English translation — ויגש ב

A.

It is known that the haftorahs are each "of the subject of the parshah"¹.

The connection of the haftorah of our parshah to the parshah is simply:

The content

(its beginning)

of Parshas Vayigash is — as its name — the <b>approach</b> of Yehudah to Yosef.

Which this is not only an "approach" as individuals in themselves

(Yehudah and Yosef),

but as it is explained in the Zohar²,

that upon the approach of Yehudah to Yosef it stands⁵

"For behold the kings assembled, here Yehudah and Yosef, because both of them are <b>kings</b>"

(and the content of the approach — "the drawing near

(drawing near)

<b>of the world in the world</b> to unite this with this to become all one..

and they became united this with this"⁴)

And this is also the content of the haftarah&lt;sup&gt;5&lt;/sup&gt;

— how in the future will be the unification of the kingdom of Yehudah and the kingdom of Yosef: "Take for yourself one piece of wood and write upon it 'For Yehudah' etc. one piece of wood and write upon it 'For Yosef' etc. and bring them together etc. and they shall become &lt;b&gt;one&lt;/b&gt; in your hand ..

Thus says the Lord G-d etc. 'And I will make them into one nation etc. and one king shall be for all of them etc. and they shall no longer be two nations and shall no longer be divided into two kingdoms anymore.'"

One needs, however, additional explanation,

how does one say that they become "&lt;b&gt;one&lt;/b&gt;"

("And I will make them into one piece of wood and they shall be one in My hand"&lt;sup&gt;6&lt;/sup&gt;)

— That in the analogy is that they will be "to one nation ..

and one king will be for all of them":

Since that the "one king" will be from the tribe of &lt;b&gt;Judah&lt;/b&gt; and — &lt;b&gt;forever&lt;/b&gt; specifically

"And My servant David shall be king over them and one shepherd shall be for all of them ..

and David My servant shall be a prince for them &lt;b&gt;forever&lt;/b&gt;"]

— is this then seemingly not a perfect unity,

because the kingdom of Joseph

(Ephraim)

which was until then a kingdom by itself will be nullified and — forever — is there then only the &lt;b&gt;one&lt;/b&gt; stick of Judah&lt;sup&gt;8&lt;/sup&gt;?

At first glance one could say that also in the future there will be two levels and aspects in kingship,

in the manner of the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;9&lt;/sup&gt;

says regarding David and Mashiach — "like a Caesar and a deputy Caesar".

And likewise it will be regarding the kingdom of Yehuda and the kingdom of Yosef&lt;sup&gt;10&lt;/sup&gt;.

But in addition to this,

that even then this is not a unity in its completeness

(because Yehuda is &lt;b&gt;forever higher&lt;/b&gt; and separated from Yosef),

one cannot say thus regarding the kingdom of Yosef — the kingdom of the ten tribes,

because it is explicit

from Kabbalah)

the connection of the sayings to the authors of the maamar — that from the aspect of Rabbi Yitzchak,

Gevurah^17,

is "the lower world

(only)

<b>like the pattern</b> of the upper world"

(There is a similarity between them,

but they remain two separate worlds),

and the aspect of Rabbi Yehudah — Chessed¹⁷

— causes,

that the connection of "the lower world" and "the upper world" should be

(not only in that they are "like the pattern" and correspond to each other,

but)

in a manner of "that everything should be in completeness <b>one</b>",

a unity in completeness between them.

The father, however, does not explain the connection of this matter to the content of the sidra — relying

(as discussed several times)

that on the simple matters one will grasp on one's own¹⁸.

And likewise in our matter: the connection of the aforementioned story to the content of the series is understood from the simple continuation of the topic in the Zohar there: after the story¹⁹

the Zohar explains

(as above)

how the content of Yehuda's approach to Yosef is — the drawing near of "the world in general" ..

so that everything becomes one"

(in the manner that R. Yehuda says that the lower world and the upper world²¹

become "everything in completeness one").

In many places,

that in the future, the kingdom will be solely of King Moshiach,

and as understood from the language of the haftarah itself: "and a <b>single</b> king will be for all of them ..

and a single shepherd will be for all of them".

that there will be Mashiach ben Yosef&lt;sup&gt;12&lt;/sup&gt;,

this is not at the same time together with Mashiach ben David&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;,

but at an earlier time — &lt;b&gt;before&lt;/b&gt; the kingdom of Mashiach ben David is actualized].

2.

One will understand this with an introduction,

that before the Zohar explains

(as above)

how the content of Yehudah's approach to Yosef is "a unification of the world in a general way..

so that everything becomes one",

there&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;

a story is told,

and this is its language:

Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehuda were sitting one night and studying Torah,

Rabbi Yitzchak said to Rabbi Yehuda: Behold we have learned that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He made the lower world corresponding to the upper world, and everything one opposite the other, and He is honored above and below,

Rabbi Yehuda said: So it was indeed, and He created man over all, as it is written^5,

I made the earth and created man upon it..

For he is the existence of the world to complete everything in one perfection.

The father in his notes on Zohar¹⁶

explains

(in his manner — in letters

3.

Based on this, one can say,

that the reason the Zohar prefaces the aforementioned story,

is not merely to bring an example in the matter of the "drawing near" of two

(particu- lar)

worlds — but because the <b>content</b> of the unity between the lower world and the upper world that is explained in the aforementioned story,

pertains to the understanding of Yehuda's approach to Yosef

("the connection of world to world"²⁰).

And with this it is also understood why the Zohar prefaces

(in the aforementioned story)

that "R. Yitzchak and R. Yehuda were sitting one night and studying Torah"

— At first glance it requires explanation: The— from what they said Torah is understandable, so that they then learned Torah; what is the saying as an introduction to the above teachings,

that they had a state of "toiling in Torah"²²?

Only because in the unity of "the lower world" with "the upper world" in a manner of "that everything be <b>in complete unity</b>" there is a special novelty that is not present in other manners of peace and unity,

that in order to achieve <b>this</b> manner of peace and unity — it requires the introduction of "<b>toiling in Torah</b>": it is

(a)

connected with Torah,

and

(b)

— in a manner of <b>"toiling,"</b>

toil in Torah

(as below section 5)

And <b>the</b> manner of unity also gives an explanation in the unique unity that is revealed between Yosef and Yehuda,

that "they are united this with this,"

that they become in the ultimate unity "in completeness."

4.

The explanation in this:

The unification of two "worlds" can be &lt;b&gt;in general&lt;/b&gt; through two ways:

a)

through a supernal light that shines upon them which is &lt;b&gt;higher&lt;/b&gt; than both worlds,

matters &lt;b&gt;different&lt;/b&gt;.

b)

through a <b>medium</b> between the two matters.

The difference between the two modes:

At the time two matters become nullified from the aspect of a light that is above both of them and they become unified with each other,

in the manner of two ministers who become nullified before the king,

the unification is not from the aspect of their <b>particular</b> existence — but in the manner of the statement of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed²³

on the verse²⁴

"With Him are majesty and terror; He makes peace in His high places,

Michael the prince of water²⁵

Gabriel the prince of fire, and they do not extinguish each other"²⁶,

which comes from the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, makes peace in His high places — from a great illumination from the Supreme One,

and from this the prince of water and the prince of fire do not feel their existence and consequently also not that they are opposed and contrary to each other²⁷.

But in this manner the unity is not a perfect unity,

because the

Fire and the water in them are not united with each other.

The fire and the water, from the perspective of their essence, remain in their existence,

and their unification comes only from the nullification of the feeling of each one.

"When they feel" the king — the Holy One, blessed be He — they do not feel themselves

(but an entity in itself)²⁸.

The second manner is — when the unification comes through a mediator between two matters,

that the unification is — because the mediator has a connection and is of the same kind as both matters,

and thereby he

(a mediator that is)

connects one matter

(the higher)

with the second

(the lower).

And in this manner — the unification is from the perspective of the particular essence of each matter.

But also the unity is not in a manner that both existences as they are become joined,

because the connection is not of every matter as it is in itself,

but only as they draw near to each other

(the higher stands in a manner of descent and the lower in a manner of ascent)

that although emotions are born from the intellect,

however, since intellect and emotions are two different “worlds”,

even opposite worlds — intellect is a matter of coolness and settledness,

and emotions are a matter of warmth and excitement — the manner in which emotions are born from the intellect is through a medium, which is the emotions within the intellect,

so that then the intellect and the emotions become joined and unified.

The connection, however, is not in the reality

from the intellect itself,

and also not in the reality of the emotions themselves,

but it is a level where the matter of intellect becomes weakened and diminished and a level where the reality of emotions stands in weakness and nullification³¹].

D.

E.

In the connection of two matters

(and especially between upper and lower)

no true connection is possible.

Because it is from two aspects: if this comes from a supernal light that effects the nullification of both matters,

then the peace and unity is only in the general principle,

and in the common denominator between the two things,

but from the aspect of their particular matter they remain separated³²

; and when the connection is through an intermediary that connects the particular matter of each one,

then this is not the particular level as it is,

but the upper becomes "ex" upper and the lower is not the reality of lower³³.

In order that there should be a true unity,

that the particular level as it is becomes united with the second level as it is — the higher as it is a higher with the lower as it is lower — this is through the revelation of the matter of truth³⁴,

for the attribute of truth <b>extends</b> from one end to the other³⁵.

5.

And this he goes on to explain here in the Zohar:

There is "lower world" and "upper world" as they are from the side of creation,

"When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He made the lower world in the pattern of the upper world",

but then that is only "in the pattern",

"And all is one opposite the other",

until that the lower world

is a vessel²⁰

to receive from the upper world.

How, however, does the connection become in the manner of "to be not <b>in complete unity</b>" — that is through the introduction of "for the sake of Torah"³⁶

Torah,

since its essence is <b>truth</b>³⁷,

is

She <b>spans</b> from one end to the other,

from the highest end to the lowest end.

And then the truth of every particular level is revealed,

that the true existence of every world is G‑dliness,

for it is indeed "there is none besides Him"³⁸,

and <b>this</b> is the essence of every world

(and moreover — of every particular created, formed, and made being)

to recognize G‑dliness³⁹

as the particular essence and form of every world,

and to reveal this very thing, that there is none besides Him.

But in order that the truth of the Torah be <b>heard</b> in the world,

in the upper world and in the lower world,

this is through⁴⁰

"I have created it for Adam"⁴¹,

through Jews.

And this is what the Zohar introduces that "they were sitting one night&lt;b&gt; and toiling&lt;/b&gt; in Torah",

because through "and toiling" the exertion in Torah,

and when one nullifies oneself to Torah,

one becomes a vessel that through this should be drawn and revealed the aspect of truth of the Torah&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;,

and consequently

it effects "that everything should be in completeness one",

the unity of the lower world with the upper world as they are&lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;,

because the true existence of each particular world is heard,

6.

According to all the above, one will also understand the matter of Judah's approach to Joseph, the content of which is

as above.

(as above)

— "the desire of the world in general to unite one with the other to become all one",

And with an introduction:

It is known⁴³

the explanation of the difference between Joseph and Judah in divine service — that the essence of Joseph is <b>study</b>,

and the essence of Judah — <b>action</b>.

And for this reason,

in this time Joseph is higher than Judah

(which is why — "And Judah approached him",

Judah's approach to Joseph)

— as the conclusion⁴⁴

in the Gemara that "study is greater"; but in the future Judah will be higher than Joseph — "And My servant David shall be king over them" — because in the future the superiority of action will be revealed,

and it will be "action is great".

And superficially, an explanation is required:

The reason why "Talmud is greater" says the Gemara — because "Talmud leads to action",

and consequently "it is found that <b>both</b> are in his hand"⁴⁵

: one has both virtues,

both of Talmud and of action⁴⁶

; which from this is understandable regarding the future era,

that that which one says "action is greater"

It means,

that it will be greater

(not only from Talmud <b>by itself</b>,

but)

also from Talmud as it in itself includes the quality of action — "both are in His hand",

and it is puzzling, how can one say,

that "action" should be higher than that which "<b>both</b> are in His hand"?

One must say,

that that which in the future is "action is great",

is it because then action will possess in itself both qualities

(of action and study).

And moreover: just as in this time "Talmud brings to deed",

so in the future it will be the opposite — that through "deed" will come out

(the quality of the)

Talmud*⁴⁶.

7.

And one can explain the interpretation in this:

And prefacing the question — how will one know the deed which they will do before one has Talmud,

one is learning?

And it can be said: In the future to come it will indeed be "And the spirit of impurity I will remove from the earth"⁴⁷

and consequently "I will remove" the possibility of his being forced by his evil inclination⁴⁸

and "And the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all flesh will see etc. that the mouth of the Lord has spoken"⁴⁹,

until that a fig will cry out that one should not pick it,

gather its Shabbos³

— one will not need to come to the <b>study</b> of the laws of Shabbos in order to prevent this,

in the manner of a small child who does not stick his hand into fire³³,

And an animal⁵¹

does not jump into fire⁵².

Ch.

It is spoken in Chassidus⁵³,

that the reason of the statement that "a great deed",

is

(not so from the aspect of the matter of the performance of the commandments in itself,

but)

because "deed" is from the language of "<b>we compel</b> regarding charity"⁵⁴,

the matter of coercion.

The performance of the commandments is

(in truth)

from the aspect of acceptance of the yoke of His kingship, may He be blessed,

the coercion and nullification to the supernal will.

And therefore "a great deed" is — because the nullification and coercion

(which is in the performance of the commandments)

is its root from the essence of the soul,

which is <b>higher</b> than intellect

(Talmud).

And the difference between this world and the future to come:

The⁵⁵

nullification as it is heard in this world,

is the level of lower awe,

external nullification,

which the nullification is before the betrayal with the lowest power,

the matter of awe and acceptance of the yoke.

And therefore in this world study is greater because study leads to action,

because the level of coercion

And action comes from the Torah

(wisdom),

like the order of the chain of descent from the soul's powers — intellect,

emotions and thought-speech-action.

In the future, however, there will be revealed the nullification in action, the nullification that comes from the <b>essence</b> of the soul

(which is why "action is great").

And since the essence of the soul is indeed the root of all the soul's powers,

therefore,

at the time when the essence of the soul is revealed

(through action),

it brings automatically also the revelation of all the soul's faculties,

as they are connected with their root,

the essence of the soul⁵⁶.

It turns out,

that in this "great deed" of the future to come there is an addition to the virtue of the deed,

also the virtue of the study,

and more than this — as study is connected with the essence of the soul.

9.

Based on this will also be explained the two extremes regarding the kingdom of Judah in the future — that "and My servant David

shall be king over them",

but on the other hand it is in a manner that

(not that "Yosef" becomes null,

but rather that)

there is the <b>unity</b>,

between Yosef and Yehudah — "and make them one stick and they shall be <b>one</b> in My hand":

The reason why,

"And My servant David

(specifically)

(specifically)

king over them" is,

because specifically "action"

(in which there is the matter of bittul and compulsion)

reaches the essence of the soul which is above all the faculties,

But through this itself, it is felt in each faculty

(in itself)

the true nature of its essence as it is from the perspective of the essence,

and bittul &lt;b&gt;that is in the faculty&lt;/b&gt;

That from the perspective of the essence of the soul — then the matter of the intellect and study is not a matter in itself

(an intellect that is intellect)⁵⁷,

but as it is a part and detail of the essence⁵⁸,

and therefore specifically then will be the true unity,

"And make them into one stick, and they shall be one in My hand":

When one says,

"Talmud brings to deed",

it is even though through this "both are found in his hand",

they remain two separate matters and virtues.

And since "Talmud &lt;b&gt;brings&lt;/b&gt; to deed" — it is "Talmud is great" in a manner that Talmud stands &lt;b&gt;higher&lt;/b&gt; than deed;

When, however, there is revealed

(through deed)

the nullification that comes from the essence of the soul and this also reveals the matter in all the powers of the soul in themselves — then there becomes a unity in its perfection, one, between all the powers&lt;sup&gt;59&lt;/sup&gt;.

And from this emerges regarding the kingdom of David in the future,

that this will not

be in a manner⁶⁰

that the kingdom of Judah is <b>prevailing</b> over

(and higher than)

the kingdom of Joseph,

but this is also⁶¹

the kingdom of Israel.

And this comes because "&lt;b&gt;and My servant&lt;/b&gt; David shall be king over them ..

And David &lt;b&gt;My servant&lt;/b&gt; shall be prince to them forever": his kingship is not in a manner of haughtiness and exaltation,

but in a manner of self-nullification like "David his father",

which was in the ultimate self-nullification and lowliness&lt;sup&gt;62&lt;/sup&gt;.

And as it is also hinted in the Rambam&lt;sup&gt;63&lt;/sup&gt;

— "And if a king from the house of David shall stand &lt;b&gt;engrossed&lt;/b&gt; in Torah and occupied with mitzvos &lt;b&gt;like David his father&lt;/b&gt;",

not

Only his involvement in mitzvos is with self-nullification like his father David,

but also his study of Torah is out of toil and self-nullification⁶⁴

— which this is

In the manner of the connection of both virtues together — Talmud

(Joseph)

and deed

(Judah).

(From the sicha and maamar of Shabbos Parshas Vayigash 5732.

Maamarei D”H VeAvdi David 5742)