85. What Is the Fruit of a Citrus Tree, in the Work?

I heard on Sukkot Inter 1, September 27, 1942

It is written, “And you shall take you on the first day the fruit of a citrus tree, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook” (Leviticus 23:40).

And we should interpret “fruit of a citrus tree”: A tree is considered righteous, called a “tree of the field.” The “fruit” is the progeny of the tree, meaning the progeny of the righteous, which are the good deeds, which should be in the form of adornment in his tree.

“From year to year” means a whole year, which are “six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors.” The wicked, however, are “like the chaff which the wind drives away.”

“Branches of palm-trees” are two pans, which are the two Heys, the first Hey and the last Hey, by which one is rewarded with “one golden pan of ten shekels, full of incense.”

Kapot [pans] mean Kefia [coercion], when one assumes the kingdom of heaven coercively. This means that even when reason disagrees, he goes above reason. This is called “coercive mating.” Tmarim [palm trees] comes from the word Morah [fear], which is fear (by way of “and God has made it that He will be feared”).

Because of this, it is called Lulav [palm branch]. This means that before one is rewarded, he has two hearts. And this is called Lo Lev [no heart], meaning that the heart is not devoted solely to the Creator. When he is rewarded with the Lo [“no” or “to Him”], meaning a heart that is for the Creator, this is the Lulav.

Also, one should say, “When will my deeds come to be as the deeds of my fathers?” Through it, one is rewarded with being a branch of the holy fathers, and this is the meaning of “boughs of thick trees,” which are the three myrtles.

Yet, at the same time, one should be in the form of “willows of the brook,” tasteless and scentless. And one should delight in this work, even though he feels no flavor or fragrance in this work. And then this work is called “the letters of Your unified name,” by which we are rewarded with complete unification with the Creator.