ועתה יגדל נא כח אדני כאשר דברת לאמר…

1“And now, please, let the power of Ado-nai be great, as You have spoken, saying: Havayah is slow to anger (erech apayim), etc.” Now, it is written, “Today to do them,” and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Study is not the main thing, but deed,” and “Great is study, which brings one to deed.”

And in the holy Zohar, too, it goes to wondrous lengths in magnifying the praise of deed: that the mitzvos are garments, and when one mitzvah is lacking, it is a deficient garment.

Therefore a person must come in a reincarnation (gilgul) until he fulfills all the 613 mitzvos, and also to be a Kohen and a Levite, so as to fulfill the mitzvos that depend on them.

And [we need] to understand all this: how garments are made from the doing of the mitzvos, what this garment is, and why the soul needs to have a garment (and see what is written on this in Parshas Chayei Sarah, on the verse “And Avraham was old,” and elsewhere).

Now, it is known that the soul’s descent into this world is for the sake of an ascent. For the soul, before its coming into this world, was in the level of standing (amidah), as it is written, “As Havayah lives, before Whom I have stood.” “And I will give you walking (mehalchim) among these who stand.”

And through fulfilling the mitzvos in this world, the level of walking (halichah) comes about for it: “And I will give you walking, etc.” (as is explained on this above, in Parshas Vayeshev, in the discourse beginning “Thus says Havayah, etc.: And I will give you walking, etc.”).

For the level of standing is the level of “and with all your soul,” in which love and awe are limited according to the measure of the soul’s comprehension and its cleaving to the living G‑d.

And the explanation is: it is known that the angels are called “those who stand,” as it is written, “Seraphim stand,” because all their days they stand at one level: Michael

in love, Gavriel in awe; and the love and the awe are according to the measure of their comprehension, and this comprehension is of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), that is, which fills each world according to its level and its nature.

2And such is the station of the souls before their coming into this world; and therefore it is in the level of standing, for it stands always, all the days, at one level, according to the measure of its level and its nature in each world, according to what [that world] thus receives from the level of the light that fills all worlds (memalei kol almin), according to its measure and its nature.

This is not so with this world, which is the world of action, in which a person can change his nature from bad to good, and turn his heart from one extreme to the other, and “darkness is transformed into light.”

Because in this world, where the world hides and conceals the light of G‑d that fills all worlds, and it is not revealed as [it is] above,

the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) rests over the soul from above, in the level of an encompassing [light] (makif), as it is written, “Which I (Anochi) command you today, etc.”

for the level of “Anochi” is the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, which is drawn down specifically in the level of “today to do them” (as is explained elsewhere at length on the verse “And you shall say to them: My offering, My bread, etc.”).

And great is the power of the level of the encompassing light (or makif), from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds, to change and transform a person’s nature and essence, beyond what the soul could bear in its comprehension and its cleaving to the living G‑d from the beginning of its formation, in the level of inner light (or pnimi) alone.

Now, this level of illumination, which comes from the level of the encompassing light and the light that encompasses all worlds, is called by the name “walking,” for one goes from level to level; and the drawing down of this level of encompassing light depends on fulfilling the Torah and the mitzvos.

3And this is [the meaning of] “If you walk in My statutes”: that through the statute of the Torah the level of walking comes about; and this is the love of “and with all your might” in the recital of Shema, for this love

comes from contemplating the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that encompasses all worlds, in the blessings of the Shema, the two before it, which are for the fulfillment of the Shema: “Who gives light to the earth, etc.,” and “In His goodness He renews each day, continually, the work of creation.”

For all the worlds and the created beings are only the level of physical work and making: “How many are Your works, Havayah! You have made them all with wisdom” (and see what is written elsewhere on the meaning of “Last in deed, first in thought,” above, in the discourse beginning “When Israel put ‘we will do’ before ‘we will hear’”);

and their renewal is their coming into being from nothing to something, only from a mere glimmer, and not by way of enclothement and a chain-like descent (hishtalshelus) of cause and effect, etc.; for He, may He be blessed, is holy and separate, and He is “the King Who alone is exalted from then (me’az).”

The meaning is that He alone, may He be blessed, is exalted and elevated above the bounds of worlds, as [He was] “then,” before the creation of the world, when He was alone, without any change, G‑d forbid;

and He is the One “uplifted from the days of the world”; and the life-force that spreads into the worlds is only “the King” alone, for because He is King, etc., as it is written, “Your kingship is a kingship over all worlds, etc.”

4And therefore we say afterwards, “In Your abundant mercies, have mercy on us”: for since He, may He be blessed, is “uplifted from the days of the world,” and is not within the bounds of the worlds at all, for He is the One Who encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), etc.,

the compassion for man is very great indeed, for he has become physical and is very far from G‑d, utterly. And we say, “Master of our strength”: even though the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is not grasped and absorbed within the soul, so that “its inside [be] inlaid with love” with this self-nullification (bittul),

nevertheless He is “Master of our strength”: the level of “Master” is His Kingship, may He be blessed, as it is written, “You shall surely set a king over yourself,” the level of an encompassing [light] (makif); and from this are drawn three levels of encompassing [lights] (makifim) for the soul, in thought, speech and action.

5And this is [the meaning of] “Rock of our stronghold, Shield of our salvation, a Stronghold for us.” For “rock” is a term for refuge, as it is written, “The rock of my strength, my refuge,”

and so too “shield” and “stronghold.” And they are the encompassing [lights] (makifim) for the three levels of thought, speech and action, and of nefesh, ruach and neshamah, corresponding to the three levels of “I have created it,

I have formed it, I have also made it”; for they encompass the nefesh, ruach and neshamah from every side, [so that they be] included in the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, itself, to be “bound up in the bond of life with Havayah,” truly.

And this is [the meaning of] “Your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Havayah shall gather you in.” The meaning is: through the mitzvah of charity (tzedakah) that you will do, you will be gathered and assembled into the level of “the glory of Havayah,” which will gather you into itself, to be included in the light of G‑d itself

(for every level of makif is what raises upward, as is explained elsewhere, in Parshas Mikeitz, in the discourse beginning “Who is raised high to sit, etc.”; see there). And this is the matter of the garments of the soul in the World to Come; and this garment is made through the mitzvos.

For the mitzvos, too, are in three levels: thought, speech and action. For there are mitzvos that depend on thought alone and on the intention of the heart, so that if he directed his heart he has fulfilled his obligation,

and if not, he has not fulfilled it at all; and there are those that depend on speech, etc. And they are the level of makifim, as in the words “Who has sanctified us with His commandments”: that through the mitzvos the level of the supernal holiness (kodesh), which is separate, is drawn down; “kodesh is a thing apart by itself” (see Zohar, Emor, 94b).

62. But first one must draw down from above to below: “Blessed are You, King of the world,” the level of “Master of our strength,” and see what is written on this in Parshas Shemini, in the explanation on the verse “This Livyasan,” at the end

of the discourse, according to what is written in [Midrash] Rabbah, Va’eira, chapter 8: “And what is the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He? Strength, etc.”; see there. And afterwards, “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” in the level of the makifim, to raise the soul from below to above, to the supernal holiness. For

there are two aspects in the mitzvos, in their being done. The first: that by doing them one fulfills the King’s command, in the manner of “You shall decree a matter, and it shall be established, etc.”

And the second is to draw down the Infinite Light, blessed be He, and the Supernal Will into this mitzvah, whose root and foundation is in the mountains of the supernal holiness: “Who has sanctified us with His commandments.”

7Now, the beginning of the doing of the mitzvos should not be for the sake of drawing down the Infinite Light, blessed be He, and the Supernal Will, blessed be He, alone,

for this is only like one who acts by way of a charm (segulah) or a remedy, for example, or of business, in order to profit, and this is not service;

and it is written, “Because you did not serve”: for the mitzvos must be in the manner of the service of a servant, who fulfills his master’s decree and command even without reason and understanding; and “You shall surely set a king over yourself, etc.”

And through this the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is drawn down of itself. Whereas without accepting the yoke of His Kingship, may He be blessed, one draws down nothing,

for He is the One “Who alone is exalted,” “uplifted from the days of the world,” only “the King,” as mentioned above (and see what is written on this in Parshas Mikeitz, in the discourse beginning “For with You is the source of life”; and also elsewhere, in the explanation on the verse “And all the people saw, etc.,

and the sound of the shofar,” where it is explained that the Torah was given with the sound of a shofar for this reason, because it casts trembling, since accepting the yoke of the mitzvos must be in the level of the service of a servant, etc.; and even so it is also [called] “shofar” on account of “Beautify (shapru) your deeds,” for it is what draws down delight, so that there be joy in the mitzvah).

And the intention of the mitzvah is in order to increase the joy of the mitzvah, so that it be greater than “an abundance of everything”; for all the comprehensions that the great tzaddikim attained were only on account of the joy of the mitzvah.

For it is written, “Wrapping [Himself] in light as in a garment”: the illumination of the light of the Torah is only the level of a garment and clothing for the level of the mitzvos, for “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah (wisdom),” in which the Supernal Will, blessed be He, the root of the mitzvos, is enclothed;

for indeed the Torah that is before us, too, both in the revealed and in the hidden [dimensions], speaks of matters of the mitzvos, being by way of an elucidation and explanation of all the mitzvos, and see what is written in the discourse beginning “I have seen,

and behold, a menorah of gold”; like the whole of tractate Sukkah, which is an explanation of the mitzvah of sukkah, how the sukkah is to be; and likewise Zevachim and Menachos, etc.;

and it is the same in the hidden [dimension]. But the mitzvos themselves are His will, may He be blessed, that there be a drawing down of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, below, in the 613 mitzvos of the Torah and the seven mitzvos of the Rabbis,

which are 620 pillars of light, like a pillar that connects above and below; this being His will, may He be blessed, to have a dwelling place among the lower realms.

8And as it is written, “And I will dwell within them.” And the Torah is His wisdom, may He be blessed, which limits and contracts [it, determining] in what manner this indwelling and dwelling shall be;

like the mitzvah of sukkah, on which there is the explanation of the mitzvah of sukkah, the measure of how the sukkah is to be kosher: that its shade be greater than its sun, and that it not be higher than twenty

cubits. And similarly, the whole Torah elucidates and explains the modes of contraction and limitation, to delimit the indwelling and drawing down of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which does not rest and become revealed

except in the way that His wisdom, may He be blessed, has required, which limits and contracts [it, determining] in what manner this indwelling and dwelling shall be: in tefillin that are square and straps that are black; and likewise the offerings, in what manner, etc.

Therefore the Torah is food for the soul (as it is written, “And Your Torah is within my innards,” as is explained elsewhere), and [it is] an inner level, which is grasped and absorbed in the soul’s comprehension:

namely, the modes of the contractions and limitation, how the indwelling of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, is to be, whether in the manner of the revealed or in the manner of the hidden, in Gan Eden.

But the mitzvah itself does not rest in revelation within the inner being of the soul, but only in the level of a makif from above (just as the Torah, which is from the level of Chochmah (wisdom), is the level of a garment and clothing, that is, a garment for the level of the Supernal Will and Delight, which is the level of essence that is above the level of a garment;

and this will also be understood from what the Ramaz wrote in his commentary on the Zohar, Parshas Bamidbar, folio 118a, in the passage beginning “Israel, from what place are they blessed?”: that the supernal Chochmah, which is called Abba, is the inner garment of Arich [Anpin], which is the Supernal Will, etc.; see there.

And this is why the Torah is the level of a garment and clothing for the level of the mitzvos. And see what is written further on this in the explanation on the verse “For on this day He shall make atonement,” on the matter of “His garment [was] white as snow.” And so too in man, knowing the intention of the mitzvah is only

like the level of a garment relative to the level of accepting the yoke of the mitzvos in the manner of the service of a servant; as it is written, “For the children of Israel are servants to Me,” and its meaning is explained elsewhere: that through their being in the level of servants, they will then be “to Me,” truly; and see what is written elsewhere, in the explanation on the verse “And I will betroth you to Me”; see there).

93. And this is [the meaning of] “And now, please, let the power of Ado-nai be great.” Ado-nai is the level of His Kingship, may He be blessed: Ado-nai has the letters of dina (law), [as in] “the law of the kingdom is law.”

That is, the doing of the mitzvos as the command of the King. And “the power of Ado-nai” is the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, Who encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), drawn down through accepting His Kingship, may He be blessed, in the doing of the mitzvos, as mentioned above.

10And it is called by the name “power” (koach): it is the matter of the revelation of what is concealed, like the analogy of the power in a person’s hand to throw a stone, which is inanimate and whose nature is to fall downward; and through

the power of the thrower it is carried in the air. And this power, when it was in the person’s hand before the stone was thrown, was not discernible, but only after it emerged from concealment into revelation, to carry the stone in the air.

And just like this analogy in every respect is the power of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, that is drawn down from above. For all the worlds and the created beings are, before Him, may He be blessed, the level of

the inanimate, as it is written, “And of the dust that will be on the floor of the Mishkan”: the place of His Shechinah (Divine Presence), may He be blessed, among the higher beings, which are the angels and souls, is called by the name “dust” (see the Zohar, vol. 3, 125a, and the Mikdash Melech there),

for there is no comparison to Him, may He be blessed. And the power drawn down to them from above is what carries them and lifts them up, to be included in the light of G‑d. And this power is what clothes and encompasses the soul, so that it is “bound up in the bond of life with Havayah,” truly, and “the glory of Havayah shall gather you in”:

for it is a power that draws from below to above, like the power that draws the stone upward in the air, for that power encompasses the stone from every side and does not let it fall

(and it can be said that this is the meaning of “He carries it on His pinions (evraso)”: these are the mitzvos, which are called “His pinions,” [for] “the 248 commandments are the 248 limbs of the King,” in which and through which He carries it and raises them upward; and see the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Pinchas, 238b. However, elsewhere, on the verse “As an eagle stirs up,” it is explained that this refers to teshuvah, that through it “He carries it,” etc.; see there).

And because the sin of the spies was very great, Moshe asked, “And now, please, let the power of Ado-nai be great”: that this power be drawn down and spread below, so that even something that has fallen very far down would be lifted and raised by this power. And this is [the meaning of] “as You have spoken, saying: Havayah is slow to anger (erech apayim).”

For [the meaning of] erech apayim is: the “face” (panim) is the revelation of the flow of influence in a manner of closeness, love and affection, which is not so with the “back,” “like one who throws [something] behind his shoulders.”

And erech apayim means that this revelation should be long and extend very far down. And this flow is from the level of “as You have spoken (dibarta), saying (lemor): Havayah is slow to anger.” Speech (dibbur) is with a loud voice and proclamation (as is explained in the Zohar, vol. 3, 133a),

and it is from the revealed world (alma de’isgalya); and “saying” (amirah) is in the heart and in thought. And from the level of revelation that is in the speech of the higher levels, there comes to be the level of concealment in the lower levels, like the analogy of the teacher’s speech, which becomes thought in the student. And this level of concealment

is the root of the revelation of the coming into being of the lower levels; as is written in the writings of the Arizal, that from the Malchus (sovereignty) of Atzilus (Emanation) there come to be Keser (the Crown), Chochmah (wisdom), Binah (understanding) and Daas (knowledge) in Beriah (Creation), etc., and likewise from the Malchus of Beriah to Yetzirah (Formation), etc.

11Now, the drawing down of the revelation of the higher, so that it becomes this concealment in the lower, is through the Torah, as it is written, “And G‑d spoke (vayedaber) all these words, saying (lemor)”: for from the speech of Torah study, “the word

of Havayah: this is halachah,” and “I have put My words in your mouth,” there comes to be the level of “saying” and concealment, so that the flow is drawn down to below, to the lowest level. And this is the matter of what is written, “And He placed him in Gan Eden to work it

and to guard it”: for man is the one who draws down the radiance of the Shechinah (Divine Presence) in Gan Eden; because in truth, “not that You have a known righteousness, which is judgment, nor a known justice, which is mercy, nor any of these attributes at all”; for through an arousal from below there is an arousal from above, as is explained elsewhere.

12Now, from the Torah the radiance is drawn down into the higher Gan Eden, and from fulfilling the mitzvos it is drawn down into the lower Gan Eden, as it is written, “to work it and to guard it”: “to work it” is the positive commandments, and “to guard it” is the prohibitions. And Adam, the first man, was in the lower Gan Eden, which is on earth.

And even though the stature of the mitzvos in their root is very exalted, far higher than the level of the Torah, for “the Torah comes forth from Chochmah (wisdom),” whereas the mitzvos are the Supernal Will, blessed be He, as mentioned above,

yet the explanation is that what is very exalted, far, far above, can spread and be drawn further down, lower and lower (and see what is written above on the verse “The land is very, very good”).

And therefore, when Moshe pleaded over the sin of the spies, he said, “And now, please, let the power of Ado-nai be great”: that is, the power and light drawn down through the service of the mitzvos

(the level of “For the children of Israel are servants to Me,” and wherever “to Me” is said, it never moves away, as is explained elsewhere). For since the light needed to be drawn down further below,

so that even the sin of the spies would not hold it back, it was necessary to draw from higher above; that is, that the power of Ado-nai be drawn down, which is the Supernal Will, blessed be He, far above the level of the Torah.

And therefore that power of Ado-nai can descend and spread even very, very far down, and lift up the lowly who have fallen and descended lower and lower, to bind them and raise them up into the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He.

And this is [the meaning of] “as You have spoken, saying”: that from the level of the speech of the Torah there comes to be “saying” and concealment in the lower levels, to be the source of the revelation of the flow in Gan Eden for the created souls, as mentioned above.

So too, “let the power of Ado-nai be great,” so as to be erech apayim: that this revelation be lengthened and drawn further down; like the way the power of the Torah and the mitzvos was lowered and drawn down even below, in this world, even now:

for among the mitzvos there are some whose fruits a person eats in this world; and as it is written, “If you walk in My statutes, etc., your threshing shall overtake [the vintage], etc., and I will give peace in the land, etc.”; and a verse does not depart from its plain meaning.

13And this is [the meaning of] “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you.” The meaning of “and overtake you” is that they will reach all the way down, to the place where you are. And through this great drawing down, it will be drawn down so as to be “bearing iniquity”: that even the heaviness of the iniquity will be borne and lifted up, like the analogy of the power that lifts the inanimate.

14“And passing over transgression (pesha)”: for from pesha (transgression) there comes to be shefa (abundance), and “darkness is transformed into light”; as our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Deliberate sins become like merits.”

And with this will be understood what is written, “Through kindness and truth iniquity is atoned for,” and “truth is nothing but Torah”: that the Torah atones for a person’s sins, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said; and it is written, “And redeem your sin through charity.”

15Now, at first glance it is not understood how through this all that one has blemished and sinned against the soul can be repaired. But with what was said above it will be understood: that through engaging in Torah in the manner of “And I will put My words in your mouth,”

and likewise through fulfilling the mitzvos in the manner of “You shall surely set a king over yourself,” the power of above is drawn down; and it is the power drawn down below from above, like the analogy of the power that lifts the inanimate stone, as mentioned above.

But this revelation is specifically in the level of “today to do them,” and not tomorrow, as mentioned above. And this is [the meaning of] “And now, please, let the power be great.”

“And now,” precisely. And this is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (in Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis, section 21), “‘And now’ means nothing but teshuvah (return)”: for teshuvah is “darkness transformed into light”; and specifically “now,” the level of “today to do them,” at the time

when free choice has been given to man, so that it is within his power to turn his heart and change his taste toward good; for in this level specifically is the resting of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin), and, as mentioned above, the level of the “power” mentioned above.

(And see on the subject of “And now, please, let [the power] be great” in the Gemara, chapter 9 of Shabbos, folio 89a, and what is written about it in the book Sha’arei Orah, at the beginning of the Second Gate; Sanhedrin 111b; [Midrash] Rabbah, Parshas Shelach, chapter 16, folio 267c; and in the Pardes, Erchei HaKinuyim, entry “Koach”; Zohar, Part III, Parshas Shelach, folio 161b; Parshas Haazinu)

(mem-dalet), 295b; Pinchas, folio 220, end of side a, and in the Ramaz there, folio 245a; in Me’orei Or, letter kaf, section 10, and in the letter ayin, section

79; [Midrash] Rabbah on Eichah, folio 65a, on the verse “And they went without strength”; Tikkunei Zohar, in the Introduction, folio 4b, Tikkun 22, folio 66b, Tikkun 55, folio 95a; in Bachya, in its place, Parshas Shelach.