English translation — חיי שרה ב

A.

In the Zohar in our parshah¹

is explained one of the virtues of baalei teshuvah over tzaddikim

(complete)

: By tzaddikim

(complete)

is the service ascent in order and gradation from day to day,

from level to level

(as it is stated in our parshah²

"And Avraham was old, <b>advanced in days</b> etc.,"

and likewise in the haftarah of the week³

"And King David was old, <b>advanced in days</b> etc."),

until they come in their service to the ultimate closeness and attachment to the Holy One, blessed be He; but baalei teshuvah are "in one moment, in one day⁴

in one instant⁵

one⁶

they draw near to the Holy One, blessed be He."

Upon this the father in his notes⁷ raises an objection,

and asks: "Prima facie it is out of order,

for he should have said day, hour, instant,

since each one is a greater novelty than the other,

in the manner of 'not only this, but even this.'

Also, if 'in one instant' [was said] for some purpose, why [mention] hour and day?"⁸

And he explains: "Y”L there are three levels of teshuvah that reach in Malchut, in Z”A, in Binah, as it is stated in Likkutei Torah in the discourse "Mah Tovu"&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

see there

which reaches in Malchut; there is a higher level in teshuvah whose content is "And do good"&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;

— and reaches in Z”A; and there is yet a higher teshuvah whose content is "Seek peace"&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;

(the study of Torah)

— and reaches in Binah].

This is "besha'ata" in Malchut which is called "sha'ah",

"beyoma" in Z”A which is called "yom",

"barega" in Binah".

B.

At first glance it appears,

that according to the explanation of the Tatte, by the three expressions "besha'ata beyoma barega" is primarily meant

(<b>not</b> to indicate the three different measures of time <b>literally</b>,

but)

the three <b>levels</b> in teshuvah as they are <b>alluded to</b> in "sha'ata"

(Malchut)

"yoma"

(Z”A)

and "rega"

(Binah),

and therefore it is correct that they are in the Zohar with this order,

because this is according to the order of the levels from below upward.

It is, however, not simple to learn this way,

because it is indeed in the matter of going beyond its simple meaning; and consequently one must accept,

that the three aforementioned answers — which are "reaching in Malchut, in Zeir Anpin, in Binah" — each one of them is connected with the specific time in its simple sense: the answer of "Turn from evil" which reaches in Malchut — occurs "in one moment"; the higher level in repentance,

"And do good",

which reaches in Zeir Anpin — in that

time of "one day"; and the highest level — "Seek peace"

(Torah),

which reaches in Binah — "one moment".

one must understand:

That which a baal teshuvah is "immediately I will go and cleave to G‑d, blessed be He"

" is because the movement of teshuvah is in its very nature above order and gradation — being previously in a non-good state he goes through teshuvah over by way of a leap and jump from one extreme to the other extreme

(from an opposite state — to fulfillment of Torah and commandments and cleaving to the Holy One, blessed be He)

; and since this comes from such a movement in the soul which is not limited in order and gradation,

therefore this is not connected with a duration of time,

but "immediately I will go and cleave etc.'"

According to this, however, it is not understandable: how does it come that the higher level of teshuvah,

"and do good"

(which comes through a deeper awakening of teshuvah),

should be connected with a continuation in time?

Likewise, the question is also regarding the sefirot above: it is known¹²,

that all matters of this world are drawn down and descend

(and consequently they are in the pattern)

from the worlds above

(furthermore: the intention and purpose of the "upper worlds" is — "this lower world"¹³)

— is how

It fits,

that the higher level

(“Zeir Anpin”)

is called “yoma”,

and the lower level

(Malchut)

— “sh’ata”,

when “yoma” is a longer measure of time

(and consequently more brought down into time and further from above time)

than “sh’ata”?

Gimmel.

One will understand it with an introduction to what in “short” and “lengthy”

(in an intellectual matter)

— which of them is “higher” — one finds seemingly a reason this way and a reason that way:

Brevity has an advantage over lengthiness,

as the Rambam¹⁴

writes regarding the words of the Mishnah,

that they are arranged in a manner of "a brief thing encompassing many matters",

unlike the Gemara,

whose language is at length; so too it is said¹⁵

regarding later authorities

(regarding earlier authorities)

that their way is <b>to explain</b>.

<b>In another style</b>: as the logical reasoning stands in its source,

it is

(more)

in brevity,

and the lengthiness comes when one needs to bring it down from its source to the level of the recipient

(from Mishnah to Gemara and from Gemara to the students and authors after that)

On the other hand,

our Sages say¹⁶

"A person should always teach <b>his student</b> in a <b>short</b> way",

and the reason for the matter simply is¹⁷,

because the student will not be able to absorb the lengthiness and expanse of the intellect and the matter; therefore one must convey to the student only a brief summary,

which is suited to his vessels of comprehension — i.e.

that

the brevity is connected with the student's being below relative to the teacher.

4.

And one can say the explanation in this,

that it depends on which level it is speaking about:

When the discussion is about the relationship between two "worlds",

levels in the understanding of intellect, one of which is much higher than the other — like the difference between

(Baalei Ha)

Mishnah and Gemara,

Gemara and Rishonim,

Rishonim and Acharonim,

etc. — is that the higher the intellect is found, the more it is in brevity is the manner in which it stands there¹⁸,

because there the

<b>Essence</b> of logic in revelation

(One sees immediately the truth¹⁹)

; and the lower the level where the intellect is found,

the same logic must come to more explanation and length,

so that one can understand it.

must last a length of time to absorb the same thing through <b>hearing</b> with the sense of hearing].

Not so when one speaks in the same "world",

it is the opposite: a "higher"

(deeper)

rationale must arrive at more length in order to bring out and understand its superiority

(depth)

; and a more simple rationale is explained more briefly — because of the simplicity of the rationale, fewer words of explanation are sufficient²⁰.

So too in the above-mentioned examples:

In the

(level,

in the)

"World" of Mishnah relative to Gemara the deep reasonings are brought out concisely

(approximately the Gemara)

; but in the "World" of Gemara <b>itself</b>

(and the like)

are the deep reasonings at greater length and the simple reasonings — more concisely.

H.

From this one will understand also regarding our matter:

In general²¹

These three levels mentioned above in teshuvah are divided into two: the first two levels are in the category of teshuvah <b>tata'ah</b>,

the third level — teshuvah <b>ila'ah</b>; and so it is also in the simple understanding of the matters: the teshuvahs "turn away from evil and do good" are both in the world of <b>action</b>

(action and negation of action),

the third teshuvah — "seek peace" — is <b>study</b> of Torah,

in the world of <b>the intellect</b>.

And therefore: the teshuvah that pertains to the intellect is more concise

("in one moment"),

because in that

(higher)

world of intellect the matters stand more revealed,

therefore one does not need to come to lengthiness;

But unlike the two answers,

which are in the world of action,

it is in them the opposite: the answer of "and do good",

which is a <b>higher</b> level,

takes a longer duration of time,

"one day"

(in the manner of the deep reasonings in the Gemara which require more length)

; but unlike the lower level of "turn from evil",

takes no more than "one hour"

(in the manner of the simple reasonings in the Gemara for which a brief explanation suffices)

And to note that this is also in the simple sense,

that for <b>doing</b>

("and do")

an action in actuality one needs a

(longer)

measure of time,

but unlike the negation of doing

("turn from evil").

So too is it in the sefiros above: the sefirah of Binah,

which is

(the world of the intellect —)

higher than the worlds²²,

is called "moment",

because the Divine light is there shining with utmost revelation and

Therefore it is with utmost brevity

(in time)

— "moment"; but the sefiros of Zeir Anpin and Malchus which have a connection to worlds

are "day" and "hour"

(length — not "moment").

But since in the sefirot themselves

(the world of the emotions)²²,

(the world of the attributes)

Zeir Anpin is higher than Malchut,

therefore Zeir Anpin is called "yoma" and Malchut "sh'ata",

as mentioned above.

6.

According to the above explanation of the father,

that the three expressions in the Zohar allude to the three levels mentioned above in teshuvah — one can explain

(in the manner of Chassidut)

also the version of the Ramak²³,

that in this maamar of the Zohar there are <b>four</b> expressions — levels: "besha'ata chada beyoma chada <b>bizmana</b>²⁴

<b>chada</b> b'rega chada":

In Likkutei Torah there²⁵

it is explained,

that although in general there are three levels in teshuvah — but in particular there is yet a fourth higher level,

which reaches into the sefirah of chochmah

(and in avodah this is the concept of "sanctify yourself in what is permitted to you"²⁶).

And one may say,

that the fourth level is hinted at in the fourth expression that comes

In the Zohar according to the version of the Ramak — "at a certain time": although "moment" is ostensibly the smallest part of time,

nevertheless the question and answer remains &lt;b&gt;and how many &lt;/b&gt;moments — one of five etc. moments as per the saying,

pronounce &lt;b&gt;three &lt;/b&gt;letters&lt;sup&gt;27&lt;/sup&gt;,

it has a specific measure&lt;sup&gt;28&lt;/sup&gt;

; however "&lt;b&gt;a certain &lt;/b&gt;time" does not define any measure of time,

it only expresses the very existence of time&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;.

And according to the continuation of the explanation in Likkutei Torah there&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;,

that nevertheless it is explicitly and openly spoken in most places only about three

Levels in teshuvah — because Chochmah and Binah are "two companions that never separate"³⁰,

consequently the fourth level is included in the third,

it will also be understood why according to the common and usual version in the Zohar there are only three expressions,

because generally one speaks about three aspects of teshuvah,

as above;

Since however that sometimes one also counts the fourth level in teshuvah,

therefore there is also a version,

which details also <b>the </b>level in teshuvah — shleimus hateshuvah.

(From the sichah of Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah 5739)