Sha'ar HaKavanot, Sermons on Rosh Hashanah Introduction

The concept [behind] the custom practiced by the Ashkenazim on the first day of Rosh Hashanah to go after the afternoon service a little before sunset to the ocean or to a spring or a well of artesian water, which they call Tashlich: Behold, it is a good custom, but it is better if it is outside of the city. One should stand over the edge of the well or the spring and read the three verses of, Who is like You, etc. You will show truth to Jacob, etc., at the end of Micah (7:18-20), which is the aspect of the thirteen rectifications of the supernal beard of the Extended Face [Arikh Anpin]. And with the meaning of the words, one must have in mind how the 13 rectifications of the beard are hinted to, as is known, and where the place of each rectification on the supernal face of the Extended Face is, according to what we explained about the idea of and He passed over (Exodus 34:6) and the thirteen attributes in the weekday morning prayers, see there. And in the Idra Rabba (11:97), they are taught according to the order of [the words of the thirteen attributes of mercy]: Lord, Lord, God merciful and compassionate, etc.: Who is a God like You [corresponds to the] first; forgiving iniquity, the second; and remitting transgression, the third; against the remnant of His inheritance the fourth; Who has not maintained His wrath forever, the fifth; because He desires kindness, the sixth; He will take us back in mercy, the seventh; He will cover up our iniquities, the eighth; You will hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea, the ninth; You will show truth to Jacob, the tenth; kindness to Abraham, the eleventh; as You promised on oath to our fathers, the twelfth; in days gone by, the thirteenth. And when you say, You will hurl all our sins into the depths of the sea, you should have in mind that all of your sins and iniquities be hurled away and that the supernal prosecutor should be hurled into the supernal sea. As that is the reason to say it over the ocean or moving waters. However, you must [also] keep in mind what we explained in the teaching about the thirteen attributes on the ninth rectification that is hinted at in the word to the thousandth generation (Exodus 34:7). And I explained it concerning unifications.