Know! when the lungs are perfect, it causes trust to be perfect. For in the main, trust is perfected by means of the intellect, as it is written, “Everyone’s eyes look to You in hope” (Psalms 145:15). “Eyes” are the aspect of the intellect, as it is written, “The eyes of both of them were opened” (Genesis 3:7) ; and Rashi comments: This is said with respect to wisdom (loc. cit.).
Thus, commensurate with one’s intellect is one’s trust. This is because there are many degrees and levels of trust, ad infinitum, corresponding to “Trust in God forever and ever” (Isaiah 26:4). Yet, everything is commensurate with the intellect, as mentioned above.
And the intellect primarily depends upon the lungs. The reason is that the intellect depends upon the moisture that rises to the brain, this being the aspect of oil. The brain itself is the wick, and the soul [seated] in the brain is the light. Thus it is that the intellect is maintained primarily by the moisture of the body. And the moisture itself depends upon the lungs, as is brought, “If not for the lobes of the lungs fanning the heart, the heart would consume the entire body” (Tikkuney Zohar #13, p.28a). This is the aspect of (Exodus 25:20), “The cherubs will have their wings spread over the KaPoReT (covering)”—the KaPuRTa (cover) of the heart (Zohar III, 234a).
Thus it is that through the lungs the moisture is maintained and is not dried out by the heart. This maintains the intellect, which is the aspect of a lamp fueled by the moisture, as explained above. And it is through the intellect that trust is produced, as explained above. We may conclude, therefore, that the perfection of trust is dependent upon the perfection of the lungs.
2. And then, one can transform <all the tones>—i.e., the sound that emanates from the throat, which is nothing more than undifferentiated sound and <mere> tones—into speech, by means of the mouth’s five articulators, which enunciate speech.
For the main difference between man and animal is the articulation of speech, this being the definition of man: he is a medaber (speaker). This is the aspect of “Who equipped man with a mouth?” (Exodus 4:11). The essential distinction is [in] the articulation of speech—i.e., that man turns the tone and <undifferentiated> sound into articulated letters and speech. For animals and birds also have sounds and tones, but they do not have articulation of letters and speech. This is <what distinguishes> human status—[man] is able to articulate speech, as explained.
3. To achieve human status one has to give charity, in the aspect of “naASeh (let us make) man” (Genesis 1:26) ; and it is written, “The name of the man with whom ASiti (I worked) today…” (Ruth 2:19). Just as [the subject] there is charity, here too it is charity, as is written in the Zohar (Introduction, 13b). In other words, it is by means of charity that one achieves the aspect of man, which is the aspect of speech, as explained above.
This is “with your mouth” (Deuteronomy 23:24)—this is charity (Rosh HaShanah 6a). For it is through charity that the mouth—i.e., speech, the aspect of human status, in the aspect of “Who gives man a mouth?”—is made. And charity, for the most part, comes about through trust, in the aspect of “Trust in God and do good” (Psalms 37:3). For if a person has no trust, he cannot give charity properly, because he will be afraid that he will be lacking that which he gives to charity. Thus, for the most part, charity comes from trust—that a person trusts in God that he will not lose out or lack in any way because of the charity. For ‘God will bless him on account of this…’ (see Deuteronomy 15:10). Thus it is that with trust, which is a product of the intellect, people give charity, which produces speech, as explained above.
4. {“My throat is parched, my eyes ache; I pine for my God” (Psalms 69:4) .} This is the aspect of “My throat is parched, my eyes ache.” That is, when the intellect is not perfect, the aspect of “my eyes”—i.e., the intellect—“ache.” Then one has no trust, as explained above. This is the aspect of “my eyes ache; I pine for my God.” As a result, “my throat is parched”—i.e., one does not have the ability to articulate speech, as explained above. However, when a person does have trust and gives charity, he is able to transform the sounds of the tones into words.
This is the aspect of “one is woken by the sound of the bird, and all the strains of music yiShaChu (are muffled)” (Ecclesiastes 12:4). Our Sages, of blessed memory, explain: all songs are like SiChah (conversation) to him (Shabbat 152a). That is, tones and songs are turned into conversation and speech, as explained above.
This relates to what they tell about the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory. He would hear words from the notes of a violin, for he would turn tones into words, as explained above.
דַּע, כְּשֶׁהָרֵאָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַבִּטָּחוֹן בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, כִּי עִקַּר הַבִּטָּחוֹן בִּשְׁלֵמוּת הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהילים קמ״ה:ט״ו): עֵינֵי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ. עֵינֵי זֶה בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׂכֶל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית ג׳:ז׳): וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם, וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י: עַל שֵׁם הַחָכְמָה נֶאֱמַר,
Know! when the lungs are perfect, it causes trust to be perfect. For in the main, trust is perfected by means of the intellect, as it is written, “Everyone’s eyes look to You in hope” (Psalms 145:15). “Eyes” are the aspect of the intellect, as it is written, “The eyes of both of them were opened” (Genesis 3:7) ; and Rashi comments: This is said with respect to wisdom (loc. cit.).
וּלְפִי הַשֵּׂכֶל כֵּן הוּא הַבִּטָּחוֹן, כִּי יֵשׁ כַּמָּה מַעֲלוֹת וּמַדְרֵגוֹת בְּבִטָּחוֹן עַד אֵין סוֹף, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו כ״ו:ג׳-ד׳): בִּטְּחוּ בַּה' עֲדֵי עַד, וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הַשֵּׂכֶל כַּנַּ"ל,
Thus, commensurate with one’s intellect is one’s trust. This is because there are many degrees and levels of trust, ad infinitum, corresponding to “Trust in God forever and ever” (Isaiah 26:4). Yet, everything is commensurate with the intellect, as mentioned above.
וְעִקַּר הַשֵּׂכֶל – עַל־יְדֵי הָרֵאָה, כִּי עִקַּר הַשֵּׂכֶל הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַלַּחְלוּחִית הָעוֹלִים אֶל הַמֹּחַ, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַשֶּׁמֶן, וְהַמֹּחַ הִיא הַפְּתִילָה, וְהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁבַּמֹּחַ הוּא הָאוֹר, נִמְצָא שֶׁעִקַּר קִיּוּם הַשֵּׂכֶל הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַלַּחְלוּחִית שֶׁבַּגּוּף כַּנַּ"ל, וְהַלַּחְלוּחִית הוּא עַל יְדֵי הָרֵאָה, כַּמּוּבָא (בת"ז ת"ג דף כז:): אִלְמָלֵא כַּנְפֵי רֵאָה דִּמְנָשְׁבִי עַל לִבָּא הֲוֵי לִבָּא אוֹקִיד כָּל גּוּפָא. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (שמות כ״ה:כ׳): וְהָיוּ הַכְּרוּבִים פּוֹרְשֵׂי כְּנָפַיִם עַל הַכַּפֹּרֶת – כַּפֻּרְתָּא דְּלִבָּא (זוהר פנחס דף רלד.).
And the intellect primarily depends upon the lungs. The reason is that the intellect depends upon the moisture that rises to the brain, this being the aspect of oil. The brain itself is the wick, and the soul [seated] in the brain is the light. Thus it is that the intellect is maintained primarily by the moisture of the body. And the moisture itself depends upon the lungs, as is brought, “If not for the lobes of the lungs fanning the heart, the heart would consume the entire body” (Tikkuney Zohar #13, p.28a). This is the aspect of (Exodus 25:20), “The cherubs will have their wings spread over the KaPoReT (covering)”—the KaPuRTa (cover) of the heart (Zohar III, 234a).
נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הָרֵאָה נִתְקַיֵּם הַלַּחְלוּחִית, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְיַבֵּשׁ עַל־יְדֵי הַלֵּב, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה קִיּוּם הַשֵּׂכֶל, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת נֵר דּוֹלֵק עַל־יְדֵי הַלַּחְלוּחִית כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה הַבִּטָּחוֹן כַּנַּ"ל, נִמְצָא שֶׁשְּׁלֵמוּת הַבִּטָּחוֹן הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שְׁלֵמוּת הָרֵאָה כַּנַּ"ל.
Thus it is that through the lungs the moisture is maintained and is not dried out by the heart. This maintains the intellect, which is the aspect of a lamp fueled by the moisture, as explained above. And it is through the intellect that trust is produced, as explained above. We may conclude, therefore, that the perfection of trust is dependent upon the perfection of the lungs.
וַאֲזַי יְכוֹלִין לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהַצִּפְצוּף, דְּהַיְנוּ הַקּוֹל הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהַקָּנֶה, שֶׁהוּא רַק קוֹל פָּשׁוּט וְצִפְצוּף, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַעֲשֶׂה דִּבּוּר, עַל־יְדֵי חֲמִשָּׁה מוֹצָאוֹת הַפֶּה שֶׁמְּחַתְּכִים הַדִּבּוּר,
2. And then, one can transform <all the tones>—i.e., the sound that emanates from the throat, which is nothing more than undifferentiated sound and <mere> tones—into speech, by means of the mouth’s five articulators, which enunciate speech.
כִּי עִקַּר הַהֶבְדֵּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ בֵּין אָדָם לְחַי, הוּא עַל־יְדֵי חִתּוּךְ הַדִּבּוּר, שֶׁהוּא גֶּדֶר הָאָדָם שֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּר, בִּבְחִינַת (שמות ד׳:י״א): מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם, וְעִקַּר הַהֶבְדֵּל הוּא חִתּוּךְ הַדִּבּוּר, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהָאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה מֵהַצִּפְצוּף וְהַקּוֹל, חִתּוּךְ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַדִּבּוּר, כִּי גַּם בְּהֵמוֹת וְעוֹפוֹת יֵשׁ לָהֶם קוֹל וְצִפְצוּף, רַק שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חִתּוּךְ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְהַדִּבּוּר, וְזֶהוּ גֶּדֶר הָאָדָם שֶׁיָּכוֹל לַחֲתֹּךְ הַדִּבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל.
For the main difference between man and animal is the articulation of speech, this being the definition of man: he is a medaber (speaker). This is the aspect of “Who equipped man with a mouth?” (Exodus 4:11). The essential distinction is [in] the articulation of speech—i.e., that man turns the tone and <undifferentiated> sound into articulated letters and speech. For animals and birds also have sounds and tones, but they do not have articulation of letters and speech. This is <what distinguishes> human status—[man] is able to articulate speech, as explained.
וְלָבוֹא לִבְחִינַת גֶּדֶר אָדָם, הוּא עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה, בִּבְחִינַת (בראשית א׳:כ״ו): נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם, וּכְתִיב (רות ב׳:י״ט): שֵׁם הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי עִמּוֹ הַיּוֹם וְכוּ' – מָה הָתָם צְדָקָה אַף כָּאן צְדָקָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (הובא לעיל בסי' לז). הַיְנוּ, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה נַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִינַת אָדָם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת דִּבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל,
3. To achieve human status one has to give charity, in the aspect of “naASeh (let us make) man” (Genesis 1:26) ; and it is written, “The name of the man with whom ASiti (I worked) today…” (Ruth 2:19). Just as [the subject] there is charity, here too it is charity, as is written in the Zohar (Introduction, 13b). In other words, it is by means of charity that one achieves the aspect of man, which is the aspect of speech, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ (ראש השנה ו): בְּפִיךָ – זוֹ צְדָקָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי צְדָקָה נַעֲשֶׂה הַפֶּה, דְּהַיְנוּ הַדִּבּוּר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת גֶּדֶר הָאָדָם, בִּבְחִינַת: מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם. וְעִקַּר הַצְּדָקָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַבִּטָּחוֹן, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים ל״ז:ג׳): בְּטַח בַּה' וַעֲשֵׂה טוֹב; כִּי אִם אֵין לוֹ בִּטָּחוֹן אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה כָּרָאוּי, כִּי מִתְיָרֵא שֶּׁיֶּחְסַר לוֹ מַה שֶּׁנּוֹתֵן לִצְדָקָה, וְעִקַּר הַצְּדָקָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי בִּטָּחוֹן, שֶׁבּוֹטֵחַ בַּה' שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיד וְלֹא יֶחְסַר עַל־יְדֵי הַצְּדָקָה כְּלָל, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְבָרְכוֹ בִּגְלַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְכוּ'. נִמְצָא, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי הַבִּטָּחוֹן, שֶׁהוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה עוֹשִׂין צְדָקָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה הַדִּבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל.
This is “with your mouth” (Deuteronomy 23:24)—this is charity (Rosh HaShanah 6a). For it is through charity that the mouth—i.e., speech, the aspect of human status, in the aspect of “Who gives man a mouth?”—is made. And charity, for the most part, comes about through trust, in the aspect of “Trust in God and do good” (Psalms 37:3). For if a person has no trust, he cannot give charity properly, because he will be afraid that he will be lacking that which he gives to charity. Thus, for the most part, charity comes from trust—that a person trusts in God that he will not lose out or lack in any way because of the charity. For ‘God will bless him on account of this…’ (see Deuteronomy 15:10). Thus it is that with trust, which is a product of the intellect, people give charity, which produces speech, as explained above.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהילים ס״ט:ד׳): נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי כָּלוּ עֵינַי; הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁאֵין הַשֵּׂכֶל בִּשְׁלֵמוּת, בְּחִינַת כָּלוּ עֵינַי, דְּהַיְנוּ הַשֵּׂכֶל, וַאֲזַי אֵין לוֹ בִּטָּחוֹן כַּנַּ"ל, בְּחִינַת כָּלוּ עֵינַי מְיַחֵל לֵאלֹקָי, אֲזַי נִחַר גְּרוֹנִי, הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ חִתּוּךְ הַדִּבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בִּטָּחוֹן וְעוֹשֶׂה צְדָקָה כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת מִקּוֹל הַצִּפְצוּפִים דִּבּוּרִים כַּנַּ"ל.
4. {“My throat is parched, my eyes ache; I pine for my God” (Psalms 69:4) .} This is the aspect of “My throat is parched, my eyes ache.” That is, when the intellect is not perfect, the aspect of “my eyes”—i.e., the intellect—“ache.” Then one has no trust, as explained above. This is the aspect of “my eyes ache; I pine for my God.” As a result, “my throat is parched”—i.e., one does not have the ability to articulate speech, as explained above. However, when a person does have trust and gives charity, he is able to transform the sounds of the tones into words.
וְזֶה בְּחִינוֹת (קהלת י״ב:ד׳): וְיָקוּם לְקוֹל הַצִּפּוֹר וְיִשַּׁחוּ כָּל בְּנוֹת הַשִּׁיר, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קנב), שֶׁכָּל הַשִּׁירוֹת דּוֹמוֹת עָלָיו כְּשִׂיחָה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נַעֲשֶׂה מִצִּפְצוּפִים וְשִׁירוֹת, שִׂיחָה וְדִבּוּר כַּנַּ"ל,
This is the aspect of “one is woken by the sound of the bird, and all the strains of music yiShaChu (are muffled)” (Ecclesiastes 12:4). Our Sages, of blessed memory, explain: all songs are like SiChah (conversation) to him (Shabbat 152a). That is, tones and songs are turned into conversation and speech, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁמְּסַפְּרִין עַל הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹמֵעַ דִּבּוּרִים מִקּוֹל הַכִּנּוֹר, כִּי הָיָה עוֹשֶׂה מִצִּפְצוּפִים דִּבּוּרִים כַּנַּ"ל:
This relates to what they tell about the Baal Shem Tov, of blessed memory. He would hear words from the notes of a violin, for he would turn tones into words, as explained above.