Likutei Moharan 82:1/ליקוטי מוהר"ן פ״ב:א׳

1It is brought in the Talmud:

2HaNeelavim (Those who suffer insult) but do not insult, who hear their disgrace but respond not, [who act out of love and are joyous even in suffering,] of them Scripture states (Judges 5:31): “But those who love Him are as the sun rising in its might.” (Gittin 36b)

3Behold, it is known that there are three kelipot: a “stormy wind,” a “great cloud” and a “flashing fire.” [A fourth force of evil,] the kelipah of nogah (“brightness”), is positioned between these three kelipot and the realm of holiness. At times it is included in holiness. At other times it is included in the realm of the kelipah, where it is like an oppressed soul. This is sufficient for the perceptive.

4This is paralleled in nature. The three years of orlah parallel the three kelipot mentioned above. The fourth [year] parallels nogah, which also corresponds to ChaShMaL (glow),since at times [nogah] is included in the MaL lights. This is the deeper meaning of MiLah (circumcision). For there are three layers of skin, which are the three kelipot, and also a thin fourth layer, which corresponds to nogah .

5Whatever disgrace a person suffers stems from the aforementioned three kelipot. This is the reason Dinah's brothers said to the inhabitants of Shekhem, “We cannot… give our sister to a man who has an orlah (foreskin), as this is a disgrace to us” (Genesis 34:14) .

6Yehoshua, too, after he again circumcised the Israelites, said, “Today I have removed the disgrace of <Egypt from upon you>” (Joshua 5:9). This is because disgrace comes mainly from the aspect of orlah, which corresponds to the aforementioned three kelipot .

7Therefore, when YoSeF was born, his mother said, “The Lord has aSaF (gathered away) my disgrace” (Genesis 30:23). <Yosef is> the sanctification of the brit, the aspect of circumcision, as is known. When this aspect was revealed, the disgrace—i.e., the aforementioned three kelipot—was gathered away.

8And this is the deeper intention for bathing in hot water on the eve of the holy Shabbat. For it is then that the kelipah of nogah is included in the realm of holiness, and so also the three kelipot seek to ascend and grab hold of the holiness. Thus the aspect of “the flame of God” (Song of Songs 8:6) descends and scalds them, to prevent them from grabbing hold of the holiness. This is the aspect of hot water. It is also the deeper intention for trimming the nails on the eve of Shabbat, as is known.