I heard a further discussion on the lesson appearing in Likutey Moharan I, 172 on the verse, “The whole earth is filled with His glory” (Isaiah 6:3), from one of my companions.
The main thing is to nullify every one of your personality traits. You must strive to do so until you have totally obliterated your ego, rendering it into absolute nothingness before God.
The larger and more material an object, the greater is its shadow. For example, a thin rod blocks little sunlight and casts a small shadow, while a larger object casts a larger shadow. A large building will cast a still larger shadow – shadow being a blocking and eclipsing of light, as is known.
When you are bound to an emotion or desire, it obstructs God’s glory and casts a shadow. God’s light is then hidden from you. But as you nullify these emotions and desires, you also remove this shadow. And as the shadow departs, the light of God’s glory is revealed.
When a man is worthy of annihilating the shadow completely and making it into absolute nothingness, then God’s glory is revealed to all the earth. There is nothing to block the light and no obstructing shadow, and the light can shine through in all its glory.
“The whole earth is filled (meloa) with His glory.” MeLoA can also be read MiLoA ("from nothing"). Hence, “From nothing is all the earth His glory.” When there is nothing — nothing casting a shadow and obstructing His light — then His glory is revealed in all the earth.212See Hashmatot ("Annotations") printed in Yemey HaTlaot, p. 59.
שַׁיָּךְ לְהַתּוֹרָה "מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ" (בְּלִקּוּטֵי חֵלֶק רִאשׁוֹן סִימָן קע"ב). שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאִישׁ אֶחָד מֵאֲנָשָׁיו, שֶׁשָּׁמַע מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְּבֵאוּר יוֹתֵר קְצָת.
I heard a further discussion on the lesson appearing in Likutey Moharan I, 172 on the verse, “The whole earth is filled with His glory” (Isaiah 6:3), from one of my companions.
וְהָעִנְיָן: שֶׁהָאָדָם צָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל כָּל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה עַד שֶׁיִּתְבַּטֵּל לְגַמְרֵי כְּאַיִן וָאֶפֶס.
The main thing is to nullify every one of your personality traits. You must strive to do so until you have totally obliterated your ego, rendering it into absolute nothingness before God.
כִּי בִּתְחִלָּה צָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל מִדָּה זֹאת, עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה כְּלֹא מַמָּשׁ, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ מִדָּה אַחֶרֶת עַד שֶׁתִּהְיֶה גַּם־כֵּן לֹא, וְכֵן כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת עַד שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כֻּלָּם כְּלֹא הָיוּ.
Begin with one trait and annihilate it completely. Then work on your other traits, one at a time, until they are totally nonexistent.
וּכְפִי מַה שֶּׁמְּבַטְּלִין כָּל מִדָּה וּמִדָּה כֵּן מֵאִיר וּמִתְגַּלֶּה לוֹ כְּבוֹד ה'.
As you annihilate your ego, God’s glory will begin to shine through and be revealed.
כִּי עִקַּר הָאוֹר הוּא כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (יְחֶזְקֵאל מג): "וְהָאָרֶץ הֵאִירָה מִכְּבוֹדוֹ".
It is written, “And the earth was alight with His glory” (Ezekiel 43:2). God’s glory is like light.
אַךְ כְּשֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין דָּבָר גַּשְׁמִי כְּנֶגֶד דָּבָר רוּחָנִי – עוֹשֶׂה צֵל. וּכְפִי גַּשְׁמִיּוּת וְגֹדֶל הַדָּבָר שֶׁעוֹמֵד כְּנֶגֶד הַדָּבָר, כְּמוֹ כֵן נַעֲשֶׂה צֵל, כְּגוֹן כְּשֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין מַקֵּל נֶגֶד אוֹר, הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עוֹשֶׂה צֵל קָטָן כְּפִי מִדַּת הַמַּקֵּל. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין דָּבָר גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר נֶגֶד הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ עוֹשֶׂה צֵל גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר. וְכֵן כְּשֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בַּיִת גָּדוֹל עוֹשֶׂה צֵל גָּדוֹל יוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר.
The larger and more material an object, the greater is its shadow. For example, a thin rod blocks little sunlight and casts a small shadow, while a larger object casts a larger shadow. A large building will cast a still larger shadow – shadow being a blocking and eclipsing of light, as is known.
וְהַצֵּל הוּא הַסְתָּרַת וְהַעֲלָמַת הָאוֹר כַּיָּדוּעַ.
The same is true of God’s glory. The material obstructs the spiritual and casts a shadow.
וְעַל־כֵּן, כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם מְשֻׁקָּע בְּאֵיזֶה מִדָּה וְתַאֲוָה, כְּמוֹ כֵן עוֹשֶׂה צֵל נֶגֶד אוֹר כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וּכְמוֹ כֵן נֶעְלָם מִמֶּנּוּ אוֹרוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁמְּבַטֵּל הַמִּדּוֹת וְהַתַּאֲווֹת, כְּפִי הַבִּטּוּל כֵּן נִתְבַּטֵּל הַצֵּל, וּכְמוֹ כֵן נִתְגַּלֶּה אוֹר כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ.
When you are bound to an emotion or desire, it obstructs God’s glory and casts a shadow. God’s light is then hidden from you. But as you nullify these emotions and desires, you also remove this shadow. And as the shadow departs, the light of God’s glory is revealed.
עַד שֶׁזּוֹכֶה שֶׁיִּתְבַּטֵּל הַצֵּל לְגַמְרֵי, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכֹּל לֹא וְאַיִן וָאֶפֶס. וְאָז יִתְגַּלֶּה כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ. כִּי לֹא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם דָּבָר שֶׁיַּסְתִּיר הָאוֹר וְשֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה צֵל כַּנַּ"ל.
When a man is worthy of annihilating the shadow completely and making it into absolute nothingness, then God’s glory is revealed to all the earth. There is nothing to block the light and no obstructing shadow, and the light can shine through in all its glory.
וְזֶהוּ "מְלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ". וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְגַּלֶּה כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ, כִּי אֵין דָּבָר שֶׁיַּסְתִּיר אוֹר כְּבוֹדוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיַעֲשֶׂה צֵל כַּנַּ"ל.
“The whole earth is filled (meloa) with His glory.” MeLoA can also be read MiLoA ("from nothing"). Hence, “From nothing is all the earth His glory.” When there is nothing — nothing casting a shadow and obstructing His light — then His glory is revealed in all the earth.212See Hashmatot ("Annotations") printed in Yemey HaTlaot, p. 59.