Sayings of The Maagid
By zevi770 · January 25, 2017
56
When you speak, imagine that this is Hashem, and this elevates the speech.
57
Just as though both a father and mother equally love the child, but to educate the child the father may hide his love and be strict, and meanwhile simultaneously the mother may wipe the tears, so to, there are two layers to God.
58
When we say words of prayer, we should intend that they attach to their source (namely God) this is the meaning that on Rosh Hashanah as the Tzaddikim desire this combination for God’s sake, hence they immediately are inscribed (for a good year) though the Benoinim (average) as they also intend to be in God’s good graces, only by Yom Kippur, when intentions are elevated; do they.
59
It states in Kabbalah that “And God said there should be light,” this is the emotive attribute (of God’s) kindness “And then there was (created) light” this is the emotive attribute of God’s severe side – but if the intention of light is kindness, why be sever? – the answer is that there are two types of compassion: there is the generalized compassion to be nice, then there is the specified compassion, once someone sees someone in need – obviously the second is greater than the first – so as God can foresee, he chose the second.
60
For example, a father picks up his small son and the son plays with his beard – similarly God elevates man through giving him a love and awe of God, which in turns elicits these emotions that cause God’s loving-kindness to come to humanity.
62
Our prayers get elevated through the sound of the Shofar.
63
Once there was a king who had seventy nations and they would gather to praise him – it was his birthday and they all praised him but they were concerned if their words touched him – so they went to the wise elders and requested that they praise him – similarly God creates seventy nations – and amongst them the Jews on Rosh Hashanah; on behalf of the world, we blow the Shofar.
64
Though angels are far greater than man, but like a mother seeks that her little boy should say something clever so her husband should be aroused with love to him – similarly, as the angels know that it is the prayers of a Jew that God seeks, they eagerly anticipate for a single word in prayer said with love or awe, they polish and shine this precious gem, presenting it to the king of a kings, the lover of all love.
65
Sometimes someone may assume a Tzaddik is chatting – what they cannot realize is that the Tzaddik is inspiring himself, for example he may be showing himself the pleasure of a conversation and then say – if this is so pleasurable, how much more so conversing with God.
So though this is a chat, within it is a great light but as the Zohar says, there is a light that is so great that it is not perceived.
This is as the Alshich says, the destruction of the holy Temple was actually God’s construction of the third – for all that God does, is out of infinite love.