שיר המעלות ממעמקים קראתיך ה׳

1“A Song of Ascents: From the depths I have called You, Havayah.” “From the depths” (mima’amakim) is an expression for one who makes a depth: from there, “I have called You, Havayah.” And it was instituted to be said during the Ten Days of Teshuvah. [This verse is mentioned in the Gemara: in the first chapter of Berachos (11a),

chapter 3 of Taanis (23b); and in the Rabbos, Seder Vayikra, at the end of section 3; and in Shir HaShirim Rabbah, on the passage “I am the rose of Sharon”; and in Koheles Rabbah, on the verse “Guard your feet when [you go].”

In Zohar, Part II, in Parshas Beshalach (63b), and in the Mikdash Melech there; and at the end of Parshas Vayikra (26a); and in Parshas Acharei (69a and 70b);

and in Parshas Va’eschanan (265b), and in the commentary of the Ramaz (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto) there; and in Parshas Vayechi, folio 221.] For all year long a person follows the stubbornness of his heart, as it is written, “For they have turned their back to Me.”

But during the Ten Days of Teshuvah, every single day, each and every one draws closer to G‑d, may He be blessed, and rises higher each day, until Yom Kippur; and all the souls of Israel become face to face with G‑d, may He be blessed. And this is because of will: the will of every person is to come close to G‑d, may He be blessed, in the level of “face” (panim), etc.

[And see what is written about this in Parshas Acharei, in the discourse beginning “For on this day He shall atone”; and close by, in the discourse beginning “Return, O Israel, unto”; and in the discourse beginning “To explain the matter of Yom Kippur.”]

2Now, we need to understand the matter of the souls of Israel. [It is] not as people think, that the soul is only the life-force and the intellect within a person, with which he grasps G‑d, may He be blessed,

like other intellects, with which one grasps other subjects. That is certainly not what is called “the souls of Israel,” for the soul is “a part of G‑d above,” which is above intellect. [And see what is written on the matter of the soul in the explanation (biur) on the verse “And you shall not withhold the salt,” in Parshas Vayikra.]

But the matter is that the soul is in two levels, Yaakov and Yisrael. Let us first understand the verse “The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” What is “My footstool”? It is the lowest level, which is a stool. And “the heavens are My throne”

is the higher level. And in truth it is so: the supernal angels stand constantly in dread and awe, without any stray thought at all, because they constantly grasp G‑dliness openly. But on the earth it is not so with the revelation of G‑dliness.

3At first glance this is puzzling, for it is said, “I, Havayah, have not changed.” But the answer to this is that there are two levels: the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) and the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin).

Now, in the level of sovev kol almin there is no change at all between before the creation and after the creation; [it is] in all the worlds, higher and lower, equally, like a circle that curves around and encircles even below. And it is above intellect and time: “was, is and will be” in one instant, which the intellect does not grasp.

The change, however, is in the level of memalei kol almin. For the world was created with Ten Utterances, which descended in a chain: the utterance “Let there be light,” and it was so; “Let there be a firmament,” and it was so. And the change is from the side of the recipients, for each world grasps according to its intellect.

And this is [the meaning of] “The heavens are My throne”: the higher worlds grasp G‑dliness more; “and the earth is My footstool”: these are the lowest level, which do not grasp as much.

(And see what is written at length on the verse “The heavens are My throne.” That is to say: from the level of “the heavens,” which is the supernal encompassing light (makif), the sovev kol almin, from there specifically it is drawn down to become the level of “My throne,” which is the source of the higher Gan Eden. And see in Etz Chaim, the Gate of the Throne of Glory.

And this level in the soul is the level of yechidah, which is above intellect: “with all your might” (bechol me’odecha), the level of ratzo (running forth); this level is called “the heavens.” And see what is written in the discourse beginning “For this commandment,” on the explanation of “It is not in heaven,” etc. And the level of “earth” is the drawing downward, the level of shov (returning).

It may also be said that these two levels, “My throne” and “My footstool,” are the matter of the source of the two levels of the hidden worlds (almin stimin) and the revealed worlds (almin d’isgalyan). And from all this it will be understood how these two levels of heaven and earth mentioned above relate to the two levels of Yisrael and Yaakov, explained shortly below:

for “the heavens,” which is the level of yechidah, is the level of Yisrael; and Yaakov is the level of nefesh, ruach and neshamah, which are vested in vessels, and this is the level of “and the earth is [My] footstool,” etc. And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “And Yaakov dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings,” etc., as is explained elsewhere on this verse, that this is the drawing-down in the level of shov.)

Now, just as in the life-force as a whole there are two levels, sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin, so too in the soul of man there are also these two levels. And of this it is said, “And He created man in His image, in the image of Elokim”; and this is the matter of the two levels, Yaakov and Yisrael.

(And see what is written on this matter, that in the soul there are two levels like sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin, in the discourse beginning “Zion shall be redeemed with justice.” And see what is written in the discourse beginning “When you go out,” that this is the matter of “in His image, in the image of Elokim.” And see in the Zohar, Vayishlach)

(folio 174a), that the level of Yisrael and the level of Yaakov are like the level of Havayah and the level of Elokim. It follows that this is the matter of “in His image, in the image of Elokim,” etc.,

which is the level of sovev kol almin and memalei kol almin. The level of Yaakov is yud [and] eikev (heel): [the yud] is Chochmah (wisdom), that is, the intellect, with which he grasps G‑dliness; and that which illuminates and animates the body in its 248 limbs is

only the heel of the soul, the level of the feet of the soul. (As is explained on this at the end of the discourse beginning “His left hand is under my head”; and see what is also written on this in the discourse beginning “He has not beheld iniquity in Yaakov.”)

And the level of Yisrael is li rosh (“a head for Me”), and it is the level of the soul that is above the body and above the intellect. And this level is one, unique and united with G‑d, may He be blessed, without any separation in any way.

(And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “And to understand,” in the additional explanation of the matter of the shofar. And see what is written on the meaning of Yisrael as li rosh at the end of Parshas Shelach, in the discourse beginning “I” (Ani) in the passage of tzitzis. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “My dove.” And see what is further written on this in the discourse beginning “And I besought,” regarding “And now, O Israel, hearken,” etc.:

that the level of Yisrael and the level of Yaakov are like the sun and the moon (shimsha and sihara): just as in the sun there are no changes at all, the level of “I have not changed,” so in the level of Yisrael, etc.; see there. And see in the Ramaz (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto), at the beginning of Parshas Shemini.)

And this level is in each and every one of Israel, even the lowest of the low. And as for what is written, “The soul shall be utterly cut off,” because the chief grave transgressions are those that carry kareis (excision): this is said of the level of Yaakov, which is cut off from its root;

but the level of Yisrael is not separated from Him, may He be blessed, in any way. [And see what is written in the discourse beginning “I am black,” regarding “My mother’s sons were incensed against me”; and in the discourse beginning “On the eighth day, an assembly,” on the matter of “For my father and my mother have forsaken me,” etc.]

4And as for what is written, “Return, O Israel, unto Havayah your G‑d”: at first glance this is puzzling. Yisrael, what sin did it commit? Is it not inseparable? And what need does it have for teshuvah?

But this is what the prophet Hoshea said: “For you have stumbled in your iniquity.” By way of analogy: a person who stumbles with his foot on a stone, a small blow, and from this his whole body falls and his head reaches the ground with a great blow, because the head is higher.

So it is in the analogue: when a person stumbles in a light sin, even neglect of Torah, when he is able to occupy himself with Torah and does not, or neglect of a positive commandment,

such as charity, when he is able to give and does not give; and all the more so when he transgresses a prohibitive commandment, even though it seems to a person a small transgression; and it is

like one whose foot is pushed from where it stands and slips a little. Here too, when he stumbles in the sin mentioned above, that is, [when] the feet of the Shechinah (Divine Presence), the level of Yaakov, [stumble], because of this the soul, the level of Yisrael, falls to another side and does not shine in his heel. [That is,

like the moon when it moves away from the sun, and its lower half is dark because it does not receive the sun’s light. So “the wicked are silenced in darkness,” and the soul within the body does not shine at all; that is, nothing shines in it from the level of Yisrael, which is the level of the sun (shimsha), etc.

5Along these lines one may explain the meaning of “The iniquity of my heels surrounds me”: the meaning is that although the sin is in the level of the heel and the feet of the soul, nevertheless this is what causes the encompassing and surrounding level of the soul, too, not to shine. And this is the matter of “My iniquities have passed over my head.”

(And see in the Zohar, Parshas Mikeitz, at the end of 198a and the beginning of 199a.)] And for this, teshuvah is needed. And this is also the meaning of “Hear, O Israel, Havayah is our G‑d, Havayah is One.”

At first glance, why are three Names said? But the meaning is as follows: “Hear” is a term for understanding. “Israel” is the level of the soul that is called Yisrael. And each one must say to the soul: Hear and understand, you, Yisrael, the level of the soul: “Havayah our G‑d, Havayah,”

which means “was, is and will be” in one instant; and therefore it is all alluded to in one word. Havayah, which is above intellect, is “our G‑d,”

that is, our strength and our life-force. “Havayah is One” is “all is one” (kula chad). And this level of the soul, which is called Yisrael, is united with Havayah, blessed be He. [That is to say:

the two Names Havayah in the recital of Shema are along the lines of what is said in the Zohar, Parshas Acharei (73a): “The Holy One, blessed be He, is hidden and revealed,” that is, the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) and the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin); and likewise, “Israel is hidden and revealed.”

And this means that the level of Yisrael is the encompassing and surrounding level within the soul, and this is what is united with the Name Havayah, blessed be He, the sovev kol almin.] And when one contemplates this, from this the attribute of love for G‑d, may He be blessed, is aroused.

And this is [the meaning of] “And you shall love Havayah your G‑d”: that is, that He is always “your G‑d.” And not like a son, who is taken from the brain of the father and afterwards becomes separate from him; and even so, he has love for his son,

but it is not the same for every soul: there is a son who can give up his life for the love of his father, and there is a son who has no self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh);

nor is he obligated [to it] by law, for “your life comes first,” and “his own lost object and his father’s lost object: his own lost object comes first,” etc. And this is because he has become an entity of his own.

But the soul is not so; rather, “all is one,” and it is not separated from Him, may He be blessed, at all. [And see in the Zohar, Terumah (end of 136b),

and in the Idra Zuta (291a); and in the same way it will be understood regarding the souls of Israel. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “These are the accounts of the Mishkan,” on the matter of “a testimony to Israel”; and see what is written in the discourse beginning “And all your children,” on the explanation of Binah as ben Yah (“son of Yah”), etc.]

Therefore it must necessarily have love, even “with all your heart and with all your soul,” with actual self-sacrifice. And this love, which is because “Havayah [is] your G‑d,” is in each and every one of Israel, even in the lowest of the low,

as the saying [goes], “Although he has sinned, he is Israel.” But the love is hidden within him (and see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “I am black,” etc.), like the light of a candle that is hidden in a dark place. Therefore one must do teshuvah, to remove the darkness and to reveal what is hidden in him. And this is “Return, O Israel.”

62. And the way to reveal the hidden recesses of his heart, to remove the darkness, is as follows. There are two kinds of compassion: “the compassionate Father” (Av HaRachaman) and “the Father of compassion” (Av HaRachamim). The meaning of “the compassionate Father” is one who has compassion on a person to the extent that the intellect obliges having compassion on him,

as, for example, a person has this attribute of compassion: he has compassion on his fellow when [the fellow] appeases him after having pained him once or twice, for the intellect obliges him to forgive him, but no more. And this, too, is the level of “the compassionate Father” with G‑d, may He be blessed, so to speak.

But the attribute of “the Father of compassion” is great compassion without limit, even when the intellect does not oblige forgiving him and having compassion on him.

That is: after he has sinned very many times, nevertheless, when we ask of Him, “Forgive us, our Father,” three times every day, He pardons and forgives him. And this is the meaning of “Gracious One, who forgives abundantly.” And we need to arouse great compassion,

that is, the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: “Who is a G‑d like You, who bears iniquity and passes over transgression”: He lifts up the iniquity; “and passes over transgression”: He makes it pass away. This is “Who is a G‑d like You.”

And this is [the meaning of] “For my father and my mother have forsaken me”: this is the level of “the compassionate Father”; and nevertheless, “Havayah will gather me in”: this is the level of “the Father of compassion.”

But how does one arouse great compassion? It is according to what is written: “And it shall be, when all these things come upon you… and you shall bring back to your heart,” etc.

The meaning of “and you shall bring back” is that he should bring himself back to his heart: first he must know his place and his root, where he was at first and from which he has now turned away, so that he may know [how] to return to his original place. For one who does not know his home and is lost on the road does not know where to return to.

And he must also recognize and understand his place where he is now, in what place he is lost. And when he takes this to heart and finds in himself that his heart turns from the straight path to cravings —

7And if a person whispers to you, saying, “Surely G‑d did this, that He brought the soul down below; and also the destruction of the Holy Temple: ‘Who is it that spoke and it came to be, if G‑d did not command it?’”, to this the verse replies: “where Havayah your G‑d has driven you,” meaning that the intention of G‑d, may He be blessed, was merely a driving-away. And when he contemplates

that he is in a low place, in the body and the animal soul, by this he arouses great compassion upon himself, for the part of G‑d that he has, which is united with G‑d, blessed be He, and which has fallen and become so distant, “from a high roof,” from the place of its life.

8And this is [the meaning of] “And he shall return to Havayah, and he will have compassion on Him”: the meaning is that he should have compassion on G‑d, may He be blessed, blessed be He. And for this [reason] we say all the confessions, “We have been guilty, we have betrayed,” etc.

For at first glance, why this recounting? Surely G‑d, may He be blessed, knows the secrets of the heart! But we say all this in order to arouse great compassion.

Therefore, before “We have been guilty,” we say “our G‑d,” which is our strength and our life-force, “and the G‑d of our fathers,” which is high above the high (and see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “These are the generations of Yitzchak”),

and it is [fallen] “from a high roof,” etc. And because of this, great compassion is aroused from Above, and as a matter of course love for the Creator, may He be blessed, is also aroused in the person.

But one should not remain at this, doing nothing [more], as people think, that this is the ultimate perfection, when one has a little love.

Rather, the main thing is to draw His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, down below, so that He have a dwelling place among the lower realms, which is precisely the purpose of creation: to remember always and to contemplate that “the whole earth is full of His glory,” and to dwell at length on this.

9And this is the supernal delight, and “whoever prolongs [the word] Echad (One),” etc. But how is the drawing-down [accomplished]? It is through Torah and mitzvos, which are “the 248 limbs of the King”; and the whole Torah is the Names of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And this each one can do, even a simple person, when he says halachah and aggadah, etc., or when he performs some mitzvah, provided that he intends to draw His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, into his life-force and his portion from above,

for “the portion of Havayah is His people”: that his portion should become united and cleave to G‑d, may He be blessed, and His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, be revealed to every eye, as it is said, “For eye to eye they shall see,” and “The glory of Havayah shall be revealed.” And this is [the meaning of] “For the sake of the unification,” etc.,

in its plain sense: that he should desire nothing [else], as it is written, “Whom do I have in heaven,” etc. And it is impossible to draw down His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, except into vessels, that is, Torah and mitzvos; and all the letters of the Torah are vessels, as it is written, “and vessels differing one from another, and royal wine in abundance,”

that is, the resting of the Shechinah (Divine Presence). When the Holy Temple stood, the main resting of the Shechinah was in the Holy of Holies, and from there it spread out to the whole world. And now that the Holy Temple is destroyed, “the Holy One, blessed be He, has in His world

only the four cubits of halachah”: [these are] the main resting of the Shechinah, and from there it spreads out to the entire world, like the soul, whose main resting is in the brain, and from there it spreads out to the whole body to give it life.

[The explanation of the matter is that there are two levels of teshuvah. The first is from below upward, and this is through prayer, which is the level of “a ladder set on the earth,” etc.,

until through this the level of the soul that is within the body joins and becomes one with the level of its source and root, the level of its mazal, so that it be “Return, O Israel” specifically: that the service be in the level and rank of Yisrael,

which is the encompassing and surrounding level within the soul. And see on the matter of this level of service at the end of the discourse beginning “For the thing is very near to you,” etc. And this is the matter of self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh) at [the word] Echad in the recital of Shema.

10And afterwards there must be teshuvah from above downward: to draw the revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, from above downward into the illumination of the soul that is within the body. And this is through the Torah and mitzvos, as is explained elsewhere on the verse “Arise, my love, my fair one,” etc.

And this teshuvah from above downward is explained in the Zohar, Parshas Vayikra (16a). And these two levels of teshuvah are the matter of “He encircled him, He instructed him,” as will be explained.]

And this is also the meaning of “He found him in a desert land.” “He found him” means: [He finds] the part of G‑d in the place of the kelipos (husks), when it is drawn after the cravings of the body, which comes into being and perishes.

“And in the waste, a howling wilderness, He encircled him”: the meaning is that great compassion will be aroused, which is Keser (the Crown), which encompasses and surrounds. [And through this the encompassing and surrounding level within the soul is also revealed, so that it be “Return, O Israel” specifically;

and this is the bonding of the hidden level within the soul with the hidden level of the Holy One, blessed be He, so to speak, that is, with the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). And this is the matter of “He encircled him.” And afterwards it is drawn down to shine in an inward manner, through the Torah and mitzvos;

and this is the matter of “He instructed him” (yevonenehu), as the Targum renders it, “He taught them the words of the Torah”; and also from the term binyan (building), along the lines of what is written, “And Havayah Elokim built,” etc.

11And see what is written in the discourse beginning “And all your children [shall be] taught,” on the matter of “Do not read banayich (your children) but bonayich (your builders)”; and see what is also written on this in the discourse beginning “My dove” and in the discourse beginning “The Torah [Moshe] commanded.” And also, “He encircled him” means that He surrounded them with the Clouds of Glory;

and this is the matter of the festival of Sukkos, which comes after Yom Kippur and the Ten Days of Teshuvah, through which revelations of supernal encompassing lights (makifim) are drawn down from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin); and afterwards they are drawn down and revealed also in an inward manner on Shemini Atzeres, etc.,

as is explained elsewhere.] “He instructed him” (yevonenehu) means yisbonen, he will contemplate that “the whole earth is full of His glory,” [so as] to draw down His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, so that He have a dwelling place among the lower realms through Torah and mitzvos, etc.

“As an eagle” is compassion, great compassion; “stirs up its nest,” etc., and there will be a revelation of His G‑dliness; and then “Havayah alone shall lead him,” etc. [And see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “As an eagle stirs up,” etc.]

12And this is the meaning of “From the depths”: it speaks of one who goes deep, which brings [him] to the depth of the heart (umka deliba). That is, because he will contemplate that the soul is united with Him, and a part of the soul shines in the body,

and it is very far from its root because of the darkness and the cloud; this brings to the revelation of the depth of the heart: that he will want only the revelation of His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, so that “the whole earth [be] full of His glory,” through Torah and mitzvos, as mentioned above. [And also,

because the root of the depth of the heart is drawn from the encompassing level of the soul; for when it shines within the soul that is in the body,

then it is revealed as the level of the depth of the heart and the hidden recesses of the heart, as is explained in the discourse beginning “His left hand is under my head,” mentioned above, regarding “and with all your might,” and in the discourse beginning

“When you go out,” regarding “Of You my heart has said, ‘Seek My face,’” etc., that the inwardness of the heart is an illumination and drawing-down from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin). And see what is written in the explanation (biur) on the verse “For this commandment.”

And therefore the encompassing [level] of the soul is called by the name mazal, because it drips down (mazil) and draws down, etc. And this is why it is also called “from the depths” (mima’amakim): for it brings and draws down the level of the depth of the heart.

And see in the Zohar, Beshalach (63b): “From the depths”: the depth of all, which bestows into the level of “the depth of the well,” etc. “Rabbi Chizkiyah said: When,” etc., “[He] causes all to rest and includes all in this supernal depth.”

And this is the revelation of the level of sovev kol almin, “the most hidden of all hidden,” etc.; see there. And in the same way it will be understood in the soul: the revelation from the hidden level within the soul, which is from the encompassing and surrounding level, is in the level of the depth of the heart, as mentioned above.]

And this is “I have called You, Havayah”: as a person who calls his friend to come to him, so he calls G‑d, may He be blessed (and see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “Return, O Israel, unto”),

that His G‑dliness be revealed in the lower world, that “the glory of Havayah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see together,” as in the higher world.

13“G‑d, hearken to my voice (shim’ah bekoli).” Shim’ah is a term for understanding: that He discern in my voice. And it does not say lekoli (“to my voice”), because bekoli means what is within my voice,

that is, the hidden love that is in every person, to give up his life for the sanctification of G‑d’s Name, even in the lowest of the low. (And see what is written on the matter of “hearken to my voice” in the discourse beginning “Blow the shofar on the New Moon”; and see what is written in the discourse beginning “To My mare,” on the matter of “For I said, ‘The world shall be built with kindness’”: saying is in the heart, etc.)

14“Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.” This is a level lower than all of them: one who asks for himself (and not that he arouses compassion for the part of G‑d within him, which has descended “from a high roof,” etc.; and therefore it says “to the voice (lekol) of my supplications” and not bekoli).

And it does not fly upward by itself. For this he said, “Let Your ears” (these are the angels, who are called “the ears of G‑d”) “be attentive to the voice of my supplications” specifically, that is, my own supplication, in which he asks for himself: that they should raise the prayers on high before G‑d, may He be blessed, blessed be He. Amen.

(And for this precise distinction between what is written, shim’ah bekoli, and what is written, lekoli, see something similar in Parshas Re’eh, on the verse “When you hearken to the voice,” etc. And see in the Zohar, Parshas Vayishlach (end of 169a).)