תּוֹרָה ח - רָאִיתִי מְנוֹרַת זָהָב

Torah 1339

The sighing and groaning [anachah u-g'nuchay] of a Jewish person is very precious — for it is the completion of deficiencies [shlaymus ha-chesronos]. That is: when one has a deficiency in some matter, and sighs over what is lacking to him — through this he completes the deficiencies.

All the deficiencies a person has — whether in livelihood, in bodily health, or in anything else — can all be completed only through the true Tzadik and teacher [ha-tzaddik v'ha-rav ha-emes] to whom he attaches himself. For the completion of deficiencies comes through sighing, as above — through which the breath of life [ruach chayyim] is drawn down to complete the deficiency over which he sighs. But this breath of life to complete the deficiency is received only from the Tzadik and teacher of the generation, who is attached to the Torah — in which the breath of life resides. This is through connecting oneself to the Tzadik [hiskashrus l'ha-tzaddik].

The opponents and the wicked who dispute the true Tzadikim receive their breath of life from the teacher of the husk [rav d'klipah] — for there is a teacher of the husk and the Other Side corresponding to the teacher of holiness — as it is written: ""G-d made this one corresponding to that one"" [Ecclesiastes 7:14]. Therefore they are great in their moment — for the breath of life drawn from the teacher of the husk is in the aspect of a stormy wind [ruach se'arah], which is great in its moment. But it lasts only for the moment — and in the end it passes and is lost, and it storms and destroys the bodies and souls of those who cling to it. Therefore the wicked and those who dispute Tzadikim are called dead even in their lifetimes — for they have no true breath of life of holiness, which flows only specifically through true Tzadikim, as above.

The true Tzadik atones for sins through sighing — for through this, the breath of life is drawn from him to complete the deficiency, as above — as it is written: ""and a wise man appeases it"" [Proverbs 16:14].

It is forbidden to provoke the wicked and the disputants — unless one is a completely righteous person [tzaddik gamur]: meaning one who has already fully separated and expelled all the evil of all four elements — which comprise the totality of character traits [k'lal ha-midos] — to the point where he is certain that no stumbling into transgression will befall him. Such a Tzadik, and all who cleave to him, are specifically those who can provoke the wicked. But anyone who has not fully nullified the evil within himself — even if the evil is only in potential and he has committed no actual transgression — he is not a completely righteous person, and it is forbidden for him to provoke the wicked. For the extension of the breath [arichas ha-ruach] that the wicked receive from the Other Side — which is great in its moment — could harm him, G-d forbid, may the Merciful One spare us. But the above-mentioned completely righteous Tzadik can descend into the channel [tzinnor] through which the wicked receive their breath of life — and break it and subdue it and bring the wicked down to the ground.

To attain this — to separate the good from the evil — comes through Torah and prayer. That is: through studying legal decisors [poskim], one thereby separates and clarifies the good from the evil — by clarifying the halachic ruling [birer ha-p'sak halachah] — and expels and nullifies the evil from all four elements, which comprise the entirety of character traits. This is the primary rectification of the human being [tikkun ha-adam]. And to merit clarifying the halachic ruling comes through prayer — for when one prays for a matter, although through the prayer his request is filled, the matter still remains in potential. But through Torah study as above, it is completed and brought from potential into actuality — and then his will is fulfilled and his request is met. And he merits to bring low the disputants and opponents to the ground.

The spring [ma'ayan] of Torah wisdom flows forth from prayer — therefore the primary clarification of the halachic ruling is merited only through prayer. And this is considered as if he renewed the world [k'ilu chidesh es ha-olam]. And he merits to clarify the good from the evil in all four elements — which is the rectification of everything. And through this he merits to bring low the disputants to the ground.

Tzitzis are in the aspect of the above-mentioned holy breath of life — and through them all deficiencies are completed through sighing; and the breath of life of the husk — the stormy wind, the spirit of impurity — is subdued; and the evil is expelled from the good in all character traits. Through this the disputants and the wicked are subdued and brought down to the ground. [Says the transcriber [ha-ma'atik]: Understood from this is that it is good to sigh during the wrapping [b'eis ha-atifah] — for then one can easily draw down the breath of life to complete one's deficiencies.]

The Tzadik hears all the sighs of those who are attached to him — for from him flows vitality to every one, for he is ""a man in whom there is spirit"" [Numbers 27:18]. As our Sages of blessed memory said: he knows how to go according to the spirit of each and every one — and draws forth and completes the breath of life of each and every one.

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