9. Furthermore, they said: Every time that the righteous depart this world, there is likewise annulled from this world all the harsh decrees, and the death of the righteous brings forgiveness for the sins of the generation. Therefore, we read the portion dealing with the sons of Aaron on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) to bring forgiveness for the sins of Yisrael. The Holy One, blessed be He, says, 'Contemplate the death of these pious ones, and it will be accredited for you, as if you offered sacrifice this day to attain forgiveness.' We have learned that as long as Yisrael will be in exile and neither be able to offer offerings on this day nor will they be able to offer the two goats, they will at least have the memory of the two sons of Aaron. Thus, it will serve as atonement for them.

28. We have learned that Rabbi Yosi said: It was established to read this chapter OF THE SONS OF AARON on this day of Yom Kippur, in order to bring atonement for Yisrael in exile WHO ARE UNABLE TO OFFER SACRIFICES. For this reason the order OF SACRIFICES for this day, YOM KIPPUR, was established here IN THE PORTION ABOUT THE SONS OF AARON, AND RECITING IT COMES IN PLACE OF SACRIFICE. FURTHERMORE, the deaths of the sons of Aaron atone for Yisrael.

61. As they were walking, he said, "I am black, but comely, O daughters of Jerusalem..." (Shir Hashirim 1:5). The Congregation of Yisrael said before the Holy One, blessed be He: I may be black in exile but I am comely with the commandments of the Torah. Even though Yisrael are in exile, they do not forsake THE PRECEPTS. "Like the tents of Kedar" (Ibid.), MEANING EVEN THOUGH I AM like the children of Keturah, whose faces are always black, still I am like "the curtains of Solomon" (Ibid.), MEANING like the view of heaven for purity, as it is written, "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" (Tehilim 104:2). SOLOMON (HEB. SHLOMO) IS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, THE KING OF PEACE (HEB. SHALOM).

178. No joy enters before Him, and the service is not performed before Him above until Yisrael perform below. As long as they are found below in the service of their Master, so it is above. But when Yisrael stop the service below, it stops above also, so no service is performed above or below. Since Yisrael voided the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, when they dwelt in the land of Yisrael it was likewise so above, and certainly later IN EXILE.

182. "And there shall be no man in the Tent of Meeting." Rabbi Yitzchak said, "Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac..." (Vayikra 26:42). This verse has been explained. Come and see: When Yisrael are in exile, it is as if the Holy One, blessed be He, is with them in exile, as the Shechinah never forsakes them. When Yisrael were in exile in Babylon, the Shechinah resided among them and returned with them from exile. In the merits of these righteous people who remained in the land, She resided in the land and never left them. Rabbi Yehuda said: Then the Queen returned to the King and all returned TO BE IN the banquet of joy of the king. For this, they are called the men of the Great Assembly. The Great Assembly surely, AS MALCHUT CALLED ASSEMBLY RETURNED FROM ITS DIMINISHED STATUS DURING THE EXILE TO REGAIN HER PROMINENCE.

183. We have learned that whenever Yisrael are in exile and are found worthy, the Holy One, blessed be He, hastens His mercy for them and draws them out from exile. If they are not found worthy, He keeps them in exile until the time He originally decreed. If that time arrives yet they are not worthy OF REDEMPTION, the Holy One, blessed be He, is mindful of the glory of His Name, and does not forget them in exile. This is the meaning of the verse, "Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob..." (Vayikra 26:42). For they are everyone's Patriarchs, REFERRING TO CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, the secret of the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, AS HE IS MINDFUL OF THE GLORY OF HIS NAME.

204. Another explanation for, "With my soul have I desired You in the night..." The Congregation of Yisrael said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "With my soul have I desired You in the night," MEANING so long as I find myself in exile among other nations and withhold my soul from all evil that is connected with the nations. "With my soul have I desired You" in order to return to my place. "With my spirit within me I seek You," meaning even though they subject my children to every kind of oppression, the Holy Spirit does not depart from them in order that they should seek You and perform Your commandments.

275. Rabbi Elazar said: Regarding that which the friends have said, it is forbidden to exile a Torah scroll even to be taken from one synagogue to another and certainly into the street. If so, why DO WE TAKE IT OUT into the street? Rabbi Yehuda replied: So it will awaken them to seek mercy for the world. Rabbi Aba said that when the Shechinah went into exile, it also moved from place to place until She said, "Oh, that I were in the wilderness, in a lodging place of wayfaring men..." (Yirmeyah 9:1). Here too, at first the Torah is exiled from one synagogue to another and later into the street. Afterwards it is "in the wilderness, in a lodging place of wayfaring men." Rabbi Yehuda said: The Babylonians are reverent and do not pass the Torah scroll even from synagogue to synagogue and certainly not there, INTO THE STREET.

285. (A) "And she said, Will you give me a pledge, till you send it?" (Beresheet 38:17) These are the marks of a Queen blessed by the King during her nuptials. And he said: What pledge shall I give you? And she said: Your signet, and your cord, and your staff (Ibid. 18). These are the heavenly bonds, the jewels of the Bride who is blessed by these three - NAMELY Netzach, Hod and Yesod. Everything is contained within these three. The Bride is blessed from this. Immediately, "he gave it her, and came into her, and she conceived by him" (Ibid.).

(B) "And it came to pass about three months after" (Ibid. 24). HE QUESTIONS: What is meant by three months? HE ANSWERS: After a tripled month. The three months ARE CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET, as we have established. HERE IT IS WRITTEN, "About three months," MEANING as the fourth month began, DENOTING MALCHUT, to stir up the Judgments in the world due to the sins of mankind and to nurture from the Other Side. Then, "it was told Judah, saying, Tamar your daughter in law has played the harlot" (Ibid.), so the bride is found on the Other Side. It is written, "Bring her out" (Ibid.) as the verse says, "And cast down from heaven (to) earth the beauty of Yisrael" (Eichah 2:1). "And let her be burnt" (Beresheet 38:24) with a flaming fire in exile.

(C) It is written, "When she was brought forth" to be drawn into the exile, "She sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man whose these are, I AM WITH CHILD" (Ibid. 25). It is not written: 'from whom these are,' but "whose these are," WHICH MEANS these items are proof of him by whom I am with child. THESE WERE BRIDAL ORNAMENTS AND THEY HAD ALREADY BECOME HERS, AS EARLIER MENTIONED, BUT ONLY HE GAVE THEM. Immediately, "And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She has been more righteous (Heb. tzedakah) than I" (Ibid. 26). Assuredly she is righteous, for this was brought about by that name, FOR SO IS MALCHUT CALLED. What brought upon her this name? He continued, "than I (also: 'from me')," as it is written, "For Hashem is righteous, He loves righteousness (Heb. tzedakah); the upright shall behold His face" (Tehilim 11:7). This is because tzedakah is justice (Heb. tzedek) and Hei, and she received that name from me. She inherited IT from me and all this is come from me.

337. This verse is such, "Your father's wife" we have learned. As long as the Queen is with the King and she nurtures you, FROM HER ABUNDANCE, she is called your mother. Now, IN EXILE, she has been exiled with you and is far from the King, so she is called "your father's wife." She is the wife of the Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, as she was never set free with a divorce. She is surely His wife, as it is written, "Thus says Hashem, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, with which I have put her away?" (Yeshayah 50:1). Surely she is the wife of the King even though she was exiled.

338. Therefore, He commanded about her twice, once when she sits united with the King and is called "your mother," as it is written, "The nakedness of your mother, shall you not uncover," MEANING do not cause them to separate from each other, or her to be sent away because of your sin, as it is written, "And for your transgressions was your mother put away" (Ibid.). The other was when she is in exile with you, exiled from the palace of the King, called THEN wife of the King. Even though she was distanced from THE KING, do not cause her to turn away from you, and thus your enemies will gain control over you and she will not guard you in exile. This is what is written, "The nakedness of your father's wife shall you not uncover." What is the reason? Because she is "your father's nakedness." Although she was distanced from the King, the King's supervision is still upon her constantly, so one needs to watch himself more carefully in relation to her, so as not to sin against her.

339. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, "For Hashem your Elohim walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you..." (Devarim 23:15). "For Hashem your Elohim" refers to the Shechinah prevailing in Yisrael, all the more so in exile, to shield them always from all sides and from all other nations so that they cannot destroy Yisrael.

342. We have learned that Yisrael are detained in exile for three things: For treating the Shechinah with contempt in exile; for turning away their face from the Shechinah, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "FOR THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR BACK TO ME, AND NOT THEIR FACE" (YIRMEYAH 2:27). Finally, for defiling themselves before the Shechinah, WITHOUT CONSIDERING THAT THE SHECHINAH IS WITH THEM IN EXILE. We explained them all in our Mishnah.

377. "You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother" (Vayikra 18:14): Rabbi Yehuda said that this verse speaks of Yisrael below, AS YISRAEL ARE THE BROTHERS OF ZEIR ANPIN, WHO IS YOUR FATHER. "Your mother's sister" (Ibid. 13) is Jerusalem on earth, THE SISTER OF MALCHUT ABOVE, YOUR MOTHER. Through these sins IS UNCOVERED THE NAKEDNESS OF YISRAEL, MEANING Yisrael will be in exile among the nations. THE NAKEDNESS OF JERUSALEM IS UNCOVERED, MEANING Jerusalem below will be destroyed. About this, we learned of the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, in that He called Yisrael brothers, as it is written, "For my brethren and friends' sake, I will now say..." (Tehilim 122:8). THEREFORE, THE VERSE SAYS ABOUT THEM, "THE NAKEDNESS OF YOUR FATHER'S BROTHER."