Chasidut · Breslov
Likutei Moharan, Part II 37:2/ליקוטי מוהר"ן· תנינא ל״ז:ב׳
אאֲבָל אֲנִי, אֵין בּוֹחֵר לְעַצְמִי מִשְּׁתֵּי הַכִּתּוֹת הַנַּ"ל, כִּי־אִם לִזְכּוֹת לַחֲזוֹת בְּנֹעַם ה', וְזֶהוּ: אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ; שֶׁדָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ, עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, אָמַר, שֶׁבָּחַר לוֹ רַק לִזְכּוֹת בְּצִדְקוּת שֶׁלּוֹ לַחֲזוֹת פְּנֵי ה' וּלְהַכִּיר הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ,
12. But I choose for myself neither of the aforementioned two groups, but to merit “to behold the pleasantness of God” (Psalms 27:4). And this is “As for me, in righteousness, I will behold Your face.” King David, may he rest in peace, said that in merit of his righteousness he chose nothing for himself other than to behold the face of God and recognize the blessed Creator.
בוְגַם הַבָּנִים שֶׁהוּא חָפֵץ לְהַשְׁאִיר, כַּוָּנָתוֹ רַק בִּשְׁבִילוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁלִים, כִּבְיָכוֹל, צֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ, כִּי הַבָּנִים דִּקְדֻשָּׁה הֵם גְּבוֹהִים מְאֹד. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יבמות סג:): כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹסֵק בִּפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה, כְּאִלּוּ מְמַעֵט אֶת הַדְּמוּת; כִּי כְּשֶׁבָּא וְנוֹלָד בֵּן בָּעוֹלָם, נוֹלָד וּבָא צֶלֶם אֱלֹקִים, כִּבְיָכוֹל, וְנִשְׁלָם צֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ.
2And even the children he wishes to leave over, his intention is only for God, in order to complete, as it were, “the image of His likeness” (Sheva Berakhot Liturgy). For the children of holiness are very lofty. And as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Whoever does not engage in procreation is regarded as if he has diminished the Divine likeness (Yevamot 63b). This is because with each additional child born into the world, an additional image of the Lord is born, as it were, and so “the image of His likeness” is [more] complete.
גוְזֶהוּ: אֶשְׂבְּעָה – דְּהַיְנוּ הַשְּׂבִיעָה שֶׁל בָּנִים, בְּחִינַת יִשְׂבְּעוּ בָנִים, הוּא רַק: בְּהָקִיץ תְּמוּנָתֶךָ, שֶׁעִקָּר שְׂבִיעָתוֹ שֶׁל בָּנִים הוּא רַק מַה שֶּׁהוּא מֵקִיץ וּמְעוֹרֵר בָּזֶה תְּמוּנָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, בְּחִינַת צֶלֶם דְּמוּת תַּבְנִיתוֹ, כַּנַּ"ל:
3This is the meaning of “I will be sated”—i.e., the satiation from children, as in “they are sated with children,” is only “upon awakening, by Your image.” In essence, his satiation from children is derived only from awakening and rousing the Blessed One’s image, the concept of “the image of His likeness.”