Translation:Likutei Moharan/37

by Nachman of Breslov

“Dirshu HaShem V’uzo (Search for God and His Might); seek His presence constantly.” (Psalms 105:4)

[Creation]

The main reason for the Creation is so that we might recognize Him (Zohar II, 42a), as is written (Isaiah 43:7), “whom I created, formed and made for My glory.”

[Life and Death]

Now, the body and the soul are corresponding aspects of man and animal, matter and form, wisdom and foolishness; an aspect of light and darkness, as is written (Ecclesiastes 2:13), “as there is an advantage to light over darkness.” And as [our Sages] taught: Great is knowledge for it appears between two signs, as it is said (1 Samuel 2:3), “because the Omnipotent One of knowledge is God” (Berakhot 33a). It is also written (Psalms 118:27), “God is the Omnipotent One, He has given us light”; and it is written (ibid. 82:5), “they neither knew nor understood.”

[Wisdom and foolishness] also correspond to life and death, as is written (Ecclesiastes 7:12), “Wisdom gives life [to those who possess it]”; and it is written (Job 4:21), “they die, but not with wisdom”; and it is written (Lamentations 3:6), “He made me dwell in darkness.”

And [life and death] are aspects of forgetfulness and memory, as is written (Psalms 31:13), “I have been forgotten from the heart like the dead”; and it is written (ibid. 98:3), “He remembered His lovingkindness.” And this is what our Sages taught (Avot 3:8): Whoever forgets anything of his Torah lessons, it is as if he bears guilt for his soul, for it is said (Deuteronomy 4:9), “Only beware and watch your soul very carefully, so that you do not forget.”

And they are an aspect of the Torah’s wisdom. For extraneous wisdom is matter, foolishness, and an aspect of animal vis-à-vis the wisdom of the Torah.

[Fasting]

Now, every person must subordinate the matter — i.e., the aspect of death, the aspect of the foolishness of the body’s four elements. As is written in the Zohar: “God, the Lord, took the man” (Genesis 2:15). From where did he take him? From his four elements… He separated him from [being drawn to] their lustfulness (Zohar I, 27a).

This is accomplished by fasting. By fasting, we weaken the four elements. Thus the matter is nullified — the aspects of matter: foolishness, darkness, forgetfulness, animal — while the aspects of the intellect and the form— the light, memory, man — gain strength and ascend. This is as our Sages taught: The reward for fasting is charity (Berakhot 6b). For charity hints to light, as is written (Malachi 3:20), “But a benevolent sun will shine upon you who fear My name.”

[Charity] is also the Torah, as is written in the Zohar: “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from charity” (Isaiah 46:12) — who are far from Torah (Zohar I, 76b). And [Torah] corresponds to man, as is written (Numbers 19:14), “This is the Torah: a man.”

This is also the letters ADaM (man). The closed-Mem is an aspect of fasting, which is an aspect of the World to Come in which there is no eating or drinking (Tikkuney Zohar #21, p.56a). The Dalet hints to the four elements, which are subordinated by means of fasting, so that the intellect — which is hinted at by the ALePh, as is written (Job 33:33), “and AaLePhkha (I will teach you) wisdom” — ascends.

And this is what is written in the Zohar: “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26) — by fasting, the aspect of man is made. Here it is written, “naASeh (Let us make),” and there it is written, “The name of the man with whom ASiti (I worked)” (Ruth 2:19). Just as there [the subject] is charity, here, too, it is charity (Zohar, Introduction, p. 13b).

{The explanation is: It is explained there in the Zohar that by giving charity a person assumes the form of man. This is learned there from this verse “Let us make man.” Here it is written ASiyaH and there it is written, “The name of the man with whom ASiti …,” in connection with charity. Rebbe Nachman, of blessed memory, then brings this as a proof with regard to fasting. This is because charity and fasting are one aspect, as “the reward for fasting is charity.” Thus it is clear from this that by fasting, which is an aspect of charity, we are brought into the category of man. This is the true daat of the Torah, which is an aspect of light and soul, etc. For subordinating the matter and the body — the aspect of animal, etc.— to the soul, which is the aspect of man, is achieved by means of fasting, which is an aspect of charity, as explained.}

[Air of the Land of Israel]

However, there are two types of charity. For there is charity in the Diaspora, and charity in the Land of Israel. And the charity of the Land of Israel is greater and more exalted than the charity of the Diaspora.

There are also two types of Torah. For the Torah that comes from breath in which there is sin cannot compare to the Torah that comes from breath in which there is no sin (Shabbat 119b). For judgment is mitigated and the world only exists because of the breath of schoolchildren. {“The first blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of zamir (singing) has come and the song of the tor (turtledove) is heard in our land” (Song of Song 2:12).}

As is written in the Zohar: “The first blossoms have appeared in the land” — these are the Patriarchs of the world. “The time of zamir has come” — when the time comes for cutting off the guilty from the world. “The song of the TOR is heard” — this is the sound of a child studying TORah, as is written, “TORei (wreaths) of gold”; and as is written (Exodus 25:18), “Make two cherubs of gold.” By means of the schoolchild’s voice the Patriarchs are revealed in the world to protect [it].

Consequently, when you want to have the Patriarchs revealed in the world — in order to dispel the judgment, darkness, forgetfulness and foolishness from the world — you have to have breath that is free of sin. And through the charity of the Land of Israel you include yourself in the air of the Land of Israel, which is an aspect of holy breath in which there is no sin.

This is the explanation of “Then I will remember My covenant with Yaakov, and [also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember; and I will remember the land]” (Leviticus 26:42). The explanation is: When will the Patriarchs be revealed in the world? When “I will remember the land” — by means of the air of the Land of Israel and by means of breath that is free of sin, which corresponds to the breath from the mouths of schoolchildren. This is because the schoolchildren were blessed, as is written (Genesis 48:16), “May he bless the lads, and let them carry my name, along with the names of my fathers.” By means of the schoolchildren, the Patriarchs are revealed to protect [the world]. Through the charity of the Land of Israel they are encompassed in the air of the Land of Israel, holy air, which is an aspect of breath that is free of sin.

As our Sages taught (Taanit 11b): One who fasts is called ChaSsiD (pious), for it is said (Proverbs 11:17), “A man of CheSeD (kindness) benefits his soul.” This is because fasting is a kindness to his soul, i.e., to Torah, as is written (Psalms 19:8), “The Torah of God is perfect, restoring the soul.” Because of this he is called a ChaSsiD, for he nullifies the judgment and darkness and draws ChaSaDim (benevolences) into the world.

[Honor]

This is the explanation of the three warnings that Rabbi Yehudah the son of Beteira of Netzivin issued: Be mindful of the elderly sage who has forgotten his studies due to hardships; be mindful of the veins, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah; be mindful of the sons of the ignorant, for Torah will issue from them (Sanhedrin 96a).

For all these three aspects allude to the soul’s ascent, the intellect, the Torah and the memory.

The elderly sage who forgot his studies due to his hardships corresponds to death and foolishness due to forgetfulness. However, the Torah pardons one who is under duress, and Rabbi Yehudah warned that he be honored. For through honor, his forgetfulness is eliminated and the soul is revealed — i.e., the Torah is recalled. This is because the root of the Torah is God’s glory, as in, “whom I have created for My glory…” And as our Sages taught: Honor is due only for Torah (Avot 6:3).

[Ritual Slaughterer]

This is also the meaning of “Be mindful of the veins, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehudah.” “For the blood is [associated with] the soul” reincarnated. Thus the ritual slaughterer must have in mind to elevate the soul in the blood. Also, for the most part, lack of livelihood — which has diminished in recent generations — is on account of unworthy ritual slaughterers. This is: If there is no Torah, there is no flour (Avot 3:17). Torah is an aspect of soul, as explained. Because of this, “there is no flour” — livelihood diminishes.

And this is the reason the slaughter knife is called a MaAKheLet, as is written (Genesis 22:10), “and he took the maakhelet.” For the worthy ritual slaughterer MaAKhiL (feeds) and sustains the Jewish people. This is because the worthy ritual slaughterer clothes the soul in the level of animal within the level of human — i.e., within the spoken word of the blessing he recites. This spoken word is an aspect of the Shekhinah (Divine Presence), as is written, “Malkhut is mouth” (Tikkuney Zohar, p.17a).

And this is the explanation of “God’s sword is filled with blood” (Isaiah 34:6). For the Divine Presence is called “God’s sword.” She is also an aspect of the spoken word, which is an aspect of a double-edged sword, connoting the mouth, as is written (Psalms 149:6), “with the acclaim of the Omnipotent One in their throats and double-edged sword…” Thus when the soul enters into God’s sword, into the spoken word, as an aspect of mayin nukvin (feminine waters), then by means of her mayin nukvin the Shekhinah engages in union, in the aspect of “See what a child I have come with” (Zohar III, 13a).

This is, “God’s sword is filled with blood” of the souls that ascend into her as an aspect of mayin nukvin. And through the union she receives livelihood for the Jewish people.

This is also the explanation of “We get our bread at the peril of our souls, because of the sword of the wilderness” (Lamentations 5:9). In other words, this is when the ritual slaughterer is unworthy and does not elevate the soul as an aspect of mayin nukvin — so that when he stands ready with his knife to slaughter the animal he resembles a murderer of souls. Then his knife is “the sword of the MiDBaR (wilderness)” and not “God’s sword,” which is the sword of the M’DaBeR (speaker).

And this causes suffering to the animal’s soul, which cries out bitterly: {“My soul went out when he spoke. I sought him but could not find him; I called but he did not answer. I met the watchmen who patrol the city. They struck me, they bruised me; they stripped me of my mantle” (Song of Songs 5:6, 7).}

My soul went out — this is when [the soul in the animal] went out in order to enter into the when he spoke of the blessing, as an aspect of mayin nukvin. And when I went out

I sought him but could not find him; I called but he did not answer — because he is not [mentally] present at the time of the blessing, and he thinks disqualifying thoughts. Through this

I met the watchmen who patrol the city. They struck me, they bruised me; they stripped me of my mantle — That is, the advantage which the soul had in its animal form was also taken from it, because now it has “no place to rest its feet” (Genesis 8:9). Woe to that ritual slaughterer! Woe to the soul! For he murdered the soul and put it in the hand of its enemies. Thus the Divine Presence does not have the mayin nukvin with which to draw food for its household. Because of this, “We get our bread at the peril of our souls” — with great strain and struggle.

This is as our Sages taught: A person’s livelihood is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea (Pesachim 118a). For the Red Sea was split into twelve lanes, paralleling the twelve inspections of the knife, because of which “a person’s livelihood is as difficult…”

And this is as our Sages taught: A table is likened to the altar (Berakhot 55a). For the size blemish [that disqualifies] the slaughter knife is the same size blemish [that disqualifies] the altar (Chullin 17b).

Also, “al hashechitah” has a numerical value of four hundred thirty-seven. And the first letters of “B’zeiat Apekha Tokhal Lechem (By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread)” (Genesis 3:19) have a numerical value of four hundred thirty-seven {with the addition of four for the words}. This is to hint that lack of livelihood is caused by ritual slaughterers who are unworthy.

And this is the explanation of “He gives teref to those who fear Him” (Psalms 111:5). For the word teref (rations) has two meanings: it connotes non-kosher meat, as the Zohar brings at the end of Mishpatim (II, 121b), and it connotes rations. This implies that when Jews guard themselves from non-kosher meat, they have sufficient livelihood.

This is the explanation of: MaNTZPaKh was omer (declared) by the seers (Shabbat 104a). MaNTZPaKh is an aspect of VRYDIN (veins), an aspect of RaYU DIN. And “the seers” are prophets, whose nurturing is from the aspects of the cherubs/children/breath that is free of sin/air of the Land of Israel. It is from there that they receive Divine inspiration, as is brought in the Zohar (I, 85a): “Yonah, however, got up to run away to Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3).

As for these seers — i.e., those who correspond to breath that is free of sin —they shine into the vrydin / rayu din, into MaNTZPaKh. They also elevate the soul as an aspect of mayin nukvin and draw bounty. This influx of bounty is called OMeR. Initially it is Or (light); then it turns to Mayim (water); and then it becomes Rakia (firmament).

Then, once they mitigate the MaNTZPaKh, they turn MaNTZPaKh into Adonoy. For RaYU is made into the shape of the Aleph, and [together with DYN] becomes ADoNoY. Adonoy is the spoken word, the Divine Presence, as is written (Psalms 51:17), “Adonoy, open my lips.” Then, from this breath — i.e., Adonoy — bounty issues and is apportioned to each person commensurate with his aspect. This is the explanation of “Adonoy gives omer (a declaration), the heralds are a mighty host” (ibid. 68:12) — providing each one in accordance with his aspect.

This is also as our Sages taught: “who devour My people as they would devour bread, who do not call upon the Lord” (Psalms 14:4, 53:5) — Rav says that this refers to judges, whereas Shmuel says this refers to schoolteachers (Sanhedrin 104b).

One says one thing and one says another, yet they do not disagree. Rav says these are the DaYaNim — i.e., rayu DYN — who do not elevate the soul as an aspect of mayin nukvin, who do not turn RaYU DYN into ADoNoY. This alludes to the unworthy ritual slaughterers who corrupt the DINim (laws) — i.e., rayu DIN / MaNTZPaKh. The blood, which is the souls, are the five letters [of MaNTZPaKh], paralleling the five bloods, as is known. This alludes to the five levels of the soul, as our Sages taught: About whom [did King David say] these five times “Bless, O my soul” (Berakhot 10a).

Shmuel, however, says that these are schoolteachers — those who spoil the breath that is free of sin. When the ritual slaughterer’s words and breath do not correspond to breath that is free of sin, an aspect of the air of the Land of Israel, then “who devour My people” — livelihood diminishes.

For when the ritual slaughterer has breath that is free of sin — the aspects of God’s sword/charity of the Land of Israel/soul/Torah — then the soul, which ascends from the level of animal to his level of m’daber, also ascends in an aspect of the above mentioned virtues.

[Sons of the Ignorant]

And this is the explanation of “be mindful of the sons of the ignorant.” For it is known that the noble souls {which are oppressed} within the scale, as mentioned in the Zohar (II, 113a), are in the evil force of nogah. The evil force of nogah wants the soul to become entrenched there. Therefore, it plants it in the semen drop of the ignorant man’s cohabitation, so that the soul should become extremely foul. Thus it is that the sons of the ignorant are very precious souls, but they are “like birds caught in the trap” (Ecclesiastes 9:12).

How do we learn of their splendorous beauty? Only from their Torah teachings. When we see that they are Torah scholars, it becomes obvious that they have precious souls. And whatever Torah they reveal is all a revelation for the ritual slaughterer. For the soul is {an aspect of Torah}, as explained. Thus the Torah which they, the sons of the ignorant, reveal is an aspect of sparks that ascend to the Shekhinah as an aspect of mayin nukvin, corresponding to “See what a child I have come with.”

This is why it is necessary to honor them. For by means of the honor, the Torah — i.e., the soul — is especially revealed from its hiddenness. This is because the root of everything is glory, as in, “whom I have created… for My glory.” And the soul yearns to be included in its root.

This is the meaning of “be mindful of the sons of the ignorant” — to honor them, so that the Torah, which is the soul, should yearn to be included in its source: the glory. And through this “Torah will issue from them.”

[Seeking the Presence]

And this is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“Search for God and His might; seek His presence constantly.”}

Search for God — Through which wisdom will you be able to search for Him?[The verse] goes back to explain:

and His might — That is, through the Torah. And not through other types of wisdom, which are foolishness and darkness in comparison to the wisdom of the Torah. And by what means will you merit the wisdom of the Torah?

seek His presence constantly — Through the charity of the Land of Israel. As is brought in the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 44:12): seeking the presence is nothing other than TZeDaKah (charity). As is written (Psalms 85:14), “TZeDeK goes before Him.” And “constantly” is nothing other than the Land of Israel, as is written (Deuteronomy 11:12), “God your Lord constantly keeps His eyes on it.”