חלק ב — תורה 67

5. Now see, that which has passed is no longer, for our Holy Temple has already burned down. However, at this time, with God looking forward to returning to us and rebuilding our Holy Temple, we ought not obstruct its building, God forbid, but instead exert ourselves in its construction. This is why a person has to be very careful to get up at midnight in order to mourn the Holy Temple’s destruction. For perhaps in the first incarnation he was responsible for its destruction. Even if not, it could still be that he is now obstructing the building of the Holy Temple, and so is regarded as if he caused its destruction.

Therefore, a person has to be very careful to get up at midnight in order to greatly mourn the Holy Temple’s destruction. And God has promised anyone who mourns for Zion “to place for the mourners of Zion splendor instead of ashes” (Isaiah 61:3). Specifically, “Pe’ER (splendor) instead of EiPheR (ashes).” “Splendor” alludes to the concept of mentalities/tefilin/ rosh bayit /the spectrum of colors/three colors of the eye and the pupil/luminaries of light/Shabbat, which shines into the Holy Temple, as mentioned above. “Instead of ashes”—“ashes” alludes to luminaries of fire {the opposite of the aforementioned}. In other words, the luminaries of fire, through which the Holy Temple was burned down, are subdued, and the luminaries of light, which preserve the Holy Temple, become powerful. This is the meaning of “splendor instead of ashes.”

{“Lo T’vaaru Aish B’khol Moshvoteikhem (You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwelling places) on the Shabbat day” (Exodus 35:3).} It follows, that by virtue of one’s mourning the Holy Temple, he subdues the luminaries of fire, and the luminaries of light, which are the concept of Shabbat, become powerful. This is MiTABeL (mourns)—an acronym for Lo T’vaaru Aish B’khol Moshvoteikhem. Because of people’s mourning, the luminaries of fire are subdued, as mentioned above. And this is “on the Shabbat day,” for as a result the luminaries of light shine—the concept of Shabbat/three colors of the eye and the pupil, which shine into the Holy Temple, as in “My Shabbat you shall keep and My Sanctuary you shall revere,” as mentioned above.

And this is as it is written, “to do the Shabbat l’DoRotam (for their generations)” (Exodus 31:16)—concerning which our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: it is spelled l’DiRatam, connoting DiRah (a dwelling) (Zohar III, 243b; Tikkuney Zohar #24, p.70a). In other words, Shabbat, which is the concept of luminaries of light, brings to dirah—i.e., the concept of the Holy Temple, whose existence is engendered by Shabbat, as mentioned above. It also alludes to a literal dwelling, because through Shabbat/luminaries of light, the luminaries of fire are subdued and people are saved from fires, as mentioned above. It follows, that Jewish dwellings are preserved through Shabbat, as mentioned above.