Charity to the poor

21. Come and behold. It has been explained this way: the poor man is attached to Judgment, and all that he eats is through Judgment, which is the place called 'righteousness,' MALCHUT, as it is written, "A prayer (Heb. tfilah) of the poor, when he faints" (Tehilim 102:1). This Tfilah is the hand Tefilin, NAMELY MALCHUT, THAT WHEN NOT UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN, IS POOR AND IS CALLED 'RIGHTEOUSNESS.' He who gives charity to the poor makes the Holy Name above properly whole. HE JOINS HER WITH ZEIR ANPIN THAT BESTOWS EVERYTHING UPON HER, since charity is the Tree of Life, ZEIR ANPIN, and charity gives and bestows upon righteousness, MALCHUT. When it bestows upon righteousness, they are united with each other, ZEIR ANPIN WITH MALCHUT, and the Holy Name is whole. He who affects an awakening below, BY GIVING CHARITY, is surely as if he made whole the Holy Name. In a similar manner, according to one's actions below, so is the awakening above. Hence, it is written: "Happy are they who maintain justice, and do righteousness at all times" (Tehilim 106:3). "Do righteousness," refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, whom one made so to speak.

22. Come and behold: we learned where the poor man is; THAT IS, MALCHUT, WHEN NOT UNITED WITH ZEIR ANPIN. What is the reason thereof? It is that the poor man has nothing of his own, save that which he is given. The moon, MALCHUT, also has no light of her own, save what the sun, ZEIR ANPIN, gives her.

23. Come and behold: why is the poor man considered to be as a dead man? Because this is brought about by that place, as he is in a place of death, FOR MALCHUT IS THE SECRET OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. IF ONE IS WORTHY, IT IS OF GOODNESS AND LIFE, BUT IF HE IS NOT, IT IS OF EVIL AND DEATH. He is therefore called 'a dead man.' He who pities him and gives him charity CAUSES the Tree of Life, CALLED 'CHARITY,' to rest upon THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, WHICH IS THE TREE OF DEATH; as it is written, "but righteousness (lit. 'charity') delivers from death" (Mishlei 10:2). Thus, as man does below, IN RELIEVING THE POOR MAN, CALLED 'A DEAD MAN,' so he does exactly above, IN CAUSING THE TREE OF LIFE TO REST UPON THE TREE OF DEATH. Happy is the portion of he who is worthy of making a Holy Name above, NAMELY, TO UNITE IT WITH ZEIR ANPIN. For that reason charity surpasses everything.

24. These words refer to charity for its own sake, as THIS WAY charity arouses righteousness, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN AROUSES MALCHUT, and causes them to be together, so that everything will turn into a Holy Name properly. For righteousness is not rectified or perfected save through charity, as it is written: "In charity shall you be established" (Yeshayah 54:14). This was addressed to the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, WHICH IS PERFECTED THROUGH CHARITY ALONE. It is therefore WRITTEN, "and do them" (Vayikra 26:3), AS IT IS DONE THROUGH THE AROUSAL BELOW.