Likutei Moharan 17:1/ליקוטי מוהר"ן י״ז:א׳

1Vayehi Heim M’rikim Sakeihem (And it happened as they began emptying their sacks), that behold, each one’s bundle of money was found in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they became frightened. Their father Yaakov said to them, “You’re making me lose my children. Yosef is gone. And Shimon is gone. And now you want to take Binyamin? All these things are happening to me!” (Genesis 42:35-36)

2It is impossible to receive fear and love except through the tzaddikim of the generation. This is because the tzaddik of the generation is the one who reveals the fear and the love.

3For the tzaddik always seeks and searches [for ways] to reveal the will of the Holy One. For the Holy One’s will is in everything. It is in the creation at large, namely, that the Holy One willed to create the world generally; and it is in the particulars of creation. In each and every particular thing there is the Holy One’s will—namely, that the Holy One willed this specific thing to be as it is, with its specific form, strength and nature; whereas something else has a different form, a different strength and a different nature and demeanor.

4Now, the tzaddik always seeks and searches for this will, to comprehend and understand the Holy One’s will in each thing, such as: Why was it the Holy One’s will that the lion [be created] with the specific strength and power, the specific form, and the specific nature and demeanor that the lion has; whereas conversely, a small gnat is very weak and has a different nature, form and demeanor.

5This is likewise the case for the details of a particular thing, such as in the lion itself. Why is one of the lion’s limbs shaped as it is, having its specific strength and nature, while another limb has a different shape with a different strength, nature and demeanor. The same applies to all created things in the world: mineral, vegetable, animal and human. The differences between any one of these and the next are endless. Likewise, within each one itself, the dissimilarities in the details, between one limb and the next, are numerous. This is likewise so for the grasses, the trees and the other particulars of creation. There are very many dissimilarities in all their forms, strengths and demeanors.

6This all came about because of the will of the Creator, may His name be blessed, in that He wanted one thing to be as it is and another thing to be as it is. And the tzaddik always searches after this will. He comprehends and finds it through the pride that he finds in the Jewish people—collectively, as individuals, and in every detail of their lives.

7This is because the whole world was created only for the sake of the Jewish people. As our Sages said (Vayikra Rabbah 36:4): “‘Bereishit (In the beginning)’—for the sake of Israel who is called reishit (first).” This is because “Israel was first in [God’s] thought” (Bereishit Rabbah 1:4). In other words, the Holy One anticipated the pride and joy that He would have from the Jewish people. As is written (Isaiah 49:3), “Israel, I take pride in you”—and it is for the sake of this [pride and joy] that He created the entire world.

8Thus, absolutely the entire world was created only for the sake of the pride which [God] would take in the Jewish people. And this was [the intention in] all of creation, namely, that the general creation was for the sake of the collective pride that He would take in <the entirety of> the Jewish people.

9So too, the particulars of creation; they were [created] for the particular pride [He takes] in Israel. This is because each individual Jew possesses an innate worthiness for which the Holy One takes pride in him in particular. And even the least worthy Jew, even Jewish sinners, as long as he is called “Jew”—being called a Jewish sinner—he possesses an innate worthiness for which the Holy One takes pride in him in particular.

10This is likewise the case for the details of a particular thing. For in each and every limb and in each and every movement of a Jew, there is a different [quality in which the Holy One takes] pride. Thus, there are times when some base Jew [does no more than] shake his sidelock, and the Holy One takes great pride even from this.

11And the tzaddik, because he constantly seeks and searches, and finds the worthiness that exists in the Jewish people—collectively, as individuals, and in every detail of their lives; in every limb and movement of each individual Jew—as a result he understands and comprehends the entire will that the Holy One had in all of creation—in general, in particular and in the details of the particular. This is because the entire will of all of creation was all for the sake of the pride [He takes] in Israel, as explained. And each and every thing was created with His will: with this specific strength, and this specific nature and demeanor, commensurate with the pride [He takes] <in Israel>.

12Thus, when he knows and finds the pride that [the Holy One takes] in the Jewish people—collectively, as individuals, and in every detail of their lives—he knows the entire will that is in the general creation, in the particulars of creation, and in the details of the particulars.

13{This is because the pride which the Holy One takes in Israel is the root of creation. In other words, the collective worthiness in Israel in general—that the Holy One takes pride in the entirety of the Jewish people—this is the root of all creation in general. The same applies to the particular worthiness—that the Holy One takes pride in each individual Jew uniquely. It is the root of that particular thing of the creation which was created for the sake of that pride. And it is likewise so for the details of the particulars. The pride that the Holy One takes in every detail from every limb and movement of each individual Jew is the root of the details of the particulars of creation. In other words, [it is the root] of each and every limb in the details of the particular of each and every creation.

14The rule is: The primary intent of creation was for the pride that He would take in Israel. And this pride is the root and the vitality of the entire creation—in general, in particular and in the details of the particular. For the Holy One’s entire will in creating the world—in general, in particular and in the details of the particular—was commensurate to the pride that He takes in the Jewish people—collectively, as individuals, and in every detail of their lives. This is because the creation in general was created with the specific form, order and demeanor which the creation in general possesses, commensurate with the collective pride that He takes in Israel collectively. So, too, every particular thing was created with a specific form and nature commensurate with the unique pride that He takes in each individual Jew in particular. And this is likewise so for every detail of their lives, as mentioned above.

15Therefore, by finding the pride which the Holy One constantly takes in the Jewish people—collectively, as individuals, and in every detail of their lives—the tzaddik thus knows the reason for the entire will which the Holy One had in all of creation—in general, in particular and in the details of the particular. This is because the entire will of the creation—in general etc.—was according to the pride that He would take in the Jewish people—collectively, etc.—as above.

16Understand this well, for these words are very profound. From them you can understand the Creator’s greatness, and the greatness of Israel, as well as the greatness of true tzaddikim—how they view the world, knowing of each blade of grass and every created being in the world, the very specific reason for its form, strength and demeanor. I have therefore taken the time to go back over the material, due to its great subtlety and depth.}

17And because the tzaddik reveals the pride which the Holy One takes in His nation, Israel, through which the will of the creation is revealed, as a result fear and love are revealed.

18This is because the revelation of the pride causes a revelation of the fear. <Thus we find,> through the revelation of the pride which the Jewish people take in Him, <their fear descends upon all the gentiles>. This is because the hitPaARut (pride) of Israel is synonymous with tefilin, which are called Pe’ER (Berakhot 11a). Through <the tefilin which the Jews adorn> there is a revelation <and a fear of them descends upon the gentiles>. As our Sages said: How do we know that the tefilin give might to the Jewish people? For it says (Deuteronomy 28:10), “Then all the nations of the world will realize that God’s name is upon you, and they will fear you.” <And Rabbi Elazar said that this refers to the head tefilin .> Therefore, through the revelation of the pride which the Jewish people take in the Holy One, <their fear descends upon all the gentiles>.

19This is likewise the case with the revelation of the Holy One’s pride—the pride which He takes in Israel; this being the tefilin of the Holy One, as our Sages teach (Berakhot 6a) {“How do we know that the Holy One wears tefilin?” And it is explained there that the tefilin of the Holy One have written in them the pride which He is takes in His people, the Jews; as we find, “The tefilin of the Master of the world have written in them, ‘Who is like Your people, the Jews’ (1 Chronicles 17:21) ; ‘for which nation is so great…’” (Deuteronomy 4:7) }. By virtue of this pride, the fear of the Holy One—namely, to be in awe of Him—is revealed. And because of this, the fear is revealed even upon the celestial beings.

20For the truth is that in the king’s presence, everyone certainly is frightened and in awe. Even so, on the birthday of the king, the coronation, when the king wears his garments of splendor, then the fear is revealed all the more. Thus, although prior to this everyone knew of the king, yet, the one who sees it is far more impressed in his soul, as is known.

21{The explanation is as follows: Anything which one sees with the eyes makes more of an impression on his soul than his merely knowing it intellectually, without actually viewing it, as is explained in the writings. For example: When a person is told about the king’s greatness, even though he knows these things clearly, his soul is not moved to fear the king as much as when, with his own eyes, he sees the king’s greatness—when the king is adorned in his garments of splendor, directing his army etc. At such time, fear descends upon him all the more, because seeing makes a greater impression on the soul.}

22Thus, when the tzaddik reveals the pride which He takes in Israel, this corresponds to the king’s birthday, the royal coronation. That is, the aspect of kingdom is born <by virtue of the revelation of the pride which the tzaddik reveals>. This is because in the main, kingdom is only through the Jewish people who accept His kingship. For there is no king without [the acknowledgment of] a people.

23And so, on the birthday of kingship, the royal coronation—namely, when there is a revelation of the pride [He takes] in Israel—then the soul of the one who sees it is moved, and His fear is revealed and descends upon everyone, even the “shinaney ShaChAK” (the celestial beings). This corresponds to (Psalms 68:35), “Upon Israel is His majesty”—when his majesty and splendor are revealed upon the Jewish people, then “His might is in the Sh’ChAKim (celestial heights).” “Might” corresponds to fear, as mentioned above: “How do we know that the tefilin give might to the Jewish people?”—namely, how do we know that His fear has been revealed even upon the celestial beings? Because the soul of the one who sees it is moved.

24And, through the revelation of the pride/the revelation of fear, there is a revelation of will, which is synonymous with love. For this is the manner of the king on the day of his coronation—he wears garments of splendor. Then great fear descends upon all of them, and they all are frightened and terrified in His presence. Afterwards, the king reveals his will to each individual and distributes gifts to each and every one in line with [that person’s] status and in keeping with the king’s will and the love which he has for each one. This is the quality of love.

25<Just as by revealing the pride which the Holy One takes> in Israel the tzaddikim also reveal the will which the Holy One has in each and every thing, <so> too, on the day of the coronation, which is a time of revelation of pride, there is a revelation of His will. This is because afterwards He reveals his will to each individual, rewards them and elevates their stature, each and every one according to His will.

26This is the revelation of love. At first, when there was a revelation of pride, His awe and fear descended upon everyone. But later on, when they see the will of the King and His closeness to each one of them, they draw closer to Him <and serve Him with love and great desire, without idleness>.

27{To explain: Just as the pride which the Holy One takes in Israel brought about the will of all of creation, so too, the fear which comes through a revelation of this pride afterwards brings about a revelation of the will; so that later the King desires each and every one and draws him closer with His will. This is the concept of love. From this we can conclude that fear and love are drawn by the tzaddik who reveals the pride through which he finds the entire will which the Holy One had in all of creation. This is how fear and love come about.}

28This is (Psalm 89:18), “You are the splendor of their might; and with Your will, our stature will be elevated.” The “tiPhERet (splendor) of their might” is synonymous with fear which is revealed through a revelation of the hitPaARut, as above. This is because might corresponds to fear. And after this, “with Your will, our stature will be elevated.” For He reveals His will and elevates the stature of each and every one, through which there is a revelation of the love. Thus we see that the tzaddik reveals the fear and the love.