Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)
Rav Noson says that although the spiritual energies of the kidneys
provide good advice to the brain, the fat that covers them contain
negative energies which distort the good advice. Rashi explains that the
origin of the word K'SiL (which refers to an intellectual fool, one who
has a great intellect but misuses it, coming to errroneous conclusions
which lead him away from Hashem), has the same root as the word
K'Saw'Lim (kidneys). Rashi says that the spiritual energies contained in
the fat covering the kidneys prevent the intellectual fools from
returning to Hashem. It is forbidden to eat the layer of fat that covers
the kidneys because its essence pollutes the spiritual energies of
holiness contained in the kidneys, greatly hampering the mind's ability
to make the right choices, as the verse says, "You may not consume any
fat or any blood [because of the negative spiritual energies they
contain]." (Lev. 3:17)
Aisav (Esau, Jacob's brother) and Lavan (Laban, Jacob's uncle) were
extremely evil people. Although both of them have long since died, the
negative spiritual energies of evil they generated during their
lifetimes still exist today. The name Lavan in Hebrew means white, and
is associated with the negative spiritual energies contained in white
colored cheilev. Concerning Aisav, the verse says, "The first one [of
the twins born to Rebecca] emerged [with a] red [complexion], entirely
like a hairy mantle; so they named him Aisav." (Genesis 25:25) Aisav,
who is also called the Edomite, is associated with the negative
spiritual energies contained in red blood. (Edom means red in Hebrew)
From the laws that prohibit the eating of blood and certain types of
fat, we can gain some insight into the delicate balance and the complex
relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds, where holiness
resides side by side with impurity.
Rav Noson explains the practical difference between the negative
spiritual energies of Lavan, who is associated with the negative aspects
of cheilev and the negative spiritual energies of Aisav, who is
associated with the negative aspects of blood. Lavan was remarkably
impure. However, contained within the inner core of his spiritual
essence were the most awesome elements of holiness. This essence was
manifested in the persons of his two holy daughters, Rachel and Leah who
became the matriarchs of the Jewish people. As mentioned above, the
essence of every material thing is rooted in money or wealth. The level
of holiness that is contained within an item is reflected by its true
monetary value. [In contradistinction to the value that humans, in their
limited perspective, place upon it.] Since, Rachel and Leah were so
holy, their precious souls were connected to the highest realms of
wealth, as the verse says, "All the wealth that Hashem saved from our
father (Lavan) belongs to us (Rachel and Leah)..." (Genesis 31:16) Rav
Noson understands this verse as consistent with our teaching: "All the
wealth that Hashem saved from our father, belongs to us." [The great
physical wealth that we possess reflects the true status of our souls.
Therefore, the cause of our wealth is due to the fact that our souls are
actually derived from the highest of spiritual realms. This is why our
physical wealth rightfully belongs to us and not to our impure father.
That we retain our wealth, despite our father's attempts to take it away
from us, indicates that he is the one who is truly impure. Therefore,
despite the fact we were born from an impure father, he alone is impure
and we are actually holy, isolated and segregated from his impurity,
just as the pure elements of fat is segregated from the impure
elements.]
Since Lavan is associated with cheilev, there was great holiness
concealed within, which when extricated, produced two holy daughters,
despite his own impurity. However, Aisav, who is associated with blood,
which contains much lower spiritual energies, hardly contributed
anything to the side of holiness, just as blood is of little value after
it is extracted from the animal. In addition, Rabbi Nachman correlates
the spiritual energies of Lavan with sins committed through negligence
(sho'geig) and the spiritual energies of Aisav with sins committed
willfully (mei'zid). q
Rabbi Nachman taught that the 613 commandments of the Torah are actually
613 major categories of advice which can provide solutions to every
conceivable problem. All that is necessary in order find the hidden
advice is expertise in how to properly unravel the verses and laws of
the Torah. The spiritual energies of the kidneys influence the decision
making faculties of the mind, as is taught in the Talmud, "Man has two
kidneys, one of which provides advice [influencing the mind] to good,
and the other to evil." (Talmud: Berachot 61a) Rabbi Nachman says that
Torah study can sanctify the spiritual energies of the kidneys,
directing the mind to the path of holiness. In other words, when the
kidneys contain the spiritual energies of holiness, it eventually leads
to purity of the mind. The spiritual energies of holiness facilitate the
mind in making the right choices because they can light up the darkness
of any problem. When one makes the right choices, he is directed to the
pathways that lead to Hashem, the source of all joy and goodness. It is
essential to safeguard the purity of the mind and all the organs of the
body that influence it, because one's link to Hashem (G-d) and eternal
goodness, is dependent upon the degree of purity of the mind. This is
referred to as Tikun HaBris, "rectification of the covenant", which is
an eternal bond that the Jewish nation made at Mount Sinai with Hashem,
and is incumbent upon each Jew to observe.
SPIRITUALLY AFFECT THE MIND
Rav Noson says that many of the foods that are forbidden to be eaten are also forbidden to be sold, such as pork products. However, when it comes to cheilev forbidden fat, (as opposed to shumon, permitted fat), there are absolutely no restrictions placed upon its sale, as the verse says, "The fat of an animal...may be put to any use [which includes buying and selling], but you shall not eat it." (Lev. 7:24) This indicates that although cheilev contains spiritual energies that can cause tremendous damage to the soul, it also contains other valuable spiritual energies that have a positive effect on the mind. Rabbi Nachman taught that the mind is nourished from the choicest fats in the food we eat. Permitted fat, shumon, nourishes and purifies the mind, enabling it to come to clear and good decisions, while cheilev, has just the opposite effect, polluting the mind, causing confusion. Rav Noson says that the mind, thought and anything associated with them, are connected to the highest of
spiritual levels. Although it is strictly prohibited to consume cheilev,
because it can cause tremendous damage to the mind, the fact that it is
associated with the nourishment of the mind is an indication that it is
derived from the highest of spiritual realms. There is an axiom, the
greater an object's intrinsic holiness, the greater the impurity it
attracts to surround it. This means that the spiritual energies
contained within the inner core of cheilev are derived from the most
lofty and holy spiritual realms. Thus, as Rav Noson explains, it is
permitted to deal in cheilev in business, because the very holy
spiritual energies that are contained within its inner core are
untouched and untainted by the extreme impurity that surrounds it.
Money has the ability to transfer spiritual energies from one physical
item to another. Rabbi Nachman explains how: Every physical item has a
spiritual essence which behind its concrete manifestation. In addition
to an item's own unique essence, it also contains a universal soul in
common with all the other items in the physical creation. This universal
soul is rooted in the spiritual energies of wealth. This is why every
physical item has or is associated with a monetary value. (1 Lekutai
MoHaran 68) Because money is connected to the spiritual essence of every
physical item as well as to the soul of the one who possesses it, it is
able to bypass the very impure peripheral spiritual energies in the
cheilev and extract the holy energies that are contained within,
transferring them to the seller's mind. Thus selling cheilev can create
great spiritual nourishment in a permitted and safe fashion, something
which cannot be accomplished through eating it.
BETWEEN OBJECTS AND PEOPLE
A great deal of the negative energies in kosher animals can be
neutralized by ritual slaughter, kosher processing, and by the
recitation of the appropriate blessings before and after partaking of
the meat. However, the very potent negative spiritual energies contained
in unkosher animals and cheilev are so strong that they cannot be
neutralized, even through these processes. As mentioned above, the inner
essence of cheilev is of the most divine energies. Since its essence is
encompassed by extreme impurity, the most effective way to elevate the
holy spiritual core of the cheilev to the holy realms of the upper
worlds is by offering it upon the altar. The altar's holy fire serves to
completely burn away all of the negative spiritual energies contained in
the cheilev and elevate its extremely holy and lofty inner core to the
upper worlds. Hashem gets tremendous pleasure when, as a result of
neutralizing evil, the entrapped good is elevated to its source in the
upper worlds, as the verse says, "A fire-offering [which consumed all of
the evil spiritual energies contained in the fat], [is] a satisfying
aroma to Hashem [in that the good spiritual energies contained within
the offering are elevated. (The verse cannot be understood literally,
for Hashem derives no pleasure from physicality.)]" (Lev. 3:5) The
phrase, "to Hashem" refers to the fact that the offering elevates the
lofty spiritual essence of the fat to Hashem in the upper worlds.
Rabbi Nachman taught that fats warm the body, heating the blood,
inflaming the passions and urges of the body. This is associated with
the spiritual energies of the primeval snake and the forces of evil.
There is an axiom that everything evil has a holy counterpart and
vice-versa and that evil can be neutralized only through its
corresponding element. Another rule is that everything a person owns
contains part of his soul. This includes any sacrifice which he happens
to offer, which is why sacrifice is an important medium through which
the individual can attain the spiritual rectifications his soul
requires. The holy fire of the altar has the ability to burn away the
fire of passion associated with the negative spiritual energies
contained within the body fat of the sacrifice's owner, elevating their
positive elements, just as it is able to do with the fats of the
sacrifice, as the verse says, "Everything that comes into the fire [of
impurity] you shall pass through the fire [of purity (in order to purge
that item of its impurity)]..." (Numbers 31:23) (1Lekutai MoHaran 4)
Rav Noson adds that burning fat as a candle accomplishes the same thing
as burning cheilev on the altar, albeit on a smaller scale. Physicality
reflects spirituality. As mentioned above, part of an individual's soul
is contained within everything he owns, in this case his candle.
Therefore, when candle fat is burned to create physical light, it also
illuminates the mind with a spiritual light derived from the holy
spiritual energies contained in the candle's fat.
Wherever life and holiness are found, the forces of evil are also found,
encircling the holiness in order to gain nourishment from it. The forces
of evil are particularly attached to blood, for blood contains holy soul
energies which sustain physical life. Thus, since evil attaches itself
so strongly to blood, the root of all sin is in the blood. Sin occurs
when one's passions are inflamed through the boiling of the blood, which
is a direct result of the actions of the forces of evil. This is why it
is forbidden to eat blood, as the verse says, "You may not consume any
fat or any blood." (Lev. 3:17) Rav Noson compares and contrasts blood
and fat. Both blood and fat contain spiritual energies that give the
body life, as explained above. For this reason, the forces of evil are
so strongly embedded in them. Fat nourishes the brain, which is
associated with the highest level of existence and the blood mainly
nourishes the body, associated with the lowest level. This means that
the spiritual energies contained in the fat are of a much holier and
loftier caliber than those contained in the blood. The mind is the
medium for complex decision making and reasoning, through which one can
come to perceive Hashem. Hence, the mind requires nourishment from the
highest of spiritual levels. As opposed to the mind, the body's
spiritual essence is of a much lower quality as it functions more upon
instinct, requiring far less sophisticated processing than the mind.
After an animal is slaughtered, its blood, which is drained off,
instantly loses all or most of its initial value. That the blood
nouishes the lower aspects of life and its ability to sustain life is
negated by the animal's death is why it is not only forbidden to eat
blood, but to deal with it in commerce as well. Because fat nourishes
the highest functions of life, and it contains the spiritual energies
derived from the highest of spiritual levels, when it is removed from a
dead animal, most of the holy spiritual energies remain intact and this
is what gives it its great value even after the animal's death. Due to
the fat's association with the higher spiritual realms and its retention
of its ability to nourish life, even after the death of the animal, fat
is only forbidden to be eaten, but it is permitted in commerce.
There is a rule that materials of the same color have the same spiritual
essence. Both fat and the brains are white. There is another principle
that wicked people are connected to the forces of evil and are able to
access very powerful negative spiritual energies which are associated
with the specific type of evil they perpetrate. These negative energies
can still be accessed, even centuries after the wicked person has passed
away. Furthermore, whatever is mentioned in the Torah applies for all
time.
Above we explained the following points: The spiritual energies of money
are connected to all material things at their roots; the only way to
extract the very holy spiritual elements contained in cheilev is to use
it in business; and that Lavan is compared to cheilev and his two
daughters to the holiness hidden within it. Now we can understand why
Ya'akov (Jacob) had to work so hard for Lavan (twenty years in all) in
order to be able to marry and retain Lavan's two holy daughters. As
mentioned above, in order to extract the holy properties contained
within cheilev, one must use the cheilev in business. Thus, since Lavan
and cheilev are, in essence, the same, Ya'akov had to have business
dealings with Lavan (i.e. work for him) in order to extract the holiness
of Lavan's daughters. Since wealth is associated with holiness, in order
for Ya'akov to extract all of the holiness trapped within Lavan's unholy
domain, he worked so very hard to become wealthy. The more money of
holiness Ya'akov acquired from Lavan's domain, the weaker the impure
spiritual energies of Lavan became. This is why the Torah mentions
Ya'akov's attempts to accumulate wealth in such great detail.
TO OBTAIN RACHEL AND LEAH
Sins due to negligence are compared to the cheilev because this type of
sin is committed, not because one actually intends to sin, but due to
lack of vigilance or knowledge of the law. Therefore, in this case, the
person's good intentions remain intact, despite his sinful action. He
maintains his purity of mind, although it becomes covered over by impure
spiritual energies created by his transgression. Conversely, intentional
sin is compared to the forbidden blood, for it not only entails a bad
action, but involves bad intentions as well. Intentional sin actually
causes great damage to the mind and doesn't just cover over the purity
of the mind like unintentional sin. (Lekutai Halachot: Yorah Datah:
Hilchot Cheilev V' Dom 1:1-6)
Rabbi Nachman taught that as well as reciting the mandatory daily
prayers contained in the prayer book, we should also speak to Hashem,
just as we would confide in our best friend: in seclusion, in the
language and style with which we feel most comfortable. This is based on
the advice of our sages, just to mention two sources: "Rebbe Yitzchak
said: 'Why were our forefathers barren? Because Hashem desires the
prayers of the righteous."' (Talmud: Yevamoth 64a) "Hashem seeks nothing
other than to hear the prayers of Israel." (Medrash Tehillim 116:1) The
following is an example of such a session: Help us be worthy of
celebrating the holiday of Passover, the festival of our freedom, with
great sanctity. Through [the spiritual energies derived from the holiday
of Passover] help us to increase [the powers of our] intellect in order
that we will be able to break our desire for excessive money. Through
[the spiritual energies derived from the holiday of Shavuoth] help us to
increase [the p owers of our] intellect in order that we will be able to
break our desire for immoral behavior. Through [the spiritual energies
derived from the holiday of Succoth] help us to increase [the powers of
our] intellect in order that we will be able to break our desire for
excessive gluttony. Sanctify us with Your commandments and purify our
hearts to serve You with sincere truth. Through the merit , power, and
holiness of the three [above mentioned] festivals help us to nullify our
desire for the three [above mentioned] desires, the desires for money,
immorality, and gluttony which [when they are not used in accordance
with Your will] are the root of all evil. Help us to become truly holy
and pure. Bring us from [the] darkness [of these three evils] to great
light so our hearts can be pure, enabling us to recognize that You are
the Master of heaven and earth. (2 Lekutai Tefilos 1)