Kedushat Levi
קדושת לוי
Sefaria Community Translation
https://www.sefaria.org
Kedushat Levi
Letters of Approbation
Genesis
Bereshit
In the beginning E-lohim created heaven and earth (Genesis 1:1) ~ the general rule is that the Blessed Creator created all, and is all, and the Creator's flow does not stop ever, because in every moment God continuously flows [God's presence] to what is created, and to all the worlds, and all the halls, and all the messengers [angels] and to all the holy beings. And that is why we say "forms light and creates darkness", and not "formed light and created darkness" with a past tense language, since at every moment the Creator flows life-force to all living things, and all is from the Creator, Blessed Be, and the Creator is absolutely complete. And the Creator includes all, and therefore when a person comes to [the state of] nothingness, and knows that they really aren't, that the Creator gives them strength [to exist] then they recognize the Creator through the aspect of "One who Forms", that is, through the present tense, meaning, even at this very moment God forms. Indeed, when a person looks at themselves, and does not see "nothing", they are in the level of "there is" and then that person is recognizing the Creator just with the aspect "formed", meaning, God created the person and that's it, and therefore we say "that formed the human in wisdom", since wisdom is the aspect of "something". Therefore, [in that case] it is more appropriate to say "formed" and not "forms". And therefore, it is said in the writings of the Ariz"l, that "Hashem reigns" is the aspect of "nothing", since "Hashem reigns" at this very moment, giving to a person life-force. And this is the aspect of "nothing", since we are nothing, only that the Creator gives to us strength. And behold, [the aspect of ] "Nothing" behaves with everything through "above nature" and [the aspect of] "Something" behaves through "in nature". And isn't it that the connection that we make between these two aspects of Something and Nothing come through the mitzvah and the Torah, that is called "the life-force going back and forth" (Ezekiel 1:14); and this is what the Zohar wrote (Zohar Bereshit 11:133-134), since mitzvot and Torah [are in the aspect of] hidden and revealed, since 'hidden' hints to "Nothing" and 'revealed' hints to "Something", which is the connection of Something to Nothing, and of Nothing to Something, and therefore it is called Mitzvah, since Mem-Tzadi in Atbash [reversing the letters, Alef becomes Tav, Bet becomes Shin etc] is Yud-Vav [י"ה] and the letters Vav-Hey [ו"ה] of the word Mitzvah are in the aspect of Something and therefore the letters י"ה are in the aspect of Hidden. And let us explain this: what is the hidden and the revealed in a mitzvah. This, that when we act in a mitzvah and we give pleasure to the Holy Blessed Name, is concealed in that we do not see it. And this, that we make goodness for ourselves, we see it. And this is the explanation for "the secret things are for Hashem our God [and the revealed things are for us and our children]" (Deuteronomy 29:28): the "secret things" are the aspect of concealed in the mitzvah that we do to God, that what we act on God is hidden from us. "And the revealed things" are the aspect of revelation to us and our children, that is, this that we bring down Flow, that is revealed to us. And this is "in a beginning God created" - the explanation is that the Holy Blessed name created "Something", which is the beginning, and through this the creation of heaven and earth came into being, since before everything it became into being through "Nothing", and this is what the Targum Yerushalmi says: "in wisdom created, etc" (Targum Jerusalem, Genesis 1:1) because Wisdom is the aspect of "Something".
And one can say: In the beginning created God E"T (Genesis 1:1). We see that behold, all the worlds and all the angels and the lower world receive Flow from the Blessed Creator, and all the life-force of all the worlds are simply from God, Blessed, as Elyiahu z"l said: 'and were You to separate from them etc' (based on Patach Elyiahu, Tikkunei Zohar 17b:1; can't find the last three quoted words). And behold, the worlds are not able to receive the Flow from the Blessed One unless through Filters and through a few Contractions as it is known from the writings of the Ariz"l, since all the worlds are only realized and made possible as they oppose the Flow that comes out from the Blessed One; even the pure thought, which is the most imperceptible of the imperceptible is rough and realized compared to the life-force that comes continually from the Blessed One, and therefore, before God created the world, God created worlds through which the Flow could filter itself, the Blessed Creator, so that through this the worlds would be able to receive the Flow that comes continually from the Blessed One. And those worlds are sparkling clean, and regarding them it is said "your soul will be sated in the sparkling ones" (Isaiah 58:11)
Noach
These are the generations of Noach (Gen. 6:9) it appears that - behold - there are two types of righteous people that serve the Creator. One is the righteous that serves the Blessed Creator with great enthusiasm, and is separated from others, and does not mingle with evil people to inspire them to become servants of the Blessed Creator. This type of righteous person serves the Creator alone. And there is another righteous, who serve the Creator and inspires evil people to return, so they too will serve the Creator, just as Avraham our father, who made converts. And it is written in the writings of the Ariz"l that Noach was punished for this, for the fact that he did not admonish the evil people in his generation, and so he was reincarnated in Moshe, and Moshe fixed that, since he was admonishing Israel constantly. And this is the explanation for what the Rabbis z'l said (Kiddushin 40a) "One who is good both for Heaven and for people [is a good righteous person; one who is good for Heaven but bad for people is a righteous person who is not good] since this righteous person that serves God and brings the evil people closer, so they will also be servants of Hashem, is called 'good for Heaven', since the righteous serves the Blessed Creator and also is good for people, given that the righteous draws people to serve Hashem. But Noach did not do so, as explained. And it is known what our sages z"l said (Sanhedrin 19b) "anyone who teaches Torah to someone else's child is as if they had given birth to them", as it is written regarding Avraham our father 'and the souls they made in Haran' (Gen. 12:5). According to this, Avraham made many converts and therefore regarding Avraham it is not said "these are the generations" as it is written regarding Noach, since he had no generations, and this, that the text continues 'Noach begot three children etc' and not more, as explained, [and this is the explanation why the text separates between generations and the listing of the children] has a reason: "Noach walked with God" meaning, only with God, and not with others. Noach would serve the Blessed Creator alone, but did not walk with other people in order to bring them closer and inspire them to serve the Blessed Creator. Therefore, the text says again "and he begot" only "three children, Shem etc". And it would have been better "these are the generations of Noach". And this is the explanation for "and Noach found favor in God's eyes" (Gen. 6:8) - it should have said "Noach received favor in the eyes of God", according to what is explained above it would have been better, since it is known that the people from the generation of the flood were debauched, and Noach was righteous, complete, and would raise that grace towards holiness, and the generation of the flood would bring it to the husks (kelipot) and Noach did not admonish them. And this is the explanation for "Noach found favor in God's eyes": Noach found favor, meaning, he saw that there was a way of finding favor in this world, and he found favor in the eyes of God, that is, he raised it towards holiness, but only in the eyes of God, not in the eyes of other people, as explained.
Lech Lecha
Vayera
“Ad-nai appeared to him in the groves of Mamre.” (Genesis 18:1) - there is a need to see carefully why the text did not say "and Hashem appeared to Avraham" and why his name is not mentioned. And it seems that as the Blessed Creator is showers Flow to the creations, there is a Flow that is not yet constricted in the worlds. And behold the Flow that is constricted in the worlds is constricted through letters, for example, [in] the world of the seraphim [the constriction happens] in burning letters, and this is the same in all their worlds, and so too in the lower world, to each person according to their letters, meaning, to Avraham the Flow was constricted according to Avraham's constriction, and so to every single person. And behold, a person who serves the Blessed Name with self-sacrifice then that person expands themselves/releases themselves from the letters and clings to the Flow that is not yet constricted in the letters. And behold, our father Avraham PBUH circumcised himself in old age, and was serving the Blessed Creator through self-sacrifice, and through this he released himself from his letters, because he was clinging to the Flow that was not constricted, and so his name is not mentioned at all. And this is "Ad-nai appeared to him", in which he is not designated by his name at all.
“when he looked out, here three men were standing on top of him” (Genesis 18:2) The Holy Zohar explains that these three men are “Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov.” Clearly, we must try to understand the words of the Zohar. It is known that our father Avraham, PBUH always served God with love, and yet with the circumcision he served God with awe, and awe is Strength (Gevurah), as the circumcision cuts the orlah off, and with that act he cut off all the husks, as explained in the writings of the Arizal, and so he conquered all the husks (kelipot). If so, then in [performing his own] circumcision our father Avraham PBUH had both love and awe. Love is the level Avraham, and awe is Strength, the level of our father Itzchak PBUH, that on the moment he circumcised he served God with the trait of Strength. And it is known that in every place and moment where there is love and awe, which are fire and water, there must be the trait that balances [them], which is Tiferet/Balance, the aspect of our father Yaakov. This is because Yaakov is balance and therefore, in circumcision, which is love and awe, there must be Tiferet present too, since it balances. And if so, there were three aspects and traits [present in that moment], which are Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. And through this the explanation written in the holy Zohar can be understood: "and he raised his eyes and saw and behold three men were standing on him" that he saw then Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. And sit with this to understand.
On the verse “when he saw, he ran towards them” (Genesis 18:2) - since Avraham was hurting from the circumcision, and since regarding anyone who is sick there is an extra measure of compassion, and Avraham fortified himself at that point and ran towards them, he did then the trait of Strength, and so he merited the soul of Yitzchak, which is this trait. And so one sees here that the trait of both Avraham and Yotzchak, and in every instance that there is Avraham and Yitzchak there is also Yaakok. And this is "and he saw and behold three men": Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov.
And let it be clarified [regarding] "he saw, he ran towards them" (Genesis 18:2). Behold, a tzadik is able to discern, when they see other people, whether the person is good or not, meaning, when a tzadik sees a person and lucidity and a great light comes to the tzadik, then that person is good, and if not, if lucidity does not fall on the tzadik, then the person is not good. And this is what the text says "and he lifted his eyes and saw", meaning, that a lucidity and a great light fell on him due to the seeing [them]. And immediately "he ran towards them".
Chayei Sara
And the life of Sarah was one hundred etc (Genesis 23:1) - it appears to me, with the help of Heaven, [that this can be explained] according to what our sages of blessed memory said (Nedarim 64b), and is brought by Rashi on Parashat Vayetze on the verse "if not, I'm dead" (Genesis 30:1) that every woman who does not have children is called "dead", only when she has children she's called alive. And the saying of our sages z"l is known (Shabbat 156a) that Hashem said to Avraham our father PBUH: "get out of your astrology" since "Sarai will not give birth, but Sarah will" (Bereshit Rabbah 44:10). Behold she was born under a star configuration that she wouldn't give birth, only due to her good deeds she merited that her star configuration was changed, as our sages z"l say "why did our mothers were all barren? Because the Holy One of Blessing desires the prayers of the righteous (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 2? See Yevamot 64a:9). Behold, due to her prayers and her good deeds she merited a son, and so she was called alive and not dead. And this is what the text says: "years of the life of Sarah", meaning, that Sarah brought life to her years, through her good deeds and prayers she caused that she would have life, meaning, that she merited a child through the good deeds that through this she was not called dead, only living. And this is the life of Sarah, that Sarah caused life to her years, and sit with this to understand.
(2) There is more to say on "and this was the life of Sarah, 100 years etc" (Genesis 23:1) - it seems that all the days of her life she was clinging always to the Holy Blessed Name Havayah, and it was from this that she received aliveness, and never from the other side etc, God forbid. And this is the explanation for the fact that "life of Sarah" only comes after "and it was", meaning, from the Blessed Name Havayah, and sit with this to understand.
(3) And Avraham was old, coming in years and Ad-nai blessed Avraham with all (Genesis 24:1). Through this we can understand the the saying of our sages z"l "until Avraham there was no old age" (Sanhedrin 107b). The issue is that there are two different aspects in [types of] the Flow. There is the Flow on the level of evaluation, according to the worlds. To this one, this Rule Flows and Develops; and to the higher worlds, for each and every one of them, there is a defined Rule. And there is [also] a Flow that continuously flows from the Creator of Blessed Name, that does not comes with any limitation, due to the fact that that Flow is connected at this very moment to the Source of Life, it follows that there is no Rule or Quota for its continuation from the Source. And this second type of Flow that necessarily continues from the Source that has no limitation, from that one only Israel absorbs, God's separated people. [And] because of the extreme force with which they cling to the Blessed Creator, they are able to continue this Flow, and the other nations absorb the first type of Flow that comes in limitation and measure. And it is to this [teaching] that the verse says "and these are the generations of Ishmael, twelve princes for their nations (l'umotam) - from the expression amah (cubit/maidservant) that measures her son, which is the Flow that comes in measure and limitation. However, regarding Israel the verse says "according to their families, according to their ancestral houses" - that they absorb the Flow that comes from the Higher Will. Ancestors [avotam] from the expression "consent to my yibum", which is an expression of will. And this issue can be explained through an allegory: an artisan makes a vessel, and before making this vessel, it is already carves and real in the artisan's mind, in color and shape, and at the end the artisan brings out to reality the vessel through the force of the artisan's action. Behold, the thought brings down the action, and it is called "father" and the action "child", and the thought itself comes from the will. The will is the "father" of the thought, and the action is called "grandchild" regarding the will. So too Israel continues the Flow from the Holy Blessed name, and after that continue the Flow to the limitations and definitions, and define how to continue the Flow, and after that they bring to this world, already marked in action in the world, and therefore the Flow is called "grandchild", and the Will is called "elder" in relation to the Flow that comes to the worlds. And this is what the text says "Grandchildren are the crown of their elders, and the glory of children is their parents."(Proverbs 17:6) meaning, the Flow that comes from the Will, called is elder as it comes to the worlds, is called "grandchildren", and this is how the generation of the grandchildren continues from the generation of the elders.
Toldot
Vayetzei
Vayishlach
Vayeshev
Miketz
Homilies for Chanukah
In Kislev falls Chanukah. Kislev corresponds to Yaakov, and through Yaakov came miracles, as it is known, and therefore a miracle happened in this month, which is the third month counting the beginning of the year from Tishrei. [Kislev] corresponds to Levi in tribes, and therefore a miracle happened through the hands of the Kohanim, the Hasmonean and his sons, since the kohanim are from the tribe of Levi.
The general rule is, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur the Holy One of Blessing remembers Yisrael for good, and only on Chanukah Yisrael sees the good in the mind and in thoughts (intellectually). This is because the expression "eyes of the congregation" is explained by Rashi z"l as "sages of the congregation" (see Rashi on Bamidbar 15:24) and therefore in Chanukah, [the miracle is celebrated] by lights, since this is an expression of seeing/vision, and after that Purim [the miracle is celebrated] in speaking, since we read the Megilah, and on Pesach [the miracle is celebrated] in deed, which is eating matzah. And therefore Chanukah is [celebrated using] vision, and is on the month of Kislev, connected to "the inhabitants of Cnaan saw" (Gen. 50:11), which teaches regarding seeing.
The dedication [chinuch] of the Tabernacle was on the first day of Nissan. The dedication of the First Temple was on Tishrei, the dedication of the Second Temple was on Kislev, each of them according to its aspect. The miracles that happened in the Tabernacle were connected to Nissan, and that is why the dedication happened on Nissan. And in the Second Remple the Hasmonean miracle was in Kislev, and therefore the dedication was on Kislev, and the dedication of the First Temple was on Tishrei. The general rule of the Tabernacle was that the body understands that there is a Creator of the World, Blessed! And the Temple is that the soul (neshamah) understands that there is a Creator of the World. And this, that the soul understands the that there is a Creator of the World happens on Tishrei because of the pardoning of sins, and then the soul comprehends the Creator of the World; and in Nissan the body understands that there is a Creator of the World because through all the miracles and wonders the body understands. And therefore the Temple is called "Eternal Place" [Beit Olamim see I Kings 8:13] because the soul is [complete] existence, and the body is not [complete] existence. And this is the hint of what our sages z"l said: "From where do we know that the Temple is called Tabernacle, and Tabernacle is called Temple?" (Eruvin 2a) because in truth this, that the body experiences enjoyment, it is also that the soul experiences enjoyment, since the existence of the body is also the existence of the soul in this world, to serve the Creator, Blessed, and Blessed the Name, and this, that the soul does, that the soul serves the Blessed Creator is also enjoyment for the body. And this is the hint in Tabernacle, that is the body, that is called Temple, and Temple, that is called Tabernacle. And sit with this thought.
And we will explain, with help from Heaven, what our sages z"l said: "regarding the light of Chanukah they dispute, one says it is permissible to make use of its light, another says it is forbidden" (Shabbat 22a) [we will explain] through a parable. A great king came to the house of a poor person, and in the regular way of things when a great king arrives we see [to him] honor due to his riches and greatness. And behold the poor person also becomes happy when they see the immensity of the king's riches, since never in their lives have they seen such riches together. And the poor who is wise does not get happy when they see the immensity of the king's riches, because they know that regarding the king being rich is a small thing, what brings such a poor happiness is the fact that they merited the coming of the king being a guest in their house. So too this thing, that as the Blessed One make miracles with human beings, one is happy due to the good that came to that person individually, that the Holy One of Blessing did specifically for them, and they are similar to the poor that becomes happy when they saw the riches of the king. So one is happy that the Holy One of Blessing did these things for him, and the other does not become happy due to miracles, because the other knows that the Holy One of Blessing created all worlds and is able to do any and every thing. That person's happiness is because they see that when the Holy One of Blessing does a miracle, it really is that the Holy One of Blessing is, as it were, garbing Godself in humans, and so that person is as the poor person who is happy because such a great king came to be that person's guest, and is, as it were, garbing Godself to come into human beings. And this is the dispute of "one says it is permitted to make use of the light" - that corresponds to the person who is happy that the Holy Blessed Name did a miracle for that person, and this is happiness of this world. The one to whom the Holy Blessed Name gave goodness, [and sees] the world as given to enjoy, says it is permissible to use the light. And the "one who says it is forbidden to make use of the light" - that corresponds to the one that is happy because he merited that God garbed God's clear light in human beings, and does not think of oneself at all, that they received goodness, [that person is only happy] that they merited that the Holy Blessed Name garbed Godself in that person, and since that person thinks that this world is nothing, only [directs oneself] upward from the world, does not [see] that the world is to enjoy, since "no eye has seen God, only You" (Isaiah 64:3), then that person thinks that is forbidden to make use of the light.
In the Shemone Esre we say "and regarding all Your miracles that are every day with us" - with us, precisely, in that we act through our actions that You will make miracles with us. "And for Your wonders and Your goodness that are every moment, evening, morning and midday" and "with us" is not mentioned, because we do not cause [them] rather that [God] makes them flow due to God's lovingkindness, as it were, without any arousing from below. And I will explain to you, with help from Heaven, that the miracles from the Exodus from Egypt were made by the Holy Blessed One through God's great lovingkindness without any Lower Arousing, which is not the case with Hanukkah. Those miracles were a little bit also due to the lower ones, since the Hashmonai and his sons were fighting with valor the evil Antiochus, may his name be erased. Therefore we say in Hanukkah "May the favor of the Lord, our God, be upon us. let the work of our hands prosper, prosper the work of our hands!" (Ps. 90:17) - to hint that the miracle of Hanukkah was brought a bit by the works of our hands, in the war, despite the fact that the Blessed Name prospered the work of our hands, that the Holy Blessed One made us successful through the works of our hands, that we won the war.
In Daniel it is written that the kingdom of Antiochus is similar to a goat (see Daniel 8:5) and in the zemirot of Shabbat it is said: "the goat grew its strength" (Baruch Hashem Yom Yom, see also Daniel 8:8) because the goat ('ez) is the one that is insolent (m'eiz) as our sages z"l in the second chapter of Beitza that that is why it is called ez (Beitzah 25b), and you don't have a greater insolent that the kingdom of the evil Antiochus, that lead more than any other, as it is known: whoever transgresses the command of the king in his house is a greater leader than one who transgresses the command of the king outside the house, and so this insolent wanted to make everyone transgress the will of the King inside the Temple, and while it was standing, and this was not the case with the Egyptians, or the Medes and Persians, that then there was no Temple at all, and that is why he is called the great goat, because he was the greatest insolent.
What we pointed out as a difficult in the book "Kedushat Levi", which we wrote, namely: why did they made a yearly celebration of the miracle of Hanukkah, but not of Gideon and Hezekiah. And it is possible to answer that the downfall of Sancheriv and Sisera was on Passover, as it is mentioned in the Agadah and midrashim, however, if that is so, why did they made a yearly celebration of the miracle of Haman, that is Purim - wasn't Haman hanged on Passover?[...]
On Hanukkah we light 36 candles, and the Service of Below arouses Above to light 36 lights, and 36 of Above with 36 of Below is 72, corresponding to the 72 Names of the Blessed One, and counting the shamash we get 44, and with corresponding 44 from Above we get 88 [פ"ח]. And the hint behind 88: "the trap פח broke and we were saved" (Ps. 124:7). Through the trap that was broken, the kingdom of Antiochus, we cause Below and Above to light 88 lights, and therefore the Arizal wrote that the first letters of "We set our hope on the LORD, נפשינו חכתה לה'" (Ps. 33:20) is 88 [נ+ח+ל], and so we light the lights of Hanukkah, the letters of פ"ח, see there. And this is due to the fact that the first letters of the blessing of the candles of Hanukkah are also 88, a hint to the 88 lights as we explained above.
Our sages z"l said "the lightening makes the mitzvah" (Shabbat 22b). This is to say that a person needs to become a flame (set oneself on fire, become ardent) in their service, and this is the lightening, and because the ardor can be for empty things, the tzadik only becomes ardent for holiness, and this is called resting since rest [ie setting] is called 'the vessel in which the love is inserted', that by the insertion of the love into the vessel there is resting of the love that rests upon the thing. And this is 'one who says resting [setting the candles] makes the mitzvah', that the lightening will insert love into the vessel, that will become ardent in its service, and this is what the true sages hinted at that the setting the candles is the character trait of kingship, that through this [one is] making the Creator king, by becoming ardent there is rest in the service to the Blessed Creator.
In the writings of the Ari, z"l, regarding the secret of the 36 candles of Hanukkah and the connection with the 8 shamashim, behold that makes 44, which corresponds to the name Ehyeh אהי"ה in degrees, that is, א' + א"ה + אה"י + אהי"ה + - which is in gematria 44, and adding the name itself, 45, and behold it is 88 with the kollel (?), which is the first letters of "to light the Hanukkah light"; up to here are his words. And on a general overview it is not understood, what is the idea behind adding those two names to the issue of Hanukah light? I think it can be explained as follows:
Vayigash
Vayechi
Exodus
Shemot
Vaera
Bo
Beshalach
Yitro
Mishpatim
Terumah
Tetzaveh
Homily for Purim
Remember what etc you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear: he did not fear God. (Deut. 25:17-18) It seems, that it is not only for this that the seed of Israel is being commanded regarding the erasing of Amalek, which is from the seed of Esav. Rather, every person in Israel needs to erase the evil part that is concealed in one's heart, that is known by the name Amalek. This is because whenever the seed of Amalek is found in the world it is found in the human being, since the human is a small world, and therefore there is a reality to "Amalek", to the force of evil inside every human being, which arises every time to make a human being sin, and is regarding this that the remembrance comes in the Torah. And behold, the strength of the seed of Israel is only found in the mouth, since "the voice, is the voice of Yaakov", [found] in the Torah [study] and in prayer, when a person has this force always burning within towards the Holy One of Blessing, then no evil can control him. But, when a person allows this force to rest then immediately [s/he is under the verse] "and they left Refidim" meaning "their hands became weak [rafah]" and instantly "and Amalek came", instantly evil takes over. But when a person seizes in any instance the character trait of "awe", meaning, one is in awe of the Holy One of Blessing and will not transgress God's commandments, in any instance he won't come to sin. And this is why "you were famished and weary" is written, that you did not have inside you the force of the seed of Israel, that their hands were weakened and did not serve God. "And did not fear God" - and from this you need to remember strongly, so that the force of Amalek will not make you stumble. And this is why it is written "And it was, when Moses raised his hand" (Exodus 17:11) this means the force that is known by the name "hand" - when a person raises that force, then "and Israel prevailed." But when he allowed that force to rest, then - God forbid - "and [the other side] prevailed, etc.
Ki Tisa
Shekalim
Parah
Vayakhel
Pekudei
When Betzalel constructed the Tabernacle and all its components, i.e. the menorah which represented the attribute of love, the table which reflected the attribute of awe, and the furnishings representing other Divine attributes, those attributes are contained in the Torah, and the Torah is the essence of the Creation of the Universe. Our sages (Berachot 55a) alluded to this when they said: Betzalel knew how to combine the letters with which the heaven and earth were created. This enabled Betzalel to fashion the various furnishings of the Tabernacle so that they reflected the attributes which we mentioned. Betzalel did not know, however, to which particular commandment in the Torah each one of the vessels he fashioned corresponded - meaning, this vessel represents love, and is also represented in this mitzvah, and so on for all the mitzvot and all the other vessels. So Betzalel would just make the vessels that represented the attribute of awe, and so too with all the other vessels that point out the rest of the attributes. It was therefore left for Moshe our teacher, PBUH, connected each vessel to a commandment in the Torah, in which there was that attribute. And this is the establishing of the Mishkan, that Moshe could not do alone, meaning, connecting the Mishkan to the mitzvot of the Torah. And this is the reason they dismantled the Mishkan when they went through the desert and set it up again when they stopped, because it is known that Israel would go through the desert to raise the sparks that fell in the externals [klipot] there in the desert, to raise them to holiness. And from the Ba'al Shem Tov it is known that the raising of those sparks happens when we see something physical, and needless to say even when it is something evil, G-d forbid, then we can serve the Holy Blessed Creator in that in this thing there is love or awe or the rest of the attributes, and through that we can raise that thing. Meaning, when something shows evil love, the good love that is in it can be rescued - the love that the Holy Blessed One has for this world - only through the love for the Blessed Creator such sparks are raised. And so too with the rest of the attributes, that is, the attribute of awe to the awe of Hashem, when we see that in this place there is evil awe, G-d forbid, then we can raise it to holiness, and all the other attributes can be raise in this fashion. And behold the dismantling of the Mishkan is that the attributes are not connected to the mitzvot, and this is when they were walking in the desert, and when they came to a place in which there was love that was not good, then they could arouse the love, meaning, the love of Hashem, which is the essence of Love, and so too with the attribute of awe, and the attribute of harmony, as explained. And after raising that love, and that awe, then they set up the Mishkan, meaning, they connected the attributes with the mitzvot of the Holy Blessed One. When a person has within Love of Hashem, or Awe of Hashem and does not do the mitzvah in which that attribute is contained, then the Love and the Awe are not established in the world, but when the person does the mitzvah which contains that attribute, then there is establishing [in the world] of that attribute. And therefore they established the Mishkan after they raised the sparks, and then they made the attributes cling to the mitzvot, and through this they represented the establishment of the Mishkan so it would have a permanent establishment in holiness, and this, Moshe our teacher alone could not accomplish, to establish the Mishkan, to connect the mishkan with the Torah.
Leviticus
Vayikra
Tzav
Shmini
Homily for Pesach
Blessed be the Omnipresent, Blessed be He [...] Corresponding to four sons did the Torah speak: The ARI (R. Yitzchak Luria), may his memory be blessed, wrote on the verse (Isaiah 6:2), "with two he covered his face, with two he covered his legs, and with two he would fly": That principle that it is forbidden for a person to investigate what his intellect cannot grasp about the service of the divine, God forbid - and that it is like heresy about a fundamental principle, like the statement of our Sages, may their memory be blessed, (Hagigah 11b), "It is forbidden, etc. what is above" - that is, "with two he covered his face." And, "with two he covered his legs," is that a person should not say, if so, I will not investigate even that which his intellect grasps. That is forbidden. Just the opposite! A person must investigate what his intellect grasps. However to investigate that which his intellect does not grasp - that is forbidden! Because in truth, God, may He be blessed, is without end (Ein-sof), so it is impossible for any created being to grasp Him. (The end of this is missing.)
Or one could say, since "You made them all with wisdom", everything in the world was made with wondrous wisdom. Therefore,when the Holy Blessed One changes the orders of creation, it is as if They nullify Their wisdom, as if such a thing could be. This is like the way a father speaks to his young child. The father's love for his child leads him to contract (metzamtzem) his adult intellect and speak with the child according to his capabilities. Similarly, based on the greatness of Their love, the Blessed One performs for us signs and wonders and changes the orders of creation. This is "peh sach", the conversing mouth [discussed in point 5 above as an idea of Passover], from the language of the verse, (Habakkuk 3:6) "the age-old mountains are shattered ("sachu", double meaning 'to converse')" referring to when they descend from their level.
Shir HaShirim
Tazria
Many difficulties relate to the eighth day, etc. And it seems that there is a divine awakening, as the Holy One, blessed be He, has compassion on Israel because of His attribute of mercy and grace, for which He created all the worlds, as our sages of blessed memory said, "Because He is called merciful, etc." (Talmud Bavli, Berachot 7a).
Metzora
Achrei Mot
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukotai
Numbers
Bamidbar
Nasso
For the Sefira
We need to explain why out of all the mitzvos of the 613 mitzvos , why there is no Shehechianu blessing on the mitzveh of counting the omer. There is in the writing of the Ariz"l regarding the verse (Shemos 3:12) "You will serve G-d upon this mountain", it is known that when Israel was in Egypt, they were sunken in 49 levels of impurity and The Blessed Holy One, in His Great mercy and kindness, redeemed them from Egypt in order to bring them close, under the wings of The Holy Presence. Because of this, they were required to count 7 cleanings. Without counting the 7 cleanings, it would not be feasible to bring them close under the wings of The Holy Presence, as is known. And the explanation of the verse "You shall serve G-d", is that you will perform the 50 [countings] verbally. We find that there is a constant desire for the counting to be complete and for the closeness to be achieved. There is a constant desire to complete the days of counting. If it was feasible to complete the days of counting in one moment and immediately begin the closeness [with The Holy Presence], how good and pleasant it would be. We therefore find that it is not appropriate to say the blessing of Shehechianu on this [counting due to the desire for the counting to be over with so that we can be close with The Holy Presence].
Homily for Shavuot
Beha'alotcha
Sh'lach
Korach
Chukat
Balak
How good are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel - [this can be understood] through "make your Torah (study habits) fixed" - Jacob is a lower level and Israel is a higher level. And this is the explanation of "how good are your tents Jacob", that you make your work temporary. "Your dwelling places, Israel" is your Torah (study habits) should be fixed.
Pinchas
Matot
Masei
Deuteronomy
Devarim
Megillat Eicha
Vaetchanan
For Shabbat Nachamu
Eikev
Re'eh
Shoftim
Ki Teitzei
Ki Tavo
Nitzavim
Haftarah of Nitzavim
For Rosh HaShanah
With trumpets and the voice of the Shofar, sound out before Adonai the King (Psalms 98:6). Let us explain in the manner of parable and metaphor - that of a moral king who traveled to a great forest to amuse himself in hunting animals and birds. He came to a valley in the forest and couldn't find the path straight, true path of the king to return home. He saw villagers in the forest and asked them about the path but they didn't recognize the king and they don't know how to answer him. Because they'd never known the straight, true path of the king! Finally, he found a wise and understanding man and asked him about the path. The wise man understood that this was the king and he became shocked and drew back. He heard him and immediately showed him the path, because in his great wisdom he knew the straight, true path of the king, and he took the king to his palace and sat him down upon his throne. He found favor in the eyes of the king, who lifted him up among the ministers of the kingdom, and dressed him in fine clothing, and appointed him to his treasury. After some time, the man sinned against the king and the king became angry and ordered the highest ministers in the kingdom to judge the man according to his transgressions against the king's commandments. The man suffered much because he knew the judgement would go extremely bad for him, according to the manner that he had sinned against the king. He threw himself down before the king and begged for his life and implored him that before the verdict was passed that he might grant a request in one matter: to dress him in his original clothes that he was wearing at the time he took the king from the woods. The king agreed to do so. And so it was that when he dressed the man in those clothes, the king remembered the great kindness the man did did for him in returning him to his palace and sitting him on his throne. His compassion was stirred and he forgave the sin against him and restored the man to his place. Now this has been a parable: so too with us, the people of the House of Israel - that at the time of the giving of the Torah, the Holy Blessed One offered every nation in every language that they might accept the Torah, but they did not want it. But us, the people of the House of Israel, accepted the Torah with great joy and gladness, and we preceded understanding with action. We accepted upon ourselves the yoke of Heavenly Rule and made it our King over us and accepted God's commandments and holy Torah. And now we have trespassed and rebelled against God. And on Rosh Hashanah, we are afraid of the day of judgement, of the hidden verdict against each person according to their deeds. Therefore, we sound the shofar and dress in the clothes we wore at the time of the giving of the Torah, when we accepted the Torah and raised God as our King with the shofar, as it is written, "the voice of the shofar grew louder," (Exodus 19:19). This is in order that God will remember us according to that merit and forgive us our sins and trespasses and exempt us from judgement and write us for a long, good life, amen, may it be God's will.
Vayeilech
Ha'Azinu
V'Zot HaBerachah
Likutim
“As for me, may my prayer come to You, O Lord, at a favorable moment; O God, in Your abundant faithfulness, answer me with Your sure deliverance” (Psalms 69:14). The general rule, as it is explained in the holy Zohar, is that a person must cling to the prayer of the forefathers when he is praying. And, “As for me, may my prayer,” hints to this: Prayer indicates the trait of love. For when a person serves [God] with the trait of love, he is clinging to the trait of Avraham. And ‘prayer (tefilah)’ is an expression of connectedness – from the usage, “the bonds (naftulei) of God” (Genesis 30:8). “To You, O Lord, at a favorable moment” – that is the trait of awe, the trait of Yitzchak. Then one needs a favorable moment; whereas when a person is clinging to the trait of love, then it is always a favorable moment. But with the trait of awe, he accordingly needs a favorable moment. For how can one make a request when he is standing in awe? As the trait of awe is from afar, like it is stated in the verse (Exodus 20:15), “and the people saw and they trembled, and stood far off.” But after the awe, God, may He be blessed, flows intellect upon him to request what he seeks. And this is the hint, “From afar did the Lord appear to me” (Jeremiah 31:2). “Answer me with Your sure deliverance” – this is the trait of Yaakov, based on the verse (Micah 7:20), “You will give truth to Yaakov.” And this hint is in the verse[s] (Numbers 6:22-27), “And the Lord spoke, etc. This is how you shall bless the Children of Israel [...]. May the Lord bless you [...]. And they shall bestow My Name upon Bnei Yisroel, and I will bless them.”
Teku / let it stand. The acronym: (T) the Tishbite (E) will settle (K) difficulties (U) and problems. And at first glance one has to look closely. Then, of course, everything will be like this after the coming of the redeemer, soon and in our days, amen. But why will Eliyahu settle the difficulties and the problems? Then, of course, call up Moshe Rabbeinu, who gave us the Torah and the commandment and why should he not be the one to settle the difficulties and the problems? And it seems that: Behold! It is written in the book of the generations in the controversy between Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam regarding the Tefillin, that Rashi z’l had Moshe Rabbeinu assisting him, and the Rabbeinu Tam didn’t bother with this and said of him that already He gave us the Torah and turned it over to us to instruct according to what our intellect teaches drawing from the holy Torah. And it seems that: To understand this and explaining this briefly, i.e., with respect to the disagreement of Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, the sages said (Eruvin 13b) "both views are the words of the living God," For indeed, there is an aspect where a person learns the basic meaning in the holy Torah according to his own aspect: If he is from the world of Chesed then everything is pure and permitted and kosher according to what his intellect instructs from the holy Torah, and similarly, the opposite when he is from the aspect of Gevurah then he is in the opposite way. And behold: For Beit Hillel, their attribute was the attribute of Chesed and so Beit Hillel was ruling with leniency, and for Beit Shammai, for he was from the attribute of the Gevurah, therefore Beit Shammai was ruling with stringency. However, in truth, everyone is according to his tier for words of the living God. This is [the point of] "Both views are the words of the living God." And indeed our sages z’l, were after the generation of Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel and saw that the world needed to conduct itself in Chesed and they established Halakhah like Beit Hillel in every place, with leniency, like Beit Hillel. And indeed: Who can discern this, i.e. in which attribute should this world be conducted such that Halakhah should be determined in accord with it? It’s the one who is alive, and is in this world; he knows in which attribute this world needs to be conducted! However whoever is not alive does not know at all in which attribute this world needs to be conducted. And behold Eliyahu he lives and endures and does not taste the flavor of death and he is always in this world and therefore he will settle the difficulties and the problems, for he knows in which attribute the world needs to be conducted. And in this, that which Rabbeinu Tam said about Moshe Rabbeinu a’h will be understood that already He gave us the Torah and empowered us to instruct:
Regarding that which we say, “and in the songs of David, Your servant,” in the Shmoneh Esreh (standing prayer) of Rosh Chodesh – the general principle is that the holidays of Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot correspond to the forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, whereas Rosh Chodesh is the aspect of David. That is why we say, “and in the songs of David, Your servant,” in the Shmoneh Esreh (standing prayer) of Rosh Chodesh. And this is [the meaning of] that which is written in the writings of the Ari, may his memory be blessed: “And establish the throne of David, Your servant, quickly within it,” is about the Messiah, son of Yosef (the precursor of the main Messiah, son of David). And the general principle [here] is that everything needs preparation; and our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, hinted to this (Shabbat 118b), “Were the Jewish people to observe two Shabbats.” That is because everything that requires preparation requires preparation with that same thing itself. And that is [the meaning of], “Were the Jewish people to observe two Shabbats.” That is, the first Shabbat would be preparation of the second Shabbat. And that is why the Messiah, son of Yosef must come first; for through him is there preparation for the Messiah, son of David. This is since the preparation for the thing that requires preparation must be from that thing itself. And this is the hint, “and establish the throne of David, Your servant, quickly within it,” which is written in the writings of the Ari, may his memory be blessed. It is hinting to the Messiah, son of Yosef, that he will not be killed. “Establish,” that he be the preparation for the Messiah, son of David. That is to say, that the preparation should not be eliminated.
In Tractate Megillah (16b:11), [it teaches], “All the songs are written a half brick arranged upon a whole brick and a whole brick arranged upon a half brick.” At first glance, we should wonder about that which is written (Vayikra Rabbah 13:4), “A new Torah will go out from Me”: Is it not one of the Thirteen Principles [of Faith] that this Torah will not be switched and that there will no other Torah? Rather [its] content is like this - that behold, it is known that the letters of the Torah are the aspect of inner (penimi) lights, which come in the revelation of the order of descent of the worlds; whereas the white borders which surrounds the letters are the aspect of the surrounding (makif) lights which do not come to be revealed except through hiding in the aspect of surrounding lights. And from this it is understood that even the white borders are also the aspect of letters; except they are letters hidden above the revealed letters. And it is from this reason that touching in the Torah scroll is forbidden. For with touching, he negates and covers the aspect of whiteness, which is the hidden letters. However with the splitting of the Red Sea - which is a great miracle above nature - [it was otherwise]. As the light and the vitality of the Lord, which is far above the order of the descent - which is the aspect of encircling the aspect of surrounding lights - was revealed. And that is why song was written a half brick arranged upon a whole brick and a whole brick arranged upon a half brick: Because it was the gathering of both of them together. Meaning that the aspect of whiteness, which is the aspect of the hidden letters, was drawn into revelation in the aspect of the revealed letters. And this is [the meaning of] what our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, “A maidservant at the sea saw, etc.” It was because there was so much revelation of God, to the point that even a maidservant had the ability to grasp, etc. And this is the explanation of the verse (Isaiah 51:4), “A (new) Torah will go out from Me.” For in the future there will be a revelation of God, and the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh shall see, etc. That is, there will be a revelation from the aspect of encircling and the aspect of whiteness will be revealed - meaning the hidden letters that are surrounding - in the revealed letters of the Torah. And this is [the meaning of], “a new Torah from me.” Be precise and you will understand.
Likutim on Avot
Haggadah MiSavi De'vey Atuni
Kedushot for Purim
Introduction
Kedusha Rishona
Kedusha Shniya
Kedusha Shlishit
And this is the explanation of the verse (Isaiah 61:10), "I will greatly rejoice (or, as understood here, Joy, I will rejoice) in the Lord": This means to say that a person rejoice in that which he brings joy with his actions to the Holy One, blessed be He. And that is the understanding of "joy" - that I am joyful and happy about that which "I will rejoice in the Lord," that I cause joy, that I bring joy to the Creator, blessed be He; as it were, I bring joy. And our master, our teacher, our rabbi, the holy light, our teacher, the rabbi, Rabbi Dov Berish, may his memory be for a blessing in the world to come, also spoke about this verse in this fashion: "Joy, I will rejoice in the Lord" - that I will rejoice in that which I made the Creator, blessed be He, rejoice with commandments. However our words are that I rejoice in [the actual reality of] that which I cause joy to the Creator, blessed be He. And that is an obligation for every person, that he should rejoice in that which the holy God rejoices in him and delights in his service. And behold, if a person is modest and say, "What am I, and what is my life, that I should cause joy to the Creator, blessed be He," he should then understand in his heart and say in his heart, "This is truly one of the kindnesses of the Lord and of the wonders of the the Creator, blessed be He, that man who is formed from material should cause joy, pleasure and happiness to the Power of the powers and the Master of the masters, who is higher than all the high and loftier than all the lofty." It is like the poet said (Psalms 104:31), "may the Lord rejoice in His creatures (maasav, those that He made)." And it is "in maasav," in the world of action assiyah, the lower world, that he makes a pleasant spirit for the Creator, blessed be He. Since God, blessed be He, [derives] a pleasant spirit from people that are from the seed of Israel, His servant; from these great delights, He brings down the bountiful flow to all Created, Formed and Made. And so too wrote the hymnist, "He set up and cast His cornerstone in order to delight in His fear."
Kedusha Revi'it
The Rules of Festivals
Chidushei Agadot
Chidushei Halachot
Kedushot for Chanukah
Kedusha Rishona
... And I will discuss the calling of the name "Chanukah". Behold, according to the clear meaning, Purim should also be called "Chanu Yad" [kah כה has numerical value 25, yad יד has numerical value 14]! And I will give a reason to praise the words of Chaza"l who also called it Chanukah. It is also necessary to give a reason why they established the reading of Megillat Ester to publicise the miracle that happened in the days of Mordechai and Ester, and didn't establish the reading of a megilla to read the miracle of Matityahu ben Yochanan, the High Priest, and of Yehudit, which Hashem Yitbarach did for them within the evil kingdom of Greece. For is it not known that we count the year from Tishrei, so Chanukah precedes Purim, and then Pesach and then Shavuot? And behold, is it not known that all th miracles and revelations, which were revealed back in the ancient days, are revealed again each and every year. Like on Hanukkah, the miracle of Hanukkah, and the favors that Matiṯyāhu ben Yōḥānān the High Priest received, are revealed to all of us when we light the Hanukkah candles. And on Purim, the miracles and kindnesses that were revealed in the days of Mordechai and Ester, so too are they revealed in each and every year. And so too the revelation of Shavuot; the holiness of the giving of the Torah is revealed in each and every year. And so too with Rosh haShanah, the revelation of the creation of the world is revealed, as is explained in the writings of the Ar"i, and so they established the blessing "who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time". And see the Ta"z in siman 682, subsection 3 105, who connects it to the phrase "at this time", and see there that he brings the phrase "at this time" in the name of the Levush.
But for me, the inexperienced and insignificant, it appears to me according to its simple meaning: that behold, it's necessary to understand why it was made a Yom Tov and why Hallel was established and praise about the miracle of the eight days of Chanukah - and Purim was not made a Yom Tov, and the wars of Sisera, and the day of the wars of Sancheriv, which was a great miracle, that Blessed God wanted to make Chizkiyahu the Mashiach, etc, and with the excess of miracles which are every day. Rather, the miracle that our ancestors and the original prophets and men of the Great Assembly saw, that they also exerted force in our good deeds, that these kindnesses which are revealed every year and in every generation and illuminate these miracles, according to the greatness of their deeds which the original ones did...
... We have to understand why they (the rabbis) made a holiday, and established that we should say Hallal and praise, on the miracles of the eighth days of Hanukkah and of Purim, but did not make a holiday on the days of the wars of Sisera (Judges 4), and the wars of Sennacherib (Kings 19), that were also great miracles? ... But (the explanation is, that) only these miracles that are forefather and ancient prophets saw that with our good deeds and action these graces (good revelations) are being revealed again and again, in every year, and in every generation --- those where the days they turned into holidays. And that is why the Talmud says (Shabbat 36) that "on the next year they made it a holiday and established it with Hallal and praise." They mean, that they established that these revelations, and the miracles, and the the graces, will be forever. And with that we bring forward the light (revelation) forever, in every time. And that is what they mean they have "established" it, meaning that they have established it in every generation. [translators note: this is a draft, and incomplete translation]
Kedusha Shniya
Kedusha Shlishit
Kedusha Revi'it
Kedusha Chamishit
And now I will explain what our sages said (Shabbat 21b) "The mitzvah of the Chanukah light is from when the sun sets until the foot stops in the marketplace"; and also of the name Chanukah. Know, that the miracles that the Blessed Creator did for us have three types, because there are hidden miracles and there are revealed miracles. Revealed miracles, like the ones done for our ancestors in Egypt, like the ten plagues, and the splitting of the Reed sea, that are breaks with nature and all see as miracles. And there are hidden miracles, like in the days of Esther and Mordechai, as it is in nature that in the beginning [the king] raised Haman and then loved his wife and killed his friend because of his wife, and also the miracle mentioned in the prayer Al HaNisim, of delivering the many into the hands of the few etc. And behold the hidden miracle, that they were in the way for war, and also the deed of Yehudit had a little aspect of nature, even though in truth they were miracles, and not natural occurrences but they were hidden miracles, not revealed ones. And so it is explained in the book Ohr Hadash, which was written by the author of Gur Aryeh, that the Chanukah miracle had an aspect of nature. And also the admo"r the holy light mohr"r, Dov Ber z"l said that a revealed miracle like in Egypt is called "a day that illuminates all". And behold, the hidden miracles are divided into two aspects. One aspect, like Purim, [is when] the Holy Blessed Name, Godself, causes every event and turns the actions, without any activity on the part of the lower ones until the advice of the evil Haman was completely cancelled, and he got his just desserts, and saved us from the hand of the tyrants, and the lower ones did not do anything. And that Esther invited Haman is what the sages z"l said (Megilah 15b) "so that Israel would not say our sister etc, or so that both him and her are killed etc and other reasons. But in Chanukah the lower ones took a few actions, because the Hashmonai and his sons waged the war of Hashem and were active, yet that the Holy One did not do just the ways of nature and "delivered the strong in the hands of the weak, etc" but with some help of the lower ones. There you have the three levels. The miracle of the exodus from Egypt was a modification of nature, and is called day and a great miracle. And smaller than Egypt is Purim, that was in its essence a little hidden miracle, and it is called night as I have written in the name of the admor"r z"l but there was no help from the lower ones. And smaller than Purim is the lights of Chanukah, which was a hidden miracle and also had help from the lower ones. Therefore, as I explained above, after Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Shemini Atzeret - first comes Chanukah, and after that Purim, and after that Pesach, because we raise in holiness and do not lower, because we continue the revelation of the miracles and kindnesses of Chanukah that they are not so great, as a hidden miracle with help from below in the wars of the Hashmonai and his sons. And after that we raise in holiness and receive the revelation from the kindnesses and miracles of Purim which was a hidden miracle without intervention from below, and so it is greater than Chanukah. And after that we raise in holiness and receive a greater revelation in the miracles and kindnesses of Pesach, in which the miracle was revealed and looks like a day to everyone. And look into the Ramban at the end of Parashat Bo and beginnign of parashat Vaera and end of parashat Lech Lecha, that he brings up hidden and revealed miracles.
And behold the Blessed Creator, Whose Name is Blessed, is the Ruler of it all, and one who is Ruler renews the world as is God's will, and there is no such a thing as nature and "the way things are" [regel], but the only thing that there is is the Creator of Blessed Name renewing nature, and canceling nature as God sees fit. And God does not say "what it is is what will be, what was yesterday will be tomorrow", no, at each and every day the Holy One of Blessing renews all of God's creatures, as [we say in prayers] "God in goodness renews every day the deeds of Creation", as established by the Men of the Great Assembly. And this, that [the time of the mitzvah is] "until the foot/regel stops in the market" is that we accept that the Holy One rules everything, for all times, and that God is the Renewer and that we believe that the hidden miracles are not just part of nature, but that God renews the world at all times and moments. What happens is that sometimes God renews nature as the six days of Creation, and sometimes God renews something completely new, like a revealed miracle. The person who accepts hidden miracles has to accept that God renews everything, even the fixed natural world. And this is Chanukah, an expression that comes from "renew of the altar", from the word "new" - that we accept hidden miracles and that God renews even the fixed nature in the world, and that the world does not follow [regel] fixed rules, God forbid. And this is lightning Chanukah candles, that is to say that this aspect, that God renews the world constantly at every moment and time will be brought to light. And that this aspect will illuminate our consciousness and purify our hearts to be of service to the Holy One of Blessing, in Whose hands we are. And [also] the aspect I wrote above, that God continuously created and renewed the world. And what I wrote now, that even after the Creation of the world God renews constantly what seems immutable in nature. And this is [what we say in morning prayers] "You are the One before the world was created, and You are the One since the world was created": You are the Ruler that renews nature at all times. And this is "Hashem melech, Hashem malach etc [God is ruler, God ruled]" - sit with this and understand.
The Rules of Miracles
Explanations of Aggadot