“Then God said to Moshe, ‘The time is coming for you to die. Kra et Yehoshua (summon Yehoshua) and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, where I will appoint him.’” (Deuteronomy 31:14)
Each person is required to minimize his own kavod (honor) and maximize the honor of the Omnipresent One. For anyone who pursues honor does not attain kavod Elohim (God’s glory), but kavod melakhim (glory of kings), of which it is said (Proverbs 25:2), “but the glory of kings is an investigated matter.” Everyone inquires about him <to see if he is deserving of such honor, asking,> “Who is he and what is he?” (Esther 7:5) that he is afforded such honor. And they oppose him, saying that he is not deserving of such kavod .
However, the person who flees from glory—minimizing his own glory while maximizing the glory of God—attains kavod Elohim. Then, <they> do not investigate whether he is deserving of his glory or not. Of him it is said (Proverbs, ibid.), “The glory of the Lord is a concealed matter.” For it is forbidden to inquire into <this type of> glory.
2. Now, it is impossible to attain this kavod [Elohim] except by means of teshuvah (repentance). And the essence of repentance is that when a person hears himself being insulted, he remains quiet and silent.
For there can be no Kavod without a Kaf, and the Kaf <is an aspect of> Keter (Crown) (Zohar III, 255b). This corresponds to Ehyeh, <as is known,> which corresponds to repentance.
For <the meaning of> ehyeh is “I am prepared to be.” That is, before repenting a person does not yet have being. It is as if he does not yet exist in the world. Indeed, he would be better off had he not been created (Eruvin 13b). But when he prepares to purify himself and repent, he is then in the aspect of ehyeh. In other words, he will then exist in the world—i.e., “I am prepared to be.”
This is an aspect of Keter, because the word keter suggests waiting, <which is> an aspect of repentance. As our Sages taught: Anyone who undertakes to purify himself is assisted [from Above]. It is like the allegory of the person who comes to buy sweet smelling oil. They tell him, “Wait…” (Yoma 38b). This corresponds to KeTeR, as is written (Job 36:2), “KaTaR (wait) for me awhile and I will tell you.”
Before repentance, however, the aspect of ehyeh is hidden from him. For he has not yet prepared himself to exist in the world. And the hidden face of Ehyeh —<i.e., the achoraim of the Holy Name Ehyeh>—has the same numerical value as dam (blood)—i.e., spilt blood and scorn, as is written (1 Samuel 2:30), “[For I honor those who honor Me,] but those who scorn Me will be dishonored.” The blood which is in the left hollow of the heart—the abode of the evil inclination, as is written (Ecclesiastes 10:2), “but a fool’s heart inclines to his left”—still retains its strength and power. This is the reason he is subjected to ridicule and spilt blood. They are the aspect of a hidden and turned face of Ehyeh, which has the same numerical value as dam.
Now, the rectification for this is to turn <from> DaM to DoMe (quiet). He should be among those who hear themselves ridiculed and yet do not retort. Nor should he be vexed by affronts to his honor. For when he fulfills “be quiet before God,” then the Holy One strikes [his enemies] dead. As it is written (Psalms 37:7), “Be dome before God and hitChoLeL (hope longingly) for Him”—God will strike them ChaLoLim (dead) (Gittin 7a). This is (Psalms 109:22), “and my heart is ChoLoL (hollowed) within me”—i.e., through [his quiet and silence] the <bad> blood in the left hollow is lessened.
This is an aspect of slaughtering the evil inclination, through which he merits kavod Elohim. As is written (Psalms 50:23), “Whoever brings a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me,” and the Sages explain that this refers to slaughtering the evil inclination (Sanhedrin 43b).
3. Thus, a person should perpetually embrace the attribute of repentance. For “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am purged of my sin?’” (Proverbs 20:9). Even at the moment a person says, “I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have acted wantonly,” it is impossible for him to say this with a pure heart and without an ulterior motive.
{This is the meaning of “Who can say I have cleansed my heart, I am purged of my sin.” In other words, who can say that his heart is sincere and pure of ulterior motives even at the time he is saying “I have sinned….” This is the meaning of “Who can say… I am purged of my sin”—i.e., that he is purged of the “I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have acted wantonly,” which he utters. For even then, his confession is not completely sincere and pure, without ulterior motives.}
We find, therefore, that he must repent for his first act of repentance, for the “I have sinned, I have transgressed, I have acted wantonly” that he uttered. Of such a person it is said (Isaiah 29:13), “and he honors Me with his lips”—because through repentance he attains kavod Elohim —“but his heart is far from Me.”
And even if a person knows inside himself that he has been totally sincere in his repentance, he must still repent for his first act of repentance. This is because when he first repented, he did so according to his level of perception [then]. But afterwards, when he [again] repents, he certainly recognizes and perceives even more about God. So that relative to his present perception, his first perception was certainly <crude in comparison>. We find, therefore, that he must repent for his original <repentance>, for having made crass the exalted nature of His Godliness.
This is an aspect of the World to Come, which will be completely ShaBbaT —i.e., completely TeShuVah, as is written (Deuteronomy 30:2), “Then, ShaVTa (you will return) to God your Lord.” For the essence of the World to Come will be the ability to have a perception of His Godliness, as is written (Jeremiah 31:33), “they will know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.” Therefore, each time <he comes to> a deeper perception, <it will be necessary> to repent for the preceding perception.
And this is the meaning of what the Sages taught: Whoever slaughters his evil inclination <and then confesses, it is as if he honored the Holy One in two worlds> (Sanhedrin 43b). This <slaughtering of the evil inclination> is an aspect of repentance—corresponding to “My heart is hollowed within me,” and “Be quiet before God”—an aspect of the Holy Name Ehyeh / Keter / kavod. “… and then confesses”—i.e., he confesses for slaughtering his evil inclination, repenting for his first repentance and for his original level of perception—[so that] “it is as if he honored the Holy One in two worlds.” This is because the first repentance corresponds to the kavod of this world. After he has repented and attained a greater perception and a greater recognition of the exalted nature of His Godliness, he then repents for his [earlier] repentance. This [second] repentance is the kavod of the World to Come.
This is the meaning of (Zechariah 14:6): “[On that day,] there will be neither bright light nor thick darkness”—concerning which the Sages said: The light which is substantial in this world will be insignificant and slight in the World to Come (Pesachim 50a). We see, therefore, that in the World to Come, when people will merit a greater perception of His Godliness, they will surely be contrite and repent for their perception in this world. For perception in this world is <materialistic> in comparison with perception in the World to Come.
Thus, “it is as if he honored the Holy One in two worlds.” The slaughter of the evil inclination is the first repentance <and> corresponds to the glory of this world. And the confession for having slaughtered the evil inclination is the second repentance, corresponding to < kavod Elohi>. This is because the original glory <is> thick and negligible in comparison with the second glory.
{“I kept silent when you did these things, [and so] you imagined that I ehyeh like you. I will rebuke you and lay it right before your eyes” (Psalms 50:21).} This is what the Holy One says, “I kept silent when you did these things, [and so] you imagined that I ehyeh (will be) like you”—because, as explained, man becomes an aspect of ehyeh by keeping silent. But when the Holy One keeps silent for a person it is not because of <the aspect of> ehyeh, God forbid. Such a concept is in no way applicable to the Holy One. It is only so that <this person might receive his punishment> in the World to Come. For, then, his transgressions are set before his eyes and he is rebuked to his face. And this is, “I will rebuke you and lay it right before your eyes.”
4. Now, when a person wants to walk the pathways of repentance, he must be baky (expert) in Halakhah. This demands that he have two types of expertise: baky b’ratzo (expert at “running”) and baky b’shov (expert at “returning”). As stated <in the Zohar (III, 292a)>: “Deserving is he who enters and exits.” This corresponds to (Psalms 139:8), “If I ascend to heaven, You are there”—an aspect of ascending, of being expert at running; “and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are”—an aspect of descending, of being expert at returning.
This is (Song of Songs 6:3), “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” “I am my beloved’s” is the aspect of ascending; “and my beloved is mine” is the aspect of descending. {This is the hidden meaning of the meditations of Elul,} and this is the essence of His glory.
And this is (Isaiah 58:13), “and you honor [the Shabbat] by refraining from your routine ways.” “Ways” is plural, indicating ascending and descending. When a person possesses these two types of expertise, then he is walking the <true> pathways of repentance, and merits the above mentioned <Godly> kavod. As it is written, “and you honor it by refraining from your routine ways”—i.e., he attains Keter, for there can be no kavod without a kaf. Then, the right hand of God is outstretched to accept his repentance (cf. Sifri, Deuteronomy 3:29 ; Tachanun Prayer).
{This is the hidden meaning of the kavanot (meditations) of Elul}.
5. Now, by means of quiet and silence the aspect of the chirik is formed. As is brought in the Tikkunim <on the verse>, “and under His feet was something like a sapphire brick” (Exodus 24:10) —this is the chirik (Tikkuney Zohar 7a). And this corresponds to “the earth is hadome ragli (My footstool)” (Isaiah 66:1) —“haDoMe” corresponds to < haDeMimah (the quiet) and silence>, an aspect of the lower point of the shape of the aleph.
And the upper point of the aleph is the aspect of Keter, corresponding to “Above the firmament that was over their heads was the semblance of a kisay (throne), in appearance like sapphire stone” (Ezekiel 1:26). [This is the point] that covers from above the vav of the aleph, which is called “firmament” (see Tikkuney Zohar, ibid.). This point is kisay d’mitKaSya (a throne that is covered). As is taught: Do not inquire about that which is hidden from you, and into what is miKhuSeh (covered) from you do not investigate (Chagigah 13a). This corresponds to “The kavod of the Lord is a concealed matter,” the aspect of Keter.
And the vav in the middle of the aleph is the firmament, ShaMaYiM — aiSh and MaYiM (fire and water), whichcorresponds to embarrassment, when one’s face changes colors. This is the aspect of the firmament, which encompasses all the colors.
In this way, “an adam to sit on the throne” is made (Zohar III, 48a). As it is written (Ezekiel 1:26), “and above it, [upon the semblance of the throne,] there was a form resembling an adam (man).” For there can be no Adam without an Aleph (Tikkuney Zohar, ibid.). Hence, the letters of ADaM are Aleph - DaM. That is, his being dome (quiet) before God forms the aleph, and also “an adam to sit on the throne.”
For the vav in the middle of the aleph is the firmament, the encompassing of all the colors—i.e., the above mentioned embarrassment. The lower point is the DeMimah and silence, as in, “the earth is haDoMe ragli (My footstool).” This is also the aspect of chirik, corresponding to “and under His feet….” And the upper point is the “kisay d’ mitkasyah <Above>,” the aspect of repentance, corresponding to “The glory of the Lord is a concealed matter,” and to “Do not inquire about that which is hidden from you,” and to “Above the firmament that was over their heads was the semblance of a kisay.” Then, “an adam to sit on the throne” is made, corresponding to “above it… a form [resembling] a man.”
As a result, there is a union between the sun and the moon, so that the sun illuminates the moon. This also creates a oneness between Moshe and Yehoshua—for Moshe’s face was like the face of the sun (Bava Batra 75a). This is the upper point, which is the aspect of the kisay, of Moshe. As it is written (Psalms 89:37), “and his throne will be like the sun before Me”; corresponding to “Above the firmament… was the semblance of a kisay.”
And the lower point is Yehoshua, the aspect of the moon, corresponding to “and under His feet was something like a <sapphire> LiVNat (brick)”—i.e., LeVaNah (moon).
And the vav in the middle of the aleph is the firmament, the aspect of the tent, as is written (Exodus 33:11), “Yehoshua the son of Nun did not depart from the tent.” “Tent” alludes to the firmament, as is written (Isaiah 40:22), “and He stretched them out like a tent to dwell in.” And as is written (Psalms 104:2), “Who spreads the heavens like an overhanging sheet”—this is “… the sheets of the tent” (Exodus 26:12).
{“Make the heart of this people fat, stop up its ears, and seal its eyes: lest it see with its eyes, hear with its ears, understand with its heart—and so repent and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10).} And the kisay on High, the upper point, is divided into three dots, <as is known>. This is because repentance must meet three conditions, as is written, “… lest it see with its eyes, hear with its ears, understand with its heart—and so repent <and be healed>.”
These three aspects [of repentance] are the vowel sign segol. And “the segol is the sun” (Tikkuney Zohar 7b) —i.e., “Moshe’s face was like the face of the sun.”
6. This is the explanation:
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: One time we were traveling in the desert and we saw these geese who were so fat that their plumes shamitan (fell off) . Rivers of oil were flowing from beneath them. So I asked them, “Will I have a piece of you in the World to Come?” One lifted a foot towards me and one lifted kanaf (a wing) towards me. When I came before Rabbi Elazar, he said to me, “In the Future, the Jewish people’s judgment will be on their account” (Bava Batra 73b).
[traveling in the desert] — [Rabbah bar bar Chanah] set out to investigate the fine trait of humility, when a person considers himself as a desert to be tread upon (Eruvin 54a) —everyone steps on him.
He saw ChaKhaMim (Torah sages). This is an allusion to geese, as the Sages taught (Berakhot 57a): Anyone who sees a goose in his dream can anticipate ChoKhMah (wisdom).
their plumes shamitan, fell off — Rashbam translates [gadfayhu (plumes) as] NoTZot (feathers). This alludes to controversy and insult, as is written (Deuteronomy 25:11), “If two men yeNaTZu (get into a fight)….” The [chakhamim] do not pay attention to the controversy or insults directed at them. They hear themselves ridiculed and yet do not retort. As a result of this silence they are called sages, because silence is a fence for wisdom (Avot 3:13). {Silence is also the aspect of Keter. }
This is the term ShaMiTan, as is written (Deuteronomy 15:2), “Every creditor will ShaMoTe (remit) any debt owed him”—i.e., a person should not demand satisfaction for his humiliation.
And <this is> who were so fat, similar to (Deuteronomy 32:15), “… you grew fat and gross.” {In other words, [because of their humility the chakhamim] consider themselves to be in a state of “grew fat and gross.”} That is, as a result, they hear themselves ridiculed and yet do not retort. This, in order to repent for their transgressions, <corresponding to> (ibid.), “But Yeshurun grew fat.” {This corresponds to (Isaiah 6:10), “Make the heart of this people fat, stops up its ears, and seal its eyes: lest it see…,” because repentance must meet these three conditions.}
Rivers of oil were flowing from beneath them — That is, by means of silence a person achieves kavod Elohim, which is the aspect of oil, as is written (Psalms 45:8), “You love righteousness and hate wickedness, therefore [the Lord, your Lord,] has anointed you….” And this corresponds to (ibid. 24:8,10), “The King of glory.”
So I asked them, “Will I have a piece of you in the World to Come?” One lifted a foot towards me — This corresponds to “the earth is My footstool,” alluding to the lower point.
and one lifted KaNaF, a wing, towards me — This is the aspect of the kisay, as is written (Isaiah 30:20), “Your Teacher will not KaNeF (cover) Himself anymore.” This alludes to the upper point.
In other words, [the geese] showed Rabbah bar bar Chanah that he too had attained these spiritual levels.
Rabbi Elazar said: In the Future, the Jewish people’s judgment will be on their account — For the Jews are called adam, <as is written, “For you My flock… are adam” (Ezekiel 34:31)>. And, the Holy One and the Jewish people are one (Zohar III, 93b). The Jews, who are called adam —< aleph - dome, as above>—will sit on the throne, as in, “upon [the semblance of] the throne, there was a form resembling an adam” Then, the Jews will provide judgment for all the world’s inhabitants—i.e., they alone will judge all judgments.
7. {“He subdues peoples under us, and nations beneath our feet. He chooses our heritage for us, the pride of Yaakov whom He loves” (Psalms 47:4-5).}
He subdues peoples under us, and nations beneath our feet — This refers to the aspect of chirik. This is the lower point of the aleph, corresponding to “and under His feet…,” and to “the earth is My footstool.”
He chooses our heritage for us — This is the aspect of Moshe, the upper point of the aleph. It corresponds to “Above the firmament… was the semblance of a throne”/”and his throne will be like the sun”/”Moshe’s face was like the face of the sun.” As the Sages taught: Rabbi Shimon said, “‘Heritage’ refers to Shiloh” (Zevachim 119a). [And] “‘Shiloh’ is Moshe” (Zohar I, 25b).
… the pride of Yaakov — This is the vav in the middle of the aleph, the tent. It is the light that Moshe shone into Yehoshua, as is written (Genesis 25:27), “but Yaakov was a man of perfection who remained in the tents.”
{Rabbi Yehudah taught: Upon entering the Holy Land, the Jewish people were charged with three mitzvot—to appoint a king; to kill off the seed of Amalek; and to build a Holy Temple for themselves—though I don’t know which comes first (Sanhedrin 20b).} This corresponds to the three things that Israel was commanded: To kill off the seed of Amalek corresponds to “He subdues peoples under us.” To appoint a king corresponds to “the pride of Yaakov”; to “A star will go forth from Yaakov, [and a scepter will arise from Israel]…” (Numbers 24:17), which alludes to a king. To build a Holy Temple for themselves is the aspect of Moshe, of daat (holy knowledge), as our Sages taught: When someone has daat, it is as if the Holy Temple was built in his lifetime (Berakhot 33a). And this corresponds to “He chooses our heritage for us.”
{From Lesson #4 until here is leshon Rabbeinu .}
8. This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“Then God said to Moshe, ‘The time is coming for you to die. Kra et Yehoshua (Summon Yehoshua) and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, where I will appoint him.’”}
Then God said to Moshe… summon Yehoshua — Moshe represents the upper point of the aleph and Yehoshua the lower point.
and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting — This alludes to the firmament, to the vav in the middle of the aleph.
where I will appoint him — It was then necessary for Moshe to hand everything over to Yehoshua, however, “There is no authority on the day of death” (Ecclesiastes 8:8). For at the time of the tzaddik’s passing he does not have the authority and strength to shine into <another>. Therefore, <God said,> “where I will appoint him”— I, Myself, for rulership returned to the Holy One.
9. In general, this entire matter is encompassed in the shape of the aleph, which consists of an upper point, a lower point, and a vav. Consider this very carefully.
This is also connected to what the Sages taught: Upon entering the Holy Land, the Jewish people were charged with three mitzvot: to kill off the seed of Amalek; to build a Holy Temple for themselves; and to appoint a king.
Killing off the seed of Amalek is the aspect of Yehoshua, the lower point. This is because blotting out Amalek is essentially dependent upon Yehoshua, as is written (Exodus 17:9), “[Moshe said to Yehoshua, ‘Pick some men for us, and] go out and battle against Amalek,’” and as <this> is explained in the Zohar (II, 65b).
Building themselves a Holy Temple is the aspect of Moshe, the upper point. This is because “When someone has knowledge, it is as if the Holy Temple was built in his lifetime.” And Moshe is the aspect of knowledge, <as is known>.
Appointing a king is the aspect of firmament, the vav in the middle of the aleph. As is written, “A star will go forth from Yaakov,” which indicates that a king will arise out of Yaakov. “A star will go forth” alludes to the firmament, which contains stars and constellations. Thus, “from Yaakov,” because “Yaakov was a man of perfection who remained in the tents”—an aspect of firmament, as in, “and He stretched them out like a tent.” [And] as is explained in the Zohar (III, 244b): Yaakov is the aspect of vav.
For these three mitzvot are the aspect of repentance. Understand this.
10. This relates to above:
This is the hidden meaning of the kavanot (meditations) of Elul. I heard a little about this [from Rebbe Nachman], but it was only like a drop in the sea. Study the meditations of Elul, where it is explained that the general kavanot of Elul are [based on the verse] (Isaiah 43:16), “… Who makes a way through the sea.” For one must take the aspect of “way” and shine it into the “sea.” This derekh (way) is the aspect of two times the Holy Name Yabok, because twice Yabok equals derekh. This proceeds from the aspect of two Holy Names, KaSA [and] SaG. For these two names, KaSA and SaG, have a numerical value equal to two times Yabok, which is the numerical value of derekh.
[Here,] it is required to think of the name KaSA as being punctuated with a segol, and the name SaG with a chirik.
Now, the segol of KaSA and the chirik of SaG together equal four hundred. For the name KaSA is actually the name Ehyeh with its letters spelled out ALePh HeY YOD HeY. Together there are ten letters, each one punctuated with a segol. And the segol consists of three dots, and is [itself] therefore equal to thirty. Thus, the segol times ten [letters] is equal to three hundred. And SaG consists of the ten letters of YHVH with its letters spelled out YOD HeY VAV HeY, each one punctuated with a chirik. [The chirik consists of one dot, whose value is ten, and so the chirik times ten letters] equals one hundred.
Thus, the both of them, the chirik of SaG and the segol of KaSA, have a combined value of four hundred. This is the numerical value of PeShUTaH (outstreched). And so, by virtue of all the above mentioned concepts, the yemin (right hand)… is outstretched to accept his repentance.
For when the letters yemin are spelled out, it is equal to derekh with its three letters. This is twice Yabok … see there. All this is explained in the kavanot of Elul.
11. And now! come see and understand how, in a fantastically awesome manner, all the above kavanot are hinted at and concealed in the above Torah lesson. For there it is explained that a person who wants to repent must have two types of expertise: at running and at returning. This is the aspect of ascending and descending, corresponding to “If I ascend to heaven, You are there”—the expertise of running; “and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are”—the expertise of returning. See above, where this is explained.
The simple meaning of all this is that the person who wants to walk the pathways of repentance must summon up his fortitude and constantly strengthen himself in the ways of God—whether in a state of spiritual ascent or descent, corresponding to “If I ascend to heaven… and if I make my bed in Hell.” In other words, even if he is experiencing an ascent and a high spiritual level, he must not remain there nor be satisfied with this. Rather, he must be extremely expert at this, knowing and believing that he must go further and further. This is the expertise of running, an aspect of ascent, which corresponds to “If I ascend to heaven….”
The opposite is also true. Even if, God forbid, he falls to wherever he falls—even into the deepest Hell—he must still never give himself over to despair, but constantly seek and search for God. No matter where he is, he must strengthen himself with all means available. For God is to be found even in the deepest Hell, and there too it is possible to attach oneself to Him. This corresponds to “and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are,” the expertise of returning. For it is impossible to walk the pathways of repentance unless one possesses both these types of expertise.
Rabbeinu, of blessed memory, was very precise in referring to this concept by the term baky. For it is indeed a very, very great expertise when a person merits knowing how to exert himself and toil continuously in the service of God, hoping all the while to reach a higher spiritual level, and yet not allowing anything to bring him down. Even if he is as he is, God forbid, he still does not get discouraged at all, as he fulfills, “and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are.”
12. Based on Kabbalistic teaching we know that concealed in this is the hidden meaning of the kavanot of Elul. For baky is the aspect of the above mentioned Holy Name YaBoK, which has the same letters as BaKY. When a person attains the two types of expertise mentioned earlier, which is twice baky —i.e., baky b’ratzo (running) and baky b’shov (returning)—he also attains the derekh (way) of repentance. This is because twice baky, which is the aspect of twice the Holy Name Yabok, is equal to the numerical value of derekh. For by following the method of the kavanot, this derekh is made from the segol of KaSA and the chirik of SaG, which [also] have the numerical value of twice Yabok.
This in itself is the deeper meaning of the two types of expertise. The baky of running, which corresponds to “esak shamayim (I ascend to heaven),” is related to the segol of KaSA —because eSAK and KaSA have the same letters.
The baky of returning, which corresponds to “and if I make my bed in Hell,” is related to the chirik of SaG, as in (Proverbs 22:28), “Do not taSeG (moves back) the ancient boundary stone.” This is when a person retreats from his limit and turns back, <resembling “naSoGu backwards” (Isaiah 42:17)>. It is a spiritual fall; a person falls from his original level and turns back, God forbid. Nevertheless, [a person who is baky] will strengthen himself and never give himself over to despair. For even in such a place God can be found, corresponding to “and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are.” This is an aspect of the name SaG.
For “segol is the sun,” the upper point of the aleph, which is divided into three dots. It corresponds to “If I ascend to heaven,” an aspect of the segol of KaSA, which has the same letters as eSAK (ascend). And chirik is the lower point of the aleph, corresponding to “and if I make my bed in Hell,” which is an aspect of the chirik of SaG.
This is the meaning of what was said above in the lesson: When a person possesses these two types of expertise (baky) , then he is walking the pathways (derekh) of repentance. For from twice baky —which are the aspects of KaSA and SaG, “ascend to heaven” and “make my bed in Hell”—the aspect of derekh —which has a numerical value of twice baky, corresponding to KaSA and SaG —is made.
For the essence of the pathways of repentance is reached through these two types of expertise. And then, the yemin of God is peshutah (outstreched) to accept his repentance. This is because yemin has the same numerical value as derekh, which is twice baky ; and peshutah has the same numerical value as the segol of KaSA and the chirik of SaG, as explained above.
[Furthermore, the segol and the chirik] are themselves the aspects of the upper point and the lower point. They represent the need to constantly search for God, whether it be above or below. These are the two types of expertise: “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are.” Therefore, when a person possesses these two types of expertise, he is walking the pathways of repentance. And then, the right hand of God is outstretched to accept his repentance. Understand this well, for the matters discussed here are very deep.
13. Based on this, it is possible to link together the elements of this Torah lesson. What was written at the end about the upper and lower points of the aleph is the very same aspect as the two types of expertise. {This was not actually explained in the body of the lesson. The relationship is only made clear by understanding the kavanot mentioned above.}
This is also the concept of “repentance upon repentance” mentioned in the lesson. The slaughtering of the evil inclination—corresponding to “Be quiet before God”/the first repentance/the kavod of this world—is the lower point. This is accomplished by means of the DeMimah and silence, corresponding to “Be DoMe before God.” And all of these concepts form the aspect of the chirik of SaG, which is the expertise of returning.
The second repentance, which one does for his first repentance—the aspect of the glory of the World to Come, corresponding to “The glory of the Lord is a concealed matter”—is the upper point. It is Keter, which is the aspect of Moshe, and the segol.
Understand this well, how all the subjects mentioned in this lesson are later tied together in a wonderfully awesome manner. Those who delve into it will understand a little.
14. The essence of the matter is: When a person is on a very low level and yet still fortifies himself—believing that even there he still has hope and that there too God may be found, corresponding to “and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are”—he then draws holiness upon himself from the sacred name YHVH in its permutation of SaG. This [name] sustains all those who have naSoG (retreated) from His holiness. It strengthens them and prevents them from falling away entirely, God forbid. This is the aspect of being expert at returning, which is the expertise that corresponds to the Holy Names Yabok and SaG.
Similarly, when a person merits reaching a certain high level of holiness and yet does not stand still—rather, he strengthens himself and strives to ascend higher and higher—he then draws holiness upon himself from the Holy Name Ehyeh in its permutation of KaSA. This is the aspect of being expert at running.
For [each] person, in accordance with his actions and the manner in which he strengthens himself in the service of God, causes the Holy Names above to unite. He, in turn, draws holiness upon himself from there. Understand this well.
15. It has been explained above that by means of the quiet and silence he displays when his friend insults him, a person merits repentance, which is the aspect of Keter, as explained. This is because “Silence is a fence for wisdom.” For it is necessary to be very careful to judge everyone favorably. Even when others attack and insult him, a person must judge them favorably and maintain his silence. This forms the aspect of Keter, <for there is no Keter without a Kaf, and this is precisely Kaf zekhut (favorably). Understand this.>
As is brought in the Midrash:
It is like the allegory of someone who saw his friend making a keter (crown) . “Who is it for?” he asked him. “For the king,” he replied. “Since it’ s for the king,” he said, “set into it every jewel you find” (Vayikra Rabbah 2:5).
So, too, every Jew is an aspect of a crown for God. One must therefore set in him every sort of jewel one can possibly find. That is, it is necessary to make an effort to seek out and search for every merit and positive quality one can possibly find in a fellow Jew. Everyone must be judged favorably, for they are an aspect of a Keter for God. This is as the Sages taught: Judge every adam favorably (Avot 1:6).
We find, then, that by judging everyone favorably he remains silent when others insult him. He finds some merit in the person who insulted him: “He is not all that responsible for shaming me, because to that person’s knowledge and way of thinking it seems that I am deserving of insult.” This creates the aspect of Keter —i.e., the quiet and silence form the aspect of Keter, as mentioned above. Understand this.