39. "And Hashem said to Moses, Speak to Aaron your brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place" (Vayikra 16:2). Rabbi Aba said: There are times before the Holy One, blessed be He, when His goodwill is found, blessings are available and one may ask petitions. There are other times when His graciousness is unavailable, blessings are not forthcoming and harsh decrees are aroused in the world. There are times when Judgment is impending. There are times during the year when graciousness is present and there are times during the year when decrees are present. There are other times when Judgment is present but is impending, MEANING TO SAY THE JUDGMENT IS HELD IN ABEYANCE TO FRIGHTEN THE WORLD, BUT IT IS NOT YET IN EFFECT. There are also times during the month when graciousness is to be found and times when Judgments are present and impending over everything.

115. We have learned that Yisrael has a more fortunate share than the idolatrous nations, as the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to purify them and have mercy for them as they are His portion and inheritance. It is written, "For Hashem's portion is His people..." (Devarim 32:9) and "He made him ride on the high places of the earth" (Ibid. 13). "On the high places" exactly, as they join up higher and higher WITH ZEIR ANPIN. Therefore, the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, is clinging to them, as it is written, "'I have loved you,' says Hashem" (Malachi 1:2) and, "But because Hashem loved you" (Devarim 7:8). From this excessive love, He gave them one day during the year to purify them and clear them from their sins, as it is written, "for on that day..." (Vayikra 16:30). This was in order that they may be meritorious in this world and in the World to Come, and that no sin may be found in them. Consequently on this day, Yisrael are crowned and rule over the prosecutors and all spirits.

218. We have learned that the pious one, whose Ruach and Nefesh cling to the above, to the Holy King, with the proper love, will rule upon the earth below and what he decrees for the world will come to pass. How do we know this? From Elijah, as it is written, "As Hashem the Elohim of Yisrael lives, before whom I stood, there shall not be dew or rain these years, but acording to my word" (I Melachim 17:1).

353. THIS MAN ELAZAR prostrated himself before him. He brought him home, prepared three measures of bread and a three year old calf. After eating, the man said to him: Rabbi, tell me one thing. I had a red cow, the mother of this calf whose flesh we are eating. One day, before she became pregnant and gave birth, I followed her to her pasture in the desert. As I led her, a man came by and asked me for the name of the cow. I replied that from the day she was born, I never called her by name. He said to me: Batsheba, mother of Solomon, is she called if you merit forgiveness FOR YOUR SINS. When I turned around, I saw him no more. I laughed at this thing.

357. "You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister..." (Vayikra 18:12). Rabbi Chiya opened the discussion saying, "And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness..." (Vayikra 20:17). We have learned that Adam lived apart from his wife for 130 years and did not beget children, since Adam did not want to copulate with his wife after Cain slew Abel. Rabbi Yosi taught that from the time death was decreed for him and all mankind, he has said, why should I beget children that will be destroyed? He immediately separated from his wife.

412. Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is written, "One thing have I desired of Hashem, that I will seek after...to behold the beauty of Hashem" (Tehilim 27:4). Blessed are the pious that numerous supernal treasures await them in that world, DENOTING BINAH, as the Holy One, blessed be He, delights in them in these worlds, as we have explained. FOR THEIR SAKE HE ASKED TO BEHOLD the beauty of Hashem. We have already learned THAT IT IS THE GLOW OF ATIKA THAT IS DRAWN IN BINAH. RABBI YITZCHAK DISPUTES WITH RABBI YEHUDA, WHO SAID THAT "THE FLOOD OF GREAT WATERS SHALL NOT COME NEAR HIM" REFERS TO THE LIGHTS OF ATIKA THAT CANNOT BE CONCEIVED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME RIGHTEOUS WHO MERIT THIS TOO. Rabbi Chizkiyah says: From here, IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE PIOUS WHO DO MERIT THE LIGHT OF ATIKA, as it is written, "Neither has the eye seen, that an Elohim, beside You, should do such a thing for him that waits for Him" (Yeshayah 64:3). HE ASKS, 'He should do:' It should have said, 'You should do,' SINCE IT WRITES "BESIDE YOU," A TERM OF SECOND PERSON. HE REPLIES: Rather, 'he should do' is exact, BECAUSE IT REFERS TO ATIKA. THEREFORE, HE SPEAKS IN TERMS OF THIRD PERSON. Similarly, "behold, I (lit. 'he') will add to your days fifteen years" (Yeshayah 38:5). IT SHOULD HAVE SAID, 'I WILL ADD,' SINCE IT PRECEDES IT WITH "BEHOLD (LIT. 'HERE I AM')." IT IS ONLY BECAUSE IT ALLUDES TO ATIKA, WHO IS NOT CONCEIVED TO BE HERE. THEREFORE, HE SAYS IN THIRD PERSON, "HE WILL ADD." IT IS BECAUSE LIFE IS DRAWN FROM MAZAL, MEANING FROM THE BEARD OF ATIKA. Similarly, "Cast your burden upon Hashem" MEANS ABOVE HASHEM, NAMELY MAZAL, FOR THIS IS A PRAYER FOR SUSTENANCE. It is also written, "And prayed to (lit. 'over') Hashem," ALSO REFERRING TO MAZAL THAT IS HIGHER ABOVE OF HASHEM, AS THIS PRAYER WAS FOR CHILDREN. Yet all is one, FOR IT IS ALL DRAWN FROM THE MAZAL, THE BEARD OF ATIKA KADISHA. THUS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE AND DRAW ABUNDANCE ALSO FROM ATIKA KADISHA, UNLIKE RABBI YEHUDA'S WORDS.