Likutei Moharan 17:8/ליקוטי מוהר"ן י״ז:ח׳

18. This is the explanation:

2Rav Safra related: One time, we were traveling by ship and we saw this fish which had raised its head out of the water. It had horns upon which were engraved: “I am the lighte st creature in the sea. I was three hundred parasangs [long], and I went to the mouth of the Leviathan.” Rav Ashi said: This was the sea goat, which st irs things up and has horns (Bava Batra 74a).

3We saw this fish which had raised its head out of the water… — “Fish” alludes to the concept of the good/the parts of the Jewish souls together with the converts, as explained. For fish merely have to be gathered in to become kosher for eating (cf. Chullin 27b). This relates to the parts of the <Jewish> souls, as alluded to in (Job 34:14), “Unto Him are gathered his spirit and soul.” It also relates to converts, as in (Psalms 47:10), “The nobles of the nations gathered.” This is also the reason why the Sages are called “the masters of gatherings (anthologies)” (Ecclesia st es 12:11). They are the ones who gather up the good together with the converts. And this good together with the converts raised its head out of the water — In other words, it removes the intellect from being drowned in stormy waters, from the foolishness which inundates the mind, as explained.

4It had karney (horns) upon which were engraved: I am the lighte st creature in the yam (sea). I was shin (three hundred) parasangs [long], and I went to the mouth of the Leviathan — “KaRNey” is the concept of charity, which corresponds to, “Wealth adds friends.” It is the KeReN (the capital) which remains for the World to Come. As in the words of Munbaz, “My ancestors stored below, but I stored above.”

5upon which were engraved — In other words, by giving charity, an engraving/writing is produced. This is synonymous with, “His fame went out to all the provinces”—to the good which is held captive among the <nations>; arousing it to repentance, to return to its source. <Then> the good remembers itself <and says>:

6I am the lightest creature in the yam — That is, I am more exalted than all the <Four> Worlds.

7YaM — <This is mem yod .> The mem alludes to the Four Worlds, <for there are ten Divine Emanations in each world>. The yod is synonymous with the wisdom that disseminates all throughout the <four> worlds, as is written (Psalms 104:24), “You made them all with wisdom.” And this is:

8the lightest creature in the yam — Just as a thing which is light floats to the top, so too the soul/the good is on top of all the worlds.

9I was shin parasangs long — That is, the soul remembers that it was once in the category of, “Israel was first in [God’s] thought,” and the Holy One consulted with her [the soul] in creating the world. This corresponds to, “These are the architects, those who dwell in the fields <and hedges>, [who were] together with the King in His work”—He consulted with the souls of Israel at the time of the world’s creation. In other words, she recalls that she was on such a high level, but now she is going to be eradicated and lost, God forbid.

10shin — This is the concept of thought which can be divided into three main categories: the conceptual, the emotional, the practical.

11parasangs — This alludes to the foot—namely, advice. As is written (Exodus 11:8), “And all the people who are at your feet,” [which Rashi explains as:] “who follow your advice.” In other words, the soul remembers that she was first in thought and [the Holy One] consulted and took advice from her when creating His world. And now:

12I went to the mouth of the Leviathan — Namely, to eradication and loss, God forbid. And because of this, she takes pity on herself and is aroused to return to her source. And this results in baaley teshuvah and converts, as explained.

13Rav Ashi said: This was the sea eeza (goat), which st irs things up and has karney (horns).

14EeZa — This alludes to EoZ, namely fear, corresponding to “You are the splendor EuZamo (of their might),” as explained above.

15which st irs things up — This alludes to the tzaddik. He is forever searching after the pride which [He takes] in each individual Jew, as above.

16and has KaRNeY — This corresponds to, “And with Your will, KaRNeYnu (our stature)”—namely, the love that is revealed by the tzaddik—“will be elevated.” This is because, by virtue of all the above concepts, the light of the tzaddik is revealed. And as a result, we merit to fear and love, as explained.