Likutay Moharan - Volume 2 - Torah-teaching 81

Likutay Moharan II Torah 81: When a Person Gladdens Himself with the Joy of a Mitzvah

When a person gladdens himself with the joy of a mitzvah [commandment] and the joy is so great that it touches his feet, meaning that he dances from joy, this aspect is called: “And a prophet will bring wisdom to the heart” (Psalms 90:12). The feet are Netzach [victory] and Hod [splendor], the aspect of prophets. They are elevated to the aspect of the heart through the joy that is in the heart, for joy elevates them. This is dancing, which elevates his feet each time. When he studies Torah or performs a mitzvah with such great joy that the joy touches his feet and elevates his feet upward, through this, all the supporters of the Torah are elevated, who are called supporters of truth [somchei keshot] (Isaiah 41:10). “Truth will guide him to his foot,” for the Torah and the mitzvah are called truth [tzedek], as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Chullin 89a): “Truth you shall speak,” and so forth, and as it is written (Psalms 119:160): “For all Your commandments are truth.” Also the evil speech is called a foot, as it is written (Psalms 15:3): “He does not slander [ragal] with his tongue.” Also the person is elevated in wealth, which is called a foot, as it is written (Deuteronomy 11:6): “And the wealth that was at their feet” (Pesachim 119a). Also all the lower levels, called feet, are elevated through the joy of Torah and mitzvah, as it is written: “Truth will guide him to his foot.” The Torah and the mitzvah call upward these lower levels. This is what our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Bava Basra 10a): “One who has no children should gladden his wife with a matter of mitzvah.” For a woman is called a foot, as it is written (1 Samuel 1:9): “The feet [raglei] of His pious ones He guards” (see Zohar, Vayera 112a). Thus, through joy, he elevates and connects her to the aspect of truth, which is called the Hei [ה], and there is the essence of the seed, as it is written (Genesis 47:29): “Here is seed for you” (Eruvin 70a). Also faith [emunah] is called a foot, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said (Makkos 24a): Chabakuk came and established them on one, and so forth. [And so] all things called a foot are elevated.