הקדמה

Yikara DiShabsa — The Preciousness of Shabbos Introductions · Title Page Yikara DiShabsa יקרא דשבתא In which are explained very many wondrous matters concerning the great preciousness, the wondrous magnificence, and the exalted holiness of the holy Shabbos. Also explained within it are very many verses from the Tanach and very many teachings from the words of our Sages of blessed memory — gathered and founded upon the words of the holy Zohar and the writings of the Ari z"l, and very many additional holy books — and in particular upon the foundation of the holy books of Likutay Moharan, as explained in the Introduction. Composed by The Rav, the Gaon, the Great Luminary, Sinai [a master of broad Talmudic knowledge] and Uprooter of Mountains [a master of sharp dialectic], and so on —

Our Master and Teacher, Rav Nachman of blessed saintly memory, Rabbinical Court Judge [Av Beis Din] of the holy community of Tchehrin — author of the book "Lashon Chassidim", and "Derech Chassidim", and "Likutay Aytsos" — the New Edition, in four parts — and "Likutay Aytsos, Mahadura Basra" [Second Edition], and "Nachas HaShulchan", and "Zimras HaAretz",

and other books which are still in manuscript. נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman Introduction — Hakdamah הקדמה Said the writer and compiler: It is well-known and explained throughout all the words of our teachers of blessed memory — the great and wondrous magnificence of the exalted holiness of the holy Shabbos. And our Sages of blessed memory stated explicitly in Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, Chapter 18: Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, Ch. 18 "Whoever guards the Shabbos in this world — the Holy One, blessed be He, forgives him all his sins."

And our Sages of blessed memory taught in tractate Shabbos, folio 118: Tractate Shabbos 118 "Whoever guards the Shabbos in accordance with its law — even one who worshipped idolatry as in the generation of Enosh — he is forgiven," and so on. [וכו'] And they further taught [ibid.]: "Had Israel observed the very first Shabbos, no nation or tongue would have ever ruled over them," and so on. [וכו'] "Were Israel to observe two Shabbosim in accordance with their law, they would be redeemed immediately," and so on. [וכו'] And see there further regarding the great reward of one who fulfills the three Shabbos meals, and the reward of one who delights in the Shabbos — that he is given an inheritance without borders [nachalah bli metzarim], and he is given all the desires of his heart, and he is saved from the subjugation of [foreign] kingdoms. And see there also on folio 119, and how the great sages of Israel would labor with their own hands in honor of Shabbos, and so on. [וכו'] And our Sages of blessed memory taught in Midrash Rabbah, Parashas B'Shalach, section 25: "If Israel were to observe the Shabbos as it should be observed — even for a single day — the son of David [Mashiach] would come, because it [Shabbos] is equal in weight to all the commandments," and so on. [וכו'] Rabbi Eliezer bar Avina said: We have found in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Writings that Shabbos is equal in weight to all the commandments, and so on. [וכו'] G-d said to Israel: "If you merit to observe the Shabbos, I account it for you as though you have kept all the commandments of the Torah," and so on. [וכו'] "At the time when you observe the Shabbos, you issue a decree and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfills it," and so on. [וכו'] And furthermore: all that you eat in this world is nothing but from the peiros [the fruits — worldly dividends], but the principal [keren] is preserved for you in the World to Come, as it is stated: "And I will feed you with the heritage of Yaakov your father," and so on. [וכו'] [Isaiah 58:14] And the Sages enlarged yet further upon the magnitude of the greatness of the holiness of Shabbos throughout the Talmud and Midrashim, in very many places — too numerous to count. And in the holy Zohar they stated, in the Introduction, folio 1: "In our land — this is the day of Shabbos, which is the likeness of the Land of the Living, which is the World to Come, the World of Souls, the World of Consolations." And in Parashas Noach, folio 60: "'A good man [tov ish]' — this is the Holy One, blessed be He," and so on. [וכו'] "Another interpretation: 'a good man' — this is the Tzadik," and so on. [וכו'] "Rabbi Yosi says: this is Noach," and so on. [וכו'] "Rabbi Yitzchak said: this is the praise of Shabbos, for it opens with 'good,' as it is written: 'It is good to give thanks to Hashem.'" "Rabbi Chiya said: All is one — they all said the same thing," and so on. [וכו'] And there [Zohar Noach], folio 75: "On the day of Shabbos all the gates are open, and rest [niyacha] is found for all — for those Above and those Below." And in Parashas B'Shalach, folio 47: "Shabbos is equal in weight to the entire Torah, and whoever guards Shabbos is as though he guarded the entire Torah," and so on — [וכו'] see there and also folio 63. And in Parashas Yisro, folio 88, it elaborates greatly on the matter of the holiness of Shabbos, and there on folio 89: "Therefore Shabbos is equal against the entire Torah, and whoever guards Shabbos is as though he guarded the entire Torah." And there on folio 92: "Shabbos is the summation of the entire Torah, and all the mysteries of the Torah depend upon it, and the sustaining of Shabbos is like the sustaining of the entire Torah — whoever guards Shabbos is as though he guarded the entire Torah." And there in Ra'aya Mehemna: "There are three levels, and all of them are called Shabbos," and so on, [וכו'] "and these three levels are the summation and the mystery of the entire Torah — Written Torah, Prophets, and Writings. Whoever guards Shabbos guards the entire Torah," and so on. [וכו'] And in Zohar Terumah, folios 136, 137, 138, it likewise elaborates on the matter of the holiness of Shabbos. And there on folio 136: "And on every Shabbos eve, a person dwells in the World of Souls," and so on. [וכו'] And in Zohar Vayakhel, folios 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, it likewise elaborates on the matter of the holiness of Shabbos, and there on folio 205: Zohar Vayakhel 205 "This day is the day of souls, and not the day of the body," and so on. [וכו']

And it elaborated further in very many places in the holy Zohar, and in the Tikunim, and in the Zohar Chadash — extolling and praising the greatness of the holiness of Shabbos. And see in Zohar Vaeschanan, folio 265: "We have learned that a person is obligated to receive the countenance of the Shechinah [Divine Presence] at every New Moon and every Shabbos — and who is his Teacher?" and so on. [וכו'] And so too is the plain meaning of the language of the Talmud, tractate Sukkah, folio 27: Talmud Sukkah 27 "We derive from this that on [Rosh] Chodesh and on Shabbos, a person is obligated to receive the countenance of his Teacher [Rebbe]." And see also the Ramban [Nachmanides] on Parashas Yisro, on the verse "Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it" [Exodus 20:8]. And in the writings of the Ari z"l it is explained that a person is obligated to receive the countenance of his Rebbe on Shabbos, in order that the holiness of Shabbos be drawn down upon him through the power of his Rebbe. And so too, in the words of our Rebbe of blessed saintly memory, the very great elevation of the Shabbosim spent with true Tzadikim is likewise explained, and so on. [וכו'] And see in Likutay Moharan Tinyana, in the teaching B'Reishis L'Ainay Kol Yisrael [Siman 67], where it is explained that the Tzadik is in the aspect of Shabbos, and so on, [וכו'] and so too is it explained and understood in the holy Zohar in many places. And see in Likutay Moharan Part I, Siman 192 — where it is explained that when one merits to receive a word from the mouth of the Tzadik, through this one receives his countenance, his intellect [sichlo], and his soul — and the image and likeness of the Tzadik — which is his face [panim] and his intellect and his soul — is engraved and imprinted in one's consciousness, and so on. [וכו'] And so too, in the holy book of a true sage and Tzadik — there too is inscribed and imprinted the image of his countenance, and the light of his face, his intellect, and his soul, and so on. [וכו'] And it is already known — the great holiness and wondrous power of the teachings of our Rebbe of blessed saintly memory — and that they contain a very great comprehensiveness for the service of G-d. And each and every teaching from his holy teachings encompasses many matters, and encompasses virtually all of our holy Torah — as is understood from the words of our Rebbe of blessed saintly memory himself. And I have heard in the name of great ancient Tzadikim from the land of Kiev and greater Poland, who would exalt immeasurably — exceedingly, exceedingly — the holiness of his Torah and holy teachings of our Rebbe of blessed saintly memory, and said about them explicitly that they are in the aspect of the holiness of Shabbos. And see also in Likutay Halachos, where it is explained that there are Torah novellae of such a kind that they are in the aspect of the holiness of Yom Tov, and there are wondrous Torah novellae of such a kind that they are in the aspect of Shabbos. For this reason I took it to heart to write for myself a reminder — briefly and in the manner of chapter-headings — how the majority of the holy teachings of our Rebbe of blessed saintly memory, and virtually all of them, have great relevance to the holiness of Shabbos, and are all encompassed within the holiness of Shabbos — for they are of very great comprehensiveness, as mentioned above. And the holiness of Shabbos is the comprehensiveness of all of them — for Shabbos is "the summation of the entire Torah, and all the mysteries of the Torah are encompassed within it," as mentioned above.

And these few words in this small kuntres are of great benefit for people of our kind — to ignite their hearts in the matter of the holiness of Shabbos, and [to show] how each and every person of Israel, according to his own aspect and level, must prepare himself to receive the holiness of Shabbos, and to perpetually raise up the memory of the holiness of Shabbos to his heart — even throughout all the days of the week — in the manner of what our Sages expounded: "Remember it [the Shabbos] from the first day of the week" ["zochrayhu me'echad b'Shabbos"]. And this is especially so since all the matters in this kuntres are grounded on holy mountains — upon the foundation of the words of our holy teachers in the holy Zohar and the writings of the Ari z"l and other holy books — and in particular upon the words of our holy Rebbe, the Light of Lights, and so on [וכו'] — our Master and Teacher Nachman of blessed saintly memory, author of Likutay Moharan, Part I and Part II — of whom it is already known and renowned that every single word and utterance from his holy teachings constitutes a major branch of Torah, and one could expand upon them without end and without limit, and they are a great fundamental cornerstone for the service of G-d — as is explained elsewhere from this, somewhat. And behold, this kuntres is founded and arranged according to the order of the holy teachings in Likutay Moharan, Part I and Part II, and some of the holy stories and his holy conversations (those printed after the story-parables) [as brought in the books Chayay Moharan and Sichos HaRaN]. And if the student wishes to grasp the roots of these matters and to contemplate them as is fitting, he should study them directly in the aforementioned holy books, and afterward study this kuntres in each and every siman as it is marked upon it. However, even one who does not have the aforementioned holy books — even so, if he studies this kuntres he will find benefit for his soul, for most of the matters — even though they are in brief language and in the manner of chapter-headings — are nonetheless well-explained, and every student can readily understand them. And I am confident that whoever studies this kuntres — especially if he has some familiarity with the words of the holy Zohar, the writings of the Ari z"l, and other holy books — will find these matters to be a great key by which to discover through them many precious segulos (-propitious remedies) in all the words of our Sages — especially in the places where they speak about the matter of the holiness of Shabbos. And I called the name of this kuntres "Yikara DiShabsa" — for within it is spoken only of the great and exalted preciousness of the holiness of the holy Shabbos, and how it is the comprehensiveness of all holiness, and there is no holy matter or thing in the world that is not included in the holiness of Shabbos — as will be well-explained within, to every sincere and faithful student. ✦ Part One — Chelek Aleph ✦ Siman 1 — סימן א Ashray Temimay Derech — "Fortunate are those of the perfect way…" [Psalms 119] Shabbos is the aspect of Da'as [דַּעַת — Divine Knowledge/Consciousness], as is explained in Siman 119 and onward. [וכו'] As it says: "And My Shabbosim shall you observe," and so on — [וכו'] "to know that I am Hashem Who sanctifies you." [Exodus 31:13] Also, Shabbos is the aspect of the three colors of the eye [talas govnin de'eina] and the pupil of the eye [bas ayin] — as is known — in the aspect of: "See, that Hashem has given you the Shabbos" [Exodus 16:29] — as explained in the teaching B'Reishis L'Ainay Kol Yisrael in Likutay Moharan Tinyana, Siman 67. That is, the aspect of gazing upon [hiskaklus] the intellect [seichel] that exists within every thing — and the intellect is the aspect of light — the aspect of: "The wisdom of a person illuminates his face." [Ecclesiastes 8:1] And therefore our Sages of blessed memory taught: "He blessed them with light," and so on — [וכו'] "He blessed them with the light of a person's face," and so on. [וכו'] And therefore Shabbos is in the aspect of Yaakov [יַעֲקֹב] — the aspect of "the heritage of Yaakov" [nachalas Yaakov] — for he was the first about whom the keeping of Shabbos is explicitly stated, as it is written: "And he encamped [vayichan] at the face of the city" [Genesis 33:18] — that he established the Shabbos boundaries [shekava techumin], and so on, [וכו'] as our Sages of blessed memory taught. For Yaakov merited this intellect, as explained within. And this intellect is the aspect of the sun [shemesh]. And this is the aspect of: "And the sun of righteousness [shemesh tzedakah] will shine for you who fear My Name," and so on. [וכו'] [Malachi 3:20] And our Sages expounded: "The sun [shemesh] on Shabbos is tzedakah for the poor." That is, because "there is no poor person except one who lacks knowledge [Da'as]" — as our Sages of blessed memory taught — and on Shabbos the Holy Name, blessed be He, performs tzedakah with the aforementioned poor ones and shines upon them the light of the intellect, which is the aspect of the sun, as mentioned above. And also because Malchus [Kingship] — the aspect of the moon [levanah] — is the aspect of the poor one [aniyah] — the aspect of the poor yet wise one [misken v'chacham] — as explained within.

And this is the aspect of: "Those who taste it [the Shabbos] have merited life" ["to'amehah chayyim zachu"] — for the aforementioned intellect is the aspect of ח · Ches — the aspect of chayyus [vitality / life-force]. Also, Shabbos is the aspect of the נ · Nun, which is the aspect of Malchus [Kingship] — and this is the aspect of Shabbos Malkesa [the Shabbos Queen]. And then the yetzer hara [evil inclination] — which is the aspect of the Malchus d'Sitra Achra [the kingdom of the Other Side] — is subdued. For on Shabbos is the essential subduing of the Sitra Achra [the forces of impurity], as is explained in the holy Zohar. And then the power of the yetzer tov [good inclination] — which is the aspect of the Malchus d'Kedushah [the kingdom of holiness] — prevails. And see Zohar Aikev, folio 272 — this matter is stated there explicitly. And the essential [means by which this occurs] is through the power of Torah — and this is the aspect of the fact that the perfect completion of the reading of the Torah occurs every Shabbos and Shabbos — and our Sages of blessed memory taught: "Shabbosim were given only for words of Torah." And our Sages of blessed memory taught: "All agree that on Shabbos the Torah was given." And our Sages of blessed memory taught regarding the verse "And Moshe assembled [vayakhel] the whole congregation…" [Exodus 35:1] — and so on [וכו'] — that one must make assemblies [kehilos] every Shabbos and Shabbos and expound words of Torah. And the aforementioned ח · Ches and נ · Nun are the aspects of sun [chamah] and moon [levanah], as mentioned above. And this is what is explained in the holy Zohar — that on Shabbos the luminaries of light [may'oray ohr] hold sway — that is, the aspect of the sun and moon of holiness [d'kedushah], as mentioned above. And through this one merits chane [חֵן — grace / divine favor], as explained within. Wordplay: נח (Noach) = נ (Nun) + ח (Ches) And this is the aspect of: "And Noach found grace [chane]" [Genesis 6:8] — Noach [נֹחַ] is the aspect of Shabbos — niyacha de'ilayin v'tatain [the rest of those above and those below] — as is explained in Tikuna Shiv'in at its end, and as brought in Likutay Moharan Tinyana, Siman 2. For this is the aspect of the נ · Nun and ח · Ches mentioned above — through which one merits chane [grace]. And through this, all prayers and supplications are accepted. And this is the aspect of what is explained in the holy Zohar — that the essential perfect ascent of prayer [aliyyas hatefillah] occurs on Shabbos. And then, as it were, the Holy Name, blessed be He, Himself receives the prayers of Israel. Zohar Bereishis 23 And therefore our Sages expounded: "Better is a handful of quietness [nachass]" [Ecclesiastes 4:6] — "this is the day of Shabbos" — that is, the aspect of "words of the wise are heard in quietness [b'nachas nishma'im]" [Ecclesiastes 9:17], as explained within. And because Yosef is most fully encompassed within the aspect of Yaakov — therefore our Sages stated in the holy Zohar that Yosef is the aspect of Shabbos, and it is likewise explained regarding him that he kept the Shabbos — as it is written: "And he slaughtered the slaughter, and prepared [vehachen]" [Genesis 43:16] — and our Sages expounded: "'And prepared' refers to nothing other than Shabbos," and so on — [וכו'] this teaches that Yosef kept Shabbos even before it was given [at Sinai]. And this is what our Sages stated, as brought in the Yalkut: "And he came to the house to do his work" [Genesis 39:11] — it was Shabbos! And so on. [וכו'] And what was his work? He was reading and reviewing what he had learned from his father — that is, as mentioned above: to cleave to the intellect [l'dabayk b'seichel], especially on Shabbos. And through this he withstood his trial.

And this is what is understood from the Introduction to the holy Zohar, folio 5 — that "Shabbos Shalom is the aspect of tarein shlemos — two peaces — the aspect of Yaakov and the aspect of Yosef." And this is likewise understood in the holy Zohar in many places — that Shabbos is the aspect of itchabrusah d'shimsha b'sihara [the union of the sun with the moon] — and therefore they are placed adjacent to one another, as it is written: "And it shall be, from New Moon to New Moon, and from Shabbos to Shabbos" [Isaiah 66:23] — and it is written: "On the day of Shabbos it shall be opened, and on the day of the New Moon it shall be opened" [Ezekiel 46:1]. See Zohar Shlach, folio 159b — that is, the aspect of the joining of the ח · Ches with the נ · Nun, which are the aspects of sun and moon, as mentioned above. And therefore it is customary to bless the New Month on [the Shabbos before — i.e.] the day of Shabbos. And likewise to sanctify the moon [kiddush levanah] on the night after Shabbos [motza'ay Shabbos]. And this is what is explained in the Introduction to the Zohar mentioned above: "'And My Shabbosim shall you observe' — this is the circle [igulah] and the square [ribua] from within." The igulah [circle] is the aspect of Malchus — the aspect of emunah [faith] — as it is written: "And Your faith [emunascha] surrounds You" [Psalms 89:9] — as brought in the teaching Mishpatim, Siman 7. And the ribua [square] is the aspect of the intellect and the mochin [mental faculties] — Chochmah, Binah, Da'as — which are the aspect of four [i.e., a square]. For the moach haDa'as [the faculty of Knowledge] is comprised of two aspects: from the aspect of Chassadim [Divine Lovingkindness] and from the aspect of Gevuros [Strictnesses] — as is well-known. As explained in the teaching Poss'im Bo, Siman 85, and in the teaching B'Reishis L'Ainay Kol Yisrael, Siman 67, in Likutay Moharan Tinyana. And see in the teaching Heichal HaKodesh, Siman 59 — something similar is likewise explained there. And perhaps this is the secret of the two thousand cubits of the Shabbos boundary [techum Shabbos — alpayim amah]. For emunah [faith] is the aspect of alef [one thousand] — the aspect of peleh [wonder] — as it is written: "I will acknowledge Your Name, for You have performed a wonder [peleh]," and so on — [וכו'] "emunah oman" [faithful craftsman]. And it is written: "The heavens acknowledge Your wonder, Hashem — also Your faithfulness [emunascha]," and so on. [וכו'] [Psalms 89:9] And Chochmah [Wisdom] is likewise the aspect of peleh — the aspect of alef — the aspect of peli'os chochmah [wonders of wisdom]. And this is the aspect of: "Be still [hecharesh] and I will teach you [aalfecha] wisdom." [Job 33:33] And this is the aspect of the two thousand cubits of the cities of the Levites: "One thousand cubits of migrash" [open space] — this is the aspect of emunah, which is the aspect of something open and unoccupied, without reason or intellect [i.e., faith that transcends rational comprehension]. As explained in the teaching Vayisov, Siman 62. And also because it is the aspect of Malchus, which is the aspect of misken d'leis lah migarma klum [the poor one that has nothing of her own]. "And one thousand cubits for fields and vineyards" — this is the aspect of sacred intellect and wisdom — which is something that has reason within it — as it is written: "Teach me good taste and knowledge" [Psalms 119:66] — (that is, the aspect of the aforementioned ח · Ches) — "for in Your commandments I have believed" [ibid.] — (that is, the aspect of the aforementioned נ · Nun, through which one merits to receive the light of the intellect, which is the aspect of Ches, as explained within). And see in Zohar Terumah, folio 138 — where it is explained that plain [stam] Shabbos refers to the Shabbos of Erev Shabbos [Friday night — i.e., the lower Shabbos], and Yom HaShabbos [the day of Shabbos] is the supernal Shabbos [Shabbas d'le'eilah], and so on. [וכו'] And this corresponds to the aforementioned נ · Nun and ח · Ches encompassed within the holiness of Shabbos, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of vayichan [וַיִּחַן] — "and he encamped at the face of the city" — which our Sages expounded as meaning that Yaakov kept Shabbos, as above — specifically the word vayichan — [which contains] the aspect of the ח · Ches and נ · Nun mentioned above. And this is the aspect of "that he established the boundaries" [shekava techumin] — and so on [וכו'] — specifically techumin [boundaries] — for the aforementioned Ches and Nun are the secret of the Shabbos boundary of two thousand cubits, as mentioned above. And this is the aspect of: "And you shall meditate in it [the Torah] day and night" [Joshua 1:8] — and the holy Zohar explains the virtue of the combination of day and night in Torah. That is — for through the Torah one joins the Ches and the Nun, which are the aspects of sun and moon — the aspects of day and night. And this is the aspect of the three things a person must say on Erev Shabbos: "Have you tithed [isartem ma'aser]?" — tithing [ma'aser] is in the aspect of Malchus, as is well-known — and this is the aspect of the aforementioned Nun. "Have you made the Eruv [iravtem eruv]?" — the Eruv [boundary-merging] is in the central pillar [amuda de'emtz'aisa], as is well-known — and this is the aspect of Torah. "Light the candle [hadliku es haner]!" — that is, to join the aspect of Malchus to the light of the intellect — and this is the aspect of the two Shabbos candles, corresponding to Binah and Malchus. And this is why the Sages concluded: "And one must say them with calmness [b'neychus] so that they be accepted" — for this is the aspect of "words of the wise are heard in quietness [b'nachas nishma'im]," as mentioned above.