Translation:Likutei Moharan/65

“Vayomer Boaz el Ruth (And Boaz Said to Ruth): ‘Hear me well, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field, and do not pass on from here…. Keep your eyes on the field that they are reaping, and follow them. I have enjoined the young men not to touch you. Should you become thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from that which the young men have drawn.’” (Ruth 2:8-9)

Know, there is a field where very beautiful and pleasing trees and plants grow. It is impossible to describe the precious beauty of this field and its produce. Happy is the eye that has seen it. These trees and plants are the holy souls that grow [in this field].

But there are also very many naked souls wandering about outside the field. They are waiting and hoping for rectification, so that they might re-enter and resume their position. Even a great soul, on which many [other] souls depend, when it goes outside [the field], sometimes has difficulty returning there.

All of them are asking and hoping for the Master of the Field, who can involve himself in the necessities of their rectification. <For in certain cases> a soul is rectified through someone’s death, or through someone’s mitzvah or act of worship.

Anyone who would muster up his courage and undertake to be the Master of the Field must be deliberate and firm, a warrior and wise, and a very great tzaddik. He has to be on an exceptionally great spiritual level. There is an individual who can complete the task only with his own death, yet even for this he needs to be great <and on an exceptional spiritual level>. For there are very many great individuals who even with their death would be of no help. Only a person who is great and on an exceptionally great level can complete what is necessary in his lifetime. This is because he has to go through tremendous suffering and hardship. Yet by virtue of his greatness and exalted level he is able to overcome everything. <He is not intimidated by [the suffering and hardship],> but tends to the field’s <every need>.

When [the Master of the Field] succeeds in rectifying the souls and bringing them in, it is very good and fitting <for them> to pray. For then prayer is perfected.

The Master of the Field also looks after the trees and labors constantly at watering and cultivating them and at tending to the other needs of the field. He keeps the trees at the proper distance from one another so that one should not overshadow the other. For sometimes it is necessary to act very distant toward an extremely close follower so that he should not overshadow his friend.

Know, too, that when the souls bear fruit—when they do the will of the Omnipresent—then the eyes of the Master of the Field shine. They can gaze and see where they need to. This is the aspect of “Seers Field” (Numbers 23:14). But when [the souls] fail to do His will, God forbid, then his eyes grow dim. This is the aspect of “Weepers Field” (Ohalot 18:4; Mo’ed Katan 5b). For crying damages one’s vision, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 12:2), “The clouds return after the rain”—and our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: this refers to vision, which is diminished as a result of weeping (Shabbat 151b).

But when the eyes [of the Master of the Field] are shining and looking out, in the aforementioned aspect of the “Seers Field,” he is able to look into each person and bring him to his ultimate purpose. He is able to examine each one’s speech, to see whether it is lacking perfection since it is still far from the ultimate goal. [The Master of the Field] then brings him [closer] to the ultimate purpose, and as a result speech is wholly as it should be.

Every single word is an entire world. When a person stands up to pray and recites the words of the prayers, he is gathering beautiful buds and flowers and blossoms, like someone walking in a field picking lovely blossoms and flowers one at a time, until he makes a bouquet. After that he picks more, one by one, making another bouquet, and joins them together. So he goes on, picking and gathering more and more lovely bouquets.

This is likewise true of prayer: a person goes from letter to letter, until several letters are joined together and form a <single> word. He does the same <for a second word>. Then the two words are joined, and he goes on, gathering more, until he completes a single blessing. After that he goes on gathering more and more—from Avot to Gevurot, and from Gevurot to Kedushot. So he goes on, further and further. Who can extol the great splendor of the gleanings and gatherings that a person makes through the words of the prayers?

And when speech emerges, it emerges from the soul, as it is written (Genesis 2:7), “thus man became a living soul”—which the Targum renders as: “he became a speaking spirit.” The utterance emerges and is heard by his ears, as our Sages, of blessed memory, said: Let your ears hear what you are bringing forth from your mouth (Berakhot 15a).

Then the utterance begs and implores the soul not to part from it. As soon as the first letter emerges—such as the letter bet of the word Baruch—it begs and implores the soul not to part from it:

“Considering the great bond and love between us, how can you separate yourself from me? You see my precious beauty, my radiance, my magnificence and splendor. How can you tear yourself away from me and leave me? True, you have to move on in order to gather additional valuable treasures and great delights. <Yet> how can you part from me and forget me? At least see to it that wherever it is you move on to, you don’t forget me or separate from me.”

<So, too, the letter reish of the word baRuch begs the soul in the same manner. And> all the more so when one finishes <the entire word>. Then the whole word pleads in the same manner, caressing and embracing [the soul], not allowing [the soul] to leave it.

In fact, a person has to recite many more words and numerous blessings and passages before concluding the prayer. <Yet the words keep him from moving on and forgetting them, as explained.> Therefore, the rule is, he must make the entire prayer one. Each individual utterance should contain all the utterances—<from the beginning of> the prayer <to where he is at present>—so that from the beginning of the prayer to the end it will all be one. Thus, when he reaches the final word of the prayer, he will still be holding at its first word. This way one can pray the entire prayer and nonetheless not separate himself from even its first letter.

And know! this aspect—i.e., the oneness—is itself the ultimate goal, as it is written (Zechariah 14:9), “On that day God will be One and His Name will be One.” “On that day” refers to the ultimate goal [of Creation]. This is the aspect of entirely good, since oneness is entirely good. As our Sages, of blessed memory, commented on this verse: “On that day God will be One…”—Does this mean that now He is not One? However, presently the blessing we recite over the bad is “[Blessed is] the true Judge,” while over the good [we bless] “Who is good and beneficent.” But in time to come, they will recite the blessing “Who is good and beneficent” for everything (Pesachim 50a). We see from this that oneness is the ultimate goal. It is also entirely good, since the ultimate goal is entirely good.

Thus even all the troubles, suffering and evil that befall a person, God forbid, if he focuses on the ultimate purpose, he will surely see that they are not bad at all, but actually great good. Certainly God intentionally sends all suffering for his benefit, whether to remind him to repent, or to cleanse him of his sins. If so, the suffering is very beneficial, because God’s intention is without doubt only for good.

Thus we see that whatever evil and suffering a person experiences, God forbid, if he focuses on the ultimate purpose—i.e., God’s intention—he will not experience it as suffering at all. On the contrary, he will be filled with joy as a result of the abundant good that comes with focusing on the ultimate purpose of this suffering. For the ultimate purpose is entirely good, entirely one, as explained above.

And in truth, there is no evil whatsoever in the world; everything is only good. The pain a person nonetheless experiences because of his suffering, God forbid, is only because his awareness is taken from him, so that he is unable to focus on the ultimate purpose, which is entirely good. It is then that he feels the pain and torment of the suffering. For when he possesses awareness and focuses on the ultimate purpose, he does not feel the pain of the suffering at all, as explained above.

Through this you can understand an inexplicable thing: why the instinctive human response when experiencing severe pain, God spare us—as for example when one of a person’s limbs is being amputated—is for one to close one’s eyes and shut them tightly.

Empirically we know that when a person wants to look at some distant object, he squints; he contracts and narrows his vision in order to focus on the faraway object he wants to see. This is because vision is the mind’s attendant and its emissary for bringing the observed object into the brain.

For the essence of looking is awareness—that is, knowing the nature of the object being observed. Knowledge is in the mind. Thus when the mind wishes to know an object in its sight, it sends forth the vision, which goes and sees the object and brings it into the brain. The person then knows what he is looking at.

This is why, when an object is quickly passed in front of a person, he does not know its nature. Although he did in fact see the object with his own eyes, because [it passed by] so quickly there was insufficient time for him to bring [knowledge of] the object into his brain. Also when an object is far away, one’s vision lacks the strength to reach there and bring it into the brain, because he gets distracted by the objects he views peripherally. In addition, his vision gets diffused and so is weakened, it lacks the strength to bring [knowledge of] the observed object into the brain.

He therefore has to squint, contracting and focusing his vision on the desired object, so that other things do not distract him and so as to strengthen his vision and keep it from becoming diffused. He will then be able to see the faraway object.

It is the same when we want to focus on the ultimate goal [of Creation], which is entirely good, entirely one. One has to close one’s eyes and fix one’s gaze on the ultimate goal. This is because the light of this ultimate goal is very distant from a person. The only way for him to see it is by closing his eyes. He has to close them completely and keep them shut tight, even pressing a finger on them to seal them shut. Then, he will be able to focus on this ultimate goal.

In other words, one has to completely close one’s eyes so as not to look at this world. He must turn away his eyes and shut them tightly, not gazing at the temptations of this world and its vanities at all. One will then be able to see and grasp the light of the ultimate goal, which is entirely good. And then the suffering is nullified, since the main reason one suffers is because one is far from the ultimate goal, as explained above.

This is why the instinctive human response is to close one’s eyes when experiencing pain—in order to escape from the suffering and nullify it by focusing on the ultimate goal, which is entirely good. Such looking is possible only by closing one’s eyes, as explained. And although a person may be entirely unaware of what he is doing, his soul knows everything. Therefore his instinctive response is to close his eyes when experiencing pain, as explained above.

Certainly, at the moment of self-transcendence—that state in which one becomes totally absorbed in the ultimate goal, which is entirely good, entirely one—the suffering is genuinely nullified, as mentioned above. However it is impossible to always remain <on the same spiritual level>, in a permanent state of self-transcendence, since that would entail going beyond the bounds of the human experience. Self-transcendence must therefore be in the aspect of running and returning.

Thus when the conscious mind returns from the state of self-transcendence to the brain, which is the seat of consciousness, the mentalities—the vessels—are unable to hold the [higher] consciousness of the self-transcendent state. This is because <this [higher] consciousness> is the aspect of Ein Sof, which is the aspect of the ultimate goal: entirely one, entirely good. As a result, the brain feels the pain of the suffering, since it is in the brain that all the sensations of pain and torment are primarily felt, God forbid. Neural passages extend from the brain to all the limbs, through which the brain senses the pain in whichever limb it is located.

And know, that afterwards, when one[‘s consciousness] returns from the state of self-transcendence to the vessels—namely, the mentalities—the suffering becomes even more intense than before. It is like two people fighting and wrestling with one another. When one sees that the other is gaining the upper hand, he musters greater strength and attacks even harder. Similarly, when the powers of judgment see that a person wants to overcome his suffering and nullify it through total absorption in the ultimate goal, they muster greater strength and attack even harder. Thus later on, when one returns from the state of self-transcendence, the suffering is even greater than before. This is because [the powers of judgment] intensify their fight against him since he wants to escape from them, as explained above.

Afterwards, however, the suffering is lightened and one is consoled as a result of the enhanced insight into Torah that one merits by virtue of the suffering. This is because the suffering brings one to the state of self-transcendence, as explained above. Then afterwards, even though one returns from the state of self-transcendence, the trace that remains from this state produces enhanced Torah insight. The reason for this is that while one is in the state of self-transcendence, totally absorbed in the ultimate goal, one realizes that all suffering is very great good. This [realization] fills one with joy.

Joy is the vessel for receiving enhanced Torah insights. As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Shabbat 88a): At the time that the Jewish people declared “We will do and we will hear” (Exodus 24:7), 600,000 angels descended and placed two crowns on the head of each one, and when they sinned…. But in the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will return [the crowns] to us, as it is written (Isaiah 35:10), “an eternal joy on their heads.” Thus we see that joy corresponds to “We will do and we will hear,” which relates to receiving the Torah.

It is through this enhanced insight into Torah, which one merits from the trace of the transcendent state, that the suffering is later alleviated. The reason for this is that [Torah insights] quench the thirst of the soul. The soul’s thirst corresponds to experiencing suffering. Salt makes one thirsty, and salt is the aspect of suffering, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Covenant is mentioned in connection with salt, and covenant is mentioned in connection with suffering (Berakhot 5a).

The soul is the daughter of the intellect. This is because one’s soul is raised primarily by one’s intellect, which nurtures and improves it, as it is written (Proverbs 19:2), “Also, it is not good for the soul to be without awareness.” When the intellect is perfected, [the soul] bears fruit. But when one’s intellect is blemished, it is then the aspect of “a fruitful land became a salty waste” (Psalms 107:34). This saltiness is the suffering a person experiences when his intellect is imperfect; it corresponds to the thirst of the soul. Yet the abovementioned enhanced insight into Torah alleviates the suffering and quenches the thirst, as in “Let all who are thirsty come to the water” (Isaiah 55:1).

This is the meaning of “Happy is the man whom You chasten, O God, and whom You instruct from Your Torah” (Psalms 94:12). Through the suffering one merits enhanced insight into Torah. And when a person merits Torah insights, it is a sign that he has achieved something on account of the afflictions and dealt with them in the proper way. It is a sign that by means of the suffering he has attained a state of total absorption in the ultimate goal, whose trace has made him worthy of enhanced Torah insights, as explained above.

When the eyes of the Master of the Field shine, in the aspect of “Seers Field,” he is able to look into each person and see if he is close to the ultimate goal. When [the Master of the Field] sees that someone is far from the ultimate goal, that the person’s prayer is not yet fully perfected—since he is unable to make the entire prayer one, for when he is at the end of the word he has forgotten its beginning and cannot unify his prayer in the aspect of oneness explained above—the Master of the Field looks into him and brings him to the ultimate goal, which is entirely one. And then the person is able to make the entire prayer one, so that even when he has reached the end of the prayer, he is still holding at the beginning of its very first word.

This is the meaning of: MaNTZPaKh was declared by the seers (Shabbat 104a). [As the Talmud] concludes there, the seers fixed which one is at the beginning of the word and which is at the end of the word.< {MaNTZPaKh, Rashi explains, refers to the double-letters (see Megillah 2b). This is prayer, which becomes “doubled” when one reaches the end of the prayer and is still holding at the beginning of the prayer, as explained above. And this is MaNTZPaKh, the aspect of the double-letters.}>

“The seers” alludes to the Master of the Field when his eyes are in the aspect of “Seers Field.” He can then look upon and fix those that are close to the ultimate goal, so that when they reach the end of the prayer they are still “at the beginning of the [first] word.” And [he can also look] into those who are far from the ultimate goal. They correspond to “the end of the word,” because when they are at the end of the word, they are literally at the end of the [last] word. But the seers fix them and bring them to the ultimate goal, as explained above. <This is the meaning of “they fixed which one is at the beginning of the word and which is at the end of the word”—i.e., [the seers] fixed them so that when they would reach the end of the word, they would still be holding at the beginning.>

This is also the meaning of “they forgot them, and they restored them.” Because [these souls] were far from the ultimate goal, and so failed to unite their prayer in the aspect of oneness, they forgot the beginning of the word. [Thus the seers] “restored them” and fixed them, so that [their prayers] should be entirely one, as explained above.

And this is the explanation of [the opening verse]: And Boaz said to Ruth: [“Hear me well, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field, and do not pass on from here… Keep your eyes on the field that they are reaping, and follow them. I have tziviti (enjoined) the young men not to nag’aikh (touch you). Should you become thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from that which the young men have drawn.”]

BOaZ—He is the intellect <and the wisdom>, as it is written (Ecclesiastes 7:19), “Wisdom ta’OZ (strengthens) the wise.”

Ruth—She corresponds to the soul, which is the source of the words of prayer, song and praise <to the Holy One>. As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: Why was she named RUth? On account of her descendant, David, who ReVah (satiated) the Holy One with songs and praises (Berakhot 7b).

Hear me well, my daughter—<“My daughter” alludes to the soul,> since the soul is the daughter of the intellect, as explained. This is “Hear me well”—i.e., “Let your ears hear what you are bringing forth from your mouth.” In other words, incline your ear to hear the utterance begging and imploring [the soul] not to part from it, as explained above. And this is:

Do not go to glean in another field—For all the letters and words are precious gleanings gathered from the supernal fields, as explained above. Each utterance begs the soul not to leave it behind <“to glean in another field,”> to gather other gleanings. But this is impossible, since it has to go on and gather more, as above. Nevertheless…

and do not pass on from here—In other words, even when you go on to another word, do not pass on from the first word. This is accomplished by <focusing on> the ultimate goal, as explained above. And this is:

Keep your eyes on the field that they are reaping—This alludes to focusing on the ultimate goal, since reaping is the ultimate goal of plowing and sowing.

I have enjoined the young men not to touch you—This is the aspect of closing one’s eyes; one must shut them, in order to bind the vision and focus on the ultimate goal. Without this, it is impossible to focus on the ultimate goal, as explained above.

This is the meaning of “I have TZiViTi the young men”—it connotes TZaVTa (joining) and binding. One has to join and bind one’s vision [to the ultimate goal], as explained above. And the eyes are called “young men,” because they are the attendants of the intellect; as explained above, vision is the emissary and attendant of the <brain>.

And this is “not to NaG’Aikh,” the aspect of NeGA’im (afflictions) of the soul. When one’s vision is diffused and sees everything in sight—i.e., when he fails to completely shut his eyes so as not to look at this world—this is the aspect of afflictions of the soul. In order not to afflict the soul, he has to “enjoin and bind the young men”—i.e., his vision—so that he does not take [even] a sidelong glance at the vanities of this world. Then he will be able to focus on the ultimate goal. And by focusing on the ultimate goal, all the suffering is eliminated, as explained above.

However, afterwards, when one returns from the state of self-transcendence, the suffering becomes even more intense. This corresponds to the thirst of the soul, as explained above. This is:

Should you become thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from that which the young men have drawn—The way to quench the thirst is by means of the enhanced insight into Torah received by the mind—the vessel of the intellect—through the trace that remains from the transcendent state. It is from there that the soul drinks in order to quench its thirst, as explained above.

This is the meaning of “drink from that which the young men have drawn.” For “the young men”—the eyes of the intellect—draw enhanced Torah insight from the trace that remains after focusing on the ultimate goal, as explained above. Through this the suffering is later nullified, and the soul’s thirst is quenched. <May God find us worthy of all this.>

The [field in which souls grow] corresponds to the Garden of Eden, the aspect of Moshe and Aharon. The Garden corresponds to the soul, as in “their soul will be like a well-watered garden” (Jeremiah 31:11). Eden corresponds to the ultimate goal [of Creation], for Eden—“no eye has seen it” (as taught by the Sages in Berakhot 34b) ; this being the aspect of self-transcendence, as explained above.

And this is the meaning of: In time to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a circle of the tzaddikim. [He will sit in their midst in the Garden of Eden], and each one will point with his finger [and say, “this is God in Whom we trusted”] (Taanit 31a).

“A circle” is the aspect of joy, which is the vessel for receiving Torah, as explained above. All [enhanced Torah insight] is the product of self-transcendence. As was brought there, the radiance of the trace that remains from the transcendent state is the source of the Torah [insights received] by way of the vessels.

This is the meaning of “point (mar’eh) with his finger.” Mar’eh alludes to the trace’s mar’eh (appearance) and radiance, from which Torah [insight] comes. This is “point with his finger”—an allusion to the Torah, which is an aspect of “the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18).