Likutei Moharan, Part II 5:10/ליקוטי מוהר"ן·תנינא ה׳:י׳

110. However, foods, too, play a role in a dream. Foods produce vapors that ascend to the brain, where they are formed into dreams during sleep. It is therefore necessary to strengthen the angel, so that the foods do not blemish the dream. For when the angel lacks strength, the foods mar the dream, making it a dream mediated by a demon, God forbid.

2For [the earth] has seven regions, each with an angel appointed over it, as in “seven are the eyes of God—they range over the whole earth” (Zechariah 4:10). Each region therefore grows different produce, consistent with its appointed [angel]. This is why they are divided into seven regions, corresponding to the Seven Shepherds, the concept of tefilin from which angels are created.

3Now, when an influx of bounty descends, the first to receive it is the angel in charge there. After that it descends via the demons that reside in the air. They receive the bounty only in transition, sapping from it only enough to ensure their existence. Finally, the bounty descends below, to that place and field for which the bounty is headed.

4And then the king receives the bounty, as in “It is you, O king…,” which is said there about the tree that “there was food for all in it” (Daniel 4:18-19). This is the meaning of “[Even] a king is beholden to the field” (Ecclesiastes 5:8), for the king receives bounty from the field. In other words, when the bounty descends below, then the king receives it.

5All of these receive from the concept of Shadai, and for that reason they all get their name from Shadai. SheiD (demon) is etymologically similar to ShaDai, and so too is SaDeh (field). One who works the field is likewise named after Shadai, as in “breaking up veSaDeid (and furrowing) his land” (Isaiah 28:24).

6Now, when the angel is strong, the demons receive bounty only in transition, sapping from it only enough to ensure their existence. But when the angel is weakened, God forbid, [the demons] take the angel’s power for themselves. Then, because they have literally ingested the angel’s power, the foods that grow because of them have the demon’s power mixed into them. It follows, that when the foods grow, the demon’s power is one of the ingredients which promotes their growth. Thus, when these foods are eaten, they produce a dream mediated by a demon, God forbid.

7What’s more, they are also capable of defiling a person during sleep, by means of the well-known defilement, God forbid. This is because the angel is the concept of fire, as it is written “[The creatures] had the appearance of fiery coals, burning like the appearance of torches” (Ezekiel 1:13). Thus, when the angel is weakened and the demons then take the angel’s power for themselves, they use this fire to sexually excite and pollute a person with the aforementioned defilement, God forbid.

8And so it is necessary to strengthen the angel. This fortifying is accomplished through joy, as in “A joyous heart makes a good countenance” (Proverbs 15:13), which alludes to an angel, as in “and so an angel of His countenance delivered them” (Isaiah 63:9)—it is fortified through a joyous heart. This is why the abode of the angels is called SheChaKim, on account of the S’ ChoK (laughter) and joy, because the angels are mainly strengthened through joy.

9This relates to the joy associated with tefilin. As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Rabbi Yirmiyah was exceedingly buoyant… and said: “I am wearing tefilin” (Berakhot 30b). In other words, the concept of an angel is created through tefilin /intellects, and so joy is required in order to strengthen the angel.

10Therefore, when a person has a bad dream, the rectification is a fast, because a taANniT (fast) is synonymous with joy, as it is written (Psalms 90:15), “Give us joy for as long as ENiTanu (You have afflicted us).” Fasting brings joy, and through joy we fortify the angel, thus rectifying and subduing the bad dream—i.e., a dream mediated by a demon, which occurs when the angel lacks strength.

11This is why when someone does not want to fast over the dream, his well-wishers say to him: “Go, eat your bread with joy” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). His eating should be with joy, so that it strengthens the angel and lays low the demons that cause dreams to be blemished through the foods.

12And angels are strengthened mainly in the month of Nissan, because Nissan is the new year for kings (Rosh HaShanah 2a). Everyone’s appointment is renewed at that time, and all the angels are given their appointment as well. And it is then that Divine Will is renewed, as in “He does as He wishes with the host of Heaven” (Daniel 4:32). This is because they are all given their appointment then, according to God’s Will, and so the angels rejoice and are strengthened.

13The reason for this is that Nissan is the time of redemption, for in Nissan they were redeemed (Rosh HaShanah 11a). And it is known that the Egyptian exile was primarily to rectify the sin of the first man, whom the demons sexually excited and he begot demons… (Eruvin 18b; Bereishit Rabbah 20:11). As discussed above, sexual excitement is caused by the weakness of the angel. This led to the Egyptian exile. But they were redeemed in Nissan, at which time the first man’s sin was rectified. It follows, that the angels are strengthened in Nissan, paralleling the rectification of the first man’s sin in Nissan, at the time of the redemption from Egypt.

14This is as it is written (Exodus 7:4) : “I shall take out My hosts”—this alludes to the angels. They went out and were redeemed in Nissan, because they were strengthened and rectified then. And so the main renewal of Divine Will—i.e., “He does as He wishes with the host of heaven”—is in Nissan, for that is the time of their rectification and strengthening.

15Nevertheless, also throughout the year, it is possible to renew Divine Will by means of joy. This is because joy strengthens the angels. Then joy is awakened in the angels, as if Divine Will were renewed—i.e., “He does as He wishes with the host of heaven”—on that very day; as if they received their appointment on that very day. But the primary renewal of Divine Will is in Nissan, and so that is when they get their main strengthen. Thus, by rights that aforementioned defilement should be entirely eliminated in Nissan, since the angel’s power has been rectified and strengthened.