Chasidut · Breslov

Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 4:1/ליקוטי הלכות·אורח חיים·הלכות השכמת הבוקר ד׳:א׳

איִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי לַעֲמֹד בַּבֹּקֶר שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר. ״שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד וְכוּ׳״ (שלחן ערוך ארח חיִים סימן א׳ סעיף א׳).

1KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARANA person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the shachar, dawn. [Gloss: “I set HaShem before me always” (Tehillim 16:8)—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah] (Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim 1:1).

בעַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה ״מֵישְׁרָא דְסַכִּינָא וְכוּ׳״ בְּסִימָן ל׳, עַיֵּן שָׁם כָּל הַתּוֹרָה.

2This discourse is based on the lesson Meishra d’Sakina, LM I, 30, in which Rebbe Nachman discusses attaining a perception of Godliness. Study well the entire lesson there.

גוְהַכְּלָל, כִּי צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לְבַקֵּשׁ וּלְחַפֵּשׂ מְאֹד מְאֹד אַחַר רַבִּי אֲמִתִּי הַגָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה מֻפְלֶגֶת מְאֹד, שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהָאִיר בּוֹ הַשָּׂגַת אֱלֹקוּת.

3The general rule derived from the Rebbe’s lesson is that every person must persistently seek out and search for a true rav, one of such superlative greatness that he will be capable of enlightening him with a perception of Godliness.¹, the internalized knowledge that HaShem’s Immanence fills all of creation. This awareness fills a person, according to his spiritual level, with a deep inner sense of HaShem’s immediate closeness and everlasting love. Elsewhere, Reb Noson writes that this is the meaning of “to know that HaShem is Elohim” (I Melakhim 8:60)—dispelling the illusion that a God exists other than HaShem, and knowing intimately that whatever one experiences in life comes from the hand of HaShem for one’s benefit (LH, Geviyat Chov MeiHaYetomim 4:1).

דכִּי הַשָּׁגוֹת אֱלֹקוּת אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַשִּׁיג כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי כַּמָּה צִמְצוּמִים וְכוּ׳, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת סִבוּבִים וְהַקְדָּמוֹת, כְּמוֹ הַמְלַמֵּד שֶׁלּוֹמֵד עִם הַתִּינוֹק וְכוּ׳.

4For perceptions of Godliness are impossible to attain except through many constrictions of Divine wisdom.², constriction, is its kabbalistic meaning as the constriction of the Light of Ein Sof at the very first stages of Creation (see Appendix A, p. 226). For wisdom, and Divine wisdom in particular, is associated with light (see Peirush Ramban al Sefer Yetzirah 1; see also following note) and with Creation, as in “HaShem, how great are Your works! You created them all with wisdom” (Tehillim 104:24)—alluding to the sefirah of Chokhmah., ³, intellect, that inheres in all things in creation. Attaining this seikhel, which is Divine wisdom, will enable him to come closer to HaShem through that thing. Thus the Rebbe refers to Divine wisdom as “a great light that shines for a person in all his ways.” However, as he explains here, Divine wisdom is incomprehensible unless its profundity is channeled through constriction into lower seikhel/lower wisdom. This involves simplifying that wisdom through the indirect explanations and hakdamot, introductory principles, that typically precede the presentation of any complex material. It is comparable to the pedagogical methods employed by the teacher who teaches a young child.

הוְכָל מַה שֶּׁהוּא קָטָן בְּמַעֲלָה בְּיוֹתֵר, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁהוּא חוֹלֶה בְּיוֹתֵר, הוּא צָרִיךְ רוֹפֵא גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר, דְּהַיְנוּ רַבִּי גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה גָּדוֹל בְּמַעֲלָה כָּל־כָּךְ עַד שֶׁיּוּכַל לְרַפְּאוֹת אוֹתוֹ גַּם כֵּן, וְיוּכַל לְסַבֵּב עִמּוֹ גַּם כֵּן עַד שֶׁיַּכְנִיס בּוֹ הַשָּׁגוֹת אֱלֹקוּת, שֶׁזֶּה עִקַּר הַתַּכְלִית וְכוּ׳.

5Therefore with regard to Divine wisdom, the further a person is from HaShem, the greater the constriction he requires to attain that wisdom. The more immature his spiritual level, and, homiletically speaking, the more spiritually ill he is, the greater the “doctor” he requires—that is, the greater the rav he requires. This rav has to be so great that he can cure even him. He must be able to explain the essential matter to him in indirect ways—through the constriction of Divine wisdom into lower wisdom—until he succeeds in instilling into him perceptions of Godliness; their attainment being the main purpose for which man was created.

ווּמְבֹאָר שָׁם, שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַצִּמְצוּמִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַהַקְדָּמוֹת וְכוּ׳, שֶׁעַל יָדָם בָּאִים לַהַשָּׂגוֹת אֱלֹקוּת, הֵם בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה, בְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת, בְּחִינַת שְׂעָרוֹת, בְּחִינַת (תקון ע): ״שִׁיעוּרִין דְאַתְוָון דְּאוֹרַיְתָא״.

6In his lesson⁴ the Rebbe clarifies that these constrictions, which are the hakdamot that enable a person to attain perceptions of Godliness, correspond to lower wisdom, the holy and uncomplicated understanding of Godliness that can be found in the simple Jew. Lower wisdom equates with the sefirah of Malkhut,⁵ (see Charts, p. 252), and as such interfaces with this physical world. which functions as a conduit to bring down higher wisdom to the lower realm. In this role, Malkhut corresponds to the se’arot, hairs, of the head. Kabbalistic teaching conceptualizes the se’arot of the head as narrow channels leading to the mind,⁶6 Kabbalah depicts Divine wisdom as a radiant light that descends through the hair to provide the mind with mochin, mental faculties (Zohar III, 129a). As elements of consciousness, mochin are man’s primary means for drawing perceptions of Godliness. The Arizal explains that the hairs of the head (and beard) serve as narrow conduits for constricting Divine wisdom, whose radiance would otherwise be too bright for the human mind to absorb (Shaar Maamarei Rashbi, Peirush Sifra d’Tzniuta, ch. 1). comparable to constrictions. Thus the Tikkuney Zohar likens them to “shiurim, measurements, of the letters of Torah,” in the sense that the letters and also the mitzvot that the letters articulate are measured and calculated constrictions of Divine wisdom.⁷ serve as channels for constricting Divine wisdom in order to further man’s perception of Godliness. Tikkuney Zohar (#70, p. 122a) highlights their connection by pointing to the etymological similarity between the words Sei’AR(שֵׂעָר, hair) and ShiUR (שִׁעוּר, measurement).

זבְּחִינַת: ״שַׂעֲרָא אוּכְמָא״, ״שַׂעֲרָא בְּעִגּוּלָא״, בְּחִינַת (שיר־השירים א, ה): ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה״, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת: ״אַבְרָהָם תִּקֵּן שַׁחֲרִית וְכוּ׳״ (ברכות כו:).

7Two additional concepts that the Tikkuney Zohar links with Malkhut, “black hairs” and “surrounding hairs,”⁸ (II, 70-78) teaches that it is possible to accurately detect a person’s character and personality traits from his hair, facial features, and the lines of his fingers and hands. This is the art of chokhmat ha-partzuf (physiognomy). The Tikkuney Zohar (#70, p. 122a-124a) speaks of this as well, identifying hair that is black and hair that surrounds the head as indicative of the qualities associated with Malkhut. similarly represent constriction. Just as the image of large objects is reduced and constricted in the blackness of the pupil, Divine wisdom is constricted in the blackness of the hair. The same is true of the hairs that encircle the head; they signify constriction and the indirect explanations that transform Divine wisdom into lower wisdom. The link between Malkhut and blackness is alluded to in the verse “I am shachor but pleasing.”⁹ (#70, p. 124a) teaches that a worthy person with black hair possesses traits similar to the Shekhinah, namely Malkhut, of whom it is written, “I am black but pleasing.” In context here, the Shekhinah declares, “I am black”—in this world I manifest through constriction, as lower wisdom—“but pleasing”—for my essence is actually Divine wisdom. This relates to the teaching of Chazal that “Avraham instituted Shacharit.”¹⁰ 26b teaches that each of the Patriarchs instituted one of the three daily prayers., ¹¹ (שחרית) is etymologically related to ShaChaRut (שחרות, blackness), and so likewise alludes to constriction. For Avraham was the first to constrict Divine wisdom in order to instill perceptions of Godliness into the common people.

חוּצְרִיכִין לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת הַמַּלְכוּת וְכוּ׳ עַל־יְדֵי אוֹר הַפָּנִים הַמֵּאִיר בְּשָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים וְכוּ׳.

8And after constricting Divine wisdom into lower wisdom we have to infuse that wisdom, the sefirah of Malkhut, with vitality.¹² The way to invigorate Malkhut is through the Ohr HaPanim, the Light of the Supernal Countenance,¹³ (פנים, face) of anything is an expression of its PeNiMiyut (פנימיות, innerness and essential-being). The light of the panim is thus a manifestation of that inner essence. Kabbalah teaches that HaShem’s Ohr HaPanim (see Bamidbar 6:25) is the Light that shines from the sefirah of Keter (the Divine persona of Arikh Anpin; see Appendix A, p. 233), a level even more exalted than perceptions of Godliness from Chokhmah. See notes 55 and 56 to LM I, 30, that this Light of the Supernal Countenance shines into and invigorates Malkhut; see also LM I, 23, which links the Ohr HaPanim with joy, as Reb Noson does here. which shines when we are joyous on the Shalosh Regalim.¹⁴ of HaShem your God” (Devarim 16:16, translation based on Chagigah 2a; see also note 116 below).

טוְלִפְעָמִים נוֹפֶלֶת הַמַּלְכוּת, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת ד׳, לְהָאַרְבַּע מַלְכֻיּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם חָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת.

9But sometimes the sefirah of Malkhut falls. Malkhut is synonymous with the letter dalet, which has a numerical value of four and can be read as d’let, the Aramaic word for “that has no.” The Zohar says of the sefirah of Malkhut that it has no light of its own.¹⁵ 6:6: “It [Malkhut] has no light of its own”—only what which it receives from the other sefirot. Thus the light that illuminates Malkhut is one that has been reduced by repeated constriction. This “impoverishment” is reflected in Malkhut being When spelled .(ד) associated with the Hebrew letter dalet it can alternatively be vowelized ,(דלת) out, as DaLeT poverty), and so relates to ,דלות) as the word DaLuT as in “that has no light of its ,(דלית) the Aramaic D’LeiT own.” Malkhut’s connection to the dalet links it as well to the dalet’s numerical value of four (see Charts, p. 259). This lack renders Malkhut susceptible to the rule of the Four Kingdoms.¹⁶ 44:19; Rashi on Bereishit 15:14. See §6 of the Rebbe’s lesson that just as there are Four Kingdoms of holiness, one for each of the Four Worlds (see Appendix A, p. 235), there are Four Kingdoms of evil, represented by the four empires under whose rule the Jewish people have been subjugated (Babylon, Medea/Persia, Greece, and Rome). We know too that wherever the Jews were in exile, the Shekhinah, which is Malkhut, was there with them (Megillah 29a). This is the sefirah of Malkhut, namely lower wisdom, falling amid the Four Kingdoms. These Four Kingdoms of evil incorporate all the powers of impurity and the kelipot, the forces of evil. As relates here, they are associated with extraneous wisdom, the alien thoughts and godless philosophies that keep man from attaining perceptions of Godliness.¹⁷, extraneous wisdom draws more than it should, it overpowers Malkhut. This creates the rule of the Four Kingdoms, the four exiles.” in ba-kesilim is generally (בַ)ּ ”

יוּמִי יוּכַל לִסְבּוֹל אֶת קוֹל הַצְּעָקָה כְּשֶׁנּוֹפֶלֶת הַמַּלְכוּת בֵּינֵיהֶם, בְּחִינַת (קהלת ט, יז): ״זַעֲקַת מוֹשֵׁל בַּכְּסִילִים״, שֶׁהַכְּסִיל רוֹצֶה לְהִתְחַכֵּם וְכוּ׳. וּצְרִיכִין לְחָתְכָהּ מֵהֶם, בִּבְחִינַת ״חֲתָּכוֹ לְאַרְבַּע״, וְזֶה עַל־יְדֵי הַחֶסֶד שֶׁמִּתְגַּלֶּה עַל־יְדֵי הַתּוֹכֵחָה וְכוּ׳. עַיֵּן שָׁם כָּל זֶה הֵיטֵב.

10And who can bear the sound of wailing when Malkhut falls under the rule of the Four Kingdoms and is caught in their midst? This is as in “the shouts of a ruler ba-kesilim”—the screaming that ensues when Malkhut, the manifestation of sovereignty and rule, falls amid the foolish.¹⁸ rendered as “over,” in context here it suggests “amid.” The “ruler,” namely Malkhut, is trapped “amid” the kesilim, namely the Four Kingdoms. It cries out because when the foolish want to become clever, they draw from lower wisdom/Malkhut, but twist that wisdom in accord with their foolishness. To redeem lower wisdom, we must sever Malkhut from them. This relates to the incident in which the prophet Shmuel killed King Agag of Amalek and “cut him into four.”¹⁹ Shmuel cut and severed the dalet—namely the Malkhut of holiness—from Agag, the embodiment of the Four Kingdoms of evil.²⁰ For us, this severing of Malkhut from the realm of the kelipot takes place by means of the revelation of chesed, loving-kindness, occasioned by the rebuke of the tzaddikim. Study all this well in the Rebbe’s lesson.²¹, even if occasionally we are humiliated by it. The wisdom contained in their words of rebuke reveals chesed, as in “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the Torah of chesed is on her tongue” (Mishlei 31:26). Reb Noson will expand on this in §8 below.Reb Noson has highlighted some key concepts from Rebbe Nachman’s lesson on attaining perceptions of Godliness. This requires a tzaddik capable of constricting Divine wisdom into lower wisdom, the uncomplicated understanding of Godliness found in a simple Jew. While indispensable, such constriction leaves lower wisdom, which equates with Malkhut, with two faults in need of rectification. The first is that, for some, lower wisdom fails to inspire; it feels limiting and insufficiently spiritual. Constriction has, as it were, robbed lower wisdom of its light, so that like Malkhut, it has no light of its own (see note 15). To rectify lower wisdom, we need to infuse it with Ohr HaPanim (see §3-§5 below). Lower wisdom also has no response to heresy and the godless ideologies that would confound it. Herein lies its second deficiency. For if a person’s emunah is not strong, lower wisdom’s artlessness, its innocence, leaves him defenseless against the attraction of extraneous wisdom, the secular studies and philosophical inquiry foreign to Torah and Jewish tradition. The rectification for this is the revelation of chesed, the uncovering of the love concealed within the tzaddik’s rebuke, through which he brings back to HaShem those who have grown distant from Him (see §4 and §8 below).