522. "Command the children of Yisrael, and say to them: My offerings, the provisions of My sacrifices made by fire" (Bemidbar 28:2). It is written: "Has Hashem as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying to the voice of Hashem?" (I Shmuel 15:22). The Holy One, blessed be He, does not desire that a man sin and then offer a sacrifice because of his sin; but a sacrifice that is without any iniquity is the perfect sacrifice (Heb. shalem). And it is called "peace offerings" (Heb. shelamim). The daily offering is also PERFECT, for although THE DAILY SACRIFICE atones for sins, IT IS NEVERTHELESS A PERFECT SACRIFICE.

523. Rabbi Aba began by quoting: "The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit" (Tehilim 51:19). This verse has been interpreted to mean that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not want a man to bring a sacrifice for his sin, but, rather, HE WANTS a broken spirit. People do not know what they say. From the Holy Luminary I heard as follows: When a man becomes impure in his iniquities, he draws down onto himself a spirit from the side of uncleanliness, and THE SPIRIT dominates that person and controls him at will. The aspect of uncleanliness, FROM WHICH THE SPIRIT IS DRAWN DOWN, grows stronger with his strength and becomes more powerful and controls him to its wish. When a man comes and takes control over it, in order to become pure, he is helped to be purified FROM ABOVE.

524. In the period when the Temple was still standing, THE SINNER would offer his sacrifice, his whole atonement being dependent on it, until he feels remorse and breaks down that spirit FROM THE SIDE OF UNCLEANLINESS THAT HE DREW TO HIMSELF WITH HIS SIN, from its pride, and humiliates it. And it is this that is meant by the breaking down of that grade of uncleanliness, FROM WHICH THE SPIRIT IS DRAWN, and when that spirit of uncleanliness is broken, and he offers his sacrifice, this is an acceptable and proper SACRIFICE.

525. But if that spirit OF UNCLEANLINESS is not broken, then his sacrifice is worth nothing and is given to the dogs, for this is a sacrifice not for the Holy One, blessed be He, but for the dogs. And this is why Scripture says that the proper sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit, for that spirit of uncleanliness has to be broken so that it will not be in control. Consequently, about the one who breaks it as it should be broken, it is written: "A wind (or spirit) that passes away, and comes not again" (Tehilim 78:39). And that man can be assured that it will not ever come to him again. Hence "and comes not again." "A broken and a contrite heart" (Tehilim 51:19). This is a man who is not proud and does not take pleasure in the delights of the world. And "Elohim, You will not despise" (Ibid.), for He has a place of honor with him.

526. "Command the children of Yisrael." To what does 'command' refer? It refers to idolatry, that is, he should not bring himself in to become impure in the spirit of uncleanliness, for this would be real idolatry.

527. Rabbi Elazar began by quoting: "I am come into my garden, my sister, my bride" (Shir Hashirim 5:1). We have already learned this verse, yet it contains secrets concerning the sacrifices. But then we have already learned it all. Rabbi Shimon said to him, It is good that you have started the discussion on these matters, BUT why have you concealed them? BECAUSE HE SAID THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID. Tell us WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SACRIFICES. RABBI ELAZAR replied, It was because I saw something in the Book of Enoch and learned it THAT I SAID THAT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN SAID. Rabbi Shimon said, Tell us that matter that you have seen and heard.

528. He said: It is all really just one matter. The Holy One, blessed be He, said "I am come into my garden" because all the sacrifices that are made in the world, when they ascend AS MAYIN NUKVIN (LIT. 'FEMALE WATERS') first enter into the Garden of Eden, which is the secret of The Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT. But initially how is it at the beginning of the sacrifice? FOR I HAVE SAID THAT THEY FIRST COME INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN, MEANING when a man confesses his sins over THE SACRIFICE, at the time of the slaughtering and the scattering of the blood over the altar, THEN THE SACRIFICE ASCENDS AS MAYIN NUKVIN, TO T THE GARDEN OF EDEN. AND THEN, SAYS THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN: "I AM COME INTO MY GARDEN" WHICH IS THE GARDEN OF EDEN, MALCHUT, FOR THE MAYIN NUKVIN OF THE SACRIFICE AWAKEN THE UNION.

529. Now one has to concentrate to understand how these holy spirits benefit from this, FROM THE ASCENT OF MAYIN NUKVIN OF THE SACRIFICE. Also, what is the reason that the sacrifice has to be of an animal, when it is more important that a man should break that spirit THAT HE HAS DRAWN DOWN BY HIS SIN, and return in repentance? What is the reason for the ritual slaughtering of the animal, and the burning of it by fire on the altar?

530. HE ANSWERS, It is a mystery. There is an animal that lies on a thousand hills, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF YUD HEI VAV HEI, FULLY SPELLED WITH HEI'S, WHOSE NUMERICAL VALUE IS THE SAME AS THAT OF ANIMAL (HEB. BEHEMAH = 52). And it devours a thousand hills each day, ALL OF THE THOUSAND BEING THE SECRET OF THE GRADES OF CHOCHMAH THAT ARE DRAWN DOWN FROM THE LEFT, FOR CHOCHMAH IS TERMED A THOUSAND (HEB. ELEF) IN THE SECRET OF THE VERSE: "AND I SHALL TEACH (HEB. A'ALFECH) YOU WISDOM" (IYOV 33:33), and they are called: "and the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Tehilim 50:10). And we have already learned about this, that there is an animal that devours animals. And what do THE ANIMALS consist of? They are of fire, and this animal, WHICH IS MALCHUT, consumes all of them with one gulp, as it is written: "For Hashem your Elohim is a consuming fire, a jealous El" (Devarim 4:24). And all the waters of the Jordan, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, that is filled within six years, WHICH IT RECEIVES FROM CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, THAT ARE CALLED 'SIX YEARS', are made into one gulp, NAMELY ONE SWALLOW, by it, MALCHUT, as it is written: "he trusts that river will thrust some food into his mouth" (Iyov 40:23).

531. And the secret of the matter is that the yeast of those ANIMALS ON A THOUSAND HILLS, WHICH ARE THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH THAT IS ON THE LEFT, is the principle and basis for those animals below, for the spirit spreads downwards from them, and this spirit is formed in the animals below, THAT IS TO SAY, IT BECOMES THE SPIRIT OF THE ANIMAL BELOW. And when a sinner brings an animal for sacrifice, then that spirit of the animal ascends and returns to its place, TO THE UPPER ANIMAL, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and this spirit spreads through all THE ANIMALS THAT ARE ON A THOUSAND HILLS, AS ABOVE. And all those that are of this sort, NAMELY, THE OTHER SIDE THAT ARE DRAWN DOWN FROM THE LEFT, approach and enjoy that fat and blood that are the raiment of this spirit. And this spirit is from their side, NAMELY FROM THE LEFT SIDE, and they all benefit and are nourished and become advocates of that person, FOR THE PROSECUTOR BECOMES DEFENSE COUNSEL, AND MAYIN NUKVIN OF THE SACRIFICE enter by way of the esophagus, as we have learned. This is why the sacrifice is taken from an animal.