אני לדודי ודודי לי הרועה בשושנים

1“I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine, who grazes among the roses.” Now, a rose has thirteen leaves, corresponding to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy (yud-gimmel mechilin derachamei) in the verse “Who is a G‑d like You” and in the verse “G‑d, merciful,” etc.,

for from there is the source of teshuvah (return), so that [He] be “bearing iniquity,” etc. And it is they that are revealed on Rosh Chodesh Elul, for then it is the level of a time of favor (eis ratzon).

For from Rosh Chodesh Elul until after Yom Kippur are the forty days when Moshe our teacher, peace be upon him, went up on high to receive the latter Tablets; and “just as the first days were with favor,” etc. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “who grazes among the roses,” next to “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine,” which [form] the initials of Elul.

2Now we need to understand what the matter of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul is. Granted, in the Ten Days of Teshuvah it makes sense, since they are days of pardon and forgiveness, and that is why in the Ten Days of Teshuvah we say “And Havayah passed,” etc.

The matter is that teshuvah (return) is not for sins specifically, for one must be in teshuvah all his days; rather, the level of teshuvah is that one returns from his former way, as it is said, “And bring us back in complete teshuvah before You,” etc.

And the explanation of the matter: in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory (at the end of the first chapter of Kiddushin), there are two opinions. One says study is greater, and one says action is greater; and they took a vote and concluded: study is greater, for it brings to action.

To understand their dispute, and on what they differ, we must first preface by understanding what is written, “The heavens and the earth I fill.” But is it not written, “The whole earth is full of His glory,” where the heavens are not mentioned? Also, there it says “I fill,” while here it is written “His glory.”

But it is known that there is the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin) and the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). The meaning of the light that fills all worlds is the level of the radiance of G‑dliness that is drawn into the created beings to give them life, from the Ten Utterances: “Let there be light,” etc.,

“By the word of Havayah,” etc. It is enclothed in their inner dimension (pnimiyus) and their very innermost core, being drawn within them to be life-force for them; and it divides into portions, so as to give life to each one “according to its own measure.”

3By way of analogy, in physical things, among the inanimate, the vegetative, the animal and the speaking: the inanimate, although it too came into being from the Ten Utterances, and G‑dly life-force is drawn into it too, from that same utterance,

just as G‑dly life-force is drawn into the vegetative and the animal, nevertheless its life-force is contracted, very slight. The vegetative has more life-force in it, the animal more even than the vegetative, and the speaking more, etc.

In proportion to this, in the spiritual worlds too there is a division into many levels, and to each of them is drawn a life-force that is different from, and distinct from, the life-force drawn to another. This is from the attribute of His Malchus (sovereignty), may He be blessed, which is what is called the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is enclothed in the very innermost core of the worlds.

But the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) is the level of a flow and radiance of G‑dliness that is not drawn down and enclothed within the worlds in a manner of revelation, so as to be grasped by their comprehension;

rather, it is in the manner of an encompassing [light] (makif) over them from above. Therefore it is called the light that encompasses all worlds, for it encompasses them all equally; there is no division in it, since it is not enclothed in a manner of revelation in comprehension, such that one could say that to this one it shines and is revealed in this way and to that one in that way, etc.

4Therefore it is “equal and makes equal,” etc. And it is of this that it is said, “The heavens and the earth I fill”: that is, the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), for “there is no place empty of Him.” And what is written,

“The whole earth is full of His glory” is the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is called “glory.” Now, our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “There is no glory but Torah” (and see what is written on the verse “For over all the glory shall be a canopy”).

That is because “the Torah issues from Chochmah (wisdom),” for from Chochmah are drawn the thirty-two paths. And as in the analogy of a path and a trail, which is made for passing

along it from place to place, so from the level of the supernal Chochmah the flow is drawn in a manner of division, to be the light that fills all worlds, until it is drawn into actual physicality, in the particulars of the Torah’s laws, valid and invalid, etc.,

which concern physical matters, terumos and tithes, etc., as is known. But through the mitzvos there is drawn a revelation of light from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, which is the level of the encompassing [light] (makif).

5The matter is this: it is known that the Torah becomes food for the G‑dly soul, as it is written, “And Your Torah is within my innards.” This is like, by way of analogy,

food, which enters into the very innermost part of a person and becomes life-force within him. So too, through the Torah there is drawn a revelation of the radiance of Chochmah (wisdom), to be truly grasped in comprehension: “And I have put My words in your mouth.”

That is, from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is enclothed in the worlds in a truly inward manner. But the mitzvos become garments for the G‑dly soul; this is

like, by way of analogy, a garment, which is on a person’s body from above and does not enter within him. So too, the flow drawn down through the mitzvos is in a manner of an encompassing [light] (makif), because it is from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin),

which is above comprehension. Therefore garments are by their nature more precious than food, since in their root they are loftier. [And see what is written about this in the discourse beginning “A psalm, a song of the dedication of the House,” on the matter of three levels: food, garment, house.]

6And this is [the meaning of] what is written regarding the mitzvos: “Because you did not serve,” etc., “more than an abundance of everything.” The meaning is that “an abundance of everything” (rov kol) is the level of Gan Eden [see what is written in the discourse beginning “And you shall command”], the comprehension of G‑dliness.

For the mitzvos are higher, since they are from the level of encompassing [lights] (makifim), which are above Gan Eden, which is comprehension in an inward manner. It is on this account that the one who said that action is greater than study said so.

Yet even so, they took a vote and concluded: study is greater, for it brings to action. The explanation is that there cannot be an arousal of the drawing down of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) through the practical mitzvos,

which are of physical things (tzitzis of wool, charity with physical money), except through the Torah, which is the intermediary that joins them; just as, by way of analogy, in a person, speech is the intermediary that joins and brings the concealment of thought out into revelation, etc.

72. Now, it is written, “Today, to do them.” Today specifically, for this world is what is called the world of action, and [in it] one can do teshuvah (return); which is not so in the World to Come:

there, as he is, so he will remain, for he has no power to change himself from what he is, unless the soiled garments are removed from him by means of the hollow of the sling (kaf hakela), etc.;

but he himself cannot. The reason is that of the World to Come they said, “They sit and delight,” which is because they grasp G‑dliness in a manner of actual comprehension and revelation. If so, it is from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is enclothed in a manner of revelation; and the light that fills all worlds is in a manner of division, as mentioned above.

8Therefore, if he is at this level, he cannot be transformed into another level, since they are divided and separate from one another, and each and every one comes to its own place.

But in this world there is the level of the radiance of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). And although it is in a manner of concealment, so that they do not grasp it, nevertheless it acts here. And because it is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, which is “equal and makes equal,”

and “If you are righteous, what do you give Him?” etc., therefore one can do teshuvah (return): though he is now a completely wicked person and is at the very lowest, he can be transformed into a completely righteous person by virtue of the radiance of the encompassing [light], etc.,

as is explained at length elsewhere, on the verse “Command the children of Israel and say to them: My offering, My bread,” etc.; see there. And this is [the meaning of] what our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Better is one hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world than all the life of the World to Come.”

For the life of the World to Come is only from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), which is through restraints (gevuros) and contractions (tzimtzumim): “with the yud the World to Come was created,” etc. But in Torah and good deeds in this world it is from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds.

9And this is the main intent of the descent of the soul to be enclothed in the material body: because in this world there is the radiance of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), by which it can refine and transform from evil to good, etc.

And in proportion to this, a person is given the years of his life by number and measure: to one seventy years and to another eighty, etc.; that is, according to the number of what he needs to refine and transform from evil to good, etc.,

for each day he refines and transforms one portion, until in the years of his life what he needed to refine is completed, for the sake of which the soul descended to this world.

103. But if he caused a blemish through some sin, in that he brought down and drew life-force to the sitra achra (the other side), so that he did not refine and transform, as mentioned above, all that he needed to: for this is the matter of teshuvah (return), “And bring us back in complete teshuvah before You.”

Now, although our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “He does not move from there until he is forgiven,” nevertheless, even though he is forgiven, the lack remains in its place: that he did not complete the drawing down that he would have drawn, etc.

But this is the matter of the teshuvah that we ask for, “And bring us back in complete teshuvah before You (lefanecha)”: the meaning is, to Your inner dimension (pnimiyus), which is higher even than the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin); for it is called encompassing and surrounding only in relation to the worlds,

but His Essence and Being, may He be blessed, is higher even than this. And through teshuvah, by which he will draw down a new light through the revelation of His Essence, may He be blessed, he will fill all the blemishes and lacks, etc.

But how can a person arouse so high above, in His Essence, may He be blessed, to draw down a new light from Him? But for this he asks, “And bring us back in teshuvah,” etc.,

“Bring us back to You”: that is to say, You will pour out upon us a spirit from on high and bestow upon us great mercy from the source of mercy, from the level of the Thirteen Attributes (yud-gimmel mechilin), “Who is a G‑d like You, Who bears iniquity,” etc.,

so that we will be able to do teshuvah. And this is the matter of the radiance of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the month of Elul: it is a preparation, so that they will be able to do teshuvah, so as to be “I am my Beloved’s,” etc.

And although throughout the year we say the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, “Havayah, Havayah, G‑d, merciful,” etc., they are only the compassion for the life of the body alone;

but the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that shine in the month of Elul are the mercy for the life of the soul, to arouse it to teshuvah. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “who grazes among the roses”: the meaning is, the Shepherd who provides for Israel, so that they are able to do teshuvah, pastures and provides for them with the roses. For

throughout the year we say in the Shema, “And I will give herbage in your field for your cattle.” The meaning: “your cattle” is the animal soul and the intellectual soul; in order that they too will agree, so that there will be “You shall love Havayah,” etc.,

they instituted saying first, before the prayer, the blessing of Yotzer, the two [blessings] before it, and “And the Ofanim and the Chayos,” etc., and Pesukei deZimra (the Verses of Praise), which are the level of lengthy contemplation of the greatness of G‑d, may He be blessed, until even the animal soul and the intellectual [soul] agree that “to Him it is fitting,” etc.

But for the arousal of love in the G‑dly soul itself there is no need for so much contemplation, for “The soul of man is the lamp of Havayah”: so is it implanted in all the souls of Israel, in their innate nature, from their source, that their desire and longing is to be included in the light of G‑d and to cleave to Him. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “And I will give herbage in your field for your cattle.”

The meaning: “herbage” is the angels, the emissaries of the flow, in whom and through whom the flow is drawn from above, so that he will have strength and might to transform the animal soul, as is written in the Zohar, Parshas Bereishis (folio 18b),

on the verse “He causes grass to sprout for the cattle”: “a thousand mountains,” etc., “and herbage for the service of man,” etc. [And see what is written in the discourse beginning “When you go out” on the matter of the two [blessings] before the Shema.] And all this is specifically throughout the year;

but in the month of Elul it is written, “who grazes among the roses,” which are the level of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that shine and are revealed in the month of Elul, so that they do teshuvah, so that all the lacks will be filled.

[This drawing down of “roses” is needed also for the G‑dly soul itself. For although it is so implanted in every soul, etc., as mentioned above, the matter is that there is an elevation of mayin nukvin (feminine waters) that comes from the very essence of the soul, by its nature and of itself;

but to come to the level of the elevation of mayin nukvin of the level of teshuvah, which is “with greater strength,” beyond what the soul is able to bear, for this there must be a drawing down from above, specifically.

This will be understood from what is written elsewhere on the verse “Like the fragrance of a field which Havayah has blessed”: that is, for there to be “the fragrance of his traitors (bogdav),” which is the level of teshuvah, for this there must be “which Havayah has blessed,”

which is help from above, etc.; see there. And this is the matter of “Bring us back to You,” etc.; and of this drawing down from above it is said, “who grazes among the roses.”]

11Now, our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Do not read shoshanim (roses) but sheshonim (who study).” The meaning: sheshonim is the level of Torah, from the expression “reads and studies,” etc.

The matter is that teshuvah (return) must fill all the lacks: both the lack made by the absence of the mitzvos, which withholds and diminishes the revelation

of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), which is drawn through the mitzvos, and the lack made through [neglect of] the Torah, which is the source of the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin). And this is [the meaning of] what is said, “And bring us back in complete teshuvah before You”: complete, specifically, etc.

And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “who grazes among the roses”: included in it are the two levels. “Rose” in its plain sense is the arousal of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which are from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds; and sheshonim is from the level of the light that fills all worlds, etc.

12And this is the matter of Simchas Torah, which comes after Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur: it is the level of a drawing down of the joy of a mitzvah upon the year as a whole.

For since throughout the year one causes a lack and a blemish in the radiance of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), by not fulfilling the mitzvos as they should be fulfilled, when the filling of the lack is drawn down on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, then there comes about the level of the joy of a mitzvah, etc.

[The matter of shoshanim (roses) and sheshonim (who study) will be understood further, along the lines of what has been explained in the discourse beginning “And you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless,” on the matter of mentioning the covenant and the Torah in the blessing for the land,

and that one must put the covenant before the Torah, for this was given with three covenants and that was given with thirteen covenants; and it is explained there that the thirteen covenants are the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

13And their drawing down is through the Torah, etc. And this is also [the meaning of] what is written, “And Havayah your G‑d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring,” in which there are the initials of Elul.

That is, to come to the level of the inner dimension (pnimiyus) of the heart, as is explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, in the discourse beginning “Israel will be redeemed only through charity.” And this drawing down is from the level of the thirteen covenants, which are the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.

But this drawing down is through the Torah; and this is the matter of shoshanim (roses) and sheshonim, those who study the laws. And also, the thirteen principles (middos) by which the Torah is expounded are from the level of the Thirteen Attributes (middos) of Mercy;

therefore the Gemara mentions, “and the Merciful One said.” That is, in them and through them is the drawing down from the Written Torah, which is the supernal Chochmah (wisdom), to the Oral Torah, which is the lower Chochmah (Chochmah Tata’ah). And this is “And you shall honor the face of the elder”: “this is one who has acquired wisdom,” for they are the thirteen tikkunim of the beard (tikkunei dikna).