יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים, שֶׁכְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה, מֵחֲמַת
The Greater the Tzaddik, the Closer He Sees
Some say a very great tzaddik is too far above the world to notice ordinary people. The truth is the opposite: the greater the tzaddik, the more he can watch over the world. Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, far greater than tzaddikim today, knew the world so well he feared tricksters would learn from his Torah; Hashem is exalted above all, yet watches over every detail. One who is 'something' can be in only one place; one who is 'nothing' is everywhere, so the more a tzaddik is included in nothingness, the more he sees.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים, שֶׁכְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה, מֵחֲמַת גְּדֻלָּתוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל בְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם, כִּי הוּא רָחוֹק מֵהָעוֹלָם. וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן, כִּי אַדְּרַבָּא, כְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל יוֹתֵר עַל הָעוֹלָם.
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי הָיָה גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר הַרְבֵּה מֵהַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אָמַר: אוֹי לִי אִם אֹמַר, אוֹי לִי אִם לֹא אֹמַר (כלים פ' יז מ' טז). נִמְצָא שֶׁרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי הָיָה בָּקִי כָּל־כָּךְ בְּתוֹךְ הָעוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי־תוֹרָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמְדוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הָרַמָּאִים. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה בָּקִי מְאֹד בְּהָעוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁאַדְּרַבָּא, הָיָה מִתְיָרֵא פֶּן יִלְמְדוּ מִמֶּנּוּ רַמָּאוּת, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר, יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּעוֹלָם יוֹתֵר, כִּי הֲלֹא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא מְרוֹמָם וּמְנֻשָּׂא מְאֹד מְאֹד מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא מַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִית עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם.
כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת מִי שֶׁהוּא יֵשׁ, אֲזַי אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת בְּכָל מָקוֹם בְּבַת־אַחַת, כִּי מַה שֶּׁהוּא יֵשׁוּת, כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד כָּאן אֵינוֹ כָּאן, כְּגוֹן כְּשֶׁהוּא בְּאֵיזֶה עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּעוֹלָם. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁהוּא אַיִן, אֵין מָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁם, כִּי אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם כְּלָל.
וְעַל־כֵּן כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַצַּדִּיק נִכְלָל יוֹתֵר בָּאַיִן, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּעוֹלָם בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי אֵין שַׁיָּךְ לוֹמַר עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ וְרָחוֹק מֵהָעוֹלָם, כִּי אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם כְּלָל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא בִּדְבָרֵינוּ (בְּלִקּוּטֵי קַמָּא, סִימָן קסב) בְּשֵׁם הַמַּגִּיד, עַל הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים וְכוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם:
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 fifty eight: the greater the tzaddik, the closer he sees.
Some say a great tzaddik is too far from the world to notice it. The truth is the opposite.
One who is nothing is everywhere. The more he is nothing, the more he sees.
Our own reflection: the truly great are close to everyone.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty eight. A short teaching on how a great tzaddik sees the world.
Some people say a very great tzaddik is so far above the world that he cannot notice its people. In truth, Rebbe Nachman says, it is the opposite: the greater he is, the more he can watch over the world.
Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, far greater than the tzaddikim of today, said: woe to me if I say it, woe to me if I don't. He knew the world so well, he feared that tricksters would learn tricks from his Torah. And Hashem, exalted above everything, watches over every detail.
One who is something, yesh, can only be in one place. One who is nothing, ayin, is everywhere, for he has no place at all. So the more the tzaddik is included in nothingness, the more he sees.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Don't think you are too small for the tzaddik or for Hashem to notice. The greater one is, the closer he sees.
Full shiur
— Part 1: The Greater the Tzaddik, the Closer He Sees —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty eight. A short shiur in one part: the great tzaddik, nothingness, and seeing the world.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty eight. 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.
There are people who say that when the tzaddik is great in level, because of his greatness he cannot watch over and look at the people of the world, for he is far from the world. In truth it is not so; on the contrary, when the tzaddik is very great, he can watch over and look at the world more.
As we find with Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was surely very, very great, much more than the tzaddikim of this time; and even so he said: woe to me if I say it, woe to me if I do not say it.
So Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was so expert in the world that he was afraid to say words of Torah, lest the tricksters learn from him. For truly, the greater the tzaddik, the more he can watch over the world; for Hashem is very, very exalted above the world, and even so He watches over the whole world with individual providence.
For truly one who is something cannot be everywhere at once: being something, when he stands here, he is not there; for example, when he is in some service of Hashem, he cannot look at the world. But one who is nothing, there is no place where he is not, for he has no place at all.
So the more the tzaddik is included in nothingness, the more he can watch over and look at the world; for one cannot say of him that he is in a high place far from the world, since he has no place at all. As is brought in our words in the name of the Maggid, on 'one who wants to become wise should face south', see there.
Our explanation. Yesh is being something, with a place, here and not there. Ayin is being nullified before Hashem, with no place at all. The tzaddik who becomes ayin is present everywhere, and so he sees everyone.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Don't think you are too small for the tzaddik or for Hashem to notice. The greater one is, the closer he sees.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah fifty eight.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 58, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.58
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 Greater the Tzaddik, the Closer He Sees
Scene 3 · LM II:58 §1 · paragraph §1.1
יֵשׁ בְּנֵי־אָדָם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים, שֶׁכְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה, מֵחֲמַת גְּדֻלָּתוֹ אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל בְּנֵי הָעוֹלָם, כִּי הוּא רָחוֹק מֵהָעוֹלָם. וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן, כִּי אַדְּרַבָּא, כְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל יוֹתֵר עַל הָעוֹלָם.
EN (our paraphrase): There are people who say that when the tzaddik is great in level, because of his greatness he cannot watch over and look at the people of the world, for he is far from the world. In truth it is not so; on the contrary, when the tzaddik is very great, he can watch over and look at the world more.
Scene 4 · LM II:58 §1, on Keilim 17:16 · paragraph §1.2
וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי הָיָה גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר הַרְבֵּה מֵהַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אָמַר: אוֹי לִי אִם אֹמַר, אוֹי לִי אִם לֹא אֹמַר.
EN (our paraphrase): As we find with Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was surely very, very great, much more than the tzaddikim of this time; and even so he said: woe to me if I say it, woe to me if I do not say it.
Scene 5 · LM II:58 §1 · paragraph §1.2
נִמְצָא שֶׁרַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי הָיָה בָּקִי כָּל־כָּךְ בְּתוֹךְ הָעוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא לוֹמַר דִּבְרֵי־תוֹרָה, שֶׁלֹּא יִלְמְדוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הָרַמָּאִים. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה בָּקִי מְאֹד בְּהָעוֹלָם, עַד שֶׁאַדְּרַבָּא, הָיָה מִתְיָרֵא פֶּן יִלְמְדוּ מִמֶּנּוּ רַמָּאוּת, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר, יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּעוֹלָם יוֹתֵר, כִּי הֲלֹא הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא מְרוֹמָם וּמְנֻשָּׂא מְאֹד מְאֹד מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא מַשְׁגִּיחַ בְּהַשְׁגָּחָה פְּרָטִית עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם.
EN (our paraphrase): So Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai was so expert in the world that he was afraid to say words of Torah, lest the tricksters learn from him. For truly, the greater the tzaddik, the more he can watch over the world; for Hashem is very, very exalted above the world, and even so He watches over the whole world with individual providence.
Scene 6 · LM II:58 §1 · paragraph §1.3
כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת מִי שֶׁהוּא יֵשׁ, אֲזַי אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת בְּכָל מָקוֹם בְּבַת־אַחַת, כִּי מַה שֶּׁהוּא יֵשׁוּת, כְּשֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד כָּאן אֵינוֹ כָּאן, כְּגוֹן כְּשֶׁהוּא בְּאֵיזֶה עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּעוֹלָם. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁהוּא אַיִן, אֵין מָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁם, כִּי אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם כְּלָל.
EN (our paraphrase): For truly one who is something cannot be everywhere at once: being something, when he stands here, he is not there; for example, when he is in some service of Hashem, he cannot look at the world. But one who is nothing, there is no place where he is not, for he has no place at all.
Scene 7 · LM II:58 §1, on Likutei Moharan I, 162 · paragraph §1.4
וְעַל־כֵּן כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַצַּדִּיק נִכְלָל יוֹתֵר בָּאַיִן, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל בָּעוֹלָם בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי אֵין שַׁיָּךְ לוֹמַר עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ וְרָחוֹק מֵהָעוֹלָם, כִּי אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם כְּלָל, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא בִּדְבָרֵינוּ בְּשֵׁם הַמַּגִּיד, עַל הָרוֹצֶה לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים וְכוּ', עַיֵּן שָׁם:
EN (our paraphrase): So the more the tzaddik is included in nothingness, the more he can watch over and look at the world; for one cannot say of him that he is in a high place far from the world, since he has no place at all. As is brought in our words in the name of the Maggid, on 'one who wants to become wise should face south', see there.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן, כִּי אַדְּרַבָּא, כְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, הוּא יָכוֹל לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ וּלְהִסְתַּכֵּל יוֹתֵר עַל הָעוֹלָם.
Scene 3 · §1.2: אוֹי לִי אִם אֹמַר,
Scene 4 · §1.3: אֲבָל מִי שֶׁהוּא אַיִן, אֵין מָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁם,
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵינוֹ כֵן,
Scene 3 · §1.3: אֲבָל מִי שֶׁהוּא אַיִן, אֵין מָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה שָׁם,