Occasionally, speech is set and ready to be articulated, yet it does not emerge by way of the mouth but by way of the neck. {Upon occasion it is literally possible to hear that the words are not coming through the mouth but through the nape of the neck.}
This is because there are three evil forces. The evil forces always want to capture speech for themselves, especially the holy speech of a great person. For them, all words are fine, pleasant and important, and they want to capture them. And certainly so when speech is truly pleasant. Hence, <even> if Sarah had not been so very beautiful, the Egyptians, all of whom were dark-skinned, would nonetheless have admired her greatly.
Now, speech is an aspect of sarah (rulership), for each person commensurate with his level. One person is an aspect of “national sarah” (Berakhot 13a), ruling with his speech over a city and a country. Another is an aspect of sarah over the entire world. Yet another “rules in his home” (Esther 1:22).
However, to [the evil forces]—who are an aspect of Egypt because all of them are black and lowly—all speech is important and they want to capture it. For the three evil forces are the “chief baker,” the “chief wine steward,” and the “chief butcher”—the desires for food and drink. And “PhaRaOH” is [comprised of] the same letters as HaORePh (the nape), which stands in the back of holiness.
As soon as the three aforementioned officers, who are the chiefs of Pharaoh, see Sarah, who is speech, she [appears] fine and pleasant in their eyes. They capture her for Pharaoh, as it is written (Genesis 12:15), “The officers of Pharaoh saw her, and spoke highly of her to Pharaoh.”
Now behold, when speech is holy speech, it is the aspect of Sarah, for the Divine Presence resided with her. Then, even though it was very, very painful for Avraham when she was taken, he nevertheless knew and trusted in God that it was a great favor that she was held captive there, as it would produce great satisfaction for God. This corresponds to (Ecclesiastes 8:9), “There is a time when one man rules over another to his [the ruler’s] own detriment.” For she gathered the holy sparks from there, as is known.
But if speech is mundane, the possibility exists for it to be taken captive there, God forbid. It could almost be trapped there, God forbid, were it not that a true tzaddik comes, for he has the power to remove it from there.
Moreover, there is a person who is turned entirely into speech; becoming the topic of people’s conversation, with everyone talking about him. He wanders about and becomes scattered, [because he is] in everyone’s mouth. Wherever he comes, he suffers <severe> torment and unnatural misfortune.
For each person, commensurate with his level, possesses a “Pharaoh,” <the nape of the neck>. When he comes into the mouth of a great person—there Pharaoh is king, Egypt is the land, and there are three officers. <And> even though he is very pained when they capture speech and control [the words], he is nevertheless relieved, for he can find holy sparks there and be benefited by this.
But when he comes into the mouth of base people, where they capture the speech for the nape, and is controlled there—in ‘a desolate wilderness, drought-ridden and dry, through which no man passed’ (cf. Jeremiah 2:6)—it, <speech,> has no one to meet. It is very painful and bitter. [His] soul wanders about and becomes scattered; a scattering of the soul into the mouths of numerous people. He is tired, hungry and thirsty in the wilderness; and it [his soul] has no sustenance with which to restore its starving and parched self <i.e., it has no one to meet it and elevate it from there>, so that it eats itself up. This corresponds to (Isaiah 9:19), “Every man eats the flesh of his own arm.”
This is like the man who has been overcome by a great chill but has no cover with which to warm and wrap himself. So he curls and bundles up and contracts into himself. Similarly, the soul. It has no cover in which to wrap and cover itself. This is as in (Psalms 107:5), “Their soul was enwrapped within them”—it wraps into itself. It becomes so faint that even if given some food, it cannot tolerate eating it. This is like the sick person who has been unwell for very long. He has become so sick that it is impossible for him to tolerate any food. When it is given to him, he rejects it and cannot tolerate it.
What is there to do? We brought this on ourselves by not accepting the good advice given us by God, <as in> (Jeremiah 2:27), “They turned their back to Me, and not their face.” And then, he is imprisoned in jail, because he is caught and bound there.
Occasionally, they raise him up, up toward heaven. But after, they cast him far down. For the ascent was not a progression, but like an incidental casting upwards. Hence, he was cast down, as it is written (Psalms 107:26), “They ascend heavenward, they descend to the depths.”
He also said that all these things are tied to that which our Sages teach: Four are obliged to give thanks (Berakhot 54b)—elucidated in Psalm 107. What is apparent and understood from his words is that all these four—wanderers in the wilderness, prisoners, the sick, and travellers on the sea—allude to misfortunes of the soul.
This is as explained above concerning the misfortunes of the soul that wanders about tired, hungry and thirsty in the wilderness; which corresponding to, “They wandered in the wilderness…” (Psalms 107:4). Likewise, it speaks of the sickness of the soul which has become so faint that even if given some food, [it cannot tolerate eating it]. This corresponds to (ibid.:18), “Their souls abhorred all food,” which refers to a sick person. It also speaks of the person imprisoned in jail (ibid.:10) ; and of, “They ascend heavenward, they descend to the depths,” which corresponds to those who travel on the sea.
It is clear that Rebbe Nachman’s holy intention was that all the four who are obliged to give thanks allude to the misfortunes of the soul in the service of God. [The soul] has much opposition and many stand up against it. It suffers torment, affliction, great wanderings and unnatural misfortunes, as mentioned. But every time, God rescues it from all the misfortunes, and for this we are obliged to give thanks, always.
20
וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְזַכֵּנוּ לְהָבִין
May God grant us the merit to understand his holy intentions.}
לִפְעָמִים מֻנָּח הַדִּבּוּר וּמוּכָן לָצֵאת, וְאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא דֶּרֶךְ הַפֶּה, כִּי־אִם דֶּרֶךְ הָעֹרֶף, (וּמַמָּשׁ אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁמֹעַ כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים שֶׁהַדִּבּוּר אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא דֶּרֶךְ הַפֶּה רַק דֶּרֶךְ הָעֹרֶף).
Occasionally, speech is set and ready to be articulated, yet it does not emerge by way of the mouth but by way of the neck. {Upon occasion it is literally possible to hear that the words are not coming through the mouth but through the nape of the neck.}
כִּי יֵשׁ שָׁלֹשׁ קְלִפּוֹת, וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת רוֹצִים תָּמִיד לִתְפֹּס הַדִּבּוּר לְעַצְמָם, בִּפְרָט דִּבּוּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ מֵאָדָם גָּדוֹל, כִּי אֶצְלָם כָּל הַדִּבּוּרִים יָפִים וְנָאִים וַחֲשׁוּבִים, וְרוֹצִים לְתָפְסָם, מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן כְּשֶׁהַדִּבּוּר נָאֶה בֶּאֱמֶת, כִּי הַמִּצְרִיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ כֻּלָּם שְׁחוֹרִים, אִלּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה שָׂרָה יְפַת תֹּאַר כָּל־כָּךְ, גַּם כֵּן הָיְתָה חֲשׁוּבָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם מְאֹד,
This is because there are three evil forces. The evil forces always want to capture speech for themselves, especially the holy speech of a great person. For them, all words are fine, pleasant and important, and they want to capture them. And certainly so when speech is truly pleasant. Hence, <even> if Sarah had not been so very beautiful, the Egyptians, all of whom were dark-skinned, would nonetheless have admired her greatly.
וְהַדִּבּוּר הוּא בְּחִינוֹת שָׂרָה, לְכָל אֶחָד לְפִי עֶרְכּוֹ, יֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינוֹת שָׂרָה לְאֻמָּתִי (ברכות יג), שֶׁהוּא מוֹשֵׁל בַּדִּבּוּר שֶׁלּוֹ עַל עִיר וּמְדִינָה, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת שָׂרָה עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ, וְיֵשׁ שֶׁהוּא שׂוֹרֵר בְּבֵיתוֹ,
Now, speech is an aspect of sarah (rulership), for each person commensurate with his level. One person is an aspect of “national sarah” (Berakhot 13a), ruling with his speech over a city and a country. Another is an aspect of sarah over the entire world. Yet another “rules in his home” (Esther 1:22).
אַךְ אֶצְלָם, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינוֹת מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכֻּלָּם שְׁחוֹרִים וּשְׁפָלִים, כָּל הַדִּבּוּרִים חֲשׁוּבִים וְרוֹצִים לְתָפְסָם. כִּי הַשָּׁלֹשׁ קְלִפּוֹת הֵם שַׂר הָאוֹפִים וְשַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים וְשַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים, שֶׁהֵם תַּאֲווֹת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה. וּ"פַרְעֹה" הוּא אוֹתִיּוֹת "הָעֹרֶף", שֶׁעוֹמֵד אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה,
However, to [the evil forces]—who are an aspect of Egypt because all of them are black and lowly—all speech is important and they want to capture it. For the three evil forces are the “chief baker,” the “chief wine steward,” and the “chief butcher”—the desires for food and drink. And “PhaRaOH” is [comprised of] the same letters as HaORePh (the nape), which stands in the back of holiness.
וְתֵכֶף שֶׁרוֹאִין הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה שָׂרִים הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהֵם שָׂרֵי פַּרְעֹה, אֶת שָׂרָה, שֶׁהוּא הַדִּבּוּר, אֲזַי יָפֶה וְנָאֶה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם, וְתוֹפְסִים אוֹתוֹ לְפַרְעֹה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית י״ב:ט״ו): וַיִּרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה וַיְהַלֲלוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה;
As soon as the three aforementioned officers, who are the chiefs of Pharaoh, see Sarah, who is speech, she [appears] fine and pleasant in their eyes. They capture her for Pharaoh, as it is written (Genesis 12:15), “The officers of Pharaoh saw her, and spoke highly of her to Pharaoh.”
כִּי הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה שָׂרִים הַנַּ"ל הֵם קָנֶה וּוֵשֶׁט וּוְרִידִין, וְתוֹפְסִין הַדִּבּוּר לְהָעֹרֶף.
For the foregoing three officers are [symbolic of] the windpipe, the foodpipe, and the veins. They trap speech for the nape.
וְהִנֵּה כְּשֶׁהַדִּבּוּר הוּא דִּבּוּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ, בְּחִינוֹת שָׂרָה, שֶׁהָיָה שְׁכִינָה עִמָּהּ, אַף שֶׁהָיָה צַר לְאַבְרָהָם מְאֹד מְאֹד בְּעֵת שֶׁנִּלְקְחָה, עִם כָּל זֶה יָדַע וּבָטַח בַּה' שֶׁהוּא טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁנִּתְפְּסָה לְשָׁם, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה מִזֶּה נַחַת גָּדוֹל לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: עֵת אֲשֶׁר שָׁלַט הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם לְרַע לוֹ (קהלת ח׳:ט׳), שֶׁלִּקְּטָה מִשָּׁם נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים כַּיָּדוּעַ.
Now behold, when speech is holy speech, it is the aspect of Sarah, for the Divine Presence resided with her. Then, even though it was very, very painful for Avraham when she was taken, he nevertheless knew and trusted in God that it was a great favor that she was held captive there, as it would produce great satisfaction for God. This corresponds to (Ecclesiastes 8:9), “There is a time when one man rules over another to his [the ruler’s] own detriment.” For she gathered the holy sparks from there, as is known.
אֲבָל אִם הוּא דִּבּוּר פָּשׁוּט, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּתְפְּסוּ אוֹתוֹ לְשָׁם, וְכִמְעַט, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, יִשְׁתַּקַּע שָׁם אִם לֹא שֶׁיָּבוֹא צַדִּיק אֱמֶת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ כֹּחַ לְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִשָּׁם.
But if speech is mundane, the possibility exists for it to be taken captive there, God forbid. It could almost be trapped there, God forbid, were it not that a true tzaddik comes, for he has the power to remove it from there.
וְיֵשׁ אָדָם, שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה מִכֻּלּוֹ וּמִמֶּנּוּ דִּבּוּר, שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה שִׂיחָה בְּפִי הַבְּרִיּוֹת, וְהַכֹּל דּוֹבְרִין מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא הוֹלֵךְ נָע וָנָד וּמִתְפַּזֵּר בְּפִי כֻּלָּם, וְאֵצֶל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד שֶׁבָּא לְשָׁם יֵשׁ לוֹ עִנּוּיִים וְצָרוֹת מְשֻׁנּוֹת,
Moreover, there is a person who is turned entirely into speech; becoming the topic of people’s conversation, with everyone talking about him. He wanders about and becomes scattered, [because he is] in everyone’s mouth. Wherever he comes, he suffers <severe> torment and unnatural misfortune.
כִּי אֵצֶל כָּל אֵחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ פַּרְעֹה לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ, וּכְשֶׁבָּא לְפִי אָדָם גָּדוֹל, שָׁם פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ וּמִצְרַיִם מְדִינָה, וּשְׁלֹשָׁה שָׂרִים, אַף כְּשֶׁהֵם תּוֹפְסִים הַדִּבּוּר וְנוֹפֵל אֲלֵיהֶם, צַר לוֹ מְאֹד, עִם כָּל זֶה יֵשׁ לוֹ נַיְחָא שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לִמְצֹא שָׁם נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, וְיִהְיֶה טוֹבָה מִזֶּה.
For each person, commensurate with his level, possesses a “Pharaoh,” <the nape of the neck>. When he comes into the mouth of a great person—there Pharaoh is king, Egypt is the land, and there are three officers. <And> even though he is very pained when they capture speech and control [the words], he is nevertheless relieved, for he can find holy sparks there and be benefited by this.
אַךְ כְּשֶׁבָּא לְפִי אֲנָשִׁים שְׁפָלִים, וְשָׁם כְּשֶׁתּוֹפְסִים הַדִּבּוּר לְהָעֹרֶף וְהוּא נוֹפֵל שָׁם, וְשָׁם מִדְבַּר שְׁמָמָה צִיָּה וַעֲרָבָה לֹא עָבַר בָּהּ אִישׁ, אֵין לוֹ עִם מִי לִפְגֹּעַ, צַר וּמַר מְאֹד, הַנֶּפֶשׁ הוֹלֶכֶת נָעָה וְנָדָה וּמִתְפַּזֶּרֶת בְּפִזּוּר הַנֶּפֶשׁ בְּפִי כַּמָּה אֲנָשִׁים, וְהוּא עָיֵף וְרָעֵב וְצָמֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְאֵין לָהּ אֹכֶל לְהָשִׁיב נַפְשָׁהּ הָרְעֵבָה וְהַצְּמֵאָה, וְאוֹכֶלֶת אֶת עַצְמָהּ, בִּבְחִינַת: אִישׁ בְּשַׂר זְרוֹעוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ (ישעיהו ט׳:י״ט)
But when he comes into the mouth of base people, where they capture the speech for the nape, and is controlled there—in ‘a desolate wilderness, drought-ridden and dry, through which no man passed’ (cf. Jeremiah 2:6)—it, <speech,> has no one to meet. It is very painful and bitter. [His] soul wanders about and becomes scattered; a scattering of the soul into the mouths of numerous people. He is tired, hungry and thirsty in the wilderness; and it [his soul] has no sustenance with which to restore its starving and parched self <i.e., it has no one to meet it and elevate it from there>, so that it eats itself up. This corresponds to (Isaiah 9:19), “Every man eats the flesh of his own arm.”
וּכְדִמְיוֹן הָאִישׁ שֶׁגָּבַר עָלָיו הַקְּרִירוּת מְאֹד וְאֵין לוֹ שׁוּם כִּסּוּי לְחַמֵּם עַצְמוֹ וּלְהִתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ, וְהוּא מְכַפֵּל וּמְחַבֵּק וּמְכַוֵּץ עַצְמוֹ, כְּמוֹ־כֵן הַנֶּפֶשׁ, אֵין לָהּ שׁוּם כִּסּוּי לְהִתְעַטֵּף וּלְכַסּוֹת עַצְמָהּ, וְהִיא בְּחִינַת: נַפְשָׁם בָּהֶם תִּתְעַטָּף – שֶׁמִּתְעַטֶּפֶת מֵעַצְמָהּ מִנֵּהּ וּבֵהּ, וְכָל־כָּךְ נִתְעַלְּפָה, עַד שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ אִם נוֹתְנִין לָהּ דְּבַר מַאֲכָל, אֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לְקַבֵּל לֶאֱכֹל, כְּמוֹ הַחוֹלֶה שֶׁמֻּטָּל זְמַן רַב בְּחָלְיוֹ, עַד שֶׁנִּתְעַלֵּף כָּל־כָּךְ, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְקַבֵּל שׁוּם מַאֲכָל, וּכְשֶׁנּוֹתְנִין לוֹ, הוּא דּוֹחֶה וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל;
This is like the man who has been overcome by a great chill but has no cover with which to warm and wrap himself. So he curls and bundles up and contracts into himself. Similarly, the soul. It has no cover in which to wrap and cover itself. This is as in (Psalms 107:5), “Their soul was enwrapped within them”—it wraps into itself. It becomes so faint that even if given some food, it cannot tolerate eating it. This is like the sick person who has been unwell for very long. He has become so sick that it is impossible for him to tolerate any food. When it is given to him, he rejects it and cannot tolerate it.
וּמַה נַּעֲשֶׂה, וַאֲנַחְנוּ גָּרַמְנוּ לְעַצְמֵנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַעְנוּ לְעֵצוֹת טוֹבוֹת שֶׁנָּתַן לָנוּ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ (כִּי פָנוּ אֵלַי עֹרֶף, וְלֹא פָנִים). וְאָז הוּא חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית־הָאֲסוּרִין, כִּי נִתְפַּס וְנֶאֱסַר שָׁם.
What is there to do? We brought this on ourselves by not accepting the good advice given us by God, <as in> (Jeremiah 2:27), “They turned their back to Me, and not their face.” And then, he is imprisoned in jail, because he is caught and bound there.
וְלִפְעָמִים מַגְבִּיהוֹ לְמַעְלָה וּמַעֲלֵהוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מַשְׁלִיכוֹ מְאֹד לְמַטָּה, כִּי הָעֲלִיָּה לֹא הָיְתָה כְּסֵדֶר, רַק בְּדֶרֶךְ הַשְׁלָכָה כִּלְאַחַר־יָד לְמַעְלָה, וְעַל־כֵּן נִשְׁלָךְ לְמַטָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים ק״ז:כ״ו): יַעֲלוּ שָׁמַיִם יֵרְדוּ תְהוֹמוֹת.
Occasionally, they raise him up, up toward heaven. But after, they cast him far down. For the ascent was not a progression, but like an incidental casting upwards. Hence, he was cast down, as it is written (Psalms 107:26), “They ascend heavenward, they descend to the depths.”
הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יִשְׁלַח רְפוּאַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, כִּי בָּטַחְנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכֹּל נָכוֹן, וְיֵיטִיב אַחֲרִיתֵנוּ, אָמֵן:
May God send a healing for the soul. For we have trusted that all will be as it should, and our end He will make good. Amen.
(כָּל זֶה שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ, אֲבָל אַחַר־כָּךְ, כְּשֶׁרָאָה דְּבָרִים אֵלֶּה אֶצְלִי בִּכְתָב, אָמַר, שֶׁדְּבָרִים אֵלֶּה לֹא כְּתַבְתִּים יָפֶה כָּרָאוּי.
{I heard all this from Rebbe Nachman’s holy lips. But afterwards, when he saw what I had written, he said that I had not recorded it properly.
וְאָמַר, שֶׁכָּל דְּבָרִים אֵלֶּה מְקֻשָּׁרִים לְמַאֲמָר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות נד:): אַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִין לְהוֹדוֹת, שֶׁהֵם מְבֹאָרִים בְּמִזְמוֹר ק"ז. וּכְפִי הַנִּרְאֶה וּמוּבָן מִדְּבָרָיו, שֶׁכָּל אַרְבָּעָה הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁהֵם הוֹלְכֵי מִדְבָּרוֹת וַחֲבוּשִׁים בְּבֵית־הָאֲסוּרִים וְחוֹלֶה וְיוֹרְדֵי־הַיָּם – הַכֹּל מְרַמֵּז עַל צָרוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ,
He also said that all these things are tied to that which our Sages teach: Four are obliged to give thanks (Berakhot 54b)—elucidated in Psalm 107. What is apparent and understood from his words is that all these four—wanderers in the wilderness, prisoners, the sick, and travellers on the sea—allude to misfortunes of the soul.
כַּמְבֹאָר לְעֵיל בְּעִנְיַן צָרוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, שֶׁהוֹלֶכֶת נָעָה וְנָדָה, עָיֵף וְרָעֵב וְצָמֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר וְכוּ', וְזֶה בְּחִינַת תָּעוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְכוּ'. וְכֵן מְדַבֵּר מֵעִנְיַן חֳלִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ, שֶׁכָּל־כָּךְ נִתְעַלְּפָה, עַד אֲשֶׁר אֲפִלּוּ אִם נוֹתְנִין לָהּ דְּבַר מַאֲכָל וְכוּ' – וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: כָּל אֹכֶל תְּתַעֵב נַפְשָׁם, שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר מֵחוֹלֶה. וְכֵן מְדַבֵּר מֵעִנְיַן חָבוּשׁ בְּבֵית־הָאֲסוּרִים, וּמֵעִנְיַן: יַעֲלוּ שָׁמַיִם יֵרְדוּ תְהוֹמוֹת, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת יוֹרְדֵי הַיָּם.
This is as explained above concerning the misfortunes of the soul that wanders about tired, hungry and thirsty in the wilderness; which corresponding to, “They wandered in the wilderness…” (Psalms 107:4). Likewise, it speaks of the sickness of the soul which has become so faint that even if given some food, [it cannot tolerate eating it]. This corresponds to (ibid.:18), “Their souls abhorred all food,” which refers to a sick person. It also speaks of the person imprisoned in jail (ibid.:10) ; and of, “They ascend heavenward, they descend to the depths,” which corresponds to those who travel on the sea.
וּמְבֹאָר כַּוָּנָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁמְּרַמֵּז כָּל הָאַרְבָּעָה צְרִיכִין לְהוֹדוֹת, עַל עִנְיַן צָרוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ עָלֶיהָ מַחֲלֹקֶת רַבִּים, וְרַבִּים קָמִים עָלֶיהָ, וְסוֹבֶלֶת עִנּוּיִים וְיִסּוּרִים וְטִלְטוּלִים גְּדוֹלִים וְצָרוֹת מְשֻׁנּוֹת וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל, וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַצִּיל אוֹתָהּ בְּכָל פַּעַם מִכָּל הַצָּרוֹת, וְעַל זֶה אָנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהוֹדוֹת תָּמִיד.
It is clear that Rebbe Nachman’s holy intention was that all the four who are obliged to give thanks allude to the misfortunes of the soul in the service of God. [The soul] has much opposition and many stand up against it. It suffers torment, affliction, great wanderings and unnatural misfortunes, as mentioned. But every time, God rescues it from all the misfortunes, and for this we are obliged to give thanks, always.
וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְזַכֵּנוּ לְהָבִין
May God grant us the merit to understand his holy intentions.}
כַּוָּנָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. (וְעַיֵּן עִנְיָן זֶה בְּהַתּוֹרָה "וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹקִים" בְּסִימָן ס"ב):
(Study this matter in the discourse “And God Led,” Lesson #62. 31)