אֲכִילָה

Through eating in a proper kosher manner, that one eats with moderation and not in a gluttonous way, through this, the intellect is rectified, and foolishness is subdued. But when one eats like a glutton and drunkard, through this, foolishness overcomes the intellect, and through this, the light of the righteous one is darkened for him, and he is unable to receive from him fear and love (17, 2-3).

Through charity to true righteous ones and to worthy poor people, through this, converts are made, and through this, the defect of eating is rectified, and through this, the intellect is perfected, and one merits to see the light of the righteous one, and through this, one merits to receive from him fear and love (ibid., 5).

One who has perfection of the holy tongue and guards the bris (covenant, meaning sexual purity), he can awaken the sparks of the letters that exist in every thing, and then his eating, and drinking, and all his pleasures are only from the sparks of the letters, and from this, his heart radiates, and through this, his face shines, and he merits to purify his face so much, until he can inspire others to repentance just by their looking at his face alone. For each one will see himself in his face as in a mirror, and see how he is sunk in darkness, to the extent that without reproof and without mussar (-ethical criticism), he will arouse his fellow to repentance, just from looking at his face alone, as mentioned above (39). When a person feels some hunger, that the desire for eating overcomes him, he should know that he has enemies.

Therefore, he must strip and break his animalistic nature that desires to eat, for the essence of hunger is for animalism, and through this, he will be saved from the enemies (39). Through the desire for eating comes strife, that they curse and disgrace him. And when one breaks the desire for eating, he merits peace, and then there is also peace above in His heights [Job 25:2], and then great satiation is revealed and increased in the world (ibid.).

One who is sunk in the desire for eating, it is known that he is far from truth, and it is known that judgments rest upon him. This is also a sign of poverty, and he will come to disgraces and shame (47). One who breaks the desire for eating, the Holy One, blessed be He, performs wonders through him (ibid.).

There are people who sleep away their days, and there are those who have fallen into the aspect of sleep through (bodily) desires and evil deeds, and there are those who are worthy and fine people, just that their fall is through eating.

For sometimes, when a person eats food that has not yet been clarified for human consumption, through this, his mind falls into the aspect of sleep.

For when one eats in holiness and purity, then his face, that is, his intellect, radiates through his eating, but when his eating is not in holiness, then the food brings evil to the heart, and through this, he loses his face and his intellect and falls into the aspect of sleep. And even if it seems to the world that he serves Hashem and engages in Torah and prayer, nevertheless, he is in the aspect of sleep, for all his service remains below, and Hashem, may He be blessed, has no nachas (-satisfaction) from him, and he needs to be awakened from his sleep, and it is impossible to awaken him unless he first awakens a little by himself. [And] The awakening from sleep, so that he does not, G-d forbid, waste his days in sleep, is merited through stories of the true righteous ones. Fortunate are those who merit to come to such a righteous one who can awaken him from his sleep so that he does not sleep away his days, G-d forbid (60, 6). The food of a Jewish (lit. Israeli) man must be food that has been clarified and contains no mixtures from the Other Side, for food that has mixtures, through such food, a person can come to sin. [And] The clarification of foods is through faith, which is merited through fasting, and then through his eating there is made a unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah (-Divine Presence), face to face.

(62, 1, 2, 5) All desires are the aspect of husks and superfluities, for without the (bodily) desires the body can maintain. And when desires overcome a person, it is the husks overcoming holiness. [And] The primary desires are the desire for eating and drinking, which all the desires follow after them. When they prevail, they draw speech into exile, and then he is in the aspect of “my throat is parched” [Psalms 69:4], and he cannot speak any word before Hashem, may He be blessed.

[And] The rectification for this is fasting, and then he can speak, and through this, one can bring those far off close to Hashem, may He be blessed, which is the essence of the perfection of the faith. Then his eating is exceedingly precious, as mentioned above, for a great unification is achieved through his eating, as mentioned above (ibid.). Through the desire for eating, the honor of holiness is defected, and then the brazen-faced of the generation strengthen, for the honor falls to the nations, the wicked, and the brazen-faced of the generation, who take all the honor and authority, and then it is the aspect of the hiding of the face, the aspect of the strengthening of judgments, G-d forbid. But when one breaks the desire for eating, through this, it is the lifting of the face (-gaining favor), the aspect of the nullification of judgments, and then the honor of holiness is complete, and there is no office or appointment for the brazen-faced (67, 2-3).

יא. עַל־יְדֵי תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה נִפְגָּם הַכָּבוֹד דִּקְדֻשָּׁה וַאֲזַי מִתְגַּבְּרִין הָעַזֵּי פָּנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, כִּי נוֹפֵל הַכָּבוֹד אֶל הַגּוֹיִם וְהָרְשָׁעִים וְהָעַזֵּי פָּנִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, שֶׁהֵם נוֹטְלִים כָּל הַכָּבוֹד וְהַמֶּמְשָׁלָה וַאֲזַי הוּא בְּחִינַת הַסְתָּרוֹת פָּנִים בְּחִינַת הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַדִּינִים חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמְּשַׁבְּרִין תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה הוּא נְשִׂיאַת פָּנִים בְּחִינַת בִּטּוּל הַדִּינִים, וַאֲזַי הַכָּבוֹד דִּקְדֻשָּׁה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת וְאֵין שׁוּם שְׂרָרָה וְהִתְמַנּוּת לְהָעַזֵּי פָּנִים (סז, ב' ג'). Through the desire for eating, the honor of holiness is defected, and then the brazen-faced of the generation strengthen, for the honor falls to the nations, the wicked, and the brazen-faced of the generation, who take all the honor and authority, and then it is the aspect of the hiding of the face, the aspect of the strengthening of judgments, G-d forbid. But when one breaks the desire for eating, through this, it is the lifting of the face (-gaining favor), the aspect of the nullification of judgments, and then the honor of holiness is complete, and there is no office or appointment for the brazen-faced (67, 2-3). Chapter Thirty-One: Aitzah

יג. כְּשֶׁאָדָם אוֹכֵל אֲכִילָה יְתֵרָה הוּא כְּמוֹ בְּהֵמָה, כִּי גֶּדֶר הָאָדָם הוּא לֶאֱכֹל רַק כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ וּכְשֶׁאוֹכֵל יוֹתֵר הוּא מַעֲשֵׂה בְּהֵמָה מַמָּשׁ, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה שֶׁאוֹכֵל אֲכִילָה יְתֵרָה עַל־יְדֵי זֶה בָּא חֳלִי הַקַּדַּחַת רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן. וְכֵן עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמִּזְדַּמֵּן לְהָאָדָם בְּתוֹךְ מַאֲכָלוֹ מַאֲכָל שֶׁלֹּא נִתְבָּרֵר עֲדַיִן לְמַאֲכַל אָדָם, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה בָּא גַּם כֵּן חֳלִי הַקַּדַּחַת רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן (רסג). When a person eats excessively, he is like an animal, for the defining trait of a human is to eat only according to what he needs, and when he eats more, it is truly the act of an animal. [And] Through this that he eats excessively, through this comes the illness of fever, may the Merciful One save us. Likewise, through the occurrence of food within his meal that has not yet been clarified for human consumption, through this, the illness of fever also comes, may the Merciful One save us (263). One must be very meticulous not to eat more than his need, for when he eats more than his need, it greatly harms him, for even the rest of the foods combine with this eating and harm him greatly (257). When a person eats excessively, he is like an animal, for the defining trait of a human is to eat only according to what he needs, and when he eats more, it is truly the act of an animal. [And] Through this that he eats excessively, through this comes the illness of fever, may the Merciful One save us. Likewise, through the occurrence of food within his meal that has not yet been clarified for human consumption, through this, the illness of fever also comes, may the Merciful One save us (263).

טו. לִפְעָמִים עַל־יְדֵי הַמַּאֲכָלִים שֶׁאוֹכְלִים נִתְקַלְקֵל הַחֲלוֹם בִּבְחִינַת חֲלוֹם עַל־יְדֵי שֵׁד, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וִיכוֹלִים לָבוֹא עַל־יְדֵי זֶה לְטֻמְאַת קֶרִי חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְהַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה הוּא שִׂמְחָה, לְהִתְחַזֵּק לִהְיוֹת בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד (ה, י'). Sometimes, through the foods one eats, the dream is corrupted in the aspect of a dream caused by a demon, G-d forbid, and through this, one can come to the impurity of a nocturnal emission, G-d forbid. [And] The rectification for this is joy, to strengthen oneself to be happy always (5, 10). At 121 teachings, this is the longest chapter in all of Likutay Aitzos. It ranges from the most abstract Kabbalistic dimensions of the Tzaddik's role in creation to the most practical guidance on how to draw close to him during and after life. Several overarching themes:

יז. עַל־יְדֵי מְזוֹנָא דְּגוּפָא, דְּהַיְנוּ תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, נֶחֱלָשׁ מְזוֹנָא דְנִשְׁמָתָא וְנִפְגָּם הַיִּרְאָה שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת רֵיחַ טוֹב שֶׁהִיא עִקַּר מְזוֹנָא דְנִשְׁמָתָא (ח. א'). Through the food of the body, that is, the desire for eating and drinking, the food of the soul is weakened, and the fear, which is the aspect of a good fragrance, which is the main food of the soul, is defected (8, 1). The desire for eating is one of three desires that damage and ruin the fear in the heart, and through properly accepting the festival of Sukkot, through this, knowledge is drawn to rectify the desire for eating, and then one merits fear and prayer, etc.

יט. עִקַּר הָאֲכִילָה הִיא בִּשְׁבִיל בֵּרוּרִים כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְבָּרֵר הַמַּאֲכָל וְיִהְיֶה נַעֲשֶׂה מִמֶּנּוּ אִמְרֵי שֶׁפֶר, שֶׁהֵם הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁמְּבָרְכִין עָלָיו וּמִתְפַּלְּלִין וְלוֹמְדִים וְעוֹבְדִים הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכֹחוֹת הָאֲכִילָה, וְזֶה צָרִיךְ כָּל אָדָם לְכַוֵּן בִּשְׁעַת אֲכִילָתוֹ, וַאֲזַי הָאֲכִילָה בִּבְחִינַת קְטֹרֶת וְזוֹכֶה לְשִׂמְחָה וְנַעֲשֶׂה מִזֶּה עֲטָרָה שֶׁל חֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים לַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה, שֶׁעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: צְאֶינָה וּרְאֶינָה וְגוֹ' בָּעֲטָרָה וְגוֹ' וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה לְפַרְנָסָה בְּנָקֵל (טז). The essence of eating is for the sake of clarifications, so that the food is clarified and becomes from it “good words” [Genesis 49:21], which are the blessings recited over it, and one prays, and studies, and serves Hashem, may He be blessed, with the energies of the eating. [And] This is what every person must intend during his eating, and then the eating is in the aspect of incense, and he merits joy, and from this, a crown of kindness and mercy is made for King Solomon (-really referring to HY, The King that Peace is His, Sahbbos 12b), about which it is said: “Go forth and see… with the crown…” [Song of Songs 3:11]. Through this, one merits livelihood with ease (16). Concealment and paradox (§§ 44, 65, 91–99): The greatest tzaddikim are the most hidden. They may appear blind, deaf, hunchbacked, or heavy-mouthed — the very names the world gives them [bettlirs, beggars] are their concealment. This extended series based on Story 13 of the Sipuray Ma'asios is one of the most extraordinary passages in all Breslov literature.

כא. עַל־יְדֵי אֲכִילָה בִּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבְיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם עַל־יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה הַפֶּה בִּבְחִינַת קוֹמַת הָאָדָם, וְזוֹכֶה לָבוֹא עַל־יְדֵי זֶה לִבְחִינַת שְׁכִינָה מְדַבֶּרֶת מִתּוֹךְ גְּרוֹנוֹ. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאֵין אֲכִילָתוֹ בִּקְדֻשָּׁה אֲזַי פִּיו שֶׁאוֹכֵל הוּא בְּגֶדֶר בַּעַל חַי וַהֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹ בְּהֵמָה מַמָּשׁ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם (שָׁם). Through eating in holiness and with fear of Heaven, through this, the mouth becomes the aspect of the stature (-full form) of man, and he merits to come through this to the aspect of the Shechinah speaking from within his throat. But one whose eating is not in holiness, then his mouth that eats is in the category of a living creature, and he is truly like an animal, G-d forbid (ibid.). See Fear, items 19, 20, 21 (Part II, 4, 5). Sometimes, through the foods one eats, the dream is corrupted in the aspect of a dream caused by a demon, G-d forbid, and through this, one can come to the impurity of a nocturnal emission, G-d forbid. [And] The rectification for this is joy, to strengthen oneself to be happy always (5, 10). One who merits a true rabbi who knows how to properly illuminate the holy radiance in Israel, and who is a man of valor and not the opposite, called a shlimazelnik (-a good-for-nothing, unlucky person), through this, he can receive during eating the radiance of the extraordinary ratzon (-will).

כג. צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל פְּרִי קֹדֶם שֶׁנִּתְבַּשְּׁלָה כָּל צָרְכָּהּ עַל הָאִילָן, כִּי יָכוֹל לְאַבֵּד נַפְשׁוֹ עַל־יְדֵי זֶה. גַּם אָסוּר לִתְלֹשׁ פְּרִי קֹדֶם בִּשּׁוּלָהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָסוּר לָקֹץ אִילָן קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ (ליקוטי מוהר"ן תנינא פח). One must be very careful not to eat fruit before it has fully ripened on the tree, for he can lose his soul through this. It is also forbidden to pluck fruit before its ripening, just as it is forbidden to cut down a tree before its time [Bava Basra 26] (88). The Tzaddik's self-renewal (§ 68): The truly great Tzaddik never rests at one level — each time he attains a new height, he immediately forgets it and begins again as a total beginner. This perpetual beginning is the secret of his perpetual ascent.

כה. גַּם כְּשֶׁמְּבַשְּׁלִין הַפֵּרוֹת בְּבֵיתוֹ אֵינוֹ מוֹעִיל לָזֶה, לְהַתִּיר לֶאֱכֹל פְּרִי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְבַּשְּׁלָה עַל הָאִילָן, אֲבָל אִם הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמְרוּ מֻנָּחִים אֵיזֶה זְמַן עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשִׂין מְבֻשָּׁלִין מֵאֲלֵיהֶן בְּתָלוּשׁ, זֶה מוֹעִיל וּמֻתָּר לְאָכְלָן (שָׁם). Even when fruits are ripened in his house, this does not help to permit eating a fruit that was not ripened on the tree. But if the unripe fruits are left for some time until they become ripened detached, this helps, and it is permitted to eat them (ibid.). That is, the ratzon (will) radiates for him during eating, and he longs and yearns greatly toward Him, may He be blessed, with an extraordinary will without measure, without any knowledge, not knowing at all what he wants, only a simple (-absolute, indivisible) will, with the exhaustion of the soul, toward Him, may He be blessed (7, 10).

א. עַל־יְדֵי הַכְנָסוֹת אוֹרְחִים תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים אֲמִתִּיִּים לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לֶאֱמוּנָה וְלִשְׁבֹּר הַכְּפִירוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה מַעֲלִין וּמְתַקְּנִין הַתּוֹרָה הַנְפוּלָה שֶׁל הַתַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת שֵׁדִין יְהוּדָאִין, שֶׁמֵּהֶם בָּא כָּל הִתְנַגְּדוּת עַל יִרְאֵי הַשֵּׁם, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לְהִתְגַּבֵּר עַל הַמִּתְנַגְּדִים (כח). Through bringing in true Torah scholars as guests into one’s home, through this, one merits faith and to break the heresies, and through this, one elevates and rectifies the fallen Torah of unworthy Torah scholars, who are in the aspect of Jewish demons, from whom comes all opposition against those who fear Hashem. Through this, one merits to prevail over the opponents (-misnagdim) (28). Chapter Thirty-Three: Tzaddik

Through the food of the body, that is, the desire for eating and drinking, the food of the soul is weakened, and the fear, which is the aspect of a good fragrance, which is the main food of the soul, is defected (8, 1). Through receiving reproof from the true righteous one who can properly reprove Israel (as written within), through this, the food of the soul is strengthened over the food of the body (ibid.).

ב. כְּשֶׁפּוֹגְמִין בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה בְּחִינַת תְּפִלָּה, אֲזַי יוֹרְדִין לַגָּלוּת וְעִקָּר - שֶּׁיּוֹרֶדֶת הַתְּפִלָּה בַּגָּלוּת, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלַעֲשׂוֹת נִסִּים בָּעוֹלָם (שם). When one defects the Land of Israel, which is the aspect of faith, the aspect of prayer, then one descends to exile, and mainly, that the prayer descends into exile, and it is impossible to pray and perform miracles in the world (ibid.). This chapter reveals Eretz Yisroel not merely as a geographical location but as the supreme spiritual archetype — the place where hashgachah and emes converge most fully. Several threads run through all eleven teachings:

ד. בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין זוֹכִין לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְכֵן עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנִּמְצָאִים אֵצֶל הַצַּדִּיק בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיךְ תּוֹרָה וְדוֹרֵשׁ בָּרַבִּים, אָז יֵשׁ לוֹ גַּם כֵּן חֵלֶק בְּהַתּוֹרָה שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיךְ הַצַּדִּיק, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה גַּם כֵּן לָבוֹא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (שָׁם ו'). Through the merit of the Torah that one draws, one merits the Land of Israel. Likewise, through being present by the righteous one in the hour that he draws Torah and lectures publicly, then one also has a share in the Torah that the righteous one draws, and through this, one also merits to come to the Land of Israel (ibid., 6). The essence of eating is for the sake of clarifications, so that the food is clarified and becomes from it “good words” [Genesis 49:21], which are the blessings recited over it, and one prays, and studies, and serves Hashem, may He be blessed, with the energies of the eating. [And] This is what every person must intend during his eating, and then the eating is in the aspect of incense, and he merits joy, and from this, a crown of kindness and mercy is made for King Solomon (-really referring to HY, The King that Peace is His, Sahbbos 12b), about which it is said: “Go forth and see… with the crown…” [Song of Songs 3:11].

ו. כְּשֶׁבָּא לִבְחִינַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲזַי נִקְרָא גִּבּוֹר תַּקִּיף, כִּי קֹדֶם שֶׁבָּא לִבְחִינַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲזַי אַל יִתְהַלֵּל חוֹגֵר כִּמְפַתֵּחַ אֲבָל אַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁנּוֹצֵחַ אֲזַי נִקְרָא אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה (שָׁם י'). When one comes to the aspect of the Land of Israel, then he is called a mighty warrior, for before he comes to the aspect of the Land of Israel, “let not the one who girds on his armor boast like the one who unfastens (-upon successful return)” [I Kings 20:11]. But afterward, when he prevails, then he is called a man of war (ibid., 10). 2. Providence is its essence (§§ 3–4): What makes the Land holy is not its soil but that Hashem's hashgachah operates there directly, without the veil of nature. The future redemption will extend this condition to the whole world.

ח. אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא סְגֻלָּה לְבָנִים וּמַצֶּלֶת מֵרִיב וּמַחֲלוֹקוֹת. גַּם עַל־יְדֵי קְדֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל זוֹכִין לֵידַע מֵרַבִּי הָאֱמֶת שֶׁבַּדּוֹר, וְנִתְגַּלֶּה הָאֱמֶת בָּעוֹלָם, וְהַכֹּל חוֹזְרִין לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֲפִלּוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְעָבְדוֹ שֶׁכֶם אֶחָד (מח). The Land of Israel is a segula for children, and saves from fights and strife. Also, through the holiness of the Land of Israel, one merits to know of the true rabbi of the generation, and the truth is revealed in the world, and all return to Hashem, may He be blessed, even the nations of the world, to serve Him with one accord [Zephaniah 3:9] (48). Through this, one merits livelihood with ease (16). Every one of Israel, even a great righteous person, must have some distress every day. [And] The greater one’s knowledge, the greater his distress, and through eating in holiness and with fear of Heaven, through this, this distress is sweetened so that it does not intensify, G-d forbid (77).

י. לִרְאוֹת בְּמַפַּלְתָּם שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים אִי אֶפְשָׁר כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (נה. א'). To see the downfall of the wicked is impossible except through the aspect of the Land of Israel (55, 1). 4. The paradox of ascent (§ 9): The higher the tzaddik's destination, the deeper the humility required to get there. Gadlus d'gadlus demands katnus d'katnus. This is one of the most psychologically profound teachings in all of Breslov.

יב. מִצְוַת חַלָּה הִיא בְּחִינַת יְרֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי חַלָּה זוֹכִין לְהַמְשִׁיךְ אוֹר זְכוּת אָבוֹת, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לְגַלּוֹת קְדֻשַּׁת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָל הַנַּ"ל (שָׁם ח'). The mitzva of challah (-separating a small piece of dough for a priest or burned) is the aspect of the inheritance of the Land of Israel, for through challah, one merits to draw the light of the merit of the forefathers, through which one merits to reveal the holiness of the Land of Israel and all the above (ibid., 8). Through eating in holiness and with fear of Heaven, through this, the mouth becomes the aspect of the stature (-full form) of man, and he merits to come through this to the aspect of the Shechinah speaking from within his throat. But one whose eating is not in holiness, then his mouth that eats is in the category of a living creature, and he is truly like an animal, G-d forbid (ibid.). Though brief — four teachings — this chapter delivers a complete spiritual-practical teaching on food. The central insight is that eating is not neutral: it either elevates or degrades the da'as — the innermost faculty of Divine connection. Animal-quality eating severs the link to authentic love and awe of G-d (§ 1). The Tzaddik's eating, by contrast, is an act of soul-polishing that generates emunah (§ 2). The practical corrective is physical: bypassing the pleasure of the palate (§ 3). The warning against raw onions (§ 4) is left opaque here with a cross-reference to the primary text. The essence of fear comes and approaches a person during eating, therefore, one must be very careful to eat in holiness and to draw upon himself the fear that comes to him then, and through this, he merits all the above in items 20 and 21 (ibid.). One must be very careful not to eat fruit before it has fully ripened on the tree, for he can lose his soul through this. It is also forbidden to pluck fruit before its ripening, just as it is forbidden to cut down a tree before its time [Bava Basra 26] (88). When one recites the blessing over the fruit with great intention and with proper fear of Heaven, through this, he merits to be saved from losing his soul through the unripe fruit. One must be very careful with blessings of enjoyment, especially blessings over fruits, for there are many losses in them that need to be clarified and elevated (see within, Likutay Moharan, Part II, section 88) (ibid.). Even when fruits are ripened in his house, this does not help to permit eating a fruit that was not ripened on the tree. Renewal (§ 2): It is a tool of total rebirth — body and soul — not merely comfort. But if the unripe fruits are left for some time until they become ripened detached, this helps, and it is permitted to eat them (ibid.). Be careful not to eat gluttonously, that is, hurriedly like the manner of a glutton, for this is the aspect of “feed me, please…” [Esau - Genesis 25:30]. Rather, one should accustom himself to eat with forbearance (-patience, restraint, self-control), with a settled mind (-calm and collected), and with derech eretz (-etiquette, manners, refinement), as people eat with derech eretz when an important person sits at the table. Physical reality of spiritual depth (§ 4): The truly authentic sigh is so powerful it physically exhausts the body. The Talmudic tradition is cited: the sigh literally "breaks" a person. And yet — even an ordinary sigh, offered with sincerity, carries great virtue. So should one always eat, even when eating alone. See above, item 1. Chapter Two: Eretz Yisroel Fortunate is the one who merits this (Chayei Moharan, Avodat Hashem, 69). Chapter Three: Achilah ❖ Translator's Summary — Achilah Chapter Four: Anachah ❖ Translator's Summary — Anachah Nine teachings on charity. A notable feature of this chapter is that all but §§4 and 8 lack source citations in this edition — suggesting these may be shorter oral traditions preserved without literary attribution. The key teachings: Tzedakah rectifies the instruments of action (§1) and thereby clears the intellect. It corresponds to the sun (§5) — the weekday sun being the sun of this era, the Shabbos charity corresponding to the great light of the future. The cosmic teaching (§8) — that time itself is formed through true acts of loving-kindness — connects directly to the great story of the spring and the heart in the Sipuray Ma'asios. The copyist's note in §8 is one of the most practically urgent in the entire book.