Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 73

73

For you will pass through waters, with you I am

For you will pass through waters, with you I am [Yeshayahu 43:2]

[In the language of the companions] Behold, the Torah [Scripture] is nistar [hidden] and revealed, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, is also nistar and revealed. That is, what is revealed to us is the garment and externality, and what is nistar from us is the p’nimiyus [internality]. Behold, every person must hasten himself to attain the p’nimiyus, what is nistar from him. But how can he reach to the nistar? By tefillah lish’ma [prayer for its own sake], that he binds the thought to the speech of the tefillah in a bond mighty and strong. For G-d desires the prayers of the tzadikim [righteous ones] [Chullin 60b]. And why? For G-d desires chesed [kindness] [Micha 7:18], and He wishes always to cause to flow influences and blessings. And the influence is not able to descend, only by means of a vessel that is called אֲנִי (Ani [I]), as it is said: "And I will bless them" [Bamidbar 6:26]. And this vessel is made by means of every one from Yisroel when he prays in a manner that he binds the thought to the speech, as it is written: "And your people, all of them tzadikim" [Yeshayahu 60:21]. And every tzadik from Yisroel is the א (Alef) of Ani, as it is said: "Our princes are laden" [Tehillim 144:14], where Alef [root: אלף] denotes leadership and primacy.

And this vessel is Ani: א (Alef), from the language of "Our princes are laden" [Tehillim 144:14]. נ (Nun) is called speech, for speech is Malchus [kingship], on the way of Malchus peh [kingship of the mouth] [Tikkunei Zohar, Petach Eliyahu]. And Malchus is called Nun [root: נון], as it is written: "His name shall be perpetuated" [Tehillim 72:17], and Rashi explained: a language of kingship. י (Yud) is made by means of the thought that he binds to the speech as above, as it is written: "Then Moshe sang" [Shemos 15:1], and Rashi explained: Yud on the name of thought was said. And the vessel that is called Ani is completed, and the abundance descends, and the desire of Hashem, blessed be He, is fulfilled, for He desires chesed. And therefore, Hashem, blessed be He, desires their prayers. And it is known that he who receives pleasure from another is called nukva [female], meaning to him. And it is found that when Hashem, blessed be He, receives pleasure from Yisroel from their prayers, kiv’yachol [as it were], He is made nukva with regard to Yisroel, and this is what is written: "A fire offering, a pleasing aroma to Hashem" [Bamidbar 28:2]. For by means of the pleasing aroma that Hashem, blessed be He, receives from the prayers of Yisroel, He is made in the secret of woman [Yirmiyahu 31:22]. If so, from the p’nimiyus is made externality (see above in the Torah Ohr HaGanuz, Sign 15, there this matter is also explained).

And this is the explanation of the verse: "For you will pass through waters", and sa’avor [you will pass] [root: עבר], a language of revelation, as it is written: "And Hashem will pass to smite Egypt" [Shemos 12:23], and Onkelos translated: "And Hashem will be revealed". And there is no mayim [waters] but Torah [Bava Kama 17a]. And the explanation is: When you desire that the nistar from the Torah be revealed to you, "with you I am", meaning, you will see that you make the vessel that is called Ani as above. (This elucidates how tefillah lish’ma, binding thought to speech, forms the vessel Ani, enabling the revelation of the Torah’s p’nimiyus and fulfilling Hashem’s desire for chesed.)