היאך ירגיל האדם עצמו במדות נצח הוד יסוד: תקוני הנצח וההוד בכללות: וְאוּלָם בְּתִקּוּנֵי הַנֵּצַח וְהַהוֹד, קְצָתָם מְשֻׁתָּפִים לִשְׁנֵיהֶם וּקְצָתָם מְיֻחָדִים כָּל אֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ. Chapter 8 - How a person can accustom himself with the traits of victory (netsach), majesty (hod) and foundation (yesod): The reparations of Victory, Majesty in Their Commonality - [as with] the reparations of Victory and Majesty, some of them are common to both of them and some of them are unique, each one to itself - [are as follows].
וְהִנֵּה רִאשׁוֹנָה צָרִיךְ לְסַיֵּעַ לוֹמְדֵי הַתּוֹרָה וּלְהַחְזִיקָם אִם בְּמָמוֹנוֹ אוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ לְהַזְמִין לָהֶם צָרְכֵי שִׁמּוּשׁ וְהַזְמָנַת מָזוֹן וַהֲפָקַת כָּל רְצוֹנָם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְבַּטְּלוּ מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה וּלְהִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לְגַנּוֹת תַּלְמוּדָם שֶׁלֹּא יִתְרַפּוּ מֵעֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה, אֶלָּא לְכַבְּדָם וּלְהַלֵּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הַטּוֹבִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְחַזְּקוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָה, וּלְהַזְמִין לָהֶם סְפָרִים צֹרֶךְ עִסְקָם וּבֵית מִדְרָשׁ, וְכָל כַּיּוֹצֵא, שֶׁהוּא חִזּוּק וְסַעַד לְעוֹסְקֵי הַתּוֹרָה. הַכֹּל תָּלוּי בִּשְׁתֵּי מִדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ כָּל אֶחָד כְּפִי כֹחוֹ הַמְעַט הוּא אִם רָב. סוֹף דָּבָר כָּל מַה שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה בָּזֶה לְכַבֵּד הַתּוֹרָה וּלְהַחְזִיק בְּדִבּוּר בְּגוּפוֹ וּבְמָמוֹנוֹ וּלְעוֹרֵר לֵב הַבְּרִיּוֹת אֶל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁיִּתְחַזְּקוּ בָהּ, הַכֹּל נֶאֱחַז וְנִשְׁרַשׁ בִּשְׁתֵּי סְפִירוֹת אֵלֶּה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים מַחְזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתוֹמְכֶיהָ. And behold, first he must assist those that study Torah, and to strengthen them - whether with his money or his actions - to provide the requirements that they will use, the provision of food and the supply of all that they want, so that they not desist form the words of Torah; and to be careful not to disgrace their study, that they not be weakened from [their] occupation with Torah, but rather to honor them and to praise their good deeds, in order to strengthen them in their service; and to provide them with books required for their occupation and a study hall, and all that is similar [to it] - which is for strengthening and assistance to those occupied with Torah. It is all dependent on these two traits (victory and majesty) - everyone according to his ability, whether it is little or much. In the end, all that he can increase in this to honor the Torah and to strengthen it - with [his] speech, with his body, and with his means - and to stimulate the hearts of the creatures to the Torah, that they should be strengthened in it; it is all held and rooted in these two Sefirot, in that they are called Those that hold it and its Supporters.
עוֹד צָרִיךְ הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁיִּלְמֹד מִכָּל אָדָם כְּדִכְתִיב (תְּהִלִּים קיט, צט): "מִכָּל מְלַמְּדֵי הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי", כִּי אֵין הַתּוֹרָה מִשְׁתַּלֶּמֶת אֵצֶל רַב אֶחָד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא נַעֲשֶׂה תַּלְמִיד לַכֹּל זוֹכֶה לִהְיוֹת מֶרְכָּבָה אֶל נֶצַח וָהוֹד לִמּוּדֵי ה' וְהַמַּשְׁפִּיעַ אֵלָיו תּוֹרָה הוּא בְּמַדְרֵגַת תִּפְאֶרֶת. וַהֲרֵי בִּהְיוֹתוֹ יֹשֵׁב וְלוֹמֵד זוֹכֶה אֶל הַתִּפְאֶרֶת שֶׁיַּשְׁפִּיעַ בְּנֶצַח וְהוֹד וְהוּא בְּמַדְרֵגָתָם מַמָּשׁ. One occupied with the Torah must also learn from every person, as it is written (Psalms 119:99), "From all of my teachers have I been enlightened." As the Torah is not completed with one teacher; but since he becomes a student to all, he merits to become a chariot for Victory and Majesty, 'Those taught of God'; and the one who bestows Torah upon him is on the level of Splendor. And behold, in his sitting and studying Torah, he merits that Splendor flows on Victory and Majesty and [that] he actually be on Their level.
נצח והוד בפרטות: וְהִנֵּה בִּהְיוֹתוֹ לוֹמֵד מִקְרָא שֶׁהוּא מִן הַיָּמִין יֵשׁ לוֹ יַחַס פְּרָטִי אֶל הַנֵּצַח, וּבִהְיוֹתוֹ לוֹמֵד מִשְׁנָה שֶׁהִיא מִן הַשְּׂמֹאל יֵשׁ לוֹ יַחַס פְּרָטִי אֶל הַהוֹד, וְהַגְּמָרָא הַכְּלוּלָה בַּכֹּל שֶׁמֵּבִיא רְאָיָה לְדִינֵי הַמִּשְׁנָה מִן הַכָּתוּב הֲרֵי זֶה תִּקּוּן לִשְׁנֵיהֶם יָחַד. Victory and Majesty individually - and behold, in his studying Scripture which is from the right, he has a connection to Victory individually; and in his studying Mishnah which is from the left, he has a connection to Majesty individually. And behold, the Gemara that is included in everything - such that it brings a proof to the laws of the Mishnah from the verse - is a reparation for both of Them together.
תקוני היסוד: וְאוּלָם הַאֵיךְ יַרְגִּיל הָאָדָם עַצְמוֹ בְּמִדַּת הַיְסוֹד, צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר מְאֹד מֵהַדִּבּוּר הַמֵּבִיא לִידֵי הִרְהוּר כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָבֹא לִידֵי קֶרִי, אֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא יְדַבֵּר נְבָלָה אֶלָּא אֲפִילוּ דִּבּוּר טָהוֹר הַמֵּבִיא לִידֵי הִרְהוּר רָאוּי לְהִשָּׁמֵר מִמֶּנּוּ, וַהֲכִי דָּיֵק לִישָּׁנָא דִּקְרָא (קֹהֶלֶת ה, ה): "אַל תִּתֵּן אֶת פִּיךָ לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ" הִזְהִיר שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן פִּיו בְּדִבּוּר שֶׁמֵּבִיא לְהַחֲטִיא בְּשַׂר קֹדֶשׁ אוֹת בְּרִית - בְּקֶרִי. וּכְתִיב "לָמָּה יִקְצֹף הָאֱלֹהִים" וְגוֹ', וְאִם הוּא נִבְלוּת הַפֶּה, מַאי לַחֲטִיא, הֲרֵי הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ חֵטְא, אֶלָּא אֲפִילוּ שֶׁהַדִּבּוּר לֹא יִהְיֶה חֵטְא אֶלָּא דִּבּוּר טָהוֹר, אִם מֵבִיא לִידֵי הִרְהוּר צָרִיךְ לְהִזָּהֵר מִמֶּנּוּ, וְלָזֶה אָמַר "לַחֲטִיא אֶת בְּשָׂרֶךָ לָמָּה יִקְצֹף", יִרְצֶה אַחַר שֶׁמַּחְטִיא יִקְצֹף עַל אוֹתוֹ קוֹל אֲפִילוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻתָּר, כִּי עַל יְדֵי פְּעֻלָּה רָעָה הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת מִמֶּנּוּ, חָזַר הַקּוֹל וְהַדִּבּוּר רָע. כָּל כָּךְ צָרִיךְ זְהִירוּת לְאוֹת בְּרִית, שֶׁלֹּא לְהַרְהֵר וְלֹא יַשְׁחִית. The reparations of the foundation: How does a man, however, accustom himself to the trait of foundation? He must be very careful from speech that brings lustful thought, so that he not come to a nocturnal emission. There is no need to say that he [should] not speak a vile thing, but it is fitting to guard even from a pure thing that brings to a lustful thought. And so was the expression of the verse exacting (Ecclesiastes 5:5), "Do not let your mouth make your flesh sin" - it warned that he not allow his mouth speech that brings his holy flesh - the sign of the covenant (circumcision) - to sin, with an accidental emission. And it is written [further], "why should God be angered, etc." - and if it was [speaking] about vile [speech], what is [the meaning of] "to make sin"; behold, it is a sin itself? Rather, even if the speech is not a sin but only a pure thing - if it brings to lustful thought, he should be careful from it. And that is why it stated, "to make your flesh sin, why should [He] be angered" - it means [to say], since it brings to sin, He will be angry about that voice, even though it is permitted. As since an evil act ensued from it, the voice and speech became evil. This much carefulness must there be about the sign of the covenant, to not have lustful thoughts and not be destructive.
וְעוֹד צָרִיךְ לְהִזָּהֵר שֶׁהַיְּסוֹד הוּא אוֹת בְּרִית הַקֶּשֶׁת, וְהַקֶּשֶׁת אֵינָהּ דְּרוּכָה לְמַעְלָה אֶלָּא לְשַׁלַּח חִצִּים לְמִדַּת הַמַּלְכוּת שֶׁהִיא מַטָּרָה לַחֵץ, שׁוֹמֶרֶת הַטִּפָּה הַיּוֹרֶה כְּחֵץ לַעֲשׂוֹת עָנָף וְלָשֵׂאת פֶּרִי, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמֵּעוֹלָם לֹא יִדְרֹךְ הַקֶּשֶׁת הָעֶלְיוֹן אֶלָּא לְנֹכַח הַמַּטָּרָה הַנִּזְכֶּרֶת, כָּךְ הָאָדָם לֹא יִדְרֹךְ הַקֶּשֶׁת וְלֹא יַקְשֶׁה עַצְמוֹ בְּשׁוּם צַד, אֶלָּא לְנֹכַח הַמַּטָּרָה הָרְאוּיָה, שֶׁהִיא אִשְׁתּוֹ בְּטָהֳרָתָהּ שֶׁהוּא עֵת הַזִּוּוּג וְלֹא יוֹתֵר מִזֶּה, יִפְגֹּם הַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת חַס וְשָׁלוֹם וּמְאֹד מְאֹד צָרִיךְ זְהִירוּת, וְעִקַּר הַשְּׁמִירָה בִּהְיוֹתוֹ שׁוֹמֵר עַצְמוֹ מִן הַהִרְהוּר. And he must also be careful as Foundation is the sign of the covenant of the rainbow. And the Bow is only drawn Above to send arrows to the trait of Kingship; and it guards the drop that shoots like an arrow 'to make a branch and carry a fruit.' And just like the Highest Bow never draws except across from the mentioned target - so should a man never draw the bow and not make himself have an erection in any way except for across from the fitting target. [And that] is his wife [when] she is in her [time] of purity, which is the time of mating. And not more than this, which would harm this trait, God forbid. And one needs much, much carefulness - and the main carefulness is that he guard himself from lustful thought.