Jasidut sobre Isaías 11:9

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.

All of this is the aspect of awakening from sleep, which is the aspect of the revival of the dead, the aspect of the renewal of the world. As we say every day upon awakening from sleep 'Who restores souls to the dead bodies'. For the essence of the aspect of awakening from sleep is evoked in the roots of all the aspects of rectifications, as seen above. For sleep comes about through the contraction of the intellect and the confusions which are evoked from the aspect of 'the Serpent was clever', which attaches itself to the kind through the sin of the first man, etc. Every person must struggle greatly with the thoughts in the mind to free them from the grasp of the 'Serpent was clever'. This is why we need sleep. For when the mind is confused because of this war/struggle, then we need to sleep, which allows the mind to rest. Then, the Other Side/forces of evil are able to rest upon the mind, for its main strength is when the mind is hidden/lessened/withdrawn, as seen above. Then the essence of the rectification is through the man of great power, as seen above, who can pray as din/justice, etc. Through this, all the intellect and wisdom are extracted from the Other Side and the 'waters of intellect' are revealed, the aspect of (Isaiah 11:9) "For the land shall be filled with devotion to the Hashem as water covers the sea". This is the aspect of awakening from sleep by extracting the da'at/intellect from the Other Side/forces of evil, and revelation of the waters of da'at, the aspect of 'For the land shall be filled with devotion to the Hashem as water covers the sea', etc. This is the aspect of awakening from sleep by extracting the da'at/intellect from the Other Side/forces of evil and returning to his place with a wondrous renewal, in the aspect of 'renewed each morning', etc. Therefore, the essence of the rectification of sleep is through the Kriyat Shema/Reading of the Shema in bed (i.e. "the bedtime shema") which one must read with great devotion/intention, as is written in the kavanot of the Ari z"l. For the bedtime shema is the aspect of prayer, in the aspect of judgment, as our Rabbis of Blessed Memory stated Berachot 5b) "Whoever recites the bedtime shema is as if he held a double edged sword in his hands". The essence is to attach oneself to the tzaddikim of the generation, the aspect of 'men of power/strength', as seen above, who can pray as justice. Through this one can strengthen oneself to rise at midnight. For the essence of rising at midnight is through the power of the tzaddikim, as seen above, whose prayers are justice, which from there evokes "the flame that strikes the rooster's wings" (Zohar Vayikra 27). This is the aspect of severities/גְּבוּרוֹת, through which one rises at midnight and wails over the destruction of the Holy Temple. All the kinot/prayers of wailing are the aspect of prayer as justice. For crying and kinnot are the aspect of judgments. Therefore, these prayers contain many arguments with Hashem Yisbarach, as it is written (Isaiah 63:17) "Why, Hashem, do You make us stray from Your ways, And turn our hearts away from revering You?", etc. "Where is Your zeal, Your power? Your yearning and Your love Are being withheld from us!" (Isaiah 63:15). Then many times we recite after this (Psalms 24:7) "so the King of glory may come in!", etc. Through prayer as justice, as seen above, which is the rectification of the mind, the aspect of awakening from sleep, as explained above, through this all the da'at/intellect, compassion, souls and holy sparks that were swallowed by the Other Side are extracted, until people repent and converts are made, etc. This is the aspect of what is written in the kavanot that in the first half of the night during sleep, the aspect of Malchut descends to the lower worlds, in the depths of the kelipot, to extract from there and elevate all the souls and holy sparks that fell and descended there, etc. And then at midnight, he cries out like a yearning 'hind', etc. In other words, all of what we see earlier is accomplished through the service of the tzaddikim of great strength, which are the aspect of (Psalms 103:20) "mighty creatures who do His bidding", etc. And through these souls, etc., which ascend, His glory is greatly increased, etc. For this reason, immediately after the lamentations which correspond to prayer as justice, we say (Psalms 24:7) "O gates, lift up your heads!", etc. "so the King of glory may come in!", etc. Then the essence of the revelation of His glory is through the fact that one rises at midnight, through 'the flame of fire which strikes the rooster's wings', etc., and we say lamentations over the destruction of the Holy Temple. All of this evokes prayer as justice of the man of strength, as seen above and through this His glory is increased and enhanced. Therefore we say many times 'so the King of glory may come in!', and this is 'Who is the King of Glory?', etc. For there is no explanation for what type of question this is? Who asks it? Who hears/answers? However, all of this is the idea, as seen above, that the Other Side, the aspect of 'the Serpent is clever' gains greater strength every time, to conceal and hide His Blessed Glory by trying to draw nourishment from the intellect in order to intensify sexual lust, as seen above, and nullify and confuse prayer, etc. All of this is the aspect of concealment of His glory. Just as by means of the rectification, as seen above, by extracting vitality from the Other Side/forces of evil, etc., His glory is increased and enhanced. The opposite is also true, G-d forbid. When those forces are nourished, G-d's glory is concealed. Therefore, after midnight, when one begins to engage in the rectification, as seen above, through the power of (powerful tzaddikim), as seen above, the we say, "O gates, lift up your heads! Up high, you everlasting doors", for these are the gates and openings of the Temple, which are the aspect of the gates and doors of a person's intellect - they must all be open so that the King of Glory can enter and reveal His G-dliness and Glory in the world, specifically and in general, in the mind and the heart of all people, so they may all recognize and know His glory. Then the above question is asked by something within - these are the evil and foreign thoughts that are in the heart of a person that arise from 'the Serpent was clever', that seduced Adam and Eve and all those who follow it, G-d forbid, as it is written in the Holy Zohar (Breishit Page 52) "Woe to the primordial serpent who murdered Adam and all the following generations". And they ask (Psalms 24:8) "Who is the King of Glory?". For it appears to them that they have already completely concealed His glory to such an extent that it is impossible that they very thought of it could enter our minds and hearts. Then we answer them immediately, "Hashem, mighty and valiant, Hashem, valiant in battle" (Id.). Specifically, mighty and valiant and specifically valiant in battle. At this moment we mention only His power and might, which is the aspect of the power and might of prayer as din/justice of the powerful tzaddikim who increase G-d's strength and power, as our Rabbis of Blessed Memory stated "We shall make G-d powerful" (Psalms 108:14). In other words, the might of the powerful prayer provides the main power for waging battle, the aspect of 'Hashem is valiant in battle'. Through this all vitality, all the souls, are extracted from the Other Side/evil forces, etc. For through this, G-d's glory is greatly increased and enhanced in the eyes of all. Therefore we immediately repeat 'Let the King of glory enter', and we finally conclude "G-d of Hosts is the King of glory forever" (Psalms 24:10). He will certainly accomplish His plan and reveal His glory in the eyes of all in the aspect of 'mighty and valiant', etc., through prayer as justice, as seen above.

And therefore, when we are waking from sleep, we must wash our hands with water. Water represents knowledge, as in, "the earth will be filled with knowledge as the waters cover the sea bed". Isaiah 11:9. We must evoke the waters of knowledge to evoke order and banish impurity, which is attached to disorder, which has become attached to the hands. The entire power of the forces of evil is only from disorder, when a person is not receiving perfect sustenance from order. This is represented by the darkness of night, by sleep, when the body, which corresponds to night, remains without sustenance from the intellect, which corresponds to day. During this time, the forces of evil are sustained from there, from disorder, become attached specifically to the hands. This is because the above rectification of binding and bridging disorder into order is represented by the Yud, which corresponds to the Kaf, which represents the hands, as in, 'you formed me backward and forward and placed your hand upon me', as brought on the verse "Open your hand". The entire world compared to G-d is in the category of disorder. G-d is exalted beyond all spiritual worlds, and all the worlds are in disorder before Him, since all the worlds are guided by Malchut as explained in the lesson as mentioned above, and the Malchut corresponds to disorder, and said above. This corresponds to "the world was created in the month of Tishri". Rosh Hashanah 27b. Tishri represents tav-shin-resh-kuf, disorder, Malchut. The world was created mainly so that we come to know G-d Zohar II 42B, so that we acquire perfect knowledge, which is knowing G-d. That is the true essence of knowledge, and only that is considered knowledge, as written, "you shall know today and restore to your heart that G-d is the Lord". Deuteronomy 4:39. The main purpose of creation was to bring disorder into order, to elevate all worlds to their root, so that disorder, representing the totality of all worlds, will become brought into order, which is knowledge, specifically the knowledge of G-d. That is the main purpose and what will remain at the very end. Everything else will become nullified into it. But how does one achieve this, binding and elevating all worlds corresponding to disorder, to the roots, into order, which is wisdom and knowledge? This is only possible in this world of action, by means of observing the practical commandments of the Torah. The Torah, as a whole, is held in the hands, which are the tools of action, as in "today to do them". Deuteronomy 7:11. This is alluded in "the two tablets of the covenant are in my two hands". Deuteronomy 9:15. Torah, represented by the two tablets of the covenant, is held within the two hands, which represent the tools of action, for the hands place all things where they are needed. This is true regarding the world as a whole: by means of the hands, the tools of action corresponding to the totality of the Torah, we take all the worlds, corresponding to disorder, elevating them and bringing them to G-d, so that they are absorbed within their root in order. This is why the Zohar tells of Rabbi Eliezer who lifted his two hands as he was about to die and said "woe that two Torahs are about to disappear from the world". Zohar I 99a. The two hands represent the totality of the Torah, represented by the written Torah and the oral Torah, which is why holiness is evoked mainly through the sanctity of the hands. This is represented by the washing of the hands in the morning. When we sleep, the life sustenance disappears and the forces of evil that are attached to disorder become attached specifically to the hands, for they are always seeking to be nourished from holiness. And since holiness – bringing all worlds to the root, bringing disorder into order - is by means of the hands, the main attachment of the forces of evil that always seek division and to separate disorder from order is specifically to the hands, the main site of sanctity. The hands are the main tools by means of which we are able to bind and elevate disorder into order, and therefore, they are also the main place where the forces of evil are attached. That is why we must wash our hands with water immediately upon awakening, to evoke the waters of knowledge and evoke order, so that the forces of evil attached to disorder will be banished. This is what our Sages said, "the evil spirit that rests on the hands as a princess and is particular not to leave unless the hands are washed properly". Shabbat 109a. This force of evil is rightly called a princess, for it is attached to a blemish of the Malchut caused by separating Malchut and saying 'I shall rule', which causes everything to be disordered, which is the source of judgments and evil forces. That is why it is called a princess.