Likutei Moharan, Part II 67:1/ליקוטי מוהר"ן·תנינא ס״ז:א׳

1(Connecting the Torah’s start with its end.)

2Bereishit (“In the beginning”)—l’einei kol Yisrael (“before the eyes of all Israel”)

3There are clouds which cover the eyes. As is brought, these are Greater Rome and Minor Rome (Zohar III, 252a). And this is the concept of “The clouds return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2)—this refers to eyesight, which is weakened as a result of weeping, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Shabbat 151b). On account of weeping, the light of the eyes weakens and fades away.

4And this is the concept of the light going down in the West. For the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It follows, that “west” signifies the descent of the light. This is all on account of weeping, which causes the light of the eyes to fade away—namely, the concept of the light going down.

5MaARaV (West) is thus an acronym for “Rachel M’vakah Al Banehah (weeps for her children)” (Jeremiah 31:15; as brought in the teachings of the Ari). For the Shekhinah (Divine Presence) is in the West (Bava Batra 25a), and the Shekhinah weeps and moans, as it were, over the Jewish people, as in “Rachel weeps for her children; she refuses to be consoled for her children, who are gone.” She weeps over the suffering of the Jewish people, who are dispersed among the nations and are gone from their place.

6Therefore, the light’s descent is in the west. For weeping causes the light of the eyes to fade away, which is the concept of the light going down, as mentioned above.

7This is also the concept of the Kotel HaMaaravi (Western Wall), which is where the Shekhinah weeps and moans over the destruction of the Temple, for there, in maarav , “Rachel weeps for her children,” as mentioned above.

8Now, there are “luminaries of light” and “luminaries of fire” (Zohar I, 20b). They are opposites, such that when the luminaries of light are strong, then the luminaries of fire are subdued. And, so too, in reverse, God forbid; when the luminaries of light are subdued and removed, God forbid, then the luminaries of fire become powerful. This is the concept of the Holy Temple’s destruction, the concept of “From on high He sent a fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13). The luminaries of fire grew powerful due to the removal of the luminaries of light, as in “Rachel weeps over her children,” for the weeping is the departure of the luminaries of light, and then, God forbid, the luminaries of fire become powerful, the concept of “From on high He sent a fire…,” as mentioned above.