Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 69

Likutay Moharan, Volume 1, Torah 69
Whoever Steals Wealth from His Fellow, in This He Steals Children from Him

כל הגוזל את חברו ממון, בזה הוא גוזל ממנו בנים
Whoever steals wealth from his fellow, in this he steals children from him

Know that whoever steals mamon (wealth) from his fellow [root: ג-ז-ל], in this he steals banim (children) from him, meaning the thief takes banim from the robbed. For the main mamon of a person comes through his wife [Zohar Tazria 52a], through the light of her nefesh (soul), from which mamon comes. The sparkling and spreading of lights from her nefesh is the aspect of mamon, for mamon comes from the place of the nefesh, as explained elsewhere [Likutay Moharan 59, 68; Likutay Torah 46]. The nefesh is the aspect of the female, as known in the writings of the Ari [Rabbi Isaac Luria], the last aspect of vital soul, spirit, and higher soul. The generality of her soul levels is the aspect of nefesh, female relative to the level above it. Thus, through the female, his wife, the aspect of nefesh, mamon comes, as it depends on her, being the aspect of feet, as in the Zohar [Vayeira 112b]: “And He will guard the feet of His pious ones” [I Samuel 2:9], this is the woman; “And all the possessions which are at their feet” [Deuteronomy 11:6], this is mamon that sustains him on his feet [Pesachim 119a]. For mamon is the aspect of feet, as in “The wealth of the rich is his strong city” [Proverbs 18:11]. Our Rabbis said [Bava Metzia 59a]: Honor your wives so that you become rich [Tikkunei Zohar 70, 126a]. Every person comes to the world with his specific wife, an allotted sum of mamon, and fruits, that is, banim, in the aspect of a tree, branches, and fruits. The light of her nefesh is the aspect of the main tree, from which branches come and spread, the sparkling of her light, the aspect of mamon, the branches of the tree. On these branches, fruits, that is, banim, grow. When one steals mamon, he steals the branches of the tree, the sparkling of her nefesh, from which mamon comes. Thus, he steals the nefesh of his banim and daughters, who depend, grow, and draw from the light of this branch, the fruits growing on these branches. Taking the branch takes the fruits. As in “And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his sons” [Esther 5:11], for this depends on this. As in “They have moved, also gained power, their seed is established before them and their offspring before their eyes” [Job 21:8]; they have moved, gained power is wealth, through which their seed is established. As in “For all the wealth that G-d saved from our father is ours and our sons” [Genesis 31:16], ours and our sons specifically, for the main wealth is through the woman, and the banim depend on her, as she is the aspect of the tree, wealth the branches, and banim the fruits.

If the robbed has no banim (children) yet, one can steal that he will not have them by stealing the branch. Even if he has banim, it can harm them to die, chas v’shalom [G-d forbid], if they still need their mother, that is, her branches, like fruits not yet complete, needing to draw from the branch. Thus, taking the branch harms the fruits, the banim, who need to draw from the branch, the sparkling of their mother’s light. It depends on the theft, the tree, branches, and fruits, as there are many variations among trees, the nature and quality of branches, and their number. Some trees have many branches but few fruits, or few branches but many fruits. Some have one precious branch, others ten worth only ten gold coins. Some poor people have many banim but only one coin, as their branches are inferior, worth one gold. Others have few, inferior branches. A great rich person may have a precious branch or many precious branches, yet few banim. For example, a tree with three branches, each specific to produce two fruits, should yield six banim. If each branch is worth one hundred red coins, it should yield three hundred. If one steals one hundred red coins, he steals one branch, taking two banim. If the fruits emerge one after another, stealing one branch takes two banim, but the remaining banim of other branches remain unharmed. But if they emerge all at once, as in [Exodus Rabbah 1], six in one womb, stealing one hundred red coins, the value of one branch for two fruits, damages the light of all, as they were to emerge together, leaving them without completeness, harming all banim. There are many variations depending on the theft, tree, branches, and fruits. She always needs to complete her light. Without completeness, she cannot give birth. The main completeness is through mamon, the aspect of her sparkling light. As in “Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the robbed” [Isaiah 1:17], urging to do justice, strengthen the robbed, and save the oppressed from the oppressor to save the nefesh of his banim and daughters. This is learn to do good, for doing justice and saving the robbed from the robber benefits the banim, the aspect of teachings of Hashem, as in “And all your sons are taught of Hashem” [Isaiah 54:13].

[Bava Kama 103a]: One who steals from his fellow worth a small coin must pursue him even to מדי [Media]. It is a great wonder why מדי [Media] specifically. The Gemara is hidden and concealed. Their true intention: the thief must pursue him even to מדי [Media], that is, the teachings of Hashem [wordplay: מדי akin to למודי ה'], the banim he must return, even those stolen by stealing his mamon. This is the aspect of teachings of Hashem. Sometimes, though he takes mamon, he does not harm the banim, and her nefesh is not lacking. In spirituality, the nefesh feels great pain and sorrow when the thief, like a murderer of souls, comes to diminish her light and steal the nefesh of her banim. Thus, she contracts her light, draws, and gathers her soul’s parts so the thief cannot draw or diminish her nefesh. Sometimes, the thief cannot overpower to receive her nefesh. Though he stole the mamon, the nefesh overpowered, contracted, and gathered her light, not allowing reception. This mamon is not wealth at all, only dust in the world, as it has no light, as in “Dust of gold” [Job 28:6], “Silver is not considered” [II Chronicles 9:20], as the silver and gold have no light of nefesh. This is the aspect of kiddushin (betrothal, sanctification ceremony). Without completeness, there is a hold of the other side and klipos (spiritual impurities). The nefesh, the female aspect, is among the klipos, scattered and thrust among them, as in “Her feet go down to death” [Proverbs 5:5]. Seeing the silver or its worth, the aspect of her light’s completeness, in the hands of the man who comes to betroth her, she yearns to complete her light and gather her scattered ones from the klipos, to take her feet from death. This is the aspect of kiddushin with silver, as her light is completed, without lack, sanctified from impurity, exiting the klipos, acquired through this silver, the completeness of her light. This is the term kiddushin: she consecrates herself to depart from impurity and receive sanctity through him.

In all his dealings and profits, he completes her light and gathers her scattered sparks, always completing her light, the aspect of nourishing the tree, branches, and fruits [soul structure: tree as core soul, branches as wealth, fruits as children]. By nurturing them, the tree grows branches, her light sparkles, and the branches produce fruits. Thus, he gives her a ksuba (marriage contract) immediately after kiddushin, promising, I will work, honor, sustain, and provide for you, ensuring he completes her light through mamon. This is the aspect of inheritance for the banim. When fruits emerge, they sometimes need to draw from their branches. When he passes, and they cannot draw from the tree’s nourishment, they receive and inherit the mamon designated to complete their light. She receives the remainder, fitting for her light, the aspect of the ksuba. Sometimes, the banim no longer need light from the branches, yet they inherit due to another aspect: when banim come to the world, their soulmate, mamon, and banim, that is, tree, branches, and fruits, emerge with them. The father gathers their light, having mamon for his banim by gathering their light portions. Thus, they sometimes take their mamon that their father gathered from their light. In truth, the inheritance should not be divided equally, as their light portions differ, but this judgment cannot be entrusted to a human court, as only the Knower of Secrets discerns these distinctions and arranges it properly, taking from one and giving to another.

Stealing from his fellow brings improper thoughts, as he cleaves and desires the fellow’s wife through the mamon he took, her light of nefesh. Likewise, she thinks of him, drawn because he took her nefesh. As in [Sanhedrin 81a]: One who engages in another’s trade is as if he violated a married woman, as in “He has not defiled his neighbor’s wife” [Leviticus 18:20], for through theft, he truly defiles his neighbor’s wife. Sometimes, the thief loses his soulmate through theft. By setting his eye on his fellow’s mamon, her light of nefesh, he rejects his own, turning from his portion, his mamon, the light of his soulmate’s nefesh. Thus, she turns and distances from him, as he distanced himself. As in [Yerushalmi Berachos 9]: Like a woman waiting for a man as long as he intends to marry her; when he turns his mind, she marries another. Thus, a thief without a wife may lose his soulmate or even steal his fellow’s, depending on the strength of his desire and actions. By overpowering and stealing his fellow’s mamon, her light of nefesh, she may be drawn after the mamon stolen, so the thief steals his fellow’s wife through mamon stolen by hand or through chemda (coveting). Even through chemda, desire, and longing for his fellow’s mamon, he can steal, as thought has great strength, as explained elsewhere [Likutay Moharan 193; Sichos HaRan 8, 62]. Thus, one may have stolen mamon without stealing by hand. This is the severe negative commandment in the Ten Commandments, “You shall not covet” [Exodus 20:14], for chemda is a severe prohibition, Heaven save us, as it has power to steal mamon and the nefesh of his banim and daughters. Thus, there is a prohibition even in thought to extend a hand to a deposit, as in [Bava Metzia 43b]: One who thinks to extend a hand to a deposit—the dispute is only if he is liable as if he actually did so, but the prohibition is certain.

Sometimes, the thief is in the aspect of rejecting his youthful wife and coveting his fellow’s wife through chemda. Sometimes, he desires both, wanting his mamon and his fellow’s, the aspect of bringing a rival into his house. As in “And with the wife of your youth do not betray, for He hates sending away” [Malachi 2:15-16], meaning if your portion is insufficient and you hate your mamon, send, that is, make a remedy by giving tzedaka (charity), the aspect of sending, as in “Send your bread upon the waters” [Ecclesiastes 11:1]. As our Rabbis said [Gittin 7b]: If one sees his sustenance diminished, he should give tzedaka. Diminished sustenance is due to the strengthening of the klipos over the nefesh, the female aspect, as in “Her feet go down to death” [Proverbs 5:5]. The klipos draw and diminish her light, causing lack of mamon. Through tzedaka, he extracts her from the klipos, as “Tzedaka saves from death” [Proverbs 10:2], from her feet go down to death. Thus, through tzedaka, he repairs his mamon, the female aspect, without betrayal. Through tzedaka, he repairs stolen mamon from chemda, as actual theft has no repair until returned. If he stole from the public, he must use the mamon for public needs. But stolen mamon through chemda is repaired through tzedaka, sustaining his mamon. As our Rabbis said [Kiddushin 71a] on “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, purify the sons of Levi, refine them as gold and silver, and they will be for Hashem presenters of an offering in righteousness” [Malachi 3:3]: tzedaka is an act of the Holy One, Blessed be He, for a mixed family. Through tzedaka, theft, the aspect of a mixed family, stealing the nefesh of banim and taking his fellow’s wife, is repaired, sustaining it thus.

Our Rabbis said [Kiddushin 70a]: One who marries a woman for mamon has improper banim. Marrying for mamon, turning to it, he is a fool, as in “The heart of the wise is to his right, and the heart of the fool to his left” [Ecclesiastes 10:2; Bereishis Rabbah 22]. The wise man, marrying a woman, turns to the right, the aspect of Torah, as in “From His right hand, a fiery law for them” [Deuteronomy 33:2], to learn Torah in purity [Menachos 110a]. But the fool’s heart to the left, marrying for mamon, the aspect of the left, as in “In her left hand, wealth and honor” [Proverbs 3:16]. Marrying for mamon, he is a fool, damaging his knowledge, producing improper banim. Turning to mamon causes enemies, as hatred’s strengthening comes from confusion and turbidity of the mind. Love depends on knowledge, as in “She is harsh to her children not hers, for G-d has withheld wisdom” [Job 39:16]. Lack of love for her banim is from lack of wisdom. With turbidity of the mind, enemies draw and strengthen. According to the desire for mamon, enemies grow. Sometimes, sonei chinam (baseless enemies) arise, as through desire for mamon, he becomes a fool, his mind turbid, strengthening enemies. While turbidity is in the mind, enemies have knowledge and thought with a reason for hatred, though from turbidity. Hatred stems from a turbid mind, yet they have a reason. Sometimes, one desires mamon so much, becoming a fool, that the mind cannot tolerate turbidity, exiting as hairs, the aspect of motrei mochin (excess of mind). Enemies from this, hairs, are sonei chinam, with no reason for hatred, coming from motrei mochin, not turbidity, as in “More than the hairs of my head are my baseless enemies” [Psalms 69:5]. But the wise, though having motrei mochin, hairs, his are the aspect of gates on the right, opening gates of wisdom and knowledge for service of Hashem Blessed. As his mind is too great for the world to tolerate, he must humble himself to small things so the world can receive from him, as in “The wicked bow before the good, and the evil at the gates of the righteous” [Proverbs 14:19]. One who marries a woman not fitting for him, Elijah binds him [Kiddushin 70a], as he is not satisfied with his mamon or wife, choosing what is not his, the aspect of hairs, the aspect of motrei mochin. Thus, Elijah, the man of hair [II Kings 1:8], executes judgment, as in “The king is bound in the channels” [Song of Songs 7:6], channels of mind, the aspect of tefilin (phylacteries) [Tikkunei Zohar 6]. Elijah binds him, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, pierces him, this is the aspect of mind, the aspect of motrei mochin, the aspect of retzuos (straps of the phylacteries), which are the aspect of motrei mochin. [This teaching on the prohibition of theft and the teaching in Torah 68 on the damage of anger ruining wealth are connected and have what to do with each other, as understood by the wise, and they are joined in the teaching of the Holy Chamber in Torah 59, because there both these matters are brought concisely in the layout of that Torah, see there well.]