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“D’ei Chochmah L’Nafshecha”—“Acquire Knowledge for Your Soul…”

Shalosh Seudos of Parshas Vayeira 5766

From the Teachings of HaRav, HaGaon HaTzaddik, Rav Yitzchak Meir

Morgenstern, shlit”a
Translated and Adapted by Rav Micha Golshevsky
Published by “Yam Hachochmah” Institute
Jerusalem

“And Hashem appeared before Avraham during the heat of the day, as he was
sitting by the entrance of his tent, in Elonei Mamrei.”1
Rashi brings Rabi Chama bar Chaninah who explains the significance of this;
Hashem came to inquire how Avraham was feeling since he was especially weak that
day. The pain of millah is most pronounced on the third day after the procedure.2 Rashi
then brings the Medrash which explains that Elonei Mamrei was in the portion of
Mamrei, who had advised Avraham to perform the millah. This is why Hashem appeared
to Avraham there.3 Rashi also mentions the Medrash that explains the reason why the
word yoshev is written without a vav. At first, Avraham wished to stand but Hashem
ordered him to sit. This was to be a sign for the future—when Avraham’s descendants
will preside over a din torah, Hashem stands, as it were, over the judges. As the verse
states, “Elokim nitzav b’adas E-l”—“G-d stands in the convocation of the powerful…”4
This is the meaning of the verse on the straightforward level, however there is a great
deal more for us to examine.

1
Bereishis 18:1
2
Bava Metzia 86b
3
Bereishis Rabbah 42:8
4
Ibid., 48:7
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The Three Paths to Prophecy

The Zohar Hakadosh reveals that the seal of the King comprises three colors.5
These are the three visionary paths that a prophet ascends on his journey toward
experiencing the, “…pleasantness of Hashem and visiting His palace.”
The first path to prophecy is achieved through sasimu d’eynin, by “closing the
eyes.” This means distancing oneself from being drawn after the material by closing his
eyes to chaizu d’hai almah, the lure and luster of this world. Such “closing” totally
nullifies the seeker’s physical self, and the person who is engaged in this brings about a
form of yichudah ila’ah, a higher unification. One closes one’s eyes to the material
aspects of creation, and sees that the entire fabric of reality is exclusively Elokus, pure G-
dliness. In one’s thoughts one ascends to supernal worlds with great dveikus, and while
one is in this state of detachment from the physical, one obtains a feeling of menuchas
ahavah, loving tranquility.
The second path is a combination of the prophet or seeker closing his eyes as in
the first path, opening them and gazing at this world, and then closing his eyes again.
This means that at first he divests himself from the lowly sight of the material world and
connects to supernal worlds and heavenly chambers. Afterward, he must open his eyes
and then close them again. This is the way in which he draws the revelation of G-dliness
into this world, and this negates the allure of this world. Then the holy Shechinah and
angels are revealed below, with those who dwell in the lower worlds, as Rav Chaim Vital
writes in Shaarei Kedushah.
Even a person who goes in the second path of prophecy cannot always gaze at the
material world and see its supernal character. This world by its very nature is an almah
d’pirudah, a world which makes one feel separate and disjoined from revealing the light
of Hashem’s presence.
This is why the prophet or seeker must continually return to the state of
nullification and detachment from the lower worlds and strive for renewed connection to
the supernal worlds. Each time that he returns to gaze at this world, he can only see the
Elokus that is truly everywhere for a fleeting moment before the effect of his earlier

5
Zohar Parshas Vayeira 99b
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dveikus needs replenishing. He accomplishes this by again closing his eyes to this world
and reconnecting on high.
In this second level of prophecy, one draws the yichudah ila’ah, the upper
unification, that is unification brought about by connection to the supernal worlds, into
the yichudah tata’ah, the unification of Hashem that is accomplished while gazing at, or
interfacing with, the physical world.
The second path is an aspect of aspaklaria d’eino me’irah, a translucent mirror.
One who takes this path does not experience the spiritual to the ultimate depth. A prophet
who travels the second path has a hazy vision compared to one who ascends to the next
level.
The third path is an aspect of an aspaklaria d’me’irah, a transparent mirror. This
path is the inversion of the second path; it involves subsuming yichudah tata’ah within
yichudah ila’ah, the lower unification within the upper unification.
In order to achieve this, one must delve very deeply into the self-nullification
which causes a yichudah ila’ah by engaging in very deep contemplation of Elokus. A
person who achieves this level of Divine contemplation is described in the Zohar as one
whose, “eyes roll.” One on such a level merits a very great G-dly vision. In comparison
with this new level, the experience of the Divine that comes without such intense
hisbonenus as seen in the first path is itself a kind of chaizu d’hai almah. Relatively
speaking, the first level becomes one’s physical power of sight, since this is what one
sees when looking at the material world. For one on this level, the entire creation
becomes a multifaceted vessel through which he can see Divine luminescence.
This is the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, the level of the transparent mirror, the
aspaklaria hameirah.6 Just as one sees one’s reflection clearly in a transparent mirror, so
too did Moshe Rabbeinu see Elokus everywhere. This was why he had a completely clear
view of the future when prophesying, to an extent unparalleled by any other prophet
before or since.
The Three Levels as Seen in the Prophecy of Avraham Avinu
Before his circumcision, Avraham Avinu was on the first level of prophesy. He
saw Elokus when his eyes were closed to the luster of this world and he was connected on

6
Yevamos49b
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high. But this was not always the case when he was engaged with the material world. As
it says in the verse, “…fear and a great darkness fell upon him.”7 After his circumcision,
Avraham Avinu merited the second path of prophetic vision, the aspaklaria she’eina
me’irah that is like a translucent mirror. We can see this in the verse, “And Hashem
appeared to him...” However, the fact that Avraham Avinu was ill at the time
demonstrates that this is not the highest level, that his prophecy was not yet truly
complete. For the word choleh has a numerical value of 49 (8+6+30+5=49). This
signifies the reason for sickness; one who is sick lacks the true completion symbolized
by the number 50.8 There are fifty gates to any level (including the 288 nitzotzin, holy
sparks, which give one life), and a deficiency in these sparks means that there is a
deficiency of spiritual vitality. This is the root cause of illness.9
The three people standing over Avraham, is an allusion to the fact that Avraham
had not yet reached completion in the three levels of prophecy discussed earlier, which
bring about the perfection of the entire creation. Complete mastery of these three levels is
an aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu and brings healing to the entire creation. As the verse says,
“Hashem will support him on eres devai—his sick bed.”10 The letters which make up the
word eres also spell the word eser, ten. Similarly, the letters of devai are the same
components of the letter yud. This illustrates the point made before, that attaining the
three levels of prophecy is the way to spiritual perfection and brings true recovery from
debilitating maladies in its wake. True healing is achieved by attaining spiritual
wholeness, each person according to their level. Wholeness of the individual and of
creation as a whole is expressed in the number ten—the world was created with ten acts
of Divine speech, there are ten sefiros which parallel the shiur komah, the upright full
structure, of the human body.
We can see this in the verse that commands the taking of the ma’aser beheimah,
the tithe from one’s livestock. “V’ha’asiri, and the tenth one, will be sanctified.”11 It is
the tenth which is declared holy and complete. This mitzvah expresses the mystery of the
7
Bereishis 15:12
8
See introduction of Toldos Yaacov Yosef paragraph 1.
9
I believe this appears in the Shaar HaKavanos. It is certainly discussed in the Siddur HaRamchal and the
writings of the Arizal.
10
Tehillim 41
11
Vayikra, 27, 9
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revelation of Hashem’s glory in a world where all judgments are sweetened and the
hidden spiritual character of the physical world is revealed.
When Avaraham Avinu came to the state of yichudah ila’ah, which entails closing
one’s eyes against the luster of this world and nullifying oneself to Hashem, the first
level, he was in danger of falling into a drumeita, a spiritual sleep. This sleep means a
lack of spiritual consciousness. The first level is an aspect of menuchah d’kedushah, holy
tranquility, where one accesses spiritual connection mainly by nullifying oneself without
focusing on translating the G-dliness experienced into the trials and tribulations of this
world. Since it just means connecting to the supernal as much as possible, the danger is
that one will forget the Elokus experienced completely and merely experience the
transient physicality of this world.
This is the significance of verse, “And tardeima, slumber, fell on Avraham, and
fear and a great darkness fell upon him.”12 This signified the danger of the first path, the
world of spiritual death of the wicked. For they experience no spiritual connection, an
aspect of spiritual slumber and stagnation.
However, when one reaches the second level, one achieves, “And Hashem
appeared to Avraham.”13 This verse alludes to the fact that Avraham drew the revelation
of G-dliness which he experienced when connected to Hashem into all that he perceived
in this world. He took the yichudah ila’ah, the upper unification, and applied it to this
world. In so doing, he made a yichudah tata’ah, a lower unification.
On this second level there is no danger of falling into spiritual slumber or
unconsciousness. However, Avarham was choleh, sick (=49), which signifies a lack of
completion regarding elevating the physical world on his level. His grasp of the spiritual
in this world had not yet reached shleimus, completion.
Since a person on the second level cannot truly reveal kavod shomayim through
all that he experiences, he is still considered to be in spiritual exile. One leaves exile
when one achieves the fiftieth level of elevating this world, which is an aspect of Moshe
Rabbeinu. This is the ultimate rectification. One closes one’s eyes from the luster of this
world so powerfully that all of one’s physical experiences are on the first level. One sees

12
Bereishis 15:12
13
Ibid., 18:1
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the first aspect of prophecy in their physical object or experience. The yichudah tata’ah
becomes an aspect of yichudah ila’ah. This is the ultimate purpose of creation, as the
verse states: “I shall emulate the Supernal.”14 This means that one sees exclusively the
spiritual even in the physical world.

Kayin and Hevel: The Mystery of Rachel and Leah

The Medrash writes that when Kayin was born, a twin girl was born with him.
But Hevel was born with two twin sisters.15 This signifies the brothers’ respective
spiritual identities, and it alludes to the mystery of Rachel and Leah.
Kayin worked the land, as we see from the verse, “And Kayin worked the land.”16
Since agriculture can only be accomplished with great toil, it signifies gevuros, spiritual
might, which was Kayin’s unique avodah. Hevel had a different spiritual mission. His job
was to reveal the avodah which includes both chassadim and gevuros, both spiritual
kindness and might. It was for this reason that he was a shepherd. [For example,
shepherding animals can be a very passive task, in this sense it is an aspect of kindness.
At other times, such as when the shepherd must defend his flock from a predator, it
requires the might of gevuros.]
Hevel’s two twin sisters signified chassadim and gevuros, Hillel and Shamai
respectively, and the source for both was in the level of Chochmah. This mission is an
aspect of “Rachel” in the Kabbalistic sense, while Kayin’s mission was an aspect of
“Leah,” or Binah.17
This means that the avodah of Hevel was to do yichudim and engage in dveikus
and building his emunah in Hashem, all aspects of Chochmah. However, it is known that
Kayin took Hevel’s twin for himself.18 This is the deeper message of the verse, “...‫אי‬,
where, is your brother Hevel?”19 Kayin took the light of Shamai for himself—the name
comprises two words: shem (shin mem) and ai (alef yud).

14
Yeshayahu 14:14
15
Bereishis Rabbah 22
16
Bereishis 4:2
17
Shaar Hagilgulim, Hakdamah 36; Biurei Aggados of the Vilna Gaon, Megillah 6b
18
Shaar Hakavanos, Drushei Tefillas Hashachar 3
19
Bereishis 4:9
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The word shem is equal to 340, and it itself is made up of 4 x 72, four times the
value of chessed, which has its source in the level of Chochmah, permutated through all
four worlds of Atzilus, Beriyah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. If one adds 52, the value of the
permutation of Hashem’s Name that represents Malchus. What is this permutation and
how does it represent Malchus? The letters are spelled out fully, which means that two of
them are simply doubled: yud is spelled yud-vav-dales, but hei is spelled hei-hei, and vav
is spelled vav-vav. Malchus is the revelation of Hashem’s Kingship in this world. This
can only be done by yearning to reveal Elokus in this world—the final three letters of the
Name. Soon we will explain the significance of combining Malchus and Chochmah more
clearly.20
Yud-aleph has a numerical value of 11, which represents all eleven elements of
the ketores, the holy gevuros through which one can transform bad to good, as is well
known.21
Because Kayin commandeered the Gevurah aspect of Hevel, Hevel could only
make yichudim on the first level of prophecy which is an aspect of holy tranquility.
Because of this he fell into a drumita, spiritual unconsciousness. In his case, this sleep
was not only an aspect of spiritual death but was physical as well. He was in too much of
a state of bitul, of self-nullification. This is one way to understand the words of Rabbeinu
Bachaya who writes that Hevel died as punishment for gazing at the Shechinah beyond
what he could grasp.22
Kayin thought that all aspects of gevuros are his avodah alone, since his shoresh,
spiritual root, is in binah, which is an aspect of Leah. Dinim are rooted in Binah which is
holy discernment, the holy source of all strict justice. Its purpose is to reject that which is
bad and to strengthen that which is good. For this reason, he thought that the gevuros
related only to his aspect, while his brother, who was an aspect of Rachel or Chochmah,
should really have nothing to do with gevuros. Kayin assumed that since Chochmah is
completely subsumed in G-dliness, and has no connection to anything to do with gevuros,
so too would Hevel not need to have any connection to holy might.

20
Pri Eitz Chaim, Shaar Krias Shema 9
21
See Shaar Hakavanos, Ibid.
22
Commentary of Rabbeinu Bachaya to Shemos 3:6
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Now we understand why Kayin took Hevel’s second twin, who was an aspect of
Gevurah. This caused Hevel’s death, since he could only travel the first path of prophecy
directly into a permanent state of self-nullification.

The Prophecy of Avraham Avinu and the Aspects of Kayin and Hevel
This same sort of removal of the gevuros and the subsequent drumita, spiritual
slumber, was experienced by Avraham where our parsha tells that, “Fear and a great
darkness fell upon him.” The rectification of this is when, “Three people are standing
over him,” for they predicted the birth of Yitzchak whose source is in the sefirah of
Gevurah, which is from the spiritual side related to the feminine aspect.
This is the meaning of what Hashem said to him, “Sit and I will stand,” since this
is the main avodah of Avraham. He is an aspect of menuchas ahavah, a loving tranquility
in the light of Hashem which is an aspect of bitul, self nullification, a holy delight. This is
attained through self-nullification and passivity, symbolized by “sitting” passively, since
one experiences only Hashem to attain such a level.
The avodah of Avraham is Chochmah which includes Malchus—this is Midas
HaDin, an aspect of judgment, since Malchus has nothing of itself. Through avodah in
the way of Chohmah with Malchus, Avraham eventually arrives at the place where three
people are standing over him. This alludes to his coming closer to achieving the three
levels of prophecy mentioned above.
One must merge the aspect of Z”A (Ze’ir Anpin) which is an aspect of standing,
with the aspect of Malchus, an aspect of sitting.
In order to enter any level of holiness, one must enter through the emanation of
Malchus. This is the esoteric meaning of the verse, “B’zos, with this, will Aharon enter
the Kodesh.”23 Malchus, the feminine attribute, is called Zos, so the only way to enter
into any holiness is to pass through Midas HaDin. [Note: This also means that in order to
come to a real level of holiness one must be able to overcome whatever challenges one
encounters. And especially one must not give up on account of the difficulties which
Midas HaDin places in one’s way.]

23
Vayikra 16:3
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This means that one must have a blend of the levels of opening one’s eyes to this
world because they always see Elokus in everything physical, and closing one’s eyes to
the luster of this world, for due to their deep contemplation of Elokus, they are enabled to
gaze upon this world and see the G-dly character of everything material. This is the
symbolism of Hashem standing over the judges while they sit; that the two levels are
completely merged. They are merged in the engagement with the Midas HaDin—the
attribute of judgment.

Yitzchak Avinu and the Gevuros

This was the main work of Yitzhak Avinu, to revel this secret in the world.
Yitzchak was bound to the altar by his father Avraham when he was 37 years old.24
Thirty-seven is the numerical value of Hevel’s name, since Yitzchak revealed the avodah
of Hevel, which was to combine the yichudim of Chochmah and Gevurah sourced in
Binah.
The mitzvah of milah is an aspect of Binah since the message of milah is in
essence that it is not enough to be in an aspect of menuchah muchletes, absolute
tranquility. This is because one who exists in a state of pure tranquility, which comes
through closing one’s eyes to the luster of this world, is considered ill, as we have already
made clear. He requires a change that is brought about actively, through the activation of
gevuros.
For even if one is a tzaddik who has achieved the first level of prophecy and is
connected with Elokus when his eyes are “closed,” even if he had reached the level of
Atzilus, he is still considered spiritually incomplete or ill. When this tzaddik is in the three
lower worlds of Beriyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah he usually cannot reveal Elokus and these
worlds still seem to proclaim separation from Hashem, chas v’shalom. It is only when
this tzaddik is in a state of dveiku within Atzilus that he feels that everything is Elokus.
Even such a tzaddik, who is himself at times in Atzilus, is also sick until he can draw the
Elokus into the worlds that seem to proclaim separation, especially this lowly world.
For this reason, Avraham bound Yitzchak to be sacrificed when he became 37
years old. This binding of Yitzchak, symbolized the joining of the way of Avraham to the

24
Breishis Rabbah, 56
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path of Yitschak. The path of Avraham is to come to great dveikus through yichudim, so
the significance of binding Yitzchak was to bind or join his way with the way of Yitzchak
who served Hashem with might and strength.
This mystery, that Yitzchak was an aspect of Hevel at the akeidah, is actually
indicated in the verse where Avraham tells Yitzchak that Hashem will show them the
lamb for an olah sacrifice. Avraham uses the words, “Haseh L’olah B’ni.” The first
letters of the phrase spell Hevel, because at that moment Yitzchak was an aspect of
Hevel, who was really an expression of the levels of Rachel / Chochmah, and Leah /
Binah.25
In this way, the akeidah rectified the blemish of Kayin, who took the holy gevuros
from Hevel. It restored the creation back to where it should be, a blend of the aspect of
Shamai and Hillel. It is important to note that the halacha follows Beis Hillel, since the
main emphasis of one’s avodah should be Chochmah. Meaning, we serve Hashem with
holy tranquility that comes to one who cleaves to the light of Hashem. However this must
be bound together with the power and might of holiness which was the avodah of Beis
Shamai.

The Three Levels and Three Sinning Generations

The three aspects of prophecy correct the blemish of the generation of the flood,
the builders of the Tower of Bavel, and the people of Sodom.
One who enters the first level of the tranquil love experienced by he who cleaves
to the light of Chochmah rectifies the sin of the generation of the flood. This is because
they blemished the spiritual aspect of water which is rooted in Chochmah, as it says,
“Mayim al haaretz.”26
So the tikkun is that one sees the entire world submerged in water. This signifies
the fact that the entire creation is filled with Chochmah, which is spiritual water. This is
how one nullifies the guilty waters of this world. This aspect of the flood exists even in
our day, and it can be rectified by internalizing and experiencing the fact that really
everything is the light of Hashem.

25
Shaar Hgilgulim, Hakdamah 37; Shaar Hapesukim, Yisro 19
26
Zohar Hakadosh, I:62b
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One who ascends to the second level of prophecy, which is the level of being able
not only to close one’s eyes to the glitter of this world but also to open one’s eyes to the
material reality of this world and make a lower unification as well is the rectification for
the generation that built the Tower of Bavel. That generation was comprised of many
people who all had the same basic goal, to separate Hashem and G-dliness from the
physical world by making a name for themselves. This meant nullifying the Name of
Hashem, as we see in the Nefesh HaChayim. There, Rav Chayim of Volozhin zt”l
explains that Hashem’s name indicates how He relates to the physical world. By making
a name for themselves they were essentially trying to deny the fact that Elokus is
everywhere.
Their rectification is to reveal the G-dly character of this world. By being able to
open one’s eyes in the material world and see only Elokus, one nullifies the dor haflagah
and the adherents to this philosophy even today. However, every element of the blemish
of this generation must be rectified by focusing on doing the opposite of their every move
towards establishing separation from Elokus in creation. They wanted to live together and
be in touch with one another. For this purpose, they wished to build a city and a tower
that would consolidate their strength. So we do the opposite and reveal the Oneness of
Hashem even in the obvious profusion of diversity that exists in the world.
This is also the rectification of Sodom. In the end, Avraham did achieve the
blending of both ways since even in wicked Sodom he saw G-dliness. This is the
meaning behind his search for tzaddikim even in that nest of iniquity. Ten represent a
complete structure of holiness; this is why ten men make a minyan, and why there are ten
sefiros.
This is the third level of prophecy which Avraham reached. This is why he saw
Elokus even in Sodom. He had such a strong contemplation of Elokus that everywhere he
looked he only saw G-dliness—even in Sodom which was imbued with the ultimate
luster of the material. We see this from the fact that they valued the material even over
saving human lives!
But Avraham revealed the light of Hashem even in the lowest place. This is a
level of Kesser which is the place of the aspaklaria hame’irah, where the experience of
the Divine is like an image that is clear as that presented by a shining mirror. Kesser is
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one of the highest levels of the emanations of Hashem that can be discussed. In the place
of Atik or Arich, which are the higher sefiros of Kesser and Malchus of Keser, one is so
high that he is in a place where there is no good or bad, no right or left, because one who
reaches this level sees that everything is Elokus even if it seems very evil indeed.
When a person is truly connected to the higher spheres, where the light of
Hashem shines so powerfully that everything is really connected to the One, even Sodom,
the ultimate level of seeming separation from Elokus, can be rectified. The truth is that
this is the ultimate rectification, when the most heinous bad is rectified and becomes
good.
This was the avodah of Yosef Hatzaddik, to reveal G-dliness in the most hidden
dark places, even in Egypt which was so promiscuous it was called the ervah of the earth.
Yosef revealed Hashem, because he himself was so davuk, connected to Hashem.
Even when he was the second to the king and in charge of the storehouses, he was
always completely connected to Hashem. This was in the merit of his having achieved an
aspect of the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, who was always connected to Hashem with great
might and strength with a perpetual feeling of complete cleaving to Hashem, yet always
within the tranquility of the luminescence of Hashem, the light of Chochmah.

The Tzaddik and the Baal Teshuvah

This is the meaning of Rashi on the verse, “And he (Avraham) sat at the entrance
to the tent during the heat of the day”—“To see if there was anyone over v’shav, passing
or returning, so as to bring them into his home.”
He said to his guests, “Take a little water and wash your feet and rest under the
tree. The Maggid of Koznitz, zt”l, explained, that the words “over v’shav” in Rashi,
mean sinners who went up to the tent of Avraham to return in teshuvah.
The Zohar Hakadosh, states that when a person wishes to do teshuvah, or comes
to a tzaddik so that he should be aroused to do teshuvah, immediately all the accusers that
were created by all the sins the person did are aroused and start protesting. But Hashem
tells these accusers to “rest under the tree.”
In truth, no Jewish soul really falls to sin because he really wants to do evil. Quite
the contrary, the nature of a Jewish soul is to search and look for the G-dly menuchah,
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tranquility, discussed here at length. Unfortunately, instead of this connection to Elokus,

people often fall to tardeimah, unconsciousness, instead of spiritual menuchah. An aspect
of the “fear and great darkness” that falling into sin produces. And it all happens because
one wants pleasure for himself.
So the tikkun is to sit beneath the tree. That is, to enter into the illumination of the
Torah, which is called a tree, and close one’s eyes to the glitter of this material world.
There, one can take pleasure in the dveikus in Hashem by focusing on a deep inspiring
concept or the simple fact that everything is Elokus, or from the light of yichudim.
When one sincerely wants to change and starts to shut the sheen of the material
out of their eyes by focusing on Hashem in one of the ways we’ve mentioned, the
accusers start accusing. It is then that one must learn to enter into the level of judges, who
sit while Hashem stands over them as it were. This means using strength to internalize the
connection so much that one sees Elokus in everything material.
So it’s not enough to merely enjoy the closeness of the waters of tranquility of the
ocean of Torah as Avarham did before his milah. One must learn to open one’s eyes and
do the work of the holy gevuros, of Malchus, which is an aspect of milah. One must open
one’s eyes and see this world with its true essence, the Elokus that gives it life. However,
one may not gaze at this world even with this intention for too long without reconnecting
to one’s Source. This lesson can be learned from Avraham’s offer, “Take a little water.”
We gaze at the light of Chochmah and then we immediately wash off our feet by using
the gevuros of Malchus which is an aspect of milah, to find the G-dly identity of the
entire creation.
The reason why washing off one’s feet signifies milah is because Yesod or
foundation is called the feet.27 Obviously the area of purity is an area fraught with
challenges that we must rise to meet. It is certainly appropriate to call yesod an aspect of
overcoming what seems grossly physical in order to see Elokus.
One who follows this method can merit a reflection of the levels of prophecy and
to connect to Hashem in a balanced way. Through this method, one can enter to the light
of unification with Hashem either by nullifying oneself to Him (yichudah Ila’ah) or by
seeing Hashem in the physical (yichudah tata’ah).

27
Shaar Ma’amarei Razal, Ma’amar Psiosav Shel Avraham Avinu
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Completing the Rectification of Hevel

This is the esoteric meaning of Avraham’s rescue of Lot from the upheaval of
Sodom. This rescue allowed the neshamos of Amon and Moav to emerge, whose
descendants were Na’amah the Amonite and Ruth the Moavite.
Naamah was an aspect of Leah / Binah¸ while Ruth was an aspect of Rachel /
Chochmah.28
When any Jew recites Shema Yisrael, he is essentially removing himself from the
glitter and allure of the material world. Through the words, one enters a state of complete
divestiture from the physical world, a state of complete spiritual tranquility which comes
from knowing that everything is Elokus and that Hashem is the One and Only in the
heavens and on the earth. There is no other.
Subsequently, the kelipah of Na’amah, an aspect of Leah / Binah / gevuros, is
aroused and must be subdued by the Name “Ha’E-l” in the blessing of Avos in Shemonah
Esrei. “Ha’E-l” contains the same letters as the name “Leah,” and this Name subdues the
kelipos whose source is in Leah by activating the holy gevuros of Leah.
Subsequently, we arrive at the words “V’koneh Hakol” of the same blessing in
Shemonah Esrei. The word v’koneh includes the same letters as ”v’nakeh” of the Thirteen
Attributes of Mercy. When we say this word, cleanse ourselves and completely purify
ourselves before Hashem. This cleansing is accomplished when we receive the
mentalities, the mochin of Abbah / Chochmah and Immah / Binah together, as is
explained in the kavanos hatefillah.
Receiving the mentality of Chochmah signifies entering into a state of bitul, and
this brings a person to experience the complete tranquility of true connection to Hashem.
This rectifies the light of Rachel, which is the very same light as Dovid Hamelech who
was anointed at the Tomb of Rachel in Beis Lechem. The avodah of Dovid Hamelech
included both the aspects of Rachel and the aspect of Leah, as we see from the fact that
the descendant of Yehudah the son of Leah was anointed at the tomb of Rachel. Thus the
Arizal explains that when one says, “V’koneh hakol,” one first rectifies the aspect of
Rachel and through it is the aspect of Leah then rectified.

28
Likutei Torah, Vayeira, Inyan Bnos Lot
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The truth is that Hevel should have brought the world to the ultimate rectification,
but the tikkun only really began with Moshe Rabbeinu whose soul was rooted in
Hevel’s.29 The rectification was completed by Dovid Hamelech who incorporated both
the avodah of Rachel and the avodah of Leah.30 Dovid Hamelech merited to complete the
rectification of Hevel by making very elevated yichudim. He entered the aspect of
complete tranquility of bitul, and he was able to do it by force—even when it was very
difficult to do so. Through this ability, he merited to see Elokus in everything. Through it,
he received the third level of prophecy which is an aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu’s clear
vision, the aspaklaria hame’irah.
This forcing one’s way into true connection to Hashem even when it feels that the
obstacles are insurmountable is the way in which we can bring the concept of “v’koneh
hakol” to life in our service of G-d. V’kohen includes the same letters as v’nakeh, this
idea of cleansing and purifying ourselves along with all of creation. All the while that the
creation doesn’t reveal Elokus, that it obscured G-dliness, it is in a state of illness. Each
person who sees Elokus does his part toward healing all of creation a little more. This is
done by connecting to Hashem on a deep level, until Hashem illuminates our eyes and
comes to be “Mevaker cholim,” until He comes to release us from our spiritual sickness.
As the verse states, “Hashem yisadenu al eres devai”—“Hashem will support him on his
bed of travail.”31 Eres, the word in the verse for bed, is a re-arrangement of the word
eser, ten. This is meant to teach us that Hashem removes us from eres, the sick bed, to
uplift us to the eser, the ten aspects of holiness that were portioned out to the world.32

Bikur Cholim and the Redemption

Everyone knows that we must fulfill the mitzvah of “Shivisi Hashem linegdi
samid,” of keeping Hashem at the forefront of our consciousness. We need to cleave to
holy thoughts while learning and praying since this is the desire of our Creator, and the
ultimate desire of every Jew is to do the will of the Creator. In our innermost being, we
are all filed with yearning to cleave constantly to the Creator.

29
Shaar Hagilgulim, Hakdama 34
30
Eitz Chaim, Shaar 38, chapter 1
31
Tehillim 41
32
Keilim 1:6
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In the very first subsection of Shulchan Aruch, the Ramah writes: “This is a great
general principle in Torah and is a defining characteristic of the righteous who go before
Hashem.”
The holy Baal Shem Tov said that making yichudim is an avodah in which
everyone should engage. Doing so will bring one to fulfill the first subsection of
Shulchan Aruch. In this merit, we will be removed form our long exile.33
Unfortunately, we are still far from being redeemed since we have not been
following the path of healing of all spiritual sickness—the main cause of the exile. The
redemption will come, however, when we are able to see the light of Hashem within
every aspect of creation, in every movement of any limb, and in all inner movements. All
are one, since they have one Source—Hashem.
Hashem is waiting to visit those who are spiritually sick. And He does come to
“visit” us when we follow the path of avodas hadeveikus with every aspect of our being
when fulfilling reciting Shema Yisrael. We must strengthen ourselves and contemplate
the greatness of Hashem very much, in the spirit of menuchas ahavah. And this
menuchas ahavah can be felt by even the most distant soul, when he considers the love
that Hashem demonstrates by visiting even the most distant and ill as long as He is
sought.
When one cleaves to Hashem with holy fervor and recharges this closeness by
self-nullification through holy tranquility, one can be connected to his Creator all day,
every day. Even while eating and drinking one must learn to connect to Hashem, either
by seeing Elokus or by feeling the menchas ahavah d’kedushah, the holy tranquility that
stems of our love of Hashem and His love of us. This will fill us with love for Hashem
so that we will automatically fulfill the words of the Rambam: “What does it mean to
love Hashem? That one love Him with such a great and powerful love until one’s entire
self is completely bound in that love so that one is always preoccupied with it…”34

33
See letter at the end of Poras Yosef.
34
Hilchos Teshuvah 10:5