אות-צא

Two layers of foreskin correlate to utter lack of prayer – faulting to the left, and insufficient prayer – faulting to the right

It is explained in the words of our master, leader, and Rabbi o.b.m. (Likutay Moharan, torah 2), that the main weapon of the Israelite is prayer; and whoever merited to the sword of prayer, as it is written (Genesis 28:22), “with my sword and with my bow <bikashtee>,” and Rashi explains: “with my prayer and with my supplication <bakashussee>,” needs to know how to fight with the sword, hurling with precise marksmanship to a thread without missing, so that he doesn't waver to the right or to the left, see there (Likutay Moharan 2), that is, that he shouldn't be mistaken Heaven forbid that the prayers are in vain Heaven forbid, since they have been screaming for so long and haven't been saved, for this is wavering to the left. And so too, he shouldn't be mistaken to say: “Why should we abound in prayer, since the main salvation is just with His kindness alone, so in that case let us rely solely on His kindness,” for this is the aspect of wavering improperly to the right, for in truth it is necessary to abound profusely in prayer constantly, and to know the truth, that we are not worthy to accomplish with our prayers, just with His kindness, and even still we need to do our part, to abound in prayer constantly, and Hashem Yisburach will do His part, and He will extend to us His kindness for His sake, and He will save us quickly, for the sake of His name (and see above, article 47). And behold it is explained there (Likutay Moharan 2), that through tikun habris (-rectification of the bris/circumcision/covenant) one merits to prayer, and therefore Josef, who guarded the bris (-circumcision/covenant), merited (the role of) the first-born, which is the aspect of the service of prayer, because the first-born takes two-fold <pea shna'yim>, which is the aspect of the sword of prayer, which has pea shna'yim (-two-fold/mouths), two aspects: praise of Hashem (“Hamakoam” -“the Place”, for all space exists only in G-d, and not vice-versa), and the requesting of one's needs, the aspect of a two-edged (two mouths- in the Holy Tongue the blade of the sword is called its mouth, just as destruction is referred to as being consumed and eaten) sword, two mouths, and it was taken from Reuben through his desecrating the bed of his father (Genesis 49:4), because whoever defects in the bris (circumcision/covenant), prayer is taken away from him, see there.

And this is the aspect of the mitzva of circumcision, the aspect of the cutting and the revealing (removal of a thin secondary membrane, this part of the circumcision is called preeyah), and it is brought down that the husk <kleepa> of the foreskin and the preeyah are the aspects of Esau and Ishmael (see Zohar, Torah portion Emor, page 91b; and see Me'Oaray Ohr – Esau has the numerical value of “live snake.” And in the Siddur Kol Yaakov, in the Secret of Circumcision it brings down that through severing the foreskin the snake descends down to lick the dust etc., and there remains just the membrane of the preeyah etc., and through preeyah etc. the Kindness of Abraham is revealed (which is in contradistinction to the husk of Ishmael), and understand. See also Adir BaMuroam pages 10-11), that is, because they are the aspect of defection of the bris, and they are two types of husks <kleepoas>, which confound the daas (-intellect) of a person (deterring him) from strengthening in prayer. Because Esau Amulaik is the aspect of the husk of the (kleepas) foreskin out-and-out, because he was a heretic (kuffar bi'eekar - “renounced/denied the integral”), and does not acknowledge prayer whatsoever, and it deludes the person's heart (to consider) that all the prayers are for nothing, and they are of no benefit Heaven forbid. And therefore it is said of him (Genesis 25:34), “And Esau disparaged the (rights of the) first-born,” which is the aspect of the service of prayer, as mentioned above, and by cutting off the foreskin which covers the bris, through this his evil husk (kleepa) is nullified, and the aspect of tikun habris (rectification of the bris/circumcision/covenant) is drawn, through which one merits to constantly strengthen in prayer. But there is still a second husk (kleepa), which is the husk of the membrane of the preeyha, which is the aspect of the husk of (kleepas) Ishmael from where is drawn a different mistake in the heart, to be indolent in prayer Heaven forbid, since it seems to him that certainly Hashem Yisburach already heard his prayer, especially when he sees some sort of burgeoning of a beacon (/force) of salvation, for then it seems to him that his prayer has already been answered, and he is lax from praying further. And this stems from the aspect of the husk of (kleepas) Ishmael, who was so named on account of (Genesis 16:11), “because Hashem hearkened <shumma-E”l> to your suffering,” and the Targum (Aramaic translation of Unkellus) is, “since Hashem accepted your prayer.” And through the mitzva of preeyah, this kleepa (husk) is also nullified, and one merits to strengthen in prayer constantly, and to be thanking for the past, for the burgeoning beacon (/force) of salvation which he saw, and to scream for the future, because the salvation has still not finished, and we still need a very great deal of salvations all the days of our life, until we merit to come to what we need to come to, for that which we came to this world, and therefore it is necessary to pray copiously always.

And this is the aspect of (Esther 6:12), “And Mordechai returned,” and our Rabbis o.b.m. exposited (Megila 16a) that he returned to his sackcloth and his fasting. For even though he already saw such a wondrous salvation, that they rode him on the king's horse and they proclaimed before him etc., even still he was not slack on account of this from his prayer. And so too by Esther it is written (Esther 8:3), “And Esther continued (additionally) and she spoke before the king etc. and she entreated him to remove the evil of Haman etc..” This alludes to the entire general Congregation of Israel (Kinnesses Yisroel), for they are the aspect of Esther, who, even when she sees great and wondrous salvations and miracles, that the sitra-achra (other side – realm of evil) the aspect of Haman Amulaik has already fallen dramatically, and they have hung him and his sons on the gallows-tree, even still they do not suffice with this, and they still stand and pray, and cry, and entreat before Him blessed He, like a son who pleads disarmingly before his father, to remove the evil of Haman, who is the sitra-achra (other side – realm of evil), completely, so that they merit to complete purity and holiness. And in truth, when a person is remiss in prayer because it seems to him that he already accomplished plenty with his prayer, which is the aspect of kleepas (the husk of) Ishmael, the kleepa of the preeyah mentioned above, on account of this his complete salvation is held back, and his exile will be lengthened Heaven forbid, since he was indolent in prayer, and then the aspect of the kleepa of Esau will return and be aroused, which is the aspect of the kleepa of the foreskin, and it will utterly seal and confound his heart from strengthening in prayer. And therefore, in truth (Shabbos 137b): “one who circumcises but does not lay it bare (-do the preeyah) – is as if he has not circumcised,” because through this Heaven forbid, the aforementioned kleepa of the foreskin also returns and arouses. Therefore it is necessary to remove both of them in order to merit to strengthen in prayer always, as mentioned above. (Likutay Halachos, Laws of Inheritance, law 4).