"This is the Torah of the burnt offering," part two

19. Come and behold: it is written, "This is the Torah of the burnt offering" (Vayikra 6:2). Rabbi Chiya said: I have interpreted this verse in the following manner: "This is the Torah," is the Congregation of Yisrael, NAMELY MALCHUT. It is "the burnt offering (lit. 'rising')," since it rises to be adorned high up, properly attached even to the place called 'the Holy of Holies,' BINAH.

20. Another explanation: "This is the Torah" is the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, and the burnt offering is an evil thought that arises in man's mind to make him deviate from the way of Truth. It is "the burnt offering," which rises and accuses man. It should be burnt by fire, so as not to give it room for accusations.

21. Hence, it "shall be burning upon the altar all night" (Ibid.). What is night? It is the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, which is "Zot (lit. 'this')," that purifies man from that wish. It is "upon the altar," referring to the River of Fire as a place for burning all those which do not endure, NAMELY THE OTHER SIDE, since they are passed through that burning fire and their power is removed from the world. Therefore, in order for it to have no power, it should be upon the altar all night. It is then subdued and has no power.

22. When that OTHER SIDE is subdued, the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, rises, which is the Holy Spirit, rising to be adorned above. She rises when that other power is subdued and separated from Her. Hence, the secret of the sacrifice is needed to separate that side, THE OTHER SIDE, from the Holy Spirit, MALCHUT, and to give it a share so that the Holy Spirit will rise up.

23. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion, saying: "And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning in it..." (Vayikra 6:5). HE ASKS: "And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning in it." For what reason? "And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning" (Ibid.). For what reason? Why should a priest BURN WOOD UPON THE FIRE? We learned that fire is always Judgment, and the priest comes from the right side and is far from Judgment, for the priest does not come into the world through Judgment. Yet here it indicates that he should burn Judgment in the world, MEANING HE SHOULD BURN WOOD, as written: "And the priest shall burn wood on it."

24. HE ANSWERS: We learned that when a man is about to sin before his Master, he burns himself with the flame of the Evil Inclination, which in turn comes from the Spirit of Defilement, hence the Spirit of Defilement dwells in him. Sometimes the sacrifice is known to come from that side, NAMELY THE GOAT, for he should offer on the altar that which is like him, LIKE THE SINNER. That Spirit of Defilement is not consumed or negated, neither from the sinning man nor from that side from which he comes, save by the fire on the altar, since this fire destroys the Spirit of Defilement and evil species. The priest concentrates on this when he kindles fire that consumes evil species from the world. THERE IS, THEREFORE, THE NEED FOR A PRIEST TO DO IT, AS A PRIEST IS FROM THE RIGHT, AND THE RIGHT CONSUMES THE LEFT.

25. It must therefore never be extinguished, but "THE FIRE SHALL EVER BE BURNING," (IBID. 6) so that its power and strength will not weaken with which it can break the evil's mighty hold from the world. It must therefore never go out. The priest should arrange a fire upon it early in the morning when his side reigns - FOR THE RIGHT SIDE REIGNS IN THE MORNING-and awakens in the world to perfume it BY ARRANGING FIRE UPON THE ALTAR. The Judgments will be subdued and will never awaken in the world. In relation to this, we learned that there is a fire consuming fire, since the upper fire OF MALCHUT consumes another fire and the fire on the altar consumes another fire OF THE OTHER SIDE. Therefore, this fire must never go out, and so the priest arranges it daily.

26. Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd). It is a commandment to sacrifice the burnt offering properly. Of this, it says: "This is the Torah of the burnt offering..." (Vayikra 6:2). There are five kinds of fire that used to descend upon the offering: 1) A consuming fire which does not drink; 2) A fire that drinks but does not consume; 3) A consuming and drinking fire; 4) A fire which consumes both moist and dry things; 5) A fire which does not consume nor drink. Corresponding to these are the verses: 1) "This is the Torah of the burnt offering;" 2) "It is the burnt offering, which shall be burning" (Ibid.); 3) "upon the altar" (Ibid.); 4) "all night" (Ibid.); 5) "And the fire of the altar shall be kept burning in it" (Ibid.).