1. Baal HaSulam, Ohr HaBahir, “The Breaking of the Vessels”
The breaking of the vessels. The correction that comes through this preliminary breaking in the way that the breaking itself is a great correction. Some interpreted that it is a corruption in order to correct. However, this phrasing is incorrect, for we should ask about these words, “Why should He spoil and then correct? Let Him not spoil and He will not need to correct.” However, the thing is that the whole point of the correction and the great benefit that the Creator contemplated in the beginning of creation would not have come to the world were it not through spoiling the vessels in this manner, and whose entire correction is in the matter of clarifying the matter from the beginning, that they were never spoiled.
2. RABASH, Article No. 19 (1985)," Come unto Pharaoh – 1"
In spirituality, breaking is similar to breaking a vessel in corporeality. With a physical vessel, if it is broken and you pour into it some liquid, the liquid pours out. Likewise, in spirituality, if a thought of will to receive for oneself enters the Kli, the abundance pours out to the external ones, meaning outside of Kedusha [holiness].
Kedusha means “for the Creator.” Anything outside of “for the Creator” is called Sitra Achra [other side], namely the other side of Kedusha. This is why we say that Kedusha means to bestow, and Tuma’a [impurity] means to receive.
For this reason, we, who were born after the breaking, desire only to receive. Therefore we cannot be given abundance, for it will all certainly go to the side of the Sitra Achra.
3. RABASH, Article No. 13 (1990),"What Does It Mean that by the Unification of the Creator and the Shechina, All Iniquities Are Atoned?"
The breaking of the vessels, when there was a mingling of the will to receive for oneself with Kedusha, because of which the vessels broke. Also, there was the matter of the sin of the tree of knowledge, which caused holy sparks to fall into the Klipot [shells/peels]. It follows that the breaking of the vessels and the sin of the tree of knowledge caused the creatures that come after, that the will to receive receives its sustenance from ABYA of Klipa [singular of Klipot].
4. RABASH, Article No. 13 (1990)," The Importance of a Prayer of Many"
We should believe what our sages tell us, that all the pleasures in corporeal delights are but a tiny candle compared to the pleasures that exist in spirituality. As it is written in the Sulam Commentary (“Introduction of The Book of Zohar,” p 173), “This is the meaning of the breaking of the vessels that preceded the creation of the world. Through the breaking of the vessels of Kedusha [holiness/sanctity] and their fall into the separated BYA, holy sparks fell along with them to the Klipot [shells], from which came the pleasures and love of every kind into the domain of the Klipot, which pass them on for man’s reception and for his delight.” It therefore follows that the majority of pleasures are in Kedusha.
5. RABASH, Article No. 179, "Ibur [Conception] – 1"
After the sin of Adam HaRishon, the creatures are regarded as broken and dead Kelim. That is, their Kelim are only in self-reception, separated from the Life of Lives. There is only a spark in them from the Reshimot of Ohr Hozer [Reflected Light] that remained and descended in order to sustain the Kelim so that through it, they will be able to rise for the revival of the dead.
That spark is a spark of Kedusha [holiness] and is a residue of the Ohr Hozer. We must raise it, meaning receive it in order to bestow, which is called “raising,” meaning raising MAN. By this, a Masach [screen] and Aviut [thickness] are made, on which comes the filling, when the Ohr Hozer fills the Kelim to an extent that will clothe the lights (Ohr Yashar [Direct Light]).
6. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 81, "Concerning Raising MAN"
It is known that because of the breaking, sparks of Kedusha [holiness] fell into BYA. But there, in BYA, they cannot be corrected. Therefore, they must be raised to Atzilut.
7. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 19
Due to the breaking of the vessels, all the Otiot were ejected to corporeal conducts and people. When one corrects oneself and reaches one’s root, he must collect them by himself, one by one, and bring them back to the root, to holiness. This is the meaning of “to sentence oneself and the entire world to the side of merit.”
8. RABASH, Article No. 867, "The Governance of Peace"
Man can toil and labor if no correction results from it. But for a small thing, which does not require much effort, if it is on the path of correction, there is no strength, since the corruptions come from the breaking of the vessels of the sin of the tree of knowledge.
Since this is still not corrected, corruptions still reign. This reign gives power, which is not so on the path of correction. This requires a different governance, called “peace.”
9. RABASH, Article No. 26 (1989), “What Is ‘He Who Defiles Himself Is Defiled from Above’ in the Work?”
This Kli, called “receiving in order to bestow,” is the complete opposite of the Kli called “will to receive for oneself,” which we attribute to the Creator, who created it existence from absence. Hence, if we want to work only for the sake of the Creator and not for our own sake, it is hard work, since we must fight against the Kli that the Creator created.
From this work come all the lacks we learn about, such as the departure of the lights, the breaking of the vessels, Kedusha, Tuma’a, Sitra Achra [other side], and Klipot. Also, all the names we see explained in The Zohar and in books of Kabbalah extend only from the correction of creation.
This is so because we attribute the Kelim of the correction of creation to the creatures, as it is written in the beginning of Tree of Life, and as he explains in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, that the first will to receive, called Malchut de Ein Sof, said that she does not want to receive in order to receive, but in order to bestow.
10. RABASH, Article No. 2 (1991), “What Is, ‘Return, O Israel, Unto the Lord Your God,’ in the Work?”
The essence of man is the heart. […] The heart is the Kli [vessel] that receives the Kedusha from above. It is as we learn about the breaking of the vessels, that if the Kli is broken, everything you put in it will spill out.
Likewise, if the heart is broken, meaning the will to receive controls the heart, abundance cannot enter there because everything that the will to receive receives will go to the Klipot [shells/peels]. This is called “the breaking of the heart.” Hence, a person prays to the Creator and says, “You must help me because I am worse than everyone, since I feel that the will to receive controls my heart, and this is why nothing of Kedusha can enter my heart. I want no luxuries, only to be able to do something for the sake of the Creator, and I am utterly incapable of this, so only You can save me.”
By this we should interpret what is written (Psalms 34), “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” That is, those who ask the Creator to help them so their heart will not be broken and will be whole.
11. Avodat Israel [The Work of Israel], Portion Shlach
Our sages said, “Dispersion is good for the wicked and gathering is good for the righteous.” This is according to what the ARI said, that in the worlds of Igulim [circles], one Igul [circle] does not touch another, and there the breaking happened until it was corrected in the world of Yosher [straightness]. The meaning of the matter and the allegory is that the mind of the Igulim is that it is as one who surrounds and encircles himself, and becomes separated from his Maker. It seems to him that he will lead himself by his own will, and he is haughty and says, “I will rule,” and this was the shattering.
Likewise, among the wicked, the heart of each one is haughty, saying “I will rule,” which is why they are in the world of separation and cannot connect, like the circles, as we can evidently see, for they cannot sit together. To them, dispersion is good.
Conversely, although each of the righteous serves his Creator in a different style, they all aim at the same thing—their father in Heaven. They gather and assemble one by one, as one man with one heart, and each one diminishes himself and glorifies the work for the sake of the Creator, who gives him the strength and intelligence by which to serve Him. Hence, one will not be arrogant toward his friend, and they are in the world of straightness and unite with one another.
12. Shem MiShmuel, Portion Haazinu
The intention of creation was for all to be one bundle, to do His will, as was said in The Zohar, that Adam HaRishon would tell all the created beings, “Let us bow and kneel, and bless the Lord our Maker.” But the matter was spoiled because of the sin, until even the best in those generations could not unite together in order to serve the Creator. Rather, they were individuals, alone, for one foreign Item in a bundle spoils the entire bundle. The correction of this began in the generation of Babylon, when separation occurred in the human race, meaning the beginning of the correction of gathering and assembling people to serve the Creator, which started with Abraham the Patriarch and his descendants, to have a community gathered to serve the Creator. Abraham would walk and call out the name of the Creator until a great community gathered unto him, who were called “the people of the house of Abraham.” Thus, the matter grew until it became the assembly of the congregation of Israel. And the end of correction will be in the future, when all become one bundle to do Your will wholeheartedly.
13. Baal HaSulam, "600,000 Souls"
There is indeed only one soul in the world, as it is written (Genesis 2:7), “and breathed into his nostrils the soul [also “breath” in Hebrew] of life.” That same soul exists in all the children of Israel, complete in each and every one, as in Adam HaRishon, since the spiritual is indivisible and cannot be cut—which is rather a trait of corporeal things.
Rather, saying that there are 600,000 souls and sparks of souls appears as though it is divided by the force of the body of each person. In other words, first, the body divides and completely denies him of the radiance of the soul, and by the force of the Torah and the Mitzva [commandment], the body is cleansed, and to the extent of its cleansing, the common soul shines on him.
14. Baal HaSlam, "600,000 Souls"
Two discernments were made in the corporeal body: In the first discernment, one feels one’s soul as a unique organ and does not understand that this is the whole of Israel. […]
In the second discernment, the true light of the soul of Israel does not shine on him in all its power of illumination, but only partially, by the measure he has purified himself by returning to the collective.
The sign for the body’s complete correction is when one feels that one’s soul exists in the whole of Israel, in each and every one of them, for which he does not feel himself as an individual, for one depends on the other. At that time, he is complete, flawless, and the soul truly shines on him in its fullest power, as it appeared in Adam HaRishon.
15. Likutey Halachot [Assorted Rules], “Blessings on Seeing and Personal Blessings,” Rule No. 4
The vitality, sustenance, and correction of the whole of creation is mainly by people of differing views becoming included together in love, unity, and peace.
16. Baal HaSulam, The Study of the Ten Sefirot, “Inner Light”, Part 8, Item 88
All our work in prayers and practical Mitzvot [commandments] is to sort once more and raise all those souls that fell from Adam HaRishon into the Klipot [shells] until they are brought to their first root as they were in it before he sinned with the tree of knowledge.
17. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 4
You lack nothing but to go out to a field that the Lord has blessed, and collect all those flaccid organs that have drooped from your soul, and join them into a single body.
In that complete body, the Creator will instill His Shechina incessantly, and the fountain of intelligence and high streams of light will be as a never ending fountain. Each place on which you cast your eye will be blessed, and all will be blessed because of you, for they will bless you constantly.
18. Baal HaSulam, "Peace in The World"
Everything in reality, good or bad, and even the most harmful in the world, has a right to exist and must not be destroyed and eradicated from the world. We must only mend and reform it because any observation of the work of creation is enough to teach us about the greatness and perfection of its Operator and Creator. Therefore, we must understand and be very careful when casting a flaw on any Item of creation, saying it is redundant and superfluous, as that would be slander about its Operator.
19. Baal HaSulam, "Peace in the World"
There are two authorities here acting [...] One is the authority of heaven, which is sure to turn anything harmful and evil to good and useful, but it will come in its time, in its own way, heavily, and after a long time. [...] When the “evolving object” is a living, feeling being, it suffers horrendous torments and pains while under the “press of development” which carves its way ruthlessly.
The “authority of the earth,” however, consists of people who have taken this above-mentioned law of development under their own government and can free themselves entirely from the chains of time, and who greatly accelerate time, namely the completion of the ripeness and correction of the object, which is the end of its development.
20. Baal HaSulam, "Introduction to The Book of Zohar", No. 19
The will to receive for oneself in us was created only to be eradicated, abolished from the world, and be turned into a desire to bestow. The pains we suffer are but revelations of its nothingness and the harm in it. Indeed, when all human beings agree to abolish and eradicate their will to receive for themselves and have no other desire but to bestow upon their friends, all worries and jeopardy in the world would cease to exist. We would all be assured of a whole and wholesome life, since each of us would have a whole world caring for us, ready to satisfy our needs.
Yet, while each of us has only a desire to receive for oneself, this is the source of all the worries, suffering, wars, and slaughter we cannot escape. They weaken our bodies with all sorts of sores and maladies, and you find that all the agonies in our world are but manifestations offered to our eyes, to prompt us to revoke the evil Klipa of the body and assume the complete form of the desire to bestow. It is as we have said, that the path of suffering itself can bring us to the desired form.
21. Baal HaSulam, "Introduction to the Book Panim Meirot uMasbirot", Item 22
One does not live for oneself, but for the whole chain. Thus, each and every part of the chain does not receive the light of life into itself, but only distributes the light of life to the whole chain.
22. Degel Machaneh Ephraim, BeShalach [When Jacob Sent]
One who truly wants to serve the Creator must include himself with all creations, connect himself with all the souls, include himself with them, and they with him. That is, you should leave for yourself only what is needed for connecting the Shechina [Divinity], so to speak. This requires closeness and many people, for the more people serve the Creator, the more the light of the Shechina appears to them. For this reason, one must include himself with all the people and with all creations, and raise everything to their root, to the correction of the Shechina.
23. RABASH, Article No. 15 (1986), "A Prayer of Many"
It is written, “I dwell among my own people.” The Zohar says, “One should never retire from the people because the mercy of the Creator is always on the whole people together.” This means that if one asks the Creator to give him vessels of bestowal, as our sages said, “As He is merciful, you be merciful, too,” one should pray for the whole collective. This is because then it is apparent that his aim is for the Creator to give him vessels of pure bestowal, as it was written, “The mercy of the Creator is always on the whole people together.” It is known that there is no giving of half a thing from above. This means that when abundance is given from above to below, it is for the whole collective.
24. Zohar for All, VaYechi [Jacob Lived] "Be Gathered, that I May Tell You", Items 515-516
One should pray one’s prayer in the collective, since He does not despise their prayer, even though they are not all with intent and the will of heart, as it is written, “He has regarded the prayer of the destitute.” Thus, He only observes the prayer of an individual, but with a prayer of many, He does not despise their prayer, even though they are unworthy.
“He has regarded the prayer of the destitute” means that He accepts his prayer, but it is an individual who is mingled with many. Hence, his prayer is as a prayer of many.
25. Zohar for All, “Introduction of The Book of Zohar”, "Torah and Prayer", Item 183
The prayer that we pray is the correction of the Holy Divinity, to extend abundance to her, to satisfy all her deficiencies, for hence, all the requests are in plural form, such as “And grant us knowledge from You,” or “Bring us back, our Father, into Your law.”
This is so because the prayer is for the whole of Israel, since all that there is in the holy Divinity exists in the whole of Israel. And what is lacking in her is lacking in the whole of Israel. It follows that when we pray for the whole of Israel, we pray for the Holy Divinity, since they are the same.
26. RABASH, Article No. 217, "Run My Beloved"
It is impossible to receive anything without equivalence. Rather, there must always be equivalence.
Hence, when he evokes mercy on himself, it follows that he is engaged in reception for himself. And the more he prays, not only is he not preparing the Kli [vessel] of equivalence, but on the contrary, sparks of reception form within him.
It turns out that he is going the opposite way: While he should prepare vessels of bestowal, he is preparing vessels of reception. “Cleave unto His attributes” is specifically “As He is merciful, so you are merciful.”
Hence, when he prays for the public, through this prayer he engages in bestowal. And the more he prays, to that extent he forms vessels of bestowal, by which the light of bestowal, called “merciful,” can be revealed.
27. Rav Chaim Vital, Shaar HaGilgulim, Introduction, 38
My teacher cautioned me and all the friends who were with him in that society to take upon ourselves the commandment to-do of “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and to aim to love each one from Israel as his own soul, for by this his prayer would rise comprising all of Israel and will be able to ascend and make a correction above. Especially, our love of friends, each and every one of us should include himself as though he is an organ of those friends. My teacher sternly cautioned me about this matter.
28. Zohar for All, Toldot [Generations], "These Are the Generations of Isaac", Item 3
There is not an organ in a man’s body that does not have a corresponding creation in the world. This is so because as man’s body divides into organs and they all stand degree over degree, established one atop the other and are all one body, similarly, the world, meaning all creations in the world are many organs standing one atop the other, and they are all one body. And when they are all corrected they will actually be one body.
29. Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, Likutei Halachot [Assorted Rules], “Grace for the Food and Final Water,” Rule No. 3
“Love will cover all crimes,” meaning love that is of holiness that is present in the point, covers all the crimes and cancels all the breakings of the heart.
30. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 2, "Shechina [Divinity] in Exile"
All those discernments, beginning with Malchut, the root of the creation of the worlds, through the creatures, are named Shechina. The overall correction is for the upper light to shine in them in utter completeness.
The light that shines in the Kelim is named Shochen, and the Kelim are generally named Shechina. In other words, the light dwells inside the Shechina. This means that the light is called Shochen because it dwells within the Kelim, that is, the Kelim in general are called Shechina.
Before the light shines in them in utter completeness, we name that time, “a time of corrections.” This means that we make corrections so that the light will shine in them in completeness. Until then, that state is called “Shechina in Exile.”
This means that there is still no wholeness in the upper worlds
31. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 2, "Shechina [Divinity] in Exile"
Below, in this world, there should be a state where the upper light is within the will to receive. This correction is deemed receiving in order to bestow.
Meanwhile, the will to receive is filled with ignoble and foolish things that do not make a place where the glory of heaven can be revealed. This means that where the heart should be a tabernacle for the light of the Creator, the heart becomes a place of waste and filth. In other words, ignobility captures the whole of the heart.
This is called “Shechina in the dust.” It means that she is lowered to the ground, and each and every one loathes matters of Kedusha [holiness], and there is no desire whatsoever to raise her from the dust. Instead, they choose ignoble things, and this causes the sorrow of the Shechina by not giving her a place in the heart that will become a tabernacle for the light of the Creator.
32. RABASH, Article No. 14 (1991), "What Does It Mean that Man’s Blessing Is the Blessing of the Sons, in the Work?"
When the Creator cannot bestow upon the lower ones, due to the disparity of form between them, this is called “the sorrow of the Shechina.” That is, from the perspective of the receiver, she cannot receive abundance because if she receives abundance for the lower ones, it will all go to the Klipot [shells/peels], called “receiving in order to receive.” It is also called “sorrow” from the perspective of the Giver because the thought of creation is to do good to His creations, but now He cannot give them the delight and pleasure because everything that the creatures will have will go to the Klipot.
Hence, the Giver is sorry that He cannot give, like a mother who wants to feed her baby but the baby is sick and cannot eat. At that time, there is sorrow on the part of the Giver.
33. RABASH, Article No. 19 (1988), "What Are Silver, Gold, Israel, Rest of Nations, in the Work?"
The sorrow of the Shechina is that she must hide the delight and pleasure that she wants to impart upon the souls but cannot because it will be to their detriment, for through the abundance she imparts upon them while they are in vessels of self-reception, they will be farther from Kedusha, as the abundance will go to the Klipot. It follows that in the upper one, sorrow means that he cannot bestow upon the lower ones. This is called “the sorrow of the Shechina.”
For this reason, we pray to the Creator to give us the strength to overcome the vessels of reception for ourselves, and then we will be able to work only in order to bestow. At that time the Shechina will be able to show the glory and grandeur in her by having the ability to receive what she wants to impart. There is a rule: “The cow wants to feed more than the calf wants to eat.” Thus, everything depends on the receivers.
34. RABASH, Article No. 5 (1988), “What Is, ‘When Israel Are in Exile, the Shechina Is With Them,’ in the Work?”
A person should be sorry for the sorrow of the Shechina, meaning that the Creator is seemingly sorry that He cannot impart delight and pleasure upon the creatures, as in the allegory in the Midrash, which says that it is similar to a king who has a tower filled abundantly but no guests.
To understand the allegory of the Midrash, we can use allegory about a person who held a wedding for his son, and invited food for five hundred guests, but for some reason, no one came and he could barely get a Minyan [ten people] for the Huppah [wedding ceremony]. What sorrow that person felt that he had food for five hundred people but they did not come.
It is on this reason that a person needs to work to be rewarded with bringing contentment to the Creator—by receiving from Him the delight and pleasure. A person who achieves this degree is the happiest person in the world.
35. RABASH, Article No. 29 (1986), "Lishma and Lo Lishma"
When a person begins to work on being righteous, meaning not to receive any reward for himself and work only in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker, the body disagrees and gives him obstructions. It does everything it can to interfere with his work. At that time a person is constantly afflicted and has no peace with the situation he is in because he sees that he has not yet come to be a giver upon the Creator. Rather, everything he does is still without the ability to direct it in order to bestow.
He is always afflicted over it because of the sorrow of the Shechina, called “Shechina in exile.” He is in pain that for self-love he has the strength to work, but where he sees that his will to receive will not have anything, he is negligent in the work.
36. RABASH, Article No. 27 (1989), "What Is the Meaning of Suffering in the Work?"
When a person regrets being far from the Creator, that he is inside the will to receive only for his own benefit, like animals, which is unbecoming of the “human” quality, he should direct the suffering so it is not because he wants to be a man, and this is why he suffers, but rather that it is because of the sorrow of the Shechina.
He says an allegory about this, that a person who has a pain in a certain organ, feels the pain primarily in the heart and in the mind, which is the whole of man. Likewise, man is a specific part of the Shechina, called “the assembly of Israel.” She feels the majority of the pain, and this is what he should regret. This is called “suffering” in the work.
37. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 1, “There Is None Else Besides Him”
When he regrets that the Creator does not draw him near, he should also be careful that it would not be in relation to himself, meaning that he is removed from the Creator, for by this he becomes a receiver for his own benefit, and a receiver is separated. Rather, he should regret the exile of the Shechina [Divinity], meaning that he is causing the sorrow of the Shechina.
One should imagine that it is as though a small organ of the person is sore. Nevertheless, the pain is felt primarily in the mind and in the heart. The heart and the mind are the whole of man, and certainly, the sensation of a single organ cannot resemble the sensation of a person’s full stature, which is primarily where the pain is felt.
Likewise is the pain that one feels when he is removed from the Creator.
38. RABASH, Article No. 5 (1988), "What Is, 'When Israel Are in Exile, the Shechina Is With Them,' in the Work?"
Since man is born with a Kli for self-reception, how can he change his nature and say that he is not concerned with himself in any way, and the only thing that pains him, and for which he is sorry, is the sorrow of the Shechina, meaning the sorrow that seemingly exists above because he is unable to satisfy His will.
That is, since He desires to do good but He cannot execute this benefit because the creatures haven’t the suitable Kelim to receive it, and since by observing Torah and Mitzvot he will be able to make suitable Kelim, as our sages said, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah as a spice,” this is why he works with all his might to observe Torah and Mitzvot, so that by observing Torah and Mitzvot he will emerge from self-love and will be rewarded with vessels of bestowal. Then, he will be able to bring contentment to the Maker, from whom he receives the delight and pleasure.
39. RABASH, Article No. 890 “The Sorrow of the Shechina – 2”
“For a sin we sinned against You with the evil inclination” (from the Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement] prayer).
We should ask because all the transgressions come from the evil inclination. We should interpret that the sin is in saying that there is an evil inclination instead of “There is none else besides Him.” If a person is unworthy, he is cast out from above. This comes by clothing in the will to receive, called the “evil inclination.”
This is the meaning of “For the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth,” meaning that the Creator created him this way, since the will to receive is the actual Kli [vessel], except it must be correct. By this we can interpret what is written, “He was saddened in his heart.” Man feels that following the inclination gives him sadness, and this is called “the sorrow of the Shechina [Divinity].”
40. RABASH, Article No. 71, "The Meaning of Exile"
“When Israel are in exile, the Shechina [Divinity] is with them.” This means that if one falls into a descent, spirituality is also descended in him. But according to the rule, “a Mitzva [commandment] induces a Mitzva,” why does he come into a descent? Answer: He is given a descent from above so as to feel that he is in exile and ask for mercy, to be delivered from exile. This is called “redemption,” and there cannot be redemption if there is no exile there, first.
What is exile? It is that he is under the rule of self-love and cannot work for the sake of the Creator. When is self-love considered exile? It is only when he wants to emerge from this control because he suffers from not being able to do anything for the sake of the Creator.
41. RABASH, Article No. 5 (1988), “What Is, ‘When Israel Are in Exile, the Shechina Is With Them,’ in the Work?”
When a person feels that he is in exile, meaning feels the taste of exile in the work and wants to escape from the exile, the meaning will be that a person must believe that wherever they are exiled, the Shechina is with them. That is, the Shechina let him feel the taste of exile. “With them” means that the Shechina is attached to them and they are not separated from the Shechina, that they should say that it is a descent. On the contrary, now the Shechina is giving him a push so he will climb the degrees of Kedusha [holiness/sanctity], and dresses herself in a garment of descent.
When a person knows and believes that this is so, it will encourage him so he does not escape the campaign or say that the work of bestowal is not for him because he always sees that he is in states of ascents and descents, and he sees no end to these states and falls into despair.
But if he walks in the path of faith and believes in the words of our sage, then he must say the opposite.
42. RABASH, Article No. 777, "A Prayer for the Exile of the Shechina"
What is the meaning of the prayer, that we should pray for the exile of the Shechina [Divinity]?
The Sitra Achra [other side], which is the quality of knowing and receiving, controls the Shechina, which is regarded as bestowal and faith. The Creator created the world in order to do good to His creations, and the lower ones can receive the benefit only in vessels of bestowal, which are regarded as eternal Kelim [vessels]. The upper light, which is eternal, cannot clothe in transient Kelim.
The lower ones, which are placed under the rule of the Sitra Achra, want specifically reception and knowledge, causing separation to the upper unification. This is regarded as having a foreskin on Malchut, and this foreskin separates ZA from Malchut, regarded as the unification between the Creator and His Shechina.
It follows that there is the sorrow of the Shechina because she is unable to unite with the Creator because of this foreskin, for the lower ones are gripping her and are not leaving her so she can part from Malchut. Hence, we must pray to the Creator to send illumination from above so the lower ones will want to cancel the foreskin and remove it from the quality of Malchut. This applies to the individual and to the collective.
43. RABASH, Article No. 5 (1988), "What Is, 'When Israel Are in Exile, the Shechina Is With Them,' in the Work?"
The sorrow of the Shechina means that the Creator regrets being unable to reveal the delight and pleasure because the creatures cannot give the place that is suitable to receive, for if He gives them the delight and pleasure, it will all go to the Sitra Achra [other side]. Therefore, it follows that He cannot impart the delight as He wishes.
By this we will understand that a person should be sorry for the sorrow of the Shechina. We asked, Why does the Creator not raise her from the dust, but must instead ask the lower ones to aim that their actions—meaning what they do—will be only with the intention to “raise the Shechina from the dust”?
The answer is that all that the Creator gives is delight and pleasure, for His purpose of to do good to His creations. But to raise the Shechina from the dust, meaning for the Creator to be able to give the abundance without the abundance going to the Sitra Achra, this can be only when the lower ones do not want to receive for their own benefit, but only in order to bestow.
44. RABASH, Article No. 24 (1991), "What Does It Mean that One Should Bear a Son and a Daughter, in the Work?"
If one decides that he wants to work as “dust,” meaning even if he tastes the taste of dust in the work, he says that it is very important for him to be able to do something for the sake of the Creator, and for himself, he does not care which taste he feels, and says that this work, in which one tastes the taste of dust, meaning that the body mocks this work, he says to the body that in his view, this work is regarded as “raising the Shechina [Divinity] from the dust.”
In other words, although the body tastes dust in this work, the person says that it is Kedusha and does not measure how much flavor he feels in the work. Rather, he believes that the Creator does enjoy this work, since there is no mixture of the will to receive here, since he has nothing to receive because there are no flavor or scent in this work, as there is only the taste of dust here. For this reason, he believes that this is the holy work, and he is delighted.
45. RABASH, Article No. 40 (1990), "What Is, 'For You Are the Least of All the Peoples,' in the Work?"
How can one muster the strength to overcome the body when he feels that the Shechina is in the dust? What joy can he receive from this work? Even more perplexing, how can one need and want to work when he feels no taste in it? This would be understandable if he had no choice; we can understand when a person is forced to work. But how is it possible to want such a work, which feels tasteless? And since he does not have the strength to overcome and feel joy in such a work, how can he serve the King in such a lowly state, when he feels the taste of dust while serving the King?
Hence, in this regard, he does not ask the Creator to give him the revelation of His greatness, so he will feel a good taste in it. Rather, he asks the Creator to give him strength to be able to overcome the body and work gladly because now he can work only for the Creator, since the will to receive does not enjoy work that tastes like dust.
46. RABASH, Article No. 34, TANTA [Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot]
Taamim [flavors] means one who wants to taste a good taste in life should pay attention to his point in the heart.
Every person has a point in the heart, except it does not shine. Rather, it is like a black dot. The point in the heart is a discernment of Nefesh [soul] of Kedusha [holiness], whose nature is a vessel of bestowal.
However, she is in a state of Shechina [Divinity] in the dust, meaning that a person regards her as nothing. Instead, to him she is as important as dust. This is called Nekudot [dots/points].
The solution is to increase her importance and make its importance as Tagin [crowns], like a “Crown on his head.” That is, instead of being dust, as before, he should raise her importance to be as a Keter [crown] on his head.
At that time, the Nefesh of Kedusha expands in Otiot [letters], meaning in the Guf [body], for the Guf is called Otiot. In other words, the Kedusha spreads from potential to actual, called Otiot and Guf.
47. RABASH, Article No. 13 (1988), “What Is ‘the People’s Shepherd Is the Whole People’ in the Work?”
Where he should do something for the Creator and not for his own sake, the body promptly asks, “What is this work for you?” and does not want to give him strength to work. This is called “Shechina in the dust,” meaning that what he wants to do for the sake of the Shechina tastes to him like dust and he is powerless to overcome his thoughts and desires.
At that time a person realizes that all he lacks in order to have strength to work is that the Creator will give him the power of faith, as said above (in the prayer of Rabbi Elimelech), that we must pray, “And do fix Your Faith in our hearts forever and ever.” In that state, he comes to the realization that “If the Creator does not help him, he cannot overcome it.”
48. Baal HaSulam, Shamati, Article No. 113, "The Eighteen Prayer"
A prayer is called “the path of Torah.” This is why prayer is more effective in sweetening the body than suffering. Therefore, it is a Mitzva [commandment] to pray over the suffering, since additional benefit stems from that to the individual and to the whole.
For this reason, the oppositeness causes one heaviness and cessations in the work of the Creator, and he cannot continue the work and feels bad. It seems to him that he is unworthy of assuming the burden of the kingdom of heaven “as an ox to the burden and as a donkey to the load.” Thus, at that time, he is called “unwanted.”
However, since one’s sole intention is to extend faith, called Malchut, meaning to raise the Shechina [Divinity] from the dust, meaning that his aim is to glorify His Name in the world, His greatness, so the Shechina will not take the form of meagerness and poverty, so the Creator hears “the prayer of every mouth,” even of one who is not so worthy, who feels that he is still far from the work of the Creator.
49. RABASH, Article No. 557, "Concerning Ohr Hozer [reflected light]"
The lower one must first believe that there is an upper one in reality, and that he does not feel the upper one because the lower one does not see the greatness of the upper one. This is called “Shechina [Divinity] in exile,” meaning that the Shechina is for him as dust; he does not feel that there is more than the taste of dust in the upper one.
Hence, when one begins to observe the greatness of the upper one, which is considered that the AHP of the upper one have ascended, the lower one also ascends and begins to attain the feeling of Godliness.
This depends on the measure that it pains him that he sees the faults of the upper one. Thus, to that extent, the upper one becomes ascended in him. It follows that this is a correction for the purpose of the lower one.
50. RABASH, Letter No. 77
The whole foundation is that one should ask that all of one’s thoughts and desires will be only to benefit the Creator, a depiction of lowliness, called Shechina in the dust, immediately appears. Hence, we must not be impressed by the descent, since many pennies join into a great amount.
This is as we learned, “there is no absence in spirituality,” rather that it has temporarily departed in order to have room for work to advance. This is so because every moment that we scrutinize into holiness enters the domain of holiness, and a person descends only in order to sort out more sparks of holiness.
51. RABASH, Article No. 106, "The Ruin of Kedusha" [Holiness]
One should pray for the ruin of the Temple, that the Kedusha is ruined and in lowliness, and no one pays attention to this lowliness, that the Kedusha is placed in the earth and must be lifted from its lowliness.
In other words, each one recognizes his own benefit and knows that this is something very important and worth working for. But to bestow, this is not worthwhile. This is considered that the Kedusha is placed in the earth, unused and unwanted.
However, one must not ask the Creator to bring him closer to Him, as it is insolence on the part of man, for in what is he more important than others? However, when he prays for the collective—which is Malchut, called “assembly of Israel,” the sum of the souls—that the Shechina [Divinity] is in the dust, and he prays that she will rise, meaning that the Creator will light up her darkness, then all of Israel will rise in degree, too, including the beseeching person, who is included in the collective.
52.
RABASH,
Article
No.
39
(1990),
“What
Is,
‘Anyone
Who
Mourns
for
Jerusalem
Is
Rewarded
with
Seeing
Its
Joy,’
in
the
Work?”
When
one
prays
for
the
exile
of
the
Shechina,
he
should
not
pray
that
it
is
in
the
dust
only
for
him.
Rather,
one
should
pray
about
its
lowliness
in
the
whole
world,
that
the
whole
world
gives
no
thought
to
spirituality.
And
he
prays
for
the
whole
world,
as
we
pray,
“And
build
Jerusalem
soon
in
our
days,”
so
it
will
be
glorified
in
the
whole
world,
[…]
But
since
the
general
public
does
not
feel
the
lack,
how
can
they
pray?
However, such a person, who was rewarded with obtaining the need, who has attained the exile, he can ask for redemption. But those who do not feel that there is an exile, how can they ask that He will deliver them from exile? It follows that a person’s feeling of being in exile is already considered an ascent in degree, and he must ask for fulfillment for the general public.
53. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 25
One who is rewarded with repentance, the Shechina [Divinity] appears to him like a soft-hearted mother who has not seen her son for many days, and they made great efforts and experienced ordeals in order to see each other, because of which they both were in great dangers. But in the end, they came to that longed-for freedom and were rewarded with seeing one another. Then the mother fell on him, kissed him, comforted him, and spoke softly to him all day and all night. She told him of the longing and the dangers on the roads she has experienced until today, how she had always been with him, and that the Shechina never moved, but suffered with him in all the places, but he could not see it.
These are the words of The Zohar: “She says to him, ‘Here we slept; here we were attacked by robbers and were saved from them; here we hid in a deep pit,’ and so forth. What fool would not understand the great love and pleasantness and delight that burst from these comforting stories?”
54. RABASH, Article No. 36, "Who Hears a Prayer"
“Hears a prayer.” There is a question: Why is prayer written in singular form if the Creator hears prayers, as it is written, “For you hear the prayer of every mouth of Your people Israel with mercy”?
We should interpret that we have only one prayer to pray—to raise the Shechina [Divinity] from the dust, and by this all the salvations will come.
55. Pri Tzadik, Pinhas, Item 9
On these three weeks, on the 17th of Tammuz, the tablets broke, on the 9th of Av the Temple was ruined for the first time, and on the second, Israel were exiled. But indeed, all this was a preparation, for by this they were later rewarded with great light. It was said about the breaking of the tablets (Shabbat 87), “Well done for breaking,” for by breaking the tablets they were rewarded with the light of Torah, and on the 9th of Av the Messiah was promptly born, as it is written (Midrash Eicha) that the ruin of the Temple was a preparation for the building of the third Temple that will take place, and then will be the complete redemption, after which there will be no exile.
56. RABASH, Article No. 5 (1988), "What Is, 'When Israel Are in Exile, the Shechina Is With Them,' in the Work?"
The people of Israel went out of the land of Israel and the Temple was ruined. In the work, we should interpret that the people of Israel went out and did not feel the flavor of Torah and Mitzvot, and their heart, which was a place for feeling the Kedusha, called “The Temple,” that place was ruined.
57. Introduction of Rav Chaim Vital to Shaar HaHakdamot [Gate to Introductions]
Said the youngest in the city, the smallest of them all, Chaim Vital: “When I was thirty years of age, my strength withered. I sat in wonder, my thoughts perplexed, for the harvest has ended, the summer has gone, and we have not been saved. There has been no healing to our plight, no cure for our flesh, and no remedy to our affliction—the ruin of our Temple, which today has been in ruin for 1,504 years. Woe unto us for the day has ended, one day of the Creator, which is a thousand years. Also, the evening shadows have grown longer, which are 504 years, more than the second half of the day. The time has fully passed, and still the son of David has not come. It is known that our sages said, ‘Any generation in which time the Temple is not built, it is as though in its time it is ruined.’ I turned to search to know what is this and over what has the end of our exile been prolonged, and why the son of Yishai has not come.”
58. Baal HaSulam, Letter No. 60
There was a precondition from the beginning of the reception of the Torah, but afterward, since the time of the making of the calf, the package has been taken apart, since wars occurred and the children of Levi killed three thousand men by the word of the Creator, and then the grievances against Moses and Aaron, and the spies. Naturally, all those did not add love or unity.
Afterward, after the coming to the land [of Israel], it was still not quiet. Hence, it was irrelevant to ask anyone to uphold this prime commandment. However, in order for the Torah not to be forgotten from Israel, they began to engage in the rest of the commandments although they had abandoned its main point, since they had no other choice. Perhaps this is what our sages meant when they asked about the ruin of the Second Temple, that there was no idolatry there and they were proficient in Torah, so why was it ruined? They said it was for unfounded hatred. Perhaps this means that it was because they could not engage in the heart of the construction of the Torah, which is “love your neighbor as yourself”.
59. RABASH, Article No. 24 (1987), "What Is Unfounded Hatred in the Work?"
Since there was unfounded hatred in the Second Temple, meaning that they hated the “free,” meaning to work for free, without any reward, but rather not in order to receive reward, hence, even though they engaged in Torah and Mitzvot and in charity, because they did not have the aim to bestow, there was no room for the Kedusha to settle there due to the oppositeness of form between them. This is why the Temple had to be ruined.
The order of the work is that we need Torah and Mitzvot and charity so they will bring us to work for free. That is, they are only means to achieve the goal, which is to achieve Dvekut [adhesion] with the Creator, which is equivalence of form, as it is written, “And to cleave unto Him,” and our sages said, “As He is merciful, so you are merciful.”
60. Rav Chaim Vital, Sha’arey Kedusha, Part 2, Gate 4
Our sages said (Avot Chapter 4), “Hatred of people expels a person from the world,” and behold, it is as though he hates the Creator for creating him. It is written (Yoma 9b), “In the Second Temple, there were righteous and great sages, and it was ruined only because of unfounded hatred, and the end has been prolonged and concealed only because of unfounded hatred. Moreover, all other transgressions, he commits them only at that time, but unfounded hatred is always in the heart, and at every single moment he transgresses in ‘Do not hate’ and the cancelling of the commandment to-do of ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Moreover, it was said about this commandment that it is a great rule in the Torah, that all of it depends on it.”
61. Likutei Halachot, “Blood Rules,” Rule No. 1
The main flaw in the disciples of Rabbi Akiva was that there was no love of mercy among them, for by this is the main drawing of the Torah that they had to extend from Rabbi Akiva, their teacher, who was regarded as the revelation of the Torah. This is why Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said, “In us, the matter depends on love,” that we must have great love among us, that this is the most important. It is also brought by the disciples of the ARI that the ARI had cautioned them quite a few times that there should be great love among them.
Also, he once said that he would be willing to come to Jerusalem so redemption would come through them, but the matter was spoiled by the dispute that occurred among the friends through their wives (as detailed in Praises of the ARI), since the main drawing of Torah is through love and mercy, by which we are rewarded with reception of the Torah and with abundance.
62. Babylonian Talmud, Masechet Makot, p 24a
Once, Rav Gamliel and Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria and Rabbi Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva went up to Jerusalem. When they arrived at Mt. Scopus, they tore their clothes. When they arrived at the Temple Mount, they saw a fox come out from the Holy of Holies. They started crying, while Rabbi Akiva was laughing. They said to him, “Why are you laughing?” He said to them, “Why are you crying?” They replied, “In the place of which it is written, ‘And the stranger who draws near shall be put to death,’ now foxes walk. How can we not cry?” He said to them, “This is why I am laughing, as it is written, ‘And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jebe’rachiah” … until Uriah’s prophecy came true, I feared that Zechariah’s prophecy would not come true. Now that Uriah’s prophecy has come true, it is known that Zechariah’s prophecy will come true.” With these words, they said to him, “You have comforted us, Akiva, you have comforted us.”
63. The Holy Shlah, The Two Tablets, Bamidbar Devarim, Balak
The poverty, which is the troubles, is the reason for the rising, and causes what happened to become light. That advantage will come out of the darkness since He has placed us in the dark so that a great light would come out of the darkness. Likewise, the Lord will turn the curse into a blessing, since the curse itself has become a blessing, and the ruin of the Temple is its building.
64. Tifferet Shlomo about Holidays, Intimation of Purim
Through fasting and mourning came joy, and from the plight itself came relief. This is because from fear comes love, as it is written (Jeremiah 30:7), “It is a time of trouble for Jacob, and he will be saved from it.” This means that in very dire times, salvation will quickly come from it, to cause the unification. This is the meaning of what was said, “On the day of the ninth of Av the Messiah was born,” for only on the day when the Temple was ruined, when the children of Israel were at the lowest degree, that was the time to bring forth the Messiah, who will come soon in our days.
65. RABASH, Article No. 19 (1986), "Concerning Joy"
On the month of Av, when we must mourn the ruin of the Temple, we must work on the left line, meaning criticize our actions, that we must be in the path of Kedusha, which is in order to bestow, and how one is remote from bestowal.
When one thinks about this, he is in a state of remoteness from Kedusha and is immersed in self-love, where his whole basis for engaging in Torah and Mitzvot is in order to satisfy the will to receive with every possible satisfaction.
Therefore, when considering one’s lowliness he can awaken the pain of the ruin of Kedusha that there is in each and every one. And then the verse, “All who mourn Jerusalem is rewarded with seeing the comfort of Jerusalem” comes true.
66. RABASH, Article No. 39 (1990), “What Is, ‘Anyone Who Mourns for Jerusalem Is Rewarded with Seeing Its Joy,’ in the Work?”
It is known that Malchut is called “Jerusalem.” Hence, when we say, “the ruin of the Jerusalem,” it refers to the ruin of the Temple. This is called “Shechina [Divinity] in the dust” or “Shechina in exile.” In other words, a person should take upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven and believe that the Creator leads the world with a guidance of The Good Who Does Good, since it is hidden from us. [...]
Thus, if a person overcomes and takes upon himself the burden of the kingdom of heaven although he sees no importance, and mourns for the importance of Jerusalem being so hidden from us, and prays about why Malchut has no importance, and asks of the Creator to raise Jerusalem from the dust it is in, to the extent that one regrets its ruin, he is rewarded with the Creator hearing his prayer.
And that man is rewarded with seeing its joy, meaning that it does bestow upon him delight and pleasure.
67. Baal HaSulam, from a manuscript
This is what the poet implied (Psalms 122:3), “Jerusalem that is built as a city that was joined together,” that the end of correction is called “Jerusalem that is built,” meaning that the redeemed do not build it but are in awe in their attainment that it is already built, and there has never been any flaw in it, since any change of place, change of action, and change of name, which are themselves the moments of time in the exile, all those opposites have joined together. It is complete simplicity, like the whole that becomes revealed when all its parts and details gather into it.
68. Baal HaSulam, "This Is for Judah"
All the letters of Ge'ula [redemption] are present in Gola [exile], except for the Aleph, since this letter indicates the “Aluph [Champion] of the world.”
This teaches us that the form of the absence is but the negation of the presence. And we know the form of the presence—redemption—from the verse, “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor …for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.” Hence, the form of the previous absence, meaning the form of exile, is only the absence of the knowledge of the Creator. This is the absence of the Aleph, which is missing in the Gola, and present in the Ge'ula—the Dvekut with the “Champion of the world.” This is precisely the redemption of our souls, no more and no less, as we have said that all the letters of Ge'ula are present in Gola but the Aleph, which is the “Champion of the world.”
69. Baal HaSulam, "Introduction to The Book of Zohar", Item 71
In such a generation, all the destructors among the nations of the world raise their heads and wish primarily to destroy and to kill the children of Israel, as it is written (Yevamot 63), “No calamity comes to the world but for Israel.” This means, as it is written in the above Tikkunim, that they cause poverty, ruin, robbery, killing, and destructions in the whole world.
After, through our many faults, we have witnessed all that is said in the above-mentioned Tikkunim, and moreover, the judgment struck the very best of us, as our sages said (Baba Kama 60), “And it begins with the righteous first,” and of all the glory Israel had had in the countries of Poland and Lithuania, etc., there remains but the relics in our holy land, now it is upon us, relics, to correct that dreadful wrong. Each of us remainders should take upon himself, heart and soul, to henceforth intensify the internality of the Torah and give it its rightful place according to its merit over the externality of the Torah.
Then, each and every one of us will be rewarded with intensifying his own internality, meaning the Israel within him, which is the needs of the soul over his own externality, which is the nations of the world within him, being the needs of the body. And that force will come to the whole of Israel until the nations of the world within us recognize and acknowledge the merit of the great sages of Israel over them and will listen to them and obey them.
And the internality of the nations of the world, the righteous of the nations of the world, will overpower and submit their externality, who are the destructors. The internality of the world, too, who are Israel, will rise in all their merit and virtue over the externality of the world, who are the nations.
Then, all the nations of the world will recognize and acknowledge Israel’s merit over them, and they will follow the words (Isaiah 14), “And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the land of the Lord.” And also (Isaiah 49), “And they will bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.” This is the meaning of what is written in The Zohar (Nasso, p 124b), “Through your composition, which is The Book of Zohar, they will be redeemed from exile with mercy.”
70. Baal HaSulam, "A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar"
Our generation is the generation of the days of the Messiah. This is why we have been granted the redemption of our holy land from the hands of the foreigners. We have also been rewarded with the revelation of The Book of Zohar, which is the beginning of the realization of the verse, “For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.” “And they will teach no more… for they will all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.”
Yet, with those two, we have only been rewarded with giving from the Creator, but we have not received anything into our own hands. Instead, we have been given a chance to begin with the work of the Creator, to engage in Torah and Mitzvot Lishma. Then we will be granted the great success that is promised to the generation of the Messiah, which all the generations before us did not know. And then we will be rewarded with the time of reception of both the complete attainment and the complete redemption.
71. Raaiah Kook, Orot HaKodesh 3
The depth of evil and the exaltedness of its root is the depth of goodness. You find that the depth of hatred is the depth of love. If we were ruined and the world was ruined with us through unfounded hatred, we will be rebuilt and the world will be rebuilt with us through unfounded love.