Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 36

Likutay Moharan Volume 1: Torah 36

[Note from English translator: This Torah explores the soul’s exile among the evil measures of the seventy languages, particularly ni’uf [licentiousness], and its rectification through purification of the bris kodesh [holy covenant] and recitation of Shema, leading to revelation of the Torah and new souls.]

When evildoers came upon me to eat up my flesh, etc. (Psalms 27)

[In the language of our master, of blessed memory]

1.

This is a general principle: Every soul from Israel is rooted in the seventy souls of the house of Jacob. These seventy souls are rooted in the seventy faces of the Torah [see Tikkun 32]. Corresponding to this, G-d made the seventy languages, each language having an evil measure unique to itself, distinct from its companion. Because of these measures, they are distant from the seventy faces of the Torah. When the soul of the house of Jacob comes into exile under the hand of the seventy languages, that is, in their evil measures, it screams seventy callings, like a woman in childbirth who cries seventy callings before the birth [Zohar Pinchas 249a], corresponding to the seventy words in the psalm “May He answer you.” Without this, it is impossible for her to give birth. This is a main [purpose] general principle: Every soul from Israel, before it has revelation in Torah and in service, is tested and refined in the exile of the seventy languages, that is, in their desires. When it comes into their measures in exile, it screams seventy callings, for revelation is the aspect of birth. Before the revelation of Torah, the soul is in the aspect of pregnancy, where the Torah is hidden from it, like bones in the belly of the full one (Ecclesiastes 11), as it is written (Deuteronomy 31): And I will surely hide. This is in exile in the evil measures of the seventy languages, for the klipah [shell, spiritual husk] precedes the fruit. One who wants to eat the fruit needs to break the klipah first. Therefore, before the revelation, the soul must come into exile, that is, in their measures, to break them and afterward come to revelation.

2.

Know that the totality of the seventy languages’ evil measures is the desire of ni’uf [licentiousness, illicit desire]. This is the main [purpose] rectification: One who breaks this desire can easily break all desires. Because of this, Moses our master, being the totality of the revelation of the Torah, which is the aspect of knowledge—for the Torah is called the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1)—ascends in gematria to six hundred and thirteen [מֹשֶׁה /Moshe: mem = 40, shin = 300, he = 5; “Sefer HaKaneh” 12, “Rokeach” sign 296, “Megaleh Amukot” way 113], which is the totality of all the Torah. Therefore, he needed to separate himself from everything, as it is written (Deuteronomy 5): And you here stand with Me. Balaam, who was opposite Moses in the klipah [shell], as it is written (Numbers 24): And knows the knowledge of the Most High, also has letters that hint he is in the klipah opposite the Torah: B [ב] is the beginning of the Torah, L [ל] is the end of the Torah, A [ע] corresponds to the seventy faces, and M [מ] corresponds to the forty days the Torah was given. Because he is in the klipah, he is immersed in this desire more, as it is written (there 22): Have I indeed been able [see Sanhedrin 105a]. Also Joseph, before he had revelation in the Torah, that is, wisdom and understanding, as it is written (Psalms 111): The beginning of wisdom, for If to understanding you call (Proverbs 2), needed to come into trial and refining within the desire of the totality of the seventy languages aforementioned. By standing in the trial and breaking the klipah that precedes the fruit, he merited the fruit, that is, the revelation of the Torah, which is wisdom and understanding, as it is written (Genesis 41): There is none so understanding and wise as you. Because of this, our sages, of blessed memory, expounded (Berakhot 12b) on the verse After your hearts, etc.: After your hearts, this is heresy; after your eyes, this is ni’uf [licentiousness]. Also, Samson went after his eyes [there and Sotah 9b]. Also, Balaam is called “open of the eye” (Numbers 24) because he is the totality of the evil measure of the seventy languages’ evil measures.

3.

Therefore, when reading the first verse of the Shema, one needs to close his eyes, in the aspect of: beautiful young woman who has no eyes [Saba Mishpatim 95a and as brought in the writings of the Ari, of blessed memory; see “Sha’arei Teshuvah” sign 61 sub 3], for the rectification of thoughts of ni’uf [licentiousness] that come to a person, that he say Shema and Blessed be the Name. The desire of ni’uf [licentiousness] comes from clouding of bloods, that is, from spleen, which is Lilith [evil maidservant, a Kabbalistic figure of spiritual impurity], mother of the mixed multitude [HaKdamat HaTikkunim and end of Tikkunim last], which is the kingship of evil. The malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven] is in the aspect of mistress, A woman who fears Hashem (Proverbs 31), which is in the aspect of the sea of Solomon, standing on twelve oxen, which are the twelve tribes of Yah [Zohar Vayechi 241a]. When a person accepts upon himself the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven] in these verses, he includes his soul in the twelve tribes of Yah and separates his soul from the soul of the mixed multitude that come from a prostitute woman, which is Lilith [evil maidservant], which is in the aspect of (Genesis 16): From the face of Sarai my mistress I am fleeing. The desire flees and separates from her. If he does not strive to drive out the prostitute woman, he is in the aspect of (Proverbs 30): A maidservant inherits her mistress. In these two verses, there are twelve words, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Yah, and forty-nine letters, corresponding to the forty-nine letters in the names of the tribes of Yah. In accepting the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven], which is the aspect of the sea of Solomon, he separates from the souls of the mixed multitude, which is Lilith [evil maidservant], prostitute woman, and is included in the souls of the tribes of Yah, the aspect of a woman who fears Hashem. Then he is in the aspect of closing eyes at the time of accepting the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven], to indicate that through accepting the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven], he is in the aspect of beautiful young woman who has no eyes, which is the desire that includes the evil measures of the seventy languages.

4.

All this applies when a person has thought incidentally in the world; then it is enough for him to say the aforementioned two verses. But if he is, Heaven forbid, accustomed in thought of the general desire, may the Merciful save us, and cannot separate from it, he also needs to shed tears at the time of accepting the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven] [in Sefer Shelilei Emunah, path 4]. The tears are from the excesses of the black bile, and black bile is spleen [Tikkun 56], which is the aspect of the kingship of evil, prostitute woman, from there the souls of the mixed multitude. When he sheds tears, the excesses are rejected and go out outside, that is, the desires of ni’uf [licentiousness] that come from clouding of bloods of spleen. From the excesses, he includes his soul in the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven]. This is what Yonatan translated on the verse (Numbers 25): And they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting—weeping and reading the Shema. They did this only to be saved from thought of the prostitute woman, which is the klipah [shell] that precedes the fruit, and to come to the revelation of the Torah.

5.

When he comes to the revelation of the Torah, new souls are made from the revelation, as it is written: “To make souls and new spirits in two and in three”—this is the Torah that has in it thirty-two paths of wisdom [Shabbat 88b]. When the tzadik [righteous person] reveals some matter of Torah, he brings down new souls to each one from those who hear the Torah, according to his aspect and his grasping. The Torah has two powers: to kill and to give life, as they said: And you shall place—if he merits, it becomes for him an elixir of life, etc. [Yoma 72b, and see Taanit 7]. It is written (Hosea 14): The ways of Hashem are straight, the righteous shall walk in them, etc. The Torah of the tzadik [righteous person] is to each one according to his grasping. There is a person for whom a new soul is made from the revelation of the Torah, and there is a person who is, Heaven forbid, to the opposite, as it is written: The righteous shall walk in them. Everything is according to his vessel, that is, according to his grasping, the grasping of his brain. This is a great general principle: It is impossible for any person to attain and grasp the speech of the tzadik [righteous person] unless he first rectified the sign of the bris kodesh [holy covenant, referring to circumcision] properly. Then he can understand and grasp the speech of the tzadik [righteous person]. It is brought in the Zohar: the ascent of the foundation up to father and mother [see Zohar Mishpatim 110a and in Zohar HaRakiya there and see in Biur HaAdra 118a], which are the aspect of wisdom and understanding, which are Y-H, which are brains. When he rectifies the bris kodesh [holy covenant] properly, his brain is in completeness, and he can understand the speech of the tzadik [righteous person]. According to the rectification of each one, so is his attainment.

6.

This is a great general principle: For from the mouth of the Most High does not come out (Lamentations 3) but simple light. According to the aspect of the vessel that receives the light, so the light is formed within it. If the vessel is in completeness, he receives in the aspect of lights full. If, Heaven forbid, the vessel is not in completeness, he receives in the aspect of curse lacking vav, as it is written (Proverbs 3): The curse of Hashem in the house of the wicked [as it is in the Zohar in many places]. This is: The righteous shall walk in them. The simple light that comes from above is the aspect of kumatz [vowel ָ, e.g., בָּרֵךְ /buraich/, symbolizing divine fullness and blessing] and closed [see Tikkun 70]. According to the aspect of the receiving vessel, it is the aspect of tzairay [vowel ֵ, e.g., בֵּרֵךְ /bairaich/, indicating the light’s formation according to the recipient’s vessel, potentially a curse if flawed], where the light is formed according to the aspect of the vessel.

Therefore, it is written by Balaam (Numbers 23): Behold to bless I have taken, with kumatz [בָּרֵךְ /buraich/], and bless and I will not turn it back, with tzairay [בֵּרֵךְ /bairaich/]. Even the taking, which is in the aspect of kumatz and closed, is in the aspect of bless—see to this. He wanted to be formed according to the aspect of his vessel, which is the aspect of curse, and he could not turn back and form and be formed at all according to his aspect. This is: And bless and I will not turn it back. Why was it in the aspect of bless at the time of taking? Because the scripture testified about them that Israel are called tribes of Yah [Rashi explains; Numbers 7]: My name testifies about them—the name Yah, which is the aspect of brains [as brought in the Gemara in Midrash Shir HaShirim 4]. The idolaters were saying: If in their bodies they rule, etc.; therefore, the scripture testified about them. This is written (Deuteronomy 11): See I am giving before you—precisely, for above, it is in the aspect of kumatz [בָּרֵךְ /buraich/], that He contracted and closed, but before you below, the light is formed according to the aspect of the vessel. Because of this, Balaam advised Balak to cause them to stumble in the matter of nakedness to spoil their vessels. The sages of medicine wrote that castration is a remedy for the mad. This is the ascent of the foundation up to father and mother, that is, the aspect of: My name testifies about them.

This is: When evildoers came upon me, two friends that do not separate [Zohar Vayikra 4a], that is, the brains (Song of Songs 5): Eat friends. Their strengthening is holy flesh, that is, to eat my flesh, which is the aspect of the ascent of the foundation (yesod), that is, its rectification reaches up to the brains, which are father and mother. My adversaries and my enemies to me, they have stumbled and fallen, which are the aspect of the seventy languages. When he breaks this desire, automatically all the evil desires fall.

7.

[This Torah is in the language of our master, of blessed memory.] He said: It is the secret of the intentions of Kiddush [sanctification, referring to the blessing over wine], and it will be explained in another place if Hashem wills [see in Chayay Moharan - The Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 311, that he said this on the saying soon in sign 101]. Further, I found from the holy handwriting of our lord, our teacher, and our master, of blessed memory, from the matter of this Torah with a slight change of language. The paper was torn in half, and what was found written on the remaining, I copied. This is it: Tzofnat Pa’aneach [revealer of secrets, a title of Joseph] who reveals the seventy faces of Torah, another secret, as it is written (Proverbs 25): And another secret do not reveal [as brought in the Zohar, Tikkunim Tikkun 34, 56, 69]. When he separates the point from the dalet of one [אֶחָד /echad/ with tzairay ֵ], and the point is the sign of the bris kodesh [holy covenant], then there is made another [אַחֵר /acher/], that is, when he inserts his bris kodesh [holy covenant] in a prostitute, called the kingship of evil, called another god. But one who sanctifies himself from this desire is connected to the malchut shamayim [kingship of heaven], called I, as it is written (Leviticus 19): Holy you shall be, for holy am I. In every place that you find a fence of nakedness, you will find holiness [Zohar Miketz 204a]. But one who reveals nakedness is revealed among those nakednesses, which are other gods [Tikkunim Tikkun 56, 93a]. Because of this, it is brought in the Zohar (Kedoshim 84a): When Rabbi Shimon saw beautiful women, he said: Do not turn to idols. For ni’uf [licentiousness] is nakednesses, other gods, kingship of evil. Because of this, a segula [spiritual remedy] to nullify thoughts of ni’uf [licentiousness] is to read Shema Yisrael and Blessed be the Name of His glory, etc., as brought on the verse: And he brought near to his brothers the Midianite, etc. [folio 1].

It comes out, that the main trial and refining that they test a person is only in ni’uf [licentiousness], which is included from seventy nations, which is included from the secret of another (-the Hebrew word: Achair, where the last letter is a resh - ר - by adding a little dot in the corner it becomes the letter Dalled - ד - and then the word spells: Echad - One, as in One is Hashem and there is no other, the proclamation of Shema) , another god (Psalms 42): So my soul longs for You. It screams seventy callings, not less. Then secrets of the Torah are opened to him, the hidden ones reveal to him, and he gives birth to new souls. He gives birth to Torah, and the Torah is included from souls of Israel and reveals the faces of the Torah. Until now, it was closed in klipot [shells], for the klipah [shell] precedes the fruit. The tzadik [righteous person] can bequeath in his Torah that he innovates new souls to each one from his close people who are connected to his Torah, as brought in the song: To make new souls in two and in three, that is, in the Torah that begins with bet and ends with lamed and in three shevashin, that is, the Torah is threefold. He makes souls and new spirits. The Torah, if he merits, becomes for him an elixir of life; if not, etc., as it is written: And you shall place, etc., and as it is written: The righteous shall walk in them, etc., to each one according to what he receives. But from Him do not come out the evils, as it is written (Lamentations 3): From the mouth of the Most High do not come out the evils. The blessing and the curse are made by the person, according to the vessel that he has, as it is written: See, I am giving before you blessing and curse, “before you” precisely. For from before the Holy One, blessed be He, comes out simple light, that is, simple letters. According to the person, so is made the combination: If he is a good person, a combination of blessing is made; if not, to the opposite. This is: Before you blessing and curse, precisely, for before Him, there is still no form to this combination, if it is blessing or not. This is what Balaam wondered at himself on this: Behold to bless I have taken and bless and I will not turn it back, bless (the first time in the verse) with a kumatz [בָּרֵךְ /buraich/]. Also, 'I have taken' implies, he took willfully.