חלק ב — תורה 5

16. And this is conceptually related to the lungs. When the lungs are healthy, all the concepts mentioned previously are likewise brought about. For the lungs are cool and moist. Cool corresponds to “the cool spirit of an understanding individual,” the rectification of faith by means of an understanding individual, as discussed above. Moist corresponds to the fluids and fatty substances that rise to the brain and become the concept of tefilin, as discussed above.

Healthy lungs also correspond to the rectification of sleep. Sleep is generated by the lungs, because the lungs are cool and moist, which are essential to sleep. Therefore, the time for sleep is when it rains, since a person finds it very pleasant to sleep then. This is because the rains, being cool and moist, [fill the air with] coolness and moisture. In the morning, too, sleep is pleasant. The dew descends then and as a result [the air] is cool and moist. Thus sleep is pleasant then as well. It follows, that the lungs, which are cool and moist, correspond to the rectification of sleep.

In addition, RaY’Ah (the lung) is so named because it me’IYRat (brings light to) the eyes, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Chullin 49a). This alludes to joy, as in “That which brings light to the eyes gladdens the heart” (Proverbs 15:30)—i.e., the rectification of joy, which is the strengthening of the angel, as discussed above.

Healthy lungs also correspond to the rectification of mishpat. For the heart is the place of mishpat, as it is written, “Aharon bore the mishpat of the Israelites on his heart.” Thus, when mishpat is corrupted, causing the fallen loves to devolve from the Chariot, the heart becomes excited, as discussed above. It follows, that the heart’s excitation is the corruption of mishpat. But the lungs fan the heart and cool the excitation—this being the rectification of mishpat.

This is the meaning of “He blows His wind, the waters flow” (Psalms 147:18). In other words, the lungs blowing wind on the heart and cooling the heart’s excitation rectifies mishpat. This is the meaning of “the waters flow,” as in “Let mishpat cascade like water” (Amos 5:24), which alludes to the rectification of mishpat.

This is also the meaning of “ray’ah is so named because it me’iyrat the eyes.” It corresponds to: A judge has only what his eyes see (Sanhedrin 6b)—this being the rectification of mishpat. This is Me’IYRaT: an acronym for “Tokho Ratzuf Ahavah Me’bnot Yerushalayim (suffused with love by the maidens of Jerusalem).” It refers to the rectification of mishpat, the rectification of the Chariot, to which holy love is consigned, as in “its chariot of purple, suffused with love by the maidens of Yerushalayim,” as discussed above.

This is as in “can your mishpat, [as] light, emerge?” (Hosea 6:5), and as we say: “and bring forth our mishpat, as light” (Rosh HaShanah Liturgy). In other words, by means of the lungs—i.e., bringing light to the eyes— mishpat is rectified, as in “and bring forth our mishpat, as light.”