אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל .
The Journeys That Bring Compassion
The Midrash teaches that the journeys of Israel atone for the sin of the golden calf, the blemish of idolatry; and any weakening of faith is a touch of that blemish. Where idolatry is atoned, anger is sweetened and compassion flows. The truest compassion is when Hashem puts the compassion into our own hands, in a form we can understand: simply to be healed. Yisrael is the initials of Kel Shakai yiten lachem rachamim.
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1-minute recap
Explainer
Full shiur
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (במדבר ל״ג:א׳).
אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁמַּסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהַיְנוּ הַנְּסִיעוֹת שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹסְעִין מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, הֵם מְכַפְּרִין עַל אֵלֶּה אֱלֹקֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיְנוּ עַל פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה.
כִּי אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁאֵין עוֹבְדִין עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, יֵשׁ פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, כִּי קִלְקוּל הָאֱמוּנָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן בְּחִינַת עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא (בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב) עַל פָּסוּק (דברים י״א:ט״ז): וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁתֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁסָּרִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא בְּחִינַת עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַנְּסִיעוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתְכַּפֵּר.
וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם (ספרי פ' ראה והובא בפירש"י שם). נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְתָּק הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, וְנִמְשָׁךְ רַחֲמָנוּת.
וְעִקָּר רַחֲמָנוּת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית מ״ג:י״ד): וְקֵ-ל שַׁ-דַּ-י יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים – לָכֶם דַּיְקָא. הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִתֵּן לָנוּ הָרַחֲמָנוּת, שֶׁיִּמְסֹר אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת בְּיָדֵינוּ. כִּי אֶצְלוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת, שֶׁגַּם הַחוֹלַאַת הַקָּשָׁה וְכָל הַיִּסּוּרִין הֵם הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עוֹשֶׂה לְהָאָדָם, אֲפִלּוּ יִסּוּרִין קָשִׁים, הַכֹּל הוּא רַק רַחֲמָנוּת,
אֲבָל אָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים, שֶׁיִּתֵּן וְיִמְסֹר בְּיָדֵינוּ אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת, כִּי אֵין אָנוּ מְבִינִים הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, וְגַם אֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל אוֹתוֹ הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ הַנַּ"ל, רַק שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִתֵּן בְּיָדֵינוּ אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת, שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ בְּעַצְמֵנוּ נְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, וְאֶצְלֵנוּ הָרַחֲמָנוּת בִּפְשִׁיטוּת, לְהִתְרַפֵּא מִן הַחֹלִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה.
וְזֶהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל – רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת: קֵ-ל שַׁ-דַּ-י יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים, כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הָרַחֲמָנוּת נַעֲשָׂה עַל־יְדֵי מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל 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 sixty two: the Journeys That Bring Compassion.
The journeys of Israel, from place to place, atone for the blemish of idolatry, Rebbe Nachman says.
Even a weakening of faith is a touch of that blemish. When it is atoned, anger is sweetened and compassion flows.
And we ask Hashem to put the compassion in our own hands, the plain kind we understand: to be healed.
Our own reflection: every journey can repair a little faith.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah sixty two. A short teaching on the journeys of Israel.
'These are the journeys of the children of Israel.' The Midrash says these journeys, the travels of Jews from place to place, atone for the golden calf, that is, for the blemish of idolatry.
Even without serving idols, the blemish can be there. A weakening of faith is itself a kind of idolatry: as soon as a person turns away from Hashem, it is already that.
As long as idolatry is in the world, there is anger in the world. So when its blemish is atoned, the anger is sweetened, and compassion is drawn down.
The main compassion is 'and Kel Shakai will give you compassion', you, precisely. With Hashem, even a hard illness may truly be compassion; all He does is only compassion.
But we cannot understand His compassion, or receive it in that form. So we ask that He place it in our hands, so that we may have compassion on ourselves, plainly: to be healed of illness.
And the name Yisrael is the initials of Kel Shakai yiten lachem rachamim, for the compassion comes through the journeys of Israel.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Every trip, every move from place to place, can repair a little of our faith. And we may ask Hashem openly for compassion in a form we can understand and receive.
Full shiur
— Part 1: The Journeys That Bring Compassion —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah sixty two. A short shiur in one part: the Journeys That Bring Compassion.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah sixty two. 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.
'These are the journeys of the children of Israel.'
It is brought in the Midrash that the journeys of the children of Israel, that is, the travels which Jews travel from place to place, atone for the golden calf, when they said 'these are your powers, Israel'; that is, for the blemish of idolatry.
For even when one does not serve idols, there is the blemish of idolatry; for damaged faith is also a form of idolatry, as is brought on the verse 'and you turn aside and serve other powers': the moment one turns aside from Hashem, blessed be He, it is a form of idolatry. And through the journeys of Israel it is atoned.
And as long as there is idolatry in the world, there is burning anger in the world. So when the blemish of idolatry is atoned, the anger is sweetened, and compassion is drawn down.
And the main compassion is in the sense of 'and Kel Shakai will give you compassion', to you, precisely: that Hashem should give us the compassion, placing it in our hands. For with Him it can be that even a hard illness and all sufferings are His compassion; surely everything Hashem does to a person, even hard sufferings, is all only compassion.
But we ask that He give and place the compassion in our hands, for we do not understand His compassion, nor can we receive that compassion of His; only that Hashem put the compassion in our hands, that we ourselves have compassion on ourselves. And with us, compassion is simple: to be healed of illness, and the like.
Our explanation. From Hashem's side, even suffering may be compassion. But we cannot grasp or bear that kind. So we ask Him to put the compassion in our hands, the plain kind we understand: health, and healing.
And this is Yisrael, the initials of Kel Shakai yiten lachem rachamim, as above; for the compassion comes about through the journeys of the children of Israel.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Every trip, every move from place to place, can repair a little of our faith. And we may ask Hashem openly for compassion in a form we can understand and receive.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah sixty two.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 62, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.62
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 7: Bereishis 43:14.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — The Journeys That Bring Compassion
Scene 3 · Bamidbar 33:1 · paragraph §1.1
אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
EN (our paraphrase): 'These are the journeys of the children of Israel.'
Scene 4 · LM II:62 §1 · paragraph §1.2
אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁמַּסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּהַיְנוּ הַנְּסִיעוֹת שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹסְעִין מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, הֵם מְכַפְּרִין עַל אֵלֶּה אֱלֹקֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיְנוּ עַל פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה.
EN (our paraphrase): It is brought in the Midrash that the journeys of the children of Israel, that is, the travels which Jews travel from place to place, atone for the golden calf, when they said 'these are your powers, Israel'; that is, for the blemish of idolatry.
Scene 5 · LM II:62 §1 · paragraph §1.3
כִּי אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁאֵין עוֹבְדִין עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, יֵשׁ פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, כִּי קִלְקוּל הָאֱמוּנָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן בְּחִינַת עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמּוּבָא עַל פָּסוּק: וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁתֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁסָּרִים מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הוּא בְּחִינַת עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַנְּסִיעוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל נִתְכַּפֵּר.
EN (our paraphrase): For even when one does not serve idols, there is the blemish of idolatry; for damaged faith is also a form of idolatry, as is brought on the verse 'and you turn aside and serve other powers': the moment one turns aside from Hashem, blessed be He, it is a form of idolatry. And through the journeys of Israel it is atoned.
Scene 6 · LM II:62 §1 · paragraph §1.4
וְכָל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה בָּעוֹלָם, חֲרוֹן־אַף בָּעוֹלָם. נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְתָּק הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, וְנִמְשָׁךְ רַחֲמָנוּת.
EN (our paraphrase): And as long as there is idolatry in the world, there is burning anger in the world. So when the blemish of idolatry is atoned, the anger is sweetened, and compassion is drawn down.
Scene 7 · LM II:62 §1 · paragraph §1.5
וְעִקָּר רַחֲמָנוּת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת: וְקֵ-ל שַׁ-דַּי יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים – לָכֶם דַּיְקָא. הַיְנוּ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִתֵּן לָנוּ הָרַחֲמָנוּת, שֶׁיִּמְסֹר אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת בְּיָדֵינוּ. כִּי אֶצְלוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת, שֶׁגַּם הַחוֹלַאַת הַקָּשָׁה וְכָל הַיִּסּוּרִין הֵם הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עוֹשֶׂה לְהָאָדָם, אֲפִלּוּ יִסּוּרִין קָשִׁים, הַכֹּל הוּא רַק רַחֲמָנוּת,
EN (our paraphrase): And the main compassion is in the sense of 'and Kel Shakai will give you compassion', to you, precisely: that Hashem should give us the compassion, placing it in our hands. For with Him it can be that even a hard illness and all sufferings are His compassion; surely everything Hashem does to a person, even hard sufferings, is all only compassion.
Scene 8 · LM II:62 §1 · paragraph §1.6
אֲבָל אָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים, שֶׁיִּתֵּן וְיִמְסֹר בְּיָדֵינוּ אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת, כִּי אֵין אָנוּ מְבִינִים הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ, וְגַם אֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל אוֹתוֹ הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁלּוֹ הַנַּ"ל, רַק שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִתֵּן בְּיָדֵינוּ אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת, שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ בְּעַצְמֵנוּ נְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, וְאֶצְלֵנוּ הָרַחֲמָנוּת בִּפְשִׁיטוּת, לְהִתְרַפֵּא מִן הַחֹלִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה.
EN (our paraphrase): But we ask that He give and place the compassion in our hands, for we do not understand His compassion, nor can we receive that compassion of His; only that Hashem put the compassion in our hands, that we ourselves have compassion on ourselves. And with us, compassion is simple: to be healed of illness, and the like.
Scene 10 · LM II:62 §1 · paragraph §1.7
וְזֶהוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל – רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת: קֵל שַׁ-דַּי יִתֵּן לָכֶם רַחֲמִים, כַּנַּ"ל, כִּי הָרַחֲמָנוּת נַעֲשָׂה עַל־יְדֵי מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּנַּ"ל:
EN (our paraphrase): And this is Yisrael, the initials of Kel Shakai yiten lachem rachamim, as above; for the compassion comes about through the journeys of the children of Israel.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.2: הֵם מְכַפְּרִין עַל אֵלֶּה אֱלֹקֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיְנוּ עַל פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה.
Scene 3 · §1.3: כִּי קִלְקוּל הָאֱמוּנָה הִיא גַם־כֵּן בְּחִינַת עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה,
Scene 4 · §1.4: נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְתָּק הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, וְנִמְשָׁךְ רַחֲמָנוּת.
Scene 5 · §1.5: כִּי בְּוַדַּאי כָּל מַה שֶּׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ עוֹשֶׂה לְהָאָדָם, אֲפִלּוּ יִסּוּרִין קָשִׁים, הַכֹּל הוּא רַק רַחֲמָנוּת,
Scene 6 · §1.6: שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ בְּעַצְמֵנוּ נְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ, וְאֶצְלֵנוּ הָרַחֲמָנוּת בִּפְשִׁיטוּת, לְהִתְרַפֵּא מִן הַחֹלִי
Scene 7 · §1.7: כִּי הָרַחֲמָנוּת נַעֲשָׂה עַל־יְדֵי מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: הֵם מְכַפְּרִין עַל אֵלֶּה אֱלֹקֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַיְנוּ עַל פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה.
Scene 3 · §1.4: נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁנִּתְכַּפֵּר פְּגַם עֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְתָּק הַחֲרוֹן־אַף, וְנִמְשָׁךְ רַחֲמָנוּת.
Scene 4 · §1.6: אֲבָל אָנוּ מְבַקְּשִׁים, שֶׁיִּתֵּן וְיִמְסֹר בְּיָדֵינוּ אֶת הָרַחֲמָנוּת,