סימן קיא

Siman One Hundred and Elevenסימן קיא Rosh Bnei Yisrael [the head of the children of Israel] — the acrostic [roshei teivos] spells Rebbe.

I heard from my father — of blessed memory — that in his opinion the interpretation is: for when one merits a worthy rabbi — he illuminates the eyes of those drawn close to him. The aspect of: [Ecclesiastes 2] "the wise man has his eyes in his head." For he is truly the head of the children of Israel. And just as the light of the eyes comes only from the head and the brain — likewise when one merits a worthy rabbi who is truly the head of the children of Israel — then he illuminates the generation and truly opens their eyes. And as is also elaborated elsewhere in his words. But on the contrary, G-d forbid — a rabbi who is not worthy: not only does he not illuminate their eyes — on the contrary — he darkens their eyes even more. This being the aspect of: [1 Samuel 2] "in darkness they are made dumb" — as elaborated in the discourse. And see also in the Sefer HaKaneh — where he elaborates at length on the disgrace of a rabbi who is not worthy. And there it is said: "Ra v'einei Haveye'ah" [evil in the eyes of Hashem] — the acrostic spells Rabbi. And the earliest of the early already raised this outcry. And in my humble opinion it seems: the meaning is — in the manner of what is written in the Zohar Nasso, p. 122b: "and the wicked are made dumb in the darkness — these are the mixed multitude [erev rav] — and so on — and evil thoughts return upon Israel — for these are the heads of the nation. About them it is said: [Eicha 1] 'her enemies have become the head.'" And likewise in the portion Pinchas, p. 297: "when the mixed multitude are mixed among Israel — what is written: 'her enemies have become the head.' And when Israel has separated from them — what is written: [Numbers 26] 'take the head of all the congregation of the children of Israel.'"