004 —ארץ הרים ובקעות

Eretz Harim U'Veka'os LeMatar HaShamayim Tishteh Mayim.

(Regarding "a land of mountains and valleys": see Bereishis Rabbah at the end of Parshas Re'eh, and in Yalkut from Sifri. Regarding "LeMatar HaShamayim": see Bereishis Rabbah ch. 13 (16b), Beshalach at the beginning of ch. 25 (141c), Koheles Rabbah on the verse "VeHaAretz LeOlam Omedes," and at the beginning of "Kol HaNechalim Holchim El HaYam." See also Gemara Taanis 9b, Bava Basra ch. 2 (19a).)

To understand what is written: "LeMatar"—for it should have said "MiMatar"?

Behold, it is written: "Ki BeTzelem Elokim Asah Es HaAdam" (for in the image of G‑d He made man). Tzelem means a protruding form, so that when it is stamped, it creates an indentation. As explained regarding the straps of the Tefillin shel Rosh, a person is like a reversed seal—what is left on the upper left becomes the lower right.

[So it is in Mishnas Chassidim, Tikkun Tefillin ch. 14, sec. 5: that man, relative to Ze'er Anpin, is like a reversed seal. See also what is written regarding the straps of Tefillin shel Rosh in the discourse beginning "Simeni KaChosam".]

And the idea is: it is written, "Lecha Hashem HaGedulah" (To You, Hashem, is the greatness), which is the attribute of His kindness that comes from His greatness. And it is reversed below, as we find by Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him: "VaAnochi Afar VaEfer" (and I am but dust and ashes).

For the essence of kindness is to bestow from one's own life, not from one's surplus—that is the trait of Yishmael [see further]. Rather, as we find, that upon his return he repaid his debts, not claiming that his own life takes precedence—because he considers himself as leftovers. This is like water, which descends to the lowest place.

[Thus, from the attribute of Gedulah (greatness) above, is drawn down below the attribute of Chesed of Mah, which is the self-nullification of considering oneself as leftovers.]

And this is the analogy of a protruding seal: when it is stamped, it creates an indentation below. See this explained at length in the discourse beginning "Simeni KaChosam" mentioned above.]

And behold, the love of Hashem in the heart of His people is like a burning fire, as it is written: "Reshefeiha Reshafei Eish" (its flashes are flashes of fire). Just as fire naturally desires to rise upward to its source, so too the souls of Israel desire to cleave to Hashem and leave the body. This is the aspect of ascent—what is left above becomes right below.

[See also what is written nearby in the discourse beginning "Vaya'achilcha Es HaMan".]

And this is what is written: "Eretz Harim U'Veka'os" (a land of mountains and valleys), and in the awakening from below, therefore, there are two aspects: fire and water.

[That is, Eretz (land) is Knesses Yisrael—she has mountains, meaning an awakening from below in the aspect of ratzo (yearning). This is the idea: "like Avraham, who called it a mountain, etc.".]

And "mountains" in the plural—because there are many levels of mountain. There is love in joy and love in bitterness, etc., as explained in the discourse beginning "Ki HaHarim Yamushu" and in the discourse beginning "Simeni KaChosam."

In general, mountains refer to an awakening from below in the aspect of a protruding seal, from below upward. This is the aspect of fire.

But valleys are the aspect of an indented seal from below, meaning self-nullification and awe, the aspect of considering oneself as leftovers. See what is written in the discourse beginning "Shema Yisrael" in the explanation of "VaNeshev BaGai," etc.

And "valleys" in the plural: for there are also two aspects of awe—lower awe and higher awe, etc.

And it is known that the four letters of Havayah are awe and love, love and awe—thus, two times love and two times awe. And perhaps this is "mountains and valleys"—two aspects of mountains, two aspects of valleys, etc.]

And behold, the awakening from above that is drawn down from above through the awakening from below in the aspect of water below is greater and higher than the awakening from above that is drawn down through fire.

[For from the awakening from below in the aspect of a protruding seal from below, is drawn down from above the aspect of an indented seal. And from the awakening from below in the aspect of indentation and self-nullification, is drawn down an awakening from above in the aspect of a protruding seal—that is, a revelation of the Infinite Light without concealing garments. "And your Teacher will no longer be hidden," etc. See all this explained on the verse "Simeni KaChosam" mentioned above.]

Therefore, the water that Yaakov drew is superior to wine, to draw down a higher blessing. [On the verse Bereishis 27:25, "And he brought him wine and he drank," see Zohar 3:289a, that the water is in that wine.]

(And see Zohar Balak 289a for a related idea.)

And this is: "LeMatar HaShamayim Tishteh Mayim" (you will drink water from the rain of the heavens), like a person who drinks to his friend so that his friend will drink to him in return.

[^[1] That is, this is the elevation of mayin nukvin (feminine waters) to draw down mayin duchrin (masculine waters), which are called the rain of the heavens.]

And see what is written on the verse "Im BeChukosai" regarding "VeNasati Gishmeichem," etc.

And perhaps similarly, one can say regarding the water libation that was performed on Sukkos all seven days of the festival.

For the wine libation is the aspect of joy, and it is like a protruding seal from below—the joy of the soul in great love for Hashem. This is the idea of the song of the Levites over the wine.

But the water libation is the aspect of chochmah (wisdom), koach mah (the power of what), the aspect of self-nullification, which is like an indented seal from below.

And on Shemini Atzeres we say "Morid HaGeshem" (He causes the rain to fall), which is the drawing down of masculine waters from above, so that the revelation of the Infinite Light of the Blessed One is absorbed within the souls of Israel, deep within the heart. See what is written on this in the discourse beginning "Torah Tzivah."

And about this it is said: "LeMatar HaShamayim Tishteh Mayim"—that to draw down this lofty flow of the rain of the heavens on Shemini Atzeres, it is through the water libation on Sukkos. And this is the aforementioned analogy, like a person who drinks to his friend so that his friend will drink to him in return.

And according to this, we can understand the verse: "Mi Kel Kamocha Nosei Avon... LeShe'eiris Nachalaso" (Who is a G‑d like You, who pardons iniquity... for the remnant of His heritage), and our Sages said in Rosh Hashanah 17b that "LeShe'eiris" means for those who make themselves as leftovers.

First, we must explain the matter that in the writings of the early Kabbalists, the upper attributes are called Gedulah, Gevurah, Tiferes—greatness, might, beauty—that is, His attribute of kindness is called Gedulah (greatness). But in Eitz Chaim it is always called Chesed (kindness), and in the verse it also says: "Lecha Hashem HaGedulah VeHaGevurah," etc.

The idea is that, in truth, in the Infinite One, blessed be He, it is not appropriate to say that He bestows kindness, only because His greatness is beyond comprehension. As it is written: "Erech Apayim U'Gadol Chesed" (slow to anger and great in kindness).

For "in the light of the King's face is life," and because He is called Erech Apayim (slow to anger), therefore it is drawn down as "Gadol Chesed," etc., as explained elsewhere. Therefore, His kindness is without end or limit to His goodness. This is the attribute of "Rav Chesed." See Zohar, Idra Rabbah Naso (133b).

However, this aspect of kindness that comes from greatness is specifically in the Infinite One, blessed be He, whose greatness is beyond comprehension. For He alone is, He is the first of all the firsts, "for He is exalted, exalted," etc. Therefore, "Lecha Hashem" specifically is the greatness.

But in created beings, this attribute does not apply, since they are truly as nothing. And the entire chain of creation is like a drop compared to the ocean, and even more so, there is no comparison at all, etc. Therefore, in every aspect of holiness, there is self-nullification and nothingness, the opposite of greatness.

Therefore, the Land of Israel is called Eretz Canaan, from the language of submission and self-nullification, as explained above.

And this is the attribute of Chesed to Avraham, which is drawn from the aspect of "VaAnochi Afar VaEfer" (and I am but dust and ashes). Similarly, Yaakov said: "Katonti Mikol HaChasadim" (I am diminished by all the kindnesses), as explained in Iggeres HaKodesh there.

And what is written in Eitz Chaim, the attribute of Chesed and not Gedulah—that is because Eitz Chaim speaks of the Chesed of Ze'er Anpin of Atzilus, whose vessels are limited and finite—236,000 myriads of parasangs, as explained in Iggeres HaKodesh, discourse beginning "Ihu VeChayohi." Therefore, it is called Ze'er Anpin (the small face), whereas Erech Apayim is infinite.

Therefore, the Chesed of Ze'er Anpin is called Chesed of Mah, the aspect of self-nullification, for the vessels are completely nullified to the Infinite One, blessed be He. But the aspect of "U'Gadol Chesed VeRav Chesed" is in the aspect of Arich Anpin, which is above Atzilus, as explained in the Zohar there, regarding Chesed within and Chesed without, see there.

However, from the shattering of the vessels (Sheviras HaKelim) of the world of Tohu, there arose the aspect of Chesed of Yishmael, who is also generous, but his generosity is to show off his wealth and glory, to make a name and for splendor—the opposite of self-nullification, the opposite of "dust and ashes." Therefore, he only bestows from his surplus.

And the emergence of this aspect in created beings is specifically through the shattering of the vessels, from the world of Tohu, which preceded Atzilus, where Chesed was in the aspect of greatness, etc.

See what is written in the discourse beginning "Vayehi Beshalach Paroh" regarding how long He is slow to anger, etc., see there.

See also the explanation on the verse "Shechorah Ani" regarding "KeAhalei Kedar," etc., see there.

And a person must cleave to the attributes of the world of Tikkun, Chesed of Mah, the aspect of self-nullification. Therefore, even if he suffers from acts of kindness, he should not refrain from doing kindness—since the reason for kindness is because he considers himself as leftovers, etc., as above.

And through this aspect of self-nullification, a person can reveal upon himself the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, literally. This is the aspect of His revealed greatness. For through the aspect of indentation from below, which is self-nullification, is drawn down an awakening from above in the aspect of a protruding seal, which is the attribute of His greatness. Whereas in the side of impurity, which is the aspect of ego, it is only drawn down through the shattering of the vessels.

And this is the idea: "To those who do His will, all the more so." And as explained elsewhere, that in the world of Tikkun, the indwelling of the Infinite Light is drawn from the aspect of perfect wholeness, etc.

And perhaps this is also the meaning of "Eretz Harim U'Veka'os." For Avraham, who is the aspect of a mountain, the attribute of Chesed—this Chesed is drawn from the aspect of "VaAnochi Afar VaEfer," which is the aspect of a valley, self-nullification, etc. Whereas in the side of impurity, it is not so, as above.

See what is written in the discourse on the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.

And this is: "LeShe'eiris Nachalaso"—for those who make themselves as leftovers.

For behold, the thirteen attributes of mercy are called "great mercies," as it is written: "U'VeRachamim Gedolim Akabtzecha" (and with great mercies I will gather you), which are drawn from the aspect of "and His greatness is beyond comprehension." These are from the aspect of Erech Apayim and Gadol Chesed.

See what is written on this in the discourse beginning "Ki HaHarim Yamushu" and in the discourse beginning "Kol Dodi."

Therefore, it is only drawn down to one who makes himself as leftovers, which is the aspect of indentation and self-nullification. This is specifically the vessel for the aspect of a protruding seal from above. See at length on the verse: "Simeni KaChosam Al Libecha," etc.

And this is what is said (Yeshayahu 57): "For thus says the High and Exalted One... I dwell on high and holy, and with the contrite and humble of spirit," etc.

And see Zohar, Parshas Emor (90b) and in the commentary there.

Summary

This maamar explains that spiritual ascent (mountains/fire) and humility (valleys/water) are both essential in Divine service, but the ultimate revelation of G‑dliness comes through self-nullification and humility. True greatness is achieved by making oneself as "leftovers" before G‑d.