Vayeshev

And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan." To understand this matter, consider the repetition of the phrase "in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan." It is written, "I walk before the Lord in the lands of the living." There are two lands that serve as vessels for drawing inspiration for higher life (and just as 'life' is a plural term, so are 'lands'). The explanation of this matter requires understanding why the Land of Canaan is referred to throughout the Torah as Eretz Yisrael. Indeed, Ham is the father of Canaan, and what is the significance of Eretz Yisrael being associated with this (also to understand what is meant by 'Canaan in his control with deceptive scales')? Also, what is written, 'And there shall be no Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day'? It is known that the entire Torah is alluded to in this, as opposed to that. Just as Laban and Esau are in the realm of impurity, and likewise, the minister of slaughter, and the minister of libations, etc., so are all these aspects within holiness, for this contrasts with that which God has made.

And behold, the three sons of Noah are elevated in sanctity through three aspects of the spectrum: white, red, and green. However, in the descent of the worlds from level to level, Cham becomes materialistic, the father of Canaan. To understand the concept of Canaan in holiness, the term 'Canaan' means merchant, as it is written, 'her merchants were the honored of the land.

And it is written, 'Canaan is a trader; in his hand are the scales of deceit.' This means to say, metaphorically, like a merchant who scatters money, silver, and gold, taking them out of his possession in order to profit and gain. His main intention is to be a scatterer, and there is more to add. Similarly, the source of the soul of Israel, which is in the aspect of 'Kenaani,' is likened in exile to this merchant, as it is written, 'Come, your brothers with you, and take grain for the famine of your households.' For it is written, 'When a man’s power prevails over another to his detriment,' that through the enclothement of the Divine Presence in the aspect of exile within them, to influence them, all the sparks of holiness become apparent. As our Sages said, 'Israel was not exiled except to add to them [converts].' They are swallowed [the nations] like death, etc.

And I will remove the impure spirit from the land and reveal the glory of the Lord, for they shall see, eye to eye, etc. And just as it is in the general world, so it is in particular with every soul of Israel in the service of God. For behold, the soul, before its descent into this world to clothe itself in a body, and the vital animalistic soul, was bound and connected at its source and root, with the emanation from the sublime spark of the fire of love by nature, like the flame ascending from its source, etc. It possessed the quality of love and awe naturally, manifesting greatly, which is in the form of silver and gold. 'Silver' is derived from the root 'yearning,' meaning the quality of love.

And gold from the north will come forth, which is in the aspect of the left, which is the aspect of fear. Afterwards, when the soul descended into this world to clothe itself in the physical body, also in the aspect of love and awe, it turns out that these qualities were concealed and covered in the physical heart. It couldn't see with love and awe in such revelation as initially. Thus, it is found that love and awe were diminished from their original state.

So why did the soul descend to this world since it involves a great descent and a significant reduction from the beginning? However, it is written, 'Better to me is Your Torah than thousands of gold and silver.' 'Thousands' linguistically implies learning. In other words, I have an advantage and superiority in Your Torah in this world more than in the aspect of gold and silver that the soul initially learned about.

And the matter, as our sages said, 'One moment of repentance is beautiful,' for through sublime repentance, from the depths of the heart, the soul's adherence to the living God becomes more marvelous than the superficial love and awe, as mentioned later. Thus, even though there is a deficiency in natural love and awe in the external heart that is revealed, nonetheless, it will have an advantage in the aspect of the inner heart's evil over the external heart, like the advantage of light emerging from darkness specifically.

The explanation of the matter is that it is written, 'I am the first, and I am the last, and besides Me, there is no God.' The meaning is, according to what is said, 'I am the Lord, I have not changed, and you are the same before you were created,' without any alteration because the creation of upper and lower worlds does not occupy any space in general, and all are considered as nothing before Him."

And besides Me, there is no God" means, in other words, that aside from this level, which is perceived through time, the world appears as if it has substance and exists in a state of space and time, and there is no God besides You, who is in the aspect of the living God and the King of the world, as it is said: 'And besides You, we have no king, redeemer, etc.' All the worlds, upper and lower, were formed from the aspect of His kingship, as it is written, 'Your kingship is the kingship of all worlds,' and there, the comprehension of all created beings, both upper and lower, originated. However, concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory and essence, no thought can apprehend Him, for He is exalted and transcendent beyond the limits of comprehension. He is not grasped within worlds, neither in the aspect of immanence nor in the aspect of surrounding, with any intellect or comprehension in the world. Instead, He can only be apprehended through the innermost part of a person's heart and a deep understanding.

And as it is written, 'I have called You from the depths, O Lord,' for the aspect of the innermost part of the heart draws from this contemplation itself if one directs their heart to it. For no thought can grasp Him at all, and He is exalted and transcendent beyond the highest level, reaching to infinity and beyond, even beyond the level of the highest wisdom. Therefore, the soul yearns and seeks to nullify itself in relation to Him, desiring to escape the confinement of the entangled body and to pour itself into the embrace of its Father. In contrast, when the soul, before descending to be clothed in a body, was in a state of love and attachment to its source in the realm of thought, so much so that it sought to nullify itself in the reality of Him, may He be blessed. In this way, the soul, before its descent, longs to emerge from the confinement of the entangled body and to pour itself into the embrace of its Father. Conversely, after the soul descends and is clothed in the body, it is love and attachment to its source, to the aspect of innermost thought and perception, that is concealed and ceases to be revealed.

And behold, when the Temple stood, this aspect of innermost thought drew from the manifestation of the Infinite, blessed be He, in the Holy of Holies, as it is written, 'To be nullified in His will to His will,' and as it says, 'When you make for Me a desired land.' However, in the time of exile, it is written, 'And there you shall seek the Lord your God, and you shall find,' specifically from there, meaning when you contemplate the deviation from the ways of the Lord, how it is distant from the Lord to the utmost degree, like one who transgresses His will, and how the flow and vitality do not emanate to them, and their life and existence are not sustained by His will, for His will is what gives them life, as it says, 'And You give life to them all.' Yet, regarding this, they said, 'How patient is He before Him,' indicating that from the aspect of patience, it extends and descends from the higher levels through a descent to provide life for the nations, even though they transgress His will.

And this is so for those who transgress His will, even more so for those who fulfill His will, how much the aspect of the Supreme Will, which is beyond the level of worlds, is drawn, more than can be expressed, from the level of Wisdom and Attributes, not in the sense of the descent and progression of degrees in the realm of Wisdom and Attributes, but in the sense of the inner point of the heart, which is the level of supernal repentance that preceded the world. And this is as it is written, 'And you shall seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul,' meaning that his heart should turn from one extreme to the other, and darkness should transform into light through the aspect of this inner repentance, which is to despise the life of this world and pleasures, and to turn his heart and soul to adhere to Him, blessed be He.

Now, all of this happens through the analogy of the aforementioned merchant who takes out gold and silver from his possession to be scattered and added even more. Similarly, the soul, although it expends gold and silver, which is the aspect of love and fear, that are revealed to clothe and conceal in the body and the animalistic soul, through this, it has an advantage in the aspect of inner repentance like sparks of fire from the opposite.

And this is the meaning of 'And Ham is the father of Canaan,' with a great bend, the heat of glowing sparks of fire and flames rising above the inversion. It is the one who acts in the aspect of Canaan, to trade, as mentioned, as it says, 'The merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.' However, initially, it is necessary to precede with the lower fear, which is drawn from the aspect of His Kingship, called the higher Canaan of holiness. From this, he ascends and comes to be in the aspect of Canaan, with scales in his hand, from deception to reach the inner repentance, the aspect of the internal heart, as mentioned.

And this is so for those who transgress His will, even more so for those who fulfill His will, how much the aspect of the Supreme Will, which is beyond the level of worlds, is drawn, more than can be expressed, from the level of Wisdom and Attributes, not in the sense of the descent and progression of degrees in the realm of Wisdom and Attributes, but in the sense of the inner point of the heart, which is the level of supernal repentance that preceded the world. And this is as it is written, 'And you shall seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul,' meaning that his heart should turn from one extreme to the other, and darkness should transform into light through the aspect of this inner repentance, which is to despise the life of this world and pleasures, and to turn his heart and soul to adhere to Him, blessed be He.

Now, all of this happens through the analogy of the aforementioned merchant who takes out gold and silver from his possession to be scattered and added even more. Similarly, the soul, although it expends gold and silver, which is the aspect of love and fear, that are revealed to clothe and conceal in the body and the animalistic soul, through this, it has an advantage in the aspect of inner repentance like sparks of fire from the opposite.

And this is the meaning of 'And Ham is the father of Canaan,' with a great bend, the heat of glowing sparks of fire and flames rising above the inversion. It is the one who acts in the aspect of Canaan, to trade, as mentioned, as it says, 'The merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.' However, initially, it is necessary to precede with the lower fear, which is drawn from the aspect of His Kingship, called the higher Canaan of holiness. From this, he ascends and comes to be in the aspect of Canaan, with scales in his hand, from deception to reach the inner repentance, the aspect of the internal heart, as mentioned.

It is in the aspect of the voice and the extension of Jacob, the letter Yud (10), which is wisdom on a high level, extending until the heel, and this is action. However, for a person to be a vessel and prepared for the high wisdom to flow and manifest in him in Torah study, there must first be a state of nullification, in the aspect of the still small voice, where the wind is not heard. I will continue with the spirit to become the light of the Lord, shining and manifesting in him to be the wisdom of the Lord within him in revelation. The ChaBaD (Chochmah, Binah, Daat) within his soul is nullified and subordinate to Him, and this is the concept of the attachment of spirit to spirit.

Thus, it is said, 'Elohai b'kirbi (My God within me),' and it is written, 'I have placed My words in your mouth.' Literal words, for the word of the Lord is the halakha that is revealed in him and speaks from his throat. Therefore, it is said about the Torah, 'By me kings reign,' and we say, 'Who are the kings? The rabbis.' And in the Mishnah, 'Kingship.' For when one is in nullification to the word of the Lord, His will, and His wisdom, and does not occupy a place of his own at all, the word of the king is the rule, and it is in the aspect of a king who decrees and says that if Reuben argues this way, etc., it will be so. And similarly, to do this and not to do that, etc. It is not in the aspect of a servant but in the aspect of fulfilling commandments, like a servant carrying out the commandments of the king and doing His words.

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