פַּעַם אֶחָד בָּאתִי אֵלָיו זַ"ל, וְסִפֵּר לִי
Boaz and Ruth
Reb Noson records that Rebbe Nachman taught a visiting rabbi about Boaz and Ruth, the secret of joining redemption to prayer: Boaz is the redeemer and Ruth is prayer, for from her came David who praised Hashem in song. The teaching itself was not recorded. The Rebbe also said that his highest hidden insights mean less to him than any word he reveals to the world, for all the worlds depend on it.
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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
פַּעַם אֶחָד בָּאתִי אֵלָיו זַ"ל, וְסִפֵּר לִי, שֶׁזֶּה בְּסָמוּךְ הָיָה אֶצְלוֹ רַב אֶחָד, וְדִבֵּר עִמּוֹ, וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו תּוֹרָה, (הַיְנוּ שֶׁרַבֵּנוּ זַ"ל אָמַר לִפְנֵי הָרַב הַנַּ"ל תּוֹרָה). וְלֹא זָכִיתִי, שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר וְיֹאמַר אוֹתָהּ הַתּוֹרָה לְפָנַי, רַק אֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁסִּפֵּר לִי, שֶׁאָמַר אָז מֵעִנְיַן בֹּעַז וְרוּת,
שֶׁבֹּעַז וְרוּת הֵם סוֹד סְמִיכַת גְּאֻלָּה לִתְפִלָּה, כִּי בֹּעַז הוּא בְּחִינַת גּוֹאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (רות ג׳:י״ב): כִּי גוֹאֵל אָנֹכִי וְכוּ', וְרוּת הִיא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות ז:): לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רוּת, שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנָּה דָּוִד, שֶׁרִוָּה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בְּשִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת. וְהָיָה מוּבָן מִדְּבָרָיו זַ"ל, שֶׁגִּלָּה בָּזֶה תּוֹרָה גָּבוֹהַּ, אַךְ לֹא זָכִיתִי לְשָׁמְעָהּ:
גַּם שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁאָמַר אָז, שֶׁכָּל הַהַשָּׂגוֹת הַגְּבוֹהוֹת מְאֹד שֶׁהוּא מַשִּׂיג, אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה אֶצְלוֹ כְּנֶגֶד אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר שֶׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם. כִּי בְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִּבּוּר שֶׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם, תְּלוּיִים בּוֹ כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים:
(פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי הַהַשָּׂגוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְגַלֶּה הֵם גְּבוֹהִים אֲלָפִים וְרִבְבוֹת פְּעָמִים בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם, כַּמְבֹאָר מִזֶּה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, אֲבָל אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן זֶה אֵינוֹ חָשׁוּב וְיָקָר בְּעֵינָיו כָּל־כָּךְ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְזַכֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־כָּךְ בָּזֶה. וְהָעִקָּר הוּא אֶצְלוֹ, כְּשֶׁהָעוֹלָם זוֹכִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר, כִּי בְּכָל דִּבּוּר וְכוּ' 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 one hundred and two: Boaz and Ruth, and the worth of a single word.
Rebbe Nachman once taught a rabbi about Boaz and Ruth: Boaz is redemption, Ruth is prayer, and together they are joining redemption to prayer.
Reb Noson heard only the headline; the lofty teaching itself he was not worthy to hear.
The Rebbe said that all his highest insights count for little beside a single word he reveals to the world, for all the worlds hang on each such word.
Our own reflection: a word of Torah that reaches others is precious beyond measure.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and two. Reb Noson records a lost teaching, and something the Rebbe said about why he taught at all.
Reb Noson tells that he once came to Rebbe Nachman, who said a certain rabbi had just visited, and the Rebbe had taught him Torah. Reb Noson was not worthy to have it repeated. He heard only one thing: the teaching was about Boaz and Ruth.
Boaz and Ruth are the secret of joining redemption to prayer. Boaz is the redeemer, as he says in the Book of Ruth: for I am a redeemer. And Ruth is prayer, as our Sages say: she was called Ruth because from her came David, who saturated Hashem with songs and praises.
Our explanation: in the morning prayers we go from the blessing of redemption, ga'al Yisrael, straight into the Amidah. The lofty teaching the Rebbe built on this, Reb Noson writes, he was not worthy to hear.
Reb Noson also heard that the Rebbe said all his very lofty insights do not compare, in his eyes, with any word he reveals to the world, because all the worlds, upper and lower, depend on every word he reveals.
The insights he keeps hidden are thousands of times higher. Yet what matters to him most is when people get to hear a word from him, because that is what brings merit to Israel.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Prayer is bound up with redemption. And a single word of Torah shared with others can be worth more than great private heights.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Boaz and Ruth —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and two. A short shiur: Boaz and Ruth, and the worth of a revealed word.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and 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.
Reb Noson writes: Once I came to him, and he told me that a certain rabbi had recently been with him; he spoke with him and taught him Torah. I was not worthy for him to repeat that teaching to me. I heard from his holy mouth only these words: that he had spoken then about Boaz and Ruth,
that Boaz and Ruth are the secret of joining redemption to prayer. For Boaz is the redeemer, as it is written: 'for I am a redeemer'; and Ruth is prayer, as our Sages said: why was she called Ruth? Because from her came David, who saturated the Holy One, blessed be He, with songs and praises.
Our explanation. In the morning prayers we say the blessing of redemption, ga'al Yisrael, and go straight into the Amidah without a pause. Our Sages praise this joining highly. Rebbe Nachman finds it in Boaz, the redeemer, and Ruth, whose name speaks of David's songs of praise.
Reb Noson adds: It was clear from his words that he had revealed a lofty teaching on this, but I was not worthy to hear it.
I also heard in his name that he said then that all the very lofty insights he attains count for nothing, in his eyes, against any word he reveals before the world. For on each and every word he reveals before the world hang all the worlds, upper and lower.
Then Reb Noson explains, in brackets: This means: surely the insights he does not reveal are thousands and tens of thousands of times higher, beyond measure, than what he reveals, as explained elsewhere many times. Yet that is not so precious in his eyes, since it does not bring Israel so much merit. What matters most to him is when people get to hear some word from him, for on every word, and so on, as above.
Our explanation, step by step. Boaz and Ruth: redemption joined to prayer. A single revealed word holds up all the worlds. And what the tzaddik treasures most is bringing merit to others.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Keep your prayer close to the hope of redemption. Share a word of Torah with someone today. A small word can carry great weight.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and two.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 102, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.102
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 — Boaz and Ruth
Scene 3 · LM II:102 §1 · paragraph §1.1
פַּעַם אֶחָד בָּאתִי אֵלָיו זַ"ל, וְסִפֵּר לִי, שֶׁזֶּה בְּסָמוּךְ הָיָה אֶצְלוֹ רַב אֶחָד, וְדִבֵּר עִמּוֹ, וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו תּוֹרָה, וְלֹא זָכִיתִי, שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר וְיֹאמַר אוֹתָהּ הַתּוֹרָה לְפָנַי, רַק אֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ, שֶׁסִּפֵּר לִי, שֶׁאָמַר אָז מֵעִנְיַן בֹּעַז וְרוּת,
EN (our paraphrase): Once I came to him, and he told me that a certain rabbi had recently been with him; he spoke with him and taught him Torah. I was not worthy for him to repeat that teaching to me. I heard from his holy mouth only these words: that he had spoken then about Boaz and Ruth,
Scene 4 · LM II:102 §1, on Ruth 3:12 and Berachos 7b · paragraph §1.2
שֶׁבֹּעַז וְרוּת הֵם סוֹד סְמִיכַת גְּאֻלָּה לִתְפִלָּה, כִּי בֹּעַז הוּא בְּחִינַת גּוֹאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: כִּי גוֹאֵל אָנֹכִי וְכוּ', וְרוּת הִיא בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָהּ רוּת, שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנָּה דָּוִד, שֶׁרִוָּה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בְּשִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת.
EN (our paraphrase): that Boaz and Ruth are the secret of joining redemption to prayer. For Boaz is the redeemer, as it is written: 'for I am a redeemer'; and Ruth is prayer, as our Sages said: why was she called Ruth? Because from her came David, who saturated the Holy One, blessed be He, with songs and praises.
Scene 6 · LM II:102 §1 · paragraph §1.2
וְהָיָה מוּבָן מִדְּבָרָיו זַ"ל, שֶׁגִּלָּה בָּזֶה תּוֹרָה גָּבוֹהַּ, אַךְ לֹא זָכִיתִי לְשָׁמְעָהּ:
EN (our paraphrase): It was clear from his words that he had revealed a lofty teaching on this, but I was not worthy to hear it.
Scene 7 · LM II:102 §1 · paragraph §1.3
גַּם שָׁמַעְתִּי בִּשְׁמוֹ, שֶׁאָמַר אָז, שֶׁכָּל הַהַשָּׂגוֹת הַגְּבוֹהוֹת מְאֹד שֶׁהוּא מַשִּׂיג, אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה אֶצְלוֹ כְּנֶגֶד אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר שֶׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם. כִּי בְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִּבּוּר שֶׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם, תְּלוּיִים בּוֹ כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים:
EN (our paraphrase): I also heard in his name that he said then that all the very lofty insights he attains count for nothing, in his eyes, against any word he reveals before the world. For on each and every word he reveals before the world hang all the worlds, upper and lower.
Scene 8 · LM II:102 §1 · paragraph §1.4
פֵּרוּשׁ, כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי הַהַשָּׂגוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְגַלֶּה הֵם גְּבוֹהִים אֲלָפִים וְרִבְבוֹת פְּעָמִים בְּלִי שִׁעוּר, כְּנֶגֶד מַה שֶּׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם, כַּמְבֹאָר מִזֶּה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים, אֲבָל אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן זֶה אֵינוֹ חָשׁוּב וְיָקָר בְּעֵינָיו כָּל־כָּךְ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְזַכֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־כָּךְ בָּזֶה. וְהָעִקָּר הוּא אֶצְלוֹ, כְּשֶׁהָעוֹלָם זוֹכִין לִשְׁמֹעַ מִמֶּנּוּ אֵיזֶה דִּבּוּר, כִּי בְּכָל דִּבּוּר וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
EN (our paraphrase): This means: surely the insights he does not reveal are thousands and tens of thousands of times higher, beyond measure, than what he reveals, as explained elsewhere many times. Yet that is not so precious in his eyes, since it does not bring Israel so much merit. What matters most to him is when people get to hear some word from him, for on every word, and so on, as above.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: שֶׁאָמַר אָז מֵעִנְיַן בֹּעַז וְרוּת,
Scene 3 · §1.2: שֶׁבֹּעַז וְרוּת הֵם סוֹד סְמִיכַת גְּאֻלָּה לִתְפִלָּה,
Scene 4 · §1.2: אַךְ לֹא זָכִיתִי לְשָׁמְעָהּ:
Scene 5 · §1.3: כִּי בְכָל דִּבּוּר וְדִּבּוּר שֶׁהוּא מְגַלֶּה בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם, תְּלוּיִים בּוֹ כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים:
Scene 6 · §1.4: מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְזַכֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.2: שֶׁבֹּעַז וְרוּת הֵם סוֹד סְמִיכַת גְּאֻלָּה לִתְפִלָּה,
Scene 3 · §1.2: אַךְ לֹא זָכִיתִי לְשָׁמְעָהּ:
Scene 4 · §1.3: תְּלוּיִים בּוֹ כָּל הָעוֹלָמוֹת, עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים: