Chapter 5 - How a person can accustom himself with the trait of kindness (chesed): [Its] essence is love of God - the main entrance for a person to the secret of kindness is to love God with the fullest love, such that he will not leave His service for any reason. [This is] on account of there being nothing at all as beloved to him, relative to his love of Him, may He be blessed. And so, he [should] first fix all the needs of His service; and what remains afterwards will be for other needs. And this love [should] be fixed in his heart. Whether he receives goodnesses from the Holy One, blessed be He, or whether he receives afflictions and upbraidings, he [should] consider them [to be products of His] love for him, as it is written (Proverbs 27:6), "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." And it is as it is [also] written (Deuteronomy 6:5), "and with all your might (meodecah)" - and they explained (Berakhot 54a), "With each and every trait (midah), etc., so as to include all of the traits in Kindness. And it comes out that the secret of His governance is from Kingship (Malkhut); and even as it acts with judgement, it is connected to Kindness. And this is the trait of Nachum, the man of Gamzo, who would say, "This too (Gam zo) is for the good." He wanted to always connect [occurrences] to the side of Kindness that is called good, and [so] he would say, "This too," that appears to be with the 'left' that is connected to Severity (Gevurah), "is" nothing but "for the good," [which is] connected to Kindness. And he would put his mind to the side of the good with this trait and hide its judgments. And this is a great practice, always to connect with Kindness.
And in the Tikkunim (in the Introduction), they explained, "Who is [the] pious one (chasid)? One who is kindly (mitchased) with his Maker." [That is] since a person must intend, in the acts of kindness that he does with the lower ones (other people), the Highest reparation that is its model - and that is bestowing Kindness with his Maker.
From kindness with people, one learns kindness with one's Creator: And now, he needs to know how many are the traits of acts of kindness with people. And he [should] do all of them with his Creator, if he wants to acquire the trait of kindness. And so, we shall say that the traits of acts of kindness are these:
The first: When a person is born, every arrangement for his nourishment must be provided for him. If so, he should call up to his mind the giving birth of Understanding [to] Splendor (Tiferet). And it is that in Its difficulty in Its birth from the angle of judgement, God forbid, Splendor comes out to the side of the severities and Its birth [would be] in difficulty (hardness); [hence] there is a need to fix all that is possible there - that the birth of Splendor be to the 'right side,' so that the Offspring be without blemish at all. [It is] as we say, "And bring our judgement out to the light, Holy one" - which is that He take out Splendor [which is] judgement to the side of the light, which is the right, and It will [then] be holy and separated from the severities. And in this is included his having in mind in his actions to always connect [his action] with Kindness, to have It come out from Understanding to the side of Kindness. And then the Offspring will come out vital and lustrous. And almost every warning in the Torah is included in this; so that the severities not arouse intensification of the judgments there, and there not be difficulty in Its birth, God forbid.
The second: To circumcise the offspring - that is to do [it] according to the refinements of its commandments. That he [should] circumcise any husk (klipah) and foreskin that is attached to the Foundation (Yesod), chase all those that cause foreskin There and bring them to repentance in a way that in his circumcising the foreskin of their hearts, the Highest Righteous One will be without a foreskin. And he [should] stand strongly to fix all of the things that cause foreskin There. And so when Pinchas circumcised the foreskin of the Children of Israel, he merited priesthood. Since he bestowed kindness [to] his Maker with the secret of circumcision - that he circumcised the Foundation from that foreskin - he merited kindness. And so from this, one should learn to all the other traits of kindness.
The third: To visit the sick and to heal them. It is thus known that the Divine Presence is lovesick for unification, as it is written (Song of Songs 2:5), "for I am sick with love." And Her healing is in the hand of man, to bring Her proper drugs, as it is written, "Support me with fruitcakes, lay apples below me." And they explained in the Tikkunim (p. 39b) that the secret of fruitcakes (ashishot) is all of the things that are connected to Kingship (Malkhut) - through the man (eesh) [that includes the letter,] hay (five, which is) Kindness, and through the woman (eeshah) [that includes the letter,] yod (ten, which is) Severity, [which] is through the two forearms. And She supports Herself upon them there. And whoever does this supports the patient in his sickness.
The explanation of the second [phrase], "lay apples below me" is to connect Her between Victory (Netsach) and Majesty (Hod). As Her couch is there, in Her being white and red - like those apples the colors of which are mixed - from the side of Kindness. And he needs to visit Her, remember Her and to beseech Her countenance, that She accept food and drink from the Highest flow, which She prevents from Herself and [accordingly] makes Her soul pine for the travail of Israel. In the way that it is with physical patients, so is it with Highest Patients, as She is sick, like we said. And He is [also] sick, as He is 'wandering' from His place - the world to come, Understanding - 'and roaming' from Her in this World; as it is written (Proverbs 27:8), "As a bird roaming from its nest" - which is the Divine Presence - "so is a man roaming from his place." And He waits for Her and swears to Her that He will not return to His place until He brings Her back to Her place. Behold, He is also 'wounded because of our sins, willingly crushed because of our iniquities.' And the healing of both of Them is in our hands. And it is fitting to visit Them and to procure Their needs through Torah [study] and through [fulfillment of] the commandments.
The fourth: To give charity (tsedekah) to the poor, the model of whom is Foundation and Kingship. And they have explained in the Tikkunim (Tikkun 18, p. 33a) that the charity that is fit for Them is to every day implement ninety [recitations of] amen, four [of] kedushah, one hundred blessings and five books of the Torah (as these numbers corresponds to the letters that spell out the word, tsedekah). And in this way, everyone [should] draw charity from Splendor to these Poor Ones. And he [should] procure for Them gleanings from all of the Sefirot, forgotten sheaves from the secret of the Highest Sheaf - which is Understanding - and the corner from the aspect of Kingship itself, as it is the corner for the other traits (it is the outermost Sefirah). It is written (Leviticus 19:10), "for the poor and the stranger shall you leave them" - as even Splendor is a stranger [when it is] below in Kingship, and one must give It from these reparations. And so [too, must one give] the poor tithe, to bring up Kingship, which is Tithe, to the Foundation, which is called the Poor. And if he connects it with Splendor, he will give from the Tithe to the Stranger. And several reparations are included in this.
The fifth: Bringing in guests. [The guests] are Splendor and Foundation - to give them a house for resting, such that they rest there, meaning in Kingship. Since They are Wayfarers in the secret of the exile - to search for Their lost object - he must bring Them in there. And according to what is elucidated in the Zohar, Vayera 1:115b, this commandment is implemented by those who are 'wayfarers that speak'; which are those expelled from their houses to be involved in Torah [study], who cause that the Guests will be involved in the needs of Kingship. And so [too,] anyone who creates a unification for Splendor in Kingship from another aspect and fixes a place for his Torah [study], causes Splendor to make its residence in Kingship. And so did they explain in the Tikkunim (in the Introduction). And one must prepare food, drink and escort for the Guests. That is that one must bring in Splendor and Foundation to Kingship; give them food, similar to, "I have come to my garden, I have eaten my honeycombs and my honey" (Song of Songs 5:1), which is the flow that is fitting for the lower governance that extends from the side of the sweetened Severity; and drink, similar to "I have drunk my wine with my milk", which is the inner flow from the wine that is guarded, and from the secret of the milk sweetened to connect Splendor and Kingship - [which are] Yaakov and Rachel - and Severity with Victory or with Majesty. As so did they explain in the Raaya Meheimena (Vayikra, p. 4b). And the escort is to bring himself and his soul There with Them in their Highest Replication, to escort Them There; also to bring the other Sefirot There with Them to make a good escort for Them. And there are several things included in this reparation.
The general principle of the thing is that he make efforts about the needs of the commoner (a person) and have intention for its allusion. And [so] he can be assured that Above will be done similar to [what he is doing], once he is an expert in the secrets. And how good is it to mention the allusion of his intention with his mouth at the time of the deed, to fulfill "in your mouth and in your heart to do it" (Deuteronomy 30:14)!
The sixth: The dealing of the living with the dead. And how this thing relates to the Above is very difficult, as it is [a] secret of the Sefirot, that become hidden and withdraw into Their containers above. How much must one repair Them to wash Them from every sickness of iniquity; to clothe Them in white - the whitening of the Sefirot in the light of the good deed - to have Them rise up in the secret of one; to connect Them above; and to carry Them on the Shoulder, [which is] the secret of the raising of the Sefirot, One by One, until they are risen up over the Shoulder which is the beginning of the joining of the Forearm with the Body. But above this is the secret of hiding, about which there is no comprehension. And about the secret of burial, he should have intention for the verse (Deuteronomy 34:6), "And He buried him in the valley (gai)," which we translate [into Aramaic], "with thirteen crowns of mercy" (as the numerical equivalent of gai is thirteen). As they emerge from the Crown from its aspects that face downwards to have mercy on the Ones below. And from there the buried, rises to the Highest Eden - Wisdom in the Crown. And there is a need for much concentration in this.
The seventh: Bringing a bride under the canopy. And all of the needs of unification are included in this, as all of the prayers and the unifications are the secret of bringing a bride under the canopy. And its essence is the secret of prayer of several levels, this after that - the [recital of the] sacrifices; the [songs]; the sitting prayer in which there is the recital of Shema and its blessings; the standing prayer afterwards; and the rest of the reparations that come after them. It is all the bestowal of kindness upon the Groom and the Bride, to supervise all of Their needs and the reparations of Their pairing.
The eighth: The bringing of peace between a man and his fellow, which are Splendor and Foundation. Sometimes, They become distant One from the Other, and there is a need to bring peace between Them and to repair Them, that They be parallel and connected together in love and amity. And this [happens] through the propriety of the good deed. As when Foundation inclines to the left and Splendor to the right, They are then in opposition One to the Other - until Foundation inclines to the right like [Splendor has]. But when there is, God forbid, a defect of iniquity in the world, then there is hatred and opposition between the two of Them, and unification among the Sefirot is not connected at all. And in this way is it also between all the [pairs] of Sefirot that are right and left: between Wisdom and Understanding; between Kindness and Severity; and between Victory and Majesty - one needs to bring peace (a middle Sefirah) between Them, and that is [the meaning of] the bringing of peace between a Man and his Fellow. And likewise, between a Man and His Wife is that the Foundation is peace between Splendor and Kingship. And everything that is similar to this in the ways of peace is [accounted as] acts of kindness Above.
כיצד ירגיל האדם עצמו במדת החסד: העקר - אהבת ה': עִיקָר כְּנִיסַת הָאָדָם אֶל סוֹד הַחֶסֶד הוּא לֶאֱהֹב אֶת ה' תַּכְלִית אַהֲבָה שֶׁלֹּא יַנִיחַ עֲבוֹדָתוֹ לְשׁוּם סִבָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶּׁאֵין דָּבָר נֶאֱהָב אֶצְלוֹ כְּלָל לְעֵרֶךְ אַהֲבָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְלָזֶה יְתַקֵּן תְּחִלָּה צָרְכֵי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ הַמּוֹתָר יִהְיֶה לִשְׁאָר הַצְּרָכִים, וְתִהְיֶה הָאַהֲבָה הַזֹּאת תְּקוּעָה בְּלִבּוֹ בֵּין יְקַבֵּל טוֹבוֹת מֵאֵת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבֵין יְקַבֵּל יִסּוּרִין וְתוֹכָחוֹת יַחְשְּׁבֵם לְאַהֲבָה לוֹ כְּדִכְתִיב (מִשְׁלֵי כז, ו): "נֶאֱמָנִים פִּצְעֵי אוֹהֵב", וּכְדִכְתִיב (דְּבָרִים ו, ה): "וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ" וּפֵרְשׁוּ (בְּרָכוֹת נד.) "בְּכָל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה וְכוּ'" כְּדֵי לִכְלֹל כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת בְּחֶסֶד וְנִמְצָא סוֹד הַנְהָגָתוֹ מֵהַמַּלְכוּת וְעִם הֱיוֹת שֶׁהִיא פוֹעֶלֶת דִּין הִיא קְשׁוּרָה בְּחֶסֶד, וְהַיְּנוּ מִדַּת נַחוּם אִישׁ גַם זוֹ שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר "גַם זוֹ לְטוֹבָה", רָצָה לְקָשְׁרָה תָּמִיד בְּצַד הַחֶסֶד הַנִּקְרָא טוֹב וְהָיָה אוֹמֵר גַּם זוֹ שֶׁנִּרְאֶה שֶׁהִיא בִּשְׂמֹאל קְשׁוּרָה בַּגְּבוּרָה אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְטוֹבָה הִיא קְשׁוּרָה בְּחֶסֶד וְהָיָה שָׂם דַּעְתּוֹ אֶל צַד הַטּוֹב בַּמִּדָּה הַהִיא וּמַסְתִּיר דִּינֶיהָ. וְזוֹ הִיא הַנְהָגָה גְּדוֹלָה לְהִקָּשֵׁר בְּחֶסֶד תָּמִיד.
Chapter 5 - How a person can accustom himself with the trait of kindness (chesed): [Its] essence is love of God - the main entrance for a person to the secret of kindness is to love God with the fullest love, such that he will not leave His service for any reason. [This is] on account of there being nothing at all as beloved to him, relative to his love of Him, may He be blessed. And so, he [should] first fix all the needs of His service; and what remains afterwards will be for other needs. And this love [should] be fixed in his heart. Whether he receives goodnesses from the Holy One, blessed be He, or whether he receives afflictions and upbraidings, he [should] consider them [to be products of His] love for him, as it is written (Proverbs 27:6), "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." And it is as it is [also] written (Deuteronomy 6:5), "and with all your might (meodecah)" - and they explained (Berakhot 54a), "With each and every trait (midah), etc., so as to include all of the traits in Kindness. And it comes out that the secret of His governance is from Kingship (Malkhut); and even as it acts with judgement, it is connected to Kindness. And this is the trait of Nachum, the man of Gamzo, who would say, "This too (Gam zo) is for the good." He wanted to always connect [occurrences] to the side of Kindness that is called good, and [so] he would say, "This too," that appears to be with the 'left' that is connected to Severity (Gevurah), "is" nothing but "for the good," [which is] connected to Kindness. And he would put his mind to the side of the good with this trait and hide its judgments. And this is a great practice, always to connect with Kindness.
וּבַתִּקּוּנִים פֵּרְשׁוּ (בַּהַקְדָּמָה) "אֵיזֶה חָסִיד הַמִּתְחַסֵּד עִם קוֹנוֹ". לְפִי שֶׁגְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים שֶׁאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים צָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן בָּהּ הַתִּקּוּן הָעֶלְיוֹן דֻּגְמָתוֹ, וְהוּא שֶׁגּוֹמֵל חֶסֶד עִם קוֹנוֹ.
And in the Tikkunim (in the Introduction), they explained, "Who is [the] pious one (chasid)? One who is kindly (mitchased) with his Maker." [That is] since a person must intend, in the acts of kindness that he does with the lower ones (other people), the Highest reparation that is its model - and that is bestowing Kindness with his Maker.
מהחסד בבני אדם ילמד החסד עם קונו: וְעַתָּה צָרִיךְ לָדַעַת כַּמָּה הֵן מִדּוֹת גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים בִּבְנֵי אָדָם, וְכֻלָּם יַעֲשֶׂה עִם קוֹנוֹ לְמַעְלָה אִם יִרְצֶה לִקְנוֹת מִדַּת הַחֶסֶד, וְלָזֶה נֹאמַר כִּי מִדּוֹת גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים הֵם אֵלּוּ:
From kindness with people, one learns kindness with one's Creator: And now, he needs to know how many are the traits of acts of kindness with people. And he [should] do all of them with his Creator, if he wants to acquire the trait of kindness. And so, we shall say that the traits of acts of kindness are these:
רִאשׁוֹנָה - בְּלֵדַת הָאָדָם צָרִיךְ לִגְמֹל עִמּוֹ כָּל תִּקּוּן לִמְזוֹנוֹ. אִם כֵּן יַעֲלֶה בְּדַעְתּוֹ עֵת לֵדַת הַבִּינָה - הַתִּפְאֶרֶת. וַיְהִי בְּהַקְשֹׁתָהּ בְּלִדְתָּהּ מִצַּד הַדִּין חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, יֵצֵא הַתִּפְאֶרֶת לְצַד הַגְּבוּרוֹת וְלֵדָתָהּ בְּקֹשִׁי, צָרִיךְ לְתַקֵּן שָׁם כָּל הָאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לֵדַת הַתִּפְאֶרֶת לְצַד הַיְּמִין כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצֵא הַוָּלָד בְּלִי מוּם כְּלָל כִּדְאָמְרִינַן "וְתוֹצִיא לָאוֹר מִשְׁפָּטֵינוּ קָדוֹשׁ" דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁיּוֹצִיא הַתִּפְאֶרֶת מִשְׁפָּט לְצַד הָאוֹר שֶׁהוּא הַיָּמִין וְיִהְיֶה קָדוֹשׁ וְנִבְדָּל מִן הַגְּבוּרוֹת, וּבָזֶה נִכְלָל הֱיוֹתוֹ מְכַוֵּן בְּמַעֲשָׂיו לְקוֹשְׁרוֹ תָמִיד בַּחֶסֶד וּלְהוֹצִיא מִן הַבִּינָה בְּצַד הַחֶסֶד וְאָז יֵצֵא הַוָּלָד מְזֹּרָז וּמְלֻבָּן וְכִמְעַט בָּזֶה נִכְלָל כָּל אַזְהָרָה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְעוֹרְרוּ הַגְּבוּרוֹת תִּגְבֹּרֶת הַדִּינִים שָׁם וְיִהְיֶה קֹשִׁי בְּלֵדָתָהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
The first: When a person is born, every arrangement for his nourishment must be provided for him. If so, he should call up to his mind the giving birth of Understanding [to] Splendor (Tiferet). And it is that in Its difficulty in Its birth from the angle of judgement, God forbid, Splendor comes out to the side of the severities and Its birth [would be] in difficulty (hardness); [hence] there is a need to fix all that is possible there - that the birth of Splendor be to the 'right side,' so that the Offspring be without blemish at all. [It is] as we say, "And bring our judgement out to the light, Holy one" - which is that He take out Splendor [which is] judgement to the side of the light, which is the right, and It will [then] be holy and separated from the severities. And in this is included his having in mind in his actions to always connect [his action] with Kindness, to have It come out from Understanding to the side of Kindness. And then the Offspring will come out vital and lustrous. And almost every warning in the Torah is included in this; so that the severities not arouse intensification of the judgments there, and there not be difficulty in Its birth, God forbid.
שְׁנִיָּה - לָמוּל אֶת הַוָּלָד הַיְנוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּתִקּוּנֵי מִצְוֹתָיו. שֶׁכָּל אֵיזֶה צַד קְלִפָּה וְעָרְלָה הַמִטַפֶלֶת אֶל הַיְסוֹד יָמוּל אֹתָהּ וְיִרְדֹּף אַחַר כָּל אֹתָם הַגּוֹרְמִים שָׁם עָרְלָה וְיַחְזִירֵם בִּתְשׁוּבָה, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁבִּהְיוֹתוֹ מָל אֶת עָרְלַת לְבָבָם גּוֹרֵם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַצַּדִּיק הָעֶלְיוֹן בְּלִי עָרְלָה וְיַעֲמֹד בְּחָזְקָה לְתַקֵּן כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַגּוֹרְמִים שָׁם עָרְלָה, וְלָזֶה פִּנְחָס כְּשֶׁמָּל עָרְלַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל זָכָה אֶל כְּהֻנָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגָּמַל חֶסֶד עִם קוֹנוֹ בְּסוֹד הַמִּילָה שֶׁמָּל הַיְסוֹד מֵאוֹתָהּ עָרְלָה זָכָה אֶל הַחֶסֶד. וְכֵן מִזֶּה יִלְמֹד אֶל כָּל שְׁאָר מִדּוֹת הַחֶסֶד.
The second: To circumcise the offspring - that is to do [it] according to the refinements of its commandments. That he [should] circumcise any husk (klipah) and foreskin that is attached to the Foundation (Yesod), chase all those that cause foreskin There and bring them to repentance in a way that in his circumcising the foreskin of their hearts, the Highest Righteous One will be without a foreskin. And he [should] stand strongly to fix all of the things that cause foreskin There. And so when Pinchas circumcised the foreskin of the Children of Israel, he merited priesthood. Since he bestowed kindness [to] his Maker with the secret of circumcision - that he circumcised the Foundation from that foreskin - he merited kindness. And so from this, one should learn to all the other traits of kindness.
שְׁלִישִׁית - לְבַקֵּר חוֹלִים וּלְרַפְּאוֹתָם. כָּךְ יָדוּעַ שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה הִיא חוֹלַת אַהֲבָה מֵהַיִּחוּד כְּדִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, ה) וּרְפוּאָתָהּ בְּיַד הָאָדָם לְהָבִיא לָהּ סַמָּנִים יָפִים כְּדִכְתִיב (שָׁם) "סַמְּכוּנִי בָּאֲשִׁישׁוֹת רַפְּדוּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִים" וּפֵרְשׁוּ בַּתִּקּוּנִים (דַּף לט:) שֶׁסּוֹד אֲשִׁישׁוֹת הַיְנוּ כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּקְשָׁרִים בְּמַלְכוּת, בְּאֵשׁ י' חֶסֶד, וּבְאֵשׁ ה' גְּבוּרָה, בִּשְׁנֵי זְרוֹעוֹת וְשָׁם הִיא נִסְמֶכֶת עֲלֵיהֶם וּמִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה זֶה סוֹמֵךְ הַחוֹלֶה בְּחָלְיוֹ.
The third: To visit the sick and to heal them. It is thus known that the Divine Presence is lovesick for unification, as it is written (Song of Songs 2:5), "for I am sick with love." And Her healing is in the hand of man, to bring Her proper drugs, as it is written, "Support me with fruitcakes, lay apples below me." And they explained in the Tikkunim (p. 39b) that the secret of fruitcakes (ashishot) is all of the things that are connected to Kingship (Malkhut) - through the man (eesh) [that includes the letter,] hay (five, which is) Kindness, and through the woman (eeshah) [that includes the letter,] yod (ten, which is) Severity, [which] is through the two forearms. And She supports Herself upon them there. And whoever does this supports the patient in his sickness.
הַשֵּׁנִי, "רַפְּדוּנִי בַּתַּפּוּחִים" פֵּרוּשׁ לְקָשְׁרָה בֵּין נֶצַח וְהוֹד שֶׁשָּׂם הִיא רְפִידָתָהּ בִּהְיוֹתָהּ חִוָּר וְסוּמָּק כַּתַּפּוּחִים הַלָּלוּ שֶׁגַּוָּנֵיהֶם מְזוּגִים מִצַּד הַחֶסֶד. וְצָרִיךְ לְבַקְּרָהּ וְלִזְכֹּר אֹתָהּ וּלְחַלּוֹת פָּנֶיהָ שֶּׁתְּקַבֵּל מַאֲכָל וּמַשְׁקֵה מֵהַשֶּׁפַע הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהִיא מוֹנַעַת עַצְמָהּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וַתִּקְצַר נַפְשָׁהּ בַּעֲמַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁהוּא בְּחוֹלִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, כָּךְ צָרִיךְ בְּחוֹלִים הָעֶלְיוֹנִים שֶׁהִיא חוֹלָה כִּדְאָמְרָן. וְהוּא חוֹלֶה דְּנָע מֵאַתְרֵיהּ - עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי בִּינָה, וְנָד אַבַּתְרָהּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵין כְּדִכְתִיב (מִשְׁלֵי כז, ח): "כְּצִפּוֹר נוֹדֶדֶת מִן קִנָּהּ" שֶׁהִיא הַשְּׁכִינָה "כֵּן אִישׁ נוֹדֵד מִמְּקוֹמוֹ" , וּנְטִיר לָהּ וְאוֹמֵי דְּלָא יְתֵיב לְאַתְרֵיהּ עַד דְּיַחֲזִיר לָהּ לְאַתְרָהּ, הִנֵּה גַּם הוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵנוּ מְדֻכָּא לִרְצוֹנוֹ מֵעֲוֹנֹתֵינוּ וּרְפוּאַת שְׁנֵיהֶם בְּיָדֵינוּ. וְרָאוּי לְבַקְּרָם וּלְהַזְמִין צָרְכֵיהֶם בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת.
The explanation of the second [phrase], "lay apples below me" is to connect Her between Victory (Netsach) and Majesty (Hod). As Her couch is there, in Her being white and red - like those apples the colors of which are mixed - from the side of Kindness. And he needs to visit Her, remember Her and to beseech Her countenance, that She accept food and drink from the Highest flow, which She prevents from Herself and [accordingly] makes Her soul pine for the travail of Israel. In the way that it is with physical patients, so is it with Highest Patients, as She is sick, like we said. And He is [also] sick, as He is 'wandering' from His place - the world to come, Understanding - 'and roaming' from Her in this World; as it is written (Proverbs 27:8), "As a bird roaming from its nest" - which is the Divine Presence - "so is a man roaming from his place." And He waits for Her and swears to Her that He will not return to His place until He brings Her back to Her place. Behold, He is also 'wounded because of our sins, willingly crushed because of our iniquities.' And the healing of both of Them is in our hands. And it is fitting to visit Them and to procure Their needs through Torah [study] and through [fulfillment of] the commandments.
רְבִיעִית - לָתֵת צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים. וְדֻגְמָתָם יְסוֹד וּמַלְכוּת. וְהַצְּדָקָה הָרְאוּיָה אֲלֵיהֶם פֵּרְשׁוּ בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תִּקּוּן י"ח, דַּף ל"ג.) לְקַיֵּם צ' אָמֵנִים ד' קְדֻשּׁוֹת ק' בְּרָכוֹת ה' חֻמְּשֵׁי תוֹרָה, בְּכָל יוֹם. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ יַמְשִׁיךְ צְדָקָה מִתִּפְאֶרֶת לָעֲנִיִּים הַלָּלוּ וְיַזְמִין אֲלֵיהֶם "לֶקֶט" מֵהַסְּפִירוֹת כֻּלָּם, "שִׁכְחָה" מִסּוֹד הָעֹמֶר הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁהִיא בִּינָה "וּפֵאָה" מִבְּחִינַת הַמַּלְכוּת עַצְמָהּ שֶׁהִיא פֵּאָה לִשְׁאָר הַמִּדּוֹת, וּכְתִיב (וַיִּקְרָא יט, י): "לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם" שֶׁאֲפִילוּ הַתִּפְאֶרֶת גֵּר לְמַטָּה בַּמַּלְכוּת, וְצָרִיךְ לָתֵת לוֹ מֵאֵלּוּ הַתִּקּוּנִים, וְכֵן מַעֲשֵׂר עָנִי לְהַעֲלוֹת הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁהִיא מַעֲשֵׂר אֶל הַיְסוֹד הַנִּקְרָא עָנִי וְאִם יְקַשְּׁרֶנָהּ בַּתִּפְאֶרֶת יִתֵּן מִן הַמַּעֲשֵׂר אֶל הַגֵּר. וְכַמָּה תִּקּוּנִים נִכְלָלִים בָּזֶה.
The fourth: To give charity (tsedekah) to the poor, the model of whom is Foundation and Kingship. And they have explained in the Tikkunim (Tikkun 18, p. 33a) that the charity that is fit for Them is to every day implement ninety [recitations of] amen, four [of] kedushah, one hundred blessings and five books of the Torah (as these numbers corresponds to the letters that spell out the word, tsedekah). And in this way, everyone [should] draw charity from Splendor to these Poor Ones. And he [should] procure for Them gleanings from all of the Sefirot, forgotten sheaves from the secret of the Highest Sheaf - which is Understanding - and the corner from the aspect of Kingship itself, as it is the corner for the other traits (it is the outermost Sefirah). It is written (Leviticus 19:10), "for the poor and the stranger shall you leave them" - as even Splendor is a stranger [when it is] below in Kingship, and one must give It from these reparations. And so [too, must one give] the poor tithe, to bring up Kingship, which is Tithe, to the Foundation, which is called the Poor. And if he connects it with Splendor, he will give from the Tithe to the Stranger. And several reparations are included in this.
חֲמִישִׁית - הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים. הֵם הַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַיְסוֹד לָתֵת לָהֶם בֵּית מְנוּחָה שֶּׁיָּנוּחוּ בָהּ דְּהַיְנוּ הַמַּלְכוּת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהֵם הוֹלְכֵי דְּרָכִים בְּסוֹד הַגְלוֹת לְחַזֵּר עַל אֲבֵדָתָם צָרִיךְ לְהַכְנִיסָם שָׁם. וּלְפִי הַמִּתְבָּאֵר בַּזֹּהַר (וַיֵּרָא, ח"א קטו:) שֶׁזֶּה הַמִּצְוָה מִתְקַיֶּמֶת בְּהוֹלְכֵי עַל דֶּרֶךְ שִׂיחוֹ, שֶׁהֵם הַמִּתְגָּרְשִׁים מִבֵּיתֵיהֶם לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁגּוֹרְמִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָאוֹרְחִים עוֹסְקִים בְּצָרְכֵי הַמַּלְכוּת. וְכֵן כָּל הָעוֹשֶׂה יִחוּד אֶל הַתִּפְאֶרֶת בַּמַּלְכוּת מִבְּחִינָה אַחֶרֶת וְקוֹבֵעַ מָקוֹם לְתוֹרָתוֹ, גּוֹרֵם שֶׁהַתִּפְאֶרֶת יַעֲשֶׂה מְלוֹנוֹ בַּמַּלְכוּת. וְכֵן פֵּרְשׁוּ בַּתִּקּוּנִים (בַּהַקְדָּמָה) וְאֶל הָאוֹרְחִים צָרִיךְ לְהָכִין אֲכִילָה שְׁתִיָּה לְוָיָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַכְנִיס הַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַיְסוֹד אֶל הַמַּלְכוּת וְלָתֵת לָהֶם שָׁם "אֲכִילָה" מֵעֵין "בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי" (שיר השירים ה, א) שֶׁהוּא שֶׁפַע רָאוּי לַהַנְהָגָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה הַמִּתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת מִצַּד הַגְּבוּרָה הַמְּתוּקָה. וּ"שְׁתִיָּה" מֵעֵין "שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם חֲלָבִי" שֶׁהוּא שֶׁפַע פְּנִימִי מִן הַיַּיִן הַמְּשֻׁמָּר וּמִסּוֹד הֶחָלָב הַמִּתְמַתֵּק לְקַשֵּׁר הַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַמַּלְכוּת -יַעֲקֹב וְרָחֵל, וְהַגְּבוּרָה בְּנֶצַח אוֹ בְּהוֹד כִּי כֵן פֵּרְשׁוּ בְּרַעְיָא מְהֵימְנָא (וַיִּקְרָא, דַּף ד.). וְהַ"לְּוָיָה" לְהָבִיא עַצְמוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ שָׁם עִמָּהֶם בִּדְיוֹקַן עֶלְיוֹן לְלַוּוֹתָם שָׁם. עוֹד לְהָבִיא שְׁאָר הַסְּפִירוֹת שָׁם עִמָּהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם לְוָיָה טוֹבָה. וְכַמָּה דְּבָרִים נִכְלָלִים בְּתִקּוּן זֶה.
The fifth: Bringing in guests. [The guests] are Splendor and Foundation - to give them a house for resting, such that they rest there, meaning in Kingship. Since They are Wayfarers in the secret of the exile - to search for Their lost object - he must bring Them in there. And according to what is elucidated in the Zohar, Vayera 1:115b, this commandment is implemented by those who are 'wayfarers that speak'; which are those expelled from their houses to be involved in Torah [study], who cause that the Guests will be involved in the needs of Kingship. And so [too,] anyone who creates a unification for Splendor in Kingship from another aspect and fixes a place for his Torah [study], causes Splendor to make its residence in Kingship. And so did they explain in the Tikkunim (in the Introduction). And one must prepare food, drink and escort for the Guests. That is that one must bring in Splendor and Foundation to Kingship; give them food, similar to, "I have come to my garden, I have eaten my honeycombs and my honey" (Song of Songs 5:1), which is the flow that is fitting for the lower governance that extends from the side of the sweetened Severity; and drink, similar to "I have drunk my wine with my milk", which is the inner flow from the wine that is guarded, and from the secret of the milk sweetened to connect Splendor and Kingship - [which are] Yaakov and Rachel - and Severity with Victory or with Majesty. As so did they explain in the Raaya Meheimena (Vayikra, p. 4b). And the escort is to bring himself and his soul There with Them in their Highest Replication, to escort Them There; also to bring the other Sefirot There with Them to make a good escort for Them. And there are several things included in this reparation.
כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר, יִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּצֹרֶךְ הֶדְיוֹט וִיכַוֵּן בִּרְמִיזָתוֹ וּמֻבְטָח הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לְמַעְלָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ אַחַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּקִי בַּסּוֹדוֹת. וּמַה טוֹב לְהַזְכִּיר בְּפִיו רְמִיזַת כַּוָּנָתוֹ הַנְּכוֹנָה בִּשְׁעַת מַעֲשֶׂה לְקַיֵּם "בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ" (דברים ל, יד).
The general principle of the thing is that he make efforts about the needs of the commoner (a person) and have intention for its allusion. And [so] he can be assured that Above will be done similar to [what he is doing], once he is an expert in the secrets. And how good is it to mention the allusion of his intention with his mouth at the time of the deed, to fulfill "in your mouth and in your heart to do it" (Deuteronomy 30:14)!
שִׁשִּׁית - עֵסֶק הַחַי עִם הַמֵּת. וְדָבָר זֶה הֵיאַךְ יִתְיַחֵס לְמַעְלָה קָשֶׁה מְאֹד, כִּי הוּא סוֹד הַסְּפִירוֹת שֶׁהֵם מִתַּעֲלֻמוֹת וּמִסְתַּלְּקוֹת אֶל נַרְתִּיקָן לְמַעְלָה כַּמָּה צָרִיךְ לְתַקְּנָן לְהַרְחִיצָן מִכָּל חֶלְאַת עָוֹן וּלְהַלְבִּישָׁן לְבָנִים לִבּוּנֵי הַסְּפִירוֹת בְּאוֹר הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב, לְהִתְעַלּוֹת בְּסוֹד אֶחָד לְקָשְׁרָם לְמַעְלָה וְלָשֵׂאת אֹתָם עַל הַכָּתֵף סוֹד עִלּוּי הַסְּפִירוֹת אַחַת אֶל אֶחָת עַד שֶׁיִּתְעַלּוּ לְמַעְלָה מֵהַכָּתֵף שֶׁהוּא תְּחִלַּת חִבּוּר הַזְּרוֹעַ בַּגּוּף, וּלְמַעְלָה מִזֶּה הוּא סוֹד הַהֶעְלֵם שֶׁאֵין הַשָּׂגָה בוֹ. וִיכַוֵּן בְּסוֹד הַקְּבוּרָה לְפָסוּק (דְּבָרִים לד, ו): "וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ בַגַּי" דִּמְתַּרְגְּמִינַן בִּתְלֵיסַר מְכִילִין דְּרַחֲמֵי, שֶׁהֵן נוֹבְעוֹת בַּכֶּתֶר בִּבְחִינוֹתָיו הַפֹּנוֹת לְמַטָּה לְרַחֵם בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וּמִשָּׁם יַעֲלֶה הַנִּקְבָּר אֶל הָעֵדֶן הָעֶלְיוֹן חָכְמָה שֶׁבַּכֶּתֶר, וְצָרִיךְ הִתְיַשְּׁבוּת הַדַּעַת בָּזֶה מְאֹד.
The sixth: The dealing of the living with the dead. And how this thing relates to the Above is very difficult, as it is [a] secret of the Sefirot, that become hidden and withdraw into Their containers above. How much must one repair Them to wash Them from every sickness of iniquity; to clothe Them in white - the whitening of the Sefirot in the light of the good deed - to have Them rise up in the secret of one; to connect Them above; and to carry Them on the Shoulder, [which is] the secret of the raising of the Sefirot, One by One, until they are risen up over the Shoulder which is the beginning of the joining of the Forearm with the Body. But above this is the secret of hiding, about which there is no comprehension. And about the secret of burial, he should have intention for the verse (Deuteronomy 34:6), "And He buried him in the valley (gai)," which we translate [into Aramaic], "with thirteen crowns of mercy" (as the numerical equivalent of gai is thirteen). As they emerge from the Crown from its aspects that face downwards to have mercy on the Ones below. And from there the buried, rises to the Highest Eden - Wisdom in the Crown. And there is a need for much concentration in this.
שְׁבִיעִית - הַכְנָסַת כַּלָּה לְחֻפָּה. וּבָזֶה נִכְלָלִים כָּל צָרְכֵי הַיִּחוּד שֶׁכָּל הַתְּפִלּוֹת וְהַיִּחוּדִים הֵם סוֹד הַכְנָסַת כַּלָּה לַחֻפָּה, וְעִקָּרָהּ בְּסוֹד הַתְּפִלָּה מִכַּמָּה מַדְרֵגוֹת זוֹ אַחַר זוֹ: קָרְבָּנוֹת, זְמִירוֹת, תְּפִילָה מְיֻשָּׁב שֶׁבָּהּ קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּבִרְכוֹתֶיהָ, אַחַר כָּךְ תְּפִלָה מְעֻמָּד וּשְׁאָר תִּקּוּנִים הַבָּאִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם, הַכֹּל גְּמִילוּת חֶסֶד אֶל הֶחָתָן וְהַכַּלָּה לְפַקֵּחַ עַל צָרְכֵיהֶם, וְתִקּוּנֵי זִווּגָם.
The seventh: Bringing a bride under the canopy. And all of the needs of unification are included in this, as all of the prayers and the unifications are the secret of bringing a bride under the canopy. And its essence is the secret of prayer of several levels, this after that - the [recital of the] sacrifices; the [songs]; the sitting prayer in which there is the recital of Shema and its blessings; the standing prayer afterwards; and the rest of the reparations that come after them. It is all the bestowal of kindness upon the Groom and the Bride, to supervise all of Their needs and the reparations of Their pairing.
שְׁמִינִית - הֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ. שֶׁהֵם הַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהַיְסוֹד, לִפְעָמִים יִתְרַחֲקוּ זֶה מִזֶּה וְצָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁלִימָם וּלְתַקְּנָם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שָׁוִים וְנִקְשָׁרִים יַחַד בְּאַהֲבָה וְחִבָּה וְזֶה עַל יְדֵי כִּשְׁרוֹן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַטּוֹב שֶׁכַּאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה הַיְסוֹד נֹטֶה אֶל הַשְּׂמֹאל וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת אֶל הַיְּמִין, אָז הֵם נֶגְדִּיִּים זֶה לָזֶה עַד שֶׁהַיְּסוֹד יִטֶּה אֶל הַיָּמִין כָּמוֹהוּ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יֵשׁ אֵיזֶה פְּגַם שֶׁל עָוֹן בָּעוֹלָם אָז יֵשׁ שִׂנְאָה וְנֶגְדִּיִּוּת בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם וְאֵין יִחוּד נִקְשָׁר בֵּין הַסְּפִירוֹת כְּלָל. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה יִהְיֶה גַּם כֵּן בֵּין כָּל שְׁתֵּי סְפִירוֹת שֶׁהֵם יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל, בֵּין הַחָכְמָה וְהַבִּינָה אוֹ בֵּין הַחֶסֶד וְהַגְּבוּרָה אוֹ בֵּין הַנֵּצַח וְהַהוֹד, צָרִיךְ לְהַכְנִיס שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם וְהַיְּנוּ הֲבָאַת שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ וְכֵן בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ דְּהַיְנוּ הַיְסוֹד שָׁלוֹם בֵּין הַתִּפְאֶרֶת וּמַלְכוּת וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה מִדַּרְכֵי שָׁלוֹם, הוּא גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים לְמַעְלָה:
The eighth: The bringing of peace between a man and his fellow, which are Splendor and Foundation. Sometimes, They become distant One from the Other, and there is a need to bring peace between Them and to repair Them, that They be parallel and connected together in love and amity. And this [happens] through the propriety of the good deed. As when Foundation inclines to the left and Splendor to the right, They are then in opposition One to the Other - until Foundation inclines to the right like [Splendor has]. But when there is, God forbid, a defect of iniquity in the world, then there is hatred and opposition between the two of Them, and unification among the Sefirot is not connected at all. And in this way is it also between all the [pairs] of Sefirot that are right and left: between Wisdom and Understanding; between Kindness and Severity; and between Victory and Majesty - one needs to bring peace (a middle Sefirah) between Them, and that is [the meaning of] the bringing of peace between a Man and his Fellow. And likewise, between a Man and His Wife is that the Foundation is peace between Splendor and Kingship. And everything that is similar to this in the ways of peace is [accounted as] acts of kindness Above.