תּוֹכָחָה

The rebukers of the generation who go and rebuke the generation to bring them back to the good, they sweeten the judgments and increase peace in the world.

But when, G-d forbid, the evil of the generation prevails, to the point that it corrupts the rebuke and the moral instruction, from this the peace of the world is ruined, and through this, exile is caused, G-d forbid, and discord arises in the world (22, 1). It is impossible to accept rebuke and moral instruction from true rebukers except through faith, for faith is the aspect of hands to receive the moral instruction through them.

But through the corruption of faith, G-d forbid, one comes to denial and false beliefs and various forms of mockery, and he does not listen at all to the moral instruction of true rebukers. Therefore, one must guard faith greatly so that it is not corrupted, G-d forbid, for the main thing is faith, and it is the totality of holiness. And then he will hear and accept true moral instruction and return to G-d, and He will have mercy on him (ibid., 2). One must accept the rebuke of people of truth, even though their rebuke is sometimes in a way of humiliation, for they endure great pain from us, etc.

[see Tzaddik 39] (30, 7). Through rebuke, one merits to perform charity and kindness, and through this, one merits to subdue external wisdoms and their dominion, and to elevate and revive the intellect of holiness, and through this, one merits to attain Divinity (ibid.).

Every person must speak with his fellow in the fear of Heaven. For there is in every individual of Israel something precious, which is the aspect of a good point that his fellow does not have. Therefore, each person needs to receive from his fellow from his good point by speaking with each other in the fear of Heaven.

And sometimes, one can receive the good point from his fellow through garments, meaning through mundane conversation that he speaks with him. For sometimes, one can receive hints and inspiration toward G-d, blessed be He, from his fellow through mundane conversation, because sometimes the good point needs to be clothed, and it is clothed in these words, and he receives from it to be inspired toward G-d, blessed be He. But the main thing is that he should strive to speak each time with his fellow in the fear of Heaven in order to receive from each other from his good point. And through this, the foreskin of his heart, which are all the desires, which are evil loves, which are the disgrace of the heart that break a person’s heart, will be nullified from him, and he will merit holy love (34, 4). Through striving and engaging to bring people closer to G-d, blessed be He, through this, one’s knowledge is perfected with great completeness, until he merits to know and attain all that a person can know and attain, that which a person cannot know more.

And through this, he merits children and can cause barren women to be remembered (53). Every individual of Israel has an aspect of kingship and dominion according to his level; some rule over their household, and some rule over more, etc.

And each person must be exceedingly careful not to use the kingship and dominion that he has for his own pleasure or needs, but only for the service of G-d, blessed be He, namely, to warn and rebuke all those who are subordinate to him to bring them back to G-d. If he rules only over his household, he must warn and rebuke his household members in the service of G-d. And if he has greater dominion, each person according to his level is obligated to warn and rebuke more and more people, each according to the dominion he has. And when he is not careful to rebuke and warn them appropriately, he is punished for them, and his days are shortened, G-d forbid, and of him it is said, “Woe to leadership that buries its masters.” But when he rebukes and warns them in the service of G-d appropriately, through this he draws down life and longevity (56, 1, 2, 3). But it is impossible to rebuke and warn them appropriately except through engagement in Torah, for through this, one can rebuke everyone, even those who are very, very far from him, and even if he does not know what they need.

For through engagement in Torah, one merits that even those who are very far will hear the voice of the Torah’s proclamation, which constantly proclaims and cries out, “How long, O simple ones,” etc., and through this, all will return to G-d (ibid.). One who constantly strives to bring people closer to the service of G-d, blessed be He, must guard himself so that the shells and the evil of those people do not cling to him.

And the advice for this is the aspect of judgment, meaning that he should always judge himself regarding everything he has done, whether it is proper or not. And he should rebuke and discipline himself for everything he has done that is not proper. And through this aspect of judgment, through this, the heart is inflamed, and this fire of fervor burns the shells, preventing them from clinging to him, and then he subdues them, also preventing them from clinging to those souls that he brought closer to the service of G-d, blessed be He (59, 1). This person who strives to bring closer and make souls is building the aspect of the holy temple.

And even though there are many who fall from their holiness and do not endure, nevertheless, from those who remain attached to fear [of G-d] through him, through this, he will be called holy. And G-d, blessed be He, is greatly glorified through bringing those who are far to the service of G-d, blessed be He, for this is the main glory of G-d, blessed be He, when those who are very far come close to Him (ibid.).

צח. עַל־יְדֵי בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת יְכוֹלִין לוֹמַר תְּהִלִּים (שָׁם צז Through bringing souls closer to G-d, blessed be He, and through the aforementioned judgment, where he judges himself as mentioned above, through this, he merits the observance of the Sabbath, which is the aspect of nullifying evil, prohibition, and the shells (ibid., 3).

תוכחה וּבוֹ כָּלוּל מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְדַבֵּר עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם And he must guard his name and his soul, and this is through guarding himself from anger, and when he comes to anger, he should lengthen his patience and suppress his anger, and through this, he will merit wealth, and through this, his name and soul will grow, and he will merit a good name, and all the souls will desire to be included in his soul, and he will merit to bring many souls closer to G-d, blessed be He, and to establish many disciples (ibid., 5).

א. מוֹכִיחֵי הַדּוֹר שֶׁהוֹלְכִים וּמוֹכִיחִים הַדּוֹר כְּדֵי לְהַחֲזִירָם לְמוּטָב, הֵם מַמְתִּיקִין הַדִּינִים וּמַרְבִּים שָׁלוֹם בָּעוֹלָם. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁחַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הָרָע שֶׁל הַדּוֹר גּוֹבֵר, עַד שֶׁמְּקַלְקֵל אֶת הַתּוֹכָחָה וְהַמּוּסָר, מִזֶּה נִתְקַלְקֵל שְׁלוֹם הָעוֹלָם וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה גֵּרוּשׁ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְנַעֲשֶׂה מַחֲלֹקֶת בָּעוֹלָם (כב, א) This one who merited to bring souls closer to G-d, blessed be He, this is better than sons and daughters. For sons and daughters are few, but these are many, and all of them receive vitality from him, as if he gave birth to them (ibid.).

ב. אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּל תּוֹכָחָה וּמוּסָר מִמּוֹכִיחֵי אֱמֶת כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה, כִּי הָאֱמוּנָה הִיא בְּחִינַת יָדַיִם לְקַבֵּל הַמּוּסָר עַל יָדָם. אֲבָל עַל־יְדֵי קִלְקוּל הָאֱמוּנָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הוּא בָּא לִכְפִירוּת וְלֶאֱמוּנוֹת כּוֹזְבִיּוֹת וּלְכַמָּה מִינֵי לֵיצָנוּת וְאֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ כְּלָל הַמּוּסָר שֶׁל מוֹכִיחֵי אֱמֶת. עַל־כֵּן צְרִיכִין לִשְׁמֹר אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה מְאֹד שֶׁלֹּא תִּתְקַלְקֵל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי הָעִקָּר הִיא הָאֱמוּנָה וְהִיא כְּלָלִיּוּת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה. וְאָז יִשְׁמַע וִיקַבֵּל מוּסַר אֱמֶת וְיָשׁוּב אֶל ה' וִירַחֲמֵהוּ (שָׁם ב) And know that there are some wicked people whom it is forbidden to bring under the wings of his service, for they bring down the one who brings them closer from his level, and the aforementioned judgment does not have the power to subdue their evil, and then great corruption comes in many aspects, as written inside. Therefore, this one who strives to bring souls closer to G-d, blessed be He, must pray greatly to G-d, blessed be He, that he merit to know whom to distance and whom to bring close (ibid., 6).

ג. צָרִיךְ לְקַבֵּל תּוֹכָחָה שֶׁל אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַתּוֹכָחָה שֶׁלָּהֶם הוּא לִפְעָמִים בְּדֶרֶךְ בִּזָּיוֹן, כִּי הֵם סוֹבְלִים צַעַר גָּדוֹל מֵאִתָּנוּ וְכוּ' [עַיֵּן צַדִּיק ל"ט] (ל. ז) Each person must speak with his fellow in the fear of Heaven, and through this, direct light and returning light are created. And even if his fellow does not accept from him, nevertheless, it is of great benefit to himself, for the one who speaks to awaken his fellow’s heart can himself be further awakened through speaking to his fellow. For if he had spoken these words to himself, it could be that he would not have been awakened by them at all, but through speaking them to his fellow, through this, he himself is awakened by them, even though his fellow was not awakened (184).

ד. עַל־יְדֵי תּוֹכָחָה זוֹכִין לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד, וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לְהַכְנִיעַ הַחָכְמוֹת חִיצוֹנִיּוֹת וּמֶמְשַׁלְתָּם, וּלְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהַחֲיוֹת הַשֵּׂכֶל דִּקְדֻשָּׁה וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכִין לְהַשָּׂגַת אֱלֹקוּת (שָׁם) One must judge every person favorably, and even one who appears to be completely wicked, G-d forbid, one must search and find in him some small amount of good in which he is not wicked. And through finding in him some small amount of good and judging him favorably, through this, he truly elevates him to the side of merit and can bring him to repentance through this (282).

ה. כָּל אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְדַבֵּר עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם. כִּי יֵשׁ בְּכָל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל דָּבָר יָקָר שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת נְקֻדָּה טוֹבָה מַה שֶּׁאֵין בַּחֲבֵרוֹ, עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְקַבֵּל מֵחֲבֵרוֹ מִנְּקֻדָּתוֹ הַטּוֹבָה עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁיְּדַבְּרוּ זֶה עִם זֶה בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם. וְגַם לִפְעָמִים יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל הַנְּקֻדָּה טוֹבָה מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עַל־יְדֵי לְבוּשִׁין, דְּהַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שִׂיחַת חֻלִּין שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ. כִּי לִפְעָמִים יְכוֹלִין לְקַבֵּל רְמָזִים וְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ עַל־יְדֵי שִׂיחַת חֻלִּין, כִּי לִפְעָמִים צְרִיכָה הַנְּקֻדָּה לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ, וְהִיא מִתְלַבֶּשֶׁת בְּדִבּוּרִים אֵלּוּ, וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנָּה לְהִתְעוֹרֵר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. אֲבָל הָעִקָּר שֶׁיִּרְאֶה לְדַבֵּר בְּכָל פַּעַם עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם כְּדֵי לְקַבֵּל זֶה מִזֶּה מִנְּקֻדָּתוֹ הַטּוֹבָה. וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה יִתְבַּטֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ עָרְלַת לִבּוֹ, שֶׁהֵם כָּל הַתַּאֲווֹת, שֶׁהֵם אַהֲבוֹת רָעוֹת, שֶׁהֵם חֶרְפַּת לֵב, שֶׁהֵם שׁוֹבְרִים לִבּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, וְיִזְכֶּה לְאַהֲבָה קְדוֹשָׁה (לד, ד) The greatest compassion of all forms of compassion is when one of Israel falls into sins, G-d forbid, for this is the heaviest burden, more than all the afflictions in the world, which it is entirely impossible for a person of Israel to bear, this heavy burden of sins, may the Merciful One save us. For according to the greatness of the holiness of Israel at their root, from the place where they are taken, they are completely distant from sin, and sin is not at all relevant to them, according to the greatness of their refinement and spirituality. Therefore, each and every person must have compassion for Israel to extricate them from the heavy burden of sins. Therefore, each person must speak with his fellow in the fear of Heaven, striving to have compassion on him to extricate him from his sins, for every person can fulfill this, even a simple person. For when one speaks with his fellow in the fear of Heaven and illuminates his knowledge with some speech that he speaks to his heart to bring him back from his sins, then his fellow is considered to him as a disciple. And vice versa, when his fellow illuminates him, then he is considered a disciple to his fellow. And then, when his time comes to depart from the world, he will be clothed in this speech that he illuminated in his fellow, and it will be considered as if he himself is truly present in the world. And this is the main perfection of the soul after its departure, when there remains after it a son and a disciple in whom he illuminated his holy knowledge that he received from his teacher, and every person is obligated to strive in this, and this is called engaging in the settlement of the world, for this is the main settlement of the world, when the world is settled with people who are people of knowledge, who know of Him, blessed be He, and serve Him. For without this, he is not considered a person at all, but merely an animal in the likeness of a person.

ו. עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּדְּלִים וְעוֹסְקִים לְקָרֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה נִשְׁלָם דַּעְתּוֹ בִּשְׁלֵמוּת גָּדוֹל, עַד שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לָדַעַת וּלְהַשִּׂיג כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֶפְשָׁר לָאָדָם לֵידַע וּלְהַשִּׂיג, מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָאָדָם לֵידַע יוֹתֵר. וְעַל־יְדֵי זֶה זוֹכֶה לְבָנִים וְיָכוֹל לִפְקֹד עֲקָרוֹת (נג) Therefore, every person must know and make known and be known and speak with his fellow about this constantly every day, that there is a G-d who rules the earth, and that there is no purpose in this world except to do His will, blessed be He, for nothing remains of a person after his departure except this knowledge that he illuminated in his fellows and disciples, as mentioned above (Part II, 7, 3, 4).

ז. כָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לוֹ בְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת וּמֶמְשָׁלָה לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ, יֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא שׂוֹרֵר בְּבֵיתוֹ וְיֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא מוֹשֵׁל בְּיוֹתֵר וְכוּ'. וְצָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לִזָּהֵר בְּיוֹתֵר לִבְלִי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ עִם הַמַּלְכוּת וְהַמֶּמְשָׁלָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לַהֲנָאָתוֹ וּלְצָרְכּוֹ, כִּי אִם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לְבַד, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַזְהִיר וּלְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת כָּל הַנִּכְנָעִים תַּחְתָּיו לַהֲשִׁיבָם אֶל ה'. אִם הוּא מוֹשֵׁל בְּבֵיתוֹ לְבַד, צָרִיךְ לְהַזְהִיר וּלְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת בְּנֵי בֵּיתוֹ בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה'. וְאִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מֶמְשָׁלָה יוֹתֵר, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ מֻטָּל עָלָיו לְהַזְהִיר וּלְהוֹכִיחַ יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר אֲנָשִׁים, כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ. וּכְשֶׁאֵינוֹ נִזְהָר לְהוֹכִיחָם וּלְהַזְהִירָם כָּרָאוּי, הוּא נֶעֱנָשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם וְנִתְקַצְּרִין יָמָיו חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר, אוֹי לְרַבָּנוּת שֶׁמְּקַבֶּרֶת אֶת בְּעָלֶיהָ. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמּוֹכִיחָם וּמַזְהִירָם בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם כָּרָאוּי, עַל־יְדֵי זֶה מַמְשִׁיךְ חַיִּים וַאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים (נו, א ב ג) When one wishes to speak with his fellow in the fear of Heaven, he must have fear of Heaven, so that his words will be heard and also so that his words will endure with his fellow, that the speech does not pass from his fellow’s heart immediately (ibid., 5). Through engaging in speaking with one’s fellow in the fear of Heaven, through this, one merits to attain the encompassing lights. That is, he merits to attain and understand what he did not attain or understand initially.

And so, he merits to attain each time higher and higher encompassing lights, until he merits to attain the attainment of very lofty encompassing lights, which are the main delight and pleasure of the World to Come, fortunate is the one who merits to attain them (ibid., 6). Even though rebuke is a great matter, and it is incumbent upon every individual of Israel to rebuke his fellow when he sees that he is not behaving properly, nevertheless, not every person is worthy to rebuke. For through the rebuke of one who is not worthy to rebuke, not only does his rebuke not benefit, but he also causes a foul odor in the souls of those who hear his rebuke, and through this, he weakens their souls and interrupts the flow of abundance to all the worlds that depend on them. For it is impossible to rebuke Israel for their sins except by one who can add and give a good fragrance to the souls through his rebuke, which is only possible when he merits the aspect of the voice that waters the Garden of Eden, from where all fragrances and all fears grow, which is the voice of the song that will be aroused in the future, etc. [see inside in Likutay Tinyana, section 8] (8, 1).