Quotes from the Tanya

Quotes from the Tanya

 

DEDICATION

Dedicated to a true Mother In Israel

The Rebbe’s Shlucha Who Tirelessly Not Only Raised A Family Dedicated To The Rebbe’s Outreach But Continuously Is Both A Community Role-Model And Actively Inspires Thousands.

CONTENTS

	Introduction
	Tanya – Likuitei Amarim – Collection Of Saying
2	Introduction to Shaar Hayichud Vehemunah called Chinuch Katan
3	Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah  The Gateway to Understanding How God and The World are One
4	The Letters / Chapters Explaining Teshuvah – Repentance / Returning To God
5	Iggeres Hakoidesh

Introduction

 

The purpose of this book as our sages comment
“And say to those who make things concise,
‘G-d is with you!’”
(or something like that : )
We all need – especially today, “tweets.”

 

The quotes are (in my favorite style) what I call “paraphrased translations” – as the Rebbe told Mr. Rader who told me, that when seeking to translate, one always should place the meaning above hyper-literal.

 

In order to truly appreciate Tanya five basics are necessary:

 

1. Each of us has three souls:
   
   We have  –  in  a sense our conscious self – a mind capable of thinking, hence inspiring, as well as directing (or ordering) our behavior (as such, the ability to inspire ourselves to a love and reverence for God, and the ability to implement His wishes, are ever present.)
   
   
2. We have Divine soul which is literally a soul of God, that has been sort of imprisoned inside the filth of
   C. our animal soul, which comes from the dirty – despicably – low realm of kelipah (a realm of souls / desires that are selfish – instinctual gratification, anger etc. (though in the Jewish animal soul, it also contains an innate predilection to compassion and hence acts of goodness and kindness.)
   
   2. Much of the Tanya is based on the fact that because we are both compassionate and have a Godly soul, therefore if we can bifurcate – split our “personality,” identity – instead of imagining that our dirty low animal desires is who we are, rather accept that there is really a soul of God in us – and whenever we do a Mitzvah or study Torah etc. we at that time – because matter isn’t real – it’s all energy! – so we both extricate this Divinity out of the filth, and we connect it with God who is within the Mitzvah or the Torah – pure-energy meets pure-energy – this of-course becomes a primary motivation.
   
   
3. In Chapter 35 a novel concept namely that even the Godly soul ultimately is sent down to cause a unity between the animal soul and God – for though the animal soul may never be as holy – yet as it is obviously using the agency of the body that a Jew can serve God through Torah study, Mitzvos etc. – this then fulfils the ultimate intent of God.
   
   

 

4. The primary meditation to inspire a love and reverence for G-d is explained in great detail (primarily in the second book, Shaar Hayichud Vahemuna) the essence being, God descends into every bit of matter (memaleh koil almin e=mc2) God is infinitely beyond, and the cosmic source from which all matter emanates consistently – in an infinitely ongoing yin-yang (out and return) cycles (in the terminology of quantum physics, from infinite potential into “actual”) and in fact, God is actually so great, that all these abilities (both the finite e=m – and the infinite potential for literally infinite energy etc.) relative to God are zero.

 

 

5. Last but not least, the third book of Tanya – “Iggeres Hateshuva – Letters on Repentance” highlights the critical idea that if we are arrogant (selfish – God-forbid cruel) until we humble ourselves – by reminding ourselves what a lowlife we are – or have been – taking the pristine infinite light of God and through our negative behavior, speech or action into the cesspool of evil (like putting the head of a king in a toilet ) : then our humility allows our Divine Soul to improve us.

 

 

 

Tanya – Likuitei Amarim – Collection Of Sayings

 

 

BASIS OF TANYA

“It is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.”

INTRODUCTION TO TANYA BY AUTHOR RABBI SHNEUR ZALMAN – ALTER REBBE

“Sifre Musser founded upon people’s minds, are not applicable for all people, for one person’s heart does not inspire from the same words that another’s does.”

“The Torah stemming from God, the source of all Jewish souls, hence within the Torah (at least in a general sense) there is wisdom applicable to every single Jewish soul.”

“The Tanya is replies to the numerous heartfelt queries of the Jews (in the Alter Rebbe’s times) who came to me, revealing their heart and soul, requesting advice in these matters.”

“Thus, as people forget, (and other reasons) I have written the replies to all possible questions (in the subject of serving God) in the Tanya.”

“In the Messianic era, people will have such complete knowledge of God – for the knowledge of God will be as much as the sea covers the seafloor – hence people will need not learn from teachers anymore.”

CHAPTER 1 – THE TWO SOULS IN MAN

“Before a soul enters into this world, in Heaven, they make him swear (which also means they give him the ability to fulfill this oath,)
‘Be a Tzaddik (perfectly righteous) and don’t be a Rasha (evil) and lest the entire world tells you that you are a Tzaddik, always consider yourself as if you are a Rasha.’”

“One shouldn’t have negative opinion of oneself, for this leads to sadness and depression.”

“One should serve (work for) G-d, with joy and enthusiasm.”

“Though one shouldn’t be despondent, nonetheless, one should be aware of his or her spiritual standing (in order to constantly strive to do more.)”

“The true level of a Tzaddik, is one who does not have a Yetzer Hara (the little devil in man) anymore.”

“Whoever still has a Yetzer Hara, though his good outweighs his evil nonetheless he is not on the level of a Tzaddik.”

“God realizing that there would be few Tzaddikim, put them (scattered) in every generation.”

“The Tzaddik is the foundation (Kabbalistickly, all the energy that flows from God to his generation flows through his soul first) of the world.”

“Every Jew whether a Tzaddik or a Rasha, possesses two souls.”

“The first soul, comes from the side of unholiness, possessing the qualities of earth – laziness and sadness; fire – haughtiness and anger; water – desire for instinctual pleasures; air – enjoyment of fun, blabbing, self-grand standing.

In addition, in a Jewish soul (as it comes from the source of “The Tree of Knowledge” containing both evil and good, hence) there are also the positive characteristics of goodness, compassion and kindness.”

CHAPTER 2 – THE GODLY SOUL

“The second soul in a Jew is literally part of God above.”

“In every generation there are the Rebbes of the generation whose souls are like a head relative to a ankle” (meaning, far more developed, though the essence of all souls – the second soul – is God Himself.)

“An example would be, that just as the original essence of the drop of semen, being in the father’s mind, yet the ankle, though in essence the father’s mind, nonetheless, manifestly, is only the son’s ankle – relative to the son’s mind, which would be comparably closer to the father’s mind.”

“Just as the ankle receives its sustenance (directions,) from the brain (which manages the whole body) hence even the ‘ankle souls’ receive their sustenance from the source ‘mind,’ namely through the energy of God transmitted via the Rebbe of the generation.”

“To connect to the Rebbe, is to literally connect to God, the sages teach us.”

CHAPTER 3 – THE GODLY SOUL’S MIND & EMOTIONS

“Man’s soul is divided into two, mind and emotions.”

“There are three parts to the mind, and seven parts to the emotions.”

“The Godly soul’s mind, is, Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge (of God.)”

“The Godly soul’s emotions are love of God, dread, fear, reverence of God etc.”

“Wisdom, understanding and knowledge are called the mother of the emotions, for based on one’s wisdom, understanding and knowledge, are the subsequent emotions (feelings of love or fear) born.”

“Wisdom, in the mind that produces new ideas, is called Chochmah/wisdom.”

“When one contemplates a new idea, seeing its details, then this is called Binah/understanding.”

“Wisdom/chochmah, and understanding/binah, are the mothers that give birth to love and reverence for God.”

“For when one deeply attaches one’s mind to the belief, that God permeates every living (and even non-living, see Shaar Hayichud Va-hemunah, Book Two of the Tanya,) and is also beyond them, and in fact everything is like not even as a speck of dust relative to Him, hence a great awesomeness is born, leading one to hold G-d in incredible esteem, reverence; and then a yearning to unite with His greatness follows.”

“Longing for God comes from the element of fire in the Godly soul and as the naturalists write, that the element of fire is to be found in the heart (passion.)”

“The source of the element of water and coolness, comes from the brain, this is the level of wisdom/Chochmah which is found in the brain, belonging to the Godly soul.”

“All feelings/emotions/middos are offshoots, “children,” of the source feelings/emotions/middos, love and fear.”

“The third part of the mind is called Daas.”

“Daas/knowledge comes when one attaches oneself – from the terminology and Adam Yada/knew Chava/Eve – indicating attachment, connection, unity; for even if one understands something perfectly, if one does not strongly attach, concentrate, and contemplate a matter, it remains in the mind, but when one does so, it gives birth to the emotions of love and reverence as mentioned.”

CHAPTER 4 – The Godly Soul’s “Garments”

“Additionally the Godly soul contains three articles of clothing which it wears, comprised of the 613 Mitzvos/commandments in the Torah.”

“These are, namely, the thoughts speech and performance of the 613 Mitzvos / commandments.”

“When man uses his thoughts to comprehend all that is possible in the Pardes (the commentaries) of the Torah / Bible, and uses his speech in his study of the Torah, and his actions in the performance of all the commandments feasible to do, then the generality of his soul (comprised of 613 parts) merges with the 613 Mitzvos of the Torah.”

“More specifically, his Chabad (wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of his soul) is enclothed in the understanding of what he can understand, based on his natural abilities (meaning, intelligence) and root of his soul” (obviously various souls may have a predilection to specific parts of the Pardes – commentaries on the Torah.)

“The emotions / middos are enclothed in the fulfillment of the 613 Mitzvos, as well as in the speaking, the Torah study, of them.”

 

“The reason the emotion of love, is the driving force of the fulfillment of the Mitzvos, for the reason why one would do any of the 248 action-commandments, is, out of love for God.”

 

“Though one may possibly do something for an ulterior motive, the only true performance of the Mitzvos, 248 action-commandments would be, for one loves God, and as s/he desires to unite with God (the corollary of love) hence the only possible method to do this would be through one of the 248 Mitzvos which are referred to as the “limbs” of the king (meaning, this would be like hugging the king.”)

“Fearing God is the reason one would refrain from contravening any of the 365 prohibitions of the Torah.”

“The reason fear is the root of the prohibitive commandments, is, for as one is afraid to contravene the will of God, hence one would not violate any of his rulings.”

“A deeper fear would be that one desires not to cause pain to the ever watchfulness (consciousness – omnipresence) of God’s eyes, for by violating any of the 365 prohibitive commandments, one gives life to the Kelipos (bad angels / demons) as they draw their sustenance from when a Jew violates any of these commandments, and, as they are wretched in the eyes of God, thus one who loves God, will not cause Him agony.”

“Though the soul’s garments which it enclothes itself are as mentioned, nonetheless, despite the fact that they are called clothing, which the soul wears (enclothes itself in) nonetheless, in truth they are infinitely higher (loftier) than the soul itself, for God is one with his Torah (hence the garments of the soul, namely Torah study and performance, and the speech of its study, are literally God, as God unites in an infinite bond with his Torah, so the soul’s Garments are in fact even loftier than the soul itself.”)

“Torah is compared to water – as water comes from the heaven to the earth, similarly the Torah, though originating in God’s very “soul” travels an infinite journey to become comprehendible to finite mortal minds.”

“Though the Torah originates in concepts beyond human compression, but it progressively descends through spiritual worlds until it speaks about our physical matters.”

“The Torah descends into not only matters affecting us, but into the very letters compromising the 24 holy books of Tanach, Torah, Prophets and Writings, comprehendible to our minds, and practically, performable by our bodies.”

“As the Torah clothes the ten parts of the soul, hence the light of God completely encompasses the 613 parts of man (meaning, his body, from head to foot.”)

“This is why our sages teach us that, ‘better one hour in Teshuvah (repentance – coming closer to God) and doing good in our world, than all the life in the heavenly delights.’ For those delights are merely what man can understand of God which is but a minuscule ray, for no man can comprehend God at all (hence it is called a ray of the Shechinah’s light). However through the union caused via comprehending and performing the Torah on earth, which as mentioned, is united with God himself, for God and his Torah are seamlessly merged, hence one becomes unified with God Himself (as opposed to only a ray of his light.”)

“The unity through the Torah to God takes place despite the fact that the Torah refers to very physical Mitzvos, commandments, such as giving charity, Keeping Kosher etc. for this is like saying there would be a difference in hugging a king if he were wearing less clothing to more clothing. As the king himself is behind his clothing, it makes no difference if there are many layers of clothing – for through hugging the king, all the layers do not obstruct the loving embrace between subject and king.”

“Just as if a king were to shake your hand, it would be the love coming through the handshake that counts, likewise the Torah is compared to God’s right hand, as it states, I shake with my right hand, referring to the Torah, which comes from God’s right side, namely the side of kindness.”

CHAPTER 5 – TORAH STUDY

 

Understanding the Divine / human unity that occurs through Torah study.

When one studies something two things occur simultaneously.

1. If I am contemplating a Divine law such as how to arbitrate between two arguing parties (Eilu Metzius etc.) then I am placing my mind into the law.
2. At the same time my mind is encompassing – thinking – swallowing the law.

There is no greater union – for this type of union cannot be replicated in the physical realm.

As the Torah is God, hence by studying Torah, man’s mind truly unites with God who otherwise is completely unknowable.

“In this there is an incredible benefit to Torah study over all Mitzvos, even over saying words of Torah, for whenever one says or does a Mitzvah, a light of God covers man from head to toe, however as in Torah study in the mind, not only does the mind go into the light, but the mind encompasses the light (see above) hence it is the only Mitzvah in which God unifies internally within man.”

“For this reason the Torah is called the food of the soul, for as it is “ingested” in the mind, hence when a person reaches Heaven, the Torah sustains him internally, as food sustains man through its ingesting and unification with the person, similarly the Torah becomes one’s food in heaven and the Mitzvos (which as mentioned) shed an encompassing light around man, become one’s garments in Heaven.

This applies when the Torah is learned Lishmah (altruistically) which means that one’s purpose in the study was for the ensuing unification with God.”

 

CHAPTER 6 – The Animal Soul and its garments

 

“God created the negative to be an inverse picture of the positive.”

“Just as the Godly soul has ten levels, similarly the soul of Kelipah (unholiness) that embodies in man’s blood to give him life, likewise has ten levels, namely the seven negative emotions stemming from the four negative foundations (as mentioned in chapter 1) and the 3 faculties of the mind, wisdom, understanding and knowledge, that give rise to the emotions.”

“The emotions of the animal soul, are expressed relative to the intellect of the animal soul, hence, a child whose intellect is not fully developed desires and likewise gets very sad over the loss of petty things.”

“When man uses his thoughts speech and actions towards the goals of the animal soul (instincts, as mentioned in chapter 1) then his mind, speech and actions become garments for the side of unholiness.

This encompasses all the thoughts, speech and actions of the average person on earth, which are all worthless meaningless thoughts, speech and actions.”

“All thoughts, speech and actions that are not directed towards God and fulfilling His will are all from the side of unholiness.”

“The side of unholiness is called ‘the other side,’ for it means whatever is on the other side of being the thoughts, speech and actions that are about, or are in service of and to God.”

“The Holy side is what draws and receives sustenance directly from God.”

“God only resides on that or whom is completely subjugated to Him, whether in reality or even in  potential; namely (in reality) the heavenly angels, and in potential, every Jew who possesses the capacity to give His life for God’s name.”

“This is the meaning behind the statement of the sages, that even if one person sits and studies Torah (meaning, subjugates himself to fulfill God’s will) God presides (dwells) over him.”

“Additionally even if ten Jews are present, even if they are not learning Torah, God presides over them (for it is a quorum of people who receive sustenance from God for their potential is great, as mentioned above.”)

“Anything that does not subjugate itself to God, rather perceives itself to exist independently, receives its life force through a myriad of countless subtractions of God’s infinite light, condensing itself to be able to be in Galus (exile – hidden within) the matter that creates the appearance of something that exists independently, though of-course this matter needs to continually be recreated (see the second book of Tanya) in order for it to exist.”

“Hence (as most thoughts, speech and actions in this world are not directed toward God and spiritual matters) this world is called a zone filled with Kelipah, unholiness, and sitra achra, the other side.”

“It is for this reason (see above) that all the stuff of this world is harsh and the wicked prosper in it.”

“The Kelipahs, unholiness, is divided into two categories, one lower than the other.”

“The lower level of Kelipah is called the three completely impure Kelipahs which have no redeeming goodness within them whatsoever.”

“It is from this lower category of Kelipah that the souls as well as the atoms sustaining the bodies of the nations of the idol worshipers, get their nourishment from. Additionally all the souls and the atoms sustaining the bodies of the non-kosher animals. Additionally the vegetations that are prohibited to eat such as orloh (the first three years of a fruit tree) etc. and all thoughts, speech and actions contrary to the wishes of God, namely, any prohibition of the 365 negative commandments (prohibitions) of the Torah.”

 

CHAPTER 7 – The Animal SouL’S DEGRADATION AND ELEVATION

“The source of the Jewish animal soul which invests in a Jews’ blood to give him life as well as the source for all Kosher items from animals plants minerals, as well as all Kosher thoughts, speech and actions – meaning thoughts speech and actions that are not in violation of the 365 prohibitions of the Torah (Bible) but at the same time are not for any lofty or spiritual reason, even thoughts speech and actions that are for the maintenance of the body (such as work etc.) if there is no higher purpose (for example to give charity etc.) than these thought speech and actions are certainly no loftier than the soul from whence they emanate out of, hence most thoughts speech and actions in this world are bad, there is only a bit of goodness within them.”

“As all of the above emanate from the second category of Kelipah, called Kelipas Nogah which contains some light in it as well, hence the good characteristics to be found instinctively within the Jewish people (perhaps in the tame and non-aggressive nature of the Kosher animals as well) emanates from this Kelipah as well.”

“Kelipas Nogah, the fourth Kelipah is an intermediary between the three wholly impure Kelipas (totally bad) and holiness (totally good.”)

“As-mentioned seeing that Kelipas Nogah is an intermediary between bad and holiness, hence it has the capacity to descend into the three wholly unclean kelipas or ascend into holiness.

This occurs when it is used (for example, food) for a good purpose, such as Rava (a Talmudic scholar and teacher) would eat fattened meat and a strong wine to give his mind expansiveness (there are many things that expands one’s horizons as the Talmud states, a pretty home, pretty furnishings, and a pretty wife expands ones’ mind,) hence if one uses the physical for spiritual – like enjoying food for the honor of Shabbos – then the light within the Kelipahs Nogah manages to break out of the shell, and ascend into holiness.”

“Another example would be of when one would tell a joke to open ones’ mind and to gladden ones’ heart as Rava would do, that before he would teach, he would tell the Rabbis / disciples a joke, thus making them receptive to listening, and then they would begin to study (in other words, nothing that is permitted – Kosher from the Torah – can not serve a spiritual function and when it does, the light within the darkness shoots forth and gets enveloped within the source of light – holiness.”)

“If one merely indulges in food for the sake of the pleasure derived from it, which is one of the four evil elements, namely the element of water from where instinctive pleasures are born, then the life force animating the atoms of the meat and wine for example (seeing that it is Kosher and hence from Kelipas Nogah) then they descend for a time (as will shortly be clarified) into the three wholly unclean Kelipas.”

“When one indulges in food for the sake of pleasure (see above) it is only at that moment that ones’ body becomes the vehicle (the garment) for the three wholly unclean Kelipas, for when a person returns to spiritual pursuits, then the body returns to be a vehicle for God.”

“As the food indulged in was Kosher hence those atoms are capable of ascending back into Kelipahs Nogah where they originated from.”

“This is why Kosher food is called ‘permitted’, for they are not bound in the three wholly unclean Kelipahs, and have an ability to reascend into holiness.”

“Though they can reascend, nonetheless, as there was a pleasure instinct indulged, hence the body receives the cleansing process of Chibut Hakever (the eating of the flesh by worms which turns the love for such pleasures into repulsion.”)

“In contrast, if one indulged in non-Kosher foods or relationships (having forbidden intercourse etc.) then the indulging of these three wholly unclean kelapahs cannot be elevated even when the Jew returns to spiritual pursuits, for these atoms are held – tied up, by the three wholly unclean Kelipahs.”

“When the Moshiach comes, as all evil will be banished, hence it is only then that such sins will be erased.”

“On the other hand, if the sin itself causes repentance; for often the very fact that a person feels entirely removed from God is what propels him to seek out God (as our sages state, that the longing of a returnee to Judaism is greater even than the loftiest Tzaddik’s yearning for God, as one felt the distance, whereas the other doesn’t) thus the three wholly unclean Kelipas actually transform into positivity / holiness.”

“Though one can always repent, nonetheless, if the sins doesn’t cause the repentance (rather one simply decided to turn over a new leaf, but the distance didn’t compel the return) then though man of-course is forgiven by God, for the sin, nonetheless, only when Moshiach comes will the three wholly unclean Kalipahs in which man indulged in become annihilated.”

“Though one shouldn’t waste seed, nonetheless there is a special dispensation, namely that if one  does proper Teshuvah (repentance) and concentrates mightily when saying the Shema at night – as our sages state, whoever says the Shemah at night is like one who holds a double edged sword to slay the demons – hence one can redeem the energy placed into the three wholly unclean Kelipahs in such a manner.”

 

 

 

CHAPTER 8 – KOSHER FOOD speech AND THOUGHTS

 

“Additionally another reason why non-kosher food is called bound, for it is bound in the three wholly unclean kelipos to the extent that even if one was unaware that the food that he has eaten was non-kosher and he uses the energy as his intent, namely to serve God, so he prays with alacrity, through the energy of this food, nonetheless it is still locked into the three wholly unclean Kelipos.”

“The desire for non-kosher food etc. is a demon (who implants the desire) from the idol worshiping nations.”

“The desire for something Kosher, but purely for pleasures sake, is a Jewish demon.”

“As mentioned, even Kosher food later reintegrated into holiness (see chapter 7) requires chibut hakever (the eating of the body by worms) to annihilate man’s desires for pleasure, unless one, like Rabeinu Hakodesh (a great Rabbi who authored the Mishnah, who though being exceptionally wealthy) never allowed himself to take any pleasure from the enjoyments of physical pleasure (it is a well-known fact that bodies of righteous Tzaddikm, e.g. twenty years after the fifth Chabad Rebbe died they had to move his body, the body remains perfectly whole as if it was just put into the grave.)

“If one speaks words that are neither forbidden nor permitted, in other words, one who simply cannot engage in study of Torah, as his mind simply lacks the ability to study, hence the words spoken are neither holy nor forbidden, then Kaf Hakeleh (where the body in heaven is shown the beauty of holiness and contrasted to the person’s indulgence in frivolous permissible matters) is given, to transform one’s desire from indulgence in such matters, to repulsion.”

“If one God-forbid indulges in slander or mocking people (loshon hara, litzanois) then Kaf Hakelah doesn’t suffice to purge the sins, as it descended into the three wholly unclean Kelipas and one would need to go to hell (where exorcismic pain is associated to the cause of the crime, hence shifting the indulgence into horror, regret and the person gets cleansed of such a bad habit.”)

“For not being productive out of sheer laziness, the hell of snow is applied (meaning, a person gets ice cold, for the nature of the punishment is to mirror the crime, thus transforming the desire for doing nothing – staying in one place so to say, with a negative associative exorcizimic pain, transforming the pleasure into horror, regret, hence cleansing the person of such a bad habit.”)

“Similarly one whose mind is fertile and wastes it on studying science instead of Torah, likewise is punished in hell.”

“Additionally it is far worse to waste time indulging in scientific studies when one can study Torah, for whereas one who indulges in idle chatter only affects his emotions, the one who studies science places his holy mind into the wisdom of the nations which receive their sustenance from the flip side of the mind of holiness.

However, if ones intention is for work, to sustain one’s family etc. or to better understand Torah (such as astronomy to understand the laws of sanctifying the new moon etc.) this is permissible and this is the reason why the Rambam and Ramban (great scientists and Rabbis) did master the sciences.”

 

 

CHAPTER 9 – The war between the two Souls

 

“The location of the Jewish animal soul is in the heart, in the left ventricle filled with blood, as it states, the blood is the soul.”

“Hence all desires from pleasure, boasting, anger etc. all emanate from the heart.”

“The desires emanating from the heart spread to the entire body (as the sages say, the feet go where the heart desires.)”

“In addition, the desires ascend from the heart, to be contemplated, thought about, and planned in the mind in the head (this is similar, how the blood pumps from the heart to the entire body, including to the brain in the head.”)

“The location of the Godly soul is in the mind, in the head.”

“From the mind it spreads to all the limbs, including to the heart into the right ventricle.”

“What travels to the heart is the fiery glowing love of God, which is born from the mind’s eye that contemplates, and knows the greatness of God.”

“Similarly one may have great joy from the contemplation of God’s infinity, so the minds’ comprehension and understanding of God’s infinite greatness, relative to our finite limitations, arouses a happiness – similarly, all the Godly emotions of the heart, begin in the Wisdom Understanding and Knowledge of the mind.”

“Kelipah and holiness are locked in a battle.
As two kings would both desire the rulership of a city – meaning, that the people in the city should follow their orders exclusively – such is the war between Kelipah and the Godly soul.”

“The Godly souls’ desire, is that its ten levels and three garments (see chapters 3 and 4) should be what fills the mind, namely thinking about the infinity of God, arousing reverence, awe and love for God, channeling into one’s thoughts, speech and actions, being solely focused on God.”

“Additionally the Godly soul desires to achieve a delight in God (meaning a higher level of, just love) this occurs when the mind receives pleasure from conceiving of God’s infinity, hence this pleasure should be strong enough to transform the person from ceasing to take pleasures in worldly delights and thereby transform his animal soul into a Godly soul, as our sages state “You should love God with all your hearts” – this refers to both the good and bad in your heart, (for when one loses the pleasure of the world, he can use his animal’s soul desire for pleasure in purely spiritual matters.”)

“On the other hand, the animal soul that gives life to man, desires the exact opposite (meaning that its seven negative emotions and three intellectual capacities and its garments, namely the thoughts speech and actions, that fulfill its instinctive drive, should be the sole drive of man.)”

“The Zohar teaches, a king desiring to test his son’s morality had a gorgeous harlot approach him to see if he could withstand this test.

Similarly, God in heaven, testing our greatness, sends us into this world and gives us a harlot, the Yetzer Hara whose desires are forbidden to us, to test us and ultimately, the challenge brings out our greatness.”

 

 

CHAPTER 10 – A Tzaddik who is only good and a Tzaddik who has some bad in him

 

“When a person can induce such delight in God that his animal soul’s desires are quashed (hence he only desires goodness, kindness, as per God’s wishes) such a person is called A Tzaddik Vra Lo (A Tzaddik who still contains some evil) for if all of the evil in the left ventricle were banished then it would have been transformed itself, into love for God, goodness and kindness, and as such, namely, it hasn’t been transformed, it is a proof that though the person may imagine that all the evil in him is gone, it is only squashed.”

“The Tzaddik Gamur – the complete Tzaddik, is different to the Tzaddik that has some evil, for as he has completely removed the evil desires of the animal soul, by despising all that opposes God, for that which opposes God derives (and gives) energy from the Sitra Acharah, side of unholiness; so as his love for God is so consummate, and as despising the opposite of what you love (like hating the enemy of your friend) is based on the extent of one’s love, hence as the complete Tzaddik’s love for God is so all-consuming, his corresponding repulsion of evil has completely eliminated any desire for it, and transformed his animal soul into a Godly soul.”

“The Tzaadik who is incomplete (Tzaddik that has some evil) is one who doesn’t thoroughly despise the other side, the sitrah achrah, hence doesn’t hate the evil properly, which really indicates that he has some hidden love for these animalistic desires, for if he had no love for them, they would have transformed into a love for holiness.

Hence though they may not have the strength to influence his thoughts speech and actions, they cannot be considered as if they are annihilated.”

“Seeing that if his love for God was complete, the corollary despising (hating what your friend hates..) would be consummate; hence he is called an incomplete Tzaddik, relating to his incomplete love for God.”

“The level of Tzaddik Vra Loi (the incomplete Tzaddikim) is subdivided into many many levels, for there are four evil elements stemming from the animal soul, so the question arises, to what extent, and which, evil element has been subjugated (one to sixty, one to a thousand etc.) now there are thousands of such Tzaddikim in every generation.”

“However there are only one or two, like a Tzaddik Gammur (a complete Tzaddik in a generation) as when Reb Chiyah heard – when he desired to ascend to the level of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (a complete Tzaddik) “whoever has not transformed darkness into light, and bitterness into sweetness, may not ascend to his level.””

“Additionally the uniqueness of the complete Tzaddik is that he serves God not out of his personal desire, hence desires to quench his yearning to unite with God, but rather like a child who is prepared to give his life for his parents, out of his great love for them – he performs Mitzvos solely for the benefit of God.”

 

 

CHAPTER 11 – A Rasha

 

“The Rashah Vtoiv Loi (a evil person with good in him) parallels the Tzaddik Vra Loi (a Tzaddik with good in him) for in his heart too, the bad simply overpowers the good.”

“This can be subdivided into a myriad of categories for in one, in only thoughts, or speech, or action does he sin, for example, thinking negative thoughts, or speaking evil speech and this too may be infrequent, but the hallmark of someone who has good still in him is that he feels remorseful over the bad that his animal soul caused him to do.”

“Additionally we find a Rasha Vtoiv Loi, that he may frequently sin, in all three garments, however he receives thoughts of remorse and though the first category may repent (hence taking him out of this category) nonetheless this rasha vtiov loi cannot overpower his animal soul to change his behavior.”

“The majority of evil people do have thoughts of remorse.”

“If someone ceases to have feelings of remorse then the bad in him has completely exterminated the good in him, but nonetheless, his Godly soul hovers above him, hence it states, on all quorums of Jews, the Shechinah (God’s presence) presides.”

CHAPTER 12 – The Benoini

 

“The Benoine never has, nor will sin, for the Godly soul’s ten levels and three garments fill his mind, speech, and actions; nonetheless it is not the only voice in his head.”

“The Benoine is highly influenced by his animal soul (though has the character to ignore it, as will be explained) however in special times, such as when the light of God’s mind shines, when one says the Shemah prayer in great concentration and hence arouses a love for God, at that time there is only the voice of the Godly soul in his mind.”

“However after the Benoine finishes his prayers and the Godly mind light, leaves him, then he like every normal Rasha has desires for the pleasures of the world.”

“At this point – of desiring the pleasures of this world – the Benoine through self-control, for the mind has the ability to order the thoughts, speech and actions, rejects the fulfillment in action, or in speech, and even to think about the desires that are aroused which enter his mind.”

“The nature of man is that man switches his thoughts away from thinking about what his instincts wish him to think of (namely, how to get what man deems pleasurable) especially to switch his thoughts to matters of holiness, as King Solomon states, “I have seen there is benefit to wisdom over foolishness, like light over darkness;” (namely that just as light banishes darkness, switching from instinctual thoughts to spiritual thoughts banishes the instinctual desires.”)

“Just as light immediately banishes darkness, and as man only sins if the Yetzer Hara convinces him that he is permitted to sin (for no man willingly sins) hence even a tiny bit of the light of the Godly soul that desires to permeate your thoughts speech and actions has the capacity to banish much foolishness (Ed. All you need to do is think Torah thoughts, and it will automatically switch on the light, banishing the foolish premise that a Jew can sin without sinning.”)

“Despite the fact that the light of the Godly soul has the ability to outshine the foolishness / darkness of the Yetzer Hara’s desires, nonetheless such a person is not called a Tzaddik, for the essence of the love for the instinctual pleasures remains after prayer, as if the Benoine never prayed in the first place.

All that remains of the Benoine’s love – which is ineffective in quieting the love of the animal souls’ – is the instinctive love (which we shall speak about later on) that is a natural part of the Jewish soul.”

“As mentioned, after prayer – when the glowing love for God is gone – though the Benoine would never consider sinning, nonetheless thoughts regarding sexual imagery (as our sages state, three sins man cannot manage to prevent daily, sexual imagery, full concentration during prayer etc.) so these thoughts enter his mind, disturbing his tranquility in his prayer and good deeds.”

“Despite the fact that such unpleasant thoughts enter the Benoines mind, but the remembrance of the love generated for God during prayer, and the natural instinctive love within his heart for God after prayer, is adequate to prevent the thoughts becoming actions or even something that he will willingly indulge in, even in his imagination.”

“Certainly the Benione would never entertain the thought to fulfill his negative desires or even to speak of them, for to decide to do so, would be to lower himself into the category of evil / Rasha and the Benoine is never ever a Rasha.”

“The same applies if his thoughts entertain some kind of Lashon Hara (negative image) on a friend or even resentment or God-forbid anger, the Benoine immediately banishes such thoughts from growing in his mind, and in fact is prepared to accept evil (and never gets upset, for all comes from God,) and furthermore his ability to control his behavior (for as mentioned, the mind can order the heart, body, around) causes him to do only exceptional goodness and kindness to his friends.

As the Zohar teaches, when it comes to interpersonal relationships, one aught to study how Yosef treated his brothers” (that though they sold him into slavery, he not only forgave them, but fed, sustained and saved them!)

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 13 – Everyone should try to be a Benoini

 

“Now we understand the meaning that Benionim, both the Yetzer Hara and Yetzer Tov judge.

In other words, not to say they God-forbid rule them, rather like a three court Beth Din (court,) so there are three judges sitting at a trial.

The Yetzer Hara feeds his desire to the mind which is repudiated by the Godly soul, and the Yetzer Tov sitting in the right ventricle, and then God Himself – as the verse states “He stands at the right side of the poor man to save him from the judgers of his soul” – so God Himself shines an extra radiance which gives the Godly soul the ability to overcome the foolishness of the Yetzer Hara’s argument (that man can sin and not sin simultaneously) as our sages state, were it not for God’s assistance, man would never be able to conquer his Yetzer Hara.”

“We now come to the understanding of the oath ‘Even if the entire world tells you that you are a Tzaddik consider yourself like a Rasha;” for this refers to a person who doesn’t receive desires of the animal soul into his mind, nonetheless, he should consider himself like a Rasha, namely, a Benoine; for the evil in the Benionie’s left ventricle is just as pronounced as the Rashas (and one should never believe others who claim that all evil has dissipated from one’s heart.”)

“Though truth is everlasting, yet despite the fact that the Benionie’s love for God dissipates after his prayers, unlike the Tzaddiks’ that is eternal… ‘I hereby call their love also truth!’ for it can always be reawaked with proper concentration during prayer.”

CHAPTER 14 – CONTEMPLATIONS TO BECOME

 

“The level of a Beinoine is for the average person, and all people should strive to reach it.”

“Every person can be a Benionie at any given moment.”

“The reason every person can always be a Benoinie is – for the Benoinie needs not to abhor evil, rather to not allow it to overpower him.

Every person, whenever he considers doing wrong, can overpower evil by saying to himself “I desire not to be a Rasha, evil, for even a moment.

Every Jew has the power to give up his life for God, the only reason one sins, is for one accepts the foolish premise of the Yetzer Hara that sins don’t separate me from one’s Father in Heaven, which is not true.”

“The Tzaddik’s delight in God is unique, and it is due to this delight, that his love and hence repulsion of evil is so consummate.

Now we can comprehend why God makes the soul swear a seemingly repetitious oath, “Be a Tzaddik, righteous, and not a Rasha.”

If one were to be a Tzaddik surely one wouldn’t be a Rasha!

However the truth is, that one cannot necessarily reach the level of abhorrence for evil, hence the conclusion of this part of the oath, “at least don’t be a Rasha,” which is action based, not emotionally based, and actions is something under every Jew’s control.”

“Though the Benoine cannot achieve the Tzaddik’s love, hence repulsion of evil, nonetheless he should take the time (and set times) to meditate on thoughts, images, that turn lust into repulsion, as our sages state to imagine a woman, filled with excrement or similar images.

Furthermore all food which we lust after, turns into excrement.

All desires end up in the junk, covered with worms etc.

(The idea here is to turn the instinctual desires from the Yetzer Hara’s pleasures into repulsions.”)

“Additionally the Benoinie should contemplate thoughts that cause a delight in God, by understanding the infinity of God, and even if he would only produce fantasies (for the Alter Rebbe, the author believes that a love that dissipates after its genesis is a fantasy, for truth would endure…) nonetheless, the Benoinie should fulfill his part of the oath (to be a Tzaddik, which induces delighting in God) and it is up to God to deem fit whom he wishes to bestow this delight in God with, or not.”

“Furthermore whatever you accustom yourself to reigns supreme, and becomes second nature.”

“As mentioned, habit becomes second nature, hence someone who habitually meditates on the repulsion of evil and the loftiness and infinity of God will ensure that to some extent he will be repulsed by evil and who knows, perhaps God will love him and reward him by implanting within his soul the spark of a Tzaddik, so he truly may find joy in his service of God.”

CHAPTER 15  

 

“Now we can understand the meaning “comprehend and you will discern between a Tzaddik and a Rasha, between he who serves God and one who doesn’t.”

The Benionie is one who struggles valiantly, constantly repelling the attacks of his Yezter Hara (as of-course do the Rashas who try to improve themselves.)

On the other hand, the Tzaddik is one, who having banished his Yetzer Hara, receives the title of Eved Hashem (As Moses was called, namely “a servant of God,” for he has already conquered his Yetzer Hara, hence holds the title of a servant.”)

CHAPTER 16 – CONTEMPLATIONS TO ELEVATE

“A great principle for the Benionie is that the main thing is to overrule the Yetzer Hara’s lusts through contemplating and rejoicing in one’s comprehension of God’s greatness leading one to practically fulfill the Torah and Mitzvos.”

“An even greater principle for the Benione is that even if he cannot arouse a fiery love (a palpable love in his heart for God) only that his heart agrees with his mind, that God is worth desiring and hence there is the thirst to long for God and even to leave the body, but the soul is tied in it; so though normally it takes a revealed love in the heart to have the Mitzvos, one does elevate to the Spiritual world of Beriah (this will be spoken about at length in later chapters,) nonetheless, our sages teach us, that God-Himself attaches the intellectual understanding and hidden love born from it, as if it were a revealed love, and hence though normally such Mitzvos would elevate to the world of Yetzirah, as his meditation is the cause of the extra adherence to God, so it does get elevated to the world of Beriah.”

 

 

CHAPTER 17 – It is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos

“Now we can understand the famous teaching in the Torah “It is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.”

It would appear that to induce a love of God to transform ones’ loves from worldly pleasures which we are instinctively programmed in, towards exclusively loving God, Torah and fellow man is very difficult?!

Rather the emphasis is on the word to fulfill.

The key is not overpowering the instinctual desires rather fulfilling the Mitzvos.

For this, even a minor love which one can use to have the self-discipline to do what is right suffices.”

“Every person has the capacity to use his mind to control what he thinks about, says and does.

The only exception to this is the truly wicked whose sins cause a barrier, for they have placed their animal soul under the dominion of the Kelipos that do not allow the mind to access the thoughts, speech, and action.

We refer not to such people who are called by the sages as the walking dead (as they lack freedom of choice.)

However even such people, through doing a proper Teshuvah (repentance) namely by breaking the hold of the Kelipos through regretting their sins, as it states “a broken heart God despises not” – they can remove the stranglehold of the Kelipos, and lift their animal soul out of the Kelipos, and hence gain the ability to self-regulate as well.”

CHAPTER 18 – A further explanation on the word it is very easy

“A further explanation on the word it is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.

Even someone who cannot meditate, giving birth to an intellectual love, and a hidden desire in his heart for God – even he, through accessing his subconscious inherited love for God, which is always with him, can truly fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos in thoughts, speech, and actions.”

“As our forefathers were chariots (a merkavah, meaning like a car is subservient to its driver, they were subservient to the will of God) hence they merited to bequeath to all their children, even the sinners of Israel, a holy soul in which the radiance of God illuminated them from head to toe.

This is clearly seen in the faith of all Jews, for even one who may never contemplate about God, as faith is something that is beyond contemplation, for we believe precisely in that which we cannot understand, as it states, “a fool believes everything,” and relative to God we are all like fools – hence we see that all Jews are prepared to give up their lives and even suffer terrible torture to maintain their faith (as historically is proven.”)

CHAPTER 19 – The candle of God is man’s soul

“To better understand the innate Godliness in a Jew we must preface the explanation of the verse ‘The candle of God is man’s soul.’”

“Just like a candle, the flame always is striving to go upwards, for it inherently desires to become part of the source of the element of fire, though through doing so (like a ray of sun trying to go back into the sun) would cease to be an independent being and give off light on earth, nonetheless, this is its nature (nature is a term for a fact that we do not understand.)

Similarly the Jewish soul desires to return back into God from whence it emanated out of, despite the fact, we would cease to be an independent separate entity for this is the soul’s nature.”

“The general principle of the side of holiness is that it emanated from the Chochmah of God, which being beyond human understanding can only be accessed through faith, and hence all those who belong to the side of holiness strive after God.

In contradistinction are the nations of the world, whose good deeds are selfishly motivated, and like the leach say “more” “more!” for they perceive themselves to be independent beings and hence are not subservient to God.”

“Similarly are the Reshaying and sinners of the Jewish people prior to being challenged on their faith, for the Chochmah of God is like in exile, hidden beneath the Animal soul which is motivating their thoughts, speech and actions.”

“This is why this love for God is called the hidden (subconscious) love, for as the animal soul is in charge of a Rasha, hence this love is dormant.”

“It (the hidden love) is like asleep during the time that the Reshayim (plural for Rasha) are working through their own agendas, motivated by their animal souls.”

“When a Rasha is challenged (‘kiss the cross or the sword’) regarding his faith, which supersedes their intellect, then this love for God awakens and causes that their thoughts speech and actions should be Godly.”

“The verse states, “God awoke as if from a slumber” similarly though the Rasha may have the Godly soul slumbering within, when his faith is challenged, it awakens and he is able to forgo all the worlds pleasures and in fact despises them and literally have the Godly soul dominate all of his thoughts speech and actions.

As it states “the enemies of God shall melt away” similarly all of the Kelipah, though previously were totally controlling this individual, melt away as if they weren’t there in the first place, and the Godly soul becomes the sole arbiter of his actions.”

CHAPTER 20 – All of creation lives from the single breath of God

“It is well known that the first two of the Ten Commandments, to believe in God and not to worship idols is the encompassing principle of the Torah.”

“This first commandment to Believe in God encompasses all the positive (do / action) Mitzvos.”

“The commandment to not worship idols is the encompassing principle of all the ‘Don’t do’ (prohibitions) commandments.”

“To understand the above we must preface the absolute oneness and unity of God.

Every Jew believes as the statement that, God never changed from before to after creation, just as He was the only single unified being before creation similarly afterwards.

This is because all of creation has absolutely no intrinsic value whatsoever (like not even a speck of dust.)

All of creation lives from the single breath of God, which is the source of its existence (it would be like saying that a single breath of yours creates a difference in you before or after you breathed it.”)

“(The Author, the Alter Rebbe gives an example for us to understand how this world causes no intrinsic differentiation in God, bearing in mind creation is simply a sentence of speech of God’s – “In the beginning God created heaven and earth” – which is the source code for all subsequent beings both in heaven and earth;) Imagine the value of a single sentence of yours – now one sentence relative to your ability to speak indefinitely is certainly valueless.

How about one sentence relative to the source from where the thoughts for the construct of that sentence comes from, namely, your letters of your brain – for the brain also thinks in letters, just a more refined letter, so that one sentence relative to the capacity to create letters in the brain is even more irrelevant.

Now the thoughts of the brain emanate from the desires of the heart – for our thoughts come after we desire something, so we think how to attain it – so relative to the desire of the heart where there are only feelings – no letters; certainly this one sentence is completely insignificant.

Now the desire of the heart must come from the brain which perceives, say that it would be wise to study or to pursue a certain course of action, as the heart will only desire what the mind considers desirable.

So now that one sentence relative to the minds infinite capacity of perceiving desirability, which translates into the hearts feelings and longing for those things, which translates into the letters of thoughts, on how to get it, which translates into perhaps a sentence requesting from someone, it obviously has no intrinsic value.

In a similar sense, as the entire world only begins in God’s mind as a single desire, hence the single sentence relative to God’s infinite mind, heart, thoughts and “speech” cannot be considered to hold a significance whatsoever.”

CHAPTER 21 – even after God’s speech creates the world, it has never left Him

“Now God’s speech is unlike our speech, for our speech is separate from the speaker, for after it is spoken, it is not connected to the soul of the speaker (His ten levels of intellect and emotions,) but God’s speech never leaves Him, as we know that all is included in Him, and there is no place devoid of Him.

We use the word speech, as a figure of speech, for speech means that you reveal something that was within you, hence hidden from another, to the other; – however though we do not see God behind the speech, namely the creation of the world, the Torah etc., but it is within Him, just as before it was spoken.”

“God’s speech is exactly like our speech while it is still within the mind that conceives of the desirability which produces the hearts longing, love, desire for something, and at that stage there are absolutely no letters within the desire, for the letters only develop once the desired object comes into the thought process to contemplate its fulfillment.”

“The truth is that even after God’s speech creates the world, it has never left Him and is one within Him, it is only that it descends – for our sake, so (instead of like plugging in your computer straight into the nuclear reactor) it doesn’t transcend our abilities of receiving God’s light – therefore the light of God progressively gets hidden, until we only see the effect and not the cause.”

“Though we see the effect and not the cause, God obviously can see beyond the cause to the effect – as the verse states, “darkness hides nothing from you” – this is similar to the snail, for though a person may see that the shell is housing the snail, to the snail, the shell is an integral part of his body (so unlike clothing which we can remove, the snail’s body being one with his shell – is intimately aware of it at every given moment.”)

 

CHAPTER 22 – the giving to the Jewish people and all that is subservient to God is given directly

“The terminology of speech, though not exact, as mentioned above, for God’s speech never leaves Him, but has an exact parallel, for as mentioned, speech denotes leaving someone, to enter into someone else.

Similarly, God’s speech, descends into the Kelipahs to give them life.

Now God despises the evil of the Kelipos, so the reason He does this, is to be able to punish the wicked (that derive nourishment and add to Kelipos) and reward the righteous who suppress the Kelipos (by not listening to their Yetzer Hara coming from the Kelipah).

When a person does something, there can be a direct pleasure (say giving to someone you love, like your child or wife etc.) or an indirect pleasure, like say paying a bill (which obviously you have no desire to do, but as you need electricity for your home thus the indirect desire feeds the direct desire.)

Similarly, the giving to the Jewish people and all that is subservient to God is given directly, but the giving indirectly to those Kelipos for auxiliary purposes (such as freedom of choice, as mentioned) is given like one would without any will and desire, hence, like speech, it so to say leaves God and enters into exile to sustain the Kelipos.”

“Now the direct pleasure, light of God, is what gives life to all spiritual worlds but it descends within, but in an imperceptible manner into the kelipos.

This is the cause of their arrogance, for as the light of God is not revealed, hence though they acknowledge a Creator, they feel him not, and sense their own significance.

This is the essence of idolatry, for it includes one who believes in God but doesn’t see God as the only Being, hence there are other forces.

It is for this reason our sages compare the arrogant person to an idolater.

The essence of God is only revealed in one (or spiritual beings) that are subservient and cognizant of God’s unity, singularity, in being the Only Being that truly exists.”

CHAPTER 23 – God and his Torah are one and the 248 limbs of God are the 248 Mitzvos

“With all of the above (chapters 20-22) we can properly understand the words of the Zohar (Kabbalah) that God and his Torah are one and as it states elsewhere (in Kabbalah) the 248 limbs of God are the 248 Mitzvos – this alludes to the fact that this is God’s innermost desire (namely the fulfillment of these commandments) and they are in fact the cause of the world’s creation.”

“Just as the soul fills the body, as we see that immediately when a person desires to move his hand or foot they will react, so they are only like a clothing which also moves automatically based on the will of the wearer, similarly this world is sustained through the will of God and reacts in direct proportion to the Jews fulfilling the Torah and Mitzvos.”

“Similarly the Godly will enclothed in the fulfillment of Mitzvos, manifests direct Godly light when they are performed.”

“Likewise the physical body doing the physical Mitzvah – for example the hand giving charity – as it does so in the fulfillment of God’s innermost will, at that moment it becomes the clothing that God Himself is wearing (meaning Godliness manifests within that hand.”)

“Likewise the feet that go to do a Mitzvah, the mouth that speaks words of Torah, and the mind that thinks thoughts of reverence and love for God based on His greatness – they become like a garment wearing God within them at that time.”

“This is the meaning that our sages describe the Avos (the Jewish forefathers) as the Merkavah (the vehicle of God) for their limbs, heart and mind were constantly only preoccupied with fulfilling God’s will their entire life” (which would literally make them into the clothing, the car, that God Himself is driving, having removed their independent will from their own clothing, car – their body, mind and speech.)

“Though the actions are a Merkavah, garment, for God, but the soul’s thought and speech in study of Torah are not garments, rather like two candles become one, they merge seamlessly.

This applies certainly as well to the Godly soul itself, that as God is one with his Torah (and merges with the Godly soul He creates) hence they become God Himself not like the Mitzvos of action which merely become the vehicle of God’s expression.”

“Now though God of-course unites in the higher worlds, nonetheless, the unity that God unites with the Godly soul and its garments of Torah thought and speech, are infinitely superior to the light shining in the higher worlds.

The reason for this is because, as the higher worlds perceive Godliness, if it were the whole God that were to unite with them (not just rays of light) it would be too intense for them to perceive, whereas, we who do not perceive the Godly unity, can thus get the whole God (called Atzmus Umehus, God Himself – His essence and very Being.”)

“Now we can understand how the loftiness of Torah study, supersedes all the Mitzvos, even prayer which has incredibly lofty Yichudim (union of God in higher worlds, for in the end of the day, the ultimate unity with God, is specifically found in Torah study as mentioned.”)

“Now an intellectual person can draw upon Himself a tremendous reverence for Torah study, for in it he unites with God Himself, uniting both His thought and speech with God, a unity which even the most lofty soul in the highest spiritual realms cannot receive (as mentioned before.”)

“Now we can comprehend the verse, “God has commanded you all these laws so you shall fear Him,” for it is the previous understanding (of the incredible infinite union with God Himself that occurs when we study Torah, which leads one to associate the study of the laws of Torah with an infinite reverence for God, whom shall unite with you when you study.”)

 

 

CHAPTER 24 – the 365 prohibitions of the Torah are like the Kelipas

“The side of unholiness is the inverse mirror of the side of holiness, hence the 365 prohibitions of the Torah are like the Kelipas, called idolatry, being against the will and desire of God.”

“The animal soul and its three garments it puts itself into, mainly the prohibitions of the 365 ‘Don’t do’ (prohibitions) of the Torah are in fact at such times lower than the sitrah achara, the side of unholiness.

 

The reason being is for they are not enclothed in a coarse body, nor do they perceive a reality devoid of God (for though they are called idolatry, but they do recognize that God is the supreme, as Billam (a prophet from Kelipah said) “I cannot contradict the will of God”) hence a human being who goes against God is denying the unity and oneness of God (for otherwise, being cognizant of God’s omnipresence, no one would sin) and in this sense he is far lower than the Kelipos who is cognizant at least of Divinity.”

“When man sins, the Kelipah conceal the truth of God’s omnipresence from him.

For example, even a woman who doesn’t have strength of character and hence will commit adultery she too would give her very life for God.

Certainly it should be far easier to withhold from a momentary pleasure than God-forbid having to give one’s life…”

“When man sins God-forbid, at such a time he is lower than the Kelipos and the non-kosher animals that come from them – even lower than the mosquito who is the lowest Kelipah for it is solely a taker, and gives nothing, (for the hallmark of holiness is giving and Kelipah, taking,) for in the end of the day, every creature even the animal and certainly the Kelipos all fulfill the will of God.

And though they may not be aware of God’s will, their supernal source is, which is why an animal will never attack a human being unless he appears to him as an animal (as the Zohar teaches, why the lions in the den where Daniel was put, were like pussycats to him.)

As such, a human sinning unfortunately is taking the God within his Godly soul, and lowering it into the Kelipos which literally would be like taking the face a king and pushing it into a cesspool and can there be a greater embarrassment than this?!

However, the Godly soul itself and the animal soul can always return out of the Kelipah and back into Holiness at any time a person decides to change directions.”

CHAPTER 25 – at any given moment it is very easy for a Jew to overpower the foolishness of the Kelipah

“Now we have a better understanding of the word, it is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos. For at any given moment it is very easy for a Jew to overpower the foolishness of the Kelipah and its concealment of the truth (namely its foolishness that one can sin without removing oneself from God, and that God isn’t omnipresent, which it conceals this truth from the human mind) by reminding oneself of one’s innate hidden love for God.”

 

“This is the word, “in your heart” (in the original verse, “it is very easy thing for you – in your mouth and in your heart to do it”) for in your heart not only includes, your love of God (hence motivating the 248 positive commandments) but also your fear of God; for every Jew innately desires to remain united with God and every sin removes one from God so to speak; this being the case, one only needs to remind oneself of one’s desire to remain united with God, and if one would be willing to give up their life due to this desire, then to refrain from a small physical pleasure is no big deal at all.”

“Now though a person may surmise, ‘at least I can repent after my sinning’ (so I will get the best of both worlds) this too one easily overcomes, for a person would give their life to not separate from God even for a moment – though one certainly can repent, even for idol worship – if so, should I not be able to withhold a small temptation in favor of listening to God??

And the same applies to motivate oneself to do more good which the Yezter Hara from the side of earth, laziness, compels one to not exert extra effort in prayer, Torah study, and cools one off from being very charitable… one need only think, “I would be willing to God-forbid suffer great torture just to not be removed from God for but a single moment, if God-forbid someone wanted to compel me to worship an idol or change religions and the like, if so, to remain connected to God through doing more good, which is the corollary of not getting disconnected – should certainly be a joyful rewarding experience.”

“When one does do good, the inner face of God’s light unites with the person’s Godly and animal soul, in fact, with man’s three garments of thoughts, speech, and actions as mentioned above.”

“We can now also get whey Moses told the Jewish people to read Shemah twice daily, when they were about to enter into Israel.

Though the Shema speaks about having sacrifice for God (the meditation to think, when saying Shemah) nonetheless God had already promised them a victory, so why motivate self-sacrifice?

But as we have explained, the reminder that one is technically prepared to sacrifice oneself for God is the relative meditation, that if I can do something so difficult how much more so a simple extra Mitzvah or refrain from a temporary pleasure.”

CHAPTER 26 – one must have alacrity (Zrizzus, to be alert) which comes from happiness, joy and a heart free from all and any worries

“Another very important principle for the Benoinei is as follows, that just as in a wrestling match it is not necessarily the strongest person who will win for if the strongest person is sad or lethargic he won’t put up a good fight and an easier weaker fighter may beat him.

Similarly, one cannot beat the Yetzer Hara (though one is naturally stronger, for the mind can rule the heart especially through all the methods mentioned in the previous chapters) if one is lethargic, stemming from sadness or dullness (feeling empty and lethargic) or through being lazy (for then the Yetzer Hara will easily beat you, the stronger opponent) rather one must have alacrity (Zrizzus, to be alert) which comes from happiness, joy and a heart free from all and any worries.”

“In Judaism a cardinal principle is that we must serve God joyfully.”

“The method that one can overcome all worries, even worries of health wealth and children related, is to do what the sages say, ‘Thank God for the bad as much as you thank him for the good.’

For the bad in fact comes from a higher love of God, which is for man’s spiritual benefit.

This is what it states, that those who rejoice in their suffering God loves them like the strength of the sun at noon, for this refers to the times of Moshiach, for then the higher love of God will be revealed and those who can rejoice in the bad, for it comes from the deepest love of God drawing someone close (for to just give a child a credit card doesn’t mean to love him properly, specifically, when you care about his soul and withhold for his character development and self-growth, that is true love) so such people will receive an extra measure of Divinity.”

“Regarding feeling sad over one’s spiritual failings, this too one must rid oneself of, for if one is in middle of serving (meaning during Torah study or prayer) then this must be done out of joy and with a glad heart (hence one should never feel sad about spiritual failings then,) and even if these thoughts come during work, one should realize that this is actually a ploy of the Yetzer Hara, for if he can make man depressed, man then is vulnerable to seek out a quick fix, and follow the Yetzer Hara’s instinctual pleasures.”

“Whenever you find yourself worrying about spiritual failings whether during service or whether during work etc. tell yourself “now is not the time to consider my spiritual failings.””

“The proper way to repent over spiritual failings is to set aside a time (mentioned elsewhere – I think during the Shema at night, Ed.) and to truly contemplate how great God is, and hence how bad it is to fail Him; and immediately afterwards to believe that God has forgiven you (for God is all forgiving and only requests repentance) and hence one should actually draw great joy from this meditation, like light is appreciated specifically after being in darkness.”

 

CHAPTER 27 – when man – even slightly – humbles the sitra achrah,  then eventually God truly makes him holy

“What should one do if the reason he feels upset, worried, is not from anything wrong he has done rather that he is constantly bombarded with sexual imaginations or other negative thoughts?

If these thoughts disturb him not during prayer etc. rather during his work, he should actually feel very happy that through not entertaining these thoughts, he fulfils a commandment of the Torah “do not stray after the lusts of your heart and eyes.”

“A Tzaddik never receives such sexual imagery hence the above verse refers to a Benione.

This is God’s desire that man should be challenged by his Yetzer Hara and that he should rise above the challenge, and hence the greatest pleasure God receives – according to the Zohar, is the subjugation called Iskafiyah, of the Kelipos which this gives God the greatest joy possible.

In other words, the Benoine should feel very happy that he can do so much good, for when he keeps this commandment to “Do not stray after the lusts of your heart and eyes” he gives God such great pleasure.

Furthermore the very fact that a Beinonie feels upset about such thoughts is actually being arrogant, for this is man’s task and he is imagining himself to be the level of a Tzaddik that doesn’t receive such thoughts.”

“Hence the person battling his negative thoughts and images, should not feel bad about it, for this may be the very purpose of his life.”

“There are two types of pleasures God receives, just like there are two types of pleasurable foods, a. foods which are tasty and sweet, and b. foods which are sharp but are cooked in a method that restores man’s soul (give him a kick) similarly, the Tzaddik transforms bitterness to sweetness, darkness to light, which gives God great pleasure, but likewise the Benoinie who manages to overcome his Yetzer Hara gives God no less, in fact even more pleasure than the Tzaddikim, like the sharp food which restores the soul.”

“God receives great joy from when the arrogant Kelipos that cause these negative thoughts to come into man’s mind, get repressed.”

“This is the meaning of the verse, “Everything God made for His sake, even the wicked on the day of evil.”

In other words, not that God, God-forbid desires wicked, but the Benoinims’ ability to be wicked, and yet they shall suppress these desires and sexual imagery and when that happens, God’s glory / happiness is felt in all the supernal realms.”

“Additionally even in permitted matters, for example if one specifically intends to humble the Sitrah Achrah, his Yetzer Hara, so he delays a meal by an hour and studies Torah in that time, as the sages in the olden days would do, this too humbles the Sitra Achra (as is evident) and causes immense pleasure to God.”

“Additionally if one withholds from speaking something he truly desires regarding worldly matters, for the sake of humbling the Sitra Achrah, this too causes God immense pleasure.”

“Additionally this applies even in thought, so if someone withholds even permissible pleasurable thoughts for the sake of humbling the Sitra Achrah this has an incredible immense power to give God great joy and it gets returned as an incredibly great power to uplift man in his Divine service.”

“This is what our sages teach, when man make’s Himself Holy below, he is made Holy above.

This means that besides the fact that it is a positive Mitzvah to break the sitrah achrah, but this refers to the Benoinim, who effectively cannot break the sitrah achra for it remains strong in their left ventricle, pumping sexual and other instinctual desires…

However when man – even slightly – humbles the sitra achrah as mentioned, then eventually God truly makes him holy, meaning brings him to the level of a Tzaddik, that very gradually he banishes these instinctual desires from his heart.”

 

CHAPTER 28 – OVERCOMING GUILT

“Even if one finds he receives sexual imagery and other lusting desires during prayer or Torah study – do not worry about them, just ignore them.”

“If one receives these negative troublesome thoughts during prayer, he should not be downhearted, taking it as sign that something is wrong with his prayer.

The reason people assume this, is because they assume that they are a single mind, hence if I were truly concentrating, these thoughts wouldn’t enter my mind…

The truth is, a person has two souls, both producing thoughts in one’s mind and just as in a fight or wrestling match, precisely when one person begins to gain the upper hand, the other puts all of his efforts to push him to the floor, similarly, precisely, because you are involved in Torah study or prayer, the Yetzer Hara is strengthening his game by trying to disturb you.

This would be analogues to an antisemite seeing that you are praying, and wishing to disturb you, begins to chat with you.

Obviously, the answer would be to not engage him and to ignore him as it states, “answer not a fool lest you too become one,” and “he who wrestles with a dirty man also gets dirty.”

So one should add in his concentration, trying to banish the negative thoughts.

If one finds that he is powerless and these thoughts overwhelm him, then he should pour out his soul to God, to have mercy on him, as a father to a son, for we truly are God’s children coming from His mind (chapter 2) and we are part of God Himself, hence God will remove the Yetzer Hara’s incredulous shennanigins of disturbing thoughts.”

CHAPTER 29 – OVERCOMING LAZINESS

“Another problem affecting Benoinim is occasionally their hearts are closed and they are unable to open it to desire to pray with love.”

“Additionally the Bienoinim sometimes find their heart heavy, slothful and hence do not have the energy to add in goodness.”

“The Teacher in the heavenly Yeshivah (where people study Torah in Gan Eden) proclaimed, “Just as the log that lights not, we chop it into many pieces so that the fire should hold, the body whose light of his soul (and intellect) cannot inspire him must be chopped down.”

This means that as the Benoinies’ body is run by the sitra achrah, hence the sitra achrah has this access to prevent the light of his soul and his intellect’s decisions from manifesting into reality and practice.

This would be like a bully blocking the entrance to a doorway and the goal is to crush the bully so your mind and soul can influence your behaviors.

The method to do this is to despise yourself, for as you identify with your body, hence by despising yourself you will crush the Kelipos that are running your body.

(A Tzaddik in fact identifies with his soul, hence Hillel would speak of feeding a poor and hungry man, his body, for he identified not with his body, but with his Godly soul that had taken over the life-force of his existence.)

The method to humble oneself is to recount your sins.

If you cannot find sins, think about how much time you wasted and when one does good as mentioned, you become the vehicle for God, but if one wastes time, you become the vehicle for the Kelipos.

If one cannot find any wasted time one should think about one’s dreams, for as the Zohar states, when one doesn’t properly prepare himself at night, the soul doesn’t ascend high in heaven and the kelipos give him foolish dreams and dreams that may mock him and give him pain, hence this shows on ones’ lack of greatness and meaninglessness in life.

Even if one has repented, one may bear in mind that everything he does gets impacted in heaven, which is beyond time and hence it may be that currently the reason he cannot access his heart to change his behavior is because his Teshuvah on the level he is now is unacceptable or possibly God desires that he should do a greater Teshuvah, thus removing the barriers of the Kelipos.”

“The more one contemplates the above matters or researches such matters in holy books (the lowness of sins etc.) the more one can cause that he despises and is repulsed by himself, the net result being that the kelipos that cause the barrier to an open heart concealing the light of his Goldy soul will be humbled and he will gain the ability to do what he wants.”

“Another very useful technique to break the hold and barrier placed by the Yezter Hara is to angrily loudly (in one’s mind or when no-one is listening Ed.) shout at it the following: “You are vile and wicked, you are repulsive, you are despicable, you are dirty etc. as all the true names that our sages have called you. How much longer will you conceal the truth that God fills all the worlds equally, including this very place I am standing, just as God existed prior to creation as it states, “I God have never changed;” for God is beyond time, hence not limited by an any time, spatial differences, and you are dirty, despicable and repulsive etc. hiding the obvious discernable truth that everything literally is as not even like a speck of dust compared to God which is actually visibly discernable (through the mind.”)

“This shouting down the Yetzer Hara will truly allow one to perceive how God is everywhere, which is the foundation of all of man’s service to God (namely that one should see this, not only have an intellectual compression but not feel this truth – and this is achieved through the humbling of the Yetzer Hara, who hides this truth.)

“The reason this shouting down the Yetzer Hara has the effect of revealing the truth of God’s omnipresence is simple, the Yetzer Hara and Kelipah are only like darkness that doesn’t really exist.

They are only an absence of light, hence the moment light shines, the darkness dissipates.

Though there is tremendous energy in the Kelipos enlivening all the non-kosher animals and even the Jewish animal soul, nonetheless, all of this is only the absence of light.

The moment the Yetzer Hara’s darkness dissipates, then the light of truth, shall become evident.”

“The truth is that the Yetzer Hara is given permission to challenge man, as the example of the prostitute hired by the king to challenge his son, to deny God’s omnipresence.

However when man does rise to this challenge and humbles himself, then as the mission is accomplished his lowering of the Kelipah below lowers the Kelipa above and man becomes free of its torment.”

“A clear example of this is when the spies sent to scout out Israel and report back to the Jews in the desert if it was conquerable or not, told them that it was not, and everyone was afraid to go in.

Then Moses shouted at them, that they had angered God and they would die in the desert and that they were wicked etc.

Suddenly they become very remorseful and they desired to immediately go conquer the land.

If they didn’t believe in God’s ability to conquer the land, how did they suddenly believe?

The answer is that all Jews are believers, inherited from their forefathers belief as well, it is only that the Kelipah is given permission to obfuscate truth, hence it was this obfuscation of truth that caused them overtly to think that the land was too strong for God to conquer.

Once the source of the obfuscation, the Kelipah, was removed through the humbling of self, as mentioned “The nation mourned (was remorseful) greatly” then they returned to their natural state of belief.”

“The above scenario (that it is only the Kelipah.. not you) can be applied whenever one finds oneself doubting God.”

“In fact the Kelipah itself has no doubts about God, rather it is given the permission merely to increase the reward of the Jew who is not fooled and conquers the Kelipah, as in the example of the king who hired a prostitute to challenge his son for ultimately he desires to reward him.”

CHAPTER 30 – be humble

“Additionally a Benoinie must fulfill the directive of our sages to be humbler than all men.”

“One truly needs to be humble before, even the lowest person around.”

“The method to be more humble than anyone is to realize that everyone’s situation is different.

Hence the person you might be judging unfavorably, had you had his desires and opportunities to do bad, you probably would have done so as well.”

“Now despite the fact we must be more humble than the bad person, nonetheless this does not excuse bad, for all people must rectify themselves.”

“For all people should place God before ones’ eyes, and hence fear Him and be embarrassed to do wrong before His omnipresence and all people do have the capacity to control their behavior.”

“The truth is, it’s truly a very difficult matter to control oneself before the Yetzer Hara’s passion that burn intensely within man’s bosom.”

“One should truly judge oneself to see if one is truly dedicating oneself to pray with full concentration and study Torah diligently – furthermore before prayer one needs to humble oneself (through reminding oneself of one’s sins) to crush the Yetzer Hara. To meet what can be expected of you is truly a lofty, noble, and necessary task.”

“If one has not met what is expected of him (in this context to pray and study with concentration and diligently) then certainly one shouldn’t judge another whose circumstances and Yetzer Hara lead him to sin, for the two challenges (namely for you to pray and study with all your might, and for him to withhold temptations) are equal.”

“Another important meditation / idea, to bear in mind, is, one who is not religious, his transgressions are considered actually to be mistakes (for one cannot be obligated to do that which he was not educated in, and Halachikly he is called a Tinnuk Shenishbah, a child who was captured and raised amongst gentiles, and hence even if he somehow hears about Shabbos, as his entire role-modelship was gentile behavior, he is not obligated to keep the Shabbos though of-course we should only lovingly try to draw him closer to Torah and Mitzvos) hence the sins of the religious who know of their obligations are genuine, especially if one desires to come closer to God as it states by Acher (Rabbi Elishah Ben Avuah, a famous learned Rabbi who become irreligious,) his sins is great, for he was aware of the greatness of God and yet chose to leave it.”

CHAPTER 31 – Torah returns one’s soul back to its original state

“Even if the previous chapters meditations (on one’s lowness,) through contemplating them, an hour or two properly, leads one to be saddened and sadness is from Kelipah, for in holiness there is just joy, nonetheless, one should not refrain from doing them for this reason, for the methodology to destroy the Kelipos comes from its own arsenal.”

“The handle for the axe that chops down the forest, comes from itself, and our sages teach, ‘from its own arsenal one destroys the kelipos.’”

“This is the explanation of the verse, ‘from every sadness there will be a payout’ – the payout is the joy which follows the sadness – as will be further explained.”

“The truth is, being sad about one’s sins and one’s enclothment into Kelipah is not sadness.

There are two distinct states – sadness, which causes one to be lifeless, without feeling, listless, as it were. The second is upsetness. Now upsetness is not listless, on the contrary the person is agitated over a certain state.

The state of bitterness over one’s sins, is not a depressed state God-forbid, rather an upsetness state.

It comes from the Gevurah-Dekedushah (the harsh side of holiness) and the heart contains both chessed of kedushah (namely happiness and joy as well as Gevurah Dekedushah, as mentioned.”)

“When one sees that one is prevented access from controlling their behavior (as mentioned, because the Kelipos of the animal soul and Yetzer Hara are being arrogant) this then is the time to break one’s arrogance and the methodology of harshness (namely recounting ones failings etc.) has the benefit of removing the Yetzer Hara and animal soul’s harshness (for as mentioned, you fight fire with fire…)

The appropriate time to do this, is when one sees one is in any event feeling sad (hence no need to bring on additional sadness….”)

“Through getting bitter over one’s shame, one then actually removes sadness over material concerns.”

“Now, one can achieve true joy which follows the sadness.

For one should say to one’s heart, “It is true that I am lower than animals and worms (for even they do not go against God’s will as mentioned) nonetheless, this is only my body and animal soul, but the Godly soul within me is pure God, trapped as it is within such filth, hence I shall now, through having great compassion on this prisoner, release him from his dungeon through connecting to God – returning the Godly soul back to its unity with God as it was before it entered my body.

Practically, one should pray with devotion to redeem one’s soul, and subsequently do good deeds for the sake of uniting one’s Godly soul with God.”

“This should then be one’s constant joy through one’s life, for whenever one engages in Torah study and prayer and service of God, one is redeeming one’s soul!

Can there be a greater joy than freedom!

It is exactly like a prince captured by the enemy, is forced to grind wheat while laying in a filthy dungeon – now imagine the joy he feels upon his return home to the kings palace.”

“This is the idea of Leaving Egypt, namely, that the Jews escaped from Egypt. Why did they have to escape if Pharaoh was so thoroughly humiliated that he would have had to allow them to leave? rather the idea is, the Egypt, within them.

For they had not freed their animal souls from the immorality of Egypt.

It was only at the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai did their internal evil depart them.

This then is the idea of Leaving Egypt, that we are escaping our animal souls, trying to flee from our own internal debasement, to reunite our Godly souls to be in a consummate union with God.”

“Now one can achieve a far greater light and joy of one’s soul, creating incredible Jewish happiness…

One should contemplate, “It is not my fault that I was created with an animal soul and Yetzer Hara which trap God’s soul within such opposing tendencies of holiness, goodness and kindness….

Why did God do this? The reason is (as will be further explained in greater detail) as all descents – and this is the ultimate descent that part of God who is beyond, fills, and all the worlds are not even like a speck of dust compared to Him, should enter into a lowly space – for the sake of an ascent, unreachable without the descent.

What is this ascent? It is to merge my very body and animal soul, with my Yetzer Hara, into God’s infinity.

This is done through when I think, speak, and say words of Torah and do the commandments; then as my animal soul is thinking and speaking and saying (even though it may be contrary to its desire,) this (as will be explained) merges it into Godliness.

This is what it states, that Torah returns one’s soul back to its original state.”

 

 

CHAPTER 32 – UNCONDITIONAL

“By integrating the past chapters – seeing the body as lower than a worm due its sins and evil – and the joy of oneself is the joy of one’s soul uniting with God, merging with an infinite union with God through Torah study and doing Mitzvos, now one can achieve the Mitzvah (the most important Mitzvah of the Torah) To love your fellow Jew, old or young, great or not so great.

For if one despises one’s body and each and every Jew also has a soul, and the soul is of infinitely great proportions – being literally a part of God above.”

“Additionally not only should one have reverence for every Jew individually, as his greatness is due to such a lofty soul, but considering that all Jewish souls at their source are in God, hence we are literally like brothers coming from the same father.”

“If one considers their body – instincts – to be their fundamental desire and their soul’s desire as unimportant, such people can have no true love between one another (which as mentioned stems from the soul, for the bodies of people are what differentiates them) and if we see love between such people, it is merely bodily needs attracting to what the individual wants, not selfless love stemming from a shared identity.”

“Now we can comprehend how Hillel can say that the entire Torah is the Mitzvah of Ahavas Ysroel (love a fellow Jew, while there seems to be many other types of Mitzvos, relating between a Jew and God exclusively.)

The answer is simple, the idea behind the entire Torah is that the Jew should make his soul, not his body, the dominant part of his love (which as mentioned, is the only methodology to achieve unity, and hence merges Divinity within all Jews, for it is not enough for a solitary Jew to do this, rather one must merge one’s soul within all fellow Jews’ souls, for a king does not dwell in a broken palace – meaning that God resides in the  individual Jew only within the collective soul which combines all Jews, which is why before praying we say “I hereby take upon myself the commandment to love a fellow Jew as myself” for only through unity with all Jews can God reside on your individual soul.”)

“Additionally one may never judge another person, and though it does state in the Talmud regarding a fellow student who one works very hard on rectifying, and refuses to change; nonetheless, most people do not fall into this category and thus as Hillel states, “Be of the disciples of Aaron Hakohen, who loved people, and drew them close to Torah.”

In other words, if one sees a fellow Jew not behaving appropriately, there is only one course of action, to extend absolute unconditional love (for one is not allowed to judge them, as mentioned in chapter 30 and it is only by a fellow student where both are on the same level, that some minor form of chastisement may take place, hence the only appropriate course) is unconditionally love, and through this love, perhaps one may also be able to ensure the individual to return to God, though even if not, one has still fulfilled the  commandment to love a fellow Jew as oneself.”

 

 

CHAPTER 33 – increase joy

“Another method to increase joy especially when one needs to:

One should contemplate the absolute union of God within this world.

For as mentioned, it is like the letters of thought (so we have something distinct, letters,) as those letters are still within the desire (so now those letters exist only in a hidden form within the desire and are hence one with the desire).

Similarly, as God fills the entire expanse of everything (being its energy as e-energy = m-matter) hence nothing but God exists, and all relative to Him is non-existence.

Another example of this is the light of a sunray while it is still within the sun (its source;) if it can travel 98 million miles to shine on earth it must shine in the sun itself, but no one looking at the sun would point out a ray of light, for there, relative to the infinite light of the sun it is as if it doesn’t exist, being part and parcel, completely nullified out of any separate existence, relative to the infinity of the sun; (I am using the word infinity, though the sun is obviously not infinite, Editor.)

The more one thinks about this, especially realizing that this meditation is the purpose of creation, for it brings God (through the power of our thought which is the lever that unites God with this world, as we have been given this capability) the more joy one can achieve.

It is like a great king taking a humble person to live with him in the palace.

How great must be the joy of the humble person at such an honor that God whom the heavens cannot fill his glory, will unite in this world through your meditation.

This is the meaning that Chabakuk came and established the Torah on one principle, namely this belief in God’s unity.

For this belief in God’s unity adds the joy to one’s soul, which raises it above the distractions of the Yetzer Hara, enabling it to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.

This joy further extends beyond to hosting God, which as mentioned is a great union of the humble with the great, but also extends into God’s joy Himself.

This is what it states, “The Jews should rejoice with the creator of matter.” God Himself receives much joy – a colossal amount – for in this meditation we nullify the kelipos (who conceal this truth from our eyes which will become self-evident when Moshiach comes) and hence God’s unity merges within the physical matter of creation.

This joy is especially pronounced when we have this meditation in gentile lands that are filled with impure air due to the impure thoughts, speech and actions there, for there is no greater joy to God than the transformation of the deepest darkness to the highest light.”

 

CHAPTER 34 – joy in uniting with and hosting God

“This meditation (of chapter 33 of God’s unity) was always born in mind by the forefathers which made them a Merkavah – a chariot to God’s will – and this level (of Merkavah) was consummated in Moses whose very mouth was the speech of God coming through him.

To a certain extent the Jews at Mount Sinai received this revelation, but as it was too lofty for them, it ceased and God commanded Moses and them to build a Mishkan (tabernacle) and there this unity (in the Holy of Holies) presided.

So a Jew must say, “As my mind does not have the great capacity as the forefathers, and Moses, to hold this unity constantly, nonetheless I shall host God as our sages state ‘From the destruction of the Temple, God resides in the space of Torah study,’ so when I study Torah morning and evening and increasing when I have a chance, it is then that I shall play host to God (for as mentioned, chapter 4, at this moment one’s mind unifies with God).

Additionally, if a person finds his income increases, he should add in his charity and though he gives merely a fifth of his charity, this fifth unifies God in all of his efforts to make the money, as the single (or few) animals offered in the Holy Temple elevated all the animals in the world, and the bit of flour offered (mixed with a log of olive oil) elevated all the flour (hence  we see a bit of effort has the ability to unify God within all the effort, for one comes from the other, and as it has some of the other, can in turn elevate its source.)

Additionally when one prays using the energy of the time and money spent on gaining the food to eat, to give the strength for prayer and study then this too elevates (for as mentioned, the cause is elevated by the Godly outcomes.)

At the same time, all of this joy in uniting with and hosting God need not take away from a concurrent feeling of debasement, for the debasement is over the body’s lowliness, while the joy is over the soul’s unity and happiness in its merging with God, and both are true.

This is the meaning of the statement of the Zohar, suffering and sorrow are lodged in one side of the heart while joy and rejoicing in the other.”

 

 

CHAPTER 35 – it is very easy for a Jew to keep all of Torah and Mitzvos, in practice

“Understanding better that it is very easy for a Jew to keep all of Torah and Mitzvos, in practice (the word, in practice, is the direct translation of the original and is the emphasis of this chapter.)

Additionally to console the Bennoinie who must constantly fight the negative of his animal soul and the disturbing thoughts he gets, not being able to banish the animal soul…

By way of introduction:

In the Zohar it teaches that man is like a wick, God is like a flame, and good deeds are like the oil that bind the flame to the wick.

Why good deeds specifically?

Even a great Tzaddik whose fear and awe, love and reverence, for God are complete, still does not match his fear, love, awe and reverence, as they would be, as his soul was in heaven.

Hence, why should the soul come into a body where at best it is second best?

The answer is (as will be later explained in greater detail) the soul needs no rectification, rather the ultimate purpose is the rectification of the animal soul and the body.

For ultimately, the complete bond with God is in that which is subservient to Him, and even the greatest love for God, includes the “I” that loves.

On the other hand, when a Jew down below studies Torah and particularly performs the physical Mitzvahs, including the speech of Torah study, and prayer, then he is imbibing God into the very animal soul which though it may be contrary to its desires, nonetheless acquiesces and is a participant (for the Godly soul cannot manage, master, direct the body, without the intermediary of the animal soul.)

When this occurs, God’s Shechinah, indwelling (unifying,) manifests in the very lowest realm, the significance of which shall be further explained in the next chapters.”

CHAPTER 36 – God’s desire is specifically for our lowest space

“The well know reason for God creating the world, is as our sages teach “God desires to dwell in the lowest space.””

“There is no concept of higher and lower space when it comes to God, for God fills all space.”

“The explanation of the apparent anomaly (see two quotes above) is that God has never changed from before creation to after creation for in His terms He always occupied (and is always occupying) all spaces, but relative to the created beings there is a difference.”

“The idea of the chain of descent of God’s light, which is the source for all living things, is the idea of Tzimtzumim, namely that as the light descends lower it is further hidden from the recipients, hence the verse “No man (nor angel) can see me (my light) and live.”

The lowest space of this descent is this world, where God’s light is completely concealed to the extent of people being able to deny God altogether.”

“The ultimate desire of God is not the loftier spiritual worlds (there are four loftier spiritual levels in ascending order above us) and the reason for this is simple, that relative to the essence of God which they do not perceive, rather only a ray of His infinite light, hence one cannot say that God would create a universe for the sake of putting in light, which is nothing compared to His essence (that would be like building a home underground, to live in it with light, if you can live in a well lit place above ground…)”

“Rather God’s desire is specifically for our lowest space.

This desire cannot be intellectually comprehended, rather so arose in His will to shine with His complete light, through the subjugation of the kelipos (the service of the Benoinie) and the subsequent transformation of the space of darkness – our world run by kelipos and the other side – obviously accomplished when man suppresses his animal soul in favor of God, Torah and Mitzvos.”

“The ability to be able to be within the infinity of God which shall be physically revealed (that all is God) once Moshiach comes, as it states “the body will no longer conceal God” (so the God within the material will be revealed) is through the cloak of Torah, which will shield the individual from nullifying himself out of existence.

(In other words, a ray of light within the sun, is sun; it is not a separate part of the sun, so when Moshiach will come, through the infinity of God will manifest, nonetheless God through the Torah we studied in exile will allow us to still remain ourselves.”)

CHAPTER 37 – Moshiach depends on our doing Mitzvos today

“All of the Godliness to be revealed in the coming of the Moshiach depends on our doing Mitzvos today, for the reward of the Mitzvah is the Mitzvah itself, which causes the Godliness to permeate the physical matter, removing the Kelipos from being the “source” of the physical properties of the items used for the Mitzvah, say the parchment to write Teffilin, Mezuzah, or a Sefer-Torah, and instead God Himself becomes the source (which will be revealed when Moshiach comes.”)

“Similarly with our body – for when we do a Mitzvah with it, we then transform it from being recreated through the medium of kelipos – rather it then becomes a vehicle of Divine will, hence the very person becomes completely God, as there is no interfering layer (for as the body being used for God’s will, thus it is God’s will, which obviously is not separate from God Himself, as God is not a composite rather a single oneness.)”

 

“Moshiach will come when all Jews keep the Torah and Mitzvos (though the Rebbe has stated, that we have already fulfilled all, for the coming of Moshiach, in 1990) for the entire world is subdivided into 600,000 parts, and every Jew’s soul is one of 600,000 (though these 600,000 subdivide into a further 600,000 each) and hence each part of the world, is connected to one Jew; hence, if every Jew kept the 613 commandments, he disavows the evil (which draws from when he sins in one of the 365 prohibitions) and adds light (from each of the 248 commandments) thus creating, that only Godliness can be revealed, for the whole world.”

 

“Because Tzedakah / charity takes the most effort to create (and even one whom the money came as a present, but he can give this money which would be used for sustenance, altruistically) hence when we give it away, it has the most transformative effect; for as we put the most effort into its creation, then most of this world gets elevated to God (and this is the purpose of the world – to elevate the mundane into the Godly!)”

 

Why would we say Torah is greater than Mitzvos? (doing good deeds.. if one of the most important points of creation, is transforming the mundane into the spiritual, which occurs through using the physical for the spiritual?!) Because Torah transforms our internal intellectual power, and in addition the Shechinah / Godliness rests upon the soul (and souls of all Israel) when we study it.”

 

Chapter 38 – the significance of saying the words of prayer and Torah study

 

“We can now (following chapter 37) understand the significance of saying the words of prayer and Torah study, for if the main accomplishment in this world is the transformation of our physical bodies and material soundings into Godliness, hence, by saying the words, we effect a greater transformation then by just simply thinking them.”

 

“If this is the case (the above paragraph) what is the significance in meditating that the purpose of our Mitzvos and prayer should be to unite with God (which they effect?) the reason is, for just as a soul is greater than a body, similarly, the Mitzvah done with soul far exceeds Mitzvos that are lacking in soul (intent.)”

 

 

 

Chapter 39 – HEAVEN

 

“There are four spiritual worlds beyond ours – Gan Eden, where souls go after passing on, is in the two intermediate worlds of Beriah and Yetzirah; Beriah is where people whom served God through an intellectually motivated love and awe are, (for it is a world in which the intellectual grandeur of God is present;) and those souls who served God through motivating their instinctual love (see earlier chapters about how to fan an instinctual love and awe for God into a burning flame) go to the world of Yetzirah – however for the highest Tzaddikim, those who served as a Merkavah, totally giving over their will-power to do God’s will, they ascend to the world of Atzilus!”

 

Chapter 40 – love and reverence for God

 

“The Zohar compares the Torah and Mitzvos we do without love and reverence for God (in other words, habitual) to a chick that its wings do not allow it to fly, but when the Torah and Mitzvos we do is done with love and reverence for God, then the wings elevate these good deeds to God in Heaven.”

 

Chapter 41 – God hovers over and is searching one’s heart and intention

 

“One should arouse within himself the innate “fear” of God, to not rebel against Him, this is done by meditating on God’s infinite greatness that encompasses and is the source of everything; and in particular, God watches you – as our sages teach, that everyone must believe that the world was personally created for them – and in this way one arouses the sensation, that God hovers over and is searching one’s heart and intention, hence, we will have a sense of humility and healthy shame before Him.”

 

“Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, having healthy reverence “fear” for God is not enough for our good deeds to soar aloft; (see chapter 40) hence we must also arouse our natural love for God, and desire to be close with Him which is achieved whenever we do a Mitzvah, namely, our soul becomes enveloped in Godliness.”

 

“Additionally, a person should never separate oneself from the community, hence, we should meditate that this union with God should effect a union with all Jewish souls as well!”

 

“Before a person prays, studies Torah (or hourly during Torah study) a person should meditate that the purpose in doing this, is to unite one’s soul with God (ideally, as  this gives God pleasure as a father receives pleasure when his son visits;) and this intent, infuses that the prayer or Torah study is done out of love, causing a union with God.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 42 – takE an hour a day to meditate that God encompasses and permeates the entire universe and personally watches my every deed

 

“Why does it state that when Moses implores the Jewish people “all that God asks of you is to fear – have reverence for Him” hence the Talmud asks, “is reverence so simple to achieve?” and replies “Yes, for Moses”  – but as we are referring to the average Jew, how does this answer the question? – the answer is, that Moses is found within every Jew’s soul; it relates to his ability to bring out his innate reverence for God and fan it into a conscious reverence!

 

This is done by taking an hour a day to meditate (similar to beginning of chapter 41) that God encompasses and permeates the entire universe and personally watches my every deed – now as souls are different, some people will feel reverence after a wee bit of time, and others need a long hour to bring their innate reverence from the subconscious stratum of the heart to the consciousness in the mind, however, once a person feels this reverence, they can easily remind themselves of it and the point of this reverence is not the awe they feel, rather the practical application it causes – in causing one to actually perform the Torah and the Mitzvos.”

 

“Just as one’s awe from a king comes not from his body but his soul, hence when the king is asleep – his consciousness dormant, one feels no reverence from him, similarly, we need to train ourselves to realize that the world we see contains God, and this is the word “Emunah” which means to train ourselves to not be fooled by the dead layer of materiel matter we witness, but realize that it is a the actual living, breathing, energy of God.”

 

 

 

Chapter 43 – meditations generating awe and love

 

“Although we spoke in the last chapter about generating a reverence “fear” of God based on realizing His greatness, there is a far higher level of awe, which comes from understanding that God is the source of all matter, consistently pulsating the energy which is the fabric of reality – in other words (as explained at length in the second book of Tanya) matters basic state, is non-existence – to superimpose a new reality, would be like imagining it into existence, hence, it can only exist as long as God imagines it! this being the case, everything is truly non-existent relative to the source, God, and His thoughts, which are constantly recreating nothing into existence – including us.”

 

“In addition, there are two types of loves of God, one which comes as present from God called Ahavah Rabbah, which is a blissful love – in fact, the reward in the future era! and this only comes after one has preceded it by the Torah study and Mitzvah performance based on the previous mentioned reverence generating meditation; however, there is a second love called Ahavas Oilam in which one meditates on the fact that all of the energy we see in this world comes from God’s thoughts – a few sentences (10 to be precise..) now, ten sentences relative to infinite sentences is literally nothing.”

 

Chapter 44 – meditations generating  love

 

“Another wonderful mechanism to arouse our love, for which is an inherited love – subconsciously – due to its presence in our forefathers, is the love of God by recognizing that He is our soul and just as one craves one own life, similarly, as God is the very life force within us…”

 

“Another great mechanism to arouse our love for God, is to recognize that God is our father and just as one sometimes would be willing to give up their life for their parent (cherishing their life above their own) similarly, we look forward to studying Torah at night which unites us with God.”

 

Chapter 45 – meditation generating  love

 

“Another great mechanism to arouse the love for God in order to do Torah and Mitzvos altruistically – namely to unite with God – is to arouse compassion on God – in other words, the Kabbalah teaches us, that our soul is God, and this soul descended into our body and the banality of this world; tying God as it is, to our personal rubbish / trashy thoughts – considering all of our trashy thoughts, it truly is a great pity on the highest holiness to have been put into such rubbish / trash, hence I will make it my calling to free, elevate and recompense God through studying Torah, praying and doing Mitzvos, especially the Mitzvah of Tzeddakah which causes the highest union of God in this world.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 46 – meditation generating  love

 

“Another meditation to arouse love for God is based on the concept that hearts reflect each other, namely, if one person truly loves another, especially if he demonstrates that love (meaning, through a present, kind word etc.) the other person will reflect his love in return.

 

How much more so, if an important King (as we can’t identify with kings, imagine say the Prime-Minister of a country etc.) goes to a shamed person, who is lying in the gutters, and washes him, makes him look respectable, brings him to his private domain, hugs him, kisses him – hence even if this person had a heart as cold as stone – his heart would pour like water and melt into a loving warmth, in response to the love shown to him.

 

Now considering that this is exactly what happened to us Jewish people – for God is exalted with infinite amounts of angels, in infinite realms in the heavens above, as the Holy Ari has taught (Kabbalah,) and yet He personally lowered Himself (not through angels) to take us out of the mire, muck, immorality and hell of Egypt, to love us, to kiss us, to unite with us, namely when we study Torah and do a Mitzvah – and though we cannot see this connection as did our forefathers, nonetheless it is a true unity that occurs, so considering how high God is and how low we were …”

 

 

Chapter 47 – Every day a Jew must leave Egypt

 

“Every day a Jew must leave Egypt, this means we must leave the constraints of our body and unite our soul with God (just as the Jews in Egypt had to leave that godless land to unite with God, through the Ten-Commandments and more in the desert) we do this, when we study Torah (for as the Zohar states, God and his Torah are one, so through its studying, we literally unite with God) but especially, when we give our life to God when saying Shemah Yisroel… (when we are meant to think, we are prepared to even sacrifice our life for God.)”

 

Chapter 48 – GOD

 

Just as a person can internally be aware of multiple things, say his foot has a pain, what he is thinking about, his body temperature etc. for he feels all these things, similarly, God whose very thought of all matter, creates it, is aware of all; however, this is called an encompassing thought – similar to when we think of something, our mind encompasses the “object” we think of – but as God is infinite, hence, if His infinity were to be revealed, nothing could be limited (exist within 3 dimensions) hence, He hides His infinity and emanates a new light (memmaleh coil almin) which becomes the source for the limited energy (energy = matter) within our universe.

 

 

Chapter 49 – MEDITATION GENERATING LOVE

 

“Another meditation to arouse our love of God is as follows – when we consider that God is infinite – all the millions of universes (included of-course in the general four universes above, atzilus, beriah, yetzirah and assiyah) and all the lofty angels and souls are not His intent, rather the entire purpose that He hid His infinity and created our finite domain, is for us! to give us the opportunity to transform the world (which occurs when we beat our Yetzer Hara, selfish side, for Godliness, goodness and kindness) hence, to a discerning person, who can perceive how great is God’s love, to remove His infinity to make room for our good deeds to be the catalyst to bring Moshiach and transform the world! a reciprocal love will be awakened in His heart!”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 50 – MEDITATION GENERATING LOVE

 

All the previous loves (mentioned in the previous chapters) come from the side of Chessed, love, however there is a far greater love generated from the side of gevurah (like the love a wife has for her husband, is greater than the love he has for her, coming respectively from the side of chessed and gevurah) and this is by contemplating how all universes (imagine, the incredible energy to be found in a single atom, which creates nuclear energy, now imagine how many atoms there are (just in our body there are more atoms then stars in the universe and ruffly there are app. 100,000,000,000 galaxies each contains 100,000,000,000 stars, which comes to a number my computers calculator refers as 1.e+24, unimaginable!; and all these, is nothing compared to the spiritual light that brings it into existence, and all of that is absolutely nothing compared to God who creates the spiritual light) from this meditation, a born desire to leave one’s restriction of one’s lowly body and simply expire in union with God emanates – however as the Sefer Yetzirah teaches, when your heart desires to elevate, it is time to return to your purpose – namely, through listening to God, we unite with God, not in heaven, but here on earth, where He desires!”

 

Chapters 51 – 53 – understandING the meaning behind the term Shechinah, God’s dwelling

 

“To understand the meaning behind the term Shechinah, God’s dwelling; but doesn’t God dwell everywhere, equally? So an example is, of the soul that inhabits the body, for though the toes and the brain are equally alive, there is a fundamental difference; in that, the life-force comes first into the brain and from there, as is empirically evident, it gets managed; to distribute to each organ according to its particular design, for the eye, sight; the foot, walking; etc. etc; similarly, God’s light begins in the Holy of Holies in the world of Atzilus and from there it emanates the specific rays to create and enliven each soul or angel in that world; and then this light descends to the Holy of Holies in the lower world beneath it (Beraih, then Yetzira, then Asiyah) and in each, it is the source of light to create the particulars (though of-course, the essential God is everywhere equally, but Shechinah hence refers to the particular energy that is drawn specifically) in a similar sense, it is precisely when we do a good deed, such as Torah study, charity, prayer etc. that the radiance of God-Himself, then descends to bind our soul to his!”

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction to Shaar Hayichud Vehemunah called Chinuch Katan

 

“Educate a child according to his capabilities.”

 

“The foundation of Judaism is love and fear/reverence for God, for when one loves or fears another, one is drawn to be attached to them and fears separation from them (for true fear of God is a higher level of love – respect,) hence by loving and fearing God, one is drawn to unify with Him through adhering to his 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions.”

 

“There are two basic loves for God, the love of the Tzaddik which comes miraculously in reciprocation for their incredible service of removing any desire to this materiel world and its pleasure, including much Torah and Mitzvos, and is a blissful love/union with God.

 

However for the average person, the love for God must be born out of a meditation.

 

1. The Zohar teaches us to meditate on the fact that God is our life-force, hence, we will love Him as we love our own life.

 

2. The Meditating on God’s greatness.

 

3. A reciprocal feeling, for hearts react to each other, hence, realizing that God’s love for us is beyond what we can imagine; proof being, He descended into the cesspool of Egypt and took us from our immoral debasement into the highest level of holiness, giving us the Torah (this is the love Moses tried to impress upon the Jewish people saying that “God only did this for you,” and a love we remind ourselves daily in prayer, especially Shemah.)”

 

“A person should never remain static, even in a good state; one must always increase their love for God!”

 

“Growth contains three levels, where you are – losing the level you are (in order to) – arrive at a higher level.”

 

“The main and primary mechanism to arouse our love for God is through the understanding of how God is one with this universe (which will be explained through the 12 Chapters of Shaar Hayichud Vehemunah.”

 

 

 

 

 

Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah The Gateway to Understanding How God and The World are One

 

Chapter 1 – INFINITE CREATION

 

“The Baal Shem Tov says, the words “Let there be a sky” spoken at creation, to create the sky, remains imbedded within it – in others words, energy equals matter, which means matter equals energy; before creation, God did not emanate this energy, hence, there was no matter; however, as this energy itself is a creation, it cannot disappear; for then there would be no matter – hence the energy constantly flows from God, consistently bringing matter into existence!”

 

“The Ten Statements, such as “Let there be light,” “Let there be a sky,” said at creation, are like ten energy power sources, that have subdivisions (as explained in The Book of Creation, through the lowering of the energy via gemetriaos etc.) from these source-energy-systems, comes the Hebrew names (for every letter in Hebrew, is a type of energy and when the letters are combined, create a specific item, so the Hebrew word mayim – water, is the actual electrons, neutrons and protons of h2o; interestingly, water itself is two hydrogen atoms, surrounding an oxygen atom, and similarly mayim is two mems, surrounding a yud, and the same for all matter.”)

 

Chapter 2 – MIRACLES

 

“The reason some people deny the capacity of miracles, and the stories in the Torah to happen, is for they mistakenly see the world as a fixed entity, not realizing as we said (chapter 1) if something is created from non-existence, it is impossible for it to exist without the original life-force that brings it into being, consistently doing so.”

 

 

 

Chapter 3 – MATTER = GOD

 

“If the eye were permitted to see, we would see, not physical matter, rather, the Divine energy behind it, and we wouldn’t see anything physical!

 

For example, sunlight travels 98,000,000 to shine on earth, so it must shine within the orb of the sun, however, no one thinks of the sunlight there, for we only think of the overriding sun itself; similarly, we are within our source, but as our source is not visible, we see only the effect, hence, though we are really one with our source, we perceive the material world as real, for we don’t see the source.”

 

Chapter 4 – GOD HIDING

 

“Just as no person can comprehend how God in his kindness, can create matter, when no matter existed prior, similarly, no man can comprehend, how God, can create both matter which is within its source, but cannot realize its source.”

 

Chapter 5 – GOD PEEKING

 

“The concealment of source from us created beings is what the medrash refers to when it says that God desired to make the world through the attribute of concealment (meaning, He would be completely concealed, resulting in our needing to discern Him as Abraham did) but seeing that the world couldn’t (peer through the concealment without assistance) He placed righteous saints – Tzaddikim (who could find or see God, and hence relate or perform miracles which proves God’s existence, as well as) the miracles recorded in the Torah.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6 – GOD

 

“Though of course, God hides His Divine energy, so the world can exist; nonetheless, of-course relative to His perspective, nothing is hidden.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 7 – God creates the illusion of our independent existence

 

“It is well known that the reason God hides His energy (leaving the appearance of individuality) is, a king cannot rule over his children, or even over his ministers (for as they are too close to him, they cannot be considered separate individuals) thus God creates the illusion of our independent existence.”

 

“Though we see not God, of-course, the illusion stops only at our sight; God Himself is absolutely the same as the energy which emanates from Him.”

 

Chapter 8 – God’s emotions are infinitely beyond our understanding!

 

Though we call God, kind, wise, compassionate etc. these are different to human emotions, for though we can only extrapolate an emotion, how it appears to us; God’s emotions are infinitely beyond our understanding, and hence are in fact different to our wisdom, emotions, thoughts, words and actions, that come in addition to our very being (God’s are one essence with Him, which as we have no corollary experience, for our ability to think comes before our thoughts, our ability to speak, before our speech etc.) hence we cannot comprehend this matter!

 

Chapter 9 – God is infinitely (infinity is a big number!!) beyond the level called wisdom

 

As opposed to our wisdom which is the height of our being, for from it comes our emotions (we see, a child lacking wisdom, gets emotional about silly things) and from the emotions, comes our thoughts – how to attain that which we love, or prevent that which we fear – our speech (following our thoughts) and our action (again, following our thoughts and speech) hence in us, wisdom is the source, but for God, wisdom is seen as an insignificant creation (though of-course as mentioned, God and His wisdom / emotions are unified – though again we cannot understand how; for we have no corollary type of experience) so God is infinitely (infinity is a big number!!) beyond the level called wisdom, to the extent that saying one cannot understand God is like saying one cannot touch a wisdom, as it is so deep, : ),  for the reason that makes no sense, is for the sensation of touch cannot be applied to wisdom.

 

Chapter 10 – we use the terminology of emotions to explain the motive behind aN ACTION

 

The reason we call God wise, compassionate etc. is for we need some kind of language to identify God’s actions; hence, we say, on the first day of creation, God’s kindness was present, creating light; the second day, God’s strictness was present, creating a sky to separate between the higher spiritual water and the lower physical ones (which of course, God’s severity is integrated and emanating from his kindness, for this allows the dry land to appear and then for people to exist, live and serve God,) similarly, we use the terminology of emotions to explain the motive behind action, though of-course God’s “emotions” are translucent to God, in other words, relative to us, they are wisdom and emotions, but relative to God it is all merely an expression of his Divine Being.

 

Chapter 11 – God Himself, so to say, “thought” how to implement His love / desire to create us

 

In the first chapter (of Shaar Hayichud Vahemunah) we discussed how God emanated ten sayings (for example, “Let there be light”) from which all source energy for matter comes from.

 

Here to, we must say that the terminology of speech and letters are only to help us understand what is happening, for in essence it is not letters, rather, just as when you desire something, say to help someone, you cannot actualize this desire unless you think how to do so (or for-example if you wish to unify with a beloved, and wish to say words of love, you must think about what those words will be) similarly, God Himself, so to say, “thought” how to implement His love / desire to create us, in the universe, and the “thoughts” are the letters which created the physical matter.

 

Chapter 12 – God Himself, so to say, “thought” how to implement His love / desire to create us

 

Now each one of the Ten Sayings is comprised of three levels – the general sayings, which creates the general domain of that object, for example the creation of sky, includes seven spiritual heavens and our physical sky; then the letters within the sayings, are energy sources to create the general items in the domain, so say the physical properties of the sky; and then the transmutations, gematrious (for every Hebrew letter is also a number and hence can be transmuted to practically infinite different combinations) create the specifics within the general, so for example in earth there are many stones, different minerals, and each has its own Hebrew letters which are the energy source, bringing them constantly out of nothing into the format we see them in.

 

 

The Letters / Chapters Explaining Teshuvah – Repentance / Returning To God

Chapter 1 TRUE

The Talmud states there are three types of sins with three types of repentance – if one does not do a commandment (a Do commandment) of the Torah – as soon as one does Teshuvah (regrets, resolves to do it and expresses an apology) one is immediately forgiven – if one transgresses a prohibitive commandment, then Teshuvah is the first step and Yom Kippur erases the sin – if one transgresses a prohibition which the Torah says the punishment is death, either through a court or Divine excision (kares) then Teshuvah is step one, Yom Kippur is step two, and pain/suffering is step three (it should be mentioned, the only reason for suffering is not to punish rather to remove the stain one causes, as will be explained.)

 

A Do commandment from the Torah supersedes a “Don’t do” for the latter adds a Divine light (while the former only prevents that the light shouldn’t go to the forces of darkness.)

 

When we sin we cause that the purity of our soul becomes defiled, like putting black ink on a white paper.

 

The Torah says that Teshuvah – repentance is the acknowledgment, and regret that one has transgressed the will of the king of kings, and currently desires to fulfill God’s will.

 

The only reason there is the notion of fasting (as repentance) is to substitute a possible Divine retribution (with the fast.)

 

 

Chapter 2 – FASTING

 

The reason there was a notion of fasting (for example the Arizal mentioned many different amounts of fasts for different sins) is an example of a person who angered a king but managed to calm his anger, from a friend of his, who placated the king (for example by saying, “he didn’t realize…” etc.) However the king’s heart does not feel the same level of love as before his anger,  so in order to get the king’s heart to love him again, he sends him a gift – similarly is the notion of fasting, which substitutes today our previous obligation to bring a sacrifice in the holy Temple.

 

Chapter 3 – CHARITY

 

There is a disagreement amongst the Kabbalists if one sin (for example, the sin of emitting wasteful semen where the amount of fasts is 84…) does one need to do so, for each time sinned, or does three X 84 cover the sin. The reason for this is, as it states, “when a person sins they create a stain in heaven and when they sin three times they darken the whole heaven” – hence the three repentance.

 

However fasting was only permissible in the olden days when peoples’ stamina was much greater and the fasting did not affect them – this is particularly true of a person who studies Torah, hence his fasting will create a lack of ability to focus.

 

Today the mechanism to rectify one’s sins, because one cannot fast is to substitute the fast with charity (generally we consider the cost of a meal $3.00 and considering there are three meals a day it would mean spending $9.00 per day.)

 

The bottom line is, that to rectify one’s sins one should give today as much (if not everything) they can to charity.

 

Chapter 4 – higher and lower Teshuvah

 

The Zohar comments on the word Teshuvah – Tashuv hei (it breaks up the Hebrew word into two, which means) return the hei. Hence there is a higher and lower Teshuvah, which relates to the two heis, in the name of God.

 

The difference between how God creates everything besides man, is like the difference between speech and blowing, for in speech one can speak long but not tire, but in blowing one tires quickly; for in the former, it is only an outer energy, while in the latter an inner; similarly, all of creation is made with the Divine name Eloikim (we find this name used the first 32 times in the Torah) however Man’s soul is created with the name Havayeh, which represents, that it was only man for whom all else was fashioned.

 

 

 

Chapter 5 – Our souls begin in God

 

Our souls begin in God, like a rope that starts in point a. and ends in point b. our body.

 

This rope is compared to 613 strands (like all ropes are the intertwined, twisted smaller strands) every positive deed strengthens the connection, and God-forbid a negative severs that particular strand.

 

Chapter 6 – returning the lower “hei”

 

The meaning of returning the lower “hei” is as follows – as our soul begins in God and it is like a rope, hence when one pulls the bottom of the rope, the top gets dragged after it – similarly, as we are given freedom of choice – when we choose to drag our minds and hearts into selfish or cruel endeavors, this drags the Divine side into those realms – however, when we return to doing good, this returns the Divine soul to its rightful place.

 

Chapter 7 – feel bad for the Divine

 

The mechanism to affect this Teshuvah return, is twofold:

 

1. This is the process as taught by the Baal Shem Tov, to feel bad for the Divine – the Divine, attached to your soul was dragged into the – as the Alter Rebbe speaks elsewhere – like a king being forced to place his head into a toilet bowl filled with excrement (as the Kabbalah teaches “A king (the Divine) bound by the chains of immoral and ignoble thoughts”) for the thoughts of man being connected to the Divine drag the Divine down – especially considering how awesome and great the Divine is, one can truly feel great pity on God.
2. This is the mechanism – which the Alter Rebbe recommends we should do an hour daily (particularly at night) of considering all the times we dragged the Divine into the filth – This creates a great humility – for the essence of evil – which has no true existence; it merely puffs itself into a false persona – hence the humbling of self, is the destruction of the forces of evil that have attached to oneself.

Chapter 8 – the higher Teshuvah

Once one has done the above (two Teshuvah exercises mentioned in Chapter 7) now we can truly ask God to please return our soul – a request from the depths of our heart.

 

This affects that “hei” (see chapter 6) returns back to its source in God at the same level as it was before it came into this world.

 

This is what is considered the higher Teshuvah, especially when we follow our repentance with Torah study (for the essence of this repentance is not the state of return, but the continued existence with the Divine – this is especially true of a Baal Teshuvah whose return – coming from feeling far, hence the tremendous outpouring of love and attraction even exceeds that of a Tzaadik.)

Chapter 9 – TESHUVAH ILAH

The Zohar says that Binah – Divine comprehension, is Teshuvah Ilah (the higher Teshuvah.)

In other words, when a person uses their comprehension to truly comprehend the greatness of the Divine; furthermore understand that “The Divine is my very essence, my soul, who I am!” this gives wings to the love, making it soar aloft.

Similarly, one’s comprehension can be used to understand that “The great Divine Being constantly is watching my behavior!…” hence this arouses perhaps a fear of punishment or better, a sense of embarrassment – for when one is cognizant that another supervises them – commensurate with the greatness of the person who is looking at them – is the fact, they will be ashamed to do wrong.

Now the main aspect of love is the unity of the lovers – hence love for God would mean to unify your mind and emotions, thoughts, speech and actions (which compromise the human self) with God’s; This is achieved by firstly the emotional love towards God (which also translates as the embarrassment to do what He abhors – see above) and in practice, relates to the study of Torah (mind/thoughts) the speaking the words of Torah (speech) and in practice, the giving of Charity (the essence of all the Divine commandments.)

For one who has caused the Divine mind (the Divine connected to his mind, see above) to descend to the lowest realm due to wasteful emission of semen and certainly forbidden relations, the way for him to repent is through the additional study of Torah, like a string or rope that got cut, so we double-knot it – this is what it states, that if someone sins and is liable for a punishment what should he do? “If he was accustomed to reading one page of Talmud, let him read two, one Mishna, let him read two” (for Torah reconnects one with the Divine.)

 

 

 

 

Chapter 10 – feeling pity on the Divine-Being

In the last chapter we spoke of Teshuvah Ilah as it relates to Torah, but it also relates to prayer.

However before prayer and the love it engenders, uniting one’s heart in God, as it states, “You should love God with all your heart and all your soul!” one must perform the lower level of Teshuvah which is the feeling pity on the Divine-Being, dragged into the mud by my negative (see above.)

This should ideally be done before one begins praying (to have the above pity-based contemplation) however, once one finished the pity-based contemplation, they should then start praying with joy.

As today people are not capable of transforming their emotions (for a healthy mind should have absolute control on one’s emotional feelings) therefore a good idea would be to have the pity-based meditation during Tikkun Chatzois (at night) hence during the morning prayers one will be in a state of joy – for those who find this difficult they should at least do so on Thursday nights.

 

Chapter 11 – One side of my heart is ecstatic; The other side, weeps

In truth one should be able to hold both emotions of joy and sadness, as mentioned in the end of chapter 34 of Tanya from the Zohar “One side of my heart is ecstatic; The other side, weeps.”

Now the way a person comes to this important level (for as we will soon see, the important balance it creates) is by rejoicing after repentance!

The reason for this rejoicing is, imagine you had a fallout with a close friend and after saying, “I am sorry” the friend forgives you; this would bring your heart much joy! – Well, though we constantly repent (as mentioned in last chapter, doing the lower level Teshuvah) nonetheless, as God and his emotions are infinite, hence his compassion and forgiveness likewise are immediately aroused, the moment we seek forgiveness.

In other words, one should now feel great joy that one is back in God’s loving heart!

Now this is consistent with what King David (who repented after his sin with Batsheva said) “I recall my sin before me constantly” – this means not that he felt deep shame, a sense of lowness constantly, rather it was in order to enable him to remain humble – in other words: one repents, one rejoices in their newfound union, and then remains humble by reminding themselves of their capacity to sin (by the way, this memory of our sins is also highly effective in preventing us from becoming angry – as we can attribute an evil another does to us as a Divine retribution (so instead of allowing them to anger us, we see it merely as a cosmic justice.)

Chapter 12 – we can even rejoice in our pains

We mentioned at the end of last chapter how wise it is to consider that anything bad that occurs to one is a punishment (perhaps even for a sin done in a previous lifetime, as this causes one to not get angry – not blame a person,) now the Alter Rebbe discusses how we can even rejoice in our pains (hence not allowing them to get us down) for a drop of suffering in this world erases mountains of pain in the next.

The reason for this is: he gives an example that if one imagines a sundial, so the movement of one hour on the sundial based on the shadow, comes from tens of thousands of miles of distance which the sun orbits, hence we see how a small drop of suffering in this world excludes tremendous suffering in the next (in fact he brings down that if one were to imagine someone who has the most excruciating life, and this continues for 70 years! it wouldn’t compare to a single hour in hell, as the fire of hell burns 60X the heat of the sun – OUCH!)

But the flip-side is also true, that the tiniest good-deed below, any act of kindness, any Mitzvah has an extraordinary effect, drawing in a Divine light through all the spiritual to the physical universe! (though currently we cannot see it, but when Moshiach comes, we will!)

 Iggeres Hakoidesh

1.

Just as the thighs / legs support the body, the following faith supports the Jew – there are three realms God made (mentioned in Sefer Yetzirah, encapsulating everything) Space Time and Soul/s – now today we know there is no space in which the true space isn’t really the Creator – science has taught us, everything is energy (e=m,) Now energy as you see in a fire is not a physical quantity, it merely express itself in the temperature of heat and the miracle of light (and depending on how much energy, how much heat and how much light – in other words, everything is simply “frozen” heat and light – in the spiritual terms (the Alter Rebbe uses) there are three energies: there is the specific energy congealed into matter, there is the generalized source of infinite ability, which serves as the brain of what goes where, for obviously it is impossible for an atom to have natural knowledge of itself, nor of its rotations (especially as we now know Heisenberg’s “principle of uncertainty,” that it is basically following uncertain circular routes (not to mention, popping in and out of existence!) so there is a cosmic brain that organizes every single electron, neutron, proton and its route (which is also obvious, for an atomic explosion is when these things crash!) and of-course, all of this means nothing, relative to an infinite mind; for though it may seem to be absolutely unbelievable to us, that’s only because we can only have finite thoughts (usually one at a time) but if you are capable of infinite thoughts! and infinite ability! the entire universe and everything in it, is merely a single moment’s decision – the same concept holds true both in terms of time (the sequences of matter) and souls – so every experience we have (of-course including our existence) is all really just simply part of, well, a momentary decision, which takes zero implementation effort!

The power to actualize, retain the inspiration of the above meditation is through the study of the Halachos, the laws of God – for these relate to God’s will (not merely Torah study, which relates to wisdom, for the halacha is the final appropriate Divinely ordained action.)

 

 

 

 

 

I suggest that the Minyan in Synagogue during the weekdays should be led by those who have more time, as well as should be complemented (by fellow worshipers, hence it would seem that those who need to rush would have to suffice with the answering of Amen etc.) and should take no less than an hour and half every weekday.

 

 

 

 

Quotes from the Tanya

 

DEDICATION

Dedicated to a true Mother In Israel

The Rebbe’s Shlucha Who Tirelessly Not Only Raised A Family Dedicated To The Rebbe’s Outreach But Continuously Is Both A Community Role-Model And Actively Inspires Thousands.

CONTENTS

	Introduction
	Tanya – Likuitei Amarim – Collection Of Saying
2	Introduction to Shaar Hayichud Vehemunah called Chinuch Katan
3	Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah  The Gateway to Understanding How God and The World are One
4	The Letters / Chapters Explaining Teshuvah – Repentance / Returning To God
5	Iggeres Hakoidesh

Introduction

 

The purpose of this book as our sages comment
“And say to those who make things concise,
‘G-d is with you!’”
(or something like that : )
We all need – especially today, “tweets.”

 

The quotes are (in my favorite style) what I call “paraphrased translations” – as the Rebbe told Mr. Rader who told me, that when seeking to translate, one always should place the meaning above hyper-literal.

 

In order to truly appreciate Tanya five basics are necessary:

 

1. Each of us has three souls:
   
   We have  –  in  a sense our conscious self – a mind capable of thinking, hence inspiring, as well as directing (or ordering) our behavior (as such, the ability to inspire ourselves to a love and reverence for God, and the ability to implement His wishes, are ever present.)
   
   
2. We have Divine soul which is literally a soul of God, that has been sort of imprisoned inside the filth of
   C. our animal soul, which comes from the dirty – despicably – low realm of kelipah (a realm of souls / desires that are selfish – instinctual gratification, anger etc. (though in the Jewish animal soul, it also contains an innate predilection to compassion and hence acts of goodness and kindness.)
   
   2. Much of the Tanya is based on the fact that because we are both compassionate and have a Godly soul, therefore if we can bifurcate – split our “personality,” identity – instead of imagining that our dirty low animal desires is who we are, rather accept that there is really a soul of God in us – and whenever we do a Mitzvah or study Torah etc. we at that time – because matter isn’t real – it’s all energy! – so we both extricate this Divinity out of the filth, and we connect it with God who is within the Mitzvah or the Torah – pure-energy meets pure-energy – this of-course becomes a primary motivation.
   
   
3. In Chapter 35 a novel concept namely that even the Godly soul ultimately is sent down to cause a unity between the animal soul and God – for though the animal soul may never be as holy – yet as it is obviously using the agency of the body that a Jew can serve God through Torah study, Mitzvos etc. – this then fulfils the ultimate intent of God.
   
   

 

4. The primary meditation to inspire a love and reverence for G-d is explained in great detail (primarily in the second book, Shaar Hayichud Vahemuna) the essence being, God descends into every bit of matter (memaleh koil almin e=mc2) God is infinitely beyond, and the cosmic source from which all matter emanates consistently – in an infinitely ongoing yin-yang (out and return) cycles (in the terminology of quantum physics, from infinite potential into “actual”) and in fact, God is actually so great, that all these abilities (both the finite e=m – and the infinite potential for literally infinite energy etc.) relative to God are zero.

 

 

5. Last but not least, the third book of Tanya – “Iggeres Hateshuva – Letters on Repentance” highlights the critical idea that if we are arrogant (selfish – God-forbid cruel) until we humble ourselves – by reminding ourselves what a lowlife we are – or have been – taking the pristine infinite light of God and through our negative behavior, speech or action into the cesspool of evil (like putting the head of a king in a toilet ) : then our humility allows our Divine Soul to improve us.

 

 

 

Tanya – Likuitei Amarim – Collection Of Sayings

 

 

BASIS OF TANYA

“It is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.”

INTRODUCTION TO TANYA BY AUTHOR RABBI SHNEUR ZALMAN – ALTER REBBE

“Sifre Musser founded upon people’s minds, are not applicable for all people, for one person’s heart does not inspire from the same words that another’s does.”

“The Torah stemming from God, the source of all Jewish souls, hence within the Torah (at least in a general sense) there is wisdom applicable to every single Jewish soul.”

“The Tanya is replies to the numerous heartfelt queries of the Jews (in the Alter Rebbe’s times) who came to me, revealing their heart and soul, requesting advice in these matters.”

“Thus, as people forget, (and other reasons) I have written the replies to all possible questions (in the subject of serving God) in the Tanya.”

“In the Messianic era, people will have such complete knowledge of God – for the knowledge of God will be as much as the sea covers the seafloor – hence people will need not learn from teachers anymore.”

CHAPTER 1 – THE TWO SOULS IN MAN

“Before a soul enters into this world, in Heaven, they make him swear (which also means they give him the ability to fulfill this oath,)
‘Be a Tzaddik (perfectly righteous) and don’t be a Rasha (evil) and lest the entire world tells you that you are a Tzaddik, always consider yourself as if you are a Rasha.’”

“One shouldn’t have negative opinion of oneself, for this leads to sadness and depression.”

“One should serve (work for) G-d, with joy and enthusiasm.”

“Though one shouldn’t be despondent, nonetheless, one should be aware of his or her spiritual standing (in order to constantly strive to do more.)”

“The true level of a Tzaddik, is one who does not have a Yetzer Hara (the little devil in man) anymore.”

“Whoever still has a Yetzer Hara, though his good outweighs his evil nonetheless he is not on the level of a Tzaddik.”

“God realizing that there would be few Tzaddikim, put them (scattered) in every generation.”

“The Tzaddik is the foundation (Kabbalistickly, all the energy that flows from God to his generation flows through his soul first) of the world.”

“Every Jew whether a Tzaddik or a Rasha, possesses two souls.”

“The first soul, comes from the side of unholiness, possessing the qualities of earth – laziness and sadness; fire – haughtiness and anger; water – desire for instinctual pleasures; air – enjoyment of fun, blabbing, self-grand standing.

In addition, in a Jewish soul (as it comes from the source of “The Tree of Knowledge” containing both evil and good, hence) there are also the positive characteristics of goodness, compassion and kindness.”

CHAPTER 2 – THE GODLY SOUL

“The second soul in a Jew is literally part of God above.”

“In every generation there are the Rebbes of the generation whose souls are like a head relative to a ankle” (meaning, far more developed, though the essence of all souls – the second soul – is God Himself.)

“An example would be, that just as the original essence of the drop of semen, being in the father’s mind, yet the ankle, though in essence the father’s mind, nonetheless, manifestly, is only the son’s ankle – relative to the son’s mind, which would be comparably closer to the father’s mind.”

“Just as the ankle receives its sustenance (directions,) from the brain (which manages the whole body) hence even the ‘ankle souls’ receive their sustenance from the source ‘mind,’ namely through the energy of God transmitted via the Rebbe of the generation.”

“To connect to the Rebbe, is to literally connect to God, the sages teach us.”

CHAPTER 3 – THE GODLY SOUL’S MIND & EMOTIONS

“Man’s soul is divided into two, mind and emotions.”

“There are three parts to the mind, and seven parts to the emotions.”

“The Godly soul’s mind, is, Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge (of God.)”

“The Godly soul’s emotions are love of God, dread, fear, reverence of God etc.”

“Wisdom, understanding and knowledge are called the mother of the emotions, for based on one’s wisdom, understanding and knowledge, are the subsequent emotions (feelings of love or fear) born.”

“Wisdom, in the mind that produces new ideas, is called Chochmah/wisdom.”

“When one contemplates a new idea, seeing its details, then this is called Binah/understanding.”

“Wisdom/chochmah, and understanding/binah, are the mothers that give birth to love and reverence for God.”

“For when one deeply attaches one’s mind to the belief, that God permeates every living (and even non-living, see Shaar Hayichud Va-hemunah, Book Two of the Tanya,) and is also beyond them, and in fact everything is like not even as a speck of dust relative to Him, hence a great awesomeness is born, leading one to hold G-d in incredible esteem, reverence; and then a yearning to unite with His greatness follows.”

“Longing for God comes from the element of fire in the Godly soul and as the naturalists write, that the element of fire is to be found in the heart (passion.)”

“The source of the element of water and coolness, comes from the brain, this is the level of wisdom/Chochmah which is found in the brain, belonging to the Godly soul.”

“All feelings/emotions/middos are offshoots, “children,” of the source feelings/emotions/middos, love and fear.”

“The third part of the mind is called Daas.”

“Daas/knowledge comes when one attaches oneself – from the terminology and Adam Yada/knew Chava/Eve – indicating attachment, connection, unity; for even if one understands something perfectly, if one does not strongly attach, concentrate, and contemplate a matter, it remains in the mind, but when one does so, it gives birth to the emotions of love and reverence as mentioned.”

CHAPTER 4 – The Godly Soul’s “Garments”

“Additionally the Godly soul contains three articles of clothing which it wears, comprised of the 613 Mitzvos/commandments in the Torah.”

“These are, namely, the thoughts speech and performance of the 613 Mitzvos / commandments.”

“When man uses his thoughts to comprehend all that is possible in the Pardes (the commentaries) of the Torah / Bible, and uses his speech in his study of the Torah, and his actions in the performance of all the commandments feasible to do, then the generality of his soul (comprised of 613 parts) merges with the 613 Mitzvos of the Torah.”

“More specifically, his Chabad (wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of his soul) is enclothed in the understanding of what he can understand, based on his natural abilities (meaning, intelligence) and root of his soul” (obviously various souls may have a predilection to specific parts of the Pardes – commentaries on the Torah.)

“The emotions / middos are enclothed in the fulfillment of the 613 Mitzvos, as well as in the speaking, the Torah study, of them.”

 

“The reason the emotion of love, is the driving force of the fulfillment of the Mitzvos, for the reason why one would do any of the 248 action-commandments, is, out of love for God.”

 

“Though one may possibly do something for an ulterior motive, the only true performance of the Mitzvos, 248 action-commandments would be, for one loves God, and as s/he desires to unite with God (the corollary of love) hence the only possible method to do this would be through one of the 248 Mitzvos which are referred to as the “limbs” of the king (meaning, this would be like hugging the king.”)

“Fearing God is the reason one would refrain from contravening any of the 365 prohibitions of the Torah.”

“The reason fear is the root of the prohibitive commandments, is, for as one is afraid to contravene the will of God, hence one would not violate any of his rulings.”

“A deeper fear would be that one desires not to cause pain to the ever watchfulness (consciousness – omnipresence) of God’s eyes, for by violating any of the 365 prohibitive commandments, one gives life to the Kelipos (bad angels / demons) as they draw their sustenance from when a Jew violates any of these commandments, and, as they are wretched in the eyes of God, thus one who loves God, will not cause Him agony.”

“Though the soul’s garments which it enclothes itself are as mentioned, nonetheless, despite the fact that they are called clothing, which the soul wears (enclothes itself in) nonetheless, in truth they are infinitely higher (loftier) than the soul itself, for God is one with his Torah (hence the garments of the soul, namely Torah study and performance, and the speech of its study, are literally God, as God unites in an infinite bond with his Torah, so the soul’s Garments are in fact even loftier than the soul itself.”)

“Torah is compared to water – as water comes from the heaven to the earth, similarly the Torah, though originating in God’s very “soul” travels an infinite journey to become comprehendible to finite mortal minds.”

“Though the Torah originates in concepts beyond human compression, but it progressively descends through spiritual worlds until it speaks about our physical matters.”

“The Torah descends into not only matters affecting us, but into the very letters compromising the 24 holy books of Tanach, Torah, Prophets and Writings, comprehendible to our minds, and practically, performable by our bodies.”

“As the Torah clothes the ten parts of the soul, hence the light of God completely encompasses the 613 parts of man (meaning, his body, from head to foot.”)

“This is why our sages teach us that, ‘better one hour in Teshuvah (repentance – coming closer to God) and doing good in our world, than all the life in the heavenly delights.’ For those delights are merely what man can understand of God which is but a minuscule ray, for no man can comprehend God at all (hence it is called a ray of the Shechinah’s light). However through the union caused via comprehending and performing the Torah on earth, which as mentioned, is united with God himself, for God and his Torah are seamlessly merged, hence one becomes unified with God Himself (as opposed to only a ray of his light.”)

“The unity through the Torah to God takes place despite the fact that the Torah refers to very physical Mitzvos, commandments, such as giving charity, Keeping Kosher etc. for this is like saying there would be a difference in hugging a king if he were wearing less clothing to more clothing. As the king himself is behind his clothing, it makes no difference if there are many layers of clothing – for through hugging the king, all the layers do not obstruct the loving embrace between subject and king.”

“Just as if a king were to shake your hand, it would be the love coming through the handshake that counts, likewise the Torah is compared to God’s right hand, as it states, I shake with my right hand, referring to the Torah, which comes from God’s right side, namely the side of kindness.”

CHAPTER 5 – TORAH STUDY

 

Understanding the Divine / human unity that occurs through Torah study.

When one studies something two things occur simultaneously.

1. If I am contemplating a Divine law such as how to arbitrate between two arguing parties (Eilu Metzius etc.) then I am placing my mind into the law.
2. At the same time my mind is encompassing – thinking – swallowing the law.

There is no greater union – for this type of union cannot be replicated in the physical realm.

As the Torah is God, hence by studying Torah, man’s mind truly unites with God who otherwise is completely unknowable.

“In this there is an incredible benefit to Torah study over all Mitzvos, even over saying words of Torah, for whenever one says or does a Mitzvah, a light of God covers man from head to toe, however as in Torah study in the mind, not only does the mind go into the light, but the mind encompasses the light (see above) hence it is the only Mitzvah in which God unifies internally within man.”

“For this reason the Torah is called the food of the soul, for as it is “ingested” in the mind, hence when a person reaches Heaven, the Torah sustains him internally, as food sustains man through its ingesting and unification with the person, similarly the Torah becomes one’s food in heaven and the Mitzvos (which as mentioned) shed an encompassing light around man, become one’s garments in Heaven.

This applies when the Torah is learned Lishmah (altruistically) which means that one’s purpose in the study was for the ensuing unification with God.”

 

CHAPTER 6 – The Animal Soul and its garments

 

“God created the negative to be an inverse picture of the positive.”

“Just as the Godly soul has ten levels, similarly the soul of Kelipah (unholiness) that embodies in man’s blood to give him life, likewise has ten levels, namely the seven negative emotions stemming from the four negative foundations (as mentioned in chapter 1) and the 3 faculties of the mind, wisdom, understanding and knowledge, that give rise to the emotions.”

“The emotions of the animal soul, are expressed relative to the intellect of the animal soul, hence, a child whose intellect is not fully developed desires and likewise gets very sad over the loss of petty things.”

“When man uses his thoughts speech and actions towards the goals of the animal soul (instincts, as mentioned in chapter 1) then his mind, speech and actions become garments for the side of unholiness.

This encompasses all the thoughts, speech and actions of the average person on earth, which are all worthless meaningless thoughts, speech and actions.”

“All thoughts, speech and actions that are not directed towards God and fulfilling His will are all from the side of unholiness.”

“The side of unholiness is called ‘the other side,’ for it means whatever is on the other side of being the thoughts, speech and actions that are about, or are in service of and to God.”

“The Holy side is what draws and receives sustenance directly from God.”

“God only resides on that or whom is completely subjugated to Him, whether in reality or even in  potential; namely (in reality) the heavenly angels, and in potential, every Jew who possesses the capacity to give His life for God’s name.”

“This is the meaning behind the statement of the sages, that even if one person sits and studies Torah (meaning, subjugates himself to fulfill God’s will) God presides (dwells) over him.”

“Additionally even if ten Jews are present, even if they are not learning Torah, God presides over them (for it is a quorum of people who receive sustenance from God for their potential is great, as mentioned above.”)

“Anything that does not subjugate itself to God, rather perceives itself to exist independently, receives its life force through a myriad of countless subtractions of God’s infinite light, condensing itself to be able to be in Galus (exile – hidden within) the matter that creates the appearance of something that exists independently, though of-course this matter needs to continually be recreated (see the second book of Tanya) in order for it to exist.”

“Hence (as most thoughts, speech and actions in this world are not directed toward God and spiritual matters) this world is called a zone filled with Kelipah, unholiness, and sitra achra, the other side.”

“It is for this reason (see above) that all the stuff of this world is harsh and the wicked prosper in it.”

“The Kelipahs, unholiness, is divided into two categories, one lower than the other.”

“The lower level of Kelipah is called the three completely impure Kelipahs which have no redeeming goodness within them whatsoever.”

“It is from this lower category of Kelipah that the souls as well as the atoms sustaining the bodies of the nations of the idol worshipers, get their nourishment from. Additionally all the souls and the atoms sustaining the bodies of the non-kosher animals. Additionally the vegetations that are prohibited to eat such as orloh (the first three years of a fruit tree) etc. and all thoughts, speech and actions contrary to the wishes of God, namely, any prohibition of the 365 negative commandments (prohibitions) of the Torah.”

 

CHAPTER 7 – The Animal SouL’S DEGRADATION AND ELEVATION

“The source of the Jewish animal soul which invests in a Jews’ blood to give him life as well as the source for all Kosher items from animals plants minerals, as well as all Kosher thoughts, speech and actions – meaning thoughts speech and actions that are not in violation of the 365 prohibitions of the Torah (Bible) but at the same time are not for any lofty or spiritual reason, even thoughts speech and actions that are for the maintenance of the body (such as work etc.) if there is no higher purpose (for example to give charity etc.) than these thought speech and actions are certainly no loftier than the soul from whence they emanate out of, hence most thoughts speech and actions in this world are bad, there is only a bit of goodness within them.”

“As all of the above emanate from the second category of Kelipah, called Kelipas Nogah which contains some light in it as well, hence the good characteristics to be found instinctively within the Jewish people (perhaps in the tame and non-aggressive nature of the Kosher animals as well) emanates from this Kelipah as well.”

“Kelipas Nogah, the fourth Kelipah is an intermediary between the three wholly impure Kelipas (totally bad) and holiness (totally good.”)

“As-mentioned seeing that Kelipas Nogah is an intermediary between bad and holiness, hence it has the capacity to descend into the three wholly unclean kelipas or ascend into holiness.

This occurs when it is used (for example, food) for a good purpose, such as Rava (a Talmudic scholar and teacher) would eat fattened meat and a strong wine to give his mind expansiveness (there are many things that expands one’s horizons as the Talmud states, a pretty home, pretty furnishings, and a pretty wife expands ones’ mind,) hence if one uses the physical for spiritual – like enjoying food for the honor of Shabbos – then the light within the Kelipahs Nogah manages to break out of the shell, and ascend into holiness.”

“Another example would be of when one would tell a joke to open ones’ mind and to gladden ones’ heart as Rava would do, that before he would teach, he would tell the Rabbis / disciples a joke, thus making them receptive to listening, and then they would begin to study (in other words, nothing that is permitted – Kosher from the Torah – can not serve a spiritual function and when it does, the light within the darkness shoots forth and gets enveloped within the source of light – holiness.”)

“If one merely indulges in food for the sake of the pleasure derived from it, which is one of the four evil elements, namely the element of water from where instinctive pleasures are born, then the life force animating the atoms of the meat and wine for example (seeing that it is Kosher and hence from Kelipas Nogah) then they descend for a time (as will shortly be clarified) into the three wholly unclean Kelipas.”

“When one indulges in food for the sake of pleasure (see above) it is only at that moment that ones’ body becomes the vehicle (the garment) for the three wholly unclean Kelipas, for when a person returns to spiritual pursuits, then the body returns to be a vehicle for God.”

“As the food indulged in was Kosher hence those atoms are capable of ascending back into Kelipahs Nogah where they originated from.”

“This is why Kosher food is called ‘permitted’, for they are not bound in the three wholly unclean Kelipahs, and have an ability to reascend into holiness.”

“Though they can reascend, nonetheless, as there was a pleasure instinct indulged, hence the body receives the cleansing process of Chibut Hakever (the eating of the flesh by worms which turns the love for such pleasures into repulsion.”)

“In contrast, if one indulged in non-Kosher foods or relationships (having forbidden intercourse etc.) then the indulging of these three wholly unclean kelapahs cannot be elevated even when the Jew returns to spiritual pursuits, for these atoms are held – tied up, by the three wholly unclean Kelipahs.”

“When the Moshiach comes, as all evil will be banished, hence it is only then that such sins will be erased.”

“On the other hand, if the sin itself causes repentance; for often the very fact that a person feels entirely removed from God is what propels him to seek out God (as our sages state, that the longing of a returnee to Judaism is greater even than the loftiest Tzaddik’s yearning for God, as one felt the distance, whereas the other doesn’t) thus the three wholly unclean Kelipas actually transform into positivity / holiness.”

“Though one can always repent, nonetheless, if the sins doesn’t cause the repentance (rather one simply decided to turn over a new leaf, but the distance didn’t compel the return) then though man of-course is forgiven by God, for the sin, nonetheless, only when Moshiach comes will the three wholly unclean Kalipahs in which man indulged in become annihilated.”

“Though one shouldn’t waste seed, nonetheless there is a special dispensation, namely that if one  does proper Teshuvah (repentance) and concentrates mightily when saying the Shema at night – as our sages state, whoever says the Shemah at night is like one who holds a double edged sword to slay the demons – hence one can redeem the energy placed into the three wholly unclean Kelipahs in such a manner.”

 

 

 

CHAPTER 8 – KOSHER FOOD speech AND THOUGHTS

 

“Additionally another reason why non-kosher food is called bound, for it is bound in the three wholly unclean kelipos to the extent that even if one was unaware that the food that he has eaten was non-kosher and he uses the energy as his intent, namely to serve God, so he prays with alacrity, through the energy of this food, nonetheless it is still locked into the three wholly unclean Kelipos.”

“The desire for non-kosher food etc. is a demon (who implants the desire) from the idol worshiping nations.”

“The desire for something Kosher, but purely for pleasures sake, is a Jewish demon.”

“As mentioned, even Kosher food later reintegrated into holiness (see chapter 7) requires chibut hakever (the eating of the body by worms) to annihilate man’s desires for pleasure, unless one, like Rabeinu Hakodesh (a great Rabbi who authored the Mishnah, who though being exceptionally wealthy) never allowed himself to take any pleasure from the enjoyments of physical pleasure (it is a well-known fact that bodies of righteous Tzaddikm, e.g. twenty years after the fifth Chabad Rebbe died they had to move his body, the body remains perfectly whole as if it was just put into the grave.)

“If one speaks words that are neither forbidden nor permitted, in other words, one who simply cannot engage in study of Torah, as his mind simply lacks the ability to study, hence the words spoken are neither holy nor forbidden, then Kaf Hakeleh (where the body in heaven is shown the beauty of holiness and contrasted to the person’s indulgence in frivolous permissible matters) is given, to transform one’s desire from indulgence in such matters, to repulsion.”

“If one God-forbid indulges in slander or mocking people (loshon hara, litzanois) then Kaf Hakelah doesn’t suffice to purge the sins, as it descended into the three wholly unclean Kelipas and one would need to go to hell (where exorcismic pain is associated to the cause of the crime, hence shifting the indulgence into horror, regret and the person gets cleansed of such a bad habit.”)

“For not being productive out of sheer laziness, the hell of snow is applied (meaning, a person gets ice cold, for the nature of the punishment is to mirror the crime, thus transforming the desire for doing nothing – staying in one place so to say, with a negative associative exorcizimic pain, transforming the pleasure into horror, regret, hence cleansing the person of such a bad habit.”)

“Similarly one whose mind is fertile and wastes it on studying science instead of Torah, likewise is punished in hell.”

“Additionally it is far worse to waste time indulging in scientific studies when one can study Torah, for whereas one who indulges in idle chatter only affects his emotions, the one who studies science places his holy mind into the wisdom of the nations which receive their sustenance from the flip side of the mind of holiness.

However, if ones intention is for work, to sustain one’s family etc. or to better understand Torah (such as astronomy to understand the laws of sanctifying the new moon etc.) this is permissible and this is the reason why the Rambam and Ramban (great scientists and Rabbis) did master the sciences.”

 

 

CHAPTER 9 – The war between the two Souls

 

“The location of the Jewish animal soul is in the heart, in the left ventricle filled with blood, as it states, the blood is the soul.”

“Hence all desires from pleasure, boasting, anger etc. all emanate from the heart.”

“The desires emanating from the heart spread to the entire body (as the sages say, the feet go where the heart desires.)”

“In addition, the desires ascend from the heart, to be contemplated, thought about, and planned in the mind in the head (this is similar, how the blood pumps from the heart to the entire body, including to the brain in the head.”)

“The location of the Godly soul is in the mind, in the head.”

“From the mind it spreads to all the limbs, including to the heart into the right ventricle.”

“What travels to the heart is the fiery glowing love of God, which is born from the mind’s eye that contemplates, and knows the greatness of God.”

“Similarly one may have great joy from the contemplation of God’s infinity, so the minds’ comprehension and understanding of God’s infinite greatness, relative to our finite limitations, arouses a happiness – similarly, all the Godly emotions of the heart, begin in the Wisdom Understanding and Knowledge of the mind.”

“Kelipah and holiness are locked in a battle.
As two kings would both desire the rulership of a city – meaning, that the people in the city should follow their orders exclusively – such is the war between Kelipah and the Godly soul.”

“The Godly souls’ desire, is that its ten levels and three garments (see chapters 3 and 4) should be what fills the mind, namely thinking about the infinity of God, arousing reverence, awe and love for God, channeling into one’s thoughts, speech and actions, being solely focused on God.”

“Additionally the Godly soul desires to achieve a delight in God (meaning a higher level of, just love) this occurs when the mind receives pleasure from conceiving of God’s infinity, hence this pleasure should be strong enough to transform the person from ceasing to take pleasures in worldly delights and thereby transform his animal soul into a Godly soul, as our sages state “You should love God with all your hearts” – this refers to both the good and bad in your heart, (for when one loses the pleasure of the world, he can use his animal’s soul desire for pleasure in purely spiritual matters.”)

“On the other hand, the animal soul that gives life to man, desires the exact opposite (meaning that its seven negative emotions and three intellectual capacities and its garments, namely the thoughts speech and actions, that fulfill its instinctive drive, should be the sole drive of man.)”

“The Zohar teaches, a king desiring to test his son’s morality had a gorgeous harlot approach him to see if he could withstand this test.

Similarly, God in heaven, testing our greatness, sends us into this world and gives us a harlot, the Yetzer Hara whose desires are forbidden to us, to test us and ultimately, the challenge brings out our greatness.”

 

 

CHAPTER 10 – A Tzaddik who is only good and a Tzaddik who has some bad in him

 

“When a person can induce such delight in God that his animal soul’s desires are quashed (hence he only desires goodness, kindness, as per God’s wishes) such a person is called A Tzaddik Vra Lo (A Tzaddik who still contains some evil) for if all of the evil in the left ventricle were banished then it would have been transformed itself, into love for God, goodness and kindness, and as such, namely, it hasn’t been transformed, it is a proof that though the person may imagine that all the evil in him is gone, it is only squashed.”

“The Tzaddik Gamur – the complete Tzaddik, is different to the Tzaddik that has some evil, for as he has completely removed the evil desires of the animal soul, by despising all that opposes God, for that which opposes God derives (and gives) energy from the Sitra Acharah, side of unholiness; so as his love for God is so consummate, and as despising the opposite of what you love (like hating the enemy of your friend) is based on the extent of one’s love, hence as the complete Tzaddik’s love for God is so all-consuming, his corresponding repulsion of evil has completely eliminated any desire for it, and transformed his animal soul into a Godly soul.”

“The Tzaadik who is incomplete (Tzaddik that has some evil) is one who doesn’t thoroughly despise the other side, the sitrah achrah, hence doesn’t hate the evil properly, which really indicates that he has some hidden love for these animalistic desires, for if he had no love for them, they would have transformed into a love for holiness.

Hence though they may not have the strength to influence his thoughts speech and actions, they cannot be considered as if they are annihilated.”

“Seeing that if his love for God was complete, the corollary despising (hating what your friend hates..) would be consummate; hence he is called an incomplete Tzaddik, relating to his incomplete love for God.”

“The level of Tzaddik Vra Loi (the incomplete Tzaddikim) is subdivided into many many levels, for there are four evil elements stemming from the animal soul, so the question arises, to what extent, and which, evil element has been subjugated (one to sixty, one to a thousand etc.) now there are thousands of such Tzaddikim in every generation.”

“However there are only one or two, like a Tzaddik Gammur (a complete Tzaddik in a generation) as when Reb Chiyah heard – when he desired to ascend to the level of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (a complete Tzaddik) “whoever has not transformed darkness into light, and bitterness into sweetness, may not ascend to his level.””

“Additionally the uniqueness of the complete Tzaddik is that he serves God not out of his personal desire, hence desires to quench his yearning to unite with God, but rather like a child who is prepared to give his life for his parents, out of his great love for them – he performs Mitzvos solely for the benefit of God.”

 

 

CHAPTER 11 – A Rasha

 

“The Rashah Vtoiv Loi (a evil person with good in him) parallels the Tzaddik Vra Loi (a Tzaddik with good in him) for in his heart too, the bad simply overpowers the good.”

“This can be subdivided into a myriad of categories for in one, in only thoughts, or speech, or action does he sin, for example, thinking negative thoughts, or speaking evil speech and this too may be infrequent, but the hallmark of someone who has good still in him is that he feels remorseful over the bad that his animal soul caused him to do.”

“Additionally we find a Rasha Vtoiv Loi, that he may frequently sin, in all three garments, however he receives thoughts of remorse and though the first category may repent (hence taking him out of this category) nonetheless this rasha vtiov loi cannot overpower his animal soul to change his behavior.”

“The majority of evil people do have thoughts of remorse.”

“If someone ceases to have feelings of remorse then the bad in him has completely exterminated the good in him, but nonetheless, his Godly soul hovers above him, hence it states, on all quorums of Jews, the Shechinah (God’s presence) presides.”

CHAPTER 12 – The Benoini

 

“The Benoine never has, nor will sin, for the Godly soul’s ten levels and three garments fill his mind, speech, and actions; nonetheless it is not the only voice in his head.”

“The Benoine is highly influenced by his animal soul (though has the character to ignore it, as will be explained) however in special times, such as when the light of God’s mind shines, when one says the Shemah prayer in great concentration and hence arouses a love for God, at that time there is only the voice of the Godly soul in his mind.”

“However after the Benoine finishes his prayers and the Godly mind light, leaves him, then he like every normal Rasha has desires for the pleasures of the world.”

“At this point – of desiring the pleasures of this world – the Benoine through self-control, for the mind has the ability to order the thoughts, speech and actions, rejects the fulfillment in action, or in speech, and even to think about the desires that are aroused which enter his mind.”

“The nature of man is that man switches his thoughts away from thinking about what his instincts wish him to think of (namely, how to get what man deems pleasurable) especially to switch his thoughts to matters of holiness, as King Solomon states, “I have seen there is benefit to wisdom over foolishness, like light over darkness;” (namely that just as light banishes darkness, switching from instinctual thoughts to spiritual thoughts banishes the instinctual desires.”)

“Just as light immediately banishes darkness, and as man only sins if the Yetzer Hara convinces him that he is permitted to sin (for no man willingly sins) hence even a tiny bit of the light of the Godly soul that desires to permeate your thoughts speech and actions has the capacity to banish much foolishness (Ed. All you need to do is think Torah thoughts, and it will automatically switch on the light, banishing the foolish premise that a Jew can sin without sinning.”)

“Despite the fact that the light of the Godly soul has the ability to outshine the foolishness / darkness of the Yetzer Hara’s desires, nonetheless such a person is not called a Tzaddik, for the essence of the love for the instinctual pleasures remains after prayer, as if the Benoine never prayed in the first place.

All that remains of the Benoine’s love – which is ineffective in quieting the love of the animal souls’ – is the instinctive love (which we shall speak about later on) that is a natural part of the Jewish soul.”

“As mentioned, after prayer – when the glowing love for God is gone – though the Benoine would never consider sinning, nonetheless thoughts regarding sexual imagery (as our sages state, three sins man cannot manage to prevent daily, sexual imagery, full concentration during prayer etc.) so these thoughts enter his mind, disturbing his tranquility in his prayer and good deeds.”

“Despite the fact that such unpleasant thoughts enter the Benoines mind, but the remembrance of the love generated for God during prayer, and the natural instinctive love within his heart for God after prayer, is adequate to prevent the thoughts becoming actions or even something that he will willingly indulge in, even in his imagination.”

“Certainly the Benione would never entertain the thought to fulfill his negative desires or even to speak of them, for to decide to do so, would be to lower himself into the category of evil / Rasha and the Benoine is never ever a Rasha.”

“The same applies if his thoughts entertain some kind of Lashon Hara (negative image) on a friend or even resentment or God-forbid anger, the Benoine immediately banishes such thoughts from growing in his mind, and in fact is prepared to accept evil (and never gets upset, for all comes from God,) and furthermore his ability to control his behavior (for as mentioned, the mind can order the heart, body, around) causes him to do only exceptional goodness and kindness to his friends.

As the Zohar teaches, when it comes to interpersonal relationships, one aught to study how Yosef treated his brothers” (that though they sold him into slavery, he not only forgave them, but fed, sustained and saved them!)

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 13 – Everyone should try to be a Benoini

 

“Now we understand the meaning that Benionim, both the Yetzer Hara and Yetzer Tov judge.

In other words, not to say they God-forbid rule them, rather like a three court Beth Din (court,) so there are three judges sitting at a trial.

The Yetzer Hara feeds his desire to the mind which is repudiated by the Godly soul, and the Yetzer Tov sitting in the right ventricle, and then God Himself – as the verse states “He stands at the right side of the poor man to save him from the judgers of his soul” – so God Himself shines an extra radiance which gives the Godly soul the ability to overcome the foolishness of the Yetzer Hara’s argument (that man can sin and not sin simultaneously) as our sages state, were it not for God’s assistance, man would never be able to conquer his Yetzer Hara.”

“We now come to the understanding of the oath ‘Even if the entire world tells you that you are a Tzaddik consider yourself like a Rasha;” for this refers to a person who doesn’t receive desires of the animal soul into his mind, nonetheless, he should consider himself like a Rasha, namely, a Benoine; for the evil in the Benionie’s left ventricle is just as pronounced as the Rashas (and one should never believe others who claim that all evil has dissipated from one’s heart.”)

“Though truth is everlasting, yet despite the fact that the Benionie’s love for God dissipates after his prayers, unlike the Tzaddiks’ that is eternal… ‘I hereby call their love also truth!’ for it can always be reawaked with proper concentration during prayer.”

CHAPTER 14 – CONTEMPLATIONS TO BECOME

 

“The level of a Beinoine is for the average person, and all people should strive to reach it.”

“Every person can be a Benionie at any given moment.”

“The reason every person can always be a Benoinie is – for the Benoinie needs not to abhor evil, rather to not allow it to overpower him.

Every person, whenever he considers doing wrong, can overpower evil by saying to himself “I desire not to be a Rasha, evil, for even a moment.

Every Jew has the power to give up his life for God, the only reason one sins, is for one accepts the foolish premise of the Yetzer Hara that sins don’t separate me from one’s Father in Heaven, which is not true.”

“The Tzaddik’s delight in God is unique, and it is due to this delight, that his love and hence repulsion of evil is so consummate.

Now we can comprehend why God makes the soul swear a seemingly repetitious oath, “Be a Tzaddik, righteous, and not a Rasha.”

If one were to be a Tzaddik surely one wouldn’t be a Rasha!

However the truth is, that one cannot necessarily reach the level of abhorrence for evil, hence the conclusion of this part of the oath, “at least don’t be a Rasha,” which is action based, not emotionally based, and actions is something under every Jew’s control.”

“Though the Benoine cannot achieve the Tzaddik’s love, hence repulsion of evil, nonetheless he should take the time (and set times) to meditate on thoughts, images, that turn lust into repulsion, as our sages state to imagine a woman, filled with excrement or similar images.

Furthermore all food which we lust after, turns into excrement.

All desires end up in the junk, covered with worms etc.

(The idea here is to turn the instinctual desires from the Yetzer Hara’s pleasures into repulsions.”)

“Additionally the Benoinie should contemplate thoughts that cause a delight in God, by understanding the infinity of God, and even if he would only produce fantasies (for the Alter Rebbe, the author believes that a love that dissipates after its genesis is a fantasy, for truth would endure…) nonetheless, the Benoinie should fulfill his part of the oath (to be a Tzaddik, which induces delighting in God) and it is up to God to deem fit whom he wishes to bestow this delight in God with, or not.”

“Furthermore whatever you accustom yourself to reigns supreme, and becomes second nature.”

“As mentioned, habit becomes second nature, hence someone who habitually meditates on the repulsion of evil and the loftiness and infinity of God will ensure that to some extent he will be repulsed by evil and who knows, perhaps God will love him and reward him by implanting within his soul the spark of a Tzaddik, so he truly may find joy in his service of God.”

CHAPTER 15  

 

“Now we can understand the meaning “comprehend and you will discern between a Tzaddik and a Rasha, between he who serves God and one who doesn’t.”

The Benionie is one who struggles valiantly, constantly repelling the attacks of his Yezter Hara (as of-course do the Rashas who try to improve themselves.)

On the other hand, the Tzaddik is one, who having banished his Yetzer Hara, receives the title of Eved Hashem (As Moses was called, namely “a servant of God,” for he has already conquered his Yetzer Hara, hence holds the title of a servant.”)

CHAPTER 16 – CONTEMPLATIONS TO ELEVATE

“A great principle for the Benionie is that the main thing is to overrule the Yetzer Hara’s lusts through contemplating and rejoicing in one’s comprehension of God’s greatness leading one to practically fulfill the Torah and Mitzvos.”

“An even greater principle for the Benione is that even if he cannot arouse a fiery love (a palpable love in his heart for God) only that his heart agrees with his mind, that God is worth desiring and hence there is the thirst to long for God and even to leave the body, but the soul is tied in it; so though normally it takes a revealed love in the heart to have the Mitzvos, one does elevate to the Spiritual world of Beriah (this will be spoken about at length in later chapters,) nonetheless, our sages teach us, that God-Himself attaches the intellectual understanding and hidden love born from it, as if it were a revealed love, and hence though normally such Mitzvos would elevate to the world of Yetzirah, as his meditation is the cause of the extra adherence to God, so it does get elevated to the world of Beriah.”

 

 

CHAPTER 17 – It is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos

“Now we can understand the famous teaching in the Torah “It is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.”

It would appear that to induce a love of God to transform ones’ loves from worldly pleasures which we are instinctively programmed in, towards exclusively loving God, Torah and fellow man is very difficult?!

Rather the emphasis is on the word to fulfill.

The key is not overpowering the instinctual desires rather fulfilling the Mitzvos.

For this, even a minor love which one can use to have the self-discipline to do what is right suffices.”

“Every person has the capacity to use his mind to control what he thinks about, says and does.

The only exception to this is the truly wicked whose sins cause a barrier, for they have placed their animal soul under the dominion of the Kelipos that do not allow the mind to access the thoughts, speech, and action.

We refer not to such people who are called by the sages as the walking dead (as they lack freedom of choice.)

However even such people, through doing a proper Teshuvah (repentance) namely by breaking the hold of the Kelipos through regretting their sins, as it states “a broken heart God despises not” – they can remove the stranglehold of the Kelipos, and lift their animal soul out of the Kelipos, and hence gain the ability to self-regulate as well.”

CHAPTER 18 – A further explanation on the word it is very easy

“A further explanation on the word it is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.

Even someone who cannot meditate, giving birth to an intellectual love, and a hidden desire in his heart for God – even he, through accessing his subconscious inherited love for God, which is always with him, can truly fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos in thoughts, speech, and actions.”

“As our forefathers were chariots (a merkavah, meaning like a car is subservient to its driver, they were subservient to the will of God) hence they merited to bequeath to all their children, even the sinners of Israel, a holy soul in which the radiance of God illuminated them from head to toe.

This is clearly seen in the faith of all Jews, for even one who may never contemplate about God, as faith is something that is beyond contemplation, for we believe precisely in that which we cannot understand, as it states, “a fool believes everything,” and relative to God we are all like fools – hence we see that all Jews are prepared to give up their lives and even suffer terrible torture to maintain their faith (as historically is proven.”)

CHAPTER 19 – The candle of God is man’s soul

“To better understand the innate Godliness in a Jew we must preface the explanation of the verse ‘The candle of God is man’s soul.’”

“Just like a candle, the flame always is striving to go upwards, for it inherently desires to become part of the source of the element of fire, though through doing so (like a ray of sun trying to go back into the sun) would cease to be an independent being and give off light on earth, nonetheless, this is its nature (nature is a term for a fact that we do not understand.)

Similarly the Jewish soul desires to return back into God from whence it emanated out of, despite the fact, we would cease to be an independent separate entity for this is the soul’s nature.”

“The general principle of the side of holiness is that it emanated from the Chochmah of God, which being beyond human understanding can only be accessed through faith, and hence all those who belong to the side of holiness strive after God.

In contradistinction are the nations of the world, whose good deeds are selfishly motivated, and like the leach say “more” “more!” for they perceive themselves to be independent beings and hence are not subservient to God.”

“Similarly are the Reshaying and sinners of the Jewish people prior to being challenged on their faith, for the Chochmah of God is like in exile, hidden beneath the Animal soul which is motivating their thoughts, speech and actions.”

“This is why this love for God is called the hidden (subconscious) love, for as the animal soul is in charge of a Rasha, hence this love is dormant.”

“It (the hidden love) is like asleep during the time that the Reshayim (plural for Rasha) are working through their own agendas, motivated by their animal souls.”

“When a Rasha is challenged (‘kiss the cross or the sword’) regarding his faith, which supersedes their intellect, then this love for God awakens and causes that their thoughts speech and actions should be Godly.”

“The verse states, “God awoke as if from a slumber” similarly though the Rasha may have the Godly soul slumbering within, when his faith is challenged, it awakens and he is able to forgo all the worlds pleasures and in fact despises them and literally have the Godly soul dominate all of his thoughts speech and actions.

As it states “the enemies of God shall melt away” similarly all of the Kelipah, though previously were totally controlling this individual, melt away as if they weren’t there in the first place, and the Godly soul becomes the sole arbiter of his actions.”

CHAPTER 20 – All of creation lives from the single breath of God

“It is well known that the first two of the Ten Commandments, to believe in God and not to worship idols is the encompassing principle of the Torah.”

“This first commandment to Believe in God encompasses all the positive (do / action) Mitzvos.”

“The commandment to not worship idols is the encompassing principle of all the ‘Don’t do’ (prohibitions) commandments.”

“To understand the above we must preface the absolute oneness and unity of God.

Every Jew believes as the statement that, God never changed from before to after creation, just as He was the only single unified being before creation similarly afterwards.

This is because all of creation has absolutely no intrinsic value whatsoever (like not even a speck of dust.)

All of creation lives from the single breath of God, which is the source of its existence (it would be like saying that a single breath of yours creates a difference in you before or after you breathed it.”)

“(The Author, the Alter Rebbe gives an example for us to understand how this world causes no intrinsic differentiation in God, bearing in mind creation is simply a sentence of speech of God’s – “In the beginning God created heaven and earth” – which is the source code for all subsequent beings both in heaven and earth;) Imagine the value of a single sentence of yours – now one sentence relative to your ability to speak indefinitely is certainly valueless.

How about one sentence relative to the source from where the thoughts for the construct of that sentence comes from, namely, your letters of your brain – for the brain also thinks in letters, just a more refined letter, so that one sentence relative to the capacity to create letters in the brain is even more irrelevant.

Now the thoughts of the brain emanate from the desires of the heart – for our thoughts come after we desire something, so we think how to attain it – so relative to the desire of the heart where there are only feelings – no letters; certainly this one sentence is completely insignificant.

Now the desire of the heart must come from the brain which perceives, say that it would be wise to study or to pursue a certain course of action, as the heart will only desire what the mind considers desirable.

So now that one sentence relative to the minds infinite capacity of perceiving desirability, which translates into the hearts feelings and longing for those things, which translates into the letters of thoughts, on how to get it, which translates into perhaps a sentence requesting from someone, it obviously has no intrinsic value.

In a similar sense, as the entire world only begins in God’s mind as a single desire, hence the single sentence relative to God’s infinite mind, heart, thoughts and “speech” cannot be considered to hold a significance whatsoever.”

CHAPTER 21 – even after God’s speech creates the world, it has never left Him

“Now God’s speech is unlike our speech, for our speech is separate from the speaker, for after it is spoken, it is not connected to the soul of the speaker (His ten levels of intellect and emotions,) but God’s speech never leaves Him, as we know that all is included in Him, and there is no place devoid of Him.

We use the word speech, as a figure of speech, for speech means that you reveal something that was within you, hence hidden from another, to the other; – however though we do not see God behind the speech, namely the creation of the world, the Torah etc., but it is within Him, just as before it was spoken.”

“God’s speech is exactly like our speech while it is still within the mind that conceives of the desirability which produces the hearts longing, love, desire for something, and at that stage there are absolutely no letters within the desire, for the letters only develop once the desired object comes into the thought process to contemplate its fulfillment.”

“The truth is that even after God’s speech creates the world, it has never left Him and is one within Him, it is only that it descends – for our sake, so (instead of like plugging in your computer straight into the nuclear reactor) it doesn’t transcend our abilities of receiving God’s light – therefore the light of God progressively gets hidden, until we only see the effect and not the cause.”

“Though we see the effect and not the cause, God obviously can see beyond the cause to the effect – as the verse states, “darkness hides nothing from you” – this is similar to the snail, for though a person may see that the shell is housing the snail, to the snail, the shell is an integral part of his body (so unlike clothing which we can remove, the snail’s body being one with his shell – is intimately aware of it at every given moment.”)

 

CHAPTER 22 – the giving to the Jewish people and all that is subservient to God is given directly

“The terminology of speech, though not exact, as mentioned above, for God’s speech never leaves Him, but has an exact parallel, for as mentioned, speech denotes leaving someone, to enter into someone else.

Similarly, God’s speech, descends into the Kelipahs to give them life.

Now God despises the evil of the Kelipos, so the reason He does this, is to be able to punish the wicked (that derive nourishment and add to Kelipos) and reward the righteous who suppress the Kelipos (by not listening to their Yetzer Hara coming from the Kelipah).

When a person does something, there can be a direct pleasure (say giving to someone you love, like your child or wife etc.) or an indirect pleasure, like say paying a bill (which obviously you have no desire to do, but as you need electricity for your home thus the indirect desire feeds the direct desire.)

Similarly, the giving to the Jewish people and all that is subservient to God is given directly, but the giving indirectly to those Kelipos for auxiliary purposes (such as freedom of choice, as mentioned) is given like one would without any will and desire, hence, like speech, it so to say leaves God and enters into exile to sustain the Kelipos.”

“Now the direct pleasure, light of God, is what gives life to all spiritual worlds but it descends within, but in an imperceptible manner into the kelipos.

This is the cause of their arrogance, for as the light of God is not revealed, hence though they acknowledge a Creator, they feel him not, and sense their own significance.

This is the essence of idolatry, for it includes one who believes in God but doesn’t see God as the only Being, hence there are other forces.

It is for this reason our sages compare the arrogant person to an idolater.

The essence of God is only revealed in one (or spiritual beings) that are subservient and cognizant of God’s unity, singularity, in being the Only Being that truly exists.”

CHAPTER 23 – God and his Torah are one and the 248 limbs of God are the 248 Mitzvos

“With all of the above (chapters 20-22) we can properly understand the words of the Zohar (Kabbalah) that God and his Torah are one and as it states elsewhere (in Kabbalah) the 248 limbs of God are the 248 Mitzvos – this alludes to the fact that this is God’s innermost desire (namely the fulfillment of these commandments) and they are in fact the cause of the world’s creation.”

“Just as the soul fills the body, as we see that immediately when a person desires to move his hand or foot they will react, so they are only like a clothing which also moves automatically based on the will of the wearer, similarly this world is sustained through the will of God and reacts in direct proportion to the Jews fulfilling the Torah and Mitzvos.”

“Similarly the Godly will enclothed in the fulfillment of Mitzvos, manifests direct Godly light when they are performed.”

“Likewise the physical body doing the physical Mitzvah – for example the hand giving charity – as it does so in the fulfillment of God’s innermost will, at that moment it becomes the clothing that God Himself is wearing (meaning Godliness manifests within that hand.”)

“Likewise the feet that go to do a Mitzvah, the mouth that speaks words of Torah, and the mind that thinks thoughts of reverence and love for God based on His greatness – they become like a garment wearing God within them at that time.”

“This is the meaning that our sages describe the Avos (the Jewish forefathers) as the Merkavah (the vehicle of God) for their limbs, heart and mind were constantly only preoccupied with fulfilling God’s will their entire life” (which would literally make them into the clothing, the car, that God Himself is driving, having removed their independent will from their own clothing, car – their body, mind and speech.)

“Though the actions are a Merkavah, garment, for God, but the soul’s thought and speech in study of Torah are not garments, rather like two candles become one, they merge seamlessly.

This applies certainly as well to the Godly soul itself, that as God is one with his Torah (and merges with the Godly soul He creates) hence they become God Himself not like the Mitzvos of action which merely become the vehicle of God’s expression.”

“Now though God of-course unites in the higher worlds, nonetheless, the unity that God unites with the Godly soul and its garments of Torah thought and speech, are infinitely superior to the light shining in the higher worlds.

The reason for this is because, as the higher worlds perceive Godliness, if it were the whole God that were to unite with them (not just rays of light) it would be too intense for them to perceive, whereas, we who do not perceive the Godly unity, can thus get the whole God (called Atzmus Umehus, God Himself – His essence and very Being.”)

“Now we can understand how the loftiness of Torah study, supersedes all the Mitzvos, even prayer which has incredibly lofty Yichudim (union of God in higher worlds, for in the end of the day, the ultimate unity with God, is specifically found in Torah study as mentioned.”)

“Now an intellectual person can draw upon Himself a tremendous reverence for Torah study, for in it he unites with God Himself, uniting both His thought and speech with God, a unity which even the most lofty soul in the highest spiritual realms cannot receive (as mentioned before.”)

“Now we can comprehend the verse, “God has commanded you all these laws so you shall fear Him,” for it is the previous understanding (of the incredible infinite union with God Himself that occurs when we study Torah, which leads one to associate the study of the laws of Torah with an infinite reverence for God, whom shall unite with you when you study.”)

 

 

CHAPTER 24 – the 365 prohibitions of the Torah are like the Kelipas

“The side of unholiness is the inverse mirror of the side of holiness, hence the 365 prohibitions of the Torah are like the Kelipas, called idolatry, being against the will and desire of God.”

“The animal soul and its three garments it puts itself into, mainly the prohibitions of the 365 ‘Don’t do’ (prohibitions) of the Torah are in fact at such times lower than the sitrah achara, the side of unholiness.

 

The reason being is for they are not enclothed in a coarse body, nor do they perceive a reality devoid of God (for though they are called idolatry, but they do recognize that God is the supreme, as Billam (a prophet from Kelipah said) “I cannot contradict the will of God”) hence a human being who goes against God is denying the unity and oneness of God (for otherwise, being cognizant of God’s omnipresence, no one would sin) and in this sense he is far lower than the Kelipos who is cognizant at least of Divinity.”

“When man sins, the Kelipah conceal the truth of God’s omnipresence from him.

For example, even a woman who doesn’t have strength of character and hence will commit adultery she too would give her very life for God.

Certainly it should be far easier to withhold from a momentary pleasure than God-forbid having to give one’s life…”

“When man sins God-forbid, at such a time he is lower than the Kelipos and the non-kosher animals that come from them – even lower than the mosquito who is the lowest Kelipah for it is solely a taker, and gives nothing, (for the hallmark of holiness is giving and Kelipah, taking,) for in the end of the day, every creature even the animal and certainly the Kelipos all fulfill the will of God.

And though they may not be aware of God’s will, their supernal source is, which is why an animal will never attack a human being unless he appears to him as an animal (as the Zohar teaches, why the lions in the den where Daniel was put, were like pussycats to him.)

As such, a human sinning unfortunately is taking the God within his Godly soul, and lowering it into the Kelipos which literally would be like taking the face a king and pushing it into a cesspool and can there be a greater embarrassment than this?!

However, the Godly soul itself and the animal soul can always return out of the Kelipah and back into Holiness at any time a person decides to change directions.”

CHAPTER 25 – at any given moment it is very easy for a Jew to overpower the foolishness of the Kelipah

“Now we have a better understanding of the word, it is very easy for a Jew to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos. For at any given moment it is very easy for a Jew to overpower the foolishness of the Kelipah and its concealment of the truth (namely its foolishness that one can sin without removing oneself from God, and that God isn’t omnipresent, which it conceals this truth from the human mind) by reminding oneself of one’s innate hidden love for God.”

 

“This is the word, “in your heart” (in the original verse, “it is very easy thing for you – in your mouth and in your heart to do it”) for in your heart not only includes, your love of God (hence motivating the 248 positive commandments) but also your fear of God; for every Jew innately desires to remain united with God and every sin removes one from God so to speak; this being the case, one only needs to remind oneself of one’s desire to remain united with God, and if one would be willing to give up their life due to this desire, then to refrain from a small physical pleasure is no big deal at all.”

“Now though a person may surmise, ‘at least I can repent after my sinning’ (so I will get the best of both worlds) this too one easily overcomes, for a person would give their life to not separate from God even for a moment – though one certainly can repent, even for idol worship – if so, should I not be able to withhold a small temptation in favor of listening to God??

And the same applies to motivate oneself to do more good which the Yezter Hara from the side of earth, laziness, compels one to not exert extra effort in prayer, Torah study, and cools one off from being very charitable… one need only think, “I would be willing to God-forbid suffer great torture just to not be removed from God for but a single moment, if God-forbid someone wanted to compel me to worship an idol or change religions and the like, if so, to remain connected to God through doing more good, which is the corollary of not getting disconnected – should certainly be a joyful rewarding experience.”

“When one does do good, the inner face of God’s light unites with the person’s Godly and animal soul, in fact, with man’s three garments of thoughts, speech, and actions as mentioned above.”

“We can now also get whey Moses told the Jewish people to read Shemah twice daily, when they were about to enter into Israel.

Though the Shema speaks about having sacrifice for God (the meditation to think, when saying Shemah) nonetheless God had already promised them a victory, so why motivate self-sacrifice?

But as we have explained, the reminder that one is technically prepared to sacrifice oneself for God is the relative meditation, that if I can do something so difficult how much more so a simple extra Mitzvah or refrain from a temporary pleasure.”

CHAPTER 26 – one must have alacrity (Zrizzus, to be alert) which comes from happiness, joy and a heart free from all and any worries

“Another very important principle for the Benoinei is as follows, that just as in a wrestling match it is not necessarily the strongest person who will win for if the strongest person is sad or lethargic he won’t put up a good fight and an easier weaker fighter may beat him.

Similarly, one cannot beat the Yetzer Hara (though one is naturally stronger, for the mind can rule the heart especially through all the methods mentioned in the previous chapters) if one is lethargic, stemming from sadness or dullness (feeling empty and lethargic) or through being lazy (for then the Yetzer Hara will easily beat you, the stronger opponent) rather one must have alacrity (Zrizzus, to be alert) which comes from happiness, joy and a heart free from all and any worries.”

“In Judaism a cardinal principle is that we must serve God joyfully.”

“The method that one can overcome all worries, even worries of health wealth and children related, is to do what the sages say, ‘Thank God for the bad as much as you thank him for the good.’

For the bad in fact comes from a higher love of God, which is for man’s spiritual benefit.

This is what it states, that those who rejoice in their suffering God loves them like the strength of the sun at noon, for this refers to the times of Moshiach, for then the higher love of God will be revealed and those who can rejoice in the bad, for it comes from the deepest love of God drawing someone close (for to just give a child a credit card doesn’t mean to love him properly, specifically, when you care about his soul and withhold for his character development and self-growth, that is true love) so such people will receive an extra measure of Divinity.”

“Regarding feeling sad over one’s spiritual failings, this too one must rid oneself of, for if one is in middle of serving (meaning during Torah study or prayer) then this must be done out of joy and with a glad heart (hence one should never feel sad about spiritual failings then,) and even if these thoughts come during work, one should realize that this is actually a ploy of the Yetzer Hara, for if he can make man depressed, man then is vulnerable to seek out a quick fix, and follow the Yetzer Hara’s instinctual pleasures.”

“Whenever you find yourself worrying about spiritual failings whether during service or whether during work etc. tell yourself “now is not the time to consider my spiritual failings.””

“The proper way to repent over spiritual failings is to set aside a time (mentioned elsewhere – I think during the Shema at night, Ed.) and to truly contemplate how great God is, and hence how bad it is to fail Him; and immediately afterwards to believe that God has forgiven you (for God is all forgiving and only requests repentance) and hence one should actually draw great joy from this meditation, like light is appreciated specifically after being in darkness.”

 

CHAPTER 27 – when man – even slightly – humbles the sitra achrah,  then eventually God truly makes him holy

“What should one do if the reason he feels upset, worried, is not from anything wrong he has done rather that he is constantly bombarded with sexual imaginations or other negative thoughts?

If these thoughts disturb him not during prayer etc. rather during his work, he should actually feel very happy that through not entertaining these thoughts, he fulfils a commandment of the Torah “do not stray after the lusts of your heart and eyes.”

“A Tzaddik never receives such sexual imagery hence the above verse refers to a Benione.

This is God’s desire that man should be challenged by his Yetzer Hara and that he should rise above the challenge, and hence the greatest pleasure God receives – according to the Zohar, is the subjugation called Iskafiyah, of the Kelipos which this gives God the greatest joy possible.

In other words, the Benoine should feel very happy that he can do so much good, for when he keeps this commandment to “Do not stray after the lusts of your heart and eyes” he gives God such great pleasure.

Furthermore the very fact that a Beinonie feels upset about such thoughts is actually being arrogant, for this is man’s task and he is imagining himself to be the level of a Tzaddik that doesn’t receive such thoughts.”

“Hence the person battling his negative thoughts and images, should not feel bad about it, for this may be the very purpose of his life.”

“There are two types of pleasures God receives, just like there are two types of pleasurable foods, a. foods which are tasty and sweet, and b. foods which are sharp but are cooked in a method that restores man’s soul (give him a kick) similarly, the Tzaddik transforms bitterness to sweetness, darkness to light, which gives God great pleasure, but likewise the Benoinie who manages to overcome his Yetzer Hara gives God no less, in fact even more pleasure than the Tzaddikim, like the sharp food which restores the soul.”

“God receives great joy from when the arrogant Kelipos that cause these negative thoughts to come into man’s mind, get repressed.”

“This is the meaning of the verse, “Everything God made for His sake, even the wicked on the day of evil.”

In other words, not that God, God-forbid desires wicked, but the Benoinims’ ability to be wicked, and yet they shall suppress these desires and sexual imagery and when that happens, God’s glory / happiness is felt in all the supernal realms.”

“Additionally even in permitted matters, for example if one specifically intends to humble the Sitrah Achrah, his Yetzer Hara, so he delays a meal by an hour and studies Torah in that time, as the sages in the olden days would do, this too humbles the Sitra Achra (as is evident) and causes immense pleasure to God.”

“Additionally if one withholds from speaking something he truly desires regarding worldly matters, for the sake of humbling the Sitra Achrah, this too causes God immense pleasure.”

“Additionally this applies even in thought, so if someone withholds even permissible pleasurable thoughts for the sake of humbling the Sitra Achrah this has an incredible immense power to give God great joy and it gets returned as an incredibly great power to uplift man in his Divine service.”

“This is what our sages teach, when man make’s Himself Holy below, he is made Holy above.

This means that besides the fact that it is a positive Mitzvah to break the sitrah achrah, but this refers to the Benoinim, who effectively cannot break the sitrah achra for it remains strong in their left ventricle, pumping sexual and other instinctual desires…

However when man – even slightly – humbles the sitra achrah as mentioned, then eventually God truly makes him holy, meaning brings him to the level of a Tzaddik, that very gradually he banishes these instinctual desires from his heart.”

 

CHAPTER 28 – OVERCOMING GUILT

“Even if one finds he receives sexual imagery and other lusting desires during prayer or Torah study – do not worry about them, just ignore them.”

“If one receives these negative troublesome thoughts during prayer, he should not be downhearted, taking it as sign that something is wrong with his prayer.

The reason people assume this, is because they assume that they are a single mind, hence if I were truly concentrating, these thoughts wouldn’t enter my mind…

The truth is, a person has two souls, both producing thoughts in one’s mind and just as in a fight or wrestling match, precisely when one person begins to gain the upper hand, the other puts all of his efforts to push him to the floor, similarly, precisely, because you are involved in Torah study or prayer, the Yetzer Hara is strengthening his game by trying to disturb you.

This would be analogues to an antisemite seeing that you are praying, and wishing to disturb you, begins to chat with you.

Obviously, the answer would be to not engage him and to ignore him as it states, “answer not a fool lest you too become one,” and “he who wrestles with a dirty man also gets dirty.”

So one should add in his concentration, trying to banish the negative thoughts.

If one finds that he is powerless and these thoughts overwhelm him, then he should pour out his soul to God, to have mercy on him, as a father to a son, for we truly are God’s children coming from His mind (chapter 2) and we are part of God Himself, hence God will remove the Yetzer Hara’s incredulous shennanigins of disturbing thoughts.”

CHAPTER 29 – OVERCOMING LAZINESS

“Another problem affecting Benoinim is occasionally their hearts are closed and they are unable to open it to desire to pray with love.”

“Additionally the Bienoinim sometimes find their heart heavy, slothful and hence do not have the energy to add in goodness.”

“The Teacher in the heavenly Yeshivah (where people study Torah in Gan Eden) proclaimed, “Just as the log that lights not, we chop it into many pieces so that the fire should hold, the body whose light of his soul (and intellect) cannot inspire him must be chopped down.”

This means that as the Benoinies’ body is run by the sitra achrah, hence the sitra achrah has this access to prevent the light of his soul and his intellect’s decisions from manifesting into reality and practice.

This would be like a bully blocking the entrance to a doorway and the goal is to crush the bully so your mind and soul can influence your behaviors.

The method to do this is to despise yourself, for as you identify with your body, hence by despising yourself you will crush the Kelipos that are running your body.

(A Tzaddik in fact identifies with his soul, hence Hillel would speak of feeding a poor and hungry man, his body, for he identified not with his body, but with his Godly soul that had taken over the life-force of his existence.)

The method to humble oneself is to recount your sins.

If you cannot find sins, think about how much time you wasted and when one does good as mentioned, you become the vehicle for God, but if one wastes time, you become the vehicle for the Kelipos.

If one cannot find any wasted time one should think about one’s dreams, for as the Zohar states, when one doesn’t properly prepare himself at night, the soul doesn’t ascend high in heaven and the kelipos give him foolish dreams and dreams that may mock him and give him pain, hence this shows on ones’ lack of greatness and meaninglessness in life.

Even if one has repented, one may bear in mind that everything he does gets impacted in heaven, which is beyond time and hence it may be that currently the reason he cannot access his heart to change his behavior is because his Teshuvah on the level he is now is unacceptable or possibly God desires that he should do a greater Teshuvah, thus removing the barriers of the Kelipos.”

“The more one contemplates the above matters or researches such matters in holy books (the lowness of sins etc.) the more one can cause that he despises and is repulsed by himself, the net result being that the kelipos that cause the barrier to an open heart concealing the light of his Goldy soul will be humbled and he will gain the ability to do what he wants.”

“Another very useful technique to break the hold and barrier placed by the Yezter Hara is to angrily loudly (in one’s mind or when no-one is listening Ed.) shout at it the following: “You are vile and wicked, you are repulsive, you are despicable, you are dirty etc. as all the true names that our sages have called you. How much longer will you conceal the truth that God fills all the worlds equally, including this very place I am standing, just as God existed prior to creation as it states, “I God have never changed;” for God is beyond time, hence not limited by an any time, spatial differences, and you are dirty, despicable and repulsive etc. hiding the obvious discernable truth that everything literally is as not even like a speck of dust compared to God which is actually visibly discernable (through the mind.”)

“This shouting down the Yetzer Hara will truly allow one to perceive how God is everywhere, which is the foundation of all of man’s service to God (namely that one should see this, not only have an intellectual compression but not feel this truth – and this is achieved through the humbling of the Yetzer Hara, who hides this truth.)

“The reason this shouting down the Yetzer Hara has the effect of revealing the truth of God’s omnipresence is simple, the Yetzer Hara and Kelipah are only like darkness that doesn’t really exist.

They are only an absence of light, hence the moment light shines, the darkness dissipates.

Though there is tremendous energy in the Kelipos enlivening all the non-kosher animals and even the Jewish animal soul, nonetheless, all of this is only the absence of light.

The moment the Yetzer Hara’s darkness dissipates, then the light of truth, shall become evident.”

“The truth is that the Yetzer Hara is given permission to challenge man, as the example of the prostitute hired by the king to challenge his son, to deny God’s omnipresence.

However when man does rise to this challenge and humbles himself, then as the mission is accomplished his lowering of the Kelipah below lowers the Kelipa above and man becomes free of its torment.”

“A clear example of this is when the spies sent to scout out Israel and report back to the Jews in the desert if it was conquerable or not, told them that it was not, and everyone was afraid to go in.

Then Moses shouted at them, that they had angered God and they would die in the desert and that they were wicked etc.

Suddenly they become very remorseful and they desired to immediately go conquer the land.

If they didn’t believe in God’s ability to conquer the land, how did they suddenly believe?

The answer is that all Jews are believers, inherited from their forefathers belief as well, it is only that the Kelipah is given permission to obfuscate truth, hence it was this obfuscation of truth that caused them overtly to think that the land was too strong for God to conquer.

Once the source of the obfuscation, the Kelipah, was removed through the humbling of self, as mentioned “The nation mourned (was remorseful) greatly” then they returned to their natural state of belief.”

“The above scenario (that it is only the Kelipah.. not you) can be applied whenever one finds oneself doubting God.”

“In fact the Kelipah itself has no doubts about God, rather it is given the permission merely to increase the reward of the Jew who is not fooled and conquers the Kelipah, as in the example of the king who hired a prostitute to challenge his son for ultimately he desires to reward him.”

CHAPTER 30 – be humble

“Additionally a Benoinie must fulfill the directive of our sages to be humbler than all men.”

“One truly needs to be humble before, even the lowest person around.”

“The method to be more humble than anyone is to realize that everyone’s situation is different.

Hence the person you might be judging unfavorably, had you had his desires and opportunities to do bad, you probably would have done so as well.”

“Now despite the fact we must be more humble than the bad person, nonetheless this does not excuse bad, for all people must rectify themselves.”

“For all people should place God before ones’ eyes, and hence fear Him and be embarrassed to do wrong before His omnipresence and all people do have the capacity to control their behavior.”

“The truth is, it’s truly a very difficult matter to control oneself before the Yetzer Hara’s passion that burn intensely within man’s bosom.”

“One should truly judge oneself to see if one is truly dedicating oneself to pray with full concentration and study Torah diligently – furthermore before prayer one needs to humble oneself (through reminding oneself of one’s sins) to crush the Yetzer Hara. To meet what can be expected of you is truly a lofty, noble, and necessary task.”

“If one has not met what is expected of him (in this context to pray and study with concentration and diligently) then certainly one shouldn’t judge another whose circumstances and Yetzer Hara lead him to sin, for the two challenges (namely for you to pray and study with all your might, and for him to withhold temptations) are equal.”

“Another important meditation / idea, to bear in mind, is, one who is not religious, his transgressions are considered actually to be mistakes (for one cannot be obligated to do that which he was not educated in, and Halachikly he is called a Tinnuk Shenishbah, a child who was captured and raised amongst gentiles, and hence even if he somehow hears about Shabbos, as his entire role-modelship was gentile behavior, he is not obligated to keep the Shabbos though of-course we should only lovingly try to draw him closer to Torah and Mitzvos) hence the sins of the religious who know of their obligations are genuine, especially if one desires to come closer to God as it states by Acher (Rabbi Elishah Ben Avuah, a famous learned Rabbi who become irreligious,) his sins is great, for he was aware of the greatness of God and yet chose to leave it.”

CHAPTER 31 – Torah returns one’s soul back to its original state

“Even if the previous chapters meditations (on one’s lowness,) through contemplating them, an hour or two properly, leads one to be saddened and sadness is from Kelipah, for in holiness there is just joy, nonetheless, one should not refrain from doing them for this reason, for the methodology to destroy the Kelipos comes from its own arsenal.”

“The handle for the axe that chops down the forest, comes from itself, and our sages teach, ‘from its own arsenal one destroys the kelipos.’”

“This is the explanation of the verse, ‘from every sadness there will be a payout’ – the payout is the joy which follows the sadness – as will be further explained.”

“The truth is, being sad about one’s sins and one’s enclothment into Kelipah is not sadness.

There are two distinct states – sadness, which causes one to be lifeless, without feeling, listless, as it were. The second is upsetness. Now upsetness is not listless, on the contrary the person is agitated over a certain state.

The state of bitterness over one’s sins, is not a depressed state God-forbid, rather an upsetness state.

It comes from the Gevurah-Dekedushah (the harsh side of holiness) and the heart contains both chessed of kedushah (namely happiness and joy as well as Gevurah Dekedushah, as mentioned.”)

“When one sees that one is prevented access from controlling their behavior (as mentioned, because the Kelipos of the animal soul and Yetzer Hara are being arrogant) this then is the time to break one’s arrogance and the methodology of harshness (namely recounting ones failings etc.) has the benefit of removing the Yetzer Hara and animal soul’s harshness (for as mentioned, you fight fire with fire…)

The appropriate time to do this, is when one sees one is in any event feeling sad (hence no need to bring on additional sadness….”)

“Through getting bitter over one’s shame, one then actually removes sadness over material concerns.”

“Now, one can achieve true joy which follows the sadness.

For one should say to one’s heart, “It is true that I am lower than animals and worms (for even they do not go against God’s will as mentioned) nonetheless, this is only my body and animal soul, but the Godly soul within me is pure God, trapped as it is within such filth, hence I shall now, through having great compassion on this prisoner, release him from his dungeon through connecting to God – returning the Godly soul back to its unity with God as it was before it entered my body.

Practically, one should pray with devotion to redeem one’s soul, and subsequently do good deeds for the sake of uniting one’s Godly soul with God.”

“This should then be one’s constant joy through one’s life, for whenever one engages in Torah study and prayer and service of God, one is redeeming one’s soul!

Can there be a greater joy than freedom!

It is exactly like a prince captured by the enemy, is forced to grind wheat while laying in a filthy dungeon – now imagine the joy he feels upon his return home to the kings palace.”

“This is the idea of Leaving Egypt, namely, that the Jews escaped from Egypt. Why did they have to escape if Pharaoh was so thoroughly humiliated that he would have had to allow them to leave? rather the idea is, the Egypt, within them.

For they had not freed their animal souls from the immorality of Egypt.

It was only at the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai did their internal evil depart them.

This then is the idea of Leaving Egypt, that we are escaping our animal souls, trying to flee from our own internal debasement, to reunite our Godly souls to be in a consummate union with God.”

“Now one can achieve a far greater light and joy of one’s soul, creating incredible Jewish happiness…

One should contemplate, “It is not my fault that I was created with an animal soul and Yetzer Hara which trap God’s soul within such opposing tendencies of holiness, goodness and kindness….

Why did God do this? The reason is (as will be further explained in greater detail) as all descents – and this is the ultimate descent that part of God who is beyond, fills, and all the worlds are not even like a speck of dust compared to Him, should enter into a lowly space – for the sake of an ascent, unreachable without the descent.

What is this ascent? It is to merge my very body and animal soul, with my Yetzer Hara, into God’s infinity.

This is done through when I think, speak, and say words of Torah and do the commandments; then as my animal soul is thinking and speaking and saying (even though it may be contrary to its desire,) this (as will be explained) merges it into Godliness.

This is what it states, that Torah returns one’s soul back to its original state.”

 

 

CHAPTER 32 – UNCONDITIONAL

“By integrating the past chapters – seeing the body as lower than a worm due its sins and evil – and the joy of oneself is the joy of one’s soul uniting with God, merging with an infinite union with God through Torah study and doing Mitzvos, now one can achieve the Mitzvah (the most important Mitzvah of the Torah) To love your fellow Jew, old or young, great or not so great.

For if one despises one’s body and each and every Jew also has a soul, and the soul is of infinitely great proportions – being literally a part of God above.”

“Additionally not only should one have reverence for every Jew individually, as his greatness is due to such a lofty soul, but considering that all Jewish souls at their source are in God, hence we are literally like brothers coming from the same father.”

“If one considers their body – instincts – to be their fundamental desire and their soul’s desire as unimportant, such people can have no true love between one another (which as mentioned stems from the soul, for the bodies of people are what differentiates them) and if we see love between such people, it is merely bodily needs attracting to what the individual wants, not selfless love stemming from a shared identity.”

“Now we can comprehend how Hillel can say that the entire Torah is the Mitzvah of Ahavas Ysroel (love a fellow Jew, while there seems to be many other types of Mitzvos, relating between a Jew and God exclusively.)

The answer is simple, the idea behind the entire Torah is that the Jew should make his soul, not his body, the dominant part of his love (which as mentioned, is the only methodology to achieve unity, and hence merges Divinity within all Jews, for it is not enough for a solitary Jew to do this, rather one must merge one’s soul within all fellow Jews’ souls, for a king does not dwell in a broken palace – meaning that God resides in the  individual Jew only within the collective soul which combines all Jews, which is why before praying we say “I hereby take upon myself the commandment to love a fellow Jew as myself” for only through unity with all Jews can God reside on your individual soul.”)

“Additionally one may never judge another person, and though it does state in the Talmud regarding a fellow student who one works very hard on rectifying, and refuses to change; nonetheless, most people do not fall into this category and thus as Hillel states, “Be of the disciples of Aaron Hakohen, who loved people, and drew them close to Torah.”

In other words, if one sees a fellow Jew not behaving appropriately, there is only one course of action, to extend absolute unconditional love (for one is not allowed to judge them, as mentioned in chapter 30 and it is only by a fellow student where both are on the same level, that some minor form of chastisement may take place, hence the only appropriate course) is unconditionally love, and through this love, perhaps one may also be able to ensure the individual to return to God, though even if not, one has still fulfilled the  commandment to love a fellow Jew as oneself.”

 

 

CHAPTER 33 – increase joy

“Another method to increase joy especially when one needs to:

One should contemplate the absolute union of God within this world.

For as mentioned, it is like the letters of thought (so we have something distinct, letters,) as those letters are still within the desire (so now those letters exist only in a hidden form within the desire and are hence one with the desire).

Similarly, as God fills the entire expanse of everything (being its energy as e-energy = m-matter) hence nothing but God exists, and all relative to Him is non-existence.

Another example of this is the light of a sunray while it is still within the sun (its source;) if it can travel 98 million miles to shine on earth it must shine in the sun itself, but no one looking at the sun would point out a ray of light, for there, relative to the infinite light of the sun it is as if it doesn’t exist, being part and parcel, completely nullified out of any separate existence, relative to the infinity of the sun; (I am using the word infinity, though the sun is obviously not infinite, Editor.)

The more one thinks about this, especially realizing that this meditation is the purpose of creation, for it brings God (through the power of our thought which is the lever that unites God with this world, as we have been given this capability) the more joy one can achieve.

It is like a great king taking a humble person to live with him in the palace.

How great must be the joy of the humble person at such an honor that God whom the heavens cannot fill his glory, will unite in this world through your meditation.

This is the meaning that Chabakuk came and established the Torah on one principle, namely this belief in God’s unity.

For this belief in God’s unity adds the joy to one’s soul, which raises it above the distractions of the Yetzer Hara, enabling it to fulfill all of the Torah and Mitzvos.

This joy further extends beyond to hosting God, which as mentioned is a great union of the humble with the great, but also extends into God’s joy Himself.

This is what it states, “The Jews should rejoice with the creator of matter.” God Himself receives much joy – a colossal amount – for in this meditation we nullify the kelipos (who conceal this truth from our eyes which will become self-evident when Moshiach comes) and hence God’s unity merges within the physical matter of creation.

This joy is especially pronounced when we have this meditation in gentile lands that are filled with impure air due to the impure thoughts, speech and actions there, for there is no greater joy to God than the transformation of the deepest darkness to the highest light.”

 

CHAPTER 34 – joy in uniting with and hosting God

“This meditation (of chapter 33 of God’s unity) was always born in mind by the forefathers which made them a Merkavah – a chariot to God’s will – and this level (of Merkavah) was consummated in Moses whose very mouth was the speech of God coming through him.

To a certain extent the Jews at Mount Sinai received this revelation, but as it was too lofty for them, it ceased and God commanded Moses and them to build a Mishkan (tabernacle) and there this unity (in the Holy of Holies) presided.

So a Jew must say, “As my mind does not have the great capacity as the forefathers, and Moses, to hold this unity constantly, nonetheless I shall host God as our sages state ‘From the destruction of the Temple, God resides in the space of Torah study,’ so when I study Torah morning and evening and increasing when I have a chance, it is then that I shall play host to God (for as mentioned, chapter 4, at this moment one’s mind unifies with God).

Additionally, if a person finds his income increases, he should add in his charity and though he gives merely a fifth of his charity, this fifth unifies God in all of his efforts to make the money, as the single (or few) animals offered in the Holy Temple elevated all the animals in the world, and the bit of flour offered (mixed with a log of olive oil) elevated all the flour (hence  we see a bit of effort has the ability to unify God within all the effort, for one comes from the other, and as it has some of the other, can in turn elevate its source.)

Additionally when one prays using the energy of the time and money spent on gaining the food to eat, to give the strength for prayer and study then this too elevates (for as mentioned, the cause is elevated by the Godly outcomes.)

At the same time, all of this joy in uniting with and hosting God need not take away from a concurrent feeling of debasement, for the debasement is over the body’s lowliness, while the joy is over the soul’s unity and happiness in its merging with God, and both are true.

This is the meaning of the statement of the Zohar, suffering and sorrow are lodged in one side of the heart while joy and rejoicing in the other.”

 

 

CHAPTER 35 – it is very easy for a Jew to keep all of Torah and Mitzvos, in practice

“Understanding better that it is very easy for a Jew to keep all of Torah and Mitzvos, in practice (the word, in practice, is the direct translation of the original and is the emphasis of this chapter.)

Additionally to console the Bennoinie who must constantly fight the negative of his animal soul and the disturbing thoughts he gets, not being able to banish the animal soul…

By way of introduction:

In the Zohar it teaches that man is like a wick, God is like a flame, and good deeds are like the oil that bind the flame to the wick.

Why good deeds specifically?

Even a great Tzaddik whose fear and awe, love and reverence, for God are complete, still does not match his fear, love, awe and reverence, as they would be, as his soul was in heaven.

Hence, why should the soul come into a body where at best it is second best?

The answer is (as will be later explained in greater detail) the soul needs no rectification, rather the ultimate purpose is the rectification of the animal soul and the body.

For ultimately, the complete bond with God is in that which is subservient to Him, and even the greatest love for God, includes the “I” that loves.

On the other hand, when a Jew down below studies Torah and particularly performs the physical Mitzvahs, including the speech of Torah study, and prayer, then he is imbibing God into the very animal soul which though it may be contrary to its desires, nonetheless acquiesces and is a participant (for the Godly soul cannot manage, master, direct the body, without the intermediary of the animal soul.)

When this occurs, God’s Shechinah, indwelling (unifying,) manifests in the very lowest realm, the significance of which shall be further explained in the next chapters.”

CHAPTER 36 – God’s desire is specifically for our lowest space

“The well know reason for God creating the world, is as our sages teach “God desires to dwell in the lowest space.””

“There is no concept of higher and lower space when it comes to God, for God fills all space.”

“The explanation of the apparent anomaly (see two quotes above) is that God has never changed from before creation to after creation for in His terms He always occupied (and is always occupying) all spaces, but relative to the created beings there is a difference.”

“The idea of the chain of descent of God’s light, which is the source for all living things, is the idea of Tzimtzumim, namely that as the light descends lower it is further hidden from the recipients, hence the verse “No man (nor angel) can see me (my light) and live.”

The lowest space of this descent is this world, where God’s light is completely concealed to the extent of people being able to deny God altogether.”

“The ultimate desire of God is not the loftier spiritual worlds (there are four loftier spiritual levels in ascending order above us) and the reason for this is simple, that relative to the essence of God which they do not perceive, rather only a ray of His infinite light, hence one cannot say that God would create a universe for the sake of putting in light, which is nothing compared to His essence (that would be like building a home underground, to live in it with light, if you can live in a well lit place above ground…)”

“Rather God’s desire is specifically for our lowest space.

This desire cannot be intellectually comprehended, rather so arose in His will to shine with His complete light, through the subjugation of the kelipos (the service of the Benoinie) and the subsequent transformation of the space of darkness – our world run by kelipos and the other side – obviously accomplished when man suppresses his animal soul in favor of God, Torah and Mitzvos.”

“The ability to be able to be within the infinity of God which shall be physically revealed (that all is God) once Moshiach comes, as it states “the body will no longer conceal God” (so the God within the material will be revealed) is through the cloak of Torah, which will shield the individual from nullifying himself out of existence.

(In other words, a ray of light within the sun, is sun; it is not a separate part of the sun, so when Moshiach will come, through the infinity of God will manifest, nonetheless God through the Torah we studied in exile will allow us to still remain ourselves.”)

CHAPTER 37 – Moshiach depends on our doing Mitzvos today

“All of the Godliness to be revealed in the coming of the Moshiach depends on our doing Mitzvos today, for the reward of the Mitzvah is the Mitzvah itself, which causes the Godliness to permeate the physical matter, removing the Kelipos from being the “source” of the physical properties of the items used for the Mitzvah, say the parchment to write Teffilin, Mezuzah, or a Sefer-Torah, and instead God Himself becomes the source (which will be revealed when Moshiach comes.”)

“Similarly with our body – for when we do a Mitzvah with it, we then transform it from being recreated through the medium of kelipos – rather it then becomes a vehicle of Divine will, hence the very person becomes completely God, as there is no interfering layer (for as the body being used for God’s will, thus it is God’s will, which obviously is not separate from God Himself, as God is not a composite rather a single oneness.)”

 

“Moshiach will come when all Jews keep the Torah and Mitzvos (though the Rebbe has stated, that we have already fulfilled all, for the coming of Moshiach, in 1990) for the entire world is subdivided into 600,000 parts, and every Jew’s soul is one of 600,000 (though these 600,000 subdivide into a further 600,000 each) and hence each part of the world, is connected to one Jew; hence, if every Jew kept the 613 commandments, he disavows the evil (which draws from when he sins in one of the 365 prohibitions) and adds light (from each of the 248 commandments) thus creating, that only Godliness can be revealed, for the whole world.”

 

“Because Tzedakah / charity takes the most effort to create (and even one whom the money came as a present, but he can give this money which would be used for sustenance, altruistically) hence when we give it away, it has the most transformative effect; for as we put the most effort into its creation, then most of this world gets elevated to God (and this is the purpose of the world – to elevate the mundane into the Godly!)”

 

Why would we say Torah is greater than Mitzvos? (doing good deeds.. if one of the most important points of creation, is transforming the mundane into the spiritual, which occurs through using the physical for the spiritual?!) Because Torah transforms our internal intellectual power, and in addition the Shechinah / Godliness rests upon the soul (and souls of all Israel) when we study it.”

 

Chapter 38 – the significance of saying the words of prayer and Torah study

 

“We can now (following chapter 37) understand the significance of saying the words of prayer and Torah study, for if the main accomplishment in this world is the transformation of our physical bodies and material soundings into Godliness, hence, by saying the words, we effect a greater transformation then by just simply thinking them.”

 

“If this is the case (the above paragraph) what is the significance in meditating that the purpose of our Mitzvos and prayer should be to unite with God (which they effect?) the reason is, for just as a soul is greater than a body, similarly, the Mitzvah done with soul far exceeds Mitzvos that are lacking in soul (intent.)”

 

 

 

Chapter 39 – HEAVEN

 

“There are four spiritual worlds beyond ours – Gan Eden, where souls go after passing on, is in the two intermediate worlds of Beriah and Yetzirah; Beriah is where people whom served God through an intellectually motivated love and awe are, (for it is a world in which the intellectual grandeur of God is present;) and those souls who served God through motivating their instinctual love (see earlier chapters about how to fan an instinctual love and awe for God into a burning flame) go to the world of Yetzirah – however for the highest Tzaddikim, those who served as a Merkavah, totally giving over their will-power to do God’s will, they ascend to the world of Atzilus!”

 

Chapter 40 – love and reverence for God

 

“The Zohar compares the Torah and Mitzvos we do without love and reverence for God (in other words, habitual) to a chick that its wings do not allow it to fly, but when the Torah and Mitzvos we do is done with love and reverence for God, then the wings elevate these good deeds to God in Heaven.”

 

Chapter 41 – God hovers over and is searching one’s heart and intention

 

“One should arouse within himself the innate “fear” of God, to not rebel against Him, this is done by meditating on God’s infinite greatness that encompasses and is the source of everything; and in particular, God watches you – as our sages teach, that everyone must believe that the world was personally created for them – and in this way one arouses the sensation, that God hovers over and is searching one’s heart and intention, hence, we will have a sense of humility and healthy shame before Him.”

 

“Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing, having healthy reverence “fear” for God is not enough for our good deeds to soar aloft; (see chapter 40) hence we must also arouse our natural love for God, and desire to be close with Him which is achieved whenever we do a Mitzvah, namely, our soul becomes enveloped in Godliness.”

 

“Additionally, a person should never separate oneself from the community, hence, we should meditate that this union with God should effect a union with all Jewish souls as well!”

 

“Before a person prays, studies Torah (or hourly during Torah study) a person should meditate that the purpose in doing this, is to unite one’s soul with God (ideally, as  this gives God pleasure as a father receives pleasure when his son visits;) and this intent, infuses that the prayer or Torah study is done out of love, causing a union with God.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 42 – takE an hour a day to meditate that God encompasses and permeates the entire universe and personally watches my every deed

 

“Why does it state that when Moses implores the Jewish people “all that God asks of you is to fear – have reverence for Him” hence the Talmud asks, “is reverence so simple to achieve?” and replies “Yes, for Moses”  – but as we are referring to the average Jew, how does this answer the question? – the answer is, that Moses is found within every Jew’s soul; it relates to his ability to bring out his innate reverence for God and fan it into a conscious reverence!

 

This is done by taking an hour a day to meditate (similar to beginning of chapter 41) that God encompasses and permeates the entire universe and personally watches my every deed – now as souls are different, some people will feel reverence after a wee bit of time, and others need a long hour to bring their innate reverence from the subconscious stratum of the heart to the consciousness in the mind, however, once a person feels this reverence, they can easily remind themselves of it and the point of this reverence is not the awe they feel, rather the practical application it causes – in causing one to actually perform the Torah and the Mitzvos.”

 

“Just as one’s awe from a king comes not from his body but his soul, hence when the king is asleep – his consciousness dormant, one feels no reverence from him, similarly, we need to train ourselves to realize that the world we see contains God, and this is the word “Emunah” which means to train ourselves to not be fooled by the dead layer of materiel matter we witness, but realize that it is a the actual living, breathing, energy of God.”

 

 

 

Chapter 43 – meditations generating awe and love

 

“Although we spoke in the last chapter about generating a reverence “fear” of God based on realizing His greatness, there is a far higher level of awe, which comes from understanding that God is the source of all matter, consistently pulsating the energy which is the fabric of reality – in other words (as explained at length in the second book of Tanya) matters basic state, is non-existence – to superimpose a new reality, would be like imagining it into existence, hence, it can only exist as long as God imagines it! this being the case, everything is truly non-existent relative to the source, God, and His thoughts, which are constantly recreating nothing into existence – including us.”

 

“In addition, there are two types of loves of God, one which comes as present from God called Ahavah Rabbah, which is a blissful love – in fact, the reward in the future era! and this only comes after one has preceded it by the Torah study and Mitzvah performance based on the previous mentioned reverence generating meditation; however, there is a second love called Ahavas Oilam in which one meditates on the fact that all of the energy we see in this world comes from God’s thoughts – a few sentences (10 to be precise..) now, ten sentences relative to infinite sentences is literally nothing.”

 

Chapter 44 – meditations generating  love

 

“Another wonderful mechanism to arouse our love, for which is an inherited love – subconsciously – due to its presence in our forefathers, is the love of God by recognizing that He is our soul and just as one craves one own life, similarly, as God is the very life force within us…”

 

“Another great mechanism to arouse our love for God, is to recognize that God is our father and just as one sometimes would be willing to give up their life for their parent (cherishing their life above their own) similarly, we look forward to studying Torah at night which unites us with God.”

 

Chapter 45 – meditation generating  love

 

“Another great mechanism to arouse the love for God in order to do Torah and Mitzvos altruistically – namely to unite with God – is to arouse compassion on God – in other words, the Kabbalah teaches us, that our soul is God, and this soul descended into our body and the banality of this world; tying God as it is, to our personal rubbish / trashy thoughts – considering all of our trashy thoughts, it truly is a great pity on the highest holiness to have been put into such rubbish / trash, hence I will make it my calling to free, elevate and recompense God through studying Torah, praying and doing Mitzvos, especially the Mitzvah of Tzeddakah which causes the highest union of God in this world.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 46 – meditation generating  love

 

“Another meditation to arouse love for God is based on the concept that hearts reflect each other, namely, if one person truly loves another, especially if he demonstrates that love (meaning, through a present, kind word etc.) the other person will reflect his love in return.

 

How much more so, if an important King (as we can’t identify with kings, imagine say the Prime-Minister of a country etc.) goes to a shamed person, who is lying in the gutters, and washes him, makes him look respectable, brings him to his private domain, hugs him, kisses him – hence even if this person had a heart as cold as stone – his heart would pour like water and melt into a loving warmth, in response to the love shown to him.

 

Now considering that this is exactly what happened to us Jewish people – for God is exalted with infinite amounts of angels, in infinite realms in the heavens above, as the Holy Ari has taught (Kabbalah,) and yet He personally lowered Himself (not through angels) to take us out of the mire, muck, immorality and hell of Egypt, to love us, to kiss us, to unite with us, namely when we study Torah and do a Mitzvah – and though we cannot see this connection as did our forefathers, nonetheless it is a true unity that occurs, so considering how high God is and how low we were …”

 

 

Chapter 47 – Every day a Jew must leave Egypt

 

“Every day a Jew must leave Egypt, this means we must leave the constraints of our body and unite our soul with God (just as the Jews in Egypt had to leave that godless land to unite with God, through the Ten-Commandments and more in the desert) we do this, when we study Torah (for as the Zohar states, God and his Torah are one, so through its studying, we literally unite with God) but especially, when we give our life to God when saying Shemah Yisroel… (when we are meant to think, we are prepared to even sacrifice our life for God.)”

 

Chapter 48 – GOD

 

Just as a person can internally be aware of multiple things, say his foot has a pain, what he is thinking about, his body temperature etc. for he feels all these things, similarly, God whose very thought of all matter, creates it, is aware of all; however, this is called an encompassing thought – similar to when we think of something, our mind encompasses the “object” we think of – but as God is infinite, hence, if His infinity were to be revealed, nothing could be limited (exist within 3 dimensions) hence, He hides His infinity and emanates a new light (memmaleh coil almin) which becomes the source for the limited energy (energy = matter) within our universe.

 

 

Chapter 49 – MEDITATION GENERATING LOVE

 

“Another meditation to arouse our love of God is as follows – when we consider that God is infinite – all the millions of universes (included of-course in the general four universes above, atzilus, beriah, yetzirah and assiyah) and all the lofty angels and souls are not His intent, rather the entire purpose that He hid His infinity and created our finite domain, is for us! to give us the opportunity to transform the world (which occurs when we beat our Yetzer Hara, selfish side, for Godliness, goodness and kindness) hence, to a discerning person, who can perceive how great is God’s love, to remove His infinity to make room for our good deeds to be the catalyst to bring Moshiach and transform the world! a reciprocal love will be awakened in His heart!”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 50 – MEDITATION GENERATING LOVE

 

All the previous loves (mentioned in the previous chapters) come from the side of Chessed, love, however there is a far greater love generated from the side of gevurah (like the love a wife has for her husband, is greater than the love he has for her, coming respectively from the side of chessed and gevurah) and this is by contemplating how all universes (imagine, the incredible energy to be found in a single atom, which creates nuclear energy, now imagine how many atoms there are (just in our body there are more atoms then stars in the universe and ruffly there are app. 100,000,000,000 galaxies each contains 100,000,000,000 stars, which comes to a number my computers calculator refers as 1.e+24, unimaginable!; and all these, is nothing compared to the spiritual light that brings it into existence, and all of that is absolutely nothing compared to God who creates the spiritual light) from this meditation, a born desire to leave one’s restriction of one’s lowly body and simply expire in union with God emanates – however as the Sefer Yetzirah teaches, when your heart desires to elevate, it is time to return to your purpose – namely, through listening to God, we unite with God, not in heaven, but here on earth, where He desires!”

 

Chapters 51 – 53 – understandING the meaning behind the term Shechinah, God’s dwelling

 

“To understand the meaning behind the term Shechinah, God’s dwelling; but doesn’t God dwell everywhere, equally? So an example is, of the soul that inhabits the body, for though the toes and the brain are equally alive, there is a fundamental difference; in that, the life-force comes first into the brain and from there, as is empirically evident, it gets managed; to distribute to each organ according to its particular design, for the eye, sight; the foot, walking; etc. etc; similarly, God’s light begins in the Holy of Holies in the world of Atzilus and from there it emanates the specific rays to create and enliven each soul or angel in that world; and then this light descends to the Holy of Holies in the lower world beneath it (Beraih, then Yetzira, then Asiyah) and in each, it is the source of light to create the particulars (though of-course, the essential God is everywhere equally, but Shechinah hence refers to the particular energy that is drawn specifically) in a similar sense, it is precisely when we do a good deed, such as Torah study, charity, prayer etc. that the radiance of God-Himself, then descends to bind our soul to his!”

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction to Shaar Hayichud Vehemunah called Chinuch Katan

 

“Educate a child according to his capabilities.”

 

“The foundation of Judaism is love and fear/reverence for God, for when one loves or fears another, one is drawn to be attached to them and fears separation from them (for true fear of God is a higher level of love – respect,) hence by loving and fearing God, one is drawn to unify with Him through adhering to his 248 commandments and 365 prohibitions.”

 

“There are two basic loves for God, the love of the Tzaddik which comes miraculously in reciprocation for their incredible service of removing any desire to this materiel world and its pleasure, including much Torah and Mitzvos, and is a blissful love/union with God.

 

However for the average person, the love for God must be born out of a meditation.

 

1. The Zohar teaches us to meditate on the fact that God is our life-force, hence, we will love Him as we love our own life.

 

2. The Meditating on God’s greatness.

 

3. A reciprocal feeling, for hearts react to each other, hence, realizing that God’s love for us is beyond what we can imagine; proof being, He descended into the cesspool of Egypt and took us from our immoral debasement into the highest level of holiness, giving us the Torah (this is the love Moses tried to impress upon the Jewish people saying that “God only did this for you,” and a love we remind ourselves daily in prayer, especially Shemah.)”

 

“A person should never remain static, even in a good state; one must always increase their love for God!”

 

“Growth contains three levels, where you are – losing the level you are (in order to) – arrive at a higher level.”

 

“The main and primary mechanism to arouse our love for God is through the understanding of how God is one with this universe (which will be explained through the 12 Chapters of Shaar Hayichud Vehemunah.”

 

 

 

 

 

Shaar Hayichud Vehaemunah The Gateway to Understanding How God and The World are One

 

Chapter 1 – INFINITE CREATION

 

“The Baal Shem Tov says, the words “Let there be a sky” spoken at creation, to create the sky, remains imbedded within it – in others words, energy equals matter, which means matter equals energy; before creation, God did not emanate this energy, hence, there was no matter; however, as this energy itself is a creation, it cannot disappear; for then there would be no matter – hence the energy constantly flows from God, consistently bringing matter into existence!”

 

“The Ten Statements, such as “Let there be light,” “Let there be a sky,” said at creation, are like ten energy power sources, that have subdivisions (as explained in The Book of Creation, through the lowering of the energy via gemetriaos etc.) from these source-energy-systems, comes the Hebrew names (for every letter in Hebrew, is a type of energy and when the letters are combined, create a specific item, so the Hebrew word mayim – water, is the actual electrons, neutrons and protons of h2o; interestingly, water itself is two hydrogen atoms, surrounding an oxygen atom, and similarly mayim is two mems, surrounding a yud, and the same for all matter.”)

 

Chapter 2 – MIRACLES

 

“The reason some people deny the capacity of miracles, and the stories in the Torah to happen, is for they mistakenly see the world as a fixed entity, not realizing as we said (chapter 1) if something is created from non-existence, it is impossible for it to exist without the original life-force that brings it into being, consistently doing so.”

 

 

 

Chapter 3 – MATTER = GOD

 

“If the eye were permitted to see, we would see, not physical matter, rather, the Divine energy behind it, and we wouldn’t see anything physical!

 

For example, sunlight travels 98,000,000 to shine on earth, so it must shine within the orb of the sun, however, no one thinks of the sunlight there, for we only think of the overriding sun itself; similarly, we are within our source, but as our source is not visible, we see only the effect, hence, though we are really one with our source, we perceive the material world as real, for we don’t see the source.”

 

Chapter 4 – GOD HIDING

 

“Just as no person can comprehend how God in his kindness, can create matter, when no matter existed prior, similarly, no man can comprehend, how God, can create both matter which is within its source, but cannot realize its source.”

 

Chapter 5 – GOD PEEKING

 

“The concealment of source from us created beings is what the medrash refers to when it says that God desired to make the world through the attribute of concealment (meaning, He would be completely concealed, resulting in our needing to discern Him as Abraham did) but seeing that the world couldn’t (peer through the concealment without assistance) He placed righteous saints – Tzaddikim (who could find or see God, and hence relate or perform miracles which proves God’s existence, as well as) the miracles recorded in the Torah.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6 – GOD

 

“Though of course, God hides His Divine energy, so the world can exist; nonetheless, of-course relative to His perspective, nothing is hidden.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 7 – God creates the illusion of our independent existence

 

“It is well known that the reason God hides His energy (leaving the appearance of individuality) is, a king cannot rule over his children, or even over his ministers (for as they are too close to him, they cannot be considered separate individuals) thus God creates the illusion of our independent existence.”

 

“Though we see not God, of-course, the illusion stops only at our sight; God Himself is absolutely the same as the energy which emanates from Him.”

 

Chapter 8 – God’s emotions are infinitely beyond our understanding!

 

Though we call God, kind, wise, compassionate etc. these are different to human emotions, for though we can only extrapolate an emotion, how it appears to us; God’s emotions are infinitely beyond our understanding, and hence are in fact different to our wisdom, emotions, thoughts, words and actions, that come in addition to our very being (God’s are one essence with Him, which as we have no corollary experience, for our ability to think comes before our thoughts, our ability to speak, before our speech etc.) hence we cannot comprehend this matter!

 

Chapter 9 – God is infinitely (infinity is a big number!!) beyond the level called wisdom

 

As opposed to our wisdom which is the height of our being, for from it comes our emotions (we see, a child lacking wisdom, gets emotional about silly things) and from the emotions, comes our thoughts – how to attain that which we love, or prevent that which we fear – our speech (following our thoughts) and our action (again, following our thoughts and speech) hence in us, wisdom is the source, but for God, wisdom is seen as an insignificant creation (though of-course as mentioned, God and His wisdom / emotions are unified – though again we cannot understand how; for we have no corollary type of experience) so God is infinitely (infinity is a big number!!) beyond the level called wisdom, to the extent that saying one cannot understand God is like saying one cannot touch a wisdom, as it is so deep, : ),  for the reason that makes no sense, is for the sensation of touch cannot be applied to wisdom.

 

Chapter 10 – we use the terminology of emotions to explain the motive behind aN ACTION

 

The reason we call God wise, compassionate etc. is for we need some kind of language to identify God’s actions; hence, we say, on the first day of creation, God’s kindness was present, creating light; the second day, God’s strictness was present, creating a sky to separate between the higher spiritual water and the lower physical ones (which of course, God’s severity is integrated and emanating from his kindness, for this allows the dry land to appear and then for people to exist, live and serve God,) similarly, we use the terminology of emotions to explain the motive behind action, though of-course God’s “emotions” are translucent to God, in other words, relative to us, they are wisdom and emotions, but relative to God it is all merely an expression of his Divine Being.

 

Chapter 11 – God Himself, so to say, “thought” how to implement His love / desire to create us

 

In the first chapter (of Shaar Hayichud Vahemunah) we discussed how God emanated ten sayings (for example, “Let there be light”) from which all source energy for matter comes from.

 

Here to, we must say that the terminology of speech and letters are only to help us understand what is happening, for in essence it is not letters, rather, just as when you desire something, say to help someone, you cannot actualize this desire unless you think how to do so (or for-example if you wish to unify with a beloved, and wish to say words of love, you must think about what those words will be) similarly, God Himself, so to say, “thought” how to implement His love / desire to create us, in the universe, and the “thoughts” are the letters which created the physical matter.

 

Chapter 12 – God Himself, so to say, “thought” how to implement His love / desire to create us

 

Now each one of the Ten Sayings is comprised of three levels – the general sayings, which creates the general domain of that object, for example the creation of sky, includes seven spiritual heavens and our physical sky; then the letters within the sayings, are energy sources to create the general items in the domain, so say the physical properties of the sky; and then the transmutations, gematrious (for every Hebrew letter is also a number and hence can be transmuted to practically infinite different combinations) create the specifics within the general, so for example in earth there are many stones, different minerals, and each has its own Hebrew letters which are the energy source, bringing them constantly out of nothing into the format we see them in.

 

 

The Letters / Chapters Explaining Teshuvah – Repentance / Returning To God

Chapter 1 TRUE

The Talmud states there are three types of sins with three types of repentance – if one does not do a commandment (a Do commandment) of the Torah – as soon as one does Teshuvah (regrets, resolves to do it and expresses an apology) one is immediately forgiven – if one transgresses a prohibitive commandment, then Teshuvah is the first step and Yom Kippur erases the sin – if one transgresses a prohibition which the Torah says the punishment is death, either through a court or Divine excision (kares) then Teshuvah is step one, Yom Kippur is step two, and pain/suffering is step three (it should be mentioned, the only reason for suffering is not to punish rather to remove the stain one causes, as will be explained.)

 

A Do commandment from the Torah supersedes a “Don’t do” for the latter adds a Divine light (while the former only prevents that the light shouldn’t go to the forces of darkness.)

 

When we sin we cause that the purity of our soul becomes defiled, like putting black ink on a white paper.

 

The Torah says that Teshuvah – repentance is the acknowledgment, and regret that one has transgressed the will of the king of kings, and currently desires to fulfill God’s will.

 

The only reason there is the notion of fasting (as repentance) is to substitute a possible Divine retribution (with the fast.)

 

 

Chapter 2 – FASTING

 

The reason there was a notion of fasting (for example the Arizal mentioned many different amounts of fasts for different sins) is an example of a person who angered a king but managed to calm his anger, from a friend of his, who placated the king (for example by saying, “he didn’t realize…” etc.) However the king’s heart does not feel the same level of love as before his anger,  so in order to get the king’s heart to love him again, he sends him a gift – similarly is the notion of fasting, which substitutes today our previous obligation to bring a sacrifice in the holy Temple.

 

Chapter 3 – CHARITY

 

There is a disagreement amongst the Kabbalists if one sin (for example, the sin of emitting wasteful semen where the amount of fasts is 84…) does one need to do so, for each time sinned, or does three X 84 cover the sin. The reason for this is, as it states, “when a person sins they create a stain in heaven and when they sin three times they darken the whole heaven” – hence the three repentance.

 

However fasting was only permissible in the olden days when peoples’ stamina was much greater and the fasting did not affect them – this is particularly true of a person who studies Torah, hence his fasting will create a lack of ability to focus.

 

Today the mechanism to rectify one’s sins, because one cannot fast is to substitute the fast with charity (generally we consider the cost of a meal $3.00 and considering there are three meals a day it would mean spending $9.00 per day.)

 

The bottom line is, that to rectify one’s sins one should give today as much (if not everything) they can to charity.

 

Chapter 4 – higher and lower Teshuvah

 

The Zohar comments on the word Teshuvah – Tashuv hei (it breaks up the Hebrew word into two, which means) return the hei. Hence there is a higher and lower Teshuvah, which relates to the two heis, in the name of God.

 

The difference between how God creates everything besides man, is like the difference between speech and blowing, for in speech one can speak long but not tire, but in blowing one tires quickly; for in the former, it is only an outer energy, while in the latter an inner; similarly, all of creation is made with the Divine name Eloikim (we find this name used the first 32 times in the Torah) however Man’s soul is created with the name Havayeh, which represents, that it was only man for whom all else was fashioned.

 

 

 

Chapter 5 – Our souls begin in God

 

Our souls begin in God, like a rope that starts in point a. and ends in point b. our body.

 

This rope is compared to 613 strands (like all ropes are the intertwined, twisted smaller strands) every positive deed strengthens the connection, and God-forbid a negative severs that particular strand.

 

Chapter 6 – returning the lower “hei”

 

The meaning of returning the lower “hei” is as follows – as our soul begins in God and it is like a rope, hence when one pulls the bottom of the rope, the top gets dragged after it – similarly, as we are given freedom of choice – when we choose to drag our minds and hearts into selfish or cruel endeavors, this drags the Divine side into those realms – however, when we return to doing good, this returns the Divine soul to its rightful place.

 

Chapter 7 – feel bad for the Divine

 

The mechanism to affect this Teshuvah return, is twofold:

 

1. This is the process as taught by the Baal Shem Tov, to feel bad for the Divine – the Divine, attached to your soul was dragged into the – as the Alter Rebbe speaks elsewhere – like a king being forced to place his head into a toilet bowl filled with excrement (as the Kabbalah teaches “A king (the Divine) bound by the chains of immoral and ignoble thoughts”) for the thoughts of man being connected to the Divine drag the Divine down – especially considering how awesome and great the Divine is, one can truly feel great pity on God.
2. This is the mechanism – which the Alter Rebbe recommends we should do an hour daily (particularly at night) of considering all the times we dragged the Divine into the filth – This creates a great humility – for the essence of evil – which has no true existence; it merely puffs itself into a false persona – hence the humbling of self, is the destruction of the forces of evil that have attached to oneself.

Chapter 8 – the higher Teshuvah

Once one has done the above (two Teshuvah exercises mentioned in Chapter 7) now we can truly ask God to please return our soul – a request from the depths of our heart.

 

This affects that “hei” (see chapter 6) returns back to its source in God at the same level as it was before it came into this world.

 

This is what is considered the higher Teshuvah, especially when we follow our repentance with Torah study (for the essence of this repentance is not the state of return, but the continued existence with the Divine – this is especially true of a Baal Teshuvah whose return – coming from feeling far, hence the tremendous outpouring of love and attraction even exceeds that of a Tzaadik.)

Chapter 9 – TESHUVAH ILAH

The Zohar says that Binah – Divine comprehension, is Teshuvah Ilah (the higher Teshuvah.)

In other words, when a person uses their comprehension to truly comprehend the greatness of the Divine; furthermore understand that “The Divine is my very essence, my soul, who I am!” this gives wings to the love, making it soar aloft.

Similarly, one’s comprehension can be used to understand that “The great Divine Being constantly is watching my behavior!…” hence this arouses perhaps a fear of punishment or better, a sense of embarrassment – for when one is cognizant that another supervises them – commensurate with the greatness of the person who is looking at them – is the fact, they will be ashamed to do wrong.

Now the main aspect of love is the unity of the lovers – hence love for God would mean to unify your mind and emotions, thoughts, speech and actions (which compromise the human self) with God’s; This is achieved by firstly the emotional love towards God (which also translates as the embarrassment to do what He abhors – see above) and in practice, relates to the study of Torah (mind/thoughts) the speaking the words of Torah (speech) and in practice, the giving of Charity (the essence of all the Divine commandments.)

For one who has caused the Divine mind (the Divine connected to his mind, see above) to descend to the lowest realm due to wasteful emission of semen and certainly forbidden relations, the way for him to repent is through the additional study of Torah, like a string or rope that got cut, so we double-knot it – this is what it states, that if someone sins and is liable for a punishment what should he do? “If he was accustomed to reading one page of Talmud, let him read two, one Mishna, let him read two” (for Torah reconnects one with the Divine.)

 

 

 

 

Chapter 10 – feeling pity on the Divine-Being

In the last chapter we spoke of Teshuvah Ilah as it relates to Torah, but it also relates to prayer.

However before prayer and the love it engenders, uniting one’s heart in God, as it states, “You should love God with all your heart and all your soul!” one must perform the lower level of Teshuvah which is the feeling pity on the Divine-Being, dragged into the mud by my negative (see above.)

This should ideally be done before one begins praying (to have the above pity-based contemplation) however, once one finished the pity-based contemplation, they should then start praying with joy.

As today people are not capable of transforming their emotions (for a healthy mind should have absolute control on one’s emotional feelings) therefore a good idea would be to have the pity-based meditation during Tikkun Chatzois (at night) hence during the morning prayers one will be in a state of joy – for those who find this difficult they should at least do so on Thursday nights.

 

Chapter 11 – One side of my heart is ecstatic; The other side, weeps

In truth one should be able to hold both emotions of joy and sadness, as mentioned in the end of chapter 34 of Tanya from the Zohar “One side of my heart is ecstatic; The other side, weeps.”

Now the way a person comes to this important level (for as we will soon see, the important balance it creates) is by rejoicing after repentance!

The reason for this rejoicing is, imagine you had a fallout with a close friend and after saying, “I am sorry” the friend forgives you; this would bring your heart much joy! – Well, though we constantly repent (as mentioned in last chapter, doing the lower level Teshuvah) nonetheless, as God and his emotions are infinite, hence his compassion and forgiveness likewise are immediately aroused, the moment we seek forgiveness.

In other words, one should now feel great joy that one is back in God’s loving heart!

Now this is consistent with what King David (who repented after his sin with Batsheva said) “I recall my sin before me constantly” – this means not that he felt deep shame, a sense of lowness constantly, rather it was in order to enable him to remain humble – in other words: one repents, one rejoices in their newfound union, and then remains humble by reminding themselves of their capacity to sin (by the way, this memory of our sins is also highly effective in preventing us from becoming angry – as we can attribute an evil another does to us as a Divine retribution (so instead of allowing them to anger us, we see it merely as a cosmic justice.)

Chapter 12 – we can even rejoice in our pains

We mentioned at the end of last chapter how wise it is to consider that anything bad that occurs to one is a punishment (perhaps even for a sin done in a previous lifetime, as this causes one to not get angry – not blame a person,) now the Alter Rebbe discusses how we can even rejoice in our pains (hence not allowing them to get us down) for a drop of suffering in this world erases mountains of pain in the next.

The reason for this is: he gives an example that if one imagines a sundial, so the movement of one hour on the sundial based on the shadow, comes from tens of thousands of miles of distance which the sun orbits, hence we see how a small drop of suffering in this world excludes tremendous suffering in the next (in fact he brings down that if one were to imagine someone who has the most excruciating life, and this continues for 70 years! it wouldn’t compare to a single hour in hell, as the fire of hell burns 60X the heat of the sun – OUCH!)

But the flip-side is also true, that the tiniest good-deed below, any act of kindness, any Mitzvah has an extraordinary effect, drawing in a Divine light through all the spiritual to the physical universe! (though currently we cannot see it, but when Moshiach comes, we will!)

 Iggeres Hakoidesh

1.

Just as the thighs / legs support the body, the following faith supports the Jew – there are three realms God made (mentioned in Sefer Yetzirah, encapsulating everything) Space Time and Soul/s – now today we know there is no space in which the true space isn’t really the Creator – science has taught us, everything is energy (e=m,) Now energy as you see in a fire is not a physical quantity, it merely express itself in the temperature of heat and the miracle of light (and depending on how much energy, how much heat and how much light – in other words, everything is simply “frozen” heat and light – in the spiritual terms (the Alter Rebbe uses) there are three energies: there is the specific energy congealed into matter, there is the generalized source of infinite ability, which serves as the brain of what goes where, for obviously it is impossible for an atom to have natural knowledge of itself, nor of its rotations (especially as we now know Heisenberg’s “principle of uncertainty,” that it is basically following uncertain circular routes (not to mention, popping in and out of existence!) so there is a cosmic brain that organizes every single electron, neutron, proton and its route (which is also obvious, for an atomic explosion is when these things crash!) and of-course, all of this means nothing, relative to an infinite mind; for though it may seem to be absolutely unbelievable to us, that’s only because we can only have finite thoughts (usually one at a time) but if you are capable of infinite thoughts! and infinite ability! the entire universe and everything in it, is merely a single moment’s decision – the same concept holds true both in terms of time (the sequences of matter) and souls – so every experience we have (of-course including our existence) is all really just simply part of, well, a momentary decision, which takes zero implementation effort!

The power to actualize, retain the inspiration of the above meditation is through the study of the Halachos, the laws of God – for these relate to God’s will (not merely Torah study, which relates to wisdom, for the halacha is the final appropriate Divinely ordained action.)

 

 

 

 

 

I suggest that the Minyan in Synagogue during the weekdays should be led by those who have more time, as well as should be complemented (by fellow worshipers, hence it would seem that those who need to rush would have to suffice with the answering of Amen etc.) and should take no less than an hour and half every weekday.