예레미야 2:13의 Chasidut

To understand this matter we will begin with the verse, they have forsaken me, the source of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13). Its meaning is that Blessed God is the source from whom comes the flow of life-force to all living things in all manners, there is no other besides [God] (Deut. 4:35); and anyone who is attached to [God] is attached to the root of life-force whose waters do not fail (Isaiah 58:11) – but only so long as there is no blockage from his side. For if, God forbid, on account of his sins he blocks himself from the source, his life-force will become absent; but from Blessed [God’s] side there is no blockage as the verse says, but your iniquities have made a separation [between you and your God] (Isaiah 59:2). But one whose life-force is from the Other Side, who are called broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13) since they are gathered waters into which fell sparks of life-force at the moment of breaking, and for this reason they are called broken cisterns – such a person is blocked from his Upper Root and is called separator of close friends (Proverbs 16:28, 17:9). And therefore the Ancestors of the World, who opened the pipelines of intelligence in the world and taught awareness to all people, how to dig himself into the aspect of a well of living water (Gen. 26:19), to be attached to the source from which comes the root of his life-force. And [the Ancestors’] disciples are called by the name “servants,” as the verse says, Isaac’s servants (Gen. 26:32), since their service of the Blessed Creator came by way of the Ancestors.

And now I must give awareness, education, and understanding regarding the matter of the three wells and their names, for the Ancestors looked through their great mind’s eye to the end of all the generations, with the tribulations that would befall them. It is known that during the time that the Temple stood there was an expansion of true awareness, how to draw close to the boundary in order to attach themselves to the aspect of a well of living water, more and more than in a time of exile; and even the Nations of the World would recognize a slight recognition, and would bring sacrifices as is written in the prayer of King Solomon, peace be upon him, And when the foreigner shall come etc. (1 Kings 8:41), and as we find that even just before the Destruction the Caesar sent them a sacrifice, as is known (cf. Gittin 55b-56a). However, even in the time of the Temple the aspect of Good and Evil was still in the world, until on account of Israel’s sins Evil overpowered [Good] and the Temple was destroyed. And therefore the aspect of the well was called Esek. And afterward they dug another well (Gen. 26:21), which is the Second Temple of Ezra’s days, when this awareness again expanded until they knew how to dig to the aspect of “well.” And they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah (Gen. 26:21) on account of the Satan’s accusation, for the power of materiality had overcome the awareness until he moved from there (Gen. 26:22) in the aspect of the passage of time, which is the lengthy exile, and dug another well (Gen. 26:22), which is the coming of our Righteous Messiah, speedily in our days, when there will be no Evil accusation at all as is written, I will remove from the land … the spirit of uncleanness (Zechariah 13:2), for then the world will be entirely Good. So he called its name Rehoboth (Gen. 26:22), for then will be expansion of awareness as the verse says, for the earth shall be full of awareness of the LORD (Isaiah 11:9). And we will merit to attach to the light of Blessed Infinity, to comprehend Blessed [God’s] Nature and to attach to Blessed God with eternal attachment. And that is [the meaning of] what is written after this, From there he went up to Beersheba (Gen. 26:23); for the Shekhinah is called “Beersheba,” we will merit to be on a high level, and understand this. However, every person must strengthen himself even in the times when Evil obstructs him and does not allow him to rise up to the aspect of “well;” nevertheless he should see through his mind’s eye that even in that place is a contraction of Blessed [God’s] Divinity, as we have said in a different place. And he should look at the obstruction and understand from it what is the root of his life-force, from which characteristic it is, whether from the aspect of Mercy [hesed] or Strength [gevurah]. And he should see to bring it to its root, for through this characteristic, which he arouses to bring it close, through it he begins to serve the Blessed Creator, whether in thought or in word or in deed; for these characteristics are Divinity, but they fell from their place in the breaking. And then Good will be made out of them as well. And similarly, if obstructions come to him from the side of judgments – coming to him from his root Above, the characteristic of Strength [gevurah], which is the characteristic of Isaac – he should understand through his awareness that these judgments are from the Upper Holy Place, except that they fell through the descent of the levels to the place of judgments, which is the place of broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13). And he should hold to the characteristic of Strength [gevurah], to revere Blessed God and to serve Blessed God immediately through this [characteristic], and to bring them to their roots and sweeten the judgments. For this is the secret: the judgments can only be sweetened at their roots, which is the characteristic of Isaac. For immediately when, through these judgments that came on account of his sins, he strengthens himself and serves with them at the root of their hold until they arrive at their root; for in that place is only absolute Divinity, the judgments are nullified and sweetened.