ליקוטי מוהר ן LIKUTEY MOHARAN

Transcription

1 ליקוטי מוהר ן LIKUTEY MOHARAN

2 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:1 2 ליקוטי מוהר"ן סימן ע"ג ל ש ו ן ה ח ב ר ים כ י ת ע ב ר ב מ י ם א ת ך א נ י )ישעיה מג(. ד ה נ ה ה ת ו ר ה ס ת ים ו ג ל י א, ו ה ק דו ש ב רו ך הו א ג ם כ ן ס ת ים ו ג ל י א. ד ה י נו מ ה ש נ ג ל ה ל נו הו א ה ל בו ש ו ח יצו נ י ו ת, ו מ ה ש נ ס ת ר מ מ נ ו הו א ה פ נ ימ י ו ת. ו ה נ ה, כ ל א ד ם צ ר יך ל ז ר ז א ת ע צ מו ל ה ש יג ה פ נ ימ י ו ת, מ ה ש נ ס ת ר מ מ נ ו. with the Tree of Knowledge, the fruits of which Adam and Eve took with them when God banished them from the Garden. 4. The Holy One is likewise hidden and revealed. Matok Midvash (Zohar, op. cit.) explains that this refers to the twin Divine personas Z er Anpin and Malkhut. Z er Anpin, which represents the masculine principle, is hidden within Malkhut, which is identified with the Shekhinah and the feminine principle (see Likutey Moharan I, 13:2 and n.30; see also Appendix: The Divine Personas). This will tie in below ( 2 and n.24), where Rebbe Nachman quotes the prophet Yirmiyahu: For God has created something new in the world that the woman (the feminine) shall court the man (the masculine) (Jeremiah 31:21). In the hierarchy of the Divine personas, Z er Anpin precedes Malkhut, and so is the more hidden of two. Moreover, Malkhut is Kingship, the revelation of God s mastery and rule in the world, and as such signifies that which is disclosed and unconcealed (and see below, n.13). 5. outer element inner element which is concealed from him. That is, the outer element acts as a garment concealing the inner element. For example, there are times when the Hand of God directing one s life is manifest and easily perceived. Yet each person must understand that what he sees is but an outer garment for greater and far more elusive levels of Divine providence that he has not even begun to perceive. In fact, the more awareness a person has of God, the more he recognizes the meagerness of his awareness and the infinite measure of that which is still concealed from him. The same is true of the Torah. No matter what the extent of a person s Torah knowledge, there are innumerable levels as yet beyond his grasp. The same Torah teachings that are revealed to him and which he has comprehended contain infinite layers of Divine wisdom and insight that he has yet to uncover. Over the course of the lesson, Rebbe Nachman shows how it is possible to cause the hidden, inner element to become outer and revealed. It is worth noting here the subtle switch Rebbe Nachman has made in this opening paragraph. He began with what might be called an objective measure of the hidden and revealed aspects of God and the Torah namely, Z er Anpin and Malkhut; sod and pshat. However, in speaking of a person striving to perceive the inner element, that which is concealed from him,

3 3 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:1 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73 1 Ki Taavor Ba Mayim (When You Pass through Water), I am with you. 2 (Isaiah 43:2) Behold, the Torah is hidden and revealed. 3 The Holy One, blessed be He, is likewise hidden and revealed. 4 In other words, that which is revealed to us is the garment and outer element, while that which is concealed from us is the inner element. Every person should stir himself to perceive the inner element, that which is concealed from him Likutey Moharan #73. Rebbe Nachman taught this lesson in Medvedevka, at the Third Meal of Shabbat, 10 Tammuz, 5559 (July 13, 1799). This was the Rebbe s first Shabbat after returning from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He said that this teaching was very great and precious in his eyes (Tzaddik #40; Parparaot LeChokhmah; Magid Sichot; Until The Mashiach, pp.53-54). It is the first of a group of lessons known as leshon hachaveirim, the language of the companions (Lessons #73-#108; see the Foreword to this volume). The main themes are: sincere prayer; and revealing (comprehending) elements of God and the Torah that are hidden (beyond one s grasp). 2. I am with you. After portraying the suffering of the exile, when God seemed hidden from the Jewish people (Chapter 42), the prophet Yeshayahu consoles and encourages them not to despair. Fear not, for I have redeemed you. [Even] when you pass through water, I am with you. Rashi comments that the verse alludes to the Israelites crossing through the Red Sea. Metzudat David interprets this as Yeshayahu speaking of the repeated dangers of exile; God always appeared to save the Jewish people from destruction. 3. Torah is hidden and revealed. The Zohar (III, 73a) teaches that the Holy One, the Torah and Israel are bound together in complete unity, and so aspects that apply to one, apply to the others as well. Thus, the Zohar says, just as God is hidden and revealed (see n.4), the Torah and Israel are likewise comprised of both hidden and revealed elements. These are two separate levels, with the hidden level being more exalted than the revealed. With respect to the Torah, the Matok Midvash explains that its verses and teachings can be understood according to the simple and plain meaning of the text the level of pshat but also according to its esoteric meaning as taught in the Kabbalah the level of sod. In Kabbalistic terminology, the esoteric Torah is commonly called Torah d Atika Stimaah, the Torah of the Hidden Ancient One (see also Likutey Moharan I, 49:6). In another passage, the Raya Mehemna (Zohar III, 124b) associates the hidden Torah with the Tree of Life, about which Scripture relates: He stationed east of the Garden of Eden the Cherubim and the flame of the whirling sword to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). This is as distinct from the revealed Torah, which the Zohar associates

4 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:1 4 א ך א יך יו כ ל ל ה ג יע א ל ה נ ס ת ר מ מ נ ו? ב ת פ ל ה ל ש מ ה, ש י ק ש ר ה מ ח ש ב ה א ל ה ד ב ו ר ש ל ה ת פ ל ה, ב ק ש ר א מ יץ ו ח ז ק. כ י 'ה ק דו ש ב רו ך הו א מ ת א ו ה ל ת פ ל ת ן ש ל צ ד יק ים' )חולין ס:(, ו ל מ ה? כ י ה ק דו ש ב רו ך הו א ח פ ץ ח ס ד הו א. ו רו צ ה ת מ יד ל ה ש פ יע ה ש פ עו ת ו ב ר כו ת. ו א ין ה ש פ ע ה י כו ל ה ל יר ד, ר ק ע ל י ד י כ ל י ה נ ק ר א א נ י, ש נ א מ ר )במדבר ו(: "ו א נ י א ב ר כ ם". ו ה כ ל י ה נ "ל נ ע ש ה ע ל י ד י כ ל א ח ד מ י ש ר א ל, כ ש מ ת פ ל ל ב א פ ן ש מ ק ש ר ה מ ח ש ב ה ל ה ד ב ו ר. כ י כ ל א ח ד מ י ש ר א ל נ ק ר א צ ד יק, ש נ א מ ר )ישעיה ס(: "ו ע מ ך כ ל ם צ ד יק ים". ו ה צ ד יק נ ק ר א א ל ף, מ ל ש ו ן "א ל ו פ ינו מ ס ב ל ים" )תהלים קמד(. that His Attributes not remain in potential but be actualized. He created this world in order to actualize His compassion and be called perfect (Etz Chaim, Heikhal Adam Kadmon 1:1, p.24). 9. the vessel known as ANiY and ANiY will bless them. Scripture closes the Priestly Blessing in the Book of Numbers with the words: They (the priests) will place My Name upon the people and Aniy (I) will bless them. Rebbe Nachman reads the second half of the verse as: and by means of ANiY I will bless them i.e., ANiY is the name of the vessel through which a Jew receives shefa from on high. 10. prays binds thought to speech. This refers to the aforementioned tefilah lishmah, the sincere prayer of one whose attention is firmly focused on the words emerging from his lips (see n.6). Rebbe Nachman will now show that a Jew who prays l shem Hashem (for the sake of God) creates the three letters that form the vessel ANiY: the letters A (aleph), N (nun), Y (yod). 11. Your people are all tzaddikim. In Kabbalistic and Chassidic teaching the term tzaddik is synonymous with sexual purity. It is thus associated with the sefirah Yesod, which anthropomorphically corresponds to the sexual organ (the brit). Thus when the Zohar asks, Are all Jews truly tzaddikim? Look at the many sinners among them! its answer is that they keep the Covenant by observing the mitzvah of brit milah (circumcision), and so all Jews are called tzaddikim (Zohar I, 93a; see also Likutey Moharan I, 23:10). This concurs with the Sages teaching: Any mitzvah that the Jewish people accepted with great rejoicing, such as brit milah, they continue to fulfill with joy to this day. Any mitzvah that the Jewish people willingly sacrificed their lives to fulfill, such as circumcision and the disavowal of idolatry, they continue to steadfastly observe to this day (Shabbat 130a). Although mitzvah observance has in general diminished down through the generations, the Jews have continued observing the mitzvah of circumcision, even in the face of the most difficult circumstances. Thus, in the merit of their self-sacrifice to fulfill this mitzvah, the Jews are considered righteous i.e., tzaddikim. 12. tzaddik ALePh ALuPheinu are acceptable. This translation follows Rashi s homiletic

5 5 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:1 However, how can he attain that which is hidden from him? Through sincere prayer: by powerfully and firmly fixing his thoughts on the words of prayer. 6 For the Holy One desires the prayers of the tzaddikim (Chullin 60b). 7 Why? Because God loves kindness, and He wants to constantly provide an influx of bounty and blessings. 8 Yet bounty cannot descend except by means of the vessel known as ANiY, as is said (Numbers 6:27), and ANiY (I) will bless them. 9 Every Jew fashions the aforementioned vessel when he prays in the manner that binds thought to speech. 10 For each member of the Jewish people is called a tzaddik, as is said (Isaiah 60:21), Your people are all tzaddikim. 11 And the tzaddik is referred to as ALePh, as connoted by ALuPheinu (Our great ones) are acceptable (Psalms 14:14). 12 the Rebbe seems to be referring to a hidden and revealed that is subjective i.e., commensurate with each person s current spiritual level. With regard to this latter classification, striving to gain greater comprehension of either God or the Torah is obviously an endless endeavor, for as soon as a particular hidden element becomes revealed for him, a new one awaits (see n.32, below). 6. sincere prayer fixing his thoughts on the words of prayer. Sincere prayer here is a translation of the phrase tefilah lishmah. More literally, the term lishmah (לשמה) means for the sake of. In the context of prayer, this indicates that one prays solely for the sake of God l shem HaShem ה).( לשם Rebbe Nachman teaches here that sincere prayer is achieved by firmly fixing one s thoughts on the meaning of the words one recites before God (see also Likutey Moharan I, 66:3). 7. desires the prayers of the tzaddikim. The Talmud (loc. cit.) teaches that although God brought forth all vegetation on the Third Day of Creation, the grass, plant life and trees grew no higher than the Earth s surface until the eve of Shabbat, when Adam prayed for them. On account of his prayers it rained and all the different types of vegetation grew. Rabbi Asi said: This is to teach that the Holy One desires the prayers of the tzaddikim. Similarly, the Sages explain that the Patriarchs and Matriarchs were initially barren because God desired their prayers (Yevamot 64a). In Likutey Moharan I, 15:5, Rebbe Nachman applies this to the prayers of any Jew who has attained such a great degree of humility that he comes before God in a state of complete bitul (nullification). His prayers, because they emerge from a broken and contrite heart, are the prayers of the tzaddikim. Before showing that in fact the appellation tzaddik applies to each and every Jew, the Rebbe first explains why it is that God so greatly desires the prayers of the righteous. 8. God loves kindness provide an influx of bounty and blessings. The prophet Mikhah states that God loves to do good for the world: Who is a God like You Who loves kindness (Micah 7:18). The Kabbalists explain this as God s desire to constantly provide shefa, a spiritual influx of bounty and blessing, for all that He created. In Likutey Moharan I, 64:1, Rebbe Nachman states: God created the world as a consequence of His compassion. For He wanted to reveal His compassion, and if Creation had not taken place, to whom would He have shown His compassion? This is based on the Etz Chaim, the Ari s fundamental treatise of Kabbalistic teaching, where he explains that God s perfection necessitates

6 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:1 6 ו ה נ ו ן נ ק ר א ד ב ו ר, כ י ה ד ב ו ר הו א מ ל כו ת, ע ל ד ר ך 'מ ל כו ת פ ה' ו מ ל כו ת נ ק ר א נו ן, כ מו ש כ תו ב )תהלים עב(: "י נ ו ן ש מו ", ו פ ר ש ר ש "י: ל ש ו ן מ ל כו ת. ו ה יו ד נ ע ש ה, ע ל י ד י ה מ ח ש ב ה ש מ ק ש ר ל ה ד ב ו ר כ נ "ל. כ י ה מ ח ש ב ה נ ק ר א יו "ד, כ מו ש כ תו ב )שמות טו(: "א ז י ש יר מ ש ה", ו פ ר ש ר ש "י: 'יו "ד ע ל ש ם ה מ ח ש ב ה נ א מ ר ה'. ו נ ג מ ר ה כ ל י ה נ ק ר א א נ י, ו ה ש פ ע יו ר ד, ו נ ש ל ם ח פ ץ ה ש ם י ת ב ר ך, כ י ח פ ץ ח ס ד הו א, ו ל פ יכ ך ה ש ם י ת ב ר ך מ ת א ו ה ל ת פ ל ת ן: the dead. At that time, Moshe, who will be among those restored to life, will again sing this song. 17. Rashi comments: Yod connotes thought. This is Rashi s pshat (simple) explanation for Scripture s use of the word yashir.(ישיר) According to Rashi, the letter yod (י) inserted as a prefix to the word shar (שר) indicates a determining of the mind. After seeing the great miracle God had performed for the Jews, the thought came to Moshe that he should sing the Song of Deliverance. We see that the letter yod represents thought. The Kabbalists associate the letter Yod of God s Holy Name YHVH with the sefirah Chokhmah, Wisdom (see Appendix: Levels of Existence). Similarly, the Ari teaches that (הי ויו יוד הי) is expanded by adding the letter yod yod hy vyv hy (יהוה) when the YHVH it corresponds to Chokhmah (Shaar HaKavanot, Derushei Tzitzit 3; see also Appendix: Expansions of the Holy Names of God). In the anthropomorphic array of the sefirot, Chokhmah parallels the mind. All this points to the sod (esoteric) connection between the yod and thought. 18. ANiY is thus completed. Thus when a א/ Jew/tzaddik firmly fixes his י/ thought on his.אני ANiY, of prayer, he creates the vessel נ/ words.(כלי) It is not incidental that this is the vessel s name. The Hebrew word for vessel is kli When a value of 1 is added for the word itself (an accepted practice in gematria calculation), the word כלי has a numerical value of 61, the same as אני (see Appendix: Gematria Chart). 19. The bounty then descends God s desire is fulfilled, since He loves kindness. This is ANiY will bless them with the formulation of the vessel ANiY, God is able to disburse blessing and bounty, as explained above in notes 8 and 9. Thus God s desire to actualize His compassion and bestow good and kindness upon the world is fulfilled. 20. Blessed One desires their prayers. As explained above, God makes it so that a Jew has to pray and through his prayers i.e., a Jew fixing his thoughts on the words he recites form the vessel ANiY. With this Rebbe Nachman concludes the first part of the lesson. In the next section he returns to the primary theme of the lesson, namely, causing the hidden, inner element to become outer and revealed.

7 7 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:1 The Nun refers to speech. This is because speech is Malkhut (Kingship), as in Malkhut is the mouth (Tikkuney Zohar, Introduction, p.17a). 13 Thus Malkhut is called NuN, as it is written (Psalms 72:17), may his name yenon, and Rashi explains: [yenon] connotes kingship. 14 And the Yod is formed by the thought that one attaches to speech, as explained above. 15 This is because thought is referred to as Yod, as it is written (Exodus 15:1): Then Moshe Yashir (will sing), 16 and Rashi comments: Yod connotes thought. 17 The vessel known as ANiY is thus completed. 18 The bounty then descends, and God s desire is fulfilled, since He loves kindness. 19 This is the reason that the Blessed One desires their prayers. 20 interpretation of the verse: Our great ones are acceptable to the common folk, and so there is neither breach, nor the heralding of evil tidings, nor the uproar of war in our streets. Rebbe,(אלופינו) as in the word ALuPheinu,(אלף) Nachman brings this proof-text to show that ALePh alludes to the great ones i.e., tzaddikim. Having established that all Jews are considered tzaddikim, the Rebbe teaches that when a Jew begins to pray to God, he himself represents the letter Aleph, the first letter of the vessel ANiY in which to receive blessing. 13. Malkhut is the mouth. As the last sefirah, Malkhut s role is to receive the inner light from the sefirot above it, and then to reveal that light and spiritual energy in this outer, corporeal world. Malkhut is thus likened to the mouth i.e., the faculty of speech through which a person reveals his inner thoughts and feelings. Elsewhere, Rebbe Nachman explains this connection between Malkhut, which is Kingship, and the mouth by drawing an analogy to a king (melekh) and his subjects. The king reveals his will to them primarily by means of the proclamations he issues (see also Likutey Moharan I, 38:1, n.6; ibid. II, 82). Thus the Tikkuney Zohar cited in our lesson (loc. cit.) associates Malkhut with the mouth. 14. NuN may his name yenon connotes kingship. The psalmist says of the King Mashiach: May his name endure forever, may his name yenon as long as the sun endures. Rashi on this verse explains that yenon connotes kingship (malkhut) and rule. Consequently, (ינון) it (נ) being etymologically similar to yenon Rebbe Nachman associates the letter NuN with Malkhut. The Nun thus also signifies speech ( Malkhut is the mouth ). Therefore, the words of prayer a person recites form the letter Nun of ANiY. 15. Yod is formed by the thought as explained above. Firmly fixing one s thoughts on the words of prayer, as Rebbe Nachman discussed above, forms the letter Yod of the vessel ANiY, as the Rebbe explains next. 16. Then Moshe will sing. These are the opening words of the Az Yashir, the Song of Deliverance, sung by the Jewish people after God had delivered them from the Red Sea and the pursuing Egyptians. The Sages note that Scripture uses the future tense, will sing (yashir), though Moshe surely must have sung the Song of Deliverance together with everyone else (see Sotah 30b). They see this as proof from the Torah for techiyat ha-meitim, resurrection of

8 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:2 8 ו י דו ע הו א, כ י מ י ש מ ק ב ל ת ע נו ג מ א ח ר נ ק ר א נו ק ב א. רו צ ה לו מ ר ל ג ב ה. ו נ מ צ א, כ ש ה ש ם י ת ב ר ך מ ק ב ל ת ע נו ג מ י ש ר א ל מ ת פ ל ת ן, כ ב י כו ל נ ע ש ה נו ק ב א ל ג ב י י ש ר א ל. ו ז הו ש כ תו ב )במדבר כח(: "א ש ה ר יח נ יחו ח ל ה'", כ י ע ל י ד י ר יח ה נ יחו ח ש מ ק ב ל ה ש ם י ת ב ר ך מ ת פ ל ו ת ש ל י ש ר א ל, נ ע ש ה ב סו ד א ש ה. "ו נ ק ב ה ת סו ב ב ג ב ר" )ירמיה לא(, א ם כ ן מ ה פ נ ימ י ו ת נ ע ש ה ח יצו נ י ו ת. 23. It is ISheH He becomes the aspect of IShaH, a woman. Rebbe Nachman s prooftext here comes from Scripture s statement regarding the olah-sacrifice: it is an isheh (a fire-offering), rei ach nicho ach (a pleasing aroma) to God. Rashi (Exodus 29:18) interprets rei ach nicho ach נ יח וח ) (ר יח to mean nachat ruach ר וח ),(נ ח ת satisfaction. Thus, in the context of our lesson Rebbe Nachman reads ISheH ש ה) (א as IShAH ש ה),(א a woman by receiving satisfaction and pleasure from our prayers, God takes on, as it were, the feminine aspect. Rebbe Nachman s statement, that the pleasing aroma God receives stems from the Jewish people s prayers, aligns with the teaching of our Sages that the Men of the Great Assembly instituted the prayers to correspond to the daily-offerings in the Temple (Berakhot 26b). The nachat ruach the Jewish people once gave to God by bringing a burnt-offering, we now give Him through tefilah lishmah (sincere prayer). 24. the woman shall court the man. Although the present custom is for the male to take the active role in seeking a marriage partner (Kiddushin 2b), the prophet Yirmiyahu speaks of a time when this will be reversed, when the woman will court the man. In our context, this relates to when God becomes the beneficiary. Then God, in the form of the Shekhinah, courts the man who through his sincere prayer has provided God with pleasure. How does God court man? He reveals Himself to him. In Likutey Moharan I, 15:5, Rebbe Nachman deduces this from the verse itself. The word t soveiv, translated here as court, literally means surround or envelop. It can thus be understood as God enveloping His Light in a garment in order to reveal Himself to the one He is courting (see the following note). This is as the Tikkuney Zohar (Introduction, p.7a) teaches: Of the Shekhinah it is said: the woman shall envelop the man (see also Etz Chaim, Shaar HaSheimot 44:6, p.339). 25. the inner element becomes the outer element. This refers to what Rebbe Nachman taught at the beginning of the lesson: God and the Torah have both revealed and hidden aspects (and see nn.3-4), and each person should strive to reveal and comprehend that which is concealed from him. Ordinarily, God is the Benefactor, and as such corresponds to the masculine principle i.e., the hidden, inner element. Striving to comprehend the hidden aspects of God and to come closer to Him is, in the context of our lesson, courting Him. However, as the Rebbe has shown, when a person gives God pleasure, the roles are reversed. God becomes the Receiver and so corresponds to the feminine principle. It is then God Who does the courting, as it were, by donning a garment (see n.5) and revealing Himself to this person. In this way, the inner element becomes the outer element, and that which was originally hidden becomes revealed. Although we generally think of a garment as something that conceals that which it

9 9 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:2 2. And it is known that whoever receives pleasure from someone else is referred to as feminine vis-à-vis that other person. 21 We see from this that when God receives pleasure from the prayers of the Jewish people, He becomes, as it were, feminine vis-à-vis them. 22 This is as it is written (Numbers 28:8), it is ISheH (a fire-offering), a pleasing aroma to God. Through the pleasing aroma that God receives from the Jewish people s prayers He becomes the aspect of IShaH (a woman). 23 Thus the woman shall court the man (Jeremiah 31:21), 24 and as a result the inner element becomes the outer element. 25 In review: When a Jew prays, he should concentrate his thoughts on the meaning of the words. Through this sincere prayer he forms the vessel in which to receive shefa from on high and so fulfil God s desire to give. 21. whoever receives pleasure vis-à-vis that other person. Everything in creation exists in relationship to something else, in which it is either the mashpia (giver or benefactor) or the mekabel (receiver or beneficiary). Mashpia corresponds to the masculine principle, and mekabel, to the feminine principle. A prime example of this dynamic is the relationship between husband and wife. In general, the male is the mashpia; he provides the seed for pregnancy, while the female, who receives that seed in her womb, is the mekabel. Yet this designation is not fixed. When a woman gives birth, she is the mashpia and her child is the mekabel. Vis-à-vis her husband, too, there are elements and situations in their relationship in which she is the giver and he is the receiver. In the Kabbalah, the archetype of this mashpia-mekabel dynamic is the relationship between the twin Divine personas Z er Anpin and Malkhut, which are also known as groom and bride (see Raaya Mehemna, Zohar III, 34a). As mentioned above, in note 4, Z er Anpin corresponds to the masculine principle, and Malkhut, which is identified with the Shekhinah, corresponds to the feminine principle. In particular, these designations apply to the manner in which Z er Anpin interacts with and transfers shefa to Malkhut. The Kabbalah uses distinctly anthropomorphic terminology to describe their relationship including union, conception, pregnancy, birth and nursing (see Innerspace, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, p.93). With Z er Anpin as the mashpia and Malkhut as the mekabel, the relationship between these two Divine personas of God is the spiritual model for a sanctified marriage relationship between a man and a woman. 22. God receives pleasure feminine vis-à-vis them. In general, all created things are beneficiaries vis-à-vis the Creator, Who, as their Benefactor, provides the world with the lifeforce and shefa it needs in order to exist. However, when the Jewish people pray to God and create the vessel ANiY so that He can actualize His compassion and kindness (see n.8), we provide Him with pleasure. Then we are the mashpia (giver), and He is the Mekabel (Receiver). As Rebbe Nachman teaches here, God, as it were, becomes feminine vis-à-vis the Jews. Seen in the context of Kabbalistic teaching, this is the Infinite Light of God manifesting with the qualities of the persona associated with the feminine principle, namely, Malkhut. This is the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence of God, as the Tikkuney Zohar (#22, p.68a) states: Ishah (Woman) is the Shekhinah, for it is said about her: He who has found an ishah has found good (Proverbs 18:22).

10 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:2 )ועיין לעיל בהתורה אור הגנוז )סימן טו(, שם מבאר גם כן ענין זה(. 10 ו ז הו פ רו ש ה פ סו ק: כ י ת ע ב ר ב מ י ם ו ת ע ב ר, מ ל ש ו ן ה ת ג ל ו ת, כ מ ה ש כ תו ב )שמות יב(: "ו ע ב ר ה' ל נ ג ף א ת מ צ ר י ם", ו ת ר ג ם או נ ק לו ס: ו י ת ג ל י ה' ו כו '. 'ו א ין מ י ם א ל א ת ו ר ה' )בבא-קמא יז.(. ו ה פ רו ש הו א, כ ש ת ר צ ה ש י ת ג ל ה ל ך ה נ ס ת ר מ ה ת ו ר ה. א ת ך א נ י כ לו מ ר, ת ר א ה ש ת ע ש ה ה כ ל י ש נ ק ר את א נ י כ נ "ל: see also Bava Kama, loc. cit., and Maharsha, s.v. ain mayim). There are many other references, both in Scripture and the Talmud, which compare the Torah with water. One is Rabbi Akiva s teaching that just as fish cannot survive without water, the Jewish nation cannot survive without Torah (Berakhot 61b). 30. When you want the concealed elements of the Torah to be revealed to you. Having shown that taavor connotes revealing, and that water alludes to the Torah, Rebbe Nachman reads the verse as teaching what a person must do in order to reveal and comprehend those elements of the Torah/God which are concealed from him. 31. aniy am with you fashion the vessel known as ANiY. To reveal the hidden aspects of God and the Torah, a person must first pray sincerely, tefilah lishmah. Being a Jew/tzaddik, he himself embodies the Aleph. By focusing his thoughts/yod on the meaning of the words/nun he recites while praying, he forms the vessel ANiY. God fills this vessel with shefa and, on account of the pleasure He derives from doing so, reveals Himself. In teaching the parallelism between God and the Torah, the passage of Zohar cited in note 3 states that all the Torah s letters themselves comprise a single, long Name of God. Thus, in revealing Himself, God also reveals the hidden, esoteric elements of the Torah. We can conclude that the inverse of this is likewise true, namely, that whatever Rebbe Nachman says here about revealing the inner mysteries of the Torah applies as well to uncovering and comprehending aspects of God that are as yet hidden from us and beyond our grasp. The opening verse thus translates in the context of our lesson as follows: When You taavor water When you seek to reveal the hidden aspects of the Torah/God, aniy am with you you need to possess the vessel called ANiY. 32. as explained above. As mentioned above, in note 5, with regard to God and the Torah the levels of hidden and revealed are countless. Each new revelation one attains of either represents a single rung on an infinite ladder. After advancing a level, one has to begin again with intense and sincere prayer, so as to comprehend even more of God and the Torah. For just as God is infinite, the Light of His Wisdom embodied in the Torah is infinite.

11 11 LIKUTEY MOHARAN #73:2 {See above, Lesson #15, Or HaGanuz (Hidden Light), which likewise explains this matter.} 26 This is also the explanation of the [opening] verse: 27 { When You taavor (pass through) water, Aniy (I) am with you. } When You taavor water The word taavor connotes revelation, as it is written (Exodus 12:23), Then God will AVaR (pass through) to strike Egypt, which Onkelos renders as: God will reveal Himself. 28 And water [in this verse] refers to nothing other than Torah (Bava Kama 82a). 29 Thus, the explanation is: When you want the concealed elements of the Torah to be revealed to you. 30 Aniy am with you That is, make sure that you fashion the vessel known as ANiY, 31 as explained above. 32 envelops and clothes, enclothing God s Infinite Light here serves to reveal. This is because the Infinite Light of God is beyond all human perception and comprehension. Revealing it as it truly is would overwhelm the creation. God therefore clothes His Light in the Worlds, personas and sefirot of the Kabbalistic realm. These garments conceal the essence of His Light, yet at the same time attenuate it so that it can be revealed. 26. Lesson #15, Or HaGanuz, which likewise explains this matter. See, in particular, sections 4 and 5, where Rebbe Nachman discusses the connection between prayer and revealing the Torah s mysteries. It is important to recall here the Zohar s teaching cited above, in note 3, that God and the Torah (and Israel) are bound together in complete unity, and so aspects that apply to one, apply to the other. Thus, all that Rebbe Nachman has taught about turning the inner into outer and the hidden into revealed with regard to God, also relates to the Torah (see also n.31, below). In review: When a Jew prays, he should concentrate his thoughts on the meaning of the words. Through this sincere prayer he forms the vessel in which to receive shefa from on high and so fulfill God s desire to give ( 1). The pleasure that God derives from this causes God to reveal Himself to that person and make known to him the inner, hidden elements of the Torah ( 2). 27. This is also the explanation of the opening verse. Rebbe Nachman now shows how the concepts discussed in this lesson are alluded to in the opening verse. 28. taavor AVaR reveal Himself. Scripture relates that God passed through Egypt to smite their firstborn. Targum Onkelos renders AVaR,עבר) pass through ) as itgalei God had only to reveal Himself. Rebbe Nachman applies this meaning to the word taavor (תעבר) of the opening verse. 29. water in this verse refers to nothing other than Torah. The Torah is called water, as in (Isaiah 55:1), Ho! all who thirst, come to the water. Rashi explains that this refers to the spiritually thirsty coming to drink from the wellsprings of Torah (Sukkah 52b; Kiddushin 30b;