Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 70

Likutay Moharan, Volume 1, Torah 70

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי קָרָא משֶׁה לְאַהֲרן וּלְבָנָיו וּלְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
And it was on the eighth day, Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel [Leviticus 9:1]

And it was on the eighth day, for all things are on the earth, as we see with the senses, that everything grows from the earth, and all things and creations walk and are placed on the earth. It is impossible for them to be separated and distanced from the earth except by means of a compelling force, that is, through someone who compels the thing and takes it from its place on the earth and distances it from it. According to the compelling force, so the thing is distanced from the earth. Afterwards, when the compelling force ceases, the thing returns to the earth [due to its ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity)]. For example, if a person throws a thing upward, then by means of his force, he compels the thing and separates it from the earth. According to his force, so he compels the thing and throws it upward further. And afterwards, when his force, which is the compelling force, ceases, the thing returns and falls to the earth, because the earth has a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) and draws all things to itself. For if not, they could not exist upon it, because it would be fitting for them to fall from it, due to it being spherical, and all the people of the world stand around it, as is known. But it has a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), and therefore, when the compelling force ceases, the thing returns and falls downward to the earth. All that draws nearer downward flies and falls downward with greater speed. This is due to drawing nearer to the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) of the earth; therefore, it falls with greater speed downward.

The tzadik (righteous one) is the aspect of afar (dust), as mentioned above, for the tzadik is y’sod olam (foundation of the world), as it is written: “And a tzadik is the foundation of the world” [Proverbs 10:25]. All things stand upon him, and he has a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw all things to him, for this tzadik is unique in the world, the y’sod olam (foundation of the world), from whom all things are drawn. Even all tzadikim (righteous ones) are only branches from him, each one according to his aspect: there is one who is the aspect of a branch from him, and there is one who is the aspect of a branch from the branch. For this unique tzadik in the world is anav (humble) and shafal (lowly) and makes himself like afar (dust), in the aspect of: “And I am afar and ashes” [Genesis 18:27]. And therefore, he is y’sod olam (foundation of the world), that is, the aspect of afar (dust), upon which all things are, as above.

This is what we request: “And my soul like afar to all shall be” [from the liturgy], that is, that it shall have the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw all to it like afar (dust), as above. This tzadik draws all hashpa’os (influences) to the world, in the aspect of: “And dusts of gold” [Job 28:6], for all hashpa’os (influences) are drawn from the aspect of afar (dust), from the aforementioned tzadik. And therefore, if one gives tzedaka (charity) to this tzadik, he is blessed immediately, for it is the aspect of sowing upon the afar (dust), which sprouts double doubly, in the aspect of: “Sow for yourselves for tzedaka and reap according to kindness” [Hosea 10:12]. But if one gives tzedaka (charity) to one who is not in the aspect of afar (dust) at all, it does not produce fruits. This is what Yirmiyahu cursed the people of Anathoth: “In the time of Your anger, do to them” [Jeremiah 11:22], make them stumble with poor people who are not proper [Bava Kama 16b], that is, who are not in the aspect of afar (dust) at all. And therefore, the tzedaka (charity) given to them is not the aspect of sowing at all.

It would be fitting that all people be drawn to this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), who has the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above. But by means of the compelling force, they separate and distance from him, that is, there are people who, by means of their speech and their actions, compel people to separate them and distance them from the aforementioned tzadik. And according to the compelling force, so he distances from the tzadik, as above. And afterwards, when the compelling force ceases, he will return and draw himself and draw near to the tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), as above. For when the compeller ceases, he returns to the afar (dust), to the aforementioned tzadik, who has the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above.

Therefore, there are people who are very distant from the tzadik due to them still being in the compelling force that distances them. But afterwards, when the compelling force ceases, they will return and draw near, as above. This is what we see: when a person travels to the tzadik, the closer he draws near to the place of the tzadik, the more cheshek (desire) he has, due to drawing nearer to the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above.

This is the aspect of Mishkan (Tabernacle), for the Mishkan had a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw Divinity to the place where it stood, in the aspect of: “Moshcheni after you, we will run” [Song of Songs 1:4], after you, we will run specifically [root: ר-ו-ץ], for the closer one draws near to it, the more he runs, due to the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above. And as brought in the Midrash [Exodus Rabbah 31]: The Mishkan is לשון משכון [language of pledge], that it is a pledge for Israel that the Shechina (Divine Presence) will dwell with them, even if they sin, chas v’shalom [G-d forbid], as it is written: “And I will place My Mishkan among you, and My soul will not abhor you” [Leviticus 26:11]. It is found that by means of the Mishkan, the Shechina dwells in Israel, that is, as above, for Mishkan is לשון מושכני [language of draw me, root: מ-ש-ך], which has the aspect of ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw Divinity to the place where it stood, as above.

Therefore, it is impossible to erect the Mishkan except by the tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), the aspect of Moshe, who was anav (humble) more than any man, as it is written: “And Moshe erected the Mishkan” [Exodus 40:18]. And another could not erect it, for specifically this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust) and ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), can erect the Mishkan, which is the aspect of ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), to draw Divinity, as above.

This is what is written: “Not because you are more numerous did Hashem desire you, for you are the fewest” [Deuteronomy 7:7]. And our Sages expounded [Chullin 89a, brought in Rashi]: Not because of your multitude, but because you diminish yourselves, Hashem desired you. For because they diminish and make themselves small [root: מ-ע-ט], by this they are in the aspect of afar (dust), which has ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), the aspect of Mishkan, which draws Divinity, as above. And therefore, Hashem desired you. This is the aspect of: “I will dwell with the crushed” [Isaiah 57:15]. For by means of shiflus (lowliness), that he makes himself like afar (dust), by this he has ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw the Blessed Name to him, which is the aspect of the Mishkan, as above.

This is the aspect of kavod (glory) said regarding the Mishkan, as it is written: “And it shall be sanctified in My kavod” [Exodus 29:43], and: “And the kavod of Hashem filled the Mishkan” [Exodus 40:34]. For all the kavod (glory) that every person in the world has, from small to great, all of them receive only from this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), the aspect of Mishkan, from whom all is drawn. For all the kavod (glory) and greatness is only with this tzadik, and all receive from him, as it is written [Megillah 31a]: Every place that you find His greatness, there you find His anav’tanuso (humility). It is found that in the place of shiflus (lowliness) and smallness, there dwells all the kavod (glory) and greatness, as it is written: “I will dwell with the crushed” [Isaiah 57:15].

Therefore, all the heads in the world receive their kavod (glory) from this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust). And similarly, the renewal of the kavod (glory), for each time the kavod (glory) is renewed, when an appointee comes to another appointment, and the headship and kavod (glory) are renewed, it is all by means of this tzadik. For according to his erection of the Mishkan each time, from there comes the kavod (glory), in the aspect of: “And the kavod of Hashem filled the Mishkan” [Exodus 40:34], as above. So all the kavod (glory) and headship are renewed, as above.

This is: “And it was on the eighth day, Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel” [Leviticus 9:1]. For when the tzadik needs to call the heads of the people, he calls them by this: that he erects the Mishkan, where there is the kavod (glory), as above. And by this, he calls them, for all come to him to receive the kavod (glory) from him. And this on the eighth day, that Moshe erected the Mishkan, by this Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel, who are the inclusion of the heads of the people, from small to great. For by means of erecting the Mishkan, he called all the heads of the people, who are the aspect of Aharon and his sons, and [the elders of Israel], as above.

This is what our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said [Rosh Hashanah 1a]: that Nisan is the Rosh Hashanah (New Year) for melachim (kings), for then was the erection of the Mishkan, from where the kavod (glory) of melachim (kings), of all the appointees and heads, is drawn, as above. And therefore, the erection of the Mishkan was specifically on Rosh Chodesh Nisan (New Moon of Nisan), for this is the aspect of Rosh Chodesh (New Moon), that by this all the heads are renewed, as above. And this is the aspect of Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the Rosh Hashanah (New Year) for melachim (kings), as above.

Earth First and Central

HH

Imagine being suspended in the atmosphere 1000 meters high. Pretty frightening. Good thing that we have the solid earth under our feet. The reality however is that we are the earth. It isn’t like we just happened or managed to secure ourselves on earth. Perhaps the whole superficial perspective of the heliocentricity is due to the faulty premise that first there was space and then then formations of matter therein. The reality is that first there was earth, and everything from great to small was derived from the earth (this is a dictum in the Medrash often cited in the Kabbala – הכל היה מן העפר אפילו גלגל חמה), and we know that man is a microcosm of the universe, which means that wherever man stands he is the earth, suspended in the reality (“hypostasis”) just as securely as earth.

  

With this understanding we can explain the commandment of not to have foreign gods – which HY set for the gentile nations (Deuteronomy 4:19), to mean that a Jew is forbidden to see himself existing as some arbitrary floating dot in space, where all types of others things also meander, roam, or orbit. A Jew must be geocentric, knowing that the whole world was created for him (see Likutay Moharan Torah-teaching 5), and revolves, operates, and functions completely in synchronization to him. Every person according to the level of humility – likening to the earth – pivots themselves closer to the truth of this reality. The tzadik is the quintessence of this (Likutay Moharan 70), and is the root of all the souls.

There is definitely a perspective that HY created to see the world as if it was created in space together with all types of other forces and formations. That is a superficial perspective which HY set for the nations to be occupied with, but a Jew must not let himself get stuck there. That is like getting stuck with the physics of Newton and refusing to acknowledge and understand quantum physics, just much much worse. [See the beginning of Daas Tevunos 2, where the Ramchal reveals that HY made the world this way, that there is the true reality of the Torah, and there is a superficial facade masking it].

This is what it says in (Deuteronomy 31:17), “Because my G-d is not inside of me I have been beset with all this evil.” That is when one loses the true perspective that he is the world and G-d is shining into him, he falls into the hands of all the multivariable forces and formations competing in the superficial ecosystem of the universe.

It is also possible to understand with this the first two of the Ten Commandments which we heard directly from HY. The first commandment, “I am Hashem… Who took you out of the land of Egypt,” Egypt in Hebrew is mitzra-yim, borders and constraints, because as long a person retains this outlook that he exists in space together with other things, then he is living under the domination of limitations. The second commandment says, “You should not have foreign gods….” this was explained above, that as long a person sees himself as a creation in space he will be subject to the vying entities in his universe.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman!

Blossoms of the Spring - Ebay Hanachal - Letter 5

Letter 5

B.H. 9 Shevat 718 (January 30, 1958). Tiberius.

In honor of the good and pleasant Mr. Z. Shazar, blessings of life and abundant peace.

The day before yesterday, I sent him good delicacies which his soul loves, and I hope that he will feel great pleasantness in them. Now as well (I) send him a good gift from the treasure house of Rabbainu, the pupil of our eye N’N’M’Ch’ [acronym of: Nachal <stream> Noavaya <gushing> Mikor <source> Chuchmu <wisdom> (Proverbs 18:4) – this acronym is the same letters as NaChMaN] za.tza.l..

The essence of the coming of the Messiah is to reveal the truth in the world, because now the truth is in great exile, and everyone says that the truth is with him, and the essential truth will be revealed by Messiah, and this is the essential redemption (Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat vol. 1, 3:10, also see there Orach Chaim vol. 1, Morning Blessings 3:41, Yoreh Dayah volume 1; Signs of a kosher animal and beast 4:32, Interest 5:18, 31).

Truth and falsehood are the aspects of a king and slave, and due to the overwhelming falsehood, the son of the king was switched with the son of the slave, to the effect that they thought that the son of the slave was the son of the king, and the converse regarding the son of the king, as is explained in the Legendary Tales (Likutay Halachos, Morning Blessings 3:11). And the main nullification of the falsehood, and the revelation of the truth, is through abnegating himself absolutely and completely until he is in the aspect of actual dirt, in the aspect of, “and my soul should be like dirt to all (conclusion of the 18 benedictions)” (Likutay Halachos, Signs of a kosher animal and beast 4:28).

For everything grows from the earth, and all the things and creatures go and rest upon the earth, and it is impossible for them to cease and be distanced from the earth except by a power of force, that is, by means of someone forcing the item, and taking it from its place on the earth, and distancing it (– the item, from it – the earth). And according to the amount of power of the force, so the item will be distanced from the earth; and afterwards, when the power of the force ceases, the item returns to the earth, because the earth has the power of gravity, and draws all things to itself, because otherwise it would not be possible to stand/exist upon it, because it would be congruous to fall from it, since it is spherical and all of humanity stand around it, as is known, but for the power of gravity it has etc. (Likutay Moharan, Torah-Lesson 70).

And there is a true tzadik who is the foundation of the world, and he is in the aspect of dirt, and all the things stand upon him, and this tzadik is only solitaire in the world, and even all the tzadikim are only branches from him, each one according to his aspect, there is he who is a branch from him, and there is he who is a branch of branch. And this tzadik who is solitaire in the world is humble, and lowly, and makes himself to be as dirt, and through this he has the power of gravity to draw the whole world to him to bring them close to Hashem Yisburach and to His holy Torah. And this tzadik draws all the provisions of the world, for all the bounty is drawn from the aspect of the dirt, from the aforementioned tzadik (Likutay Moharan, Torah-Lesson 70).

And behold, it would be congruous for all the people to be drawn to this tzadik who is the aspect of dirt, who has the power of gravity, as mentioned above, however due to the power of force they are severed and distanced from him; that is, there are people that through their words and actions they force people, severing them and distancing them from the aforementioned tzadik, and according to the amount of the power of force so they will distance from the tzadik. And afterwards, when the power of force abates, he will return and he will draw himself to the dirt, to the aforementioned tzadik who has the power of gravity (Likutay Moharan, Torah-Lesson 70)! And the main build up of the power of force is through arrogance, and haughtiness, and honor – the fear that one’s honor will be diminished and he will be disgraced when he comes (close) to the truth. Therefore, whoever desires to know the real truth, should lower his self regard in truth, and remember his shortcomings and his lowliness in truth, and all that transpired to him from his onset; and when he truly feels his lowliness, then certainly the truth will be revealed to him, and the power of gravity will overpower the power of force, and he will be drawn with great speed to the true tzadik (Likutay Halachos, Choshen Mishpat, Division of Possessions 4:9).

Heartfelt wishes of well-being for him and all those in his company, and blessings of health of body and soul.

Yisroel Dov Odesser – House of Zalman Odesser - Tiberius

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman

ספר אב"י הנחל - הוצאת נקודות טובות - מכתב ה:

ב"ה, ט' שבט תשי"ח. טבריא

לכבוד מר ז.שזר הטוב והנעים, ברכת חיים ושלום רב.

שלשום שלחתי לו מטעמים טובים אשר אהבה נפשו, ואקוה שירגיש בהם נעימות רבה. גם עכשיו שולח לו מתנה טובה מבית גנזיו של רבנו, בת עיננו, נ'נ'מ'ח' (נחל נובע מקור חכמה), זצ"ל.

עיקר ביאת המשיח הוא לגלות האמת בעולם כי עכשיו האמת בגלות גדולה, וכל אחד אומר שאצלו האמת, ועיקר האמת יתגלה על ידי משיח וזה עיקר הגאולה.

אמת ושקר הם בחינת מלך ועבד, ומחמת התגברות השקר, נחלף בן המלך בבן העבד, עד שסברו על בן העבד שהוא בן המלך, ועל בן המלך להפך, כמבואר ב"סיפורי מעשיות". ועיקר ביטול השקר והתגלות האמת הוא על ידי שמבטל עצמו מכל וכל עד שהוא בבחינת עפר ממש, בבחינת "ונפשי לכל תהיה".

שהכל גדל מן הארץ, וכל הדברים והבריות הולכים ומונחים על הארץ, ואי אפשר שיפסקו ויתרחקו מהארץ אם לא על ידי כוח המכריח, היינו על ידי שיש מי שמכריח הדבר ונוטלו ממקומו מהארץ ומרחיקו ממנה. וכפי כוח המכריח, כן נתרחק הדבר מהארץ; ואחר כך כשנפסק כוח המכריח, חוזר הדבר לארץ, כי הארץ יש לה כוח המושך ומושכת כל הדברים לעצמה, כי אם לאו, לא היו יכולים להתקיים עליה, כי היה ראוי ליפול ממנה, מחמת שהיא כדורית וכל בני העולם עומדים סביבה, כידוע, אך שיש לה כוח המושך וכו'.

ויש צדיק אמיתי שהוא יסוד העולם והוא בבחינת עפר וכל הדברים עומדים עליו, וזה הצדיק הוא רק יחיד בעולם, ואפילו כל הצדיקים הם רק ענפים ממנו, כל אחד לפי בחינתו, יש שהוא ענף ממנו ויש שהוא בבחינת ענף מן הענף. וזה הצדיק היחיד בעולם הוא ענו ושפל ומשים עצמו כעפר, ועל ידי זה יש לו כוח המושך להמשיך כל העולם אליו לקרבם לה' יתברך ולתורתו הקדושה. וזה הצדיק ממשיך כל ההשפעות להעולם, שכל ההשפעות נמשכים מבחינת עפר מהצדיק הנ"ל.

והנה היה ראוי, שימשכו כל בני אדם לזה הצדיק שהוא בחינת עפר, שיש לו כוח המושך, כנזכר לעיל, אך על ידי כוח המכריח מפסיקין ומרחיקים ממנו; היינו שיש בני אדם, שעל ידי דיבורם ומעשיהם הם מכריחים את בני האדם להפסיקם ולהרחיקם מהצדיק הנ"ל, וכפי כוח המכריח כן מרחיק מהצדיק. ואחר כך כשיפסיק כוח המכריח יחזור וימשיך עצמו להעפר, להצדיק הנ"ל שיש לו כוח המושך! ועיקר התגברות כוח המכריח הוא על ידי גאוה וגסות הרוח וכבוד, שמתירא שיהיה נפחת כבודו ויתבזה כשיתקרב אל האמת. על כן כל מי שרוצה לידע האמת לאמיתו, ישפיל דעתו באמת, ויזכור פחיתותו ושיפלותו באמת וכל מה שעבר עליו מעודו; וכשירגיש שיפלותו באמת, אז בוודאי תתגלה לו האמת, ויתגבר כוח המושך על כוח המכריח, ויהיה נמשך בזריזות גדולה להצדיק האמיתי.

דרישת שלום לבבית לו והנלוים אליו וברכת בריאות בגוף ונפש.

ישראל דב אודסר - בית זלמן אודסר - טבריא