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.

13. We have already learned that Jacob surely redeemed Abraham. At the time that ABRAHAM fell into THE FURNACE OF the Chaldeans' fire, his fate was being decided before the Holy One, blessed be He. In what merit should this one be saved as he lacks ancestral merits? THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said TO THE COURT ON HIGH: 'He should be saved because of his sons.' As we have learned, a son can bring merits for his father. The others replied: But Ishmael will descend from him. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, 'But Isaac WILL DESCEND FROM HIM, who will extend his throat FOR THE SACRIFICE on the altar.' The others said: But Esau will derive from Isaac. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, said, 'But Jacob will DESCEND FROM HIM, who is a whole throne, and all his sons are perfect before Me.' They concurred by saying: Surely for this merit, Abraham shall be rescued. Such is the meaning of, "who redeemed Abraham."

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.

45. He said to him: Elazar, my son, come and see that all sacrifices and burnt offerings bring gratification to the Holy One, blessed be He. But there is no truer gratification BEFORE HIM than the incense, for the incense is the most praiseworthy. This is the reason that it is offered in the innermost chambers, NAMELY THE HOLY OF HOLIES, silently. We have learned that. For this reason people were not punished for other kinds of sacrifices and burnt offerings as for incense, because in the whole of the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, this is the most joined and connected. That is why it is called incense, BECAUSE INCENSE IN ARAMAIC MEANS CONNECTING, so it says, "Ointment and incense rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9).

49. Another explanation for "the virgins (Heb. alamot) love you:" It is fine to read this verse as: 'over death (Heb. al mavet) they love you,' for with this, NAMELY OIL WHICH DENOTES CHASSADIM, the harsh prosecutors embalm themselves, AS 'ALAMOT' IS SPELLED WITH THE SAME LETTERS AS 'AL MAVET.' For incense, SIGNIFYING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, joins with the higher level ointment, WHICH IS CHASSADIM, and is held in high esteem before the Holy One, blessed be He, more than all sacrifices and burnt offerings. The Congregation of Yisrael said: I am like the incense, DENOTING MALCHUT, AS MALCHUT IS THE SECRET MEANING OF LOWER CHOCHMAH, and You, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN, are like ointment, DENOTING CHASSADIM. THEREFORE, "Draw me, we will run after you" (Shir Hashirim 1:4). "We will run" IS A PLURAL EXPRESSION, as in, "therefore do the virgins love you," THAT IS, I and all my troops, who all hold onto me. Hence, "draw me," as they are all dependent on me.

119. Come and see not only this alone, but everywhere that Yisrael need to cleanse themselves their sin, the Holy One, blessed be He, gives them a plan to bind the accusers, SO THEY WILL NOT ACCUSE. It is also to pacify them through the means of sacrifices and burnt offerings that they offer before the Holy One, blessed be He. From then on, they are unable to cause harm and on that day, YOM KIPPUR, more than any other day, just as Yisrael below plead everyone delight, THROUGH THE TWO GOATS, so they all accusers. All of this is as a result of the sacrifice and the service of the Holy One, blessed be He.

123. Rabbi Aba said to him: If so, behold it is written, "And they shall no more offer their sacrifices to the demons (also: 'goats')" (Vayikra 17:7), SO HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT THE GOAT OF AZAZEL CORRESPONDS WITH THE GOAT ABOVE? He answered him: Here things are different as there they used to offer sacrifices to goats, as it is not written: 'And they shall no more offer their sacrifices goats,' but rather "to the goats" as they worshipped goats AND GAVE THEM authority. Here ONLY "and the goat shall bear upon it all their iniquities" (Vayikra 16:22), and the sacrifice was made only for the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and see: as a result of this sacrifice, those on high and those below are perfumed, and Judgment neither dwells nor rules upon Yisrael.

133. We have learned that numerous doors opened before Yisrael on this day to receive their prayers. How fortunate is the lot of Yisrael that the Holy One, blessed be He, wishes to give them merit and to purify them. This is what the verse says, "For on that day will He forgive you..." On this day, the priest is bedecked with numerous crowns. On this day, the service of the priest is full of glory and far greater than on any other service. Everyone was given a share of these sacrifices to the Holy One, blessed be He. On this day Chesed is crowned in the world by the priest, who offers sacrifices for the sins of the people. First, HE OFFERED for his own sins and afterward for the sins of the people. He offered burnt offerings for himself and the nation. We have already established these matters.

247. We have studied that when one sins before his Master, Mercy is awakened if he offers his sacrifice on the altar and the priest attains forgiveness for him and prays his prayer for him. The Judgments are mitigated and repentance, NAMELY BINAH, pours out blessings in the springs that emerge and flow. All candles are blessed together, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT, and one is cleansed from his sin.

249. We have learned that ten types of these Chochmot, OF KLIPOT, descended to the world and all WERE GIVEN TO and became unclean in Egypt, except for one that spread THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EXCEPT EGYPT. They consisted of all types of sorcery, and from them the Egyptians knew sorcery more than the rest of mankind. When the Egyptians wished to gather kinds of sorceries for their purposes, they used to go out into the field to the high mountains and offer sacrifices. They made diggings in the ground and surrounded the diggings with blood while the rest of the blood gathered within the diggings. They placed upon it flesh. They offered the sacrifice to evil beings. And these evil beings gathered and approached together, and were appeased by them on that mountain.

250. Yisrael, who were subjugated by the Egyptians, approached them, learned from them, followed their erroneous ways, as the verse says, "After the doings of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelt, shall you not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan..." (Vayikra 18:3). It is also written, "And they shall no more offer their sacrifice to demons..." (Vayikra 17:7). We have learned that when they were offering before them upon the field and preparing the blood and offering their sacrifices, all these evil types assembled and they saw them as demons, as they were full of hair and they told them what they wanted.

409. It is the same with the renewal of the moon, MEANING AT THE NEW MOON. The sun, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN, shines on it with the joy of the light of Atika above. For this reason, the sacrifice of the New Moon is above in order to bring fragrance to all, and joy should be prevalent in the world. Therefore, 'bring atonement before Me.' This wording is literal IN ORDER TO AWAKEN THE UNION.

410. We have learned that it is written, "This is the burnt offering of every Shabbat, beside (lit. 'over') the continual burnt offering" (Bemidbar 28:10), MEANING one needs to aim his heart much higher this day than other days. Therefore, "over the continual burnt offering" is to be understood literally, AS "OVER" IS TO BE EXPLAINED ABOVE THE CONTINUAL OFFERING. We have learned that it is written concerning Hannah, "And prayed to (lit. 'over') Hashem" (I Shmuel 1:10). "Over" literally, MEANING ABOVE HASHEM, ZEIR ANPIN, as children are dependent on the holy Mazal, THE BEARD OF ARICH ANPIN. We have established this TO BE HIGHER THAN ZEIR ANPIN. Not a single thing in the Torah, or small letter in the Torah, does not hint at the supernal wisdom. Mounds and mounds (Heb. tilim) of supernal wisdom depend upon it. This is the meaning of, "His locks (Heb. taltalim) are wavy" (Shir Hashirim 5:11), as we have already learned.