אות - ס

A young girl was once injured in an excavation where they were building new houses in Breslov. 87 This occurred during the winter of 5570/1810 ( Tzaddik #185). Several other people were also endangered. The Rebbe then had a long discussion with us regarding building. Following are his words:

I have thought deeply about the concept of building, and I see that no one involved in it remains unharmed. This is true both of Jew and non-Jew. People are involved in building because the world cannot do without it. Therefore, people choose this trade.

This may be a complex matter, but still, no one involved in building remains unharmed.

The Talmud teaches, “Whoever engages in building becomes poor” ( Yebamot 63a; Sotah 11a) .

The Hebrew word mitmaSKeN (becomes poor) comes from the word miSKeN (poor man). It also shares the same root as SaKaNah (danger). A person involved in building is subject to both poverty and danger. 88 Cf. Likutey Moharan I, 206; Likutey Halakhot , Mezuzah 3:4; Tzaddik #182-183.

It is written, “They built storage cities ( arei miskenot ) for Pharaoh” (Exodus 1:11) . MiSKeNot (storage) has the same root. The Midrash says that according to one opinion, these storage cities impoverished ( memaSKeNot ) the Jewish people. According to another opinion, these cities endangered ( meSaKNot ) their owners ( Shemot Rabbah 1:14) . Building can result in both poverty and danger.

The most important thing is laying the foundation. It must be at the correct time [and place] and made of the correct type of wood. 89 In Rebbe Nachman's day, buildings had wooden foundations. See Alim LeTerufah #20, #51. Not all types of wood can provide a true foundation. But it is not possible to know all this.

For the same reason [that people do not know about such things], many types of fruit do not grow in our lands.

The world has a Foundation Stone ( Yoma 54b; Likutey Moharan I, 61:6) . Channels emanate from this stone, reaching every land. The Midrash says that the wise King Solomon knew the details of these channels and was therefore able to plant all types of trees ( Kohelet Rabbah 2:5) .

If people knew the exact location of these subterranean channels, they would be able to grow in our lands fruit trees that never grow here. Each channel has the power to stimulate a particular species. Even if a particular channel does not pass through our land, all the channels are intertwined and flow into each other.

If one knew the exact place, he could plant any type of tree.

If one knew the location of the channels, he could dig a well in the proper place and if he knew where to plant trees around it, he could then make any type of tree grow there.

The Foundation Stone of the world constantly rises and descends. If one knows its position, he knows what to plant at a particular time. All these things are concealed from the world, for some things may not be revealed.

People say that the world is gaining knowledge. But earlier generations made the primary discoveries, and this took the greatest wisdom. Later generations make discoveries only because earlier ones prepared the way. One generation makes the basic discoveries and later generations apply them. But the latter contribution is really the smaller.

The Talmud states, “If you would not have removed the piece of clay, you would not have found the jewel under it” ( Yebamot 92b; Bava Metzia 17b) .

Earlier generations may not have found the jewel. But they did remove the piece of clay. They uncovered the basic principles, allowing others to apply them with little ingenuity.

There are things that may not be revealed, for if they were revealed, later generations would make them objects of worship. If this original knowledge were to be revealed, later generations would use it and add to it, making grave mistakes. They could then develop concepts leading to heretical conclusions.

If some things were revealed, each succeeding generation would add on to them and be led astray. This would eventually lead to great destructiveness, promoting heresy. Therefore, the world is not permitted to know about these things at all.

It is written, “When you enter your land and plant any tree … three years shall its fruit be forbidden to you” (Leviticus 19:23) . The Zohar teaches that the evil forces of kelipah 90 According to Kabbalah, the kelipah or husk is the evil surrounding the good kernel (cf. Sefer HaYashar 1). dwell in trees during these first three years. 91 Zohar II, 244b. Cf. Etz Chaim , Sha'ar HaNesirah 3; Likutey Moharan I, 82. Earlier generations misunderstood this and thought that they were obliged to worship a tree during the three years that it was under the influence of the kelipah .

According to their error, it was a logical necessity to make such a tree an object of worship.

For this reason, many such things may not be revealed.