Yoga Manual for Aspiring Tzaddikim According to the Noam Elimelekh

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go unto Pharaoh…’” As Rashi interprets the verse: “and warn him.” But what exactly does Rashi mean? To begin with, understand this fundamental principal: The Creator, blessed be He and praise Him for eternity, His greatest pleasure is to benefit and to send his abundance to all the worlds and every created thing.

But God’s shefa is remarkably intense, so much so that it’s impossible to actually receive this shefa except by means of an intermediary – the Tzaddik – who receives the shefa from above and who delivers this shefa to all – even to those who are not fit to receive such abundance. And this shefa that the Tzaddik conveys is Loving Kindness for the entire world, but it essentially comes from the Creator, blessed be He. As it is written (Ps. 136:4), “Who alone performs wonders…” – The Holy One alone performs wonders on behalf of His people Israel. “…for his kindness is everlasting [Ki l’olam chasdo]” – by means of the Tzaddik’s chesed – his Loving Kindness for each and every person.

Now the Tzaddik who desires to receive shefa from above must lessen himself in great surrender. Only afterwards, as he spreads shefa to the world, will he expand himself, swelling to spread abundance to all creation – like a man who moves into a home and spreads himself and his belongings out into each room, making the home beautiful and good.

And the letter Tzadi hints at the technique of the Tzaddik. The letter Tzadi is composed of a Nun and a Yud – with the Yud behind the Nun. And the head of the Nun is small, while the leg of the Nun is much larger. And all this contains an allusion to the Tzaddik who receives and conveys shefa – a process dependent upon Chochma/Wisdom, the Yud being Chochma. And the Tzaddik must lessen and surrender himself at the moment of reception, as it is written, “Chochma, where [me’Ayin] can it be found?" The Tzaddik who is in the state of consciousness of Ayin will there find Chochma/Wisdom and receive the shefa. Therefore the head of the Nun is small, symbolizing that at the moment of reception from the Yud, one must lessen himself, getting into Ayin consciousness. And the leg of the Nun is long – in order to convey abundance to the world, the Tzaddik expands and swells himself, flowing to all.

And furthermore, the face of the Nun is turned away from the Yud, hinting at what I have already written: The Tzaddik extends himself and delivers abundance even to the person who is not entirely worthy of receiving it. And so it is written (Isa. 12:5), “ Praise the Lord, for he has done gloriously [geut]” – For the Tzaddik expands and swells like someone who is very proud. “Let this be known in all the world!” – He delivers shefa to the entire world, even to one who isn’t entirely worthy.

According to our ways, shefa is referred to as “wonders” – that is, the goodness which the Holy One performs for his holy people – we call this goodness “wonders.” But when the Holy One brings punishments and sufferings upon evil people, we call these “signs” – as it is written (Jer. 10:2), “Do not be dismayed by signs in the heavens” – Israel should never fear “signs.”

And furthermore, drawing down punishments upon the nations similarly requires the Tzaddik, as it is written (Lam. 3:38) “From the Heavenly mouth no evils come forth.”

…And thus, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go unto Pharaoh…’” Rashi interprets this to mean, “and warn him” – that is, by means of your words you will draw down upon him signs. “…and I will harden his heart…” – but from Me no evils will emerge, and so I need you to warn him, in order that my signs will be with him. You will draw down upon him the signs because “From the Heavenly mouth no evils come forth.”