Translation:Likutei Moharan/38

by Nachman of Breslov

“Markevot Paraoh V’cheilo (Pharaoh’s Chariots and Army) He cast into the sea; his select officers were drowned in the Red Sea.” (Exodus 15:4)

[Tefilin]

At all times, every person has to examine himself to see whether he is attached to God. And the indicator of attachment is tefilin, for the tefilin are a sign of attachment.

[Elevating Speech]

But it is impossible to achieve <attachment,> the aspect of tefilin, except by elevating speech <to its source> and rectifying it. This is because the spoken word is the breath of the Holy One, an aspect of “Malkhut is mouth” (Tikkuney Zohar, Introduction, p.17a). <And it is> an aspect of the sea, for all the streams flow <and are drawn> into it, as is written (Ecclesiastes 1:7), “All streams flow into the sea.”

[The spoken word] is also an aspect of Adonoy, as is written (Psalms 51:17), “Adonoy, open my lips.”

Thus when speech/ Adonoy is blemished, the blemish turns the “ruach of His mouth” into a ruach se’arah (storm wind). For <there are> twenty-seven letters; <the entire Hebrew alphabet together with the five end-letters are twenty-seven. And each letter> is comprised of ten. This yields the same numerical value as RA (evil). The aspect of speech, which is Adonoy, is thus turned into Reish Ayin letters. Se’ARaH — Samakh Heh is ADoNoY, and Reish Ayin letters.

This is the aspect of (Psalms 148:8), “a storm wind that executes His word” — they execute and rectify the spoken word and elevate it from the aspect of storm wind.

Now, this storm wind is the Great Accuser. From it come all accusations and tests. It is “after the d’varim (words),” for it draws sustenance from the spoken word when it finds an opening to tap — i.e., “sin [couches] at the door” (Genesis 4:7); and it is also written (Micah 7:5), “Guard the openings of your mouth.” And as is written in the Zohar (I, 119b): “Then, after the d’varim, the Lord tested Avraham” (Genesis 22:1).

[The storm wind] is also what causes a person’s body to become agitated. Also, all the libel and evil spoken about a person come from the storm wind, from this “after the d’varim,” for it is an aspect of “an end to all flesh” (Genesis 6:13) — it brings an end and a finish to all flesh.

Likewise, people who judge their fellow men unfavorably and constantly scrutinize other people’s shortcomings, are from the aspect of “an end to all flesh.” As is written (Job 28:3), “He puts an end to darkness, he scrutinizes every limit” — he scrutinizes constantly in order to put limit and utter ruin to every matter, and to arouse judgment, to libel and to accuse, as is written (Isaiah 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea which cannot be still.”

Thus every person must try to subdue the side of “an end to all flesh” to the spoken word of holiness. As is written in the Zohar: “He loads down his donkey with a grapevine” (Genesis 49:11) — “grapevine” is the Community of Israel (Zohar I, 238a). [This is] as it is written (Psalms 80:15), “attend to this grapevine,” and as is written (Genesis 49:28), “and this was [what their father] said.”

And when he subdues <the storm wind> — i.e., he takes from it all the words that fell into it — then <the verse> “He reduces the storm to a calm” <will be fulfilled> (Psalms 107:29).

[Gevurot / Severities]

Now, it is necessary to elevate the spoken word to its source. This is the arm, the five fingers on the left hand, which are the five gevurot (severities), the five articulators. For speech is essentially from the five articulators, which are <five> gevurot, as is written (Psalms 106:2), “Who can articulate the gevurot (mighty acts) of God?” That by means of the gevurot, the spoken word is made, as is written (Psalms 145:11), “and Your gevurot, they will speak”; and as is written (Jeremiah 23:29), “Is not My word like fire, declares God.”

And the spoken word’s elevation begins from its head — i.e., from the most select part of the truth in the word, which is called “head.” For there are a number of truths, as [the Sages] taught: Truth has been splintered (Sanhedrin 97a). And as it is written, “The head of Your word is truth” (Psalms 119:160).

This is because before its rectification it was in an aspect of “she hurled truth to the ground” (Daniel 8:12). Thus it was impossible to speak a word of truth, because of the storm wind that confused him, as is written (Psalms 107:26), “They rise heavenward, they descend to the depths.” But when he rectifies it, then he is not confused. This corresponds to: Scripture went roundabout, [adding] nine letters, so as to avoid saying an unrefined word (Pesachim 3a). This indicates that when the storm wind is in control, a person cannot speak in a direct manner, because the <storm> wind confuses him. He has to take a roundabout path.

[Torah at Night]

And speech is rectified through the Torah a person studies under difficult circumstances, in poverty and distress. This is an aspect of night. For then “an end to all flesh” rules, as in, “He puts an end to darkness”; and as is written, “and the darkness He called Night” (Genesis 1:5). {“With the first light of morning, the men were sent on their way together with their donkeys” (Genesis 44:3).}

Also, our Sages taught: Whoever studies Torah at night has a thread of lovingkindness drawn over him during the day (Chagigah 12b). Lovingkindness is an aspect of “the morning of Avraham,” as is written in the Zohar: “With the first light of morning” — this is the morning of Avraham; “the men were sent on their way” — these are the masters of judgment; “together with their donkeys” — they and the entire side of impurity.

This is as it is written (Ruth 3:13), “Lie down until morning.” Then, all the opposing forces that rule over speech fall away. At that time the spoken word emerges in song, praise and acclaim for the Holy One, as is written, “O Lord, do not keep Yourself silent” (Psalms 83:2); and as is written, “so that [my] soul might sing to You and not be stilled” (Psalms 30:13). For then “the morning stars sang together” (Job 38:7).

{“Our feet stood inside your gates, O Yerushalayim” (Psalms 122:2).} And this is the meaning of “Our feet stood.” For speech is called a foot, as is written, “whom righteousness met wherever he set his foot” (Isaiah 41:2), and as is written, “you should speak righteousness” (Psalms 58:2). “Inside your gates, O Yerushalayim” — by means of the Torah, as Rashi explains.

[Arousal for Repentance]

Now, when one elevates the spoken word to its source — i.e., to the gevurot — and begins speaking to His Creator with the flame of the gevurot and rouses himself to the service of God, then the light of the root of the gevurot — i.e., the warmth of the heart — moves inside. This is because the heart is the root of the gevurot, as is written, “My heart grew warm within me, in my meditation [a fire blazed]” (Psalms 39:4). And the true source of the spoken word’s truth is there, as is written, “and speaks the truth [that is] in his heart” (ibid. 15:2). Thus he starts speaking with the warmth in his heart — the true word in his heart.

And when a person speaks the true words in his heart to His Creator, with an arousal for repentance, and he realizes <and recognizes> his own shortcomings and the Creator’s greatness — for until now he disregarded his sins and paid them no mind, but now he acknowledges them — then he is filled with great embarrassment for having seriously transgressed against the Master, Ruler, Essence and Root of all worlds.

Now, this embarrassment is not yet manifest. In other words, the embarrassment is <still within him> and does not show on his face, <corresponding to,> “my face covered the shame” (Psalms 69:8). This is because this embarrassment precedes repentance. And this is known: There is no comparison between a villager and a city-dweller (Chagigah 13b). The closer he is to the king, the greater his embarrassment. And the more aware he is of the kings glory, the more he feels embarrassment before the king. But prior to repenting, his awareness is still limited and as a result his embarrassment is not manifest on his face. For his sins clog his intellect and awareness, because of the spirit-of-folly he has within him. As [our Sages] taught: A person only sins [when infected by a spirit-of-folly] (Sotah 3a).

However, afterwards, when he repents <completely> and frees himself of foolishness — so that his intellect grows — then he becomes exceedingly embarrassed and the embarrassment shows on his face. And this embarrassment is an aspect of the light of the tefilin which becomes visible on his face, on his forehead. Thus the primary disclosure of embarrassment is on the forehead, as is written, “You had the forehead of a prostitute, you refused to be ashamed” (Jeremiah 3:3).

{“Then you will understand the fear of God and attain awareness of the Lord” (Proverbs 2:5).} This is the explanation of “Then you will understand the fear of God” (Proverbs 2:5). As is brought in the holy Zohar (Tikkuney Zohar, Introduction, p.9b): Tefilin are an aspect of Imma (Mother) over her son. <And Imma is Binah, corresponding to “Em you call to Binah.”>

This explains “Then you will understand” — i.e., by means of the added Binah (Understanding) that he will have in recognizing the Creator. Through this [he will have] “the fear of God” — i.e., the aspect of tefilin. As our Sages taught: “All the nations of the world will see that God’s name is associated with you, and they will fear you” (Deuteronomy 28:10) — this is tefilin (Berakhot 6a). For fear is embarrassment, as is written, ‘the fear of God be on your faces’ — this is embarrassment (Nedarim 20a), which is on the face. In other words, it is the aspect of tefilin made by <added> Binah, which is “Imma over her son.”

This is as our Sages taught (Berakhot 11a): Tefilin are called pe’er (glory), for it is said (Ezekiel 24:17), “Put on your pe’er.” And Pe’ER is the encompassing of the colors, because hitPe’ARut (a show of pride) is through an encompassing of the colors, as is written, “Israel, in you etPa’ER (I take pride)” (Isaiah 49:3). For [the Jewish people] are comprised of many colors. And this is as we see, that when a person is embarrassed, he turns different colors.

From this we are able to discern whether after rectifying the sin that person has fear of God, i.e., embarrassment — if, when we look at his face, we are subjected to fear and embarrassment. In other words, we are filled with awareness of the Creator’s greatness, blessed be His Name.

This is the explanation of “Then you will understand the fear of God <and attain awareness of the Lord>.” The explanation is: With this you will understand that he possesses fear of God — <if you> “attain awareness of the Lord,” that is, when you too attain awareness of the Creator’s greatness, namely, embarrassment and fear. This corresponds to “All the nations of the world will see… and they will fear you” — i.e., when they are also filled with fear.

[Radiance]

{“They stripped off their jewelry… Then Moshe took the ohel (tent)” (Exodus 33:6, 7).} Now, Moshe <also> merited the light of tefilin, as is written in the Zohar (I, 262a): “They stripped off their jewelry” — this is tefilin. “Then Moshe took the oHeL” — he took those lights, as indicated in (Job 29:3), “When his lamp HiLo (shone) over my head.”

{“Aharon and all the Israelites saw that the skin of Moshe’s face karan (was radiant), and they were afraid to come close to him” (Exodus 34:30).} And this is the meaning of “that the skin of Moshe’s face KaRaN,” similar to, “it had a single KeReN (horn) on its forehead” (Chullin 60a). This is the aspect of tefilin, which is [worn] atop the forehead. Because of this “they were afraid to come close to him” — for he shone the fear upon them, as in, “Then you will understand the fear of God, [and attain awareness of the Lord].”

This is also as our Sages taught: Whoever sins and is embarrassed by it, <his sins> are forgiven (Berakhot 12b). This is because the sin instills in a person the spirit-of-folly. But through embarrassment, he restores the mentalities, as in, “Then you will understand the fear of God,” as explained.

And this is as our Sages taught: Whoever is brazen-faced, it is a certainty that his ancestors’ feet never stood at Mount Sinai (Nedarim 20a). For the First Man blemished the aspect of tefilin, which is an aspect of the Tree of Life, <as our Sages taught (Menachot 44a): Whoever dons tefilin merits life, for it is said> (Isaiah 38:16), “O God, [with these things] on them, they live.” And he attached himself to the Tree of Death. As a result, He drove him away from the Garden of Eden (cf. Genesis 3:24). For the brazen-faced person [is destined] for Gehennom (Avot 5:23). But when he repented, it is written (Genesis 3:21), “[God] made them leather garments” — this is tefilin.

This is the explanation of: The ox that the First Man sacrificed had a single keren on its forehead. For by means of the sacrifice, by repenting, [Adam] merited the aspect of tefilin — which corresponds to the keirun (radiance) of the skin of the face.

But concerning Kayin, who was from the pollution of the Serpent, it is written (Genesis 4:6), “Why is your face fallen?” This is an aspect of the tefilin’s light, which is the radiance of the facial skin. <And he brought a sacrifice> from the dregs (Bereishit Rabbah 22:5) — seeing fault in everyone. We also find: “Then He placed a mark on Kayin” (Genesis 4:15) — a keren shone from him, as explained above. This is as is written of Kayin (ibid.: 16), “He settled in Nod, kidmat (east of) Eden.” The explanation is that he did not merit Eden because he blemished the light of the tefilin. This is KiDMaT, an acrostic for Karkafta D’lo Manach Tefilin (a skull that did not wear tefilin).

And this is as our Sages taught: Whoever is brazen-faced, it is certain that he is guilty of adultery (Taanit 7b). <As is brought in the Tikkuney Zohar,> Kayin came upon Hevel’s twin sister, as is written (Genesis 4:8), “Then, when they were in the field.”

Thus Israel, who stood at Mount Sinai, were cleansed of their pollution, i.e., the pollution of the Serpent. But the nations, who did not stand [there], were not cleansed of their pollution (Shabbat 146a). This is, “it is certain that his ancestors’ feet never stood.” Specifically “the feet,” because they lack <the aspect of> feet, <corresponding to the Serpent’s pollution,> as is written (Genesis 3:14), “On your belly you will crawl.”

This is as it is written: “Then God placed a mark on Kayin” — He restored their fear of him in them. As is written, “All the nations of the world will see [that God’s name is associated with you, and they will fear you].” As is written {in the Zohar}: When he repented, “then God placed a mark on Kayin” (Tikkuney Zohar #69, p.118b).

[Supernal Coat of Armor]

This is what the Talmudic Sage related: A cedar fell in our vicinity, and sixteen wagons went across its edge (Bekhorot 57b).

For it is known of the tzaddik who serves God with great attachment and intellect that <sometimes>, when he falls to a lower level than that, then even though his present level is still a great level in comparison with other tzaddikim, he is nevertheless embarrassed by this level. This is because for someone of his esteem, it is a fall. It is as if he committed a <serious> transgression, and he repents for this as if he had sinned. Through this he comes to great embarrassment — i.e., the aspect of tefilin, corresponding to “Then you will understand the fear of God” — and he comes to an aspect of new awareness and recognition.

Now, the primary light of the tefilin comes from the Tablets. As is brought: When the Jewish people said (Exodus 24:7), “We will do and we will hear,” they merited a supernal coat of armor. And from the Tablets’ light Moshe merited a radiance of the facial skin, because [the Tablets] are the mentalities themselves. For by sharpening the intellect through the Torah, the mentalities are sharpened. One gains <added perception in recognizing God> and becomes exceedingly embarrassed <before God. This is because> the Tablets are the root of the Torah. They are called yod vav: <yod> because of the Ten Commandments, <vav because the Tablets were> six handbreadths long by six handbreadths wide.

And the tzaddik is called “a cedar in Lebanon,” <as is written (Psalms 92:13), “The tzaddik will bloom like a date palm, like a cedar in Lebanon…”>

This is what the Talmudic Sage related in praise of the tzaddik, a tzaddik of his generation, who “fell in our vicinity.” Certainly the level of the Talmudic Sage was also great, however, vis-à-vis the tzaddik it was a fall. <This is “in our vicinity.”> “Went across” implies a revelation, as is written (Exodus 12:23), “Then God will cross through to strike Egypt.” Onkelos renders this as “will reveal Himself.” “Yod vav (16) wagons [went across] its ChuD (edge)” — in other words, through the ChiDud (sharpening) and renewal of his intellect that he received from the Torah, which is called yod vav, the KeiRuN (radiance) of the facial skin / embarrassment / tefilin is revealed. <This is the aspect of the above mentioned KRaNot (wagons).>

In addition, the Holy One is called “Makom of the world.” This is the explanation of “fell in our makom (vicinity).” He fell to a perception of God that was equivalent to our perception. And although our perception was also outstanding, yet commensurate with his esteem it was a fall, so that he engaged in repentance and was embarrassed by our perception.

This is the explanation of BeRAiShYT: YaRAi BoSheT. This is because YiRAh (fear) is BuShah (embarrassment). <For in BeRAiShYT,> RASheY is there, and BaT is there. <Rashey is an aspect of> “rashey (heads) of their patriarchal houses” (Exodus 6:14). <The patriarchs are> the three colors of the eye; <bat is the> bat (pupil) of the eye. This hints to the place of the tefilin, <corresponding to> “a frontlet between your eyes” (Exodus 13:16). And so the three colors of the eye and the pupil are the four sections [of tefilin] <that we merit [through] BeRAiShYT: YaRAi BoSheT, as explained.>

[Thirty-Nine Works]

This is the explanation of “If you TaShiV (restrain) your foot on Shabbat, refrain from pursuing your affairs on My holy day” (Isaiah 58:13).

ShaBbat is an aspect of BuShah.

your ReGeL (foot) — Initially, he has to rectify the spoken word, which is called ReGeL. And how does one rectify speech?

pursuing your affairs on My holy day — For the Serpent’s pollution brought about thirty-nine curses, the thirty-nine works. Thus, every person has to draw Shabbat’s holiness in order to sanctify the days of the week. As we find in the Mekhilta: “Remember the Shabbat day” (Exodus 20:8) — remember it from the first day of the week (Mekhilta, Yitro 7). And to the same degree that he sanctifies the weekdays, he dispels the Serpent’s pollution / an end to all flesh / the storm wind. Through this, the spoken word ascends. This is the explanation of:

pursuing your affairs — When you engage in your affairs, i.e., on the weekdays.

on My holy day — it should seem as though this is “My holy day.” You should draw from Shabbat’s holiness to the days of the week and so sanctify them from the thirty-nine works.

[Angel of Death]

And this is:

It has been taught: Rabbi Yosi said: Woe to mankind. They see but know not what they see. [They stand but know not on what they stand. What does the land stand on? The land stands on pillars… and the pillars are on the water… and the water on the mountains… and the mountains on the wind… and the wind on the storm… and the storm on the arm of the Holy One] (Chagigah 12b).

The land stands on pillars — “The land” is Binah, “land of the living,” from which tefilin emerge.

And prayer is called an AMuD (pillar), similar to “Pinchas AMaD (stood) <and prayed>” (Psalms 106:30).

and the pillars — the aspect of prayer.

are on the water — That is, on the heart, as is written (Lamentations 2:19), “pour out your heart like water before God.”

and the water on the mountains — This is the aspect of Torah, through which the lovingkindness of Avraham is aroused. For the mountains are Torah, which is exalted, as is written (Proverbs 8:15), “Through me kings rule.” Also, Avraham is called a mountain, as is written (Genesis 19:17), “escape to the mountains.”

and the mountains on the wind — This [wind] is the breath of the Holy One, the aspect of speech. As explained, the spoken word is elevated by means of the Torah of lovingkindness, as in, “lie down until the morning.”

and the wind on the storm — That is, the aspect of “an end to all flesh,” which corresponds to “after the words,” draws sustenance from the spoken word and becomes a storm wind, as above.

and the storm on the arm of the Holy One — For mankind has need of “an end to all flesh,” as is written (Genesis 1:31), “it was very good” — this is the Angel of Death (Bereishit Rabbah 9:10). <Its> descent is from the supernal gevurot, because it is “very good,” <as is known>. This is the meaning of “the storm on the arm” — the arm is the five gevurot (severities). From there [the Angel of Death] takes its vitality, until such time as “Death is swallowed up forever” (Isaiah 25:8).

[Elevate the Spoken Word]

And this is the explanation [of the opening verse]: {“Pharaoh’s markevot (chariots) and army yarah bayam (He cast into the sea), and his select shalishav (officers) were drowned in the Sea of Suf (Red Sea).”}

Pharaoh’s markevot and army — This is the aspect of tefilin. As is brought in the Zohar: PhaRAoh is Imma (Mother), because all the lights become PRAa (uncovered) and revealed through her (Zohar I, 210a). And tefilin are called maRKeVot (chariots), as is written (Deuteronomy 33:26), “He who RoKheV (rides) the shamayim (heavens).” And ShaMaYiM — aiSh and MaYiM — is an aspect of the colors. This is because the tefilin shine from the supernal Imma. And how do you merit the aspect of tefilin? <Through:>

Yarah bayam — Yarah is the gevurot, {<because> YaRaH with one added for the word itself has the same numerical value as GeVURaH}. “Into the water” corresponds to speech. You should bind and elevate the spoken word to its source.

And by what means will you be able to elevate the spoken word to its source? By studying Torah at night. Through this study a thread of lovingkindness is drawn, and then “with the first light of morning…” Then, the spoken word ascends and becomes bat Avraham, as our Sages taught: Avraham had a bat (daughter), and her name was Bakol (Bava Batra 16b). BaYaM (“into the sea”) has the same numerical value as BaKoL. And this is:

and his select shalishav were drowned in the sea — The Torah is called a threefold teaching (Shabbat 88a). And “select” is Avraham, as is written (Nehemiah 9:7), “Who selected Avram.” The explanation is: By means of the Torah, through which we awaken the attribute of Avraham, the spoken word is rectified.

Then “an end to all flesh” will be drowned in the Hollow of the Great Deep. This is:

drowned in the Sea of Suf — Suf is an aspect of “an end to all flesh,” which is attached to the sea of speech. It will be drowned in the Hollow of the Great Deep because of “the morning of Avraham,” which is aroused through the Torah, as explained.

[Mystical Meditations of Tefilin]

{This lesson contains the mystical kavanot - meditations of tefilin, as has been explained within the lesson itself. The marginal notes also point out how all the meditations of tefilin are included there. The erudite will understand how this is so. Still, an extensive explanation is required to clarify the matter well. If God comes to my aide, the matter will be explained elsewhere, with God’s help.

And know! from his holy lips I heard a listing of a number of lessons, after which he said that they all contain the mystical meditations of tefilin. These were the lessons: B’chatzotzrot v’Kol Shofar (Lesson #5); Anokhi HaShem Elohekha (Lesson #4); Kra et Yehoshua (Lesson #6); Mi HaIsh Hechafeitz Chaim (Lesson #33); V’atem Tihiyu Li Mamlekhet Kohanim (Lesson #34); Ashrei HaAm—Zarka (Lesson # 35); and this lesson, Markevot Paraoh V’cheilo, as well as good number of the other large lessons, which I cannot presently recall. And he said, “They all contain the mystical meditations of tefilin. Happy is he who merits comprehending them.”}