דַּע, שֶׁכַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית
Elul: A Way Through the Sea
The kavanos of Elul are a repair for not guarding the covenant. Their secret is 'Who makes a way in the sea': to light up 'derech', the 224 lights, within the sea of faith, a way that opens in Elul. One who turned aside from that way may find it hard to find his match, or find her set against him; through the repair of Elul he finds her, and she is of one will with him. Avraham gave this secret to Eliezer: the first letters of 'if the woman will not be willing to follow you' spell Elul, with 'the woman will be willing' in the middle. Studying Likutei Moharan I:6 and serving Hashem with it is also a repair.
🎧 Listen to the full shiur
1-minute recap
Explainer
Full shiur
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
דַּע, שֶׁכַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית, כִּי סוֹד כַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ (ישעיהו מ״ג:ט״ז) (וְכַמְבֹאָר בְּכַוָּנַת הָאֲרִ"י זַ"ל [יא]) – לְהָאִיר בְּחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם, וְדֶרֶךְ זֶה נִפְתָּח בְּחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל (וְעַיֵּן שָׁם בַּכַּוָּנוֹת כָּל הַכַּוָּנוֹת שֶׁל אֱלוּל).
וְעִקָּר פְּגַם הַבְּרִית הוּא בִּבְחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, כִּי הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהָאִיר בְּחִינַת הָרכ"ד [מָאתַיִם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה] אוֹרוֹת בִּבְחִינַת יָם, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, וְהוּא נָטָה מִזֶּה, וּפָגַם בִּבְחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ, בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית ו׳:י״ב): כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ. כִּי אִשָּׁה נִקְרֵאת דֶּרֶךְ, כַּמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קידושין ב:), וְיֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ אַחֵר, בְּחִינַת (משלי ל׳:כ׳): דֶּרֶךְ אִשָּׁה מְנָאֶפֶת. וְהַכְּלָל – שֶׁעִקָּר הַפְּגָם בִּבְחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁלֹּא הֵאִיר הַדֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם.
וְלִפְעָמִים מֵחֲמַת זֶה הַפְּגָם יוּכַל לֶאַבֵּד אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁנָּטָה מִזִּוּוּגוֹ, קָשֶׁה לוֹ לִמְצֹא אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם יִמְצָא אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ, תִּהְיֶה לוֹ מְנַגֶּדֶת, וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה נוֹטָה אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנָּטָה מִמֶּנָּה וְלֹא הֵאִיר בָּהּ, מִזֶּה נִתְהַוֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ רָצוֹן אַחֵר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וְאָז: לֹא זָכָה – כְּנֶגְדּוֹ (יבמות סג) .
וְחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל שֶׁאָז יְכוֹלִין לְתַקֵּן זֶה וּלְהָאִיר הַדֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם כַּנַּ"ל, [עַל־כֵּן כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לָזֶה]. וּכְשֶׁמְּתַקֵּן זֶה, אֲזַי מוֹצֵא זִוּוּגוֹ, וְהִיא אֵינָהּ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, רַק כִּרְצוֹנוֹ.
וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה סוֹד נִפְלָא, כִּי דַּע, שֶׁזֶּה הַסּוֹד מָסַר אַבְרָהָם לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר עַבְדּוֹ, כְּשֶׁשְּׁלָחוֹ לְבַקֵּשׁ הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ, הַיְנוּ סוֹד כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל, שֶׁהֵם מְסֻגָּלִים לְתִקּוּן הַבְּרִית, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מוֹצְאִין הַזִּוּוּג. כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַתִּקּוּן הַנַּ"ל נַעֲשֶׂה בָּהּ רָצוֹן אֵלָיו, כִּי מִקֹּדֶם לֹא הָיְתָה נוֹטָה אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי נָטְתָה מִמֶּנּוּ כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְצֹא זִוּוּגוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם מוֹצְאָהּ, אֵינָהּ נוֹטָה אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ כַּנַּ"ל, אֲבָל עַל־יְדֵי כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל שֶׁהֵם הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה חָזַר וְנַעֲשָׂה בָּהּ רָצוֹן אֵלָיו כַּנַּ"ל.
וְזֶה הַסּוֹד מְבֹאָר בַּתּוֹרָה בְּפָרָשַׁת אֱלִיעֶזֶר, כִּי אַבְרָהָם מָסַר לוֹ הַסּוֹד הַזֶּה. וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר אַבְרָהָם לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר (בראשית כ"ד): וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ, רְאֵה וְהַבֵּט נִפְלְאוֹת תּוֹרָתֵנוּ, כִּי רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת פָּסוּק זֶה הֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת אֱלוּל, וּבָאֶמְצַע הֵם תֵּבוֹת: תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת אֱלוּל, הַיְנוּ סוֹד כַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשָׂה בָּהּ רָצוֹן אֵלָיו כַּנַּ"ל.
נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּאֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת בְּעַצְמָן שֶׁדִּבֵּר אַבְרָהָם עִם אֱלִיעֶזֶר מֵעִנְיַן הַחֲשָׁשׁ שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִּתְרַצֶּה לֵילֵךְ אַחֲרָיו, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמַר לוֹ: וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ – בְּאֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת עַצְמָן גִּלָּה לוֹ סוֹד הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה, דְּהַיְנוּ סוֹד אֱלוּל, הַמְרֻמָּז בְּרָאשֵׁי־הַתֵּבוֹת, שֶׁהוּא הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה.
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בָּזֶה סוֹדוֹת נוֹרָאִים מְאֹד.
גַּם עַיֵּן בַּמַּאֲמָר הַמַּתְחִיל: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה קְרָא אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (בלקו"א סי' ו), כִּי שָׁם מְדַבֵּר מִכַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל, וְהוּא תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית כַּנַּ"ל. הַיְנוּ לְעַיֵּן בְּאוֹתוֹ הַמַּאֲמָר, וְלִזְכּוֹת לְהָבִין בּוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ אֵיזֶה עֲבוֹדָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם – עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יְתַקֵּן פְּגַם הַבְּרִית:
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 seven: Elul, a way through the sea.
The kavanos of Elul are a repair for not guarding the covenant. Their secret is the verse: Who makes a way in the sea.
One who turned aside from that way may struggle to find his match. In Elul the way opens again, and through its repair he finds her, of one will with him.
Avraham gave this secret to Eliezer: the first letters of his words are the letters of Elul, and in the middle, the woman will be willing.
Our own reflection: Elul is a month when every way can be opened again.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty seven. A short teaching on the kavanos of Elul, and the repair of the covenant.
Rebbe Nachman says: the kavanos of Elul, as the Arizal teaches them, are a repair for not guarding the covenant. Their secret is the verse, Who makes a way in the sea: to light up a way, a derech, within the sea, and this way opens in the month of Elul.
Derech, a way, equals two hundred and twenty four lights, to be lit within the sea, which is faith. A blemish of the covenant is turning aside from this way, as it says: all flesh had corrupted its way.
Because of this, a person may struggle to find his match; and even if he finds her, she may be set against him, since he turned aside. In Elul this can be repaired: then he finds his match, and she is of one will with him.
Avraham passed this secret to Eliezer when he sent him to find a match for Yitzchak. In his words, if the woman will not be willing to follow you, the first letters are the letters of Elul, and in the middle stand the words: the woman will be willing.
And there is one more repair: to study Likutey Moharan, Torah six, which speaks of the kavanos of Elul, to understand it, and to do some real service of Hashem with it.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Whatever way we turned from, Elul opens a path back through the sea of faith. Study, teshuvah and faith rebuild what was damaged, and even bring blessing into the home.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Elul, a Way Through the Sea —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty seven. A shiur in one part: the kavanos of Elul, a way through the sea, and the secret Avraham gave to Eliezer.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty seven. 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.
He begins: Know: the kavanos of Elul are a repair for the blemish of the covenant. For the secret of the kavanos of Elul is 'Who makes a way in the sea', as explained in the kavanos of the Arizal: to light up the aspect of a way in the sea, and this way is opened in the month of Elul. See there in the kavanos all the kavanos of Elul.
And the main blemish of the covenant is in the aspect of this way. For he should have lit the aspect of the two hundred and twenty four lights in the aspect of the sea, the aspect of faith; but he turned aside from this and blemished the aspect of the way, as in: 'for all flesh had corrupted its way'.
For a wife is called a 'way', as brought in the words of our Sages; and there is another way, the forbidden way that Mishlei warns of. The rule is: the main blemish is in the aspect of the way, that he did not light up the way in the sea.
Our explanation of the numbers. Derech, a way, is dalet, four, reish, two hundred, and kaf, twenty: two hundred and twenty four, the lights the Arizal speaks of. A person is meant to light this way inside the sea, which is faith. Guarding the covenant keeps that way lit; turning aside darkens it.
Now he explains what this blemish can cause. And sometimes, because of this blemish, he can lose his match. Since he turned aside from his match, it is hard for him to find her; and even if he finds her, she will be set against him and will not incline to his will, because he turned away from her and did not shine into her. From this comes about that she has another will, against him. And then: if he is not worthy, she is against him.
And the month of Elul is when one can repair this and light up the way in the sea, as above; therefore the kavanos of Elul are the repair for it. And when he repairs this, then he finds his match, and she is not against him, but according to his will.
Then a wondrous secret. And there is a wondrous secret in this. Know that Avraham passed this secret to his servant Eliezer when he sent him to seek the match of his son Yitzchak: the secret of the kavanos of Elul, which are a segulah for repairing the covenant, through which one finds one's match.
For through this repair a will toward him is formed in her. Before, she did not incline to his will, since she had turned from him; so he could not find his match, and even if he found her, she did not incline to his will. But through the kavanos of Elul, which are the repair for this, a will toward him is formed in her again.
This secret is explained in the Torah in the portion of Eliezer, for Avraham passed this secret to him. That is what Avraham said to Eliezer: 'and if the woman will not be willing to follow you'. See the wonders of our Torah: the first letters of this verse are the letters of Elul, and in the middle are the words 'the woman will be willing'. For through Elul, the secret of its kavanos, the woman will be willing, since through this a will toward him is formed in her.
Our explanation. Take the outer words of the verse: ve'im and lo at the start, laleches and acharecha at the end. Their first letters, vav, lamed, lamed and aleph, are the very letters of Elul. And in the middle stand the words: the woman will be willing. Elul surrounds the willingness.
So in the very words Avraham spoke with Eliezer about his worry that she might not agree to go after him, 'and if the woman will not be willing to follow you', in these very words he revealed to him the secret of the repair: the secret of Elul, hinted in the first letters, which is the repair, through which the woman will be willing.
He adds: And there are more very awesome secrets in this.
And finally, a practical counsel. Also see the teaching that begins, 'and Hashem said to Moshe, call Yehoshua', for there it speaks of the kavanos of Elul, which are a repair for the blemish of the covenant. That is: to study that teaching, to merit to understand it, and to do some service of Hashem with it; through this he will repair the blemish of the covenant.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Whatever way a person turned from, Elul opens a way back through the sea of faith. Study, teshuvah and prayer repair what was damaged, and can bring peace and blessing into the home.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah eighty seven.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 87, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.87
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 3: Kavanos: the Arizal's mystical intentions for prayer in the month of Elul.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Elul, a Way Through the Sea
Scene 3 · LM II:87 §1, on Yeshayahu 43:16 · paragraph §1.1
דַּע, שֶׁכַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית, כִּי סוֹד כַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ – לְהָאִיר בְּחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם, וְדֶרֶךְ זֶה נִפְתָּח בְּחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל.
EN (our paraphrase): Know: the kavanos of Elul are a repair for the blemish of the covenant. For the secret of the kavanos of Elul is 'Who makes a way in the sea', as explained in the kavanos of the Arizal: to light up the aspect of a way in the sea, and this way is opened in the month of Elul. See there in the kavanos all the kavanos of Elul.
Scene 4 · LM II:87 §1, on Bereishis 6:12 · paragraph §1.2
וְעִקָּר פְּגַם הַבְּרִית הוּא בִּבְחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה, כִּי הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהָאִיר בְּחִינַת הָרכ"ד [מָאתַיִם עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה] אוֹרוֹת בִּבְחִינַת יָם, בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, וְהוּא נָטָה מִזֶּה, וּפָגַם בִּבְחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ, בִּבְחִינַת: כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): And the main blemish of the covenant is in the aspect of this way. For he should have lit the aspect of the two hundred and twenty four lights in the aspect of the sea, the aspect of faith; but he turned aside from this and blemished the aspect of the way, as in: 'for all flesh had corrupted its way'.
Scene 5 · LM II:87 §1, on Kiddushin 2b and Mishlei 30:20 · paragraph §1.2
כִּי אִשָּׁה נִקְרֵאת דֶּרֶךְ, כַּמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, וְיֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ אַחֵר, בְּחִינַת: דֶּרֶךְ אִשָּׁה מְנָאֶפֶת. וְהַכְּלָל – שֶׁעִקָּר הַפְּגָם בִּבְחִינַת דֶּרֶךְ, שֶׁלֹּא הֵאִיר הַדֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם.
EN (our paraphrase): For a wife is called a 'way', as brought in the words of our Sages; and there is another way, the forbidden way that Mishlei warns of. The rule is: the main blemish is in the aspect of the way, that he did not light up the way in the sea.
Scene 7 · LM II:87 §1, on Yevamos 63a · paragraph §1.3
וְלִפְעָמִים מֵחֲמַת זֶה הַפְּגָם יוּכַל לֶאַבֵּד אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁנָּטָה מִזִּוּוּגוֹ, קָשֶׁה לוֹ לִמְצֹא אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם יִמְצָא אֶת זִוּוּגוֹ, תִּהְיֶה לוֹ מְנַגֶּדֶת, וְלֹא תִּהְיֶה נוֹטָה אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנָּטָה מִמֶּנָּה וְלֹא הֵאִיר בָּהּ, מִזֶּה נִתְהַוֶּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָהּ רָצוֹן אַחֵר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. וְאָז: לֹא זָכָה – כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): And sometimes, because of this blemish, he can lose his match. Since he turned aside from his match, it is hard for him to find her; and even if he finds her, she will be set against him and will not incline to his will, because he turned away from her and did not shine into her. From this comes about that she has another will, against him. And then: if he is not worthy, she is against him.
Scene 8 · LM II:87 §1 · paragraph §1.4
וְחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל שֶׁאָז יְכוֹלִין לְתַקֵּן זֶה וּלְהָאִיר הַדֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם כַּנַּ"ל, [עַל־כֵּן כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לָזֶה]. וּכְשֶׁמְּתַקֵּן זֶה, אֲזַי מוֹצֵא זִוּוּגוֹ, וְהִיא אֵינָהּ כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, רַק כִּרְצוֹנוֹ.
EN (our paraphrase): And the month of Elul is when one can repair this and light up the way in the sea, as above; therefore the kavanos of Elul are the repair for it. And when he repairs this, then he finds his match, and she is not against him, but according to his will.
Scene 9 · LM II:87 §1 · paragraph §1.5
וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה סוֹד נִפְלָא, כִּי דַּע, שֶׁזֶּה הַסּוֹד מָסַר אַבְרָהָם לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר עַבְדּוֹ, כְּשֶׁשְּׁלָחוֹ לְבַקֵּשׁ הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ, הַיְנוּ סוֹד כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל, שֶׁהֵם מְסֻגָּלִים לְתִקּוּן הַבְּרִית, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מוֹצְאִין הַזִּוּוּג.
EN (our paraphrase): And there is a wondrous secret in this. Know that Avraham passed this secret to his servant Eliezer when he sent him to seek the match of his son Yitzchak: the secret of the kavanos of Elul, which are a segulah for repairing the covenant, through which one finds one's match.
Scene 10 · LM II:87 §1 · paragraph §1.5
כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַתִּקּוּן הַנַּ"ל נַעֲשֶׂה בָּהּ רָצוֹן אֵלָיו, כִּי מִקֹּדֶם לֹא הָיְתָה נוֹטָה אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ, כִּי נָטְתָה מִמֶּנּוּ כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְצֹא זִוּוּגוֹ, וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם מוֹצְאָהּ, אֵינָהּ נוֹטָה אַחַר רְצוֹנוֹ כַּנַּ"ל, אֲבָל עַל־יְדֵי כַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל שֶׁהֵם הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה חָזַר וְנַעֲשָׂה בָּהּ רָצוֹן אֵלָיו כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): For through this repair a will toward him is formed in her. Before, she did not incline to his will, since she had turned from him; so he could not find his match, and even if he found her, she did not incline to his will. But through the kavanos of Elul, which are the repair for this, a will toward him is formed in her again.
Scene 11 · LM II:87 §1, on Bereishis 24:8 · paragraph §1.6
וְזֶה הַסּוֹד מְבֹאָר בַּתּוֹרָה בְּפָרָשַׁת אֱלִיעֶזֶר, כִּי אַבְרָהָם מָסַר לוֹ הַסּוֹד הַזֶּה. וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר אַבְרָהָם לֶאֱלִיעֶזֶר: וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ, רְאֵה וְהַבֵּט נִפְלְאוֹת תּוֹרָתֵנוּ, כִּי רָאשֵׁי־תֵבוֹת פָּסוּק זֶה הֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת אֱלוּל, וּבָאֶמְצַע הֵם תֵּבוֹת: תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת אֱלוּל, הַיְנוּ סוֹד כַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשָׂה בָּהּ רָצוֹן אֵלָיו כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): This secret is explained in the Torah in the portion of Eliezer, for Avraham passed this secret to him. That is what Avraham said to Eliezer: 'and if the woman will not be willing to follow you'. See the wonders of our Torah: the first letters of this verse are the letters of Elul, and in the middle are the words 'the woman will be willing'. For through Elul, the secret of its kavanos, the woman will be willing, since through this a will toward him is formed in her.
Scene 13 · LM II:87 §1 · paragraph §1.7
נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּאֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת בְּעַצְמָן שֶׁדִּבֵּר אַבְרָהָם עִם אֱלִיעֶזֶר מֵעִנְיַן הַחֲשָׁשׁ שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִּתְרַצֶּה לֵילֵךְ אַחֲרָיו, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמַר לוֹ: וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ – בְּאֵלּוּ הַתֵּבוֹת עַצְמָן גִּלָּה לוֹ סוֹד הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה, דְּהַיְנוּ סוֹד אֱלוּל, הַמְרֻמָּז בְּרָאשֵׁי־הַתֵּבוֹת, שֶׁהוּא הַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה.
EN (our paraphrase): So in the very words Avraham spoke with Eliezer about his worry that she might not agree to go after him, 'and if the woman will not be willing to follow you', in these very words he revealed to him the secret of the repair: the secret of Elul, hinted in the first letters, which is the repair, through which the woman will be willing.
Scene 14 · LM II:87 §1, on Likutei Moharan I, 6 · paragraph §1.8
וְעוֹד יֵשׁ בָּזֶה סוֹדוֹת נוֹרָאִים מְאֹד.
EN (our paraphrase): And there are more very awesome secrets in this.
Scene 15 · LM II:87 §1, on Likutei Moharan I, 6 · paragraph §1.9
גַּם עַיֵּן בַּמַּאֲמָר הַמַּתְחִיל: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה קְרָא אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, כִּי שָׁם מְדַבֵּר מִכַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל, וְהוּא תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית כַּנַּ"ל. הַיְנוּ לְעַיֵּן בְּאוֹתוֹ הַמַּאֲמָר, וְלִזְכּוֹת לְהָבִין בּוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ אֵיזֶה עֲבוֹדָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם – עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יְתַקֵּן פְּגַם הַבְּרִית:
EN (our paraphrase): Also see the teaching that begins, 'and Hashem said to Moshe, call Yehoshua', for there it speaks of the kavanos of Elul, which are a repair for the blemish of the covenant. That is: to study that teaching, to merit to understand it, and to do some service of Hashem with it; through this he will repair the blemish of the covenant.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: דַּע, שֶׁכַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית, כִּי סוֹד כַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ
Scene 3 · §1.2: כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ.
Scene 4 · §1.4: וְחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל שֶׁאָז יְכוֹלִין לְתַקֵּן זֶה וּלְהָאִיר הַדֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם כַּנַּ"ל,
Scene 5 · §1.6: וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ,
Scene 6 · §1.9: הַיְנוּ לְעַיֵּן בְּאוֹתוֹ הַמַּאֲמָר, וְלִזְכּוֹת לְהָבִין בּוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת עִמּוֹ אֵיזֶה עֲבוֹדָה בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: דַּע, שֶׁכַּוָּנַת אֱלוּל הֵם תִּקּוּן לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית, כִּי סוֹד כַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל הוּא הַנּוֹתֵן בַּיָּם דָּרֶךְ
Scene 3 · §1.4: וְחֹדֶשׁ אֱלוּל שֶׁאָז יְכוֹלִין לְתַקֵּן זֶה וּלְהָאִיר הַדֶּרֶךְ בַּיָּם כַּנַּ"ל,
Scene 4 · §1.6: וְאִם לֹא תֹאבֶה הָאִשָּׁה לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֶיךָ,