English translation — מאמר השמים כסאי תשל"ו

With the help of Heaven.

Shabbat Parshat Kedoshim,

the second day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, 5736*

"The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool,

which is the house that you will build for Me... and to this one I will look: to the poor and broken-spirited..."1,

and the precise point in this is known2,

for He has no bodily form3

so how can it be said [He has] a throne and a footstool?

And also it must be understood what is meant by "which is the house that you will build for Me... and to this one I will look: to the poor and broken-spirited,"

what is the virtue of the poor and broken-spirited,

for although "which is the house that you will build for Me,"

nevertheless "to this one"

(to the poor and broken-spirited)

"I will look."

And the point of the explanation of this is,

that heaven and earth are Torah and mitzvos

(as explained at length in Torah Or4),

which in general is the service of Nefesh HaElokis and Nefesh HaBahamis5.

And "house" is the service of "with all your might"6

which is above limitation7,

coming from the aspect of Chayah and Yechidah5.

And the explanation of "which is the house that you will build for Me" is8,

that even the service that comes from the encompassing lights of Chayah and Yechidah,

through which the supernal encompassing lights are drawn down,

this is not "the house that you will build for Me"

("for Me" — for My Atzmus),

for even the most supreme encompassing lights are merely an illumination.

"To this one I will look: to the poor and broken-spirited"9,

for through self-nullification

(poor and broken-spirited)

there is a drawing down of Atzmus

("to this one I will look").

B)

And it can be said,

that this is also the connection and relevance of the haftarah "The heavens are My throne" to Shabbat Rosh Chodesh,

for on Rosh Chodesh is the birth of the moon,

when then

(at the time of the new moon)

it is only a point,

which indicates its self-nullification10,

that it has nothing of its own at all11.

And moreover,

that in the moment just before the new moon it is in complete nullification,

that it is not even like a point,

and specifically through this its new moon is brought about12.

And through its self-nullification,

it receives a new light from the sun,

for the source of the drawing down of this light is not from the sun itself

(for there is nothing new under the sun13)

but from above14

from the Sun15.

And this is that on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh we read the haftarah "The heavens are My throne... and to this one I will look: to the poor and broken-spirited...,"

for the drawing down that comes through self-nullification16

is a most exalted drawing down,

as explained above.

3)

And we may add in explanation of the verse, “And to this one I will look: to the poor [ani]…,”

that the intent of “poor” is not only regarding the matter of self-nullification [bittul],

but also [refers to] poverty in its simple sense

(one who is poor in knowledge),

who has no knowledge or comprehension of G-dliness, and his service is only from the aspect of faith

that is below

reason and understanding,

nevertheless,

since in this poverty

(of faith that is below reason and understanding)

there is also the aspect of poverty that is a virtue,

[namely] self-nullification,

therefore,

“To this one I will look.”

And this is analogous to the moon,

for although at the time of the new moon it is only a point

(and all the more so, in the moment before the new moon it is completely concealed and hidden),

this is because it does not shine,

and nevertheless,

since this is also connected with its self-nullification,

a new light from above the sun is drawn into it then.

And this can be connected with the explanation of the Rebbe Maharash

(whose birthday is the 2nd of Iyar)

on the verse,

“And at the beginnings of your months,”

that what is written “beginnings of your months,”

“beginnings” in the plural,

is [explained as follows]:

For “month” [chodesh] is the attribute of Malchus,

which is the aspect of faith,

that contains two points.

For in the segol [vowel], the middle point is beneath the two [outer] points,

and in the segolta [cantillation mark], the middle point is above the two [outer] points,

and in faith there are both points.

For in revelation it is the lower point of the segol,

yet it also contains the upper point of the segolta,

for their beginning

is embedded in their end.

4)

And based on this, it follows

that the service of the “poor and lowly of spirit”

(faith)

must be even before the service of “The heavens are My throne and the earth My footstool”

(Torah and mitzvos),

and all the more so before the service of “What house will you build for Me”

(with all your might),

for faith and self-nullification are the foundation of all matters.

However, initially,

his poverty is in its simple sense,

that the need for faith in G-dliness

(even though many matters are necessary from the perspective of intellect)

is because he is poor in knowledge,

and after the service with the inner powers

(“The heavens are My throne and the earth My footstool”)

and with the encompassing powers

(“house”),

his poverty is

in the manner of our Sages’ statement,

“A simpleton believes every word”

—this is Moshe Rabbeinu,

for although Moshe possessed comprehension of the utmost perfection,

nevertheless, for him all matters

(of G-dliness)

were in a manner of faith,

for since regarding the Holy One, blessed be He, “no thought can grasp Him at all,”

everything is as naught before Him,

therefore all matters must be in a manner of faith.

And in general terms,

the poverty at the beginning of service is the self-nullification of acceptance of the yoke that is below reason and understanding,

and the poverty afterward is the self-nullification of existence that is above reason and understanding.

And it can be said,

that this which is written "And to this one I look, to the poor and contrite of spirit" after "The heavens are My throne etc.,"

even though also the faith that is below intellect is in the Awtsmoos

[as is understood from the well-known [statement]32

that this that the name "Shamayim" (Heaven) is fluent in the mouth of everyone is because the luminary is in revelation],

it is,

that "looking"

("And to this one I look")

is revelation

(like something that one sees with his eyes),

and the revelation of the Awtsmoos is33

in the faith that is above intellect.

5)

And it can be said,

that these three matters

[the poverty at the beginning of service,

the service of "The heavens are My throne etc.,"

and the poverty after the service of "The heavens are My throne"]

are analogous to the three categories in the fruits of the tree

(in our parshah34),

the three years of orlah,

the fourth year and the fifth year.

And the explanation of the matter is35,

that "land" is Malchus and "tree" is Zeir Anpin,

and the planting of a tree in the land

("When you come into the land and you shall plant every tree of food"36)

is the drawing down of Zeir Anpin into Malchus.

For in this drawing down there are three levels.

For in the first three years,

Malchus receives only from the three last sefiros of Zeir Anpin,

Netzach, Hod and Yesod.

And since the main aspect of these midos is that through them the influence comes into actuality37,

therefore,

also the midos of NeHi"Y are similar to Malchus38

which is the root and source of the created beings,

that they give place to yesh (somethingness),

and it is possible for there to be from them suckling for the external [forces].

For this is the connection of the explanation

(above)

that the first three years correspond to the three midos of NeHi"Y,

with the explanation39

that the first three years correspond to the three impure klipos,

for when Malchus receives only from NeHi"Y it is possible for there to be suckling for the three impure klipos.

And therefore the fruits of these three years are orlah and are forbidden for benefit.

And in the fourth year Malchus receives from Tiferes

(from its lower third or from its two thirds).

And therefore the fruits of the fourth year are holy, praises to Havayah40,

for "praise" is in Tiferes, as it is said41

"and they praise the name of Your glory."

And in the fifth year Malchus also receives from the upper third of Tiferes.

And this is "And in the fifth year etc. to add to you its produce"42,

for the four aspects of TNeHi"Y

(which are in the fourth year)

correspond to the four letters of Havayah,

and in the fifth year,

an addition of light is drawn from the point of the Yud,

Kesser.

6)

And the explanation of the matter of these three categories in the service of man,

it can be said,

that the matter of Malchus is the actual fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos in actual deed,

in thought, speech and action.

And this that one fulfills Torah and mitzvos in actual deed is through the drawing down and revelation of the midos into thought, speech and action.

And there are three manners in this.

For when the drawing down is only from NeHi"Y

(these midos are only in relation to action),

behold, even though NeHi"Y are the thighs43

and legs that lead him to the proper place,

to go in the way of Havayah,

nevertheless,

since he has no vitality in the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos

(for the vitality in Torah and mitzvos is specifically through love and fear),

therefore it is possible that in the course of time there will be a weakening in his service,

and especially in "sanctify yourself in that which is permitted to you"44,

and even to the point that from this he will come to forbidden things

(including also things forbidden for benefit45).

And therefore his service needs to be in a manner of subjugation (itkafya).

And it can be said,

that it is analogous to the faith that is below intellect

(the poverty before the service of "The heavens are My throne"),

that also this faith is in the Awtsmoos except that there is no revelation of the Awtsmoos in it

(as above at the end of section 4).

And analogous to that which is explained in Likkutei Torah46

(regarding the matter of the three years of orlah according to their simple meaning),

that this that one breaks his desire and waits three years and fulfills the negative commandment of "three years they shall be orlah for you"36

is like the matter of "Modim anachnu lach" (We give thanks to You)41,

that the thanksgiving is "to You,"

to His Essence and Awtsmoos, blessed be He,

except that this is not in a manner of praise,

for praise is revelation

[as brought in Likkutei Torah47

that "praise" (hilel) is an expression of illumination, like "by the light of His lamp" (behalo nero)48],

but only in a manner of thanksgiving,

concealment.

And through this, afterwards one comes to the fourth year,

that Tiferet is also drawn into Malchut,

for in the service of man, this is that in his thought, speech, and action, there is also drawn from the essence of the emotions,

love and fear,

and also the joy of the heart in the beauty of Havayah and the splendor of His majesty, which comes through gazing upon the glory of the King49.

And then,

his service is not to repel the evil

[for when he has love of Havayah,

evil is repulsive to him50

and he does not need to repel it]

but rather to draw additional light.

For this is that in the fourth year, all its fruit shall be holy, praises to Havayah,

for the matter of praise is as explained in Likkutei Torah47

in the explanation of the verse51

"And You are holy, enthroned upon the praises of Israel,"

that He, blessed be He, in His own essence is holy and separate,

and through the praises of Israel He is enthroned and drawn downward.

And it may be said,

that it is analogous to the service from the aspect of Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah

("The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool")

and from the aspect of the encompassing lights Chayah and Yechidah

("house"),

through which the internal and encompassing [lights]52 are drawn and revealed

from above.

However, this drawing is only from the aspect of the revelations,

and as explained in Likkutei Torah46

in the explanation of the verse "We give thanks to You and praise Your glorious name,"

that the thanksgiving is "to You,"

to His Essence and Selfhood,

and the praise is only to His name, blessed be He53,

"to Your glorious name."

And through this, afterwards one comes to the fifth year,

"to add to you its produce,"

an addition of light drawn from the tip of the Yud,

Keter.

For it may be said,

that its meaning in the service of man is faith that is above intellect,

that his faith is from the recognition that "no thought can grasp Him at all."

For in this faith there are two virtues.

That it is in His Essence, blessed be He,

and that the Essence is in revelation.

That is, in this faith54

the wonder of Atzmus is felt,

that all praises and hymns are only "to Your glorious name,"

and regarding His Essence, blessed be He, no praise applies,

only faith and thanksgiving55.

7)

And it may be said,

that this is that the fruits of the fourth year are eaten only in Jerusalem56,

and the fruits of the fifth year are eaten in any place,

for the revelation of the fourth year is within measure and limitation,

and therefore the praise of these fruits is that they are brought to Jerusalem to laud and praise to heaven57,

and the revelation of the fifth year,

since it is above measure and limitation,

therefore the thanksgiving to Havayah for the addition in this produce58

is in any place

(and even in fruits that have no holiness,

to the extent that they are eaten even in impurity).

And through the thanksgiving to Havayah for these fruits that have no holiness,

the drawing is from the Essence of Ein Sof

(which is above any relation to the Sefiros)59,

and is drawn downward most greatly,

and through this the intention is completed that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to have a dwelling place for Himself in the lower realms60,

that the lowest, below which there is no lower61,

becomes a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He,

for Him, for His Essence62.

8)

And one may add,

that through the service of the fourth year

(which in itself is in order and gradation)

coming after and through the precedence of the service of the first three years,

there is brought about a matter of skipping and leaping also in the service of the fourth year.

For this is also the reason that from the service of the fourth year one comes to the revelation of that which is above the chain of descent in the fifth year.

And one may connect this with the instruction of the one whose birthday is Tiferes within Tiferes,

that there must be "from the outset, a leap over."

And may it be His will,

that through our deeds and our service,

and particularly in the manner of "from the outset, a leap over,"

there will be the voice of my Beloved, behold He comes, leaping over the mountains, skipping over the hills,

according to the explanation of the Midrash

that it refers to King Moshiach,

may he come and redeem us and lead us upright to our land,

very soon.