הָאֱמוּנָה תּוֹלָה בְּפֶה שֶׁל אָדָם, בִּבְחִינַת: אוֹדִיעַ
Faith Depends on the Mouth
Faith depends on the mouth: speaking words of faith is itself faith and brings a person to faith, so one must avoid words of heresy even when repeating them as a joke. Keep far from philosophical speculation, even by great Jewish authors; our ancestors' faith is enough. Avoid also the false 'wisdoms' of anxious over-scrupulousness in serving Hashem: Hashem does not come with impossible demands, and 'live by them', not die by them. After all wisdom, serve Hashem with complete simplicity, for Hashem wants the heart.
🎧 Listen to the full shiur
1-minute recap
Explainer
Full shiur
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
הָאֱמוּנָה תּוֹלָה בְּפֶה שֶׁל אָדָם, בִּבְחִינַת: אוֹדִיעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּפִי (תהלים פט).
הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִין הָאֱמוּנָה בַּפֶּה, זֶהוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ אֱמוּנָה, וְגַם עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּאִים לֶאֱמוּנָה. וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד מִדִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל כְּפִירָה וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמְרָם מִלִּבּוֹ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ מַאֲמִין וְאֵינוֹ כּוֹפֵר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, רַק שֶׁהוּא חוֹזֵר וְאוֹמֵר דִבְרֵי אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת שֶׁשָּׁמַע בְּשֵׁם אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהֵם אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים, וְהוּא מִתְלוֹצֵץ מֵהֶם, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן גַּם מִזֶּה צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד, כִּי הַדִּבּוּר הַזֶּה שֶׁל כְּפִירָה מַזִּיק לָאֱמוּנָה. גַּם הוּא אִסּוּר גָּמוּר, כִּי עַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָסוּר לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי הֲלָצוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ שְׂחוֹק.
וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר בִּסְפָרִים וּבִדְבָרֵינוּ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, לְהַרְחִיק עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד מְאֹד לִבְלִי לְעַיֵּן כְּלָל בְּסִפְרֵי הַמְחַקְרִים הַפִילוֹסוֹפְיָא, וַאֲפִלּוּ מִסְּפָרִים שֶׁל חַקִירָה שֶׁחִבְּרוּ גְּדוֹלִים מֵאַחֵינוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, גַּם מֵהֶם צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיק מְאֹד, כִּי הֵם מַזִּיקִים מְאֹד לָאֱמוּנָה, כִּי דַּי לָנוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתֵנוּ שֶׁקִּבַּלְנוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְזֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל וִיסוֹד וְעִקָּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם – לִהְיוֹת תָּם וְיָשָׁר וְכוּ', לַעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּתְמִימוּת, בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת וַחֲקִירוֹת כְּלָל כְּלָל לֹא.
גַּם מֵחָכְמוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם בְּעַצְמוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיק מְאֹד. כִּי כָל אֵלּוּ הַחָכְמוֹת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְהַנִּכְנָסִין וּמַתְחִילִין קְצָת בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, אֵינָם חָכְמוֹת כְּלָל, וְהֵם רַק דִּמְיוֹנוֹת וּשְׁטוּתִים וּבִלְבּוּלִים גְּדוֹלִים. וְאֵלּוּ הַחָכְמוֹת מַפִּילִין מְאֹד אֶת הָאָדָם מֵעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶׁחוֹשֵׁב וְחוֹקֵר וּמְדַקְדֵּק בְּיוֹתֵר, אִם הוּא יוֹצֵא כָּרָאוּי בַּמֶּה שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה. כִּי בָּשָׂר־וָדָם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ שֶׁיֵּצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, וְאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בָּא בִּטְרוּנְיָא וְכוּ' (ע"ז ג.), וְלֹא נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה לְמַלְאֲכֵי־הַשָּׁרֵת (קדושין נד).
וְעַל אֵלּוּ הַמְדַקְדְּקִים וּמַחְמִירִים בְּחֻמְרוֹת יְתֵרוֹת, עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא י״ח:ה׳): וְחַי בָּהֶם, וְלֹא שֶׁיָּמוּת בָּהֶם, (יומא פה:) כִּי אֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם חִיּוּת כְּלָל, וְתָמִיד הֵם בְּמָרָה שְׁחֹרָה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁאֵינָם יוֹצְאִים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָם בְּהַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁעוֹשִׂין, וְאֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם חִיּוּת מִשּׁוּם מִצְוָה מֵחֲמַת הַדִּקְדּוּקִים וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחֹרוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם (וְהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֵינוֹ מַחְמִיר שׁוּם חֻמְרָא כְּלָל):
וּבֶאֱמֶת, אַחַר כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ חָכְמוֹת בֶּאֱמֶת, אַחַר כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁלִיךְ כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' בִּתְמִימוּת בִּפְשִׁיטוּת גָּמוּר בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת. וְזֶה הִיא הַחָכְמָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבְּכָל הַחָכְמוֹת, לִבְלִי לִהְיוֹת חָכָם כְּלָל. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת אֵין חָכָם בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, וְאֵין חָכְמָה וְאֵין תְּבוּנָה נֶגְדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְהָעִקָּר הוּא, כִּי רַחֲמָנָא לִבָּא בָּעֵי (סנהדרין קו: זוהר תצא דף רפא:):
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 forty four: faith depends on the mouth.
Speaking words of faith is itself faith, and brings you to faith.
So guard your mouth from words of heresy, even as a joke.
Avoid anxious over-scrupulousness: live by the mitzvos, don't die by them.
After all wisdom, serve Hashem with simplicity. Hashem wants the heart.
Our own reflection: say your faith out loud, and serve with a simple heart.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty four: faith depends on a person's mouth. A teaching about speech, simplicity, and peace of mind in serving Hashem.
Faith hangs on the mouth, as David says: I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth. Speaking faith aloud is itself faith, and it also brings you to faith.
So be very careful with words of heresy, even if you don't mean them, even if you are only repeating what others said, to mock them. Such words harm faith, and joking about Hashem is forbidden even in jest.
Keep far from books of philosophical speculation, even those written by great Jewish thinkers. They harm faith greatly. The faith we received from our holy ancestors is enough. The great rule is to be simple and upright, and serve Hashem with simplicity.
And keep far even from 'wisdoms' within serving Hashem: endless checking whether you did a mitzvah well enough. These are not wisdom at all, only confusions. No human can fulfil his duty perfectly; Hashem does not make impossible demands of His creatures, and the Torah was not given to angels.
About those who pile on needless stringencies, the Torah says: live by them, not die by them. They have no life in their mitzvos; they are always gloomy, sure they never fulfilled anything. And a note adds: Rebbe Nachman himself took on no extra stringencies at all.
In truth, after all wisdom, even true wisdom, throw it all away and serve Hashem with complete simplicity. That is the greatest wisdom: not to be clever at all. Before Him there is no wisdom; the main thing is that Hashem wants the heart.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Say your faith out loud, every day. Do your mitzvos with joy and simplicity, without endless second-guessing. Hashem wants your heart, not perfection.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Faith Depends on the Mouth —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty four: faith depends on the mouth. A shiur in one part: speaking faith, avoiding speculation and over-scrupulousness, and serving Hashem with simplicity.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty four. 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.
Faith depends on a person's mouth, as in 'I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth'.
That is, by speaking faith with the mouth, this itself is faith, and through it one also comes to faith.
So one must be very careful with words of denial and heresy, even if he does not say them from his heart: he himself believes, only he repeats heresy he heard in the name of heretics, and mocks them. Even so he must be very careful, for words of denial harm faith. It is also completely forbidden, for one may not say jesting words about Hashem, even in fun.
Our explanation. Words shape the heart. Saying faith out loud makes it grow; saying heresy, even as a joke, harms it. The mouth is where faith lives.
It is already explained in the books and in our words: keep very far from the books of the philosophers, and even from books of speculation by great men among our own people, for they greatly harm faith. The faith we received from our holy fathers is enough for us. This is a great rule and foundation in serving Hashem: to be simple and upright, and serve Him with simplicity, with no clevernesses or speculations at all.
Keep very far also from the clevernesses within serving Hashem itself. The clevernesses of those just beginning to serve Hashem are no wisdom at all, only fantasies and great confusions, and they make a person fall: thinking and checking too much whether he did things properly. Flesh and blood cannot fulfil his duty perfectly; the Holy One does not make impossible demands, and the Torah was not given to the ministering angels.
About those who are exacting and pile on extra stringencies it is said: 'and live by them', and not die by them. For they have no vitality at all; they are always gloomy, because it seems to them that they do not fulfil their duty in the mitzvos they do, and they have no life from any mitzvah, because of their exactness and gloom.
Our explanation, step by step. Say your faith, and keep heresy off your lips. Serve with simplicity, without speculation and without anxious over-checking. And remember what Hashem truly wants: the heart.
In truth, after all wisdom, even one who truly knows wisdom must, after all of it, throw away all wisdom and serve Hashem with simplicity, in complete plainness, with no clevernesses. This is the great wisdom of all wisdoms: not to be wise at all. For in truth there is no wise man in the world, and there is no wisdom or understanding against Him. And the main thing: the Merciful One wants the heart.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Say your faith out loud, every day. Do your mitzvos with joy, without endless second-guessing. Hashem wants your heart, not perfection.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty four.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 44, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.44
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.
Notes
Part 1, scene 9: A note in the Hebrew adds that Rebbe Nachman himself took on no extra stringencies at all.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Faith Depends on the Mouth
Scene 3 · LM II:44 §1, on Tehillim 89:2 · paragraph §1.1
הָאֱמוּנָה תּוֹלָה בְּפֶה שֶׁל אָדָם, בִּבְחִינַת: אוֹדִיעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּפִי.
EN (our paraphrase): Faith depends on a person's mouth, as in 'I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth'.
Scene 4 · LM II:44 §1 · paragraph §1.2
הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִין הָאֱמוּנָה בַּפֶּה, זֶהוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ אֱמוּנָה, וְגַם עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּאִים לֶאֱמוּנָה.
EN (our paraphrase): That is, by speaking faith with the mouth, this itself is faith, and through it one also comes to faith.
Scene 5 · LM II:44 §1 · paragraph §1.2
וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד מִדִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל כְּפִירָה וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אוֹמְרָם מִלִּבּוֹ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ מַאֲמִין וְאֵינוֹ כּוֹפֵר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, רַק שֶׁהוּא חוֹזֵר וְאוֹמֵר דִבְרֵי אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת שֶׁשָּׁמַע בְּשֵׁם אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהֵם אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים, וְהוּא מִתְלוֹצֵץ מֵהֶם, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן גַּם מִזֶּה צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד, כִּי הַדִּבּוּר הַזֶּה שֶׁל כְּפִירָה מַזִּיק לָאֱמוּנָה. גַּם הוּא אִסּוּר גָּמוּר, כִּי עַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָסוּר לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי הֲלָצוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ שְׂחוֹק.
EN (our paraphrase): So one must be very careful with words of denial and heresy, even if he does not say them from his heart: he himself believes, only he repeats heresy he heard in the name of heretics, and mocks them. Even so he must be very careful, for words of denial harm faith. It is also completely forbidden, for one may not say jesting words about Hashem, even in fun.
Scene 7 · LM II:44 §1 · paragraph §1.3
וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר בִּסְפָרִים וּבִדְבָרֵינוּ בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, לְהַרְחִיק עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד מְאֹד לִבְלִי לְעַיֵּן כְּלָל בְּסִפְרֵי הַמְחַקְרִים הַפִילוֹסוֹפְיָא, וַאֲפִלּוּ מִסְּפָרִים שֶׁל חַקִירָה שֶׁחִבְּרוּ גְּדוֹלִים מֵאַחֵינוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, גַּם מֵהֶם צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיק מְאֹד, כִּי הֵם מַזִּיקִים מְאֹד לָאֱמוּנָה, כִּי דַּי לָנוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתֵנוּ שֶׁקִּבַּלְנוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְזֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל וִיסוֹד וְעִקָּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם – לִהְיוֹת תָּם וְיָשָׁר וְכוּ', לַעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ בִּתְמִימוּת, בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת וַחֲקִירוֹת כְּלָל כְּלָל לֹא.
EN (our paraphrase): It is already explained in the books and in our words: keep very far from the books of the philosophers, and even from books of speculation by great men among our own people, for they greatly harm faith. The faith we received from our holy fathers is enough for us. This is a great rule and foundation in serving Hashem: to be simple and upright, and serve Him with simplicity, with no clevernesses or speculations at all.
Scene 8 · LM II:44 §1, on Avodah Zarah 3a and Kiddushin 54a · paragraph §1.4
גַּם מֵחָכְמוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם בְּעַצְמוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהַרְחִיק מְאֹד. כִּי כָל אֵלּוּ הַחָכְמוֹת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְהַנִּכְנָסִין וּמַתְחִילִין קְצָת בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, אֵינָם חָכְמוֹת כְּלָל, וְהֵם רַק דִּמְיוֹנוֹת וּשְׁטוּתִים וּבִלְבּוּלִים גְּדוֹלִים. וְאֵלּוּ הַחָכְמוֹת מַפִּילִין מְאֹד אֶת הָאָדָם מֵעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶׁחוֹשֵׁב וְחוֹקֵר וּמְדַקְדֵּק בְּיוֹתֵר, אִם הוּא יוֹצֵא כָּרָאוּי בַּמֶּה שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה. כִּי בָּשָׂר־וָדָם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ שֶׁיֵּצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, וְאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בָּא בִּטְרוּנְיָא וְכוּ', וְלֹא נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה לְמַלְאֲכֵי־הַשָּׁרֵת.
EN (our paraphrase): Keep very far also from the clevernesses within serving Hashem itself. The clevernesses of those just beginning to serve Hashem are no wisdom at all, only fantasies and great confusions, and they make a person fall: thinking and checking too much whether he did things properly. Flesh and blood cannot fulfil his duty perfectly; the Holy One does not make impossible demands, and the Torah was not given to the ministering angels.
Scene 9 · LM II:44 §1, on Vayikra 18:5 and Yoma 85b · paragraph §1.5
וְעַל אֵלּוּ הַמְדַקְדְּקִים וּמַחְמִירִים בְּחֻמְרוֹת יְתֵרוֹת, עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: וְחַי בָּהֶם, וְלֹא שֶׁיָּמוּת בָּהֶם, כִּי אֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם חִיּוּת כְּלָל, וְתָמִיד הֵם בְּמָרָה שְׁחֹרָה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁאֵינָם יוֹצְאִים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָם בְּהַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁעוֹשִׂין, וְאֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם חִיּוּת מִשּׁוּם מִצְוָה מֵחֲמַת הַדִּקְדּוּקִים וְהַמָּרָה שְׁחֹרוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם:
EN (our paraphrase): About those who are exacting and pile on extra stringencies it is said: 'and live by them', and not die by them. For they have no vitality at all; they are always gloomy, because it seems to them that they do not fulfil their duty in the mitzvos they do, and they have no life from any mitzvah, because of their exactness and gloom.
Scene 11 · LM II:44 §1, on Sanhedrin 106b · paragraph §1.6
וּבֶאֱמֶת, אַחַר כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ חָכְמוֹת בֶּאֱמֶת, אַחַר כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת צָרִיךְ לְהַשְׁלִיךְ כָּל הַחָכְמוֹת וְלַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' בִּתְמִימוּת בִּפְשִׁיטוּת גָּמוּר בְּלִי שׁוּם חָכְמוֹת. וְזֶה הִיא הַחָכְמָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבְּכָל הַחָכְמוֹת, לִבְלִי לִהְיוֹת חָכָם כְּלָל. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת אֵין חָכָם בָּעוֹלָם כְּלָל, וְאֵין חָכְמָה וְאֵין תְּבוּנָה נֶגְדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְהָעִקָּר הוּא, כִּי רַחֲמָנָא לִבָּא בָּעֵי:
EN (our paraphrase): In truth, after all wisdom, even one who truly knows wisdom must, after all of it, throw away all wisdom and serve Hashem with simplicity, in complete plainness, with no clevernesses. This is the great wisdom of all wisdoms: not to be wise at all. For in truth there is no wise man in the world, and there is no wisdom or understanding against Him. And the main thing: the Merciful One wants the heart.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: אוֹדִיעַ אֱמוּנָתְךָ בְּפִי.
Scene 3 · §1.2: וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד מִדִּבּוּרִים שֶׁל כְּפִירָה וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת,
Scene 4 · §1.3: דַּי לָנוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָתֵנוּ שֶׁקִּבַּלְנוּ מֵאֲבוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים.
Scene 5 · §1.4: כִּי בָּשָׂר־וָדָם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ שֶׁיֵּצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת,
Scene 6 · §1.5: וְחַי בָּהֶם,
Scene 7 · §1.6: רַחֲמָנָא לִבָּא בָּעֵי:
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: שֶׁמְּדַבְּרִין הָאֱמוּנָה בַּפֶּה, זֶהוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ אֱמוּנָה, וְגַם עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה בָּאִים לֶאֱמוּנָה.
Scene 3 · §1.2: אָסוּר לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי הֲלָצוֹת, אֲפִלּוּ בְּדֶרֶךְ שְׂחוֹק.
Scene 4 · §1.5: וְחַי בָּהֶם,
Scene 5 · §1.6: רַחֲמָנָא לִבָּא בָּעֵי: