004 —והיה ביום ההוא יתקע בשופר גדול

VeHayah BaYom HaHu Yitaka BeShofar Gadol U'Vau HaOvdim BeEretz Ashur VeHaNidachim BeEretz Mitzrayim VeHishtachavu LaHashem BeHar HaKodesh BiYerushalayim.

VeHayah BaYom HaHu Yitaka BeShofar Gadol U'Vau HaOvdim BeEretz Ashur VeHaNidachim BeEretz Mitzrayim VeHishtachavu LaHashem BeHar HaKodesh BiYerushalayim ("And it shall be on that day, a great shofar will be blown, and those lost in the land of Ashur and those cast away in the land of Egypt will come and bow to Hashem on the holy mountain in Jerusalem").^[1]

We need to understand what is meant by "a great shofar"—what is the advantage of a great shofar over a regular shofar, like the one used on Rosh Hashanah today? For example, it says "Hashem will sound the shofar"^[2] but does not mention a great shofar.

(This question is explained in Zohar Parshas Va'eschanan, and see there. This verse is also mentioned in the Gemara and various Midrashim. See also Likkutei Torah in the relevant places.)

On Rosh Hashanah we say: "This is the day, the beginning of Your works, a remembrance of the first day"^[3]. Seemingly, this is a contradiction: "the beginning of Your works" implies a true beginning, that each year the world is renewed, but then we say "a remembrance of the first day," implying it is only a remembrance of the original creation.

However, both are true. The concept of Rosh Hashanah as "head" is like the head in a person, which is the source of life for all the limbs. The head contains the general vitality, which is then drawn out to each limb in detail, though initially it was all hidden in the head and brain.

The seat of the intellectual soul is in the brain, and from there the powers of the soul extend to all the limbs, from concealment to revelation: the eye to see, the foot to walk, etc. So too, Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of the revelation of the general vitality for the entire year.

As it is written, "You give life to them all"^[4], and every day, "renewed every morning"^[5]—the vitality of each day is not the same as the previous day. The same applies to the holidays, which draw down a greater vitality than weekdays. All this vitality comes from Rosh Hashanah, which includes them all together.

(Pesach, Shavuos, and Sukkos correspond to the three Avos: Avraham is Pesach—"knead and make cakes"^[6], which is chesed, the right arm. Shavuos is Matan Torah, the shofar of Yitzchak. Sukkos is "Yaakov traveled to Sukkos"^[7], which is the two arms and the body. Chanukah and Purim are the two legs.)

All this is the level of the body, but Rosh Hashanah is the level of the head, which includes the vitality of the whole body and corresponds to Adam HaRishon. Yom Kippur is also called Rosh Hashanah in Scripture^[8], and is the level of the soul and inner dimension. In the head, too, there is an inner and outer aspect. The Pri Etz Chaim explains that the "cutting" of Yom Kippur is the inner aspect, while Rosh Hashanah is the outer. See Zohar and other sources for more.

On Rosh Hashanah, the vitality is drawn from the Source of Life, which is beyond our concept of time, and this vitality is higher and includes all the details of the year's vitality as one, though it remains concealed at first, and is then drawn out into revelation as needed.

Initially, the vitality is divided into the twelve months, with each Rosh Chodesh drawing down the general vitality for the month, which is then divided into days, hours, and moments.

Our Sages said^[9] that a person is judged every day, even though Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgment. The explanation is that on Rosh Hashanah, the general vitality is judged and drawn down, but each day there is a judgment whether the individual vitality will be revealed from the general vitality. Even if one was judged favorably on Rosh Hashanah, it is possible that the individual vitality will not be drawn out in detail.

Just as it is possible that vitality will not flow from the brain to a particular limb, so the eye cannot see or the foot cannot walk, and the vitality remains concealed in the brain, so too, the individual vitality may remain in the general vitality of Rosh Hashanah and not be drawn out. In that case, the kindness remains in the higher world, and this is the daily judgment.

(See also Parshas Korach on "he produced almonds," and Parshas Re'eh on "He will bless you in all that you do.")

But on Rosh Hashanah, the general vitality for the entire year is drawn down, a truly new vitality. Therefore, each Rosh Hashanah is called "the beginning of Your works"—a new light and vitality is drawn down to create the world. The previous Rosh Hashanah only drew down vitality for one year, from beyond time into time.

Similarly, at the beginning of creation, the vitality drawn down on that first Rosh Hashanah was for one year, as it says, "A thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday"^[10]—the six thousand years of the world are like six days. But even this is within the realm of time. Beyond this, there is no time at all, and from there, the vitality for one year is drawn down on Rosh Hashanah. Then, on Rosh Hashanah, which is called a festival when the new moon is concealed, the previous vitality ascends and is concealed in its source, and through the shofar and prayers, a new light and vitality is drawn down for the coming year.

Therefore, it is called "the beginning of Your works"—a true beginning. Yet, it is also only a remembrance of the first day. For the first Rosh Hashanah, all this was from Above, "for He desires kindness," but now it depends on our arousal from below, based on the previous year. Not all years are the same—some are good and sweet, others not, depending on the nature of our arousal from below. Thus, Rosh Hashanah now is a time of judgment.

Although kindness overcomes judgment, which is why we read the story of the binding of Yitzchak—Avraham binding Yitzchak^[11]—symbolizing the triumph of kindness over severity and the sweetening of judgment, it is still not like the very first day, which was pure kindness, for then the flow was from Above, "for He desires kindness," with no one yet to arouse it. Therefore, it is only a remembrance of the first day, in that the severities are sweetened, but not as on the first day itself.

(One could also explain "a remembrance of the first day" as remembering and arousing the first day, strengthening the attribute of kindness so that Yitzchak's severity is included in Avraham's love. See Zohar and other sources for more.)

Our Sages said: "Say before Me verses of Kingship on Rosh Hashanah so that you will make Me King over you"^[12]—specifically "say," for you must arouse this from below until you make Me King, drawing down the revelation of His Kingship.

2) The meaning of "make Me King" is that there are two levels: Memaleh Kol Almin (filling all worlds) and Sovev Kol Almin (encompassing all worlds). Memaleh is the vitality that is invested in the worlds according to their level, each according to its measure, souls and angels, like the power of growth in the earth that produces many different plants. This is called Memaleh.

But Sovev is the light and vitality that is beyond the worlds and their investment. Regarding this, it is said, "I, Hashem, have not changed," and "You are He before the world was created and after it was created." This seems difficult, for the worlds exist from Him, so there is a change? The answer is that the vitality that gives life to the worlds is only an external ray from His essence, not affecting Him at all. Their life is only from His attribute of Kingship, as a king is called king over his subjects, but his essence is not invested in them. This is Sovev.

Therefore, creation is called "something from nothing." In a chain of cause and effect, the cause is affected by the effect, but in creation ex nihilo, the vitality is not from His essence, only from His Kingship.

(See also on "Yavi'u Levush Malchus" regarding "Yachid Chai HaOlamim Melech"—this is Memaleh, the vitality invested in the worlds.)

Each Rosh Hashanah, this Kingship is renewed, for each year, "I will reign" is drawn down only for that year, and then it ascends and is included in its source, as before creation. As it says, "Hashem your G‑d is a consuming fire," like fire that rises upward. Therefore, "Say before Me verses of Kingship so that you will make Me King," drawing down a new light from Sovev into Memaleh.

Afterward, "Say before Me verses of Remembrance so that your remembrance will rise before Me for good"^[12]. Remembrance applies only to something distant, not to something close. So too, above, we say, "May our remembrance rise," because in truth, all the worlds are as nothing before Him, like a drop in the ocean, for their entire existence is from a single thought, called the primordial thought, and is nullified within the soul. On Rosh Hashanah, everything returns to its original state, so we ask that He remember that original thought and again invest Himself in it.

Therefore, we say, "He remembers the deeds of the world and recalls all creatures of old and remembers the covenant."

(See Pardes and Zohar for more on remembrance. Therefore, on Rosh Hashanah, we blow a ram's horn, for the ram is male, and see Zohar for more.)

3) And with what? With the shofar. The shofar is a simple sound that comes from the breath of the heart, unlike speech, which is composed of letters that come from the mind. The letters of speech come from thought, which comes from intellect, but the simple sound comes from the heart and is above intellect.

The heart has an outer and inner dimension. The outer heart is below the intellect and receives from it, as it says, "According to his intellect, a man is praised"^[13]—the emotions are according to the intellect.

But this is only the outer heart, called the lower will, which is born from contemplation. The inner heart, the higher will, does not come from intellect at all, but is above intellect. This is the meaning of "my heart"^[14], implying two hearts: the outer and inner heart.

(See elsewhere on "Yafah At Ra'yasi K'Tirtzah"^[15]—"Ra'yasi" from "Ratzon"—lower will; "K'Tirtzah"—higher will. This is achieved through "unifying my heart." See also on "Vayakhel Moshe" and "Mi Mana Afar Yaakov" for more on the outer and inner heart.)

When it says, "the mind rules over the heart," this refers to the outer heart, which is born from intellect, but the inner heart is higher than the mind, and the mind receives from the heart.

It is known that the main nourishment is in the heart, where the blood comes from the liver, which receives from the stomach, and from there the blood enters the heart, and the mind receives vitality from the heart.

(Therefore, Hashem is called "Tzur Levavi"^[16], and Torah comes from wisdom, which is the mind, as will be explained.)

The simple sound of the shofar comes from the inner heart, as it says, "They cried out with their heart to Hashem"^[17]—the cry of the heart is from the inner heart.

(See Zohar and Pardes for more on the cry. Also, Midrash Rabbah on Shir HaShirim, "Let me hear your voice," and Shemos Rabbah, "Why do you cry to Me"—I have already heard their cry. See Zohar on Parshas Beshalach and the commentary of the Ramaz.)

This cry is born from the concealment and descent below, being very distant from the Infinite Light, which causes the soul to cry out to Hashem, revealing the inner heart that every Jew possesses, above his understanding.

This is the power of teshuvah with great strength. Therefore, our Sages said that even perfect tzaddikim cannot stand in the place of baalei teshuvah, for it is specifically the concealment that causes the great cry.

This is the purpose of the soul's descent into the body: to bring tzaddikim to teshuvah. In Gan Eden, all were tzaddikim, enjoying the radiance of the Shechinah, which is the work of tzaddikim through intellect, as it says, "Know the G‑d of your father"^[18].

After descending into the body and animal soul, they become baalei teshuvah, returning upward, for there is concealment, and this increases the cry, which is the inner heart.

As is well known, the essence of teshuvah is in the heart, for teshuvah is the revelation of the inner heart, which is above the intellect of perfect tzaddikim. Teshuvah comes from contemplating one's great distance, having descended so far. Even the lower Gan Eden is worth all the suffering of Gehinnom, and the upper Gan Eden is infinitely higher. All the more so, one should cry over his distance from the Infinite Light, for "one hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world" is greater, and this causes the heart to cry out.

This is the meaning of the tekiah—the simple sound from the inner heart. Then come the shevarim—sighs, a broken heart. Teruah—wailing, an arousal of mercy in tears. From this comes the second tekiah, which is the revelation of the higher will from Above.

Hashem is called "Tzur Levavi," and also "my heart" in the plural, implying two hearts: the outer and inner heart. The outer heart is below the intellect, as it says, "With wisdom He founded the earth"^[19]. But the inner heart is the higher will, above wisdom, and wisdom is considered action compared to the higher will, as it says, "All of them You made with wisdom"^[20]. The tekiah, the simple sound, is the revelation of the inner heart, the higher will above wisdom.

Regarding this it says (in Zechariah), "Hashem will sound the shofar"—like the tekiah, a simple sound from the inner heart, so too, it is the drawing down and revelation of the higher will. This is above the letters that come from wisdom, for Torah comes from wisdom, and its essence is letters. As our Sages said, all of Torah is the names of Hashem, i.e., the letters of Torah.

But the higher will is the inner heart, the simple sound above the letters. This is the meaning of "with what? With the shofar."

4) Furthermore, through this, all the blemishes caused by sins of the previous year are repaired. The blemishes in the 248 positive and 365 negative commandments are in the level of wisdom, from which Torah is drawn, and the shofar draws down a light from the higher will above wisdom, filling all the blemishes and shining a new light, like a river that dried up and is refilled from a deeper source.

For three bonds are bound together: Israel with Torah, and Torah with Hashem. When one keeps Torah and mitzvos, the bond is strong. But if, G‑d forbid, one damages a mitzvah, the bond is weakened, and the only remedy is teshuvah from the depths of the heart, which leaps over the fence and draws from Sovev, called "holy and separate," in which Torah is bound, and through this, all the blemishes are filled. As it says, "You are the completeness of all, You fill all names."

This is the meaning of "Hashem passed before him and called: Hashem, Hashem"—there are two levels of the Name: one in the chain of creation, and there the blemishes occur through Torah and mitzvos. As the Arizal explains in Krias Shema al HaMitah, if one blemished the yud by neglecting Shema, for the mitzvah of Shema is to unify Hashem, that there is nothing but Him, and neglecting this blemishes the yud, which is wisdom, the power of bitul, as it says, "and wisdom is found from nothing," always being born from nothing.

By neglecting "You shall love Hashem," one blemishes the hei, which is binah, the heart. By neglecting Torah study, one blemishes the vav, which is the long line from the yud, for Torah is drawn from supernal wisdom, and neglecting it shortens the flow and blemishes the vav.

By neglecting practical mitzvos, one blemishes the final hei, which is action. But all this is in the lower Name, which is the chain of creation. The higher Name, though also called by the same Name, is the revelation of a higher light above the chain, the higher will above wisdom, and therefore there is a pause between the Names.

The meaning of "Hashem, Hashem" is that He draws from the higher Name, above the chain, to be revealed in the lower Name. (See sources for more.)

Through teshuvah, one calls and draws from the higher Name. As it says, "From the depths I called You, Hashem." Therefore, we say "L'David Hashem Ori" during the Ten Days of Repentance, for then the revelation of the higher Name is drawn down through the shofar, the simple sound, the revelation of the inner heart.

Therefore, the shofar must be from a ram or goat, but not a cow, for the cow represents severity, and cannot draw down the great mercy of the inner heart, the higher will. Only through a ram's horn, for sheep have mercy, which is the attribute of Yaakov. Their sound arouses mercy. (See sources for more.) Through this, the revelation of the higher will and great mercy above the chain is drawn down.

Even though the main drawing down is through the inner heart, "they cried out with their heart," it must be through the physical act of blowing the shofar, for action is above all. Also, the revelation of the higher will must be drawn down into physicality, as we say, "inscribe us in the Book of Life, sustenance," for the mercy must be drawn down into physicality, until it is revealed in material blessings.

So too, all the mercy drawn down on Rosh Hashanah to sweeten the judgments is drawn down into the physical. The main judgment on Rosh Hashanah is on the bodies—whether one will live or die, i.e., whether the soul will remain in the body. The judgment of souls is after death. As the Ramban explains, on Rosh Hashanah one is judged only for matters of this world. Therefore, the mercy that sweetens the judgments is also drawn down into physicality.

Therefore, the simple sound must be blown specifically with a physical ram's horn, which has mercy, and through this, the great mercy is drawn down and materialized, until the blessings are in the physical, which is the concept of material mercy, for the blessing of physical life is animalistic, and this too is achieved through the shofar and the arousal of mercy in the ram's horn, which is animalistic.

(As it says, "the spirit of man rises upward, and the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth." The spirit of man rising is like "the spirit returns to G‑d," which is teshuvah, as will be explained. This ascent arouses the revelation of the higher will. See Zohar that the shofar's sound is called spirit.)

But to draw down the influence into physical blessings, which is animalistic, this is through "the spirit of the animal descends downward to the earth"—the higher earth, "the earth is My footstool," as will be explained. Therefore, angels are also called animals—lion, ox, etc.—for they are agents of the influence to be drawn into this physical world. (See sources for more.)

They receive from the great animal, which is the general influence invested in Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. This is "man and animal You save, Hashem"—through these two levels of man and animal. The attribute of Kingship is also called by these two names. (See elsewhere.)

This is "Hashem passed before him and called"—the revelation passed before him, not as it should be from His face. The face, the inner dimension, cannot be drawn down so low. (See elsewhere that the face is the ten sefirot, but from above, He can lower Himself even further.)

(See elsewhere on "Yavi'u Levush Malchus" and on "Mi El Kamocha.")

This is "Hashem passed"—He passed beyond His face from above, and so forth.

5) All this is the shofar of Rosh Hashanah, about which it says, "Hashem will sound the shofar." (See elsewhere for more.) But in the future, it says, "And it shall be on that day, a great shofar will be blown."

The explanation is that the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is to draw down Memaleh, the attribute of Kingship, as our Sages said: "Say before Me verses of Kingship." Also, to fill all the blemishes in the Name in the chain, which is also Memaleh. The drawing down is from Sovev, the higher will, and through this, all the names are filled, which is the concept of the shofar. (See elsewhere for more.)

Nevertheless, it is called simply "shofar," not "great shofar." The reason is that even Sovev, though it is not invested in the worlds, is still related to the worlds. Like the heavens and earth, the heavens surround the earth, but they are still related, and the heavens have a limit. But Hashem's essence is completely beyond the worlds, even beyond Sovev, and this will be revealed in the future.

As it says, "Praise Him according to His abundant greatness"—there are many levels of greatness, endlessly. Therefore, it says "according to His abundant greatness," not "His great greatness." What is now Sovev and Makif will be revealed as Pnimi in the future.

This is the meaning of "And it shall be on that day." Similarly, "And it will be said on that day: Behold, this is our G‑d"—"this" is revelation, as opposed to "He," which is hidden, i.e., Sovev. (See sources for more.)

Then, when Sovev is drawn down as revelation, a higher level of Sovev will be drawn down from a level that is not at all related to the worlds. (See elsewhere for more.)

Then, a great shofar will be blown. Just as the shofar of Rosh Hashanah now draws from Sovev into Memaleh, so too, in the future, a much higher level will be drawn down, and the shofar will be from that supreme level. Therefore, it is called a great shofar—the drawing down from a level beyond the worlds, "His greatness is unfathomable," far higher than the drawing down of the simple shofar.

For mitzvos will not be nullified in the future. (See the Gemara in Niddah, and other sources.) Only the order will change; instead of Kingship, Remembrance, and Shofar, there will be only Shofar. It is also called a great shofar for this reason.

The reason is as explained above: now, the drawing down must be into Memaleh, so there must be Kingship to make Me King, and the drawing down is to fill all the blemishes. In the future, what is now Sovev will be revealed in Memaleh, and there will be no need for Kingship and Remembrance. (See Likkutei Torah on Zechariah.) Only Shofar, which is the revelation of the inner dimension.

But it is called a great shofar—even though every shofar is a revelation of the inner dimension, as it says, "Happy is the people who know the teruah, Hashem, in the light of Your face they walk," and "the light of Your face because You desired them"—this is the revelation of the higher will, called "Your face," the inner G‑dliness, i.e., Sovev.

(See Zohar and other sources for more on this.)

But this is called simply "shofar." The shofar of the future will be the drawing down from the source of all will, the root of all inner dimensions, higher than Sovev. (See elsewhere for more.)

(Therefore, it is called a great shofar—higher than the inner dimension, the higher will, which is simply called shofar, for it is the source of all will. See elsewhere for more.)

Also, according to the early Kabbalists, "His Name" is numerically equivalent to "will." (See elsewhere for more.)

Thus, in the future, "With great mercy I will gather you"—this is drawn from the great shofar, which draws down great mercy. (See Zohar and other sources for more. Great mercy is the inner dimension of Atik. See elsewhere for more.)

The Zohar in Parshas Va'eschanan explains: "And it shall be on that day, a great shofar will be blown"—what is "on that day"? As it says, "And it shall be one day, known to Hashem"^[23]. (See sources for more.)

According to this, we can understand that "on that day"—"for the day is great, a great shofar will be blown." This is the meaning of "according to His abundant greatness," as explained above.

This is also why, regarding the simple shofar, it says, "Hashem will sound the shofar," but regarding the great shofar, it says only "it will be blown," without mentioning who blows it, for it is a drawing down and revelation from the most hidden of all hidden, from His great Name, above all Names.

It can also be explained as in Parshas Acharei: "For on this day, atonement will be made"—it does not say who atones, for it is from "before Hashem you will be purified," a level that cannot be grasped at all. (See there.)

6) Then it says, "And they will come and bow to Hashem." Regarding the simple shofar, it says, "Happy is the people who know the teruah, in the light of Your face they walk"—even though it is a revelation of the inner dimension, there is still movement.

But with the revelation and drawing down of the great shofar in the future, which is the revelation of the source of all will, then "they will come and bow"—bowing is the level of bitul (self-nullification).

(See elsewhere for more on this.)

Then, "those lost in the land of Ashur and those cast away in the land of Egypt will come and bow"—even souls that have descended very low, swallowed up in Ashur and Egypt, which the shofar now does not arouse, but when the great shofar is blown, even they will be aroused.

(See Sefer Tov for more. Also, elsewhere on "Shchorah Ani V'Navah" regarding "And Israel saw the great hand that Hashem did in Egypt"—even in Egypt, the great hand reaches down to the lowest levels.)

This means that such a great kindness is drawn down that even the lowest souls, clothed in physicality, are aroused to teshuvah. This is the meaning of the great hand—it is so high that it reaches even the lowest soul.

Similarly, here, since the drawing down is from the great shofar, the source of all will^[25], even those in Ashur and Egypt are aroused.

(See sources for more on the great hand, which is also great mercy. According to the Ramaz, it is the same as the great shofar.)

In general, there are two categories: the lost in Ashur—Ashur means pleasure, as in "Ashrei Yoshvei" and "Ki Ashruni Banot." In holiness, this is "Who sanctified us with His commandments." In Zohar, "Me'Asher Shemena Lachmo"—the World to Come. (See elsewhere for more.)

Opposite this is Ashur—worldly pleasures, which come from the residue of the supernal pleasure that fell in the breaking of the vessels.

(See Zohar and Sefer Tov for more.)

The lost in Ashur are those who pursue worldly pleasures to fulfill their evil desires, causing the spark of G‑dliness in their soul to be lost and drawn into the kelipos. As it says, "Yeshurun grew fat and kicked." (See elsewhere for more.) These are called lost, for they lose themselves willingly, G‑d forbid.

(See elsewhere for more on this.)

The second category is the cast away in Egypt—Egypt means constraint, for due to distress, they lack the heart to know. As it says regarding Israel in Egypt: "They did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of spirit"—due to great suffering. (See Rashi and Targum for more.)

Similarly, it says in Isaiah, "You are drunk, but not with wine"—confused like a drunk, not from wine but from suffering and sorrow. (See Targum for more.) These are called cast away. In the future, all will be elevated to "they will come and bow."

As it says in Hoshea, "They will tremble like a bird from Egypt and like a dove from Ashur." This is through "for He will roar"—"He" is the hidden level, Atik. (See Zohar for more.) "For He will roar" is the meaning of "And it shall be on that day, a great shofar will be blown," and through this, "they will tremble"—bitul and bowing. As it says regarding the shofar, "all the people trembled," and "if a shofar is blown in the city, will the people not tremble?"

"In the city"—the city of our G‑d, the world of speech, the source of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. The shofar is a sound and drawing down to build the world of speech, which is the city.

But this trembling and bitul is in the level of "the people"—"to establish you as His people." But to draw down this trembling and bitul even to the lost and cast away, this is through the great shofar, "for He will roar." Through this, "they will tremble like a bird from Egypt"—for even Egypt and Ashur are nullified in the revelation of the Infinite Light, before which darkness and light are the same.

Then, "the Holy One will be in your midst, and I will not enter the city"—there are combinations of letters and influences drawn down in opposition, also called city, as in the generation of the Tower of Babel: "Let us build a city and a tower." (See Zohar for more.) But in the future, when all souls are elevated, "the Holy One will be in your midst," and the influence will not be drawn down to the level of city as above.

BeHar HaKodesh—our Sages said^[26]: like Avraham, who called it a mountain, as it says, "He traveled southward"^[27]—love is called a mountain, like a mountain that stands out from the plain. The holy mountain is love in the level of bitul, for holiness is wisdom.

(See elsewhere for more on this, and on Aharon, whose name hints at "har"—mountain. Aharon draws down a higher love than Avraham's chesed. This is the meaning of the holy mountain. See elsewhere for more.)

BiYerushalayim—complete awe^[29], perfect awe. Now it says, "to make known to mankind His mighty acts and the glorious majesty of His kingdom"^[30]—the majesty of His kingdom is the splendor in the created beings, as it says, "a thousand thousands serve Him"^[31], and "His hosts are without number"^[32]—a tremendous splendor.

Nevertheless, it is through the initial revelation of His might, for their creation is through might and contraction. If His attribute of Kingship were revealed as it is, they could not receive at all and would be nullified. As our Sages said, "He extended His little finger among them and burned them"^[33]—they were completely nullified, for a created being cannot receive the Infinite. Only through His might, contracting Himself, is there awe within limits, as the created beings can bear. This is not perfect awe, for it is not complete. But in the future, when "the spirit of impurity will be removed"^[34], there will be perfect awe.

(This is the holy mountain—very high love, also including perfect awe. See elsewhere for more on the inclusion of love and awe, and on "Jerusalem built as a city joined together." Possibly, this will be through the great shofar.)

When the Beis HaMikdash stood, the mitzvah of Yovel was practiced. The main shofar in the Torah is regarding Yovel: "You shall sound the shofar on the tenth day of the seventh month, on Yom Kippur"^[35]—and through this, "you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land"^[36]—servants returned to their homes.

This is the level of the great shofar. The release of slaves to freedom is through the revelation of the World of Freedom, as explained in Zohar. This revelation is the great shofar, and is a taste of the future revelation. Therefore, it says, "Yovel is holy to you"^[37]—like the holy mountain. (See sources for more.)

Therefore, the main mitzvah of Yovel was only in the First Temple, not the Second, but it was still counted to sanctify the Shemitos. Even in the First Temple, only when all its inhabitants were there, as it says, "Jerusalem built as a city joined together"^[38]. This is the drawing down of the higher hei into the lower hei, as explained in Kabbalah. The main revelation of the World of Freedom is the higher hei. (See elsewhere for the difference between the shofar of Rosh Hashanah in the First and Second Temples.)

Now that the Beis HaMikdash is destroyed, we still have Yom Kippur, which shines with the World of Freedom, the level of Yovel, as explained in Zohar and other sources. Therefore, we blow one tekiah after Neilah on Yom Kippur, which is the great shofar.

The shofar of Rosh Hashanah is the simple shofar, about which it says, "Hashem will sound the shofar," but on Yom Kippur, which shines with Yovel, the World of Freedom, it is the revelation of the great shofar. This is the Neilah, the great ascent, the revelation of the great shofar. Therefore, it is the final sealing, and there is bitul in the created beings, as it says, "with a great shofar they will bow to Hashem." (See elsewhere for more on Yovel as the ultimate rest.)

But in truth, all this is only a ray of the great shofar; the main revelation of His essence will be in the future, when the great shofar itself will be blown.

7) In the Midrash, Parshas Vayetzei: "You said, 'Hashem will be my G‑d'—I swear, all good things... and it shall be on that day, a great shofar will be blown." As explained above, the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is to draw down Memaleh, the Name Adnai, which is Kingship. (See elsewhere for more.)

This drawing down is from the Name Havayah, which is Sovev, to shine in Adnai. This is "Hashem Adnai will sound the shofar"—through the shofar, the Name Adnai, which is the throne of judgment, is united with the Name Havayah, which is mercy. As the Midrash says, He moves from the throne of judgment to the throne of mercy.

The explanation is as explained above (see elsewhere): initially, it arose in thought to create the world with judgment, as it says, "In the beginning, Elokim created," but seeing the world could not endure, He joined mercy with judgment. This is the unification of the Name Havayah with Elokim and Adnai, through which the yesh is nullified to the ayin. This unification and drawing down is on Rosh Hashanah through the shofar. (See elsewhere for more.)

This is "Hashem will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning"—see Tikkunei Zohar and Midrash for more. This is through "Hashem Adnai will sound the shofar."

All this is now, but in the future, when it says, "Hashem will be my G‑d"—the Name Havayah, which is now Sovev, will then be Memaleh, like the Name Elokim. There will be a revelation of G‑dliness, as it says, "the glory of Hashem will be revealed." Then, the drawing down will be through the shofar from the Infinite Light above the Name Havayah, to draw the light into the Name Havayah. Just as now, the shofar draws from Havayah into Adnai and Elokim, so too, then, the drawing down will be from above Havayah into Havayah. Therefore, "on that day, a great shofar will be blown."

Our Sages said in Niddah: five things have the measure of a tefach—shofar, sukkah wall, lulav, etc. All these are to draw down the light into Kingship, first on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, "His left hand under my head," then on Sukkos, "His right hand embraces me." (See elsewhere for more.) These drawings down are through shofar, sukkah, and lulav, and therefore their measure is a tefach.

"My hand founded the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens"—the tefach is the palm, and the ten fingers correspond to the ten sefirot, five against five. These two hands, right and left, are Sovev and Memaleh.

Similarly, the Arizal explains on "You have made my days handbreadths" (Tehillim 39). See sources for more on the hands and the tefach. Also, in the blessing over the cup, one lifts it a tefach from the ground—see Berachos and Maharsha for more. The cup is numerically equivalent to Elokim, which is "My hand founded the earth." Lifting it is to connect it to Havayah, as in "I will exalt You, my G‑d the King." Therefore, one lifts it a tefach to connect it to "My right hand measured the heavens." Also, the tefach alludes to "all that is in heaven and earth"—He holds both together.

The Zohar in Shoftim explains that lifting it a tefach is the secret of the yud. This is explained elsewhere: lifting the hei through the yud inside it, turning the dalet into a hei, and through this, the Kingship rises into Sovev. This is lifting it a tefach.

Similarly, the mitzvah of mezuzah is to place it within a tefach of the public domain, and the Chanukah candle within a tefach of the entrance. (See sources for more.) This is explained elsewhere regarding mezuzah and Chanukah candle, and the entrance. This is why the shofar of Rosh Hashanah is measured a tefach, to draw down from Sovev into Memaleh, from "My right hand measured the heavens." The tefach is the yud, the drawing down from the yud of the Name, which is contraction.

All this is with the shofar now, the drawing down from Havayah into Adnai, and therefore its measure is a tefach, the yud. But in the future, when Havayah will be Elokim, and the drawing down will be from the Infinite Light above Havayah, and through this, the Kingship will ascend, not as "You have made my days handbreadths," but as "You have given him length of days"—from Arich Anpin. Therefore, "a great shofar will be blown"—from above the ten sefirot, which are the ten fingers. (See elsewhere for more.)

Summary

This maamar teaches that the shofar of Rosh Hashanah draws down a new Divine vitality each year, repairing spiritual blemishes and awakening the inner heart. In the future, the "great shofar" will reveal an even higher G‑dly light, awakening even the most distant souls and bringing about ultimate redemption and unity.