“Ra’iti menorat zahav (I looked, and behold a candelabrum all of gold) and a bowl on top of it.” (Zekhariah 4:2)
See how precious is the sigh and groan {the krekhtz } of a Jewish person. It provides wholeness [in place] of the lack. For through the breath, which is the ruach-of-life, the world was created. As is written (Psalms 33:6), “… and by the ruach of His mouth, their entire hosts [were created].” The renewal of the world will also come about by means of the ruach, as in (Psalms 104:30), “You will send Your ruach —they will be created; You renew the face of the earth.”
This [ruach] is also the vital force of human life. This is because man’s breath is his life-force. As is written (Genesis 2:7), “He breathed into his nostrils nishmat (the breath of) life,” and (ibid. 7:22), “All in whose nostrils was a nishmat (breath of) ruach-of-life.” Regarding this, wise men said: To the extent breath is lacking, so is life (Maaseh Tuviah, Bayit Chadash 2; cf. Zohar II, 24b).
We find then that the quintessential life-force of everything is its ruach. Whenever a lack exists, it is essentially in the life-force, which corresponds to the ruach-of-life of that thing. This is because it is the ruach which gives that thing its existence.
And sighing is the extension of the breath. It corresponds to erekh apayim (patience)—i.e., extended ruach. Therefore, when a person sighs over the lack and extends his ruach, he draws ruach-of-life to that which he is lacking. For the lack is in essence a departure of the ruach-of-life. Therefore, through the sigh, the lack is made whole.
2. The question is, from where does one take the ruach-of-life? Know! the essence of the ruach-of-life is received from the tzaddik/ rav of the generation. This is because the essence of the ruach-of-life can be found in the Torah, as in (Genesis 1:2), “And the ruach of God hovers over the waters’ surface”—this is the Torah (Tikkuney Zohar #36). And the tzaddikim are bound to the Torah,which is why the essence of the ruach-of-life is with them.
When the person who is tied to the tzaddik/ rav of the generation sighs and extends his ruach, he draws the ruach-of-life from the generation’s tzaddik. For [the tzaddik] is bound to the Torah—which is where the ruach is.
This is why the tzaddik is called “a man in whom there is ruach” (Numbers 27:18) —who knows how to deal with the ruach of each individual (Rashi, loc. cit.). For the tzaddik draws and completes the ruach-of-life of each and every person, as above.
And this corresponds to: The ruach tzefonit (northern wind) that blows upon King David’s harp (Berakhot 3b). King David’s harp had five strings, paralleling the Five Books of the Torah (Zohar III, 32a). The “northern ruach” which blew upon it alludes to “the ruach of God [that] hovers over the waters’ surface.” This ruach TZeFoNit corresponds to the ruach haTZaFuN (hidden spirit) in man’s heart (cf. Tikkuney Zohar #69) —this being the ruach-of-life.
Our Sages taught: Tzafon is lacking (Bava Batra 25b). And the lack is in the heart, as is written (Psalms 37:4), “He will give you that which your heart lacks,” and (Psalms 20:6), “God will fulfill all your requests.” And the essence of the ruach-of-life is located in the heart. As we find in the Tikkuney Zohar (#13): All the body’s organs are directed by the heart, which is like a king, while the arteries are like soldiers, as is said (Ezekiel 1:20), “To wherever the ruach intended to go….”
For the ruach is in the heart, and the lack is a departure of the ruach, whose place is in the heart. This is why the lack is felt [specifically] in the heart. Therefore, when the lack—which is an aspect of ruach —is filled, it is said, “He will give you that which your heart lacks,” and, “God will fulfill all your requests.” And so, the Jews, who receive the ruach-of-life from the Torah, are called tzafun, as in (Psalms 83:4), “They plot against Your people, and take counsel against tzfunekha (Your hidden ones).”
3. But what of the wicked people “who speak arrogantly, haughtily and contemptuously of the tzaddik” (Psalms 31:19) ? From where do they receive the ruach to fill the lack? But know! there is a RaV of the kelipah (husks). He corresponds to Esav, as is written in connection to Esav (Genesis 33:9), “I have RaV (a lot).” This also corresponds to (Genesis 36:40), “… the alufey (tribal chiefs of) Esav,” which Onkelos renders: “RaVrevay Esav”—who is the RaV of the husks.
The wicked receive their ruach from him. And he corresponds to the impure ruach, a ruach Se’ARah (storm wind), as in (Genesis 27:11), “But my brother Esav is an ish SA’iR (hairy man).” This is why their ruach is temporarily strong and mighty, much like the storm wind which blows strongly while it lasts.
Therefore, “he blows away all his enemies” (Psalms 10:5) —specifically “blows.” The wicked man overpowers them through the [blowing] ruach of his mouth, which is mighty while it lasts. But he has no permanence at all, and in the end is spent and disappears; his body and soul left wasted (cf. Tikkuney Zohar #18).
{“But He is m’shalem (repays) His enemies to their face [in this world] in order to destroy them [in the next]” (Deuteronomy 7:10).} It is also written, “But He is m’shalem His enemies to their face in order to destroy them.” The word “m’ShaLeM” denotes the Sh’ LeyMut (wholeness [in place]) of the lack which is drawn to him—i.e., the aspect of extended ruach. This is also the meaning of “to their face.” The face corresponds to ruach, as our Sages taught: “Their facial expression bears witness against them” (Isaiah 3:9) —this refers to the nose (Yevamot 120a). [The nose] corresponds to ruach, as in, “And He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,” and, “All in whose nostrils was a breath of the ruach-of-life.” But [His intention] is “in order to destroy them.” For even though at the moment he is mighty, in the end [God’s enemy] will be destroyed.
This corresponds to: Erekh apayim (patience) for the wicked (Yerushalmi, Taanit 2:5). For the ruach, the breath, is an aspect of erekh apayim. And this is: [God] is patient, but He collects His due (Bereishit Rabbah 67:4). Even though for the moment [the wicked man’s] ruach is strong and mighty—an aspect of, “He is patient”—nevertheless, ultimately “He collects His due.”
And this is why the Jews are called “afflicted and SoARah (assaulted)” (Isaiah 54:11), for they are presently under the rule of Esav ish SA’iR —the ruach Se’ARah. However, someone who is attached to the tzaddikim receives the ruach-of-life—the wholeness [in place] of the lack—from the tzaddik/ rav of holiness.
4. {“The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man shall pacify it” (Proverbs 16:14).} Therefore, “But a wise man shall pacify it.” The lack [a person feels] results from his sins. As our Sages taught: There is no death without [there first being] transgression; nor suffering without sin, as in (Psalms 89:33), “I will punish their transgression with the rod, and their sin with plagues” (Shabbat 55a). Therefore, the tzaddik, who draws the ruach-of-life and provides wholeness [in place] of the lack, is capable of winning atonement for the sin. This stems from the great mercy and compassion of the Creator, blessed be His name. For He contracts Himself into being the ruach-of-life for the tzaddikim—i.e., that they will receive the ruach-of-life from the Torah and draw the ruach-of-life to the lack; and with this they atone the sins.
{“God, God, Omnipotent, merciful and compassionate, erekh apayim (patient), with rav chesed (great kindness) and truth. He is notzer chesed (keeps [in mind] the deeds of kindness) l’alafim (for thousands [of generations]), forgiving of sin and rebellion and error. Cleansing sin…” (Exodus 34:6).} [The atonement of sin] corresponds to the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy: “God, God, Omnipotent, merciful and compassionate, erekh apayim ….” “Erekh apayim” is an aspect of ruach <-of-life>, in that [God] extends His breath—sighing over [man’s] lack.
This is the meaning of “with rav chesed .” As we have said, a person receives the ruach-of-life from the tzaddik/ rav of holiness. He is RaV chesed ; the antithesis of Esav, the RaV of the husks, who is “reddish,” [from the side of] stern judgment. And this is, “and truth.” For the tzaddik receives the ruach-of-life from the Torah, which is called “the Torah of truth [that] was in his mouth” (Malakhi 2:6).
And this is the meaning of, “He keeps [in mind] the deeds of kindness l’alafim.” [The word] “l’ALaFim” alludes to the ALuFey (tribal chiefs of) Esav, the RaVrevay Esav—they are the RaV of the husks. And this is, “notzer chesed.” “Chesed” corresponds to the rav of holiness. He “keeps” [in check] and mitigates the tribal chiefs of Esav, ravrevay Esav.
And therefore, “[He is] forgiving of sin and rebellion.” For as a result of the ruach-of-life, the wholeness [in place] of the lack, that we draw from the tzaddik by sighing, sins are atoned. This is the meaning of, “… but a wise man shall pacify it”; which is, “forgiving of sin and rebellion.”
5. Now, by sighing, a person draws the ruach-of-life to the lack about which he sighs. This makes it whole. Nevertheless, one cannot [attempt to] provoke the wicked. For when a person provokes the wicked man, and he then sighs and draws ruach from his rav of the husks—his ruach being momentarily mighty, so that “he blows away all his enemies”—he is capable of harming him, God forbid.
Therefore, not everyone may confront the wicked; only someone who is a perfect tzaddik. A perfect tzaddik is someone who is on the level of (Proverbs 12:21), “No sin will befall the tzaddik.” In other words, he has already expelled and eliminated whatever bad he may have had, to the point where he is certain that he will in no way be brought to sin.
This matter [of eliminating the bad] is as follows: There are four fundamental elements: fire, air, water, earth. Above, in their transcendent root, they correspond to the four letters [of God’s Holy Name] YHVH (cf. Tikkuney Zohar #22). But, below [in our world], they are a mixture of good and bad. The perfect tzaddik, however, has completely distinguished and separated the bad from the good, so that he is without even a residue of bad from any one of these four elements—which encompass all the traits, as is known. When he is on this level, [the tzaddik] is permitted to provoke the wicked. <And those who are attached to such a tzaddik may also provoke them.>
The matter is this: Every wicked man has to have a conduit through which he receives his ruach in order to provide wholeness [in place] of the lack. This conduit is the particular bad trait from the four elements which he drew [upon himself] and [with which he is] empowered. Through this conduit and path he receives the ruach-of-life needed to fill this lack. And when the tzaddik wants to humble him, he must descend into that bad trait with which the wicked man has empowered himself, to subdue and destroy the conduit <through> which the wicked man receives his < ruach>.
This is why the tzaddik must be a perfect tzaddik, without any bad whatsoever; so that the storm wind, which is also the wicked man’s ruach-of-life, cannot, God forbid, overpower and harm the tzaddik when he descends into the wicked man’s bad trait in order to destroy it. For the bad has no hold or grasp on the perfect tzaddik; there isn’t anywhere [for the bad] to attach itself to him.
{Even the bad quality itself into which the tzaddik descends in order to bring about its destruction has no hold on him. His entry there is solely for the purpose of subduing and casting it down, as in (Genesis 13:1), “And Avraham ascended from Egypt.”}
This is: “Mashpil Resha’im Adey Eretz,” the initial letters of which are [also the initial letters of] Esh, Ruach, Mayim, Afar (fire, air, water, earth). These are all the four elements, which encompass all qualities and traits. A person has to totally purify these [traits] so that none of the bad found in any trait of the four elements has any hold on him. At that point, as mentioned, he is a perfect tzaddik. And only then, when he separates the bad from the four elements—fire, air, water, earth—does he “cast down the wicked to the ground.”
This is not the case for the tzaddik who lacks perfection. Even if he is not guilty of any sin, he still has not totally separated out the bad. The bad still exists in potential and it is therefore forbidden for him to antagonize the wicked. For the bad has where to attach itself to him. The extended ruach of the wicked man, which is mighty in its moment, just as the storm wind, has the power to harm him, God forbid.
As our Sages taught: [If someone asks,] “Is it not written (Psalms 37:1), ‘Do not engage in conflict with those who are wicked?’” [answer him] that this is said by someone whose heart worries (Berakhot 7b). Rashi explains: “This is someone who fears because of the sins in his hand.” Specifically “in his hand,” because, as we have said, in reality he is not guilty of any sin. It is just that he is still afraid of the sins which are in his hand and his power to commit. Potentially, the bad still exists. He has not as yet merited the level of “no sin will befall the tzaddik”; he cannot yet be certain that he will in no way be brought to sin, God forbid. It is therefore forbidden for him to provoke the wicked.
And this is (Habakkuk 1:13), “Why do You hold Your peace, as the wicked man devours a tzaddik greater than he.” Our Sages taught: He devours “a tzaddik greater than he,” [but not a perfect tzaddik] (Berakhot, ibid.). Specifically “devours,” because [the wicked man] literally devours him by extending his ruach, which is mighty in its moment. But the perfect tzaddik is not devoured. This is because his heart is not made anxious by a concern that he might in some way be brought to sin. For he has already totally eliminated the bad from all the traits and desires of each of the four elements.
Therefore, this perfect tzaddik—and all those joined with him—are permitted to provoke the wicked. For this tzaddik is capable of descending into the conduits of all their bad traits with which they have empowered themselves, to break and eliminate them. And, by means of this, he “casts down the wicked to the ground,” as mentioned above.
6. To achieve this, to be able to distinguish, separate and eliminate the bad from the good, one must engage in Torah and prayer. This Torah study should be delving into the depths of the law (Megillah 4b) —i.e., studying the Codifiers. For good and bad have a hold on the Torah. They are attached through the aspects of forbidden and permitted, impure and pure, kosher and unkosher, which appear in the Torah. And as long as one does not clarify the law, he is a mixture of good and bad.
This is why he cannot separate and eliminate the bad from the good. He is in the aspect of (Proverbs 11:27), “He who seeks bad, it will come to him.” Only once he delves into and clarifies the law in practice, and determines <the permitted, the kosher and the pure>—i.e., by studying the Codifiers—can he separate <the bad from the good> (cf. Tikkuney Zohar #50, p.98b). However, being worthy of the intellect necessary for “delving into the depths of the law” only comes through prayer, because it is from there that intellect is drawn.
7. This matter [of Torah and prayer] is as follows: The Tikkuney Zohar (#13, p.29b; #14, 30a) states: “Gan (the garden) is the Torah.” The Torah is called a garden. The Jewish souls who M’AYeNim (delve into) and understand the Torah are the various types of grasses which grow in the garden. What makes them grow? [They draw] from the MaAYaN (fountain), which is chokhmah (wisdom), as in (Song of Songs 4:15), “A fountain of gardens….”
From where do they receive the wisdom and intellect—this fountain? It comes from prayer, as is written (Joel 4:18), “A fountain will flow from the house of God.” And this [“house of God”] is prayer, as in (Isaiah 56:7), “For My house is a house of prayer.”
[Prayer] is the medium for actualizing the potential. Prayer is the aspect of “renewing the world.” This is because prayer <corresponds to faith,> for he believes that there is a M’chadesh (an Originator) capable of changing nature as He pleases. Thus [prayer] corresponds to potential creation, as in (Psalms 104:24), “You made them all with wisdom.” This alludes to prayer, from where the fountain of wisdom flows.
And Torah corresponds to actualized creation, as in (Proverbs 8:30), “I was as His amone (nurseling).” <Do not read this AMoNe but> UMaN (architect), which connotes actualized [creation], for with the Torah the world was created.
Thus, when a person prays for something, it is an aspect of renewing the world and is synonymous with creation in potential. It also corresponds to an arousal of wisdom, which is in the prayer. As previously mentioned, “A fountain will flow from the house of God”—this is prayer, for that is where the wisdom is aroused. From there the fountain, the wisdom, is drawn to the Torah. And there [in the Torah] it goes <from potential> to actual, as in (Proverbs 2:6), “[For God gives wisdom]: from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” <The Torah is> the revelation of the wisdom, and through this the “fountain of gardens” is made. The fountain waters the garden and causes the grasses to grow.
{“Extended longing makes the heart ache, but with the Tree of Life desire is fulfilled” (Proverbs 13:12).} This is the meaning of what our Sages taught: Someone who is M’AYaiN (looks deeply) into his prayers comes to heartache. As is written, “Extended longing makes the heart ache…” (Berakhot 32b). What is his cure? Let him engage in Torah study, as is written, “… but with the Tree of Life desire is fulfilled.”
As we have said, [as long as that which a person wants] is in prayer, it is still in potential. It only becomes concretized when it comes to the Torah, which is the aspect of actualized creation. Then, that which he asks for is done—having gone from potential to actual.
And this is as it is written, “A river flows from Eden to water the garden. And from there it separates, becoming four tributaries” (Genesis 2:10).
Eden — This corresponds to prayer. As our Sages taught (Berakhot 34b): Eden—“No eye has seen it” (Isaiah 64:3). And [“no eye has seen it”] applies to prayer, which transcends nature. For nature can be changed through prayer. {Eden is “no eye has seen it” because we cannot fathom that which transcends nature.} And this is:
A river flows from Eden — I. e., from prayer, as mentioned above, “A fountain will flow from the house of God.” “… to water the garden”—this is the Torah, as mentioned, the “fountain of gardens.”
And when the fountain of wisdom from prayer is drawn to the garden—the Torah—then it causes the grasses—the Jewish souls—to grow. In other words, [the Jewish souls] grow in the garden, they gain understanding and intelligence of the Torah. Then they merit “delving into the depths of the law,” in order to determine <the correct> law: <the permitted, kosher and pure from the impure, unkosher and forbidden>. By doing so, they separate the good from the bad. This is the meaning of:
from there it separates — By [clarifying the law] the bad is separated out of the four elements. Only the good remains. Then:
becoming four tributaries — These are the four letters YHVH, which are the root of the good found in the four elements, as above.
8. This corresponds to the four tzitzit (corner fringes). The four tzitzit correspond to the ruach-of-life, as in (Ezekiel 37:9), “Thus says God: From the four directions comes the ruach.” It is through [the tzitzit] that the ruach se’arah —i.e., the ruach of the opponents who militate against the true tzaddikim—is subdued.
[These opponents] draw their extended ruach from the rav of the husks, who corresponds to “Esav is an ish sa’ir (hairy man).” This is why the tzitzit are synonymous with Sei’AR (hair), as in (Ezekiel 8:3), “And He took me by the tzitzit (locks) of my head.” For through [the tzitzit], Esav ish SA’iR —i.e., the ruach Se’ARah —is subdued.
And this is the concept of the white tallit (prayer shawl) that God donned when He set [before Moshe] the Thirteen Attributes (see Rosh HaShanah 17b). For the Thirteen Attributes corresponds to the holy ruach-of-life; and the tallit with its four corners alludes to the ruach from the four corners [of the earth]. This is “the white tallit,” which is the antithesis of the ruach of the husks—corresponding to Esav, who is “reddish, as hairy as a fur coat” (Genesis 25:25). Rashi explains: “[The hair covered him] like a tallit.” Specifically “like a tallit”—the tallit of the husks, which is a red garment. For from there, the ruach of the wicked is drawn.
But through the tallit of holiness, the white tallit, [the wicked man] is subdued. This is because the holy ruach-of-life—i.e., the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy—is drawn from there. Therefore, God specifically donned a white tallit when He set before Moshe the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. For through the tallit of holiness—corresponding to both the makif (surrounding) and the ruach-of-life, as in (Ecclesiastes 1:6), “The ruach goes round and round”—the tallit of the husks, the ruach of the husks, is subdued.
This is (Job 38:13), “To take hold of the corners of the earth, that the wicked be shaken off it.” The four corners correspond to the holy ruach-of-life and to the “four tributaries.” Through them, “the wicked are shaken,” corresponding to “Mashpil Resha’im Adey Eretz (He casts down the wicked to the ground)”—the first letters of Esh, Ruach, Mayim, Afar, as above.
This is the explanation:
Rabbah bar bar Chanah recounted: This merchant said to me, “Come, I will show you the dead [of the Generation] of the Desert.” I went and saw them. They resembled drunkards, lying flat out. One of them had his knee raised up, and the merchant went under his knee while riding a gamal (a camel). He held up his romach (spear), but still could not touch it. I cut off a corner from the tzitzit of one of them. [After this,] we were not able to leave. The merchant asked me, “Did you perhaps take something from them? We have a tradition: Anyone who takes something from them cannot depart.” So I went and put back [the tzitzit corner]. Then we were able to leave (Bava Batra 73b).
Come, I will show you the dead of the desert — In other words, he showed him the wicked people who are not attached to the tzaddikim. They are referred to as “the dead of the desert,” for the “ruach tzefonit (northern wind) did not blow in the desert” (Yevamot 72a) —i.e., the aspect of the holy ruach-of-life, corresponding to the ruach tzefonit which blew upon King David’s harp. But these wicked people, who do not attach themselves to the tzaddikim, and do not have the ruach of holiness, are “even when alive, considered dead” (Berakhot 18b). The [merchant] showed him from where [the wicked] draw wholeness [in place] of their lack. This is what he showed him:
They resembled drunkards — Rashbam explains that they were like those who drink too much wine. This corresponds to Esav the “reddish [one],” who is the rav of the husks. From there the wicked get their ruach-of-life in order to fill that which they lack. Thus:
lying flat out — Rashbam explains that their faces were directed upwards. Their faces corresponds to ruach, as in, “Their facial expression bears witness against them.” This is the meaning of upwards: for the moment, their ruach is mighty, so that their fortune is ascendant, as in, “he blows away all his enemies.”
One of them had his knee raised up — This alludes to the great good fortune of the wicked. A lack of good fortune is known as “weak knees” (Isaiah 35:3) ; whereas his knee raised up indicates heightened good fortune.
And the merchant went under his knee — Namely, the tzaddik, who is called a merchant. As Rashbam explains, [“merchant”] is always a reference to an Ishmaelite socher (trader). The word socher corresponds to the ruach, as in (Ecclesiastes 1:6), “Round and round goes the wind.” This refers to the tzaddik, who receives the ruach <-of-life of holiness>. And this is “an iShMAelite trader,” similar to (Genesis 16:11), “[You shall call his name Yishmael,] for SheMA Hashem (God has heard) your plaint.” For the tzaddik hears all the sighs of those attached to him. From him life goes out to each one, because he is “a man in whom there is ruach.”
while riding a GaMaL (camel) — As in (Proverbs 11:17), “GoMeL nafsho (he does good to his soul), ish chesed (the man of kindness)”—this is the aspect of rav chesed, as mentioned above.
He stretched out his romach (spear) — RoMaCh corresponds to RuaCh Mem —“the ruach of God [that] hovers over the waters’ surface.” This is the Torah, which was given in a period of Mem (forty) days and is the source of the ruach-of-life. In other words, this tzaddik had the ruach which is received from the Torah. Even so, he came under the knee—under the good fortune—of the wicked man, as in, “The wicked man devours a tzaddik greater than he.”
I cut off a corner from the tzitzit of one of them — In other words, he separated and broke the bad trait in one of the four elements which the wicked man had empowered and drawn upon himself. This was his conduit of evil. I cut off a corner from the tzitzit: he separated one of their tzitzit. This is the aspect of separating and breaking their bad trait, their conduit. For all the bad traits stem from the four elements, the root of which, as we have said, is the four tzitzit .
we were not able to leave — That is, even though [he separated the tzitzit] he was not able to subdue the wicked man and emerge from under his knee. Even though he had separated and broken the wicked man’s bad trait, which is drawn from the four elements, whose root is in the tzitzit —thus he cut off a corner from the tzitzit of one of them —still, he was unable to subdue him and move out from under his knee. This corresponds to, we were not able to leave: we could not depart from there, as above.
The merchant asked me, Did you perhaps take something from them? — In other words, perhaps you still have <a bad trait from one of> these four elements which you have yet to completely rectify by entirely separating out the bad. This is why we were not able to leave. As explained above, as long as the bad of some trait has even the slightest hold on him, he cannot subdue the wicked man. Thus: Did you perhaps take something from them? Do you perhaps still have in you a slight attachment to some bad trait of the wicked? Have you taken to yourself some bad trait or desire of theirs? Therefore, we were not able to leave. This was why we are unable to depart from them, as above.
We have a tradition: Anyone who takes something from them cannot depart — That is, we have a tradition that whoever takes for himself any desire or bad trait from the wicked—in other words, their bad traits still have some hold on him—can neither leave nor subdue them.
So I went and put back the tzitzit corner — That is, I returned whatever little bit of their bad traits which I had. I returned and separated it from me.
Then we were able to leave — Then we were successful in emerging from under his knee to subdue and humble him. As explained, the perfect tzaddik entirely removes from himself any attachment to their evil. He is able to depart from them; he can subdue and humble [the wicked], as in, “He casts down the wicked to the ground.”
This is the explanation [of the opening verse]: “I looked, and behold a candelabrum all of gold, and a bowl on its top. {With seven lamps and seven pipes to the seven lamps that are on its top. And there are two olives near it, one to the right of the bowl and one to the left. And I said to the angel who spoke with me, saying, ‘What are these?…’ Then the angel who spoke with me answered, ‘This is the word of God to Zerubavel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My ruach, says the God of Hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubavel become a plain!’}” I looked, and behold a candelabrum all of gold — This is the Torah which is “more desired than gold” (Psalms 19:11).
and a bowl on its top — Rashi explains: “This is a MaAYaN (fountain).” It is the fountain that flows from “the house of God,” which is prayer.
With seven lamps — These are the souls which grow in the garden. They divide into seven categories.
and seven pipes to the seven lamps — These are the forty-nine lights: the Light [of Creation] hidden away for the Future (cf. Rashi, loc. cit.). This corresponds to “Eden—No eye has seen it,” the aspect of prayer, as explained.
And there are two olives near it — Rashi explains: “These were two trees.” This alludes to the Tree of Life and the tree of death; i.e., good and bad. Thus:
one [tree] to the right and one to the left — As above. And, “from there it separates”—the bad was separated from the good—this to the right and that to the left.
And I said to the angel who spoke with me, saying, What are these? Then the angel who spoke with me answered, This is the word of God to Zerubavel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My ruach — Namely, the ruach-of-life, as in, “Thus says God: From the four directions comes the ruach.”
This is because through Torah and prayer, by means of which the good is selected from the bad—this being the vision of the candelabrum—one merits the ruach-of-life and provides wholeness [in place] of the lack.
{This is: Not by might, nor by power, but by My ruach, says the God of Hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubavel become a plain! — Zerubavel was then the tzaddik of the generation. He encountered opposition from a number of wicked people who wanted to prevent him from serving God. This is explained in a number of verses. In this regard it is written: Not by might, nor by power, but by My ruach. As we have seen, through the ruach-of-life which the perfect tzaddik draws, all enemies are subdued and humbled. Thus, Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubavel become a plain! All those opponents who stood before him like a mountain, they will all be eliminated by the ruach-of-life.}
9. {“I am God your Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide v’amalayhu (and I will fill it)” (Psalms 81:11) .} It has been explained that the ruach-of-life is in the Torah, corresponding to, “And the ruach of God hovers over the waters’ surface.” Therefore, [when the Jews were] in Egypt, which was before they were given the Torah, they did not have from where to receive the ruach-of-life. Of them the verse states (Exodus 6:9), “[But they did not hearken to Moshe] for their ruach was short.” This was because they did not have from where to draw the ruach-of-life, which is the aspect of erekh apayim (patience), extended ruach. It was therefore said of them that “their ruach was short.” This is the antithesis of patience, which is the ruach-of-life drawn through sighing in order to provide wholeness [in place] of the lack, as above. For ruach is wholeness [in place] of the lack, corresponding to, “He will give you what your heart lacks.”
And this is: “Open your mouth wide v’amalayhu”—the lack is filled. This alludes to the [Hebrew vowel point] M ’LaPUM: M’Lo PUM (a full mouth).
The matter is as follows: The m’lapum is yod vav. [The yod] corresponds to the yod types of pulse, paralleling the yod Commandments (Zohar III, 257a). It is common knowledge that the pulse comes from the ruach. This is why the types of pulse are ten, paralleling the Ten Commandments; for the ruach, which corresponds to the pulse, is in the Torah. And the vav is the aspect of drawing the ruach.
This is the m’ lapum — m’lo pum. By drawing the ruach there is wholeness [in place] of the lack. As is written, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it”—that which was lacking is filled, corresponding to m’lapum: a full mouth.
And this is why [the verse] specifies, “I am God your Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt”—they received the Torah, in which there is the ruach ; and then concludes, “… open your mouth v’aMaLAyhu.” This is the abovementioned M’LApum, the aspect of wholeness [in place] of the lack.
It was specifically after leaving Egypt—corresponding to “who brought you up from the land of Egypt”—that ruach was no longer “short,” for they had received the Torah in which there is the ruach-of-life. Then, and only then, [was there] “open your mouth and I will fill it,” the aspect of wholeness [in place] of the lack—i.e., a full mouth, as in, “God will fill all that which you ask for.”
This is why the redemption from Egypt is mentioned in the Chapter of Tzitzit. For tzitzit corresponds to the ruach-of-life, as in, “From the four directions comes the ruach.”
At the time he [gave this lesson, Rebbe Nachman] also spoke of the twelve hours of the day and the twelve hours of the night. They align with the twelve permutations of YHVH, with each hour having a different permutation. Furthermore, each hour is divided into 1,080 parts, with each part of the 1,080 parts also having a permutation of the Name. All this corresponds to the ruach-of-life which is in the pulse. However, I [Reb Noson] was not fortunate enough to hear the explanation of this clearly. I’ve also forgotten some details. Those with wisdom [in these matters] will understand.
10. “God’s chariots are twice ten thousand, alfey shinan (thousands upon thousands)” (Psalms 68:18).
ALFeY alludes to ALuFeY Esav. As a result of “God’s chariots are twice ten thousand”—corresponding to the giving of the Torah, from which the rabbis of holiness receive the ruach-of-life—“alfey shinan.” As our Sages taught: Do not read ShiNAN, but She’AiNaN (are not) (Avodah Zarah 3b). That is, through the giving of the Torah, which contains the holy ruach of the rabbis of holiness, the tribal chiefs of Esav/ ravrevay Esav—the aspect of the rav of the husks—are subdued and defeated. This is the implication of alfey she’ainan: the alufey Esav/ ravrevay Esav are defeated and ainan (are not).
11. “From the k’naf (corner) of the earth we heard songs, tzvi latzaddik (glory to the righteous). But I said, ‘A secret to me, a secret to me, woe to me! Traitors have betrayed; and beged bogdim bagadu (those who betrayed the traitors have betrayed). [Fear, and the pit, and the trap are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth]’” (Isaiah 24:16,17).
“From the K’NaF (corner) of the earth” corresponds to KaNFey (corners of) tzitzit, in which there is the ruach-of-life—the aspect of King David’s harp, which was played by the northern ruach, as explained. This is because melody and song are drawn from the ruach-of-life in the KaNFey reiah (lungs). And this is the meaning of “we heard songs,” which corresponds to the song of King David’s harp, the ruach-of-life. This also corresponds to the corners of the tzitzit, as in, “From the corner of the earth.” And through this the wicked are subdued, as in, “To take hold of the corners of the earth, that the wicked be shaken off of it.”
And this is “TZVi latzaddik.” Rashi explains: “There will be a maTZaV (firm positioning) and a standing up for the tzaddikim.” As we’ve seen, through the ruach-of-life the tzaddikim overcome the wicked.
“But I said, ‘A secret to me, a secret to me, woe to me!’” Rashi explains: “Two secrets were revealed to me, the secret of suffering and the secret of salvation. However, the salvation remains distant, until….” For the ruach of the wicked is mighty while it lasts, just like the ruach se’arah from which come all the suffering and the lengthy exile of the Jews.
And so, “Traitors have betrayed; and BeGeD bogdim bagadu.” The traitors and wicked people draw from a blemish in the BeGaDim (garments)—i.e., a blemish of the tzitzit, which are on the corners of the garment—which is a blemish in the four elements, whose attachment and transcendent root correspond to the four tzitzit.
But in the end, “Fear, and the pit, and the trap are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth.” All the wicked will be subdued and humbled, for they will eventually be destroyed and disappear. The perfect tzaddikim subdue them and “cast down the wicked to the ground” through their ruach-of-life/the tzitzit, corresponding to, “From the corner of the earth we heard songs.”
King David’s harp had five strings. They are representative of the Five Books of the Torah. The Zohar (III, 32a) likewise teaches: Those who grasp the Torah are like players of the harp.
“There are five lobes to the lungs” (Chullin 47a). This is because the ruach-of-life resides in the lungs, and it is from there that the ruach of the sigh is drawn, as is known empirically. Thus, there the lungs have five lobes, paralleling the Five Books of the Torah, the five strings of King David’s harp in which there is the ruach-of-life. (See Tikkuney Zohar #10: “The corners of mitzvah have five knots, corresponding to the words Shema Yisrael YHVH Eloheinu YHVH, which correspond to the five strings of King David’s harp….”)