English translation — מאמר ויזרע יצחק בארץ תשכ"ז

With the help of Heaven.

Shabbos Parshas Toldos,

Erev Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5727

"And Yitzchak sowed in that land and found in that year a hundredfold, and G-d blessed him."

And it needs to be understood,

From the fact that it says "and G-d blessed him" after "he found... a hundredfold,"

it implies that "and G-d blessed him" is an additional matter beyond his finding a hundredfold,

and an explanation is needed as to why it says "and He blessed him" without specifying with what He blessed him.

Also, it needs to be understood,

Behold, even this finding of a hundredfold

(one hundred times what was estimated)

is not according to the ways of nature, but rather the blessing of G-d,

and on the other hand,

also the blessing of "and G-d blessed him" that came after the finding of the hundredfold is that Yitzchak was blessed with this blessing

("and G-d blessed him"),

and nevertheless, the finding of the hundredfold is attributed by the verse to Yitzchak

("and he found... a hundredfold"),

and regarding the blessing with which Yitzchak was blessed after he found the hundredfold, it says "and G-d blessed him."

2)

And this will be understood by prefacing what the verse continues,

"And the man grew great, and he went on growing until he became very great,"

that through "and Yitzchak sowed, etc." there was a growth in Yitzchak himself,

"and the man grew great, etc."

For the two matters in the verse "and Yitzchak sowed, etc.,"

"and he found... a hundredfold" and "and G-d blessed him,"

are regarding the produce,

"and he found a hundredfold" is an extraordinary increase in the produce itself,

"and G-d blessed him" is that he sold his produce at a high price.

And although all matters of the Patriarchs

[and particularly the matters of the Patriarchs mentioned in the Torah]

are spiritual matters,

from this it is understood that in Yitzchak's produce there was

(also)

a spiritual matter,

and the two matters of "and he found a hundredfold" and "and G-d blessed him" are also regarding the spiritual aspect of Yitzchak's produce,

nevertheless,

they are only regarding a particular matter

(produce).

And in the subsequent verse it adds that through the service of "and Yitzchak sowed, etc." there was also growth in his entire being,

"and the man grew great, etc."

And one can explain this,

based on what the Tzemach Tzedek said in his maamar beginning with the words "Zeh"6,

that it is brought in the Midrash7

"Yitzchak came, he too shone, as it is said8

'Light is sown for the righteous,' and it is written 'And Yitzchak sowed.'"

That is, the sowing that Yitzchak sowed is the "light sown for the righteous."

And in Tanna D'vei Eliyahu9

it is brought on the verse "And Yitzchak sowed": "There is no sowing except charity, as it is said10

'Sow for yourselves for charity.'"

And it is explained in the maamar11,

that what is said in Tanna D'vei Eliyahu, that "And Yitzchak sowed" is charity, also applies to all the mitzvos, which are called by the name "charity,"

as it is said12

"And it shall be charity for us13."

And also the Torah is called by the name "sowing,"

as it is said14

"Six years you shall sow your field" — these are the six orders of the Mishnah15.

And this is that "And Yitzchak sowed" is the "light sown for the righteous,"

which is the light of Torah and mitzvos that is sown

(clothed)

in the physical things of this world16.

And based on this, one can explain that through the service of "vayizra" (and he sowed), "the man grew"

(in his entirety),

for "And Yitzchak sowed" is a general service,

the service of Torah study and fulfillment of mitzvos.

And based on this, one can say,

that also the two matters in the verse "And Yitzchak sowed etc."

("and he found a hundred measures,"

"and Hashem blessed him")

are general matters.

For just as the service of "vayizra Yitzchak" is a general service

(as above),

so too the matters drawn from above through this service are general matters.

3)

And it is explained in many places17,

that this — that Torah and mitzvos are called by the name "sowing" — refers to the descent of Torah and mitzvos to clothe in physical things,

the intention of which is for the sake of ascent,

similar to sowing in the earth, which is for the sake of growth in greater multiplicity than was initially.

And one must understand,

that according to this explanation,

the term "sowing" regarding Torah and mitzvos applies with respect to the Holy One, blessed be He,

who brought down the Torah and mitzvos below18,

and not with respect to man's fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos.

From what is said "And Yitzchak sowed," it is understood that also man's fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos is a descent for the sake of ascent.

And one can explain this based on what is said in the maamar at its end11

[regarding] another explanation of "light is sown for the righteous,"

that the matter of sowing is to sow into the animal soul the drawing down of the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul,

through which there is growth and ascent in the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul.

For since the root of the animal soul is above the root of the G-dly soul,

the root of the G-dly soul being in Tikkun (rectification) and the root of the animal soul being in Tohu (chaos),

therefore,

through the sowing of the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul into the animal soul, growth occurs

(ascent)

in the G-dly soul.

And to note,

in Likkutei Torah19

it is explained that "light is sown for the righteous" refers to the descent of the G-dly soul to clothe in the animal soul,

and from the language of the maamar — "to sow into the animal soul the drawing down of the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul" —

it implies,

that man must sow the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul into the animal soul.

And the matter is,

that in the service of the soul

(even after its descent below)

there are two modes.

The service of the soul from its own side,

and its service to refine the animal soul20.

And this is the explanation of "to sow the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul into the animal soul,"

for the intellect and emotions of the G-dly soul as they are from their own side

(even after the descent of the soul below)

cannot, through them, effect the refinement of the animal soul,

and in order for them to act upon the animal soul, it is through their descent and clothing in the intellect and emotions of the animal soul20,

[which is] sowing.

And one can say,

that similarly it is with the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos,

that in order for there to be vitality in the Torah and mitzvos, it is when the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos is with love and fear21,

and in order that through the love and fear of the soul there be vitality in the action of the mitzvos, through which they will be "blossoming upward"22,

it is through their descent and clothing in the action

(of the mitzvah)23.

And this is that man's fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos is called by the name "sowing,"

"And Yitzchak sowed."

d)

Now, according to the above, that the service of "Yitzchak sowed" is the sowing

(descent and enclothing)

of the powers of the Nefesh HaElokis in the fulfillment of the mitzvos and in the refinement of the Nefesh HaBahamis,

it must be said,

that the matter of "and he found one hundred gates" is

(not an influx from Above that comes through the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos in and of itself,

but rather)

the ascent of the Nefesh HaElokis that comes about through the descent of its powers in the action of the mitzvos and in the refinement of the Nefesh HaBahamis,

the growth that comes through the sowing.

And the explanation is,

as explained in the maamar24,

that one hundred gates are fifty gates of Binah twice.

And the explanation is,

that in Binah there are two levels

(in general).

Yovel and the side of Yovel25.

Yovel is Binah itself,

and the side of Yovel is not Binah itself, but only what is drawn from it26.

And this is fifty gates of Binah twice,

fifty gates from the side of Yovel and fifty gates of Yovel27

itself.

Now, it is explained elsewhere28

in the explanation of the fifty gates of Binah,

that just as a gate, in its simple sense, is at the end of the courtyard through which one goes outside,

so too regarding the fifty gates of Binah,

they are in the lowest level of Binah,

through which intellect is drawn into the emotions

(for the drawing of intellect into the emotions is an exit outward from the intellect).

And based on this, it can be said,

that also the fifty gates in Yovel itself are in the intellects that relate to the emotions,

except that within these intellects themselves there are two levels.

The gates from the side of Yovel, which are the actual source for the emotions

[like the inclination of the intellect,

an intellect that inclines toward Chessed and an intellect that inclines toward Gevurah28],

and the gates of Yovel itself, which are in the intellect itself that is above the inclination toward the emotions,

and the matter of the gates indicating an exit outward is that this entire intellect

(even before its inclination toward the emotions)

is an intellect that relates to the emotions29.

5)

And the maamar continues

with a further explanation of the fifty gates of understanding, two times,

which are in the two modes of from below upward and from above downward.

And as it is written,

"To You, Hashem, are the greatness, the might, the splendor, the victory, and the majesty, for all that is in heaven and on earth,"

"Lecha" (to You) has the numerical value of fifty, and "Kol" (all) has the numerical value of fifty,

and it refers to the five sefiros

[Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferes, Netzach, and Hod, which are the primary sefiros],

each of which is comprised of ten,

except that "Lecha" is from below upward and "Kol" is from above downward.

For in the ascent of the sefiros to their source,

they are in a state of nullification,

not occupying any place,

[this is] "Lecha."

And when they are drawn from above downward

[until they are drawn into the sefirah of Yesod,

for "all that is in heaven and on earth,"

through which they are subsequently drawn into Malchus,

"To You, Hashem, is the kingdom," etc.]

they are in a state of existence,

and moreover,

they are felt as existing in completeness,

similar to "I have everything."

And it can be said,

that just as in the intellect

(Binah),

the matter of two times fifty is two levels,

the intellect as it relates to the sefiros

(from the side of the Jubilee),

and the intellect in its own right,

so too is it regarding the two times fifty of the sefiros,

that in addition to the explanation that they are two modes, from below upward and from above downward,

it can be said,

that they are also two levels.

The sefiros as they are in their own right,

and as they are drawn through the intellect.

And in the two expressions "Lecha" and "Kol," the two modes of the sefiros are hinted at,

the elevation from below upward and the drawing down from above downward

(as above),

and also the two levels within the sefiros.

And the explanation is,

that the root of the sefiros is in the essence of the soul, above the root of the intellect,

except that their drawing down is through the intellect.

And these two matters—that the root of the sefiros is above the root of the intellect,

and that the drawing down of the sefiros is through the intellect—apply to all the sefiros.

That is,

even the intellectual sefiros,

their root is in the essence of the soul.

Therefore,

even the sefiros born from the intellect

can be in a force much greater than the intellect that gives birth to them.

And likewise, conversely,

even the natural sefiros in a person

are aroused through the intellect.

And the proof of this is known

from what is written,

"Let not your heart be faint, do not fear," etc.,

for at first glance,

fear in war is a natural thing, and how can there be a command about this, "do not fear"?

And the explanation of this is,

that since the arousal of the natural sefiros is through the intellect,

therefore,

when one places his mind and thought on this,

his heart will not be faint, and he will not fear or be afraid at all.

And as the Rambam wrote,

"Anyone who begins to think and contemplate in war and frightens himself transgresses a negative commandment,

as it is said, 'Let not your heart be faint, do not fear,' etc.,"

for even natural fear is aroused and acts when one thinks and contemplates it.

And the reason for this

(that even the arousal of natural emotions is specifically through the intellect)

is,

that the root of man is in Tikkun

[for the root of animals is in Tohu and the root of man is in Tikkun],

and in the world of Tikkun the primary element is the intellect,

and even the emotions of Tikkun are according to the intellect.

For although even in Tikkun the root of the emotions is above the root of the intellect,

for Abba and Imma are included in Mazla and Zeir Anpin is attached and dependent on Atika,

nevertheless,

their drawing down is through the intellect.

For among the distinctions between the emotions of Tohu and the emotions of Tikkun is,

that in Tohu the emotions were revealed as they are from their root in Keter

[and this is one of the explanations that the Sefiros of Tohu were in the aspect of crowns],

and the emotions of Tikkun are according to the intellect.

And from this it also descends to man, whose root is in Tikkun,

that his emotions

(even the natural emotions)

are according to the intellect.

And the difference between natural emotions and intellectual emotions is,

that in intellectual emotions

(although their root is in the essence of the soul above the intellect)

it is primarily felt that they are emotions of a man

(emotions of Tikkun)

whose primary element is intellect,

and in natural emotions

(although their arousal is through the intellect)

it is primarily felt that their root is in the essence of the soul which is above intellect.

And it can be said,

that in the two expressions "Lech" and "Kol" are also alluded the two types of emotions

(natural emotions and intellectual emotions).

And the explanation is,

that this which was explained above, that the emotions as they are in their root are in a state of nullification,

"Lech,"

the intention is

(primarily)

to this, that the root of the emotions is in Keter

(and correspondingly in man,

this is that the root of the emotions is in the essence of the soul),

for since Keter is separate from all the Sefiros,

therefore,

when the Sefiros

(the emotions and the intellect)

are included in Keter,

they are in a state of absence of existence.

However, regarding this that the emotions are drawn from the intellect,

since the intellect is a cause for the emotions,

therefore even when the emotions are included in the intellect,

they are in an aspect of existence.

And based on this it can be said,

that natural emotions,

in which it is felt that their root is in the essence of the soul,

belong to "Lech,"

and intellectual emotions belong to "Kol."

6)

And this is the connection and relevance of "and he found a hundred gates" to "and Yitzchak sowed,"

the sowing of the powers of the Nefesh HaElokis into the Nefesh HaBahamis

(and correspondingly in the performance of the mitzvos),

for the emotions of the Nefesh HaElokis, whose root is in Tikkun, are in measure and limitation according to the intellect,

and the emotions of the Nefesh HaBahamis, whose root is in Tohu, are in unbounded intensity,

and through the sowing of the emotions of the Nefesh HaElokis into the emotions of the Nefesh HaBahamis, a hundred gates are drawn,

twice fifty,

emotions of Tikkun and emotions of Tohu.

And it can be said,

that what is written "and he found a hundred gates,"

that "finding" is not according to the measure of service,

is,

for the emotions of the soul are beyond comparison relative to their root,

the emotions of Tikkun,

and all the more so the emotions of the Nefesh HaBahamis

(whose emotions are in the lusts of this world)

are beyond comparison relative to their root in the emotions of Tohu.

And therefore,

the drawing down of the hundred gates,

emotions of Tikkun and emotions of Tohu,

through the emotions of the Nefesh HaElokis refining the emotions of the Nefesh HaBahamis,

is a finding that is not according to the measure of service.

7)

And the verse continues, "and Hashem blessed him,"

which is a level even higher than "found a hundred gates."

And this will be understood by prefacing what is stated in the Midrash:45

The Holy One, blessed be He, does not elevate a person to a position of authority until He examines and tests him, etc.,

and so you find with Avraham Avinu, the Holy One, blessed be He, tested him with ten trials, and he withstood them, and afterwards He blessed him, as it is stated:46

"And Hashem blessed Avraham with everything [bakol],"

and likewise Yitzchak, He tested him in the days of Avimelech, and he withstood his test, and afterwards He blessed him, as it is stated: "And Yitzchak sowed in that land, and Hashem blessed him."

And the Tzemach Tzedek explains47

regarding the matter of "And Hashem blessed Avraham with everything [bakol],"

that "bakol" is the innermost aspect of Kesser,

for in that level,

arousal from below does not reach there,

and after Avraham withstood the ten trials, corresponding to the ten Sefiros in which arousal from below is relevant,

then He blessed him with "bakol,"

the innermost aspect of Kesser.

And based on this, it can also be said regarding "and Hashem blessed him" stated about Yitzchak after he withstood his test,

that "and Hashem blessed him" is a blessing and drawing down from a place where arousal from below does not reach.

And this is the addition of "and Hashem blessed him" over "found a hundred gates,"

for "found a hundred gates" is a drawing down through arousal from below,48

except that the drawing down is disproportionate to the arousal from below.

And therefore it is stated "found a hundred gates,"

that Yitzchak found them through his arousal from below.

And after this it says "and Hashem blessed him" — a blessing and drawing down from above, from its own side,

"and Hashem blessed him."49

And the verse continues, "and the man grew, and he went on growing until he became very great,"

where the language "great" is stated three times.

And it can be said,

that these three "greats" correspond to the three matters of "and he sowed," "and he found," and "and He blessed him."

"And the man grew" is the drawing down proportionate to the arousal from below

("and he sowed"),

which in general is the drawing down of the light that fills [worlds].

"And he went on growing" is the drawing down disproportionate to the arousal from below

("and he found"),

which in general is the drawing down of the encompassing light.

And therefore it is stated "went on growing,"

for the concept of "going" is in the encompassing light, which is above the chain of descent.50

"Became very great" is the drawing down from the place where arousal from below does not reach

("and Hashem blessed him"),

which in general is the drawing down of the Essence [Atzmus].

And therefore it is stated "very great,"

for the true concept of "without limit"

("very")

is in the Essence.