112.
The
Three
Angels
I
heard
on
VaYera,
October
1942
Understand:
-
The
matter
of
the
three
angels
that
came
to
visit
Abraham
during
the
circumcision.
-
The
matter
of
the
Creator
coming
to
visit
him
and
what
He
told
him
during
the
visit.
-
That
our
sages
said
that
the
visitor
takes
one
sixtieth
of
the
sickness.
-
The
separation
from
Lot.
-
The
destruction
of
Sodom
and
Gomorrah.
-
Abraham’s
request
not
to
destroy
Sodom.
-
The
matter
of
Lot’s
wife
looking
back
and
becoming
a
pillar
of
salt.
-
The
matter
of
Shimon
and
Levi’s
deceit
of
the
people
of
Shechem
concerning
the
circumcision,
when
they
said,
“for
it
is
a
disgrace
to
us.”
-
The
matter
of
the
two
separations
that
came
out
from
Lot,
which
were
erased
in
the
days
of
David
and
Solomon,
which
are
opposite
to
one
another.
To
understand
the
above,
we
should
first
say
that
we
know
that
we
discern
Olam
[world],
Shanna
[year],
and
Nefesh
[soul]
in
everything.
Hence,
concerning
the
circumcision,
too,
which
is
the
making
of
the
covenant
of
the
skin,
applies
the
matter
of
Olam,
Shanna,
Nefesh.
(There
are
four
covenants:
eyes,
tongue,
heart,
and
skin;
and
the
skin
includes
them
all.)
The
skin,
considered
the
foreskin,
is
the
Behina
Dalet
[Phase
Four],
which
should
be
removed
to
its
place,
meaning
to
the
dust.
This
is
considered
Malchut
in
her
place,
that
is,
lowering
Malchut
to
a
state
of
dust.
This
follows
the
words,
“Abba
[father]
gives
the
white,”
meaning
lowers
Malchut
from
all
thirty-two
paths
to
its
place.
And
you
find
that
the
Sefirot
have
been
whitened
from
the
Aviut
[thickness]
of
Malchut
of
the
quality
of
judgment
that
was
in
them,
since
the
breaking
occurred
because
of
this
Malchut.
Afterward,
Ima
[mother]
gives
the
red,
when
she
receives
the
Malchut
that
is
sweetened
in
Bina,
called
“earth,”
and
not
“dust.”
This
is
so
because
we
make
two
discernments
in
Malchut:
1)
earth,
2)
dust.
Earth
is
Malchut
that
is
sweetened
in
Bina,
called
“Malchut
that
has
risen
to
Bina.”
Dust
is
called
“Malchut
in
the
place
of
Malchut,”
which
is
Midat
ha
Din
[the
quality
of
judgment].
When
Abraham
had
to
beget
Isaac,
who
is
discerned
as
the
whole
of
Israel,
he
had
to
purify
himself
with
the
circumcision
so
that
Israel
would
emerge
pure.
The
circumcision,
with
respect
to
its
Nefesh
[soul],
is
called
“circumcision”
and
concerns
the
removal
of
the
foreskin
and
throwing
it
to
a
place
of
dust.
The
Olam
[world]
in
the
circumcision
is
called
“the
destruction
of
Sodom
and
Gomorrah.”
The
Hitkalelut
[mingling/integration]
of
the
souls
in
the
world
(a
world
means
Hitkalelut
of
many
souls)
is
called
“Lot,”
and
the
circumcision
in
the
world
is
called
“the
destruction
of
Sodom.”
The
healing
of
the
pain
of
circumcision
is
called
“the
saving
of
Lot.”
Lot
comes
from
the
word
“cursed
land,”
called
Behina
Dalet.
We
should
know
that
when
one
has
been
awarded
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator,
when
he
has
equivalence
of
form
and
his
only
wish
is
to
bestow
and
not
receive
anything
for
his
own
benefit,
he
comes
to
a
state
where
he
has
no
room
to
work.
This
is
because
that
person
does
not
need
anything
for
himself;
and
for
the
Creator,
he
sees
that
the
Creator
has
no
deficiencies.
Hence,
he
remains
standing,
without
work.
This
causes
him
the
great
pain
of
the
circumcision,
since
the
circumcision
gave
him
room
to
work,
as
circumcision
is
the
removal
of
the
desire
to
receive
for
oneself.
It
turns
out
that
by
removing
the
will
to
receive,
when
it
no
longer
controls
him,
he
has
nothing
more
to
add
to
his
work.
There
is
a
correction
to
this:
Even
after
one
has
been
rewarded
with
circumcising
himself
from
the
will
to
receive,
there
still
remain
sparks
of
Behina
Dalet
in
him,
and
they,
too,
are
awaiting
correction.
They
are
sweetened
only
by
extending
lights
of
Gadlut
[greatness/adulthood],
and
thus
one
has
room
for
work.
This
is
the
meaning
of
Abraham
the
Patriarch’s
pains
after
the
circumcision,
and
the
Creator
coming
to
visit
him.
This
is
also
the
meaning
of
the
angel
Raphael
healing
his
pain
(and
we
cannot
say
that
since
with
the
four
angels,
the
order
is
that
Michael
is
on
the
right,
Gabriel
is
on
the
left,
and
Uriel
is
at
the
front,
and
behind,
which
is
Malchut,
implied
in
the
west,
it
is
Raphael.
This
is
because
he
heals
Malchut
after
the
removal
of
the
foreskin,
so
there
will
be
more
room
for
work).
And
the
second
angel
came
to
destroy
Sodom.
This
means
that
the
removal
of
the
foreskin
in
the
quality
of
Nefesh
is
called
“circumcision,”
and
in
the
quality
of
Olam,
it
is
called
“the
destruction
of
Sodom.”
As
they
said,
after
the
removal
of
the
foreskin
there
remains
pain,
and
then
we
need
to
heal
that
pain.
Similarly,
in
the
destruction
of
Sodom,
the
healing
is
called
“the
saving
of
Lot,”
due
to
two
good
separations
that
were
about
to
unfold.
It
is
seemingly
difficult
to
understand
the
matter
of
the
good
separation.
If
it
is
separation,
how
can
it
be
good?
Rather,
following
the
removal
of
the
foreskin,
there
is
pain.
This
is
because
one
has
no
room
for
work.
And
those
separations,
the
sparks
that
remain
of
Behina
Dalet,
give
one
room
for
work
in
that
he
needs
to
correct
them.
They
cannot
be
corrected
prior
to
the
removal
of
the
foreskin,
since
first,
the
248
sparks
must
be
elevated
and
corrected.
Subsequently,
the
thirty-two
sparks,
called
“the
stony
heart,”
are
corrected.
Hence,
first
the
foreskin
must
be
removed
completely.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
necessity
of
having
a
secret,
that
one
should
not
know
ahead
of
time,
for
they
should
remain
in
the
form
of
a
Reshimo
[recollection].
And
this
is
the
meaning
of
Sod
[secret]:
Through
the
correction
of
the
circumcision,
which
is
the
disruption
of
the
Yesod
[foundation],
meaning
disrupting
the
Yod
[the
first
letter
in
Yesod].
Then,
the
Sod
becomes
Yesod.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
angel
Raphael
subsequently
going
to
save
Lot
because
of
the
“good
separations.”
This
is
the
meaning
of
Rut
and
Naomi,
considered
mind
and
heart.
Rut
comes
from
the
word
Re’uia
[worthy],
when
the
Aleph
is
unpronounced.
And
Naomi
is
from
the
word
Noam
[pleasantness],
something
that
is
pleasant
to
the
heart,
which
were
then
sweetened
in
David
and
Solomon.
However,
previously,
the
angel
said,
“look
not
behind
you,”
since
“Lot”
is
Behina
Dalet,
but
she
is
still
connected
to
Abraham.
However,
“behind
you,”
past
Behina
Dalet,
there
is
only
raw
Behina
Dalet,
without
sweetening.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
great
sea
monsters,
of
which
our
sages
said
that
it
is
a
Leviathan
(whale)
and
his
spouse,
which
killed
the
Nukva
and
salted
her
for
the
righteous
in
the
future.
The
future
means
after
all
the
corrections.
This
is
the
meaning
of
Lot’s
wife
looking
behind
her,
as
it
is
written,
“But
his
wife
looked
back
from
behind
him,
and
she
became
a
pillar
of
salt.”
However,
she
first
had
to
be
killed,
which
is
the
destruction
of
Sodom.
But
Lot,
who
is
considered
the
Leviathan
(the
connection
between
Behina
Dalet
and
Abraham)
had
to
be
saved.
This
explains
a
common
question,
How
could
the
angel
that
healed
Abraham
save
Lot?
After
all,
there
is
a
rule:
One
angel
does
not
perform
two
missions.
However,
this
is
the
same
issue,
since
there
has
to
remain
a
Reshimo
from
Behina
Dalet.
But
it
must
be
a
secret.
This
means
that
before
he
circumcised
himself,
there
was
no
need
to
know
anything
of
it.
Rather,
she
had
to
be
put
to
death.
And
the
Creator
salted
her
for
the
righteous
in
the
future,
when
the
Sod
became
Yesod.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
strife
between
the
herdsmen
of
Abraham’s
cattle
and
the
herdsmen
of
Lot’s
cattle
(Mikneh
[cattle]
means
spiritual
Kinyanim
[possessions]).
This
is
because
Abraham’s
cattle
was
for
the
purpose
of
increasing
the
quality
of
Abraham—faith.
This
means
that
in
this
manner
he
took
for
himself
greater
forces
to
go
above
reason,
since
he
saw
that
specifically
in
this
way
of
faith
above
reason,
one
is
rewarded
with
all
the
possessions.
It
follows
that
the
reason
he
wanted
the
possessions
was
that
these
possessions
would
testify
to
the
way,
called
“faith
above
reason,”
which
is
a
true
path.
The
evidence
of
this
is
that
since
he
is
given
spiritual
possessions
from
above,
through
the
possessions,
he
strains
to
go
only
by
way
of
faith
above
reason.
But
he
does
not
want
the
spiritual
possessions
because
they
are
great
degrees
and
attainments.
This
means
that
it
is
not
that
he
believes
in
the
Creator
in
order
to
achieve
great
attainments
through
faith.
Rather,
he
needs
great
attainments
so
as
to
know
that
he
is
treading
a
true
path.
Thus,
after
all
the
Gadlut,
he
wants
specifically
to
walk
in
the
path
of
faith,
since
through
it
he
sees
that
he
is
doing
something.
However,
the
only
intention
of
the
herdsmen
of
Lot’s
cattle
was
to
achieve
great
possessions
and
attainments.
This
is
called
“increasing
the
quality
of
Lot.”
Lot
is
called
“the
cursed
land,”
which
is
one’s
will
to
receive,
called
Behina
Dalet,
whether
in
mind
or
in
heart.
This
is
why
Abraham
said,
“Please
part
from
me,”
that
is,
that
Behina
Dalet
would
be
separated
from
him,
from
the
Behina
of
Olam-Shanna-Nefesh.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
removal
of
the
foreskin.
The
removal
of
Behina
Dalet
in
Nefesh
is
called
“circumcision.”
In
the
Behina
of
Olam,
the
removal
of
the
foreskin
is
called
“the
destruction
of
Sodom”;
and
from
the
Behina
of
Shanna,
it
is
the
Hitkalelut
of
many
souls,
and
it
is
called
Shanna
[year].
This
is
the
quality
of
Lot,
from
the
word
“curse,”
called
“the
cursed
land.”
Hence,
when
Abraham
said
to
Lot,
“Please
part
from
me,”
still,
Lot
was
the
son
of
Haran,
referring
to
the
second
restriction,
called
“a
river
that
flows
out
of
Eden
to
water
the
garden.”
And
there
is
the
discernment
of
“beyond
the
river,”
being
outside
the
river,
meaning
the
first
Tzimtzum
[restriction],
and
there
is
a
difference
between
the
first
Tzimtzum
and
the
second
Tzimtzum.
In
the
first
Tzimtzum,
the
Dinim
[judgments]
stand
below
all
the
Sefirot
of
Kedusha
[holiness],
as
they
emerged
in
the
beginning,
by
the
order
of
the
hanging
down
of
the
worlds.
In
the
second
Tzimtzum,
however,
they
rose
to
the
place
of
Kedusha
and
already
have
a
hold
of
Kedusha.
Hence,
in
this
respect,
they
are
worse
than
the
first
Tzimtzum;
they
have
no
further
expansion.
The
“land
of
Canaan”
is
from
the
second
Tzimtzum,
which
are
very
bad
because
they
have
a
hold
on
Kedusha.
This
is
why
it
is
written
about
them,
“you
shall
not
sustain
any
soul.”
The
quality
of
Lot,
however,
Behina
Dalet,
must
be
saved.
Hence,
the
three
angels
came
as
one:
one
for
the
blessing
of
the
seed,
considered
the
whole
of
Israel,
implying
also
the
multiplication
in
the
Torah.
This
is
the
meaning
of
disclosing
the
secrets
of
Torah,
which
is
called
Banim
[sons],
from
the
word
Havanah
[understanding].
It
is
possible
to
attain
all
this
only
after
the
correction
of
the
circumcision.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
Creator’s
words:
“Shall
I
hide
from
Abraham
that
which
I
am
doing?”
Abraham
was
afraid
of
Sodom’s
destruction,
lest
he
would
lose
all
the
vessels
of
reception.
This
is
why
he
said,
“Perhaps
there
are
fifty
righteous
within
the
city?”
because
a
complete
Partzuf
is
fifty
degrees.
And
afterwards
he
asked,
“Perhaps
there
are
forty-five
righteous?”
meaning
Aviut
of
Behina
Gimel,
which
is
forty,
and
the
Dalet
de
Hitlabshut
[clothing],
which
is
VAK,
half
a
degree,
being
five
Sefirot,
etc.
Finally,
he
asked,
“Perhaps
there
are
ten
righteous?”
meaning
the
level
of
Malchut,
which
is
only
ten.
Hence,
when
Abraham
saw
that
even
the
level
of
Malchut
could
not
emerge
from
there,
he
agreed
to
the
destruction
of
Sodom.
It
turns
out
that
when
the
Creator
came
to
visit
him,
he
prayed
for
Sodom,
as
it
is
written,
“according
to
its
cry,”
meaning
that
they
were
all
immersed
in
the
will
to
receive.
“Altogether…
and
if
not,
I
will
know.”
This
means
that
if
there
are
discernments
of
bestowal
in
them,
then
we
will
know.
This
is
a
matter
of
bonding,
meaning
He
will
connect
them
to
the
Kedusha
[holiness].
Since
Abraham
saw
that
no
good
would
come
from
them,
he
agreed
to
the
destruction
of
Sodom.
This
is
why
after
Lot’s
separation
from
Abraham,
it
is
written,
“[he]
moved
his
tent
as
far
as
Sodom,”
the
dwelling
place
of
the
will
to
receive,
with
respect
to
himself.
This
is
only
in
the
land
of
Israel.
However,
beyond
the
river,
which
is
the
first
Tzimtzum,
the
domination
of
Behina
Dalet,
there
is
no
room
for
work.
This
is
because
it
rules
and
prevails
in
its
own
place,
and
only
in
the
land
of
Israel,
considered
the
second
Tzimtzum,
there
is
all
the
work.
This
is
the
meaning
of
Abraham’s
name
Be
Hey
Bera’am
[created
them
with
the
Hey].
This
means
that
the
Yod
of
Sarai
divided
into
two
Heys—the
lower
Hey
and
the
upper
Hey—where
Abraham
took
form
the
Hitkalelut
of
the
lower
Hey
with
the
upper
Hey.
Now
we
can
understand
Shimon
and
Levi
who
deceived
the
men
of
Shechem.
Since
Shechem
wanted
Dinah,
since
his
whole
intention
was
the
will
to
receive,
they
said
that
they
had
to
be
circumcised,
meaning
to
cancel
the
vessels
of
reception.
Since
their
only
aim
was
in
the
will
to
receive,
they
were
killed
by
the
circumcision,
by
losing
the
will
to
receive
through
the
circumcision.
For
them,
this
was
considered
death.
It
therefore
follows
that
they
themselves
deceived,
since
their
whole
intention
was
in
Dinah,
their
sister.
They
thought
that
they
could
receive
Dinah
in
the
vessels
of
reception.
Hence,
once
they
were
circumcised,
and
then
wanted
to
receive
Dinah,
they
could
only
use
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
and
they
had
lost
the
vessels
of
reception
by
the
circumcision.
But
since
they
lacked
the
spark
of
bestowal,
since
Shechem
was
the
son
of
Hamor,
who
knows
nothing
but
the
vessels
of
reception,
they
could
not
receive
Dinah
in
the
vessels
of
bestowal,
as
this
is
against
their
root,
for
their
root
is
only
Hamor,
the
will
to
receive.
Hence,
they
came
out
empty
both
ways.
This
is
considered
that
Shimon
and
Levi
caused
their
death.
But
actually,
it
was
their
own
fault,
not
Shimon’s
and
Levi’s.
This
is
the
meaning
of
the
words
of
our
sages:
“If
you
come
across
a
villain,
draw
him
to
the
seminary.”
We
must
understand
what
“If
you
come
across”
means.
It
means
that
the
villain,
meaning
the
will
to
receive,
is
not
always
found.
Rather,
it
means
that
not
everyone
considers
their
will
to
receive
“a
villain.”
Rather,
if
someone
feels
the
will
to
receive
as
a
villain
and
wants
to
get
rid
of
it,
as
it
is
written,
“One
should
always
vex
the
good
inclination
over
the
evil
inclination,”
if
he
prevails,
good;
and
if
not,
he
should
engage
in
the
Torah,
and
if
not,
he
should
read
the
Shema
reading,
and
if
not,
he
should
remind
him
of
the
day
of
his
death”
(Berachot,
p
5).
In
that
state,
he
has
three
counsels
together,
and
one
without
the
others
is
incomplete.
Now
we
can
understand
the
common
question
with
which
the
Gemara
ends:
If
the
first
advice—“pull
him
to
the
seminary”—does
not
help,
then
“read
the
Shema
reading.”
And
if
that
does
not
help,
“remind
him
of
the
day
of
his
death.”
Thus,
if
he
is
doubtful
of
their
help,
why
does
he
need
the
first
two
counsels?
Why
should
he
not
take
the
last
advice
right
away,
meaning
reminding
him
of
the
day
of
death?
He
answers
that
this
does
not
mean
that
one
counsel
will
help,
but
that
it
requires
all
three
counsels
together.
And
this
means:
-
Pull
him
to
the
seminary,
meaning
the
Torah.
-
Read
the
Shema
reading,
meaning
the
Creator
and
Dvekut
[adhesion]
with
the
Creator.
-
Remind
him
of
the
day
of
death,
meaning
devotion.
This
is
considered
Israel,
who
are
likened
to
a
dove
that
stretches
out
its
neck.
In
other
words,
all
three
discernments
are
one
unity
called
“The
Torah,
Israel,
and
the
Creator
are
one.”
One
can
receive
assistance
from
a
rav
[great
person/teacher]
for
the
quality
of
the
Torah
and
the
reading
of
Shema.
However,
for
the
quality
of
Israel,
which
is
the
circumcision,
which
is
devotion,
one
has
to
work
by
himself.
Even
though
there
is
help
from
above
for
this,
too,
as
our
sages
said,
“and
made
a
covenant
with
him,”
meaning
that
the
Creator
helped
him,
still,
man
must
begin.
This
is
the
meaning
of
“remind
him
of
the
day
of
death.”
We
must
always
remember
and
not
forget,
since
this
is
the
essence
of
man’s
work.
And
concerning
the
Reshimot
that
we
must
leave,
by
way
of
Lot’s
salvation,
it
is
because
of
two
good
separations,
which
is
the
meaning
of
Haman
and
Mordecai.
Mordecai
wants
only
to
bestow;
he
has
no
need
to
extend
lights
of
Gadlut.
But
through
Haman,
who
wants
to
swallow
all
the
lights
into
his
authority,
through
him,
he
is
the
cause
that
evokes
man
to
draw
the
lights
of
Gadlut.
Yet,
after
he
has
already
extended
the
lights,
it
is
forbidden
to
receive
them
in
Haman’s
Kelim
[vessels],
called
“vessels
of
reception,”
but
only
in
the
vessels
of
bestowal.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
is
written,
that
the
King
told
Haman,
“and
do
so
to
Mordecai
the
Jew.”
This
is
considered
the
lights
of
Haman
shining
in
the
vessels
of
Mordecai.