176. Rabbi Yehuda said that it is written, "And he shall go out to the altar that is before Hashem, and make atonement for it" (Vayikra 16:18). "To the altar" is WRITTEN without further qualification, HINTING AT THE CELESTIAL ALTAR, NAMELY THE SECRET OF YESOD OF MALCHUT. As it is done below, so it is done above. All is intertwined one with one THROUGH THE ALTAR THAT IS YESOD OF MALCHUT. We have learned that just as on this day the priest procures forgiveness here below, IN THE TEMPLE, so it is above. When the priest here performs his service, so does the celestial priest, REPRESENTING CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT POURS ABUNDANCE TO MALCHUT. There is no SERVICE above, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHESED POURING TO MALCHUT, until there is SERVICE OF THE PRIEST below, since the holiness of the supernal King starts to rise from below. All worlds are in one unity before the Holy One, blessed be He.
176. תָּאנָא, אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, וְיָצָא אֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְיָ' וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו. אֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סְתָם. כְּמָה דְּאִתְעָבֵיד לְתַתָּא, אִתְעָבֵיד לְעֵילָּא, וְכֺלָּא אִתְקְשַׁר חַד בְּחַד. וְתָאנָא, כְּמָה דִּבְהַאי יוֹמָא מְכַפֵּר כַּהֲנָא לְתַתָּא, הָכִי נָמֵי לְעֵילָּא. וְכַד כַּהֲנָא דִּלְתַתָּא מְסַדֵּר פּוּלְחָנֵיהּ, כַּהֲנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא הָכִי נָמֵי, לָא אִשְׁתְּכַח לְעֵילָּא, עֵד דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח לְתַתָּא. וּמִתַּתָּא שָׁארִי לְסַלְּקָא קְדוּשָּׁה דְּמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וּמִשְׁתַּכְחִין כֻּלְּהוּ עָלְמִין חַד קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
179. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'O Yisrael, if you would only know how many troops, how many hosts hold up THEIR SERVICE because of you ABOVE, you would have realized that you do not deserve to be in this world even one instant.' In spite of this, it is written, "And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away..." (Vayikra 26:44). THEREFORE, in "And he shall go out to the altar," "the altar" is written unspecified AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE THE LOWER ALTAR IN THE TEMPLE. ALSO, "that is before Hashem," is again unqualified, NOT NECESSARILY IN THE TEMPLE. YET THE ALTAR ALLUDES TO THE SUPERNAL ALTAR, WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS BEFORE HASHEM, ZEIR ANPIN. Afterwards, it reads, "And make atonement for it," then "offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people..." (Vayikra 16:24). HE ASKS: IF THE ALLUSION IS TO MALCHUT, then what is the meaning of, "And make atonement for it?" IS ATONEMENT APPLICABLE ABOVE? Rabbi Yosi said, "AND MAKE ATONEMENT FOR IT" MEANS to awaken Chesed in the world first.
179. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יִשְׂרָאֵל אִי אַתּוּן יַדְעִין, כַּמָה אוּכְלוּסִין, כַּמָה חַיָּילִין, מִתְעַכְּבִין בְּגִינַיְיכוּ, תִּנְדְּעוּן דְּלֵית אַתּוּן כְּדַאי לְמֵיקָם בְּעָלְמָא, אֲפִילּוּ שַׁעֲתָא חֲדָא. ועכ"ד מַה כְּתִיב, וְאַף גַּם זֺאת בִּהְיוֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אוֹיְבֵיהֶם לֹא מְאַסְתִּים וְגוֹ,' וְיָצָא אֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, אֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סְתָם, אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי יְיָ' סְתָם. וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו לְבָתַר, וְיָצָא וְעָשָׂה אֶת עוֹלָתוֹ וְאֶת עוֹלַת הָעָם וְגוֹ.' וְכִפֵּר עָלָיו מַאי קָא מַיְירֵי. א"ר יוֹסֵי, לְאִתְּעָרָא חֶסֶד בְּעָלְמָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא.
288. Rabbi Aba said: This portion is tied to esoteric wisdom of the Torah. It is all concealed yet revealed, MEANING THERE IS IN IT ESOTERIC AND LITERAL EXPLANATIONS. The entire Torah is similar this way, IN HIDDEN SUBLIME MEANINGS AND THE LITERAL EXPLANATIONS. There is not a matter of Torah in which the Holy subliminal Name is not impressed, which is both concealed and revealed. The concealed matters of Torah are bequeathed to the highly saintly ones and THE REVEALED MATTERS are revealed to the rest of the people. In relation to this, it is written, "That men may declare the name of Hashem in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem" (Tehilim 102:22). "In Zion" refers to the Temple, where it is permitted to pronounce the Holy Name, YUD HEI VAV HEI, in the proper fashion. However, outside THE TEMPLE, only the appelation can be mentioned, NAMELY ADONAI, BUT NOT THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN. Everything is concealed and yet revealed, AS THE NAME, YUD HEI VAV HEI, WHICH ONE IS FORBIDDEN TO MENTION, IS CONCEALED, BUT THE NAME ADONAI WHICH WE MENTION IS REVEALED. ALL MATTERS ARE IN THIS WAY. We have learned that anyone who deducts one letter from the Torah or adds one letter is like one who is false to the supernal Holy Name of the King.
288. א"ר אַבָּא, פַּרְשְׁתָּא דָּא בְּרָזָא דְּחָכְמְתָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא אִתְקַשְּׁרָא, וְכֺלָּא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא. וְאוֹרַיְיתָא כֺּלָּא כְּהַאי גַּוְונָא אִשְׁתְּכַחַת. וְלֵית לָךָ מִלָּה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלָא רָשִׁים בָּהּ שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה, דְּסָתִים וְגַלְיָא. בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, סְתִימֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין יָרְתִין לָהּ, וְאִתְגַּלְיָא בִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, לְסַפֵּר בְּצִיּוֹן שֵׁם יְיָ' וּתְהִלָּתוֹ בִּירוּשָׁלָםִ, דְּהָא בְּצִיּוֹן בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא, שָׁרֵי לְאַדְכְּרָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי. וּלְבַר בְּכִינּוּיוֹ. וְעַל דָּא כֺּלָּא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא. תָּאנָא, כָּל מַאן דְּגָרַע אָת חַד מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא. אוֹ יוֹסִיף אָת חַד בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּמַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה דְּמַלְכָּא.
295. "You shall do My Judgments, and keep My ordinances, to walk in them..." (Vayikra 18:4). Rabbi Aba said: Fortunate is the lot of Yisrael that the Holy One, blessed be He, desires them above all the idolatrous nations. As a result of His love for them, He gave them truthful statutes, planted with them the Tree of Life, ZEIR ANPIN, and caused the Shechinah to dwell in their midst. What is the reason? It is because Yisrael are marked with the holy impression in their flesh and so are recognized as His and members of His temple.
295. אֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי תַּעֲשׂוּ וְאֶת חֻקֺּתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ לָלֶכֶת בָּהֶם וְגוֹ,' רִבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרְעֵי בְּהוּ מִכָּל עַמִּין עע"ז, וּבְגִין רְחִימוּתָא דִּילֵיהּ עָלַיְיהוּ, יָהִיב לוֹן נִימוּסִין דִּקְשׁוֹט, נָטַע בְּהוּ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, אַשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ. מ"ט. בְּגִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל רְשִׁימִין בִּרְשִׁימָא קַדִּישָׁא בִּבְשָׂרֵיהוֹן. וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָן דְּאִינְהוּ דִּילֵיהּ, מִבְּנֵי הֵיכָלֵיהּ.
326. When she produced Solomon, MEANING SHE INSPIRED HIM WITH HER WISDOM, she produced all Yisrael. All merited the high levels as Solomon, as the Holy One, blessed be He, rejoiced with them and they with Him. On the day that Solomon constructed the Temple below, the Queen prepared the house for the King, they placed their residence together, her face glowed with total joy. Then there was joy for all, above and below. Why so? Because it is written, "That his mother taught him," as she guided according to the King's wishes.
326. וְכַד אַפִּיקַת לֵיהּ לִשְׁלֹמֺה, לְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַפִּיקַת, וְכֻלְּהוּ הֲווֹ בְּדַרְגִּין עִלָּאִין זַכָּאִין כִּשְׁלֹמֺה. דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא חַדֵּי בְּהוּ, וְאִינּוּן בֵּיהּ. וּבְיוֹמָא דְּשַׁכְלַל שְׁלֹמֺה בֵּיתָא לְתַתָּא, אַתְקִינַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא בֵּיתָא לְמַלְכָּא. וְשַׁוּוּ מָדוֹרֵיהוֹן כַּחֲדָא, וּנְהִירוּ אַנְפָּהָא בְּחֶדְוָה שְׁלִימוּ. כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכַח חֶדְוָותָא לְכֺלָּא, לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא. וְכָל כַּךְ לָמָּה. בְּגִין דִּכְתִּיב, מַשָּׂא אֲשֶׁר יִסְּרַתּוּ אִמּוֹ, דְּדַּבְּרַת לֵיהּ לִרְעוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא.
331. Therefore, we learned that, from the day that the Temple was destroyed, blessings are not to be found in the world, and there is not a day in which there are no curses, as the blessings THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO COME daily are withheld, AND INSTEAD BECOME CURSES. He replied, if so, If it was it is written: Oy or Hoy, AND NOT VAI what is THEIR EXPLANATION?
331. וְעַ"ד תָּנֵינָן, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְחֲרִיב יְרוּשָׁלַםִ, בִּרְכָאן לָא אִשְׁתְּכָחוּ בְּעָלְמָא, וְלֵית לָךְ יוֹם דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ לְוָוטִין, דְּהָא בִּרְכָאן אִתְמְנָעוּ בְּכָל יוֹם. אָמַר לֵיהּ, אוֹ הָכִי, אוֹ"י אוֹ הוֹ"י, מַהוּ.
333. Surely this is when sins in the world multiply excessively. At first, repentance was available but they did not want TO REPENT, then the Hei takes off, BEING BINAH, THE SECRET OF REPENTANCE and the Aleph, BEING KETER, raises the Vav Yud to it, so it is now called Oy. When the Temple was destroyed and repentance was gone, then they cried and said, "Woe (Oy) to us! For the day declines" (Yirmeyah 6:4). What is meant by "For the day declines?" It refers to the supernal day, MEANING BINAH called repentance, which departed and is not available. This is that specific day that extends its right hand to welcome evildoers. It has departed from all and is not available. Therefore, they say Oy instead of Hoy "for the shadows of the evening are lengthened" (Ibid.), MEANING PERMISSION has been granted to the rulers over other nations to rule over YISRAEL.
333. וַדַּאי כַּד אַסְגִּיאוּ חוֹבֵי עָלְמָא טְפֵי, וּתְשׁוּבָה הֲוָה תַּלְיָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וְלָא בָּעוּ, כְּדֵין אִסְתַּלָּק ה,' וא' סָלִיק לְו' יוֹ"ד לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְאִקְרֵי אוֹי. וְכַד חָרִיב בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וּתְשׁוּבָה אִסְתָּלָקַת, כְּדֵין צָוְוחוּ וְאָמְרוּ, אוֹי לָנוּ כִּי פָנָה הַיּוֹם. מַאי כִּי פָנָה הַיּוֹם. דָּא הוּא יוֹמָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה, דְּאִסְתַּלָּק וְאִתְעֲבָר, וְלָא שְׁכִיחַ. הַהוּא יוֹמָא דְּאִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע, לְפַשְׁטָא יְמִינָא לְקַבְּלָא חַיָּיבִין, וְהָא אִתְפְּנֵי מִכֺּלָּא, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח, וְעַל דָּא אָמְרוּ אוֹי, וְלָא הוֹי. כִּי יִנָּטוּ צִלְלֵי עָרֶב, דְּהָא אִתְיְיהִיב רְשׁוּ לְרַבְרְבֵי מְמָנָן דִּשְׁאָר עַמִּין, לְמִשְׁלַט עָלַיְיהוּ.
334. We have learned that the Vav, DENOTING ZEIR ANPIN, ascended high up TO KETER, BEING THE SECRET OF ALEPH, AS MENTIONED. The sanctuary was consumed, the people exiled, the Queen expelled, and the Temple was in ruins. Later, as the Vav returned to its position, it took notice of the Temple and found it in ruins. It sought the Queen , but she moved far away. It saw its sanctuary, but it was consumed by fire, and it looked for the people but they were exiled. It saw the blessings of the deep streams FROM BINAH that were flowing, but now ceased. Then it is written, "And on that day did Adonai Elohim Tzevaot call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth" (Yeshayah 22:12). Then, "I clothe the heavens, ZEIR ANPIN, with blackness."
334. תָּאנָא, סָלִיק ו' לְעֵילָּא לְעֵילָּא, וְהֵיכָלָא אִתּוֹקַד, וְעַמָּא אִתְגְּלֵי, וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא אִתְתְּרָכַת, וּבֵיתָא אִתְחֲרָבַת. לְבָתַר כַּד נָחִית וו' לְאַתְרֵיהּ, אַשְׁגַּח בְּבֵיתֵיהּ וְהָא אִתְחֲרִיב, בָּעֵי לְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, וְהָא אִתְרַחֲקַת וְאַזְלַת. חָמָא לְהֵיכָלֵיהּ, וְהָא אִתּוֹקַד. בָּעָא לְעַמָּא, וְהָא אִתְגְּלֵי. חָמָא לְבִרְכָּאן דְּנַחֲלִין עֲמִיקִין דַּהֲווֹ נַגְדִּין, וְהָא אִתְמְנָעוּ. כְּדֵין כְּתִיב, וַיִּקְרָא יְיָ' אֱלֹהִים צְבָאוֹת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא לִבְכִי וּלְמִסְפֵּד וּלְקָרְחָה וְלַחֲגוֹר שָׂק. וּכְדֵין לָבְשׁוּ שָׁמַיִם קַדְרוּת.