סימן כ-ט' תיקונין

There — Letter Daled and Letter Hay — "and this is: 'Your staff of strength — Hashem shall send from Zion'" — see Yalkut Shimoni, portion Chukas, in the name of Midrash Yelamdenu: "'Take the staff' — this is what Scripture says: 'Your staff of strength shall Hashem send from Zion.' Another interpretation: 'Take the staff' — this is what the verse says: 'Folly is bound up in the heart of a child' [Proverbs 22] — these are Israel — 'the rod of discipline will remove it far from him' — therefore the Holy One said to Moshe: they need chastisement in order to subdue the evil in the congregation." And see the Rashbam who also explained it in a similar vein. This dis

There — in the commentary on the passage of the Sifra d'Tzni'usa: "hairs upon hairs before the openings of the ears — until the beginning of the mouth" — meaning: before they heard — if they could receive — they opened their mouths and said "we will do." This means: for the essential power of the staff of strength of the Tzaddik — which he has from his mitzvos and good deeds — is through the aspect of "we will do and we will hear" that is in them — namely: what these mitzvos that all of Israel perform and fulfill — such as tzitzis, tefillin and the like — but the Tzaddik performs them with great inflaming and cleaving and great longing — this being the aspect of: "we will do and we will hear — your mouths preceded your ears." course was said on Rosh Hashonoh of the year [5]565 — and Rosh Hashonoh fell then on Thursday and Friday — and it was said at twilight, as was always his custom — that is, close to the beginning of the night belonging to the second day of Rosh Hashonoh — and it was already dark. And I sat very close to him, and gazed upon him, and I saw that when he began the discourse — he then said the words "nine precious rectifications were transmitted to the beard" with very, very great force — to the point of expiring of soul — with awe and fear and trembling and shaking — such as it is impossible to estimate. And he then grasped his holy beard several times with great force. And it is impossible to depict this in writing. See the discourse. And then at the beginning of the Torah he immediately began to speak of the Land of Israel — and he said these words: "whoever wishes to be a Jew — namely: to go from level to level — it is impossible except through the Land of Israel. When one wins the battle one is called a man of war — for before winning the battle one should not boast like one who unlaces — only when one wins the battle is one a man of war." And afterwards he began to speak of the soul — and became very inflamed — and raised his voice and said: "there is a soul…" — as printed in the book in this discourse — only that in the writing it begins immediately with the soul, while in the saying of it he began with the Land of Israel as above. And after completing the above Torah — afterwards during the conversation — I asked him what his intention was in what he said about the Land of Israel — that it is so great and that this is the essential victory of the battle. And he rebuked me and answered and said: "my intention is the Land of Israel literally — with those houses and dwellings." And he said it in Yiddish [lashon Ashkenaz]: "ich mayn takki dos Eretz Yisrael mit di stuber mit di haizer" — meaning: that all his intention in what he elaborated at length about the greatness of the Land of Israel was literally the Land of Israel — where the children of Israel travel — and it is his will that every person of Israel — every one who truly wishes to be a person of Israel as above — should travel to the Land of Israel. And even though one has many obstacles — one should break through all the obstacles and go there — for this is the essential victory of the battle when one merits to come to the Land of Israel. And see further in the discourse on the matter of what happened at the time he gave this discourse to be copied — regarding the yahrzeit of his mother — and so on.

Now: it is elaborated above that Rabbainu said one cannot go from level to level except through the Land of Israel — and then said that his intention was literally the Land of Israel with those houses and courtyards as above. If so, it needs to be understood: how did Rabbainu himself go from level to level before he was in the Land of Israel? [For it is known that even then he was already a great and wondrous Tzaddik as is explained elsewhere.] And likewise several other great Tzaddikim who could not come to the Land of Israel — such as the Baal Shem Tov and several others like him — as is known. There — Letter Yud — "'Let us pass, please, through your land'… in order that they could walk in the way of the King — the King of all worlds…" — In my humble opinion this alludes to what we wrote above — that at the time of saying this Torah discourse he began to speak of the Land of Israel and said: "whoever wishes to be a Jew — namely: to walk from level to level — it is impossible except through the Land of Israel." And this is what they alluded to here as well — that they said: "we do not wish the pleasures of this world… rather we wish: 'the King's road we shall walk' — to walk in the way of the King — the King of all worlds" — namely: as above — to walk from level to level in the service of Hashem. And see Zohar Lech Lecha, p. 80b: "and then Avraham was crowned from level to level until he ascended to his level… when Avraham was crowned in his levels in the holy land…" And see portion Vayeitzay, p. 150: "'and I shall return in peace to my father's house' — there is the holy land — there he was completed… in that place he ascended from this level to another level as is fitting — and there he served his service" — relevant to our matter.

And support for these our words from what is elaborated below in Siman 155 — the discourse Arichas Apayim — that through the Land of Israel one merits patience and nullification of all anger and sadness — and he concluded there: "and every person must beg Hashem that he have longings and yearnings for the Land of Israel." And this is what we pray before the recitation of Shema: "and He will lead us upright to our land." See there — somewhat aligned with our above words — in particular according to what I heard from one of our fellowship [anash] — who said in a witty vein regarding the above matter that Rabbainu said: that it is impossible to go from level to level except through the Land of Israel — as above. For it is elaborated in the discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum, Siman 22, that when one wishes to ascend from level to level one needs a descent before the ascent — see there. And therefore one needs the holiness of the Land of Israel — through which one merits patience as above — and then one can strengthen oneself and stand one's ground at the time of the descent — until through this specifically one merits the ultimate ascent. And if his words are correct in the intention of Rabbainu's words — there is certainly great support for our words from the above Siman 155. [All the above is copied from Chayyay Moharan.] In this above discourse: "and whoever wishes to draw Torah interpretations" — meaning: now — after that soul above was removed and the Torah interpretations drawn through it were removed — therefore whoever now wishes to draw Torah interpretations must first draw warm words for himself — as is elaborated in the discourse. And likewise it is elaborated at the end of the discourse: "everything that was hidden will be found" — meaning: everything that used to be found through that soul which was removed — is now found through this beard [dikna] — as is elaborated there.

Section 10 — Letter י — The Vision There: "and the speech is drawn from the supernal heart…" — see Letter Hay, where it is elaborated that the Shechinah is the aspect of the above-mentioned heart.

Section 11 — Letter יא — The Vision: Part 1 Now: it is elaborated above that Rabbainu said one cannot go from level to level except through the Land of Israel — and then said that his intention was literally the Land of Israel with those houses and courtyards as above. If so, it needs to be understood: how did Rabbainu himself go from level to level before he was in the Land of Israel? [For it is known that even then he was already a great and wondrous Tzaddik as is explained elsewhere.] And likewise several other great Tzaddikim who could not come to the Land of Israel — such as the Baal Shem Tov and several others like him — as is known.

Section 12 — Letter יב — The Vision: Part 2 Therefore it appears in my humble opinion one can say: certainly one must be in the Land of Israel literally — but before one merits to bring one's thought into actual practice — then at any rate: through the longing and yearning and longing [kisufin] that one longs to be in the Land of Israel — there is drawn upon one through this also the illumination from the holiness of the Land of Israel — until one merits through this also to ascend from level to level in the service of Hashem. But the longing must be absolutely true — meaning: at the time when one finds the fitting opportunity to bring one's thought into actual practice — one should break through all the obstacles and come actually in practice to the Land of Israel. And this is the essential victory of the battle as above. But before one merits to this — nonetheless through the true longings alone the holiness of the Land of Israel is drawn upon one as above.

Section 13 — Letter יג — Commentary on the Vision There — Letter Daled and Letter Hay — "and this is: 'Your staff of strength — Hashem shall send from Zion'" [Psalms 110] — see Yalkut Shimoni, portion Chukas, in the name of Midrash Yelamdenu: "'Take the staff' — this is what Scripture says: 'Your staff of strength shall Hashem send from Zion.' Another interpretation: 'Take the staff' — this is what the verse says: 'Folly is bound up in the heart of a child' [Proverbs 22] — these are Israel — 'the rod of discipline will remove it far from him' — therefore the Holy One said to Moshe: they need chastisement in order to subdue the evil in the congregation." And see the Rashbam who also explained it in a similar vein.

And what they answered him about the middle one — that he had cooled and expired and stopped speaking — and they also stopped speaking. This is the aspect of: when this soul falls from the aspect of: "are not My words like fire" — and his words cool — then it is removed. And then the Torah interpretations drawn through it are also removed — and then all Torah commentators can attain no interpretation in the Torah. And then controversy is stirred against the Tzaddikim — this being the aspect of what they ran to the authorities and began to argue with them and wished to kill them. And the holy Torah alludes to us the whole of this matter — according to what our holy and awesome Rabbainu elaborated for us — in the portion of Chukas — in the matter of the wilderness of Tzin — the aspect of cooled speech — where there Miriam died — who is the aspect of the above soul. And then the well was removed — the aspect of the Torah interpretations drawn through her. And then: "and the people gathered against Moshe and Aharon" — they are the aspect of the two holy authorities above. [And it is not for nothing that their essence pleased him greatly.] And: "and the people contended with Moshe…" — the aspect of the controversy that was stirred then — and the arguments the people argued with the above-mentioned authorities — and they wished to kill them — and they fled from them — as it is written: "and Moshe and Aharon came from before the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting" — and the commentators explained that they came as if fleeing from them. And likewise the Sages said — brought in the Yalkut: "when Moshe and Aharon saw the people's faces as wrathful — they fled to the Tent of Meeting." The beautiful tent is the Tent of Meeting. There — in the above discourse — at its end: also before he said this Torah he had related some time earlier a wondrous vision that he saw — at the place he saw it — while awake or in a dream. And he said that the Torah beginning Tes Tikkunin [the nine rectifications] above is an explanation of this wondrous vision that he related.

And what was cried to the authorities from there — to return backwards and take their merits and go to the hanging candle — is what Hashem said to Moshe: "take the staff" — that is: the staff of strength of their merits — and "speak to the rock before their eyes" — the rock is the aspect of the supernal heart suspended in the air — which is like a lit candle. [See the introduction to Tikkun HaZohar, p. 13b — and this is also well-known in many places in the holy Zohar — and see Likutay Tinyana, Siman 91: that the heart is the aspect of a tower floating in the air.] But the intention of Hashem was that he take the staff of strength — in order to subdue the evil in the congregation — and to the supernal heart he should pray with supplications and appeasement and connection with their souls — and then: "and you shall bring forth water for them from the rock — to water the congregation and their animals." Meaning: the aspect of those sitting in circles — who are the Torah commentators who regularly receive — and also those simple people who receive and drink from the waters of interpretation as above. [Or perhaps his intention was also on those who eat only the chaff and straw of the Torah — as is elaborated in the holy Zohar — and they are truly the aspect of their animals. Nonetheless the Holy One also had compassion on them and wished to water them from the waters of the Torah — as the verse says: "the righteous man knows the life of his animal" — as the Sages also expounded on this very matter — see the above Yalkut.] There — Letter Yud — "'Let us pass, please, through your land'… in order that they could walk in the way of the King — the King of all worlds…" — In my humble opinion this alludes to what we wrote above — that at the time of saying this Torah discourse he began to speak of the Land of Israel and said: "whoever wishes to be a Jew — namely: to walk from level to level — it is impossible except through the Land of Israel." And this is what they alluded to here as well — that they said: "we do not wish the pleasures of this world… rather we wish: 'the King's road we shall walk' — to walk in the way of the King — the King of all worlds" — namely: as above — to walk from level to level in the service of Hashem. And see Zohar Lech Lecha, p. 80b: "and then Avraham was crowned from level to level until he ascended to his level… when Avraham was crowned in his levels in the holy land…" And see portion Vayeitzay, p. 150: "'and I shall return in peace to my father's house' — there is the holy land — there he was completed… in that place he ascended from this level to another level as is fitting — and there he served his service" — relevant to our matter.

But Moshe did not do so — rather he used his staff of strength at the time of his prayer — which is the aspect of the authorities throwing the merits forcefully toward the candle — the supernal heart. And this is the aspect of: "and he struck the rock" — and sparks fell from the candle into their mouths — meaning: they drew for themselves from the above candle warm words like coals of fire. And the candle turned and became a river — for from that very heart he drew Torah interpretations — which are the aspect of waters — the aspect of: "He opened the rock and waters flowed — they went in the wilderness like a river" . [And see in the above Yalkut — where it was also surprising: for the way of the rock is to produce fire — as it says: "and fire went out of the rock" — and here it produced water!] And they all drank from the river — as it is written: "and the congregation drank and their animals" — who received from the waters of Torah interpretation. And creatures were formed within them — the aspect of: "and Your Torah within my inward parts" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And when they opened their mouths to speak — the creatures came out from them — the aspect of: "and by the spirit of His mouth all their host" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And I saw them running and returning — and they were neither the kind of man nor the kind of animal — but creatures. For they are the spiritual forces made from the Torah innovations — and they are literally angels. And they are the very angels that Moshe sent to the King of Edom — which is the aspect of this awesome one standing from heaven to earth — holding a sword from heaven to earth. Meaning: the aspect of Edom who is assigned over the sword — as it is written: "by your sword you shall live." And he draws sustenance from the constellation of Mars which is in the heavens. And this sword has several mouths — as is elaborated in this discourse — for he is assigned over all punishments. And sometimes they receive from him power to punish the wicked with sword and slaughter — and sometimes only to subdue them alone — and bring fear into their hearts — and so on — as is elaborated in the discourse. And they came to him and began to beg — this is the aspect of: "you know all the hardship… let us pass, please, through your land…" — and they did not accomplish anything with him — this being the aspect of: "and Edom said: you shall not pass through me… and Edom refused…" — and they returned — the aspect of: "and Israel turned away from him." Meanwhile a command came to kill the authorities — this being the aspect of what is written immediately afterwards: "and Hashem said… let Aharon be gathered to his people… because you rebelled against My word at the waters of Meribah." And afterwards was the removal of Moshe. Meanwhile the vision returned to what it had been — only now the authorities did not throw the merits toward the candle — but rather took the merits and went to the candle and broke their hearts in supplications — and they were told these shall live. For such was Hashem's intention as above — as is elaborated in the discourse. The author writes: I am now copying for you all the above as it is elaborated in the book Chayyay Moharan — and this is its language there: What Rabbainu told at the beginning of the summer of [5]564 — he answered and said: "I will tell you what I saw — and you shall tell your children."

And now you, the reader — stand and contemplate the wonders and awesome-ness of this holy revelation — and the wonders and awesome-ness of the holy and awesome connection and building of this wondrous vision with the connection of several portions and matters in the holy Torah — from the secret of the striking of the rock and the sending of angels to Edom — together with the awesome discourse of the Sifra d'Tzni'usa: "nine precious rectifications" — and with the wondrous and awesome revelation that our holy Rabbainu revealed about it. And see further in the book Chayyay Moharan — where he elaborated somewhat on the greatness of the magnitude and holiness of Rabbainu — and on the greatness of the magnitude of the holiness of his awesome and wondrous attainment — "the eye has not seen." There — in the commentary on the passage of the Sifra d'Tzni'usa: "hairs upon hairs before the openings of the ears — until the beginning of the mouth" — meaning: before they heard — if they could receive — they opened their mouths and said "we will do." This means: for the essential power of the staff of strength of the Tzaddik — which he has from his mitzvos and good deeds — is through the aspect of "we will do and we will hear" that is in them — namely: what these mitzvos that all of Israel perform and fulfill — such as tzitzis, tefillin and the like — but the Tzaddik performs them with great inflaming and cleaving and great longing — this being the aspect of: "we will do and we will hear — your mouth

📋 Translator's Summary — Siman 20 (Tes Tikkunin) s preced

This discourse was said on Shabbas Nachamu [the Shabbas of Consolation] of the year [5]564. Before this — in that summer — I heard from him certain matters of the above discourse section by section. And afterwards he said it in completeness on the road on Shabbas Nachamu as above. And before this — I stood before him on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Menachem [Av] — on the first day, Shabbas, toward evening — and he was then very awesome and lay on his bed. [See the conversation that was then — on the matter that everything he wishes to do he is compelled to do with self-sacrifice.] And then he told me and said: "This Shabbas a question was raised on high — and I gave the answer to it. And the question is: there are surrounding lights [makifin] of the intellect and there are surrounding lights of the Torah — and what should one do so that the makifin enter within?" — as is printed at the end of the above discourse. ed your ears." There: "It was found under two nostrils — a path filled" — meaning: the nostrils — which are the aspect of prayer — "a path filled" — the aspect of fear: "for those who fear Him there is no lack" — "that are not seen there" — meaning: those above-mentioned hairs — which are the aspect of the mitzvos and good deeds — are not visible there at all. Meaning: his prayer is with such great fear that the power of his mitzvos and good deeds is not visible there at all — in the aspect of: "do not praise yourself before the king — but in the multitude of the people is the King's glory" [Proverbs 25] — which is the aspect of prayer with connection to the souls of the listeners — for through this additional holiness is added above — the aspect of: "in the multitude of the people is the King's glory." And this is what was said immediately afterwards: "the fourth rectification — leafy branches cover…" — the aspect of connection with their souls.

Afterwards he set out on the road — and said the discourse Atika above there on the road on Shabbas Nachamu as above. And while he was on the road — his small daughter Feigah passed away. And when he came home they concealed it from him and did not inform him at all — for she had not been raised at his home but in the nearby town of Ladizin — where she was with a wet-nurse — and therefore they were able to conceal it from him. And immediately when he descended from the wagon and entered his home — he found people from our fellowship [anash] who had come to him from the community of Nemirov. He then immediately said much Torah before them from the above discourse Atika — and he wove into his Torah the matter of the seven days of mourning — as is elaborated there in Letter Hay. And also on the road before entering the town — they understood from his words that he knew by his holy spirit that she had departed. And afterwards when he entered his home he asked and inquired of his household — and they concealed it from him. And he did not observe mourning at all — and he was not informed by any person until after Rosh Hashonoh. And then he observed one hour of mourning as required by law — for it was already after thirty days. And he said then: as long as one does not know through a person's mouth — one need not observe mourning — even though one knows through attainments. And I did not know what this was — and they said to me: go to this room and they will tell you the explanation of this. And I went there — and there sat an old man — and I asked him about this. And he grasped his beard in his hand and said to me: "here is my beard — this is the explanation of the vision." And I asked: I still do not know. And he said to me: go to this room and there you will find the explanation. And I went there — and I saw a room endless in length and breadth — entirely full of writings — and in every place I opened I saw an explanation of the vision. All of this we heard from his holy mouth face to face. And he said that all the Torahs he says contain allusions to this vision. And the Torah beginning Tes Tikkunin Yakirin, Siman 20 above — is entirely an explanation of this vision. And the perceptive person will understand there the many wondrous allusions of this vision.

Section 5 — Letter ה — [on Letter Gimmel of the discourse] Now: it is elaborated above that Rabbainu said one cannot go from level to level except through the Land of Israel — and then said that his intention was literally the Land of Israel with those houses and courtyards as above. If so, it needs to be understood: how did Rabbainu himself go from level to level before he was in the Land of Israel? [For it is known that even then he was already a great and wondrous Tzaddik as is explained elsewhere.] And likewise several other great Tzaddikim who could not come to the Land of Israel — such as the Baal Shem Tov and several others like him — as is known. Therefore it appears in my humble opinion one can say: certainly one must be in the Land of Israel literally — but before one merits to bring one's thought into actual practice — then at any rate: through the longing and yearning and longing [kisufin] that one longs to be in the Land of Israel — there is drawn upon one through this also the illumination from the holiness of the Land of Israel — until one merits through this also to ascend from level to level in the service of Hashem. But the longing must be absolutely true — meaning: at the time when one finds the fitting opportunity to bring one's thought into actual practice — one should break through all the obstacles and come actually in practice to the Land of Israel. And this is the essential victory of the battle as above. But before one merits to this — nonetheless through the true longings alone the holiness of the Land of Israel is drawn upon one as above. And support for these our words from what is elaborated below in Siman 155 — the discourse Arichas Apayim — that through the Land of Israel one merits patience and nullification of all anger and sadness — and he concluded there: "and every person must beg Hashem that he have longings and yearnings for the Land of Israel." And this is what we pray before the recitation of Shema: "and He will lead us upright to our land." See there — somewhat aligned with our above words — in particular according to what I heard from one of our fellowship [anash] — who said in a witty vein regarding the above matter that Rabbainu said: that it is impossible to go from level to level except through the Land of Israel — as above. For it is elaborated in the discourse Chosum B'soch Chosum, Siman 22, that when one wishes to ascend from level to level one needs a descent before the ascent — see there. And therefore one needs the holiness of the Land of Israel — through which one merits patience as above — and then one can strengthen oneself and stand one's ground at the time of the descent — until through this specifically one merits the ultimate ascent. And if his words are correct in the intention of Rabbainu's words — there is certainly great support for our words from the above Siman 155. There — in the above discourse — at its end: also before he said this Torah he had related some time earlier a wondrous vision that he saw — at the place he saw it — while awake or in a dream.

Section 6 — Letter ו — [on Letter Hay of the discourse] And he said that the Torah beginning Tes Tikkunin [the nine rectifications] above is an explanation of this wondrous vision that he related. The author writes: I am now copying for you all the above as it is elaborated in the book Chayyay Moharan — and this is its language there: What Rabbainu told at the beginning of the summer of [5]564 — he answered and said: "I will tell you what I saw — and you shall tell your children." One person was lyi ng on th e ground — and around him were sitting in a circle — and around the circle another circle — and around the circle another circle — and likewise several more circles — and around them were sitting several more people without order. And the one in the middle — meaning: he was sitting leaning on his side — was moving his lips — and all of them around him were moving their lips after him. And afterwards I saw and behold — he was gone — that middle one — and all of them who were sitting around him stopped moving their lips. And I asked: what is this? — and they answered me: he had cooled and expired and stopped speaking — and they stopped speaking. And afterwards they all began to run — and I ran after them. And I saw from a distance two palaces — that is: very beautiful and fine buildings — and there two authorities [sharros] were sitting — and they ran there to the authorities — and began to argue with them — why did you lead us astray? — and they wished to kill them — and the authorities fled outside — and I saw them — and their essence pleased me greatly. And I ran after them — and saw from a distance a beautiful tent — and they cried from there to the authorities: return backwards — and take all the merits you have — and take them in your hand — and go to the candle hanging there — and there you will accomplish whatever you wish. And they returned backwards — and received their merits — and there were bundles of merits — and they ran to the candle — and I ran after them. And I saw a lit candle hanging in the air — and the authorities came and threw the merits toward the candle — and sparks fell from the candle into their mouths. And the candle turned and transformed — and from the candle became a river. And they all drank from the river — and creatures were formed within them. And when they opened their mouths to speak — the creatures came out from them — and I saw them running and returning — and they were neither the kind of man nor the kind of animal — but creatures. And then they took counsel to return to their place — and they said: how can we return to our place? — one of them answered: let us send to the one who stands there holding a sword from heaven to earth. And they said: whom shall we send? — and they took counsel to send the creatures. And the creatures went there — and I ran after them. And I saw that one — awesome — standing from heaven to earth — and his sword in his hand from heaven to earth — and it had several mouths — that is: one mouth — sharp — for death — and one mouth for poverty — and one mouth for illness — and likewise several mouths for other punishments. And they began to beg him: this long time we had afflictions from you — now help us — and bring us to our place. And he answered: I cannot help you. And they begged: give us the mouth of death — and we will kill them. And he did not consent. And they begged for another mouth — and he did not consent to give them any of the mouths — called scharf. And they returned. Meanwhile a command came to kill the authorities — and their heads were removed. Meanwhile the vision returned to what it had been: one was lying on the ground as above — and circles surrounded him — and they ran to the authorities — and so on — all as above. Only now I saw that the authorities did not throw the merits to the candle — but rather took the merits and went to the candle and broke their hearts with supplications before the candle — and sparks fell from the candle into their mouths — and they beseeched with supplications further — and from the candle became a river — and so on — and creatures were formed within them as above. And they said to me that these shall live — for the first ones were found guilty of death because they threw the merits to the candle and did not beseech with supplications like these. And I did not know what this was — and they said to me: go to this room and they will tell you the explanation of this. And I went there — and there sat an old man — and I asked him about this. And he grasped his beard in his hand and said to me: "here is my beard — this is the explanation of the vision." And I asked: I still do not know. And he said to me: go to this room and there you will find the explanation. And I went there — and I saw a room endless in length and breadth — entirely full of writings — and in every place I opened I saw an explanation of the vision. All of this we heard from his holy mouth face to face. And he said that all the Torahs he says contain allusions to this vision. And the Torah beginning Tes Tikkunin Yakirin, Siman 20 above — is entirely an explanation of this vision. And the perceptive person will understand there the many wondrous allusions of this vision. To elaborate somewhat briefly: the one who was lying on the ground — this is the aspect of the soul which is borne down by afflictions — "bread with salt you shall eat" — "and on the ground you shall sleep." And perhaps this is why it was written above: "one was lying on the ground" — specifically as above. And around him were sitting in circles — and the next circle — and several more circles — and around them were sitting more people without order. And that middle one was moving his lips — and all of them around him were moving their lips after him. And see in Likutay Halachos in many places — and in particular in Laws of Robbery [Hilchos Gezelah], Halacha 1 — how even though the ways of this discourse are very high and exalted — nonetheless one can extract from it straight and wondrous paths — necessary and urgent for every person according to their level. See there — where he elaborated on this with very wondrous and awesome words — and I did not copy them here out of concern for length. In particular because the matter has already been somewhat expanded through the copying of the wondrous vision with some of its explanation. Even though in truth the words are still sealed and closed until the end of time — for his holy thoughts are very deep — and all his holy conversations are full of secrets upon secrets without end — how much more so such a wondrous and awesome matter: "how great is Your goodness that You have hidden away for those who fear You" — "light is sown for the righteous." This alludes to the fact that all the Torah commentators receive from this soul — and since even among the Torah commentators there are many levels — for there are among them great and small — and there are commentators according to the secrets of the Torah — and there are according to allusion or homily — and there are according to the simple meaning — and there are those who cannot be counted among the Torah commentators — yet nonetheless they too have some connection and portion in the Torah commentaries — as is found even among simple people — that Hashem occasions for them some true explanation and innovation in Torah according to the simple meaning or by way of innovation and homily. And all Torah interpretations all flow through this soul — only the Torah commentators who are regularly engaged in this are in the aspect of circles around the central point — which is the above soul — for they receive from it regularly. And the rest of the people are in the aspect of those sitting around them without order as above. And what they answered him about the middle one — that he had cooled and expired and stopped speaking — and they also stopped speaking. This is the aspect of: when this soul falls from the aspect of: "are not My words like fire" [Jeremiah 23] — and his words cool — then it is removed. And then the Torah interpretations drawn through it are also removed — and then all Torah commentators can attain no interpretation in the Torah. And then controversy is stirred against the Tzaddikim — this being the aspect of what they ran to the authorities and began to argue with them and wished to kill them. And the holy Torah alludes to us the whole of this matter — according to what our holy and awesome Rabbainu elaborated for us — in the portion of Chukas — in the matter of the wilderness of Tzin — the aspect of cooled speech — where there Miriam died — who is the aspect of the above soul. And then the well was removed — the aspect of the Torah interpretations drawn through her. And then: "and the people gathered against Moshe and Aharon" — they are the aspect of the two holy authorities above. [And it is not for nothing that their essence pleased him greatly.] And: "and the people contended with Moshe…" — the aspect of the controversy that was stirred then — and the arguments the people argued with the above-mentioned authorities — and they wished to kill them — and they fled from them — as it is written: "and Moshe and Aharon came from before the congregation to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting" — and the commentators explained that they came as if fleeing from them. And likewise the Sages said — brought in the Yalkut: "when Moshe and Aharon saw the people's faces as wrathful — they fled to the Tent of Meeting." The beautiful tent is the Tent of Meeting. And what was cried to the authorities from there — to return backwards and take their merits and go to the hanging candle — is what Hashem said to Moshe: "take the staff" — that is: the staff of strength of their merits — and "speak to the rock before their eyes" — the rock is the aspect of the supernal heart suspended in the air — which is like a lit candle. [See the introduction to Tikkun HaZohar, p. Siman Twenty-One — Atika Tamir v'Satimסימן כא — עתיקא טמיר וסתים 13b — and this is also well-known in many places in the holy Zohar — and see Likutay Tinyana, Siman 91: that the heart is the aspect of a tower floating in the air.] But the intention of Hashem was that he take the staff of strength — in order to subdue the evil in the congregation — and to the supernal heart he should pray with supplications and appeasement and connection with their souls — and then: "and you shall bring forth water for them from the rock — to water the congregation and their animals." Meaning: the aspect of those sitting in circles — who are the Torah commentators who regularly receive — and also those simple people who receive and drink from the waters of interpretation as above. [Or perhaps his intention was also on those who eat only the chaff and straw of the Torah — as is elaborated in the holy Zohar — and they are truly the aspect of their animals. Nonetheless the Holy One also had compassion on them and wished to water them from the waters of the Torah — as the verse says: "the righteous man knows the life of his animal" [Proverbs 12] — as the Sages also expounded on this very matter — see the above Yalkut.] But Moshe did not do so — rather he used his staff of strength at the time of his prayer — which is the aspect of the authorities throwing the merits forcefully toward the candle — the supernal heart. And this is the aspect of: "and he struck the rock" — and sparks fell from the candle into their mouths — meaning: they drew for themselves from the above candle warm words like coals of fire. Afterwards I stood before him further until after sunset. In the meantime his servant entered and said in these words: "Rebbe, give money for candles" — and in Yiddish [lashon Ashkenaz]: "Rebbe, git gelt oyf lecht." He answered and said to me: "Did you hear what he said? — Remember this too — for this also is an answer to the question" — meaning: to the above question that was raised on high regarding the makifin — "if you will be an upright person you will merit to understand this." And the candle turned and became a river — for from that very heart he drew Torah interpretations — which are the aspect of waters — the aspect of: "He opened the rock and waters flowed — they went in the wilderness like a river" [Psalms 105]. [And see in the above Yalkut — where it was also surprising: for the way of the rock is to produce fire — as it says: "and fire went out of the rock" [Judges 6] — and here it produced water!] And they all drank from the river — as it is written: "and the congregation drank and their animals" — who received from the waters of Torah interpretation. And creatures were formed within them — the aspect of: "and Your Torah within my inward parts" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And when they opened their mouths to speak — the creatures came out from them — the aspect of: "and by the spirit of His mouth all their host" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And I saw them running and returning — and they were neither the kind of man nor the kind of animal — but creatures. For they are the spiritual forces made from the Torah innovations — and they are literally angels. And they are the very angels that Moshe sent to the King of Edom — which is the aspect of this awesome one standing from heaven to earth — holding a sword from heaven to earth. Meaning: the aspect of Edom who is assigned over the sword — as it is written: "by your sword you shall live." And he draws sustenance from the constellation of Mars which is in the heavens. And this sword has several mouths — as is elaborated in this discourse — for he is assigned over all punishments. And sometimes they receive from him power to punish the wicked with sword and slaughter — and sometimes only to subdue them alone — and bring fear into their hearts — and so on — as is elaborated in the discourse. And they came to him and began to beg — this is the aspect of: "you know all the hardship… let us pass, please, through your land…" [Numbers 20] — and they did not accomplish anything with him — this being the aspect of: "and Edom said: you shall not pass through me… and Edom refused…" — and they returned — the aspect of: "and Israel turned away from him." Meanwhile a command came to kill the authorities — this being the aspect of what is written immediately afterwards: "and Hashem said… let Aharon be gathered to his people… because you rebelled against My word at the waters of Meribah." And afterwards was the removal of Moshe. Meanwhile the vision returned to what it had been — only now the authorities did not throw the merits toward the candle — but rather took the merits and went to the candle and broke their hearts in supplications — and they were told these shall live. For such was Hashem's intention as above — as is elaborated in the discourse. And since all the above rectifications — that are needed for the drawing of Torah in perfection according to the truth of His will — are all contained and alluded to in the nine precious rectifications transmitted to the beard — as is elaborated in the discourse — therefore the holy old man grasped his holy beard in his hand and said to him: "here is my beard — it is the explanation of the vision." And what he grasped his beard specifically — one can say: for the essential totality of the rectifications — the essential thing is through prayer — and that prayer be in the perfection of the rectifications elaborated in the discourse. And prayer is the aspect of his hand — the aspect of: "and his hands were faithful" — as is elaborated in the discourse. And now you, the reader — stand and contemplate the wonders and awesome-ness of this holy revelation — and the wonders and awesome-ness of the holy and awesome connection and building of this wondrous vision with the connection of several portions and matters in the holy Torah — from the secret of the striking of the rock and the sending of angels to Edom — together with the awesome discourse of the Sifra d'Tzni'usa: "nine precious rectifications" — and with the wondrous and awesome revelation that our holy Rabbainu revealed about it. And afterwards during the days of Elul I was with him personally — for when he arrived home I was not there myself — only all the above that happened at the time of his entering home I heard from my companion who was with him then. And immediately when I entered to him — and he was sitting with heaviness of head in sorrow — he immediately began to speak of life and death and answered and said to me: "The difference between life and death is only one cubit — for now a person is here and afterwards he dwells there." And he pointed with his hand toward the cemetery. Meaning: one who is a Tzaddik — even in death he is alive — what difference is there for him between life and death? Only: before he dwelt here — and now he has fixed his dwelling there, in the grave — and he lives there. And then he began to say: "Eternal life is only with Hashem — and whoever is included in Him is also alive with eternal life" — as all this is elaborated in the above discourse. [All of this is copied from Chayyay Moharan.] And see further in the book Chayyay Moharan — where he elaborated somewhat on the greatness of the magnitude and holiness of Rabbainu — and on the greatness of the magnitude of the holiness of his awesome and wondrous attainment — "the eye has not seen." And see in Likutay Halachos in many places — and in particular in Laws of Robbery [Hilchos Gezelah], Halacha 1 — how even though the ways of this discourse are very high and exalted — nonetheless one can extract from it straight and wondrous paths — necessary and urgent for every person according to their level. See there — where he elaborated on this with very wondrous and awesome words — and I did not copy them here out of concern for length. In particular because the matter has already been somewhat expanded through the copying of the wondrous vision with some of its explanation. There — Letter Gimmel — "and its growth is from the earth [gadlo min ha'aretz]" — for the one who receives must be wise — meaning: he must have a well-balanced material nature to receive wisdom and intellect — as is elaborated below in Siman 53. And as is elaborated elsewhere in the name of Rabbainu — that a person can be a Tzaddik even if he is not a Torah scholar — but to be a person of attainment — for this one must be a Torah scholar in Gemara, commentary, and Tosafos. And this is the aspect of "and its growth is from the earth" — meaning: that also the nature of his body and material substance — which is the aspect of earth [as is known and as is elaborated above in Siman 14] — should also be prepared and well-balanced for this. And see Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis, ch. 13: "and a mist rose from the earth" — Resh Lakish says: clouds come only from below [meaning: from the earth] — like one who said to his companion: "lend me a measure of wheat" — and he said: "bring your basket and measure." So the Holy One says to the earth: bring your clouds and receive rain. [Brought in Tosafos, Sukkah p. 12, s.v. b'pesoles.] And through this the entire above matter is elaborated even more. Even though in truth the words are still sealed and closed until the end of time — for his holy thoughts are very deep — and all his holy conversations are full of secrets upon secrets without end — how much more so such a wondrous and awesome matter: "how great is Your goodness that You have hidden away for those who fear You" — "light is sown for the righteous." Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman