אות - רסא

The following was found in one of our manuscripts. It was written by one of our group and is neither in order nor well-edited. This is what could be gathered from it: 351 From the context, it appears that this lesson was delivered on a Shabbat when VaYeshev was read during the week of Chanukah. This is a rather rare occurrence, and happened only five times during the Rebbe's career – in 5554/1793, 5561/1800, 5564/1803, 5567/1806 and 5568/1808. In the latter three years, Chanukah contained two Shabbats, the first being VaYeshev and the second, Miketz . In 5564 and 5567, respectively, Lessons #14 and #30 in Likutey Moharan I were delivered – in both cases on the second Shabbat, namely that of Miketz (see end of Lesson #30 where Miketz is mentioned). Lesson #14 was also delivered on the Shabbat of Miketz , as discussed earlier in note 316. (Additional evidence that the second Shabbat was always kept can be derived from Alim LeTerufah #32, where we find that Reb Noson also kept the second Shabbat in 5591/1830, another year which had two Shabbats fall during Chanukah.) The year 5568 found the Rebbe in Lemberg during Chanukah, and there is no record of his having given any lesson at all. In the years 5554 and 5561, however, VaYeshev was the only Shabbat to fall during Chanukah. Therefore, this lesson was most probably said in one of these years, either in Medvedevka or Zlatipolia. This might explain why this lesson was discovered only after the Rebbe's passing, and why Reb Noson never edited it under his supervision. It is written, “Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the Land of Canaan. These are Jacob’s offspring: Joseph …” (Genesis 37:1-2) .

It is also written, “My foot stands on a sound place; in congregations I will bless God” (Psalms 26:12) .

The foot is faith (cf. Likutey Moharan II, 80) . It supports the Torah and all good traits.

Thus, the Talmud teaches that the Prophet Habakkuk included all the commandments of the Torah in one principle: “The righteous man shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4; Makkot 24a) .

Faith is the foundation and root of all Torah and devotion.

Faith must be clear and pure, without admixture ( EiRuV ). It must not be in the category of evening ( EReV ). 352 Faith is an aspect of morning (cf. Lamentations 3:23). See “ His Wisdom ” #106, that faith is called light. It is written, “A man of faith abounds in blessings” (Proverbs 28:20) . Faith is the channel for every benefit and blessing.

Skepticism causes these benefits and blessings to be taken by the evil husks. It is written, “The wicked walk round about” (Psalms 12:9) . This is the husk of skepticism that surrounds the holy fruit of faith. When this skepticism enters the mind, faith is blemished. These husks then take the blessings and benefits.

Doubts can engulf a man and confuse his faith. The root of this skepticism is pride.

The Talmud teaches that God says to the proud man, “You and I cannot abide together” ( Sotah 5a) . When pride causes a departure of God’s [Presence], skepticism has a place to enter. The doubts are an eclipse of God’s presence.

To avoid pride, you must open your eyes. If you compare your own lowly state to God’s lofty greatness, you will never be proud or skeptical.

The door to this [comprehension] is Shabbat. You must greet Shabbat with great honor and proper sanctity.

Shabbat is an eye. Through it, you can see your own lowliness and God’s loftiness.

ShaBbaT is Shin BaT . The Hebrew letter Shin has three heads – the three colors of the eye. 353 Tikkuney Zohar #70, 128a; Likutey Moharan II, 67. Also see Tikkuney Zohar #4, 18b; ibid., 37, 78a; Likutey Moharan I, 13:4, 38:7, 59:6. BaT means daughter – the BaT ayin (pupil of the eye). 354 Cf. Zechariah 2:12; Targum , Rashi , Rashbam on Deuteronomy 32:10; Rashi , Metzudot on Psalms 17:8. Through the eye of Shabbat, you can see your own lowliness ( Likutey Moharan I, 79) .

When you keep Shabbat, you are rescued from pride and are worthy of faith.

Thus, we are taught, “He who keeps Shabbat according to its laws, though he may worship idols like the generation of Enosh, his sins are forgiven” ( Shabbat 118b) .

Keeping Shabbat annihilates the idolatry of skepticism and makes one worthy of true faith.

Idolatrous skepticism is a blemish of faith, causing harsh decrees to descend upon the world. For when idolatry exists in the world, there is anger in the world. 355 Sifri 96; Rashi on Deuteronomy 13:18; Likutey Moharan I, 18:2. Cf. Sanhedrin 111b.

This is the concept of God’s Name, Elokim (the Name expressing harsh judgment).

It is written, “For a sun and shield is God the Lord ( YHVH Elokim )” (Psalms 84:12) . The Name Elokim is the moon, a shield that eclipses the sun. The Talmud teaches that God says, “In this world, My Name is not read as it is written.

It is written YHVH (the Tetragrammaton) and read Adonoy . But in the World to Come, it will be both written and read YHVH ” ( Pesachim 50a) . This is because the moon is incomplete, resulting from a blemish of faith. The written Name and the spoken Name cannot be the same, for, “The sun has never seen the blemish of the moon” ( Rosh HaShanah 23b) .

[The written Name is the Written Torah and the spoken Name is the Oral Torah. These are the names YHVH and Elokim , the sun and the moon. This is the meaning of, “For a sun and a shield is YHVH Elokim .”

[Faith is the moon. When faith is lacking, the moon is blemished. The written and spoken Names of God cannot be the same, for the sun cannot see the moon’s blemish.

[Regarding the World to Come, it is written, “God will be One and His Name One” (Zechariah 14:9) . The moon’s blemish will be remedied and God’s spoken Name will be YHVH , the same as His written Name.]

The greater a man’s faith, the more the names YHVH and Elokim are brought together and unified. They become included in each other as in the future.

Jacob is an aspect of the sun ( Likutey Moharan I, 1) . This is the Name YHVH . Isaac is the moon, the Name Elokim .

It is written, “Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings.” The aspect of Jacob is unified and dwells with the aspect of Isaac. YHVH is unified with Elokim , the sun with the moon. This is the aspect of, “ YHVH Hu HaElokim – God is the Lord” (I Kings 18:39) .

[“Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan”: CaNaAn has the same root as haChNaAh – submission and lowliness. Lowliness results in faith, which in turn leads to the above unification.]

“These are Jacob’s offspring: Joseph ….” Joseph is Yosef (addition).

This is Tosefet Shabbat – the minutes and hours we add to Shabbat. Shabbat is what makes us worthy of humility. We then can attain perfect faith – the correction of the moon’s blemish – the unification of Jacob and Isaac, YHVH and Elokim .

“My foot stands on a sound place; in congregations I will bless God”: The foot of faith must stand on a sound foundation. It must be perfect, without impurity. Then, “In congregations I will bless God ( YHVH ).” I will then be able to speak out and bless with the Tetragrammaton, the Ineffable Name of God. The blemish of the moon will be filled and “God will be One and His Name One.”

The written and spoken Names will be the same and we will be worthy of blessing with the Name YHVH in congregations. “My foot stands on a sound place; in congregations I will bless YHVH .”

As a result, good bounty and blessing are then drawn from on high.

This is the Chanukah lamp.

Oil is wisdom. 356 Berakhot 57a; Bava Batra 25a; Likutey Moharan I, 177. It is written, “The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew” (Genesis 3:7) . Rashi explains that the opening of the eyes is wisdom. Wisdom is in the eyes.

When you look through the eyes of wisdom, you are worthy of perceiving your lowliness. You can then attain perfect faith.

The Talmud teaches that the measure of oil needed for the Chanukah lamp is enough to last until “feet no longer walk outside” ( Shabbat 21b) . The feet are the feet of faith. You must look carefully with the eye of wisdom until your faith is purified. Then “feet no longer walk outside.” The feet of faith no longer will walk in the place of the Outside Forces of skepticism. This is the required measure of oil – the wisdom needed to realize your lowliness and to be worthy of perfect faith.