Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 62

62 - Through the Eating of Israel, Unity is Made (Yichud - Unification of the Holy One and His Shechinah)

[Language of our Rabbi, his memory for blessing] And G-d turned the people [and so on] [Exodus 13:18] [See this Torah in another version from the manuscript of our Rabbi, of blessed memory, himself] 1. Know that through the eating of Israel, unity (yichud) of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah (Kudsha Brich Hu u’Shechinteh - the masculine and feminine aspects of G-d in Kabbalah) face to face is made, in the aspect of And Boaz said to Ruth, at the time of the meal, come hither [Ruth 2:14], at the time of the meal specifically, that is, through the eating, come hither, this is the unity of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, aspect of And Judah approached him [Genesis 44:18], this is the approach of the king to the king (Zohar, Vayigash, page 206, and see there in the explanation of the Ramaz) [Wordplay: Vayigash (approached, from root gash - to draw near) links to unity]. Only the eating needs to be from food that is clarified (birur - purified), and there is no mixture in it, for food that has mixture, through such food, the person can sin. 2. And the clarification of the foods is through faith (emuna), for the truth, what Hashem, blessed be He, limited to the human intellect that he can understand, it is a great mitzvah (commandment) to sharpen the intellect, to understand the thing clearly, and on this it is said (Avot, chapter 2): And know what to answer to an epicure (apikorus - heretic, doubter), for there is a difference between the difficulties, for there is a difficulty that the person can understand an answer to this difficulty, on this it is said: And know what [and so on], and there is a difficulty that it is not possible for the human intellect to understand an answer to such a difficulty, only in the future to come the answer will be revealed. It is forbidden for a person to look into them, and anyone who relies on his intellect and looks into it, on this it is said: All who come to her shall not return [Proverbs 2:19], for on such a difficulty, it is forbidden to rely on his intellect, only to establish on faith. And even these difficulties that have answers, sometimes the paths of the intellect are closed, and he does not know to answer, and epicureanism (apikorsus) is thrown into him, and he does not know what to answer to epicureanism. And this epicureanism is for each one according to his aspect, he can understand between great and small, for one needs to serve G-d with both inclinations, that the evil inclination be subdued to the good inclination, as the saying of our sages, may their memory be for blessing (Berachot 54a): And you shall love [and so on] with all your heart, with your two inclinations, that his heart be complete with Hashem his G-d, that there not be controversy (machlokas - dispute, from root chalak - to divide) between two inclinations, that is, that his heart not be divided upon him, aspect of Their heart is divided [Hosea 10:2]. And in truth, if the person knew knowledge with a complete heart, that the whole earth is full of His glory [Isaiah 6:3], and the Holy One, blessed be He, stands at the time of prayer and hears the prayer, certainly he would pray with great fervor (hisla’havus - burning enthusiasm), and would be very precise to direct his words. And because the person does not know this knowledge with a complete heart, because of this he does not [have such] fervor, and does not [have such] precision. And each one according to the smallness of his intellect and his knowledge, so his fervor and precision. And the knowledge is from the good inclination in the heart, and the hiding of the knowledge is from the evil inclination in the heart. And the hiding of the knowledge, they are epicureanism and difficulties, that the evil inclination hardens his heart to fall into evil [Proverbs 28:14]. And the repair for this controversy in the heart, to repair it in its root, that is, for the main formation of the controversy of the evil inclination, its root is from the controversy in holiness, when it descended from level to level until it descended below, was formed from it controversy of the evil inclination, aspect of Their heart is divided. And [it] throws into him epicureanism and hides from him the paths of the intellect, that he does not know to answer. And controversy in holiness is the controversy of Tannaim and Amoraim in the Gemara, that this forbids and this permits, and from their descent below, was formed from it controversy of the evil inclination. And when he repairs the controversy in holiness, then automatically the controversy of the evil inclination is nullified, for its hold is only from there. And repair of the controversy in holiness, they are decided halachos (rulings), for decision of halacha is peace (shalom) and decision of controversy of the Tannaim and Amoraim. And through study of the poskim (decisors of Jewish law), he is connected to the peace in holiness, and repairs the controversy in holiness, and then the controversy of the evil inclination in his heart is nullified. And then he can serve Hashem with all his heart, with two inclinations, and the gates of the intellect are opened to him, that he knows to answer to an epicure. And all this is made through the decision and the peace above. And these letters shalom, acronym shet ans le’apikoros om [and know what to answer to an epicure] [Acronym: Shalom (שָׁלוֹם) forms the initials of the Mishnah’s phrase, linking peace to resolving doubts], for through the peace, he knows to answer to epicureanism in his heart. And this: I thank You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments [Psalms 119:7], heart specifically, with two inclinations, when? When I learn Your righteous judgments, that is, through study of the poskim. But the difficulties that have no answer, it is forbidden for a person to look into them, only to strengthen himself in faith. And when he has faith in completeness, he can be, through his eating, unity of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, as above: And pasture faith [Psalms 37:3], that is, the aspect of eating through faith. 3. And the main completeness and adornments of faith, that is to bring close specifically the distant, aspect of To call all of them in the name of Hashem [Zephaniah 3:9], even idolaters will bring close to the faith of Israel, and to serve Him shoulder to shoulder. 4. And to complete the faith, that is, to bring close the distant, as above, needs first to raise the sparks (nitzotzos - holy fragments in Kabbalah, from shattered vessels) of letters of speech. And when the letters of speech are clarified, then the speech turns itself and gathers the sparks of holiness from between the klipos (shells - husks of impurity), and the klipos remain without vitality. And then the idolaters, whose suckling is from the klipos, when they see that they have no vitality, then they cast their faith, aspect of In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold [Isaiah 2:20], and attach themselves to the faith of Israel (there in Zephaniah): Then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, pure language, that is, the speech that was clarified from among them, it turns itself to the peoples, to gather from them the rest of the sparks of holiness. And then is fulfilled: To call all of them in the name of Hashem, that all will attach to the faith of Israel. 5. And to raise sparks of the speech, needs fast (ta’anis): From the way of their transgression and from their iniquities they afflict themselves [and so on] [Psalms 107:17], then He sends His word, for the main repair of the speech is through the fast, for the main suckling of the klipos is only from behind the holiness, for from the face of the holiness it is not possible for them to suck, from the brightness of light. But sometimes they give them from above intentionally power to suck from the face of the holiness, and all this is only for evil to them, aspect of A time when one man rules over another to his own hurt [Ecclesiastes 8:9]. And all the desires (ta’avos) are the aspect of klipos, for the desires are surpluses (mosaros - excesses), for without the desires, the body can exist. It is found that they are surpluses for the existence of the body, like the klipos are surpluses, for the main is only the fruit, and the klipos are surpluses. And when the desires overcome the person, it is the overcoming of the klipos on the holiness. And the heads of the desires are three ministers of Pharaoh (Paroh), chief butler and baker and cook, which are windpipe and esophagus and arteries (see Likutay Torah of the Ari, of blessed memory, Parshas Lech Lecha and Parshas Vayeshev), which are the aspect of desires of eating and drinking that are heads, that all desires are drawn after them. And their suckling from Pharaoh, which is letters oref (nape, from behind, sharing letters with Paroh), that is, from behind. And the main of their suckling from the speeches, aspect of after the words, for they are adjacent to it, for windpipe and esophagus and arteries are adjacent to the five outlets of the mouth. And the main of their suckling from the speeches that are not so pure. And when the heads of the desires, which are the klipos, overcome, [one] needs to attach and hide behind the holiness, that they not suck. And attachment behind the holiness is through the fast, like they write the name Havayah in the aspect of behind, that they write first י (yud), and after, when they want and write ה (heh), they return behind and write י ה (yud heh) [and so on]. So the fast, which is the main subduing of those ministers, is in the aspect of attachment behind the holiness, for the main merit of the fast is only when we think the hours that he began to fast, for example, when he fasts two days, the second day that is counted more is not because of itself but because we return to the first day, then the second day is counted for merit more also. For the main of all things is the beginning (haschala), for all beginnings are difficult (Mechilta, Parshas Yitro, brought in Rashi), because he goes out from opposite to opposite. But after the beginning, he enters a little in habit, and it is not difficult for him so much. And similarly, in every day that goes farther from the beginning, so the thing is easier, that he enters a little in habit. It is found that the main power of the work of all days is only the beginning, that we need to return behind, to the first day that he began to understand and to fast (see Daniel 10), which is the beginning of the repentance that the beginning was difficult for him, that he went out from opposite to opposite. And every day he returns behind him, to receive power from the beginning. And because these ministers above are adjacent to the speech, and when they overcome, then they draw the speech to the exile of Egypt, aspect of strait of the throat (maytzar hagarone, from root tzar - narrow), aspect of My throat is parched [Psalms 69:4], and he cannot speak any speech before Hashem, blessed be He. And through the fast that he starves himself, he draws waters of kindnesses to moisten the throat, and then he can speak. And this is the aspect of And there was famine in the land [Genesis 12:10], famine (ra’av), that is, the aspect of fast, that he starves himself. And this is attachment behind the holiness, for Havayah Elokim in the aspect of behind, numerical value ra’av [Gematria: Ra’av (רעב) = 272, for the name Havayah behind, that is, י יק יקו יקוק equals 72, and the name Elokim behind, like א אל אלק אלקי אלקים equals 200, and both together 272, ra’av]. And Abram went down to Egypt, that is, descents of waters of kindnesses to moisten the strait of the throat to take out the throat from the aspect of My throat is parched. To go and journey southward [Genesis 12:9], to moisten the dryness, to fulfill Call in the throat, spare not [Isaiah 58:1]. And then, when behind the holiness are attached, that it is not possible for the klipos to enter there and suck, and then the faces of the holiness are revealed (Genesis there), that is, that these ministers above see the beauty and splendor of the speech, And they praised her to Pharaoh [Genesis 12:15]. And all this is intended from Hashem, blessed be He, to bring out praise from their mouth, aspect of A time when one man rules over another to his own hurt, A woman who fears Hashem, she shall be praised [Proverbs 31:30], aspect of And they praised her to Pharaoh, this is only for Let her own works praise her [Proverbs 31:31], that is, to bring out sparks of holiness from among them. When she brings out all her vitality from between the klipos, then all the idolaters cast their idols, and then they turn, all, to the faith of Israel, To call all of them in the name of Hashem. And this is the main adornments of the faith, aspect of beautiful maiden who has no eyes (Zohar, Sava Mishpatim, page 95), beautiful maiden, this is the aspect of faith, aspect of You are beautiful, my love [Song of Songs 6:4], aspect of And pasture faith. Who has no eyes, that is, these difficulties above, that one should not look into them, and needs to strengthen in his faith. The body hidden and revealed, for she is hidden, for if you ask the believer some reason in faith, certainly he does not know to answer you reason, for faith is only in a thing that he does not know reason, and nevertheless, and revealed, that is, that to the believer the thing is revealed as if he sees with his eyes the thing that he believes in, because of the greatness of his complete faith. Goes out in the morning and is covered in the day, for the faith is renewed to the person every morning, aspect of They are new every morning [and so on] [Lamentations 3:23], and is covered in the day, because of the preoccupation of world affairs, the faith is covered. Is adorned with adornments that were not, that is, the main adornments of the faith, when people who were not brought close to her are brought close. 6. And when the faith is so in completeness, then his eating is very precious, for the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah are united, aspect of And Boaz said to Ruth [and so on]. Then, the faith advocates for the distant before Hashem, blessed be He, that He bring them close under the shadow of His wings. For the main error of the distant from faith in Hashem, blessed be He, is because the main knowledge of His divinity is only from revealed on the hidden. And because they see from revealed, that the conduct of the world is through the system of the constellations, they fell into errors, each one according to his error. And there are those who think that all is according to nature, the world conducts as its custom. And there are those who think that one needs to serve the intermediary, like they erred in the calf, that they wanted to make the calf intermediary between them and Hashem, blessed be He, that they said: Which shall go before us [Exodus 32:1], aspect of intermediary. And with such error, many stumble and make the causes intermediary between them and Hashem, blessed be He, that is, they believe in Hashem, blessed be He, but believe also in intermediary, and say that one needs to causes, that is, they believe, for example, in the cause of livelihood, that is, business, and say the cause of business is main, as if, G-d forbid, without the cause of business, there is no ability in the hand of Hashem, blessed be He, to give them livelihood. And in the cause of healing, which is medicines, they make them main, as if, G-d forbid, without the medicines, there is no ability in the hand of Hashem, blessed be He, to heal. And the thing is not so, for the Holy One, blessed be He, is cause of all causes and reason of all reasons, and needs no cause. And our occupation in these causes needs to believe in Hashem, blessed be He, alone, and not to make from the causes main. And when the tzadik nullifies in his prayer some obligation of the system of the constellations, then it is known from the revealed on the hidden, that there is G-d existent, that He hears the prayer of the tzadik and overthrows the systems and changes the nature. And all this will be in the future, as our sages said, may their memory be for blessing (Pesachim 68a): The righteous are destined to revive the dead, and other wonders. And this: And Judah approached him, this is the approach of the king to the king, and he said to him: Please, my lord, that the Shechinah requests mercy from Hashem, blessed be He, on these the distant, Let Your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and no more intermediary heard, and Let not Your anger burn against Your servant, on the past, For you are as Pharaoh, Pharaoh, language of revelation (hisgalus, from root parah - to uncover), for You are not known to people except from the revealed, and because You are known only from the revealed, therefore they erred, each one according to his error. But when You nullify Your will for the will of the tzadik, as our sages said, may their memory be for blessing (Moed Katan 16b): The Holy One, blessed be He, decrees, and the tzadik nullifies, then they will know from the revealed on the hidden, when they see that the system of the constellations obligates some decree, and the tzadik nullifies, then they will know that there is G-d existent, that He does the will of the tzadik. What Pharaoh decrees and does not fulfill, Pharaoh, that is, the system of the constellations, the revealed, their decree, even You decree and do not fulfill, for the tzadik nullifies. And this: And G-d turned [and so on], it is in the Midrash (Shemos Rabba, Parsha 20), And turned, language of meal (se’udah, from root savav - to turn), that is, language of turning, and armed, one from five (as Rashi there), that is, the five outlets of the mouth through which all the idolaters turn to the faith of Israel, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder, as it is written: Then will I turn to all the peoples a pure language [and so on]. The children of Israel went up from the land of Egypt, from the strait of the throat, that is, through the ascent of the children of Israel from the heads of the desires above, from the strait of the throat above, through the speech, returns the idolaters to the faith of Israel. And this is the main adornments of the faith, aspect of is adorned with adornments that were not, through faith in completeness, then eating is permitted, aspect of And turned [until here his language, his memory for blessing]. [Belongs to section 2] And this shalom, acronyms and know what to answer to an epicure, for through the peace, he knows to answer to epicureanism in his heart, as above, see there. And also through the peace that is between Israel, between one and his fellow, also through this the epicureanisms are nullified, as explained elsewhere [above in sign 27]. And this is what our rabbis, of blessed memory, said (Bereishis Rabba, Parsha 38): A company of idols is Ephraim, let him alone [Hosea 4:17], that when there is peace between Israel, even if they worship idols, they are forgiven, but Their heart is divided, now they shall bear their guilt [Hosea 10:2], for through the controversy come denials, as above. And each one holds his opinion, since they do not come and convene together to speak one with his fellow to turn him to his opinion. And even if they come together and speak this with this, he will not return from his opinion because of the victory of the controversy. But when there is peace, even if they worship stars and constellations, they are forgiven, for through the peace, certainly the idolatry and epicureanism that each one of them has will be nullified through that they speak this with this and answer this to this from his bad opinions and denials. And certainly, they will come to complete and straight faith through the peace, as above and as explained elsewhere (there). [Also this belongs to the section above] From the controversy, halachos are made, as explained in Tehillah LeDavid, see there, well explained there, that the halachos are the repair of the controversy, for he returns and turns the combinations of letters of the controversy to halachos, as explained there, see there what is written there, that the tzadik learns these combinations of the controversy and makes from them combination halacha [and so on], see there. And this is the aspect of what is explained here, that one needs to learn halachos, that is, posek, for repair of the controversy [belongs to section 5]. Also, for the main of all things is the beginning, for all beginnings are difficult, because he goes out from opposite to opposite [and so on], as above. And therefore, every time that he travels to the tzadik, [he] needs that he see that he come every time anew, not like that he already was at the tzadik, and now he comes second time, only like that he was never at the tzadik. And it will be to him like he comes now anew, first time, for the main is the beginning, for all beginnings are difficult, as above. It is found that the main power of the work of all the days is only the beginning, as above, see there. And according to the power and fervor of the beginning, so he goes and conducts in his service, for the main is the beginning, as above. Therefore, [he] needs to begin every time anew, for perhaps his beginning was not as proper. And if so, also all his service is not in completeness as proper, for all conducts according to the beginning. Therefore, [he] needs to begin every time anew and to come to the tzadik anew, with power of great fervor and new overcoming for the service of Hashem, blessed be He, so that his service be as proper, according to the power of the beginning, as above. And similarly, every time [he] needs to fear this fear, perhaps he has not begun yet as proper, and [he] needs to begin and to come to the tzadik every time anew.