{
    "title": "Reshit Chokhmah",
    "language": "en",
    "versionTitle": "merged",
    "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org/Reshit_Chokhmah",
    "text": {
        "Introduction": [],
        "Gate of Fear": {
            "Prelude": [],
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                    "Said Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: One time, I walked on the road and I found Elijah the Prophet, his memory for blessing. He said to me: Is it your desire that I place you at the gate of Gehinnom? I said to him: Yes. He showed me humans that were hanging by their noses and humans that were hanging by their hands and humans that were hanging by their tongues and humans that were hanging by their legs, and he showed me women that were hanging by their breasts, and he showed me humans that were hanging by their eyes, and he showed me humans to whom they were feeding their flesh and humans to whom they were feeding hot coals of broom-wood and humans sitting alive and worms were eating them. He said to me: These are the ones that about them it is written \"For their worm shall not die.\" (Isaiah 66:24). And he showed me humans to whom they were feeding fine sand, and they were feeding them against their will and their teeth were breaking, and the Holy One Blessed Is He was saying to them: Evil ones, when you ate stolen [food], it was sweet in your mouths, and now there isn't within you the strength to eat, to fulfill that which is said: \"You break the teeth of the wicked.\" (Psalms 3:8). "
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                    "There is still the 12th aspect of the issue of Kavod [honor/glory], and this is to honor one's  Creator with Halel and praise, as it is written \"And in His palace all say 'glory'\" (Ps. 93:9) and regarding this we were extensive in the Gate of Love in the issue of happiness, since that is its place.",
                    "And regarding the general aspect of kavod [honor/glory] that we explained, in both the Tanna deBei Elyiahu and in the midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 5:9) - and this is the text: \"Elyiahu says: they gathered and went to war, and 50 thousand men fell, and the Great Sanhedrin fell with them, who killed them? I say, the only ones who killed them were the men of Beit Shemesh since they saw the Ark, and therefore the text warned the family of Kohat \"and they should not come see\" (Bamidbar 4:20). The Holy Blessed One said: just as I did to the children of Kohat, that they would have awe of Me, I gave honor and distributed honor to them, and I warned that they shold save their souls from death, so too, I give honor to every one who has awe for Me and I do not cut that person's name from the world. From whom do you learn this? From the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav because they did My will. What is written about them? \"There shall never cease to be a man of the line of Yonadav son of Rechab standing before Me\" (Jeremiah 35:19), and just as those, who were gerim and I did this to them, all the more so Israel, who are the children of My beloveds, My friends, when they do My will they will stand in My presence forever,  as it is written \"If only you would heed My commands, then your peace would be like a river, your triumph like the waves of the sea.\" (Isaiah 48:18) and also \"and all of you who cling to Ad-nai your God are all alive today\" (Deut. 4:4), until here the text.",
                    "And we saw that to complete this gate, we should explain all the verses containing awe that exist in the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings that are to be used in concrete ways.",
                    "The first awe in the Torah is when the First Human sinned \"I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid\" (Gen. 3:10). The issue is that before his sin the Human was dressed in garments of light, and after his sin the upper light fled from him, and he realized and dressed garments of skin, and this is the fear - he was afraid because he saw that the was naked from the upper light. And so every person needs to have this aspect of awe, so one will not make, through one's sins, that the light of the Shechinah separates from him/her, since it is through dealing with Torah and mitzvah that a person allures the light of the Shechinah on him/her, and if God forbid one sins, it separates from that person, and they become naked. And this is another aspect in the issue of fear of sin besides what I explained.",
                    "The second is to be careful with the Awe of God throughout the day. The pious Rabbeinu Yonah wrote, in the Letter of Teshuvah a great pillar regarding this issue in Torah, that all day long the awe of heaven should not depart from before your eyes, as it is written \"Do not envy sinners in your heart, but only have awe of God all day long\" (Prov. 23:17). And we need to say that the simple meaning of the verse is this, do not be jealous of sinners, rather who should you be jealous of? Of the Awe of God, in the level of Awe of God, meaning, why not be in awe of God all day long since sinners lack [the feeling of] completion as the issue of \"and I and my son Shlomo will be sinners\" (I Kings 1:21) - \"but only have awe of God all day long\" - as those who have awe of God all day long, one sees that it is needed to have awe of God all day long. And a reminder to a person who has awe is to use tefilin all day long, if possible, at least on the hours in which one deals with Torah, when they are free from worldly dealings.",
                    "And learn, that the Holy One of Blessing commanded to the king \"It is to remain beside him, and he is to read out of it all the days of his life, in order that he may learn to have-awe-for Ad-nai his God, to be careful concerning all the words of this Instruction and these laws, to observe them\" (Deut. 17:19) and the explanation of Rashi z\"l is that a sefer Torah should be with him always so he will be warned about awe, and this is so he will learn. And this is the text in the Tosefta (Tosefta Sanhedrin 4:4): \"he goes out to war and it is with him, comes back and it is with him, sits in the house and it is with him, enters in the bathroom and it awaits at the door, and so too David said 'I have Ad-nai in front of me always etc' (Ps. 16:8) Rabbi Yehuda says: sefer Torah on his right hand and tefilin on his left.\" And it says more in the continuation: and if so, why doe it say \"and he will write a second to this Torah\" (Deut. 17:18)? It teaches that he writes two Torot, one with which he comes and goes and one that stays inside his house, and this that comes and goes with him does not enter with him into the bathhouse and not to the bathroom, as it is written \"and it will be with him and he will read all the days of his life\" - in a place where it is fit to be read, and isn't this a kal-va-chomer (a fortiori) argument, a Jewish king who is only to take care of the needs of the public has to have it and read it all the days of his life, the rest of humans all the more so."
                ]
            ]
        },
        "Gate of Love": {
            "Prelude": [],
            "": [
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                    "translate into english"
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                    "(35) And from the Tanna'im regarding the happiness on a festival [we learn] that one should not be happy with laughter and frivolity like the idolaters in their festivals, as it is written \"Rejoice not, oh Israel, with joy as the peoples\" (Hosea 9:1), rather, one should be happy simply because it is a festival, as they are days of holy gatherings, as we explained above. One should feel like a person who is standing in the dark, that feels happy when they see new light, so too one needs to be happy through Torah in the holy days more than in regular days, as our rabbis explained \"holy days were only given to Israel so Israel would busy themselves with Torah\" (Yerushalmi Shabbat Perek 15, Halacha 3).",
                    "(36) And know that the reality of happiness is that it brings about connection, that it is impossible that the weak ones would come close to on high if there was no happiness among them, which makes the ones on high desire closeness with the weaker ones, and so happiness of the weak one has to be included in the weak one's ascent, so that the weak one will be illuminated by it. And this is \"korban lHashem\" [sacrifice/getting close] that the explanation in the Tikkunim (Tikkunei Zohar 105b, seems a different version than the current printed one) that they said, and these are their words: \"And when they came to sacrifice, father with mother, son with daughter, each one with their corresponding pair, the Yud above would be with the Hey, the Hey below with the Vav, that was the Korban Oleh VeYored [a sacrifice/coming close that goes up and down], and in that same moment \"the bones came together, bone to matching bone\" (Ezek. 37:7) [etzem/bone/essence] and at the end of his words, when \"and the fire on the altar shall be kept burning\" (Lev. 6:5) - up to here are the words of our issue.",
                    "(37) And the kindling of love is truly happiness, and this is the fire that comes from the left side, which is the wine that makes happiness, and it is the what brings about connection, and so too it is explained in the Zohar (Korach, 178b) regarding the issue of \"and the Levite, he will work\" (Numbers 18:23) - and this is the text: \"He will complete a completeness, and be one with all. He - simply to receive the congregation of Israel, as it says \"and His left hand is under my head\" (Songs, 2:6), in the sense of the connection of a pair as one. Who says love? It is \"he\". Until here the words of the text. And there, there are many explanations for the word \"he\", and in this explanation \"he\" is in Binah, and from there the happiness of the congregation of Israel arouses, in the pairing, in a way that the World of Emanations will unite and become completely one. It is seen that the essence of happiness is the union and connection of the World of Emanations all as one, and see that through the One Who Emanates, this is all the happiness that they illuminate and become one, all as one, until the One Who Emanates will illuminate them, as appropriate."
                ]
            ]
        },
        "Gate of Repentance": {
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                    "Moreover, there are days on which the Jewish people is accustomed to fasting, such as from Rosh Chodesh (the first day of) Elul to Yom Kippur, which are days on which we say penitential prayers and supplications. And as a support, they used this: (Song of Songs 6:3), \"I am for my Beloved and my Beloved is for me (<i>Ani leDodi veDodi li</i>)\" - the first letters of which [spell] Elul; and the last letters of which are four times <i>yod</i> (the numerical value of which is ten), which corresponds to the forty days. And likewise (Deuteronomy 30:6), \"And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants (<i>et levavkha ve'et lev zaraeikha</i>),\" the first letters of which [spell] Elul. For the month of Elul is fit for circumcising the heart, meaning repentance."
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        },
        "Gate of Holiness": {
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                    "After we spoke about the holiness of the covenant (Brit), we need to explain the issue of the one who damages the Brit and what is his correction. First we will talk about the issue of wasting sperm, which is most common and there is almost not one person in our generation that is safe from this. ",
                    "In Tractate Niddah (page 13a) they were very stringent with regards to this sin, and this is what it says: “Rabbi Eliezer says, anyone who grabs his organ to pee it’s as if he brings flood to the world. But, they said to Rabbi Eliezer, would not the spray bespatter his feet and he would appear to be maimed in his privy parts so that he would be the cause of casting upon his children the reflection of being illegitimate? — It is preferable, he answered them, that a man should be the cause of casting upon his children the reflection of being illegitimate than that he should make himself a wicked man, even for a moment, before the Omnipresent. Another [Braita] taught: R. Eliezer replied to the Sages. It is possible for a man to stand on a raised spot and to pee or to pee in loose earth and thus to avoid making himself wicked, even for a moment, before the Omnipresent. Which did he tell them first? If it were suggested that it was the first mentioned statement that he gave them first [is it likely, it may be objected], that after he spoke to them of a prohibition he would merely offer a remedy?  — The fact is that it was the last mentioned statement that he gave them first, and when they asked him, 'What is he to do when he can find no raised spot or loose earth', he answered them, 'It is preferable that a man should be the cause of casting upon his children the reflection of being illegitimate than that he should make himself a wicked man, even for a while, before the Omnipresent.\"",
                    "And why all these precautions? — Because otherwise one might emit semen in vain, and Rabbi Yochanan stated: Whosoever emits semen in vain deserves death, since it says (Genesis 38:10) “What he did was unfavorable in the eyes of God and He killed him as well (referring to Onan).” Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Ami said it’s as if he murders, since it says “enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying (Shochtei) the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?” (Isaiah 57:5), do not read Shochtei but rather Sochtei (squeeze out).” Rav Asi said: He is like an idol-worshipper; for here it is written, 'Under every green tree' and elsewhere it is written, ‘You shall utterly destroy from all the places where the nations, that you shall possess, worshipped their gods, upon the lofty mountains and upon the hills, and under every green tree.’ ",
                    "Rav stated: 'A man who willfully causes erection should be placed under the ban'. But why did he not say, 'This is forbidden'? Because the man merely incites his evil inclination against himself. Rav Ami, however, stated: He is called a renegade, because such is the art of the evil inclination: today it incites man to do one wrong thing,  and tomorrow it incites him to worship idols and he proceeds to worship them. There are others who say that Rav Ami stated, He who excites himself by lustful thoughts will not be allowed to enter the division of the Holy One, blessed be He. For here it is written, “was evil in the eyes of Hashem\" (Genesis 38:7), and elsewhere it is written, “For You are not El who has pleasure in wickedness; nor shall evil dwell with you” (Tehilim 5:5). Rav Elazar stated: Who are referred to in the Scriptural text, “Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15)? Those that commit masturbation with their hands. It was taught at the school of Rabbi Yishmael, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’ implies, Thou shalt not practice masturbation either with hand or with foot. Our Rabbis taught: 'proselytes and those that play with children delay the advent of the Messiah', meaning: Those that marry minors who are not capable of bearing children, for Rav Yosi stated: The Son of David will not come until all the souls in Guf (Lit. 'Body' the region inhabited by the souls of the unborn) will have been disposed of, since it says, “For the spirit that humbles itself is from Me, and the souls which I have made” (Isaiah 57:16).",
                    "In Tractate Kalah (Bride) its says: Rebbi says “’enflaming yourselves with idols’ (Isaiah 57:5), whoever enflames himself to emit semen in vain is considered to be like an animal. Just like an animal does not calculate its actions, has no knowledge of what can cause it death, and does not have a share in the World to Come, so too is he. About him, Solomon said in his wisdom, ‘Who knows the spirit of man whether it goes upward’ (Ecclesiastes 3:21) this alludes to the souls of the Righteous who do not enflame themselves and emit semen in vain. ‘and the spirit of the beast whether it goes downward to the earth?’ (ibid.), this alludes to the souls of the wicked who enflame themselves and emit semen in vain. And whoever enflames himself deserves death, and whoever arouses himself is a renegade, as it says ‘And what he did was evil in the eyes of Hashem\" (Genesis 38:7).”",
                    "In the Zohar they were very stringent about this sin, and this is what it says: (Zohar with Sulam commentary, Beresheet B) 393. Of the verse, \"For You are not El who has pleasure in wickedness; nor shall evil dwell with you\" (Tehilim 5:5), Rabbi Yehuda said: This verse has been discussed and explained, yet come and behold: he who cleaves to and is led by the Evil Inclination is defiled and will be led further into defilement, as we have learned. 394. \"The wickedness of man was great,\" because men committed all sorts of sins and their guilt was complete when they spilled blood in vain upon the ground. This refers to those who pollute their ways upon the earth, THAT IS, THEY SPILL THEIR SPERM IN VAIN. Thus, it is written: \"Only evil (Heb. ra) all day.\" In another place it is written: \"And Er, the son of Judah, was evil (Heb. ra) in the eyes of Hashem\" (Beresheet 38:7), BECAUSE HE SPILLED HIS SEED UPON THE EARTH. THIS INDICATES THAT THE WORD RA REFERS TO THE WASTE OF SEED. ",
                    "395. Rabbi Yosi then asked, \"Is not evil (ra) the same as wicked (Heb. rasha)?\" THAT YOU DETERMINE THAT RA IS USED SOLELY TO INDICATE THOSE WHO WASTE THEIR SEED? RABBI YEHUDA answered: No. Even he who lifts his hand against his friend is called wicked, even if he causes his friend no harm. It is written: \"And he said to the wicked, why do you smite your fellow?\" (Shemot 2:13), and not 'Why did you smite your fellow?' THE LATTER WOULD HAVE INDICATED THAT HE HAD ALREADY DONE SO. THUS, EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NOT YET HIT HIM, THE SCRIPTURE CALLS HIM WICKED. 396. Yet, only he who corrupts his ways, thereby defiling himself and the earth, gives strength and power to the spirit of defilement called Ra. As it is written: \"Only evil all day.\" Such a person will not enter the palace OF HASHEM, nor gaze upon the face of the Shechinah, because this sin causes the Shechinah to depart from the world. 397. From where DO WE KNOW THAT THE SHECHINAH LEAVES BECAUSE OF THIS SIN? From Jacob. For when the Shechinah left him, he concluded that there was a defect in his sons AS A RESULT OF THEIR INDULGENCE IN THE ABOVE-MENTIONED SIN. Because of this sin, he concluded, the spirit of defilement was strengthened in the world and the light of the moon, WHICH IS THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, was impaired and rendered defective. FOR THIS REASON, THE SHECHINAH WAS GONE FROM HIM. One might wonder why HE THOUGHT SO. It is because this SIN defiled the Temple, and hence the Shechinah left Jacob, EVEN THOUGH HE HIMSELF DID NOT SIN. One who actually defiles his ways and himself gives all the more strength to the unclean spirit. Consequently, when he is defiled, he is called ra (evil). 398. Come and behold: when a man is defiled BY THE ABOVE MENTIONED SIN, he is not remembered by the Holy One, for merit, and he is constantly remembered by THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT, called 'evil', for evil. HENCE, THE SHECHINAH LEAVES HIM AS SOON AS HE IS VISITED BY THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT. Thus, it is said, \"he that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil\" (Mishlei 19:23), MEANING THAT he who follows the right path AND DOES NOT FALL PREY TO THE ABOVE MENTIONED SIN \"shall not be visited with evil. Thus, it is written: \"Only evil all day\" and also, \"nor shall evil dwell with You\" (Tehilim 5:5), and they are called 'evil' and not 'wicked.' Also, it is written: \"even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall not fear evil, for You are with me\" (Tehilim 23:4). THIS IS BECAUSE IT ALSO WORKS THE OTHER WAY: IF THE SHECHINAH IS ACCOMPANYING A MAN, HE NEED NOT FEAR THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT, AS IT IS WRITTEN: \"I SHALL NOT FEAR EVIL, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME.\" JUST AS THE SHECHINAH FLEES DEFILEMENT, SO DEFILEMENT FLEES FROM THE SHECHINAH. ",
                    "Thus his punishment is explained that he does not see the face of the Shechinah and he does not go into the palace. This is because of the reasons mentioned in the first article that says “defiles himself” because he awakens the spirit of impurity on all of his organs by virtue of heating himself up, since a drop of sperm cannot leave the body unless all of the organs are warm; thus we find that all of the organs become impure. This is slightly similar to the sin of anger, which is explained in the portion of Tetzaveh: “the one who heats himself up in anger, defiles himself inside and out.” ",
                    "Therefore, the Zohar explains that there is no sin that defiles man like the sin of wasting sperm, and this is what it says (Vayeshev): 182. Come and behold: of all the sins that defile a man in this world, that which defiles him the most in this world and in the World to Come is spilling his semen in vain. Letting it out in vain by the hand or leg brings impurity on man, as it is written: “For you are not an El that has pleasure in wickedness: nor shall evil dwell with You” (Tehilim 5:5). 183. He therefore does not come inside the curtain OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, or behold the presence of Atik Yomin, as is learned from the verses: “Nor shall evil dwell with You,” and “And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem” (Beresheet 38:7). BOTH VERSES INDICATE THAT HE DOES NOT BEHOLD THE FACE OF HASHEM. Hence, it is written: “Your hands are full of blood” (Yeshayah 1:15), WHICH REFERS TO LETTING SEMEN BY THE HAND, WHICH IS LIKENED TO SHEDDING BLOOD. Happy is the portion of the man who fears Hashem and is guarded from the evil path, and purifies himself to be occupied in the fear of his Master.",
                    "It also says “he defiles the land” meaning that he defiles the supernal land. The reason is that the supernal land only receives abundance from the supernal Tzaddik, and the Tzaddik only bestows to her, and when man heats himself up for no reason he causes that the supernal brit (the Tzaddik) will be forced to bestow the supernal good abundance to the external forces. The secret of its establishment (of the brit) in the secret of (Genesis 17:21)“I (God) shall establish My covenant, Isaac”, is by the awakening of Torah and good deeds to bestow to her (Shechinah, Malchut) the supernal white Light. Whilst he is “Bal Keri” (someone who is impure because of the release of sperm) that he is heated by the Lamed Yud Angel and her forces, it is also for waste, and anything wasteful or empty is the external forces like the nations that bow down to nothingness and emptiness. But it turns out that the abundance that was supposed to be received by the mistress (Shechinah, Malchut) is received by the maidservant (the Klippot). As said in Proverbs 30:23 “A maidservant, when she displaces her mistress.” And the mistress receives the left-overs which is the harsh judgment of the left side. Thus, “he defiles the land” and whoever knows the secret of the Supernal Zivug knows how grave this sin is. ",
                    "“And he gives strength and power to the impure spirit.” This is clarified with what we explained. And therefore, measure for measure, just like he damaged the Shechinah, he does not receive the face of the Shechinah, and just like he allowed himself to be controlled by the impure spirit, his soul will not enter into the palace, which is the secret of holiness. ",
                    "It says in the end of that article (Zohar Beresheet B verse 398): “Come and behold: when a man is defiled BY THE ABOVE MENTIONED SIN, he is not remembered by the Holy One, for merit.” This is explained by what it says in the Talmud, Tractate Brachot Chapter 2, “Rabbi Chiya Bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, whoever satisfies himself with words of Torah, and then sleeps, bad news does not come to him, as it says ‘He that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil’ (Proverbs 19).” According to the words of Rabbi Shimon, this ‘evil’ that is mentioned in the verse is one who emits semen in vain, meaning that he will not come to wasting his seed at night if he is satisfied with words of Torah, because words of Torah is the remedy to this illness, as we will explain further. When it says “when man is defiled…” it means that as long as he does not do Teshuva about this sin he won’t be remembered for merit by the Creator in his dreams, and on the contrary, since the Chitzonim (external forces) controlled him they remember him for bad and defile him with Keri (semen). This is what it means when it says “and he is constantly remembered by THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT, called ‘evil’, for evil. HENCE, THE SHECHINAH LEAVES HIM AS SOON AS HE IS VISITED BY THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT”.",
                    "And specifically if he wants to enter the Inner Wisdom and Secrets, and if damages the aspect of the Tzaddik, which is the Yesod, he is rejected from there and they will defile him to show him that he is not fit to enter there. This is shown and proven in the Tikkunei Zohar, first Tikkun:  1. THE WORD Beresheet IS SPELLED WITH Bet, MALCHUT, beginning (Heb. resheet) WITH WHICH TO ENTER TO THE SUPERNAL GRADES, AS WRITTEN, “This is the gate of Hashem, into which the righteous shall enter” (Tehilim 118:20). This is the gate that only righteous people have permission to enter. And others who are not righteous are rejected from there.",
                    "It also says in the Zohar in Noach: 57. Come and behold: all of man’s sins and corruption can be atoned for by repentance. But by the sin of spilling his seed on the earth, man corrupts himself and the earth as well. And of such a person, it is written: “The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” (Yirmeyah 2:22) and “For You are not an El that has pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil sojourn with You” (Tehilim 5:5). THIS MEANS THAT A PERSON WHO WASTES HIS SEMEN ON THE EARTH IS CALLED EVIL, AND HE SHALL NOT SOJOURN ANYMORE WITH THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. IN OTHER WORDS, HE SHALL NOT ACCEPT HIS REPENTANCE, except after great penitence. It is also written that “Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem; and Hashem slew him” (Beresheet 38:7), as was already explained elsewhere. (Some versions of the Zohar say ‘unless it is with very strong Teshuva’).",
                    "It also says in the Zohar (Noach verse 207): 207. So it is clear by now that the sins of the wicked caused the Shechinah to depart. One of those sins is the sin of man corrupting his way upon the earth, as we have previously explained. Such a person shall not see the face of the Shechinah, nor shall he enter the palace OF THE KING. This is why it is written that “they were destroyed from the earth,” destroyed completely. 208. Come and behold: When the time comes and the Holy One, blessed be He, resurrects the dead, He shall make all the dead in countries other than THE LAND OF YISRAEL rise and stand in their bodies, for one bone is left from the human body as it lies underground, and it is like a lump of dough from which the Holy One, blessed be He, shall rebuild the whole body. 209. But He shall not restore their souls to them until they are in the land of Yisrael, as it is stated: “Behold I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people, and I will bring you into the land of Yisrael.” They will roll through underground passages AND COME TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL. Next, it is written: “I will put My spirit in you and you shall live” (Yechezkel 37:12-14). Only in the land of Yisrael will they receive their souls, except those who have defiled themselves and the land, NAMELY THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD. As for them, it has been declared, “They were destroyed from the earth.” From the earth MEANS PRECISELY THAT THEY SHALL NOT RISE DURING THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD AND SHALL NOT COME TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL TO RECEIVE THEIR SOULS. Although some of the ancient sages differ in their opinion, CLAIMING THAT THEY SHALL BE RESURRECTED, WHAT HAS BEEN SAID STANDS. FOR the term “destroyed” is similar to the expression: “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living” (Tehilim 69:28), MEANING THAT THEY SHALL NEVER BE RESURRECTED. 210. Rabbi Shimon said to him: Undoubtedly, THE GENERATION OF THE FLOOD will have no share in the World to Come, as it is written: “They were destroyed from the earth.” Analogously, it is written: “they shall inherit the land (earth) forever” (Yeshayah 60:21). AND WE LEARN THAT THE WORD “EARTH” HAS THE SAME MEANING IN BOTH SENTENCES. Nevertheless, they shall rise and stand for Judgment. As they are described: “and many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). Even though opinions differ on this matter, everything is as the friends have explained.",
                    "Even though this article is talking about the generation of the flood that have no portion in the World to Come, and according to Rabbi Aba they will not resurrect, we will anyway learn from them because anyone in our generation that will do like they did and will not to Teshuva, will not have a place in the World to Come. And if they shall rise and stand for Judgment, like what Rabbi Shimon says, it will be with shame. And since it says that the main reason that the generation of the flood do not have a share in the World to Come is because they spilled their semen on the ground, as it says “Since all flesh corrupted their ways upon the earth” (Genesis 6:12), and therefore it caused that they will be blotted out from the land, above and below; so too, the same will happen to whoever does like them and does not do Teshuva. ",
                    "The Zohar in Vayechi was also very strict about this sin when talking about the verse “Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for according to the deserving of his hands shall be done to him” (Yeshayah 3:11): 191. What is “the deserving of his hands”? Rabbi Yitzchak said: It includes him who defiles with his hands by spilling his semen in vain. 192. For we have learned that he who spills his semen in vain is called evil (Heb. ra), and cannot behold the face of the Shechinah, as it is written: “For You are not an El that has pleasure in wickedness: nor shall evil dwell with You” (Tehilim 5:5) and also “And Er, Yehuda’s firstborn, was evil (Heb. ra)” (Beresheet 38:7). Here too, “Woe to the wicked...ill (Heb. ra)” ALLUDES TO HIM WHO SPILLS HIS SEMEN IN VAIN. Woe to the wicked who is evil and made himself evil (Heb. ra), “for according to the deserving of his hands shall be done to him.” This means that whoever whores himself by letting his semen spill in vain is punished in the world of truth more than any OTHER TRANSGRESSION. 193. Come and see it is written: “Woe to the wicked.” Since it says, “Woe to the wicked (Heb. rasha),” why add ‘evil (ra)’ SEEING THAT THE WICKED IS EVIL? This is as I said: that he has made himself evil, ESPECIALLY HE WHO SPILLED HIS SEMEN IN VAIN. ALSO: “...nor shall evil dwell with You.” Everyone ascends FROM GEHENOM save this one, who does not. HE ASKS: Would you say that other evil - doers who killed people ARE BETTER THAN HE, AND WILL ASCEND WHILE HE SHALL NOT? HE ANSWERS, Come and behold: everyone rises but he does not, because they killed other people, yet he killed his own children, and spilled much blood. Come and behold: it is not written of any other wicked man in the world that he “displeased Hashem” (Beresheet 38:10), only in this case where it says, “And the thing which he did displeased Hashem.” Why? Because, the verse says, “He spilled it on the ground” (Ibid. 9).",
                    "194. We learned that Rabbi Yehuda said: There is no sin in the world for that one cannot repent other than the one OF SPILLING ONE’S SEMEN IN VAIN. There are no wicked men who shall not behold the face of the Shechinah IN THEIR DEATH, like this man of whom it says “nor shall evil dwell with You” at all. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Happy are the righteous in this world and in the World to Come, of whom scripture says, “Your people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever” (Yeshayah 60:21). Rabbi Yehuda said: It is also said in “I will walk before Hashem in the land of the living” (Tehilim 116:9), WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, CALLED LAND; THE LAND HERE ALLUDES TO THE SHECHINAH.",
                    "Being that this article is says plainly “there is no Teshuva”, we need to address this issue since we learned that there is nothing that has no Teshuva, since the Creator even accepted Menashe, so what is the difference between this sin and the others?",
                    "It seems to me to answer that intention is that it is not dependent on Teshuva from below, like the other damagers whose Teshuva starts from below, meaning to escape the evil (not to do that action anymore), and then they are immediately accepted. And as it specifies “there is no wicked man who shall not behold the face of the Shechinah like this man.” The reason is that this transgression is against the Tzadik and the Shechinah as one, as was explained, and therefore since he went against the Shechinah She does not accept him with Teshuva. ",
                    "With this we can understand the verse “Pnei Hashem Be’osei Ra” (The face of Hashem is against those who do evil; Psalms 34), because the ‘evil doers’ are the ones that emit semen in vain and they are cut off from the ‘land of life’ since they damaged there, but if they scream in prayer and do Teshuva “god will listen and will protect them from any trouble”, as the Zohar in Shemot explains: “356. Rabbi Yehuda said: Wailing has great value, for it tears the decreed judgment of a person from all his days. 357. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Wailing is of great value for it has power over the attribute of Judgment above. Rabbi Yosi said: Wailing is of great value for it has power in this world and in the World to Come. Because of wailing, a person acquires this world and the World to Come, as is written: “They wailed to Hashem in their distress. He delivered them from their afflictions” (Tehilim 107:6).” It turns out that since wailing is above the Teshuva from below according to all, and therefore “God listens”, the meaning is that his Teshuva is difficult until he will reach supernal Teshuva.",
                    "The wise Rav Yehuda Chagluah also wrote in his book ‘Tzafenat Pa’aneach’ that when it says that there is no Teshuva for him it means that his Teshuva is very difficult, and it is not enough for him to do Teshuva since he needs much infliction. And he does not have Teshuva means if he does not do all that is required for him to do. It is like what the sages teach about the verse “None that go unto her return, neither do they attain unto the paths of life” (Proverbs 2:19), which refers to a Non-believer that it is difficult for him to leave his ways. ",
                    "We will support this from the words of Rabbi Shimon who wrote about the severity of the one who damages the Brit (Zohar Vayakhel): “386. Woe to the disgrace, for which there will be forever upon him the revenge of this world and of that impairment.” And in the end he says: “388. This is true only for those who did not repent completely, enough to wipe their misdeeds.”",
                    "The reason why he would need a complete Teshuva to wipe his misdeeds is because the attribute of Tzadik is called Kol (all), since all the attributes are included in it, as is explained in the Tikkunei Zohar. Thus, the one who damages the Brit damages all the letters of Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei, as is explained in the Tikkunei Zohar that “Mi Ya’ale Lanu Hashamayma” (who will ascend to heaven for us; Deuteronomy 30:12) is the acronym of ‘Milah’ (circumcision) and the backronym of Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei. It turns out that the one who damaged the Brit damaged all of the attributes that are included in the attribute of Tzadik and the Tetragrammaton, and it is as if he damaged the entire stature. This is why he would need a complete Teshuva that is enough to wipe his misdeeds, since even if he would damage all his limbs he would need to correct all his limbs, as we will explain. Now we will answer it in a different way, that every Teshuva needs Teshuva in the limb that sinned, but the sin of the Brit does not only depend on the Teshuva of the Brit alone, like marrying a woman, rather one needs a strong Teshuva as if he damaged all his limbs, and we will expand on this later on.",
                    "A proof that even those who emit semen in vain have Teshuva is that the generation of the flood spilled their semen in vain, and our Sages of blessed memory said that Noach slowed the process of building the ark so that he could announce to them to return and do Teshuva. This is what it says in Midrash Tanchuma, Portion of Noach: “Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Yosi: for 120 years the Creator waited for the generation of the flood, since maybe they will do Teshuva, but since they did not do Teshuva he told Noach “make for yourself an arc of gopher-wood” (Genesis 6:14). Noach stood and started planting seeds.”",
                    "My Teacher, of blessed memory, wrote in the book ‘Eilimah’ about the Teshuva for this sin, and I summarized his words: we find that he is called ‘evil’, and evil is the opposite of good. The issue is that the Tzadik that is called ‘good’ causes to draw the light of Yesod to the female, since the supernal light goes there via the flow of semen. Since this person bestowed it in vain, the Lamed-Yud Angel arrives there since she is called ‘emptiness’ and ‘vain’, and he causes the Supernal Brit to be forced to bestow to the Chitzonim (Negative External Forces), and he causes “A maidservant, when she displaces her mistress” (Proverbs 30:23), that the abundance that was supposed to go to the Shechinah went to the Chitzonim. Therefore, he is called ‘evil’ and does not see the face of the Shechinah, which is the hidden goodness that is bestowed to her, since he damaged her he does not merit that taste after he enters Gehenom (hell), unlike the other sinners that after their measured time is up in Gehenom they enter the Garden of Eden to receive their rewards, unlike one who damaged emitting semen in vain since there is no greater sin that defiles man’s soul than emitting semen in vain; and this is if he does not do Teshuva. However, if he does Teshuva, nothing stand in the way of Teshuva, and what it explained in the Zohar that it does not depend on Teshuva means that he needs to do things that are above the place of Teshuva. The reason is that one who damages the Brit actually damages the mind, since the sperm is bestowed from there, and he damaged Chochmah. Therefore, he needs to do Teshuva above the place of Teshuva, which is Binah. He needs three things for this correction. The first is Teshuva, the second is wisdom, and the third is humility. Teshuva is to distance himself from evil and cleave to the good, which means to make ornaments and unifications for the Shechinah, in a way that that which She was once separated from the Tzadik, now She will face Him and the Yesod will bestow to Her. Also the Teshuva is to afflict himself with great afflictions and lowering himself, corresponding to that which he heated himself, and with this he will merit the attribute of humility, which is higher than the place of Teshuva, and there is nothing that can’t be fixed with its opposite. So too when he will merit wisdom, from the wisdom he will draw the light of Torah to the Yesod to bestow to Malchut, corresponding to the drops of sperm that are drawn from the brain to the Brit. Also when he draws the supernal secrets from the secret of Da’at to Yesod it corrects the damage, since with this the Shechinah shines by the Yesod, as is explained in the Tikkunei Zohar. In summary, there is nothing that can’t be corrected by Teshuva, and what it says in the Zohar that it is not dependent on Teshuva it means that his Teshuva is difficult, and also part of the difficulty of the Teshuva is when they show him that it does not depend on Teshuva. Nothing stands in the way of Teshuva, and even if you hear ‘Return, you mischievous sons, except for so and so’ like by Elisha (who was called ‘the other’), don’t give up, since Elisha the other eventually was accepted (by the prayers of others) even though he did not do Teshuva, and all the more so had he done Teshuva it would have helped him more and more, but they closed the doors of Teshuva on him and he should have insisted and pleaded until it would open. This is the understanding of what the Sages of blessed memory said that whatever they tell you to do in the World to Come do, besides ‘go out’. The World to Come means the Creator that whatever precept he tells you to do you should do, but not ‘go out’, that if he tells you ‘get out of my house and do not enter’, like by Elisha the other, do not listen and enter with Teshuva, since this is the desire of the owner of the house but he is just trying to mislead you.",
                    "One needs to persist in Teshuva year after year, and never forget how many times he angered his Creator, because all his sins are counted and written. If he does not (remember) then the Lamed-Yud Angel is ready to redeem back the same amount of sins he committed by warming himself up between her thighs—there he will fall and there will be no room until all the evil will be destroyed—since the Creator gives strength to the wicked to suffer their calamities, and for each and every warm arousal they are redeemed anew. The reason is as it says “To lie with her to be with her” (Genesis 39:10), and they say about it: “to lie with her” in this world, “to be with her” in the World To Come until he receives his punishment, as Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai explained his punishment in Pekudei 853, and study it because we will not quote it here. Therefore, his Teshuva is difficult since he needs to do Teshuva for each and every time that he boiled himself by emitting semen in vain.",
                    "My teacher of blessed memory also wrote about Er and Onan the sons of Yehuda, that about them it says that the Creator killed them, and our Sages say that from here we learn that whoever emits semen in vain deserves death by the heavens. The reason is like we stated above that that drop that comes out in vain, and doesn’t enter a female, is taken by the Chitzonim (external forces) that are ready to take the evil heat and kidnap the soul that was supposed to come from that drop; thus it turns out that the Chitzonim (external forces) have in their hand all the souls that were supposed to come from those drops. And when man marries a woman and did not yet do proper Teshuva, the Chitzonim invites there those pure souls that were kidnapped by her, and his sons die while they are young in the bosom of their mother, as it says in the article “the old sage” in the Zohar of Mishpatim. And as he suffers from the death of his sons, the punishment of death by the heavens is atoned, since he dies a little, and only on condition that he does Teshuva from here on. ",
                    "About this sin it says, “Also your clothing is stained with the blood of the innocent and the poor” (Jeremiah 2:34), and also as we said above “slaughterers of children” (Isaiah 57:5) that he literally slaughters his children, and as Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai says in Vayechi, which we quoted above. Therefore, he does not see the face of the Shechinah, since the Shechinah does not reveal Herself to him as She does to the rest of the Tzadikim, unless he does proper Teshuva, as we will explain later on. Until here is the summary of his words.",
                    "More about one who emits semen in vain, from the words of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai of blessed memory (Zohar Emor): 33. He continued with the verse, “Neither shall he profane his seed among his people, for I Hashem do sanctify him”(Vayikra 21:15). Come and see, whoever ejaculates semen in vain is not worthy of beholding the face of the Shechinah, and is considered evil, as written, “For You are not an El that has pleasure in wickedness; nor shall evil dwell with You” (Tehilim 5:5). THIS REFERS TO one who emits it by hand or through another, unworthy woman. You may argue that one who ejaculates it within a woman who does not conceive IS also CONSIDERED TO BE EMITTING SEMEN IN VAIN. This is not so, but only those we mentioned. 34. A man should therefore ask the Holy One, blessed be He, to summon him a worthy vessel, THAT IS A WORTHY WOMAN, so as not to blemish his seed. Whoever ejaculates his seed in an unworthy vessel blemishes his seed. Woe to him who causes damage in his seed. And if this is true for other people, it is much more so to a priest that is below, CORRESPONDING to a likeness of above in utmost holiness. IT IS THEREFORE WRITTEN, “NEITHER SHALL HE PROFANE HIS SEED AMONG HIS PEOPLE.”",
                    "The benefit of one who is cautious about emitting semen in vain was explained in Tana Devei Eliyahu in the portion of Mishpatim, in the verse “And he sent the young men of Israel who offered burnt-offerings” (Exodus 24:5), and this is what is says:  “We learned in the school of Eliyahu about the verse “There is no one like God, O Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:26), happy is the man who has words of Torah with him and that semen did not come out from him in vain. And even if he is an Israelite he is fit to give sacrifices on the altar like the High Priest, as it says “And he sent the young men of Israel” (Exodus 24:5). Whoever makes himself lazy to commit a sin and does not do it, he is nurtured from the radiance of the Shechinah, as it says “and they looked upon God, they ate and drank” (Exodus 24:11).”",
                    "Just like you need to guard the Brit from emitting semen in vain, you must also protect it from a Niddah, Maidservant, Gentile, and Prostitute. They explained this in the Zohar in Beshalach: 355. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Most certainly, one who merits the Righteous, WHICH IS YESOD, merits Netzach and Hod, BECAUSE YESOD INCLUDES NETZACH AND HOD. And they are three with which the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is blessed. And he who merits them merits also the Holy King, THAT IS TIFERET, and attains all four SFIROT, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT. 356. And corresponding to these four, there is protection for the holy sign from four things: the protection of the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, which is protection from the impurity of menstruation; protection of the righteous, WHICH IS YESOD, that is protection from the maid servant; protection of Netzach, which is protection from a heathen woman; and protection of Hod, which is protection from a harlot. This is why “the voice of Hashem your Elohim,” is the Congregation of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WHICH THEY ENTERED THROUGH CIRCUMCISION.",
                    "357. How did Yisrael merit to welcome the Shechinah? It is through guarding against the impurity of menstruation. And about this is written: “Also you shall not approach a woman in the impurity of her menstrual flow, to uncover her nakedness” (Vayikra 18:19). HE ASKS: “To uncover her nakedness” – of whom? HE ANSWERS: Of the Congregation of Yisrael, MEANING NOT TO BLEMISH HER. And in this way, other things that the Congregation of Yisrael is bound to join and connect to Her. And we have already explained this matter.",
                    "358. “And will do that which is right in His sight.” This refers to the righteous, WHO IS YESOD, as is written: “The eyes of Hashem are toward the righteous” (Tehilim 34:16). We have discussed being wary of a maid servant in accordance with the verse: “And a handmaid that is heir to her mistress” (Mishlei 30:23), WHICH MEANS that it causes the righteous to cleave unto a handmaid. ",
                    "“And give ear to His commandments,” refers to Netzach, for one should not insert this sign into a heathen woman, nor be false with it to Netzach. For it is written: “And also the Eternal One (lit. ‘Netzach’) of Yisrael will not lie” (I Shmuel 15:29). And he who observes this, THE HOLY COVENANT, fulfills His commandments, as is written: “For you shall worship no other El” (Shemot 34:14). ",
                    "“And keep all His statutes.” This is Hod, to beware of a harlot. 359. This agrees with what we have learned. Rabbi Yehuda said: It is written: “Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty warrior: your glory and your majesty” (Tehilim 45:4). This refers to he who makes haste to place the fear of the strong sharpened sword, WHICH IS MALCHUT, before him, upon the thigh. What is “upon your thigh”? It means upon this holy sign, to guard it, as is written: “Put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh” (Beresheet 24:2).",
                    "360. Another explanation for “Gird your sword.” It means expedite and strengthen yourself, overpower your Evil Inclination, which is your sword “upon your thigh,” upon that Holy Covenant, to guard it. If he guards it, then he is called ‘mighty’. And the Holy One, blessed be He, dresses him in His garments. What are the garments of the Holy One, blessed be He? They are Hod and Netzach, as is written: “You are clothed with glory and majesty” (Tehilim 104:1). Here also, “Your glory and your majesty.” Then the person cleaves unto the Holy King properly. 361. From here on: “I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon Egypt; for I am Hashem your healer.” From this article we learn the matter of guarding the Brit from the 4 we mentioned.",
                    "The general guarding from Niddah is to be careful from touching her, as the Rabbis explained about this, and therefore you need to warn the woman about the laws of Niddah, wearing the white cloth and changing it, and the laws of interruption in the Mikve, since there are many aspects that can cause her not to know, and one can find himself having intercourse with a Niddah. It could be that this is what Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai meant in the article of Niddah: “And in this way, other things that the Congregation of Yisrael is bound to join and connect to Her.”",
                    "This article also explains the benefit of one who protects his Brit, who is called ‘brave’, and that benefit in the World to Come is that the Creator dresses him with His clothing, which are Netzach and Hod. Also what it says in the end of the article: “And when one cleaves to the Holy King, THAT IS TIFERET, this verse will be fulfilled for him: “I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon Egypt; for I am Hashem your healer,” since he cleaves to the Holy King and receives healing from Arich Anpin. From what can be achieved you can tell what you can lose, Heaven Forbid. ",
                    "Also in the Midrash they explained the verse “every man with his sword on his thigh” (Song of Songs 8:9) relating to being cautious of the Brit, “because of dread in the night” that they are cautious of sin, which is prevalent at night-time. ",
                    "Regarding the damage of the Brit by a married woman or by one who is with a Niddah, maidservant, gentile or prostitute; it was already explained in the Zohar and in the Midrash of our teachers, and we will quote some of their words so the transgressor will have awe when he hears the punishment.",
                    "It says in the Midrash Rabbah in Naso: “Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction” (Michah 2:10). The Creator tells us: “for other sins I would extend my mercy towards you, but since you sinned with adultery, ‘arise and go’.” What is ‘a grievous destruction’ (Chevel Nimratz)? I have said ‘For the portion of the Creator is His people, Jacob the lot of His inheritance (Chevel Nachlato)’ (Deuteronomy 32:9). I took Jacob and he was my portion, since his offspring was likened to a rope/chain (Chevel) that is intertwined one with another, since they were all related by their fathers and not one offspring stopped the chain because they all protected themselves from adultery and not one was a bastard. How so? It says ‘Elazar gave birth to Pinchas, Pinchas gave birth to Avishua’ and so too by all of them that the chain goes like this, and you had relations with the wife of your friend and defiled the land, and now how can he say this one is my son and it is not his son, since he is a bastard, and now you stopped the chain, thus ‘a grievous destruction’ (Chevel Nimratz). What is ‘Nimratz’? it is the acronym of Noef, Mamzer, Rasha Tzorer (adulterer, bastard, wicked, enemy). We have learned that the negative decree of the 10 tribes was only signed because of the sin of adultery. ",
                    "How do the tribes of Yehuda and Binyamin know that their negative decree was only signed because of adultery? Since Jeremiah screamed in front of the Creator in the times of Menasheh “even though they did all what you hate they did not sin with sexual misconduct, the sons were the sons of their fathers, and not they are sons of lust,” as it says “My people are foolish” (Jeremiah 4:22), and it says after “They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor's wife” (Jeremiah 5:8). Even though they transgressed all of my precepts and they denied the Creator, as it says “they have denied God” (Jeremiah 5:12), he curbs his anger, and the negative decree against them was signed because of adultery. It says afterward “shall I not punish for these things, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 5:29), the Creator says ‘for everything I retrain [my anger] but for lust I get angry, thus I give them over to the kingdoms,’ as it says “Go through her vineyards and ravage them” (Jeremiah 5:10). They transgress the 10 commandments, and so it says “and I find the woman more bitter than death” (Ecclesiastes 7:26), woe to the sin that transgresses against the 10 commandments.",
                    "It says in Beresheet Rabbah: Rabbi Simlai said: Wherever you find lust, an epidemic visits the world and slays both good and bad. Rabbi Azariah and Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simone said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Creator is long-suffering for everything besides immorality, as it says “The sons of God saw the daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2) which is followed by,  “And the Lord said I will blot out man (Genesis 6:8).” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in Rabbi Pedaya’s name: That whole night Lot prayed for mercy for the Sodomites, and they [the angels] would have heeded him, but as soon as they [the Sodomites] demanded “Bring them out unto us, that we may know them (Genesis 19:5)—for intercourse— they [the angels] said, “Who else is here” (Genesis 19:12) meaning, to plead in their defense, from now on you are no longer permitted to plead in their defense.",
                    "In Bava Metzia (daf 58b) it says: three go down to hell and never return, they are: one who give a bad name to his friend, one who embarrasses his friend in public, and one who has relations with a married woman.",
                    "The punishment of having relations with a maidservant is stated in Vayikra Rabbah: “If he offer it for a thanksgiving” (Leviticus 7:12), that which it says “Fools mock at making amends for sin” (Proverbs 14:9), Rabbi Yudan says that this fool states his punishment verbally to all and says ‘Do I not need to bring a sin-offering nor a guilt-offering?’ Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Levi: these people that rule that it is permitted to have relations with maidservants in this World, the Creator hangs them by the crown of their head in the World to Come, as it says “Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies, The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds.” (Psalms 68:22). Meaning that all will say: that man will perish because of his misdeed.",
                    "It also says in Derch Eretz Rabbah and in Yalkut of Ki Tavo: One who has relations with a maidservant is guilty of 14 transgressions and Karet (early death) by the heavens, because of “you shall not sow the vineyard with two kinds of seed”, and “you shall not plow your field with an ox and donkey together”, and “you shall not wear whool and linen woven together”, and “you shall not murder”, and “you shall not commit adultery”, and “you shall not steal”, and “you shall not be jealous”, and “you shall not bear false witnesses”, and “the wife of your father”, and “the wife of your brother”, and “maidservant”, and “prostitute”, and “Niddah”, and “Gentile”. If he is an Israelite and he defiled himself and his offspring with a Cutite, he will not have vigilant children nor answering students. And if he is a Cohen, he will not have a son who will bring forth an offering to God.",
                    "It also says in Tractate Sanhedrin, chapter 9, on the verse “Judah has become unfaithful, and an abomination was committed in Israel and Jerusalem” (Malachi 2:11): Rav Yehuda said: this is Idol Worship, and as it says “Surely, as a woman betrays her lover, So you have betrayed Me, O house of Israel, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 3:20). “An abomination was committed in Israel” (Malachi 2:11), this is homosexual intercourse, like it says, “and you shall not lie with a man the like you lie with a woman, it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:20). “for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD which He loves” (Malachi 2:11), this is prostitution, as it says “neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel” (Deuteronomy 23:18). “And he married the daughter of a strange god” (Malachi 2:11), this is one who has relations with a Cutite, as it says “As for the man who does this, may the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers” (Malachi 2:12), if he is a wise man he will not have vigilant children nor answering students. And if he is a Cohen, he will not have a son who will bring forth an offering to God. Rabbi Chiya said in the name of Rabbi Aba: anyone who has relations with a Cutite, it is as if he married idol worship, as it says “And he married the daughter of a strange god” (Malachi 2:11).",
                    "It also says in the Midrash of Mishlei (Proverbs): “For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil” (Proverbs 5:3). My son, be careful from a harlot that she won’t mislead you with her lips and that she won’t lure you with her voice. Why? Because “her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:4), and just like the sword eats on both ends, so too a harlot makes man lose his life in this world and in the World to Come., as it says “Her feet go down to death” (ibid.) since she brings him down to the depths of death, and this is great torture; “her steps take hold on the nether-world” (ibid.), even though he is judged with great torture in this world he is not saved from the judgment of hell.",
                    "The punishment of one who has relations with a married woman or a single woman before the seven blessings [under the canopy] is stated in the Zohar in Tazria: 45. From this we learned that once a bride and a groom are blessed with seven blessings, they are united as the likeness of above WHERE MALCHUT IS BLESSED WITH SEVEN BLESSINGS BY CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD, YESOD AND MALCHUT OF ZEIR ANPIN. 46. Therefore, whoever mates with another man’s wife blemishes the union, because the Congregation of Yisrael unites with the Holy One, blessed be He, alone BOTH at the time when He is of Mercy AND when He is of Judgment. ",
                    "Come and see, whoever mates with another’s wife, it is as if he is false to the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Congregation of Yisrael. For this reason the Holy One, blessed be He, does not forgive him through repentance, and repentance impends until he dies. This is the meaning of, “shall not be forgiven you till you die” (Yeshayah 22:14). When IS HE FORGIVEN? When he repents coming into that world, WHERE he needs to receive punishment. THEN HE IS FORGIVEN.",
                    "47. Rabbi Elazar said, whoever is false to the Congregation of Yisrael BY MATING WITH ANOTHER MAN’S WIFE, HIS repentance is not accepted until he is punished in Gehenom. This is more true for whoever is false to the Congregation of Yisrael and the Holy One, blessed be He, and all the more so if he troubles the Holy One, blessed be He, to make the form of a bastard in another’s wife, and is false to the King in public, openly.",
                    "48. Rabbi Chiya opened with the words, “He who robs his father or his mother…” (Mishlei 28:24). His father is the Holy One, blessed be He, and his mother is the Congregation of Yisrael. “robs” is as in the words, “the robbery of the poor is in your houses” (Yeshayah 3:14). What is THE ROBBERY? It is man coveting another woman, who is not his wife. 49. We learned there that whoever derives any enjoyment from this world without blessing, it is as if he robs the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Congregation of Yisrael, as written, “He who robs his father or his mother, and says, It is no transgression; he is companion of a destroyer.” Whoever enjoys anything of this world, THE WORDS ‘WHOEVER ENJOYS’ include a woman. Whoever joins a woman to enjoy her without a blessing, NAMELY WITHOUT THE SEVEN BLESSINGS BESTOWED ON THE BRIDE, it is as if HE robs the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Congregation of Yisrael. What is the reason thereof? Because they are united by means of the seven blessings AND HE WHO DERIVES ENJOYMENT WITHOUT THEM BLEMISHES THE SUPERNAL SEVEN BLESSINGS. And if this is true to a single woman, it is all the more true for one who unites with another man’s wife, who has the likeness of above by means of the seven blessings THROUGH HER HUSBAND, all the more so. 50. “he is companion of a destroyer” (Mishlei 28:24) refers to Jeroboam, as was explained, who “says, It is no transgression” (Ibid.), saying, she is single, why should it be forbidden? Therefore, he “robs his father or his mother.” Moreover, “he is companion of a destroyer.” The destroyer is a man who blemishes the form and establishment of above, and all the more so whoever covets his neighbor’s wife to cling to her, who blemishes even more. He is thus blemished forever. He is a destroyer because he blemishes above, blemishes below, and blemishes his soul, as written, “a destroyer,” and, “he who does that destroys his soul” (Mishlei 6:32).",
                    "The punishment of one who has relations with a Cutite is stated in the Zohar in Chayei Sarah: 214. For that reason, he who cleaves to a woman from the heathen nations is defiled, and the child that she bears him receives the spirit of defilement. You may ask, Is it not of Yisrael from the side of its father? If so, why should it receive the spirit of defilement? Come and behold: First its father was besmirched when he united with that tainted woman. All the more so, the child that she bears will receive the spirit of defilement upon it. Furthermore, he also transgressed the Torah, as it is written: “For you shall worship no other El; for Hashem whose name is jealous, is a jealous El” (Shemot 34:14), which means that He is zealous of the covenant, SO THAT IT WILL NOT BE TAINTED BY HEATHEN WOMEN. 216. Come and behold: Whoever puts the holy covenant in a woman of a heathen nation causes another place to be defiled; NAMELY, HE BLEMISHES THE SUPERNAL COVENANT AND CAUSES IT TO GIVE PLENTY TO THE HANDMAID. Thus, it is written: “For three things the earth is disquieted...” (Mishlei 30:21).",
                    "It also says in the Zohar in Va’etchanan: 120. While they were walking Rabbi Aba said, In the verse, “they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewn them out cisterns…” (Yirmeyah 2:13), “they have forsaken Me” refers to he who is false to the sign of the holy imprint. How is he false to it? By placing it in the domain of another, as written, “and has married the daughter of a strange El” (Malachi 2:11), who are called broken cisterns. For the idol worshiping nations are called broken cisterns. 121. That of Yisrael, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is called a well, “the fountain of living waters.” This is the holy domain of the holy Faith, WHICH IS MALCHUT that is called a well of springs of clear water that comes out and pours from it, as written, “and streams from Lebanon” (Shir Hashirim 4:15), AND ALSO, “running waters out of your own well” (Mishlei 5:15), and, “a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters” (Shir Hashirim 4:15). The Other Side is called, “broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Yirmeyah 2:13). 122. Come and see, the river that flows and comes out, WHICH IS YESOD, waters the whole garden, MALCHUT, and waters each and every place, as we explained, until it fills the place of the garden that is called a well of living water, WHICH IS YESOD OF MALCHUT, whence the higher and lower are nourished, as written, “and from thence it was parted…” (Beresheet 2:10). 123. None of the aspects of the left side are watered from that spring of gushing water, because they are from the aspect of the other nations and are called broken cisterns. Whoever is false to the holy imprint by that side cleaves to “broken cisterns, that can hold no water,” because it does not flow in there. Whoever merits to keep it deserves to be watered by the stream of the river in the World to Come and merits that the supernal well will be filled and blessings will be drawn above and below. Happy is he in this world and in the World to Come. Of this it is written, “and you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” (Yeshayah 58:11). 124. Woe to him who is false to the holy imprint, because he is false to the Supernal Name. Moreover, he causes that well, MALCHUT, not to be blessed. He is called, “he has brought out an evil name upon a virgin of Yisrael” (Devarim 22:19). “A virgin of Yisrael” is precise, THAT IS, MALCHUT THAT IS CALLED THE VIRGIN OF YISRAEL, BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS REVERTS TO BEING A VIRGIN.",
                    "The punishment of one who has relations with a Niddah, Maidservant, Gentile, and Prostitute was stated in the Tikkunei Zohar (21st Correction): 455. And all the adhesions (defect in the lungs) of the lethal poison, BECAUSE IT PREVENTS THE AIR FROM THE LUNGS TO BLOW ONTO THE HEART, are the legs OF THE FEMALE OF SAMAEL. Of whom is said, “Her feet go down to death” (Mishlei 5:5). And they are eighteen adhesions (defect of the lung). Of them is written, “Neither will I again smite all living (Heb. chai) things as I have done” (Bersheet 8:21), to those who pray eighteen blessings in the AMIDAH prayer. And always WHEREVER THERE DWELLS THE FEMALE KLIPAH CALLED T’refah (lit. ‘unkosher’), it is not Chayah (lit. ‘live’ BECAUSE THE LIGHT OF LIFE DEPARTS FROM THERE. For wherever she can grasp the person with her judgments, WHICH ARE THE SEVERE JUDGMENTS SHE kills him.",
                    "Also in the Tikkunei Zohar in the 37th Correction: 8. HE EXPLAINS FURTHER, the three Klipot of the foreskin are CALLED destroyer, anger and wrath. Against the covered skin is THE KLIPAH iniquity AS THROUGH UNCOVERING ITS POWER IS VOIDED. This is why a part of the prayer was composed against them, THAT IS, TO VOID THEM, TO SAY, “But he was full of compassion, forgiving iniquity” (Tehilim 78:38), AGAINST THE KLIPAH OF iniquity; “and he did not destroy them” (Ibid.), is AGAINST THE KLIPAH OF the destroyer; “often he turned away his anger” AGAINST THE KLIPAH OF anger; “not stirring up all his wrath” (Ibid.) AGAINST THE KLIPAH OF wrath. Whoever inserts the sign of the covenant in a foreign domain, A MENSTRUATING WOMAN, A HANDMAID, A GENTILE WOMAN OR A PROSTITUTE, these four KLIPOT rule over him, as written, “And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth” (Beresheet 7:19). The earth is one’s body, WHICH HE GIVES TO THE FOUR KLIPOT, BY WHOSE HANDS HE IS PUNISHED. It says four times in the portion of Noach, “And the waters prevailed” (Ibid. 18), WHICH MEANS THAT they prevailed against them, THAT IS, THESE FOUR MENTIONS ARE AGAINST THE TWO KLIPOT, INIQUITY AND DESTROYER, ANGER AND WRATH THAT PUNISH HE WHO INSERTS HIS MEMBER OF THE COVENANT INTO THE FOUR, A MENSTRUATING WOMAN, A HANDMAID, A GENTILE WOMAN OR A PROSTITUTE, as has already been explained.",
                    " It also says in the Tikkunei Zohar (48th Correction) that this mentioned sin is similar to one who damages Shabbat by transferring from private domain to public domain. 7. Whoever lifts up something from its place and puts it out of its place and domain ON SHABBAT, IT IS CONSIDERED as if he uprooted the Tree of Life, which is the sign of the covenant, YESOD, and places it is a foreign domain, WHERE THE KLIPOT RULE. THEREFORE, whoever does it, WHO DESECRATES THE SHABBAT THROUGH TAKING FROM ONE DOMAIN INTO ANOTHER, causes his own soul to be uprooted from its own domain, THE DOMAIN OF HOLINESS and places it in another domain WHERE THE KLIPOT RULE, which is THE SECRET OF THE gall and the spleen AS MENTIONED. And this, THE DESECRATION OF SHABBAT, brought upon the uprooting of Yisrael from the land of Yisrael, THE PLACE OF THE DOMINION OF HOLINESS and they exiled in a foreign land, OUTSIDE THE LAND OF YISRAEL, which is public domain, WHERE THE KLIPOT RULE. It is the same, THIS EVIL IS ALSO BROUGHT ABOUT BY whoever inserts his sign of the holy covenant into a foreign domain, A GENTILE WOMAN. IT IS CONSIDERED AS IF HE TOOK THE DROPS FROM THE DOMAIN OF ‘THE ONLY ONE OF THE WORLD’ [GOD] INTO THE DOMAIN OF THE OTHER SIDE AND CAUSES THE HOLY SHECHINAH TO BE ABANDONED.",
                    "It also says in the Tikkunei Zohar (66th Correction): Similarly, one who takes out from private domain to public domain, or one who transfers his seed from the sign of the holy Brit to a strange domain, it is as if he planted the Tree of Good and Evil. Therefore, one who implants in a Niddah, Maidservant, Gentile or Harlot, it says about him “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image” (Exodus 20:3) and a daughter that is formed from this conception is call a “idol”, and about them it says “Cursed is anyone who carves or casts an idol and conceals setting it up” (Deuteronomy 27:15), what is ‘concealed?’, this is  the Concealed One of the world.",
                    "Also regarding the punishment of one who has relations with a Gentile and a Niddah it says in the Zohar in Shemot: 24. There are three kinds of people who reject the Shechinah away from the world and prevent the dwelling of the Holy One, Blessed be He, from inhabiting this world, and then people cry out IN PRAYER but their voices are not heard. They are: 1) One who lies with a menstruating woman, for there is no stronger impurity in the world like the impurity of the menstruation. The impurity of the menstruating woman is more severe than all the impurities of the world. He WHO DOES SO becomes impure and all who are close to him become impure with him. Wherever they go, the Shechinah is repelled by them. 25. And in addition, he brings bad sicknesses upon himself and on the children that he will beget. As soon as a person comes near to a menstruating woman, that impurity leaps onto him and remains STUCK in all his limbs. The children that he begets at that moment draw on the Spirit of Impurity. And all his days he will be in impurity, because the edifice and foundation of the baby is greater and stronger than all the impurities of the world. And as soon as a man comes near to a menstruating woman, her impurity leaps on him, as is written: “And her menstrual flow be upon him” (Vayikra 15:24).",
                    "26. 2) One who lies with a daughter of a strange El, A GENTILE WOMAN, who inserts the sign of the holy Covenant into another domain, as written: “And has married the daughter of a strange El” (Malachi 2:11). We have learned that there is no jealousy before the Holy One, blessed be He, like the zeal for of the Covenant, which is the Covenant of the Holy Name and the secret of the Faith. It is written: “And the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab” (Bemidbar 25:1), and immediately, “the anger of Hashem was kindled against Yisrael” (Ibid. 3). 27. The leaders of the people who know this and do not protest are punished first, as is written: “Take all the chiefs of the people and hang them up before Hashem against the sun” (Ibid. 4). Rabbi Aba said: What is meant by, “against the sun”? It means against the Covenant that is called ‘sun’, of which it is said, “For Hashem Elohim is a sun and shield” (Tehilim 84:12). “A sun and shield” is the Holy Covenant. In the same way that the sun shines and illuminates the world, the Holy Covenant shines and illuminates the body of man. In the same way that a shield protects the man, so does the Holy Covenant protect the man. And there is no injury that can approach one who protects it. This is: “against the sun.” 28. The leaders of the people are punished in every generation if they know of this sin and are not zealous in guarding against it. It is is incumbent upon them to be zealous in upholding this responsibility, for the Holy One, blessed be He, in this Covenant against all who would bring this holiness in another domain. ",
                    "About this is written: “You shall have no other Elohim before Me, do not bow down to them and do not worship them, for I Hashem your Elohim am a zealous El” (Shemot 20:3-5). And it is all the same zeal, EITHER ONE WHO LIES WITH A GENTILE WOMAN OR ONE WHO WORSHIPS IDOLS. Therefore, the Shechinah is repelled by him. ",
                    "One who is false to the Holy Covenant that is sealed in the flesh of a man is as though he is false to the Holy Name, because one who is false with the seal of the King, WHICH IS THE HOLY COVENANT, is false to the King himself. Therefore, he does not have any part with the Elohim of Yisrael, unless it is through the power of constant repentance.",
                    "29. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion saying: “And when they forgot Hashem their Elohim” (I Shmuel 12:9), and “And they forsook Hashem” (Shoftim 2:13). AND HE ASKS: What is: “And when they forgot,” and “And they forsook”? AND HE ANSWERS: They repelled from themselves the Holy Covenant, they circumcised but did not uncover until Deborah came and offered this, BY INTRODUCING PRIAH (‘UNCOVERING OF THE CORONA’) throughout Yisrael, as it says, “In time of tumultuous strife (Heb. pra’ot) in Yisrael, when the people willingly offered themselves; praise Hashem” (Shoftim 5:2).",
                    "30. 3) One who slays his children, meaning the embryo that his wife conceived, BY HAVING INTERCOURSE WITH HER ON THE NINETIETH DAY OF CONCEPTION, WHICH HE SLAYS THE EMBRYO and causes it to be killed in her belly, OR HE DOES SOME ACTION THAT CAUSES HER TO ABORT THE EMBRYO. He thus demolishes the building of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His craft. There are people who slay a person, and such a one slays his children. 31. The three evils done, AS EXPLAINED, the whole world cannot bear. Therefore, the world deteriorates little by little, although it is not known HOW IT COMES ABOUT. The Holy One, blessed be He, removes Himself from the world, and destruction and famine and death come to the world. These are THE THREE EVILS: he slays his children; he demolishes the structure of the King, NAMELY, HE STONS CONCEPTION WHICH IS THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE; and he repels the Shechinah, who roves in the world but can find no rest. For these evils, the Holy Spirit weeps and the world is judged. Woe to that man, woe to him, better that he was not created in the world. 32. Fortunate are Yisrael. Even though they were exiled in Egypt, they were guarded against all these three: from the impurity of menstruation; from daughters of foreign deities; and from killing the children.",
                    "Relating to what it says in the verse “Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One” (Psalms 45:4), in our original explanation that the sword that avenges the revenge of the Covenant  for someone who damages the Brit (Covenant), as it says at length in the Zohar in Va’era: 77. One day, Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yosi were before Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion saying, “Be afraid of the sword. For wrath brings the punishments of the sword, that you may know that there is a judgment” (Iyov 19:29). HE ASKS, It is written: “Be afraid of the sword.” What sword? HE ANSWERS, This is “a sword…that shall avenge My covenant” (Vayikra 26:25). This sword, WHICH IS MALCHUT, stands to observe who is false to the covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, because anyone who is false to the covenant BLEMISHES IT WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT OR SPILLING SEMEN IN VAIN, it is this sword that takes vengeance on him. 78. This is the meaning of: “For wrath brings the punishments of the sword.” What is the reason? IT IS that anyone who is false to the covenant distances the desire OF MALCHUT TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE FROM ZEIR ANPIN, and thus whoever should receive SUSTENANCE, NAMELY YESOD does not receive it, and does not give to his place, since his place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is not awakened toward him. BECAUSE OF THE BLEMISH IN THE COVENANT THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE SUSTENANCE WAS TAKEN FROM HER. ",
                    "Everyone who observes this covenant arouses the covenant towards its place, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and the upper and lower beings are blessed. 79. Who awakens this covenant to its place? When there are righteous people in the world, THEY AWAKEN IT. How do we know this? From the words: “And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their sojourns (Heb. megureihem)” (Shemot 6:4). What is ‘megureihem’? IT IS as written: “Be afraid (Heb. guru) of the sword”, WHICH IS MALCHUT AS MENTIONED. Because it is a place that causes fear in the world. Therefore IT SAYS: “Be afraid of the sword.” SO THE PATRIARCHS STIMULATED THE COVENANT TO ITS PLACE, WHICH IS MALCHUT, OF WHICH IT SAYS, “TO GIVE TO THEM THE LAND OF THEIR SOJOURNS,” AS EXPLAINED. 80. “in which they sojourned (Heb. garu)” (Ibid.). ‘GARU’ MEANS THAT from the day that they approached the Holy One, blessed be He, they had feared in it FROM HASHEM and it consisted of a supernal fear in observing His commandments. BECAUSE MALCHUT IS THE ASPECT OF FEAR, and if a person will not place fear over his head IN OBSERVING THE COVENANT, he will never fear of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the other precepts.",
                    "Also regarding one who protects his Brit and the punishment of one who damages it, it says in the Zohar in Lech Lecha: 404. Another continued the discussion with the verse, “Unless Hashem had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence (Heb. Dumah)” (Tehilim 94:17). We have learned why Yisrael are saved from going down to Gehenom, unlike idol-worshipping nations, and are not handed over to the hands of Dumah, WHO IS THE GOVERNOR OF GEHENOM. They have merit because of the sign OF THE COVENANT. 405. Because we have learned that when a person passes from this world, hoards of Klipot fall upon him TO HURT HIM. But when they hold up their eyes and see this sign, which is the sacred covenant, they leave him and he is not handed over to the hands of Dumah to be taken down to Gehenom. Whoever is handed over to his hands shall definitely go down to Gehenom. 406. The upper and lower beings are afraid of this sign and do not inflict evil Judgments on the man who preserves it, because, by doing so, he becomes united with the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. 407. Because David did not preserve this sign of the covenant as he should have, kingship was taken away from him and he was banished from Jerusalem. He was afraid that he would immediately be brought down to be handed over to Dumah and that he would die in the World of Truth WITHOUT MERITING SPIRITUAL LIFE. Then he was given the good news. As it is written: “Hashem also has commuted your sin, you shall not die” (II Shmuel 12:13). At that very moment he exclaimed, “Unless Hashem had been my help, my soul had soon dwelt in silence (Dumah),” MEANING THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE ANGEL DUMAH.",
                    "The benefit of one who protects his Brit is explained in the punishment, since he (King David) says that since he did not protect the sign of the covenant accordingly he would have been sent to Dumah had the Creator not been his defense attorney, as it says in the Prologue of the Zohar, (daf 8b verse 137). David was afraid of Dumah even when he did something that was permitted, since everyone who goes to war for the House of David writes his wife a divorce document. The fact that he did not properly guard the sign of the covenant (brit) properly, his Torah was not enough to protect him from the suffering, and our Sages say that King David was the head of the Sanhedrin and the law is according to him in all places, as it says about him “a man of understanding, and God is with him” (Shmuel A 16:18) meaning that the Halacha is according to him, so who would have been a defense attorney for him without knowing all the laws? Surely he would have been sent to Dumah. ",
                    "With all this, we find that David accepted upon himself afflictions and fasts, as it says “My knees were week due to fasting” (Psalms 109:24), and that which he was troubled from his kingdom was because his sin was that he had Uriah killed with the sword of Ammon, as it says in the Zohar in Beresheet. But the punishment for what he sinned with Uriah was written and he accepted, meaning what Nathan the Prophet said to him “I will raise up evil against you out of your own house” (Shmuel B 12:11). One who damages his Brit must surely suffer afflictions and fasts all his life as David did.",
                    "If you will say that one’s Torah study atones sin, we find that King David dealt with Torah more than we do, as our sages explain, and he had Ruach Hakodesh, so why did he torture himself for no reason and why didn’t he rely on his constant Torah study to atone his sin? Rather, when they say that Torah study atones sin it is as Rabbenu Yonah explains in Sha’arei Teshuva regarding what the sages say about dealing with acts of kindness atoning one’s sins that they wait on his punishment until he does Teshuva, so too with Torah study the atonement is that they lengthen his days so he can do Teshuva. However, one for sure needs to purify his sins with inflictions and fasts so that his Torah will be wanted, as is explained in Sha’arei Teshuva. And specifically one who damaged his Brit, which is equivalent to the entire Torah, that from the high importance (of the Brit) that the sages teach us we can understand the severity of the punishment of one who damages it.",
                    "In the Tikkunei Zohar (22nd Tikkun, verse 84) it explains about the importance of one who guards his Brit, which about him is said “And the nations of the world will all see that the name of God [YKVK] is called upon you” (Deuteronomy 28:10), because the name YKVK is imprinted on the Brit, as it says “Mi Yaale Lanu Hashamayma” (who will go upwards to heaven for us; 30:12) which is the acronym of “Milah” (circumcision) and the backronym of YKVK, and all of the prosecutors are afraid of him. It also says: 84. Therefore, one who observes the covenant of circumcision, which is the seal OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AS THE NAME SHADAI, death moves away from him, which is the Satan, AND IS the Evil Inclination, AND IS CALLED evil, defiled, northern, the Angel of Death. It will not come close to such a one, and he will not die at his hand.",
                    "85. But he who is false to the covenant of circumcision, THAT IS YESOD, is false to the King’s seal, WHO IS ZEIR ANPIN, because on it, YESOD, Shadai is marked on the outside, and Yud Hei Vav Hei on the inside. How do we know? It is evident from this passage AS WRITTEN, “Who shall go up for us to heaven” (Devarim 30:12). The initial letters spell milah (circumcision) and the end letters ARE Yud Hei Vav Hei. 86. And certainly one who is false to the covenant of circumcision, THE LIGHT OF THE NAMES Yud Hei Vav Hei and Shadai is gone from him, and the Satan dwells upon him, that is another El. AND HE IS the serpent that dwells where THE NAME Yud Hei Vav Hei is on the inside, while deadly poison is where THE NAME Shadai is on the outside. This is what the passage says, “Because he defiled the sanctuary of Hashem” (Bemidbar 19:20). 87. Unless he repents and suffers many afflictions to remove that serpent from there, FROM THE PLACE OF YESOD, and TO REMOVE his deadly poison, which is malignant leprosy with many illnesses and plagues, until there is no more flesh on him. 88. And the secret of the matter is THAT WHICH IS WRITTEN, “And he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house” (Vayikra 14:42). MEANING, HE IS REINCARNATED ANEW AND TAKES ANOTHER BODY FROM OTHER DUST. THE BODY IS CALLED HOUSE. Since “dust shall be the serpent’s food” (Yeshayah 65:25), and until he is sustained by that flesh, THAT IS, BY THE BODY OF THE DECEASED WHO WAS PLAGUED BY THE SERPENT, he will not leave it. LATER, “AND HE SHALL TAKE OTHER MORTAR (DUST), AND SHALL PLASTER THE HOUSE,” MEANING THAT HE BUILDS HIM BONES AND VEINS AND IS RENEWED LIKE AN OLD HOUSE THAT IS MADE INTO A NEW ONE. 89. ‘And a poor man is like dead,’ MEANING SOMETIMES A PERSON IS PUNISHED WITH POVERY. Just like a dead person’s face is altered, so is a poor man’s face altered. As OUR SAGES OF BLESSED MEMORY have interpreted THE VERSE, “when vileness is exalted (Heb. krum zulut) among the children of men” (Tehilim 12:9). What is THE EXPLANATION OF krum zulut – it is one who is dependent upon others, MEANING A POOR MAN, whose face turns green (Aramaic krum). And many kinds of bites of affliction does that serpent bite him. 90. Moreover, a pauper is like a leper. Just as BY a leper IT IS WRITTEN, “And the hair of his head shall grow long…” (Vayikra 13:45) so IT IS WITH the pauper. Just as BY the leper IS WRITTEN, “outside the camp shall his habitation be” (Ibid. 46), so the pauper is naked and barefoot. And poverty is to Yisrael in place of leprosy. 91. And there are four images IN THE KLIPAH OF THE SERPENT CORRESPONDING TO CHOCHMAH, BINAH, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, like the four colors of leprosy. They are white leprosy, CORRESPONDING TO CHOCHMAH, red, CORRESPONDING TO Binah, green, CORRESPONDING TO ZEIR ANPIN, a black bright spot, CORRESPONDING TO MALCHUT, altogether four. And they all have specific places on A PERSON’S body. And from them many illnesses afflict people. White and red ARE LOCATED IN THE BODY in the impure fat THAT IS WHITE and in the liver THAT IS RED. THE COLOR green IS LOCATED in the gall THAT IS GREEN. Black bright spots ARE LOCATED IN the spleen THAT IS BLACK BLOOD. And they are the sources of four kinds of gall: white gall, red gall, green gall and black gall THAT ARE DEMONS, ANGELS OF DESTRUCTION IN THE WORLD.",
                    "92. But if he repents, the potion of life THAT IS THE SHECHINAH descends upon him, MEANING MALCHUT, about which it is said, “and return, and be healed” (Yeshayah 6:10) of these kinds of illnesses, and revives from the death of poverty, as is said, “therefore turn, and live” (Yechezkel 18:32), because when Yisrael are poor they are called dead, and it is said of them, “turn yourselves” (Ibid. 30), and live. 93. And there is no poverty like the poverty of Torah, AS OUR SAGES OF BLESSED MEMORY SAID, ‘one is only poor in knowledge,’ because one who has no Torah is called dead. HE ASKS, what is his remedy that he may merit that world, MEANING THE WORLD TO COME, AND ANSWERS, Torah, BECAUSE MENDING THE COVENANT DEPENDS MOSTLY UPON THE STUDY OF TORAH. For it is said of the Torah, “She is a tree of life…” (Mishlei 3:18). And TORAH is a remedy for all illnesses, as you say, “It shall be health to your navel” (Ibid. 8). ",
                    "We understand from this article that one who damaged his Brit needs to suffer harsh afflictions that are close to death, until the meat on which is written the sin disintegrates. Specifically one who emits semen in vain, who deserves death, must accept upon himself suffering close to death. The reason is because the damages relates to the actual name of Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei, which includes the [248] Positive Precepts and the [365] Negative Precepts. “This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial to all generations” (Shemot 3:15). Sh’mi (eng. ‘my name’) plus Yud-Hei is 365 in numerical value, and Zichri (eng. ‘my memorial’) plus Vav-Hei equals 248. Thus he damages all of the Positive and Negative Precepts, and he needs afflictions like these for all of them specifically.",
                    "My teacher, of blessed memory, expanded on this article since about the verse “And he shall take other mortar, and shall plaster the house” (Vayikra 14:42) it says in the Tikkunei HaZohar that it relates to reincarnation. Regarding accepting upon oneself afflictions for Teshuva it is likened to one who reincarnates, since just like the reincarnated needs a new building since the first body was a conduit of the Chitzonim and needs to be nullified,  so too one who does Teshuva with mortification and fasts causes the deterioration of his flesh that grew because of the Chitzonim.",
                    "Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai had to mention another concept of “a poor person is like a dead person”, to explain that he is like a reincarnated in all aspects, that just like the poor person’s face is green like a dead person, he thus tastes death. He also experiences different bites of suffering since the bones and the flesh are both corrected with reincarnation, since the Chitzonim controlled both of them. As it said above that the Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei and Shin-Dalet-Yud leave him and in their place rest the Samech-Mem angel, which is El Acher, and his female counterpart. In exchange for Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei, which was from the inside, is now El Acher that controls, and in exchange for Shin-Dalet-Yud, which was from the outside, is now their Sam Hamavet (potion of death) in the flesh, and therefore he needs to correct both of them. When he is stricken with great poverty, it is also like his bones break and it is as if they died, and by this everything is corrected. He also says there that poverty is like death and like the affliction of Metzora, and it turns out that poverty is an atonement to this sin. ",
                    "It also explained in the end of the article that the Torah is a remedy for all afflictions and all diseases of the soul, as it says “It shall be health to your navel” (Proverbs 3:8), and this is if he does Teshuva and does not go back to sinning. ",
                    "It is also understood from his words that the damage of the Brit causes poverty of money and poverty of Torah. The reason is that since the secret of the Brit is the secret of the “river that continuously flows” that draws all types of abundance, physical abundance for the body and spiritual abundance for the soul. If he damages it then both leave him, and if he does Teshuva then they both return. When it says “But if he repents, the potion of life THAT IS THE SHECHINAH descends upon him” it means [the Shechinah] heals him from the poverty of Torah since now that the Brit was fixed he has an elevation to grasp the Tree of Life, which is the Central Column, where flow of the Torah comes from. ",
                    "And this is how to read it: “And there is no poverty like the poverty of Torah”, as we said above that whoever damages the Brit causes poverty to chase him and he will be like a dead person, and there is no poverty like the poverty of Torah, and he can be like a dead person even though he may be rich. His correction is to do Teshuva to not go back to his sin and to deal with Torah so that it will be a cure for his illness, because when he rises above the place of the damage he brings the potion of life to heal the damage in the Brit, which is called Chai (life). ",
                    "My teacher, of blessed memory, wrote that the potion of life only helps after Teshuva, which is letting go of the sin and accepting pain with love. The reason is because the Torah is the potion of life to purify the Klippah from the inside, and the pain purifies the flesh from the outside, as it explained above that El Acher resides where the Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei was from the inside, and the potion of death resides where the Shin-Dalet-Yud was in the inside.",
                    "Nevertheless, it seems in my humble opinion that if we look closely at his words “And TORAH is a remedy for all illnesses, as it says, ‘It shall be health to your navel’”, it means that the Torah is a cure whether for what is outside, which is the flesh, or for what is inside, which are the bones. “It shall be health to your navel” means the flesh, and “marrow to your bones” are the bones, and since it was specific in the ending of the verse it surely is the meaning. The reason is because the Torah is like a bandage to an injury that after the evil flesh deteriorated you can put a bandage to help grow good flesh, and so too the pain purifies the Klippah from the inside and outside. It turns out that this poor person is left with afflictions, bruises, and his bones are shriveled, and therefore he will need the potion of Torah, which is the “marrow to your bones” to moisten them, and as a bandage to the flesh from the outside, thus “It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones” (Proverbs 3:8). This is similar to what it says in the Zohar in Vayakhel (verse 331) regarding “But to you who fear My name the sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 3:20), which I explained in the Gate of Awe, the end of chapter 13.",
                    "Included in the Teshuva for this sin is being cautious to keep the “sign” of Shabbat, the sign of Tefilin and the sign of Holidays. This is explained in the Tikkunei Zohar (63rd Tikkun): They are the upper Hei, the lower Hei, the Vav that is the Central Column that carries both of them, and the foundation of it all is the Yud, which is the Brit. Whoever uproots and lies with [the Brit], uproots everything and makes the Yud fall. This Yud is the Foundation Stone, and the worlds was founded from this Stone, and about it is written “The stone which the builders rejected became the corner-stone” (Psalms 118:22), and it is the foundation upon which everything is built. Whoever transgresses the sign of Shabbat, the sign of Tefilin, the sign of the Holidays, and the sign of the Brit Milah – it is as if he uproots it from its place and he returns the world to “Tohu Vavohu” (formless and void; Genesis 1:2).",
                    "Since we find that Rabbi Shimon related the sign of the Brit to the sign of Shabbat, Tefilin and Holidays, it seems that the damage is equal for all of them and we must be cautious with them all. The sages also say that whoever keeps Shabbat with all its laws all of his sins are atoned, as it says “keeping the Shabbat from profaning it (Mechalelo)” (Isaiah 56:2), don’t read Mechalelo but rather Machul Lo (he is atoned). ",
                    "Specifically regarding Shabbat it is important to be cautious since it is very related to the sign of the brit, as Rabbi Shimon said in the Zohar in Yitro: 527. “Remember the Shabbat day, to keep it holy” (Shemot 20:8). This is the secret of the Holy Covenant, WHICH IS YESOD, for in this Covenant lie all the sources of the limbs of the body, and it comprises everything. In the same manner, the Shabbat day includes all the Torah, all of its secrets originate in it. And he who keeps the Shabbat is considered as one who keeps the whole Torah.",
                    "After we spoke in general about the damage of the Brit and the punishment of emitting semen in vain, we need to explain another aspect also regarding the damage of the Brit, and that is the sin of Keri (semen) that is found after one emits semen in vain, which damages the brit, and the meaning of Keri is “taking out” from the place of the holy Brit to give to the Chitzonim. In the Zohar in Pekudei (verse 864) there is an article called “the second chamber of impurity”, which is the chamber where the ones who defile their Brit are repaid. In the end of this article Rabbi Shimon says that there are two spirits there that turn into males and females, and these spirits defile men when they dream at night and they cause them to emit semen in vain. The punishment for this is a bit similar to one who emits semen in vain, since it says “guard yourself from anything evil” (Deuteronomy 23:10), implying that one should not have negative thoughts during the day so that he won’t come to impurity at night. We have already quoted the words of sages above that one who cause himself to be aroused is not accepted in the courtyard of the Creator.",
                    "The punishment of one who defiles himself is stated in the Zohar in Metzora: 47. Rabbi Elazar cited that verse: “Thus shall you separate the children of Yisrael from their uncleanness...when they defile My tabernacle that is among them” (Vayikra 15:31). “Thus shall you separate” MEANS like a stranger who is a stranger to everyone and is not bonded with that which is not his. 48. HE EXPLAINS HIS WORDS: Come and behold: When men are defiled below, they are defiled in every respect, as we have already learned. When the Unclean Spirit is roused below, BY DRAWING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT SIDE FROM ABOVE DOWNWARDS, a strange spirit arises, FOR the Unclean Spirit below rouses another unclean spirit. It obtains permission to go down to the world. HE ASKS: What kind of permission DOES IT OBTAIN? HE ANSWERS: The same permission of Holiness that formerly ALWAYS came down and prevented THAT STRANGE SPIRIT FROM RULING. This spirit is no longer there BECAUSE OF THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT. For when it leaves, the Judgment, WHICH IS THE STRANGE SPIRIT, is revealed and confronts the sinners and augments Judgment. THEN THERE ARE two harmful spirits in the world, one is the spirit of Judgment NAMELY THE STRANGE SPIRIT and the Spirit of Defilement.",
                    "49. Rabbi Elazar said: Here I must say something that I have learned from my father. Come and behold: see what we learned here in relation to the plague in the house. When the Unclean Spirit rests upon a house and the Holy One, blessed be He, wants to purify that house, He sends a plague of leprosy there in order to make them denounce each other – THE SPIRIT OF THE PLAGUE FIGHTS THAT ONE OF THE UNCLEANNESS. Although the Unclean Spirit is gone from the house that plague does not depart from the house AFTER OVERPOWERING THE SPIRIT OF DEFILEMENT until the house is shattered, stones, timbers, and all. Only then is the place purified. 50. When a man is defiled and arouses the Unclean Spirit to rest upon him and the Holy One, blessed be He, wants to purify the world, He arouses AGAINST HIM a spirit of Stern Judgment that remains in the world and rests upon that Unclean Spirit. They fight each other until He removes THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT from the world. That spirit of harsh Judgment OF THE PLAGUE THAT IT CAUSED TO DEPART FROM THE WORLD does not depart from the place until it is completely shattered, NAMELY THE BODY, the limbs, the bones and everything. Only then is the world purified; the Unclean Spirits are removed, and the world is in a state of cleanliness. 51. Therefore, we have learned that when a man wants to defile himself, he is indeed defiled, FOR THE SECOND SPIRIT OF UNCLEANNESS REMOVES THE FIRST ONE, AS IT IS SAID ABOVE. Woe to the man upon whom rests an Unclean Spirit that dwells with him in the world, for it is well known that the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to remove it from the world; THEREFORE, HE DEFILES HIM MORE, AS SAID. Happy are the righteous who are Holy and appear before the Holy King in their Holiness, and upon whom a Spirit of Holiness rests in this world and in the World to Come.",
                    "From this article it seems that one who does Teshuva needs great mortification for the sin of Keri until he purifies himself from the impurity of Keri. The judgment needs to rest on him until he will be purified, as it is explained in the article, and this is if he does not correct himself with teshuva in the way that was explained in the Tikkunei Zohar that we quoted above: “and he suffers many pains to remove the snake from there”, and as we mentioned above regarding what my teacher said.",
                    "Keri comes because of a few reasons and we need to explain them. The first is what Rabbi Shimon said in the Zohar in Kedoshim regarding “Do not turn to the idols” and it is the issue of looking at women, since that leads a person to negative thoughts and impurity, and he goes against the precept of “do not make for yourself molten gods” (Leviticus 19:4) since after his entire body warms up from the spirit of defilement it is considered like he made himself into a molten god. And the meaning of “for yourself” is like saying “do not make yourself into a molten god”, as it explains in the Zohar in Tetzaveh regarding anger, that it says anger is different from all other defilements: 60. Other impurities are different, for they cannot do more THAN DEFILE HIM ON THE OUTSIDE, but one WHO GETS ANGRY is different from them all, for his whole body becomes defiled inside and out, and he contaminates the soul and everything else. 61. Therefore, it is written: “You shall make you no molten Elohim” (Shemot 34:17). “Make you” MEANS you shall NOT harm yourself.",
                    "Similarly it says in the Zohar in Kedoshim, and this was explained in the beginning of the chapter: 72. Whoever look at the beauty of women during the day will have those thoughts coming to him at night. When those evil thoughts come upon him at night, he transgresses, because “nor make to yourselves molten Elohim.” FOR THE KLIPOT THAT NURTURE FROM THIS ARE CALLED ‘MOLTEN ELOHIM’.",
                    "You should also be careful from excessive speech with any woman, and especially with one who is a Niddah. Regarding this it says in the first chapter in Tractate Avot: “do not have excessive conversation with a woman, this is referring to his wife and all the more so with the wife of his friend; from this the sages said that as long as one has excessive speech with a woman he causes evil upon himself.” The matter of “causes evil upon himself” is that he draw the Lamed-Yud angel, who is called “evil”, and she defiles him with Keri. Similarly, it says in the Zohar in Beshalach regarding the verse “No evil will befall you, and no plague will come near your tent” (Tehilim 91:10), that when one follows the straight path and acts with holiness, evil—which is the Lamed-Yud angel—and Nega (plague)—which are the plagues of men—do not come close to him. But if, heaven forbid, he does not follow the straight path they defile him. This is how we understand “causes evil upon himself” that he draws to himself the evil Lamed-Yud angel to make him transgress, and eventually he will be lowered to hell to deteriorate the evil that stuck to him. He also causes that he postpones the study of Torah, since the rule used to be that you could not study Torah if you were impure according to Takanat Ezra, and even today there are some people who are strict and do not study Torah when they are impure.",
                    "Regarding conversation with a Niddah woman, it is explained in Midrash Rabbah (Bamidbar Rabbah 10:8): Why did the Torah prohibit grape extract and all that comes from grapes if one cannot get drunk from them? From here we learn that one must distance himself from anything repulsive and anything similar, and we also learn that the Torah made a safeguard/fence for its words. We also learned (Pirkei Avot chapter 1) “Be cautious in judgement, establish many pupils, and make a safety fence around the Torah.” How? Make a safety fence for your words just like the Torah did for its words, as it says “you may not come close to a woman during her Niddah period to reveal her nakedness” (Leviticus 18:19); I would think it would be permitted to hug and kiss her and speak to her about mundane things; we thus learn “you may not come close”. I would think it would be permitted to sleep next to her with her clothes on; we thus learn “you may not come close”. I would think it would be permitted if she washes her face and color her eyes blue and I would take a cup to drink from her hands; we thus learn, “and of her that is sick with her impurity” (Leviticus 15:33), all the days that she is impure she is “banned” (Nidui) from her husband. From here they say that one who makes herself look unattractive during her period pleases the spirit of the Sages, and one who puts ornaments and make-up during her period displeases the spirit of the Sages. ",
                    "It also says “each man should not come near his relative to reveal their nakedness” (Leviticus 18:6), and from here they say “one should not gather with only women, and outside his city even with his sister, daughter or mother-in-law, not to give rise to people’s suspicion”. Regarding relatives it says “do not come near” (plural) and regarding a man with his Niddah wife it says “do not come near” (singular), since it is coming to include anything that might lead to a sin, since one should distance himself from anything repulsive and anything similar, as the sages say “distance yourself from a minor sin since it may lead you to a major one, and run towards a minor Mitzva since it will lead you to a Major one”.",
                    "Regarding excessive speech with a woman, they were strict about it, as it says in Tractate Eruvin chapter 5: Rabbi Yossi Haglili was walking and saw Bruria. He asked her, “Which way shall one go to Lod?” She answered, “Glili, you fool, don’t you know it is written, “Do not engage a woman in too much conversation?” You should have said, “Where to Lod?” One who is has Awe of Heaven will learn from here to minimize speech with women as much as possible, and specifically with his wife on her period, as it is explained in the article. I also found it written in Psalms 39:3 “Ne’elamti Dumia Hecheshiti” (I was dumb with silence; I held my peace), which is the acronym of Niddah, to teach us to minimize speech especially with her. ",
                    "Just like one should be careful not to be excessive in speech, so too one should be careful not to touch her, which includes all the laws that the sages brought down in Yore Deah, and also not to look at her. If he transgresses any of these he draws upon himself the power of impurity that is in his wife, and is can defile him as well. The warning for this was taught by Rabbi Shimon in the Zohar in Beresheet B: “230. Similarly, the supernal mate joins with a man whose wife is on her unclean days and who dutifully abides by the laws of family purity all those days, so that he remains male and female.” This means that if he does careful of this properly, then the Shechinah leaves him. You already know that the Chitzonim are called “Eleh” (these) who are ready to reside immediately on a person to defile him, as is explained in Zohar Vayechi. ",
                    "They especially want to cleave to an area where there was once holiness that left. You can testify this in the Zohar in Vayechi (verse 197) regarding the departure of man that they want to cleave there because that is where holiness dwelled. For this reason my teacher would say that one who acts in ways of seclusion and purity and then leaves that holiness, they can defile him because of the aforementioned reason that they chase after places that once had holiness. I add another depth to this that the Klippot are called ‘nothingness’ and ‘emptiness’, and they only chase after things that are empty like them, and since they find a vessel that was emptied out from the holiness they cleave to it; and specifically about what it says in the Zohar in Mishpatim (verse 327): “All these Chariots and its companions always desire the thigh and yearn for it. As a result the knees of the sages are weary from THE OTHER SIDE, as all its yearning is for the thigh, and particularly for the sage’s thigh.” Therefore, sages (Talmidei Chachamim) need an even bigger caution since these run to cleave to them, and any side they find to cleave to they immediately cleave there and defile them. About this is said “If his sons forsake My law And do not walk according to My rules, If they violate My statutes And do not keep My commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod And their iniquity with strokes” (Psalms 89:31-33); “with strokes” means the plagues of men that are created by the Keri. Thus it is explained that when the holiness leaves, immediately one is repaid by these afflictions (Keri emissions). ",
                    "The reason why the affect is emitting semen in vain via the Brit is because the Supernal Brit includes Torah and Mitzvot, in the secret of “Ki Kol” (because everything that is in the heavens and earth; Chronicles A 29:11) that is translated to Aramaic as “He is one in the heavens and Earth” (meaning that He is the attribute of ‘El Chai’ that includes everything and is also called Written Torah and Oral Torah); therefore, it turns out that when he damages the Torah and MItzvot since he didn’t deal with it properly, he desecrated the Supernal Holy Brit, and therefore he is repaid with the impurity of the Brit.",
                    "This issue was hinted in the Zohar in Vayishlach: “227. Another explanation is that the “powders of the merchant” refers to Joseph the Righteous, for his coffin (lit. ‘ark’), YESOD, traveled by Her. He was called a merchant (Heb. rochel; also: ‘talebearer’) because he slandered his brothers (Heb. rechilut) before his father. According to another explanation, he was thus called because just as a merchant possesses all kinds of bundles of incense and perfumed herb powders, so Joseph maintained the Torah, for he observed it as all the precepts of the Torah are connected to keeping the Holy Covenant, WHICH HE DID.” Similar to this it says in the Zohar in Miketz: “83. By keeping the HOLY Covenant, Joseph merited to be adorned in his place, THAT IS, TO BECOME A CHARIOT TO YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, and attained the upper kingdom and the lower kingdom. Whoever guards the Holy Covenant, is considered to be observing the holy Torah in its entirety, for the Covenant corresponds to the whole Torah.”",
                    "We must say that it is the secret of “Ki Kol” because if one guards the Brit but doesn’t read the Shema or put on Tefilin it wouldn’t make sense that he would be considered as if he kept the entire Torah. Therefore we must say that if one damages the Torah, meaning he doesn’t deal with it properly, he is lead to defiling the Brit (meaning if one connects to the Torah fully it includes everything since it will lead you on the right path).",
                    "Also the reason and source for Keri itself if because one transgressed the covenant of the mouth, as I explained above regarding “guard your tongue from evil” (Psalms 34:14). Also one who reveals [secrets of Torah] to those who are not worthy [and ready], his punishment is Keri. The reason is because the container of the supernal secrets, which come from “Tzadik” that is called “Yud”, is a secret for those who fear Him and are with the Shechinah; thus, “the secrets of Hashem are for those who fear him” (Psalms 25:14). When one is not ready and worthy it is as if he drew down the light of the Torah from inside and did not find a container for it to rest in, and it went out to the Chitzonim. Thus it turns out that he ‘worked’ inside and shot outside, which was the sin of Er and Onan, and therefore the cause and effect is that his semen will spill out in vain and get defiled.",
                    "Also saying a blessing in vain is like emitting semen in vain, and they may defile him, and one should be careful with this especially a Chazan that should not repeat the Amida out loud if there are not for sure 9 men to answer ‘Amen’. ",
                    "Another reason for Keri is the pleasure of sleeping all night, as I said in chapter 5, and this is included in “If his sons forsake My law” (Psalms 89:31). And the reason for this is since he relinquished himself from dealing with Torah the Creator becomes his enemy, as it says “if you are slack in the day of trouble, how small is your strength” (Proverbs 24:10). This is measure for measure, since he did not want to connect with the “God fearing woman” [the Shechinah] via the study of Torah, he in turn connects to the External and foreign woman. He thus will bare demons to prosecute him and he will eat the fruit of his doings, since no evil comes down unless man cleaves to the Other Side, which makes the holiness leave, and then the Chitzonim have control over him since they are always ready and available. They are also called “Eleh” (these), as it says “since I do not have God in my midst these evil things befall me” (Deuteronomy 31:17). Therefore, when he awakes he should hasten to get up, since if he does not wake up and goes back to sleep he might sleep on his back facing up, which is cursed by the Scribes, as it says “Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi curses those who sleep on their back facing up” (Tractate Brachot 13b).",
                    "Another reason for Keri is explained by what it says in the Torah “Then if you walk contrary (lit. Keri) to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins…then I will walk contrary (lit. Keri) to you in fury” (Leviticus 26:21-28). Rashi explains about this: Our teachers said that “Keri” here means ‘casual’, meaning by chance or something that happens sometimes, as if to say “if you are casual with my precepts”. And Menachem [Ben Saruk] explains “Keri” means and expression of ‘holding back’, which is similar to “Hokar Raglecha” (hold back your foot; Proverbs 25:17), and “Yekar Ruach” (withheld of spirit; Proverbs 17:27). This is also similar to Onkelos’s translation, which he explained it to mean “hardness” since they hardened their hearts to hold themselves back from bringing themselves close to Me. Both of these explanations come to one conclusion. ",
                    "Thus what is written after: “then I will walk contrary (lit. Keri) to you in fury” (Leviticus 26:28). Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the Zohar in Terumah explains about this: 66. This is the secret of that which is written: “And if you walk contrary (Heb. keri) to me” (Vayikra 26:21) and that which is written: “Then I will walk contrary to you also in fury” (Ibid. 28), MEANING with that anger that goes forth from the entrance CALLED ‘keri’. 67. There are those who float around during the night, IF THEY ARE NOT BEING NOURISHED FROM THE SMOKE AS MENTIONED EARLIER. When the souls emerge from the entrance to appear above, they go out and accuse them, so they are not able to ascend and appear above, except for those holy supernal pious ones who split the firmaments and airs and ascend. These camps of spirits go forth and inform people with falsehoods, and appear to them in other FEMALE forms and seduce them until they discharge semen. They are called men who have nocturnal emission of semen (Heb. keri), because it causes those who go forth from the entrance called ‘keri’ TO BE CALLED MEN OF NOCTURNAL EMISSION.",
                    "Therefore, it is proper for a man to fulfill the godly work and be trusted with it like a pillar that doesn’t shake, and likewise the word Brit means ‘fulfilling’ like what it says “Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I” (Genesis 31:44). Therefore, one who wants to merit the attribute of ‘Tzadik’ must be strong and trusted in his work, and about this is said “Whoever keeps a precept will know no evil thing (Ra)” (Ecclesiastes 8:5); and you already know based on what was said before what “Ra” (evil) means.",
                    "Similarly, if one breaks away from any fence or safeguards of the Sages might become defiled, since the safeguards that the Sages put up are for the sake of not letting the Chitzonim have space to enter the holiness. One who breaks away from the safeguard [of the Sages] will be bit by the snake, since he gives it place to enter by breaking the fence. This concept was brought in the Introduction of the Tikkunei Zohar: 262. “Thus, Yisrael should keep the Shabbat” (Shemot 31:16). This only daughter, Malchut, that is the safeguard to Yisrael each and every Shabbat. 263. And he, who desecrates the Shabbat, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not guard him. Furthermore, it says about it, “He who desecrates her should be put to death...” (Shemot 31:14). That means, anyone that places in her domain a profaned immoral maiden. As her domain is the border limits of Shabbat, similar to the limits and borders of the sea, as it says, “I placed sand (Heb. chol), a border limit to the sea” (Yirmeyah 5:22). MEANING FIXING THE DIVIDING CURTAIN, SO NO LIGHT WILL PASS FROM THE DIVIDING CURTAIN OF MALCHUT AND LOWER. 264. HE ASKS, Who is this border of the sea? AND ANSWERS. This is what is written, “And the number of the children of Yisrael will be like the sand (Heb. chol) of the sea (Heb. yam)” (Hoshea 2:1). MEANING TO SAY, THAT THE CHILDREN OF YISRAEL WATCH THEMSELVES NOT TO DRAW DOWN THE MOCHIN OF THE SHABBAT FROM ABOVE BELOW. And sea (Heb. yam) is only the Torah, THE MOCHIN IS CALLED TORAH. Whoever transgress over this, AND WISHES TO DRAW THE LIGHT FROM THE DIVIDING LINE AND LOWER, it is as if he returns the world to a shapeless and empty state. Therefore it is written proximate to this, BERESHEET – YERE – SHABBAT. The verse, “The earth was formless and empty” (Beresheet 1:2). 265. THIS EMENDATION, that like sand to the sea, MEANING NOT TO EXTEND THE MOCHIN FROM THE DIVIDING CURTAIN AND BELOW, IS like the ring that links the dog to the chain, whoever removes him from the chain causes many painful bites BY THE DOG THAT WILL BITE HIM. For this sake, did David say, “Save my soul from the sword, my special darling from the dog” (Tehilim 22:21). And this SPECIFIC DOG is Samael, who is seized in the collar chain, by the side of those who tie him up by the signpost of the Tefilin THAT IS CALLED OT (ENG. ‘SIGN’) and a strap on his arm, and is bound by two straps over his horns, SINCE SAMAEL is an ox, notoriously forewarned (with a liability to injure), ABOUT WHOM IT SAYS, “AND THE OX SHOULD BE STONED” (SHEMOT 21:29). Thus it has been explained that the domain of Shabbat and the sand of the sea are one aspect: to distance the Samech-Mem angel from the holiness, and anyone who penetrates the fence causes the Samech-Mem angel to bite him.",
                    "One of the things that one should be careful about if he does not want them to defile him, is if he made a promise he must fulfill the promise for the work of Hashem, as it says “who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind” (Psalms 15:4). If he does not fulfill the Mitzva and broke his promise he is able to be defiled, as it says “Do not let your mouth to lead you to sin” (Ecclesiastes 5:5), and in the Midrash it explains that it means about Nedarim (promises). And as it says in the Zohar in the Prologue: 138. Therefore, every person should be careful not to say what King David said, because he will not be able to say to THE ANGEL Dumah, “it was an error” (Kohelet 5:5), as it was with David. Because in David’s case, the Holy One, blessed be He, defeated (Dumah) in the case. “Wherefore should Elohim be angry at your voice” (Ibid.) refers to the voice that said, “and destroy the work of your hands” (Ibid.). This is the sacred flesh, WHICH IS the holy covenant that he damaged, and because of which he is to be dragged down to Gehenom by the angel Dumah.",
                    "The reason is because the Torah says “He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth” (Numbers 30:3), since the speech that is spiritual is similar to the sperm that is physical. Just like from the lower Brit one must not emit semen in vain, but only into a female, so too one must not say words in vain except for the sake of bringing oneself to a place of action, which is the female, and thus he unites the Brit of the tongue with the female. If he does not fulfill it, Chas Veshalom, then it is like he emitted semen in vain, which is the voice and speech that comes out of the Brit of the tongue, and therefore he will also damage the Brit with semen in vain, since a transgression leads to a transgression.",
                    "The correction for the sin of Keri. Firstly, you need to immerse in the Mikve of 40 Se’ah to purify himself from the cursed external impurity, and even one who is lenient regarding the immersion for relations should not be lenient with this. Rabbi Shimon too explains in the Zohar in Beresheet B: 357. Come and behold: this Na’amah is the mother of demons. From her side originate all those demons who sexually arouse men, absorb the spirit of lust from them, seduce them, and eventually cause them to release semen in vain. And since this wastage of semen comes from the side of the spirit of defilement, one has to wash and to purify himself. This the friends have already explained.",
                    "If one cannot dunk in 40 Se’ah he should make an effort to pour on himself 9 Kavs of water (approx. 11-21 Liters, which is approx. a 3 minute shower), and if he can’t even do this then he must at least wash the place of the filth. In the book Sefer Chasidim (Siman 156) it says that one should not think of words of Torah until he washes his thighs with water, and this is proper to do out of respect for the Torah and the Tefilah.",
                    "In the portion of Metzora regarding the Zav it says in the Yalkut Tana Devei Eliyahu: If one sees Keri he must immerse. Is he ignores it and says to himself “who see this? this is nothing”, and repeats this three times, and goes against what the verse says “God does all these things, twice, three times, with man” (Job 33:29), then he becomes a Zav, as it says “When any man has an issue (Zav) out of his flesh” (Leviticus 15:2), ‘any man’ means to include nocturnal emissions. If he does Teshuva they heal him, and if he does not then he is held responsible until he dies, as it says “And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue” (Leviticus 15:3).",
                    "The advantage of the immersion was already explained in the Gate of Love, chapter 11, and we said that its power is to return the soul to its place, since one who is impure has no soul (Neshamah), and one who damages the Brit his soul leaves him. And so they have said in the Zohar in Lech Lecha: “410. We have learned that as long as a man is stamped by the holy imprint of this sign, THAT THIS SIGN OF THE COVENANT IS STAMPED IN HIM AND GUARDS HIM ALWAYS, then from within it he can actually see the Holy One, blessed be He, and the holy soul remains attached to him in the sign of the covenant. 411. But if he is not deserving, because he did not preserve this sign, what is written of him? IT IS WRITTEN: “By the breath (or, soul) of Eloha they perish...” (Iyov 4:9), because the imprint of the Holy One, blessed be He, has not been preserved. If he has the merit of preserving it, then the Shechinah shall never depart from him. 412. AND HE ASKS: When does THE SHECHINAH reside within him? AND HE SAID: When he marries, and this sign enters to its place, TO THE SHECHINAH.” You should study there in depth to understand the matter, and we did not write it here as to not lengthen. ",
                    "We also learn from this that a correction for the sign of the Brit is to make an effort to marry a woman while he is young so he can purify himself, and this is why it says in the Talmud in Tractate Kidushin, chapter one: Rav Chisda said: The reason that I am superior to my colleagues is that I married at age sixteen. And had I married at fourteen, I would have said to Satan, “An arrow in your eye” (meaning: I defy you! being absolutely free from impure thoughts).",
                    "In the Tikkunei Zohar it says (43rd Correction): “5. WE SHOULD further EXPLAIN. A fruit tree is the Central Column, TIFERET; yielding fruit is the Righteous, YESOD, “whose seed was in itself” (Genesis 1:11); “upon the earth” is the Shechinah, MALCHUT, in which all seeds are included. ZEIR ANPIN PRODUCES SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS VIA YESOD THAT TRANSMITS THE SOULS TO MALCHUT, WHO IS IMPREGNATED THROUGH RECEIVING THE PLENTY OF ALL THE TEN SFIROT THAT IS DRAWN TO HER VIA YESOD, TO BEAR NEFESH, RUACH AND NESHAMAH FROM ALL THE LEVELS. And here IS ALLUDED TO the precept of being fruitful and multiplying, WHICH IS to produce fruit and seeds, THAT IS, TO BEGET RIGHTEOUS CHILDREN. This is the meaning of, “He did not create it a waste land, He formed it to be inhabited” (Yeshayah 45:18). Whoever neglects multiplying and being fruitful IS CONSIDERED as if he returned that earth, THAT IS, MALCHUT, CALLED EARTH WHEN IT RECEIVES ABUNDANCE, TO THE LEVEL OF dry land, FOR SHE IS DRY FROM LIGHT, and withholds blessings from it. HE EXPLAINS THAT each one FLAWS according to his own level, FOR whoever flaws below, flaws above, in the place where his soul was hewn FROM. IF THE ROOT OF HIS SOUL IS FROM A HIGH PLACE AND HE CREATES A FLAW THERE, HIS PUNISHMENT IS GREAT. THEREFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, IS STRICT WITH HIS PIOUS ONES, BECAUSE THE ROOT OF THEIR SOULS IS HIGH IN HEAVENS, AND HIS PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN OF A MAN OF A LOW LEVEL.” If he already damaged and cannot correct himself at the proper time, then if the Creator will give him the merit of bearing a son he should make an effort to marry him off to a woman before he comes to sin. And in this generation one should distance his son and protect him from anything that can lead him to a negative thought before he marries a woman.",
                    "Another correction for the sign of the Brit is also by dealing with Torah, as we explained above where we quoted the Tikkunei Zohar (67th Correction) that whoever damages the soul can correct himself with studying Torah and the six orders of the Mishnah: One who enters his seed in a Niddah, maidservant, Cutite or a prostitute, it is like he mixed what the Creator separated, as it says ““And let it divide water from water” (Genesis 1:6), which are the waters of Niddah and waters of purity. One is forbidden and one is permitted; one is proper and one is disqualified; one is defiled and one is pure. These are the six orders of the Mishnah to separate between good and bad, which Adam and the generations that followed mixed together. Also look in the Tikkunei Zohar in the 46th Correction.",
                    "If one makes an effort to know the six orders of the Mishnah by heart, how great and how pleasant is his portion, since the main study of the Mishnah is to know it by heart, as it says “for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel” (Exodus 34:27), and teachings that are Oral are not permitted to be said in writing, and they only wrote down [the Mishnah] because ‘the time has come to do for the Creator’ (meaning in those times they had to write them down or else it would have been forgotten). Those who know it by heart (orally) is meritorious, as Rabbi Shimon said in the Zohar in Beresheet B that in the Chamber of Etzem Hashamayim there are Serafim with six wings, and this is what it says: 77. From the totality of those lights, THROUGH THEIR JOINING, the Seraphim were created. Each has six wings, as is written: “Above it stood the Seraphim, each one had six wings” (Yeshayah 6:2). They all have six WINGS, because they originated from THIS CHAMBER CALLED etzem hashamayim. These Seraphim burn (Heb. sorphim) all those who do not revere their Master’s glory, THAT IS, THOSE WHO DEAL WITH THE THREE TOP SFIROT, and it is said that he who exploits the crown of Torah shall fade away, BECAUSE THE SERAPHIM BURN HIM. And whoever reads and learns the Six Orders of the Mishnah knows how to arrange and connect with his Master’s unity, as is fitting. It is he who knows how to sanctify his Master’s Holy Name each day always.",
                    "The main study of the Mishnah is that one should make an effort to knowing it with its explanation, and if one learns it with its explanation it will not be forgotten from him quickly. They said this also in the Yerushalmi (Berachot chapter 5): “Rav Tanchum said, ‘one who has thoroughly analyzed his studies, does not quickly forget’”. Similarly, the knowledge of the Torah orally is the attribute is Zachar (male) since Zechira (memory) is always in the same place as Zachar (male). Since one damaged the sign of the Brit, which is in the place of Zachar, and he went down to the level of forgetfulness, his correction is by memorizing and knowing Torah orally.",
                    "Torah is also a correction that can protect one from Keri, and this is hinted in the Zohar in Vayeshev: “223. Rabbi Yosi said that when a man notices that he is assailed by evil thoughts, he should study the Torah and they will pass. Rabbi Elazar said that when the Evil Side comes to crush man, he should draw it toward the Torah and it will part from him. 224. Come and behold: we have learned that when the Evil Side stands before the Holy One, blessed be He, and indicts the world for its evil sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, pities the world and advises men on how to be saved from it, so it will not control them or their deeds. The advice is to escape the Evil Side by studying the Torah diligently. HE ASKS: How do we know this? HE ANSWERS: From the verse, “For Your commandment is a lamp; and Torah is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life,” which is followed by the verse: “To keep you from the evil woman, from the smoothness of the tongue of a foreign woman” (Mishlei 6:23-24). THE TORAH THEN PRESERVES ONE FROM THE EVIL INCLINATION. 225. The Side of Defilement, the Other Side, is always before the Holy One, blessed be He, blaming men for their transgressions. It also stands below to accuse men for their sins. HE EXPLAINED THAT it stands above to remind men of their sins and to accuse them for their deeds, because they were given over to its power, as was Job WHEN THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, SAID TO THE SATAN: “HE IS IN YOUR HAND” (IYOV 2:6).” It is known that the force of Keri comes from the ‘foreign woman’, as we have just quoted in the Zohar, and thus the Torah is a protection that protects man from these powers. ",
                    "Especially one who is not married should never sleep on his bed until he is satiated with Torah, as it says in Tractate Berachot page 14: “Rav Yochanan said, whoever satiated himself with words of Torah and sleeps, does not get informed with bad news, as it says, “and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by evil” (Proverbs 19:23).” It is already known that “evil” means one who emits semen in vain, as it says “guard yourself from anything evil” (Deuteronomy 23:10), which the sages explained to mean negative thoughts during the day. Therefore it is proper for one not to rest until he reads a lot of Torah in a way that he will be full, just like when one satiates himself with food one should satiate himself with the Torah until he can no longer study, like one who is so full from food that he can’t eat any more. ",
                    "However, if one studies during the day and he is satiated, he does not have to lengthen his study at night in a way that he cannot wake up at midnight. And “the wise man, his eyes are in his head” (Ecclesiastes 2:14) and will “order his affairs rightfully” (Psalms 112:5) in a way that he will deal with Torah during the day until he is satiated, and in the beginning of the night he will deal with Torah as well so that his soul can elevate by the breath of the Torah, but not to the point that he is satiated so he will not miss waking up at dawn, which is the main time to deal with Torah, as it says “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches [last part of the night]” (Lamentations 2:19).",
                    "Another correction for the sign of the Brit is to be cautious with all the attributes that relate to the aspect of ‘Tzadik’, which are dependent on the attribute of the Supernal Tzadik. The first one is to make an effort to wake up at midnight or from midnight on to deal with the Torah, and he should make an effort to unify ‘night’ with ‘day’ via the Torah, corresponding to that which he separated between them, since one who wakes at midnight is called Tzadik, as we have quoted above the Zohar in Emor, and it explains there that “He has given food to those who fear him” (Psalms 111:5) refers to those who deal with the Torah from midnight on. The reason is that they join together with the attribute of Awe. ",
                    "And as it says in the Zohar in Miketz. 33. “Those who hope for His mercy.” HE ASKS: Who are “those who hope for His mercy?” HE ANSWERS, They are the ones who study the Torah at night and join the Shechinah. When morning comes, they hope for His mercy.",
                    "The advantage of one who unifies ‘night’ with ‘day’ via the study of Torah is explained by the verse “Behold, the eye of Hashem is toward them that fear Him, toward them that wait for His mercy; To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine\" (Psalms 33:18). The “eye of Hashem” was explained in the Zohar in the Idra Rabba: “54. It is written: “Behold, the eye of Hashem is upon those who fear him” (Tehilim 33:18) and it is also written: “The eyes of Hashem, they rove to and fro through the whole earth” (Zechariah 4:10). MEANING: If they merit, “the eye of Hashem is upon those who fear him”: that is, the upper eye OF ARICH ANPIN. If they have no merit, “the eyes of Hashem, they rove to and fro”: THAT IS the lower eye OF ZEIR ANPIN.” Certainly one who does this corrects the attribute of ‘Tzadik’ with the Shechinah, since a thread of grace is drawn to him and Her, as it says in many places. That which he caused separation to the Shechinah with the drop in vain, and the secret of the drop is ‘white’, which corresponds to Chesed as it says in the Tikkunei Zohar about “and the manna was like coriander seed” (Numbers 11:7); corresponding to this he ties ‘night’ with ‘day’ to receive the thread of grace (Chesed). As it says in the Zohar in Vayigash (verse 48) about the verse “Hashem, God of my Salvation” (Psalms 88:2) that one who wakes up at midnight and deals with the Torah is established with the attribute of “Tzadik Chai Haolam”, and then during the day he merits the thread of grace, thus “God of my Salvation”, since the thread of grace is redemption, as it says “save with Your right hand, and answer me” (Psalms 60:7), and we will not quote it here as to not lengthen.",
                    "Also one should be careful to only have relations with this wife from Shabbat to Shabbat, and on Rosh Chodesh and Yom Tovs, since there is no unification of ‘Tzadik’ above except for those times, as it says “Thus said Hashem: The gate of the inner court that faces the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Shabbat day it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened” (Ezekiel 46:1). Similarly it says in the Zohar in Noach: 362. Because the six days are the non-holy mundane days, and the gate should be shut so that the ordinary does not make use of the sacred. “But on the Shabbat day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened,” because at those times, the sacred makes use of the sacred, and the moon, WHICH IS THE FEMALE PRINCIPLE, shines in order to unite with the sun, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN.",
                    "And nevertheless, the more accepted thing for the correction of the relations of Talmidei Chachamim is from Shabbat to Shabbat. Similarly it says in the Tikkunei Zohar (Sixth Correction): 10. “In any tree” (Devarim 22.6) refers to the Tree of Life, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, FROM THE CHEST AND UP. About it is said, “She is a tree of life to those who lay hold on her” (Mishlei 3:18). And about it, ZEIR ANPIN, CALLED MAN, IS SAID, “For is the tree of the field a man” (Devarim 20:19). “in any tree” could also BE EXPLAINED AS referring to the Righteous, MEANING YESOD, FROM THE CHEST AND BELOW, of which is said, “And fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind” (Beresheet 1:11). This is the Shabbat day, when the mating of the Shechinah with the Holy One, blessed be He, takes place, then she has rest. 11. And about it YESOD, THE RIGHTEOUS, is said, “And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season” (Tehilim 1:3). This is the righteous people’s time to perform marital duty, the night of Shabbat. Since from the Righteous, THAT IS YESOD, CALLED THE SIXTH DAY, new souls bloom in Yisrael on the eve of the Shabbat, referred to as ‘new faces.’",
                    "Also in the Tikkunei Zohar (56th Correction) it teaches about the immoral relations, and after it says: 13. And though it is said THAT all these types of nakedness DAMAGE the Sfirot, they do not the Name Yud Hei Vav Hei. FOR, HEAVEN FORBIDS, THAT ONE DAMAGES his place above IN ATZILUT, but when the Shechinah, MALCHUT, exiled, all the Sfirot came down with her INTO THE WORLDS BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH. There is no division in her and between the ten Sfirot, and when they went down they were clothed in the six workdays, THE SECRET OF METATRON, WHICH ARE THE SIX END SFIROT OF YETZIRAH. 15. HE ASKS, and why is there division DURING WEEKDAYS? Because there is no Righteous, the sign of the covenant, YESOD, there. And the secret of this IS THE VERSE, “For there is not a righteous man upon earth” (Kohelet 7:20), who is the sign of the covenant, YESOD, there. MATING IS DONE THROUGH YESOD; WITHOUT IT THERE IS DIVISION. And on Shabbat, which is the seventh day, MALCHUT, there is the closeness and union of the Name Yud Hei Vav Hei and all the Sfirot, FOR THEN IS THE TIME OF MATING OF YESOD AND MALCHUT. Due to this, the time for marital duty for the scholars of the Torah is on Shabbat night. FOR THEN THERE IS MATING ABOVE, NOT DURING WEEKDAYS. BY THAT, THEY WILL HAVE WORTHY CHILDREN, AND ALSO THEY MEND THE SIN OF ADAM, WHO DAMAGED A SUPERNAL PLACE. 16. These sexual misconducts, WHICH ARE SAMAEL AND THE SERPENT, are surely below, IN THE WORLDS BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH. But above, IN THE WORLD OF ATZILUT, it says, “nor shall evil dwell with you.” YET IN BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, THEY CAUSE DIVISION BETWEEN THE SFIROT. AND THEREFORE when a righteous approaches his wife on weekdays, it says of the child he begets, ‘a righteous man for whom it is bad,’ for he causes holiness, the seventh day, to be not holy. At that time, it says, ‘a righteous to whom it is bad, and an evil man to whom it is good.’ FOR EVEN THOUGH HE IS RIGHTEOUS AND HIS INTENTION IS TO FULFILL THE PRECEPT OF ‘BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY,’ NEVERTHELESS HE CAUSES HOLINESS TO BE A WEEKDAY. FOR THAT DROP, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE SEVENTH DAY, WHICH IS HOLINESS, IS INJECTED DURING A WEEKDAY. THEREFORE IT IS BAD FOR HIM, THOUGH HE BE RIGHTEOUS. FOR DURING WEEKDAYS THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL DOMINATES, AND THUS THE CHILD IS MIXED OF GOOD AND EVIL. 17. But above, IN ATZILUT, there is no nakedness and cutting and separation and severance.",
                    "When it says “he makes holiness to mundane”, it means that the attribute of ‘Tzadik’ is called “the seventh day”, and as it says in the Tikkunei Zohar (47th Correction, verse 20): “But the dominion of the Righteous, YESOD, WHICH IS the seventh day, in it all the Sfirot are called ‘sevenths’ AFTER IT.” The reason is explained in the 30th Correction (verse 5), study there, that it is the secret of the letter Zayin, which is in Tzadik, which is Yud on top of the Vav as a crown on his head. Since it is seventh it is holy, as it explains in the 47th Correction, and one should not draw it in the weekday as to not mix mundane with holiness.",
                    "Another correction for the sign of the Brit is to reveal secrets to one who is a Tzadik and has the Awe of Heaven, as it says ““the secrets of Hashem are for those who fear him” (Psalms 25:14). And so it says in the Tikkunei Zohar Chadash that is found by us in handwriting: “Whoever reveals secrets to Tzadikim causes the Tzadik to illuminate with secrets of Torah and to the Shechinah, which is called Or Raz (light and secret), and about that moment it says “and those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament” (Daniel 12:3).”",
                    "Also the one who studies corrects his soul by dealing with the secrets of Torah , as is explained in the 30th Correction of the Tikkunei Zohar regarding the punishment of those who prevent themselves from reading the wisdom of Kabbalah: “11. Because those WHO NEGLECT THE STUDY OF THE KABBALAH make the Torah dry, and do not wish to deal with the wisdom of Kabbalah, they cause the source of wisdom, which is Yud, CHOCHMAH, to leave it, and Bet, MALCHUT, remains dry. Woe to them, who bring poverty, sword, looting and killing and loss to the world.” The rest of this passage was brought down in the introduction.",
                    "One who reveals the secrets of the Torah to one who is not ready, not only is his punishment in the World to Come but it is also in this world since poverty chases him, and this is stated in the Zohar in Vayikra: 11. This letter is prepared to punish those who reveal the secrets, as indicated by “poverty (Heb. reish) and shame” (Mishlei 13:18) AS THE NAME ‘REISH’ INDICATES JUDGMENTS.",
                    "Similarly it says in the Faithful Sheppard in the Zohar in Pinchas B: 600. And in the first part, the Faithful Shepherd said: Whoever treats lightly crumbs of bread and throws them where they should not be, and even more so one who treats lightly pieces of marrow, that are drops of seed, and throws them on the ground, it is said about them: “for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth” (Beresheet 6:12). Or he who throws them to a menstruating woman, or the daughter of an idolater, or a bondwoman or a prostitute, and much more so one who treats lightly the crumbs of the bread of the Torah, which are THE SECRETS THAT ARE IN the tips of the letters and the crowns of the letters, about these it is said: He that makes worldly use of the crown shall perish. 601. And how much more so whoever transmits secrets of the Torah and the secrets of the Kabbalah and the secrets of the Works of Creation or secrets of the letters of the explicit Name to people who are not worthy, who are in the control of the Evil Inclination, a harlot, about whom it is written: “For by means of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread” (Mishlei 6:26). And whenever bread is mentioned the meaning is the 22 letters of the Torah, and whenever ‘piece’ is mentioned the meaning is even a single Halachah.",
                    "In the Faithful Sheppard in the Zohar of Ekev it says that just like poverty of sustenance chases him, so too the poverty of understanding Torah chases him: 22. In an esoteric interpretation, the landlord who breaks the bread is the central pillar, which is the Central Column, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN. On Shabbat, he needs to apportion from two loaves of challah bread, which are Hei-Hei OF YUD HEI VAV HEI. The house owner is Vav OF YUD HEI VAV HEI between THE TWO HEI’S. In order not appear a glutton, he may apportion to each one a piece the size of an egg. What is the size of an egg? It is Yud OF YUD HEI VAV HEI and Yud OF ADONAI, which are the dots of the Holy Name called crumbs the size of an olive, THAT IS, YUD OF YUD HEI VAV HEI IS THE SIZE OF AN EGG AND YUD OF ADONAI IS THE SIZE OF AN OLIVE. These CRUMBS correspond to drops of sperm. THEREFORE, poverty chases whoever belittles and disposes these crumbs in an inappropriate place, and he will constantly wander around. This is what is written: “he wanders abroad for bread, saying, where is it” (Iyov 15:23). Bread means Torah, and this verse implies that he cries out, looking for someone who will have mercy on him, but will find no one TO PITY HIM. 23. Crumbs the size of an olive belong to the Righteous YESOD, who presses these olives, WHICH ARE THE SFIROT, EXTRACTING OIL FROM THEM, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF ABUNDANCE. ",
                    "Another habit that is included in the attribute of being a Tzadik is one who wakes up early to be the first one in the Bet Kneset, as it says in the Zohar in Terumah: 87. Then the holy people needs to join and come to the synagogue, and whoever comes first joins with the Shechinah in one union. Come and see that first one to be present in the synagogue. Blessed is his portion, for he stands in the level of the righteous in relation to the Shechinah, and this is the secret of: “And those who seek me early shall find me” (Mishlei 8:17). Such a person rises to the highest level.",
                    "Furthermore, to merit the attribute of Tzadik one should give Tzedaka regularly, as explained in the Tikkunei Zohar (21st Correction) that it corrects the sign of the Brit, and so too one should fulfill the precept of taking delight in Shabbat, and this is what it says: 416. And also, the Shechinah, WHO IS MALCHUT, WHEN SHE IS PAIRED AND IS RECEIVING THE LIGHTS FROM ZEIR ANPIN, HER HUSBAND is called T’zdakah (Eng. ‘righteous’), and Has the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN WHO IS THE PROVIDER, is called Ba’al (lit. ‘the owner’) of the T’zdakah. And in exile, WHEN THERE IS NO PAIRING FOR ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA. She is poor, and Her children, WHO ARE YISRAEL, are poor, AND THE NATIONS ENSLAVE THEM. And the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN, so to speak is poor, when He is outside of His place. SINCE DUE TO THE LACK OF PAIRING DURING THE TIME OF EXILE, THERE IS A DEFICIENCY ALSO IN ZEIR ANPIN, BECAUSE THIS IS BLESSING ONLY WITH THE PAIRING OF ZEIR ANPIN AND NUKVA, AND MALCHUT IS THE PLACE OF ZEIR ANPIN. And because Her it is said, “Behold their valient ones cry without” (Yeshayah 33:7). 417. HE ASKS, And in which place DOES THE BLEMISH CAUSE THAT ZEIR ANPIN IS CALLED poor and MALCHUT is called poor. AND ANSWER, At the Righteous who is called Covenant, NAMELY YESOD, And because Yisrael sinned AND BLEMISHED IT, IN YESOD, below, IN THIS WORLD. He, NAMELY YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN IS, “The river shall be drained dry” (Yeshayah 19:5), during the first and second Temples. And the Shechinah, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is dry and arid. Because they caused the upper waters, THE PROVISION, should depart from it, FROM YESOD that is called, “A RIVER EMERGING FROM ADEN” (Beresheet 2:10). And the Shechinah, WHICH IS MALCHUT, remained dry. This is what is written, “Let the waters that are under the heavens gather to one place, and let the dry land appear” (Beresheet 1:9). 418. And everyone who does charity with the poor causes that river, MEANING ZEIR ANPIN, to draw the sustenance from Eden, that is the supernal mother, MEANING BINAH FOR WHEN SHE IS RECEIVING CHOCHMAH CALLED ADEN, FOR ZEIR ANPIN WHO IS CALLED RIVER RECEIVES FROM HER “to water the garden” NAMELY MALCHUT, that is called Dalet BECAUSE SHE IS poor (Heb. dalah) and impoverished. And poor is the SECRET of Shabbat. For it has nothing except for what is prepared for it. And the one who fulfills in it Shabbat delight, MEANING THAT HE GIVES IT CHARITY HAPPILY, causes that poor one (Heb. Dalet) to be watered and IS CALLED garden, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and that pauper, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN becomes filled and is called river.",
                    "Also regarding the punishment for not fulfilling it, it says in the Tikkunei Zohar regarding the delight of Shabbat (24th Tikkun): 9. One needs to maintain ON SHABBAT a delight, FOR BY THE DELIGHT ONE HAS ON SHABBAT HE DRAWS THE ILLUMINATION OF YESOD UPON MALCHUT. FOR IT IS KNOWN THAT THE PLEASURE OF THE BODY IS BESTOWED FROM YESOD, the Righteous, who comes from Eden, Binah, THE SECRET OF the World to Come, to water the garden, the lower Shechinah, MALCHUT. The river is Vav, YESOD, that comes from Yud-Hei, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH. It flows five hundred years, which are the five Sfirot, EACH INCLUDING A HUNDRED, and reaches the Righteous, YESOD, to water from it the garden, which is Hei, MALCHUT, AS WRITTEN, “That is why a man,” ZEIR ANPIN, VAV, “leaves his father,” CHOCHMAH, YUD, “and his mother,” BINAH, FIRST HEI, “and cleaves to his wife,” MALCHUT, LAST HEI. (Beresheet 2:24).",
                    "Furthermore, regarding Tzedakah that one can merit by it the level of Tzadik, it says in the Zohar in Behar: 52. “And if you shall say, ‘What shall we eat’” (Vayikra 25:20). Rabbi Yehuda opened the discussion with, “Trust in Hashem, and do good; dwell in the land, and enjoy security (lit. ‘Faith’)” (Tehilim 37:3). Man should always be careful with his Master, and cleave with his heart to the supernal Faith, so as to be perfect with his Master. For when he is perfect with his Master, the inhabitants of the world can do him no harm. 53. Come and behold: “Trust in Hashem, and do good.” What is “and do good”? We have learned that by stirring below, a supernal deed is stirred above. It has already been established that, “and do them,” means you shall so to speak do them, since by your deed of stirring below, there is stirring above. Therefore, it is written, “and do good,” since good is nothing but the Righteous, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, as is written, “Say of the righteous that it shall be well (lit. ‘good’)” (Yeshayah 3:10). When you do this, assuredly this goodness will stir ABOVE. Then, “dwell in the land, and enjoy Faith.” And everything is one, AS LAND AND FAITH ARE BOTH MALCHUT. 54. HE EXPLAINS HIS WORDS: “dwell in the land,” refers to the supernal land, MALCHUT, since there is none in the world that can dwell with her until that good, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, is stirred towards her, AS MALCHUT WITHOUT YESOD IS FILLED WITH SEVERE JUDGMENTS. Once MAN stirs it BY HIS GOOD DEEDS, it is as if he formed it. Then, “dwell in the land”; dwell inside MALCHUT, eat of her fruit and have pleasure with her. “…and enjoy Faith…” This is the land, NAMELY MALCHUT, AS FAITH AND LAND are all one, MALCHUT, as it is written, “and your faithfulness every night” (Tehilim 92:3), NIGHT BEING MALCHUT. “And enjoy (also: ‘guide’) Faith,” MEANS lead her wherever you wish. 55. If one does not stir YESOD towards her, this goodness, YESOD, stays away from her. Do not approach her THEN, do not come near the furnace of burning fire, SINCE WITHOUT YESOD, SHE IS FILLED WITH JUDGMENTS, LIKE A GLOWING FURNACE. If you do come near her, be fearful, as one fearful of death, since then she is a burning fire that consumes the world with its flames. When one stirs this goodness towards her, he then dwells inside her and is not afraid of her. Then, “You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you; and the light shall shine upon your ways” (Iyov 22:28).",
                    " 56. Come and behold: daily, the faithful guide MALCHUT according to their wishes; SHE DOES AS THEY DECREE. Who are the faithful? Those who stir good, YESOD, towards her, BY GIVING CHARITY without sparing their own, knowing that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give them more, as is written: “There is one who gives freely, and yet increases” (Mishlei 11:24). What is the reason for this? That YESOD arouses blessings before him. He must not say, ‘what shall I do tomorrow if I give now,’ since the Holy One, blessed be He, bestows upon him blessings without end, as explained.",
                    "When the reader reads this article he will find that Tzedakah actually is a correction for the damage of the Brit, since when one damages the Brit the Chassadim leave the ‘Tzadik’, which consists of 5 Chassadim, as explained in the Idra Rabba (verse 31), and it becomes “the river is parched, and dries up” (Job 14:11) and therefore it is called good; so too by Tzedakah one draws Chassadim to sweeten the Judgments and causes a complete unification, as is explained in that article. ",
                    "It also is explained in length in the Zohar in Bechukotai: 21. Rabbi Shimon wept and said: Woe to the people who do not know or care for the glory of their Master, for he who daily constructs the Holy Name is he who gives charity to the poor. 23. Happy is the portion of he who is worthy of making a Holy Name above, NAMELY, TO UNITE IT WITH ZEIR ANPIN. For that reason charity surpasses everything. 24. These words refer to charity for its own sake, as THIS WAY charity arouses righteousness, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN AROUSES MALCHUT, and causes them to be together, so that everything will turn into a Holy Name properly. For righteousness is not rectified or perfected save through charity, as is written: “In charity shall you be established” (Yeshayah 54:14). This was addressed to the Congregation of Yisrael, MALCHUT, WHICH IS PERFECTED THROUGH CHARITY ALONE. It is therefore WRITTEN, “and do them” (Vayikra 26:3), AS IT IS DONE THROUGH THE AROUSAL BELOW.",
                    "Especially if one merits to be a charity collector he is on the level of ‘Tzadik’ and he gets rewarded for his actions. This has been explained in the Zohar in Vayigash: “65. Thus, the verse, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor” (Psalms 112:9) alludes to the Righteous, YESOD, WHICH DISTRIBUTES AND GIVES ALL OF CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM, AND SUPPORTS ALL THE POOR OF THE WORLD. The verse, “and his charity endures for ever,” refers to the Congregation of Yisrael, THE NUKVA CALLED ‘CHARITY’, which, because SHE RECEIVES EVERYTHING FROM YESOD, stands united in the secret of peace. THUS, SHE STANDS FOREVER. “The wicked man shall see it, and be vexed,” (Tehilim 112:10) alludes to the kingdom of the idolatrous, MALCHUT OF THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH THEN ENVIES THE MALCHUT OF HOLINESS. 66. Come and behold: The kingdom of heaven, THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, is the Temple. It shelters all the poor under the shadow of the Shechinah; the righteous. YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN is called ‘charity collector’, because he bestows sustenance upon everybody, NAMELY, THE POOR UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE SHECHINAH. Therefore the charity collectors receive as much a reward as those who gave them donations, BEING A CHARIOT TO YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED ‘CHARITY COLLECTOR’, WHICH INCLUDES ALL THE SFIROT ABOVE IT.” The discourse on Tzedakah has been explained in previous chapters, and I did not write it here as to not lengthen.",
                    "One should also meditate every day to make himself a Tzadik and give spiritual Tzedakah, as it says in the Tikkunei Zohar (18th Correction): “53. They are those who give You a present with the right hand, WHICH IS CHESED, and it, MEANING THE PRESENT, IS ALLUDED TO BY THE INITIALS OF Tz’dakah (lit. ‘charity’). The Tzadi (= 90) of Tz’dakah MEANS ninety times Amen, BECAUSE AMEN IS THE UNION OF YUD HEI VAV HEI AND ADONAI. The Dalet (= 4) OF TZ’DAKAH ALLUDES TO THE four sanctifications (Heb. kedushah), WHICH ARE THE SANCTIFICATION OF YOTZER (WHO DID FORM THE LIGHT), THAT OF THE SHEMA READING, OF ‘AND A REDEEMER SHALL COME TO ZION,’ AND THE SANCTIFICATION OF MINCHAH (THE AFTERNOON PRAYER). The Kof (= 100) of tz’dakah ALLUDES TO the hundred blessings THAT ARE RECITED DAILY. The Hei (= 5) of TZEDAKAH ALLUDES TO the Five Books of the Torah. THIS REFERS TO TORAH READING DURING THE PRAYER SERVICE. Immediately, the Holy One, blessed be He, commands to open for them.” And in a different place it explained that from “Tzadik” (Tzadi-Kuf-Yud-Dalet) the Yud (10) alludes to the 10 Kaddish’s that one needs to answer amen for every day.",
                    "Also one who is a person that loves peace and chases peace merits the attribute of ‘Tzadik’, as is known that the attribute of ‘Tzadik’ is called ‘Shalom’ (peace), and just like he separated peace he should ask for peace between a man and his wife and between a man and his friend. This is also explained by the verses of King David, “Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:13-15). The aspect of “loves length of days that he may see good” is the correction of the attribute of ‘Tzadik’, and corresponding to it it says “depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it”, which is one who emits semen in vain, and “do good” is to correct the attribute of goodness by virtue of the Tzedakah, as is explained above. Also to adjoin ‘redemption’ with ‘prayer’ (not to have any break between ‘Ga’al Yisrael’ and the Amidah Prayer), as it says “and I have done that which is good in Your eyes” (Isaiah 38:3), that he adjoined ‘redemption’ with ‘prayer’. The meaning of “do good” is to correct the attribute of goodness that is called ‘Tzadik’ in the secret of unification, and therefore one needs to also seek after peace, as we explained, and this is the aspect of ‘doing’. The aspect of departing from evil that relates to the damage of the ‘Tzadik’ is guarding the tongue from anything that damages it, as we explained above regarding “guard your tongue from evil” (Psalms 34:14) that they defile those who damage their tongue, and there is no need to expand on this. ",
                    "And included in the correction of the attribute of peace is that one listens to embarrassing criticism and does not answer back, because since he denounced the attribute of peace he should accept the judgment of heaven with happiness. King David, because he sinned by Batsheva, accepted his punishment when Shimi ben Gera embarrassed him, and he said “let him curse, for God told him to” (Samuel II 16:11), and we was silent.",
                    "Another correction for the sign of the Brit is to be of lowered eyes, because by the sight of the eye one comes to damage the Brit, as it says “and do not follow after your eyes and after your heart” (Numbers 15:39), since the eye and heart are the two main causes of sin. When the eye damages he is called “Ra Ayin” (evil eye), as it says “do not eat bread from one who has evil eye” (Proverbs 23:6), and the reason is that just like the damage of the Brit is called Ra (evil) so too the damage of the pupil of the eye, which is Yud, is called Ra (evil), since he uses his holy vision in vain and to a place of nakedness, etc. Since we find that the correction of the Brit is “depart from evil”, it includes that he should not have an evil eye, and that is “depart from evil”—any type of evil, whether the eye or the tongue, as it says “guard your tongue from evil”, and including the Brit since all these can become evil, as we explained. ",
                    "One who guards his vision connects with Chesed, since the lion (Aryeh) is on the right side, as it says in the Tikkunei Zohar, and it is hinted in “they four had the face of a lion on the right side” (Ezekiel 1:10), and Aryeh is the same letters as Re’iyah (vision). Since Abraham the Patriarch always had his intention to connect to the Right side, he said “thus, now I know you are a beautiful woman” (Genesis 12:11), and the Sages explain that he saw her face in water. All the aspects of correcting the eyes that we explained above correct the Brit as well, because Yosef is attached to the eye, as it says “Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a spring [Ayin]” (Genesis 49:23), and he is also attached to the analysis of the eye, as is explained in its place. And specifically because the sperm is the light of man’s vision, and since he damages his sperm, a tear drop falls from his eye and the tear drop lessens the sperm, as is explained in tractate Gitin that the tear drop is also the light of the eyes.",
                    "Also related to correcting the attribute of Tzadik is to be a Chasid and to be cautious with all of the attributes we explained in the Gate of Love, by which one can attain the attribute of ‘Chasid.’ The reason for this is that the attribute of Tzadik is called Chesed, as is written in the Idra Rabba (verse 331) and Idra Zuta, “This cubit is called Chesed”. Since he damages the Chesed, he should hold on to all attributes of Chesed, as we explained there. ",
                    "Happy is the person who can go through the cleansing pain that Rabbi Yishmael went through, as it says in Pirkei Heichalot that we mentioned in the Gate of Teshuva, because when he does those things he elevates from the forces of judgment and Gevura and he cleaves to Chesed. ",
                    "One who merits the attribute of Tzadik merits that the Shechinah rests on him, since when the Brit is damaged the second Hei [of YKVK] is also damaged, as we have explained, because the Brit includes circumcision and Priyah, which are Tzadik and Tzedek, as is explained in Emor. After the correction of the Brit, is the preparation to merit the land of life, as it says “The righteous shall inherit the land” (Psalms 37:29). ",
                    "And as the Zohar in Shlach Lecha says regarding the advice of the Evil Inclination: 66. What did these faithful say? “If Hashem delights in us...and give it us” (Bemidbar 14:8), MEANING THAT if a person strives with a willing heart for the Holy One, blessed be He, HE WILL MERIT HER, since He only wants his heart. And they will preserve that Holy Sign, THAT IS THE HOLY COVENANT, as is written: “Your people also shall be righteous: they shall inherit the land forever” (Yeshayah 60:21), MEANING THOSE WHO PRESERVE THE COVENANT, WHO ARE CALLED RIGHTEOUS.",
                    "I also heard regarding the correction of the sign of the Brit that one should make an effort to inspire others to do Teshuva, corresponding to that which he emitted semen outward, and every drop is a soul that is captive in the hands of the External Forces, and therefore corresponding to this he should make an effort to take people that are controlled by the External Forces out of there and bring them into the Holiness. As King David said, “Then will I teach transgressors Your ways; and sinners shall return unto You” (Psalms 51:15), and it is known that Tzadik is called ‘tongue of the learned’, as is explained in the portion of Pinchas.",
                    "All of these are specific aspects that relate to the attribute of Tzadik, but one needs to correct all the aspects of the attributes in all its stature, since the damage of the Brit reaches the entire stature, since the Brit includes Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei which includes the entire stature, as we explained above. This is said by Rabbi Shimon in the Zohar in Vayakhel, and we wrote down its text above in regards to the damage of the Brit: 388. This is true only for those who did not repent completely, enough to wipe their misdeeds. 389. For there is not a graver offense before the Holy One, blessed be He, than that of lying and impairing the holy sign of the covenant. That person may not see the face of the Shechinah, if he thus sins, as is written: “And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Hashem” (Beresheet 38:7) and also “nor shall evil dwell with You” (Tehilim 5:5), FOR THIS OFFENSE IS CALLED ‘EVIL’.",
                    "And the reason is, as we already explained above, because the Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei is inscribed in the Brit, as is explained in the Tikkunei Zohar that “Mi Ya’ale Lanu Hashamayma” (who will ascend to heaven for us; Deuteronomy 30:12) is the acronym of ‘Milah’ (circumcision) and the backronym of Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei. Just like the name Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei is the root of all the other names, as is known, so too the Brit is the main sustainer of the body, and one who damages it seemingly damages the Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei, which includes all the attributes. Therefore, Teshuva is needed “enough to wipe their misdeeds”, which means it is as if he damaged all his body parts and all his actions, and with this Teshuva he can correct everything. ",
                    "How does this work? He needs to fulfill Mitzvot with all his body parts, as Rabbenu Yonah wrote in the Gate of Teshuva: “The tenth principle is to do good with that which you did opposite with; if one looked at nakedness, he should walk with his eyes lowered; if one sinned with evil speech, he should deal with Torah; and so too, with the body parts that one used to sin with, one should make an effort to use them for Mitzvot. Thus, the sages said: the Tzadikim reconcile to the exact area they sinned. They also said: if you do bundles of sins, do bundles of Mitzvot against them; if he has legs that hasten to do evil he should run towards a Mitzva; if he has a tongue of lies he should only speak the truth and open his mouth with wisdom and the accent of kindness; if he has hands that spilled innocent blood he should open his hands to the poor; if he has arrogant eyes he should be humble and lower his eyes; if he has a heart that plows negative thoughts he should conceal in his heart words of Torah and his heart should be full of wisdom; if he causes dispute between brothers he should seek peace and chase after it.”",
                    "Similarly, the Sages explained about the verse “Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city” (Ecclesiastes 7:19), and we have mentioned other articles about this in this gate in chapter five, study there.",
                    "In this way, one needs to be merciful and humble, corresponding to the first one; be smart, corresponding to the second one; purify his thoughts and be full of understanding and repentance, corresponding to the third attribute; do acts of kindness, corresponding to the fourth attribute; be brave and overcome his inclination, corresponding to the fifth; study Torah for its own sake, as we explained regarding waking up at midnight, corresponding to the sixth attribute; be a supporter of those who study Torah, corresponding to the seventh and eighth attribute; guard the Brit as it should be, as we explained, corresponding to the ninth attribute; and meditate during the covering of the Talit, corresponding to the tenth attribute. Similarly, the finding of the Mitzva is for correction, and specifically if one accepts upon himself pain for the sake of purifying himself from Klippot that he cause by damaging it, and also to set aside time for Torah, corresponding to daughter of the King. There are also other details relating to the tenth attribute, and we have already explained some of them in the Gate of Love.",
                    "One who merits to purify the attribute of the Brit with all its conditions that we mentioned, merits to purify his thoughts and to cleave to Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei. The reason is that the upper Yud, which is Chochmah, depends on the lower Yud, which is the secret of the two Yuds of the Aleph and also the two Yuds of YKVK and ADNY, as it says in the Tikkunei Zohar. And since the lower one is damaged it damages the upper one, and as long as one does not do Teshuva to purify the attribute of the damaged Brit he cannot have pure thoughts and to cleave to the Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei while he stands to pray, and one who purifies his Brit also purifies his Yud-Kei-Vav-Kei and merits to cleave to it. ",
                    "As it says in the Zohar in Lech Lecha: 414. Hence the words, “from my flesh shall I see Eloha,” REFERRING TO THE NAME ELOHA, represent overall completion, because it is “from my flesh,” my own – WHICH IS YESOD THAT IS CALLED FLESH – the actual sign of the covenant. Therefore, happy are the holy Yisrael who are united with the Holy One, blessed be He; happy is their portion in this world and the World to Come. Of them, it is written: “You that cleave to Hashem your Elohim are alive every one of you this day” (Devarim 4:4).”...",
                    "And as it says in Vayikra: “229. But Yisrael, holy children to holy people by stock and root, who were perfumed on Mount Sinai and entered the complete, holy Faith, when they are circumcised, they abide everywhere, NAMELY IN ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT CALLED DAY AND NIGHT, as written, “But you that did cleave to Hashem your Elohim are alive every one of you this day” (Devarim 4:4).” May the Creator give us merit to be those who guard His Brit and His Mitzvot and to cleave to Him."
                ]
            ]
        },
        "Gate of Humility": {
            "Prelude": [],
            "": []
        },
        "Chapter of Mitzvot": {
            "Prelude": [],
            "": [
                [
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "",
                    "We study (accept) this version in the first chapter of Yerushalmi Kiddushin (Halakhah 7): Rebbi Abba in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Kahana: It is written (Prov.5:6), \"She does not smooth the way of life.\" The Holy One, blessed be He, took away [knowledge about] the rewards of those who fulfill the commandments, so that they should do [them] with faith. So the Holy One, blessed be He, only revealed the rewards of the commandments with the most difficult one and the the easiest one. The most difficult one is honoring father and mother, and its reward is length of days, as it is stated (Exodus 20:12), \"Honor your father and mother, etc.\" The easiest one is sending [away the mother bird] from the nest, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 22:7), \"You must surely send away, etc.\" And it is written [in the continuation of the verse], \"and you will live long.\" And we study (accept) this version in Menachot 44a): There is no commandment in the Torah that is too easy for there to be reward given in this world and in the world to come."
                ]
            ]
        },
        "Chapter of Raising Children": [],
        "Chapter of Honest Commerce": [],
        "Chapter of Jurisprudence": [],
        "Chapter of Ethics": {
            "Introduction": [],
            "": []
        },
        "Chupat Eliyahu Rabbah": {
            "Gate of Three": [],
            "Gate of Four": [],
            "Gate of Five": [],
            "Gate of Six": [],
            "Gate of Seven": [],
            "Gate of Eight": [],
            "Gate of Ten": [],
            "Gate of Eleven": [],
            "Gate of Twelve": [],
            "Gate of Thirteen": [],
            "Gate of Fourteen": [],
            "Gate of Fifteen": []
        },
        "Or Olam": [],
        "Or Gadol": [
            [],
            [],
            [],
            [
                "REGARDING HUMILITY So great is humility that Avraham, peace be upon him, was praised for it. This is because the people in his generation were great, and they had him as a prince, like Efron the Hitite, and they called him \"my lord\" etc (Genesis 23:15) and he diminished himself through the characteristic of humility and modesty among them, and even in front of the smallest of them, as it says \"and Avraham bowed in front of the [simple] folk of the land\" (Genesis 23:12)."
            ]
        ],
        "Great Is Peace": []
    },
    "versions": [
        [
            "Sefaria Community Translation",
            "https://www.sefaria.org"
        ]
    ],
    "heTitle": "ראשית חכמה",
    "categories": [
        "Kabbalah",
        "Other Kabbalah Works"
    ],
    "schema": {
        "heTitle": "ראשית חכמה",
        "enTitle": "Reshit Chokhmah",
        "key": "Reshit Chokhmah",
        "nodes": [
            {
                "heTitle": "הקדמה",
                "enTitle": "Introduction"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "שער היראה",
                "enTitle": "Gate of Fear",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "פתיחה",
                        "enTitle": "Prelude"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "שער האהבה",
                "enTitle": "Gate of Love",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "פתיחה",
                        "enTitle": "Prelude"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "שער התשובה",
                "enTitle": "Gate of Repentance",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "פתיחה",
                        "enTitle": "Prelude"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "שער הקדושה",
                "enTitle": "Gate of Holiness",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "פתיחה",
                        "enTitle": "Prelude"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "שער הענוה",
                "enTitle": "Gate of Humility",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "פתיחה",
                        "enTitle": "Prelude"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "פרק המצות",
                "enTitle": "Chapter of Mitzvot",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "פתיחה",
                        "enTitle": "Prelude"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "פרק גדול בנים",
                "enTitle": "Chapter of Raising Children"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "פרק משא ומתן באמונה",
                "enTitle": "Chapter of Honest Commerce"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "פרק הדינין",
                "enTitle": "Chapter of Jurisprudence"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "פרק דרך ארץ",
                "enTitle": "Chapter of Ethics",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "הקדמה",
                        "enTitle": "Introduction"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "",
                        "enTitle": ""
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "חופת אליהו רבה",
                "enTitle": "Chupat Eliyahu Rabbah",
                "nodes": [
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער שלשה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Three"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער ארבעה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Four"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער חמשה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Five"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער ששה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Six"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער שבעה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Seven"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער שמנה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Eight"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער עשרה",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Ten"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער אחד עשר",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Eleven"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער שנים עשר",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Twelve"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער שלשה עשר",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Thirteen"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער ארבעה עשר",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Fourteen"
                    },
                    {
                        "heTitle": "שער חמשה עשר",
                        "enTitle": "Gate of Fifteen"
                    }
                ]
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "אור עולם",
                "enTitle": "Or Olam"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "אור גדול",
                "enTitle": "Or Gadol"
            },
            {
                "heTitle": "גדול השלום",
                "enTitle": "Great Is Peace"
            }
        ]
    }
}