וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם וְכוּ'
Dancing and Clapping Sweeten Judgment
When harsh judgments hang over Israel, dancing and clapping sweeten them. Hashem's greatness is revealed when even the far ones know Him, and that comes when the tzaddikim raise prayer from 'mountain' and 'field' into a 'house'. Pride, which is idolatry, blocks the way, and fasting alone does not cure it; the tzaddik's spirit breaks it and brings joy into the hands and feet, as on Purim with Mordechai and Esther and the omer of barley.
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- Part 1: Dancing, Clapping, and Hashem's Greatness ▶ Play⬇ 10.1 MB
- Part 2: Prayer Through the Tzaddik, and Avimelech ▶ Play⬇ 7.0 MB
- Part 3: The Sack Full of Holes, and the Rebuke of the Mind ▶ Play⬇ 9.3 MB
- Part 4: The Tzaddik Is Spirit: Dancing and Clapping ▶ Play⬇ 9.2 MB
- Part 5: The Torah's Hands and Feet, and the Lot of Haman ▶ Play⬇ 7.6 MB
- Part 6: Esther and the Omer of Barley ▶ Play⬇ 7.1 MB
- Part 7: The Men of Korach ▶ Play⬇ 7.0 MB
- Part 8: Every Rosh Chodesh, and the Verse Decoded ▶ Play⬇ 9.2 MB
- Part 9: Without Yosef No One Lifts a Hand, and the Rebbe's Own Note ▶ Play⬇ 7.7 MB
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם וְכוּ'. (שמות כ״א:א׳):
א כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, דִּינִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל־יְדֵי רִקּוּדִים וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף אֶל כַּף נַעֲשֶׂה הַמְתָּקַת הַדִּינִין:
ב כִּי עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הוּא, שֶׁגַּם הָעַכּוּ"ם יֵדְעוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱלֹקִים שַׁלִּיט וּמוֹשֵׁל, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר (יתרו דף סט:): כַּד אֲתָא יִתְרוֹ וְאָמַר: כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל ה' וְכוּ', כְּדֵין אִתְיַקַּר וְאִתְעַלָּא שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה:
ג וְלָעַכּוּ"ם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לֵידַע גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת יַעֲקֹב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ב׳:ה׳-ו׳): בֵּית יַעֲקֹב לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה בְּאוֹר ה', כִּי הוּא גִּלָּה אֱלֹקוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר הָאָבוֹת,
כִּי אַבְרָהָם קְרָאוֹ הַר, וְיִצְחָק קְרָאוֹ שָׂדֶה (פסחים פח.), וְשָׂדֶה הוּא יוֹתֵר מֻשָּׂג וְנִצְרָךְ לְהָעוֹלָם מֵהַר. וְיַעֲקֹב קְרָאוֹ בַּיִת, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם יִשּׁוּב לִבְנֵי־אָדָם יוֹתֵר מִשָּׂדֶה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב קָרָא אֶת מְקוֹם הַבֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הַתְּפִלָּה, בַּיִת, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם יִשּׁוּב לִבְנֵי־אָדָם,
כִּי הֶעֱלָה אֶת הַתְּפִלָּה מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ תְּפִיסָה לִבְנֵי־אָדָם יוֹתֵר מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה, כִּי בִּבְחִינַת בַּיִת יֵשׁ גַּם לְעַכּוּ"ם הַשָּׂגָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו נ״ו:ז׳): כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים, וּכְשֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת בַּיִת, כְּדֵין אִתְיַקַּר שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה כַּנַּ"ל:
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (תהילים מ״ח:ב׳): גָּדוֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד, כְּלוֹמַר, אֵימָתַי גָּדוֹל ה', כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהֻלָּל מְאֹד – מִסִּטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עַכּוּ"ם (כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ר פ' ט) עַל פָּסוּק (בראשית א׳:ל״א): וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, מְאֹד – זֶה מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת), כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהֻלָּל מֵהֶם, אֲזַי הוּא גָּדוֹל, כִּי הוּא עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ;
וְאֵימָתַי הוּא מְהֻלָּל מֵהֶם, בְּעִיר אֱלֹקֵינוּ הַר קָדְשׁוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁבְּחִינַת הַר נַעֲשֶׂה עִיר אֱלֹקֵינוּ, שֶׁהוּא יִשּׁוּב בְּנֵי־אָדָם, בְּחִינַת בַּיִת, שֶׁהוּא מֻשָּׂג יוֹתֵר מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁמַּעֲלִין אֶת בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה מִבְּחִינַת הַר לִבְחִינַת עִיר וּבַיִת, שֶׁאָז יֵשׁ גַּם לָעַכּוּ"ם הַשָּׂגָה כַּנַּ"ל, אָז דַּיְקָא גָּדוֹל ה', כִּי זֶה עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּשֶׁגַּם הָרְחוֹקִים יוֹדְעִים מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל:
ד וְעִנְיָן זֶה – לְהַעֲלוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה מִבְּחִינַת הַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת, בְּחִינַת עִיר אֱלֹקֵינוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה מַלְכוּתוֹ גַּם לָעַכּוּ"ם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם גַּם כֵּן הַשָּׂגָה בֶּאֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ – אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהֵעָשׂוֹת כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי צַדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ב קטז.): מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חוֹלֶה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, יֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל חָכָם וִיבַקֵּשׁ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים,
כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים כִּי אִם צַדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹר. כִּי יֵשׁ בַּעֲלֵי גַּאֲוָה, שֶׁאֵינָם רוֹצִים שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ לְצַדִּיקִים, וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁהֵן בְּעַצְמָם יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, וּמוֹנְעִים גַּם אֲחֵרִים, כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם צַעַר אוֹ חוֹלֶה, לֵילֵךְ לְצַדִּיקִים – עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (בראשית כ׳:ז׳): הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ וְכוּ',
כִּי זֶה הַבַּעַל־גַּאֲוָה מְכֻנֶּה בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲבִימֶלֶךְ: אֲבִי, לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, כִּי הוּא רוֹצֶה לִמְלֹךְ, וְהַיְנוּ אֲבִימֶלֶךְ. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמואל־ב כג): צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל וְכוּ', וְהוּא מִתְגָּאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וְיֵשׁ לוֹ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה, וְעַל כֵּן מְכֻנֶּה בְּשֵׁם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, כִּי הוּא רוֹצֶה לִמְלֹךְ וְאוֹמֵר: אֲנָא אֶמְלֹךְ.
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ. אֵשֶׁת – רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת אֲדֹ-נָ-י שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח, זֶה בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, דְּהַיְנוּ: הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת, בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה, לְהַצַּדִּיק, כִּי נָבִיא הוּא,
כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים (חולין ס:), וּמְשַׁגֵּר תְּפִלָּה סְדוּרָה בְּפִיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה מִתְּפִלָּתוֹ. וְזֶה: כִּי נָבִיא הוּא, לְשׁוֹן נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות לד:): בּוֹרֵא נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם – אִם שְׁגוּרָה תְּפִלָּתוֹ בְּפִיו וְכוּ'.
וְזֶה: הָשֵׁב – רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת: הַר שָׂדֶה, בַּיִת, זֶה רֶמֶז שֶׁתְּפִלַּת הַצַּדִּיק הִיא בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָהּ מִבְּחִינַת הַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת כַּנַּ"ל:
אֲבָל אֵלּוּ הַבַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה מְעַכְּבִים תַּאֲוָתוֹ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאֵינָם מְבַקְשִׁים מִצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁהִתְעַנּוּ וְסִגְּפוּ אֶת עַצְמָם, וּבָזֶה הֵם צַדִּיקִים; אֲבָל הָאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵּן, כִּי כָּל הַתַּעֲנִיתִים שֶׁהִתְעַנּוּ, אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שַׂק שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חוֹרִים הַרְבֵּה, וּכְשֶׁמְּרִיקִים אֶת הַשַּׂק, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן נִשְׁאֲרוּ בּוֹ הַחוֹרִים.
וְהַגּוּף נִקְרָא שַׂק, כְּמַאֲמַר הַתַּנָּא: שִׁינְנָא, שְׁרֵי שַׂקָּךְ (שבת קנב.). וְאִם הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ בְּעַצְמָן, הָיוּ רוֹאִים, אַחַר כָּל הַתַּעֲנֵיתִים עֲדַיִן נִשְׁאֲרוּ אֶצְלָם כָּל תַּאֲוָתָם קְשׁוּרִים בְּשַׂקָּם, הַיְנוּ בְּגוּפָם, וְלֹא תַּאֲוָתָם בִּלְבַד נִשְׁאַר קָשׁוּר בְּגוּפָם, כִּי אִם גַּם תַּאֲוַת אֲבִיהֶם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֶצְלָם מִשְּׁעַת הַהוֹלָדָה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַדֵּשׁ אָבִיו בִּשְׁעַת זִוּוּג, גַּם זֶה קָשׁוּר בְּגוּפָם עֲדַיִן; וּבְוַדַּאי אִלּוּ הָיוּ רוֹאִים אֶת כָּל זֶה, חֲרָדָה גְּדוֹלָה הָיָה נוֹפֵל עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי הָיוּ רוֹאִים אֵיךְ הֵם עוֹמְדִים בְּמַדְרֵגָה פְּחוּתָה וּשְׁפָלָה.
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (בראשית מ״ב:ל״ה): וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ צְרוֹר כַּסְפּוֹ בְּשַׂקוֹ. אַחַר כָּל הַתַּעֲנִיתִים, שֶׁהוּא הֲרָקַת הַשַּׂק, בְּחִינַת הַגּוּף, עֲדַיִן: וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ צְרוֹר כַּסְפּוֹ – שֶׁקָּשׁוּר וְצָרוּר כַּסְפּוֹ וְתַאֲוָתוֹ בְּשַׂקּוֹ וְגוּפוֹ. וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת צְרֹרוֹת כַּסְפֵּיהֶם הֵמָּה וַאֲבִיהֶם, הַיְנוּ, לֹא דַּי צְרוֹרוֹת כַּסְפֵּיהֶם, שֶׁהוּא תַּאֲווֹת עַצְמָן, כִּי אִם גַּם הֵמָּה וַאֲבִיהֶם, הַיְנוּ הַתַּאֲווֹת שֶׁל אֲבִיהֶם, גַּם הֵמָּה לֹא נָפְלוּ מֵהֶם. וְזֶהוּ: וַיִּירָאוּ, כִּי חֲרָדָה נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וַאֲזַי לֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִים לְהִשְׂתָּרֵר וְלִמְלֹךְ:
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם: אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם, יוֹסֵף אֵינֶנּוּ וְכוּ'. זֶה רֶמֶז עַל תּוֹכַחַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹכִיחַ אֶת הַבַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה, הָרוֹצִים לְהִתְגַּדֵּל, כִּי יַעֲקֹב הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס (בראשית כז): וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי – וְחַכְּמַנִי.
וְזֶה: אֲבִיהֶם, כִּי אָב בְּחָכְמָה, וְהַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹכִיחָם וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם, כִּי כָּל הַמִּתְגָּאֶה, חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ (פסחים סו:).
יוֹסֵף אֵינֶנּוּ – זֶה בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן הַמְעֻוָּת, הַיְנוּ: עֲדַיִן לֹא תִּקַּנְתֶּם הַמְעֻוָּת, שֶׁהוּא לְחֶרְפָּה וּלְקָלוֹן, וְיֵשׁ לָכֶם לְהִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵחֲמָתוֹ, כִּי תִּקּוּן הַמְעֻוָּת הוּא בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, עַל שֵׁם (בראשית ל): אָסַף אֱלֹקִים אֶת חֶרְפָּתִי.
וְשִׁמְעוֹן אֵינֶנּוּ – הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֵין לְךָ בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, אֵין לְךָ בְּחִינוֹת שִׁמְעוֹן, וְשִׁמְעוֹן הוּא בְּחִינַת (שם כט): כִּי שָׁמַע ה' כִּי שְׂנוּאָה אָנֹכִי, כִּי אַתָּה אֵינְךָ שָׂנוּא, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא תִּקַּנְתָּ אֶת עַצְמְךָ, בְּוַדַּאי אֵינְךָ יָכוֹל לְהוֹכִיחַ אֲחֵרִים, כִּי יֹאמְרוּ לְךָ: קְשֹׁט עַצְמְךָ תְּחִלָּה וְכוּ', וְעַל כֵּן אֵינְךָ שָׂנוּא, כִּי הַמּוֹכִיחַ הוּא שָׂנוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (כתובות קה:): הַאי צוּרְבָא מֵרַבָּנָן דִּמְרַחֲמֵי לֵהּ בְּנֵי מָתָא, לָאו מִשּׁוּם דְּמַעֲלֵי טְפֵי, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא מוֹכַח לְהוּ בְּמִלֵּי דִּשְׁמַיָּא. נִמְצָא, שֶׁהַמּוֹכִיחַ הוּא שָׂנוּא.
וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין תִּקָּחוּ – זֶה מוֹרֶה עַל גַּדְלוּת, כִּי פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: בִּנְיָמִין – עַל שֵׁם אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֶּן יָמִין, וְאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת (זבחים נד:),
וְהַיְנוּ, לֹא דַּי שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם כָּל הַבְּחִינוֹת הַלָּלוּ, עִם כָּל זֶה: וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין תִּקָּחוּ – שֶׁאַתֶּם לוֹקְחִים לְעַצְמְכֶם גַּדְלוּת, וְהַיְנוּ דְּסִיֵּם הַשֵּׂכֶל הַמּוֹכִיחַ אוֹתָם: עָלַי הָיוּ כֻלָּנָה, כִּי הַכֹּל נוֹפֵל עָלַי, כִּי כָּל הַמִּתְגָּאֶה, חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ:
ה וְהָעֵצָה הַיְּעוּצָה לְבַטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה, שֶׁהִיא הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי טז): תּוֹעֲבַת ה' כָּל גְּבַהּ לֵב (כמו שדרז"ל סוטה ד:), הָעִקָּר הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לַצַּדִּיקִים, כַּמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תיקון כא דף מח.): בִּתְרוּעָה, דְּאִיהוּ רוּחָא, אִתְעֲבִיר אֵל אַחֵר.
וְצַדִּיק הוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר כז): אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ בּוֹ, וְעַל־יָדוֹ נִכְנָע רוּחַ גָּבוֹהַּ, אֵל אַחֵר, וְנַעֲשֶׂה מֵאַחֵר אֶחָד, כִּי הוּא קוֹצָא דְּאוֹת ד' (תיקון כא דף נה:), שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יחזקאל לז): כֹּה אָמַר ה', מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ. וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן תְּרוּעָה, לְשׁוֹן (תהלים ב): תְּרֹעֵם בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל (תיקון יח ותיקון כא), כִּי הוּא מְשַׁבֵּר רוּחַ גָּבוֹהַּ, אֵל אַחֵר, כְּפִירוֹת:
ו וְזֶה בְּחִינַת רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף, כִּי רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף נִמְשָׁכִין מִבְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ שֶׁבַּלֵּב, כַּנִּרְאֶה בְּחוּשׁ, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת הַלֵּב הוּא מְרַקֵּד וּמַכֶּה כַּף אֶל כַּף, וְכַמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תיקון כא דף נא:): וְהַאי רוּחָא נָשִׁב בְּשִׁית פִּרְקִין דִּדְרוֹעָא וּבְשִׁית פִּרְקִין דְּשׁוֹקִין, וְהִיא בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף וּבְחִינַת רִקּוּדִין. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת: לִבּוֹ נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלָיו (ב"ר ויצא פרשה ע), הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ שֶׁבַּלֵּב בָּאִים הָרִקּוּדִין,
הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל, נִתְבַּטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה כַּנַּ"ל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ל״ו:י״ב): אַל תְּבוֹאֵנִי רֶגֶל גַּאֲוָה, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם (בראשית י״ח:ד׳) – זֶה עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים,
וּכְשֶׁנִּתְעַלֶּה הָרַגְלִין עַל־יְדֵי הָרִקּוּדִין, בְּחִינַת: נָשָׂא לִבּוֹ אֶת רַגְלָיו, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה, הַיְנוּ הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִמְתָּקִין הַדִּינִים, כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם (ספרי פ' ראה), וּכְשֶׁנִּתְעַבֵּר הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, נִתְעַבֵּר הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, וְנִמְשָׁכִין חֲסָדִים, וְאָז הָרַגְלִין הֵם בִּבְחִינַת רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו (שמואל־א ב), הַיְנוּ בִּבְחִינַת חֲסָדִים, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: חַסְדֵּי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים (ישעיהו נ״ה:ג׳); הַנֶּאֱמָנִים דַּיְקָא, כִּי נִתְבַּטְּלוּ הַמִּינוּת וְהַכְּפִירוֹת.
וְגַם זֶה בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ נִתְגַּלֶּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שיר השירים ה׳:ב׳): קוֹל דּוֹדִי דּוֹפֵק; דּוֹפֵק – זֶה בְּחִינַת רוּחַ, כַּמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תיקון כה דף סח.), וְסָמִיךְ לֵהּ: דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר – זֶה בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף, וְאָז נִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הַיְנוּ הַכְּפִירוֹת, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שמות י״ז:י״ב): וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה.
נִמְצָא, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רוּחַ שֶׁבַּלֵּב, נִתְגַּלֶּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה וְהַכְּפִירוֹת, וְנִתְרַבֶּה הָאֱמוּנָה. וְאָז נִתְקַיֵּם (תהילים כ״ו:י״ב): רַגְלִי עָמְדָה בְמִישׁוֹר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כִּי הַמִּינוּת הִיא בְּחִינַת נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי, כְּמַאֲמַר אָסָף (שם עג): כִּמְעַט נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁם עַל שֶׁהִשִּׁיאוֹ לִבּוֹ לְמִינוּת, כַּמְבֹאָר שָׁם, וְרַגְלִי עָמְדָה בְמִישׁוֹר – מוֹרֶה עַל אֱמוּנָה, וְאָז נִתְקַיֵּם: וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה:
ז וְהַתּוֹרָה הִיא גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן, כִּי יֵשׁ בְּהַתּוֹרָה נִגְלֶה וְנִסְתָּר. נִגְלֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר. מִן הַחוֹר, הַיְנוּ חָרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת (שמות ל״ב:ט״ז), שֶׁהוּא בְּנִגְלֶה; וְנִסְתָּר הֵם בְּחִינוֹת רַגְלַיִן, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוכה מט:): חַמּוּקֵי יְרֵכַיִךְ – מַה יָרֵךְ בַּסֵּתֶר וְכוּ'.
וּכְלָלִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרֵאת לֵב, שֶׁמַּתְחֶלֶת בְּבֵּי"ת וּמְסַיֶּמֶת בֶּלָמֶ"ד, שֶׁשָּׁם מִשְׁכַּן הָרוּחַ, דְּנָשִׁיב בְּשִׁית פִּרְקִין דִּדְרוֹעִין וְשִׁית פִּרְקִין דְּרַגְלַיִן, הַיְנוּ בְּנִגְלֶה וּבְנִסְתָּר:
ח וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, וְהָמָן, בְּחִינוֹת פּוּרִים, בְּחִינַת גּוֹרָל שֶׁהִפִּיל הָמָן, בְּחִינַת עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים.
כִּי הָמָן בְּחִינַת הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים (מגילה י:), וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הִפִּיל פּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל, בַּחֹדֶשׁ שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ משֶׁה (שם יג:), כִּי משֶׁה הוּא מְבַטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה נִקְבַּר מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר, כְּדֵי לְבַטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבַּפְּעוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה יד.), כִּי משֶׁה גִּימַטְרִיָּא חֲרוֹן־אַף, כִּי הוּא מְבַטֵּל חֲרוֹן־אַף שֶׁל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כִּי הוּא קִבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵיהֶם נִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים כַּנַּ"ל.
וְעַל כֵּן הִפִּיל פּוּר בַּיֶּרַח שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ משֶׁה, כִּי חָשַׁב כִּי כְּבָר מֵת משֶׁה, הַמְבַטֵּל כֹּחַ הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, וְאֵין עוֹד מִי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְבַטֵּל כֹּחַ הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים:
אֲבָל מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, הָיָה לָהֶם כֹּחַ לְבַטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים שֶׁל הָמָן, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה בִּימֵיהֶם קִבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַתּוֹרָה מֵחָדָשׁ, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת פח.): קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ – קִיְּמוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר.
וְזֶה: קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ – קִיְּמוּ זֶה בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן, וְקִבְּלוּ – זֶה בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַתּוֹרָה בְּעַצְמָהּ כַּנַּ"ל.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר: מָרְדֳּכַי – מָר דְּרוֹר (חולין קלט:). דְּרוֹר, לְשׁוֹן חֵרוּת, זֶה בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר כַּנַּ"ל; וְאֶסְתֵּר הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוֹקַיִן – מַה יָּרֵךְ בַּסֵּתֶר כַּנַּ"ל.
וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן פּוּרִים, הַיְנוּ בִּטּוּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ס״ג:ג׳): פּוּרָה דָּרַכְתִּי לְבַדִּי, וּמֵעַמִּים אֵין אִישׁ אִתִּי.
וְעַל־יְדֵי הֶאָרַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַיָּדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן, נִתְבַּטְּלוּ הַכְּפִירוֹת, וְנִתְרַבָּה אֱמוּנָה בָּעוֹלָם עַל־יְדֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (אסתר ב): וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת הֲדַסָּה, וּבָהּ כְּתִיב (שם): כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בְאָמְנָה אִתּוֹ, כִּי שְׁנֵיהֶם הֵם בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה,
וְזֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (מגילה ז.): אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: לִבּוֹ נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלָיו, כִּי עִקַּר הָעַכּוּ"ם תָּלוּי בָּהּ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי ה׳:ה׳): רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת, וְעַל כֵּן עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים עַל־יָדָהּ.
וְעַל כֵּן דַּיְקָא אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, אַף שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת תִּקּוּן הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים הוּא גַּם־כֵּן עַל־יְדֵי מָרְדֳּכַי כַּנַּ"ל, רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁעִקַּר הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים תְּלוּיָה בָּהּ, וְעַל כֵּן עַל־יָדָהּ עִקַּר הַתִּקּוּן. וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרֵאת הַמְּגִלָּה עַל שֵׁם אֶסְתֵּר, וְהַיְנוּ דְּדַיְקָא אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, כִּי הָרוּחַ הוּא בַּלֵּב, וְעַל־יָדוֹ נִתְגַּלֶּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם, רַק הָעִקָּר תְּלוּיָה בָּרַגְלַיִם, בְּחִינַת אֶסְתֵּר.
וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים. עֹמֶר זֶה בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי, עַיִן מֹר, מָר דְּרוֹר; דְּרוֹר לְשׁוֹן חֵרוּת, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת [כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין נד.): אַל תִּקְרֵי חָרוּת אֶלָּא חֵרוּת], שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַתּוֹרָה בְּנִגְלֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: עַיִן בְּעַיִן (במדבר יד).
שְׂעוֹרִים זֶה בְּחִינַת אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ל״ב:ב׳): כִּשְׂעִירִים עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן רוּחַ.
וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה, כְּשֶׁבָּא הָמָן לְמָרְדֳּכַי, מְצָאוֹ עוֹסֵק בְּעֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים, אָמַר לָהֶם: עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים דִּידְכוּ אָתֵי וְנִצַּח אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו, כַּמְבֹאָר בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (אסתר פרשה י, ובגמ' מגילה דף טז.); כִּי עַל־יְדֵי עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף וְרִקּוּדִין, נִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָמָן, בְּחִינַת גֵּאוּת כַּנַּ"ל.
וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה צִוָּה הָמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת עֵץ גָּבֹהַּ חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה, כִּי רָצָה לְבַטֵּל כֹּחַ שֶׁל חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם שֶׁל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר, שֶׁהוּא הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר:
ט וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־חָנָה: אָמַר לִי הַהוּא טַיְעָא: תָּא וְאַחְוֵי לָךְ בְּלוּעֵי דְּקֹרַח. אַזְלִי וַחֲזָאִי תְּרֵי בִּזְעֵי דְּהַוֵי נָפִיק מִנַיְהוּ קִטְרָא. שְׁקַל גְּבָבָא דְּעַמְרָא, וּמַשְׁיֵהּ בְּמַיָּא, וְאַנְחֵהּ בְּרֵישֵׁהּ דְּרֻמְחֵהּ, וְעַיְלֵהּ הָתָם, וְכִי אַפִּיק, הַוֵי אִחְרַךְ אִחְרוּכֵי. אָמַר לִי: אַצִּית מָה שְׁמָעִית. וְשִׁמְעֵת דַּהַוֵי אָמְרִין: משֶׁה אֱמֶת וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת וְהֵן בַּדָּאִין. אָמַר לִי: כָּל שְׁלשִׁים יוֹמָא מְהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם לְהָכָא כְּבָשָׂר בְּקַלַּחַת, וְאָמְרִי הָכִי: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת וְהֵן בַּדָּאִין:
בְּלוּעֵי דְּקֹרַח, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר פ' יח, ירושלמי סנהדרין פ' חלק): קֹרַח מִין הָיָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, מִינוּת.
וְחַזָאִי תְּרֵי בִּזְעֵי דְּהַוֵי נָפִיק מִנַּיְהוּ קִטְרָא. – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַחֲרוֹן־אַף שֶׁגּוֹרְמִים בְּמִינוּת, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: כָּל זְמַן שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם. וּתְרֵי בִּזְעֵי, זֶה בְּחִינוֹת תְּרֵי נִקְבֵי הָאַף, שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מֵהֶם הֶעָשָׁן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים י״ח:ט׳): עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ.
וְשָׁקִיל גְּבָבָא דְּעַמְרָא – זֶה בְּחִינַת עֹמֶר כַּנַּ"ל,
וּמַשְׁיֵהּ בְּמַיָּא – זֶה בְּחִינַת שְׂעוֹרִים, בְּחִינַת אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הָרַגְלַיִן הֵם אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת עַרְבֵי נַחַל, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוכה נג.): רַגְלוֹהִי דְּבַר־נָשׁ אִנּוּן עָרְבִין לֵהּ. עָרְבִין זֶה בְּחִינַת עַרְבֵי נַחַל, אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם. הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף וְרִקּוּדִין כַּנַּ"ל.
וְאַנְחֵהּ בְּרֵישֵׁהּ דְּרֻמְחָא – רֹמַח דָּא רוּחַ מֵ"ם, שֶׁהוּא מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ, כִּי הַמֵּ"ם הִיא אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ הַצַּדִּיק דְּנָשֵׁב בְּיָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן כַּנַּ"ל, וְרֹאשׁ הָרֹמַח הוּא הַצַּדִּיק, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹצְאוֹת הָרוּחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ בּוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
וְאַפְקִינְהוּ, וְאִחְרַךְ אִחְרוּכֵי – אִחְרַךְ, לְשׁוֹן חַיִּים וַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (עירובין נד:): לֹא יַחֲרֹךְ רְמִיָּה צֵידוֹ – לֹא יִחְיֶה וְלֹא יַאֲרִיךְ, וְהַיְנוּ: וְאִיחְרַךְ אִיחְרוּכֵי – לְשׁוֹן חַיִּים וַאֲרִיכַת יָמִים, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בִּטּוּל הַגַּאֲוָה, הַיְנוּ הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַחָכְמָה עַל תִּקּוּנָהּ כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי חָכְמָה יִחְיֶה וְיַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת ז׳:י״ב): הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה וְכוּ'.
אָמַר לִי: אַצִּית לְהוּ, וְשִׁמְעֵת דְּאָמְרִין: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת – שֶׁהֵן מוֹדִין עַל הָאֱמֶת, כִּי כְּשֶׁמִּתְקָרֵב אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְצַדִּיקִים כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם הָרוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִשְׁבָּר הַגַּאֲוָה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְאָז מַכִּירִין אֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵם מִסִּטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא אֶת גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
וְאָמַר לִי: כָּל שְׁלשִׁים יוֹמִין מְהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם לְהָכָא וְאָמְרִי הָכִי: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת – פֵּרֵשׁ רַבֵּנוּ שְׁמוּאֵל: בְּכָל רֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ. כִּי כָּל דָּבָר יֵשׁ לוֹ שֹׁרֶשׁ, וְשֹׁרֶשׁ הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא רֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ, כִּי בְּרֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־ הוּא: הָבִיאוּ עָלַי כַּפָּרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבועות ט.) , וְזֶה בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה, וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה הַזֹּאת נִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָה בְּכָל הַנִּבְרָאִים בְּרֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה גַּם קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ מֻכְרָחִים לְאֵיזֶה חֲרָטָה בְּרֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ, אֲבָל הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֵינָהּ מוֹעִיל לָהֶם, כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הִיא רַק בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כִּי מִי שֶׁטָּרַח בְּעֶרֶב־שַׁבָּת וְכוּ' (ע"ז ג.);
וְנִמְצָא בְּוַדַּאי לֹא נִפְטָרִין בְּזֶה הַהוֹדָאָה שֶׁהֵן מִתְחָרְטִין וּמוֹדִין מִדִּין גֵּיהִנּוֹם, וְעַל כֵּן מְהַדְרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנּוֹם לְהָכָא, כִּי אֵין נִפְטָרִין בָּזֶה. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אֵין גֵּיהִנּוֹם בְּרֹאשׁ־ חֹדֶשׁ כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁאָר יָמִים (זוהר תרומה קנ:), וְהַגֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁל רֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא הַחֲרָטָה, שֶׁמִּתְחָרְטִים וּמוֹדִים וּמִתְבַּיְּשִׁין, זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ גֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְזֶהוּ דְּדִיֵּק: מְהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנּוֹם לְהָכָא, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁמְּהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ לְהָכָא, שֶׁחוֹזְרִים וּמוֹדִים, הוּא הַגֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁלָּהֶם:
י וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם,
כִּי אִיתָא בִּמְכִילְתָּא: אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ לְכָל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. פֵּרוּשׁ, לְכָל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַמְתִּיקָם, צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁווֹת, הַיְנוּ לְיַחֵד, קֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אִשָּׁה וְאִישׁ, בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
וְאֵלֶּה – כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים (ב"ר נח פ' ל), בְּחִינַת תּוֹסְפוֹת וְרִבּוּי, בְּחִינַת גַּאֲוָה, עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ז): לֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם חָשַׁק ה', שֶׁפֵּרוּשׁוֹ גַּאֲוָה. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָמָן־עֲמָלֵק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר כ״ד:כ׳): רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק, וְתִקּוּנוֹ:
הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – בְּחִינַת רוּחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו כ״ח:ו׳): וּלְרוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט וְכוּ' מְשִׁיבֵי מִלְחָמָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ נִתְתַּקֵּן הַגַּאֲוָה וְהָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה:
אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם, הַיְנוּ הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ לְכָל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמְתָּקַת הַדִּינִים, כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף וְדִינִים בָּעוֹלָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ הַנַּ"ל נִתְיַחֵד קֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, וְנִמְתָּקִין הַדִּינִים, וְנִסְתַּלֵּק חֲרוֹן־אַף מִן הָעוֹלָם.
וְהִנֵּה, כְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ, אִתְעֲבֵר אֵל אַחֵר, כְּפִירוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ בָּאִים רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ נִתְעַלּוּ הָרַגְלַיִן, וְנִתְגַּלָּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם, וְנִתְרַבָּה הָאֱמוּנָה, כַּמְבֹאָר לְמָעְלָה. וְעַל כֵּן כְּתִיב בְּיוֹסֵף, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַצַּדִּיק (בראשית מ״א:מ״ד): וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ לֹא יָרִים אִישׁ אֶת יָדוֹ וְאֶת רַגְלוֹ, כִּי בִּלְעֲדֵי בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַצַּדִּיק, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהָרִים הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם כַּנַּ"ל.
וְהִנֵּה מִכְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ, שֶׁנִּגְלֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, וְנִסְתָּר הוּא בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן, בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר; וְאַף שֶׁנִּסְתָּר הוּא לְמַעְלָה מִנִּגְלֶה, עִם כָּל זֶה הִתְגַּלּוּת הַנִּגְלֶה הוּא בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ, דְּהַיְנוּ הַיָּדַיִם, וְהַנִּסְתָּר בָּרַגְלַיִן, שֶׁהִיא לְמַטָּה מִיָּדַיִם. וְהָעִנְיָן עָמֹק, אַךְ הוּא עִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר: תַּנָּאִים בַּשּׁוֹקַיִן וְאָמוֹרָאִים בַּיָּדַיִן. וְאַף שֶׁהַתַּנָּאִים לְמַעְלָה מֵאָמוֹרָאִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הֵם בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא לְמַטָּה מִמְּקוֹם הָאָמוֹרָאִים, וְכֵן נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים; וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר עַל זֶה תֵּרוּץ:
(עוֹד רְאֵה זֶה מָצָאתִי מִכְּתַב־יַד רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל בְּעַצְמוֹ מֵעִנְיַן הַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ"ל, וְזֶהוּ:)
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים וְכוּ'.
גֵּאוּת, מוּדַעַת זֹאת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה מְגֻנָּה, וְצָרִיךְ לִבְרֹחַ מִמֶּנָּה, אֲבָל יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁרוֹדְפִים אַחַר כָּבוֹד וְרוֹצִים לִמְלֹךְ וּלְהַנְהִיג אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְאֵל יָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת פִּדְיוֹנוֹת וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלּוֹת, וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ כִּי נָבִיא הוּא וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְךָ וֶחְיֵה.
כִּי זֶה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא [מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, וְצָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ אֶצְלָם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עָלָיו] עֲלֵיהֶם, אֲבָל בַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה אֵין הוֹלְכִים אֶל צַדִּיקִים לְבַקְשָׁם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְגַם אֵין מַנִּיחִים שְׁאָר בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ אֵצֶל צַדִּיקִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי אָמְרוּ אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה, שֶׁגַּם הֵם צַדִּיקִים וִיכוֹלִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, וְאֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יוֹתֵר מֵהֶם, וּבָזֶה הֵם נִקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ; אֲבִי – לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, כְּמוֹ: וְלֹא אָבָה ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ וְכוּ':
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 ten: Ve'eleh hamishpatim.
When harsh judgments hang over Israel, they are sweetened through dancing, and through clapping hand to hand.
Hashem is truly great when even the far ones know Him. That comes when prayer is raised from a mountain, to a field, to a house.
Only the tzaddikim can build prayer that way. The proud block the way to them, trusting their fasts; but fasting leaves a sack full of holes.
The tzaddik is spirit. His spirit breaks pride, and fills the heart with joy, until the hands clap and the feet dance.
That is how Mordechai and Esther, and the omer of barley, defeated Haman, and the judgments were sweetened.
Our own reflection: let go of pride, come close, and let joy move your feet.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan, Torah ten: Ve'eleh hamishpatim. Why should dancing and clapping have the power to soften harsh judgments from Heaven?
Rebbe Nachman opens with one surprising line. When there are harsh judgments upon the Jewish people, Heaven forbid, they are sweetened through dancing, and through clapping hand to hand. The whole Torah explains why.
He begins far away. What is Hashem's real greatness? That even the nations, even those far from Him, should know that there is a Ruler over the world. The Zohar says that when Yisro, who had served every idol, came and said, now I know that Hashem is great, then Hashem's Name was honored above.
How do the far ones come to know Him? Through Yaakov. The Gemara says that Avraham called the place of the Beis HaMikdash a mountain, Yitzchak called it a field, and Yaakov called it a house. A mountain is lofty and few climb it. A field is open, but no one lives there. A house is where people actually live. Yaakov brought prayer into a house, so that even the nations could grasp something of it, as the verse says: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.
And the Rebbe reads a verse in Tehillim: great is Hashem and very much praised, in the city of our Elokim. When is Hashem great? When He is praised even from the side of death, by the far ones; and that happens when the mountain becomes a city, a house, a place people can reach.
But who can raise prayer to a house? Only the tzaddikim of the generation. That is why the Sages taught: one who has a sick person at home should go to a sage and ask him to pray. The essence of prayer is known to the true tzaddikim.
And here is the obstacle. There are proud people who say: I can pray for myself. They don't go to the tzaddik, and they hold others back too. The Rebbe calls such a man Avimelech: avi, I want, melech, a king. He wants to rule through his own prayer. But the verse tells him: return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you. Return prayer to the tzaddik, whose prayer flows from his lips, and who raises it from mountain to field to house.
Why do the proud feel so sure? Because they have fasted, and they think that makes them tzaddikim. The Rebbe says fasting alone is like emptying a sack full of holes. The sack is the body. You can empty it, but the holes remain: the desires are still bound up inside, even desires a person carries from birth. If they truly looked, they would tremble.
He finds this in the story of Yosef's brothers. As they emptied their sacks, each man found his bundle of money in his sack, and they were afraid. The bundles are the desires, still tied up in the body. When they saw them, the trembling fell on them, and they no longer wanted to rule.
Then Yaakov, their father, speaks. Yaakov is the mind, and the mind rebukes the proud: you have bereaved me. Whoever is proud, his wisdom leaves him. Yosef is gone: you have not repaired what is crooked in you. Shimon is gone: so you cannot rebuke anyone. And still, you would take Binyamin, greatness, for yourselves.
So what is the cure for pride? Pride is a kind of idolatry, and the cure is drawing close to the tzaddik. The Tikkunei Zohar says that the teruah, which is spirit, removes the other power. The tzaddik is a man in whom there is spirit. Through him, acher, other, becomes echad, one: the difference between those two words is a single small corner of a letter, and the tzaddik is that corner.
And now we reach dancing. That spirit lives in the heart. When the heart is joyful, a person dances and claps hand to hand. The Sages said of Yaakov: his heart lifted his feet. Pride and idolatry are tied to the feet; when holy joy lifts the feet, pride falls. And as long as idolatry is in the world there is anger in the world; when it passes, the anger passes, kindness flows, and the judgments are sweetened.
The hands too. The verse says: my beloved put his hand through the opening. The spirit reveals the light of the hands, and that is clapping. Then denial falls and faith grows, like Moshe, of whom it says: his hands were faith.
Even the Torah has hands and feet. The revealed Torah is the hands; the hidden Torah is the feet. And the Torah as a whole is a heart: it begins with a beis and ends with a lamed, which spell lev. From that heart the spirit flows to both.
Then Purim. Haman made himself an idol, and cast his lot in the month Moshe died, thinking the power that undoes idolatry was gone. But Mordechai and Esther, the hands and the feet, carried it, and the Jewish people accepted the Torah anew. Esther is the feet, where idolatry takes hold, so the main repair is hers, and the Megillah bears her name.
When Haman came, he found Mordechai teaching the laws of the omer of barley, and said: your omer of barley has defeated me. The omer is Mordechai, the barley is Esther: hands and feet, clapping and dancing. That is why Haman built a gallows fifty cubits high: to fight the fifty days of the omer.
Then a story from the Gemara. In the desert, an Arab merchant showed Rabbah bar bar Chanah the place where Korach's men were swallowed. Smoke rose from two cracks, the anger that heresy brings. He soaked wool in water and raised it on the tip of his spear: the omer, the barley, and the tzaddik who is the source of spirit. And he heard them cry out: Moshe and his Torah are true. Even the far ones admit the truth. Every Rosh Chodesh, the root of teshuvah, they regret; but teshuvah is for this world, and their regret itself is their punishment.
And the opening verse holds it all. Ve'eleh, and these, adds on, and adding on is pride, Amalek. Hamishpatim, the judgments, is spirit, which repairs it. And that you shall set before them: then everything is united above, and all the judgments are sweetened.
The Rebbe sums it up with a verse about Yosef, the tzaddik: without you, no one shall lift his hand or his foot. Without the tzaddik, the hands and feet are not raised. And in a passage in his own handwriting, he says it again: pride is a disgrace, the proud keep people from the tzaddikim, and the Holy One longs for the tzaddikim's prayers.
Our own reflection: before trusting your own efforts, look honestly at the holes in the sack. Come close to the tzaddikim, and let others come close too. And when judgment feels heavy, let real joy lift your hands and your feet.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Dancing, Clapping, and Hashem's Greatness —
Likutey Moharan, Torah ten: Ve'eleh hamishpatim. A shiur in nine parts. Part one: dancing and clapping, and when Hashem's greatness is truly revealed.
A word on method. Every card carries a label. Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan, Torah ten. Grey is a verse or a teaching of the Sages that he quotes. Green is our own explanation, not a quotation. The Hebrew on screen is the public-domain text from Sefaria, and the English is our own paraphrase, kept close to the Hebrew.
Here is the map. Sections one to three: dancing and clapping sweeten harsh judgments, and Hashem's greatness is revealed when even the far ones know Him, through prayer raised from mountain to field to house. Section four: real prayer belongs to the tzaddikim of the generation, and the proud who block the way to them. Sections five to seven: the tzaddik is spirit, and that spirit breaks pride and brings joy into the hands and feet, and into the Torah itself. Section eight: Purim, Mordechai and Esther, and the omer of barley. And sections nine to eleven: a strange story about the men of Korach, the opening verse decoded, and a short passage from the Rebbe's own manuscript.
The Torah opens with the first verse of Parshas Mishpatim, in Shemos, twenty one. And these are the judgments that you shall set before them.
And then comes the whole teaching in one line. When there are, Heaven forbid, harsh judgments upon Israel, they are sweetened through dancing and through clapping hand to hand.
Our explanation. Dinim are judgments, harshness and strictness coming down into the world. The Rebbe does not say they are cancelled; he says they are sweetened, softened from within. And the surprising claim is that this can come through something as simple as dancing and clapping. The rest of the Torah explains why.
He begins far away, with a question about greatness. For the essence of the Holy One's greatness is that even the nations should know that there is Elokim, who rules and governs. As the Zohar brings: when Yisro came and said, 'Now I know that Hashem is great,' then the supernal Name was honored and raised up.
Our explanation. Yisro had served every kind of idol in the world. When someone that far away came and said, now I know that Hashem is great, that is when Hashem's glory rose, says the Zohar. Greatness is not only being known by those close; it is being recognised even by those who were far.
How can the far ones come to know Him? And the nations cannot know the greatness of the Holy One except through the aspect of Yaakov, as it says, 'House of Yaakov, come, let us walk in the light of Hashem.' For Yaakov revealed the Divinity of the Holy One more than the other fathers.
He brings a teaching of the Gemara in Pesachim. For Avraham called it a mountain, and Yitzchak called it a field, and a field is more reachable and more needed by the world than a mountain. And Yaakov called it a house, which is a settled place for people, more than a field. That is, Yaakov called the place of the Beis HaMikdash, the place of prayer, a house, a place where people live.
For he raised prayer from mountain and field to the level of a house, which people can grasp more than a mountain or a field. For in the aspect of a house, even the nations have some grasp, as it says, 'For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.' And when it is in the aspect of a house, then the supernal Name is honored, as above.
Our explanation. Picture three places. A mountain is high and holy, but few can climb it. A field is open and useful, yet nobody makes a home there. A house is where people actually live. Yaakov brought prayer down into a house, so that it could be grasped even by the far ones, and that is what reveals Hashem's greatness to the world.
Now he reads a verse from Tehillim, forty eight. And this is the meaning of 'Great is Hashem and very much praised.' That is: when is Hashem great? When He is praised by the 'very', meaning the side of death, which is the nations. As our Sages said on the verse 'and behold it was very good': 'very', this is the angel of death. When He is praised by them, then He is great, for this is the essence of His greatness.
The verse continues. And when is He praised by them? 'In the city of our Elokim, His holy mountain.' That is, when the mountain becomes 'the city of our Elokim', a settled place, the aspect of a house, which is more graspable than mountain and field.
That is, when prayer is raised from the level of mountain to the level of city and house, so that the nations too have some grasp, then precisely is Hashem great. For this is the essence of His greatness, blessed be He: when even the far ones know of Him.
Our summary of the first three sections. Dancing and clapping sweeten harsh judgments. Hashem's true greatness is when even those far from Him come to know Him. And that happens when prayer is raised from mountain and field into a house, something people can live in. In the next part we will ask who can raise prayer that high.
— Part 2: Prayer Through the Tzaddik, and Avimelech —
Part two: only the tzaddikim of the generation can raise prayer to the level of a house, and the proud man called Avimelech.
And this matter, raising prayer from mountain and field to the level of a house, the city of our Elokim, so that His kingship is revealed even to the nations and they too have some grasp of His Divinity, can only be done by the tzaddikim of the generation.
He brings the Gemara in Bava Basra. As our Sages said: one who has a sick person in his house should go to a sage and ask him to plead for mercy.
For the essence of prayer is known only to the tzaddikim of the generation. But there are proud people who do not want others to go to the tzaddikim. They say they can pray for themselves, and they even hold others back from going to the tzaddikim when they have pain or illness. About them it says, 'Return the man's wife.'
Our explanation. The verse is from Bereishis, twenty. Avimelech, king of Gerar, took Sarah, and Hashem told him in a dream: return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. The Rebbe reads every word of that verse as a lesson about prayer and pride.
For this proud man is called by the name Avimelech. 'Avi' means wanting, for he wants to rule: that is Avimelech. For in truth the tzaddik rules through his prayer, as it says, 'A tzaddik rules,' and this man is proud of himself, that he can pray and that he holds the rule. So he is called Avimelech, for he wants to be king and says, 'I will rule.'
Our explanation. The Rebbe splits the name into two. Avi is related to the word avah, to want or be willing. Melech is a king. So Avimelech is the man who wants to be king. The tzaddik truly does rule through his prayer, in the sense of the verse, a tzaddik rules. The proud man wants that rule for himself, without the humility that earns it.
Now the next words. The Hebrew word for wife, eshes, is formed from the first letters of the verse that opens the Amidah: open my lips, so that my mouth may declare Your praise. So eshes hints at prayer. That is: 'return the wife', meaning prayer, to the tzaddik, 'for he is a prophet.'
For the Holy One longs for the prayers of the tzaddikim, and He sets a well-ordered prayer in the tzaddik's mouth so that He can take pleasure in it. And this is 'for he is a prophet', navi, from the words niv sefasayim, the speech of the lips. As our Sages said: 'He creates the speech of the lips': if his prayer flows in his mouth.
Our explanation. The Rebbe hears in navi, prophet, the word niv, the speech of the lips. The Sages taught that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa could tell whether a sick person would live by whether his prayer flowed smoothly from his mouth. That flowing prayer is a gift Hashem places in the tzaddik's mouth, because Hashem longs for it.
And 'hashev', return, is formed from the initials of har, sadeh, bayis: mountain, field, house. This hints that the tzaddik's prayer is complete, for he raises it from mountain and field to the level of a house, as above.
Our summary so far. Raising prayer to a house, so that even the far ones know Hashem, is the work of the tzaddikim of the generation; that is why a person with a sick one at home goes to a sage. The proud man, Avimelech, wants to rule by his own prayer, and keeps others from the tzaddik. And the verse tells him: return prayer to the tzaddik, for his prayer flows, and he raises it from mountain to field to house. Next, what is really behind that pride.
— Part 3: The Sack Full of Holes, and the Rebuke of the Mind —
Part three: the sack full of holes, Yosef's brothers and their sacks, and the rebuke of the mind.
But these proud people hold back Hashem's longing. They do not ask the tzaddikim to pray for them, because they think that since they have fasted and afflicted themselves, they are tzaddikim. But the truth is not so. All the fasts they fasted are like a sack full of holes: when you empty the sack, the holes are still there.
He explains the parable. And the body is called a sack, as the Tanna said: 'Shinena, open your sack.' If they looked into themselves, they would see that after all the fasts, all their desires are still tied up in their sack, that is, in their body.
And not only their own desires remain bound to their body, but also desires they carry from birth, because their parents did not fully sanctify themselves; this too is still bound to their body. Surely if they saw all this, a great trembling would fall upon them, for they would see how low a level they stand on.
Our explanation. Fasting empties the sack for a while, but the holes stay; the desires are still there, even ones a person inherited and never chose. The person who trusts in his fasts and feels he is already a tzaddik has not looked inside. If he did, he would tremble, and he would stop wanting to rule.
Now he reads the story of Yosef's brothers, in Bereishis, forty two. And this is the meaning of: 'As they were emptying their sacks, behold, each man's bundle of money was in his sack.' After all the fasts, which are emptying the sack, the body, still: 'behold, each man's bundle of money', his money and his desire are tied and bundled in his sack and his body.
'And they saw their bundles of money, they and their father': not only their own bundles, their own desires, but also 'they and their father', the desires of their father; these too had not fallen away from them. And this is 'and they were afraid': a trembling fell upon them, and then they no longer wanted to lord it over others and to rule.
And this is the meaning of: 'And Yaakov their father said to them: You have bereaved me; Yosef is gone,' and so on. This hints at the rebuke of the mind. For the mind rebukes the proud who want to make themselves great, since Yaakov is the aspect of the mind, as Onkelos translated 'he outwitted me' as 'he outsmarted me.'
And this is 'their father', for 'father' means wisdom. That is, the mind rebukes them and says: 'You have bereaved me,' for whoever is proud, his wisdom departs from him.
Our explanation. The Rebbe hears a play on words. Shikaltem, you have bereaved me, sounds like sechel, the mind. The mind itself speaks to the proud person: you have lost me. Pride drives wisdom away, as the Sages said. Now each of the brothers named in the verse becomes another point of that rebuke.
'Yosef is gone': this is the repair of what is crooked. That is, you have not yet repaired the crookedness, which is a disgrace and a shame, and you should be ashamed because of it. For repairing the crooked is the aspect of Yosef, named for 'Elokim has gathered away my disgrace.'
'And Shimon is gone': because you do not have Yosef, you do not have Shimon. Shimon is 'for Hashem heard that I am hated.' But you are not hated. Since you have not repaired yourself, surely you cannot rebuke others, for they would say to you: 'First adorn yourself.' And so you are not hated, for the one who rebukes is hated.
He brings the Gemara in Kesubos. As our Sages said: a Torah scholar whom the townspeople love, it is not because he is so excellent, but because he does not rebuke them in matters of Heaven. So the one who rebukes is hated.
'And Binyamin you would take': this points to greatness. For Rashi explains Binyamin as named for the Land of Israel, ben yamin, son of the south, and the Land of Israel is higher than all the lands.
That is: not only do you lack all these qualities, yet even so 'Binyamin you would take', you take greatness for yourselves. And so the mind that rebukes them concludes: 'All of this falls upon me,' for everything falls on me, since whoever is proud, his wisdom departs from him.
Our summary of the rebuke. Yosef is gone: you have not repaired what is crooked in yourself. Shimon is gone: so you cannot rebuke others, and you are not even hated the way a true rebuker is. And yet you take Binyamin, greatness, for yourself. All of it falls on the mind, because pride drives wisdom away. In the next part, the Rebbe gives the remedy.
— Part 4: The Tzaddik Is Spirit: Dancing and Clapping —
Part four: the remedy for pride. The tzaddik is spirit, and from the spirit in the heart come dancing and clapping.
The advice given for undoing pride, which is idolatry, as it says, 'Every haughty heart is an abomination to Hashem,' is mainly by drawing close to the tzaddikim. As the Tikkunim bring: 'With the teruah, which is spirit, the other power passes away.'
Our explanation. The Sages said that a haughty person is as if he worshipped idols, because he puts himself in the center instead of Hashem. The Tikkunei Zohar says that the teruah, the broken blast of the shofar, is ruach, spirit, and it makes kel acher, the other power, pass away. The Rebbe now tells us who carries that spirit.
And the tzaddik is the aspect of spirit, as it says, 'a man in whom there is spirit.' Through him the haughty spirit, the other power, is subdued, and acher, 'other', becomes echad, 'one'. For he is the small tip of the letter dalet, from which come the four winds, as it says, 'Thus says Hashem: from the four winds come, O spirit.'
Our explanation. The words acher, other, and echad, one, differ only in their last letter: reish or dalet. A dalet is a reish with one small corner added. The Rebbe says the tzaddik is that small corner. Through him, what was other, apart from Hashem, becomes one. And dalet is four, the four winds, the four directions of spirit.
And this is the word teruah, as in 'you shall break them with a rod of iron', for he breaks the haughty spirit, the other power, all denial.
Now he returns to the opening line. And this is the aspect of dancing and clapping. For dancing and clapping are drawn from the spirit in the heart, as you can see plainly: through the joy of the heart a person dances and claps hand to hand.
As the Tikkunim bring: 'This spirit blows in the six joints of the arm and the six joints of the leg,' and that is clapping and dancing. And this is 'his heart lifted his feet': through the spirit in the heart the dancing comes.
That is, through the tzaddik, who is the aspect of spirit, pride is undone, as it says, 'Let not the foot of pride come upon me.' And idolatry is undone, as it says, 'and wash your feet': this is idolatry.
Our explanation. The verses call pride a foot: let not the foot of pride come upon me. And Rashi on the angels who came to Avraham says the travellers of that time worshipped the dust of their feet, so Avraham asked them to wash their feet. So the feet are where pride and idolatry take hold, and when the heart lifts the feet in holy dancing, they are raised out of it.
And here is why judgment is sweetened. And when the feet are raised through dancing, 'his heart lifted his feet', and pride, which is idolatry, is undone, then the judgments are sweetened. For as long as there is idolatry in the world, there is anger in the world; and when idolatry passes away, the anger passes away and kindness is drawn down.
And then the feet are 'the feet of His devoted ones', that is, kindness, the aspect of 'the faithful kindnesses of David'. Faithful precisely, for heresy and denial have been undone.
And this is also clapping. For through the spirit the light of the hands is revealed, as it says, 'The voice of my beloved knocks.' Knocking is spirit, as the Tikkunim bring. And next to it: 'My beloved put his hand through the opening': this is the light of the hands revealed, that is, clapping. Then idolatry, which is denial, is undone. And this is 'and his hands were faith.'
He sums it up. So through the tzaddik, the spirit in the heart, the light of the hands and feet is revealed, which is dancing and clapping, and pride and denial are undone and faith grows.
And then 'my foot stands on level ground' is fulfilled, which is faith. For heresy is 'my feet nearly strayed', as Asaf said when his heart led him toward heresy, as it is explained there. And 'my foot stands on level ground' points to faith, and then 'his hands were faith' is fulfilled.
Our summary of sections five and six. The cure for pride is closeness to the tzaddik, because the tzaddik is spirit, and spirit breaks the haughty spirit and turns other into one. That spirit lives in the heart, and from the heart's joy come dancing and clapping, raising the feet and revealing the light of the hands. Then pride and denial fall, the anger that idolatry brings leaves the world, kindness flows, faith grows, and the judgments are sweetened.
— Part 5: The Torah's Hands and Feet, and the Lot of Haman —
Part five: the Torah too has hands and feet, revealed and hidden. And Purim: Haman, the lot, and Mordechai and Esther.
And the Torah too is the aspect of hands and feet, for the Torah has a revealed part and a hidden part. The revealed is the hands, as it says, 'My beloved put his hand through the opening': min hachor, the opening, means charus, engraved on the Tablets, which is the revealed.
And the hidden parts are the feet, as our Sages said on 'the curves of your thighs': just as the thigh is hidden, so the words of Torah are to be kept private.
And the Torah as a whole is called lev, heart, for it begins with a beis and ends with a lamed. There dwells the spirit that blows in the six joints of the arms and the six joints of the legs, that is, in the revealed and in the hidden.
Our explanation. The first letter of the Torah is the beis of Bereishis, and the last is the lamed of Yisrael. Put them together, lamed and beis, and they spell lev, heart. So the whole Torah is a heart, and in that heart lives the spirit that flows out to the hands, the revealed Torah, and to the feet, the hidden Torah.
Now a new section, and a new world: Purim. And this is the aspect of Mordechai and Esther, and Haman: the aspect of Purim, of the lot that Haman cast, and of the omer of barley.
For Haman is the aspect of idolatry, as our Sages said, he made himself into an idol. And so he cast pur, the lot, in the month in which Moshe died. For Moshe undoes idolatry, and that is why he was buried opposite Beis Peor, to undo the idolatry of Peor, as our Sages taught.
For Moshe has the numerical value of charon af, burning anger, since he undoes the anger that comes with idolatry. For he received the Torah, which is the aspect of hands and feet, as above, and through them idolatry is undone, as above.
So Haman cast the lot in the month in which Moshe died, because he thought that Moshe, who undoes the power of idolatry, had already died, and there was no longer anyone who could undo the power of idolatry.
But Mordechai and Esther had the power to undo Haman's idolatry. And that is why in their days Israel accepted the Torah anew, as our Sages said: 'they fulfilled and accepted', they fulfilled what they had already accepted.
And this is 'they fulfilled and accepted': fulfilled is the feet, and accepted is the hands. And that is the aspect of the Torah itself, as above.
Our explanation. Kiymu comes from the root of standing, and one stands on the feet. Kiblu means to receive, and one receives with the hands. So at Purim the Jewish people took the Torah again with both: hands and feet, revealed and hidden. That is the power that overcame Haman.
And this is Mordechai and Esther. Mordechai is mar dror, pure myrrh. Dror means freedom, cherus, which is the hands, as it says, 'My beloved put his hand through the opening,' as above. And Esther is the thighs: 'just as the thigh is hidden,' as above.
And this is the word Purim: the undoing of idolatry, as it says, 'I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples no man was with Me.'
Our summary. The Torah itself is a heart, with spirit flowing to its hands, the revealed, and to its feet, the hidden. Moshe received that Torah and so undid idolatry. Haman, who made himself an idol, cast his lot in the month Moshe died, thinking that power was gone. But Mordechai and Esther, the hands and the feet, carried it, and Israel accepted the Torah anew. Next: why Esther is the main one, and the omer of barley.
— Part 6: Esther and the Omer of Barley —
Part six: why the Megillah carries Esther's name, the omer of barley that defeated Haman, and his gallows fifty cubits high.
And through the light of Mordechai and Esther, the hands and the feet, denial was undone and faith grew in the world through them, as it says, 'He was raising Hadassah,' using the word omen, and of her it is written, 'as she was in his care,' be'omnah. For both of them are the aspect of faith.
Our explanation. In the Megillah, Mordechai is called omen, the one who raised Esther, and she stayed be'omnah, in his faithful care. Both words share a root with emunah, faith. So the hands and feet of Purim are a revelation of faith in the world.
And this is done through the spirit, as above. And this is the aspect of 'Esther was said with ruach hakodesh, the holy spirit', the aspect of 'his heart lifted his feet'. For the main hold of idolatry depends on her, the aspect of the feet, as it says, 'her feet go down to death.' And so the main repair of idolatry is through her.
That is why precisely Esther 'was said with the holy spirit', even though in truth the repair of idolatry also comes through Mordechai, as above. But since idolatry depends mainly on her side, the main repair comes through her, and so the Megillah is called by Esther's name.
And this is why precisely Esther was said with the holy spirit: for the spirit is in the heart, and through it the light of the hands and feet is revealed; only the main thing depends on the feet, the aspect of Esther.
Now the omer. And this is the aspect of the omer of barley. Omer is Mordechai: ayin and mor, myrrh, mar dror. Dror means freedom, cherus, that is, charus, engraved on the Tablets, which is the revealed Torah, the aspect of 'eye to eye.'
Our explanation. The word omer is spelled ayin, mem, reish: the letter ayin together with mor, myrrh, which the Sages linked with Mordechai. The Sages also taught: do not read charus, engraved on the Tablets, but cherus, freedom. So the omer is Mordechai, the revealed Torah, the hands, seen eye to eye.
Barley, se'orim, is Esther with the holy spirit, as it says, 'like the storm-winds upon the grass,' kis'irim, which speaks of wind.
And that is why, when Haman came to Mordechai, he found him busy with the omer of barley, and said: 'Your omer of barley has come and defeated' him and his sons, as explained in the Midrash and the Gemara.
For through the omer of barley, the hands and the feet, which are clapping and dancing, idolatry is undone: that is Haman, the aspect of pride, as above.
And that is why Haman ordered a tree fifty cubits high to be made: he wanted to undo the power of the fifty days of counting the omer, which is the power of Mordechai and Esther.
Our summary of section eight. Mordechai and Esther, hands and feet, brought faith into the world. Idolatry takes hold mainly at the feet, so the main repair is through Esther, which is why she spoke with the holy spirit and the Megillah bears her name. The omer of barley holds both: the omer is Mordechai, the barley is Esther. That is what defeated Haman, and that is why he built a gallows fifty cubits high, against the fifty days of the omer. Next, a story from the Gemara about the men of Korach.
— Part 7: The Men of Korach —
Part seven: a story of Rabbah bar bar Chanah in the desert, at the place where Korach's men were swallowed, and what each detail means.
And this is the meaning of a story in the Gemara, in Bava Basra. Said Rabbah bar bar Chanah: an Arab merchant said to me, 'Come, I will show you the ones swallowed up with Korach.' I went and saw two cracks in the ground with smoke coming out of them. He took a tuft of wool, soaked it in water, set it on the tip of his spear and put it in there, and when he took it out, it was scorched.
He said to me: 'Listen, what do you hear?' And I heard them saying: 'Moshe is true and his Torah is true, and they are liars.' He said to me: 'Every thirty days Gehinnom turns them back here, like meat in a pot, and they say this: Moshe and his Torah are true, and they are liars.'
Now the Rebbe reads it line by line. 'The ones swallowed with Korach': as the Midrash says, Korach was a heretic, that is, the aspect of idolatry, heresy.
'And I saw two cracks with smoke coming out of them': this is the anger that heresy brings, as our Sages said, as long as there is idolatry in the world there is anger in the world. And the two cracks are the two nostrils, from which the smoke comes out, as it says, 'smoke went up in His nostrils.'
Our explanation. In Hebrew, af means both anger and the nose; anger is pictured as smoke from the nostrils. So the two smoking cracks at Korach's place are the anger that heresy and idolatry draw into the world, the same anger we met in section six.
'And he took a tuft of wool': this is the omer, as above.
And the water: 'And soaked it in water': this is barley, Esther with the holy spirit, which is the feet, as above. For the feet are channels of water, since they are 'the willows of the brook', as our Sages said: 'A person's feet are his guarantors,' arvin.
Arvin, guarantors, is like arvei nachal, the willows of the brook, channels of water. That is Mordechai and Esther, hands and feet, clapping and dancing, as above.
'And he set it on the tip of the spear': romach, spear, is ruach mem, spirit and the letter mem, which is 'from the four winds come, O spirit,' for the mem is the four winds. That is the tzaddik's spirit, which blows in the hands and the feet, as above. And the tip of the spear is the tzaddik, for from him the spirit goes out, as it says, 'a man in whom there is spirit,' as above.
And the last detail. 'And he took it out, and it was scorched': ichrach means life and length of days, as our Sages said: 'The deceitful man shall not roast his game,' meaning he shall not live long.
That is the scorching: life and length of days. For when pride, which is idolatry, is undone, wisdom is set right, as above, and through wisdom a person lives and lengthens his days, as it says, 'Wisdom gives life.'
Our summary of the story so far. Korach's men are heresy, and the smoke is the anger it brings into the world. The wool is the omer, Mordechai; the water is the barley, Esther: hands and feet, clapping and dancing. They are lifted on the tip of the spear, the tzaddik, from whom spirit flows. And then pride breaks, wisdom is repaired, and there is life. Next: what Korach's men are heard saying.
— Part 8: Every Rosh Chodesh, and the Verse Decoded —
Part eight: what Korach's men confess every Rosh Chodesh, why it does not free them, and the opening verse of Mishpatim decoded.
'He said to me, listen to them, and I heard them saying: Moshe and his Torah are true': they admit the truth. For when a person draws close to the tzaddikim to receive spirit from them, as above, pride and idolatry are broken through it, and then even those on the side of death recognise the greatness of the Creator, blessed be His Name, as above.
Our explanation. This closes the circle of the whole Torah. Hashem's greatness is when even the far ones, those on the side of death, come to know Him. Korach's men, who fought Moshe, are now heard saying: Moshe and his Torah are true. The spirit of the tzaddik broke their denial.
'And he said to me: every thirty days Gehinnom turns them back here, and they say: Moshe and his Torah are true.' Rabbeinu Shmuel explained: on every Rosh Chodesh. For everything has a root, and the root of teshuvah is Rosh Chodesh, for on Rosh Chodesh the Holy One said, 'Bring an atonement for Me,' as our Sages expounded. This is teshuvah.
And this teshuvah flows down into all creatures on Rosh Chodesh, so even Korach and his company are forced into some regret on Rosh Chodesh. But teshuvah does not help them, for teshuvah is only in this world: one who toiled on Erev Shabbos, and so on.
Our explanation. The Sages taught that the moon was diminished, and on Rosh Chodesh Hashem asks for an offering of atonement, as it were, for Himself. So every new moon carries a root of return, and it reaches every creature, even Korach's men. But the time to act on teshuvah is this world. As the Sages said: one who prepared on Erev Shabbos eats on Shabbos.
So surely they are not freed from the judgment of Gehinnom by this admission, their regret and their confession, and so Gehinnom turns them back here, because they are not freed by it. Yet even so, Gehinnom on Rosh Chodesh is not as on other days.
Their Gehinnom on Rosh Chodesh is only the regret: that they regret, admit, and are ashamed. That itself is their Gehinnom. And that is the precise wording, 'Gehinnom turns them back here': what turns them back here, so that they return and admit, is itself their Gehinnom.
Section ten. Now the Rebbe returns to the verse he opened with. And this is the meaning of: 'And these are the judgments that you shall set before them.'
For it says in the Mechilta: 'that you shall set before them': a woman is made equal to a man for all the judgments in the Torah. Meaning: for all the judgments in the Torah that need sweetening, one must make equal, that is, unite, the Holy One and His Shechinah, which are the aspect of man and woman, the aspect of Mordechai and Esther.
Our explanation. In the language of Kabbalah, the Holy One and His Shechinah, His presence dwelling in this world, are spoken of as man and woman. The Rebbe ties them here to Mordechai and Esther, the hands and the feet. We keep to what he says: when they are united, the judgments are sweetened.
'And these': wherever it says 've'eleh', it adds to the earlier ones. This is addition and increase, the aspect of pride, idolatry, as it says, 'Not because you are more numerous did Hashem desire you,' which means pride. And this is 'it adds to the first ones': Haman, Amalek, as it says, 'Amalek is the first of the nations.' And its repair is:
'The judgments', hamishpatim: this is spirit, as it says, 'and a spirit of judgment, and those who turn back the battle.' For through the spirit, pride and idolatry are repaired, as above. And through that:
'that you shall set before them': a woman is made equal to a man for all the judgments in the Torah, that is, the sweetening of judgments. For as long as there is idolatry in the world, there is anger and judgment in the world; and through the spirit, the Holy One and His Shechinah are united, the judgments are sweetened, and anger leaves the world.
Our summary of the verse. Ve'eleh, and these, adds on, and adding on is pride, the root of Amalek. Hamishpatim, the judgments, is the spirit that repairs it. And asher tasim lifneihem, making woman and man equal, is the union above that sweetens all judgment and removes anger from the world. The whole Torah is inside its first verse.
— Part 9: Without Yosef No One Lifts a Hand, and the Rebbe's Own Note —
Part nine: the whole Torah in one rule, why the hidden sits lower than the revealed, and a passage found in Rebbe Nachman's own handwriting.
The Rebbe gathers everything together. Now, the rule of all these words: through the tzaddik, who is spirit, the other power, denial, passes away; and through the spirit come dancing and clapping. For through the tzaddik, who is spirit, the feet are raised, the light of the hands is revealed, and faith grows, as explained above.
And so it is written of Yosef, who is the tzaddik: 'Without you no man shall lift his hand or his foot.' For without Yosef, the tzaddik, it is impossible to raise and lift the hands and the feet, as above.
Our explanation. In Bereishis, forty one, Pharaoh tells Yosef: without you, no one in all of Egypt will lift a hand or a foot. The Rebbe hears in it the whole Torah. Yosef is the tzaddik. Without his spirit, the hands and the feet are not raised: no clapping, no dancing, no faith revealed.
And from all these words you can hear that the revealed is the hands and the hidden is the feet, Mordechai and Esther. And although the hidden is above the revealed, still the revealed is shown in a high place, the hands, and the hidden in the feet, which are below the hands.
The matter is deep, but it is the matter written in the Zohar: Tannaim in the thighs and Amoraim in the arms. And although the Tannaim are above the Amoraim, they are in a place lower than the place of the Amoraim; and so too the Prophets and the Writings. And an answer to this has already been explained.
Our explanation. The Rebbe raises a puzzle himself. The hidden Torah is higher than the revealed, yet in his picture it sits in the feet, below the hands. The Zohar says the same of the Tannaim and the Amoraim, and of the Prophets and the Writings. He says an answer has been given elsewhere, and leaves it there; so do we.
Section eleven. The book's editor writes: also see this, which I found in the handwriting of our Rebbe himself, on the subject of this teaching. And here it is. And these are the judgments that you shall set, and so on.
Pride: it is known throughout the land that it is a disgraceful trait, and one must flee from it. But there are people who chase honor and want to rule and lead the world. They say it is in their power to make pidyonos and pray prayers. About them it says: 'Return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live.'
For it is known that the Holy One longs for the prayers of the tzaddikim, and one must go to them so that they pray for him. But the proud do not go to the tzaddikim to ask them to pray for them, and they do not let other people go to the tzaddikim either.
For these proud people say that they too are tzaddikim and can pray, and there is no greater tzaddik in the land than they. And so they are called by the name Avimelech: avi means wanting, as in 'But Hashem your Elokim did not want to listen.'
Let us review the whole path. Hashem's greatness is revealed when even those far from Him come to know Him. That happens when prayer is raised from mountain and field into a house, and that is the work of the tzaddikim of the generation. Pride blocks the way: the proud want to rule by their own prayers, and their fasts leave the holes in the sack. The cure is closeness to the tzaddik, whose spirit breaks pride and fills the heart with joy, so that the feet dance and the hands clap. Then denial falls, faith grows, anger leaves the world, and the judgments are sweetened, as on Purim, through Mordechai and Esther.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Ask a tzaddik to pray for you, and never stand in the way of someone else who wants to. Before feeling proud of your efforts, look honestly at the holes in the sack. And when things feel heavy and harsh, let real joy move your hands and your feet.
This has been Likutey Moharan, Torah ten. Ve'eleh hamishpatim.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan (Part I), Torah 10, edition 'Likutei Moharan – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan.10
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.
How the text is shown
The Divine Name is shown as ה' and voiced as Hashem. Other Names are written in the customary form (אֱלֹקִים, קֵ-ל, קָהּ, שַׁ-דַּ-י, אֲדֹ-נָ-י, אֶקְיֶ-ה, צְבָקוֹת). No full Name is written or voiced.
Parenthetical source references inside the printed Hebrew are left off the screen to save space; the citation line names the source instead.
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Cards labelled EXPLANATION (green), and every line marked 'our own reflection — not a quote', are our own words, not quotations.
Notes
Part 1, scene 10: Pesachim 88a: Avraham saw the Temple Mount as a mountain, Yitzchak as a field, Yaakov as a house.
Part 2, scene 8: The opening of 4.4 (the acronym of the Amidah's first verse) is voiced, not shown, to keep that Divine Name off the screen.
Part 3, scene 4: Summarised modestly in the English.
Part 6, scene 7: The bracketed Gemara (Eruvin 54a: read not charus, engraved, but cherus, freedom) is voiced here in the explanation.
Part 9, scene 8: The editor's bracketed heading (11.1) is voiced, not shown.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Dancing, Clapping, and Hashem's Greatness
Scene 4 · Shemos 21:1, as quoted in LM I:10 · paragraph §1.1
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): And these are the judgments that you shall set before them.
Scene 5 · LM I:10 §1 · paragraph §1.2
כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, דִּינִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל־יְדֵי רִקּוּדִים וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף אֶל כַּף נַעֲשֶׂה הַמְתָּקַת הַדִּינִין:
EN (our paraphrase): When there are, Heaven forbid, harsh judgments upon Israel, they are sweetened through dancing and through clapping hand to hand.
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §2 · paragraph §2.1
כִּי עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הוּא, שֶׁגַּם הָעַכּוּ"ם יֵדְעוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱלֹקִים שַׁלִּיט וּמוֹשֵׁל, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר: כַּד אֲתָא יִתְרוֹ וְאָמַר: כִּי עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל ה' וְכוּ', כְּדֵין אִתְיַקַּר וְאִתְעַלָּא שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה:
EN (our paraphrase): For the essence of the Holy One's greatness is that even the nations should know that there is Elokim, who rules and governs. As the Zohar brings: when Yisro came and said, 'Now I know that Hashem is great,' then the supernal Name was honored and raised up.
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §3 · paragraph §3.1
וְלָעַכּוּ"ם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לֵידַע גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת יַעֲקֹב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: בֵּית יַעֲקֹב לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה בְּאוֹר ה', כִּי הוּא גִּלָּה אֱלֹקוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא יוֹתֵר מִשְּׁאָר הָאָבוֹת,
EN (our paraphrase): And the nations cannot know the greatness of the Holy One except through the aspect of Yaakov, as it says, 'House of Yaakov, come, let us walk in the light of Hashem.' For Yaakov revealed the Divinity of the Holy One more than the other fathers.
Scene 10 · LM I:10 §3 · paragraph §3.2
כִּי אַבְרָהָם קְרָאוֹ הַר, וְיִצְחָק קְרָאוֹ שָׂדֶה, וְשָׂדֶה הוּא יוֹתֵר מֻשָּׂג וְנִצְרָךְ לְהָעוֹלָם מֵהַר. וְיַעֲקֹב קְרָאוֹ בַּיִת, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם יִשּׁוּב לִבְנֵי־אָדָם יוֹתֵר מִשָּׂדֶה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיַּעֲקֹב קָרָא אֶת מְקוֹם הַבֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם הַתְּפִלָּה, בַּיִת, שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹם יִשּׁוּב לִבְנֵי־אָדָם,
EN (our paraphrase): For Avraham called it a mountain, and Yitzchak called it a field, and a field is more reachable and more needed by the world than a mountain. And Yaakov called it a house, which is a settled place for people, more than a field. That is, Yaakov called the place of the Beis HaMikdash, the place of prayer, a house, a place where people live.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §3 · paragraph §3.3
כִּי הֶעֱלָה אֶת הַתְּפִלָּה מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ תְּפִיסָה לִבְנֵי־אָדָם יוֹתֵר מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה, כִּי בִּבְחִינַת בַּיִת יֵשׁ גַּם לְעַכּוּ"ם הַשָּׂגָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כִּי בֵיתִי בֵּית תְּפִלָּה יִקָּרֵא לְכָל הָעַמִּים, וּכְשֶׁהוּא בִּבְחִינַת בַּיִת, כְּדֵין אִתְיַקַּר שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): For he raised prayer from mountain and field to the level of a house, which people can grasp more than a mountain or a field. For in the aspect of a house, even the nations have some grasp, as it says, 'For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.' And when it is in the aspect of a house, then the supernal Name is honored, as above.
Scene 13 · LM I:10 §3 · paragraph §3.4
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: גָּדוֹל ה' וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד, כְּלוֹמַר, אֵימָתַי גָּדוֹל ה', כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהֻלָּל מְאֹד – מִסִּטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עַכּוּ"ם עַל פָּסוּק: וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד, מְאֹד – זֶה מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהֻלָּל מֵהֶם, אֲזַי הוּא גָּדוֹל, כִּי הוּא עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ;
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning of 'Great is Hashem and very much praised.' That is: when is Hashem great? When He is praised by the 'very', meaning the side of death, which is the nations. As our Sages said on the verse 'and behold it was very good': 'very', this is the angel of death. When He is praised by them, then He is great, for this is the essence of His greatness.
Scene 14 · LM I:10 §3 · paragraph §3.5
וְאֵימָתַי הוּא מְהֻלָּל מֵהֶם, בְּעִיר אֱלֹקֵינוּ הַר קָדְשׁוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁבְּחִינַת הַר נַעֲשֶׂה עִיר אֱלֹקֵינוּ, שֶׁהוּא יִשּׁוּב בְּנֵי־אָדָם, בְּחִינַת בַּיִת, שֶׁהוּא מֻשָּׂג יוֹתֵר מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה,
EN (our paraphrase): And when is He praised by them? 'In the city of our Elokim, His holy mountain.' That is, when the mountain becomes 'the city of our Elokim', a settled place, the aspect of a house, which is more graspable than mountain and field.
Scene 15 · LM I:10 §3 · paragraph §3.5
דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁמַּעֲלִין אֶת בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה מִבְּחִינַת הַר לִבְחִינַת עִיר וּבַיִת, שֶׁאָז יֵשׁ גַּם לָעַכּוּ"ם הַשָּׂגָה כַּנַּ"ל, אָז דַּיְקָא גָּדוֹל ה', כִּי זֶה עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּשֶׁגַּם הָרְחוֹקִים יוֹדְעִים מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): That is, when prayer is raised from the level of mountain to the level of city and house, so that the nations too have some grasp, then precisely is Hashem great. For this is the essence of His greatness, blessed be He: when even the far ones know of Him.
Part 2 — Prayer Through the Tzaddik, and Avimelech
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.1
וְעִנְיָן זֶה – לְהַעֲלוֹת הַתְּפִלָּה מִבְּחִינַת הַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת, בְּחִינַת עִיר אֱלֹקֵינוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה מַלְכוּתוֹ גַּם לָעַכּוּ"ם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם גַּם כֵּן הַשָּׂגָה בֶּאֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ – אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהֵעָשׂוֹת כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי צַדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹר,
EN (our paraphrase): And this matter, raising prayer from mountain and field to the level of a house, the city of our Elokim, so that His kingship is revealed even to the nations and they too have some grasp of His Divinity, can only be done by the tzaddikim of the generation.
Scene 3 · Bava Basra 116a, as quoted in LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.1
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חוֹלֶה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, יֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל חָכָם וִיבַקֵּשׁ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים,
EN (our paraphrase): As our Sages said: one who has a sick person in his house should go to a sage and ask him to plead for mercy.
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.2
כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים כִּי אִם צַדִּיקֵי הַדּוֹר. כִּי יֵשׁ בַּעֲלֵי גַּאֲוָה, שֶׁאֵינָם רוֹצִים שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ לְצַדִּיקִים, וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁהֵן בְּעַצְמָם יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, וּמוֹנְעִים גַּם אֲחֵרִים, כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהֶם צַעַר אוֹ חוֹלֶה, לֵילֵךְ לְצַדִּיקִים – עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ וְכוּ',
EN (our paraphrase): For the essence of prayer is known only to the tzaddikim of the generation. But there are proud people who do not want others to go to the tzaddikim. They say they can pray for themselves, and they even hold others back from going to the tzaddikim when they have pain or illness. About them it says, 'Return the man's wife.'
Scene 6 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.3
כִּי זֶה הַבַּעַל־גַּאֲוָה מְכֻנֶּה בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲבִימֶלֶךְ: אֲבִי, לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, כִּי הוּא רוֹצֶה לִמְלֹךְ, וְהַיְנוּ אֲבִימֶלֶךְ. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל וְכוּ', וְהוּא מִתְגָּאֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וְיֵשׁ לוֹ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה, וְעַל כֵּן מְכֻנֶּה בְּשֵׁם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, כִּי הוּא רוֹצֶה לִמְלֹךְ וְאוֹמֵר: אֲנָא אֶמְלֹךְ.
EN (our paraphrase): For this proud man is called by the name Avimelech. 'Avi' means wanting, for he wants to rule: that is Avimelech. For in truth the tzaddik rules through his prayer, as it says, 'A tzaddik rules,' and this man is proud of himself, that he can pray and that he holds the rule. So he is called Avimelech, for he wants to be king and says, 'I will rule.'
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.4
דְּהַיְנוּ: הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת, בְּחִינַת הַתְּפִלָּה, לְהַצַּדִּיק, כִּי נָבִיא הוּא,
EN (our paraphrase): That is: 'return the wife', meaning prayer, to the tzaddik, 'for he is a prophet.'
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.5
כִּי הַקָּדוֹשׁ־ בָּרוּךְ־הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, וּמְשַׁגֵּר תְּפִלָּה סְדוּרָה בְּפִיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה מִתְּפִלָּתוֹ. וְזֶה: כִּי נָבִיא הוּא, לְשׁוֹן נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: בּוֹרֵא נִיב שְׂפָתָיִם – אִם שְׁגוּרָה תְּפִלָּתוֹ בְּפִיו וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): For the Holy One longs for the prayers of the tzaddikim, and He sets a well-ordered prayer in the tzaddik's mouth so that He can take pleasure in it. And this is 'for he is a prophet', navi, from the words niv sefasayim, the speech of the lips. As our Sages said: 'He creates the speech of the lips': if his prayer flows in his mouth.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.6
וְזֶה: הָשֵׁב – רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת: הַר שָׂדֶה, בַּיִת, זֶה רֶמֶז שֶׁתְּפִלַּת הַצַּדִּיק הִיא בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָהּ מִבְּחִינַת הַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): And 'hashev', return, is formed from the initials of har, sadeh, bayis: mountain, field, house. This hints that the tzaddik's prayer is complete, for he raises it from mountain and field to the level of a house, as above.
Part 3 — The Sack Full of Holes, and the Rebuke of the Mind
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.7
אֲבָל אֵלּוּ הַבַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה מְעַכְּבִים תַּאֲוָתוֹ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאֵינָם מְבַקְשִׁים מִצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁהִתְעַנּוּ וְסִגְּפוּ אֶת עַצְמָם, וּבָזֶה הֵם צַדִּיקִים; אֲבָל הָאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵּן, כִּי כָּל הַתַּעֲנִיתִים שֶׁהִתְעַנּוּ, אֵין זֶה אֶלָּא כְּמוֹ שַׂק שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חוֹרִים הַרְבֵּה, וּכְשֶׁמְּרִיקִים אֶת הַשַּׂק, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן נִשְׁאֲרוּ בּוֹ הַחוֹרִים.
EN (our paraphrase): But these proud people hold back Hashem's longing. They do not ask the tzaddikim to pray for them, because they think that since they have fasted and afflicted themselves, they are tzaddikim. But the truth is not so. All the fasts they fasted are like a sack full of holes: when you empty the sack, the holes are still there.
Scene 3 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.8
וְהַגּוּף נִקְרָא שַׂק, כְּמַאֲמַר הַתַּנָּא: שִׁינְנָא, שְׁרֵי שַׂקָּךְ. וְאִם הִתְבּוֹנְנוּ בְּעַצְמָן, הָיוּ רוֹאִים, אַחַר כָּל הַתַּעֲנֵיתִים עֲדַיִן נִשְׁאֲרוּ אֶצְלָם כָּל תַּאֲוָתָם קְשׁוּרִים בְּשַׂקָּם, הַיְנוּ בְּגוּפָם,
EN (our paraphrase): And the body is called a sack, as the Tanna said: 'Shinena, open your sack.' If they looked into themselves, they would see that after all the fasts, all their desires are still tied up in their sack, that is, in their body.
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.8
וְלֹא תַּאֲוָתָם בִּלְבַד נִשְׁאַר קָשׁוּר בְּגוּפָם, כִּי אִם גַּם תַּאֲוַת אֲבִיהֶם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֶצְלָם מִשְּׁעַת הַהוֹלָדָה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא נִתְקַדֵּשׁ אָבִיו בִּשְׁעַת זִוּוּג, גַּם זֶה קָשׁוּר בְּגוּפָם עֲדַיִן; וּבְוַדַּאי אִלּוּ הָיוּ רוֹאִים אֶת כָּל זֶה, חֲרָדָה גְּדוֹלָה הָיָה נוֹפֵל עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי הָיוּ רוֹאִים אֵיךְ הֵם עוֹמְדִים בְּמַדְרֵגָה פְּחוּתָה וּשְׁפָלָה.
EN (our paraphrase): And not only their own desires remain bound to their body, but also desires they carry from birth, because their parents did not fully sanctify themselves; this too is still bound to their body. Surely if they saw all this, a great trembling would fall upon them, for they would see how low a level they stand on.
Scene 6 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.9
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ צְרוֹר כַּסְפּוֹ בְּשַׂקוֹ. אַחַר כָּל הַתַּעֲנִיתִים, שֶׁהוּא הֲרָקַת הַשַּׂק, בְּחִינַת הַגּוּף, עֲדַיִן: וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ צְרוֹר כַּסְפּוֹ – שֶׁקָּשׁוּר וְצָרוּר כַּסְפּוֹ וְתַאֲוָתוֹ בְּשַׂקּוֹ וְגוּפוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning of: 'As they were emptying their sacks, behold, each man's bundle of money was in his sack.' After all the fasts, which are emptying the sack, the body, still: 'behold, each man's bundle of money', his money and his desire are tied and bundled in his sack and his body.
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.9
וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת צְרֹרוֹת כַּסְפֵּיהֶם הֵמָּה וַאֲבִיהֶם, הַיְנוּ, לֹא דַּי צְרוֹרוֹת כַּסְפֵּיהֶם, שֶׁהוּא תַּאֲווֹת עַצְמָן, כִּי אִם גַּם הֵמָּה וַאֲבִיהֶם, הַיְנוּ הַתַּאֲווֹת שֶׁל אֲבִיהֶם, גַּם הֵמָּה לֹא נָפְלוּ מֵהֶם. וְזֶהוּ: וַיִּירָאוּ, כִּי חֲרָדָה נָפְלָה עֲלֵיהֶם, וַאֲזַי לֹא הָיוּ רוֹצִים לְהִשְׂתָּרֵר וְלִמְלֹךְ:
EN (our paraphrase): 'And they saw their bundles of money, they and their father': not only their own bundles, their own desires, but also 'they and their father', the desires of their father; these too had not fallen away from them. And this is 'and they were afraid': a trembling fell upon them, and then they no longer wanted to lord it over others and to rule.
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.10
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם: אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם, יוֹסֵף אֵינֶנּוּ וְכוּ'. זֶה רֶמֶז עַל תּוֹכַחַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹכִיחַ אֶת הַבַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה, הָרוֹצִים לְהִתְגַּדֵּל, כִּי יַעֲקֹב הוּא בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס: וַיַּעְקְבֵנִי – וְחַכְּמַנִי.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning of: 'And Yaakov their father said to them: You have bereaved me; Yosef is gone,' and so on. This hints at the rebuke of the mind. For the mind rebukes the proud who want to make themselves great, since Yaakov is the aspect of the mind, as Onkelos translated 'he outwitted me' as 'he outsmarted me.'
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.11
וְזֶה: אֲבִיהֶם, כִּי אָב בְּחָכְמָה, וְהַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹכִיחָם וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם, כִּי כָּל הַמִּתְגָּאֶה, חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is 'their father', for 'father' means wisdom. That is, the mind rebukes them and says: 'You have bereaved me,' for whoever is proud, his wisdom departs from him.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.12
יוֹסֵף אֵינֶנּוּ – זֶה בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן הַמְעֻוָּת, הַיְנוּ: עֲדַיִן לֹא תִּקַּנְתֶּם הַמְעֻוָּת, שֶׁהוּא לְחֶרְפָּה וּלְקָלוֹן, וְיֵשׁ לָכֶם לְהִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵחֲמָתוֹ, כִּי תִּקּוּן הַמְעֻוָּת הוּא בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, עַל שֵׁם: אָסַף אֱלֹקִים אֶת חֶרְפָּתִי.
EN (our paraphrase): 'Yosef is gone': this is the repair of what is crooked. That is, you have not yet repaired the crookedness, which is a disgrace and a shame, and you should be ashamed because of it. For repairing the crooked is the aspect of Yosef, named for 'Elokim has gathered away my disgrace.'
Scene 12 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.13
וְשִׁמְעוֹן אֵינֶנּוּ – הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֵין לְךָ בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, אֵין לְךָ בְּחִינוֹת שִׁמְעוֹן, וְשִׁמְעוֹן הוּא בְּחִינַת: כִּי שָׁמַע ה' כִּי שְׂנוּאָה אָנֹכִי, כִּי אַתָּה אֵינְךָ שָׂנוּא, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא תִּקַּנְתָּ אֶת עַצְמְךָ, בְּוַדַּאי אֵינְךָ יָכוֹל לְהוֹכִיחַ אֲחֵרִים, כִּי יֹאמְרוּ לְךָ: קְשֹׁט עַצְמְךָ תְּחִלָּה וְכוּ', וְעַל כֵּן אֵינְךָ שָׂנוּא, כִּי הַמּוֹכִיחַ הוּא שָׂנוּא,
EN (our paraphrase): 'And Shimon is gone': because you do not have Yosef, you do not have Shimon. Shimon is 'for Hashem heard that I am hated.' But you are not hated. Since you have not repaired yourself, surely you cannot rebuke others, for they would say to you: 'First adorn yourself.' And so you are not hated, for the one who rebukes is hated.
Scene 13 · Kesubos 105b, as quoted in LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.13
כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: הַאי צוּרְבָא מֵרַבָּנָן דִּמְרַחֲמֵי לֵהּ בְּנֵי מָתָא, לָאו מִשּׁוּם דְּמַעֲלֵי טְפֵי, אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא מוֹכַח לְהוּ בְּמִלֵּי דִּשְׁמַיָּא. נִמְצָא, שֶׁהַמּוֹכִיחַ הוּא שָׂנוּא.
EN (our paraphrase): As our Sages said: a Torah scholar whom the townspeople love, it is not because he is so excellent, but because he does not rebuke them in matters of Heaven. So the one who rebukes is hated.
Scene 14 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.14
וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין תִּקָּחוּ – זֶה מוֹרֶה עַל גַּדְלוּת, כִּי פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: בִּנְיָמִין – עַל שֵׁם אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, בֶּן יָמִין, וְאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא גָּבוֹהַּ מִכָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת,
EN (our paraphrase): 'And Binyamin you would take': this points to greatness. For Rashi explains Binyamin as named for the Land of Israel, ben yamin, son of the south, and the Land of Israel is higher than all the lands.
Scene 15 · LM I:10 §4 · paragraph §4.15
וְהַיְנוּ, לֹא דַּי שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם כָּל הַבְּחִינוֹת הַלָּלוּ, עִם כָּל זֶה: וְאֶת בִּנְיָמִין תִּקָּחוּ – שֶׁאַתֶּם לוֹקְחִים לְעַצְמְכֶם גַּדְלוּת, וְהַיְנוּ דְּסִיֵּם הַשֵּׂכֶל הַמּוֹכִיחַ אוֹתָם: עָלַי הָיוּ כֻלָּנָה, כִּי הַכֹּל נוֹפֵל עָלַי, כִּי כָּל הַמִּתְגָּאֶה, חָכְמָתוֹ מִסְתַּלֶּקֶת מִמֶּנּוּ:
EN (our paraphrase): That is: not only do you lack all these qualities, yet even so 'Binyamin you would take', you take greatness for yourselves. And so the mind that rebukes them concludes: 'All of this falls upon me,' for everything falls on me, since whoever is proud, his wisdom departs from him.
Part 4 — The Tzaddik Is Spirit: Dancing and Clapping
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §5 · paragraph §5.1
וְהָעֵצָה הַיְּעוּצָה לְבַטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה, שֶׁהִיא הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: תּוֹעֲבַת ה' כָּל גְּבַהּ לֵב, הָעִקָּר הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לַצַּדִּיקִים, כַּמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים: בִּתְרוּעָה, דְּאִיהוּ רוּחָא, אִתְעֲבִיר קֵל אַחֵר.
EN (our paraphrase): The advice given for undoing pride, which is idolatry, as it says, 'Every haughty heart is an abomination to Hashem,' is mainly by drawing close to the tzaddikim. As the Tikkunim bring: 'With the teruah, which is spirit, the other power passes away.'
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §5 · paragraph §5.2
וְצַדִּיק הוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ בּוֹ, וְעַל־יָדוֹ נִכְנָע רוּחַ גָּבוֹהַּ, קֵל אַחֵר, וְנַעֲשֶׂה מֵאַחֵר אֶחָד, כִּי הוּא קוֹצָא דְּאוֹת ד', שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כֹּה אָמַר ה', מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ.
EN (our paraphrase): And the tzaddik is the aspect of spirit, as it says, 'a man in whom there is spirit.' Through him the haughty spirit, the other power, is subdued, and acher, 'other', becomes echad, 'one'. For he is the small tip of the letter dalet, from which come the four winds, as it says, 'Thus says Hashem: from the four winds come, O spirit.'
Scene 6 · LM I:10 §5 · paragraph §5.2
וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן תְּרוּעָה, לְשׁוֹן: תְּרֹעֵם בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל, כִּי הוּא מְשַׁבֵּר רוּחַ גָּבוֹהַּ, קֵל אַחֵר, כְּפִירוֹת:
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the word teruah, as in 'you shall break them with a rod of iron', for he breaks the haughty spirit, the other power, all denial.
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.1
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף, כִּי רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף נִמְשָׁכִין מִבְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ שֶׁבַּלֵּב, כַּנִּרְאֶה בְּחוּשׁ, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת הַלֵּב הוּא מְרַקֵּד וּמַכֶּה כַּף אֶל כַּף,
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the aspect of dancing and clapping. For dancing and clapping are drawn from the spirit in the heart, as you can see plainly: through the joy of the heart a person dances and claps hand to hand.
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.1
וְכַמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים: וְהַאי רוּחָא נָשִׁב בְּשִׁית פִּרְקִין דִּדְרוֹעָא וּבְשִׁית פִּרְקִין דְּשׁוֹקִין, וְהִיא בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף וּבְחִינַת רִקּוּדִין. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת: לִבּוֹ נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלָיו, הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ שֶׁבַּלֵּב בָּאִים הָרִקּוּדִין,
EN (our paraphrase): As the Tikkunim bring: 'This spirit blows in the six joints of the arm and the six joints of the leg,' and that is clapping and dancing. And this is 'his heart lifted his feet': through the spirit in the heart the dancing comes.
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.2
הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל, נִתְבַּטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה כַּנַּ"ל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אַל תְּבוֹאֵנִי רֶגֶל גַּאֲוָה, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם – זֶה עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים,
EN (our paraphrase): That is, through the tzaddik, who is the aspect of spirit, pride is undone, as it says, 'Let not the foot of pride come upon me.' And idolatry is undone, as it says, 'and wash your feet': this is idolatry.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.3
וּכְשֶׁנִּתְעַלֶּה הָרַגְלִין עַל־יְדֵי הָרִקּוּדִין, בְּחִינַת: נָשָׂא לִבּוֹ אֶת רַגְלָיו, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה, הַיְנוּ הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִמְתָּקִין הַדִּינִים, כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם, וּכְשֶׁנִּתְעַבֵּר הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, נִתְעַבֵּר הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, וְנִמְשָׁכִין חֲסָדִים,
EN (our paraphrase): And when the feet are raised through dancing, 'his heart lifted his feet', and pride, which is idolatry, is undone, then the judgments are sweetened. For as long as there is idolatry in the world, there is anger in the world; and when idolatry passes away, the anger passes away and kindness is drawn down.
Scene 12 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.3
וְאָז הָרַגְלִין הֵם בִּבְחִינַת רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו, הַיְנוּ בִּבְחִינַת חֲסָדִים, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: חַסְדֵּי דָוִד הַנֶּאֱמָנִים; הַנֶּאֱמָנִים דַּיְקָא, כִּי נִתְבַּטְּלוּ הַמִּינוּת וְהַכְּפִירוֹת.
EN (our paraphrase): And then the feet are 'the feet of His devoted ones', that is, kindness, the aspect of 'the faithful kindnesses of David'. Faithful precisely, for heresy and denial have been undone.
Scene 13 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.4
וְגַם זֶה בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ נִתְגַּלֶּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: קוֹל דּוֹדִי דּוֹפֵק; דּוֹפֵק – זֶה בְּחִינַת רוּחַ, כַּמּוּבָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים, וְסָמִיךְ לֵהּ: דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר – זֶה בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף, וְאָז נִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הַיְנוּ הַכְּפִירוֹת, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is also clapping. For through the spirit the light of the hands is revealed, as it says, 'The voice of my beloved knocks.' Knocking is spirit, as the Tikkunim bring. And next to it: 'My beloved put his hand through the opening': this is the light of the hands revealed, that is, clapping. Then idolatry, which is denial, is undone. And this is 'and his hands were faith.'
Scene 14 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.5
נִמְצָא, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רוּחַ שֶׁבַּלֵּב, נִתְגַּלֶּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף, וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַגַּאֲוָה וְהַכְּפִירוֹת, וְנִתְרַבֶּה הָאֱמוּנָה.
EN (our paraphrase): So through the tzaddik, the spirit in the heart, the light of the hands and feet is revealed, which is dancing and clapping, and pride and denial are undone and faith grows.
Scene 15 · LM I:10 §6 · paragraph §6.5
וְאָז נִתְקַיֵּם: רַגְלִי עָמְדָה בְמִישׁוֹר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כִּי הַמִּינוּת הִיא בְּחִינַת נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי, כְּמַאֲמַר אָסָף: כִּמְעַט נָטָיוּ רַגְלָי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר שָׁם עַל שֶׁהִשִּׁיאוֹ לִבּוֹ לְמִינוּת, כַּמְבֹאָר שָׁם, וְרַגְלִי עָמְדָה בְמִישׁוֹר – מוֹרֶה עַל אֱמוּנָה, וְאָז נִתְקַיֵּם: וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה:
EN (our paraphrase): And then 'my foot stands on level ground' is fulfilled, which is faith. For heresy is 'my feet nearly strayed', as Asaf said when his heart led him toward heresy, as it is explained there. And 'my foot stands on level ground' points to faith, and then 'his hands were faith' is fulfilled.
Part 5 — The Torah's Hands and Feet, and the Lot of Haman
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §7 · paragraph §7.1
וְהַתּוֹרָה הִיא גַּם כֵּן בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן, כִּי יֵשׁ בְּהַתּוֹרָה נִגְלֶה וְנִסְתָּר. נִגְלֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר. מִן הַחוֹר, הַיְנוּ חָרוּת עַל הַלּוּחוֹת, שֶׁהוּא בְּנִגְלֶה;
EN (our paraphrase): And the Torah too is the aspect of hands and feet, for the Torah has a revealed part and a hidden part. The revealed is the hands, as it says, 'My beloved put his hand through the opening': min hachor, the opening, means charus, engraved on the Tablets, which is the revealed.
Scene 3 · LM I:10 §7 · paragraph §7.1
וְנִסְתָּר הֵם בְּחִינוֹת רַגְלַיִן, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: חַמּוּקֵי יְרֵכַיִךְ – מַה יָרֵךְ בַּסֵּתֶר וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): And the hidden parts are the feet, as our Sages said on 'the curves of your thighs': just as the thigh is hidden, so the words of Torah are to be kept private.
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §7 · paragraph §7.2
וּכְלָלִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרֵאת לֵב, שֶׁמַּתְחֶלֶת בְּבֵּי"ת וּמְסַיֶּמֶת בֶּלָמֶ"ד, שֶׁשָּׁם מִשְׁכַּן הָרוּחַ, דְּנָשִׁיב בְּשִׁית פִּרְקִין דִּדְרוֹעִין וְשִׁית פִּרְקִין דְּרַגְלַיִן, הַיְנוּ בְּנִגְלֶה וּבְנִסְתָּר:
EN (our paraphrase): And the Torah as a whole is called lev, heart, for it begins with a beis and ends with a lamed. There dwells the spirit that blows in the six joints of the arms and the six joints of the legs, that is, in the revealed and in the hidden.
Scene 6 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.1
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, וְהָמָן, בְּחִינוֹת פּוּרִים, בְּחִינַת גּוֹרָל שֶׁהִפִּיל הָמָן, בְּחִינַת עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the aspect of Mordechai and Esther, and Haman: the aspect of Purim, of the lot that Haman cast, and of the omer of barley.
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.2
כִּי הָמָן בְּחִינַת הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הִפִּיל פּוּר הוּא הַגּוֹרָל, בַּחֹדֶשׁ שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ משֶׁה, כִּי משֶׁה הוּא מְבַטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה נִקְבַּר מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר, כְּדֵי לְבַטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבַּפְּעוֹר,
EN (our paraphrase): For Haman is the aspect of idolatry, as our Sages said, he made himself into an idol. And so he cast pur, the lot, in the month in which Moshe died. For Moshe undoes idolatry, and that is why he was buried opposite Beis Peor, to undo the idolatry of Peor, as our Sages taught.
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.2
כִּי משֶׁה גִּימַטְרִיָּא חֲרוֹן־אַף, כִּי הוּא מְבַטֵּל חֲרוֹן־אַף שֶׁל הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כִּי הוּא קִבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁעַל יְדֵיהֶם נִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): For Moshe has the numerical value of charon af, burning anger, since he undoes the anger that comes with idolatry. For he received the Torah, which is the aspect of hands and feet, as above, and through them idolatry is undone, as above.
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.3
וְעַל כֵּן הִפִּיל פּוּר בַּיֶּרַח שֶׁמֵּת בּוֹ משֶׁה, כִּי חָשַׁב כִּי כְּבָר מֵת משֶׁה, הַמְבַטֵּל כֹּחַ הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, וְאֵין עוֹד מִי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְבַטֵּל כֹּחַ הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים:
EN (our paraphrase): So Haman cast the lot in the month in which Moshe died, because he thought that Moshe, who undoes the power of idolatry, had already died, and there was no longer anyone who could undo the power of idolatry.
Scene 10 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.4
אֲבָל מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, הָיָה לָהֶם כֹּחַ לְבַטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים שֶׁל הָמָן, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה בִּימֵיהֶם קִבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל הַתּוֹרָה מֵחָדָשׁ, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ – קִיְּמוּ מַה שֶּׁקִּבְּלוּ כְּבָר.
EN (our paraphrase): But Mordechai and Esther had the power to undo Haman's idolatry. And that is why in their days Israel accepted the Torah anew, as our Sages said: 'they fulfilled and accepted', they fulfilled what they had already accepted.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.5
וְזֶה: קִיְּמוּ וְקִבְּלוּ – קִיְּמוּ זֶה בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן, וְקִבְּלוּ – זֶה בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַתּוֹרָה בְּעַצְמָהּ כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is 'they fulfilled and accepted': fulfilled is the feet, and accepted is the hands. And that is the aspect of the Torah itself, as above.
Scene 13 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.6
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר: מָרְדֳּכַי – מָר דְּרוֹר. דְּרוֹר, לְשׁוֹן חֵרוּת, זֶה בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר כַּנַּ"ל; וְאֶסְתֵּר הוּא בְּחִינַת שׁוֹקַיִן – מַה יָּרֵךְ בַּסֵּתֶר כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is Mordechai and Esther. Mordechai is mar dror, pure myrrh. Dror means freedom, cherus, which is the hands, as it says, 'My beloved put his hand through the opening,' as above. And Esther is the thighs: 'just as the thigh is hidden,' as above.
Scene 14 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.7
וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן פּוּרִים, הַיְנוּ בִּטּוּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: פּוּרָה דָּרַכְתִּי לְבַדִּי, וּמֵעַמִּים אֵין אִישׁ אִתִּי.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the word Purim: the undoing of idolatry, as it says, 'I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples no man was with Me.'
Part 6 — Esther and the Omer of Barley
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.8
וְעַל־יְדֵי הֶאָרַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַיָּדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן, נִתְבַּטְּלוּ הַכְּפִירוֹת, וְנִתְרַבָּה אֱמוּנָה בָּעוֹלָם עַל־יְדֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת הֲדַסָּה, וּבָהּ כְּתִיב: כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בְאָמְנָה אִתּוֹ, כִּי שְׁנֵיהֶם הֵם בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה,
EN (our paraphrase): And through the light of Mordechai and Esther, the hands and the feet, denial was undone and faith grew in the world through them, as it says, 'He was raising Hadassah,' using the word omen, and of her it is written, 'as she was in his care,' be'omnah. For both of them are the aspect of faith.
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.9
וְזֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: לִבּוֹ נָשָׂא אֶת רַגְלָיו, כִּי עִקַּר הָעַכּוּ"ם תָּלוּי בָּהּ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: רַגְלֶיהָ יוֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת, וְעַל כֵּן עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים עַל־יָדָהּ.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is done through the spirit, as above. And this is the aspect of 'Esther was said with ruach hakodesh, the holy spirit', the aspect of 'his heart lifted his feet'. For the main hold of idolatry depends on her, the aspect of the feet, as it says, 'her feet go down to death.' And so the main repair of idolatry is through her.
Scene 5 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.10
וְעַל כֵּן דַּיְקָא אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, אַף שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת תִּקּוּן הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים הוּא גַּם־כֵּן עַל־יְדֵי מָרְדֳּכַי כַּנַּ"ל, רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁעִקַּר הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים תְּלוּיָה בָּהּ, וְעַל כֵּן עַל־יָדָהּ עִקַּר הַתִּקּוּן. וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרֵאת הַמְּגִלָּה עַל שֵׁם אֶסְתֵּר,
EN (our paraphrase): That is why precisely Esther 'was said with the holy spirit', even though in truth the repair of idolatry also comes through Mordechai, as above. But since idolatry depends mainly on her side, the main repair comes through her, and so the Megillah is called by Esther's name.
Scene 6 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.10
וְהַיְנוּ דְּדַיְקָא אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, כִּי הָרוּחַ הוּא בַּלֵּב, וְעַל־יָדוֹ נִתְגַּלֶּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם, רַק הָעִקָּר תְּלוּיָה בָּרַגְלַיִם, בְּחִינַת אֶסְתֵּר.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is why precisely Esther was said with the holy spirit: for the spirit is in the heart, and through it the light of the hands and feet is revealed; only the main thing depends on the feet, the aspect of Esther.
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.11
וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים. עֹמֶר זֶה בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי, עַיִן מֹר, מָר דְּרוֹר; דְּרוֹר לְשׁוֹן חֵרוּת, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת חָרוּת עַל הַלֻּחֹת [כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: אַל תִּקְרֵי חָרוּת אֶלָּא חֵרוּת], שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַתּוֹרָה בְּנִגְלֶה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: עַיִן בְּעַיִן.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the aspect of the omer of barley. Omer is Mordechai: ayin and mor, myrrh, mar dror. Dror means freedom, cherus, that is, charus, engraved on the Tablets, which is the revealed Torah, the aspect of 'eye to eye.'
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.12
שְׂעוֹרִים זֶה בְּחִינַת אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־ הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כִּשְׂעִירִים עֲלֵי־דֶשֶׁא, שֶׁהוּא לְשׁוֹן רוּחַ.
EN (our paraphrase): Barley, se'orim, is Esther with the holy spirit, as it says, 'like the storm-winds upon the grass,' kis'irim, which speaks of wind.
Scene 10 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.13
וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה, כְּשֶׁבָּא הָמָן לְמָרְדֳּכַי, מְצָאוֹ עוֹסֵק בְּעֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים, אָמַר לָהֶם: עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים דִּידְכוּ אָתֵי וְנִצַּח אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו, כַּמְבֹאָר בַּמִּדְרָשׁ;
EN (our paraphrase): And that is why, when Haman came to Mordechai, he found him busy with the omer of barley, and said: 'Your omer of barley has come and defeated' him and his sons, as explained in the Midrash and the Gemara.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.13
כִּי עַל־יְדֵי עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף וְרִקּוּדִין, נִתְבַּטֵּל הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָמָן, בְּחִינַת גֵּאוּת כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): For through the omer of barley, the hands and the feet, which are clapping and dancing, idolatry is undone: that is Haman, the aspect of pride, as above.
Scene 12 · LM I:10 §8 · paragraph §8.14
וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה צִוָּה הָמָן לַעֲשׂוֹת עֵץ גָּבֹהַּ חֲמִשִּׁים אַמָּה, כִּי רָצָה לְבַטֵּל כֹּחַ שֶׁל חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם שֶׁל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר, שֶׁהוּא הַכֹּחַ שֶׁל מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר:
EN (our paraphrase): And that is why Haman ordered a tree fifty cubits high to be made: he wanted to undo the power of the fifty days of counting the omer, which is the power of Mordechai and Esther.
Part 7 — The Men of Korach
Scene 2 · Bava Basra 74a, as quoted in LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.1, §9.2
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־חָנָה: אָמַר לִי הַהוּא טַיְעָא: תָּא וְאַחְוֵי לָךְ בְּלוּעֵי דְּקֹרַח. אַזְלִי וַחֲזָאִי תְּרֵי בִּזְעֵי דְּהַוֵי נָפִיק מִנַיְהוּ קִטְרָא. שְׁקַל גְּבָבָא דְּעַמְרָא, וּמַשְׁיֵהּ בְּמַיָּא, וְאַנְחֵהּ בְּרֵישֵׁהּ דְּרֻמְחֵהּ, וְעַיְלֵהּ הָתָם, וְכִי אַפִּיק, הַוֵי אִחְרַךְ אִחְרוּכֵי.
EN (our paraphrase): Said Rabbah bar bar Chanah: an Arab merchant said to me, 'Come, I will show you the ones swallowed up with Korach.' I went and saw two cracks in the ground with smoke coming out of them. He took a tuft of wool, soaked it in water, set it on the tip of his spear and put it in there, and when he took it out, it was scorched.
Scene 3 · Bava Basra 74a, as quoted in LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.2
אָמַר לִי: אַצִּית מָה שְׁמָעִית. וְשִׁמְעֵת דַּהַוֵי אָמְרִין: משֶׁה אֱמֶת וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת וְהֵן בַּדָּאִין. אָמַר לִי: כָּל שְׁלשִׁים יוֹמָא מְהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם לְהָכָא כְּבָשָׂר בְּקַלַּחַת, וְאָמְרִי הָכִי: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת וְהֵן בַּדָּאִין:
EN (our paraphrase): He said to me: 'Listen, what do you hear?' And I heard them saying: 'Moshe is true and his Torah is true, and they are liars.' He said to me: 'Every thirty days Gehinnom turns them back here, like meat in a pot, and they say this: Moshe and his Torah are true, and they are liars.'
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.3
בְּלוּעֵי דְּקֹרַח, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ: קֹרַח מִין הָיָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים, מִינוּת.
EN (our paraphrase): 'The ones swallowed with Korach': as the Midrash says, Korach was a heretic, that is, the aspect of idolatry, heresy.
Scene 5 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.4
וְחַזָאִי תְּרֵי בִּזְעֵי דְּהַוֵי נָפִיק מִנַּיְהוּ קִטְרָא. – הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַחֲרוֹן־אַף שֶׁגּוֹרְמִים בְּמִינוּת, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: כָּל זְמַן שֶׁעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם. וּתְרֵי בִּזְעֵי, זֶה בְּחִינוֹת תְּרֵי נִקְבֵי הָאַף, שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מֵהֶם הֶעָשָׁן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: עָלָה עָשָׁן בְּאַפּוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): 'And I saw two cracks with smoke coming out of them': this is the anger that heresy brings, as our Sages said, as long as there is idolatry in the world there is anger in the world. And the two cracks are the two nostrils, from which the smoke comes out, as it says, 'smoke went up in His nostrils.'
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.5
וְשָׁקִיל גְּבָבָא דְּעַמְרָא – זֶה בְּחִינַת עֹמֶר כַּנַּ"ל,
EN (our paraphrase): 'And he took a tuft of wool': this is the omer, as above.
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.6
וּמַשְׁיֵהּ בְּמַיָּא – זֶה בְּחִינַת שְׂעוֹרִים, בְּחִינַת אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הָרַגְלַיִן הֵם אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם, כִּי הֵם בְּחִינַת עַרְבֵי נַחַל, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: רַגְלוֹהִי דְּבַר־נָשׁ אִנּוּן עָרְבִין לֵהּ.
EN (our paraphrase): 'And soaked it in water': this is barley, Esther with the holy spirit, which is the feet, as above. For the feet are channels of water, since they are 'the willows of the brook', as our Sages said: 'A person's feet are his guarantors,' arvin.
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.6
עָרְבִין זֶה בְּחִינַת עַרְבֵי נַחַל, אֲפִיקֵי מַיִם. הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר, בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, בְּחִינַת הַמְחָאַת כַּף וְרִקּוּדִין כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): Arvin, guarantors, is like arvei nachal, the willows of the brook, channels of water. That is Mordechai and Esther, hands and feet, clapping and dancing, as above.
Scene 10 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.7
וְאַנְחֵהּ בְּרֵישֵׁהּ דְּרֻמְחָא – רֹמַח דָּא רוּחַ מֵ"ם, שֶׁהוּא מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת בֹּאִי הָרוּחַ, כִּי הַמֵּ"ם הִיא אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ הַצַּדִּיק דְּנָשֵׁב בְּיָדַיִן וְרַגְלַיִן כַּנַּ"ל, וְרֹאשׁ הָרֹמַח הוּא הַצַּדִּיק, כִּי מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹצְאוֹת הָרוּחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ בּוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): 'And he set it on the tip of the spear': romach, spear, is ruach mem, spirit and the letter mem, which is 'from the four winds come, O spirit,' for the mem is the four winds. That is the tzaddik's spirit, which blows in the hands and the feet, as above. And the tip of the spear is the tzaddik, for from him the spirit goes out, as it says, 'a man in whom there is spirit,' as above.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.8
וְאַפְקִינְהוּ, וְאִחְרַךְ אִחְרוּכֵי – אִחְרַךְ, לְשׁוֹן חַיִּים וַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: לֹא יַחֲרֹךְ רְמִיָּה צֵידוֹ – לֹא יִחְיֶה וְלֹא יַאֲרִיךְ,
EN (our paraphrase): 'And he took it out, and it was scorched': ichrach means life and length of days, as our Sages said: 'The deceitful man shall not roast his game,' meaning he shall not live long.
Scene 12 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.8
וְהַיְנוּ: וְאִיחְרַךְ אִיחְרוּכֵי – לְשׁוֹן חַיִּים וַאֲרִיכַת יָמִים, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בִּטּוּל הַגַּאֲוָה, הַיְנוּ הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַחָכְמָה עַל תִּקּוּנָהּ כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי חָכְמָה יִחְיֶה וְיַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: הַחָכְמָה תְּחַיֶּה וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): That is the scorching: life and length of days. For when pride, which is idolatry, is undone, wisdom is set right, as above, and through wisdom a person lives and lengthens his days, as it says, 'Wisdom gives life.'
Part 8 — Every Rosh Chodesh, and the Verse Decoded
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.9
אָמַר לִי: אַצִּית לְהוּ, וְשִׁמְעֵת דְּאָמְרִין: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת – שֶׁהֵן מוֹדִין עַל הָאֱמֶת, כִּי כְּשֶׁמִּתְקָרֵב אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְצַדִּיקִים כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל מֵהֶם הָרוּחַ כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִשְׁבָּר הַגַּאֲוָה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְאָז מַכִּירִין אֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ שֶׁהֵם מִסִּטְרָא דְּמוֹתָא אֶת גְּדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): 'He said to me, listen to them, and I heard them saying: Moshe and his Torah are true': they admit the truth. For when a person draws close to the tzaddikim to receive spirit from them, as above, pride and idolatry are broken through it, and then even those on the side of death recognise the greatness of the Creator, blessed be His Name, as above.
Scene 4 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.10
וְאָמַר לִי: כָּל שְׁלשִׁים יוֹמִין מְהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנֹּם לְהָכָא וְאָמְרִי הָכִי: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת – פֵּרֵשׁ רַבֵּנוּ שְׁמוּאֵל: בְּכָל רֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ. כִּי כָּל דָּבָר יֵשׁ לוֹ שֹׁרֶשׁ, וְשֹׁרֶשׁ הַתְּשׁוּבָה הוּא רֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ, כִּי בְּרֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־ הוּא: הָבִיאוּ עָלַי כַּפָּרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת תְּשׁוּבָה,
EN (our paraphrase): 'And he said to me: every thirty days Gehinnom turns them back here, and they say: Moshe and his Torah are true.' Rabbeinu Shmuel explained: on every Rosh Chodesh. For everything has a root, and the root of teshuvah is Rosh Chodesh, for on Rosh Chodesh the Holy One said, 'Bring an atonement for Me,' as our Sages expounded. This is teshuvah.
Scene 5 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.10
וְהַתְּשׁוּבָה הַזֹּאת נִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלָה בְּכָל הַנִּבְרָאִים בְּרֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה גַּם קֹרַח וַעֲדָתוֹ מֻכְרָחִים לְאֵיזֶה חֲרָטָה בְּרֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ, אֲבָל הַתְּשׁוּבָה אֵינָהּ מוֹעִיל לָהֶם, כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הִיא רַק בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כִּי מִי שֶׁטָּרַח בְּעֶרֶב־שַׁבָּת וְכוּ';
EN (our paraphrase): And this teshuvah flows down into all creatures on Rosh Chodesh, so even Korach and his company are forced into some regret on Rosh Chodesh. But teshuvah does not help them, for teshuvah is only in this world: one who toiled on Erev Shabbos, and so on.
Scene 7 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.11
וְנִמְצָא בְּוַדַּאי לֹא נִפְטָרִין בְּזֶה הַהוֹדָאָה שֶׁהֵן מִתְחָרְטִין וּמוֹדִין מִדִּין גֵּיהִנּוֹם, וְעַל כֵּן מְהַדְרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנּוֹם לְהָכָא, כִּי אֵין נִפְטָרִין בָּזֶה. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אֵין גֵּיהִנּוֹם בְּרֹאשׁ־ חֹדֶשׁ כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁאָר יָמִים,
EN (our paraphrase): So surely they are not freed from the judgment of Gehinnom by this admission, their regret and their confession, and so Gehinnom turns them back here, because they are not freed by it. Yet even so, Gehinnom on Rosh Chodesh is not as on other days.
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §9 · paragraph §9.11
וְהַגֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁל רֹאשׁ־חֹדֶשׁ אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא הַחֲרָטָה, שֶׁמִּתְחָרְטִים וּמוֹדִים וּמִתְבַּיְּשִׁין, זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ גֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְזֶהוּ דְּדִיֵּק: מְהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ גֵּיהִנּוֹם לְהָכָא, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁמְּהַדְּרָא לְהוֹ לְהָכָא, שֶׁחוֹזְרִים וּמוֹדִים, הוּא הַגֵּיהִנּוֹם שֶׁלָּהֶם:
EN (our paraphrase): Their Gehinnom on Rosh Chodesh is only the regret: that they regret, admit, and are ashamed. That itself is their Gehinnom. And that is the precise wording, 'Gehinnom turns them back here': what turns them back here, so that they return and admit, is itself their Gehinnom.
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.1, §10.2
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם,
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning of: 'And these are the judgments that you shall set before them.'
Scene 10 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.3
כִּי אִיתָא בִּמְכִילְתָּא: אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם – הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ לְכָל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה. פֵּרוּשׁ, לְכָל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְהַמְתִּיקָם, צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁווֹת, הַיְנוּ לְיַחֵד, קֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אִשָּׁה וְאִישׁ, בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
EN (our paraphrase): For it says in the Mechilta: 'that you shall set before them': a woman is made equal to a man for all the judgments in the Torah. Meaning: for all the judgments in the Torah that need sweetening, one must make equal, that is, unite, the Holy One and His Shechinah, which are the aspect of man and woman, the aspect of Mordechai and Esther.
Scene 12 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.4
וְאֵלֶּה – כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאֵלֶּה מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, בְּחִינַת תּוֹסְפוֹת וְרִבּוּי, בְּחִינַת גַּאֲוָה, עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: לֹא מֵרֻבְּכֶם חָשַׁק ה', שֶׁפֵּרוּשׁוֹ גַּאֲוָה. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָמָן־עֲמָלֵק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: רֵאשִׁית גּוֹיִם עֲמָלֵק, וְתִקּוּנוֹ:
EN (our paraphrase): 'And these': wherever it says 've'eleh', it adds to the earlier ones. This is addition and increase, the aspect of pride, idolatry, as it says, 'Not because you are more numerous did Hashem desire you,' which means pride. And this is 'it adds to the first ones': Haman, Amalek, as it says, 'Amalek is the first of the nations.' And its repair is:
Scene 13 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.5
הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – בְּחִינַת רוּחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וּלְרוּחַ מִשְׁפָּט וְכוּ' מְשִׁיבֵי מִלְחָמָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ נִתְתַּקֵּן הַגַּאֲוָה וְהָעֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים כַּנַּ"ל. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה:
EN (our paraphrase): 'The judgments', hamishpatim: this is spirit, as it says, 'and a spirit of judgment, and those who turn back the battle.' For through the spirit, pride and idolatry are repaired, as above. And through that:
Scene 14 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.6
אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים לִפְנֵיהֶם, הַיְנוּ הֻשְׁווּ אִשָּׁה לְאִישׁ לְכָל דִּינִים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַמְתָּקַת הַדִּינִים, כִּי כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף וְדִינִים בָּעוֹלָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ הַנַּ"ל נִתְיַחֵד קֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, וְנִמְתָּקִין הַדִּינִים, וְנִסְתַּלֵּק חֲרוֹן־אַף מִן הָעוֹלָם.
EN (our paraphrase): 'that you shall set before them': a woman is made equal to a man for all the judgments in the Torah, that is, the sweetening of judgments. For as long as there is idolatry in the world, there is anger and judgment in the world; and through the spirit, the Holy One and His Shechinah are united, the judgments are sweetened, and anger leaves the world.
Part 9 — Without Yosef No One Lifts a Hand, and the Rebbe's Own Note
Scene 2 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.7
וְהִנֵּה, כְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ, אִתְעֲבֵר קֵל אַחֵר, כְּפִירוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי הָרוּחַ בָּאִים רִקּוּדִין וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָרוּחַ נִתְעַלּוּ הָרַגְלַיִן, וְנִתְגַּלָּה הֶאָרַת הַיָּדַיִם, וְנִתְרַבָּה הָאֱמוּנָה, כַּמְבֹאָר לְמָעְלָה.
EN (our paraphrase): Now, the rule of all these words: through the tzaddik, who is spirit, the other power, denial, passes away; and through the spirit come dancing and clapping. For through the tzaddik, who is spirit, the feet are raised, the light of the hands is revealed, and faith grows, as explained above.
Scene 3 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.7
וְעַל כֵּן כְּתִיב בְּיוֹסֵף, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַצַּדִּיק: וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ לֹא יָרִים אִישׁ אֶת יָדוֹ וְאֶת רַגְלוֹ, כִּי בִּלְעֲדֵי בְּחִינַת יוֹסֵף, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַצַּדִּיק, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהָרִים הַיָּדַיִם וְהָרַגְלַיִם כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): And so it is written of Yosef, who is the tzaddik: 'Without you no man shall lift his hand or his foot.' For without Yosef, the tzaddik, it is impossible to raise and lift the hands and the feet, as above.
Scene 5 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.8
וְהִנֵּה מִכְּלַל הַדְּבָרִים אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ, שֶׁנִּגְלֶה הוּא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם, וְנִסְתָּר הוּא בְּחִינַת רַגְלַיִן, בְּחִינַת מָרְדֳּכַי וְאֶסְתֵּר; וְאַף שֶׁנִּסְתָּר הוּא לְמַעְלָה מִנִּגְלֶה, עִם כָּל זֶה הִתְגַּלּוּת הַנִּגְלֶה הוּא בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ, דְּהַיְנוּ הַיָּדַיִם, וְהַנִּסְתָּר בָּרַגְלַיִן, שֶׁהִיא לְמַטָּה מִיָּדַיִם.
EN (our paraphrase): And from all these words you can hear that the revealed is the hands and the hidden is the feet, Mordechai and Esther. And although the hidden is above the revealed, still the revealed is shown in a high place, the hands, and the hidden in the feet, which are below the hands.
Scene 6 · LM I:10 §10 · paragraph §10.8
וְהָעִנְיָן עָמֹק, אַךְ הוּא עִנְיָן שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר: תַּנָּאִים בַּשּׁוֹקַיִן וְאָמוֹרָאִים בַּיָּדַיִן. וְאַף שֶׁהַתַּנָּאִים לְמַעְלָה מֵאָמוֹרָאִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם הֵם בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא לְמַטָּה מִמְּקוֹם הָאָמוֹרָאִים, וְכֵן נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים; וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר עַל זֶה תֵּרוּץ:
EN (our paraphrase): The matter is deep, but it is the matter written in the Zohar: Tannaim in the thighs and Amoraim in the arms. And although the Tannaim are above the Amoraim, they are in a place lower than the place of the Amoraim; and so too the Prophets and the Writings. And an answer to this has already been explained.
Scene 8 · LM I:10 §11 · paragraph §11.1, §11.2
וְאֵלֶּה הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר תָּשִׂים וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): And these are the judgments that you shall set, and so on.
Scene 9 · LM I:10 §11 · paragraph §11.3
גֵּאוּת, מוּדַעַת זֹאת בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה מְגֻנָּה, וְצָרִיךְ לִבְרֹחַ מִמֶּנָּה, אֲבָל יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁרוֹדְפִים אַחַר כָּבוֹד וְרוֹצִים לִמְלֹךְ וּלְהַנְהִיג אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְאֵל יָדָם לַעֲשׂוֹת פִּדְיוֹנוֹת וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלּוֹת, וַעֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: הָשֵׁב אֵשֶׁת הָאִישׁ כִּי נָבִיא הוּא וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעַדְךָ וֶחְיֵה.
EN (our paraphrase): Pride: it is known throughout the land that it is a disgraceful trait, and one must flee from it. But there are people who chase honor and want to rule and lead the world. They say it is in their power to make pidyonos and pray prayers. About them it says: 'Return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live.'
Scene 10 · LM I:10 §11 · paragraph §11.4
כִּי זֶה יָדוּעַ, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא [מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, וְצָרִיךְ לֵילֵךְ אֶצְלָם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עָלָיו] עֲלֵיהֶם, אֲבָל בַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה אֵין הוֹלְכִים אֶל צַדִּיקִים לְבַקְשָׁם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְגַם אֵין מַנִּיחִים שְׁאָר בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁיֵּלְכוּ אֵצֶל צַדִּיקִים שֶׁיִּתְפַּלְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי
EN (our paraphrase): For it is known that the Holy One longs for the prayers of the tzaddikim, and one must go to them so that they pray for him. But the proud do not go to the tzaddikim to ask them to pray for them, and they do not let other people go to the tzaddikim either.
Scene 11 · LM I:10 §11 · paragraph §11.4
אָמְרוּ אֵלּוּ בַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה, שֶׁגַּם הֵם צַדִּיקִים וִיכוֹלִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, וְאֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יוֹתֵר מֵהֶם, וּבָזֶה הֵם נִקְרָאִים בְּשֵׁם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ; אֲבִי – לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, כְּמוֹ: וְלֹא אָבָה ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ וְכוּ':
EN (our paraphrase): For these proud people say that they too are tzaddikim and can pray, and there is no greater tzaddik in the land than they. And so they are called by the name Avimelech: avi means wanting, as in 'But Hashem your Elokim did not want to listen.'
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.2: עַל־יְדֵי רִקּוּדִים וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף אֶל כַּף נַעֲשֶׂה הַמְתָּקַת הַדִּינִין:
Scene 3 · §2.1: כִּי עִקַּר גְּדֻלָּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא הוּא, שֶׁגַּם הָעַכּוּ"ם יֵדְעוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֱלֹקִים שַׁלִּיט וּמוֹשֵׁל,
Scene 4 · §3.3: כִּי הֶעֱלָה אֶת הַתְּפִלָּה מֵהַר וְשָׂדֶה לִבְחִינַת בַּיִת,
Scene 5 · §3.4: אֵימָתַי גָּדוֹל ה', כְּשֶׁהוּא מְהֻלָּל מְאֹד
Scene 6 · §4.1: מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חוֹלֶה בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, יֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל חָכָם וִיבַקֵּשׁ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים,
Scene 7 · §4.3: אֲבִי, לְשׁוֹן רָצוֹן, כִּי הוּא רוֹצֶה לִמְלֹךְ, וְהַיְנוּ אֲבִימֶלֶךְ.
Scene 8 · §4.7: כְּמוֹ שַׂק שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חוֹרִים הַרְבֵּה,
Scene 9 · §4.9: וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ צְרוֹר כַּסְפּוֹ בְּשַׂקוֹ.
Scene 10 · §4.10: כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹכִיחַ אֶת הַבַּעֲלֵי־גַּאֲוָה, הָרוֹצִים לְהִתְגַּדֵּל,
Scene 11 · §5.1: הָעִקָּר הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת לַצַּדִּיקִים,
Scene 12 · §6.3: עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִמְתָּקִין הַדִּינִים,
Scene 13 · §6.4: וַיְהִי יָדָיו אֱמוּנָה.
Scene 14 · §7.2: וּכְלָלִיּוּת הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרֵאת לֵב,
Scene 15 · §8.10: וְעַל כֵּן נִקְרֵאת הַמְּגִלָּה עַל שֵׁם אֶסְתֵּר,
Scene 16 · §8.13: עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים דִּידְכוּ אָתֵי וְנִצַּח אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו,
Scene 17 · §9.9: משֶׁה וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת
Scene 18 · §10.5: הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים – בְּחִינַת רוּחַ,
Scene 19 · §10.7: וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ לֹא יָרִים אִישׁ אֶת יָדוֹ וְאֶת רַגְלוֹ,
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: עַל־יְדֵי רִקּוּדִים וְהַמְחָאַת כַּף אֶל כַּף נַעֲשֶׂה הַמְתָּקַת הַדִּינִין:
Scene 3 · §3.2: וְיַעֲקֹב קְרָאוֹ בַּיִת,
Scene 4 · §4.7: כְּמוֹ שַׂק שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ חוֹרִים הַרְבֵּה,
Scene 5 · §6.1: כִּי עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת הַלֵּב הוּא מְרַקֵּד וּמַכֶּה כַּף אֶל כַּף,
Scene 6 · §8.13: עֹמֶר שְׂעוֹרִים דִּידְכוּ אָתֵי וְנִצַּח אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בָּנָיו,