להבין ענין הפסוק מי אל כמוך וגו׳ שהוא…

1To understand the meaning of the verse “Who is a G‑d (Kel) like You,” etc., which is the explanation of the Thirteen Attributes [of Mercy] that are in the Torah. Now, Kel is Chesed (kindness), as it is written, “The kindness of Kel is all the day.”

And the meaning is: who is a master of kindness like You, for Your kindnesses spread without end, from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, to a very low place; this is why [kindness] is likened to water, which descends from a high place to a very low place.

2And the way in which the kindnesses can descend to the level of what is very low, [the prophet] explains, saying: “He bears iniquity and passes over transgression.” That is: what is still at the level of iniquity (avon),

He raises and bears upward; but what is at the level of transgression (pesha), which is a level of greater coarseness and cannot

rise — and it is written, “Your iniquities have separated,” and “[You are] too pure of eyes to see evil,” so the kindnesses cannot descend there — therefore He passes over and treads upon transgression, so that they not interrupt, etc.

But all this is only if it is “for the remnant of His inheritance,” etc., as is stated in the Gemara, in the first chapter of Rosh Hashanah (17a); and see the Midrash Rabbah at the beginning of Parshas Nitzavim, and in Parshas Beshalach (chapter 26); [and] Megillah (28a).

The explanation of the matter in detail: our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Great is teshuvah (return), for it reaches the Throne of Glory”; and in the Zohar they said, “Teshuvah is tashuv hei, ‘the hei returns’”: the upper hei [and] the lower hei.

To understand this, one must understand what teshuvah essentially is. For people err in saying that it is specifically people of little worth and transgressors who are the ones who need teshuvah. But the truth is not so, since the essence of teshuvah is in the lower hei and the upper [hei], and “a boorish man does not know.”

In truth, however, they said this about people who sit in the tent and study Torah: for the Written Torah is the upper hei and the Oral Torah is the lower hei, and when one breaks off from them and occupies himself with the vanities of the world, he must go back and return these letters hei to their source. This is [the explanation] in general terms.

And in particular terms: contemplation of the greatness of G‑d, and concentration in prayer (iyun tefillah) and its intent in thought, is the level of the upper hei; and when one brings them out with the mouth, in the study of Torah and in prayer, that is the level of the lower hei.

3Now, our Sages, of blessed memory, said that seven things preceded the world, and one of them is teshuvah [see Bereshis Rabbah, chapter 1]. The explanation is that the essence of teshuvah is in the heart, which is the level of the upper hei: that is, the soul’s expiry (kelos hanefesh) toward Him, may He be blessed.

4That is, through contemplating that the whole world is subject to time, “six thousand years,” etc., and even the days of Mashiach and the Resurrection of the Dead are within time; and time is created, to give life to the upper and lower worlds: for through the twelve permutations of [the Name] Havayah, which are renewed each day,

that is, in each hour one permutation brings into being and gives life to the upper and lower worlds [and in each night, the twelve permutations of

Ado-nai], and the life-force (chayus) is “running and returning” (ratzo vashov): that is, the life-force that came through the first permutation rises to its source, and afterwards the life-force descends through the second permutation; for otherwise one permutation would have sufficed.

Therefore from this comes the dimension of past and future: the first life-force withdraws and is absorbed into its source, from below upward, and another life-force descends and is drawn down from above to below, and so the dimension of time comes into being [it is like the example of the hour-indicator, which in Yiddish is called a zeiger].

5This is why it is called sha’ah (hour), meaning “turning,” for the life-force turns from above to below in the manner of running and returning. Likewise the heart, in which the main life-force of man resides — man being a miniature world — beats constantly, because the life-force is in running and returning [and see what is written about this at the end of the discourse beginning

“For as the new heavens”]. Now, “From my flesh I behold G‑d”: by way of analogy, a person who has some matter to speak about —

the words are engraved on his heart all together as one, everything he could speak and spell out with his lips in an hour or two.

So too, as it were, above: the source of the life-force and of the permutations, which is the Life of all life, the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He — there, there is no division of time whatever, past, present and future,

for there they are all included as one; and indeed it has the power to bring into being and give life for many more times “six thousand years,” etc.,

and many Sabbatical cycles and Jubilees, without end or limit. Only when the life-force is drawn down from above to below to give life to the worlds does the dimension of time come into being.

So too, before the world was created there was no dimension of time at all [and see what is written in the explanation on the verse “My dove,” regarding “For My thoughts are not your thoughts”]. Now, it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed,” and “You are He before the world was created,” etc.

That is: just as He was single and unique before [the world] was created, so now He is truly single and unique after it was created, as it is written, “You are He, Havayah, alone.” And though the world was created, to this it says, “You made,” etc.,

6“and You give life,” etc. For with the yud the World to Come was created, and with the hei this world was created; and these are the whole order of times, even the days of Mashiach and the Resurrection of the Dead, which are no more than the level of yud and hei.

This is by way of analogy like a person: one letter, compared to all the words he can speak all the days of his life, counts as nothing at all. So too all the worlds, upper and lower: “all before Him is considered as nothing.”

7And this is [the meaning of] what is written, “For a brief moment I forsook you”: that it is no more than a brief moment. And what is written, “For a thousand years are like a day,” etc., refers to the time of exile, as it is written, “and a watch in the night.”

Whereas in the Time to Come, when His G‑dliness will be revealed in the world, then “they will see eye to eye,” and “all flesh will see” that everything counts as a moment. Therefore, “For a brief moment I forsook you, and with great compassion I will gather you in”: that is, when I gather you in with great compassion,

that is, when His G‑dliness is revealed, then you will see that “for a brief moment I forsook you.” And this is [the meaning of] “May our remembrance rise and come,” etc.: that it is merely a remembrance.

8And when a person takes these matters to heart — that the whole world is subject to time, and time counts as a moment before Him, may He be blessed,

who is above time, and before Him there is no division of time whatever — then it will be in his heart like a blaze of burning fire, and his soul will expire [with longing] to cleave to Him, may He be blessed. And this is [the meaning of] “teshuvah preceded the world.”

For the meaning is not that it existed before the creation of the world: if there is no world, there is no iniquity that one has committed, and there is no teshuvah.

Rather, the point is that teshuvah with the soul’s expiry (kelos hanefesh) is above time and the world, for it is to cleave to Him, may He be blessed, to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, before whom there is no division of time at all.

For as a result of this contemplation he comes to teshuvah with the soul’s expiry. And see what is written in the discourse beginning “The Song of Songs”: as it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed, and you, children of Yaakov, have not expired” — that is, you do not have the soul’s expiry. Thus the soul’s expiry comes about because of “I have not changed.”

9And through this he will draw His G‑dliness down into the world, so that He will have a dwelling place among the lower realms [and he adds light in the World of Atzilus (Emanation)], as it is written, “And you shall keep all My commandments and do them (osam)”: it is written atem, without a vav, and our Sages, of blessed memory, said, “Do not read osam (‘them’) but atem (‘you’): Scripture accounts it to them as though they had made Me.”

And it is written (Psalms 16), “I have set (shivisi) Havayah,” etc., which means “I have made,” as in “Majesty and splendor You set (teshaveh) upon him” (in Psalms 21).

And this is as it is written, “And David made a name”: for the whole main intent of his Torah and his prayer was to make a name [and see on this in the Zohar, Parshas Bechukosai, 113a–b].

102. To understand this, one must understand the meaning of “For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He,” which was instituted before prayer, “to unite the Name yud-hei with vav-hei in perfect unity”; and also understand the meaning of the letters of the Name Havayah, blessed be He. Now, the yud indicates the tzimtzum (contraction),

for the main purpose of the Torah and the mitzvos is that He should have a dwelling place among the lower realms, and all the worlds, upper and lower, are within time, which is as a moment before Him, may He be blessed, etc. For this, many levels and contractions and the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) are needed, so that there will be the dimension of time.

11The level of the contractions means that He withdraws the level of His essence altogether, which is the level of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), and rests in time and limitation; and see what is written on this in the discourse beginning “And He would not,” in Parshas

Ki Seitzei. Afterwards [comes] the level of the hei, which is expansion in length and breadth; and afterwards the vav, which is a drawing down “in the heavens above

and on the earth below,” and to the four directions, the level of the six extremities (vav ketzavos) [and also the spiritual heavens, which are the levels of love and awe, etc., fire and water, etc.].

This is the level of the vav, which is the drawing down of His G‑dliness from above to below; and afterwards the level of the lower hei. And so too in the whole chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), from world to world, there is contraction and expansion, drawing down and expansion.

This is why it is called olam (world), from the word he’elem (concealment), for He concealed and hid His essence, may He be blessed. And this is [the meaning of] “teshuvah preceded the world” [and see what is written on the subject of teshuvah in the discourse beginning “For this commandment which I command you,” etc.;

see there. And in the Midrash Bereshis Rabbah there, it says: “as it is said, ‘Before the mountains were born’; from that very hour, ‘You return man,’” etc. And this is as is written in the discourse beginning “For the mountains may depart,” etc.,

“but My kindness shall not depart from you,” etc., “says Havayah, who has compassion on you”: this verse speaks of the revelation of great compassion in the Time to Come through teshuvah, and then “the mountains may depart,” etc.; see there. And this is because

teshuvah is from the level and rank of “before the mountains were born,” which preceded the world: it is a revelation from the level of “I am who I am” (Anochi mi she’Anochi), etc., which is above the level of the contractions of the Name Havayah, so that there be a world (olam) and concealment (he’elem),

that is, above even the World of Atzilus (Emanation), which receives from the level of the yud of the Name Havayah]. And this is the meaning of the unification: that He be single and unique after the contraction and the expansion just as prior

to it, without any change. But in this world the unification is not complete until the days of Mashiach, for then “they will see eye to eye,” etc., and “all flesh will see,” etc.

But in the upper worlds one can effect the unification even now, so that His unity will be revealed. And this is [the meaning of] “And appear in the splendor of the majesty of Your might.”

That is, that the yuds and vavs should shine — they being the levels of the contractions and of hishtalshelus, the drawings-down and the radiance of the supernal light [see Shaar HaYichudim,

chapter 7, and Mishnas Chassidim, Tractate HaYichudim, chapter 4], the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He — that they should shine even far below, even in this world, until “every creature will know,” etc., which refers to all created beings.

12And the end of the passage proves that all will know and apprehend His G‑dliness, may He be blessed, that there is nothing besides Him. This will be in the Time to Come, when the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, will shine and be revealed so greatly that it will be grasped also by the human intellect and apprehended with physical apprehension.

Whereas at a time when the Infinite Light is revealed only in the G‑dly soul of those who serve G‑d; and even this is not in the manner of apprehension, but in the manner of faith, which is an inheritance from the forefathers.

This is why it is written of the Time to Come, when the Infinite Light, blessed be He, will be revealed: “And they will go into the caves of the rocks and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Havayah and from the splendor of His majesty”; that is, because of the revelation of the level of “the splendor of the majesty of Your might,” which are the yuds and vavs mentioned above

(the phrase “the splendor of His majesty” will be understood along the lines of what is written elsewhere on the meaning of “For He is exalted, exalted,” etc.; and from there comes the drawing down of the yuds and vavs mentioned above, so that the revelation after the contractions is as it was before the contractions; and this is [the meaning of] “From the depths I have called You, Havayah,” as is written in the discourse beginning “Return, O Israel, unto”) — and then

terror and dread will fall in a truly physical way, from this great sight that all flesh will see, and they will apprehend the work of G‑d in the midst of this physical earth with the physical human intellect, so that the physicality of the world and of man will not conceal and hide the light of G‑d.

133. Now, the revelation of this unification — that the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is before the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) and above time, be revealed below in the order of hishtalshelus — its beginning in time is revealed

in the penitent (baal teshuvah) who returns to G‑d with all his soul and all his might, with the soul’s expiry (kelos hanefesh), from the depth of the heart. For through this teshuvah a radiance is drawn down to him from above, from the Infinite Light that is before hishtalshelus and above time

(which is the level of “He who is exalted above the days of the world,” meaning that He is exalted far, far above the level and rank of “the days of the world” (yemei olam, yemos olam), as is written about this in the discourse beginning “You are standing”; that is, the level of “the days of the world” is the source and root of time.

And it is called “A thousand years in Your eyes are like a day,” etc.: for although this “day” is not actually in the dimension of time, since it includes a thousand years as one, nevertheless it is the source and root of the dimension of time,

and therefore it is called “the days of the world.” But He Himself, may He be blessed, is exalted and lifted infinitely above the level of these “days,” for He is altogether above time).

Therefore, through the drawing down of this radiance, the person too will despise the life of time, so as to cleave to the very Infinite Light, blessed be He, itself, as mentioned above.

And even one whose mind is not so refined as to cleave to Him because of the greatness and exaltedness of the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, Himself, but is only pained by

his place and his time — that he has been drawn after the vanities of time, and “his name is covered in darkness” — and he recognizes his worth and his lowliness, and becomes “despicable in his own eyes, repulsive,” because he is called bad and repulsive, etc. —

nevertheless, since he despises his life, the life of time, G‑d’s kindness is drawn upon him of itself, as a matter of course, so that there is in him a revelation of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that is before hishtalshelus and above time.

For great is the power of the supernal kindness, which spreads without end or limit, like water that descends from its high place to a very low place.

14On the contrary: in a place that is very low, there they gather the more. So too the supernal kindness is drawn down and spreads specifically in a low place,

that is, in one who is lowly and “despicable in his own eyes, repulsive.” And also, since the level of kindness and compassion applies only to one who needs kindness and compassion — as in the example of one

who is held in prison and cannot go begging from door to door: kindness and compassion toward him are aroused in people’s hearts, until they bring him bread and food in the prison. And so it is

above, with the supernal kindness, which is drawn of itself, as a matter of course, upon a person who is in great distress at being held in the prison of the body and the animal soul, so that he wishes and yearns greatly to strip off the filthy garments, etc.,

and his life is no life in his eyes. Therefore he arouses great compassion from above, until life and kindness are drawn upon him from above, from the source of life and the Life of all life, the Infinite One, blessed be He, Himself.

And this is [the meaning of] “Who is a G‑d (Kel) like You”: for the level of Kel is the level of Chesed (kindness), and there is no kindness like the supernal kindness, which spreads

without end or limit, from the highest of heights, from the Infinite Light, blessed be He, itself, down to the lowest levels of the physical World of Asiyah (Action), “to revive the spirit of the lowly” who are bound in the prison of the physical body.

(And in the Idra) (132a): “And the secret of what is written, ‘Who is a G‑d (Kel) like You,’ was said of Atik Yomin.” The meaning of Atik Yomin is the level of “He who is exalted above the days of the world,”

for atik is from the expression “who removes (ha’ma’atik) mountains”; that is, He is removed and exalted from the level of “the days of the world.” And see there (134b).

And this is [the meaning of] “the most high Kel, who bestows good kindnesses”: for He is called Kel on account of the enclothing of the Infinite Light, blessed be He, in the attribute of Chesed, as it is written, “The kindness of Kel is all the day.” And there is chesed and there is chesed:

that is, outer chesed (chesed de’lebar), which is called “kindness of the world” (chesed olam); and in the enclothing of the Infinite Light so that there be a world — “the world is built by kindness” — He is called “Kel of the world” (Kel olam).

But inner chesed (chesed de’legav), of which it is said, “and through the supernal kindness (chesed elyon) he will not falter” — “supernal” (elyon) specifically, for it is from the level of the light that encompasses all worlds (sovev kol almin) — this is the meaning of “the most high Kel” (Kel elyon),

which is far, far above the level and rank of chesed olam; and of this it is said, “Who is a G‑d (Kel) like You.” And see what is written in the discourse beginning “To a mare,” in Shir HaShirim, on the subject of adam (man), “I will be likened (adameh) to the Most High,” etc.; see there.

15Now, from the level of supernal kindness [it] is drawn down to be “who bestows good kindnesses,” which is the drawing down of kindness far below. And see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “And now, may the power of Ado-nai be great,” etc.;

and see what is written on the verse “and it bore ripe (vayigmol) almonds,” in Parshas Korach; and elsewhere, on the verse “The kindnesses of Havayah, for we are not consumed,” etc., and on the verse “Havayah — His adversaries will be shattered”; and see what is written in the explanation on the verse “Moshe would speak”; and see in the Siddur of the Arizal, of blessed memory, on the intention of “I will hope to Kel,” etc.

And see in the commentary of the Ramaz (Rabbi Moshe Zacuto) at the beginning of Parshas Shemini, on Yisrael as yashar Kel (“upright toward Kel”); and this is [the meaning of] “Fortunate are you, Israel; who is like you?” etc.

And along these lines is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said regarding Betzalel: “You were in the shadow of Kel (betzel Kel), and you knew,” as is written in the book Emek HaMelech, Sha’ar 13, chapter 40.

164. But how can the supernal kindness, from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, itself, be drawn down and revealed in a penitent who was utterly far from the Infinite Light?

To this the prophet said, “He bears iniquity and passes over transgression.” The explanation of the matter: in the Gemara there is a dispute; one Sage says “He bears (nosei) iniquity,” and one Sage says “He suppresses (kovesh) iniquity.”

17And both are true. For the act of transgression that a person commits, sinning against any one of the prohibitions, or the neglect of a positive commandment, is complete evil.

But the faculty that desires forbidden things, or that draws his heart to neglect a positive commandment — that faculty, although it is enclothed in complete evil, nevertheless has no sin in itself,

for the faculty of desire is the same whether toward the forbidden or the permitted, and so too the faculty that draws his heart; only that he inclined the faculty of desire so far that it became enclothed in the act of transgression, or he inclined the faculty that draws the heart until it was drawn to turn away from a positive commandment.

But as regards the faculty of desire in itself, this faculty has the power to turn his heart from one extreme to the other, from an evil love to the love of G‑d, as it is written, “And you shall love with all your heart (levavecha)”: with both your inclinations, so that the evil inclination too will turn to the love of G‑d.

18The reason is that in truth the faculty of desire, in itself, has its root and “its foundation in the holy mountains,” in supernal holiness; only that through the descent of the levels and their fall in the shattering of the vessels (sheviras hakeilim), it came about that the faculty of desire is also [drawn] to a matter of transgression.

Therefore, when he returns to G‑d, he can turn his heart from one extreme to the other, so that even the faculty of desire, which was enclothed in an evil desire, will turn to the love of G‑d

(and see what is written about this on the verse “This is the statute of the Torah,” on the subject of the ashes of the [red] heifer; and see what is written at the end of the discourse beginning “And a man wrestled,” on the subject of their raising dust up to the Throne of Glory).

But the evil deed that a person commits in sinning by them, since it is truly complete evil in itself, cannot be included in holiness, for a transgression does not become a mitzvah, and it has no remedy

except its nullification and removal from the world, as it is written of the Time to Come, “And I will remove the spirit of impurity,” etc. And this is [the meaning of] “bears iniquity” and “suppresses iniquity.” “Bears iniquity” refers to the faculty that desires an evil desire,

and likewise the thought enclothed in this desire: this is “bears iniquity,” for He lifts it to rise to its root, to be included in supernal holiness, to turn his heart and his thoughts from one extreme to the other, so that the faculty of desire too will turn to the love of G‑d.

And “suppresses iniquity” refers to the deed in actual fact, which has no ascent or inclusion in holiness, only nullification and removal in the Time to Come; nevertheless, even now He suppresses it and casts it down to the level of “the depths of the sea” (see the Zohar, Part III, Parshas Acharei, end of 63b, and Parshas Emor, 101b, and in the Mikdash Melech and the Ramaz there),

the place of the kelipos (husks), so that it will not roam in the air of this world to cause man to sin, and will not “return to folly,” until the time of the end, when “death will be swallowed up forever,” and “I will remove the spirit of impurity,” etc.

And this is [the meaning of] “He bears iniquity and passes over transgression”: for transgression (pesha) is the level of the deed in actual fact; He passes over and treads upon it, and suppresses it in the depths of the sea.

Whereas the level of iniquity (avon) He bears: that is, the level of the faculty of desire, and a person’s thoughts and schemes (and see further on the subject of “bears iniquity” in the Zohar, Part III, 132b, 133a, 140b, 141a;

and in Parshas Vayigash, 206b, on the verse “They passed over together,” and in the Ramaz’s commentary there, somewhat differently). Now, through His bearing iniquity and passing over transgression, He removes the separating screens.

And then the supernal kindness is drawn down as a matter of course, of itself, so that there is a revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, itself — which is before the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) and above time — upon the person’s soul. For it is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed,” and “You are He before [the world] was created,” etc., without any change;

but the reason this is not revealed in a person’s soul is that “your iniquities separate,” and they are what prevent and hold back this revelation.

But when the obstacle is removed, then as a matter of course nothing at all intervenes, and “the glory of Havayah is revealed,” the Infinite One, blessed be He, Himself, upon his soul.

5. However, it is written, “for the remnant (she’eris) of His inheritance,” and our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “For whom does He bear iniquity and pass over transgression? For one who makes himself like leftovers (shirayim).”

19The explanation is this. It is written, “I, Havayah, have not changed, and you, children of Yaakov, have not expired.” That is, the prophet complains about the children of Yaakov:

for surely “I, Havayah, have not changed” — “You are He” after the world was created just as before it was created, for He is above the bounds of time and space, and time and space are of no account at all before Him.

Therefore He alone is single and unique after the world was created just as before, and “there is nothing else besides Him,” and there is nothing apart from Him. So why have you, children of Yaakov, not expired?

That is, you do not have the soul’s expiry (kelos hanefesh), to go out of the prison of the body and its sheath — not to be drawn after the needs of one’s body, but only to cleave to Him, may He be blessed, to the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, and to His attributes, all day long.

For even if his heart understands that this is the truth, that “all before Him is considered as nothing,” nevertheless he will not be moved in his soul so that it touches the very essence of the soul, “the inner part of a man and a deep heart,” that the soul should expire toward Him, may He be blessed, in longing and thirst, etc.

[And see what is written about this in the discourse beginning “In the third month after the going out.”] The reason for this the prophet explained in saying “children of Yaakov”: for Yaakov is yud-akev (yud–heel), the level of Chochmah (wisdom) that descended into the heels and the final act, in the levels

that are lowest, of the physical World of Asiyah (Action). And the children of Yaakov are those who receive from the level of the heels, for the soul was taken from there. Therefore the soul is not moved by subtle and spiritual matters, and is not so nullified before the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is above the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus), for it does not shine to it

except from a distance, and “as one peering through the lattices,” in the manner of an encompassing [light] (makif); and it does not enter the inner heart, so that “its inside is inlaid with love,” with the soul’s actual expiry.

20And although, as regards the essence of the soul, even if it is from a very low level, it is nevertheless a G‑dly soul and would be nullified before the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, itself, like a candle before a torch,

nevertheless, as regards its being enclothed in the animal soul, the soul that is from the lowest level is deeply enclothed and rooted in the nature of the animal soul, and drawn after the needs of his body, and it is hard for it to separate from it

(and see what is written about this at the end of the discourse beginning “For You are my lamp”), because it is in a state of selfhood (yeshus) and coarseness of spirit; that is, its spirituality is in a state of coarseness and density.

Therefore it is drawn after coarse and dense things and is not moved by subtle and spiritual things, for the coarseness and materiality of the body are what clothe the soul from its head to its foot. And especially

in a penitent (baal teshuvah), who at first was drawn after the needs of his body, and it is hard for him to separate from it, because he is enclothed and rooted in the nature of the coarseness and materiality of the body and the animal soul, which clothe him.

This enclothing is called in the Raaya Mehemna “adhesions of the lung” (sirchos hare’ah) (and see on this also in the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Pinchas, end of 227b and 228a),

for the lung becomes adhered, stuck and rooted, until it cannot fan the heart (see the Raaya Mehemna there, end of 231a, and 234a, and 235).

For it has no strength to raise its wings “to fly and to rise before the King,” and so it is stuck and rooted in the needs of his body.

And he feels only himself and his own will. Therefore, even if his heart understands the truth — that the world, which is subject to time and space, is as naught and nothing, and nullified within the Infinite Light, blessed be He, which is above the chain of descending worlds (hishtalshelus) and not within the bounds of time and space at all —

nevertheless it is hard for him to go out of the prison of the body, and he says, “What can I do? This is how I was created.” And the counsel given for this in the Zohar, Parshas Shelach (168a), [is:]

“A log in which the light does not rise is struck; a body in which the light of the soul does not rise is struck.”

That is, to humble himself on account of this very thing — that it be bad in his eyes that his parting from the body is hard for him — and to take to heart that even the transgressors of Israel who throw off the yoke — one who commits many transgressions only to satisfy his desire —

21although he knows that there is nothing real in them, nevertheless does not save his soul from going in such ways, because he does not want to endure lowliness and hardship; and therefore “he blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I will have peace,

for I will go in the stubbornness of my heart’” — for my nature caused it. But in truth this is no argument, for he must change his nature, break his desire, and endure a life of pain corresponding to his having denied G‑d.

And so a person should set his heart on breaking the desire of the body and its materiality, so that it will not prevent and hold back the revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, and His holiness, [so as] to be nullified and included, etc.

And if he does not break his desire, and wants [to remain] in his nature as he was born, since it is hard for him to part from his nature, then his argument is exactly the argument of the transgressors of Israel.

22Now, when he contemplates these things deeply and sees how far the evil of his selfhood and coarseness reaches, he will strike himself and humble his soul like dust. And although this striking and humbling does not come from the essence of the soul by its nature,

but through toil in deepening contemplation — of this King David, peace be upon him, said, “A broken and crushed (nidkeh) heart, O G‑d, You will not despise.”

For at first glance this is not understood: would one have thought that a broken and crushed heart would be considered contemptible, that King David, peace be upon him, had to say, “You will not despise”?

23On the contrary, surely it is praiseworthy for the heart to be broken and crushed, as it is written, “The sacrifices of G‑d are a broken spirit,” and it is written, “I dwell on high and in holiness, and with the crushed (daka),” etc.

But the matter will be understood by explaining the word venidkeh, which is a passive (nif’al) form, whereas the word daka is a noun. For one who is truly daka, crushed, it is certainly praise for him: “I dwell, and with the crushed”

(and see the Zohar, Parshas Emor, end of 90b, and the Mikdash Melech there; and see what is written in Parshas Eikev, at the end of the discourse beginning “A land of mountains and valleys”; and see the Zohar, Part II, Pekudei, 233a. The subject of “and with the crushed” is mentioned further in the Zohar, Part I, 181a; Part II, 86b; Part III, 9a).

But nidkeh means that through toil in deepening contemplation he humbles himself and becomes crushed through an action that he performs on his soul, or because the Holy One, blessed be He, sends him sufferings from above to subdue and humble him. And one might have thought that since he is not truly, genuinely daka of himself, this is worth nothing.

For this King David, peace be upon him, prayed on his behalf: that even a heart broken and crushed through action, “You will not despise” — at any rate, that even in the action of being crushed there will be a revelation of the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He;

that is, that he be nullified before the Infinite Light, blessed be He, that encompasses him from above, even though it does not enter the inner part of his heart, as mentioned above. (And greater than this is stated in the Gemara, in the chapter Yesh BaArachin) (16b),

regarding humility not for its own sake, etc. See further on the subject of “a broken spirit” and “a broken and crushed heart” in the Gemara, the first chapter of Sotah (5b);

the sixth chapter of Sanhedrin (43b); and in the Midrash Rabbah, at the beginning of “Command Aharon,” and in Parshas Nasso, chapter 13, on the verse “On the fourth day, the prince of the children of Reuven”;

and in the Zohar, Part III, Parshas Pinchas (240a and 247a), in the Raaya Mehemna; and in Parshas Vayikra (5a), and in the commentary of the Ramaz there, who discusses this at length;

and in the Sava of Mishpatim (108a), and in the Raaya Mehemna, Parshas Beha’aloscha (153a). It is mentioned further in the Zohar, Part I (198a); Part II (end of 61a, 86b); Part III (9a, end of 49a, end of 224b); and in the Mikdash Melech there.

246. And this is [the meaning of] “for the remnant (she’eris) of His inheritance”: for one who makes himself like leftovers (shirayim). That is, he makes himself — being enclothed in a body, in the chain of descending levels (hishtalshelus), in the dimension of time and space —

like the leftovers of what is above hishtalshelus, which is drawn to him in the manner of an encompassing [light] (makif). That is, when he deeply contemplates his lowliness — how he is deeply sunk and enclothed in his natural soul, through which he is very far from the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), blessed be He, which is drawn to him

only as a makif, so that through this he becomes nidkeh (crushed), as mentioned above — from this it follows that he is nullified to the makif that is over him.

And this is “for the remnant of His inheritance”: the leftovers, which are above hishtalshelus, are the level of “His inheritance” (nachalaso), “the inheritance of Yaakov” — nachal being an expression of drawing forth,

that is, the drawing forth and radiance from the Infinite Light, blessed be He; and “Yaakov is the lot (chevel) of His inheritance.” (And along the lines of what is explained here on the meaning of “remnant,” it is also explained in the Zohar, at the end of Parshas Vayeitzei)

(146b), on the meaning of “A remnant shall return, the remnant of Yaakov”: “These are the other blessings that remained.” And it is written, “And the remnant of Yaakov shall be,” etc., “like dew,” etc.

The meaning of “that remained” is that they do not shine now in a revealed way; and this is along the lines of what is written on the meaning of “remnant” as “leftovers,” etc.

But the inheritance and the drawing forth come only as a makif. And this is [the meaning of] “the stream (nachlah) passed over our soul”: it does not enter the inner dimension of the heart, so that “its inside is inlaid with love” for G‑d, with the soul’s actual expiry (kelos hanefesh), from the depth of the heart.

25Nevertheless, since through this he becomes nidkeh — it pains him greatly that his body and his animal soul clothe the soul, and he becomes lowly in his own eyes — he is nullified to the makif over him and makes himself like leftovers, and the supernal kindness is drawn upon him, to be “bearing iniquity

and passing over transgression,” for the supernal kindness spreads the more in a lower place, as mentioned above. Through this he can raise his soul and bind it to the light of G‑d, the Infinite One (Ein Sof), blessed be He, and His holiness, and go out of the prison and sheath of the body and the animal soul that clothe his G‑dly soul, so that he will not be rooted and stuck in them.

For kindness (chesed) is likened to water, and water loosens the adhesions of the lung when the animal is given to drink. So too the kindness prevails and separates the G‑dly soul from its enclothing and its bond in the prison of the body, to be nullified and included in Him, may He be blessed.