Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 25

Torah 25: A Vessel That Is Not Worth the Damage

The language of our rabbi, of blessed memory

And they said to him: Show us a vessel that is not worth the chabalah [damage] it causes. He brought a budyah [mat, symbolizing dim’yon, root d.m.h]. They spread it, and it did not enter the gate. He said to them: Bring a marah [saw] and sisru [break down] the gate and wall. [Rashi: Show us a vessel that is not worth the chabalah [damage] it causes – a vessel whose value is less than the harm it inflicts. budyah – a mat. Did not enter the gate – it was too long and wide for the opening. Bring a marah and sisru – break down the opening and the wall to let it pass.]

For when the Temple was destroyed, the shamir [worm that cuts stone], nopheth tzufim [honeycomb], and amanah [faithfulness] ceased [Mishnah Sotah 9:12].

1. For every person must bring himself out from the dim’yon [imagination, root d.m.h] and ascend to the sechel [intellect]. And when he goes after the dim’yon, this is the aspect of stubbornness of heart, that he goes after the dim’yon within his heart. And when he goes out from the stubbornness of the heart and breaks his heart of stone, this is the aspect of the shamir [worm that cuts stone], by which the stone is subdued. And he does not go after desires of the dim’yon and he goes after the sechel. And as long as he has not brought his sechel to actualization, that is, brought it to actualization, then his sechel is still sechel b’koach [potential intellect], even though he has already broken the dim’yon. Then the establishment of his sechel is set up, for when this rises, this falls [Rashi on Genesis 25:19]. But the sechel is still sechel b’koach.

And afterwards, when he investigates with his sechel and brings it to actualization, then it is sechel b’po’al [actualized intellect], and this is the aspect of nopheth tzufim [honeycomb], as it is written: “Honey shall drop from your lips” [Song of Songs 4:11], for he brings the sweetness of his sechel from potential to actualization [and this is: your lips is the aspect of bringing from potential to actualization, which is the aspect of speech].

And afterwards, when he attains with his sechel all that a human can attain, then his sechel is sechel hanikneh [acquired intellect, unified knowledge after death], as the sages wrote: there is sechel b’koach, sechel b’po’al, and sechel hanikneh. And the main existence of a person after his death is only sechel hanikneh, and this is his remnant after death. And this is the aspect of amanah [faithfulness], for amanah is an expression of enduring existence, for sechel hanikneh is the existence of a person after his death. And sechel hanikneh is called that which a person knows many things in one knowledge, for before, he needs to know many preliminaries before he knows any thing, and afterwards, when he attains the thing, he discards his preliminaries and knows the thing in one knowledge. And the main fountain of wisdom came forth from the Temple, for there they offered the sacrifices, which are the animality and the power of dim’yon, as it is written: “The sacrifices of G-d are a broken spirit” [Psalms 51:19], for the breaking of dim’yon is the sacrifices. And therefore our sages, of blessed memory, said: When the Temple was destroyed, the shamir ceased, and so on [Mishnah Sotah 9:12], and when the Temple is rebuilt, then it will be fulfilled: “And a fountain shall come forth from the house of Hashem” [Joel 4:18].

2. And know that in every world and world, and in every level and level, there are dim’yonos [imaginations], and these are the klipos [husks/shells, impure forces obstructing holiness] that precede the fruit and surround the holiness, as it is written: “Around the wicked walk” [Psalms 12:9]. And when a person moves from level to level, then he must go through these dim’yonos in order to reach the holiness. And immediately when he ascends to the level, then the klipos in the level awaken and surround him, and he must subdue them and break them and purify that place from the klipos.

3. And know that no two people are equal to each other, for all souls are one above the other, and this one is a garment to that one. And the inner aspect of the lower one becomes a garment and outer aspect for the outer aspect of the higher one. Therefore, when one desires to ascend from his level to a higher level, then the person standing in the higher level goes and moves to a yet higher level, for it is impossible for two people to be in one level. And it is only the inner aspect of the higher person that moves, and the outer aspect remains. And also the person in the lower level, it is only his inner aspect that moves and ascends, and the inner aspect of the lower one becomes the outer aspect for the outer aspect of the higher one.

And even though the klipah [husk/shell] in the higher level was already broken by the person in the higher level, nevertheless, when the inner aspect of the higher one moves from there and the inner aspect of the lower one ascends, then the klipah returns and awakens, for it is not subdued except before the light of the inner aspect of the higher one, but before the lower one, even before his inner aspect, it has strength to awaken against him. And therefore he must break it and subdue it anew.

And inner aspect and outer aspect are two kinds of services: the service of Torah, prayer, and mitzvos [commandments] are the inner aspect, and the service of eating, drinking, and other bodily needs are the outer aspect. And the service of the outer aspect, that is, eating and drinking, of the person standing in the higher level is more illuminating and refined than the services of the inner aspect, that is, Torah and prayer, of the person standing in the lower level. And therefore the inner aspect of the lower one becomes a garment for the outer aspect of the higher one.

And this is the explanation of: “Throne of glory exalted” [Jeremiah 17:12]. Throne is the aspect of the inner aspect, an expression of itkasyah [concealment]; glory is the outer aspect and garment, as it is written: Rabbi Yochanan called his garment [his glory] [Shabbat 113a]. Exalted from the first – that is, when he is elevated and ascends from the first level, and then it is made from inner aspect to outer aspect. And therefore the place of our sanctuary must sanctify the place anew, for the klipos return and awaken, as above.

4. And it is impossible to subdue the klipos [husks/shells, impure forces], that is, the dim’yonos [imaginations], thoughts, desires, confusions, and hindrances in the level, except through the greatness of the Creator. As it is brought in the kavanos [Kabbalistic intentions revealed by the Arizal] of “Hoadoo – Give thanks to Hashem, call in His name” at the beginning of Shacharis, that this psalm was established to subdue the klipos in Yetzirah, for they awaken against Asiyah that ascends to Yetzirah, and through proclaiming the greatness of the Creator, they are subdued [see there]. For the inner aspect of Yetzirah ascends to Beriyah, and the inner aspect of Asiyah ascends and clothes the outer aspect of Yetzirah [see there].

And the revelation of the greatness of the Creator is through tzedakah [charity] that one gives to a worthy poor person, for the essence of the greatness and splendor is the revelation of the gvanin [colors, divine attributes] [Zohar Beshalach 62a, Trumah 152a]. And silver and gold are these gvanin, for supernal gvanin are clothed in them. And the supernal gvanin clothed in silver and gold do not shine except when they come to the Israelite, for there is their place, and they are included one in another and these gvanin shine, as it is written: “Israel in whom I will be glorified” [Isaiah 49:3], for the place of the gvanin is only with the Israelite. And when the gvanin shine, then the Holy One, blessed be He, is magnified and glorified through them, as it is written: “To Me the silver and to Me the gold” [Haggai 2:8]. And it is made from them ‘garments of salvation’, salvation is gazing upon, as it is written: “They looked to Hashem” [Zohar Yitro 90a; see there], because of the splendor, all gaze upon it, for all desire to gaze upon it.

But as long as the silver and gold are with the nations, then the light of the gvanin is hidden, and they do not shine, for their place is not there, for their place is only with the Israelite, in the aspect of: “Israel in whom I will be glorified” [Isaiah 49:3], for there is the splendor of the gvanin. And therefore the nations desire the money of Israel, even though the nations have much silver and gold, they desire the dinar of a Jew as if they had never seen money. And this is because the silver and gold that are under their hands, the gvanin do not shine, and the grace does not rest on their money, for the essence of the splendor and the grace is revealed only with Israel. And therefore they are called rashim [poor], as it is written: “Be careful with the authorities” [Avos 2:3], for they are poor and impoverished, for they have no benefit from their money, as if they were poor, and they desire the money of Israel, for on the money of the Israelite rests the splendor and the grace, and all desire to gaze upon the splendor and the grace.

But know, immediately when the nation receives money from Israel, immediately the grace and splendor within the money are hidden. And therefore the nation, each time, demands other money from Israel and forgets the money it already received, for the grace is hidden when it comes to the hand of the nation. And this is: “They draw near only at the time of their benefit” [Avos 2:3 (the same excerpt as above)], and this is the aspect of: “Grace in the eyes of Hashem” [Genesis 6:8], the eyes of Hashem are the supernal gvanin, which are the aspect of silver and gold, there is the essence of the grace and the splendor. And this is what Avimelech said to Sarah: “Behold, I have given a thousand silver to your brother, behold, it is for you a covering of eyes” [Genesis 20:16], that is: When the money went out from the hand of the nation to the hand of the Israelite, immediately the gvanin were revealed and became the aspect of ‘garments of salvation’, that is, a covering of eyes that all gaze upon, for all desire to gaze upon them.

And through tzedakah that one gives from his money, all his money is rectified, and the gvanin are revealed and shine, and all his money is made in the aspect of: “To Me the silver and to Me the gold” [Haggai 2:8], as it is written: “Garments of salvation, a mantle of righteousness He has wrapped me” [Isaiah 61:10]. And even the money that the nations take from us is considered tzedakah, as our sages, of blessed memory, said: “And your taskmasters righteousness” [Isaiah 3:6, Bava Batra 9a]. And this is: “Your eyes, pools in Heshbon” [Song of Songs 7:5], your eyes, this is the gvanin, the aspect of silver and gold, are blessed through tzedakah, for every prutah joins to a great account [Bava Batra 9a]. And even through the money that comes into the hand of the nations, called (same verse of Song of Songs) bas rabim (daughter of many), this too is considered tzedakah, as it is written: “And your taskmasters righteousness” [Isaiah 3:6]. And this is specifically at (same verse) shaar bas rabim (the gate of the daughter of many), when it is still at the gate, before it comes to the hand of the nation, the grace still rests on the money, but afterwards the grace is hidden, as above.

And this is what the elders of the house of the furnace said: Show us a vessel that is not worth the chabalah [damage] it causes. He brought a budyah [mat, symbolizing dim’yon, root d.m.h] and spread it, and it did not enter the gate. And he said to them: Bring a marah [saw] and sisru [break down] the door with the wall. Explanation: budyah, this is inventions of the heart, that which he invents from his heart, that is, the dim’yon [imagination], as above, that is, the aspect of stubbornness of heart, as above. When this power of dim’yon in the heart prevails and spreads over the person who ascends from the lower level to the higher level, and this klipah [husk/shell], which is the dim’yon, is not worth before its eyes the damage and chabalah that is already damaged from the person who was in the higher level, and nevertheless it prevails afterwards, as above.

And it did not enter the gate, that is, the person cannot enter the gate of holiness, which is the sechel [intellect], because of the prevalence of the dim’yon. And the advised counsel for this is the breaking down of the door, which is the dim’yon, which is the impurity, as it is said: “The one who comes to be impure, they open for him” [Yoma 38b], and it is the aspect of: “At the door sin crouches” [Genesis 4:7].

And they are the aspect of the wall, ko tel [Zohar Mishpatim 116a], ko is the aspect of the holy name, which is the aspect of the gvanin [colors, divine attributes], as it is written: “Hashem my light” [Psalms 27:1], which is the lights of the gvanin, “and my salvation,” which is the aspect of ‘garments of salvation’, as above, and it is a mound that all turn to [Zohar Mishpatim 116a], and they desire to gaze upon it [Zohar Va’yigash 210a]. [From Torah 24 to here, the language of our rabbi, of blessed memory.]

5. Also know that in order to subdue the klipah [husk/shell] that surrounds in every level, as above, for this he must arouse the joy of a mitzvah [commandment] upon himself, that is, that he rejoices through his remembering that he merited to approach Hashem, blessed be He, and merited to approach the tzadikim [righteous ones] who bring him closer to Hashem, blessed be He. And through this joy, he breaks the klipah and enters the second level.

(Regarding section 1): Sacrifices of G-d are a broken spirit, for breaking of the dim’yon [imagination] is the sacrifices, and so on [Psalms 51:19]. And this is the aspect of leaning on the sacrifices, for the sacrifices are brought from animals, which are the aspect of the power of dim’yon, for the animal also has the power of dim’yon. And when a person goes after the dim’yon in the heart, that is, after his desires, Heaven forbid, which come from the power of dim’yon, this is an actual animalistic act, for the animal also has the power of dim’yon. And therefore when a person sins, Heaven forbid, and all sins come through the power of dim’yon, from which all desires are drawn, therefore he must bring a sacrifice from animals and must lean on it and confess all his sins on the sacrifice at the time of leaning. And through this, all the sins and all the power of dim’yon are drawn onto the animal, which is the aspect of dim’yon, as above [Menachos 93a]. And they slaughter the animal for a sacrifice, and through this the dim’yon is subdued and broken.

(Regarding sections 2 and 3): It is explained there that when a person moves from level to level, then he must go through these dim’yonos in order to reach the holiness, and immediately when he ascends to the second level, then the klipos in the level awaken and surround him, and he must subdue them anew, and so on [see there]. And even though the klipah in the higher level was already broken, and so on, nevertheless when the inner aspect of the higher one moves from there and the inner aspect of the lower one ascends, then the klipah returns and awakens, and so on [see there]. And he said then in this language: And in this many pious err, that suddenly it seems to them that they have fallen from the service of Hashem. And in truth, this is not a fall at all, but because they must ascend from level to level, and then the klipos, which are the desires and confusions and dim’yonos and thoughts and hindrances, awaken and prevail anew, as above. Therefore they must strengthen themselves each time anew to return and subdue and break the klipos and hindrances, and so on, that are in every level and level anew. But in truth, this is not a fall at all, as above.

(Regarding section 3): And know that no two people are equal, and so on, therefore when one desires to ascend from his level to a higher level, then the person standing in that higher level goes and moves to a yet higher level, and so on. And he said then in this language: And this is the aspect of lifting, that one elevates and raises his fellow, for through this person in the lower level ascending from level to level, through this he raised and elevated his fellow who is in the higher level to ascend to a yet higher level, and so his fellow’s fellow who is yet higher than his fellow ascended yet higher upward, and so upward and upward, for it is impossible for two people to be in one level, as above.

After he said the above teaching, and there he designates and calls all the desires of the evil inclination by the name of the power of dim’yon [imagination, root d.m.h]. He said then: One must call it and designate it another name, that is, the master of the thing and the evil inclination, one must call it another name, that is, not to call it anymore by the name of evil inclination, but by the name of the power of dim’yon. And he said this in a jesting manner, but I understood that he had a complete intention in this, and I did not merit to understand his intention in this.