“Tik’u (Sound) the shofar at the moon’s renewal, when [the moon is] covered over on our festive day. For it is a statute for Israel, a mishpat unto the Lord of Yaakov.” 2 (Psalms 81:4-5)

The main thing is emunah (faith). Every person has to search within himself and strengthen himself in faith.

There are those who suffer from the most astounding afflictions, and the only reason they are ill is because of the fall of faith. This is as in “God will make your plagues astounding, great and relentless plagues, terrible and ne’emanim (faithful) illnesses” (Deuteronomy 28:59). Specifically ne’EMaNim, because they are generated by a blemish of EMuNah. The fall of faith brings to astounding afflictions, for which neither medicines, nor prayer, nor ancestral merit helps.

For all medicines are based on plants, and these grow only on account of faith. This is what our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Taanit 8a) : The rains fall only in the merit of faith, as it is written (Psalms 85:12), “Truth springs forth from the earth; righteousness peers down from heaven.” When there is faith, rain falls, plants grow, and then there are medicines. But when faith is lacking, there is no rain, and then there is no healing.

In addition, the essential healing power of each plant depends on the natural order of the plant kingdom, as determined by place and time. The healing powers of certain plants are present only when they are cut before reaching a third of their maturity; after this, they have no power to heal. Other plants are potent only when they reach full growth and fall on their own. The same is true of all plants, each according to its own timetable. Likewise, there is an order determined by place. One location is suited for growing one kind of plant, while another location is suitable for growing different plants. Their healing powers entirely follow the order [of the plant kingdom] as determined by time and place.

And the order of the plant kingdom is contingent on faith, as in: Emunah—this is the Order of Seeds (Shabbat 31a). Faith maintains the temporal and spatial order of the plant kingdom, thus providing [the plants] with the power to cure. Therefore, on account of the fall of faith, medicines are of no avail.

Prayer is similarly a matter of faith, as it is written “and his hands were faith” (Exodus 17:12), which Onkelos renders: “[his hands were] spread out in prayer.”

And ancestral merit, too, is revealed only through faith, as in “The first blossoms have appeared in the land” (Song of Songs 2:12). “The first blossoms” are the Patriarchs, as it is brought in the holy Zohar (Introduction, p.1b). They appear and are revealed “in the land,” which alludes to faith, as it is written “dwell in the land and tend to faith” (Psalms 37:3) ; corresponding to “earth is the vessel for them all” (Tikkuney Zohar #70, p.132a).

Therefore, on account of the fall of faith, neither medicines, nor prayer, nor ancestral merit can avail him, because all these are linked to faith.

Neither is the sick person helped by the sound of his sighs and groans. There are times when such sounds help the sick person by arousing mercy for him. But on account of the fall of faith, this, too, does not help, since these groans and sighs are a voice without words. Voice corresponds to the Patriarchs, because the voice is comprised of fire, water and air (Tikkuney Zohar #69, 104b), which are the three Patriarchs. Yet they appear and are revealed only by means of faith, as in “earth is the vessel for them all.” Therefore, because of the fall of faith, these sounds are of no help to him.

This is precisely the reason that medicine is of no avail. Healing essentially entails bringing balance to the elements. There are four elements: fire, water, air and earth. It requires a great expert who, through {medical knowledge}, knows how to balance the elements contained in each of the different plants in order to produce the remedy this particular patient needs, given the particular element which is damaged and weakened in his case. {Emitting the voice, too, involves the balancing of the elements.} Therefore, when faith is blemished, which in turn brings blemish to the four elements—since all of them are revealed only through the earth element, which is “the vessel for them all”—he has no cure.

2. To remedy this it is necessary to dig deep and find the waters that nurture faith. These waters are the concept of counsels, which promote the growth of faith, as in “I will give thanks to Your Name, for You have done wonders, [providing] counsels from afar, fostering faith” (Isaiah 25:1). Counsels make it possible for faith to grow.

[These] counsels are the depths of the heart. When faith is so blemished and fallen that even the cries, the wordless screams, are of no avail, one has to cry out from the heart alone, as in “Let their heart cry out to God” (Lamentations 2:18). This is the heart alone crying out, without the voice, as in “Out of the depths I call out to You, O God!” (Psalms 130:1)—from the heart’s depths. And the depths of the heart are counsels, as in “The counsels in man’s heart are deep waters” (Proverbs 20:5).

Therefore, when crying out is of no help because faith has fallen, it is necessary to cry out from the heart alone; soundlessly, solely from the depths of the heart. This is how counsels are revealed, corresponding to “The counsels… are deep waters.” And through the counsels that are revealed in the world {i.e., each person knows from within what he must do} faith is able to grow, as in “counsels from afar, fostering faith.” Then, all the aforementioned concepts can be again set right.

This is because counsels are “wonders,” as in “I will give thanks to Your Name, for You have done wonders, counsels from afar….” This makes it possible to remedy and heal the astounding afflictions, corresponding to “God will make your plagues astounding.”

Prayer, too, is “wonder,” as in “awesome in praises, doing wonders!” (Exodus 15:11). And the same is true of ancestral merit, as in “He performed wonders in the sight of their fathers” (Psalms 78:12).

This is the meaning of:

{“I tirgalti (trained) Ephraim [to walk, and sent a leader] who took them in his arms; yet they did not realize that it was I Who healed them” (Hosea 11:3) .} “I tiRGaLti Ephraim” is the concept of counsels, as in “the people b’RaGLekha (at your feet)” (Exodus 11:8)—those who follow your counsel (Rashi). “Who took them in his arms” is an allusion to the merit of the Patriarchs, for they are “the arms of the world” (Deuteronomy 33:27). “Yet they did not realize that it was I Who healed them”—for in fact, this brings healing.

And this parallels the creation of the world: at first darkness, and afterwards light. Darkness signifies the absence of advice, as in “Who is this who darkens counsel with words?” (Job 38:2). But afterwards, when counsels—i.e., depths/“deep waters”—are revealed, this is “revealing deep things out of the darkness” (ibid. 12:22). And the more that the light, i.e., counsel, is revealed, and darkness, the absence of counsel, is dispelled, the stronger faith grows.

For it is essentially in accord with the principle of “and Your faith in the nights” (Psalms 92:3) that faith grows. In other words, the more a portion of the night is dispelled, and the closer it gets to the light of day, the stronger faith becomes. And the more the night is dispelled and the day draws closer, the more [faith] continues growing bit by bit, until with the light of day, faith is complete, as in “Renewed in the mornings; great is Your faith” (Lamentations 3:23).

It is then, in the light of day, that healing burgeons forth, as in “Then your light shall burst forth as the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly” (Isaiah 58:8). It follows, that as counsel is revealed and the light shines forth out of the darkness—i.e., the dark/night is dispelled and the light/day is revealed—faith grows and healing is effected, as in “Then your light shall burst forth as the dawn, and your healing….”

This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: What is the reason that the ezei (goats) walk at the head [of the flock] and afterwards the imrei (sheep)? … This is consistent with the creation of the world: at first darkness, and afterwards light (Shabbat 77b).

EZei— This alludes to faith, as in “God is clothed, He has girded Himself with OZ (strength)” (Psalms 93:1), and “Righteousness will be the girdle of his loins, and faith the girdle [of his waist]” (Isaiah 11:5).

And afterwards come the imrei— IMRei alludes to healing, as in “AMaR (said) God, ‘and I will heal him’” (Isaiah 57:19). AMaR is an acronym for Aish Mayim Ruach (fire, water, air), from which healing comes. In other words, why is healing essentially dependent on faith, so that one must first begin with faith and then afterwards merit healing? And he replied:

This is consistent with the creation of the world: at first darkness, and afterwards light. That is to say, this corresponds to the world’s creation, where first there was darkness…. For faith grows mainly through counsel, which is the concept of “revealing deep things out of the darkness.” This is because faith grows whole only through the light of day. And this is why healing can come only by means of faith, for healing springs up only in the light of day, as in “Then your light shall burst forth as the dawn…,” as discussed above.

3. Now, it takes an understanding individual to draw out and reveal the water—i.e., the counsel, as in “The counsels in man’s heart are deep waters, yet a man of understanding can draw them out.” This is the meaning of what is written: “For they are a nation devoid of counsel, and there is no understanding among them” (Deuteronomy 32:28). This is because when there is no understanding, one’s counsel is lost, for counsel is revealed by means of an understanding individual.

An understanding individual is someone who has a soul, as in “the soul from Shadai (the Almighty) enables them to understand” (Job 32:8). It is necessary to refine and burnish the soul. This is accomplished by drawing Godly spirit into constrictions, the concept of Shadai, which is itself an aspect of constriction: Shadai—on account of His having said to the world, “Dai! (Enough!)” (Chagigah 12a). Through this, one burnishes the soul. This is the meaning of “the soul Shadai enables them to understand.” Through the concept of Shadai—i.e., drawing Godly spirit into constrictions—one burnishes the soul and becomes an understanding individual.

This is because drawing Godly spirit into constrictions—i.e., into physical forms—causes one’s livelihood to multiply and increase. Drawing Godly spirit into constrictions/physical forms is the concept of creation. At the moment Godly spirit is joined with the physical form and constriction, a new creation is made. This is the essence of the creation. And then, as soon as something is created, God immediately gives it livelihood. For God nourishes [everything] “from the horns of the oryx to the eggs-of-lice” (Avodah Zarah 3b).

As soon as a thing is created, God immediately provides livelihood. For the soul alone has no need of livelihood, and likewise the body alone has no need of livelihood. The primary need for livelihood is only when the soul binds with the body. That is to say, with the partnering of soul and flesh, livelihood becomes necessary. Therefore, drawing Godly spirit into constrictions and physical forms—i.e., creation, the partnering of soul and flesh—increases and multiplies one’s livelihood. This is because as soon as there is a creation, God provides livelihood. {Anyone who makes the name of Heaven a partner in his distress, they double his livelihood for him, as is stated (Job 22:25): “When Shadai is in your distress, then double money is yours” (Berakhot 63a).}

And this is the meaning of “Anyone who makes the name of Heaven a partner in his distress”—in other words, he draws Godly spirit and partners it with the constriction, which is the concept of distress—“they double his livelihood for him”—because this increases livelihood, “as is stated: ‘When Shadai is [included] in your distress, then double money is yours.’” Shadai signifies constriction, the drawing of Godly spirit into the constriction—as in “[he] makes the name of Heaven a partner in his distress.” As a result, “then double money is yours”—i.e., increased livelihood, as discussed above.

And through livelihood he burnishes his soul, for the tzaddik eats only for the sake of his soul, as it is written “A righteous man eats to satiate his soul” (Proverbs 13:25). Satiating the soul is the concept of Tzachtzachot— that he burnishes (tzachtzei’ach) his soul through his eating, as in “He will satiate your soul with Tzachtzachot (Splendors)” (Isaiah 58:11).

And when a person burnishes his soul, he becomes an understanding individual, as in “the soul Shadai enables them to understand.” This reveals counsel and causes faith to grow, as discussed above.

4. And know! the fall of faith creates and strengthens false beliefs—[i.e.,] idolatrous faith and the like. This is as it is written, “I will be filled; she has been laid waste!” (Ezekiel 26:2)—when one rises, the other falls… (see Megillah 6a). For false beliefs exist and are strengthened mainly through the fall of holy faith.

But elevating fallen faith makes converts. For by restoring and refining fallen faith, which is the sustaining force of [idolatrous] faith, their faith is weakened. They then come over to our holy faith and so become converts.

Sometimes they become converts in potentia and sometimes they become converts in actu. That is to say, either they actually become converts—idol worshipers come and convert; or, this happens only potentially—as a result of fallen faith being elevated and their faith being weakened, holy faith is revealed to them in their place. There, in their place, they believe that there is the One Primordial God. This is the concept of “in every place offerings are burnt and presented to My name” (Malachi 1:11).

This depends on the strength of the original false belief. If the false faith started out strong, then afterwards—once it is broken and fallen holy faith is elevated from there—the converts that are made are then actual converts. But if the false faith did not start out all that strong, then when it is broken and turned toward holiness, it produces only potential converts.

5. Now, the rule is that elevating fallen faith makes converts, but because these converts stem from the restoration of fallen faith, they are harmful to the Jewish people, as in “Converts are as harmful to the Jewish people as a sore on the skin” (Kiddushin 70b). “A sore on the skin” is the concept of “plagues,” the aforementioned astounding afflictions caused by the fall of faith. And because these converts are made by the restoration of fallen faith, they are as harmful as skin sores.

And these converts instill pride in Israel, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “My soul will weep in hidden places because of [your] haughtiness” (Jeremiah 13:17)—because of the Jewish people’s grandeur, which was transferred to idol worshipers (Chagigah 5b). It follows, that the Jewish people’s holy grandeur fell to them. Therefore, when idolaters recant and convert, they bring with them the grandeur that was in their possession, and so instill pride in the Jewish people.

This enables the leaders of the generation to wield the sword of pride, undeservedly exalting themselves over the people. For there are leaders who impose their rabbinic authority and rule “over a destitute people,” undeservedly exalting themselves over the generation. Having been appointed not by Heaven but purely through their own arrogance, they obtain the sword of pride—as in “the Sword of your grandeur!” (Deuteronomy 33:29)—by means of the converts who instill pride in the Jewish people. They undeservedly rule over “a destitute people” and can even punish those who do not wish to bow to their rule—all through the sword of pride. In truth, the correct term for this is not “punish” but “damage,” because they are a scourge to the world.

This is the meaning of “converts are as harmful to the Jewish people as SaPaChat”—alluding to SePhiChim (weeds), which grow of themselves. On account of the converts, the leaders of the generation—who grow of themselves and undeservedly exalt themselves over the people without any appointment by Heaven—assume grandeur. This is the reason [converts] are called GeiRim, as in “yaGiRuhu (they drag him) by the sword” (Psalms 63:11). For the sword of pride comes about through converts.

6. And the haughtiness of these leaders of the generation increases people’s desire for illicit relations, as in “the adulteress traps the haughty soul” (Proverbs 6:26). Haughtiness increases lust, which is the ChoTeM (seal) of the Other Side, as in “his flesh heChTiM (becomes stopped up) because of his discharge” (Leviticus 15:3). The reason is that desire for illicit relations is quashed through the sword of holy pride, as in “Gird your sword upon your thigh” (Psalms 45:4). But on account of the sword of pride that the leaders receive from converts, this desire increases, God forbid.

7. The way to be saved from this is through the guardians of the generation. These Guardians of the Earth protect us and save us by subduing the seal of the Other Side that pride creates. This is as in “His pride is in the strength of his shields; a seal closed tightly” (Job 41:7)—they close and subdue the seal of the Other Side, the desire created by haughtiness.

Their subduing this desire, the seal of the Other Side, creates the concept of tefilin, the intellects. These correspond to the seal of Holiness, as in (Song of Songs 8:6) : “Place me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm” (see Tikkuney Zohar #1, p.18a).

And the intellects are rectified primarily by breaking the desire for illicit relations. This is because the body’s fluids are essential to the brain. The brain is like a lit lamp. The body’s fluids rise to the brain and become oil for the brain. It follows, that because the body’s fluids and fatty substances are essential to the intellects, therefore, subduing the desire for illicit relations, so that the body’s fluids and fatty substances are preserved, causes the fluids to rise to the brain and become oil, the essential element of the intellects.

Therefore, by subduing this desire, the guardians create the concept of tefilin /intellects. They elevate the body’s fluids from the level of “his flesh becomes stopped up” and turn them into intellects, the concept of tefilin, because tefilin are the intellects’ shining radiance.

And this is why tefilin are called “honor,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “and honor” alludes to tefilin (Megillah 16b). Tefilin are created through the rectification of the desire for illicit relations, which corresponds to “the adulteress traps the haughty soul.” This is why tefilin are called Pe’ER (glory), because they come about through the rectification of the pride and hitPaARut (self-glorification) which converts bring about.

And this is the meaning of “Moshe was a shepherd” (Exodus 3:1). Moshe signifies daat (unitive knowledge and awareness of God), the concept of intellects/ tefilin. He is the holy ro’eh (shepherd), the opposite of “ro’eh (he keeps company with) harlots” (Proverbs 29:3). This is also the concept of the Seven Holy Shepherds, as in “Moshe was a shepherd”—the concept of tefilin, [whose] shin of three heads and shin of four heads correspond to the Seven Shepherds.

This is also the concept of the Shadai of tefilin, the concept of constriction. Every person has to reign in his mental faculties, not allowing the mind to go beyond his limit. This is so that the mind does not roam where it has no permission to go according to his level, as in: Do not inquire into that which is too wondrous for you; into that which is concealed from you do not investigate (Chagigah 13a). This is Shadai /constriction: ShaDaI—in Whose Godliness yeSh DaI (there is enough) for every creature (Rashi, Genesis 17:1). In other words, every created being has his dai and limit in His blessed Godliness. One is permitted to extend one’s intellectual pursuits only up to that boundary, no further. For the limit and restriction of each person’s intellectual pursuit is according to his measure [of worthiness]. Even in the realms of holiness, one is forbidden to go beyond one’s limits, as in: Do not inquire about that which is too wondrous for you…; the idea of “lest they break through to God in order to see…” (Exodus 19:21).

And this is the meaning of “I will put you in the cleft of the rock” (Exodus 33:22), which was said about Moshe at the time he merited seeing and entering into the mystery. In other words, God promised to shield him. He would be concealed in the rock’s cleft—i.e., the constriction—so that the mind would not roam beyond his limit.

8. This creates proper words to revive and restore the fallen souls. There are fallen souls that need to be revived and restored by means of all types of maT’AMim (tasty treats) that restore the soul, as in “Sustain me with dainties, drape me in [the fragrance of] apples, for I am love-sick” (Song of Songs 2:5). Through the rectification and refining of the intellects by the Guardians of the Earth, pure words are made to revive them.

This is because the mind is revealed primarily in speech, as it is written “from His mouth come daat and discernment” (Proverbs 2:6). Therefore, when the intellects are refined, proper words are made with which to restore the fallen souls, as in “seven who respond with good counsel” (ibid. 26:16). In other words, the tefilin /intellects, which are the Seven Shepherds, create the “seven meShiVei TaAM (who respond with good counsel)”—i.e., the proper words with which meShiVin (one restores) the fallen souls, as in “Seven times a righteous man falls and gets up” (Proverbs 24:16).

This is also the meaning of “The words of God are pure words… refined sevenfold” (Psalms 12:7). This refers to the pure words made by refining the intellects—i.e., the concept of tefilin /Seven Shepherds that create the “seven who respond with good counsel.” This is the meaning of “refined sevenfold.”

9. And this is the concept of a dream mediated by an angel. For these pure words are the concept of an angel, i.e., a dream mediated by an angel. This is because the spoken word is the vestige of the mind. That which is imprinted and concealed in the mind is engraved and imprinted in speech. Thus, when the intellects are refined, so that pure words are made, then even when the conscious mind departs during sleep and the only thing that remains is the mind’s vestige, which is speech, the vestige, too, is refined. This is the concept of a dream mediated by an angel.

This is the reason that after Moshe’s passing the commander of God’s host came and said: “Now I have come!” (Joshua 5:14). Moshe’s passing signifies the departure of daat, which is analogous to sleep, at which time daat departs and all that remains is the vestige. Therefore, “He said, ‘… I am the commander of God’s host’”—i.e., an angel—“Now I have come!” What remains then is the vestige, the concept of angel—i.e., a dream mediated by an angel.

And this is the meaning of “The Lord gives the word; the heralds are a great host” (Psalms 68:12). “The Lord gives the word” corresponds to pure words, the vestige of the mind, which is the concept of an angel. Thus this is the meaning of “the heralds are a great host”—i.e., the angels.

This also relates to what is brought in the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory, that tzevaot is the hidden element of Shadai. As explained there, the “hidden” [letters] of shIN daLeT yOD, with one added for the word itself, has the same numerical value as TZeVAOT. In other words, the hidden element of Shadai signifies the departing of Shadai /intellects during sleep. All that remains is the vestige, Shadai’s hidden element. Therefore, this vestige, being the hidden element of Shadai, corresponds to tzevaot, an angel.

This is the meaning of “The hair of His head is like clean wool” (Daniel 7:9). “The hair of His head” alludes to the intellects’ shining radiance. This is because the hair emerges from the intellects. When the intellects are clean and refined, then the vestige itself becomes the concept of an angel. This is the meaning of “like clean amar (wool).” AMaR is an acronym for “Oseh Malakhav Ruchot (He makes the winds His angels)” (Psalms 104:4), alluding to the angels created by the vestige when the intellects are clean and refined. However, when the intellects are not clean and refined, the Se’ARot (hairs) become “and Se’IRim (goats) will dance there” (Isaiah 13:21)—the concept of a dream mediated by a demon.

This corresponds to the human level and the animal level—conceptually, a dream mediated by an angel and a dream mediated by a demon.

A dream mediated by an angel is synonymous with the human level, as in “Let us make the human in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). “After our likeness” refers to the power of imagination, which is “in our image,” the concept of an angel—i.e., a dream mediated by an angel. During sleep the conscious mind departs and the only thing that remains is the power of imagination. Now, when the intellects are refined, the remaining power of imagination, too, is the concept of an angel. This is as in ‘after our likeness, in our image’: the power of imagination is “in our image,” in the concept of an angel—i.e., a dream mediated by an angel. This corresponds to the human level, as it is written: “Let us make the human…”

But a dream mediated by a SheiD (demon) corresponds to the animal level, as in “and the ShoD (pillaging) of animals will destroy you” (Habakkuk 2:17).

And this is: {“Men do not abide in honor; they are comparable to the animals nidmu (in their likeness)” (Psalms 49:13) .}

Men do not abide in honor”—this alludes to a person who does not abide and sleep “in honor,” in the concept of tefilin, as discussed above. In other words, when he fails to refine the intellects, the concept of tefilin, then “comparable to the animals niDMu”—the power of the meDaMeh (imagination) corresponds to the animal level, a dream mediated by a demon, which is synonymous with the animal level.

Thus the letters of MaLAKh (angel) are the first letters of “Ki LeiElohim Mageeney Eretz (for the Guardians of the Earth belong to God)” (Psalms 47:10). By rectifying the intellects and the tefilin, the Guardians of the Earth create the concept of an angel, which in turn results in a dream mediated by an angel.

10. However, foods, too, play a role in a dream. Foods produce vapors that ascend to the brain, where they are formed into dreams during sleep. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the angel, so that the foods do not blemish the dream. For when the angel lacks strength, the foods mar the dream, making it a dream mediated by a demon, God forbid.

For [the earth] has seven regions, each with an angel appointed over it, as in “seven are the eyes of God—they range over the whole earth” (Zechariah 4:10). Each region therefore grows different produce, consistent with its appointed [angel]. This is why they are divided into seven regions, corresponding to the Seven Shepherds, the concept of tefilin from which angels are created.

Now, when an influx of bounty descends, the first to receive it is the angel in charge there. After that it descends via the demons that reside in the air. They receive the bounty only in transition, sapping from it only enough to ensure their existence. Finally, the bounty descends below, to that place and field for which the bounty is headed.

And then the king receives the bounty, as in “It is you, O king…,” which is said there about the tree that “there was food for all in it” (Daniel 4:18-19). This is the meaning of “[Even] a king is beholden to the field” (Ecclesiastes 5:8), for the king receives bounty from the field. In other words, when the bounty descends below, then the king receives it.

All of these receive from the concept of Shadai, and for that reason they all get their name from Shadai. SheiD (demon) is etymologically similar to ShaDai, and so too is SaDeh (field). One who works the field is likewise named after Shadai, as in “breaking up veSaDeid (and furrowing) his land” (Isaiah 28:24).

Now, when the angel is strong, the demons receive bounty only in transition, sapping from it only enough to ensure their existence. But when the angel is weakened, God forbid, [the demons] take the angel’s power for themselves. Then, because they have literally ingested the angel’s power, the foods that grow because of them have the demon’s power mixed into them. It follows, that when the foods grow, the demon’s power is one of the ingredients which promotes their growth. Thus, when these foods are eaten, they produce a dream mediated by a demon, God forbid.

What’s more, they are also capable of defiling a person during sleep, by means of the well-known defilement, God forbid. This is because the angel is the concept of fire, as it is written “[The creatures] had the appearance of fiery coals, burning like the appearance of torches” (Ezekiel 1:13). Thus, when the angel is weakened and the demons then take the angel’s power for themselves, they use this fire to sexually excite and pollute a person with the aforementioned defilement, God forbid.

And so it is necessary to strengthen the angel. This fortifying is accomplished through joy, as in “A joyous heart makes a good countenance” (Proverbs 15:13), which alludes to an angel, as in “and so an angel of His countenance delivered them” (Isaiah 63:9)—it is fortified through a joyous heart. This is why the abode of the angels is called SheChaKim, on account of the S’ ChoK (laughter) and joy, because the angels are mainly strengthened through joy.

This relates to the joy associated with tefilin. As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Rabbi Yirmiyah was exceedingly buoyant… and said: “I am wearing tefilin” (Berakhot 30b). In other words, the concept of an angel is created through tefilin /intellects, and so joy is required in order to strengthen the angel.

Therefore, when a person has a bad dream, the rectification is a fast, because a taANniT (fast) is synonymous with joy, as it is written (Psalms 90:15), “Give us joy for as long as ENiTanu (You have afflicted us).” Fasting brings joy, and through joy we fortify the angel, thus rectifying and subduing the bad dream—i.e., a dream mediated by a demon, which occurs when the angel lacks strength.

This is why when someone does not want to fast over the dream, his well-wishers say to him: “Go, eat your bread with joy” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). His eating should be with joy, so that it strengthens the angel and lays low the demons that cause dreams to be blemished through the foods.

And angels are strengthened mainly in the month of Nissan, because Nissan is the new year for kings (Rosh HaShanah 2a). Everyone’s appointment is renewed at that time, and all the angels are given their appointment as well. And it is then that Divine Will is renewed, as in “He does as He wishes with the host of Heaven” (Daniel 4:32). This is because they are all given their appointment then, according to God’s Will, and so the angels rejoice and are strengthened.

The reason for this is that Nissan is the time of redemption, for in Nissan they were redeemed (Rosh HaShanah 11a). And it is known that the Egyptian exile was primarily to rectify the sin of the first man, whom the demons sexually excited and he begot demons… (Eruvin 18b; Bereishit Rabbah 20:11). As discussed above, sexual excitement is caused by the weakness of the angel. This led to the Egyptian exile. But they were redeemed in Nissan, at which time the first man’s sin was rectified. It follows, that the angels are strengthened in Nissan, paralleling the rectification of the first man’s sin in Nissan, at the time of the redemption from Egypt.

This is as it is written (Exodus 7:4) : “I shall take out My hosts”—this alludes to the angels. They went out and were redeemed in Nissan, because they were strengthened and rectified then. And so the main renewal of Divine Will—i.e., “He does as He wishes with the host of heaven”—is in Nissan, for that is the time of their rectification and strengthening.

Nevertheless, also throughout the year, it is possible to renew Divine Will by means of joy. This is because joy strengthens the angels. Then joy is awakened in the angels, as if Divine Will were renewed—i.e., “He does as He wishes with the host of heaven”—on that very day; as if they received their appointment on that very day. But the primary renewal of Divine Will is in Nissan, and so that is when they get their main strengthen. Thus, by rights that aforementioned defilement should be entirely eliminated in Nissan, since the angel’s power has been rectified and strengthened.

11. However, there are times when the aforementioned defilement stems from another source. Know! when unfitting rabbis and judges pervert mishpat, it brings to this defilement, God forbid. This is because when mishpat—i.e., “thrones of mishpat” (Psalms 122:5)—is perverted, “loves” fall from the Chariot. Holy love is consigned to the “thrones of mishpat,” i.e., the Chariot, as in “its chariot of purple, suffused with love by the maidens of Yerushalayim” (Song of Songs 3:10). But when the Chariot/“thrones of mishpat” is blemished on account of perverted mishpat, the fallen loves that devolve from there bring to sexual excitation and defilement, God forbid.

Perverted mishpat comes about through the concept of bad tefilin. At times, tefilin /intellects contain dross. This is because the tefilin /intellects are created by elevating the body’s fluids and fatty substances from “his flesh hechtim” to a chotem of Holiness, i.e., tefilin /intellects. Now, certain fluids need to emerge, as with the drop of Esav and Yishamel. When these fatty substances are raised from the level of “his flesh becomes stopped up” to the brain, the dross becomes mixed into the intellects and the tefilin.

{“For the wicked man encircles the righteous man, therefore mishpat emerges me’ukal (crooked)” (Habakkuk 1:4) .} This leads to the corruption of mishpat, as in “the wicked man encircles the righteous man.” In other words, when raising the drop of Esav and Yishmael to the brain causes the dross to penetrate and surround the mind, mishpat becomes corrupted. This is the meaning of “therefore mishpat emerges crooked”—i.e., the corruption of mishpat. For mishpat is a product of the mind, as it is written of Shlomo: “for they recognized that he had within him Godly wisdom to execute mishpat” (1 Kings 3:28). Therefore, when the mind is blemished, mishpat is corrupted.

And corrupting mishpat, as in “mishpat [emerges] crooked,” brings, God forbid, to the aforementioned defilement. This is [hinted at by the word] Me’UKaL (crooked), whose letters spell AMaLeK, through whom there is this defilement, as in “that he polluted you on the way” (Deuteronomy 25:18).

{“He saw Amalek, and he took up his parable and said: Amalek is the first among nations, but its fate is eternal destruction. He saw the Kenite, and he took up his parable and said: Secure is your dwelling; set in the rock is your nest” (Numbers 24:20-21) .} This is the meaning of “He saw the Kenite,” “He saw Amalek.” They are juxtaposed in the Torah because the aforementioned defilement, the defilement associated with Amalek, comes about through converts, as has been fully clarified above.

And this is the concept of mareh (a nocturnal emission) during a dream {since they call this defilement “maren”}. MaREH is an acronym for “Rasha Makhtir Et Hatzaddik (the wicked man encircles the righteous man).” By perverting mishpat, this [encircling] brings about this defilement, as discussed above.

12. And when the perversion of mishpat brings about the aforementioned defilement, the only way to rectify this is by assembling the Chariot. It is necessary to assemble the Chariot, as in “its chariot of ARGaMaN (purple)”—referring to the angels of the Chariot, Refael, Gavriel, and so on, as is brought. One has to bind them together in order to rectify the blemish of the Chariot, from which the fallen loves come.

This is the reason the early sages instituted reciting the “Assembling of the Chariot” before going to sleep: “To my right, Mikhael; to my left, Gavriel….” By assembling the Chariot, one is spared from the aforementioned defilement.

13. This relates conceptually to tekiah, teruah, shevarim :

TeKiAh is the concept of “If the shofar is TaKA (sounded) in a city, do the people not tremble?” (Amos 3:6). This alludes to the body’s trembling, a cool spirit, as in “and the cool spirit of an understanding individual” (Proverbs 17:27). It brings to the rectification of faith by means of “an understanding individual.”

teRuAH is the concept of “Moshe was a RoEH (shepherd)”—i.e., tefilin—the opposite of “ro’eh harlots.”

SheVaRim is the concept of accurate and true dreams. This is as in “the recounting of the dream and ShiVRo (its interpretation)” (Judges 7:15)—i.e., accurate and true dreams.

SheVaRim also signifies the rectification of mishpat, as in “A heart that is niShBaR (broken)” (Psalms 51:19). This refers to dousing the heart to extinguish its excitation, because the heart is like a burning flame, as in “the wild beasts yiShB’Ru (quench) their thirst” (Psalms 104:11).

For when mishpat is corrupted, the fallen loves devolve, and as a result they excite the heart and cause defilement, God forbid, as discussed above. For the heart is the place of mishpat, as it is written, “Aharon bore the mishpat of the Israelites on his heart” (Exodus 28:30). Thus, when mishpat is corrupted, the fallen loves excite the heart and it becomes necessary to douse the heart in order to extinguish the excitation. This is the shevarim, “a heart that is nishbar (broken),” as in “the wild beasts yishb’ru (quench) their thirst”—i.e., the heart is doused and the excitation is extinguished, this being the rectification of mishpat.

14. This is also conceptually related to Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret:

Rosh HaShanah is synonymous with the rectification of faith, as in “Your faith, too, in the assembly of the holy ones” (Psalms 89:6). For that is when all the holy communities gather. As a result, all the facets of faith are gathered together and collected, as in “Your faith, too, in the assembly of the holy ones,” and this brings to the rectification of the intellects. This is the meaning of Rosh HaShanah—specifically rosh (head), referring to the intellects that are made and rectified.

This relates to the five senses of the brain, all of which correspond to Rosh HaShanah. The brain has five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. They all stem from the brain, from which nerves extend to each of these senses. All these senses are also related to Rosh HaShanah, which corresponds to the head and intellects.

The sense of sight with regard to Rosh HaShanah is as in “God your Lord keeps His eyes on it continuously, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:12). At the beginning of the year judgment is issued concerning what will be at its end, because on Rosh HaShanah [God] sees and supervises the entire year, what will be at its end. This is the sense of sight.

Hearing is the concept of God compassionately listening to the sound of the cries, prayers and shofar blasts of His people Israel.

Smell corresponds to “He will breathe of the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:3), as in: “And so, O God our Lord, instill dread of You into all Your works, and awe of You into all that You have created” (High Holiday Liturgy).

Taste corresponds to “Then prepare a tasty dish for me, the way I love it” (Genesis 27:4)—[namely,] from the positive commandments (Tikkuney Zohar #21, p.51a ff). In other words, the sense of taste corresponds to God tasting on Rosh HaShanah all the good deeds of the Jewish people.

Touch is with the hands. Thus it is written about idol worship: “They have hands, but cannot touch” (Psalms 115:7)—for taction is by means of the hands. This is the meaning of: His hand is outstretched to accept those who repent, from Rosh HaShanah until Yom Kippur (cf. Rosh HaShanah 18a). This is the sense of touch.

It follows, that Rosh HaShanah is the rectification of the intellects.

And rectifying the intellects creates the concept of tefilin that cover the mind, because tefilin are the intellects’ shining radiance. This corresponds to the Ten Days of Repentance, for repentance is the idea of “If you extract yakar (the precious) from the vile” (Jeremiah 15:19). This alludes to tefilin, which are called yekar, as is stated: “and yekar” alludes to tefilin, as discussed above. { Tefilin are made through the rectification of the intellects, which is in turn achieved by rectifying and elevating them from “his flesh hechtim” to chotem of Holiness, i.e., intellects/ tefilin. This corresponds to “If you extract the preciousfrom the vile,” which signifies repentance. Understand this; [so] it seems to me.}

And Yom Kippur is when the seal of Holiness is completed. This is the concept of tefilin, the opposite of the seal of the Other Side, as in “and on the Fast of Yom Kippur they are sealed” (Yom Kippur Liturgy). In other words, during the Ten Days of Repentance the tefilin are rectified, and on Yom Kippur their rectification is completed. For it is then that the rectification of the seal of Holiness—i.e., the concept of tefilin—is completed.

Sukkah signifies the rectification of the angel, for SUKkaH has the same numerical value as MaLAKh (angel), alluding to a dream mediated by an angel on account of the intellects’ rectification. This is the reason Sukkot is “the season of our rejoicing”—alluding to the joy associated with tefilin, which strengthens the angel so that the foods cannot cause harm by corrupting dreams. Sukkot is “the Festival of Ingathering” (Rashi, Exodus 23:16), when all types of foods are gathered in. Therefore, joy is needed then to strengthen the angel, which is the rectification of the foods. And so it is “the season of our rejoicing.”

Shemini ATZeRet corresponds to Malkhut, as in “this one yaATZoR (will rule) My people” (1 Samuel 9:17), which was said of a king. It is the rectification of mishpat, as in “O Lord, endow the king with Your mishpat” (Psalms 72:1)—i.e., the rectification of mishpat, as explained previously, through which the aforementioned defilement is eliminated. This is the meaning of what is brought in the holy writings, that on Shemini ATZeRet the feminine principle OTZeRet (retains) the drop of seed. This refers to the rectification of defilement. The aforementioned concepts rectify “his flesh becomes stopped up,” so that the drop of seed is retained in holiness instead of being wasted, as happens when “his flesh becomes stopped up,” God forbid.

15A. And this is conceptually related to a teacher with disciples. A true teacher with [his] disciples brings to and rectifies all the concepts mentioned previously.

When disciples gather around the teacher, the facets of faith are gathered together and collected. This is the reason the studying of a teacher with disciples is called yeShiVah, on account of the gathering together of the facets of faith. This is the concept of “a land noShaVet (inhabited)” (Exodus 16:35), as in “dwell in the land and tend to faith”; the opposite of “an unsown land” (Jeremiah 2:2), which alludes to a blemish of faith. For the teacher supervises each one’s facets of faith, gathering and elevating them, as in “My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, lashevet (that they should dwell) with Me” (Psalms 101:6). “LaSheVet with Me” alludes to yeShiVah, “a land noShaVet.”

This is why those who convert as a result of the gathering of faith, as explained previously, are identified with yeShiVah, as it is written: “He saw the Kenite… and said: Aytan moShaVekha (Secure is your dwelling)” (Numbers 24:21). And this is the meaning of AYTaN—“TaNYA that supports you,” as is brought in the Tikkuney Zohar (#21, p .44a). Yeshivah study is support for converts, because the concept of yeshivah brings them to convert. Through a teacher with [his] disciples, i.e., yeshivah, the facets of faith are gathered together and collected, and so people convert. It follows, that a teacher with [his] disciples rectifies faith.

15B. The mind, too, is renewed and rectified. The teacher rectifies and renews the minds of the disciples, and the disciples renew the mind of the teacher, as [the Sages] said: “… but from my students most of all” (Makkot 10a).

Now, the main time for gathering is on Rosh HaShanah, which, as “head,” corresponds to the rectification of the intellects, as discussed above. And each one illuminates and strengthens the other. In other words, all five senses of the brain are present also in the teacher with [his] disciples when they gather together.

The sense of sight parallels seeing the teacher, as in “your eyes will see your teacher” (Isaiah 30:20), which is a great thing.

Hearing is the concept of “He opened their ears to discipline” (Job 36:10)—i.e., each one hearing the reproof of the teacher.

Smell parallels the exertion and effort each person expends in trekking to reach the teacher. This is synonymous with smell, as in “and the fragrance [in] APeikh (your nose)” (Song of Songs 7:9), and in “APh (Also), my wisdom remained with me” (Ecclesiastes 2:9). Wisdom that became mine through the aph remained with me (Kohelet Rabbah 2:13)—i.e., on account of the exertion and effort. For the only way to receive from the teacher is through exertion and effort. This corresponds to the sense of smell.

Taste parallels each one tasting and experiencing the sweetness in the teacher’s pleasing words.

Touch signifies the hands, as discussed above. This alludes to the expenditures each person has, that he must spend his earnings in order to reach the teacher. This is the sense of touch, the hands—i.e., the labor of his hands.

It follows, that here, too, as on Rosh HaShanah, the five senses are rectified. And each one illuminates and strengthens the other. There are times when the five senses associated with Rosh HaShanah are weak, and are strengthened by these five senses of a teacher with [his] disciples. So, too, the other way round. And the concept of tefilin , the seal of Holiness, too, is rectified through them, as in “seal the Torah in [the hearts of] My disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).

This corresponds to that which our Sages, of blessed memory, taught:

When the Rabbis stood up after Rav Huna’s discourses, they shook out glimyhu (their cloaks) and the ananei (clouds) rose [so high] that they obscured the day {i.e., the sun} (Ketuvot 106a ; see there) .

In other words, when the disciples would stand up from the yeshivah of their teacher, Rav Huna, they shook out their cloaks . This refers to clothing, which signifies pride, as in “God reigns, He is clothed in grandeur” (Psalms 93:1)—i.e., they shook out and removed haughtiness. This is because the yeshivah of the teacher with the disciples rectifies the seal of Holiness, which is the antithesis of haughtiness, as discussed above.

And this is: GLiMYhu— [The letters that spell] GaLMY are an acronym for “YHVH Malakh Gei’ut Lavesh (God reigns, He is clothed in grandeur),” the concept of haughtiness. They subdued and removed it.

And this is: and the clouds rose— This alludes to rectifying the Covenant by removing “his flesh becomes stopped up” and elevating it to the concept of tefilin /intellects, as discussed above. This is the meaning of “the clouds rose,” as in “When the rainbow is in the cloud” (Genesis 9:16), which alludes to rectification of the Covenant.

And this is: ANaN (cloud)— An acronym for “N’divei Amim Ne’esafu (The nobles of the nations gathered)” (Psalms 47:10), which alludes to converts. For the rectification of converts brings to the rectification of the Covenant, as discussed above. And when the Covenant is rectified—i.e., when “his flesh becomes stopped up” is elevated to the level of intellects—the concept of tefilin that cover the mind is created (see Tikkuney Zohar #69, p.115b).

And this is: they obscured the day, i.e., the sun— This alludes to the concept of tefilin that cover the mind, which corresponds to the sun. This is Moshe, as in: Moshe’s face is like the face of the sun (Bava Batra 75a), for Moshe is synonymous with daat, as discussed above.

15C. {“Sweet is the sleep of the working man (Metukah shnat ha’oveid), whether he eats little or much” (Ecclesiastes 5:11) .} And when the mind is rectified to the level of Moshe/ tefilin, then even when Moshe passes away, i.e., when the intellects depart, the vestige that remains, which is the concept of sleep, is also very good. This is as in “Metukah Shnat Ha’oveid (Sweet is the sleep of the working man)”—the first letters of which spell MoSheH.

Because the intellects are not permanently fixed, there are times when the teacher experiences a departure of the intellects. The same is true of the disciples. The period of departure corresponds to the passing of Moshe/ daat, the concept of sleep. But when the intellects are rectified by means of yeshivah, then even the departure of daat, which is Moshe passing away and sleep—even the sleep is sweet and good, as in “Sweet is the sleep of the working man.” This is because rectifying the intellects/Moshe rectifies sleep, corresponding to a dream mediated by an angel, as discussed above.

This is the meaning of “Sweet is the sleep of the working man”—specifically “sweet,” alluding to concept of sweet waters. This refers to the rectification of the Covenant, which is sweet waters (see Likutey Moharan I, 50:1), the opposite of a blemished Covenant, which is bitter waters, i.e., the blemish caused by the aforementioned defilement, God forbid. But by rectifying the intellects, sleep becomes sweet—the concept of sweet waters, rectification of the Covenant.

And this is the meaning of “whether he eats little or much”—i.e., he is not harmed by eating, which brings to the aforementioned defilement in a dream, God forbid, as discussed above. This is because rectification of the intellects rectifies the concept of sleep. Rectifying the intellects causes sleep, which is the departure of daat , to likewise be very good and sweet.

In truth, it is particularly necessary to set aside the mind. People have to discard all sophisticated ideas and serve God with simplicity. A person’s practices should exceed his scholarship (Avot 3:9) ; action is the main thing, not the study (ibid. 1:17). It is therefore necessary to set aside all wisdom, and to worship God with simplicity, without any sophisticated ideas. This is obviously so for the foolish “wisdom” of the average person, but even applies to genuine wisdom. When it comes to serving God, even someone who in truth has a great mind, must discard all sophisticated ideas and serve Him with simplicity.

It may even be necessary to behave in ways and do things that seem mad in order to serve God, as in “you will be insane with love of her always” (Proverbs 5:19). On account of people’s love for God, they have to [be willing to] do things that seem crazy in order to fulfill His commandments and carry out His Will. They have to [be willing to] roll around in all sorts of mud and mire for the sake of His worship and His mitzvot. This does not apply only to an explicit mitzvah. Anything that bears God’s Will is called a mitzvah. For there are six hundred thirteen commandments, and these six hundred thirteen commandments have many branches. Thus anything that bears God’s Will, through which one pleases his Father in heaven, is a mitzvah, and one must throw oneself into all sorts of mud and mire to give God a bit of pleasure and nachat.

And so, when one’s love for God is so strong that he sets aside all his wisdom and throws himself in mud and mire for His worship and to give Him a bit of nachat, it benefits the intellects. This is because he then merits entering into the mystery of even that which is beyond the intellects, that which even Moshe could not enter into the mystery of in his lifetime—namely, the concept of “the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper” (see Berakhot 7a). This suggests a perversion of mishpat, for it appears to be a miscarriage of the law, God forbid, and even Moshe failed to enter into the mystery of this while he was alive.

In other words, even when the mind is intact and not set aside, which signifies Moshe while alive—for departed intellects/sleep corresponds to Moshe-departed, as discussed above, whereas existent intellects, when the intellects are present and do not depart, correspond to Moshe-alive—even then one cannot enter into the aforementioned mystery, i.e., the reason why the righteous suffer…. But, because his love for God is so strong that he throws himself in mud and mire and rolls around there in order to serve God, and he literally serves like a slave for the sake of His love, he can then enter into the mystery of what even those with Moshe-alive/existent intellects cannot—namely, “the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper.”

For there is the concept of “son,” one who searches in the King’s treasuries as would a son (see Zohar III, 111b), and there is the concept of “slave,” one who serves merely as he is told to, and is forbidden to inquire after the reasons for his toiling because he is obliged to do his duty, i.e., the work he has been given to carry out.

But then there is a son who loves his father so much that, because of his love, he serves like a slave, doing what a lowly slave must do. He jumps onto great siege-mounds, into the thick of the battle, and rolls in mud and mire to please his father, things which not even a lowly slave would do.

And when his father sees that his love is so strong that he is willing to reduce himself to total enslavement for the sake of his love, he reveals to him that which is not even disclosed to a son. Because even a son who searches in the royal treasuries is forbidden entry to certain places, i.e., there are mysteries that even the son cannot enter into. But when the son sets aside his wisdom and reduces himself to slavery, his father shows him compassion and reveals to him that which is not disclosed even to a son—i.e., the concept of “the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper” is revealed to him, which even Moshe could not enter into the mystery of in his lifetime.

{“I will have mercy on them the way a man has mercy on his son who serves him. Then you will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him ” (Malachi 3:17-18) .} This is the meaning of “I will have mercy on them the way a man has mercy on his son who serves him.” Specifically “who serves him”—i.e., the concept of a son who reduces himself to slavery, setting aside his wisdom and acting like a slave. This is the meaning of “his son who serves him”—he behaves like a slave, and so “I will have mercy on him.” For when God sees that his love is so strong, He has compassion for him and He shows and reveals to him the concept of “the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper.” This is the meaning of “Then you will return and see the difference between the righteous and the wicked”—i.e., through this he merits entering into the mystery of “the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper.”

15D. And this is the rectification of mishpat, because he merits entering into the mystery of “the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper,” which appears to be a perversion of mishpat. But now that he merits entering into the mystery of and understanding this, it is a rectification of mishpat.

It follows, that a true teacher with [his] disciples brings to and rectifies all the concepts mentioned previously.

16. And this is conceptually related to the lungs. When the lungs are healthy, all the concepts mentioned previously are likewise brought about. For the lungs are cool and moist. Cool corresponds to “the cool spirit of an understanding individual,” the rectification of faith by means of an understanding individual, as discussed above. Moist corresponds to the fluids and fatty substances that rise to the brain and become the concept of tefilin, as discussed above.

Healthy lungs also correspond to the rectification of sleep. Sleep is generated by the lungs, because the lungs are cool and moist, which are essential to sleep. Therefore, the time for sleep is when it rains, since a person finds it very pleasant to sleep then. This is because the rains, being cool and moist, [fill the air with] coolness and moisture. In the morning, too, sleep is pleasant. The dew descends then and as a result [the air] is cool and moist. Thus sleep is pleasant then as well. It follows, that the lungs, which are cool and moist, correspond to the rectification of sleep.

In addition, RaY’Ah (the lung) is so named because it me’IYRat (brings light to) the eyes, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Chullin 49a). This alludes to joy, as in “That which brings light to the eyes gladdens the heart” (Proverbs 15:30)—i.e., the rectification of joy, which is the strengthening of the angel, as discussed above.

Healthy lungs also correspond to the rectification of mishpat. For the heart is the place of mishpat, as it is written, “Aharon bore the mishpat of the Israelites on his heart.” Thus, when mishpat is corrupted, causing the fallen loves to devolve from the Chariot, the heart becomes excited, as discussed above. It follows, that the heart’s excitation is the corruption of mishpat. But the lungs fan the heart and cool the excitation—this being the rectification of mishpat.

This is the meaning of “He blows His wind, the waters flow” (Psalms 147:18). In other words, the lungs blowing wind on the heart and cooling the heart’s excitation rectifies mishpat. This is the meaning of “the waters flow,” as in “Let mishpat cascade like water” (Amos 5:24), which alludes to the rectification of mishpat.

This is also the meaning of “ray’ah is so named because it me’iyrat the eyes.” It corresponds to: A judge has only what his eyes see (Sanhedrin 6b)—this being the rectification of mishpat. This is Me’IYRaT: an acronym for “Tokho Ratzuf Ahavah Me’bnot Yerushalayim (suffused with love by the maidens of Jerusalem).” It refers to the rectification of mishpat, the rectification of the Chariot, to which holy love is consigned, as in “its chariot of purple, suffused with love by the maidens of Yerushalayim,” as discussed above.

This is as in “can your mishpat, [as] light, emerge?” (Hosea 6:5), and as we say: “and bring forth our mishpat, as light” (Rosh HaShanah Liturgy). In other words, by means of the lungs—i.e., bringing light to the eyes— mishpat is rectified, as in “and bring forth our mishpat, as light.”

17. This is the explanation of: Rav Ashi taught: Huna bar Natan told me [the following story]: Once, we were going in the wilderness and we had with us atma d’bisra (shank meat). P’tachna (We cut it open) and nakrina (porged it) and placed it on herbs [for roasting]. While we were bringing tzivey (wood), the shank chalim (recombined), u-t’vinan (and we roasted it). When we returned after twelve months of the year, we saw that those same coals were still glowing. When I came before Ameimar [and related this story], he said to me: “Those herbs were samatrei; those coals were of ritma (broom)” (Bava Batra 74b) .

In other words, he related that he was once going in the wilderness . This alludes to the rectification of faith, as in “your having followed Me into the wilderness, into an unsown land” (Jeremiah 2:2). “An unsown land” alludes to a blemish of faith, on account of which the seeds are ruined, as discussed above. But “your having followed Me into the wilderness” is the rectification of faith, for they had faith in God and followed Him in the wilderness, thus rectifying the concept of “an unsown land”—i.e., the fall of faith.

and we had with us atma d’bisra— Atma bisra (shank meat) alludes to converts, who are “uncircumcised basar (flesh)” (Ezekiel 44:7). Through them comes the concept “his flesh hechtim (becomes stopped up),” as discussed above. This is the meaning of ATMei meat: it alludes to “uncircumcised flesh,” as in “his flesh heChTiM.” For elevating fallen faith makes converts, through whom the seal of the Other Side is strengthened, God forbid—the concept of “his flesh becomes stopped up,” as discussed above.

u’PaTChinan — We rectified the concept of “his flesh hechtim,” and this made the chotem of Holiness, the concept of “PiTuChey chotem (seal engravings): ‘Holy to God’” (Exodus 28:36)—i.e., the rectification of the intellects, as discussed above.

v’NaKRinan — This is as in “I will put you b’NiKRat (in the cleft of) the rock,” which alludes to constricting the intellects so that they do not go beyond the boundary, as discussed above.

and placed it on herbs— “Herbs” alludes to all manner of food, as it is written “like the green herbage, I have given all to you” (Genesis 9:3). It follows, that “herbs” connotes the generality of foods. This is “and placed it on herbs”—i.e., after rectifying the intellects, we applied ourselves to the herbs, namely, the foods, in order to rectify them and keep them from causing harm and blemishing the dream, God forbid. This rectification—i.e., the rectification of the foods—is achieved by strengthening the angel, which is strengthened through renewing Divine Will, through joy, as discussed above. And this is:

While we were bringing TZiVeY— This is as in “He does khmiTZV’Yeh (as He wishes) with the host of Heaven,” namely, the renewal of Divine Will. In other words, we wanted to bring Divine Will, the renewal of which strengthens the angel and thus rectifies the foods.

And this is: While we were bringing tzivey, [the shank] chalim— While we were occupied with rectifying the foods through the renewal of Divine Will, we dreamed a dream. This is ChaLiM, which is etymologically similar to ChaLoM (a dream). Chalim also connotes binding and combining, because the dream was a combination of two forces—the power of the angel and the power of the demon—since the foods had yet to be rectified.

And this is: u-t’ vinan — This connotes fasting. We fasted, because fasting brings joy, this being the rectification of the dream, as discussed above.

When we returned after twelve months of the year— That is, we returned and came to the month of Nissan, which is after the twelve months of the year because Nissan is the beginning of the months and the new year for kings. And it is then that the angel is strengthened, as discussed above.

Nevertheless, we saw that those same coals were still glowing— Even after the twelve months of the year, which is Nissan, all the same, the coals were still burning. This alludes to the excitation of the heart that brings to the aforementioned defilement, God forbid. In actual fact, the angel is strengthened in Nissan, and by rights that defilement should be entirely eliminated.

When I came before Ameimar, he said: “Those herbs were samatrei”— In other words, the foods/herbs were sam trei (two potions), a combination of two forces: the potion of life and the potion of death—i.e., the power of the angel and the power of the demon, as discussed above. This is because before the foods are rectified, the demon’s power is mixed into them. They are then the concept of samatrei : sam trei, for they are comprised of two forces, the angel’s power and the demon’s power. This is the meaning of “That herb was samatrei.”

those coals were of ritma— As Rashi explains, RiTMa is RoTeM (broom). This alludes to the rectification of the Chariot, as in “R’ToM (Firmly assemble) the chariot” (Micah 1:13). In other words, Ameimar informed him that the excitation comes from the Chariot being blemished by the perversion of mishpat, as discussed above. The only way to rectify this is by assembling the Chariot, as in “Firmly assemble the chariot.” And this is:

RiYTMA— It is an acronym for Tokho Ratzuf Ahavah Me’bnot Yerushalayim—that the aforementioned excitation stems from the fall of this love, and rectification is only through the concept of “R’tom the chariot,” i.e., assembling the Chariot, as in “its chariot of purple, suffused with love by the maidens of Yerushalayim,” as discussed above.

18. And this is the meaning of [the opening verses]: “Tik’u (Sound) vachodesh shofar (the shofar at the moon’ s renewal), [bakeseh (when [the moon] is covered over) on our festive day. For it is a chok (statute) for Israel, a mishpat unto the Lord of Yaakov.]”

TiK’U — This is “If a shofar is TaKA (sounded) in a city, are the people not frightened?” It alludes to the body’s trembling, “the cool spirit of an understanding individual”—i.e., the understanding individual through whom faith is rectified, as discussed above.

vaChoDeSh shofar — with self-glorification ChaDaSh (new); that is, the self-glorification and new pride which is revealed. This refers to the converts made by elevating fallen faith, who instill pride in the Jewish people. And this is:

bakeseh on our festive day— baKeSeh alludes to the tefilin, which are m’KhaSin (cover) the mind. The aforementioned pride is transformed into tefilin by the Guardians of the Earth who rectify and elevate the blemish of haughtiness, “his flesh becomes stopped up,” and turn it into a seal of Holiness/ tefilin, as discussed above. And this is:

on our festive day— Rosh HaShanah, which is rosh and intellects. All the aforementioned concepts are achieved then.

For it is a chok for Israel— The word chok denotes sustenance (Beitzah 16a), alluding to the rectification of the foods, as discussed above.

a mishpat unto the Lord of Yaakov— This alludes to the rectification of mishpat, as discussed above.

19. This relates above, to the verse: “I will have mercy on them [the way a man has mercy on his son who serves him].”

It is truly a very great thing to discard all one’s sophisticated ideas and conduct oneself with simplicity, serving like a slave in order to serve God with purity, without any sophisticated ideas. This relates to the mysteries of Torah, in which the Torah is hidden and concealed. In actual fact, the simple acts one performs certainly contain very exalted Torah, though this is not known. It follows, that the Torah they contain is hidden and concealed—i.e., the concept of Torah mysteries.

{“How lovely are your steps in sandals, O daughter of nobility! Your rounded thighs are like chala’im (ornaments), the work of a master’ s hand” (Song of Songs 7:2) .} The Torah’s mysteries are “your rounded thighs”—just as the thigh is kept concealed, so too, the words of Torah are kept concealed, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Sukkah 49b). This is the rectification of mishpat, as in “your rounded thighs are like ChaLa’im”—these are the shitin (caverns), which are meChoLaLin (hollow) and descend to the depths (as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught in Sukkah 49a). This is as in “Your mishpat, a great deep” (Psalms 36:7)—i.e., mishpat, which has fallen to the depths.

But by means of the aforementioned acts of service—which are Torah mysteries/“your rounded thighs”/the shitin, which are hollow down to the depths—they break through, descending to the depths and raising the mishpat from its fall, from “Your mishpat, a great deep.”

This is as in “Deep calls to deep” (Psalms 42:8), and as our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: When the water libations are poured during the festival, one deep says to another, “Let your waters gush forth” (Taanit 25b). In other words, the deeps call to one another to return the mishpat that has fallen to them. This is so that the mishpat might be restored and rectified, as in “Let mishpat well up like water.”

This is the meaning of “Let your waters gush forth,” as in “Let mishpat well up like water.” In other words, they should gush forth and return the mishpat that has fallen to them, so that it might be rectified, as in “Let mishpat well up like water.” It follows, that performing deeds and acts of service with simplicity rectifies mishpat.