Chasidut zu Tehillim 92:78

2. And when da'at disappears, as seen above - in other words, no one knows, G-d forbid - that everything {in the world} runs only on the providence of Hashem Yisbarach, and {they} believe that things take their natural course, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of sleep, which is the absence of da'at, the aspect of night and darkness. The essence of the light of day is the aspect of da'at, as shown. In other words, light is only {from} Hashen Yisbarach, so to speak, in the aspect of (Psalms 27:1) "The Lord is my light and my salvation", corresponding to (Psalms 118:27) "The Lord is G-d, and He gave us light". This is the essence of the sun's light, the aspect of (Psalms 84:12) "For a sun and a shield is the Lord G-d". In other words, when one knows that Hashem Yisbarach rules the world only with providence, this is the essence of light. For the essence of light, in every place where light is found, like the light of the sun and similar {places}, is only the Light of Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, that illuminates us, as explained above. When we fall, G-d forbid, from this knowledge and we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the absence of light. Then it corresponds to night and darkness, G-d forbid. And this is the aspect of (Isaiah 13:10) "the sun has become dark in its going forth", etc., the aspect of (Joel 2:10) "the sun and moon darken", etc. and other similar verses like these. All of them were said regarding the time of the exile; in other words, because in exile it seems like the light of the sun has darkened because the exile is similar to night, as explained by Rashi. In other words, in the time of the exile, which is evoked only because we attributed things to nature, G-d forbid. Then 'the sun has become dark in its going forth' because immediately when we relied on nature, G-d forbid, then the light escaped from the sun, as if the sun actually darkened. For in reality, the sun has no light at all except from Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above. Therefore the exile resembles night and darkness. For the essence of the exile is only because we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid. The it is the aspect of night and darkness, the disappearance of the light, as explained above. This corresponds to sleep, the disappearance of da'at to know that everything is divine providence, which is the essence of the light, etc., as explained above. Therefore, at the time of sleep, the forces of evil descend upon a person, and the essence is on the hands, as is written in the Holy Zohar (Vayeshev 184b). For the essence of the Other Side is the aspect of the gentiles as is known, who draw nourishment only from the aspect of heresies, which is the essence of the Evil Inclination, which is called 'going after atheism', as is brought; in other words, they attribute {everything} to nature, as explained above. Then the aspect of the gentiles increases, the aspect of power of the exile which resembles night and sleep and which they absorbed from the aspect of the strengthening of nature, as explained above. This is the aspect of the spirit of impurity which rests upon a person {at night}. Therefore, the essence of the rectification of sleep in holiness is through faith, as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu, z"l (Likutei Moharan 35). In other words, when da'at disappears, corresponding to sleep, when man sees that his knowledge is confused and is not perfect, and he is not able to ascertain and to understand that everything is by divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach alone, as it is now in exile amidst the gentiles who resemble night and darkness, and when the knowledge of natural science has increased, G-d forbid - then it is incumbent upon every Jew to cast out and to remove his knowledge completely and to strengthen himself in faith alone, to believe with perfect faith that everything is only through divine providence alone and there is no nature in the world at all. This is the aspect of rectifying sleep through faith. In other words, at the time of sleep, as explained above one must enter into the midst of the aspect of faith, to rely on faith alone after his da'at has fled, just as now in the exile. We must always strengthen ourselves in faith alone, since now we have not elevated da'at perfectly to know that everything is done with divine providence. Therefore, one must clear his mind and rely only on faith alone, in the aspect of (Psalms 92:3) "and Your faith at night". And since at night, at the time of sleep, the disappearance of knowledge strengthens the knowledge of natural science, G-d forbid, which is the aspect of darkness, as explained above, in the aspect of (Genesis 15:12) "and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness...", etc. This is demonstrated by the power of the exile. In other words, at the time of sleep, and deep sleep, the disappearance of da'at strengthens the power of the exile, from which they nourished, in the aspect of the strengthening of natural science, as explained above. And this is why a spirit of impurity rests upon a person at the time of sleep, as explained above. Therefore, as soon as one awakens from sleep one must wash his hands with water, because the spirit of impurity rests mainly upon the hands, as it is written in the Holy Zohar. For the hands corresponds to heaven, שָׁמַיִם - fire and water, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, on the right side and left side, corresponding to (Deuteronomy 32:40) "For I raise up My hand to heaven" as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu in another place (Likutei Moharan 56). This is the aspect of the grasp of the Other Side, the aspect of natural science, the aspect of hands, for they attribute causes to the arrangement of constellations, which corresponds to 'hands'. Therefore the essence of the strengthening of the Other Side is at the time of sleep, which corresponds to nature and is with the hands specifically, as explained above. Because the hands have 28 phalanges which correspond to the 28 letters of the act of creation, through which the heavens and the earth were created, in the aspect of (Isaiah 48:13) "Even My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens". And therefore the main way to subdue the forces of evil, represented by the gentiles of the world, the aspect of natural science through which they are strengthened, as explained above, the aspect of their submission is only through the hands of holiness, when one merits to elevate them to da'at. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:11) "It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail", etc. which was said regarding the war with Amalek. Because Amalek is in general all of the gentiles and the other side, in the aspect of “Amalek was the first of the nations“ (Numbers 24: 20). And Amalek was the essence of atheism and completely attributed everything to nature, G-d forbid. They would discern the hours based on their astrology as is brought in the explanation of Rashi and as shown in the words of Rabbeinu z"l. Therefore, the essence of their subjugation is through the raising of the hands. The raising of the hands, the 28 phalanges that are in the hands, to the head, in the aspect of (Psalms 134:2) "Lift your hands in the holy place". In other words, when the hands, with their 28 phalanges, are raised to da'at to know that all is divine providence, because Hashem Yisbarach created everything through the 28 letters of מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, as explained above. And then they are elevated - the aspect of heaven, because they are also the aspect of the hands, as explained above - to their root which is in knowledge, in the aspect of the 28 letters, as seen above. Because everything was created by G-d with the 28 letters and He gives life and established the heavens and all of their hosts and the land etc. through His divine providence alone and there is absolutely no nature or influence of the arrangements of the constellations at all. And then Amalek and the Other Side are subdued, as seen above. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:12) "so he was with his hands in faith until sunset". The essence of the subjugation of Amalek is through faith in divine providence which is drawn down through raising the hands, as explained above. Therefore at the time of sleep da'at disappears, for then nature is strengthened, G-d forbid. This is the root of the Other Side that is on a person. Therefore the essence of its grasp is with the hands, as seen above. Then, immediately after one wakes from sleep one must wash his hands with water with corresponds to the waters of da'at, the waters of Chesed/Loving-kindness, the aspect of (Isaiah 11:9) "for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water covers the sea bed". In other words, through the washing one brings down the purifying waters of the waters of knowledge, in the aspect of "The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge like water covers the sea bed". Then everyone will know that everything is only through divine providence alone, for {the concept of} nature will be nullified completely. And even now, at any time when one needs salvation and purification, to be saved from the midst of the Other Side, which is nourished from the aspect of the knowledge of nature, one draws down divine providence from the ends of the earth, as explained above in the lesson, as seem above. This corresponds to the water of washing the hands, which draws down the waters of knowledge from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of 'The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge', etc. This is the aspect of Mikveh, which corresponds to the World of the Future (because Mikveh, מִקְוֶה, in Gematria is 151, corresponding to Binah, the World of the Future, as is brought). This corresponds to (Jeremiah 14:8) "O hope, ,מִקְוֶה of Israel, his Savior at time of trouble". Because all of the troubles and tribulations are only due to the lack of knowledge, in the aspect of the knowledge of nature, as explained above. In other words, they do not know, G-d forbid, that everything is divine providence, etc. This is the essence of the impurity, as seen above. Therefore the salvation from the trouble and the purification from the impurity is through Mikveh, which is the aspect of 'the World of the Future', the aspect of the waters of wisdom, the aspect of 'for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water', etc. Through entering the mikveh and occluding the eyes it blocks out the world and one ignores {the world} and covers himself there in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the waters of knowledge, the aspect of 'the Future World'. Through this one is included within the aspect of da'at, in the aspect of providence for he covers his eyes to the world which strengthens the errors of the wisdom of nature, from whence comes all trouble and impurities. Through this the eyes are damaged, whose root and vitality are from the aspect of the Eyes of G-d, which are the aspect of divine providence, as is understood in the lesson above. And when one falls from da'at and believes that there is nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the damaging of the eyes and from this come all the troubles, etc., as seen above. Therefore one must cover his eyes completely from what goes on in this world and to lose himself and be included in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the knowledge of the World of the Future. For then the divine providence will be revealed and nature will disappear completely. And through this divine providence will be drawn down from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of mikveh. And through this salvation will come to him, for everything that he needs, the aspect of 'Hashem is the hope of Israel, his Savior in times of trouble', etc. This is the aspect of the washing of the hands in the morning, which draws down purified water which comes from the aspect of mikveh. Through this he purifies his hands, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, the aspect of the 28 letters of the act of creation. The essence of the defect of the aspect of the knowledge of nature, which is strengthened through sleep at night, and darkness afflicts them specifically, as seen above. For through the knowledge of nature the 28 letters are flawed, as seen above, and one associates with the order of the universe, G-d forbid, as seen above. This is the aspect of impurity which takes hold in the hands specifically at the time when da'at flees; in other words, at the time of sleep, as seen above. Therefore, we purify them through the waters of knowledge drawn down from the aspect of 'the World of the Future', etc., as explained above.

The Zohar writes concerning the goal of human completeness (Yitro 78b-79a): “You shall see the work of God that I shall do, it is awesome.” (Shemot, 34:10) Rabbi Elazar said, “It is the completion of everything.” … “It is awesome,” refers to Yaakov,²⁰³In the first of the eighteen benedictions we say, “God of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov, the Great, the Mighty, and the Awesome God.” “Awesome” (norah) signifies the main quality of the patriarch Yaakov, who thus represents a complete fear of the awesome power of God. It was Yaakov, after his dream of the ladder, who said, “how awesome (norah) is this place!” (Bereshit, 28:17) the ish tam, the man complete in all his attributes.²⁰⁴Generally, in the Zohar, Yaakov Avinu represents the Torah, or the sefirah of Tiferet, which is beauty, balance, and pride. Yaakov and Tiferet also represent completeness. See Bereshit, 25:27, “Yaakov was an ish tam (wholehearted, simple, complete), dwelling in tents.” Yaakov further represents completeness, in that all of his children were completely righteous, as opposed to Avraham who begat Yishmael and Yitskhak who begat Eisav. Wherever you find completeness, it is called “awesome.” … The fear of God rests only in a place of completeness.²⁰⁵“A place of completeness” – see note 185. And in the Zohar, Parshat Shlach (51b): “You have established equity” (Tehillim, 99:4). This is the “middle bar” (Shemot, 26:28),²⁰⁶This was inserted in the midst of the boards comprising the walls of the tabernacle. signifying the Holy One, blessed be He.²⁰⁷In the Zohar, the term “the Holy One,” refers to the sefirah of Tiferet, which corresponds to Yaakov, the Torah, and the trait of “completeness.” Rabbi Yitzhak said, “This is Yaakov.” It is really all the same matter. If the king is complete in all aspects, clearly his knowledge is complete in all aspects. What is the way of this king? He shines continually as the sun, for he is complete. When he judges, he judges for the good and for the bad. When a wise person sees the king’s face shining, he says, “Certainly the king is complete in all aspects; his knowledge is complete and his completeness is above all others. In this shining light of his face I see that he is judging more than I see, yet it is covered.” … So too, the Holy One, blessed be He, is ever complete … For this reason, one must take great care to guard himself from Him.²⁰⁸Meaning to honor God and adhere to His commandments. Fear that is not rooted in the Torah can fall to the low level of the fear of deficiency, as mentioned above. This is as the Tikkunei Zohar, above, explained the verse, “Another withholds unduly, but only comes to lack.” However, the true fear of God, rooted in the Torah and based on faith, is called, “the completion of holy faith.” This is as it is written in the Zohar (Yitro, 79a): What is the meaning of the verse (Bereshit, 28:17), “And Yaakov feared, and said, how awesome (norah) is this place!” What did Yaakov see that he could only describe as dreadful and awe-inspiring (norah)? He saw the absolute completion of holy faith which existed in that place, just as it is above in the upper worlds. Every place that is at such a level of perfection is called, “awesome (norah).”²⁰⁹That is, perfect faith results in an exalted type of fear, more correctly known as “awe.” The Torah is the straight path, and is called the “book of yashar,”²¹⁰Yashar means straight, direct, even. as it is written (Shmuel 2, 1:18), “Is it not written in the book of yashar?” The Torah comes from the middle column,²¹¹There are three columns in the array of the ten Sefirot – right, left, and middle. The middle column joins and synthesizes the opposing forces of right and left, . and is whole, for one who grasps onto the Torah lacks nothing. This is because it straightens and balances a person’s attributes so that he is not steeped in any one extremity, which is what brings him to deficiency. If a person is subjugated to any one of his attributes, and thereby lacks the strength of mind to balance its power and prevent it from becoming extreme, then the attribute is deficient, even if it is a good trait that could otherwise be the source of good behavior. If this attribute is taken to its extremity, and then becomes an involuntary mode of behavior, without any reckoning or deliberation, then the attribute, albeit good, will be used in the wrong way.²¹²This relates to the teaching of the Izhbitzer that there are no bad attributes, only bad applications of good attributes. For example, as R. Gershon Henokh explains here, kindness is neither an inherently good nor evil trait. Used correctly, it is good, but used improperly, as in the case of one who shows kindness to evil-doers, the trait becomes a sin. (This explains the Izhbitzer’s vindication of the sins of various biblical characters. According to him, they never intentionally sinned, but only mistimed the use of certain attributes.) The goal of the Torah is to produce perfected and balanced human beings (symbolized by Yaakov, Tiferet), who always know how to use their character traits in the right way, according to the needs of the situation. An imbalanced person, on the other hand, becomes stuck in a certain mode of behavior, and is unable to deviate from it, even when the situation calls for an alternative approach. This person is deficient in the other traits – a lack that engenders within him a fear of situations in which his innate character trait cannot apply. (See note 177, above.) According to Rav Mordechai Yosef, this person may objectify his lack in the form of an idol, which he will fear, though what he is actually fearing is his own, innate deficiency (his “dark side”). Thus, in praying to the idol to be saved from that which he fears, he is really only praying to his own fear and deficiency. This approach is most likely a Hasidic interpretation of the Kabbalistic concept of the death of the seven Edomite kings (based upon Genesis 36). Each king symbolizes a different trait, or sefirah, used by God to create the world. Nonetheless, these traits were flawed, inasmuch as each one sought to be an exclusive conduit for God’s creative energy: be it Hesed (Love), Gevurah (Severity), or Tiferet (Mercy). This led to the “breaking of the vessels,” and the current, fallen nature of reality, which demands repair. Each “king” said, “I, and only I, will rule.” However, the verses in Genesis do not record the death of the eighth king, Hadar, and they also mention that he had a wife (Meheitavel). In other words, he was the only one who made room for another perspective; thus he did not “die” (i.e. the trait did not shatter), and represents the attribute of “tikkun,” or rectification. This led to the new emanation of the sefirot in which each one contains all ten: love contains wisdom; understanding contains balance, and so forth. In this way, by adapting and being flexible, the vessels could contain God’s light and the world could survive. In the psychological terms used by R. Gershon Henokh, a person on the level of the seven kings will exhibit an inflexible commitment to one particular character trait, and lack the ability to negotiate situations that are not suited to that attribute; whereas the rectified approach means using the whole variety of shades of love, fear, etc, and adapting and relating to the plethora of stimuli one encounters in the world. Take, for example, the trait of kindness, which is clearly a good attribute. However, when it is used indiscriminately and bestowed generously upon cruel people, it becomes destructive; for there is no greater evil than acting kindly toward the cruel.²¹³This is based on the aphorisim of the Midrash (Kohelet Rabbah 7:16): “One who is kind to the cruel will eventually be cruel to the kind.” One who errs in this way upholds and even strengthens destructive forces in the world. Clearly, every attribute must be used with clear and conscious deliberation, at the proper time and in the proper place. In this way, he may “establish equity”²¹⁴As in the verse from Tehillim, 99:4, cited above. in every aspect of his behavior, according to the approach of the Torah. Then, he will be complete and lack nothing.²¹⁵Lacking nothing, he will be free from the lower level of fear. His actions will all be balanced and in line with God’s will. His fear of God will be like that of Yaakov – norah – an expression of awe and faith. Above all, the greatest deficiency a person can have is a lack of emunah (faith). On this it is written in the Zohar (Vayikra, 16b): “And it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty…” (Vayikra, 5:23). Because of this, God withdraws from everything; then God, so to speak, does not exist in creation, and Knesset Yisrael²¹⁶Knesset Yisrael means the “Congregation of the people of Israel,” and is synonymous with the Shechinah, the sefirah of Malchut, the attribute of faith, and the Divine presence which rests upon the Israelite nation. One could say, “God/the Shechinah/faith is hidden from that place.” has left her place. This is as it is written (Yeshayahu, 7:28), “Emunah has perished.” That means that Knesset Yisrael has perished.²¹⁷Meaning, separated from her place. Of this it is said (Tehillim 92:3), “To speak of Your emunah in the nights.”²¹⁸“Speaking of your faith at night,” means that if one has true faith, then even after the sin, when man sits in darkness, so to speak, he can still amend his ways and return to God.

Mizmor shir le-yom ha-Shabbos, “A song for the Sabbath day,” (Psalm 92) was composed by Adam and is recited on Friday nights during the prayers that inaugurate the Shabbos. The psalm does not really describe Shabbos; it details the future age, the yom she-kullo Shabbos—an era that will be totally Shabbos.²⁹²According to Jewish tradition just as the world was created in six days and the seventh—Shabbos—was a day of rest. Similarly, humanity will have six thousand years to create a more wholesome world and then the seventh thousand will be a yom she-kullo Shabbos, a time of Shabbos (Sanhedrin 97a). Shabbos can be accepted early, and the Messiah can come before the end of the six thousand years. The psalm explains that presently fools are plentiful; they see the transient successes of evildoers and they deny God. However in the Messianic age it will be clear that Bi-froach resha’im kemo eisev, “The flowering of sinners was like plants” (it was temporal), and it was allowed, Le-hishamdam adei ad, “To destroy them for eternity” (Ps. 92:8).

Armed with this insight, the psalm continues, Le-haggid ki yashar Hashem, all will be able “to testify that God is just” (Ps. 92:16).²⁹³The Hebrew yashar is here translated as “just.” In truth, yashar means “straight” and “orderly.” The meaning of “straight” will also bring us to a conclusion similar to what was advanced in the text.
God’s name of being, Y-H-V-H, is the source of existence. The letters in this name can be rearranged in twelve different ways: YHVH, YHHV, YVHH, HVHY, HVYH, HHVY, VHYH, VHHY, VYHH, HYHV, HYVH, and HHYV.
These letter arrangements correspond to the twelve months and the twelve tribes of Israel. Different letter arrangements represent distinct spiritual influ-ences. Some months are times of blessings; others are times of harsh justice. The nature of the month is hinted in its letter pattern. The month with the most Divine blessings is the first month, Nisan. Nisan begins springtime when nature is reborn, its weather is usually pleasant, and Jewry was born (through the exodus from Egypt) during that month. The letter arrangement of Nisan is Y-H-V-H; the letters of this name are in their straightest and most fitting order. Other months were times of Divine harshness—their letter arrangements are relatively disorderly. In the future we will say that God is yashar, “straight,” for we will then see how all experiences were blessings like the exodus from Egypt (Rav Wolfson’s classes on prayer).

And that which appears to me is from that which we say in the prayer of Rosh Hashanah, “And every created being will know, etc. and Your rulership is over all of the dominion (mashalah). And [the last word] is the initials of (Psalms 92:1), “A psalm – a song for the day of Shabbat (Mizmor Shir Leyom HaShabbat).” And likewise is it said (in the Shabbat morning prayers}, “This is the song of praise of the Shabbat day… ‘It is good to praise the Lord (Tov hehodot laShem)’ (Psalms 92:2)” – the explanation of the matter is that these three words are the three names [represented by], “He scatters frost like ashes (kefor ke’effer yifazer)” (Psalms 147:16, see Mekor Mayim Chayim on Baal Shem Tov, Vayigash 6:4): And that is that tov [has a numerical equivalent of] seventeen, which is the name of aleph-hay-vay-hay], the initials of et hashamyim ve’et haaretz (the heavens and the earth), which indicates the past. And the [four-letter] name of the Lord indicates the present. And hodu [has a numerical equivalent of] twenty-one (the name, aleph-hay-yod-hay), which indicates the future, as I have explained about the verse, “I will be what I will be” (Exodus 3:14). And this name indicates the ‘sweetening of harsh judgements’ at their root. And that is that when we observe all of the Creator’s oversight over all of His creatures; such that even if we do not feel the good now, nevertheless, good will come out of it in the future. And one who considers this will take good counsel from it, to accept everything with love – as he will not concentrate on the apparent bad, but rather on the good in the future. And through this, he will ‘bless the bad just like the good,’ and bring the thing back to its root. As above (in its roots), everything is good, such that the matter will automatically be sweetened. And understand this. For, in my humble opinion, this is the intention of Nachum, the man of Gimzo (Taanit 21a; see further, Parashat Tzav, p. 162.). And hence this name is composed of the letters, hey-vav-dalet-vav, an expression of raising, such as “his hand he shall place above (hadah)” (Isaiah 11:8); “voices raised joyfully (hed) on the hills.” For the matter must be raised to its root; and it will automatically be sweetened.

And that which appears to me is from that which we say in the prayer of Rosh Hashanah, “And every created being will know, etc. and Your rulership is over all of the dominion (mashalah). And [the last word] is the initials of (Psalms 92:1), “A psalm – a song for the day of Shabbat (Mizmor Shir Leyom HaShabbat).” And likewise is it said (in the Shabbat morning prayers}, “This is the song of praise of the Shabbat day… ‘It is good to praise the Lord (Tov hehodot laShem)’ (Psalms 92:2)” – the explanation of the matter is that these three words are the three names [represented by], “He scatters frost like ashes (kefor ke’effer yifazer)” (Psalms 147:16, see Mekor Mayim Chayim on Baal Shem Tov, Vayigash 6:4): And that is that tov [has a numerical equivalent of] seventeen, which is the name of aleph-hay-vay-hay], the initials of et hashamyim ve’et haaretz (the heavens and the earth), which indicates the past. And the [four-letter] name of the Lord indicates the present. And hodu [has a numerical equivalent of] twenty-one (the name, aleph-hay-yod-hay), which indicates the future, as I have explained about the verse, “I will be what I will be” (Exodus 3:14). And this name indicates the ‘sweetening of harsh judgements’ at their root. And that is that when we observe all of the Creator’s oversight over all of His creatures; such that even if we do not feel the good now, nevertheless, good will come out of it in the future. And one who considers this will take good counsel from it, to accept everything with love – as he will not concentrate on the apparent bad, but rather on the good in the future. And through this, he will ‘bless the bad just like the good,’ and bring the thing back to its root. As above (in its roots), everything is good, such that the matter will automatically be sweetened. And understand this. For, in my humble opinion, this is the intention of Nachum, the man of Gimzo (Taanit 21a; see further, Parashat Tzav, p. 162.). And hence this name is composed of the letters, hey-vav-dalet-vav, an expression of raising, such as “his hand he shall place above (hadah)” (Isaiah 11:8); “voices raised joyfully (hed) on the hills.” For the matter must be raised to its root; and it will automatically be sweetened.

The words Alufeinu mesubalim (Psalms 144:14), can be interpreted so: when you know that the Master (Aluf) of the Universe is in every action, then you are able to bear (lisbol) everything, and nothing is able to breach this. Moreover, as I heard from my Teacher, that when you comprehend that the presence of the Holy One fills the entire world, and that every action and thought is divine - even if it seems that some words of our prayers say otherwise - even so, "all evildoers shall be scattered." (Psalms 92:10) I also heard this: you need to possess the qualities of submission, distinction and sweetening, which reflect the ancient shattering, by which divine sparks fell within the klippot, the harshness of the world. You need to be able to separate improper thoughts from within the Shechina, the divine presence. Truly, the words of the wise are beautiful! The wise will discern here that there are two aspects, one general and one particular. I have written more about this elsewhere, commenting on the Talmudic passage (Ketubot 16b): "How does one dance before the bride? Beit Shammai say that one praises her as she truly is, while Beit Hillel say that one always calls her a beautiful and modest bride." Beit Shammai hold that during this era of exile, it is enough to treat her [the Shechina] in general as she truly is; Beit Hillel hold a particular method, that she needs to be adorned until she is beautiful and modest, etc. Truly, the words of the wise are beautiful! So too, if you are able to purify your thoughts, how good and wonderful it is to be particular and to use these qualities of submission, distinction and sweetening, since these are very profound. And if not, you should accept that in general, everything is from the Blessed God, and you will be able to stand firm; the klippot will be unable to harm you at any level, since you cleave to God firmly. This is God's promise (Zachariah 3:7) "I will permit you to move about among these standing attendants" - these are the angels, and the external forces will be unable to move you from your firm position.

It is upon you to know and to believe that the presence of God fills the universe, and every action and thought all derive from God. "Then all evildoers will scatter" (Psalms 92:10). This is the meaning of the verse (I Chronicles 28:9) "Know the God of your father" - which my Master explained in a similar way.