The Tzitzit (fringed garment)

321. "And He showed me Joshua the High Priest..." (Zecharyah 3:1). HE ASKS: What did he see? HE RESPONDS that he was standing in the presence of the angel dressed in filthy clothes until the proclamation came forth and said, "Remove the soiled clothes from him" (Ibid. 4). Rabbi Yitzchak said that it is written here: "And he stood in the presence of the angel" (Ibid 3). What is the meaning of: "In the presence of the angel?'' It means that he was judging him, he about whom it is written: "Nor say before the angel, that it was an error" (Kohelet 5:5). What is this telling us? That whoever did not merit in this world to be wrapped with a spiritual covering, and dressed with a spiritual garment, MEANING WITH THE TZITZIT, has a soiled garment that must not be SO, and is judged for it.

322. Come and see the variety of garments available in that world. That person that did not merit in this world spiritual garments, MEANING THE TALIT AND TZITZIT, when he enters that world, he is dressed with a certain dress that is known to the masters of Gehenom. Woe to him who is dressed in that garb, since many legal investigators will seize him and usher him into Gehenom. King Solomon cried out and said, "Let your garments be always white" (Kohelet 9:8).

323. We learned in the secret of Safra Det'zniuta (the Concealed Book) that four kings come out AND EMANATE in the presence of four. They come out from them like grapes in a cluster. Seven runners are incorporated in them, and they testify. They never stand still WHEN THEY TESTIFY.

324. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). The Tzitzit: This command is to remember all the precepts of the Torah through it, as it says, "That you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Hashem, and do them" (Bemidbar 15:39). That is the sign of the King to remember and do.

325. It is written: "And you shall make a plate of pure gold" (Shemot 28:36). We have already explained that the secret of the plate (Heb. tzitz) is to adorn the High Priest with it. It is REFERRED TO AS Tzitz, WHICH MEANS SEEING, DERIVED FROM HE PEEPED (HEB. HETZITZ) AND WAS HURT. So the eyes will gaze at it, for it is a sign of the world above, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, WHERE THE SECRET OF BESTOWING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH IS INFERRED BY GAZING OF THE EYES, with which the High Priest was adorned.

326. Because of this, looking UPON THE GOLD PLATE serves as absolution from insolence (lit. 'impudence of face'), since nothing prevails in its presence except a face of truth, which is the secret of every supernal face. THAT IS THE SECRET OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH CLOTHED WITH CHASSADIM, WHICH IS REFERRED TO AS FACE, which is true face, MEANING the true face that is incorporated in the truth of Jacob THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SECRET OF THE SCRIPTURE: "YOU WILL SHOW TRUTH TO JACOB" (MICHAH 7:20).

327. Tzitzit is feminine, which is the secret of the lower world, MEANING MALCHUT, that is a look for the purpose of remembering, MEANING AS IT SAYS, "THAT YOU MAY LOOK UPON IT, AND REMEMBER" (BEMIDBAR 15:39). Tzit is masculine, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, and Tzitzit is feminine, WHICH IS MALCHUT. That TZITZIT is for every man, while Tzit is just for the priest.

328. We have learned that it is forbidden to gaze at the Shechinah. Therefore, there is blue IN THE TZITZIT (LIT. 'FRINGED GARMENT'), since blue is a throne for the house of David, THAT IS MALCHUT, and its restoration. That is in order to have fear of the presence of Hashem, to fear that area. Therefore, "That you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Hashem, and do them." AND BLUE is the throne at which criminal law is judged, as was explained, that all colors are good in a dream except blue, since that throne rises to judge criminal law.

329. It is written: "And that they put upon the fringe of each corner a thread of blue" (Ibid. 38). It is not written: 'They shall put upon the corner,' but rather "They put upon the fringe," since it covers over the rest of the threads, MEANING THAT TZITZIT ALLUDES TO THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH. THEREFORE, ONLY THEY REQUIRE A COVER AND PROTECTION FROM THE BLUE THREAD. THAT IS WHY IT IS WRITTEN: "AND THAT THEY PUT UPON THE FRINGE."

330. "And you shall see it and remember:'' IT IS AS WHAT is written: "Remember what Amalek did to you" (Devarim 25:17). What is the reason? It is SIMILAR to a son that breaches a fence and gets bitten by a dog. Every time the father wants to reprove his son, he says to him, Remember when the dog bit you? Here too, "you shall see it and remember," since THE BLUE is the area where the souls ascend to be judged. THEREFORE, IT IS ALSO SIMILAR TO WHAT IS WRITTEN: "REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK DID TO YOU."

331. Similarly, "and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten, when he looks upon it, shall live" (Bemidbar 21:8). Why is this? It is only when he raised his eyes and saw the form of that which bit him, he was afraid and prayed to Hashem, and knew that this was punishment for the wicked. As long as a son sees his father's strap, he fears his father. If he is saved from the strap, so is he saved from everything. Who caused him to be saved? His seeing the strap with his own eyes. SO the strap caused him to be saved. Hence, "when he looks upon it, shall live." He saw the strap that beat him, and it caused him to be saved. Here too, "that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Hashem, and do" certainly. If not, here is the strap, MEANING THE BLUE that will cause you to return always to My service. Then, "do."

332. "And that you seek not after your own heart" (Bemidbar 15:39). ONCE YOU SAW THE BLUE, it prevented you from other evil ways. Assuredly, "you seek not" and commit no evil. Therefore, blue is seen over THE TZITZIT. This blue is similar to the Throne of Glory. Just as the Throne of Glory causes a person to follow the upright path to purify him, so too this blue causes him to walk the straight path. Certainly every person should have fear of this place, thus walking in the straight path.

333. It is written: "From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, glory to the righteous. But I said, 'my leanness (also: 'secret')...'" (Yeshayah 24:16). "From the uttermost part of the earth" refers to the corner of the Tzitzit, which is the edge of the earth, MEANING THE CORNER OF MALCHUT CALLED EARTH. "Have we heard songs:'' These are all the threads that come out and hang from a high place, within those lofty paths that emerge from supernal Chochmah. "Glory to the righteous:'' That is the Righteous that lives forever, WHICH IS YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, since the threads of the Tzitzit are His beauty. From Him, they emanate AND ARE GIVEN TO MALCHUT, and each thread is comprised of two aspects, MEANING CHASSADIM AND CHOCHMAH, WHICH ARE RIGHT AND LEFT. When I gaze, I say: "my secret, my secret" (Ibid.), since they come out from the high principle of the whole Faith AS THEY ARE THE WHOLE OF THE LIGHTS OF MALCHUT, REFERRED TO AS FAITH. And when I gaze at the blue and see a strap for beating, which is the place of awe that inspires fear, I say, "Woe to me" (Ibid.), because people do not know enough to watch and observe why they are punished for lying. "Traitors have dealt treacherously" (Ibid.), since they read Kriat Sh'ma without the Tzitzit and give false evidence. These are the traitors who have dealt treacherously, since they are false to themselves.

334. "Traitors have dealt very treacherously" (Ibid.): their garment when without Tzitzit is considered "traitors (Heb. beged) have dealt very treacherously," that is, a garment (Heb. beged) of those traitors who are treacherous, who lie and give false testimony every day. Woe to them and woe to their souls, since they will ascend to that blue throne to HAVE THEM judged. About them, it is written: "He that tells lies shall not remain in My sight" (Tehilim 101:71). That garment of theirs is known to all the prosecutors. Woe to them that they have no part in the World to Come. Praised are the righteous, whose garments and works are known above to benefit them in this world and in the World to Come.

335. This commandant is the precept of Tzitzit, which is comprised of blue and white, MEANING FOUR WHITE THREADS AND ONE THREAD OF BLUE, that are Judgment and Mercy in fire. White fire does not consume, but the blue consumes and destroys everything. "And consumed the burnt offering" (II Divrei Hayamim 7:1), MEANING the white FIRE on the right and the blue FIRE from the left. The Central pillar, MEANING THE CENTRAL COLUMN THAT UNITES RIGHT AND LEFT, is the union between the two, and is green FIRE. Therefore, the masters of the Mishnah have established: 'When does one read the Sh'ma in the morning: when one can distinguish between blue and white.' THAT IS, WHEN ONE CAN DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN JUDGMENT AND CHESED, BECAUSE THEN ONE WILL ADHERE TO CHESED, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF KRIAT SH'MA. Therefore, it has been established to recite the passages about Tzitzit in union... (THE ENDING IS MISSING). (End of Ra'aya Meheimna).

336. Rabbi Yehuda said, How many witnesses has the Holy One, blessed be He, set up to testify about people. All are in counsel and testify about him. When he gets up in the morning and stretches his leg forward to start walking, the witnesses stand before him and declare and say, "He will keep the feet of His pious ones..." (I Shmuel 2:9) as well as "Keep your feet when you go" (Kohelet 4:17) and "Make even the path of your foot" (Mishlei 4:26). When he opens his eyes to look around the world, the witnesses say, "Let your eyes look right on" (Ibid. 25). He starts to talk and the witnesses say, "Keep your tongue from evil..." (Tehilim 34:14). He extends his hands to worldly things and the witnesses say, "Depart from evil, and do good" (Ibid. 15).

337. If he obeys them it is well, and if not, it is written: "And the adversary standing at his right hand to thwart him" (Zecharyah 3:1) All testify about him and his iniquities above. If a person wishes to strive in the service of the Holy One, blessed be He, all the witnesses become good advocates for him and are ready to give a good TESTIMONY for him when he needs it.

338. When he rises in the morning, he recites several blessings, puts on Tefilin on his head between his eyes. When he wishes to raise his head, he sees the supernal Holy Name attached to and marked over his head, and straps hanging from each side over his heart. He thereby observes the glory of his Master. He extends his hands and sees the other hand tied with the knot of the Holy Name. He returns his hand and gazes at the glory of his Master. He wraps himself in a Tzitzit, with the four corners of his garment. Four kings come before four, MEANING four true witnesses of the King, WHICH ARE THE FOUR THREADS OF THE TZITZIT hanging from the four corners, like grapes on a cluster.

339. Just like a grape cluster is one cluster but has several grapes hanging on each side, so too this TZITZIT is one commandment, with grapes, grapeskin and little branches coming out of it, MEANING SEVERAL DIFFERENT LEVELS. Seven runners are entwined in them. They are the seven bands of the blue that one has to bind to each or to add up to thirteen BUNCHES. If adding, one must not add beyond thirteen and if decreasing one must not make less than seven.

340. We have learned that this blue is the secret of King David, THAT IS MALCHUT. It is the thread of Abraham, which he merited for himself and his descendants after him. What is the meaning of blue (Heb. tchelet)? It is the ending (Heb. tachlit) of everything, SINCE ITS AIM IS THE ENDING OF ALL THE WORLDS. Rabbi Yehuda says it is called the Throne of Glory, WHICH IS MALCHUT.

341. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Seven wraps THAT ARE BOUND OVER THE TZITZIT are the Shechinah, which is the seventh of everything definitely, since She is blessed from the other six SFIROT, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD, through the Righteous, WHO IS YESOD. THEREFORE, SHE COMPRISES ALL SEVEN. If thirteen WRAPS are done, then the thirteen are as was set in the thirteen attributes of Mercy. MALCHUT is the entrance to all AND, THEREFORE, CONTAINS THIRTEEN.

342. This BLUE is one thread marked in her color. Her color is produced from a certain fish in the sea of Kineret (Galilee) called Kineret after her, MALCHUT. Because of that, there is a violin (Heb. kinor) hanging above David's bed, THE VIOLIN BEING THE SECRET OF MALCHUT, which is surely David's violin that played on its own to the supernal Holy King, THAT IS, ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, the colors OF BLUE rise to the firmament, THAT IS ZEIR ANPIN, and from the firmament to the throne, THAT IS BINAH.

343. Here a precept is written, MEANING: "AND YOU SHALL REMEMBER ALL THE COMMANDMENTS OF HASHEM," BECAUSE MALCHUT IS CALLED PRECEPT, as it is written: "For the king's commandment was" (II Melachim 18:36). THAT ALLUDES TO MALCHUT; "Why do you transgress the king's commandment" (Ester 3:3), "For it was the king's commandment" (Nechemyah 11:23) - ALL THESE ALLUDE TO MALCHUT, WHICH IS CALLED THE KING'S COMMANDMENT. We learned that Yesod, WHICH IS THE LAST SFIRAH IN ZEIR ANPIN, and the root, WHICH IS KETER, THE SOURCE OF EVERYTHING, get adorned together in Malchut. This, MALCHUT, is the memory and the opening to all the rest of the Sfirot, as it is written: "Open to me the gates of righteousness" (Tehilim 118:19), WHICH IS MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is written IN THE FOLLOWING VERSE: "This is the gate of Hashem" (Ibid. 20), HER BEING THE GATE TO ALL THE SFIROT. Therefore it is written: "that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Hashem," SINCE THE SCRIPTURE COMES to include in it, IN MALCHUT, all the rest of the Sfirot. FOR IN MALCHUT THAT IS REFERRED TO AS COMMANDMENT, ALL THE SFIROT INCLUDED IN HER ARE CALLED COMMANDMENTS. Therefore, WE LEARNED they give their testimony but do not stay in place, BECAUSE THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN GIVE TESTIMONY BY REVEALING THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH THAT IS CALLED TESTIMONY, AND DO NOT REMAIN IN THEIR PLACE IN ZEIR ANPIN. For she is a commandment, SINCE THE TZITZIT IS THE SECRET OF MALCHUT CALLED COMMANDMENT AND THE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN THAT ARE INCLUDED IN HER ARE CALLED COMMANDMENTS. AND THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT IN THEIR PLACE, IN ZEIR ANPIN, BUT RATHER IN MALCHUT.

344. We have learned that ritual articles, WHICH BELONG TO MALCHUT, can be thrown away. If you wonder about the Lulav and willow twigs (WHERE THE LULAV ALLUDES TO YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, AND THE WILLOW TWIGS TO NETZACH AND HOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, FOR WHICH REASON THEY ARE NOT RITUAL ARTICLES, BUT RATHER sacred articles, MEANING IN ZEIR ANPIN), so why are they discarded? HE ANSWERS: That is because sacred articles are marked with the writing of the Holy Name. HOWEVER, LULAV AND THE WILLOW TWIGS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ALLUDE TO ZEIR ANPIN, ARE NEVERTHELESS RITUAL ARTICLES AND CAN BE THROWN AWAY.

345. Rabbi Yitzchak said, The purpose of the threads OF THE TZITZIT is to show how they are suspended from this and that place, and from here to the four corners of the world, and she, MALCHUT, rules over them all in the secret of the heart (Heb. lev - Lamed Bet), being the heart of the whole world, and the heart of the higher beings, MEANING IN THE THREE WORLDS OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, and originates in the highest heart OF ZEIR ANPIN. Everything is in THE SECRET OF the heart that emerges from the highest wisdom, INDICATING THE LAMED BET (= 32) PATHS OF WISDOM THAT SHINE IN IT. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We have learned its measure and length, OF THE TZITZIT, in the engraved letters of Rabbi Elazar.

346. Rabbi Yehuda said, The Holy One, blessed be He, says, 'Whoever wishes to follow the awe of Me should follow this heart, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the eyes that are over it.' Who are these eyes? It is as in, "The eyes of Hashem are towards the righteous" (Tehilim 34:16). THESE ARE ZEIR ANPIN'S EYES. However, "you seek not after your own heart and your own eyes." What is the reason for this? It is because "after which you go astray" (Bemidbar 14:39).

347. Rabbi Chiya said, What is the reason that the exodus from Egypt is MENTIONED here, as it says: "Who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Shemot 20:2). HE REPLIES: It is only because, when they left Egypt, they entered this part, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and through it, IN MALCHUT, the Holy One, blessed be He, slaughtered those killed in Egypt. Therefore, THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT is mentioned in its rightful place. At that place, He has warned them about it, AS IT IS WRITTEN: "I AM HASHEM YOUR ELOHIM, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT..." Why is it in its place? It is because this precept OF THE TZITZIT is its place OF MALCHUT.

348. Rabbi Yesa taught that it is written: "As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt I will show him marvelous things" (Michah 7:15). HE INQUIRES: It says, "As in the days," but it should have said, 'As in the day,' since they left at once and did not tarry. HE RESPONDS: THE EXPLANATION IS as in these lofty days, CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, the Congregation of Yisrael was blessed with. So will the Holy One, blessed be He, extricate Yisrael from exile THROUGH THE DAYS OF ZEIR ANPIN. Then it is written: "And in that day shall you say, Praise Hashem, call upon His name... Sing to Hashem; for He has done excellent things: this is known in all the earth" (Yeshayah 12:4-5). What is "this (Heb. zot) is known?'' HE RESPONDS: Now, Zot, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is known by THE SPIRITUAL GARMENT, MEANING BY TZITZIT. At that time, Zot will be renowned in its various ways when the Holy One, blessed be He, will perform signs and miracles in the world. Then it is written: "On that day Hashem shall be one and His Name One" (Zecharyah 14:9).