Likutei Moharan II:117 · תּוֹרָה קי״ז✓ watched

מַה שֶּׁמְּבַלְבֵּל אֶת הָאָדָם, כְּשֶׁנִּכְנָס לִקְדֻשָּׁה גְבוֹהָה

A Test on the Way to Holiness

When a person draws near to great holiness, such as a true tzaddik, and just then suffers a night-time impurity, he may become confused. Rebbe Nachman calls this confusion foolish: the closer one comes to holiness, the more strictly he is judged and the more the evil inclination is stirred, which is why the Kohen Gadol's purity on Yom Kippur was a miracle. Sometimes it is even good, as a hidden impurity comes out and can then be repaired.

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הַמָּקוֹר · Original text 349 words

מַה שֶּׁמְּבַלְבֵּל אֶת הָאָדָם, כְּשֶׁנִּכְנָס לִקְדֻשָּׁה גְבוֹהָה, כְּגוֹן כְּשֶׁמִּתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וְכַיּוֹצֵא, אֲזַי דַּיְקָא יִקְרֶה לֹוֹ מִקְרֶה בִּלְתִּי טָהוֹר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.

כְּבָר מְבֹאָר מִזֶּה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָאָדָם נִכְנָס לִקְדֻשָּׁה, מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי כָל מַה שֶּׁנִּכְנָס בִּקְדֻשָּׁה יוֹתֵר, יֵשׁ לוֹ בְכָל פַּעַם יֵצֶר הָרָע חָדָשׁ גָּדוֹל מִבַּתְּחִלָּה. עַיֵּן בְּלִקּוּטֵי הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּסִימָן עב וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר ).

וּבֶאֱמֶת הַבִּלְבּוּל הַזֶּה שְׁטוּת, כִּי מִמָּה נַפְשָׁךְ: אִם יִקְרֶה לוֹ מֵחֲמַת הִרְהוּר – מִי חַיָּב בָּזֶה, וְאֵין לוֹ לְהִתְרַעֵם כְּלָל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ גָּרַם לוֹ, וְאִם אֵינוֹ מֵחֲמַת הִרְהוּר, אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי אֵינוֹ סִימָן רַע כְּלָל, כִּי אִם הָיָה עִנְיָן רַע, לֹא הָיוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה נוֹתְנִין אוֹתוֹ לְסִימָן יָפֶה לְחוֹלֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות נז), שֶׁקֶּרִי סִימָן יָפֶה לְחוֹלֶה.

וּבֶאֱמֶת אַדְּרַבָּא, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּתְקָרֵב לִקְדֻשָּׁה גָבוֹהַ מְאֹד, מֵחֲמַת זֶה נִזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ, כִּי כָל הַמַּצְדִּיק אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה, מַצְדִּיקִין עָלָיו הַדִּין מִלְּמַעְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּכְיִרְאָתְךָ עֶבְרָתֶךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (תענית ח).

נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַצְדִּיק עַצְמוֹ וְנִכְנָס בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, מְדַקְדְּקִין עָלָיו יוֹתֵר, וּמִתְעוֹרְרִין עָלָיו קִטְרוּגִים וְדִינִים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וּמֵהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הַדִּינִים נַעֲשֶׂה הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, כַּמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (סי' ע"ב הנ"ל). וְעַל־כֵּן אֵין לוֹ לְהִתְרַעֵם כְּלָל עַל זֶה, כִּי אַדְּרַבָּא, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִקְדֻשָּׁה גָבוֹהַ כָּזוֹ, מֵחֲמַת זֶה נִתְגָּרֶה בּוֹ הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, מֵהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הַדִּינִים כַּנַּ"ל.

וְעַל־כֵּן חָשְׁבוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לְנֵס גָּדוֹל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא אֵרַע קֶרִי לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות פ"ה), כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּכְנַס הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים לִקְדֻשָּׁה גָּבוֹהַ כָּזוֹ לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, הָיָה בְּוַדַּאי עָלָיו קִטְרוּגִים וְהִתְגָּרוּת הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִמְשָׁךְ הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־כֵּן נֶחֱשָׁב לְנֵס, מַה שֶּׁנִּצּוֹל הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מִמִּקְרֶה בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים.

וְעַתָּה רְאֵה וְהָבֵן, אֵיךְ יְבַלְבֵּל אֶת הָאָדָם עִנְיָן הַנַּ"ל, וְכִי יֵשׁ לוֹ לְהִתְרַעֵם עַל שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹ נֵס כְּמוֹ לַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים,

גַּם דַּע, שֶׁלִּפְעָמִים יֵשׁ בְּאָדָם טֻמְאָה טְמוּנָה, שֶׁאֵין יוֹדְעִין לָהּ שׁוּם תִּקּוּן, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהִיא טְמוּנָה וְנִסְתֶּרֶת בּוֹ, וְעַל־כֵּן זֶהוּ טוֹבָה מַה שֶּׁאֵרַע לוֹ כְּשֶׁמִּתְקָרֵב אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, כִּי יוֹצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ הַטֻּמְאָה הַטְּמוּנָה הַנַּ"ל, כִּי אֲזַי כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵאת, יְכוֹלִין לִמְצֹא לָהּ תִּקּוּן, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן מִקֹּדֶם כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה טְמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל. וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה לֹא הוֹלִיד אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק עַד שֶׁהוֹלִיד תְּחִלָּה אֶת יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְכֵן יִצְחָק הוֹלִיד אֶת עֵשָׂו וְאַחַר־כָּךְ אֶת יַעֲקֹב, כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא הַזֻּהֲמָא תְּחִלָּה, כַּמּוּבָא:

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 seventeen: when drawing close to holiness brings a test.

Some people are thrown into confusion when, just as they draw near to great holiness, they suffer a night-time impurity.

Rebbe Nachman says this confusion is foolish. The closer one comes to holiness, the more strictly he is judged above, and from those judgments the evil inclination is stirred up.

That is why the Sages counted it a great miracle that the Kohen Gadol was kept pure on Yom Kippur.

And sometimes it is even good: a hidden impurity comes out, and once it is out, it can be repaired.

Our own reflection: a test on the way to holiness is not a sign of failure. Don't let it confuse you; keep going.

Explainer

Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and seventeen. Why a person drawing near to holiness may meet a test, and why it need not confuse him.

A person draws close to great holiness, for example to a true tzaddik, and just then he suffers a night-time impurity, Heaven forbid. This confuses him.

The Rebbe recalls a known principle: the more a person enters holiness, the stronger the evil inclination becomes against him, each time a new and greater one.

And this confusion is foolish. If it came from his own improper thoughts, he has only himself to blame. And if not, it is surely no bad sign; the Sages even call it a good sign for one who is ill.

On the contrary: because he came so close to holiness, he is judged strictly. As the Sages taught on the verse 'and according to Your fear is Your wrath', whoever holds himself to a high standard below is judged strictly above.

So the Sages counted it a great miracle that the Kohen Gadol, entering the innermost holiness on Yom Kippur, remained pure. Should a person complain that he did not receive the miracle of the Kohen Gadol?

And sometimes it is actually good. A hidden impurity, which cannot be repaired while it stays hidden, comes out as he draws near to holiness, and then it can be repaired. So Avraham fathered Yishmael before Yitzchak, and Yitzchak fathered Esav before Yaakov: the impurity had to come out first.

Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. A test on the way to holiness is not a sign of failure; it can be a sign of how high one is reaching. Don't let it confuse you. Keep going.

Full shiur

— Part 1: A Test on the Way to Holiness —

Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and seventeen. A shiur in one part: a test on the way to holiness. The subject is delicate, and we describe it briefly and modestly.

Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and seventeen. 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.

What confuses a person: when he enters a high holiness, for example when he draws close to the true tzaddik and the like, then precisely he suffers a night-time impurity, Heaven forbid.

First, a known principle. This has already been explained elsewhere: when a person enters holiness, the evil inclination grows stronger against him; for the more he enters holiness, each time he has a new evil inclination, greater than before. See Likutey Moharan Part One, Torah seventy two, and elsewhere.

In truth this confusion is foolishness, for it is one or the other. If it happens because of improper thoughts, who is to blame for it? He has no complaint at all, since he caused it himself. And if it is not because of such thoughts, then it is surely no bad sign at all; for if it were a bad thing, our Sages would not have counted it a good sign for a sick person, as they said.

And in truth, on the contrary: because he came close to a very high holiness, for that reason it befell him. For whoever holds himself righteous below, they hold judgment strictly upon him above, as it says: 'and according to Your fear is Your wrath', as our Sages said.

So when a person makes himself righteous and enters holiness, he is judged more precisely, and accusations and judgments are stirred against him, Heaven forbid; and from the unfolding of the judgments the evil inclination comes about, as brought elsewhere. Therefore he should not complain about it at all, for on the contrary, because he entered such high holiness, the evil inclination provoked him.

Our explanation. The chain is simple. The closer a person comes to holiness, the more precisely he is judged above. From those judgments the evil inclination draws its strength. So the test itself shows how high he was reaching.

Therefore our Sages counted it a great miracle that the Kohen Gadol never became impure on Yom Kippur. Because he entered such high holiness, into the Holy of Holies, there were surely many accusations and provocations against him, from which the evil inclination comes; so it was counted a miracle that the Kohen Gadol was saved.

Now see and understand how this should confuse a person. Does he have a complaint that he did not have a miracle like the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur?

And one more point. Know also that sometimes there is a hidden impurity in a person, for which no repair is known, because it is hidden and concealed in him. So it is a good thing that this happened when he drew close to holiness, for the hidden impurity comes out; once it is out, it can be repaired, which was not so before, while it was hidden.

For this reason Avraham did not father Yitzchak until he first fathered Yishmael; and Yitzchak fathered Esav and afterwards Yaakov: to bring out the impurity first, as is brought.

Our explanation. What stays hidden cannot be fixed. When it comes out, it can be. So even this kind of test, coming as a person draws near to holiness, can serve his repair.

Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. A test on the way to holiness is not a sign of failure; it can be a sign of how high one is reaching. Don't let it confuse you. Keep going.

This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and seventeen.

Sources for this Torah

Texts used

Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 117, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.117

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 5: Berachos 57b.

Part 1, scene 6: Taanis 8a; Tehillim 90:11.

Part 1, scene 7: Likutey Moharan I:72.

Part 1, scene 9: Avos 5:5.

Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part

Part 1 — A Test on the Way to Holiness

Scene 3 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.1

EN (our paraphrase): What confuses a person: when he enters a high holiness, for example when he draws close to the true tzaddik and the like, then precisely he suffers a night-time impurity, Heaven forbid.

Scene 4 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.2

כְּבָר מְבֹאָר מִזֶּה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָאָדָם נִכְנָס לִקְדֻשָּׁה, מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי כָל מַה שֶּׁנִּכְנָס בִּקְדֻשָּׁה יוֹתֵר, יֵשׁ לוֹ בְכָל פַּעַם יֵצֶר הָרָע חָדָשׁ גָּדוֹל מִבַּתְּחִלָּה. עַיֵּן בְּלִקּוּטֵי הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּסִימָן עב וּבְמָקוֹם אַחֵר.

EN (our paraphrase): This has already been explained elsewhere: when a person enters holiness, the evil inclination grows stronger against him; for the more he enters holiness, each time he has a new evil inclination, greater than before. See Likutey Moharan Part One, Torah seventy two, and elsewhere.

Scene 5 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.3

וּבֶאֱמֶת הַבִּלְבּוּל הַזֶּה שְׁטוּת, כִּי מִמָּה נַפְשָׁךְ: אִם יִקְרֶה לוֹ מֵחֲמַת הִרְהוּר – מִי חַיָּב בָּזֶה, וְאֵין לוֹ לְהִתְרַעֵם כְּלָל, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ גָּרַם לוֹ, וְאִם אֵינוֹ מֵחֲמַת הִרְהוּר, אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי אֵינוֹ סִימָן רַע כְּלָל, כִּי אִם הָיָה עִנְיָן רַע, לֹא הָיוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה נוֹתְנִין אוֹתוֹ לְסִימָן יָפֶה לְחוֹלֶה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁקֶּרִי סִימָן יָפֶה לְחוֹלֶה.

EN (our paraphrase): In truth this confusion is foolishness, for it is one or the other. If it happens because of improper thoughts, who is to blame for it? He has no complaint at all, since he caused it himself. And if it is not because of such thoughts, then it is surely no bad sign at all; for if it were a bad thing, our Sages would not have counted it a good sign for a sick person, as they said.

Scene 6 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.4

EN (our paraphrase): And in truth, on the contrary: because he came close to a very high holiness, for that reason it befell him. For whoever holds himself righteous below, they hold judgment strictly upon him above, as it says: 'and according to Your fear is Your wrath', as our Sages said.

Scene 7 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.5

נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַצְדִּיק עַצְמוֹ וְנִכְנָס בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, מְדַקְדְּקִין עָלָיו יוֹתֵר, וּמִתְעוֹרְרִין עָלָיו קִטְרוּגִים וְדִינִים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וּמֵהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הַדִּינִים נַעֲשֶׂה הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, כַּמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. וְעַל־כֵּן אֵין לוֹ לְהִתְרַעֵם כְּלָל עַל זֶה, כִּי אַדְּרַבָּא, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִקְדֻשָּׁה גָבוֹהַ כָּזוֹ, מֵחֲמַת זֶה נִתְגָּרֶה בּוֹ הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע, מֵהִשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּת הַדִּינִים כַּנַּ"ל.

EN (our paraphrase): So when a person makes himself righteous and enters holiness, he is judged more precisely, and accusations and judgments are stirred against him, Heaven forbid; and from the unfolding of the judgments the evil inclination comes about, as brought elsewhere. Therefore he should not complain about it at all, for on the contrary, because he entered such high holiness, the evil inclination provoked him.

Scene 9 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.6

וְעַל־כֵּן חָשְׁבוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לְנֵס גָּדוֹל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא אֵרַע קֶרִי לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁנִּכְנַס הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים לִקְדֻשָּׁה גָּבוֹהַ כָּזוֹ לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים, הָיָה בְּוַדַּאי עָלָיו קִטְרוּגִים וְהִתְגָּרוּת הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִמְשָׁךְ הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־כֵּן נֶחֱשָׁב לְנֵס, מַה שֶּׁנִּצּוֹל הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל מִמִּקְרֶה בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים.

EN (our paraphrase): Therefore our Sages counted it a great miracle that the Kohen Gadol never became impure on Yom Kippur. Because he entered such high holiness, into the Holy of Holies, there were surely many accusations and provocations against him, from which the evil inclination comes; so it was counted a miracle that the Kohen Gadol was saved.

Scene 10 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.7

EN (our paraphrase): Now see and understand how this should confuse a person. Does he have a complaint that he did not have a miracle like the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur?

Scene 11 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.8

EN (our paraphrase): Know also that sometimes there is a hidden impurity in a person, for which no repair is known, because it is hidden and concealed in him. So it is a good thing that this happened when he drew close to holiness, for the hidden impurity comes out; once it is out, it can be repaired, which was not so before, while it was hidden.

Scene 12 · LM II:117 §1 · paragraph §1.8

וּמֵחֲמַת זֶה לֹא הוֹלִיד אַבְרָהָם אֶת יִצְחָק עַד שֶׁהוֹלִיד תְּחִלָּה אֶת יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְכֵן יִצְחָק הוֹלִיד אֶת עֵשָׂו וְאַחַר־כָּךְ אֶת יַעֲקֹב, כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא הַזֻּהֲמָא תְּחִלָּה, כַּמּוּבָא:

EN (our paraphrase): For this reason Avraham did not father Yitzchak until he first fathered Yishmael; and Yitzchak fathered Esav and afterwards Yaakov: to bring out the impurity first, as is brought.

Hebrew phrases in the Explainer

Scene 2 · §1.1: כְּשֶׁמִּתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיק הָאֱמֶת וְכַיּוֹצֵא, אֲזַי דַּיְקָא יִקְרֶה לֹוֹ מִקְרֶה בִּלְתִּי טָהוֹר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.

Scene 3 · §1.2: שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָאָדָם נִכְנָס לִקְדֻשָּׁה, מִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו הַיֵּצֶר הָרָע בְּיוֹתֵר,

Scene 4 · §1.3: וּבֶאֱמֶת הַבִּלְבּוּל הַזֶּה שְׁטוּת, כִּי מִמָּה נַפְשָׁךְ:

Scene 5 · §1.4: כִּי כָל הַמַּצְדִּיק אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִלְּמַטָּה, מַצְדִּיקִין עָלָיו הַדִּין מִלְּמַעְלָה,

Scene 6 · §1.6: וְעַל־כֵּן חָשְׁבוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לְנֵס גָּדוֹל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא אֵרַע קֶרִי לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים,

Scene 7 · §1.8: כִּי יוֹצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ הַטֻּמְאָה הַטְּמוּנָה הַנַּ"ל, כִּי אֲזַי כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵאת, יְכוֹלִין לִמְצֹא לָהּ תִּקּוּן,

Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap

Scene 3 · §1.5: נִמְצָא כְּשֶׁאָדָם מַצְדִּיק עַצְמוֹ וְנִכְנָס בִּקְדֻשָּׁה, מְדַקְדְּקִין עָלָיו יוֹתֵר, וּמִתְעוֹרְרִין עָלָיו קִטְרוּגִים וְדִינִים,

Scene 4 · §1.6: וְעַל־כֵּן חָשְׁבוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לְנֵס גָּדוֹל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא אֵרַע קֶרִי לְכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹם־הַכִּפּוּרִים,

Scene 5 · §1.8: כִּי יוֹצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ הַטֻּמְאָה הַטְּמוּנָה הַנַּ"ל, כִּי אֲזַי כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵאת, יְכוֹלִין לִמְצֹא לָהּ תִּקּוּן,

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