English translation — מאמר פתח רבי שמעון תשל"ד

With the help of Heaven.

Shabbos Parshas Emor,

the nineteenth of Iyar,

the year 5734*

Rabbi Shimon opened and said, "I am for my Beloved and His desire is upon me."

"All the days that I have been bound in this world, I have been bound in a single bond with the Holy One, blessed be He, and therefore now, 'His desire is upon me.'"

And in the continuation of the topic there,

"I would gaze every day upon this verse that is written,

'In G-d my soul shall praise itself...' and now the entire verse is fulfilled... for my soul is absorbed in Him, clings to Him, cleaves to Him..."

That throughout all the days of his life

(all the days that I have been bound in this world)

Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was bound to the Holy One, blessed be He,

(the word "bound" is an expression of connection,

as in "and he bound it upon his hand as a sign,"

and the Targum translates, "and he bound upon his hand a crimson thread"),

for connection is specifically between two separate things,

but now,

on the day of his passing,

he reached a more elevated level,

that he became one with the Holy One, blessed be He,

"absorbed in Him."

Now, even though the level of "absorbed in Him" was reached by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai

(only)

on the day of his passing,

nevertheless, since all his days he strove to reach this level

("I would gaze every day upon this verse"),

it is understood

that in a general sense it applies to him and he attained it

also during his lifetime,

except that the perfection of this

(the entire verse)

was fulfilled in him "now,"

on the day of his passing.

And this is also understood from what is explained in the continuation of 5666,

that the Torah study of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was in the manner of "his Torah was his craft,"

meaning that his Torah study was in the manner of drawing down the masculine waters,

(and unlike the other Tannaim, whose study was in the manner of raising the feminine waters),

this is the concept of

("absorbed in Him")

"clings to Him,"

and this that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's Torah was his craft,

was throughout all the days of his life.

And one may add,

that in several discourses

the concept of "my soul is absorbed in Him" etc. is brought in continuation with "in a single bond I am bound,"

this is,

because even within the concept of "in a single bond I am bound," there is inwardly "absorbed in Him" etc.,

except that throughout all the days of his life this was not

("absorbed in Him" etc.)

in revelation,

and on the day of his passing,

when the inwardness is revealed

(the root and source)

of all matters of a person's service that he served throughout all the days of his life,

then the inwardness of "in a single bond I am bound" is revealed,

which is

(not only connection,

but also)

"absorbed in Him."

2)

And this will be understood by prefacing the known [concept]

that connection is also higher than attachment.

For attachment is in externality,

like when a belt clings to a man's loins,

that the attachment of the belt to

(the loins of)

the man is only to his externality,

whereas connection is in internality,

like "and his soul is bound to his soul"

which reaches into his innerness.

And this is the difference between sacrifices and incense,

that the service of sacrifices is from the aspect that Israel are attached to the Holy One, blessed be He,

[as it is brought in the Midrash

and in the Zohar],

and therefore they would offer the sacrifices upon the external altar,

which in the soul of man corresponds to the externality of the heart.

And incense is a term for connection

[for every "knot" in Scripture is translated as "ketar"],

and therefore the incense is upon the inner altar,

which in the soul of man corresponds to the innerness of the heart.

And the difference between the service of the externality of the heart and the service of the innerness of the heart is,

that the service of the externality of the heart is through reason and intellect,

for in love that is through reason and intellect, change applies,

whereas the service of the innerness of the heart is above reason and intellect,

in which no change applies.

And this is that "sacrifices" is a term for drawing near,

and "incense" a term for connection,

for "drawing near" indicates that it is a [separate] entity,

except that it is close to Divinity,

but it is possible that it may distance itself, Heaven forbid,

whereas connection

(incense)

is a permanent bond,

for the true meaning of a permanent bond is that no change applies to it.

3)

And behold, this distinction between attachment and connection is in the service from below to above.

For sacrifices and incense are both the pillar of service,

which is an elevation from below to above.

And the distinction between attachment and connection regarding the drawing down from above to below

(Torah and acts of kindness)

is as it is brought in the Zohar:

"How beloved are Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He... and He desires to attach Himself to them and to connect with them."

And the Mitteler Rebbe explains

that "to attach Himself to them" is through the mitzvos,

for the drawing down through the mitzvos is in the aspect of encompassing [light],

as it is written,

"and His right hand embraces me,"

that the light drawn down through the mitzvos embraces the person who performs the mitzvos,

for an embrace is from the outside,

and therefore it says "to attach Himself to them,"

for attachment is an external connection.

And "to connect with them" is through the Torah,

for the drawing down through the Torah is in internality, as it is written,

"and Your Torah is within my innards."

And therefore it says "and to connect with them,"

for connection is an internal connection.

For the connection of the Holy One, blessed be He, with Israel through the Torah is called "connection,"

as per the statement,

"Three knots

are connected one with another:

the Holy One, blessed be He,

the Torah, and Israel."

4)

And behold, regarding the attachment of Israel to the Holy One, blessed be He,

[from which aspect they have the power to offer sacrifices]

there are two matters.

For in the Midrash

it is brought that this that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Israel to offer sacrifices is because they are attached to Me, as it is written,

"for as a belt clings to a man's loins," etc.

And in the Zohar

it is brought: "Fortunate are Israel, for the Holy One, blessed be He, called them 'Adam'... 'Adam, when one of you brings an offering,'

why did He call them 'Adam'? Because it is written,

'And you who cling to the Lord your God.'"

And it is explained in the continuation of 5666,

that the Midrash speaks about the matter of the attachment of vessels,

that the vessels are

in the aspect of [separate] existence, and their unity

(the attachment)

is not an essential unity,

and therefore it brings the verse "as a belt clings," etc., that the belt is an entity unto itself except that it is attached to the man,

whereas the Zohar speaks about the matter of the attachment of lights,

that the attachment and unity of lights is an essential unity,

and therefore it brings the verse "and you who cling to the Lord your God,"

a literal attachment.

And it may be said,

that this that even the attachment of lights is called by the name "attachment,"

for attachment is in externality

(as above),

is because even the light is an extension and revelation that is outside the essence.

And according to the known concept

that Torah and mitzvos are

(like)

lights and vessels,

it must be said,

that also the connection through the engagement in Torah

(as the Torah is in the aspect of extension and revelation)

is included in the matter of deveikut,

and the matter of the bond through the engagement in Torah

[for Yisrael are bound in the Torah and the Torah in the Holy One, blessed be He],

is from the aspect of the essence of Torah that is above extension and revelation.

And this will be understood according to the known concept

that in the bond of Yisrael, Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, there are two modes.

For from the aspect of the Torah as it is drawn down in the chain of descent,

since the order of the chain of descent is that the externality of the upper becomes the internality of the lower,

the mode of the bond of Yisrael in the Torah is that the hidden

(the internality)

of Yisrael is bound in the revealed

(externality)

of the Torah,

and likewise in the bond of the Torah in the Holy One, blessed be He,

that the hidden and the internality of the Torah is bound in the revealed of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And in this mode,

the bond of the revealed of Yisrael with the hidden of the Holy One, blessed be He, is through several intermediaries

(the hidden of Yisrael,

the revealed of the Torah,

the hidden of the Torah and the revealed of the Holy One, blessed be He).

But from the aspect of the essence of Torah,

as it is above the chain of descent,

the bond of Yisrael in the Holy One, blessed be He, is that even the revealed of Yisrael is bound in the hidden of the Holy One, blessed be He, without intermediaries.

And even when he studies the revealed of the Torah with his understanding and comprehension, he is bound

(even the revealed of his soul,

even to his understanding and comprehension)

also with the hidden of the Torah,

and through it — with the hidden of the Holy One, blessed be He.

And it must be said,

that the bond of Yisrael and Torah that is from the level of Torah as it is drawn down in the chain of descent,

is included in the matter of deveikut that is in externality.

For the bond of Yisrael in the Torah

(that is from this level)

is in the externality

(revealed)

of the Torah,

and furthermore,

even the internality within this aspect is as it is drawn down in the chain of descent to be an intermediary.

And the phrase "three bonds are bound one in the other" is

(primarily)

in the bond that is from the aspect of the essence of Torah that is above the chain of descent,

for this bond is in the hidden of the Torah and in the hidden of the Holy One, blessed be He,

internality.

e)

And behold, even in the bond that is from the aspect of the essence of Torah,

Yisrael and Torah, and likewise Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are like two things that are bound one to the other.

But not so is the state that Yisrael, Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one,

which is above the bond of Yisrael, Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is from the aspect of the essence of Torah that is above the chain of descent.

And this will be understood by prefacing the precise point in what they said, "three bonds are bound one in the other,"

for seemingly there are only two bonds,

that Yisrael are bound in the Torah and the Torah in the Holy One, blessed be He.

And one of the explanations of this is,

that the third bond is the bond of Yisrael and the Holy One, blessed be He, not through the medium of the Torah,

from the aspect that the root of Yisrael is in Atzmus,

which is above

the root of Torah.

And the order of these three bonds is like a ring

(a circle)

that has no beginning or end.

That at first Yisrael are bound in the Torah and the Torah in the Holy One, blessed be He, and afterwards the bond of the Holy One, blessed be He, and Yisrael,

for it must be said that after Yisrael are bound in the Torah and through it in the Holy One, blessed be He,

the root of Yisrael that is above the root of Torah is revealed,

the bond of Yisrael and the Holy One, blessed be He.

And after this bond is made

(of Yisrael and the Holy One, blessed be He),

then at first is the bond of Yisrael and the Holy One, blessed be He,

and after the root of Yisrael is revealed in His very Essence,

they draw this also into the Torah,

in the manner that Dovid would connect the supernal Torah with the Holy One, blessed be He.

For in addition to the Torah being the wisdom of the Holy One, blessed be He,

for wisdom is incomparable relative to the Essence of Ein Sof, and Yisrael draw into it the Essence of Ein Sof,

behold, since also in the root of Torah and Yisrael as they are in Atzmus,

the root of Yisrael is above the root of Torah,

therefore through the engagement in Torah of Yisrael, the very Essence is drawn into it.

And based on this, it can be said,

that this [statement] that Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one

(not only that they are connected to each other, but that they are literally one)

is

(primarily)

in Israel.

For regarding the Torah,

since the Torah is for the sake of Israel

("Speak to the children of Israel, command the children of Israel"54),

that is, it is like a means,

it is like an existence of something that is attached and connected to the Holy One, blessed be He,

but not so Israel, who are rooted in the very Awtsmoos itself,

this [fact] that Israel are rooted in the Awtsmoos,

is not that another thing is rooted in Him, heaven forbid, but rather that this

(the root of Israel)

is one with the Awtsmoos.

And through Israel drawing down the Awtsmoos into the Torah,

the Torah also becomes one with the Awtsmoos,

Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are all one,

literally one.

6)

And based on all the above, it can be explained,

that the two matters in Rashbi,

"I am bound in one bond" and "my soul cleaves to Him," etc.,

are two modes in his study of Torah

(the main aspect of Rashbi,

his Torah was his craft).

And it will be understood based on what is known55

that even through the study of the revealed dimension of Torah, the connection of Israel to the Awtsmoos of the Torah and of the Holy One, blessed be He, is effected

(as above, section 4),

[but] it is in concealment,

and the revelation of the Awtsmoos

(of the Torah and of the Holy One, blessed be He)

is in the occupation with the inner dimension of Torah.

And since the study of Rashbi was in such a manner that even in his study of the revealed [Torah] the inner dimension shone56,

therefore,

his connection to the Awtsmoos of the Torah and of the Holy One, blessed be He,

even in his study of the revealed [Torah],

was in revelation.

And this is what he said, "All the days that I was bound in this world, I was bound in one bond with Him, with the Holy One, blessed be He,"

that even his study of the revealed [Torah]

(in which was the majority of his study57)

[and likewise all his matters,

which were permeated with Torah,

since his Torah was his craft]

was in a manner of connection that is above [mere] attachment,

"I am bound in one bond."

And beyond this,

that through this he also reached the third bond,

the bond of Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, that stems from the essence of the soul as it is connected to the Awtsmoos.

For this is the matter of "I am bound in one bond,"

that the connection stemming from the Yechidah58

(the essence of the soul)

is above the division of two lines,

and as explained elsewhere59,

that in the aspect of Yechidah,

both of them are one matter,

one bond.

For in the connection of Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, that is through the Torah,

since the Torah is like a means and is not literally one with the Awtsmoos,

therefore,

even the connection of Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, through the Torah

(even the connection as it is from the aspect of the essence of the Torah that is above the chain of descent),

is like a connection of two things that are connected,

and consequently,

the connection is in a manner that has a desire for Divinity

(an existence of desire,

which is divided into two lines),

and the true matter of "I am bound in one bond,"

one bond,

is in the bond of Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He

(which is above their bond through the intermediary of the Torah),

from the aspect that the root of Israel is in the Awtsmoos.

And based on all the above, it can be said,

that this [fact] that Rashbi attained the perfection of "my soul cleaves to Him" specifically on the day of his passing,

is,

because throughout all the days of his life,

his main aspect was the occupation with Torah

(his Torah was his craft),

and therefore even in the matter of "I am bound in one bond"

(which stems from the essence of the soul)

the aspect of connection was felt

(like a connection of two things that are connected),

and on the day of his passing,

there shone within him in revelation

(and in perfection60)

the bond of Israel and the Holy One, blessed be He, that stems from the essence of the soul,

"my soul cleaves to Him"61.

7)

Now, even though this is "in one bond I am bound,"

and certainly this "in which it is grasped"

is a most exalted level,

nevertheless,

through the fact that Rashbi opened and said "in one bond I am bound," etc.,

for the explanation of "opened" is62

that he opened the channel,

power was given to every single Jew that there should be for him an iota and a trace63

of this matter,

that his study of Torah should be in a manner that his soul is bound to the Torah in all his inwardness,

for although there are times when he is forced to interrupt his study of Torah,64

nevertheless,

at the time of study it should be

(the study of Torah)

his entire existence,

to the point that he is one with the Torah and with the Giver of the Torah,

literally one.65

And the granting of power for this with greater intensity is through the study of the inner dimension of the Torah,

the Torah of Rashbi,66

for through this there is the power

(even more so)

to connect and unite with the Torah and the Giver of the Torah.

And through the study and dissemination of the Torah of Rashbi,

which in these generations has been revealed in the teachings of Chassidus,

we also bring closer the redemption,

as per the promise of the King Moshiach to the Baal Shem Tov67

that "when your wellsprings spread forth outward, I will come, this is the King Moshiach,"

and as it is stated in the Zohar68

that "in this composition of yours"

(of Rashbi)

etc. "they will go out from exile with mercy."