לִקּוּטֵי מוֹהֲרַ״ןLikutei Moharan · Shiurim
Likutei Moharan I:7 · תּוֹרָה ז׳✓ watched

וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם

Exile, Faith and the Counsel of Truth

The exile comes from a lack of faith, and faith is prayer, which changes nature like a miracle; its root is the Land of Israel, and Mashiach comes when those who cover miracles with nature are gone. Faith is whole only when truth joins it, and truth comes through drawing close to the tzaddikim and taking their counsel, which is wholly a seed of truth, while the counsel of the wicked is the snake's. Tzitzis guard the eyes from the snake's counsel so that the tzaddik's counsel can be received. Rabbah bar bar Chanah's visit to Mount Sinai and the verse V'eileh haMishpatim are read this way; added notes teach that prayer helps memory and that looking at tzitzis is a segulah for the sick.

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Full shiur 21 min 27 s · 37.3 MB

Watch or download in 5 parts
  1. Part 1: Exile, Faith and Miracles 4 min 58 s▶ Play⬇ 8.5 MB
  2. Part 2: Truth Through the Tzaddik's Counsel 3 min 43 s▶ Play⬇ 6.4 MB
  3. Part 3: Tzitzis and the Mountain of Sinai 4 min 13 s▶ Play⬇ 7.3 MB
  4. Part 4: The Verse Explained, Memory, and Shechem 4 min 11 s▶ Play⬇ 7.2 MB
  5. Part 5: The Seed of Truth, and the Wings of Tzitzis 4 min 22 s▶ Play⬇ 7.8 MB
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text 1,653 words
א׳

לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם: (שמות כ״א:א׳)

אָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין לה. ב"ק טו.): הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ. וְאִיתָא בִּמְכִילְתָּא: יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים לוֹמְדִין וְאֵינָם מְבִינִים – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם, עָרְכֵם לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ:

א דַּע, כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל חֶסְרוֹן אֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שיר השירים ד׳:ח׳): תָּבוֹאִי תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה; וֶאֱמוּנָה הוּא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות י״ז:י״ב): וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ: פְּרִישָׂן בִּצְלוֹ.

וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נִסִּים לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע, כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה לְמַעְלָה מִטֶּבַע, כִּי הַטֶּבַע מְחַיֵּב כֵּן, וְהַתְּפִלָּה מְשַׁנָּה הַטֶּבַע, וְזֶה דְּבַר נֵס, וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁיַּאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְחַדֵּשׁ וּבְיָדוֹ לְחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר כִּרְצוֹנוֹ.

וְעִקַּר אֱמוּנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, בְּחִינַת נִסִּים, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ל״ז:ג׳): שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה; וְשָׁם עִקַּר עֲלִיּוֹת הַתְּפִלּוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית כ״ח:י״ז): וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם.

וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה כְּשֶׁפָּגַם אַבְרָהָם בַּמָּה אֵדַע (שם טו), וּבָזֶה פָּגַם בִּירֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, הָיָה גָּלוּת מִצְרַיִם. וְדַוְקָא יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו יָרְדוּ מִצְרַיִם, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר נֻסְחָאוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה, וְהוֹרִיד אוֹתָם בַּגָלוּת,

וּמִצְרַיִם הוּא הֶפֶךְ הַנִּסִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמות י״ד:כ״ז): וּמִצְרַיִם נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ – שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מְקוֹם הַנִּסִּים, וְאֵין שָׁם מְקוֹם הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם ט): וְהָיָה כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר אֶפְרֹשׂ אֶת כַּפַּי.

וְכָל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת מְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם מִצְרַיִם, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְצֵרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּכְשֶׁפּוֹגְמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה, בִּתְפִלָּה, בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוּא יוֹרֵד לַגָלוּת.

וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין צז.): אֵין מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד בָּא אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס; הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּכְלוּ הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֱמוּנָה בְּנִסִּים, וּמְכַסִּים כָּל הַנִּסִּים בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, כִּי עִקַּר הַנִּסִּים בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹתָה תְּחִלָּה (תענית י.), וּשְׁתִיָּתָהּ מֵהַתְּהוֹמוֹת, שֶׁהֵם לְשׁוֹן: וַתֵּהֹם כָּל הָעִיר (רות א׳:י״ט), שֶׁעַל דָּבָר נִסִּי תְּמֵהִין הָעוֹלָם.

וְזֶה (תהילים מ״ב:ח׳): תְּהוֹם אֶל תְּהוֹם קוֹרֵא; כִּי יֵשׁ נִסִּין עִלָּאִין, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּהוֹם עִלָּאָה, וְיֵשׁ נִסִּים תַּתָּאִין, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תְּהוֹמָא תַתָּאָה,

וּמַלְאָךְ שֶׁכָּלוּל מִכָּל הַנִּסִּים, מִשְּׁנֵי הַתְּהוֹמוֹת, דָּמְיָא לְעֶגְלָא (תענית כה:), שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עִגּוּלִים, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים פט): וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ; וּפְרִיטָא שִׂפְוָתֵהּ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם נא): אֲדֹ-נָ-י שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח, וְהוּא כְּלָלוּת הַנִּסִּים.

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס – כִּי יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם הַמְכַסִּים כְּלָלִיּוּת הַנִּסִּים, הַכְּלוּלִים בַּמַּלְאָךְ דִּפְרִיטָא שִׂפְוָתֵהּ, מְכַסִּים בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע; וּכְשֶׁתִּכְלֶה זֹאת וְתִתְרַבֶּה אֱמוּנָה בָּעוֹלָם – אָז יָבוֹא מָשִׁיחַ, כִּי עִקַּר הַגְּאֻלָּה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: תָּבוֹאִי תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה:

ב׳

ב אֲבָל אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לֶאֱמוּנָה אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר (בלק קצח:): וְהָיָה צֶדֶק אֵזוֹר מָתְנָיו וֶאֱמוּנָה וְכוּ' (ישעיהו י״א:ה׳) – הַיְנוּ צֶדֶק, הַיְנוּ אֱמוּנָה. וְאָמְרוּ שָׁם: אֱמוּנָה אִתְקְרִיאַת, כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בָּהּ אֱמֶת:

ג׳

ג וְאִי־אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לֶאֱמֶת אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לְצַדִּיקִים, וְיֵלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ עֲצָתָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מֵהֶם עֲצָתָם, נֶחְקָק בּוֹ אֱמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים נ״א:ח׳): הֵן אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ – כְּשֶׁאַתָּה חָפֵץ אֱמֶת, בַטֻּחוֹת וּבְסָתֻם חָכְמָה תוֹדִיעֵנִי – כִּי הָעֵצוֹת שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מֵהֶם הוּא בְּחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין וְזִוּוּג;

וּכְשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין עֵצוֹת מֵרְשָׁעִים, הוּא בְּחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין בַּקְּלִפָּה. הַנָּחָשׁ הִשִּׁיאַנִי (בראשית ג׳:י״ג) – לְשׁוֹן נִשּׂוּאִין; עֲצוֹת הַנָּחָשׁ שֶׁקִּבְּלָה הוּא בְּחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין, וְעַל־יְדֵי נִשּׂוּאִין הֵטִיל בָּהּ זֻהֲמָא. וּבְמַעֲמַד הַר־סִינַי פָּסְקָה זֻהֲמָתָן (שבת קמו. עיין רש"י שם), כִּי שָׁם קִבְּלוּ תַּרְיַ"ג עֵטִין דִּקְדֻשָּׁה (זוהר יתרו פב:), וְהָיְתָה לָהֶם נִשּׂוּאִין בִּקְדֻשָּׁה.

וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא עֵצָה בִּבְחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין, כִּי (ברכות סא.) הַכְּלָיוֹת יוֹעֲצוֹת, וּכְלָיוֹת הֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, כְּלֵי הַזֶּרַע. נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין עֵצָה מֵאָדָם, כְּאִלּוּ מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ זֶרַע, וְהַכֹּל לְפִי אָדָם, אִם רָשָׁע אוֹ צַדִּיק.

וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הַתּוֹרָה מַתִּישׁ כֹּחַ (סנהדרין כו:) וְנִקְרֵאת תּוּשִׁיָּה, כִּי הֵם תַּרְיַ"ג עֵטִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ח׳:י״ד): לִי עֵצָה וְתוּשִׁיָּה; וְעֵצוֹת הֵם בִּמְקוֹם נִשּׂוּאִין, בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג הַמַּתִּישׁ כֹּחַ,

וַעֲצַת הַצַּדִּיק הוּא כֻּלּוֹ זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א): וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק, בְּחִינַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (זכריה י׳:ח׳): אֶשְׁרְקָה לָהֶם וַאֲקַבְּצֵם, וְעַל־יְדֵי מָה, עַל־יְדֵי: כֻּלּוֹ זֶרַע אֱמֶת (שם בירמיה סיום הפסוק ואנכי נטעתיך הנ"ל) – עַל־יְדֵי עֲצַת הַצַּדִּיקִים תָּבוֹא לֶאֱמֶת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִקְרֵאת אֱמוּנָה, כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בַּהּ אֱמֶת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תָּבוֹא הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הוּא מְקַבֵּל טִפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ.

וְזֶה: הֵן אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ בַטֻּחוֹת – בַּכְּלָיוֹת – חָכְמָה תוֹדִיעֵנִי, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל טִפֵּי הַמֹּחַ, טִפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל, עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה שֶׁאֲקַבֵּל מֵהֶם, וְאָז אֶזְכֶּה לֶאֱמֶת, כִּי הַטִּפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל נִקְרָא: כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת:

ד׳

ד וְדַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי מִצְוַת צִיצִית הָאָדָם נִצּוֹל מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, מִנִּשּׂוּאִין שֶׁל רָשָׁע, מִבְּחִינַת נִאוּף, כִּי צִיצִית שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף, כַּמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תיקון יח): וַיִּקַּח שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת אֶת הַשִּׂמְלָה וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם (בראשית ט׳:כ״ג) – זֶה בְּחִינַת צִיצִית; וְעֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם לֹא רָאוּ – כִּי צִיצִית מְכַסָּה עַל עֲרָיִין. אֲבָל חָם, דְּהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דִּמְחַמֵּם גּוּפֵהּ דְּבַר־נָשׁ בַּעֲבֵרָה, הוּא אָרוּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם): אָרוּר כְּנָעַן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם ג): אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה. וְהַשִּׂמְלָה, הַיְנוּ צִיצִית, הוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, מִזֻּהֲמַת הַנָּחָשׁ:

וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת (שם מט): בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן – בִּשְׁבִיל צִיצִית, לְשׁוֹן: מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים (שיר השירים ב׳:ט׳), עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זָכָה לְבֵן פֹּרָת, שֶׁנִּשְׁמַר מִנִּשּׂוּאִין שֶׁל נָחָשׁ, מִזִּוּוּג שֶׁל הַסִּטְרָא־אָחֳרָא, וְזָכָה לְזִוּוּגָא דִקְדֻשָּׁה.

וְזֶה: פֹּרָת – לְשׁוֹן זִוּוּג, לְשׁוֹן: פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. וְעִקַּר הַנִּאוּף תָּלוּי בָּעֵינַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (סוטה ט:): שִׁמְשׁוֹן הָלַךְ אַחַר עֵינָיו; וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר ט״ו:ל״ט): וְלֹא תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם;

וּשְׁמִירַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֵינַיִם, הוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, וְיָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל הָעֵצוֹת מִצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת.

ה׳

ה וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:

אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־חָנָה: אָמַר לִי הַהוּא טַיְעָא: תָּא אַחֲוֵי לָךְ טוּרָא דְּסִינַי. אַזְלִי וַחֲזָאִי דְּהַדְרָן לֵהּ עַקְרַבֵּי, וְקָיְמִין כִּי חַמְרֵי חִוַּרְתָא. וְשָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת־קוֹל שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת: אוֹי [לִי] שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי; וְעַכְשָׁו שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי, מִי מֵפֵר לִי:

תָּא וְאַחֲוֵי לָךְ טוּרָא דְּסִינַי – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֵצוֹת, כִּי שָׁם קִבְּלוּ תַּרְיַ"ג עֵטִין.

חֲזַאי דְּהָדְרָן לֵהּ עַקְרַבָּא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲצַת נָחָשׁ, עֲצַת רְשָׁעִים, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵיהֶם אֵין יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל עֲצַת צַדִּיקִים, זֶרַע אֱמֶת.

וְקָיְמוּ כִּי חַמְרֵי חִוַּרְתָּא – זֶה בְּחִינַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, מִנִּאוּף;

כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מנחות מג:): אֵיזֶה עָנְשׁוֹ גָּדוֹל, שֶׁל לָבָן אוֹ שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת, וְאָמְרוּ: מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד, שֶׁצִּוָּה לְהָבִיא לוֹ חוֹתָם שֶׁל זָהָב, הַיְנוּ תְּכֵלֶת, וְחוֹתָם שֶׁל טִיט, הַיְנוּ לָבָן. וְזֶה: חַמְרֵי, לְשׁוֹן חֹמֶר וָטִיט; חִוָּרָא, הַיְנוּ לָבָן, כִּי עַכְשָׁו זֶה עִקַּר הַצִּיצִית.

וְשָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת־קוֹל שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי – פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: עַל הַגָּלוּת, הַיְנוּ, עַל־יְדֵי צִיצִית יְכוֹלִין לָבוֹא לַעֲצַת צַדִּיקִים, לִבְחִינַת אֱמֶת; וְעַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת בָּאִים לֶאֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה בָּא הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה שֶׁשָּׁמַע חֲרָטַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל הַגָּלוּת, כִּי הַצִּיצִית, שֶׁהֵם חֲמָרֵי חִוָּרָא, גָּרַם כָּל זֶה:

ו׳

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:

וְאֵלֶּה – כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה, מוֹסִיף. זֶה בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, בְּחִינַת שְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית, בְּחִינַת צִיצִית.

הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – זֶה בְּחִינַת כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים י״ט:י׳): מִשְׁפְּטֵי ה' אֱמֶת; שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לַעֲצַת צַדִּיקִים, לִבְחִינַת אֱמֶת.

אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – זֶה בְּחִינוֹת כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בַּהּ אֱמֶת,

וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ; כִּי זֶה אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה הֵם בְּחִינַת הִתְחַבְּרוּת אֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה, וּבָזֶה תָּלוּי הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל.

וְזֶה יָכוֹל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים לוֹמְדִים וְאֵין מְבִינִים – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְכוּ', עָרְכֵם לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד יִתְגַּלּוּ כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו י״א:ט׳): וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל:

ז׳

(הַשְׁמָטוֹת הַשַּׁיָּכִים לְהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת):

הַתְּפִלָּה הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַנִּסִּים, כִּי נֵס לְמַעְלָה מִטֶּבַע, וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, עַיֵּן שָׁם.

וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הַתְּפִלָּה מְסֻגָּל לְזִכָּרוֹן, כִּי תְּפִלָּה הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְשִׁכְחָה הוּא עִנְיָן שֶׁהָיָה לְפָנֵינוּ דְּבַר־מָה וְנִשְׁכַּח וְעָבַר מֵאִתָּנוּ. (וְהִיא דֶּרֶךְ הַהַנְהָגָה עַל־פִּי מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת, שֶׁמִּתְנַהֵג כְּסֵדֶר יוֹם אַחַר יוֹם, וְהוּא הִפּוּךְ הָאֱמוּנָה, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן אִם מַאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְחַדֵּשׁ הַכֹּל בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד, וְהוּא מְחַיֶּה וּמְקַיֵּם הַכֹּל תָּמִיד, וְהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, אֵין כָּאן שִׁכְחָה, וְדוּ"ק).

וּמֵעַתָּה תִּרְאֶה נִפְלָאוֹת בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קד.): מֵ"ם וְסָמֶ"ךְ שֶׁבַּלּוּחוֹת בְּנֵס הָיוּ עוֹמְדִין; כִּי מַס הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁכְחָה, וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חגיגה ט:): אֵין דּוֹמֶה הַשּׁוֹנֶה פִּרְקוֹ מֵאָה פְּעָמִים לְמֵאָה פְּעָמִים וְאֶחָד; כִּי מַס בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא מֵאָה, וְעַד מֵאָה שׁוֹלֵט הַשַּׂר שֶׁל שִׁכְחָה, וְזֶה שֶׁהִמְתִּיקוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: מֵ"ם וְסָמֶ"ךְ, הַיְנוּ מַ"ס שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁכְחָה, בְּנֵס הָיוּ עוֹמְדִין, כִּי נֵס הוּא הֶפֶךְ הַשִּׁכְחָה, כִּי נִסִּים הֵם בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהִיא הֵפֶךְ הַשִּׁכְחָה כַּנַּ"ל:

וְדַע וְכוּ' כִּי צִיצִית שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף וְכוּ', עַל שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם זֶה בְּחִינַת צִיצִית וְכוּ'. וְזֶה (בראשית ל״ז:י״ג): הֲלֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת צִיצִית כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהִיא שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת שְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, עַל כֵּן אָמַר יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף: הֲלוֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינָה שֶׁלְּךָ; לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם:

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כוּ', כִּי הוּא מְקַבֵּל טִפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ. וְזֶה שׂוֹרֵק, הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוּרֻק, שֶׁהוּא תְּלָת טִפִּין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (ובתיקונים תיקון נו), וְהוּא תְּלָת מֹחִין, כִּי הוּא עִנְיָן אֶחָד, כִּי הַטִּפָּה בָּאָה מֵהַמֹּחַ וּמַגִּיעָה לְהַכְּלָיוֹת, שֶׁהֵן כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, שֶׁמְּבַשְּׁלִין הַזֶּרַע, כֵּן הַשֵּׂכֶל נוֹלָד גַּם כֵּן בַּמֹּחַ וּמַגִּיעַ עַד הַכְּלָיוֹת הַיּוֹעֲצוֹת.

וּתְלָת מֹחִין הוּא בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו ו׳:י׳): הַשְׁמֵן לֵב וְכוּ' וְאָזְנָיו וְכוּ' וְעֵינָיו וְכוּ', פֶּן יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וָשָׁב וְכוּ', כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְדַבֵּק עַצְמוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים פֶּן יִרְאֶה וְכוּ';

אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמְּדַבֵּק עַצְמוֹ לְצַדִּיקִים וּמְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם עֵצָה, אֲזַי הוּא בְּחִינַת כְּלָיוֹת יוֹעֲצוֹת, שֶׁהֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל הַטִּפָּה מֹחַ הַמִּתְחַלֶּקֶת לִתְלָת טִפִּין, תְּלָת מֹחִין כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וְכוּ', שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַשְּׁלשָׁה מֹחִין, וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ. וְזֶהוּ: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת, וְהָבֵן:

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־חָנָה וְכוּ', וְזֶה רָמַז גַּם כֵּן בְּפֶתַח דְּבָרָיו: אָמַר לִי הַהוּא טַיְעָא, וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י בְּכָל מָקוֹם: סוֹחֵר יִשְׁמָעֵאל; כִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל הוּא בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית ט״ז:י״א): כִּי שָׁמַע ה' אֶל עָנְיֵךְ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ: אֲרֵי קַבִּיל ה' יָת צְלוֹתֵיךְ,

וְהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ סוֹחֵר, מִלְּשׁוֹן סְחוֹר סְחוֹר (בְּחִינַת מַקִּיפִים), שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ (תהלים פט).

וְזֶהוּ (רות ג׳:ט׳): וּפָרַשְׂתָּ כְּנָפֶךָ עַל אֲמָתֶךָ; כִּי צִיצִית דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁהֵם כַּנְפֵי מִצְוָה, הוּא שְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג דִּקְדֻשָּׁה.

וְזֶהוּ שֶׁשָּׁאַל חַגַּי הַנָּבִיא (חגי ב׳:י״ב): הֵן יִשָּׂא אִישׁ בְּשַׂר־קֹדֶשׁ בִּכְנַף בִּגְדּוֹ וְנָגַע בִּכְנָפוֹ אֶל הַלֶּחֶם; כִּי פְּגַם הַבְּרִית – הֶעְדֵּר הַלֶּחֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ו׳:כ״ו): בְּעַד אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה עַד כִּכַּר לָחֶם, וְהָבֵן:

וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וְכוּ', מִשָּׁם רוֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל (בראשית מ״ט:כ״ד) – אֲבָהָן וּבְנִין, בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו.

ח׳

סְגֻלָּה לְחוֹלֶה – לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַצִּיצִית. וְהַסּוֹד בַּפָּסוּק (שם מח): הִנֵּה בִנְךָ יוֹסֵף בָּא אֵלֶיךָ; כִּי כָּל אֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת מְרַמְּזִין עַל הַצִּיצִית, דְּהַיְנוּ מִנְיַן הַחוּטִין וְהַחֻלְיוֹת וְהַקְּשָׁרִים, כַּמְבֹאָר בִּפְרִי־ עֵץ־חַיִּים בְּשַׁעַר הַצִּיצִית, פֶּרֶק ד', בַּהַגָּ"ה, עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְזֶהוּ: הִנֵּה בִנְךָ יוֹסֵף בָּא אֵלֶיךָ, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת צִיצִית כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה: וַיִּתְחַזֵּק יִשְׂרָאֵל:

Hebrew text: Likutei Moharan - rabenubook.com via Sefaria (Public Domain) · Sefaria. Names of Hashem are written in the customary form.

Transcripts

1-minute recap

Likutey Moharan, Torah seven: V'eileh haMishpatim. Faith, truth, and the counsel of the tzaddik.

The exile comes from a lack of faith. And faith is prayer, which rises above nature, like a miracle.

But faith comes only through truth, and truth comes by drawing close to the tzaddikim and following their counsel.

The tzaddik's counsel is a seed of pure truth, and it brings the redemption.

Tzitzis guard the eyes from the snake's counsel, so we can receive the counsel of the tzaddik.

Then truth joins faith, and the redemption comes, when all wisdom will be laid out like a set table.

Our own reflection: seek true counsel from true tzaddikim, and pray with simple faith.

Explainer

Likutey Moharan, Torah seven: V'eileh haMishpatim, these are the laws. A Torah about the exile and the redemption: faith, truth, the counsel of the tzaddik, and the mitzvah of tzitzis.

Rebbe Nachman begins: know that the main cause of the exile is a lack of faith. And faith is prayer, as it says of Moshe at war: his hands were faith, and the Targum says, spread out in prayer.

Prayer is above nature. Nature says it must be this way, and prayer changes it. That is a miracle. So prayer needs faith: to believe there is a Creator who renews everything, as He wills.

The root of faith, prayer and miracles is the Land of Israel. There prayers rise, as Yaakov said: this is the gate of heaven.

So when Avraham asked, how will I know that I will inherit the land, the exile of Egypt followed. Yaakov and his sons, the twelve paths of prayer, went down to Egypt, the very opposite of miracles. Moshe could only spread his hands in prayer outside the city. Every exile is called Egypt, because it narrows Yisrael.

The Sages say Mashiach will not come until the last coin, the prutah, is gone from the purse. Rebbe Nachman reads it: until the heretics are gone, those who cover every miracle with the cloak of nature.

The Land of Israel drinks first, from the depths, the tehomos, a word for wonder. There are higher miracles and lower miracles, deep calling to deep. When faith grows in the world, Mashiach will come.

But faith comes only through truth. As the Zohar says: it is called faith when truth is joined to it.

And truth comes only by drawing close to the tzaddikim, walking in the way of their counsel. Through their counsel, truth is engraved in a person.

Taking counsel is a kind of union, like a marriage. Counsel from the wicked is a union with impurity: the snake beguiled Chavah with his counsel, and left a defilement. At Sinai that defilement ended, because there Yisrael received the six hundred and thirteen holy counsels of the Torah.

Why is counsel like a marriage? The Sages say the kidneys give counsel, and the kidneys are bound up with the power of giving life. So when you take a person's counsel, it is as if you receive a seed from him. Everything depends on who he is, wicked or righteous.

The counsel of the tzaddik is entirely a seed of truth. As Hashem says: I planted you a choice vine, soreik, wholly a seed of truth. Soreik recalls I will whistle for them and gather them: the redemption. Through his counsel we come to truth, truth makes faith whole, and faith brings the redemption.

How do we escape the snake's counsel? Through tzitzis. When Shem and Yefes covered their father with a garment, that was tzitzis, which guards against immorality. Yosef is a fruitful son above the eye: through tzitzis, which guard the eyes, he was kept pure.

Desire follows the eyes: do not stray after your heart and after your eyes. Tzitzis guard the eyes, and protect us from the snake's counsel. Then we can receive counsel from the tzaddik, wholly a seed of truth.

Then a story of Rabbah bar bar Chanah. A merchant said: come, I will show you Mount Sinai. I saw scorpions all around it, standing like white donkeys. And I heard a heavenly voice say: woe to Me that I swore; now that I have sworn, who will annul it for Me?

Mount Sinai is counsel. The scorpions are the snake's counsel, which keeps us from the tzaddik's. The white donkeys are tzitzis: chamra, clay, the white threads. And the voice is Hashem, as it were, regretting the exile, because tzitzis lead to counsel, truth, faith and redemption.

Now the opening verse. V'eileh, and these, adds: that is Yosef, guarding the covenant, tzitzis. Hamishpatim, the laws, are truth: the judgements of Hashem are true. Asher tasim lifneihem, which you shall set before them: truth joined to faith. Man and woman are made equal, because they are truth and faith joined together.

And arrange it before them like a set table: that is the redemption, when all wisdom will be revealed, set out like a table. The earth will be filled with knowledge.

In the notes added to this Torah: prayer helps memory. Forgetting belongs to the world of fixed order, day after day. Faith knows that Hashem renews everything at every moment, above time, so there is no forgetting.

So the Sages say the letters mem and samech in the Tablets stood by a miracle. Mas, mem samech, is a hundred, the power of forgetting, which rules up to a hundred. That is why reviewing a hundred and one times is not like a hundred. A miracle, nes, is the opposite of forgetting.

Soreik is also the vowel shuruk, three dots, the three powers of the mind. Understanding is born in the mind, and reaches the kidneys that give counsel. Whoever binds himself to the tzaddikim will see with his eyes, hear with his ears, understand with his heart, and return and be healed.

And a segulah for one who is ill: to look at the tzitzis. Here is your son Yosef coming to you, and Yisrael gathered his strength.

Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Seek the counsel of true tzaddikim, and let it become truth inside you. Look at your tzitzis, and guard your eyes. And pray with simple faith that Hashem can change anything.

Full shiur

— Part 1: Exile, Faith and Miracles —

Likutey Moharan, Torah seven: V'eileh haMishpatim. A shiur in five parts. Part one: the exile, faith, prayer and miracles.

Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan, Torah seven. Grey is a verse or teaching he quotes. Green is our own explanation. The Hebrew is the public-domain text from Sefaria; the English is our own paraphrase.

Rebbe Nachman opens with the first verse of parashas Mishpatim. And these are the laws that you shall set before them.

Our Sages said: a woman was made equal to a man. And the Mechilta says: might the students learn and not understand? So the verse says, 'which you shall set before them': arrange it before them like a set table.

Section one. Know that the main cause of the exile is only a lack of faith, as it says: 'Come, look from the peak of Amanah', faith. And faith is prayer, as it says: 'and his hands were faith', which the Targum renders, 'spread out in prayer.'

And this is the aspect of miracles, above nature. For prayer is above nature: nature dictates that it must be so, and prayer changes nature, and that is a miracle. For this one needs faith: to believe that there is a Creator who renews, and that it is in His hand to make anything new as He wills.

Our explanation. Three things are one here. Nature says things must be as they are. Prayer asks Hashem to change them, and that change is a miracle. And prayer stands on faith: the belief that Hashem renews the world and can make anything new.

The root of faith, of prayer, of miracles, is only in the Land of Israel, as it says: 'dwell in the land and tend faith.' And there is the main ascent of prayers, as it says: 'and this is the gate of heaven.'

That is why, when Avraham faltered in asking 'how shall I know', he faltered in the inheritance of the land, which is faith, which is prayer, and so came the exile of Egypt. And specifically Yaakov and his sons went down to Egypt, for they are the twelve paths of prayer, and He brought them down into exile.

And Egypt is the opposite of miracles, as it says: 'and Egypt fled towards it', nasim, a play on nisim, miracles. There is no place there for miracles, no place for prayer, as it says: 'when I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands.'

All the exiles are called by the name Egypt, Mitzrayim, because they bring distress, meitzarim, to Yisrael. And when one damages faith, prayer, the Land of Israel, he goes down into exile.

And this is what our Sages said: Mashiach son of David will not come until the last coin is gone from the purse. That is, until the heretics are gone, who have no faith in miracles and cover all miracles with the way of nature. For miracles are mainly in the Land of Israel, which drinks first, and drinks from the depths, tehomos, a word for amazement, as in 'and the whole city was astir': at a miracle the world is amazed.

And this is 'deep calls to deep': for there are higher miracles, the higher depth, and lower miracles, the lower depth.

And the angel that contains all the miracles, from both depths, looks like a calf, egla, the aspect of circles, igulim, which is faith, as it says: 'and Your faithfulness surrounds You.' And its lips are split, which is prayer, as it says, 'open my lips': and so he contains all the miracles together.

This is the meaning of 'until the coin, prutah, is gone from the purse': there are people who cover the sum of all miracles, held in the angel with split lips, prita sifvateh, and cover them with the way of nature. When this ends and faith grows in the world, then Mashiach will come, for the redemption depends mainly on this, as it says: 'Come, look from the peak of Amanah.'

Our explanation. Rebbe Nachman hears in prutah, the last coin, the word prita, the angel's split lips: the sum of all miracles, opened through prayer. Some people cover every miracle with the cloak of nature. When that covering ends and faith fills the world, Mashiach will come.

— Part 2: Truth Through the Tzaddik's Counsel —

Part two: faith needs truth, and truth comes through the counsel of the tzaddikim.

Section two. But it is impossible to come to faith except through truth, as brought in the Zohar on the verse 'righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, and faith…': righteousness, tzedek, is faith. And they said there: it is called faith when truth is joined to it.

Our explanation. Faith is not complete on its own. When truth is joined to it, when a person's faith rests on something true inside him, then, says the Zohar, it is truly called faith.

Section three. And it is impossible to come to truth except by drawing close to the tzaddikim and walking in the way of their counsel. By receiving their counsel, truth is engraved in him, as it says: 'You desire truth', when you desire truth, 'in the hidden places, and in the closed place You let me know wisdom.' For the counsels one receives from them are like a marriage, a union.

And receiving counsel from the wicked is like a marriage with impurity. 'The snake beguiled me', hisiani, a word like nisuin, marriage: the snake's counsel that she accepted was a kind of union, and through it he put a defilement into her. At the standing at Mount Sinai their defilement ended, for there they received the six hundred and thirteen holy counsels, and theirs was a marriage in holiness.

And why is counsel called a marriage? Because the kidneys give counsel, and the kidneys are bound up with the power of giving life. So when one receives counsel from a person, it is as if he receives a seed from him, and everything depends on the person, whether wicked or righteous.

Our explanation. Counsel is not just information. Once accepted, it enters a person and grows inside him, like a seed, and it carries something of the one who gave it. That is why it matters so much whose counsel we take: the wicked, or the tzaddik.

That is why the Torah wears down a person's strength and is called tushiyah, for it is six hundred and thirteen counsels, as it says: 'Mine are counsel and tushiyah.' Counsels take the place of a marriage, a union that wears down strength.

And the counsel of the tzaddik is entirely a seed of truth. This is the meaning of 'I planted you a choice vine, soreik', the redemption, as it says: 'I will whistle, eshreka, for them and gather them.' And through what? Through 'wholly a seed of truth': through the counsel of the tzaddikim you come to truth, and through this it is called faith, when truth is joined to it, and through this the redemption comes. For he receives the drops of the tzaddik's understanding through the counsel he receives from him.

And this is: 'You desire truth in the hidden places', the kidneys; 'let me know wisdom': that I may merit to receive the drops of the mind, the drops of understanding, through the counsel I receive from them, and then I will merit truth. For the drops of understanding are called 'wholly a seed of truth.'

Our explanation, step by step. We receive the counsel of the tzaddik. Through it, truth is engraved inside us. Truth makes our faith whole. And faith brings the redemption.

— Part 3: Tzitzis and the Mountain of Sinai —

Part three: how tzitzis guard us from the snake's counsel, and Rabbah bar bar Chanah's journey to Mount Sinai.

Section four. And know that through the mitzvah of tzitzis a person is saved from the snake's counsel, from a union with the wicked one, from immorality. For tzitzis guard against immorality, as brought in the Tikkunim: 'Shem and Yefes took the garment and placed it on both their shoulders': this is tzitzis; 'and they did not see their father's nakedness': for tzitzis cover over immorality.

But Cham, who is the evil inclination that heats a person's body to sin, is cursed, as it says: 'cursed is Canaan', and as it says: 'cursed are you above all the animals.' And the garment, that is tzitzis, is protection from the snake's counsel, from the snake's defilement.

And this is 'a fruitful son above the eye': because of tzitzis, a word like 'peering, meitzitz, through the lattices.' Through this Yosef merited to be a fruitful son: he was guarded from the union of the snake, of the other side, and merited a holy union.

And porat, fruitful, speaks of union, as in 'be fruitful and multiply.' And immorality depends mainly on the eyes, as they said: Shimshon followed his eyes; and as it says: 'do not stray after your heart and after your eyes.'

And guarding tzitzis, which are the aspect of the eyes, is protection from the snake's counsel, and then one can receive counsel from the tzaddik, which is wholly a seed of truth.

Our explanation. The word tzitzis comes from looking, peering. Desire begins with what the eyes take in. Tzitzis guard the eyes, and so guard a person from the snake's counsel; and then he is free to receive the true counsel of the tzaddik.

Section five. Rebbe Nachman now explains a story from the Gemara. Rabbah bar bar Chanah said: an Arab merchant said to me, 'Come, I will show you Mount Sinai.' I went and saw scorpions surrounding it, and they stood like white donkeys. And I heard a heavenly voice saying: 'Woe to Me that I swore; and now that I have sworn, who will annul it for Me?'

'Come, I will show you Mount Sinai': this is the aspect of counsels, for there they received the six hundred and thirteen counsels.

'I saw scorpions surrounding it': that is, there is the snake's counsel, the counsel of the wicked, through which people cannot receive the counsel of the tzaddikim, the seed of truth.

'And they stood like white donkeys': this is tzitzis, which guard from the snake's counsel, from immorality;

As our Sages said: whose punishment is greater, for the white or for the tekhelet? And they gave a parable of one who ordered a seal of gold, that is tekhelet, and a seal of clay, that is white. And this is chamrei, a word like chomer, clay; chivra, white; for nowadays the white is the main part of tzitzis.

'And I heard a heavenly voice saying, woe to Me that I swore': Rashi explains, about the exile. That is, through tzitzis one can come to the counsel of the tzaddikim, to truth; through truth one comes to faith, and through faith comes the redemption. So he heard Hashem's regret over the exile, because tzitzis, the white donkeys, cause all of this.

Our explanation, step by step. Mount Sinai is the counsel of the Torah. The scorpions around it are the snake's counsel, keeping us away. The white donkeys are tzitzis, which guard us. And the heavenly voice is Hashem, as it were, regretting the exile, because tzitzis open the way to counsel, truth, faith and redemption.

— Part 4: The Verse Explained, Memory, and Shechem —

Part four: the opening verse explained; then, from the notes to this Torah, why prayer helps memory, and why Yosef was sent to Shechem.

Section six. Now the opening verse, word by word. 'And these': wherever it says 'and these', it adds. This is the aspect of Yosef, guarding the covenant, the aspect of tzitzis.

'The laws', hamishpatim: this is 'wholly a seed of truth', as it says: 'the judgements of Hashem are truth'; for one merits the counsel of the tzaddikim, truth.

'Which you shall set before them': this is 'when truth is joined to it.'

And this is 'a woman was made equal to a man'; for man and woman here are the joining of truth and faith, and on this the redemption depends, as above.

And this is: 'might the students learn and not understand? So the verse says… arrange it before them like a set table': this is the redemption, for in the future all wisdom will be revealed like a set table, as it says: 'and the earth shall be filled with knowledge.' Until here are the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory.

Our explanation, step by step. And these is Yosef: guarding the covenant, tzitzis. The laws are truth, the counsel of the tzaddik. Set before them is truth joined to faith. And arranged like a set table is the redemption, when all wisdom will be revealed.

Section seven. These are notes that were added to this Torah. Prayer is the aspect of faith, and it is the aspect of miracles, for a miracle is above nature, and for this faith is needed, as above; look there.

That is why prayer is a segulah for memory: for prayer is faith, as above, and forgetting is when something was before us and was forgotten and passed from us. This is the way of being led by the order of the stars and nature, day after day in fixed order, the opposite of faith. But if one believes there is a Creator who renews everything as He wills, every day, always, and gives life to all and sustains all, and He is above time, then there is no forgetting. Understand this.

Our explanation. Forgetting belongs to time: one day follows another and things slip away. Faith knows that Hashem renews everything at every moment and stands above time, and above time nothing is lost. So prayer, which is faith, strengthens memory.

From here you will see wonders in the words of our Sages: the mem and the samech in the Tablets stood by a miracle. For mas, mem samech, is the aspect of forgetting, and about this our Sages said: one who reviews his learning a hundred times is not like one who reviews it a hundred and one times.

For mas has the numerical value of one hundred, and up to a hundred the angel of forgetting rules. And this the Sages sweetened: mem and samech, mas, the aspect of forgetting, stood by a miracle, nes; for a miracle is the opposite of forgetting, since miracles are prayer, faith, which is the opposite of forgetting, as above.

'And know…' that tzitzis guard against immorality… 'on both their shoulders', shechem, this is tzitzis… And this is 'are not your brothers pasturing in Shechem?': the aspect of tzitzis, as above, which guard against immorality, and that is guarding the covenant, the aspect of Yosef. So Yaakov said to Yosef: 'are not your brothers pasturing in Shechem', which is your own aspect; 'come, and I will send you to them.'

— Part 5: The Seed of Truth, and the Wings of Tzitzis —

Part five: more notes to this Torah. The shuruk of the tzaddik's counsel, the merchant who is prayer, the wings of tzitzis, and a segulah for the sick.

And this is the meaning of 'I planted you a choice vine, soreik': he receives the drops of the tzaddik's understanding through the counsel he receives from him. Soreik is the aspect of the vowel shuruk, which is three drops, as written in the Zohar, and it is three powers of the mind. For it is one matter: as the drop of life is said to come from the brain and ripen in the kidneys, so understanding too is born in the brain, and reaches the kidneys that give counsel.

Our explanation. The vowel shuruk is written as three dots. Rebbe Nachman links soreik, the choice vine, to it: three drops, three powers of the mind. The tzaddik's understanding is born in his mind, and flows through his counsel into the one who receives it.

And the three powers of the mind are the aspect of 'make the heart fat… and his ears… and his eyes…, lest he see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and his heart understand, and he return…' That is, he does not want to attach himself to the tzaddikim, lest he see…

But when he attaches himself to the tzaddikim and receives counsel from them, then he is the aspect of 'the kidneys that counsel', receiving the drop of the mind that divides into three drops, three powers of the mind, as above. Then he will see with his eyes, hear with his ears, and understand with his heart, the three powers of the mind, and return and be healed. And this is: 'I planted you a choice vine, soreik, wholly a seed of truth.' Understand this.

And this is the explanation of 'Rabbah bar bar Chanah said…' He hinted at this too at the start of his words: 'an Arab merchant said to me', which Rashi explains everywhere as a Yishmaelite trader. For Yishmael is the aspect of prayer, as it says: 'for Hashem has heard your affliction', which the Targum renders, 'for Hashem has accepted your prayer.'

And this is faith, as above. And this is sochar, a trader, from s'chor s'chor, going around, the aspect of what surrounds, which is faith, as above: 'and Your faithfulness surrounds You.'

And this is 'spread your wing over your handmaid': for holy tzitzis, the wings of the mitzvah, are guarding the covenant, and that is the aspect of holy union.

And this is what Chaggai the prophet asked: 'if a man carries holy meat in the wing of his garment, and touches with his wing the bread…'; for a flaw in the covenant brings a lack of bread, as it says: 'for an immoral woman, a man is brought to a loaf of bread.' Understand this.

'But his bow remained firm… from there, the shepherd, the stone of Israel', even Yisrael: avos and banim, fathers and sons; the aspect of prayer, Yaakov and his sons.

Section eight. A final note. A segulah for one who is ill: to look at the tzitzis. The secret is in the verse 'behold, your son Yosef is coming to you', for all these words hint at the tzitzis: the number of the threads, the windings and the knots, as explained in Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar HaTzitzis. And this is 'behold, your son Yosef is coming to you', tzitzis, as above; and through this, 'Yisrael gathered his strength.'

Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Seek the counsel of true tzaddikim, and let it become truth inside you. Look at your tzitzis, and guard your eyes. And pray with simple faith, because Hashem renews everything, and He can change anything.

This has been Likutey Moharan, Torah seven.

Sources for this Torah

Texts used

Hebrew: Likutei Moharan (Part I), Torah 7, edition 'Likutei Moharan – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan.7

English: our own paraphrase of the Hebrew, written for these videos. It is not copied from any published translation.

Verses and teachings of the Sages appear only as Rebbe Nachman quotes them inside this Torah.

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Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part

Part 1 — Exile, Faith and Miracles

Scene 3 · LM I:7 §1, on Shemos 21:1 · paragraph §1.1

וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם:

EN (our paraphrase): And these are the laws that you shall set before them.

Scene 4 · LM I:7 §1, on Kiddushin 35a; Mechilta · paragraph §1.2

אָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ. וְאִיתָא בִּמְכִילְתָּא: יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים לוֹמְדִין וְאֵינָם מְבִינִים – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם, עָרְכֵם לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ:

EN (our paraphrase): Our Sages said: a woman was made equal to a man. And the Mechilta says: might the students learn and not understand? So the verse says, 'which you shall set before them': arrange it before them like a set table.

Scene 5 · LM I:7 §1, on Shir HaShirim 4:8; Shemos 17:12 · paragraph §1.3

דַּע, כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל חֶסְרוֹן אֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: תָּבוֹאִי תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה; וֶאֱמוּנָה הוּא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ: פְּרִישָׂן בִּצְלוֹ.

EN (our paraphrase): Know that the main cause of the exile is only a lack of faith, as it says: 'Come, look from the peak of Amanah', faith. And faith is prayer, as it says: 'and his hands were faith', which the Targum renders, 'spread out in prayer.'

Scene 6 · LM I:7 §1 · paragraph §1.4

וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נִסִּים לְמַעְלָה מֵהַטֶּבַע, כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה לְמַעְלָה מִטֶּבַע, כִּי הַטֶּבַע מְחַיֵּב כֵּן, וְהַתְּפִלָּה מְשַׁנָּה הַטֶּבַע, וְזֶה דְּבַר נֵס, וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁיַּאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְחַדֵּשׁ וּבְיָדוֹ לְחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר כִּרְצוֹנוֹ.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is the aspect of miracles, above nature. For prayer is above nature: nature dictates that it must be so, and prayer changes nature, and that is a miracle. For this one needs faith: to believe that there is a Creator who renews, and that it is in His hand to make anything new as He wills.

Scene 8 · LM I:7 §1, on Tehillim 37:3; Bereishis 28:17 · paragraph §1.5

וְעִקַּר אֱמוּנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, בְּחִינַת נִסִּים, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה; וְשָׁם עִקַּר עֲלִיּוֹת הַתְּפִלּוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְזֶה שַׁעַר הַשָּׁמָיִם.

EN (our paraphrase): The root of faith, of prayer, of miracles, is only in the Land of Israel, as it says: 'dwell in the land and tend faith.' And there is the main ascent of prayers, as it says: 'and this is the gate of heaven.'

Scene 9 · LM I:7 §1, on Bereishis 15:8 · paragraph §1.6

וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה כְּשֶׁפָּגַם אַבְרָהָם בַּמָּה אֵדַע, וּבָזֶה פָּגַם בִּירֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, הָיָה גָּלוּת מִצְרַיִם. וְדַוְקָא יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו יָרְדוּ מִצְרַיִם, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר נֻסְחָאוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה, וְהוֹרִיד אוֹתָם בַּגָלוּת,

EN (our paraphrase): That is why, when Avraham faltered in asking 'how shall I know', he faltered in the inheritance of the land, which is faith, which is prayer, and so came the exile of Egypt. And specifically Yaakov and his sons went down to Egypt, for they are the twelve paths of prayer, and He brought them down into exile.

Scene 10 · LM I:7 §1, on Shemos 14:27; 9:29 · paragraph §1.7

וּמִצְרַיִם הוּא הֶפֶךְ הַנִּסִּים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וּמִצְרַיִם נָסִים לִקְרָאתוֹ – שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מְקוֹם הַנִּסִּים, וְאֵין שָׁם מְקוֹם הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְהָיָה כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר אֶפְרֹשׂ אֶת כַּפַּי.

EN (our paraphrase): And Egypt is the opposite of miracles, as it says: 'and Egypt fled towards it', nasim, a play on nisim, miracles. There is no place there for miracles, no place for prayer, as it says: 'when I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands.'

Scene 11 · LM I:7 §1 · paragraph §1.8

וְכָל הַגָּלֻיּוֹת מְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם מִצְרַיִם, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם מְצֵרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּכְשֶׁפּוֹגְמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה, בִּתְפִלָּה, בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוּא יוֹרֵד לַגָלוּת.

EN (our paraphrase): All the exiles are called by the name Egypt, Mitzrayim, because they bring distress, meitzarim, to Yisrael. And when one damages faith, prayer, the Land of Israel, he goes down into exile.

Scene 12 · LM I:7 §1, on Sanhedrin 97a; Taanis 10a; Rus 1:19 · paragraph §1.9

וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: אֵין מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד בָּא אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס; הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּכְלוּ הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֱמוּנָה בְּנִסִּים, וּמְכַסִּים כָּל הַנִּסִּים בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע, כִּי עִקַּר הַנִּסִּים בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹתָה תְּחִלָּה, וּשְׁתִיָּתָהּ מֵהַתְּהוֹמוֹת, שֶׁהֵם לְשׁוֹן: וַתֵּהֹם כָּל הָעִיר, שֶׁעַל דָּבָר נִסִּי תְּמֵהִין הָעוֹלָם.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is what our Sages said: Mashiach son of David will not come until the last coin is gone from the purse. That is, until the heretics are gone, who have no faith in miracles and cover all miracles with the way of nature. For miracles are mainly in the Land of Israel, which drinks first, and drinks from the depths, tehomos, a word for amazement, as in 'and the whole city was astir': at a miracle the world is amazed.

Scene 13 · LM I:7 §1, on Tehillim 42:8 · paragraph §1.10

וְזֶה: תְּהוֹם אֶל תְּהוֹם קוֹרֵא; כִּי יֵשׁ נִסִּין עִלָּאִין, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּהוֹם עִלָּאָה, וְיֵשׁ נִסִּים תַּתָּאִין, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תְּהוֹמָא תַתָּאָה,

EN (our paraphrase): And this is 'deep calls to deep': for there are higher miracles, the higher depth, and lower miracles, the lower depth.

Scene 14 · LM I:7 §1, on Taanis 25b; Tehillim 89:9; 51:17 · paragraph §1.11

וּמַלְאָךְ שֶׁכָּלוּל מִכָּל הַנִּסִּים, מִשְּׁנֵי הַתְּהוֹמוֹת, דָּמְיָא לְעֶגְלָא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עִגּוּלִים, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ; וּפְרִיטָא שִׂפְוָתֵהּ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה,

EN (our paraphrase): And the angel that contains all the miracles, from both depths, looks like a calf, egla, the aspect of circles, igulim, which is faith, as it says: 'and Your faithfulness surrounds You.' And its lips are split, which is prayer,

Scene 15 · LM I:7 §1, on Shir HaShirim 4:8 · paragraph §1.12

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס – כִּי יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם הַמְכַסִּים כְּלָלִיּוּת הַנִּסִּים, הַכְּלוּלִים בַּמַּלְאָךְ דִּפְרִיטָא שִׂפְוָתֵהּ, מְכַסִּים בְּדֶרֶךְ הַטֶּבַע; וּכְשֶׁתִּכְלֶה זֹאת וְתִתְרַבֶּה אֱמוּנָה בָּעוֹלָם – אָז יָבוֹא מָשִׁיחַ, כִּי עִקַּר הַגְּאֻלָּה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: תָּבוֹאִי תָּשׁוּרִי מֵרֹאשׁ אֲמָנָה:

EN (our paraphrase): This is the meaning of 'until the coin, prutah, is gone from the purse': there are people who cover the sum of all miracles, held in the angel with split lips, prita sifvateh, and cover them with the way of nature. When this ends and faith grows in the world, then Mashiach will come, for the redemption depends mainly on this, as it says: 'Come, look from the peak of Amanah.'

Part 2 — Truth Through the Tzaddik's Counsel

Scene 2 · LM I:7 §2, on Yeshayahu 11:5; Zohar, Balak 198b · paragraph §2.1

אֲבָל אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לֶאֱמוּנָה אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר: וְהָיָה צֶדֶק אֵזוֹר מָתְנָיו וֶאֱמוּנָה וְכוּ' – הַיְנוּ צֶדֶק, הַיְנוּ אֱמוּנָה. וְאָמְרוּ שָׁם: אֱמוּנָה אִתְקְרִיאַת, כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בָּהּ אֱמֶת:

EN (our paraphrase): But it is impossible to come to faith except through truth, as brought in the Zohar on the verse 'righteousness shall be the belt of his loins, and faith…': righteousness, tzedek, is faith. And they said there: it is called faith when truth is joined to it.

Scene 4 · LM I:7 §3, on Tehillim 51:8 · paragraph §3.1

וְאִי־אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לֶאֱמֶת אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לְצַדִּיקִים, וְיֵלֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ עֲצָתָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מֵהֶם עֲצָתָם, נֶחְקָק בּוֹ אֱמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: הֵן אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ – כְּשֶׁאַתָּה חָפֵץ אֱמֶת, בַטֻּחוֹת וּבְסָתֻם חָכְמָה תוֹדִיעֵנִי – כִּי הָעֵצוֹת שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מֵהֶם הוּא בְּחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין וְזִוּוּג;

EN (our paraphrase): And it is impossible to come to truth except by drawing close to the tzaddikim and walking in the way of their counsel. By receiving their counsel, truth is engraved in him, as it says: 'You desire truth', when you desire truth, 'in the hidden places, and in the closed place You let me know wisdom.' For the counsels one receives from them are like a marriage, a union.

Scene 5 · LM I:7 §3, on Bereishis 3:13; Shabbos 146a; Zohar, Yisro 82b · paragraph §3.2

וּכְשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין עֵצוֹת מֵרְשָׁעִים, הוּא בְּחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין בַּקְּלִפָּה. הַנָּחָשׁ הִשִּׁיאַנִי – לְשׁוֹן נִשּׂוּאִין; עֲצוֹת הַנָּחָשׁ שֶׁקִּבְּלָה הוּא בְּחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין, וְעַל־יְדֵי נִשּׂוּאִין הֵטִיל בָּהּ זֻהֲמָא. וּבְמַעֲמַד הַר־סִינַי פָּסְקָה זֻהֲמָתָן, כִּי שָׁם קִבְּלוּ תַּרְיַ"ג עֵטִין דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, וְהָיְתָה לָהֶם נִשּׂוּאִין בִּקְדֻשָּׁה.

EN (our paraphrase): And receiving counsel from the wicked is like a marriage with impurity. 'The snake beguiled me', hisiani, a word like nisuin, marriage: the snake's counsel that she accepted was a kind of union, and through it he put a defilement into her. At the standing at Mount Sinai their defilement ended, for there they received the six hundred and thirteen holy counsels, and theirs was a marriage in holiness.

Scene 6 · LM I:7 §3, on Berachos 61a · paragraph §3.3

וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא עֵצָה בִּבְחִינַת נִשּׂוּאִין, כִּי הַכְּלָיוֹת יוֹעֲצוֹת, וּכְלָיוֹת הֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, כְּלֵי הַזֶּרַע. נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין עֵצָה מֵאָדָם, כְּאִלּוּ מְקַבְּלִין מִמֶּנּוּ זֶרַע, וְהַכֹּל לְפִי אָדָם, אִם רָשָׁע אוֹ צַדִּיק.

EN (our paraphrase): And why is counsel called a marriage? Because the kidneys give counsel, and the kidneys are bound up with the power of giving life. So when one receives counsel from a person, it is as if he receives a seed from him, and everything depends on the person, whether wicked or righteous.

Scene 8 · LM I:7 §3, on Sanhedrin 26b; Mishlei 8:14 · paragraph §3.4

וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הַתּוֹרָה מַתִּישׁ כֹּחַ וְנִקְרֵאת תּוּשִׁיָּה, כִּי הֵם תַּרְיַ"ג עֵטִין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: לִי עֵצָה וְתוּשִׁיָּה; וְעֵצוֹת הֵם בִּמְקוֹם נִשּׂוּאִין, בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג הַמַּתִּישׁ כֹּחַ,

EN (our paraphrase): That is why the Torah wears down a person's strength and is called tushiyah, for it is six hundred and thirteen counsels, as it says: 'Mine are counsel and tushiyah.' Counsels take the place of a marriage, a union that wears down strength.

Scene 9 · LM I:7 §3, on Yirmiyahu 2:21; Zechariah 10:8 · paragraph §3.5

וַעֲצַת הַצַּדִּיק הוּא כֻּלּוֹ זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק, בְּחִינַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אֶשְׁרְקָה לָהֶם וַאֲקַבְּצֵם, וְעַל־יְדֵי מָה, עַל־יְדֵי: כֻּלּוֹ זֶרַע אֱמֶת – עַל־יְדֵי עֲצַת הַצַּדִּיקִים תָּבוֹא לֶאֱמֶת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִקְרֵאת אֱמוּנָה, כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בַּהּ אֱמֶת, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תָּבוֹא הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הוּא מְקַבֵּל טִפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ.

EN (our paraphrase): And the counsel of the tzaddik is entirely a seed of truth. This is the meaning of 'I planted you a choice vine, soreik', the redemption, as it says: 'I will whistle, eshreka, for them and gather them.' And through what? Through 'wholly a seed of truth': through the counsel of the tzaddikim you come to truth, and through this it is called faith, when truth is joined to it, and through this the redemption comes. For he receives the drops of the tzaddik's understanding through the counsel he receives from him.

Scene 10 · LM I:7 §3, on Tehillim 51:8 · paragraph §3.6

וְזֶה: הֵן אֱמֶת חָפַצְתָּ בַטֻּחוֹת – בַּכְּלָיוֹת – חָכְמָה תוֹדִיעֵנִי, שֶׁאֶזְכֶּה לְקַבֵּל טִפֵּי הַמֹּחַ, טִפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל, עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה שֶׁאֲקַבֵּל מֵהֶם, וְאָז אֶזְכֶּה לֶאֱמֶת, כִּי הַטִּפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל נִקְרָא: כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת:

EN (our paraphrase): And this is: 'You desire truth in the hidden places', the kidneys; 'let me know wisdom': that I may merit to receive the drops of the mind, the drops of understanding, through the counsel I receive from them, and then I will merit truth. For the drops of understanding are called 'wholly a seed of truth.'

Part 3 — Tzitzis and the Mountain of Sinai

Scene 2 · LM I:7 §4, on Tikkunei Zohar 18; Bereishis 9:23 · paragraph §4.1

וְדַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי מִצְוַת צִיצִית הָאָדָם נִצּוֹל מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, מִנִּשּׂוּאִין שֶׁל רָשָׁע, מִבְּחִינַת נִאוּף, כִּי צִיצִית שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף, כַּמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים: וַיִּקַּח שֵׁם וָיֶפֶת אֶת הַשִּׂמְלָה וַיָּשִׂימוּ עַל שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם – זֶה בְּחִינַת צִיצִית; וְעֶרְוַת אֲבִיהֶם לֹא רָאוּ – כִּי צִיצִית מְכַסָּה עַל עֲרָיִין.

EN (our paraphrase): And know that through the mitzvah of tzitzis a person is saved from the snake's counsel, from a union with the wicked one, from immorality. For tzitzis guard against immorality, as brought in the Tikkunim: 'Shem and Yefes took the garment and placed it on both their shoulders': this is tzitzis; 'and they did not see their father's nakedness': for tzitzis cover over immorality.

Scene 3 · LM I:7 §4, on Bereishis 9:25; 3:14 · paragraph §4.1

אֲבָל חָם, דְּהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דִּמְחַמֵּם גּוּפֵהּ דְּבַר־נָשׁ בַּעֲבֵרָה, הוּא אָרוּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אָרוּר כְּנָעַן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אָרוּר אַתָּה מִכָּל הַבְּהֵמָה. וְהַשִּׂמְלָה, הַיְנוּ צִיצִית, הוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, מִזֻּהֲמַת הַנָּחָשׁ:

EN (our paraphrase): But Cham, who is the evil inclination that heats a person's body to sin, is cursed, as it says: 'cursed is Canaan', and as it says: 'cursed are you above all the animals.' And the garment, that is tzitzis, is protection from the snake's counsel, from the snake's defilement.

Scene 4 · LM I:7 §4, on Bereishis 49:22; Shir HaShirim 2:9 · paragraph §4.2

וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת: בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן – בִּשְׁבִיל צִיצִית, לְשׁוֹן: מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זָכָה לְבֵן פֹּרָת, שֶׁנִּשְׁמַר מִנִּשּׂוּאִין שֶׁל נָחָשׁ, מִזִּוּוּג שֶׁל הַסִּטְרָא־אָחֳרָא, וְזָכָה לְזִוּוּגָא דִקְדֻשָּׁה.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is 'a fruitful son above the eye': because of tzitzis, a word like 'peering, meitzitz, through the lattices.' Through this Yosef merited to be a fruitful son: he was guarded from the union of the snake, of the other side, and merited a holy union.

Scene 5 · LM I:7 §4, on Sotah 9b; Bamidbar 15:39 · paragraph §4.3

וְזֶה: פֹּרָת – לְשׁוֹן זִוּוּג, לְשׁוֹן: פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ. וְעִקַּר הַנִּאוּף תָּלוּי בָּעֵינַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ: שִׁמְשׁוֹן הָלַךְ אַחַר עֵינָיו; וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְלֹא תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם;

EN (our paraphrase): And porat, fruitful, speaks of union, as in 'be fruitful and multiply.' And immorality depends mainly on the eyes, as they said: Shimshon followed his eyes; and as it says: 'do not stray after your heart and after your eyes.'

Scene 6 · LM I:7 §4 · paragraph §4.4

וּשְׁמִירַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֵינַיִם, הוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, וְיָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל הָעֵצוֹת מִצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת.

EN (our paraphrase): And guarding tzitzis, which are the aspect of the eyes, is protection from the snake's counsel, and then one can receive counsel from the tzaddik, which is wholly a seed of truth.

Scene 8 · LM I:7 §5, on Bava Basra 74a · paragraph §5.1, §5.2

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־חָנָה: אָמַר לִי הַהוּא טַיְעָא: תָּא אַחֲוֵי לָךְ טוּרָא דְּסִינַי. אַזְלִי וַחֲזָאִי דְּהַדְרָן לֵהּ עַקְרַבֵּי, וְקָיְמִין כִּי חַמְרֵי חִוַּרְתָא. וְשָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת־קוֹל שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת: אוֹי [לִי] שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי; וְעַכְשָׁו שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי, מִי מֵפֵר לִי:

EN (our paraphrase): Rabbah bar bar Chanah said: an Arab merchant said to me, 'Come, I will show you Mount Sinai.' I went and saw scorpions surrounding it, and they stood like white donkeys. And I heard a heavenly voice saying: 'Woe to Me that I swore; and now that I have sworn, who will annul it for Me?'

Scene 9 · LM I:7 §5 · paragraph §5.3

תָּא וְאַחֲוֵי לָךְ טוּרָא דְּסִינַי – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֵצוֹת, כִּי שָׁם קִבְּלוּ תַּרְיַ"ג עֵטִין.

EN (our paraphrase): 'Come, I will show you Mount Sinai': this is the aspect of counsels, for there they received the six hundred and thirteen counsels.

Scene 10 · LM I:7 §5 · paragraph §5.4

חֲזַאי דְּהָדְרָן לֵהּ עַקְרַבָּא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲצַת נָחָשׁ, עֲצַת רְשָׁעִים, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵיהֶם אֵין יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל עֲצַת צַדִּיקִים, זֶרַע אֱמֶת.

EN (our paraphrase): 'I saw scorpions surrounding it': that is, there is the snake's counsel, the counsel of the wicked, through which people cannot receive the counsel of the tzaddikim, the seed of truth.

Scene 11 · LM I:7 §5 · paragraph §5.5

וְקָיְמוּ כִּי חַמְרֵי חִוַּרְתָּא – זֶה בְּחִינַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ, מִנִּאוּף;

EN (our paraphrase): 'And they stood like white donkeys': this is tzitzis, which guard from the snake's counsel, from immorality;

Scene 12 · LM I:7 §5, on Menachos 43b · paragraph §5.6

כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: אֵיזֶה עָנְשׁוֹ גָּדוֹל, שֶׁל לָבָן אוֹ שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת, וְאָמְרוּ: מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד, שֶׁצִּוָּה לְהָבִיא לוֹ חוֹתָם שֶׁל זָהָב, הַיְנוּ תְּכֵלֶת, וְחוֹתָם שֶׁל טִיט, הַיְנוּ לָבָן. וְזֶה: חַמְרֵי, לְשׁוֹן חֹמֶר וָטִיט; חִוָּרָא, הַיְנוּ לָבָן, כִּי עַכְשָׁו זֶה עִקַּר הַצִּיצִית.

EN (our paraphrase): As our Sages said: whose punishment is greater, for the white or for the tekhelet? And they gave a parable of one who ordered a seal of gold, that is tekhelet, and a seal of clay, that is white. And this is chamrei, a word like chomer, clay; chivra, white; for nowadays the white is the main part of tzitzis.

Scene 13 · LM I:7 §5 · paragraph §5.7

וְשָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת־קוֹל שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי – פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: עַל הַגָּלוּת, הַיְנוּ, עַל־יְדֵי צִיצִית יְכוֹלִין לָבוֹא לַעֲצַת צַדִּיקִים, לִבְחִינַת אֱמֶת; וְעַל־יְדֵי אֱמֶת בָּאִים לֶאֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה בָּא הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה שֶׁשָּׁמַע חֲרָטַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עַל הַגָּלוּת, כִּי הַצִּיצִית, שֶׁהֵם חֲמָרֵי חִוָּרָא, גָּרַם כָּל זֶה:

EN (our paraphrase): 'And I heard a heavenly voice saying, woe to Me that I swore': Rashi explains, about the exile. That is, through tzitzis one can come to the counsel of the tzaddikim, to truth; through truth one comes to faith, and through faith comes the redemption. So he heard Hashem's regret over the exile, because tzitzis, the white donkeys, cause all of this.

Part 4 — The Verse Explained, Memory, and Shechem

Scene 2 · LM I:7 §6 · paragraph §6.1, §6.2

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וְאֵלֶּה – כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה, מוֹסִיף. זֶה בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, בְּחִינַת שְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית, בְּחִינַת צִיצִית.

EN (our paraphrase): 'And these': wherever it says 'and these', it adds. This is the aspect of Yosef, guarding the covenant, the aspect of tzitzis.

Scene 3 · LM I:7 §6, on Tehillim 19:10 · paragraph §6.3

הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – זֶה בְּחִינַת כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: מִשְׁפְּטֵי ה' אֱמֶת; שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לַעֲצַת צַדִּיקִים, לִבְחִינַת אֱמֶת.

EN (our paraphrase): 'The laws', hamishpatim: this is 'wholly a seed of truth', as it says: 'the judgements of Hashem are truth'; for one merits the counsel of the tzaddikim, truth.

Scene 4 · LM I:7 §6 · paragraph §6.4

אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – זֶה בְּחִינוֹת כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בַּהּ אֱמֶת,

EN (our paraphrase): 'Which you shall set before them': this is 'when truth is joined to it.'

Scene 5 · LM I:7 §6 · paragraph §6.5

וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ; כִּי זֶה אִישׁ וְאִשָּׁה הֵם בְּחִינַת הִתְחַבְּרוּת אֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה, וּבָזֶה תָּלוּי הַגְּאֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is 'a woman was made equal to a man'; for man and woman here are the joining of truth and faith, and on this the redemption depends, as above.

Scene 6 · LM I:7 §6, on Yeshayahu 11:9 · paragraph §6.6

וְזֶה יָכוֹל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הַתַּלְמִידִים לוֹמְדִים וְאֵין מְבִינִים – תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְכוּ', עָרְכֵם לִפְנֵיהֶם כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַגְּאֻלָּה, שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד יִתְגַּלּוּ כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת כְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה. עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹן רַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל:

EN (our paraphrase): And this is: 'might the students learn and not understand? So the verse says… arrange it before them like a set table': this is the redemption, for in the future all wisdom will be revealed like a set table, as it says: 'and the earth shall be filled with knowledge.' Until here are the words of our Rebbe, of blessed memory.

Scene 8 · LM I:7 §7 · paragraph §7.1, §7.2

הַתְּפִלָּה הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַנִּסִּים, כִּי נֵס לְמַעְלָה מִטֶּבַע, וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, עַיֵּן שָׁם.

EN (our paraphrase): Prayer is the aspect of faith, and it is the aspect of miracles, for a miracle is above nature, and for this faith is needed, as above; look there.

Scene 9 · LM I:7 §7 · paragraph §7.3

וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הַתְּפִלָּה מְסֻגָּל לְזִכָּרוֹן, כִּי תְּפִלָּה הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְשִׁכְחָה הוּא עִנְיָן שֶׁהָיָה לְפָנֵינוּ דְּבַר־מָה וְנִשְׁכַּח וְעָבַר מֵאִתָּנוּ. וְהִיא דֶּרֶךְ הַהַנְהָגָה עַל־פִּי מַעֲרֶכֶת הַמַּזָּלוֹת, שֶׁמִּתְנַהֵג כְּסֵדֶר יוֹם אַחַר יוֹם, וְהוּא הִפּוּךְ הָאֱמוּנָה, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן אִם מַאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ מְחַדֵּשׁ הַכֹּל בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד, וְהוּא מְחַיֶּה וּמְקַיֵּם הַכֹּל תָּמִיד, וְהוּא לְמַעְלָה מֵהַזְּמַן, אֵין כָּאן שִׁכְחָה, וְדוּ"ק.

EN (our paraphrase): That is why prayer is a segulah for memory: for prayer is faith, as above, and forgetting is when something was before us and was forgotten and passed from us. This is the way of being led by the order of the stars and nature, day after day in fixed order, the opposite of faith. But if one believes there is a Creator who renews everything as He wills, every day, always, and gives life to all and sustains all, and He is above time, then there is no forgetting. Understand this.

Scene 11 · LM I:7 §7, on Shabbos 104a; Chagigah 9b · paragraph §7.4

וּמֵעַתָּה תִּרְאֶה נִפְלָאוֹת בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: מֵ"ם וְסָמֶ"ךְ שֶׁבַּלּוּחוֹת בְּנֵס הָיוּ עוֹמְדִין; כִּי מַס הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁכְחָה, וְעַל זֶה אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: אֵין דּוֹמֶה הַשּׁוֹנֶה פִּרְקוֹ מֵאָה פְּעָמִים לְמֵאָה פְּעָמִים וְאֶחָד;

EN (our paraphrase): From here you will see wonders in the words of our Sages: the mem and the samech in the Tablets stood by a miracle. For mas, mem samech, is the aspect of forgetting, and about this our Sages said: one who reviews his learning a hundred times is not like one who reviews it a hundred and one times.

Scene 12 · LM I:7 §7 · paragraph §7.4

כִּי מַס בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא מֵאָה, וְעַד מֵאָה שׁוֹלֵט הַשַּׂר שֶׁל שִׁכְחָה, וְזֶה שֶׁהִמְתִּיקוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: מֵ"ם וְסָמֶ"ךְ, הַיְנוּ מַ"ס שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשִּׁכְחָה, בְּנֵס הָיוּ עוֹמְדִין, כִּי נֵס הוּא הֶפֶךְ הַשִּׁכְחָה, כִּי נִסִּים הֵם בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהִיא הֵפֶךְ הַשִּׁכְחָה כַּנַּ"ל:

EN (our paraphrase): For mas has the numerical value of one hundred, and up to a hundred the angel of forgetting rules. And this the Sages sweetened: mem and samech, mas, the aspect of forgetting, stood by a miracle, nes; for a miracle is the opposite of forgetting, since miracles are prayer, faith, which is the opposite of forgetting, as above.

Scene 13 · LM I:7 §7, on Bereishis 37:13 · paragraph §7.5

וְדַע וְכוּ' כִּי צִיצִית שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף וְכוּ', עַל שְׁכֶם שְׁנֵיהֶם זֶה בְּחִינַת צִיצִית וְכוּ'. וְזֶה: הֲלֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת צִיצִית כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהִיא שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת שְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, עַל כֵּן אָמַר יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף: הֲלוֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינָה שֶׁלְּךָ; לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם:

EN (our paraphrase): 'And know…' that tzitzis guard against immorality… 'on both their shoulders', shechem, this is tzitzis… And this is 'are not your brothers pasturing in Shechem?': the aspect of tzitzis, as above, which guard against immorality, and that is guarding the covenant, the aspect of Yosef. So Yaakov said to Yosef: 'are not your brothers pasturing in Shechem', which is your own aspect; 'come, and I will send you to them.'

Part 5 — The Seed of Truth, and the Wings of Tzitzis

Scene 2 · LM I:7 §7, on Yirmiyahu 2:21; Tikkunei Zohar 56 · paragraph §7.6

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כוּ', כִּי הוּא מְקַבֵּל טִפֵּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק עַל־יְדֵי עֵצָה שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ. וְזֶה שׂוֹרֵק, הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוּרֻק, שֶׁהוּא תְּלָת טִפִּין, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר, וְהוּא תְּלָת מֹחִין, כִּי הוּא עִנְיָן אֶחָד, כִּי הַטִּפָּה בָּאָה מֵהַמֹּחַ וּמַגִּיעָה לְהַכְּלָיוֹת, שֶׁהֵן כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, שֶׁמְּבַשְּׁלִין הַזֶּרַע, כֵּן הַשֵּׂכֶל נוֹלָד גַּם כֵּן בַּמֹּחַ וּמַגִּיעַ עַד הַכְּלָיוֹת הַיּוֹעֲצוֹת.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning of 'I planted you a choice vine, soreik': he receives the drops of the tzaddik's understanding through the counsel he receives from him. Soreik is the aspect of the vowel shuruk, which is three drops, as written in the Zohar, and it is three powers of the mind. For it is one matter: as the drop of life is said to come from the brain and ripen in the kidneys, so understanding too is born in the brain, and reaches the kidneys that give counsel.

Scene 4 · LM I:7 §7, on Yeshayahu 6:10 · paragraph §7.7

וּתְלָת מֹחִין הוּא בְּחִינַת: הַשְׁמֵן לֵב וְכוּ' וְאָזְנָיו וְכוּ' וְעֵינָיו וְכוּ', פֶּן יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וָשָׁב וְכוּ', כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְדַבֵּק עַצְמוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים פֶּן יִרְאֶה וְכוּ';

EN (our paraphrase): And the three powers of the mind are the aspect of 'make the heart fat… and his ears… and his eyes…, lest he see with his eyes, and hear with his ears, and his heart understand, and he return…' That is, he does not want to attach himself to the tzaddikim, lest he see…

Scene 5 · LM I:7 §7, on Yeshayahu 6:10; Yirmiyahu 2:21 · paragraph §7.8

אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמְּדַבֵּק עַצְמוֹ לְצַדִּיקִים וּמְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם עֵצָה, אֲזַי הוּא בְּחִינַת כְּלָיוֹת יוֹעֲצוֹת, שֶׁהֵם כְּלֵי הַהוֹלָדָה, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל הַטִּפָּה מֹחַ הַמִּתְחַלֶּקֶת לִתְלָת טִפִּין, תְּלָת מֹחִין כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז יִרְאֶה בְעֵינָיו וּבְאָזְנָיו יִשְׁמָע וּלְבָבוֹ יָבִין וְכוּ', שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַשְּׁלשָׁה מֹחִין, וָשָׁב וְרָפָא לוֹ. וְזֶהוּ: וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת, וְהָבֵן:

EN (our paraphrase): But when he attaches himself to the tzaddikim and receives counsel from them, then he is the aspect of 'the kidneys that counsel', receiving the drop of the mind that divides into three drops, three powers of the mind, as above. Then he will see with his eyes, hear with his ears, and understand with his heart, the three powers of the mind, and return and be healed. And this is: 'I planted you a choice vine, soreik, wholly a seed of truth.' Understand this.

Scene 6 · LM I:7 §7, on Bereishis 16:11 · paragraph §7.9

וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־חָנָה וְכוּ', וְזֶה רָמַז גַּם כֵּן בְּפֶתַח דְּבָרָיו: אָמַר לִי הַהוּא טַיְעָא, וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י בְּכָל מָקוֹם: סוֹחֵר יִשְׁמָעֵאל; כִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל הוּא בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כִּי שָׁמַע ה' אֶל עָנְיֵךְ, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ: אֲרֵי קַבִּיל ה' יָת צְלוֹתֵיךְ,

EN (our paraphrase): And this is the explanation of 'Rabbah bar bar Chanah said…' He hinted at this too at the start of his words: 'an Arab merchant said to me', which Rashi explains everywhere as a Yishmaelite trader. For Yishmael is the aspect of prayer, as it says: 'for Hashem has heard your affliction', which the Targum renders, 'for Hashem has accepted your prayer.'

Scene 7 · LM I:7 §7, on Tehillim 89:9 · paragraph §7.10

וְהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶהוּ סוֹחֵר, מִלְּשׁוֹן סְחוֹר סְחוֹר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is faith, as above. And this is sochar, a trader, from s'chor s'chor, going around, the aspect of what surrounds, which is faith, as above: 'and Your faithfulness surrounds You.'

Scene 8 · LM I:7 §7, on Rus 3:9 · paragraph §7.11

וְזֶהוּ: וּפָרַשְׂתָּ כְּנָפֶךָ עַל אֲמָתֶךָ; כִּי צִיצִית דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁהֵם כַּנְפֵי מִצְוָה, הוּא שְׁמִירַת הַבְּרִית, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת זִוּוּג דִּקְדֻשָּׁה.

EN (our paraphrase): And this is 'spread your wing over your handmaid': for holy tzitzis, the wings of the mitzvah, are guarding the covenant, and that is the aspect of holy union.

Scene 9 · LM I:7 §7, on Chaggai 2:12; Mishlei 6:26 · paragraph §7.12

וְזֶהוּ שֶׁשָּׁאַל חַגַּי הַנָּבִיא: הֵן יִשָּׂא אִישׁ בְּשַׂר־קֹדֶשׁ בִּכְנַף בִּגְדּוֹ וְנָגַע בִּכְנָפוֹ אֶל הַלֶּחֶם; כִּי פְּגַם הַבְּרִית – הֶעְדֵּר הַלֶּחֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: בְּעַד אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה עַד כִּכַּר לָחֶם, וְהָבֵן:

EN (our paraphrase): And this is what Chaggai the prophet asked: 'if a man carries holy meat in the wing of his garment, and touches with his wing the bread…'; for a flaw in the covenant brings a lack of bread, as it says: 'for an immoral woman, a man is brought to a loaf of bread.' Understand this.

Scene 10 · LM I:7 §7, on Bereishis 49:24 · paragraph §7.13

וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵיתָן קַשְׁתּוֹ וְכוּ', מִשָּׁם רוֹעֶה אֶבֶן יִשְׂרָאֵל – אֲבָהָן וּבְנִין, בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה יַעֲקֹב וּבָנָיו.

EN (our paraphrase): 'But his bow remained firm… from there, the shepherd, the stone of Israel', even Yisrael: avos and banim, fathers and sons; the aspect of prayer, Yaakov and his sons.

Scene 11 · LM I:7 §8, on Bereishis 48:2; Pri Etz Chaim, Tzitzis 4 · paragraph §8.1

סְגֻלָּה לְחוֹלֶה – לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַצִּיצִית. וְהַסּוֹד בַּפָּסוּק: הִנֵּה בִנְךָ יוֹסֵף בָּא אֵלֶיךָ; כִּי כָּל אֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת מְרַמְּזִין עַל הַצִּיצִית, דְּהַיְנוּ מִנְיַן הַחוּטִין וְהַחֻלְיוֹת וְהַקְּשָׁרִים, כַּמְבֹאָר בִּפְרִי־ עֵץ־חַיִּים בְּשַׁעַר הַצִּיצִית, פֶּרֶק ד', בַּהַגָּ"ה, עַיֵּן שָׁם. וְזֶהוּ: הִנֵּה בִנְךָ יוֹסֵף בָּא אֵלֶיךָ, דְּהַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת צִיצִית כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה: וַיִּתְחַזֵּק יִשְׂרָאֵל:

EN (our paraphrase): A segulah for one who is ill: to look at the tzitzis. The secret is in the verse 'behold, your son Yosef is coming to you', for all these words hint at the tzitzis: the number of the threads, the windings and the knots, as explained in Pri Etz Chaim, Shaar HaTzitzis. And this is 'behold, your son Yosef is coming to you', tzitzis, as above; and through this, 'Yisrael gathered his strength.'

Hebrew phrases in the Explainer

Scene 2 · §1.3: כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל חֶסְרוֹן אֱמוּנָה,

Scene 3 · §1.4: וְהַתְּפִלָּה מְשַׁנָּה הַטֶּבַע, וְזֶה דְּבַר נֵס,

Scene 4 · §1.5: וְעִקַּר אֱמוּנָה, בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, בְּחִינַת נִסִּים, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל,

Scene 5 · §1.7: שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מְקוֹם הַנִּסִּים, וְאֵין שָׁם מְקוֹם הַתְּפִלָּה,

Scene 6 · §1.9: אֵין מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן־דָּוִד בָּא אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה פְּרוּטָה מִן הַכִּיס;

Scene 7 · §1.10: תְּהוֹם אֶל תְּהוֹם קוֹרֵא;

Scene 8 · §2.1: אֱמוּנָה אִתְקְרִיאַת, כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בָּהּ אֱמֶת:

Scene 9 · §3.1: וְאִי־אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לֶאֱמֶת אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לְצַדִּיקִים,

Scene 10 · §3.2: וּבְמַעֲמַד הַר־סִינַי פָּסְקָה זֻהֲמָתָן,

Scene 11 · §3.3: הַכְּלָיוֹת יוֹעֲצוֹת,

Scene 12 · §3.5: וַעֲצַת הַצַּדִּיק הוּא כֻּלּוֹ זֶרַע אֱמֶת.

Scene 13 · §4.1: צִיצִית שְׁמִירָה לְנִאוּף,

Scene 14 · §4.4: וּשְׁמִירַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֵינַיִם, הוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ,

Scene 15 · §5.2: תָּא אַחֲוֵי לָךְ טוּרָא דְּסִינַי.

Scene 16 · §5.7: וְשָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת־קוֹל שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי

Scene 17 · §6.4: כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בַּהּ אֱמֶת,

Scene 18 · §6.6: וּמָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ דֵּעָה.

Scene 19 · §7.3: הַתְּפִלָּה מְסֻגָּל לְזִכָּרוֹן,

Scene 20 · §7.4: מֵ"ם וְסָמֶ"ךְ שֶׁבַּלּוּחוֹת בְּנֵס הָיוּ עוֹמְדִין;

Scene 21 · §7.6: וְזֶה שׂוֹרֵק, הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוּרֻק, שֶׁהוּא תְּלָת טִפִּין,

Scene 22 · §8.1: סְגֻלָּה לְחוֹלֶה – לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל הַצִּיצִית.

Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap

Scene 2 · §1.3: כִּי עִקַּר הַגָּלוּת אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל חֶסְרוֹן אֱמוּנָה,

Scene 3 · §3.1: וְאִי־אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לֶאֱמֶת אֶלָּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לְצַדִּיקִים,

Scene 4 · §3.5: וַעֲצַת הַצַּדִּיק הוּא כֻּלּוֹ זֶרַע אֱמֶת.

Scene 5 · §4.4: וּשְׁמִירַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֵינַיִם, הוּא שְׁמִירָה מֵעֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ,

Scene 6 · §6.4: כַּד אִתְחַבַּר בַּהּ אֱמֶת,

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