Chasidut · Breslov
Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 1:3/ליקוטי הלכות·
אוזְֶה בְּחִינַת (תהלים נז, ט): ״עוּרָה כְבוֹדִי, עוּרָה הַנֵּבֶל וְכִנּוֹר, אָעִירָה שָׁחַר״, הַיְנוּ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהִתְעוֹרֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ וּמִנְּפִילָתוֹ. וְעַל־יְדֵי מַה יִתְעוֹרֵר אֶת עַצְמוֹ? עַל־יְדֵי הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁמּוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ עֲדַיִן, וְזֶהוּ: ״אָעִירָה שָׁחַר״.
1WAKING THE GOOD POINTSReb Noson has thus far explained that waking up from spiritual sleep requires finding one’s good points. He will next show the link between a person’s good points and waking up before the dawn.And this is the significance of yet another verse in which David HaMelekh alludes to rousing from spiritual slumber, “Awake, my soul! Awake the harp and lyre! I will awaken the shachar.” In other words, a person must stir himself from his sleep and lift himself up from his spiritual decline. How does he wake himself up? By looking deep inside himself and finding the good points that he still can find within. To do so is to “awaken the dawn.”
בכִּי הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה הִיא בִּבְחִינַת שַׁחַר, בִּבְחִינַת (שיר־השירים א, ה): ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם״, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁזֹּאת הַנְּקֻדָּה מְעֹרֶבֶת בִּפְסֹלֶת הַרְבֵּה וּבִפְגָמִים הַרְבֵּה שֶׁפָּגַם זֶה הָאָדָם, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִדְמָה שֶׁהִיא שְׁחוֹרָה, כִּי מֻנַּחַת בְּקַדְרוּת וּבְשַׁחֲרוּת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶצְלוֹ.
2For a person’s good point is akin to the shachar. Like the dawn, it emerges out of the darkest darkness, as in the verse “I am shachor but pleasing, O daughters of Yerushalayim.”17 and concealed in darkness, their deeds nevertheless ,שחר) break through into the light like the SHaCHaR dawn). Mixed in with this good point are many impurities and many spiritual blemishes of which this person is guilty, and so it seems to be black, displeasing. He is unable to appreciate how pleasing and beautiful it actually is, since for him the good point lies buried in gloom and darkness, chas ve-shalom.
גאֲבָל כְּשֶׁדָּן אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת וּמְעוֹרֵר וּמוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמוֹ הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה כַּנַּ״ל, אֲזַי הִיא אוֹמֶרֶת: ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה, אַל תִּרְאֻנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת וְכוּ׳״, כִּי אֵין הַשַּׁחֲרוּת מִשֶּׁלִּי וְכוּ׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ״י שָׁם. כִּי הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה בְּעַצְמָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ אֵצֶל הָאָדָם, אֲפִלּוּ אֵצֶל פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – הִיא נָאוָה וְיָפָה מְאֹד! רַק שֶׁהַשַּׁחֲרוּת חוֹפָה עָלֶיהָ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמְּעוֹרְרִין אוֹתָהּ, הִיא אוֹמֶרֶת: ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה, אַל תִּרְאֻנִי שֶׁאֲנִי שְׁחַרְחֹרֶת״, כִּי מִצַּד עַצְמִי אֲנִי נָאוָה עַד מְאֹד.
3But when a person judges himself favorably, and wakes up and finds in himself the good point, its beauty is revealed. Then his good point says about itself, “I am black but pleasing”—though I may appear to be black, I am actually very beautiful. And so, “Do not look down on me on account of my blackness”—I do not deserve to be disparaged because the blackness is not inherent to me, as Rashi comments there. Rather, “I have been scorched by the sun.” For the good point in each person, even in Jewish sinners,18 and his followers, because they possess the ability to uncover the good and glory present even in the worst people, and so return everything to HaShem” (Likutey Eitzot, Hitchazkut 4). is itself very pleasing and very beautiful. It is just that the darkness covers it. But once it is awakened the good point declares, “I am black but pleasing … Do not look down on me on account of my blackness”—because intrinsically, I am exceedingly beautiful.
דוְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל (שמות רבה מט, ב): ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי – בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, וְנָאוָה אֲנִי – בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן״, הַיְנוּ אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִי חֲטָאִים הַרְבֵּה וְנִתְרַחַקְתִּי מְאֹד מִמֶּנוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ.
4Reb Noson interrupts his explanation of “Awake my soul…” and its connection to the shachor of the good point. He will return to this topic in §5 below. Here, having also cited the verse “I am shachor but pleasing,” which Chazal link with the Mishkan, he explains that it was from the good points of the Jewish people that Moshe constructed the Mishkan.This relates to what Chazal teach regarding this verse. They explain that the Jewish people are saying, “‘I am black’—because of the incident of the golden calf—‘but I am pleasing’—because of the matter of the Mishkan.”19 49:2. Meaning, despite the fact that my sins are many and I have become very distant from HaShem, nevertheless, I am pleasing to HaShem when I look for my good points.
הוְזֶה בְּחִינַת מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל שֶׁכּוֹלֵל כָּל הַחֲטָאִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם, כִּי ״כָּל הַמּוֹדֶה בַּעֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה כְּאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ״ (חולין ה.). אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן ״וְנָאוָה אֲנִי – בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן״, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת מְעַט טוֹב שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצֵא בְּעַצְמִי עֲדַיִן. כִּי תֵּכֶף אַחַר מַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל נִצְטַוּוּ עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנִּתְרַצָּה הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל־יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ שֶׁמָּסַר נַפְשׁוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם וְהִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדָם.
5This derives from the following: ‘My sins are many’ is suggested by Chazal’s reference to “the incident of the golden calf,” because idolatry is the sin inclusive of all other sins, for “Whoever worships idolatry is regarded as having repudiated the entire Torah.”20 5a. Nevertheless, despite my many sins, “‘I am pleasing’—because of the matter of the Mishkan”—meaning “I am pleasing” to HaShem by virtue of the little bit of good that I still find in myself. For immediately after the incident of the golden calf the Jewish people were commanded to construct the Mishkan. Thus the Mishkan was built as a result of HaShem becoming favorably disposed towards the Jewish people through Moshe’s self-sacrifice and his prayers on their behalf.
וכִּי מֹשֶׁה הָיָה יָכוֹל זֹאת לִמְצֹא נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּהַפָּחוּת שֶׁבַּפְּחוּתִים, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ״ל כּמַָּה פְּעָמִים (בלקוטי תנינא סימן פב, ועוד). וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם תָּמִיד, אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁפָּגְמוּ בְּכָל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן מָצָא בָּהֶם נְקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת.
6For Moshe was able to find a good point even in the least worthy Jew, as Rebbe Nachman teaches on a number of occasions.21 This enabled Moshe to always pray for them, even when they had transgressed the entire Torah through the incident of the golden calf. Even then he was able to find good points in them.
זוְעַל־כֵּן אָמַר מֹשֶׁה (שמות לב, יא): ״לָמָּה ה׳ יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ וְכוּ׳״. כִּי הוּא מָצָא הַטּוֹב שֶׁבָּהֶם וַאֲזַי נִדְחֶה הָרָע לְגַמְרֵי כַּנַּ״ל, וְעַל־כֵּן אָמַר: ״לָמָּה ה׳ יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ״, כִּי הָרָע אֵינוֹ נֶחֱשָׁב כְּלָל כְּנֶגֶד מְעַט הַטּוֹב שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם עֲדַיִן.
7This is the reason Moshe said, “Why, HaShem, should Your wrath burn against Your people?” He had found the good in the Jews and, by doing so, had dispelled the evil entirely. Therefore he said, “Why, HaShem, should Your wrath burn against Your people?” since the evil was of no import compared with the little bit of good that they still had inside them.
חוְהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ נִתְרַצָּה לוֹ, ״וַיִּנָחֶם עַל הָרָעָה וְכוּ׳״ (שם לב, יד), וְאָז לִמֵּד הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ לְמשֶׁה סֵדֶר תְּפִלָּה וְסִדֵּר לְפָנָיו שְׁלֹשׁ-עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים. וְזֶהוּ (שם לג, יט): ״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָּל טוּבִי וְכוּ׳״, שֶׁלִּמְּדוֹ וְגִלָּה לוֹ כָּל הַטּוֹב שֶׁלּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּבְיָכוֹל, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדַע שֶׁהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ טוֹב לַכֹּל תָּמִיד, וִיכוֹלִין לְעוֹרֵר הַטּוֹב בְּהַגָּרוּעַ שֶׁבַּגְּרוּעִים וּלְהַכְנִיסוֹ בְּכַף זְכוּת וּלְהַחֲזִירוֹ בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
8And so HaShem became favorably disposed towards him. “[HaShem] relented from the evil,” and instead He taught Moshe the arrangement of the prayer for Divine favor in a time of din,22 (pl. dinim), as the agency of Divine judgment, is the origin of all negative spiritual forces, of which the demonic kelipot are one example. Dinim manifest in the world when man’s unworthy actions anger HaShem, as it were, causing Divine mercy and Divine kindness to be concealed, and Divine wrath to manifest. setting out before him the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. This is, “He said, ‘I will make all My good pass [in front of you],’” for He taught Moshe the attributes and revealed to him all His good, as it were, so that Moshe would know that HaShem is always “good to all.” He would know too that it is possible to awaken the good even in the least worthy person, and so move him to a position of merit and bring him back to HaShem in teshuvah.
טוְזֶה בְּחִינַת שְׁלֹשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה מִדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים, בְּחִינַת (שם לד, ו): ״ה׳ ה׳ אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנוּן אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְכוּ׳״, שֶׁהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ מָלֵא רַחֲמִים וְטוֹב לַכֹּל, וּמַאֲרִיךְ אַף לַצַּדִּיקִים וְלָרְשָׁעִים, כִּי הוּא מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חסֶֶד (ראש השנה יז.), וְדָן אֶת הַכֹּל לְכַף זְכוּת, וּמוֹצֵא נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּפוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַכְרִיעַ אוֹתָם לְכַף זְכוּת כַּנַּ״ל.
9Having explained that by finding the good point we awaken HaShem’s goodness and win His forgiveness, Reb Noson next shows how this is specifically alluded to in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy.This is the concept of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy set out in the verse “HaShem! HaShem! A compassionate God, gracious and slow to anger …” HaShem is filled with compassion and is “good to all.” He is patient with both the righteous and the wicked. For “He tips the scales of justice towards chesed”23” to mean that HaShem tips the scales of justice towards loving-kindness (Rosh HaShanah 17a; see also Shemot Rabbah 2:1). Rebbe Nachman applies this to the tzaddik (see §1 above). In Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom #96, he teaches, “A tzaddik inclines towards kindness. He even presumes the merit of those who oppose him—that their intention is for the sake of Heaven.” Reb Noson will explain that every person, not just the tzaddik, has to incline towards the side of kindness—for himself as well as for others. and judges everything favorably. He also finds a good point even in Jewish sinners, and thereby tips the scales for them to the side of merit.
יוזְֶהוּ בְּחִינַת (שם לד, ז): ״נֹצֵר חֶסֶד לָאֲלָפִים״ – שֶׁבְּחִינַת הַחֶסֶד, דְּהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ מַטֶּה כְּלַפֵּי חֶסֶד וְדָן לְכַף זְכוּת וּמוֹצֵא נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה וְכוּ׳, כַּנַּ״ל, זֶה הַחֶסֶד נוֹצֵר וּמַמְתִּיק ״לָאֲלָפִים״, הַיְנוּ אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁיֵּשׁ כְּנֶגֶד זֶה אֲלָפִים וּרְבָבוֹת פְּגָמִים שֶׁפָּגַם אוֹתוֹ הָאָדָם, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן מְעַט הַטּוֹב שֶׁמּוֹצֵא עַל־יְדֵי הַחֶסֶד כַּנַּ״ל דּוֹחֶה הַכֹּל כַּנַּ״ל. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה (שם): ״נוֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וָפֶשַׁע וְכוּ׳״, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִכְנַס בֶּאֱמֶת לְכַף זְכוּת וְכוּ׳, כַּנַּ״ל.
10This is the significance of “He keeps chesed for thousands.” The concept of chesed is that HaShem inclines towards loving-kindness, judges favorably, and finds a good point even in the least worthy Jew, thereby enabling him to do teshuvah. This chesed holds back Divine wrath and mitigates harsh judgments “for thousands” of sins. In other words, even though the thousands and tens of thousands of transgressions that that person has committed would counter his merit, the little bit of good that HaShem finds by inclining towards kindness repels them all. As a result, HaShem “forgives iniquity and rebellion” and pardons the sinner’s offenses, so that he genuinely becomes worthy of merit.Reb Noson has explained that HaShem’s Thirteen Attributes of Mercy awaken the good point in each human being, even the least worthy. By inclining towards kindness—namely His attribute of loving-kindness—HaShem brings a person to a position of merit and motivates him to repent, so that He then forgives him for all his sins.