מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ יֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל
Self-Sacrifice Every Day, and the Walls That Are Not There
Every Jew has mesiras nefesh every day: giving hard-earned money to charity, and battling distracting thoughts in prayer, 'for Your sake we are killed all day'. Each person's obstacles are only as great as he can bear, and Hashem is hidden inside the obstacle itself. The greatest obstacle is a mind and heart divided from Hashem or the tzaddik, questions and crookedness of heart; the answer is to cry out from the depths, for kushya, a question, is the initials of 'Hear, Hashem, my voice when I call'. As in the Baal Shem Tov's parable of the illusory walls around the king's treasure, the obstacles are nothing to a strong heart.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ יֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל שָׁעָה,
כְּגוֹן שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מָמוֹנוֹ לִצְדָקָה, וְהַמָּמוֹן הוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי אֵלָיו הוּא נוֹשֵׂא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ (דברים כ״ד:ט״ו), דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמּוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ בִּיגִיעוֹת וְסַכָּנוֹת קֹדֶם שֶׁמַּרְוִיחַ הַמָּמוֹן, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ נוֹטֵל הַמָּמוֹן וְנוֹתְנוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, נִמְצָא מוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ.
וְכֵן בִּתְפִלָּה אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם (חיי שרה דף קכד:), שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת: כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ כָּל הַיּוֹם וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ. כִּי צָרִיךְ יְגִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמִלְחָמָה גְּדוֹלָה עִם הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת וְהַבִּלְבּוּלִים, וְתַחְבּוּלוֹת לָנוּס וְלִבְרֹחַ מֵהֶם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ וְכוּ', כַּמּוּבָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם, נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ, וְכֵן כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:
וְדַע, שֶׁהַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, כְּגוֹן לִנְסֹעַ לְהַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וְכַיּוֹצֵא, וּלְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁהַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ גְּדוֹלִים יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, וְקָשֶׁה לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם.
דַּע, שֶׁלְּכָל אֶחָד אֵין לוֹ מְנִיעוֹת רַק כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ, כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לָשֵׂאת וְלַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם אִם יִרְצֶה. וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵין שׁוּם מְנִיעָה, כִּי גַּם בְּהַמְּנִיעָה בְּעַצְמָהּ מְלֻבָּשׁ שָׁם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְכַמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בלקו"א סי' קטו).
וְהַמְּנִיעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבְּכָל הַמְּנִיעוֹת הִיא מְנִיעַת הַמֹּחַ, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁמֹּחוֹ וְלִבּוֹ חֲלוּקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אוֹ מֵהַצַּדִּיק, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁמְּשַׁבֵּר הַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לִנְסֹעַ לְהַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וּבָא לְשָׁם, עִם כָּל זֶה, כְּשֶׁמֹּחוֹ חָלוּק וְקָשֶׁה לוֹ קֻשְׁיוֹת עַל הַצַּדִּיק, וְיֵשׁ לוֹ עַקְמוּמִיּוּת בְּלִבּוֹ עַל הַצַּדִּיק, זֹאת הַמְּנִיעָה מוֹנֵעַ אוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הַמְּנִיעוֹת.
וְכֵן בִּתְפִלָּה; שֶׁבִּתְּחִלָּה יֵשׁ לוֹ כַּמָּה מְנִיעוֹת עַל הַתְּפִלָּה, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ כְּשֶׁעוֹבֵר עֲלֵיהֶם וּבָא לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּשֶׁלִּבּוֹ עָקֹם וּפְתַלְתֹּל מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, זֹאת הַמְּנִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּם כַּנַּ"ל,
הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת (תהילים ל״ח:י״א): לִבִּי סְחַרְחַר. תַּרְגּוּם סָבִיב – סְחוֹר סְחוֹר. דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁלִּבּוֹ מְסֻבָּב וּמֻקָּף וּמְעֻקָּם בְּעַקְמוּמִיּוּת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת וּכְפִירוֹת עַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת (שמות א׳:י״ד): וַיְמָרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם בַּעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה וְכוּ', וְאִיתָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים (תי' יג דף כח.): בְּקֻשְׁיָא וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ, שֶׁהֵם הַמְּנִיעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּם,
וַאֲזַי צָרִיךְ לִצְעֹק לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם בְּקוֹל חָזָק מֵעִמְקֵי הַלֵּב, וַאֲזַי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ וּפוֹנֶה לְצַעֲקָתוֹ. וְיָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת, שֶׁמִּזֶּה בְּעַצְמוֹ יִפֹּל וְיִתְבַּטֵּל לְגַמְרֵי כָּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת וְהַמְּנִיעוֹת הַנַּ"ל, וְעַל־כָּל־פָּנִים הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ, שֶׁזֶּה יְשׁוּעָתוֹ. וְזֶה אוֹתִיּוֹת קֻשְׁיָא – רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת: שְׁמַע ה' קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא (תהילים כ״ז:ז׳); שֶׁצָּרִיךְ רַק לִקְרוֹת לַה', כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַקֻּשְׁיָא וְהַכְּפִירָה כַּנַּ"ל.
וּמֵעֵין זֶה מַה שֶּׁמְּסַפְּרִים בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב, זֵכֶר צַדִּיק וְקָדוֹשׁ לִבְרָכָה, מָשָׁל, שֶׁמֶּלֶךְ אֶחָד הִנִּיחַ אוֹצָר גָּדוֹל בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְסִבֵּב בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה חוֹמוֹת סְבִיב הָאוֹצָר, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ בְּנֵי־אָדָם לְאֵלּוּ הַחוֹמוֹת, נִדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁהֵם חוֹמוֹת מַמָּשׁ, וְקָשֶׁה לְשַׁבְּרָם. וּקְצָתָם חָזְרוּ תֵּכֶף, וּקְצָתָם שִׁבְּרוּ חוֹמָה אַחַת, וּבָאוּ אֶל הַשְּׁנִיָּה, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְשַׁבְּרָהּ, וּקְצָתָם שִׁבְּרוּ יוֹתֵר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁבֹּר הַנִּשְׁאָרִים, עַד שֶׁבָּא הַבֶּן־מֶלֶךְ, אָמַר: אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁכָּל הַחוֹמוֹת הֵם רַק בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם, וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵין שׁוּם חוֹמָה כְּלָל, וְהָלַךְ לָבֶטַח עַד שֶׁעָבַר עַל כֻּלָּם.
וּמִזֶּה יָבִין הַמַּשְׂכִּיל הַנִּמְשָׁל מֵאֵלָיו עַל כָּל הַמְּנִיעוֹת וְהַהֲסָתוֹת וּפִתּוּיִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חוֹמוֹת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ עַל אוֹצָר שֶׁל יִרְאַת־שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם כְּלוּם.
וְהָעִקָּר – לֵב חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ, וְאָז אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם מְנִיעָה וּבִפְרָט הַמְּנִיעוֹת בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת, כְּגוֹן מֵחֲמַת מָמוֹן אוֹ שֶׁמּוֹנֵעַ אוֹתוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו וְחוֹתְנוֹ אוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְכוּ', וְכַיּוֹצֵא, הֵם כֻּלָּם בְּטֵלִים וּמְבֻטָּלִים לְמִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְגַם אֲפִלּוּ גְבוּרָה שֶׁל הַגִּבּוֹרִים, הוּא רַק מֵחֹזֶק וְאֹמֶץ הַלֵּב, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לֵב חָזָק בְּיוֹתֵר לָרוּץ בְּקִשְׁרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה, כַּמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים:
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 six: self-sacrifice every day.
Giving hard-earned money to tzedakah, fighting stray thoughts in prayer: that is mesiras nefesh.
Your obstacles are only as great as you can bear, and Hashem is hidden in them.
The hardest obstacle is a divided heart, full of questions. Then cry out to Hashem.
The walls around the King's treasure are an illusion. To a strong heart, they are nothing.
Our own reflection: walk straight at the wall. It isn't really there.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty six: every Jew has self-sacrifice every day, and every hour. And a parable of the Baal Shem Tov about walls that are not there.
When you give money to tzedakah, you give your soul: the Torah says a worker risks his life for his wages. You toiled and took risks to earn it, and now you give it for Hashem.
And in prayer: for Your sake we are killed all day. Prayer takes great effort, a real war with stray thoughts and confusions, and clever ways to escape them. That too is self-sacrifice.
Everyone thinks his obstacles are bigger than his friend's. Know that each person has obstacles only according to his strength, what he can bear if he wants. And truly there is no obstacle at all: Hashem Himself is clothed in the obstacle.
The greatest obstacle is the obstacle of the mind: when your mind and heart are divided from Hashem or from the tzaddik. You may break through and travel to him, and still, if your heart is full of questions and crookedness against him, that blocks you more than anything.
So too in prayer. My heart goes round and round, David says: surrounded and twisted with questions. Then cry out to your Father in Heaven with a strong voice, from the depths of the heart. He hears. The letters of kushya, a question, are the initials of: Hear, Hashem, my voice when I call.
The Baal Shem Tov told a parable. A king hid a great treasure and surrounded it, by illusion, with many walls. People came: some turned back at once, some broke one wall and stopped at the next. Then the king's son came and said: I know these walls are only illusion. And he walked straight through them all.
The wise will understand: all the obstacles, pressures and temptations are walls around the treasure of the fear of Heaven, and in truth they are nothing. The main thing is a strong and courageous heart; then money, family pressures, all of it is nothing.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Your daily tzedakah and your hard-won prayers are real self-sacrifice. When a wall rises in front of you, remember it was made to your size, and Hashem is inside it. Cry out, and walk on.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Self-Sacrifice Every Day, and the Walls That Are Not There —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty six. A shiur in one part: daily self-sacrifice, obstacles, the obstacle of the heart, and the Baal Shem Tov's parable of the walls.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty six. 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.
Every single Jew has self-sacrifice every day and every hour. For example, when he gives his money to tzedakah: money is the soul, as in 'for to it he lifts up his soul'. He risks himself in toil and dangers before he earns the money, and then he takes the money and gives it for Hashem; so he gives his soul.
And so in prayer, as the Midrash HaNe'elam says, it is 'for Your sake we are killed all day': self-sacrifice. For it needs great toil and a great war with the thoughts and confusions, and strategies to flee and escape them; about this it is said 'for Your sake we are killed'. So it is self-sacrifice, and so with similar things.
Our explanation. Mesiras nefesh is not only giving one's life. It is giving money you toiled for, and fighting for every word of prayer against the thoughts that pull you away. Every Jew does it, every day.
Section two. And know that the obstacles each person has to serving the Creator, like travelling to the true tzaddik and the like: each one imagines that his obstacles are greater than his friend's, and hard to withstand.
Know that each one has obstacles only according to his strength, as much as he can bear and withstand if he wants. And truly there is no obstacle at all, for Hashem is clothed in the obstacle itself, as explained elsewhere.
The greatest obstacle of all is the obstacle of the mind: when his mind and heart are divided from Hashem or from the tzaddik. Even when he breaks the obstacles to travelling to the true tzaddik and comes there, still, when his mind is divided and he has questions about the tzaddik, and crookedness in his heart against him, this obstacle holds him back more than all the others.
Section three. And so in prayer: at first he has many obstacles to prayer, and afterwards, when he passes them and comes to pray, if his heart is crooked and twisted away from Hashem, this is the greatest obstacle of all,
as in 'my heart goes round and round'; the Targum for 'around' is 'round and round': his heart is surrounded, encircled and twisted with crookedness, questions and denials against Hashem. This is 'they made their lives bitter with hard work', and the Tikkunim reads 'hard', bekushya, as the questions in his heart, the greatest obstacle of all,
and then he must cry out to his Father in Heaven with a strong voice from the depths of the heart, and Hashem hears his voice and turns to his cry. It may be that through this itself all the questions and obstacles fall away completely; and in any case Hashem hears his voice, and that is his salvation. And the letters of kushya, question, are the initials of 'Hear, Hashem, my voice when I call': he need only call to Hashem when the question and denial overpower him.
Our explanation, step by step. When the heart goes round and round with questions, don't try to win the argument. Cry out to Hashem from the depths, with a strong voice. He hears, and that itself is the salvation.
Section four. Similar to this is what is told in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, a parable: a king put a great treasure in one place and, by illusion, surrounded it with many, many walls. When people came to these walls, they seemed to them real walls, hard to break.
Some turned back at once; some broke one wall and came to the second, and could not break it; some broke more, and could not break the rest. Until the king's son came and said: I know that all the walls are only an illusion, and in truth there is no wall at all. And he walked confidently until he passed them all.
From this the wise will understand the lesson himself, about all the obstacles, incitements and temptations: they are walls around the treasure of the fear of Heaven, and in truth they are nothing.
The main thing is a strong and courageous heart, and then he has no obstacle at all; especially the physical obstacles, like money, or when his wife, children, father-in-law, or father and mother hold him back, and the like: they are all nothing at all to one whose heart is strong and brave for Hashem. Even the might of the mighty is only from strength and courage of heart, to run into the thick of battle, as is brought in the books.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Your daily tzedakah and your hard-won prayers are real self-sacrifice. Every wall in front of you is made to your size, and Hashem is inside it. Cry out, and walk on, like the king's son.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty six.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 46, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.46
English: our own paraphrase of the Hebrew, written for these videos. It is not copied from any published translation.
Verses and teachings of the Sages appear only as Rebbe Nachman quotes them inside this Torah.
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The Divine Name is shown as ה' and voiced as Hashem. Other Names are written in the customary form (אֱלֹקִים, קֵ-ל, קָהּ, שַׁ-דַּ-י, אֲדֹ-נָ-י, אֶקְיֶ-ה, צְבָקוֹת). No full Name is written or voiced.
Parenthetical source references inside the printed Hebrew are left off the screen to save space; the citation line names the source instead.
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Cards labelled EXPLANATION (green), and every line marked 'our own reflection — not a quote', are our own words, not quotations.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Self-Sacrifice Every Day, and the Walls That Are Not There
Scene 3 · LM II:46 §1, on Devarim 24:15 · paragraph §1.1, §1.2
מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ יֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, כְּגוֹן שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מָמוֹנוֹ לִצְדָקָה, וְהַמָּמוֹן הוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי אֵלָיו הוּא נוֹשֵׂא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמּוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ בִּיגִיעוֹת וְסַכָּנוֹת קֹדֶם שֶׁמַּרְוִיחַ הַמָּמוֹן, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ נוֹטֵל הַמָּמוֹן וְנוֹתְנוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, נִמְצָא מוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): Every single Jew has self-sacrifice every day and every hour. For example, when he gives his money to tzedakah: money is the soul, as in 'for to it he lifts up his soul'. He risks himself in toil and dangers before he earns the money, and then he takes the money and gives it for Hashem; so he gives his soul.
Scene 4 · LM II:46 §1, on Tehillim 44:23 and the Midrash HaNe'elam · paragraph §1.3
וְכֵן בִּתְפִלָּה אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת: כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ כָּל הַיּוֹם וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ. כִּי צָרִיךְ יְגִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה וּמִלְחָמָה גְּדוֹלָה עִם הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת וְהַבִּלְבּוּלִים, וְתַחְבּוּלוֹת לָנוּס וְלִבְרֹחַ מֵהֶם, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ וְכוּ', כַּמּוּבָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ הַנֶּעְלָם, נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ, וְכֵן כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה:
EN (our paraphrase): And so in prayer, as the Midrash HaNe'elam says, it is 'for Your sake we are killed all day': self-sacrifice. For it needs great toil and a great war with the thoughts and confusions, and strategies to flee and escape them; about this it is said 'for Your sake we are killed'. So it is self-sacrifice, and so with similar things.
Scene 6 · LM II:46 §2 · paragraph §2.1
וְדַע, שֶׁהַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, כְּגוֹן לִנְסֹעַ לְהַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וְכַיּוֹצֵא, וּלְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁהַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ גְּדוֹלִים יוֹתֵר מִשֶּׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, וְקָשֶׁה לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם.
EN (our paraphrase): And know that the obstacles each person has to serving the Creator, like travelling to the true tzaddik and the like: each one imagines that his obstacles are greater than his friend's, and hard to withstand.
Scene 7 · LM II:46 §2, on Likutei Moharan I, 115 · paragraph §2.2
דַּע, שֶׁלְּכָל אֶחָד אֵין לוֹ מְנִיעוֹת רַק כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ, כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיָּכוֹל לָשֵׂאת וְלַעֲמֹד בָּהֶם אִם יִרְצֶה. וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵין שׁוּם מְנִיעָה, כִּי גַּם בְּהַמְּנִיעָה בְּעַצְמָהּ מְלֻבָּשׁ שָׁם הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְכַמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
EN (our paraphrase): Know that each one has obstacles only according to his strength, as much as he can bear and withstand if he wants. And truly there is no obstacle at all, for Hashem is clothed in the obstacle itself, as explained elsewhere.
Scene 8 · LM II:46 §2 · paragraph §2.3
וְהַמְּנִיעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבְּכָל הַמְּנִיעוֹת הִיא מְנִיעַת הַמֹּחַ, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁמֹּחוֹ וְלִבּוֹ חֲלוּקִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אוֹ מֵהַצַּדִּיק, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁמְּשַׁבֵּר הַמְּנִיעוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לִנְסֹעַ לְהַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וּבָא לְשָׁם, עִם כָּל זֶה, כְּשֶׁמֹּחוֹ חָלוּק וְקָשֶׁה לוֹ קֻשְׁיוֹת עַל הַצַּדִּיק, וְיֵשׁ לוֹ עַקְמוּמִיּוּת בְּלִבּוֹ עַל הַצַּדִּיק, זֹאת הַמְּנִיעָה מוֹנֵעַ אוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִכָּל הַמְּנִיעוֹת.
EN (our paraphrase): The greatest obstacle of all is the obstacle of the mind: when his mind and heart are divided from Hashem or from the tzaddik. Even when he breaks the obstacles to travelling to the true tzaddik and comes there, still, when his mind is divided and he has questions about the tzaddik, and crookedness in his heart against him, this obstacle holds him back more than all the others.
Scene 9 · LM II:46 §3 · paragraph §3.1
וְכֵן בִּתְפִלָּה; שֶׁבִּתְּחִלָּה יֵשׁ לוֹ כַּמָּה מְנִיעוֹת עַל הַתְּפִלָּה, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ כְּשֶׁעוֹבֵר עֲלֵיהֶם וּבָא לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּשֶׁלִּבּוֹ עָקֹם וּפְתַלְתֹּל מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, זֹאת הַמְּנִיעָה גְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּם כַּנַּ"ל,
EN (our paraphrase): And so in prayer: at first he has many obstacles to prayer, and afterwards, when he passes them and comes to pray, if his heart is crooked and twisted away from Hashem, this is the greatest obstacle of all,
Scene 10 · LM II:46 §3, on Tehillim 38:11, Shemos 1:14 and the Tikkunim · paragraph §3.2
הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת: לִבִּי סְחַרְחַר. תַּרְגּוּם סָבִיב – סְחוֹר סְחוֹר. דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁלִּבּוֹ מְסֻבָּב וּמֻקָּף וּמְעֻקָּם בְּעַקְמוּמִיּוּת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת וּכְפִירוֹת עַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת: וַיְמָרְרוּ אֶת חַיֵּיהֶם בַּעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה וְכוּ', וְאִיתָא בַּתִּקּוּנִים: בְּקֻשְׁיָא וְכוּ', הַיְנוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ, שֶׁהֵם הַמְּנִיעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה מִכֻּלָּם,
EN (our paraphrase): as in 'my heart goes round and round'; the Targum for 'around' is 'round and round': his heart is surrounded, encircled and twisted with crookedness, questions and denials against Hashem. This is 'they made their lives bitter with hard work', and the Tikkunim reads 'hard', bekushya, as the questions in his heart, the greatest obstacle of all,
Scene 11 · LM II:46 §3, on Tehillim 27:7 · paragraph §3.3
וַאֲזַי צָרִיךְ לִצְעֹק לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם בְּקוֹל חָזָק מֵעִמְקֵי הַלֵּב, וַאֲזַי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ וּפוֹנֶה לְצַעֲקָתוֹ. וְיָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת, שֶׁמִּזֶּה בְּעַצְמוֹ יִפֹּל וְיִתְבַּטֵּל לְגַמְרֵי כָּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת וְהַמְּנִיעוֹת הַנַּ"ל, וְעַל־כָּל־פָּנִים הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׁוֹמֵעַ קוֹלוֹ, שֶׁזֶּה יְשׁוּעָתוֹ. וְזֶה אוֹתִיּוֹת קֻשְׁיָא – רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת: שְׁמַע ה' קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא; שֶׁצָּרִיךְ רַק לִקְרוֹת לַה', כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַקֻּשְׁיָא וְהַכְּפִירָה כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): and then he must cry out to his Father in Heaven with a strong voice from the depths of the heart, and Hashem hears his voice and turns to his cry. It may be that through this itself all the questions and obstacles fall away completely; and in any case Hashem hears his voice, and that is his salvation. And the letters of kushya, question, are the initials of 'Hear, Hashem, my voice when I call': he need only call to Hashem when the question and denial overpower him.
Scene 13 · LM II:46 §4 · paragraph §4.1
וּמֵעֵין זֶה מַה שֶּׁמְּסַפְּרִים בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב, זֵכֶר צַדִּיק וְקָדוֹשׁ לִבְרָכָה, מָשָׁל, שֶׁמֶּלֶךְ אֶחָד הִנִּיחַ אוֹצָר גָּדוֹל בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְסִבֵּב בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה חוֹמוֹת סְבִיב הָאוֹצָר, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ בְּנֵי־אָדָם לְאֵלּוּ הַחוֹמוֹת, נִדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁהֵם חוֹמוֹת מַמָּשׁ, וְקָשֶׁה לְשַׁבְּרָם.
EN (our paraphrase): Similar to this is what is told in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, a parable: a king put a great treasure in one place and, by illusion, surrounded it with many, many walls. When people came to these walls, they seemed to them real walls, hard to break.
Scene 14 · LM II:46 §4 · paragraph §4.1
וּקְצָתָם חָזְרוּ תֵּכֶף, וּקְצָתָם שִׁבְּרוּ חוֹמָה אַחַת, וּבָאוּ אֶל הַשְּׁנִיָּה, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְשַׁבְּרָהּ, וּקְצָתָם שִׁבְּרוּ יוֹתֵר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁבֹּר הַנִּשְׁאָרִים, עַד שֶׁבָּא הַבֶּן־מֶלֶךְ, אָמַר: אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁכָּל הַחוֹמוֹת הֵם רַק בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם, וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵין שׁוּם חוֹמָה כְּלָל, וְהָלַךְ לָבֶטַח עַד שֶׁעָבַר עַל כֻּלָּם.
EN (our paraphrase): Some turned back at once; some broke one wall and came to the second, and could not break it; some broke more, and could not break the rest. Until the king's son came and said: I know that all the walls are only an illusion, and in truth there is no wall at all. And he walked confidently until he passed them all.
Scene 15 · LM II:46 §4 · paragraph §4.2
וּמִזֶּה יָבִין הַמַּשְׂכִּיל הַנִּמְשָׁל מֵאֵלָיו עַל כָּל הַמְּנִיעוֹת וְהַהֲסָתוֹת וּפִתּוּיִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חוֹמוֹת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ עַל אוֹצָר שֶׁל יִרְאַת־שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם כְּלוּם.
EN (our paraphrase): From this the wise will understand the lesson himself, about all the obstacles, incitements and temptations: they are walls around the treasure of the fear of Heaven, and in truth they are nothing.
Scene 16 · LM II:46 §4 · paragraph §4.3
וְהָעִקָּר – לֵב חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ, וְאָז אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם מְנִיעָה וּבִפְרָט הַמְּנִיעוֹת בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת, כְּגוֹן מֵחֲמַת מָמוֹן אוֹ שֶׁמּוֹנֵעַ אוֹתוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו וְחוֹתְנוֹ אוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְכוּ', וְכַיּוֹצֵא, הֵם כֻּלָּם בְּטֵלִים וּמְבֻטָּלִים לְמִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְגַם אֲפִלּוּ גְבוּרָה שֶׁל הַגִּבּוֹרִים, הוּא רַק מֵחֹזֶק וְאֹמֶץ הַלֵּב, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לֵב חָזָק בְּיוֹתֵר לָרוּץ בְּקִשְׁרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה, כַּמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים:
EN (our paraphrase): The main thing is a strong and courageous heart, and then he has no obstacle at all; especially the physical obstacles, like money, or when his wife, children, father-in-law, or father and mother hold him back, and the like: they are all nothing at all to one whose heart is strong and brave for Hashem. Even the might of the mighty is only from strength and courage of heart, to run into the thick of battle, as is brought in the books.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.2: וְהַמָּמוֹן הוּא הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי אֵלָיו הוּא נוֹשֵׂא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ,
Scene 3 · §1.3: כִּי עָלֶיךָ הֹרַגְנוּ כָּל הַיּוֹם
Scene 4 · §2.2: שֶׁלְּכָל אֶחָד אֵין לוֹ מְנִיעוֹת רַק כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ,
Scene 5 · §2.3: וְהַמְּנִיעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁבְּכָל הַמְּנִיעוֹת הִיא מְנִיעַת הַמֹּחַ,
Scene 6 · §3.3: שְׁמַע ה' קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא;
Scene 7 · §4.1: אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁכָּל הַחוֹמוֹת הֵם רַק בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם, וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵין שׁוּם חוֹמָה כְּלָל,
Scene 8 · §4.2: שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם כְּלוּם.
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: מְסִירַת־נֶפֶשׁ יֵשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל שָׁעָה,
Scene 3 · §2.2: שֶׁלְּכָל אֶחָד אֵין לוֹ מְנִיעוֹת רַק כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ,
Scene 4 · §3.3: שְׁמַע ה' קוֹלִי אֶקְרָא;
Scene 5 · §4.2: שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם כְּלוּם.