Part IV; Iggeret HaKodesh, Chapter 8

א זוֹרֵעַ צְדָקוֹת, מַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעוֹת. הִנֵּה, מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב לְשׁוֹן ״זְרִיעָה״ בְּמִצְוַת הַצְּדָקָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּפָּסוּק: ״זִרְעוּ לָכֶם לִצְדָקָה כוּ׳״, יוּבַן עַל פִּי מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר יָהִיב פְּרוּטָה לְעָנִי וַהֲדַר מַצְלֵּי, דִּכְתִיב: אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ״. פֵּירוּשׁ, כִּי גִּילּוּי אֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ הַמִּתְגַּלֶּה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם וְכַוָּנָתוֹ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, כָּל חַד לְפוּם שִׁיעוּרָא דִילֵיהּ, הוּא בְּתוֹרַת צְדָקָה ״וְחֶסֶד ה׳ מֵעוֹלָם וְעַד עוֹלָם עַל יְרֵאָיו כוּ׳״.

1EIGHT. “He sows tzedakot and causes yeshu’ot to sprout.”¹ The usage of an idiom of “sowing” in relation to the commandment of charity [and as it is written in the verse “Sow then for yourselves for tzedakah…”²] will be understood by what our Sages, of blessed memory, said:³ “Rabbi Eliezer gave a coin to a poor person and then prayed, as it is written:⁴ Through tzedek I will see Your face.”⁵ This means that the manifestation of His G–dliness, blessed be He, which becomes revealed in the thought of man and in his devotion during prayer,⁶ each according to his own measure,⁷ is a means of “charity” and the “chesed of the L–rd eternally upon those who fear Him….”⁸

בכְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁאוֹר ה׳ אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הַמֵּאִיר לְמַעְלָה בְּעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים, בְּהֶאָרָה רַבָּה בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי רַב וְעָצוּם, עַד שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת הֵן בְּטֵלִין בִּמְצִיאוּת וּכְלָא מַמָּשׁ חֲשִׁיבֵי קַמֵּיהּ וְנִכְלָלִין בְּאוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, וְהֵן הֵן הַהֵיכָלוֹת עִם הַמַּלְאָכִים וְהַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁבָּהֶן, הַמְבוֹאָרִים בַּזּוֹהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בִּשְׁמוֹתָם לִמְקוֹמוֹתָם בְּסֵדֶר הַתְּפִלָּה שֶׁסִּדְּרוּ לָנוּ אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה, הִנֵּה, מִשָּׁם מֵאִיר הָאוֹר כִּי טוֹב לָעוֹלָם הַשָּׁפָל הַזֶּה, עַל ״יִרְאֵי ה׳ וְחוֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ״, הַחֲפֵצִים לְעָבְדוֹ בַּ״עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב זוֹ תְּפִלָּה״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״וַה׳ יַגִּיהַּ חָשְׁכִּי״.

2This means, the light of the L–rd, the En Sof, blessed is He, which radiates with a great illumination above in the upper worlds [which are the hechalot with the angels and souls in them, explained in the sacred Zohar⁹ by their names according to their places in the order of prayer arranged for us by the Men of the Great Assembly] is in a state of so great and immense a manifestation that these (supernal creatures) are truly in a state of self-nullification and esteemed as truly naught before Him, absorbed in His light, blessed be He. Now, this light, which is good,¹⁰ radiates from there to this lowly world, upon those that fear the L–rd and esteem His Name, who desire to worship Him by the “service of the heart—meaning prayer,”¹¹ and as it is written¹²: “And the L–rd will enlighten my darkness.”

גוְהִנֵּה, יְרִידַת הֶאָרָה זוֹ לְמַטָּה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, נִקְרֵאת בְּשֵׁם ״חֶסֶד ה׳״, הַמְכוּנֶּה בְּשֵׁם ״מַיִם״, הַיּוֹרְדִים מִמָּקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ לְמָקוֹם נָמוּךְ כוּ׳:

3Now, the descent of this illumination downward to this world is called the “chesed of the L–rd”¹³—referred to as water,¹⁴ which descends from a high place to a low place….¹⁵

ד וְהִנֵּה, מוּדַעַת זֹאת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְמַעְלָה גַּם כֵּן מִדַּת הַגְּבוּרָה וְהַצִּמְצוּם, לְצַמְצֵם וּלְהַסְתִּיר אוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ לְבַל יִתְגַּלֶּה לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים. אַךְ הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בְּ״אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא״, שֶׁאִם הָאָדָם מִתְנַהֵג בַּחֲסִידוּת לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ חַיִּים וָחֶסֶד כוּ׳ כָּךְ מְעוֹרֵר לְמַעְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״בְּמִדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד – בָּהּ מוֹדְדִין לוֹ״.

4Now it is well known that above there is also an attribute of gevurah, and tzimtzum, to contract and conceal His light, blessed be He, to prevent it from becoming revealed to the lower worlds.¹⁶ However, everything depends on the arousal from below.¹⁷ For if man conducts himself with kindness by bestowing life and chesed, and so on, he arouses the same above, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “With the degree that man measures, it shall be measured to him.”¹⁸

האֶלָּא דְּלִכְאוֹרָה זוֹ אֵינָהּ מִן הַמִּדָּה, כִּי אִם לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לוֹ חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם־הַבָּא לְבַד כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶּׁהוּא מַשְׁפִּיעַ חַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אֲבָל לֹא לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לוֹ חַיֵּי הֶאָרַת אוֹר ה׳ [נוסח אחר: אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא] מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁיָּאִיר וְיַגִּיהַּ חָשְׁכּוֹ בַּ״עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב זוֹ תְּפִלָּה״, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת וּמַדְרֵגַת תְּשׁוּבָה עִילָּאָה כַּנּוֹדָע שֶׁהֲרֵי הִיא לְמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה מִכָּל חַיֵּי עוֹלָם־הַבָּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה: ״יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים כוּ׳״, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר בַּאֲרִיכוּת, דְּעוֹלָם־הַבָּא אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא זִיו וְהֶאָרָה וְכוּ׳:

5Though it would appear that this is not of the (same) measure: (man deserves) only that the life of the World to Come be granted to him, corresponding to his bestowal of life in this world; but not that the life from the illumination of the actual light of G–d¹⁹ be diffused to him to illumine and enlighten his darkness in “the service of the heart—which is prayer.” For the latter is a grade and level of “higher repentance” (teshuvah ilaah),²⁰ as is well known, inasmuch as it surpasses exceedingly all the life of the World to Come , as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: “Better one hour of repentance and good deeds…,”²¹ as explained elsewhere at length²² that the World to Come is but a gleam and reflection….²³

ו אַךְ הָעִנְיָן הוּא, עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁזּוֹרְעִין זְרָעִים אוֹ נוֹטְעִין גַּרְעִין, שֶׁהַשִּׁבּוֹלֶת הַצּוֹמַחַת מֵהַזֶּרַע, וְהָאִילָן וּפֵירוֹתָיו מֵהַגַּרְעִין, אֵינָן מַהוּתָן וְעַצְמוּתָן שֶׁל הַזֶּרַע וְהַגַּרְעִין כְּלָל, כִּי מַהוּתָם וְעַצְמוּתָם כָּלֶה וְנִרְקָב בָּאָרֶץ, וְכֹחַ הַצּוֹמֵחַ שֶׁבָּאָרֶץ עַצְמָהּ [נוסח אחר: עַצְמוֹ] הוּא הַמּוֹצִיא וְהַמְגַדֵּל הַשִּׁבּוֹלֶת וְהָאִילָן וּפֵירוֹתָיו. רַק שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹצִיא וּמְגַלֶּה כֹּחוֹ לַחוּץ מֵהַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפּוֹעַל, כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי הַזֶּרַע וְהַגַּרְעִין שֶׁנִּרְקָבִין בָּאָרֶץ וְכָלֶה כָּל כֹּחָם בְּכֹחַ הַצּוֹמֵחַ שֶׁבָּאָרֶץ, וְנִתְאַחֲדוּ וְהָיוּ לַאֲחָדִים, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה מוֹצִיא כֹּחַ הַצּוֹמֵחַ אֶת כֹּחוֹ אֶל הַפּוֹעַל, וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ חַיּוּת לְגַדֵּל שִׁבּוֹלֶת כְּעֵין הַזֶּרַע, אֲבָל בְּרִיבּוּי הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד בְּשִׁבּוֹלֶת אַחַת, וְכֵן פֵּירוֹת הַרְבֵּה עַל אִילָן אֶחָד, וְגַם מַהוּתָן וְעַצְמוּתָן שֶׁל הַפֵּירוֹת מְעוּלָּה בְּעִילּוּי רַב וְעָצוּם לְמַעְלָה מַּעְלָה מִמַּהוּתוֹ וְעַצְמוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַגַּרְעִין הַנָּטוּעַ. וְכֵן כְּהַאי גַּוְנָא בְּפֵירוֹת הָאָרֶץ הַגְּדֵלִים מִזֵּרְעוֹנִין כְּעֵין גַּרְעִינִין, כְּמוֹ קִשּׁוּאִים וּכְהַאי גַּוְנָא.

6However, metaphorically speaking, the idea is like sowing seeds or planting kernels: the ear that sprouts from the seed, and the tree with its fruits from the kernel, their nature and essence are not that of the seed and kernel at all. For their²⁴ nature and essence has been spent and is decayed in the soil. It is the vegetative property in the soil itself which brings out and makes grow the ear, the tree, and its fruit; it is merely that it does not bring out and manifest its power outwardly, from potential to actuality, except through the seed and the kernel that are decayed in the soil and whose whole power has been consumed by the vegetative property in the soil—and they united and became one. And that is how the vegetative property actualizes its potential and effuses vitality to make grow an ear of the kind of the seed, though with a very great increase in every single ear, and likewise, many fruits on every single tree. Moreover, the very nature and essence of the fruits, too, excels in a great and immense magnitude over the nature and essence of the planted kernel. And it is likewise with the produce of the earth which grows from seeds just like kernels, as cucumber, and the like.

זוְהַכֹּל הוּא, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעִיקַּר וְשֹׁרֶשׁ חַיּוּת הַפֵּירוֹת נִשְׁפָּע מִכֹּחַ הַצּוֹמֵחַ שֶׁבָּאָרֶץ, הַכּוֹלֵל חַיּוּת כָּל הַפֵּירוֹת. וְהַגַּרְעִינִין הַזְּרוּעִים בָּאָרֶץ, אֵינָן אֶלָּא כְּעֵין ״אִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא״, הַנִּקְרֵאת בְּשֵׁם ״הַעֲלָאַת מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״ בְּכִתְבֵי הָאֲרִיזַ״ל:

7All this is so because the stem and root of the vitality of the fruits effuses from the vegetative property in the soil—which includes the vitality of all fruits—while the kernels that are sown in the ground are but like the arousal from below, which in the writings of the Arizal²⁵ is referred to as the “elevation of the mayin nukvin.”²⁶

ח וְכָכָה מַמָּשׁ עַל דֶּרֶךְ מָשָׁל, כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁעוֹשִׂין יִשְׂרָאֵל, עוֹלֶה לְמַעְלָה בִּבְחִינַת ״הַעֲלָאַת מַיִּין נוּקְבִין״ לְשׁוֹרֶשׁ נִשְׁמוֹתֵיהֶן לְמַעְלָה, הַנִּקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל״ וְ״אִימָּא תַּתָּאָה״ בִּלְשׁוֹן הַזֹּהַר, וּ״שְׁכִינָה״ בִּלְשׁוֹן הַגְּמָרָא, הַכְּלוּלָה מִכָּל מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, וּמְיוּחֶדֶת בָּהֶן בְּתַכְלִית, וְרֵאשִׁיתָן – הִיא מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד. וְעַל־יְדֵי הַעֲלָאָה זוֹ מִתְעוֹרֵר ״חֶסֶד ה׳״ מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהוּא גִילּוּי אוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, לֵירֵד וּלְהָאִיר לְמַטָּה לְנִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּבְחִינַת גִּילּוּי רַב וְעָצוּם בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה עַל כָּל פָּנִים. כִּי אַף שֶׁ״לִּגְדוּלָּתוֹ אֵין חֵקֶר״, עַד דְּ״כוּלָּא קַמֵּיהּ כְּלָא חֲשִׁיבֵי״ הֲרֵי ״בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא גְּדוּלָּתוֹ, שָׁם אַתָּה מוֹצֵא עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ״, כְּ״מַיִם שֶׁיּוֹרְדִין כוּ׳״.

8Now, metaphorically speaking, precisely like this, every act of charity that Jewish people perform ascends in the sense of an “elevation of the mayin nukvin,” upward—to the root of their souls above, which, in the phraseology of the Zohar, is referred to as Knesset Yisrael and imma tataah, and in the phraseology of the Talmud—as Shechinah.²⁷ The Shechinah compounds and is totally united with all the attributes of the Holy One, blessed is He, the first of which is the attribute of chesed. Now, through this elevation, the actual “chesed of the L–rd” is aroused, i.e., a revelation of His light, blessed be He, to descend and radiate in a great and immense state of manifestation to the souls of Israel below, at least during the time of prayer.²⁸ For though “His greatness is unfathomable”²⁹—to the extent that “all are esteemed as naught before Him,”³⁰ even so, “where you find His greatness, there you find His humility,”³¹ as “waters, which descend….”³²

טוְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״זָרַח בַּחֹשֶׁךְ אוֹר לַיְשָׁרִים, חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם וְצַדִּיק״, דְּעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהָאָדָם ״חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם וְצַדִּיק״ ״צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב״, גּוֹרֵם לְאוֹר ה׳ שֶׁיִּזְרַח לְנִשְׁמָתוֹ הַמְלוּבֶּשֶׁת בְּגוּפוֹ, הָעוֹמֵד בַּחֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁכָּא דְּחִוְיָא. וְזֶה נִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ״יְשׁוּעָה״, כַּד אִתְהַפְּכָא חֲשׁוֹכָא לִנְהוֹרָא.

9And this is the meaning of the verse: “He shines in the darkness as a light to the upright, He who is gracious, and merciful, and tzaddik.”³³ For man, by being gracious and merciful and “tzaddik—fond of tzedakot,”³⁴ causes the light of G–d to shine to his soul which is vested in his body—which stands in darkness, being the “hide of the snake.”³⁵ And this, when darkness is converted to light, is referred to as salvation (yeshu’ah).³⁶

יוְזֶהוּ ״מַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעוֹת״, שֶׁיְּשׁוּעָה זוֹ צוֹמַחַת מִזְּרִיעַת הַצְּדָקָה שֶׁזּוֹרְעִין בָּאָרֶץ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, ״אֶרֶץ חֵפֶץ״, הִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה וּכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת כֵּן עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמִּתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים לְהַחֲיוֹתָם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: ״מַלְכוּתְךָ מַלְכוּת כָּל עוֹלָמִים״.

10And this is the meaning of “He causes yeshu’ot to sprout.” For this salvation sprouts from [the sowing of] the charity sown in the “upper land,”³⁷ “the land of delight”³⁸—which is the Shechinah,³⁹ and Knesset Yisrael,⁴⁰ so called because it⁴¹ vests itself in the lower worlds to animate them, as it is written:⁴² “Your sovereignty⁴³ is the sovereignty of all worlds.”⁴⁴ And this applies most particularly when one sows in the nether Holy Land, which truly corresponds to it.⁴⁵ For then the seed is immediately absorbed in the upper land without any obstacle and hindrance whatsoever, because there is nothing whatsoever that divides and interrupts between the lands of life,⁴⁶ for it is the gate of Heaven.⁴⁷ It is not so, however, outside the Holy Land, and suffice this for the initiated.

יאוּבִפְרָט מִן הַפְּרָט, כְּשֶׁזּוֹרְעִין בְּאֶרֶץ הַקֹּדֶשׁ הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה הַמְכֻוֶּונֶת כְּנֶגְדָּהּ מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהַזְּרִיעָה נִקְלֶטֶת תֵּיכֶף וּמִיָּד בָּאָרֶץ הָעֶלְיוֹנָה, בְּלִי שׁוּם מְנִיעָה וְעִיכּוּב בָּעוֹלָם, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵין שׁוּם דָּבָר חוֹצֵץ וּמַפְסִיק כְּלָל בֵּין ״אַרְצוֹת הַחַיִּים״, כִּי ״זֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם״ מַה־שֶּׁאֵין־כֵּן בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ, וְדַי לַמֵּבִין:

11And this applies most particularly when one sows in the nether Holy Land, which truly corresponds to it.⁴⁵ For then the seed is immediately absorbed in the upper land without any obstacle and hindrance whatsoever, because there is nothing whatsoever that divides and interrupts between the lands of life,⁴⁶ for it is the gate of Heaven.⁴⁷ It is not so, however, outside the Holy Land, and suffice this for the initiated.

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org

Kehot Publication Society · CC BY-NC · sefaria.org