Rabbi Yitzhak opened [his discourse by explaining the verse] and said: "My beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart, here he is..." (Songs 2:9) Fortunate are Israel who have merited this collateral [the Shechinah] of the most High King [for She is together with them in exile]. And though they are in exile, G‑d comes every new moon, every Shabbat, and every holiday, to supervise over them and observe His collateral, His delight, that is with them [for through observing these days' special mitzvot, there is a unification of Zeir Anpin with the Shechinah and additional holiness at those times].

Like a king against whom his Matron rebelled. He removed her from his palace. What did she do? She took her son with her, the delight and love of the king. Since the king cared for her and did not wish to banish her forever, he let him remain in her hands. When the king wished for the Matron and her son, he would ascend the stairs, descend the steps, and climb walls to watch them from between the lattices in the wall. When he saw them, he started to weep from behind the lattices in the wall, and then went away.

This is true for Israel. Though they left the King's palace [the Land of Israel, and went into exile], that collateral did not leave them [for they loved G‑d, clung to His Shechinah, and offered their souls to sanctify His Name]. Since the King cared for them [and intended to eventually return them to the Land of Israel], He left Her [the Shechinah] with them. When the Holy King thinks of the Matron [on Shabbat and holidays] and of Israel [in exile], He ascends the stairs, descends the steps, and climbs walls to look at them from between the lattices in the wall. When He sees them, He begins to cry. Hence, it is written: "My beloved [G‑d] is like a gazelle or a young hart," jumping from the wall to the roof, and from the roof to the wall.

"Behold, He stands behind our wall," in the synagogues and Torah study halls [for the Shechinah fills the air of our synagogues and Torah study halls]; "He looks in at the windows," for surely a synagogue must have windows (Berachot 31a); "He peers through the lattice", to watch and see them. Israel should therefore rejoice on the day they know this and say, "This is the day which G‑d has made [as G‑d has come to see his Shechinah]; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118:24)

BeRahamim LeHayyim: What does the above mean to you, and why is it being revealed now?

Oh, when will I merit to behold the Divine Presence? According to the Baal Shem Tov, this should be our ultimate question. The above Zohar says that while we are in exile, the Matron, the Shechinah, took Her child —us— with her into banishment. So She has stood by us to this day, and is amongst us right now, if only we would listen to Her voice!

Be mindful. Return to the center the day before you die. Keep G‑d before you always, and your right hand will not falter.

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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