לְעִנְיַן חִדּוּשֵׁי־תוֹרָה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהָיוּ מְשַׁבְּחִים אוֹתָם
Think Before You Say Torah
Some great men were praised for saying Torah with no prior thought; Rebbe Nachman said this is not such a high level, and it is better to think Torah through first. Even Hashem, as the Midrash learns from 'Then He saw it and told it', goes over Torah four times before revealing it; how much more must a person. He added that today new Torah insights come easily because many holy works have spread, and that even 'Rabbi Yitzchak opened' does not make thinking it through less valuable.
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1-minute recap
Explainer
Full shiur
הַמָּקוֹר · Original text
לְעִנְיַן חִדּוּשֵׁי־תוֹרָה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהָיוּ מְשַׁבְּחִים אוֹתָם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים תּוֹרָה בְּלִי מַחֲשָׁבָה וְעִיּוּן מִקֹּדֶם, אָמַר שֶׁאֵין זֶה מַעֲלָה כָּל־כָּךְ, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי יְכוֹלִים לוֹמַר תּוֹרָה בְּלִי מַחֲשָׁבָה וְעִיּוּן, כִּי יְכוֹלִין לְקַשֵּׁר הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה וְהַדִּבּוּר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְלוֹמַר תּוֹרָה בְּלִי מַחֲשָׁבָה וְעִיּוּן מִקֹּדֶם,
אֲבָל טוֹב יוֹתֵר כְּשֶׁחוֹשְׁבִין תּוֹרָה. וַהֲלֹא אֲפִלּוּ אֵצֶל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מָצִינוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (ב"ר פ' כי תשא פ"מ), שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לְגַלּוֹת תּוֹרָה, הוּא חוֹזְרָהּ אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ. וְלָמְדוּ מִפָּסוּק: אָז רָאָה וַיְסַפְּרָהּ, הֱכִינָהּ וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ, שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בְּכָאן אַרְבַּע בְּחִינוֹת: רָאָה וַיְסַפְּרָהּ וְכוּ', שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, רוֹאֶה וְסוֹפֵר וּמֵכִין וְחוֹקֵר דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מְגַלֶּה אוֹתָהּ לְהָעוֹלָם. מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן בֶּן־אָדָם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲשֹׁב וּלְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲקֹר וּלְבָרֵר הַדִּבְרֵי־תוֹרָה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ תְּחִלָּה הֵיטֵב קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ:
וְאָמַר, שֶׁעַכְשָׁו בְּנָקֵל מְאֹד לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְפַּשְּׁטוּ חִבּוּרִים קְדוֹשִׁים הַרְבֵּה מִצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹתֵינוּ. וּכְפִי הַשִּׂיחוֹת וְהַהִתְגַּלּוּת שֶׁנִּתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּיָמֵינוּ, בְּנָקֵל מְאֹד לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה.
גַּם אָמַר עַל מַה שֶּׁמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: פָּתַח רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְאָמַר וְכוּ', וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה בִּשְׁאָר הַחֶבְרַיָּא קַדִּישָׁא, אָמַר: פָּתַח רַבִּי יִצְחָק – כְּשֶׁהָיָה רַק פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת פִּיו, תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד הָיָה אוֹמֵר וּמְגַלֶּה תּוֹרָה. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן כְּבָר מְבֹאָר, שֶׁטּוֹב יוֹתֵר לְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲשֹׁב (שֶׁקּוֹרִין טְרַאכְטִין) תּוֹרָה:
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 eighteen: think Torah through before you say it.
Some great people were praised for saying Torah on the spot, with no thought beforehand. Rebbe Nachman said this is not such a great level.
It is better to think the Torah through. Even Hashem, as the Midrash says, goes over the Torah four times before saying it.
How much more must a person think, examine and clarify his Torah thoughts well before he says them.
He added that today it is very easy to find new insights in Torah, because so many holy works have spread.
Our own reflection: a Torah thought that has been thought through carries more light. Take the time.
Explainer
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and eighteen. A teaching about new insights in Torah, and why it is better to think before speaking.
Some great figures were praised for saying Torah with no prior thought or study. Rebbe Nachman said this is not such a great level; one can do it by binding thought and speech to Hashem.
But it is better to think the Torah through. Even Hashem, the Midrash teaches, goes over Torah four times before revealing it.
This is learned from the verse in Iyov: 'Then He saw it and told it; He prepared it and searched it out.' Four stages, as it were: seeing, telling, preparing and searching, before it is revealed to the world.
How much more so a person must think, examine, search and clarify his Torah thoughts well in his mind before he says them.
He also said that nowadays it is very easy to find new insights in Torah, since many holy works of the tzaddikim of our generations have spread.
And about the Zohar's phrase 'Rabbi Yitzchak opened': as soon as he opened his mouth, Torah poured out. Even so, it is better to reflect and think Torah through.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Inspiration is precious, but a Torah thought that has been turned over, examined and clarified carries more light. Before sharing, take the time to think it through.
Full shiur
— Part 1: Think Before You Say Torah —
Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and eighteen. A short shiur in one part: think before you say Torah.
Gold is Rebbe Nachman's own words, from Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and eighteen. 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.
On the matter of new insights in Torah: some great men were praised for saying Torah without thought and study beforehand. He said this is not such a great level. For certainly one can say Torah without thought and study, since one can bind one's thought and speech to Hashem, may He be blessed, and say Torah without prior thought and study.
But it is better when one thinks Torah through. Indeed, we find in the Midrash that even Hashem, may He be blessed, when He wishes to reveal Torah, goes over it four times before saying it.
They learned it from the verse: 'Then He saw it and told it, He prepared it and also searched it out.' Four aspects are written here: He saw it, and told it, and so on. Hashem, as it were, sees, recounts, prepares and searches the words of Torah four times before saying them, and only then reveals them to the world.
How much more so a person, who must think, examine, search and clarify the words of Torah well in his mind first, before he says them.
Our explanation. If even Hashem, as it were, sees, recounts, prepares and searches a word of Torah before revealing it, then surely a person should turn his Torah thoughts over carefully before he speaks them.
And he said that now it is very easy to find new insights in Torah, because many holy works by the tzaddikim of our generations have already spread. And through the talks and revelations that have spread in our days, it is very easy to find new insights in Torah.
He also spoke about what the holy Zohar brings, 'Rabbi Yitzchak opened and said', and the like with the rest of the holy fellowship. He said: 'Rabbi Yitzchak opened' means that as soon as he merely opened his mouth, at once he was saying and revealing Torah. Yet even so, it has already been explained that it is better to reflect and think Torah through.
Some reflections of our own, not a quotation. Inspiration is precious, but a Torah thought that has been turned over, examined and clarified carries more light. Before sharing, take the time to think it through.
This has been Likutey Moharan Tinyana, Torah one hundred and eighteen.
Sources for this Torah
Texts used
Hebrew: Likutei Moharan Tinyana (Part II), Torah 118, edition 'Likutei Moharan Tinyana – rabenubook.com', public domain, via Sefaria — https://www.sefaria.org/Likutei_Moharan%2C_Part_II.118
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 4: Midrash, Ki Sisa.
Part 1, scene 5: Iyov 28:27.
Every on-screen quotation in the full shiur, by part
Part 1 — Think Before You Say Torah
Scene 3 · LM II:118 §1 · paragraph §1.1
לְעִנְיַן חִדּוּשֵׁי־תוֹרָה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהָיוּ מְשַׁבְּחִים אוֹתָם שֶׁאוֹמְרִים תּוֹרָה בְּלִי מַחֲשָׁבָה וְעִיּוּן מִקֹּדֶם, אָמַר שֶׁאֵין זֶה מַעֲלָה כָּל־כָּךְ, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי יְכוֹלִים לוֹמַר תּוֹרָה בְּלִי מַחֲשָׁבָה וְעִיּוּן, כִּי יְכוֹלִין לְקַשֵּׁר הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה וְהַדִּבּוּר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְלוֹמַר תּוֹרָה בְּלִי מַחֲשָׁבָה וְעִיּוּן מִקֹּדֶם,
EN (our paraphrase): On the matter of new insights in Torah: some great men were praised for saying Torah without thought and study beforehand. He said this is not such a great level. For certainly one can say Torah without thought and study, since one can bind one's thought and speech to Hashem, may He be blessed, and say Torah without prior thought and study.
Scene 4 · LM II:118 §1 · paragraph §1.2
אֲבָל טוֹב יוֹתֵר כְּשֶׁחוֹשְׁבִין תּוֹרָה. וַהֲלֹא אֲפִלּוּ אֵצֶל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מָצִינוּ בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לְגַלּוֹת תּוֹרָה, הוּא חוֹזְרָהּ אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ.
EN (our paraphrase): But it is better when one thinks Torah through. Indeed, we find in the Midrash that even Hashem, may He be blessed, when He wishes to reveal Torah, goes over it four times before saying it.
Scene 5 · LM II:118 §1 · paragraph §1.2
וְלָמְדוּ מִפָּסוּק: אָז רָאָה וַיְסַפְּרָהּ, הֱכִינָהּ וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ, שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בְּכָאן אַרְבַּע בְּחִינוֹת: רָאָה וַיְסַפְּרָהּ וְכוּ', שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, רוֹאֶה וְסוֹפֵר וּמֵכִין וְחוֹקֵר דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מְגַלֶּה אוֹתָהּ לְהָעוֹלָם.
EN (our paraphrase): They learned it from the verse: 'Then He saw it and told it, He prepared it and also searched it out.' Four aspects are written here: He saw it, and told it, and so on. Hashem, as it were, sees, recounts, prepares and searches the words of Torah four times before saying them, and only then reveals them to the world.
Scene 6 · LM II:118 §1 · paragraph §1.2
מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן בֶּן־אָדָם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲשֹׁב וּלְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲקֹר וּלְבָרֵר הַדִּבְרֵי־תוֹרָה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ תְּחִלָּה הֵיטֵב קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ:
EN (our paraphrase): How much more so a person, who must think, examine, search and clarify the words of Torah well in his mind first, before he says them.
Scene 8 · LM II:118 §2 · paragraph §2.1
וְאָמַר, שֶׁעַכְשָׁו בְּנָקֵל מְאֹד לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְפַּשְּׁטוּ חִבּוּרִים קְדוֹשִׁים הַרְבֵּה מִצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹתֵינוּ. וּכְפִי הַשִּׂיחוֹת וְהַהִתְגַּלּוּת שֶׁנִּתְפַּשֵּׁט בְּיָמֵינוּ, בְּנָקֵל מְאֹד לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה.
EN (our paraphrase): And he said that now it is very easy to find new insights in Torah, because many holy works by the tzaddikim of our generations have already spread. And through the talks and revelations that have spread in our days, it is very easy to find new insights in Torah.
Scene 9 · LM II:118 §2 · paragraph §2.2
גַּם אָמַר עַל מַה שֶּׁמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ: פָּתַח רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְאָמַר וְכוּ', וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה בִּשְׁאָר הַחֶבְרַיָּא קַדִּישָׁא, אָמַר: פָּתַח רַבִּי יִצְחָק – כְּשֶׁהָיָה רַק פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת פִּיו, תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד הָיָה אוֹמֵר וּמְגַלֶּה תּוֹרָה. וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן כְּבָר מְבֹאָר, שֶׁטּוֹב יוֹתֵר לְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲשֹׁב תּוֹרָה:
EN (our paraphrase): He also spoke about what the holy Zohar brings, 'Rabbi Yitzchak opened and said', and the like with the rest of the holy fellowship. He said: 'Rabbi Yitzchak opened' means that as soon as he merely opened his mouth, at once he was saying and revealing Torah. Yet even so, it has already been explained that it is better to reflect and think Torah through.
Hebrew phrases in the Explainer
Scene 2 · §1.1: אָמַר שֶׁאֵין זֶה מַעֲלָה כָּל־כָּךְ,
Scene 3 · §1.2: שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לְגַלּוֹת תּוֹרָה, הוּא חוֹזְרָהּ אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ.
Scene 4 · §1.2: אָז רָאָה וַיְסַפְּרָהּ, הֱכִינָהּ וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ,
Scene 5 · §1.2: מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן בֶּן־אָדָם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲשֹׁב וּלְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲקֹר וּלְבָרֵר הַדִּבְרֵי־תוֹרָה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ תְּחִלָּה הֵיטֵב קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ:
Scene 6 · §2.1: וְאָמַר, שֶׁעַכְשָׁו בְּנָקֵל מְאֹד לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה,
Scene 7 · §2.2: וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן כְּבָר מְבֹאָר, שֶׁטּוֹב יוֹתֵר לְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲשֹׁב תּוֹרָה:
Hebrew phrases in the 1-minute recap
Scene 2 · §1.1: אָמַר שֶׁאֵין זֶה מַעֲלָה כָּל־כָּךְ,
Scene 3 · §1.2: שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לְגַלּוֹת תּוֹרָה, הוּא חוֹזְרָהּ אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ.
Scene 4 · §1.2: מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן בֶּן־אָדָם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲשֹׁב וּלְעַיֵּן וְלַחֲקֹר וּלְבָרֵר הַדִּבְרֵי־תוֹרָה בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ תְּחִלָּה הֵיטֵב קֹדֶם שֶׁאוֹמְרָהּ:
Scene 5 · §2.1: וְאָמַר, שֶׁעַכְשָׁו בְּנָקֵל מְאֹד לְחַדֵּשׁ בַּתּוֹרָה,