[Pertaining to] Likutei Moharan Siman 16, “Reb Yochanan Mishto’ei”. He said this Torah on Shabbos morning in the middle of the summer of 5563 (1803 C.E.). On that occasion, a whole group of people came to him out of the blue for that Shabbos, as it was not one of the fixed times for the kibbutz at all (as has been explained elsewhere that the main times for gathering and for the kibbutz were fixed according to his decision at six times a year). At first, he was a little bit annoyed and said that we were making for ourselves Shabbosim; that is, he himself had made and fixed the Shabbosim when we would be with him, and now we had made for ourselves a Shabbos for a Kibbutz. Afterwards he said, “I had wanted to do something about the decrees called ‘Punktin’ ['cantonists'] that are being heard in the World which they desire to decree against Yisroel, chas v’sholom.” That is, he wanted to try hard to sweeten them and to eradicate them. "But when I am by myself, what am I? For I myself am a simple person. Therefore, everyone came together suddenly in order that I can do what I must do about this.” He then said the Torah printed in Siman #160 that concerning Elisha it is written once just Elisha, and once it says ‘Ish Elokim’, ‘The man of G‑d’. It is brought (Zohar Shemos 44a) that when he was alone he was called simply Elisha; but when the bnei haneviyim were with him, he was called Ish Elokim. He said then Torah twice. On Shabbos eve, he said the Torah “Emtzo’usa d’alma heicha” [“Where is the centre of the World?”] (Likutei Moharan Section 1 Torah 24), which discusses the nine Chambers that do not bond and are unknown and no one can attain them etc. In the morning, at the daytime meal, he said the above-mentioned Torah, namely “Reb Yochanan Mishto’ei”, etc. The Rebbe’s eyes were like two [bright] moons. He said then that there are seventy nations, and they are contained within Esav and Yishmoel. One of them includes thirty‑five nations, and the other one includes thirty-five nations. In the future, two Moshiachs will conquer them – Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid. In addition, there exists a Tzaddik who encompasses both Moshiachs together. He also said many other things then, more than what has been printed. The table got broken from the large crowd who were pressing themselves on him. He got annoyed and said, “Are goyim sitting next to me at the table? Is it already the days of Moshiach when the goyim will come close to the Tsaddikim, as it is written, ‘And all the nations shall stream unto him’ (Isa. 2)?” This verse is relevant to the above Torah, “Reb Yochanan Mishto’ei”; see there. For this was his way, since all his speech was connected to the Torah he was busy with at the time, as is explained elsewhere. Throughout that year, he was extremely busy in the matter of the ‘Punktin’. He was very troubled by them and said that they are not an empty thing. He had no patience for those who said that for sure the ‘Punktin’ would not actually happen, for how is it possible that Hashem yisborach could do such a thing to Klal Yisroel, chas v’sholom? However, the Rebbe, zichrono livrocho, said many times that this is nonsense. For surely we find that there have already been many harsh decrees against Yisroel, may the Compassionate One protect us from now onwards. He also spoke about this a lot, how we have to be greatly afraid of these gezeiros that are being heard, chas v’sholom. We should not consider them something insignificant, but rather we must very greatly beseech, pray, cry out and request compassion before Hashem yisborach; perhaps He will harken to our prayers and we will merit to annul them. For sure, prayer and supplication always help. See the Sicha relevant to the Torah “Lashemesh som oihel bohem” (Likutei Moharan I, Torah #49) where it is further explained how very much he toiled in those times concerning the ‘Punktin’ that were then being heard. These are the very same decrees that have been promulgated in our days, due to our many sins, sixteen years after his passing. In the merit of his prayer they were delayed until now. If only people would have obeyed him and shocked the earth and its fullness beforehand, involving themselves greatly in Prayers and Supplications to Hashem Yisborach as he had desired, for sure they would have been annulled completely.
(ו) סִימָן ט"ז רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשְׁתָּעֵי. זֹאת הַתּוֹרָה אָמַר בְּשַׁבָּת בְּשַׁחֲרִית בְּאֶמְצַע הַקַּיִץ תקס"ג. וְאָז נִתְקַבְּצוּ אֵלָיו פִּתְאֹם עַל אוֹתָהּ הַשַּׁבָּת, כִּי לֹא הָיָה אָז זְמַן קִבּוּץ כְּלָל (כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לְקַמָּן קכו) שֶׁעִקַּר זְמַן הַקְּהִלָּה וְהַקִּבּוּץ בִּקְבִיעוּת עַל־פִּי דַּעְתּוֹ הָיָה שֵׁשׁ פְּעָמִים בַּשָּׁנָה), וּבִתְחִלָּה הִקְפִּיד קְצָת וְאָמַר שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂים לְעַצְמֵנוּ שַׁבָּתִים. הַיְנוּ כִּי הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ עָשָׂה וְקָבַע לָנוּ שַׁבָּתִים לָבוֹא אָז אֶצְלוֹ וְעַכְשָׁיו עָשִׂינוּ לְעַצְמֵנוּ שַׁבָּת עַל קִבּוּץ. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ אָמַר אֲנִי הָיִיתִי רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵיזֶה עִנְיָן אוֹדוֹת הַגְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁקּוֹרִין פּוּנְקְטִין שֶׁנִּשְׁמַע בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁרוֹצִים לִגְזֹר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הַיְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה רוֹצֶה לַעֲסֹק לְהַמְתִּיקָם וּלְבַטְּלָם. אַךְ כְּשֶׁאֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי מָה אָנִי, כִּי אֲנִי בְּעַצְמִי אִישׁ פָּשׁוּט, עַל־כֵּן נִתְקַבְּצוּ הָעוֹלָם פִּתְאוֹם כְּדֵי שֶׁאוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּזֶה. וְאָמַר אָז עִנְיָן הַנִּדְפָּס בְּסִימָן קס"ו שֶׁאֵצֶל אֱלִישָׁע כְּתִיב פַּעַם אַחַת אֱלִישָׁע סְתָם, וּפַעַם אַחַת אִישׁ אֱלֹקִים. וְאִיתָא (זֹהַר שְׁמוֹת מד.) שֶׁכְּשֶׁהָיָה בְּעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא אֱלִישָׁע סְתָם, וּכְשֶׁהָיוּ בְּנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אֶצְלוֹ נִקְרָא אִישׁ אֱלֹקִים. וְאָמַר אָז תּוֹרָה שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים. בְּלֵיל שַׁבָּת אָמַר הַתּוֹרָה (סִימָן כד חֵלֶק א) אֶמְצָעוּתָא דְעָלְמָא הֵיכָא, שֶׁמְּדַבֶּרֶת שָׁם מִתִּשְׁעָה הֵיכָלִין דְּלָא אִתְדַּבְּקִין וְלָא אִתְיַדְּעִין וְלֵית מָאן דְּקַיְמָא בְּהוּ וְכוּ', וּבַבֹּקֶר בִּסְעֻדַּת שַׁחֲרִית אָמַר הַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ"ל שֶׁהִיא רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשְׁתָּעֵי וְכוּ'. וְדַמְיָא עֵינֵהּ כִּתְרֵי סַהֲרָא וְאָמַר אָז שֶׁיֵּשׁ שִׁבְעִים אֻמּוֹת, וְהֵם כְּלוּלִים בְּעֵשָׂו וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל. שֶׁזֶּה כָּלוּל מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ אֻמּוֹת, וְזֶה כָּלוּל מִשְּׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ אֻמּוֹת. וְלֶעָתִיד יִכְבְּשׁוּ אוֹתָן שְׁנֵי מְשִׁיחִין מָשִׁיחַ בֶּן יוֹסֵף וּמָשִׁיחַ בֶּן דָּוִד, וְיֵשׁ צַדִּיק אֶחָד שֶׁהוּא כָּלוּל מִתְּרֵין מְשִׁיחִין יַחְדָּיו. עוֹד אָמַר אָז כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּדְפְּסוּ, וְאָז נִשְׁבַּר הַשֻּׁלְחָן מֵרֹב הָעוֹלָם שֶׁדָּחֲקוּ עַצְמָן עָלָיו. וְהִקְפִּיד וְאָמַר וְכִי גּוֹיִים יוֹשְׁבִים אֶצְלִי עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן, וְכִי עַכְשָׁו יְמוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ שֶׁיִּתְקָרְבוּ גּוֹיִים לַצַּדִּיקִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יְשַׁעְיָה ב): "וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל הַגּוֹיִם". וְזֶה הַפָּסוּק שַׁיָּךְ לְהַתּוֹרָה רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשְׁתָּעֵי הַנַּ"ל עַיֵּן שָׁם כִּי כָּךְ הָיָה דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁכָּל שִׂיחָתוֹ הָיָה שַׁיָּךְ לְהַתּוֹרָה שֶׁעָסַק בָּהּ אָז כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לְקַמָּן קכו, רמג). וּבְאוֹתָהּ הַשָּׁנָה עָסַק הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד בְּעִנְיַן הַפּוּנְקְטִין, וְהִצְטַעֵר עֲלֵיהֶם הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד, וְאָמַר כִּי לֹא דָּבָר רֵק הוּא, וְהִקְפִּיד מְאֹד עַל הָאוֹמְרִים שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי לֹא יִתְקַיְּמוּ הַפּוּנְקְטִין, כִּי אֵיךְ אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יַעֲשֶׂה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם זֹאת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְהוּא זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה אָמַר כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים שֶׁהוּא שְׁטוּת, כִּי הֲלֹא מָצִינוּ שֶׁכְּבָר הָיוּ כַּמָּה גְּזֵרוֹת קָשׁוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן מֵעַתָּה. וְעוֹד דִּבֵּר מִזֶּה הַרְבֵּה שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהִתְפַּחֵד מְאֹד מֵאֵלּוּ הַגְּזֵרוֹת הַנִּשְׁמָעִים רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן, וְשֶׁלֹּא לְהַחֲזִיק אוֹתָם לְדָבָר קַל, רַק צְרִיכִין לְהַעְתִּיר וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל וְלִצְעֹק וּלְהִתְחַנֵּן הַרְבֵּה הַרְבֵּה לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אוּלַי יֵעָתֵר ה' שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לְבַטְּלָם, כִּי בְּוַדַּאי תְּפִלָּה וּצְעָקָה מוֹעִיל תָּמִיד. וְעַיֵּן בְּהַשִּׂיחָה (לְקַמָּן קטז) הַשַּׁיָּכָה לְהַתּוֹרָה לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם, שָׁם מְבֹאָר עוֹד כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה הָיָה מִתְיַגֵּעַ אָז בָּעִתִּים הַלָּלוּ עַל אוֹדוֹת הַפּוּנְקְטִין שֶׁנִּשְׁמְעוּ אָז, וְהֵן הֵן הַגְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁיָּצְאוּ בְּיָמֵינוּ בַּעֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים שֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה אַחַר הִסְתַּלְּקוּתוֹ, וּבִזְכוּת תְּפִלָּתוֹ נִתְעַכְּבוּ עַד הֵנָּה. וְהַלְוַאי הָיוּ צַיְּתִים אוֹתוֹ לְהַרְעִישׁ אֶרֶץ וּמְלוֹאָהּ מִקֹּדֶם לַעֲסֹק הַרְבֵּה בִּתְפִלּוֹת וּצְעָקוֹת לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּרְצוֹנוֹ בְּוַדַּאי הָיוּ מִתְבַּטְּלִין לְגַמְרֵי:
[Pertaining to] Likutei Moharan Siman 16, “Reb Yochanan Mishto’ei”. He said this Torah on Shabbos morning in the middle of the summer of 5563 (1803 C.E.). On that occasion, a whole group of people came to him out of the blue for that Shabbos, as it was not one of the fixed times for the kibbutz at all (as has been explained elsewhere that the main times for gathering and for the kibbutz were fixed according to his decision at six times a year). At first, he was a little bit annoyed and said that we were making for ourselves Shabbosim; that is, he himself had made and fixed the Shabbosim when we would be with him, and now we had made for ourselves a Shabbos for a Kibbutz. Afterwards he said, “I had wanted to do something about the decrees called ‘Punktin’ ['cantonists'] that are being heard in the World which they desire to decree against Yisroel, chas v’sholom.” That is, he wanted to try hard to sweeten them and to eradicate them. "But when I am by myself, what am I? For I myself am a simple person. Therefore, everyone came together suddenly in order that I can do what I must do about this.” He then said the Torah printed in Siman #160 that concerning Elisha it is written once just Elisha, and once it says ‘Ish Elokim’, ‘The man of G‑d’. It is brought (Zohar Shemos 44a) that when he was alone he was called simply Elisha; but when the bnei haneviyim were with him, he was called Ish Elokim.
He said then Torah twice. On Shabbos eve, he said the Torah “Emtzo’usa d’alma heicha” [“Where is the centre of the World?”] (Likutei Moharan Section 1 Torah 24), which discusses the nine Chambers that do not bond and are unknown and no one can attain them etc. In the morning, at the daytime meal, he said the above-mentioned Torah, namely “Reb Yochanan Mishto’ei”, etc. The Rebbe’s eyes were like two [bright] moons. He said then that there are seventy nations, and they are contained within Esav and Yishmoel. One of them includes thirty‑five nations, and the other one includes thirty-five nations. In the future, two Moshiachs will conquer them – Moshiach ben Yosef and Moshiach ben Dovid. In addition, there exists a Tzaddik who encompasses both Moshiachs together. He also said many other things then, more than what has been printed. The table got broken from the large crowd who were pressing themselves on him. He got annoyed and said, “Are goyim sitting next to me at the table? Is it already the days of Moshiach when the goyim will come close to the Tsaddikim, as it is written, ‘And all the nations shall stream unto him’ (Isa. 2)?” This verse is relevant to the above Torah, “Reb Yochanan Mishto’ei”; see there. For this was his way, since all his speech was connected to the Torah he was busy with at the time, as is explained elsewhere.
Throughout that year, he was extremely busy in the matter of the ‘Punktin’. He was very troubled by them and said that they are not an empty thing. He had no patience for those who said that for sure the ‘Punktin’ would not actually happen, for how is it possible that Hashem yisborach could do such a thing to Klal Yisroel, chas v’sholom? However, the Rebbe, zichrono livrocho, said many times that this is nonsense. For surely we find that there have already been many harsh decrees against Yisroel, may the Compassionate One protect us from now onwards. He also spoke about this a lot, how we have to be greatly afraid of these gezeiros that are being heard, chas v’sholom. We should not consider them something insignificant, but rather we must very greatly beseech, pray, cry out and request compassion before Hashem yisborach; perhaps He will harken to our prayers and we will merit to annul them. For sure, prayer and supplication always help. See the Sicha relevant to the Torah “Lashemesh som oihel bohem” (Likutei Moharan I, Torah #49) where it is further explained how very much he toiled in those times concerning the ‘Punktin’ that were then being heard. These are the very same decrees that have been promulgated in our days, due to our many sins, sixteen years after his passing. In the merit of his prayer they were delayed until now. If only people would have obeyed him and shocked the earth and its fullness beforehand, involving themselves greatly in Prayers and Supplications to Hashem Yisborach as he had desired, for sure they would have been annulled completely.