את שבתתי תשמרו ומקדשי תיראו וגו׳

1“My Shabbosos you shall keep, and My Sanctuary you shall revere,” etc. Now, the meaning of “My Shabbosos” is two Shabbosos, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Shabbos 118b):

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: “Were Israel to keep two Shabbosos in accordance with their laws, they would be redeemed immediately.”

That is, the two levels of Shabbos that are in every Shabbos, as it is written, “the burnt-offering of Shabbos on its Shabbos” (and see what is written elsewhere on the verse “And it shall be, every New Moon on its New Moon,” regarding “and every Shabbos on its Shabbos”).

And this is as stated in the Zohar, Bereishis, folio 5b, that there is a lower Shabbos (Shabbos tata’ah) and a higher Shabbos (Shabbos ila’ah) in every Shabbos, and of this it is said, “My Shabbosos you shall keep.”

And this is [the meaning of] what they said in the Jerusalem Talmud (the first chapter of Taanis, end of halachah 1): “If Israel would keep one Shabbos as it ought to be kept, the son of David would come immediately.”

This does not contradict the saying “Were Israel to keep two Shabbosos,” for the meaning of “two Shabbosos” is also one Shabbos, in the manner mentioned.

2To understand this, we need to [explain] the concept of Shabbos. Now, it is known that Shabbos is the level of the ascent of the worlds, and the Torah, mitzvos and good deeds of all the weekdays rise upward on Shabbos.

Yet it is not that they are included in Shabbos itself, for it is impossible for the very nature of the weekday service to be included in Shabbos. Rather, on every day there is a glimmer of Shabbos, as it is written, “Remember the Shabbos day”: this is prayer, in which the Torah, mitzvos and good deeds of the whole day are included and rise.

For prayer is called “the continual burnt-offering” (olas tamid) on account of the ascent of the worlds, which rise higher and higher at the time of prayer (see the Zohar, Parshas Pinchas, folio 247b, and Parshas Pekudei, folio 260, end of side b),

just as Shabbos is called “the burnt-offering of Shabbos” (olas Shabbos) on account of the ascent of the worlds on Shabbos. And afterwards the prayers of all the weekdays, with all the Torah, mitzvos and good deeds that were included in them, are included in Shabbos itself.

Now we need to understand what these ascents are, since “the whole earth is full of His glory,” and it is written, “that Havayah, He is G‑d in the heavens above and on the earth below,” and as stated in the Zohar, that “there is no place empty of Him”

(as is also stated in Midrash Rabbah, Parshas Shemos, section 2: “Why from within the thornbush? To teach you that there is no place empty of the Shechinah, not even a thornbush”).

If so, what is the meaning of the term “the ascent of the worlds”? And likewise the verse says “the burnt-offering (olas) of Shabbos,” which implies that they specifically rise upward. This will be understood by first introducing the subject of the souls’ descent into a body in this world, which is a descent for the sake of an ascent.

Now, it is known that even before their descent they are very lofty in rank, as it is said, “Israel arose in [G‑d’s] thought,” which is not so even with the angels, of whom it is written, “and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” By way of analogy: in a person, the letters and words he speaks are as nothing compared with the speaking soul as a whole,

and no change or diminution occurs in it because of the words, and it can speak words without end. So too, all the worlds, and the angels and the life-force within them, are only a glimmer, and are as nothing before Him, may He be blessed, and occupy no place relative to Him, etc.

3The souls of Israel, however, arose in thought. And although thought too is as nothing before Him, may He be blessed, just as, for example, a person’s thoughts, which are drawn from his nefesh and his neshamah, occupy no place at all,

and there is no change and no diminution in his soul because of the thoughts, and it can think thoughts without end; so too, by way of analogy, above, a single thought is as nothing, etc.,

as it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed,” etc., nevertheless thought is higher than speech. For speech is called the outer garment,

like, by way of analogy, a physical garment that one does not wear always, only at times, that is, when one goes outside. So it is with speech, for one does not speak all the time,

but only when one needs to reveal [something] to another, and one can hold one’s spirit back from speaking. Thought, by contrast, is the inner garment, which one wears always, even when one is by oneself, for it is impossible to be without thought; therefore thought never rests.

It is also eternal, just as the soul itself is eternal (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “I am asleep,” on the words “my beloved,” and in the discourse beginning “I have seen, and behold, a menorah all of gold”). Therefore the worlds and the created beings, whose coming into being is from the level of speech, were newly brought into being in the six days of Creation, for then it was a time to speak.

And they will also return to nothingness and naught after the time of the world’s duration, the “six thousand years that the world exists,” etc.

(In Midrash Rabbah, the order of Noach, section 34, a proof is brought from the Torah that there is a limit to the world’s duration, from the verse “all the days of the earth.”) That is because their coming into being is from the level of speech, for which there is a time to be silent just as there is a time to speak.

The souls, however, because they arose in thought, existed even before the six days of Creation, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said in Bereishis Rabbah, section 8, on the verse “There they dwelt with the king in his work” (I Chronicles, chapter 4):

“With the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, sat the souls of the righteous, with whom the Holy One, blessed be He, took counsel and created the world.”

For this reason too they are eternal, for thought is also constant, and intellect and thought are “two companions that never part,” and like “the locust whose garment is of itself and within it.”

But the souls are differentiated from one another in standing and rank, for there are six hundred thousand root souls (and each root divides into branches, and the branches into sparks without end, etc.), corresponding to the six hundred thousand letters of the Torah. And although in the Torah there are not

six hundred thousand letters to be found, that is because of the letters of extension, the letters alef, hei, vav and yud, which are included in the vowel points: they are not in the writing, but they are present in thought, for the kamatz is an alef and the chirik a yud, etc.

(as Rashi explains at the end of the sixth chapter of Kesubos, regarding ינחם, that it is written as if it were written ינאחם). But which of the vowel points they are is not known, etc.

If so, it is a wonder why the souls descended so far down, as is known from the explanation of what we say every day: “Who is exalted from the days of the world,” etc.,

“in Your abundant mercy, have mercy on us.” For there is great pity on the souls, which descended “from a lofty roof,” namely His thought, may He be blessed, which is “exalted from the days of the world,” very far down into this world, into a body and an animal soul. But the matter is known: this descent is for the sake of an ascent.

4Summary. (The meaning of “Were Israel to keep two Shabbosos.” The meaning of the continual burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of Shabbos. What “ascent” means; this will be understood by first introducing the subject of the soul’s descent into the body, which is also for the sake of an ascent.)

52. The matter of the ascent will be understood through the words “Creator of holy ones, may Your Name be praised forever.” For the souls are called “holy ones,”

as we say in the Shemoneh Esreh, “and holy ones praise You every day, selah,” which refers to the souls. First we say the order of the Kedushah of the angels, how they say “Holy,” and “Blessed,” and “He shall reign”; and afterwards we say further, “and holy ones every day,” about the souls.

6We say them in order, from below upward: first the Kedushah of the angels, for the angels have a body, as it is written in Daniel, chapter 10, “and his body was like beryl,”

and it is written, “He makes His angels winds, His ministers a flaming fire.” Therefore the angels occupy space: there is a great angel the size of a journey of five hundred years, and there is an angel that is a third of the world, etc.

That is, their body is so large that it is in the category of space; and since they are in the category of space, they are also in the category of time, for space and time were both created as one.

Therefore they have a fixed time to say song. The souls, however, have no aspect of time and space, because they are at the level of “holy ones”: kadosh means separate, for the souls, as they are above, are entirely separate from anything bodily and are not in the category of space,

and therefore they are also not in the category of time. Hence their song is every day, constantly; and this is “and holy ones praise You every day,” and also “selah,” without interruption.

As it is said, “They go from strength to strength,” and every going and ascent is specifically through song (as is explained on this in the discourse beginning “A psalm, a song of the dedication of the House”).

Moreover, “holy ones” is in the plural, for there are many levels of holy ones, “one high above another,” up to the loftiest heights; and this is “praise You, selah.”

For praise comes from the apprehension of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, and the delight in it; and this is Gan Eden, the souls’ delight in their apprehension of the radiance of the Shechinah. This is along the lines of what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Better that he be judged and come to the World to Come,” for all the sufferings of Gehinnom are worthwhile even

just for the delight of the lower Gan Eden. And in this way there are many levels, one exaltation after another, even though in the books only two levels are mentioned, in general terms: the higher Gan Eden and the lower Gan Eden; that is, [the others] have not been revealed to us.

7And this is “praise You, selah,” without interruption. Nevertheless, it is said of them, “Creator of holy ones, may Your Name be praised”: that is, with all this praise of

the souls and of all the levels of holy ones up to the loftiest heights, they receive and apprehend only from the level of His Name, may He be blessed, alone, and it is at this level that they praise, selah, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “they delight in the radiance of the Shechinah.”

8In the Zohar it is called by the term “light,” and as Etz Chaim says, “the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof).” The meaning is, by way of analogy, like the light of the sun that shines on the earth and on those who dwell [on it], which is a radiance and glimmer from it, and is reckoned as nothing and naught compared with the body of the sun itself, which is the source of the light and the radiance;

so much so that there is no change at all in the body of the sun, whether its light shines on the earth, or clouds darken [it], or the windows of a house are shut

and the light is not drawn in there: none of this makes any change at all in the sun, the luminary. So too, the meaning of “the Infinite Light” is only a glimmer that spreads forth and is drawn from Him, may He be blessed.

9Now, a glimmer of this level, through many contractions (tzimtzumim), is drawn down so as to be apprehended by the holy ones mentioned above. And this is the meaning of “may Your Name be praised.”

For this level, which in the language of the Zohar is called “light,” is also called “Name,” as is written in Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, chapter 3: “Before the world was created, there were the Holy One, blessed be He, and His great Name alone.” And all go to one place and one intent:

to understand the matter of the G‑dly life-force that gives life to all the worlds, how it does not touch the essence at all; only each Midrash speaks in a different idiom and a different analogy, as it is written, “And he spoke three thousand parables.”

And so in the language of Scripture too it is called by the term “Name.” For just as with the name by which one is called, for example Avraham: the name bears no comparison to the person’s essence and being, and does not touch him

at all, for by himself he has no need of the name; and nevertheless the life-force is clothed in the letters of the name, as it is written concerning Adam, the first man, “And He brought [it] to the man to see what he would call it, and whatever the man would call it, a living soul, that is its name”

(Genesis 2:19). Thus the name has a real connection to the thing itself and is not a mere convention (and see on this in [Midrash] Rabbah, Bereishis, section 17, up to “‘I am Havayah, that is My Name’: that is My Name that Adam, the first man, called Me”).

That is, it is along the lines of what is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, end of chapter 1: “And its name, by which it is called in the Holy Tongue, is a vessel for the life-force contracted into the letters of that name, which has descended from the Ten Utterances,” etc.; see there.

And similarly with a person’s name: the soul itself, before it comes into the body, is not called by a name at all, as is explained in Parshas Balak on the verse “Who has counted,” and in the explanation of “But for Adam there was not found a helper,” etc.; and this is from the Ramban there.

It follows that the name is not for the soul itself; and for the body itself, too, the name is of no use. Rather, the name binds the soul to the body, and the life-force that is drawn from the soul and gives life to the body is rooted in the name.

That is, Reuven: his life-force is in the letters reish and alef, because he is from the level of sight (re’iyah), as is written in [Midrash] Rabbah, Parshas Shemos: “Reuven, as it is said, ‘I have surely seen,’” etc.;

and see there on the subject of names, and see what is written in the discourse beginning “Yehudah, you,” etc. And Leah, because she saw the deed, “See what is the difference between my son,” etc., knew that the root of his soul was in the letters of his name, Reuven.

For anything great that must contract itself in order to give life to what is below it does so only through the level of its name; for itself it needs no name at all,

only in order to be revealed to others does it need a name. And when it is revealed to others, what is revealed to [the other] is not the essence of its intellect but only its name, etc.

10Now, one sees that the letters of a name are physical and amount to nothing, except that there is in it a little life-force that gives life to the body.

That is, as is known, the light and life-force that spreads from the soul into the body, that is, the life-force that spreads through all 248 limbs of the body, is not the actual being and essence of the soul,

but only a revelation and glimmer from it, as is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 51; and the drawing down of this glimmer is rooted in the letters of the name.

Therefore a name applies specifically when the soul is clothed in the body, for then a glimmer is drawn from the soul to spread through the body, and this is through the name. Before its descent into the body, however,

this glimmer was included in its being and essence in a state of complete self-nullification (bittul); therefore it is not called by a name, for the name is only a glimmer, etc., which is not so with its being and essence, etc.

It is thus also understood that the matter of the name, too, is an analogy for a glimmer, etc., something that does not touch the essence at all.

For when the soul is above it needs no name; only when it fills the body, which is [through] the glimmer that spreads from it, is it through the name.

11And so it will be understood above: that He, may He be blessed, gives life to and brings into being the higher and lower worlds is only through the level of His Name, and not through His actual essence, for they could not bear the essence.

And even of the level of His Name it is written, “for His Name is exalted, alone”: that is, His Name too is not within the bounds of bringing into being and giving life at all, but is alone.

12And “exalted” indicates an exceeding remoteness: that it is far removed from the emanated worlds, etc.; only “His splendor is over earth and heavens,” meaning that a splendor and radiance is drawn from His Name to give life to earth and heavens, etc.

And this is [the meaning of] “and Your Name is holy,” etc.: even the level of “Your Name” is holy and separate. And what is drawn down as the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), as the soul fills the body, is only a glimmer of a glimmer, etc.

And this is [the meaning of] “Come, behold the works of Havayah, Who has wrought desolations (shamos) in the earth,” in Psalms (46:9); and our Sages, of blessed memory, said in the first chapter of Berachos (folio 7b): “Do not read shamos (desolations) but shemos (names).”

For He, may He be blessed, has several Names. This is because the worlds could not bear and comprehend the light and life-force drawn and spreading from His great Name, blessed be He,

except through the mediation of several kinds of levels; and each higher level that gives life to the one below it does so only at the level of a name, and all of them are from Him, may He be blessed

(this is along the lines of what is written in Iggeres HaKodesh on “He and His life-forces” (ihu vechayohi): the matter of the kav, the glimmer of the kav, and a glimmer of a glimmer, and a glimmer of a glimmer of a glimmer, etc.);

and therefore there are many differences among the worlds. (And see the Pardes, Shaar HaShemos, chapter 1, that there are two Names whose letters are the same, and nevertheless one indicates a far higher level and rank, etc.; see there for the reason.

From this one will also understand, in the same way, why below there are two people whose names are the same and who nevertheless are not equal in standing.) Now, the name is nothing compared with the essence and is reckoned as naught, etc.

And this is [the meaning of] “Come, behold the works of Havayah”: it is the great wonder that He, the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, constantly brings all the worlds into being from nothing to something through His speech.

“Who has wrought shamos in the earth” is a term of desolation: in truth even all the worlds, from the head of all levels, etc., are only a desolation compared with His essence, may He be blessed, as is explained elsewhere on the verse “In the wilderness of Sinai,”

and that is because their life-force is only from the level of shemos (names), for “with Yah, Havayah is the Former of worlds”: with the yud the World to Come was created, etc. (And see what is written on this on the verse “And when she came before the king,” etc.; and see the Zohar, Part I, beginning of Parshas Noach, folio 60a.)

And this is [the meaning of] “Creator of holy ones, may Your Name be praised”: all the ascents of the level of “and holy ones praise You every day, selah” are only within the level of “Your Name,” etc. Therefore it says “Creator of holy ones,” for they are at the level of creation (beriah) from nothing to something.

For it is written, “And Chochmah (wisdom) is found from ayin (nothing).” The meaning is that the coming into being of Chochmah, which is the beginning of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), from the Infinite One, blessed be He, is not

like the chain of descent from Chochmah downward, which is by way of cause and effect, as in the analogy of a person, who has intellect, emotive attributes, and thought, speech and action, which descend one from another: the intellect itself is drawn into and clothed in thought, and likewise thought in speech, and likewise intellect and emotive attributes, etc.

13This is what is called a chain of cause and effect, which is the category of something from something, and not something from nothing, for the cause itself is grasped and clothed in the effect.

And so it is with the chain of cause and effect in Atzilus, from Chochmah downward, as is written in the Zohar, Bereishis, and as it is written, “You made them all with Chochmah.”

For all that came into being was drawn from concealment to revelation from the level of Chochmah, in which they were at first included together; and this is the level of the “one utterance” with which [the world] “could have been created,” that is, the one that includes all nine utterances.

14And so it is below as well: when it arose in His will to create the world, all the worlds were created in general in one thought. This is [the meaning of] “Bereishis bara,” which the Targum Yerushalmi renders “with wisdom”; and afterwards they were differentiated in the nine utterances, over the six days, etc.

But the coming into being of Chochmah from the Infinite One, blessed be He, is truly something from nothing, since the Infinite One, blessed be He, is infinitely higher than the level and rank of Chochmah; therefore, for Chochmah to come into being is a creation of something from nothing.

(And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “Va’eschanan,” and in Parshas Vayera, in the discourse beginning “Eliyahu opened,” etc.; and see the Ramban in his commentary on the Chumash, at the beginning of Parshas Bereishis, where he writes, “Now hear the explanation of the verse,” etc.,

that likewise in physical matters, in the coming into being of this world, creation in general, something from nothing, came into being through the utterance “Bereishis,” etc., only that afterwards [things] were differentiated through the nine utterances, as mentioned above; and as is written elsewhere, in the Siddur, on “The voice is the voice of Yaakov.”

And see also what is written on this in the discourse beginning “When Israel put ‘we will do’ before ‘we will hear,’” concerning “‘Bereishis’ is also an utterance”; and that is for the reason mentioned above, that likewise above, in Atzilus, “Chochmah is found from ayin.”)

And this is “Creator of holy ones.” That is, the souls, which arose in thought and are therefore called “holy ones,” for their general and collective expression (klalus) and their source is from the level of supernal Chochmah, which is called “holy,” just as a son comes into being from the brain of the father:

they are at the level of creation, something from nothing, that is, from the level of “Your Name.” And this is “may Your Name be praised.” Therefore they descended and were clothed in a body, which is for the sake of an ascent.

15Summary. (For “Creator of holy ones” refers to the souls, and this is “and holy ones praise You every day, selah.” Even so, their coming into being is only from the level of “Your Name,” which is a mere glimmer, reckoned as nothing and naught compared with His essence, may He be blessed, like a person’s name, which bears no comparison to his essence.

And this is “Who has wrought shamos in the earth,” and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Do not read shamos but shemos.” And likewise Chochmah too, the source of the souls, “is found from ayin,” from the level called ayin, which is the level of “Your Name”: from there it came into being by way of creation, something from nothing.)

163. But what is the ascent? And we must also understand: it is known that the main receiving of reward is at the time of the Resurrection of

the Dead, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “And know that the giving of the reward of the righteous is in the Time to Come.” For if the meaning were Gan Eden, why the expression “in the Time to Come”? Gan Eden exists even now, for the souls when they leave the body.

Rather, it certainly refers to the Resurrection of the Dead, for that is the main reward and ascent of the souls, while Gan Eden is only for a time, until the Resurrection.

And this too must be understood: why the main receiving of reward is for the souls specifically when they will be in bodies. But the matter is according to what is written in the Zohar, that the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, is the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) and the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin).

That is, His essence, may He be blessed, is not within the bounds of bestowing at all (and see what is written on the verse “You are standing”); therefore “the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof)” refers to the life-force that shines and is drawn from Him, may He be blessed, to give life to the worlds, which is

like a mere radiance and glimmer, like the radiance of the sun relative to the sun; only that this is a physical analogy, and the meaning of the analogy is

that because His essence, may He be blessed, is the Giver of life to the living and the Sustainer of life, therefore some revelation from Him, like a mere radiance and glimmer, gives life to the worlds and brings them into being.

By way of analogy, as the soul gives life to the body: the life-force clothed in the 248 limbs of the body, which live from the soul, the power of sight in the eye and the power of hearing in the ear, etc., is not an actual part of the essence of the soul,

but is a revelation and glimmer from the soul. Because it is itself “a breath of the spirit of life,” therefore when it is clothed in the body it gives life to the body; and this life-force from which the body lives is like a glimmer from it, and is not of its actual essence

(as is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 51). However, the soul’s essence too is at any rate clothed within the body, and then a glimmer and life-force is drawn from it to give life to the 248 limbs of the body;

therefore it is affected in its essence too by what happens to the body. But in the analogue above it is not so, for He is not affected by the worlds: “It was You before the world was created; it is You since the world was created,” etc.,

all equally, as it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed.” That is because He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, and is not clothed in or grasped by the worlds; and even with the light, being clothed does not apply

except after several contractions, etc. If so, all the more will it be understood that the life-force from which all the worlds, higher and lower, live and come into being from Him, may He be blessed, is not His essence, G‑d forbid, but only the revelation of a glimmer.

Therefore He, may He be blessed, is called “the Giver of life to the living, the Sustainer of life,” etc. (And see what is written in the discourse beginning “And I shall be sanctified among the children of Israel,” and in the discourse beginning “After Havayah your G‑d you shall walk,” on the meaning of “For with You is the source of life”: even the level of the source of life is only “with You,” secondary and nullified to You;

therefore it does not say “for You are,” etc., for even the level of the Life of life is the level of the Infinite Light. And this is along the lines of “Before the world was created there were He and His Name alone,” in that the light is included in the luminary, etc.)

Now, this level of light, revelation and drawing down is called “the Infinite Light,” for this glimmer has no end or limit, since it is at any rate a light and radiance, by way of analogy, from Him, may He be blessed, Who is without limit, etc.

(It is also called “His great Name”; and see what is written on “May His great Name be blessed” at the end of Parshas Shelach, in the discourse beginning “I am Havayah … to be your G‑d.”)

And that the worlds nevertheless came into being as limited and finite is because of several kinds of contractions (tzimtzumim) that took place in the light, so that it should not be revealed as infinite but in limit and measure (as is written in the Biur on “Let them bring royal apparel”).

And this is the level of memalei (filling): what is drawn down in revelation, in limit and measure, by way of analogy, and shines in each world according to its capacity, etc.; and the beginning of the revelation is in Chochmah, etc.

And this level as a whole is not even in the proportion of a drop to an ocean compared with the actual Infinite Light, which does not shine as revealed and clothed in the worlds but only as the light that encompasses all worlds. And sovev (encompassing) does not mean that it surrounds from above,

for “there is no place empty of Him”; only that it is not apprehended and grasped, etc., and is not like the way the soul is clothed in the body, etc.

17It is called sovev (encompassing) along the lines of what is written, “as it were a wheel within a wheel.” That is, like a small circle within a large circle that surrounds it on all sides, where one cannot say that what surrounds it above is superior to what surrounds it below, beneath the small wheel.

For the large wheel is exactly the same above and below. And so the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, is equal and makes small and great equal; and this is [the meaning of] what is written, “The ancient G‑d is a dwelling, and underneath are the everlasting arms”: that He is below

as above (and see on this verse in [Midrash] Rabbah, beginning of Parshas Vayetzei, “He is the place of the world,” see there, regarding “And he encountered the place”; and see the Likkutei Torah of the Arizal, Parshas Ki Sisa, on the verse “Behold, there is a place with Me”).

Therefore the glimmer that is clothed in the worlds, to be the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), is as nothing in proportion to the hidden and concealed light, which is not clothed [in them] and is called the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). As is known, the meaning of the word “proportion” with numbers: one in number has a proportion to a number of a thousand thousands, etc.,

but compared with something that is without limit or number, no number has any proportion to it, etc. So too, the light drawn down and clothed in the worlds bears no proportion to the main light, which is not grasped and clothed in the worlds (as is written of all this in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 48).

And this is the matter of the ascent of the souls through their descent into a body in this world. For although they arose in thought, that is the level of the light that fills all worlds, since their source is from the level of supernal Chochmah

(and this is also the meaning of “Creator of holy ones, may Your Name be praised”: their root is from the level of “Your Name,” and the seven Names that may not be erased are an extension at the level of the light that fills all worlds, as is written elsewhere, in the discourse beginning “Their appearance and their work”).

And the ascent is the revelation of the light that encompasses all worlds, which will be in the Time to Come, at the time of the Resurrection. Therefore this revelation will be to the souls specifically in bodies: since it is equal and makes equal, etc., and above and below do not apply to it, etc.,

therefore the revelation will be even in the World of Asiyah (Action) itself. Now, this ascent and this revelation are drawn down specifically through the actual performance of the mitzvos in this world

(and for this reason too, in the Time to Come the revelation will be specifically in Asiyah, to the souls in bodies, etc.), for it was for this that the soul descended into the body: in order to fulfill specifically the mitzvos of action, as it is written, “this day, to do them.”

Therefore the soul comes in reincarnation several times, until it completes the fulfillment of all 613 mitzvos, because it is specifically through the fulfillment of the mitzvos that this revelation of the Time to Come will come about.

18The point is that “the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah.” That is, the mitzvah itself is the reward, in the manner that will be explained. For the purpose and foundation of all the mitzvos is to turn the yesh (something) into ayin (nothing), that is, that there be the self-nullification (bittul) of the yesh. And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The whole Torah is compared to tefillin.”

For in tefillin one writes “One” on physical parchment, whose root is from kelipas nogah, which is a yesh and separate, and it becomes included in the level of ayin, for it becomes a vessel for the G‑dliness that rests upon it, the level of “One,” etc. And so it is with all the mitzvos of the Torah.

19And all the more so with the offerings, where this self-nullification (bittul) was seen in actual fact: for the essence of an offering is that the animal or the bird be included in the fire from above, which used to descend in actual revelation; this is the nullification of the yesh into ayin in actual fact.

So too the mitzvah of charity: the money for which he toiled with all his 248 limbs until he earned it, he gives to a poor person, who “has nothing of his own”; this is the nullification of the yesh into ayin

(and this is the level of “kindness to Avraham,” which comes from bittul, as it is written, “and I am dust and ashes”; and as is explained in the discourse beginning “A land of hills and valleys”).

And so too the mitzvah of Torah study: although it is a drawing down of G‑dliness below, the drawing down is through the nullification of the yesh, as it is written, “and you shall speak of them,” etc., next to “and with all your soul.”

For we need to understand the meaning of “and with all your soul,” which is “even if He takes your soul”; if so, it should have said “and with all your body” (and see the Tikkunei Zohar, folio 10a).

But the point is that it refers also to “and you shall speak of them,” written after it: in all the Scripture and Mishnah that he reads and learns, his soul should not be a screen that separates, as though he were the one who does, reads and learns;

rather, as it is written, “And My words which I have put in your mouth,” etc.: “I am the Mishnah that speaks in your mouth,” etc.; Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel, “these and these are the words of the living G‑d,” etc.

And these three things are the general and collective expression (klalus) of all the mitzvos, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “The world stands on three things: on the Torah, on the service,” which is the offerings, “and on acts of kindness.”

And likewise all the particular mitzvos: their purpose and foundation is the nullification of the yesh into ayin (as it is written, “And Havayah commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear Havayah,” etc.; thus the purpose of the mitzvos is the level of awe).

However, this bittul is not true [bittul], for he is nevertheless a yesh, only he nullifies himself. Even so, it is an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata), through which

afterwards there will be the level of actual ayin, in the manner of the union of the World of Atzilus with the Infinite One, blessed be He, where “He and His vessels are one” (ihu vegarmohi chad), for the Ten Sefiros are in a state of true bittul to the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that is clothed in them, etc.

And so this revelation of “Chesed is the right arm” will be below, in the World of Asiyah itself: the body and the right arm will be a vessel, below too, in the World of Asiyah, for the indwelling of the Infinite Light,

like the level of “Chesed is the right arm,” etc. (and this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said in Bava Basra 75b: “The righteous are destined to be called by the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He”; and see Rashi’s commentary there). And this is through the arousal from below of the nullification of the yesh, in that he gave charity with his hand, etc.

And a person’s wisdom and mind will be a vessel for the level of supernal Chochmah itself, in which the Infinite Light is clothed; and this is through Torah study in the manner mentioned above, etc.

And that is through the revelation of the light that encompasses all worlds, before which in truth “all is reckoned as nothing,” and Atzilus and Asiyah are equal. And this is why the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself: for the essence of the mitzvah is the nullification of the yesh into ayin,

and that itself is the reward of the mitzvah; only that the reward is the revelation of the true ayin from “the Source of all,” and that the bittul is through the revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He. And this bittul is present in every one of Israel,

for each one nullifies himself a little, according to his measure, whether through subjugation (iskafya) or through transformation (is’hapcha), and through this he will have a share in the World to Come.

Therefore, of one who does not bow at Modim, who has no acknowledgment and bittul at all, our Sages, of blessed memory, said that he will not rise at the Resurrection of the Dead, etc.

20Summary. (Now, the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) and the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). The level of sovev, although it too is only light and His Name, is nevertheless truly infinite, and therefore it is called “His great Name.”

But the level of memalei, which is clothed within the worlds, is only a contracted glimmer. The root of the souls is from the level of “may Your Name be praised,” that is, from the level of memalei, from the level of Chochmah, and the ascent is the revelation of sovev. And this revelation is drawn down through the performance of the mitzvos,

whose general and collective expression is Torah, service and acts of kindness, and the purpose of whose foundation is the nullification of the yesh. And through this the reward of the mitzvah is drawn down: the revelation of the level of ayin that is above Chochmah, from which Chochmah “is found,” by way of something from nothing.)

214. Now, from this the matter of “two Shabbosos in accordance with their laws” will also be understood. For Shabbos is the ascent of the worlds, and the ascent is also the level of bittul, like the ascent of the Time to Come, which is also the level of bittul mentioned above.

The point is that the meaning of “And He rested on the seventh day” is, by way of analogy, like a person who did some work, such as writing down some idea: his intellect must descend until it is clothed in the emotive attributes and in thought, and afterwards they all descend and are clothed in the power of action.

22And after he rests from his work, all the powers return and rise and are included in the power of the intellect and in the essence of the soul, etc. And so, by way of analogy, “six days Havayah made”: that is the descent of Chochmah and the emotive attributes through several contractions to be clothed in the Ten Utterances, etc.

Therefore throughout the work of Creation the Name Elokim is mentioned, which is the level of contractions (tzimtzumim), etc. And of Shabbos it is written, “And Elokim finished,” meaning that the contractions came to an end and ceased, and it rises and is included in the Name Havayah, which is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin),

just as in the analogy mentioned above, the ascent of the intellect and the emotive attributes that had been lowered, which return and rise to their root. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “a Shabbos to Havayah,” and as it is written, “I, Havayah, search the heart and test the kidneys”: because “I am Havayah,” the level of sovev, which is below

as above, “Who lowers Himself to look upon the heavens and upon the earth,” heaven and earth being equal, therefore “I search the heart and kidneys,” for nothing conceals before Him, may He be blessed, and “darkness is as light,” etc.

Therefore on Shabbos, of which it is said “a Shabbos to Havayah,” there is the ascent of the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) into sovev (and see what is written in Parshas Beshalach, at the end of the discourse beginning “To understand the matter of the double bread”).

Therefore it is the ascent of the worlds: the worlds too have an ascent, and that too is the level of self-nullification (bittul), in that they are nullified from yesh into ayin. And this is the meaning of “And the heavens and the earth were finished (vayechulu),” etc.

Vayechulu is a term of the soul’s expiring yearning (kelos hanefesh) and of bittul, etc.: on Shabbos they are in a state of ascent and bittul, as will be explained below (and likewise the term Shabbos also means cessation, which is a matter of bittul). And that is because of the revelation of the level of sovev, through which the bittul is drawn forth, as mentioned above regarding “the reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah.”

(Now, as for this level being called an “ascent”: surely “there is no place empty of Him,” and He is found below as above? But the matter is as is explained elsewhere on “one bows at ‘Blessed’ and straightens up at the Name”: bowing is drawing down, and straightening up is raising up.

For there are two levels in the revelation of G‑dliness. The first is as it is written, “And Havayah descended”: the descent is a drawing down below; and “below” means lower in level, that the world below is seen as it is in its own level and rank, only that a revelation of G‑dliness is drawn into it, for He, may He be blessed, is all-powerful.

But the second level is what is said of the Time to Come, “eye to eye they shall see,” which is in the manner of an ascent from below upward; and “the earth shall be full of knowledge,” that the earth too will change from its nature and be refined until “the earth is full of the knowledge of Havayah.” This is like the analogy of two people, one standing

in a high place and the other in a low place: for them to be joined there are two ways, etc. And this is the matter of bowing at “Blessed” and straightening up at the Name, which are the two levels mentioned above. Therefore on Shabbos, of which it is said “a Shabbos to Havayah,” this is the level of the ascent of the worlds, like “and straightens up at the Name,” etc.)

Now, it was explained above that there are two degrees of bittul. The first is the level of the nullification of the yesh into ayin, and it is an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata) for the revelation of true bittul,

that is, that there be a revelation of the level of actual ayin, which is the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, as it is at the level of sovev, which is not apprehended at all;

therefore it is called ayin (and the meaning of ayin is as is written in the Idra Zuta, folio 288b: “And therefore Atika Kadisha is called ayin,” etc.; and see what is written on this in Mavo Shearim, Gate Three, Part 2, chapter 10; and see the Zohar, Shelach, folio 158b, on the verse “Is there a tree in it or not (ayin)?”

and in the commentary of the Ramaz there, where he writes, “and this is what is called ayin,” etc.; see there). And through this revelation the bittul will be true.

And so it will be understood that these two levels are in Shabbos; and this is the matter of “two Shabbosos in accordance with their laws,” which are in every Shabbos:

namely, the lower Shabbos and the higher Shabbos. Now, to understand the matter of the lower Shabbos, we must first introduce the mitzvah of Shevi’is (the Sabbatical year), which is written in this parshah,

which is also called Shabbos, as it is written, “And the land shall rest a Shabbos to Havayah”: it too is the level of Shabbos and ascent, in which the yesh is nullified into ayin.

For in the six years in which he sows, plows and reaps for himself, he is at the level of a yesh, a separate thing, and the land and its fruits are his alone.

So he is at the level of a yesh, a separate thing; but in the seventh year it is the level of the nullification of the yesh, and therefore the fruits become ownerless (and also “the Merciful One made the land ownerless” for the purpose of eating the fruits) (Nedarim, folio 42b).

Only, he may acquire from what is ownerless like any other person who acquires from what is ownerless, etc. Therefore it is written, “And for your cattle and for the beast,” etc., [teaching] that as long as the beast eats in the field, etc.; and this is the mitzvah of removal (biur) in the seventh year, that he is obliged to remove them from the house.

23And this is the nullification of the yesh in actual fact. And also, the fact that the verse made a person’s eating depend on the beast’s eating, so that when [the produce] is finished for the beast from the field he is forbidden to eat and is obliged to remove [it],

is because it is the nullification of the yesh, to the point that man and beast are equal. And this is because it is the Shabbos of the land, and an ascent into the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). For

the division into the ranks of inanimate, vegetative, animal and speaking is from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin): in man the level of Chochmah is revealed, while this level is not revealed and drawn into domestic animals and wild beasts, in which only the level of life-force is revealed, etc. (and see Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 48).

But when they are nullified before the level of sovev, which encompasses them all equally, they are all equal; for of the level of sovev it is said, “Man and beast You save, Havayah,” equally,

and this is the level of the “great beast,” etc. (see what is written above in the discourse beginning “And the Kohen shall wave,” and in Parshas Eikev in the discourse beginning “And He fed you”). Therefore in eating [the produce of] Shevi’is, man and beast are equal.

And that is through the revelation of sovev. However, all this is the matter of the nullification of the yesh into ayin, and that is like the level and rank of the lower Shabbos; but the higher Shabbos is above this level.

24The explanation of the matter is this. We find that the Torah uses two expressions about Shabbos. The first is as it is written, “And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.”

This is the rest and ascent from all that He made, that is, from the level of Asiyah (making). The second is what is written afterwards, “for on it He rested from all His work which He created.”

This is the level of rest and ascent also from the level of Beriah (creation), although it is above the level of Asiyah, as it is written, “which G‑d created to make”: creation is

only a source from which the level of Asiyah afterwards comes to be; and on Shabbos He rested also from the level of “His work which He created,” etc. And these are precisely the levels of the lower Shabbos and the higher Shabbos.

For “and He rested” from the level of “which He made” is the ascent of the lower worlds, which in general are called the level of Asiyah relative to Him, may He be blessed; and on Shabbos they rise above the level of Asiyah. And this is

“and behold, it was very good. And the heavens … were finished (vayechulu),” etc.: meaning that the order of the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) was good and fitting in His eyes, in that they were made in the manner of vayechulu, a term of the soul’s expiring yearning (kelos hanefesh):

they were made in such a way that they can be in a state of kelos hanefesh from below upward, in the manner of “running and returning.” And all these ascents go as far as their ascent into the level of Chochmah, which is the beginning of the chain of descent,

for “Abba nests in Atzilus,” which is the level of self-nullification (bittul): Chochmah is koach mah, “the power of ‘what?’” In Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, by contrast, the level of Chochmah is not revealed,

as it is said, “Imma nests in the Throne.” And the ascent of the worlds through bittul is to be included in Atzilus, where there is the revelation of supernal Chochmah, in which the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) is clothed.

25And of this it is said, “And He rested from all that He made.” For even of Chochmah it is written, “And Chochmah is found from ayin,” so that it is called a creation, something from nothing, relative to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He. And this is the level of the lower Shabbos, which is the matter of the nullification of the yesh into ayin; and so it is with Shevi’is.

26And so too is the matter of the mitzvos, which are likewise the nullification of the yesh into ayin. However, the reward that will come through them in the future is the level of the revelation of the essence of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is the level of ayin from which supernal Chochmah “is found.”

And this is the level and rank of the higher Shabbos, which is what is written, “for on it He rested from all His work which He created,” for Chochmah is called “creation,” as mentioned above.

27Now, the life and coming into being of Chochmah is only from the level of His Name and radiance alone, as explained above on the meaning of “Creator of holy ones, may Your Name be praised,” etc.; and shemo (“His Name”) has the numerical value of ratzon (will).

But His essence, may He be blessed, which is called the Master of the will and is called the Luminary, that is, the source of the light, is far above being a source for Chochmah. And on Shabbos the ascent of the worlds is so great that Chochmah rises and is included in its Emanator, sovev; and this is the level of the higher Shabbos.

And this level of bittul is the matter of Keser (the Crown), which is a term of silence: “Kater li ze’ir” (Job, beginning of chapter 36), which means “Wait for me a little” and be still, which is a matter of silence.

And this is the matter of “A fence for wisdom is silence”: a fence is an enclosure and something encompassing, for above Chochmah is silence and bittul, as in “wondering at her, keeping silent.”

And as is explained elsewhere on Moshe’s being “heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue,” etc. And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said in the Jerusalem Talmud: it is written, “a Shabbos to Havayah your G‑d”: rest as Havayah [rests]; just as He rested from speech, so you too rest from speech. Rabbi Chanina said: with difficulty did they permit greeting one another on Shabbos.

28Summary. (And this is the matter of “two Shabbosos in accordance with their laws.” For Shabbos is the ascent from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) into the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), and through this bittul is drawn forth. And in this there are two levels: the lower Shabbos is the nullification of the yesh into ayin at the level of Chochmah, koach mah; and the higher Shabbos is the level that is above Chochmah.)

295. And this is [the meaning of] “My Shabbosos you shall keep.” “My Shabbosos” means the level of the lower Shabbos, which is the nullification of the yesh into ayin, and the higher Shabbos,

which is true self-nullification (bittul); for these two Shabbosos are in every Shabbos, as mentioned above (and see on “My Shabbosos you shall keep” in the Zohar, Part I, 5b, and Part III, 82a; Tikkunei Zohar, beginning of Tikkun 24).

And the meaning of “you shall keep” is that in truth Shabbos is a gift, given to us by G‑d; only we must guard it so that it not be lost, G‑d forbid, through some fault, some indirect cause of harm, that prevents this revelation,

such as even the things that a person tramples with his heels, falsehood and arrogance; as it is written, “He who speaks falsehoods shall not stand before My eyes,” and of arrogance [it is said], “I and he cannot dwell in one world.”

Now, the novelty is regarding the lower Shabbos, which is the nullification of the yesh: that this too is only in the category of “you shall keep,”

that is, one must see to it that this very bittul not be in a state of yesh, in that he nullified himself by his own power (as it is written, “And his concubine, whose name was Re’umah,” re’u mah, “see the ‘what’”: making a yesh and a thing out of the bittul; and this is the root of the descent and coming into being of the physical yesh of the sitra achra, etc.).

Rather, everything is from G‑d: for although free choice is given into man’s hands, nevertheless, were it not that He helps him, he could not prevail over it;

and our Sages, of blessed memory, also said, “Be in your own eyes like a wicked person,” etc. (as its explanation is written in Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 27). And this is “My Shabbosos”: the two Shabbosos are Mine, etc.

“And My Sanctuary you shall revere”: “My Sanctuary” refers to the Torah. For the Sanctuary below is the work of man’s hands: King Shlomo built it.

But the Torah is the very Sanctuary of the Holy One, blessed be He, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world only the four cubits of halachah.”

(And see Sefer Shel Beinonim, chapter 52, that the Talmud and the Mishnah are drawn from the chamber of the Holy of Holies of Beriah, Yetzirah, etc.; it follows that the four cubits of halachah are the level of “My Sanctuary” itself.

And see Etz Chaim, Shaar Kisei HaKavod (the Gate of the Throne of Glory), chapter 5, that the root of the chamber of the Holy of Holies is very lofty. And see what is written in the Biur on “a Shabbos of complete rest (Shabbas Shabbason),” in the name of the Zohar HaRakia, Parshas Bereishis.)

The point is that the Torah is a drawing down of G‑dliness in an inward manner, just as in the Holy Temple there was the revelation of the Shechinah; and this is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). And Shabbos is the ascents into the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin).

Therefore it says: although “My Shabbosos you shall keep,” which is the ascents into the level of sovev, nevertheless “and My Sanctuary you shall revere; I am Havayah.” That is, “I,” which is His very essence, may He be blessed, is truly Havayah, which is what is drawn down to be memalei, “with the yud the World to Come was created,” etc.; and all is one.

30And this is [the meaning of] “The Torah comes forth from Chochmah”: “comes forth” means that its revelation is from Chochmah, but the source from which it is hewn is above Chochmah. For the Torah is the explanation

and elucidation of the mitzvos, which are the Supernal Will (ratzon ha’elyon): the 613 mitzvos of the Torah together with the seven mitzvos of the Rabbis equal 620, the numerical value of keser (crown).

Now, regarding “My Sanctuary” it says “you shall revere” (and see on this in [Midrash] Rabbah on Shir HaShirim, on the verse “like the tower of David,” and in the order of Beshalach, section 29, on the verse “Awesome is G‑d from Your sanctuaries”; and in Zevachim 115b; and in the order of Vayetzei, end of section 69, on the verse “How awesome is this place”; and in the Zohar, Part II, 79a);

and the reason is that because the level of “My Sanctuary” is the drawing down as revelation and inner light, therefore awe is drawn from it, because of the revelation (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And Israel saw … and the people feared,” etc., and in Sefer Shel Beinonim, end of chapter 23).