513. "And Jacob called to his sons, and said, 'Gather yourselves together...'" (Beresheet 49:1). Rabbi Aba opened the discussion saying, "He turned to the prayer of the lonely and did not despise their prayer" (Tehilim 102:18). This verse has already been explained, yet the friends found it difficult as to why it says "turned" when it should have been 'listened' or 'hearkened.'

514. HE ANSWERS, All the prayers in the world, THAT IS, THE PUBLIC PRAYERS, are considered prayers, but the prayer of a solitary man does not enter before the Holy King, save through great effort. For before the prayer enters to be adorned in its place, the Holy One, blessed be He, examines it and searches that man's sins and virtues. He does not do this to the prayers of the many, and though some of the prayers come not of the righteous, yet they all come before the Holy One, blessed be He, and He does not regard their sins.

515. Therefore, "He turned to the prayer of the lonely." It means that He turned the prayer and examined every side to find out with what mind it was offered, who is the man who prayed and what his deeds were like. A man therefore should say his prayers in public. Why? Since He "did not despise their prayer," though not all are offered with devotion and a willing heart.

516. Another explanation for: "He turned to the prayer of the lonely:" IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT HE ACCEPTS HIS PRAYER, ONLY THAT this is the individual who becomes part of the many, AND THEREFORE HIS PRAYER IS AS A PUBLIC PRAYER. Who is the individual, who is included within the many? He is said to be Jacob, who is included within the two sides, RIGHT AND LEFT, ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. He called to his sons and prayed for them. What is the prayer which is wholly accepted above? That Yisrael shall not perish in exile.

517. When Jacob sent for them, the Shechinah departed from him, as was already explained. Come and see, When Jacob called for his sons, Abraham and Isaac appeared there with the Shechinah upon them. The Shechinah rejoiced in Jacob, that he would be united with the fathers, to become a Chariot together with their souls.

518. When Jacob opened the discussion saying, "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the latter end of days," the latter end being the Shechinah, THE LAST OF THE SFIROT, BY MENTIONING "THAT WHICH SHALL BEFALL YOU IN THE LATTER END OF DAYS," HE MENTIONED THE EXILE. The Shechinah was saddened and departed. Later, his sons brought Her back by the union created by the words they uttered, "Hear, O Yisrael..." (Devarim 6:4). Then Jacob stayed Her and said, 'Blessed be the name of the glory of His sovereignty for evermore.' The Shechinah then settled in Her place.

519. "And Jacob called ..." HE ASKS, What call is this? HE REPLIES, This call establishes their place, MALCHUT CALLED PLACE, FOR WHEN HE CALLED THEM HE CONNECTED THEM TO THEIR ROOT; to establish them above IN THEIR ROOT, and below IN THIS WORLD. Come and see, wherever "calling" is mentioned, it is always in the same way, as it is written, "And Moses called Hosea son of Nun, Joshua" (Bemidbar 13:6), IN ORDER to secure his place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, where it should be and connect him to it. It also says, "And he called his name Jacob" (Beresheet 25:26), and "and called it El, the Elohim of Yisrael" (Beresheet 33:20), thus establishing this place through the name he gave it, as naming brings securing AND STRENGTHENING.

520. You may ask about the verse, "And called mightily to Elohim" (Yonah 3:7), and "I called from my sorrow unto Hashem" (Yonah 2:3), WHAT IS BEING ESTABLISHED HERE? HE ANSWERS, Assuredly THE CALLING HERE connects and establishes it above. How so? The arranging of the praises of his Master and all the words of prayer give strength and might to his Master, thus showing that all depends upon Him and not on any other place. Hence, THE CALLING HERE brings endurance. In the same manner "Jacob called to his sons," thus wholly establishing them, and also "Hashem called (Heb. vayikra) to Moses" (Vayikra 1:1), THUS establishing him in his place.

521. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Why is the Aleph in the word 'vayikra' small, IF IT IS SUPPOSED TO INDICATE EXISTENCE AND STRENGTH? He said to him: Moses was wholly established THROUGH THE CALLING, but not in every respect, since he abstained BECAUSE OF THIS from his wife. THEREFORE THE ALEPH IS SMALL. In ancient books, it is said that THE SEPARATION FROM HIS WIFE is a praise to him AND DOES NOT DIMINISH HIM. But we have learned that he separated FROM HIS WIFE AND CLOVE above, when he had to connect both above and below, MEANING, TO HIS WIFE TOO. Then he would be perfect. THE SEPARATION FROM HIS WIFE IS THEN CONSIDERED AS DIMINISHING, TO WHICH THE SMALL ALEPH ALLUDES. Also, the small Aleph indicates the small place it came from; MEANING, THE CALLING IS FROM THE SMALL PLACE, MALCHUT, which is great when united above WITH ZEIR ANPIN, THE SECRET OF MOSES. THEREFORE "HASHEM CALLED TO MOSES" TO MAKE IT GREAT.

522. "And said:" HE ASKS, THE WORDS "AND SAID, GATHER YOURSELVES" MEAN THAT THEY WERE NOT WITH HIM THEN. What does "and said" means? TO WHOM DID HE THEN ADDRESS THE WORDS? HE ANSWERS, as in the verse "If you shall say in your heart" (Devarim 7:17), he whispered them; MEANING, HE ADDRESSED UPWARDS THE WORDS "GATHER YOURSELVES," AND NOT TO HIS SONS. "GATHER YOURSELVES:" HE ASKS, IF HE TOLD THE MESSENGERS TO GATHER HIS SONS, he should have said 'Gather' instead of "Gather yourselves," as in "Gather my pious ones together" (Tehilim 50:5). HE ANSWERS, It is clear to us that "Gather" is from a high place; MEANING, HE TOLD THEM TO GATHER THEMSELVES TO THEIR SUPERNAL ROOTS WITHIN MALCHUT, SO THAT THEY WOULD BE GATHERED into a complete bond, and union. "That I may tell you:" HE ASKS, What does it mean? HE REPLIES, It is the secret of Wisdom; MEANING, "I MAY TELL YOU" MEANS THAT HE WILL DRAW UPON THEM THE SECRET OF WISDOM.