Translation:Likutei Moharan/70

And on Day Eight Moshe Called

Wayhi bayom hashemini qara Moshe le"Aharon ul'vanaw ul'ziqnei Yisrael/ And it happened on the eighth day Moshe called to Aharon, his sons, and the elders of Yisrael.

Everything [stands] on the earth, as we see tangibly, that everything stems from the earth and all objects and creatures move or rest on the earth, and they cannot depart from the earth except by a koach hamakhriach/countervening force, that is, by someone exerting force on it and raising it from the earth. And proportional to his force doth he distance the object and cast it higher. But when his force ends, this countervening force, the object falls back to earth. For the earth has koach hamoshekh/gravity/attracting force, drawing all things to it. For otherwise they would be unable to remain on it, for they ought to fall off it, since it is round and all man are in orbit around it, as is known. But it has gravity and so when the countering force stops then the object falls back down on earth. The lower the object, it falls in the air faster; this is because it gets closer to the earth's gravity, therefore it falls down faster.

And the Tzaddik is this aspect of `afar/dust/earth, for the Tzaddik is the foundation of the world as written, Wetzadiq yesod `olam/And Righteous is the Foundation of the World [Prov. 10:25], and all objects stand on it and it has gravity to draw all things to him. For this Tzadik is the only one in the world, as he is the world foundation as all things are drawn from him and even all the Tzadikim are only branches from him, each according to his aspect: one is a branch from him; one is like a branch of a branch. For this unique Tzadik in the world is humble and lowly and puts himself like dirt, in the aspect of "We'anochi `afar we'efer/and I am dirt and ashes" [Gen. 18:27], therefore he is the foundation of the world, namely the aspect of dirt, as all things are on him as mentioned. And this is that which we ask, "Wenafshi ke`afar lakol tihyeh/And let my soul be like dirt to all," namely it should have gravity to draw everything to it like the dirt. And this Tzadik draws all the influxes to the world in the aspect of [Job 28:6], "We`afroth zahav lo/And dirt, gold belongs to it," as all the influxes are drawn from the aspect of dirt, from this Tzadik. Therefore one who gives tzedakah to this Tzadik becomes blessed immediately, as it's the aspect of seeding the soil, that produces multifold, in the aspect of (Hos. 10:12) "Zir`u lakhem litzdakah wekitzru lefi chased/Sow for yourselves in charity and harvest in overbundance."

But if one gives charity to someone who is not the aspect of soil at all, he does not bear fruit, and this is Yirmiyahu cursing the people of `Anathoth (Jer. 18:23), "Be`eth apekha `asseh bahem/Do with them in the time of Your wrath:" Make them falter with poor who are not worthy, namely who are not in the aspect of earth at all, and so the tzedakah they give them is not the aspect of sowing at all.

And behold, it would be proper that all mankind would draw close to this Tzadik who is the aspect of earth having the koach hamoshekh as mentioned. However they are detached and distanced from him by the koach hamakhraich. Namely there are people who by their speech and actions repel people, detaching and distancing them from that Tzadik, and in proportion to the countering force they distance [them] from that Tzadik. And then when the counter force stops, he again is drawn close to the Tzadik, who is the aspect of earth as mentioned, for when the counter force stops he returns to the earth, the Tzadik with the attracting force as mentioned. And therefore there are people utterly far from the Tzadik, since they presently distance them with their counterforce. But later when the counter force stops, they will again draw close as mentioned. And this is that which we see, when a man travels to the Tzadik, the closer he gets to the Tzadik's place the more yearning he has, because he is getting closer to that pull.

And this is the aspect of Mishkan/Sanctuary, for the Mishkan had the pulling power to draw Godliness to the place where it stands; the aspect of (Song 1:4), "Mashkheni achareikha narutzah/Draw me after you, we will run" &mdash; "after you we will run" specifically. For the closer he gets to him the faster he runs due to the pull as mentioned. And as brought in the Midrash, MiShKaN denotes MaShKoN/deposit/security, as it is a guarantor to Yisrael that the SheKhiNah/Divine Presence dwell among them, even if they err, God forbid, as written (Lev. 26:11), "Wenathati mishkani betokhekhem, welo' tig`al nafshi ethchem/And I will set My sanctuary among you, and My soul will not abhor you." Hence via the Mishkan the Shekhinah dwells in Yisrael, namely as mentioned, for the Mishkan denotes a Mashkeni/security etc., as it has the drawing power to draw Godliness to the place where it stood as mentioned. And therefore it is impossible for anyone to establish the Mishkan except the Tzadik who is the aspect of `Afar/Earth, the aspect of Moshe, who was more humble than all man, as written, "Wayakem Moshe eth-haMishkan/And Moshe erected the tabernacle," and none other was able to erect it. For specifically this Tzadik, who is the aspect of `Afar, the aspect of gravity, can establish the Mishkan, which is the drawing power, drawing Godliness etc.

And this is what is written, "Lo-merubbekhem.. hashaq H' Bakhem.. ki atem hamm'e`at/Not from being big in number.. did Hashem desire you.. for you are the least." And our Rabbis obm explained, this is only on account that you make yourselves small etc., therefore "Hashem desired you." For on account that that they reduce and diminish themselves, thereby they are the aspect of Dust, that has the drawing power, the aspect of Mishkan, which draws Godliness as mentioned. That's why Hashem desired you. And this is the aspect of, "Eshkon eth-daka/I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit" (Isa. 57:15). Because by being low, putting himself like the Earth, he has the drawing power, to draw Hashem Yithbarakh to himself, which this is the aspect of Mishkan as mentioned. And this is the aspect of the Kavod/Honor/Divine Presence said about the Mishkan, as written, "Weniqdash bikhbodi/And it will be sanctificied by My Presence," and as written, "Ukhvod H Male' eth-hamishkan''/And the glory of H filled the Mishkan," for all the honor a man has in the world, from small to great, they only receive from this Tzadik who is the aspect of Earth, the aspect of Mishkan, from whom all is drawn. For all the honor and greatness is only at this Tzadik, and everybody gets from him, as written (Meg. 31), "Kol maqom she'atah motze gedulatho sham atah motzeh eth-`anwethanutho/Wherever you find His greatness, there you find his humility." Hence, in the place where is lowliness and smallness, that's where all the honor and greatness is, as written, "Eshkon et-daka". So therefore all the heads in the world get their honor from this Tzadik, who is the aspect of Earth. And also the continual renewal of the kavod, for each time the kavod is renewed, which this one is appointed to be the holder of the kavod, to appoint someone else, and the leadership is renewed, is all through this tzadik. For just like the Mishkan was raised each time, from whence the Kavod comes, in the aspect of "And the honor of Hashem filled the Mishkan" as mentioned. So too is the honor and leadership renewed as mentioned.

And this is, "And it was on the eighth day Moshe called Aharon and the leaders of Israel," For when the Tzadik needs to call the heads of the people he calls them by his being the one who builds the Mishkan. Which there is the glory as mentioned, and by this he calls them. For everyone comes to him to get the honor from him. And this is "On the eight day" that Moshe built the Mishkan by this. "Moshe called Aharon, his sons, and the elders of Yisrael," who are the general hierarchy of the people from small to great. For by building the Mishkan he called all the heads of the people, who are the aspect of "Aharon and his sons" etc. as mentioned. And this is is what our Rabbis obm said (R"H 1a), that "Nissan is the head of the year for royalty," for that's when the Mishkan was built, form where is drawn the honor of kings of all the appointees and heads as mentioned. And therefore erecting the Mishkan was on Rosh Chodesh Nissan specifically, for this is the aspect of Rosh Chodesh, that is by all the heads being renewed as mentioned. And this is the aspect of Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Head of the Year for kings as mentioned.