Part I; Likkutei Amarim, Chapter 10
The whole chapterז וְעוֹד נִקְרָאִים בְּנֵי עֲלִיָּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגַּם עֲבוֹדָתָם בִּבְחִינַת ״וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב״ בְּקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה וּמִצְוֹתֶיהָ, הוּא לְצוֹרֶךְ גָּבוֹהַּ וּמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה עַד רוּם הַמַּעֲלוֹת, וְלֹא כְּדֵי לְדָבְקָה בּוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָד לְרַוּוֹת צִמְאוֹן נַפְשָׁם הַצְּמֵאָה לַה׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״הוֹי כָּל צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, אֶלָּא כִּדְפֵירְשׁוּ בַּתִּיקּוּנִים: ״אֵיזֶהוּ חָסִיד – הַמִּתְחַסֵּד עִם קוֹנוֹ״; עִם קַן דִּילֵיהּ, לְיַיחֲדָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּרַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא פָּרָשַׁת תֵּצֵא: ״כִּבְרָא דְּאִשְׁתַּדֵּל בָּתַר אֲבוֹי וְאִימֵּיהּ, דְּרָחִים לוֹן יַתִּיר מִגַּרְמֵיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ וְנִשְׁמְתֵיהּ כוּ׳, וּמָסַר גַּרְמֵיהּ לְמִיתָה עֲלַיְיהוּ לְמִיפְרַק לוֹן כוּ׳״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
7A further explanation of the title “superior men” is that their service in the category of “do good,” in the fulfillment of the Torah and its commandments, is for the sake of the Above, the ultimate of the highest degrees, and not merely in order to attach themselves to G–d so as to quench the thirst of their [own] soul, which thirsts for G–d, as is written, “Ho! All who thirst, go to water,”11 as is explained elsewhere. Rather [their service is,] as explained in Tikkunei Zohar, “Who is kind?—He who conducts himself with benevolence toward his Creator—toward His nest,12 uniting the Holy One, blessed is He, and His Shechinah within those who dwell in the nethermost worlds.”13 As also explained in Raaya Mehemna on Parashat Teitzei, “In the manner of a son who ingratiates himself with his father and mother, whom he loves more than his own body and soul…and is prepared to sacrifice his own life for them, to redeem them…,”14 and as is explained elsewhere.15
ח[וּשְׁנֵיהֶם עוֹלִים בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד, כִּי עַל יְדֵי הַבֵּירוּרִים שֶׁמְּבָרְרִים מִנּוֹגַהּ מַעֲלִים ״מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״, וְנַעֲשִׂים יִחוּדִים עֶלְיוֹנִים לְהוֹרִיד ״מַיִּין דְּכוּרִין״, שֶׁהֵם הֵם מֵימֵי הַחֲסָדִים שֶׁבְּכָל מִצְוָה וּמִצְוָה מֵרַמַ״ח מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה, שֶׁכּוּלָּן הֵן בְּחִינַת חֲסָדִים וּ״מַיִּין דְּכוּרִין״, דְּהַיְינוּ, הַמְשָׁכַת קְדוּשַּׁת אֱלֹהוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר]:
8[And both interpretations are complementary, for through acts of refinement of the good out of the nogah, one elevates the “feminine waters,”16 causing “supernal unions” to bring down the “masculine waters”17 which are the flow of [Divine] kindness contained in each of the 248 positive precepts, all of which are in the nature of kindness and “masculine waters,” that is to say, the flow of holiness of His G–dliness, blessed be He, from above downward, to be clothed in those who live in the lower worlds, as explained elsewhere.]
Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org
Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org