The Hillula of Rebbe Nachman: From the Secret of the Angel Bezek to the Power of the Song of the Torah

Shiur No. 420 | Sunday, 18 Tishrei, 3rd day of Chol HaMoed Sukkot 5765 - Yahrzeit of the Holy Rebbe - Part 2

In a class delivered on the yahrzeit of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, the Rav reveals the secret of the angel 'Bezek' who gathers the Torah and the dancing of the night. The Rav explains how accepting the yoke of Torah gives birth to true song, just as the cows that carried the Ark of the Covenant sang, and emphasizes the obligation to bring down the high lights of the festival into practical life and the world of Action.

There is a firmament to which all prayers ascend, and it is called "Bezek," a firmament located above the aspect of groom and bride. All prayers arrive there, and the angel Bezek, who rules over this firmament, rectifies them. The angel Bezek is created from that very spark that emerges from the earthenware broken during the engagement, which hints at the parochet (curtain) that covers the groom and bride. He gathers all the prayers of the Jewish people, waits until they finish praying, and then transfers them to the angel Sandalphon, who arranges them.

The angel Bezek gathers not only prayers but all words of Torah. All the Torah that a person learns during the night, the dancing, the songs, and the circle dances – everything goes to the angel Bezek. He gathers the letters and words, guards them in the firmament, and by day transfers them to Sandalphon. As Rebbe Nachman explains (Likutey Moharan, Torah 265), this corresponds to five times "ratzo v'shov" (running and returning) and five partzufim (Divine visages).

The Proof of Learning: Singing the Zemirot

Rebbe Nachman explains (Likutey Moharan Part II, Torah 31) that through melody, it is evident whether a person is kosher and has accepted upon himself the yoke of Torah. If one sees a person singing the zemirot (Shabbat songs) on Shabbat, it is proof that he learned Torah all week. Conversely, if he just wanders around, walks about, and is unable to sing, it is a sign that he is not learning. Torah is song.

After the High Holidays, the flights to Uman, and the exertions, it takes time to recover. Sometimes it is only by Tu B'Shvat that people begin to return to their studies in the kollel, and immediately Purim arrives and again everything is forgotten. Therefore, one must utilize every month and accept the yoke of Torah seriously. The yahrzeit of Rebbe Nachman is the source of song, the chamber of melody, because Rebbe Nachman is entirely song and melody. But it is impossible to sing if one has not learned Torah. If the father does not learn and does not sing, the child sees this, goes outside, starts throwing stones, and eventually, God forbid, will throw stones at his father too. Therefore, a person must prepare himself to play music and sing with his children, so that the daughter will feel the Garden of Eden and walk in modesty out of that sublime feeling.

The Song of the Cows and the Secret of the Seven Ewes

When a person accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah, the song bursts forth from him on its own. The Gemara (Arachin 11a) says:

"And they shall carry on the shoulder (yisau) – 'yisau' means nothing other than song."

The Midrash Rabbah brings that Moshe Rabbeinu toiled and labored greatly until he taught the Levites and the Jewish people the song of "Az Yashir". In contrast, regarding the cows that carried the Ark of the Covenant, the moment the Ark was placed upon them – they immediately sang. When there is Torah, everything flows on its own. The parnassah (livelihood) arrives, the doors open, one only needs to accept the yoke of Torah. The cows walked backwards all the way to Beit Shemesh, face to face with the Ark, and sang. What song did they sing? Some say they sang the Song of the Sea, some say they sang "Give thanks to Hashem, call upon His name," and some say they sang "Sing to Hashem a new song" or "Hashem reigns, let the nations tremble." Another opinion says that they composed a completely new song that is not written in any book: "Sing, sing, O acacia tree, wave in the greatness of the way..."

An immense secret is hidden in that Ark and in that holiness. In Parashat Vayeira, it is told about the seven ewes that Avraham gave to Avimelech. Impregnated within these ewes were the root souls of seven tzaddikim (Shaul and his three sons, Chofni, Pinchas, and Shimshon) and they were the root for seven Temples (Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov, the Tabernacle in the desert, Gibeon, and the two Holy Temples). When the Ark reached the Philistines, Dagon their god fell and shattered on the threshold. Instead of recognizing the power of the Ark, the Philistines attributed the power to the threshold itself, and until the days of Zephaniah the prophet there were those who "leap over the threshold" – worshipping the threshold of the door as idolatry. The moment a person does not believe in Hashem, even the threshold becomes idolatry for him.

Returning from Outer Space to the World of Action

Ba'alei teshuvah are compared to the willows of the brook; they fly faster than the speed of light, in the aspect of the first letter "Heh," but they are liable to wither quickly if they do not bring the lights down into vessels. On the yahrzeit of Rebbe Nachman, we speak about supernal worlds, about "Atika," flying into outer space and strengthening ourselves in the aspect of "ratzo" (running). But it is our obligation to remember the "shov" (returning) – to return to the atmosphere of planet Earth, to the world of Action.

The yahrzeit will end, Chol HaMoed and Simchat Torah will finish, and everyone will have to cope alone. The main thing is practical life. The world of Action is the main thing: shalom bayit (marital harmony) with one's wife, patience, not being violent even when they anger you. The coping of every second and every moment is what determines.

Now great lights are descending, and we must infuse them into contractions (tzimtzumim), into vessels, letters, prayer, and song. Just as a person accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah and learns seriously, so everything will open up for him. The song and the melody will illuminate, the children will be educated and accepted into the Talmud Torahs, and all the problems will be solved on their own in the merit of our holy and awesome Rebbe Nachman, and may the Holy Temple be built speedily in our days in the blink of an eye, Amen.

Shiur No. 420