(Connecting the Torah’s start with its end.)

Bereishit (“In the beginning”)—l’einei kol Yisrael (“before the eyes of all Israel”)

There are clouds which cover the eyes. As is brought, these are Greater Rome and Minor Rome (Zohar III, 252a). And this is the concept of “The clouds return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2)—this refers to eyesight, which is weakened as a result of weeping, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Shabbat 151b). On account of weeping, the light of the eyes weakens and fades away.

And this is the concept of the light going down in the West. For the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It follows, that “west” signifies the descent of the light. This is all on account of weeping, which causes the light of the eyes to fade away—namely, the concept of the light going down.

MaARaV (West) is thus an acronym for “Rachel M’vakah Al Banehah (weeps for her children)” (Jeremiah 31:15; as brought in the teachings of the Ari). For the Shekhinah (Divine Presence) is in the West (Bava Batra 25a), and the Shekhinah weeps and moans, as it were, over the Jewish people, as in “Rachel weeps for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, who are gone.” She weeps over the suffering of the Jewish people, who are dispersed among the nations and are gone from their place.

Therefore, the light’s descent is in the west. For weeping causes the light of the eyes to fade away, which is the concept of the light going down, as mentioned above.

This is also the concept of the Kotel HaMaaravi (Western Wall), which is where the Shekhinah weeps and moans over the destruction of the Temple, for there, in maarav , “Rachel weeps for her children,” as mentioned above.

Now, there are “luminaries of light” and “luminaries of fire” (Zohar I, 20b). They are opposites, such that when the luminaries of light are strong, then the luminaries of fire are subdued. And, so too, in reverse, God forbid; when the luminaries of light are subdued and removed, God forbid, then the luminaries of fire become powerful. This is the concept of the Holy Temple’s destruction, the concept of “From on high He sent a fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13). The luminaries of fire grew powerful due to the removal of the luminaries of light, as in “Rachel weeps over her children,” for the weeping is the departure of the luminaries of light, and then, God forbid, the luminaries of fire become powerful, the concept of “From on high He sent a fire…,” as mentioned above.

2A. Now, this is the concept of concealment, the disappearance of the beauty and splendor of the entire world. For there is a tzaddik who is the beauty, splendor and grace of the entire world, as in “And Yosef was beautiful in appearance and beautiful to look at” (Genesis 39:6) ; the concept of “a most beautiful sight, joy of all the earth” (Psalms 48:3). This true tzaddik, who is the concept of Yosef, is the majesty and the beauty of the entire world.

And when this beauty and splendor is revealed in the world—i.e., when this tzaddik who is the beauty and splendor of the entire world becomes renowned and important in the world—then people’s eyes are opened. Whoever is encompassed in the genuine grace of that tzaddik who is the grace and the beauty of the world—i.e., he gets closer to him and becomes included in him—his eyes are opened and he can see.

And the main thing is that he examines himself. This is as was explained above (Lesson #66), that [a person comes to introspection] by getting close to a true tzaddik. For he is the concept of “the tzaddik is the yesod (foundation) of the world,” the simple yesod (element) from which the four elements derive, as in “Now a river issues out of Eden to water the garden and from there separates into four heads” (Genesis 2:10). “Now a river issues out of Eden” is the concept of “the tzaddik is the yesod of the world,” the simple yesod, “and from there it separates into four heads,” i.e., the four yesodot, which derive from the tzaddik. Thus, when a person gets close to him, it is right that it lead him to introspection, to see where he stands in the various facets of his character. This is because all the character traits stem from the four elements, as is known. And the four elements derive from the tzaddik.

Therefore, when this tzaddik, who is the world’s grace and beauty, is revealed, the eyes of whoever draws close and is encompassed in this genuine grace are opened. He examines himself and sees where he stands in the various character traits, which derive from the four yesodot , which in turn derive from the tzaddik, as mentioned above. And he can also see and look at God’s greatness, and at the world, as a result of his eyes being opened by the revelation of the true tzaddik’s splendor.

For when this tzaddik is revealed and becomes renowned in the world, it is the concept of “a name”—i.e., he becomes famous and has a name in the world. And enclothed within this name of the true tzaddik and associated with it is God’s Name, because His name is associated with our name (Yerushalmi, Taanit 2:6). It follows, that when the tzaddik’s name becomes important, God’s Name is made great. And the more significant the tzaddik’s name becomes, the greater God’s Name becomes, as it were, since His name is associated with ours.

Now, God’s Name is the concept of “God is One and His Name is One” (Zechariah 14:9). For His Name, may it be blessed, is a simple unity. However, below, the concept of the four elements devolves from His Name. This is because “His Name is One” refers to the four letters of the Name. Therefore, below, the concept of the four elements devolves from His Name.

What initially devolves from the four letters of the Name is the concept of the three colors of the eye and the pupil. After that, [His Name] devolves to become the four elements. But before that, it devolves as the aspect of “the tzaddik is the yesod of the world,” for it is from him that all the four yesodot derive.

This is the meaning of “See, God called by name Betzalel” (Exodus 35:30). Specifically, “See”—as a result of the name “Betzalel” being revealed and important, “See,” because through this the eyes are opened and people see, as mentioned above. This is “God called by name Betzalel”—i.e., because God is in Betzalel’s name, for His name is associated with our name, and as a result “See.” For vision, too, derives from the concept of the Name, i.e., the four letters from which the three colors of the eye and the pupil derive.

And this is the concept of ShaBbaT—Shin BaT. Shin alludes to the three colors of the eye; BaT ayin (the pupil) (Tikkuney Zohar #70, p.126b). For Shabbat is the Name of the Blessed Holy One (Zohar II, 88b). The tzaddik, too, is the concept of Shabbat, as it is written: You are the Shabbat of all the days (Zohar III, 144b). And this is “See that God has given you the Shabbat” (Exodus 16:29). Specifically, “See”—because Shabbat, which is the Holy One’s Name, is the concept of vision: three colors of the eye and the pupil, as mentioned above.

This is why wherever the Holy Temple’s construction is mentioned, Shabbat is mentioned, as it is written, “My Shabbats you shall keep and My Sanctuary you shall revere” (Leviticus 19:30). So, too, wherever He cautioned concerning the construction of the Tabernacle, He first cautioned concerning Shabbat. This is because Shabbat illuminates the Holy Temple, for the Temple is also the concept of eyes, as it is written (Ezekiel 24:21), “the pride of your strength, your eyes’ delight” (Bava Batra 4a). Shabbat is the concept of the colors that shine in the Holy Temple. For Shabbat is the concept of vision, the three colors of the eye and the pupil that illuminate the Holy Temple, the concept of eyes.

This is also the concept of mentalities. Initially, from the concept of God’s Name, which is comprised of four letters, the four mentalities are made. This is the concept of “And I filled him with the spirit of the Lord in wisdom and in understanding and in knowledge and in every craft” (Exodus 31:3). “Wisdom,” “understanding,” “knowledge” and “every craft” are the concept of the four mentalities (as brought in the Tikkuney Zohar, Introduction, p.13b) . They are made from the concept of God’s Name, as it is written, “See, God called by name Betzalel…. And I filled him… in wisdom and in understanding….” Then later, the concept of the three colors of the eye and the pupil is made, followed by the four elements, as mentioned above.

2B. It is on this account that the tzaddikim are called “the eyes of the congregation” (Numbers 15:24; see Bava Batra 4a), because it is through them that the eyes are opened, as mentioned above.

And so, when the true tzaddik’s splendor and beauty are revealed, and his name becomes important—this being the concept of making the Blessed One’s Name great, as it were, through which the mentalities and vision are created, and the eyes are opened—then the world has a master-of-the-house who watches over it. This is the concept of BeReIShYT—ROSh BaYiT (Tikkuney Zohar #3, p.18b). Rosh (head) alludes to the mentalities. BaYiT (house) alludes to the BeYT hamikdash (Holy Temple), whose existence depends primarily on the concept of the mentalities, the concept of the three colors of the eye and the pupil/Shabbat, which illuminates the Holy Temple, as mentioned above.

Bayit is also the concept of the batim (compartments) of the tefilin, where the mentalities are housed, the concept of “And I filled him with the spirit of the Lord, with wisdom, understanding and knowledge, and with every craft.” Specifically “And I filled”—the concept of the compartments which the mentalities fill. And thus there is a master-of-the-house, the concept of rosh bayit (head of the house), who administrates the bayit’s repairs, for it is through this that the Beit HaMikdash is repaired, as mentioned above.

3. However, the exact opposite happens, God forbid, when someone in whom God’s Name is completely absent becomes renowned, God forbid. And when this one’s name becomes famous and important, God’s Name is diminished and concealed, as it were. Then name-diviners and Kedars, who are known as Tatars, become important in the world, and things come into existence, God forbid, which depend upon the names of impurity. All this is the opposite of the Name of God, for God’s Name has become concealed, God forbid.

And then, the luminaries of light—which are the concept of the light of the eyes, the three colors of the eye and the pupil which derive from God’s Name—are removed and subdued, God forbid. And when the luminaries of light are subdued, the luminaries of fire become stronger. This leads to fires becoming prevalent in the world, God forbid—on account of the names of these false leaders becoming predominant and important, which causes God’s Name to be concealed, God forbid, so that the luminaries of light are subdued and the luminaries of fire become stronger, as in “From on high He sent a fire.” This is the concept of the burning of the Holy Temple, which likewise came about due to the departure of the luminaries of light, which in turn causes the luminaries of fire to become stronger.

4. {“God vented all His fury, poured out His fierce wrath; He kindled a fire in Zion which consumed its yesodot (foundations)” (Lamentations 4:11).} This is the concept of “He kindled a fire in Zion which consumed its yesodot .” “Its yesodot” alludes to the four yesodot (elements), which derive from the luminaries of light—from the three colors of the eye and the pupil. They were consumed and burned when “He kindled a fire in Zion”—through the luminaries of fire becoming stronger, as mentioned above.

5. Now see, that which has passed is no longer, for our Holy Temple has already burned down. However, at this time, with God looking forward to returning to us and rebuilding our Holy Temple, we ought not obstruct its building, God forbid, but instead exert ourselves in its construction. This is why a person has to be very careful to get up at midnight in order to mourn the Holy Temple’s destruction. For perhaps in the first incarnation he was responsible for its destruction. Even if not, it could still be that he is now obstructing the building of the Holy Temple, and so is regarded as if he caused its destruction.

Therefore, a person has to be very careful to get up at midnight in order to greatly mourn the Holy Temple’s destruction. And God has promised anyone who mourns for Zion “to place for the mourners of Zion splendor instead of ashes” (Isaiah 61:3). Specifically, “Pe’ER (splendor) instead of EiPheR (ashes).” “Splendor” alludes to the concept of mentalities/tefilin/ rosh bayit /the spectrum of colors/three colors of the eye and the pupil/luminaries of light/Shabbat, which shines into the Holy Temple, as mentioned above. “Instead of ashes”—“ashes” alludes to luminaries of fire {the opposite of the aforementioned}. In other words, the luminaries of fire, through which the Holy Temple was burned down, are subdued, and the luminaries of light, which preserve the Holy Temple, become powerful. This is the meaning of “splendor instead of ashes.”

{“Lo T’vaaru Aish B’khol Moshvoteikhem (You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwelling places) on the Shabbat day” (Exodus 35:3).} It follows, that by virtue of one’s mourning the Holy Temple, he subdues the luminaries of fire, and the luminaries of light, which are the concept of Shabbat, become powerful. This is MiTABeL (mourns)—an acronym for Lo T’vaaru Aish B’khol Moshvoteikhem. Because of people’s mourning, the luminaries of fire are subdued, as mentioned above. And this is “on the Shabbat day,” for as a result the luminaries of light shine—the concept of Shabbat/three colors of the eye and the pupil, which shine into the Holy Temple, as in “My Shabbat you shall keep and My Sanctuary you shall revere,” as mentioned above.

And this is as it is written, “to do the Shabbat l’DoRotam (for their generations)” (Exodus 31:16)—concerning which our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: it is spelled l’DiRatam, connoting DiRah (a dwelling) (Zohar III, 243b; Tikkuney Zohar #24, p.70a). In other words, Shabbat, which is the concept of luminaries of light, brings to dirah—i.e., the concept of the Holy Temple, whose existence is engendered by Shabbat, as mentioned above. It also alludes to a literal dwelling, because through Shabbat/luminaries of light, the luminaries of fire are subdued and people are saved from fires, as mentioned above. It follows, that Jewish dwellings are preserved through Shabbat, as mentioned above.

6. And this is BeReIShYT—ROSh BaYiT. It refers to the world’s master-of-the-house, namely, the true tzaddik, who is the beauty and the splendor of the world. He is the concept of Yosef, as in “As for Yosef, he was the regent, he was the provider…” (Genesis 42:6), the concept of rosh bayit, the world’s master-of-the-house. For it is due to him that the Beit HaMikdash and Jewish houses and dwellings are preserved, as mentioned above. Thus, when the name of this tzaddik, who is the rosh bayit, becomes important, the eyes of the Jewish people are opened, as mentioned above.

Thus, this is Bereishit (“In the beginning”)—l’einei kol Yisrael (“before the eyes of all Israel”). “Bereishit” refers to rosh bayit, the aforementioned tzaddik, who is the splendor of the world, as mentioned above. Through him, “the eyes of all Israel” are opened, as mentioned above.

7. This is also the concept of a eulogy for the passing of the tzaddik. This is because Bereishit is a eulogy for Noach—i.e., the preceding teaching on Bereishit is a eulogy for the passing of the tzaddik, who is the concept of Noach. It speaks of the concept of concealment, the disappearance of the Jewish people’s splendor—i.e., that the tzaddik, who is the Jewish people’s splendor, is removed and concealed.

Now see, the tzaddik who passed away loses nothing on account of his being concealed and removed. For even though he becomes concealed and removed from here, he is great and splendid there, in the World to Come, the concept of “Noach walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). But it is a very great pity on the orphaned generation that remains behind and on the offspring, i.e., the children who remain behind. Of them it is said, as if lamenting: “These are the offspring of Noach” (ibid.). It is like one who laments, saying: “These are the offspring and the children of the tzaddik”—the concept of Noach—“who has passed away, and these are the offspring, the orphans who remain behind.”

8. For know! all the generations derive from the tzaddik who is the head, the concept of rosh bayit, the world’s master-of-the-house, as in “Who proclaims the generations from the rosh (start)” (Isaiah 41:4)—for all the generations derive from the rosh, i.e., the aforementioned tzaddik.

And so, when there is such a tzaddik who is the rosh bayit, there is the concept rosh and also the concept bayit. And then all of us—i.e., everyone in the generation—are the concept of members-of-the-house. But when this rosh, who is the splendor/God’s Name, is removed and concealed, then the names of impurity of the external forces become overpowering, God forbid. This is the concept of false leaders, as mentioned above.

{“Oh how the gold has become dull. The finest gold has been defaced. The hallowed stones have been strewn about at the head of every chutzot (street). The precious children of Zion, once valued as gold, alas, they are accounted as earthen jugs, the work of a potter’s hands” (Lamentations 4:1-2) . They are also the concept of the rosh of the Other Side, which is the antithesis of the aforementioned rosh of holiness, the concept of “the head of every ChuTZot,” which is the rosh of the Other Side/false leaders/the name of impurity of the ChiTZonim (outside forces), God forbid. And then there is no house, and people stray about ChuTZot, God forbid. Thus it is called “the rosh of every chutzot,” because, God forbid, the rosh bayit has vanished, and so there is no house and people stray about outside, God forbid.

Concerning this it is said: “Hallowed stones have been strewn about at the head of every street. The precious children of Zion, once valued as gold….” In other words, the holy people Israel stray about, God forbid, “at the head of every chutzot,” because the rosh bayit—i.e., the true tzaddik—has been removed and concealed. And [his] opposite, who is the concept of the impure name of the ChiTZonim, and “the rosh of every ChuTZot,” has become powerful, God forbid.

Thus the prophet Yirmiyahu would lament and cherish the Jewish blood which had been spilled, and he would share in their suffering. He saw the Jewish people being led in chains, their hands bound behind them and the millstone around their necks, and joined them. And for every drop of Jewish blood he lamented: “The precious children of Zion, once valued as gold…. Hallowed stones have been strewn about….”

This is also: “These are the offspring of Noach”—as if lamenting the offspring who remain, as mentioned above. And this is: “Noach, a tzaddik, he was perfect”—i.e., he was, but passed away…, as mentioned above.

Now see, all the generations derive from the tzaddik who is the rosh, the concept of “proclaims the generations from the rosh,” as mentioned above. And this is the concept of “These are the offspring of Noach”—all the offspring, i.e., the generations, derive from Noach, who is the tzaddik, the concept rosh, as in “proclaims the generations from the rosh,” as mentioned above.

9. And know! the etrog’s beauty, too, derives from the aforementioned rosh. This is the meaning of “proclaims HaDoRot (the generations) from the rosh,” the concept of the etrog’s HiDuR (beauty) , which also derives from the aforementioned rosh—i.e., the aforementioned tzaddik, who is the head, splendor and hidur of the world, as mentioned above.

Now see, the main beauty is Israel. For although Cham and Yefet are also Noach’s offspring, Israel, who stems from the descendants of Shem, is the main beauty. This is the concept of “beautifying a mitzvah is up to a third” (Bava Kama 9b)—this alludes to Shem, who was the third of the three sons of Noach (see Sanhedrin 111a), who is the main beauty and splendor. He is also the concept of shem (name). Specifically, shem—the Holy Shem (Name), the concept of splendor and beauty, as mentioned above.

(Understand well how to tie in all of this with what has been explained in the above lesson, “Bereishit,” and in Lesson #66, because it is all connected. Carefully study there.)

10. This relates above: “Rachel weeps over her children”—the concept of a beautiful maiden who has no eyes (Zohar II, 95a). For “Rachel was beautiful in appearance and beautiful to look at” (Genesis 39:6). Therefore, the begetting of offspring by the tzaddik—who is the concept of Yosef, who was “beautiful in appearance and beautiful to look at,” the splendor and beauty of the world, as mentioned above—stems primarily from Rachel. But now, in exile, following the destruction, she is in the aspect of “Rachel weeps over her children” and so is “a beautiful maiden who has no eyes,” because weeping causes the light of the eyes to depart. Understand this well.

This unites well the aforegoing lesson, which starts with the topic of “Rachel weeps over her children” and then speaks of concealment, the disappearance of the tzaddik, who is the splendor and the beauty, the concept of Yosef, as in “Yosef was beautiful in appearance….” For it is all one matter, because the begetting of offspring by the tzaddik, who is the concept of Yosef, etc., stems primarily from Rachel, etc., as mentioned above.