Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 33

33 - Who Is the Man Who Desires Life

[Note from English translator: This Torah explores finding peace through the oraisa [Torah] and tzadikim [righteous], revealing divinity in all things, including klipos [shells], and drawing chesed [lovingkindness] via the lulav [palm branch] to reveal malchus [kingship].]

[In the language of our rabbi, of blessed memory] Who is the man who desires life, loves days to see good (Psalms 34:13).

1.

This is a general principle: One needs to request peace, that there should be peace among Israel, and that every man should have peace in his midos [attributes] and in his events, so that there is no difference for him, whether in his goodness or in his wickedness. He will always find in it Hashem, blessed be He. This is (Psalms 56:10): In this I will praise a word, in G-d I will praise a word. By what means will he find Hashem, blessed be He, whether in his goodness or in his wickedness? By means of the oraisa [Torah], which is called peace, as it is said (Proverbs 3:17): And all her paths are peace [Zohar Korach 176a]. Also, by means of tzadikim [righteous], who are called bris [covenant] of peace [Omission of the Zohar Beraishis 257a]. Because of this, he can love peace in every place, whether in his goodness or in his wickedness, and he can foster peace among Israel and love one another.

2.

One needs to know that Full, all the earth, is His glory (Isaiah 6:3), and there is no place empty from Him [Tikkun 57]. He fills all worlds and surrounds all worlds [Ra’aya Mehemna Pinchas 225a]. Even one who engages in massa u’mattan [trade] with nations cannot excuse himself and say it is impossible to serve Hashem, blessed be He, because of the thickness and materiality that always falls upon him due to the occupation in which he constantly engages with them. For our sages, of blessed memory, have already revealed to us that in all material things, and in all languages of the nations, one can find His divinity. For without His divinity, there is no vitality or existence for them at all, as it is written (Nehemiah 9:6): And You give life to all of them. However, the vitality and this divinity are there in great contraction and in small measure, only for his vitality to give life to him and no more. For the Holy One, blessed be He, contracted His divinity in many and various contractions, from the beginning of the thought until the nekudah [point] of the center of the material world, where the dwelling of the klipos [shells, spiritual husks] is. In all that descends further and contracts more below, His divinity is clothed there in many more garments. This is what our sages, of blessed memory, revealed and opened for us an opening, that the intelligent will know and understand that in all material things, there is His divinity and His vitality, as our sages, of blessed memory, said (Talmud Bavli, Menachot 34b): Tet [letter tet] in my shoulder, two; pat [sound pat] in my cloak, two, to inform that in all languages of the nations, there is His divinity that gives life to it. This is what is brought in the Yerushalmi (Ta’anit chapter 1): If a man says to you, “Where is your G-d?” say to him, “In the great city that is in Rome,” as it is said: To Me they call from Sai-eer (Isaiah 21:11). Thus, this man who asked, “Where is your G-d?” is certainly immersed in the dwelling of the klipos [shells]. For he has removed himself from the generality and denied the main [purpose], saying, “Where is your G-d?” It seems to him that in his place, there is no G-d. Therefore, say to him: Even in your place, where you are immersed in the dwelling of the klipos [shells], there too you can find His divinity. For He gives life to all, as it is written: And You give life to all of them. From there, you can cleave yourself to Him, blessed be He, and return to Him in complete teshuvah [repentance], for it is not far from you [Deuteronomy 30; see Ramban there]. Only in your place, the garments are many. The more a person ascends from level to level, the closer he comes to Hashem, blessed be He, and he can know Hashem, blessed be He, with greater understanding. For the higher the level, the fewer the garments and the less the contraction. Then, he approaches more to Hashem, blessed be He, and can love himself with Hashem, blessed be He, in greater love.

3.

Behold, there are two kinds of days: days of good and days of evil, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:14): In the day of good, be in good, and in the day of evil, see. That is, one needs to look there very well; certainly, he will find there days of good, that is, the oraisa [Torah]. The days are called midos [attributes], as it is written (Psalms 39:5): And the measure of my days. The midos [attributes] are the oraisa [Torah], for the oraisa [Torah] entirely consists of His midos [attributes] of the Holy One, blessed be He. For the oraisa [Torah] speaks of love and fear and other midos [attributes]. With it, the Holy One, blessed be He, created worlds, as it is written (Proverbs 8:30): And I was with Him, an amon [nurseling]. Do not read amon [nurseling] but oman [artisan] [Beraishis Rabbah parasha 1; Zohar Shemini 35a]. The letters of the oraisa [Torah] give life to every thing and thing. However, the lower the level, the more the letters of the oraisa [Torah] are in contraction compared to what they were at a higher level. They do not illuminate as much as at the higher level, so as not to impart light and vitality more than is proper. Thus, even in the dwelling of the klipos [shells], that is, in days of evil, which are evil midos [attributes] and languages of the nations, there too one can find letters of the oraisa [Torah]. But because of the multiplicity of garments and the greatness of the contraction, the letters of the oraisa [Torah], that is, days of good, are not seen due to the days of evil and the darkness dwelling upon them. But one who subdues his yitzer [evil inclination], that is, the days of evil, that is, the evil midos [attributes], then the evil is completely confounded opposite the days of good that are in them. Then, the letters protrude, are seen, and illuminate more. For at first, they received only the vitality proper for that place, so as not to impart more than is proper to them, as it is written in the writings of the Ari: Until one does not know between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai. That is, one draws abundance to the klipos [shells] for their vitality and no more [see Pri Etz Chaim, intentions of Purim, chapter 6: One needs to draw vitality to the holiness hidden within the klipos [shells], but in great contraction, the secret of the intoxication of Purim]. But when the letters are stripped from the klipos [shells], they receive great light from above. Thus, one who subdues his yitzer [evil inclination], that is, subdues the days of evil, when he speaks with the nations or sees their midos [attributes], immediately the evil dwelling on the good, that is, the letters of the oraisa [Torah], is nullified and falls. The letters of the oraisa [Torah] protrude, and he knows the oraisa [Torah] in that thing. This is what is written in the holy Zohar (Lech Lecha 90a): Bless Hashem, His angels, mighty of strength, doers of His word. These are those who prevail over their yaitzehr [(evil) inclination]; they resemble angels literally, doers of His word, who act to this thing, to hear the voice of His word. They merit to hear voices from above, for the oraisa [Torah] is called a thing, as it is written (Psalms 105:8): A thing He commanded for a thousand generations. The more the letters of the oraisa [Torah] contract and are clothed in greater contractions and garments, the more the oraisa [Torah] is in concealment and covering. One who strips the letters of the oraisa [Torah] from the material garments, that is, from the languages of the nations, that is, from evil midos [attributes], that is, from days of evil, resembles one who builds the oraisa [Torah]. For example, the letters of the oraisa [Torah] were scattered and separated in the languages of the nations, and no man knew of them because of the days of evil that darkened and clothed them. When this man comes, who resembles an angel of Hashem of Hosts by subduing his yitzer [evil inclination], that is, the days of evil, then the evil, that is, the languages of the nations, bends and is nullified before him. Then, the letters of the oraisa [Torah] remain protruding. When they are stripped from the material garments, that is, from the languages of the nations, that is, from evil midos [attributes], that is, from days of evil, these letters of the oraisa [Torah] receive greater light than they received at first. For at first, they received only the vitality proper for that place, so as not to impart more than is proper to them, as above, until one does not know between cursed Haman and blessed Mordechai [see Pri Etz Chaim, intentions of Purim, chapter 6]. But when the letters are stripped from the klipos [shells], they receive great light from above. This is doers of His word, to hear the voice of His word. When they act and build the oraisa [Torah] that was at first scattered and separated in the languages of the nations, in evil midos [attributes], and in days of evil, then to hear the voice of His word, they merit to hear voices from above. That is, the thing, that is, the oraisa [Torah], receives great light from above. This is the aspect of na’aseh venishma [we will do and we will hear]. First, they act and build the letters of the oraisa [Torah], so that the letters protrude and join [Yoma 73b]. Afterward, they hear, meriting to hear voices from above. That is, the letters of the oraisa [Torah] receive vitality and greater light than they received at first when they were clothed in the languages of the nations and in days of evil.

4.

It is known that the oraisa [Torah], that is, the midos [attributes], that is, the days, contains His love, blessed be His name [Zohar Balak 191a; Beraishis 46]. As it is written in the holy Zohar: Daytime, Hashem commands His chesed [lovingkindness]. The chesed [lovingkindness] is love, as it is written (Jeremiah 31:3): An eternal love I have loved you [therefore, I have drawn you with chesed [lovingkindness]]. It is a day that goes with all days, that is, the midos [attributes]. For the midos [attributes] are contractions of His divinity, so that we can apprehend Him through His midos [attributes], as it is written in the holy Zohar (Bo 42b): So that He may be known through them, for without His midos [attributes], it is impossible to apprehend Him. Because of the love with which He loved Israel and desired that they cleave to Him and love Him with Him from this material world, He clothed His divinity in the midos [attributes] of the oraisa [Torah]. This is the aspect of the 613 commandments. For Hashem, blessed be He, determined in His da’as [knowledge] that through this commandment, we can apprehend Him. Through this, He contracted His divinity specifically in these 613 commandments. For example, He determined in His da’as [knowledge] the commandment of tefillin [phylacteries] to be so, that is, four sections and four leather boxes with written parchments and leather straps. For He determined that through this contraction, we can apprehend and serve Him. Therefore, He did not command that there be four boxes of silver and gold, for so He determined and measured through His love. Thus, through His love with which He loved Israel, He clothed Himself in the midos [attributes] of the oraisa [Torah]. Thus, in every attribute, there is love, where the Holy One, blessed be He, loves Himself with Israel. Therefore, one who strips the oraisa [Torah] from the garments of the klipos [shells] by subduing the yaitzehr [(evil) inclination] approaches peace, as it is written: And all her paths are peace. The oraisa [Torah] has two aspects: the revealed aspect and the hidden aspect. The hidden aspect is the oraisa de’atika setima’a [hidden Torah], destined to be revealed in the future [Zohar Beha’aloscha 152b]. When this oraisa de’atika setima’a [hidden Torah] is revealed, peace will be wondrous in the world, as it is written (Isaiah 11:6-9): The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard with the kid, … they will neither harm nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the da’as [knowledge] of Hashem. For then, the love in His da’as [knowledge] will be revealed.

5.

There are two kinds of loves: one is the love in the days, as it is brought above: Daytime, Hashem commands His chesed [lovingkindness], a day that goes with all days, that is, in every day, that is, in every attribute, there is the love of Hashem, blessed be He, with Israel. This is actual love. There is a love in potential, that is, the love that existed between Israel and their Father in Heaven before creation, when Israel was still in His da’as [knowledge] and thought. For example, there is a love that a father loves his son, which every man can apprehend, this love and connection. The love that exists between the son and the father when the son is still in the father’s thought before birth, this connection and love we cannot apprehend now. For we apprehend now only in time and in midos [attributes]. The love in His da’as [knowledge] and thought is above time and midos [attributes] and is not clothed in any garment. In the future, when the oraisa de’atika setima’a [hidden Torah] is revealed, the saying of our sages, of blessed memory, will be fulfilled (Ta’anis 31a): The tzadikim [righteous] will point with their finger, as it is written, “This is Hashem, we have hoped in Him”. For then, the Holy One, blessed be He, will strip His garments, and the earth will be full of the da’as [knowledge] of Hashem as the waters cover the sea. The love that is in da’as [knowledge], which is the inner essence of the oraisa [Torah], that is, His divinity dwelling within the oraisa [Torah] and the midos [attributes], will be revealed. For now, this garment covers His divinity, that is, the inner essence of the oraisa [Torah]. When the inner essence, that is, His divinity, is revealed, peace will increase, as it is written: They will neither harm nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the da’as [knowledge]. The love in da’as [knowledge] will be revealed. This is (Zechariah 14:9): And it will be a single day, known to Hashem. That is, the love called day will be revealed, as it is written: Daytime, Hashem commands His chesed [lovingkindness]. This is the inner essence of the oraisa [Torah] that was hidden, as it is written (Genesis 1:4): And G-d saw the light, that it is good. Our sages said (Chagigah 12a): That it is good, to hide. For the light of this oraisa [Torah], the world is not worthy to use it. The oraisa [Torah] is called good, as it is said (Proverbs 4:2): For a good teaching I have given you [Avodah Zarah 19b]. It is called light, as it is written (Proverbs 6:23): And the oraisa [Torah] is light. There are also tzadikim [righteous] who are hidden and concealed, whom the world is not worthy to use, and a tzadik [righteous person] is called good, as it is written (Isaiah 3:10): Say of the tzadik [righteous person], that it is good [Chagigah there]. It is called light, as it is written (Psalms 97:11): Light is sown for the tzadik [righteous person]. When the hidden tzadikim [righteous] and the hidden oraisa [Torah] are revealed, great peace will be revealed in the world, where all opposites will unite, as it is written: The wolf will dwell with the lamb. For then, the love in da’as [knowledge], called a single day, known to Hashem, will be revealed, which is neither day nor night. That is, this love is above time and midos [attributes].

6.

Even in the midos [attributes] themselves, each one according to his aspect is the aspect of da’as [knowledge] for the aspect below it, as our sages said: What wisdom made a crown for its head, humility made a heel for folly [Midrash Rabbah Shir HaShirim, brought in Tosafot Yevamot 103b, s.v. HaMesulayim]. Thus, the lower level of the world of Formation is the aspect of da’as [knowledge] for the world of Action below it. Thus, there is a man whose love with Hashem, blessed be He, in his midos [attributes] and in time is the aspect of love in da’as [knowledge] above time for the man below him. This is what our sages said (Mo’ed Katan 17a): For the lips of a kohen [priest] guard da’as [knowledge], and oraisa [Torah] they shall seek from his mouth. If the rabbi resembles an angel of Hashem of Hosts, that is, he subdues his yaitzehr [(evil) inclination], then he resembles an angel of Hashem of Hosts, as it is written in the Zohar: Bless Hashem, His angels, mighty of strength, these are those who prevail over their yaitzehr [(evil) inclination]. By subduing his yaitzehr [(evil) inclination], the letters of the oraisa [Torah] protrude and join, na’aseh venishma [we will do and we will hear]. For he acts and builds the letters of the oraisa [Torah] and merits to hear the voice of the oraisa [Torah] from above. Certainly, from this rabbi, oraisa [Torah] they shall seek from his mouth. For certainly, he knows the oraisa [Torah], even from material things, he gathers letters of the oraisa [Torah]. This is For the lips of a kohen [priest] guard da’as [knowledge]. Kohen [priest] is the aspect of chesed [lovingkindness]. Guard da’as [knowledge], that is, through this rabbi, the love in da’as [knowledge] will be revealed, which is, according to your level, a love above time, a single day, known to Hashem.

7.

Every man can taste the light of the love in da’as [knowledge], each according to his aspect, even now within the days. That is, when he connects his heart to his da’as [knowledge]. For every one from Israel knows that there is G-d in generality, but the wicked are in the authority of their heart [Beraishis Rabbah Noach parasha 34]. The midos [attributes] and the days are included in the heart, as our sages, of blessed memory, said [Zohar Trumah 162b; see Sanhedrin 106b]. Hashem desires the heart, and only that he direct his heart to heaven [Berakhot 5a]. For the main [purpose] of the midos [attributes] is the heart. Thus, when he connects his heart to his da’as [knowledge], that he knows there is G-d in generality, that Full, all the earth, is His glory, and knows in the knowledges of the oraisa [Torah], and when he subdues his heart to this da’as [knowledge], that is, his heart is in his authority, subduing his yaitzehr [(evil) inclination], then the midos [attributes] in his heart are also included in his da’as [knowledge]. Then, the midos [attributes] receive the light of the love in da’as [knowledge] and see and apprehend the hidden light, according to his aspect. That is, the tzadikim [righteous] and the oraisa [Torah] that were hidden and concealed from him until now, when he subdues his heart to da’as [knowledge], then the heart, which is the root of all midos [attributes], receives the light of the love in da’as [knowledge]. This is the love in potential between the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel before creation. This is Who is the man who desires life. Chafetz [desires] is the aspect of the heart, for desire is in the heart. Chayim [life] is the aspect of da’as [knowledge], as it is written (Proverbs 16:22): A fountain of life is the understanding of its possessor. That is, when he connects the heart to the da’as [knowledge], that his heart is in his authority, subduing his yaitzehr [(evil) inclination], then, according to his aspect, loves days, he draws the love from da’as [knowledge] into the days and into the midos [attributes] to see good, and he sees and apprehends the light that is good and hidden. I heard in his name that he said that in this Torah are included the intentions of the lulav [palm branch]. I did not merit to hear the explanation of the matter, but I studied and found a little. The main [purpose] of the intentions of the lulav [palm branch] is to draw all the chasadim [lovingkindnesses] until the chest to illuminate them to the malchus [kingship]. One needs to perform the shakings to draw light from the root of the chasadim [lovingkindnesses] in da’as [knowledge] to the chasadim [lovingkindnesses] that spread in the body, to add to them great light from their root in da’as [knowledge] [see Pri Etz Chaim, Gate of the Lulav]. It is also explained there regarding the verse: Daytime, Hashem commands His chesed [lovingkindness]. It did not say “day” but “daytime,” for it goes with all of them [see there]. All this is explained in this Torah, according to the awesome way of our rabbi, of blessed memory. For it is explained there that by subduing the yaitzehr [(evil) inclination], one merits to reveal the love, which is the chesed [lovingkindness], which is a day that goes with all days. That is, the love, which is the chesed [lovingkindness], is clothed in all midos [attributes]. It is explained there that there is a love in da’as [knowledge] that is above time and midos [attributes]. By connecting his heart to his da’as [knowledge], that his heart is in his authority, the midos [attributes] receive the light of the love in da’as [knowledge], as above. All this is the secret of the intentions of the lulav [palm branch], to draw illumination from the root of the chasadim [lovingkindnesses] in da’as [knowledge], which is the aspect of love in da’as [knowledge], into the chasadim [lovingkindnesses] in the body, which are the aspect of the generality of the midos [attributes], in which all are clothed with chasadim [lovingkindnesses], which are the aspect of love, as above. All this is to illuminate to the malchus [kingship], which is the esrog [citron], that is, to reveal His kingship to all who come into the world, to find His divinity in all languages of the nations, in all material things, and in all dwellings of the klipos [shells], as above. This is the aspect of And His malchus [kingship] rules over all (Psalms 103:19). All this is done by means of the tzadik [righteous person] who subdues his yaitzehr [(evil) inclination], which is the aspect of the lulav [palm branch], which is the aspect of the tzadik [righteous person], as known, the aspect of A tzadik [righteous person] like a date palm flourishes (Psalms 92:13). For in Sukkos, we engage to reveal His malchus [kingship] to all who come into the world, even to all the seventy languages of the nations. This is the secret of the seventy bulls offered for them in Sukkos. This is what we say after taking the lulav [palm branch] and its circuits: In order that all peoples of the earth know that Hashem, He is G-d, there is no more (I Kings 8:60). All this is explained in this Torah, as explained above at length. Still, great study is needed to explain all the intentions of the lulav [palm branch] according to this Torah. Explain well, and may Hashem illuminate our eyes in His oraisa [Torah], that we merit to understand His words and His awesome and wondrous hints.