Likutei Moharan 38:2/ליקוטי מוהר"ן ל״ח:ב׳

12. But it is impossible to achieve <attachment,> the aspect of tefilin, except by elevating speech <to its source> and rectifying it. This is because the spoken word is the breath of the Holy One, an aspect of “Malkhut is mouth” (Tikkuney Zohar, Introduction, p.17a). <And it is> an aspect of the sea, for all the streams flow <and are drawn> into it, as is written (Ecclesiastes 1:7), “All streams flow into the sea.”

2[The spoken word] is also an aspect of Adonoy, as is written (Psalms 51:17), “Adonoy, open my lips.”

3Thus when speech/ Adonoy is blemished, the blemish turns the “ruach of His mouth” into a ruach se’arah (storm wind). For <there are> twenty-seven letters; <the entire Hebrew alphabet together with the five end-letters are twenty-seven. And each letter> is comprised of ten. This yields the same numerical value as RA (evil). The aspect of speech, which is Adonoy, is thus turned into Reish Ayin letters. Se’ARaH — Samakh Heh is ADoNoY, and Reish Ayin letters.

4This is the aspect of (Psalms 148:8), “a storm wind that executes His word”—they execute and rectify the spoken word and elevate it from the aspect of storm wind.

5Now, this storm wind is the Great Accuser. From it come all accusations and tests. It is “after the d’varim (words),” for it draws sustenance from the spoken word when it finds an opening to tap—i.e., “sin [couches] at the door” (Genesis 4:7) ; and it is also written (Micah 7:5), “Guard the openings of your mouth.” And as is written in the Zohar (I, 119b): “Then, after the d’varim, the Lord tested Avraham” (Genesis 22:1).

6[The storm wind] is also what causes a person’s body to become agitated. Also, all the libel and evil spoken about a person come from the storm wind, from this “after the d’ varim,” for it is an aspect of “an end to all flesh” (Genesis 6:13) —it brings an end and a finish to all flesh.

7Likewise, people who judge their fellow men unfavorably and constantly scrutinize other people’s shortcomings, are from the aspect of “an end to all flesh.” As is written (Job 28:3), “He puts an end to darkness, he scrutinizes every limit”—he scrutinizes constantly in order to put limit and utter ruin to every matter, and to arouse judgment, to libel and to accuse, as is written (Isaiah 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea which cannot be still.”

8Thus every person must try to subdue the side of “an end to all flesh” to the spoken word of holiness. As is written in the Zohar: “He loads down his donkey with a grapevine” (Genesis 49:11) —“grapevine” is the Community of Israel (Zohar I, 238a). [This is] as it is written (Psalms 80:15), “attend to this grapevine,” and as is written (Genesis 49:28), “and this was [what their father] said.”

9And when he subdues <the storm wind>—i.e., he takes from it all the words that fell into it—then <the verse> “He reduces the storm to a calm” <will be fulfilled> (Psalms 107:29).