When you speak to a friend about fear of God this creates both Direct Light and Reflected Light.175This entire conversation, word for word, is found in Likutey Moharan I, 184. The information he receives from you is Direct Light. What you gain from him is Reflected Light.
Sometimes the Reflected Light precedes the Direct Light. Your friend may have a weak intellect and not be able to grasp your words. However, you are still able to gain from the conversation. Since you gain something from your friend before he obtains anything from you, the Reflected Light precedes the Direct Light.
Sometimes when you speak to a friend about fear of Godl, he may not receive from your words. Still, you can receive from him as you can be motivated by your own words. The light of your words literally bounces off your friend and are reflected back to you. [This is literally the concept of the Reflected Light, as brought in the writings.176Etz Chaim, Sha'ar HaAkudim 5, 6. See also Likutey Moharan I, 76.]
A ball cannot enter a stone wall and therefore bounces back from it. Likewise, when your friend does not receive from your words, they are reflected back to you. Thus, you are influenced by your own words.
These same words may have had no effect had you spoken them to yourself. But when you speak them to your friend and he is not inspired, they are reflected back to you. Thus, you are inspired by them. [It is just like Reflected Light which comes into being when the Direct Light strikes a vessel, as brought in the writings.177Ibid.]
כְּשֶׁאֶחָד מְדַבֵּר עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם, נַעֲשֶׂה "אוֹר יָשָׁר" וְ"אוֹר חוֹזֵר".
When you speak to a friend about fear of God this creates both Direct Light and Reflected Light.175This entire conversation, word for word, is found in Likutey Moharan I, 184. The information he receives from you is Direct Light. What you gain from him is Reflected Light.
וְלִפְעָמִים מַקְדִּים הָאוֹר חוֹזֵר קֹדֶם הָאוֹר יָשָׁר, כְּשֶׁהַמְקַבֵּל יֵשׁ לוֹ מֹחַ קָטָן וְאֵין יָכוֹל לְקַבֵּל דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ. כִּי אָז קֹדֶם שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל חֲבֵרוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹר יָשָׁר, קֹדֶם לָזֶה מְקַבֵּל הוּא מֵחֲבֵרוֹ וְאָז הָאוֹר חוֹזֵר קֹדֶם לָאוֹר יָשָׁר.
Sometimes the Reflected Light precedes the Direct Light. Your friend may have a weak intellect and not be able to grasp your words. However, you are still able to gain from the conversation. Since you gain something from your friend before he obtains anything from you, the Reflected Light precedes the Direct Light.
כִּי כְּשֶׁמְּדַבְּרִין עִם חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיִרְאַת־שָׁמַיִם, אַף שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵרוֹ מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא מְקַבֵּל הִתְעוֹרְרוּת מֵחֲבֵרוֹ, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַהַכָּאָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים מִפִּיו לַחֲבֵרוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה חוֹזֵר הָאוֹר אֵלָיו (וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת אוֹר חוֹזֵר מַמָּשׁ הַמּוּבָא בַּכְּתָבִים עַיֵּן שָׁם).
Sometimes when you speak to a friend about fear of Godl, he may not receive from your words. Still, you can receive from him as you can be motivated by your own words. The light of your words literally bounces off your friend and are reflected back to you. [This is literally the concept of the Reflected Light, as brought in the writings.176Etz Chaim, Sha'ar HaAkudim 5, 6. See also Likutey Moharan I, 76.]
כְּמוֹ מִי שֶׁמַּכֶּה בַּכֹּתֶל שֶׁחוֹזֵר הַדָּבָר אֵלָיו, כְּמוֹ כֵן כְּשֶׁמְּדַבֵּר לַחֲבֵרוֹ, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵין חֲבֵרוֹ מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ יָכוֹל לְהִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהֶם עַל־יְדֵי הַהַכָּאָה שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים לְגַבֵּי חֲבֵרוֹ וְהִכָּה בּוֹ וְחָזְרוּ אֵלָיו.
A ball cannot enter a stone wall and therefore bounces back from it. Likewise, when your friend does not receive from your words, they are reflected back to you. Thus, you are influenced by your own words.
וְעַל־כֵּן אִם הָיָה מְדַבֵּר אֵלּוּ הַדִּבּוּרִים בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ, יָכוֹל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהֶם כְּלָל. וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁדִּבְּרָם לַחֲבֵרוֹ נִתְעוֹרֵר מֵהֶם אַף שֶׁחֲבֵרוֹ לֹא נִתְעוֹרֵר, כִּי חָזְרוּ אֵלָיו עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַהַכָּאָה כַּנַּ"ל (וְזֶה בְּחִינַת אוֹר חוֹזֵר שֶׁהוּא עַל־יְדֵי בְּחִינַת הַכָּאָה כַּמְבֹאָר בַּכְּתָבִים וְהָבֵן).
These same words may have had no effect had you spoken them to yourself. But when you speak them to your friend and he is not inspired, they are reflected back to you. Thus, you are inspired by them. [It is just like Reflected Light which comes into being when the Direct Light strikes a vessel, as brought in the writings.177Ibid.]