"Ashrei haam (Happy is the people) that knows the shofar's blast; God, in the light of Your countenance they shall go."
(Psalms 89:16)
[Divine Providence] edit
Drawing complete Divine providence is impossible, unless one first shatters the desire for money. Its shattering is achieved through charity.
For it is taught in the Zohar (III,224a): A ruach descends to allay the burning of the heart. When the ruach (wind) descends, the heart receives it with the rejoicing of the Levitical song.
"Ruach" corresponds to [giving] charity, which is [indicative of] a "generous ruach (spirit)." With this [ruach], the burning desire for money is cooled. This corresponds to (Psalms 76:13), "He shall cut off the ruach of the noblemen" = because the ruach lessens the desire for nobility and wealth.
"The Levitical song" corresponds to engaging honestly in the give-and-take of business. He is happy with his lot and does not run to get rich. This is because song corresponds to the give-and-take, as is written, "Take up a song and give a timbrel" (Psalms 81:3). [And] "rejoicing" refers to the one who is happy with his lot.
And this is the aspect of the incense, it binds the heart's burning with the ruach. This is the meaning of, "Incense makes the heart rejoice" (Proverbs 27:9). It also corresponds to (Deuteronomy 33:10), "They shall place incense in your af (nostrils)," because the aspect of incense nullifies the [curse]: "By the sweat of your af you will eat [bread]" (Genesis 3:19).
This likewise corresponds to the revelation of Mashiach, at which time the lust for money will be eliminated. As it is written (Isaiah 2:20), "On that day man will throw out his idols of silver and his idols of gold." It is also (Lamentations 4:20), "The ruach (breath) of our af, the mashiach (anointed) of God."
And, as long as there is this worshipping of money in the world, there is charon af (burning anger) in the world (cf. Sifri 13:18). But, to the extent that this form of idolatry is nullified, so is the burning anger eliminated, as in, "The ruach of our af, the anointed of God." Lovingkindness is then drawn down into the world, as in (Psalms 18:51), "He does chesed (lovingkindness) for His anointed."
When this chesed is revealed, daat (holy knowledge) - through which the House is built - is drawn down. This corresponds to (Psalms 5:8), "But as for me, with an abundance of Your lovingkindness will I come to Your House." As it is written in the Zohar (III, 220b): And the right side... it has been readied for building the Holy Temple. This is because knowledge is the aspect of House, as our Sages taught: When someone has daat, it is as if the Holy Temple was built... (Berakhot 33a).
[Hidden Ancient One] edit
{"A wise man ascends the city of the strong, and brings down the mighty in which it trusts" (Proverbs 21:22).}
And, this is the aspect of Torah revelation of the Future. It is brought in the Zohar (III, 152a) that in the Future, the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One will be revealed. This is because the essence of receiving the Torah is through the intellect - which is Moshe-Mashiach, as in, "A wise man ascends the city of the strong."
A person possessing the aspect of Moshe-Mashiach is capable of receiving the Torah and can draw down the Torah's emanating light in order to teach other people. For the revelation of the Torah comes from a unification of the Holy One and His Divine Presence. As it is written (Proverbs 1:8), "Hear, my son, the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the Torah of your mother." [And it is taught:] "Your father" alludes to the Holy One, and "your mother" alludes to Knesset Yisrael (Zohar II, 85a).
Their unification is brought about through the elevation of the Jewish souls in the aspect of feminine waters, as in (Proverbs 11:30), "He that takes souls is wise." And through this unification, the Torah is born. Thus, when the wise man ascends with the souls - this being "A wise man ascends the city of the strong" - through this [he] "brings down the mighty in which it trusts."
[RatZOn ♦ will] edit
Now, the soul is the aspect of will.
For each and everyone of these people who comes to the wise man of the generation has some [good] will. The tzaddik takes all the wills and ascends with them. And afterwards, [he] "brings down the mighty in which it trusts." This corresponds to (Ezekiel 1:14), "And the living creatures ratzo vashov (run and return)" - "ratzo" in the elevation of the souls, "and shov" in the return of the souls with a revelation of Torah.
This is what is brought in the Tikkuney Zohar (Tikkun #70, p.109a): Ratzo is Nuriel, vashov is Metat, the Minister of the Countenance. Nuriel is a nur (candle) that is lit (Zohar I, 23b) - burning with a desire for money. Vashov is Metat, Sar Hapanim (Minister of the Countenance). He is hinted to in the name MoShE, who is himself Mashiach / the "ruach of our nostrils" through which the burning [desire] is allayed.
{"Happy is the people shekakhah (that such is the case) for them" (Psalms 144:15).}
And this is: "SheKaKhaH" has the same numerical value as MoShE (Zohar III, 111b). He m'ShaKeKh (allays) the [desire for] "idols of silver and gold."
RatZO is RatZOn (will), which is the soul. Vashov is Moshe, who receives the Torah.
[Power of Vision] edit
And, by drawing down Torah, Divine providence is drawn down [to the world]. This is because the Torah consists of T-N-T-A: {Te'amim (cantillations), Nekudot (vowel points), Tagin (crowns) and Aotiyot (letters)}. These are the three colors of the eye and the pupil.
This is why the Torah begins with the word BeRAiShIT: RAShel is there, BaT is there (Tikkuney Zohar #4, p.18a). "Rashei" is "These are the rashei (heads) of their fathers' houses" (Exodus 6:14), for the [three] patriarchs correspond to the three colors of the eye. "Bat is there" refers to the bat (pupil) of the eye.
We find therefore that as a result of the wise man's bringing Torah, he brings the power-of-vision of the Holy One's providence upon us. And each person, to the extent that he is close to the Torah, accordingly has God's providence upon him.
This is because the faculty of visual perception primarily [operates as follows]: As a result of its striking the object being observed, the power-of-vision ricochets to the eyes and the sighted object is then pictured in the eyes. The eyes thus see the observed object, because the faculty of sight brings the object into the eyes.
If, however, the object being observed is distant, then before the power-of-vision reaches the object it becomes diffused in the atmosphere and obscured. It does not reach the object being observed with any force, and consequently the power-of-vision does not ricochet in the eyes. And so the eyes do not see.
This is because seeing essentially depends upon the striking, as in (Psalms 80:15), "O return, look from heaven and see." The look with which we are looked upon from heaven should return; it should return by means of the striking. The power-of-vision should return to His eyes. And then, "and see" - for the seeing comes from a return of the looking.
This corresponds to "And the living creatures run and return." "And the living creatures" alludes to the Torah, which is life. "Run" is the aspect of looking down from Above; "and return" is the power-of-vision striking the observed object, ricocheting to the eyes, and being pictured in the eyes. For the eyes are like a polished mirror in which is reflected whatever stands opposite it.
Thus, by virtue of our being close to the Torah, we are close to the power-of-vision. Because of this, the power-of-vision returns to His eyes and we are reflected and pictured in His eyes.
But the gentiles, by virtue of their being distant from the Torah, are distant from His providence and His providence does not reach them with force. Consequently, His providence upon the gentile nations is with [only] partial seeing, corresponding to “run,” whereas His providence upon us is complete.
[Visions of God] edit
{“Now it came to pass… that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God…. Also out of the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures…. They had the face of an adam (man), the face of an aryeh (lion)… the face of a shor (ox)… and the face of a nesher (eagle)…. And the living creatures run and return…. And when the living creatures move, the ofanim (wheels) go… for the spirit of the living creatures is in the wheels…. And above the firmament that is over their heads is the likeness of a kisay (throne), in appearance like a sapphire stone. And upon the likeness of the throne is a likeness, in appearance like an adam, up above it” (Ezekiel 1) . } Now, this is the tikkun (rectification) of the Upper Chariot and the Lower Chariot. Through the wise man who takes the souls and ascends with them “and brings down the mighty in which it trusts,” the two Chariots are rectified.
For in the aspect of soul, there are four living creatures, a throne and one who sits on the throne.
ARYeh (lion) in the aspect of soul corresponds to (Song of Songs 5:1), “ARYsy mory (I gathered my myrrh) with my spice.” “MoRy” corresponds to “MaRat (bitterness of) soul” (1 Samuel 1:10), as in, “For her soul is bitter within her” (2 Kings 4:27). This indicates a blemish of the soul, a flaw of the will. When a person wants some object of desire, this will is a flaw and is bitter for the soul.
And now, when this person comes with his soul and his will to the wise man of the generation, and the wise man of the generation takes all the wills and gathers them together one with another in order to elevate them as above, then he also gathers together all the wills and souls which have fallen. This is the aspect of aryeh: it connotes of gathering; he gathers together the bitterness of the soul—i.e., the blemish of the soul. [And this is] “with my spice”—with the good will, which gives off a pleasant fragrance.
Shor (ox) in the aspect of soul is the clear light added to the soul because of the coming together, the uniting of the soul’s fragments. Then, the soul shines even more. For when the will does not shine, then the soul is in the aspect of “the soul hungers” (Psalms 107:9).
The essence of the hunger [that a person feels] stems from a lack of light. As our Sages taught: “He made you suffer and let you go hungry, and He fed you the manna” (Deuteronomy 8:3) —from here we learn that a blind man is never satiated (Yoma 74b). This is because satiation essentially comes from the light that one sees with his eyes. But, because he does not see, his soul—his will—is never fulfilled, for “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the soul” (Ecclesiastes 6:9).
However, when he purifies his soul with the clearness of the light, then, “[He has satisfied the longing soul] and the hungry soul He has filled with goodness” (Psalms, ibid.). This corresponds to (Isaiah 58:11), “And He will satiate your soul with clearness.” This is the aspect of ShoR: it connotes gazing, corresponding to “… the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the soul.”
Nesher (eagle) in the aspect of soul is the renewal which the soul experiences when it ascends in the aspect of eybur (pregnancy). This is the aspect of nesher: “Your youth is renewed like that of the eagle” (Psalms 103:5).
Adam (man) in the aspect of soul corresponds to (Genesis 2:7), “And the adam became a living soul.” For “the adam” indicates impoverished and wealthy, as is written (Genesis 1:26), “Let us make man in our image”—wealthy; “in our likeness”—impoverished (Zohar, Introduction p.13b).
Now, when the souls come together, they are then in the aspect of adam ; souls great and small, corresponding to impoverished and wealthy.
Ofanim (wheels) are the bodies. For the body’s main functioning comes only from the life-force in the soul. The soul exhibits its functioning through the limbs of the body, whereas the body has no movement of its own. Everything happens because of the soul’s powers.
KiSay (throne) in the aspect of soul is the wise man’s soul, which is nitKaSeh (concealed). This corresponds to (Proverbs 3:15), “[The wise man’s soul] is more precious than PNiNiM (pearls),” {about which our Sages expounded: More precious than the High Priest who entered liPhNi v’liPhNiM (the innermost sanctum) (Sotah 4b).} Because the soul of the wise man is so precious, it is concealed in the innermost sanctum and all the souls become her garb.
And, [finally,] the adam who sits on the throne is the knowledge of the wise man, for “Also, that the soul be without daat is not good” (Proverbs 19:2).
There are also the four living creatures in [the aspect of] Torah. Aryeh [is] in the Torah, for the Torah is called “might,” and “what is mightier than a lion?” (Judges 14:18). ShoR in the Torah is alluded to in (Proverbs 8:16), “By me sarim yaSoRu (rulers rule).” Nesher in the Torah is the aspect of new Torah insights, as alluded in, “… renewed like that of the eagle.” Adam in the Torah is alluded to in (Numbers 19:14), “This is the Torah: a man!” The [Torah] has lenient and strict applications, corresponding to “impoverished” and “wealthy.”
Kisay in the aspect of Torah are those things which the Ancient of Days kisah (Pesachim 119a) —they conceal themselves within the stories of the Torah. The one who sits on the throne is the Ancient of Days [Himself], as in (Daniel 7:9), “The Ancient of Days did sit.” [Finally,] ofanim in Torah are themselves the bodies of law.
And this is the story brought in Taanit (23b) about Rabbi Yonah:
When the world was in need of rain, he said, “I will go and purchase a zuz worth of eybura (grain).” [Instead,] he would stand in a deep place, a concealed place, covered in sackcloth. And this would cause the rains to come.
When the world was in need of rain — In other words, [in need] of Torah, as in (Deuteronomy 32:2), “My teaching shall drop like rain.”
He said, I will go and purchase a zuz worth of eybura (grain) — EYBUR corresponds to EB RaYU. Eb alludes to allaying; rayu is the aspect of burning; zuza corresponds to the desire for money. In other words, he went to allay the [burning] desire for money.
he would stand in a deep place — Having allayed the desire for money, he merited a “deep place.” This is the aspect of lovingkindness, as in the way “the sun-lit spots appear deeper than the shaded spots” (Shavuot 6b). And lovingkindness is the light of day, as is written (Psalms 42:9), “God will command His lovingkindness in the daytime.” And through the lovingkindness he was worthy of building the House, the aspect of intellect, as above. And this is:
a concealed place — This refers to the Holy Temple, which is the intellect, as is written (Proverbs 11:2), “But with the concealed (modest) is wisdom.”
covered in a sackcloth — This alludes to taking the souls in order to elevate them, as mentioned above: “He that takes souls is wise.” The encompassing of the souls is known as a SaK (sack), for “they delight in the ShaKya (drink) of the brook.” This corresponds to, “And He shall satiate your soul with clearness.” And through this:
the rains to come — He drew down Torah, as in, “… and brings down the mighty in which it trusts.”
[Shin] edit
However, a person must continuously ask for and seek out a wise man such as this. And he should ask of God that he merit finding such a wise man who will gather together the souls—as in, “He that takes souls is wise”—and elevate them, and then bring them down with Torah. For even the wise man himself cannot do this with one intellect. These are two [separate] intellects: gathering the souls is one intellect, <bringing down Torah> is another intellect. This corresponds to the shin of three heads and the shin of four heads. The two [forms of the] shin are the two intellects.
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: Seafarers told me that between one wave and another there are three hundred miles, and the height of each gal (wave) is three hundred miles. Once, we were traveling on the orcha (way), when a wave lifted us up until we saw the marvata (resting place) of a small star. It was equivalent to the area needed to plant forty measures of mustard bizra (seed). Had we been lifted up any higher, we would have been kalah (consumed) by the hevel (vapor). One wave called out to its neighbor, saying: “Perhaps you left over meeday (something) in this world which you have not flooded? I will come and destroy it.” Said the other, “Go, see the great power of your Master. Even a hairsbreadth of the chol (sand) cannot be e’var (crossed over).” As is written (Jeremiah 5:22) , “Do you not fear Me? says God…” (Bava Batra 73a).
Rashbam:
between one wave and another - because we will soon be told that one wave called out to its neighbor, we are now informed that it was from a distance of three hundred miles that it heard it's neighbor's call: a wave lifted us up - higher than its own height, it threw us up to the heavens; or alternatively, the vapor of the heavens was so great that it extended nearly the full five hundred years which separate the heavens from the earth: the resting place - a lying position: of a small star - the smallest of the small stars: seed - the bet zera (seeded area) of 40 measures of mustard, which is more abundant than all other seeds: consumed by the vapor - burned by the heat of the star: One wave called out - it raised its voice, that is, it cried out; similar to "deep calls to deep, to the voice..." It seems this refers to those angels in charge of [the waves]: Perhaps you left something of this world - because it had risen up so high, it seemed as though it had gone past the seashore and flooded the world: and destroy it - because of the generation's sins: Said the other - one wave to its neighbor: Go, see the great power of your Master - In other words, I do not have permission to go beyond: Even a hairsbreadth of the sand - I cannot go past the sand's shoreline even the width of a strand's worth: As is written, Do you not fear Me? - the Talmud made this remark [and not Rabbah bar bar Chanah]:
♦
Seafarers — This alludes to those who draw the sea of Torah to this world.
Between one wave and another there is <shin> (three hundred) miles — This corresponds to the abovementioned shin.
and the height of each gal (wave) are <shin> (three hundred) miles — This is the second shin mentioned above.
{In other words, the two intellects: the intellect of gathering the souls, and the intellect of elevating the souls in order to drawn down Torah. These two intellects of the tzaddik, he being the true wise man, correspond to the two [forms of the] shin. } The gallim (waves) are the souls, as alluded in (Isaiah 10:30), “Lift up your voice, Batgallim”—she is the bat (daughter) of the patriarchs (Sanhedrin 94b).
Between one wave and another — These are the wise men, who are between one wave and another. That is, they unite all the souls, as in, “He that takes souls is wise.”
three hundred miles — This corresponds to one shin.
and the height of each wave is three hundred miles — In other words, to elevate the souls. This corresponds to the other shin.
Once, we were traveling on the orcha (way) — That is, we went in to rouse a unification, which is called ORaCh, as in (Psalms 139:3), “… ORChi (my going on the way) and my laying down.”
when a wave lifted us up — In other words, they lifted up the souls Above, corresponding to, “A wise man ascends the city of the strong.”
until we saw the marvata (resting place) of a small star — That is, we brought about an upper unification. [The word] maRVata alludes to unification, as in, “… my going on the way and RiV’ee (my laying down).” At the time of unification, the Divine Presence is called a small star. As is brought in the Zohar (III, 191a): Out of love, [the Divine Presence] becomes a small point, and in so doing unites with her husband. See there.
It was equivalent to the area needed to plant forty measures of mustard bizra (seed) — As is brought in the Zohar (III, 249b): That creature, when she becomes pregnant, she closes up. She is unable to give birth, until a snake comes and bites her pudendum. This causes it to open and blood emerges. And [the snake] drinks the blood. This is the aspect of the mustard seed —i.e., “a drop of blood the size of a mustard seed” that emerges from her because of the bite in the bet zera (womb). Thus, Rashbam explains BiZRa as Bet ZeRa. Afterwards, she gives birth. This <birth is an aspect of bringing down> the Torah, as mentioned earlier. This Torah then travels for forty days. This corresponds to “the other creatures which total forty,” ten on each side, as explained there (ibid.). This is the aspect of forty measures, corresponding to the forty creatures, which are the forty days of the Torah.
Had we been lifted up any higher, we would have been kalah (consumed) by the hevel (vapor) — For, “There is a hevel (vanity) which transpires on earth: there are tzaddikim who receive according to the deeds of the wicked…” (Ecclesiastes 8:14). Because of this hevel, many have cast off religion; they see that “the righteous man has it bad and the wicked man has it good” (Berakhot 7a). But, if many souls would have been lifted up, then certainly we would have been KaLa —similar to KuLa (made easier)— from the vapor —from this hevel. Then this vanity would not be so troublesome for [the peoples of] the world.
One wave called out to its neighbor: My friend, perhaps you left over MeeDay (something) of this world which you have not flooded? I will come and destroy it — In other words, later on, when all these souls return from “pregnancy”—and, because they were united, the <abudant> love between them grew—they inspire each other, and say to one another, and remind one another: “My brother, perhaps you left over some <bad> MeeDah (character trait) which still rules over you and that you cannot overcome?”
I will come and destroy it — That is, “I will assist you in ridding yourself of it.” And he answered him:
Go, see the great power of your master — This is the wise man, as mentioned above. See the great power he has.
Even a hairsbreadth of the chol (sand) cannot be crossed over — Rashbam explains: “I cannot go past the sand’s shoreline even the width of a strand’s worth.” This means as follows: “You ask me if I have perhaps left over <some bad> character trait of this world which I’ve not yet rectified. You should know, my friend, that I am still immersed in all the <evil> desires and have not yet gone even a hairsbreadth out of the chol (profane) into holiness.” And certainly, someone who is on a spiritual level such as this:
cannot be E’VaR (crossed over) — In other words, it is impossible for him to attain the abovementioned aspect of EyBuR (pregnancy). Yet, despite this,
Go, see the great power of your master. This is the power of the wise man. His power is so great that he even lifted up my soul in [the aspect of] pregnancy.
[Benevolences] edit
And this is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“Ashrei haam (Happy is the people) that knows teruah (the shofar’s blast); YHVH (God), in the light of Your countenance they shall go.”}
AShRei haam — This alludes to Divine providence, <in that it is similar to AShuRenu>.
that knows teruah (the shofar’s blast) — This [teruah] corresponds to Yaakov, who is an aspect of charity, as in (Psalms 99:4), “You execute justice and charity in Yaakov.”
YHVH — This is the aspect of the HaVaYaH, the aspect of benevolences.
in the light of Your countenance — This is the intellect, as is written (Ecclesiastes 8:1), “A man’s wisdom causes his face to shine.”
they shall go — These are the souls, corresponding to “the going of the soul.”
[Reb Noson writes:] In addition to the above, I’ve found a manuscript of the Rebbe’s relating to this lesson. However, all that I found was a piece of the page and only the conclusion appears there. The opening of the lesson is missing. This is [what was found]:
… the Torah, which is an aspect of sight/ T-N-T-A, as above. “All flesh… together” corresponds to the gathering of the souls, all of them, as in, “He that takes souls is wise.” [This has been] mentioned above. “For the mouth of God has spoken”—all this is accomplished through the generous spirit. This is “the mouth of God,” as our Sages taught: “In your mouth” (Deuteronomy 23:24) —this is charity (Rosh HaShanah 6a). {End of fragment.}
It is clear that he brought the verse (Isaiah 40:5), “And the glory of God will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of God has spoken,” and then taught the above discourse as an explanation of this verse. But, because of our many sins, the explanation of the opening part of the verse is missing. * * “And the glory of God will be revealed, all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of God has spoken” (Isaiah 40:5). And the glory of God — This is wisdom, as in (Proverbs 3:35), “The wise will inherit glory.” This corresponds to the Holy Temple, as is written (Jeremiah 17:12), “The glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our Temple.” And through this: all flesh will see it together — “See it” alludes to drawing down of the Torah, which is an aspect of sight/ T-N-T-A, as above. “All flesh… together” corresponds to the gathering of the souls, all of them, as in, “He that takes souls is wise.” [This has been] mentioned above. for the mouth of God has spoken — All this is accomplished through the generous spirit. This is “the mouth of God,” as our Sages taught: “In your mouth”—this is charity (Rosh HaShanah 6a).