Chasidut · Breslov

Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 1:7/ליקוטי הלכות·אורח חיים·הלכות השכמת הבוקר א׳:ז׳

אוּכְשֶׁאָנוּ אוֹמְרִים פָּרָשַׁת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרַבְנוּם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל (תנחומא צו, יד): ״כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרַת עוֹלָה כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב עוֹלָה וְכוּ׳״. כִּי עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר, לְהַעֲלוֹת מִדּוֹמֵם צוֹמֵחַ חַי לִמְדַבֵּר.

1ELEVATING SPEECHIn this section and most of the next, Reb Noson will show that the principal ascent of good is in the form of dibbur, speech—in particular, as prayer.Kabbalah teaches that dibbur is synonymous with Malkhut, the manifestation of the Shekhinah in the world. Therefore when the Shekhinah is hidden from man, so that Malkhut is said to be in exile, dibbur too is dispossessed. A person is then unable to open his mouth to speak to HaShem. Spiritually, he is like a mute. He feels distant from HaShem and is unable to pray. His words are in exile. But if he then engages in self-introspection and, by finding his good points, returns to HaShem by doing teshuvah, his dibbur ascends from exile. The pinnacle of its ascent manifests as the wholeness of speech a person achieves in reciting the Shemoneh Esrei. His dibbur is then at its most perfect before HaShem. Yet even when he recites the korbanot, which, as the first part of Shacharit, is only the start of the tikkun, he has already begun to elevate dibbur, as Reb Noson now explains.When we recite the Torah passages of the korbanot in prayer, it is as if we actually presented the sacrifices themselves. This is as Chazal teach, “Whoever occupies himself with the laws of the burnt-offering is credited as if he brought a burnt-offering.”⁴⁶ 14; see also note 53 below. His speech is credited as action because the tikkun we bring about by presenting korbanot is in essence accomplished through the dimension of dibbur⁴⁷ and tefillin—we rectify the outer aspects of each of the Four Worlds (see Appendix A, p. 235) and rid them of the kelipot that attach themselves at night to the holiness of these worlds. However, for this tikkun to be complete, the inner essence of each world must be elevated and included within the world above it. We accomplish this through dibbur, by reciting the four parts of the Shacharit prayer (Pri Eitz Chaim, Shaar HaTefillah 4-5).—the purpose of the spoken word is to raise the sparks of holiness from the inanimate, plant and animal realms to the realm of medaber, speaker.⁴⁸ 1:10; Rabbeinu Bachya al HaTorah, Shemot ,דומם) 35:1). The four levels of lifeforms are: domeim plant), ,צומח) inanimate), inorganic matter; tzomei’ach living), the animal kingdom; ,חי) the plant kingdom; chai speaker), humanity. ,מדבר) medaber, ⁴⁹ fell (see note 36 above), they became embedded in all four levels of physical reality. In bringing a korban—in particular, through the dibbur of confessing one’s sin and expressing remorse—a person raises up all the sparks in the inanimate, plant and animal lifeforms and they become included within him. Since the distinguishing aspect of a human being is his ability to speak, he uses this ability to speak words of holiness to elevate all the corporeality in creation and offer it up to HaShem (Eitz Chaim 50:2 and Pri Eitz Chaim, Shaar HaTefillah 2).

בכִּי הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת כְּשֶׁעוֹלִין מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁעוֹלִין, מִמַּדְרֵגוֹת הַתַּחְתּוֹנוֹת, הָעִקָּר הוּא שֶׁיַּעֲלוּ לִבְחִינַת דִּבּוּר. כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה כְּשֶׁאֵין נִתְבָּרֵר וְנִכָּר הַטּוֹב מֵחֲמַת הָרָע שֶׁחוֹפֶה עָלָיו, אֲזַי הוּא בִּבְחִינַת אִלֵּם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ דִּבּוּר, בִּבְחִינַת (תהלים לט, ג): ״נֶאֱלַמְתִּי דּוּמִיָּה הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי מִטּוֹב וְכוּ׳״, וּכְשֶׁמְּגַלִּין אֶת הַטּוֹב כַּנַּ״ל, אֲזַי עִקַּר הִתְגַּלּוּת הַטּוֹב וַעֲלִיָּתוֹ הוּא בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר.

2We have already seen that elevating the sparks of holiness is synonymous with elevating a person’s good points. Therefore when the good points rise from their position on the lower levels, the main thing is that they ascend to the dimension of dibbur. For initially, when the good has yet to be refined and recognized on account of the evil that covers and conceals it, a person resembles a mute, lacking dibbur, as in “I became mute with silence; [for] I was silent about the good.” But when we reveal the good, its essential revelation and ascent is as the spoken word of dibbur. We are then able to pray to HaShem and voice His praises.

גוזְֶה בְּחִינַת (שיר־השירים ב, יד): ״יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה״, זֶה בְּחִינַת הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת יוֹנָה תַּמָּה – שֶׁתְּמִימָה עִם בֶּן זוּגָהּ וְאֵינָה מַנַּחַת אוֹתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וְכוּ׳, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל (שיר השירים רבה ד, ב). כִּי הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד אֲפִלּוּ בְּהַפָּחוֹת שֶׁבַּפְּחוּתִים הִיא דְּבוּקָה תָּמִיד עִם הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ לְעוֹלָם בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהִיא.

3Reb Noson next introduces two verses from Shir HaShirim as proof that the principal ascent of the good points is to the level of medaber, and that bringing a korban leads to perfected speech.This is the significance of the verse “O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the concealment of the cliffs.” “My dove” alludes to the good point. It is like a perfect dove, which is called “perfect” because it is completely faithful to its mate and never leaves him, as Chazal teach.⁵⁰ 4:2, cited by Rashi on Shir HaShirim 6:9; see also Yalkut Shimoni #834). The good point that exists in every person, even the least worthy, is always attached to HaShem—wherever it is, it is perpetually with Him.

דוּכְשֶׁהִיא נוֹפֶלֶת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, בְּעִמְקֵי הַקְלִפּוֹת הַמַּקִּיפִין אוֹתָהּ מִכָּל צַד, בְּחִינַת ״יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה״, בְּתַכְלִית הַהַסְתָּרָה, אֲזַי הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ אוֹמֵר לָהּ (שיר־השירים שם): ״הַרְאִיניִ אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִנִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ, כִּי קוֹלֵךְ עָרֵב וּמַרְאֵךְ נָאוֶה״, כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאַתָּה ״בְּסֵתֶר הַמַּדְרֵגָה״, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אַתָּה בְּעַצְמְךָ נָאוֶה מְאֹד, בִּבְחִינַת ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה״, כַּנַּ״ל, וְעַל־כֵּן תְּגַלֶּה אֶת עַצְמְךָ וְתַרְאֶה אֶת מַרְאֶיךָ, כִּי עֲדַיִן אַתָּה נָאֶה, כִּי הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה נָאוָה תָּמִיד.

4Even when, chas ve-shalom, a person’s good point falls deep into the kelipot that surround it on every side—as in “O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the concealment of the cliffs”—and so is thoroughly concealed, HaShem says to it, “Let Me see your image, let Me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasing and your image is attractive.” Even though you are “in the concealment of the cliffs,” trapped among the kelipot, you yourself are very beautiful, as in “I am black but pleasing.” Therefore reveal yourself and let your image be seen, since you are still beautiful. For the good point is perpetually attached to HaShem, and thus forever pleasing.

הוְעַל־כֵּן ״הַרְאִינִי אֶת מַרְאַיִךְ הַשְׁמִיעִנִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ״, הַיְנוּ שֶׁתְּגַלֶּה וְתִמְצָא מַרְאוֹת יֹפִי הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה ״הַשְׁמִיעִנִי אֶת קוֹלֵךְ״, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לְדִבּוּר, כִּי אָז יְכוֹלִין לְדַבֵּר וּלְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי מִקֹּדֶם לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר כְּלָל כַּנַּ״ל.

5And so, “Let Me see your image, let Me hear your voice.” In other words, find and reveal the beautiful image of the good point inside you. That will “let Me hear your voice,” for by this uncovering of the good point we merit dibbur. We can then voice the words to thank HaShem and praise Him, whereas previously, because the good point was concealed, we were unable to speak at all.

ווזְֶהוּ בְּחִינַת (שם ח, יג): ״הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְׁמִעִינִי״, וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ״י: ״הַיּוֹשֶׁבֶת בַּגַּנִּים – בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת וְכוּ׳״, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁהֵם יוֹשְׁבִים וּמֻנָּחִים בֵּין הָאֻמּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם הַתַּאֲווֹת רָעוֹת וּפְגָמִים וְכוּ׳ שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, כַּמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (סימן לו). וְהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ מִתְאַוֶּה לְקוֹלָם. וְזֶהוּ: ״חֲבֵרִים מַקְשִׁיבִים לְקוֹלֵךְ הַשְׁמִיעִינִי״, כִּי הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ מִתְאַוֶּה שֶׁיִּתְגַּלּוּ הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְיַשְׁמִיעוּ אֶת קוֹלָם בְּזֶמֶר וְהַלֵּל לְהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ״ל.

6We learn this as well from another verse in Shir HaShirim. This is the significance of the verse “O you who dwell in the gardens, friends listen to your voice. Let Me hear it.” Rashi interprets “who dwell in the gardens” as a reference to the Jewish people in exile among the nations. This alludes to the good points that dwell and reside as exiles among the “nations”—namely among the evil desires and spiritual blemishes representative of the nations of the world, as brought elsewhere.⁵¹ HaShem longs to hear the “voice” of the good points, as in His words to the Jewish people, “friends listen to your voice. Let Me hear it.” For HaShem longs for the good points to be revealed, and for them to make their voices heard in song and praise of Him.⁵²

זוְזֶה בְּחִינַת הַקָּרְבָּן, שֶׁמַּעֲלִין הַנְּקֻדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת לִבְחִינַת מְדַבֵּר כַּנַּ״ל. וְעַל־כֵּן ״הָעוֹסֵק בְּתוֹרַת עוֹלָה כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרִיב וְכוּ׳״, כִּי עִקַּר תִּקּוּן הַקָּרְבָּן הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר, כַּנַּ״ל.

7This relates as well to the korbanot—namely that we elevate the good points to the dimension of medaber and reveal them through the words of our prayers. This is why Chazal teach, “Whoever occupies himself with the laws of the burntoffering”— or of any other of the korbanot,⁵³, Tzav 14), Rabbi Yitzchak taught (Menachot 110a), “Whoever occupies himself with the laws of the sin-offering, it is as if he brought a sinoffering, and whoever occupies himself with the laws of the guilt-offering, it is as if he brought a guilt-offering.” reciting the passages that give expression to its laws—“is credited as if he presented that offering.” We do not find this regarding any other mitzvah. It applies only to the sacrificial offerings, since the tikkun we bring about by presenting a korban—raising the sparks of holiness from the level of animal to medaber—is primarily through dibbur, words spoken in prayer.