כְּשֶׁאָדָם מְשַׂמֵּחַ עַצְמוֹ בְּשִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה, וְהַשִּׂמְחָה
Joy That Reaches the Feet
When the joy of a mitzvah is so great that it reaches the feet and a person dances, the 'feet', the lower levels, are lifted up to the heart. Rebbe Nachman lists everything called a 'foot': those who support Torah, speech, money, the lower levels, a wife, a son, and faith; all of them rise through joy in Torah and mitzvos.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
כְּשֶׁאָדָם מְשַׂמֵּחַ עַצְמוֹ בְּשִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה, וְהַשִּׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל־כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁנּוֹגַעַת עַד רַגְלָיו, הַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּרַקֵּד מֵחֲמַת שִׂמְחָה, זֶה הַבְּחִינָה נִקְרָא: וְנָבִיא לְבַב חָכְמָה (תהילים צ׳:י״ב). הָרַגְלַיִם הֵם נֶצַח וָהוֹד, בְּחִינַת נְבִיאִים, נִתְעַלִּים לִבְחִינַת לֵב עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב, כִּי הַשִּׂמְחָה מַעֲלָה אוֹתָם. וְזֶהוּ הָרִקּוּד שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה רַגְלָיו בְּכָל פַּעַם.
וּכְשֶׁלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה אוֹ שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה בְּכָל־כָּךְ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁהַשִּׂמְחָה נוֹגַעַת עַד רַגְלָיו, וּמַעֲלֶה אֶת רַגְלָיו לְמַעְלָה – בָּזֶה נִתְעַלִּים כָּל תּוֹמְכֵי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים סָמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ (ישעיהו מ״א:ב׳): צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה נִקְרָאִים צֶדֶק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (חולין פט): צֶדֶק תְּדַבֵּרוּן וְכוּ', וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים קי״ט:קע״ב): כִּי כָל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ צֶדֶק.
גַּם הַדִּבּוּר הָרַע נִקְרָא רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם טו): לֹא רָגַל עַל לְשׁוֹנוֹ, גַּם הוּא נִתְעַלֶּה.
גַּם אָדָם נִתְעַלֶּה בְּמָמוֹן, הַנִּקְרָא רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דברים י״א:ו׳): וְאֶת הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם.
גַּם כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת הַמְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם רַגְלַיִם, נִתְעַלִּים עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ, שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה הֵם קוֹרְאִים לְמַעְלָה אֶת אֵלּוּ הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ב י): מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים, יְשַׂמַּח אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ בִּדְבַר מִצְוָה. כִּי אִשָּׁה נִקְרֵאת רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שמואל־א ב): רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמֹר. נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה הוּא מַעֲלֶה וּמְקַשֵּׁר אוֹתָהּ לִבְחִינַת צֶדֶק, הַנִּקְרָא הֵא, וְשָׁם עִקָּר הַזֶּרַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית מז): הֵא לָכֶם זֶרַע.
גַּם בְּרָא כַּרְעָא דַּאֲבוּהָ (עירובין ע:).
גַּם אֱמוּנָה נִקְרֵאת רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מכות כד): בָּא חֲבַקּוּק וְהֶעֱמִידָן עַל אַחַת וְכוּ'.
[וְכֵן] כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּקְרָאִים רֶגֶל נִתְעַלִּים:
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 eighty one.
When the joy of a mitzvah is so great that it reaches all the way down to your feet, and you dance, the feet are lifted up to the heart.
Learning Torah or doing a mitzvah with that much joy raises up all who support the Torah.
Speech, money, and every lower level are all called a foot, and they all rise with the joy of Torah and mitzvos.
Even faith is called a foot. Joy in a mitzvah lifts everything that stands low.
Our own reflection: let the joy of a mitzvah go all the way down, until even your feet dance.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty one: when a person rejoices in a mitzvah. A short Torah about joy that reaches the feet, and everything it lifts.
Rebbe Nachman begins: sometimes the joy of a mitzvah is so great that it reaches down to a person's feet, and he dances for joy. He reads the verse v'navi levav chochmah in a new way: navi, a prophet, comes to the heart.
The feet are Netzach and Hod, the level of the prophets. Through the joy in the heart they are lifted up to the heart. That is the dance: each time, he lifts his feet.
When someone learns Torah or does a mitzvah with such joy, all those who support the Torah are raised. That is the verse, tzedek yikra'ehu l'raglo: tzedek, righteousness, the Torah and the mitzvos, calls to his feet.
And many things are called a foot. Speech, as in the verse lo ragal al leshono. Money, the wealth at their feet. Every lower level. Through the joy of Torah and mitzvos, all of them are called up and rise.
Even the Sages' advice for one without children belongs here: let him bring his wife joy through a mitzvah. A wife is also called a foot, and through that joy she is bound to tzedek, the source of blessing for children.
A son, too, is called his father's foot. And faith is called a foot: the prophet Chavakuk stood all the mitzvos on one, on faith. Everything called a foot is lifted up by joy.
Our own reflection: when you have a mitzvah in your hands, let the joy go all the way down. What stands lowest in you can rise the highest.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Joy That Reaches the Feet —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty one: when a person rejoices in a mitzvah. A shiur in one part: joy that reaches the feet, and everything called a foot that rises with it.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty one. 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.
Rebbe Nachman begins: When a person gladdens himself with the joy of a mitzvah, and the joy is so great that it reaches his feet, that is, he dances out of joy, this is called: v'navi levav chochmah, a prophet comes to a heart of wisdom. The feet are Netzach and Hod, the level of prophets; they rise to the level of the heart through the joy in the heart, for joy lifts them. That is the dance: each time he lifts his feet.
Our explanation. In the psalm, v'navi levav chochmah means that we may bring home a heart of wisdom. Rebbe Nachman reads the word navi as prophet. In Kabbalah, Netzach and Hod are called the legs, and they are the source of prophecy. When joy fills the heart until the feet dance, the feet are drawn up to the heart: navi comes to levav.
He continues: And when he learns Torah or does a mitzvah with so much joy that the joy reaches his feet and lifts them up, through this all who support the Torah are raised, those called the pillars of truth. This is the meaning of: tzedek yikra'ehu l'raglo, righteousness calls him to his feet. For Torah and mitzvos are called tzedek, as the Sages expounded: speak tzedek; and as it is written: for all Your mitzvos are tzedek.
Our explanation. The verse says tzedek yikra'ehu l'raglo. Rebbe Nachman reads it this way: tzedek, the Torah and the mitzvos, calls out to the feet, the lowest places, and summons them upward. The supporters of Torah are like its legs, and they are raised when Torah is learned with joy.
Then a list of things called a foot. Bad speech, too, is called a foot, as it is written: lo ragal al leshono, he did not go about with slander on his tongue. It too is raised.
A person is also raised in his money, which is called a foot, as it is written: and all the wealth that was at their feet.
And all the lower levels, which are called by the name feet, are raised through the joy of Torah and mitzvos, as it is written: tzedek yikra'ehu l'raglo. The Torah and the mitzvos call these lower levels upward.
Next, a teaching of the Sages: This is what the Sages said: one who has no children should bring joy to his wife through a mitzvah. For a wife is called a foot, as it is written: He guards the feet of His devoted ones. So through the joy he lifts her and binds her to the level of tzedek, which is called heh; and that is the root of offspring, as it is written: heh lachem zera, here is seed for you.
Our explanation. In Kabbalah, tzedek is linked with the letter heh. Through the joy of a mitzvah shared in the home, a husband lifts the whole home to that level of tzedek, and from there, the Rebbe says, comes the blessing of children: heh lachem zera.
Also: a son is his father's foot.
Faith, too, is called a foot, as the Sages said: Chavakuk came and stood them all on one, and so on.
Our explanation. The Gemara says that Chavakuk stood all six hundred and thirteen mitzvos on one principle: the righteous shall live by his faith. To stand something on one is the language of a foot. Faith is what a person stands on, and it too is lifted by joy.
He closes: And so, everything that is called a foot is raised.
Our explanation, step by step. Speech and money, the low and worldly parts of life, are lifted. The home and the children are lifted. And faith itself is lifted. All of it through joy in Torah and mitzvos.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Do a mitzvah with joy, all the way down. Let even your feet feel it. What stands lowest in your life can rise the highest.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty one.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 81, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.81
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 — Joy That Reaches the Feet
Scene 3 · LM II:81 §1, on Tehillim 90:12 · paragraph §1.1
כְּשֶׁאָדָם מְשַׂמֵּחַ עַצְמוֹ בְּשִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה, וְהַשִּׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל־כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁנּוֹגַעַת עַד רַגְלָיו, הַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּרַקֵּד מֵחֲמַת שִׂמְחָה, זֶה הַבְּחִינָה נִקְרָא: וְנָבִיא לְבַב חָכְמָה. הָרַגְלַיִם הֵם נֶצַח וָהוֹד, בְּחִינַת נְבִיאִים, נִתְעַלִּים לִבְחִינַת לֵב עַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב, כִּי הַשִּׂמְחָה מַעֲלָה אוֹתָם. וְזֶהוּ הָרִקּוּד שֶׁמַּעֲלֶה רַגְלָיו בְּכָל פַּעַם.
EN (our paraphrase): When a person gladdens himself with the joy of a mitzvah, and the joy is so great that it reaches his feet, that is, he dances out of joy, this is called: v'navi levav chochmah, a prophet comes to a heart of wisdom. The feet are Netzach and Hod, the level of prophets; they rise to the level of the heart through the joy in the heart, for joy lifts them. That is the dance: each time he lifts his feet.
Scene 5 · LM II:81 §1, on Yeshayahu 41:2, Tehillim 58:2, 119:172 · paragraph §1.2
וּכְשֶׁלּוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה אוֹ שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה מִצְוָה בְּכָל־כָּךְ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁהַשִּׂמְחָה נוֹגַעַת עַד רַגְלָיו, וּמַעֲלֶה אֶת רַגְלָיו לְמַעְלָה – בָּזֶה נִתְעַלִּים כָּל תּוֹמְכֵי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים סָמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט. וְזֶה פֵּרוּשׁ: צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ, כִּי הַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה נִקְרָאִים צֶדֶק, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: צֶדֶק תְּדַבֵּרוּן וְכוּ', וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כִּי כָל מִצְוֹתֶיךָ צֶדֶק.
EN (our paraphrase): And when he learns Torah or does a mitzvah with so much joy that the joy reaches his feet and lifts them up, through this all who support the Torah are raised, those called the pillars of truth. This is the meaning of: tzedek yikra'ehu l'raglo, righteousness calls him to his feet. For Torah and mitzvos are called tzedek, as the Sages expounded: speak tzedek; and as it is written: for all Your mitzvos are tzedek.
Scene 7 · LM II:81 §1, on Tehillim 15:3 · paragraph §1.3
גַּם הַדִּבּוּר הָרַע נִקְרָא רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: לֹא רָגַל עַל לְשׁוֹנוֹ, גַּם הוּא נִתְעַלֶּה.
EN (our paraphrase): Bad speech, too, is called a foot, as it is written: lo ragal al leshono, he did not go about with slander on his tongue. It too is raised.
Scene 8 · LM II:81 §1, on Devarim 11:6 · paragraph §1.4
גַּם אָדָם נִתְעַלֶּה בְּמָמוֹן, הַנִּקְרָא רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וְאֶת הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר בְּרַגְלֵיהֶם.
EN (our paraphrase): A person is also raised in his money, which is called a foot, as it is written: and all the wealth that was at their feet.
Scene 9 · LM II:81 §1, on Yeshayahu 41:2 · paragraph §1.5
גַּם כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת הַמְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם רַגְלַיִם, נִתְעַלִּים עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: צֶדֶק יִקְרָאֵהוּ לְרַגְלוֹ, שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה הֵם קוֹרְאִים לְמַעְלָה אֶת אֵלּוּ הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת.
EN (our paraphrase): And all the lower levels, which are called by the name feet, are raised through the joy of Torah and mitzvos, as it is written: tzedek yikra'ehu l'raglo. The Torah and the mitzvos call these lower levels upward.
Scene 10 · LM II:81 §1, on Shmuel I 2:9, Bereishis 47:23 · paragraph §1.6
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים, יְשַׂמַּח אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ בִּדְבַר מִצְוָה. כִּי אִשָּׁה נִקְרֵאת רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: רַגְלֵי חֲסִידָיו יִשְׁמֹר. נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַשִּׂמְחָה הוּא מַעֲלֶה וּמְקַשֵּׁר אוֹתָהּ לִבְחִינַת צֶדֶק, הַנִּקְרָא הֵא, וְשָׁם עִקָּר הַזֶּרַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: הֵא לָכֶם זֶרַע.
EN (our paraphrase): This is what the Sages said: one who has no children should bring joy to his wife through a mitzvah. For a wife is called a foot, as it is written: He guards the feet of His devoted ones. So through the joy he lifts her and binds her to the level of tzedek, which is called heh; and that is the root of offspring, as it is written: heh lachem zera, here is seed for you.
Scene 12 · LM II:81 §1, on Eruvin 70b · paragraph §1.7
גַּם בְּרָא כַּרְעָא דַּאֲבוּהָ.
EN (our paraphrase): Also: a son is his father's foot.
Scene 13 · LM II:81 §1, on Makkos 24a · paragraph §1.8
גַּם אֱמוּנָה נִקְרֵאת רֶגֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: בָּא חֲבַקּוּק וְהֶעֱמִידָן עַל אַחַת וְכוּ'.
EN (our paraphrase): Faith, too, is called a foot, as the Sages said: Chavakuk came and stood them all on one, and so on.
Scene 15 · LM II:81 §1 · paragraph §1.9
[וְכֵן] כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הַנִּקְרָאִים רֶגֶל נִתְעַלִּים:
EN (our paraphrase): And so, everything that is called a foot is raised.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: כְּשֶׁאָדָם מְשַׂמֵּחַ עַצְמוֹ בְּשִׂמְחָה שֶׁל מִצְוָה, וְהַשִּׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּל־כָּךְ, עַד שֶׁנּוֹגַעַת עַד רַגְלָיו,
Scene 3 · §1.1: הָרַגְלַיִם הֵם נֶצַח וָהוֹד, בְּחִינַת נְבִיאִים, נִתְעַלִּים לִבְחִינַת לֵב
Scene 4 · §1.2: בָּזֶה נִתְעַלִּים כָּל תּוֹמְכֵי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים סָמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט.
Scene 5 · §1.5: גַּם כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת הַמְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם רַגְלַיִם,
Scene 6 · §1.6: מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים, יְשַׂמַּח אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ בִּדְבַר מִצְוָה.
Scene 7 · §1.8: גַּם אֱמוּנָה נִקְרֵאת רֶגֶל,
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: שֶׁמְּרַקֵּד מֵחֲמַת שִׂמְחָה, זֶה הַבְּחִינָה נִקְרָא: וְנָבִיא לְבַב חָכְמָה.
Scene 3 · §1.2: בָּזֶה נִתְעַלִּים כָּל תּוֹמְכֵי דְּאוֹרַיְתָא, שֶׁהֵם נִקְרָאִים סָמְכֵי קְשׁוֹט.
Scene 4 · §1.5: גַּם כָּל הַמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת הַמְכֻנִּים בְּשֵׁם רַגְלַיִם, נִתְעַלִּים עַל־יְדֵי שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה וּמִצְוָה,
Scene 5 · §1.8: גַּם אֱמוּנָה נִקְרֵאת רֶגֶל,