Likutei Moharan, Part II 5:7/ליקוטי מוהר"ן·תנינא ה׳:ז׳

17. The way to be saved from this is through the guardians of the generation. These Guardians of the Earth protect us and save us by subduing the seal of the Other Side that pride creates. This is as in “His pride is in the strength of his shields; a seal closed tightly” (Job 41:7)—they close and subdue the seal of the Other Side, the desire created by haughtiness.

2Their subduing this desire, the seal of the Other Side, creates the concept of tefilin, the intellects. These correspond to the seal of Holiness, as in (Song of Songs 8:6) : “Place me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm” (see Tikkuney Zohar #1, p.18a).

3And the intellects are rectified primarily by breaking the desire for illicit relations. This is because the body’s fluids are essential to the brain. The brain is like a lit lamp. The body’s fluids rise to the brain and become oil for the brain. It follows, that because the body’s fluids and fatty substances are essential to the intellects, therefore, subduing the desire for illicit relations, so that the body’s fluids and fatty substances are preserved, causes the fluids to rise to the brain and become oil, the essential element of the intellects.

4Therefore, by subduing this desire, the guardians create the concept of tefilin /intellects. They elevate the body’s fluids from the level of “his flesh becomes stopped up” and turn them into intellects, the concept of tefilin, because tefilin are the intellects’ shining radiance.

5And this is why tefilin are called “honor,” as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: “and honor” alludes to tefilin (Megillah 16b). Tefilin are created through the rectification of the desire for illicit relations, which corresponds to “the adulteress traps the haughty soul.” This is why tefilin are called Pe’ER (glory), because they come about through the rectification of the pride and hitPaARut (self-glorification) which converts bring about.

6And this is the meaning of “Moshe was a shepherd” (Exodus 3:1). Moshe signifies daat (unitive knowledge and awareness of God), the concept of intellects/ tefilin. He is the holy ro’eh (shepherd), the opposite of “ro’eh (he keeps company with) harlots” (Proverbs 29:3). This is also the concept of the Seven Holy Shepherds, as in “Moshe was a shepherd”—the concept of tefilin, [whose] shin of three heads and shin of four heads correspond to the Seven Shepherds.

7This is also the concept of the Shadai of tefilin, the concept of constriction. Every person has to reign in his mental faculties, not allowing the mind to go beyond his limit. This is so that the mind does not roam where it has no permission to go according to his level, as in: Do not inquire into that which is too wondrous for you; into that which is concealed from you do not investigate (Chagigah 13a). This is Shadai /constriction: ShaDaI—in Whose Godliness yeSh DaI (there is enough) for every creature (Rashi, Genesis 17:1). In other words, every created being has his dai and limit in His blessed Godliness. One is permitted to extend one’s intellectual pursuits only up to that boundary, no further. For the limit and restriction of each person’s intellectual pursuit is according to his measure [of worthiness]. Even in the realms of holiness, one is forbidden to go beyond one’s limits, as in: Do not inquire about that which is too wondrous for you…; the idea of “lest they break through to God in order to see…” (Exodus 19:21).

8And this is the meaning of “I will put you in the cleft of the rock” (Exodus 33:22), which was said about Moshe at the time he merited seeing and entering into the mystery. In other words, God promised to shield him. He would be concealed in the rock’s cleft—i.e., the constriction—so that the mind would not roam beyond his limit.