אות - צא

A segulah for diligence (192) — that one should merit to be diligent in one's study — is to be careful not to speak against any person of Israel. Just as when the bride is beautiful the love is complete; but when the bride has some deficiency and blemish, then certainly the love is not complete. So too the Torah is called a bride, as it is written (Devarim 33:4): "The Torah that Moshe commanded us is an inheritance" — and our Sages o.b.m. expounded (Berachos 57a; Pesachim 49b): "Do not read 'inheritance' [morashah] but 'betrothed' [meurashah]." And every individual of Israel has a letter in the Torah — for the six hundred thousand letters of the Torah correspond to the six hundred thousand souls of Israel (193). And when there is a deficiency in one of Israel, it is found that there is a deficiency in the Torah — there where the root of those souls of Israel is as mentioned. And therefore certainly it is impossible to love the Torah completely. But when one is careful not to speak against any Jew and not to find any deficiency in any Israelite — it is found that the Torah has no deficiency or blemish, and then one will certainly love the Torah greatly. And then one will merit diligence in the study of Torah from the greatness of the love as mentioned above. And this is: "The Torah of Hashem is perfect" (Psalms 19:8) — when the Torah of Hashem is perfect without any deficiency or blemish — that is, when one is careful not to speak against and not to find any deficiency in any Israelite who is a letter from the Torah — it is found that then the Torah of Hashem is perfect without any deficiency or blemish. Then it is "soul-restoring" — for then precisely one merits the love of the Torah and feels the sweetness and taste of the Torah that restores the soul, since it has no deficiency as mentioned. And then one merits diligence as mentioned above. 192. RAK: This discourse was given in response to a question that Rabbainu was asked about the matter of diligence in study. It was said on the eve of Rosh HaShanah 5571, a short time before Rabbainu's passing. (Chayai Moharan, Discourses Connected to the Teachings, 34). 193. RAK: Zohar Chadash, Shir HaShirim 74a. See Likutay Moharan 2, 14, 273.