Hasidut untuk Pengkhotbah 9:8

2. Consider the opening statement: What did he see that he went to the place where his equivalent is mentioned, with the sign [referring to Zin], as stated in Siman 29? Pay attention to what is written there, that one must be very careful with garments, guarding them from stains and filth, ensuring that they remain clean, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 9:8), 'Let your garments always be white.' For garments represent the aspect of kingship, the aspect of (Psalms 24:7) 'the King of glory,' and so forth. Thus, the Divine Presence is in the aspect of (Isaiah 63:2) 'Why is Your apparel red?' representing the blood of menstrual impurity. This is the aspect of blemishes that come from the fifty sinews. To repair these, one must specifically fix the general aspect, the aspect of the covenant, the aspect of 'an eagle stirring up its nest.' This metaphorically awakens the brains, drawing from there to the building for all the fifty sinews, and so on. The sins are whitened in the aspect of (Isaiah 1:18) 'If your sins are like scarlet, they shall become as white as snow; if they are red as crimson, they shall become like wool.' The sins are dyed in the aspect of the tongue of the crimson worm, which whitens the sins, and so on. See there well.

3. This is the aspect of tzitzit, for the general principle is that one must be very careful with garments so that the external threads do not catch hold of them. Their nature is to catch hold of garments, as our sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 6): 'These ma'anei drabanan are more despised to them, for they are of a lower degree, and the external ones of holiness. There, their nature is to catch hold. Therefore, all the blemishes of all sins are recognized and recorded in them. Likewise, all the mitzvot are also recorded in them, for through the mitzvot, they are given a general aspect. The mitzvot serve as a garment and a covering for the soul so that they do not catch hold. When the garments are clean, it is a great protection, as explained elsewhere (Siman 127). Therefore, one must be very careful with the garments, as mentioned above. Therefore, the Torah commanded tzitzit, which are dependent on garments. Tzitzit serve as a protection for the garments so that the external threads do not catch hold. Through this, the entire Torah is safeguarded, both positive and negative commandments, as everything is recorded in them. And this is what is written (Numbers 15:39), 'And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord.' For through tzitzit, the brains are elevated, and from them, it extends to the building for all the fifty sinews, as in the aspect of (Ecclesiastes 9:8), 'Let your garments always be white.' 'Your garments' specifically, as stated there. Tzitzit are the aspect of general repair, the aspect of (Deuteronomy 32:11) 'like an eagle arousing its nest,' which metaphorically awakens the brains and extends from there to the building for all the fifty sinews, and so on. This is the aspect of thirty-eight threads of the tzitzit, as stated by our master (in Siman 8) and as our master stated (in Siman 7) that tzitzit are a safeguard against illicit relations. This is what our sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 113), 'Let your garments always be white.' This refers to tzitzit. The wings of the tzitzit are the aspect of the wings of eagles, the aspect of (Exodus 19:4) 'And I bore you on eagles' wings,' symbolizing the arousing of the brains. From there, it extends to the building for all the fifty sinews. This is the aspect of thirty-two strands of the tzitzit, the aspect of the twelve warp threads of the tzitzit. Eagles are the aspect of the attracting of the lunar whiteness, which extends from the heart to all the fifty sinews, in the aspect of (Isaiah 1:18) 'Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool.' The sins are whitened in the aspect of tzitzit made of wool. This is the aspect of tekhelet, which hints that the blood has already been drained, and the blackness has turned to white. This is the aspect of tzitzit made of wool and linen, for garments are the aspect of kingship, and its principal construction and repair come through kindness, judgment, and so on, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of tzitzit made of wool and linen, for wool is the aspect of kindness, the aspect of the language of the shining that whitens sins. Linen is the aspect of might, as our sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 20), 'The black is red,' and so on. Techelet indicates that the blood has already been drained, and the blackness has turned to white. This is the aspect of tzitzit made of wool and linen. Therefore, the Torah commanded specifically wool and linen for garments (Menachot 39), as they are the foundation of the construction and repair of garments. They are specifically wool and linen, for they are kindnesses and mights, as explained above.

And this is the aspect of (Ex. 13), “Sanctify to Me all the male firstborns, whatsoever opens the womb among the children of Israel,” which is the beginning of the first passage in the tefillin. For the essence of the tefillin are drawn from the sanctity of the firstborn, which is the first birth, which is the aspect of Yetziath Mitzrayim, which is the aspect of birth, as is known, as on account of this we need to sanctify the first birth which is a male firstborn. As written there, “And it came to pass, when Par`oh would hardly let us go... therefore I sacrifice” etc. And all this is in order to draw on oneself the sanctity of birth of the brains which is the essence of birth, that is, to manage to renew ones vitality and brains at all times as if he was born today, as mentioned. Which, this is is the essence of long life, which are the aspect of tefillin as mentioned. And therefore one needs to give the firstborn to the Kohen or redeem him from him, for the Kohen is the aspect of the elder in holiness, in the aspect of (Ps. 133), “It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard; even Aharon's beard” etc., the aspect of the Eight Tikkunim of the Kohen Gadol, as is known. And this is what our Rabbis z”l said (Shabbath 151), “And let your head lack no oil (Eccl. 9:8) — this is head tefillin.” For the essence of tefillin are drawn from the aspect of “like the precious oil upon the head...” of the elder, Aharon, as mentioned. And therefore by means of giving the firstborn, who is the first birth, to the Kohen, we draw the sanctity of the birth of the brains and vitality, to remember to always renew himself as if he was born today, which this is the essence of tefillin, which are the aspect of brains and long life which we receive from the aforementioned Elder in Holiness, who said that he is extremely old and yet has not begun living at all, as if he was born today. For, one needs to each time begin anew as mentioned, and this is the aspect of Mashiach, of whom it is said (Ps. 2), “Today I have borne you.” For Mashiach will attain this aspect perfectly, which is the aforementioned aspect of long life, as each moment he will begin living anew as if he was born today, in the aspect of “I have borne you today.” For Mashiach will attain the aspect of above time, as explained in Rabbeinu z”l's words on this verse, “I have borne you today;” see there [LM II #61]. For this aspect that the blind one boasted of, who is old yet infantile etc. and the whole world does not amount to him so much as an eyeblink etc., all this is the aspect of above time, which this is the aspect of long life that Mashiach will attain, the aspect of (Ps. 21), “He asked life of You; You gave it to him,” which is the aspect of “David King of Yisrael is Alive and Well.” For David is Mashiach. And this is the aspect of tefillin; that is where is the root of the Mashiach's soul, as is brought, as the root of Mashiach's kingship is in the aspect of the tefillin's knot, and as Rabbeinu z”l said (LM #54), which this is the aspect of (Sam. 1 25), “yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life,” which is said of David, who is Mashiach. The bundle of life is the aspect of tefillin knot, which are the aspect of life as mentioned, the aforementioned aspect of long life, as mentioned.