לְפִי גַּדְּלוּת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְעֹצֶם רוֹמְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ
The Past Is Gone: Mercy, Teshuvah and the Yetzer's Fire
By the measure of Hashem's greatness, even a small improper movement or glance would deserve punishment; but Hashem is full of mercy and wants the world. So strengthen yourself in His service as you are, rely on His boundless mercy, and know that the past is nothing: from now on, refrain in deed and thought, and do not dwell on what happens by itself. Complete teshuvah is passing the very same places and situations and turning away. It is a great level to still have a yetzer hara, and pour its heat and fire into prayer.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
לְפִי גַּדְּלוּת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְעֹצֶם רוֹמְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, בִּתְנוּעָה קַלָּה בְּעָלְמָא וּבְהִסְתַּכְּלוּת בְּעָלְמָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּרָאוּי לְפִי כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, הָיָה רָאוּי לָבוֹא עַל הָאָדָם מַה שֶׁרָאוּי, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם;
אַךְ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְכָל הָעוֹלָם מָלֵא רַחֲמָנוּת, וְהוּא רוֹצֶה מְאֹד בְּהָעוֹלָם. עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְחַזֵּק עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בְכָל מַה שֶּׁיּוּכַל, אַף אִם הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא. וְיִסְמֹךְ עַל רַחֲמָיו הַמְרֻבִּים מְאֹד בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יַעֲזֹב אוֹתוֹ, אַף אִם עָבַר מַה שֶּׁעָבַר. הֶעָבָר אַיִן, וְהָעִקָּר – מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה עוֹד, וְיִהְיֶה שֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים, הֵן בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וְהֵן בְּמַעֲשֶׂה. כִּי גַּם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁל אֲנָשִׁים כָּאֵלּוּ הִיא גַם־כֵּן עֲשִׂיָּה, כִּי גַּם בָּעוֹלָם הָעֲשִׂיָּה יֵשׁ מַחֲשָׁבָה, וְצָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת שֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּמַעֲשֶׂה וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה כַּנַּ"ל. וּמָה שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה עִמּוֹ מִמֵּילָא, אַל יָחוּשׁ וְאַל יִסְתַּכֵּל עַל זֶה כְּלָל:
וְדַע, שֶׁעִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה הִיא, כְּשֶׁאָדָם עוֹבֵר בְּאֵלּוּ הַמְּקוֹמוֹת מַמָּשׁ שֶׁהָיָה מִקֹּדֶם הַתְּשׁוּבָה, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עָלָיו בַּיָּמִים הַקּוֹדְמִים, וּכְשֶׁעוֹבֵר בְּאֵלּוּ הַמְּקוֹמוֹת וְהָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁהָיָה מִתְּחִלָּה מַמָּשׁ, וְעַכְשָׁו פּוֹנֶה עֹרֶף מֵהֶם, וְכוֹפֶה יִצְרוֹ לִבְלִי לַעֲשׂוֹת עוֹד מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה – זֶהוּ עִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה, וְרַק זֶה נִקְרָא תְּשׁוּבָה:
וְהוּא מַעְלָה גְּדוֹלָה, כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲדַיִן יֵצֶר הָרָע לְהָאָדָם, כִּי אָז יָכוֹל לַעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עִם הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע דַּיְקָא, דְּהַיְנוּ לִקַּח כָּל הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת וְהַחֲמִימוּת וּלְהַכְנִיסוֹ בְּתוֹךְ עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן בַּחֲמִימוּת וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת הַלֵּב וְכַיּוֹצֵא. וְאִם אֵין יֵצֶר הָרָע לְהָאָדָם, אֵין עֲבוֹדָתוֹ שְׁלֵמָה כְּלָל.
וְהָעִקָּר – לַעֲצֹר וּלְעַכֵּב הַחֲמִימוּת בְּעֵת הַתַּאֲווֹת, וּלְהַנִּיחוֹ בְּעֵת הַתְּפִלָּה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה, שָׁם יַנִּיחַ חֲמִימוּתוֹ וְהִתְלַהֲבוּתוֹ לְתוֹךְ הָעֲבוֹדָה כַּנַּ"ל.
וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר, נִזְדַּמֵן לוֹ לִפְעָמִים שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת, וְזֶה בָּא גַּם־כֵּן מֵחֲמִימוּת הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, רַק שֶׁהוּא אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל עַל זֶה שָׂכָר. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּכַשְׁרוּת, הוּא מַעְלָה גְּדוֹלָה כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲדַיִן יֵצֶר הָרָע כַּנַּ"ל:
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 nine.
Hashem is full of mercy, and the whole world is full of compassion.
Strengthen yourself as you are. The past is nothing; from now on, start again.
Complete teshuvah: passing the same places, and turning away.
Take the yetzer's fire and pour it into prayer.
Our own reflection: don't drown in the past. Start now, as you are.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty nine: Hashem's greatness, His mercy, and starting again.
By the measure of Hashem's greatness, even one small movement or glance that is not fitting before His honour would deserve what it deserves, Heaven forbid.
But Hashem is full of mercy, the whole world is full of compassion, and He wants the world very much. So strengthen yourself in His service with whatever you can, even as you are, and rely on His mercy, which has no measure. He will surely not abandon you, whatever happened.
The past is nothing. The main thing is from now on: don't do it again, at least hold back, in action and in thought. And what happens to you by itself, don't worry about it and don't look at it at all.
Complete teshuvah is when you pass through the very same places and situations you were in before, and now you turn your back on them and overcome your inclination. Only that is called teshuvah.
And it is a great level to still have a yetzer hara. Then you can serve Hashem with it: take all its fire and warmth and bring it into prayer, pleading with a burning heart. Without a yetzer hara, the service is not complete.
The main thing is to hold back the heat at the time of desire, and release it at the time of prayer. Even someone not upright sometimes prays with fire, from that same heat, but he gets no reward. For one who wants to live properly, still having a yetzer hara is a great level.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Don't drown in the past; Hashem's mercy is bigger. Start now, as you are. And the fire you struggle with can become the fire of your prayer.
Full shiur
— Part 1: The Past Is Gone: Mercy, Teshuvah and the Yetzer's Fire —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty nine. A shiur in one part: Hashem's greatness and mercy, complete teshuvah, and the fire of the yetzer hara.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty nine. 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.
According to the greatness of Hashem and His exaltedness, for one slight movement, one mere glance, that is not fitting for His honour, a person would deserve what he deserves, Heaven forbid, Heaven forbid;
but Hashem is full of mercy, the whole world is full of compassion, and He wants the world very much. So one must strengthen himself greatly in His service, in whatever he can, even as he is, and rely on His very great mercy without measure, for He will surely not leave him, even if he did what he did. The past is nothing.
The main thing is: from now on, not to do it again, and at least to sit and not do, in thought and in deed. For the thought of such people is also an action, since in the world of action there is thought too; one must sit and not do in deed and in thought. And what happens to him by itself, let him not worry and not look at it at all.
Our explanation. The past is nothing, he-avar ayin, does not mean pretending nothing happened. It means the past has no power to stop you now. Hashem's mercy has no measure; start again from this moment.
Section two. And know that the main complete teshuvah is when a person passes through the very places he was in before his teshuvah, each according to what he went through in earlier days; when he passes those very places and situations, and now turns his back on them and forces his inclination not to do again what he did: that is the main complete teshuvah, and only this is called teshuvah.
Section three. And it is a great level when a person still has a yetzer hara, for then he can serve Him with the yetzer hara itself: take all the fire and warmth and bring it into the service of Hashem, to pray and plead with warmth and fire of the heart, and the like. If a person has no yetzer hara, his service is not complete at all.
The main thing is to stop and hold back the warmth at the time of desires, and to set it down at the time of prayer and service: there let him put his warmth and fire, into the service.
Even one who is not an upright man sometimes happens to pray with fire, and this too comes from the warmth of his yetzer hara, only he receives no reward for it. But for one who wants to conduct himself properly, it is a great level when he still has a yetzer hara.
Our explanation, step by step. Hold back the heat at the moment of desire. Set it down at the time of prayer. And the same fire that pulled you away now burns for Hashem.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Don't drown in the past; Hashem's mercy is bigger. Start now, as you are. And the fire you struggle with can become the fire of your prayer.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah forty nine.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 49, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.49
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 — The Past Is Gone: Mercy, Teshuvah and the Yetzer's Fire
Scene 3 · LM II:49 §1 · paragraph §1.1
לְפִי גַּדְּלוּת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְעֹצֶם רוֹמְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, בִּתְנוּעָה קַלָּה בְּעָלְמָא וּבְהִסְתַּכְּלוּת בְּעָלְמָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ כָּרָאוּי לְפִי כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, הָיָה רָאוּי לָבוֹא עַל הָאָדָם מַה שֶׁרָאוּי, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם;
EN (our paraphrase): According to the greatness of Hashem and His exaltedness, for one slight movement, one mere glance, that is not fitting for His honour, a person would deserve what he deserves, Heaven forbid, Heaven forbid;
Scene 4 · LM II:49 §1 · paragraph §1.2
אַךְ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְכָל הָעוֹלָם מָלֵא רַחֲמָנוּת, וְהוּא רוֹצֶה מְאֹד בְּהָעוֹלָם. עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְחַזֵּק עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ בְכָל מַה שֶּׁיּוּכַל, אַף אִם הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא. וְיִסְמֹךְ עַל רַחֲמָיו הַמְרֻבִּים מְאֹד בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי לֹא יַעֲזֹב אוֹתוֹ, אַף אִם עָבַר מַה שֶּׁעָבַר. הֶעָבָר אַיִן,
EN (our paraphrase): but Hashem is full of mercy, the whole world is full of compassion, and He wants the world very much. So one must strengthen himself greatly in His service, in whatever he can, even as he is, and rely on His very great mercy without measure, for He will surely not leave him, even if he did what he did. The past is nothing.
Scene 5 · LM II:49 §1 · paragraph §1.2
מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה עוֹד, וְיִהְיֶה שֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה עַל־כָּל־פָּנִים, הֵן בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וְהֵן בְּמַעֲשֶׂה. כִּי גַּם הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה שֶׁל אֲנָשִׁים כָּאֵלּוּ הִיא גַם־כֵּן עֲשִׂיָּה, כִּי גַּם בָּעוֹלָם הָעֲשִׂיָּה יֵשׁ מַחֲשָׁבָה, וְצָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת שֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה בְּמַעֲשֶׂה וּבְמַחֲשָׁבָה כַּנַּ"ל. וּמָה שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה עִמּוֹ מִמֵּילָא, אַל יָחוּשׁ וְאַל יִסְתַּכֵּל עַל זֶה כְּלָל:
EN (our paraphrase): The main thing is: from now on, not to do it again, and at least to sit and not do, in thought and in deed. For the thought of such people is also an action, since in the world of action there is thought too; one must sit and not do in deed and in thought. And what happens to him by itself, let him not worry and not look at it at all.
Scene 7 · LM II:49 §2 · paragraph §2.1
וְדַע, שֶׁעִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה הִיא, כְּשֶׁאָדָם עוֹבֵר בְּאֵלּוּ הַמְּקוֹמוֹת מַמָּשׁ שֶׁהָיָה מִקֹּדֶם הַתְּשׁוּבָה, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי מַה שֶּׁעָבַר עָלָיו בַּיָּמִים הַקּוֹדְמִים, וּכְשֶׁעוֹבֵר בְּאֵלּוּ הַמְּקוֹמוֹת וְהָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁהָיָה מִתְּחִלָּה מַמָּשׁ, וְעַכְשָׁו פּוֹנֶה עֹרֶף מֵהֶם, וְכוֹפֶה יִצְרוֹ לִבְלִי לַעֲשׂוֹת עוֹד מַה שֶּׁעָשָׂה – זֶהוּ עִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה, וְרַק זֶה נִקְרָא תְּשׁוּבָה:
EN (our paraphrase): And know that the main complete teshuvah is when a person passes through the very places he was in before his teshuvah, each according to what he went through in earlier days; when he passes those very places and situations, and now turns his back on them and forces his inclination not to do again what he did: that is the main complete teshuvah, and only this is called teshuvah.
Scene 8 · LM II:49 §3 · paragraph §3.1
וְהוּא מַעְלָה גְּדוֹלָה, כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲדַיִן יֵצֶר הָרָע לְהָאָדָם, כִּי אָז יָכוֹל לַעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ עִם הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע דַּיְקָא, דְּהַיְנוּ לִקַּח כָּל הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת וְהַחֲמִימוּת וּלְהַכְנִיסוֹ בְּתוֹךְ עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן בַּחֲמִימוּת וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת הַלֵּב וְכַיּוֹצֵא. וְאִם אֵין יֵצֶר הָרָע לְהָאָדָם, אֵין עֲבוֹדָתוֹ שְׁלֵמָה כְּלָל.
EN (our paraphrase): And it is a great level when a person still has a yetzer hara, for then he can serve Him with the yetzer hara itself: take all the fire and warmth and bring it into the service of Hashem, to pray and plead with warmth and fire of the heart, and the like. If a person has no yetzer hara, his service is not complete at all.
Scene 9 · LM II:49 §3 · paragraph §3.2
וְהָעִקָּר – לַעֲצֹר וּלְעַכֵּב הַחֲמִימוּת בְּעֵת הַתַּאֲווֹת, וּלְהַנִּיחוֹ בְּעֵת הַתְּפִלָּה וְהָעֲבוֹדָה, שָׁם יַנִּיחַ חֲמִימוּתוֹ וְהִתְלַהֲבוּתוֹ לְתוֹךְ הָעֲבוֹדָה כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): The main thing is to stop and hold back the warmth at the time of desires, and to set it down at the time of prayer and service: there let him put his warmth and fire, into the service.
Scene 10 · LM II:49 §3 · paragraph §3.3
וַאֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ אִישׁ כָּשֵׁר, נִזְדַּמֵן לוֹ לִפְעָמִים שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת, וְזֶה בָּא גַּם־כֵּן מֵחֲמִימוּת הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ, רַק שֶׁהוּא אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל עַל זֶה שָׂכָר. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְהִתְנַהֵג בְּכַשְׁרוּת, הוּא מַעְלָה גְּדוֹלָה כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֲדַיִן יֵצֶר הָרָע כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): Even one who is not an upright man sometimes happens to pray with fire, and this too comes from the warmth of his yetzer hara, only he receives no reward for it. But for one who wants to conduct himself properly, it is a great level when he still has a yetzer hara.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: בִּתְנוּעָה קַלָּה בְּעָלְמָא
Scene 3 · §1.2: אַךְ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְכָל הָעוֹלָם מָלֵא רַחֲמָנוּת,
Scene 4 · §1.2: הֶעָבָר אַיִן, וְהָעִקָּר – מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא
Scene 5 · §2.1: זֶהוּ עִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה,
Scene 6 · §3.1: לִקַּח כָּל הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת וְהַחֲמִימוּת
Scene 7 · §3.2: לַעֲצֹר וּלְעַכֵּב הַחֲמִימוּת בְּעֵת הַתַּאֲווֹת,
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: אַךְ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, וְכָל הָעוֹלָם מָלֵא רַחֲמָנוּת,
Scene 3 · §1.2: הֶעָבָר אַיִן, וְהָעִקָּר – מִכָּאן וּלְהַבָּא
Scene 4 · §2.1: זֶהוּ עִקָּר הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַשְּׁלֵמָה,
Scene 5 · §3.1: לִקַּח כָּל הַהִתְלַהֲבוּת וְהַחֲמִימוּת וּלְהַכְנִיסוֹ בְּתוֹךְ עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם,