סימן מ"ד

There: "'see life with the woman' — meaning: to unify the aspect of Israel — which is the aspect of truth — the aspect of tefillin — the aspect of life — with the woman" [acrostic: ha'nosen amrei shefer] — namely: with Eretz Yisrael — through which one receives the abundance — the aspect of ha'nosen amrei shefer. Or perhaps it means: for sometimes after receiving the abundance of livelihood — which flows from the aspect of life — the aspect of truth — as above — one then damages it through the desire for eating. And through this comes the concealment of the face, G-d forbid — which is the opposite of the aspect of life. Therefore the Scripture warns not to damage the abundance — and to see that it be in the aspect of life specifically. On the matter of clapping palm to palm in prayer — Atem Netzavim.

This discourse was said on the Shabbas before Rosh Hashonoh of the year [5]563 — the first Shabbas that I [Rabbi Nosson] drew close to him.

Siman Forty-Eight — Al Asher M'altemסימן מח — על אשר מעלתם And know: at that time when he said this — it was close to his arrival in Breslov. And he then spoke much about the matter of clapping hands in prayer. And they told me that at the beginning of his arrival there — he once stood at the entrance of the study house in his home — and rebuked the people about prayer — that they were not praying properly. And he answered and said: one does not hear from anyone the slightest clapping of hands. And from this they immediately understood that he wished to restore the crown to its former glory — that they should return to stirring themselves and praying with concentration and vitality and inflaming — and with great force. As the early Chassidim had been in the days of the Baal Shem Tov and his holy students who were in the generations before us. Also: at that same time — before the above Shabbas before Rosh Hashonoh — two chassidim of somewhat prominent standing were with him and dined with him. And in the course of their conversation with him — they were somewhat mocking a certain person whose way was to multiply clapping in prayer. And Rabbainu was displeased with this — and spoke harshly to them and said: do you really know what clapping hands in prayer is — and all the matters involved — that you mock this man for whom your clapping was not acceptable? Afterwards — on the Shabbas after that — which is the Shabbas before Rosh Hashonoh — I came for Shabbas. And then he said the discourse Atem Netzavim on the matter of clapping of hands. And this is the first discourse I merited to hear from his holy mouth. And immediately I wrote it down with the help of Hashem. Also: afterwards — shortly after Sukkos — one person came to him — and he was the person who had been with him before Rosh Hashonoh and had mocked the clapping of hands of a certain person as above.

There: "but the words [diburim]." This means: for the essential sanctity of Eretz Yisrael is through the force of one's deeds — the aspect of the above sukkah. But when this force is damaged, G-d forbid — through non-holy words — through this the aspect of the sukkah of the nations [sukkas notzrim] is stirred, G-d forbid — of whom: "their mouth speaks vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood." Then the nations strengthen, G-d forbid — and the aspect of the sanctity of Eretz Yisrael is concealed. And the children of Israel descend into exile. And then the Shechinah — as it were — is in the aspect of riv [strife] — "on account of her children who are in exile." And this is what is written: "shelter them in a sukkah from the strife of tongues" — for through the aspect of the holy sukkah — they are sheltered and saved from this strife — which comes through the strengthening of the non-holy tongues. Now: in this discourse it is elaborated that the abundance of Eretz Yisrael is the aspect of truth — the aspect of the totality of the colors [govvanin] — the aspect of wealth. And when this is damaged, G-d forbid — shame comes upon one — for one is dependent upon others because of poverty. And from this you will understand a hidden matter: since Eretz Yisrael is now in exile — therefore specifically the people of Eretz Yisrael — most all of them — are dependent upon others. And perhaps this is of great intentional good from Hashem — for through the fact that most of the livelihood of the inhabitants of Eretz Yisrael now comes from outside the Land — through this the abundance of Israel outside the Land is also sanctified in the aspect of the abundance of Eretz Yisrael. And see Zohar Terumah, p. 157b: "and because of this — even though Israel is outside the holy Land — even so — through the force and merit of the Land — sustenance and provision are found for the entire world. And therefore it is written: 'and you shall bless Hashem your G-d for the good land that He gave you' [Deuteronomy 8] — for through it sustenance and provision are found in the world. Whoever delights at the table — and so on — should remember and be concerned for the holiness of the holy Land." And Rabbainu showed him a passage in Pri Etz Chaim — on the matter of "and He shall make peace for you [v'yasem lecha shalom]" — which is an acrostic of shelav [quail] — which is the aspect of: "I was at ease and He shook me up" [Job 16]. And he commanded him to recite this matter before him. And he was compelled to recite it before him. And afterwards Rabbainu said to him the Torah on the matter of clapping — which is in Siman 46 — on the matter of the three hands. See there. [All of the above is copied from Chayyay Moharan — and see there further.] The author writes: I heard from one of our people [anshei shelanu] that Rabbainu said: "we conquered the city of Breslov with clapping of palms and dancing." For in truth at the beginning of his arrival in Breslov he immediately spoke much about the matter of clapping hands in prayer — as elaborated in the discourse Atem Netzavim above — and in the discourses close to it. And likewise the discourse Mishpatim, Siman 10, was said in this winter. And in this year he danced much — as is known and elaborated elsewhere. [See Chayyay Moharan 115–116.]