according to what is written below on the matter of “Havayah is your shadow,” etc.

But in order that there be drawn into it a drawing-down of additional light from the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, Himself, from the level of sovev kol almin, this is through “and do good,” for through this one draws down from above to below.

37And to this the vav of the Name Havayah points, which is called the Tree of Life; and then he is called ba’al teshuvah, because he brings about the union of the level of vav-hei,

which is the union of sovev and memalei. And the third teshuvah is the matter of “the higher hei returns,” and it is above the level of sovev kol almin. For Binah is called “before Havayah,” for it is above the level of Z’eir Anpin, which is called Havayah, sovev kol almin, etc.

38And also, because the revelation of Atik is in Binah. Now, it is known from the Arizal, of blessed memory, that the union of vav-hei is through Torah and mitzvos, but the union of yud-hei is specifically through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh); and therefore this teshuvah is above the level of “and do good,” etc.

And even so, it is explained here that this teshuvah is through the Torah, because “the Torah issues from Chochmah and Binah,” that is, it is the intellect (mochin) of Abba, etc.

39And in truth, in this higher teshuvah too there are the two levels [found] in the lower teshuvah: the first, “the higher hei returns” to the yud; the second, when one is called ba’al teshuvah;

and this is what they said, “And the early ones said: ba’al teshuvah literally”; and the Mikdash Melech explains that he rises to Abba and is called one who bestows upon the level of Binah.

40And this is as is explained elsewhere on the meaning of teshuvah, tashuv hei, with the hei spelled out with a yud, which is the matter of “From the depths I have called You”: two depths, etc.;

that is, “Binah is the heart,” which is the level of the inner dimension of the heart, and the level of Chochmah that shines in the inner dimension of the heart, which is “the hidden depths of his heart.” It can also be said that these two depths are: Binah is the great love (ahavah rabbah), for self-sacrifice in [saying] “One,” and the higher Chochmah is the higher awe (yirah ila’ah), etc.

41And even so, he spoke here of only three levels of teshuvah (return), because Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah) are “two companions who never part”; therefore both of them are, in general, a single level.

Now, it was explained above that these three teshuvos are alluded to in the three letters of bechor; and this fourth level is alluded to in the word bechor as a whole, which alludes to the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah), which is called bechor (firstborn), the beginning of revelation; as is written in the Zohar, Part I, Bereishis (13b):

“‘Sanctify to Me every firstborn’: this is the yud, which is holy, the firstborn of all the supernal holy things”; and in Parshas Va’eschanan (262a).

And the matter of these two levels above is this: “the higher hei returns” to the yud, and this is from below upward; and afterwards, when one is called ba’al teshuvah, that is when it is drawn from above downward, from the level of Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One) to Abba, and from Abba to Imma.

And along these lines it is explained in the Zohar, Part III, Vayikra (16a), on “He will again have mercy on us (yashuv yerachamenu)”: “Who will return? Atika Kadisha will return to be revealed,” etc.,

in Z’eir Anpin (the emotive attributes); and this is the matter of the drawing-down from above downward. And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “When you hearken,” on the matter of “to do what is right in the eyes of Havayah.”

And this is the matter of “that which opens every womb,” as is explained in the Zohar, Part I, Bereishis (end of 13b): “‘That which opens every womb’: by that narrow path that descends from the yud, which opened the womb to produce fruit,” etc.

And this will be explained from what is written in the discourse beginning “Go forth,” that for there to be revelation below the level of the higher Chochmah, the power for this comes from Atika Kadisha, from the tips of the yud, to the lower tip, and from it to the higher hei, etc., so that “all the lights were revealed,” etc.

Also in the manner of “And I will open for you the supernal gates,” etc., and “like the opening of the Hall,” etc.: an arousal from above that is above the arousal from below, the level of “my blessing,” etc., which is the level of “of the dew of the heavens”; for dew is an arousal from above, from a level that the arousal from below does not reach.

42And see what is written elsewhere on the matter of “You open Your hand,” in the discourse beginning “For the mountains shall depart” and in the discourse beginning “He will revive us after two days”; and what is written on the meaning of “the inner keys” in the discourse beginning “When you hearken,” mentioned above.

And this is through, first, “Sanctify to Me every firstborn,” like the matter of “Open to me,” etc.: an arousal from below that arouses an arousal from above, etc.,

“among man and among beast”: the level of “the seed of man and the seed of beast,” as is written in the discourse beginning “And these are the judgments”; and also as it is written, “And the firstborn son is of the hated one.”

(And see on the matter of “Sanctify to Me every firstborn” in Midrash Rabbah, at the end of Parshas Bo, and in [Midrash Rabbah on] Shir HaShirim, at the end of [the passage on] “How beautiful are your steps”; and in Koheles, on the verse “What advantage has the one who works.” And see what is written on the matter of birth in the discourse beginning “And I appeared to Avraham,” and from there the matter of “that which opens every womb” will also be understood.)