Week 2: Gevurah- the Faithful Friend by a Sea of Wine. Strength and Courage, Yearning for the Beloved Friend. Left Shoulder. Shabbes or Purim
Week 3: Tif’eret- the Bard of Beautiful Words. Beauty and Compassion- Consoling the Heart. Heart Center. Pesach
Week 4: Netzach- the Sage with the Map of the Worlds. Persistence and Teaching- Guiding the Way. Right Hip. Chanukah
Week 5: Hod- the Treasurer with the Precious Stones. Gratitude and Learning- Receiving True Wealth. Left Hip. Sukkot
Week 6: Yesod- the Warrior that Conquers Obstacles. Passion and Foundation- Inspiring Awe and Transformation. Pleasure Center. Rosh Hashanah
Week 7: Shechinah/Malchut- the Meditation and Prayer Leader. Walking the Way of Love- Healing the Soul. Base of Spine/ Feet. Yom Kippur
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pp 278-82
Once there was a Leader of Prayer. He was constantly engaged in prayer, and in singing songs and praises to the Beloved. He lived away from civilization. However, he would visit inhabited areas on a regular basis. When he came, he would spend time with the people, usually those of low social rank, such as the poor. he would have heart to heart discussions with them, speaking about the purpose of live. he would explain the the only true goal was to serve the Beloved all the days of one's life, spending one's days praying to the Beloved and singing praises.
He would speak to an individual at great length, inspiring them so that his words entered the other's heart, and the individual would join him. As soon as a person agreed with him, he would bring them to his place away from civilization... There was a river flowing there, as well as fruit trees, whose fruit they would eat...They would spend their time engaged only in meditation/prayer, song, praise to the Universe, confession/therapy, fasting, and t'shuvah....
The Prayer Leader kept this up until he began to make a major impression on the world. He also became quite famous. People tried to capture him, but it was not possible.
The system of the Prayer Leader was to provide each (of his followers) with what they needed. If he realized that one of his followers ...needed to wear golden robes in order to serve the Beloved, then he would provide them. On the other hand, occasionally he would attract a wealthy person and bring them away from civilization. If he understood that they needed to wear torn, humble clothing, he would instruct them to do so. This was his general custom. He would provide each one with what he understood to be necessary for them.
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
p 350
(note: The People of the Land Who Worshiped Money were healed for their lust for wealth by the good smells from the Holy Kitchen which we read about in Hod Week)
They then "cast away their gods of silver and their gods of gold." (Isaiah 2:20)
(The Warrior) then sent for the Prayer Leader who gave them means of t'shuvah and healing, and thus purified them. The King ruled over the entire world. The whole world returned to the Beloved, and occupied itself only with holy teachings, prayer, t'shuvah and mitzvot.
Amen and Amen!
It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch
a few words together and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway
into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.
— Mary Oliver, Thirst
ד וְלָבוֹא לְהַשֵּׂכֶל הַתַּחְתּוֹן הַזֶּה אִי אֶפְשָׁר כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי שׂוֹנֵא בֶּצַע, שֶׁיִּשְׂנָא הַמָּמוֹן בְּתַכְלִית הַשִּׂנְאָה, כִּי שַׂעֲרָא אֻכָּמָא, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׂכֶל הַתַּחְתּוֹן, הוּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּת. וְכֵן שׂוֹנֵא בֶּצַע הוּא מִסִּטְרָא דְּמַלְכוּת, כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל הַתַּחְתּוֹן הוּא בְּחִינוֹת מַלְכוּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינוֹת חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה שֶׁבְּכָל עוֹלָם וְעוֹלָם, שֶׁהוּא מַנְהִיג אוֹתוֹ הָעוֹלָם. שֶׁזֶּה הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַהַנְהָגָה וְהַמַּלְכוּת, הוּא בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה וְשֵׂכֶל תַּחְתּוֹן, כְּנֶגֶד הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הַשָּׂגוֹת אֱלֹקוּת.
The Wisdom that Guides Each and Every World
-Rebbe Nachman
4. Now, the only way to achieve this lower consciousness is by “despising monetary gain.” One has to utterly loathe money. This is because ... the lower consciousness, is from the facet of Malkhut, and “despising monetary gain” is also from the facet of Malkhut. For the lower consciousness is an aspect of Malkhut, corresponding to the lower wisdom in each and every world that guides that world. This intellect of guidance and Malkhut is synonymous with lower wisdom and intellect, as opposed to the consciousness of perceptions of the Infinite.
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pp 332-3
The soldiers who had joined the Warrior belonged to the faction of body builders, who took as their king a man with a large body.
One day, a group of these people were following the main group with the supply wagons carrying, food, drink and the like. In general, people were very much afraid of these body builders since they were large, and powerful. Whoever encountered them would turn aside from the road to avoid them.
As the camp was traveling they encountered a warrior. He did not turn aside from the road. Instead he went right into the middle of the camp,and scattered the people in all directions. The people of the camp were very much afraid of him.
he then went into the wagons and ate all their provisions. This was all a great wonder in their eyes.
The people immediately fell before him and exclaimed, "Long live the king!" They knew that this Warrior was certainly qualified as king, since in their opinion, the main goal was to be a body builder.
The soldier concluded, "He is the Warrior with whom we are now conquering the world. But he said that he had an ulterior motive for wanting to conquer the world. His intent is not that the world subject itself to him. Rather he has a completely different motive.
"There was one land that did not want to surrender to him. The Warrior took his sword, and it has three powers. When he lifted it, all the enemy officers fled."
(ה) וְצָרִיךְ לִרְאוֹת לַחֲתֹךְ וּלְהַבְדִּיל אֶת בְּחִינוֹת הַמַּלְכוּת הַנַּ"ל מִבֵּין הָאַרְבַּע גָּלֻיּוֹת, וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָהּ מִשָּׁם. וְעִקַּר עֲלִיָּתָהּ – עַל יְדֵי בְּחִינוֹת הַחֶסֶד, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו ט״ז:ה׳): וְהוּכַן בְּחֶסֶד כִּסֵּא. בְּחִינַת (הושע י׳:י״ב): קִצְרוּ לְפִי חָסֶד, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַחֶסֶד קוֹצְרִין וְחוֹתְכִין אֶת הַדָּלֶת, בְּחִינַת הַמַּלְכוּת, וּמַבְדִּילִין אוֹתָהּ מֵהֶם, וּמַעֲלִין אוֹתָהּ אֶל אוֹר הַפָּנִים.
כַּנַּ"ל:
Cutting and Severing With Loving Kindness
(5) And we must see how to sever and separate the quality of Malchut/Guide of the World/Monarch from the four exiles (four levels of confusion), and to lift them up from there. For the essence of lifting them is through the aspect of Chesed (loving kindness), as in (Isaiah 16:5), “The throne is established with lovingkindness,” and (Hoshea 10:12), “Cut [the harvest] with lovingkindness.” Through lovingkindness we cut and sever the four exiles from Malchut, and separate it from them to raise it up to the Light of the Face.
(from the footnotes to Rabbi Nachman's Stories by R Aryeh Kaplan
pg 328)
An aspect of Yesod is the tzaddik , as it is written, " the tzaddik is the foundation (yesod) of the universe" (Proverbs 10:25). another aspect of Yesod is donating money, which is tzeddakah (coming from the same root as tzaddik.) Rabbi Nachman taught that the lust for money could be cured by giving tzeddakah.
Proper praying is like a person who wanders through a field gathering flowers-one by one, until they make a beautiful bouquet. In the same manner, a person must gather each letter, each syllable, to form them into words of prayer.
If you never want to see the face of hell, when you come home from work every night, dance with your kitchen towel and, if you're worried about waking up your family, take off your shoes.
There is Truth, the truth of the Truth and there is Peace. The Truth is 'the boy stole an apple', the truth of the Truth is 'the boy was hungry' and Peace is 'nobody stole anything, now, give the boy an apple!'
Seek the good in everyone, and reveal it, bring it forth.
Find a day for yourself-better yet, late at night. Go to the forest or to the field, or lock yourself in a room ... You will meet solitude there. There you will be able to listen attentively to the noise of the wind first, to birds singing, to see wonderful nature and to notice yourself in it ... and to come back to harmonic connection with the world and its Creator.
the Treasurer with the Precious Stones. Left Hip. Sukkot. w.. .
about the Land of Great Wealth
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pg 285-7
There was a land that had great wealth...However, it had very strange and unusual customs, since everything depended on wealth. One who had thousands or ten thousands in cash had a certain rank, while others who had different amounts had a different rank... If a person had a certain amount of money, they were considered an ordinary human being. If they had less, then they would be considered a bird or a beast. Some people even had the status of harmful animals and birds. ..
If a person had certain amount of wealth, they would be a "star." Eventually, they also established the rank of "constellation.", "angel" and "gods."
the People of the Land of Wealth Find the King's Treasurer
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pg 331-2
(The People of the Land of Wealth) encountered a stranger, walking with a staff. The staff was worth more than all of their gods' wealth put together. It contained precious stones that were worth more than the wealth of all their gods. The stranger was also wearing a hat set with precious stones that was also worth an enormous amount.
"Do you find this surprising?" remarked the stranger. "Come with me I will show you real wealth!"
He took them to the mountain where he had set out the King's treasures... They immediately fell down, bowing and prostrating themselves. According to their beliefs, this was the god over all gods.
Healing for the Land of Wealth: the Path of the Sword
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pg 343-6
The Warrior spoke to the King about the people in the land which had fallen into the worship of wealth. The Warrior said to the King, "I heard from you that the only way to release those who are immersed in the worship of the lust for wealth is through the path that I have to the sword.
"That is true," replied the King. The King then told the Warrior that on the road to the sword there is a path to the side. That path leads to a Mountain of Fire upon which crouches a lion... The Mountain is totally invisible.
There is another path off to the side leading to a Kitchen. There are all kinds of food in that Kitchen, but no fire. The food is cooked by the Mountain of Fire, and although it is very far away, there are channels and pipes from the Mountain of Fire to the Kitchen, and these cook the food.
The Kitchen is also invisible. However, there is a sign of where the Kitchen is-- birds hover over it. By flapping their wings, the birds make the fire burn more fiercely or bank it so that it will not burn more fiercely than necessary. They thus make the fire burn as required by the food."
the Holy Kitchen and the Awakening of the People of the Land of Wealth
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pg 347-50
The Warrior took these people who were considered gods in their land because of their wealth, and brought them along his path (to the sword.) When they came near the Kitchen, he brought them downwind so that the fragrance of the food reached their nostrils. They began to beg that he give them some of these delicious foods.
Then he brought them away from the wind. They began to cry out that there is a horrible stench. He once again brought them in the path of the wind, and when they smelled the delicious fragrance of the food, they again asked that he give them some. He again took them away from the wind, and they cried out that there a very awful stench.
"Don't you see that there is nothing here with a vile odor?" exclaimed the Warrior. "The vile odor is coming from you yourselves..."
He then gave them some of the food. As soon as they ate it they began to throw away all their gold and silver. Each one dug themself a hole.
Each person then buried themself in the hole out of great shame. As a result of tasting the food, the money smelled as vile (as excrement.)... Money seemed so great a shame, that the more money a person had, the greater their shame. Because of their great shame, they buried themselves. They could not bear to face even their friends, and much more so, the Warrior.
by Joy Harjo
Once the world was perfect, and we were happy in that world.
Then we took it for granted.
Discontent began a small rumble in the earthly mind.
Then Doubt pushed through with its spiked head.
And once Doubt ruptured the web,
All manner of demon thoughts
Jumped through—
We destroyed the world we had been given
For inspiration, for life—
Each stone of jealousy, each stone
Of fear, greed, envy, and hatred, put out the light.
No one was without a stone in his or her hand.
There we were,
Right back where we had started.
We were bumping into each other
In the dark.
And now we had no place to live, since we didn’t know
How to live with each other.
Then one of the stumbling ones took pity on another
And shared a blanket.
A spark of kindness made a light.
The light made an opening in the darkness.
Everyone worked together to make a ladder.
A Wind Clan person climbed out first into the next world,
And then the other clans, the children of those clans, their children,
And their children, all the way through time—
To now, into this morning light to you.
© Joy Harjo. Conflict Resolution From Holy Beings. W. W. Norton & Company, 2015.
Listen to the poem read by the author at Poetry Foundation
about the Map of the Worlds
from the Prayer Leader by Rebbe Nachman
pg 299- 300, paragraph 31
(The Prayer Leader said,) The king with whom I was with had a Hand. That is, he had an image of a Hand with five fingers. The lines on the Hand formed a map of the world.
Everything that existed form the time Heaven and Earth were created until the end, and even what will exist after that, was inscribed on that Hand. The lines in the hand provided a picture of the structure of every universe with all its details, just like a map. The lines also formed letters, like the inscriptions on a map, so that one can know what each thing is.
Also on the hand were inscribed the names of all the people traveling in each land, as well as everything that happened to them. It also had inscribed all the paths from one land to another, and from one place to another....
Also inscribed on this Hand is the path from one world to another. There is a road and a path upon which one can travel from earth to heaven...
The Bard and the Sage
-Zann 5/1/23
the Sage has a map like a hand
lifelines encrypted
with lost roads to hidden worlds
lighting the way to the Heart.
travelers are never lost
Rodger Kamenetz from The Lost Jew
Reb Nachman, look at me now. I’m trying to dance.
Even from heaven where you study all day with the sages,
It must be amusing to see my bony knees knocking,
My knobby ankles’ shining thin skin—it’s a kind of dance
We make here when we tremble or shiver.
(from an email by Rodger Kamenetz)
The soul naturally longs for the good. Seeing the good in another is a blessing. Feeling love we live in joy. Learning to seek the good in others we seek the good in ourselves. Our longing for the good is ultimately our longing for God.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹֹּתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר.
הַיּוֹם שִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם שֶׁהֵם שְׁלשָׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וְשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים בָּעֹֽמֶר:
Blessing for Day 27- Yesod of Netzach
So many blessings for You, Infinite One, whose loving-kindness fills and guides the world, you make us whole with your mitzvahs and connects with us through the counting of the omer.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha'Olam
Asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu all s'firat ha-omer
They traveled on until they came to another land. There they also asked about the land and the identity of its king. The people replied, "Ever since the great storm wind, the people of this land concluded that the main thing in life is speech and therefore they sought a master of language as king. Finally, they found a master of language and poetry who was an extraordinary speaker, and appointed him as king. Since this man was such a great speaker, the (previous king) abdicated his throne for him."
- Rebbe Nachman's Stories, page 338
How do words of poetry and ideas awaken us to beauty- offer consolation when we are down? How might beautiful words create a sea of wine?
Why is Rebbe Nachman warning us to not worship beautiful words? How can beautiful words be an obstacle, as well as an aid, to our healing and connecting?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹֹּתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר.
הַיּוֹם עֶשְׂרִים יוֹם שֶׁהֵם שְׁנֵי שָׁבוּעוֹת וְשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים בָּעֹֽמֶר:
Blessing for Day 20- Yesod of Tiferet
So many blessings for You, Infinite One, whose loving-kindness fills and guides the world, who makes us whole with your mitzvahs and connects with us through the counting of the omer.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha'Olam
Asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu all s'firat ha-omer
a woman can’t survive
by her own breath
alone
she must know
the voices of mountains
she must recognize
the foreverness of blue sky
she must flow
with the elusive
bodies
of night winds
who will take her
into herself
look at me
i am not a separate woman
i am a continuance
of blue sky
i am the throat
of the mountains
a night wind
who burns
with every breath
she takes
© Joy Harjo. What Moon Drove Me to This? 1980
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹֹּתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר.
. הַיּוֹם שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם שֶׁהֵם שָׁבֽוּעַ אֶחָד וְשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים בָּעֹֽמֶר:
Blessing for Day 13- Yesod of Gevurah
So many blessings for You, Infinite One, whose loving-kindness fills the world, who makes us whole with your mitzvahs and connects with us through the counting of the omer.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech Ha'Olam
Asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu all s'firat ha-omer
"And likewise the King had a Faithful Friend [Ohev Ne'eman, lit. faithful one who loves] (in other words, a gutn freund, a getreuen: a good, trusty friend) who was in love with the King with a very extraordinary love. They loved each other so much that it was utterly impossible for them to not see the other for some amount of time. But nonetheless there must be times when they need to be apart, so they had portraits in which both their images were depicted. They would delight themselves (in other words, take pleasure and satisfaction with) the portraits when they could not see each other. And the images depicted how the King and his Faithful Friend love each other and hug and kiss each other with great love. And the portraits had the special ability that whoever looked at the images attained great love (in other words, one received the trait of love when looking at the images). And the Faithful Friend also received the love (that is, the amorousness) from the place which the King showed him.
"A faction said that the main purpose is happiness. For, when a child is born, people are happy; when there is a wedding, people are happy; when conquering a country, people are happy. It follows that the main purpose of everything is only happiness. Therefore they sought a man who would always be happy, for he is, after all, at the goal, and he should be king over them.
They went searching and they saw a gentile going along with a disgusting shirt and carrying a bottle of brandy while following him were several other gentiles. And this gentile was very happy because he was very drunk. They saw that this gentile is very happy and has no concern whatsoever, and they liked him very much, this gentile, because he has reached the goal, since the goal is only happiness. They accepted him as a king over them, and surely he led them on the right path! And they chose for themselves a land conducive to this, that is, where there are vineyards so that they should make wine, and from the seeds of the grapes they would make brandywine; and nothing whatsoever of the grape bunches should go to waste, because this for them was the main purpose: to drink and go drunk and always be happy, even though one doesn't know at all about what, for they had nothing at all to be happy about. Nevertheless it was the main purpose for them to be always happy. And they chose for themselves a land conducive to this, as above, and they went and settled there.
שֶׁהָיָה מֶלֶךְ וּמַלְכָּה, וְהָיָה לָהֶם בַּת יְחִידָה וְהִגִּיעַ סָמוּךְ לְפִרְקָהּ, וְהוֹשִׁיבוּ יוֹעֲצִים לְיַעֵץ אֶת מִי רָאוּי לְהַשִּׂיאָהּ לוֹ וְגַם אֲנִי הָיִיתִי שָׁם בֵּין בַּעֲלֵי הָעֵצָה כִּי הַמֶּלֶךְ הָיָה אוֹהֵב אוֹתִי וְהָיְתָה עֲצָתִי שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ לָהּ אֶת הַגִּבּוֹר בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁהַגִּבּוֹר עָשָׂה לָנוּ כַּמָּה טוֹבוֹת, שֶׁכָּבַשׁ כַּמָּה מְדִינוֹת עַל כֵּן רָאוּי שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ לוֹ אֶת הַבַּת מַלְכָּה לְאִשָּׁה וְהוּטְבָה עֲצָתִי מְאד, וְהִסְכִּימוּ כֻּלָּם לָזֶה וְהָיְתָה שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה שָׁם עַל שֶׁמָּצְאוּ חָתָן לְהַבַּת מַלְכָּה וְהִשִּׂיאוּ אוֹתָהּ עִם הַגִּבּוֹר וְיָלְדָה הַבַּת מַלְכָּה וָלָד וְאוֹתוֹ הַתִּינוֹק הָיָה יְפֵה תּאַר מְאד מְאד שֶׁלּא הָיָה יפִי שֶׁל מִין אֱנוֹשִׁי כְּלָל וְשַׂעֲרוֹתָיו הָיוּ שֶׁל זָהָב וְהָיָה לָהֶם כָּל הַגְּוָנִים וּפָנָיו הָיוּ כִּפְנֵי חַמָּה וְעֵינָיו הָיוּ אוֹרוֹת אֲחֵרִים וְהַתִּינוֹק הַזֶּה נוֹלַד עִם חָכְמָה גְּמוּרָה כִּי רָאוּ בּוֹ תֵּכֶף [בִּשְׁעַת הַהוֹלָדָה], שֶׁהוּא חָכָם גָּמוּר שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָיוּ מְדַבְּרִים בְּנֵי אָדָם, בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִשְׂחֹק הָיָה שׂוֹחֵק וְכֵן כַּיּוֹצֵא בָזֶה כִּי הִכִּירוּ בּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא חָכָם גָּדוֹל רַק שֶׁעֲדַיִן אֵין לוֹ הַתְּנוּעוֹת שֶׁל גָּדוֹל, כְּגוֹן דִּבּוּר וְכַיּוֹצֵא.
[The Prayer Leader Tells the City that Worships Wealth About the King]
"Once, there was a King and a Queen, and they had an only daughter. And it came near the time for her to marry, so they sought advisors to give counsel as to whom she ought be married. And I too (that is, the Prayer Leader, who is still relating this in front of them) was there among the advisors, because the King was very fond of me. My advice was that she should marry the Warrior, because the Warrior had wrought us many benefits, for he had conquered many countries; therefore he ought to be given the Queen's Daughter for a wife. My advice was very liked and they all agreed upon it, and there was a big celebration there for having found a husband for the Queen's Daughter. And the Queen's Daughter married the Warrior.
The Queen's Daughter had a Child. And the Baby was quite an extraordinary beauty, beyond all human beauty: his hair was golden and had all the colors, his face was like the sun and his eyes were like other luminaries. And the Child was born with mature wisdom-- immediately, as soon as he was born, they saw he was already a great sage. For when people were talking, in the place where one needs to laugh he would laugh; also with other such things they recognized him for being a great sage — except not yet having the coordination of an adult, namely he had not yet the faculty of speech and other such things — but this they saw right away: that he was already a big genius.
וְהִגִּיעַ עֵת שֶׁהָלְכוּ כָּל הַנַּ"ל, כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לִמְקוֹמוֹ לְקַבֵּל מִשָּׁם כּחוֹ דְּהַיְנוּ הַמֵּלִיץ וְהַגִּבּוֹר וְכָל אַנְשֵׁי הַמֶּלֶךְ הַנַּ"ל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד עָלָה לִמְקוֹמוֹ הַנַּ"ל לְחַדֵּשׁ שָׁם כּחוֹ וַיְהִי הַיּוֹם, וְהָיָה רוּחַ סְעָרָה גְּדוֹלָה בָּעוֹלָם וְהָרוּחַ סְעָרָה הַזֶּה בִּלְבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ וְהָפַךְ מִיָּם לְיַבָּשָׁה, וּמִיַּבָּשָׁה לְיָם וּמִמִּדְבָּר יִשּׁוּב, וּמִיִּשּׁוּב מִדְבָּר וְהָפַךְ אֶת כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ וּבָא הָרוּחַ סְעָרָה הַזֶּה לְתוֹךְ בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וְלא עָשָׂה שָׁם שׁוּם הֶזֵּק רַק שֶׁנִּכְנַס הָרוּחַ סְעָרָה וְחָטַף אֶת הַוָּלָד שֶׁל הַבַּת מַלְכָּה הַנַּ"ל וּבְתוֹךְ הָרַעַשׁ תֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁחָטַף אֶת הַתִּינוֹק הַיָּקָר הַנַּ"ל רָדְפָה הַבַּת מַלְכָּה אַחֲרָיו וְכֵן הַמַּלְכָּה וְכֵן הַמֶּלֶךְ עַד שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ כֻּלָּם וְלא נוֹדַע מְקוֹמָם אַיָּם וַאֲנַחְנוּ כֻּלָּנוּ לא הָיִינוּ בְּכָל זֶה כִּי הָיִינוּ עוֹלִים כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לִמְקוֹמוֹ לְחַדֵּשׁ כּחוֹ כַּנַּ"ל וּכְשֶׁחָזַרְנוּ וּבָאנוּ לא מָצָאנוּ אוֹתָם כֻּלָּם כַּנַּ"ל וְגַם הַיָּד הַנַּ"ל נֶאֱבְדָה אָז.
"There came the time when they (the King's people) all went, each one to his place, to receive there his power for his thing — that is, the Bard, the Warrior, and all the King's people, each went up to his place to renew his power. And the day came to pass: there was a very great Storm Wind upon the world. And the Storm Wind mixed up the entire world, and overturned sea to dry land and dry land to sea, and wilderness to settled area and settled area to wilderness; so it overturned the entire world. And the Storm Wind went into the King's chamber and did nothing at all there (in other words, there at the King's it wrought absolutely no damage), except that the Storm Wind went in and snatched away the aforementioned Child of the Queen's Daughter. And amidst the commotion, as soon as the Storm Wind snatched away the dear Child, the Queen's Daughter followed [him] immediately (in other words, the Princess immediately started running after the Child in order to snatch him back; she too went off someplace no one knows where). So too the Queen, and so too the King: they all went after the Child, until they all became dispersed and no one knows where they are. But all of us were nowhere nearby during this, for we were gone away then, each to his place to renew his power, as mentioned; and when we came back we could no longer find them all, as mentioned.
[The Prayer Leader finds the Warrior and Some of the Others, and They Continue the Search]
Then they all went searching for the rest. They went along and they came to a certain country, and they also inquired, "Who is your king?" They answered them that their king is a one year old, for they are from the faction that had chosen for themselves that whoever has an abundance of food and is not nourished from what other people eat — he deserves to be a king. They temporarily accepted a wealthy man as king. Then they found a man who was sitting in a sea of milk, and they were very pleased by him, because this man was nourished his whole life from milk and was not nourished from what other people eat, therefore they took him up as a king. And for that reason he is called a "ben shanah/ one-year-old," since he lives on milk like a one year old.
They realized that this is surely their Child. They requested to speak with him; and they entered and they recognized each other, for he also recognized them, even though he was only a little child when he was snatched away — nevertheless because he was a mature sage since his birth, since he was born with a complete wisdom, as mentioned, therefore he recognized them; and they of course recognized him. There was certainly a very great celebration there, albeit they still wept that they did not know of the King and the Queen. And they asked him, "How did you get here?"
וְסִפֵּר לָהֶם, שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁחָטַף אוֹתוֹ הָרוּחַ סְעָרָה נְשָׂאוֹ לְמָקוֹם שֶׁנְּשָׂאוֹ וְהָיָה שָׁם בְּאוֹתוֹ הַמָּקוֹם וְהָיָה מְחַיֶּה עַצְמוֹ בַּמֶּה שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר בַּמֶּה שֶׁמָּצָא שָׁם עַד שֶׁבָּא אֶל יָם שֶׁל חָלָב וְהֵבִין שֶׁזֶּה הַיָּם נַעֲשָׂה בְּוַדַּאי מֵחָלָב שֶׁל אִמּוֹ כִּי בְּוַדַּאי דָּחַק אוֹתָהּ הֶחָלָב, וּמִזֶּה נַעֲשָׂה זֶה הַיָּם וְיָשַׁב שָׁם בְּאוֹתוֹ הַיָּם שֶׁל חָלָב וְהָיָה נִזּוֹן מִן הֶחָלָב עַד שֶׁבָּאוּ בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה זוֹ וְקִבְּלוּ אוֹתוֹ לְמֶלֶךְ.
He told them that when the Storm Wind had snatched him away, it carried him away where it carried him and he was there in that place and sustained himself with what he found there, until he came to the sea of milk. He understood that this sea was certainly made from his mother's milk, for she had become engorged with milk, and that is how the sea came about. He settled there on the sea of milk and was nourished by the milk until these countrymen came and took him up as a king.