River A - in the secret of the primordial existence of the ten sefirot:...

Behold, from the renewal of the temporal world, today is the fifth millennium and the 79th year. It will be pleased that so many times the sun traveled from the point of the Aries constellation and circled to it, which is the period of the solar cycle divided into four parts, and they are the twelve constellations. Each period of the four seasons is three constellations. Now, this time is dependent on the celestial sphere counted from the time the sphere is renewed and moves. This occurs from the birth of the first man who found a renewed world like himself. He understood in his wisdom the renewal of the world and sanctified the moon and began to count years. However, before this time, angels were not found heading eastward, except in the six days when the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and these were the revealed beings. Likewise, the hidden beings preceding the action in time and in transcendence were also found, meaning that the angels of the world of creation were renewed with the renewal of the revealed material beings. As for the Throne, which is the world of creation, whether it is renewed in time like angels or precedes in the primordial state is not clearly explained. Nevertheless, our sages of blessed memory said that the Throne of Glory preceded the world. They also explained this in Perkei De Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 3.

And it is found according to this that the material creation is not composed of the formation, for if so, it would be fitting for the formation to precede the action, and not so. Instead, some of the action preceded the formation. The angels were created in the second, and the heavens and the earth were created in the first. Likewise, it is explained elsewhere that the heavens were created from a certain place, the light that is the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "He wraps Himself in light like a garment" (Psalms 104:2). They desired to know from where the heavens were created. Although it seems that the creation ascends to the action in the order of degrees, since the action is lower than the formation, it is not from there that the heavens and the earth were created but from the light that clothes the transcendence, meaning the creation, the light that clothes the divine emanation. They were expanding and extending until He said to them, "Enough," for now that they are formed from the creation, it would be appropriate for them to be stretched according to their measure. However, He said to them "Enough" and contracted them in this state that is lower than the formation. The earth was not created from the side of the formation, which is still only from the snow under the Throne of Glory, etc. Behold, the explanation is that the heavens and the earth created on the first day, their cause is not the formation but the Throne, meaning the creation. And in the chapter "In two," the Holy One, blessed be He, created the firmament and the angels, etc., and concludes with it, meaning the firmament above the heads of the living beings, etc. So too, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai explained in Parashat Bereshit and in the Tikunim, the cause of this world is the creation. And so is the judgment that the governance of the formation in the world is only on weekdays. If Adam had merited, he would have been worthy of an eternal Sabbath, and on weekdays, governance is by the formation, and on the Sabbath, governance is by the emanation vested in the creation. If the world had been created in formation, it would have been necessarily subject to it by the force of its cause, which is the formation, and there would be no sanctity of the Sabbath in it. Now, since it is found from the creation, it ascends essentially from the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath, the governance is by the emanation, and when it goes out from the governance of the Sabbath to the governance of the weekday, meaning from Binah, the world of formation, it goes out of its natural state that adheres to it.

And now, we do not need to give precedence to the world, but to the Throne. The Throne, in the aspect of its existence, precedes the world. Every existence, the spread of its essence, continuously extends its existence as long as its essence is delayed. Its spreading is not a precession of time because time is only from the first day onward when this material time was created. But rather, time is the existence of the spreading, for when the first level began to spread from the Throne, it spread and continued until the completion of that aspect. It started with two, and so on until the completion of the final spreading of the levels of the Throne. This preceding existence is a time that is not a material time but is like that time that our sages, may their memory be blessed, limited for the precession of the Torah forever, which is a time within time. It is not time in the usual sense. This is the matter of the ne'etzalim (emanated entities). The idea is that the Ein Sof (Infinite) precedes all existing things wonderfully, so that no precession can be justified in it. The Keter (Crown) willed from its emanation until it rose willingly above the desires and preceded all emanated entities. Afterwards, the other Sefirot spread one after another until the completion of their spreading. This is the intention.

Explaining the Vestment of the Divine Presence:

Know that the beginning of existence, after the domination of external forces and the removal of the Shekhina (Divine Presence) from the lower realms due to the corruption and sin caused by the early generations, generation after generation, the Klipah (shell) strengthened and closed the gates of holiness. The Shekhina stood in the upper realms, except for what clothed itself externally to descend upon Israel in the Egyptian exile, as it is written, "I will descend with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you up also." When Moses, our teacher, peace be upon him, saw from within the bush, i.e., the thorns, it was to reveal the secret of the vestment to a fiery daughter, meaning a daughter of the eye, a daughter of a king, clothed in thorns that cannot be without them. Similarly, the Shekhina in the midst of exile clothes itself within the domain of the rulers of Egypt, as will be explained in its proper place.

And behold, when the Shekhina descended to Israel in the secret of the Tabernacle, that Klipah (shell) strengthened itself in its judgment, and it closed the passage with the force of the sins of the previous generations. These are the same souls that were reincarnated, rectified, and clothed in Israel, as will be explained elsewhere with the help of God. The Shekhina said, "These have distanced themselves with their sins, sealing the gates of holiness. How can the Shekhina descend to them in a widespread manner? It is fitting that it descends only through a vestment from the outside, as it did when it emerged in exile, clothing itself in the four Klipot, which are Asiya, Yetzira, Beriya, and Atzilut. I saw, and behold, a stormy wind coming from the north, a large cloud, and a flashing fire, and a brightness surrounding it, and from within it, etc." Within these Klipot, the Shekhina will vest itself when descending to them below. Therefore, the merit of the ancients and the compassion of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the merit of our holy forefathers stood, and the entrance opened, and all the Klipot were shattered, creating an opening for the Holy Presence to pass through to the outside, illuminating for Israel and singing upon them without any external garment at all and without any separating barrier from these external forces.

And this opening burst forth then in the desert opposite the dwelling place of the children of Israel, and it went with them on their heads until it stood opposite the entire land of Israel, four hundred parasangs. It extends from the beginning of the border of the land of Israel to its end, on one side called "Gvilon" and on the other side called "Magidon." Within these boundaries, between Gvilon and Magidon, there is no Klipah (shell) and barrier at all between the entrance of the Holy of Holies to the foundation of the sapphire stone, to the holy land of Israel. Instead, that air descended immediately and illuminated without vesting itself at all in the four Klipot, which are the secret of the external crowns. From this perspective, it is said that the land of Israel is holy, and the air of the land of Israel is holy. In contrast, the land of the nations, its dust is impure, and its air is impure, and whoever enters it is very close to stumbling. Therefore, when the patriarchs went abroad, they needed several vows. Did Jacob not say, "If God will be with me"? Regarding Joseph, it is written, "And the Lord was with Joseph." Our sages explained it as a parable to a man who was carrying [something], behold, Abraham, who entered Egypt to test whether he would cling to the Klipot. However, in the land of Israel, a person is guarded. The roots of the land of Israel belong to the domain of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the domain extends to the land, which is the domain of the external forces, the impure air. Therefore, guarding is necessary for the righteous, as mentioned. And this is a comparison.

The rest of the Land of Israel is situated beneath the gate of the heavens.

The Land of Israel is placed under the gate of the heavens, meaning under the window through the covering of the heavens. This window is square, narrow from above, and wide from below. Its measure is a cubic Tefach above by a cubic Tefach below, similar to the measure of the Temple, for the entire Temple was placed under the window. Through the thickness of the covering window, which measures the Holy City of Jerusalem, and the measure of the window from below is four hundred parsecs by four hundred parsecs, the measure of the Land of Israel and all the Land of Israel underneath it. The abundance descends from above through the pipe of the Kingdom of the Ten Sefirot from the World of Emanation. It descends in a straight line until the mentioned covering window and falls upon the Temple. From the Temple, it spreads over the entire Land of Israel. When the breaches multiplied in the first Temple due to the vanity of evil speech, gossip, and foul language, causing sin, that abundance became denser, coagulated, and turned into a thick cloud. It began to close little by little around the edges of the window until on the ninth of Av, it closed entirely, and the flow ceased, and the Temple was destroyed. And immediately, right after the destruction of the Temple, the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the window and removed the world of the wheels. He contracted the dominion of the world of the wheels within the window, so that it would not close again. This opening will never be sealed except specifically at the time of destruction when permission is granted to external forces to enter the land to destroy the Temple, as mentioned. Immediately, they were expelled from there, and there is a covering and a screen, a curtain surrounding the Land of Israel, which preserves these boundaries so that the husk does not spread, and it expels any foreign entity from within it. Even though the Land of Israel is desolate and desolate due to this external operation, which is the act of destruction, despite all this, it does not dominate the Land of Israel. Rather, it was destroyed, expelled, and the Land of Israel stood even in its desolation, clean and pure, free from any foreign presence within it.

And know that the measurement of the Land of Israel is a distance of four hundred parsa by four hundred parsa. Now, only a hundred by a hundred remains, which is half of the eighth part. Every place, previously fertile and abundant, has now become shriveled and contracted. This is in accordance with the desolation of its Sabbaths, corresponding to the seventy Shemittah cycles that were nullified. Only remnants are left, and even though they sow in its remnants, it is as if they sow in a place where nothing grows.

And know that the Almighty, blessed be He, promised to Abraham to give his descendants ten lands, corresponding to the attribute of Malchut (Kingship), which is inclusive of the Ten Sefirot. In the days of Moses, however, He promised them only seven lands, corresponding to the seven lower Sefirot. This is in opposition to the seven lower Sefirot. Nevertheless, the Land of Keni, Kenizi, and Kadmoni, which correspond to the three upper Sefirot, was not promised at that time because in that era, only the lower Sefirot were in operation. However, after the final redemption, when the three upper Sefirot will be active, then He will grant them the entire ten. Know that the land of Sichon and Og is part of the border of the three mentioned, and for this reason, the children of Gad chose it since it is destined to be opposite the three upper Sefirot. It is destined to be chosen above all the land. Even though it has not yet been sanctified after the redemption, it is possible that Moses, our teacher, may be buried there, as it is known from the secret of Da'at (knowledge) associated with that place.

To explain the secret of the ladder and its significance:

Know that this ladder is the light, and it surrounds the entire Land of Israel. The form of the territory of the Land of Israel is neither long nor round nor square; rather, it is shaped like a person lying down, his head to the east, and his two arms spread out, one to the north and one to the south. His two thighs are open, one facing the northern-western corner (which is a horn) and one facing the southern-western corner (which is a horn). Between his two legs, the Great Sea enters, and the sea is to the west of the Land of Israel. Therefore, the Land of Israel is all large and small strips, and the mentioned ladder encompasses all the strips. It has steps on both sides, inward towards the Land of Israel, and outward crossing over to the outside of the land.

And know that every inhabitant outside the land is surrounded by eleven thousand angels, as it is written, 'A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand' (Psalms 91:7). They ascend in the order of the ladder, from the outside towards the outside of the land, and go to their places. At that moment when a person enters the airspace of the ladder, immediately, twenty-two thousand angels of purity descend through the steps of the ladder from the inside, equivalent to the number of letters in the Torah. They accompany him, twenty thousand from one side and two thousand from the other side, hinting at the verse, 'The chariots of God are myriads, thousands of Shainan' (Psalms 68:18). All the inhabitants in the Land of Israel are also with him, twenty-two thousand angels of purity, as mentioned. However, when someone with an unfortunate fate ventures outside the land and approaches the mentioned ladder, the aforementioned twenty-two thousand angels distance themselves from him. They ascend through the ladder's steps inward and return to their places, while eleven thousand descend and accompany him outside the land.

Stream 5 - To address two strong and formidable questions: the first, how does the evil inclination operate in the Land of Israel, and the second, what is the nature of death in the Land of Israel.

Now, based on what we have explained, two strong questions arise. The first concerns the evil inclination in the Land of Israel—how does it operate? The second relates to death in the Land of Israel—what is its nature? Regarding the first question, it should be noted that the nature of the matter in the Land of Israel is such that the influence of the external forces to lead astray is not dependent on this. It is similar to the way it has control to exit from its domain to entice, as it comes out of this boundary and enters the holy realm. The point is that to the north of the Land of Israel, there is an entrance to the external forces to enter this pure air and come to the entrance of the sanctuary to be there as a gateway for sin, lying there to be brought up. Therefore, opposite the external walls of the sanctuary, the klipot (shells) cling, like the shells of a nut, for they are the four holy chambers, and the klipah clings from outside. This means that the secret of that holiness flows to these external forces, and inevitably, they have levels upon levels, descending from there and nursing from them. That is why all the chambers have external nudity—that is, the external entities that adhere there and revolve. Hence, to the north, there is an opening through which these entities exit from their territory and enter. This is why it is said, "The Satan also came among them." This is also the control of the externals in the Land, concerning all the missions in the world. This opening standing to the north is called Nokva D'tehoma Raba.

And similarly, any part given to the external forces, such as the smoke of the incense from limbs and joints, which fumes all night, tends specifically toward the north side of the Land of Israel, through the same opening from where it goes out to them. It gives them an aspect related to the entrance of the chamber, as the klipot that revolve around are called Nokva D'tehoma Raba. The chamber itself is called Tehoma Raba, and this part of the abyss holds all ten crowns and the seven chambers up to the ninth expanse of the firmament, from bottom to top, as such:

And behold, the firmaments, nine or seven secrets of the entire creation, form a complete sphere with no opening at all. The firmaments revolve and encompass the entire existence without any opening at all. However, the klipot and their dominion are the ones that broke and shattered, losing their control over the Earth. Only when they are removed through the opening and the channel, their dominion is established on Earth. In contrast, outside the Land, their dominion is established in several ways....

And behold, through the opening, those kelipot emerge to seduce, tempt, and kill, and they are given control in the land, as will be explained with the help of God. However, Gehenna is not like this. Instead, souls are expelled through the opening of Nukva d'Tehoma Raba and go outside, where they are judged until they ascend through the opening after their purification, as explained in the well. Now, the secret of this opening, to the north, opposite the chambers, is essentially to enter the chambers. However, to enter the land, the enticing and deceiving part, and the deadly part, they have several openings, all to the north. Among those who are expelled outside, such as the nations whose souls depart to the outside, and do not ascend through the skies but immediately near the land, they have an opening. Similarly, all the prayers that Israel prays in the Diaspora, and all the pure souls that die in the Diaspora, float in the impure air, as will be explained elsewhere with the help of God. There, a complete angel of the Diaspora stands ready to receive and roll them until they reach this lower air, which is the air between the earth and the lower firmament. There, too, there is a northern opening to admit and expel—to admit the wicked and the smoke of the battle array and to expel the righteous and the prayers of Israel who pray in the Diaspora. This is exactly like the form we have explained. It also has an entrance for ascent and for tempting the people of the land with the evil inclination. However, it is not similar to the strength of the evil inclination and the klipah there outside, like its control in the land. It has no natural entrance, only through the opening and the Nukva. There, all the essence dwells, and it is firmly established. And so it is.

River 6 - To explain that receiving His divinity requires two conditions: 1) The Land, 2) The Word:

This is because the inspiration of His blessed divinity upon us comes through two things: Firstly, through the embodiment of this measure, which is the Divine Presence dwelling upon us in a foreign guise—that is, the external ministers through its spread in various ways. Therefore, one standing abroad accepts His divinity in this manner. However, this path will be called the worship of other gods because one receives influence from beneath the hand of the ministers. Regarding this, it is said, "They have provoked Me to jealousy with a no-god; they have angered Me with their vanities" (Deuteronomy 32:21). This refers to Israel standing in the Diaspora who worship idols in purity. These individuals do not truly accept His divinity since they are considered somewhat idol worshippers because they influence externally.

The second path is through the shedding of a foreign garment. Meaning, there should be no separation between him and the divinity except the Shekhinah dwelling through the holy levels upon Israel. This is referring to one residing in the Land of Israel, which is not clothed in physical matter but directly, through the entrance of the Temple, the emanation from the sphere of Sefirah spreads and mingles. The Shekhinah resides in the air of the Land of Israel, eagerly awaited by the Wisdom, which is the wisdom of Solomon. Therefore, the Land of Israel is the Kingdom because its atmosphere is a dwelling place for the Shekhinah. The Shekhinah does not reside among the uncircumcised because it does not connect with the external uncircumcised. Hence, the dweller in the Land of Israel must circumcise his flesh; otherwise, he defiles the land. It is learned that the acceptance of divinity depends on dwelling in the land, and dwelling in the land depends on circumcision, and this requires completeness. Also, the acceptance of divinity depends on circumcision, but if they do not merit the land, it is not complete because it is through embodiment, as we explained. This is revealed to Babylon, the Shekhinah among them was exiled upwards, and to Edom, the Shekhinah among them, through the merit of circumcision, as it says, "And I will be to you for a God," etc.

To explain the rectification of holiness and all its levels in the dwelling of Israel in the Land:

Know that every portion of the land is assigned to a nation that corresponds to that portion. This is as it says, "For I have given the city to the descendants of Lot as an inheritance," referring to the descendants of Lot, which is the city. Similarly, for Esau, the Mount Seir, and our Sages have interpreted that it is Edom and its land is red, indicating a direct correlation between the land and the nation residing in it. The reason is that the ruler who governs the nation also has a relationship to influence that particular portion of the land. Likewise, those impure souls are part of the klipah (husk) corresponding to the impure earth, and this involves three relationships: the relationship of the nation, the relationship of the land, and the relationship of the ruler in terms of souls and providence. This concept applies literally to Israel in the Land of Israel, their souls, their Torah, and their divinity. For the Land of Israel is holy soil, and the people dwelling in it are a holy nation. Their souls are sacred, their Torah is sacred, and their divinity is sacred, as it governs Israel.

Not only that, but just as the Torah has no comparison in the majority of its commandments with other lands, so too, it has no comparison to the Land of Israel with the other laws and statutes of the nations, which are wicked. Therefore, it says, "You shall not do any of these abominations, for all these abominations, and the land will become impure." The Holy Torah and the Land of Israel share a joint connection. Similarly, Israel has a connection with the holy land undoubtedly due to the relationship with their souls. The proof is in Ezekiel, where each tribe's portion in the Land of Israel is correlated with their borders. According to the tribe's connection, its dwelling is against the border that corresponds to its nobility, so that there will be an abundance upon it. The commandments performed in the land adorn and uplift every border in the secret of the soul of each tribe. This involves the completeness of the souls in their portion in the land, and the land's dominion in the portion of souls that comes to it, resisting its essence. The concept is that, just as the point of Zion is a point from which the world was created, as is known, and it relates to the Shekhinah, so too, the other parts of the land are portions related to the Shekhinah in the secret of the twelve borders that spread from the central point. This is the secret of the measure of the land mentioned in the verse in Ezekiel, "And there was a sanctuary within it, under the wings, full of breadth of the land."

As the Shekhinah is not complete while the place of the Temple is not complete and not properly established, so too the Shekhinah is not complete when the Land of Israel is not complete, with its borders extending from the River of Egypt to the great Euphrates River. Each Israelite dwells in his designated portion as determined by his true opposing fate. Therefore, Israel is not praised for its perfection, and the Shekhinah is not praised for its perfection, except at this time, with the help of God. At this time, all Israel will enter it, and all of them will fill it entirely. This is the true perfection, and then the Shekhinah, which is standing above it, and the living beings, which are below it, with twelve faces corresponding to the twelve cattle mentioned, will be rectified. The honored throne will also be rectified, which is not complete in its perfection. Since the Shekhinah, which is above it, and the living beings, which are below it, do not rectify themselves automatically, it implies that it itself is not in its completeness. Thus, the Land of Israel itself will be rectified, and the rectification of the Land of Israel is through the Shekhinah dwelling in it and through the laws. After the Shekhinah did not serve in it properly, even during the days of Joshua when only two and a half tribes were outside the Land of Israel, the Land of Israel is not rectified in its completeness. Israel themselves will also be rectified, being all together in the Land of Israel. Then, the perfection of the tribes will be great because they will all be included, each of the twelve tribes, in the spirituality of their souls. They will all be included in the secret of unification, as explained elsewhere, and there is no need to elaborate. And the Holy One, blessed be He, knows.

To explain that the supreme unity is achieved specifically through the prayers of Israel in the Land of Israel and not through the prayers of Israel abroad:

The idea is that man, through his prayer, carves out fiery sparks. This reality is the secret of the rectification that is formed and fixed in the atmosphere of the world. It does not depart from the illuminated world until the end of the prayer, until after "Alenu L'Shabbe'ach," and this rectification adorns the air in an orderly and embellished manner. Afterwards, when it is entirely painted and arranged together, it rises in the air of the world from one firmament to another until the entrance of the hall of the sapphire. As mentioned in the Zohar, Pekudei, where the hall, standing there in the first firmament, is mentioned until the end of all the congregations of Israel and all their prayers. Then, in that firmament, all the prayers of Israel will gather together, connect, and ascend there, as mentioned in the Zohar.

Certainly, one should be meticulous about this delay that they should wait until all the prayers of Israel are gathered, especially when Israel is on their own land. In the Land of Israel, one does not anticipate sunrise in one city before another by less than half an hour, as the Land of Israel is somewhat like a cow's hide. Therefore, it is possible to wait. However, now that Israel is scattered in the four corners of the world, if we say that they should wait, many prayers will be delayed during the early hours of the eastern dawn over the western, and it amounts to about twelve hours. This results in a mixing of prayers because during the western dawn, it is sunset in the east, and then they have the evening prayer. If so, how will this matter be resolved? If we say that they should not wait for each other, then the supreme unity will occur several times because one community will unite now, and another an hour later, and another after that, and so on, continuously uniting and moving. In this way, it becomes difficult because the supreme watches are fixed for evening and morning. So, how will it be when, sometimes, some have night, and others have dawn? In this way, it becomes difficult for the rest on the Sabbath, with some observing it and others working. How will this matter be resolved? In Sefer Yesod Olam (by יצחק בן יוסף הישראלי), in the second article of the sixteenth essay, this matter was addressed, and it was explained by prominent rabbis, as mentioned [elsewhere].

Indeed, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (of blessed memory) wrote, and I say regarding this matter, that all this falls under what our sages of blessed memory explained: that the Israelites standing in the diaspora worship idols in purity. They intended by this that the divine governance is not conducted based on the sunrise in the east or the west, not the north or the south, but rather on specific points in the Land of Israel, chosen for settlement, with the opening of the Hall of the Sapphire facing them. The sunrise in the Land of Israel signifies the morning for the morning watch, and the evening in the Land of Israel signifies the night for the rule of the night. In this way, the watches will be governed. The number of days will not be lessened or increased compared to what the physical sun and moon constitute in the Land of Israel. We should not be concerned about the appearance of the moon in the diaspora, or if it does not appear because the main focus is on the Land of Israel. There, the court establishes and sanctifies new months, holidays, and times, and the Holy One, blessed be He, agrees with them and sanctifies. In the diaspora, they do not establish, and if they establish, they do not sanctify because they lack substance. The Sabbath day in the Land of Israel is the essence of everything since the rest of the Sabbath depends on the spread of the sanctity of the Sabbath through the entrance of this hall downward, which is in the Land of Israel, as mentioned above. The Holy One, blessed be He, skillfully arranged the movements of the celestial sphere with His wisdom, chose the designated place facing the celestial sphere, and it lacks nothing and has no excess. This designated place is the Land of Israel. The prayers are not delayed for each other except in the Land of Israel specifically, and not in any other place. This is because the Land of Israel is crucial for the matter of uniqueness, and uniqueness occurs not frequently, but only at one specific time, which is the hour of unity when being with the Lord in the Land of Israel. This is the time when they complete and rectify their prayers, as it is the time of uniqueness.

indeed, the light of uniqueness emanates from this central point to all the ministerial levels where the Israelites are found, as sparks of the Divine Presence spread upon them in the secret of the exile of the Divine Presence. The diffusion of this uniqueness is brought about by the prayers of the Israelites residing there. They do not unify the times of uniqueness but the appointed time within the jurisdiction of the minister under whose authority they are subjugated. These are the worshipers of idols in purity, who do not unite in the uniqueness of the higher time but in the uniqueness of the time of the external ministers. However, in the sanctity of the Divine Presence that clothes itself in that minister's domain.

And in this manner, the sanctity of the Sabbath precedes or delays for them based on the emanation of the Divine Presence that clothes itself there, even though this Sabbath is not real but a central point where the true cessation occurs. Despite all this, rest is attributed to the side of the emanation that spreads or delays their rest. In this way, festivals may be delayed or advanced based on the sunrise or sunset of the flesh. However, the Sages established two festivals, and the second day is called the second festival of the diaspora, certainly in the secret of the diaspora, and the emanation of the Divine Presence that spreads in it caused the second day. Yet, they did not do so for the Sabbath because the cessation of the Sabbath is agreed upon by the external forces, and they are not satisfied with it because even Gehenna rests, and the ministers rest with a delay or advancement based on the sunrise of the sun, whether they are near or far. However, they do not acknowledge the festival days, and they are satisfied with their sanctity. Therefore, one must distinguish between day and day, and they are two festival days. The first one is from the Torah, clothed in the rabbinic day, as holy light clothes itself in the light of exile.

River 9 - To explain the difference between the Divine providence over the people of Israel when they are in the land of Israel or when they are abroad:

The matter is that when Israel is on their own land, it is their protection, even for each individual detail. This is when the Divine presence is clothed in the levels of its own holiness down below with Israel, as it says, "For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp" (Deuteronomy 23:15). The reason for this is because the air of the land of Israel is holy, fitting for the Divine presence. And on the border surrounding the land of Israel, there is a surrounding shell to guard that no authority from outside will enter, like a tent stretched over it so that no foreign border will pass it. This tent, its ropes and borders extend to encompass all the air of the land of Israel until opposite the entrance of the open sapphire hall, which is always open. Thus, the land of Israel is found to be the gate of heaven, and angels ascend and descend from it, from the land of Israel to the halls and from the halls to the land of Israel. The Divine presence extends from above to below upon its children, ascending and descending upon them all day, through the separating screen mentioned. And this screen is the secret of a stormy wind, a large cloud, and a consuming fire, which are the secrets of foreign air. Similarly, it is the desert, the fiery serpent, the scorpion, and the thirst. However, one pure shell guards over everything, so that the impure do not enjoy the radiance of holiness, and this is pleasant to it all around. And everything beyond the land, a stormy wind, a large cloud, and a consuming fire, meaning the external impure air of the lands of the nations, and this is the secret of the Divine presence guarding over Israel in the land of Israel itself.

However, abroad it is not so, may it never happen. Rather, by the will of the shells to rule over the land of Israel to destroy it, the Divine presence departs from the land of Israel and ascends to the heavens, and after the gate of the Temple closes, permission is granted to the shell to breach the walls of Jerusalem, that is, the separating screen that is luminous. They entered and corrupted, laid their hands on the people of Israel, destroyed all physical chariots, and exiled what they could. The Divine presence pursued its children, but how can it descend into the impure air of the diaspora, and with its children abandoned there, it cannot, as explained earlier. Therefore, it is in the celestial palaces, with its chariots in a state of degradation, like they said, "I will reduce the wings of the cherubs," and similar to the story of the king's son, as stated in the Zohar. That which was not done until now, that is, the Divine presence, which is a spark, and its providence, is clothed in that flesh under whose hand Israel is, in a mystical and kingly manner in all its dominion. That is, ten letters clothe in ten shells to subdue them, so that they cannot harm Israel and so that the children of Israel cannot be assimilated among them, as explained earlier. This is similar to the sun, which is in the heavens, and its light shines below on the earth, and similarly, the Divine presence is primarily in the heavens, and its spark descends below in the diaspora with Israel to watch over them, as Ezekiel said, "I am among the exiles," not its bones themselves, but a spark of its light. Therefore, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God, implying that it is above in the heavens, as explained, and its spark clothes in flesh, as I explained. This is similar to "They kept watch over the vineyards during the time of exile," And this is the Jews in the diaspora, who worship idols in purity, as it is written, "For they have driven me out today from being attached to the inheritance of the Lord," and the verse concludes.

And behold, those who are not in the land of Israel, our sages of blessed memory explained that it is similar to someone who has no God, meaning that his soul is distant from the holy place. In truth, the power of the kelipah (impure spiritual shell) does not truly rule over him, because the portion of the Lord is with him, and he is not a portion of the ministers. Thus, it is found that the minister does not rule over him fundamentally, and even the Shekhinah (Divine presence) does not rest upon him, because he is within the depths of the impure nations' atmosphere, which is enveloped by the impure spiritual shell, and from their side, he is impure and causes impurity. Therefore, according to this, he has no God, and there is no doubt that his soul, spirit, psyche, and body are clothed within the shells and impurity, except that his actions and Torah are not pure because they are clothed in the atmosphere of the impure nations. However, at the time of death, the soul does not ascend in purity because it is clothed in that kelipah unless it needs to wander from place to place until it comes to the land of Israel, where the gateway to heaven is for the entry of the soul into the Garden of Eden, as explained by our sages of blessed memory, for the way of the Cave of Machpelah is the entrance of the soul into the Garden of Eden below and from there to the Garden of Eden above.

And when we discern the virtue of the land of Israel compared to outside of it, we find it in three aspects, except that under each aspect there are several sub-aspects: 1. The first aspect pertains to the observance of the commandments with purity and cleanliness throughout one's life in the world. 2. The second aspect pertains to the departure of the soul from the body.3. The third aspect pertains to the resurrection thereafter.

Now, these three divisions will not be equal, for someone whose entire life was in the land of Israel finds his soul, even when entering the body, in a state of purity and cleanliness, untainted by the atmosphere of the impure nations. This is of great elevation and assistance to his spiritual work. Even if a person enters the land of Israel in his youth, before the age of thirteen, he will merit some aspect of this, for the good inclination and soul are not present in a person until the age of thirteen, as our sages of blessed memory have said. Sometimes the spirit and sometimes the soul, as mentioned in the Zohar, and likewise all his commandments that he performs with purity and cleanliness until his departure from this world. Thus, he grows in good name and departs in good name. Now, ascending to the land of Israel in one's old age does not encompass this aspect, and one only merits it concerning the years related to departure and also resurrection, as will be clarified. Ascending after death in one's bones, this certainly does not merit this aspect but only resurrection alone. Also, concerning the elevation of the soul to the bones, "And your bones will be quickened" refers to being in purity in the land of Israel.

And now, when we come to enumerate the greatness of the first division, they are numerous: The soul has never been defiled, nor has it ever been clothed in the atmosphere of the impure nations. His commandments, all of which he performed with utmost purity, and that spirituality derived from the commandments and Torah were not clothed in that shell and impurity. The influence emanating from Torah and commandments did not reach the rulers because the Israelite standing in the diaspora and observing the commandments and purity would certainly be influenced by those commandments, and that influence cannot reach him if not through that ruler who is present in his portion of land, and this is straightforward. This was specifically during the time when the Shekhinah was primarily in the land of Israel, for then it certainly would be accepted through the ruler. This is what King David, peace be upon him, meant when he said, "For they have driven me out today from being joined to the inheritance of the Lord, saying: 'Go, serve other gods.'" Literally, it means he served and influenced other gods, which are the rulers, as we have explained. Additionally, there are several mitzvot that are permitted only in the land, and there is no doubt that due to the great stature of these commandments, it is not appropriate to fulfill them in the diaspora, for such a holy power is not suitable to be derived in the diaspora. This is why our sages of blessed memory said, "One does not bring challah from the diaspora to the land of Israel, and if one does, it shall be burned like leaven on the eve of Passover." Similarly, with regard to tithes, offerings, and many other such mitzvot. This is certainly because of the greatness of these commandments as mentioned.The prayer of the land of Israel is more proper, desirable, and accepted, for there are not so many detractors, because those letters formed by the mouth are not clothed in impure air. Therefore, they are desirable and immediately become a crown and a diadem to the head of the King of the world, unlike in the diaspora, where they need to be clothed in impure air, and there are several external factors that detract from them until they are brought into the land of Israel. Afterward, purity and cleanliness are required to ascend to a higher place.

When we come to recount the greatness of the second division, we find many aspects: 1. That the one who dies in the land of Israel does not die by the hand of the Angel of Death, but rather by a holy angel who clothes himself in strength to perform that action. It is like an animal slaughtered with a fine knife, and it is pure. However, the one who dies in the diaspora, it is by Samael with a flawed knife, and he becomes a carcass. 2. That the one who passes away in the diaspora, their soul upon leaving their body becomes clothed in the powers of the atmosphere of the impure nations, and thus becomes defiled. Certainly, it requires considerable effort until it reaches the gates of heaven, where it purifies itself from its impurity in order to ascend to its resting place afterward. 3. The toil of its transmigration until it comes from its place of residence in the diaspora to arrive in the land of Israel, and even if it needs to pass through the borders of many rulers until it reaches the land of Israel, for certainly, they will seize it with ropes and chains. Concerning this and similar cases, our sages of blessed memory said, "It is not like grasping the living."

When we come to recount the greatness of the third division, we find many more aspects: 1. The toil of transmigration from chamber to chamber according to its essence and deeds. 2. That the resurrection of the dead precedes in the land of Israel over the diaspora, as our sages of blessed memory explained. 3. That at the beginning of every lunar month and Sabbath, the souls visit the body, as mentioned in the Zohar. And when buried in the diaspora, the soul will inevitably become defiled by the atmosphere of the impure nations when it comes to visit the body. There will not be for them together a pleasant experience.

And now, regarding what is written about the virtue of the Land, it is explained that the virtue of one who dwells in it is eternal, from the day of his birth until after his death, for he has merited all the virtues completely. And one who enters it in his youth will merit them, but not to the same degree, for he was already born in the air of the lands of the nations. However, one who stands and grows up, and then later comes, even if he merited to engage in some mitzvot in the Land of Israel, he will not attain that great virtue, but he will attain some of it. But one who enters it and dies in it, he will attain two aspects alone, for the first one has already been lost to him. And one who ascends in his bones alone, he will only merit the third aspect, which is the revival and appointment of the soul alone. And one who ascends in his flesh after his death, he will merit further, for the dust which is the dust of the altar, since the person was created from the place of his atonement, and behold, we the created beings are certainly obligated to bring it back to the place it was quarried, which is holy. And it is known that the law is that the dust of the Land of Israel that went out to the Diaspora, its law is like the dust of the Diaspora, and the dust of the Diaspora that entered the Land of Israel, its law is like the dust of the Land. And this is the secret of the converts. Therefore, one whose flesh decays in the dust of the Land, his virtue is great, and if the opposite, then the opposite. And this is the reason for our father Jacob's command that he be brought up immediately after his death.

However, it remains for us to know what is the virtue of one who sees it from afar if he does not enter it, for the Scripture says "if a man sees these people" etc., for it seems that the seeing itself is a virtue. Moreover, our teacher Moses was granted a great elevation near his death, as it is written "Ascend this mountain of the Abarim" and it is written "And Moses ascended" and "And the Lord showed him the entire land" - all this indicates that there is some virtue for one who sees it, even if he does not enter it. And this matter we have already written about in the eye of the reader in River 33, see there, and this is what he said:

River 11 - To Explain the Secret of the Difference Between the Land of Israel and the Diaspora and Their Inhabitants, the Difference in the Conduct of Israel and the Nations of the World, the Difference Between Prophecy and Sorcery, and the Ba'al Teshuva and the Convert:

The matter is that the dwelling place of the external forces is above the heavens, and this chaotic conduct is at times under a higher dominion. So too is the conduct of the body - this aforementioned conduct is found in all living beings, both of the nations and of Israel, for they are foundational elements established since the creation of man, without additions or subtractions for any person. Only that Israel will imbue them with a higher sanctity and sanctify them, especially due to the preparation of his father and mother at the time of his birth. Therefore, he will clothe these lives with sanctity, while the gentile will clothe them with impurity. However, in terms of these lives, all human beings are equal.

Indeed, there will be a change in the secret of the two mentioned governance aspects, for the nations are under the control of the external ministers and the life force mentioned when impurity spreads, and Israel draws upon the sanctity of humanity in the mentioned lives, as if the supreme holiness governs the heavens and the externals yield. And as the secret of this governance depends on human action, if their deeds are righteous, the shells and externals will yield, and this governance will be entrusted to the holy ones. If, God forbid, they behave corruptly, it will be entrusted to the externals. So it is with a person, when he increases the holiness within him, which is the holy soul and other details explained, this entire governance will be directed towards holiness and will become sanctified. And when he strengthens the aspect of impurity, the entire governance will be given to the external forces.

Now, with this, you can imagine in your mind the two matters previously discussed. The first is the governance of the Land of Israel, which is the governance of the holy ones and the prophets who purified their physical bodies and rectified themselves in all their senses and intellects to sanctify themselves. They controlled the emotional traits and subjected them to holiness, having no materialistic emotional traits at all, similar to how they controlled the celestial bodies and subdued them to their will. The second is the governance of the outside world, where everything is drawn towards the ministers. This is the wisdom of sorcerers, magicians, and other external wisdom, which subjected their emotional traits to the needs of those wisdoms. They were akin to Balaam and his disciples.

And it is known that there are now two types of behaviors under these, which are similar to these. The first, one who resides in the land and goes out to the diaspora, meaning that he goes out from the holy conduct to the conduct of the rulers. Just like Israel, who subjected himself to negative traits and allowed his spiritual powers to be subservient to the will of his evil inclination, this is akin to one who externally controls himself and subjects his spheres under the control of the aforementioned rulers, namely, one who was in the land and goes out beyond. The second, in reverse, that is the convert who converts and the wicked person who repents, and the like, meaning that he was outside and the evil inclination ruled over his spiritual levels. And now the evil inclination has been subdued, and he enters into holiness, and he controls himself with superior holiness and subjects his powers to the holy ones. This is the interpretation of this matter.

River 12 - To explain the distinction between the souls of Israel dwelling in the land of Israel and the souls of Israel dwelling outside the land:

Know that the souls of Israel residing in the diaspora have always been from the realm of Sandalphon, which is the world of cycles, and they are called the House of Jacob, and they are called slaves, and one is called a Hebrew slave, for their calculation is based on the letters of "nachash" (snake). And the Israelites dwelling in the land are from the realm of the ten spheres of creation, and they are called the Children of Israel, and they are called sons, and are called the sons of the Living God. And behold, when a person is in the diaspora, he has a soul from the world of cycles, and when he merits and enters the land, a new soul from the world of creation comes to him and clothes itself within the old soul that he had. And on the first night he sleeps in the land, two souls depart and ascend upward, and upon their return, only the new one returns, and for this reason, it is not deserving of punishment because it has not sinned, and for this reason, our sages said that we forgive him for all his sins.

Know that anyone who resides in the land of Israel is called righteous, even if they are not righteous as they appear, for if they were not righteous, the land would vomit them out, as it is written, "and the land will vomit out its inhabitants." And since the land does not vomit them out, they are certainly called righteous even though they may seem to be wicked. And know that residing in the land of Israel and leaving to dwell in Egypt is the same transgression that causes a ruler from the evil inclination to rule over him. And anyone who commits himself to dwell in the land of Israel all his days and not to descend to dwell in Egypt is considered as if he has been careful all his days under the reign of the Divine Presence. And know that the land of Israel does not atone for deliberate sins committed therein, only for unintentional transgressions. But deliberate sins committed in it are only forgiven through suffering or by one who repents of his transgression and studies Torah.

River 13 - To explain the secret of Jerusalem and other places in the land of Israel:

Know that Jerusalem in small gematria is 19, and kingdom in small gematria is also 19.

And Shechem is the secret of the foundation because Shechem hints to Joseph, and therefore Shechem was given to Joseph since his attribute is foundation.

And Tiberias in big gematria is 19, and Hod rises to 19 with three letters and the word. And the meaning of Tiberias is derived from the word "tavor" (burial), the land's navel, and "aretz" (land) hints to kingdom, and the essence of Tiberias hints to Hod. Also, Tav-Beit-Reish rises in the Holy Temple to 13, receiving power from the 13 attributes....

zfat hints to Netzach (victory), Netzach in the Holy Temple rises to 22, like Tzfat with the inclusive, and Tzfat in the Holy Temple rises to 21, like the calculation of the name Eh-yeh (the Four-Letter Name of God), to hint that they behave with it using the thirteen attributes of complete mercy from the crown, and therefore it is one of the cities of refuge that save souls. Also, Tzfat in the Holy Temple is 21, and with the word, it's 22, like the calculation of the 22 letters of the Torah, to hint that Tzfat is ready and prepared to attain the deep secret of Torah within it, and there is no air as pure in all the land of Israel as the air of Tzfat. Additionally, Netzach in gematria 58 hints to the secret "if there is no flour, there is no Torah."

Maran hints to Torah, as the translation of "tzon meranah" (flock of sheep), and "tzon" hints to Torah, from the language of "maran debeshemya" (our Master in Heaven) hinting to Torah. Also, "tzon" in the Holy Temple rises to 12, and with the word, it's 13, and the attribute of Torah is called "Emet" (truth) in the Holy Temple, which is 9, and with three letters and the word, it rises to 13, to hint to the thirteen attributes of mercy mentioned.

The Cave of the Patriarchs, located in Hebron, is known to be beyond the lower Garden of Eden. This is because it is related to the gematria of "Sohar" (merchandise) in the acronym of "Orach" (merchant) to "Gan" (garden). Also, related to the gematria of "Chatzer" (courtyard) in the acronym of "Gan" (garden) to hint that the cave is like a courtyard to the Garden of Eden, as will be explained in its place with divine secret. Similarly, it relates to the gematria of "Tekoa" (assurance) to hint that all who reside in Hebron are assured. Likewise, the deceased buried there merit the ascension of their souls, for it is like a firm peg to pass to the lower Garden of Eden without delay, not like those who delight themselves with their own hands to go to the Garden of Eden without sorrow.

The word "Tekoa" is hinted at three times in the Torah in three places: firstly, in the verse "And Jacob pitched his tent in the mountain," secondly, "And Laban pitched his brethren in the mount Gilead," where Jacob pitching implies his intention to pitch his tent, meaning his wife, and the word "et" includes himself, "in the mount" referring to the Cave of the Patriarchs, which are two mountains, one above the other, with two caves in the lower mountain and two caves in the upper mountain. The word "Tekoa" in the gematria refers to passing to the merchant, meaning that the Cave of the Patriarchs is a passage to the Garden of Eden, as mentioned. Therefore, one who prays to the Lord with the intention in his heart to merit burial in the Cave of the Patriarchs, he and his wife, as decreed from the six days of creation.

And Laban pitched his brethren - meaning, since in his cunningness, like his lips, he intended to copy Jacob, that Jacob would not merit burial in the Cave of the Patriarchs, but rather he intended to kill him, and to pitch his brethren means Esau and Ishmael, that they would merit passing through the Cave of the Patriarchs to the Garden of Eden. It is already known that Ishmael and the sons of Keturah are attached to our forefather Abraham, and Esau and his descendants are attached to our forefather Isaac. For if, God forbid, Jacob were not buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs, none of the Israelites would pass through there, and all the nations affiliated with Esau and Ishmael would enter through there by the hands of Esau and Ishmael, who have a hold on Abraham and Isaac buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs. This is what our sages meant when they said, "And Laban sought to uproot everything," as it says, "An Aramean sought to destroy my father."

Similarly, Samael with Jacob, as it is written, "And he touched the hollow of his thigh," and know that his intention was to make Jacob blemished so that he would not be buried in the cave, and so that Esau and his wife would be buried there, but it did not come to fruition, for immediately the Almighty healed him, as it says, "And Jacob came whole." Our sages said that he came whole in his body, for the Almighty, in His abundant kindness, turned Samael's intention, and he fixed Jacob with a peg fixed in a faithful place to be buried in the mentioned cave in order for his descendants to pass through there to the Garden of Eden.

Likewise, "Tzfat" in the gematria of "Tekoa," to hint that everyone who resides in the city of Tzfat has an advantage over all other cities in the Land of Israel, for one who passes away there, because it is a high place and its air is purer than all other cities in the Land of Israel, his soul swiftly floats in the Cave of the Patriarchs to pass to the lower Garden of Eden.

River 14 - To explain the defects that emerge from the Land of Israel to abroad:

The matter is that regarding the shells, there are five changes, and likewise, the changes of the shells that attach to generations abroad are divided into five levels, and one who merits to reside in the Land of Israel is exempt, clean, and free from all of them. The first level is dwelling in Syria, outside of Damascus and beyond, where there is Beit Rimon, which is one of the four kingdoms of Samuel, as will be explained in Ein Ganim River 12 with God's help. However, in all other towns of Syria, wherever they may be, his soul will be from the kingdoms of Sandalphon, and upon it will be clothed the first shell from the kingdoms of the world of transformations, and on that shell will be clothed the second shell from the kingdoms of Samuel, and upon it will be clothed yet another third shell from the kingdoms of the world of RHB, no more. The second level is dwelling abroad, far from Syria but not beyond the sea, his soul is from the kingdoms of Sandalphon, and upon it is clothed the first shell from the kingdoms of transformations, and two shells from the world of Samuel, and the first shell from the world of RHB. The third level is dwelling abroad beyond the sea and beyond, his soul is from the kingdoms of Sandalphon, and upon it is clothed the first shell from the world of transformations, and upon it is clothed another three shells from the world of Samuel, and upon it is clothed the first shell from the world of RHB. The fourth level is dwelling abroad in one of the four kingdoms of Samuel, his soul is from the kingdoms of Sandalphon, and upon it is clothed the first shell from the world of transformations, and upon it are clothed four shells from the world of Samuel, hinted in the four winds, which are opposite to the four legs of the chariot, and upon it is the first shell of RHB. The fifth level is dwelling in Egypt, his soul is from the world of Sandalphon, and upon it is clothed the first shell from the world of transformations, and upon it are clothed four shells of Samuel mentioned, and upon them are clothed four shells of the world of RHB.

The matter is that the impure worlds are three, and they are transformations: Samael, RHB, and the shells of transformations are called "excrement," and the shells of Samael are called "filth," as it says, "So you shall say to him, 'Thus said the Lord: Behold, so are called excrement and filth without a place.'" And the shells of the world of RHB are called "venereal discharge," from the language of menstruation blood.

And know that when one leaves the Land of Israel to permanently reside in Syria, once he goes beyond the boundaries of the Holy Land into the diaspora, his soul, which originates from the World of Formation, departs from him, and a soul from the world of Sandalphon enters into him. Upon it, the first shell from the world of transformations is attached, followed by a shell from the world of Samuel, and upon it, a shell from the world of RHB. The principal is Samuel, who governs over all the diaspora. When one leaves the Land of Israel to reside permanently in the diaspora but not beyond the sea, such a person, when leaving the Land of Israel with no intention to return, will have his intellectual soul, which is from the World of Formation, replaced with a soul from the World of Action. This is because the animalistic soul does not change through all the transformations. Upon it, a shell from the world of transformations is attached, followed by two shells from the world of Samuel and one from the world of RHB. When one leaves the Land of Israel to reside permanently in the diaspora beyond the sea, which is on the left side of the world, he will then be enveloped by a soul from the World of Action. Upon it, a shell from the world of transformations is attached, followed by three shells from the world of Samuel and one from the world of RHB. The principal among them are the three shells of Samuel. When one leaves the Land of Israel to reside permanently in Egypt, his soul of action, as mentioned, is enveloped by a shell from the world of transformations, four shells from the world of RHB, and four shells of Samuel. When one goes to reside permanently in one of the four kingdoms of Samuel, as will be explained in secret, a shell from the world of transformations is attached to his soul of action, followed by four shells from the world of Samuel and one from the world of RHB.

And know that one who leaves the Land of Israel for abroad with the intention to return quickly, leaving his wife and children in the Land of Israel, his soul from the World of Formation does not depart from him. Instead, another soul from the World of Action clothes upon him. Therefore, he must observe the festivals and pilgrimage festivals abroad as he did when he was in the Land of Israel, since his intention is to return. All of this is for his benefit because if a soul from the World of Action did not clothe upon him, when the shells would clothe upon the soul of Formation, immediately the soul of Formation would become contaminated from external impurity. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, in His mercy and goodness, clothes the soul of Action upon the soul of Formation before the shells clothe upon him, so as not to contaminate him. The shells will then clothe according to the place, as mentioned above. All of this applies to someone born in the Land. However, someone born abroad who comes to reside permanently in the Land, upon nearing the ladder, all the shells depart from him, and only his soul, which was always of Formation, enters the Land. That soul of Formation enters into the soul of Action, which was his, like a knife in a sheath. If afterwards he leaves for permanent residence, the new soul of Formation remains in the Land and does not leave with him, but rather his old soul of Action clothes upon him, clothed in shells according to what we mentioned about the four transformations of places. And know that one who ascends from abroad to the Land of Israel for temporary residence, when he arrives in the Land and reaches the ladder from the outside, all the shells depart from him, and only his soul from the World of Action enters the Land. However, a soul from the World of Formation is not given to him because his intention is not to reside in the Land. Therefore, he must observe festivals and pilgrimage festivals as he did abroad.

River 15: On the Superiority of the Death of Those in the Land of Israel vs. Outside of It:

It is said that there are generally four levels: 1. The most praiseworthy of those in the Land of Israel. 2. The rest of the inhabitants of the Land of Israel. 3. The most praiseworthy of those outside the Land of Israel. 4. The rest of the inhabitants outside the Land of Israel. And this applies to the holy people of the Lord. The first level, the most praiseworthy of those in the Land of Israel, is not appropriately described by the term "death" at all, except metaphorically. For them, the term "passing away" is used. They are likened to a person lying on their bed, confined to their house, neither going out nor coming in. So is the praiseworthy person, whose flesh rests securely, as in the case of Rabbi Eliezer, who remained a year without burial as mentioned in the Talmud, Tractate Bava Metzia, and similarly, Rabbi Aḥai bar Yoshiya, and other such individuals throughout generations. Among them, with additional virtue, are the patriarchs. This is because they sanctified themselves even in what was permissible to them, even in thought, and they are as if they do not die at all.

And close to this level is the status of the holy ones who die outside of the Land of Israel, like Jacob. Therefore, his body's ascent to the Land of Israel was not hindered, as it was known that there was no claim against him by external forces since he did not benefit from it. Such was the sanctity of Rabbi at the time of his death when he raised his ten fingers and declared that he did not derive benefit, as our sages of blessed memory stated. Similarly, the status of Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, personally attended to at his burial, and the status of the deaths of Aaron and Miriam — all share the same level due to their sanctity. These individuals are not required to undergo bodily decay in the earth because they distanced themselves from the sin of Adam and purified themselves from it as much as possible. They became a divine chariot, and their bodies remain intact. They did not die but rather passed away gently, and they are the sleepers in the dust.

.The third level is the status of the deceased among the rest of the people in the Land of Israel. They are not obligated to the klipah (impurity) because they were nourished by the delights of the world without having consumed from it, as the sustenance and provisions of the Land of Israel are under the hand and authority of the Creator. Therefore, when questioned about what they ate, it will be said, "Did I eat and drink of yours? I ate and drank of Mine." However, they are obligated to bodily decay due to the sin of Adam, from which they did not distance themselves and thus came under the punishment "for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." As a result, the body perishes, and the soul becomes sanctified. For this reason, they become impure through contact and carrying, because of the initial klipah (impurity) that Adam introduced and that adhered to them, resulting in death.

The third level is the status of the deceased among the rest of the people in the Land of Israel. They are not obligated to the klipah (impurity) because they were nourished by the delights of the world without having consumed from it, as the sustenance and provisions of the Land of Israel are under the hand and authority of the Creator. Therefore, when questioned about what they ate, it will be said, "Did I eat and drink of yours? I ate and drank of Mine." However, they are obligated to bodily decay due to the sin of Adam, from which they did not distance themselves and thus came under the punishment "for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." As a result, the body perishes, and the soul becomes sanctified. For this reason, they become impure through contact and carrying, because of the initial klipah (impurity) that Adam introduced and that adhered to them, resulting in death.

The Virtue of Sleep in the Land of Israel and Abroad:

Sleep is a fraction of death. Just as death outside the Land of Israel occurs through the Angel of Death, while in the Land of Israel for Israelites it occurs through a holy angel, so too sleep outside the Land is induced by the external shell, while in the Land of Israel it is through holy beings, without any external shells entering, as mentioned in the Zohar, Parashat Terumah. Just as death provides rest for the soul to ascend to the Garden of Eden, sleep provides rest for the soul to ascend and attach itself to holiness, enjoying a sweet, superior light. In contrast, due to their sins, the souls of the wicked are cast away and cut off from holiness at death, mirroring their experience in life. Therefore, the wicked are referred to as "dead" even while alive. However, there is a significant difference between death and sleep: in actual death, external forces dominate the soul to punish it according to its wickedness, while in life, the body provides some protection, preventing these forces from fully dominating, only mocking them. This is the rationale for reciting the Shema before bed, to ward off any other force during the soul’s ascent, as previously explained.

Different Types of Death in the Diaspora and the Land of Israel:

There are three types of death according to the secret of death. The first type is slaughter with a defective knife, which is considered "neveilah" (carrion). This refers to those who die at the hands of Samael, whose knife is defective due to the defects of cruelty and chaos. However, those who die in the Land of Israel do not die by a knife with any of these defects, but rather by the sword of the Holy One, blessed be He. The common people, who are like animals, die through a knife and slaughter, meaning that the suffering of death atones for them and purifies them, in the sense of "And His land will atone for His people." They die through a kosher angel who ascends, takes permission, and then takes the soul like a snake, but not an actual snake, unlike in the Diaspora where it is an actual snake. However, Torah scholars who engage in the Torah of the Lord, which is the Tree of Life, do not require slaughter by any of the three types of knives mentioned (two defective and one kosher). Instead, they are gathered like the fish of the sea. The Shechinah (Divine Presence) reveals itself to them with the help of all the righteous in the Garden of Eden, and they separate themselves from physicality and materialism, joining their people with the Shechinah. Their gathering to the glory of the Lord purifies them. The concept of being gathered like the fish of the sea refers to the sea of Torah, and their gathering from the sea means that when they cease their study, they immediately die, as in the cases of Rabba and King David mentioned in Tractate Moed Katan.

River Yud-Chet - The Secret of Death in the Diaspora and the Land of Israel:

Know that there are two appointed angels over death. One is appointed over the death of the Diaspora, named Samael. The other is appointed over the death in the Land of Israel, named Gabriel. Each of them has numerous legions, and all their legions are called angels of death. These two appointed angels serve under Metatron, and the Holy One, blessed be He, informs Metatron daily who and how many are destined to die on that day. Metatron commands Samael, his servant, to take the souls destined for death on that day in the Diaspora, and commands Gabriel to take the souls destined for death in the Land of Israel on that day.These two appointed angels never take a soul themselves. Instead, each sends one of their legions, as there is one angel for each soul. Each angel approaches according to the appropriate level of the soul it is about to take.

After the angel takes the soul and delivers it into the hands of the appointed one who sent it, that particular angel ceases to exist in the world, for it was created solely to take that one soul, as our sages explained based on the verse "As soon as they finish them off" (Deuteronomy 4:4). Just as a bee's life depends on its sting remaining in the flesh of a person, and therefore it dies immediately, so too these angels rejoice in their deaths to grieve human beings. Similarly, each angel among the angels of death rejoices in taking a soul, contemplating how it was granted the strength and permission to take a soul from the seed of the Holy People.

River 20- Regarding the Prohibition of Laying Out the Dead in the Land of Israel:

Know that it is forbidden to lay out the dead on the ground at night in the Land of Israel, as this causes the defilement of the holy land, as it is said, "And you shall not defile your land." The matter is that there is no permission for the spirit of impurity and the left side's "Other Side" to enter during the day in the Land of Israel, only specifically at night. Even at night, they have no permission except when there is a dead body lying on the ground. However, when there is no dead body lying on the ground, there is no permission whatsoever for any spirit of impurity to enter the land, even by the mere trampling of a foot. During the day, they have absolutely no permission, even if there are many dead bodies lying on the ground. Therefore, it is prohibited to lay out the dead.

River 21 - Regarding the Secret of Manna and the Fruits of the Land of Israel:

It is worth questioning why the holiness of the Land of Israel is lacking the spiritual manna. One can say that the reason for this is that the wilderness, with all its physical aspects, which are external and impure, flourishes in the lands of the nations, which are governed by rulership. Therefore, its fruits are not suitable vessels to receive the holy spirituality, as an impure body cannot serve as a vessel for holy spirituality. If that holiness were in its fruits and sustenance, it would be governed by the rulership. However, this is not the case with the manna, which comes from heaven and has no part with rulership at all. Indeed, the fruits of the Land of Israel are imbued with holiness, and that specific spirituality suitable for manna clothes itself in those holy fruits. Therefore, there is no manna in the Land of Israel [but only in the wilderness].

River 22 - The Elevation of Honor in the Land of Israel with the Coming of the Messiah:

Know that it is a received tradition in our hands that on that day when the Messiah comes with the ingathering of the exiles to the Land of Israel, on that day there will be found in the Land of Israel seven thousand of the children of Israel. On that day, the dead in the Land will come to life, and on that day the wall of fire will depart from Jerusalem. On that day, the Temple will be built with good stones and precious gems. On that day, the dead in the Land of Israel will return at the time of their revival in a new spiritual form. Similarly, the seven thousand who are alive, all will be in a new spiritual form, akin to the form of Adam before sin and like the forms of [Enoch and] Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, [and Elijah], and they will soar in the air like flying eagles, and so forth. All this will be seen by the people of the ingathering of the exiles.

When the children of the ingathering of the exiles see that their brethren have become a new creation, and they flourish in the air to go and dwell in the lower Garden of Eden to learn Torah from the mouth of the Blessed One, then the children of the ingathering of the exiles will be filled with concern in their hearts and anguish in their souls. They will yearn for the King Messiah and say, "Are we not children of Israel like them? From where did they merit to be spiritual in body and soul, which is not the case with us? Why are we lacking?"

And the Messiah says to them: "It is already known and widely proclaimed that all the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, measure for measure. Those who were in the diaspora and made efforts to come to the Land in order to merit a pure soul, not caring about their wealth or their bodies, whether by sea or land, not fearing to drown in the sea or be robbed on land, or to be captured by harsh lords. Because they acted primarily from their spirit and soul, not from their body or wealth, therefore, they returned in spiritual measure for measure. But you, who were capable of coming to the Land like them, were degraded to come for the sake of material wealth, and you were concerned about your wealth and your body. You made the essence secondary, from your soul and your spirit. Therefore, you remain materialistic measure for measure. "For the love of wealth that you coveted, the Holy One, blessed be He, will give you wealth without measure. For all the silver, gold, precious stones, and gems sunk in the sea all these days, the sea is sworn to bring them to Jaffa within three days of their sinking, and everything that sank from the six days of creation until the time of Solomon, all that the sea vomited out on land and from there Solomon became rich. And what sank from the time of Solomon until the time of the ingathering of the exiles, all of it the sea of Jaffa will vomit out on land. The Messiah will distribute them to every righteous person, their portion, as it is written: 'The wealth of the seas will flow to you.' And all the hidden treasures under the dust, the earth is destined to roll and bring forth all the treasures of the kings, and lead them to the Land of Israel, as it is written: 'The hidden treasures of the sand will be revealed.' And all will be revealed within the Land of Israel to the King Messiah, and he will distribute them to the people of the ingathering of the exiles, each their portion. "And they will swear a great oath to those who cared about their wealth and their bodies: they will remain materialistic and satiated with wealth. But those who did not care about their bodies and their wealth, but only about their spirit, the Holy One, blessed be He, will make them a new creation and lead them to the lower Garden of Eden, as mentioned."

River 23 - The Secret of the Resurrection of the Dead in the Land of Israel

Know that we have a tradition that the resurrection of the dead in the Land of Israel precedes the resurrection of the dead outside of Israel by forty years. However, anyone who has passed away outside of Israel and has a close relative in the Land of Israel, so close that they are obligated to mourn for them, whether male or female, that relative in the Land of Israel has the power to revive all their close relatives outside of Israel—all those who are obligated to mourn for them. This secret is hinted at in the Talmud, Pesachim, in the chapter "The Daily Offering is Slaughtered," where our Rabbis of blessed memory say: "The righteous will revive the dead, as it is written: 'Thus says the Lord: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with their staff in hand,' and it is written: 'Lay my staff on the face of the boy,' until here."

River Kaf Dalet - The Secret of Why Moses Was Not Buried in the Land of Israel, His Bones Were Not Brought Up, and Why Joseph's Bones Were Brought Up but Not His Body, and Why Jacob's Actual Body Was Brought Up:

The reason why Joseph's body was not buried in the land, only his bones, is because he emitted a drop of seed with the intention of that foreign woman (Potiphar's wife). However, since the act was not completed, his bones were allowed to be buried in the land of Israel.

River 25 - Explanation of the Righteous Person's Merit in the Land of Israel, Both in Life and in Death:

The matter is that just as a righteous person during his lifetime in the Land of Israel brings greater benefit to the world than the benefit derived from him being outside the land, so too does the passing of a righteous person in the Land of Israel cause more harm to the world than if he had passed away outside the land. The idea is that the Land of Israel is the heart of the world because it is the gateway to heaven, as mentioned earlier. Just as the heart is the source of life, distributing vitality to all the body’s organs, so too, when the Land of Israel is healthy with righteous people dwelling in it, this health spreads to all the inhabitants of the world collectively. The health of the Land of Israel is due to the righteous people who draw down sustenance and life from above. There is no way for the sustenance to spread to the whole world except from the Land of Israel and nowhere else. This is what the sages meant when they said that the essence of the Land of Israel nourishes the world. As we have said, the Land of Israel is like the heart that distributes life to the entire body. The doctors say that the clearest and purest blood nourishes the heart, and then the brain from what remains pure, and then the liver, and then the other organs according to their levels. Similarly, the world as a whole: the purest and cleanest of the sustenance nourishes the Land of Israel, and then the other lands according to their levels, thus thickening the nourishment of their souls as mentioned earlier. Therefore, the sages intended to say that the essence of the Land of Israel nourishes the world, as mentioned.

However, during the time of destruction, when the sustenance is cut off due to sins, all the organs gradually weaken because the heart is not in its full health and lacks nourishment, similar to a day of fasting. Therefore, there is no day since the destruction of the Temple that its curse is not greater than the previous day, as they gradually weaken due to the lack of sustenance. Just as on a fast day, when nourishment is cut off, the heart is sustained by the organs. When the organs see that the heart is weakening and fear death because their own life depends on the heart’s vitality, they give it their blood to strengthen it so that its power does not diminish, even though their own milk and blood are reduced. Similarly, during the time of destruction, the Land of Israel drinks from the essence of the Diaspora. For the Land of Israel has no sustenance and stability except from the Diaspora, as is the case today.

And behold, the righteous who dwell in the Land of Israel facilitate the flow of sustenance from above. Since spiritual sustenance cannot descend to the physical earth except through the righteous, who are a divine portion from above, through their deeds and Torah they draw down sustenance contrary to its nature. The purity of the place assists them, much like a good wick and pure oil, which hold the light, enabling the spiritual light to descend, despite its natural tendency not to do so. Our Sages said that the world is never without thirty righteous individuals like Abraham, as it is stated, "And Abraham will surely become a great nation," implying that there will always be righteous people in the world comparable to him. If the generation is meritorious, most of them will be in the Land of Israel. The intention of our Sages is that the sustenance of the world depends on the righteous, who work and draw down sustenance to the earth. When most of them are in the Land of Israel, they draw down a large amount of pure and clean sustenance. The minority in the Diaspora can then draw from what has already descended to the Land of Israel. However, when the minority is in the Land of Israel, they cannot draw much sustenance from the gates of heaven. The extent to which the wick is thick and strong determines the size of the flame that clings to it. Therefore, even if most of the righteous are in the Diaspora, they cannot draw down much sustenance, as they can only draw from what has already descended to the Land of Israel through the minority present there.