Part IV; Iggeret HaKodesh, Chapter 24

אאֲהוּבַיי, אַחַיי, אַל נָא תָּרֵעוּ. רֵיעִים הָאֲהוּבִים לְיוֹצְרָם וּשְׂנוּאִים לְיִצְרָם.

1TWENTY-FOUR. My beloved, my brethren:

בוְאַל יַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם עַצְמוֹ רָשָׁע שָׁעָה אַחַת לִפְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר בָּהּ מִכָּל הַיּוֹם, לְהִקָּהֵל וְלַעֲמוֹד לְפָנָיו בְּשָׁעָה זוֹ, שֶׁהִיא עֵת רָצוֹן לְפָנָיו, לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת, לָבוֹא אֶל הַ״מִּקְדָּשׁ מְעַט״, לִפְקוֹד לִשְׁכִינַת כְּבוֹדוֹ, ״הַשּׁוֹכֵן אִתָּם בְּתוֹךְ טוּמְאוֹתָם״, וּלְהִמָּצֵא לְדוֹרְשָׁיו וּמְבַקְשָׁיו וּמְיַיחֲלָיו.

2I beg you, do not act wickedly, friends that are beloved to their Maker and hateful to their inclination.¹ Let no one make himself wicked before the Omnipresent the one hour² He has chosen of all day in which to gather and stand before Him [during that hour]. It is an auspicious time before Him to become revealed, to come into the miniature sanctuary³ to attend to the Abode (Shechinah) of His Glory, “He who dwells with them in the midst of their impurity,”⁴ and to be available to those who seek and beseech Him and those who hope for Him.

גוְהַמְסַפֵּר בִּצְרָכָיו – מַרְאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָפֵץ לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן וְלִרְאוֹת בְּגִילּוּי כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, וְנַעֲשֶׂה מֶרְכָּבָה טְמֵאָה לַכְּסִיל הָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עָלָיו: ״לֹא יַחְפּוֹץ כְּסִיל בִּתְבוּנָה כוּ׳״, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ הַזֹּהַר וְהָאֲרִ״י זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, דְּהַיְינוּ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָפֵץ לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן וְלִרְאוֹת בִּיקַר תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדוּלָּתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ־מַלְכֵי־הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, הַנִּגְלוֹת לְמַעְלָה בְּשָׁעָה זוֹ, וְגַם לְמַטָּה – אֶל הַחֲפֵצִים לְהַבִּיט אֶל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְגָדְלוֹ, הַמִּתְעַטֵּף וּמִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּתוֹךְ תֵּיבוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה הַסְּדוּרָה בְּפִי כֹל, וּמִתְגַּלֶּה לְכָל אֶחָד לְפִי שִׂכְלוֹ וְשׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמָתוֹ, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״לְפִי שִׂכְלוֹ יְהוּלַּל אִישׁ״ – ״יְהַלֵּל״ כְּתִיב.

3Now, he who recounts his needs⁵ shows of himself that he does not desire to contemplate and to see the manifestation of His majestic glory. Thus he becomes an impure chariot⁶ to the “supernal fool,”⁷ of whom it is said, “The fool does not desire understanding…,”⁸ as mentioned in the Zohar and by the Arizal.⁹ This means, he does not desire to contemplate and to see the preciousness of the splendor of the greatness of the King of all kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, which becomes revealed in that hour above, and also below, to those who desire to look to His glory and greatness which wraps and vests itself in the words of the liturgy [which has been properly arranged for everyone] and becomes revealed to each according to his intellect and the root of his soul, as it is written:¹⁰ “Man yehulal (is praised) according to his intellect,” the ktiv¹¹ being: yehalel (praises).¹²

דוּ״מַלְכוּתָא דְרָקִיעַ – כְּעֵין מַלְכוּתָא דְאַרְעָא״, שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ לִהְיוֹת חֶבְיוֹן עוּזּוֹ בְּחַדְרֵי חֲדָרִים, וְכַמָּה שׁוֹמְרִים עַל הַפְּתָחִים, (עַד) אֲשֶׁר כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה, מְצַפִּים יָמִים וְשָׁנִים לִרְאוֹת עוּזּוֹ וּכְבוֹדוֹ, וּכְשֶׁעָלָה רְצוֹנוֹ לְהִתְגַּלּוֹת לַכֹּל, וְהֶעֱבִיר קוֹל בְּכָל מַלְכוּתוֹ לְהִקָּהֵל וְלַעֲמוֹד לְפָנָיו, לְהַרְאוֹתָם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ וִיקַר תִּפְאֶרֶת גְּדוּלָּתוֹ, מִי שֶׁעוֹמֵד לְפָנָיו וְאֵינוֹ חוֹשֵׁשׁ לִרְאוֹתוֹ וּמִתְעַסֵּק בִּצְרָכָיו – כַּמָּה גָּרוּעַ וְסָכָל וּפֶתִי הוּא, וְנִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמֶה בְּעֵינֵי כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת.

4Now, the kingdom of heaven is similar to a kingdom on earth.¹³ It is customary for a king to have his might concealed in the innermost chambers, with several guards at the doors, (¹⁴so) that many people await for days and years to see his might and glory. And when he wishes to become revealed to all, he¹⁵ proclaims throughout his kingdom to gather and to stand before him in order to show them his majestic glory and the precious splendor of his greatness. Now, whoever will stand before him not caring to see him and busies himself with his needs, how inferior, foolish, and simple is he; he resembles an animal in the eyes of all¹⁶ in the eyes of all creatures.

הוְגַם, הוּא בִּזְיוֹן הַמֶּלֶךְ, בְּהַרְאוֹתוֹ לְפָנָיו, שֶׁאֵינוֹ סָפוּן בְּעֵינָיו לְקַבֵּל נַחַת וְשַׁעֲשׁוּעִים מֵהַבִּיט אֶל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְיָפְיוֹ, יוֹתֵר מֵעֵסֶק צְרָכָיו. וְגַם, הוּא מִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ לַמֶּלֶךְ, עַל הַרְאוֹת קְלוֹנוֹ וּבִזְיוֹנוֹ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ לְעֵין כָּל רוֹאֶה. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ״וּכְסִילִים מֵרִים קָלוֹן״, כְּלוֹמַר: אַף שֶׁהוּא כְּסִיל לֹא יִהְיֶה ״מֵרִים קָלוֹן״, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִרְאֶה הַקָּלוֹן לְעֵין כֹּל.

5Moreover, it is a dishonor to the king by demonstrating before him that to have pleasure and delight from looking at his glory and beauty is of no more esteem in his eyes than busying himself with his (own) needs. Also, it is a capital offense toward the king by demonstrating how he insults and dishonors the king before all who see. Of this it was said: “And the fools raise the insult.”¹⁷ This means to say that though he is a fool, he should not “raise the insult,” that the insult becomes apparent to all.

ווְעַל כֵּן קָבְעוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה בַּתְּפִלָּה: ״כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ״, עַל כָּל פָּנִים יִהְיֶה מַרְאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ עוֹמֵד כוּ׳ לְעֵין כָּל רוֹאֶה בְּעֵינֵי בָשָׂר אֶל מַעֲשָׂיו וְדִיבּוּרָיו, אַף שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַחֲשָׁבָה – לַכְּסִיל. וְעַל זֶה הָעִנְיָן נִתְקַן כָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת, לַמִּתְבּוֹנֵן בָּהֶם הֵיטֵב. וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַרְאֶה כֵּן – מִתְחַיֵּיב בְּנַפְשׁוֹ. וְעָלָיו אָמְרוּ בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: ״דְּאַנְהִיג קְלָנָא בְּתִקּוּנָא עִילָּאָה וְאַחֲזֵי פֵרוּדָא, וְלֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא בֶּאֱלָהָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל״, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְּלָן.

6Our Sages, of blessed memory, therefore, ordained that with prayer one should be “as standing before the King.”¹⁸ At least he should make himself appear as if he stands (before the king), to the sight of all who look with physical eyes at his actions and words, even though the fool has no thought. That is why all the prayers were ordained for the one who will contemplate on them properly. But he who does not show this makes himself guilty, at the risk of his life, and of him it was said in the sacred Zohar¹⁹ that “he causes an insult against the supernal arrangement and shows that he is separate and has no part in the G–d of Israel,” the Merciful save us.

זעַל כֵּן, שְׁלִיחוּתַיְיהוּ דְּרַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה קָא עֲבִידְנָא, לִגְזוֹר גְּזֵירָה שָׁוָה לְכָל נֶפֶשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא לָשׂוּחַ שִׂיחָה בְּטֵלָה מִשֶּׁיַּתְחִיל הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִיבּוּר לְהִתְפַּלֵּל הַתְּפִלָּה עַד גְּמַר קַדִּישׁ בַּתְרָא, שַׁחֲרִית עַרְבִית וּמִנְחָה וְכוּ׳.

7Therefore,²⁰ I come to act as an agent of our Sages, of blessed memory, to enact a decree to apply equally to every one: No idle talk is to be spoken²¹ from the moment the chazzan²² begins to recite the prayer until the end of the last Kaddish,²³ at Shacharit, Arvit, and Minchah.²⁴

חוְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה בְּזָדוֹן – יֵשֵׁב עַל הָאָרֶץ, וִיבַקֵּשׁ מִג׳ אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁיַּתִּירוּ לוֹ נִידּוּי שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה, ״וְשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ״, וְלֹא חָל עָלָיו שׁוּם נִידּוּי לְמַפְרֵעַ כָּל עִיקָּר, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ לֹא חָל, כִּי אִם עַל הַמּוֹרְדִים וְהַפּוֹשְׁעִים שֶׁאֵינָם חוֹשְׁשִׁים כְּלָל לְבַקֵּשׁ כַּפָּרָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִן הַבְּרִיּוֹת עַל הֶעָוֹן פְּלִילִי הַזֶּה.

8And he who will disobey wittingly shall sit on the ground and beg of three people to release him from the supernal excommunication. “As he will repent, he will be healed,”²⁵ and fully retroactively, no excommunication will apply to him. For, from the very outset it applies only to those who rebel and revolt, who do not care at all to seek atonement from Heaven and from the creatures for this sin which calls for judgment.

טוְגַם, דַּוְקָא כְּשֶׁמְּדַבְּרִים בְּזָדוֹן בִּשְׁאָט נֶפֶשׁ, וְלֹא עַל הַשּׁוֹכֵחַ אוֹ שֶׁנִּזְרְקוּ מִפִּיו כַּמָּה תֵּיבוֹת בְּלֹא מִתְכַּוֵּין, שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ הַתָּרָה כְּלָל. וּבוֹחֵן לִבּוֹת וּכְלָיוֹת אֱלֹקִים צַדִּיק. הֵטִיבָה ה׳ לַטּוֹבִים וְלִישָׁרִים בְּלִבּוֹתָם:

9Also, (this applies) only when they speak deliberately, with contempt, but not to one who forgets, or unwittingly uttered some words, for he does not require a release at all; “And G–d who is righteous examines the hearts and the kidneys.”²⁶ Be Beneficient, O L–rd, to the good and to those who are upright in their hearts.²⁷

101 The inclination toward evil.—[The Hebrew passage is a play on words (יוצרי–יצרי), cf. Berachot 61a; Rut Rabbah 3:1.]

112 Par. Eduyot 5:6.

123 The Synagogue; cf. Megillah 19a.

134 Leviticus 16:16; cf. Yoma 56b.

145 He who focuses his prayers on his wants and needs.

156 See above, Epistle 15, note 24, for the connotation of the word “chariot.” This notion applies to the realm of impurity as well as to the realm of holiness; see above, Epistle 2, note 16.

167 The principal aspect and source of the forces of evil; see below, note 9; Torah Or, Hosafot Vayechi 102c.

178 “—but only that his heart may lay itself bare”; Proverbs 18:2. Cf. Chovot Halevovot, Avodat Elokim, ch. 4.

189 See Zohar I:179a f. and the comment. of R. Moses Zacuto, ad loc. (On the Arizal, see above, Epistle 5, note 103.)

1910 Proverbs 12:8.

2011 The textual writ, as opposed to the textual reading (cf. above, Epistle 19).

2112 Thus reading: man praises (or prays) according to his intellect. The content of one’s prayer reflects one’s intellect and, correspondingly, the extent of revelation elicited by that prayer; cf. above, Epistle 12, and note 38, ad loc., for a similar interpretation.

2213 See Berachot 58a; Zohar I:197a.

2314 Brackets appear in the text.

2415 For the allegory following, see Zohar II:131a-b (Zohar I:256a, sect. 22).

2516 Par. Psalms 49:13, 21.—I.e., irrational.

2617 Proverbs 3:35.

2718 Berachot 33a.

2819 Zohar II:131b; cf. Zohar I:256a.

2920 Par. Bava Kama 84b.

3021 See references cited above, note 19, and commentary Mikdash Melech, ad loc.; Sefer Chassidim, sect. 18. See also Mikdash Melech on Zohar III:75b.

3122 Who leads the congregation in prayer.

3223 Prayer of sanctification of G–d’s Name.

3324 See note to H. V. See also Likkutei Levi Yitzchak on this passage.

3425 Par. Isaiah 6:10.

3526 Psalms 7:10.

3627 Psalms 125:4.

Kehot Publication Society (English Translation)