LikutayMoharanVolume1:Torah42
“AndHesawtheirdistresswhenHeheardtheirrinah(cry[musicalprayer])”[Psalms106:44]
[Inthelanguageofourmaster,RabbiNachmanofBreslov,ofblessedmemory]
1.MusicandSweeteningJudgments
Through neginah (music [spiritual melody]), the dinim (judgments [divine strictures]) are sweetened, as it is written in the holy Zohar [Pinchas 215a]: The keshes (bow [rainbow, symbolizing Divine Presence]) is the Shechinah (Divine Presence [G-d’s immanent aspect]). And the three gvanim (colors [divine attributes]) of the keshes (bow) are the avos (Patriarchs [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob]), and they are garments of the Shechinah (Divine Presence). And when it [Shechinah (Divine Presence)] is clothed in garments of lights, then: “AndIwillseeittorememberthebrisolam(everlastingbris[covenantofspiritualunity])” [Genesis 9:16]. Then “and the wrath of the king subsided” [chamashamelechshachachah (the king’s anger subsided)]. [Like a parable of a king who was angry at his son, and when the king sees the queen in garments of lights, he has mercy on his son.] And the letters of the tefillah (prayer [liturgical devotion]) are the Shechinah (Divine Presence), as it is written: “Adonai(Lord[divinename]),openmylips” [Psalms 51:17], for dibbur (speech [expression]) is associated with the Name Adonai (Lord). And tefillah (prayer) is called a keshes (bow), as Rashi explained [Genesis 48:22] on the verse: “Withmyswordandwithmykeshes(bow)” [Genesis 48:22], meaning the language of tefillah (prayer). And the kolhaneginah (voice of the music [melodic expression]) are the three gvanim (colors) of the keshes (bow), for in the kol (voice [sound]) there is aish (fire [divine passion]), mayim (water [divine mercy]), ru’ach (wind [divine spirit]), which are the three avos (Patriarchs). The avos (Patriarchs) are the three gvanim (colors) of lights, in which it is written: “AndIwillseeittoremember” etc. It emerges that one who plays [menagein (articulates [melodically expresses])] the letters of the tefillah (prayer), and the kolhaneginah (voice of the music), when they are performed in zechus (merit [righteous intent]) and with great beirus (brightness [spiritual clarity]), then he clothes the Shechinah (Divine Presence), which is the letters, in garments of lights. And the Holy One, blessed be He, sees it, then “and the chamashamelech (wrath of the king) subsided.” And this is what Rashi explained regarding: “WhenHeheardtheirrinah(cry)”, meaning in the zechusha’avos (merit of the Patriarchs [ancestral merit]). [When the neginah (music), which are the three gvanim (colors) of the keshes (bow) as mentioned above, is in beirus (brightness) and great zechus (merit)—for the three gvanim (colors) are the avos (Patriarchs), as mentioned above, and they are garments of the Shechinah (Divine Presence)—and when these garments are lights, in zechus (merit) and beirus (brightness), it is called the zechusha’avos (merit of the Patriarchs).] Then: “AndIwillseeittorememberthebrisolam(everlastingbris)”. Then: “AndHerelentedaccordingtotheabundanceofHischasadim(kindnesses)” [Psalms 106:45], that is, “and the chamashamelech (wrath of the king) subsided,” and the dinim (judgments) are sweetened.
2.FaithinSagesandShofarBlowings
Also,throughemunaschachamim(faithinsages[trustintheirwisdom]),thathebelievesthatalltheirdiburim(speeches[teachings])andtheirma’asim(deeds[actions])arenotsimple,andtherearerazim(secrets[mysticalinsights])inthem,throughthisheclothesthekeshes(bow)ingarmentsoflights.
Then: “AndIwillseeittorememberthebrisolam(everlastingbris)”, for the tzadik (righteous person) is the aspect of a keshes (bow), as Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [Ketubos 77b]: “Was a keshes (bow) seen in your days?” And it is brought in the holy Zohar [Pinchas 215a]: “Onewhoseuvdoy(deeds[spiritualactions])aretoilluminateinthemtheMatronisa(Matronita[AramaicforShechinah,DivinePresence])andtostripfromhergarmentsofdarknessthatshehadstripped,andtoadornheringarmentsofgvanimnehirin(colorsoflights[secretsofTorah])—whatiswrittenaboutit?‘AndIwillseeittorememberthebrisolam(everlastingbris),’for‘light’iscalledaraz(secret[mysticalinsight]).Andatthattimerugza(anger[divinewrath])risesfromhim,andthechamashamelech(wrathoftheking)subsided.” Also, one who makes a fine garment for the tzadik (righteous person), through this the dinim (judgments) are sweetened. Also, this refers to aspects of teki’os (blowings [of the shofar]). For teki’ah (blast [single note]), shevarim (broken notes [three notes]), teru’ah (tremolo [nine short notes]) are the avos (Patriarchs)—Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov. And your sign for this is keshes (bow), that is teki’ah (blast) etc. [Zohar Pinchas 230a]. And this is what is written: “AndtheShaddai(Almighty[divinename])shallbeinyourdistress” [Job 22:27], for the Name Shaddai (Almighty) represents the avos (Patriarchs) [Zohar Pinchas 231a]. For שׁ (shin [first letter of Shaddai, symbolizing three branches]) represents three branches of the tree, which are the avos (Patriarchs). And they are the three Names of the yichud (unity [divine oneness]): HashemElokeinuHashem (Hashem, our G-d, Hashem), which are 14 letters. And they are the 14 of Shaddai (Almighty). Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, they are the initials of HashemElokeinuHashem (Hashem, our G-d, Hashem) [יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהֹוָה]. “Thereisnosayingandtherearenodevarim(words),withouttheirkol(voice)beingheard” [Psalms 19:4]. This is the aspect of keshes (bow) and kol (voice), the three gvanim (colors) of the keshes (rainbow).