6

a) Every individual has to minimize his own honour and increase the honour of G-d; one shouldn't pursue honour, but rather, flee from it, then one will merit to Divine honour. People will then not investigate the honour one receives asking whether one is worthy of it or not. On the other hand, someone who chases after honour doesn't merit to this divine honour, therefore, even when he is honoured, everyone investigates and inquires after him, asking ' who is he whom people bestow this honour; they cause controversy against him, saying that he is not worthy of this respect.

b) Through humility we achieve repentance, for the essence of repentance is when a person hears himself being insulted and remains silent, without answering, bearing all the insults and the spilling of his blood while feeling his own worthlessness and insignificance and his many blemishes; he understands that that certainly it is fitting for him to suffer all these insults that come to him. This minimizes the blood in the left chamber of his heart; it is like slaughtering the evil urge. Through this, one merits to Divine honour.

c) Before repenting, a person hasn't any existence; it is as if he still hadn't come into existence in the world, for it is better that a person had not been created than if he had. But when he comes to purify himself and to repent, then he prepares an existence for himself. Therefore, repentance is an aspect of 'I will be', 'I prepare myself to be'.

d) Repentance is also an aspect of Kheter (crown) for Kheter comes from the word 'waiting', as it says, "Wait (khatar) for me a little" (Job,36). This is similar to repentance, as the Sages said (Yoma,39) "He who comes to purify himself, from above, they help him. Like a person who comes to buy a fragrant perfume; they tell him to wait." That's to say, a person has to know when he approaches to purify himself and repent, that they will tell him to wait. On the one hand, he has to hurry a great deal to save his soul, to escape from the darkness. Even so, he shouldn't panic when he sees his distance from prayer and from all things in holiness. There is a necessity to wait until one merits to a complete rectification and to progress from one spiritual level to another, according to the guidance of the true tzaddik, for it is impossible to enter the realm of holiness in one step.

e) One has to always be involved in the trait of repentance, for even when a person says "I have sinned, committed iniquity and wantonly transgressed", even this he cannot say without extraneous thoughts. This means that one has to repent on one's previous repentance, on the "I have sinned, committed iniquity and wantonly transgressed" that one said.

f) And even if you know yourself that you made perfect repentance, even so, you have to repent on the pervious repentance because when you repented the first time you did it according to your perception then, but afterwards, when you repent, you certainly recognize and perceive the Holy One on a higher level. Thus, it turns out that according to your present perception, your previous understanding was certainly less spiritual and therefore flawed. This being the case, you have to repent about having made worldly and mundane the sublime godliness of the Holy One. Happy is he who merits to such repentance.

g) The true tzaddik is always repenting, for even when he knows he has achieved perfect repentance, it is still only according to his previous perception which is now considered to be mundane in comparison to his present understanding of the exaltedness of the godliness of the Holy One. So the tzaddik behaves all his life, going from one level of perception to a higher one, repenting each time on his previous level of understanding. This is an aspect of the World to Come which is all Shabbat, all repentance, for the essence of the World to Come is perceiving the Divine; every moment when one perceives more, one repents more about the previous level. He who has a brain in his skull can understand through this the greatness of the Creator, praised be He, and the greatness of the tzaddikim. Happy are they and those who follow in their path.

h) Whoever wants to return to G-d has to be very familiar indeed with how to go in the paths of repentance so that nothing in the world will cause him to fall or become distant (from G-d) whether at the time of spiritual ascent or at the time of a fall. Whatever happens, a person has to strengthen himself, hold on and fulfill the verse which says, "If I ascend to Heaven, You are there and if I make my bed in Hell, here You are." Even in the pit of Hell you can come close to G-d, for there also He is to be found, as it says, "If I make my bed in Hell, here You are."

i) When a person wants to progress on the paths of repentance, he has to have two forms of expertise. In other words he has to know how to run and how to return, to enter and to exit… That's to say, if he wants to return to G-d, he has to strengthen himself in the paths of G-d at all times, whether when ascending or at the time of descent. This means that even if you merit to some sort of spiritual ascent, whether big or small, even so you mustn't stop there; don't make do with this. One has to be very knowledgeable in this, to know and believe that you have to go further and further. This is an aspect of knowing how to run. Also the opposite is true. Even if you fall, Heaven forbid, to wherever you fall, even into the pit of Hell, there also don't ever despair in any way, whatever happens, rather just search and ask for the Holy One; strengthen yourself in every situation, in whatever way you can for the Holy One is present always, even in the pit of Hell. From there also a Jew can attach himself to G-d. This is an aspect of knowing how to return. It is impossible to merit to repentance other than when one is familiar with these two ways. The truth is that it is a very great expertise to merit to know that one constantly has to strive and make an effort in the service of G-d and to anticipate every moment to reach a higher spiritual level, while at the same time not falling for any reason. Whatever will be, Heaven forbid, one must not get discouraged at all, but rather, fulfill the verse which says, "If I make my bed in Hell, here You are." When a person has these two forms of expertise then he can progress in the paths of repentance. Then G-d's right hand is outstretched to accept his repentance and he merits to G-d's glory. By this he becomes a man who sits on the throne. Happy is this man.

j) Repentance needs to meet three conditions – to see with his eyes, hear with his ears, understand with his heart and so repent. For a person has to focus his eyes and heart to his ways and consider his ultimate purpose, concentrating his heart very well on it; he must listen carefully to all the words of our holy rabbis; then he will merit to real repentance.

k) The main essence of repentance is through humility, that a person has to make himself into nothing, like a desert to be trod on, paying no attention to the controversy or insults directed at him; he just holds on to the attribute of silence and is among those who hear themselves ridiculed and yet do not retort. Then he is called a true Sage and merits to repentance which is an aspect of kheter (a crown). By this one merits to true, eternal honour which is G-d's glory, and to a good portion in the World to Come. This is the main element of a person's repentance and rectification for all his sins; thus he will merit to be included in the aspect of man who sits on the throne from where judgement spreads out to all the Peoples of the world.

l) A person has to try and always search after any merit or good that is possible to find in a Jew and judge each person on the side of merit, even of those who oppose him and insult him; then he will always be saved from controversy. By this, he makes a precious crown (kheter) for the Holy One with several kinds of precious stones.

6.

May it find favour before You, G-d, our G-d and G-d of our Fathers that You merit me to be constantly happy. Help me so that I merit to perform all the mitzvoth and holy deeds with great strength such that I will perspire at the time I perform them. By this, may all the impure blood and poisons within them come out of my body. May they all be released from the body by the good perspiration created when performing holy deeds. As a result merit me to subdue the spleen which contains the unclean blood and which is the cause of sadness, Heaven forbid. Then I can be constantly happy, driving out and nullifying sadness or depression from within me. Let them have no control or hold over me at all. Rather, merit me to be constantly happy.

Have mercy upon us and upon all the Jewish People. Guard us and protect us from all kinds of illnesses and pains, from all kinds of weaknesses. Have compassion on all the sick Jewish People who are already bedridden. Speedily send them good perspiration so that all the poisons of the unclean blood will leave them. Through this heal them and give them a full recovery. Send them and us really great joy. Merit us to draw upon ourselves constantly the joy of a festival by holy perspiration when we put all our strength into performing each mitzva or any holy deed You desire from us. Then, merit us to always be happy as on a festival. Let us take joy in You always, every single day, in that You chose us from all the nations and raised us above all the languages, satisfying us in Your mitzvoth and bringing us close our King to Your Service; in You great and holy Name You called us.

Master of the Universe, You know how much sadness damages us, Heaven forbid,

But what can we do, sadness and depression overcome us each time with greater force, beyond measure. This is all because of our iniquities. You have already warned us that we must strengthen ourselves to be constantly happy. Each person must, however he is, must distance by trace of depression and force himself with all his strength to always be happy. Therefore, I have come before You, Merciful One, to ask that You have compassion upon us at all time.

Help us to use all kinds of advice and paths to gladden our souls in such a way that we drive away any sadness. Let us draw upon ourselves everyday the joy of a holy festival. Merit us to contemplate upon and believe in the deeds and wonder of G-d that He performs for us every day, great and awesome wonders and miracles, in order to strengthen us so that we will never fall, Heaven forbid. You have already revealed to us understanding how to see something of Your loving-kindness, wonders and favours, even if only from a distance, that are wit us every day and at every hour. “This is the day G-d has make; let us rejoice and be glad on it”. So merit me to always be really happy.

Amen. So may it be.

7. "HE THAT HAS MERCY ON THEM WILL LEAD THEM" (Isaiah,49:10)

(a) Someone who is merciful can be a leader of the Jewish People. The main mercy is when the Jewish People, the holy Nation, fall, Heaven forbid, into sin, may G-d have compassion. This is the greatest mercy of all. For all the severe suffering in the world is considered as nothing against the immense burden of sins, Heaven save us. For the Jewish People are a holy nation; according to their great holiness from their source, and their immense spirituality and delicateness, they are not able to bare the heavy burden of sins at all even for one day. The true leader is very merciful and has compassion over the Jewish People who are a holy people striving to extract them from sinning. The truth is how do they come to sin; it is only because they lack understanding that G-d exists and rules over the world, for "a person doesn't sin unless the spirit of folly enters him." Therefore all the compassion of the true leader of the Jewish People is to instill within them understanding and fear of G-d in order to extract them from sinning, Heaven preserve us. He is the one who strives to settle the world, that the world be settled with people, that's to say, people who have understanding. For the essence of man is his understanding; someone who lacks understanding is not considered part of the community and is not called by the name man at all. He is just an aspect of an animal in the guise of a man.

(b) Even when the time comes for a Jewish soul to pass away and it rises to the place where it rises to, this is not the ultimate purpose or perfection that his soul only cleaves to the world Above. The main perfection is of the soul is that when it is Above, it remains Below as well. Therefore, a Jew has to leave after him a blessing, a son or a student, in order to leave his understanding in the world Below when he passes away into the world Above. For through the holy understanding that remains after him, in his sons or students, he will save other Jews from sins, for generation after generation. Someone who has a small understanding of G-d, knows that even though G-d has seraphim, chiot and ophanim etc. who serve Him, nevertheless, the main pleasure and delight of G-d is only when, in this lowly world exalt and sanctify G-d's Name. Therefore, a Jew has to endeavour to bequeath his holy understanding to his sons and students so that they will radiate his understanding in the world for generations in order to save the Jewish People from sins for ever and ever. Through this it will be considered as if he himself actually remained in the world.

(c) Every Jew has to perform this, to have mercy over the Jewish People and to remove them from sinning. He has to know and make known that G-d exists and rules over the world and there is no purpose in this world other than to perform His will. Nothing remains of a person after his death other than this understanding which he radiated in his fellows. And when a Jew talks to his fellow about the fear of G-d and radiates in him his holy understanding that he received from his rabbi, some word that talks to his heart and makes him cease sinning, then his fellow is considered to be his student. So also the opposite, when his friend shines his understanding into him, then he is considered to be the student in relation to his friend. Then, when his time comes to pass away from the world, his soul will be clothed in these words that he radiated into his friend and it will be considered as if he himself actually remained in the world. This is the main perfection of the soul. Every Jew is obligated to strive to perform this "for the world was created to be settled, not to be left waste." Just as a Jew is commanded to have children in the world in order to sustain the species, so too he is commanded to instill understanding and fear of G-d in people. Without this he is not considered a man at all, as explained previously.

(d) When a person wants to speak to his friend of fear of G-d, he has to have mercy also on himself and cease sinning; and his words should reflect his fear of G-d in order that his words will be heard. Also so that his words will be retained by his friend, meaning that his words should not instantly leave the heart of his friend.

(e) By engaging in talking to one's friend about fear of G-d, one merits to ascertain the lights of an all-embracing understanding, that's to say one merits to ascertain and to understand what he did not ascertain and understand previously. Also he merits to ascertain each time, according to his level, a more lofty all-embracing understanding.

(f) Above everything are the sublime, all-embracing perceptions of the wise man of the generation. When this wise man of the generation instills his understanding in his students and strives to talk to them about the fear of G-d, by this he ascertains the lights of his all-embracing understanding which are an aspect of the World to Come. The World to Come is above time, for all of the time of this world, everything that was and that will be, is all accounted as absolutely nothing against one day or even one moment of the World to Come which is a day that is entirely long; there it is above time and there no time exists at all. The arrangement of time there is an aspect of perceptions of the all-embracing understandings. There are perceptions which are an aspect of days and there are perceptions which are an aspect of years. Perceiving these all-embracing concepts is the main pleasure and delight of the World to Come. They are an aspect of "How great is Your goodness that You have stored up for those who fear You" (Psalms, 31:20). Happy is he who merits to ascertain them.

(g) The wise man and tzaddik, who merits to these all-embracing perceptions, as mentioned, has to be able to study with those on a high level and with those on a low level. That's to say, he has to show those on a high spiritual level that they know nothing at all in the understanding of G-d, in the aspect of 'What have you seen; how have you examined' etc. And on the contrary, with those on a low spiritual level, who are, because of their sins, literally resting in the midst of the earth, in the lowest of levels, one has to show them that G-d is still with them, near them and close to them, and to strengthen and encourage them so that they should not despair, Heaven forbid, in any way at all. The true tzaddik is not called a tzaddik unless he has this strength to teach those on a high level and those on a low level, as mentioned. He has to join them together, to show those on a low level also something from the teaching of those on a high level. Furthermore he has to show those on a high level something from the teaching with those on a low level and to sustain everyone through his great strength so that they will all have fear of G-d (see inside).

(h) This wise man of the generation has to know how to talk to each and every individual, to make a limit to his words, keeping silent when he has to keep silent so that the listeners won't enter into questions of faith and weak explanations that mustn't enter into them (see inside).

(i) The true rabbi alludes to things through making signs with his hands to his students. When the rabbi studies with his students and instills in them understanding and fear of Heaven, there are things that are impossible to explain to them explicitly so he makes a limit to his words, as mentioned, and alludes things to them through hints which are in the aspect of 'hands'; he hints to them and makes signs to them with his hands. Through these signs livelihood is drawn down.

(j) Someone who wants to draw a livelihood to those dependent on him has to be a man of valour and not the opposite (called an 'unfortunate') for he needs to have some control over people. By this he will be able to draw down a livelihood.

(k) Malkhut (Kingdom) receives its livelihood from the hands and those hints mentioned above, which are in the sea of wisdom, and which the wise man strives to allude to his students. In these hints the all-embracing perceptions radiate for in these hints are clues to the sublime intellect of the wise man. He isn't allowed to reveal openly these perceptions to his students so that he won't draw down very lofty all-embracing perceptions which he shouldn't draw down. These all-embracing perceptions are an aspect of 'the ultimate knowledge, which is to know that one doesn't know'. Therefore, he who is also a man of valour receives from him this livelihood. As a result he can merit, while eating what he earned, to a radiance of desire. That's to say, specifically at the time of eating, a tremendous desire shines upon him so that he will desire, yearn and long for closeness to the Holy One with an incredibly great, boundless desire, beyond any knowing, until he knows nothing at all about what he wants; he just has a simple desire, with a tremendous yearning for G-d, for all his eating is drawn from the all-embracing perceptions which are also an aspect of 'the ultimate knowledge, which is to know that one doesn't know'. To all this one merits by means of the true tzaddik and his students who derive sustenance from his holy understanding. Therefore each person has to have mercy on himself and plead before the Holy One, shedding tears profusely, to merit to find such a true merciful leader who can extract him from sinning and merit him to all the above-mentioned qualities.

(l) The Jewish People are a very holy people; in relation to their great spirituality and delicateness they cannot bear the burden of sins for even one day. Because of this they need the Holy Temple, for the 'tamid' sacrifice of the morning used to atone for the sins of the night and the 'tamid' of the twilight used to atone for the sins of the day. Consequently, Moshe sacrificed his soul for the People of Israel to ask from the Holy One to forgive them for their sins. He knew that it was impossible for them to bear the burden of their sins even for one day. Therefore, someone who has stumbled into a sin, Heaven forbid, has to repent and ask forgiveness and atonement from the Holy One, for the sin is a heavy burden for the Jewish soul; it cannot carry this burden even for one day.

(m) Each person, according to what he merits to accomplish on Yom Kippur when reciting "Please forgive...", so he merits to the holiness of Chanukah, which is an aspect of the Holy Temple. The main holiness of the Temple that one draws on Chanukah is to merit to holy knowledge, to know and make known that G- d is the L-rd. "Someone who has knowledge it is as if the Holy Temple was built in his days." One needs to merit by this knowledge to depart from one's sins, as above, and to draw this knowledge into one's sons and students for all generations. And to merit through this to the holy, all-embracing perception, which is the main delight of the World to Come. This perception is drawn by lighting the holy oil of the Chanukah candles. One also merits by lighting the holy oil to a livelihood which comes from the source of desire. Then one can merit, at the time of eating, to a radiance of immense desire such that one desires and yearns for the Holy One with tremendous desire, beyond measure. A person will obviously understand that a Chanukah like this is impossible to experience other than by coming close to the rabbi and leader who is truly merciful, as explained previously. Happy is the person who merits to find him.

(n) When one delves into and talks about a Torah innovation that the wise man of the generation innovated, the sea of wisdom is aroused and revealed. From there the Malkhut receives its livelihood. And Malkhut is the source of fear. Through this, the fear of G-d of the wise man who made the Torah innovation is aroused. Then his words are heard and retained for generations. By all this, great fear and awe of the Holy One descends on upon all those who study in depth the wise man’s innovation.