"Lo, it is yet high day"

184. He opened with the verse, "Lo, it is yet high day" (Beresheet 29:7). This verse has been explained that when Yisrael will rouse with repentance before the Holy One, blessed be He, they will return to the Holy Land and gather from exile by the merit of the Torah, since surely Yisrael will be in exile for but a day and no more, NAMELY, THE DAY OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHICH IS A THOUSAND YEARS LONG, NAMELY THE FIFTH MILLENNIUM. This is the meaning of, "He has made me desolate and faint all the day" (Eichah 1:13). If they will not repent THEN, the Holy One, blessed be He, will say, "Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together" without merits and good deeds. But there is one remedy for you: "water the sheep" (Ibid.), delve into the Torah, so they will be watered by the waters of Torah, "and go and feed them," (Ibid.) AND GO to a resting place, a good place, the pleasantness of your possession.

185. According to another explanation, "Lo, it is yet high day" is the day called, "a day of trouble, and of trampling, and of confusion" (Yeshayah 22:5), on which day the Temple was destroyed and Yisrael fell into exile. Because of the evil deeds YISRAEL DO, that day lengthens and increases. This is the meaning of, "Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together," because they lengthen that day OF EXILE. "water the sheep" is as we learned, namely with words of Torah, because through Torah Yisrael will come out of exile.

186. What do Yisrael say: "We cannot, until all the flocks are gathered together" (Beresheet 29:8), namely until all the rest of the supernal days, NAMELY THE HOLY SFIROT, will gather, "and till they roll the stone," roll the harsh Judgment that on that day rules over "the well's mouth" (Ibid.). FOR THIS REASON the well, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is with us in exile. As soon as that well will be exposed and that stone, WHICH IS HARSH JUDGMENT, will have no power over it, "we may water the sheep" (Ibid.).

187. The Holy One, blessed be He, at the end of days, will return Yisrael to the Holy Land and gather them from exile. The end of days is that which is the last of the days, NAMELY MALCHUT, WHICH IS THE LAST OF THE SFIROT, CALLED DAYS. During the end of days Yisrael suffer exile. This is what is meant by, "When you are in distress, and all these things are come upon you, in the latter days" (Devarim 4:30), and, "and evil will befall you in the latter days (lit. 'the end of days')" (Devarim 31:29). The "latter days" is precise, because it is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, which is in exile. Together with this end of days they receive punishment in exile. With it the Holy One, blessed be He, will wreak vengeances for Yisrael constantly, as it is written, "what this people shall do to your people in the latter days" (Bemidbar 24:14). Wherever IT IS WRITTEN, 'THE END OF DAYS,' it refers to her, MALCHUT. And the Holy One, blessed be He, will return her to her place. This is the meaning of, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of Hashem's house shall be established" (Yeshayah 2:2). This is that which is CALLED day, NAMELY THE LAST DAY, SINCE EACH SFIRAH IS CALLED DAY.

188. Once a shadow started to form at the beginning of the other day AFTER THE FIFTH MILLENNIUM, as during the time when the Temple was destroyed when the shadow was about to be gathered; THAT IS, JUST LIKE DURING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE WAS WHEN THE SHADOW BEGAN TO BE GATHERED, SO WILL REDEMPTION COME WHEN THE SHADOW WILL BEGIN TO EMERGE. WHEN THERE WILL BE day and shadow, it will be the end of exile. The measure of that shadow is six thumbs long for the height of a man among men, NAMELY, AN AVERAGE PERSON. This secret is remembered among the friends through the verse, "for we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow" (Iyov 8:9). "for we are but of yesterday," namely in exile; "and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow," which means the Holy One, blessed be He, wants the shadow and day to rest upon the earth.

189. Happy is the portion of he who sees him, THE MESSIAH, and happy is the portion of he who sees him not. Woe to him who shall be present when the great lion will demand to mate with his female, and more so when they will mate together, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN WITH MALCHUT AT THE TIME OF REDEMPTION. Of that hour it is written, "The lion has roared, who will not fear..." (Amos 3:8).

190. Come and see, at first it is written, "He shall mightily roar because of His habitation" (Yirmeyah 25:30), WHICH IS DURING EXILE. When ZEIR ANPIN will come out to receive his mate, MALCHUT, it is said, "The lion has roared, who will not fear"; "Adonai Elohim has spoken, who can but prophesy" (Amos 3:8). At that time it is written, "then Hashem your Elohim will turn your captivity" (Devarim 30:3). What is meant by "turn"? AND HE ANSWERS, The Holy One, blessed be He, returns the Congregation of Yisrael from exile, and the righteous returns to join its place. Then it is written, "Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in (or: 'return to') Your presence" (Tehilim 140:14).