Rabbi Nachman of Breslov's Likutei Moharan I, Teaching 3, Complete, with Commentary of rabbi Yehoshua Gross

from Likutei Moharan Hamevuar

​Likutei Moharan Hamevuar I 3
 
Rebbe Nachman opens this lesson by quoting a narrative told by Rabbah bar Bar Chana about a frog. Rebbe Nachman then delivers the lesson, at the end of which he returns to this narrative and interprets it in light of the lesson.
 
            The Talmud relates:
            “Rabbah bar Bar Chana said: I saw a certain frog that was as large as the town called Akra D’Hagrunia.” The Talmud interjects to ask: “And how large is Akra D’Hagrunia?” The Talmud answers its own question: “The size of sixty houses.” The text then returns to Rabbah’s narrative: “A snake[1] came and swallowed it—the frog. A raven came and swallowed the snake. And the raven then went up and sat in a tree.” Rabbi bar Bar Chana concludes: “Come and see how great is the strength of that tree,” which could bear the weight of a raven that had swallowed a snake, which had swallowed a frog as large as a town comprising sixty houses (Bava Batra 73b).
 
Rebbe Nachman now begins his lesson by explaining the power of melody{—in particular, singing}, the source from which it is drawn, and what it can bestow upon a person.
 
            Behold, when a person hears a melody from a wicked singer—from someone whose deeds are unworthy or whose intent in making music is to gain money or honor, and not at all for the sake of heaven[2]--that is harmful to his service of the Creator. The melody that he hears harms his service of Hashem.
            And conversely, when he hears a melody from a singer who is worthy and suitable—whose deeds are worthy and whose purpose in making music is for the sake of heaven, with the aim of clinging to Hashem, then it is good for him—this melody helps him serve Hashem, as will be explained further on.
 
Now Rebbe Nachman states that hearing the melody of a worthy singer helps a person serve Hashem, and he explains why that is the case.
 
            For behold, the sound of melody is derived from the birds. It derives from a spiritual level in the realm of Atzilut called “birds.” That level comprises the supernal root of melody, and from it the power of song is drawn into the world.[3]
            And the following alludes to this. As we find in the midrash: “Why does the purification of a person with the skin disease called tzara’at require that on the day of his purification he must bring two living kosher birds as an offering? The reason is this: Let these birds, which chatter and chirp, come and atone for this person, who chattered–for this person was afflicted as a result of having caused harm with his voice (Vayikra Rabbah 80:16). This is because he was stricken with tzara’at due to his voice, insofar as he gossiped. As the Talmud teaches, a person who speaks badly of others is punished with tzara’at (Arachin 15b).
            The deeper meaning behind this midrash that by causing damage on the level of the voice, this person damaged the supernal level called “birds,” from which a worthy and suitable voice is drawn. As a result, he must bring an offering of two living kosher birds, for their supernal root is that level called “birds.” When he offers these two birds here on earth, the level of the “birds” in the supernal realm is rectified.
            So the melody of a person who is worthy is drawn from the supernal level called “two living, kosher birds.”
 
            And behold, it is written in the Zohar that the supernal level called two kosher birds (as mentioned above), draws down and receives power from the same region from which the prophets draw down and receive prophecy—i.e., from the supernal sefirot of netzach and hod in the world of Atzilut (Zohar, Vayikra 53b).
            Therefore the singer is called chazan—“cantor,” a word derived from the expression chazon, which means “vision”--that is to say, from an expression denoting prophecy, for prophecy is described as a “vision” (as in the phrase, “the vision of Isaiah” [Isaiah 1:1]).
            And the reason is that he—the singer--takes the melody from the region from which the prophets draw down prophecy. He receives the power of melody from the level of the birds, and the birds in turn receive their power from the region from which the prophets drawn down prophecy.
            Now we can understand why hearing the melody of a worthy and suitable singer helps a person serve Hashem. The root of melody is very high, drawn from the region from which prophecy is drawn.
            Therefore, through melody a person may attain something akin to a level of prophecy. In prophecy, a person strips himself of this world’s physicality and turns his thought to cling to Hashem. A person may also attain this state by means of melody, turning his thoughts aside from the vanities of this world and causing them to cling only to Hashem. When he hears a joyful melody, he connects himself to Hashem with joy, and when he hears an elevating and heartrending melody, he connects himself to Hashem fervently, with holy yearning.[4]
 
Having taught how the melody of a worthy singer helps a person serve Hashem, Rebbe Nachman now goes on to explain why hearing the melody of an unworthy singer damages a person’s service of Hashem.
 
            And conversely, when a singer is wicked, then he derives his melody from other birds, those of the “husk.”
            Every level of holiness has its counterpart in the realm of impurity, called the “husk.” Therefore, just as there is a level of holy birds from which the worthy singer receives the power of his melody, so too is there a level of “birds” in the realm of the husk, from which the unworthy singer receives the power of his melody.
 
            And it is written in the Zohar that the birds of the husk suckle their energy from the breasts of the sefirah called malchut (Zohar, Vayichi, p. 217b).
            In the realm of holiness, there is a world called Atzilut in which there exists a partzuf (a spiritual structure) called Nukva. That partzuf is {equivalent to} the sefirah of holy malchut.
            Conversely, in the realm of the husks there is also a world of Atzilut with a partzuf called Nukva, which is {equivalent to} the level of the sefirah of malchut of the husk.
            Every partzuf is subdivided into ten sefirot. {(And each of those ten sefirot is also subdivided into ten sefirot, and so forth and so on.)} In the realm of the husk, the level of the birds of the husk corresponds to the sefirot of chochmah and binah within the partzuf of Nukva.
            The region of “Nukva of the husk” in the world of Atzilut of the husk occupies a relatively low position in relation to the realm of holiness. That position is on the level of Beriah (the world below Atzilut).
            However, from nightfall until midnight, the birds of the husk have the power to rise and suckle energy from the sefirah of holy malchut in the world of holy Atzilut. In particular, {those birds} draw down energy from holy malchut by making use of the sub-sefirah of yesod within malchut. And in even greater detail, they make use of the sub-sub-sefirot of netzach and hod within that yesod. These two sefirot {of netzach and hod} are called the “breasts of malchut.” {(These sub-sub-sefirot, netzach and hod, are within malchut. They are not the sefirot of netzach and hod mentioned earlier, which are the source of melody and prophecy, and which stand above Nukva (malchut).}
            {To review the hierarchy of supernal energies in the realm of holy Atzilut mentioned to this point:
            {The sefirot of netzach and hod are the source of prophecy and melody. They send their holy energy into the lowest sefirah in Atzilut, of malchut, which is identified with Nukva. Malchut is subdivided into sub-sefirot, and those sub-sefirot are sub-subdivided into sub-sub-sefirot.
            {The energy from netzach and hod enters into the sub-sefirot within malchut of chochmah and binah. These two sub-sefirot are also called mochin and they correspond to the holy birds.
            {From them, the holy energy descends into the sub-sefirah of yesod within malchut—more specifically, it enters into the two sub-sub-sefirot of netzach and hod within the sub-sefirah of yesod. These two sub-sub-sefirot are also known as the “breasts of malchut.”}


 
 
 
                                       Hod                                      Netzach
                                   
                                      
                                                           
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                          Binah Chochmah           
 
                                                               Hod   Netzach

 
            And when night is split—at midnight, when the birds of the husk cease to draw down their energy {from the realm of holiness}, then a proclamation issues forth, “Like birds caught in a trap, like them are human beings caught” (Ecclesiastes 9:12)—referring to the trap of the evil inclination.
            People are caught in the trap of the evil inclination by means of the power of the birds of the husk. Under the influence of those birds, people are attracted to the lusts and vanities of this world and they grow distant from Hashem. {But at midnight, people can awaken to the fact of their subjugation to their evil inclination.}
            Now we can understand why hearing melody from an unworthy singer damages a person’s service of Hashem. The unworthy singer receives the power of his melody from the birds of the husk. Thus, his melody influences a person to be drawn after the lusts and vanities of this world and to grow distant from Hashem.
 
After having taught that the melody of a worthy singer helps a person serve Hashem, whereas the melody of an unworthy singer damages a person’s service of Hashem, and after having related the reason for this, Rebbe Nachman now tells how a person may protect himself from being harmed in his service of Hashem even if he hears the melody of an unworthy singer.
 
            And the rectification so that a person may be able to hear a melody from anyone, even from an evil singer—so that if he should happen to hear him it will not harm his service of Hashem[5]--is for him to learn oral Torah at night. That is, he should learn Talmud, which is on the level of night—and he should do so at night.
            Rebbe Nachman will now explain why it is necessary to learn Talmud, and not other forms of oral Torah, and why he should do so in particular at night.
 
            As we find, the fact that the oral Torah is on the level of night is alluded to in a midrash: “When Moses was on the mountain, on Mt. Sinai standing before Hashem to receive the Torah, for forty days and forty nights, he did not know when it was day and when it was night, because in God’s presence there is neither day nor night--except through this: when he learned the written Torah, he knew that it was day, and when he learned the oral Torah, he knew that it was night” (Midrash Tehillim 19). When it was daytime in this world, God taught him the written Torah, for the written Torah corresponds to day. And when it was nighttime in this world, God taught him the oral Torah, for the oral Torah corresponds to night. Thus, the oral Torah is on the level of night.
 
            And besides the fact that overall the oral Torah is on the level of night, the Talmud in particular is called night. As our rabbis, may their memory be for a blessing, said, “The verse, ‘He placed me in the dark places’ (Lamentations 3:6), is a reference to the Babylonian Talmud” (Sanhedrin 24a). This is because, explains Rashi, the Babylonian sages are not polite to each other and {do not reach clear conclusions}.
            Thus, the Talmud is termed darkness. And it is written, “He called the darkness night” (Genesis 1:5). Since darkness is termed night, therefore the Talmud, which is termed darkness, is also termed night.
 
            Now Rebbe Nachman explains that as a result of learning Talmud a person remains unharmed by the melody of an unworthy singer. A synonym for “Talmud” is “Shas.” This word is an abbreviation of the phrase shishah sedorim—“six ‘orders’”—for the Talmud is divided into six principal sections called “orders” (Zeraim, Moed, Nashim, Nezikin, Kedoshim and Tehorot).
            As a result of learning Shas, which is associated with the number six, he will rectify something else associated with the number six: the six rings of the larynx, from which the voice emerges. In their supernal root, these six rings correspond to the six orders of the Talmud. When a person rectifies the level of the six rings in the throat from which the voice emerges, he rectifies the sound of his melody. And when the sound of his melody is rectified, then unworthy melodies cannot harm him.
 
            And that is alluded to in the prophet’s words to the nation of Israel: “Arise, sing [and weep] at night” (Lamentations 2:19). “Arise, sing”--that is, there should be a rising up of song. A person should raise and rectify the sound of his melody, so that any unworthy melody that he hears will not harm him. That comes about by means of “at night,” which is Talmud, Shas, which is termed night.[6]
 
            Learning Talmud has the power to protect a person so that the melody of an unworthy singer will not harm him. But when a person learns Talmud not for its own sake—that is, he instead learns in order to be called rabbi—in order to gain honor, that learning is not so valuable. Essentially, a person’s Torah learning is of value when his intent is to increase the glory of heaven and please God. Any Torah learning that lacks these elements cannot rectify the level associated with the six rings in the throat. Therefore, it cannot protect a person against the melody of an unworthy singer.[7]
            And when he learns Talmud at night, a thread of lovingkindness is drawn onto him. As the Talmud states, “When a person learns Torah at night, the Holy One, blessed be He, draws a thread of lovingkindness upon him during the day” (Chagigah 12b). And this illumination of lovingkindness that is drawn onto him protects him, so that the thought (mentioned above), the desire to gain honor as a scholar, will not harm him, because the thread of lovingkindness raises and purifies him so that he will not think in that manner. Instead, his sole intent in learning will be for the sake of heaven. And as he learns for the sake of heaven, his learning will be of such value that can protect him from unworthy melody.[8]
 
Having explained that the melody of a worthy singer is drawn from the level of the birds of holiness and that the melody of unworthy singers is drawn from the level of the birds of the husk, and after having explained how by means of learning Talmud at night a person can protect himself from being damaged by an unworthy singer, Rebbe Nachman now reveals an additional quality possessed by the birds of holiness, and, conversely, an additional quality possessed the birds of the husk.
 
            And there exists a statement in the writings of the Ari (Eitz Chaim, Gate 48, Chapter 2) that the birds of the husk—from which, as we have learned, the power of unworthy melody is drawn--are the mochin (the “mind”—literally, the “brains”) in malchut of the husk.
            As was explained earlier, in the world of Atzilut there exists a partzuf (spiritual structure) called Nukva, which corresponds to the sefirah of malchut. The husks also have a version of the world of Atzilut, where there is also a partzuf called Nukva, which corresponds to the sefirah of malchut of the husk.
            Every partzuf is composed of ten sefirot. The sub-sefirot of chochmah and binah are the level of the intellect and mochin within every partzuf.
            In the partzuf Nukva of the husk, the sub-sefirot of chochmah and binah correspond to the birds of the husk. And so the birds of the husk correspond to the mochin of malchut of the husk.
            And conversely the two living kosher birds are the structure of holy malchut. The two living kosher birds are the sub-sefirot of chochmah and binah in the partzuf of Nukva of holiness.
            As such, the birds of holiness comprise the mochin and provide the structure of holy malchut of the world of holy Atzilut. These birds receive their light from the holy sefirot of netzach and hod—from which the prophets draw down their prophecy—which are higher than the sefirah of malchut.
 
            The birds of holiness are the sub-sefirot of chochmah and binah within malchut. As such, they comprise and provide the structure of malchut.
            Therefore, David was praised to Saul. When God sent an evil spirit into Saul, one of his servants advised him to seek a person who knows how to play music and would as such be able to calm his spirit. Doeg the Edomite then spoke up and recommended David: “Behold, I saw a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play music and is a mighty man, a warrior, prudent in affairs and a handsome man, and Hashem is with him” (Samuel I 16:18).
            The fact that David “knows how to play music” indicated that he had attained the level of holy melody from its supernal root, which is the daat (“knowledge”) and mochin of holy malchut. (Thus the phrase reads, “and he knows”—relating to daat).
            There is a deeper reason for the fact that David is praised for knowing music, for melody is the structure of malchut. That is to say, the birds of holiness, from whom melody is drawn, comprise and provide the structure of malchut. Since David attained the level of melody, he {was able to fully build} the structure of his malchut. Therefore, he fully accepted upon himself Hashem’s sovereignty (malchut).
            Every Jew possesses a portion of holy malchut. Via melody for the sake of heaven, he is aroused to serve Hashem, clings to Hashem, accepts upon himself the sovereignty of Hashem, and builds his portion of malchut. Since David attained melody in full, he fully built the structure of his malchut. And since David attained the completion of the structure of his malchut, therefore he is suitable for sovereignty. A person who attains the level of malchut can rule over the nation of Israel, since the power of sovereignty is drawn from the sefirah of malchut {(as noted earlier, malchut means “sovereignty”)}.
            Therefore, the description of David as someone who “knows music” teaches that he attained sovereignty over Israel.
 
            And this is what is written about him—about King David: “From behind the nursing ewes, He brought him to shepherd Jacob His nation and Israel His inheritance” (Psalms 78:71). Rashi explains that since, when David shepherded his father’s nursing ewes, he treated them kindly, Hashem chose him to be king over Israel.
            That is, “from behind the nursing ewes,” alludes to a pair of sefirot: that is, netzach and hod.
            They are said to be nursing because they nurse the prophets and pour prophecy onto them. And they comprise and provide for the structure of malchut insofar as they bring the flow of light down to the birds of holiness, which correspond to the structure of malchut.
            Thus, this verse may be interpreted as follows: “From behind the nursing ewes” means that David attained the level of melody, whose root comes from the birds of holiness, which in turn receive light from netzach and hod. These birds comprise and provide the structure of malchut. Thus, David attained the building of his structure of malchut. As a result, he became king over Israel. Therefore, the verse continues, “He brought him to shepherd Jacob His nation and Israel His inheritance.”
 
            Rebbe Nachman has explained that the birds of the husk comprise the mochin of malchut of the husk, whereas the birds of holiness are the structure of holy malchut.
            Now he will teach in greater detail that the melody of a singer who is unworthy damages a person’s service of Hashem, whereas the melody of a worthy singer enhances a person’s service of Hashem.
            A reason for this was given earlier. And in the passage immediately above Rebbe Nachman supplied an additional reason: when a person hears a melody from a worthy singer who receives his melody from the birds of holiness, he rectifies the structure of his holy malchut, and he fully accepts the yoke of the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, when a person hears the melody of an unworthy singer who receives his melody from the birds of the husk, he damages the structure of his holy malchut, and throws off the yoke of the kingdom of heaven. As a result, he intensifies the power of malchut of the Sitra Achra throughout the world.[9]
 
Now Rebbe Nachman will teach how all of the elements of this lesson are alluded to in Rabbah bar Bar Chana’s narrative.
 
            And this is the meaning of what Rabbah bar Bar Chana said:
            “I saw a certain frog.”
            And the commentator Rabbeinu Shmuel (Rashbam) explained the Aramaic word for frog that Rabbah bar Bar Chana used by translating it into Hebrew as tz’fardea. The word tz’fardea is composed of two words: tz’far (similar to tzipor, “bird”) and deah (“knowledge”)--that is, a bird of knowledge.[10] The birds of holiness comprise the knowledge and mochin of holy malchut.
 
            “That was as large as the town called Akra D’Hagrunia.”
            The name Akra D’Hagrunia sounds similar to the Hebrew for the phrase “Cry out with the throat” (Isaiah 58:1): k’ra v’garon—that is to say, melody, which is a sound that comes forth from the throat. In other words, Rabbah bar Bar Chana perceived and comprehended the level of the birds of holiness from which melody is drawn.
 
            “And how large is Akra D’Hagrunia? The size of sixty houses.”
            This alludes to the idea discussed earlier that the opposite of the birds of holiness are the birds of the husk, from which the melody of the unworthy singer is drawn, which harms a person’s service of Hashem.
            That is to say, a question is raised: By what means is the level of “crying out with the throat”—the sound of a person’s melody--rectified, so that unworthy melody will not damage him in his service of Hashem?
            The answer is: By means of sixty houses—that is to say, by means of sixty tractates.[11] And this connection between sixty houses and the Talmud can be derived from the fact that Rabbeinu Shmuel explains, “The Talmud says this.” The straightforward meaning of Rabbeinu Shmuel’s explanation is that this question and answer—“And how large is Akra D’Hagrunia? The size of sixty houses”—is an interpolation by the Talmud and does not comprise the words of Rabbah bar Bar Chana.
            But homiletically, the phrase “the Talmud says this” can be read as stating, “Say [words of] Talmud”--that is, that a person should learn Talmud.
            As a result of learning Talmud, which incorporates sixty tractates, a person rectifies the voice of his melody. This is because, as was explained earlier, the Talmud, which is composed of six orders, corresponds to the six rings in the larynx. It therefore rectifies the voice of melody. And then unworthy melody cannot harm this person’s service of God.
 
            “A snake came and swallowed it”—the snake swallowed the frog.
            And Rabbeinu Shmuel explains: “Rabbah said this.” The straightforward meaning of this explanation is that this sentence was stated by Rabbah bar Bar Chana and is not a comment added by the Talmud.
            The words, “A snake came [and] swallowed it” means that as a result of a person’s learning Torah not for its own sake, the snake—which is a term for the Sitra Achra--swallows it—the person’s learning. The Sitra Achra draws its energy from Torah learning that is not for its own sake. That kind of learning cannot rectify the voice of a person’s melody to keep unworthy melody from being able to harm his service of Hashem.[12]
            And that is alluded to in Rabbeinu Shmuel’s having explained: “Rabbah said this.” This phrase may be homiletically read as “to be called rabbi.” That is to say, as a result of a person learning Torah in order to be called rabbi, the snake will swallow his learning.
 
            And what is the rectification for this?
            “A raven came.” The tale uses the Aramaic word for “raven.” And since the student might not know that word, Rabbeinu Shmuel explains it by translating it into Hebrew: “oreiv.” And that is to be understood as follows: As a result of learning at night­—the word oreiv coming from the language arvit, night,[13] “the raven came and swallowed” the snake—that is, and the raven protects him from the snake (mentioned above).
            Learning at night influences a person to learn Torah for its own sake. Then the snake—which is the Sitra Achra—cannot swallow his learning.
 
            And the reason that learning at night protects a person against the snake is stated in the next part of the narrative: “And the raven then went up and sat in a tree.”
            The Maharsha explains that it—the tree--corresponds to Abraham. And that is because it is written regarding Abraham, “He planted an eshel” (Genesis 21:33), which is a type of tree.[14] And it is known that Abraham is on the level of lovingkindness. Abraham corresponds to the sefirah of chesed, Isaac to gevurah and Jacob to tiferet. Abraham worked his entire life to extend lovingkindness to others. And so this tree alludes to lovingkindness--that is, that the thread of lovingkindness that is drawn onto him—onto a Jew—as a result of his learning at night protects him from the snake (as mentioned above).
 
            Rabbah bar Bar Chana concludes: “Come and see how great is the might of that tree.”
            That is, Rabbah expresses astonishment that His lovingkindness—the thread of lovingkindness that God pours onto us--for us has grown so strong that even regarding this fact—that a person learns Torah not for its sake--it, God’s lovingkindness, can protect him and influence him to learn Torah for its own sake, as a result of which the snake will not swallow his learning.
 
Now in the context of his having taught that melody is the structure of malchut, Rebbe Nachman will explain a mishnah in Pirkei Avot.
 
            And this will explain the juxtaposition of the clauses in the following mishnah: “Make yourself a rabbi, and acquire yourself a colleague, and judge every individual favorably” (Pirkei Avot 1:6).
            On the simple level, it is not clear why these three items are placed together. But the matter may be explained in accordance with what Rebbe Nachman taught earlier, because, he stated, as a result of a person hearing melody from a worthy singer (as above), he rectifies his structure of malchut and he fully accepts Hashem’s sovereignty. Thus, as was explained earlier, by means of melody David was able to rectify his structure of malchut.
            And this is alluded to in the words of the mishnah, as follows.
            First, “make yourself a rabbi.” That is, that a person should rectify the level of malchut. This is because the title of “rabbi” alludes to rulership and greatness.
            And that comes about by means of: “acquire yourself a colleague.” The Hebrew word for “acquire” is k’nei, which is spelled the same as the word kaneh, “larynx.” That is to say, this comes about by means of the larynx, from which the voice comes forth—that is, by means of the melody that emerges from the larynx.
            The Hebrew word for “colleague,” chaver, has the meaning of binding and clinging. Holy melody is termed a “colleague,” since that causes the two cherubim in the Temple to bond face-to-face, “like a man embracing his wife” (Kings I 7:36), When the nation of Israel does the will of God (Yoma 54b).
            The Talmud explains that when the people of Israel do not perform God’s will, the cherubim do not stand face-to-face. Only when the Jewish people do God’s will do the cherubim turn their faces to each other (Bava Batra 99a).
            And so the bonding of the cherubim to each other alludes to the clinging of Israel to their Father in heaven. By means of the melody of holiness, the Jews cling to their Father in heaven, and then the cherubim also bond together, face-to-face. And thus melody is called “colleague.”
            And via the melody called a “colleague,” we rectify the level of malchut, which is alluded to in the word “rabbi.”
 
            And then, when he—this person--rectifies his level of malchut and he can rule over all that he wants—as was stated earlier, as a result of having rectified the level of malchut, King David was able to rule over Israel--and he can kill one person and give life to another, and as a result the world will be destroyed, because he will treat wicked people strictly and kill them, regarding that it—the mishnah—continues and states: “And judge every individual favorably.”
            That is to say, a person must judge every individual favorably,[15] for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not desire the destruction of the world, because “not for chaos did He create it—to be inhabited He made it” (Isaiah 45:18). God gains satisfaction from the few good deeds of every Jew, and God has use of every Jew, even if he has been wicked. And in addition, He does not desire the death of the wicked but their repentance.
 
After having taught that worthy melody is drawn from the birds of holiness, which are the mochin of holy malchut, and that unworthy melody is drawn from the birds of the husk, which are the mochin of malchut of the husk, Rebbe Nachman now explains the source of the melodies of contemporary cantors.
 
            And because of this, there is at present a common expression that states that professional cantors are fools and lack knowledge.
            This common saying has a deeper meaning, because now at the time of exile, holy malchut is in exile amongst the “outer forces,” and its light has been diminished, and as a result melody, which is drawn from the region of the prophets–the region from which the prophets draw their prophecy—i.e., from netzach and hod—{from which it descends so that it emerges} from the level of mochin and knowledge of holy malchut, since now this malchut is in exile, melody is therefore blemished, for it is drawn from the mochin of malchut, and malchut is blemished.
            And therefore professional cantors, whose intent is to gain honor or money, they lack knowledge, for they do not have the power at present to draw melody from its root in holiness, which is the level of mochin and knowledge of holy malchut (as above), because holy malchut is exiled amongst the outer forces, it is very hard to draw down melody from holy malchut. Only a person whose intent in making music is truly for the sake of heaven, for the sake of clinging to Hashem, has the power to draw down melody from holy malchut.
 
            But in the future, when holy malchut will rise and “Hashem will be King over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9), then melody too will rise and be made complete so that it is no longer blemished, and it will be on the level of knowledge and mochin of holy malchut, from which melody is drawn (as above). Then cantors will be able to draw their melody from the mochin of holy malchut.
 
            And that is referred to in the verse, “For God is King of all the earth; sing a song composed with wisdom” (Psalms 47:8). This verse contains the idea that then, when Hashem will be King over all the earth and holy malchut will be elevated, then “sing a song composed with wisdom”—that is, that the cantors who sing will possess knowledge and intellect, as a result of holy malchut rising, and they will receive melody from its root in holiness, which is the level of knowledge and mochin of holy malchut (as above).
 
The lesson now comes to an end with the addition of a few supplementary remarks.
 
            Relevant to the above, to the earlier explanation that when a person learns Talmud at night, a thread of lovingkindness is drawn onto him that protects him from thoughts that are “not for the Torah’s sake,” so that with his learning he can then rectify the voice of melody that is unworthy, so that it will not harm him:
            And that is alluded in the verse, “Your lovingkindness is great beyond heaven” (Psalms 108:5). “Heaven” is the level of the voice. As is written in the musaf prayer of the Days of Awe regarding the receiving of the Torah: “From heaven You caused Your voice to be heard.” Thus there is a connection between heaven and the voice, and thus heaven alludes to voice. This is because by means of lovingkindness, which is to say, the level of the thread of kindness, which is drawn down as a result of learning Torah at night, by means of that the voice of melody that is unworthy is rectified (as above). And that is alluded to in the words, “Your lovingkindness is great beyond heaven” (as above).
            The verse may be understood as follows: “Your lovingkindness”—the thread of lovingkindness—“is great beyond heaven”—the blemished voice. As a result, the blemished voice will not cause a person harm.
 
            It was explained above that the two birds of holiness from which prophecy is drawn comprise and provide the structure of holy malchut.
            And in accordance with this, therefore in the time of the Tanach establishing—i.e., appointing--a king occurred in accordance with prophecy, by the directive of a prophet who received a command from Hashem, such as the entire sovereignty of the House of David, which was in accordance with prophecy. The prophet Samuel anointed King David.
            And the reason is that prophecy is drawn from the cherubim. As the verse states regarding Moses, “He would hear the voice speaking to him from above the covering that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubim” (Numbers 7:89)--that the cherubim in their supernal root correspond to the two birds (as above), which comprise and provide the structure of holy malchut (as above). Therefore, the establishment of a king must be carried out by means of prophecy, since prophecy comprises and provides the structure of malchut.
 
            Earlier, the verse about King David was quoted, “From behind the nursing ewes, He brought him to shepherd Jacob His nation and Israel His inheritance”--that is, as was explained, from behind the nursing ewes, which are netzach and hod, for they draw down sustenance to the prophets, etc. (as above). As a result of David attaining the power of melody that is drawn from netzach and hod, he attained malchut, for netzach and hod {provide for} the structure of malchut.
            And now an additional element alluded to in this verse will be presented. That is “from behind the nursing ewes.” That is, that King David, peace be upon him, because of his high level was also able to rectify and elevate melody that was not from a worthy person, to raise it to holiness. And that is referred to in the words, “from behind the nursing ewes He brought him”—that is, even melody from a person who is unworthy, which is from behind holiness, on the level of “from behind the nursing ewes,” from behind those entities that sustain. This is because holy melody comes from the region from which the prophets derive sustenance, whereas melody that is not in the realm of holiness is on the level of “from behind the nursing ewes,” from behind holiness, since the place of the establishment of the husk is behind holiness. And King David, peace be upon him, was able to rectify this melody as well. And as a result of this, holy malchut was elevated (as above).
            Melody that is not holy derives its energy from the birds of the husk, which are the mochin of malchut of the husk. When that melody is rectified, the power of malchut of the husk is rectified and the level of holy malchut is elevated. King David attained the level of melody, as a result of which he rectified his own structure of malchut. Moreover, he was able to raise unworthy melody from malchut of the husk to holy malchut. As a result, the entire level of holy malchut was magnified and elevated.
            And that is “from behind the nursing ewes He brought him to shepherd Jacob, etc.,” for as a result of this, the fact that he raised holy malchut, he attained malchut (as above).
 


[1] The reader may be familiar with the word tan’in, meaning “sea-monster,” from Genesis 1:21. That word appears here as “snake,” a meaning that is endorsed later on in this lesson. Similarly, Rashi on Exodus 7:10 translates tan’in as “snake.” Siftei Chachamim (ibid.) states in the name of Radak that when the term tan’in is applied to an aquatic creature, it refers to a type of fish, whereas when it is applied to a creature on dry land, it refers to a snake.

[2] Kitzur Likutei Moharan.

[3] {The realm of the birds will be discussed later on. In brief, the world of Atzilut contains ten sefirot, the lowest of which is malchut. Malchut itself is sub-divided into ten sefirot. These two birds correspond to the sefirot of chochmah and binah within malchut.}

[4] Kitzur Likutei Moharan and Mei Hanachal. See also Likutei Halachot (Hilchot Nesiat Kapayim 5:6), which writes as follows:
 
                The essence of clinging to and bonding with Hashem, be He blessed, from this exceedingly low, material and humble world is by means of melody and tune.
                As we see in actuality, even if a person is far removed from Hashem, be He blessed, even if he inhabits the lowest level, melody can often awaken him to Hashem, be He blessed, so that he reminds himself of where he is in the world.
                However, when a person hears melody from wicked or lightheaded singers—who are especially common nowadays—that can harm him profoundly, as is written elsewhere (in Likutei Moharan I 3).
                But when a person hears melodies and tunes from people who are truly worthy, who truly direct their hearts to Hashem, be He blessed, or when a person himself sings a melody for the sake of heaven, he can be greatly inspired to come to Hashem, be He blessed.
                And as I heard Rebbe Nachman say, the essential bond and clinging of a person in this physical world to Hashem, be He blessed, Who is exceedingly elevated and exalted—in particular a person had sinned and had been far removed from his Father in heaven—is by means of melody and tune.
 
                And see Sichot Haran (passage 273):
 
                [Rebbe Nachman] said: It is good for a person to accustom himself to revive himself with some melody. Melody is an exceedingly great and high matter. It has great power to arouse and draw the heart of a person to Hashem, be He blessed. Even if a person cannot sing, when he is at home and by himself he can revive himself with some melody in whatever way that he can sing it, for the exemplary nature of melody cannot be imagined.

[5] Eitzot Hamevuar (Torah, 7) writes that it is self-understood that a person must make every effort not to hear the melody of a wicked person. But if he has done so unwittingly, against his will or because he did not know it is forbidden to do so, then learning Talmud at night will protect him from harm.

[6] Biur Halikutim adds the following.
                Earlier, this lesson explained that the birds of the husk, from which unworthy melody is drawn, rule during the first half of the night. Conversely, the birds of holiness rule during the second half of the night. Thus, both holiness and the husk possess a level of night.
                When a person learns Talmud, which is on the level of night (and in particular, when he learns at night), he intensifies the power of holiness at night. In so doing, he nullifies the power of the birds of the husk. Then unworthy melody, which is derived from the birds of the husk, cannot harm his service of God.
                And so Rebbe Nachman’s statement that the oral Torah is on the level of night comes not only to explain the verse, “Arise, sing at night,” but, more important, it comes to teach that the essential rectification of melody comes about by means of the level of night.
                Further on, this lesson teaches that the birds of the husk are the mochin (the “mind”—literally, the “brains”) of malchut of the husk, whereas the birds of holiness are the mochin of holy malchut.
                Biur Halikutim points out that malchut is associated with the oral Torah, as in the statement, “malchut is the mouth, and it is called the oral Torah” (Patach Eliyahu). And, as is well-known, malchut is associated with night.
                Therefore, when a person learns Talmud (which is associated with night) at night, he intensifies the power of holy malchut (which is also associated with night), and he rectifies unworthy melody that is drawn from the malchut of the husk.

[7] Cf. Pesachim 50b:
 
                Rava raised a contradiction [between two verses.] One verse states, “Your lovingkindness is great until heaven” (Psalms 57:11), whereas another verse states, “Your lovingkindness is great beyond heaven” (ibid. 108:5). How is that possible?
                [The answer is that the second] verse speaks about a case in which people act for [the Torah’s] sake, whereas [the first verse speaks about] a case in which people do not act for [the Torah’s] sake.
                This [explanation mirrors the view of] Rav Yehudah, who praised learning Torah even when it is not done for its own sake. Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav that a person should always [learn] Torah and [perform] mitzvot even if not for [the Torah’s] sake, because as a result of acting not for [the Torah’s] sake he will come to act for its sake.
 
                Tosafot on Berachot 17a write that Rav Yehudah’s statement apparently contradicts a statement of the other Sages. Tosafot then resolve this issue by stating that Rav Yehudah and the other Sages were speaking of two separate cases:
 
                [Our Sages teach that] if a person acts not for [the Torah’s] sake, it would have been better for him had he not been created.
                You may object that Rav Yehudah states in the name of Rav (Perek Makom Shenahagu, p. 50b) that a person should always [learn] Torah and [perform] mitzvot, even if not for [the Torah’s] sake, for as a result of acting not for [the Torah’s] sake he will come to act for its sake.
                One may resolve this by saying that here [in the first case, our Sages] are dealing with a person who is learning solely to dispute his colleagues—[it would have been better for him had he never been born]. But [Rav Yehudah] is discussing a person who is learning in order to gain honor from others—[that is not for its own sake, but it is still worth doing].
 
                Here Rebbe Nachman states that he is speaking of a person who is learning in order to be called rabbi—his learning is not so valuable. Rebbe Nachman is not speaking of a person who learns Torah in order to dispute his colleagues, for that learning has no value whatsoever and it does not protect him in the least from unworthy melody.

[8] This explanation appears in Likutei Eitzot (Talmud Torah), in Likutei Halachot (Hilchot Apotrofos 3), Biur Halikutim and Mei Hanachal. Parpar’ot L’Chochmah offers a slightly different explanation, which is quoted in the appendix.

[9] Mei Hanachal.

[10] See Tanna Devei Eliyahu, Chapter 7, and Kavanot Ha’Arizal on dam tz’fardeah.

[11] Parpar’ot L’Chochmah raises the point that although the mishnah is composed of sixty tractates, the Talmud—which is a commentary on the mishnah—does not cover all sixty tractates.
                He explains that Rebbe Nachman’s reference to sixty tractates means that a person’s rectification begins with his learning the six orders of mishnah, which comprise the essence of the oral Torah, which is the level of night. That is the level of “malchut is mouth and it is called the oral Torah” (as stated in Patach Eliyahu).
                But a person’s study of mishnah is perfected only when he learns Talmud. As our sages state, “Talmud is the finest [Torah learning]” (Bava Metzia 33a). Therefore, the most perfect way of learning the oral Torah is to learn the Talmud (which includes the mishnah) at night.
                The author of Biur Halikutim writes that his father stated that Rebbe Nachman wanted a person’s principal learning to consist of, first, clarifying halachah from the oral Torah (in accord with the statement in Likutei Halachot [Hilchot Apotrofus 3:5] that the essence of learning the oral Torah is to clarify it so that one knows the practical halachah) and second, the hidden and inner aspect of Torah.
                These two types of learning are connected insofar as the oral Torah may be considered as being “hidden and inner” in relation to the written Torah.

[12] This seems to be the correct meaning, and it is in accord with the words of Likutei Eitzot, Biur Halikutim and Mei Hanachal, which earlier explained that learning at night induces a person to learn for its own sake.
                Parpar’ot L’Chochmah, which explained matters differently, explains that the phrase, “the snake swallows it,” is speaking of a person who wants to learn Torah for its own sake but who also has ulterior motives. The snake wishes to lure this person into learning entirely not for the Torah’s sake, as a result of which his learning will not be able to protect him from unworthy melodies.

[13]             The Talmud interprets the phrase “black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11) as referring to a person who studies from early morning into the night (Eruvin 21b-22a).
                Rashi explains that the word for “black,” shechorot, is similar to the word shacharit, “morning”; and the word for “raven,” oreiv, is similar to the word aravit, “evening.”

[14] The full quote from the Maharsha is as follows:
 
                “A raven came.”
                That is specifically a female raven. This is a reference to the sovereignty of Ishmael, who is defiled from the side of his mother, Hagar.
                Our Sages taught, “Not for nothing did the starling join the raven” (Bava Kama 92b)—[in other words, birds of a feather flock together]. That refers to Ishmael and Edom.
                “[The raven then] went up.”
                [Ishmael] went up to the land of Israel and conquered it.
                “And [it] sat in a tree.”
                That is to say, [Ishmael inhabits the land of Israel] in the merit of Abraham, whom God assured regarding Ishmael, “I will make him fruitful … and I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 17:20).
                This is because Abraham is a tree of life, “a tree in [the Holy Land]” (Numbers 13:2), “he planted an eshel tree in Be’er Sheva” (Genesis 21:33).
                “Come and see how great is the [merit and] strength of that tree.”
                “He planted an eshel tree.” [Abraham’s] merit and [God’s] promise regarding [Ishmael] are in force, so that [Ishmael] controls the land of Israel and the majority of the [lands of the Jewish] exile until the coming of the day of the redemption. May it come quickly, in our day, amen.

[15] In Lesson 282, Rebbe Nachman explains that a person must judge others favorably. Even if he finds that someone is absolutely wicked, he must search until he finds some little bit of good that he still possesses, an area where he is not wicked. Although he is in the category of someone who is “completely wicked,” it is nevertheless impossible that he should not possess some little bit of good, for how [footnote is cut off here].