Likutei Moharan 12:3/ליקוטי מוהר"ן י״ב:ג׳

13. And should you wonder: If the Tanna was a perfect tzaddik, how is it possible that he teaches Torah capable of carrying a double entendre—a positive connotation, that the “tzaddikim will walk in them,” and an opposite connotation, that “sinners will stumble in them”?

2But know! the Tanna was a perfect tzaddik. His Torah was pure, without deficiency. That it appears to have in it this sense of cunning, this is [only] because all people receive <livelihood from the left side>. As it is written (Proverbs 3:16), “[Length of days in her right hand,] and in her left hand are riches and glory.” This is why the Tanna lapsed into some minute and miniscule oversight—corresponding to the left—while relating his teaching; so that <he would be able to bring down blessing> for the world and draw riches and glory to them. As is written, from “her left hand are riches and glory.” However, from the Tanna’s side, there is no crookedness and perversion <whatsoever>.

3And in this regard, prior to his studying the learned individual must know that when he sits down to study, the tzaddik, who is in the Garden of Eden, pays heed to his voice. As it is written (Song of Songs 8:13), “You who dwell in the gardens, companions hearken to your voice.”

4This is, “When Lavan heard the name of Yaakov, his sister’s son….” In other words, this is when the learned individual knows of Yaakov’s name—that Yaakov is “his sister’s son,” the aspect of virtuousness—because he <studies> this teaching with virtue and for its own sake. Thus Yaakov—i.e., the Tanna —pays heed to his voice.

5And “he ran to greet him,” embracing and kissing him. That is, through his <proper> studying, the spirit of the Tanna becomes bound with his spirit. This is the aspect of neshikin. “And brought him into his home”—he brings the spirit of the Tanna into the Torah he is now studying. For that is where his home is, as in, “Let the earth bring forth a living soul.”

6And “yeSaPeR (he told) Lavan.” This is similar to SaPiR (shining) and light. The spirit of the Tanna shines to the learned individual and enlightens him on “all that had happened.” Rashi explains that [Yaakov told Lavan that] he had not come [bearing gifts] but after having been robbed by his brother who had taken away his money. The meaning is: The Tanna’s spirit informs the learned individual that the Tanna comes to this aspect whereby his teaching carries a sense of cunning only after having been robbed by his brother who has taken his money. This is so that “in her left hand are riches and glory”—in order to draw upon them material blessing.

7When the learned individual knows all this, [then] Lavan says, “Yes, indeed, you are my own flesh and blood”—i.e., so that the learned individual should bind himself to the Tanna with a very strong attachment.

8“And he yeSheV (dwelled) with him for a ChoDeSh YaMim (month’s time).” He yityaSheV (dwelled) on the matter with the spirit of the Tanna, [to determine] how to repent <and> ChaDeSh YaMav (renew his days) spent in darkness. This corresponds to (Psalms 103:5), “Your youth is renewed like that of the eagle.”

9But the scholar-demon does not see all this and does not hear of the name of “his sister’s son.”

10He said to him, “You are my brother.” Lavan thinks and says that the Tanna also only delivers his teaching with craftiness, and that it hasn’t any virtuous aspect. He thinks that [the Tanna] is “his brother” in deceit; that everything is deception, God forbid. He does not want to repent and “speaks arrogant words, proudly and contemptuously, against the tzaddik.”