Likutei Moharan 31:15/ליקוטי מוהר"ן ל״א:ט״ו

115. In sum: The yearnings and longings for a holy thing are very precious <and pleasant>. Through them a soul comes into being. It is then completed by means of speech, as explained, and comes forth and is reincarnated. And there are times when a holy soul is reincarnated and comes into a wicked person. Thoughts of repentance occur to him, and [the holy soul] can bring him back to the right way.

2The reverse is also true. How much evil is caused by the yearning for an evil thing, God forbid. For the soul which comes into being as a result of evil yearnings is occasionally reincarnated within the tzaddik and can cause him to sin, God forbid.

3This corresponds to, “There is hevel (a vanity) done upon the earth, [that there are tzaddikim to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked; and there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the tzaddikim].”

4“Hevel” alludes to the hevel (breath) of the mouth from which the souls come forth. As a result of this, “there are tzaddikim to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked,” because a soul from evil desires has been reincarnated in them. “And there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the tzaddikim,” because a soul from good yearnings has been reincarnated in them.

5Occasionally, the tzaddik rectifies the soul that is reincarnated in him; and similarly, the wicked man corrupts the holy soul that is reincarnated in him. But of the beginning, when the soul arrives, the verse states, “there are tzaddikim….” For when an evil soul from evil yearnings first reaches him, thoughts of sinning certainly occur to him. But afterwards, it is possible that they will cause him to sin, and it is possible that he will rectify the soul. Similarly, “there are wicked men….” When a holy soul from holy yearnings first reaches him, thoughts of repenting certainly occur to him. But afterwards, it is possible that he will corrupt the holy soul, or that it will bring him back to the right way.

6This is the inner meaning of “falling on one’s face” [as part of the Tachanun prayer], the deeper intention of which is to elevate the soul in the aspect of feminine waters and create a union <of the Holy One and His Divine Presence>. For by means of the yearning and longing—the aspect of elevating feminine waters, as is known—from this itself a soul is created. It ascends and makes a joining and a union, as mentioned above: “through yearnings, souls—the aspect of vowel points—are created… and the souls unite.” This corresponds to the uniting and combining of the vowel points, the aspect of uniting the souls, and through the vowel points the letters unite and combine—analogous to the union of bodies.

7This is as is written (Numbers 23:21), “He does not look at aven (wickedness) in Yaakov,” [which can be understood] based on the way our Sages expounded: The Holy One does not attach an evil thought to a deed (Kiddushin 40a). This is the meaning of, “He does not look at AVeN”—the first letters of which stand for Vay Avdah Nefesh (woe! the soul has departed). This corresponds to longing and yearning, as above. That is, the evil longing and yearning the Holy One does not attach <to a deed>—“He does not look at aven in Yaakov.”

8And this is what is written (Psalms 145:19), “The will of those who fear Him He will do; and their screams He will hear, and save them.” That is, both aspects are necessary: will and speech. For will, which is the yearnings, acts so that the soul is created in potential. And, by means of speech, the soul comes forth from potential to actual. Then his request is done, as a result of his animating the letters for good, as explained.

9This is, “The will of those who fear Him yaaseh.” For through the will, i.e., the yearnings, the soul is created in potential. <For YAaSeH has the same letters as ASiYaH (action), and the World of Asiyah corresponds to soul, as is known.> And then his request and will are done in potential, as in, “The will of those who fear Him He will do.” Then afterwards, because of “their screams”—they express <their yearnings in a loud voice>—“He will hear, and save them.” As a result of speech, the soul is completed and comes forth from potential to actual.

10And then, the letters <combine> and become a vessel with which to receive good. His request is fulfilled in action, as above. For commensurate with the soul that he creates in potential or actual, the vowel points are made for the letters, and accordingly the letters are animated, and accordingly they actualize and do his request and will, as explained. <Understand well all [these concepts], for they are deep and contain amazing secrets.>