Chapter 33: Rejoicing in G-ds Unity

11^th Adar

1.       Contemplating G-d’s unity to increase in one’s joy:

• There is another manner in which one can rejoice for soul especially at times that it requires rejoicing, and that is through contemplating G-d’s true oneness and unity. The following is the contemplation:
• All is naught before G-d: One is the contemplate that G-d fills all the worlds, the upper and lower worlds, including this physical world, and everything is considered nullified in His presence.
• G-d is alone just like He was before creation: G-d is alone in both the upper and lower worlds just like he was alone before creation. Prior to the creation of the physical world G-d filled all the space and the same applies now as well that He feels all the space without any difference at all, being that all the creations are nullified to Him.
• Like the nullification of letters of speech in their root: The nullification of all creations in the presence of G-d is like the nullification of the letters of speech and thought in their root and source in the essence of the soul. In their root and source, which are the 10 faculties of the soul, letters of speech and thought do not yet exist, and only their potential exists and hence they are nullified to their source. The same applies regarding all creation even after their creation by G-d.
• Like the nullification of a ray within the sun: The nullification of all creations in the presence of G-d is also like the nullification of the ray of the sun within the body of the sun. Although certainly the ray shines within the body of the sun even more than outside the sun, nonetheless, it is completely nullified to the sun itself, and is as if it does not exist. Similarly, the entire world with all its creations are nullified in their existence within the infinite light of G-d.

2. How contemplating G-d’s unity brings one to joy:

• Realizing that one is very close and unified with G-d: When one contemplates the above matter in depth and at length that he will come to a great rejoicing of the heart. The belief and faith that G-d fills even this world and that everything is a nullified to Him should cause one to rejoice in the realization that in truth he is unified with G-d at this very moment. [This belief shows the Jew that he in truth is very close to G-d, and he should therefore rejoice tremendously due to this realization of his closeness and unity with G-d.]

3. This is the entire purpose of man:

• The above realization that G-d is found everywhere, including here in this world, and that everything is nullified to Him, is the entire purpose of man’s creation, and the entire purpose of the creation of all the upper and lower worlds, to begin with. The purpose of the world’s creation is so G-d have a dwelling place below in this world [and this dwelling is realized and actualized when one recognizes the fact that at this very moment G-d already dwells here below.]

4. Rejoicing that even as a lowly person one can be united with the King:

• How great is the joy of a simpleton and lowly person when he can become close with a king of flesh and blood and live with him together in his palace, and certainly how infinitely greater must the joy be when one comes to the recognition that he is living with the King of all Kings, Hashem.

12^th Adar

5. Praising G-d each morning for the inheritance of His true unity:

• Dirah Betachtonim is Hashems Achdus below: The sages established that a person praise G-d each morning for having given him the recognition of G-d’s unity, as explained above, that the true unity of G-d exists even now, and that even now nothing exists other than him being that everything is nullified and united with Him, including the person himself, and hence already now G-d is actually dwelling in this world.
• Ashreinu Mah Tov Chelkeinu: The prayer in which this praise was established to be recited in is the prayer of, “Ashreinu Mah Tov Chelkeinu Umah Yafah Yerushaseinu.”
• This belief is an inheritance from our forefathers: In this prayer we praise G-d for our portion and inheritance is just like a person rejoices when he inherits a mass fortune that he did not have to work for, so too even more so one should infinitely rejoice over the inheritance that we received from our forefathers, which is the true belief in G-d’s unity that even now He dwells within us being that nothing exists other than Him.

6. Fulfilling all Mitzvos through Emuna in Achdus Hashem-The faith in G-d’s unity leads to the fulfillment of all 613 commands:

• All 613 commands are supported by faith: The sages state that Chabakuk established that the single mitzvah of faith encompasses and supports all the 613 commands that were given to the Jewish people.
• Faith in G-d’s unity leads to the fulfillment of all 613 commands: This means to say that one can view all 613 commands as if they were one command, which is the command involving the above faith of G-d’s unity, as through this belief of G-d’s unity will come fulfill all of the 613 commands.
• How-Treating the mitzvah of faith and its joy as the only mitzvah in the Torah: The above statement that all 613 commands are based on the command of faith can be realized through utterly rejoicing over the above faith and belief of G-d’s unity that even now one is completely united with G-d, and treating it as if this is the only mitzvah in the Torah, and that the fulfillment of this mitzvah alone is the entire purpose of his creation and the creation of all the worlds.
• This joy leads one to fulfill all the 613 commands: When one rejoices in the above then he can use the energy and vitality of this joy to elevate his soul very high and to overcome all of the internal and external challenges and obstacles that prevent him from properly fulfilling all the 613 commands [and hence it is found that this one mitzvah of faith leads to the fulfillment of all the other commands].

7. The joy in realization of one’s unity with G-d is similar to resurrection:

• On the above the verse states that “Bemunaso Yichyeh/ through faith one lives,” as this faith is literally like a resurrection, as it resurrects the soul with a great joy and vitality.

8. A double joy:

• This joy is a double joy.
  • One is living with G-d: The first joy is the joy of the soul which comprehends how G-d is very close to him and literally lives with him.

13^th Adar

• Rejoicing in G-d’s satisfaction: In addition, one is to doubly rejoice over the great joy and satisfaction that one gives G-d with this belief. This great satisfaction of G-d is due to the destruction of the evil forces, as will be explained next.

9.       The concealment of G-d affected by the Kelipos, and the pleasure it gives Hashem when He sees their downfall:

• Subduing evil and turning darkness to light: The reason this faith gives G-d such satisfaction is because through believing this one literarily subdues the side of evil and transforms darkness into light.
• The effect of the Kelipos: The evil in this world conceals and covers the light of G-d that is found with it.
• Until when will this happen: This concealment will continue until the end of days, when G-d will finally remove the spirit of impurity from the land, and allow every person to see His light.
• The Kelipos of the Diaspora: In the Diaspora, the Kelipos are especially strong, as the air of the Diaspora is impure and is filled with evil.
• The joy of G-d in their downfall: Now, there is no greater joy before G-d like the light and joy experienced from the light that comes from overturning the darkness. [Hence, a Jew should also rejoice in the fact that he has given great joy to G-d by destroying the side of evil with his faith and belief.]

10.   The meaning of the verse Yismach Yisrael Beosav:

• The above is the meaning of the verse which states that Israel should rejoice in its maker, as the verse is coming to say that every Jew should rejoice in the joy of G-d who in turn rejoices in His dwelling within the lower physical worlds which is filled with evil.

11.   Turning the world from a public domain for Kelipos, to a private domain for G-d:

• Through the above faith in G-d’s unity, we bring G-d to dwell down here below, and we turn the world from being a public domain with mountains of separateness from G-d, into a world of light which is a private domain for G-d.