187. "In the seventh month, on the first day of the month" (Vayikra 23:24). Rabbi Yitzchak opened with, "Blow a Shofar at the new moon, at the full moon on our feast day" (Tehilim 81:4). Happy are Yisrael whom the Holy One, blessed be He, draw near rather than all the nations in the world, and chose them. From afar He drew them near. This is the meaning of, "And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says Hashem Elohim of Yisrael, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river in old time" (Yehoshua 24:2), to indicate that He desired them from a distant place and drew them near Him. It is also written, "And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river..." (Ibid. 3). We have to examine these verses. Did not the whole of Yisrael know this and Joshua all the more? WHY THE NEED TO SAY, "THUS SAYS HASHEM...?"

188. The whole Torah is both hidden and revealed just like the Holy Name, which is hidden and revealed, SPELLED AS YUD HEI VAV HEI BUT PRONOUNCED ADONAI. This is because the whole Torah is the Holy Name, which is why it is hidden and revealed. WE ASKED, If Yisrael and Joshua knew this, why is it written, "Thus says Hashem?" HE ANSWERS, Surely the secret meaning is that the Holy One, blessed be He, did great kindness with Yisrael in choosing the patriarchs, making them into a lofty holy Chariot for His glory. He brought them from the supernal, precious and holy river, the luminary of all luminaries, NAMELY BINAH, in order to be adorned by them. This is the meaning of, "Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river in old time." The river IS that one specific river, NAMELY BINAH.

189. THE VERSE SAYS, "in old time (also: 'from the world')." HE ASKS, What does this convey, AND HE ANSWERS, This indicates Chochmah on the other side of the river, NAMELY from the world, since that river is called world. BINAH IS ALSO CALLED WORLD, AND HENCE "FROM THE WORLD" HAS THE SAME MEANING AS ACROSS THE RIVER. Hence IT SAYS, "Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river from the world," to show the kindness and truth the Holy One, blessed be He did for Yisrael IN THIS, SINCE, "I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river." HE ASKS, What does THE VERSE teach us IN SAYING, "AND I TOOK YOUR FATHER ABRAHAM FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER," AND NOT SAYING, 'AND I TOOK ISAAC?' HE ANSWERS, Abraham did not cleave to that river like Isaac did, who was attached to his own aspect to draw strength.

190. Come and see, even though this river, BINAH, is not in Judgment, SINCE BINAH IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY, NEVERTHELESS Judgments come out from its side, AND JUDGMENTS are strengthened in it. When Isaac grows strong in his Judgments FROM THERE, the higher and lower beings are gathered for Judgment, the throne of Judgment, WHICH IS THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT IN MALCHUT, is prepared, and the Holy King, ZEIR ANPIN, sits on the throne of Judgment and sentences the world. Then, "Blow a Shofar at the new moon, at the full moon on our feast day." BY THE SHOFAR THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT TURNS INTO THE ATTRIBUTE OF MERCY. Happy are Yisrael who know how to remove the throne of Judgment and prepare the throne of mercy. How DO THEY DO IT? By the Shofar.

191. Rabbi Aba was sitting before Rabbi Shimon. He said to him, I have asked many times about the purpose of the Shofar, but never felt settled about it. He said to him, Surely this is its clear meaning. Yisrael need a Shofar rather than a horn on the day of Judgment, for the place of origin of the horn is known TO INDICATE MALCHUT, THE ATTRIBUTE OF JUDGMENT, and we should not arouse Judgment. IT IS NOT SO WITH THE SHOFAR THAT ALLUDES TO BINAH, WHICH IS MERCY. Indeed we learned that we need to indicate and rouse hidden things by deed, NAMELY, BY THE BLOWING OF THE SHOFAR AND ITS BLESSING.

192. Come and see, if the supernal Shofar, which includes all lights, is gone and does not shine upon the children, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, Judgment is roused and thrones are prepared for the courthouse. The Shofar, BINAH, is called Isaac's ram, NAMELY Isaac's strength, SINCE 'RAM' IS DERIVED FROM STRENGTH. It gives importance to the patriarchs, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET THAT RECEIVE ALL THEIR IMPORTANCE FROM THAT SHOFAR, BINAH. When the great Shofar is gone and does not shine on the children, ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, Isaac grows strong and prepares himself to judge the world.

193. When that Shofar is roused and people repent of their sins, the sound of the Shofar should resound from below. The sound arises up and then another, supernal Shofar is roused, WHICH IS BINAH. Mercy is awakened and Judgment is gone. A deed must be displayed by THE BLOWING OF the Shofar, in order to awaken another Shofar, BINAH, and to draw from the lower Shofar all those sounds, T'KIAH, SHVARIM, T'RUAH, T'KIAH, ETC., to show that all the celestial sounds included in the higher Shofar, THE THREE DETAILED COLUMNS INCLUDED IN BINAH, will be roused to emerge FROM BINAH TO ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT.

194. By the sounds below Yisrael give strength above. Hence a Shofar needs to be summoned on that day, to arrange the sounds, NAMELY THE PATTERNS OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH T'KIAH, ETC. to meditate on it so as to rouse another Shofar, BINAH, in which all the upper sounds, CHESED, GVURAH AND TIFERET OF ZEIR ANPIN are included.

195. In the first sequence OF THE THREE SEQUENCES, T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH T'KIAH, ETC., a sound reverberates, adorned above IN BINAH. It rises through firmaments to be cleft between the high mountains. FROM THERE comes Abraham, CHESED OF ZEIR ANPIN, to dwell at its top. He is adorned, is roused and prepares the throne TO BE A THRONE OF MERCY. In the book of Agadah, we learned that when the first sound rises, Abraham awakens. He is adorned and prepares the throne. Aba is summoned upon him.

196. In the meantime the second sound resonates. It is strong to break harsh Judgments. This is the second sequence OF T'KIAH SHVARIM T'RUAH TEKIAH. The sound breaks with its strength. It rises TO BINAH and all Judgments that meet THERE are broken before it, until they rise to where Isaac is. When Isaac is roused and sees Abraham preparing the throne OF MERCY to stand before it, he is subdued and breaks the harsh Judgment. Whoever blows should meditate in heart and desire upon this, in order to break that power and the strength of the harsh Judgment. This is the meaning of, "Happy is the people that know the joyful note (Heb. t'ruah)" (Tehilim 89:16). T'RUAH IS DERIVED FROM BREAKING. Assuredly they know T'ruah.