מַה שֶּׁהָעוֹלָם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאֵינָם מִתְקָרְבִים
Settling the Mind Through Joy
People are far from Hashem only because they lack yishuv hada'as — they never stop to think calmly about the purpose of all the world's desires; one who does will surely return to Hashem. But sadness keeps the mind in exile, so it cannot be steered; joy is freedom, and a mind bound to joy can settle itself. Joy comes from finding some good point in oneself, and at the very least from being a Jew who was given the Torah of truth. This is 'bedicha da'atei', a joyful mind, which also makes a great unity above.
🎧 Listen to the full shiur
1-minute recap
Explainer
Full shiur
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
מַה שֶּׁהָעוֹלָם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאֵינָם מִתְקָרְבִים אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם יִשּׁוּב־הַדַּעַת, וְאֵינָם מְיַשְּׁבִין עַצְמָן. וְהָעִקָּר – לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְיַשֵּׁב עַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב, מָה הַתַּכְלִית מִכָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת וּמִכָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הֵן תַּאֲווֹת הַנִּכְנָסוֹת לַגּוּף, הֵן תַּאֲווֹת שֶׁחוּץ לַגּוּף, כְּגוֹן כָּבוֹד, וְאַזַי בְּוַדַּאי יָשׁוּב אֶל ה':
אַךְ דַּע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי מָרָה־שְׁחוֹרָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַנְהִיג אֶת הַמֹּחַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְעַל־כֵּן קָשֶׁה לוֹ לְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ. רַק עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה יוּכַל לְהַנְהִיג הַמֹּחַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְיוּכַל לְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ, כִּי שִׂמְחָה הוּא עוֹלָם הַחֵרוּת, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו נ״ה:י״ב): כִּי בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה נַעֲשִׂין בֶּן־חוֹרִין וְיוֹצְאִין מִן הַגָּלוּת.
וְעַל־כֵּן כְּשֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר שִׂמְחָה אֶל הַמֹּחַ, אֲזַי מֹחוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ בֶּן־חוֹרִין, וְאֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת גָּלוּת, וַאֲזַי יוּכַל לְהַנְהִיג אֶת מֹחוֹ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וּלְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁמֹּחוֹ בְּחֵרוּת וְאֵינוֹ בְּגָלוּת. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי גָּלוּת אֵין הַדַּעַת מְיֻשָּׁב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מגילה יב:) עַל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב, דִּמְיָתְבָא דַּעְתַּיְהוּ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא הָלְכוּ בְּגָלוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיהו מ״ח:י״א): שַׁאֲנַן מוֹאָב מִנְּעוּרָיו וְכוּ', וּבַגּוֹלָה לֹא הָלָךְ, עַל כֵּן עָמַד טַעְמוֹ בּוֹ וְכוּ':
וְלָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים, כַּמְבֹאָר עַל פָּסוּק: אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹקַי בְּעוֹדִי (בְּלִקּוּטֵי הָרִאשׁוֹן, בְּסִימָן רפב), עַיֵּן שָׁם.
וְעַל־כָּל־פָּנִים יֵשׁ לוֹ לִשְׂמֹחַ בַּמֶּה שֶׁזָּכָה לִהְיוֹת מִזֶּרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא עָשַׂנִי גּוֹי, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִין: בָּרוּךְ אֱלֹקֵינוּ שֶׁבְּרָאָנוּ לִכְבוֹדוֹ, וְהִבְדִּילָנוּ וְכוּ' וְנָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת וְכוּ'. מִכָּל זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה רָאוּי לוֹ לִקַּח לוֹ שִׂמְחָה לְשַׂמֵּחַ דַּעְתּוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שבת עז:): בְּדִיחָא דַּעְתֵּהּ, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר הַשִּׂמְחָה לְמֹחוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ, וַאֲזַי הַמֹּחַ מְשֻׁחְרָר, וְיֵשׁ לוֹ יִשּׁוּב־הַדַּעַת כַּנַּ"ל, וְגַם לְמַעְלָה נַעֲשֶׂה מִזֶּה יִחוּד גָּדוֹל עַל־יְדֵי בְּדִיחָא דַּעְתֵּהּ:
Hebrew text: Likutei Moharan Tinyana - rabenubook.com via Sefaria (Public Domain) · Sefaria. Names of Hashem are written in the customary form.
Transcripts
1-minute recap
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah ten. Settling the mind through joy.
People are far from Hashem only because they do not settle their minds. Think calmly about the purpose of the world's desires, and you will surely return to Hashem.
But sadness keeps the mind in exile. Joy is freedom, and a free mind can settle itself.
Find joy in some good point in yourself, and at the very least, that you are a Jew who was given the Torah of truth.
Our own reflection: before trying to think deeply, first find something to be glad about.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah ten: why people are far from Hashem, and how a joyful mind comes close.
Rebbe Nachman says the only reason people stay far from Hashem is that they lack yishuv hada'as, a settled mind. The main thing is to sit and think: what is the purpose of all the desires of this world, both bodily ones and others like honour? One who does this will surely return to Hashem.
But sadness makes it impossible to steer the mind as one wishes. Only joy lets a person direct his mind and settle it, because joy is freedom: for in joy you shall go out.
Exile unsettles the mind. Our Sages said that Moav had a settled mind because it never went into exile. A mind bound to joy is free, out of exile, and can settle itself.
How does one come to joy? By finding at least some good point in himself. And at the very least, he can rejoice that he is a Jew: that Hashem created us for His glory and gave us the Torah of truth.
This is what the Sages call bedicha da'atei, a joyful mind. It is a great thing: joy bound to the mind sets it free, and above, it brings about a great unity.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. When the mind will not settle, do not fight it with heaviness. First find something to be glad about, even something small. Then sit and think calmly about what truly lasts.
Full shiur
— Part 1: A Settled Mind and a Joyful Mind —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah ten: why people are far from Hashem. A shiur in one part: yishuv hada'as, a settled mind, and the joy that sets the mind free.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah ten. Grey is a verse or teaching he quotes. Green is our own explanation. The Hebrew is the public-domain text from Sefaria; the English is our own paraphrase.
Rebbe Nachman begins with a bold statement. The only reason people are far from Hashem and do not come close to Him is that they have no yishuv hada'as, and do not settle themselves. The main thing is to work at settling oneself well: what is the purpose of all the desires and all the matters of this world, both the desires that enter the body and those outside the body, such as honour. Then he will surely return to Hashem.
Our explanation. Yishuv hada'as means a settled, calm mind: stopping to think, without rush, about where things really lead. The Rebbe promises that a person who honestly asks what the purpose of all these desires is, whether of the body or of honour, will surely return to Hashem. The truth is clear to a mind that is quiet enough to see it.
In section two he names the obstacle. But know: through sadness it is impossible to steer the mind as one wishes, and so it is hard to settle one's mind. Only through joy can one steer the mind as he wishes and settle it. For joy is the world of freedom, as in 'for in joy you shall go out': through joy one becomes free and goes out of exile.
And he explains why freedom matters. So when one binds joy to the mind, his mind and understanding are free and not in exile, and then he can steer his mind as he wishes and settle it. For exile unsettles the mind, as our Sages taught about Ammon and Moav, whose minds were settled because they never went into exile, as it says: 'Moav has been at ease from his youth, and has not gone into exile; therefore his taste has remained in him.'
Our explanation, step by step. Sadness holds the mind in exile; it wanders where it will. Joy sets it free. A free mind can be steered and settled. And a settled mind sees the purpose of things, and returns to Hashem.
In section three he shows the way to joy. And one comes to joy by finding in himself at least some good point, as explained on the verse 'I will sing to my Elokim while I yet am'; see there.
Our explanation. The Rebbe points us to his famous teaching Azamra, in the first part of Likutey Moharan, Torah two hundred and eighty two. However low a person feels, he can find in himself at least one good point, and that point is truly his. From it, joy can grow.
And if even that is hard: And at the very least he should rejoice that he merited to be of the seed of Israel, 'who has not made me a gentile', and as we say: 'Blessed is our Elokim, who created us for His glory and set us apart, and gave us the Torah of truth.' From all this, and the like, it is fitting to take joy and gladden his mind, as above.
He ends with a phrase from the Gemara. This is 'bedicha da'atei', a joyful mind, which is a great thing: one binds joy to his mind and understanding, and then the mind is released and has yishuv hada'as, as above. And above, too, a great unity is made through a joyful mind.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. When the mind will not settle, do not fight it with heaviness. First find something to be glad about, even something small. Then sit and think calmly about what truly lasts.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah ten.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 10, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.10
English: our own paraphrase of the Hebrew, written for these videos. It is not copied from any published translation.
Verses and teachings of the Sages appear only as Rebbe Nachman quotes them inside this Torah.
How the text is shown
The Divine Name is shown as ה' and voiced as Hashem. Other Names are written in the customary form (אֱלֹקִים, קֵ-ל, קָהּ, שַׁ-דַּ-י, אֲדֹ-נָ-י, אֶקְיֶ-ה, צְבָקוֹת). No full Name is written or voiced.
Parenthetical source references inside the printed Hebrew are left off the screen to save space; the citation line names the source instead.
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 — A Settled Mind and a Joyful Mind
Scene 3 · LM II:10 §1 · paragraph §1.1
מַה שֶּׁהָעוֹלָם רְחוֹקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאֵינָם מִתְקָרְבִים אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא רַק מֵחֲמַת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם יִשּׁוּב־הַדַּעַת, וְאֵינָם מְיַשְּׁבִין עַצְמָן. וְהָעִקָּר – לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְיַשֵּׁב עַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב, מָה הַתַּכְלִית מִכָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת וּמִכָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הֵן תַּאֲווֹת הַנִּכְנָסוֹת לַגּוּף, הֵן תַּאֲווֹת שֶׁחוּץ לַגּוּף, כְּגוֹן כָּבוֹד, וְאַזַי בְּוַדַּאי יָשׁוּב אֶל ה':
EN (our paraphrase): The only reason people are far from Hashem and do not come close to Him is that they have no yishuv hada'as, and do not settle themselves. The main thing is to work at settling oneself well: what is the purpose of all the desires and all the matters of this world, both the desires that enter the body and those outside the body, such as honour. Then he will surely return to Hashem.
Scene 5 · LM II:10 §2, on Yeshayahu 55:12 · paragraph §2.1
אַךְ דַּע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי מָרָה־שְׁחוֹרָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַנְהִיג אֶת הַמֹּחַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְעַל־כֵּן קָשֶׁה לוֹ לְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ. רַק עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה יוּכַל לְהַנְהִיג הַמֹּחַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְיוּכַל לְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ, כִּי שִׂמְחָה הוּא עוֹלָם הַחֵרוּת, בִּבְחִינַת: כִּי בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחָה נַעֲשִׂין בֶּן־חוֹרִין וְיוֹצְאִין מִן הַגָּלוּת.
EN (our paraphrase): But know: through sadness it is impossible to steer the mind as one wishes, and so it is hard to settle one's mind. Only through joy can one steer the mind as he wishes and settle it. For joy is the world of freedom, as in 'for in joy you shall go out': through joy one becomes free and goes out of exile.
Scene 6 · LM II:10 §2, on Megillah 12b and Yirmiyahu 48:11 · paragraph §2.2
וְעַל־כֵּן כְּשֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר שִׂמְחָה אֶל הַמֹּחַ, אֲזַי מֹחוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ בֶּן־חוֹרִין, וְאֵינוֹ בִּבְחִינַת גָּלוּת, וַאֲזַי יוּכַל לְהַנְהִיג אֶת מֹחוֹ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וּלְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁמֹּחוֹ בְּחֵרוּת וְאֵינוֹ בְּגָלוּת. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי גָּלוּת אֵין הַדַּעַת מְיֻשָּׁב, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה עַל בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּמוֹאָב, דִּמְיָתְבָא דַּעְתַּיְהוּ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁלֹּא הָלְכוּ בְּגָלוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שַׁאֲנַן מוֹאָב מִנְּעוּרָיו וְכוּ', וּבַגּוֹלָה לֹא הָלָךְ, עַל כֵּן עָמַד טַעְמוֹ בּוֹ וְכוּ':
EN (our paraphrase): So when one binds joy to the mind, his mind and understanding are free and not in exile, and then he can steer his mind as he wishes and settle it. For exile unsettles the mind, as our Sages taught about Ammon and Moav, whose minds were settled because they never went into exile, as it says: 'Moav has been at ease from his youth, and has not gone into exile; therefore his taste has remained in him.'
Scene 8 · LM II:10 §3, on Tehillim 146:2 and LM I:282 · paragraph §3.1
וְלָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים, כַּמְבֹאָר עַל פָּסוּק: אֲזַמְּרָה לֵאלֹקַי בְּעוֹדִי, עַיֵּן שָׁם.
EN (our paraphrase): And one comes to joy by finding in himself at least some good point, as explained on the verse 'I will sing to my Elokim while I yet am'; see there.
Scene 10 · LM II:10 §3 · paragraph §3.2
וְעַל־כָּל־פָּנִים יֵשׁ לוֹ לִשְׂמֹחַ בַּמֶּה שֶׁזָּכָה לִהְיוֹת מִזֶּרַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁלֹּא עָשַׂנִי גּוֹי, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִין: בָּרוּךְ אֱלֹקֵינוּ שֶׁבְּרָאָנוּ לִכְבוֹדוֹ, וְהִבְדִּילָנוּ וְכוּ' וְנָתַן לָנוּ תּוֹרַת אֱמֶת וְכוּ'. מִכָּל זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה רָאוּי לוֹ לִקַּח לוֹ שִׂמְחָה לְשַׂמֵּחַ דַּעְתּוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): And at the very least he should rejoice that he merited to be of the seed of Israel, 'who has not made me a gentile', and as we say: 'Blessed is our Elokim, who created us for His glory and set us apart, and gave us the Torah of truth.' From all this, and the like, it is fitting to take joy and gladden his mind, as above.
Scene 11 · LM II:10 §3, on Shabbos 77b · paragraph §3.3
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: בְּדִיחָא דַּעְתֵּהּ, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר הַשִּׂמְחָה לְמֹחוֹ וְדַעְתּוֹ, וַאֲזַי הַמֹּחַ מְשֻׁחְרָר, וְיֵשׁ לוֹ יִשּׁוּב־הַדַּעַת כַּנַּ"ל, וְגַם לְמַעְלָה נַעֲשֶׂה מִזֶּה יִחוּד גָּדוֹל עַל־יְדֵי בְּדִיחָא דַּעְתֵּהּ:
EN (our paraphrase): This is 'bedicha da'atei', a joyful mind, which is a great thing: one binds joy to his mind and understanding, and then the mind is released and has yishuv hada'as, as above. And above, too, a great unity is made through a joyful mind.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: וְהָעִקָּר – לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְיַשֵּׁב עַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב, מָה הַתַּכְלִית מִכָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת וּמִכָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה,
Scene 3 · §2.1: רַק עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה יוּכַל לְהַנְהִיג הַמֹּחַ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ, וְיוּכַל לְיַשֵּׁב דַּעְתּוֹ, כִּי שִׂמְחָה הוּא עוֹלָם הַחֵרוּת, בִּבְחִינַת:
Scene 4 · §2.2: כִּי עַל־יְדֵי גָּלוּת אֵין הַדַּעַת מְיֻשָּׁב,
Scene 5 · §3.1: וְלָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים,
Scene 6 · §3.3: וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: בְּדִיחָא דַּעְתֵּהּ, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר גָּדוֹל,
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם יִשּׁוּב־הַדַּעַת, וְאֵינָם מְיַשְּׁבִין עַצְמָן. וְהָעִקָּר – לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְיַשֵּׁב עַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב,
Scene 3 · §2.1: כִּי שִׂמְחָה הוּא עוֹלָם הַחֵרוּת, בִּבְחִינַת: כִּי בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ,
Scene 4 · §3.1: וְלָבוֹא לְשִׂמְחָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵיזֶה נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים,