ביאור ע״פ כי כארץ

1An explanation of [the verse] “For as the earth.”

2To understand the root of the matters mentioned above. Now, first we must understand the matter of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and the Ten Days of Teshuvah as a whole: that it is the time of rectification (tikkun), to repair the blemish of the iniquities and sins; as our Sages, of blessed memory, said on [the verse] “Seek Havayah while He may be found”: “These are the ten days between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.”

And it is stated explicitly in the Torah, “For on this day He shall atone,” etc. And to understand how this rectification [comes about] (and see what is written in the discourse beginning “Blow a shofar in the month”): the explanation is that on Rosh HaShanah there is the building of the Nukva (the feminine), which is Malchus (sovereignty) of the World of Atzilus (Emanation).

As it is written, “And Havayah Elokim built the rib,” etc. The meaning, by way of analogy: when a house has become damaged in some place, in its middle or at its bottom,

then, in order to repair that damage, it is necessary to rebuild the whole house anew, from its foundation to its roof; for in the renewal of the building one can repair [it] and make it strong and lasting also in that damaged place, etc.

3And the analogue will be understood from this: the blemish of the iniquities and sins has made a lack and a damage above, in the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus. For the thirty vessels of Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilus become a soul for Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah: the ten inner vessels in Beriah, the middle ones in Yetzirah, and the outer ones in Asiyah.

If so, even one who has only a Nefesh of Asiyah, the blemish from his iniquity reaches into Atzilus too, namely into the ten outer vessels of Atzilus that are enclothed in Asiyah.

4And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “those who transgressed against Me”: against the body of the King. And see the Zohar, Parshas Tazria, and Etz Chaim, in the discourse on the plagues (nega’im). And the remedy to repair this is, by way of analogy, to build the house anew.

And this is the matter of Rosh HaShanah, “This day is the beginning of Your works”: the building of Malchus; and so too above, up to the highest of heights, everything is built anew, to renew the entire chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) from nothing, etc., from the very essence of the Emanator.

And through this all the blemishes that were made in the lights and vessels of the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah will be filled in; for “You are the completion of them all,” etc.

(And see on this in [the Zohar,] Balak, folio 187a: “Go, guard your house,” etc.; it likens the level of the enclothing of Malchus in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah to the level of a house as well, etc.)

And Malchus itself is also called a house, as is known and explained elsewhere on [the verse] “A psalm, a song at the dedication of the House”; see there. And see what is written on [the verse] “Let the city of Sichon be built and established,” etc.

5And see Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41, on the meaning of “When you build a new house,” etc. And it may be said [as follows]: our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Do not read banayich (‘your children’) but bonayich (‘your builders’),”

for they occupy themselves with the building of the world, etc. But one who has sinned and blemished this building, as mentioned above: of this it is said, “When you build a new house”: he must build the house anew;

that is, through teshuvah (return) from the depth of the heart. “And you shall make a parapet”: in the manner of the teshuvah of [making] a fence, which is the level of a safeguard, so that he does not fall, G‑d forbid; as is written on [the verse] “And she shall shave her head,” etc.; see there.

6Now, to understand the explanation of the matter mentioned above, we must first preface the matter of the descent of the souls, which is for the sake of an ascent; that is, through “Who has sanctified us with His commandments”; and what [the Sages] said, “‘You shall be holy’: could it be like Me?” etc.

For the root of the souls of Israel is drawn from the level of Chochmah (wisdom) of Atzilus, which is called the intellect (mochin) of Abba; for it is said, “You are children to Havayah,” [and] “My son, My firstborn, Israel”; and the son is drawn from the drop of spirituality that is in the father’s brain (and see Sefer Shel Beinonim (Tanya), Part I, chapter 2 and chapter 18).

And this is [the meaning of] “Bereshis”: for the sake of Israel, who are called “first” (reishis); for the level of Chochmah is called reishis. And this is called “they arose in thought.”

And this is also what they said concerning Rabbi Akiva (in Menachos, chapter 3): Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him, asked the Holy One, blessed be He, “Is this the Torah, and this its reward?” And the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him, “Be silent; thus it arose in thought before Me.”

That is, in Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain), which is far, far above Chochmah of Atzilus, etc. [That is, through self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) they arose into the supernal thought of Mocha Stima’ah. And see the Zohar, Parshas Noach (folio 65a),

that there are levels and rungs, one higher than the next, which are called the supernal thought, etc. (And see Pri Etz Chaim, Sha’ar Nefilas Apayim, end of chapter 5 [and] chapter 6.)]

Now, the descent of the souls into bodies for the sake of an ascent means that through the refinements (beirurim) mentioned above they will ascend higher still, namely to the level of the light of Keser (the Crown), which is far, far above the level of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah). And of this it is said, “And men of holiness (kodesh) shall you be unto Me”

(for kodesh is Mocha Stima’ah, which is on the level of Keser. And the matter is this: kadosh with a vav is the level of a mere radiance, drawn from Keser to bring into being the level of Chochmah of Abba, which draws nourishment from the eighth mazal, which is the level of hairs; as in the analogy of the hair, which is only the surplus of the brain and bears no comparison to the essence of the brain.

And this will be understood further from what is known: that sometimes it is implied that the external forces draw nurture from the hairs; and therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “A woman’s hair is ervah (nakedness)”; and see the Idra (folio 142a).) And so too with the Levites: “And they shall pass a razor”; and with the woman of beautiful form (yefas to’ar): “And she shall shave her head.”

And sometimes it is implied that holiness depends on the hairs, as it is written of the Nazirite, “He shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.” And see the Zohar, Parshas Tazria (folio 48, end of side b), and what is written there.

But the explanation is this: our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “The ordinary conversation of Torah scholars requires study.” That is, ordinary conversation is like the level of a person’s novlos (lesser outgrowths); and because he is a Torah scholar, even in his novlos there is a word of wisdom.

Whereas the ordinary conversation and novlos of other people would be idle words, etc. So too the level of the hairs is the level of novlos: it is the level of a drawing-down in a great and immense contraction (tzimtzum),

and not from the level of the essence of the brain, as mentioned above; and it is likened to ordinary conversation, which is not the essence of the intellect. Nevertheless, there is a level and rung at which hairs are a supernal holiness: for the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are called tikkunei dikna (the tikkunim of the beard).

7And it is written, “The hair of His head is like pure wool,” since they are drawings-down from the level of the supernal kodesh, the level of Keser (the Crown), [of which it is said,] “He made darkness His hiding place”: its essence is not grasped at all; only after it is drawn down by way of contraction and hairs, then Chochmah (wisdom) comes into being from the level of the eighth mazal, as mentioned above.

And this is the level of kadosh: the vav is the level of locks (kotzin) and hairs, drawn from the level of kodesh. Therefore these hairs are a wondrous holiness,

for only through this contraction can there be any revelation, etc.; whereas what is above the contraction, “no thought” of the higher Chochmah (Chochmah Ila’ah) “grasps it.” Whereas in the level of

hairs that are below, our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “A woman’s hair is ervah,” for there is nurture for the external forces, [which] “cling to her hair,” etc., as is explained in the Zohar, Parshas Acharei (folio 60b). And of this it is said, “Like a ewe (rachel) that is mute before her shearers,” etc.

For the level of Malchus (sovereignty) is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is enclothed within the inwardness of the worlds. Therefore, when [light] is drawn from this level, which is enclothed in Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, through a great and immense contraction (tzimtzum), like the level of hairs, there can also be nurture for the external forces, etc.

8And see what is written about this on [the verse] “And Korach took,” and in the discourse beginning “And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel.” And from what has emerged we can learn the other [case]: that the hairs bear no comparison to the level of the brain (mochin) itself, for “a woman’s hair is ervah,” etc.,

while the level of the mochin of Malchus itself, of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, is the source of the life-force (chayus) of the worlds of holiness, etc. And this is because [the hairs] have already been drawn down in a great and immense contraction, until they bear no comparison to the essence.

If so, from this we can likewise understand the matter of the hairs of the tikkunim of the beard (tikkunei dikna), which are called kadosh with a vav: they too bear no comparison at all to the level of the supernal kodesh, which is Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain) of Arich Anpin, from which comes the source of the coming-into-being of the hairs of the tikkunim of the beard, etc.;

for although these hairs are an immense and wondrous holiness, nevertheless they bear no comparison to the essence of Keser and Mocha Stima’ah; as is written elsewhere, that hairs are only the level of the vegetative within the speaking [being], etc.

9Now, the souls have their root in Chochmah of Atzilus, which receives from the level of the hairs of Mocha Stima’ah; and their ascent is into the level of the supernal kodesh, which is above the level of kadosh.

And this is through the Torah and mitzvos: the 613 mitzvos of the Torah and the seven of the Rabbis, [which are] the 620 pillars of light; that is, their root is in the level of the supernal Keser, from which the 620 pillars of light are drawn. For a pillar connects the roof with the ground, and one can climb by it, and by means of it, onto the roof, etc.

And of this it is said, “And you shall do all My commandments and be holy.” And of this he said, “Could it be like Me? The verse teaches, ‘For I am holy’: My holiness is above your holiness.”

That is: although through the mitzvos they reach and ascend up to the level of the light of Keser, nevertheless “My holiness is above,” etc.

But in truth this too is not understood: what does it come to teach us? Certainly it is known that the level of Keser is so utterly as nothing compared to the essence of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, etc.,

for He, may He be blessed, is called “Who makes (oseh) wonders (pele)”: that is, Keser, which is the supernal wonder (pele elyon), is considered by Him, may He be blessed, like physical making (asiyah).

10If so, His holiness, may He be blessed, is far, far above our holiness, without end, even after the ascent of the souls into the supernal kodesh of Keser.

But the explanation is this: it is known that the level of Malchus of the Infinite One becomes Keser for the emanated [levels]. And in general the level of Keser is the level of an intermediary between the essence of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) and the emanated [levels]; and the intermediary has in it [something] of the lowest level within the Emanator,

which is the level of Atik Yomin; and it also has in it the level of the root of the emanated [levels], which is the level of Arich Anpin; as is written at length in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 41.

11Now, the level of Atik Yomin, being a level of the Infinite One, is very, very far above the level of Arich Anpin, the root of the emanated [levels];

therefore it is called Atik, a term [as in] “Who removes (hama’tik) mountains”: for it is removed and separate from the level of the emanated [levels], etc. And although the level of Atik Yomin is the lowest level of the Infinite One, nevertheless it is far, far above the root of the emanated [levels], without end, etc.

12Now, through the mitzvos the ascent is into the level of Keser, as mentioned above. And so, when he said, “Could it be like Me?”, he does not mean “like Me” literally, His being and essence,

but “like Me” means the level of the Infinite Light within Keser, which is the level of Atik Yomin, the lowest level within the Emanator, as mentioned above; for Atik Yomin is included in the level of Keser.

To this he said, “The verse teaches, ‘For I am holy,’” etc.: for through the mitzvos the ascent is into the level of Arich Anpin, since the 613 mitzvos are drawn from the 613 paths of the Gulgalta (the skull).

13And this is the level of the supernal kodesh, which is above the level of kadosh, as mentioned above at length. But of the level of Atik Yomin it is said, “My holiness is above,” etc.

And this is the meaning of “the holy King,” which we say during the Ten Days of Teshuvah: it is the level of Malchus (sovereignty) of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), which is the level of “My holiness, which is above your holiness.” And therefore that is the time of rectification, to fill in all the blemishes that were made by the iniquities and sins.

Since this holiness that is revealed during the Ten Days of Teshuvah is the source of the holiness of the mitzvos, and far above it, therefore it is within [our] ability to draw down the source of holiness anew and to fill in every blemish and lack, etc.

And this is also the meaning of the blessing over all the mitzvos: to draw down to the level of the holiness of the mitzvos, which is the holiness of Keser (the Crown), from the level of Malchus of the Infinite One, which is the level of “My holiness, which is above your holiness,” etc.

(And see what is written elsewhere on [the verse] “And I pleaded”: that the blessing over the mitzvos is from the level of an arousal from above (isarusa dile’eila) that [comes] of its own accord and by itself, so that through it, by an arousal from below (isarusa dilesata), there will be an arousal from above; see there. And therefore it is well [understood] that this is from the level of “My holiness,” etc., along the lines of what was explained elsewhere on the meaning of “Could it be like Me? The verse teaches,” etc.,

“My holiness is above your holiness”: that there is an arousal from above that is drawn down through an arousal from below, and this is what is drawn down through the performance of the mitzvos, for through an arousal from below an arousal from above is drawn down, and this is the meaning of “your holiness”; and there is an arousal from above [that comes] before the arousal from below, to raise [things] from below to above; and this arousal from above is very much greater in its level than the one [that comes] through an arousal from below, for

the arousal from below cannot reach it, etc. And this is what they intended [by] “My holiness is above your holiness.” If so, then the blessing over the mitzvos, which is the level of this arousal from above, has its root in the level of “My holiness,” etc. And this does not contradict what is written here, that the meaning of “My holiness,” etc., is the level of Atik Yomin, Malchus of the Infinite One;

for the root of this arousal from above is in truth drawn from the level of Atik Yomin, Malchus of the Infinite One, etc.; except that in the blessing over the mitzvos the drawing-down is only so that through it, by an arousal from below, there will be an arousal from above, etc. See what is written on [the verse] “To a mare,” etc., in Shir HaShirim.

But during the Ten Days of Teshuvah, when we say “the holy King,” there is a great revelation from this level, to fill in all the blemishes that were made in the arousal from below, and in the arousal from above that [comes] through the arousal from below.)

14(2) And this is the meaning of “For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden makes the things sown in it sprout.” That is to say, [it speaks] of the holiness drawn down through the mitzvos, which are called “sowing,” as it is written, “He sows righteousness, makes salvations sprout”: the sowing is an arousal from below, and the sprouting is the arousal from above that [comes] through it.

And this level is likened to what the earth and the garden make sprout; as it is written, “And He placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it”: “to work it” — these are the 248 positive commandments; “and to guard it” — these are the 365 prohibitions.

For we see with our own senses that the seed and the kernel are not of such worth that so great a growth should come from them on their own account;

rather, this is through the power of growth that is in the earth from the Ten Utterances, from the utterance “Let the earth sprout vegetation,” etc., which is from the level of Malchus of Malchus of Asiyah.

15And this power of growth is the level of an undifferentiated power (koach hiyuli) to make sprout all kinds of delight, taste and food, etc. And the kernel that is sown is nothing

but an elevation of mayin nukvin (feminine waters), to draw from the undifferentiated power of growth [the power] to make sprout this particular species, according to the kernel that was sown, etc. And this power is in the earth because “their beginning is wedged in their end.”

16As this matter is written in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the passage beginning “He and His life-forces,” where it says, “And furthermore,” etc., “it shows its power and ability in the element of earth,” etc., “which constantly makes something sprout from nothing,” etc.; see there.

So too, the performance of the mitzvos is [the meaning of] “He sows righteousness (tzedakos)”: every act of charity (tzedakah), and likewise all the mitzvos, which are called by the name tzedakah,

is likened to sowing: the kernel has no fragrance or taste at all, and so all the performance of the mitzvos is enclothed in physical things; and even so they are the level of an elevation of mayin nukvin to the root of the souls of Israel, which is the level of the supernal earth, Malchus of the World of Atzilus (Emanation), etc.,

in which the mitzvos are sown; and through this “He makes salvations sprout”: the revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He. That is, [it is] because in the supernal earth there is this power to make [things] sprout, etc.;

for “their beginning is wedged in their end”: Malchus has its root in Keser, and Keser is the level of the source of delights; and through each mitzvah there sprouts a revelation of the particular supernal delight that is the source of that mitzvah, etc.

(And see what is written about this at length on [the verse] “[In days] to come, Yaakov will take root,” and on [the verse] “When you come into the land, the land shall rest,” etc., and in Iggeres HaKodesh, the passage beginning “He sows righteousness”; see there.)

Now, the meaning of “and as a garden, the things sown in it” (zero’ehah) is two sowings, which are the level of the intention (kavanah) of the mitzvos and the performance of the mitzvah itself, etc.:

the intention of the mitzvah is the sowing that makes a revelation of the supernal delight sprout in the upper Gan Eden, where the level of Binah (understanding) shines; and from the mitzvah itself

is the sowing that makes sprout from it the revelation in the lower Gan Eden, in which the level of Malchus shines. And see what is written on the matter of the lower and upper Gan Eden at the end of the discourse beginning “And now, let the power of Ado-nai be great.”

17And further, a third level: “As the earth brings forth its growth” is through “the commandment of men, learned by rote,” which is without intention, etc., as was explained above.

“So will Ado-nai Havayah make righteousness and praise sprout” is the level of the revelation of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, which is from the level of “the holy King,” the level of “My holiness, which is above your holiness,” etc.

And this is in the manner of what is explained in the Sifra DiTzniusa, in the Zohar, Terumah, [folio] 177a: “At this time” (that is, on Yom Kippur and Rosh HaShanah; see there):

“Ado-nai Havayah, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness,” etc. And the meaning of “You have begun” is the level of an arousal from above alone, as is written at length elsewhere on [the verse] “And I pleaded,” etc.;

see there. And this is the level of “My holiness,” etc., mentioned above; for this level of arousal from above is like [that] at the beginning of creation, “for He desires kindness.”

And therefore this level is revealed on Rosh HaShanah, which is “This day is the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day,” which is the level of “for He desires kindness.” Therefore on every Rosh HaShanah this revelation is aroused.

18And this is [the meaning of] “At this time: ‘You have begun,’” etc. And this is the meaning of “Ado-nai Havayah”: for the Name Ado-nai shines on Rosh HaShanah,

for Rosh HaShanah is the building of Malchus (sovereignty), which is the level of the Name Ado-nai: “the law of the kingdom” (dina demalchusa), [dina being] the letters of Ado-nai. And the Name Havayah with the vowels of Elokim is the level of Binah (understanding), which is the level of Yom Kippur, Imma Ila’ah (the supernal mother), etc.;

and therefore on Yom Kippur there is no eating or drinking, like the World to Come, in which there is no eating or drinking; and the World to Come is from the level of Binah, etc.

And of this it is said, “So will Ado-nai Havayah make righteousness and praise sprout”: these are the two Names of “Ado-nai Havayah, You have begun,” etc.

19And this is the meaning of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, of which it is written, “And Havayah passed al panav (before him)”: the meaning is that He passes from above the level of His panim (face),

that is, from the level of Atik, which is above Arich Anpin; and from there the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are drawn. And the chief revelation of this is at Ne’ilah of Yom Kippur. And the cause of this drawing-down and passing, in that He “passes over His face,” etc., is from the level of

“for He desires kindness.” And on Rosh HaShanah this level of revelation begins, which is the level of “the beginning of Your works”; the meaning of “the beginning (techilas) of Your works” is like the matter of “You have begun (hachilosa),” etc.; and it is completed at Ne’ilah of Yom Kippur.

20And something of this kind will also be understood regarding the blessing over the mitzvos, of which [the Sages] said, “One blesses over them oveir la’asiyasan (before their performance).” The meaning of oveir is also along the lines mentioned above in the explanation of “And Havayah passed (vaya’avor) before him,” etc.: that is to say, it passes from above the level of “their performance,” of the mitzvah itself;

that is, from the level of the encompassing light (or makif), which is above the mitzvah itself, the mitzvah being the level of the inner light (or pnimi), the 248 limbs, etc. And [it is] as mentioned above, that the root of the blessing over the mitzvos is also drawn from the level of the arousal from above (isarusa dile’eila) of “You have begun,” etc.

21And this is the meaning of “the holy King,” which we say specifically during the Ten Days of Teshuvah. For the meaning of kadosh with a vav is the drawing-down of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard (tikkunei dikna), which are the level of yuds and vavs: the hairs are the level of vavs, and the light within the hair is the level of a yud, as is written in the Likkutei Torah of the Arizal, at the beginning of Parshas Toldos.

But when we say “the holy King,” it means that the light in the thirteen tikkunim of the beard is drawn from the level of Malchus of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), which is the level of Atik of Atzilus, above Arich Anpin; and from there shines the light that is drawn into the thirteen tikkunim of the beard, etc. And this is “the holy King,” and it is a drawing-down from the level of “My holiness, which is above your holiness,” as mentioned above.

(And with this [the difficulty] is resolved: the mitzvos have their root in the Gulgalta of Arich Anpin; if so, how will the blemish that was made in the performance of the mitzvos be repaired through the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which are the thirteen tikkunim of the beard, which is only a drawing-down on the level of hairs alone? And the hairs bear no comparison to the essence of the brain, etc.

But it is for the reason mentioned above: the light that is drawn into and enclothed in them is drawn from the level of Atik, which is above Arich Anpin. And in Mevo She’arim, Sha’ar 3, Part 2, chapter 5, [it is written] that the inner dimension of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard is drawn from the Avira (the “air”), where the Daas (knowledge) of Atik is revealed, etc. And see about this also in the Ramaz, Parshas Vayikra)

(folio 15b), and Parshas Emor (folio 94), in the name of the Likkutei Torah of the Arizal: that there are two levels in the beard, the hairs and the inner dimension (pnimiyus); and this inner dimension is from Atik, and it shines at a time of favor, etc.;

see there. And see further on the matter of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the Pardes, Sha’ar HaTzachtzachos, from chapter 1 to the end of chapter 4. In any case, on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, when we say “the holy King,” it means that we draw [light] into the thirteen tikkunim of the beard from the level of “My holiness, which is above your holiness”; therefore it atones for the blemishes in the performance of the mitzvos, etc.

22And it may further be said: the Torah and the mitzvos themselves are in Z’eir Anpin and Nukva of the World of Atzilus (Emanation), in the mystery of “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool,” except that their root is from Mocha Stima’ah (the hidden brain) and the Gulgalta of Arich Anpin; whereas the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy are the thirteen mechilin (attributes) of Arich Anpin itself, and the light that is drawn into and enclothed in them is from Atik itself.

And see what is written in the explanation of the white garments of the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, in Parshas Acharei. And with this it will be understood: Yom Kippur is called Shabbos Shabbason (a Sabbath of complete rest), which is above the level of Shabbos, as is written elsewhere at length in the discourse beginning “Give ear, O heavens,” etc.

And even so, Yom Kippur is called by the name mikra kodesh (a holy convocation), while Shabbos is kodesh itself; see the Zohar, Parshas Emor (folio 94).

But [the explanation is]: since this level of holiness of Yom Kippur is from the level of “My holiness,” etc., as mentioned above, therefore even the level of mikra kodesh of this level is much higher than the very essence of the kodesh of “your holiness,” etc.

Just as with the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: though they are in the thirteen tikkunim of the beard, which are only the level of hairs and kadosh with a vav, nevertheless they fill in the blemishes made in the Torah and mitzvos, which are from the level of the supernal kodesh itself, etc.,

but [this is] because there is drawn into and enclothed in them [light] from the level of “My holiness,” etc., the level of Atik; therefore, although the drawing-down comes only by way of the level of hairs and kadosh with a vav, it is higher than the level of kodesh itself that is drawn down through the Torah and mitzvos; as it is written, “Who bears iniquity,” etc.

23And it will be further understood along the lines of the saying in Bereishis Rabbah, section 60: “The conversation of the servants of the Patriarchs is more beautiful than the Torah of the children.” And as was written above, the meaning of “conversation” is an analogy for the drawing-down that is on the level of hairs and novlos; and nevertheless “their conversation is more beautiful,” etc.

And this is because the Patriarchs have their root in Chesed (kindness), Gevurah (restraint) and Tiferes (beauty) of Atik, as is written in the discourse beginning “If in My statutes,” on the matter of “Your fathers dwelt beyond the River”; and see the Ramaz on Parshas Emor

(folio 99b), regarding “and He brought them out from within the river,” etc. And this is the root and source of the light that is drawn into the thirteen tikkunim of the beard.

And therefore our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Until Avraham there was no old age (zikna),” etc.: in the Gemara, chapter 7 of Bava Metzia (folio 87a), and in Sanhedrin, chapter Chelek (folio 107b), and in [Midrash] Rabbah, Toldos, section 65.

And therefore the first tikkun of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard is the Name Kel, which is Chesed, which is the level of Avraham, as it is written, “kindness to Avraham.” And this is the meaning of “their conversation is more beautiful,” etc., “than the Torah of the children,” as mentioned above.

And along these lines it was explained elsewhere, concerning the waving of the two loaves upon the two lambs, that Chochmah (wisdom) and Binah (understanding) drawing nourishment from the mazalos of Arich Anpin, which is from the level of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard, is higher than their enclothing the arms of Arich Anpin, which are Chesed and Gevurah; see there.

And see what is written in the discourse for the first festival day of Rosh HaShanah that falls on Shabbos. Also, our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Three the Holy One, blessed be He, gave a taste in this world of the World to Come: these are Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov,” as is found in the Gemara, at the end of the first chapter of Bava Basra (folio 17a).

And see what is written about this at the end of the discourse beginning “The voice of my beloved.” And the World to Come is called “the way of life,” which is above “a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light,” as is found in the Gemara, the first chapter of Berachos (folio 5, end of side a), and in [Midrash] Rabbah, Bereishis, end of section 9;

Shemos, section 1. And the level of “the way of life” is the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the Torah, which will be revealed in the Time to Come; see what is written about this on [the verse] “Torah [Moshe] commanded” and on [the verse] “For over all the glory, a canopy.”

24And this is also [the meaning of] what is written regarding “the new heavens,” etc., “which stand before Me”: that they are above the level of “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool,” which is the matter of “For a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light,” etc.

And therefore “their conversation is more beautiful,” etc., “than the Torah of the children.” And this is the matter of the drawing-down that we draw down during the Ten Days of Teshuvah, in “the month of the mighty ones (Eisanim),” in which “the mighty ones of the world” were born, to fill in the blemishes in the Torah of the children.

And see further about this at the end of the explanation on [the verse] “Torah [Moshe] commanded.” One may further say, concerning Yom Kippur and Shabbos, in another way: for

there is the level of kodesh, and there is the level of kodesh hakodashim (the holy of holies), which is above the level of kodesh; as is written in the Zohar, Mishpatim (folio 121).

And Shabbos is the level of kodesh itself, but on Yom Kippur [light] is drawn from the level of the holy of holies; and this is why it is called Shabbos Shabbason (a Sabbath of complete rest). And therefore on Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol would enter the Holy of Holies, etc.

And therefore this level of mikra kodesh of the holy of holies is also higher than the essence of the level of kodesh alone; and therefore it fills in and completes all the blemishes that were made in the kodesh, etc. And the two ways are close to each other, as is understood.

However, Shabbos too is called Shabbos Shabbason, except that it is not said of it, “It is a Shabbos Shabbason for you,” as is written regarding Yom Kippur. And this is explained at the end of the discourse beginning “To explain the matter of Yom Kippur.”

25(3) Now, the souls of Israel have their root in Malchus (sovereignty) of the World of Atzilus (Emanation); and since “their beginning is wedged in their end,” etc., Malchus has its root in Keser (the Crown), as the saying goes, “The supernal Keser is Keser Malchus” (and as was written above in the name of the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Pinchas, folio 256b, and the Tikkunei Zohar, Tikkun 10, etc.),

that is, from the level of Malchus of the Infinite One (Ein Sof). And therefore, through teshuvah (return), they can draw down the Thirteen [Attributes] of Mercy from the level of Malchus of the Infinite One, which is the inner dimension of Keser, etc.

And this is [the meaning of] “In the place where baalei teshuvah stand, the completely righteous cannot stand”: that is, through teshuvah one draws down from the level of Atik, the inner dimension of Keser, [a place] where the elevation of mayin nukvin (feminine waters) of the performance of the mitzvos does not reach.

And this is the meaning of “the holy King.” And we say this throughout the Ten Days of Teshuvah because there are ten depths to the ten Sefiros, and each day we draw down one depth

(and they are the level of the Kesarim (crowns) of the Ten Sefiros, which are the level of Atzilus within Atzilus; see the Ramaz on Parshas Korach) (folio 176). And this is the filling-in of all the blemishes that were made in the Ten Sefiros: through drawing down the depths the blemishes are filled in, etc.

And the source of this drawing-down is “Out of the depths (mima’amakim) I have called You”; the meaning of mima’amakim is two depths, namely the level of Atik and Arich, etc. And this is the meaning of “the holy King.”

And therefore we say this throughout the Ten Days of Teshuvah, to draw down into all ten depths from the mima’amakim mentioned above. And this is the meaning of “Ado-nai Havayah will make righteousness and praise sprout”: the Name Ado-nai on Rosh HaShanah, etc.

(And the matter of the Name Ado-nai making sprout the revelation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy of Atik will be understood from what is written in the explanation on [the verse] “And now, let the power of Ado-nai be great,” etc., on the matter of “If You, Yah, should keep [account of] iniquities, Ado-nai, who could stand?”; see there, and as [will be explained] below.)

And the Name Havayah with the vowels of Elokim on Yom Kippur. That is: “praise” (tehillah) is the revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, as in “when His lamp shone (behilo)”; this is the Name Havayah.

And through this revelation the darkness is repelled, as it is written, “The exaltations of G‑d are in their throat,” etc.; and therefore for this the vowels of Elokim come.

And this is the meaning of “and praise before all the nations.” And the essence of the matter is this: Keser is an intermediary between the Emanator and the emanated [levels], and it has in it [something] of the lowest level within the Emanator, which is the level of Malchus of the Infinite One;

and this is [the aspect in] which it is the level of a recipient from the Emanator, the Infinite One, blessed be He, and this level is called Atik; and it has in it [something] of the root of the emanated [levels], and this is [the aspect in] which it is the head and source for the emanated [levels], and it is called Arich Anpin.

26Now, with respect to its being the level of a recipient, it is called Elokim; for Elokim is the level of Malchus (sovereignty), “the end of all rungs,” etc.; and so it is in Malchus of the Infinite One (Ein Sof).

And with respect to its being a giver and a head for the emanated [levels], it is called Havayah. And see something like this in the Zohar, Balak (folio 187, end of side a): Malchus of Atzilus, within Atzilus, is called an angel (malach) in relation to Abba and Imma, and in her descent into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah she is called Havayah, etc.

And as is known on the meaning of “And faithful is all this (zos), and established upon us”: that on the level of Atzilus Malchus is called zos, a feminine term (Nukva), and in her descent into Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah she is called masculine;

and this is [why it says] vekayam (“and established”), a masculine term; and this is “upon us,” “a head to foxes,” etc.; as is written about this above in Parshas Eikev, regarding Grace after Meals.

And so too it will be understood regarding the level of Malchus of the Infinite One, which becomes Keser (the Crown) for Atzilus, etc. And this is the matter of Havayah with the vowels of Elokim: the level of Havayah is the root of the emanated [levels], and its being with the vowels of Elokim is the lowest level within the Emanator.

And in exactly this way Etz Chaim explains (Sha’ar 41, end of chapter 3) the matter of Ani (“I”) and Ayin (“nothing”): that the level of Ani is called Malchus of Adam Kadmon, and it is called the level of Ayin when it becomes Keser for Atzilus; and so it is also in Etz Chaim, Sha’ar 2, chapter 2.

And this is why Yom Kippur is called kedosh Havayah (“holy to Havayah”), which is above the level of the Name Havayah, as mentioned above. And this is the matter of [saying] seven times “Havayah, He is HaElokim” at Ne’ilah, etc.

And along these lines one should explain what is said in the Sava of Mishpatim (folio 105), that the level of “His great Name” is the Name Elokim, etc.; and “His great Name” is the level of the Infinite One itself, as is written elsewhere. And this is [the meaning of] “If You, Yah, should keep [account of] iniquities, Ado-nai, who could stand?”

And this is what is written, “Ado-nai Havayah will make sprout,” etc.: for Havayah with the vowels of Elokim is Mi (“who”), which is the level of Binah (understanding);

that is, from these two Names is drawn the revelation of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, to fill in all the blemishes, as mentioned above. And see about this in the Zohar, Balak (folio 185b), and see the Mikdash Melech and the Ramaz there, who elaborate on this.

And this is [the meaning of] “Who can utter (yemalel) the mighty acts (gevuros),” etc., as the Zohar, Yisro (83a) explains: it is a term [as in] “and you may pluck ears (melilos),” meaning that He softens and sweetens the gevuros; and through this “[who can] declare all His praise”: “He will make praise sprout,” etc.

And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “This day … commands you,” regarding “for praise (tehillah)”: that tehillah means light. And see [Midrash] Rabbah, beginning of Parshas Tetzaveh: “They give light to the One who gives light,” etc.

And it will be understood together with what is written in the Zohar, Part III, Naso (130a), on the matter of “in the light of Havayah”: that is, the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which shines in the Name Havayah; as is written elsewhere on the matter of “and they shall keep the way of Havayah.”

And this is what is written, “That you may enter into the covenant,” etc., “in order to establish you today as a people to Him, and He will be your G‑d (Elokim).”

27And as is written in the discourse beginning “You are standing,” that Israel ascended up to the level of the supernal thought, and He, may He be blessed, as it were, lowered Himself “to be your G‑d (Elokim)”; meaning that Israel is li rosh, “a head for Me,”

that is, that they are elevated up to the level of Arich Anpin, which is called Gulgalta (the skull), which is the level of a head. And this is what is written, “Take up the head of all the congregation of the children of Israel,” etc.,

“by their skulls (legulgelosam)”; and this is the level of the root of the emanated [levels], up to which the souls of Israel ascended. And He, may He be blessed, the supernal Emanator, lowered Himself: that is, the revelation of Malchus of the Infinite One, to become Atik for Atzilus.

28And this is the meaning of “the holy King.” And this is “to be your G‑d (Elokim).” And it is called Elokim because it is the lowest level within the Emanator, etc.;

but nevertheless this is the utmost inwardness that can be revealed in Atzilus, etc. And this matter will be made even sweeter by the verse in Parshas Bechukosai: “And I will walk in your midst, and I will be your G‑d (Elokim), and you shall be My people.”

The meaning is: truly “in your midst,” since they will be elevated up to the level of Arich Anpin, in which the level of Atik is enclothed and revealed.

29And this is what is written, “a people to Me (li).” And wherever li (“to Me”) is said, it never departs, etc., as is written elsewhere, because the meaning of li is the level of Atik, etc. And so it is written at the beginning of Parshas Va’eira: “And I will take you to Me (li) as a people, and I will be your G‑d (Elokim),” etc.,

“and you shall know that I am Havayah”: meaning that what is now the level of “I was not known,” that is, the Radla (the Unknowable Head), will be drawn down into the level of “and you shall know,” etc. And this is what is written at the Giving of the Torah, “And Elokim spoke,” etc., “I am Havayah your G‑d (Elokim),” etc.

And this is also what is written in Yitzchak’s blessing, “And may HaElokim give you of the dew of the heavens,” etc.; see the Zohar, Yisro (folio 83). And see what is written on [the verse] “I will greatly rejoice in Havayah; my soul shall exult in my G‑d (b’Elokai).”

For there it is also explained that gilah (exultation) is the joy in inwardness, which is higher than the joy that is in outwardness; as it is written, “Let Israel rejoice in its Maker; let the children of Zion exult (yagilu) in their King.” And the children of Zion are the precious ones, and of them it is said, “let them exult,” etc., specifically.

30And see what is written about this on [the verse] “Zion shall be redeemed with justice.” And along these lines it is said, “Havayah reigns; let the earth exult (tagel); let the many islands rejoice.”

Thus, of the earth, which is more important than the islands, it is said, “let [it] exult,” etc. And it is written, “my soul shall exult in my G‑d (b’Elokai),” specifically. And according to what was said above, it fits well: for gilah is drawn from the revelation of the inner dimension of Keser, the level of Atik; and this is the meaning of “in my G‑d,” as mentioned above.

But there it was explained in another way: that it is called Elokai because the flow from Atik, which is the revelation of the inner dimension of Keser, can only be through gevuros and contractions (tzimtzumim), etc., as in the matter of the thirteen tikkunim of the beard, etc.

It follows, accordingly, that it is with respect to the flow from the level of Atik that it is called by the Name Elokim, etc. (And along these lines will be explained the reason we say Elokeinu (“our G‑d”) of the Name Elokim, which is not so with all the [other] Names.

And the answer is that Elokeinu means “ours”: that it be drawn down to us in actual revelation; and this is specifically through the Name Elokim, which is the level of gevuros, etc. He said before his passing that so it had come to him in a dream then, and he said that the answer is simple and the question is good, etc.)