Likutei MoHaRaN Intro to Chapter 1

(1) “Ashrei T’mimei Darekh (Happy are those whose way is perfect), who walk with the Torah of God.” (Psalms 119:1)

(2) Know! by means of the Torah, all the prayers and all the requests that we request and pray are accepted. The grace and importance of the Jewish people are thus enhanced and elevated in the estimation of all of whom they may have need, whether in matters spiritual or physical.

(3) For presently, as a result of our many sins, the true grace and importance of the Jewish people have fallen. Now, most of the importance and grace are found with others. By means of the Torah, however, the Jewish people’s grace and importance are enhanced. For the Torah is called “a beloved doe and a yaALat chein (graceful gazelle)” (Proverbs 5:19) —she maALah chein (bestows grace) upon those who study her (Eruvin 54b). And through this, all prayers and requests are accepted.

(1) 2. For the Jew must always focus on the inner intelligence of every matter, and bind himself to the wisdom and inner intelligence that is to be found in each thing. This, so that the intelligence which is in each thing may enlighten him, that he may draw closer to God through that thing. For the inner intelligence is a great light that shines for a person in all his ways. As it is written (Ecclesiastes 8:1), “A person’s wisdom causes his countenance to shine.”

(2) This is the concept of Yaakov. For YaAKoV merited the rights of the firstborn, which is reishit (beginning), the concept of wisdom, as in (Psalms 111:10), “The reishit is wisdom.” This corresponds to “and YaAKVeiny (he obstructed me) these two times” (Genesis 27:36), which Onkelos renders: “he outwitted me.”

(3) And this is the concept of sun. For the inner intelligence shines for him in all his ways, like the sun. This corresponds to (Proverbs 4:18), “The path of the righteous is like radiant sunlight, shining ever brighter as it approaches noon.”

(4) And this is the concept of the CheT. It suggests ChiuT (life). For the wisdom and the inner intelligence are the vitality of all things, as in (Ecclesiastes 7:12), “Wisdom gives life to those who possess it.”

(5) However, because the light of the inner intelligence is so very great, it is impossible to attain except through the concept of NuN, which is an aspect of Malkhut (Kingship). As it is written (Psalms 72:17), “may his name yeNoN (be perpetuated) as long as the sun,” and Rashi explains that [“yenon”] means kingship.

(6) This is also the concept of the moon. For the moon has no light of her own, only that which she receives from the sun (Zohar I, 238a). And this corresponds to Malkhut. It has nothing of its own other than what it receives from the chet, the aspect of wisdom/sun. As a result, “the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun” (Isaiah 30:26).

(7) However, the person who does not bind himself to the inner intelligence, wisdom and vitality that is in each thing corresponds to Esav. He despised the birthright, as is written (Genesis 25:34), “And Esav despised the rights of the firstborn”—i.e., the inner intelligence. This is (Proverbs 18:2), “The fool does not desire understanding, but only to bare his heart.” And this corresponds to the Kingdom of Evil, to the moon of the Other Side, of which it is said (Isaiah 24:23), “The moon shall be disgraced.”

(8) {“Better a youth, poor and wise, than an old and foolish melekh (king) who no longer knows how to care for himself” (Ecclesiastes 4:13).} This is the concept of the good inclination and the evil inclination. The good inclination is called “poor and wise,” corresponding to Malkhut, which is an aspect of poor and needy, with nothing of her own other than what she receives from Chokhmah (Wisdom). But the evil inclination is called “an old and foolish melekh.” This is Malkhut of the Other Side, who has no desire for wisdom and inner intelligence, as in, “The fool does not desire understanding…”

(9) Each person is required to give strength to the Kingdom of Holiness so that it may overpower the Kingdom of the Other Side. As our Sages taught: A person should always incite the good inclination against the evil inclination (Berakhot 5a). And how is strength given to the Kingdom of Holiness? By means of the Torah study that a person engages in with enthusiasm. {As our Sages taught: A person should always incite… If it leaves, good; if not, he should engage in Torah study (ibid.).} And, as our Sages taught: If this rogue accosts you, drag him to the house of study (Kiddushin 30b).

(10) For it is by means of the Torah that strength is given to the Kingdom of Holiness. Then, Malkhut / nun receives vitality from Chokhmah / chet. The chet and the nun are joined and bound together, and as a result, “the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun.”

(11) And “when the one rises, the other falls” (Rashi, Genesis 25:23) ; thus the Kingdom of Evil falls and is nullified. As is written (Hosea 14:10), “The ways of God are upright, the righteous walk in them whereas the sinners stumble in them.” That is, by means of “the ways of God”—i.e., the Torah—“the righteous,” who adhere to the Kingdom of Holiness, are fortified and receive strength. “… whereas the sinners stumble in them” corresponds to the Kingdom of Evil—i.e., the evil inclination—which falls and is humbled by means of the Torah, as above.