The intent of prayer

107. Come and see, each day the crier calls to all the people of the world, 'this depends upon you'. This is the meaning of, "Take from among you an offering to Hashem" (Shemot 35:5). And if you find this difficult then "whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it (her)" (Ibid.)

108. HE ASKS: What is THE MEANING OF "let him bring her?" AND ANSWERS: here we learn the meaning of prayer. For when a man fears his Maker and devotes his heart and will to prayer, he forms a supernal arrangement, like we said. First by the songs and praises that the high angels say above; and in the series of praises that Yisrael say down below, MALCHUT adorns herself, and arranges herself like a woman adorning herself for her husband.

109. In the order of the prayer that is said sitting down, THAT IS, FROM THE BENEDICTION 'WHO FORMS LIGHT' UNTIL THE PRAYER OF AMIDAH, all those maids were prepared, THE SEVEN MAIDS OF MALCHUT, and all her retinue are adorned with her. After all was arranged and prepared, when reaching 'True and certain', then everything is ready, she and her maids, in reaching 'who has redeemed Yisrael'. Then everyone has to stand up.

110. By the time a man reaches 'True and certain', everything is already established, the maids conduct MALCHUT, and she bears herself to the high King, ZEIR ANPIN. Once we reach 'who has redeemed Yisrael' the high Holy King travels with His grades, IN THE ORDER OF THE THREE COLUMNS, and comes out to receive her, MALCHUT.

111. And we have to stand up before the high Holy King in awe and trembling, for then He reaches His right hand to her, WHICH IS THE BENEDICTION OF 'THE SHIELD OF ABRAHAM' THE SECRET OF THE RIGHT COLUMN. Then He put His left hand under her head, ACCORDING TO THE SECRET OF "HIS LEFT HAND IS UNDER MY HEAD" (SHIR HASHIRIM 2:6), WHICH IS THE BENEDICTION OF 'YOU ARE ETERNALLY MIGHTY', WHICH IS THE LEFT COLUMN. They then embrace together in KISSES, IN THE BENEDICTION OF 'THE HOLY EL', WHICH IS THE CENTRAL COLUMN FOR FROM THERE ON IS THE SECRET OF THE KISS UNTIL THE LAST THREE BENEDICTIONS. These are the first three benedictions OF THE AMIDAH. A man should devote his heart and will, and meditate on all those arrangements and sequences of the prayer, with his mouth, heart and will together.

112. Now that the high King and Malchut are blissfully united in those kisses, whoever needs to ask for any request OR PETITIONS, may do so, because it is a time of goodwill. Since a man submits his requests before the King and Queen, NAMELY, IN THE MIDDLE TWELVE BENEDICTIONS, then he should prepare himself, in will and heart, to the last three BENEDICTIONS, to stir the secret bliss, because from these three BENEDICTIONS he is blessed by a different devotion, THE SECRET OF UNISON. And a man should prepare to leave them in this secret bliss in these three BENEDICTIONS, AS WAS EXPOUNDED AT LENGTH. Therefore he should wish it, that the lower beings be blessed from those three benedictions of the secret bliss.

113. Then he should prostrate himself and offer his Nefesh, at the time when MALCHUT takes hold of the Nefashot and Ruchot. For then is the time to offer one's Nefesh among all those Nefashot she takes, because then the bundle of life, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is as it should be.

114. This I heard among the secrets of the holy luminary, but I was not given permission to reveal it, except for you, lofty pious ones. If, when MALCHUT takes hold of HUMAN Nefashot and Ruchot, a man, with a single devoted wish, sets his heart and wish to surrender his Nefesh with devotion and wish of incorporating his Nefesh in such devotion; and if THE OFFERING OF HIS NEFESH is then acceptable, when the Nefashot, the Ruchot and the Neshamot that she holds are willing, this man is bundled in the bundle of life in this world and in the World to Come.

115. Also when the King and the Queen, TIFERET AND MALCHUT, need to be included on all sides, above and below, and be adorned with souls on all sides. She is adorned with souls from above and souls from below, NAMELY, FROM THOSE WHO SURRENDER HER THEIR SOULS. And when a man directs his heart and will to it, and gives her his soul from below, devotedly and willingly, as we said, then the Holy One, blessed be He, names him "peace" below, after that peace of above, WHICH IS YESOD THAT IS CALLED PEACE. That PEACE blesses the Queen and incorporates her and adorns her on all sides.

116. So the Holy One, blessed be He, names that man peace, as is written: "and Hashem called him peace" (Shoftim 6:24). And all his days he is thus called above 'peace', because he comprised and adorned the Queen from below, as did the upper peace, WHICH IS YESOD, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE.

117. And when that man passes away from this world, his soul goes up and cleaves all the firmaments, and no one can stop it. The Holy One, blessed be He, calls it and says, "let peace enter" (Yeshayah 57:2) and the Shechinah says "them that rest in their graves" (Ibid.). Thirteen mountains of pure balsam trees are opened before the soul, and none can detain it. Therefore happy is he, who puts his heart and will into it. That is why it is written: "whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of Hashem," to the high King, NAMELY as I said.

118. Rabbi Aba raised his voice and said, Woe, Rabbi Shimon, you are among the living, and I already weep for you. Not for you I weep, but for the friends, for the world I weep; THAT THEY WILL BE ORPHANED WHEN YOU PASS AWAY FROM THE WORLD. Rabbi Shimon is like the light of a candle that burns above and burns below. And with the light that he lit down below shine all the people of the world. Woe to the world when the terrestrial light will pass AND BE ABSORBED IN the celestial light . Who will illuminate the light of Torah for the world? Rabbi Aba stood and kissed Rabbi Chiya. He said to him, those thoughts were with you, therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, sent me here to join you, happy is my portion.

119. Afterwards, Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion with the following verse "And every wise hearted individual among you shall come and make..." (Shemot 35:5). We already explained this text but come and see, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses "Take wise men, and understanding" (Devarim 1:13), he searched throughout Yisrael but did not find men of understanding. This is why, "So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known" (Ibid. 15), but 'understanding' is not mentioned. You might say that understanding is in a grade superior to wisdom, AND THAT IS WHY HE DID NOT FIND MEN OF UNDERSTANDING, and this of course is right, THAT UNDERSTANDING IS SUPERIOR TO WISDOM.

120. HE ASKS: What is the difference between them, BETWEEN A WISE MAN AND A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING? AND REPLIES: THAT we explained about a wise man, that even a pupil who imparts wisdom to his rabbi is considered wise. A wise man knows for himself what is ought to be done. A man of understanding has many grades in him, because he examines everything and knows for himself and for others. You may derive this from "A righteous man regards the life of his beast (Heb. behemah)" (Mishlei 12:10) FOR THE RIGHTEOUS, YESOD, IMPARTS TO MALCHUT, THAT IS THE SECRET OF YUD HEI VAV HEI OF THE NUMERICAL VALUE OF 52, WHICH IS THE NUMERICAL VALUE OF BEHEMAH. And also "righteous ruling in the fear of Elohim" (II Shmuel 23:3), AS THE RIGHTEOUS, YESOD, RULES AND FILLS MALCHUT, THAT IS CALLED 'FEAR OF ELOHIM', WITH PLENTY. And here, "wise hearted" is precise, MEANING THAT THE WISE MENTIONED HERE IS OF THE ASPECT IN MALCHUT, THAT IS CALLED WISE HEARTED. Man is wise in his heart, THAT IS MALCHUT and not elsewhere, because wisdom lies in the heart, MALCHUT, AND NOT ELSEWHERE. But a man of understanding exist both above and below, and observes himself and others.