חסידות אויף תהילים 27:1

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.

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.