Rabbi Chanina ben

Likutay Moharan Volume 1: Torah 52 Rabbi Chanina ben Chakina'i says: One who stays awake at night and walks on the road alone and turns his heart to vanity, behold this one is liable for his soul.

(Avot chapter 3) [In the language of our master, of blessed memory] For there are **heretics** [apikorsim], who say that the world is an **obligatory existence** [ mechuyav hametzi'ut ]. And according to their evil, confused opinion, it seems to them that there are proofs and demonstrations for this, G-d forbid, from the custom of the world. But in truth, they open their mouths to **vanity** [ hevel ], for in truth, the world and its fullness are a **possible existence** [ efshari hametzi'ut ]. For only Hashem, blessed be He, alone is an obligatory existence, but all the worlds with all that is in them are a possible existence. For He, blessed be He, created them *ex nihilo* [from nothing], and in His ability, power, and possibility, blessed be He, it was to create them or not to create them. Therefore, certainly, all the world and its fullness are a possible existence. But from where is the error drawn that they can err, G-d forbid, that the world is an obligatory existence, G-d forbid? Know that this is drawn because in truth, now that the souls of Israel were already emanated and drawn forth, now certainly the world is in the aspect of an obligatory existence. For certainly all the world and its fullness were not created except for Israel, as is known (Vayikra Rabbah 36 and Rashi, beginning of Bereishit ). And Israel rules in the world. Therefore, certainly, now, after the souls of Israel were emanated and created, as it were, He, blessed be He, is compelled to create and sustain the world. For it was on this condition that He emanated the souls of Israel, in order to create all the worlds for their sake. But the souls of Israel themselves, when they were emanated, they themselves, along with all the worlds dependent upon them, all were a possible existence. For it was in His possibility to emanate and create them or not to create them. But immediately, when the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to emanate the souls of Israel, then all the world was in the aspect of an obligatory existence. For since the souls of Israel were emanated, then, as it were, He is obligated to bring the world into existence. For it was on this condition that their souls were emanated—that all the worlds would be created for their sake, and they would rule over everything. Understand well: from this was chained and drawn the error of the heretics who say that the world is, G-d forbid, an obligatory existence.

But in truth, only Hashem, blessed be He, alone is an obligatory existence, but all things are a possible existence, as mentioned above. And the main intention that He created all the world for Israel was so that Israel would do His will and return and cleave to their **root** [ shoresh ] – that is, that they return and be included in Him, blessed be He, who is an obligatory existence. And for this was everything created. It turns out that the more Israel does the will of the Omnipresent and is included in their root, which is an obligatory existence, through this all the world, which was created for them, is included in obligatory existence. For the main purpose for which the world was created is for this. And only for this is Hashem, blessed be He, compelled, as it were, to create and sustain all the worlds for the sake of Israel, as mentioned above, so that they will do His will, as mentioned above. And therefore, precisely then, when they do His will, the world is included in the aspect of an obligatory existence, as mentioned above. For the more they do His will, the more they are included, along with all the worlds dependent upon them, in obligatory existence. For through their doing His will, blessed be He, they return and are included in Him, blessed be He, who is an obligatory existence. And then all the worlds that depend on their soul are included with them in obligatory existence, as mentioned above. However, to merit this—to be included in one’s root, that is, to return and be included in the unity of Hashem, blessed be He, who is an obligatory existence—it is impossible to merit except through **nullification** [ bittul ], that one nullifies his existence completely until he is included in His unity, blessed be He. And it is impossible to come to nullification except through **seclusion** [hisbodidus]. For through secluding oneself and explaining one’s conversation between oneself and one’s Creator, through this one merits to nullify all desires and bad traits until one merits to nullify all one’s physicality and to be included in one’s root. However, the main seclusion is at night, at a time when the world is free from the distractions of this world. For during the day, because people pursue this world, it nullifies and confuses a person from cleaving and being included in Hashem, blessed be He. And even if one is not personally distracted, nevertheless, since the world is distracted then and pursuing the vanities of this world then, it is difficult then to come to nullification. And also , the seclusion needs to be in a special place, that is, outside the city, on a solitary road, in a place where people do not go there. For in a place where people go during the day, who pursue this world, even if they are not going there at the moment , it also confuses the seclusion, and one cannot nullify oneself and be included in Him, blessed be He. Therefore, one needs to go alone at night on a solitary road, in a place where there are no people. And there one shall go and seclude oneself and clear one’s heart and mind from all the affairs of this world and nullify everything until one merits to the aspect of true nullification. That is, initially, he should increase in prayers and conversations in seclusion at night on a solitary road, as mentioned above, until he merits to nullify this thing, that is, to nullify this trait and desire. And afterwards, he should increase yet more in the aforementioned seclusion until he nullifies another trait and desire. And he should continue in this manner for a long time in seclusion, at the aforementioned time and in the aforementioned place , until he nullifies everything. And afterwards, there still remains something from him, etc., and afterwards, they nullify this also, until nothing remains of him. [Explanation: For it is possible that after one has nullified all desires and bad traits, something still remains of him, that is, he has not yet completely nullified pride and arrogance, so that he is still considered something in his own eyes. Therefore, one needs to toil and increase in the aforementioned seclusion until nothing remains of him, so that he will be in the aspect of "what" [ mah ] in truth, until he merits to the aspect of true nullification.] And then, when one merits to true nullification, and then his soul is included in its root, that is, in Him, blessed be He, who is an obligatory existence, then all the world along with his soul is included in its root, which is an obligatory existence. For everything is dependent on Him, as mentioned above. And then all the world is made through him into the aspect of obligatory existence, as mentioned above. And now you shall see wonders of wonders, how all this is explained now in the aforementioned Mishnah . Explain well: "One who stays awake at night" literally, that is, that he is awake at night and secludes himself, and explains his conversation between him and his Creator. And "who walks on the road alone," that is, as mentioned above, that he walks on a solitary road precisely, in a place where people do not go, as mentioned above.

For then it is the main completeness of the seclusion: at night and on a solitary road precisely, as mentioned above.

For then precisely they can come to the aspect of nullification, as mentioned above. And "turns his heart to vanity" – that is, that he turns his heart from all affairs of this world to vanity, so as to merit to the aspect of nullification, as mentioned above. And then he merits that his soul be included in the obligatory existence, as mentioned above. And then all the worlds with his soul are included in the obligatory existence, as mentioned above. "Behold this one is liable for his soul" – that all the world is included in the aspect of obligatory existence with his soul. For through the aforementioned seclusion , he merited to the aspect of nullification, until his soul is included in obligatory existence. And through this, all the world with his soul is included in obligatory existence, as mentioned above. And his soul and all the world are made into the aspect of obligatory existence, as mentioned above. And this is: "behold this one is liable for his soul," as mentioned above.

[And here is to you the language of our master, of blessed memory, from this Torah, which he wrote in the utmost brevity:] "who walks on the solitary road, who stays awake at night, etc." Know that the main nullification – that a person nullifies his existence and becomes nothing and is included in the unity of Hashem, blessed be He – this is only through seclusion.

And seclusion needs a special place and time, so that the preventers do not confuse him. And the time is at night – that is, "who stays awake at night" – for then all are sleeping. And the place is on a solitary road, and not on the public road, so that passersby do not interrupt him. But precisely on a road where the many do not go, there he shall go and seclude himself. And that is: "and who walks on the solitary road." And then he can clear his heart from everything, and can come to nullification of all existence. And that is: "and who turns his heart to vanity." And then, when he is nullified completely, then he is included in the unity of Hashem, blessed be He. And then he comes to the aspect of obligatory, for the Holy One, blessed be He, is obligatory existence, and all things are a possible existence. And when he is nullified and included in His unity, then he comes out from the aspect of possible and is included in the obligatory. And this is the aspect of: "behold this one is liable for his soul."