Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 2 - Say to the Kohanim

Likutay Moharan 2:1

A

וַיֹּאמֶר ה אֶל משֶׁה: אֱמֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם: לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו (וַיִּקְרָא כ"א:א / Leviticus 21:1): And Hashem said to Moshe: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aharon, and say to them: None shall defile himself for a dead person among his people.

It is stated in the Sifra d’Tzni’uta (זֹהַר נָשֹׂא ק"ל ע"א; זֹהַר הַאֲזִינוּ רפ"ט ע"א; זֹהַר תְּרוּמָה קע"ז ע"א): From the nostril of the nose [נוּקְבָא דְּפַרְדַּשְׂקָא, nostril, source of prayer’s vitality] is drawn the spirit of life to the Messiah. For the primary weapon [כְּלִי זַיִן, metaphor for prayer’s power] of the Messiah is prayer [תְּפִלָּה], which is the aspect of the nose [חֹטֶם, symbolizing breath, drawing life from the nostril], as it is written: וּתְהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטֹם לָךְ (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ מ"ח:ט / Isaiah 48:9)—And My praise I will restrain [אֶחֱטֹם] for you. From there is his primary vitality, and all his battles that he will wage, and all the conquests he will achieve, all are from there, as it is written: וַהֲרִיחוֹ בְּיִרְאַת ה' (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ י"א:ג / Isaiah 11:3)—And he shall be inspired [וַהֲרִיחוֹ, lit. smell, linked to nose] by the fear of Hashem. This is the aspect of the nose, the primary weapon, as it is written: בְּחַרְבִּי וּבְקַשְׁתִּי (בְּרֵאשִׁית מ"ח:כ"ב / Genesis 48:22)—With my sword and my bow. Rashi explains: Prayer and request. And as it is written: כִּי לֹא בְקַשְׁתִּי אֶבְטַח... בֵּאלֹהִים הִלַּלְנוּ (תְּהִלִּים מ"ד:ז-ט / Psalms 44:7-9)—For I will not trust in my bow... in G-d we have praised (בָּבָא בַּתְרָא קכ"ג ע"א / Talmud, Bava Batra 123a), in the aspect of: My praise I will restrain [תְּהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטֹם].

B

This weapon must be received through the aspect of Yosef, meaning guarding the covenant [בְּרִית, sexual purity, as Yosef resisted temptation], as it is written: חֲגוֹר חַרְבְּךָ עַל יָרֵךְ (תְּהִלִּים מ"ה:ד / Psalms 45:4)—Gird your sword upon your thigh (זֹהַר וַיְּחִי ר"מ ע"א; תְּהִלִּים קל"ב). And as it is written: מִפְּרִי בִטְנְךָ אָשִׁית לְכִסֵּא לָךְ (תְּהִלִּים קל"ב:יא / Psalms 132:11)—From the fruit of your womb I will set upon your throne, this is the aspect of the Messiah, the aspect of prayer: אִם יִשְׁמְרוּ בָנֶיךָ בְּרִיתִי (תְּהִלִּים קל"ב:יב / Psalms 132:12)—If your children keep My covenant. This is through the aspect of Yosef. And Yosef, who guarded the covenant, took the birthright [בְּכוֹרָה], which is the aspect of the service of prayer, the aspect of a double portion [פִּי שְׁנַיִם, praise and request in prayer]. For prayer is a double portion, having two aspects: the praise of the Omnipresent and the request for one’s needs (בְּרָכוֹת ל"א ע"א / Talmud, Berachot 31a). This is the aspect of: וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם (תְּהִלִּים קמ"ט:ו / Psalms 149:6)—A double-edged sword [פִּיפִיּוֹת, lit. two mouths] in their hand, the aspect of two edges, the aspect of a double portion (זֹהַר וַיְּחִי), for it depends on guarding the covenant.

C

[And therefore, Yosef, because he merited the aspect of prayer, which is the aspect of My praise I will restrain [תְּהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטֹם], the aspect of vitality drawn from the nostril of the nose [נוּקְבָא דְּפַרְדַּשְׂקָא] as mentioned above, is called: בֵּן פּוֹרָת יוֹסֵף (בְּרֵאשִׁית מ"ט:כ"ב / Genesis 49:22)—A fruitful son, Yosef, which is the aspect of 686 lights [תרפ"ו, gematria of nose’s vitality, linked to divine Names], the seven Names: ע"ב, ס"ג, מ"ה, ב"ן, קס"א, קנ"א, קמ"ג, totaling 686, received from the nostril of the nose, for פַרְדַּשְׂקָא in gematria is 686.]

D

One who merits this sword must know how to wield it, so as not to tilt it to the right or to the left, and so that it hits the hair precisely without missing. This is only possible through the aspect of judgment [מִשְׁפָּט, Tiferet, balancing Chesed and Din], for judgment is the central pillar (תִּקּוּנֵי זֹהַר, הַקְדָּמָה שְׁנִיָּה, דף י"ז ע"ב). This means aiming the weapon exactly to the required place, neither veering to the right nor to the left, but to the center. This is the aspect of: יְכַלְכֵּל דְּבָרָיו בְּמִשְׁפָּט (תְּהִלִּים קי"ב:ה / Psalms 112:5)—He directs his affairs with judgment. Therefore, Yosef received the birthright specifically from Yaakov, as it is written: וַאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ (בְּרֵאשִׁית מ"ח:כ"ב / Genesis 48:22)—And I [Yaakov, embodying Tiferet] have given you, specifically I, which is the aspect of judgment. This is: כִּי חֹק לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא (תְּהִלִּים פ"א:ה / Psalms 81:5)—For it is a statute for Israel, the aspect of the covenant, as it is written: חֹק בִּשְׁאֵרוֹ שָׂם (תְּהִלִּים פ"א:ו / Psalms 81:6)—He set a statute in his flesh, and judgment for the G-d of Yaakov. This means that Yosef must receive this sword through the aspect of judgment to direct his affairs with judgment. This is: מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְמֶלֶךְ תֵּן (תְּהִלִּים ע"ב:א / Psalms 72:1)—Give Your judgments to the king.

E

How does one merit the aspect of judgment? Through charity [צְדָקָה, Chesed, balancing divine judgment], for through charity, one grasps the attribute of judgment, as it is written: צִדְקַת ה' עָשָׂה וּמִשְׁפָּטָיו (דְּבָרִים ל"ג:כ"א / Deuteronomy 33:21)—The righteousness of Hashem He performed, and His judgments. And as it is written: מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בְּיַעֲקֹב (תְּהִלִּים צ"ט:ד / Psalms 99:4)—Judgment and charity in Yaakov. For charity is through judgment, as it is written: אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפֵט, זֶה יַשְׁפִּיל וְזֶה יָרִים (תְּהִלִּים ע"ה:ח / Psalms 75:8)—G-d is a judge; He lowers one and raises another [charity lowers the giver, raises the poor], impoverishing one and enriching another. When one gives charity, it is in the aspect of He lowers, diminishing his wealth, and in the aspect of He raises, enriching the poor. Thus, one grasps the attribute of judgment. Therefore, one must set aside charity before prayer (בָּבָא בַּתְרָא י ע"א / Talmud, Bava Batra 10a; שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ, אֹרַח חַיִּים, סִימָן צ"ב, סְעִיף י), so that he can direct his affairs with judgment, hitting the hair precisely without missing. This is what our Sages, of revered memory, said: לָמָה נָתַן יַעֲקֹב אֶת הַבְּכוֹרָה לְיוֹסֵף (בָּבָא בַּתְרָא קכ"ג ע"א / Talmud, Bava Batra 123a)—Why did Yaakov give the birthright to Yosef? Because he sustained him, like a householder who raised an orphan in his home. As it is written: וַיְכַלְכֵּל יוֹסֵף אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אֶחָיו לֶחֶם לְפִי הַטָּף (בְּרֵאשִׁית מ"ז:י"ב / Genesis 47:12)—And Yosef sustained his father and his brothers with bread according to the children [לְפִי הַטָּף, speech, fluent prayer]. And: הַטֵּף אֶל דָּרוֹם (יְחֶזְקֵאל כ"א:ב / Ezekiel 21:2)—Incline [הַטֵּף, lit. speak, linked to prayer] toward the south. According to the children [לְפִי הַטָּף] means that his prayer was fluent in his mouth through charity. Through the charity he performed, Yaakov, who is the aspect of judgment, gave him the birthright, which is the aspect of prayer, as it is written: And I have given you [וַאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ], specifically I, the aspect of judgment.

The primary source of foreign thoughts [מַחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת, distractions in prayer] is through the corruption of judgment, for judgment is the aspect of the eyes [עֵינִין, vision of divine judgment], as it is written: וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל עֵין מִשְׁפָּט (בְּרֵאשִׁית י"ד:ז / Genesis 14:7)—And they came to the Spring of Judgment. This is the aspect of: עֵין יַעֲקֹב (דְּבָרִים ל"ג:כ"ח / Deuteronomy 33:28)—The eye of Yaakov. Through the corruption of judgment, the eyes are corrupted, as it is written: כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר עֵינֵי חֲכָמִים (דְּבָרִים ט"ז:י"ט / Deuteronomy 16:19)—For a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise. This is the aspect of foreign thoughts in prayer, which are clouds covering the eyes, as it is written: סַכֹּתָה בֶעָנָן לָךְ (אֵיכָה ג:מ"ד / Lamentations 3:44)—You have covered Yourself with a cloud (תִּקּוּנֵי זֹהַר, תִּקּוּן כ"א, דף נ ע"ב). In the future, when the aspect of judgment is rectified, as it is written: צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ א:כ"ז / Isaiah 1:27)—Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, then the clouds covering the eye will be removed, as it is written: כִּי עַיִן בְּעַיִן יִרְאוּ בְּשׁוּב ה' צִיּוֹן (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ נ"ב:ח / Isaiah 52:8)—For eye to eye they shall see when Hashem returns to Zion. Therefore, Yosef is called: בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עַיִן (בְּרֵאשִׁית מ"ט:כ"ב / Genesis 49:22)—A fruitful son by a spring [עֲלֵי עַיִן, lit. over an eye, clear vision].

F

Everyone must direct their prayer [תְּפִלָּה] to connect themselves to the righteous of the generation [צַדִּיק הַדּוֹר, spiritual leader embodying Moshe-Messiah], for every righteous person in the generation is in the aspect of Moshe-Messiah, as we find that the righteous call each other Moshe, as in: משֶׁה שַׁפִּיר קָאֲמַרְתְּ—Moshe, you have spoken well (שַׁבָּת ק"א ע"ב / Talmud, Shabbat 101b). And this Moshe is the aspect of the Messiah, as it is written: עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה (בְּרֵאשִׁית מ"ט:י / Genesis 49:10)—Until Shiloh comes, this is Moshe-Messiah (זֹהַר בְּרֵאשִׁית כ"ה ע"ב, כ"ז ע"א). Every prayer that each person prays is an aspect of a limb of the Shechinah [divine feminine, completed through prayer], which are the limbs of the Tabernacle. No one from Israel can elevate each gem in its setting [שַׁיְפָא בְּשַׁיְפָא] to its proper place except Moshe alone. Therefore, one must bring and connect all prayers to the righteous of the generation, as it is written: וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל משֶׁה (שְׁמוֹת ל"ט:ל"ג / Exodus 39:33)—And they brought the Tabernacle to Moshe. He knows how to elevate each gem in its setting and make it a complete stature [קוֹמָה שְׁלֵמָה], as it is written: וַיָּקֶם משֶׁה אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן (שְׁמוֹת מ:י"ח / Exodus 40:18)—And Moshe erected the Tabernacle (זֹהַר פְּקוּדֵי רל"ח ע"א).

All the Torah that a person studies to observe and perform, its letters are sparks of souls [נִיצוֹצֵי נְשָׁמוֹת]. These are clothed within the prayer and are renewed there in the aspect of impregnation [עִבּוּר, spiritual renewal of souls], as explained in the teachings on gilgulim that all souls enter the Malchut [מַלְכוּת, Shechinah] in the aspect of impregnation and are renewed there. This is: הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד אֵל (תְּהִלִּים י"ט:ב / Psalms 19:2)—The heavens declare the glory of G-d [כְּבוֹד אֵל, Shechinah, adorned by prayer]. This refers to the Torah, which is fire and water, meaning the aspect of souls, and they enter the prayer, which is the aspect of the glory of G-d, as it is written: שִׂימוּ כָבוֹד תְּהִלָּתוֹ (תְּהִלִּים ס"ו:ב / Psalms 66:2)—Set glory to His praise, in the aspect of: My praise I will restrain [תְּהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטֹם] (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ מ"ח:ט / Isaiah 48:9). [Alternatively, it is called glory, as found in manuscripts.] This is because it clothes us [in some manuscripts: them], for Rabbi Yochanan called his garments his honor [מְכַבְּדוּתָא] (שַׁבָּת קי"ג ע"א / Talmud, Shabbat 113a). Through this, it is called the glory of G-d. The souls and the prayer illuminate each other: the souls illuminate the prayer in the aspect of elevation of feminine waters [מַיִן נוּקְבִין, spiritual elevation through prayer], and the prayer illuminates the souls in the aspect of renewal, renewing them in the aspect of impregnation. The souls clothed in the prayer, brought to the righteous of the generation, are in the aspect of: בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶיהָ מוּבָאוֹת לָךְ (תְּהִלִּים מ"ה:ט"ו / Psalms 45:15)—Maidens follow her, her companions, brought to you.

Rabbah bar Bar Chana said: Once we were traveling on a ship and saw a fish [כַּוְרָא, symbol of the righteous] with sand gathered on its back, and reeds grew upon it. We thought it was dry land, so we went up, baked, and cooked upon it. When its back grew hot, it turned over, and had the ship not been nearby, we would have drowned (בָּבָא בַּתְרָא ע"ג ע"א / Talmud, Bava Batra 73a). Rashbam explains: Sand gathered on its back—sand accumulated on it; reeds grew—grass grew on the sand; we thought it was dry land—it was an island in the sea.

This is what Rabbah bar Bar Chana meant: We saw this fish, for in our exile, so to speak, the Holy One, blessed be He, is in hiding of the face [הַסְתָּרַת פָּנִים, divine concealment in exile], as it is written: הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ (תְּהִלִּים ל:ח / Psalms 30:8)—You hid Your face, which is the aspect of mercy [רַחֲמִים]. He turned His back [ערֶף], which is the aspect of judgment [דִּין]. All our prayers and requests are for Him turning His back to us, that He return His face, as it is written: פְּנֵה אֵלַי (תְּהִלִּים פ"ו:ט"ז / Psalms 86:16)—Turn to me, and: יָאֵר ה' פָּנָיו (בְּמִדְבַּר ו:כ"ה / Numbers 6:25)—May Hashem cause His face to shine. When we see the length of the exile and cry out to Him daily without being saved, some among Israel, Heaven forbid, err in their hearts, thinking all prayers are in vain. But in truth, the righteous in every generation elevate them and establish them, as it is written: And Moshe erected the Tabernacle [וַיָּקֶם משֶׁה אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן]. They elevate each gem in its setting [שַׁיְפָא וְשַׁיְפָא] to its place, building the stature of the Shechinah gradually until its full stature is completed. Then the Messiah, this Moshe, will come, complete it, and erect it in perfection.

This is the meaning: We saw this fish [כַּוְרָא], which is the aspect of the righteous of the generation, called a fish [דָּג, symbol of the righteous] (מָאוֹרֵי אוֹר, ערך דג; זֹהַר וַיִּקְרָא מ"ב ע"א, רע"ח ע"א), the aspect of Moshe-Messiah. Sand gathered on its back [יַתְבָא לֵיהּ חַלְתָא אַגַּבֵּיהּ] refers to the prayers we pray for this, that, so to speak, He turned His back to us. Gathered on it [יַתְבָא לֵיהּ] means: And they brought the Tabernacle to Moshe [וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל משֶׁה], for one must bring and connect the prayer to the righteous of the generation. Reeds grew upon it [וְקָדְחִי עָלֵהּ אֲגְמָא] refers to the souls that come with the prayer, in the aspect of maidens follow her, her companions [בְּתוּלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ רֵעוֹתֶיהָ], for the souls are called grasses [עֲשָׂבִין], as it is written: רְבָבָה כְּצֶמַח הַשָּׂדֶה נְתַתִּיךְ (יְחֶזְקֵאל ט"ז:ז / Ezekiel 16:7)—I made you numerous like the growth of the field. We thought it was dry land [סַבְרִינָן יַבֶּשְׁתָּא הוּא] means that the prayers seem to bear no fruit. But in truth, it is not so; rather, we went up, baked, and cooked [סַלְקִינָן וַאֲפִינָן וּבַשְׁלִינָן] means all the prayers ascend and rise. The more one increases in prayer, the more the Shechinah is built, preparing herself for union [זִוּוּג]. This is baking and cooking, for baking and cooking are preparations for eating, the aspect of union, as it is written: כִּי אִם הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא אוֹכֵל (בְּרֵאשִׁית ל"ט:ו / Genesis 39:6)—Except the bread that he eats.

When the full stature of the Shechinah is completed, through many prayers, His mercies [רַחֲמָיו] will be aroused, and the attribute of judgment [דִּין] will turn to the attribute of mercy [רַחֲמִים]. This is: When its back grew hot [כַּד חַם], meaning when His mercies are aroused, it turned over [אִתְהַפֵּיךְ], meaning the attribute of judgment turns to the attribute of mercy. Had we not been near the ship [אִי לָאו דַּהֲוָה מִקָּרְבָא סְפִינְתָּא], this is the aspect of: לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה זֹאת (יְשַׁעְיָהוּ מ"ח:יא / Isaiah 48:11)—For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it, as stated in the Midrash: מִי הִקְדִּימַנִי וַאֲשַׁלֵּם לוֹ (מִדְרַשׁ תַּנְחוּמָא, וַיִּקְרָא כ"ז)—Who preceded Me that I should repay him? Who made a mezuzah [merit through mitzvot] for Me before I gave him a house? Thus, all our good deeds and prayers are from Him, and it is not fitting to expect reward for anything. Even though it seems that through our prayers and Torah the redemption will come, we still need His kindness [חֶסֶד], that He redeem us through His kindness. Had we not been near the ship is the aspect of kindness, as our Sages, of revered memory, said: הַסַּפָּנִין רֻבָּן חֲסִידִים (קִדּוּשִׁין פ"ב ע"א / Talmud, Kiddushin 82a)—Most sailors are pious [חֲסִידִים, embodying kindness]. Without His kindness, we would, Heaven forbid, drown in exile.

This is the meaning: Speak to the priests [אֱמֹר אֶל הַכֹּהֲנִים], the aspect of prayer, as it is written: אֶת ה' הֶאֱמַרְתָּ הַיּוֹם (דְּבָרִים כ"ו:י"ז / Deuteronomy 26:17)—You have proclaimed Hashem this day. Priests [כֹּהֲנִים] are the aspect of Torah, the aspect of souls, as mentioned above, as it is written: כִּי שִׂפְתֵי כֹהֵן יִשְׁמְרוּ דַעַת וְתוֹרָה (מַלְאָכִי ב:ז / Malachi 2:7)—For the lips of a priest shall preserve knowledge, and Torah. Aharon is the aspect of judgment [מִשְׁפָּט], as it is written: וְנָשָׂא אַהֲרֹן אֶת מִשְׁפַּט בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (שְׁמוֹת כ"ח:ל / Exodus 28:30)—And Aharon shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel. [Missing text, it should say:] For one needs the aspect of judgment, as mentioned above. And say to them [וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם], specifically and say [וְאָמַרְתָּ], as found in the manuscript copied from our Rabbi’s manuscript, of blessed memory. For one must bring all prayers to the aspect of Moshe-Messiah [Missing text, it should say:] and he will erect them, as it is written: And they brought the Tabernacle to Moshe, and Moshe erected [וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן אֶל משֶׁה וַיָּקֶם משֶׁה] the Tabernacle, from the manuscript. And he will erect the Tabernacle. This is Rashi’s explanation: To warn the great over the small, meaning the righteous of the generation, who is the aspect of Moshe, the great light, illuminates and shines upon the prayer, which is the aspect of the small light (זֹהַר פְּקוּדֵי רל"ח ע"א). None shall defile himself for a dead person among his people [לְנֶפֶשׁ לֹא יִטַּמָּא בְּעַמָּיו] means through guarding the covenant, as mentioned above, as explained in the Zohar (זֹהַר וַיִּקְרָא ט"ו ע"א; זֹהַר פְּקוּדֵי רס"ג-רס"ד ע"א; תּוֹרָה כֹּהֵן, פָּרָשָׁה ט). The primary power of the evil inclination [יִצְרָא בִּישָׁא] is over nakedness [עֲרַיָן], which is the primary source of defilement [מְסַאֲבוּתָא]. When one guards the covenant, he merits the aspect of prayer, as mentioned above, and merits the aspect of My praise I will restrain [תְּהִלָּתִי אֶחֱטֹם], for the primary scent [רֵיחַ] depends on purity [טָהֳרָה], as our Sages, of revered memory, said: מִשֶּׁבָּטְלָה הַטָּהֳרָה בָּטְלָה הָרֵיחַ (סוֹטָה מ"ח ע"א / Talmud, Sotah 48a)—Since purity ceased, scent ceased. And there (סוֹטָה מ"ט ע"א / Talmud, Sotah 49a), he said: I smell the scent of a fragrant date [חַנוּנִיתָא, fragrant, fatty date, ability to smell it symbolizing purity]. He said to him: My son, there is purity [טָהֳרָה] in you.