To the honorable students, may the Creator be upon you:
I think that I don’t need to write you words of Torah because you have plenty in writing and in print. But who knows if they are still news to you, for “He renews in His goodness the work of creation each day and always.” Hence, one should be impressed and praise only with news.
Before Passover I wrote you novelties in the Torah, as it is said, “A good day of labor in the Torah” (the Torah of a festival). With this you will understand the words of our sages concerning fear of heaven, that “the whole world was created only to command this.” We should make a precision: it should have said “that” [“this” is used as male form and “that” as female form], since the Malchut, which is Halachah [code of law] and fear of heaven, is called “that,” and the Creator is called “this.”
However, it is known to those who are meticulous that when we speak of male and female together, we pronounce it in male form, and the Creator is called “this.” It is as written in the words of our sages, “In the future the Creator will make a dance for the righteous, and each will point with his finger and say, ‘Behold, this is our God ... this is the Lord for whom we hoped.’”
But prior to the correction of making a dance for the righteous, and Machol [dance] comes from Mechila [pardon], it is said, “He shall not enter at any time into the holy place,” due to the circle of twenty-eight times, fourteen for better and fourteen to the contrary. Rather, “By that shall Aaron come into the holy place,” meaning by the fourteen for the better, which is called “that.”
Our sages said, “The whole world was created only to command this,” meaning the unification of the Creator and His Divinity,” which are then called “this.” That is, up to here we must rise in the fear of exaltedness, in turning his reception into bestowal, while the giver, who is above the circle, can certainly bestow upon every time, even to the fourteen that are to the contrary, for in bestowal there is absolutely no evil, as has been thoroughly explained.
This is the meaning of the words, “Keep that forever for the inclination of the heart of Your people.” As long as we have not been awarded unity with the Creator as one thought, but rather as two thoughts, we therefore ask, “Keep that,” give us strength and power to come to the holy place by keeping the word “By that shall Aaron come into the holy place.” “Remember and keep were said in one utterance,” and by that it ascended to unite in the true unity, blessed and exalted be His name forever.
It is written, “Take no rest, and give Him no rest until He establishes, and He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” So we rush our pleas above, knock by knock, tirelessly, endlessly, and we do not weaken at all when He does not answer us. We believe He hears our prayer but He is waiting for us, for a time when we have the Kelim [vessels] to receive the faithful bounty, and then we will receive a reply for each and every prayer at once, since “the hand of the Lord will not be short,” God forbid.
This is the meaning of the words, “Children in whom there was no blemish ... and who have the strength to stand in the king's palace.” It teaches you that even those who have been rewarded with pardon for iniquities—which became as merits, by which the matter appears after the fact, and in whom there is no blemish—still need more strength to stand in the king’s palace, meaning to stand and pray, and wait tirelessly, with knock by knock until they elicit the complete desire from the Creator.
This is why we should learn this trade before we enter the king’s palace, meaning muster power and might to stand as a pillar of iron until we elicit the desire from the Creator, as it is written, “Take no rest.” Although the Creator seems silent and irresponsive, let it not cross your mind to be silent, too, “Take no rest.” This is not what the Creator aimed for with His silence, but rather to give you power to stand afterward in the king’s palace when you have no blemish. This is why, “and give Him no rest.” Naturally, all the works are taught while one is still outside the palace, for afterward there will be no time to dedicate to crafts.
Regards to all the students. Due to my worries, I cannot answer in greater detail, and I shall hope for the Lord and for His kindness.
Yehuda Leib