시편 23:4의 차시두트

...The questioner asked: Our rabbis commented on the verse “Your rod and Your staff — they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4). Your rod means afflictions and Your staff is Torah.

And this is the aspect of Chanukah, because the lighting of the Chanukah candle(s) is the aspect of drawing down of the perception of G-dliness through the tzimtzumim/contractions; from there is the essence of the kindling of all the lights and candles of holiness, the aspect of "לְאַנְהָרָא שרגין וּלְאַדְלָקָא בּוּצִינִין", which is the aspect of the tefillin mentalities, which are the essence of perception of G-dliness, that is said then, 'and good oil emptied out on the 7 branches of the Menorah, etc. Because the drawing down of the perception of G-dliness through the tzimtzumim/contractions is the aspect of the lasting of good oil, the holy anointing oil which is the aspect of the holy Da'at beneath vessels and contractions, which are the oil and the vessel and the wick, which through them the light that is drawn from the aspect of the perception of G-dliness, from where all the lights come from. Because this is the light of all the lights, as it is written (Psalms 27:1) "The LORD is my light and my help". This is the aspect of the power of the Chanukah miracle, for then the evil Greeks rose 'to cause (the Jews) to forget Your Torah and to remove', etc. For the evil Greek kingdom is the essence of the aspect of external wisdom, which is Greek wisdom; because they engaged more in it (in order to) draw down the external wisdom to the world, as is known. This is the essence of the strengthening of the evil malchut/kingdom, which are the four malchuyot on the malchut/kingdom of holiness, as seen above. Therefore it was then a time of great sorrow, because they wanted (the Jews) to forget the Torah completely through the strengthening of external wisdom which is the opposite of the Torah. Torah and mitzvot are the aspect of measures and vessels to drawn down, through them, the perception of G-dliness, as explained above. And they (the Greeks) wanted the Torah and mitzvot to be forgotten through the strengthening of the evil malchut of the 4 malchuyot which prevailed over the malchut of holiness, which is Lower Wisdom, as seen above. Like now (i.e. in our times), (due to) our great sins, the heretics are emboldened and want to drawn down external wisdom into the world and to forget the Torah completely, as we see in the sense of all those who are drawn after their own paths, they throw off the yoke (of Torah and mitzvot) completely and shave their beards and peyot, and they drink non-Jewish wine, until they cast off the yoke completely, G-d save us. However, Hashem Yisbarach, in His great mercy, brings a cure for the injury and performed for us a great and wondrous miracle. Then in the days of Matityahu ben Yochanan, the High Priest, until there was no more subjugation and He overthrew the evil kingdom of Greece/Hellenism, a great downfall. Therefore also through the force of the miracle He drew down wondrous light into the world to the generations, so we may have strength through this to drawn down light, as seen above, everyone in is own house. In other words, the light of the perception of G-dliness through the contractions, as seen above. This is the aspect of rectification that is brought in the Torah there, as seen above; that the only thing a very sick person needs is an exceedingly great Rabbi, who will be trained and wise like this, who can bring about wondrous tzimtzumim/contractions which will enlighten also inside him the perception of G-dliness, as explained above. This aspect is drawn down upon us on Chanukah through the great tzaddikim who are exalted above, who will rectify 'to light the Chanukah candles. Through this there is strength to bring down the aspect of enlightenment as seen above, on everyone in his own house, even if he is in his present form, as is explained in the kavanot of Chanukah that the idea of Chanukah is to drawn down the wondrous light to include all the unique ones that drawn him down below, i.e. downward from the ten tefachim (a measurement of length equal to a hands-breath). Because on Shabbata and Yom Tov one lights candles of mitzvot, for then that is the essence of the elevation of the malchut, Lower Wisdom, as seen above. This is the aspect of a candle of mitzvah, for from the holiness of Shabbat and Yom Tov the kelipot fell, which are the aspect of the 4 malchuyot. The malchut of holiness elevates from between them and then illuminates with a great light, which is the aspect of the lighting of candles on Shabbat and Yom Tov which are lit in their place at the time of elevation. But regarding Chanukah, the lighting is in the way of a wondrous miracle, for then there is not an elevation so much, because they are week days (non-holy days), and then the kelipot - which are the 4 malchuyot - are not nullified completely as during Shabbat and Yom Tov. Even though we light this holy candle, which includes within it all the unique ones, which is the aspect of the drawing down of the perception of G-dliness through the tzimtzumim. In other words, the aspect, which we see above, that the very great tzaddikim draw down wondrous rectifications like these until they are enlightened, the aspect of the perception of G-dliness through the tzimtzumim/contractions. Also below, in the very lowest level, which is the aspect of below the ten tefachim that the Shechinah never descends (Sukkah 5a). Now, because of the force of the miracle we specifically light the holy and awesome Chanukah candle, which is the aspect of the drawing down of the perception of G-dliness through the tzimtzumim, further and further down to illuminate every Jew, to all those who want to receive it, even if he is the worst of the worst, even the one who is sickest in his soul through the multitude of his sins, to illuminate him also with the light of the perception of G0dliness through the great strength of the great tzaddikim who bring down the strength of the miracle of Chanukah to the world. Through this, even in the aspect of 'week days' that cannot be elevated completely in the aspect of the malchut of Lower Wisdom, as seen above, despite this one brings down the light of the perception of G-dliness through the contractions below, even to the lowest level. Because from the greatness of their strength they are able to illuminate even the lowest level; because of their strength they are able to illuminate even the smallest ones to a very high (level) and to heal them even though they are very sick. This is the aspect of the lighting the Chanukah candle less than ten tefachim as explained above. And this is the aspect of (Psalms 23:4) "Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me", the aspect of (Micah 7:8) "Though I sit in darkness, the LORD is my light". For they bring down the light of the perception of G-dliness downward to the depth of darkness, the aspect of 'a valley of deepest darkness', to illuminate the lowly very much, so that they too come to the light and knowledge of His G-dliness, may He be blessed, so they may be healed and rectified and return to Him.