Treasury of Awe (Oatzar HaYeerah) — Volume I

Eating is the aspect of shefa [divine abundance/flow] — the aspect of mochin [the higher faculties of mind]. And it is well known that shefa descends from above in the aspect of simple, undifferentiated light — and is then given form below according to the vessel of the receivers: if they merited — it is in the aspect of " me'oros " [luminaries] spelled full [with a Vov : מְאוֹרוֹת — light in its wholeness] ; if they did not merit, G-d forbid — it is the opposite, in the aspect of " me'oros " spelled deficient [without the Vov : מְאֹרֹת — as in the verse of the fourth day of creation (Bereishis 1:14), hinting at diminishment of light] , G-d forbid. And this is the aspect of the ten commandments that apply to bread — all of them in order to shape the shefa into blessing. And this is the aspect of the priestly gifts [ matanos kehunah ]: terumah for the Kohen — which is the aspect of the kamatz vowel [the fist-like cupping gesture: v'kamatz ha-Kohen ] [Vayikra 2:2]; ma'aser [tithe] for the Levite — which is the aspect of Binah , the aspect of the tzeirei vowel. All of this in order to take the shefa and eating out of the curse with which the earth was cursed through the sin of eating from the Tree of Knowledge — and to raise it to its root, which is the simple light coming from above, the aspect of kamitz u'stim [the closed, hidden fist — the concealed supernal light] . And afterward the light and shefa are drawn and shaped into goodness and blessing through giving the tithe to the Levite. And afterward, when the dough is made — which is the completion of the shaping of the shefa to be fit for human food — one must then rectify it once more through the giving of challah to the Kohen , in order to draw the light from above and shape it in the aspect of blessing. And this is what is written regarding challah : "to bring a blessing upon your house" [ l'haniach berachah el beisecha ] [Yechezkel 44:30] — to bring [ l'haniach ] a blessing specifically. And this is the aspect of the blessing before and after that one recites over every thing — all in order to shape the light and shefa , which is the vitality within that thing from which one derives benefit, into the form of blessing. And through the first blessing, the light drawn from above is shaped into blessing. And afterward, after eating — when the spirituality of the food begins to spread into the mochin , and each person receives vitality and mochin from the eating according to his vessels — for with the Tzadik, wisdom and daas are added through eating, while with the wicked the opposite occurs, foolishness is added through eating, even though both eat from the same bowl. For everything depends on the vessel — for the vitality of eating is drawn and shaped in each person according to his mochin , for good or the opposite, G-d forbid. Therefore after eating — when the food begins to be refined and the good and the best within it is drawn to the brain and takes shape there according to the rectification of one's vessel — therefore one must bless after the meal: so that the light should be shaped into blessing also then, at the time when the vitality flows from the eating to the brain, which is the aspect of the vessel, as above. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Pesach, Law 5)

Israel's connection is to the brain [ moach ] — for Israel arose in thought [ machshavah ] first [before creation], and thought is the brain; and they are called "heads" [ rashim ] — the aspect of mochin . And the nations' connection is to the liver full of blood — which is the aspect of Esav the red [ admoni ], through whom all the exiles come. Therefore through the desire for eating — through which dominion and rule is given to the liver to rule over the brain, for the liver is angry, and anyone who becomes angry has his wisdom withdrawn from him — through this comes the yoke of [foreign] kingdom [ ol malchus ]: that the nations rule over Israel, in the aspect of the liver's dominance over the brain — the aspect of: "Let the burden of labor be heavier" [ tichbad ha-avodah ] [Shemos 5:9]. And likewise the essential flow and blessing is drawn to the brain first — and therefore in truth the essential flow and blessing is drawn only to Israel. And the nations of the world should be nourished only from the drippings [ tamtzis ] [what remains after the primary flow has been drawn] . However, when dominion and rule is given to the liver through the desire for eating — with the liver being nourished first — then similarly the nations, whose connection is to the liver, seize and rob the shefa from us. And then we ourselves are nourished only from the drippings, G-d forbid — from which comes all the poverty and straits that exist among Israel, and all the burden of livelihood and the yoke of worldly affairs flow only from this. Just as through the first eating from the Tree of Knowledge it was also decreed: "in sorrow shall you eat of it etc." [Bereishis 3:17]. And this is what our Rabbis of blessed memory said: "Whoever accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah" — which is the essential daas , which is the aspect of giving dominion and rule only to the brain, in the aspect of the brain being nourished first — through this "the yoke of kingdom and the yoke of worldly affairs are removed from him" — whose connection is to the liver, as above. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Pesach, Law 6)

The matter of the two aspects that exist in the drinking of wine — see [the section on] Pesach , sections 56, 59. Cross-reference to the Oatzar HaYeerah section on Pesach, entries 56 and 59, where the two aspects of wine — as memory versus forgetfulness, and as the holy versus the impure — are treated in full. (Likutay Halachos)

The eating of the Tzadik is exceedingly precious — for the flavor and pleasure of eating has its root in holy love, the aspect of: "love with delights" [ ahavah b'ta'anugim ] [Shir HaShirim 7:7]. And the Tzadik who eats to the satisfaction of his holy soul connects himself to the root of the pleasure — which is this holy love above. Moreover — he even ascends and connects himself to the root of love itself — namely, to the light of love within the daas , which is above the aspect of love within the yamim [the sefiratic "Days"] and middos [attributes]. And the light of love within the daas is the aspect of the orot ha-tzachtzachos [the brilliant, dazzling lights — the most intense radiance, above the level of the sefiratic attributes] — which are above the yamim and middos . And from there comes the satiety of the Tzadik at the time of his eating — the aspect of: "He shall satisfy your soul in brightness" [ v'hisbiya b'tzachtzachos nafshecha ] [Yeshayahu 58:11]. And this is the aspect of the oneg Shabbos [Shabbos delight] meal — of which it is said: "Then you shall delight in Hashem" [ az tit'anag al Hashem ] [Yeshayahu 58:14] — in Hashem specifically, as is known. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Yom Tov, Law 2)

Most labors [ melachos ] are for the sake of human eating — through which comes the essential sustaining and vitality of the person, as it is written: "all the toil of a person is for his mouth" [Koheles 6:7]. For the essential connection of body and soul is through the power of compulsion [ koach ha-machria ] and the power of attraction [ koach ha-moshech ] — for the soul draws itself toward its supernal root and to be included in Hashem, blessed be He; and the body restrains it and detains it below, to remain bound to the body. And the essential connection between them is through eating — through which the soul is sustained within the body. But one must have all his intention toward Heaven — compelling the soul to eat and to be sustained in the body through this — and all of it for the sake of meriting through the power of eating to give thanks and praise to His Name, blessed be He, and to serve Him, blessed be He, as is proper. Through this it returns and is drawn to its root with even greater elevation — and the intent of creation is thereby fulfilled specifically through this: for worlds and wondrous rectifications are completed specifically through this, through the joining of the two aforementioned powers together. It turns out that the essential ultimate purpose of eating is in order to return and be included through this in one's root — in the aspect of the power of attraction in its fullness. And then when a person eats with this intention — the power of attraction, which is the aspect of the goodness within the food, immediately strengthens within him at the very moment of eating — and through this the person yearns and longs for his root with the ultimate longing. And this is the aspect of the hearas ha-ratzon [the illumination of the Will] that a person must merit at the time of eating — which is the aspect of the strengthening of the aforementioned power of attraction. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Yom Tov, Law 5, section 14)

When the four elements are rectified and refined through the true Tzadik — who is the aspect of the simple, unified foundation [ yesod ha-pashut ] — and then all four elements are included within the aspect of me'orei or [the light-luminaries] — which is the aspect of mochin , the aspect of the Tzadik's light that one merited to be included within — then eating is in holiness, the aspect of: "the Tzadik eats to the satisfaction of his soul" [Mishlei 13:25]. For the soul is the aspect of mochin , the aspect of me'orei or — the opposite of bodily desires which all come from the aspect of me'orei eish [fire-luminaries]. And then there is no need to fast in order to strengthen the mochin which are me'orei or — for on a fast day the brain is nourished first. For on the contrary — through his holy eating itself the aspects of me'orei or are strengthened even more. And this is the aspect of what is written of Yonasan: "Behold, my eyes were brightened because I tasted a little of this honey" [Shmuel I 14:29]. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Fast Days, Law 3)

If food is not properly digested [ mis'akeil ], it does not properly satisfy the body — and then putrid, foul-smelling vapors [ ashanim seruchim ] rise from the excess [ mosorot ] of the food and confuse the brain. And through this, counsel [ eitzah ] is damaged — and one cannot arrive at complete, sound counsel in any matter. And this is the aspect of the drinking that comes after eating — which is the essential satiety, as our Rabbis of blessed memory stated: "'and you shall be satiated' — this refers to drinking" [Berachos 44a]. For drinking enables the digestion of the food — which is the essential rectification and wholeness of eating. It turns out that drinking is the aspect of the wholeness and rectification of counsel. And this is the aspect of the cup of Birchas ha-Mazon — which is the kos yeshu'os [cup of salvations]. For yeshu'os [salvations] is the aspect of counsels [ eitzos ], as is known in the holy writings [see Likutay Moharan Tinyana 1] — for the essential salvation is the wholeness of counsel: when Hashem, blessed be He, illuminates a person's eyes and gives him complete counsel as to how to be saved from what he needs saving from — in body, soul, and wealth — as it is written: "and salvation is in the abundance of counsel" [ u'teshu'ah b'rov yo'etz ] [Mishlei 11:14]. For Birchas ha-Mazon is for the rectification of eating — so that putrid vapors should not rise, G-d forbid, through the eating to confuse the brain and damage the counsel as above. And therefore the essential Birchas ha-Mazon is for Eretz Yisrael — for there is the essential rectification of counsel. And therefore Birchas ha-Mazon is recited over a cup — the aspect of: "I will lift the cup of salvations" [ kos yeshu'os essa ] [Tehillim 116:13] — which is the aspect of the rectification of counsel as above. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Fast Days, Law 4, section 11)

The essential rectification of holy eating must be in the aspect of tov leiv [a good heart / gladness of heart] — the aspect of: "and he ate and drank and his heart was good" [ vayochal vayeisht vayiytav libo ] [Rus 3:7] — which is the aspect of tov ayin [a good eye / generosity of spirit] — for "the armor of the eye depends upon the heart" [ shuryana d'eina b'liba talya ] [Berachos 55b], as our Rabbis of blessed memory have stated. But forbidden eating, G-d forbid, brings evil into the heart — which is the aspect of ra ayin [an evil eye / a stingy, malevolent gaze]. Therefore Israel's eating must be in the aspect of the holiness of Eretz Yisrael — which is the aspect of tov ayin — and through it the ra ayin is subdued. Therefore Eretz Yisrael is mentioned in Birchas ha-Mazon — for the essential blessing is in the aspect of Eretz Yisrael , the aspect of: "one who has a good eye shall be blessed [ yevorach ]" [ tov ayin hu yevorach ] [Mishlei 22:9] [read also: yevarech — he shall bless — for the generous of eye is both blessed and bestows blessing] . And by mentioning Eretz Yisrael in Birchas ha-Mazon , one draws the aspect of tov ayin from Eretz Yisrael to subdue the ra ayin from clinging to the eating, G-d forbid. And therefore our Rabbis of blessed memory warned very much to give a portion to the poor from one's food — so that one's eating should be in the aspect of tov ayin . (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Megillah, Law 5, sections 6, 22, 23)

The knife [ chalif ] with which an animal or bird is slaughtered is the aspect of "the sword of Hashem" [ cherev la-Hashem ] — the aspect of prayer — through which comes the essential subduing of the ra ayin . And through this the meat is rectified for eating. Therefore one must keep the meat in view at all times [ lishmor ha-basar b'einav ] — and if not, it is forbidden on account of basar she-nitaleim min ha-ayin [meat that was hidden from the eye — i.e., that passed out of sight, lest it have been switched with non-kosher meat] . This is because the eye of the nations should not rule over it — for they are of the aspect of ra ayin , and they are suspected of switching and corrupting Israel's eating, G-d forbid. For the essential corruption of eating comes through the ra ayin . See within. And since the essential rectification of prayer — which is the aspect of the knife — is through nullifying the three voices [evil spiritual forces] : the voice of false beliefs [ emunos kazviyas ]; the voice of the wisdom of philosophy and heresy [ chochmas ha-pilosofyah v'apikorsus ]; and the voice of insults and humiliations [ cherfos u'vzyonos ] — therefore the meat also requires three rectifications before it is fit for eating: through slaughter [ shechitah ], the voice of false beliefs is nullified — the aspect of: "and she shall slaughter the rebellious ones" [ v'shachata shetim ] [Hoshea 5:2]; through the inspection of the lungs [ bedikas ha-re'ah ], the wisdom of philosophy and heresy is nullified. For the lung sustains the intellect [ seichel ] — for the lung blows upon the heart and cools its warmth so that it does not overheat with desires, and then the intellect is preserved. Then the heart is able to store the intellect within it so as not to sin, G-d forbid, through the intellect — on the contrary, through the holy intellect one strengthens further in the service of Hashem, blessed be He. See within. It turns out that when the lung is whole, the wisdom of philosophy and heresy is nullified. And through washing and salting the meat to extract its blood — through this the aspect of insults, humiliations, and bloodshed is nullified. And this is the essential aspect of the wholeness of the rectification of prayer through which the ra ayin is subdued — and eating is rectified in holiness in the aspect of tov ayin , as above. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Megillah, Law 5, sections 6, 23)

All kinds of treifos [animals that are halachically unfit for eating due to physical defects or wounds] are drawn from the aspect of the blemish of the bris [the covenant of purity]. Therefore there are seventy kinds of treifos — corresponding to the comprehensive evil of the seventy languages [ shiv'im lashon ] [the seventy root-nations of the world, all of whom are deeply sunken in this desire] . And through eating in a kosher manner — namely, being completely guarded from neveilos [animals that died without proper slaughter] and treifos etc. — through this foolishness [ kesilos ] is subdued and one merits the rectification of daas , the rectification of the bris , and a livelihood with ease and abundance. (Likutay Halachos, Halachos of Treifos, Law 1)