The Secret of Yichuda Tata'ah: The Power of Nullifying Arrogance
Class No. 193 | Monday, Parashas Bamidbar, Eve of 25 Iyar 5759 - Gathering at "Armonot Lev" Halls, Eilat
A profound discourse explaining the difference between 'Shema Yisrael' and 'Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso', and the immense power of humility. When a person completely nullifies their arrogance and prays with deep intention, they are capable of rectifying the lower worlds and creating a new 'heart of flesh' even for those who are furthest away.
The sons of Yaakov Avinu cried out in their thousands:
"Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad" (Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One)
This is the secret of 'Yichuda Ila'ah' (the Higher Unification). In response, Yaakov Avinu answered:
"Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso Le'olam Va'ed" (Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity)
This is the secret of 'Yichuda Tata'ah' (the Lower Unification). The main rectification process lies in "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso Le'olam Va'ed". If we say these words with true intention, the entire world will return in teshuvah (repentance).
As we have said, Bilaam stood on the mountains of Moav facing Eilat, and all his blessings were directed primarily at the mountains of Eilat. If we direct our intentions properly, the entire city will return in teshuvah, fulfilling the verse, "A star has issued from Yaakov and a scepter-bearer has risen from Israel."
The Burned Camera Film: The Danger of Arrogance
The essence of this rectification is the nullification of arrogance. If we completely nullify our arrogance, everyone will return in teshuvah today. A person must not have even the slightest thought of arrogance. What is arrogance? It is when a person thinks that they are the one doing, that they built, that they spoke, or that they organized a gathering. We must know that we do absolutely nothing.
The moment a person has a thought of arrogance, everything becomes worthless. If a person organized a spiritual gathering and had a single thought of arrogance – the entire gathering is burned. All the words spoken are erased, and people are liable to return to their bad ways. This is exactly like camera film that is exposed to the sun; a person can film for five hours, but one small mistake of exposure to light – and everything is burned and erased. The same applies to a person who speaks and records a cassette; one mistake and suddenly everything is erased. A single thought of arrogance burns up all spiritual actions.
The holy Rebbe Nachman says that the condition for any action is that we must always be clean of arrogance. Rebbe Nachman writes (Likutey Moharan, Part II, Torah 83) that if you are not shamed after doing a good deed, it is a sign that the deed did not ascend to Heaven, because you had a thought of arrogance that burned everything. Therefore, all the words and topics we engage in are conditional upon us having no thoughts of arrogance whatsoever. A person must know: "I did nothing, it is not me, it is someone else."
Moshe Rabbeinu and the Secret of Humility in Egypt
It was only through words of humility that Moshe Rabbeinu arrived in Egypt. When Moshe arrived, Pharaoh burst out laughing. He saw an eighty-year-old man with a long beard reaching his navel, and asked him: "Did you come to teach us sorcery? Our babies are smarter than you! Do you have time to play with kindergarten toys?"
Moshe threw down his staff, which turned into a snake, and Pharaoh immediately sent messengers to all the kindergartens in Egypt. Every four-year-old child threw down his stick, and it too turned into a snake. Pharaoh mocked him: "Aren't you ashamed? An eighty-year-old man playing baby games?" Afterward, Moshe's staff swallowed all tens of thousands of their staffs, and then they accused Moshe of simply "stealing" their sticks.
But Moshe Rabbeinu was not offended, because he was the most humble of all men on the face of the earth. What is humility? Humility means that a person knows they do nothing. "I do nothing, I am just like a tape recorder playing a cassette." Nullifying arrogance and guarding the covenant are the two foundations of Breslov. A single thought of arrogance, or a lack of guarding one's eyes on the way, burns everything.
Awakening the Hearts: From the Path of Chanah to Our Days
In order to bring Israel back in teshuvah, one must awaken the hearts. This is what Elkanah and Chanah did when they traveled from city to city to ascend to the Mishkan (Tabernacle) in Shiloh. Elkanah spoke with the men, and Chanah strengthened the women. They did not settle for the direct route; instead, they took detours through villages and towns, spread out mats, and slept in the middle of the street.
When people asked them: "Where are you going? What happened, do you not have a home?", they answered: "We are going to Shiloh." People had forgotten about Shiloh, and when they were reminded – everyone started to cry. The moment you speak with a Jew truthfully, they immediately begin to shed tears.
Creating a Heart of Flesh: The Rectification of Baruch Shem
Because of the secret of humility and descending to the people, Yaakov Avinu cries out, "Baruch Shem kevod malchuso l'olam va'ed" (Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity). In a certain sense, this action is greater than "Shema Yisrael." "Shema Yisrael" is called 'Yichuda Ila'ah' (the Higher Unification)—through it, we make tikkunim (rectifications) in Heaven. But when we say "Baruch Shem," we make tikkunim down here on earth.
Reb Noson explains (Hilchos Yom Tov, Halacha 3) that the main tikkun is "Baruch Shem," because it descends to all the kelipos (forces of impurity) and to all the lowest levels. It enters into every Jew, even the most distant and the greatest transgressor, and rectifies him. Through this prayer, we can take a person whose heart has turned to stone for years, pierce his heart of stone, and create for him a heart of flesh.
Rebbe Nachman said that when one prays with kavanah (focused intent), they create a heart of flesh. Every letter said with kavanah in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer creates another heart of flesh for another Jew. If we only pray Shemoneh Esrei with kavanah, we will see the entire Jewish people returning in teshuvah (repentance). You do not always need to travel far; stand for one hour in the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, and through every letter you utter with kavanah, you will create a heart of flesh for people and return them to their Father in Heaven.
Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 193
All parts: Part 1 (current) | Part 2