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+{
+ "title": "Likutei Halakhot",
+ "language": "en",
+ "versionTitle": "merged",
+ "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Halakhot",
+ "text": {
+ "Author's Introduction": [
+ "REB NOSON’S INTRODUCTION",
+ "“This time I will give thanks to HaShem,” “for He has helped me so greatly.” “What can I say when it is He Who spoke, He Who created?” “Who is like HaShem our God? He lifts up the needy from the dust … from the trash heap He raises the destitute”—one such as myself, in order to bring me close to [Rebbe Nachman, who is] such a radiant light, the light of lights, the radiance of radiances. Who can speak the Rebbe’s praise, who can tell of his acclaim? And though it is common knowledge that people routinely pen such praises and accolades about just anybody, one who delves into the Rebbe’s holy works with the eye of truth, who “gainfully exercises his discernment” to deeply ponder these teachings that HaShem in His might has granted me to expound in these volumes, will understand and recognize that even with all the praises, commendations and accolades I have written about the Rebbe, I have yet to reach the fringes of his true praiseworthiness. For his virtues and greatness infinitely exceed what the mouth can express or the heart contemplate.",
+ "Yet the One Who examines the heart knows that I acknowledge my own unworthiness, for who am I to author books—especially books like these that deal with the most exalted matters, that open the gate for all who strive to repent, who desire to go out from the darkness to the light, to come close to HaShem and bask in the Light of life?",
+ "And if indeed in these times authoring books is not at all considered something great or important, at least let it not lead to disgrace, ridicule and mockery. For nowadays there are many who deride new books, who even before getting close enough to determine whether the books are of value, have already conspired to heap scorn upon them and call them by a pejorative nickname. (And if one who calls his friend by a pejorative nickname forfeits his portion of the World to Come, how much more so should one who uses a pejorative nickname for a work of Torah, the words of the Living God! But this is not the place to go into this.) At any rate, to be an author is not at all considered something great or important in these times.",
+ "Nevertheless, there are pious and upright individuals in every generation, even this one, “who walk in sincerity, securely,” “and will not sit in the company of cynics”; upon whom words of truth drop “like cold water on a weary soul.” “As for silver and hidden treasures, they search for and seek” words of truth and righteousness that are “set in sockets of fine gold”—that is, on the teachings of our holy sages.",
+ "But in my impoverishment I know that I have not even minimally attained this ability to convey my knowledge even to those on the most rudimentary level. Yet I confess this without embarrassment. I proclaim the truth and do not hold back. “I call out at the head of the busy streets; at the entrance of the gates, in the city, I say what I have to say.” “I speak of Your testimonies before kings and feel no shame.” For just as I am small in my own eyes, as He Who examines the heart knows, so is my soul exalted in the merit of the holiness of he who has endowed me with wisdom, understanding and knowledge—namely Rebbe Nachman, my esteemed master, my teacher, the holy and awesome teacher and true mentor, may the remembrance of the righteous be a blessing. If I would want to tell of only the tiniest bit of all that he has done for my soul, the entire earth would not suffice to contain all my words. “With what can I come before HaShem and bow down before God on high?” “You have done so much, HaShem my God; Your wonders and Your thoughts are only for us. There is none that compares to You. Were I to talk and tell of them, they would be too prodigious to portray.”",
+ "The nature of this work and its format, as the reader will readily see, is based entirely on and follows the order of all the laws in the four parts of the Shulchan Arukh. This is what I was instructed to do directly by Rebbe Nachman himself: to ponder and study deeply each law until HaShem enlightens me with some new insight regarding it. And any insight that HaShem granted me is based entirely on the hakdamot, introductory principles, and foundational concepts that I received from our holy and awesome Rebbe, as expounded in his holy works Likutey Moharan I and II. On several occasions I derived some of these amazing principles from the awesome stories that he told, which are brought down in Rebbe Nachman’s Stories (Sippurey Maasiyot). And though the deeper ideas alluded to in these stories are beyond our grasp, “for the waters have swollen into a stream that we cannot cross,” HaShem, Who grants understanding to man, nevertheless enlightened my eyes so that here and there I found in the stories some amazing ideas, as the reader will see in LH, Tefillin 5 and LH, Birkhot HaShachar 3, and elsewhere. Other times, I collected various principles from The Aleph-Bet Book (Sefer HaMiddot).",
+ "All the hakdamot that I derived from the Rebbe’s works, and all the original insights that HaShem has helped me to innovate from them, He has enabled me to find clearly explained in verses of Tanakh and the discourses of Chazal in the Gemara, midrashim, the holy Zohar, and the writings of the Arizal. Then HaShem enlightened me further so that I could use these insights to explain the laws of the mitzvot according to the four methods of interpretation known as PaRDeS, following the arrangement of the laws elucidated in the four parts of the Shulchan Arukh.",
+ "I hope to HaShem that your eyes will see amazing wonders in most places. “How great are HaShem’s deeds, how mysterious His thoughts!” With what is explained in these books, every person can understand and comprehend from afar the awesome and amazing greatness of each mitzvah and every law that derives from the details of that mitzvah. This is true even of the laws of interpersonal relations clarified in Choshen Mishpat, from which no one even considers deriving guidance, implicit or explicit, for serving HaShem. Yet HaShem’s kindness prevails, so that through these books, one who is thirsty to hear the word of HaShem will satisfy his soul.",
+ "We know that from every part of the Torah, from all the laws and precepts contained in all its branches, we need to extract advice, guidance and hints for how to truly come close to HaShem. Rebbe Nachman explains this in the lesson Chadi Rabi Shimon in LM I, 61, that one should glean principles for upright behavior from everything he learns; see there. But not everyone is capable of doing this.",
+ "Yet with HaShem’s help and His wondrous salvation, by means of these books I have somewhat opened the gate to uncover genuine guidance in all aspects of Torah study. In most cases, these are not merely allusions and allegories, but the true, deeper intention of the mitzvah. Reams of pages would not suffice for me to explain my words here. Nevertheless, the truly intelligent person will understand a bit if he sets his heart well to what is stated in these books and in the works of Rebbe Nachman.",
+ "Now, although it may seem to the reader that in many places I have been wordy, going over the same point two or three times, know, dear reader, that this too was from HaShem, “Who is wonderful in counsel and exceedingly wise.”",
+ "Anyone who focuses his heart to truly study the Rebbe’s incomparable teachings, which are deeper than the greatest depths and wider than the sea, and then focuses well on these new insights and explanations of those teachings that HaShem has graciously granted me to reveal, will understand well that considering their astounding profundity, I have yet to adequately clarify them. This is the case even where I have explained the matter at considerable length, and certainly in those instances where I was concise. Know that all the teachings the Rebbe revealed are entirely new hakdamot (though they are all based on the mitzvot of the Torah received long ago, they are nevertheless completely original introductory principles). They all present wonderful advice and guidance for how to get close to HaShem, each person from whatever spiritual level he is on.",
+ "Our main intention should be to fulfill these teachings with simplicity, just as they emerged from the Rebbe’s lips with sincerity and simplicity. However, on account of our physicality and the dullness of our minds, it is extremely difficult and onerous to embed the sincerity and simplicity of these teachings in people’s hearts. This is because the human intellect inclines toward worldly wisdom, which for the most part misleads the heart from the quintessential truth within simplicity and sincerity.",
+ "This is especially so of the Rebbe’s teachings, since in truth their sincerity and simplicity are so very profound, “so tremendously deep, who can discern them?” In every single thing that he revealed, there are mounds of Halakhot (discourses), “deep wellsprings flowing forth in valley and mountain.” For his teachings are like a gushing fountain, as the reader will glimpse in the places where HaShem has been kind and enabled me to find amazing and awesome ideas, and the deeper intent behind many mitzvot, expressed in a single teaching that the Rebbe revealed. For example, the lesson Sasson VeSimchah Yasigu VeNasu Yagon VaAnachah (LM II, 23) consists of a single concept: to grab hold of sorrow and sighing and bring them into joy, as explained there. HaShem helped me and enlightened my eyes to find so many amazing ideas based on this one hakdamah, as the reader will see at the beginning of Even HaEzer and elsewhere.",
+ "Nevertheless, the main intent remains the simple meaning, to transform sorrow and sighing into joy—in other words, to turn all manner of sadness into joy, as explained there. Yet even this simple level—that one must endeavor to overcome all types of sorrow and transform them into joy—is itself difficult and onerous to embed in people’s hearts. But HaShem helped me elaborate on this, and show and reveal that the observance of all aspects of the Torah is dependent on this, for joy is the quintessence of the entire Torah and the mitzvot. By expanding on this in the discourse, one can see from afar the awesome benefit of joy, and how much we must strive to transform sadness into joy. Still, the core of the intention is to be able to fulfill this advice with simplicity, and to beg HaShem to be worthy of doing so.",
+ "The same applies to the rest of the wonderful advice and guidance that the Rebbe revealed, such as in the lesson VeAyeh HaSeh LeOlah in LM II, 12. The advice that he elucidates there is extremely profound, meaning that its simplicity and wholesomeness is very deep, and so has to be expounded at length and discussed in many different ways. But with HaShem’s kindness, I have been enlightened and discovered that this advice is alluded to in many places in the Torah, as seen in LH, Geviyat Chov MeiHaYetomim 3. The intelligent person will be able to deduce one thing from another to understand how the entire Torah is filled with this advice. The same applies to the lesson Azamra Le’Elohai BeOdee in LM I, 282, cited in LH, Hashkamat HaBoker 1. This is true as well of the concept of yearning and longing for HaShem. All these topics require lengthy discussions until we merit embedding them in a person’s heart, so he may fulfill them with simplicity and sincerity. That is the most important element, since “the main thing is practice, not scholarship.” For these reasons, it was necessary to expound at length in most places, in order to explain the advice in simple terms, so that the study of it will bring to action.",
+ "It is also on account of the insights themselves, for the Rebbe’s teachings are extremely deep and comprehensive. In each and every lesson, there are very many principles, concepts and amazing original insights. And all the original insights that HaShem opened my eyes to see are all bound and firmly tied to the Rebbe’s awesome and holy words. Thus wherever I have expanded the explanation and insight that HaShem has helped me originate, one must return each time to review all the parts of the lesson that the Rebbe revealed and all its numerous details.",
+ "As I myself heard from the Rebbe’s holy mouth, there is no one who can properly understand his lessons, since one has to thoroughly recall the words of his holy lesson and be proficient in all of its areas, its specifics and fine details. Therefore in many places I was obliged to discuss and expound at length on the teaching, and to repeat the same idea several times, in the hope that the substance of the true intention might enter the reader’s heart, so he may clearly comprehend the original insight. The main thing is that the insight brings him to action: that he is inspired by it to fulfill the Rebbe’s words with simplicity, and that he puts into practice the principle that I have extracted from the Rebbe’s teachings, upon which I constructed that specific discourse, since the Rebbe’s thoughts are extremely deep.",
+ "It is clear and understood by every intelligent person that [one needs to persevere] wherever original insights and interpretations are elaborated at great length in the holy literature. This is true whether they appear in the Gemara and its commentaries or in the texts of Kabbalah and PaRDeS. It could be in the commentary of the Shakh on Choshen Mishpat, or in an extremely lengthy answer in the responsa literature. It certainly occurs in the works of the Arizal, in which each homily expands greatly in many directions, and most times a homily mentioned at the end is firmly linked to another mentioned many pages earlier. Whoever is well versed in the Arizal’s writings understands that virtually the entire Eitz Chaim and Pri Eitz Chaim are one long homily. Wherever lengthy expositions appear [in this work], the reader must not be intimidated or grow anxious over the impossibility of ever grasping such an extremely long discourse in the mind and intellect. Regarding this, the verse states, “The eyes of a fool are to the ends of the earth,” as Rashi explains; see there. But the wise person says, “I will study a bit today, and a bit tomorrow.”",
+ "The youth need to know this well, and it is the responsibility of their instructors and teachers to inform them of it, so they will not be intimidated or made anxious at all by a lengthy explanation or insight. Rather, they should focus their eyes and thoughts on that discourse and proceed gradually. First they should concentrate on one point until they somewhat understand it, and then progress sequentially from one insight to the next, from one point to another, until they have finished a page or two. Each time they should proceed in an orderly fashion from one point to the next, without intimidation or confusion. This way they will accomplish their goal in peace, and even one who is not exceptionally gifted will be able to understand even a very long discourse.",
+ "I had to mention this here because in our book, praise HaShem, such lengthy exposition appears throughout. And so I have come to remind the reader not to be intimidated, but to proceed in a sequential manner from one point to another. Doing so, he will proceed securely. And if he pays attention, he will understand that whatever seems to be extensive exposition was entirely necessary for explaining the point well.",
+ "Actually, in many instances what seems to be drawn-out appears so only at first glance, before one has concentrated on understanding the matter well. But afterwards, when one studies further and pays attention to what is being said there until he understands it well, he will see that everything I repeated many times still requires a great deal of additional explanation—for with HaShem’s help, most places in these books contain very deep concepts “whose foundations are in the holy mountains,” according to the awesome hakdamot that our great and holy Rebbe revealed. Their profoundness is without measure or end, as each individual who genuinely desires the truth can understand—each one commensurate with his capacity to comprehend. (This is not the place to elaborate on this; see Tzaddik #340 and #391, and Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom #196 and #211, where it is somewhat explained.) Therefore these original insights that HaShem has kindly granted me, which are all based on the Rebbe’s holy words, also contain depth, because they all approximate an interpretation and explanation of his holy words. That said, I know in my heart that the measure to which I have penetrated the meaning of his words amounts to less than a drop in the ocean.",
+ "May the True God guide me in the path of truth, for the One Who examines the heart knows the secrets of my heart and my thoughts—that my whole desire is solely for the quintessential truth. Blessed is our God, Who has rewarded us with good and given us a Torah of truth. May He continue to do for us these things and many others like them. May He recall the kindnesses of our ancestors and “may He grant truth to Yaakov.” May the verse soon be fulfilled, “Truth will sprout from the earth,” until the time that “the throne of David is established with kindness, and he sits upon it in truthfulness.” May this happen speedily in our days. Amen, may such be His will."
+ ],
+ "Orach Chaim": {
+ "Laws of Morning Conduct": [
+ [
+ [
+ "A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning for the service of his Creator, so that it is he who awakens the dawn. Gloss: “I set HaShem before me always” (Tehillim 16:8)—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 1:1).",
+ "KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARAN
In LM I, 282, Rebbe Nachman states as follows:",
+ "When a person begins to examine himself and sees that he is very far from HaShem, full of many sins and blemishes, and it seems to him that he is far removed from all good, he must not despair. Rather, he should search and seek until he finds in himself some good. For how is it possible that he never did anything good in his life? Finding that good point will wake him from spiritual sleep and create in him a genuine feeling of closeness to HaShem.",
+ "And even if a person sees that also the little bit of good he has done is riddled with imperfections, mixed with many impurities, he should not get discouraged. He may have performed a mitzvah improperly or for the wrong reasons, yet it is impossible that his deed is totally flawed; that it does not contain at least some bit of good, some flawless point capable of enhancing HaShem’s glory.",
+ "And so, just as he persevered and succeeded in finding that first good point, he should continue to search inside himself until he finds some other good. Even if that good too is mixed with many impurities, it has to have in it at least some good point. And in a similar manner he should keep on searching and finding still more good points inside himself.",
+ "By judging himself favorablyand finding still more good points inside himself—even though he has done what he has done and blemished what he has blemished—a person genuinely crosses over from the side of guilt to the side of merit. And through this he can merit doing teshuvah. As long as he believes that he is bereft of good and so feels distant from HaShem, it is indeed very hard for him to sincerely return to Him in repentance. But after he finds his good points and feels genuinely close to HaShem, it is easy to do true teshuvah.",
+ "David HaMelekh hints to the power of judging favorably in Tehillim. This is the significance of the verse “There is still a little bit in which the sinner is not ...” By virtue of that “still a little bit”—namely the good that is still in him—there he is not a sinner, and through this, “when you reflect …” When a person finds his good points, he tips the scales of justice in his favor and is no longer at his original place, so to speak. Consequently, “when you reflect upon his place,” he is already not there! Study the Rebbe’s words there.",
+ "And by this finding of his good points, a person can bring himself to joy. He will then be able to pray with enthusiasm and inspiration. This is the significance of the verse “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.” Through the “still a little bit”—namely the good he finds inside himself—he is able to sing to HaShem and praise Him.",
+ "And this finding of the good points creates melodies. For melodies are made by selecting the good ruach from the ruach of gloom and despair.The Rebbe explains that this is precisely the meaning of “I will sing,” which alludes to the concept of melodies and songs of prayer that one creates through finding the little bit of good he still has left.",
+ "Now, it is not enough to search only for one’s own good points. A person should also judge others favorably. He must look for and find some good point in everyone, even in a person who is seen by others as thoroughly wicked. Study the Rebbe’s words there, that just as finding the good in himself lifts a person out of despair and into merit, finding the good inside another lifts up that other person into merit so that he too will feel closer to HaShem.Every Jew is required to do this.",
+ "And whoever can do this, to find a good point even in Jewish sinners, can be the congregation’s chazan, who reveals the good points in each and every worshipper as he leads them in prayer.Study the Rebbe’s explanation there.",
+ "This is the primary spiritual work of the tzaddikim of the generation. Thus the Rebbe teaches: Know that by gathering up all the good points, each of the tzaddikim of the generation constructs a mishkan, a place of holiness for the Shekhinah to manifest. By revealing the good points of the Jewish souls identified with his own soul, each tzaddik constructs this mishkan, and from there the little schoolchildren receive the undefiled breath of their mouths.The Midrash says of these schoolchildren, “Let those who are pure come and occupy themselves with that which is pure.” To this end, the teachers who introduce little schoolchildren to Torah start from Vayikra. Study there.",
+ "Aside from the aforementioned tzaddikim, each of whom reveals the good points of those in his charge, there is also a universal tzaddik whose encompassing soul is inclusive of all Jewish souls. Because he is capable of gathering up the good that is found in everyone, this Moshe-like tzaddik is acquainted with and can apply all the aspects of the mishkanot that the tzaddikim construct, from which the children receive the undefiled breath of their mouths. Study all this well in LM I, 282."
+ ],
+ [
+ "ARISING FROM SPIRITUAL SLUMBER
Reb Noson begins his discourse on the deeper meaning of rising in the morning by linking the finding of good points with waking up from spiritual slumber.
This searching for one’s good points is the concept of waking up from sleep. When a person recognizes that he is far from HaShem he is likely to be despondent, to feel low in both energy and spirit; this is akin to being in a state of sleep, which, Chazal teach, is “one-sixtieth of death.” But when he seeks and searches and finds inside himself some remaining good point, and he revives himself and cheers himself up, using that fragment of good to rouse himself to serve HaShem—that is the concept of waking up from sleep.",
+ "Before showing how he reads Rebbe Nachman’s lesson into the words of the Shulchan Arukh (he will address this in §5 and §6 below), Reb Noson first explores a number of verses that show that people’s good points wake them up from sleep. He begins with the words of David HaMelekh in Tehillim 3.
This is the significance of the verse “O HaShem, so numerous are my tormentors, so many …” These “tormentors” are the tormentors of the soul—namely each person’s sins and spiritual blemishes, which are the source of mankind’s greatest suffering. When they overpower a person, they seek to defeat him totally by making it seem as if he has no hope, chas ve-shalom. This is the meaning of the verse that follows, “Many say of me, ‘He will never be saved by HaShem,’ selah.” On account of a person’s many sins, the Yetzer Hara tricks him into thinking that all is lost. Then he is conceptually asleep, as in “I lay down and slept.” This alludes to the hopelessness and downheartedness of spiritual slumber.",
+ "However, the truth is that a person is forbidden to despair. He must overcome any feelings of hopelessness and wake up from his spiritual sleep by means of the little bit of good that he still finds inside himself. Thus the verse concludes, “I awoke, for HaShem supports me.” Although “I lay down and slept,” I strengthen myself to wake up from my sleep. I keep myself from despair because I know that “HaShem supports me.” In this context, “HaShem” signifies a person’s good. The good point that a person finds inside himself is an aspect of Godliness, as it were, since whatever good exists in the world emanates from HaShem.",
+ "Reb Noson now brings further proof of the connection between HaShem and good.
For the Zohar teaches that Torah, the Jewish people, and HaKadosh Barukh Hu are entirely one. It follows that when a good point exists inside a Jew—namely some mitzvah or something good that he did—that good is completely bound up in unity with HaShem. For “HaShem is good to all”—He is all that is good, the origin and essence of all the good in existence. This is also as the verse states, “Taste and see that HaShem is good.” Any good, no matter where it exists or what form it takes, emanates solely from Him. This is the significance of “for HaShem supports me.” In other words, David HaMelekh says, the good point that I find in myself—itself an aspect of Godliness, as in “HaShem is good to all”—is what supports me and also wakes me from sleep.",
+ "And then, strengthened by the support of his good point, a person can declare, “I have no fear of the many thousands who have arrayed against me on every side.” Instead, I am once again secure, unafraid of those who would persecute me. Even though the spiritual blemishes and sins that threaten to defeat me are many thousands, chas ve-shalom, I am untroubled. Seeing that I have found at least some remaining good point inside myself, I am able to wake up from my slumber. This genuinely brings me to a position of merit and enables me to merit doing teshuvah. In other words, all the evil of one’s spiritual blemishes and sins is cast aside by the little bit of good that he finds inside himself. And with this good, he revives himself and raises himself up, because just a little bit of light chases away a lot of darkness.",
+ "This is also implied in the verse “I have awakened, ve-odee with You.” “I have awakened” by dint of my od me’at—that is to say, because of the good point still inside me, as in “I will sing to my God be-odee.” This is the meaning of “and I am still with You”: because of my “still a little bit” which is still completely bound in unity with You, “I have awakened”—this being the concept of waking up and rousing from slumber."
+ ],
+ [
+ "WAKING THE GOOD POINTS
Reb Noson has thus far explained that waking up from spiritual sleep requires finding one’s good points. He will next show the link between a person’s good points and waking up before the dawn.
And this is the significance of yet another verse in which David HaMelekh alludes to rousing from spiritual slumber, “Awake, my soul! Awake the harp and lyre! I will awaken the shachar.” In other words, a person must stir himself from his sleep and lift himself up from his spiritual decline. How does he wake himself up? By looking deep inside himself and finding the good points that he still can find within. To do so is to “awaken the dawn.”",
+ "For a person’s good point is akin to the shachar. Like the dawn, it emerges out of the darkest darkness, as in the verse “I am shachor but pleasing, O daughters of Yerushalayim.” Mixed in with this good point are many impurities and many spiritual blemishes of which this person is guilty, and so it seems to be black, displeasing. He is unable to appreciate how pleasing and beautiful it actually is, since for him the good point lies buried in gloom and darkness, chas ve-shalom.",
+ "But when a person judges himself favorably, and wakes up and finds in himself the good point, its beauty is revealed. Then his good point says about itself, “I am black but pleasing”—though I may appear to be black, I am actually very beautiful. And so, “Do not look down on me on account of my blackness”—I do not deserve to be disparaged because the blackness is not inherent to me, as Rashi comments there. Rather, “I have been scorched by the sun.” For the good point in each person, even in Jewish sinners, is itself very pleasing and very beautiful. It is just that the darkness covers it. But once it is awakened the good point declares, “I am black but pleasing … Do not look down on me on account of my blackness”—because intrinsically, I am exceedingly beautiful.",
+ "Reb Noson interrupts his explanation of “Awake my soul…” and its connection to the shachor of the good point. He will return to this topic in §5 below. Here, having also cited the verse “I am shachor but pleasing,” which Chazal link with the Mishkan, he explains that it was from the good points of the Jewish people that Moshe constructed the Mishkan.
This relates to what Chazal teach regarding this verse. They explain that the Jewish people are saying, “‘I am black’—because of the incident of the golden calf—‘but I am pleasing’—because of the matter of the Mishkan.” Meaning, despite the fact that my sins are many and I have become very distant from HaShem, nevertheless, I am pleasing to HaShem when I look for my good points.",
+ "This derives from the following: ‘My sins are many’ is suggested by Chazal’s reference to “the incident of the golden calf,” because idolatry is the sin inclusive of all other sins, for “Whoever worships idolatry is regarded as having repudiated the entire Torah.” Nevertheless, despite my many sins, “‘I am pleasing’—because of the matter of the Mishkan”—meaning “I am pleasing” to HaShem by virtue of the little bit of good that I still find in myself. For immediately after the incident of the golden calf the Jewish people were commanded to construct the Mishkan. Thus the Mishkan was built as a result of HaShem becoming favorably disposed towards the Jewish people through Moshe’s self-sacrifice and his prayers on their behalf.",
+ "For Moshe was able to find a good point even in the least worthy Jew, as Rebbe Nachman teaches on a number of occasions. This enabled Moshe to always pray for them, even when they had transgressed the entire Torah through the incident of the golden calf. Even then he was able to find good points in them.",
+ "This is the reason Moshe said, “Why, HaShem, should Your wrath burn against Your people?” He had found the good in the Jews and, by doing so, had dispelled the evil entirely. Therefore he said, “Why, HaShem, should Your wrath burn against Your people?” since the evil was of no import compared with the little bit of good that they still had inside them.",
+ "And so HaShem became favorably disposed towards him. “[HaShem] relented from the evil,” and instead He taught Moshe the arrangement of the prayer for Divine favor in a time of din, setting out before him the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. This is, “He said, ‘I will make all My good pass [in front of you],’” for He taught Moshe the attributes and revealed to him all His good, as it were, so that Moshe would know that HaShem is always “good to all.” He would know too that it is possible to awaken the good even in the least worthy person, and so move him to a position of merit and bring him back to HaShem in teshuvah.",
+ "Having explained that by finding the good point we awaken HaShem’s goodness and win His forgiveness, Reb Noson next shows how this is specifically alluded to in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.
This is the concept of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy set out in the verse “HaShem! HaShem! A compassionate God, gracious and slow to anger …” HaShem is filled with compassion and is “good to all.” He is patient with both the righteous and the wicked. For “He tips the scales of justice towards chesed” and judges everything favorably. He also finds a good point even in Jewish sinners, and thereby tips the scales for them to the side of merit.",
+ "This is the significance of “He keeps chesed for thousands.” The concept of chesed is that HaShem inclines towards loving-kindness, judges favorably, and finds a good point even in the least worthy Jew, thereby enabling him to do teshuvah. This chesed holds back Divine wrath and mitigates harsh judgments “for thousands” of sins. In other words, even though the thousands and tens of thousands of transgressions that that person has committed would counter his merit, the little bit of good that HaShem finds by inclining towards kindness repels them all. As a result, HaShem “forgives iniquity and rebellion” and pardons the sinner’s offenses, so that he genuinely becomes worthy of merit.
Reb Noson has explained that HaShem’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy awaken the good point in each human being, even the least worthy. By inclining towards kindness—namely His attribute of loving-kindness—HaShem brings a person to a position of merit and motivates him to repent, so that He then forgives him for all his sins."
+ ],
+ [
+ "CONSTRUCTING A MISHKAN
Reb Noson concludes his explanation of Moshe’s ability to find good even in the least worthy Jew, and how Moshe then used those good points to construct the Mishkan as a tikkun for their sin with the golden calf.
And so HaShem became favorably disposed towards Moshe as a result of his finding good in every Jew even after the incident of the golden calf. For Moshe was the embodiment of good, as expressed in the verse “She saw that he was good.” And therefore Moshe had the inherent ability to always find the good in everyone—even in the willful sinners of the Jewish people. Through this HaShem was placated, and then He commanded the Jewish people regarding the construction of the Mishkan as a tikkun for their sin. Each Jew was to contribute towards the Mishkan’s construction according to the generosity of his heart. For Moshe would rouse the good in each person, and each person, commensurate with his good, contributed to the construction of the Mishkan according to the generosity of his good heart.",
+ "For the Mishkan was constructed from all the good that had been refined from every single Jew. This is the significance of the Torah’s enumeration of their gifts as “gold and silver and copper, and sky-blue and dark red and crimson.” Each person brought a gift that was congruous with his own good point. Kabbalah teaches that “gold and silver and copper, and sky-blue …” allude to the supernal colors, which are themselves representative of the good inside each and every Jew.",
+ "This is the import of HaShem’s praise for the Jewish people, “Israel, in you etpa’er.” The Hebrew term for “pride,” pe’er, also connotes “splendor,” especially as it manifests through the beauty of color. HaShem takes pride in the Jewish people because they are made up of a multitude of colors. These are the good points inside every Jew, which are likewise inclusive of many colors. For each Jew, even the least worthy among them, has a good point that is unique, and so not found in his companion. As Rebbe Nachman has explained elsewhere, on account of each Jew’s unique good point, his unique color, HaShem takes pride in all of them—i.e. in the splendor of their encompassing beauty.",
+ "This relates as well to the colors that were in the Beit HaMikdash, and before that, in the Mishkan—the concept of the “gold and silver …” that each Jew contributed according to the generosity of his good heart. For all the numerous good points, which are synonymous with all the different supernal colors inside every Jew, were included there.",
+ "Therefore it was specifically after the incident of the golden calf, when Moshe had to search out and find the good points that exist inside every single Jew, that they were tasked with constructing the Mishkan. For the Mishkan was built from these good points, as in the midrashic teaching cited above, “‘I am black’—because of the incident of the golden calf—‘but I am pleasing’—because of the construction of the Mishkan.” That is, by virtue of the good points I still find inside myself, which conceptually are the materials for the construction of the Mishkan.",
+ "Likewise, it is understood by the Rebbe’s words in his lesson that through the good found in every single Jew, a mishkan is constructed. And so, that tzaddik who is capable of finding all the good that exists in the entire Jewish people— who conceptually is the chazan, as explained above—he can comprehend all the concepts related to the mishkan of each of the generation’s tzaddikim. Study the Rebbe’s words there, that this mishkan is constructed primarily from that aforementioned good.",
+ "With this the Rebbe’s words in the opening section of his lesson, where he discusses finding the good points, are well-connected with what he teaches at its end about constructing a mishkan. Study there well.
Reb Noson has shown that “dawn” represents a person’s good point, which, once roused, is used by the tzaddik to build a “mishkan”—a dwelling for the Shekhinah in this world, and a source for the pure breath that enables a person to study Torah in purity and holiness."
+ ],
+ [
+ "INCLINED TOWARDS KINDNESS
Reb Noson next completes his interpretation of the verse from Tehillim cited at the beginning of §3, and then returns to explaining the law of the Shulchan Arukh.
And this is the meaning of “Awake, my soul! Awake …” How will I wake myself up? Through “I will awaken the dawn”—that is, by means of my awakening the shachar. This refers to the good point, which, because it appears to be black, corresponds to the dawn, as in “I am shachor but pleasing.” In other words, although I appear to be black, I am actually very beautiful. And this awakening of my good point, the uncovering of Godliness that enlivens my soul, will enable me to rouse myself from my slumber and raise myself up from my spiritual fall. This is the significance of “Awake the harp …” As explained previously, selecting the good points, which are one’s “little bit” of good, creates melodies, as in “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.”",
+ "This idea is implicit in the opening words of the Shulchan Arukh, “A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning for the service of his Creator.” A person must overcome every obstacle to wake up from his sleep and spiritual fall. This refers not only to rising in the morning, but also to whenever his spirit falls into a state of sleep and he feels distant from HaShem. He must then act determinedly to shake off his slumber. By what means will he wake himself up? By seeing to it “that it is he who awakens the dawn”—that is, by rousing his good points, which, as noted previously, are black and so akin to the dawn, as in “I will awaken the shachar.” This will enable him to rouse himself from his slumber and rise up from his spiritual fall.",
+ "And this is the significance of “to rise up in the morning.” The key to waking up from sleep is the concept of “the morning of Avraham,” who is called “the man of chesed.” In other words, a person awakens the dawn, namely his good points, by inclining towards kindness and judging himself favorably. For this reason it was Avraham who brought converts to Judaism. He would incline towards kindness and find a good point in each person. In this way, he brought everyone closer to HaShem.",
+ "Reb Noson has explained that, on a deeper level, awakening the dawn alludes to lifting oneself out of spiritual slumber and despair. A person must judge himself favorably, so that finding his good points will rouse him from his state of slumber and revive his spirit. In the remainder of this section Reb Noson will discuss Rama’s gloss on the first law in the Shulchan Arukh (see p. 18 above).
This is the reason that the Rama’s gloss, “I set HaShem before me always”— advising us to always be mindful of HaShem—is juxtaposed with the words of the Shulchan Arukh instructing us to find our good points. The gloss means that as a result of first finding my good points, in effect I am always placing and setting HaShem right in front of my eyes. Even though according to my spiritual standing I am far from Him, HaShem is nevertheless “before me always,” everywhere—because I find in myself a good point. With the discovery of my good point, I am always able to feel close to Him.",
+ "Reb Noson now extends his interpretation of the verse cited by Rama to the verse’s second clause as well.
And this idea that finding one’s good points leads to constant awareness of HaShem is the explanation of the verse “I set HaShem before me always; because He is at my right hand, I will not stumble.” This means that I always place HaShem before me wherever I am, even on the lowest of levels, chas ve-shalom. Thus we can reread the verse as “by dint of my right hand I will not stumble.” With “my right hand”—i.e. the middah of chesed, the quality of loving-kindness—I find my good points. And due to the aspect of the “right side”—the concept of Avraham, the model of kindness—“I will not stumble,” but instead succeed in being ever mindful of HaShem.",
+ "This idea, that chesed keeps one from stumbling, is reflected in the verse “If I said, ‘My foot totters,’ Your chesed, HaShem, would support me.” This means that through chesed—by inclining towards kindness and judging himself favorably, still finding inside himself some good point—he is always able to find HaShem and receive His support. On account of this he will never stumble.",
+ "And so the next verse adds, “When the fears within me are abundant, Your consolations cheer my soul.” In other words, when incessant thoughts confound me and, by dint of my many blemishes, seek to bring me down, chas ve-shalom, then “Your consolations cheer my soul.” That is, HaShem consoles him by helping him find some good point inside himself. That good point is his consolation, and with it he brings himself to good cheer."
+ ],
+ [
+ "MELODIES AND PRAYER
Reb Noson will now expand his earlier discussion of creating melodies to include the melodies a person creates through the good points he finds by arising in the middle of the night. To that end, Reb Noson introduces here the kabbalistic concept of beirur, spiritual refinement, through which we raise up the fallen sparks of holiness.
It follows that the concept of waking up from spiritual sleep comes about primarily through the good points that a person finds inside himself even when he is on a very low spiritual level, chas ve-shalom. As we have seen, doing so creates melodies. For during the night, the time allocated for sleep, the Shekhinah performs beirurim, raising the sparks of holiness that have fallen among the kelipot. This act of spiritual refinement is analogous to playing music, which entails selecting the good ruach from the ruach of gloom and despair. This hints to what was discussed above, that when the spiritual aspect of sleep, which corresponds to the dark of night, overcomes a person, he must then seek and search in order to find good points inside himself. Through this act of beirur, of refining the good points concealed in darkness, he will wake up from his sleep.",
+ "This is the idea expressed in the verse “I recall my melody in the night; I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches.” In the spiritual night and the dark, which are characteristic of sleep, that is when “I commune with my heart, and my ruach searches.” I search for and seek out the good ruach, which corresponds to the good point, and this creates melodies, as in “I recall my melody in the night.”",
+ "In addition to a spiritual awakening, discovering one’s good points also helps a person pray. As explained above, by overcoming the desire for sleep and waking himself up from his slumber through the good points that he finds inside himself, a person brings about the essential tikkun of prayer. For prayer is principally rectified and has its greatest ascent only when a person merits finding the good points he still has inside himself, as in “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.” The “little bit” of good that each person finds within enables him to pray to HaShem and sing His praises.",
+ "After introducing the topic of prayer, Reb Noson next shows its connection to beirur of the good points.
This finding and refining of the good points is alluded to in the order of the Shacharit prayer. We begin by reciting korbanot and ketoret, the passages about animal- and incense-offerings which are themselves manifestations of the concept of beirurim. In regard to the animal-offerings, these beirurim are the finding and refining of the good points, the fallen sparks of holiness, even those trapped inside the animalistic desires of the nethermost level of the World of Asiyah. For the primary purpose of presenting the korban is to elevate the fallen sparks of holiness from the level of animal to the level of man.",
+ "This concept of beirur of the good points also relates to the incense-offering, which included among its ingredients the foul-smelling chelbenah. The ketoret signifies finding and refining the good even in Jewish sinners, who are likened to chelbenah. This is similar to what Chazal teach, that “any prayer that does not also include the prayers of Jewish sinners is not a suitable prayer.” For the ketoret dimension of prayer is primarily fulfilled by finding and refining good points even in Jewish sinners, who are represented by the chelbenah.",
+ "This is also the significance of the ketoret being comprised of eleven spices—that is, ten spices aside from the chelbenah. These ten fragrant substances represent the Ten Types of Melody, the melodies made by finding and refining the good in Jewish sinners, who themselves signify the eleventh ingredient, the chelbenah."
+ ],
+ [
+ "ELEVATING SPEECH
In this section and most of the next, Reb Noson will show that the principal ascent of good is in the form of dibbur, speech—in particular, as prayer.
Kabbalah teaches that dibbur is synonymous with Malkhut, the manifestation of the Shekhinah in the world. Therefore when the Shekhinah is hidden from man, so that Malkhut is said to be in exile, dibbur too is dispossessed. A person is then unable to open his mouth to speak to HaShem. Spiritually, he is like a mute. He feels distant from HaShem and is unable to pray. His words are in exile. But if he then engages in self-introspection and, by finding his good points, returns to HaShem by doing teshuvah, his dibbur ascends from exile. The pinnacle of its ascent manifests as the wholeness of speech a person achieves in reciting the Shemoneh Esrei. His dibbur is then at its most perfect before HaShem. Yet even when he recites the korbanot, which, as the first part of Shacharit, is only the start of the tikkun, he has already begun to elevate dibbur, as Reb Noson now explains.
When we recite the Torah passages of the korbanot in prayer, it is as if we actually presented the sacrifices themselves. This is as Chazal teach, “Whoever occupies himself with the laws of the burnt-offering is credited as if he brought a burnt-offering.” His speech is credited as action because the tikkun we bring about by presenting korbanot is in essence accomplished through the dimension of dibbur—the purpose of the spoken word is to raise the sparks of holiness from the inanimate, plant and animal realms to the realm of medaber, speaker., ",
+ "We have already seen that elevating the sparks of holiness is synonymous with elevating a person’s good points. Therefore when the good points rise from their position on the lower levels, the main thing is that they ascend to the dimension of dibbur. For initially, when the good has yet to be refined and recognized on account of the evil that covers and conceals it, a person resembles a mute, lacking dibbur, as in “I became mute with silence; [for] I was silent about the good.” But when we reveal the good, its essential revelation and ascent is as the spoken word of dibbur. We are then able to pray to HaShem and voice His praises.",
+ "Reb Noson next introduces two verses from Shir HaShirim as proof that the principal ascent of the good points is to the level of medaber, and that bringing a korban leads to perfected speech.
This is the significance of the verse “O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the concealment of the cliffs.” “My dove” alludes to the good point. It is like a perfect dove, which is called “perfect” because it is completely faithful to its mate and never leaves him, as Chazal teach. The good point that exists in every person, even the least worthy, is always attached to HaShem—wherever it is, it is perpetually with Him.",
+ "Even when, chas ve-shalom, a person’s good point falls deep into the kelipot that surround it on every side—as in “O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the concealment of the cliffs”—and so is thoroughly concealed, HaShem says to it, “Let Me see your image, let Me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasing and your image is attractive.” Even though you are “in the concealment of the cliffs,” trapped among the kelipot, you yourself are very beautiful, as in “I am black but pleasing.” Therefore reveal yourself and let your image be seen, since you are still beautiful. For the good point is perpetually attached to HaShem, and thus forever pleasing.",
+ "And so, “Let Me see your image, let Me hear your voice.” In other words, find and reveal the beautiful image of the good point inside you. That will “let Me hear your voice,” for by this uncovering of the good point we merit dibbur. We can then voice the words to thank HaShem and praise Him, whereas previously, because the good point was concealed, we were unable to speak at all.",
+ "We learn this as well from another verse in Shir HaShirim. This is the significance of the verse “O you who dwell in the gardens, friends listen to your voice. Let Me hear it.” Rashi interprets “who dwell in the gardens” as a reference to the Jewish people in exile among the nations. This alludes to the good points that dwell and reside as exiles among the “nations”—namely among the evil desires and spiritual blemishes representative of the nations of the world, as brought elsewhere. HaShem longs to hear the “voice” of the good points, as in His words to the Jewish people, “friends listen to your voice. Let Me hear it.” For HaShem longs for the good points to be revealed, and for them to make their voices heard in song and praise of Him.",
+ "This relates as well to the korbanot—namely that we elevate the good points to the dimension of medaber and reveal them through the words of our prayers. This is why Chazal teach, “Whoever occupies himself with the laws of the burntoffering”— or of any other of the korbanot, reciting the passages that give expression to its laws—“is credited as if he presented that offering.” We do not find this regarding any other mitzvah. It applies only to the sacrificial offerings, since the tikkun we bring about by presenting a korban—raising the sparks of holiness from the level of animal to medaber—is primarily through dibbur, words spoken in prayer."
+ ],
+ [
+ "GOOD POINTS, OFFERINGS AND MELODIES
Reb Noson next cites Chazal’s account of the communal korban tamid, daily-offering, brought in the Beit HaMikdash. Representatives of all three branches of the Jewish people—the Kohanim, Leviim and Yisraelim—participated. Reb Noson will explain how this mirrors beirur of the good points, creating melodies, and elevating the good points as the dibbur of prayer.
Now, this refining of the good points from the animalistic desires finds expression in Chazal’s statement: “[There were] Kohanim with their sacrificial service, presenting the offering; Leviim on their platform, chanting and playing music; and the appointed group of Yisraelim, the maamad delegation, standing at their station and reciting passages of Torah.”",
+ "For the primary tikkun brought about by presenting a korban—finding and refining the good point from the impurities and animalistic desires—comes through the Kohen, who is called “the man of chesed.” Since he inclines towards kindness and judges favorably, he finds good points on all the lower levels, the same objective in presenting korbanot. Therefore all the tikkunim accomplished through presenting a korban come about through the Kohen, “the man of chesed,” which is the trait exemplified by Avraham, as it is written in reference to him, “You will be a Kohen forever.”",
+ "And through this beirur that reveals the good points, melodies are made, as explained above. This is reflected in “The Leviim were positioned on their platform,” when they would play music on the platform while the korban was being presented. For it is through the concept of the korban, which is offered by the Kohen, “the man of chesed”—this being the concept of finding and refining good by inclining towards kindness—that melodies are made.",
+ "“And the Yisraelim, the maamad delegation, stood nearby at their station,” where they would engage in reciting passages of Torah while the offering was being presented. This is the dimension of dibbur. By reciting these Torah passages they would elevate the good extracted via the korban to dibbur, which is its essential ascent.",
+ "Therefore the maamad delegation would read the Act of Creation in Parashat Bereishit (Bereishit 1:1-2:3) and the Song of Moshe in Parashat Haazinu (Devarim 32:1-43).",
+ "They read from Parashat Bereishit because the Act of Creation came about primarily through beirur of the good, as in “With His good He renews each day, continuously, the Act of Creation.” It is specifically through the extraction and revelation of the Divine good that HaShem renews the creation daily. This beirur of the good is also implicit in the words “[God saw] that it was good”—meaning that the good is now perceivable because it has been extracted and revealed—which is written about each of the six days of Creation.",
+ "We see that evil—and the good it contains, requiring beirur— existed before Creation. Thus, regarding what preceded the tikkun brought about by the Act of Creation, the Torah states, “The earth was without form and void, with darkness …”— this is the kabbalistic concept of the ascendancy of evil when it covers and conceals the good, in this case evil preventing the emergence of the universe. And the tikkun came about through the concept of “the ruach of God hovering.” Chazal say, “Know that this is the ruach of Mashiach”—namely the concept of the good, the sum totality of all good, having emerged from the evil of the void and darkness.",
+ "The ruach of Mashiach is synonymous with good, because the good points that we find in every single Jew are all “sparks of Mashiach.” For Mashiach, in his redemptive capacity, is the essence of good. He is identified with the redeemer Moshe, and also with the redeemer Boaz, of whom it is stated, “Then, in the morning, if he is willing to redeem you, good! Let him redeem.” We learn from this verse that Mashiach, the redeemer of Israel, is identified with good, and that good is the catalyst for redemption. Thus it is through the “ruach of God”—namely the good ruach, the ruach of Mashiach—that the world essentially continues to exist and evolve.",
+ "For it is on account of the good points that are found within the formlessness, void and darkness that “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Subsequently, as the Torah states, “God separated the light from the darkness.” Because by rousing the good point a person genuinely moves to a position of merit. And then the light is revealed, and the darkness is correspondingly separated and set apart from the light, the evil from the good, and so on, as explained above.",
+ "It follows from all of the above that the Act of Creation occurred primarily as a result of finding and refining the good point. This corresponds to the Zohar’s teaching: “The design of the Mishkan matched the design of the Act of Creation.” For the Mishkan too involved beirur; conceptually, it was constructed from the spiritually refined good contributed by the Jewish people. This is why the maamad delegation that stood by the korbanot as they were being presented would engage in reciting the account of Creation. As explained, presenting the korban is akin to the Act of Creation, in its shared characteristic of beirur of the good from evil.",
+ "Therefore the korban was offered exclusively in the Mishkan or the Beit HaMikdash. Presenting a korban is an act of beirur. The Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash likewise involved beirur, as they were built through beirur of the good. A hint to this is the Torah’s reference to the site of the Beit HaMikdash as “this good mountain,” as it was there that the good was separated from evil.",
+ "Reb Noson first explained that offering a korban is an act of beirur since it refines the good points and extracts them from impurity. He then linked this to the maamad delegation’s recitation of the Torah’s account of Creation, since Creation itself came about through beirur of the good from evil. He will next show that the delegation of Yisraelim also read from Parashat Haazinu because that parashah too relates to finding and refining good, turning it into melody and song.
This is also the idea of Parashat Haazinu, whose verses the maamad delegation would recite. For Parashat Haazinu is the song by which Moshe Rabbeinu reassured the Jewish people that by dint of this song the Torah would never be forgotten, as it is written, “This song will testify [that it will not be forgotten]”—even in the greatest concealment, as when HaShem says, “I will utterly hide … this song will be a witness.” For the song implies that even if the Jewish people are very far from HaShem, and so have fallen into the greatest concealment, they are nevertheless close to Him. Good points can be still found in them, even the lowliest of them.",
+ "This is the import of the verse in Haazinu: “But HaShem’s portion is His people; Yaakov … He discovered them in a desolate land.” Even in a desolate land and in formlessness, we find “HaShem’s portion is His people.” This alludes to the good points. Conceptually, they are “HaShem’s portion inside His people”—that is, the good points are His people’s portion of Godliness. Therefore they would recite from Parashat Haazinu while the sacrifices were being presented, as it is through bringing the korban that the good points undergo beirur, as explained above.",
+ "Therefore Parashat Haazinu is called a “song,” as it is written, “[This] song will testify.” For, as explained above, it is from the good points that we find in a desolate land and in formlessness that songs and melodies are made.",
+ "In the final paragraph of this section, Reb Noson resumes his comparison of the progression of the four parts of Shacharit to the four stages of the good point’s ascent.
And so, after reciting the passages of the korbanot and ketoret—which correspond to finding and refining the good points even on the very lowest levels—we then recite the second section of Shacharit, Pesukei d’Zimrah. Selecting the good points creates melodies, as hinted in the verse “Azamra to my God with what I still have left,” with the emphasis on “Azamra.” This alludes to Pesukei d’Zimrah, the concept of songs and melodies made by our finding and refining the good points that are on the lowest levels. Beirur of that “little bit” of good enables us to sing and give praise to HaShem. This is why we say in the Pesukei d’Zimrah the verse “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "PERFECTION OF PRAYER AND SPEECH
Reb Noson now proceeds to the third section of the Shacharit liturgy. Having found and refined the good points by reciting the passages of the korbanot, and then turned those points into the songs of Pesukei d’Zimrah, we now recite the blessings of Kriat Shema and the Shema itself.
Next we recite the blessings of Kriat Shema. In this third part of Shacharit we bless and thank HaShem for the renewal of the Act of Creation, stating that “with His good He renews each day, continuously.” This Act of Creation corresponds to the construction of the Mishkan, which is built from the aforementioned good points of the Jewish people. This is because, as taught previously, “the design of the Mishkan matched the design of the Act of Creation.” Thus reciting the blessings of Kriat Shema, in which we bless HaShem for His perpetual renewal of the creation, signifies constructing the Mishkan.",
+ "It is there in the Mishkan that the main tikkun of prayer takes place, as it is written, “For My House shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus declares God, HaShem, Who gathers in the outcasts of Israel.” For the Beit HaMikdash, the “house of prayer for all peoples,” is essentially constructed as a result of HaShem gathering in “the outcasts of Israel”—through His finding the good points even in the outcasts and those who have gone astray, and gathering up those points into holiness. The future Beit HaMikdash will also be built from this good, which will be gathered up entirely with the coming of Mashiach, may it happen soon in our days. This is the significance of the site of the Beit HaMikdash being called “this good mountain.” Prayer is most rectified and has its greatest ascent when recited there, since the essential tikkun of prayer is achieved only through this, the process of gathering up all the good points that we find.",
+ "And so, before we can recite the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, we recite the passages of korbanot and Pesukei d’Zimrah—that is, we refine the good points, and this creates the songs and melodies we sing in praise of HaShem. After that, from these good points we build a mishkan, where the primary tikkun of prayer takes place. This is the significance of the blessings of Kriat Shema, termed “the Supernal Chambers of Holiness” in Kabbalah. This corresponds to the Mishkan and the Beit HaMikdash, which are the actual Chambers of Holiness in this world. Thus we say at that time, in the blessing of Yotzer Ohr, “With His good He renews each day, continuously, the Act of Creation.” This alludes to the mishkan that we construct, for, as mentioned above, “the design of the Mishkan matched the design of the Act of Creation.” Thus by constructing these Chambers of Holiness we rouse and renew the work of Creation.",
+ "Having explained the purpose of the blessings of Kriat Shema, Reb Noson now turns to the passages of the Shema, beginning by clarifying the mitzvah of teaching Torah to one’s children, as mentioned there.
And from there—from the Mishkan built out of the good points of the Jewish people—the little schoolchildren receive the undefiled breath of their mouths. This idea is expressed in Kriat Shema by the verses “You shall teach them repeatedly to your children” and “Teach your children to speak them.” For, as we will see next, the yichud, unification, we effect by reciting Kriat Shema stems primarily from the good that has been refined.",
+ "Through this beirur of the good points, HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah are brought into yichud via an arousal from below elevating mayim nukvin. This is when the Shekhinah prides Herself before HaKadosh Barukh Hu, as it were, saying, “See what a child I bring to You.”",
+ "All of this comes about by dint of our finding good points even in Jewish sinners. For this is the concept of elevating the mayim nukvin: to elevate the fallen sparks of holiness from the deepest depths of the kelipot. The Shekhinah takes exceptional pride in this, because HaShem’s glory is most exalted precisely when that which was furthest from Him draws closer. Rebbe Nachman addresses this point a number of times in his writings, as does the Zohar, which teaches, “It was precisely when the idolatrous priest Yitro came to join the Jewish people that the Name of HaKadosh Barukh Hu was exalted and glorified above and below.” For it is specifically when the good points that were embedded in the lowest levels are raised up and elevated that the Shekhinah is, so to speak, proudest.",
+ "As a result of this, HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah are unified, as expressed in the opening verse of Kriat Shema, “[Hear O Israel,] HaShem is our God, HaShem is One.”, This same unity manifested in the Mishkan, as expressed by the verse “The Mishkan will be one.” Through the Mishkan, all the good points, which are the sparks of Godliness in each Jew, become encompassed in His Oneness.",
+ "And then, after reciting the Shema, we begin to pray the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, commencing with the words “My God, open my lips …” For it is specifically as a result of all that has been mentioned above that we are able to pray. Having found the good points, built a mishkan, and brought HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah into yichud, we can open our mouths to speak words of holiness. This is the main ascent of the good—namely that it rises up to the dimension of dibbur. And so it is this that we now request: “My God, open my lips [that my mouth may declare Your praise].”
Reb Noson has shown that the order of Shacharit parallels the ascent of the good points. By reciting the passages of korbanot we find and refine the good points that exist in every Jew. This good becomes the songs and melodies we sing to HaShem in Pesukei d’Zimrah. Next we recite the blessings of Kriat Shema, which correspond to the “chambers of holiness,” the mishkanot that we build from the good points. We follow this by reciting the Kriat Shema itself, so that through the yichud we effect between HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah, the good becomes encompassed in HaShem’s Oneness. As a result, the good points become perfected dibbur—namely our ability to express ourselves in the holy words of prayer. We begin by asking HaShem to open our lips so that we might recite the Shemoneh Esrei, praising Him and entreating Him for all our needs."
+ ],
+ [
+ "DRESSING THE BODY, DRESSING THE SOUL
Reb Noson next shows how waking up from sleep to rouse the good points from spiritual slumber relates to another of our morning activities: getting dressed. When dressing, Jewish law requires that we give priority to the right side. The Arizal explains that a person should take hold of the garment with both hands and then shift it to his right hand. After that, he should transfer the left side of the garment to his left hand. In all of this he should have in mind that initially all things need to be encompassed in the right side, after which the right side provides for the left.
This rousing and refining of the good points is also implicit in the laws of getting dressed each morning. One should initially hold the garment towards his right side and begin dressing. Afterwards, he passes the garment to his left side to clothe himself there. This is in accordance with the principle that “one should always empower the right over the left.” The underlying idea here is that the fundamental of any beginning depends on beginning with the right, the side of Chesed. This means that as a result of his inclining towards chesed and finding in himself some good points, a person wakes himself up from spiritual slumber. This in turn creates garments to clothe his soul, which until now—prior to the revelation of his good points, while he was as yet in a state of spiritual sleep—had been “naked.”",
+ "This is the reason brought in kabbalistic teaching for the blessing “Who clothes the naked” that we recite in the morning. For as explained previously, by revealing the good points—which are alluded to in the verse “Israel, in you etpa’er,” for HaShem takes pride in them, as it were—one creates garments, the concept of raiment of pe’er, raiment of glory for the soul.",
+ "This raiment of splendor and honor refers to tzitzit and tefillin, which are the soul’s clothing, as in “This alone is his covering, the garment for his skin.” Although the verse refers to a garment taken as security for a loan, which must be returned each evening to its owner, the Zohar teaches that this is also an allusion to tzitzit and tefillin. These spiritual garments are Israel’s raiment of pe’er made from the good points that are refined during the night in the manner described above, and as can now be understood in the works of kabbalistic teaching.",
+ "It follows that the soul’s primary garments—the clothes of splendor, the inclusion of all colors—are made from the refined good points, which similarly include all the colors, as discussed above. This is why, when dressing, it is necessary to empower the right side. For all clothing for the soul is derived from the concept of the right. By inclining to the right, towards chesed, and so finding the good points, garments are made.
When a person is spiritually asleep, his soul is said to be naked. Reb Noson has explained that in order to create garments to clothe his soul, he must uncover his good points. Therefore, when dressing, we begin with the right, favoring the side of loving-kindness in order to reveal the good and garb the soul in holiness. A Jew’s most splendid garments are his tzitzit and tefillin. Made from the good refined by serving HaShem in the night, the tzitzit and tefillin that a person dons in the morning are themselves raiment of splendor that envelop his soul and make him the object of HaShem’s pride."
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE MORNING BLESSINGS
Here Reb Noson turns to another of our morning activities: reciting the morning blessings. He will show that through these daily blessings we praise HaShem and thank Him for enabling our souls to genuinely wake up.
All the morning blessings hint to this, as through these blessings a person praises HaShem for having helped him find his good points so that he might wake up from his slumber and spiritual fall.",
+ "This is the significance of the morning blessing “Who gives the heart understanding to distinguish between day and night.” The good point shines like the light of day, whereas evil corresponds to night and darkness. By finding and rousing the good points, the evil is accordingly separated out from the good. Consequently, one separates day from night, as in “to distinguish between day [and night].”",
+ "A similar distinction can be found in the blessing “Who did not make me a non-Jew” (who must keep only seven basic mitzvot). For if a person cannot find the good point inside himself, he could fall away completely, chas ve-shalom, and so become like a non-Jew in respect to his mitzvah observance. But now that he has woken up and strengthened himself as a result of HaShem having helped him find a good point inside himself, he therefore thanks and praises HaShem “that He did not make me a non-Jew.”",
+ "This applies as well to the blessings “Who opens the eyes of the blind,” “Who releases the bound,” and “Who straightens those bent over.” Initially, when a person was in a state of spiritual sleep and descent, he was like a blind man groping in the dark. He was literally imprisoned by his sins, bent over by the weight of his despair. But now, through the good point that he found inside himself because HaShem opened his eyes, he is released from his bonds and stands erect. Through this finding of the good point he becomes genuinely worthy of moving from a position of guilt to a position of merit, and of returning to HaShem in repentance.",
+ "Similarly, all the rest of the morning blessings hint to this finding of the good point. Thus another of the blessings concludes, “Who gives strength to the weary.” With this a person acknowledges that HaShem has given him strength so that despite his great weariness—that is, despite his feelings of despair and disconnectedness—he is still able to wake up from his sleep.",
+ "This is also implicit in the final blessing, which begins, “Who removes sleep from my eyes.” We thank HaShem daily for delivering us from the darkness of night and rousing us from spiritual slumber. All such waking up, as we have seen, comes about as a result of inclining towards chesed and judging favorably. Therefore the morning blessings close with “Who bestows good chasadim.” For all that we have said about finding the good points and waking up from spiritual sleep comes about as a result of kindness, the concept of “the morning of Avraham.” By inclining towards kindness, Avraham revealed all the good points and so brought everyone closer to HaShem."
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE ARBA PARASHIYOT
Thus far, Reb Noson has discussed the deeper meaning of rising in the morning, of getting dressed, of donning tzitzit and tefillin, and of reciting the morning blessings. We have seen how each of these acts relates to judging oneself favorably, finding one’s good points, and waking up spiritually. Reb Noson next turns his attention to the four special Torah readings known as the Arba Parashiyot—Parashat Shekalim, Parashat Zakhor, Parashat Parah, and Parashat HaChodesh. These readings too have as their underlying theme the concept of waking up from spiritual slumber.
This finding of the good points also relates to the Arba Parashiyot, the four special Torah passages read on four separate Shabbatot during the month of Adar.",
+ "On the first Shabbat we read Parashat Shekalim, which speaks of the half-shekel contribution to the Mishkan, corresponding to the concept of tzedakah. Parashat Shekalim thus alludes to finding one’s good points, because tzedakah is a component of chesed, as indicated by the verse “chesed to Avraham.” For Avraham performed tzedakah and chesed with the entire world, through which it is possible to find the good points in everyone, as we have already seen.",
+ "This connection between tzedakah and finding the good points is indicated in the verse about Avraham, who “would call tzedek to his foot.” This teaches that through tzedakah we can call forth the good that falls to the lowest level, which is represented by the feet. This is also alluded to in the verse regarding Ruth’s act of chesed, when “she uncovered his feet and lay down.” This is likewise hinted to elsewhere in the Rebbe’s words, where he teaches that by giving tzedakah we awaken the good that has become concealed and hidden in places that seem to be most distant from HaShem.",
+ "And this is the idea underlying the shekalim coins of tzedakah that were contributed to the Mishkan, because conceptually, the Mishkan was built from all the good that was gathered and collected from each and every Jew, as explained previously. And so we read Parashat Shekalim with the awareness that giving tzedakah enables us to reveal the good points.",
+ "After that message from Parashat Shekalim that tzedakah extracts the good, on the second Shabbat we read Parashat Zakhor, concerning the battle against the nation of Amalek. We read Parashat Zakhor sequentially after Parashat Shekalim because it is through finding the good arising from the power of tzedakah that Amalek is defeated.",
+ "Amalek personifies the full force of the Sitra Achra, the Other Side. He marshals his strength to cast down the spiritually weak among the Jews by making it seem to them as if they no longer have hope, no good points, chas ve-shalom. An example of this can be found in the Torah’s account of Amalek’s attack on the fledgling Israelite nation, which relates, “He cut off among you all the weaklings … when you were faint and exhausted.” Amalek seeks to cut off the “weaklings,” namely those lacking spiritual strength, by convincing them that they are far from HaShem, and then using their despair to bring them down, chas ve-shalom. This is the meaning of “he cut off among you.” But when a person merits finding a good point inside himself even while falling, Amalek is thereby defeated.",
+ "This is why after Parashat Shekalim, which signifies arousing the good, we read Parashat Zakhor, which enables us to defeat the evil that is Amalek.",
+ "After that passage about Amalek, on the third Shabbat we read Parashat Parah, whose verses expound the laws relating to the parah adumah, the red cow. It relates to the mitzvah of teshuvah, as illustrated in the Midrash’s teaching on those verses, “Let its mother come and clean up after her child.” The “mother” is the red cow, whose ashes came to purify the Jews after they had sinned with her “child,” the golden calf. Finding the good points, the theme of Parashat Shekalim, defeats the evil personified by Amalek, the theme of Parashat Zakhor. This enables a person to genuinely merit doing teshuvah, the theme of Parashat Parah. It reiterates Rebbe Nachman’s teaching cited above, that through beirur of the good points from the darkness that conceals them, one genuinely moves from guilt to merit and is able to repent.",
+ "This also relates to the Zohar’s teaching that the underlying theme of the mitzvah of the red cow is the extraction of good from evil. Commenting on the requirement stated in Parashat Parah that it be “a perfectly red cow,” the Zohar explains that “red” connotes dina kashya, hard judgment, whereas “perfectly” connotes dina rafya, soft judgment. Through the red cow we temper and mitigate the harshness of judgment. In other words, when a person is beset by dina kashya, evil becomes dominant, chas ve-shalom. In that state of hard judgment, he feels distant and disconnected from HaShem, and so must temper the din by finding in himself some good point that he still possesses.",
+ "This is the meaning of the Torah’s statement that the red cow must be perfect, an animal “that has no blemish, upon which no yoke has been laid.” Conceptually, a person’s good point is like “a perfect dove.” It is free of any blemish, for it is beautiful and attractive, as in “I am black but pleasing.”",
+ "This finding of the good points also relates to another essential feature of the red cow. On the Shabbat that Parashat Parah is read, a refrain in the yotzrot states that the ashes of the red cow “would purify the contaminated and contaminate the pure.” This is analogous to a person judging himself favorably and finding the good points he has inside himself, which is similarly the idea of purifying the contaminated and contaminating the pure. For whoever is on a low spiritual level especially needs to find some personal merit so that he does not fall entirely, chas ve-shalom. His main purification and teshuvah is precisely through this.",
+ "Conversely, when someone who is pure feels confident of his piety, his cocksureness will surely “contaminate” and harm him, because he will succumb to pride, chas ve-shalom. Chazal address this in their teaching: “Even if the entire world says to you, ‘You are righteous,’ you should see yourself as if you are wicked.”",
+ "However, this is only to keep one from becoming arrogant, not to distress him. Therefore Chazal said “as if you are wicked,” and not “as actually wicked.” For it is forbidden to consider oneself as genuinely wicked, chas ve-shalom. Just the opposite is required! If a person sees himself as completely wicked, and even if it is true, chas ve-shalom, he must nevertheless seek and search to find inside himself a good point, on account of which he is not completely wicked. This one good point will itself bring him purity and he will merit doing teshuvah, as explained above.",
+ "Thus finding this good in oneself and in others parallels the red cow. For a person on a low spiritual level, finding the good point “purifies the contaminated.” But for a person on a high spiritual level, if finding the good point leads to pride, it “contaminates the pure.”",
+ "After that, on the fourth Shabbat we read Parashat HaChodesh. This passage pertains to Kiddush HaChodesh, the sanctification of the new month, which conceptually relates to the role of the good point in restoring the moon from its blemish of diminishment.",
+ "The explanation is as follows. It is known that when the Jewish people are on a low spiritual level, chas ve-shalom, it is akin to the moon in a state of blemish on account of the primordial moon’s complaint, since the moon’s blemish is the origin of all spiritual blemish and sin.",
+ "Reb Noson now clarifies how our sanctifying the new moon rectifies the moon’s blemish.
Therefore when a Jew on a low spiritual level wakes up and finds a good point inside himself, and through this returns to HaShem, it is akin to the restoration of the moon from its blemish, the concept of Kiddush HaChodesh. This is so because Kiddush HaChodesh is essentially this idea of looking for and finding the good point concealed by the darkness. For at the very beginning of the month, when we look for the moon in order to sanctify it in beit din, the moon is then extremely small and thin, merely a point in the nighttime sky. This point corresponds to the good point, which says about itself, “I am black but pleasing.”",
+ "This means that when the moon is at its absolute smallest at the end of each month, all Jews must then seek and search for it until eyewitnesses can testify to having found some speck of the light of the moon. By virtue of this small point they then sanctify the new month in beit din. Sanctifying even just a tiny bit of the moon’s light elevates it; it rectifies and restores the moon. For when we rejoice over just a mere speck of the light—namely that good point that we merit to find despite its being infinitesimally small and concealed in darkness—we ourselves are rectified and genuinely become deserving of merit through this. Conceptually, this is the rectification and restoration of the moon from its blemish.",
+ "Therefore, after receiving the witnesses’ testimony, the head judge of the beit din and all the people present there say, “Sanctified! Sanctified!” From this we see that by judging favorably, even a single point is sufficient to instill sanctity.",
+ "This is also the idea that all say, “Sanctified! Sanctified!”—meaning that through their words, i.e. by elevating the good points to the dimension of dibbur, they elevate the moon from a state of blemish and diminishment. Their words bring the moon to a state of tikkun and wholeness, which is its sanctification. And all of this was brought about by a mere single point of light that they sighted from the emerging moon.",
+ "After explaining the moon’s waning as its blemish and the moon’s waxing as its tikkun, Reb Noson adds that the stars that HaShem created to appease the moon are the good points that assist the moon in returning to wholeness.
So we see that this idea of the moon’s completion itself expresses the concept of the good points effecting tikkun. This should be clear to us because we know that although the moon was diminished on account of its complaint, HaShem then gave it the stars in order to conciliate it, as Chazal teach and Rashi brings in his commentary. The stars, as points of light, actually hint to the aspect of the good points that are found inside every Jew, through which people genuinely move to a position of merit by being judged favorably.",
+ "This is the explanation of “and those who matzdik the masses [will shine] like the stars.” Interpreted homiletically, “those who matzdik” refers to the tzaddikim of the generation. They find the good in all people and judge everyone favorably, so that even the sinners among the Jewish people genuinely move to a position of merit. This good corresponds to the stars, as in “those who matzdik the masses [will shine] like the stars,” since the stars resemble points of light. Their appearance in the nighttime sky dispels darkness, much as the good points revealed by the tzaddikim dispel the darkness in a Jewish sinner.",
+ "Thus this verse at the end of the Book of Daniel, “and those who matzdik the masses,” addresses the aforementioned subject of tzaddikim engaging in beirur, spiritual refinement. As explained there, the angel of HaShem spoke to Daniel about the spirit of unbelief that would sweep over the world in the days preceding the coming of Mashiach. “Many will spiritually refine and cleanse themselves, and they will be purified. The wicked will act wickedly … But the wise will shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who matzdik the masses [will shine] like the stars.” In other words, in the pre-messianic era at the end of days, the forces of impurity of the Sitra Achra will become overpowering, chas ve-shalom. Great will be the beirur and purification that will take place then, as indicated by the angel’s words to Daniel, “Many yitbareru and cleanse themselves, and they will be purified.” But many others will be in danger of falling away.",
+ "And so the main tikkun at that time will come about through the aforementioned concept of finding the good through “those who matzdik the masses,” namely the tzaddikim. They will judge everyone favorably and find good points even in the least worthy, this being the primary spiritual work of the tzaddikim. And since judging favorably and finding the good in every Jew is the foremost task of Mashiach, it will be precisely this that will hasten Mashiach’s coming, may it happen soon in our days. For this is the concept of Mashiach, who, as noted above, is the essence of good and the bringer of redemption. And it is also the import of “But the wise will shine … and those who matzdik the masses [will shine] like the stars,” because the main tikkun and the redemption at the end of days will come about through the good points, which are the shining stars, as explained above.",
+ "This is also the significance of David HaMelekh’s words in Tehillim, “Praise Him, all stars of light.” For the good points, which are the stars that shine, enable us to thank and praise HaShem, as in “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.” On account of the “little bit,” which is my good point, I will be able to sing praises to Him.",
+ "And this is the reason HaShem gave the stars to the moon, to conciliate it. For HaShem was assuring the moon that through the stars—which conceptually are the good points, that is, the light of Godliness inside every Jew—the moon’s blemish is rectified.",
+ "RISING AT MIDNIGHT
This finding of one’s good points and waking up spiritually also relates to rising at midnight. Rising at chatzot symbolically means that we must break the deepest sleep by arousing the good points, as in “Awake, my soul! Awake the harp and lyre!” This refers to David HaMelekh’s harp, which, as Chazal teach, was played by ruach tzafon, the north wind. Ruach tzafon—synonymous with ruach tovah, the good spirit—is the good point that is tzafun (concealed) and hidden even in the deepest sleep, even in someone on the lowest spiritual level. An example of good being concealed is expressed in the verse “How great is Your good that tzafanta.” These good points blow upon David’s harp, separating out the good wind from the winds of gloom and despair, since it is through this that melodies are made. This is why, as Chazal teach, the harp played of itself—that is, by dint of this north wind, the beirur of the good points. Thus through its melodies we wake up at midnight from the deepest sleep and slumber to recite Tikkun Chatzot and engage in Torah study.",
+ "REDEMPTION
Reb Noson now returns to his discussion of Parashat HaChodesh, which, as we have seen, speaks of the tikkun of the moon. Parashat HaChodesh, which is read on Shabbat two weeks before Pesach, also references the redemption from Egypt. We will next see that Jewish redemption—whether from Egypt in the past or when we will be gathered in from among the nations in the future—is dependent on finding the good points. In this it resembles the tikkun of the moon.
Now, being roused from the lowest levels by the good points relates to the Exodus from Egypt, as stated in the opening verse of Parashat HaChodesh, “This month is for you …” Parashat HaChodesh, namely Kiddush HaChodesh, corresponds to finding a point of light hidden in the darkness of night. This sanctification of the new month was the very first mitzvah given to the Jewish people as they departed from Egypt. For the redemption from Egypt came about mainly through the aforementioned good points, as in “I [HaShem] passed by you and saw you wallowing in your own blood.” In other words, the Jews had become sullied by sin, sunken in 49 gates, or levels, of impurity. Nevertheless, HaShem took pity on them and found good points in them, despite the powerful impurity of Egypt that engulfed them, and He redeemed them.",
+ "This is as Chazal teach, “Because of four things alone the Jewish people were redeemed.” This alludes to the good points that HaShem found in them even while they were in Egypt, on account of which they were redeemed.",
+ "Thus the verse concludes, “I said to you, ‘Through your blood, live! Through your blood, live!’” Even in the midst of the blood and filth—despite them—“live!” For even there it is possible to find good points, through which the Jews were redeemed in the past and will be redeemed in the future.",
+ "Therefore the first mitzvah the Jewish people were commanded was Parashat HaChodesh, the concept of sanctifying the new month by virtue of a mere point of light. This sliver of the moon represents the little bit of good inside even the least worthy Jew. Finding this good point is the essence of the redemption from Egypt, and in the future it will be the essential catalyst for the final redemption, the ingathering of Israel’s exiled from the nations, as explained above.",
+ "“Blessed is HaShem forever; amen, amen.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "SPLITTING THE NIGHT
Reb Noson further develops the topic of chatzot and, in doing so, explains why the Exodus from Egypt took place specifically at midnight.
This connection between the good point and redemption is alluded to in Moshe’s declaration, “[Thus said HaShem,] ‘Around midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt.’” The emphasis is on “around midnight,” for at midnight the good point rouses. This is because midnight is associated with the ruach tzafon, which contains the good that would blow upon David’s harp at midnight to arouse him, as explained previously.",
+ "And this is why the good ruach—the good point—issues specifically from tzafon, namely the side of judgment and concealment, as the prophet Yirmiyahu states, “From the tzafon the evil will break out.” The ruach tzafon, the good ruach, which would blow melodiously upon David’s harp, is drawn specifically from there, from the place that is tzafun. For the primary benefit of the good is most apparent when it issues from extreme evil and the Sitra Achra; particularly through this beirur of the good from the bad are melodies made. This same idea is brought in the holy teachings, which cite the words of Kohelet that the advantage of light is most apparent specifically when it emerges from (i.e. is contrasted with) darkness., ",
+ "The necessity to reveal the good from the deepest concealment is the reason the ruach tzafon blows specifically at midnight. For at midnight the Shekhinah is, so to speak, at its absolute smallest. She is then just a tiny point, akin to the good point submerged among the kelipot. Therefore sleep is heaviest at that time, and anyone whose heart has been touched by the fear of HaShem must exert great effort to overcome sleepiness and wake up specifically then. This is analogous to rousing oneself from the grip of spiritual slumber and the kelipot of the Sitra Achra by means of no more than a single good point. And so, waking up at that time, at midnight, corresponds to the Exodus from Egypt, which similarly came about through finding the good points within the dark night and great impurity of exile.",
+ "This also relates to the night of Pesach. For at midnight HaShem took pity and skipped over the homes of the Jewish people and their firstborn when He afflicted Egypt and killed its firstborn. This means that HaShem, in His mercy, passed over the evil and instead gathered up and rescued the good points—namely the Jews themselves, whom HaShem calls “My son, my firstborn, Israel”—separating them out from the midst of the Egyptian firstborn, from the midst of the strength and stranglehold of the Sitra Achra. This was the essence of the redemption from Egypt: Pesach night, at midnight, HaShem skipped over their evil and found their good instead.",
+ "Thus the first to reveal the mystery of midnight was Avraham Avinu. This was at the night’s divide, midnight, when he fought against the four evil kings and rescued Lot from captivity, as it is written, “The night was divided against them.” For the underlying concept of midnight is fulfilled through Avraham’s dominant character trait. Metaphorically, rising at midnight refers to breaking the heaviness of spiritual sleep, shattering the spiritual night and darkness by means of the good point. This comes about only through the example of Avraham, “the man of chesed,” by inclining towards kindness and judging favorably.",
+ "This goes further, because the reason Avraham pursued the kings to rescue Lot was for the purpose of rescuing the good point inside Lot. Although Lot himself was a wicked person, Avraham risked his life for him, to save him for the sake of the good point that Lot had inside him. For Ruth was destined to descend from him, and from her would descend David HaMelekh, ancestor of Mashiach, who, as mentioned above, is the essence and root of the good point.",
+ "Therefore the main intention of the four evil kings in their war was to kill Lot, since the entire aim of the Sitra Achra is to overpower the good point. But HaShem does not abandon it into their hands. He instilled sufficient power in Avraham, the embodiment of chesed, to rescue Lot on account of the good point that Lot possessed. This enabled Avraham to kill the kings, because by judging favorably and finding the good point even in the wicked, the Sitra Achra is defeated. For, as explained above, evil is dispelled by just a little bit of good."
+ ],
+ [
+ "FROM THE LOWEST LEVELS
Reb Noson returns to the second of the two verses from Shir HaShirim that he cited in §7 above. Here he will show how it alludes to midnight.
This is the import of what is written in the Zohar, linking the verse “O you who dwell ba-ganim” with the idea of rising at midnight. Study there, where the Zohar homiletically interprets “O you who dwell ba-ganim” as “you who dwell be-genuta, in disgrace”— alluding to man’s soul residing “in the disgrace and filth of this lowly world.” Despite the lowliness of his station, when a person rouses and wakes up in the middle of the night to engage in Torah study, his words are heard on high.",
+ "This relates to what was discussed above. The Zohar is telling us that even though a person is on the lowest spiritual level, with his good point submerged in “disgrace and filth,” HaShem, the angels and the souls of the tzaddikim in Gan Eden still listen to his voice; this is the meaning of “friends listen to your voice,” which itself is the concept of rising at midnight in order to engage in verbal Torah study and prayer. See above, where I cited this verse “O you who dwell ba‑ganim,” explaining that it was said in reference to the good point that each person possesses, regardless of where it lies (i.e. in the lowest places), even in the midst of a person’s evil desires and flaws. Now, based on this teaching of the Zohar, this idea has been well clarified."
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE MOMENT OF MIDNIGHT
Reb Noson has explained that waking up at midnight to recite Tikkun Chatzot is conceptually the same as waking up the good point through which each Jew remains connected to HaShem. Further insight into this parallel can be gleaned from Chazal’s teaching regarding the exact moment of midnight and the verse in Shemot in which Moshe discloses the time of the Jewish people’s redemption.
This is the reason Chazal emphasized the importance of knowing how to determine the time of midnight. As cited in Berakhot 3b, Chazal ask, “But did David know when it was exactly the middle of the night? Even Moshe did not know.” However, David actually did know, because “a harp hung [above his bed.",
+ "The moment midnight arrived, the north wind would come and blow upon it].” The inner meaning of this is that the essence of the collective redemption of the Jewish people, as well as the individual redemption of the soul of each and every Jew, depends on this knowledge and perception of the concept of midnight. This is the ability to determine well the good points that are most concealed at the time of a person’s midnight of lowliness.",
+ "Thus there is always hope, even when the full force of spiritual slumber overwhelms the soul of a Jew, threatening to cast him down totally, chas ve-shalom, on account of his many sins and spiritual flaws, such that he is on the verge of falling completely, may HaShem save us. For precisely at that moment, HaShem, in His kindness, enlightens that person, so that he reminds himself of the good points that he possesses, and revives himself.",
+ "This corresponds to the practice of rising at midnight. At that time the Shekhinah—namely the collectivity of all Jewish souls—is at Her smallest and lowest point. She then cries out bitterly to HaShem, as in the verse “Like a deer longs,” and as in “A voice is heard on high—wailing, bitter weeping.” HaShem then awakens His compassion and endows the Shekhinah/souls “with a touch of chesed” in order to redeem and return the Shekhinah/souls to Her/their former spiritual level. All this is clarified in the writings of the Kabbalists.",
+ "And all this that the Shekhinah goes through happens to every single Jew, all the time. Spiritual slumber repeatedly threatens to overwhelm him, until he very nearly succumbs, may HaShem save us. At that very moment he must look for his good point.",
+ "This is as in the verse “If I said, ‘My foot stumbles,’ Your chesed, O HaShem, would support me. When my worries within me are many, Your consolations cheer my soul,” all of which relates to the aforementioned holy teaching of Azamra. For at the moment a person’s mind reaches absolute constriction, such that he wants to say, “My foot stumbles,” chas ve-shalom—precisely then, HaShem’s chesed will support him in the manner described above. HaShem will help him uncover his good point, to rouse him from his spiritual slumber and bring him back.",
+ "This concept of waking up the good points at a person’s midnight of lowliness is parallel to actually getting up at chatzot, the time of the greatest constriction. That is precisely the time for arousing from one’s slumber—namely rising from one’s spiritual fall—by means of “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.”",
+ "And redemption, both collective and individual, is contingent on this waking up at chatzot. Thus the first redemption, the redemption from Egypt, took place specifically at chatzot. Similarly, the final redemption, which we hope will come speedily in our days, will come about through chatzot—meaning the concept of chatzot, the quality of being able to wake up from spiritual slumber by finding the good points at the spiritually lowest times.",
+ "This will come about by virtue of the devout and the God-fearing who get up nightly at chatzot to study Torah; in this way, by studying Torah at this time, they draw upon themselves the holiness of midnight, when great chesed is awakened. And through this chesed they merit always drawing upon themselves the concept of arousing from spiritual slumber, the ability to find the good points at the darkest times, by dint of the special influence that exists at midnight. Rising at midnight enables the devout and the God-fearing to constantly draw this ability upon themselves— that is, whenever the kelipot seek to cast them into a very powerful slumber and constriction. Even if the Sitra Achra succeeds in defeating them, chas ve-shalom, and despite whatever suffering they may have had to endure, they will still always be able to rouse themselves from the mightiest constriction through waking up at chatzot—that is, by dint of the remaining little bit of good that each one finds inside himself.",
+ "And so, in Egypt, Moshe did not yet know how to properly determine the time of midnight. It was still prior to the Giving of the Torah and there had yet to be an it’aruta d’litata, an arousal of spiritual input from the Jewish people below. There were not yet in existence that many tzaddikim who would arise at midnight and engage in Torah study, since it was before the Giving of the Torah and therefore difficult to determine the precise point of midnight. This is true even according to the opinion that Moshe also knew the exact moment of midnight. Moshe knew, but he could not speak freely about it to others for fear that they still might err. He could not yet openly reveal this insight, because it was before the Giving of the Torah.",
+ "However, David HaMelekh did know the exact time of midnight because of the harp that hung above his bed. As brought in Rebbe Nachman’s teachings, the harp drew its power from the Torah, since David’s harp had five strings, paralleling the Five Books of the Torah. It would wake him from his sleep so that he knew how to determine the time and the point of chatzot. For David is representative of Mashiach, who is constantly engaged in rectifying Jewish souls, rousing them from sleep through the aforementioned concept—through the good points that he finds in each one. He also teaches each person how to do this on his own, enlightening the person’s heart so that he is always able to search for, seek out and find the good points inside himself. David-Mashiach does this in order to enable each person to wake up from his spiritual slumber and fall, so that he will not fall away completely, chas ve-shalom.",
+ "And for the person who wants to find his good points, the main thing is to determine when he is on the verge of falling, chas ve-shalom. Precisely at that moment, HaShem will enlighten him with His chesed, to save him and wake him up, as in the verse “If he falls, he will not be cast down,” and as in “[The wicked man] watches [for the tzaddik] … HaShem will not abandon him into his hand.” The same is taught about the Jewish people as a whole at the time of the final redemption: “When He sees that their power is gone, with none to protect or fortify them, He will then say … ‘See, now, that I, I am He.’”",
+ "All this that we have said about finding one’s good points comes by dint of the power of the Torah that we have already received, as transmitted through Moshe Rabbeinu and through all the tzaddikim ever since. They are the ones who have best explained to us the Torah’s ways of drawing close to HaShem in all situations.",
+ "Therefore David HaMelekh knew when it was midnight, a person’s darkest and yet most propitious time for spiritual awakening, through his harp. This was because David was one who “knows how to play.” For the entire aforementioned holy teaching— that a person has to search for the good and revive himself through it—relates to the holy melodies, the extraction of good notes from the bad, that issue from David’s harp. This is as in “I will sing to my God with what I still have left.” Specifically, “I will sing” and play melodies through the good point I still find in myself. This is as David himself said, “Awake … the harp and lyre! I will wake the dawn.”",
+ "Through this knowledge of finding the good notes /points, David merited knowing how to determine the point of midnight, the most beneficial time for spiritual elevation. The final redemption of the Jewish people, both collectively and individually for each and every Jew, depends on this idea. For David is Mashiach. Through him will come the final redemption, the complete redemption after which there will be no more exile.",
+ "Mainly it will come through the aforementioned concept of songs and melodies, as in “mashiach of the God of Yaakov, and sweet singer of Israel.” In other words, Mashiach will come as a result of our implementing the teaching of Azamra. May he come quickly in our days, amen.",
+ "Consider these ideas well, because it is impossible to spell everything out. Nevertheless, each person, no matter what he experiences in his life, in youth as well as in old age, will always be able to revive himself on the basis of all the concepts and ideas we have discussed here. They clarify a small measure of the truth in the advice and holy instruction contained in “I will sing to my God with what I still have left”—Rebbe Nachman’s Azamra. The Rebbe strongly encouraged us to “go with” it—to always keep this teaching in mind and practice it. Happy is he who steadfastly holds on to it."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning for the service of his Creator, so that it is he who awakens the dawn. Gloss: “I set HaShem before me always” (Tehillim 16:8)—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 1:1).",
+ "It is fitting for every person who fears HaShem to be pained and distressed over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash (ibid. 1:3).",
+ "KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARAN
This discourse is based on the lesson Ashrei HaAm—Hashgachah (LM I, 13), in which Rebbe Nachman teaches how one can become the focus of HaShem’s Divine providence.,
To benefit from HaShem’s full hashgachah, a person first has to break his excessive desire for money. When this desire burns inside a person’s heart, it is akin to idolatry. It therefore awakens HaShem’s burning anger and arouses dinim, the agency of suffering and misfortune in the world.
The way to break one’s lust for wealth is through tzedakah. Giving charity generates a ruach of generosity inside a person, a ruach that blows upon his heart and cools his burning desire for money. He should also engage in masa u-matan be-emunah. Happy with his lot and pleased with that which HaShem has favored him, his lust for money disappears.
To the degree that people’s burning desire for wealth is tempered, so too is HaShem’s burning anger. The spiritual origins of that anger, the dinim, are mitigated, and chesed, loving-kindness, flows freely into the world. This proliferation of the elements of chesed leads in turn to the manifestation of daat, internalized knowledge and awareness that HaShem’s Immanence fills all of creation.
Chazal teach that acquiring daat is analogous to building the Beit HaMikdash. Just as the Beit HaMikdash is the abode of the Shekhinah in the world, daat is the abode of the Shekhinah in the mind. Building daat brings to a new revelation of Torah, which in turn draws upon us the caring watchfulness and inflow of HaShem’s full hashgachah. For the Torah itself is the power of vision associated with HaShem’s “seeing eye of compassion,” His hashgachah. Therefore the closer a person is to the Torah, the more fully he is impacted by and benefits from HaShem’s hashgachah.
Rebbe Nachman explains that this is especially true of the new Torah teachings revealed to the world by the true tzaddik and leading sage of the generation. All those who come to this tzaddik-sage bring their aspirations and desires. The tzaddik gathers up their wills, the good as well as the bad, and elevates them together with their souls. This elevation eliminates their desire for money and sparks a yichud, unification, between HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah, thus revealing HaShem’s Oneness. In this way, the tzaddik-sage renews people’s souls, and through the new insights into the Torah that he reveals, he teaches them to fulfill the Torah anew.
ZERIZUT AND EMUNAH
Jewish law requires that we start our day by getting up from sleep promptly and eagerly in order to serve HaShem. Reb Noson will show that this necessitates the trait of zerizut, alacrity, which is associated with emunah, belief in HaShem.
The Shulchan Arukh states, “A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he [who awakens the shachar].” This means that when a person wakes up, he should rise with zerizut, without a trace of sluggishness. This trait of zerizut relates to the element of emunah, as Rebbe Nachman writes elsewhere, that a person’s zerizut in serving HaShem is an indication of his level of emunah.",
+ "Kabbalah teaches that at night a diminished emunah descends among the kelipot, the forces of evil. Then in the morning, meaning from midnight until the morning, emunah becomes magnified and awakens. Therefore a person should eagerly awaken from sleep before the dawn in order to strengthen himself with emunah, so that he can build up and magnify the overall presence of emunah in the world.",
+ "This is the meaning of “so that it is he who awakens the shachar.” One has to arise early in order to build up, magnify and awaken the shachar, which, in its aspect of Ayelet HaShachar, namely the Shekhinah, corresponds to Malkhut and to emunah.",
+ "And this corresponds to the idea of breaking the excessive desire for money, through which tzaddikim are able to elevate souls and draw down Torah, as Rebbe Nachman writes in the lesson Ashrei HaAm—Hashgachah. Study there.",
+ "For each day we are obligated to receive the Torah anew—either through derivation of new insights or by renewed commitment to its teachings. As Chazal teach on the phrase “‘that I charge you this day’—every day the words of Torah should appear in your eyes like new.”",
+ "The way to receive the Torah anew is by elevating the soul and renewing it, as explained there. This is achieved by breaking the excessive desire for money and thereby strengthening emunah. This is analogous to rousing from sleep with zerizut, which is itself an indication of the strength of one’s emunah.",
+ "All this is so since lusting for money equates with nonbelief, with night, whose darkness is symbolic of the concealment of emunah. This leads to anpin chashukhin, “darkened countenances” of sadness and sluggishness, corresponding to death— and, by extension, to sleep, which Chazal teach is one-sixtieth of death., ",
+ "This is why a person must be mighty like a lion; why he has to be resolute and strong-willed, so that he breaks his desire for sleep, which is comparable to death and the desire for money. Then, with his emunah revived, he is able to renew his soul and elevate his desires, and through this draw down Torah anew.
Reb Noson has drawn a parallel between the desire for sleep and the desire for money, as both signify diminished emunah. Conversely, rising with zerizut and giving tzedakah, which breaks money-lust, both build emunah. Rectified emunah renews one’s soul and one is rewarded with new Torah insights.",
+ "SLEEP FOR THE SOUL
Reb Noson next explains that when we break the desire for sleep, sleep itself becomes beneficial, not just for the body and mind but also for the soul.
And when a person breaks his desire for sleep—as when he breaks the desire for money—then, on the contrary, sleep is actually beneficial for him. For through sleep he renews his soul, as in “They are new in the mornings; your emunah is great,” alluding to the emunah of the person himself.",
+ "Similarly, through the money a person earns—via masa u-matan be-emunah, which is the concept of sleep—he renews his soul, as explained in the lesson Ashrei HaAm—Zarka. The Rebbe teaches there that a businessman who has emunah suffers no loss as a result of his faith and integrity. On the contrary, by breaking the desire for wealth and transacting his business with emunah, he turns an exceptional profit— namely a renewed soul.",
+ "This is the explanation of “Lazy one, how long will you lie down? When will you rise from your sleep?” It means: How long are you going to lie down and sleep lazily? When are you going to break the desire for sleep? For then, when a person breaks this desire, on the contrary, by sleeping he actually strengthens his mind and renews his soul. Thus “When takum from your sleep?” means: When will you have a takumah, revival, such that your soul will arise and be elevated through sleep?",
+ "And when a person merits elevating his soul by breaking his desire for sleep, he effects a yichud between HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah. This is the meaning of “so that it is he who awakens the shachar.” By waking up eagerly from sleep to serve HaShem, he awakens Ayelet HaShachar, namely Malkhut / the Shekhinah, for union.
Reb Noson has shown that the nightly suspension of daat we call sleep is representative of diminished faith. This blemish of emunah is mirrored in the nightly diminishing of the Shekhinah and Her descent from the highest spiritual realms. Conversely, zerizut in rising from sleep restores emunah and rectifies the Shekhinah. Going to sleep with the intention of rising with alacrity in order to serve HaShem accomplishes this as well. Sleep is then most beneficial: it renews the soul, and awakening facilitates the awakening of the Shekhinah and leads to a yichud on high.",
+ "LIKE A LION
Reb Noson now returns to the first law of the Shulchan Arukh with which he began this discourse. He will show how it alludes to gathering the souls and their diverse wills in order to then merit hashgachah, the opening topic of Rebbe Nachman’s lesson.
This is the explanation of “A person should strengthen himself like an ari, lion.” The word ari suggests a gathering, and so the Shulchan Arukh’s statement alludes to gathering the souls in order to elevate them. As Rebbe Nachman writes in the lesson Ashrei HaAm, gathering souls and all the wills that issue from them is the concept of “Ariti my myrrh with my spice.” The tzaddik gathers people’s diverse wills, all their wants and aspirations—these as bitter as myrrh and those as fragrant as spice—and then elevates them in order to renew their souls.",
+ "And by elevating the souls and wills we draw new Torah insights. This in turn elicits full hashgachah. For it is through the Torah that we are brought into HaShem’s sight.",
+ "This is why Rama’s gloss on the law “A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning” cites the verse “I set HaShem before me always.” In other words, when zerizut in serving HaShem breaks the desire for sleep, elevation of the soul elicits a new revelation of Torah. By setting ourselves close to the Torah we come into His direct line of sight, so that His hashgachah is upon us always.
When a person who strengthens himself and serves HaShem with zerizut comes to the tzaddik, the tzaddik gathers all his wills, the base and the lofty, and raises them up. This renews his soul and he receives the Torah anew. Then, through his closeness to Torah, he becomes the focus of HaShem’s “seeing eye” of hashgachah.",
+ "MITIGATING DIN
Having explained that rising from sleep with zerizut strengthens emunah, mitigates din, and builds daat, Reb Noson now shows how this parallels rising each night to “rebuild” the Beit HaMikdash by reciting Tikkun Chatzot.
This matter is related to what is written in the Shulchan Arukh (Orach Chaim 1:3), “It is fitting for every person who fears HaShem to be pained and distressed over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash,” for “whoever mourns over Yerushalayim will merit witnessing its rejoicing,” as Chazal teach.",
+ "It follows that being pained and distressed over the destruction and absence of the Beit HaMikdash correlates to its rebuilding and the subsequent rejoicing. Furthermore, the building of the Beit HaMikdash is synonymous with building up daat, through which it is possible to elevate souls, as explained above and brought in LM I, 13. Study Rebbe Nachman’s words there.",
+ "And that is the reason for rising at midnight to recite Tikkun Chatzot. By breaking the desire for sleep—namely the desire for money—and mourning over Yerushalayim and the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, we spiritually rebuild it. Through this aspect of building the Beit HaMikdash and meriting daat it becomes possible to gather up the Jewish souls, elevating and renewing them, and rendering them worthy of a new revelation of Torah.",
+ "Therefore rising at midnight mitigates dinim, because by rising at that time we have effectively broken the grip of sleep—in particular, sleep in its association with death and nonbelief. Sleep as it relates to death and nonbelief is accompanied by dinim, for “as long as there is nonbelief and idol worship in the world, [there is burning anger in the world].” But by rising at midnight, we raise up emunah and strengthen it. HaShem’s wrath and the dinim are thus mitigated, and we draw chasadim, the elements of kindness and love, into the world.",
+ "To conclude, Reb Noson relates to one last concept from Rebbe Nachman’s lesson: the power of tzedakah to mitigate din.
This also relates to what the Rebbe writes elsewhere, that rising at midnight and lamenting the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash is as efficacious as giving a pidyon., The analogy to a pidyon is precise, because the pidyon is a form of tzedakah, and we have already seen that giving tzedakah breaks the desire for money and so mitigates the dinim. The same is true of rising at midnight; it is like giving a pidyon. By rising at midnight one breaks the desire for sleep, which corresponds to breaking the desire for money, through which we mitigate dinim, as explained above.
Reb Noson has shown that three Rosh HaShanah themes—strengthening emunah, mitigating din, and meriting hashgachah—have practical applications for us throughout the year. The sleep that overtakes us each night is representative of diminished emunah. But if we break the grip of sleep and wake up with zerizut, we strengthen our emunah. This mitigates the dinim, the concealment of Godliness. The resultant increase of daat elevates our souls, and with the new revelation of Torah that this brings, we become the focus of the seeing eye of HaShem."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARAN
A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the shachar, dawn. [Gloss: “I set HaShem before me always” (Tehillim 16:8)—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah] (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 1:1).
This discourse is based on the lesson Vayaseiv Elohim (LM I, 62), in which Rebbe Nachman discusses how to strengthen one’s emunah in HaShem. Study the Rebbe’s words there.",
+ "The Rebbe clarifies there the distinction between the two types of questions of emunah. There are questions whose solution a person can readily comprehend. Concerning this Chazal stated, “Know what to answer…” In fact, with regard to that which HaShem has placed within the grasp of the human mind, honing the intellect in order to comprehend the matter clearly is a great mitzvah. Hence the dictum: “Know what to answer a heretic.”",
+ "But there are also questions whose solution is unfathomable to the human intellect. Only in the future will the answer be revealed. In the meantime, a person must not explore questions of this sort. Regarding someone who does rely on his intellect to delve into such questions, it is written, “Whoever goes to her will not return”—i.e. to his previous level of devoutness and simple faith. For when it comes to questions of this sort, one is forbidden to rely on his intellect. Instead, he must stand firm in emunah.",
+ "Now, even regarding those questions that do have an answer, it sometimes happens that the pathways of a person’s intellect become blocked, and he does not know how to respond to the question. On account of this, the heresy of the question becomes injected into him. This sort of heresy exists in everyone, in each person relative to his spiritual level. If he looks within, he will be able to understand how to a greater or a lesser degree he too has been affected by heresy.",
+ "One should serve HaShem with both of his inclinations, with the yetzer hara, evil inclination, subservient to the yetzer tov, good inclination. In truth, if a person would really know with his whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” then the pathways of his intellect would never be blocked and he would not succumb to heresy. The extent of this awareness of HaShem’s Immanence is reflected in his conduct during prayer. If he would know and internalize that HaKadosh Barukh Hu stands over him when he prays, and that He listens to every single word of the prayer, he would surely pray with great fervor and be extremely meticulous about concentrating on his words. But, in general, because a person does not know this with a whole heart, he is neither very fervent nor meticulous.",
+ "And all of this is due to the concealment of the knowledge of HaShem’s Immanence. This concealment stems from the element of machloket—the dispute in a person’s heart caused by the ascending power of his yetzer hara—as expressed in “their heart is chalak.” This refers to questions that arise because the pathways of his intellect have become blocked and “divide” his heart, to the point that he does not know what to answer to the heresy in his own heart.",
+ "The way to remedy this machloket in the heart is by studying the rulings of Jewish law that cite the disputes between the various legal authorities and come to a clear conclusion. Through this study a person attains both daat and inner peace, and so merits eliminating the questions in his heart. He will then be able to pray with a whole heart, as in Chazal’s exposition of the verse “with all levavekha” as meaning to pray to HaShem “with both your inclinations.” This praying with both inclinations of the heart is also alluded to in “I will praise You with an upright leivav when I study Your just laws.” Study the Rebbe’s words there.",
+ "However, studying the rulings of Jewish law is effective only in dealing with questions whose answer a person can readily comprehend, whereas it is forbidden to explore those questions for which there are no answers. Rather, one must strengthen oneself with emunah.",
+ "And when a person has complete emunah, free of all questions and doubts, his eating has the power to effect a yichud, unification, between HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah, since food is spiritually refined and elevated through emunah—through the faith in HaShem displayed by eating in holiness.",
+ "Now, emunah is perfected and adorned mainly by bringing closer to HaShem precisely those who are most distant from Him. Their newfound recognition of HaShem enhances emunah. However, to achieve this, one must be able to elevate the sparks of holiness in the letters of speech. Only the redemption of these holy sparks creates the speech of holiness needed to restore emunah to the world. Then, once these holy sparks begin to ascend, the faculty of speech turns itself around and gathers up the remaining sparks of holiness from the kelipot, the forces of evil.",
+ "In order to elevate the holy sparks of speech, one needs to fast. Man’s cravings for food and drink are the primary physical desires. When these desires become overpowering, chas ve-shalom, they draw the letters of speech into the exile of Egypt, making it impossible to speak words of holiness. They also undermine holy emunah, and so people’s questions of faith increase. At that point it is necessary to attach the back of holiness, to conceal it, so as to prevent the kelipot from drawing any more than a bare minimum of sustenance from this lesser holiness. And the way to conceal the back of holiness is through fasting. Unlike indulging one’s desires for food and drink, fasting denies the kelipot access to their source of sustenance, and so breaks any hold they have over holy speech.",
+ "In addition to subjugating physical desire, fasting is also valuable because it expresses a new beginning. This is important because the essence of all things is their beginning, and because “all beginnings are difficult.”",
+ "Once the back of holiness has been concealed through fasting, the kelipot are unable to enter there and draw sustenance from the power of holiness. And with the capacity of the kelipot impaired, the face of holiness—the radiance of consummate emunah—is then revealed. HaShem engineers this in order to extract from the mouths of the kelipot the holiness that they have swallowed. And then all those who are spiritually distant turn to the emunah of the Jews, as expressed in “Then I will turn the nations to a pure language.” The emphasis is on “turn,” as the verse can also be read, “I will turn a pure language to the nations.” It is the “pure language,” meaning the faculty of speech that has been refined and extracted from the midst of the kelipot, which turns its face to the nations. It does this in order to gather up from them the remaining sparks of holiness. Then the continuation of the verse, “that they all proclaim in the Name of HaShem,” is realized. All those who were spiritually distant are drawn closer to HaShem—this being the adornment of emunah.",
+ "This perfecting and adorning of emunah is alluded to in Saba d’Mishpatim, which states: Emunah is like “the beautiful maiden who has no eyes, i.e. she is concealed… She emerges and is revealed in the morning, but over the day becomes covered.” For man’s emunah renews itself each morning, as in a rereading of the verse “They are renewed in the mornings; your emunah is great,” where it is “your emunah,” a person’s faith, that the psalmist is alluding to. But subsequently, “over the day [it] becomes covered”—due to the burdens of daily existence, emunah becomes obscured and concealed.",
+ "Thus we need to engage in the tikkun of emunah by drawing the spiritually distant towards holiness. Once perfected, all the questions that would undermine emunah are eliminated, and HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah are joined in a state of yichud. Emunah, the Shekhinah, then pleads and advocates before HaShem on behalf of the spiritually distant ones, asking that He draw them closer.",
+ "This yichud is alluded to in the verse “Then Yehudah approached [Yosef].” The commentaries explain that this is “the drawing close of one king to another king,” hinting to the unification of HaKadosh Barukh Hu with the Shekhinah.",
+ "When joined in yichud, the Shekhinah pleads with HaKadosh Barukh Hu to show compassion for the spiritually distant ones. She says, “For you are just like Pharaoh.” In other words, “You are known only from pheraoh, what is revealed—namely a world ostensibly governed by nature, in which Your hashgachah is hidden. It is this concealment that causes people to err in emunah.” Thus the Shekhinah begs HaKadosh Barukh Hu to make His hashgachah known to them. How? By allowing those who are distant from Him to witness the tzaddik overturning the laws of nature.",
+ "This is the meaning of the Midrash’s teaching “Just as Pharaoh decrees, i.e. nature dictates a certain course of cause and effect, but fails to carry out its program when a tzaddik nullifies it, You too decree that the world now be governed by nature but fail to carry this out,” since the tzaddik prays and nullifies that too. Seeing You nullify Your will to the will of the tzaddik strengthens the emunah of those who are distant and brings them closer to You. Study all this well in the Rebbe’s words there."
+ ],
+ [
+ "2 ■ RISING WITH EMUNAH
Reb Noson begins his discourse on the law that a person should strengthen himself to rise in the morning to serve HaShem by linking it with strengthening emunah, especially through studying Torah in the hours before dawn.
Now, this teaching regarding strengthening emunah bears directly on the first law in the Shulchan Arukh, “A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the dawn.” Awakening the shachar, rising before dawn, effectively “awakens” or strengthens emunah. For emunah is identified with the sefirah of Malkhut, which is termed shachar—as in the kabbalistic concept known as Ayelet HaShachar.",
+ "Moreover, emunah and morning’s dawn, the shachar, are conceptually related. For the main perfection of faith takes place in the morning, as expressed in “They are renewed in the mornings, your faith is great.” Every morning the power of emunah is regenerated. This relates to the Zohar’s teaching cited above, that emunah is the “beautiful maiden” who “emerges in the morning” and is revealed then. All of this was explained previously, in the concepts from the Rebbe’s lesson. It is for this reason, namely that the main perfection of emunah occurs in the morning, that emunah is termed shachar, the beginning of the morning.",
+ "And so, in order for emunah to be revealed, every person must “strengthen himself like a lion” and exert great effort to rise up early in the morning, before daybreak, in order to study Torah and pray, and to elevate, complete and magnify holy faith. Perfection of emunah depends on his serving HaShem. This is the meaning of “so that it is he who awakens the shachar,” corresponding to the verse “I will awaken the shachar.” In other words, through a person’s pre-dawn devotions, he merits awakening the shachar in its identity as emunah, which needs to be magnified and completed up until daybreak. For morning is the main time of emunah’s elevation and perfection, as indicated in “They are renewed in the mornings,” and in the passage cited from Saba d’Mishpatim, “She emerges in the morning.”",
+ "Thus far Reb Noson has explained that emunah is renewed every morning, and that we therefore get up before dawn to elevate and magnify emunah through our Torah study and prayer. He next specifies that the optimal time to engage in perfecting emunah is after midnight, through the daat one acquires by studying the rulings of Jewish law.
Now, the consummate and most effective devotion for strengthening emunah is to strengthen oneself greatly, exerting utmost willpower, to rise each night at midnight. The holy Zohar, in many places, is clear about how extremely vigilant one must be regarding this. It teaches that anyone whose heart has been touched by fear and awe of HaShem is obligated to rise specifically at midnight.",
+ "For holy emunah is mainly perfected through voiding, crushing and eradicating from one’s mind the two types of questions and heresies discussed above. As we have seen, there are the questions that are intrinsically unanswerable and insolvable. Regarding these the Torah states, “Whoever goes to her will not return.” Rather, one must rely exclusively on emunah. In addition, there are the questions that can be resolved, for which honing one’s intellect is a great mitzvah. But with these questions too there are pitfalls. It sometimes happens that the pathways of the intellect become blocked and so even these questions cannot presently be answered. As a result, an element of heresy enters his heart. And for each person, these questions that are unresolvable because the pathways have become blocked are relative to his spiritual level, commensurate with each person’s intellect.",
+ "The tikkun for this, to merit opening the mind and revealing the pathways of the intellect, is through study of the rulings of Jewish law. One then merits peace, and the machloket—the dispute in the heart caused by one’s yetzer hara, such that the heart is plagued with denial and heresy—is eliminated. Moreover, through the daat a person acquires by studying the rulings of Jewish law, he merits knowing how to answer the heresy in his heart, as discussed above.",
+ "Reb Noson now explains that the darkness of night symbolizes the concealment of daat.
For the truth is that everyone has a bit of heresy in his heart. This is why a person needs to strengthen himself to rise at midnight. For day and night, with respect to their characteristics of light and darkness, represent daat and foolish ignorance, namely the concealment of knowledge. Rebbe Nachman explains this in the lesson Dirshu, that daat corresponds to the revelation of light, whereas foolish ignorance, being the concealment of knowledge, corresponds to darkness. For the physical darkness of night stems from the darkening of daat, the concealment of the knowledge one must have of HaShem’s Immanence, from whence the heretical questions of emunah derive.",
+ "This idea, that night suggests spiritual darkness and heresy, is brought in the Zohar: “When night spreads its wings, the gates of Gan Eden close shut. The forces of darkness are released into the world, and the world is then governed through the Matron.”",
+ "As we understand it, this means that at night spiritual darkness becomes overpowering. This is the absence of daat, the shutting of the gates of Gan Eden, which are the gates and pathways of the intellect. This is when “the forces of darkness are released into the world.” These forces signify dinim and kelipot, the forces of judgment and evil. Their hold is primarily through the heresies and questions that arise due to the departure of daat at night, which corresponds to the closing of the gates of Gan Eden.",
+ "“And then, at night, the world is governed through the Matron,” namely the spiritual aspect of sovereignty, “the Holy Queen,” which corresponds to holy emunah. For at night, at the time of darkness—with the departure of daat—a person has to strengthen himself exclusively with emunah. Earlier we saw that emunah is identified with Malkhut, the sefirah of Sovereignty, corresponding to the Matron. This is the idea expressed in “your emunah in the nights”—that to survive the darkness, a person must rest his mind and instead rely solely on his emunah in HaShem—as the Rebbe discusses elsewhere. Study there.",
+ "After clarifying that the darkness of night alludes to the darkening of daat and so to the heretical questions that undermine faith, Reb Noson addresses the spiritual dimension of sleep and its connection to emunah.
Now, this idea of total reliance on emunah at night relates to nighttime sleep. For at night darkness is drawn into the world. The primary source of this darkness is Supernal Darkness, which signifies the depth of the matter. It indicates that Divine daat is deep and very distant from us, as expressed in “He made darkness His concealment.” HaShem’s “concealment” alludes to the questions that are impossible to answer, and for which it is absolutely impossible to find a solution in this world. For these questions are an aspect of darkness, in that they conceal the revelation of His Godliness. And it is impossible to remove this darkness by means of any daat, but solely by means of emunah, since it is impossible to find an answer for these questions. Instead, we need to rely on emunah alone.",
+ "Thus this relates to nighttime sleep, since sleep indicates the departure of daat. During sleep the mind is at rest, and so daat then enters the realm of emunah and becomes renewed there. This is the meaning of “They are renewed in the mornings; your emunah is great,” as Rebbe Nachman explains in the lesson Ashrei HaAm. Study his words there.",
+ "In other words, sleep possesses a spiritual dimension linking it to the darkness of night, when the forces of darkness begin to rule the world. These forces are the kelipot, heresies and insolvable questions associated with the darkness of night. One must sleep at that time, because sleep is a tikkun and a rest for the mochin, the mental faculties. For then, with the onset of night, a person needs to completely remove his daat—this is the idea of sleep being the departure of daat—and rely solely on emunah.",
+ "For this is the fundamental purpose of sleep: that we completely remove daat at that time, and rely solely on emunah. This is the idea behind “accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven” before sleep. We do this by reciting Kriat Shema al HaMitah, through which we declare our emunah in HaShem’s sovereignty and absolute unity. Affirming our submission to HaShem and releasing our souls into His care are necessary then because at the time of sleep the mochin enter into emunah. For in the face of those questions that are impossible to answer—which correspond to the power of the darkness of night—there we need to completely release and remove our daat, as in actual sleep, and rely solely on emunah."
+ ],
+ [
+ "UNBLOCKING DAAT AT MIDNIGHT
Reb Noson next elaborates on the distinctive roles of the two halves of the night, focusing in particular on the hours from midnight until dawn.
This idea, that we strengthen emunah through sleep, relates to rising at midnight. For although sleep is a major rectification for the mochin—since they are renewed through emunah at the time of sleep—nevertheless, one must be vigilant to rise at midnight.",
+ "The reason for this is that the night—which is the darkness, meaning the absence of daat—is comprised of two parts. These are the first half of the night, the hours until midnight, and the second half of the night, the remaining hours until dawn, as discussed in Kabbalah.",
+ "These two parts of the night correspond to the two types of questions mentioned above. During the first half of the night, the darkness and din are most intense, since the darkness at that time derives from the nature of the questions that are insolvable. Those questions represent the deepest darkness, since they cannot be resolved. Therefore a person needs to sleep at that time, since sleep is the departure of daat. For during the first half of the night one needs to completely remove his daat and rely solely on emunah; this removal itself being the aspect of sleep.",
+ "However, at midnight din is sweetened, and then those questions that cannot be resolved are dispelled from the mind. And so that is the time we must rise from sleep to study Torah and serve HaShem. By doing so, we draw daat and unblock the pathways of the intellect. Our objective in this is to merit the complete data necessary for resolving and comprehending answers for those questions that can be resolved.",
+ "This is the meaning of “At midnight I will rise to praise You for Your just laws”—with the emphasis on “for Your just laws.” For rising at midnight to study Torah in order to draw daat relates to the idea of studying the previously mentioned rulings of Jewish law. Through this study one draws the daat required to answer those questions that can be resolved, namely the daat that one merits by studying Torah at midnight.",
+ "This accords with what is discussed in the holy Zohar and the teachings of Rebbe Nachman, that rising at midnight and studying Torah at that time draws down daat. For then, during the second half of the night, din is sweetened. Thus the darkness at that time derives only from the nature of the questions that can be resolved. These questions have answers, but the pathways of daat have become temporarily blocked, as symbolized by the darkness of night that remains even after din has been sweetened.",
+ "Therefore we need to study Torah at that time, in order to unblock the pathways of daat and, with the light of day, merit perfect daat—i.e. to fully elevate and magnify the emunah at dawn. For morning is the time that emunah becomes whole, as in “She emerges in the morning.” This is the deeper intent of the law that a person should rise at midnight “so that it is he who awakens the shachar.” Waking the shachar, as we have seen, strengthens emunah. A person should get up and study Torah after midnight so that he is the one who awakens and strengthens emunah, enabling it to emerge in the morning whole.
Reb Noson has set out the nighttime devotion of a Jew. He sleeps during the first half of the night, and this clears from his mind the questions of emunah that have no answer. Then he rises at the start of the second half of the night and studies Torah, gaining the daat that will enable him to answer the questions for which answers do exist."
+ ],
+ [
+ "PRAYING WITH A WHOLE HEART
Reb Noson now returns to the discourse’s opening citation from the Shulchan Arukh. He will explain the juxtaposition of Rama’s gloss to the words of the law, particularly as it relates to elevating emunah.
This emergence of emunah is the reason why in the Shulchan Arukh, immediately following the law of “awakening the dawn,” Rama notes, “‘I set HaShem before me always’—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah … For [when a person is by himself at home] he sits and moves differently [than when in the presence of a great king … All the more so when a person takes to heart that the Great King, HaKadosh Barukh Hu, Whose glory fills the whole world, stands over him and observes his actions],” as explained there.",
+ "The meaning of this gloss is that one has to know and believe in HaShem’s Immanence, that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” and that whether he is sitting or standing he is always in the presence of the King of kings, HaKadosh Barukh Hu. He merits this steadfast emunah by awakening the dawn, i.e. by rising at midnight. Through this he draws the daat that unblocks the intellect, until he merits knowing completely that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” as is explained clearly in the Rebbe’s lesson.",
+ "Therefore the gloss in the Shulchan Arukh, “I set HaShem before me always”— which means knowing that “the whole world is filled with His glory”—is juxtaposed with the idea of awakening the dawn. For the two are interdependent: we can merit knowing completely and with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory” by means of the daat that we draw down by rising from sleep at midnight. This is the daat that relates to studying the rulings of Jewish law, as explained previously in connection with the verse “At midnight I will rise to praise You for Your just laws.”",
+ "Reb Noson now shows that rising at midnight to study Torah and serve HaShem also enhances the quality of one’s prayers the following morning.
And this is the inferred meaning of “to praise You”—the word le-hodot connotes prayer, as does the word odekha in “odekha with an upright heart when I study Your just laws,” which is explained in the Rebbe’s lesson. We merit praising HaShem through wholehearted prayer by rising at midnight to study Torah and serve HaShem.",
+ "Reb Noson interrupts his discussion linking one’s devotion before dawn with prayer in order to further clarify the meaning of rising at midnight.
Thus rising at midnight is the essence of what the Shulchan Arukh calls “awakening the dawn.” For the main thing is to rise at midnight. But even someone who is unable to get up at midnight can achieve much when he strengthens himself to at least get up before the light of day to study Torah and serve HaShem. In this way, he unblocks the pathways of the intellect relative to his spiritual level, in accordance with his serving HaShem in the hours before dawn. Through his devotions he merits knowing with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” because all his doubts and questions of emunah have departed, as explained previously. This is why, in the Shulchan Arukh, juxtaposed to this law of awakening of the dawn is the gloss “I set HaShem before me always”—which means knowing that “the whole world is filled with His glory”—since one is dependent on the other.",
+ "Reb Noson now returns to developing the idea that studying Torah and serving HaShem in the night enhances prayer the next morning.
And rising at midnight also leads to improved prayer. For the main objective in awakening the dawn is to improve our prayer, so as to merit praying in the morning with great kavanah and a whole heart.",
+ "By awakening the dawn, engaging at that time of the night in Torah study and serving HaShem, the pathways of the intellect are unblocked and we merit eliminating the questions of emunah and the heresy. Following this we merit knowing completely that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” which is the intention of the gloss in the Shulchan Arukh “I set HaShem before me always.” And then, through knowing with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” we merit praying with great kavanah. For once a person is aware that HaShem stands over him at the time he prays, and that He hears, listens and is attentive to every single utterance that comes from his mouth, he will surely pray with great fervor and be very careful to focus his attention on what he is saying, as explained above.",
+ "And the way to merit this awareness of HaShem’s Immanence—knowing with a whole heart, without any doubts or questions of emunah, that “the whole world is filled with His glory”—is by rising at midnight, which is the idea of awakening the dawn.",
+ "It follows that rising at midnight is spiritually beneficial for praying with kavanah. Likewise, from the Kavanot of the Arizal, it is understood that rising at midnight is a tikkun and a preparation for prayer.
Reb Noson has explained that serving HaShem in the night enables a person to become fully aware of HaShem’s Immanence—to know with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory”—and so to pray with proper devotion in the morning."
+ ],
+ [
+ "MAKING A NEW START
Reb Noson next discusses the reason why Jewish law forbids eating or drinking before Shacharit, and explains how this safeguards emunah and enhances one’s prayer.
Therefore it is forbidden to eat before prayer, in order to pray Shacharit with devotion. The Zohar and other kabbalistic texts are extremely stringent on this point, stating that even when a person rises from his sleep at midnight, he must not eat or drink until after praying Shacharit. Whoever does eat and drink at that time is considered like one who practices sorcery—may HaShem save us! Study there.",
+ "Yet nowadays, the defiant ones in the nation who drink before prayer have grown in number. It has gone so far that doing so has become completely permissible to them. And to justify their behavior, they base themselves on greater authority, in that they have found several tzaddikim who conducted themselves in this way. However, these were tzaddikim who were very ill and so had no choice but to drink before praying. These defiant ones presumptuously liken themselves to those tzaddikim, rather like an ape to a man, and imitate their actions—all in order to justify filling their bellies with coffee before prayer. There are even some who also eat before praying. Woe to them! Woe to their souls! For this is a very serious prohibition, as explained in the teachings of Chazal and especially in the holy Zohar and other kabbalistic texts.",
+ "And so we should not compare ourselves to these great tzaddikim, who are possessed of a different, higher spirit. This is especially true since they only drank before praying because they were very ill and so were compelled to do so. Furthermore, we should not permit this to ourselves since most of the tzaddikim did not engage in this practice. Our holy Rebbe, Rebbe Nachman, related that he never as much as drank water before morning prayers. Even though according to the law in the Shulchan Arukh drinking water is permitted, he did not do even this before praying Shacharit.",
+ "Let us return to our subject. Based on what was said above about praying with fervor and focus, it is a bit clearer why one is forbidden to eat or drink before prayer.",
+ "It is explained in the Rebbe’s lesson that the tikkun of emunah is achieved by elevating the sparks of speech and restoring them to holiness. One merits achieving this elevation by fasting. For by indulging one’s desire for food and drink, the kelipot become stronger. This is especially true of the forces of evil embodied as Pharaoh’s officials. They draw the faculty of speech into the exile of Mitzrayim—i.e. the realm of meitzar ha-garon, the narrowness of the throat. Holy speech is then prevented from exiting, and one is unable to enunciate a single word before HaShem.",
+ "Reb Noson next explains that when a person’s speech descends into the exile of Mitzrayim /meitzar ha-garon, his inability to speak to HaShem—a “dryness of the throat”— signifies his incomplete emunah and the presence of kelipot. But if he fasts, he conceals the back of holiness and so breaks any hold Pharaoh’s officials have over holy speech. He is then able to speak and call out to HaShem.
The remedy for this is fasting. By depriving himself of all food and drink, a person conceals the back of holiness and thereby denies sustenance to the kelipot associated with the throat. Instead, his fasting draws the waters of the chasadim, benevolences, to moisten the throat and so relieve the meitzar ha-garon, the throat’s constriction. This enables him to fulfill the verse “Cry out from the throat—do not hold back!” As a result, his emunah is entirely rectified. He is then able to eat in holiness, and through his eating bring HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah into yichud. Rebbe Nachman has thoroughly explained all this. Study his words there.",
+ "Therefore one is forbidden to eat and drink before prayer, because he needs to deprive himself of food and drink before praying Shacharit in order to safeguard emunah. This is akin to the concept in Jewish law known as a “fast of hours,” where even a partial-day fast adds to one’s merit. This fast of hours happens all the time, in that every day people go without food by fasting before prayer. By doing so, they draw the spiritual illumination associated with fasting to conceal the back of holiness. This enables them to extract the faculty of speech from the narrow of the throat, and by dint of this, adorn the holy emunah that is renewed every morning. Adorning emunah in turn enables them to merit expressing speech— namely the words of the Shacharit prayer—with complete devotion.",
+ "Prayer itself is synonymous with emunah, as known from Kabbalah. We know too that emunah is perfected through the tikkun of speech. This is the reason why speech in particular is the primary medium of prayer. And perfection of speech is achieved by depriving oneself through fasting and breaking one’s excessive desire for food. On account of this, every single Jew must fast and deprive himself at least before the Shacharit prayer, when, in any case, the basic law strictly forbids eating and drinking. A person must go without food every day before prayer so that he can draw illumination from the inner aspect of fasting in order to rectify the words of his prayer. This corresponds to the tikkun and adornment of emunah, as discussed above, and as explained in the Rebbe’s lesson. Study there.",
+ "In conclusion, Reb Noson discusses the connection between fasting and keeping one’s devotions to HaShem fresh by starting anew each morning.
In addition, a person must go without food before Shacharit, since the fast, which conceals the back of holiness, is itself the power of the beginning. This means that when a person repeatedly turns back toward the beginning to re-experience the drive and excitement he felt then, he is able to receive power, i.e. inspiration, from the beginning. For the beginning is the main thing, and also because “all beginnings are difficult,” as explained well in the Rebbe’s lesson. It is also clarified there, at the end of the lesson, that because the primary inspiration for all one’s devotions comes from their beginnings, one must endeavor to begin afresh every time. This is so that his service of HaShem does not become old and habitual for him. It will enable him to succeed in his devotions, because one’s energy in serving HaShem mainly conforms to the beginning. And so each time he must begin anew, since perhaps his first beginning, right there at the start, was not as it should have been. Therefore he needs to begin again right now. Similarly, on each day and with every chance he gets, he should begin anew. Study the Rebbe’s lesson there.",
+ "Therefore every morning before praying Shacharit a person must fast. He should not eat or drink before prayer in order to extract the sparks in the letters of speech from the narrow of the throat, since their being trapped there will prevent him from praying with fervor and focus. The way to accomplish this is by returning to the beginning, which conceptually underlies the fast. This act of returning, attaching each successive day of fasting to the first day, is the concept of attaching and concealing achor, the back, of holiness. It is analogous to achorayim, the “stepping back” method of writing the Name of HaShem, in which one repeatedly returns to the first letter, as explained in the Rebbe’s lesson. Study there.",
+ "This must be done every morning, since each and every day, in the morning, a person must make a new start in Divine service, as in “They are renewed in the mornings…” He should begin his day as if he had never before begun serving HaShem. This accords with Chazal’s teaching on the verse “‘that I charge you this day’—Each and every day the words of the Torah should be in your eyes like new.” They similarly expounded the verse “‘Be attentive and hear, Israel: This day you have become a people’—Every day it shall seem to you as if today you have entered into a covenant with Him.”",
+ "It follows from this that in serving HaShem we must begin anew every day. Therefore we must not eat before praying in the morning, since restraining ourselves from eating is an aspect of fasting, a return to the beginning. In this way, we draw the light of the power of the beginning, and as a result of this inspiration, merit starting each morning anew."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARAN
A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the shachar, dawn. [Gloss: “I set HaShem before me always” (Tehillim 16:8)—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah] (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 1:1).",
+ "This discourse is based on the lesson Meishra d’Sakina, LM I, 30, in which Rebbe Nachman discusses attaining a perception of Godliness. Study well the entire lesson there.",
+ "The general rule derived from the Rebbe’s lesson is that every person must persistently seek out and search for a true rav, one of such superlative greatness that he will be capable of enlightening him with a perception of Godliness.",
+ "For perceptions of Godliness are impossible to attain except through many constrictions of Divine wisdom., This involves simplifying that wisdom through the indirect explanations and hakdamot, introductory principles, that typically precede the presentation of any complex material. It is comparable to the pedagogical methods employed by the teacher who teaches a young child.",
+ "Therefore with regard to Divine wisdom, the further a person is from HaShem, the greater the constriction he requires to attain that wisdom. The more immature his spiritual level, and, homiletically speaking, the more spiritually ill he is, the greater the “doctor” he requires—that is, the greater the rav he requires. This rav has to be so great that he can cure even him. He must be able to explain the essential matter to him in indirect ways—through the constriction of Divine wisdom into lower wisdom—until he succeeds in instilling into him perceptions of Godliness; their attainment being the main purpose for which man was created.",
+ "In his lesson the Rebbe clarifies that these constrictions, which are the hakdamot that enable a person to attain perceptions of Godliness, correspond to lower wisdom, the holy and uncomplicated understanding of Godliness that can be found in the simple Jew. Lower wisdom equates with the sefirah of Malkhut, comparable to constrictions. Thus the Tikkuney Zohar likens them to “shiurim, measurements, of the letters of Torah,” in the sense that the letters and also the mitzvot that the letters articulate are measured and calculated constrictions of Divine wisdom.",
+ "Two additional concepts that the Tikkuney Zohar links with Malkhut, “black hairs” and “surrounding hairs,” similarly represent constriction. Just as the image of large objects is reduced and constricted in the blackness of the pupil, Divine wisdom is constricted in the blackness of the hair. The same is true of the hairs that encircle the head; they signify constriction and the indirect explanations that transform Divine wisdom into lower wisdom. The link between Malkhut and blackness is alluded to in the verse “I am shachor but pleasing.” This relates to the teaching of Chazal that “Avraham instituted Shacharit.”, For Avraham was the first to constrict Divine wisdom in order to instill perceptions of Godliness into the common people.",
+ "And after constricting Divine wisdom into lower wisdom we have to infuse that wisdom, the sefirah of Malkhut, with vitality. The way to invigorate Malkhut is through the Ohr HaPanim, the Light of the Supernal Countenance, which shines when we are joyous on the Shalosh Regalim.",
+ "But sometimes the sefirah of Malkhut falls. Malkhut is synonymous with the letter dalet, which has a numerical value of four and can be read as d’let, the Aramaic word for “that has no.” The Zohar says of the sefirah of Malkhut that it has no light of its own. This lack renders Malkhut susceptible to the rule of the Four Kingdoms. These Four Kingdoms of evil incorporate all the powers of impurity and the kelipot, the forces of evil. As relates here, they are associated with extraneous wisdom, the alien thoughts and godless philosophies that keep man from attaining perceptions of Godliness.",
+ "And who can bear the sound of wailing when Malkhut falls under the rule of the Four Kingdoms and is caught in their midst? This is as in “the shouts of a ruler ba-kesilim”—the screaming that ensues when Malkhut, the manifestation of sovereignty and rule, falls amid the foolish. It cries out because when the foolish want to become clever, they draw from lower wisdom/Malkhut, but twist that wisdom in accord with their foolishness. To redeem lower wisdom, we must sever Malkhut from them. This relates to the incident in which the prophet Shmuel killed King Agag of Amalek and “cut him into four.” Shmuel cut and severed the dalet—namely the Malkhut of holiness—from Agag, the embodiment of the Four Kingdoms of evil. For us, this severing of Malkhut from the realm of the kelipot takes place by means of the revelation of chesed, loving-kindness, occasioned by the rebuke of the tzaddikim. Study all this well in the Rebbe’s lesson.
Reb Noson has highlighted some key concepts from Rebbe Nachman’s lesson on attaining perceptions of Godliness. This requires a tzaddik capable of constricting Divine wisdom into lower wisdom, the uncomplicated understanding of Godliness found in a simple Jew. While indispensable, such constriction leaves lower wisdom, which equates with Malkhut, with two faults in need of rectification. The first is that, for some, lower wisdom fails to inspire; it feels limiting and insufficiently spiritual. Constriction has, as it were, robbed lower wisdom of its light, so that like Malkhut, it has no light of its own (see note 15). To rectify lower wisdom, we need to infuse it with Ohr HaPanim (see §3-§5 below). Lower wisdom also has no response to heresy and the godless ideologies that would confound it. Herein lies its second deficiency. For if a person’s emunah is not strong, lower wisdom’s artlessness, its innocence, leaves him defenseless against the attraction of extraneous wisdom, the secular studies and philosophical inquiry foreign to Torah and Jewish tradition. The rectification for this is the revelation of chesed, the uncovering of the love concealed within the tzaddik’s rebuke, through which he brings back to HaShem those who have grown distant from Him (see §4 and §8 below)."
+ ],
+ [
+ "RISING BEFORE DAWN
Reb Noson opens his discourse by explaining that lower wisdom—our gateway to perceptions of Godliness—is renewed every morning. He then links the renewal of lower wisdom with the mitzvah of rising early to “awaken the shachar” through Torah study and service of HaShem.
Now, all this—the rectification of Malkhut and the building of a person’s intellect through lower wisdom—occurs every morning. At the time of Shacharit, the Shekhinah, in Her identity as Ayelet HaShachar, ascends. This is indicated by the ascension of the first ray of shachar, dawn. It is also symbolic of the lowest sefirah, Malkhut, in its aspect of lower wisdom—meaning as the light of Divine wisdom constricted to our low level, as discussed previously. This lower wisdom is itself called shachar, because it constricts vision, just as the shachor, blackness, of the eye constricts the large objects that appear in the pupil. It is only through this that all perceptions of Godliness come about.",
+ "Therefore a person must greatly strengthen himself to rise early in the morning, before daybreak, in order to study Torah and serve HaShem. By doing so, he will magnify, elevate and awaken the shachar in its aspect of lower wisdom. This is as in “Awake 24 The Zohar (II, 42b) teaches: There is only one God, my soul … awaken the shachar”—so that one will wake up from sleep, and through the lower wisdom from his Torah study merit a perception of Godliness and gain awareness of HaShem. It is for this that we were created! This is not the reserve of the tzaddikim. Each person must attain this awareness. It is the only reason he has come into this world. The Supernal Worlds too were created only for this, as the Zohar states, “in order that they should know Him.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE BENEFIT OF SLEEP
Before explaining the devotion of strengthening oneself to rise early in the morning, Reb Noson clarifies how sleep, in the sense of removing one’s conscious intellect, plays a role in the attainment of perceptions of Godliness.
And this idea, that perceptions of Godliness are attainable only through lower wisdom, is related to waking up from sleep.",
+ "The primary reason for sleep is to counteract the kelipot. These negative forces arise because Malkhut, namely lower intellect, is adjacent to the impure extraneous forces. As is known from Kabbalah, Malkhut is the last outpost of holiness. On account of this Malkhut sometimes falls into their domain. It falls among the impure forces identified with the Four Kingdoms, particularly in their manifestation as extraneous wisdom. These forces seek to pull this holy lower intellect towards themselves, to gain strength by appropriating it into their extraneous wisdom, as explained there. And so, to prevent the kelipot from overpowering the intellect, we need to completely relinquish our conscious intellect in sleep.",
+ "Reb Noson now clarifies when sleep contributes to our spiritual progress and when it does not.
To elaborate: As long as a person can use his intellect in a holy fashion, sleep is unnecessary. As long as he can continue to attain a perception of Godliness by indirect means—through the indirect explanations and hakdamot that constrain the highest levels of daat—it is a great mitzvah for him to use his intellect as much as he can, each person according to his spiritual level.",
+ "But when the intellect begins to decline and confusing thoughts overwhelm a person, sleep becomes absolutely necessary. This confusion is caused by the aforementioned element of extraneous wisdom, namely the Four Kingdoms that seek to gain power by pulling this holy intellect towards themselves. A person must sleep then, for sleep is the departure of daat. He must completely relinquish his daat, this being the fundamental element of sleep.",
+ "Reb Noson explains how a person must give up his intellect for emunah, faith in HaShem, at the time of sleep, and how this emunah then protects him while he sleeps.
And this is why during sleep the neshamah, which is the higher intellect, enters into emunah. This is as in the verse “They are new in the mornings; your emunah is great,” alluding to the emunah of the person himself. Emunah is renewed every morning as a result of the intellect’s inclusion into it during the preceding night. This inclusion is necessary because at the time of increased confusion, a person must completely set aside his intellect and rely solely on emunah.",
+ "And so during sleep the power of death holds sway, as cited in the holy Zohar. For at that time, the vitality drawn from the Ohr HaPanim to invigorate lower wisdom disappears, and the Four Kingdoms/extraneous wisdom, which are associated with the power of death, take control. Thus at that time, with higher and lower wisdom concealed, the world exists mainly through emunah—on the strength of our reciting Kriat Shema al HaMitah, a declaration of our emunah in HaShem’s absolute unity, with kavanah, focused intent.",
+ "Thus sleep is necessary whenever the influence of extraneous wisdom increases. This wisdom includes all the many kinds of mental confusion that everyone in the world experiences at one time or another, all the negative and strange thoughts, untoward musings and ideas. All these derive from that aspect of the kelipot that is the Four Kingdoms/extraneous wisdom. When this wisdom, in any of its manifestations, begins to overwhelm the intellect, one must completely remove daat and rely on emunah. This is the reason for sleep, which is the departure of daat, when the neshamah, namely the intellect, enters into emunah, as explained elsewhere.",
+ "Reb Noson now concludes his explanation of the importance of strengthening oneself to rise early in the morning, and why Rama juxtaposes this law with the verse “I set HaShem before me always.”
Now, even though sleep is of great benefit in preventing the reinforcement of the kelipot, one must nevertheless be strong-willed to avoid sleeping too much. For the goal is not to suppress the intellect, but to expand it with perceptions of Godliness. To this end, a person needs “to strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning.” He must break the grip of sleep and rise to engage in Torah study and prayer. This in order to sever and elevate Malkhut/lower wisdom from the Four Kingdoms/extraneous wisdom and thereby merit attaining perceptions of Godliness.",
+ "This is why the gloss “I set HaShem before me always” immediately follows the opening statement in the Shulchan Arukh that one should strengthen himself to get up early in the morning. The purpose of strengthening is so he will merit awareness of HaShem—that is, attaining perceptions of His Godliness—to the extent that he is ever mindful of HaShem’s presence, not forgetting Him for a moment."
+ ],
+ [
+ "JOYS OF THE PANIM
Reb Noson now expounds a number of verses from Tehillim 16 in line with the concepts he has discussed thus far in his discourse. He begins with the verse just cited from Rama’s gloss.
This, then, is the explanation of this verse. “I set HaShem before me always”—that is, I can set my mind on perceptions of Godliness—and “because He is at my right hand, I will not stumble.” One achieves these perceptions and is protected through the “right hand,” since Malkhut—i.e. lower wisdom, through which perceptions of Godliness are attained—is built mainly by way of the right side of the sefirahconfiguration, especially through the revelation of chesed, as the Rebbe writes there in his lesson. For through acts of chesed we sever Malkhut from the Four Kingdoms of evil and then elevate it to the Ohr HaPanim that shines during the Shalosh Regalim. This light arises from the joy of the heart engendered by the mitzvot that we perform throughout the year. Study Rebbe Nachman’s words there.",
+ "This is “because He is at my right hand, I will not stumble”—meaning that through the aspect of the right side, which is chesed, “I will not stumble.” On account of chesed I will not stumble or allow my intellect to fall to the Four Kingdoms, under the influence of extraneous wisdom, chas ve-shalom. Rather, I will merit elevating my intellect, until through it I will be able to attain perceptions of Godliness—this being “I set HaShem before me always.”",
+ "Reb Noson expounds the next verse of Tehillim 16, which speaks of joy and glory, showing how both these subjects relate to attaining perceptions of Godliness.
And this is the explanation of the next verse in Tehillim, “Therefore my heart rejoices and my glory elates.” “My heart rejoices” is an expression of the heart’s joy in fulfilling the mitzvot, which is related to the Ohr HaPanim that shines during the Shalosh Regalim. From the Ohr HaPanim comes the vitality that invigorates Malkhut, namely the aspect of glory identified with HaShem, Who is “the Melekh of glory.” This is the import of “Therefore my heart rejoices.” It refers to receiving the Ohr HaPanim of the Shalosh Regalim, as indicated in “A joyful heart makes a cheerful panim,” as the Rebbe writes in his lesson. And through this, “My glory elates.” This alludes to the revelation of HaShem’s glory, in that joy and vitality are drawn to the sefirah of Malkhut, which is synonymous with the glory of HaShem.",
+ "Reb Noson explains the role of the tzaddik in enlightening one’s body, which, like one’s soul, needs to be infused with awareness of HaShem through perceptions of Godliness.
And as a result of the joy and vitality revealed in Malkhut, “my flesh too rests secure”—namely the gross flesh of the body. It too will be infused with perceptions of Godliness. For mankind was created for this purpose: that through toil and effort in studying Torah and doing mitzvot, a person disciplines his body and infuses it with awareness of HaShem. As Chazal teach, “‘Man was born to toil’—This refers to toiling in Torah.” For one must labor in Torah and service of HaShem, and strive to sanctify and purify himself so much that he merits enlightening even his body with a perception of HaShem’s Godliness.",
+ "We achieve this sanctity and purity because of the great and true tzaddik whom Rebbe Nachman encourages us to find. This tzaddik guides us around lofty insights with such awesome, indirect explanations and such wondrous constrictions until he enlightens us with a perception of Godliness even while we are still spiritually constrained in our bodies. He does this so that the body too will be enlightened by this. For this is the essence of spiritual perfection: to impart spiritual awareness even to the body, so that it too benefits from all the illuminations and perceptions of Godliness that the neshamah attains, as explained in the lesson Chotem be-tokh Chotem. This is the significance of “my flesh too rests secure.” This verse alludes to the idea that even the flesh of a person’s body will rest securely when during his lifetime, while still in his body, he merits awareness of his Creator through the true tzaddik who enlightens him with perceptions of Godliness.",
+ "Reb Noson now expounds the next verse of Tehillim 16, showing how the tzaddik saves us from spiritual destruction.
And this is the meaning of “For You will not abandon my nefesh to the grave.” Nefesh, the lowest part of the soul, is related to Malkhut, the lowest of the sefirot, as is known. Malkhut is synonymous with the aforementioned lower wisdom. This is implicit in the verse “For You will not abandon my nefesh to the grave”—that is, the portions of my Malkhut, the aspect of my lower wisdom, which is “my nefesh,” will not fall. “You will not abandon them, chas ve-shalom, or let them descend “to the grave,” namely to extraneous wisdom, which stems from the Sitra Achra and the kelipot. These are the forces that constantly contrive to overwhelm man’s nefesh, namely his intellect, which he requires if he is to attain perceptions of Godliness.",
+ "However, I am certain that “You will not abandon my nefesh to the grave,” because “You will not allow Your pious one to see destruction.” “Your pious one” here refers to the rav, the true tzaddik, who is devoted to my spiritual rectification. In his merit and through his power, I am certain that “You will not abandon my nefesh to the grave.” For “You will not allow Your pious one,” namely the rav and the true tzaddik, “to see destruction”—in order that he not witness the destruction of his followers’ souls in Gehennom. You will save us, so that he will not have to always see and look at that place from which he seeks to elevate us.",
+ "For if I should be in the grave or Gehennom, chas ve-shalom, certainly the tzaddik, who is the true rav, will always look there with great anguish in order to elevate me from that place, since he is constantly occupied with my spiritual rectification. And so, on account of his merit and through his power, I am certain that “You will not abandon my nefesh to the grave,” in order to “not allow Your pious one”—the true tzaddik—“to see destruction.”",
+ "Reb Noson concludes this section with his exposition of the final verse of Tehillim 16, showing how David HaMelekh’s request of HaShem encapsulates several of the topics discussed thus far in his discourse.
And this is also our request of HaShem, “Let me know the path of life, the fullness of the joys in Your Panim.” We ask that You make known to us the path and the way to achieve genuine life, to draw vitality in order to invigorate the aspect of Malkhut/lower wisdom. This vitality comes through the Ohr HaPanim that shines during the Shalosh Regalim, corresponding to the heart’s joy, as in “the fullness of the joys in Your Panim.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE OHR HAPANIM AND THE BEIT HAMIKDASH
Having shown that rising early to “awaken the shachar” effects a rectification of lower wisdom, Reb Noson now explains that reciting Tikkun Chatzot invigorates Malkhut / lower wisdom with the Ohr HaPanim that shines in the Beit HaMikdash.
This rectification of lower wisdom is a characteristic of rising at midnight, as will now be demonstrated.",
+ "For a person must strengthen himself greatly, exerting utmost willpower to rise from sleep at midnight and greatly mourn the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. This is the primary means for elevating Malkhut from the impure extraneous forces and the kelipot, as is known from the Kavanot of the Arizal.",
+ "Malkhut ascends through this because when one mourns over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, it is considered as if he is quite literally engaging in its rebuilding. Chazal expressed this in their statement “Whoever mourns [over Yerushalayim] merits to see her rejoicing.” And through this mourning one draws upon himself the sanctity of the Beit HaMikdash, which is the primary source of the Ohr HaPanim that one draws down during the Shalosh Regalim. This is why we were required to make the pilgrimage to the Beit HaMikdash on the festivals, in order to, as written in the Torah, “see the Panim of HaShem”—in order to receive the Ohr HaPanim.",
+ "It follows that the Ohr HaPanim is mainly revealed in the Beit HaMikdash. Therefore one must rise at midnight and greatly mourn over its destruction. Through this he will merit, according to his spiritual level, “to see her rejoicing,” and to draw vitality upon himself from the Ohr HaPanim that shines there. With this he will be able to invigorate Malkhut/lower wisdom, in order to merit attaining perceptions of Godliness.",
+ "This connection between mourning and the festivals is why we mention the festival pilgrimage to the Beit HaMikdash in the Tikkun Chatzot prayer, in the psalm KeAyal Taarog. The verse states, “These do I recall [and pour out my soul]: how I passed with the throng when I would walk in the procession to the House of God.” This refers to how the Jewish pilgrims would ascend to the Beit HaMikdash on the festivals, as Rashi expounds the verse there.",
+ "And this is the reason that we mention the word panim three times there. As it is written there, “Why are you downcast, my soul … for I will yet thank Him for the salvations of His Panim.” Panim is accordingly mentioned three times, corresponding to the three times of pilgrimage during the year, namely the Shalosh Regalim on which the Jewish people would ascend to receive the Ohr HaPanim.",
+ "Therefore after reciting Tikkun Chatzot and drawing vitality from the Ohr HaPanim, we need to now study Torah at midnight. For all the letters of the holy Torah are holy measurements and constrictions of Divine wisdom through which we are able to attain a perception of His Godliness,45 See §3 of the Rebbe’s lesson. as the Rebbe writes there in his lesson.",
+ "And, as Chazal teach: Through the Torah a person studies at that time of night, “he is endowed with a touch of chesed during the day.” By means of this chesed we are able to sever and disconnect Malkhut from extraneous wisdom, and build it to perfection with the arrival of dawn. This is alluded to in the verse “A throne is established with chesed.” As stated in the Rebbe’s lesson and inferred from the Kavanot of the Arizal, this refers to the enthronement of Malkhut."
+ ],
+ [
+ "MOURNING THE TRUE TZADDIKIM
Reb Noson now introduces an added dimension to the midnight service: mourning the loss of the tzaddikim, who devote themselves to enlightening each Jew with perceptions of Godliness and to achieving a rectification for his soul.
And so, in order to perfect Malkhut and lower wisdom, a person must cry out bitterly and wail greatly at midnight over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. This is so that he might sympathize with the Shekhinah and with all those who are pained by Her suffering. For it is impossible to bear the sound of the screaming and wailing at the time that Malkhut falls into the midst of the Four Kingdoms / extraneous wisdom. This is as the Rebbe writes in his lesson, “Who can bear the sound of the wailing…”",
+ "But mainly our wailing needs to be intensified over the passing away of the true tzaddikim, who were engaged in instilling us with a perception of Godliness. Now that they are gone, we have been left as ‘orphans, with no one to connect us to our Heavenly Father.’ Finding a rav is very difficult. We must actively seek out and search for a true tzaddik such as this. Therefore we need to weep and cry out profusely to HaShem about this, so that He will have mercy and compassion on us and ‘restore our former glory.’ And we must plead with Him to quickly send us once again true tzaddikim who will dedicate themselves to our spiritual rectification and enlighten us with perceptions of Godliness, so as to bring us to the ultimate good, whose attainment is the reason we were created. For this good is attainable only through the true tzaddik of superlative greatness. He alone has the power to heal the sick, those who are oppressed with the sickness of the soul—as we are today, in this era preceding the coming of Mashiach, which each of us knows in the depths of his soul."
+ ],
+ [
+ "SEARCHING FOR THE TZADDIK
Reb Noson now interprets a number of verses from the Book of Mishlei as referring to searching for the tzaddik, whose closeness enables a person to attain whatever he is missing in life, both materially and spiritually.
To find the true tzaddik, one has to “shrug off sleep from his eyes and slumber from his eyelids.” He must wander about in search of him, and offer many prayers and supplications that he will merit finding the true tzaddik who can heal him and instill in him a perception of Godliness, in order to save his soul from destruction.",
+ "Shlomo HaMelekh, peace be upon him, cried out about this in Mishlei, “Give your eyes no sleep, your eyelids no slumber. Save yourself like a deer from the hand [of the hunter] and like a bird from the clasp of the trap.” This advice is fulfilled through a person’s searching until he finds the tzaddik, the true leader who will draw him close to HaShem. This is the meaning of what is written in the verse immediately preceding this, “Do this, then, my son, and be saved, for you have fallen into your friend’s hand. Go humble yourself and bolster your friend,” which Rashi explains as meaning “Bring many friends who will pray to Him on your behalf.” In other words, bring true tzaddikim, who are called “brothers” and “friends” of HaShem. For a person must humble himself, like a doorstep that is trodden and stepped upon, in order to seek out the true tzaddikim with every ounce of his energy, until he merits finding them.",
+ "This is also the subject of what which is written further on, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to recline, and your poverty will arrive like a strider, your lack like a defender.” For a person must minimize his sleep and slumber in order to seek out the true tzaddik, who is called a “strider” and a “defender.” Tzaddikim are called “striders” because they constantly go from one spiritual level to another, higher level, as it is written, “I will let you be one who strides among the stationary.” The tzaddik is also called a “defender” because he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.",
+ "This is now a restatement of the verse in the affirmative: “Sleep little, slumber little …” until you merit the arrival of “your poverty like a strider.” Rashi explains this to mean that the things you are wanting and lacking will be provided in full. In other words, whatever impoverishes you, and whatever you lack materially and spiritually, will come to you quickly, like one who strides swiftly and like a defender who is nimble. Consistent with this explanation, this means: According to the greatness of the tzaddik that you merit finding—the one who is called a “strider” and a “defender”—all that you lack and your poverty, meaning that which makes you poor, will come to you. For all lacks are filled through the tzaddik, because he draws all physical and spiritual bounty by instilling awareness of His Godliness into his followers. Through this, all lack is filled, as it is written, “If you have acquired daat, what do you lack?”",
+ "Reb Noson concludes that given the great benefit of closeness to a true tzaddik, a person must make every effort to “shrug off sleep from his eyes” and rise at midnight to mourn the loss of the tzaddikim from the world.
Therefore one must break the grip of sleep and rise at midnight in order to copiously mourn, lament, weep and cry out over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash and the overpowering bitterness of the exile, both physical and spiritual. Even more than this, one must weep and cry out profusely over the loss of the tzaddikim, which is many times worse than the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash, as Chazal teach. All that we suffer, may HaShem spare us, is on account of this, as in a rereading of the verse as “The tzaddik is gone, but no one takes it to heart … that because of evil the tzaddik has been gathered in.”",
+ "Therefore whoever pities his soul needs to cry out greatly to HaShem that even now he should merit finding a true rav and leader. This must be a tzaddik who can instill in him awareness of HaShem’s Godliness, namely the daat through which whatever he lacks will be filled, all suffering will be eliminated, and all that exists will be rectified."
+ ],
+ [
+ "SHOES AND LOWER WISDOM
A person should put on the right shoe first but not tie it. Then he should put on the left shoe and tie it. After that he should tie the right shoe (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 2:4).
We have seen that our devotions during the night—including breaking the grip of sleep and then engaging in prayer and Torah after midnight—sever and elevate Malkhut / lower wisdom from the Four Kingdoms/extraneous wisdom and so bring to perceptions of Godliness. Reb Noson now relates this to dressing in the morning, in particular to our putting on shoes to protect the feet—that is, to protect lower wisdom from the extraneous forces, alien thoughts and godless philosophies that keep us from attaining those perceptions.
Now, this procedure for rectifying lower wisdom is reflected in the manner in which we put on shoes. Jewish law states that we put on the right shoe first, and then, after donning the left shoe, tie the left shoelace first. This derives from the law of donning tefillin, as Chazal state, “As with tefillin, so with shoes.”",
+ "For shoes are a protection for the feet. This is also true on a spiritual level. As the lowest part of the body, the feet require extra protection to elevate them from the extraneous forces that are adjacent to them. For the feet are conceptually associated with Malkhut and lower wisdom, the purpose of the aforementioned constrictions of Divine wisdom. We must sever the “feet” from the Four Kingdoms and elevate them to the aspect of the Ohr HaPanim that shines during the Shalosh Regalim. And from the Ohr HaPanim we draw protection, the concept of shoes, which protect the feet from the extraneous forces.",
+ "This is the meaning of “As with tefillin”—which are a revelation of the Ohr HaPanim, as is known from Kabbalah—“so with shoes.” From the Ohr HaPanim associated with tefillin, which protects Malkhut / lower wisdom, is drawn the concept of shoes as the protectors of the feet.",
+ "Therefore a person must put on the right shoe first, since the right side, which is chesed, is primary. With it we sever Malkhut from the Four Kingdoms and build it up.",
+ "Thus with regard to the tying, the left is given precedence; similar to tefillin, where one begins by tying the strap of the arm-tefillin on the left arm. The reason tying the arm-tefillin on the left precedes donning the head-tefillin is that receiving chesed is possible only through the tzaddik’s rebuke. See the Rebbe’s lesson, where this is explained. And rebuke corresponds to gevurot, severities, which are associated with the left side.",
+ "This relates to Chazal’s exposition of yadkhah as teaching that we should don the arm-tefillin on the yad keihah, the weak or left arm. Study the Rebbe’s lesson, where he teaches that this alludes to rebuke. Occasionally, rebuke involves humiliation—it makh’heh, turns pale, the other’s panim, as in what is written about Eli not rebuking his sons, “He did not khihah them.”",
+ "Now, in kabbalistic teaching, the tefillin signify mochin, the elements of consciousness which are the primary means for drawing a perception of Godliness, as discussed in the Rebbe’s lesson. Essentially, such perception entails the constriction of Divine wisdom into lower wisdom, and so it is conceptually related to tefillin, as those who comprehend the Rebbe’s words know. For the tefillin of the head and the arm correspond to upper wisdom and lower wisdom. The blackness of the tefillin boxes and straps likewise alludes to this constriction, similar to the blackness mentioned previously, in the above outline of that lesson.",
+ "Therefore we need to begin by tying the arm-tefillin on the left arm, the yad keihah, which hints to makh’heh. This is in order to draw the aspect of rebuke, through which chesed, from the right side, is revealed. With this chesed we sever Malkhut/ lower wisdom from the Four Kingdoms, and by doing so merit perceptions of Godliness."
+ ],
+ [
+ "EXPELLING THE EXTRANEOUS
A person should not wipe himself using the right hand (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 3:10).
Having explained that the spiritual purpose of wearing shoes is to protect Malkhut / lower wisdom from the extraneous forces, Reb Noson shows how keeping the laws in the Shulchan Arukh that are associated with other morning activities—particularly our conduct in the bathroom—similarly accomplishes this goal.
And so, because the right side is synonymous with chesed, Jewish law states that after a person relieves himself he may not wipe himself using the right hand, since he uses that hand to tie the tefillin. Using the right hand to remove fecal matter impedes it from drawing the rebuke-of-chesed aspect of tying tefillin that severs Malkhut from extraneous wisdom.",
+ "The explanation is as follows. Food consists of two elements, the absorbable nutrients and the waste product. Extraneous wisdom, through which heresy proliferates, is associated with the extraneous component of food, the waste that is termed “vomit and excrement, with no [clean] place.” Conversely, true wisdom is likened to the nutrients, because the food a person eats gives him life, and when he eats in holiness, it illuminates his panim. An allusion to this can be found in the verse “he ate and drank, and his heart was happy,” as explained elsewhere.",
+ "The essence of this life-force—namely the illumination of the panim that a person receives from food—stems from the spiritual aspect of the food, which is the good that the food contains. Only this spiritual element gives a person real life, as in “that not on bread alone does man live, but on every utterance from the mouth of HaShem does man live.” However, the material aspect of the food, to which evil attaches itself, becomes complete waste and is expelled out of the body. It is akin to the extraneous wisdom / heresy, which is termed “vomit and excrement.”",
+ "Therefore “whoever wishes to accept upon himself the yoke of Heaven’s malkhut in a complete manner”—which corresponds to the rectification of lower wisdom/Malkhut—“should relieve himself and wash his hands.” “He should relieve himself” in order to expel the waste, which is synonymous with extraneous wisdom. And then he should wash his hands with water, symbolic of the waters of Chesed. This is in order to evoke chesed through which to sever Malkhut and purify it from the Four Kingdoms.",
+ "After that “he should don tefillin, recite Shema and pray,” all of which relates to the rectifications accomplished through the prayer that he recites in the morning. All these rectifications—namely waking from sleep, relieving oneself, washing one’s hands, donning tzitzit and tefillin, reciting Shema and prayer—serve the purpose of elevating Malkhut. This elevation of Malkhut each morning is paralleled in lower wisdom, whose rectification is alluded to by the teaching “Avraham instituted Shacharit,” as explained in the Rebbe’s lesson.",
+ "And so, because one wipes oneself to remove the waste associated with the extraneous wisdom of the Four Kingdoms, one should not wipe with the right hand, since he uses it to tie the tefillin, one of the morning rectifications that elevates Malkhut. Tefillin signify the revelation of the Ohr HaPanim, the source of Malkhut’s essential vitality that enables it to ascend and become purified from the Four Kingdoms.",
+ "This is also the reason a person may not relieve himself positioned between east and west, since he would then be facing Yerushalayim, the site of the Beit HaMikdash, where the main Ohr HaPanim is revealed."
+ ],
+ [
+ "CHANUKAH LIGHT
Here and in the ensuing sections Reb Noson extends his discussion of perceptions of Godliness to a connection with the Chanukah candles. In this section he explains how the Chanukah lights are representative of drawing the light of a perception of Godliness by means of constrictions, both into oneself and into one’s home.
Now, all of this relates to Chanukah. For lighting the Chanukah candles corresponds to drawing a perception of Godliness by means of constrictions. In fact, this is at the root of lighting all lights and candles associated with the holiness of a mitzvah. Correspondingly, the illumination arising from a mitzvah is expressed in the Zohar as “to light candles” and “to kindle lamps.”",
+ "This drawing of a perception of Godliness by means of constrictions is also the concept of tefillin, whose constrictions—the boxes and straps—illuminate the mochin, which are the main perceptions of Godliness. This is reflected in the prayer that we say at the time of donning tefillin, “And pour the good oil over the seven branches of the Menorah.” We mention oil because drawing a perception of Godliness by means of constrictions is akin to drawing “the good oil”—the “oil of sacred anointing,” namely holy daat—into vessels and constrictions. These vessels and constrictions are the physical oil, lamp and wick required for the light to burn. As for the light itself, it is derived from the aspect of a perception of Godliness, the origin of all lights, for He is the Light of all lights, as it is written, “HaShem is my light and my salvation.”",
+ "Next Reb Noson discusses the uniqueness of the miracle of Chanukah, especially as a “weekday” festival with the power to illuminate even those in the deepest darkness in order to bring them back to HaShem.
This also relates to the power of the miracle of Chanukah, for at that time “the wicked Greek Empire rose up to make the Jewish people forget Your Torah and transgress.” The wicked Greek Empire referred to here is the personification of all extraneous wisdom, termed “Greek wisdom” by Chazal since the Greeks were the ones most involved in disseminating extraneous wisdom to the world. This is the main weapon used by the Malkhut of evil—namely the Four Kingdoms—for overwhelming the Malkhut of holiness.",
+ "Consequently, it was a time of terrible distress, since the Greeks wanted to make the Jewish people completely forget the Torah. Apart from decrees against performing mitzvot, they wanted to prevent the Jews from attaining perceptions of Godliness by strengthening extraneous wisdom, the very antithesis of Torah.",
+ "For the Torah and mitzvot serve as measures and vessels through which we can draw a perception of Godliness, as explained previously. The Greeks wanted to cause the Torah and mitzvot to be forgotten by strengthening extraneous wisdom—this being the concept of the Malkhut of evil associated with the Four Kingdoms overcoming the Malkhut of holiness/lower wisdom.",
+ "This is similar to what is happening nowadays, when due to our many sins, heretics are gaining prominence and seeking to draw extraneous wisdom into the world in order to cause the Torah to be forgotten completely. As we see empirically, whoever is drawn to their ways completely casts off religious observance. He shaves off his beard and peiyot, drinks the wine of non-Jews, and eventually becomes completely irreligious, may HaShem save us.",
+ "Nevertheless, HaShem, in His abundant compassion, prepared the cure ahead of the injury. He performed for us a great and wondrous miracle during the time of Mattityahu ben Yochanan the Kohen Gadol. The Jewish people not only subjugated and soundly defeated the wicked Greek Empire, but also, through the power of the miracle, drew wondrous spiritual light into the world for all generations. HaShem performed this miracle so that each individual Jew, in his own home, would have the power to draw this light—that is, the light of perceptions of Godliness attained through the constrictions, namely the oil, the lamp and the wick required for the light to shine.",
+ "This corresponds to the rectification explained in the Rebbe’s lesson, that the greater a person’s spiritual illness, the greater the rav he requires. This would be the kind of master and sage who is able to produce the wondrous constrictions required to instill a perception of Godliness even into such a person. This influence is drawn upon us during Chanukah by way of the superlatively great tsaddikim who instituted the kindling of Chanukah lights. As a result of this mitzvah, it is now possible to draw illumination to every individual, in his home, regardless of how spiritually ill he is. For the Arizal similarly clarifies in the Kavanot of Chanukah that the mystical idea of Chanukah is that we draw the wondrous light—the light that encompasses all the yichudim of HaShem’s Names—downwards, to below a height of ten handbreadths.",
+ "Kindling the lights below ten handbreadths distinguishes Chanukah from Shabbat and Yom Tov. We light candles of mitzvah on Shabbat and Yom Tov because at those times the sefirah of Malkhut/lower wisdom has its primary ascent. This is the meaning of “a mitzvah is a candle.” Due to the holiness of Shabbat and Yom Tov, the kelipot—which are synonymous with the Four Kingdoms— fall away completely. The Malkhut of holiness then ascends from among them, shining with a bright Divine light. This is reflected in the law of lighting candles in honor of Shabbat and Yom Tov. We kindle them in their place, above ten handbreadths, where the Malkhut is situated at the time of its ascent.",
+ "But on Chanukah, the essence of the lighting is by way of a wondrous miracle, since Malkhut has no significant ascent at that time. For the days of Chanukah are regular weekdays, when the kelipot/the Four Kingdoms are not completely eliminated as on Shabbat and Yom Tov. In spite of this, we kindle this holy light that encompasses all yichudim, bringing the Divine light downwards into the vessels, which represents the drawing of a perception of Godliness through constrictions.",
+ "This is the idea mentioned above, that the very great tzaddikim draw such wondrous rectifications into the world to the point that they are able to instill perceptions of Godliness through constrictions even into the very lowest spiritual level, to below ten handbreadths, a place to which the Shekhinah has never descended.",
+ "Thus now, on account of the power of the miracle, we kindle the holy and awesome Chanukah light specifically there, below ten handbreadths. This corresponds to drawing a perception of Godliness through constrictions all the way down, in order to illuminate every single Jew who wants to receive it—even if he is the worst of the worst, and even if his soul is exceedingly tormented on account of his many sins. Even he can be illuminated with the light of a perception of Godliness thanks to the tremendous strength of the great tzaddikim who draw the power of the Chanukah miracle into the world. Even on a weekday, when we cannot yet elevate Malkhut/lower wisdom completely, these tzaddikim nonetheless draw the light of a perception of Godliness through constrictions downwards, even to the lowest level. For their great power enables them to shine even into those at the lowest level and to heal even the most spiritually ill, which equates with kindling the Chanukah lights below ten handbreadths.",
+ "This is alluded to in the verses “Even though I walk in the valley of the deepest darkness, I will not fear evil, for You are with me” and “although I sit in the darkness, HaShem is a light to me.” We draw the light of perceptions of Godliness downwards, into the depths of “the darkness,” into “the valley of the deepest darkness,” in order to illuminate the very lowest so that illumination and awareness of His Godliness reaches them as well, so that it might heal and rectify them, and bring them back to Him."
+ ],
+ [
+ "BEIT HILLEL AND BEIT SHAMMAI
Reb Noson next shows that the halakhic dispute between the students of Shammai and the students of Hillel over how many lights one kindles each night of Chanukah is fundamentally a dispute over the appropriateness of drawing down a perception of Godliness to those on the lowest spiritual levels.
This relates to the dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel regarding the order of lighting the Chanukah candles. Beit Shammai contends that on the first day of Chanukah we should kindle eight lights and thereafter “keep decreasing” the number of lights until, on the last day of Chanukah, we kindle a single light. Conversely, Beit Hillel contends that on the first day we should kindle one light and from there on “keep increasing” the number of lights until, on the last day, we kindle eight lights.",
+ "The ruling of Beit Shammai is consistent with Shammai’s personality and perspective. Chazal say that Shammai was strict and exacting, and therefore would distance potential converts, even pushing them away with a builder’s ruler. But Hillel, due to his great humility and gentleness, would compassionately draw them near to HaShem, despite their inherent unsuitability. Even if they would suggest strange and absurd things, such as that he teach them the entire Torah while standing on one foot, he would not push them away. Rather, through his wisdom and wondrous humility, he would draw them near. Consequently, Beit Shammai, being the students of Shammai, ruled in the way that they did. Owing to his intense piety and holiness, Shammai was unable to tolerate the people who were spiritually distant from HaShem, those who were sullied by the sins of their youth and the like. Therefore Beit Shammai ruled that we should “keep decreasing” the number of lights.",
+ "Now, the truth is that Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel both agree that we ought to add and increase the light with each succeeding day. For certainly this would be an appropriate reflection of the nature of the miracle during the days of Chanukah, when the candle remained lit—a light that should have lasted for only one day burned for eight days. With each subsequent day the miracle was certainly greater and more wondrous, and so without question we need to mark this with ever greater light by kindling more lights on each succeeding day.",
+ "Nevertheless, Beit Shammai maintains that it is precisely for this reason—due to the ever increasing light that is drawn as the days pass—that we need to “keep decreasing” the number of lights that we kindle, since the wicked and spiritually distant are unworthy of making use of this wondrous light. This is similar to Chazal’s teaching that HaKadosh Barukh Hu saw that the world was unworthy of using the light of the seven days of Creation and so proceeded to store it away for the tzaddikim. Therefore Beit Shammai maintains that even in our time, when the tzaddikim are able to attain great spiritual light, they must hide it away. And the more light they are able to attain, the more they must conceal it, so that the wicked and spiritually distant from HaShem will not benefit from it. Correspondingly, they maintain that the lights should “keep decreasing.”",
+ "On the other hand, Beit Hillel, being students of Hillel, ruled consistent with his outlook. Hillel engaged in drawing closer those very distant from HaShem, and so his students followed his reasoning in saying that the lights should “keep increasing.” For on the contrary, the greater and brighter the light the tzaddikim draw into the world, the more they need to illuminate the world—to enlighten every human being so as to draw near all those who are exceedingly distant. The tzaddikim must try to enlighten even the very smallest and lowest spiritually, to heal even the most seriously ill, may HaShem save us.",
+ "For as we learned above, the greater a person’s spiritual illness, the greater the rav he must seek out for himself. This is also true for the rav and tzaddik. The higher the spiritual level he attains, the more he must reach down to and enlighten the very smallest and lowest spiritually. This is the essence of the tzaddik’s virtue and greatness: drawing near to HaShem those who are the furthest from Him. In fact, bringing them closer is the essence of HaShem’s greatness and glory, as Rebbe Nachman writes elsewhere.",
+ "And this is true even though the tzaddikim must unquestionably conceal the great light of spiritual awareness, particularly when they reach such prodigiously lofty levels and perceptions of Godliness. Certainly in such a case, they are forced to conceal and store away the light, since the world is unworthy of using it. Nevertheless, they devise such ingenious plans, effect such potent rectifications, and clothe the light with such wondrous garments and constrictions—until they enlighten even those on the very lowest spiritual level. In this way, the tzaddikim gradually increase the light and cause it to radiate below more and more every single day, in consonance with Beit Hillel’s ruling to “keep increasing” the number of Chanukah candles with each succeeding day.",
+ "According to Chazal, Beit Hillel’s ruling is based on the principle “In matters of sanctity we elevate to a higher level and we do not downgrade.” But the question is: Would anyone even think of downgrading holiness, chas ve-shalom?! However, this relates to what we said above, that there are tzaddikim of truly great spiritual stature who nonetheless, on account of their outstanding holiness, are unable to tolerate the world. Owing to the intensity of their sanctity, they distance some people and, by getting angry at them, bring them down, chas ve-shalom, since these tzaddikim are incapable of tolerating their reprehensible behavior.",
+ "However, HaShem does not desire this attitude, “for He desires chesed.” He wants the tzaddikim to always have compassion for the Jewish people and draw them near, even if they are as they are. And even if He Himself is actually very angry with them because of their wrongdoing, He wants the tzaddikim to pray for them to repent and to bring them closer to Him. This is how Chazal explain the verse “Moshe would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far from the camp,” since the people had sinned so greatly with the golden calf. Chazal tell us that in response to Moshe’s action, HaShem said, “I am angry at the Jewish people and you are angry at the Jewish people. If so, who will draw them near?” Rashi cites this Midrash in his commentary.",
+ "Similarly, we find concerning various prophets and tzaddikim that HaShem Himself complained to them, telling them about His considerable distress, as it were, from the many sins of the Jewish people. When they supported His words instead of advocating on behalf of the Jews, He was very strict with them. We find this in connection with Hoshea, as reported in the Gemara, and also regarding Eliyahu, who said, “I have been zealous.” HaShem said to him in response, “Anoint Elisha ben Shafat … as a prophet in your stead.” Chazal interpret this as HaShem saying to Eliyahu, “I have no wish for your prophecy, since you are accusing the Jewish people.”",
+ "For HaShem wants only that we speak favorably about the Jewish people and show them compassion—even the worst ones—in order to draw all of them closer to Him. Just like Moshe Rabbeinu, who sacrificed his life for the Jewish people and said, “But if not, pray, blot me out.”",
+ "This role of the tzaddikim in drawing near to HaShem those who are distant from Him relates to the principle “In matters of sanctity we elevate to a higher level.” The more the tzaddikim achieve and the more they become absorbed in sanctity, attaining a greater perception of Godliness, the more they need to elevate souls by drawing them near.",
+ "In contrast, “and we do not downgrade the degree of sanctity” means that the tzaddikim must be careful not to bring down souls by pushing them away by virtue of their own great sanctity. That is, they must not allow their great sanctity and perception of Godliness to make them strict and exacting with the Jewish people. This can leave the tzaddikim unable to tolerate the worst people, to the point of becoming so angry with them that they bring them down, chas ve-shalom. This is in consonance with the ruling of Beit Shammai to “keep decreasing” the number of Chanukah lights with each succeeding day.",
+ "For this is not the correct way. Rather, it must be that “in matters of sanctity we elevate to a higher level, and we do not downgrade.” The higher the spiritual level a person reaches and the greater perception he attains, the more he must astutely devise marvelous new constrictions. Then he will be capable of drawing near more and more souls, and healing even the worst people and the most spiritually ill.",
+ "All of this relates to the Chanukah light that we kindle below ten handbreadths from the ground, to bring the great light of perceptions of Godliness even to the spiritually lowly. This is why the light must be in consonance with Beit Hillel’s ruling to “keep increasing,” in order to add to the spiritual light in the world and so elevate more and more souls closer to HaShem."
+ ],
+ [
+ "CHANUKAH AND THE BEIT HAMIKDASH
Having earlier taught that chesed frees Malkhut from the malkhut of the Greek Empire—i.e. freeing lower wisdom from the influence of extraneous wisdom—so it can be invigorated with the Ohr HaPanim, Reb Noson here links chesed and the Ohr HaPanim with two key components of the Chanukah miracle: the Kohanim and the Beit HaMikdash.
Therefore the miracle of Chanukah, the triumph of the Malkhut of holiness over the Four Kingdoms, came about specifically through the Kohanim. For the Kohen represents chesed, corresponding to Avraham, the personification of this trait. As discussed previously, through this revelation of chesed we sever Malkhut from the Four Kingdoms and vitalize it with life from the Ohr HaPanim that shines during the Shalosh Regalim.",
+ "Therefore this holiday is called Chanukah, after the chanukah, dedication, of the Beit HaMikdash that took place during that period. For the main revelation of the Ohr HaPanim is in the Beit HaMikdash, to which the pilgrims would ascend on the Shalosh Regalim in order to receive the Ohr HaPanim. This is the concept of Chanukah, namely to infuse vitality into Malkhut from the Ohr HaPanim and thereby merit a perception of Godliness—this being the essence of lighting the Chanukah candles."
+ ],
+ [
+ "A MITZVAH IS A CANDLE, TORAH IS LIGHT
Reb Noson next shows that the Torah, synonymous with light, represents perceptions of Godliness; while the mitzvot, synonymous with a candle, the containment of light in physicality, represent the constrictions needed in order to reveal those perceptions.
Meriting a perception of Godliness through constrictions is also alluded to in the verse “For a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light; and moral rebuke is the path of life.” As explained there in Rebbe Nachman’s lesson, chesed is revealed through rebuke. This in turn causes Malkhut/lower wisdom to be rectified and we thereby merit perceptions of Godliness. Study the Rebbe’s words there, that through chesed we sever Malkhut from the Four Kingdoms and animate it with life from the Ohr HaPanim. This enables us to merit such perception.",
+ "This is the meaning of “For a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light.” This alludes to attaining a perception of Godliness by means of constrictions, from which all lights and kindling of all holy candles—the concept of “Chanukah candles”—derive. We merit this through “moral rebuke is the path of life.” In other words, through “moral rebuke,” the aforementioned rebuke by the tzaddik, we merit chesed and so are able to invigorate Malkhut.",
+ "And this is the meaning of “moral rebuke is the path of life.” By means of moral rebuke we draw the Ohr HaPanim, which is called “life,” in order to infuse vitality into Malkhut/lower wisdom. Through this we merit attaining a perception of Godliness via constrictions, as expressed in “a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light.”",
+ "This is why Scripture identifies a mitzvah as a “candle,” a lesser illumination, and Torah as “light,” a greater illumination. This nomenclature conveys that although both the Torah and the mitzvah are considered constrictions for perceiving Godliness, there are many, many aspects and different levels when it comes to constrictions and conceptualizations. For we have to radiate Divine wisdom downwards, from conceptualization to conceptualization and from constriction to constriction. Therefore the Torah relative to the mitzvah is like light relative to a candle, because so many levels of constrictions and conceptualizations are needed in order to attain perceptions of Godliness, which are themselves a “light” and a “candle” that illuminate a person. Fortunate is one who merits this."
+ ],
+ [
+ "VISITING THE SICK
Having earlier explained that the defining feature of the exalted light of Chanukah is its power to illuminate even those on the lowest levels with perceptions of Godliness (see §10 and §11), Reb Noson shows how this idea connects with visiting the sick. Chazal teach that the light of the Shekhinah appears above the head of the sick person. Reb Noson likens the Shekhinah’s light to the light of the tzaddik that illuminates the spiritually ill.
This also relates to the mitzvah of visiting the sick. We are required to visit the sick person and show him a cheerful countenance. In practice, this means that people should call on him, help supervise his affairs, and see to all his needs, as stated in the Shulchan Arukh. This is the concept of an “illumination of the panim.” People do not hide their panim from him or seclude themselves in their homes, but instead visit him, tend to his needs, and chat with him. All this is termed an “illumination of the panim.” In this way, they invest him with new life, drawing from the dimension of the illumination of the Supernal Panim. For the vitality that gives life to the sick comes mainly from there, as in the verse cited in the Rebbe’s lesson, “In the Light of the Panim of the King there is life.” as expressed in the verse “HaShem will sustain him on his sickbed, [even though] You have wholly disturbed his repose…” This relates to our point above, that precisely because one is ill, the light of the Shekhinah is drawn over him. This light conceptually equates with the light of the true tzaddik who looks after all the spiritually ill, especially the most ill, who are in the category of “You have wholly disturbed his repose with his illness.” The tzaddik looks after them the most, to bring them healing and invigorate them physically and spiritually, in a manner that enables him to infuse them with perceptions of Godliness. This is the essence of the tzaddik’s greatness and his virtue: he strives to heal the most spiritually ill. And so, precisely because a person is so ill and his repose has been wholly disturbed, the Shekhinah is present above his head. This refers to the Indwelling Presence of HaShem, which is identified with the light of the tzaddik, because the tzaddikim are the shekhinah, dwelling place, of the Omnipresent One.",
+ "This is the meaning of Rashi’s comment on the verse regarding Avraham, “‘HaShem appeared to him’—to visit the sick.” For it is precisely because one is ailing and people need to visit him that “HaShem appeared to him.” This alludes to perceptions of Godliness that the sick merit as a result of the light of the tzaddik, which is representative of the Shekhinah.",
+ "Reb Noson next shows how Chanukah and Purim—the “exile” festivals of the Jewish people—symbolize visiting the sick and drawing the Ohr HaPanim upon ourselves and into our homes.
This illumination of the sick with the light of the tzaddik relates to the revelation of light on Chanukah and Purim. These festivals are associated with the mitzvah of visiting the sick in the sense that, despite being very holy and special days, they are nevertheless “weekdays,” since they are not times when work is prohibited. The explanation for this is that they both possess the abovementioned characteristic— the capacity to enlighten even the most ill people with perceptions of Godliness by means of the great power of the tzaddik, who can fashion such marvelous vessels and constrictions.",
+ "This can be explained by way of analogy. When a person is healthy, the king will certainly not go to him to show him his panim. Rather, whoever wants to greet the king and bask in the radiance of his panim must first cleanse and purify himself very well, and put on appropriate attire. Then he has to position himself at the king’s gates and beg the king’s personal guards to obtain permission for him to enter. He will have to employ all the relevant strategies, until he is finally allowed to appear before the king, in accordance with his status—whether this means being granted entry to the royal courtyard, or to the palace, or to the inner chamber—so that the king should shine into him the light of his radiant panim.",
+ "But it is a different story when one of the king’s entourage falls ill and is confined to his sickbed, may HaShem save us. Then, when the king’s compassion is aroused to revive that person with the light of his panim, the king is compelled to go visit him in his home in order to shine into him the light of his panim and revive his spirits. This is the idea that “the Shekhinah is present above the head of one who is ill.”",
+ "This relates to Chanukah and Purim in the sense that they are holy festivals that were given to us in order to revive us until this very day—in this time of bitter exile when, as the holy Zohar writes, the Jewish people are called “sick,” as alluded to in “Sustain me [in exile] with dainty cakes, drape me in [the fragrance of] apples, for I am sick with love.”",
+ "And owing to the immense severity of our spiritual illness, we are unable to make the pilgrimage, to appear and prostrate ourselves in worship before HaShem on our Shalosh Regalim. We are unable to enter His sacred House, the Beit HaMikdash, to receive the Ohr HaPanim, as we say in the Mussaf prayer for the festivals, “Because of our sins we have been exiled from our land and distanced… We are unable [to ascend to appear and to prostrate ourselves before You].”",
+ "And so, in His tremendous compassion, the Master of Compassion took pity on us. For our benefit He added these two holy days of Chanukah and Purim— instituted for us by the great tzaddikim, the Anshei Knesset HaGedolah—in order to draw the Ohr HaPanim upon us and into our homes, even in the depth of our exile. He did this so that on Chanukah each person, in his home, can merit kindling the Chanukah light. This light corresponds to the Ohr HaPanim, as expressed in “He brightens the panim with oil,” which alludes to a perception of Godliness.",
+ "The same is true regarding Purim. Each person merits drawing upon himself an aspect of the receiving of the Torah, which one does anew every year on Purim, even in the depths of exile. This renewed acceptance of the Torah is alluded to in “[The Jews] confirmed and accepted.”",
+ "Now, Kabbalah identifies Chanukah and Purim with the concept of feet, the lowest levels of spirituality. This corresponds to the mitzvah of visiting the sick, a mitzvah we fulfill with the feet by going to be with the sick person. And this relates to what we said above, that on Chanukah and Purim, HaShem shows us compassion. He comes to visit us and illuminates us with His holy Panim, even in the depths of our exile, for we are so spiritually ill, as each of us knows in his soul. In His mercy, He visits us and revives us with the light of His holy Panim through the sanctity of these holy days that He gave us, namely Chanukah and Purim. For these are holy festivals celebrated specifically on weekdays, which are akin to the days of exile, when we are incapable of ascending to Him, of going up to the Beit HaMikdash in order to receive the Ohr HaPanim. Rather, HaShem draws down the Ohr HaPanim to us, into our homes, so that we may be invigorated by the true and great tzaddikim in every generation who are engaged in our spiritual rectification—those who endeavor mightily to revive the most spiritually ill."
+ ],
+ [
+ "CHANUKAH TZEDAKAH TO THE POOR
Here Reb Noson will connect Chanukah, the Ohr HaPanim, and the mitzvah of tzedakah, charity.
This also relates to the custom on Chanukah for the poor to go around from house to house collecting tzedakah that is called “Chanukah money.” This is an expression of the illumination of the Supernal Panim—that HaShem shines His Panim towards us, into our homes. For the only way to receive “the Light of the Panim of the Living King” because it is impossible to receive illumination from HaShem’s Panim without a personal contribution.",
+ "However, there is a distinction between the Shalosh Regalim and Chanukah. On the festivals, when one must ascend to the House of HaShem to receive the Ohr HaPanim, one must bring up the offering, which as the contribution of one’s heart correlates to tzedakah. Personal effort is required in order to bring it up to the House of HaShem.",
+ "In contrast, on Chanukah the poor come into one’s home. The Zohar refers to them as “[HaShem’s] broken vessels,” in whom manifests the shekhinat, dwelling place, of the Light of His Panim, as in “Eshkon with the despondent.”",
+ "Therefore when HaShem loves someone and wants to shine His Panim upon him, He sends him a poor person through whom he can gain merit. This is as the holy Zohar teaches, “To the one for whom HaKadosh Barukh Hu has compassion, He sends a poor person as a gift.” For Chanukah is a time when HaShem shines His Panim into our homes. Therefore in His compassion He sends the poor into our homes, so that we might attain merit through them, so that through them we might receive the Ohr HaPanim that shines into our homes at that time."
+ ],
+ [
+ "INCREASING THE LIGHT
Earlier (§11), Reb Noson explained that the basis of the dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel concerned the appropriateness of drawing down a perception of Godliness to those on the lowest spiritual levels. He now applies this subject to the opposition raised against the tzaddikim in his time—especially Rebbe Nachman—who devoted themselves to bringing even the most spiritually distant closer to HaShem.
Now, the aforementioned dispute between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel concerned drawing near to HaShem those people who are so very spiritually distant from Him that, strictly speaking, it would be unseemly to draw them close. There we saw that Beit Shammai states that we “keep decreasing” the number of lights in order to conceal the light from the spiritually distant so they will not be drawn closer to HaShem. Beit Hillel, however, states that we “keep increasing” the number of lights, because we need to fashion appropriate vessels and constrictions so as to illuminate with His light even the spiritually distant, so that they too will be drawn near.",
+ "The matter of their dispute is related to a more general polemic in every generation regarding the perfect tzaddikim who engage in drawing near those who are spiritually distant from HaShem. For a great many rise up against them. Even many of the great tzaddikim oppose them, due to the attribute of judgment that has embedded itself inside them. This causes them to harbor enmity in their heart towards such a tzaddik, until it appears to them as if he is acting inappropriately and so they openly oppose him. It has been this way for ages, in almost every generation, yet especially so in our time, in this era preceding the coming of Mashiach, when vilification among Torah scholars has become commonplace. And the greatest opposition has been against our great and awesome Rebbe, may the memory of the righteous and holy be a blessing. This was because he sacrificed himself and spent all his days showing compassion for the Jewish people— drawing closer to HaShem all those spiritually distant from Him.",
+ "Reb Noson shows that the issue of drawing closer those who are distant from HaShem was also the reason Yosef’s brothers, the Shevatim, opposed Yosef, who inherited this practice from their father Yaakov.
This corresponds to the opposition raised against Yosef HaTzaddik by the Shevatim. For Yosef is comparable to the tzaddik who is occupied with drawing people near to HaShem; he mosif ve-holeikh, “keeps increasing,” the Divine light every day. Each time, according to the need, he makes marvelous constrictions and vessels so that anyone in the world who wants to come near can do so. For this reason he is called “Yosef,” which is etymologically related to the word mosif—indicating that he is mosif ve-holeikh. But the Shevatim, although they were all holy individuals— since they were all great tzaddikim—took issue with him over this practice.",
+ "This effort by Yosef to bring people closer to HaShem is reflected in the verse “Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s megurei.” Chazal interpret this to mean that he would megayeir geirim, convert proselytes, as cited by the Rebbe Nachman elsewhere in his teachings. And this was also true of Yosef, as in “These are the chronicles of Yaakov: Yosef,” meaning that Yosef followed the path of his father Yaakov. He too engaged in converting proselytes and drawing near those who are spiritually distant from HaShem, because “whatever happened to Yaakov, happened to Yosef.” This is the explanation of “These are the chronicles of Yaakov—Yosef,” as Rashi elucidates there: “All the wisdom that Yaakov received from studying at the yeshivah of Shem and Ever, he transmitted to Yosef,” and so too whatever else happened to Yaakov, also happened to Yosef.",
+ "All this—both explanations of Rashi—is needed to explain why “the chronicles of Yaakov” is juxtaposed with the first verse, “his father’s me-gurei,” which informs us that Yaakov would convert proselytes. Scripture immediately follows “his father’s megurei” with “These are the chronicles of Yaakov: Yosef,” the explanation of which is that Yaakov transmitted to Yosef all his wisdom, including the wisdom needed to megayeir geirim.",
+ "This is as we said above. Just as Yaakov converted proselytes through his superior wisdom—for he knew how to make such great constrictions that he could heal the most spiritually ill—similarly, Yosef HaTzaddik was always involved with this. For Yaakov had transmitted to him all his wisdom, the main purpose of which is to bring perceptions of Godliness into the world, “to make known to the sons of man His mighty deeds.”",
+ "This role is alluded to in “Yosef, at the age of seventeen, would tend the flock with his brothers.” “Tending flock” signifies the role of the leader of the generation, who in all places is called a “shepherd.” This is also the meaning of “at the age of seventeen.” The Midrash teaches that seventeen is the gematria of tov, good. That is, Yosef was good towards everyone, and was himself entirely good. Through this he was able to draw everyone near, because he found good points even in the very worst sinners, and by means of this drew them near to HaShem. He constantly requests this of HaShem, as alluded to in “May HaShem add for me another son,” in the sense that each time HaShem should add for him a new student—since a student is called a son, because “whoever teaches Torah to his friend’s son is considered as if he fathered him.” He constantly searches and seeks to add new people and bring them near, as in “May HaShem yosef for me another son.”",
+ "Therefore the verse states, “Now, Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his sons, for he was the son of his zekunim.” Yisrael loved him greatly because of this—because Yosef desired to show compassion for everyone and to design ways to bring everyone near. This is the meaning of “for [Yosef] was the son of his zekunim.” Zakein, elder, denotes the trait of very great compassion, as in the midrashic depiction of HaShem at Sinai as “a zakein full of compassion.” Kabbalistic teaching states that the Thirteen Rectifications of the Zakan, the Supernal Beard, similarly signify very great compassion. Thus Yosef received from Yaakov all the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, the concept of zakein, through which the great tzaddik shows compassion for everyone and brings them all closer to HaShem.",
+ "This is why Targum Onkelos renders “for he was the son of his zekunim” as “for he was his wise son.” Yosef certainly would have needed to be a wise son since one needs great wisdom for this—amazing and exceedingly profound wisdom in order to be able to create the appropriate vessels and constrictions that would enable him to draw near such distant souls, such spiritually ill people, and infuse them with perceptions of Godliness.",
+ "Thus the Torah states that “he made him a cloak of passim.” The explanation of passim is “a fine woolen garment of many beautiful colors,” as Rashi comments on the words “karpas and sky-blue wool.” In other words, because Yaakov saw that Yosef engaged in drawing near to HaShem the spiritually distant, he made for him wondrous garments of amazingly beautiful colors—the concept of “a cloak of passim,” meaning marvelous constrictions, which are vessels and garments through which to extend a perception of Godliness even to the most spiritually distant. Conceptually, the constrictions, which correspond to lower wisdom, are inclusive of all the colors. These colors are the entirety of the vessels and garments of holiness through which one perceives His Godliness, as is written in the holy Zohar several times about Malkhut/lower wisdom, that “it is inclusive of all the colors.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "YOSEF, THE TZADDIK OF VALOR
Here, Reb Noson expounds Yosef’s dream as alluding to his unique ability to create the constrictions that enable others to perceive Godliness. Reb Noson also shows how this is alluded to in the verses from the Book of Mishlei in praise of the “woman of valor.”
This relates to what Yosef dreamed: “Look, we were binding alumim in the field,” where the explanation of the word alumim is “binds.” This signifies the concept of constrictions, which are synonymous with bindings, because a constriction is a binding. In other words, Yosef dreamed that all of the Shevatim engaged in this; they were “binding alumim” and creating bindings and constrictions in order to draw through them a perception of Godliness.",
+ "Nevertheless, Yosef HaTzaddik’s constrictions and vessels surpassed all of theirs, as in “look, my sheaf arose and even remained standing”—his binding and constriction arose and even remained standing forever and for all eternity. “And look, your sheaves encircled my sheaf and bowed down to it.” This indicates that everyone, including the Shevatim, must receive perceptions of Godliness from him, by means of the wondrous constrictions that he creates with his profound wisdom. As a result of his having constantly engaged in drawing souls near to HaShem, he merited that even the great tzaddikim who engage in attaining perceptions of Godliness via constrictions also need to receive from him.",
+ "This idea that the tzaddik’s perceptions and constrictions rise above everyone else’s is expressed in “Many women have excelled, but you surpass them all.” This verse from the Book of Mishlei speaks of the greatest true tzaddik—the one who engages in creating vessels and garments, and in drawing Torah with such genuine wisdom that everyone can come closer to HaShem. This dovetails with the praise in Mishlei for the “woman of valor,” as “she looks for wool and flax” alludes to the vessels and garments required for perceiving Godliness.",
+ "This connection to the tzaddik is also expressed in “She is like the merchant ships, [bringing her food] from afar. She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household.” This means that in the deepest darkness of the night of exile for Jewish souls, she provides them with food—that is, the tzaddik provides them with perceptions of Godliness. And so on for the rest of the holy praise in Mishlei for the “woman of valor”/tzaddik.",
+ "This also relates to “Her husband is renowned in the she’arim.” The word she’arim alludes to the “shiurim, measurements, of the letters of Torah.” This signifies the idea of constrictions of the Torah as manifested in its letters, which the tzaddik draws with his wisdom. By dint of these constrictions, HaShem, “Her Husband,” is renowned in the world. This then is the meaning of “Her husband is renowned in the she’arim”—Her Husband is known through the constrictions, i.e. the shiurim of the letters.",
+ "And this is “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the Torah of chesed is on her tongue.” Interpreting this homiletically, Chazal state, “This refers to the one who studies Torah in order to teach it.” This is the tzaddik, who teaches his torah to others in order to draw them near to HaShem.",
+ "And this is “She oversees the ways of her household.” For the tzaddik oversees the ways of his household—how he should always conduct himself so that his light will never be extinguished, so that a vestige of his wisdom remains for generations to come, forever. For “she does not partake of the bread of idleness”—his bread and his torah are not “the bread of idleness,” chas ve-shalom, since the tzaddik has always been extremely alacritous in serving HaShem.",
+ "Therefore “her children rise and laud her.” These are the students, who are called “children”—those whom the tzaddik has drawn near to HaShem. “[Also] her husband, and he praises her.” This refers to HaShem, because He approves of this devotion of the tzaddik. HaShem yearns for the tzaddik to draw everyone close to Him, “because He desires chesed.” And so HaShem praises the tzaddik, saying, “Many women have excelled, but you surpass them all.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE DISTANT STARS
Lastly, Reb Noson shows that Yosef’s second dream too alludes to his being the great tzaddik who “turns the many to righteousness” by instilling them with perceptions of Godliness.
And this is the meaning of “Look, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars are bowing down to me.”",
+ "“Sun” and “moon” represent giver and receiver, upper intellect and lower intellect, rav and student. For the tzaddik, who is the rav, is called “sun,” as it is written, “The sun rises and the sun sets.” Interpreting this homiletically as alluding to the tzaddik, Chazal state, “Before the sun set …” And the moon is likened to a student, who receives the spiritual light from his rav just as the moon receives its light from the sun.",
+ "“And the eleven stars” referenced in Yosef’s dream alludes to the spiritually distant people who are brought near to HaShem. These are very holy souls, who nevertheless were initially trapped in the depths of the kelipot. Yet they ascended from there, akin to the fallen sparks of holiness redeemed from the depths of the kelipot by the eleven spices of the ketoret, incense-offering. This representation of the “eleven stars” as distant souls brought near to HaShem by the tzaddik is alluded to in “Those who teach righteousness to the masses [will shine] like the stars.”",
+ "All of them “are bowing down to me.” For the great tzaddik draws such wondrous insights that all the spiritually great and small, and all those who are distant from HaShem, want to draw near. Everyone needs to receive from him. It was already explained above that even within the constrictions themselves there is the aspect of upper intellect and lower intellect. For they contain so many levels, including the aspects of rav and student, sun and moon, and so on. Therefore everyone must submit and bow and set aside his ego in the presence of the greatest tzaddik, represented by Yosef, because he is the one who instills perceptions of Godliness into all of them."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARAN
A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the dawn (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 1:1).",
+ "This discourse is based on Rebbe Nachman’s lesson Tik’u Tokhachah, LM II, 8. Study the full lesson there, from start to finish.",
+ "In brief, what emerges from that lesson relevant to our topic is that the essential tikkun for blemished daat comes through the tzaddik, the master of great spiritual strength, who can successfully pray a prayer of din, a “judgment-prayer.” This is a prayer of protest and complaint, recited as a call for justice, similar to the prayer Pinchas prayed at the time of the incident with Zimri.",
+ "For in matters of holiness, all damage is the result of blemished daat. This is exemplified by the Serpent’s perversion of wisdom, as in “Now, the Serpent was cunning.” Because of this corruption of wisdom, which spoils and blemishes the mind, the locus of daat in the body, man’s holiness is damaged and his desire for immorality grows stronger.",
+ "For the mind, which houses daat, is comprised of three mochin. These mental faculties act as three partitions, or barriers, arrayed against this desire for immorality. However, when the Sitra Achra feeds on compassion, namely daat, then daat itself becomes diminished, causing this desire to be strengthened, chas ve-shalom.",
+ "Then, with compassion diminished and daat blemished, all prayer is in the category of din. Only a judgment-prayer can be offered. But the danger is that the Sitra Achra, since it shares the same root as judgment, will desire to “swallow” this kind of prayer. At such a time, a master of great spiritual strength is required, one who can pray a prayer of din that the Sitra Achra is incapable of swallowing. Instead, the tzaddik’s judgment-prayer, termed “staff of your strength,” sticks in its throat and the Sitra Achra is forced to disgorge all the elements of holiness that it has previously swallowed.",
+ "In this process, the Sitra Achra is also compelled to vomit up its very life-force—particularly the holy souls born into this world as non-Jews. Previously, these souls were its substance; the Sitra Achra fed on their holiness. But once set free, many of them become converts to Judaism, and the public sensation stirred by this causes HaShem’s glory to be magnified.",
+ "This magnification of HaShem’s glory and the increase in daat that accompanies it inspires an awakening in the souls of the Jewish people, channeling into the world an influx of the spirit of prophecy. And this in turn leads to the refinement and rectification of the medameh, man’s imaginative faculty, so that worldly illusions cannot deceive it.",
+ "As a result, emunah, a product of the medameh, is refined—especially one’s belief in chiddush ha-olam. This is the idea that HaShem created the world yesh mei-ayin, “something from nothing,” and even now continues to do so through its perpetual renewal. The core of this belief was revealed at the Giving of the Torah, when the entire Jewish people merited a spirit of prophecy.",
+ "And through our emunah in chiddush ha-olam in this world we will also merit the renewal of the world in the future, as the World to Come. This is reflected in the verses “To relate Your chesed in the morning, your emunah in the nights” and “They are renewed in the mornings; your emunah is great,” alluding to the emunah of the person himself. In both verses the first clause is predicated on the second. The “morning,” i.e. the future redemption and renewal of the world, will come about because of the fortitude of our emunah, that is, the faith we maintain in chiddush ha-olam throughout the dark “night” of exile.",
+ "And the chiddush ha-olam of the future will be brought about through the unique attribute of Eretz Yisrael, namely the power to reveal hashgachah, Divine providence. This future revelation will make clear to all that the world is governed not by the dictates of nature, but directly by the hand of HaShem, through miracles and wonders. Then the mistaken emunah that people have in the natural order will be voided altogether.",
+ "Through this future revelation, when hashgachah will be obvious and recognized by all, a new song, telling of HaShem’s wonders, will be channeled into the world. This song is the concept of the voice that waters the garden, drawing people closer to HaShem.",
+ "This voice, the soul’s sustenance, which is associated with fragrance and the fear of HaShem, overpowers the body’s sustenance, namely food and drink. This mastery of the spiritual over the material is expressed in the verse regarding Yaakov, who is associated with the voice and scent. The Torah relates that Yaakov was born with “his hand holding on to Esav’s heel,” which, as the back part of the foot and lowest part of the body, signifies utmost physicality.",
+ "Study all this very well in LM II, 8, for it is a most awesome teaching."
+ ],
+ [
+ "Reb Noson has highlighted some of the major topics of Rebbe Nachman’s lesson on awakening daat. This effort requires a tzaddik capable of praying a judgment-prayer that forces the Sitra Achra to surrender all the holiness it has devoured. With the elements of holiness set free, HaShem’s glory becomes magnified and this leads to the spread of belief in HaShem—most especially belief in His renewal of the world in the future. By dint of this chiddush ha-olam, a new song will be heard in the creation, a song that relates HaShem’s wonders and draws everyone closer to Him. For in that future world, the supernatural will be the stuff of everyday existence. Reb Noson will show that even now, in this world, it is possible to hear that song in the merit of our nighttime and daytime devotions in serving HaShem.
THE JUDGMENT-PRAYER OF GEVURAH
Reb Noson opens his discourse by linking man’s personal renewal when waking from sleep with the renewal of the world that will coincide with the revival of the dead. In a deeper sense, both signify the awakening of daat.
All this that we have excerpted from Rebbe Nachman’s lesson regarding the tikkun of daat relates to waking up from sleep. The return of the sentient soul to the body each morning is analogous to the future revival of the dead, which itself exemplifies chiddush ha-olam. This is supported by the wording of the blessing we recite daily upon waking from sleep, “Blessed are You … Who restores souls to dead bodies.”",
+ "Reb Noson emphasizes the benefit of waking up from sleep, inasmuch as sleep is essentially the restriction of daat. Yet he also recognizes the value of sleep as a rest for the mind.
At its root, waking up from sleep mainly derives from all the tikkunim mentioned in the above lesson. Conversely, the need for sleep results from a restriction of the mochin and their disorientation as a consequence of the Sitra Achra blemishing daat. This follows from “the Serpent was cunning,” for the Serpent/Sitra Achra even now adheres to the human mind on account of the sin of the first man.",
+ "Every person must battle greatly with the thoughts in his mind in order to purify them from the hold of the Sitra Achra, from “the Serpent was cunning.” This explains the need for sleep. For at the point that the mind becomes taxed and confused due to this mental battle with evil, it is necessary to sleep, which is a rest for the mochin. But then the “Sitra Achra settles upon his hands,” since its power is most ascendant with the departure of the mochin.",
+ "Reb Noson reveals how, by reciting Kriat Shema al HaMitah and binding oneself to the tzaddikim, one can mitigate the restriction of daat during sleep.
And so at that time, the main tikkun comes through the master of spiritual strength who can successfully pray a prayer of din. Through this he extracts all the daat and mochin from the Sitra Achra, and the waters of daat are revealed. This revelation and the connection between daat and water are alluded to in the prophet’s depiction of the World to Come, at which time compassion will replace all evil and destruction, “for the earth will be filled with daat, as water covers the seabed.”",
+ "Thus revelation of daat is comparable to waking up from sleep, when the mind returns to full consciousness. It takes place through extracting the daat from the Sitra Achra so that it returns it to its place wonderfully refreshed, as expressed in “They are renewed in the mornings.”",
+ "And since the Sitra Achra seeks to control the daat when the mochin depart, therefore the primary tikkun for this negative consequence of sleep is the recital of Kriat Shema al HaMitah. For this reason, one must recite the bedtime Shema with abundant concentration, as taught in the Kavanot of the Arizal.",
+ "For Kriat Shema al HaMitah has the quality of a prayer of din, as Chazal state, “Whoever recites the Shema at his bedside is considered as though he grasps a double-edged sword in his hand.” And so the main thing is to bind oneself in thought to the tzaddikim of the generation, the masters of spiritual strength, who can successfully pray a prayer of din.",
+ "Reb Noson details an additional benefit to reciting Kriat Shema al HaMitah: the acquisition of gevurah, strength, to rise at chatzot and recite the kinnot, elegies, in the Tikkun Chatzot.
And subsequent to this—i.e. to reciting Kriat Shema al HaMitah and binding oneself to the tzaddikim—a person will be able to overcome the grip of sleep to get up at midnight and serve HaShem. For the essence of rising at midnight stems from the power of those tzaddikim who can pray a prayer of din. From that attribute of gevurah extends “the flame that strikes the wings of the rooster,” which then crows at midnight. This signifies the ascension at that time of the gevurot, on account of which people rise at midnight and lament the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash.",
+ "Reb Noson now explains the significance of reciting Tikkun Chatzot: to extract the daat and all the holiness swallowed by the Sitra Achra.
In fact, all the kinnot recited over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash share the characteristic of a prayer of din, because weeping and lamentation are manifestations of dinim and gevurot. Therefore in the kinnot we strongly contend with HaShem and demand justice from Him. For example, we say in Tikkun Chatzot, “Why, HaShem, have You made us stray from Your ways? [Why have You] hardened our hearts so that we do not fear You?” And we ask, “Where are Your vengeance and Your might? Your abundant yearning and Your compassion for us have been withheld!” Indeed, many of the kinnot continue in this vein.",
+ "And this is why we say after the kinnot the more hopeful “Let the King of glory enter,” since by reciting the kinnot—the prayer of din that is a tikkun of the mind, correlating to waking up from sleep—we extract from the Sitra Achra all the daat and all the compassion. We extract too all the souls and holy sparks that it swallowed, until we actually make baalei teshuvah and converts, and though this reveal and magnify HaShem’s glory.",
+ "Reb Noson cites the kabbalistic source for all of the foregoing.
This set of nighttime devotions corresponds to what is taught in the Kavanot, that during the first half of the night, at the time of sleep, the sefirah of Malkhut descends into the lower worlds. It goes down into the depths of the kelipot in order to refine and elevate all the souls and holy sparks that have fallen and descended to there. This continues until midnight, when Malkhut, the soul, wishing to return to its place in holiness, cries out, “Like the deer cries longingly … so my soul.”, In light of the above, Reb Noson next explains why we recite the verses of Tehillim 24 after the kinnot of Tikkun Chatzot. He shows how the references to HaShem’s glory in these verses allude to the increase and enhancement of that glory when converts and baalei teshuvah—the souls and holy sparks swallowed by the Sitra Achra—return to Him.",
+ "This takes places in the Heavenly sphere, but also dovetails with all of the aforementioned earthly tikkunim which are all actuated through the devotions of the tzaddikim, the masters of strength who pray a prayer of din. The tzaddikim are the mighty emissaries of HaShem, as in “mighty warriors who do His bidding.” Like Malkhut, they descend into the realm of the Sitra Achra in order to extract the fallen souls and sparks.",
+ "And the ascent of those souls and sparks from the grip of the Sitra Achra brings converts and baalei teshuvah, whose return leads to an increase of HaShem’s glory. Consequently, right after the recital of the kinnot, which are characteristic of a judgment-prayer, we say, “Lift up your heads, O gates… Let the King of glory enter.” For it is primarily then that His glory is revealed by virtue of our rising at midnight—that is, by virtue of “the flame that strikes the wings of the rooster” and our recital of the kinnot over the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. All of this, our rising on account of the gevurot and reciting the kinnot, stems from the judgment-prayer of the master of strength. All this increases and magnifies His glory. And so at that time, after the kinnot of Tikkun Rachel, we pray greatly for this revelation of HaShem’s glory by reciting Tikkun Leah, repeating the phrase “Let the King of glory enter.”",
+ "And this is the meaning of the verse “Who is this King of glory?” which follows the previously cited verse from Tehillim and seemingly has no explanation whatsoever. After all, what is the subject of this question? Who is the questioner and who is the responder?",
+ "However, all this is in line with and explained by the subject matter we have discussed thus far. For the Sitra Achra—the concept of “the Serpent was cunning”—is empowered time and again to conceal and obscure HaShem’s glory by feeding on daat and gaining strength through the desire for immorality, thereby distracting and confusing people’s prayer. All this represents the concealment of HaShem’s glory. For just as the tikkun of extracting the life-force from the Sitra Achra increases and magnifies HaShem’s glory, so too the opposite occurs once the forces of evil have been strengthened. HaShem’s glory is then concealed.",
+ "Therefore after midnight, when we begin to engage in this tikkun of daat by binding ourselves to the tzaddikim, who are “mighty warriors,” we then say, “Lift up your heads, O gates; be uplifted, O you everlasting doors.” These are the gates and doors of the Beit HaMikdash, which represent the gates and doors of the human mind. We request that they all be opened and “let the King of glory enter” so that His Godliness and glory will be revealed. We pray for this revelation to manifest in the world at large, through the public sensation generated by the return of baalei teshuvah and converts, and individually, in the mind and heart of each person, so that when all one’s daat and compassion is restored, everyone will recognize and be aware of HaShem’s glory.",
+ "But then immediately the unidentified questioners ask, “Who is this King of glory?” These questioners are the evil and foreign thoughts drawn into a man’s heart from daat blemished by the influence of “the Serpent was cunning.” This is the Serpent that seduced Adam and Chavah and that continues to seduce all those who follow it. As it is written in the holy Zohar, “Woe to the primordial Serpent that brought death to Adam and all the generations destined to come after him.” So these questioners ask, “Who is this King of glory?” because they assume that they have already completely concealed His glory such that it is now impossible to reveal it, impossible for it to ever again enter our minds and hearts or into the world at large.",
+ "At that point we gird ourselves and answer them without hesitation, “HaShem, Who is powerful and mighty! HaShem, Who is mighty in battle!” We especially emphasize that HaShem is “powerful and mighty” and “mighty in battle,” mentioning at this time of din only the force of His might and His power. This alludes to the gevurot and the forceful prayer of din and might that the masters of spiritual strength pray. In the words of Chazal, “[These tzaddikim] add strength to the mighty host on high, as it is written, ‘Through Elohim we will be valorous.’” In other words, the powerful mightiness of the tzaddik’s prayer of din supplies the principal strength needed for battle, as in “HaShem, Who is mighty in battle!” Through this we extract from the Sitra Achra its entire life-force, namely all the souls that it swallowed, and HaShem’s glory is thereby greatly increased, magnified and revealed in everyone’s eyes.",
+ "This is why immediately afterwards we again say, “Let the King of glory enter,” and finally conclude with an explicit response, “HaShem, the Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory, selah.” For HaShem will certainly finish His part and reveal His glory to everyone, entirely through the attribute of “powerful and mighty”—by means of the prayer of judgment and might."
+ ],
+ [
+ "RENEWAL
Having explained that as a judgment-prayer, Tikkun Chatzot brings us to a revelation of HaShem’s glory, Reb Noson expounds the next stage in the night’s devotions: learning Torah. He shows how this too aligns with the key concepts highlighted from Rebbe Nachman’s lesson, particularly emunah in chiddush ha-olam.
And, as cited above from the Rebbe’s lesson, the magnification and revelation of HaShem’s glory causes the spirit of prophecy, the clarity of His Immanence, to be channeled into the world. This corresponds to the Torah, which is encapsulated in the Ten Commandments and includes all ten levels of prophecy. Through the spirit of prophecy, the medameh is refined, which in turn brings about the essential revelation of holy emunah.",
+ "This is the very idea underlying the Torah study a person must engage in after midnight, which is the most ideal time for such study, as brought in Kabbalah. Engaging in Torah study then, after the recital of Tikkun Chatzot has revealed HaShem’s glory, equates with channeling the spirit of prophecy, since all the levels of prophecy are included in the Torah.",
+ "And through the Torah/prophecy, we merit attaining emunah in chiddush ha‑olam, namely that HaShem continuously renews the world yesh mei-ayin. By way of this emunah we merit the aspect of the chiddush ha-olam of the future, alluded to in the verses “To relate Your chesed in the morning, your emunah in the nights” and “They are renewed in the mornings; your emunah is great.” This is explained there in the Rebbe’s lesson and also in the opening section above.",
+ "Now, this renewal of the world occurs daily. The early-morning rays break through and shine each day following the darkness of night by virtue of all the aforementioned tikkunim. For just as there will be a universal chiddush ha-olam in the World to Come, so too there is a specific chiddush ha-olam that takes place daily in this world. The universal chiddush ha-olam of the future, termed “day,” is evoked and realized through the rectification of emunah at “night,” i.e. in exile, which is comparable to night. By virtue of the Jewish people holding firm in emunah during the dark night of exile—entirely by means of the strength of the true tzaddikim, the masters of strength—they merit attaining the chiddush ha-olam of the World to Come, a world governed not by the dictates of nature but the wonders of hashgachah.",
+ "In a similar way, a specific chiddush ha-olam takes place each day, through the aforementioned tikkunim that rectify daat. These are the rectifications we evoke by rising at midnight and studying Torah at that time, through which HaShem’s glory is increased and we merit emunah. This causes the light of morning to shine; it is the concept of the future chiddush ha-olam, which is itself the concept of morning, for from there the light of morning—the light of daat—is channeled anew each day. All this is alluded in “To relate Your chesed in the morning, your emunah in the nights” and “They are renewed in the mornings; your emunah is great,” as both these verses refer to emunah in chiddush ha-olam. And though according to their simple meaning these verses speak of night and morning in the literal sense, the two—the concept of night and morning, and that of exile and redemption—are essentially one and the same.",
+ "And every single Jew can attain this level according to the closeness he has merited to the true tzaddik, the master of spiritual strength. To the extent that he engages in the above tikkunim through this tzaddik’s power—rising at midnight to recite Tikkun Chatzot and study Torah—so will he merit the light of morning, a dimension of emunah in chiddush ha-olam. Then he will be able to genuinely tell of HaShem’s chesed and of the goodness that He has granted him, as in “To relate Your chesed in the morning, your emunah in the nights.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE NEW SONG
After exploring the deeper meaning of the nighttime devotions, Reb Noson turns to the final subject of the Rebbe’s lesson: the new song of the future that emerges by dint of our perfection of emunah in chiddush ha-olam. Although this new song will fully manifest only in the future world, through the power of the tzaddik’s prayer of din we can awaken it even now, in the melodies and songs of praise in our morning prayers.
Sing to HaShem a new song, for He has performed wonders”— is channeled into the world. All the songs and praises that we recite in the morning, in the Shacharit prayer, stem from this song of the World to Come, since all the present-day songs and praises are channeled from the voice of the song that will burst forth in the future.",
+ "This relates to “when the morning stars sing together,” referring to the songs and praises that are roused daily, in the morning, by the stars and angels. These songs are channeled from the song that will be sung on the morning of the future, the concept of chiddush ha-olam, which in turn derives from the judgment-prayer of the tzaddik who extracts all holiness from the Sitra Achra.",
+ "And this aligns with the rest of the verse, “and all the angels of Elohim shout for joy.” Elohim is the Name of HaShem that connotes din. All song and praise are drawn by means of “the angels of Elohim,” namely din and holy strength—meaning through those tzaddikim, the mighty ones of strength, who can pray a prayer of din. In turn, this judgment-prayer awakens the song of the future, on account of which “the morning stars sing together.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "RISING WITH STRENGTH
Reb Noson now shows how all the above devotions of the night and day are reflected in the words of the Shulchan Arukh.
Now, this is the meaning of the opening words of the Shulchan Arukh: “Yitgaber like a lion to rise up in the morning.” The emphasis here is on the word yitgaber, because great willpower is needed for this rising. For the power to rouse from sleep derives mainly from gevurot—that is, from the judgmentprayer of the master of spiritual strength, as explained above.",
+ "And this daily tikkun of daat is also the explanation of what the Shulchan Arukh says next: “so that it is he who awakens the shachar.” This relates to “Awake, my kavod! Awake the harp and lyre! I will awaken the shachar.” The word shachar alludes to the Ayelet HaShachar. This means that a person should be the one to awaken the melody, the song of the future mentioned above, which Ayelet HaShachar, the Shekhinah, sings in the morning. This is facilitated by the power of the tzaddikim, who wake us up by dint of their revealing HaShem’s kavod when they extract daat from the grip of the Sitra Achra.",
+ "This then is the meaning of “Awake, my kavod!”—arouse the glory/soul by arising at midnight, reciting Tikkun Chatzot and studying Torah—“Awake the harp and lyre!”—thereby waking the new song of the future—“I will awaken the shachar”— that Ayelet HaShachar rouses to sing. Fortunate indeed is he who has a part in this. That said, the most important thing is to genuinely draw close to the true tzaddikim for the sake of HaShem’s glory, and not for one’s own glory, chas ve-shalom."
+ ],
+ [
+ "WASHING WITH DAAT
Reb Noson now shows how the revelation of daat engendered by the nighttime devotions as clarified above is also the deeper reason for washing one’s hands when waking up from sleep. He begins by explaining that the water one washes with corresponds to daat.
And this daily tikkun of daat also relates to the morning netilat yadayim, the ritual washing of the hands, upon arising from sleep.",
+ "For the “pure waters” of the ritual washing are drawn down through the revelation of daat, which itself is drawn by means of the tzaddik’s prayer of din. This revelation of daat and its connection to water is alluded to in “for the earth will be filled with daat of HaShem, as the waters cover the seabed.” From that daat we draw these waters for the ritual washing upon arising from sleep.",
+ "Reb Noson explains that the water of netilat yadayim must be poured specifically over the hands, in order to conjoin its aspect of daat with the emunah aspect of the hands.
This is why it is the hands in particular that we have to wash with the waters of daat. For power and might need to be given mainly to the hands, so that they can overpower the “heel” of the Sitra Achra, that is, the pull of the body, as in “his hand holding on to Esav’s heel.” The verse accentuates this by specifying “his hand,” when it would have sufficed to say, “Then his brother came out holding on to Esav’s heel.”",
+ "With daat, man’s hands can overcome the body’s influence because the rectification of daat is achieved mainly through the emunah in chiddush ha-olam, which is associated with the hands, as in “My hand has even laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand [has spread out the heavens].” Therefore emunah is itself referred to as “hands,” as in “His hands were emunah.” This is so because the essence of emunah is the belief that HaShem created the world yesh mei-ayin, the aspect of “hands,” as it is written, “My hand has even laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand …” And it also means believing in the Torah and the practical mitzvot, most of which we need to perform with the hands.",
+ "Reb Noson now links the song of the future, the product of daat’s revelation, with the melody aspect of the hands.
And through this we merit the melody of the future, because it too is the concept of the hands, as in “with his hand he will play [a melody] and you will feel better.”",
+ "And by means of all this—namely emunah, the performance of practical mitzvot, and the melody of the future—we receive the power of the “hands of Yaakov” to subjugate the “heel of Esav,” as in “his hand holding on to Esav’s heel.” The verse specifically says “his hand,” as that is where this power lies.",
+ "Reb Noson concludes with the significance of purifying the hands with water.
And all this power is channeled into the hands by virtue of our pouring onto them the waters of daat, the daat that is revealed by the prayer of the master of strength. With these waters we purify the hands after sleep. This explains why we purify the hands in particular, because the hands are the means for revealing daat, as explained above."
+ ],
+ [
+ "SAYING KADDISH ON A YAHRTZEIT
Before clarifying how the concepts he has developed thus far apply to our morning devotions and prayers, Reb Noson introduces the topics of yahrtzeit and the recital of Kaddish, and shows how these connect to revealing daat.
Now, all this that we have said about the revelation of daat following sleep is conceptually related to yahrtzeit, the anniversary of the passing of one’s father or mother, when one recites Kaddish and fasts.",
+ "In carrying out the customs associated with the yahrtzeit, the son awakens the “sleeping” soul of the parent—revives it from the dead, as it were—by infusing it with new daat.
For at that time, the sons engage in rectifying and elevating the souls of their deceased parents. Death corresponds to sleep, as Chazal teach that sleep is one-sixtieth of death. Thus when the sons implement a tikkun and elevate their parent’s souls, it is akin to a revival of the dead, which in turn is comparable to waking up from sleep with its renewal of daat. This comparison between the revival of the dead and waking up from sleep is expressed in Daniel’s prophecy regarding the Resurrection, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken.” It is also expressed in the Shemoneh Esrei blessing regarding HaShem’s faithfulness in reviving the dead, in which we say, “He maintains His emunah to those asleep in the dust.”",
+ "Earlier Reb Noson discussed the essential role of the gevurah aspect of the tzaddik’s judgment-prayer in one’s waking from sleep. Here he shows that this is paralleled in the role of the yahrtzeit Kaddish in “waking” the souls of one’s deceased parents.
This is why we begin this blessing of “Who restores the dead to life” with “You are mighty forever, God.” For the revival of the dead is essentially the same idea as chiddush ha-olam, which comes about through the prayer of din associated with gevurot, as explained above. Hence the blessing begins, “You are gibor.” [This is as explained elsewhere, that with each of the prayers one should draw the power of the judgment-prayer, the aspect of “You are mighty.”]",
+ "Having previously linked chiddush ha-olam with the new song of the future (§4), and now having linked chiddush ha-olam with the revival of the dead, Reb Noson explains that the yahrtzeit Kaddish recited over the dead connotes the future song of praise that will burst forth from everyone’s lips when HaShem renews the world one final time.
And so on the yahrtzeit, because it is an element of reviving the dead, we recite Kaddish. Kabbalah teaches that Kaddish is a very amazing and awesome praise, which, as the holy Zohar states, “shatters all the shackles of iron.” For the Kaddish is drawn from the new song that will burst forth in the future. Thus we begin with the words “in the world that He created according to His will,” meaning a dimension of emunah in chiddush ha-olam—that we believe HaShem created the world as He willed, yesh mei-ayin.",
+ "We follow this with “May He establish His Kingdom.” This refers to the chiddush ha-olam of the future, when, with the creation renewed and finally rectified, HaShem will reveal His sovereignty for all to see, as it is written, “HaShem will be King over the entire world. On that day...”",
+ "And this is why we then say, “Amen. May His Great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity. Blessed and praised … more exalted than any blessing and song, praise and consolation.” All of this corresponds to the song that will burst forth in the future, which is likewise “more exalted than any blessing and song.”",
+ "Therefore the sons recite this awesome praise for the benefit of their father’s and mother’s souls, in order to elevate and rectify them. Their main tikkun is to enable their souls to awaken with a more elevated level of daat, this being an aspect of the revival of the dead/chiddush ha-olam, which is triggered by the awesome praise contained in the Kaddish. As the song of the future, the Kaddish is representative of the longed-for bliss of the World to Come, for at that time we will recognize HaShem and be cognizant of everything that the pious Jews and the tzaddikim have accomplished through their spiritual devotions. Fortunate is the one who eagerly awaits this.
Reb Noson has shown how reciting Kaddish on a yahrtzeit relates to the revival of the dead, the renewal of daat, the gevurah characteristic of the judgment-prayer, belief in chiddush ha-olam, and the new song of the future. He next shows that fasting on a yahrtzeit similarly effects a tikkun."
+ ],
+ [
+ "FASTING ON A YAHRTZEIT
Reb Noson briefly relates the practice of fasting on a yahrtzeit to another key element in the Rebbe’s lesson: increasing the power of the soul over the body. This is a fundamental component in the revelation of daat and will be most evident when the world will be renewed in the future.
Therefore one refrains from food and drink on the day of the yahrtzeit, in order to subdue the influence of the body’s sustenance through the fast. For by means of all the above tikkunim we merit subduing the body’s sustenance in relation to the soul’s sustenance, as explained in the Rebbe’s lesson. Study well that lesson from start to finish, and then with HaShem’s help you will understand what we have discussed."
+ ],
+ [
+ "TIME CYCLES
Reb Noson explains why the tikkun that the son effects for his parent’s soul takes place precisely once a year. Like the diurnal cycle, the annual cycle is a recurring sequence of darkness and light, exile and redemption, symbolic of the soul’s renewal of daat on the yahrtzeit.
And so we do this year after year, reciting the Kaddish and fasting on the day one’s father or mother passed away. The reason the soul requires a yearly tikkun is that tekufot ha-shanah, the annual cycle—i.e. the year-long revolutions made by the celestial bodies at HaShem’s direction—parallels tekufot ha‑yamim, the diurnal cycle—i.e. the day-long circuit of the celestial bodies across the sky at His command. Thus just as each 24‑hour period has a daytime and a nighttime, an evening and a morning, so too the composite of the year has a summer and a winter. These seasons parallel day and night. For in winter the nights are long and so, relative to summer, the winter is identified with night. Correspondingly, the summer, whose days are long, is identified with day relative to winter. This is also the meaning of what is written in Tehillim, “The day is Yours, the night is also Yours … You are the One Who fixed [all] the boundaries of the earth; You are the One Who created summer and winter.”",
+ "Thus each annual cycle mirrors the cycle of day and night, evening and morning. As for the diurnal cycle itself, it represents the darkness of exile, which is comparable to night, and the light of redemption, which is comparable to morning. The diurnal cycle also represents the totality of this world, which is governed by nature and so is called “night”; in contrast to chiddush ha-olam, which corresponds to the World to Come, a wondrous existence paralleling the light of day. The intelligent person understands that all these—day and night, summer and winter, exile and redemption, this world and the next—are essentially one and the same concept.",
+ "Therefore once a period of a year cycles over the soul of the deceased, the sons must again apply themselves to the soul’s tikkun at the year’s completion. This yearly cycle of the soul parallels the cycle of night and day, through which a dimension of the rectification of emunah in chiddush ha-olam is implemented. This is the idea that the light of day that shines in the morning always appears after the darkness of night by dint of our having bolstered ourselves with emunah throughout the darkest darkness of the night, which is synonymous with exile and this world. For this deceased person had been in this world of darkness, and now he must ascend to his station in order to attain all the aforementioned concepts— clarifying the imagination, achieving emunah in chiddush ha-olam, and hearing the new song of the future—which are comparable to light. Thus the sons engage once again in the soul’s tikkun by reciting the Kaddish, and so on.",
+ "Reb Noson provides another reason why the soul’s tikkun must be renewed each year.
Moreover, each and every year has a Rosh HaShanah, which, as clarified amply in the Rebbe’s lesson, is the main time for all the tikkunim, since these rectificationsextend from Rosh HaShanah across the entire year. Therefore at each beginning of the year for the soul of the deceased—on the day of the yahrtzeit, which is its Rosh HaShanah—the sons must devote themselves to the soul’s rectification, and by doing so renew the above tikkunim for yet another year."
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE CHAIN OF DAAT
Reb Noson next shows why the revelation of daat—the pivotal feature of the yahrtzeit— devolves specifically upon the son of the deceased.
Now, responsibility for implementing the tikkun of a parent’s soul falls specifically upon the sons. The reason is that the main objective is the tikkun of holy daat, which must be rectified by means of the abovementioned method. Daat is identified with compassion, particularly the compassion that extends from father to son, as explained in the Rebbe’s lesson in regard to Chazal’s statement: “Thus is the extent of a father’s compassion for a son.” And this is the meaning of “Fathers yodee’a Your truth to their sons,” for daat and compassion are a single concept, so that instilling in them one instills in them the other.",
+ "Therefore the son is specifically the one who carries out the tikkun for his late father, because he needs to rectify the daat that extends from father to son, for from that daat in his father’s mind he originated. Everything is rectified by revelation of this daat through the prayer of din, by which we merit the melody and the song of chiddush ha-olam of the future. This is the soul’s most important tikkun, because this is the purpose for which man comes into the world: to know HaShem as He will be revealed in the future world.",
+ "In light of the above, Reb Noson explains why there is a mitzvah for a person to leave behind sons in the world after his death.
And so it is with the aim of knowing HaShem that man’s primary obligation and mitzvah is to ensure that he leaves behind sons. This is entirely for the sake of a tikkun of daat, namely a tikkun of emunah, which becomes ever more refined with each succeeding generation. This idea appears again and again in the verses of Tehillim, as in “His emunah is from generation to generation,” “One generation will praise Your works to the next,” and “Your emunah is from generation to generation. You established the earth …” The end of this last verse explains its beginning, in that the continued existence of the world from generation to generation—as expressed in “You established the earth and it endures”— is for the sole purpose of refining emunah. It becomes increasingly refined from one generation to the next, from father to son, as in “Your emunah is from generation to generation.”",
+ "“Blessed is HaShem forever; amen and amen.”"
+ ],
+ [
+ "THE MORNING’S PROTOCOL
Reb Noson returns to the main topic of the law cited from the Shulchan Arukh: arising from sleep in the morning. After clarifying the order of going to sleep and the nighttime devotions, he now addresses the morning activities and their connection to the themes of the Rebbe’s lesson.
This tikkun of daat each morning relates to what Chazal teach, that upon rising in the morning, “whoever relieves himself and washes his hands, dons tefillin, and then recites the Kriat Shema and prays the Shemoneh Esrei—it is as if he has wholeheartedly accepted the yoke of the sovereignty of Heaven.”",
+ "“Relieves himself.” This refers to expelling the excesses that are the body’s waste matter. In the context of our discourse, this is the idea of subjugating and eliminating the body’s sustenance, the waste component of food whose negative spiritual effect is the root of all excesses. Thus the first thing we do in the morning to reveal daat is eliminate this superfluous sustenance, so that what remains as nourishment is only the spiritual component of the food, the soul’s sustenance.",
+ "“And washes his hands.” This refers to the ritual washing of the hands discussed above. We wash the hands, which signify the power of faith and the performance of mitzvot, in order to purify them by means of the waters of daat.",
+ "“Dons tefillin.” In Kabbalah the tefillin symbolize the mochin. Thus “dons tefillin” alludes to the daat and mochin that we now merit through the tzaddik who, by praying a prayer of din and carrying out the other nighttime rectifications, has extracted the daat from the grip of the Sitra Achra.",
+ "“And recites the Kriat Shema.” This equates with the rectification of emunah in chiddush ha-olam made by this revelation of daat, as explained above.",
+ "“And prays.” Now that daat has been revealed and faith in chiddush ha-olam has been rectified, the time has come for the complete tikkun of prayer. For afterwards— meaning after it has become necessary to pray a prayer of din in order to extract the daat from the Sitra Achra—then one can effect to perfection the tikkun of prayer. For prayer corresponds to compassion and daat, which, when revealed, constitute the primary rectification of prayer.",
+ "For the essence of prayer is to draw into the world elements of chesed, through which to arouse belief in the future renewal of the world, as indicated in “The olam will be built with chesed.” Prayer also functions to arouse the song of chesed that will burst forth at that future time, which is itself a more perfect version of the many songs and praises that we currently recite when praying.",
+ "And then, having completed the morning devotions and prayed, one certainly accepts the yoke of the sovereignty of Heaven wholeheartedly. For by drawing down the tikkun of chiddush ha-olam of the future, HaShem’s sovereignty and dominion are fully revealed, since the main revelation of His sovereignty will be at that future time, as it is written, “HaShem will be King over the entire world. On that day…” and “When HaShem will reign, the world will rejoice” and “HaShem will reign for all time.” There are many verses in this vein that speak of the future revelation of HaShem’s sovereignty. Even so, now too we draw from that future revelation a complete acceptance of the yoke of the sovereignty of Heaven, in accordance with our spiritual devotions in this world. This is the purpose of all our devotions: to draw upon ourselves the holiness of chiddush ha-olam specifically in this world of action. Through this, each person, according to his portion earned by his devotions, will merit hearing the song and melody of chiddush ha-olam, this being his portion and reward in the World to Come."
+ ],
+ [
+ "WAKING REDEMPTION
Earlier Reb Noson explained that the light of redemption is drawn in the morning through the devotion of chatzot, the midnight prayer. In this vein, he explains why the redemption from Egypt occurred specifically at midnight.
And because the tikkun of daat begins each time at midnight, the main Exodus from Egypt occurred at midnight, as it is written, “Around midnight, I will go out into the midst of Egypt.” The Exodus from Egypt was achieved mainly via the staff of Moshe and Aharon, which represents the tzaddik’s judgment-prayer. This is alluded to in the words “cast it down before Pharaoh. It will become a snake.” The “staff,” signifying the prayer of din, sticks inside the throat of “Pharaoh,” the Sitra Achra, until all the swallowed holiness is redeemed. Thus the main Exodus from Egypt occurred at midnight, when the power of the prayer of din is awakened. In light of all that he has explained, Reb Noson expounds Chazal’s teaching that Moshe was unable to determine the exact moment of midnight, whereas David could.",
+ "And this relates to what Chazal taught regarding midnight, that since Moshe did not know when it was exactly midnight, how could David possibly know? But David had a sign, because a harp hung over David’s bed. The moment midnight arrived, the north wind would cause the harp to play, rousing David from sleep.",
+ "The explanation is that in Moshe’s time, the rectification implemented by the prayer of din, extracting holy daat from the Sitra Achra, had yet to be fully realized. Consequently, the redemption from Egypt was destined to be followed by exile, as the Sitra Achra was still in control. This is the reason Moshe did not yet know how to accurately determine the time of midnight, since the power of chatzot derives from the judgment-prayer that defeats the Sitra Achra and so elicits the revelation of daat.",
+ "The soul of David, on the other hand, is the soul of Mashiach, the one who redeems from exile. He will merit executing this prayer of din with absolute perfection and so redeem all holiness from the Sitra Achra. Through this the redemption will be complete, followed by no further exile.",
+ "This final redemption brought about through the might of Mashiach is referenced in “O mighty warrior, gird your sword upon your thigh,” alluding to the sword of prayer, until such time that “nations fall beneath you, [and your arrows pierce] the hearts of the king’s enemies.” In a similar vein, the verse “HaShem will dispatch from Tzion the staff of your strength,” which is cited in the Rebbe’s lesson in regard to prayer, was said mainly about David-Mashiach. He is also the subject of the preceding verse, “The word of HaShem to my master: ‘Sit at My right, until I make your enemies your footstool’… the staff of your strength…” Mashiach will fully complete the redemption, for he sits at HaShem’s “right,” the side of chesed,, until He makes his enemies his footstool.",
+ "Consequently, David was able to apprehend that which Moshe could not—namely the precise time of midnight, since the power of midnight is aroused through the tikkun brought about by the judgment-prayer, a tikkun David-Mashiach can implement.",
+ "And this is itself the meaning of what Chazal say there: “David had a harp hung over his bed. The moment midnight arrived, the north wind would blow upon it and the harp would play of itself.” This refers to the wondrous melody of the future, which, as clarified above, is drawn through the aforementioned prayer of din. This is why the song of the future is aroused specifically by means of the north wind, a manifestation of gevurot, which are characteristic of the prayer of din.",
+ "And from the melody played by the north wind, David knew when it was midnight. For the quintessential aspect of midnight is the awakening from sleep, which, as the tikkun of daat, corresponds to the final redemption, when everyone will know HaShem as He will be revealed in the future. For the exile is termed “sleep,” “the darkness of night,” whereas the redemption is called “waking from sleep,” as it is written, “Then God awoke like one who had been asleep.”",
+ "All this—the power to wake up from sleep and the power to arouse redemption—is drawn into the world by means of the prayer of din, namely the power awakened at midnight. From there the voice of the melody of the future is aroused to play on David’s harp, explicitly through the gevurot of the north wind. Therefore it was through this melody in particular that David knew when it was midnight. He would get up then and study Torah, since rising at midnight, reciting Tikkun Chatzot, and studying Torah are essentially one and the same concept."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Morning Hand Washing": [
+ [
+ [
+ "1. When one awakes, he washes his hands, etc. See in the preceding lesson, \"And on the day of the first fruits\" (Likutei Moharan 56), \"There is in every Jew an aspect of Malchut/Kingship\", see there. ",
+ "2. At night, Malchut is in exile. The essence of the perfection of Malchut is through length of days. In other words, the aspect of Da'at/Knowledge, the aspect of benevolences. At night, judgment(s) are strengthened {they have the upper hand, so to speak}. Therefore, at that time. Da'at is hidden and Malchut is dimished and descends among the lower {worlds}. The essence of Da'at is received from the hands, in the aspect of an argument for the sake of heaven, the aspect of (Lamentations 3:41) \"Let us lift up our hearts to our hands\", etc. And at night, the spirit in the pulse does not flow as much {literally, 'the spirit which beats'} and the movement of the limbs are heavier at night. Because of this, the melancholy spirit is then strengthened, in the aspect of (Psalms 30:6) \"in the evening, weeping may tarry\". The essence of this strengthening is on the hands, as is explained there in the aspect of 'melancholy hands', etc. Therefore, in the morning, when the spirit renews and returns and animates all the limbs, then the melancholy spirit is nullified, in the aspect of (Id.) \"but in the morning there is joyful singing\". The spirit in the pulse returns to flow through all the limbs, especially the hands. Therefore, one must specifically purify his hands, for there the melancholy spirit is especially strong, as explained above. And the opposite is also true - at that time even more holiness is drawn down there {to the hands} and therefore they must be sanctified and purified. Purification is through water, which is the aspect of benevolences, the aspect of Da'at. Then, through this, one may build the Malchut. For the essence of the building of Malchut is from the hands, in the aspect of (Song of Songs 2:6) \"His left hand was under my head, and his right hand...\", etc. In other words, through the spirit of the pulse that is in the heart, it is drawn on the hands until they can reach heavenward. And from there, one can receive words in the aspect of arguments for the sake of heaven, as explained above. This is the aspect of Da'at, through which is the essence of the perfection of Malchut, as explained above. This is the meaning of (Berakhot 15a) \"Anyone who relieves himself, washes his hands, dons phylacteries and recites Shema is as if he received the perfect yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. For the essence of the perfection of Malchut is through subduing the evil and the kelipot which have hold of holiness. This is what our Rabbi {Rebbe Nachman z\"l} wrote there, that the essence of the perfection of Malchut is to rebuke and to chastise the people in order to chase away the evil and the kelipot. This is the aspect of (Proverbs 25:4-5) \"Remove dross from silver\", etc. \"Remove the wicked man before the king, and his throne will be established with righteousness\". With chesed/loving-kindness specifically. For through this da'at is evoked, which is the aspect of chesed, as explained above. This is why it is necessary to wash the hands twice - before using the bathroom and afterwards. Because it is impossible to chase away the evil except through da'at, as is explained there. Therefore, one must first purify the hands in order to evoke da'at, in the aspect of 'length of days'. Through this one is able to reveal the hidden; in other words, to banish and nullify the kelipot which cover and hide the holiness. From there itself one is able to evoke length of days, the aspect of da'at, as is explained there. This is the aspect of washing the hands a second time aftewards, in order to evoke da'at and length of days, to merit by banishing the evil, as explained above. This is the aspect of then putting on tefillin. Because one purified his hands, he can then use them, in the aspect of (Deuteronomy 32:40) \"For I raise up My hand to heaven\", the aspect of (Psalms 134:2) \"Lift your hands in the holy place\" and evoke da'at through the hands into the mind, as explained above. The aspect of tefillin comes from this, which are mentalities, and are the aspect of life and length of days. As our Rabbis of Blessed Memory stated (Menachot 44a) \"Whoever lays tefillin attains life\". This is the meaning of (Psalms 24:3) \"Who will ascend upon the Lord's mount and who will stand in His Holy place?\". In other words, who is able to merit da'at, which is the aspect of Hashem's mount and His holy place, i.e. the Beit Hamikdash, which is the aspect of da'at. \"He who has clean hands and a pure heart\" (Id.), because through a pure heart comes clean hands, the aspect of (Lamentations 3:41) \"Let us lift up our hearts to our hands\". Through this one may ascend Hashem's mountain to obtain da'at, the aspect of (Deuteronomy 32:40) \"For I raise up My hand to heaven\", the aspect of argument for the sake of heaven, as explained above. This is the aspect of Chesed/Loving-kindness, Gevurah, Tif'eret, which ascends and becomes Chochmah, Binah and Da'at. This is what is written in the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim Siman 4 Seif 3), that it is forbidden to touch the mouth, nose, eyes and ears before washing the hands; these are the aspects of the 'Seven Candles' which receive the Light of the Face, i.e. the Intellect. The reception is through the hands. When the hands are impure one can receive the opposite, G-d forbid, since the other {the evil forces} also receive from the hands, as explained above. Afterwards, we read the Shema which is the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, which one merits through relieving oneself, washing the hands, and putting on tefillin, as explained above. This is he aspect of uncovering the hidden, as it is written \"Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is One\". Even in all the hidden {things}, we receive vitality from Him. As it says in the Zohar (III, Eikev page 273) \"One should prolong the pronunciation of the dalet in Echad, as in (Deuteronomy 17:20) 'so that he will have length of days over his kingdom'\". In other words, as explained above, the essence of the reading of the Shema is the letter dalet of the word Echad (One), the aspect of evoking length of days, which is Da'at, into Malchut. This is what our Rabbis of Blessed Memory wrote (Berakhot 15a), all who relieve themselves, wash their hands, put on tefillin, and read the Shema are as if they accepted the perfect yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. All of this is the aspect of the perfection of Malchut, as explained above. This is as our Rabbis of Blessed Memory said 'and immersed oneself', for this is considered like he immersed. This is the aspect of immersion, the aspect of Mikvah, the aspect of Da'at Elyon (Supernal Wisdom) and great benevolences. For this is the essence of the perfection of Malchut, as explained above and as brought there. See there, study the lesson \"And on the day of the first fruits\" well, as seen above, and understand the words. For all of this {I} wrote in brief and it is impossible to understand these words well until you study the lesson, as seen above. "
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "1. Regarding washing the hands in the morning upon awakening from sleep. This can be understood according to the Rebbe z\"l's teaching in Likutei Moharan 250 regarding the necromancer who answered the question (Berakhot 59b) \"What is an earthquake?\" by saying \"When Hashem recalls His children who are in distress among the nations, He sheds two tears into the great sea, and the sound reverberates through the world. See there. The essence of all of the tribulations that befall mankind, G-d forbid, is only from a lack of da'at/knowledge. He who has da'at and knows that everything is divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach has no tribulations and does not feel any suffering, etc. The essence of the Jewish people's pain in exile is only because they fell from da'at and attributed things to nature and fortune, G-d forbid {Note: R' Nassan means here that instead of believing that everything is determined by Hashem, we have relied upon the natural sciences}. Because of this they {we} have sadness/pain. And this is because we have dwelt among the gentiles and learned from them, etc. In truth, the Jewish people are above nature, only when they sin, G-d forbid, then, etc. {This sentence is unfinished}. When Hashem wants to save the Jewish people from their exile, he then bestows upon them divine providence from the ends of the earth. In the future, nature will be nullified completely and there will be nothing except divine providence alone, as it is written (Isaiah 51:6) \"for the heavens shall vanish like smoke\", etc. In other words, nature - which depends upon the arrangement of the constellations - will be no more, etc. Then the Jewish people will be above {nature}. Therefore even now, when Hashem Yisbarach wants to bring down the gentiles and lift up the Jewish people above, He evokes divine providence upon them from the ends of the earth, so then there will be nothing but providence. Because of this divine providence, Israel is elevated and makes, etc. See there very well. And this is 'G-d recalls', see there.",
+ "2. And when da'at disappears, as seen above - in other words, no one knows, G-d forbid - that everything {in the world} runs only on the providence of Hashem Yisbarach, and {they} believe that things take their natural course, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of sleep, which is the absence of da'at, the aspect of night and darkness. The essence of the light of day is the aspect of da'at, as shown. In other words, light is only {from} Hashen Yisbarach, so to speak, in the aspect of (Psalms 27:1) \"The Lord is my light and my salvation\", corresponding to (Psalms 118:27) \"The Lord is G-d, and He gave us light\". This is the essence of the sun's light, the aspect of (Psalms 84:12) \"For a sun and a shield is the Lord G-d\". In other words, when one knows that Hashem Yisbarach rules the world only with providence, this is the essence of light. For the essence of light, in every place where light is found, like the light of the sun and similar {places}, is only the Light of Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, that illuminates us, as explained above. When we fall, G-d forbid, from this knowledge and we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the absence of light. Then it corresponds to night and darkness, G-d forbid. And this is the aspect of (Isaiah 13:10) \"the sun has become dark in its going forth\", etc., the aspect of (Joel 2:10) \"the sun and moon darken\", etc. and other similar verses like these. All of them were said regarding the time of the exile; in other words, because in exile it seems like the light of the sun has darkened because the exile is similar to night, as explained by Rashi. In other words, in the time of the exile, which is evoked only because we attributed things to nature, G-d forbid. Then 'the sun has become dark in its going forth' because immediately when we relied on nature, G-d forbid, then the light escaped from the sun, as if the sun actually darkened. For in reality, the sun has no light at all except from Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above. Therefore the exile resembles night and darkness. For the essence of the exile is only because we attribute things to nature, G-d forbid. The it is the aspect of night and darkness, the disappearance of the light, as explained above. This corresponds to sleep, the disappearance of da'at to know that everything is divine providence, which is the essence of the light, etc., as explained above. Therefore, at the time of sleep, the forces of evil descend upon a person, and the essence is on the hands, as is written in the Holy Zohar (Vayeshev 184b). For the essence of the Other Side is the aspect of the gentiles as is known, who draw nourishment only from the aspect of heresies, which is the essence of the Evil Inclination, which is called 'going after atheism', as is brought; in other words, they attribute {everything} to nature, as explained above. Then the aspect of the gentiles increases, the aspect of power of the exile which resembles night and sleep and which they absorbed from the aspect of the strengthening of nature, as explained above. This is the aspect of the spirit of impurity which rests upon a person {at night}. Therefore, the essence of the rectification of sleep in holiness is through faith, as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu, z\"l (Likutei Moharan 35). In other words, when da'at disappears, corresponding to sleep, when man sees that his knowledge is confused and is not perfect, and he is not able to ascertain and to understand that everything is by divine providence from Hashem Yisbarach alone, as it is now in exile amidst the gentiles who resemble night and darkness, and when the knowledge of natural science has increased, G-d forbid - then it is incumbent upon every Jew to cast out and to remove his knowledge completely and to strengthen himself in faith alone, to believe with perfect faith that everything is only through divine providence alone and there is no nature in the world at all. This is the aspect of rectifying sleep through faith. In other words, at the time of sleep, as explained above one must enter into the midst of the aspect of faith, to rely on faith alone after his da'at has fled, just as now in the exile. We must always strengthen ourselves in faith alone, since now we have not elevated da'at perfectly to know that everything is done with divine providence. Therefore, one must clear his mind and rely only on faith alone, in the aspect of (Psalms 92:3) \"and Your faith at night\". And since at night, at the time of sleep, the disappearance of knowledge strengthens the knowledge of natural science, G-d forbid, which is the aspect of darkness, as explained above, in the aspect of (Genesis 15:12) \"and a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness...\", etc. This is demonstrated by the power of the exile. In other words, at the time of sleep, and deep sleep, the disappearance of da'at strengthens the power of the exile, from which they nourished, in the aspect of the strengthening of natural science, as explained above. And this is why a spirit of impurity rests upon a person at the time of sleep, as explained above. Therefore, as soon as one awakens from sleep one must wash his hands with water, because the spirit of impurity rests mainly upon the hands, as it is written in the Holy Zohar. For the hands corresponds to heaven, שָׁמַיִם - fire and water, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, on the right side and left side, corresponding to (Deuteronomy 32:40) \"For I raise up My hand to heaven\" as is brought in the words of Rabbeinu in another place (Likutei Moharan 56). This is the aspect of the grasp of the Other Side, the aspect of natural science, the aspect of hands, for they attribute causes to the arrangement of constellations, which corresponds to 'hands'. Therefore the essence of the strengthening of the Other Side is at the time of sleep, which corresponds to nature and is with the hands specifically, as explained above. Because the hands have 28 phalanges which correspond to the 28 letters of the act of creation, through which the heavens and the earth were created, in the aspect of (Isaiah 48:13) \"Even My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand measured the heavens\". And therefore the main way to subdue the forces of evil, represented by the gentiles of the world, the aspect of natural science through which they are strengthened, as explained above, the aspect of their submission is only through the hands of holiness, when one merits to elevate them to da'at. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:11) \"It came to pass that when Moses would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his hand, Amalek would prevail\", etc. which was said regarding the war with Amalek. Because Amalek is in general all of the gentiles and the other side, in the aspect of “Amalek was the first of the nations“ (Numbers 24: 20). And Amalek was the essence of atheism and completely attributed everything to nature, G-d forbid. They would discern the hours based on their astrology as is brought in the explanation of Rashi and as shown in the words of Rabbeinu z\"l. Therefore, the essence of their subjugation is through the raising of the hands. The raising of the hands, the 28 phalanges that are in the hands, to the head, in the aspect of (Psalms 134:2) \"Lift your hands in the holy place\". In other words, when the hands, with their 28 phalanges, are raised to da'at to know that all is divine providence, because Hashem Yisbarach created everything through the 28 letters of מַעֲשֵֹה בְרֵאשִׁית, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, as explained above. And then they are elevated - the aspect of heaven, because they are also the aspect of the hands, as explained above - to their root which is in knowledge, in the aspect of the 28 letters, as seen above. Because everything was created by G-d with the 28 letters and He gives life and established the heavens and all of their hosts and the land etc. through His divine providence alone and there is absolutely no nature or influence of the arrangements of the constellations at all. And then Amalek and the Other Side are subdued, as seen above. And this is the aspect of (Exodus 17:12) \"so he was with his hands in faith until sunset\". The essence of the subjugation of Amalek is through faith in divine providence which is drawn down through raising the hands, as explained above. Therefore at the time of sleep da'at disappears, for then nature is strengthened, G-d forbid. This is the root of the Other Side that is on a person. Therefore the essence of its grasp is with the hands, as seen above. Then, immediately after one wakes from sleep one must wash his hands with water with corresponds to the waters of da'at, the waters of Chesed/Loving-kindness, the aspect of (Isaiah 11:9) \"for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water covers the sea bed\". In other words, through the washing one brings down the purifying waters of the waters of knowledge, in the aspect of \"The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge like water covers the sea bed\". Then everyone will know that everything is only through divine providence alone, for {the concept of} nature will be nullified completely. And even now, at any time when one needs salvation and purification, to be saved from the midst of the Other Side, which is nourished from the aspect of the knowledge of nature, one draws down divine providence from the ends of the earth, as explained above in the lesson, as seem above. This corresponds to the water of washing the hands, which draws down the waters of knowledge from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of 'The whole world will know that then the world is filled with knowledge', etc. This is the aspect of Mikveh, which corresponds to the World of the Future (because Mikveh, מִקְוֶה, in Gematria is 151, corresponding to Binah, the World of the Future, as is brought). This corresponds to (Jeremiah 14:8) \"O hope, ,מִקְוֶה of Israel, his Savior at time of trouble\". Because all of the troubles and tribulations are only due to the lack of knowledge, in the aspect of the knowledge of nature, as explained above. In other words, they do not know, G-d forbid, that everything is divine providence, etc. This is the essence of the impurity, as seen above. Therefore the salvation from the trouble and the purification from the impurity is through Mikveh, which is the aspect of 'the World of the Future', the aspect of the waters of wisdom, the aspect of 'for the land shall be full of knowledge of the Lord as water', etc. Through entering the mikveh and occluding the eyes it blocks out the world and one ignores {the world} and covers himself there in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the waters of knowledge, the aspect of 'the Future World'. Through this one is included within the aspect of da'at, in the aspect of providence for he covers his eyes to the world which strengthens the errors of the wisdom of nature, from whence comes all trouble and impurities. Through this the eyes are damaged, whose root and vitality are from the aspect of the Eyes of G-d, which are the aspect of divine providence, as is understood in the lesson above. And when one falls from da'at and believes that there is nature, G-d forbid, this is the aspect of the damaging of the eyes and from this come all the troubles, etc., as seen above. Therefore one must cover his eyes completely from what goes on in this world and to lose himself and be included in the waters of the mikveh, which is the aspect of the knowledge of the World of the Future. For then the divine providence will be revealed and nature will disappear completely. And through this divine providence will be drawn down from the ends of the earth, in the aspect of mikveh. And through this salvation will come to him, for everything that he needs, the aspect of 'Hashem is the hope of Israel, his Savior in times of trouble', etc. This is the aspect of the washing of the hands in the morning, which draws down purified water which comes from the aspect of mikveh. Through this he purifies his hands, which are the aspect of the 28 phalanges, the aspect of the 28 letters of the act of creation. The essence of the defect of the aspect of the knowledge of nature, which is strengthened through sleep at night, and darkness afflicts them specifically, as seen above. For through the knowledge of nature the 28 letters are flawed, as seen above, and one associates with the order of the universe, G-d forbid, as seen above. This is the aspect of impurity which takes hold in the hands specifically at the time when da'at flees; in other words, at the time of sleep, as seen above. Therefore, we purify them through the waters of knowledge drawn down from the aspect of 'the World of the Future', etc., as explained above."
+ ],
+ [
+ "Therefore, before washing the hands in the morning, it is forbidden to touch the 7 openings in the head - the two eyes, two nostrils, the mouth and the two ears (Shulchan Aruch Siman 4 Seif 3). These seven openings are the aspect of da'at, as Rabbeinu z\"l brought in a different place (Likutei Moharan 21). These 7 orifices of the head are the aspect of (Zechariah 4:10) \"these, sevenfold; the eyes of the Lord are roving to and fro throughout all the earth\". This corresponds to da'at and divine providence. Therefore it is forbidden to touch them with the hands prior to washing, in order to not blemish the holy knowledge of the aspect of divine providence through the impurity the knowledge of the natural sciences which take hold of the hands during sleep, as explained above. Therefore the essence of the power of the knowledge of nature which relies solely on the arrangement of the constellations in the sky is at night. It is thus called 'star-gazing', because natural science corresponds to night and darkness. For the essence of light is solely the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach, as explained above."
+ ],
+ [
+ "Therefore one must rise at midnight to break sleep, to break the aspect of darkness and night, which is the aspect of the exile, which resembles the night; in other words, the knowledge of natural science from which is the essence of the exile and the darkness, as explained above. Every Jew must awaken from sleep at midnight in order to break and nullify the knowledge of nature through breaking the sleep, etc., as explained above. Then, when one rises at midnight, one mourns over the exile which drove Israel from our land. For the essence of the exile is through the knowledge of natural science, which corresponds to night and sleep, as explained above. Therefore, that is the time to rectify this."
+ ],
+ [
+ "Therefore, the first redemption, which is the Exodus from Egypt, which includes all of the redemptions - because all of the redeemed are referred to by the name 'Egypt' as Rabbeinu z\"l wrote in another place in Likutei Moharan 4. Therefore, the beginning of the redemption was in the middle of the night as it is written (Exodus 11:4) \"Around midnight I will go out into Egypt\". Because the essence of all the redemptions, especially the redemption from Egypt, came about through the aspect as seen above which was written in the lesson above. This was accomplished by means of divine providence which G-d drew down from the end of the earth, from the future world. At the time of the Exodus from Egypt, there was an upheaval in the constellations and then an overturning of nature, for G-d then revealed His divine providence through His awesome miracles and His overturning nature. All of this took place through the world of the future, for it came through the Yovel (Zohar I 21b, II 41b, 46b) which corresponds to the 50 gates of Binah, which corresponds to the world of the future. (Tikunei Zohar 79b). And therefore the redemption was specifically at midnight; in other words it broke the night and the darkness which are the aspect of the wisdom of nature, and it revealed divine providence in the world. Through this was the main essence of the revelation, as explained above. And this is the aspect of (Id.) “Every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, and G-d will pass over… And save the Israelites' first born”. Because the first born is first, the aspect of knowledge, the aspect of (Proverbs 1:7) “First thing, knowledge”. In other words, the knowledge of the Other Side, which is the aspect of natural sciences, was subdued, and the knowledge of holiness, the knowledge of divine providence, the aspect of \"my firstborn, Israel\" (Exodus 4:22) - which is the knowledge of faith in divine providence, from which the holy offspring of the Jewish people are drawn-was increased. The Jewish people are above nature, for they are rooted in \"Look to the heavens and count the stars\". G-d told him this will be your offspring (Genesis 15:5), upon which our sages comment G-d lifted Abraham above the heavens (Genesis Rabbah, there). Therefore, the Jewish people are above nature, for according to nature, according to the arrangement of the constellations, Abraham should not have been able to have any children. It was only because G-d said to him \"let go of your astrology\", and raised him above the heavens, that he was able to have a child, as in 'that will be your offspring'. Therefore Jewish offspring are drawn from its root from beyond nature, which is represented by 'My firstborn, Israel'. Because G-d struck the Egyptian first born at midnight to subdue and break the knowledge of natural sciences, and to intensify the knowledge of divine providence, the aspect of the firstborn of Israel, as explained above."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This is the aspect of \"And he divided himself against them\" (Genesis 14:15) which is said about Abraham at the time he chased after the kings. For Abraham revealed G-d's blessed providence in the world. Therefore, the essence of the fulfillment of the generations of the heavens and earth is through Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 2:4) \"These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, בְּהִבָּרְאָם - meaning, through Abraham בְּאַבְרָהָם (Genesis Rabbah 2:4). Abraham revealed His blessed providence to the world; for the essence of the existence of the world is through this. Therefore, Abraham had the power to divide the night, in other words to break the night, which is the aspect of nullification of nature, the aspect of rising at midnight, as explained above. Then {Abraham} overpowered the four kings, which are the aspect of the four Malchuyot, as brought. The essence of their subjugation is through the nullification of nature, as explained above. Therefore, because he erred {by saying} what was written there (Genesis 15:8) \"how will I know that I will inherit it?\", the exile was decreed because of this, for it was a blemish in knowledge, which is the aspect of divine providence. The essence of knowledge is the aspect of divine providence. And divine providence, this is the aspect of the Land of Israel, the aspect of (Deuteronomy 11:12) \"the eyes of Lord your God are always upon it\", as Rebbe Nachman wrote in another place. Therefore, because he blemished the da'at/knowledge and blemished the Land of Israel, which is the aspect of divine providence, (Genesis 15:12) \"a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and behold, a fright, a great darkness was falling upon him\". Because he saw the strength of the exile, which is the aspect of 'a deep sleep', the aspect of darkness, the essence of their subjugation through the natural sciences, through the blemishing of divine providence, as explained above."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This is the aspect of eating Matzah and the prohibition of Chametz. Matzah is the aspect of Da'at/knowledge, the aspect of the greatness of the mentalities, the aspect of divine providence, which is the essence of da'at. Chametz (unleavened bread) corresponds to the lesser mentalities, the aspect of \"Elokim\", the aspect of judgments, as is brought in the Kavanot. This corresponds to the knowledge of natural science, which is the source of judgments and problems, G-d forbid, as explained above. \"Nature\" in Gematria equals \"Elokim\", as is brought. From here is where judgments take hold, as explained above. Because Chametz corresponds to (Psalms 73:21) \"For my heart was in ferment, יִתְחַמֵּץ לְבָבִי\", etc. This is said about the problems that fall upon a person due by the command of Hashem Yisbarach. This is the aspect of the knowledge of nature, from where all of the atheism and problems stem. Matzah, however, corresponds to da'at, as explained above. It is called Matzah because they left in haste and there was not sufficient time for the dough from our fathers to leaven, until the The King of Kings, the Holy One Blessed Be He revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, as it is said (Exodus 12:39) \"They baked the dough that they had taken out of Egypt as unleavened cakes, for it had not leavened, for they were driven out of Egypt, and they could not tarry, and also, they had not made provisions for themselves\". They had faith in the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach and therefore they did not prepare any provisions, and we find they left in haste. Matzah is the knowledge of the faith of divine providence, which is the essence of the Greater knowledge, whereby a person merits the revelation of G-dliness, to see and know that everything is (by) the divine providence of Hashem alone. This is the aspect of 'haste', for 'haste' is the aspect of 'higher than time', which leaps over the end, and took them out with great haste, without any time except for a moment. And in a short while they came to Sukkot from Ra'amses and 600,000 people gathered together in a light hour, from all of the land of Egypt, as Rashi explains on the verse (Exodus 19:4) \"I bore you on eagles' wings\". All of this is the aspect of 'above time'; in other words, they were elevated beyond time. This is the aspect of divine providence which is above nature, above time. Through this they went out without any time, without any preparation - solely in a short while. The essence of the redemption was through the revelation of divine providence which is above time, the aspect of 'haste'. For haste is the aspect of quickness which is a very good trait, the aspect of faith, the aspect of nullification of the sleep that comes about through laziness, the aspect of (Proverbs 19:15) \"Laziness causes one to fall into a deep sleep, and a deceitful soul shall suffer hunger\", and as brought in the words of our Rabbi (Rebbe Nachman) in another place that quickness is the aspect of faith, see there. And this is the aspect of remembrance, the aspect of (Exodus 13:3) \"Remember this day, when you went out of Egypt\", etc., and as is written (Deuteronomy 16:3) \"you shall remember the day when you went out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life\", etc., and as seen in the words of Rabbeinu at the end of the lesson \"And these are the judgments\" (Likutei Moharan 7) that remembrance is the aspect of faith. The essence of forgetting is from the aspect of time, etc. And when you know and truly believe that everything operates solely by the divine providence of Hashem Yisbarach alone, which is above time, then one need not worry about the aspect of forgetting at all, etc., see there and understand. This is the aspect of remembrance which is said about the Exodus from Egypt, the aspect of 'Remember the day', etc., 'so that you may remember', etc. For with the Exodus from Egypt His Blessed divine providence was revealed, as explained above. This is the aspect of remembrance which is above time, above nature, the aspect of 'haste', the aspect of 'quickness' which is the lifeforce of the mentalities and knowledge. The essence of their existence/fulfillment is when you know and believe in divine providence. And this is the aspect of Matzah made in haste, etc., etc., as explained above."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And this is the aspect of Shabbat HaGadol, which is the name of the Shabbat before Passover, on account of the miracle, etc. The essence of the miracles and wonders that took place during the Exodus from Egypt - which crumbled the battles and nullified nature and revealed His Blessed Providence to the world - all of it was drawn from the aspect of Shabbat, which is the Future World which is totally Shabbat. From there, Hashem Yisbarach drew, so to speak, divine providence from the ends of the earth, etc., corresponding to (Ezekiel 7:2) \"an end! The end has come\", etc., as is brought there in the lesson as seen above. The essence of the Exodus from Egypt is drawn from Shabbat, which is the aspect of the World to Come. Therefore, Pesach is also called Shabbat, as it is written (Leviticus 23:15) \"And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day\"; in other words, Pesach, which our Sages of Blessed Memory said (Menachos 65b) that the essence of the power of the miracle of Passover is drawn from Shabbat, as explained above. This is the aspect of the Shabbat that is before Passover, which is called Shabbat HaGadol because of the miracle. For all of the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt were drawn from the aspect of Shabbat, as explained above. Therefore it is called \"Gadol\" because of the miracles which were called the aspect of Gadol (great), as it is written (II Kings 8:4) \"Please tell me all the great things that Elisha performed\". As Rabbeinu z\"l wrote there in the lesson as seen above, 'And 2 tears went down into the great sea', see there."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This corresponds to (Pesachim 2a) \"On the evening [אוֹר] of the fourteenth of the month of Nisan, one searches for leavened bread in his home by candlelight\", and the Tanna read אוֹר as evening, employing a euphemism, etc. The essence of the search for Chametz and its burning is the aspect of elimination, the aspect of the nature from the world, which corresponds to Chametz, as explained above. When nature is nullified and providence is revealed, this is the aspect of nullification of the darkness and the night, as explained above. They are the aspect of the power of the exile which is drawn from the aspect of knowledge of natural science, as explained above. For when His Blessed Divine Providence is revealed in the world, then there is no darkness there at all. The essence of light is Hashem Yisbarach, so to speak, as explained above. Then, night is illuminated like the day, etc. As it is written (Psalms 139:12) \"Even darkness will not obscure [anything] from You, and the night will light up like day\", as it will be in the future, as it is written (Zechariah 14:7) \"and it shall come to pass that at eventide it shall be light\", as we request (Passover Haggadah ) \"illuminate like the light of the day, the darkness of the night\". The essence of the darkness of night is from the knowledge of natural science, which is the essence of darkness, while faith in divine providence is the essence of light, as explained above. Therefore, the night of searching for Chametz nullifies nature, as the Tanna was using a euphemism regarding the nullification of nature, which is the aspect of Chametz which was searched for on that night. By this, night corresponds to day, the aspect of (Psalms 139:12) \"and the night will light up like day\", etc., as explained above. And therefore the Tanna called that night 'light', אוֹר."
+ ],
+ [
+ "1. This corresponds to “a night of guarding” (Exodus 12:42) - of guarding from harmful powers. Yalkut Shimoni II 210. These harmful powers correspond to natural sciences, to judgments, to the nations which harm the world. Then, on the night of the exodus from Egypt, when nature was eliminated specifically at night in order to break and eliminate the power of night, corresponding to natural sciences, therefore that night was guarded from all harm for powers, from all judgments, since providence was revealed, through which all harm and all judgments are eliminated."
+ ],
+ [
+ "1. This corresponds to the filling of the moon, as in, \"the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, like the light of the seven days of creation\" (Isaiah 30:26), which will take place in the future, when divine providence will be revealed in the world. The darkness of night will then be eliminated and the moon will be filled of it’s waning, for the waning of the moon corresponds to the darkness of night, to natural sciences, which are attached to it since their main power is from the waning of the moon as is known. In the future though, the moon will be filled and darkness will be eliminated, for nature itself will be eliminated and Providence will be revealed. And then 'the night will be as bright as the day', corresponding to, 'the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun'. Therefore, the commandment to sanctify each new month is the first commandment given to the Jews in Egypt during the redemption, for the essence of redemption is the elimination of nature, corresponding to the filling of the moon, which corresponds to the sanctification of the month."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This corresponds to \"elimination of leaven is only by burning\" (Pesachim 5b). For, \"they emerged from fire and fire will consume them\". (Ezekiel 15:7). Providence in nature corresponds to day and night, light and darkness, as said, and also corresponds to luminaries of light and luminaries fire. Luminaries of fire dominate when the luminaries of light disappear, which is at night and in darkness. For, 'they emerged from fire and fire will consume them'. Ezekiel 15:7. Providence in nature corresponds to day and night, light and darkness, as said, and also corresponds to luminaries of light and luminaries of fire. Luminaries of fire dominate when the luminaries of light disappear, which is at night and in darkness. See LM I 67. Fire corresponds to the intensity of judgment that is drawn from nature, which is why G-d created fire after the Sabbath, through Adam, as our sages said (Pesachim 54a). This alludes to nature, in that providence disappeared. Nature corresponds to (Deuteronomy 8:17), \"my power and the make of my hand have accomplished\", like fire, which was created by a human act. Therefore nature is most strongly attached to fire, which represents the intensity of judgment. And therefore we recite the havdalah after Shabbat over fire. Because this is the essence of differentiation and separation. The power of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is mainly from the power of nature, which corresponds to fire, and by our reciting the havdalah over fire, we thereby separate the good and subdue the bad that is attached to the fire as nature, and then the fire itself is transformed into holy nature. For the truth is that even nature is Providence, since G-d himself guides nature as He wills, and when we believe and know that everything is Providence, and even nature becomes Providence, and then even fire is sacred. This is represented in 'who creates the luminaries a fire', which we recite after the Sabbath during havdalah, declaring that we believe everything to be from G-d and that fire is an aspect of the nature that G-d himself created, for nature is Providence. Then, everything is sacred, representing the rectification of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Specifically through this, evil falls away, as in, 'they emerged from fire and fire will consume them', for its main power is from fire, from nature, and when it becomes evident that even fire, nature, is also from G-d this itself subdues it. This corresponds to burning leaven with fire, for divine providence has been revealed, and then we know that everything is from G-d, and that even nature, represented by fire, was created by G-d alone. Then leaven, representing natural sciences, corresponding to the power of the nations, is subdued and eliminated specifically by its own source, by fire, for 'they emerge from fire and fire will consume them'."
+ ],
+ [
+ "Therefore leaven is permissible throughout the year, and only on Passover must we eat unleavened bread, while leaven is very strictly forbidden, even in the minutest amount. This is because on Passover, which represents the Exodus from Egypt, we must eat only unleavened bread, representing Providence, while leaven, which represents nature, we must completely eliminate so that it will not be seen or found in our homes. For the truth is that nature itself is also divine providence, but since pharaoh and the Egyptians greatly overpowered us and denied G-d by saying (Exodus 5:2) \"who is G-d?\", therefore it is impossible to take leave of Egypt other than by means of a very great revelation of providence. Therefore, during the Exodus, G-d revealed His providence with a very great revelation, performing for us awesome wonders. For this reason, we must eat on Passover only unleavened bread, which corresponds to Providence and not leaven, which corresponds to nature. On account of the intensity of the exile in Egypt, which comprised all the exiles, it is impossible to take leave of it other than by a revelation of Providence alone. Nature though, represented by leaven, must be completely eliminated, not to be seen or found. Nature would have empowered the Egyptians and then, due to their great power over the Israelites at the time, it would have been impossible to leave. For this reason, we must eat on Passover only unleavened bread, which corresponds to Providence and not leaven, which corresponds to nature. But since for seven days we eat unleavened bread, corresponding to Providence, we can then eat leaven throughout the year. Once we have already left Egypt and the knowledge of providence has been revealed by having eaten unleavened bread, we are then allowed to eat leaven, corresponding to nature. By means of the great revelation of providence we truly know that nature is itself providence, that G-d created everything and guides everything according to His will, and therefore we may eat leaven for the rest of the year. Only at the beginning, during the Exodus, it is completely for bidden to eat leaven, for at that time, due to their great power, it was forbidden to acknowledge nature at all, for that would have even further empowered them and we would not have been able to be redeemed. But after having left Egypt and Providence was revealed, we know that even leaven, representing nature, is also divine providence, and we are then allowed to eat leaven after Passover. This corresponds to what is stated in the holy Zohar, that once we received the matzo, the medicine, we may then eat leaven (Zohar II 183b). This means that after providence was revealed, we may eat leaven, for knowledge was increased and we know that even nature is really Providence. Therefore, leaven only became permissible after the splitting of the Red Sea on the seventh day of Passover, for that was the ultimate fall of Egypt. Providence was then revealed more than ever by the many miracles that took place then. Natural sciences, corresponding to the great power of the nations, were then subdued and eliminated, for they all were very terrified by the revelation of providence that took place, as written (Exodus 15:15) \"then the princes of Edom were terrified\". Thus the revelation of providence also revealed that nature itself is really providence and therefore, after the seventh day of Passover, it became permissible to eat leavened bread. "
+ ],
+ [
+ "The splitting of the Red Sea corresponds to Rabbeinu z\"l's teaching in this lesson on 'G-d shed two tears into the great sea'. This means that He draws providence to subdue the nations, which correspond to the sea, as written (Isaiah 57:20) \"the wicked are swept away like the sea\", which brings about miracles and wonders, which are called 'great' as written (II Kings 8:6) \"tell me of the great deeds\". This is represented by the splitting of the Red Sea when there was a great revelation of providence. By means of providence came the miracle, providence that G-d drew came upon the sea which corresponds to the nations and the sea split. In other words, the splitting of the Red Sea took place on two levels, two that are one, for they are inter-dependent. The splitting of the Red Sea alludes that the sea of wisdom above was split, and knowledge, corresponding to providence, was revealed, for providence is the quintessential knowledge. This same dynamic also split the sea below, which alludes to the nations of the world who are swept away like the sea-they were all split, broken and eliminated, while Israel passed through the sea on dry land. The waters, representing the nations, could not wield power over Israel, since providence was revealed, as in, 'G-d shed two tears into the great sea'. For Pharaoh had gained power through the two letters מ'י' which spells י\"ם (sea) and therefore he said \"who is G-d that I should listen to him?} (Exodus 5:2) as stated in the Ari z\"l's writings. Therefore Pharaoh was subdued mainly by the revelation of Providence with the splitting of the Red Sea as in, 'G-d sheds two tears', which is Providence, into the great sea. "
+ ],
+ [
+ "This corresponds to the sons' question at the Passover Seder, when the son must ask 'why is this night different from all other nights'? On the night of Passover we must specifically ask questions about the difference in order to answer 'we were slaves', meaning that G-d performed for us miracles and revealed His providence in the world. By asking this question about the difference, we subdue and eliminate and answer all questions of natural sciences, for that is how providence is revealed. That is why we ask the questions about the difference on the night of Passover, to eliminate with this question all the questions of the natural scientists, for by means of this question providence is revealed and all of their questions are completely eliminated. For this reason, the Torah speaks about four sons asking questions about the difference. These four sons correspond to the four kingdoms, for all of the four kingdoms, which represent all of the exiles, draw power solely from natural sciences, as explained in the lesson, and they are all subdued and eliminated by the questions of the four sons which revealed Providence, thus eliminating the four kingdoms that comprise all the exiles. Therefore 'why is this night different'? Why is it that on this night, which alludes to all the exiles, corresponding to nature, there should be such a great revelation of Providence? The answer is 'we were slaves' and we could not leave there other by the revelation of Providence, and it was imperative to completely eliminate nature. Therefore the miracle was specifically at night, in order to subdue them at their root and to transform night into day, for nature was completely eliminated and night became day as in (Psalms 139:12) \"the night was bright as day\". This was the essence of the miracle, that nature, corresponding to the night, should be completely eliminated. Therefore the miracle had to be at night."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This corresponds to the immersing of vessels: a vessel that is purchased from a non-Jew must be immersed in the ritual bath so that a Jew will be able to eat with it. (Yoreh Deah 120:1). When a vessel is in the possession of a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, to the essence of impurity, the vessel cannot leave it to enter into the possession of a Jew, into holiness, other than by immersion in a ritual bath, corresponding to providence, to knowledge, as in (Isaiah 11:9) \"for the earth will be filled with knowledge as the sea\". This is because the food of a Jew must be very holy, and food is sanctified mainly by knowledge, which is a revelation of providence. This corresponds to eating matzo on Passover, because we reveal providence specifically by eating matzo. Adam caused a blemish when he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences, which are comprised of good and evil. This knowledge is of the realm of evil, a blemish of holy knowledge. This blemish was caused mainly by eating, for the main rectification of eating is specifically through faith, as in \"remain faithful\" (Psalms 37:3) as mentioned elsewhere. LM I 62. When a person does not eat with sanctity, knowledge, which corresponds to Providence, is blemished and the person falls into the mistaken belief of natural science, as written, (Deuteronomy 8:12) \"lest you eat, be satiated and your heart becomes haughty and you forget G-d your Lord and you say in your heart my power and the might of my hand have accomplished this for me\". In other words, the person attributes it to nature, as if his sustenance comes from his own power in the mind of his hand and he does not acknowledge Providence. This is the meaning of 'my power and the might of my hand', a blemish in the hands, in the 28 phalanges of the hands, in the 28 letters of creation. This is the meaning of (Deuteronomy 8:18) \"remember G-d your Lord for He gives you power\". Indeed, everything is the providence of G-d, who created everything with the 28 letters of creation, who oversees everything at all times, and who gives power, for G-d oversees and sustains the world through the 28 letters of creation. Therefore the Jewish people must greatly sanctify their food and eating. This is represented by many Commandments connected with eating and drinking, for the revelation of providence is mainly dependent upon the sanctity of foods. Thus, 'and be satiated and blessed G-d your Lord over the good land': bless G-d after eating, through knowing that everything is from His providence. And over the good land, for the land of Israel corresponds to Providence, as written (Deuteronomy 11:12) \"the eyes of G-d your Lord are always upon it\". This corresponds to the eating of the manna, as in (Exodus 16:4), \"I will rain down for you bread from heaven\", for it came down slowly through Providence each and every day, besides other miracles connected with it. Believing that sustenance comes only from G-d, solely in His providence, without any natural causes at all, for He gives power - this is eating manna, as in, the Torah was only given to those who eat manna. Mekhilta B’Shalach 17:17. Therefore when the Israelites first came near to their Father in heaven during Passover of the Exodus from Egypt, they had to eat matzoh, which represents the mind, knowledge, corresponding to manna for by eating matzoh on Passover great knowledge is evoked and we come to know that everything is only providence. This is the essential closeness of the Jewish people to their Father in heaven. And therefore a vessel that has been in the possession of a non-Jew, who represents the realm of impurity, for they attribute things to nature, which is from where judgments and the forces of evil draw their main power, that vessel is unusable for a Jewish meal unless it has been immersed in a ritual bath. In this way, the vessel leaves the realm of nature and enters the realm of knowledge, of providence, of the world of the future, represented by the ritual bath, as explained above. This corresponds to the purification of vessels (Numbers 31:23) \"whatever passes through fire you shall pass through fire, for they emerged from fire and fire will consume them\". Since forbidden food, which is impure, has been absorbed into the vessel, corresponding to nature, for all impurities and forbidden things are drawn from heresies, that vessel has no purification other than by fire, which is the source of nature, as said, for they have emerged from fire. But as long as forbidden food has not been absorbed into the vessel but has only left the possession of a non-Jew, thereby also leaving his knowledge, for a person's greatest possession is his knowledge, with which he aquires all of his belongings, as in \"if you have acquired knowledge what do you lack\"? (Nedarim 41a), therefore when the vessel leaves the possession, the knowledge, of a non-Jew, representing the realm of nature, then immersion in a ritual bath is sufficient. A ritual bath represents the world of the future, from where providence is drawn to break and eliminate the realm of nature, through which we move from impurity to purity, from the possession of a non-Jew to the possession of a Jew, who is above nature."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This corresponds to the 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder. Wine has two parts, as our Rabbis Z\"L said, \"if a person is worthy it makes him a head and if he is not worthy it makes him a poor person\". Yoma 76b. This means that a person's knowledge is elevated by the wine, and being that the essence of knowledge is the revelation of providence, knowledge of providence is enhanced by drinking wine and one becomes a 'head'. But when a person is not worthy, the opposite happens and one becomes poor, for the true pauper is he who lacks knowledge, which is the main cause of material poverty. When a person lacks knowledge of providence, which is the essence of knowledge, this causes poverty, as in, \"you shall eat it with despair\" (Genesis 3:17), representing oppression and poverty that come on account of the blemish of eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences. Furthermore, nature corresponds to darkness and night, corresponding to the blemish of the moon, which is the root source of poverty, as is known. Wine is therefore comprised of both elements: it brings on sleep, which corresponds to nature, which corresponds to night and sleep, and when one is worthy, it arouses from sleep, as in, \"your pallet is like good wine which makes the lips of the sleeping speak\". Song of songs 7:10. Good wine, which comes from the realm of holiness, arouses a person from sleep, represented by speech. During sleep, speech disappears, while good wine arouses from sleep and evokes speech, which comes from knowledge, as in 'makes the lips of the sleeping speak', which corresponds to providence, corresponding to the arousal from sleep. And since wine is comprised of both elements, when a person is worthy it represents knowledge, Providence, as in, \"wine that makes glad\", corresponding to the world of the future, as in \"wine makes glad\" (Psalms 104:15). And when one is not worthy it is an intoxicating wine, which confuses knowledge and errs with natural sciences, which corresponds to sleep. Therefore wine must be carefully guarded from the touch of a non-Jew, more than anything else. Nothing else in the world besides wine becomes forbidden by the touch of a non-Jew. As soon as a non-Jew touches wine, and touch is with the hands, the wine is drawn into the realm of nature, which corresponds to the non-Jew, since the wine itself is comprised of both aspects. Therefore a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, makes the wine impure with the touch of his hand, for the wine is immediately drawn into the realm of nature, and is therefore unsuitable for a Jew, who is above nature, and whose food and drink should be holy, since the knowledge of providence is drawn through food and drink. Therefore, the blemish of the wine is specifically by their touch with the hands, for the blemish of the knowledge of providence is mainly through a blemish of the hands, of the 28 phalanges of the hands, which correspond to the 28 letters of creation. The hands of the non-Jews though, are the opposite of this, and are in the category of \"the hands are the hands of Esau\" (Genesis 27:22), corresponding to the mistaken belief in nature, corresponding to \"my power and the might of my hand\", and therefore wine is blemished by the hand of a non-Jew. This forbidden wine is then in the category of the mistaken belief in natural sciences, which corresponds to sleep. This is alluded to in the word Nesekh, נֶסֶךְ, the term for forbidden wine, as in, \"For G-d Nasakh נָסַךְ (poured) a spirit of slumber\" (Isaiah 29:10), which refers to stargazers who have a mistaken belief in the constellations. Therefore at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, when Providence was revealed, it is a commandment to drink 4 cups of wine, for wine is then in the category of 'if one is worthy the one becomes a head', for now at the Passover Seder, knowledge is elevated and providence is greatly revealed through the wine, for G-d drew Providence and broke the night, the sleep, as in \"around midnight I will go out within Egypt\". Wine is then in the category of 'wine makes glad' and a person is able to speak and tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt on this night, by means of the wine as in 'wine makes the lips of the sleeping speak'. This corresponds to \"song is only recited on wine\". Berachot 35b. For all songs are drawn from the world of the future, when song will be aroused in the world, as stated in the holy Zohar III 286b, as in, \"Then Moses will sing\". Exodus 15:1. It does not say 'sang', in the past tense, but 'will sing' in the future, teaching us that he will sing in the world of the future. Sanhedrin 91b. This is because the essence of song comes from the world of the future, when Moses will sing, for song will then be aroused in the world. This is the source of all songs - song in this world over miracles, for all miracles come about by G-d drawing providence from the end of the world, from the world of the future, into this world. And when a miracle takes place, we draw song from the world of the future into this world, which is all the songs for the miracles that we sing. Therefore, song is only recited over wine, for wine will then be absorbed into holiness, corresponding to knowledge of providence, for the essence of song is drawing providence, which is the song for the miracle, into this world, which is why song should be over wine. This is represented by the 4 cups of wine at the Passover Seder, corresponding to the Four Kingdoms. When wine is absorbed into holiness, corresponding to Providence, all exiles of the Four Kingdoms are subdued, for their main power is through nature, and by means of the Providence that is revealed by the knowledge that is drawn by the 4 cups of wine, they are all eliminated. "
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "Regarding washing the hands after sleep, see the lesson \"When you go out to war\" in Likutei Moharan II 82. See the whole lesson there.",
+ "2. Now the general rule for our subject is: there are aspects that are in order and not in order, which are the aspect of (Psalms 139:5), \"you have formed me backward and forward”, the aspect of Adam and Eve, Aleph Bet and Tav-Shin-Resh-Kuf. Adam corresponds to YHVH spelled out with Alephs , which is numerically equivalent to 45, which is the aspect of order, corresponding to “before”, to Aleph Bet in a forward sequence. Eve is the aspect of speech, the aspect of “night to night will tell” (Psalms 19:3), the aspect of Malchut Peh, etc., the aspect of Tav-Shin-Kuf-Resh in a backward sequence, to, ”backward”, etc. This is as we see, that a person sometimes goes along not in order. This comes about from the aspect of 'not in order', as seen above, by the person having severed disorder from order. This blemish is caused mainly by haughtiness, as (one says) \"I will rule\", for in this way a person takes Eve-Malchut for himself and severs it from Hashem, and then it is not in its whole perfect state. This is because its main sustenance is from the Divine Name of מ\"ה, which is the intellect, which is in the aspect of order. The perfection of all things is only when they are united and bound with Hashem, when they receive perfect sustenance from Him. Wholeness comes from the mind, etc., the aspect of Wisdom, כ\"ח מ\"ה (the power of Mah), as in \"Wisdom sustains life\" (Kohelet 7:12) and as in \"What is our life, what is our strength, etc\" (morning prayers), and מ\"ה is (numerically) equivalent to Adam. Then, it contains wholeness, etc. This is, \"G-d's is the earth and its bounty\" (Ps. 24:1), and then, everything is in order for a person, since, \"Wherever there is the masculine, the feminine is not mentioned\". Zohar III, Chukat, 183b. Therefore Eve, disorder, becomes submerged and nullified into Adam, order. And the aspect of order is called Yud and Malchut is called Dalet - דלי\"ת לֵית לָהּ מִגַּרְמָהּ כְּלוּם, which has nothing of its own. Zohar I 170a. Hashem draws the sustenance of Wisdom, represented by the Yud, into the Malchut, represented by Yud-Vav-Dalet. This is \"You formed me backwards and forwards and placed your Kaf upon me\"; Kaf not meaning hand, but the letter Kaf, which is the Yud-Vav-Dalet (the letter Yud spelled out), which in Gematria equals Kaf (20). When a person separates the Dalet for himself and draws sustenance from it, his life then becomes disordered, and things do not go for him \"in order\", for he is now being sustained by \"disorder\", by the Malchut-Eve, tav-shin-resh-kuf. And therefore when one sees that things are not going 'in order', you should know that you have become haughty and you feel 'I shall rule'. What should you do? Repent, humble yourself and return to the category of מ\"ה, as is written, \"We are Mah (nothing) (Ex. 16:7). Then Eve is restored to the aspect of Adam, to the aspect of Mah, and things are restored to order. The main time for this repentence is during the month of Elul. Study all of this there well. "
+ ],
+ [
+ "This is the aspect of washing the hands in the morning when you rise from sleep. Day and night correspond to Adam and Eve, to order and disorder. The light of the day corresponds to Adam, who represents Wisdom, for light corresponds to wisdom and knowledge, as Rabbeinu z\"l says elsewhere (Likutei Moharan I 37), and as is written (Proverbs 2:13) \"As thr advantage of light over darkness, so is the advantage of wisdom\". Night corresponds to Eve-Malchut, as in \"night to night יְחַוֶּה, will tell\" as mentioned in the holy Zohar and brought in the laws of awakening Halachah 3. At night, the gates of the Garden of Eden are sealed, which is the aspect of the disappearance of knowledge, and the world is then ruled by the Matron, which is Malchut. Therefore, judgments are empowered during the night, as stated in the holy Zohar I 92b, for all judgments arise from disorder, which corresponds to judgments, the source of all suffering, G-d forbid, which is against human will, corresponding to disorder. And disorder is the aspect of the darkness of night, as a person walking in the dark will walk in a disorderly way, because he cannot find the right path, and he may stumble on a rock, or something similar. However, during the daylight, one sees the path and walks in order. Therefore day and night correspond to order and disorder, to Adam and Eve, etc. Therefore, at night, when disorder rules, and order, wisdom, the light of day have disappeared, then is the time to sleep, and sleep is the aspect of nullification. For when a person sees that his intellect is confused and his mind is not settled, judgments that are attached to disorder are empowered. For when holy knowledge is perfect, disorder comes into order, for 'Where there is masculine, the feminine is not mentioed'. But at night, when knowledge disappears, and disorder, to which judgments are attached, G-d forbid, is empowered, G-d forbid, one must relinquish one's knowledge altogether, as if one had no knowledge at all, and completely nullify oneself into sleep. We must sleep at night when knowledge is not perfect, for otherwise, disorder may overrule, G-d forbid. Therefore we sleep at night to completely banish our knowledge and nullify ourselves, showing that disorder, which corresponds to the body, has no sustenance at all other than via the intellect. Therefore, we completely relinquish the intellect and the body remains like an inanimate stone with only the bare minimum of life. During sleep, the intellect is refreshed and strengthened, so that when we wake from our sleep, renewed mental forces return to us and the body is also strengthened. This is because the body is sustained mainly by the soul and the soul and the body themselves correspond to order and disorder. The body and the soul represent a man and a woman, as is known, Adam and Eve, light and darkness, wisdom and foolishness as mentioned elsewhere in the lesson entitled \"דִּרְשׁוּ ה' וְעֻזּוֹ\" (Likutei Moharan I 37). The body has no sustenance at all other than the soul, so at night, when knowledge is not whole/perfect, we must completely relinquish knowledge and literally nullify ourselves in sleep, so that disorder will not overpower us. "
+ ],
+ [
+ "And therefore, when we are waking from sleep, we must wash our hands with water. Water represents knowledge, as in, \"the earth will be filled with knowledge as the waters cover the sea bed\". Isaiah 11:9. We must evoke the waters of knowledge to evoke order and banish impurity, which is attached to disorder, which has become attached to the hands. The entire power of the forces of evil is only from disorder, when a person is not receiving perfect sustenance from order. This is represented by the darkness of night, by sleep, when the body, which corresponds to night, remains without sustenance from the intellect, which corresponds to day. During this time, the forces of evil are sustained from there, from disorder, become attached specifically to the hands. This is because the above rectification of binding and bridging disorder into order is represented by the Yud, which corresponds to the Kaf, which represents the hands, as in, 'you formed me backward and forward and placed your hand upon me', as brought on the verse \"Open your hand\". The entire world compared to G-d is in the category of disorder. G-d is exalted beyond all spiritual worlds, and all the worlds are in disorder before Him, since all the worlds are guided by Malchut as explained in the lesson as mentioned above, and the Malchut corresponds to disorder, and said above. This corresponds to \"the world was created in the month of Tishri\". Rosh Hashanah 27b. Tishri represents tav-shin-resh-kuf, disorder, Malchut. The world was created mainly so that we come to know G-d Zohar II 42B, so that we acquire perfect knowledge, which is knowing G-d. That is the true essence of knowledge, and only that is considered knowledge, as written, \"you shall know today and restore to your heart that G-d is the Lord\". Deuteronomy 4:39. The main purpose of creation was to bring disorder into order, to elevate all worlds to their root, so that disorder, representing the totality of all worlds, will become brought into order, which is knowledge, specifically the knowledge of G-d. That is the main purpose and what will remain at the very end. Everything else will become nullified into it. But how does one achieve this, binding and elevating all worlds corresponding to disorder, to the roots, into order, which is wisdom and knowledge? This is only possible in this world of action, by means of observing the practical commandments of the Torah. The Torah, as a whole, is held in the hands, which are the tools of action, as in \"today to do them\". Deuteronomy 7:11. This is alluded in \"the two tablets of the covenant are in my two hands\". Deuteronomy 9:15. Torah, represented by the two tablets of the covenant, is held within the two hands, which represent the tools of action, for the hands place all things where they are needed. This is true regarding the world as a whole: by means of the hands, the tools of action corresponding to the totality of the Torah, we take all the worlds, corresponding to disorder, elevating them and bringing them to G-d, so that they are absorbed within their root in order. This is why the Zohar tells of Rabbi Eliezer who lifted his two hands as he was about to die and said \"woe that two Torahs are about to disappear from the world\". Zohar I 99a. The two hands represent the totality of the Torah, represented by the written Torah and the oral Torah, which is why holiness is evoked mainly through the sanctity of the hands. This is represented by the washing of the hands in the morning. When we sleep, the life sustenance disappears and the forces of evil that are attached to disorder become attached specifically to the hands, for they are always seeking to be nourished from holiness. And since holiness – bringing all worlds to the root, bringing disorder into order - is by means of the hands, the main attachment of the forces of evil that always seek division and to separate disorder from order is specifically to the hands, the main site of sanctity. The hands are the main tools by means of which we are able to bind and elevate disorder into order, and therefore, they are also the main place where the forces of evil are attached. That is why we must wash our hands with water immediately upon awakening, to evoke the waters of knowledge and evoke order, so that the forces of evil attached to disorder will be banished. This is what our Sages said, \"the evil spirit that rests on the hands as a princess and is particular not to leave unless the hands are washed properly\". Shabbat 109a. This force of evil is rightly called a princess, for it is attached to a blemish of the Malchut caused by separating Malchut and saying 'I shall rule', which causes everything to be disordered, which is the source of judgments and evil forces. That is why it is called a princess."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And therefore, it is forbidden, before washing, to touch your eyes, ears, etc., with your hands. Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim Siman 4 Seif 3. For all of these are the orifices of the head, the mind, and all of these seven orifices represent the channels through which intellect is drawn - they are the Seven Candles, as explained in another place (Likutei Moharan I, 21). Therefore, one must not touch them with the hands before washing so as not to empower disorder over order, which is the aspect of da'at/knowledge, corresponding to the seven orifices of the mind by the impurity which is attached to the hands, the tools of action, which are attached to disorder. Therefore, we must first purify and sanctify the hands with water, representing the drawing of the waters of knowledge. Then we are able to raise the hands to G-d and to bring everything into order, as in, \"Raise your hands with holiness\" (Ps. 134:2). By drawing knowledge, everything comes into order, which is the aspect of da'at/wisdom and knowledge, for wisdom is called holiness as is known. This corresponds to rising at midnight, or at least before sunrise, to bind day to night with Torah and prayer: night, disorder, which corresponds to night, with day, with order, which corresponds to day. This is the essential work of a human being - to elevate and bring all worlds to their root. ",
+ "And this is, \"Bless G-d, all servants of G-d, who rise in G-d's house at nights\" (Ps. 124:1); specificallt 'who rise at nights', for rising at night to study Torah and pray is the main rectification, for that is how we bind night with day, disorder with order, which is the main rectification of all worlds. This is the juxtaposition of 'Raise your hands in holiness and bless G-d': 'raise your hands', for elevating and binding night with day, disorder with order, is accomplished specifically by the hands, the tools of action, the totality of the Torah. They raise all worlds to their root, as in, 'Raise your hands in holiness and bless G-d', as in, \"When I raise my hand to heaven\" (Deut. 32:40), which is the raising of the hands spoken about in the Zohar, for the totality of all worlds are held in the hands, as in, \"My hand founded the earth and my right hand measured the heavens\" (Isaiah 48:13). Therefore, holiness is mainly in the hands, for by fulfilling the Torah and the mitzvot that are held in the hands, the tools of action, we elevate all worlds, which represent disorder, raising and bringing them back to their source, to G-d, to order, represented by wisdom, which is called holiness, as is known. And this is, 'raise your hands with holiness' and it connects well with the previous verse, 'Bless G-d, all G-d's servants, who rise at nights'"
+ ],
+ [
+ "And this corresponds to Rosh Hashanah, to the blowing of the shofar, which is the aspect of arousal from sleep. As is brought in the Kabbalistic texts, Rosh Hashanah corresponds to sleep, and the shofar representes arousal from sleep, since, \"The whole world was created in Tishri\" (Rosh Hashanah 10b). This is the aspect of disorder, Tav-Shin-Resh-Kuf, and when disorder is aroused, you must submerge yourself completely in sleep, which corresponds to the sleep of night. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Ten Days of Repentance, and the essence of repentance is to repent from haughtiness, humbling oneself and truly sensing one's lowliness and unworthiness. As our Sages said, \"One self-chastisement is greater than one hundred floggings\" (Berachot 7a), and, \"He forgives transgression for the remainder\" (Micah 7:18) - \"to the one who makes himself a remainder\" (Rosh Hashanah 17b). Therefore the essence of repentance is humility and humbleness, for all sins arise from disorder, from separating the Malchut and possessing it with haughtiness. That is the source of all judgments, to which the evil inclination and the forces of evil are attached, from which all sins arise. The holy books speak about haughtiness being the cause of all sins, since, \"Whoever is haughty is as if he worshiped idols\" (Sotah 4b), and, \"Whoever acknowledges idolatry is as if he denied the entire Torah\" (Chullin 5a). We find, all sins come through haughtiness, G-d forbid, for haughtiness separates disorder from order, which is the cause of all sins. Therefore, the essence of repentance for all sins is humbleness, making yourself as dust to be tread upon, sensing your lowliness and distance from Hashem, lowering yourself and breaking your heart before Hashem. That is how G-d will forgive a person, as written, \"G-d will not scorn a broken and oppressed heart\" (Ps. 51:19), and \"Who forgives transgression for a remainder\" - \"for one who makes himself as a remainder\". This is because humility and humbleness, one makes himself as Mah, as nothing and naught. In this way, one returns to order, represented by Mah, through which all judgments, which correspond to sins, disappear. Therefore, on Rosh Hashanah, which is the first day of the Ten Days of Repentance, the first day of Adam's creation, we must \"sleep\" - we must completely submerge ourselves as if we have no knowledge at all, but only cry out to G-d and declare Him King, in complete sincerity, without sophistication. On Rosh Hashanah Adam and Eve were created, corresponding to order and disorder. It was their task to rectify all the worlds, representing disorder, into order, to bring 'Eve' into 'Adam'. Had they done that, everything would have been brought into order, without any suffering and judgments, which represent disorder. But they blemished with their sin, and in doing so, they separated disorder from order, for their main sin was haughtiness, 'I shall rule', which was the essence of the Primordial Serpent's enticement, as written, \"For G-d knows that on the day you eat of it, your eyes will be open and you shall be like G-d\" (Gen. 3:5). As our Sages said, \"It told them, 'Every craftsman hates his fellow craftsman - G-d ate from this tree and created all the worlds'\" (Genesis Rabbah 19:4). In other words, he aroused jealousy in them and a desire to rule: 'you shall be like G-d' - 'creators of worlds', as if to say, 'Why should you subdue yourselves to Him? If you eat from the Tree of Knowledge, you will be a Gd and a King just like Him!' All this is the aspect of 'I shall rule', in that one desires to draw Malchut/Kingship to oneself, and then everything gets in disorder, for the person himself is in disorder. That is why all generations of mankind became destined to die, for they had blemished order, corresponding to wisdom, the source of all sustenance, as in, \"Wisdom sustains life\" (Kohelet 7:12), as in, \"Mah is our life?\". With their blemish, they separated themselves from order, from wisdom, from Mah, the main source of sustenance, and death as opposed to life was the inevitable result. Their blemish also caused everything to become disordered, represented by all the blemishes and decrees that were a result of their sin, as written, \"With toil you shall eat of it...thorn and thistle will grow for you\" (Gen. 3:17-18), upon which Rashi comments, \"When you plant wheat, the earth will give forth thorn and thistle\". All this corresponds to the disorder they caused with their sin, which was haughtiness, 'I shall rule', which caused all things to become disordered, since they had evoked disorder upon themselves with their sin. Not only did they not rectify, elevate and refine the world of the judgments that are attached to disorder, bringing everything into order, which is what they were supposed to do on the day they were created - for elevating the entire world to its source, merging disorder into order, was the very purpose for which Adam and Eve were created - but they caused great damage with their sin. The serpent first entices Eve, since she represents disorder, from which the forces of evil derive their power. The rectification should have been by merging disorder into order, by Eve being subservient to Adam, but the serpent overpowered Eve, representing disorder, enticing her to separate 'Eve' from 'Adam', disorder from order, so that Adam would follow Eve's will, so that disorder would rule over order. But they immediately repented and began rectifying everything, a rectification that would not be completed until the coming of the Messiah. ",
+ "And each and every year we must work at this rectification on Rosh Hashanah, for that is the day they were created and when they should have made this rectification, but instead the did the opposite. That is why our service on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is related to this rectification, as brought in the Kabbalistic texts. Therefore, the essence of the rectification of Rosh Hashanah is to work at restoring everything to order, repenting for all of one's sins, which are caused by disorder, by haughtiness, completely surrendering oneself to G-d in order to elevate the entire world that was created at this time of year; in other words, restoring disorder back into order. This is the aspect of 'sleep' on Rosh Hashanah, as mentioned in the Kabbalistic texts, \"G-d cast a slumber\" (Pri Etz Chaim, Rosh Hashanah, 2, 4). Sleep represents surrender. Order and disorder correspond to Chochmah and Malchut, Adam and Eve, and 'Eve' must be submissive to 'Adam', knowing that the entire world which seems to be ruled by Malchut, by Eve, all comes from G-d alone, \"for Kingship is G-d's\" (Ps. 22:29) and everything in existence and all life on earth is absolutely nothing before Him. It is a great mitzvah to know and declare this knowledge. It is the main source of sustenance for man and for all the worlds, and is what brings everything back into order. But when disorder, represented by judgments, is empowered, which is on Rosh Hashanah, when the world, corresponding to disorder, was created, and on which Adam and Eve sinned, thus empowering disorder, we must at this time completely surrender ourselves into sleep. In other words, we must completely relinquish and abandon our intellect, as if we have no knowledge at all, but rather declare G-d as King with utmost faith and simplicity, without any sophistication. This is our main work on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, on which we are completely involved in revealing His kingship without any sophistication. On these Days of Awe, we completely set aside our knowledge and surrender ourselves, devoting ourselves to prayers, beseeching, song and praise from Psalms and other types of requests and liturgy. All this represents sincerity and simplicity without any sophistication, for that is how we reveal G-d Kingship. This is the meaning of the 'sleep' on Rosh Hashanah as mentioned in the Kabbalistic texts. It is explained there that this 'sleep' is the disappearance of the Supernal Mind from the Zeir Anpin, and then Mind and sustenance are drawn directly into the Malchut from Binah, the Supernal Mother, rather than through the Zeir Anpin, and then, through the shofar, new Mind is drawn after this 'sleep'. After the arousal from this 'sleep', the Malchut is severed, etc. The 'sleep' represents the disappearance of the Mind; it is intentionally removed so that disorder, haughtiness, the main blemish of the mind, as mentioned in the Kabbalistic texts, will not become attached to it. Therefore, Ga'Avah, גַּאֲוָה (haughtiness) is numerically equivalent to Yah (15), which represents the Mind. The main blemish of haughtiness is in saying, 'I shall rule' and the main sustenance of the Malchut is from wisdom, as in, 'Wisdom sustains life', as Rabbeinu z\"l explains in the lesson. The Malchut must be elevated to its source, as in, \"The Kingship will be G-d's\" (Ovadiah 1:21), to know that all the worlds and everything in them, which correspond to Malchut, were all created and are solely guided by G-d's Kingship, which rules over all. Therefore we must completely surrender ourselves to G-d and to be nothing in our own eyes, as in \"we are מ\"ה\" (Ex. 15:7) , for sustenance comes mainly from מ\"ה, as in, 'מ\"ה us our life'. But when one is haughty and says 'I shall rule' and seeks to draw 'kingship' to himself, this is because in his haughtiness, he believes that he has already achieved some intelligence, that he is a scholar, a kabbalist, a tzaddik, and deserves some status of power. He thus desires to overturn order and take the Malchut for himself, as if he has power and knowledge to sustain the Malchut which is sustained mainly by wisdom, to draw wisdom into disorder and to empower disorder over order. It is certainly possible to draw kingship to oneself other than by means of wisdom, which sustains the Malchut. Therefore, this haughty person who says 'I shall rule' blemishes wisdom in wanting to draw the mind into the kingship of evil, which is haughtiness. Therefore, as long as disorder is not yet ameliorated, that is, at the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, one must completely relinquish and set aside one's mind so that disorder, judgments, will not be able to attach itself to it. And during this complete surrender, corresponding to 'sleep', in that we do not use any wisdom at all, we then rise above human wisdom, for sincerity, simplicity and faith rise above the Mind and Wisdom, as we have explained elsewhere. Then we are able to declare G-d as King with all sincerity and without any sophistication. This corresponds to drawing the Mind and sustenance into the Malchut, bypassing the Zeir Anpin, as known. Now we reveal G-d's Kingship without any wisdom at all, but solely by means of surrender, when we are submerged into Binah, the Supernal Mother, which comprises the upper three Sefirot, from where His Kingship is revealed. Then, through the shofar, new mind is drawn and we are aroused from sleep, for by means of the sleep and the surrender, we are then able to receive great intellect, and the Malchut is severed and becomes a complete partzuf/structure on its own. For when we attain holy intellect, G-d's Kingship is revealed with complete knowledge to all, for the drawing of the mind is only for the purpose of revealing His Kingship, to know and declare that He is the Creator. Then, disorder is ameliorated and absorbed into order, as in, 'Wherever there is masculine, the feminine is not mentioned' for she surrenders to him. When the mind is in its perfect state of holiness, we need not be afraid of disorder, since we know that everything is solely from G-d, when all disorder completely disappears. Therefore, arousal from sleep is mainly by means of the sound of the shofar, for sound corresponds to Mah, the Divine Name representing order, as stated in the Tikunei Zohar, \"YHVH is in sound an speech is in man\". These correspond to order and disorder, for sound arouses intention, which is in the mind. This is the meaning of what our Sages said, \"Blowing the shofar is wisdom and not a creative act\" (Rosh Hashanah 29b). The sound of the shofar corresponds to wisdom, to Mah, to sound that arises the intention of the mind. Sound itself cannot be grasped. One cannot understand a person by his voice alone, for sound corresponds to Mah, to the power of wisdom by itself. With the shofar we evoke only sound, which corresponds to Mah, to order, so as to empower order. Then, with sound, we build speech, which is prayer, represented by the prayers we recite on Rosh Hashanah after the shofar blowing. ",
+ "I had some other ideas regarding this subject, but unfortunately I have forgotten them since I did not write them down at that time. May G-d help me to retrieve all losses, and may I never lose again any single word, as a plastered well that does not lose a single drop. Amen, May it be His will."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [
+ [
+ "1. Based on the lesson, \"And Boaz said to Ruth\", Likutei Moharan I, 65. See the entire lesson well. The basic rule is that a person must at all times look upon the purpose as being totally good, totally one. For there, one nullifies all the pains and all the troubles in the world, for everything is for the good. However it is impossible to look upon this purpose except with דְּעֵינִין מֵחֵיזוּ דְּהָאי עָלְמָא לְגַמְרֵי, etc. And therefore the soul of a person is sunken when he has great pains, G-d forbid. He seals and shuts his eyes with great strength, etc. in order to chase away the purpose, etc. See there all of this very well. However, after one moves away from the nullification, one's pains and troubles come back stronger than at first. (This is like) two people fighting with each other, when one sees, etc. But afterwards the pains and troubles are cooled and nullified through the Torah which is draw down via the tribulations, via nullification of the purpose. Through this the sunrise of the residue [the trace of revelation left after the First Tzimtzum - the initial concealment of G-d's infinite light] is illuminated in the mentalities and one receives Torah with happiness. This is a vessel for the receiving of Torah. Through this the thirst of the soul is quenched, which is the aspect of tribulations, in the aspect of (Isaiah 55:1) \"Ho! All who thirst, go to water\", etc. See all of this brought well over there. And then one is able to pray as is fitting and to unite each prayer, etc etc. See very well over there."
+ ],
+ [
+ "This corresponds to washing the hands in the morning. Sleep corresponds to bitul-submergence into the Absolute by closing the eyes, which is the root of sleep (see LM 1 54). For during sleep, we bond with the World of the Future, representing bitul/submergence. From LM I 7, on the story, \"Rabbi Eliezer was sleeping,\" we also see that sleep corresponds to submergence, to, \"No eye has seen.\" In fact, the main reason why God puts man to sleep is for these above reasons, to escape from the judgments and suffering that are all caused by a confused mind, as we have spoken about elsewhere. Man has been sent into this world for one reason alone — to fight a holy war against desires and confusions and to bind one's thought to God at all times. But this tires the mind. Therefore, God imprinted the instinct in man that when the mind is too confused and tired that one falls asleep, closing one's eyes and submerging the mind, completely letting go of one's consciousness and intellect. This is the submergence, surrendering oneself into the Absolute Good, where all confusions, including all judgments, troubles, pains and obstacles, disappear and are all submerged into the ultimate purpose. This is why sleep is innate to man and to all creatures. Therefore, it is possible to attain very sublime perceptions during sleep, since one is then submerged into the Light of the Ein Sof, by means of which one is able to perceive great things, as stated in the holy Zohar on the verse, \"Who will ascend God's mount?\" (Psalms 24:3; Zohar 11 195b). Therefore, one must wash the hands with water upon awakening from sleep, for wakening from sleep corresponds to returning from submergence, when judgments and confusions, the cause of all impurities, seek even more intensely to overwhelm the person, as explained in the lesson. Specifically then one must muster more strength to subdue them by the Torah that one draws from the Impression, which corresponds to water. This is why we wash the hands with water immediately upon awakening from sleep. Since awakening from sleep corresponds to submergence, we must immediately evoke the waters of Torah in order to abolish the spirit of impurity that rests upon the body, only on the hands. The forces of judgment and confusion stand in ambush over the human body during the submergence, waiting for the moment when a person's consciousness will return so that they will gain even firmer grip on him. Therefore, we must be careful to banish them immediately upon awakening from sleep by purification with water, which evokes purity and sanctity from the waters of Torah that are from the Impression of the submergence, from which all suffering and judgments come after one has returned. As our Sages of Blessed Memory said on the verse, \"Which I have commanded you ; today\" (Deuteronomy 6:2) (the words of Torah should be new in your eyes everyday\" (Sifri ad loc). Hence, one must receive the Torah anew every day, for through sleep, which corresponds to submergence, one receives a renewal of the Torah in order to counter judgments and impurities that seek more than ever to overwhelm a person specifically at this time. Fortunate is he who attains this to perfection, attaining new and authentic Torah insights every day. However, even the majority of people who cannot attain this should at least do their best to study Torah in the morning upon awakening from sleep. Jewish literature is full of the importance of rising early in the morning to study Torah in order to quench the soul's thirst, to banish suffering, judgments, the forces of evil and all confusions by means of the Torah that one receives from the impression. Therefore, even someone who is not really able to attain new Torah insights must at least make great effort each and every day to study Torah with renewed enthusiasm and passion, that it will be literally \"as new\" for him, for this too is considered a renewal of the Torah, as explained elsewhere. This corresponds to tzitzit, tefillin, kriat shma and prayer, all of which represent a renewal of the mind that is drawn upon each Jew every day. All this is evoked by the shining and the impression of the Submergence into the Absolute, which corresponds to sleep. "
+ ],
+ [
+ "1. And this corresponds to the force of the miracle of Chanukah until we merit a new mitzvah to light the Chanukah candles in our house each year. Because the lighting of the Chanukah candles is lit from the shining of the Holy remainder of the nullification of the purpose, that from there is all the reception of Torah and mitzvot, which is the aspect of the general rule of all the Holy Lights, the aspect of \"because the miracle of the candle and the light of Torah\". Through this, all troubles and Sitra Achra are nullified; from them come the absorption of the kingship of the gentiles. Because the kingship of the gentiles stands over Israel to make them \"forget Your Torah\", etc. It is known, that the essence of their strengthening is by means of Torah, as seen above. Therefore, they wanted to forget the Torah, G-d forbid. But the righteous men in that generation - Matisyahu the High Priest and his sons - nullified themselves with the purpose of being nullified to the Blessed Name, and then sent out their souls from there, and sacrificed their souls on behalf of Israel. This is the aspect of \"nullification\", because this is the essence of the great advice in all of the troubles, G-d forbid, that come upon the Jewish people in general or what passes upon every person specifically, G-d save us. Because there is no correct advice to chase away from them except through nullification of purpose; in other words, to shut your eyes tightly and to make yourself like you are sleeping, and to nullify yourself with the purpose of nullification as if there you have to feeling at all, except to attach and nullify your thoughts to the light of the blessed Ein Sof. This is something every person can do as I heard from his holy mouth (i.e. Rebbe Nachman's) that even though a person may not be worthy to complete nullification like the great and perfect tzadikkim, still a person is able to nullify himself some degree if he truly wants to. And by means of this nullification, the problems and suffering is nullified from him. But afterwards, it is possible they could become even stronger, G-d forbid and a person must strengthen himself to nullify them through Torah thoughts or through being involved in the Torah with a new desire, as seen above."
+ ],
+ [],
+ [
+ "1. And now, our long, bitter, exile, is even more difficult than the exile in Egypt and all the other exiles, as brought in the Lesson - for about this exile it is written (Lamentations 1:9) \"She has sunk appallingly\". And thus in every place where the verses and Sages speak of this exile, all of them wonder at the nature of the length and bitterness of this exile, as is brought in the Midrashim. And because of the length and bitterness of the exile it was not possible to tolerate it had it not been for Hashem who was with us, who provided healing for the blow, in that we already merited to receive the Torah on Mt. Sinai. And nowadays, there is generation of orphans and Hashem Yisbarach sent us great and wonderous tzaddikim who brought success upon us in the aspect of seeing the Light of the Ein Sof, and who taught us to nullify ourselves within His Blessed Self in every time and instance of trouble, may G-d save us. And the essence is for us to continue with many new and wonderous Torah insights, that through them we enliven ourselves and strength is given to us to stand against them and to nullify them when they increase and are aroused afterwards greater and greater. Because at all times, we can nullify them through the holy Torah that we already merited to receive through Moshe Rabbeinu, A\"H. And through the new and wonderous Torah insights that are brought by all the great tzaddikim that are in every generation, corresponding to (Psalms 119:50) \"This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your promise has preserved me.\""
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Fringes": [
+ [
+ [
+ "1. Woolen and linen tzitzit exempt [one from the obligation of attaching tzitzit] on all kinds of garments, except for woolen tzitzit on linen garments and linen tzitzit on woolen garments at present, because there is no techelet (a blue dye) due to kilayim (the prohibition of mixing wool and linen in garments). Some say that one should not make tzitzit of linen at all, and this is the prevalent custom. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 9:2)",
+ "2. Consider the opening statement: What did he see that he went to the place where his equivalent is mentioned, with the sign [referring to Zin], as stated in Siman 29? Pay attention to what is written there, that one must be very careful with garments, guarding them from stains and filth, ensuring that they remain clean, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 9:8), 'Let your garments always be white.' For garments represent the aspect of kingship, the aspect of (Psalms 24:7) 'the King of glory,' and so forth. Thus, the Divine Presence is in the aspect of (Isaiah 63:2) 'Why is Your apparel red?' representing the blood of menstrual impurity. This is the aspect of blemishes that come from the fifty sinews. To repair these, one must specifically fix the general aspect, the aspect of the covenant, the aspect of 'an eagle stirring up its nest.' This metaphorically awakens the brains, drawing from there to the building for all the fifty sinews, and so on. The sins are whitened in the aspect of (Isaiah 1:18) 'If your sins are like scarlet, they shall become as white as snow; if they are red as crimson, they shall become like wool.' The sins are dyed in the aspect of the tongue of the crimson worm, which whitens the sins, and so on. See there well. ",
+ "3. This is the aspect of tzitzit, for the general principle is that one must be very careful with garments so that the external threads do not catch hold of them. Their nature is to catch hold of garments, as our sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 6): 'These ma'anei drabanan are more despised to them, for they are of a lower degree, and the external ones of holiness. There, their nature is to catch hold. Therefore, all the blemishes of all sins are recognized and recorded in them. Likewise, all the mitzvot are also recorded in them, for through the mitzvot, they are given a general aspect. The mitzvot serve as a garment and a covering for the soul so that they do not catch hold. When the garments are clean, it is a great protection, as explained elsewhere (Siman 127). Therefore, one must be very careful with the garments, as mentioned above. Therefore, the Torah commanded tzitzit, which are dependent on garments. Tzitzit serve as a protection for the garments so that the external threads do not catch hold. Through this, the entire Torah is safeguarded, both positive and negative commandments, as everything is recorded in them. And this is what is written (Numbers 15:39), 'And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the Lord.' For through tzitzit, the brains are elevated, and from them, it extends to the building for all the fifty sinews, as in the aspect of (Ecclesiastes 9:8), 'Let your garments always be white.' 'Your garments' specifically, as stated there. Tzitzit are the aspect of general repair, the aspect of (Deuteronomy 32:11) 'like an eagle arousing its nest,' which metaphorically awakens the brains and extends from there to the building for all the fifty sinews, and so on. This is the aspect of thirty-eight threads of the tzitzit, as stated by our master (in Siman 8) and as our master stated (in Siman 7) that tzitzit are a safeguard against illicit relations. This is what our sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 113), 'Let your garments always be white.' This refers to tzitzit. The wings of the tzitzit are the aspect of the wings of eagles, the aspect of (Exodus 19:4) 'And I bore you on eagles' wings,' symbolizing the arousing of the brains. From there, it extends to the building for all the fifty sinews. This is the aspect of thirty-two strands of the tzitzit, the aspect of the twelve warp threads of the tzitzit. Eagles are the aspect of the attracting of the lunar whiteness, which extends from the heart to all the fifty sinews, in the aspect of (Isaiah 1:18) 'Though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool.' The sins are whitened in the aspect of tzitzit made of wool. This is the aspect of tekhelet, which hints that the blood has already been drained, and the blackness has turned to white. This is the aspect of tzitzit made of wool and linen, for garments are the aspect of kingship, and its principal construction and repair come through kindness, judgment, and so on, as mentioned above. This is the aspect of tzitzit made of wool and linen, for wool is the aspect of kindness, the aspect of the language of the shining that whitens sins. Linen is the aspect of might, as our sages, may their memory be blessed, said (Niddah 20), 'The black is red,' and so on. Techelet indicates that the blood has already been drained, and the blackness has turned to white. This is the aspect of tzitzit made of wool and linen. Therefore, the Torah commanded specifically wool and linen for garments (Menachot 39), as they are the foundation of the construction and repair of garments. They are specifically wool and linen, for they are kindnesses and mights, as explained above."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Phylacteries": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [
+ "1. Regarding the mitzvah of tefillin of the arm and of the head, and that they must be made from the hide of a clean animal specifically, and written on the klaf/inner skin; and regarding the straps, the tunnel, and the rest of their most holy and awesome details; and regarding Rashi's tefillin and Rabbeinu Tam's tefillin:",
+ "2. According to the most awesome story of the Seven Beggars printed in the book Sipurei Ma`asiyoth: See there, on page 96, regarding the first beggar who was blind, who came to the groom and bride at the wedding after the canopy, and said to them that he gives them a wedding-discourse present, that they should be “old as I... that you should live a long life as I do. And you think that I am blind? Actually I am not blind at all. Only, the whole entire world does not amount to me so much as a blink of an eye, etc. for I am very old, but yet I am entirely yanik, יניק, [lit. suckling, nursing] (that is, young), and I have not yet begun to live at all. But nevertheless I am very old, etc. And I have a consensus on this from the Great Eagle”, etc. Take a very thorough look there at all this, and if you have intelligent eyes, you will discern from afar how utterly deep His thoughts are; and it is impossible to prolong discussion of this at all. But whoever truly desires will see and discern from there the greatness of Hashem Yisbarach and the greatness of the true great tzaddikim; the enormity of their greatness, as each and every one had attained what he boasted of there. For everything that is explained there in the story of each one, is regarding the boasting of some most very great and awesome tzaddik boasting in the upper worlds, in the place where he boasted that he attained what he attained in this world. His fortune! The fortune of his portion! For example, in the interest that will be explained below, that the elders boasted, and each one told what he remembers from his first memory etc.: The youngest of all was most utterly high, the enormity of his greatness and the validity of his sanctity inconceivable. For example, insofar as one of them boasted that he remembers what was happening to him when they cut his umbilical cord — look, discern, and see: is there even one person in the era who can boast like this one, that his material body is so pure and sanctified that he manages to remember what was happening to him then at the beginning of birth, when he emerged into the world's atmosphere, when they cut his umbilical cord? And he was merely the least of them. And from him, see how high is the sanctity of the second holy elder, in whose eyes the level of the first elder was laughable, and he said, in surprise, “That's an old story?! I remember that story, but I also remember when the light was shining,” and the Great Eagle later explained that this is his remembering even what happened to him when he was in his mother's womb, when a light was kindled over his head, as explained there. So behold, the level of the second is higher than the first. One can understand a little, from afar, even though we are most utterly far from this. For, the major difference in a person, before he emerges into the world's air versus afterwards, is explained in our Rabbis z\"l's words in the Gemara (Niddah 30), and is explained in the holy Zohar: for, during pregnancy when he is in his mother's womb, a candle is alight over his head, and he can look and see from one end of the world to the other; but when he has emerged into the world's air immediately an angel comes and strikes him on his mouth and he forgets it all, and regarding this said Iyov (Job 29), “O that I were as in the first months, as in the days when my God watched over me” etc., as explained in our Rabbi z\"l's words (there). And a man's entire work is to manage to know and attain what he knew before whilst a light was blazing over his head, which is when he gazed at the Light Stored Up From the Seven Days of Creation, with which the man saw from one end of the world to the other, as is brought. So, now see and discern how much greater is the second elder's level than the first; like the heavens are high above the earth, etc. And similarly the third more than the second, and so all of them. For, the least of them was so very utterly high that there is no one like him but one person in many generations, and nevertheless in comparison to the second who is greater than him he is considered a mere speck, and similarly the second versus the third etc. etc., on and on — up until the one who boasted that he was altogether a suckling babe then, who is the blind beggar himself, insofar as he said that he recalls all these stories, plus he remembers “Nothing At All” etc.; see there. For, this is a big rule and is explained and understood in the Chazal's words and the Arizal's writings, that even the highest level of all, nevertheless compared to the even higher level, everything is considered but a mere point, as written in the holy Zohar (Tikkun #70 p. 123). Even the Ket'h'er `Elyon is paltry in compare to the `Ilath ha`Iloth etc., and all these greatnesses and wonders are explained in the story of the First Day, and similarly each Day many, many wondrous things that each person boasted of are explained, for example on the Second Day regarding the good life, and similarly on the rest of the Days, regarding the Little Holding the Much, and regarding the Pair of Holy Birds, which he is able to reunite etc. etc. Open your eyes and see what a man can attain in this world, that a man born of a woman can attain such high things that Hashem Yithbarakh himself glories in them (and see more in our words in Even ha`Ezer Hilkhoth Ishuth, where we also talk a little regarding the holy story of the Sixth Day regarding the Power in the Hands; see there). And our holy Rabbi z\"l knew about all of them, and had the knowledge to tell the story that happened at the place where it happened with all of them, and verily said of himself when he told this story, that if the world knew nothing else but this story, he would still be a most original person. But here is not the place to prolong discussing this. (See below at the end of the derush, what is brought there from the Yerushalmi Kethuboth regarding the aforementioned marvels of the elders' memories.)"
+ ],
+ [
+ "Let us return to our subject. Behold, it is explained there that he said that each one should tell an old story, what he remembers from his first memory etc. and the first person among them told that he remembers even when they cut the apple from the tree, that is, when they cut his umbilical cord etc.; and the second one told that he also remembers the light shining, that is, what happened with him during pregnancy, when a light was blazing above his head etc.; and the third one told that he also remembers when his body began taking form etc.; and the fourth told that he also remembers when they were bringing out the seed to plant the fruit, namely when the droplet emerged during relations; and the fifth one told that he remembers even the sages who were bringing out the seed, that is, he remembers when he was still in the brain etc.; and the sixth, seventh and eighth remembered even the appearance, the taste and the smell before they were infused on the fruit, which are the aspect of Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah etc.; And the yanik [infantile, lit. suckling], who is the blind beggar himself who is telling all this, said he remembers “Nothing At All,” for he is above everything and remembers even even what was before NR\"N, which is the aspect of EYN/Nothingness etc. etc.. Take a good look there, and if you wish to look with an honest eye, you will see from afar the wonders of Hashem, the likes of which have not been heard or seen since the creation of the world."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And this is the aspect of tefillin, for tefillin are the aspect of memory, as written (Ex. 13), “ulzikaron bein `eyneikha/and for remembrance between your eyes” — and for remembrance between your eyes specifically, for memory depends mainly on Tikkun `Eynayim/Proper Repair of the Eyes, as discerned in this story, as this “blind” one — who was entirely blind to this world, who had no sight of this world at all, to the extent that he attained that the whole world did not amount to him so much as an eyeblink, which this is the essence of Tikkun `Eynayim — he attained the ultimate perfection of memory that has no perfection beyond it, as explained above, as this blind one remembers more than all of them etc., as written there in the story. Hence, memory depends mainly on the eyes, and thus it is explained in the Torah “Wayhi Miqetz — Zikaron” (LM #54), that memory depends mainly on the eyes, see there, and he brings there the verse, “ulzikaron bein `eyneikha”, see there, for tefillin are the aspect of Mochin deGadluth/Brains of Grown-Maturity, which is the essence of memory on the side of holiness, for memory is the aspect of consciousness and awareness, as explained in the Torah “Dirshu Hashem/Seek Hashem” (LM #37), and this is the aspect of head tefillin and hand tefillin, amongst which there are eight parshiyoth/text-passages, four of the head and four of the arm, corresponding to the eight holy elders who are masters of memory, which is the aspect of tefillin — “and for remembrance between your eyes” as mentioned. For, it is known in the Kawanoth that the head tefillin are in the Male aspect and the arm tefillin are in the Female aspect, and all together the tefillin are in the aspect of Mochin de`Ibur Sheini deGadluth/Second-Embryonic Mature Brainphase, and this is the aspect of these holy elders, who attained such Mature Brains that each one attained remembering and reaching more of the beginning; what happened with him before in the beginning. And the more that one of them attained, the earlier the beginning that he could remember and reach, as explained above. And behold, they are eight elders partitioned into two fours, corresponding to two fours of parshiyoth of arm and of head, for the four first elders who first boasted of their memory, their whole concern was with what happened with the child in its mother's womb: the emergence of the droplet until the cutting of the umbilical cord when it goes out into the world's air. Namely, the one one boasted he remembers them bringing the seed to plant the fruit, which is the passage of the droplet etc., the second remembers the beginning of the fruit's formation, the third remembers when the light was shining, which is all the days of the embryo, and the fourth, the last, remembers the essence of birth's conclusion, which is the cutting of the umbilical cord, which is the beginning of his entering this world. (And these four are written here from top to bottom, the opposite of how they are written in the book of stories, and this is because here I have to begin from the fourth, so due to the flow of language the order is reversed, but the intention is the same). Hence all these four stories tell of the great wonders of the Creator, Blessed Is His Name; what happens with the embryo in its mother, and so all these brains and perceptions that these four elders attained are in the aspect of Female Brains, which are the aspect of the four parshiyoth of the arm tefillin which are the Female Brains as mentioned. And these aspects that these four elders told about are the aspect of Light-Water-Firmament mentioned in the holy Zohar and the Qawanoth. For, at the beginning of the droplet's emergence, which is the aspect of the one who tells that he remembers them bringing out the seed etc., this is the aspect of Light, for it still has no Form, and then when it began to initially take form it is like Water, and then the embryo changes every day of pregnancy; this is the aspect of Firmament, as is known. And then when the aspect of Firmament is finished he goes out in the air of the world and is born, and all this is the aspect of tefillin, which are the aspect of incubation and birth, which is the aspect of Yetziath Mitzrayim, as is known. And the first four elders, all of what they told was what happened before the droplet descended into its mother's womb. For, they told that they remember when the droplet was still in its father's brain, and the Look, the Taste and the Smell which are the aspect of Nefesh-Ruach-Neshamah, which is where is the beginning of drawing the thought from where it is drawn from the place where it drawn, from cause to effect, from world to world, from intellect to intellect, which are the aspect of Neshamah, Ruach and Nefesh, until the thought is generated, whereby the holy progenitive droplet is generated. And all these four aspects occur with the father, on the Male aspect, as mentioned. And so they are in the aspect of the head tefillin which are the Male brains as mentioned. For tefillin are drawn from the aspect of Tiqunei Diqna/Features of the Beard, as known, which is the aspect of these elders in holiness, who are all in the aspect of the Holy Beard's Features, which is the root of elderliness on the side of holiness, the aspect of, “wehadarta penei zaqen/and you shall honor the face of the elder” [Lev. 19:32], as is known. And the essence of the holiness of the tefillin's Brains are drawn from the Most Supernal Elder, the Oldest of Them All, who is the most suckling babe of them all, who is the blind beggar, who was “altogether a suckling babe” etc. as mentioned. For, from him is the essential holiness of elderliness, and all the eight elders who are the aspect of the eight parshiyoth in the tefillin, they all receive from this Most Supernal Elder, who is the blind one. But his aspect of Brains itself is impossible to enclothe even in the tefillin passages, so there is no parashah corresponding to him, for he is above it all and the root of it all, as they receive all the tefillin Brains from him, which are the aspect of all the elders in holiness, as mentioned. For, he is united in the Ein Sof, as mentioned, so his Brain is not called memory at all, which is the aspect of tefillin as mentioned, for he said that he remembers all this and remembers “Nothing At All.” That is, even though he remembers everything that they remember, for he is composed of all of them and they all receive their Brains and Memory only from him, nevertheless his Brain is impossible to call by the term “memory” at all, for he is above memory and the root of memory, for he is united in the Ein Sof, as written there, and so he is not alluded to in any parashah, for he is above everything and the root of everything, as mentioned."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And the essence of tefillin Brains are the aspect of life of Holiness, which one attains through tefillin, for the Brains are the Life, as written (Eccl. 7), “Hachokhmah tichyeh/Wisdom preserves alive,” as our Rabbis z”l said (Menachoth 44), “One who lays tefillin attains life, as it says, “Adonai `aleihem yichyu/Adonai, by these things men live” (Isa. 38:16), as brought in the Qawanoth, that tefillin are the aspect of the three names Ehyeh H' Eyheh [21+26+21=68] which are gematria ChaYIM [68], which are the Brains, see there, for the Brains of the tefillin are drawn from the aspect of Tiqunei Diqna Qadisha, as brought in the Qawanoth, as they are the entirety of these holy elders, who have their root in the aforementioned Most Supernal Elder, who is the blind one, who boasted that he lives truly long life, for he is very old and yet he is an utmost suckling babe, and still has not begun to live at all, but nevertheless he is very old, and all the world's time does not amount to him so much as an eyeblink etc. And behold, although these are things that the `Atiq Yomin has covered and thought cannot grasp it at all, and there is no man on earth who can make this interpretation and explain this mystery; nevertheless since by Hashem's compassion on His people these words of his have come out of his holy mouth and they have taken form and been printed in a book, it behooves us to dig and find in them some Remez relevant to the story, such that we may merit waking up from our sleep, which this was his holy intention with these stories that he told, in order to wake up all people who sleep away their days etc., as explained in the Torah ”Pathach R' Shim`on” (LM #60), and there you will see and understand the great wonders of these stories, for they are the aspect of stories of Shanim Qadhmoniyoth/Ancient Years-Faces, the aspect of `Atiq/Ancient, the aspect of Hadhrath Panim/Distinguished Face, from which all the seventy faces of the Torah derive etc.; take a good look there."
+ ],
+ [
+ "So behold, the main intent of the above words, for practical application, is what I saw and heard from the mouth of Rabbeinu z\"l himself, many times, that he lived new life all the time; like I heard from him many times saying, “I lived life today, such life as I had never experienced” etc. And also I heard him other times speaking a great deal about life, that the world calls everything life etc., and even regarding painful life there are many differences etc., see there in the Sichoth [CM #400], but actually the essence of life is True Longevity, which is the aspect of the Long Life of the blind one, who really lives long life, for he boasts that he is utterly old and yet utterly a suckling babe and still has not begun to live at all. For this is the essence of life: when one starts serving Hashem anew all the time, as if he has still not started serving him at all, as written (Deut. 6), “Asher anochi metzawekha hayom/Which I enjoin you today.” And our Rabbis z”l (Sifri there), commented, “Every day let them be new in your eyes;” and (ibid. 27) “Hasket ush'ma` Yisrael, hayom hazeh nihyeytha le`am laShem Eloheikha/Pay attention and listen, Yisrael: this day you are become a people to Hashem your God,” and our Rabbis z\"l explained (brought in Rashi): every day let them be in your eyes as if today you have entered the covenant with him. And like I saw from Rabbeinu z\"l innumerable times, that even though he had previously boasted of big and wondrous things, and revealed wondrous Torah never before heard, as he usually did — and then afterwards we saw him in great pain, and many times he laid out his pain and conversation before us from the depth of his heart, that he is extremely afflicted over how to attain being a Jew, like someone who never before smelled the spirit of serving Hashem. And whoever did not see this, it is impossible to describe it to him in writing, but a little about this is already explained in this Shevachim that are printed, and every time he would say that now he knows nothing at all, nothing nothing at all etc., even though earlier he had revealed what he revealed and boasted that he attained what he attained that is impossible to reveal; nevertheless immediately after he would say that he knows nothing at all. So the rule was that he never stood on one level, but just always quickly went from level to level in the apex of uppermost and loftiest levels, and even when he reached what he reached etc., his mind still did not grow cool to this etc. But here is not the place to prolong discussion of this, but it will be explained elsewhere. And this is truly the essence of life, when one attains always beginning anew in serving Hashem, which is truly the essence of life, as written (Deut. 30:20), “Ki hu chayeykha/It is precisely your life.” And the essence of serving Hashem is to always perform one's service anew, and to not fall into old age of the Sitra Achra; that his service not become old for him, God forbid, as Rabbeinu z\"l warned us against and said it is forbidden to be old; not an old tzaddik and not an old chasid, old is not good etc., as explained in his holy Sichoth appended to Sipurei Ma`asiyoth, namely, one needs to always begin anew. And this is the essence of the long life of the holy elder who is the blind one, for he was most old and most yanik [infantile, lit. suckling], that is, the more he grew and became subsumed into holy elderliness which is the aspect of `Atik de`Atikin, the more yanik he became. For, each time he perceived that he is utterly far from Hashem Yithbarakh, for “there is no probing His greatness,” therefore the more he was subsumed into holy elderliness, the more he saw and perceived that he still has not begun living at all, until he attained the aforementioned Long Life where elderliness and infancy and united, which is totally impossible to comprehend. And this is the aspect of tefillin which are drawn from the aforementioned Elder, who is the root of the tefillin, brains, as mentioned., which are the aspect of life, as mentioned., the aspect (ibid 4), “We'atem hadeveqim baShem Eloheikhem chayim kulkhem hayom/And you that cleave to Hashem your God, all of you are live this day,” which is said of tefillin, as is known, for this is the essence of tefillin-brains, in order to attain, through the mitzwah of tefillin, living new life of holiness, to renew his days like an eagle, to begin serving Hashem Yithbarakh anew all the time, and not fall into the oldness of the Sitra Achra, to not view his devotion be as old; on the contrary, tangibly new, as if he had never ever began. For in truth, even one who is a very great tzaddiq and has labored and toiled many years in His Blessed devotion, nevertheless in accord with the Every Day Renewal of Creation, he still has not begun at all, for Hashem Yithbarakh does new things all the time, as written, “and in His goodness renews every day constantly the work of creation,” and no day is like another, and no time is like another, and each and every moment there are changes in the rising of the worlds and their order and position and conduct, in unfathomably wondrous and awesome changes. And all their vitality derives from the devotion of the man in this world, on which it all depends, from the head up to the Ein Sof. Therefore one must always serve Hashem Yithbarakh anew, in accord with the renewal of the work of creation in all the worlds needed now, and in accord with the revelation of the greatness of the Blessed Creator that needs to be revealed now. For, “Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge” [Ps. 19], as every day, every night, every time and every moment, His Blessed Greatness is revealed in a new consciousness and awareness that never before existed. Therefore one needs to begin in His service new every time, in the aspect of, “Let them be like new in your eyes every day,” and this is the essence of vitality, this aforementioned aspect of long life, and as explained in Rabbeinu z\"l's words, that the essence of longevity, the aspect of long life, is to see to it, every next coming day, to extend the day with additional sanctity and consciousness. For, the day, at its beginning when it comes to a man, is very narrow, and one needs to see to it to widen and lengthen it with additional sanctity all the time. And so every day one needs to see to it that each day be longer than the other, with additional sanctity and purity etc. (as explained in the Torah Pathach R' Shim`on in LM #60). And this is the essence of length of days, the aspect of long days, namely all the time beginning new in new service, with great addition. For, all the service he has performed until now, he needs to forget entirely, and now begin new, as mentioned. And by tefillin we attain this, as mentioned. And this is the essence of the mitzwah of tefillin that we lay every day, in order to attain life, the aspect of “You who cleave” as mentioned, that is, to attain the aforementioned long life, to renew is life of holiness at all times, beginning new all the time, and this is the essence of brains and life that originate are drawn from the aforementioned Most Supernal Elder, where the source of tefillin is, as mentioned, as he lives the aforementioned long life, as there, elderliness and infancy are united together, which this is the aspect of (Ps. 103), “That your youth be renewed as an eagle,” as our Rabbis z\"l said (brought in Rashi there), “This eagle, the older it gets...”, that is, the older it gets, the more it renews its vitality and begins new, all the time beginning new life. And therefore he had concurrence from the Great Eagle specifically, for such vitality is the aspect of “Being renewed as an eagle” as mentioned. And the aspect of tefillin, which are the aspect of this life, is from there, as mentioned."
+ ],
+ [
+ "For, the essence of tefillin is the flashing of the brains in the face, which is the aspect of Light of the Face, which is drawn from the aspect of Tiqunei Diqna Qadisha/Repair or Features of the Holy Beard, which is the essence of Dignity of the Face, as is known, which is the aspect of the aforementioned Elder in Holiness, as mentioned. And the Tiqunei Diqna are the aspect of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, the essence of which are the aspect of subjugating anger and sweetening harsh decrees and the Charon Af/Burning Nose (Anger), which is the aspect of Erekh Apayim/Extending Nose (Patience), which is the main thing, and therefore Chazal said (Sanh. 111) regarding the verse “Waymaher Moshe wayqod artzah/And Moshe made haste and bowed his head toward the earth” etc. [Ex. 34:8]: What did he see? He saw Erekh Apayim. For, the essence of the Thirteen Attributes are the Thirteen Tiqunei Diqna which H\"Y [Hashem Yithbarakh] revealed to him then, the essence of which is Erekh Apayim, which is the aspect of subjugating the Panim/Interior (Face), and therefore Moshe became excited by this specifically, as also explained regarding the loftiness of Erekh Apayim in the words of Rabbeinu z\"l (LM #155, see there), in the lesson that begins, “Sadness is a very worst trait” etc., see there the entire interest until the end, for it is a wondrous path in serving the Creator, and if you gaze and look thoroughly there, you can get very wondrous advices and great encouragement, endlessly, for His blessed service. And the rule is that a man needs to cling to Hashem Yithbarakh's attributes, as explained in the words of our Rabbis and in all the holy books. Therefore one most see to it that he should have the trait of Erekh Apayim, that is, extending his patience for everything, not getting angry, not being annoyed at anything, not looking at any obstacle or confusion in his devotions, whether they be confusions, obstacles and trials that he has from people of the world, such as his father, father-in-law, wife, relatives or the rest of mankind. As is known and seen tangibly, that every time some person wants to enter the service of Hashem, to begin praying with intent etc. and so forth, immediately he has great obstacles, without end, and then every one needs to “be bold as a tiger... and strong like a lion to perform the will of his Heavenly Father, to prevail against the obstacles and get through them, to not look at them at all, and to fortify himself a great deal to his part, to delve in Torah and prayer with intent and power etc. And this is the aspect of Arikhath Apayim, to not be short spirited, God forbid, to stop his devotion, God forbid, due to the obstacles and trials he has from them, but only strengthen himself and extend his patience for everything, and not gaze at any obstacle at all. And likewise, even the obstacles he has from himself, his evil and strange cravings and thoughts pursuing him constantly every moment, especially during prayer time, and he has great trials from them. And the main thing is the Erekh Apayim, which is the aspect of Emunah, as explained there, that the essence of Erekh Apayim one attains through Emunah, that is, having perfect Emunah in Hashem Yithbarakh and the True Kosher Tzaddiqim, and to strengthen himself in His service and not fall from anything, and to be indifferent, and not become short tempered on account of the evil deeds and faults that he has committed until now. For, one needs to not look at this at all, as explained in the words of Rabbeinu z\"l and in our words many, many times regarding this, just how much a man needs to be strong. For, there is no despair at all in the world, and however it is, even though he has already fallen such a descent in himself many times, without bound, nevertheless there is no despairing at all in the world, and all the days he is alive on the face of the earth he needs to strengthen himself and each time begin new, and not fall into oldness of the Sitra Achra at all. For, all the descents in the world are the aspect of oldness of the Sitra Achra, as it seems in his eyes that he is already old in his mistakes and deeds that he is accustomed in, such that he cannot get out of them in any fashion, God forbid. But in truth, he needs to know and believe that every day, moment, and time, the power is in a man's hand to be new and be an actual new creation, for Hashem Yithbarakh is “doing new things” at all times, and no day or hours is like another etc. as mentioned. Therefore one needs to every time strengthen himself and begin every day anew, and sometimes even in one day one needs to begin many times, as explained elsewhere. And even if it will be that way for a long time, however it may be, every time and every hour he needs to remind himself of Hashem Yithbarakh and completely forget all the past until now, and really begin now from new, as much as he can, and not look at any confusion or weakness of mind at all. And all this is the aspect of Erekh Apayim, that one needs to extend his spirit and pass over the confusions and obstacles and not look at anything and let nothing affect him and not let his heart grow soft and not let his tempter get short from anything that happens to him, but only strengthen himself in Hashem Yithbarakh in whatever he can. For Hashem Yithbarakh is always full of compassion, and the mercies of Hashem are not finished and his compassion is never ceased. And we have already spoken about this many times — but such a matter needs to be repeated many times, without bound, for “it is your life,” for the majority of the world being far from Hashem Yithbarakh and losing what they lose, true everlasting life, is virtually all only on account of weakness of mind, being downcast, on account that most of them have experienced many times that they began a little in serving Hashem and then fell into what they fell, each person according to his fall, the Merciful One save us; and thereby they became discouraged from beginning again. And some of them once or a few times became somewhat aroused and began anew, but then when they saw that nevertheless fell afterwards, they became discouraged, since they saw themselves trying so much to get into serving Hashem and then falling in what they fell, the Merciful one save us, thus it seemed to them that their strength is exhausted to now begin any more. But really all this is the work of the Ba`al Davar himself, who is the aspect of the elder of the Sitra Achra, for he is called the “old and foolish king” [Eccl. 4], as he wants to cast a man down into oldness and exhaustion, God forbid, as if he already so aged in his mistakes and deeds that he can no longer change. And really it is not so, for every day a man is a new creature, just as we say the benediction every day over Netilath Yadayim and the rest of the benedictions, “Who has not made me a heathen.. a slave.. a woman” etc., where the codifiers have written the reason being because a man is made like a new creature every day, as explained in the Shulchan `Arukh. And similarly the benediction, “Who gives strength to the weary” we say over renewal of the brains and vitality every day, as brought in the Kawanoth. And therefore a man needs to be very careful to not fall into this oldness of the Sitra Achra, but only be strong and renewed all the time, as mentioned. And let it seem in his eyes every day and every hour that he is born today, and as if today he receives the Torah anew, as our Rabbis z\"l have said, “every day let them be like new in your eyes,” as mentioned, which all of this is the aspect of Erekh Apayim, as he extends his patience for every thing, obstacle, and confusion in the world, and passes over everything, and strengthens himself each time in His service etc. as mentioned. And this trait of Erekh Apayim is the essence of the aspect of Tiqunei Diqna, which is the aspect of the Zaqen/Elder in holiness, who is truly old, for he truly lives long life, for every time he begins living anew. And precisely this is the aspect of holy elderliness, the aspect of long life, for when one falls in oldness of the Sitra Achra, that is, when his devotion becomes old for him, and all the more so when he falls from his devotions, God forbid, since it seems that he is so old in his mistakes that he can no longer go back, God forbid. Such “elderliness,” God forbid, is the essence of shortness of days, as mentioned in Rabbeinu z\"l's words, that “elders” like this who do not add vitality and additional service all the time, are called “short of days and full of trouble” etc. (Job 14). (See the Torah “Uv'yom haBiqurim,” LM II #4)."
+ ],
+ [
+ "The rule is that any man who wants to consider the ultimate purpose needs to very much guard against being old at all. That is, to not fall into oldness of the Sitra Achra, God forbid, whether he is a tzaddik, a chasid, or any other kind of man. Even someone who is the lowest of the low in some regard, needs to guard against falling in this oldness, for even a great tzaddik is forbidden from being old in his service even though he attained perfect devotion on a high level; nevertheless he needs to be strong to go from level to level and each time begin anew. For this is the essence of Judaism, to be strong to ascend each time from level to level, as I heard from the mouth of Rabbeinu z\"l when he began teaching the Torah “Tesha` Tiqunin Yaqirin Itmasru Lediqna” (LM #20), as he said then in this language, “Whoever wants to be an Israelite man, that is, going from level to level, cannot do so except by Eretz Yisrael,” and from his words in general we hear that one is not called a true Ish Yisra'eli unless one goes from level to level. And one attains this through Eretz Yisrael etc.; see there in that Torah Tesha'`' Tiqunin Yaqirin. And this is the essence of long life, the aspect of the Torah which is called life, when one always begins anew etc. as mentioned. And conversely, even one who did what he did and transgressed what he transgressed, nevertheless is forbidden to be old, God forbid, and he needs to guard more and more against this aspect of oldness, to not get into any despair, God forbid; to not say in his heart that he is so old already, God forbid, in his deeds etc., that he cannot change. Rather, be strong and begin with whatever he can, and do any little or great thing that he can, even if he can really say no more than one utterance in prayer or secluded meditation-conversation, or learn the least of the least bit, anyhow he should do what he can, get strong, and enliven himself in the least of the least that he still manages to strive in the sanctity of Yisrael. For, any way it might be, he definitely does many mitzwoth each day, for even “the transgressors of Yisrael are full of mitzwoth like a pomegranate,” and one needs to find good points in himself and enliven himself each time. And as explained in the Torah “Azamera Lelohai Be`odi” (LM #282), as brought in our words many times, and be strong and begin each time anew, and not lose himself entirely, God forbid. And “whatever your hand finds to do, do with your strength.” And the main thing is the aforementioned Arikhath Apayim, that he should have a very great deal of Arikhuth Apayim, without bound, which is the aspect of long spirit/temper, that is, to extend his spirit, to wait and look forward to the salvation of Hashem, and not gaze at any confusion or obstacle as mentioned."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And this is the aspect of “Long-Tempered (Erekh Apayim) for tzaddikim and for the wicked” (BK 50), as tzaddikim need this trait of Erekh Apayim, which is the aspect of holy elderliness, the aspect of Arikhath Yamim weShanim/Long Days and Years, the aspect of Chayim Arukhim/Long Life, mentioned above. That is, to not fall in the oldness of the Sitra Achra, God forbid, that his service should not old and weak for him, but just “renew his youth like an eagle” all the time, and every day begin new with additional sanctity and service, and never get tired or weary, and not be confused by anything, which this is the aspect of Erekh Apayim. For, sometimes one who serves Hashem gets weary on account of having suffered so many trials etc., and thereby he could fall into oldness of the Sitra Achra and exhaustion, God forbid. Therefore he needs to strengthen himself a great deal with the trait of Erekh Apayim, all his days, extending his temper and spirit for all the toils and burdens, beginning new every time. And this is the aspect of Erekh Apayim for tzaddikim. And likewise there is the aspect of Erekh Apayim for the wicked, as Hashem Yithbarakh also extends his temper for them all the days of their lives, in order that they return, as written, “Until the day he dies You wait for him; if he turns back etc. [You receive him immediately].” Therefore the wicked themselves also have to bolster themselves in this trait of Erekh Apayim, that their wickedness should not confuse them from returning to Hashem Yithbarakh, and that their hearts should not falter nor their minds be downcast from the amount of their transgressions, especially if they have already began a few times and fallen from it etc. Nevertheless they should be confident in His great mercy and prolong their patience and spirit over all that happens to them, and strengthen themselves each time to begin anew. Perhaps he will attain from now on to have compassion on himself, to leave his previous way and thoughts, and never ever be old and weak in his eyes. For the essence of return lies in the aspect of renewing one's life whenever it is necessary to renew his days that have passed in darkness, in the aspect of (Lam. 5), “Hashiveinu H' eleikha wenashuvah chadesh yameynu keqedem/Return us, Hashem, to you, that we may be restored; renew our days as before.” Hence everyone needs the aspect of this trait of Erekh Apayim. And this is, “Long-Tempered (Erekh Apayim) for tzaddikim and for the wicked.” And the rest of the levels of other people in the world are are included in them, for the whole keeping of their service and vitality is by this trait of Erekh Apayim, as mentioned."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And all of them receive strength from the aspect of the Elder in Sanctity, who is the aforementioned blind one, who is the aspect of the Elder of Elders, Saba deSavin, who has attained such holy elderliness that he said that he is “extremely old yet extremely yanik [infantile, lit. suckling]” etc. and as mentioned, as from him all the tzaddiqim receive strength to fortify themselves in their devotions to renew their strength and service all the time. And through these great tzaddiqim who begin new every time — and even reach the highest of all levels, even the level of the greatest Benei `Aliyah [Sanh. 97b], nevertheless not sufficing themselves with this, but rather saying, “Who knows what else there is to attain?” and beginning every time anew, and like I heard from Rabbeinu z\"l a great deal regarding this as explained elsewhere, until they each time arrive at perceptions new, wondrous, awesome etc. etc. — therefore with the strength of such tzaddiqim in all this, those who have fallen can renew themselves every time. As is very common presently in the darkness of the this exile, that the Sitra Achra and the Ba`al Davar have surged up a great deal upon anyone who wants to begin to delve in serving Hashem. And they cast him down every time, each person in accord with what they cast him down, God forbid, the Merciful one save us, and they need to be strengthened and revived each time with many kinds of encouragement, so that they never despair, and that they begin anew each time as mentioned. And they receive all this strength from these tzaddikim. For the more ill a person is, the greater a doctor he needs, as explained elsewhere (#30), for due to the enormity of the power and perceptions of these tzaddikim, who every time began anew and each time perceived more and more the greatness of Hashem's kindness, how He, Blessed be He, devises considerations so that no one be flushed away from him etc. And thereby they have power to draw new vitality and strength to all the fallen, to strengthen and awaken them every time, to never fall down due to anything, but only extend their patience and spirit for everything and be steadfast in Hashem and the power of the true tzaddikim, for His mercies have never ceased, and they should be strong and start following Hashem Yithbarakh anew each time in whatever he can etc. and as mentioned. For, by the power of these tzaddikim who every time began anew, that even when they reached the highest of high levels, that it seems there is no higher level that this, and really it is an extremely wondrous and awesome level and state, that, many great and wondrous tzaddikim never attained it — still even though they reached this and more and more etc. etc., nevertheless they never sufficed with this, but devised considerations every time to begin anew, even though they never knew any more report of a higher level. Nevertheless they said, “Who knows, what else there is?” etc., just like I heard from Rabbeinu z\"l, as one time he was very afflicted before me and said, “How can one achieve being a Jew?” etc., and it was a big wonder to me on account that he had just revealed wondrous and awesome things etc.; he spoke up and said, “Who knows what else there is to attain?” etc. For, behold, did it ever occur to me to seek and yearn for such a perception and such a level? So who knows now too what more there is, etc. This was his way every day of his life. And it is impossible to elaborate and relate this here. Hence there are such great tzaddikim that that even when they reach the highest of high levels, that it seems there is no higher level that it, still they yearn, request and seek, and begin anew entirely. For, who knows what more there is? Even though their present perception and level is truly very high, still they say, “Isn't Hashem Yithbarakh infinite? So who knows what more one can reach in this world!” Therefore they begin anew every time, until they truly reach an even higher level. And then they say, “Who knows what more there is?” — and again they begin anew etc., and thus forever. Thus by the power of these tzaddikim there is hope for all the fallen. And there is nothing in the world at all to despair about. For even though it seems to him that from such a descent he cannot get up, God forbid, nevertheless who knows the greatness of Hashem's kindness? For there is such kindness by Him, Yithbarakh, that even from there one can get up. And similarly even if God forbid he fell more many, many times without count, still any move whereby he wants to pick himself up each time from the fall, and each and every cry that he calls out even from the lowest depths, is also never lost. As like Rabbeinu z\"l said, that even a yell from the lowest underworld is never lost, regardless of what happens after. For Hashem Yithbarakh and his Torah are infinite and unbounded. As just as there is no getting high in the world, in accord with His greatness — heights above heights, and heights above that etc. and as mentioned — similarly there is no descent in the world, as for every descent, God forbid, there is a worse descent. And since there is a worse descent, God forbid, one needs to be strong and not fall any further, God forbid. And the main empowerment is by the strength of the aforementioned tzaddikim, who never stayed put but every time rose higher etc. as mentioned. For they attained the perception that just as there is never an ascent, similarly there is never a descent from which one cannot rise up. For in truth it is all one, for the more a tzaddik rises to a higher level, he perceives more the generosities of Hashem, which this is the essence of Hashem Yithbarakh's greatness. For the trait of Chesed/Generosity is called Gedulah/Greatness, as is known, as is written, “Yours, Hashem, is the Greatness” [I Chron. 29:11], which is kindness, as is known. Hence the trait of Chesed is is called Gedulah. Therefore the more one perceives the Hashem Yithbarakh's greatness, the more one perceives His generosity, for His Blessed generosity is the essence of His greatness as mentioned. Therefore these tzaddikim who never stay put but each time go up more and more, and each time further perceive His Blessed greatness, that is, the vastness of his generosity, thereby they attain perceiving that there is no fall or descent in the world and no despairing in the world whatsoever. For they perceive such kindnesses each time, which are the essence of the Creator's greatness, whereby everyone can have an ascent. And this is what Rabbeinu z\"l said in the torah “Mishra deSakina” (LM #30), that one needs specifically the greatest tzaddik on the utmost high level. For, the more ill a person is, the greater a healer he needs, that is, as mentioned. For the greater the tzaddik, the more he can raise up even those who are so very fallen, until by the power of the aforementioned tzaddikim [who receive from him], there is no fall or descent where one cannot get up from by their power, if they manage to believe and follow them, and as mentioned. And all this is the abovementioned aspect of Erekh Apayim, the aspect of Erekh Apayim to tzaddikim and Erekh Apayim to the wicked [Oth #8], that these people on a high level, the aspect of tzaddikim, need to prolong their temper, that their temper not fall short, and they not stop having extra spirit and vitality, on account of the great ascent and level they have attained, for in spite of this they need to extend their spirit further, and look to reach an even higher, higher level, and begin anew etc. as mentioned. And these people on a low level, and even the wicked that have fallen in total evil, God forbid, nevertheless as long as the soul is in them, as long as they can still move one body member, need to extend their temper and spirit, to look out for salvation constantly, and prevail and begin anew each time, as much as possible — whatever will be will be — for there is never a move in sanctity nor a groan, cry or aspiration in sanctity etc. that is ever lost, for “Hashem will not cast us off forever” [Lam. 3]."
+ ],
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+ "And all this is the aspect of tefillin, which are the above-mentioned aspect of Arikhath Apayim, which is the aspect of the new brains and vitality that we draw by the mitzvah of tefillin, from the elders in sanctity who receive from the highest elder who is the blind one."
+ ],
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+ "And this is the aspect of the tunnel of the tefillin, which is where the straps pass through, which are the aspect of “crossing the YaBoQ,” as brought in the Kawanoth. For the straps are the aspect of drawing the brains of the tefillin, which is the aspect of the “Light of the Face,” which is the aspect of the Thirteen Tiqunei Diqna, the aspect of Erekh Apayim mentioned, and therefore ReTzU`AH is gematria 370, the aspect of"
+ ],
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+ "And this is the aspect of (Ex. 13), “Sanctify to Me all the male firstborns, whatsoever opens the womb among the children of Israel,” which is the beginning of the first passage in the tefillin. For the essence of the tefillin are drawn from the sanctity of the firstborn, which is the first birth, which is the aspect of Yetziath Mitzrayim, which is the aspect of birth, as is known, as on account of this we need to sanctify the first birth which is a male firstborn. As written there, “And it came to pass, when Par`oh would hardly let us go... therefore I sacrifice” etc. And all this is in order to draw on oneself the sanctity of birth of the brains which is the essence of birth, that is, to manage to renew ones vitality and brains at all times as if he was born today, as mentioned. Which, this is is the essence of long life, which are the aspect of tefillin as mentioned. And therefore one needs to give the firstborn to the Kohen or redeem him from him, for the Kohen is the aspect of the elder in holiness, in the aspect of (Ps. 133), “It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard; even Aharon's beard” etc., the aspect of the Eight Tikkunim of the Kohen Gadol, as is known. And this is what our Rabbis z”l said (Shabbath 151), “And let your head lack no oil (Eccl. 9:8) — this is head tefillin.” For the essence of tefillin are drawn from the aspect of “like the precious oil upon the head...” of the elder, Aharon, as mentioned. And therefore by means of giving the firstborn, who is the first birth, to the Kohen, we draw the sanctity of the birth of the brains and vitality, to remember to always renew himself as if he was born today, which this is the essence of tefillin, which are the aspect of brains and long life which we receive from the aforementioned Elder in Holiness, who said that he is extremely old and yet has not begun living at all, as if he was born today. For, one needs to each time begin anew as mentioned, and this is the aspect of Mashiach, of whom it is said (Ps. 2), “Today I have borne you.” For Mashiach will attain this aspect perfectly, which is the aforementioned aspect of long life, as each moment he will begin living anew as if he was born today, in the aspect of “I have borne you today.” For Mashiach will attain the aspect of above time, as explained in Rabbeinu z”l's words on this verse, “I have borne you today;” see there [LM II #61]. For this aspect that the blind one boasted of, who is old yet infantile etc. and the whole world does not amount to him so much as an eyeblink etc., all this is the aspect of above time, which this is the aspect of long life that Mashiach will attain, the aspect of (Ps. 21), “He asked life of You; You gave it to him,” which is the aspect of “David King of Yisrael is Alive and Well.” For David is Mashiach. And this is the aspect of tefillin; that is where is the root of the Mashiach's soul, as is brought, as the root of Mashiach's kingship is in the aspect of the tefillin's knot, and as Rabbeinu z”l said (LM #54), which this is the aspect of (Sam. 1 25), “yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life,” which is said of David, who is Mashiach. The bundle of life is the aspect of tefillin knot, which are the aspect of life as mentioned, the aforementioned aspect of long life, as mentioned."
+ ],
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+ "And this is the aspect of Hashem Yithbarakh's extolling Kenesseth Yisrael (Song 7), “Your navel is like a round goblet that lacks no mingled wine,” and our Rabbis z”l explained (Sanh. 37) regarding the seventy Sanhedrin who sat in a semicircle like the moon etc. “Your navel” is the aspect of the tefillin straps which descend from the head knot to the navel, which is drawn from the aspect of the kingship of David-Mashiach who is live and enduring, who is the aspect of the head knot as mentioned, as from there is drawn the strap unto the navel which is the aspect of “your navel like a round goblet,” the aspect of the seventy Sanhedrin who correspond to the seventy facets of the Torah, where David sat at the head, as our Rabbis z”l explained (brought in Rashi) on the verse, “Yoshev-Basheveth a Tachkemonite, head” etc. (2 Sam 23), for all the seventy Sanhedrin who are the aspect of the seventy faces of the Torah all receive from David-Mashiach, as all his vitality is from the aspect of the aforementioned elders, who are the aspect of Tiqunei Diqna Qadisha, the aspect of honoring the face, the aspect of Stories of Ancient Times, as all the seventy faces of the Torah are drawn from them, as explained in the Torah “Pathach R' Shim`on” (LM #60), see there; as thereby one can wake up from sleep, which is the absence of the brains. And by means of these elders, the aspect of the stories, are drawn all the seventy faces of the Torah and we wake up from sleep. Which, this is is the aspect of the seventy years that David a”h lived. And therefore he minimized sleep to the utmost, as our Rabbis z”l said (Sukkah 26), that David never slept sixty breaths, so as to not taste the taste of death. For sleep is one sixtieth of death, which is drawn from Adam haRishon's mistake, by eating from the Tree of Knowledge Good-and-Bad and blemishing the Tree of Life which is the aspect of the light of the tefillin, as is brought. For tefillin are the aspect of life, the aspect of the Tree of Life, of which is said (Gen. 3), “And he eat and live forever). And by causing this damage, death was decreed on him for generations. But actually, after the mistake, death and sleep are a great benefit, for had Adam not erred he would have attained true life which is everlasting life, long life, whilst still in the body, that is, in his body he would have been able to be included in the Ein Sof forever, running and returning, and live long life, that is, renewing his vitality forever, in the aspect of renewing life of the Highest Elder, who is the Blind One, who lived long life, as he is forever old and forever infantile etc. as mentioned. But after the mistake and having eaten from the Tree of Knowledge Good-and-Bad and being driven from Gan `Eden and the Serpent's filth taking grip on his body, the aspect of the “Serpent's bite,” it is impossible for him to live long life in his body forever. And it is impossible to attain everlasting life except by death, which is a great benefit, as written (Gen 1), “And behold, good me'od” — this is death (Ber. Rab. 9), for by means of death which is sleep, his brain is renewed. And then his body and life are renewed, and then he comes back to life in a body clean and pure that is entirely cleaned and purified of the Serpent's filth. And then he will attain receiving new brains in the aspect of tefillin, the Tree of Life, which are the aspect of long life he will attain then. That is, then he will attain living such life forever, as at all times life and brains will be added to him, until the older he gets, the more he will attain beginning anew. Which this is the aspect of the Blind Elder, which this is the essence of everlasting life that whoever attains will attain in the future to come. For constant delight is no delight and is not called true life, but rather when one attains living new life at all times, and this is the aspect of long life, everlasting life, that the tzaddikim will attain in the future after revival of the dead, that is, the aforementioned aspect, as they will attain renewing their life at all times, which this is the aspect of tefillin as mentioned."
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+ "Dawidh had no vitality at all, for he ought to have been a Nefel/miscarriage/fallen-out. But Adam haRishon [A\"hR] gave him seventy of his own years, as our rabbis z\"l have said. For, the life of A\"hR was drawn from the aspect of Arikh Anpin [A\"A, the Supernal “Long Face”], which is the aspect of arikhath apayim/forbearance [lit. lengthening of nose], the aspect of the aforementioned stories of shanim qadhmoniyoth [ancient years, ancient aspects] etc. And as transmitted in the [Arizal’s] writings, that the vitality of the first generations was from there, from the aspect of A\"A; and therefore they would live very long lives. And all the stories that the Torah tells about the first generations, are all from the aspect of stories of shanim qadhmoniyoth, which are the aspect of hadrath panim/honorable face, as all the seventy faces of the Torah receive from it. And therefore the Torah began from these holy stories, before it explains the mitzwoth of the Torah. For, all the mitzwoth of the Torah, which consist of the aspect of the seventy faces of the Torah, need to receive from the aspect of hadrath panim, the aspect of shufreih de’Adam/Man’s beauty, the aspect of stories of shanim qadhmoniyoth and the essential holy vitality that is drawn from there. This renews his vitality at all times; each moment he begins living anew, which is the aspect the (Ps. 2), “Ani hayom yelidhtikha/ Today I have begotten you,” that is said of the Mashiach [Anointed to Kingship] Dawidh. Namely, Dawidh Mashiach merited that it was reversed to good, from one opposite to the other. For, just as initially he had no vitality at all and really ought to have been a Nefel, the thing was reversed and he merited to live seventy years from A\"hR’s years, and merited to live all the seventy years in the aspect of new life at all times, as if he had still never lived at all, but was just born today. And he, at all times was like a miscarriage that was born now, which has no life and has to receive, by Hashem’s graces, new life. And so on, at every time and moment. And thus he lived all his seventy years, which is the essence of life, as mentioned above. Until he merited through his devotion and effort in this aspect — trying and toiling all his days without sleeping his days away, but rather adding holiness and consciousness at all times — to renew his vitality at every hour. Until he merited thereby to live long, everlasting life for ever and ever, in the aspect of “Dawidh Melekh Yisrael Chai Vekayam/Dawidh, King of Yisrael, is alive and enduring,” as mentioned. And this is the aspect of tefillin, as mentioned. For teFiLYn are a term for (Ex. 33:16), “VeniFLiYnu ani ve`amekha/ and I and Your people are distinguished,” which was said when Hashem Yithbarakh revealed to him the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which are the aspect of the light of the tefillin, which is the aspect of the “Ve'raitha eth-achorai/ and you shall see My back” stated there, which is the tefillin knot (Berakhoth 7), which is where the root of Dawidh-Mashiach’s soul is, as mentioned, as he ought to have been Nefel as mentioned, but now he merited the thing being reversed to good and living new life at all times, as if he was born today, which is the aspect of tefillin, the aspect of “Venifliynu ani ve`amekha,” for the thing becomes reversed, as mentioned, and is made from the aspect of Nefel into the aspect of Venifliynu, which is the aspect of tefillin, which is the aspect of the aforementioned long life/longevity of Dawidh as mentioned. And therefore Mashiach is called “Bar Nifli/ My Distinguished Son” [Sanh. 96b on Amos 9:11] for Mashiach will attain that life, which is the aspect of the “Ani hayom yelidhtikha” that is said of Mashiach, and as mentioned above."
+ ],
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+ "And this is (Ps. 145:14), “Somekh Hashem lekhol-hanofelim/ Hashem is a support to all the fallen,” who are the aspect of those who have fallen from serving Hashem, and Hashem Yithbarakh supports them and awakens them from sleep through the Tzaddikim of the era, who are the aspect of Dawidh-Mashiach who attained the reversal from the aspect of Nefel to the aspect of long life, to always begin living anew, which this is the aspect of tefillin, the aspect of “Venifliynu” as mentioned. And thereby they enliven and establish all the fallen ones, that they should not be downcast and not despair of the deliverance of their souls, as mentioned. Until they merit to return to Hashem, and then the fall and descent becomes the ultimate ascent. For, the essence of the fall is specifically on account of this, in order that they should begin living anew, as explained elsewhere. That is, that his vitality and brains should begin again and be renewed, which this is the aspect of tefillin, the aspect of “Venifliynu” etc. as mentioned, hence the support of those who have fallen from the service of Hashem, that they should not despair. Rather, they should strengthen themselves anew each time, which this itself is the aspect of Dawidh-Mashiach, who attained the aspect of Nefel being reversed to the aspect of long life, that he should merit to begin to live anew each time, as mentioned. For, for them too the fall and descent becomes the ultimate ascent. As Rabbeinu z”l said elsewhere in LM (#261), that the fact that a man falls from his service, it is from Heaven — for becoming distant is the beginning of drawing close. Therefore he fell in order that he should become more alert, to draw close to Hashem Yithbarakh. And his advice is, “that he should begin anew, entering the service of Hashem as if he has still never begun, and this is a big rule in serving Hashem, that a person needs to really begin anew every day.” Hence specifically through the fall they begin to live anew, which is the aspect of tefillin, as mentioned. Which, this is the aspect of Dawidh’s longevity, which was reversed from Nefel to long life etc. as mentioned. For, all the support of the fallen is through the aforementioned great tzaddikim, who are the aspect of Dawidh-Mashiach, who lived new life at all times. Which, thereby they enliven all the fallen ones, to begin anew from now, and as explained above. And this is the aspect of the Redemption which shall be through Dawidh-Mashiach, who should come soon in our days, and then Kenesseth Yisrael will rise up from their fall, as our rabbis z”l expounded (Berakhoth 5) on this verse — which this is the reason why there is no Nun in Tehillah leDawidh etc. Even so, Dawidh again supported it prophetically [lit. by Ruach haKoshesh/ by the Spirit of the Holy], as it says, ”Somekh Hashem lekhol-hannofelim,” etc. In the West (i.e. Israel) they resolve it [the verse Amos 5:2, Naflah velo-tosif kum, betulath Yisrael/ She is fallen and shall lo longer rise, the virgin of Yisrael] thus: ”Naflah lo-tosif [lipol `od]/ It has fallen but shall no more [fall], Kum/ Rise” etc.! [Berakhoth 4b] For, the entire fall of Kenesseth Yisrael is their falling from their service, God forbid, which the Redemption depends on. For, the Redemption depends on nothing else but Teshuvah/ Return/ Repentance, as our rabbis z\"l said (Yoma 80). And therefore the main support of the fall is by Dawidh specifically, who lives the aforementioned long life, as mentioned. Which, thereby he vitalizes, strengthens and supports all the fallen ones, that they should not despair, for Hashem is with them and close to them, in the aspect of, “Al tismechi oyavti li ki nafalti kamti/ Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; though I have fallen [specifically], I shall rise. Ki eshev bechoshekh Hashem owr li/ Though [or “when,” or “because”] I sit in darkness, Hashem is a light unto me” (Mic. 7:8). And then the fall and descent is the ultimate ascent, and is as mentioned. And this is the Kohen haGadol [High Priest] in the Beith haMiqdash praying on Yom haKippurim, “Velo tapil ishah peri bitnah/ And let no woman miscarry the fruit of her womb...” [YK prayer] “Velo ya`adei `avid shultan mideveith Yehudah/ And may there not depart a ruler from the house of Yehudah” [Yoma 53b]. For, he attained the reversal from the aspect of Nefel to the aspect of long life specifically, as mentioned. And therefore the Kohen haGadol would pray on Yom haKippurim this prayer specifically. For, Yom haKippurim is the essence of teshuvah/return, and the essence of teshuvah is to rise up from one’s fall, which is the aspect of Nefel, as mentioned. And to be strong to renew his days, in the aspect of (Lam. 5), “Hashivenu... chadesh yameinu keqedem/ Restore us... make our days new as before” etc. as mentioned, which is the aspect of Dawidh Mashiach’s kingship, as mentioned. Therefore after Yom haKippurim is Sukkoth, which is the aspect of, “Aqim eth-sukath Dawidh hanofeleth/ I will raise up the tabernacle of Dawidh that is fallen” (Amos 9:11), annulling the aspect of the fallen ones’ fall, God have mercy, and instead raising them up and vitalizing them, in the aspect of, “Somekh Hashem lekhol-hannofelim” etc. as mentioned. And therefore after Sukkoth is Shemini `Atzereth, which is the aspect of the Davidic kingship, as written (Sam. I 9:17), “Zeh ya`tzor be`ami/ This one shall have authority over My people,” as Rabbeinu z”l said elsewhere (LM #48), which is when Nuqva is `otzereth/ seizing the droplet so that it does not fall, as written in the Kavanoth, namely, as mentioned above."
+ ],
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+ "And this is the aspect of Rosh Hashanah. For Rosh Hashanah is the aspect of tefillin which are the aspect of renewal that we attain every day through sleep, when the brains are renewed in Emunah etc., which this is the aspect of Rosh Hashanah, as brought in the words of Rabbeinu z”l in the torah “Ashrei Ha`am” (LM #35), see there. For Rosh Hashanah is the aspect of the sanctity of Eretz Yisrael, as written, “Always the eyes of Hashem your God are on it from the year's heading unto the year's ending” [Deut. 11:12] , which this is the aspect if tefillin, which are the aspect of Eretz Yisrael's sanctity, the aspect of, “And it shall be, when He brings you” that is said in the tefillin's passages as mentioned. For the essence of Rosh Hashanah's sanctity is that we attain perfect Teshuvah/Return, for it is the first day of the Ten Days of Repentance. That is, that we attain renewing our days that passed in darkness, and from here onwards ad additional sanctity and devotion anew. Which this is the aspect of, “Renew upon us a good year,” that we request on Rosh Hashanah. “Renew” specifically, that we attain a new year specifically. For every year is a particular facet of the seventy facets of the Torah as mentioned. Therefore every year we need to attain entirely new faces. Living from now new life. Which this is the aspect of long life as mentioned. And this is the aspect of voluminous requesting and prayer on Rosh Hashanah for life many, many times in each prayer. As we say, “Remember us for life... Inscribe us for life... Who compassionately remembers his formations for life...” and many of the sort. For the essence of the aspect of life is the aspect of long life, mentioned, of the Blind Elder, who attained the ultimate memory perfectly as mentioned, as from his is drawn the sanctity of Rosh Hashanah, which is the aspect of the sanctity of the tefillin, which are the aspect of, “and for remembrance between your eyes” as mentioned. And therefore Rosh Hashanah is called “Day of Remembrance.” For the essence of its sanctity is from the aforementioned aspect of that Elder's remembrance. And all our request on Rosh Hashanah for life, the whole intention is for true and everlasting life, that is, the aforementioned aspect of long life. That is, to renew our life at all times, the aspect of, “Renew upon us a good year” — “renew” specifically, as said."
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+ "And therefore it is necessary to write tefillin on the hide of a clean beast specifically (SAOC 32:12), for the hide is the aspect of the imagination, which is the exterior of the intellect, the aspect of the intellect's clothing...For tefillin are such large “brains” that they have the power to clarify and repair the very Exterior of the Exterior, the Immaturity of Immaturity (Qatnuth) of the imagination, which is the main repair. For the greater the tzaddik, the more power that he has to clarify and rectify Qatnuth and Exteriority. And thereby all the worlds are repaired and all the Exteriorities and fallen souls have an ascent, by means of clarifying and purifying the utmost Qatnuth and Exteriority, which is where the main grip of the Qelipoth/Husks stems from. So now everything is clarified and nullified by this Tzaddiq, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of these tzaddiqim and elders, the least of whom remembers his umbilical cord being cut, which is the aspect of shrinking and cutting the umbilical, when one attains such perfect purity so as to remember what happened then. And this is the aspect of repair and purification of the skin, which is the connection between the mother and child, which is tied by the umbilical which is only skin. For, the devolution of the all the worlds from world to world is only from the “navel” downwards, as thoroughly explained in the Etz Chayim in Sha`ar Hanequdim and in many places, that the beginning of the lower world in the upper world is from the aspect of the navel downwards, where the aspect of NeHI [Netzach-Hod-Yesod] begins, the aspect of the upper world's “legs,” where the essence of the vitality of the world lower than it lies. And thus from world to world, from level to level. And therefore Hashem Yithbarakh created it such that the child is also physically tied to its mother's navel. For the devolution from generation to generation, from father and mother to son and daughter, begins from the navel downwards. And therefore the main drawing of the brains of these holy elders to us is by means of the least elder of them, who is the first elder from bottom to top, who related that he remembers the cutting of his umbilical as mentioned. For from there is the essence of the revelation of the brains and the devolution of the worlds from navel downwards as mentioned, which this is the aspect of drawing the light of tefillin, which extend down to the navel, which are the aspect of the straps that extend down to the navel as mentioned. But really, even though we only receive the light from the aspect of the navel downwards, by means of the last elder among them from top to bottom, who remembers the cutting of his umbilical as mentioned, all the vitality of the brains that we receive from there are drawn only from the highest elder, the first-ranking one of them, who is the aspect of this Blind One, who is this baby. For it is impossible to make vessels to receive the light below except by the power of the highest sanctity and the utmost supernal light."
+ ],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And this is (Ex. 1), “And it came to pass, when the midwives feared God, and He made them houses.” This is the aspect of the housings of the tefillin. For the midwives are the aspect of the children's mother, drawing the light of tefillin, which are the aspect of mother, upon the son, who are the aspect of giving birth to the brains, the aspect of (ibid. 13), “Sanctify to Me all the male firstborns, whatsoever opens any womb” as mentioned. And this is, “And it happened, when they feared” specifically. For tefillin are the aspect of fear, as written, “And all the people of the land shall see that Hashem's name is called upon you, and they will fear you.” And our Rabbis z”l explained these are the head tefillin. For the midwives are the mother of Aharon and Moshe. And Miriam their sister was the second midwife, from whom royalty issued, as Rashi explained there. For Moshe and Aharon are the essence of the tefillin. Aharon the Kohen Gadol is the aspect of the Eight Tiqunei Diqna of the Kohen Gadol, which are the aspect of the eight elders, the aspect of the eight head and arm tefillin passages as mentioned. Moshe Rabbeinu is the aspect of the Supernal Elder, who boasted that he is extremely old and yet is young and suckling entirely etc. and the whole world does not amount to him so much as an eyeblink etc. This is the aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu a”h who is the aspect of (ibid. 2), “And behold, a crying youth,” that even tough he reach what he reached, the perfect aspect of the Elder in Holiness, still he was entirely in the aspect of youth and suckling, in the aspect of (Ps. 37), “I have been young and also old,” that even though I have become so much an elder, still I am entirely young and suckling, which this is the aspect of the boasting of the foremost level elder who is the Blind One as mentioned. And therefore Moshe attained that it was written of him (Deut. 34), “His eye was not dim and his natural force was not abated” — even after death. For no oldness jumped upon him at all, even when dying at 120 years age. For he attained the ultimate elderliness, yet remained entirely suckling, as if he still had not begin living at all, as written (ibid. 3:24), “You have begun to show” etc.; that is, he still did not grasp at all; Hashem Yithbarakh only began showing him his greatness etc. Which, all this is the above aspect, always beginning anew as mentioned. For Moshe is the aspect of “MaN/Manna,” as is known, of which it says (Ex. 17:15), “For they did not know MaH/what it is.” It is impossible to at all know what he is, that someone born of a woman should attain what he attained. And this is the letters of MoSheH being Shin MaH — Shin, the three fathers who are the entirety of the brains, entirety of the tefillin; but everything is drawn from the aspect of MaH, the aspect of, “For they did not know what it is,” which this is the essence of the aspect of Moshe, who is the aspect of the aforementioned elder, who was elder and suckling etc. as mentioned, who is the root of everything and above everything as mentioned. As written (Num. 12), “And the man, Moshe, was extremely humble” etc., which is the aspect of (Ps. 131), “Like a weaned child with his mother; my soul is with me like a weaned child,” which David said. And this is that it is written in the Zohar, regarding Moshe, that amongst the Sabas/Supernal Elders he is the Elder, and amongst the sucklings he is the suckling, that is, as mentioned, that he is old and suckling etc. as mentioned. And this is his saying (Deut. 31), “I am one hundred and twenty years old today” — today my days and years are filled, for he can longer go, as our Rabbis z”l said (Sotah 13b), “this teaches that [the gates of wisdom] were closed to him. For he needed to live the aforementioned long life, going each time further and further, and when he cannot go further he was forced to pass away, as discerned in the holy talks of Rabbeinu z”l. And therefore (ibid. 34), “And no man knew his burial-chamber,” for they did not know what he is, as mentioned. Hence Moshe is the aspect of the aforementioned Supernal Elder, who is the root of tefillin, which are the aspect of the face's skin beaming, which Moshe attain, which are the aspect of the light of tefillin, as Rabbeinu z”l said in the torah, “Markevoth Par`oh..” (LM #38), from the aspect of that Elder. And Aharon is the aspect of the eight Tiqunei Diqna, which are the aspect of the eight tefillin passages that are drawn from Moshe's aspect, from the aspect of that Elder. And this is, “And He made them houses” — houses of priesthood and royalty (Sh”R 1). Houses of priesthood are the aspect of tefillin, which are the aspect of the priesthood's sanctity as mentioned, the aspect of the sanctity of the firstborn, to give him to the Kohen as mentioned. And houses of royalty are the aspect of kingship of David Mashiach, the aspect of Emunah, which all this is the aspect of tefillin as mentioned. And the essence of tefillin's sanctity is the aspect of grasping Godliness, which the true tzaddiqim, who are from the aspect of Moshe, draw upon us, through many constrictions, which this is the main thing, that they manage to attain such a high and enormous perception, that they can constrict and clothe the perception in many constrictions and vestments until we too can manage to grasp Godliness as mentioned. And this is the aspect of tefillin housings, for it is impossible for us to receive the light of the passages themselves except by way of the housings and straps, which are the aspect of limitations and vessels of `Olam haTiqun, to receive the light by degree and measure. For they are able to enter the aspect of the “Empty Space\" and reveal His Godliness there, and thereby make holy vessels. For the essence of these vessels' genesis is by means of repair of the Empty Space which is the beginning of the limitation, which is the root of all the vessels and masks generated from the coarsening of the light and its becoming distant from the Emanator. For if there was no Empty Space then the coarsening of the light and its distancing would be irrelevant etc., as explained and discerned in the Writings. Hence the essence of the vessels' genesis derives from the aspect of the Empty Space. But by means of Adam haRishon's failure he was seized in his vessels, the essence of which is in the aspect of the skin, which is the ultimate vessel, the exterior of the exterior; and that is where he was seized the most as mentioned, which this is the aspect of the “Serpent's bite,” from whence is the grip of all the Qelipoth/Husks, God forbid. And therefore the main repair is by means of purifying and processing the hide in sanctity, which is the aspect of repair of the imagination, repair of the Empty Space, which the aforementioned great Tzaddiqim attain repairing, to the point that from it, specifically, they make the aspect of holy vessels to receive the light in degree and measure. Which, this is the aspect of the hide of a pure beast, insofar as the essence of writing the Torah and tefillin is on the hide specifically, and as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the housings made of hide. For we need to receive the light through limitations and vessels that are made by the repair of the Empty Space which is the aspect of repairing the imagination, which is the aspect of hide, as mentioned. And this is the aspect of (Gen. 3), “And Hashem-God made Adam and his wife garments of skin and clothed them” — garments of skin specifically, for the main repair is repairing the skin etc. as mentioned. For, the garments of skin are the aspect of Tallith and Tefillin, which come from skin and from the hair that grows on the skin, as explained in the Etz Chayim. Which, this is the aspect of (Ex. 22:26), “ki hu kesutho levaddah/for that is his only covering” — this is tzitzith; “hi simlatho le`oro/it is his garment for his skin” — this is tefillin (Tiqqunim #69), which are more internal and lofty than tzitzith, as written there. And all this is the aspect of repair of the imagination, which is repair of the Empty Space, as the essence of the repair is by means of Emunah as mentioned. And this is, “And it came to pass, as the midwives feared God” — feared specifically. For holy piety is the aspect of repair of the constriction and stricture of the Empty Space, which is sweetened at it root by means of holy piety, which is the aspect of a “holy decree,” as is known. Therefore by the aspect of piety are made housings, which are the aspect of fixing the vessels and limitations to receive the tefillin's light by degree and measure as mentioned. And this is, “And it came to pass, as they feared... [God] made them housings” as mentioned."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws for Morning Blessings": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "This is because the path of authentic humility is not to consider oneself a completely wicked person, G-d Forbid, and to belittle the value of one’s holy soul, but on the contrary, to know and believe that one’s soul at its source extremely great, precious and exalted, and that ‘ many countless thousands and myriads of worlds without measure depend upon it. As Rabbeinu z\"l said, if one could turn a human being inside out, one would see how thousands and myriads of worlds are dependent upon each and every part of the human body, as the greatness of the human being, representing the image of God, is explained in other texts. And even the lowliest Jewish soul is also..."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Torah Blessings": [],
+ "Laws of Kaddish": [],
+ "Laws of Reciting Shema": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And this is the aspect of the Tenth of Tevet, the aspect of the three tragedies that happened on the Tenth of Tevet that are enumerated there in the penitential prayers: That Ezra the scribe died, that the Torah was written in Greek in the days of King Ptolemy and that the destruction of the Temple began. For they are all the same aspect, the aspect of the aforementioned blemish; that is that it is difficult to fashion the light [of Torah] as a blessing on account of these three tragedies mentioned above. For Ezra the scribe died; and from the greatness of his holiness, he wrote the Torah scroll with great holiness and certainly fashioned the light as a blessing. But now, who will arise for us, and how will we find a scribe like this who will write and fashion letters of the holy Torah for us with the aspect of blessing to the point that all those involved with such a Torah scroll will have their eyes lit up by the Torah, such that they will easily fashion the light as a blessing? For it was already fashioned for the good by the proper scribe. But it is not enough that we lost a scribe like this - like Ezra the scribe - who, when writing the letters of the Torah, would fashion them as a blessing; rather, due to our many iniquities, the Torah was written in Greek, which is the total opposite of Ezra the scribe's writing the Torah scroll, the complete opposite! For they certainly fashion the light of the Torah for the opposite by their writing and copying. For drawn out from this is all the heresy and the denial of the research and the philosophers that transform the words of the living God and change the words of the Torah to their heresy and denial, God forbid. And they therefore want to teach the children Bible without the commentary of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, in the Gemara, the Midrash and the Aggadah. For they want to, God forbid, fashion the light of the Torah according to their bad vessels, according to their minds that are very, very blemished and corrupted by the tremendous desire for promiscuity in which they greatly wallow, as is well known, and as they themselves know. And so they do not want their children to occupy themselves with the Gemara and the Midrash of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, as they already began to fashion the light of the Torah a little and to explain it for the good. And that is the aspect of the destruction of the Temple. For in the Temple, there were priests that would be occupied in their service. And though this, they were bringing down all the flows and the blessings, since they would fashion the light for a blessing. For the priests are from the aspect of kamatz (a vowel that also means, gather or constrict), from the aspect of, \"and the priest would gather (kamatz). So they had the power through their service to bring down the light from the aspect of kamatz to tzeirei (another vowel, that sounds like fashioning), to fashion (tzaier) it in the aspect of blessing. For this is the aspect of the priestly blessing, that the Torah gave over to them to bless the Jewish people. For they are able to bring down the light from a kamatz to a tzeirei, to fashion it as a blessing, as mentioned above. And some of this was explained above in the Laws of the Blessing over the Torah, and in the Laws of Pesach, see there. "
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Prayer": [],
+ "Laws of Priestly Blessings": [],
+ "Laws of Tachanun": [],
+ "Laws of Sidra Kaddish": [],
+ "Laws of Reading the Torah": [],
+ "Laws of the Synagogue": [],
+ "Laws of Business": [],
+ "Laws of Washing One's Hands for a Meal": [],
+ "Laws of Meals": [],
+ "Laws of Grace After Meals and Washing after Meals": [],
+ "Laws of Blessings Over Fruit": [],
+ "Laws of Blessing on Fragrance": [],
+ "Laws of Thanksgiving Blessings": [
+ [
+ [
+ "\"There are four categories of people who are obligated give thanks... and the mnemonic is Vekhol haChaYIM yodukha Selah\" [a phrase in the third blessing in the `Amidah]: Choleh/sick, Yesurin/imprisoned, Yam/sea, Midbar/wilderness. What is the blessing he says? \"Blessed are You Hashem Who bestows good things upon those who are owing/guilty\" [Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim Siman 219].",
+ "2. In accord with the lesson on Chanukah LM II #2: there he explains that via acknowledging thanks, the aspect of four [categories of people] need to recite the thanksgiving prayer, which is the aspect of the bliss of the Coming World, which then will be days of thanksgiving to H\"Y, the aspect of halakhoth/Torah way, as explained there. Thereby the truth will shine, through three names, which are the aspect of Torah, Prayer, and Matchmaking and Matrimony into speech. Namely to complete the four facets of speech, the four divisions of speech, which are [1] penitent speech, [2] charitous speech, [3] the speech of the rich who are close to Malkhuth — the aspect of the \"hasheloshah serigim/three branches\" [Gen. 40:10] etc., and [4] the aspect of Malkhuth, the mouth etc.; see there. And thereby the sanctity of Shabbath is drawn to the six mundane days. And thereby all the various actions/events are drawn into the Simple Unity etc.; see there. Which, this is the aspect of \"Halakhah kerabim/The law follows the majority;\" take a good look there regarding all this.",
+ "3. So now we can say that this itself is the aspect of \"Four categories have to give acknowledgement,\" for, corresponding to the four parts of speech that are perfected by them, specifically by thanksgiving, namely through the four who have to give thanks, through them the fourfoldness of speech is made whole, as mentioned. And that is why there are four who have to give thanks, corresponding to the four parts of speech that are made whole through them: [1 Choleh] For, one who was ill and got well and acknowledges it to H\"Y, this is the aspect of teshuvah, for, \"A person does not get up from his sickness unless they forgive him all his transgressions,\" namely through teshuvah, as written, \"Veshav verafe lo/and he return and he gets healed\" [Isa. 6:10]. [2 Yam] Those who go down to the sea, this is the aspect of speech of charity, as brought in Yonah, regarding the people that were with him on the ship, who swore an oath, for tzedakah is the aspect of the sea, the aspect of water, as written, \"and righteousness as a mighty stream\" [Amos 5:24], the aspect of \"Shelach lachmekha `al penei hamayim/Cast your bread on the face of the water\" [Eccl. 11:1]. [3 Yesurin] One who was locked in prison who goes out from captivity, this is the aspect of the wealthy who are close to Malkhuth [Rashi on Chullin 92a], that through them is the path whereby the captive goes out from imprisonment, the aspect of the \"Shelosheth haserigim/the three branches,\" \"hasheloshah sarei ge'im/the three high noblemen\" [Chullin 92a] by whom Yosef went out from prison, as explained in Torah. [4 Midbar] Wilderness, this is the aspect of the essence of speech, the aspect of Malkhuth-mouth, because wilderness alludes to speech itself, as explained in the holy Zohar. For, wilderness is the aspect of speech, that is, the aspect of Malkhuth-mouth, which is the essence of speech."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And therefore the custom is that the Thanksgiving prayer takes place during Torah reading, in order that the speech be completed via Torah and prayer, which are the lines of truth that shine via the thanksgiving, and the fourfoldness of speech is perfected, as mentioned. For, via acknowledgment, the Thanksgiving, thereby the truth shines into the fourfoldness of speech via the three Names, which correspond to Torah, Prayer, and Matches, as mentioned. And therefore the Thanksgivings of four types of people have to be recited at the time of Torah and Prayer, namely during Torah reading, which is during prayer, as thereby shines the aspect of Torah and prayer, which are the aspect of the two names of truth, as mentioned. And also the aspect of matches and marital relations is accomplished by a minyan of ten, for “one must offer thanks giving in the presence of ten men,” and “wherever there are ten there is sanctity,” for there is no sanctity below ten. And when there is sanctity by means of Yud (ten) this is the aspect of Matches and Relations, the actual aspect of betrothal, for all the matches and betrothals are the aspect of drawing sanctity, the aspect of Yud/ten, into the aspect of Malkhuth, as is known.\nHence via ten is made the aspect of matches, the aspect of betrothals, which is the aspect of the third name of Truth [Hashem] that shines into the fourfoldness of speech, as mentioned. It is also brought there in the aforementioned lesson, that speech is perfected by means of marital matches. For, “Ten measures of speech descended into the world; women got nine and the whole world, one.” And therefore one needs ten men to offer thanks in front of, corresponding to the ten aspects of speech that are perfected via the thanksgiving by means of marital matches. For, these ten measures of speech correspond to the ten aspects that are in speech, for speech is the aspect of Malkhuth which is made up of ten, as known, and corresponding to this there is the aspect of the ten measures of speech etc., and therefore by means of the ten mentioned above, the aspect of marital matches, the aspect of the ten parts of speech, shines, and the fourfold aspect of speech is perfected, as mentioned."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Blessing on Sights and Other Blessings": [],
+ "Laws for Afternoon Prayer": [],
+ "Laws for Evening Prayer": [],
+ "Laws of Reciting Shema Before Retiring": [],
+ "Laws of the Sabbath": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
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+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
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+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
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+ [],
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+ [],
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+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "",
+ "",
+ "And this is the aspect of \"lechem mishneh\" (double portion of bread) of Shabbat: the aspect of teshuvah, as explained. This is because the essence of the lechem mishneh is the continuation of the manna that fell on the sixth day , a double portion, and on Shabbat nothing fell at all. This is because the mannah has the aspect of awareness, as our teacher z\"l said (see siman 56) and Israel merited in the merit of Moshe that on the sixth day a double portion for Shabbat, and on Shabbat nothing fell. This is because in the six days of the week, in which there are clarifications, the manna fell, the portion for each day on that day, according to the clarification of that day. And this is the aspect of teshuvah of most of the people - it is through teshuvah that they clarify good from bad, fit from unfit and so on. And this is the aspect of the clarification that is done in each of the six days of action, which correspond to the six orders of the Mishnah, which are the aspect of fit and unfit, forbidden and permitted, pure and impure. And on the sixth day the double portion fell, and this is the aspect of teshuvah on the teshuvah of the most of the people, until their teshuvah was completed in its fullness. And on Shabbat the mannah would not fall at all, we then eat the double portion of the sixth day, which is the secret of \"oneg shabbat\" (enjoying Shabbat). Because then there is no clarification, we do not exert effort in the continuation of the Flow into physicality according to the clarification - then we only have to eat the Shabbat meal to enjoy [the presence of] Hashem through the double portion, which is the aspect of teshuvah on the teshuvah of the great Tzadikim, which are the aspect of Moshe, who is himself the aspect of Mannah, the aspect of Awareness, because all one's teshuvah is on understanding the past, as explained. On Shabbat there is no clarification, and the essence of reaching the worlds above is on Shabbat, as brought in the kavanot [intentions]. And the First Human, while they had no Impulse to Selfishness [yetzer hara] had no need for clarifications, they only needed to go up the higher worlds, as explained in many kavanot regarding this. and this is the essence of the holiness of Shabbat, which the great Tzadikim merit, which is the aspect of teshuvah on teshuvah, in completeness, in truth, as explained, since according to one's teshuvah is one's ascent to the upper worlds that are connected to one. Therefore, in truth, the essence of double portion [lechem mishneh] is the aspect of the repetition of the Torah [mishneh Torah] which is merited by the true tzadikim as explained. And we, too, are obligated to the double portion in remembrance of the mannah, as we continue the aspect of double portion, the aspect of teshuvah, according to our worth, through the strength of the great tzadikimwho merit the double portion, the aspect of teshuvah, in every time on the understanding of the past, as we explained. It was already explained above that through those tzadikim, who are the essence of holiness of Shabbat, which is the essence of teshuvah of the World to Come, which is all understanding, as explained, it is through those tzadikim that any person can merit tesuhvah, even the worst of the worst. This is because every time those tzadikim do teshuvah on their first understanding, and come to a deeper understanding, through that they reach greater chesed/lovingkindness, and through this they raise the fallen and introduce into them the aspect of depth, so they [see that] have merited at this moment to be \"if I descend to Sheol, You are there too\" (Psalms 139:8) and that also in their place they have drawn themselves to the Blessed Holy One in everything that happened to them, and they have screamed and prayed to the Holy Blessed One with all the desire of their souls, in the aspect of \"from the belly of Sheol I called\" (Jonah 2:3), in the aspect of \"Waters flowed over my head; I said: I am lost! I have called on Your name, O Ad-nai, from the depths of the Pit... until Ad-nai looks down and beholds from heaven (Lamentations 3:50-56, note inverted order) - so they will merit complete teshuvah, as explained above. And all this is in the aspect of the holiness of Shabbat, that is received by every one of the the great tzadikim as explained, because they are the aspect of Moshe, the aspect of Shabbat, which is all the days, and it is as explained."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Joining Domains": [],
+ "Laws of the New Moon": [
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And therefore we are able to have Rosh Hashanah because Rosh Hashanah is on Rosh Chodesh. And this is a great kindness from God, because on Rosh Chodesh God said, \"Bring for Me an atonement,\" and therefore we have the opportunity to ask for atonement ourselves. We find that the essence of Rosh Hashanah is the renewal of the moon, because God said, \"Bring for Me an atonement because I diminished the moon,\" this is itself a renewal because the moon now begins to grow since God is sorry for having decreased its size."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And that which we say Hallel on Rosh Chodesh is because Hallel is the opposite of the husk, which is the aspect of wailing, as is brought in the words of our teacher (Rebbe Nachman), may his light shine. For its nourishment is from the luminaries that are lacking, as mentioned above. But the rectification begins on Rosh Chodesh, such that we therefore then say Hallel, as it is its opposite. But we say only half Hallel, since it is only the beginning of the filling (of the moon) and the rectification. And the essence of the fullness of the rectification is on the holiday, and it is then that we say full Hallel. ",
+ "Rosh Chodesh is also the aspect of the beginning of repentance. For then God, may He be blessed, said, \"Bring atonement for Me,\" and repentance came down from this to all the created beings. For pangs of repentance come to all of them on Rosh Chodesh, as our rabbi, may his light shine, taught us. And that which we say half Hallel, meaning Hallel skipping around, hints to this. For so too is the penitent, as he can not walk sequentially from one level to another, but rather only by skipping. As he needs to jump over and skip several levels, as is brought on the verse (Psalms 68:13), \"The hosts of angels will scatter,\" and as is explained in the holy Zohar. Also the Torah reading on Rosh Chodesh cannot be read in order, but rather one must skip backwards (at the end of the first aliyah, one goes back one verse to start the next aliyah). And it is possible that this is also to hint to the aspect of repentance which is on Rosh Chodesh. For the path of the penitent is not sequential, but rather the way of the penitent is that he must sometimes go backwards, as is brought in the name of the Baal Shem [Tov] on the verse (Psalms 48:15), \"He will lead us as [one leads] a young child.\" As at first, he is helped from Above to go and to run in the ways of God; but afterwards, he is left alone, and then he goes backwards, but then he returns to walk sequentially. ",
+ "The monarchy of David and the Messiah are also hinted to in Hallel, as it is brought. Also the other aspect is hinted to in Hallel - meaning that which was explained before, that we have a claim to come and regret and repent, since He Himself, may He be blessed, regrets and says, \"Bring atonement for Me.\" And this is [the meaning of] (Psalms 118:22-23), \"The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone. This was from the Lord.\" That is, if it seems wonderous to the penitent, how he merited to be accepted - this is \"the stone that the builders rejected became, etc.,\" meaning the penitent that blemished what he blemished. So that is, \"The stone that the builders rejected.\" They rejected him because of his many blemishes, but now he merited to be the cornerstone. And at first glance, the matter is wonderous! But truly, \"this was from the Lord,\" meaning from God Himself. That is, it was from God Himself, as it were, that repentance is effective. For it came down from Him, may He be blessed, since He Himself, may He be blessed, said, \"Bring atonement for Me.\" Hence we also have a claim to regret and to repent. And this is [the meaning of], \"This was from the Lord.\" That it, as it were, was from God Himself that this happened; that repentance is effective, since He Himself regretted, as mentioned above. Yet \"it is wonderous in our eyes,\" in truth. As, for us, it is truly a wonder how repentance is effective, and how we can have a claim to come before Him with our sins and to regret. However, \"This was from the Lord,\" as mentioned above."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ []
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Passover": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "...(Numbers 23:22) \"God took them out of Egypt,\" meaning that the blessed God brought them out independently - through an awakening from above, and without an awakening from below. Because God did not wait for the light to take form according to their vessels - which is the aspect of an awakening from below. Rather, \"God took them out Egypt,\" meaning that God independently formed the light for good and caused it to descend from above...",
+ "...And this is the quality of eating matzah - \"matzah, because our ancestors' dough did not have time to rise until the King of All Kings, Holy Blessed One, was revealed to them and redeemed them.\" As it says (Exodus 12:39) \"and they baked the dough etc.\" Because matzah is the aspect of an extremely expansive awareness, that comes from above; for matzah is dough that is not left to rise but is rather baked immediately while it is still matzah, before it becomes leavened - similar to the light that comes from above which is condensed and concealed, which is the undifferentiated light that always takes shape according to the vessel [that receives it], as discussed above. But now it is formed above immediately, before it makes the descent below to be shaped according to the vessel."
+ ],
+ [
+ "And this is matzah, which is the aspect of a very great light, and [it] is baked immediately because the light is formed immediately on high before it becomes \"leavened.\" For chametz is the aspect of the realm of form, in which there are two qualities (Yoma 72b): \"If one merits, it becomes an elixir of life for them, if one does not merit [it becomes an elixir of death for them].\" Because chametz is the aspect of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which contains two potentialities; for chametz is the aspect of formation, when [the dough] begins to rise and take shape, as the Sages said, that the sign of dough rising is [that it begins to look like] (Pesachim 48b) \"the antennae of locusts.\" But matzah is the aspect of baking and taking the shape of the undifferentiated light, a quality of blessing, before it reaches the stage of leavening and begins to take shape below."
+ ]
+ ],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And this is the aspect of the four cups of wine on Passover, which correspond to the four phrases of redemption - \"and I will take out... and I will save... and I will redeem... and I will take them...\" (Exodus 6:6-7)...",
+ "...Because wine lifts a person beyond their current status; and for this reason wine includes two potentialities - to benefit or to cause harm, God forbid. As the Rabbis, of blessed memory, said, \"if one merits, they rise to the head; if one does not merit, they become impoverished. If one merits, wine brings them joy; if one does not merit, it destroys them\" (Yoma 76b). And therefore one must only drink wine in a state of great holiness... and then one can merit, by means of the wine, for their mind to be elevated in holiness, and they can then experience a greater passion for the Blessed God and be awakened further toward Divine service. For since their mind has been lifted and their awareness is expanded, they can arise to the source of awareness, which is the aspect of the source of the Torah and and the commandments, which is a place that is higher than all of the commandments of the Torah, and all commandments receive their vitality and are illuminated from there. And when one ascends to there, they burn with great passion and are receive great strength to fulfill the commandments of the Torah; because they are drawing on themselves the light of the root of the commandments, and through this one derives greater strength to fulfill the commandments..."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Counter the Omer": [],
+ "Laws of the Shavuot Festival": [],
+ "Laws of the Festival Day": [],
+ "Laws of the Week Days of a Festival": [],
+ "Laws of the Ninth of Av and Other Fast Days": [
+ [],
+ [
+ [
+ "Regarding fasting for the lack of rain.",
+ "For our blessed master taught (Likkutei Moharan II:60) that lack of rain is caused by wars and murder. And the essence of war is argument. The tikkun, the way to repair an argument, is through fasting, as our blessed master explained at length (Likkutei Moharan 57).",
+ "Therefore, we fast when there is a lack of rain, in order to repair the machloket, the argument, which is the war that is the cause of the lack of rain. This is also the essence of the four fast days that we observe in memory of the destruction of the Temple. These also come in order to repair and bring peace, as our sages taught: when there is peace, there is no fasting. Rather, the point of fasting is when there is no peace. And Jerusalem was only destroyed because of baseless hatred, as our blessed sages taught, and we fast in order to repair these arguments and create peace. This is why we fast for any tragic event that occurs, because all suffering (G!d forbid!) comes from argument - since everything that is contrary to what a person desires has the aspect of argument. All the painful suffering (G!d forbid!) are a result of an overflow of dinim, harsh judgement (G!d forbid!), which also bear the aspect of argument. All suffering is connected to sin, and sin is also a type of argument, since the main source of sustenance for the Evil Inclination (and the Sitra Achara) is argument. Therefore, because of an abundance of argument that gives power (G!d forbid!) to the evil Sitra Achara that overcomes holiness, there is an overflow of judgement in the world (G!d forbid!), and this in itself leads to argument, and this brings suffering (G!d forbid!), which one does not desire and is also a form of argument - and in order to repair all this we establish a day of fasting, which comes to repair the machloket, the argument, as we have shown. The important principle is this - we repair all kinds of argument with fasting, as it is said: the more giving charity, the more peace. And the essence of fasting is giving charity, as it is taught: the reward for fasting is actually for the charity given. (Berachot 6b)."
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of the New Year": [],
+ "Laws of the Day of Atonement": [],
+ "Laws of the Festival of Booths": [],
+ "Laws of the Palm Branch": [],
+ "Laws of the Hoshana Rabba Festival": [],
+ "Laws of the Hannukah Festival": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [
+ "",
+ "",
+ "3. This is a wondrous piece of advice that is applicable to every person to help them get out of the depths of darkness and obscurity, by means of truth - which is God’s own light, as it were, in the manner of, “God is my light.” For the Blessed God is the essence of truth.",
+ "4. And this is the nature of the Chanukah candles. For Chanukah is a time of prayer and praise of the Blessed God, as it is written, “they established these eight days of Chanukah to give thanks and praise etc.” For at that time, great miracles occurred and we say [the prayer] Al Hanissim (for all of the miracles) etc. And miracles are the quality of prayer which is beyond nature, as was explained above, and the main essence of prayer is truth, which is a light that shines to bring a person out of darkness, as explained above. And this is the quality of the Chanukah candles, which is the quality of “send Your light and Your truth etc.” (Psalms 43:3). For it is known that the miracle of Chanukah, and likewise all miracles that similarly occur in all periods and each and every year - that is, when the “wicked kingdom grew in power to cause them to forget Your Torah and to turn them away from Your desired laws.” And likewise in each and every individual in every time, when the Other Side grows in power and spreads itself out upon the individual, seeking to overcome them and prevent them from serving God in any which way, God forbid, and they said “write for yourselves on the horn of an ox that ‘you have no portion [with the God of Israel]’ etc.” then, there is no advice or strategy to save one’s soul other than [turning to] the truth. Meaning, that one ensures, according to their own level, to draw themselves only toward the truth of truth, and to look only to truth - in truth. And likewise in prayer, even if it is impossible for someone to pray at all, even so they may nonetheless seek to speak an utterance of prayer truthfully. And then the truth will illuminate a way for this person to lead them out of their darkness, as explained above. And this is the quality of the Chanukah candles, which is the quality of the light of truth, in the manner of “send Your light and Your truth etc.” (Psalms 43:3), as explained above. For by means of this one can step out of the darkness and be able to pray, which is the aspect of the days of Chanukah that were established [as days of] prayer, “to give thanks and praise” etc. And for this reason, the Chanukah candles [are positioned] lower than ten handbreadths, for the Shechina [Divine Presence] never lowered itself beneath ten [handbreadths], and therefore that is the place where they grab hold. And it is there specifically that we light the Chanukah candles close to the doorway, in the manner of “the opening of your words will shine, etc.” (Psalms 119:130) to show that it is specifically below ten handbreadths - in the very place that the Other Side grabs hold - that there too we can find the doorway to draw close to holiness through the light of truth. That we can draw the truth to there as well, and through the light of truth - which is the Chanukah candles - we can come close to the Blessed God in every place, even below ten handbreadths where there is no presence of the Shechina; there too we can find the opening by means of the light of truth...\n"
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of the Four Festive Torah Portions": [],
+ "Laws of Purim": []
+ },
+ "Yoreh Deah": {
+ "Laws of Slaughtering": [],
+ "Laws of Unfit Animals": [],
+ "Laws of Priestly Gifts": [],
+ "Laws of a Limb from a Live Animal": [],
+ "Laws of Meat that was Unobserved": [],
+ "Laws of Fat and Blood": [],
+ "Laws of Blood": [],
+ "Laws of Salting": [],
+ "Laws of Domesticated and Undomesticated Animals": [],
+ "Laws of Things that Come from a Live Animal": [],
+ "Laws of Birds": [],
+ "Laws of Fish": [],
+ "Laws of Insects": [],
+ "Laws of Eggs": [],
+ "Laws of Meat and Milk": [],
+ "Laws of Mixtures": [],
+ "Laws of Non Jewish Food": [],
+ "Laws of Kashering Vessels": [],
+ "Laws of Taste Transfer": [],
+ "Laws of Libational Wine": [],
+ "Laws of Wine Vessels": [],
+ "Laws of Idol Worship": [],
+ "Laws of Interest": [],
+ "Laws of Idolatrous Practices": [],
+ "Laws of Sourcerers and Enchanters": [],
+ "Laws of Shaving and Tatooing": [],
+ "Laws of Shaving": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And this is the quality of Shovavi”m, when those who are fit have the custom of fasting and crying out to blessed God with prayers and penitential liturgy. For in this season, we read in the Torah about the exile in Egypt, and their redemption, which came through their crying out, as written above. And we need to do the same now in this exile, as written above. And so: “Return, wayward children – shuvu banim shovavim” (Jeremiah 3:14, 22), for the essence of troubles and exiles – may the Compassionate One save us from them – is in a lack of knowing, which is the quality of the wayward, when everyone goes around in the world like a literally crazy wayward person, as it is said (Isaiah 57:17), “The went wayward on their [own] heart’s path.” And when a person understands all this about themselves, how they are wayward and literally crazy, because they follow the stubbornness [or: imagination] of their heart and don’t pay attention to the eternal end-point, they will certainly have pity on themselves and do a lot of crying out to blessed God, and in that way will merit, in accord with their own qualities, to understanding and knowledge, which are the essence of the means to redemption generally and specifically, for each person and each time, as is written above. "
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Forbidden Dresss": [],
+ "Laws of a Menstruant": [],
+ "Laws of Ritual Baths": [],
+ "Laws of Vows": [],
+ "Laws of Oaths": [],
+ "Laws of Honouring One's Father and Mother": [],
+ "Laws of Honouring One's Rabbi and a Torah Scholar": [],
+ "Laws of Teachers": [],
+ "Laws of Torah Study": [],
+ "Laws of Charity": [],
+ "Laws of Circumcision": [],
+ "Laws of Slaves": [],
+ "Laws of Converts": [],
+ "Laws of a Torah Scroll": [],
+ "Laws of a Mezuzah": [],
+ "Laws of Sending Away the Mother Bird": [],
+ "Laws of New Grain": [],
+ "Laws of Three Year Old Trees": [],
+ "Laws of Mixed Crops": [],
+ "Laws of Mixed Breeding": [],
+ "Laws of Fobidden Fabric Blends": [],
+ "Laws of Redeeming the Firstborn": [],
+ "Laws of Firstborn Kosher Animals": [],
+ "Laws of Firstborn Donkey": [],
+ "Laws of Separating From Dough": [],
+ "Laws of Tithes": [],
+ "Laws of First Shearings": []
+ },
+ "Even HaEzer": {
+ "Laws of Procreation": [],
+ "Laws of Matrimony": [],
+ "Laws of Sanctification": [],
+ "Laws of a Bill of Marriage": [],
+ "Laws of a Bill of Divorce": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "\"...therefore the fifteenth of Av is in the nature of a sweetening and a repair of the ninth of Av\""
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Levirate Marriage": [],
+ "Laws of Adulterer": [],
+ "Laws of Rape and Seduction": []
+ },
+ "Choshen Mishpat": {
+ "Laws for Judges": [],
+ "Laws of Testimony": [],
+ "Laws of Loans": [],
+ "Laws of Plaintiffs and Defendants": [],
+ "Laws of Collecting Loans": [],
+ "Laws of Collecting Loans from Orphans": [],
+ "Laws of Collecting Loans from Purchasers and Laws Designated Collection": [],
+ "Laws of an Agent Collecting Debts and Authorisation": [],
+ "Laws of Authorisation": [],
+ "Laws of Guaranteeing": [],
+ "Laws of Movable Property": [],
+ "Laws of Immovable Property": [],
+ "Laws of Neighbor Damages": [],
+ "Laws of Immovable Partnerships": [],
+ "Laws of Divisions of Partnerships": [
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And so too is it with buying and selling, and the profit and wealth of a person. For in truth the main true profit of a person is drawn by bringing up sparks from the husks and bringing them into holiness by way of doing the buying and selling with complete faith, giving much charity and having intention during the time of buying and selling that he profit in order that he should give charity to those involved with true service to God. As they are included in the Head of the House (the righteous man of the generation), as mentioned above. And therefore sometimes the profit appears before his eyes and it appears to him that he has already made the profit; but before the complete conclusion of the deal, everything is reversed because of some small action and he makes no profit. And sometimes he even loses the principle (the original investment). And all this is the aspect mentioned above. For that which he began to profit is the aspect of bringing in the profit to the courtyard, but it is still not brought into the aspect of the House, which is the essence of the protection of wealth, as mentioned above. But before he brings it into the House, he must first separate the [holy] sparks from the depths of the husks. And sometimes he does not have the strength for this and the husks attach themselves to him, so he loses everything, as mentioned above. Hence the main rectification for this is charity to fitting poor people, as mentioned above. As the essential separation of the sparks from the depths of the husks is by way of charity, in the aspect of, 'charity saves from death.' For charity saves and elevates the sparks from the husks, which are the side of death - the aspect of, 'her feet go down to death.' Feet are the aspect of money, etc. - but by way of charity, they are raised from there. (This is as it is all brought by our master, our teacher and our rabbi [Rebbe Nachman] in a different place.) And so it is exact, he should merit to bring the wealth inside into the House so that it will be preserved in his hands, and as mentioned above.\n"
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Boundaries": [],
+ "Laws of Partners": [],
+ "Laws of Emissaries": [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [],
+ [
+ "And this is what our sages of blessed memory said: whoever averts their eyes from tzedakah is as if they serve idols (Ketubot 68a), \"avert eyes\" specifically, since the essence of tzedakah is the aspect of eyes, to continue the Providence of God's eyes on us, as it is written regarding gifts to the poor \"look down from Your holy abode, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel\" (Deut. 26:15). This is because the essence of poverty is a continuation of the hurt to the Moon, which is the aspect of darkness, \"and his eyes were weak of seeing\" (Genesis 27:1), which is the aspect of decrease and concealment of Providence. This is because all income and wealth is the aspect of eyes, as it is written \"what good is there to their owner, saving the beholding of them with his eyes\" (Eccl. 5:10). And as it is written \"The eyes of all wait upon You; and You give them their food in due season\"(Ps. 145:15). This is because wealth is a continuation of the aspect of Left, as it is written \"on her left is wealth and honor\" (Prov. 3:16), and the left is the aspect of after creation, as it is explained in the preceding Torah. And every time that the left is not included in the right, God forbid, meaning, when it is not included in the entirety of creation, which is the aspect of left, before creation, which is the aspect of complete right, then obviously it is impossible to receive the Flow and income, given that we are far away from the root which is the One Who Makes All Live. "
+ ]
+ ]
+ ],
+ "Laws of Buying and Selling": [],
+ "Laws of Over and Under Charging": [],
+ "Laws of a Deathly Ill Person": [],
+ "Laws of Unloading and Loading": [],
+ "Laws of Ownerless Property and Property of Non Jews": [],
+ "Laws of Inheritance": [],
+ "Laws of an Apotropos": [],
+ "Laws of Deposit and Four Guards": [],
+ "Laws for Paid Guardians": [],
+ "Laws of Artisans": [],
+ "Laws of Hiring": [],
+ "Laws of Leasing and Contract Work": [],
+ "Laws of Hiring Labourers": [],
+ "Laws of Borrowing": [],
+ "Laws of Theft": [],
+ "Laws of Stealing": [],
+ "Laws of Damages": [],
+ "Laws of Causing a Loss and Reporting to Government": [],
+ "Laws of Monetary Damages": [],
+ "Laws of Injuring a Person": [],
+ "Laws of Roof Rails and Preservation of Life": []
+ }
+ },
+ "versions": [
+ [
+ "Ami Silver, 2020",
+ "http://sefaria.org"
+ ],
+ [
+ "Sefaria Community Translation",
+ "https://www.sefaria.org"
+ ],
+ [
+ "Likutey Halakhot, Breslov Research Institute. Translated and elucidated by Moshe Mykoff with Dov Grant Jerusalem-New York, 2019",
+ "https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH997008193283205171/NLI"
+ ]
+ ],
+ "heTitle": "ליקוטי הלכות",
+ "categories": [
+ "Chasidut",
+ "Breslov"
+ ],
+ "schema": {
+ "heTitle": "ליקוטי הלכות",
+ "enTitle": "Likutei Halakhot",
+ "key": "Likutei Halakhot",
+ "nodes": [
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הקדמת המחבר",
+ "enTitle": "Author's Introduction"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "אורח חיים",
+ "enTitle": "Orach Chaim",
+ "nodes": [
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות השכמת הבוקר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Morning Conduct"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נטילת ידים שחרית",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Morning Hand Washing"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ציצית",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Fringes"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תפילין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Phylacteries"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכת השחר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws for Morning Blessings"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכות התורה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Torah Blessings"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קדיש",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Kaddish"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קריאת שמע",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Reciting Shema"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תפלה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Prayer"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נשיאת כפים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Priestly Blessings"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נפילת אפים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Tachanun"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קדושה דסידרא",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Sidra Kaddish"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קריאת התורה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Reading the Torah"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות בית הכנסת",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Synagogue"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות משא ומתן",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Business"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נטילת ידים לסעודה ובציעת הפת",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Washing One's Hands for a Meal"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות סעודה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Meals"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכת המזון ומים אחרונים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Grace After Meals and Washing after Meals"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכת הפרות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Blessings Over Fruit"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכת הריח",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Blessing on Fragrance"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכת הודאה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Thanksgiving Blessings"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ברכות הראיה וברכות פרטיות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Blessing on Sights and Other Blessings"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תפלת המנחה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws for Afternoon Prayer"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תפלת ערבית",
+ "enTitle": "Laws for Evening Prayer"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קריאת שמע שעל המטה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Reciting Shema Before Retiring"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שבת",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Sabbath"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תחומין וערובי תחומין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Joining Domains"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ראש חדש",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the New Moon"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פסח",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Passover"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ספירת העמר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Counter the Omer"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שבועות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Shavuot Festival"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות יום טוב",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Festival Day"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ��ול המועד",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Week Days of a Festival"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תשעה באב ותעניות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Ninth of Av and Other Fast Days"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ראש השנה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the New Year"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות יום הכפורים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Day of Atonement"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות סוכה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Festival of Booths"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות לולב ואתרוג",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Palm Branch"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות הושענא רבה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Hoshana Rabba Festival"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חנוכה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Hannukah Festival"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ארבע פרשיות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of the Four Festive Torah Portions"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פורים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Purim"
+ }
+ ]
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "יורה דעה",
+ "enTitle": "Yoreh Deah",
+ "nodes": [
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שחיטה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Slaughtering"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות טרפות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Unfit Animals"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מתנות כהונה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Priestly Gifts"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אבר מן החי",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Limb from a Live Animal"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות הלכות בשר שנתעלם מן העין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Meat that was Unobserved"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חלב ודם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Fat and Blood"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות דם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Blood"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מליחה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Salting"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות סימני בהמה וחיה טהורה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Domesticated and Undomesticated Animals"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות דברים היוצאים מן החי",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Things that Come from a Live Animal"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות סימני עוף טהור",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Birds"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות דגים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Fish"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תולעים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Insects"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ביצים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Eggs"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות בשר בחלב",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Meat and Milk"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תערובות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Mixtures"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מאכלי עכו\"ם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Non Jewish Food"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות הכשר כלים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Kashering Vessels"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נותן טעם לפגם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Taste Transfer"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות יין נסך",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Libational Wine"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כלי היין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Wine Vessels"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות עבודת אלילים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Idol Worship"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ריבית",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Interest"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חוקות העכו\"ם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Idolatrous Practices"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מעונן ומנחש",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Sourcerers and Enchanters"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קרחה וכתובת קעקע",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Shaving and Tatooing"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גילוח",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Shaving"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות לא ילבש",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Forbidden Dresss"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נדה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Menstruant"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מקוואות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Ritual Baths"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נדרים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Vows"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שבועות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Oaths"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כבוד אב ואם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Honouring One's Father and Mother"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כבוד רבו ותלמיד חכם",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Honouring One's Rabbi and a Torah Scholar"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מלמדים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Teachers"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תלמוד תורה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Torah Study"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות צדקה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Charity"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מילה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Circumcision"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות עבדים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Slaves"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גרים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Converts"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ספר תורה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Torah Scroll"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מזוזה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Mezuzah"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שלוח הקן",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Sending Away the Mother Bird"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חדש",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of New Grain"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ערלה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Three Year Old Trees"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כלאי הכרם ואילן",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Mixed Crops"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כלאי בהמה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Mixed Breeding"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כלאי בגדים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Fobidden Fabric Blends"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פדיון בכור",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Redeeming the Firstborn"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות בכור בהמה טהורה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Firstborn Kosher Animals"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פדיון פטר חמור",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Firstborn Donkey"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חלה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Separating From Dough"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות תרומות ומעשרות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Tithes"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ראשית הגז",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of First Shearings"
+ }
+ ]
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "אבן העזר",
+ "enTitle": "Even HaEzer",
+ "nodes": [
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פריה ורביה ואישות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Procreation"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אישות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Matrimony"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות קדושין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Sanctification"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כתובות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Bill of Marriage"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גטין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Bill of Divorce"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות יבום",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Levirate Marriage"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות סוטה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Adulterer"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אונס ומפתה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Rape and Seduction"
+ }
+ ]
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "חושן משפט",
+ "enTitle": "Choshen Mishpat",
+ "nodes": [
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות דינים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws for Judges"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות עדות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Testimony"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות הלואה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Loans"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות טוען ונטען",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Plaintiffs and Defendants"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גבית מלוה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Collecting Loans"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גבית חוב מהיתומים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Collecting Loans from Orphans"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גבית חוב מהלקוחות ואפותיקי",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Collecting Loans from Purchasers and Laws Designated Collection"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות העושה שליח לגבות חובו",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of an Agent Collecting Debts and Authorisation"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות כח והרשאה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Authorisation"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות ערב",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Guaranteeing"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חזקת מטלטלין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Movable Property"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חזקת קרקעות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Immovable Property"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נזקי שכנים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Neighbor Damages"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שותפים בקרקע",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Immovable Partnerships"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חלקת שתפים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Divisions of Partnerships"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מצרנות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Boundaries"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שתפין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Partners"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שלוחין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Emissaries"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מקח וממכר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Buying and Selling"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אונאה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Over and Under Charging"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מתנה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Gifting"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מתנת שכיב מרע",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of a Deathly Ill Person"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אבדה ומציאה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Lost and Found"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פריקה וטעינה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Unloading and Loading"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות הפקר ונכסי הגר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Ownerless Property and Property of Non Jews"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נחלות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Inheritance"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אפטרופוס",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of an Apotropos"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות פקדון וארבעה שומרים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Deposit and Four Guards"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שומר שכר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws for Paid Guardians"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות אמנין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Artisans"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שוכר",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Hiring"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חכירות וקבלנות",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Leasing and Contract Work"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שכירות פועלים",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Hiring Labourers"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות שאלה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Borrowing"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גנבה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Theft"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות גזלה",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Stealing"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נזיקין",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Damages"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מאבד ממון חברו ומסור",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Causing a Loss and Reporting to Government"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות נזקי ממון",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Monetary Damages"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות חובל בחברו",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Injuring a Person"
+ },
+ {
+ "heTitle": "הלכות מעקה ושמירת הנפש",
+ "enTitle": "Laws of Roof Rails and Preservation of Life"
+ }
+ ]
+ }
+ ]
+ }
+}
\ No newline at end of file