{A while back I heard in [Rebbe Nachman’s] name what he said concerning the portion “Shoftim V’shotrim (Judges and Police),” but most of it was forgotten. The following is the upshot of that [teaching], that which we still remember.}
There is a Garden of Eden. This is two aspects: Garden and Eden, which are the aspects of Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom. For the main pleasure of the Garden of Eden is the perception of Godly wisdom—i.e., Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom, which are the aspect of the Garden of Eden, as explained above.
Yet it is impossible to merit this without the gates. For there are gates—i.e., the aspect of the gates of the Garden of Eden—through which one merits entering the Garden of Eden—i.e., grasping Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom. However, these gates are hidden and concealed in the earth, the aspect of “Her gates have submerged into the earth” (Lamentations 2:9). This requires having someone in charge of the earth, someone to control the earth, who will be able to extract, erect and establish the gates that sank into the earth.
Know, too, that by studying the Codes a person merits being a king and a ruler of the earth. Then, he is able to erect and establish the gates that sank into the earth. This is the aspect of “Through justice, a king establishes the land” (Proverbs 29:4). Specifically “through justice”—i.e., by means of justice, which is the judgments and laws of the Torah, namely the study of the Codes, which clarify the judgments and laws of the Torah. Through this a person becomes “a king” and ruler. This enables him to establish the land, and then he establishes, erects and uncovers the gates that sank into the earth, by means of which one merits the Garden of Eden, as explained above.
And this is: “Judges and police you shall appoint for yourselves in all your gates… for SheVaTekha (your tribes)” (Deuteronomy 16:18). SheVeT is an acronym of “Tav’oo Baaretz She’ arehah (Her gates have submerged into the earth)”— {i.e., the gates that sank into the earth}.
This is: Judges and police you shall appoint for yourselves—for the judges and police are the aspect of leaders and rulers of the earth. This is “judges,” specifically, for in the main [rulership] is by means of the judgments of Torah/Codes, the aspect of “Through justice, a king establishes the land.” Through this the gates that sank into the earth are uncovered. And this is the explanation of “appoint for yourselves in all your gates… for your tribes,” for the judges and police erect the gates that sank into the earth.
And this is: in all your gates… for SheVaTekha—for they erect and uncover the gates that have disappeared, the aspect of “Tav ’oo Baaretz She’arehah .” They erect them through their justice—i.e., the study of Codes, the aspect of “Through justice, a king establishes the land,” as explained above.
8
ברוך הנותן ליעף כח ולאין אונים, אשר עד כה עזרנו ברחמיו העצומים להתחיל ולגמר דבריו הראשונים, אשר הובאו בכרך הנורא הזה ספר "לקוטי מוהר"ן". אפרסמונא דכיא תליסר נהרין, צפנת פענח כל צפונות בו מתגלין ומתבארין, כשבילי דנהרדעא כן כל שבילי החכמה האמתית ויראת-שמים ועצות דקדשה לה נהירין, הנמצא כזה איש אשר רוח אלקים בו דמגליא לה דמטמרין, כל דבריו כגחלי אש זקוקין דנור ובעורין.
Blessed be the One Who gives strength to the weary and the hopeless, Who in His abundant compassion has helped us to begin and complete this awesome work, Likutey Moharan. In this work are recorded the earlier teachings of [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]—thirteen rivers of pure afarsimon (balsam) oil; a revealer of the hidden, in which all hidden matters are revealed and clarified. Like the paths of Nahardea, so the paths of true wisdom, God-fearingness and holy counsel shine for him. Can there be another like him, in whom there is the spirit of the Lord, revealing to him that which is hidden? All his words are like burning coals, fiery sparks and consuming flames.
9
קומו וברכו את ה' אלקיכם מן העולם ועד העולם דגלי לן נהורין. עזרת אבותינו הוא מעולם מגן ומושיע להם ולבניהם אחריהם לדרי דרין, כען נחוי קדה ונצלי קדם רחמנא, דיהוי בסעדנא, להתחיל ולגמר ספר "לקוטי מוהר"ן תנינא". אנא ה' הושיעה נא. כאשר זכינו לסדר אותם כן נזכה לעשותם עדי נשוב לציון ברננה, ובמהרה בימינו יקים תבואי תשורי מראש אמנה. אמן, כן יהי רצון:
Arise and bless God your Lord from this world to the next, for He has enlightened us. He has been the eternal Helper of our forefathers, a shield and savior for them and their children for generations after them. Let us bow and pray before the Compassionate One that He should come to our aid to begin and complete Likutey Moharan Tinyana (Volume II). Please, God, help us. And just as we have merited to publish [these teachings], may we merit to fulfill them, until we return to Zion amidst rejoicing. Then speedily in our day will be fulfilled: “Come gaze from the peak of Amanah.” Amen. So may it be His will.
(שָׁמַעְתִּי מִשְּׁמוֹ מִכְּבָר מַה שֶּׁאָמַר עַל פָּרָשַׁת שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים, וְנִשְׁכַּח הָרֹב, וְזֶהוּ הַיּוֹצֵא מִשָּׁם, מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ זוֹכְרִים עֲדַיִן):
{A while back I heard in [Rebbe Nachman’s] name what he said concerning the portion “Shoftim V’shotrim (Judges and Police),” but most of it was forgotten. The following is the upshot of that [teaching], that which we still remember.}
כִּי יֵשׁ גַּן־עֵדֶן, וְהֵם שְׁנֵי בְּחִינוֹת: גַּן וְעֵדֶן, וְהֵם בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה וְחָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה, כִּי עִקַּר תַּעֲנוּג גַּן־עֵדֶן הוּא הַשָּׂגַת חָכְמַת אֱלֹקוּת, הַיְנוּ חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה וְחָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת גַּן־עֵדֶן כַּנַּ"ל.
There is a Garden of Eden. This is two aspects: Garden and Eden, which are the aspects of Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom. For the main pleasure of the Garden of Eden is the perception of Godly wisdom—i.e., Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom, which are the aspect of the Garden of Eden, as explained above.
אַךְ לִזְכּוֹת לָזֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר כִּי־אִם עַל־יְדֵי הַשְּׁעָרִים, כִּי יֵשׁ שְׁעָרִים, הַיְנוּ בְּחִינַת שַׁעֲרֵי גַּן־עֵדֶן, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לִכְנֹס לְגַן־עֵדֶן, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהַשָּׂגַת חָכְמָה עִלָּאָה וְחָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה, אַךְ אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁעָרִים גְּנוּזִים וּטְמוּנִים בָּאָרֶץ, בְּחִינַת (איכה ב׳:ט׳): טָבְעוּ בָאָרֶץ שְׁעָרֶיהָ; וּצְרִיכִים לָזֶה בַּעַל הַבַּיִת עַל הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָרֶץ, שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהוֹצִיא וּלְהָקִים וּלְהַעֲמִיד הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁנִּטְבְּעוּ בָּאָרֶץ:
Yet it is impossible to merit this without the gates. For there are gates—i.e., the aspect of the gates of the Garden of Eden—through which one merits entering the Garden of Eden—i.e., grasping Upper Wisdom and Lower Wisdom. However, these gates are hidden and concealed in the earth, the aspect of “Her gates have submerged into the earth” (Lamentations 2:9). This requires having someone in charge of the earth, someone to control the earth, who will be able to extract, erect and establish the gates that sank into the earth.
וְדַע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי לִמּוּד פּוֹסְקִים זוֹכִין לִהְיוֹת מֶלֶךְ וּמוֹשֵׁל בָּאָרֶץ, וְאָז יְכוֹלִין לְהַעֲמִיד וּלְהָקִים הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁטָּבְעוּ בָּאָרֶץ. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (משלי כ״ט:ד׳): מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ. בְּמִשְׁפָּט דַּיְקָא, הַיְנוּ עַל־יְדֵי מִשְׁפָּט, שֶׁהוּא מִשְׁפְּטֵי וְדִינֵי הַתּוֹרָה, דְּהַיְנוּ לִמּוּד פּוֹסְקִים, שֶׁמְּבָרְרִים מִשְׁפְּטֵי וְדִינֵי הַתּוֹרָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה מֶלֶךְ וּמוֹשֵׁל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יוּכַל לְהַעֲמִיד אֶרֶץ, וְאָז מַעֲמִיד וּמֵקִים וּמְגַלֶּה הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁטָּבְעוּ בָּאָרֶץ, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לְגַן־עֵדֶן כַּנַּ"ל:
Know, too, that by studying the Codes a person merits being a king and a ruler of the earth. Then, he is able to erect and establish the gates that sank into the earth. This is the aspect of “Through justice, a king establishes the land” (Proverbs 29:4). Specifically “through justice”—i.e., by means of justice, which is the judgments and laws of the Torah, namely the study of the Codes, which clarify the judgments and laws of the Torah. Through this a person becomes “a king” and ruler. This enables him to establish the land, and then he establishes, erects and uncovers the gates that sank into the earth, by means of which one merits the Garden of Eden, as explained above.
וְזֶהוּ: שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ וְכוּ' לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ (דברים ט״ז:י״ח). שֵׁבֶט רָאשֵׁי־תֵּבוֹת טָבְעוּ בָאָרֶץ שְׁעָרֶיהָ (הַיְנוּ הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁנִּטְבְּעוּ בָּאָרֶץ),
And this is: “Judges and police you shall appoint for yourselves in all your gates… for SheVaTekha (your tribes)” (Deuteronomy 16:18). SheVeT is an acronym of “Tav’oo Baaretz She’ arehah (Her gates have submerged into the earth)”— {i.e., the gates that sank into the earth}.
וְזֶהוּ: שֹׁפְטִים וְשֹׁטְרִים תִּתֶּן לְךָ וְכוּ'; כִּי הַשּׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַמַּנְהִיגִים וְהַמּוֹשְׁלִים בָּאָרֶץ. וְזֶהוּ שׁוֹפְטִים דַּיְקָא, כִּי הָעִקָּר עַל־יְדֵי מִשְׁפְּטֵי הַתּוֹרָה, בְּחִינַת פּוֹסְקִים, בְּחִינַת: מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְגַּלִּין הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁנִּטְבְּעוּ בָּאָרֶץ.
This is: Judges and police you shall appoint for yourselves—for the judges and police are the aspect of leaders and rulers of the earth. This is “judges,” specifically, for in the main [rulership] is by means of the judgments of Torah/Codes, the aspect of “Through justice, a king establishes the land.” Through this the gates that sank into the earth are uncovered. And this is the explanation of “appoint for yourselves in all your gates… for your tribes,” for the judges and police erect the gates that sank into the earth.
וְזֶהוּ: תִּתֶּן לְךָ בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ, כִּי הַשּׁוֹפְטִים וְשׁוֹטְרִים מְקִימִין הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁנִּטְבְּעוּ בָּאָרֶץ. וְזֶהוּ: בְּכָל שְׁעָרֶיךָ לִשְׁבָטֶיךָ, כִּי הֵם מְקִימִין וּמְגַלִּין הַשְּׁעָרִים שֶׁנִּתְעַלְּמוּ, בְּחִינַת טָבְעוּ בָאָרֶץ שְׁעָרֶיהָ; הֵם מְקִימִין אוֹתָם עַל־יְדֵי הַמִּשְׁפָּט שֶׁלָּהֶם, דְּהַיְנוּ לִמּוּד פּוֹסְקִים, בְּחִינַת: מֶלֶךְ בְּמִשְׁפָּט יַעֲמִיד אָרֶץ, כַּנַּ"ל:
And this is: in all your gates… for SheVaTekha—for they erect and uncover the gates that have disappeared, the aspect of “Tav ’oo Baaretz She’arehah .” They erect them through their justice—i.e., the study of Codes, the aspect of “Through justice, a king establishes the land,” as explained above.
ברוך הנותן ליעף כח ולאין אונים, אשר עד כה עזרנו ברחמיו העצומים להתחיל ולגמר דבריו הראשונים, אשר הובאו בכרך הנורא הזה ספר "לקוטי מוהר"ן". אפרסמונא דכיא תליסר נהרין, צפנת פענח כל צפונות בו מתגלין ומתבארין, כשבילי דנהרדעא כן כל שבילי החכמה האמתית ויראת-שמים ועצות דקדשה לה נהירין, הנמצא כזה איש אשר רוח אלקים בו דמגליא לה דמטמרין, כל דבריו כגחלי אש זקוקין דנור ובעורין.
Blessed be the One Who gives strength to the weary and the hopeless, Who in His abundant compassion has helped us to begin and complete this awesome work, Likutey Moharan. In this work are recorded the earlier teachings of [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov]—thirteen rivers of pure afarsimon (balsam) oil; a revealer of the hidden, in which all hidden matters are revealed and clarified. Like the paths of Nahardea, so the paths of true wisdom, God-fearingness and holy counsel shine for him. Can there be another like him, in whom there is the spirit of the Lord, revealing to him that which is hidden? All his words are like burning coals, fiery sparks and consuming flames.
קומו וברכו את ה' אלקיכם מן העולם ועד העולם דגלי לן נהורין. עזרת אבותינו הוא מעולם מגן ומושיע להם ולבניהם אחריהם לדרי דרין, כען נחוי קדה ונצלי קדם רחמנא, דיהוי בסעדנא, להתחיל ולגמר ספר "לקוטי מוהר"ן תנינא". אנא ה' הושיעה נא. כאשר זכינו לסדר אותם כן נזכה לעשותם עדי נשוב לציון ברננה, ובמהרה בימינו יקים תבואי תשורי מראש אמנה. אמן, כן יהי רצון:
Arise and bless God your Lord from this world to the next, for He has enlightened us. He has been the eternal Helper of our forefathers, a shield and savior for them and their children for generations after them. Let us bow and pray before the Compassionate One that He should come to our aid to begin and complete Likutey Moharan Tinyana (Volume II). Please, God, help us. And just as we have merited to publish [these teachings], may we merit to fulfill them, until we return to Zion amidst rejoicing. Then speedily in our day will be fulfilled: “Come gaze from the peak of Amanah.” Amen. So may it be His will.
חזק חזק ונתחזק
Chazak! Chazak! Ve’nitchazek!