Knowledge (Continuned)
31. There are several aspects of sleep. There is physical sleep which is rest for the mind. There is also the aspect of learning which is an aspect of sleep in terms of devekut to the Creator - and this is learning the plain meaning of Torah. There is also sleep which is the aspect of faithful business dealings, and when a person deals faithfully in business, then the mind, which is the soul, enters the aspect of faith and is renewed there and strengthened from its tiredness, and it draws new intellect from the Light of the Face [of HaShem].
The main thing here is faith, that one must guard faith well. Then, when one's mind is weary, he renews it within the faith, through the aspect of sleep; whether by simply physical sleep, that then the mind is renewed, as is apparent in reality. However, the main thing is faith, and that is the recitation of Shema in bed which is read before sleeping. And it must be said with intent, in order to attach and place one's soul within faith at the time of sleeping. There, it will be renewed in the aspect of "new things of the mornings, great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3). Through this sleep, one will merit receiving a new intellect and soul from the Light of the Face.
And thus, one who has the aspect devekut [to HaShem], and his mind wearies by this, he then needs to learn the plain meaning of Torah and also to enter into faith at that time. That is, after his mind begins to become confused and he is unable to cling to HaShem anymore in the aspect of mind and knowledge, then he needs to "remove" his knowledge and mind completely and attach himself to faith in simplicity and learn the plain meaning of Torah in innocence and complete faith.
For truly, at the time the mind exists in attachment [to HaShem] or whatever level it is at (meaning, when it is not in the aspect of sleep), even then the main sustenance of the knowledge and mind is via faith - for there is no relying on the intellect alone, as is clarified above, in #15. However, when knowledge departs, then one must place it into faith alone, through one of the aspects of sleep as stated above. And there, the main thing is also faith. When one does business with faith, then his soul, which is his intellect, comes within the faith and is renewed there. (From Likutei Moharan I, 35)
32. Guarding faith is through fulfilling, "he speaks truth in his heart" (Psalm 15) while doing business (see also sec. Money, #21). (There^)
33. Before it has a revelation in Torah and serving [HaShem], every soul from among Israel is tested and refined in the exile of [all] 70 [prototype] nations; that is, in their [specific] lusts. For each of the 70 nations has its own bad trait of its own, which another doesn't have. And as a result of these traits, they (the 70 nations) are distanced from the 70 interfaces of the Torah.
And the shell/peel precedes the fruit. One who wants to eat the fruit needs to first break the shell/peel (Translator's note: the Hebrew term for "shell" also refers to the spiritual forces of evil and impurity). Therefore, before [a soul receives] a revelation of [divine] knowledge, which is a revelation of Torah, which is the essence of knowledge, wisdom, and truth - the soul must go through an 'exile'. That is, through the traits and lusts of the nations, in order to break them and to afterwards come to a revelation in Torah and serving [HaShem].
The main thing is to break the lust for promiscuity which is the summation/all-encompassment of all bad lusts and bad traits, and it is the main test and refinement. And when a person's soul comes into this test, exile, and refinement, which is essentially the lust for promiscuity, then he needs to raise his voice and cry out many cries that include at least 70. Just as the woman giving birth actually cries out 70 cries (Translator's note: these 70 cries are alluding to something spiritual, the number of physical cries is not necessarily important; it may be more or less than 70). Through this, one merits breaking this lust [along] with all the other lusts, and will merit a great revelation. And according to his rectification [of this lust], thus will be [the amount or which of] the revelation of the 70 interfaces of the Torah. (From Likutei Moharan I, 36)
34. A person must put forth effort to come to a wholeness of [divine] knowledge. That is, he'll merit holy knowledge as much as possible for a person to know and attain [until the amount that] it is impossible for a person to know more. It is impossible to come to this except through engaging in drawing people closer to serving HaShem. Through this, his mind becomes complete. [Also,] through this, he merits children and is able to heal barren women. (From Likutei Moharan I, 53)
35. This is the reason tzadikim weary themselves to go after people [in order] to draw them closer to serving HaShem. It isn't to increase their honor, God forbid, rather it's in order to complete their [divine] knowledge. (There^)
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