Likutey Moharan/Parte 1/Torá 155

<Likutei Moharan

Torah 155:1

1Sadness is a very evil trait. And, a person’s not traveling to the tzaddik is due to sadness and sluggishness <and slothfulness>.

2Likewise, a person’s not praying <or studying Torah with inspiration and intensity> is due to sadness and slothfulness—i.e., due to a lack of faith. For certainly, if he had perfect faith and believed that God is close to him and hears every single word that comes from his mouth, and hearkens to the sound of his prayer, he would definitely not have any sadness, slothfulness or sluggishness in his prayers. And he would certainly pray properly.

3However, the confusion of prayer is mainly due to a lack of faith. As a result, slothfulness and sadness beset him and muddle his prayer. For sadness and the slothfulness are primarily due to a lack of faith.

4This is similar, for example, to placing wheat in good earth. It then grows and sprouts well, and is not harmed by any winds, storms or thunder. This is because <it> has the power to sprout and the power to grow, and so nothing harms it. But when the wheat is put in earth unsuitable for sowing, it then rots in the earth because it has neither the power to sprout nor the power to grow.

5Now, EMuNah (faith) is an aspect of growing power and sprouting power. As it is written (Esther 2:7), “And ŒMeiN (he raised) Hadassah”—an expression connoting growth. As our Sages teach: Faith—this is the Order of Zera’im (Seeds) (Shabbat 31a). Therefore, when one has faith, which is the aspect of growing power and sprouting power, he is then not harmed by any <obstacle>, and he is not afraid of anybody or anything. He prays with proper vitality and travels to the tzaddik, for he is neither frightened by nor afraid of anything in the world.

6But when <he> lacks faith, he then does not have the power to grow and the power to sprout. In that case, he literally rots, like the aforementioned wheat. As a result, he experiences sadness, slothfulness and sluggishness, and literally rots.

Torah 155:2

12. This is the concept of “erekh apaim (slow to anger)” (Exodus 34:6). In other words, that he fears nothing and pays no attention to any interruption and confounding of his service [of God], but instead does what he has to do—this is the concept of “slow to anger.” Nothing can confuse him, because nothing bothers him. Rather, he does what he has to do in his service of God.

2This is because “slow to anger” is dependent upon the aspect of faith. For “As long as there is idol worship in the world, there is Divine wrath in the world” (Sifri, Deuteronomy 13:18). But through faith, which is the reverse of idolatry, Divine wrath is eliminated. Then one merits to arikhat APa’im (patience), which is the reverse of charon APh (Divine wrath).

3 In other words, through faith one merits patience. He will be patient with regard to any confusion or obstacle that he experiences in his prayer and service. He will be forbearing towards everything; he will not at all be sad or slothful because of this [obstacle]. Rather, he will restrain his ruach -spirit [from anger] and not be bothered by it whatsoever. He will do what he has to do in his service and persevere throughout, and will not at all be affected by the confusions and obstacles.

4All this is the aspect of “slow to anger” to which a person merits through faith, which corresponds to growing power and sprouting power. Through this he grows and blossoms, and is successful in his service. For he cannot be confounded by any obstacle that might make him fall into sadness and sluggishness, God forbid, and thereby obstruct him. Rather, he will do what he has to do with zeal and joy, without taking any note of all the confusions. All this is the aspect of “slow to anger”/faith/growing power and sprouting power, as above.

Torah 155:3

13. And know! “slow to anger” is dependent upon the Land of Israel. There, one merits to the aspect of “slow to anger.” For the Land of Israel corresponds to faith, as it is written (Psalms 37:3), “Dwell in the Land and cultivate faith”; and as our Sages teach: Whoever lives in the Land of Israel is likened to one who has God (Ketuvot 110b). Hence, the Land of Israel corresponds to faith, and, as mentioned, through faith one merits to the aspect of patience. In other words, as mentioned, there is no obstacle or confusion than can confound him from his service.

2We find therefore that the essential service of a Jew is achieved by means of the Land of Israel, which corresponds to faith/”slow to anger”/growing power and sprouting power. Through this one merits to strengthen his service and to take no notice of any obstruction or obstacle or confusion. For it is not possible to truly merit to the service of God except through this, as explained.

3Thus, essentially, Moshe Rabbeinu’s exceptional yearning and fervor, that he felt such enthusiasm for the Land of Israel, was only for the sake of this trait of patience; because he saw that there, in the Land of Israel, one merits to the aspect of “slow to anger.”

4This is what our Sages teach: “Moshe quickly bowed to the ground and prostrated himself” (Exodus 34:8). What did he see? He saw “slow to anger” (Sanhedrin 111a). This is as mentioned above. Because he saw the aspect of “slow to anger,” which is dependent upon the Land of Israel, he therefore “bowed to the ground.” His heart burned for the Land of Israel in order that he might merit to “slow to anger,” as above.

5They [the Sages] said there: “And another opinion holds: He [Moshe] saw truth.” One maintains this and one maintains that, yet there is no disagreement. This is because truth corresponds to the Land of Israel, as explained elsewhere. The Talmud concludes there: From this we can assume that he saw “slow to anger” (ibid.). For, as mentioned, the aspect of patience is paramount.

6 And each person has to request of God that he yearn and long for the Land of Israel, and that all the tzaddikim have great longing for the Land of Israel. This is also a propitious method for [overcoming] anger and sadness, for “whoever gets angry, it is as if he served idolatry” (Shabbat 105b). But the Land of Israel corresponds to faith/”slow to anger”; the reverse <of the Diaspora, which is idolatry/Divine wrath>.

7This is why prior to the Kriat Shema, which is [an expression of] faith in God’s unity, we request: “May He lead us with uprightness to our Land.” That is, we plead and long for the Land of Israel. Through this we merit to faith, namely Kriat Shema, which is faith.