[Introduction] edit
I'll tell you about being happy!
[The King Who Transferred His Kingdom To His Son During His Lifetime] edit
A tale. Once there was a King who had an only son. The King wanted to transfer the kingdom to his son during his lifetime, so he threw a grand party (which they call a "ball"). Now, when the King throws a ball there is certainly great merriment, so especially now that he was transferring the kingdom to his son during his lifetime, there was certainly a very great celebration. And there at the ball were all the royal officers and all the dukes and gentry, and people were very merry at the ball. And the country too was enjoying this — the king's transferring his kingdom to his son in his lifetime — for it is a great honorific event for the King. So a very great celebration took place there, and there were all types of festivities there: song groups, drama groups and so forth, as well as everything useful just for merriment — it was all there at the ball.
And when they had waxed very merry, the King got up and said to his son, "Being that I am a stargazer, I see that you will at some time fall from the kingship. Therefore see to it that you have no sadness (that is, no grief) when you fall from reign; just be happy. And if you will be happy, I will also be happy. Even if you will have sadness I will still be happy that you are not king, since you are not fit to be king if you cannot keep yourself happy. (In other words, if you are the kind of man that you cannot keep yourself happy even when you fall from reign then you aren't fit to be any sort of king). But when you will be happy then I will be extraordinarily happy."
The King's son took over the reign very sharply, appointing his own royal officers, and he had dukes, gentry and soldiers. Now, this son of the King was a clever person and loved wisdom very much, and very great intellectuals accompanied him. And whoever came to him with some sort of wisdom was very esteemed by him, and he would grant them honor and riches for their wisdom. Whatever each one wanted, he gave him: one wanted money — he gave him money; another wanted honor — he gave him honor; anything for wisdom. And because studying was so important to him, they all took to wisdom and the entire country was occupied with philosophies [chokhmoth], because this one desired money — in order to get money for it [being his motive] — and that one desired status and honor. And because all of them were busy only with philosophies, therefore they all forgot there in that country the strategies of war (in other words, how to wage a war), for they were all busy exclusively with philosophies, to such a degree that the smallest person in that country was the greatest sage in another country, while their own wise men were utterly wild scholars. And on account of their philosophies those wise men of the country fell into heresy and drew the son of the King too into their heresy. Albeit the simple folk were not harmed and did not become disbelievers, for there was great depth and subtlety in the sages' wisdom, so the common folk were not able to enter into their wisdoms, therefore it did not harm them. Only the wise men and the King's son became heretics.
And the King's son, because there was good in him, for he was born with goodness and had good character traits, would frequently remind himself, "Where am I in the world? What am I doing?" etc. and would make a very big groan and sigh deeply over it. He would ponder, "What is this? I should be carried away with such things?! What's going on with me? Where am I in this world?" as he kept sighing intensely. Albeit as soon as he began to use his intellect the heretical philosophy became strong again in him. This happened numerous times, that he would still contemplate where he is in the world, what he is doing, etc. as above, with groaning and sighing — but as soon as he began using his intellect the heretical belief became strong in him again, as above.
[The Exodus, and the Boy and Girl Get Lost; the Beggars Come and Feed Them] edit
And the day came to pass — there was a flight in a certain country — everyone fled, and as they were fleeing they went through a forest, losing two children there, a male and a female; someone lost a male and someone lost a female. And they were still little children of four or five years and did not have anything to eat, and they screamed and cried because they had nothing to eat. Meanwhile there came up to them a beggar going along with his sacks (which are called torbes), carrying bread in them, and these children started to nudge him and huddle after him. He gave them bread and they ate. He asked them, "Where have you come here from?" They answered him, "We don't know," for they were little children. And he started going away from them and they asked him to take them with him. He said to them, "This I do not want, that you should go with me." Meanwhile they took a look — the beggar is blind! It was a marvel for them: since he is blind, how does he know how to go? (But in truth this itself is a novelty, that such a question should occur to them, for they were still young children. However, they were clever children; therefore it was a wonder to them.) He blessed them (this blind beggar), "You should be as I am; you should be as old as I," and he left them more bread and went away, and the children understood that Hashem Yithbarakh was watching over them and had sent them here a blind beggar to give them food.
Afterwards their bread ran out, and again they started screaming for food. After that it became night and they passed the night there. In the morning they still had nothing to eat so they screamed and cried. Meanwhile again a beggar comes up who is deaf; they started talking to him and he shows them with his hands and says to them, "I don't hear anything whatsoever." And this beggar also gave them bread to eat and started going away from them. They also wanted him to take them with him but he did not want. And he too blessed them, "That you should be as I am!" and also left them bread and went his way.
Later on their bread also ran out and again they screamed as above. Again there came to them a beggar who was tongue-tied (that is, he stammered with his mouth). They began to speak with him and he was mumbling his speech so they didn't know what he was saying — but he did know what they were saying — only they did not know what he was saying, because he was stammering. This beggar also gave them bread to eat, and also started to go away as before and also blessed them that they should be as he, and he went away, all as before.
Then there came again a beggar who had a crooked neck and it transpired as before. Then there came again a beggar who was hunchbacked (which is called hoikir). Then there came again a beggar without hands. Then there came a beggar without feet. And each one of them gave them bread and blessed them that they should be like him, just as the other beggars.
Afterwards the bread ran out by them yet again and they started walking toward a settlement until they came to a way. They went with that way until they came to a village. They (these children) went into a house, and they had pity on them and gave them bread. They continued into another house and there too they gave them bread, so they kept going around into houses and they saw [things are] good for them and they are being given bread. The children decided between them that they should always be together, and they made themselves large sacks (which are called torbes) and went around to the houses, and went to all happy occasions, to brissim [rite of circumcision] and to weddings. And they continued further along, going into cities, to the houses; and went to market fairs, and would sit among the beggars in the same way they sit there on the prizbes [ledges which protrude from the sides of buildings] with a teller [a plate for collecting alms], until these children became famous already among all the beggars, for all of them recognized them and knew of them; that they were the children who had been lost in the forest as mentioned.
[The Beggars Match the Boy and the Girl] edit
One time there was a big fair in a big city, and all the beggars went there, as well as the children too. It came to the mind of the beggars that they should match the children; that they should marry each other. And as soon as they started discussing it, it pleased all of them and they were matched. But how to make them a wedding? They came to the decision, inasmuch as on such and such a day the King would have his birthday feast (which is called a myenines) [<Slavic myena name, i.e. "name day"], all the beggars would go there, and from what they would request for themselves there, meat and bread, they would make a wedding. And so it was; all the beggars went to the myenines and requested out for themselves bread and meat and also collected what was left over from the banquet, meat and bread, which is called kolitch [big loaves special for celebrations]. And they went ahead and dug out a big trench which could contain a hundred people and covered it with sticks, earth and trash, and they all went inside and married the children there, setting up a chuppah for them, and they were very, very happy there; and the groom and bride also were extremely happy. Now the groom and bride started recalling the kindnesses Hashem Yithbarakh had done for them when they were in the forest, and started crying and greatly yearning, "How can the first beggar, the blind one, be brought here, who brought us bread in the forest?"
[First Day] edit
And just as they were longing very much for the blind beggar he immediately calls out and says: I am here. I have come to you for the wedding, and I'm presenting you with a derashah geshenk [commonly meaning gifts given to the groom in reward for his pre-chuppah derashah, lecture; but possibly meaning a gift that is free for the seeking, derashah, as per Ps. 24, Deut. 4:29 etc.], that you should be old as I. For previously I had blessed you with this, that you should be as old as I; now I present it to you as a completely free gift, derashah geshenk, that you should live as long as I. You think that I am blind. I am not blind at all, except all the time of the whole world does not come across me as much as an eye blink (thus he appears blind, for he doesn't peek into the world whatsoever, for all the entire world's time doesn't come across him whatsoever, even as an eyeblink, therefore no sight or any glimpse of the world at all is relevant to him), because I am very old and I am yet entirely young [Heb. yanik, suckling, i.e. infantile] and have not yet begun living at all — but I am still very old. And it is not I alone that say this; on the contrary I have an approval upon it from the Great Eagle. I will tell you a story. (All this the blind beggar is saying.)
[The Great Eagle and the Conversation Regarding First Memories] edit
One time there were people traveling on many ships on the sea. A storm wind came and broke the ships, and the people were saved. The people came to a tower; they went up on it and found there all kinds of food, drink, clothing, and whatever one needs. And all good was there, and all the delights in the world. They spoke up and said that each one should tell an old story — what he remembers from his first memory, that is, what he remembers since his memory began. There were old and young there and they honored the biggest zaken [elder, old; akin to zakan, beard] among them to tell first.
He answered and said, "What shall I tell you? I remember back when they cut the apple off the branch." No one at all knew what he was saying, however there were wise men there and they said, "Oowah! — that is a totally old story." Then they honored the second zaken, who was younger than the first, that he should tell. The second one replied, "That there is an old story?!" (expressing wonder) "I remember that story, but I remember back even when the candle was burning." Those who were there replied, "That story there is older yet than the first," and it was a marvel to them that the second one is younger than the first, yet remembers an older story than the first. Then they honored the third zaken, that he should tell. The third one, who was younger yet, spoke up saying, "I remember back even when the construction of the fruit was just beginning; when the fruit was just starting to become a fruit. They answered there, "This is an even older story." Then the fourth spoke up, who was even yet younger, "I remember back even when they were bringing the seed so as to plant the fruit."
The fifth answered, who was even yet younger, "I recall even the sages who thought up and brought out the seed." The sixth, who was even yet younger, called out, "I remember even the taste of the fruit before the taste entered into the fruit." The seventh called out, "I recall even the smell of the fruit before the smell entered the fruit. The eighth answered and said, "I remember even the appearance of the fruit before it went upon the fruit."
And I at the time was just an infant (that is, the blind beggar who is telling all this), and I too was there and I announced, "I remember all these stories — plus I remember absolutely nothing (un ich gidenk gor nisht). They replied, "That is a story completely older than all of them," and it was a great marvel to them that the child remembers more than them all. In the midst of this came a Great Eagle and knocked on the tower and said to them, "Cease being poor! Return to your treasures and use your treasures," and he said to them that they should go out from the tower age by age; whoever is oldest should go out first. He took them all out from the tower, removing the babe first, for truthfully he is, after all, older than all of them, and likewise whoever was younger he brought out first, and the hoariest elder he brought out at the very end, for the one who was younger was in fact older (because the younger he was, the older a story he kept telling), and the most aged elder was younger than all of them.
The Great Eagle replied to them, "I will explain to you all the stories that everyone told. The one who told that he remembers back when they cut the apple off the branch means: he remembers back even when they cropped his navel (that is, even what happened to him immediately as soon as he was born — when they cut his navel cord — even this he remembers); and the second who said that he remembers back even when the candle was burning means: he remembers back even when he was in utero, when a candle burns over one's head (for it says in the Gemara that when a child is in the mother's womb a candle burns over his head etc.); and he who said that he remembers back even when the fruit began to form, it is that he remembers back even when his body began to take form, when the fetus was only beginning to take form; and the one who remembers back when they were bringing the seed to plant the fruit, it means he remembers back even when the droplet was being drawn down [during relations]. And he who remembers the sages bringing out the seed means he remembers back even when the droplet was still in the brain (for the brains emit the droplet); and the one who remembers the taste — it is the nefesh [vital lifeforce]; and the smell — it is the ruach [spirit]; and the appearance — it is the neshamah [uppermost soul]. And the babe said that he remembers "absolutely nothing" because he is greater than all of them and remembers even what he was prior to nefesh, ruach and neshamah; thus he said he recalls absolute nothingness. (In other words he recalls not existing at all; he remembers even what was happening there, which is highest of all.)" And the Great Eagle said to them, "Return to your ships, which are your bodies which have been broken and will be rebuilt; now return to them," and he blessed them. And to me (that is, the blind beggar [who was a babe then] who is telling all this) said the Great Eagle, "You come with me, for you are like me, for you are 'very old and completely young' and haven't at all started to live and are yet nonetheless very old. And I am like that too, for I am very old and still entirely young, etc." It follows I have a testimonial from the Great Eagle that I am very old and completely youthful, etc.
Now I present it to you as a completely free gift, derashah geshenk, that you should be as old as I. There was a great celebration there with great jubilation and they were extremely happy.
[Second Day] edit
On the following day of the seven days of mishteh [lit. drinking (celebration)] the chathan-kallah [lit. groom-bride (unit)] thought back again about the other beggar, who was deaf, who had enlivened them and given them bread. And they were crying and longing, "How can the deaf beggar, who enlivened us, be brought here?" Meanwhile as they were longing after him he comes in and says, "I am here!" And he fell upon them, kissed them and said to them, "Today I present you in a gift that you should be as I am, that you should live as good a life as I do. Because previously I had blessed you with this; today I give you my good life in a full gift, derashah geshenk. You think that I am deaf. I am not deaf at all, except that the whole world does not matter to me whatever so that I should hear their lacking. For, each and every voice in the world is only about needs, since everybody screams about his deficit, that is, what he hasn't got; and even all the world's celebrations are all exclusively about deficits, as someone rejoices over what he didn't have whereas now he has what he didn't have. But the entire world doesn't come across me at all, that I should hear their deficit, for I live such a good life that it hasn't any lack at all; and I have an attestation about this, that I live a good life, from the Land of Wealth." And his good life was: he ate bread and drank water. (He told them:)
[The Land of Riches and the Conversation Regarding Good Life] edit
Inasmuch as there is a land where there is great wealth — they have enormous fortunes — one time the wealthy people gathered together and each one began boasting of his good life, how he lives such a good life, and each one described the routine of his good life.
I spoke up and said to them (that is, the deaf beggar who is telling all this): I live a better "good life" than you, and this is the proof: for if you live the good life, help out that country — for there is a country where they had a garden, and in the garden were fruits having all kinds of tastes in the world and all kinds of smells in the world; there too in the garden were all kinds of shapes of every color and all the kvetin [flowers] in the world; everything was there in the garden. And over the garden was an agradnik [gardener] [that is, someone who sees to the garden], and the people of the country would live a good life through the garden. The gardener there got lost, so naturally whatever there is in the garden must surely cease to exist since the gardener is no longer there to see to the garden and go about with what needs to be done around the garden. But despite this, they would have been able to live from the garden's aftergrowth (that is, from the regrowth, that is, what grows in a garden by itself from that which falls down).
A cruel (in other words, merciless) king came over the country and could do nothing against them, so he went and spoiled the country's good life that they had from the garden. It was not that he spoiled the garden, rather he left behind in the country three crews of henchmen and commanded them to do what he ordered them. And by doing there what the king ordered them they ruined the taste, for through what they did there they made it that whoever wanted to feel any taste, it would have the taste of rotten carcass. And similarly they ruined the smell so that all the smells would have the smell of galbanum, and similarly they destroyed the appearance, for they made it be dark in the eyes just like when it's cloudy. (All this did the three crews of workers accomplish in the country by doing there what the king ordered them, as mentioned.) Now if you live the good life let me see if you can help out that country. (So is the deaf beggar still saying to the Land of Wealth which had bragged that they live the good life, as mentioned.) And I say to you: if you won't help them out, it will harm you too (that is, the fact that in that country the appearance, taste and smell were ruined, will reach you too).
[The Rich Ones and the Deaf One Go to the Land] edit
The rich men mentioned above got up to go to that country, and I went with them too, and on the way they lived their good life, each his own, for they had fortunes as mentioned. When they came nigh to the country, there began to spoil also by them the taste and the other things, and they felt in themselves that it had become spoiled with them. I spoke up to them, "Just consider — if now when you have not yet entered the country, the taste, appearance and smell have already become spoiled for you, how will it be when you go in? And all the more so, how can you still help them?" I took my bread and my water and gave it to them. They felt in my bread and water all the tastes (and all the smells etc.) and everything became corrected that had been ruined for them (that is, the taste, appearance and smell).
[The People of the Land Send Messengers, Meeting Up With Them] edit
And the other country, that is, the country where the garden was (where the taste etc. had been ruined, as mentioned), started to look around to repair the country's ruined taste and so forth. They came to a decision: inasmuch as there is a Land of Wealth (that is, that very land mentioned above with whom the beggar had spoken, as mentioned), it felt to them (that is, it felt to the country where the garden was) that their gardener who had become lost (through whom they had lived the good life) is from the same root as [the people of] the Land of Riches who also live the good life; therefore they liked the idea that they should send off to the Land of Wealth — they will surely help them! They did so and sent messengers to the Land of Wealth. The messengers went, and they encountered each other (that is, the emissaries came up against the people of that very Land of Riches on the way, for the Land of Wealth themselves wanted to go to them, as mentioned). They asked the messengers, "Where are you going?" They answered, "We are going to the Land of Wealth so that they will help us." They spoke up, "We ourselves are that rich country and we are going to you."
I spoke up (that is, the deaf beggar who is telling all this) to them, "Don't you need me? For you cannot go there and help them," as mentioned above (because when they only so much as came near the country, they themselves were already affected; all the more so when etc. as mentioned). "Therefore you stay here and I will go with the emissaries to help them."
[The Deaf One Goes With the Messengers to Help Them] edit
I went with the emissaries, arrived at the country and entered a city. I saw people approaching and one of them saying a vartel [a word of mockery], and then more people came up, until a small crowd was formed and they said vartlach [wisecracks] and they laughed. I listened up to what they were shmoozing about and heard them speaking lewd speech [nivul peh]. This one says a quip of lewd speech, that one says a bit finer, this one laughs, that one enjoys, and so forth, as their way is.
Later I went further to another city (of that country) and saw two people fighting with each other on account of some trade transaction. They went to the courthouse to bring suit and the court decided for them: this one is entitled and that one is obligated — and they went out from the court. Afterward they again bickered with each other, and said that they no longer want this courthouse — they just want another courthouse — and they chose for themselves another courthouse and brought their case before the other courthouse. Afterward one of them again got into an argument with someone else, and again they selected a different courthouse, and so they fought on and on there, this one with that one and that one with this one, always choosing a different court, until the entire city was filled with courthouses. I took a look and saw that this was due to there being no truth there; now this one tilts the verdict and favors this one (in other words he curries favor with him and decides in his favor), and later the other one favors him (in other words later the other decides in his favor in return), for they take bribery and they have no truth there.
Afterwards I saw that they are full of adultery, and there are so many illicit relations there that it has already become like an altogether permissible thing for them. And I said to them that on account of this, the taste, the smell and the vision were ruined for them, for the aforementioned cruel king had left them the three aforementioned squads of agents so that they should go and ruin the country. For they went around and spoke lewd speech among them, bringing lewd speech into the country, and through lewd speech the result was that the taste was ruined, so that all the tastes had the same taste as nevelah [carcass of an animal that died on its own; same root as nivul < nbl decayed]. And likewise they brought bribery into the country, and thereby their vision was ruined and it got dark in their eyes, for so it states, "Ki hashochad ye`aver `einei chakhamim," in other words bribery blinds the eyes of the wise [Deut. 16:19]. And similarly the henchmen brought lechery into the country, and through this the smell was ruined, for lechery results in ruined smell (and look in another place in our words [Likutei Moharan II 1:12] that lechery blemishes one's smell). Therefore you should see that you repair the country from these three sins and seek after these people (that is, the agents who brought the three sins into the country, as mentioned) and drive them out. And when you do so and you purge the country from the three sins, I say to you that not only will the taste, vision and smell be repaired, but that moreover even the gardener who was lost from you will also be recoverable.
They did so, and they began cleansing the country of the three sins. And they sought out the people (that is, the henchmen mentioned above) and they would grab someone and ask him, "From where did you come here?" — until they caught the cruel king's agents and drove them out, and they cleaned out the country from the sins. Meanwhile a noise was made: Maybe the insane one is the gardener after all? For there is an insane man going about who keeps saying that he is the gardener, and everyone holds him to be insane, and stones are thrown at him and he is driven away — but maybe he in fact is the true gardener?! They went out and brought him (that is, before these ones who sat and repaired the country; and also he, namely the deaf beggar who is telling all this, was there). And I said, "Of course he is the gardener!" (That is, the one whom they had previously called insane.) Hence, I have a testament from there that I live the good life, for I myself repaired the Land. Now I present you with my good life as a gift.
A big celebration and great blissfulness started up there, and they were extremely happy. The first one had given them chayim arukhim, that is, long life, and the other had given them chayim tovim, that is, good life. And so all the beggars came afterwards to the wedding and gave them for a wedding-discourse present the same thing that they had previously blessed them, to be like themselves; they now gave this to them in total gift, derashah geshenk [for a] (wedding-discourse present).
[Third Day] edit
On the third day the groom and bride again thought back, crying and longing, "How can the third beggar be brought here, who was a kaved-peh [tongue-tied]?" (That is, who stammered with his mouth.)
Meanwhile in he comes and says, "I am here!" And he fell on them, kissed them, and he too said to them as before: Previously I had blessed you to be like me. Now I give you, derashah geshenk, that you be like me. You think I am speech-impaired. I am not speech-impaired at all, rather: the utterances of the world which are not praises to the Supernal One have no integrity (in other words thus he appears like a tongue-tied person who cannot talk, for he has absolutely no wish to speak any worldly speech which is not praise to Hashem Yithbarakh; since talk that is not praise to Hashem Yithbarakh has no integrity, thus he stammers in his speech). But in truth I am not speech-impaired at all. On the contrary I am an orator and a speaker, that is, one wild novelty of a good talker. And I can say such wildly innovative riddles, poems and songs that when I begin to speak my riddles, poems and songs, there can be no creature in the world that will not want to hear me (in other words there is not a creature in the world that will not want to hear his poems etc.). And contained in them (that is, in the riddles and poems that he says) are all the wisdoms. And I have testimony to this from that great man who is called "The Truly Gracious Man" (Der Grosser Man; Der Emetir Ish Chesed — with these terms did Rabbeinu of blessed memory tell it). And there is a whole story to this.
[The Conversation Regarding Wisdoms] edit
For, once upon a time all the wise men sat, and each one boasted of his wisdom. {1} This one boasted that with his wisdom he had invented the production of iron (that is, the ability to make iron from earth is what he brought out to the world), {2} that one boasted that he had invented another type of metal (that is, another type of metallurgy: zinc or lead etc.), {3} another boasted that with his wisdom he had invented the production of silver — this is already more momentous (that is, the ability to make silver is what he had brought out); {4} another boasted that he had invented the ability to make gold, {5} and another boasted that he had invented weapons of war (that is, the instruments with which war is conducted, namely guns, cannons and so forth — the technology of making these instruments is what he brought out); {6} yet another boasted he can produce metal wares without those things that they produce these metals from, {7} and another boasted of other wisdoms, for there are numerous things in the world that have been invented through wisdoms, namely saltpeter, gunpowder and the like. So each one boasted of his wisdom.
Someone there called out, "I am cleverer than you all, for I am wise as the day." No one there understood what he was saying, that he is "wise as the day." He replied to them, "Because all your wisdoms can be put together and they will constitute no more than one hour, even though each wisdom is obtained from a different day, according to the creation that came into being on that day. For all of those wisdoms are composites (that is, several things are mixed together and from them the thing is produced; therefore each wisdom is taken from the day in which God created the things from which the materials are taken and combined with wisdom to make the thing they want to make: silver, copper and so forth); in spite of this, all of these wisdoms of yours can be put together by wisdom, constituting no more than one hour. But I am wise like an entire day." (So did that final wise man boast.) I (that is, the tongue-tied who is telling all this) called out to him, "Like which day?" (In other words, "Like which day are you wise?") He (the wise one mentioned) responded, "This one here (that is, the tongue-tied) is wiser than me for he's asking like which day. But like whatever day you wish, that's how wise I am." However, why, after all, is he smarter for having asked like which day, if the wise man himself is also as smart as any day he wishes? But there is a whole story:
[The Heart and the Spring] edit
For, the Truly Gracious Man is in truth a very great man. And I (that is, the speech-impaired who is telling all this) go about, gathering up all true generosities, and bring them to the Truly Gracious Man. And the root of time's genesis (that is, that [such a thing as] time should exist, for time itself, that is, the very existence of years and days in the world, is itself also created by Hashem Yithbarakh) is solely through true kindnesses. And I go about and gather up all true kindnesses and bring them to the Truly Gracious Man, resulting in time coming into being.
And there is a Mountain, and on the Mountain stands a Stone, and from the Stone emerges a Spring. Now, every thing has a heart, and the entire world also has a heart, and the Heart of the World is a complete structure, with face, hands, feet etc. But the nail of the foot of the World's Heart is heartier [Yid. hertziker] than the heart of anything else. And the Mountain with the Stone and the Spring stands at one end of the world, while this Heart of the World stands at another end of the world, and the Heart stands facing the Spring, desiring and hoping continuously, exceedingly, that it should come to the Spring, and the longing and desire of the Heart to come to the Spring is just extraordinary. It screams nonstop, the Heart, to come to the Source, and the Source longs for the Heart too.
Now, the Heart has two things that make it weak. One, because the sun pursues it exceedingly and scorches it (because it always yearns and desires to come to the Source), and the second thing that tires the Heart is due to yearning and desiring, that the Heart constantly yearns and wishes; it keeps pouring out its soul for the Source and screaming and so forth, as above, so as to come to the Source, for the Heart is always standing facing the Source, and screams "Na! Gevald!" [Yid. Please! Woe!], and keeps on yearning most exceedingly for the Source, as mentioned.
However, when the Heart needs to rest a bit, so as to draw a little breath [Yid. oyf zoyfn] then comes a Big Bird and spreads its wings above it, shielding it from the sun; then the Heart gets a little rest. But even then while resting it also looks facing the Spring and still longs for it. But since it longs so much for the Source, why does it not go to the Source? Only, as soon as the Heart wants to go close to the Mountain upon which is the Source then it no longer sees the peak; it cannot look at the Spring — and as soon as it would not look at the Spring it would expire, for the Heart's entire vitality is only from the Source, so when it stands facing the Mountain then it sees the Mountain peak where the Spring is, but immediately as soon as it wants to go to the Mountain, the peak no longer appears (for such indeed is the way with a tall mountain; standing from afar the peak is visible, but upon going nearer the peak is no longer visible). Then it can no longer look at the Source and could — Mercy save us! — expire, and if this Heart — Mercy save us! — would expire the whole world would be destroyed, for the Heart is the very vitality of every thing, and how can the world endure without the Heart? Therefore the Heart cannot go to the Spring; it only stands facing the Spring, longing and screaming without cease to be able to come to it, as mentioned.
And the Spring is completely timeless, for the Spring is not within time at all (in other words the Spring has no time at all, that is, because it is completely above worldly time). So how can the Spring exist in the world? (For in the world nothing can exist without a time.) But all the Spring's time is simply the Heart giving the Spring a day as a gift. And when it comes time for the day to be let out and terminated — and should the day go away the Source would no longer have any time and would depart from the world — then when the Source is no longer, the Heart itself would also expire, Mercy save us, then the whole world would become nil, Mercy save us, as mentioned. Thus, when it gets very close to the end of the day then they begin to take leave of each other (which is called gizeginin) [wishes and blessings upon departing] — the Heart and the Source — and begin saying wonderful riddles, poems and songs to one another — very fine riddles and songs — with great love and tremendous yearning (one for the other, the Heart for the Source and the Source for the Heart).
Now, the Truly Gracious Man supervises and keeps watch over this, and when the day reaches its very end and needs only to give out (at which very instant when the day lets out and the Source shall no longer have any day, as mentioned, it will pass away and thus, Mercy save us, the Heart will expire too; the whole world will be destroyed) — at that moment the Truly Gracious Man arrives and gives the Heart a day and the Heart gives the day to the Source; thus the Spring once again has time (that is, that day the Source can again maintain its existence and consequently the Heart too can maintain its existence, etc.). And when this day comes from the place whence it comes, it comes along with riddles too and with fine poetry which contains all wisdoms. And there are distinctions between the days, for there is a Sunday, a Monday, etc., and similarly there is a first of the month and holidays (in other words, according to what sort of day comes along, with such poetry does it arrive).
And all the time that the Truly Gracious Man has, is entirely through me (that is, through the tongue-tied one who is telling all this). For I go along and gather up all true generosities, from which all the time comes to exist, as mentioned. (And therefore the tongue-tied one is even smarter than the sage who boasted he is wise like any day one wishes, for time itself and its days altogether come to exist entirely through him, the days coming along with poetry and riddles containing all wisdoms, etc., as mentioned). Hence I have a testimony from the Truly Gracious Man that I can say riddles and poetry containing all the sciences (because all the days, with the riddles and their poetry, come to exist entirely through him, as mentioned). Today I present you in a full gift, derashah geshenk, that you should be like me. There was a grand celebration and superb gladness there, and they had a ball (Zey hobn a Hilva giton)!
[Fourth Day] edit
When they had completed that day's celebration and passed the night afterwards, in the morning they again thought back and yearned, and so forth, for the beggar who had a crooked neck. Meanwhile in he comes and says: I am here! (and so forth...) Previously I had blessed you to be like me. Today I present it to you, derashah geshenk, that you should be like me. You think I have a crooked neck. I have no crooked neck whatsoever. On the contrary, I have a very even neck, a very beautiful neck, except there are vapors [havalim] of the world (that is, worldly nonsense), and I wish to release no breath or spirit [Yid. duch] whatsoever into the world's vanities (and therefore it appears his neck is crooked, since he twists his neck from the world's vanities world and wants to release no breath or spirit whatsoever into the world's vanities). But in truth I have a very beautiful neck, an extremely fine neck. For I have a superb voice, and all kinds of sounds [qolot] in the world, which are only sound without speech — I can mimic all of them with my voice, for I have a very superb neck and voice. And I have testament to this from that country —
[The Country of Musical Experts and the Conversation Regarding Musical Prowess] edit
For there is a country where they are all expert in the science of music making, and they are all involved there in this wisdom, even little children. There is not a child there who cannot play on some musical instrument. And the most minor person that is in that country is the greatest expert in another country in musical knowledge. And the sages and king of that country, and the cappellas [song groups], are extraordinarily great masters of that wisdom.
One time the country's sages were sitting together and each one boasted of his musical prowess [chokhmah]. {1} This one boasted he could play on this musical instrument, {2} that one boasted he could play that musical instrument, {3} and another boasted: on another musical instrument. {4} Someone else boasted he could play several musical instruments, {5} and another boasted he could play on all kinds of musical instruments. {6} This one boasted he could perform with his voice like a certain musical instrument, {7} that one boasted he could perform with his voice like a certain musical instrument, {8} and another boasted he could perform with his voice like several musical instruments. {9} Still another boasted he could perform with his voice exactly like a drum (which is called poyk) when it is struck, {10} and another boasted he could perform with his voice like shooting from cannons (which are called urmatis) [?<Ukr. garmata, cannon]. And I too was there (that is, the one with the crooked neck who is telling all this). I spoke up and said to them: My voice is better that your voices, and this is the proof: because if you are indeed such experts in musical sound, help the two lands —
[The Two Lands, One Thousand Miles Apart] edit
For there are two lands, a thousand miles apart from each other. And there in these two countries when night arrives no one can sleep, for when it becomes night they all begin crying out with wailing voices — men, women and children. If a stone were to rest there it would melt down, for at night they hear an exceedingly wailing sound, and because of it, all of them there must start wailing — men, women and little children, etc. (And this happens in both countries), for in one country they hear the wailing sound and must all lament as mentioned, and likewise in the other land it too is so, and the two countries are a thousand miles apart. So if you are such expert musicians (that is, you can play and sing), let me see if you can help the two countries, or at least reproduce the sounds (that is, mimic the wailing sound that is heard there). They said to him, "Will you take us there?" He said, "Yes, I take you there [present tense]," and they arose to all go there.
They went and arrived there (that is, at one of the two aforementioned countries). When night came, it was as always — they all began wailing, and the experts too wailed as well. (So they saw for sure they could not help the countries.) He said to them (that is, the one whose neck was crooked said to the aforementioned sages), "Anyway, tell me where this comes from, that they hear this wailing sound. Where is the sound from?" They said to him, "And do you know?" He replied, "I know indeed."
[The Two Birds] edit
"For, there are two birds, one male and one female, and they are just one pair in the world. The female got lost. He seeks her and she seeks him. They had sought each other very long, until they lost their ways and saw they can no longer find each other, so they stood still and made themselves nests. He made him a nest nearby one of the two countries — and not actually near it, except that in consideration of the bird's voice it is called near, since from the place where he stopped and made him a nest they can already hear his voice in that country. And likewise she also made her a nest near the second country (that is, likewise, not right nearby, except from there her voice could be heard over there). And when night comes then this pair of birds begin both wailing, for he bemoans her and she bemoans him, wailing with a very big yell. And this is the wailing sound heard in these two countries, because of which they must all begin wailing intensely there and they cannot sleep." (So did the crooked-neck continue telling.) But they would not believe this, and said to him, "Will you lead us there (that is, to the birds)?"
He said, "Yes, I can lead you there. Except how can you come there? For if even here you cannot bear the sound and must all wail — when you will come there you will surely be unable to stand it at all! And by day one cannot stand the joy there, for by day the birds gather together by each of them separately, that is, to him and to her, and console them and make them happy with extremely great joys, and they tell them words of consolation: "You will still find each other," making them very happy, so much so that by day it is impossible to bear the joy there. And the sound of the birds making them happy is not heard from afar, but only when one arrives there. But the sound of the pair wailing at night — it is heard far away; you cannot, therefore, come there." They said to him, "Can you correct this?"
He replied, "Yes, I can correct it. For I can mimic all the world's sounds (that is, all kinds of sounds in the world, he can emit them with his voice, making it exactly like any sound at all); furthermore I can throw voices, that is, I can throw a sound which here, in the place where I let it out, will not be heard at all — only somewhere far away will it be heard — and therefore I can throw her voice to him, that is, the sound which I will let out will arrive close to the place where he is, and likewise I can throw his voice so that it arrives close to her; thereby will I draw them together" (until he brings them together). But who would believe this?
[Sounds in the Forest] edit
He went and led them into a forest. They heard as if someone opens a door, shuts it again and slams the bolt shut (which is called a klaymke); and firing from gun (which is called a biks), sending the dog to fetch (the thing that he was shooting), and the dog thrashing in the snow [Yid. gigraznit in shney]. The sages heard all this, and they looked around — they saw nothing at all, and also from him they heard nothing at all. (It could only be that he, the crooked neck, was throwing those sounds. So they saw for sure that he can replicate all kinds of sounds exactly, and also throw sounds.) (And he did not tell more about this, but went up afterwards.) Hence I have testament from that country that I have a wonderfully fine voice and I can replicate all the world's sounds. Today I present this to you completely in a gift, derashah geshenk, to be like me. There was a grand celebration there, and extremely high spirits.
[Fifth Day] edit
On the fifth day they were also happy. They remembered the beggar who was a hunchback [Yid. hoikir], and they yearned very much, "How can that hunchback beggar be taken here? For if he were here, the joy would be immense." In the midst of this he arrives and says, "I am here! I have come to you for the wedding." And he fell on them, hugged them and kissed them, and said to them:
Previously I had blessed you that you be like me; today I present you, derashah geshenk, that you should be like me. And I am not hunchback [hoikir] whatsoever. On the contrary, I have the sort of shoulders [Yid. pleytses] that are the little that holds the much. And I have a testament to this.
[The Conversation Regarding the Little That Holds the Much; They Scoff at One] edit
For, there was once a conversation in which people boasted about this matter, each one boasting that he has this feature of the little holding the much (in other words, a small space containing very much). They laughed and scoffed at one of them; and the rest who boasted about this feature of the little holding the much were accepted. But my little that holds the much is greater than all of them.
For, one of them boasted that his brain is a "little that holds the much," for he carries in his brain thousands and myriads of people with all their needs, all their customs, and all their discussions and movements. He carries all this entirely in his brain, so he is a little that holds the much, since a bit of his brain bears on it so many people with their needs and so forth. (Therefore he is called a little that holds the much, that is, a bit of space containing and bearing so much, namely the bit of brain bearing so many people with all their affairs etc.) They laughed him off and those present there replied, "You are nothing and your people are nothing."
One of them spoke up and said, "I have seen such a 'little that holds the much.' For, once I was passing by before a mountain and I saw a huge amount of garbage and filth on it. It was a novelty for me — from where does so much garbage and filth come on the mountain? There was a man there by that mountain. The man said, 'It's all mine.' For he was dwelling there beside the mountain, and kept throwing on the mountain his garbage and secretions from his eating and drinking, and defecated there, until there was so much garbage and feces from him on the mountain. So this man is a 'little that holds the much,' insofar as so much garbage comes about from one man. That's what this is too." (That is, so is the little-that-holds-the-much of the one who boasted that his brain bears so many people etc.)
[The Bit of Countryside, and the Orchard] edit
One of them boasted he has the feature of the little that holds the much, inasmuch as: He has a bit of countryside that produces a great quantity of fruits. Afterwards they reckon the fruit that the country has produced and they see that the country does not in any way hold as much space as the fruits need to take up; there is not at all in the country so much space as the fruits need to occupy. So this is what a little that holds the much is (namely, a little space that holds so much). His words pleased them, for in truth this is certainly a little that holds the much.
One of them said inasmuch as he has an orchard [Heb. pardes] (namely, a garden) — a very fine one — where there are fruits and so forth: A great many people and noblemen travel there, for it is quite a nice orchard. And when summer comes, very many people and noblemen travel there to take walks there, and in truth there is in no way to be found in the orchard so much space as to contain that many people. This, then, is a little that holds the much. His words also pleased them.
[The Secretary, and the Reticent One] edit
One of them said that his speech is a little that holds the much, for he is a private secretary for a great king, and to the king very many people come. One comes with praises to the king (that is, each one says a praise to the king), another comes with petitions for the king, and so forth; and the king certainly cannot hear out all of this. "I gather up all their words into just a few words, and tell the king just these few words. Contained in them are all their praises and petitions, with all their words entering into my few words which I tell the king. Therefore my speech is a little holding the much."
One of them said that his keeping silent is a little that holds the much, for he has against him very many accusers and slanderers who gossip very much about him, for they argue with him and talk about him very much. And to whatever they slander him, bicker with him, and accuse him with much gossip, he performs some silence, and that is the solution to all the questions and all the utterances spoken against him. Hence his silence is a little holding the much.
[The Small Person Leading the Blind Giant, and the Tree That is Beyond Space] edit
One of them said that he is a little that holds the much, for there is a poor person who is "well-visioned" [that is, blind] and very large, whereas he (that is, the one who was boasting and telling this) is very small and leads about the large poor one who is blind. Hence he is a little holding the much, for the blind one could slip and fall, but he holds him up with his guidance, and due to this he is a little that holds the much, since he is a small person and holds the big blind one.
And I (that is, the hunchback who was telling all this) was also there. I declared: It is true that you have the feature of the little that holds the much. And I know what all of you meant (that is, all those who boasted one by one of their little that holds the much — he knows what each of them meant); even the final one who boasted that he leads around the big blind one. He is greater than all of you. But I am still greater and higher than all of you. For, he who boasted that he walks the big blind one, his meaning is that he conducts the lunar cycle (that is, the heavenly orb where the moon is), for the moon is called "blind," for she does not shine in-and-of herself, and she has nothing of her own whatsoever [veleith lah migarmah klum], and he (that is, he who boasted in this) conducts the moon, even though he is small and the moon is very great; and this gives the entire world sustenance (in other words, by means of this the entire world has existence), for the world needs the moon. Hence he is definitely a little that holds the much, for sure. However, all the same, my little that holds the much is completely higher than all of them. And here is the proof:
For, once there was a group that investigated: Inasmuch as every beast has its shade (that is, its shadow) in which it specifically wants to rest, and conversely there is a special shadow for each animal, because each and every beast chooses for itself some shadow, and only in that shadow specifically does it want to rest; similarly, each bird has its branch on which it specifically wants to rest, and not on any other branch, while another bird has its own branch and only there can it rest and not on any other; and so each and every bird has its own special branch — therefore the group investigated if there could be found such a tree in whose shadow all the beasts could rest, in that all the beasts would want to dwell in the shadow of that tree, and upon whose branches all the birds of the sky [tziperei shemaya, Dan. 4] would rest. And they discovered that there is such a tree. They wanted to go there to that tree, for the delight that there is there by that tree is absolutely limitless, since all the birds and all the beasts are found there, and there there is no harm whatsoever from any animal (that is to say, no beast injures anyone there), and all the animals there are freely mixed. They all engage in play there and it is certainly a very wonderful pleasure to be there at that tree. They began to examine rationally which side [Heb. tzad] they needed to go to come to that tree, and there fell a dispute between them regarding this, without there being anyone among them to decide, for one said that they needed to go to this side to the east, and another said to the west side they needed to go; one said here, another said there, and so on, until they could not discern the right side to go to in order to come to that tree.
A sage came along and said to them, "Why are you investigating by which side to go to the tree? Find out first who are the people who can come to the tree! Because to that tree not every man can come, since no one can come to the tree except one who has the tree's attributes (Heb. midoth). For, this tree has three roots: One root is faith (that one should believe in God, blessed be He), the other is awe, and the third is humility (that is, to not have special regard for oneself), and truth is the tree's body, that is, the tree itself is truth, and from there go out branches. Therefore no one can come to the tree but one who has these traits of the tree." (That is, faith — he should believe in God; fear — he should have fear of God, and humility — he should not have any special regard for himself; and truth. So did the sage say to the group.)
The group, however, did not all have these attributes; only some of them had in them these traits. But they had between them very great unity (that is, the group all loved each other and held themselves tightly together). They did not want to separate from each other in order that some of them should go to the tree (that is, those who already had these traits of the tree) and the rest should stay behind — they did not want this, for they held themselves very much together. Instead they had to wait until the rest of the men would exert themselves in attaining these attributes so that they could all come to the tree.
And so they did, toiling until they all came to those traits mentioned above. (That is, they all waited for each other until each had toiled and they all came to those virtues mentioned above, that is, by now they all have faith, fear and so on, as mentioned.) No sooner did they all come to the attributes, when they all came to one mindset and all agreed on one way by which to go to the tree. They all went. They went along for a while until they could see the tree from afar. Meanwhile, they take a look and the tree is standing on no place at all, for the tree has no space whatsoever. And since it has no place whatsoever, how can anyone come to it?
And I (that is, the hunchback) was also there with them. I announced to them, "I can bring you to the tree. For the tree has no place whatsoever, for the tree is completely above space (in other words, it is higher than worldly space; it has no place whatsoever), and the aspect of the little that holds the much still takes place in space, for although it is a little that holds the much, that is, a little space holding much more than can be put in the space, in any case it still takes place in space, because after all it still occupies some sort of space in any case. But I (that is, the hunchback) have such a little that holds the much that it is the absolute edge of the place beyond which there is no space whatsoever. Therefore I can carry you all to the tree, which is above space completely. (For, this hunchback is something like an intermediary, that is, a midpoint, between space and above space, for he is the ultimate degree of the little holding the much, which is the actual end of space, above which there is no unit of space whatsoever, since from there and above is the aspect of completely beyond space. Therefore he can take them out of space and bring them above space. Understand this.) I took them and carried them to the tree. Hence I have a testament that I have such an ultimate degree of the little holding the much. (And that is why he appeared as a hunchbacked person, for he carries a great deal on him, for he is a little holding the much.) Today I give you this very thing in a gift, that you should be like me. A great joy took place there, and a superb gladness.
[Sixth Day] edit
On the sixth day they also rejoiced, but they also yearned, "How can the one without hands be brought here?" Meanwhile in he comes and says, "I am here! I have come to you for the wedding." And he too spoke to them as the others, falling on them, kissing them and saying to them: You think I am crippled in the hands. I am not at all crippled in the hands. I do have power in the hands, only I do not use the power in my hands in this world, for I need the power for something else — and regarding this I have a testament from the Watery Castle (fun das vasirikn shloss).
[The Conversation Regarding Power in the Hands] edit
For, once several of us were sitting together. Each one was boasting of his power he has in his hands. This one boasted he has such a strength in his hands, that one boasted he has such a strength in his hands, and so each one boasted of his strength he has in his hands.
[Retrieving Arrows] edit
Namely, one was boasting that he has such a power and a strength in his hands, that when he shoots an arrow he can pull it back to him again, for he has such a power in his hands, that although he has already shot the arrow, he can yet turn it around and tow it back to him again.
I asked him, "What kind of arrow can you pull back?" For there are ten kinds of arrows, since there are ten kinds of poison. For, when one wants to shoot an arrow, one smears it with a poison. There are ten kinds of poison, and when they soak it in one poison, it injures like so, and when they soak it in another poison it does more damage. And so there are ten kinds of poison, each one worse than the other, that is, more harmful. (And this in itself is ten kinds of arrows, for the arrows are one sort; it is only because of the variety of the poisons that they smear the arrows in, which are ten kinds as mentioned above, that they are called ten kinds of arrows.)
So he asked him, "What kind of arrow can you pull back?" In addition he asked him whether [only] before the arrow has struck someone he can pull it back, or whether even after the arrow has already struck someone he could also pull it back. Upon this the other answered: "Even after the arrow has already struck someone, I can still pull it back." "But still, which sort of arrow can you pull back?" He answered: Why, this-and-this kind I can pull back.
I (that is, the one [without hands] who is telling all this) called out to him, "You cannot heal the Queen's Daughter. If you can pull back no more than one kind of arrow, you cannot heal the Queen's Daughter."
[Giving by Receiving] edit
One was boasting that he has such a power in his hands that whoever he receives from, he gives to (that is, by his very getting something from someone, he gives to that person), and hence he is a master of charity. I asked him, "What kind of charity do you give?" (For there are ten kinds of charity.) He replied: he gives tithe. I called out to him, "If so, you cannot heal the Queen's Daughter, for you cannot at all come to her place (because you only give tithe), for you can enter in no more than one wall (in the place where she is dwelling), therefore you cannot come to her place."
[Conferring Wisdom, and Knowing Pulses] edit
One boasted that he has the following power in his hands: "Inasmuch as there are officials in the world (that is, senior men who are encharged with giving orders over a city, a country, etc.), each one needing wisdom: I have such a power in my hands, that with my hands I can give him wisdom, by laying my hands on him." I asked him, "What kind of wisdom can you give with your hands?" For there are ten measures (kabin) of wisdom (that is, ten varieties of knowledge). He replied: Such-and-such a wisdom I can give. I called out to him, "If so, you cannot heal the Queen's Daughter, for you cannot even know her pulse, because there are ten varieties of pulses, and you cannot know but one pulse, since you can only give one wisdom with your hands."
[Restraining Wind, and Playing Melodies] edit
One boasted that he has such a power in his hands: when there is a ruach se'arah [lit. tempest spirit] (that is, a storm wind) he can detain the storm wind with his hands. He can seize the storm wind with his hands, restraining it, and can moreover with his hands make the wind with a mass, that it should be the sort of wind that is needed; with the [proper] weight.
I asked him, "What kind of wind can you grasp with your hands?" There are ten varieties of winds. He replied: Such-and-such a wind. I called out, "You cannot heal the Queen's Daughter, for you cannot at all play the melody for her. For there are ten varieties of melody, and the Queen's Daughter's healing is through melody, and you can play for her no more than one melody."
[The Watery Castle] edit
They called out, "What can you do?" He replied, "I can do what you all cannot do, namely, all the nine parts of each thing that each one boasted of, which you cannot do, I can do. For, there is a story:
"For, one time a king desired (lit. cooked himself up about) a Queen's Daughter, involving himself with executing schemes to capture her, until the thing was attained and he caught her; then she was with him. One time the king dreamed that the Queen's Daughter stood over him and killed him. He awoke sharply (lit. caught himself up), and the dream entered deep in his heart. He called all the dream interpreters and they interpreted it for him according to its simple meaning, that the dream would be fulfilled according to its simple meaning, that she would kill him. The king could not give himself any counsel, what to do with her. To kill her — would pain him; to send her away from him — this vexed him severely, for another man would take her, and this vexed him very much, for he had made so much effort for her, and now she would come to another man's hand, and moreover if he let her go and she came to another man's hand, then certainly the dream could be fulfilled that she would kill him, since she was by another. To hold her fast by him — he feared because of the dream, lest she kill him. So the king did not know what to do to her. Meanwhile his love for her perished little by little because of the dream (that is, he no longer loved her so much as before) and at each moment the love perished more and more, and likewise by her the love perished more each moment, until it became by her a hatred of him. She fled from him.
"The king sent after her to seek her, and they came and told him that she was circling around the Watery Castle. For there is a Watery Castle, and there are ten walls there, one inside the other, and all ten walls are completely of water, and also the ground in the Castle that they walk on is also of water. And likewise the garden, with its trees and their fruits, are entirely of water. As for the beauty of the Castle and the novelty of this Castle, there is no need to talk, for it is certainly a very wonderful novelty, for the whole Castle is of water. Entering the Castle is certainly impossible, for one would drown, for the whole Castle is entirely of water. Now the Queen's Daughter, upon fleeing, reached the Castle and was circling there around the Castle. They told the king that she was circling there around the Castle.
"The king and his soldiers went to catch her. When the Queen's Daughter saw this she decided she would run into the Castle, for she wanted more to drown in water than that the king should catch her and she be with him; and perhaps she would be saved after all and she could slip into the Watery Castle. When the king saw this, that she was running into the water, he said, "If that is the case, well then..." He ordered to shoot her; if she dies, she dies. They shot her and all the ten types of arrows that are smeared with the ten types of poisons struck her. And she, the Queen's Daughter, ran into the Watery Castle and entered into its interior, passing through all the doors of the watery walls. For there are doors there in the watery walls, so she passed through all the doors of all the ten walls of the Watery Castle, until she entered into the Castle's interior, fell down and remained faint.
"And I (that is, the handless one who is telling all this) heal her. For whoever does not have in his hands all the ten varieties of charities cannot enter past all the ten walls of the Watery Castle, for he would be drowned in water. So the king and his soldiers pursued after the Queen's Daughter and were all drowned in water. But I can enter past all the ten walls of the Watery Castle.
"Now, the walls of water are sea waves standing like a wall. The winds are what erect the waves of the sea and hold the waves up. And these waves, which are what the ten walls are, stand there constantly, but it is the winds that hold the waves and erect the waves. And I can enter past all the ten walls of the Watery Castle, and I can pull out from her (that is, from the Queen's Daughter) all the ten varieties of arrows.
"And I know all the ten varieties of pulsebeats through the ten fingers, for through each finger of the ten fingers one can know a particular pulsebeat from the ten varieties of pulsebeats, and I can heal the Queen's Daughter through all the ten varieties of melodies (for her healing is through melodies, as mentioned). Therefore I do, in fact, heal the Queen's Daughter. Hence I have such a power in the hands. Today I give you this very thing as a gift." There was a grand celebration there, and they were superbly happy.
[Notes Following the Story] edit
[Rabbi Nachman said:] This story is very hard for me to tell, but because I've already begun telling it, now I have to finish it. [But he did not actually finish telling it.] In this story there is not one word that will be void of meaning, and whoever is adept and versed in sefarim [mystical Judaic texts] can at least understand some of the hints. And the arrows — of which that [character] boasted he could pull back arrows — this is found in the verse, "[Im shanothi beraq charbi/ If I have twofold [unleashed] My sword [like] lightning {i.e. as lightning flashes from one end of the sky across to the other end, against My people in retribution}, wethochez bemishpat yadi/ My hand will yet have hold on [strict] justice..." [Deut. 32:41], and as Rashi explains, "Flesh and blood shoots an arrow and cannot retrieve it, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, shoots an arrow and does have the ability to retrieve it [as if He were holding them in His hand]." And the charity which safeguards against the walls of water — this is also found in a verse: "[Lu hikshavta lemitzvothai; wayhi kanahar shelomekha/ If you would listen to My commandments then your peace would be as a river] wetzidkathekha kegalei hayam/ and your charity (righteousness) as the waves of the sea." [Isa., 48:18]. And the wind — his grasping it in is hands — this is found in, "Mi asaf-ruach bechofnaw/ Who has grasped the wind in his fists?" [Prov. 30:4] (Which is an aspect of producing melody, as explained elsewhere [Likutei Moharan #54].) And the ten types of pulses and ten kinds of melody — this is already explained in the Zohar [and see LM II pg. 32a (#24)]. [Rabbi Nathan adds:] All this we heard explicitly. But who, when and what? (Beyond this he said nothing more, that is to say, who they all are, what this is, and when this all took place — this is unknowable.)
The conclusion of the story — that is, what happened on the Seventh Day with the footless beggar, and the conclusion of the King's son with whom the story began — he did not tell; and he said he would not tell any more, and it will not be heard until Mashiach comes — speedily in our days, Amen!
He also said, "If I did not know any other thing besides this story, I would still be wild news." He said so explicitly. For this story is very wild news. Contained here in it are very many moral lessons and much Torah, for it contains many teachings and speaks of many ancient tzaddikim; of King Dawidh, peace be upon him, for King Dawidh stood at the world's edge and cried out to the Spring that flows from the Rock that is on the Mountain, as mentioned above, as written in Tehilim [Ps. 61:3], "Miqtzeh ha'aretz eleikha eqra, be`atof libi; betzur-yarum mimeni tancheni/ From the end of the earth I will cry unto You, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
(All this we heard from his mouth explicitly. And what is understood from his words is that King Dawidh, peace be upon him, is the aspect of the Heart, as has been transmitted [Zohar Shemoth 108], and he is hinted to in the story regarding the Heart of the world, which stands at the end of the earth, facing the Spring, crying and longing for it constantly etc. But still the words are closed up; fortunate is whoever will merit attaining secrets of this story.)
The matter of King Dawidh and the aforementioned scripture, "From the ends of the earth," that is hinted to in the story, pertains to the Third Day, because there it speaks about the Heart and the Spring; look there and you will see wonders, how in each matter wonderful things are hinted. [In Yiddish: In this story are found very, very great secrets of the Torah, from beginning to end. All the stories of this book are thoroughly great secrets of the Torah; each word and each thing means something completely different — but this story is above them all.] And of the greatness of the awesomeness of this story it is not possible at all to tell, for it is above all of them. Exceedingly fortunate [ashrei ashrei] is whoever will merit even in the Coming World to know of it just a little bit. And whoever has [a] brain in his skull, let the hairs of his flesh stand on end; let him understand a little of the greatness of the Creator, Blessed be He, and the greatness of the true Tzaddikim, when he looks well into this awesome story, the likes of which will not be heard.
The matter of the verse, "From the ends of the earth," mentioned above, pertaining to the story of the Third Day — this I heard explicitly from his holy and awesome mouth, of blessed memory. Furthermore, look at this which I found afterwards — that the majority of the words of the chapter of Tehilim where this verse is written, which is Ch. 61 — virtually all of it is explained there [in] hints of the lofty secrets of the story of the Third Day mentioned above: "You will add days onto the days of the King" etc. — for he always needs that they should add days to his days etc. as mentioned. "Chesed we'emeth, man yintzeruhu/ Summon mercy and truth, that he may preserve it" — this is the True Man of Kindness etc., "Der Groyser Man; Der Emesir Ish Chesed" — because all the time and the days are made via the Great Man, who is the True Man of Kindness as mentioned there in the story, and he gives and adds at each moment, days to the days of the king, who is the Heart, which is the concept of King Dawidh, peace be upon him, as mentioned. And this is, "that he may preserve it" — because he guards and protects, for as soon as the day comes very close to ending — and then the Spring and the Heart and the entire world would end, God forbid — then the True Man of Kindness protects and guards this, and comes and gives a day to the Heart etc. as mentioned. And this is, "So will I sing praise unto Your name forever, that I may perform my vows day by day [yom yom]" — because each and every day which He gives him, he comes with songs and poems etc. as mentioned. "I will trust in the covert of Your wings, Selah" — for when the Heart needs to rest, a Great Bird comes and spreads Its wings over it etc., and this is, "I will trust in the covert of Your wings" etc.
Pertaining to the First Day: The matter of the elders, that each one boasted of what he could remember, where one boasted that he remembers even when they cut his umbilical cord etc. and he was the youngest elder of them all, etc. — our Rebbe of blessed memory said that in the Gemara (Yerushalmi) something similar is recorded: that Shmuel boasted that he remembers the pain of his circumcision etc.; see there.
Who can glorify or tell? Who can evaluate? Who can estimate even one minuscule of the millions or billions of hitnotzetzoth [branchings/ revelations/ illuminations], a bit of the clues of wonders of wonders from the very, very awesome and high secrets of this awesome story, which is full of secrets of secrets from beginning to end? One who is enlightened in the matter will find goodness, and hitnotzetzuth of certain clues according to his capacity.