אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה וְכוּ'
Ashrei HaAm: Charity and Hashem's Watchful Eye
Complete providence cannot be drawn down until the desire for money, a kind of idolatry, is broken through charity; then anger gives way to kindness and daas. The true sage gathers the souls who come to him with their longings, raises them, and brings down Torah, which is shaped like an eye and brings Hashem's watchful gaze to all who are close to it. Rebbe Nachman reads this into the chariot of Yechezkel, Rabbi Yonah's rain, and Rabbah bar bar Chanah's tale of the waves, where even a soul still sunk in desire is lifted by the sage.
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- Part 1: Charity Cools the Heart ▶ Play⬇ 9.4 MB
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- Part 3: Torah, the Eye of Providence ▶ Play⬇ 6.6 MB
- Part 4: The Chariot of the Soul ▶ Play⬇ 8.3 MB
- Part 5: The Torah's Chariot, and Rabbi Yonah's Rain ▶ Play⬇ 7.0 MB
- Part 6: Seek Out the Sage: The Sailors' Tale ▶ Play⬇ 6.6 MB
- Part 7: Lifted to the Small Star ▶ Play⬇ 6.4 MB
- Part 8: See the Strength of Your Master ▶ Play⬇ 9.1 MB
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה וְכוּ': (תהלים פט)
א לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה שְׁלֵמָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיְּשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, וּשְׁבִירָתָהּ הוּא עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה,
כִּי אִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר (פנחס דף רכד.): רוּחָא נָחֵת לְשַׁכֵּךְ חֲמִימָא דְלִבָּא, וְכַד נָחֵת רוּחָא, לִבָּא מְקַבֵּל לֵהּ בְּחֶדְוָה דְּנִגּוּנָא דְּלֵיוָאֵי.
רוּחָא זֶה בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה, שֶׁהִיא רוּחַ נְדִיבָה – עַל־יָדוֹ מְקָרְרִין חֲמִימוּת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים ע״ו:י״ג): יִבְצֹר רוּחַ נְגִידִים; שֶׁהָרוּחַ מְמַעֵט תַּאֲוַת הַנְּגִידוּת וְהָעֲשִׁירוּת.
נִגּוּנָא דְּלֵיוָאֵי זֶה בְּחִינַת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ וְאֵינוֹ אָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר, כִּי הַנְּגִינָה זֶה הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם פא): שְׂאוּ זִמְרָה וּתְנוּ תֹף. חֶדְוָה – זֶה שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ,
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קְטֹרֶת, שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר חִמּוּם הַלֵּב עִם הָרוּחַ, וְזֶה (משלי כ״ז:ט׳): קְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב; וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (דברים ל״ג:י׳): יָשִׂימוּ קְטֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת קְטֹרֶת הַנַּ"ל נִתְבַּטֵּל בְּחִינַת (בראשית ג׳:י״ט): "בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּךָ תֹּאכַל".
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁאֲזַי יִתְבַּטֵּל חֶמְדַּת הַמָּמוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו ב׳:כ׳): בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יַשְׁלִיךְ הָאָדָם אֶת אֱלִילֵי כַסְפּוֹ וֶאֱלִילֵי זְהָבוֹ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (איכה ד׳:כ׳): רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ ה'.
וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה זֹאת שֶׁל מָמוֹן בָּעוֹלָם – חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם; וּכְפִי הַבִּטּוּל שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה זֹאת, כֵּן נִתְבַּטֵּל הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, בִּבְחִינַת: רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ ה', וְנִתְמַשֵּׁךְ חֶסֶד בָּעוֹלָם, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים י״ח:נ״א): וְעוֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ.
וּכְשֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה חֶסֶד הַזֶּה, יִתְמַשֵּׁךְ הַדַּעַת, שֶׁהִיא בִּנְיַן הַבַּיִת, בִּבְחִינַת (שם ה): וַאֲנִי בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (פנחס דף רכ:): וִימִּינָא דָּא זָמִין לְמִבְנָא בֵּי־מַקְדְּשָׁא, כִּי הַדַּעַת הוּא בְּחִינַת בַּיִת, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות לג.): מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דֵעָה, כְּאִלּוּ נִבְנָה בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְכוּ':
ב וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר, שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד יִתְגַּלֶּה אוֹרַיְתָא דְּעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה; כִּי עִקַּר קַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה – עַל־יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, שֶׁהוּא משֶׁה־מָשִׁיחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי כ״א:כ״ב): עִיר גִּבֹּרִים עָלָה חָכָם;
וּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּחִינַת משֶׁה־מָשִׁיחַ, יוּכַל לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה, וְיָכוֹל לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הֶאָרַת הַתּוֹרָה לְלַמֵּד שְׁאָר בְּנֵי־אָדָם, כִּי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה בָּא מִיִּחוּדָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא־ בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם א): שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ וְכוּ' – אָבִיךָ דָּא קֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא, וְאִמֶּךָ דָּא כְּנֶסֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל (זוהר יתרו פה. פנחס ריג.);
וְיִחוּדָם – עַל־יְדֵי הַעֲלָאַת נַפְשׁוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּבְחִינַת מַיִּין נוּקְבִין, וְהֶחָכָם יָכוֹל לִקַּח הַנְּפָשׁוֹת וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם בִּבְחִינַת מַיִּין נוּקְבִין, בִּבְחִינַת (שם יא): וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַיִּחוּד הַזֶּה נוֹלָד הַתּוֹרָה, וּכְשֶׁעוֹלֶה הֶחָכָם עִם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת עִיר גִּבֹּרִים עָלָה חָכָם, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה: וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה:
ג וְנֶפֶשׁ זֶה בְּחִינַת רָצוֹן,
שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי־אָדָם הַבָּאִים לַחֲכַם־הַדּוֹר, כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ אֵיזֶהוּ רָצוֹן, וְהַצַּדִּיק לוֹקֵחַ כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְעוֹלֶה עִמָּהֶם, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ: וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה, בִּבְחִינַת (יחזקאל א׳:י״ד): וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב: רָצוֹא – בַּעֲלִיּוֹת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, וָשׁוֹב – בַּחֲזָרַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת עִם הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה.
וְזֶה שֶׁמּוּבָא בְּתִקּוּנֵי־זֹהַר (תיקון ע' דף קט.): רָצוֹא – דָּא נוּרִיאֵל, וָשׁוֹב – דָּא מְטַ"ט שַׂר הַפָּנִים. נוּרִיאֵ"ל דָּא נוּר דָּלוּק (זוהר בראשית כג: ובתיקונא שבעין) בַּחֲמִימוּת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, וָשׁוֹב – דָּא מְטַ"ט שַׂר הַפָּנִים, דְּאִיהוּ רָשִׁים בְּשֵׁם משֶׁה, דְּאִיהוּ מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁהוּא רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ, שֶׁעַל־יָדוֹ נִשְׁתַּכֵּךְ הַחֲמִימוּת.
וְזֶה: שָׁכָּכָה – גִּימַטְרִיָּא משֶׁה (זוהר בהר קיא: פנחס רלא.), שֶׁהוּא מְשַׁכֵּךְ אֱלִילֵי כֶסֶף וְזָהָב;
רָצוֹא דָּא רָצוֹן, שֶׁהוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וָשׁוֹב דָּא משֶׁה, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה:
ד וְעַל־יְדֵי הַמְשָׁכַת הַתּוֹרָה נִמְשָׁךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה הִיא ט'נ'ת'א' [טְעָמִים, נְקוּדוֹת, תַּגִין, אוֹתִיוֹת], שֶׁהֵם תְּלָת גְּוָנִין דְּעֵינָא וּבַת־עַיִן.
וְזֶה שֶׁמַּתְחֶלֶת הַתּוֹרָה בִּבְרֵאשִׁית: תַּמָּן רָאשֵׁי, תַּמָּן בַּת (תיקוני זוהר דף יח:). רָאשֵׁי – אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית אֲבֹתָם (שמות ו׳:י״ד), שֶׁהָאָבוֹת הֵם תְּלָת גְּוָנִין דְּעֵינָא; תַּמָּן בַּת – דָּא בַּת־עַיִן.
נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁחָכָם מֵבִיא תּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְצָא שֶׁמֵּבִיא כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלֵינוּ, וְכָל אֶחָד, כְּפִי קֵרוּבוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, כֵּן הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלָיו.
כִּי עִקַּר כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁמַּכֶּה בַּדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, וְחוֹזֵר כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת מֵחֲמַת הַהַכָּאָה לָעֵינַיִם, וְנִצְטַיֵּר הַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה בָּעֵינַיִם, וְאָז הָעֵינַיִם רוֹאִים אֶת הַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, כִּי הָרְאוּת מֵבִיא אֶת הַדָּבָר לְתוֹךְ הָעֵינַיִם.
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה הוּא רָחוֹק, אָז קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת לְהַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, מִתְפַּזֵּר בְּתוֹךְ הָאֲוִיר וְנִתְעַכֵּר, וְאֵין מַגִּיעַ בְּהַכָּאָה עַל הַדָּבָר, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֵין חוֹזֵר הָרְאוּת לָעֵינַיִם, וְאָז אֵין הָעֵינַיִם רוֹאִין,
כִּי עִקַּר הָרְאוּת הוּא מֵחֲמַת הַהַכָּאָה. וְזֶה (תהילים פ׳:ט״ו): שׁוּב נָא, הַבֵּט מִשָּׁמַיִם וּרְאֵה – שֶׁיָּשׁוּב הַבָּטָה שֶׁמַּבִּיט מִשָּׁמַיִם עָלֵינוּ, יָשׁוּב עַל־יְדֵי הַהַכָּאָה, יָשׁוּב הָרְאוּת לְעֵינָיו, וְאָז: וּרְאֵה; כִּי הָרְאִיָּה עַל־יְדֵי הֲשָׁבַת הַהַבָּטָה.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב; וְהַחַיּוֹת – הַיְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא הַחַיִּים, רָצוֹא – בִּבְחִינַת הַבָּטָה מֵעֵלָּא לְתַתָּא, וָשׁוֹב – בִּבְחִינַת הַכָּאַת הָרְאוּת בַּדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, וְנֶחֱזָר לָעֵינַיִם וְנִצְטַיֵּר בָּעֵינַיִם, כִּי הָעֵינַיִם הֵם כְּמַרְאָה לְטוּשָׁה, שֶׁנִּתְרָאֶה בָּהֶם כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.
וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ קְרוֹבִים אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ קְרוֹבִים אֶל הָרְאוּת, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת נֶחֱזָר לְעֵינָיו, וְנִתְרָאִים וְנִצְטַיְּרִים אֲנַחְנוּ בְּעֵינָיו.
אֲבָל הָעַכּוּ"ם, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֵם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַתּוֹרָה, הֵם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ, וְהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ אֵין מַגִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּהַכָּאָה. נִמְצָא הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ עַל הָעַכּוּ"ם בַּחֲצִי הָרְאוּת, בִּבְחִינַת רָצוֹא, וְעָלֵינוּ הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת:
ה וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנָא דְּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא עִלָּאָה וּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא תַּתָּאָה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הֶחָכָם, שֶׁלּוֹקֵחַ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת וְעוֹלֶה עִמָּהֶם וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה, נִתְתַּקְּנוּ שְׁנֵי הַמֶּרְכָּבוֹת.
כִּי יֵשׁ אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת בִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, וְכִסֵּא, וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא.
אַרְיֵה שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, זֶה בְּחִינַת (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳): אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם בְּשָׂמִי; מוֹרִי זֶה בְּחִינַת מָרַת נָפֶשׁ (שמואל־א א), בְּחִינַת (מלכים־ב ד): וְנַפְשָׁהּ מָרָה לָהּ; זֶה בְּחִינוֹת פְּגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ, פְּגַם הָרָצוֹן. כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה דְּבַר־תַּאֲוָה, זֶה הָרָצוֹן הוּא פְּגָם וּמָרָה לַנֶּפֶשׁ.
וְעַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁבָּא זֶה הָאָדָם לַחֲכַם־הַדּוֹר עִם נַפְשׁוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְהַחֲכַם הַדּוֹר לוֹקֵחַ כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְלוֹקֵט אוֹתָם אֶחָד לְאֶחָד, כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלוֹת אוֹתָם כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז מְלַקֵּט גַּם כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְהַנְּפָשׁוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אַרְיֵה – לְשׁוֹן לֶקֶט, שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט מָרַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, הַיְנוּ פְּגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ; עִם בְּשָׂמִי – עִם הָרָצוֹן הַטּוֹב, שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה רֵיחַ טוֹב.
וּבְחִינַת שׁוֹר שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ, זֶה הָאוֹר הַמְצֻחְצָח שֶׁנִּתּוֹסֵף בַּנֶּפֶשׁ מֵחֲמַת הַקִּבּוּץ, שֶׁנִּתְקַבֵּץ פִּזּוּרֵי הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְאָז מֵאִיר הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי כְּשֶׁהָרָצוֹן אֵין מֵאִיר, אָז הַנֶּפֶשׁ בִּבְחִינַת: וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה,
כִּי עִקַּר הָרָעָב – מֵחֲמַת הֶעְדֵּר הָאוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יומא עד:): וַיְעַנְּךָ וַיַּרְעִיבֶךָ וַיַּאֲכִילְךָ אֶת הַמָּן – מִכָּאן שֶׁהַסּוּמָא אֵינוֹ שָׂבֵעַ, כִּי עִקַּר הַשּׂבַע מֵחֲמַת הָאוֹר שֶׁיִּרְאֶה בְּעֵינָיו, וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה, אֵין נִתְמַלֵּא נַפְשׁוֹ, הַיְנוּ רְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ (קהלת ו׳:ט׳);
וּכְשֶׁמְּצַחְצֵחַ נַפְשׁוֹ בְּצַחְצְחוֹת הָאוֹר, אֲזַי: וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה מִלֵּא טוֹב (תהילים ק״ז:ט׳), בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו נ״ח:י״א): וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שׁוֹר, לְשׁוֹן הִסְתַּכְּלוּת, בְּחִינַת: מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ.
וְנֶשֶׁר שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, זֶה הַחִדּוּשׁ שֶׁנִּתְחַדֵּשׁ הַנֶּפֶשׁ בַּעֲלִיָּתָהּ בִּבְחִינַת עִבּוּר. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נֶשֶׁר – תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר נְעוּרָיְכִי (תהילים ק״ג:ה׳).
וְאָדָם שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ, זֶה בְּחִינַת (בראשית ב׳:ז׳): וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה; כִּי הָאָדָם בְּחִינוֹת מִסְכְּנֵי וְעַתִּירֵי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בהקדמת הזוהר דף יג:): נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ – עַתִּירֵי, כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ – מִסְכְּנֵי.
וּכְשֶׁנִּתְלַקְּטוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, אֲזַי הֵם בִּבְחִינַת אָדָם, נְפָשׁוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וּקְטַנּוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת מִסְכְּנֵי וְעַתִּירֵי.
וְאוֹפַנִּים הֵן הַגּוּפִין, כִּי עִקַּר פְּעֻלּוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל הַגּוּפִין אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִן הַחִיּוּת שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ, שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ מַרְאָה פְּעֻלּוֹתֶיהָ עַל־יְדֵי אֵיבְרֵי הַגּוּף, וְאֵין לַגּוּף שׁוּם תְּנוּעָה עַצְמִיִּית, וְהַכֹּל עַל־יְדֵי כֹּחוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ.
וְכִסֵּא שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, הוּא נֶפֶשׁ הֶחָכָם שֶׁנִּתְכַּסָּה, בִּבְחִינַת (משלי ג׳:ט״ו): יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים [כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה ד:) מִכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים], כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנֶּפֶשׁ הֶחָכָם הוּא יָקָר, הוּא נִתְכַּסֶּה לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, וְכָל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת נַעֲשִׂין לְבוּשִׁין אֶצְלָהּ.
וְהָאָדָם הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא, הוּא דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל הֶחָכָם, כִּי גַּם בְּלֹא דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ לֹא טוֹב (משלי י״ט:ב׳):
וְיֵשׁ אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה: אַרְיֵה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרָא עֹז, וּמֶה עַז מֵאֲרִי (שופטים י״ד:י״ח). וְשׁוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי ח׳:ט״ז): בִּי שָׂרִים יָשׂרוּ. וְנֶשֶׁר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת חִדּוּשִׁין דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, בִּבְחִינַת: תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר. וְאָדָם שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת (במדבר י״ט:י״ד): זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָדָם, וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ קַלּוֹת וַחֲמוּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מִסְכְּנֵי וְעַתִּירֵי;
וְכִסֵּא שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת תּוֹרָה, הֵם דְּבָרִים שֶׁכִּסָּה עַתִּיק־יוֹמִין (פסחים קיט. ועי' זוהר בהעלותך קנב.), וְהֵם מְכַסִּים אֶת עַצְמָן בְּסִפּוּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה. וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא הוּא עַתִּיק־יוֹמִין, בִּבְחִינַת (דניאל ז׳:ט׳): וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִב. וְאוֹפַנִּים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת:
וְזֶה שֶׁמֵּבִיא בְּתַעֲנִית (דף כג:): מַעֲשֶׂה דְּרַבִּי יוֹנָה:
כַּד הֲוָה אִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִטְרָא, אָמַר: אֵזִיל וְאַיְתִי בְּזוּזָא עִבּוּרָא. וַהֲוֵי קָאֵי בְּאַתְרָא עֲמִיקֵי, בְּאַתְרָא צְנִיעָא, מִכְסֵּי שַׂקָּא, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה – וְאָתֵי מִטְרָא.
כַּד הֲוָה מִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִטְרָא – הַיְנוּ לַתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים ל״ב:ב׳): יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי.
אָמַר, אֵזִיל וְאַיְתִי בְּזוּזָא עִבּוּרָא – עִבּוּר זֶה בְּחִינַת ע"ב רי"ו; ע"ב הוּא שִׁכּוּךְ, רי"ו זֶה בְּחִינַת חֲמִימוּת. בְּזוּזָא זֶה בְּחִינַת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, הַיְנוּ דַּאָזֵל לְשַׁכֵּךְ תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן כַּנַּ"ל.
וַהֲוָה קָאֵי בְּאַתְרָא עֲמִיקֵי – עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁשִׁכֵּךְ תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן זָכָה לְאַתְרָא עֲמִיקֵי, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד, כְּמַרְאֵה הַחַמָּה עֲמֻקָּה מִן הַצֵּל (שבועות ו:), וְחֶסֶד הוּא אוֹר יוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים מ״ב:ט׳): יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה ה' חַסְדּוֹ; וְעַל־יְדֵי הַחֶסֶד זָכָה לְבִנְיַן הַבַּיִת, לִבְחִינַת שֵׂכֶל כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה:
אַתְרָא צְנִיעָא, שֶׁהוּא בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁהוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (משלי י״א:ב׳): וְאֶת צְנוּעִים חָכְמָה.
וַהֲוָה מִכְסֵּי שַׂקָּא – זֶה בְּחִינַת לְקִיחַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְהַעֲלוֹת אוֹתָם כַּנַּ"ל, וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, וּכְלָלִיּוּת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הֵם מְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם שַׂק, כִּי הֵם מִתְעַדְּנִים מִשַּׁקְיָא דְּנַחֲלָא, בִּבְחִינַת: וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה:
וְאָתֵי מִטְרָא – שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ תּוֹרָה, בִּבְחִינַת: וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה: ו
אַךְ צָרִיךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ מְאֹד וְלַחֲזֹר אַחַר חָכָם כָּזֶה, וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִמְצֹא חָכָם כָּזֶה, שֶׁיְּקַבֵּץ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת: וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, וְיַעֲלֶה אוֹתָם, וְיוֹרֵד עִמָּהֶם תּוֹרָה. כִּי גַּם הֶחָכָם בְּעַצְמוֹ אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה זֹאת בְּשֵׂכֶל אֶחָד, כִּי הֵם שְׁנֵי שִׂכְלִיִּים: מַה שֶּׁמְּקַבֵּץ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הוּא שֵׂכֶל אֶחָד, וּמַה שֶּׁמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָם וּמוֹרִיד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה הוּא שֵׂכֶל אַחֵר. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שִׁין שֶׁל שְׁלשָׁה רָאשִׁים וְשִׁין שֶׁל אַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים, שֶׁהַשְּׁנֵי שִׁינִין הֵם הַשְּׁנֵי שִׂכְלִיִם:
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־ חָנָה: אִשְׁתָּעוּ לִי נְחוּתֵי יַמָּא: בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי, וְרוּמְיָא דְּגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי. זִמְנָא חֲדָא הֲוֵי אָזְלִינַן בְּאֹרְחָא, וּדְלִינַן גַּלָּא, עַד דַּחֲזֵינַן בֵּי מַרְבַּעְתָּא דְּכּוֹכָבָא זוּטָא, דַּהֲוֵי כְּמִבְזַר אַרְבְּעִין גְּרִיוָא בִּזְרָא דְּחַרְדְּלָא; וְאִי דְּלֵינַן טְפֵי, הֲוָה מַקְלִינַן מֵהַבְלָא. וְרָמְיָא לָהּ גַּלָּא קָלָא לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ וְאָמְרָה לָהּ: חֲבֶרְתִּי מִי שַׁבְקִית מִידֵי בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא שַׁטְפִית, וְנֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְנִחַרְבֵהּ. אָמְרָה לָהּ: פּוּק חֲזִי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּמָרָךְ,
דַּאֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא חוּטָא דְּחָלָא לֵית דְּעָבַר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַאוֹתִי לֹא תִירְאוּ נְאֻם ה' וְכוּ':
נְחוּתֵי יַמָּא, הַיְנוּ מַמְשִׁיכֵי יַמָּא דְּאוֹרַיְתָא לְזֶה הָעוֹלָם.
בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שִׁין הַנַּ"ל.
וְרוּמְיָא דְּגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שִׁין שְׁנִיָּה הַנַּ"ל
(הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂכָלִיִּים הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל קִבּוּץ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, וְהַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַעֲלָאַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְהַמְשִׁיךְ תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂכָלִיִּים שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא חָכַם הָאֱמֶת הֵם בְּחִינַת שְׁנֵי שִׁינִין כַּנַּ"ל). וְהַגַּלִּים הֵם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים, שֶׁהִיא בַּת אֲבָהָן (כמו שדרשו רז"ל סנהדרין צד:):
בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא – אֵלּוּ הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהֵם בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא, הַיְנוּ מְחַבְּרִים כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם.
תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שִׁין אַחַת.
וְרוּמְיָא דְּגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – הַיְנוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, זֶה בְּחִינַת שִׁין אַחֶרֶת.
זִמְנָא חֲדָא אַזְלִינַן בְּאֹרְחָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ נִכְנַסְנוּ לְעוֹרֵר זִוּוּג, הַנִּקְרָא אֹרַח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קלט): אָרְחִי וְרִבְעִי.
וּדְלֵינַן גַּלָּא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁדְּלֵינַן הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְמַעְלָה, בִּבְחִינַת: עִיר גִבּוֹרִים עָלָה חָכָם.
עַד דְחַזִינָן בֵּי מְרַבַּעַתָּא דְכוֹכְבָא זוּטָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁגָרַמְנוּ זִוּוגָא עִלָאָה. מְרַבַּעַתָּא זֶה בְּחִינַת זִווּג, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אָרְחִי וְרִבְעִי. שְׁכִינְתָּא נִקְרֵאת בִּשְׁעַת זִוּוּג כּוֹכָבָא זוּטָא, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר (בלק דף קצא.): אִתְעֲבִידַת נְקֻדָּה זְעֵירָא מִגּוֹ רְחִימְתָּא, כְּדֵין אִתְחַבְּרָא בְּבַעְלָהּ, עַיֵּן שָׁם.
וַהֲוָה כְּמִבְזַר אַרְבְּעִין גְּרִיוָא בִּזְרָא דְּחַרְדְּלָא – כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר (פנחס דף רמט:): הַאי חַיָּה כַּד אִתְעַבְּרָא, אִסְתַּתְּמַת וְלָא יְכֵילַת לְאוֹלָדָא, עַד דְּאַתְיָא נָחָשׁ וְנָשֵׁךְ בְּעֶרְיָתָא, כְּדֵין אִתְפַּתְּחַת וְנָפֵק מִנָּהּ דְּמָא, וְהִיא שָׁתֵית לִדְמָא. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת בִּזְרָא דְּחַרְדְּלָא, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת טִפַּת דָּם כְּחַרְדָּל, דְּנָפֵק מִנָּהּ מֵחֲמַת הַנְּשִׁיכָה בְּבֵית הַזֶּרַע. בִּזְרָא – פֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: בֵּית זֶרַע. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ אוֹלִידַת, וְהַתּוֹלָדָה הַזֹּאת הִיא הַתּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת דֶּרֶךְ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שְׁאָר חֵיוָתָא, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעִים, עֲשָׂרָה לְכָל סְטַר, כַּמּוּבָא שָׁם (בזוהר הנ"ל), וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אַרְבְּעִין גְּרִיוָא, בְּחִינַת אַרְבְּעִין חֵיוָתָא, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה:
וְאִי דְּלֵינַן טְפֵי הֲוָה מַקְלִינַן מֵהַבְלָא – כִּי: יֵשׁ הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים וְכוּ' (קהלת ח׳:י״ד); וְעַל־יְדֵי הַהֶבֶל הַזֶּה רַבִּים נִתְפַּקְּרוּ, שֶׁרוֹאִים צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ, רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ. וְאִי דְּלֵינַן הַרְבֵּה נְפָשׁוֹת, אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי הֲוָה מַקְלִינַן, לְשׁוֹן קוּלָא; מֵהַבְלָא, מֵהֶבֶל הַזֶּה, וְלֹא הָיָה הֶבֶל הַזֶּה כָּל־כָּךְ קָשֶׁה עַל הָעוֹלָם.
וְרָמְיָא גַּלָּא קָלָא לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ: חֲבֶרְתִּי, מִי שַׁבְקִית מִידֵי בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא שְׁטַפִיתֵהּ, וְנֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְנִחַרְבֵהּ – הַיְנוּ, כְּשֶׁאַחַר־כָּךְ, כְּשֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת חוֹזְרִים מֵעִבּוּר הַנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַכְּלָלִיּוּת נִתּוֹסֵף בָּהֶם אַהֲבָה זֶה לָזֶה, וְאָז מְעוֹרְרִין אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ וְאוֹמְרִים זֶה לָזֶה וּמַזְכִּירִין זֶה אֶת זֶה: אָחִי, שֶׁמָּא שָׁבַקְתָּ אֵיזֶה מִדָּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁעֲדַיִן הִיא מוֹשֶׁלֶת עָלֶיךָ וְאֵין אַתָּה יָכוֹל לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עָלֶיהָ.
וְנֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְנִחַרְבֵהּ – הַיְנוּ אֲסַיַּע לְךָ לְכַלּוֹת אֶת הַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת מִמְּךָ. וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ:
פּוּק חֲזִי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּמָרָךְ, שֶׁהוּא הֶחָכָם הַנַּ"ל, רְאֵה כַּמָּה כֹּחוֹ גָּדוֹל,
דַּאֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא חוּטָא דְּחָלָא לֵית דְּעָבַר – פֵּרֵשׁ רַבֵּנוּ שְׁמוּאֵל: אֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא רֹחַב הַחוּט לֹא יָכֹלְתִּי לָצֵאת חוּץ מִן הַחוֹל; פֵּרוּשׁ: אַתְּ שׁוֹאֶלֶת אוֹתִי, שֶׁמָּא שָׁבַקְתִּי מִדָּה בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא תִּקַּנְתִּי אוֹתָהּ – תֵּדַע חֲבֶרְתִּי, שֶׁעֲדַיִן אֲנִי מְשֻׁקָּע בְּכָל הַתַּאֲווֹת, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא יָצָאתִי מִן הַחוֹל אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא חוּט,
וּבְוַדַּאי מִי שֶׁהוּא בְּמַדְרֵגָה כָּזֹאת, בְּוַדַּאי לֵית דְּעָבַר – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לָבוֹא לִבְחִינוֹת עִבּוּר הַנַּ"ל; וְאַף־עַל־ פִּי־כֵן,
פּוּק חֲזִי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּמָרָךְ, הַיְנוּ כֹּחַ הֶחָכָם, שֶׁכָּל כָּךְ כֹּחוֹ חָזָק, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלִּי הֶעֱלָה בְּעִבּוּר:
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ:
אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה,
יֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – זֶה בְּחִינַת יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים צ״ט:ד׳): מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בְּיַעֲקֹב אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ.
ה' – זֶה בְּחִינַת הֲוָיוֹת, בְּחִינַת חֲסָדִים.
בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת ח׳:א׳): חָכְמַת אָדָם תָּאִיר פָּנָיו.
יְהַלֵּכוּן – אֵלּוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בְּחִינַת מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ.
(עוֹד מָצָאתִי כְּתַב־יַד רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁשַּׁיָּךְ לְהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ"ל, אַךְ מָצָאתִי רַק קְצֵה הַנְּיָר, וְלֹא נִכְתַּב שָׁם רַק סוֹפוֹ שֶׁל עִנְיָן, וְחָסֵר הַתְחָלַת הָעִנְיָן, וְזֶהוּ:)
הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רְאִיָּה, טַנְתָּ"א כַּנַּ"ל, כָּל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו, זֶה בְּחִינַת לְקִיטַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת כֻּלָּם, בִּבְחִינַת לֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם כַּנַּ"ל; כִּי פִי ה' דִּבֵּר – כָּל זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי רוּחַ נְדִיבָה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא פִּי ה', כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: בְּפִיךָ זוֹ צְדָקָה (עַד כָּאן לְשׁוֹנוֹ זַ"ל).
וּמוּבָן הַדָּבָר, שֶׁמֵּבִיא הַמִּקְרָא: וְנִגְלָה כְבוֹד ה' וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו כִּי פִי ה' דִּבֵּר; וּמְבָאֵר כָּל הַמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא מְפֹרָשׁ בְּפָסוּק זֶה, אַךְ בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים חָסֵר פֵּרוּשׁ רֵישֵׁהּ דִּקְרָא:
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 thirteen: Ashrei HaAm. Happy is the people who know the shofar's call.
Hashem's complete providence cannot be drawn down until the desire for money is broken, and charity breaks it.
The true sage gathers the souls who come to him, each with its longing, climbs up with them, and brings down Torah.
Torah is shaped like an eye. The closer we are to it, the more fully Hashem's watchful gaze rests on us.
In the sailors' tale, one wave admits it is still sunk in desire, and yet the sage lifted even its soul.
Our own reflection: give a little charity, and bring your longing to the Torah and the tzaddik.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan, Torah thirteen: Ashrei HaAm. Happy is the people who know the teruah, the shofar's call; Hashem, in the light of Your face they will walk. In about ten minutes we will walk through the whole Torah: charity and the desire for money, the sage who raises souls, the eye of providence, and a tale of sailors and waves.
Rebbe Nachman opens with a bold claim. To draw down complete providence, Hashem's full watchful care, is impossible until a person breaks the desire for money. And what breaks it is charity.
He brings the Zohar: a wind comes down to calm the heat of the heart, and the heart receives it with the joy of the Levites' song. The wind, ruach, is charity, a generous spirit, and it cools the burning for money. The Levites' song is honest business: a person happy with his portion, who does not rush to get rich.
This is also the incense, which binds the heart to the cooling spirit and gladdens it. It undoes the curse of earning bread by the sweat of the brow, a life driven by the chase after money. And it is the revelation of Mashiach, when people will throw away their idols of silver and gold.
Rebbe Nachman calls the desire for money by its real name: idolatry. As long as it rules, there is burning anger in the world. As it weakens, the anger fades and kindness is drawn down. Kindness brings daas, knowledge, and daas is like the Holy Temple built within a person.
Now the sage. The verse in Mishlei says: a wise man climbs the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength in which it trusts. The Torah is received through the intellect, the quality of Moshe and Mashiach. One who has it can bring the light of Torah down to teach others.
How does Torah come down? Through the union above of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, and that union is awakened when the souls of Israel are raised. The sage takes the souls and lifts them: he who takes souls is wise. From their rising, Torah is born.
Every person who comes to the sage of the generation brings some will, some longing. The sage gathers all the wills and runs up with them, then returns with Torah. That is the running and returning of Yechezkel's living creatures, ratzo vashov: ratzo is ratzon, will, and shov is Moshe, who receives the Torah.
The Tikkunei Zohar names the two movements. Running is Nuriel, a fire burning with the heat of the desire for money. Returning is the Prince of the Countenance, marked in the name Moshe, who calms that heat. Even the word shekachah, from 'happy is the people', adds up to Moshe, because he calms the idols of silver and gold.
And through the Torah comes providence. The Torah is made of four things: the notes, the vowels, the crowns and the letters. Rebbe Nachman calls them the three colours of the eye and its pupil. The very first word, Bereishis, holds rashei, heads, and bas, the pupil of the eye.
So when the sage brings down Torah, he brings down Hashem's gaze upon us. Sight, he explains, goes out, strikes what it sees, and returns with its picture, as in a polished mirror. If the object is far, the sight scatters on the way and nothing returns. Whoever is close to the Torah is close to that gaze: the sight strikes and returns, and he is seen in full. Over those far from Torah, the gaze is only half, a running without a return.
Then a deeper layer. The sage repairs two chariots, like the Chariot of Yechezkel, with its lion, ox, eagle and man, its wheels and its throne. The first chariot is made of souls.
The lion, aryeh, is gathering: the sage gathers even the wills that fell into desire. The ox, shor, means seeing: a soul that is gathered shines, and a hungry soul is filled. The eagle is the soul renewed as it rises. The man is all the souls together, great and small, poor and rich. The bodies are the wheels.
The throne is the sage's own soul, so precious it stays covered, and all the souls become its garments. And sitting on the throne is his daas. The Torah has the same chariot: its stories are the throne, covering deep secrets, and its halachos are the wheels.
Rebbe Nachman finds it all in a Gemara story. When the world needed rain, Rabbi Yonah would say: I will go and buy grain with a zuz. He would stand in a deep, hidden place, covered in sackcloth, and the rain came.
Rain is Torah: my teaching shall drop like the rain. Buying grain with a coin is calming the desire for money; the word for grain, ibbur, hides seventy-two, calming, and two hundred and sixteen, heat. The deep place is kindness, and the hidden place is the mind, like the Holy Temple. The sackcloth is gathering the souls. And the rain that comes is the Torah he brings down.
So, says Rebbe Nachman, we must search hard for such a sage, and ask Hashem to let us find him. Even the sage needs two powers of mind: one to gather the souls, and another to lift them and bring down Torah. These are the two shins, one with three heads and one with four.
He reads a tale of Rabbah bar bar Chanah. Sailors said: three hundred parsas between wave and wave, and three hundred the height of a wave. A wave lifted us until we saw the resting place of a small star. The sailors bring the sea of Torah down; the waves are the souls; each three hundred is a shin, a power of the sage.
The lifted souls awaken the union above, the small star, and from it Torah is born, along its way of forty days, like the forty days of Sinai. Had the wave lifted us higher, the sailors said, we would have been scorched by the heat. Rebbe Nachman reads havla as hevel: the puzzle of the righteous who suffer and the wicked who prosper, which has pushed many away from faith. Had more souls been lifted, that question would weigh far less on the world.
Then the waves speak. One asks another: my brother, is there some trait still ruling you? I will help you break it. The other answers: I am still sunk in my desires, not a thread's width out of the mundane. And yet, go and see the might of your Master: the sage lifted even my soul.
Finally the verse. Happy is the people: providence. Who know the teruah: charity, the quality of Yaakov. Hashem: kindness. In the light of Your face: the sage's intellect. They will walk: the souls. A fragment in the Rebbe's own hand ties it all to the verse: the glory of Hashem will be revealed, and all flesh together will see.
Our own reflection: when the heat of wanting more rises, give a little charity and feel it cool. Bring your longing, even a small one, to the Torah and to the tzaddik. And remember the wave still stuck in the sand: no one is too far down to be lifted.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Charity Cools the Heart —
Likutey Moharan, Torah thirteen: Ashrei HaAm. A shiur in eight parts. Part one: breaking the desire for money through charity.
A word on method. Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan, Torah thirteen. 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. Section one: complete providence needs the desire for money broken, and charity breaks it. Sections two and three: the sage who gathers the souls, climbs up with them, and brings down Torah. Section four: the Torah as the eye through which Hashem watches over us. Section five: the chariot of the soul and the chariot of the Torah, and how Rabbi Yonah brought rain. Section six: why we must search for such a sage, told through a tale of sailors and towering waves. And section seven: the opening verse explained, and a fragment found in the Rebbe's own hand.
The Torah opens with a verse from Tehillim, chapter eighty-nine. Happy is the people who know the teruah, the shofar's call; Hashem, in the light of Your face they will walk.
Rebbe Nachman begins: To draw down complete providence is impossible until a person breaks the desire for money; and it is broken through charity.
Our explanation. Hashgachah means providence: Hashem watching over a person and guiding what happens to him. Rebbe Nachman speaks of complete providence, resting on a person fully. His first claim is surprising. What blocks it is the desire for money, and what removes the block is charity.
He brings a source from the Zohar, in Parshas Pinchas: For the Zohar teaches: a wind comes down to calm the heat of the heart, and when the wind comes down, the heart receives it with the joy of the Levites' song.
Now he explains each word. The wind is charity, which is a generous spirit; through it the heat of the desire for money is cooled. This is 'He trims the spirit of princes': the wind lessens the desire for greatness and wealth.
Our explanation. In Hebrew, ruach means wind, breath and spirit all at once. The Zohar pictures a cool wind coming down on a heart that burns. Rebbe Nachman reads that wind as the generous spirit of a person who gives charity. Giving loosens money's grip and cools the heat of always wanting more.
And the Levites' song? The Levites' song is honest buying and selling: a person happy with his portion, who does not rush to get rich. For song is the give and take of business, as it says: 'Lift up a song, and give a drum.' And joy is being happy with one's portion.
Then a third image: This is the incense, which binds the heat of the heart to the wind, as it says: 'Incense gladdens the heart.' And it is 'They shall place incense before You', be'apecha; for through the incense the curse 'By the sweat of your brow, apecha, you shall eat' is cancelled.
Our explanation. The word af means the nose or the face, and it also means anger. Rebbe Nachman links them. The incense, which binds the heart to the cooling spirit, cancels the curse of earning bread by the sweat of the brow: a life driven by the chase after money. In a moment, af as anger will appear too.
And further: This is also the revelation of Mashiach, when the craving for money will be cancelled, as it says: 'On that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold.' And it is 'The breath of our nostrils, Hashem's anointed.'
Then he calls the desire for money by its real name: As long as this idolatry of money exists in the world, there is burning anger in the world. And as far as this idolatry is cancelled, the anger is cancelled too, as in 'the breath of our nostrils, Hashem's anointed', and kindness is drawn into the world, as in 'and He does kindness to His anointed.'
And when this kindness is revealed, daas, knowledge, is drawn down, and daas is the building of the House, as in 'And I, through Your great kindness, will come to Your House.' The Zohar says that the right side stands ready to build the Holy Temple. For daas is a house, as the Sages said: whoever has knowledge, it is as if the Holy Temple was built.
Our summary of section one. Complete providence needs the desire for money broken, and charity breaks it. When the idolatry of money weakens, anger leaves the world and kindness comes in. And kindness brings daas, a mind like the Holy Temple. In the next part we meet the sage who brings down Torah.
— Part 2: The Sage Climbs with the Souls —
Part two: the sage who climbs up with the souls and brings down Torah.
Section two. Where does this daas lead? This is the revelation of the Torah of the future. As the Zohar brings, in the future the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One will be revealed. For receiving the Torah is mainly through the intellect, which is Moshe and Mashiach, as it says: 'A wise man climbs the city of the mighty.'
Our explanation. The whole Torah turns on this verse from Mishlei: a wise man climbs the city of the mighty, and brings down the strength in which it trusts. Rebbe Nachman reads it as two movements. The sage climbs up, carrying souls with him, and comes back down with Torah, which is called strength, oz.
Whoever has the quality of Moshe and Mashiach can receive Torah, and can draw down the light of Torah to teach other people. For the Torah is revealed through the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, as it says: 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.' Your father is the Holy One, blessed be He; your mother is the Community of Israel.
And how does that union come about? Their union comes through raising the souls of Israel, as mayin nukvin, feminine waters. The sage can take the souls and raise them, as in 'He who takes souls is wise', and through this union the Torah is born. And when the sage rises with the souls, 'a wise man climbs the city of the mighty', then 'he brings down the strength in which it trusts.'
Our explanation, briefly. In the language of Kabbalah, mayin nukvin, feminine waters, means an arousal that begins below and draws a response from above. Here it is the souls of Israel, gathered and lifted by the sage. Their rising brings about the union above, and what is born from it is Torah.
Section three. The soul is will. Each of the people who come to the sage of the generation has some will, some longing. The tzaddik takes all the wills and rises with them, and afterwards 'brings down the strength in which it trusts.' This is 'And the living creatures ran and returned': running, as the souls go up; returning, as they come back with a revelation of Torah.
Our explanation. Yechezkel saw the living creatures of the Chariot running and returning, ratzo vashov. Rebbe Nachman hears in ratzo the word ratzon, will. Each person brings the sage his longing, even a small one. The sage runs up with all of them, and returns with Torah for them.
This is what the Tikkunei Zohar brings: running is Nuriel; returning is Mem-Tes-Tes, the Prince of the Countenance. Nuriel is a burning fire, nur, burning with the heat of the desire for money. And returning is the Prince of the Countenance, who is marked in the name Moshe, who is Mashiach, the breath of our nostrils, through whom the heat is calmed.
And this is shekachah: it has the numerical value of Moshe, for he calms, meshakech, the idols of silver and gold. Running is will, which is the soul; and returning is Moshe, who receives the Torah. Our explanation: shin, kaf, kaf, hei adds up to three hundred and forty-five, and so does Moshe, mem, shin, hei.
Our summary of sections two and three. The sage of the generation gathers the souls who come to him, each with its own will. He climbs up with them, and through their rising, Torah is born above. Then he comes back down and brings that Torah to them. Next: how this Torah brings Hashem's providence.
— Part 3: Torah, the Eye of Providence —
Part three: the Torah as an eye, and how Hashem's gaze reaches us.
Section four. And through drawing down Torah, providence is drawn down. For the Torah is made of te'amim, nekudos, tagin and osiyos: the cantillation notes, the vowels, the crowns and the letters; and these are the three colours of the eye, and the pupil.
That is why the Torah begins with Bereishis: there is rashei, there is bas. Rashei, heads, as in 'these are the heads of their fathers' houses', for the forefathers are the three colours of the eye; and bas is the bas ayin, the pupil of the eye.
Our explanation. The letters of Bereishis can be read as two words: rashei, heads, and bas, which also means the pupil of the eye. The three forefathers are like the three colours of the eye, and with the pupil they make four, like the four parts of the Torah's writing. So the very first word of the Torah is shaped like an eye.
Now the conclusion: So when the sage brings Torah, he brings the power of sight of Hashem's providence upon us. And each person, according to how close he is to the Torah, so is Hashem's providence upon him.
He explains how seeing works: For the power of sight works mainly by striking the thing seen. Because it strikes, the sight returns to the eyes, and the thing seen is pictured in the eyes; then the eyes see it. Sight brings the thing into the eyes.
But when the thing seen is far away, then before the sight reaches it, it scatters in the air and grows dim. It does not strike the thing, so the sight does not return to the eyes, and the eyes do not see.
For seeing comes mainly from the striking. This is 'Return, please, look down from heaven and see': the gaze with which He looks at us from heaven should return, through the striking; the sight should return to His eyes, and then 'and see'. For seeing comes through the return of the gaze.
Our explanation. Rebbe Nachman uses the way vision was described in his day: sight goes out from the eye, strikes what it sees, and returns carrying its picture. If the object is too far, the sight scatters in the air before it arrives, and nothing comes back. He uses this as a parable for Hashem's providence, which returns in full to those who are close.
This is 'and the living creatures ran and returned'. The living creatures are the Torah, which is life. Running is the gaze from above to below; returning is the sight striking what it sees and coming back to the eyes, where it is pictured. For the eyes are like a polished mirror, in which everything standing opposite appears.
Because we are close to the Torah, we are close to the sight, so the power of sight returns to His eyes, and we are seen and pictured in His eyes. But the nations, being far from the Torah, are far from His providence; it does not reach them with a striking. So His providence over them is half-sight, only the running; and over us His providence is complete.
Our summary of section four. The Torah, with its notes, vowels, crowns and letters, is shaped like an eye. When the sage brings Torah down, he brings Hashem's watchful gaze with it. And the closer a person is to Torah, the more fully that gaze reaches him and returns: he is truly seen.
— Part 4: The Chariot of the Soul —
Part four: the chariot of the soul, built by the sage.
Section five. Now he goes deeper. This is the repair of the upper chariot and the lower chariot. Through the sage, who takes the souls, rises with them and brings down the strength in which it trusts, both chariots are repaired.
For there are four living creatures in the soul, and a throne, and one who sits on the throne.
Our explanation. In Yechezkel's vision the Chariot has four living creatures, a lion, an ox, an eagle and a man, with wheels beside them and a throne above. Rebbe Nachman finds the same shape twice: in the souls the sage gathers, and in the Torah he brings down. He now goes through them one by one.
The lion in the soul is 'I have gathered my myrrh with my spice'. Mori, my myrrh, is bitterness of soul, as in 'her soul was bitter to her'. This is a flaw in the soul, a flaw in the will: when a person wants something of desire, that will is a flaw and a bitterness to the soul.
Now when this person comes to the sage of the generation with his soul and his will, the sage takes all the wills and gathers them one by one to raise them; and then he gathers also all the wills and souls that had fallen. This is the lion, aryeh, from the word for gathering: he gathers the bitterness of the soul, its flaw, 'with my spice', with the good will, which gives off a sweet fragrance.
Next, the ox: The ox in the soul is the polished light added to the soul because of the gathering: its scattered pieces are gathered, and then the soul shines more. For when the will does not shine, the soul is 'a hungry soul'.
For hunger comes mainly from a lack of light, as the Sages said on 'He afflicted you, let you hunger, and fed you the manna': from here we learn that a blind man is never satisfied. Satisfaction comes mainly from the light a person sees with his eyes; when he does not see, his soul, his will, is not filled, for 'better is what the eyes see than the wandering of the soul.'
And when he polishes his soul with the brightness of light, then 'the hungry soul He fills with good', as in 'He will satisfy your soul with brightness.' This is the ox, shor, which means looking, as in 'what the eyes see'.
Our explanation. In Hebrew, shor is an ox, and the same letters mean to look or gaze. A person scattered by many desires is like a hungry soul, never satisfied, because satisfaction comes from seeing light. When the sage gathers the scattered pieces, the soul shines, and the hungry soul is filled with good.
The eagle: The eagle in the soul is the renewal the soul receives in its ascent, in a state of ibbur, being formed anew. This is the eagle: 'Your youth is renewed like the eagle.'
And the man: The man in the soul is 'and the man became a living soul'. For man includes the poor and the rich, as the Zohar says: 'Let us make man in our image', the rich; 'in our likeness', the poor. And when the souls are gathered, they are like a man: great souls and small, poor and rich.
The wheels are the bodies. For all that bodies do comes only from the life in the soul: the soul shows its deeds through the body's limbs. The body has no movement of its own; everything is through the powers of the soul.
The throne in the soul is the soul of the sage, which is covered, as in 'she is more precious than pearls', which the Sages expounded: more than the Kohen Gadol who enters the innermost place. Because the sage's soul is precious, it is covered, innermost of all, and all the souls become garments for it.
And the man sitting on the throne is the sage's daas, his knowledge, for 'without knowledge, the soul is not good.'
Our summary of the chariot of the soul. The lion is the sage gathering every will, even the ones that fell. The ox is the light the soul gains once its pieces are gathered. The eagle is the renewal of the rising soul. The man is all the souls together, great and small. The bodies are the wheels, the sage's hidden soul is the throne, and his daas sits upon it.
— Part 5: The Torah's Chariot, and Rabbi Yonah's Rain —
Part five: the chariot of the Torah, and how Rabbi Yonah brought rain.
Now the chariot of the Torah. And there are four living creatures in the Torah. The lion in the Torah: the Torah is called strength, and 'what is stronger than a lion?' The ox in the Torah: 'Through me princes rule', yasoru. The eagle in the Torah: new insights in Torah, as in 'renewed like the eagle'. And the man in the Torah: 'This is the Torah: a man', and it has lighter and stricter laws, which are the poor and the rich.
The throne in the Torah is the things that Atik Yomin, the Ancient of Days, covered, and they cover themselves in the stories of the Torah. The one who sits on the throne is Atik Yomin, as in Daniel's vision: 'and the Ancient of Days sat.' And the wheels of the Torah are the bodies of the laws, the halachos.
Our explanation. The Hebrew for throne, kisei, shares its root with kisah, to cover. In the soul, the throne is the sage's hidden soul. In the Torah, the throne is the deep secrets that are covered, dressed in the Torah's stories. And just as the body's limbs carry out the soul's will, the practical laws carry the Torah into life.
And this is what the Gemara in Taanis brings, the story of Rabbi Yonah. When the world needed rain, he would say: 'I will go and bring grain for a zuz.' He would stand in a deep place, a hidden place, covered in sackcloth, and then the rain would come.
Now he reads it phrase by phrase. 'When the world needed rain' means Torah, as it says: 'My teaching shall drop like the rain.'
'I will go and bring ibbura for a zuz': ibbur is seventy-two and two hundred and sixteen. Seventy-two is calming, and two hundred and sixteen is heat. The zuz is the desire for money: he went to calm the desire for money, as above.
Our explanation. The Gemara's word for grain, ibbura, spelled in full, divides into ayin-beis, seventy-two, and reish-yud-vav, two hundred and sixteen. Seventy-two is the number of chesed, kindness, and two hundred and sixteen the number of gevurah, strength and heat. Buying grain with a coin is calming the heat of money with kindness.
'He would stand in a deep place': by calming the desire for money he merited the deep place, which is chesed, kindness, as in 'the sun appears deeper than the shade'; and kindness is the light of day, as it says, 'By day Hashem commands His kindness.' Through kindness he merited the building of the House, which is intellect, as above. And this is:
'a hidden place', which is the Holy Temple, which is the intellect, as it says: 'and with the modest is wisdom.'
'He was covered in sackcloth': this is taking the souls to raise them, as above, 'he who takes souls is wise'. All the souls together are called sak, because they delight in the watering of the stream, shakya, as in 'He will satisfy your soul with brightness.' And through this:
'the rain came': he drew down Torah, as in 'he brings down the strength in which it trusts.'
Our summary. Rabbi Yonah's story holds the whole Torah so far. Buying grain with a coin is calming the desire for money. The deep, hidden place is kindness, and a mind like the Holy Temple. The sackcloth is gathering and raising the souls. And the rain that comes is Torah, brought down for everyone.
— Part 6: Seek Out the Sage: The Sailors' Tale —
Part six: searching for the true sage, and the sailors' tale of the waves.
Section six. And now a call to us: But one must search very hard and go after such a sage, and ask Hashem to merit finding such a sage, who will gather the souls, as in 'he who takes souls is wise', raise them, and bring down Torah with them.
For even the sage himself cannot do this with one intellect. There are two intellects: gathering the souls is one intellect, and raising them and bringing down strength is another. These are the shin with three heads and the shin with four heads; the two shins are the two intellects.
Our explanation. On the tefillin of the head there are two shins, one with three heads and one with four. Rebbe Nachman sees in them the two powers of the sage: one to gather the souls, and another to lift them and bring down Torah. The letter shin is also the number three hundred, and that is about to matter.
And this is the meaning: Rabbah bar bar Chanah said, sailors told me: between one wave and the next is three hundred parsas, and the height of a wave is three hundred parsas. Once we were travelling on the way, and a wave lifted us until we saw the resting place of a small star; it was like a field for sowing forty se'ah of mustard seed.
And if it had lifted us higher, we would have been scorched by its heat. And one wave called out to another: My friend, have you left anything in the world that you did not wash away? I will go and destroy it. It answered: Go out and see the might of your Master,
for not even a thread's width of sand have I passed, as it says: 'Will you not fear Me, says Hashem...', who set the sand as a border for the sea.
Our explanation. The tales of Rabbah bar bar Chanah in the Gemara sound like sea stories, but the Sages and the tzaddikim read them as hidden teachings. Rebbe Nachman now reads this one, phrase by phrase, as the story of the sage, the souls and the Torah that we have been learning.
'Sailors', those who go down to the sea: those who draw the sea of Torah down into this world.
'Between one wave and the next is three hundred parsas': this is the first shin. 'And the height of a wave is three hundred parsas': this is the second shin.
That is, the two intellects: the intellect that gathers the souls, and the intellect that raises them to draw down Torah. These two intellects of the tzaddik, the true sage, are the two shins. And the waves are the souls, as in 'Cry aloud, daughter of gallim', daughter of waves, which is the daughter of the forefathers, as the Sages expounded.
'Between one wave and the next': these are the sages who stand between wave and wave, joining all the souls together, as in 'he who takes souls is wise'.
'Three hundred parsas': this is one shin. 'And the height of a wave is three hundred parsas': raising the souls; this is the other shin.
Our summary. We must search for the true sage, and pray to find him. The sailors are those who bring the sea of Torah down to this world. The waves are the souls. And the two distances of three hundred parsas are the two shins: the sage's power to gather the souls, and his power to raise them. Next, the journey upward.
— Part 7: Lifted to the Small Star —
Part seven: lifted by the wave to the small star. Some of this passage speaks in the language of Kabbalah; we will explain it plainly and briefly, and stay close to the text.
Now the journey. 'Once we were travelling on the way': that is, we went in to awaken a union above, which is called a way, orach, as it says: 'my path and my lying down'.
'And a wave lifted us': we lifted the souls upward, as in 'a wise man climbs the city of the mighty'.
'Until we saw the resting place of a small star': that is, we brought about the union above. Meravata, the resting place, speaks of that union, as it says: 'my path and my lying down'. And at the time of union the Shechinah is called a small star. He adds a line from the Zohar: out of love, she becomes a tiny point.
Our explanation, kept brief. As in section two, the union above is the joining of the Holy One, blessed be He, with His Shechinah, and its fruit is Torah. The souls the sage lifts are what awaken it. The Zohar's image of a small star teaches that the Shechinah makes herself small, out of love.
The next phrase: 'It was like a field for sowing forty se'ah of mustard seed.' Here Rebbe Nachman brings a parable from the Zohar, which we summarise briefly. The Zohar describes a hind that cannot give birth until a serpent comes and bites her; then the way opens, and a drop of blood the size of a mustard seed comes out. That drop is the mustard seed of the story.
And afterwards she gives birth, and what is born is the Torah, as above. This Torah goes on a way of forty days: these are the other living creatures, which are forty, ten on each side, as the Zohar brings there. This is the forty se'ah, the forty creatures, which are the forty days of the Torah.
Our explanation. Moshe was on the mountain forty days to receive the Torah. Rebbe Nachman reads the forty se'ah of the story as those forty days. The souls rise, a union above is awakened, and Torah is born and comes down, along its way of forty days.
'And if it had lifted us higher, we would have been scorched by the havla, the heat.' For 'there is a hevel, a vanity, done on the earth: there are righteous people to whom it happens as if they had done the deeds of the wicked.' Through this vanity many lost their faith, seeing a righteous man who suffers and a wicked man who prospers.
And the turn: But if we had lifted many more souls, then surely it would have become lighter, kula, from this havla, this vanity; and this vanity would not weigh so hard on the world.
Our explanation. In the Gemara's story, havla is the scorching heat. Rebbe Nachman hears hevel, the puzzle Koheles names: the righteous suffering and the wicked prospering. That question has pushed many away from faith. Had more souls been lifted, he says, the question would weigh far less on the world.
Our summary. The sage lifts the souls, and their rising awakens the union above, the small star. From that union Torah is born and comes down. And the more souls are lifted, the lighter becomes the hard question of why the righteous suffer. Next, the waves talk to each other.
— Part 8: See the Strength of Your Master —
Part eight: the waves speak to each other, and the opening verse is explained.
Now the conversation of the waves. 'And one wave called to another: My friend, have you left anything in the world that you did not wash away? I will come and destroy it.'
That is, afterwards, when all these souls return from the ibbur, the rising, being together adds love between them. Then they stir each other and remind one another: My brother, perhaps you have left some trait in this world that still rules over you, and you cannot overcome it.
'I will come and destroy it': I will help you rid yourself of this trait. And the other answered him:
'Go out and see the might of your Master', who is the sage: see how great his power is.
'Not even a thread's width of sand have I passed': Rabbeinu Shmuel explains, not even the width of a thread could I go out beyond the sand. Meaning: you ask me whether I have left some trait unrepaired; know, my friend, that I am still sunk in all the desires, and I have not yet gone out of the chol, the sand, the mundane, into holiness, even a thread's width.
And surely one on such a level cannot pass, cannot come to that rising. And even so, 'go out and see the might of your Master', the power of the sage: his strength is so great that he raised even my soul in the rising.
Our explanation. This is the most personal moment in the Torah. One soul admits it is still stuck in its desires, not a thread's width out of the mundane. And yet it says: go and see how great the sage is. Even my soul he lifted up. No one is too far down to be gathered and raised.
Section seven. Now he returns to the opening verse. And this is the meaning of the verse: 'Happy is the people' is providence. 'Who know the teruah' is Yaakov, which is charity, as it says: 'Justice and charity in Yaakov You have made.'
'Hashem' is the havayos, the kindnesses. 'In the light of Your face' is the intellect, as it says: 'A man's wisdom lights up his face.' 'They will walk' are the souls, as in 'the wandering of the soul'.
Our summary of the verse. Happy is the people: complete providence. Who know the teruah: charity, which breaks the desire for money. Hashem: the kindness that comes when money's idolatry falls. In the light of Your face: daas, the sage's intellect. They will walk: the souls he gathers and raises. The whole Torah sits inside one verse.
Then a note from the one who recorded this Torah: I also found, in our Rebbe's own handwriting, something that belongs to this Torah. But I found only the edge of the page: only the end of the matter was written there, and its beginning is missing. This is it:
'...the Torah, which is sight, the notes, vowels, crowns and letters, as above. All flesh together: this is the gathering of all the souls, as in 'he who takes souls is wise'. For the mouth of Hashem has spoken: all this comes through the generous spirit, which is the mouth of Hashem, as the Sages said: 'in your mouth', this is charity.' Here his words end.
The matter is clear: he brings the verse 'And the glory of Hashem will be revealed, and all flesh together will see that the mouth of Hashem has spoken', and explains the whole teaching above as contained in this verse. But, for our many sins, the explanation of the beginning of the verse is missing.
Our explanation. The fragment reads the whole Torah into one verse of Yeshayahu. The glory of Hashem revealed is the Torah, which is sight and providence. All flesh together are the souls the sage gathers. And the mouth of Hashem that has spoken is the generous spirit of charity, where everything began.
Let us review the whole path. Complete providence needs the desire for money broken, and charity, the generous spirit, breaks it. Then anger leaves the world, kindness comes in, and with it daas, a mind like the Holy Temple. The true sage gathers the souls with all their longings, climbs up with them, and brings down Torah. That Torah is shaped like an eye, and it brings Hashem's watchful gaze to everyone close to it. So we must search for such a sage and pray to find him, because his strength is so great that he lifts even a soul still sunk in its desires. Happy is the people who know the teruah.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Give a little charity, and notice how the heat of wanting more begins to cool. Bring your longing, even a small one, to the Torah and to the tzaddik. And remember the wave still stuck in the sand: no one is too far down to be lifted.
This has been Likutey Moharan, Torah thirteen. Ashrei HaAm.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan (Part I), Torah 13, edition 'Likutei Moharan – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan.13
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.
Long paragraphs are shown in consecutive pieces. Every Hebrew word on screen is from the edition above; nothing is reworded.
Cards labelled EXPLANATION (green), and every line marked 'our own reflection — not a quote', are our own words, not quotations.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Charity Cools the Heart
Scene 4 · Tehillim 89:16, as quoted in LM I:13 · paragraph §1.1
אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם יֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה וְכוּ':
EN (our paraphrase): Happy is the people who know the teruah, the shofar's call; Hashem, in the light of Your face they will walk.
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.2
לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה שְׁלֵמָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיְּשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, וּשְׁבִירָתָהּ הוּא עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה,
EN (our paraphrase): To draw down complete providence is impossible until a person breaks the desire for money; and it is broken through charity.
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.3
כִּי אִיתָא בַּזֹּהַר: רוּחָא נָחֵת לְשַׁכֵּךְ חֲמִימָא דְלִבָּא, וְכַד נָחֵת רוּחָא, לִבָּא מְקַבֵּל לֵהּ בְּחֶדְוָה דְּנִגּוּנָא דְּלֵיוָאֵי.
EN (our paraphrase): For the Zohar teaches: a wind comes down to calm the heat of the heart, and when the wind comes down, the heart receives it with the joy of the Levites' song.
Scene 8 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.4
רוּחָא זֶה בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה, שֶׁהִיא רוּחַ נְדִיבָה – עַל־יָדוֹ מְקָרְרִין חֲמִימוּת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: יִבְצֹר רוּחַ נְגִידִים; שֶׁהָרוּחַ מְמַעֵט תַּאֲוַת הַנְּגִידוּת וְהָעֲשִׁירוּת.
EN (our paraphrase): The wind is charity, which is a generous spirit; through it the heat of the desire for money is cooled. This is 'He trims the spirit of princes': the wind lessens the desire for greatness and wealth.
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.5
נִגּוּנָא דְּלֵיוָאֵי זֶה בְּחִינַת מַשָּׂא וּמַתָּן בֶּאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ וְאֵינוֹ אָץ לְהַעֲשִׁיר, כִּי הַנְּגִינָה זֶה הַמַּשָּׂא וּמַתָּן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: שְׂאוּ זִמְרָה וּתְנוּ תֹף. חֶדְוָה – זֶה שֶׁשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ,
EN (our paraphrase): The Levites' song is honest buying and selling: a person happy with his portion, who does not rush to get rich. For song is the give and take of business, as it says: 'Lift up a song, and give a drum.' And joy is being happy with one's portion.
Scene 11 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.6
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת קְטֹרֶת, שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר חִמּוּם הַלֵּב עִם הָרוּחַ, וְזֶה: קְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב; וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: יָשִׂימוּ קְטֹרָה בְּאַפֶּךָ – שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת קְטֹרֶת הַנַּ"ל נִתְבַּטֵּל בְּחִינַת: "בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּךָ תֹּאכַל".
EN (our paraphrase): This is the incense, which binds the heat of the heart to the wind, as it says: 'Incense gladdens the heart.' And it is 'They shall place incense before You', be'apecha; for through the incense the curse 'By the sweat of your brow, apecha, you shall eat' is cancelled.
Scene 13 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.7
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּלּוּת מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁאֲזַי יִתְבַּטֵּל חֶמְדַּת הַמָּמוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יַשְׁלִיךְ הָאָדָם אֶת אֱלִילֵי כַסְפּוֹ וֶאֱלִילֵי זְהָבוֹ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ ה'.
EN (our paraphrase): This is also the revelation of Mashiach, when the craving for money will be cancelled, as it says: 'On that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold.' And it is 'The breath of our nostrils, Hashem's anointed.'
Scene 14 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.8
וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה זֹאת שֶׁל מָמוֹן בָּעוֹלָם – חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם; וּכְפִי הַבִּטּוּל שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה זֹאת, כֵּן נִתְבַּטֵּל הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, בִּבְחִינַת: רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ ה', וְנִתְמַשֵּׁךְ חֶסֶד בָּעוֹלָם, בִּבְחִינַת: וְעוֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): As long as this idolatry of money exists in the world, there is burning anger in the world. And as far as this idolatry is cancelled, the anger is cancelled too, as in 'the breath of our nostrils, Hashem's anointed', and kindness is drawn into the world, as in 'and He does kindness to His anointed.'
Scene 15 · LM I:13 §1 · paragraph §1.9
וּכְשֶׁיִּתְגַּלֶּה חֶסֶד הַזֶּה, יִתְמַשֵּׁךְ הַדַּעַת, שֶׁהִיא בִּנְיַן הַבַּיִת, בִּבְחִינַת: וַאֲנִי בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר: וִימִּינָא דָּא זָמִין לְמִבְנָא בֵּי־מַקְדְּשָׁא, כִּי הַדַּעַת הוּא בְּחִינַת בַּיִת, כְּמַאֲמַר חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ דֵעָה, כְּאִלּוּ נִבְנָה בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְכוּ':
EN (our paraphrase): And when this kindness is revealed, daas, knowledge, is drawn down, and daas is the building of the House, as in 'And I, through Your great kindness, will come to Your House.' The Zohar says that the right side stands ready to build the Holy Temple. For daas is a house, as the Sages said: whoever has knowledge, it is as if the Holy Temple was built.
Part 2 — The Sage Climbs with the Souls
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §2 · paragraph §2.1
וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, כַּמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר, שֶׁלֶּעָתִיד יִתְגַּלֶּה אוֹרַיְתָא דְּעַתִּיקָא סְתִימָאָה; כִּי עִקַּר קַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה – עַל־יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, שֶׁהוּא משֶׁה־מָשִׁיחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: עִיר גִּבֹּרִים עָלָה חָכָם;
EN (our paraphrase): This is the revelation of the Torah of the future. As the Zohar brings, in the future the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One will be revealed. For receiving the Torah is mainly through the intellect, which is Moshe and Mashiach, as it says: 'A wise man climbs the city of the mighty.'
Scene 4 · LM I:13 §2 · paragraph §2.2
וּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּחִינַת משֶׁה־מָשִׁיחַ, יוּכַל לְקַבֵּל תּוֹרָה, וְיָכוֹל לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הֶאָרַת הַתּוֹרָה לְלַמֵּד שְׁאָר בְּנֵי־אָדָם, כִּי הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה בָּא מִיִּחוּדָא דְּקֻדְשָׁא־ בְּרִיךְ־הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: שְׁמַע בְּנִי מוּסַר אָבִיךָ וְכוּ' – אָבִיךָ דָּא קֻדְשָׁא־בְּרִיךְ־הוּא, וְאִמֶּךָ דָּא כְּנֶסֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל;
EN (our paraphrase): Whoever has the quality of Moshe and Mashiach can receive Torah, and can draw down the light of Torah to teach other people. For the Torah is revealed through the union of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, as it says: 'Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.' Your father is the Holy One, blessed be He; your mother is the Community of Israel.
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §2 · paragraph §2.3
וְיִחוּדָם – עַל־יְדֵי הַעֲלָאַת נַפְשׁוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּבְחִינַת מַיִּין נוּקְבִין, וְהֶחָכָם יָכוֹל לִקַּח הַנְּפָשׁוֹת וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם בִּבְחִינַת מַיִּין נוּקְבִין, בִּבְחִינַת: וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַיִּחוּד הַזֶּה נוֹלָד הַתּוֹרָה, וּכְשֶׁעוֹלֶה הֶחָכָם עִם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת עִיר גִּבֹּרִים עָלָה חָכָם, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה: וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה:
EN (our paraphrase): Their union comes through raising the souls of Israel, as mayin nukvin, feminine waters. The sage can take the souls and raise them, as in 'He who takes souls is wise', and through this union the Torah is born. And when the sage rises with the souls, 'a wise man climbs the city of the mighty', then 'he brings down the strength in which it trusts.'
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §3 · paragraph §3.1, §3.2
וְנֶפֶשׁ זֶה בְּחִינַת רָצוֹן, שֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ בְּנֵי־אָדָם הַבָּאִים לַחֲכַם־הַדּוֹר, כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ אֵיזֶהוּ רָצוֹן, וְהַצַּדִּיק לוֹקֵחַ כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְעוֹלֶה עִמָּהֶם, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ: וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה, בִּבְחִינַת: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב: רָצוֹא – בַּעֲלִיּוֹת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, וָשׁוֹב – בַּחֲזָרַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת עִם הִתְגַּלּוּת הַתּוֹרָה.
EN (our paraphrase): The soul is will. Each of the people who come to the sage of the generation has some will, some longing. The tzaddik takes all the wills and rises with them, and afterwards 'brings down the strength in which it trusts.' This is 'And the living creatures ran and returned': running, as the souls go up; returning, as they come back with a revelation of Torah.
Scene 9 · LM I:13 §3 · paragraph §3.3
וְזֶה שֶׁמּוּבָא בְּתִקּוּנֵי־זֹהַר: רָצוֹא – דָּא נוּרִיאֵל, וָשׁוֹב – דָּא מְטַ"ט שַׂר הַפָּנִים. נוּרִיאֵ"ל דָּא נוּר דָּלוּק בַּחֲמִימוּת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, וָשׁוֹב – דָּא מְטַ"ט שַׂר הַפָּנִים, דְּאִיהוּ רָשִׁים בְּשֵׁם משֶׁה, דְּאִיהוּ מָשִׁיחַ, שֶׁהוּא רוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ, שֶׁעַל־יָדוֹ נִשְׁתַּכֵּךְ הַחֲמִימוּת.
EN (our paraphrase): This is what the Tikkunei Zohar brings: running is Nuriel; returning is Mem-Tes-Tes, the Prince of the Countenance. Nuriel is a burning fire, nur, burning with the heat of the desire for money. And returning is the Prince of the Countenance, who is marked in the name Moshe, who is Mashiach, the breath of our nostrils, through whom the heat is calmed.
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §3 · paragraph §3.4, §3.5
וְזֶה: שָׁכָּכָה – גִּימַטְרִיָּא משֶׁה, שֶׁהוּא מְשַׁכֵּךְ אֱלִילֵי כֶסֶף וְזָהָב; רָצוֹא דָּא רָצוֹן, שֶׁהוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וָשׁוֹב דָּא משֶׁה, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה:
EN (our paraphrase): And this is shekachah: it has the numerical value of Moshe, for he calms, meshakech, the idols of silver and gold. Running is will, which is the soul; and returning is Moshe, who receives the Torah.
Part 3 — Torah, the Eye of Providence
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.1
וְעַל־יְדֵי הַמְשָׁכַת הַתּוֹרָה נִמְשָׁךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה הִיא ט'נ'ת'א' טְעָמִים, נְקוּדוֹת, תַּגִין, אוֹתִיוֹת, שֶׁהֵם תְּלָת גְּוָנִין דְּעֵינָא וּבַת־עַיִן.
EN (our paraphrase): And through drawing down Torah, providence is drawn down. For the Torah is made of te'amim, nekudos, tagin and osiyos: the cantillation notes, the vowels, the crowns and the letters; and these are the three colours of the eye, and the pupil.
Scene 3 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.2
וְזֶה שֶׁמַּתְחֶלֶת הַתּוֹרָה בִּבְרֵאשִׁית: תַּמָּן רָאשֵׁי, תַּמָּן בַּת. רָאשֵׁי – אֵלֶּה רָאשֵׁי בֵית אֲבֹתָם, שֶׁהָאָבוֹת הֵם תְּלָת גְּוָנִין דְּעֵינָא; תַּמָּן בַּת – דָּא בַּת־עַיִן.
EN (our paraphrase): That is why the Torah begins with Bereishis: there is rashei, there is bas. Rashei, heads, as in 'these are the heads of their fathers' houses', for the forefathers are the three colours of the eye; and bas is the bas ayin, the pupil of the eye.
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.3
נִמְצָא, כְּשֶׁחָכָם מֵבִיא תּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְצָא שֶׁמֵּבִיא כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת שֶׁל הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלֵינוּ, וְכָל אֶחָד, כְּפִי קֵרוּבוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, כֵּן הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלָיו.
EN (our paraphrase): So when the sage brings Torah, he brings the power of sight of Hashem's providence upon us. And each person, according to how close he is to the Torah, so is Hashem's providence upon him.
Scene 6 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.4
כִּי עִקַּר כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁמַּכֶּה בַּדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, וְחוֹזֵר כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת מֵחֲמַת הַהַכָּאָה לָעֵינַיִם, וְנִצְטַיֵּר הַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה בָּעֵינַיִם, וְאָז הָעֵינַיִם רוֹאִים אֶת הַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, כִּי הָרְאוּת מֵבִיא אֶת הַדָּבָר לְתוֹךְ הָעֵינַיִם.
EN (our paraphrase): For the power of sight works mainly by striking the thing seen. Because it strikes, the sight returns to the eyes, and the thing seen is pictured in the eyes; then the eyes see it. Sight brings the thing into the eyes.
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.5
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה הוּא רָחוֹק, אָז קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת לְהַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, מִתְפַּזֵּר בְּתוֹךְ הָאֲוִיר וְנִתְעַכֵּר, וְאֵין מַגִּיעַ בְּהַכָּאָה עַל הַדָּבָר, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֵין חוֹזֵר הָרְאוּת לָעֵינַיִם, וְאָז אֵין הָעֵינַיִם רוֹאִין,
EN (our paraphrase): But when the thing seen is far away, then before the sight reaches it, it scatters in the air and grows dim. It does not strike the thing, so the sight does not return to the eyes, and the eyes do not see.
Scene 8 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.6
כִּי עִקַּר הָרְאוּת הוּא מֵחֲמַת הַהַכָּאָה. וְזֶה: שׁוּב נָא, הַבֵּט מִשָּׁמַיִם וּרְאֵה – שֶׁיָּשׁוּב הַבָּטָה שֶׁמַּבִּיט מִשָּׁמַיִם עָלֵינוּ, יָשׁוּב עַל־יְדֵי הַהַכָּאָה, יָשׁוּב הָרְאוּת לְעֵינָיו, וְאָז: וּרְאֵה; כִּי הָרְאִיָּה עַל־יְדֵי הֲשָׁבַת הַהַבָּטָה.
EN (our paraphrase): For seeing comes mainly from the striking. This is 'Return, please, look down from heaven and see': the gaze with which He looks at us from heaven should return, through the striking; the sight should return to His eyes, and then 'and see'. For seeing comes through the return of the gaze.
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.7
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב; וְהַחַיּוֹת – הַיְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא הַחַיִּים, רָצוֹא – בִּבְחִינַת הַבָּטָה מֵעֵלָּא לְתַתָּא, וָשׁוֹב – בִּבְחִינַת הַכָּאַת הָרְאוּת בַּדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה, וְנֶחֱזָר לָעֵינַיִם וְנִצְטַיֵּר בָּעֵינַיִם, כִּי הָעֵינַיִם הֵם כְּמַרְאָה לְטוּשָׁה, שֶׁנִּתְרָאֶה בָּהֶם כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): This is 'and the living creatures ran and returned'. The living creatures are the Torah, which is life. Running is the gaze from above to below; returning is the sight striking what it sees and coming back to the eyes, where it is pictured. For the eyes are like a polished mirror, in which everything standing opposite appears.
Scene 11 · LM I:13 §4 · paragraph §4.8, §4.9
וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ קְרוֹבִים אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ קְרוֹבִים אֶל הָרְאוּת, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה כֹּחַ הָרְאוּת נֶחֱזָר לְעֵינָיו, וְנִתְרָאִים וְנִצְטַיְּרִים אֲנַחְנוּ בְּעֵינָיו. אֲבָל הָעַכּוּ"ם, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֵם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַתּוֹרָה, הֵם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ, וְהַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ אֵין מַגִּיעַ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּהַכָּאָה. נִמְצָא הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ עַל הָעַכּוּ"ם בַּחֲצִי הָרְאוּת, בִּבְחִינַת רָצוֹא, וְעָלֵינוּ הַשְׁגָּחָתוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת:
EN (our paraphrase): Because we are close to the Torah, we are close to the sight, so the power of sight returns to His eyes, and we are seen and pictured in His eyes. But the nations, being far from the Torah, are far from His providence; it does not reach them with a striking. So His providence over them is half-sight, only the running; and over us His providence is complete.
Part 4 — The Chariot of the Soul
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.1
וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּנָא דְּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא עִלָּאָה וּמֶרְכַּבְתָּא תַּתָּאָה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הֶחָכָם, שֶׁלּוֹקֵחַ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת וְעוֹלֶה עִמָּהֶם וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה, נִתְתַּקְּנוּ שְׁנֵי הַמֶּרְכָּבוֹת.
EN (our paraphrase): This is the repair of the upper chariot and the lower chariot. Through the sage, who takes the souls, rises with them and brings down the strength in which it trusts, both chariots are repaired.
Scene 3 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.2
כִּי יֵשׁ אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת בִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, וְכִסֵּא, וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא.
EN (our paraphrase): For there are four living creatures in the soul, and a throne, and one who sits on the throne.
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.3
אַרְיֵה שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, זֶה בְּחִינַת: אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם בְּשָׂמִי; מוֹרִי זֶה בְּחִינַת מָרַת נָפֶשׁ, בְּחִינַת: וְנַפְשָׁהּ מָרָה לָהּ; זֶה בְּחִינוֹת פְּגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ, פְּגַם הָרָצוֹן. כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה דְּבַר־תַּאֲוָה, זֶה הָרָצוֹן הוּא פְּגָם וּמָרָה לַנֶּפֶשׁ.
EN (our paraphrase): The lion in the soul is 'I have gathered my myrrh with my spice'. Mori, my myrrh, is bitterness of soul, as in 'her soul was bitter to her'. This is a flaw in the soul, a flaw in the will: when a person wants something of desire, that will is a flaw and a bitterness to the soul.
Scene 6 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.4
וְעַכְשָׁו כְּשֶׁבָּא זֶה הָאָדָם לַחֲכַם־הַדּוֹר עִם נַפְשׁוֹ וּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְהַחֲכַם הַדּוֹר לוֹקֵחַ כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְלוֹקֵט אוֹתָם אֶחָד לְאֶחָד, כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלוֹת אוֹתָם כַּנַּ"ל, וְאָז מְלַקֵּט גַּם כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְהַנְּפָשׁוֹת שֶׁנָּפְלוּ. וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אַרְיֵה – לְשׁוֹן לֶקֶט, שֶׁמְּלַקֵּט מָרַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, הַיְנוּ פְּגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ; עִם בְּשָׂמִי – עִם הָרָצוֹן הַטּוֹב, שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה רֵיחַ טוֹב.
EN (our paraphrase): Now when this person comes to the sage of the generation with his soul and his will, the sage takes all the wills and gathers them one by one to raise them; and then he gathers also all the wills and souls that had fallen. This is the lion, aryeh, from the word for gathering: he gathers the bitterness of the soul, its flaw, 'with my spice', with the good will, which gives off a sweet fragrance.
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.5
וּבְחִינַת שׁוֹר שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ, זֶה הָאוֹר הַמְצֻחְצָח שֶׁנִּתּוֹסֵף בַּנֶּפֶשׁ מֵחֲמַת הַקִּבּוּץ, שֶׁנִּתְקַבֵּץ פִּזּוּרֵי הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְאָז מֵאִיר הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי כְּשֶׁהָרָצוֹן אֵין מֵאִיר, אָז הַנֶּפֶשׁ בִּבְחִינַת: וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה,
EN (our paraphrase): The ox in the soul is the polished light added to the soul because of the gathering: its scattered pieces are gathered, and then the soul shines more. For when the will does not shine, the soul is 'a hungry soul'.
Scene 8 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.6
כִּי עִקַּר הָרָעָב – מֵחֲמַת הֶעְדֵּר הָאוֹר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: וַיְעַנְּךָ וַיַּרְעִיבֶךָ וַיַּאֲכִילְךָ אֶת הַמָּן – מִכָּאן שֶׁהַסּוּמָא אֵינוֹ שָׂבֵעַ, כִּי עִקַּר הַשּׂבַע מֵחֲמַת הָאוֹר שֶׁיִּרְאֶה בְּעֵינָיו, וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה, אֵין נִתְמַלֵּא נַפְשׁוֹ, הַיְנוּ רְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי טוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ;
EN (our paraphrase): For hunger comes mainly from a lack of light, as the Sages said on 'He afflicted you, let you hunger, and fed you the manna': from here we learn that a blind man is never satisfied. Satisfaction comes mainly from the light a person sees with his eyes; when he does not see, his soul, his will, is not filled, for 'better is what the eyes see than the wandering of the soul.'
Scene 9 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.7
וּכְשֶׁמְּצַחְצֵחַ נַפְשׁוֹ בְּצַחְצְחוֹת הָאוֹר, אֲזַי: וְנֶפֶשׁ רְעֵבָה מִלֵּא טוֹב, בִּבְחִינַת: וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שׁוֹר, לְשׁוֹן הִסְתַּכְּלוּת, בְּחִינַת: מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ.
EN (our paraphrase): And when he polishes his soul with the brightness of light, then 'the hungry soul He fills with good', as in 'He will satisfy your soul with brightness.' This is the ox, shor, which means looking, as in 'what the eyes see'.
Scene 11 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.8
וְנֶשֶׁר שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, זֶה הַחִדּוּשׁ שֶׁנִּתְחַדֵּשׁ הַנֶּפֶשׁ בַּעֲלִיָּתָהּ בִּבְחִינַת עִבּוּר. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת נֶשֶׁר – תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר נְעוּרָיְכִי.
EN (our paraphrase): The eagle in the soul is the renewal the soul receives in its ascent, in a state of ibbur, being formed anew. This is the eagle: 'Your youth is renewed like the eagle.'
Scene 12 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.9, §5.10
וְאָדָם שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ, זֶה בְּחִינַת: וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה; כִּי הָאָדָם בְּחִינוֹת מִסְכְּנֵי וְעַתִּירֵי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ – עַתִּירֵי, כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ – מִסְכְּנֵי. וּכְשֶׁנִּתְלַקְּטוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, אֲזַי הֵם בִּבְחִינַת אָדָם, נְפָשׁוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת וּקְטַנּוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת מִסְכְּנֵי וְעַתִּירֵי.
EN (our paraphrase): The man in the soul is 'and the man became a living soul'. For man includes the poor and the rich, as the Zohar says: 'Let us make man in our image', the rich; 'in our likeness', the poor. And when the souls are gathered, they are like a man: great souls and small, poor and rich.
Scene 13 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.11
וְאוֹפַנִּים הֵן הַגּוּפִין, כִּי עִקַּר פְּעֻלּוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל הַגּוּפִין אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא מִן הַחִיּוּת שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ, שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ מַרְאָה פְּעֻלּוֹתֶיהָ עַל־יְדֵי אֵיבְרֵי הַגּוּף, וְאֵין לַגּוּף שׁוּם תְּנוּעָה עַצְמִיִּית, וְהַכֹּל עַל־יְדֵי כֹּחוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ.
EN (our paraphrase): The wheels are the bodies. For all that bodies do comes only from the life in the soul: the soul shows its deeds through the body's limbs. The body has no movement of its own; everything is through the powers of the soul.
Scene 14 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.12
וְכִסֵּא שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, הוּא נֶפֶשׁ הֶחָכָם שֶׁנִּתְכַּסָּה, בִּבְחִינַת: יְקָרָה הִיא מִפְּנִינִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה מִכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנֶּפֶשׁ הֶחָכָם הוּא יָקָר, הוּא נִתְכַּסֶּה לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, וְכָל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת נַעֲשִׂין לְבוּשִׁין אֶצְלָהּ.
EN (our paraphrase): The throne in the soul is the soul of the sage, which is covered, as in 'she is more precious than pearls', which the Sages expounded: more than the Kohen Gadol who enters the innermost place. Because the sage's soul is precious, it is covered, innermost of all, and all the souls become garments for it.
Scene 15 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.13
וְהָאָדָם הַיּוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא, הוּא דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל הֶחָכָם, כִּי גַּם בְּלֹא דַעַת נֶפֶשׁ לֹא טוֹב:
EN (our paraphrase): And the man sitting on the throne is the sage's daas, his knowledge, for 'without knowledge, the soul is not good.'
Part 5 — The Torah's Chariot, and Rabbi Yonah's Rain
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.14
וְיֵשׁ אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה: אַרְיֵה שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה נִקְרָא עֹז, וּמֶה עַז מֵאֲרִי. וְשׁוֹר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת: בִּי שָׂרִים יָשׂרוּ. וְנֶשֶׁר שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת חִדּוּשִׁין דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, בִּבְחִינַת: תִּתְחַדֵּשׁ כַּנֶּשֶׁר. וְאָדָם שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, זֶה בְּחִינַת: זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָדָם, וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ קַלּוֹת וַחֲמוּרוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת מִסְכְּנֵי וְעַתִּירֵי;
EN (our paraphrase): And there are four living creatures in the Torah. The lion in the Torah: the Torah is called strength, and 'what is stronger than a lion?' The ox in the Torah: 'Through me princes rule', yasoru. The eagle in the Torah: new insights in Torah, as in 'renewed like the eagle'. And the man in the Torah: 'This is the Torah: a man', and it has lighter and stricter laws, which are the poor and the rich.
Scene 3 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.15
וְכִסֵּא שֶׁבִּבְחִינַת תּוֹרָה, הֵם דְּבָרִים שֶׁכִּסָּה עַתִּיק־יוֹמִין, וְהֵם מְכַסִּים אֶת עַצְמָן בְּסִפּוּרֵי הַתּוֹרָה. וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא הוּא עַתִּיק־יוֹמִין, בִּבְחִינַת: וְעַתִּיק יוֹמִין יְתִב. וְאוֹפַנִּים שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, הֵן הֵן גּוּפֵי הֲלָכוֹת:
EN (our paraphrase): The throne in the Torah is the things that Atik Yomin, the Ancient of Days, covered, and they cover themselves in the stories of the Torah. The one who sits on the throne is Atik Yomin, as in Daniel's vision: 'and the Ancient of Days sat.' And the wheels of the Torah are the bodies of the laws, the halachos.
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.16, §5.17
וְזֶה שֶׁמֵּבִיא בְּתַעֲנִית: מַעֲשֶׂה דְּרַבִּי יוֹנָה: כַּד הֲוָה אִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִטְרָא, אָמַר: אֵזִיל וְאַיְתִי בְּזוּזָא עִבּוּרָא. וַהֲוֵי קָאֵי בְּאַתְרָא עֲמִיקֵי, בְּאַתְרָא צְנִיעָא, מִכְסֵּי שַׂקָּא, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה – וְאָתֵי מִטְרָא.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is what the Gemara in Taanis brings, the story of Rabbi Yonah. When the world needed rain, he would say: 'I will go and bring grain for a zuz.' He would stand in a deep place, a hidden place, covered in sackcloth, and then the rain would come.
Scene 6 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.18
כַּד הֲוָה מִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִטְרָא – הַיְנוּ לַתּוֹרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי.
EN (our paraphrase): 'When the world needed rain' means Torah, as it says: 'My teaching shall drop like the rain.'
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.19
אָמַר, אֵזִיל וְאַיְתִי בְּזוּזָא עִבּוּרָא – עִבּוּר זֶה בְּחִינַת ע"ב רי"ו; ע"ב הוּא שִׁכּוּךְ, רי"ו זֶה בְּחִינַת חֲמִימוּת. בְּזוּזָא זֶה בְּחִינַת תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, הַיְנוּ דַּאָזֵל לְשַׁכֵּךְ תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): 'I will go and bring ibbura for a zuz': ibbur is seventy-two and two hundred and sixteen. Seventy-two is calming, and two hundred and sixteen is heat. The zuz is the desire for money: he went to calm the desire for money, as above.
Scene 9 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.20
וַהֲוָה קָאֵי בְּאַתְרָא עֲמִיקֵי – עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁשִׁכֵּךְ תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן זָכָה לְאַתְרָא עֲמִיקֵי, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת חֶסֶד, כְּמַרְאֵה הַחַמָּה עֲמֻקָּה מִן הַצֵּל, וְחֶסֶד הוּא אוֹר יוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: יוֹמָם יְצַוֶּה ה' חַסְדּוֹ; וְעַל־יְדֵי הַחֶסֶד זָכָה לְבִנְיַן הַבַּיִת, לִבְחִינַת שֵׂכֶל כַּנַּ"ל. וְזֶה:
EN (our paraphrase): 'He would stand in a deep place': by calming the desire for money he merited the deep place, which is chesed, kindness, as in 'the sun appears deeper than the shade'; and kindness is the light of day, as it says, 'By day Hashem commands His kindness.' Through kindness he merited the building of the House, which is intellect, as above. And this is:
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.21
אַתְרָא צְנִיעָא, שֶׁהוּא בֵּית־הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁהוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְאֶת צְנוּעִים חָכְמָה.
EN (our paraphrase): 'a hidden place', which is the Holy Temple, which is the intellect, as it says: 'and with the modest is wisdom.'
Scene 11 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.22
וַהֲוָה מִכְסֵּי שַׂקָּא – זֶה בְּחִינַת לְקִיחַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְהַעֲלוֹת אוֹתָם כַּנַּ"ל, וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, וּכְלָלִיּוּת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הֵם מְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם שַׂק, כִּי הֵם מִתְעַדְּנִים מִשַּׁקְיָא דְּנַחֲלָא, בִּבְחִינַת: וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה:
EN (our paraphrase): 'He was covered in sackcloth': this is taking the souls to raise them, as above, 'he who takes souls is wise'. All the souls together are called sak, because they delight in the watering of the stream, shakya, as in 'He will satisfy your soul with brightness.' And through this:
Scene 12 · LM I:13 §5 · paragraph §5.23
וְאָתֵי מִטְרָא – שֶׁהִמְשִׁיךְ תּוֹרָה, בִּבְחִינַת: וַיֹּרֶד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה:
EN (our paraphrase): 'the rain came': he drew down Torah, as in 'he brings down the strength in which it trusts.'
Part 6 — Seek Out the Sage: The Sailors' Tale
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.1
אַךְ צָרִיךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ מְאֹד וְלַחֲזֹר אַחַר חָכָם כָּזֶה, וּלְבַקֵּשׁ מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לִמְצֹא חָכָם כָּזֶה, שֶׁיְּקַבֵּץ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת: וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, וְיַעֲלֶה אוֹתָם, וְיוֹרֵד עִמָּהֶם תּוֹרָה.
EN (our paraphrase): But one must search very hard and go after such a sage, and ask Hashem to merit finding such a sage, who will gather the souls, as in 'he who takes souls is wise', raise them, and bring down Torah with them.
Scene 3 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.1
כִּי גַּם הֶחָכָם בְּעַצְמוֹ אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה זֹאת בְּשֵׂכֶל אֶחָד, כִּי הֵם שְׁנֵי שִׂכְלִיִּים: מַה שֶּׁמְּקַבֵּץ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת הוּא שֵׂכֶל אֶחָד, וּמַה שֶּׁמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָם וּמוֹרִיד עֹז מִבְטֶחָה הוּא שֵׂכֶל אַחֵר. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת שִׁין שֶׁל שְׁלשָׁה רָאשִׁים וְשִׁין שֶׁל אַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים, שֶׁהַשְּׁנֵי שִׁינִין הֵם הַשְּׁנֵי שִׂכְלִיִם:
EN (our paraphrase): For even the sage himself cannot do this with one intellect. There are two intellects: gathering the souls is one intellect, and raising them and bringing down strength is another. These are the shin with three heads and the shin with four heads; the two shins are the two intellects.
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.2, §6.3
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר־ חָנָה: אִשְׁתָּעוּ לִי נְחוּתֵי יַמָּא: בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי, וְרוּמְיָא דְּגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי. זִמְנָא חֲדָא הֲוֵי אָזְלִינַן בְּאֹרְחָא, וּדְלִינַן גַּלָּא, עַד דַּחֲזֵינַן בֵּי מַרְבַּעְתָּא דְּכּוֹכָבָא זוּטָא, דַּהֲוֵי כְּמִבְזַר אַרְבְּעִין גְּרִיוָא בִּזְרָא דְּחַרְדְּלָא;
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning: Rabbah bar bar Chanah said, sailors told me: between one wave and the next is three hundred parsas, and the height of a wave is three hundred parsas. Once we were travelling on the way, and a wave lifted us until we saw the resting place of a small star; it was like a field for sowing forty se'ah of mustard seed.
Scene 6 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.3
וְאִי דְּלֵינַן טְפֵי, הֲוָה מַקְלִינַן מֵהַבְלָא. וְרָמְיָא לָהּ גַּלָּא קָלָא לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ וְאָמְרָה לָהּ: חֲבֶרְתִּי מִי שַׁבְקִית מִידֵי בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא שַׁטְפִית, וְנֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְנִחַרְבֵהּ. אָמְרָה לָהּ: פּוּק חֲזִי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּמָרָךְ,
EN (our paraphrase): And if it had lifted us higher, we would have been scorched by its heat. And one wave called out to another: My friend, have you left anything in the world that you did not wash away? I will go and destroy it. It answered: Go out and see the might of your Master,
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.4
דַּאֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא חוּטָא דְּחָלָא לֵית דְּעָבַר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הַאוֹתִי לֹא תִירְאוּ נְאֻם ה' וְכוּ':
EN (our paraphrase): for not even a thread's width of sand have I passed, as it says: 'Will you not fear Me, says Hashem...', who set the sand as a border for the sea.
Scene 9 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.5
נְחוּתֵי יַמָּא, הַיְנוּ מַמְשִׁיכֵי יַמָּא דְּאוֹרַיְתָא לְזֶה הָעוֹלָם.
EN (our paraphrase): 'Sailors', those who go down to the sea: those who draw the sea of Torah down into this world.
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.6, §6.7
בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שִׁין הַנַּ"ל. וְרוּמְיָא דְּגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שִׁין שְׁנִיָּה הַנַּ"ל
EN (our paraphrase): 'Between one wave and the next is three hundred parsas': this is the first shin. 'And the height of a wave is three hundred parsas': this is the second shin.
Scene 11 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.8
הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂכָלִיִּים הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל קִבּוּץ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, וְהַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַעֲלָאַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְהַמְשִׁיךְ תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאֵלּוּ שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂכָלִיִּים שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא חָכַם הָאֱמֶת הֵם בְּחִינַת שְׁנֵי שִׁינִין כַּנַּ"ל. וְהַגַּלִּים הֵם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת צַהֲלִי קוֹלֵךְ בַּת גַּלִּים, שֶׁהִיא בַּת אֲבָהָן:
EN (our paraphrase): That is, the two intellects: the intellect that gathers the souls, and the intellect that raises them to draw down Torah. These two intellects of the tzaddik, the true sage, are the two shins. And the waves are the souls, as in 'Cry aloud, daughter of gallim', daughter of waves, which is the daughter of the forefathers, as the Sages expounded.
Scene 12 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.9
בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא – אֵלּוּ הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהֵם בֵּין גַּלָּא לְגַלָּא, הַיְנוּ מְחַבְּרִים כָּל הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בִּבְחִינַת וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם.
EN (our paraphrase): 'Between one wave and the next': these are the sages who stand between wave and wave, joining all the souls together, as in 'he who takes souls is wise'.
Scene 13 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.10, §6.11
תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת שִׁין אַחַת. וְרוּמְיָא דְּגַלָּא תְּלָת מֵאָה פַּרְסֵי – הַיְנוּ לְהַעֲלוֹת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, זֶה בְּחִינַת שִׁין אַחֶרֶת.
EN (our paraphrase): 'Three hundred parsas': this is one shin. 'And the height of a wave is three hundred parsas': raising the souls; this is the other shin.
Part 7 — Lifted to the Small Star
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.12
זִמְנָא חֲדָא אַזְלִינַן בְּאֹרְחָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ נִכְנַסְנוּ לְעוֹרֵר זִוּוּג, הַנִּקְרָא אֹרַח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אָרְחִי וְרִבְעִי.
EN (our paraphrase): 'Once we were travelling on the way': that is, we went in to awaken a union above, which is called a way, orach, as it says: 'my path and my lying down'.
Scene 3 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.13
וּדְלֵינַן גַּלָּא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁדְּלֵינַן הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לְמַעְלָה, בִּבְחִינַת: עִיר גִבּוֹרִים עָלָה חָכָם.
EN (our paraphrase): 'And a wave lifted us': we lifted the souls upward, as in 'a wise man climbs the city of the mighty'.
Scene 4 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.14
עַד דְחַזִינָן בֵּי מְרַבַּעַתָּא דְכוֹכְבָא זוּטָא – הַיְנוּ שֶׁגָרַמְנוּ זִוּוגָא עִלָאָה. מְרַבַּעַתָּא זֶה בְּחִינַת זִווּג, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: אָרְחִי וְרִבְעִי. שְׁכִינְתָּא נִקְרֵאת בִּשְׁעַת זִוּוּג כּוֹכָבָא זוּטָא,
EN (our paraphrase): 'Until we saw the resting place of a small star': that is, we brought about the union above. Meravata, the resting place, speaks of that union, as it says: 'my path and my lying down'. And at the time of union the Shechinah is called a small star.
Scene 6 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.15
וַהֲוָה כְּמִבְזַר אַרְבְּעִין גְּרִיוָא בִּזְרָא דְּחַרְדְּלָא
EN (our paraphrase): 'It was like a field for sowing forty se'ah of mustard seed.'
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.15
וְאַחַר־כָּךְ אוֹלִידַת, וְהַתּוֹלָדָה הַזֹּאת הִיא הַתּוֹרָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְהַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת הִיא הוֹלֶכֶת דֶּרֶךְ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שְׁאָר חֵיוָתָא, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעִים, עֲשָׂרָה לְכָל סְטַר, כַּמּוּבָא שָׁם, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אַרְבְּעִין גְּרִיוָא, בְּחִינַת אַרְבְּעִין חֵיוָתָא, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה:
EN (our paraphrase): And afterwards she gives birth, and what is born is the Torah, as above. This Torah goes on a way of forty days: these are the other living creatures, which are forty, ten on each side, as the Zohar brings there. This is the forty se'ah, the forty creatures, which are the forty days of the Torah.
Scene 9 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.16
וְאִי דְּלֵינַן טְפֵי הֲוָה מַקְלִינַן מֵהַבְלָא – כִּי: יֵשׁ הֶבֶל אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה עַל הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר יֵשׁ צַדִּיקִים אֲשֶׁר מַגִּיעַ אֲלֵהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָרְשָׁעִים וְכוּ'; וְעַל־יְדֵי הַהֶבֶל הַזֶּה רַבִּים נִתְפַּקְּרוּ, שֶׁרוֹאִים צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ, רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): 'And if it had lifted us higher, we would have been scorched by the havla, the heat.' For 'there is a hevel, a vanity, done on the earth: there are righteous people to whom it happens as if they had done the deeds of the wicked.' Through this vanity many lost their faith, seeing a righteous man who suffers and a wicked man who prospers.
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.16
וְאִי דְּלֵינַן הַרְבֵּה נְפָשׁוֹת, אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי הֲוָה מַקְלִינַן, לְשׁוֹן קוּלָא; מֵהַבְלָא, מֵהֶבֶל הַזֶּה, וְלֹא הָיָה הֶבֶל הַזֶּה כָּל־כָּךְ קָשֶׁה עַל הָעוֹלָם.
EN (our paraphrase): But if we had lifted many more souls, then surely it would have become lighter, kula, from this havla, this vanity; and this vanity would not weigh so hard on the world.
Part 8 — See the Strength of Your Master
Scene 2 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.17
וְרָמְיָא גַּלָּא קָלָא לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ: חֲבֶרְתִּי, מִי שַׁבְקִית מִידֵי בְּעָלְמָא דְּלָא שְׁטַפִיתֵהּ, וְנֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְנִחַרְבֵהּ
EN (our paraphrase): 'And one wave called to another: My friend, have you left anything in the world that you did not wash away? I will come and destroy it.'
Scene 3 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.17
הַיְנוּ, כְּשֶׁאַחַר־כָּךְ, כְּשֶׁכָּל אֵלּוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת חוֹזְרִים מֵעִבּוּר הַנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַכְּלָלִיּוּת נִתּוֹסֵף בָּהֶם אַהֲבָה זֶה לָזֶה, וְאָז מְעוֹרְרִין אֵלּוּ לְאֵלּוּ וְאוֹמְרִים זֶה לָזֶה וּמַזְכִּירִין זֶה אֶת זֶה: אָחִי, שֶׁמָּא שָׁבַקְתָּ אֵיזֶה מִדָּה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שֶׁעֲדַיִן הִיא מוֹשֶׁלֶת עָלֶיךָ וְאֵין אַתָּה יָכוֹל לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עָלֶיהָ.
EN (our paraphrase): That is, afterwards, when all these souls return from the ibbur, the rising, being together adds love between them. Then they stir each other and remind one another: My brother, perhaps you have left some trait in this world that still rules over you, and you cannot overcome it.
Scene 4 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.18
וְנֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְנִחַרְבֵהּ – הַיְנוּ אֲסַיַּע לְךָ לְכַלּוֹת אֶת הַמִּדָּה הַזֹּאת מִמְּךָ. וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ:
EN (our paraphrase): 'I will come and destroy it': I will help you rid yourself of this trait. And the other answered him:
Scene 5 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.19
פּוּק חֲזִי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּמָרָךְ, שֶׁהוּא הֶחָכָם הַנַּ"ל, רְאֵה כַּמָּה כֹּחוֹ גָּדוֹל,
EN (our paraphrase): 'Go out and see the might of your Master', who is the sage: see how great his power is.
Scene 6 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.20
דַּאֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא חוּטָא דְּחָלָא לֵית דְּעָבַר – פֵּרֵשׁ רַבֵּנוּ שְׁמוּאֵל: אֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא רֹחַב הַחוּט לֹא יָכֹלְתִּי לָצֵאת חוּץ מִן הַחוֹל; פֵּרוּשׁ: אַתְּ שׁוֹאֶלֶת אוֹתִי, שֶׁמָּא שָׁבַקְתִּי מִדָּה בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא תִּקַּנְתִּי אוֹתָהּ – תֵּדַע חֲבֶרְתִּי, שֶׁעֲדַיִן אֲנִי מְשֻׁקָּע בְּכָל הַתַּאֲווֹת, וַעֲדַיִן לֹא יָצָאתִי מִן הַחוֹל אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ אֲפִלּוּ כִּמְלֹא חוּט,
EN (our paraphrase): 'Not even a thread's width of sand have I passed': Rabbeinu Shmuel explains, not even the width of a thread could I go out beyond the sand. Meaning: you ask me whether I have left some trait unrepaired; know, my friend, that I am still sunk in all the desires, and I have not yet gone out of the chol, the sand, the mundane, into holiness, even a thread's width.
Scene 7 · LM I:13 §6 · paragraph §6.21, §6.22
וּבְוַדַּאי מִי שֶׁהוּא בְּמַדְרֵגָה כָּזֹאת, בְּוַדַּאי לֵית דְּעָבַר – הַיְנוּ שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לָבוֹא לִבְחִינוֹת עִבּוּר הַנַּ"ל; וְאַף־עַל־ פִּי־כֵן, פּוּק חֲזִי גְּבוּרְתָּא דְּמָרָךְ, הַיְנוּ כֹּחַ הֶחָכָם, שֶׁכָּל כָּךְ כֹּחוֹ חָזָק, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלִּי הֶעֱלָה בְּעִבּוּר:
EN (our paraphrase): And surely one on such a level cannot pass, cannot come to that rising. And even so, 'go out and see the might of your Master', the power of the sage: his strength is so great that he raised even my soul in the rising.
Scene 9 · LM I:13 §7 · paragraph §7.1, §7.2, §7.3
וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַשְׁגָּחָה, יֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – זֶה בְּחִינַת יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בְּיַעֲקֹב אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ.
EN (our paraphrase): And this is the meaning of the verse: 'Happy is the people' is providence. 'Who know the teruah' is Yaakov, which is charity, as it says: 'Justice and charity in Yaakov You have made.'
Scene 10 · LM I:13 §7 · paragraph §7.4, §7.5, §7.6
ה' – זֶה בְּחִינַת הֲוָיוֹת, בְּחִינַת חֲסָדִים. בְּאוֹר פָּנֶיךָ – זֶה בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: חָכְמַת אָדָם תָּאִיר פָּנָיו. יְהַלֵּכוּן – אֵלּוּ הַנְּפָשׁוֹת, בְּחִינַת מֵהֲלָךְ־נָפֶשׁ.
EN (our paraphrase): 'Hashem' is the havayos, the kindnesses. 'In the light of Your face' is the intellect, as it says: 'A man's wisdom lights up his face.' 'They will walk' are the souls, as in 'the wandering of the soul'.
Scene 12 · LM I:13 §7, editor's note · paragraph §7.7
עוֹד מָצָאתִי כְּתַב־יַד רַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁשַּׁיָּךְ לְהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ"ל, אַךְ מָצָאתִי רַק קְצֵה הַנְּיָר, וְלֹא נִכְתַּב שָׁם רַק סוֹפוֹ שֶׁל עִנְיָן, וְחָסֵר הַתְחָלַת הָעִנְיָן, וְזֶהוּ:
EN (our paraphrase): I also found, in our Rebbe's own handwriting, something that belongs to this Torah. But I found only the edge of the page: only the end of the matter was written there, and its beginning is missing. This is it:
Scene 13 · LM I:13 §7 · paragraph §7.8
הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רְאִיָּה, טַנְתָּ"א כַּנַּ"ל, כָּל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו, זֶה בְּחִינַת לְקִיטַת הַנְּפָשׁוֹת כֻּלָּם, בִּבְחִינַת לֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם כַּנַּ"ל; כִּי פִי ה' דִּבֵּר – כָּל זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה עַל־יְדֵי רוּחַ נְדִיבָה כַּנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא פִּי ה', כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל: בְּפִיךָ זוֹ צְדָקָה.
EN (our paraphrase): '...the Torah, which is sight, the notes, vowels, crowns and letters, as above. All flesh together: this is the gathering of all the souls, as in 'he who takes souls is wise'. For the mouth of Hashem has spoken: all this comes through the generous spirit, which is the mouth of Hashem, as the Sages said: 'in your mouth', this is charity.' Here his words end.
Scene 14 · LM I:13 §7, editor's note · paragraph §7.9
וּמוּבָן הַדָּבָר, שֶׁמֵּבִיא הַמִּקְרָא: וְנִגְלָה כְבוֹד ה' וְרָאוּ כָל בָּשָׂר יַחְדָּו כִּי פִי ה' דִּבֵּר; וּמְבָאֵר כָּל הַמַּאֲמָר הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהוּא מְפֹרָשׁ בְּפָסוּק זֶה, אַךְ בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים חָסֵר פֵּרוּשׁ רֵישֵׁהּ דִּקְרָא:
EN (our paraphrase): The matter is clear: he brings the verse 'And the glory of Hashem will be revealed, and all flesh together will see that the mouth of Hashem has spoken', and explains the whole teaching above as contained in this verse. But, for our many sins, the explanation of the beginning of the verse is missing.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.2: לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה שְׁלֵמָה
Scene 3 · §1.3: רוּחָא נָחֵת לְשַׁכֵּךְ חֲמִימָא דְלִבָּא,
Scene 4 · §1.6: קְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב;
Scene 5 · §1.8: חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם;
Scene 6 · §2.1: עִיר גִּבֹּרִים עָלָה חָכָם;
Scene 7 · §2.3: וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם,
Scene 8 · §3.2: וְהַחַיּוֹת רָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב:
Scene 9 · §3.4: שָׁכָּכָה – גִּימַטְרִיָּא משֶׁה,
Scene 10 · §4.1: שֶׁהֵם תְּלָת גְּוָנִין דְּעֵינָא וּבַת־עַיִן.
Scene 11 · §4.3: וְכָל אֶחָד, כְּפִי קֵרוּבוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, כֵּן הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלָיו.
Scene 12 · §5.2: כִּי יֵשׁ אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת בִּבְחִינַת נֶפֶשׁ, וְכִסֵּא, וְיוֹשֵׁב עַל הַכִּסֵּא.
Scene 13 · §5.4: וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אַרְיֵה – לְשׁוֹן לֶקֶט,
Scene 14 · §5.12: כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנֶּפֶשׁ הֶחָכָם הוּא יָקָר,
Scene 15 · §5.17: כַּד הֲוָה אִצְטְרִיךְ עָלְמָא לְמִטְרָא,
Scene 16 · §5.18: יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי.
Scene 17 · §6.1: אַךְ צָרִיךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ מְאֹד וְלַחֲזֹר אַחַר חָכָם כָּזֶה,
Scene 18 · §6.8: וְהַגַּלִּים הֵם הַנְּפָשׁוֹת,
Scene 19 · §6.16: שֶׁרוֹאִים צַדִּיק וְרַע לוֹ, רָשָׁע וְטוֹב לוֹ.
Scene 20 · §6.22: שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלִּי הֶעֱלָה בְּעִבּוּר:
Scene 21 · §7.3: יֹדְעֵי תְרוּעָה – זֶה בְּחִינַת יַעֲקֹב, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת צְדָקָה,
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַשְׁגָּחָה שְׁלֵמָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר אֶלָּא עַד שֶׁיְּשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוַת מָמוֹן, וּשְׁבִירָתָהּ הוּא עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה,
Scene 3 · §3.2: וְהַצַּדִּיק לוֹקֵחַ כָּל הָרְצוֹנוֹת וְעוֹלֶה עִמָּהֶם,
Scene 4 · §4.3: וְכָל אֶחָד, כְּפִי קֵרוּבוֹ אֶל הַתּוֹרָה, כֵּן הַשְׁגָּחַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עָלָיו.
Scene 5 · §6.22: שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ נֶפֶשׁ שֶׁלִּי הֶעֱלָה בְּעִבּוּר: