That which a person speaks privately with his Master is an aspect of ruach hakodesh (holy spirit). King David, of blessed memory, whose virtue was very great, based the Book of Psalms on this.
Likewise, [for] each person, commensurate with his level, this is an aspect of holy spirit. As it is written (Psalms 27:8), “To You my heart said”; which Rashi explains: “To You”—for Your sake and at Your charge my heart said to me. Everything the heart says <to a person, to do good or to speak good words before God,> is literally the word of God. This is an aspect of holy spirit.
Aperson must always originate, each time requesting with original supplications and words of appeasement. To merit to this, he needs a pure heart. A pure heart is the result of his heart’s inspiration and flaming for God. This purifies the heart. As opposed to his being inspired and aflame for a sin or an evil desire, God forbid, from which his heart becomes impure—as opposed to this, he should inspire and enflame his heart for God. {For through the warmth of the heart one dispels the spirit of impurity. This is because it is the nature of fire to dispel air, as is clear to those knowledgeable of the elements. This is the reason a gun shoots when the gunpowder placed at [the hammer of the gun] is lit. From the force of the fire, the air is expelled, and it is this air that propels whatever was loaded in the gun. There are also other things which clarify this. Yet the general principle is that fire dispels air. As a result, the warmth of a heart which is aflame for God dispels the spirits, which are air. That is, it dispels the spirit of impurity, and through this the heart is purified.}
Through this, his heart will be purified. As it is written (Numbers 31:23), “Anything that was used over fire, must go through fire <and be purified>.” And when he has purity of heart, he then merits to each time speak new words—an aspect of holy spirit.
6
וְזֶהוּ: לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא לִי אֱלֹקִים,
This is the meaning [of the opening verse]: A pure heart create for me, O Lord—
2. Now, the way to come to inspiration and warmth for God is through motion. This is because motion gives rise to warmth. As we see empirically, if one shoots an arrow which has wax affixed to its head, the wax then melts because of the warmth that results from the motion. Likewise, when a person walks to and fro, <he creates warmth in the heart> through his motion. {And the essence of motion is from the power of thought. For at first, the power of thought is at rest and still. After that, the power of thought begins to move from one thought to the next. That is, at first, when he sat in his place, his thought was to sit. But after that, when he wants to go, his thought begins to move from the first thought to thinking about going. As a result, he draws down warmth. This is why when a person sleeps, he has to cover himself; because when the power of thought is at rest and still, he has no warmth.}
The same holds true for spiritual matters. When the power of thought thinks about the greatness of the Creator and His holy Torah, and moves from one thought to the next, through the motion he draws down warmth and his heart is aflame for God.
Similarly, the primary warmth of the element of fire is that which it receives from the motion of the stars. This is because the element of fire is above the element of air, and close to the celestial spheres. So, too, each celestial sphere receives <warmth> from the celestial sphere above it.
Therefore, by turning the many to righteousness, i.e., bringing people closer to the service of God, or by judging all men favorably, which is also called turning the many to righteousness—through this he also draws down warmth and inspiration for God. As it is written (Daniel 12:3), “… and those who turn the many to righteousness like the stars.”
He receives the warmth from that which is above him, and can also draw down warmth to another. This is like the stars, which receive from above and transmit to below. But someone who does not receive the warmth from one who is above, even if he does bring warmth to another, it is only temporary. Moreover, he himself grows cold. This is like the white-hot iron that is cast into water: the iron itself gets cold, and even the heating of the water is temporary.
{From “Now, the way to come to inspiration ” until here was not recorded in suitable order because I had not heard it directly from Rebbe Nachman’s holy lips, but from someone else in his name. For the essence of the matter, see the teaching “Atik is Hidden and Concealed,” Lesson #21. There, these insights are clarified at length. The general principle is this: The motion of the intellect creates heat in the heart. That is, as explained there, by meriting to comprehension of the holy knowledge through sanctifying the “seven candles”… consequently, one merits to inspiration of the heart for God, as it is written there. Study there.
And through inspiration of the heart one merits to dispel the spirit of unholiness, the spirit of folly, as above. As a result, a person purifies his heart. Then, each time he has private conversation with God, he merits to speak new words, which are literally an aspect of holy spirit, as above.}
לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא לִי וְכוּ' (תהילים נ״א:י״ב):
“Lev Tahor (A pure heart) create for me, O Lord, [and an upright spirit renew within me].” (Psalms 51:12)
כִּי מַה שֶּׁמְּדַבְּרִים בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין קוֹנוֹ, הוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ. וְדָוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ, עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם, שֶׁהָיָה מַעֲלָתוֹ גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד, יִסֵּד מִזֶּה סֵפֶר תְּהִלִּים.
That which a person speaks privately with his Master is an aspect of ruach hakodesh (holy spirit). King David, of blessed memory, whose virtue was very great, based the Book of Psalms on this.
וְכֵן כָּל אֶחָד לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ הוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים כ״ז:ח׳): לְךָ אָמַר לִבִּי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: לְךָ – בִּשְׁבִילְךָ וּבִשְׁלִיחוּתְךָ, אָמַר לִי לִבִּי. שֶׁכָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהַלֵּב אוֹמֵר, הֵם דִּבְרֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַמָּשׁ, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
Likewise, [for] each person, commensurate with his level, this is an aspect of holy spirit. As it is written (Psalms 27:8), “To You my heart said”; which Rashi explains: “To You”—for Your sake and at Your charge my heart said to me. Everything the heart says <to a person, to do good or to speak good words before God,> is literally the word of God. This is an aspect of holy spirit.
וְצָרִיךְ לְחַדֵּשׁ תָּמִיד, לְבַקֵּשׁ בְּכָל פַּעַם בְּתַחֲנוּנִים וְדִבְרֵי רִצּוּיִים חֲדָשִׁים. וְלִזְכּוֹת לָזֶה, צָרִיךְ טָהֳרַת הַלֵּב. וְטָהֳרַת הַלֵּב הוּא, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמִּתְלַהֵב וּבוֹעֵר לִבּוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִטְהָר הַלֵּב. כִּי נֶגֶד שֶׁנִּתְלַהֵב וְנִבְעָר לַעֲבֵרָה אוֹ לְתַאֲוָה רָעָה, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, שֶׁמִּזֶּה נִטְמָא לִבּוֹ, נֶגֶד זֶה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּתְלַהֵב וְיִבְעַר לִבּוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ
Aperson must always originate, each time requesting with original supplications and words of appeasement. To merit to this, he needs a pure heart. A pure heart is the result of his heart’s inspiration and flaming for God. This purifies the heart. As opposed to his being inspired and aflame for a sin or an evil desire, God forbid, from which his heart becomes impure—as opposed to this, he should inspire and enflame his heart for God. {For through the warmth of the heart one dispels the spirit of impurity. This is because it is the nature of fire to dispel air, as is clear to those knowledgeable of the elements. This is the reason a gun shoots when the gunpowder placed at [the hammer of the gun] is lit. From the force of the fire, the air is expelled, and it is this air that propels whatever was loaded in the gun. There are also other things which clarify this. Yet the general principle is that fire dispels air. As a result, the warmth of a heart which is aflame for God dispels the spirits, which are air. That is, it dispels the spirit of impurity, and through this the heart is purified.}
*, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִטְהַר לִבּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר ל״א:כ״ג): כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא בָאֵשׁ תַּעֲבִירוּ בָאֵשׁ. וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ טָהֳרַת הַלֵּב, אֲזַי זוֹכֶה לְדַבֵּר בְּכָל פַּעַם דִּבּוּרִים חֲדָשִׁים, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת רוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
Through this, his heart will be purified. As it is written (Numbers 31:23), “Anything that was used over fire, must go through fire <and be purified>.” And when he has purity of heart, he then merits to each time speak new words—an aspect of holy spirit.
וְזֶהוּ: לֵב טָהוֹר בְּרָא לִי אֱלֹקִים,
This is the meaning [of the opening verse]: A pure heart create for me, O Lord—
אֲזַי: וְרוּחַ נָכוֹן חַדֵּשׁ בְּקִרְבִּי, שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לְחַדֵּשׁ דִּבּוּרִים חֲדָשִׁים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת רוּחַ־הַקֹּדֶשׁ כַּנַּ"ל:
Then: an upright spirit renew within me—He will merit to originate new words, which are an aspect of holy spirit, as mentioned.
וְלָבוֹא לְהִתְלַהֲבוּת וַחֲמִימוּת לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא עַל יְדֵי תְּנוּעָה. כִּי תְּנוּעָה מְעוֹרֵר חֲמִימוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָנוּ רוֹאִין בְּחוּשׁ, אִם יִזְרֹק חֵץ וְיִתְחַב בְּרֹאשׁוֹ שַׁעֲוָה, אֲזַי יִמַּס הַשַּׁעֲוָה מֵחֲמַת הַחֲמִימוּת הַבָּא עַל יְדֵי הַתְּנוּעָה. וְכֵן כְּשֶׁאָדָם הוֹלֵךְ הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה, עַל־יְדֵי תְּנוּעָתוֹ הוּא מַזִּיעַ. (וְעִקַּר הַתְּנוּעָה הוּא מֵהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה נוֹחָה וּשְׁקֵטָה, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מַתְחֶלֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְהִתְנוֹעֵעַ מִמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְמַחֲשָׁבָה. הַיְנוּ מִתְּחִלָּה כְּשֶׁיָּשַׁב עַל מְקוֹמוֹ,
2. Now, the way to come to inspiration and warmth for God is through motion. This is because motion gives rise to warmth. As we see empirically, if one shoots an arrow which has wax affixed to its head, the wax then melts because of the warmth that results from the motion. Likewise, when a person walks to and fro, <he creates warmth in the heart> through his motion. {And the essence of motion is from the power of thought. For at first, the power of thought is at rest and still. After that, the power of thought begins to move from one thought to the next. That is, at first, when he sat in his place, his thought was to sit. But after that, when he wants to go, his thought begins to move from the first thought to thinking about going. As a result, he draws down warmth. This is why when a person sleeps, he has to cover himself; because when the power of thought is at rest and still, he has no warmth.}
הָיָה מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ לֵישֵׁב. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ כְּשֶׁרוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ, מַתְחִיל מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ לְהִתְנוֹעֵעַ מִמַּחֲשָׁבָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לַחֲשֹׁב לֵילֵךְ, וְעַל־יְדֵי כֵּן מוֹרִיד חֲמִימוּת. וְעַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁאָדָם יָשֵׁן צָרִיךְ לְכַסּוֹת עַצְמוֹ, כִּי מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה נוֹחָה וּשְׁקֵטָה, אֵין לוֹ חֲמִימוּת). וּכְמוֹ כֵן בְּרוּחָנִיּוּת, כְּשֶׁהַמַּחֲשָׁבָה חוֹשֶׁבֶת בִּגְדֻלַּת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, וּמִתְנוֹעֵעַ מִמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְמַחֲשָׁבָה, עַל־יְדֵי הַתְּנוּעָה מוֹרִיד חֲמִימוּת, וּבוֹעֵר לִבּוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
The same holds true for spiritual matters. When the power of thought thinks about the greatness of the Creator and His holy Torah, and moves from one thought to the next, through the motion he draws down warmth and his heart is aflame for God.
וְכֵן עִקַּר חֲמִימוּת יְסוֹד הָאֵשׁ, הוּא מַה שֶּׁמְּקַבֵּל מִתְּנוּעַת הַכּוֹכָבִים. כִּי יְסוֹד הָאֵשׁ הוּא לְמַעְלָה מִיסוֹד הָאֲוִיר וְסָמוּךְ לַגַּלְגַּלִּים, וְכֵן כָּל גַּלְגַּל מְקַבֵּל מִגַּלְגַּל שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ.
Similarly, the primary warmth of the element of fire is that which it receives from the motion of the stars. This is because the element of fire is above the element of air, and close to the celestial spheres. So, too, each celestial sphere receives <warmth> from the celestial sphere above it.
עַל־כֵּן עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמַּצְדִּיק הָרַבִּים, הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּקָרֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אוֹ עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁדָּן כָּל אָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת, שֶׁגַּם זֶה נִקְרָא מַצְדִּיק הָרַבִּים, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מוֹרִיד גַּם־כֵּן חֲמִימוּת וְהִתְלַהֲבוּת לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (דניאל י״ב:ג׳): וּמַצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים כַּכּוֹכָבִים;
Therefore, by turning the many to righteousness, i.e., bringing people closer to the service of God, or by judging all men favorably, which is also called turning the many to righteousness—through this he also draws down warmth and inspiration for God. As it is written (Daniel 12:3), “… and those who turn the many to righteousness like the stars.”
וְהוּא מְקַבֵּל הַחֲמִימוּת מִמַּה שֶּׁלְּמַעְלָה מִמֶּנּוּ, וְיוּכַל לְהוֹרִיד חֲמִימוּת לְאַחֵר גַּם־כֵּן, כְּמוֹ הַכּוֹכָבִים שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִים מִלְּמַעְלָה, וּמוֹרִידִים לְמַטָּה. אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל הַחֲמִימוּת מִמִּי שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה, אַף שֶׁמֵּבִיא חֲמִימוּת לְאַחֵר, הוּא רַק לְפִי שָׁעָה, וְהוּא עַצְמוֹ מִתְקָרֵר. כְּמוֹ הַבַּרְזֶל הַמְלֻבָּן שֶׁמַּשְׁלִיכִין לַמַּיִם, שֶׁהַבַּרְזֶל עַצְמוֹ מִתְקָרֵר, וְגַם הַמַּיִם שֶׁנִּתְחַמֵּם הוּא רַק לְפִי שָׁעָה:
He receives the warmth from that which is above him, and can also draw down warmth to another. This is like the stars, which receive from above and transmit to below. But someone who does not receive the warmth from one who is above, even if he does bring warmth to another, it is only temporary. Moreover, he himself grows cold. This is like the white-hot iron that is cast into water: the iron itself gets cold, and even the heating of the water is temporary.
[מִן "וְלָבוֹא לְהִתְלַהֲבוּת" עַד כָּאן, לֹא נִכְתַּב יָפֶה כְּסֵדֶר. כִּי לֹא שָׁמַעְתִּי זֶה הָעִנְיָן מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּעַצְמוֹ, רַק מִפִּי אַחֵר בִּשְׁמוֹ. וְעִקַּר הָעִנְיָן עַיֵּן לְעֵיל בְּהַתּוֹרָה "עַתִּיקָא טְמִיר וּסְתִים" בְּסִימָן כ"א, שָׁם מְבֹאָרִים הַקְדָּמוֹת אֵלּוּ בַּאֲרִיכוּת. וְהַכְּלָל – שֶׁתְּנוּעַת הַשֵּׂכֶל מוֹלִיד חֹם בַּלֵּב, דְּהַיְנוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לְהַשָּׂגַת הַדַּעַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ, עַל־יְדֵי קְדֻשַּׁת הַשִּׁבְעַת נֵרוֹת וְכוּ' כַּמְבֹאָר שָׁם, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכֶה לְהִתְלַהֲבוּת הַלֵּב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב שָׁם, עַיֵּן שָׁם.
{From “Now, the way to come to inspiration ” until here was not recorded in suitable order because I had not heard it directly from Rebbe Nachman’s holy lips, but from someone else in his name. For the essence of the matter, see the teaching “Atik is Hidden and Concealed,” Lesson #21. There, these insights are clarified at length. The general principle is this: The motion of the intellect creates heat in the heart. That is, as explained there, by meriting to comprehension of the holy knowledge through sanctifying the “seven candles”… consequently, one merits to inspiration of the heart for God, as it is written there. Study there.
וְעַל־יְדֵי הִתְלַהֲבוּת הַלֵּב זוֹכֶה לְגָרֵשׁ הָרוּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה רוּחַ שְׁטוּת כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מְטַהֵר לִבּוֹ כַּנַּ"ל. וְאָז זוֹכֶה לְדַבֵּר דִּבּוּרִים חֲדָשִׁים בְּכָל פַּעַם שֶׁמִּתְבּוֹדֵד, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, כַּנַּ"ל]:
And through inspiration of the heart one merits to dispel the spirit of unholiness, the spirit of folly, as above. As a result, a person purifies his heart. Then, each time he has private conversation with God, he merits to speak new words, which are literally an aspect of holy spirit, as above.}