Translation:Avodat Hakodesh/0

by Meir ben Ezekiel ibn Gabbai

Page 1a

Introduction (Manifesto)

Behold! This soul, which He hath made us, is it not a terrible act from the radiance of His glory, exalted is He • and from the secret of the Supernal Lights is its composition • the House of the Highest Wisdom stands • and from the source of understanding it is formed • a precious jewel from the treasury of knowledge is derived • and from the gathering of the light of intellect it is engraved • it still remains there, in the bond of life, in the secret of unity it attains wonders, it sees awe-inspiring things in the hidden mirrors • standing before the Lord of Hosts • Behold, as it descends to dwell in darkness • this humble and dark body • built and distinguished from four lower foundations: just as the soul includes the four upper ones • it longs to say, "Who will give me the wings of a dove, that I may fly away and be at rest?" • as the secret of God abides upon my tent • constantly moving in its orbit • opposite the place where her tent was in the beginning • Because her nature obligates her to go to adhere to her kind • and this, indeed, will come to pass when she engages in those matters in which she is accustomed, and she is still in her upper chamber • and after God created man, He especially formed him with superior understanding •

This is the advice that is advised to one who sees himself as a stranger in a foreign land, and girds himself with the power of righteousness, his gifts to return to his master who sent him to do his work, and his constant motion towards his destination, which will complete him and return him to his place. And for this, a hint is given, like a bird wandering from nest to nest, so does a person wander from his place, and the intention is like a bird's soul as the wise men have said in a secret saying, "Birds will acquire it, a saying." For when a bird wanders from its nest, behold, it longs for him and moves to return there, with regard to that saying, like the secret of the soul, so does the person in whom this soul resides, and he wanders from his place and his level, he must constantly move to return to him. The wise men of the hidden have said, like this bird, it is the Shechinah that wanders from nest to her nest, Jerusalem.

So does this man, the Holy One, wander from his place with her to keep her from the power of a foreign ruler, as it is written, "I am the Lord, that is My name, and My glory I will not give to another, etc." As if he is a stranger in another land, longing to return to his place, but he cannot release himself from the prison, for the key is in the hand of Israel, and it is the answer in which the gates of the upper realms are opened, the supreme redemption that brings the servants out of slavery into freedom, for there is power in the soul to awaken the upper things when it dwells in the lower ones, if it removes the precious from the base, the higher light will be awakened to meet it as it was with Him through faith.

And also he, who made the effort all his days to repair the superior thing, as David said, "I am a stranger in a foreign land; do not hide Your commandments from me." And he explains it beautifully in his saying, "Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word." And his intention in his yearning to make a name for himself and to reveal his heart, for this is his entire desire and deliverance, and he does not turn to anything else, and does not ask or test for his own needs at all, but only his entire purpose is for the needs of the supra, for this is the complete way of the passerover.

And he said, "Deal bountifully with Your servant," and the verse is well-reasoned in its conclusion, "I beseech Your favor; keep Your word." And this is the reward and recompense that I seek from You for my work, not only as it is said, the reward of a mitzvah is a mitzvah, but these are the true life that I seek—that I may live, and his intention in this is to repair and do the name, for he knew that only to this purpose the completions would turn, for to it all the completions are able, for this is the completion of the Supreme Will, and it is that indeed they shall not occupy themselves with their own needs, and not ask for themselves, and he shall not try, because the way to this repair is the Torah and its commandments, its secrets, and its reasons, the soul of the Torah. He sought this through his saying, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law," for this is what will awaken the complete to serve this purpose, and from it he will focus on his work, not on anything else. And he said, "Open my eyes," which is the language of revelation to teach on what we have written, for the soul when it is in the upper realms is occupied

1b

with wisdom and extraordinary comprehension, especially in the realm of the mystical and the unknown, and possessing and imparting profound knowledge of her Creator with clarity and genuine recognition, as mentioned in the chapter of the lamp and the flickering flame, one gazes and beholds from the beginning to the end of the world.

The lamp symbolizes the radiant light with which she clothes herself and encompasses, from which she gazes and beholds. This is the comprehension and knowledge, particularly at the end of the world, from where everything originates and concludes. The beginning of thought and its end are based on the hidden secrets of the Torah and its wondrous flavors, as it is said, "He instructed me and said to me," and it is stated in the Divine secret concerning me. In its emergence from the womb, we forget everything that we have seen and known and comprehended. However, our lips declared those things, and once it emerged into the atmosphere of the world, an angel descended and sealed its mouth, causing all the Torah knowledge to be forgotten, as explained in this book with the help of the Holy One, blessed be He, as a secret.

And when the eyes, which had been sealed, are revealed, one gazes at the wondrous phenomena that they had known and comprehended. And afterwards, they are concealed and forgotten again. And one says, "And I gazed, to surpass them and comprehend them, and they should not surpass me." And the gaze will only be from above to below. This seeker's desire is to rectify and glorify the name of the Divine, for there is no other way for them but through comprehending the wondrous aspects of His Torah. It is inconceivable for this seeker to attain the secrets of the Torah and its flavors, which are the true wisdom, without guidance leading to that perfection. And through them, one will stand in complete accordance with the Supreme Will, which is the unity, as will be explained in this book.

And this is the intent behind the creation of man, as well as his coming into this world. For without this, a foreigner would think that his native land and birthplace are in the higher realms, and he would not come to be a sojourner in another land, but rather to fulfill the Higher Will. And behold, this unity has no end or limit, and the endeavor to achieve it necessitates an infinite process. And the pathway is the Torah and the observance of its commandments, as prescribed, and will be further elucidated, with the help of the Holy One, blessed be He. And the primordial sin caused man's homecoming to be brief and transient.

And how and what if the ultimate purpose for which he was created could be attained within such a short time? Therefore, this seeker asks, "I am a sojourner in a foreign land, for I belong to the dwellers of the Higher World, and I have not come here to settle, but rather to sojourn and fulfill the will of my Creator. And ultimately, I shall return to my land and my birthplace. And how, if this is the case, can the intended purpose be fulfilled in such a short time? For I do not know my time, and the day of my departure is near, and the day is short, and there is much work to be done. Therefore, this is your grace that you shall bestow upon me, for the purpose cannot be achieved without You revealing it to me. And this is what they said: "Do not hide Your commandments from me, for I have been engaged in them ever since I was in the Higher Realms. And when I came to this foreign land, I did not walk in its worldly pursuits to exchange one transient world for another, but rather to be a sojourner. And to this end, my task is a heavenly task, as I have always performed faithfully with Him.

However, the work cannot be accomplished nor can its purpose be fulfilled except in this land. And were I to sojourn within it, it was for this purpose that this world was created, to serve as a vessel for the completion of the Supreme Will. And the purpose that we have written, which encompasses all this, is born from all that, for its operation in the terrestrial realm, which is this worldly realm, is similar to its operation on the Sabbath, which is the Heavenly World. And as we have written, the intention is in accordance with the purpose intended in the creation of this terrestrial realm, which is to fulfill the Supreme Will, which cannot be fulfilled except through it, as it is the realm of action. And this serves as a hint to this, as the Sages said about him, that he went from there and caused that which went there to go there as well.

And this is a secret and the manifestation of thought into action. And it is known that action is the conclusion and fulfillment of thought. And when the perfect worshipper performs this, he unifies the beginning of thought with its end. And for this reason, the creation of the world was necessary, so that the highest thought could be actualized and fulfilled through its corresponding action. And good and evil were intermingled in that thought. And he comes and desires to clarify it, and he determines the good in its place and the evil in its place. And when it has been clarified in thought, it is known and apparent that the good was the essence and the focus of that thought, while the evil was its interruption and estrangement. And the sojourner and all the inhabitants of this world are born from this concept, because their actions in this earthly realm are in accordance with their thoughts. And it must be shown that their unity is in action, which is the desired outcome according to that specific thought, which is the beginning of the action. And behold, good and evil, as well as the purpose and completion, are intermingled in this realm. And the seeker's desire is to fulfill and manifest the supreme will in this limited world, for the purpose cannot be achieved except through this realm.

Thus, the ultimate purpose of existence is to bring about the union of thought and action in accordance with the sublime thought, which serves as the beginning of the action. And this serves as a representation and symbol of the good and evil, which were intertwined in the original thought, and which must be separated and determined in their proper places, so that the good can be brought to the forefront and the evil can be relegated to its proper place. In this way, the seeker can achieve the ultimate goal of unifying thought and action in accordance with the Supreme Will. This concept is reflected in the creation of this earthly realm, which serves as a vessel for the fulfillment of the Supreme Will, and the seeker's task is to manifest this Will in action. And it is important to note that both good and evil, as well as the purpose and the completion, are present and intertwined in this realm. Therefore, the seeker must strive to separate the good from the evil, and to bring about the union of thought and action in accordance with the sublime thought, which serves as the beginning of the action.

2a

This is a hidden secret that can only be reached by those who sit before the Lord. Furthermore, the things in this world are opposite, as good is the lower priority and evil is the essence. The resident, having found his own kind, becomes youthful and complete in his intellectual pursuits. This serves as a testament to his connection with his homeland and birthplace, being the manifestation of his thoughts. He turns to it, as all the days he lived apart from it were considered foreign and he considered himself as insignificant, as he only came here to fulfill the work of the King. This secret is expressed in the verse "I am a stranger in the land, etc." The evil and sinful person walks against the intended thought, while the resident is the one who embodies all of this. God, in His wisdom, has created these contrasting elements and has entrusted everything to the hands of man to be his appointed representative. As for you, I have given you today life, good, and evil, and then I elaborate on the higher level of goodness that stems from it, saying, "That I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways," etc.

"May the Lord your God bless you in the land you are entering to possess," -- now it is known that all of this can only be achieved in the land of Israel. However, the intention is to say that even as a stranger in the land, you can merit all of this because the merit of the land of Israel is exceedingly great. It is like a stranger that completes and fulfills the ultimate purpose of manifesting this thought. And then I explain the lower level of evil that stems from it, which is expressed in the verse "But if your heart turns away and you do not obey, you will be swiftly destroyed, etc." I have told you today, etc., not to prolong your days on the land, meaning that your intention to be a resident and uprooted from the land will not be fulfilled. And there is an additional intention to say that even though you are a stranger in the land, you can still merit all of this. However, the righteousness of the land of Israel is particularly precious, as it represents the completion and perfection of that thought. And then I explain the higher level of good and beauty that is before them, meaning that I advise you to choose the beautiful option, as it is said, "And you shall choose life," etc. And by choosing life, you will express the true desire and thought, and I say, "To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days." To dwell upon the land, but as a stranger in their eyes, you will be considered a resident and the essence will be seen in your completion of what leads to perfection. And He provided another sign of proof for this from our holy patriarchs who were strangers in the land. Abraham said, "I am a stranger and a resident among you," Isaac was referred to as a stranger in this land, and Jacob said, "The days of my sojourning," and through their intellectual pursuits, they completed and merited the happiness and success that emanates from it through their work.

Now Solomon, in his wisdom, carefully studied this matter that we intend to delve into in this introduction, and he said, "For to the person who is pleasing before Him, He has given wisdom, knowledge, and joy," meaning that the person who is the essence of creation, the ultimate intended thought, has been given wisdom, knowledge, and joy. The purpose of the person is to manifest the good and completeness that are included within it when being present before the Lord, in the treasure of His glory. And after he emerges from the womb, he is abundantly nourished by it. The proof is that wisdom and knowledge are themselves the source of joy and security when one stands true to them. And that joy and security, which can only be obtained through the work that aligns with the intended thought, allows for the great and glorious Divine name to be united with the person. This is the true love, the true unity, as will be explained in this book, with God's help. And even though our comprehension of the reason and how this unity can be attained is limited, we know for certain that the fulfillment and success of both the body and soul come from this unity that is achieved through the proper work.

And this is beautifully clarified in the statement "To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days." To dwell upon the land, as a stranger who is primarily regarded as a resident, is considered essential in completing what is meant for perfection. It was provided as an additional proof from our holy patriarchs who were strangers in the land.

Abraham said, "I am a stranger and a sojourner among you. Isaac said, 'I dwell as a guest in this land.' Jacob said, 'The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years.'" And the thought was completed and they merited the happiness and prolonged success that comes from their work. This is what the Lord promised to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give to them.

Solomon, in his wisdom, investigated this matter that we have referred to in this introduction and said, "To the person who is pleasing to Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness." He meant that man, who is the main creation, dedicates himself to bringing about good deeds and that completeness that is included in him by being before the Divine Treasury. After he comes to purify himself, God assists him and grants him wisdom and knowledge,

2b

furthermore, He granted him from His womb and showed him just how wisdom and knowledge are one and the same. For he acquired happiness and assurance in dealing with them, and that happiness and assurance that he had while engaging in wisdom and knowledge appeared to him even when dealing with their lower aspects. This caused him to possess the attribute of contentment and not to turn to the wide path of deception and falsehood, which are the acquisitions of this world. And he also alluded to the fact that wisdom and knowledge are the causes of happiness and assurance in the upper realms, and this is the matter of unity, similar to what it says, "My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will also rejoice, and it says, 'My son, be wise, and make my heart glad.'" This means that true wisdom is knowledge of the Name and understanding it, and of His unity, that brings about happiness in the higher heart. And this is the ultimate reward that is included in it, and it is his payment.

However, in contrast, the sinner finds satisfaction in amassing wealth and indulging in worldly pleasures, leading him astray from the path towards true goodness that he once observed and recognized. Instead, he embraces the inclination towards evil, which ultimately becomes his reward. Conversely, the text states that the sinner causes himself to gather and accumulate unnecessary possessions, deceiving and luring others into pursuing them as well. This blinds them to the true purpose of life and prevents them from considering the ultimate consequences.

Wisemen understand that these are the extremities of this known world, as expressed by the verse "The God of eternity, the Lord, formed the extremities of the earth." The individual is either drawn to the extremity of righteousness or the extremity of material wealth and honor. The former is associated with long life, as mentioned in the verse, "In her right hand are length of days," while the latter is associated with wealth and honor, as expressed in the verse, "In her left hand are riches and honor." This side pulls individuals towards pursuing material desires, preventing them from attaining true goodness. It transforms them into disbelievers, as it says, "They cast away the Lord and said, 'He does not exist.'" Ultimately, their pursuit of material wealth leads them away from true wealth, which is the attachment to the Divine light that descends upon the head, comparable to the anointing oil, and the joy-inducing beverage, symbolizing God's preservation of the grapes, as known to those who have merited connection to Him. As Solomon proclaimed, "He who loves wine and oil shall not gain riches," indicating that those who pursue true, higher happiness, and hold on to their connection with the ultimate and lasting source of happiness, God Himself, should not seek false material riches, which belong to this deceptive world. Instead, they should pursue righteousness and seek closeness to God through wisdom and knowledge, as these encompass all aspects of the world. It is therefore fitting for them, as they were created solely for this purpose.

The sinner, on the other hand, succumbs to temptation and gathers stolen possessions. The consequences of these illicit actions will cause him to experience great loss, as he will not possess them genuinely. To cause good to prevail before the Almighty, one must toil and magnify it. This embodies the concept of true justice, encompassing a profound intention. Thus, engaging in wisdom and knowledge is the cause of all happiness and success. It is worthwhile, as one should not prioritize momentary pursuits over eternal life. For a great result is achieved even when one does not consciously seek it. The sinner, however, fails to recognize this and does not complete it, resulting in the inscription of futility upon him. Can we possibly say that this has no value? It is inconceivable, for in matters of the Divine, nothing is futile. Heaven forbid! And if we were to say so, it would imply that there is no purpose to be found in these higher realms. That is absurd and unthinkable.

3a

If one follows this path and descends into the grave, this cannot be possible, for who appointed him as a priest in the cemetery? The truth is that the individual who perfects his intentions and brings forth the impression that was hidden within him will merit the impression that is concealed within the soul of the sinner which he has not expressed. This is the meaning of the phrase of our sages: "If he merits, he shall receive his portion, and if he does not merit, his portion will be taken by his fellow in Gan Eden and Gehinnom."

Additionally, they stated, "This, too, is vanity and an unreasonable spirit, for he went after vanity, which is the evil inclination and was lured by him." This is what is known as the "evil vanity," which resulted in futility, and disappointment that one experiences when they follow their negative inclinations. As a result of this, the individual becomes attached to this negative inclination and is broken. While engaging in righteous pursuits, one obtains the true completion and perfection. However, when one follows the negative inclination, he falls far from what is good and complete, and he remains empty. Consequently, that vanity encompasses him and, as our sages described, he returns to his folly. But, when one toils and magnifies, he obtains true, lasting completion, and it is a spiritual elevation. This is the meaning of the phrase: "This is also an unreasonable spirit 'Ta'anis' and a blast on the iron rod." This is the time frame in which every form of desire can be fulfilled, as everything is under the heavens. Every change and transformation that occurs is connected to both the good and the sinner, based on how each individual prepared themselves. Therefore, there is another defining time frame in which they are invited to flourish. In all of these times, every change that happens is unique, but the Source of all these changes remains unaltered and unchanging. These changes are dependent on the capacity and understanding of the individual who receives them. If one prepares himself for goodness, he will awaken and be directed towards it. In the same manner, if one prepares himself towards evil, the changing times shall cause the awakening to evil below, which lacks any root or basis above, but it awakens according to its similarities and opposites, as do all changes necessary under the sky, as known to the Masters of Divine Wisdom.

And the sun is mentioned in many passages of the book of Ecclesiastes, both "under the sun" and "under the heavens," in which all changes and transformations were established. This is a secret of the Tree of Knowledge, good and evil. The good times stem from the aspect of goodness within that tree, and the bad times stem from the aspect of evil within that tree. However, above it, there is no change or any reversal, and the essence of this belongs to the realm of the good and the complete. Similarly, there is a place for the realm of evil and sin, as each one is drawn towards the place that he desires. Each of them is inclusive and complete from both sides, and no one is forced to act in a certain way.

The good and the complete naturally align themselves with the appropriate time for the righteous, which is the foundation of the eternal world, and it represents the good and the reality. The sinner, on the other hand, aligns himself with an unfavorable time, as a result of the consequences of his actions. For this reason, all different types of times are mentioned, the positive and negative aspects of each of them, covering a total of 28 different times within the Tree of Knowledge, good and evil. The good times stem from its goodness, and the bad times stem from its evil. Everything follows the seal that is set upon all times in peace, as it is said, "A time of peace, which is the seal of everything. A unique time set in peace." And this is the complete unity, where everything is included in the realm of the good and completeness. Therefore, the intention of the devoted servant should be to return all things to the goodness and completeness that was present in them initially, in their original thought, before their manifestation in order to be united as one in perfection without any reversal. And these are the authentic and meaningful lives one aspires to, encompassing both good and evil until everything is transformed into goodness. This is the secret of "Love the LORD your God with all your heart," which encompasses both inclinations, the good inclination and the evil inclination, with love, which is the secret of unity as will be explained further in this book, with the help of the Divine Name.

Afterwards, we shift our focus to investigate the ultimate purpose that is intended in our service, which is the true and authentic life one strives for. [Part 3] In this pursuit, the devoted servant endeavors solely in this, for it is asked, "What advantage does the worker have in his toil?" And he leaves this in the form of a question and inquiry, asking, "What is the advantage of them over all the actions that the worker performs, and what is its ultimate purpose?" and the final intention is stated regarding it, that it is the true advantage and the elevation, for in another way, his efforts and toils will be in vain and futile, and he will not have anything remaining in his hand from all his labor. And it is said about the beginning of everything that the worker does, for it is the beginning of engagement and its inception, as it has not yet reached its goodness and the completion of its perfection. But when it reaches its completeness and attains its goodness, it comes into the presence of the eternal good.

3b

The purpose is known as a complete labor, and it is one that ends where it is labored. The intention is to say that from the beginning of engagement until its conclusion, the performer's intention must be directed towards the ultimate goal. This intention is hinted at in his words, as it will be further elucidated. This advantage is not superior to the first, for the first seeks to encompass the action and labor that a person undergoes under the known sun, which is the place where there is no advantage and perfection, as known to the wise of heart.

This advantage seeks to explore the action and labor that a person undergoes beyond the sun, the ultimate goal, and the advantage and perfection that the labor must aim towards. Thus, it remains unspecified. I have observed the matter which God has placed before human beings to answer. This is the answer to the question that has been posited. It is the secret of the spread of thought that God has given to human beings, entrusting them with the power of awakening and uniting from below to awaken it in response from above with the powers of the Great Name. This is to respond to one another concerning this matter. Thus says the Lord, "I will answer the heavens."

The elevation of the higher levels depends on the awakening of the lower levels, and this also includes the concept of closeness and testimony in relation to every act of God for His purposes. And as will be further explained in this book, by the grace of God. Then, he explained the quality and secret of this matter, saying that it is the secret of the foundation of the world, perfectly established and beautifully arranged in its time, the certain time of the righteous. This is the concept of complete unity based on the intention of the deeds. They also said, "The world is a secret hidden world that God has placed in their hearts, and this is the intention of the heart, to unite the two sides, the holy and the sacred."

Although this is the essence of the sacrificial acts and the services and prayers that perform such a great action to draw forth the Supreme Will and to unite the head and its end, he said that despite all this, the reason for this is not known, how this unity is drawn forth in the awakening of the deeds. And there is no foolishness in the reason that hinders this. And he said without this, "Man cannot find the work that God has done from beginning to end," meaning that man does not know and cannot find the reason. This reason occurs through the intention of the heart in worship, the connection to the Great Name in its honor. However, there is no doubt that the services and the performance of the commandments surround this unity when they are performed with perfect intention, without completely understanding the reason. Therefore, he said, "I know that there is no good in them in all their deeds, except to rejoice and to act with them in the highest level of happiness." As mentioned, "eternal happiness rests upon their heads" to establish the intention and to promote and combine the goodness.

And there is no good except for the holy and the sacred. These are the true lives that the complete person must live, and this is the rectification of the Great Name in its honor. Therefore, one must dedicate his days, as he said during his lifetime. Then, he explained the reason that encompasses all this perfection, as he also said about a person who eats and drinks, and it was said about him in the Midrash, "Why does every consumption and drinking, as stated in this scroll in the Torah and in the good deeds, speak in this manner?" Here, according to this, it is explained that the Torah and the commandments awaken unity, and they were stated in terms of consumption and drinking because unity is drawn above. And the rectification of the Great Name is with perfect intention, which is eating and drinking. This points to the kindling of the upper light to improve and illuminate the lights and to illuminate the higher realms. As mentioned, "And see good in all his labor, for this is the ultimate labor that the perfect worker performs, and to this he should direct all his labor and intend in all his actions. And this is that one should strive for the higher purpose, which is the mentioned unity, not for his own benefit and the essence, but for this, God has given the matter to human beings, the matter mentioned to answer.

And this is what God has said, "It is His gift." And it is the seal of the answer to his question, and this is the conclusion of his inquiry through the Holy Spirit to reveal the intention and its ultimate purpose, which is for the higher goal. Indeed, these are the true lives, the lives that the perfect servant is obligated to live during his sojourn in this world. This is the fruit of the Torah and its commandments, and the intention of creation. Through this, the intention is completed, and the upper power, engraved and planted in the soul, is drawn out to action. For it is stated, "It is written and speaking about good deeds." Thus, in this way, it is explained that the Torah and the commandments awaken unity. And they were expressed in the language of consumption and drinking, for unity is drawn on high. And the rectification of the Great Name, in its perfect intention, is through eating and drinking. This is an instruction, and it is the kindling of the upper light to improve and illuminate the lights and to illuminate the higher realms. As mentioned, "And see good in all his labor, for this is the ultimate labor that he performs, and to this he should direct all his labor and intend in all his actions.

And he should strive for the higher goal, which is the mentioned unity, not for his own benefit and the essence. The foundation that God has given to human beings is the matter mentioned to answer. And this is what God has said, "It is His gift." And with this, his days should be spent. As he said during his lifetime. Then, he explained the encompassing reason for all this perfection, as he also said about a person who eats and drinks, and it was said in the Midrash, "For does not every consumption and drinking," as it is stated in this scroll, "in the Torah and in the good deeds," speak in this manner? Here, according to this, it is explained that the Torah and the commandments awaken unity, and they were expressed in the language of consumption and drinking, for unity is drawn on high. And the rectification of the Great Name, in its perfect intention, is through eating and drinking. This is an instruction, and it is the kindling of the upper light to improve and illuminate the lights and to illuminate the higher realms. As mentioned, "And see good in all his labor, for this is the ultimate labor that he performs. And to this, he should direct all his labor and intend in all his actions. He should strive for the higher purpose, which is the mentioned unity, not for his own benefit and the essence. The foundation that God has given to human beings is the matter mentioned to answer.

And this is what God has said, "It is His gift." And with this, his days should be spent during his sojourn in this world. Then, he explained the encompassing reason for all this perfection, as he also said about a person who eats and drinks, and it was said in the Midrash, "For does not every consumption and drinking," as it is stated in this scroll, "in the Torah and in the good deeds," speak in this manner?

Behold, I explain thusly, that the Torah and the commandments awaken the unity, and for this reason, they are brought forth in terms of eating and drinking. For the unity above and the rectification of the great name through perfect intention is eating and drinking, which is the uplifting of the supernal light to improve and illuminate the upper countenance. And it is said, "And he saw that it was good in all his toil," for this is the purpose of toil that one should do and toil, and to whom one should direct all his toil and focus all his actions. And this is one who should strive for the higher purpose, which is the mentioned unity, not for his own need and removing this and its foundations that God has given to human beings, the subject mentioned to answer it, which is the response of his enquiry, and this is the end of his inquiry in the Holy Spirit to make known the purpose of the service and its ultimate goal, which is for the higher purpose. And these are the faithful and perfect lives of the servant as long as he resides in this world, and this is the fruit of the Torah and its commandments, the intention of creation, and through this, the intention is perfected and the implanted and existing higher power is revealed in action. For it comes forth from

4a

the unity, for there it has an impression, and in the act of Torah and commandments, it will be fulfilled in the proper intention and in the manner as we have depicted it. And because it includes unity and is engraved and depicted with the 22 letters of the Torah in a secret, it will be found and questioned by the complete worker. To awaken the higher things and to continue the higher will and to unite the highest thought from its beginning to its end in his prayer and service. This secret was created in the image and likeness and corrected by the great Adam, as will be explained in this book, with the help of God. And for this, it has the power to return all things to their sublime place and to seal them with another name that is written and sealed with their seals, and to awaken them from their source and to continue them. For everything returns to its transcendence to show that there is no interruption to unity, and all things that come from there return there. And for this, the complete worker has the power to return the things that came, written and depicted from them, to their place and to seal them there. And they are the Torah and the mitzvot that are included in them, and they return them to that place from which He took them to complete and correct unity. And when they return in their completeness, which He intended for them, then a wonderful miracle is performed. And in these matters, this statement is great, as it applies everything it includes to its owner. Just as Israel includes mitzvot and good deeds, they include their Father in heaven. They want to inform that the commandments are not only necessary for the common person, but this is the secret of the services and prayers. And in the chapter "Why were our forefathers barren?" they were barren because the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the prayers of the righteous. And in the chapter "How do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, desires the blessing of the Kohanim?" it says, "And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them." And Rashi explains that "and they shall put My name" means that the verse speaks of the Holy One, blessed be He, to make this blessing necessary to place His name upon His people, and not that Israel made this blessing necessary, but rather it is necessary for the holy place. And it seems that this was the intention of our Rabbi, of blessed memory, to indicate the hidden secret, whether he intended it or not. Nonetheless, we have learned from his words that the placing of the name upon Israel is the need of the Holy One, blessed be He. And it is similar to what the wise of the truth said, that the Divine Presence in the lower realms is the need of the higher realms. And the hidden secret in this is that when Israel does the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and engages in Torah and commandments for their own sake, they are unifying His great name and uniting their powers with one another and linking them with a strong special unity until eternity. And the fruit that continues from this unity is that the Divine Presence, which is the secret of the last "he," rests among them and within them below. And this is the special effect of the Torah, its work, and the action of the commandments. And in this, the worlds are balanced and united to testify to the one unique Master and Creator, because the service of the Divine Presence in the lower realms is the reason for the unity of all the worlds. And they are all balanced and united as one to the point that the Heaven and Earth become one unity, and this is the secret on the day of His wedding. For the crown depends on His wedding and unity with the bride. This is the secret, "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother hath crowned him in the day of his espousals." This espousal is certainly the groom, and the bride and groom unite when the groom comes and reaches the abode of the bride in the secret of the heavens, where my throne and the earth are connected. The Heaven and Earth are connected as one unity, and this is the secret on the day of His wedding, for the crown depends on His wedding and unity with the bride. This is the secret, "And shine upon Your sanctuary, which is desolate, for the sake of the Lord." If, heaven forbid, Israel does not do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and violate the covenant of the Torah and its commandments, they separate the groom, the Assembly of Israel, and cause the departure of the Divine Presence from them, and the buildings are destroyed, and the worlds are in turmoil among them because each person is separated from his brother when the Divine Presence leaves them. And in their departure from the lower realms, the Divine Presence departs from them below. And this is similar to what the wise of the truth said, that the Divine Presence is in the lower realms for the need of the higher realms. And the hidden secret in this is that when Israel does the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and engages in Torah and commandments for their own sake, they unify His great name and bring their powers closer to each other, connecting them with a mighty, unique unity until infinity. And the fruit that continues from this unity is the Divine Presence, which is the secret of the last "he," dwelling among them and within them below. And this is the special effect of the Torah's work and the action of the commandments. And in this, the worlds are balanced and united to testify to the one unique Master and Creator. For the service of the Divine Presence in the lower realms is the reason for the unity of all the worlds, and they are all balanced and united as one to bear witness to the one unique Lord and Creator, for when the worlds are on this level, due to the service of the Divine Presence in the lower realms, the rejoicing of children adorns the king, and the peace of the king is a crown of glory, like the bridegroom who adorned himself for the bride on his wedding day. And the bride and groom unite when the groom comes and reaches the abode of the bride in the secret of the heavens. The Heaven and Earth become one unity, and this is the secret on the day of His wedding. For the crown depends on His wedding and unity with the bride, and on the day of His joy, the children of Israel were certainly found adamantly doing His will, and therefore, the Divine Presence rested among them and within them below. And this is the reason that the Divine Presence in Israel is necessary for the need of the higher realms, and this is the hidden secret in placing His name upon His people, as it says, "And shine upon Your sanctuary, which is desolate, for the sake of the Lord." And heaven forbid if Israel does not do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, and violates the covenant of the Torah and its commandments, separating the groom, the Assembly of Israel, and causing the departure of the Divine Presence from them. The buildings are destroyed, and the worlds are in turmoil among them because each person is separated from his brother when the Divine Presence leaves them.

4b

Even if the sons (or children) know the secret of the higher Shekhinah (the Divine Presence), it still departs from those who are above, as our sages have said in Midrash Eicha Rabba, "When Israel fulfills the will of the Almighty, they gain additional strength and might. As it is written, 'With God, we shall perform valiant acts.' But when Israel does not fulfill the will of the Almighty, they seemingly lose a great deal of their strength above, as it is written, 'Your Creator, O sons of Israel, shall bind me' (Isaiah 51:2). And the Sifrei Tzur Yaldacha says, 'Whenever I seek to benefit you, you weaken the heavenly forces from above.' This alludes to us that blessings require a higher purpose. Our sages said in Berachot 10a, 'Ismael, my son, bless me,' and this secret is explained in this book, with the help of God, and in the sixth chapter of Pirkei Rabbi Akiva. When Moses ascended to the heavens, he found the Holy One, blessed be He, tying crowns to the letters. Moses said to Him, 'Is there peace in Your city?' He said to him, 'Is it possible for a servant to give peace to his master?' Moses said to Him, 'Then you should have helped me before!' He said to him, 'Now let My might be increased, as you have said, "May they desire" (Numbers 11:12), to make known that this matter is very difficult, and it shall not fall under any understanding, for even if a person has great understanding, if the higher rectification is not delivered in the hands of the lower, and if the prayers and services are not for a higher purpose, the Holy One, blessed be He, has no place to dwell. The wondrous secret does not come to the master of the prophets until he is directly told about it, as this matter is explained, binding crowns, which is the binding, connection, and unification of the letters, which is the secret of the powers of the unique name of God, which are united with each other. The letters come from the word "to come in the morning," as when the binding of the crowns come together, the light and influence constantly come and are never interrupted. Therefore, the powers are built on the letters, for they come from one another and become united with each other, and they are the letters, and the Torah is woven from the letters, and everything benefits and comes from those powers. Therefore, they are called by the name of the letters, to make it known that the unity, which is a higher purpose, depends on the engagement and existence of the Torah, for this is the great cause to Him, and the absence of the Torah causes the cessation of the source."

The separation of the unity is why it is said, "There is no peace in Your city," meaning that peace is removed from our city, our God, due to the degradation of creation and the violation of the Torah. This is what I will show you, how and with what to rectify this, which is through the binding of the crowns and the unity that comes from their goodness in their actions and their return to the ways of the Torah and the observance of its commandments. In this way, that degradation will be rectified. When they heard this, they were amazed and said, "Can there be a servant who gives peace to his master?" Moses said to Him, "You should have helped me before!" He said to him, "Now let My might be increased, as you have said, 'May they desire,' to make known that this matter is very difficult, and it shall not fall under any understanding. For even if a person has great understanding, if the higher rectification is not delivered in the hands of the lower, and if the prayers and services are not for a higher purpose, the Holy One, blessed be He, has no place to dwell. The wondrous secret does not come to the master of the prophets until he is directly told about it, as this matter is explained, binding crowns, which is the binding, connection, and unification of the letters, which is the secret of the powers of the unique name of God, which are united with each other. The letters come from the word 'to come in the morning,' as when the binding of the crowns come together, the light and influence constantly come and are never interrupted. Therefore, the powers are built on the letters, for they come from one another and become united with each other, and they are the letters, and the Torah is woven from the letters, and everything benefits and comes from those powers. Therefore, they are called by the name of the letters, to make it known that the unity, which is a higher purpose, depends on the engagement and existence of the Torah, for this is the great cause to Him, and the absence of the Torah causes the cessation of the source. The degradation that they caused and the return of the rejected ones who were pushed away due to their sins can only be rectified through the grace and mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, which will come to them correctly from His mouth. And it will become faithful through His reception of them, and He said to him, "You should have helped me," meaning that a person should tell another person what is good and what the Lord demands of him, which is only to help Him in His work. And if there is no reason for this, how can it continue? It is understood. The helper and the worker are not absent from the superficial reason, and it is possible that God revealed His secret to His faithful servants immediately. He said to him, "You should have helped me," meaning that when the Israelites sinned, Moses needed that lesson and the correct advice that he would be advised and instructed about the correct way of rectification to bring to Him the perfection that was distant from them and to bring back the rejected ones who were pushed away. As it will be explained, this secret is beautiful in what is said, "Now let My might be increased," when mentioning those attributes in his prayer for them, and in God's response to him when He said, "I have forgiven according to your words. However, I live, and the glory of the Lord shall fill the entire earth." Everything is rectified and clear to the wise of heart, and our sages said, "As You spoke, saying,' to make it known that He shows the way to find forgiveness through the secret of prayer and supplication in which one pleads. If not for Your will to forgive and pardon, we would not need to ask You. And in Masechet Tosefta, in the chapter on the receiver who lies down in his completeness, and when he blesses you, the holiness comes out, which does not require a blessing. It says in the verse, 'And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord your God,' but it only says, 'Go and be righteous,' for one who needs righteousness will come out holy, which does not require righteousness. Therefore, this speaks of a great and wondrous secret in the secret of the commandments, that they are for the purpose of holiness, meaning a higher purpose. As it is said, 'The holiness comes out, which does not require a blessing.' And they asked about this because of what is written, 'And you shall bless the Lord your God;' for what?

5a

They say in order that one will not need charity, because the commandments were given to the common people in order to benefit them, for it is incumbent upon them to give from what is before them, as it is written "this for that." But certainly, it implies that the intention is for higher sanctification and what is before you will accompany your righteousness, for they need charity and the merit comes from the sanctification which does not need charity. This is derived from the blessing, for prayers and blessings arouse mercy, and the great name is blessed. And in the Talmud, it says "fortunate is the one who grows in Torah and labors in Torah and brings pleasure to their Creator." The intention is that the person should strive to bring down the will and the holy spirit upon the higher heads, and from there, there will be pleasure, will, and blessing from the Creator. And all of this is in the pursuit of Torah and fulfilling the commandments for their sake, and this is the way that will be explained in this book, with the help of God.

This is the way of true life, which the faithful servants live all their days while residing on earth until they return to the land of the living, their birthplace. For they have already put forth complete effort and brought with them the impression and the image from there. This is the secret of purity, which they brought with the power of their souls and they exerted in these lives until they brought it to completion. And the intention in their creation is not the knowledge of the glorious and awesome name in its entirety, but rather knowing God the Creator and serving Him with complete service out of love, doing good and right in the eyes of the Lord according to His will. And this will be explained in this book, with the help of God.

Behold, I, Meir son of Yechezkel ben Gabbai, may his memory be blessed, the Sephardi, have considered and pondered upon it, and I have confirmed within myself the truth that there is no doubt about it. For it is through knowledge of God and His service that one truly lives, and in this, one fulfills His commandment and merits to see the beauty of God and to enter His sanctuary, from which his soul is carved. And since what is required of him is to live this life in practice, in resemblance to the sanctuary that is sealed with its seal, I see fit to raise upon this book the following: This is what life is! and the paths that lead to it, as guided by the good hand of God upon me, and since this is the end of all humans and the purpose of everything, I have named this book: The Service of Holiness And it encompasses complete service to God, who is directed towards the desired service to the Holy Place of God. And my intention in its compilation is threefold:

One for myself, because the things are very deficient in me

5b

and far from their ideal completeness and the goal was for a person to be complete in actuality according to the higher will. Therefore, I saw it fitting to follow the book that brings this completeness, so that it will always be before my eyes and in practice because in it I see and serve, for in the act of service is the success of the soul in action. This is the meaning of the saying "The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul," and this is what our sages meant when they said, "Happy is one who comes here and his knowledge is in his hand," meaning in practice. I saw that our sages attributed this concept to God, the greatest of all worlds, to teach knowledge to the people and to ignite the hearts. They said, "Amen, the faithfulness of the Torah. I say that I was the tool of His work in the conduct of the world." The king builds a palace not by his own knowledge, but by the knowledge of the craftsman. And the craftsman does not build it by his own knowledge, but he has scrolls and notebook to know how to make rooms and carvings. So too, God looked into the Torah and created the world, and the Torah said, "In the beginning God created..." And there is no beginning except the Torah. Thus, it is explained that before the creation, it is written in the book that when he wanted to create, he looked into it and created, and it was in the practical realm, for it is perfection. And even though there are hidden matters in these words, they will be revealed in the fourth part of this book.

The second benefit is also for myself and the intention is for a person to be a faithful servant to his Creator, with the desire that he should exist and not perish forever. This is so that his service and unity will not cease and wane. However, in order for all this to be constantly in practice in this lower reality, just as it is in the higher reality, this is a teaching. For there is no end or limit to the true unity, and in this way, all the worlds will be balanced and the intention will be fulfilled in their creation. And when one deviates and seeks another knowledge, it brings death upon himself and sees that his eternity and existence are lost. He strives to rectify this as much as possible and leaves behind offspring so that the ultimate goal can be fulfilled through them, and the thread of service and yearning will not be broken. In this way, he will have a name that remains and will not be erased from the Book of Life, and he will be counted among those who serve the Lord with all their might.

Since the name of the Almighty has the attribute of silver in the nature of creation, a person should engrave his name on his offspring in order to ensure his remembrance, whether in a book or in a building or in any other way, so that his name will not be lost. We find this example with Absalom when it is written about him, "Absalom took and set up for himself a pillar which is in the King's Valley, for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance," and he named the pillar after himself and called it "Absalom's Monument" until this day. From this, we learn that when one sees that he cannot leave a worthy son behind, he should bring about the remembrance of the name in a different way, like a building.

Even if one leaves a son, if he is unworthy, it will cause the father to be contrary to his intention, for his hope and expectation will be lost, and his name will be erased from the memory of life. In Chapter "Yesh Nochalin" it is written, "Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead," and it is asked, why does it mention David's sleeping and Joab's death? This is because in David's case, it states his passing, while in Joab's case, it states his death. This shows that David, who left a worthy son after him, it says about him that he "slept," but Joab, who did not leave a worthy son after him, it says about him that he "died."

Thus, if one does not leave a worthy son, he is called dead, and even if his name remains externally, it will be called bad and shameful, for people will say, "Cursed is the one who begot this child, cursed is the one who raised him." Therefore, a person is not assured by having a son, for who knows if the wise one will be born or the fool?

And in Rabbi Elazar's will, the wording is "Make for yourself a lamp that shines before you and not behind you." This means that one should not rely on another to remember him. And in Chapter "Ta'anit," it says that Jacob our forefather did not die because his bed was whole. This is because his resting was complete and there was no decomposition in his body, "and there was no

6a

disqualification in his offspring," for all his children are complete righteous, just like him. And concerning this longing, they said that the perfection will be achieved through the remnants of the Name, and it was mentioned when a student was appointed to him because the students are the true children, and he said in Tractate Yevamot, Rabbi Akiva says, 'Learn Torah in your youth, study Torah in your old age; if you had students in your youth, you will have students in your old age,' as it is stated, 'Sow the seeds of your offspring in the morning, and so on.' And in Tractate Yesh Nochalim, it is said, 'Those who have no substitutions for them,' and so on. Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi had two opinions, one said anyone who does not have a son, and one said anyone who does not have a student. The halacha follows Rabbi Yochanan who said that a student said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, this is the Din Garmah of the rich man's son. Behold, one who appoints a son or a student has substitutions, and the purpose of everything is to fix some of the damage caused by a person's sin, as mentioned. And since there is no certainty in this either, the real complete scholars saw fit to fix this and to mention the Name in the book they will write, from what they debated in their wisdom or from what they innovated from the depths of the Torah and the interpretations of the Talmud, because they knew for certain that this is good for them and a greater completion than sons and daughters.

The Sages were awakened to this and said in Tractate Chagigah, 'I will give him a reward that will never be cut off.' Rabbi Tanchum expounded in the name of Bar Kappara from the verse in Daniel named after him. And Shlomo said, 'The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,' the true fruit that the righteous leave behind after them is the Torah, which is the tree of life, and it is what they brought forth its appointed time through the deepening of wisdom and the innovations of the Torah, its secrets and its tastes, and these are the true signs that the complete scholars lived by. And even in this, I went in their footsteps. And there is also a great benefit and a hidden secret in the composition of the books, which the true wisdom will seek, which is the great cause to know God, for in them you will find the dove mentioned in Shir Hashirim, 'I adjure you, my nation, go with me; I adjure you, my nation, go with me,' during its exile. And this suffices as a note to the wise of heart.

The third benefit I share with others, for whoever dedicates his heart to emerge from the darkness of time and rise above the vanities and desires, and wants to contemplate what this book contains, will then know his creator and will serve him with complete true service. And even in this, I followed the ways of the early ones, who were defenders of the Torah. And Solomon hinted at this when he concluded and said, 'The wise gathers souls,' which is what I wanted to mention, the benefits that come from this book."

Note: "I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me" - Solomon composed three books: wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, corresponding to the three attributes by which God created the world. As is revealed in Proverbs when it says, "God by wisdom founded the earth. With understanding, He established the heavens. With His knowledge, the deeps broke open, and the clouds dripped dew." Ecclesiastes corresponds to understanding, and Song of Songs to knowledge. It is the song sung by the Assembly of Israel, the secret of the last Heh of the Name, the secret and the covenant of peace of the King, whose truth is confirmed by the verse in Shir Hashirim, "I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me." And they also said in Midrash Chazit, "And on this night, they praise the Hall of His Name," that hall in which the Great Name dwells, and the Hall is counted by the method of the Aleph-Dalet. And it was also said there, Moses taught in the honor of His greatness, stating, "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's. It is true that it includes the praise of two beloveds, and they hinted at it by saying, 'Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful, my friend' - the bridegroom and the friend both extolled each other. And the bride says, 'I am my beloved's,' and it is known to the wise that she is called 'I,' and the beloved is the groom, the King, whose peace is revealed in secret. I am dedicated to my beloved, and his desire is for me. My longing is to ascend from level to level until I unite with him in the kiss. And this depends on the awakening of the lower beings in the study of Torah, the observance of the commandments, and the full service of the Lord. And his desire is for me, and on my behalf he will appoint righteous guardians that safeguard his trust and perform...

6b

His commandments, for He is the one who causes love to arise between these two beloveds, for that was His original intent, and this is all delight and salvation. And to this, the complete servant will focus all his efforts to bring honor to the supreme, in all his affairs, and to have all his words and thoughts pleasing to Him before Him.

---

From page 6b until 13b is the TOC