English translation — תצא ב

A.

Regarding the commandment of a parapet, the verse says¹

: a)

When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof.

It is not understood: why does it say "a <b>new</b> house"?²

- The law³

is indeed,

that one is obligated in a parapet not only when one <b>builds</b> a <b>new</b> house,

but also when one buys an

(<b>old</b>)

house

(without a parapet)

and the like?

In the Sifrei⁴

it says: from the time of its newness⁵

make for it a parapet - that the obligation to make a parapet becomes

(not only after moving into the house,

like a mezuzah,

but)

immediately when the house is built⁶

- "from the time of its newness".

The language of the verse is however still not smooth&lt;sup&gt;7&lt;/sup&gt;

: since the action of

Sifri is,

that the obligation of maakeh comes immediately when one becomes the owner of the house

(even before moving into it)

Why does the Torah hint to the above law in maakeh through the expression "you shall build a &lt;b&gt;new&lt;/b&gt; house" - from which it is implied that the obligation of maakeh is only for a "new house"&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;

- and not through an expression that would emphasize that the obligation of maakeh applies

(on &lt;b&gt;every &lt;/b&gt;house)

immediately when the house comes into his possession?

b)

Further in the verse&lt;sup&gt;1&lt;/sup&gt;

stands the reason&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

for making a maakeh - "for the fallen one will fall from it."

It is not understandable: the verse warns here against

(and &lt;b&gt;before&lt;/b&gt;)

the fall - that is, how does the verse already call him a "

(will fall)

the fallen one"?

The Gemara¹⁰

answers on this: "It was fitting to fall from the six days of creation..."

Rather, merit is brought about through the meritorious and liability through the guilty.

But this answer Rashi brings in his commentary on the Torah,

And according to the study of the plain meaning in the simple sense of Scripture,

the answer is seemingly not smooth - "fall" means

(not that "it was <b>fitting</b> to fall",

but)

the present tense and the adjective - "falling" literally¹¹.

B.

It stands in Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer¹²,

that the reason that the Most High created the world in a manner,

that the northern wind was not completed

: The world is like a colonnade and the northern wind does not circulate],

is because if someone will come and say "He is God",

they will answer him "Let him come and complete this corner that I left etc.'"

So that the created beings should not have any mistake and think that they do not need to reach the Creator and His leadership,

to that which is higher than them,

the Most High created them thus,

that they have in their existence a &lt;b&gt;deficiency&lt;/b&gt;,

which they themselves cannot complete; and consequently they feel that they must reach a higher power.

The same is also regarding the existence of "intellect": so that a person — a person of intellect — should not delude himself that with his intellect he can understand everything,

the Most High has implanted in him,

that he must reach that which is above intellect

according to which principles one arrives at the conclusion of the intellect and reasoning — but the principles themselves are not necessary from the perspective of the intellect]&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;

; 4.

4.

5.

5.

In intellect itself, it is heard as if it is lacking and must come to above intellect.

And so it is also,

to distinguish,

in Torah: the revealed part of Torah came down clothed into the understanding and grasp of human intellect,

until even from a non-Jew¹⁵

; and in order that one should realize that Torah — also the revealed part of Torah — is <b>G‑dly</b> intellect,

the Above set up certain matters of the revealed part of Torah in such a manner,

that one cannot understand them to their ultimate¹⁶

except when one learns the matters as they are explained in the inner dimension of Torah,

which is G‑dly intellect <b>openly</b>; and through this one grasps that Torah only <b>clothed itself</b> in human intellect,

but in its essence it is G‑dly intellect that is above creations¹⁷.

And it can be said that one of the matters mentioned above is also the verse about the commandment of a parapet¹⁸

: according to the inner explanation of the concept of the parapet, it will be understood that “a <b>new</b> house” is an essential matter in the inner content of the parapet,

the obligation of the parapet is connected with “a <b>new</b> house”;

And in this way it will be understood the expression “the fallen one will fall” — that before he falls down

(from “your roof”)

he is already a “fallen one”.

3.

Chazal say¹⁹

"his house is his wife",

until - as R' Yosi said²⁰

"In my life I never called my wife 'my wife' ..

but rather my wife 'my house'."

And this is the inner explanation in "when you build a new house",

the time of the beginning of married life²¹,

when a person takes upon himself the "millstone around his neck"²²

-the involvement with physical livelihood²³,

a man plows a man sows²⁴

The Torah says "when you build a new house and make a fence etc.": since this is a "new house" - a new order and service in which one is not accustomed - one must make a "fence": the cautions that one had in the previous modes of service are not sufficient,

rather one must take upon oneself new boundaries and fences²⁵

- one must make fresh restraints in thought,

in speech and in deed.

And the reason why it specifically requires by &lt;b&gt;the &lt;/b&gt;new work the

the safeguarding of "maakeh",

(the verse continues)

"for the fallen one will fall &lt;b&gt;from it&lt;/b&gt;" -

Since the service is connected with the movement of <b>descent</b>²⁶

<b>and fall</b>²⁷

relative to his previous state

therefore it is possible that the material world will also lower him from his level.

And if in his building a "new house" he will not be careful <b>exceedingly</b>,

he will not only not be able to elevate the material and make from it spirituality,

but on the contrary,

the material will further increase his descent and fall - "<b>the fallen will fall</b>".

4.

"House" also refers,

sometimes,

to the human body²⁸,

and in the service of G-d it encompasses the general service of "clarifications" - to clarify the body and its portion in the world; and the service is called "a <b>new</b> house" - because a)

the soul before its descent below has no concept of this - and b)

in <b>this</b> service lies the true "novelty".

And in the manner that it speaks²⁹

itself regarding the <b>coming into being</b> of this physical world - that

although there are several levels in the order of the chain of descent that come into being in a manner of renewal from their source and origin

; A”K is called “&lt;b&gt;Adam of Beriah&lt;/b&gt;”

(yesh me’ayin)&lt;sup&gt;31&lt;/sup&gt;

; the “vessels” of Atzilut are a matter of yesh me’ayin&lt;sup&gt;32&lt;/sup&gt;

; and all the more so the world of Beriah&lt;sup&gt;33&lt;/sup&gt;]

Nevertheless,

the true essence of the matter of renewal&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;

is specifically in the coming-into-being of this physical world,

and as the well-known statement&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

that the coming-into-being of physicality from spirituality — there is no greater yesh me’ayin than this.

And this is also regarding the <b>service</b> with physical things: since physicality has no value relative to spirituality,

it turns out,

that the service to refine the physical world and make from it spirituality,

is a matter of <b>renewal</b>³⁶

And therefore <b>the</b> manner of service is hinted at in "you shall build a <b>new</b> house": this is the service to bring about a "novelty" in the "house" — this is the body,

and through this itself one builds a "house" and dwelling place for Him, blessed be He.

He.

Just as the service is in a manner of renewal,

so too is it regarding the <b>person</b> who serves:

The elevation that occurs in the person through different modes of service is an elevation that is relative; but through the service of refining the physical world, the person is elevated in a manner of "innovation" — <b>incomparable</b>³⁷.

And furthermore: the service also brings about a novelty above,

as it were

(as our sages, of blessed memory,³⁸

Everything is in the hands of heaven except the fear of heaven.

And see the words of our sages, of blessed memory,*³⁸

“They add strength to the power above”)

- through the service to make a “dwelling place for Him

(may He be blessed)

in the lower realms”³⁹,

this becomes the “beautiful dwelling” which “broadens

(in)

the mind of man”⁴⁰

- “the supernal man,” as it were⁴¹.

From the side of the order of descent, there is a “limitation,” as it were, above regarding the drawing down of the Divine light into the world - there is the Divine light that can be drawn down <b>into</b> the world, and there is a light that is higher than the worlds,

and yet a higher one that is not within the category of the worlds at all⁴²

And through the service of Jews there is brought about an "expansion" and "innovation",

that also the light which is not within the category of the worlds at all

is drawn down below.

6.

The "vessel" for a matter of "innovation" is - <b>self-nullification</b>.

And as is known⁴⁴

regarding the matter of ascents,

that when the ascent is beyond comparison relative to the previous level, there must be self-nullification before the ascent,

through which one becomes a vessel for the ascent

(in the manner of the matter of the "pillar" and "river of fire" which one must pass through at the time one ascends from the lower Garden of Eden to the upper Garden of Eden⁴⁵).

And this is also the inner content of "maakeh": in the fences and barriers - the "maakeh" - which a Jew sets up in his service,

is expressed the movement of bittul⁴⁶

and kabbalas ol,

which makes him into a vessel fit for the "Beis <b>Chadash</b>"⁴⁷.

With this one can explain the inner reason of this,

that the end of the verse "and you shall not place blood in your house

(for the fallen one will fall from it)

" is according to halacha not

(only)

a <b>giving of a reason</b> for the commandment of maakeh,

but a separate commandment⁴⁸

: And you shall make a maakeh for your roof, a positive commandment,

and you shall not place blood in your house, a negative commandment]

Because the concept of a parapet is not only a fence and barrier to protect &lt;b&gt;the falling of &lt;/b&gt;the person

(“the fallen one will fall”),

but it is also a necessary element in establishing a “&lt;b&gt;new&lt;/b&gt; house” — the innovation and elevation beyond measure in the person

(and above, as it were).

7.

The directive from all that was said regarding the practical:

One must know,

that one may not isolate oneself from the world,

but one must build a "house,"

make a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, &lt;b&gt;in the lower realms&lt;/b&gt;; and on the contrary,

through the "descent" in this manner of service, afterwards the true "ascent" comes,

it brings about a novelty below and a novelty above,

as mentioned above.

On the other hand, one must know,

that in order to make from physicality a vessel for spirituality, one must make a "railing,"

which means,

that he remains separate from the physicality of the world.

He indeed occupies himself with matters of the world,

but they have no hold on him

(and consequently he remains "separated" from them).

Because he knows

(and feels),

that his entire

Involvement with worldly matters is only in order to carry out the supernal intention to make a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms⁴⁹.

8.

From this there is a special directive for those who prepare themselves to "build a new house" in the sense of married life

(as above, section 3)

One sees from this the greatness of the matter of married life.

Marriage of every Jew is a general matter not only for <b>him</b>,

in his private life,

but also from the aspect of Above, so to speak.

Since then begins his

(main)

service to make a dwelling <b>for Him</b>, blessed be He, in the lower realms,

it affects the "they broaden the mind of a person" of Above, so to speak,

an extension of new light,

as above⁵⁰.

On the other hand,

one must however know,

that the way to build the "new house" must have the making of a "railing" — accepting new boundaries and fences.

Seemingly: since a groom is forgiven for all his sins⁵¹,

it is not

(so)

necessary to protect oneself with fences and safeguards etc.,

because his previous matters not good have indeed been wiped away.

They tell him,

<b>On the contrary</b>: not only must he <b>protect</b> himself for the <b>future</b> - because due to the lack of habituation in the service in this world, Heaven forbid, it can become

The "yipol hanofel"

(as above section 3),

but more so,

it must be the "maakeh" also because of his matters not good <b>in the past</b>

(which can hinder the establishing of the "bayis chodosh").

Because since he must be elevated in an elevation without comparison,

the previous teshuvah is not sufficient,

but there must be a higher teshuvah⁵²,

according to the measure of the elevation of the "bayis chodosh".

9.

And so too is it regarding the content of the matter of the maakeh,

as was spoken earlier - the separation from olam hazeh:

One can argue: since now begins the "millstone around his neck" &lt;b&gt;according to Torah&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;53&lt;/sup&gt;

- so how can one demand of him that he should remain in separation from physicality of the world?

One must know,

that on the contrary: the purpose of marriage of a man and a woman below is,

that it should be "they merit

(and)

the Shechinah dwells between them"&lt;sup&gt;54&lt;/sup&gt;,

this should bring about the "new house",

marriage of a man and a woman in spirituality - between Jews and the Most High&lt;sup&gt;55&lt;/sup&gt;

What in this there are two matters⁵⁶

(a)

The betrothal between Jews and the Most High - i.e.

that is

That which Jews are united with Divinity.

(b)

That which through this is "prohibited to her to eat of the world like consecrated property"⁵⁷

- he becomes <b>holy</b>

<b>And separated </b>from matters of the world.

Because as discussed earlier,

His entire involvement with matters of the world is only "to acquire for her husband"⁵⁸

- To carry out the supernal intention of making a dwelling place for Him, blessed be He, in the lower realms.

3 Elul*,

5714)