Translation:Likutei Moharan/27

by Nachman of Breslov

“A Retzitza (chick) that dies in its shell, through where does the spirit-of-life exit ?” He said to them, “Through where it entered.” (Bekhorot 8b)

[Peace in the Generation]

To draw the entire world to His service, “to serve Him in unison,” so that all [people] cast off their gods of silver and gold and pray to God alone—this happens in each and every generation commensurate with the peace that exists in that generation. As a result of the peace that exists between people—with them investigating and explaining the truth to each other—each person casts off the falsehood of his money worship and draws closer to the truth.

[Radiant Countenance]

But it is only possible to come to the aspect of peace by means of a radiant countenance <and> a majestic countenance.

This is (Genesis 33:18), “Yaakov arrived ShaLeM (whole) in the city of SheKheM”—the concept of “to serve Him SheKheM echad (in unison)” is awakened through ShaLoM (peace). And peace comes through the aspect of Yaakov. He is the radiant countenance, corresponding to: The beauty of Yaakov resembled the beauty of Adam (Bava Metzia 84a). This is synonymous with (Psalms 24:6), “Those who search for Your countenance, Yaakov.”

[Thirteen Rectifications]

And a majestic countenance corresponds to Torah expositions. For the Torah is expounded by Thirteen Principles, which are drawn from the Thirteen Rectifications of the ZaKaN (Beard)—the aspect of a majestic countenance. As it is written (Leviticus 19:32), “Show reverence for the presence of the ZaKeN (elder).”

[Wisdom]

Commensurate with the refining of his wisdom by these Thirteen Principles, is the refinement of the voice of his song. This is as in: An elder is one who has KaNaH (acquired) wisdom (Kiddushin 32b). The KaNeH (windpipe) emits the voice. {“Let Me see your countenance, let Me hear your voice” (Song of Songs 2:14).}

This is the meaning of: “Let Me see your countenance”—this is the concept of a majestic countenance, the elder, as explained. “Let Me hear your voice”—for the voice is in accordance with the wisdom of the Torah expositions, in accordance with the intellect of the Thirteen Principles through which he DoReSh (expounds) the Torah. And this is (Amos 5:4), “DiRShuni (seek Me) and live,” for “Wisdom gives life to the one who possesses it” (Ecclesiastes 7:12).

[Refined Voice]

Now, when his voice is refined, then by making only his voice heard, <even> without speech, the Holy One saves him in his time of affliction. This is as in (Psalms 106:44), “He saw their affliction, when He heard their rinah”—by making his voice <heard> the Holy One sees whom it is that afflicts him.

This is the meaning of (Deuteronomy 27:8), “a good baer (clarification).” <Rashi explains:> In seventy languages. <In other words, by means of the expositions of> the Torah, through which the voice is emitted, He gave us good in all <the seventy languages>. This is as in, B’shamo Et Rinatam (“when He heard their song/supplication/outcry”), the first letters of which form the word BaER, and baer indicates explanation and exposition.

[Rectification of the brit]

But it is only possible to attain a majestic countenance by rectification of the brit. This is as in (1 Chronicles 16:27), “Splendor and majesty are on His countenance,” when “oz (might) and gladness are in His place.” <OZ is> the brit, which is called boAZ; and it is the gladness of the Matron. {“God is my might and song / He has become my deliverance / This is my Lord and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2).}

This is the meaning of, <“God is my might and song / He has become my deliverance.”> “My might” alludes to the brit; “and song” is the concept of voice; “He has become my deliverance” corresponds to “He saw their affliction….”

This is what our Sages taught: When the Jews ascended from the Sea, they raised their eyes to offer songs of praise (Sotah 30b). This is because at the Sea, the aspect of the brit was revealed. As our Sages said (Bereishit Rabbah 87:8): “The Sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3)—<saw> “and fled and went outside” (Genesis 39:12).

“They raised their eyes.” This corresponds to a majestic countenance, the concept of “an elder is one who has acquired wisdom.” As Rashi explains: “Then the eyes of both of them were opened” (Genesis 3:7) —this was said regarding wisdom. “To offer songs of praise” corresponds to the voice, which is revealed through wisdom.

And this is what [the Sages] taught: The babes and sucklings said, “Zeh (this) is my Lord and I will glorify Him” (Sotah 30b). “Zeh” alludes to the brit, as in (Exodus 3:12), “and zeh will be your sign.” “And I will glorify Him,” this corresponds to a majestic countenance.

This is also the explanation of (Proverbs 29:3), “He who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth.” <This is the loss of the voice.> As our Sages taught: “Honor God with your wealth” (ibid. 3:9) —do not read this “with honkha (your wealth),” but “with gronkha (your voice)” (Pesikta Rabbati #25). Thus by blemishing the brit, one’s voice becomes blemished.

But Yaakov, who safeguarded his brit —as <is written> (Genesis 49:3), “the first of my manhood”—merited a voice. This is as in (ibid. 27:22), “The voice is the voice of Yaakov.”

And with the concept of voice one merits peace, as in (Song of Songs 1:1), “The song of songs of ShLoMo”—to the King to whom ShaLoM (peace) belongs (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 1:11).

Because of this, immediately after the voice of rinah associated with the Song of the Sea, the [Jewish people] merited the Sabbath of Peace. As is written (Exodus 15:23), “Then they came to Marah,” and Sabbath was instituted in Marah (Sanhedrin 56b).

This is (Exodus 15:21), Vataan Lahem Miriam Shiru L’Hashem (“Miriam led them in song, ‘Sing to God’”), the first letters of which form the word ShaLOM. <In other words,> through <the voice> they merited peace.

[Sabbath of Peace]

{“Behold, in peace I had great bitterness; but You loved my soul and kept it from the pit, for You have overlooked all my sins” (Isaiah 38:17).} It was specifically in MaRah that they received the Sabbath of Peace. For such is the nature of peace, to be enclothed in M’Rirut (bitterness). This corresponds to, “Behold, in peace I had great bitterness.” Just as all cures are in bitter remedies, so too, peace, which is a cure for all things; as in (ibid. 57:19), “‘Peace, both for those far and near,’ says God, ‘and I will heal him.’”

But sometimes the illness is so overpowering that the patient is unable to bear the bitterness of the remedies. The doctors then abandon the patient and give up on him. This is likewise so when the sins, which are the illness of the soul, become very overpowering. It is then impossible for him to bear the bitterness of the remedies. And then, “‘there is no peace,’ says <God>, ‘for the wicked’” (ibid. 48:22).

It was for this that Chizkiyah praised the Holy One, who overlooked all his sins so that He would not have to enclothe the peace in a great deal of bitterness. This is the meaning of, “Behold, in peace I had great bitterness.” That is, it is known that peace requires bitterness. “But You loved my soul and kept it from descending to the pit,” because You know that I have not the strength to bear the bitterness commensurate with my sins. “For You have overlooked all my sins,” so that peace would be enclothed in a bitterness which I can handle. {“Avraham was old, well advanced in years, and God had blessed Avraham with everything” (Genesis 24:1).}

And this is the meaning of “Avraham was old”—as a result of <the aspect of> elder mentioned above. Because of this, “God had blessed Avraham with everything.” <“With everything”> is peace, as is written (Daily Liturgy), “Who makes peace and creates everything.”

[Body/Money/Torah]

<Thus when a person achieves the aspect of a radiant and majestic countenance, he merits a refined voice, as above. And with a refined voice, he merits “peace> in his body” so that none of the four humors overpowers any of the others; “peace in his money” so that this one does not come and devour the other, as in the words of Nakdimon ben Guryon’s daughter (Ketuvot 66b); “peace in his Torah,” free of any conundrums. As a result, “Yaakov arrived whole in the city of Shekhem.”

[Broken Reed]

This is the explanation [of the opening teaching]: {“A Retzitza (chick) that dies in baiuteh (its shell), through where does the spirit -of-life exit?” He said to them, “Through where it entered.”}

A ReTZiTZa — This corresponds to “kaneh RaTZuTZ (a broken reed)” (Isaiah 36:6), which is the nations. They are distant from the aspect of “an elder is one who has kanah wisdom,” from the majestic countenance. But they are attached to the “kaneh ratzutz,” as in (Psalms 68:31), “Rebuke the wild beast of the kaneh (reed).”

that dies in BAiUTeh — In other words, to terminate and eliminate their further BAUTa (prayers) and entreaties to other gods. Rather, they should all call in the name of God.

where does the spirit-of-life exit — That is, this concept is only possible through rectification of the brit. This corresponds to (Joshua 2:11), “nor did the spirit-of-life again rise up in any man.”

<Still, how does one> take out and remove the sparks of holiness that fell because of a blemish of the brit? And he said to them:

Through where it entered — In the one into whom the spirit-of-life entered. That is, in the one into whom the spirit-of-folly, the licentious thoughts, entered. By his breaking his desire, he takes out and removes the sparks of holiness <that fell because of> a blemish of the brit. For this is the concept of a fitting repentance.

“The elders have ceased from the gate, the youths from their music” (Lamentations 5:14).

[Affliction]

The following relates above.

“He saw their affliction, when He heard their rinah”—by making his voice <heard> the Holy One sees who it is that afflicts him, which nation afflicts us. And [Rebbe Nachman] said that, therefore, when the Jews suffer some decree and affliction from some nation, God forbid, it is then good to play the music of that nation which afflicts them. This is the meaning of, “when He heard their rinah.” Specifically “their rinah”—i.e., the singing and music of that nation that afflicts the Jewish people, God forbid.