GEVURAH: KIDDUSH LEVANAH קִדּוּשׁ לְבָנָה
KIDDUSH LEVANAH קִדּוּשׁ לְבָנָה :
– PRAYER OF GRATITUDE ON NEW MOON
- THE LOTS ON YOM KIPPURIM
AND WITH HAMAN
I heard on Terumah 6, February 12, 1943
It is written (Leviticus 16:8), “And Aaron shall cast lots upon
the two goats: one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for
Azazel.” With Haman it is written (Esther 3:7), “they cast Pur,
that is, the lot.”
A lot applies where there cannot be a scrutiny in the mind
because the mind does not reach there to be able to sort out
which is good and which is evil. In that state a Pur is cast, when
they rely not on their mind, but on what the lot tells them. It
follows that when using the word “lot,” it comes to tell us that
now we are going above reason.
Regarding the seventh of Adar (sixth day of the Hebrew
calendar), on which Moses was born and on which Moses died,
we must understand what Adar means. It comes from the word
Aderet (mantle), as it is written about Elijah (Kings 1 19:19)
“and cast his mantle upon him.” Aderet comes from the word
Aderet Se’ar (hair), which are discerned as Se’arot (hair) and Dinim
(judgments), which are alien thoughts and ideas in the work,
distancing one from the Creator.
Here there is a matter of overcoming them. And although
one sees many contradictions found in His Providence, one
should still overcome them through faith above reason, and say
that they are benevolent Providence. This is the meaning of what
is written about Moses, “And Moses hid his face.” It means that
he saw all the contradictions and held them through exertion by
the power of faith above reason.
It is as our sages said, “In return for ‘And Moses hid his
face; for he was afraid to look’ he was rewarded with, ‘and the
similitude of the Lord doth he behold.’” This is the meaning of,
“Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger?”
It is known that Eynaim (eyes) are called “reason,” “mind,”
meaning the mind’s eyes. This is because with something that
we perceive in the mind, we say, “but we see that the mind and
the reason necessitate that we say so.”
Hence, one who goes above reason is as one who has no
eyes, and he is called “blind,” meaning pretends to be blind.
Also, one who does not want to hear what the spies tell him
and pretends to be deaf is called “deaf.” This is the meaning of
“Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger?”
However, when one says, “that have eyes, and see not, that
have ears, and hear not,” it means that he does not want to
obey what the reason necessitates, and what the ears hear, as it
is written about Joshua the son of Nun, that a bad thing never
entered his ears. This is the meaning of Aderet Se’ar, that he
had many contradictions and judgments. Each contradiction is
called Se’ar (hair), and under each Se’ar there is a dent.
It means that one makes a dent in the head, meaning the
alien thought fissures and punctures one’s head. When one
has many alien thoughts it is considered having many Se’arot,
and this is called Aderet Se’ar.
This is the meaning of what is written about Elisha: “So he
departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was
plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the
twelfth; and Elijah passed over unto him, and cast his mantle
upon him” (Kings 1, 19). (Yoke means a pair of Bakar (oxen),
since they were plowing with pairs of oxen together that were
tightened. This is called a yoke.) Baker means Bikoret (criticism),
and twelve refers to the completeness of the degree (like twelve
months and twelve hours).
It means that one already has all the discernments of the
Se’arot that can be in the world, and then form the Se’arot, the
Aderet Se’ar is made. However, with Elisha, it was in the form
of the morning of Josef, as it is written, “As soon as the morning
was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.”
It means that one has already been awarded the Light
that rests over these contradictions, since through the
contradictions, called criticism, when wanting to overpower
them, it is by drawing Light on them. It is as it is written, “He
that comes to purify is aided.”
Because one has already drawn the Light on all the criticism,
and has nothing more to add, since all the criticism has been
completed in him, then the criticism and the contradictions in
him end by themselves. This follows the rule that there is no
purposeless operation, since there is no purposeless operator.
We must know that what appears to one as things that
contradict the guidance of “Good that Doeth Good,” is only
to compel one to draw the Upper Light on the contradictions,
when wanting to prevail over the contradictions. Otherwise one
cannot prevail. This is called “the greatness of the Creator,”
which one extends when having the contradictions, called
Dinim (judgments).
It means that the contradictions can be annulled if one
wants to overcome them, only if one extends the greatness of
the Creator. You find that these Dinim cause the drawing of the
greatness of the Creator. This is the meaning of what is written,
“and cast his mantle upon him.”
It means that afterwards he attributed the whole mantle of
hair to Him, meaning to the Creator. It means that now one
sees that the Creator gave him this mantle deliberately in order
to draw the Upper Light on them.
However, one can only see that later, meaning after one has
already been granted the Light that rests on these contradictions
and Dinim that he had had in the beginning. This is so because
he sees that without the hair, meaning the descents, there would
not be a place for the Upper Light to be there, as there is no
Light without a Kli (vessel).
Hence, one sees that all the greatness of the Creator that he
had obtained was because of the Se’arot and the contradictions
he had had. This is the meaning of, “the Lord on high is mighty.”
It means that the greatness of the Creator is awarded through
the Aderet, and this is the meaning of, “Let the high praises of
God be in their mouth.”
This means that through the faults in the work of God, it
causes one to elevate oneself upward, as without a push one is
idle to make a movement. One consents to remain in the state
one is in, whereas if one descends to a lower degree than one
understands, that gives one the power to prevail, for one cannot
stay in such a bad situation, since one cannot consent to remain
like that, in the state one has descended to.
For this reason one must always prevail and come out of
the state of descent. In that state one must draw upon himself
the greatness of the Creator. That, in turn, causes one to extend
higher forces from Above, or he will remain in utter lowness.
It follows that through the Se’arot one gradually discovers the
greatness of the Creator, until one finds the Names of the
Creator, called “the thirteen attributes of Mercy.” This is the
meaning of “and the elder shall serve the younger,” and “the
wicked shall prepare it, but the just shall wear it,” and also,
“and thou shalt serve thy brother.”
It means that the whole enslavement, meaning the
contradictions that were, appeared to be obstructing the Holy
Work, and were working against Kedusha (Sanctity). Now,
when granted the Light of God, which is placed over these
contradictions, one sees the opposite, that they were serving
Kedusha. This means that through them, there was a place for
Kedusha to clothe in their dresses. And this is called “the wicked
shall prepare it, but the just shall wear it,” meaning that they
gave the Kelim (vessels) and the place for the Kedusha.
Now we can interpret what our sages wrote (Hagiga 15a),
“Rewarded—a righteous. He takes his share and his friend’s
share in heaven. Convicted—a wicked. He takes his share and
his friend’s share in hell.” It means that one takes the Dinim and
the alien thoughts of one’s friend, which we should interpret
over the whole world, meaning that this is why the world was
created filled with so many people, each with his own thoughts
and opinions, and all are present in a single world.
It is so deliberately, so that each and every one will be
incorporated in all of one’s friend’s thoughts. Thus, when
one repents, the profit from it will be Hitkalelut (mingling/
incorporation/integration).
It is so because when one wants to repent, one must sentence
oneself and the entire world to a scale of merit, since he himself
is incorporated in all the alien notions and thoughts of the
entire world. This is the meaning of, “Convicted—a wicked. He
takes his share and his friend’s share in hell.”
It follows that when one was still wicked, called “Convicted,”
one’s own share was of Se’arot, contradictions, and alien
thoughts. One was also mingled with one’s friend’s share in
hell, meaning he was incorporated in all the notions of all the
people in the world.
Therefore, later when one becomes “Rewarded—a righteous”,
meaning after one repents, he sentences himself and
the entire world “to a scale of merit, he takes his share and
his friend’s share in heaven.” This is because one must draw
Upper Light for the alien thoughts of all the people in the
world, too, since he is mingled with them, and he must sentence
them to a scale of merit.
This is precisely through extending the Upper Light over
these Dinim of the public. Although they themselves cannot
receive this Light that he had drawn on their behalf because
they do not have the prepared Kelim for that, but he drew it
for them as well.
Yet, we must understand according to the famous rule that
one who causes extension of Lights in Upper Degrees, they say
that to the extent that one induces Light in the Upper One,
one receives from these Lights, too, since he was the cause.
Accordingly, the wicked, too, should have received a part of the
Lights that they induced in the righteous.
To understand that, we must precede with the matter of the
lots. There were two lots, as it is written, “one lot for the Lord,
and the other lot for Azazel.” It is known that a lot is a matter
of above reason. Hence, when the lot is above reason it causes
the other to be for Azazel.
This is the meaning of “it shall whirl upon the head of the
wicked.” It is so because he extended the Upper Light through
these contradictions. You find that in this manner the greatness
of the Creator increases, and for the righteous it is a drawback,
since their whole desire is only within reason. And when the
Light that comes based on above reason increases, they wither
away and become annulled.
Hence, all the wicked have is their help to the righteous to
extend the greatness of the Creator, and afterwards, when they
are annulled. This is called “Rewarded—he takes his share and his
friend’s share in heaven.” (This implies that only one who helped
make the correction of creating the reality of appearance of the
Light through good deeds, hence this act remains in Kedusha.
One receives what one induces Above, to make a place for the
expansion of the Light. In that state the lower one receives what
it causes to the Upper One. However, the contradictions and
the Dinim are cancelled, since they are replaced by the greatness
of the Creator, which appears over the above reason, while they
want it to appear specifically on Kelim of within reason; and this
is why they are annulled. This is how it can be interpreted).
However, the alien thoughts, too, which the public caused
to draw greatness over them, that Light remains for them. When
they are worthy of receiving, they will receive what each causes
the drawing of the Upper Light on them, too.
This is the meaning of “A path that runs through the split
of the hair,” brought in the Holy Zohar (Part 15, and in The
Sulam Commentary item 33 p.56), which distinguishes between
right and left. The two lots that were on Yom Kippurim, which is
repentance out of fear. Also, there was a lot on Purim, which is
repentance out of love.
This is so because it was then prior to the building of the
Temple, and at that time they needed repentance out of love.
But first, there had to be a need for them to repent. This need
causes Dinim and Se’arot (plural for hair). And this is the meaning
that Haman was given authority from Above, by way of, I place
government over you, that he will rule over you.
This is why it was written that Haman “had cast pur, that
is, the lot,” on the month of Adar, which is the twelfth, as it is
written “twelve oxen,” written with regard to Elisha. It is written,
“two rows, six in a row,” which is the month of Adar, meaning
Aderet Se’ar, which are the greatest Dinim.
By that, Haman knew that he would defeat Israel, since
Moses had died on the month of Adar. However, he did not
know that Moses was born on it, by way of “and they saw that
it was good.” It is so because when one strengthens in the
toughest situation, one is granted the greatest Lights, called
“the greatness of the Creator.”
This is the meaning of “fine twined linen.” In other
words, because they have been granted “the path that runs in
the split of the hair,” “two rows, six in a row,” then twined,
from the words a stranger removed. It means that the Sitra
Achra, meaning the stranger, is annulled and gone because he
has already completed his task.
You find that all the Dinim and the contradictions came
only to show the greatness of the Creator. Hence, with Jacob,
who was a smooth man, without Se’arot, it was impossible to
disclose the greatness of the Creator, since he had no cause and
need to extend them. For this reason Jacob was unable to receive
the blessings from Issac, as he had no Kelim (Vessels), and there
is no Light without a Kli (Vessel). This is why Rebecca advised
him to take Esau’s clothes.
And this is the meaning of “and his hand had hold on
Esau’s heel.” This means that although he did not have any hair,
he took it from Esau. This is what Isaac saw and said, “the hands
are the hands of Esau, but the voice was the voice of Jacob.” In
other words, Isaac liked the correction that Jacob did and by that
his Kelim for the blessings were made.
This is the reason that we need such a big world with so
many people. It is so that each will be incorporated in his friend.
It follows that each individual is incorporated in thoughts and
desires of an entire world.
This is why a person is called “a small world” in itself, for
the above reason. This is also the meaning of “Not rewarded.”
This means that when one has still not been purified, “He takes
his share and his friend’s share in hell.” It means that he is
incorporated with his friend’s hell.
Moreover, even when one has already corrected one’s own
part of hell, if he has not corrected his friend’s share, meaning
he has not corrected his part that is incorporated with the
world, one is still not considered whole.
Now we understand that although Jacob himself was smooth,
without Se’arot, he still held the heel of Esau. It means that he
takes the Se’arot by being incorporated with Esau.
Hence, when one is rewarded with correcting them, he
takes his friend’s share in Heaven, referring to the measure of
the greatness of the Upper Light that he had extended over the
Se’arot of the public. He is awarded that, although the public still
cannot receive because their qualification for it is missing.
Now we can understand the argument of Jacob and Esau.
Esau said, “I have enough,” and Jacob said, “I have everything,”
meaning “two rows, six in a row,” meaning within reason and
above reason, which is the will to receive and the Light of
Dvekut (Adhesion).
Esau said, “I have enough,” which is a Light that comes
in vessels of reception, within reason. Jacob said that he had
everything, meaning both discernments. In other words, he was
using the vessels of reception, and also had the Light of Dvekut.
This is the meaning of the mixed multitude that made the
calf and said, “this is thy god oh Israel,” meaning Ele (These)
without the Mi (who), meaning that they wanted to connect
only to the Ele, and not to the Mi. It means that they did not
want both, which is the Mi and the Ele, which together make
up the Name Elokim (God), meaning enough and everything.
This they did not want.
This is the meaning of the Cherubim, which are Kravia and
Patia. One Cherub on the one end, which is the discernment
of enough, and one Cherub on the other end, which is the
discernment of everything. This is also the meaning of “the
Voice speaking unto him from between the two cherubim.”
But how can that be? After all they are ends, opposite from
one another. Still, he still had to make a Patia (fool) and thus
receive. And this is called above reason: one does what one is
told although he does not understand anything that he is told.
Regarding the “everything,” called above reason, one
should try to work with gladness since through gladness the
true measure of the everything appears. If one has no gladness,
then one should afflict oneself at having no gladness, since
this is the primary place of the work, to discover the gladness
by working above reason.
Hence, when one has no gladness from this work, one
should afflict oneself for it. And this is the meaning of the text,
“whose heart maketh him willing,” which means being sick
and tormented at not having gladness from this work.
This is also the meaning of “because thou didst not serve
the Lord thy God with gladness by reason of the abundance of
all things.” Instead, you left the everything and took only the
enough. Hence, in the end you will be far below and without
anything, meaning you will lose the enough too. However, to
the extent that one has the “everything,” and is in gladness, to
that extent one is imparted the “enough.”
Accordingly, we should interpret “the women weeping for
Tammuz” (Ezekiel 8). Rashi interprets that they had idolatry,
that he had lead inside his eyes, and they were heating it to melt
the lead out of the eyes.
We should interpret the matter of crying, meaning that
they have no gladness because there is dust in the eyes. Dust is
Behina Dalet, meaning the Kingdom of Heaven, which is faith
above reason.
This discernment bears the form of dust, meaning it is
unimportant. And this work has the taste of dust, that is, it is as
unimportant as is dust. The allegory about the women weeping
for Tammuz is that they burn this idolatry so that through the
heating, the dust will come out from the lead.
It implies that they are crying for the work that they were
given to believe in His benevolent guidance above reason, while
within reason they see only contradictions in His guidance. This
work is the work of Kedusha, and they want to remove the dust,
meaning the work of above reason, called “dust.” However, the
eyes, called “sight,” imply seeing His guidance, being within
reason. And this is called “idolatry.”
This resembles a person whose trade is to make pots and
vessels from earth, whose work is to make clay pots. The order is
that first of all, he makes round balls of clay, and then cuts and
makes holes in the balls. And when the young son sees what his
father is doing he cries, “Father, why are you ruining the balls?”
The son does not understand that the father’s primary goal is
the holes, since only the holes can become receptacles, and the
son wants to block the holes that the father made in the balls.
So it is here. This dust inside the eyes, which blocks his vision,
so wherever he looks he finds contradictions in Providence.
Yet, this is the whole Kli by which he can discover the sparks of
unconditional love, called “a joy of Mitzva.” It is said about that,
“had the Creator not helped him, he would not have prevailed.”
It means that if the Creator had not given him these thoughts,
he would have been unable to receive any ascension.
-Baal HaSulam, Shamati, page 88-98
POSTED IN ARVUT BY: Celina Syuy