Likutay Moharan - Volume 2 - Torah-teaching 87

The Intention of Elul is the Repair of the Defect of the Bris

Know that the intention of Elul [month of repentance] is the repair of the defect of the bris [circumcision/sexual purity]. For the secret of the intentions of Elul is: "He who places a way in the sea" [Isaiah 43:16] (and as explained in the intentions of the Ari, of blessed memory), to illuminate the aspect of a way in the sea. And this way is opened in the month of Elul (and see there in the intentions all the intentions of Elul). And the essence of the defect of the bris is in the aspect of this way, for it was necessary to illuminate the aspect of two hundred and twenty-four [reish-kaf-daled] lights in the aspect of the sea, the aspect of emunah [faith], and he deviated from this and defected in the aspect of the way, in the aspect of: "For all flesh has corrupted its way" [Genesis 6:12]. For a woman is called a way, as brought in the words of our Sages, of blessed memory [Kiddushin 2b]. And there is another way, the aspect of: "The way of a licentious woman" [Proverbs 30:20]. And the principle is that the essence of the defect is in the aspect of the way, that he did not illuminate the way in the sea. And sometimes, because of this defect, one may lose his pairing (see Tikkun 14). For since he deviated from his pairing, it is difficult for him to find his pairing, and even if he finds his pairing, she will be opposed to him and will not incline after his will, because he deviated from her and did not illuminate her. From this, it came about that she has another will against him, and then: "He did not merit [a wife] according to him" [Yevamos 63a]. And the month of Elul, when one can repair this and illuminate the way in the sea, as above [therefore, the intention of Elul is the repair for this]. And when he repairs this, then he finds his pairing, and she is not opposed to him, but according to his will. And there is in this a wondrous secret, for know that this secret Abraham passed to Eliezer his servant when he sent him to seek the pairing of Isaac his son, which is the secret of the intention of Elul, which is a segula [propitious] for the repair of the bris. For through the aforementioned repair, a will toward him is made in her, for previously she did not incline after his will, because he deviated from her, as above. And through this, it is impossible to find his pairing, and even if he finds her, she does not incline after his will, as above. But through the intention of Elul, which is the repair for this, through this a will toward him is restored in her, as above. And this secret is explained in the Torah in the portion of Eliezer, for Abraham passed to him this secret. And this is what Abraham said to Eliezer: "And if the woman is not willing to go after you" [Genesis 24:8]. See and behold the wonders of our Torah, for the initial letters of this verse are the letters of E-L-U-L, and in the middle are the words "toava ha’isha" [the woman is willing]. For through the aspect of Elul, which is the secret of the intentions of Elul, through this the woman is willing, for through this a will toward him is made in her, as above. Thus, in these very words that Abraham spoke with Eliezer regarding the concern that perhaps she would not consent to go after him, that is, what he said to him: "And if the woman is not willing to go after you," in these very words he revealed to him the secret of the repair for this, which is the secret of Elul, alluded to in the initial letters, which is the repair for this, through which the woman is willing. And there are further awesome secrets in this. Also, see in the teaching that begins: "And Hashem said to Moses, call Joshua" [Likutay Moharan I:6], for there it speaks of the intentions of Elul, and it is a repair for the defect of the bris, as above. That is, to study that teaching and merit to understand it and to do some service with it in the service of Hashem, through this one repairs the defect of the bris.