Likutei Moharan 61:3/ליקוטי מוהר"ן ס״א:ג׳

13. This is the reason that the wisdom of astronomy/astrology—knowing all the changes and future occurrences brought about by the spheres of the firmament—was taken from us and given over to [the nations]. Initially, this wisdom was given exclusively to us, as it is written (Deuteronomy 4:6), “since this is [proof of] your wisdom and discernment for the eyes of the nations”—and our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: What is this wisdom and discernment that is recognized by the nations? Say that this refers to calculating the seasons and the constellations (Shabbat 75a) .

2This entails <much> cleverness—keeping the hidden portion ours, even though we inform them of the wisdom. It is certainly necessary to inform them of the wisdom, in order that they might know of our wisdom; that we know <such a> wisdom, as it is written, “since this is [proof of] your wisdom….” If so, then after we inform them, it is no longer hidden. For don’t they know it as well? However, this entails cleverness, that we are able to inform them of the wisdom and nevertheless have the hidden portion remain with us. This is the aspect of “since this is [proof of] your wisdom and discernment for the eyes of the nations”—specifically “for the eyes of the nations.” That is, it is only to let the nations see; <so that they know it> at the moment we inform them, whereas immediately afterwards they know only that the hidden portion is with us. For we do not inform them of the wisdom’s essence, which is the Mystery of Intercalation. Except that this entails cleverness: we are able to disclose this wisdom only to let them see it, so that they might know that we possess this wisdom, yet its essence, the wisdom’s hidden portion, remains with us.

3This is the aspect of the Mystery of Intercalation, which is given over only to the generation’s greatest individuals, those with lofty souls. For the revolutions of the spheres are determined by intelligences, which are the angels. Each sphere has its individual intelligence, an angel, that guides its motions. This is what causes the variations in the revolutions of the spheres, so that the revolution of one sphere takes a month and follows one particular pattern, while the revolution of another sphere takes a year or more; and there is even a sphere that takes as long as a few thousand years until it completes its revolution.

4All this is determined by the variations in the intelligences, which vary commensurate with their distance from the first cause, and the spheres move accordingly. And all these intelligences receive from the comprehensive guiding force, which is the all-encompassing intelligence. This is the soul, which guides all their motions, in the aspect of “the soul [from] the Almighty enables them to understand” (Job 32:8)—i.e., the soul infuses them with their intelligence.

5{“Let him call out to the heavens above and to the earth to judge His people” (Psalms 50:4).} The soul is therefore called heaven, since it encompasses all the spheres, as it is written, “Let him call out to the heavens above”—this is the soul (Sanhedrin 91b). For the soul is the comprehensive guiding force of all the spheres, as explained above. This is why the soul is called GaLGaLta, on account of the GaLGaLim (spheres) of the firmament whose motion it guides. Therefore, these lofty souls are expert in the Mystery of Intercalation, since who knows their motions better than the force that guides them?

6And these lofty souls need to have a body that is in the aspect of “the fruit of the Land” (Isaiah 4:2), the aspect of the air of the Land of Israel. For when the air is sanctified in the aspect of the air of the Land of Israel, then all the fruits and grains that grow there, from which people are nourished and from which the drop of seed stems, are in the aspect of the Land of Israel.

7It is from there that the body is constructed, in the aspect of “I was knit together in the recesses of the land” (Psalms 139:15)—the aspect of the Land of Israel. The body is thus in the aspect of “the fruit of the Land.” And it is then suited for receiving a lofty soul, in the aspect of “Let him call out to the heavens above”—this is the soul; “and to the earth”—this is the body (Sanhedrin, op. cit.). For the soul reflects the body. When the body is pure and clean, it can receive a lofty soul; and the opposite is likewise true.

8Thus there are countries where the [people’s] intellect is obtuse and crass, and other countries where their intellect is clear and lucid. It all depends on the country, on the food that it produces. Therefore, when we are exiled from the air of the Land of Israel because of the aforementioned aspect, it becomes impossible to construct pure bodies, and we cannot receive a lofty soul. As a result, the Mystery of Intercalation is taken from us. {“My hand will be against the prophets who prophesy vanity and divine falsehood. They will not share in the mystery of My people, they will not be written in the writings of the House of Israel, and they will not come [back] to the land of the Israelites” (Ezekiel 13:9).}

9This is what the Sages, of blessed memory, said: “My hand will be against the prophets who prophesy vanity…. They will not share in the mystery of My people”—this is the Mystery of Intercalation. “They will not be written in the writings of the House of Israel”—this is ordination. “And they will not come [back] to the Land of the Israelites”—this is to be understood according to its plain meaning (Ketuvot 112a), as explained above.

10They will not be written in the writings of Israel—This is ordination. That is, by investing those who are unworthy with the title “rabbi,” we weaken the writings of the Jews, as explained above. And this is:

11and they will not come [back] to the Land of Israel—That is, they are banished from the aspect of the air of the Land of Israel, as explained above. And this is:

12They will not share in the mystery of My people—This is the Mystery of Intercalation. Because of this, the Mystery of Intercalation is taken from us, as explained above; all this, due to the aforementioned waste matter.