I generated an UNFINISHED AI-translation of the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef, which I am sharing here. It is heavily annotated. The paragraph organization that I sought to impose on the copy from Sefaria is very rough and represents my own attempt to provide thematic coherence. The AI-translation is followed by my own thematic introduction to the text and then a parsha-by-parsha digest of the text. I will continue to add to the digest following the liturgical year

The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef, named after its “author” Rabbi Ya’akov Yosef of Polonnoye (d.1782) is recognized as the first Hasidic book. Published in 1780 as a homiletical commentary to the Torah, the modernity of this book starts with the doubts that run throughout the length of the text. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef will ask repeatedly regarding a Bible story or a mitzvah. How is this passage “relevant” to “every person” at “every time”? Is Torah just a “collection of stories” (passim)? Also modern is the anthroposophy –the study of the human being, its spiritual construction, development, and task . So too as is the sharp expression of intra-Jewish communal politics and antipathies.

I will venture to identify “subjugation” as the primary principle cutting a metaphysical, anthroposophical, and political arc throughout the entire commentary. There is the subjugation of “matter” to “form,” the subjugation of the body to the soul, the self-abnegation of “man” before the presence of God, and the subjugation of the communal klal to the Tzadikim (the “men of matter” to the “men of form”). Also modern is aversion to money and the concern throughout the text in marshalling the wealth of non-Hasidic Jews to fund the new movement.

MICROSCOSM “Man” is a small world. This is called the secret of “world (olam), year (shanah), and soul (nefesh).” The mnemonic for this interconnection is the Hebrew word ashan (smoke), taken from the verse “And Mount Sinai was in smoke” (Exodus 19:18). NEFESH is the individual person. WORLD refers to the collective whole of the Jewish social-communal-political body (the klal). YEAR refers to Shekhinah, whose union with Her Beloved depends upon “the men of form.” The soul of the year is Shabbat or Shechinah, whose outer garment is the six days of Creation. Each of these three figures contains an inner and outer aspect — corporeal matter and spiritual form (Be’Hukkataipar. 76, see Shoftim, par. 178).

MAN: The human is a spiritual body connected by limbs to the divine name, but the physical body is a screen that separates the human person from God. Physical desire for food, sex, and wealth is necessary for the elevation of the divine sparks that they conceal. This oscillation between the physical and the spiritual manifests the “secret” of “the living creatures ran and returned.” Appearing throughout the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef, the reference from the book of Ezekiel is to the cherubic beings propelled by the divine spirit in the vision of the divine chariot moving this-way-and-that-way (Ezekiel 1:14) (passim) (h/t Shaul Magid). Looked at one way, the body is the soul’s throne, the evil inclination a throne of holiness. The soul is on good terms with the body for the purpose of tricking it. Ultimately, the body’s subjugation is abject. The soul wants to leave the body, which submits to the soul, which accrues merit by submitting the body to Torah and to Torah scholars, who are the Temple, the dwelling place of God. Material existence is subordinate to this higher purpose serving God; and then destroyed (Balak).

THE ASCETIC TZADIK. The secondary literature claims that Rabbi Ya’akov Yosef left a strict and ascetic world view behind when he joined up with the Ba’al Shem Tov. I am not if this is true. The spiritual worldview of the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef remains ascetic and sectarian. First, there is the understanding that the human creature is nothing (ayin) compared to the great majesty of God. Therein lies the humility and genuine kindness that define the way of the Hasid and marks the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef. At the same time, Torah scholars are constantly differentiated from and set above the masses. The Tzadikim overcome the separation of matter and form by subjugating the one to the other, removing barriers of coarse food, heavy garments, and the pursuit of worldly wealth-business-commerce. The world-friendly aspect of Hasidism conveys the thought that the Tzadikim sustain the world via the covenant of thought, speech, action. But one should constantly imagine oneself as if one were dead and not in this world (Tetzaveh par.16). Materiality is the master in this world, the soul a stranger (Kedoshim).In a parable taken from the Besht that appears throughout the entirety of the text, the Tzadik is compared to “the minister who changed his clothes” (passim). The minister of the King goes out into the world to mingle among the masses for the purpose of bringing the prince back from exile. “I place God before me always; I have set the Lord before me always (Psalms 16:8) is arguably the iconic core of Hasidic spirituality (passim).

ISRAEL The communal soul-politics of the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef corresponds to the subjugation of the body to the soul of the individual human person. The community is split between the “faithful of Israel” and “the masses” (passim). The faithful of Israel are the “men of form,” the Tzadikim who manifest soul; the masses or the “men of matter” correspond to the physical body (passim). Just as the material is intended to serve the spiritual, so too are the masses supposed to serve the “faithful of Israel.”  Hasidic spirituality stands against preoccupation with financial matters and livelihood (parnasa). But the Tzadikim depend upon financial support from wealthy Jews in the community. In order to cling to God, the ordinary mass of Jews “cling to Torah scholars” (passim). The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef is keenly aware that the sages no longer rule “this generation” (e.g. Bo, par. 106). One hesitates to call it ambivalence. The wealthy should support Torah scholars. “Kindness and truth,” i.e. the kindness of wealthy benefactors and the truth of the Torah sage, are encouraged to meet and “kiss” (passim). In the pursuit of this ideal compact, it is even the case that the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef puts the onus on leaders not to abandon the larger public upon whom they rely, to elevate them from the lowly rung of their spiritual stupor. At the same time, the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef is cautious about Tzadikim mixing with the people and will advise against it, even for the sake of Heaven (Emor par. 56).

THE KLAL Social historians will find in the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef evidence of the rough and tumble of communal politics, namely the Hasidic critique of mainline traditionalist Judaism and of loose spiritual-purity mores (see Joseph’s bad report on the brothers in Vayigash around par. 70). The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef complains a lot about “the generation” or “this generation” (passim) not being scrupulous with the mitzvot of ritual slaughter or shechita such as knives and salting. There are also complaints about prayer leaders and rabbinic leadership in the city. The sin of Golden Calf alludes to the sin of the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef’s generation. Parshat Nasso provides a most exacting sense of the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef’s conception of the generation in need of rebuke and words of musar at the cusp of the messianic age (Naso,113-40). Two of the largest parsha-commentaries (Kedoshim and Emor) (and a lot more from Leviticus) are dominated by this theme, even as the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef iscautious about potential backfire. If anything, the open hostility between Tzadikim and the ordinary Jews who mock and despise them is powerfully articulated throughout the text. So is the overt tension between faithful Torah scholars and lenient “Jewish judges”(see Shoftim around par. 107 or so). In this war, there are all kinds of enemy: there are the seventy nations against the single nation of Israel; the masses of the people against the Torah scholars; and the learners who are the enemies of the true Torah scholars, the faithful ones of Israel. In this degraded generation, “When a cantor comes to sing, there are many listeners, and when a preacher comes, the listeners diminish.” The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef understands only too well and resents the fact that the people are drawn to music and pleasure, not to words of rebuke and musar (Ki Teize).

On a personal note, I want to add the following. Over the years, I’ve encountered mentions in the secondary literature of Rabbi Ya’akov Yosef and the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef. Most of it is not much more than hagiographic gleanings and isolated generic teaching. No sense was given of the whole. As a student of modern Jewish thought, I always wanted to read this first Hasidic book, and found it, eventually, at Sefaria. But I always stopped short before the challenge of plunging through this very long commentary. I finally finished reading through an AI translation which I generated thanks to the new technology. (All references in this generated translation refer to paragraphs in the version at Sefaria.) I did not expect how unpleasant the content was going to be. Looked at as a historical document, the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef offers a critical lens onto the early decades of the Hasidic movement. To be sure there are nice words –about humility, the menorah as symbol of the Klal, the mutual inclusion and illumination of the members of the community (Nasso, par. 222). However, unlike material coming out from the school of Dov Ber of Mezerich, there is nothing folksy about the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef. Its leanings are hierarchical and elitist. Lastly, anyone who follows Haredi politics in the State of Israel today will recognize the roots of sectarian ethos and spiritual supremacy in this first Hasidic text –including the total disdain of ordinary Jews whose only purpose is to cleave to the Tzadikim and financially bankroll these men of form.

[Wordsearch document for keywords: men of form, subjugate, subdue, submission, submit, run and return, rebuke, men of matter, the generation, wealth, my teacher, I place God before me always]

DIGEST OF THE TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF

TITLE

Ya’akov Yosef appeals to his own authority in this paean to the Besht (identified as “my teacher” throughout the entire commentary). The Besht manifests knowledge, hidden wisdom, Torah, the High Priest, light emanating from the Mishkan, fear of God, a holy man of God, Israel, a holy candle whose face illuminated the world with his wisdom; his words “were as joyous as their giving from Sinai from the mouth of the Almighty.” The key takeaway is that Israel (Baal Shem) loved Joseph (i.e. Ya’akov Yosef) and gave from his glory upon him, his offering an offering to the priest, especially and greatly.

INTRODUCTION

[The secret of Adam – the human creature]

The human person is composed of 4 elements (fire, wind, water, spirit), each with a corresponding vice and virtue. At issue is how to overcome impurity of the shell that covers the body. The human person is a spiritual body connected by limbs, i.e. mitzvot, to the divine name or root. Fear of sin and humility are the cardinal virtues along with lowliness and distance from worldly pleasure before the constant presence of God. Melancholy-sadness is associated with “earth.” Israel is an enhanced human creature whose purpose is to transform matter into form. Those who are lax in Torah and mitzvot are imprisoned by the evil inclination. They are “dwellers of darkness and the shadow of death,” subdued by the labor of their hearts and the forces of impurity. The “secret of Adam” is the connection to God by way of thought, speech, and action. The mitzvot are homologous to limbs. The nations cling to the branch of the Tree, Israel to root.  Israel draws shefa to nations, etc. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef connects his own name Yakov Yosef to this divine cosmic interface. Joseph is the lower foundation (Yesod) included in the upper foundation called Jacob, which is Tiferet (glory, splendor)]

GENESIS*

The commentary to Genesis starts with the human, proceeds to the way of the Hasid, and ends with lovesickness, prayer, the longing to unite with God and the longing to unite Shekhinah with Her Beloved. The last word of the Genesis commentary is the dying in Egypt of the arrogance and pride of “Israel,” the lowliness and humility of “Jacob,” and constant meditation on Torah. “I have set the Lord before me always” (Psalms 16:8) is the motto of Genesis.

BREISHIT

[God is concealed in Chaos and Cosmos]

The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef starts in deep, dark chaos, and the concealment of God in the chaos, connecting, the human creature, turning matter into form. Humility and lowliness of Jacob, subduing-subjugating chaos and desire, drawing shefa into world, raising the physical to the root. After a person knows that there is no barrier separating him from his God, in times of Torah and prayer, if strange thoughts come upon him, these too are garments and coverings within which the Holy One, blessed be He, is concealed. Regardless, after a person knows that the Holy One, blessed be He, is concealed there, this is no longer concealment. God returned and hid Himself in various coverings and many shells, which are chaos and void and darkness, etc. for He foresaw and saw that there would be generations of wickedness, and He concealed the aforementioned light and hid it from the sinners in many shells. The Torah starts with Genesis to emphasize the fear of God, which is “the beginning of wisdom” (Psalms 111:10). This fear leads to humility. Whoever is small is truly great. Israel is compared to the moon, which initially diminishes itself and later becomes full. The final exile is caused by the proud among Israel who are under the dominion of the evil inclination. When the proud are eliminated, they will emerge from the exile and the redemption will come. The purpose of the creation of the world was so that poor Torah scholars and rich Jews should connect together, so that both would be called great. The material people would influence the spiritual people with their wealth, and the Torah scholars, who are the spiritual ones, would influence the material people with their Torah. By the end of the parsha, the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef looks to the tradition of Ben Zomah who never married. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef spiritualizes sexual desire and seeks to subdue its physical manifestation. To be “man” is to subdue desire. Overcoming barriers between the human person and God, Torah light are the scholars who lead the people, illuminating their path with the light of Torah.

NOAH

[The Tzadik]

Noah is the Tzadik-scholar who embodies the practice of spiritual seclusion. The guarantee of peace, the covenant of the Tzadik is a covenant of thought, speech, and action. Noah stands against the obsession with worldly and financial concerns, the Ark a symbol of spiritual isolation. Without freeing oneself from material distractions, one risks forfeiting both the World to Come and also this world. Subjugation defines the ideal relationship between scholars and the people who cleave to God by cleaving to scholars, i.e. the Tzadikim. “Righteousness and peace” embrace, creating a unity above and sweetening harsh judgments at their root. The Tzadik uncovers within judgment a hidden kernel of kindness. Yet before Abraham entered the world, kindness had not yet fully manifested. Abraham introduced this quality by taking Lot with him. Lot is the evil inclination in whom Abraham discerned an aspect of kindness, recognizing its purpose for the sake of Heaven. This act demonstrates the transformation of divine judgments into kindness.

LECH LECHA

[Descent]

Abraham embodies the principle of descent and connecting with others. On one hand, Abraham represents the virtue of extreme spiritual isolation. He leaves country and family. On the other hand, the Divine Presence encompasses all worlds —mineral, plant, animal, and human. All beings in the world, whether good or evil, are included within it. One learns from the wicked, even as one distances oneself from them. The unity of God means that down is up and up is down. When Abram diminishes himself, descending into the final letter of the divine name (representing malchut), he becomes Abraham, able to connect with others and elevate them. He becomes the “father of many nations.” One draws the pure from the impure, etc, evil is the throne of good, etc. Abraham is the perfect human being; who descends and refines nefesh-ruach-neshama (corresponding to action, speech, and thought) and rises to highest perfection (wrapped up in divine roots of kindness and blessing. Circumcision manifests the power of the Tzadik. The covenant of circumcision creates blessing for all creatures. Abraham unites the “awe of YHVH” (Malchut) with “YHVH” (Zeir Anpin), the power of connection, symbolized in Kabbalah as Yesod or phallus. In our commentary, Abraham is a figure bound up with images of sexual intercourse (zivug) and pleasure (ta’anug). The removal of the physical foreskin symbolizes removing the spiritual “foreskin of the heart” to acquire a good heart, completing one in good traits suited to engaging in Torah and mitzvot. The sexual organ, which provides the highest pleasure, symbolizes the unity that joins the male and female aspects. From physical pleasure, one grasps the spiritual pleasure of connecting oneself to the unity of the Blessed One, the source of all pleasure, etc. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef is alert to a fundamental danger that the ascent is not as certain as the descent. It is dangerous to endanger oneself by descending without knowing if one will merit to ascend again. When a person thinks he is distant from God and stands on the earth, he is actually close to God, with his head reaching the heavens. But when he thinks he is close to God, his head reaching the heavens and he feels he is among the ascending, he is actually distant from God and standing on the earth, among the descending. The final word of the parsha is about humility. When a person sees a fault in another person, one should understand that there is a trace of that transgression within oneself and should feel the need to correct oneself.

VA’YERA

God World Evil Inclination Beit Ha’Midrash

Abraham is kindness; pillar of world. He is the secret of “run and return” who ascends and then descends to elevate others. In a system of metaphysical monism, God controls everything, including the evil inclination, which means that the evil inclination serves God; Focused on these two themes –kindness and the evil inclination, nothing is said about the Akeidah in this commentary to the parsha. When the Toldot Ya’akov Yosf turns to Isaac, it is to the figure of Gevurah-awe and the early pious ones in Talmud, i.e. to Hasidic piety completely devoted to non-stop prayer and Torah study. Abraham is the human being who is called a ‘small city’—exposed to the heat of the day, which symbolizes Gehenna. Sarah is an exemplar of the material (female) which becomes form and then returns to matter. This too in the language of “run and return.” A soul is elevated to neshamah [form] returns to body [matter] and gives birth to children [nefesh]. God is in Elon Mamre, which represents the evil inclination, the synagogue/beit ha’midrash where the evil inclination goes and is trapped and kept from roaming throughout the city. Abraham had God before him always, even among the wicked outside the beit midrash. The fear of Isaac is the inward turn in Hasidic spirituality. Having focused above on Abraham and kindness, the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef here turns to the prayer and Torah of a spiritual elite represented by Isaac who do not need much and who spend all their day at prayer and study –in contrast to people devoted to business, material gain, money.

CHAYEI SARAH

Nothing (Ayin)

In this parsha, the idea of “nothing” (ayin) and kindness are connected. The life of Sarah is return to the way of nature, while the death of Sarah hints at the death of the physical body due to bad traits stemming from the negative side of the 4 physical elements (fire, wind, water, earth). Introduced in this parsha, the way of the Hasid in the world (represented by Isaac) is the idea of “nothing” which sustains the life of the body free of envy, desire, honor, arrogance, and pride which drive a person from the world. This is to say that one should consider oneself as nothing. If Sarah rises above the physical level and returns to the way of nature, Isaac manifests the power of Din-Gevurah, which goes out into the world of ordinary people who are wicked and turns them to good. The ascetic life is to have God before me always, to be kind with everyone, to not worry about sustenance and earning a living. A person should devote oneself to Torah and mitzvot with the perfect faith that sustenance will come on its own. Isaac ascends to a higher level than his father in overcoming his tendencies towards strict judgment and ascending to the higher level of rachamim (mercy). At the gate of Awe is to place God before one always. The conduct of the Tzadik (with God before me) is to treat others with mercy; because God’s presence is even there in the ugly acts of others. Isaac takes negative things he sees and turns them into good. He sows with the people in the realm of Malchut. One should make oneself like a submissive and humble animal offering brought before God. Abraham now gets the last word in this parsha. Through Torah alone, “the Lord blessed Abraham in everything. This is Abraham’s perfect faith, his mastery of the evil inclination. To say that the goal of Hasidism is to set God before me always is to have God’s presence in one’s thought constantly, which requires the removal of all worldly distractions, including the pursuit of wealth and earning a livelihood.

TOLDOT

Harsh rebuke and boundless joy

From the attribute of Abraham, one ascends to the harsh level of Isaac, from which the resolution is born, which is Jacob. The patriarchs represent 3 intellectual faculties. Intellect is future oriented; desire is present oriented. Jacob is the Tzadik who mediates Intellect and Desire. Desire is first sweet and then bitter. Intellect subdues desire. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef does not confuse good and evil by calling the one the other and vice versa. Sin manifests the “spirit of folly.” Isaac is the “son of Abraham” transforming chaos and sin into world of repair and kindness. The sweetening of harsh judgment which is Jacob has to come from the side of Isaac, and from Rebecca, who comes from Bethuel but manifests lenient judgment tempered with mercy. Jacob’s birthright is the promise of a limitless portion of boundless delight in God beyond reward and punishment. Judgment is cold and does not create offspring, which is why Isaac has to pray, connecting and subjugating left to right, fulfilling the Master’s will by accepting something harsh with love. On this middle line between Abraham and Isaac, one accepts harsh judgment and rebuke and does so with love, while serving God and doing good deeds not for the sake of reward, which is limited and not boundless. Superior delight and joy come from hearing open words of rebuke. In his rebuke against the people of his own generation, the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef positions Torah and prayer at the pinnacle of the world. Abraham dug wells to open a channel for God’s love in the world, and people in that generation would lengthen their prayers, as well as study Torah in the synagogue after prayer. But then the Philistines stopped up the wells, and the people returned to their previous fallen state. At this stage, Rebecca being barren manifests a defect in the Shekhinah, while Isaac embodies the trait of fear. He supplicates in prayer for Rebecca to repair the damage. He reopens the obstructed wells again. After the dispute with the servants of the Philistine king Avimelech came “Rechovot, and finally, they were fruitful in the land.

VAYEITZEI*

Being in the World

After the theme of boundless blessing in the previous parsha, the Toldot Ya’akov Yosef turns to the profane world. Jacob leaving Beer Sheva leaves the inward solitude of Torah study and prayer and enters into the world of worldly matters to elevate and redeem the lowly. If Israel had observed 2 Shabbats, they would have connected the lower in nature with the upper above nature joining two separate things into a single matrix. At Beth El, Jacob comes to see that God’s name is also in this place full of wild animals, thieves, and evil forces. In Jacob’s dream at Beth El, the angels of God are Israel descending into the world. God is with the lowly, with Israel, with Jacob who lies down in the dust. In this view of the world, greatness lies in lowliness. Jacob is like Shimon bar Yochai and his son who must learn how to live in the profane world without destroying it. The soul descends from the world of Emanation (Atzilut) into the world of Action (Asiyah). To see in this world how the forces of impurity prevail and how lightly people treat the honor of the great King –all of this awakens within the Tzadik a greater desire to bring honor to the King of the Universe who is above and beyond all. The world is a ladder. In this hierarchy, the ordinary masses are the feet, the Torah scholars are the head. The scholars descend into the profane world to elevate the masses. Jacob’s vow and God’s promise –don’t be afraid—refers to the future of the Jewish people, the destruction of the Temple and exile due to loss of connection and abandoning Torah study. Shekhinah is with Israel in exile. In this world, a person should be unified with his “mother” and “daughter,” expelling foreign thoughts, which are like a shell or garment. While speaking Torah and prayer, which is his Daughter, his thoughts, or Mother should cleave with longing and attachment to the light of the King of Life, the light of Ein Sof within the letters of his speech. This musar is flexible, not hard and unbending. The Tzadik mixes with the people. Just as Rabbi Akiva entered the Pardes in peace and left in peace, so Jacob came in peace and left Haran in peace; he returned and entered the inner Torah, called peace, the mind-brain of the walnut.

VAYISHLACH*

Overcoming The Evil Inclination

The struggle between Jacob vs. Esau is the struggle of form and matter in the world. Jacob’s mission is to sojourn in the world with Laban, the evil indication, and to do 613 mitzvot to prepare the body for the World to Come. There are limbs that are within a person’s control and others that are not—such as sight, thoughts, and the like. Jacob wants the favor of Esau, i.e. the love of matter, to subdue it to holiness. Jacob is afraid the evil inclination will kill him or he will kill it, for it is better to subdue even the evil inclination into holiness. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef identifies three types of exile. There is the exile of Israel among the nations, the exile of scholars among the uneducated masses, and the exile of virtuous Torah scholars among evil scholars —those “Jewish demons.” The human person possesses a pure soul within a garment of Nogah within the animal soul. The purpose is to refine and transform the material into form and turn the evil inclination into the good inclination. Then he removes that garment and wears the garment of Ḥashmal, as did Moses. There are 5 orders of soul-ascent that mark the way of the Baal Nefesh in relation to world and material things. [1] One should prioritize the acquisitions of the soul over the acquisitions of the body in both action and thought. [2] The acquisitions of the soul and intellect continually increase and do not diminish. [3] The trait of contentment belongs to the Baalei Nefesh who rejoice in their portion. [4] The Baal Nefesh, who has eyes of intellect, looks toward the final day, knowing that all matters of this world have limits and an end; and through this, he will come to despise these worldly things. [5] The Baal Nefesh, after being complete in all his actions, will seek to guide others. A person must purify his thoughts first, and then perform the commandments, whether by action or by speech, so that they will all be pure and untainted by any external appearance.  The Tzadik tricks the evil inclination, engaging it at the beginning to see how to overcome it like a lion for the sake of heaven. There is a danger in initially joining with the evil inclination, because no one knows if later he will be able to escape from the exile it constitutes. Through sharp exegesis, one enters into the pride within the husks, and afterwards, through the homiletic interpretation and ethics, the husks are shattered. In the days of the Messiah, “your eyes will see your teachers” (Isaiah 30:20), i.e. the letters of the Torah and prayer that they learn and pray, visible before their eyes, shining like polished worlds.

VAYEISHEV

Humility (Jacob-Joseph)

“These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph.” If a perfect person experiences some hindrance to Torah and prayer, he should understand that this too is from God who pushes him away so that he may draw close. Joseph (Yosef) alludes to the World to Come residing in the עקב (heel) (i.e. Ya’ako“And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was the son of his v). As World to Come Joseph signifies constant increase, as opposed to materiality and this world. “Israel” loves Joseph the most here refers to the collective of the Israelite nation who love the type of Joseph more than all than the other Torah scholars. The other scholars act for self-glorification or other personal benefit, whereas Joseph, the Tzadik, acts only for the sake of Heaven. Yehudah represents the quality of malchut (kingship truly approached to Yosef’s level. The service of the brothers was lazy and mechanical—merely following the customs of their ancestors. They resent the zeal of the Tzadikim who serve God with joy. Jacob dwells surrounded by awe “in the land of his father’s sojournings.” All of this was because the material murkiness of the land, i.e. Canaan, was still great and vast until later when it became purified and was called the land of Israel.

MIKETZ

Secret of Fear — Trust God

Joseph is the Tzadik who trusts in God, not human beings. Against people who seek riches and exploit the poor, instead of being humble and content with little]  This is the secret of morah (awe), that a person must fear before the Blessed One, such that the awe of God should be upon his head—the secret of the surrounding light (Or Makif) that encompasses 248 limbs, corresponding to the numerical value of morah. This is the Shechinah that surrounds a person’s head and encompasses his intellect. No fear of humans should rest upon him. This is because he has morah and the surrounding light of Malchut, preventing anyone from overpowering him. There are two types of people: one who acts naturally, plowing and sowing in their proper times; and another who transcends nature, trusting in God to provide for their needs with minimal effort, devoting their time to serving the Blessed One. For such individuals, their work is done by othersOne who conducts himself according to natural order possesses the fear of kingship, which is called ‘his daughter.’ And one who conducts himself beyond natural order merits fear of the heavens, which is the secret of Binah in unity with Abba. When Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him, Joseph fell in level and was punished. But he restored his level when he put his trust back in God to interpret Pharoah’s dream. Since Joseph conducted himself beyond the natural order, placing his trust in the Lord and not in man, it was therefore fitting that he should not turn to illusions.  A person of faith will have an abundance of blessings, the hidden goodness being reserved for the righteous in the World to Come. Unlike the person rushes to amass immediate wealth in matters of this world.

VAYIGASH

[Ascent]

Judah approaching Joseph manifests the way of Torah and the secret of prayer. Love sickness for God and closeness to the Shechinah cannot be attained except through the subjugation of the physical and the evil inclination, and this is through suffering. Need to subjugate physicality and the evil inclination which separate one from cleaving to God. Even the sicknesses and sufferings I have endured were love for me, for I merited closeness through them. Torah is the way of the Lord because it guides the complete person to ascend the mountain of the God and travel on their journey from level to level until the pure soul [nefesh] cleaves to the First Cause. To ascend the high mountain, one removes burdens to such as coarse foods, heavy garments, or loads of silver and gold—because they weigh down both the body and the pure soul. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef likens the hatred of the nations for Israel with the hatred of Hasidim by common people and traditionalist scholars. Torah accommodates ordinary human behavior. Against finding flaws with others and not oneself; don’t criticize the Tzadikim (whom you call “youth”) who engage in Torah night and day. Judah approaching Joseph alludes to the subjection of the imagination and senses, which draw a person downwards, to the intellect. Subdue the one to the other gradually and gently until one can settle the mind and separate from them. The ascent to God exalts soul over body. Shechinah and soul return to the lofty place from the place of lowly exile. Shechinah rises from exile and from the husks (klipot), returning to Binah and then to Hochmah which is holiness. Peace and joy and everyone is beautiful to each other.

VAYEHI

[God Before Me]

“Jacob lived in Egypt” and “Israel drew near to die,” the deep meaning of which is a truth about the humility of Jacob and drawing near to God. The power of an action resides within the act; the creation of the entire world is like a locust whose garments come from itself. In all kinds of suffering and distress, there is a spark of holiness from God garbed within many garments. The Toldot Ya’akov Yosef criticizes the arrogance of “Israel,” i.e. traditionalist Torah scholars who brag and boast. One should instead accept little like Jacob in Egypt who only wants God before him. Everything is good. The Tzadikim always place God before them, humble themselves to the dust. “I have set the Lord always before me.” When the pride and authority associated with the title Israel diminish, this is called “death.” Then, “God will be with you,” for “I dwell with the contrite and humble,” elevating foreign thoughts back to their source, the place called “your forefathers,” the sparks of the Shechinah called “land.”

EXODUS*

With a  consistent and critical eye on social strife and the failings of his own generation, the focus of the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF in the commentary to Exodus is Moses and the Tzadik, the subordination of matter to form, words of rebuke and musar. Genesis revealed the soul joy and ḥesed  of Abraham+ the body joy and judgment of Isaac + the complete joy manifested by Jacob/Shabbat). Now in Exodus, Moses rises above nature (El Shadai) to judgement (Elohim) and then higher still to YHWH. A careful reader will observe scattered through the commentary that Da’at is the key to this transition or ladder. Da’at  is the rung of knowledge and knowing; the bridge between the upper and lower worlds, the intellect of the “soul” that connects and subordinates “matter” to “form.” Starting with self- knowledge revealed through words of rebuke and musar, Da’at lies in the difference between divine essence and material shells, and the divine unity—the secret of One. The framework of the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF is simultaneously unitary and hierarchical. On the one hand, the Evil Inclination and the material world are a single unity stemming from God; the Evil Inclination is a potential throne of holiness. On the other hand, the Tzadik cleaves to God, who is greater than all nature. Against the folly of worldly slumber and for the sake of peace, The TOLDOT YA’AKOV  YOSEF subjugates the “people of matter” (wealthy Jews and the Jewish masses) to the people of form, namely Torah scholars and Tzadikim who are the source of life.

SHEMOT*

Israel descends into the lowly material realm of Egypt, from which they long to ascend. Within this descent the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF laments that in his own generation the truly faithful of Israel have nearly vanished. In this political schema, marked as it is by this anxiety, “Israel” represents the pious, wisdom, scholars, the men of form, while “Jacob” represents the common masses, wealth, materiality. In this world picture, some descend and rise again while others become trapped in the impurity of bodily existence. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF urges the sweetening of harsh judgments through thought, speech, and the unification of divine names, knowing that one must cleave to God even in mundane interactions. A person engaged in Torah and prayer is called “man,” but when descending to the level of ordinary people becomes “woman.” The divine name El Shaddai prevents any deeper descent into the klippot and mitigates the severity of judgment, while the “new king” over Egypt manifests the Evil Inclination. Up and down these rungs, a person is always “ascending and descending,” never fixed at one level. By way of rebuke,  we are reminded that even one who rose in devoted youth must remain vigilant not to let “midnight” pass in the sleep of worldly folly.

VA’ERA*

Ascending to the level of Shabbat and Da’at and including sharp words of rebuke against the leaders of his own generation, the parsha has as its focus the Tzadikim-Priests-Faithful of Israel who complete the perfect service of God by way of attachment to Shekhinah. In Genesis, Abraham manifested soul and divine Ḥ̣esed, Isaac the body and judgment. Jacob combined them together. For their part, the Tzadikim are the emissaries of the Matronita, the Shekhinah, or moon. They serve through the “six days of work” to repair the deficiency of the “moon,” by restraining prohibited desires and directing all action toward the purpose of divine unification. But now, as the boundary-less heritage of Jacob, eating for sake Heaven on Shabbat is unconstrained and boundless. When one truly observes the Sabbath, one becomes God’s treasured possession, awakening an inner fire that draws down a corresponding fire from heaven, and offering fluent prayer consciously oriented toward the Shekhinah. In this framework, the service of ordinary Jews corresponds to the outer altar, where the common fire burns, while the faithful of Israel correspond to the inner altar. None of this Daʿatis known until Moses. The essence of human existence is to awaken from worldly slumber, subdue the left side to holiness. Like Moses, the leaders of each generation must guide the people according to the level  specific to the generation. The rebuker at the city gate must offer reproof tailored to each individual person. With a caustic eye on the rabbinic class of his own day, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF rebukes his own generation. Each generation is shaped by their leaders, which explains the dim spiritual condition of his own time and place.

BO*

Fear Rebuke Punishment: The fear of Heaven or God and the fear of sages turns out to be one and the same thing.  This parsha is in the mode of full-throated rebuke. A person should be like a tail to a lion, not the head of fox. Ordinary Jews and wealthy Jews need to adopt a position of humility and fear sages and cleave to them; turning matter into form;  turning curses into blessings via letter permutations and connections; removing leaven, matzah maror suffering, connecting hesed and gevurah. But will the masses accept words of rebuke and musar? For sake of bringing a sinner back, the Tzadik assumes the lowly garb of base traits to connect with the sinner. Don’t rebuke hardened sinners; better that they remain at level of inadvertent sinners, not intentional ones. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF is clearly addressing the “sinners”  of his own generation. The point is for others to hear and see the rebuke. The punishment of the wicked serves as public warning.  But “Pharaoh” now represents the stiff‑necked Israelite—both the clandestine and the brazen offender—before whom God “unsheathes the sun,” a force that heals the righteous and consumes the wicked; which is why common people unaccustomed to Torah and prayer, absorbed in worldly pursuits, experience God’s emergence as death. This relates as well to the death of the Egyptian firstborn. God in the world is death to those who only know worldly things, which are compared to a carcass. Since they were not accustomed to Torah and prayer, being occupied with worldly matters, this is certainly called death for them when God goes out into the midst of Egypt, which is really the sun going out of its sheath. Regarding  matter and form, wealthy Jews should therefore cleave to and support Torah scholars for the sake of Heaven. One should intend all one’s physical ways in eating and drinking and all kinds of work to clarify all the sparks they contain for the sake of Heaven, etc. Against this bad trait, the moral lesson from this is that a poor person should not envy a rich person. A craftsman should not hate another craftsman, a shopkeeper a shopkeeper, a bartender a bartender, and a scholar a scholar. Just as water leaves a high place and goes to a low place, so too the words of Torah only endure in one who is humble. The elders in the generation of Joshua, even though they were exceptionally wise and great righteous individuals, still said about themselves, “Woe to that shame, woe to that disgrace,” because they saw the great level of Moses. They considered themselves as nothing compared to him. The exile of this generation represents an inversion. In the exile of this generation, Israel and the sages are lowly and ordinary Jews rule. The Jewish social body should look up to the sages and aspire to be elevated through them. But in the spirit of self-rebuke, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF knows that people have a claim not to listen to the Torah scholars. In truth, however, their flaws are for their benefit of the common people, to connect with them and elevate them. This is like the parable of a prince who changed his clothes. Moses warned Israel to elevate the heads of the sons of Gershon, to give prominence to the Tzadikim or people of form who are strangers in this world. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF rebukes the lay leaders of each generation along with wealthy and prominent people in each city; they abandon the levels and virtues of the Torah scholars who are before them, and only hold onto the levels of people who are behind them.  In contrast, the faithful of Israel know the difference between husk and holiness, which is why a person is obligated to become intoxicated on Purim, meaning the physical aspect, so that through this, the form can unite, which is called knowledge (Da’at). When people of physicality indulge in physical eating and drinking, which is from the husk and called cursed, then through this, people of form can rejoice in spiritual joy, and they also become a throne for holiness. Regarding leaven and honey — leaven symbolizes pride, and honey symbolizes pleasure, and both are invalid in matzah. Matzah, maror represent the removal from worldly pleasure through suffering, connecting Ḥesed and Gevurah to remove pride and desire from a person, then it will be easy to cleave to God. The lesson of the spies scouting the land speak in the same vein regarding moral self-examination and subduing one’s own inclination for physicality, turning the material in a person to form via the path of Torah.

BE’SHALACH*

A person is a small world, and within them are Egypt and Pharaoh. The exodus from Egypt is a war against the Evil Inclination, represented by Pharaoh. The exodus proceeds through extreme polarities of impurity and holiness. The limbs of the body are under the dominion of Pharaoh; their initial liberation proceeds from repentance, asceticism, and harsh subjugation of the material body, and then, to the opposite extreme, which is the crossing of the Red Sea, which represents kindness to the body. Pharaoh’s sending the people away means that the limbs of the person have left the domain of the Evil Inclination. Pharaoh is also Binah, the higher level of repentance, where all lights are revealed. Thus it is said, “In all their affliction, He was afflicted,” meaning that a person prays for the suffering of the Shekhinah, and consequently the suffering of the person passes. “And God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines,” because from that way the land of the Philistines, which are the shells, are nourished. God did not lead them by that way because it was near, meaning the forgetfulness called Pharaoh was near. The opposite of forgetfulness is knowledge or Da’at, called Moses. Until now, Moses knew only the name “God” as nature, but now he knows the name YHWH, which is above nature and greater than all gods. The sanctification of the Divine Name through Pharaoh and his chariots is from this aspect as well, that the matter returned to nature. In contrast,  Shabbat is elevation, sanctity, and the place of God in thought. A person is commanded not to go out of his place on the seventh day,” meaning that it is forbidden to divert one’s mind from the sanctity of Shabbat. A person is similar to the Upper Man, Zeir Anpin, who ascends on Shabbat in the secret of “Israel arose in thought.” If one blemishes thought, one removes the Holy One, who is called “Man,” from His place—from the upper thought.  And if one blemishes in thought, they remove the Holy One, who is called “man,” from His place – from the supernal thought.

YITRO*

This very long commentary is focused on life and death, and the tense and even hostile relation between Torah sages and the masses. The splitting of the Red Sea and the war with Amalek removed the material screen of sin that separates God and the human person. After the splitting of the Sea, Jethro now knows that YHWH, is above nature, represents the aspect of mercy, and is greater than all the elohim or gods of nature and punishing judgments. The one great command at Sinai –I am Lord your God– is at the root of all 613 mitzvot, including the commandment to cleave to God by cleaving to Torah scholars. Torah scholars should be left in solitude and free from communal needs so they can run the affairs of community and attach the people to God. By clinging to Torah scholars, the masses cling to God and then it is good for them and for the entire community (the klal). If they do not give them peace of mind and burden them with communal needs, then they certainly harm themselves and the community.  The masses, however, hate Torah scholars and tzadikim, not understanding that the body has no life if it doesn’t cling to the soul and if the masses do not cling to the faithful of Israel. The Tzadik is likened to the fiery bronze serpent made by Moses and to the serpents who bit Israel during their desert sojourn. In their folly, the masses of Israel turn against the faithful of Israel who have the power to harm and heal. The masses are short-sighted; they shorten the way of God in prayer and in commandments, doing them in a temporary and rote manner. In contrast, the Tzadikim toil in the way of Torah. The serpent that killed also gives life as long as Israel looked upward towards the Torah scholars. Attachment with Torah scholars face to face sustains the secret of the cherubim whose faces were toward each other. But any Torah scholar who does not take vengeance and does not bear a grudge like a serpent is not a Torah scholar. And if the Torah scholar holds the attribute of the masses, who eat with each other and stab each other, etc., then  he is not considered a Torah scholar but is among the masses. Even still, a scholar should take vengeance and bear the grudge only in his heart and should not speak at all due to enmity, like the serpent. And the masses should not separate from Torah scholars. How to help the masses prepare to draw close and elevate to God? Sometimes, one needs to descend to the level of the masses, loving people who are of lesser value and who have no perfection except that they are creations of God. Nevertheless, it is fitting to love them to bring them closer to the Torah. Preaching to the mases, the Tzadikim  wander in the city; they put on lowly garments to attract and lead the masses, transforming impure matter into pure form. The people came to Marah, and confuse sweet with bitter water. Three days with no Torah, they are sick in the soul craving spoil and material things after Splitting of Sea. There are two Sabbaths; the sabbath of the people, eating and resting and the sabbath of the Torah scholars/tzadik without which the former is nothing. By merit of faith and contentment, Israel merits delight. The Tzadik, called alive, satisfies every living thing with favor.

MISHPATIM*

Sadness and gladness of the body and of the ordinary people in relation to the soul are the focus in this parsha relating to laws and justice. The rational ordinances (mishpatim) are according to nature and the common/wealthy Jews, whereas the statutes (ḥukim) are above nature and grasped by the elite. Justice is a principle of Jewish authority and leadership being close to and in the midst of the people. A person should not enter beyond his rung, for this is the cause of his complete nullification. “Who are the kings? The rabbis,” in the governance of a city or state, “by justice establishes the land,” meaning that if they govern them by justice, which is according to nature, the common people called “land” will stand firm and not be moved from their rung. Whereas a person of gifts who wants to elevate them above his own  rung will completely destroy them. The spiritual elite are ayin or nothing; they trust in God who is above nature. Judah represents Elohim‑kingship who approaches and submits before Joseph, the tzadik who nullifies decrees. The individual soul wants to leave the body; the body submits to the soul, which accrues merit by submitting the body to Torah. The soul becomes Master thanks to the body. The body apologizes to the Master for its failings; but, at the register of the communal collective (klal), the onus is placed on the leaders for the failure of the people. The body and material are poor in knowledge and have no joy in cleaving to the Blessed One except through physical eating and drinking. When lacking this, they are in sadness and hinder the soul from cleaving to the Blessed One, which is through joy. One should therefore “borrow on My account” and gladden the material so that the poor among you will be joyful—this in the physical and this in the spiritual. Just as the TYY wrote about the body and soul of an individual, this is true regarding the community (klal), where there are people of material and people of form. Offerings likewise overcome the sadness of the material world through eating and drinking, for example on Purim.

TERUMAH*

Picking up from the previous parsha, we learn that the mitzvot emanate from the divine essence. The commandment to build the Tabernacle/Temple is relevant even when there is no Temple, as these laws relate to the world as a whole. There are three pillars (crowns) on which the world stands: Torah (kingship), Service, and acts of Loving Kindness. Mitzvot, especially tefillin, subjugate the soul (neshamah) and body to God, which transforms the human person into a chariot of God. A wise person learns from everyone, even from the Evil Inclination. The human person is the microcosm of the world; the Tabernacle is a microcosm of the world; and one must make oneself a chariot through self‑subjugation of body and soul. The 613 commandments inform us how a person can sanctify, attach oneself to, and cling to God, which is the purpose of all Torah and commandments. With this, we can understand the three crowns mentioned above: the crown of Torah, which is the tree of life and includes the other two crowns; the crown of priesthood, representing kindness, which enters goes beyond the letter of the law; and the crown of kingship, which is revealed outside, as known. The three aspects are united into one. Opposed to this is the Evil Inclination, which is the necessary opposition without which there is no good and no reward. In this  way, the Evil Inclination is transformed into a throne of holiness.

TETZAVEH

The purpose of the human person, who was created with matter and form, is to subjugate  matter to the form. This is true of the individual person and the same applies to the community (klal). When the masses ascend one level, then the leader of the generation also ascends, as we find with Moses our teacher when Israel camped in repentance. Connecting masses and leaders, corporeal garments clothe the soul/person in this world; spiritual garments clothe the soul in the world to come. The human body is not the person, but it is a garment in which the intellectual soul, which is the person himself, is clothed while in this world. After death, this garment is removed, and the soul is clothed in a spiritual garment. One who makes a spiritual garment for the soul is clothing the union of Tiferet and Malchut through the fulfillment of the 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments with the proper intention, without any ulterior motives or foreign thoughts, so that there is no part for the “Other Side” in the intention of the commandment. One should imagine as if he is dead and not in this world, standing in the Garden of Eden before the Throne of Glory. Spiritual leaders are commended to adorn oneself first and then adorn the wicked. Bells of gold [Torah] surround the wicked [pomegranates] to elevate them with Torah and musar  l leaders. When the masses ascend one level, then the leader of the generation also ascends. Teshuva brings the masses to the correct path.

KI TISA*

Once again relating to right relations and hierarchy between body and soul, and between the people of matter and the people of form who are the Torah scholars. The people of matter are supposed to pay ransom, i.e. to share their wealth and material abundance with Torah scholars. But why offer a half‑coin and not a whole one? The purpose is to teach the children of Israel the importance of unity, so that no one should think that a person is separate from his or her fellow, but rather as if each one is a half, and when one joins with each and every one of Israel, the person becomes whole. For just as in the particular case of one person, the soul and the form should not boast over the body and say that it is a holy soul hewn from a holy place beneath the Throne of Glory, whereas the body is made from dust and created from a putrid drop—and certainly, the body should not boast over the soul that it sustains the soul, for when the soul separates from the body, the body remains putrid—in this way they need each other, like a man and a woman, each one half of the body. Similarly, in general, the scholars and righteous should not say that there is no need for the masses, for they support the Torah and many practical commandments are completed through them; and certainly, the masses should not say that there is no need for the scholars or boast against them. Therefore, each one is a half, and together, the material and the form, both in general and in particular, make one complete person. Then the Evil Inclination becomes the Good Inclination. Finally, the Golden Calf teaches that anyone who disgraces a Torah scholar has no remedy for his wound.

VA-YAQHEL*

The Tzadik and the people of his generation, and elevating both the divine sparks and Evil Inclination for the sake of the Shekhinah and cleaving to God. “Moses assembled”—that is, the Tzadik is Yesod or Foundation, who gathers the entire congregation of Israel, namely all the people of his generation, within himself; and when he repents, becoming the Tzadik, he repairs his generation as well, for it is easier for the people to return in repentance through his rebuke, since his words will be heeded—unlike one who has not first corrected himself. A Torah leader must incorporate within himself all members of his generation, and thus their sins are also, in a way, within him. This is the advice to scholars teaching the people: “Make for yourself great assemblies”—meaning, recognize that within you exists a great congregation, as all Torah scholars form a single soul in which the entire generation is included; first rectify yourself, then teach Torah plainly, then teach laws—so that all are unified as one soul—and finally speak words of musar to inspire collective repentance. This way, God’s great Name is glorified among His children through the unity of their repentance, for the souls of Israel emanate from God’s great Name. The ultimate purpose of assembling is cleaving to God, holiness, God speaking through the throat of Moses, which is possible for every Jew in assembly, for all Israel is potentially prophetic. Tzadikim should therefore treat people gently and act piously toward the Shekhinah. “Speak in a gentle manner” (Psalms 47:4). “Make for yourself a teacher” (rav, Avot 1:6), meaning: create a dispute (riv) for the sake of the Shechinah and pray on its behalf; “Acquire for yourself a friend”—to join with you; “Judge every person favorably”—to use one’s words of Torah and musar to benefit everyone, acting piously (lehitḥassed) toward the Shekhinah, which consists of its scattered sparks, to elevate it favorably so that it rises above and does not descend below. The Master of the Universe is present in concealment (hester), hidden and garbed in the world of exile and suffering. And this is the essence (ikar) of praise and song, for in the exile of Egypt the people thought God was an enemy; but now they perceive that God is, in truth, the Divine Essence, so the enemy became a beloved. Are we, then, in this generation today still in the Exile of Egypt? We too need to clarify and elevate broken sparks—i.e., foreign thoughts—and return them to their root in Ḥesed; in fact, the Evil Inclination draws one closer to God, sweetening and removing the garb, the Evil Inclination turning into a good angel, matter into form, the Evil Inclination turning into sustaining milk. The Evil Inclination surrounds a person like a swarm of bees, while the wise subdue their inclination without battle, knowing that the Evil Inclination is a hidden servant of the King. The secret of the Passover song “Eḥad Mi Yodea” is that everything is one unity, all revealed when garbs are removed and the Angel of Death is slaughtered, and the creation of the world is sustained by combinations: Kindness and Truth, Righteousness and Peace meet and kiss. And why, in general, do the masses tend to be wealthy while Torah scholars are poor and destitute? The answer is that “kindness and truth will preserve him,” meaning that the wealthy will show kindness to the Torah scholars who are poor due, and the Torah scholars will provide wisdom, which is called truth, to the wealthy. The wealthy bestow kindness and support the poor, i.e., Torah scholars, and pursue them for good; the wise man knows the value of wisdom, while the wealthy do not know the value of wisdom.

PEKUDEI*

With an eye on his own generation, the focus of the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF in this final parsha in Exodus is sin and exile, the Hurban and hatred, the power of rebuke to effect repair and redemption, and social peace secured by the privileged status of the Torah scholar and Tzadik. The “accounts of the Tabernacle” speak to the repair of that sin so that Israel will merit to build the Third Temple. The First Temple was destroyed because the masses hate Torah scholars; the Second Temple was destroyed because scholars hate each other; and the days of exile have been prolonged until this sin is repaired. This caused division between the first two letters of the name and the last two, therefore its punishment is also “the Lord will cut off.” The Name is not complete all the days of the exile due to baseless hatred, until the future when the leaven, which is the Evil Inclination, will be eradicated. Redemption is accounting, uniting heart and heart, and when there is unity of God through the rebuke and musar, the two aspects are united. The cause of the exile in Egypt was that the masses did not know their flaws, until the aspect of Moses or Da’at (knowledge, wisdom) was revealed in the world. When they knew their flaws through the aspect of knowledge, then they repented and sought to repair their flaws, and the end of the redemption drew near. “Who is wise? He who learns from every person” (Avot 4:1), even from the Evil Inclination, etc.; only the title of wise is given to one who learns from every person. However, there is a remedy: “And to Him you shall cling” (Deuteronomy 10:20)—cling to Torah scholars. The conclusion from there is that it is impossible to fulfill the entire Torah except through peace; however, the aspect of unity is impossible among the masses, except for the Tzadik who lives by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4), who believes that all events are under the specific providence of God. Knowing this, there is no place to hate his fellow, and the Tzadik has peace with everyone, and with this he can fulfill the entire Torah, which is the essence of life and “the length of your days.” So why does the cat not recognize its owner? Because the cat that bites and eats mice is a metaphor for people who bite and harm each other.

LEVITICUS*

The purity ethos of Hasidism is coded through and radicalizes the purity code, the sacrificial offerings, and ritual impurities that shape the biblical book of Leviticus. This-world in the here and now is not a place of joy and pleasure. This-world is the world of lies under the rule of the evil inclination and yetzer. By the end of Leviticus, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF will nullify the evil inclination, whose essence is pride and pleasure, leaving this world behind by purifying matter into form, this world into the world to come. Threaded throughout the commentary to Leviticus is social-spiritual ethos with a primary focus on the relation between the Tzadik and ordinary Jews. The  spirit of rebuke and the problems that attend rebuke in society come to the fore of the commentary. The Tzadik is the stand-in for the priest. The relationship between the Tzadik and the people is an analogue to the relation between the soul and body. On the one hand, there is a leaning together of the two. On the other hand, the relation is unequal. The Tzadik listens and speaks, influences and receives, descends to the people, who along with women, are of “lesser value.” Against joy at this time of the exile of the Shekhinah, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF is exacting throughout the commentary to Leviticus against the spirit of pride and pleasure. This takes the form of social critique against the spiritual leaders of this generation of exile against whom the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF directs a steady stream of invective.  Our world is one of constant shifts, ascending and descending for the sake of ascent. The Tzadikim go out into the world, compared frequently to a village of violent and quarrelsome people. They take on the bad qualities of the people, the simple people and men of wealth and pride, to bring them back to their Father and King. Once “in the land” at the end of Leviticus,  the spiritual itinerary will have reached its highest level and terminus. The ultimate purification of the soul stands out as the separation from the body, which ceases to function. Matter has been transformed into spiritual form. In this pure land or supernal world, the world to come, the flame of physical pleasure is extinguished. Connecting instead to the Torah scholars, who are the men of form, what matters most to the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF is the raising of the feminine waters, the union of Shekhinah with her Beloved, whose elevation depends on the merit of the deeds of those below and the purity of the Tzadikim.

VA’YIKRA*                                                                                 

God is called Torah. God calls everyday, extending Himself through the cosmos in the medium of Torah to speak, but only with the man of “da’at” represented by Moses. The prayer of the mighty ones [Hasidim] and the call of God to the person who inclines his ear in prayer to hear the call, i.e. Torah, and the Torah scholas who will then teach to ordinary Jews, i.e. to any “man” who brings to him an offering of prayer. The prayer of the Hasidim overcomes the breaches separating God and the human person. The human person and the heavens reflect each other in the mirror universe of Leviticus. “Know what is above you,” whether cruelty or mercy, it extends from you. If the human person in the world exists in a state of radiant countenance, it causes the same above. The same applies to sadness, cruelty, or mercy.  One nullifies all thought about oneself in prayer, the intent of which is to raise the Shekhinah or lower, feminine waters from the night of this exile. The small light and great light of  Torah ascend together through Aaron, who listens and speaks, influences and receives. But do not burn leaven or honey with the burnt offering. These are symbols of the bad that must be distanced from Torah study and the service of the Lord, so that it is not for pride and self-exaltation like leaven, or for other personal enjoyment, which is called honey, sweet to the palate. One checks the synagogue and study hall for leaven and honey and the evil inclination or yetzer of the city leaders and spiritual leaders of the generation who pray not for the sake of God but for their own honor.

TZAV*

A very long commentary on ascetic ethics with a critical eye on the lack of piety in his own generation and community.  Without leaven and honey and not to be eaten or enjoyed, “this” burnt offering of the priests on the fire is “the law of the proud…judged by fire,” including those who insult sages. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF extols the virtues of humility, non-obsession with wealth, not being quarrelsome, and companionship and fellowship, connecting with all people to elevate them, peace between matter and form. There are three types of Tzadik. One is good for himself, and if he associates with the wicked, he learns from their deeds so it is better for him to isolate himself alone. The second type are strong in their righteousness even if they associate with the wicked, but they do not have the power to turn the wicked to the good way. The third type, they have the power to turn even the wicked to good. When the Tzadik has humility with each of these three traits (wisdom, strength, wealth), then he is honored, respecting and loving all people. This is the opposite of pride, which hates everyone, stirs up strife, suspects everyone of many faults.

There is in this spiritual universe a constant rising and falling on moral ladders. This is the law of the burnt offering,” because the one who rises and is proud, called swelling, in the end, he is diminished and called scab, as mentioned above, and this is “This is the law of the burnt offering.” And the same is true in the opposite, the one who diminishes himself in the end rises. The final words of the commentary return to rebuke and teshuva. Teshuva means subduing matter, the music of the eternity, nigun olam, attuning the songs of the small world with the supernal world. But there is no remedy for those who despise sages. Cleave to the sages/priests who are the soul of the world and lift up the ashes, i.e.  the fallen sparks from the material shells.

The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF tries to resolve the tension between hidden love and kindness and the severities of open rebuke, without which there is no blessing in the world. This is the work of the Tabernacle joining curtains and curtains into one. The Tabernacle manifests the middle path between rebuke of wilderness and love of Sinai. Special and sharp rebuke is reserved for the spiritual-rabbinic leaders including rabbis, cantors, and teachers of the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF’s own generation who love honor and accept gifts. This he calls a plague that has spread in every beautiful and pious community, that they sin and cause others to sin. Where did this custom spread from? Because in this generation, now the world is dominated by men of wealth, action, power and people are afraid to rebuke. A person should not say if I were in a city full of righteous people called heaven. No remedy for those who disgrace a sage. The priest, i.e. the Tzadik, lifts up the ash that are the common people.

SHEMINI*

After the focus on rebuke in the previous parsha, the commentary turns to the preeminence of the Tzadik and mourning the death of Tzadikim, which is a great calamity, and the power of atoneing and the power of the Tzadik to refine coarse material animality.  

Only the inner tzadik is called “man,” while the rest of the people of the generation are called the flesh of man, which is the garment for the priest. When there is unity among them, the people cling to the Tzadikim, like the garment to the priest, which is worn for protection and shelter, for honor and glory, and then they atone. If the Tzadik is called man, the beast is a symbol of the wicked who act like a beast, and “man” merits through the beast and returns him to the good.

The parsha includes  a long halakhic discussion re: purity and corpse defilement and ritual slaughter, the upshot of which concerns dead tzadikim, including Nadav and Avihu, the sons of Aaron. What we learn is that the corpse of a Tzadik, because he is holy and pure, does not impart impurity. The parsha has a long concluding excursus on earth and the creatures and refining them after Adam’s sin. Included here is the Leviathan and how to slaughter the turbidity and coarseness of its material. After all, the commandments were only given to refine and purify the material. “And these are the animals which you may eat,” Rav said, “The commandment was given to Israel only to refine the creatures, for what does it matter to Him whether one slaughters from the neck or from the nape, etc.”

TAZRIA*

The female represents the body, turgid potential, Talmud and halakhah. The male represents actualization, clarity, certainty, brightness, and the way of the Tzadikim.

On the “conceiving” or seeding of ideas and putting them into practice, the latter takes 2 possible paths, “male” (certain, righteous) or female (many paths; uncertain, death. When a person has an idea or plan, it is like conception, which occurs in the brain, as it is known that the seed comes from the brain. This means that the idea has not yet come into action but is still in potential form. Once the idea is agreed upon, either by oneself or with friends and advisors, and it is brought into action, it is called birth. If the idea is clear and certain, it is considered male; if not, it is considered female.  On the need to consult with others with more knowledge in spiritual and practical matters, a person should weigh and calculate, and then put into action. The body is the female flesh of the person, which clothes the soul, which is male, in the secret of ‘a female shall surround a man’ (Jeremiah 31:21).

Torah also has body and soul, female and male. And it is said (Avot 3:18) ‘these are the bodies of the laws.” The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF addresses those Hasidism who desire the inner part before filling their belly with Talmud and poskim, because all the Talmud and poskim are general bodies, belonging to all Israel collectively.  The conclusion is that the Talmud and poskim are called ‘woman,’ and the inner part is called ‘man,’ and when one learns gradually, both are fulfilled in his hand, unlike when it is not gradual. “Male” or “female” or internal or external aspects of Torah, which comes first?  Some people need to prepare for prayer with psalms or Torah study.  They need to strengthen themselves first before prayer so that they have the mental capacity to pray without foreign thoughts, or with attachment, and this is through psalms or Torah that they engage in first.

When a person himself makes efforts to awaken in prayer, he is called a male, representing the masculine waters. However, there are times when he is awakened from above, and he awakens by himself in weeping and the like, this is called a woman, representing the feminine waters, and then, God forbid, his prayer will be considered a sin.  The remedy for this is that the person should tremble, remembering that he did not awaken by himself, but needed to be awakened from above first, and he should weep for the initial weeping that came by itself. Then, the feminine waters will turn into masculine waters, and he will become a male, and may it be a merit.  

Excessive joy leads to sin and causes harm. Indeed, a person should always remember with bitterness having had sinned. Then, even when he rejoices, his joy will not be excessive, for he will rejoice with trembling; and, in this, he will not fear that the Satan will intervene in his joy.  A person’s mind should not become haughty because he was appointed as a head and judge, or because of the enjoyment of the heart and the haughtiness of the mind.

Regarding the law of the leper on the day of his cleansing. He has already been cleansed from his leprosy and arrogance, and he wants to humble himself. But he sees that the more he behaves with humility, the more arrogance enters him. The advised counsel is that he should take cedarwood and hyssop. He should appear on the outside like a cedar, like a king or a high official, and within him, he should be humble like a hyssop. The conclusion is that a righteous person ( אדם הישר) is he who makes form from material, and ascends from the level of female, which is the body, to the level of soul, which is the male. Unlike a common person called a body owner, who makes from form material, is called female.

The laws of leprosy and skin afflictions form into a remarkable theodicy of punishment and refinement. A person wants to behave in an upright and righteous way to be called “live flesh,” then he shall be unclean through leprosy, which is a term of punishment and suffering. If he sinned with slander or through arrogance, he is punished with leprosy called “swelling,” a term of arrogance and pride. If through associating with scoffers, he is punished with “scab.” If through abundance, he is punished with a “bright spot,” a term of great brightness. And one who speaks lashon hara (slander) has no remedy.  When he wants to attach himself to God, which is a higher level, the affliction called ‘sapachat‘ (scab) comes, a term of connection and attachment. When he wants to draw even closer to attain great clarity, he is judged again with the affliction called ‘baheret’ (bright spot). These are three levels, to merit nefesh, ruach, and neshamah, which come through suffering, as the body must be crushed to illuminate the soul. Afterwards, he merits to sanctify even his thoughts, which is great clarity, by meriting the neshamah, which is a higher connection, the unification of Chochmah and Binah, which is YHVH and Adonai

 About leprosy of garments and plague,  sometimes the work of the garment is corrupted to the distress of a person, and this is in the secret of smallness. The remedy is to make a redemption, or to give the old garment to the poor, or to give the value of the garment to charity, and may it be a merit to elevate the sparks of his soul. Sometimes a person loses in business; and sometimes he has pleasure and enjoyment. This is the secret of ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him’ (Proverbs 3:6), to unify and elevate the sparks of his soul, which are the sparks of the Shekhinah, the secret of feminine waters. The supernal union is the secret of ‘And Adam knew Eve’ (Genesis 4:25), the secret of ‘Know the God of your father and serve Him’ (1 Chronicles 28:9). About the plagues of garments, from the defects of a person’s sins. after washing and repenting, the priest, i.e. the Tzadik, sees and purifies him.

METZORA*

More on the purification of the leper –to bring in the bride and to make for her a throne, one must first remove the dead.  ‘They interrupt Torah study for the removal of the dead and the bringing in of the bride,’ etc., what is the connection between these? The explanation is that the main engagement in Torah is to make a throne for the Divine Presence, which is called the “bride.” Therefore, one must first repent to correct his deeds, to remove evil, which are the shells called “dead,” and this is the removal of the dead. The “leper” is ‘the one who brings out evil,’ who first needs to correct his deeds in repentance to remove evil, which are the shells he created through his sins. After his cleansing, then ‘the law of kindness is on his tongue,’

Advice to tzadikim who want to engage ordinary  Jews: go to the people and set bounds for them, etc. For one who wants to straighten the people to bring them close to God, he should not begin by teaching them external instructions like white garments and immersion and washing like the Pharisees. He should first begin with inner sanctity from the soul to the flesh, and afterwards with external matters –”sanctify them today and tomorrow,” to prepare their hearts with inner repentance, and afterwards ‘let them wash their clothes.’ Second, he should not wait until the people come to him to seek the way of God, but he should go to them to teach them – “go to the people and sanctify them.” The general rule is that a person must strip himself of the level and aspect of a person inwardly, and descend to the aspect of clothing outwardly, so that he will be on their level, then he can elevate them. This is what is meant by ‘Go to the people,’ meaning it is considered as going, that he descends from his level to the level of the people, who are of lesser value.

But why should the leper bring two birds for his purification? The two birds represent the correction of his own sins and the sins of others. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘He acted with chatter, therefore he should bring a chatter offering. The remedy for one who speaks lashon hara is to humble himself, which is ‘this’ a term of limitation. Another remedy is to engage in Torah. These two remedies, ‘this shall be the law,’ are for the leper who brings out evil, on the day of his cleansing specifically, when he purifies himself from his own sins, also the sins of others that were placed upon him are purified. If he is a Torah scholar, he should engage in Torah, and if he is an unlearned person, he should humble himself,’

About house impurities –the Merciful One does not strike souls first; first come house afflictions, then garments, and afterwards on his body. Therefore, it is considered kindness when God chastises the wicked immediately for their sins when it is clear to Him that they will not repent. The human person is a small world, and he has four elements as there are in the general world: inanimate, vegetative, living, speaking. Sometimes the sparks of his soul descend through the blemish of his sins into an inanimate thing, like a house –a person for his sins is afflicted through the sparks of his soul that are in the wood and stones and the material of the house’s surface, until the man in the house repents, and returns and elevates the sparks of his soul to their root from the inanimate to the level of living, speaking persons, and this is called repentance, returning to his source, for everything is sparks of the Shechinah in the secret of God’s kingdom that rules over everything The lights that went out and became plagues return to their place and attach to their source, and through this, the external forces have no power to draw when it is attached to its root, and it is the return of the light by the priest to its place in Zeir Anpin

Returning to the law of the leper, it is understood that through the afflictions of leprosy, the good is clarified and extracted. As for the evil remains, this is what is meant by “extracts the evil” (Arakhin 15b), that through extracting the good, the evil remains, and on the day of his purification the person will be brought to the priest, the return of the light to its root, which is the priest.

ACHAREI MOT*

On scholars and the wealthy being at peace with each other –or at war with each other.

The calamity suffered by Nadav and Avihu underscore the imperative of uniting 2 halves of the human person: [1] Netzah-spiritual-Torah-Wisdom-right-side and [2] Hod-physical-wealth-Binah-left-side. Each depend on the other. Peace, represented by  Pinchas, binds them together. Nadav and Avihu are compared to Ben Zomah who was among the 4 who entered Pardes and was the one who died. Their downfall from their level in the service of God, which is called “a priest,” which is Aaron, is because they were divided into two. But who needs more warning, the scholar or the wealthy to unite?  In a time for peace, which is the connection of Netzach and Hod two halves of the body, it is fitting to love and to receive from the wealthy because they support the Torah sage. But if the wealthy distances himself from the sage, it is forbidden to receive from him or to benefit from his possessions. The wealthy must draw close to the scholar. At a time of peace, then it is a time to love, but at a time of war when there is separation between the wise, who is called holy from the side of wisdom as known, and the wealthy. Only when there is an awakening of love first from the wealthy, which is on his left, then Aaron, who is the right, will come into the holy place inside, and the unity is completed. At death, Nadav and Avihu enter the realm of divine wisdom/pardes; they separate from body and die like Ben Azzai who died  because his soul clung in great love separated from the body. This is the opposite of Rabbi Akiva who recognized the limit of human intellect and did not break to ascend higher. Nadav and Avihu thought they were close before God, and therefore they died when they entered inside. In contrast, Rabbi Akiva’s greatness is greater than others, because the main purpose and perfection of man who was created in matter and form, is to subdue and make from matter form, and after he beautifies and sanctifies himself in particular, he sanctifies and beautifies others, the masses, who are the secondary matter to the faithful of Israel who are the form, and raises the lower level to the higher.

The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF offers a theory of vicarious suffering and vicarious repentance. The spiritual leader’s repentance for unintentional sin (his sin is never intentional) raises the entire people. The Tzadik suffers for the sake of others, to raise them with the connection of his repentance. He sins unintentionally, and afterwards when he repents, he connects with those levels in the aspect of his sin to raise them. And perhaps this is hinted at ‘from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat’ (Genesis 2:17),  The woman “she gave me,” and therefore it was without knowledge, because the place of forgetfulness is without knowledge, and then the man descended to her level, and it says ‘whom you gave to be with me.’ And from now on there is a remedy, ‘and I ate’ with knowledge, intending to raise the level that was without knowledge.

KEDOSHIM*

The very long commentary to this parshah represents the beating heart of Hasidic social ethics. The commentary to Kedoshim resolves the points of conflict outlined in Aharei Mot. How can the entire people be holy?  Torah is holiness and life in this world and world to come. There are different types of fear; divine judgment, justice, and also different kinds of kindness, and reincarnations. Why did God create the evil inclination/yetzer and what about suffering? How to rebuke, calling the people to awaken and repent and connect with God? How to exercise restraint in rebuking the people? The basic principle of Hasidic social ethics is not to separate from the community. Rebuke must proceed from a position of love as well as circumspection concerning the social precarity of the community.  Above all, do not separate from the spiritual leaders (soul) and do not separate from the people (body). “You shall love your fellow as yourself; I am the Lord.” The unity of Israel below  arouses the same above. Connecting with ordinary people, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF offers words on repentance, and words of comfort for both common Jews and Torah scholars to whom kingship is ascribed and who instruct sinners along the way.

Holiness as the way of Torah in the world starts with fear and spiritual desire, and most of all, an all-encompassing understanding about life. When the entire congregation of Israel is assembled to Moses, then his holiness will flow to them, so that they will all be in the category of holy. Like ‘A man shall fear his mother and father,’ which was a small matter for Moses and his generation, and understand. Torah is holiness/life in this world and world to come. Some desire life in this world, and some in the world to come, and some desire to cleave to God’s holiness. ‘Great is Torah, for it gives life,’ meaning according to the intention of those who practice it, as they desire life, so Torah gives them life, some life in this world, and some life in the world to come, and understand.  Why then did God create the evil yetzer? Because in the future, everything will be sanctified in God’s holiness. In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will slaughter the angel of death and the evil inclination and will remove the evil from the world. This-world in our own here and now is the world of falsehood marked by dominion of the evil inclination. However, in the future, when the evil inclination will be nullified, this-world will also be called the world of the Holy One, blessed be He.

In this gradated universe, there are two types of fear and mortification; one is called lower mother, as it says “and fear your God,” which is the Shechinah; and the second is called higher wisdom, father. And there are three levels. A man shall fear his mother first, then his father,” to ascend from one level to the level of internal fear. Then “my Sabbaths,” which are the Torah scholars called Sabbath of the whole year, as it says in the Zohar (Part III, 144b), and also the eve of Sabbath, the common people, prepare for the Sabbath, to support the Torah scholars called “Sabbath.” The conclusion from this is that there are three levels, the best of all is one who afflicts himself. The second level, one who listens to the advice of elders in Torah and rebuke and afflicts himself and repents, as it says “and honor the face of the old man.” The third level, one who is afflicted from outside, which is the fear of the government, as it says “and fear your God,” which is the fear of the government, as explained in the writings “Pray for the welfare of the government.”

In the face of fear and also suffering, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF upholds divine justice and kindness. But are the children themselves blemished? In the theodicy seen in the prism of Hasidic monism, all things come from God. Citing the book of Job, the wise person does not worry, because everything he has is a gift from God, and if God takes it, one should not worry about it, for “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away” (Job 1:21). God collects from a person as if it were a matter of that person’s own deeds, but truly everything belongs to God. When the hand of God touches a person, it should be received with joy, and then it is considered as if people themselves gave to God from their own. And with this, the commandment “You shall not commit injustice in judgment” is understood, meaning regarding the judgment from above, you should not show a sad face, as if an injustice and crooked judgment were done. God is your friend and fellow, and a person should always see that God’s judgment is righteous and a great kindness. Everything is God’s and God takes from God’s own, not from His children, because it does not belong to them.  Nevertheless, God attributes the deficiency and punishment to their blemish, as if the deficiency is theirs from their own.

As understood by the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF, the onus for the failure of people, particularly in his own generation, falls on the leaders of the generation. Is God not our Father and Creator? The Hasid sees the failure of the deeds of the generation, and attributes it to himself.  And the people of the world, when they see the failure of the deeds of the tzadikim and pious of the generation, they attribute it to themselves, and they give heart to repent. “In righteousness you shall judge your fellow” means that each should judge his fellow favorably, the leader of the generation should favorably judge the people of his generation, and the people of the generation should do likewise in relation to the leaders of the generation. This way, the common people of the generation will give heart to repent, and the leader of the generation will merit a higher level because of this. The main greatness is for Israel to lead them and teach them the true laws and justice. There is great musar for the leaders not to conduct themselves in ways that hinder repentance by being arrogant over the community and acting not for the sake of Heaven. Per above, all the greatness and wisdom of the Tzadik is not his own, but theirs, and with this, it is easier for him to lead them for the sake of Heaven, because thus they will also believe and say that the flow of their Torah wisdom and success is through the channel that is influenced by the leaders of the generation. About the people of wealth, credit is drawn for the wealthy people from others, not from their own merit, but from the leaders and wise men of the generation and this influence of wisdom and wealth is drawn to all the people of his generation. And similarly, the leaders of the generation should understand that this wisdom and greatness, i.e. wealth, is for the people of his generation. And this is certainly the straight path for everyone, both for the leaders of the generation and for the people of his generation.

The mitzvot are an integral factor in this social ethos, always with an eye towards reward, and also pleasure and also sin, be it minor and greater. A person should be careful with a minor commandment as with a major one, etc. God’s kindness is seen in the recompense of punishment, and everything is from God. Nevertheless, the main reward is according to the joy a person rejoices in the engagement of the commandment and Torah and prayer. There is no greater reward than this, from the pleasure a person has from the commandment itself and in doing it with joy, which is great even if there were no greater reward, although truly there is reward without end for a commandment done with joy. Again turning his attention to the wealthy men of his generation, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF teaches that a person should know to seek peace and wealth so that he has the opportunity to perform another commandment, and not for the hope of another reward, the World to Come and the like. A person should run to perform even a minor commandment, because the joy of the minor commandment will lead to the major commandment. And one should flee from sin even a minor one, lest it lead to a major one

Reflecting serious intra-religious tension in Jewish society, the Hasid goes beyond letter of law and gets mocked by ordinary Jews in the process. But even regarding a minor mitzvah, a Hasid should not let mockers deter him. A Tzadik will progress gradually, first turning away from evil and then doing good, and then entering the category of the tzadik, and then entering beyond the letter of the law to be upright. All this is in something that is beyond the letter of the law, but that which is a commandment from the Torah, be careful with a minor commandment, and do not refrain because of the mockers who will say, “See this one who seeks after a minor commandment, is he a Hasid?” You can answer them that you do not know the reward of the commandments. And consider the loss of a commandment that you leave because of the mockers, against the reward you will gain from them by performing the commandment. Therefore, do not heed them, and be careful and perform for the sake of their Performer, and then you will succeed.

How to resolve this social conflict? The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF now teaches regarding the punishment or suffering of the righteous, that it is because of the sins of the generation. If people murmur against a Tzadik  that a bad event happened to him, know that it is because of the sin of the generation. God does not judge without justice even in the punishment of the righteous. And you might say, there is reason to suspect the tzadik that his inside is not like his outside. But, in fact,  he is punished for the sin of the generation. And similarly, the Tzadik shall judge the generation in righteousness that they are punished for him. And then and only then, they should join together to repent as one, which is the union of body and soul. “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” This famous dictum by Hillel tells us how the spiritual leaders should conduct themselves with the people of their generation. And also a moral lesson for the people of the generation on how they should conduct themselves with their leaders.

In this  monistic universe, ultimately, all is one. But the spiritual leaders or Tzadikim are at the top of this social hierarchy, and they assume full responsibility for self-correction in the work of social-spiritual repair or tikkun. Indeed, since the whole world is a complete structure, one entity, the secret of world, year, soul, exists in both an individual person and in the collective body of the people. Just as there is in an individual person material and form, so it is in the collective city or country. The leaders are the form and soul of the people of the generation, and the people of the generation are the material of the form. According to the merit and clarity of the soul, so is the merit of the body, that if the soul is impure, the body is more impure, and vice versa. If one wants to repair the collective, a spiritual leader must first correct the individual by repairing himself to make his own material into spiritual form, and then they will be aroused in him. When one rebukes the many and does not include himself in his rebuke, it does not make an impression on them. The Tzadik is a small world, and with the arousal from below, it will be aroused above, and it will influence below to the level of this person who intends this, and receives from its influence, etc. This repair and repentance are not too difficult because this commandment, repentance and prayer with kavvanah (intention) and unifications, is not a thing separated and distant from you, but is in you yourself. In a monistic universe, it is not in heaven, meaning that you should intend the intention above in heaven as if it is not in you, as if it is a thing separated from you, this is not so, but in your mouth and in your heart to do it, when you do the unification in your mouth and in your heart, in you yourself, to do it, then it will be aroused and done immediately above.

On the responsibility carried by the Tzadik or spiritual leader, everything that exists in the upper world exists in the year and in the soul of a person. Again turning to Hiilel’s saying, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?” means when I am not myself corrected first to transform (להפך) from material to form, to transform and make “nothing” from “I,” and this is what it means “for me,” meaning myself first, if so, “who will be for me?” Meaning, if so, who from others will be for me to approach me and transform to my level, after I have not corrected the matter first for me, meaning within me, to make from my material form myself within me in my body and soul, all the more so it is impossible to correct others. Therefore, one must correct oneself first, and then others.

The failure of spiritual leaders to lead the community is because they separate from the public, which they alienate, acting only for themselves. But if a Tzadik repaired himself and repented for his known sins while the people of his generation do not repent and stand by themselves as if they are separated from him, it is either because he did not correct himself first or he is not with the people of his generation. If a person merits through his good deeds, his sparks that belong to him in his birth are united and arranged for him to correct them, and this is called the secret of the first union, and it becomes a help for him, assisting him in cleaving to the Holy One. If he does not merit, then it is against him, and other sparks are arranged for him in his food and, God forbid, cause him to sin. Similarly, with his wife who is bad, and the people of his generation who are rebellious and bitter against him, in the secret of the second union, they are against him. In correcting his deeds, then just as it is a mitzvah to divorce a bad wife and seek a proper union, so he should leave this city. And there is another aspect, that he may have corrected his deeds, and does not need to return and repent again, and yet it is impossible to bring the people of his generation to righteousness, because he did not do his repentance with knowledge and understanding. Now, when he adorns himself, he must also include the people of his generation with him, and then it will be easy for him to correct them and bring them to righteousness. And this is what Hillel said, “And when I am for myself.” Therefore, “if not now, when,” meaning immediately when adorning himself, he should also intend to include all his sparks, which are all the people of his generation.

[But the collective should not separate from the spiritual leaders or think to judge them, but the speiritual leaders should not be strict with the people. The damage of separating is as great for them as is the separation of the body from the soul, etc. And if the people say that they separate from the Tzadik because his ways and deeds are not upright in their eyes, therefore the Torah teaches “Do not judge your fellow until you reach his place.” If the people were at his level to do all his good deeds, then they could judge him this way or that way; but since they are not at his level and place, which is the aspect of the soul and they are the aspect of the body and material, and the material cannot judge the soul for merit or guilt. And if the people separate from the Tzadik not in the aspect of despising him, but because the Tzadik warns about things that a person cannot stand in, because the Torah was only given to those who eat manna, which is not the case for a person burdened with providing for his wife and children, and has the burden of taxes and levies. For this, Hillel turned his face back to the leaders of the generation to hold the way of the righteous gradually, and to straighten the people gradually, which is not the case if he is strict with them. And this is what he said, “Do not say a thing that cannot be heard,” only gradually, and then in the end it will be heard.

At the high level of the Tzadik, we understand that a person’s prayers should be only for the benefit of the Shechinah. Again, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF returns to the elegance of Hillel’s phrasing: “If I am not for myself, who is for me, etc.” If “I” am not for “me” – meaning if the prayer, which is called “I” is not for me, meaning for my own benefit, but rather as if it is the divine presence that is pleading and praying from the Holy One, blessed be He – that is, the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the divine presence – then “Who” is for me. For there is a trait that is called “Who,” which is Binah, which is called the living God, and that is the life of the King, from which there is life. However, when “I” is for “myself” – meaning when the prayer is for oneself, which is the lower level mentioned above, for one’s own benefit, what am I, etc. Therefore, a person at this level should be fearful and anxious for himself, and then he will be elevated. And this is what was said: “And if not now, when?” The Tzadikim are the soul and form of the whole world, and the wicked, who are the matter and body of the whole world, the Tzadikim must strive all their days to bring them under the wings of the divine presence, which is the main purpose of everything.

In world of gilgulim or reincarnation Tzadikim descend from their own high level to bring the wicked to life back from death; and they will sometimes suffer for it. If you see the tzadikim who are born to die, meaning they have descended from their level, which is called death, it is a reason to bring the dead to life, so that they have a connection with the wicked who are called dead in their lifetime, to bring them to life and bring them under the wings of the divine presence, like the parable of bringing the king’s son out of physical impurity through a village boy, understand this. The sufferings come to the righteous from others to protect the generation. Do not question the sufferings of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked, for “the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed” (1 Samuel 2:3). Rabbi Alshich explained “For the Holy One, blessed be He, created him in the fortune suitable for him to rectify what he sinned in the previous gilgul (incarnation). If he sinned from abundance, he will come in the second gilgul in the fortune of poverty, lacking everything. And the opposite, if he was initially upright and did not have the means to be gracious to the poor, he will come in the second gilgul in the fortune of wealth. Therefore, even though everything depends on fortune, nevertheless, the main thing is according to the deeds of the person. God punishes a person for his deeds in the first gilgul; And sometimes the Holy One, blessed be He, does this not as a punishment owed from before, but for his benefit in the future.

In this social-spiritual chain, sages are the main and musical life-force in the world, the dwelling place of the soul in a person, the protectors of the people against the evil inclination. The rest of the masses are the other limbs of the person which the sages seek to awaken by shofar and trumpets and elevate the simple to a higher level. The shofar is a musical instrument arousing weeping, sorrow, and fear. The opposite is the trumpet, whose purpose is to arouse joy. But on Rosh Hashanah, fear should be more than love, unlike on Shabbat and Yom Tov, where love should be more than fear. And this relates to a person, who is a small world. There are two types of trumpets, hinting at two types of joy. One, is the joy of the completely righteous, who are masters of accounting day by day to repent and repair what they spoiled on that day. The other group go all year in the stubbornness of their hearts, and when the Day of Judgment and awe comes, they tremble at the coming of the King of Judgment. The leader of the generation, a righteous foundation of the world, knows how to stand against the enemy that always oppresses us. His weapons are his students who learn the tactics of war and serve him, or other righteous people in the generation who join him. Through their combined prayers, they shoot arrows and catapults at the serpent, as is known. But the enemy will steal the weapons of the righteous. Reflecting on the death of Rabbi Leib (Postner) [Pistner] who protected thousands of Israel in his own generation, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF laments that now we have no one to rely on. In this call to spiritual arms, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF calls upon the people to out to this war and awaken from the slumber of sleep our pure hearts, sharing in the sorrow of the downtrodden and the distressed, crying out bitterly like a woman in labor. The sound of our repentance will rise with the sound of the shofar to awaken the supreme man from his sleep, to draw kindness and mercy from the ever-watchful eyes. In this, the rebuke of the leader on Rosh Hashana opens divine channels, flowing and connecting, even if he hides himself all year

Now the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF gets to the heart of rebuke and rebukers, of which there are 3 types: gold, silver, and copper. Copper corresponds to the fiery serpents; these are rebukers who arouse judgment upon the people of the world. Silver is all mercy aroused in rebuke. The intermediate aspect of rebuke is gold, i.e. pleasant words to arouse the hearts of Israel to return in repentance, causing the flow to continue, and all the Sefirot receive from each other, and the angels below receive from each other, etc. What causes this? Israel, when they receive from each other, whether in Torah or in wealth, cause the upper ones to receive from each other and to flow from one to another.” Similarly, on Rosh Hashanah, through his influence in Torah and rebuke to the masses of simple people, he is called a simple ram, which elevates the simple to a higher level,  He should open his mouth with wisdom and rebuke in the intermediate way called gold. And this is what was said: “plated,” that he should not hide himself but be plated, externally, to influence them and cause an abundance above.

About rebuke, one must be very careful because it leads to lashon ha’ra. “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people, etc.” Silence and subtle hinting is therefore the best way of rebuke, for God is in heaven, and you are on earth; therefore, let your words be few. The rebuker at the gate should not open his mouth and tongue to bring out the guilt of each person individually, but to choose hidden rebuke to say in hints. By saying open words below of reproach against Israel, perhaps, there will be a place for the attribute of judgment called God to accuse Israel above. Hosea, Isaiah, and Elijah were for that reason  punished in their reproach about Israel. Hints, however, leave no place for the attribute of judgment to grasp Israel, and each person who sees his own affliction and knows the bitterness of his soul feels even in hints, like a scalpel in living flesh. Rabbi Akiva said, “I wonder if there is anyone in this generation who can rebuke, etc.” The rebuker should correct himself first, and all aspects of his generation included in him will be corrected. Even when the rebuke comes from the heart, it is still appropriate to be careful not to speak reproach about Israel to guard against one’s own arrogance lets the rebuker justify himself and condemn the people. “In righteousness, you shall judge your fellow,” “You shall not hate your brother in your heart,” for he is your brother. More to the point is that even if he has a sin that is worthy of hatred, nevertheless, this defect is also in you, for the people of Israel are one complete structure, and the hatred is due to the two hearts within you, which are the evil inclination and the good inclination within you.  Even if the words are true, rebuke destroys the world, arousing strifebetween Israel and their Father in heaven. Additionally, he might be included among those who shame their fellow in public, as it is said, “You shall not bear sin because of him,” as mentioned above. Therefore, his silence is better than his speech. Therefore, only speak righteousness,  out of love for the Holy One, and love for Israel, even though they do not act properly. There is a time for rebuke-musar and a time to refrain. This was how the ancient generations behaved in the days of the sages of the Talmud, who established the matter as an obligation to hear musar. In the time of the Tur, when “wisdom and musar are despised by fools,”  the sages did not establish an obligation to rebuke.

Humility is the key with which spiritual leaders connect with persons, awakening the hearts of the people to remove leaven/klippot/evil before Passover during this period of exile. Because slander or lashon ha’ra about Israel exposes the High Priest to contracting leprosy. God forbid, he causes to bring out evil from his mouth about Israel. Instead, the High Priest removes garments when going out to rebuke Israel to remove his own arrogance. For his part, the humility of Moses reflects the exile of da’at and speech in Egypt. Until the coming of the Messiah, this exile exists in every generation, the war of the Lord against Amalek from generation to generation. In this state, make yourself mute, except in Torah, but, even then, don’t be arrogant. Consider every person as your teacher, connect with every person, “acquire for yourself a friend,” and then you can judge every person favorably. A spiritual leader should be humble like Sinai. “Make for yourself a teacher,” connect with many people. A long discourse follows on “da’at” and the exile of da’at in exile, and humility and kindness and the expansion of da’at at redemption, all of it against arrogance. For through arrogance, the aleph is removed from Adam (man), and only Dam (blood) remains.

The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF returns to the mitzvah of rebuke as this relates to scoffers, in particular, and subtefuge. “You shall surely rebuke your fellow and not bear sin because of him” (Leviticus 19:17). But Moses, in fact, choose hidden rebuke and concealed it in hints, lest the people reject rebuke.  How then to rebuke scoffers and wicked people? One way is to garb the rebuke in wine and milk. Citing Proverbs, one should not, rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you.  Do not reject him entirely, but give the scoffer wine and milk, meaning to dress the rebuke in verses of the Torah, so they will be sweet to his palate like wine and milk, just as bitter medicines are given to patients within wine and milk. The other way to rebuke the scoffer is to speak openly. But, unlike our own people in this generation, in the days of Moses there were righteous people, the women was pure, and there were holy waters, and she received rebuke with a pleasant countenance. Moses did not fear that the people  would complain. Unlike Isaiah, who was in the days of destruction when adulterers increased, and he wanted to say harsh and bitter words, fearing they would complain – each one would say he intended it for him.

On ineffective vs. gentle rebuke and comfort. Even though our Sages of blessed memory (Bava Metzia 31a) expounded: ‘even a hundred times,’ yet if one needs to rebuke him a hundred times, it implies he was not [effective] ninety-nine times. And this is against the words of our Sages of blessed memory (Yevamot 65b) who said: ‘Just as it is a mitzvah to say something that will be heard, so it is a mitzvah not to say something that will not be heard.’ “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for. Instead, on Rosh Ha’shanah, the leaders go out for themselves, so they will not be caught in the sin of the public. Afterward, on Yom Kippur, everyone goes out, even the two groups that were forgiven go out to appease the king, not for themselves, but for the entire community. And with this, it is explained: “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God.” Also, “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,” which are the masses. “Prepare the way of the Lord,” to instruct sinners in the way of repentance, which is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He. If it is impossible to make a paved way for the many, nevertheless, it is appropriate to make a straight path for the unique individuals, a small way, for our God

As for this generation, the people are drunk and the Torah scholars are tipsy, everyone in Exile, storm-tossed, and not comforted.  Against orthopraxy, it is understood that prayer today is due to the fixed law; people honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from Him. A person or community will stand to pray before God  while only thinking foolish thoughts about business or physical matters. There are two types of people in this bitter exile, one is called tipsy and one is called drunk. The first type refer to the masses who are drunk from the exile due to the burden of taxes and levies and the like. The second type are the Torah scholars who are exempt from taxes as stated in the Talmud Bava Batra (8a) and in the poskim, who are free, only they cannot focus on the intentions and secrets of prayer. There are 24 things that impede repentance, among which the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF counts five things. First, one who separates from the community; when they repent, he will not be with them. Second, one who disputes the words of the sages; his disputes cause him to separate from them. Third, one who mocks the commandments; since the mitzvot are despised in his eyes, he does not pursue them. Fourth, one who disgraces his teachers. Fifth, one who hates rebuke, because rebuke causes repentance, One who separates from the public, it must be because he thinks they are the sinners and he is righteous and upright, for the way of a fool is right in his own eyes. But how is it possible to say that the entire public, who are a nation, are sinners, that they are all sinners and he himself is righteous, that he separates from the public who are a whole nation.

The last word of this long comment to the parsha: If a person thinks that he is cleaving to God that he is in the presence of the Divine, then that person is far from God. But if a person thinks they are far from God, then they are close. One should cleave to Torah scholars and not be wise in one’s own eyes, thinking he is perfect.

EMOR*

More on rebuke, picking up from the previous parsha. “Speak to the priests,” meaning advice for the Tzadik or leader of the generation who seeks to bring musar and rebuke to the people of the city —this is the running theme throughout the long commentary to this parsha.

It begins with an excursus on a line from the Song of Songs,  the time to love has come. I said perhaps because I am not mingling with people but I am separated from them, therefore I am not loved in their eyes, therefore I said I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares to mingle with them, nevertheless they flee from me. Indeed, the foolish wear themselves out for sustenance in this world and become poor in world to come.  The sages desire to bring musar, wisdom and rebuke to the people of the city. The leaders of the generation are commanded to rebuke plainly the people of their generation. Only he should measure his words with judgment. In a generation that is not righteous, Tzadikim pursue the wicked and subdue them under holiness, but to no avail.

There are two types  of tzadikim, those who ignore and those who walk in the counsel of the wicked. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF warns the Tzadikim about the temptation of the evil inclination to go in the path of sinners for the sake of Heaven. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF also warns the people not to cause the master to defile himself among his people by forcing him to sit with sinners and scoffers, especially on Shabbat and holidays, who converse at the gates. Distinguished people of the city or other faithful of Israel walk innocently to the synagogue or study hall to hear the teachings of the sage on Shabbat and holidays. But as they pass by these people sitting in the corners, they think that if they do not sit with them for a little while, they will speak derogatory words about them. Therefore, they sit with them for a little while and then go their way. But the true purpose of the creation of the human person in this world is to prepare for the world to come. In everything one does, even physical, a person should aim to unify the four letters of Havayah, for all eating and drinking, and the work of man from the thirty-nine labors, and other dealings, all are to clarify his sparks that came with him from the day of his birth. The merit of a proper person is not always in one level, for a person is always ascending and descending.

 Moses is the exemplar of a leader ascribing greatness to God and bringing the people to teshuvah. In his light, a true spiritual leader should be a hero standing in the breach and not be ashamed and draw the people close with persuasive words, so there would be unity.  The mention of Moses brings the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF back to consider the hardening of Pharoah’s heart and the problem of free will. The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF’s argument is that the divine knowledge about a matter does not compel human choice and action regarding that matter. The opposite is the case. A person’s choice in one’s actions arouses the same reflection above. If a person chooses the good path, they arouse above the good path, which is the right path, whereas one who chooses evil arouses above the left or evil path. Before a person awakens, there is unity above. Only when a person in one’s actions actualizes a certain path, then either the left or right path will prevail above.

This being the so, the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF warns about the Tzadik who descends and garbs in bad middot in order to redeem the wicked who will not listen to him. For this disgrace of the scholar in his bad attributes is for the benefit of this, to connect with others and bring them back to the king, but if he disgraces himself and does not connect with them, then there is no remedy. The evil inclination cleverly comes in the attributes of the good inclination, saying it is performing a mitzvah. In this, there are two types of people. One fights against the evil inclination, while the other serves God with the evil inclination and who, by making the evil inclination, which causes “all” (negative), into the good inclination, it becomes “king.”  There is an advantage of light over darkness, which becomes a throne for the one, and even the evening becomes morning. God gave us the Torah, and whoever does all that is written in it merits the world to come, and He promised us in the Torah that if we do it with joy, etc., God will remove from us all things that prevent us from doing it, like illness, war, hunger, etc., so that we will be free to learn and merit the world to come. And if we abandon the Torah knowingly and engage in the vanities of time, as it is written, then God will remove from us all the good things, etc., so that we will perish in our wickedness from this world and the world to come,”

The TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF is now prepared to enter into the world to come and leave behind the material world.

BEHAR*

The world to come, i.e. the otherworldly and anti-mateiralist orientation of the TOLDOT YA’AKOV YOSEF is especially pronounced in this next-to-the final parsha of Leviticus, a biblical book the central focus of which is purity.  The Tzadik-priest takes his distance from the material world and its people. First comes “Six years you shall sow your field”—which is external, learning not for its own sake, the outer Torah of halakhah and pilpul, the “Torah of Man”. And afterward: “And you shall gather its produce”—to bring it inside, from outside to inside, through learning in the seventh year for its own sake, the “Torah of the Lord,” “a Sabbath to the Lord,” the world to come. “For your seed shall be a stranger” (Genesis 15:13)—this is not a punishment, but a promise. One should not concern oneself with the labor of the land, the physical occupation with matters of this world. One should not make this world one’s permanent dwelling, but rather the World to Come.

At the elevation of this level, the composite constitution of the human person disaggregates. Mount Sinai is the aspect of a person composed of body and soul, which are two opposites. For the body, which is from the side of the kelipah, desires and craves wealth, honor, and pride — which is the aspect of “mountain”; and the soul, which is from the side of holiness, desires and craves holy matters — which is the aspect of “Sinai.”  Those involved in the physical will support the Tzadikim with physical sustenance, and those involved in the spiritual will support the am ha’aretz with spiritual sustenance, Torah combines the physical and the spiritual or form only in order to transform the one into the other. The penultimate purpose of everything is to live by Torah, not die, like what happened to Ben Azzai who looked and died in the Pardes or orchard. But there is no ultimate purification until death when body and soul separate and the soul ascends to God, which is the goal. So too at the Revelation at Sinai, their bodies were refined, and their contamination ceased. But with the sin of the Golden Calf, their contamination returned. And it is impossible to purify again except after the separation of body and soul—except for those rare individuals. And now, when body and soul finally separate, the body ceases to function, act, and desire.

At this level, one enters into the hidden treasure of the good hidden in the thickness of a wall. “Coming into the land” refers to the good deeds that cause unification above, raising the feminine waters to their source. A person prepares himself to receive nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. To receive nefesh, one must prepare through practical commandments; to receive ruach, through speech in Torah; and to receive neshamah, which is the foundation called Yosef, one gathers all the kindnesses and strengths to Kingship, which is the Sabbath day.  There is this difference between the side of holiness and the side of impurity: holiness is from mercy and desires the preservation of all, to grasp both this and that in order to draw it close to holiness. But the side of impurity is cruel and desires the destruction of all.  The good lies hidden within the thickness of the wall and the barrier, which are the shells. These are iron partitions between each person and the good treasure, the darkness and night that precede the light of the good day. One digs through the wall by repentance each day. Then one enters the good, the hidden treasure, after one has cleared the thorns from the vineyard. Finally, on the seventh day, which is called: ‘A good gift I have in My treasure house, and its name is Shabbat’—which is the hidden good—then a person can enter by the ladder they built each day from the six weekdays into the seventh Sabbath, which will be a Sabbath, a gift from God guarded from the outside.

Shabbat represents the turn away from material existence and the needs of the body. The spiritual elite represented by the priests guard the place of spiritual delight and boundless heritage. A priest removes the darkness each day by secluding for one hour, and then he can enter the hidden good of each day, which draws from the treasure of light of the Sabbath day. The Tzadikim, who are alive, possess the trait of contentment. They do not waste time chasing after the needs of the house and body, but only for the needs of the soul and spirit, which dwell in the heart, the opposite of blood, which dwells in the liver, which is the material of excessive desires. For its part, the needs of the body, which are the ‘yeteret hakaved’ (the liver’s lobe), cannot be fulfilled, but the needs of the spirit and soul, which dwell in the heart, can be fulfilled. There are those of the body who desire bodily pleasures, and there are those of the soul who pursue spiritual pleasures, The people of matter are obstructed from before and behind—by the leaven in the dough and the subjugation to kingdoms. And only a few elevated individuals remain—those of soul—upon whom the world stands, and they are able to give thanks.

On extinguishing the flame of physical pleasure and connecting instead to the Torah scholars, who are the men of form. This is  the Sabbath law regarding extinguishing a lamp. For it is known that matter and form are opposites, that when one rises, the other falls. Bodily delight is pain to the soul, and the soul’s delight is pain to the body. Except on Shabbat, when one is commanded to eat and drink—through bodily delight, the soul can cleave to the Blessed One in spiritual delight.  But when one becomes accustomed and habituated to bodily pleasures constantly, it becomes nature for him, and he has no pleasure. And this is called death, the opposite of pleasure. This being so, it is better to extinguish the candle and bodily pleasure, which is flesh and blood, even at its beginning when he has physical pleasure before he is habituated to it. But as long as there is rebuke in the world, there is blessing in the world,” since they are face to face with the judges and Torah scholars, they cause a supernal union face to face, and abundance and blessing descend. One should therefore cleave to Torah scholars instead of making Shabbat a physical delight for oneself. “Borrow on Me”—that you cleave and connect to Torah scholars, and through this he is connected to Me. “Then you shall delight in the Lord,” etc.

Repentance is the purification of thought which is self-sanctification. According to the laws of Schmittah, the Land resting on Shabbat is a symbol of repentance and purification of thought, separating Shechinah from the shells and resting, finally, within the person, body and soul. The repentance of the righteous, who is called “man,” is when he sees that he has no cleaving to the Blessed One, to attach his thought to the light of the Ein Sof. First one must repent to remove the husks of foreign thoughts, which is the funeral procession, and afterward engage in Torah, which will be a throne for the resting of the Shechinah, which is called the bride. In the world to come, “The righteous sit with their crowns on their heads.” For this, one must be careful to purify his thought always, so that the Shechinah may be crowned upon their heads. And through this, a person is sanctified, joining physical action with thought, to become a chariot for the Shechinah in body and soul, like at the revelation at Mount Sinai.

In his return to the actual world, the Tzadik descends into the material world to connect with and raise those of lower stature, but only those who desire to connect with him. One who does not wish to connect with him certainly will not ascend with him. “And if your brother becomes impoverished”—he is your brother in poverty of Torah knowledge. The righteous has descended from his level for the purpose that you may ascend with him. But if you speak ill of him and imagine yourself to be like him, that you are equal in every way, and you do not believe that the descent of the righteous is sometimes for this reason—certainly you will not ascend with him in his ascent. “Whether a stranger or a resident”—whether he has now become righteous and is ascending to lofty levels, or a resident who was already righteous and has now descended for the above reason—you should understand and believe that it is for your benefit, as explained above. And “he shall live with you”—when he returns to his level and becomes a tzadik, who is called “alive,” he will be with you, since you already supported him.

BE’HUKKATAI*

 “Walk in My statutes.” How can the reward for mitzvot and punishment be in the World to Come, while here it mentions reward in this world?  The ultimate purpose here is the self-nullification of one’s own will before the will  of God.. Back in the actual world, the person sanctifies himself in the physical—meaning, eating—not only with the intention of eating to clarify the seven kings, etc., and also with the intention to do kindness with his soul, the guest. “Walk in My statutes, peace in the land, etc.” “Walking” refers to engagement in physical matters, “coming” refers to reward in world to come. The creation of the world is not a purposeless act of the Creator by virtue of the tzadik who is the purpose of creation, which subject to death would otherwise be without purpose. But this is not reward in this world, but rather, through the actions of those below, they cause unification above, and their reward is in the World to Come. Even when he is among his people, the masses, which is called “the way,” the opposite of the “path” of the righteous. Nullify your will—plowing and sowing—for His will, to engage in wisdom for the sake of Heaven. And the mighty and the rich should also not use their strength or wealth for their own will, but for His will. The tzadik raises the female waters back to their source and to draw down masculine waters into the world. Sanctification of the physical deed and knowing God. Wisdom and Torah, might, and wealth should only be for God, not for the sake of a person to glory in. God is good and upright. When you awaken peace and love toward your fellow, then your fellow—who is your enemy—will be transformed from l’cherev (to the sword) to l’chaver (to a friend). When those below are worthy of mercy, then the Holy One, blessed be He, acts with goodness and uprightness When those below are not worthy, then He turns His face away from them in anger, judgment and constriction, from the aspect of the Divine Name Elokim. But when they return and turn their faces toward the Blessed One, to walk in the good and upright way, then He too bestows upon them direct light, which is mercy.  “If you walk in My statutes”—that they turn toward the Blessed One face to face—then “I will give peace in the land,” that the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause His Shechinah to dwell in the land, and there will be peace between the Holy One and Israel who are in the land. When one is engaged in worldly matters, the Torah should still not depart from his mouth. “And the land shall yield its produce” refers to the masses, the barren trees, that they will give fruit and be aroused for good. “In His world” refers to the future, when the evil inclination will become a holy angel. The ultimate reality is “peace in the land,” i.e. in the future, when matter and form are not opposites, but the one is subjugated to the latter. In the physical world, where there is fear, there is no joy, and where there is joy, there is no fear. But in the service of the Blessed One, it is possible to find joy in a place of fear, in a place of joy, there should be trembling. The union of Malkhut (sovereignty) with her Beloved, or her descent, depends on the merit of the deeds of those below. For the Shechinah, which was in a lowly state, is now elevated to a higher state