Translation:Likutei Moharan/17

Wayhi Hem Merikim Sakeihem

'Wayhi hem merikim sakeihem, wehinneh-ish tzror-kaspo besako/And it came to pass as they were empying their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack; vayiru tzerorot caspeihem, hemah ve'avihem, veyir'u''/and they saw their bundles of money, they and their father, and they were afraid. Vayomer aleihem Ya`akov avihem, oti shikaltem: Yosef einenu, Shim`on einenu, ve-et Binyamin takachu, `alai hayu khulanah/And Ya`akov their father said unto them: 'Me have you bereaved of my children: Yosef is not, and Shim`on is not, and you will take Binyamin away; upon me are all these things come.''' (Gen. 42)

1. For awe and love are impossible to receive, except through the Tzaddikim (Rigtheous) of the Age, for the Tzaddik of the Age — he is the one who reveals the awe and the love.

For the Tzaddik asks and seeks always to reveal the desires of Hashem Yithbarakh, for there is in every thing the desire of Hashem Yithbarakh, whether in the general Creation — i.e. what that Hashem Yithbarakh, wanted to create the world at all — and also in the details of the Creation, in each and every thing in particular — there is the will of Hashem Yithbarakh, i.e. that Hashem Yithbarakh, wanted, that this thing should be so: in this likeness and in this power and in this nature, and a different thing has another likeness and another power and another nature and another conduct.

And the Tzaddik seeks and asks ever after these desires, to attain and to know the will of Hashem Yithbarakh, in every thing, for instance, for what purpose was the will of Hashem Yithbarakh. That the lion should have such power and strength. And in this likeness. And in this nature and the conduct that the lion has. And to the opposite — the small mosquito. It is very weak of power. And it has a different nature and likeness and conduct. And so on in full details. For instance, with the lion itself, for what purpose is this limb of the lion so formed? And it has such a power and nature. And a different limb. It has another form. And it has a power and nature like this. And so on with the rest of all the created things that are in the world. Inanimate, plant, animal, and speaking [kingdoms]. That in all of them there are many variations to no end. From each one to another. And so with each and every one in itself. It has many variations in full details. Among each and every limb. And similarly with herbs and fruit trees and the rest of the details of the Creation. That in all of them there are very many variations in their likeness and their powers and their conducts. And all was because of the will of the Creator, blessed-be-His-Name. That he wanted that this should be so. And this so. And the Tzaddik seeks always after these wills. And attains and finds them through the glorification that he finds in Israel in general and in detail.

For the whole entire world was not created except for the sake of Israel. As is written "’In the beginning’ — for the sake of Israel, who is called ‘beginning.’" For Israel came up in thought first. That is, Hashem Yithbarakh looked out upon the glorification and the delights that he would receive from Israel. As is written (Isa. 49): "O Israel, in whom I will be glorified." And for this he created the whole world. Hence the whole world was created only for the glorification, that He should be glorified in Israel. And this was the rule of Creation. I.e. that the whole Creation. Was for all the glorification that He should receive from Israel.

Likewise the details of Creation are for the details of the glorification of Israel. For there is in each and every of Israel a glorification in particular. That Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified in him in particular. And even in the least that are in Israel. Even in the sinners of Israel. As long as the name "Israel" is called upon him. For they are called sinners of Israel. He has a particular glorification. And Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified in him in detail. Likewise in full details. For there is in each and every limb, and in each and every movement of Israel, a different glorification. And it happens sometimes that some minor one in Israel makes a wiggle with his flatulance (hafachah) [in later versions, sidelock (hape’ah)]. And Hashem Yithbarakh, has a great glorification also from this.

And the Tzaddik, by his asking and seeking always, and finding the glorification that there is in Israel in general and in particular, and in full details, in every movement of each and every one of Israel, as mentioned above — by this he knows and attains all the desires of Hashem Yithbarakh, that He had in every creation, in general, and in particular, and in full details. For all the desires of all the Creation — all was for the glorification of Israel, as mentioned above. And each and every thing was created in His will, in this power and in this nature and conduct. According to the glorification that there is in every one of Israel. Hence when he knows and finds the glorification that there is in Israel, in general and in particular and in full details, he knows all the desires that there is in the general Creation, and in the particulars of the Creation, and in the full details.

(For the glorification that Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified in Israel, is the main reason of the Creation. I.e. the entire glorification of the all Israel; what that Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified with all Israel — this is the main reason for the whole entire. Likewise, details of the glorification, what that Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified with every one of Israel in detail — this is the root of that particular thing of the Creation that was created for this glorification. And likewise in full details, that the glorification that Hashem Yithbarakh, receives in full details from every limb and motion of every one of Israel — this is the root of the full details of the Creation, i.e. of each and every limb in full details of each and every creation.

And the rule is — the exact root of the Creation was for the glorification, that he should be glorified with Israel. And this glorification is the root and the life of all the Creation in generality and in particulars and in full details. For all the desires of Hashem Yithbarakh, in the creation of His world in general and in particular and in full details was according to the glorification that He receives from Israel in general and in particular and in full details, for the generality of the Creation was created in this likeness and in this order and conduct, that the generality of the Creation has. According to the generatlity of the glorificaiton that He receives from the generality of Israel. And likewise every thing in detail was created in this likeness and in this nature. According to detailsof the glorification that He receives from every one of Israel in detail. And likewise in full details, as mentioned above. And therefore the Tzaddik, by him finding the glorification that Hashem Yithbarakh, receives from Israel always, in general and in particular and in full details — through this he knows the reason of all the desires that Hashem Yithbarakh, had in all the Creation in general and in particular etc. For all the desires of the Creation in general etc., was according to the glorification that He should receive from Israel in general etc., as mentioned above: And understand the words well. For they are very deep things. And from them you shall be able to understand the greatness of the Creator, blessed-be-He, and the greatness of Israel and the greatness of the true Tzaddikim. How they look upon the world. That they know in each and every herb and likewise in every creation in the world, the reason of its likeness and its power and its conduct in full details. And as mentioned above. Therefore I repeated the things at length, due to their great fineness and deepness):

And through this, that the Tzaddik reveals the glorification of Hashem Yithbarakh, that he is glorified with His people Israel. That through this are revealed all the desires of the Creation, as mentioned above. Through this are revealed the awe and the love. For through the revelation of the glorification. Is revealed the awe. And as through the revelation of the glorification of Israel who are glorified with Him, blessed-be-He. Through this, awe comes down. For the glorification of Israel is like tefillin which are called "glory" (Berachot 11). And through them are revealed awe. As our Sages of blessed memory said (Berachot 6) "From where is it that the tefillin are ‘strength’ to Israel? — for it is said ‘And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Hashem; and they shall revere you.’" Hence through the revelation of the glorification that Israel is glorified with Him, blessed-be-He. Through this comes down awe. Likewise. Through the revelation of the glorification of Hashem Yithbarakh, that he is glorified in Israel. Which is like tefillin of Hashem Yithbarakh. As our Sages or blessed memory wrote (there) (From where is it that Hashem Yithbarakh, lays tefillin etc? And it says there that the tefillin of Hashem Yithbarakh have written upon them the glorification that He, blessed-be-He, is glorified with His people Israel. As it says there that the tefillin of the Master of the Universe have written upon it: And-who is-like-your-people Israel etc. For who is a great people etc). Through this glorification. Is revealed the awe of Hashem Yithbarakh. I.e. to have awe before Him, blessed-be-He. And through this is revealed the awe even upon angels of heaven.

For in truth, before the King certainly all awe and tremble. But even so. On the birth day of the King — "b'yom g'nusia d'malka" [Aram.] — when the King dons clothes of glory. Then is revealed the awe more and more. When the King dons clothes of glory. Then the awe is revealed more and more. For although even beforehand, all had known of the King. Even so, the soul that sees is affected more and more, as is known.

(Explanation: For every thing that one sees with the eyes, the soul is affected more and more. That if he had known him in thought alone, without complete sight with the eyes. As it is related in books. For example when they tell a man the greatness of the king. Even though he knows the things clearly. Even so, his soul is not affected so much, to be so afraid of the king. As when he actually sees with his eyes the greatness of the king when he is dressed in clothes of glory and leads his forces etc. At which time awe falls upon him more. For the souls is affected more through vision):

And therefore through the Tzaddik revealing the glorification that He is glorified in Israel. Which is like the birthday of the king. "''Yom g'nusia d'malka." ''I.e. that the aspect of kingship is born. For the main aspect of kingship is only through Israel, who receives His kingship. For there is no king without a people. And so on the birthday of the kingship. "Y''om g'nusia d'malka." ''I.e. that the glorification of Israel is revealed. Then the soul that sees is affected. And His awe is revealed and falls upon all. And even on angels of heaven. And this is like (Ps. 68): "His grandeur is over Israel." When His grandeur and glory are revealed on Israel. And His strength in the heavens. Strength is like awe, as mentioned above. From where [do we know] that the tefillin are strength etc.? I.e. that His awe is revealed even upon angels of heaven? For the soul that sees is affected, as mentioned above.

And through the revelation of the glorification, which is like the revelation of the awe, through this is revealed the will. Which is like love. For this is the way of the king. "''B'yom g'nusia d'malka." ''When he dons clothes of glorification. At which time great awe falls upon all. And all fear and tremble before Him. After which the king reveals his desire to each and every one. And divides and gives out to each and every one according to his honor. According to the will of the king and his love that he has for each and every one. Which is the idea of love: And as through revelation of the glorification which the Tzaddikim reveal. That Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified with Israel. Through this they reveal the desires of Hashem Yithbarakh, that there are in each and every thing, as mentioned above. So. "B'yom g'nusia d'malka" which then is the revelation of the glorification. Then it is the revelation of His will, blessed-be-He. For afterwards he reveals his desire to each and every one. And gives them gifts and raises their horns for each and every one according to his will, as mentioned above. And this is like revelation of the love. For at first, at the time of revelation of the glorification, His fright and awe falls upon all. And afterwards when they see the will of the king and his nearness to each and every one. Through this they draw close to him and love him.

(Explanation: As through the glorification that Hashem Yithbarakh, is glorified with Israel, through this were all the desires of the Creation, as mentioned above. Likewise, through the awe that is made from revelation of this glorification, as mentioned above, through this is revealed afterwards the will that the king is reconciled afterwards to each and every one and draws them close in his will etc., as mentioned above, which is the idea of love as mentioned above: Hence, awe and love are drawn through the Tzaddik who reveals the glorification through which he finds all the desires that Hashem Yithbarakh, had in all the Creation etc. as mentioned above. Through which is made awe and love, as mentioned above).

And this is like (Ps. 89) "For you are the glory of their strength: and in your favor our horn shall be exalted." "Glory of their strength" — this is like the awe that is revealed through revelation of the glorification, as mentioned above. For strength is like awe, as mentioned above. And then "and in your favor our horn shall be exalted." For He reveals His will and raises the horns of each and every one, as mentioned above. Through which is revelation of the love as mentioned above: Hence the Tzaddik reveals the awe and the love:

2. And when the awe and the love are darkened at someone’s side. Like (Isa. 50) "I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering." "Heavens (ShaMaYiM) " is like fire and water (eSh u’MaYiM). I.e. awe and love are clothed in blackness and are darkened and are covered in sackcloth. I.e. that the awe and the love are darkened. This is because the light of the Tzaddik — from whom one receives awe and love, as mentioned above — is darkened at his side.

For sometimes it happens that the light of the Tzaddik is darkened at someone’s side, and he does not merit to understand and to see his great light, and even be he by the Tzaddik, he is not able to taste and to understand and to see the great light of the Tzaddik, through which he can come to the ultimate good. And like we found regarding Efron, that the place of the cave of Machpelah, which is the gate of the Garden of Eden, through which all the souls go up, and its light is very great, despite that, by him it was a place of gloom and darkness, and therefore he sold it in great joy to Avraham, as is related (Zohar Chayei Sarah 128). And likewise, when the light of the Tzaddik is darkened, which illuminates all the worlds, and all the more so this world, and despite this at his side it does not shine at all, on the contrary, it is darkness by him, this is because of corruption of the deeds and foolishness of the mind, since through evil deeds his mind is darkened into foolishness, i.e. lost knowledges and alien wisdoms, as is written (Jer. 4): "they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." For through their evil deeds they are not able at all to use their minds to do good, only to do evil, and through foolishness of the mind, through this he is not able to see and to understand the light of the Tzaddik.

3. And the fix for this, to suppress and to nullify the foolishness of the mind, is through the idea of the altar. For the main feeding of the foolishness, i.e. the shells, is only from the idea of the altar (see Zohar Terumah 139), i.e. the aspect of eating, for a man’s table atones like the altar (Berachot 55), and from there is their main feeding. And therefore even after the eating of a proper man, it is unavoidable that he will have slight confusion of the mind after the eating, and this is because the feeding of the foolishness is from there, but only it is necessary to not give life to the shells, except only in order to sustain them in restriction and no more, and then, when the altar is in its fix, i.e. that the eating is in fitness as is proper, then the shells are suppressed, i.e. the foolishness, for he does not give them power and life, except only in order to sustain them in restriction, which he is required to give to them, as is known, but he does not give them any power and life more than just to keep their life.

And therefore through eating properly the foolishness is suppressed, and the intelligence is raised, as we find in the gemara (Baba Kama 72): In the morning, however, he said to him: "... and the reason why I did not say this to you on the previous evening was because I had not yet partaken of beef. Hence, through his not having eaten, his mind was not clear, for through the eating, the foolishness is suppressed and the intelligence is grown; but when he eats like a glutton and drunkard, which is like blemishing of the altar, then feed the shells, i.e. the foolishness, more than the proper amount, and then the foolishness is strengthened upon the intelligence; but through eating as is fit, they are suppressed, as mentioned above.

And this is like (Zevachim 53): "The altar... in the portion of the ‘ravener,’ (ToReF)" which is like (Ps. 111): "He has given prey (TeReF) unto them that fear him," like eating properly, through which they suppress and ravage (ToRFim) them, i.e. the shells and the foolishness. But through blemish of the altar, i.e. blemish of eating, through this he gives power to the foolishness, and from "ravener (TOReF)" is made "insanity (TeRUF' hada`at)," which is strengthened by this, as mentioned above:

4. And restoring the blemish of the altar is through converts, for all the idol worship has no power except through blemish of the altar, and this is that which is written (Mal. 1) "and in every place [offerings are] burnt and offered unto my name," for although they be devoted to idol worship, all their power comes from blemish of parts of the altar, and therefore Hashem Yithbarakh, said "burnt and offered unto my name;" for their power is from the holy spark of the altar of holiness that fell there. And through the converts, through each one casting off his faith and going after the faith of Israel, through this he suppresses the idol worship, which is made from blemish of parts of the altar, and then the sparks of parts of the altar return to their place and the altar is restored.

And this is like (Num. 23): "he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey (TeReF), and drink the blood of the slain." And the translation: "And he shall inherit possessions of peoples," like "The altar... in the portion of the ‘ravener (TOReF),’" as mentioned above, and this is done through: "And he shall inherit possessions of peoples;" i.e. through converts, as our Sages of blessed memory said (Baba Batra 42. 53: 149. And in several places) regarding inheritance of the convert: Whoever is first on the possessions of the convert, merits:

5. But just how is it possible to make converts? — are they not quite far from the holiness of Israel? — and where does this come from, that it comes to their mind that they should convert? Just know, that this is done through the aspects of (Eccl. 19): "Wealth adds many friends;" i.e. through charity that one gives to a wise scholar, who is made up of several souls of Israel, for actually, how is it possible for a gentile to come to the faith of Israel? — are they not quite far from Israel? — and how is it possible to talk to them, that they should hear and come to the holy faith? — but, like when one is very far from another, and it is impossible to talk to him so that he can hear, it is necessary to write him some writing, so likewise it is necessary to send the idea of writing to them, until they can hear, though they be far. For the root of the sense of hearing is because the letters of the speech are engraved in the air, and the airs strike each other, until it comes to the ear of the hearer, and therefore when the air is still and pure and clear, then when one speaks who is able to speak, then the speech is heard from afar, as we see tangibly, but when there is stormy wind, then it is impossible for the other one to hear, for the wind confuses and scatters parts of the airs and they are scattered, until it is impossible for the other one to hear even the voice, and even less so, the speech itself:

And through charity he takes souls, for he takes to himself friends and lovers, as Monobaz said (Baba Kama 11): "My fathers gathered treasures of money, but I have gathered treasures of souls." Hence, the more one gives charity to people, through this one acquires more friends for himself, and through this love, that he acquires through charity, through this the air is purified, and the more they give charity to people and he acquires love with more people, through this the still and pure air is increased more, for the love is the cleaving of spirit to spirit, i.e. spirit of the lover to the loved, which is the idea of still air, that their spirits are at rest from each other, for there is no bad spirit, which is hatred, that would separate between them, for the hatred is like evil spirit, as is written (Jud. 9): "Then Elohim sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem;" and Rashi explained: hatred. Hence, hatred is like evil spirit, confusion of the air, through which they cannot hear the speech, and vice-versa, love and friendship is like still and pure air, through which the speech is heard from afar, and this is done through charity, like "wealth adds many friends;" since through charity he takes to himself friends and lovers, through which is made the aspect of the still and pure air, as mentioned above.

And likewise the more one gives charity to more people, the more the aspect of still and pure air is increased, for when he gives charity to one man, hence he acquires to him one lover, and then his spirit cleaves to his spirit, and a small area of still and pure air is made, and when he gives charity to two people, a greater area of still and pure air is made, and so the more he gives to more people and acquires to him more friends and lovers — like "wealth adds many friends" — the area of still and pure are is increased more and more; and therefore the main thing is to give charity to true Tzaddikim and to worthy poor ones, who are made of up several souls of Israel, for hereby he greatly grows the area of still and pure air, as mentioned above, for with the charity that he gives to them alone he acquires to himself very many friends, for they are made up of many souls, through which the aspect of still and pure air is increased more.

And then when the air is still and pure, then when the one speaks who can speak Israelite speech, i.e. holy speech, then this speech is written and engraved in the air, like (Ps. 45): "my tongue is the pen of a ready writer;" and then the speech goes and is heard from afar, like (Es. 9): "and his fame went out throughout all the provinces" for because the air is still and pure, they are able to hear from afar, and then this speech is written in the books of the nations, in various lands according to their writing, and then the nations find in their books the reverse of their faith, like we have found, several converts who converted because of this, because they found in their books the reverse of their faith. And where does this come from, that they should find now what is against their faith? — this comes but through the speech of the Tzaddik, which is engraved and written in the air, like: "my tongue is the pen of a ready writer;" and the air was still and pure through the aspect of "wealth adds many friends;" until the speech went out in the aspect of "and his fame went out throughout all the provinces" and was engraved and written there in their books, and through this aspect they found in their books the reverse of their faith, and through this they converted, as several converts who converted through this relate, through their finding in their books the reverse of their faith, and all this is drawn from the aspects mentioned above, as mentioned above.

And this is like (Es. 6): "And it was found written, that Mordechai had told." Mordechai is like the unbeliever at idol worship, as is written: "the Jewish man;" as our Rabbis of blessed memory said (Megillah 13): "Whoever denies the worship of stars and signs is called a Jew." i.e. that the words that Mordechai spoke, which are words of denial of worship of stars and signs, they were written in the air, until writing was found in their books, as mentioned above. And this is [the meaning of]: "And it was found written, that Mordechai had told," that the utterances which Mordechai spoke, which are utterances of faith of the true Tzaddik, was found written in their books, for the speech of the Tzaddik went afar, until it was written and inscribed there in their books, through which the reverse of their faith is found in their books, for it is found in their books holy speech which Mordechai spoke, who is like the Tzaddik, as mentioned above. And this is: "And it was found written, that Mordechai had told," as mentioned above. And then, when these nations come and find there the reverse of their faith, from this are made converts, like (Es. 8) "And many of the people of the land became Jews:"

6. But from just where does it come, that these ones specifically should find in their books the reverse of their faith and should come back and should recognize the faith of Israel, and the others should not find at all, and remain in their faith. Just know, that this is because of the aspect of good, that is suppressed under their hands, i.e. the aspect of parts of souls of Israel that is suppressed by them, for all the good is only the aspect of souls of Israel, i.e. when the nations strengthen up, they do not allow Israel to do mitzvot, like it was found, that they decreed that they should not circumcise their sons that they should desecrate Shabbat (see Rosh Hashana 19, Baba Batra 60: Me`ilah 17). Hence, the good that Israel needed to do, was suppressed under their hands, and also when they prevent Israel from serving Hashem Yithbarakh, through causes that they cause through taxes and property taxes that they levy on them, and also through their withholding benefits from Israel, through all this the good is suppressed under their hands, i.e. parts of souls of Israel.

And in the beginning this good that is suppressed by them remembers that it comes from a very holy and high place, but they just overcome this good and suppress it under their hands, until it is caught and tied by them, until the good itself forgets its loftiness, and through the Israelite speech, that goes out and is written in their books, as mentioned above, then this suppressed good there finds it in their books, i.e. it finds there the reverse of their faith, and then this good recalls its loftiness, how that it comes from a very high place, i.e. that it is parts of the souls of Israel, that all the worlds were created for them, and "These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants... there they dwelt with the king for his work" (Chron. I 4), for Hashem Yithbarakh, consulted with the souls of Israel to create the world (Bereishit Rabbah 8, Midrash Ruth 2), and then the good begins to be sorry and yearn because of it fell from such a high place, and is now suppressed under their hands, and will come, God forbid, to annihilation and loss, and it wants to go on and return to its place; and because the good is already tied and caught by them in ties of ties, therefore when the good begins to return, then it draws and tears off with itself more from their evil. And this is like the converts that come to convert, who are like the evil that is torn off from them with the good, through the good returning to its place, for it is impossible for the good to return to its place, because of the vastness of the tying that is very tied and clipped there, and it is unavoidable that it should tear off with it from the bad, and this is the idea of converts.

And this is like (Isa. 44): "and another shall subscribe with his hand unto Hashem," and Rashi explained: these are the returnees, i.e. the aspect of good, that returns back to its place. And this is done through the idea of the writing, as mentioned above, like "And it was found written, that Mordechai had told," as mentioned above. And these converts are called by the name Israel, for through the good returning back, through this are made converts, as mentioned above.

And this [is the idea of]: "neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land (ADMat) of Israel" (Eze. 13); i.e. when there is no aspect of Israelite writing, through which are made converts, as mentioned above, through this: "neither shall they enter into the land of Israel," i.e. that they do not merit to wholeness of the altar, which is called an altar of earth (ADaMah) (Ex. 20 and see Bereishit Rabbah 14), whose completion is through converts, as mentioned above [ADaM = man].

And this is (Chron. I 28): "All this, [said David], Hashem made me understand in writing by his hand upon me," because completion of the intelligence is through writing, as mentioned above, for through the writing mentioned above, like: "And it was found written, that Mordechai had told," through this are made converts, and through converts the altar is made whole, and through completion of the altar is the intelligence completed, as mentioned above. Hence, through the aspect of writing, mentioned above, is completed the intelligence, and this is: "All this, [said David], Hashem made me understand in writing by his hand upon me," as mentioned above.

And this is "to fix the world in the kingship of Shaddai (the Almighty), and all sons of flesh shall call in your name," this is like repentance, that the good returns to its place, as mentioned above, for Shaddai is like repentance, that one returns in repentance regarding the blemish of idol worship, for ShaDdaI is like "there is enough (she-yeSh DaI) in my Godliness for the whole creation," and no other worship is necessary. "To turn all the wicked of the land to you," this is like converts. "All dwellers of the earth shall recognize and know," this is like completion of the knowledge, which is made through this, as mentioned above.

And this is "And the Almighty be your treasure, and heights of silver unto thee," that through the aspect of heights of silver, i.e. like "wealth adds many friends," through which the air is made flying, that the air is purified, as mentioned above — through this is made the concept of Shaddai, i.e. repentance and converts, for Shaddai is like repentance, as mentioned above.

7. And know! that sometimes, when the evil sees that the good craves and draws itself out and wants to return to its place, then they strengthen upon the good even more, and bring it into extra concealment, i.e. they bring it into the insides of their thoughts, i.e. they begin to think thoughts about this good, and thereby they enter the good into more concealment and hiding in the insides of their thoughts, and then the good goes out through the birth that they bear, for the good is buried away and concealed in the insides of their thoughts and brains, as mentioned above, and from there is the birth, and therefore the good goes out in the seed of births, and then there is no power in the evil of the birth to overcome the good that is in them, and then the good goes out through the births, and converts are made.

And this is like (Ps. 87) "Hashem shall count, when he writes up the people, that this [man] was born there. Selah." "When he writes up" is like the good, which goes out through the aspect of the writing, as mentioned above. And this is: "this [man] was born there. Selah," that the good was clothed in the births and goes out through them, as mentioned above. And this is what Rashi explained: "this [man] was born there," that they are Israel who were assimilated into the nations, i.e. the aspect of the good that is suppressed by them, which is like parts of souls of Israel, as mentioned above.

And this is like "he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey," this is like completion of the altar, as mentioned above, "and drink the blood of the slain," and its translation: "And he shall inherit possessions of peoples," i.e. the aspect of converts, mentioned above. And this is: "And... possessions of peoples," i.e. the aspect of good that is covered by the nations, who brought it into concealment and hiding in the insides of their thoughts, as mentioned above, which goes out through the seed of birth and is made into converts, and hereby the altar is made whole, as mentioned above.

8. And this is the explanation of: '''R. Safra related: Once we travelled on board a ship and we saw a fish that raised its head out of the sea. It had horns on which was engraved: 'I am a minor creature of the sea, I am three hundred parasangs [in length] and I am [now] going into the mouth of Leviathan.' R. Ashi said: It was a sea-goat which searches [for its food] and [for that purpose] has horns (Baba Batra 74). Rashbam: I am a minor creature — among the small creatures in the water: into the mouth of Leviathan — since it shall eat me today: sea-goat — since whatever there is on land, there is in the sea, except for the rat. In non-holy slaughter: which searches — searches the sea with its horns to seek after its food.

We saw a fish that raised its head out of the sea etc. Fish is like the good, which are parts of souls of Israel that are with the converts, mentioned above, for with fish, their collection is their purification (see Chullin 27), this is like the parts of the souls, like: "He would gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath" (Job 34), and like converts, like (Ps. 47): "The princes of the people are gathered together;" this is why the sages are called "masters of gatherings" (Eccl. 12), since they gather the good with the converts. And this good with the converts raised its head out of the sea, i.e. it took out the intelligence from the flushing of the malicious waters, which is the foolishness that flushes over the intelligence, as mentioned above.

And it had horns on which was engraved: 'I am a minor creature of the sea, I am three hundred parasangs [in length] and I am [now] going into the mouth of Leviathan.' Horn is like charity, which is like "Wealth adds many friends," mentioned above, which is the main foundation lasting to the world-to-come, like the saying of Monobaz, "My fathers gathered treasures of money, but I have gathered treasures of souls." On which was engraved — i.e. through the charity is made engraving, like the writing mentioned above, as mentioned above, like: "and his fame went out throughout all the provinces," to the good that is suppressed among the nations, and wakes it in repentance to return to its root, for the good remembers itself. 'I am a minor creature of the sea,' i.e. I am above all the worlds. Sea (haYaM) — i.e. the letter Mem is four worlds; Yud is like the wisdom, that speads out in all the worlds, as is written (Ps. 104): "In wisdom you have made them all."

And this is: a minor creature of the sea i.e. like a light thing floats up, so the soul, which is the good, is above all the worlds. I am three hundred parasangs [in length] — i.e. the soul that was mentioned, which was like: "Israel went up in thought first," and Hashem Yithbarakh, consulted with it in the creation of the world, like: "These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants... there they dwelt with the king for his work," since he consulted with the souls of Israel at the time of creation of the world, i.e. that it recalls, that it was at such a high level, as mentioned above, and now it goes to annihilation and loss, God forbid. Three hundred ( שי"ן  — shin) is like the thought, which is divided into three heads: the mental thoughts, the characteristic thoughts, the active thoughts. Parasangs — like the foot, i.e. advice, as in (Ex. 11): "and all the people at your feet" — those who follow after your advice [Rashi]: i.e. the soul that was mentioned, which was first in the thought, and it was consulted and advised with in the creation of the world.

'And I am [now] going into the mouth of Leviathan.' i.e. to annihilation and loss, God forbid, and through this it has compassion on itself and arouses itself to return to its root, as mentioned above, and penitents and converts are made, as mentioned above. R. Ashi said: It was a sea-goat which searches [for its food] and [for that purpose] has horns — this is like strength, i.e. awe, like: "For you are the glory of their strength," mentioned above. Which searches — i.e. like the Tzaddik, who searches always after the glorification that is in every one of Israel, as mentioned above. And has horns — i.e., like: "and in your favor our horn shall be exalted;" i.e. the love that is revealed through the Tzaddik, as mentioned above, for through all the aspects mentioned above are revealed the light of the Tzaddik, through which they merit to awe and love, as mentioned above.

9. And this is: And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks — i.e. like: The heavens donned darkness and sackcloth etc. Heavens, i.e. awe and love, as mentioned above. And when they empty out the sackcloth and the darkness from the awe and the love, and behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack — bundle of money is like the Tzaddik, like (Prov. 7): "He has taken a bag of money in his hand," which are the Tzaddikim, as Rashi explained there. In his sack — i.e. that the light of the Tzaddik is darkened and clothed and covered in darkness and sackcloth, i.e. that they feel that the sackcloth and the darkness that was upon the awe and the love, this is because sackcloth and darkness, that the light of the Tzaddik is darkened for them, as mentioned above.

And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid, i.e. they saw and recognized, that their bundles of money were depending on the material and the form, which is called: '''they and their father. They is the material, which are the vessel of work, and their father '''is the intelligence, which is called father, like "father in wisdom;" i.e., as mentioned above, that revelation of the light of the Tzaddik, that their meriting to recognize and understand and taste and see his great light, is dependent on completion of the works and on purity of the intellect. And Ya`akov their father said unto them i.e. reproof of the intellect, which reproves the materials, which are the instruments of work, since he blames the stink on the instruments of work.

And this is: "Me have you bereaved of my children," that through the foul deeds they cause annihilation and loss to the intellect. YoSeF is not — this is like "Wealth adds (YoSiF) many friends," mentioned above. And ShiM`On is not — is like: "and his fame (v’ShaM`O) went out throughout all the provinces," which was done through the aspect of wealth adding, as mentioned above. And you will take Binyamin away is like "The altar... in the portion of the ‘ravener,’" who is Binyamin, since the main completion of the intellect depends on this, as mentioned above, i.e. since the intellect reproves and says, that the root of the lack, that the mind is clouded, is dependent only on the instruments of action, i.e. charity, which depends on the action, like (Isa. 32): "And the work of righteousness shall be;" through which is completed the intellect, as mentioned above, for when one gives charity, through this are made converts, as mentioned above, and thereby is completed the altar, which is like a man’s table, i.e. that they merit to eat in holiness, and then the intellect is completed, and then they merit to see the light of the Tzaddik, and thereby they receive from him the awe and the love, as mentioned above.