Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 169

169 – “And it shall be, because (eikev) you will listen...” (Deuteronomy 7:12)

When there are troubles, G-d forbid—whether communal or individual—dancing becomes impossible. For when judgments (dinim) prevail, they are handed over to the agents of judgment, who are called runners (ratzim; Zohar Bereishit 43a), and they are an aspect of the legs. At that point, the legs become heavy due to the spreading of blood—that is, judgments, as blood symbolizes judgment.

When judgment is “born,” the blood exits from the legs. At the time of childbirth, blood exits from the woman’s legs, and so her legs become cold, as the Sages said (Sotah 11b). The essence of birth is through the exiting of blood from the legs—that is, the exit of judgments.

Pregnancy is an aspect of judgment (Zohar Chayei Sarah 121a), as our Rabbis said (Berachot 29b): “When You are filled with wrath like a pregnant woman.” Hence, pregnancy represents judgment; birth represents the sweetening of judgment. When the blood (judgment) exits the legs, the birth process occurs.

Thus, during times of judgment or trouble, dancing is impossible—legs are weighed down by judgment-blood. But when the blood (judgments) is expelled and sweetened, the legs become light, joy spreads to them, and one can dance from joy.

Judgment is sweetened by a person judging himself—reflecting on his actions, scrutinizing them, and correcting them according to Torah law. When one judges himself, this sweetens and cancels the heavenly judgment. As is taught: “When there is judgment below, there is no judgment above” (see Torah 15).

And this is the meaning of: “And it shall be, eikev (because/heel), you listen...” (Deuteronomy 7:12)—eikev (heel) signifies legs, and “listening” is a language of joy (Midrash Rabbah, Naso 13). When one enacts justice upon himself, the upper judgments are canceled, and then the joy can reach the legs—even the heels hear joy.

This also relates to the verse: “And Hashem will guard for you the covenant (bris)”—for when one merits joy, Hashem Himself guards the bris, helping one to guard the holy covenant. The main blemish of the covenant comes through sadness, associated with the kelipah (impure shell) called Lilith, which constantly wails—that is, sadness.

Therefore, the primary merit for guarding the bris is through joy. Through joy, one merits Divine assistance in guarding the holy covenant.