Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Eating 1-13

Eating

1. Through eating properly, as is fitting, which is to eat in moderation and not eating in a forceful manner, the intellect is repaired and foolishness is suppressed. However, when one eats like a glutton and drunkard, through this foolishness overpowers the intellect and through that the light of the tzadik becomes darkened and one is not able to receive from him fear and love [of HaShem]. (From Likutei Moharan I, 17)

2. Through [giving] charity to the true tzadikim and to fitting poor people (that is, poor people worthy of receiving charity), through this converts are made and damage in eating is repaired. Through that, the intellect is made whole and one merits to see the light of the tzadik, meriting to receive from him fear and love. (There^)

3. One who has a completeness of holy tongue and has shmirat habrit is able to arouse the sparks of the [Hebrew] letters that are in everything[, from which everything was created by HaShem's utterance], and then his eating and drinking and all his enjoyments are only from the sparks of the letters and his heart shines from this. Through this, his face shines and he merits to purify his face so much so that he is able to arouse others to repentance via them looking at his face only. For everyone will see their own face in his like a mirror and they'll see how sunken in darkness they are, until without rebuke and without reprimand he'll arouse is friend to repentance only from him looking at his face alone. (From Likutei Moharan I, 19)

4. When a person feels some hunger, that the lust for eating overpowers him, he should know that he has enemies. Therefore, he should rob and break his animalistic [instinct] that craves eating, for the essence of hunger is for the animalistic, and through that he is saved from his enemies. (From Likutei Moharan I, 39)

5. Through the lust for eating comes dispute, that people will insult and degrade him. And when one breaks the lust for eating he merits peace, and then there is also peace in his [HaShem's] heights above and thus great satiation is revealed and increased in the world. (There^)

6. One who is sunken in the lust for eating, it is definite that he is far from the truth and it is definite that judgments are out over him. Also, this is a sign of poverty and he will also come to disgrace and shame. (From Likutei Moharan I, 47)

7. One who breaks the lust for eating, the Holy One Blessed is He will do wonders through by his hand. (There^)

8. There are two [kinds of] people who sleep [away] their days and there are those who fell into the aspect of sleep through lusts and bad deeds. There are those who are good and pleasant people, only that their fall is through eating, for sometimes when a person eats a food that isn't clarified yet to [the category of] human food (in other words, that he did not eat the food the proper way, instead he ate it like an animal -translator's note). Through this his mind falls to the aspect of sleep, for when one eats in holiness and purity, then it enlightens his face, that is, his intellect - through his eating. However, when his eating is not in holiness, then the food brings wickedness to the heart and through that he looses his face and falls into the category of sleep. Even if it seems to the world that he is serving HaShem and busying in Torah and prayer, even so he is in the aspect of sleep, for all his service remains below and HaShem has no satisfaction from it. One must awaken him him from his sleep, but it is impossible to awaken him except if he awakens himself a little bit at first.  The awakening from sleep, that not to spend one's days, God forbid, in sleep one merits through the tales of the tzadikim of truth. Fortunate is the one who merits to come to a tzadik like this who is able to awaken him from his sleep, so he won't sleep his days [away], God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 60)

9. The food of the man of Israel needs to be food after it has been clarified and has no mixture from the forces of evil because through food like this that has a mixture in it a person can [come to] sin. The clarification of foods is through faith that one merits through fasting. Then, through his eating, a face to face unification between the Holy One Blessed is He and his divine presence is made. (From Likutei Moharan I, 62)

10. All the lusts are the aspect of 'shells' and 'extras' (these terms are used to denote forces of evil, demonic forces -translator's note), for without lusts, the body would [still] be able to exist. And when the lusts overpower a person, it is the overpowering of the 'shells' over holiness. The head of the lusts are the lust for eating and drinking; all lusts are drawn after them and when they overpower, they draw speech into exile and then one is in the aspect of "their throats are parched", and one is unable to speak a word before HaShem. The remedy for this is fasting, then one can speak. Through this, one can bring distant ones closer to HaShem which is the essential completeness of faith, and then one's eating will be very precious because a great unification is made through his eating. (There^)

11. Through the lust for eating, holy honor is damaged and then the brazen-faced of the generation overpower because the honor falls to the wicked nations and the brazen-faced of the generation who take up all honor and rule. Thus, it is the aspect of 'the hiding of the face' corresponding to the overpowering of judgments, God forbid. However, when one breaks the lust for eating, through this is 'the elevation of the face' corresponding to the cancelling out of judgments - and then holy honor is whole and there is no authority and honor for the brazen-faced. (From Likutei Moharan I, 67)

12. One must be exact in not eating more than his need because when one eats more than his need, it harms him a lot. For even the remaining food (all that which was eaten before one exceeded the amount necessary -translator's note) joins together with this food (all the food one ate after he exceeded what he needed -translator's note) and they harm him much. (From Likutei Moharan I, 257)

13. When a person eats excessive food, he is like an animal because the category of human is to eat only according to what is necessary; and when one eats more [than this], it is exactly the behavior of an animal. Through this, eating excessive food, comes the sickness of the fever, God forbid. Also, through not yet clarified food occurring within one's food, comes the sickness of the fever, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 263)

(Continue to the second part)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Sighing 1-4 (end)

Sighing

1. The sighing and groaning of a man of Israel is very precious, for it is the making whole of all that lacks. However, it is impossible to make a lack whole through sighing except through drawing closer to the [particular] tzadik who is the true Rabbi of in the generation. For from him the spirit of life is received to make whole any lack via sighing. (From Likutei Moharan I, 8; see sec. Tzadik, 11)

2. When a person prays properly, with devekut, or one who does hitbodedut properly, but in the middle [of it] he falls from his level - that is a result of damaged faith. Thus, he needs to break his heart within him and become ashamed of himself for having fallen and been thrown down from Heaven to earth; and he should have mercy on himself until he sighs. Through the sigh he will return to his level. (From Likutei Moharan I, 108)

3. Sighing of holiness is very precious because through one sighing over being far from holiness one is released from the cord of impurity and is hooked up to the cord of purity. Also, when one sighs over [as a result of] some lust that he yearns for - the opposite [happens], God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 109)

4. The sighing that a person sighs over his signs or over his lack of attainment [of holiness, Torah, etc] - this is better than several mortifications and fasts. (there^)

See more about the idea of sighing in sec. Brazenness, 2 and 3 that through the sighing of holiness, one breaks the brazenness of the body and then the soul can draw closer to the body and make known to it the attainments [of Heavenly wisdom] that it reaches, and more; see there.

(Continue to next section, Eating)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Truth and Faith 30-58 (end)

Truth and Faith (continued)

30. As a result of faith not being complete, through this many stumble in error and make intermediary means between them and HaShem. In other words, that they believe in HaShem but they believe also in an intermediary and say they need the means. Meaning they believe, for example, in the means of livelihood which is doing business. They say, "The means of doing business is the main point", as if, God forbid, that without the means of doing business the hand of HaShem is unable to give them a livelihood. Or that the means of healing is through medicine, and they make it the main point. As if, God forbid, that without medicine, the hand of HaShem is unable to heal. But the matter is not so! For HaShem is the means of all means and he is the grounds for all grounds and no one needs [other] means. And our business with these means needs faith in HaShem only and not to make the means the main point. (From Likutei Moharan I, 62)

31. The principle is that everything we do, whether it be prayer, learning Torah, doing commandments - everything is in order to reveal HaShem's kingdom and faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 77)

32. When one is very strong in faith, he merits afterward to come to intellect. All the more he strengthens in faith, he comes to greater intellect. Because the thing that was necessary to be understood first, because he didn't understand it [and thus had faith that it is so], afterwards he merits to understand it with the intellect through strong faith. Even afterward, there are higher things that are hidden from him and he is not able to understand them with his intellect. Thus, he needs to strengthen himself more in faith and to believe in that which is hidden from him now, which he can't understand with his intellect, until he merits to understand these things also with the intellect; thus it [repeats like this] forever. However, the faith needs to very, very strong until the faith spreads to all of his limbs. Then he will be able to merit to come to the intellect via the faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 91)

33. The [urge for] winning doesn't tolerate the truth. And even if a true matter will be clarified before him, he pushes it away because of [his will for] winning. Therefore, one who wants the ultimate truth must remove from himself the trait of [wanting to] win first; then he'll be able to see the truth if he wants to. (From Likutei Moharan I, 122)

34. Faith is correlated to the power of growth and the power of sprouting forth, and this is the aspect of patience. In other words, when faith is complete, one grows and sprouts forth in serving HaShem, no matter what happens, because no confusion or obstacle can confuse him. Rather, he makes himself patient to suffer whatever will come upon him, for all the obstacles and confusions to serving HaShem in which he doesn't draw closer to those who fear HaShem, is all a result of laziness and depression and the heaviness that comes from a lack of faith. Because if his faith in the truth was complete as is proper, he certainly would run and be very speedy to draw closer to them. Thus, that he does not pray properly is also a result of laziness and heaviness that comes from a lack of faith. Certainly, if he had complete faith and he would believe that HaShem was standing over him and listening to every word by word that comes out of his mouth and heard the sound of his prayer, he would definitely pray properly, with enthusiasm and great desire. Rather, the main confusion of prayer is from a lack of faith and thus, all of the distancing from tzadikim, God-fearers, and from truly serving HaShem - all of it is from a lack of faith through which laziness, depression, and heaviness come upon him. However, when he has complete faith, nothing can hold him back. Rather, he becomes patient to suffer anything, and he grows and sprouts forth in serving HaShem, as it should be. (From Likutei Moharan I, 155)

35. To merit faith and patience is through the Land of Israel. Everyone needs to request from HaShem to have a longing and yearning for the Land of Israel, until he merits to go there. Also, to have yearnings for all the tzadikim of the Land of Israel, which is a segula to cancel out anger and depression; for the faith and patience that one merits in the Land of Israel are the opposite of anger and depression. (There^)

36. The essential completeness of faith is to strengthen oneself in strong faith so much so that it will be very pure and clear. Until it seems to him that he actually sees with his eyes the thing that he believes, as is explained above.

37. Through dispute the thoughts of the wicked fall; which are thoughts of denial about good people. The remedy for this is to be silent and give over the battle to HaShem. (From Likutei Moharan I, 251)

38. A man of truth that does all the commandments with precision between himself and his Creator, just as he would before people - there is no division by him at all. For he has no amount of deceit [that he would] do, God forbid, some action in serving HaShem that is for [the sight of] people. He draws to himself the power of all righteousness (or charity) and through that cancels out thoughts of denial. (There^)

39. When a person is in some sort of trouble, God forbid, then the truth is damaged. Therefore, he needs to guard himself a lot, exceedingly, that he won't be trapped in some mistake or lie via the trouble, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan II, 2)

40. Through thanking HaShem at every time for everything that happens to him, particularly when he leaves some trouble, God forbid - and also through learning halakhot - the truth enlightens his speech and makes all the parts of speech whole. For the main existence and wholeness of speech is only through truth. He will also merit to pray in truth, which is the main wholeness of prayer; and he merits to receive the Torah of truth from a true Rabbi that will teach him the path of truth in his real Torah. He also merits to make true shidukhim, that HaShem will order for him and for his children their true mates. All this one merits through praising and thanking HaShem and through learning halakhot, as stated above. Through this, one merits to draw the blessing, holiness, and joy of the Sabbath to the six days of the week and through that, the simple oneness of HaShem is revealed through various workings; to believe and to know truly that all the various workings are drawn from the simple oneness of HaShem. This is a very precious aspect above, in all the worlds, and even by HaShem it is an amazing thing and very precious and important. (There^)

41. The main principle is faith. And everyone needs to search themselves [to determine] if their faith is whole and to strengthen themselves in faith, always. Because through a damage in faith come incredible blows which nothing can help - not medicine, not prayer, and not the merit of the Forefathers. Also, crying out of moaning and groaning will not benefit the sick, because sometimes these sounds can benefit the sick, that [Heaven] has mercy on him by this - but through a fall in faith, even these sounds don't help. (From Likutei Moharan II, 5)

42. When a person falls from faith, God forbid, then even crying out without speaking doesn't help. Then one must cry out from the depth of the heart, in the aspect of "from the depths I have called you, HaShem", from the depths of the heart. Through that, deep advice is revealed and via them faith grows and is fixed. Further through this, everything we mentioned above returns and is fixed, namely healing, prayer, and merit of the Forefathers. (There^)

43. Through a fall of holy faith, false beliefs are made and strengthened. Also to the opposite: when the holy faith is elevated and fixed, false beliefs are weakened and they fall; then the idolatrous nations come back and return from their false faiths to the our holy faith and converts are made. Sometimes potential converts are made, meaning that even though they don't come to actually convert, they recognize HaShem from the place they are at and they know and believe that there is a Single, Ancient One. Other times, actual converts are made who come and convert. These converts harm Israel and bring pride and promiscuity in Israel; they yet need many remedies for these. (There^, also see below sec. Tefillin 6)

44. The essence of complete faith is merited by drawing closer to the true tzadik that has ruah hakodesh, that through this, the medame is fixed. Through that is the main completeness of faith that one merits to believe in HaShem and in the renewal of the world which is the foundation of everything and the whole universe depends on it. (From Likutei Moharan II, 8, also see below in sec. Tzadik 98)

45. Faith depends on the mouth of a person, that one needs to speak faith with the mouth as it is written: "I will make known your faith with my mouth". Therefore, when a person falls from faith, God forbid, the advice for that is to speak the belief with his mouth, that he should say with a fullness of mouth that he believes etc. The person himself that speaks words of faith with his mouth, he himself is the aspect of faith. Also, through this he merits to come to complete faith, for faith depends on the mouth of a person as we've explained. (There^)

46. Also to the opposite, God forbid, one needs to be very careful not to bring upon his lips any statement of denial or heresy, God forbid, even by way of jest. In other words, that his heart believes, but he is saying a statement of denial in the name of someone else and is mocking it - even this is greatly forbidden, for it harms faith. For it is forbidden to say jesting matters about HaShem, even by way of joking [about the unbelievers]. (There^)

47. One needs to be very careful not to glance at all at books that talk about philosophy, because they're very harmful and damage the holy faith. It's already been explained in several places, but one must repeat this warning several times, so as not to lose one's world (i.e. his eternal life) for a moment, God forbid. (There^)

48. It is better to believe even in idiocies  and lies in order to also believe in the truth, rather than to deny everything, God forbid. Meaning to deny the idiocies and lies and through that everything becomes jest to him and he [ends up] denying also the truth. (From Sihot HaRan, 103)

49. Completeness of faith is only through believing in HaShem without any 'wisdom' at all, nor any sign or wonder at all, nor any philosophy at all - only to believe with simplicity and innocence, as the women and common folk of Israel believe. (From Sihot HaRan, 33)

50. There are sages which are sages even in the wisdom of Torah, but they have no faith. These 'sages' are called ba`alei rathan, and one needs to distance himself from them and from their dwellings with every kind of distancing, as our Sages of blessed memory warned to distance oneself from ba`alei rathan because the breath of their mouths harms an acceptable person very much. Also, one can fall to the lust for promiscuity, God forbid, through the breath of their mouth. These 'sages' are, by and large, greatly promiscuous. (From Likutei Moharan II, 81)

51. Through the joy of Torah and commandments until one dances as a result of the joy, the holy faith is elevated. (From Likutei Moharan II, 80)

52. When there is constriction of and damage of faith, one must do difficult service, for example fasting and the like; however, when the faith is whole, one can serve HaShem in everything, for the Holy One Blessed is He does not come to complaint with his creations. (From Likutei Moharan II, 86)

53. Faith is considered as charity/righteousness. (From Sihot HaRan , 34)

54. Through faith one merits children/sons. Faith is the same numerical value as children. (There^)

55. Faith is a very strong thing. Through faith and innocence without any wisdom one merits the aspect of desire which is above even holy wisdom, in other words that one will merit an extreme desire for HaShem with a great, intense craving to the point that he won't know what to do from the greatness of the craving and he will cry out with longing of the soul. (From Sihot HaRan, 32)

56. There are some who have [negative] thoughts about the holy faith come upon them as a result of not having been born in holiness as is proper. There are some whose bad deeds added [these thoughts] themselves, for there are sins which bring on thoughts of denial in a person. Therefore, this person needs [to feel] shame and [have] a broken heart, since one who has philosophies and thoughts like these, God forbid, that are against our holy faith - it is proper for him to be very, very ashamed for having come to this by his sins. And through shame and a broken heart, these denials are broken and cut off. Also, a great advice has already been explained for faith - to say and speak the faith with the mouth. (There^, see 45 above)

57. One who has faith, his life is life! However, one without faith, God forbid, does not have life at all. For there is no one who won't have great hardships, journeys, and troubles; for a man was born for toil. But when he has faith, then even when hardships and troubles come upon him, God forbid, he can comfort himself that HaShem will have mercy on him and will make his end good; and that the hardships are for his good and his atonement, for all that HaShem does is definitely a great good! However, a philosopher who that doesn't have faith - when some difficulty comes upon him, he has no one to turn to and nothing to enliven himself or to console himself with. Therefore, he has no life whatsoever, since he walks without HaShem and without [divine] supervision, God forbid. Through faith, however, one's life is always good. (From Sihot HaRan, 53)

58. The main belief in the Oneness is through the true tzadikim who are the edge of the letter dalet of "one" (in the Shema`. That is, the edge of the dalet distinguishes the letter dalet from a resh. If the word "one", "ehad" is spelled with a resh (ר) instead of dalet (ד), it reads "another", "aher" - in other words, the tzadikim who are likened to the edge of the dalet, make HaShem "one" in the world, removing idolatry which is "another" god -Translator's note). As it is brought in the holy Zohar that the tzadik is the edge of the letter dalet. (Sihot HaRan, 280)

(Continue to next section, Sighing)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Truth and Faith 1-29

Truth and Faith

1. The essence of redemption is based upon faith, for the essence of exile isn't for anything other than a lack of faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 7).

2. Faith, prayer, miracles, and the Land of Israel all correspond and each rely upon one another. (There^)

3. There are people who cover up all miracles by way of nature. And when these apikorsim who have no belief in miracles expire, and when faith will increase in the world - then the Messiah will come, for the redemption is based upon faith. (There^)

4. It is impossible to come to faith except through truth. (In other words, the essence of faith is only for that which the intellect doesn't comprehend, for in the place where the intellect understands, faith is not appropriate. If so, when the intellect doesn't understand, how will it come to believe in that which is needs to believe? Therefore, the essence of faith relies on on truth; that if a person wants to look upon the absolute truth, he will understand from it that one must believe the holy faith in HaShem, in the true tzadikim, and in his holy Torah even though it is impossible for our physical minds to understand this. For through looking upon the truth with a truthful eye, one will understand from a distance that the truth is such - only it is impossible to understand it with the intellect. One must only strengthen himself in complete faith. Understand well). (There^)

5. It is impossible to come to the truth except through drawing closer to the true tzadikim and to walk in the way of their advice; neither to turn to the right or to the left of their words. Through this one engraves truth in himself and merits faith. Also, one needs to distance himself from the advice of the wicked and of those who oppose and dispute the truth. one can succeed to all this through the commandment of tzitzit which corresponds to guarding against promiscuity which corresponds to the advice of the wicked; [thus, through this] one merits tikun habrit, which corresponds to the advice of tzadikim. (There^)

6. Through praying with might and putting all one's strength into the letters of the prayer, through this one succeeds to faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 9)

7. These people who deny all miracles and say that all goes according to nature and if they see some miracle, they cover the miracle up with 'according to nature' and say that this is all by way of natural course - they damage faith very much and they damage prayer and the Land of Israel, as well as lengthening the exile. (There^)

8. According to the lessening of faith is the [level of] the hiding of HaShem's face and his blazing anger, God forbid, and thence the tzadikim run away from authority and honor, and the world lacks a true leader. Through breaking anger via mercy, the blazing anger is sweetened, and thereby true tzadikim receive honor and leadership and [the world] merits a true leader, that all should come to the true end goal. (From Likutei Moharan I, 18)

9. A man should not accept leadership and authority unless his faith is so complete there is no completeness beyond it. Even one who believes in something of way of the Amorites, for example if a deer stops in the path [he believes it is an omen of something] - even though he believes in HaShem, he should not accept leadership. Even when a person thinks about himself that he has mercy on the world and therefore wants to lead them - truly, he is running after honor and he excuses his running [after honor] on [his having] mercy. Through this, one can come to apostasy and heresy, God forbid, but from Heaven they have mercy on him and don't place leadership in his hands. (There^)

10. One must guard faith very well, that it not become damaged, God forbid. For through a breach in faith one cannot receive correction from those who reprimand in truth. Peace is damaged while disassociation and controversy are formed, God forbid, and one comes to denial, idolatry, and false beliefs. For faith is the main upper seal of holiness and one must guard it very much since through [guarding] it all holiness is [also] guarded. (From Likutei Moharan I, 22)

11. It is impossible to merit complete faith except through coming to the true tzadikim of the generation, for they draw the essence of the faith of Israel to the generation, for they are the generality of holiness. (There^)

12. Truth and faith correspond to 'the shining face', joy, life, and thereby one merits length of days. Also to the opposite: deceit shortens days, for deceit corresponds to death, 'the dark face', idolatry, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 23)

13. Faith is the latter days, for upon her stands all the character traits, for faith is the foundation and source of all holiness. It has already been clarified above that through truth one comes to faith. (There^)

14. Even one who merits to draw some holy intellect needs to draw faith into the intellect, because one shouldn't rely on the intellect itself. (From Likutei Moharan I, 24)

15. Through [the existence of] improper Torah scholars who speak fallen Torahs come denial, contempt of, and opposition to those who fear HaShem. The remedy for this is bringing in true Torah scholars as guests. Through that, one merits faith and to break the denial and contempt and to overpower the opponents. (From Likutei Moharan I, 28)

16. The main importance of charity and its completeness is through faith. All the blessings and bounties that come with charity do not have completeness except through faith which is the source of all blessings. One succeeds to the essence of faith through keeping the holy Sabbath. (From Likutei Moharan I, 31)

17. Also, the completeness of all things is faith. Without faith all things are lacking. Also, the completeness of the Torah, which is knowledge, is only through faith, for the whole Torah is founded upon faith, for the main point is faith. (There^)

18. The main sustaining of faith is through shmirat habrit. (There^)

19. Through faith one renews the mind, which is the neshama, during the time of sleep. And one merits to receive through the sleep a new intellect and a new neshama from the light of the Face. (From Likutei Moharan I, 35)

20. A breach in faith, God forbid, corresponds to idolatry and through it rain is held back and there is no satiation, no peace, a man does not help his friend, and everyone needs to travel and journey from place to place for their livelihood. (From Likutei Moharan I, 40)

21. The essence of wealth comes from truth, and when one damages truth, poverty comes upon him, along with contempt and shame. However, one who holds to the aspect of truth - his livelihood gains. (From Likutei Moharan I, 47)

22. Deceit harms the eyes physically and spiritually. (From Likutei Moharan I, 51) 

23. When one tells a lie, the fouling of blood grows stronger from which comes the black bile and the tears that damage the eyes. For it is impossible to speak lies without one's blood spoiling. Also, it is impossible to speak truth except through purifying the blood beforehand. (There^).

24. Deceit is evil, impure, and through it the supervision of HaShem is removed from one. However, through truth the supervision of HaShem is upon him wholly. (There^).

25. Truth is one and deceit is many, for it is impossible to speak truth about a thing unless it is one, in other words [to say it] like it is, specifically. For example, silver - it is silver. Gold is gold. However, deceit is many for one can tell lies without end. For example, about silver that it is copper, tin, or lead - or other names without measure. Therefore, at the final end the truth will definitely be revealed and opposition will be nullified because all opposition is a result of the increase of deceit without measure, that from there comes all opposition because with regard to oneness, opposition does not belong. Therefore the truth which is definitely one will stay and thrive forever, because the truth is HaShem's oneness. All lies, from which opposition comes, will be lost and it [truth] will stand forever, for the truth of HaShem is forever. (There^)

26. When you want to be incorporated in oneness until after-creation will be incorporated into before-creation, wherein it is all one, all good, all holy, as it was before creation - guard yourself from deceit and speak truth. Be a man of complete truth and through this you'll be incorporated into oneness, for truth is one as we have already stated. (There^)

27. Through faith the gates of holiness are opened up. (The initial letters of the verse "the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God" spell faith, in Hebrew).

28. Faith is not appropriate except to a thing that has no reason. Even though this is so, by the believer the thing seems revealed as if he sees the thing he believes in with his eyes, as a result of the greatness of his complete faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 62)

29. The main completion of faith is through drawing distant people closer to HaShem. One merits this through fasting, because then one merits that through his eating the Holy One Blessed is He becomes unified with his divine presence, face to face. (There^)

(Continue to the second part)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Introduction

Introduction

Translator's Introduction:
Likutei Etzot is a book of compiled advice extracted mainly from Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nahman's main work, and from Sihot HaRan which is a book of conversations that Rebbe Nahman had with his students. Likutei Etzot extracts the key advice from the words of Rebbe Nahman. If one goes to the place in Likutei Moharan that the advice is derived from, one can see the wondrous way in which each advice is proven and derived from the Tanakh, Talmud, Midrash, Zohar, writings of the Arizal, and more. The main point of these amazing teachings is the practical action involved in serving HaShem. The following is Rebbe Natan's introduction to this most important book, Likutei Etzot.

Who is the man who desires life? Who chooses eternal life? Who has mercy on his soul, truly? Who is for HaShem? He should place his heart to this small book, small in quantity but great in quality. Gaze and see, you will be very amazed, for he has done great deeds in their time. The awesome and amazing ways and advice, both old and new, are founded upon ledges of fine gold, planted by streams of water, flowing from the wellspring that comes out of the House of HaShem. Deep waters are the advice in the heart of a man, which the man of understanding has increased.

Go and see the works of HaShem. Place your hearts to these words, for they are things that stand at the pinnacle of the universe. Words of the Living God, the Eternal King. Words that liven all the souls from small to great. From the highest of all levels to the end of the lowest level. There is no holy advice that is hidden from you that you won't find in this book, and all that your soul will ask of you this small volume will not withhold from you.

Turn your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see. Understand and see the absolute truth. Remove from yourself a stubborn heart and the ways of jest and lies. And vain wisdom distance from yourself! Spare your soul and place your mind and your thoughts toward the absolute truth! For if, God forbid, you avert from the truth - who will you mislead? Won't you mislead only yourself? Scan this book and look in it: is there any injustice in it's language, God forbid? Does it sway from the straight and true path which our Forefathers traveled down from immemorial?

In HaShem I have trusted, I won't be ashamed by these words - not in this world and neither in the world to come! I will thank HaShem very much with my mouth and among the masses I will praise him. He who stood to the right of a pauper like me and strengthened me and encouraged me to collect wondrous roses like these - precious charms and eternal remedies like these. The vitality of souls like this, from the well of living water, from the wellsprings of salvation that all from which flows from them is founded upon the words of our Fathers and Sages of blessed memory in the written Torah and the oral. From the Torah, Prophets, and Writings, the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmuds, the Midrashim, the books of the holy Zohar, and the books of the Arizal. Upon them are based and founded the words of this amazing volume.

To expand the praise of their level is to decrease it manyfold. Only the one who looks at them with a truthful eye will see for himself the precious glory of their greatness. And the truth will testify for itself. May HaShem, the God of Truth, give truth to Jacob and send his light and his truth and place us in the path of truth always. May he turn our shoulder to serve him truly all the days of our lives, to love peace and truth until he will establish David's throne in mercy and sit upon it in truth - quickly in our days, amen.

(Continue to the first section, Truth and Faith)

Open My Eyes and I'll See Wonders from Your Torah I

Use Rabenu's Torah in everything you learn.

In Yalqut Shim`oni on Bereshith 50, it states about the burial of Ya`aqov:

בתחלה עד שלא ראו כבודן של ישראל לא נהגו בהן כבוד, ולבסוף שראו כבודן של ישראל נהגו בהן כבוד, שנאמר: ויבואו עד גרן האטד. 

וכי יש גורן לאטד? 

אמר רבי אבהו: 

מלמד שהקיפו כתרים לארונו של יעקב, כגורן זה שמוקף לו אטד. שבאו בני ישמעאל ובני עשו ובני קטורה למלחמה, וכיון שראו כתרו של יוסף תלוי בארונו של יעקב, נטלו כולן כתריהם ותלאום בארונו של יעקב.

The important information above is that the sons of `Esaw, Yishma`el and Qettura (descendants of Yishma`el's brothers) came to wage war among each other and they saw Yosef's crown placed at the head of Ya`aqov's sarcophagus. Instead of fighting they came and placed their crowns upon Ya`aqov also.

What does this mean?

In the books of Kabbalah and Breslov:

- Ya`aqov signifies the idea of da`ath (and tifereth), which is knowledge of HaShem and Torah.

- Yosef signifies the sadiq who is called such because of the purity of sexuality he attained, which is considered as keeping the whole Torah. Only one who guards the brith, keeps pure sexuality, can truly attain da`ath. One who damages it throws his da`ath out the window, because semen is derived from "drops of the mind/brain".

- Crown refers to the maqifin, attainments of knowledge, awareness, and information in Torah. It is Ruah HaQodesh, "divine inspiration" as commonly translated. Torah 21 of Liqutei Moharan explains this and how to attain it.

So, what we see in this story is Yosef, the sadiq, leading all Israel at the passing of their father Ya`aqov, who signifies da`ath. The crown is placed upon Ya`aqov/da`ath, meaning that the people of Israel, under the Sadiq, achieve tiqun habrith (pure/corrected sexuality) and thus achieve divine knowledge, then the nations see this and react. Annulling their warfare against each other because they attain a higher perception of da`ath of HaShem - symbolized by placing their crowns on Ya`aqov. Greater da`ath leads to the annulment of idolatry and greater mercy. This is what the prophets speak about that in the future the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and that the nations won't wage war anymore.

Filter this through the fact that the war of Gog uMagog must happen as it is a great mercy to Israel and a vengeance upon the 70 prototype nations who are divided 35-35 under the dominions of `Esaw and Yishma`el (Hayyei Moharan 6) - this short passage in Yalqut Shim`oni means this:

After or during the war of Gog uMagog, when the Messiah will come and bring Israel into an elevated state of purity through tiqun haklali/tiqun habrith and wage war against them to throw their control off of the people of Israel, the nations will eventually cease their fighting and attain a higher state of da`ath - perhaps initially through revelation of an inexplicable miracle from Heaven - through which they will cast away their idols, their false religions, and they will submit to Torah and to King David's restored kingdom. All war will cease and we will enter into the days of Messiah, which should come soon and speedily in our days.

The Secret of the Mishkan and Humility of Moses

Liquttei Moharan 70

(As I translated from Hebrew, any errors or mistakes here are mine, all additions in parentheses and brackets are mine)

"And it was on the eighth day, Moses called to Aaron and to his sons and to the elders of Israel..." -Leviticus 9

Everything is on the earth, as we see in reality,that everything grows from the earth and everything and all humans walk on and are set on the earth. It is impossible that anything will leave and be distanced from the earth except by way of a counter force. In other words, through something that forces the object and takes it up from it's place, from the ground, and distances it from the earth. And according to the strength of the counter force is the amount that the object is distanced. Afterwards, when the counter force is spent, the object returns to the earth.

For example, if a person throws something up into the air, through his strength the object is forced and it separates from the earth. According to the persons strength is the distance the object is separated from the earth up into the air. Then, when the strength he sent into the object by throwing it is spent, it comes back falling to the ground.

This is because the earth has the power of pulling (gravitational pull) and pulls everything toward it. For if not, nothing would be able to be sustained on it, since it would be natural to fall from the earth, since the earth is round and all mankind stands about it from all sides, as is known. Therefore, when the the counter force is spent, and the object falls down to the earth, everything that draws closer more below, the more it speeds up in its fall (i.e. the acceleration of gravity). This is a result of the object drawing closer to the pulling force of the earth; therefore it falls faster below.

Now, the sadiq (righteous one) is the aspect of dust because the sadiq is the foundation of the world (as dust is the foundation of the earth) as it says in Proverbs 10, "The sadiq is the foundation of the world" and everything stands on him and he has the pulling force to draw all things to him. This specific Sadiq who is the foundation of the world is a single entity in the world from whom all things are drawn. And even all the other sadiqim are only branches of him - everyone according to his aspect. There are those who are branches of him [the main sadiq] and those who are branches of branches.

This singular sadiq in the world is very humble and low and he places himself like the dust, in the aspect of Genesis 18, "And I am dust and ashes...", therefore he is the foundation of the world, in other words dust, that all things are upon it as stated above. And this is what we request [in the sidur] "may my soul be like dust to all", i.e. that our souls will have the pulling force  to draw everything to it like dust does. And this sadiq draws all the influxes/abundances to the word, in the aspect of Job 28, "The gold dust...", that all the influxes/abundances are drawn from the aspect of dust (humility).

Therefore, one who gives charity to this sadiq is immediately blessed because it is like sowing directly on the dirt which yields exponentially as in Hosea 10, "Sow for yourselves charity and reap according to kindness." However, if one gives charity to one who is not the aspect of dust at all (i.e. he has no true humility), it does not yield fruit. This is why Jeremiah cursed the people of Anathoth: "At the time of Your anger, do with them..", Jeremiah 18, [upon which the Sages comment in Talmud, Baba Qama 17:] cause them to stumble by poor people who are not fit [to receive charity]; i.e. that they won't be in the aspect of dust at all and therefore the charity that people give to them won't be like sowing at all [because it won't yield blessing].

Hence, it is proper that all people will be drawn to this sadiq who is in the aspect of dust and who has the gravitational pull. Only, through counter forces, people are pushed away and distanced from him. In other words, there are people that through their words and deeds, they compel other people to distance them from this sadiq. According to the power of the counter force is the distance the people are taken from the sadiq. Afterward, when the counter force is spent, the affected person will return and draw himself to draw closer to the sadiq who is the aspect of dust. For when the counter force is spent, the object returns to the dust, the sadiq who has the gravitational pull.

There are people who are very far from the sadiq for the fact that they are still caught up in the counter force which distances them; but afterward when the counter force is spent, they will return and draw closer [to the sadiq]. This we see, when a person travels to the sadiq, every bit closer he gets to the place of the sadiq, the more desire he has from the fact that he is drawing closer to the gravitational pull.

This is the aspect of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), for the Mishkan had gravitational pull, to draw Divine power to the place it was standing, as in Song of Songs 1, "Pull me after you and we'll run...", specifically "after you we'll run", because everyone who draws closer to him runs faster as a result of the gravitational pull. This is brought in Midrash Rabba Shemoth 31, that the word Mishkan is related to the word "mashkon" (a guarantee), as it was a guarantee to Israel that the Shekhina (Divine Presence) would dwell among them even if they sinned, as it is written, Leviticus 26, "And I gave My dwelling among you all and My soul will not be abhorred by you."

[Note: the word for pulling force, the word Mishkan, the word for dwelling, the word for guarantee, and the word Shekhina all come from the same root word M-Sh-K in Hebrew; meaning that their meanings are all interconnected.]

Hence, through the Mishkan, the Shekhina dwelt among Israel; for the Mishkan is the language of "pull me..." (see quote from Song of Songs 1 above), that it had gravitational pull, to draw Divine power to the place in which it stood. Therefore, it is impossible to erect the Mishkan except through the sadiq who is as humble as dust, the aspect of Moses who was "more humble than any man" as it is written in Exodus 40, "And Moses erected the Mishkan..." - no other would be able to build it except for specifically this sadiq who is the aspect of dust, gravitational pull, in order to draw Divine power.

This is the meaning of what is written in Deuteronomy 7, "Not for your greatness of numbers did HaShem desire you, for you are the smallest", upon which our Sages extrapolated (in Talmud, Hullin 89), "not... except because you make yourselves the smallest... did HaShem desire you". Because they made themselves small and insignificant they entered the aspect of dust which has gravitational pull, i.e. the Mishkan which draws Divine power to it. Therefore, HaShem desired them. This is the aspect of Isaiah 57, "I will dwell with the downtrodden", for through lowliness wherein a person makes himself like dust, he has gravitational pull to draw HaShem to him - that is the entire aspect of the Mishkan.

This is the aspect of the honor which is stated about the Mishkan as it is written in Exodus 29, "It will be sanctified in My honor", and in Ex. 40, "The glory of HaShem fills the Mishkan." All of the honor that every person has, from small to great, is only received from this sadiq who is the aspect of dust and Mishkan, that from him everything is drawn. All of the honor and greatness is only by this sadiq, and everyone receives from him as it is stated in Talmud, Meghilla 31, "Every place where you'll find his greatness, there you find his humility." Hence, in the place of humility and lowliness is where all glory and greatness dwells. As it says (see above), "I will dwell with the downtrodden." Therefore, all leaders of the world receive their honor from this sadiq who is as dust.

The same is true with renewal of honor. For at every time when honor is renewed, when an appointee moves to a different position (when someone gets promoted at a job, for example), leadership and honor are renewed - this is all through this sadiq. For according to his raising the Mishkan every time, that from there comes honor, in the aspects of "the glory of HaShem fills the Mishkan" (see above), is the amount that honor and leadership are renewed.

And this is the meaning [of the verse that started out this Torah], "And it was on the eighth day, Moses called to Aaron and to his sons and to the elders of Israel."

For when the sadiq wishes to call the heads of the people, he calls them by this, that he erects the Mishkan, where honor is. Through that he calls them and they all come to him to receive honor from him.

That's the meaning of "on the eighth day...", that Moses erected the Mishkan. Through that he: "called to Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel", who are the heads of the people, from little to great. For through building the Mishkan, he called all the heads of the people, who are the aspect of Aaron and his sons, etc. This is what our Sages in Talmud, Rosh HaShana 1, "Nisan is the new year for kings", for that is when the Mishkan was built, from which the honor of kings, appointees, and leaders is drawn.

Therefore, the building of the Mishkan was specifically on the first day of Nisan [note: Rebbe Nahman was born on this same day, rosh hodesh Nisan]. For this is the aspect of rosh hodesh (head/beginning of the month, but literally "the head of renewal"), that through this all heads/leaders are renewed. Thus, "the beginning of the month of Nisan is the new year of kings".

[Note:

This idea of the Moses figure and also the idea from the Zohar about Moses-Messiah is mentioned several times throughout Liquttei Moharan. It is important to note that there is a concept that a Mosaic soul keeps returning to guide Israel with new Torah insights and advice. This soul had most notably come to the world as key sadiqim throughout the generations. The latest and final occurrence of this, before the coming of Messiah and the resurrection of the dead, was in Rebbe Nahman who was born on the head of the month of Nisan, the time when the Mishkan was built.

This Torah starts explaining how all human beings are naturally drawn to the specific Moses-sadiqim of which there are never two or more of at any one time. Naturally, if no one prevents it through false religions, false beliefs, or through agents of the Sattan who exist among observant Jews (all these are the counter force as explained in this Torah) - every sincere person looking for the truth will eventually find every Moses of the past including the Moses who is appropriate for their generation; in our case, Rebbe Nahman MeUman - because they have a gravitational pull from their humility.

If you ask how Moses could have written about himself, "Moses was the most humble man", or how Rebbe Nahman could have taught about his own greatness - how could this be humility? The answer is that humility is not self degradation. Humility is the recognition of one's own level. When a sadiq says "I am this great" or "I have reached this high a level", they are not taking pride in themselves for having achieved it, they are not being conceited like a normal person would naturally feel after saying such things. In actuality, it is testament that they are truly humble, if they are able to speak of themselves without feeling haughty and conceited. In other words, it depends on who they are, not on the words you see them say. An arrogant person could say "I am the most humble" and he would feel arrogance while saying it. You only know if someone is arrogant or humble by knowing them.

The difference between a humble sadiq and an arrogant person is that the former talks about himself without taking pride in his own actions, attributing all to HaShem. The arrogant take pride in themselves.

Another amazing point is that part of Exodus 32:32, which reads "If You will take up their sin...if not, erase me, please, from Your book...", wherein Moses is pleading with HaShem not to destroy Israel for the sin of the golden calf. If read backwards, it states "I am Nahman" and the letters after that are scrambled to read "from Uman". Moses himself stated that he was Nahman from Uman.]