Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 70

Likutay Moharan, Volume 1, Torah 70

וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי קָרָא משֶׁה לְאַהֲרן וּלְבָנָיו וּלְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל
And it was on the eighth day, Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel [Leviticus 9:1]

And it was on the eighth day, for all things are on the earth, as we see with the senses, that everything grows from the earth, and all things and creations walk and are placed on the earth. It is impossible for them to be separated and distanced from the earth except by means of a compelling force, that is, through someone who compels the thing and takes it from its place on the earth and distances it from it. According to the compelling force, so the thing is distanced from the earth. Afterwards, when the compelling force ceases, the thing returns to the earth [due to its ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity)]. For example, if a person throws a thing upward, then by means of his force, he compels the thing and separates it from the earth. According to his force, so he compels the thing and throws it upward further. And afterwards, when his force, which is the compelling force, ceases, the thing returns and falls to the earth, because the earth has a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) and draws all things to itself. For if not, they could not exist upon it, because it would be fitting for them to fall from it, due to it being spherical, and all the people of the world stand around it, as is known. But it has a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), and therefore, when the compelling force ceases, the thing returns and falls downward to the earth. All that draws nearer downward flies and falls downward with greater speed. This is due to drawing nearer to the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) of the earth; therefore, it falls with greater speed downward.

The tzadik (righteous one) is the aspect of afar (dust), as mentioned above, for the tzadik is y’sod olam (foundation of the world), as it is written: “And a tzadik is the foundation of the world” [Proverbs 10:25]. All things stand upon him, and he has a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw all things to him, for this tzadik is unique in the world, the y’sod olam (foundation of the world), from whom all things are drawn. Even all tzadikim (righteous ones) are only branches from him, each one according to his aspect: there is one who is the aspect of a branch from him, and there is one who is the aspect of a branch from the branch. For this unique tzadik in the world is anav (humble) and shafal (lowly) and makes himself like afar (dust), in the aspect of: “And I am afar and ashes” [Genesis 18:27]. And therefore, he is y’sod olam (foundation of the world), that is, the aspect of afar (dust), upon which all things are, as above.

This is what we request: “And my soul like afar to all shall be” [from the liturgy], that is, that it shall have the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw all to it like afar (dust), as above. This tzadik draws all hashpa’os (influences) to the world, in the aspect of: “And dusts of gold” [Job 28:6], for all hashpa’os (influences) are drawn from the aspect of afar (dust), from the aforementioned tzadik. And therefore, if one gives tzedaka (charity) to this tzadik, he is blessed immediately, for it is the aspect of sowing upon the afar (dust), which sprouts double doubly, in the aspect of: “Sow for yourselves for tzedaka and reap according to kindness” [Hosea 10:12]. But if one gives tzedaka (charity) to one who is not in the aspect of afar (dust) at all, it does not produce fruits. This is what Yirmiyahu cursed the people of Anathoth: “In the time of Your anger, do to them” [Jeremiah 11:22], make them stumble with poor people who are not proper [Bava Kama 16b], that is, who are not in the aspect of afar (dust) at all. And therefore, the tzedaka (charity) given to them is not the aspect of sowing at all.

It would be fitting that all people be drawn to this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), who has the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above. But by means of the compelling force, they separate and distance from him, that is, there are people who, by means of their speech and their actions, compel people to separate them and distance them from the aforementioned tzadik. And according to the compelling force, so he distances from the tzadik, as above. And afterwards, when the compelling force ceases, he will return and draw himself and draw near to the tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), as above. For when the compeller ceases, he returns to the afar (dust), to the aforementioned tzadik, who has the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above.

Therefore, there are people who are very distant from the tzadik due to them still being in the compelling force that distances them. But afterwards, when the compelling force ceases, they will return and draw near, as above. This is what we see: when a person travels to the tzadik, the closer he draws near to the place of the tzadik, the more cheshek (desire) he has, due to drawing nearer to the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above.

This is the aspect of Mishkan (Tabernacle), for the Mishkan had a ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw Divinity to the place where it stood, in the aspect of: “Moshcheni after you, we will run” [Song of Songs 1:4], after you, we will run specifically [root: ר-ו-ץ], for the closer one draws near to it, the more he runs, due to the ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), as above. And as brought in the Midrash [Exodus Rabbah 31]: The Mishkan is לשון משכון [language of pledge], that it is a pledge for Israel that the Shechina (Divine Presence) will dwell with them, even if they sin, chas v’shalom [G-d forbid], as it is written: “And I will place My Mishkan among you, and My soul will not abhor you” [Leviticus 26:11]. It is found that by means of the Mishkan, the Shechina dwells in Israel, that is, as above, for Mishkan is לשון מושכני [language of draw me, root: מ-ש-ך], which has the aspect of ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw Divinity to the place where it stood, as above.

Therefore, it is impossible to erect the Mishkan except by the tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), the aspect of Moshe, who was anav (humble) more than any man, as it is written: “And Moshe erected the Mishkan” [Exodus 40:18]. And another could not erect it, for specifically this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust) and ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), can erect the Mishkan, which is the aspect of ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), to draw Divinity, as above.

This is what is written: “Not because you are more numerous did Hashem desire you, for you are the fewest” [Deuteronomy 7:7]. And our Sages expounded [Chullin 89a, brought in Rashi]: Not because of your multitude, but because you diminish yourselves, Hashem desired you. For because they diminish and make themselves small [root: מ-ע-ט], by this they are in the aspect of afar (dust), which has ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity), the aspect of Mishkan, which draws Divinity, as above. And therefore, Hashem desired you. This is the aspect of: “I will dwell with the crushed” [Isaiah 57:15]. For by means of shiflus (lowliness), that he makes himself like afar (dust), by this he has ko’ach hamosheich (drawing force, gravity) to draw the Blessed Name to him, which is the aspect of the Mishkan, as above.

This is the aspect of kavod (glory) said regarding the Mishkan, as it is written: “And it shall be sanctified in My kavod” [Exodus 29:43], and: “And the kavod of Hashem filled the Mishkan” [Exodus 40:34]. For all the kavod (glory) that every person in the world has, from small to great, all of them receive only from this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust), the aspect of Mishkan, from whom all is drawn. For all the kavod (glory) and greatness is only with this tzadik, and all receive from him, as it is written [Megillah 31a]: Every place that you find His greatness, there you find His anav’tanuso (humility). It is found that in the place of shiflus (lowliness) and smallness, there dwells all the kavod (glory) and greatness, as it is written: “I will dwell with the crushed” [Isaiah 57:15].

Therefore, all the heads in the world receive their kavod (glory) from this tzadik, who is the aspect of afar (dust). And similarly, the renewal of the kavod (glory), for each time the kavod (glory) is renewed, when an appointee comes to another appointment, and the headship and kavod (glory) are renewed, it is all by means of this tzadik. For according to his erection of the Mishkan each time, from there comes the kavod (glory), in the aspect of: “And the kavod of Hashem filled the Mishkan” [Exodus 40:34], as above. So all the kavod (glory) and headship are renewed, as above.

This is: “And it was on the eighth day, Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel” [Leviticus 9:1]. For when the tzadik needs to call the heads of the people, he calls them by this: that he erects the Mishkan, where there is the kavod (glory), as above. And by this, he calls them, for all come to him to receive the kavod (glory) from him. And this on the eighth day, that Moshe erected the Mishkan, by this Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel, who are the inclusion of the heads of the people, from small to great. For by means of erecting the Mishkan, he called all the heads of the people, who are the aspect of Aharon and his sons, and [the elders of Israel], as above.

This is what our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said [Rosh Hashanah 1a]: that Nisan is the Rosh Hashanah (New Year) for melachim (kings), for then was the erection of the Mishkan, from where the kavod (glory) of melachim (kings), of all the appointees and heads, is drawn, as above. And therefore, the erection of the Mishkan was specifically on Rosh Chodesh Nisan (New Moon of Nisan), for this is the aspect of Rosh Chodesh (New Moon), that by this all the heads are renewed, as above. And this is the aspect of Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the Rosh Hashanah (New Year) for melachim (kings), as above.