Translation:Likutei Moharan/42

by Nachman of Breslov

“Vayar Batzar Lahem (He Saw That They Were in Distress) then He heard their song. Then He remembered His covenant for them and in His abundant lovingkindness relented.” (Psalms 106:44, 45)

[Fire, Water and Wind]

Judgment is mitigated through song, as is written in the holy Zohar: The keshet (rainbow) is the Shekhinah (Divine Presence), and the three colors of the rainbow are the Patriarchs, who are garments of the Shekhinah.

Now, when [the Shekhinah] dresses in radiant garments, then, “I will see her and remember the everlasting covenant” (Genesis 9:16). Then, “the king’s wrath abated” (Esther 7:10). It is like the parable of the king who got angry at his son. But when the king sees the queen in her radiant garments, he takes pity on his son.

And the letters of prayer are the Shekhinah, as is written (Psalms 51:17), “Adonoy (My Lord), open my lips” — the spoken word being the name Adonoy. And it is called a keshet (bow), as Rashi explains (Genesis 48:22): “with my sword and my bow” — this connotes prayer.

Now, the sounds of song are the three colors of the rainbow, for the voice consists of fire, water and wind. These are the three Patriarchs, the Patriarchs being the three radiant colors in whom “I will see her and remember [the everlasting covenant].”

Thus it is that when someone sings the letters of prayer, and the sounds of the singing are very pure and clear, then he clothes the Shekhinah — i.e., the letters — in radiant garments. And the Holy Blessed One sees her, so that “the King’s wrath abated.”

This is the meaning of Rashi’s commentary: “when He heard their song” — in the merit of the Patriarchs. In other words, when song, which is the three colors of the rainbow, is very clear and pure — because the three colors are the Patriarchs, and they are the garments of the Shekhinah, so that when the garments are radiant in ZaKuT (purity) and clarity they are called “the ZeKhuT (merit) of the Patriarchs” — then, “I will see her and remember the everlasting covenant.” Then, “and in His abundant lovingkindness relented” — i.e., “the King’s wrath abated” and the judgments are mitigated.

[Secret]

Also through faith in the sages — by believing that all the things they say and do are not simple but contain deep mysteries, one clothes the rainbow in radiant garments. Then, “I will see her and remember the everlasting covenant.” For the tzaddik corresponds to the rainbow, as Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: “Was a rainbow seen during your lifetime?” (Ketuvot 77b).

And in the holy Zohar it is brought: Someone whose devotions are intended to illuminate the Matron, so that he removes her dark garments which stem from the [Torah’s] simple meaning and adorns her in garments of radiant colors which stem from the Torah’s mysteries, of him it is written: “I will see her and remember the everlasting covenant.” For light is called a secret. Thus at that time his anger at his son disappears, “the king’s wrath abated.”

[Judgments]

Judgments are also mitigated when someone provides the tzaddik with nice garments.

[KeSheT / Rainbow]

This also corresponds to the shofar blasts. For the tekiah shevarim teruah are the patriarchs Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. The mnemonic for this is KeSheT (rainbow) — i.e., teKiah [Shevarim Teruah].

And this is the explanation of “Shadai (the Almighty) will be your fortification” (Job 22:25). For the name ShaDaI <corresponds to> the Patriarchs. The Shin is the three branches of the tree, which are the Patriarchs. They are the three names of the unification YHVH AELoHeINU YHVH, which have fourteen letters — the DI of ShaDaI. In addition, the first letters of Avraham Yitzchak Yaakov are also the first letters of YHVH Ӕloheinu YHVH.

[Three Colors]

“There is no utterance or spoken word without their sound being heard” (Psalms 19:4). This is an aspect of the rainbow and the sound of the three colors of the rainbow.