Welcome
What are some activities that we do that are specially meaningful to us?
Plan for this Class
- The Image of the Gardener (from the Zohar)
- Fields of Vision and of Tears
- Background to our Text
- --Youthful dreams of Death and Martyrdom
- --The Setting and Context of Likutei Moharan 65
- Our Text: Likutei Moharan 65:1-2
- Discussion
- Summary and Next Class
The Image of the Gardener
Sofiyivka Park, Uman, Ukraine - By Anna Picasso - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35968817. This park figures in Breslov pilgrimages to Uman.
הַאי אוֹר זָרַע לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּגִנְתָּא דְּעִדָּנוֹי, וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ שׁוּרִין שׁוּרִין, עַל יְדוֹי דְּהַאי צַדִּיק, דְּאִיהוּ גָּנָּנָא דְּגִנְתָּא, וְנָטִיל לְהַאי אוֹר, וְזָרַע לֵיהּ זְרוּעָא דִּקְשׁוֹט. וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ שׁוּרִין שׁוּרִין בְּגִנְתָּא וְאוֹלִיד וְאַצְמַח וְעָבִיד פֵּרִין, וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִתְּזַן עָלְמָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (תהילים צ״ז:י״א) אוֹר זָרוּעַ לַצַּדִּיק וְגוֹ'.
It was this light that the Holy One sowed in the Garden of Eden, and through the agency of the Righteous/Tzaddik, who is the Gardener of the Garden, He set it in rows; and He took it and sowed it as the seed of truth in rows in the Garden, where it grew, multiplied, and brought forth fruit which has nourished the world, as it is written: “A light sown to the righteous” (Ps. 97, 11).
וּכְתִיב (ישעיהו ס״א:י״א) וּכְגַנָּה זֵרוּעֶיהָ תַצְמִיחַ. מַאן זֵרוּעֶיהָ. אִלֵּין זְרוּעֵי דְּאוֹר קַדְמָאָה, דְּאִיהוּ זָרוּעַ תָּדִיר, הַשְׁתָּא אוֹלִיד וְעָבִיד אֵיבִין, וְהַשְׁתָּא זָרוּעַ אִיהוּ, בְּקַדְמִיתָא, עַד לָא יֵיכוּל עָלְמָא אִיבָּא דָּא, אוֹלִיד זְרוּעָא דָּא וְיָהִיב אִיבָּא וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ. וְעַל דָּא, כָּל עָלְמִין אִתְּזָנוּ בְּסִפּוּקָא דְּהַהוּא גָּנָּנָא, דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק, דְּלָא שָׁכִיךְ וְלָא פָּסִיק לְעָלְמִין. [בַּר בְּזִמְנָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגָלוּתָא].
[And it is written: "And a garden makes the seed/zeru`eha shoot up..." (Isaiah 61:11). What does zeru`eha/seed(s) connote? These are the seeds of the Primeval Light, which is perpetually sown. Sometimes the light-seed germinates and produces fruits; sometimes it is sown (in a dormant state). ... Thus all the worlds are nourished to repletion by that Gardener who is called “Righteous/Tzaddik”. Only when Israel is in exile does this light cease.
Vincent van Gogh, The Sower at Sunset, Arles 1888, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Fields of Vision and of Tears
(יד) וַיִּקָּחֵ֙הוּ֙ שְׂדֵ֣ה צֹפִ֔ים אֶל־רֹ֖אשׁ הַפִּסְגָּ֑ה וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה מִזְבְּחֹ֔ת וַיַּ֛עַל פָּ֥ר וָאַ֖יִל בַּמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
The Field of Vision - Prophecy in the Story of Balaam and beyond
(14) With that, he [=Balak] took him [=Bil'am/Balaam] to Sedeh zophim/the field of seers, on the summit of Pisgah. He built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.
(ד) שְׂדֵה בּוֹכִים וְהוּא הַמָּקוֹם הַקָּרוֹב לְבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים יוֹשְׁבוֹת שָׁם וּבוֹכוֹת. ...
(4) The following laws apply to a field for weeping/s'deh bokhim, that is, a place near a cemetery where women sit and weep over the departed. ...
A mourning ritual of the Mingrelians in Georgia, c. 1884. By Ivan Pranishnikoff-Hermann Roskoschny, 1845-1898. Das asiatische Russland. Leipzig: Gressner & Schramm, 1884, Public Domain
Background to Our Text
Martyrdom and Dreams and Dread of Death
חַנּוּן הַבִּֽיטָה מִמְּרוֹמִים. תִּשְׁפֹּֽכֶת דַּם הַצַּדִּיקִים וְתַצְמִית דָּמִים. תִּרְאֶה בְּפַרְגּוּדָךְ וְהַעֲבֵר כְּתָמִים. אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא רַחֲמִים:
The Conclusion of the Traditional Martyrology ("Eleh Ezkerah"/These I Recall/The Ten Martyrs) in the Yom Kippur Liturgy
Gracious One! Look down from Heaven at the spilled blood of the righteous, [even] their life blood. Look from the place of Your holy Presence and remove all stains [of guilt]. Almighty, King Who sits upon a throne of mercy.
(א) מִקֹּדֶם סִפֵּר: שֶׁבִּימֵי בַּחֲרוּתוֹ, הָיָה לוֹ פַּחַד גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד מִן הַמִּיתָה. וְהָיָה מִתְפַּחֵד וּמִתְיָרֵא הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד מִן הַמִּיתָה. וְאָז הָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיָּמוּת עַל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם.
(ב) וְהָלַךְ בָּזֶה זְמַן רַב, וְאֵינוֹ זוֹכֵר כַּמָּה, אֲבָל זֶה הוּא יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהָיָה זְמַן גָּדוֹל, אֶפְשָׁר שָׁנָה שֶׁהָלַךְ בָּזֶה וּבִקֵּשׁ תָּמִיד עַל זֶה. וְלֹא הָיְתָה שִׂיחָה וּתְפִלָּה שֶׁלֹּא בִּקֵּשׁ עַל־זֶה שֶׁיִּסְתַּלֵּק עַל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם.
(ג) וּמִגֹּדֶל פַּחְדּוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ אָז מֵהַמִּיתָה כַּנַּ"ל, הָיָה זֶה בְּעַצְמוֹ אֶצְלוֹ מְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ עַל קִדּוּשׁ הַשֵּׁם מַמָּשׁ מַה שֶּׁהָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל עַל זֶה. כִּי הָיָה פַּחְדּוֹ גָּדוֹל מְאֹד אָז מִזֶּה.
(1) The Rebbe [=Rabbi Nachman] once told us that in his youth, he was greatly afraid of death. He feared this greatly. Even so, he would ask God to allow him to die for His sake.
(2) The Rebbe did not remember how long this lasted, perhaps for a year. All during this time, he would not say a prayer without also asking God to allow him to give his life for His Name. He constantly included this petition, despite his great terror of death.
(3) So great was the Rebbe’s fear of death that these prayers themselves were like giving his life.
(א) אָמַר: שֶׁכַּמָּה פְּעָמִים צִיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ עִנְיְנֵי מִיתָה, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא מֵת מַמָּשׁ, עַד שֶׁהִרְגִּישׁ טַעַם מִיתָה מַמָּשׁ.
(ב) גַּם אֲנִי שָׁמַעְתִּי שֶׁאָמַר: שֶׁבִּימֵי נְעוּרָיו הָיָה מְצַיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ מִיתָתוֹ וְאֵיךְ יִבְכּוּ עָלָיו וְכוּ'. וְצִיֵּר לְעַצְמוֹ הֵיטֵב כָּל עִנְיְנֵי מִיתָה.
(1) The Rebbe said, “Many times I imagined what it would be like to die. I did this to such an extent that I literally sensed the taste of death. It was as if I had actually died.”
(2) Another time, he told me, “As a youth, I would think what it would be like to die. I imagined how people would cry over me …. I would imagine every aspect of my death.
The Tears of Rabbi Nachman: The Life of Rabbi Nachman 28
(א) (כח) [מַאֲמָר וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל רוּת סִימָן ס"ה נֶאֱמַר בְּקַיִץ תקס"ו סָמוּךְ לִפְטִירַת בְּנוֹ הַיֶּלֶד הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְהַנּוֹרָא מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב רַבִּי שְׁלֹמֹה אֶפְרַיִם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה. וְאָז עָמַד לְפָנָיו מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב רַבִּי נָתָן זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה עִם עוֹד אֶחָד עַל הָעֲלִיָּה שֶׁהָיָה לַאֲדוֹנֵנוּ מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה עַל בֵּיתוֹ.
וַאֲדוֹנֵנוּ מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה סִפֵּר עִמָּם מִגֹּדֶל צַעֲרוֹ וְיִסּוּרִים שֶׁלּוֹ הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מִכָּל צַד וּמִצִּדֵּי צְדָדִים וְהֶאֱרִיךְ בָּזֶה קְצָת כִּי הָיָה מָלֵא יִסּוּרִים רַבִּים וַעֲצוּמִים מְאֹד מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ בְּכָל עֵת תָּמִיד.
וּבְתוֹךְ דְּבָרָיו עָנָה וְאָמַר מָה אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים מַה גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם הַשֶּׁבֶר הַזֶּה שֶׁהָיָה בָּעוֹלָם עִנְיַן הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַיֶּלֶד הַנַּ"ל, כָּל לְבָבִי נִשְׁבַּר וְנִתַּק מִמְּקוֹמוֹ.
וְהִתְחִילוּ הַדְּמָעוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת לֵירֵד עַל לְחָיָיו וְתֵכֶף וּמִיָּד נִשְׁמְטוּ מִלְּפָנָיו מֵעֹצֶם הַבּוּשָׁה שֶׁנָּפַל עֲלֵיהֶם עַל שֶׁרָאוּ בְּכִיָּתוֹ בִּפְנֵיהֶם עַד שֶׁנִּדְמָה לָהֶם כְּאִלּוּ נֶהְפָּךְ כָּל הָעוֹלָם וְנֶחֱרָב.
וּכְבָר מְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לְקַמָּן תקפג) בְּרֶמֶז קְצָת מֵעִנְיַן הַתִּקְוָה הַגְּדוֹלָה שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי לָבוֹא לִכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם לֹא הָיָה נִפְטַר הַיֶּלֶד הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַנַּ"ל. וְאַחַר־כָּךְ בַּיּוֹם שֶׁאַחַר זֶה שֶׁהָיָה בְּיוֹם שִׁשִּׁי עֶרֶב שַׁבַּת־קֹדֶשׁ אָמַר לָהֶם אִם לֹא הָיוּ יוֹרְדִים תֵּכֶף הָיָה מְסַפֵּר לָהֶם דָּבָר יָפֶה מְאֹד.
וּבְיוֹם זֶה אָמַר לָהֶם הַמַּאֲמָר וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל רוּת הַנַּ"ל הַמְדַבֵּר מֵעִנְיַן תִּקּוּן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת וּמַה שֶּׁצְּרִיכִין מְאֹד לְבַעַל הַשָּׂדֶה שֶׁיַּשְׁגִּיחַ עֲלֵיהֶם וִיתַקְּנֵם, וְזֶה שֶׁחוֹגֵר מָתְנָיו לִהְיוֹת בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה עוֹבְרִין עָלָיו יִסּוּרִים הַרְבֵּה בְּלִי שִׁעוּר רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן. וְהוּא בְּגֹדֶל כֹּחוֹ עוֹבֵר עַל כֻּלָּם וְעוֹשֶׂה פְּעֻלּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ, עַיֵּן שָׁם בַּמַּאֲמָר הַזֶּה וְזֶה הָיָה שַׁיָּךְ לְעִנְיַן הַסִּפּוּר מֵהַיִּסּוּרִים הָעוֹבְרִים עָלָיו שֶׁסִּפֵּר לִפְנֵיהֶם בַּיּוֹם שֶׁלְּפָנָיו כַּנַּ"ל]:
(English adapted from Wikisource, https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Chayey_Moharan#28 ):
The statement “And he said to Ruth” in section 65, was said in the summer of 1806, close to the passing of his holy and awesome son, our teacher Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim (born March 1805; died shortly after Shavuot 1806), blessed be his memory. And then stood before him our teacher Rabbi Nathan, blessed be his memory, together with another one on the loft of our teacher and Rabbi, blessed be his memory, at his home.
And our teacher, blessed be his memory, spoke to them about the great suffering and afflictions he had endured from all sides and extended greatly on this matter because he was filled with many and severe sufferings both at home and outside at all times. And in his words, he answered and said, "What do you know about the greatness and severity of this break in the world, regarding the departure of the child mentioned? My whole heart was broken and torn from its place."
And the holy tears began to flow down his cheeks, and immediately the sense of embarrassment that fell upon them, seeing his crying before them, made it seem to them as if the whole world had turned upside down and was destroyed.
And it is already explained elsewhere, in a hint, about the great hope that it would have been appropriate to be included in Israel if the holy child had not passed away. And afterward, on the day following, which was Friday, the holy Sabbath eve, he said to them that if they had not gone down immediately, he would have told them something very beautiful.
And on that day, he said to them that the statement “And he said to Ruth” discusses the rectification of souls and how they greatly need the owner of the field to oversee them and correct them. And that which girds his loins to be the master of the field, endures many afflictions without measure, God have mercy. And he, with his great power, surpasses all of them and performs the tasks of the field as needed. See there in this statement, and this was related to the story of the afflictions he told them about on the day before, as mentioned.
Arthur Green: "It was shortly after his son's death, in speaking with his disciples Nathan and Naftali, that Nahman offered one of the most profoundly personal teachings of his lifetime, one that deals with the relationships between suffering and creativity. The opening paragraphs of that teaching are particularly significant, offeringt Nahman's lyrical summation of his own career. Unable to force the hand of heaven and announce himself as messiah in his lifetime, he now offers himself as a sacrifice, hoping to effect by dying what he could not within his life. The longing he had already expressed as a child to die a martyr's death had now catapulted into making him the martyr, the Ephraimite messiah who by his death alone can allow the final work of redemption to proceed." Tormented Master, pp. 212-3.
Our Text: Likutei Moharan 65:1-2
(א) וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּעַז אֶל רוּת, הֲלֹא שָׁמַעַתְּ בִּתִּי, אַל תֵּלְכִי לִלְקֹט בְּשָׂדֶה אַחֵר, וְגַם לֹא תַעֲבוּרִי מִזֶּה וְכוּ'. עֵינַיִךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר יִקְצֹרוּן, וְהָלַכְתְּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן, הֲלוֹא צִוִּיתִי אֶת הַנְּעָרִים לְבִלְתִּי נָגְעֵךְ. וְצָמִת, וְהָלַכְתְּ אֶל הַכֵּלִים, וְשָׁתִית מֵאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאֲבוּן הַנְּעָרִים: (רות ב׳:ט׳)
(1) “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)
(ב) א דַּע, כִּי יֵשׁ שָׂדֶה, וְשָׁם גְּדֵלִים אִילָנוֹת וַעֲשָׂבִים יָפִים וְנָאִים מְאֹד. וְגֹדֶל יְקַר יֹפִי הַשָּׂדֶה וְגִדּוּלָיו אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְסַפֵּר, אַשְׁרֵי עַיִן רָאֲתָה זֹאת. וְאִילָנוֹת וַעֲשָׂבִים, הֵם בְּחִינַת נְשָׁמוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת הַגְּדֵלִים שָׁם.
(2) 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].
The Garden of Eden by Adi Holzer (2012), By Adi Holzer, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30719256
(ג) וְיֵשׁ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה נְשָׁמוֹת עֲרֻמּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם נָעִים וְנָדִים מִחוּץ לַשָּׂדֶה, וּמַמְתִּינִים וּמְצַפִּים עַל תִּקּוּן, שֶׁיּוּכְלוּ לָשׁוּב וְלִכְנֹס אֶל מְקוֹמָם. וְגַם אֲפִלּוּ נְשָׁמָה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁבָּהּ תְּלוּיִים כַּמָּה נְשָׁמוֹת, לִפְעָמִים כְּשֶׁהִיא יוֹצֵאת לַחוּץ, קָשֶׁה לָהּ לַחֲזֹר לְשָׁם.
(3) 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.
The Garden of Eden by Thomas Cole (c. 1828). Google Arts & Culture — IAHKSGcnAxWt4g, Public Domain.
(ד) וְהֵם כֻּלָּם מְבַקְּשִׁים וּמְצַפִּים עַל בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהִתְעַסֵּק בְּצֹרֶךְ תִּקּוּנָם. וְיֵשׁ נְשָׁמָה, שֶׁתִּקּוּנָהּ עַל־יְדֵי מִיתָה שֶׁל אֶחָד, אוֹ עַל־יְדֵי מִצְוָה וַעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁל אֶחָד.
(4) All of them are asking and hoping for the Master of the Field, who can involve himself in the necessities of their rectification. a soul is rectified through someone’s death, or through someone’s mitzvah or act of worship.
(ה) וּמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לַחֲגֹר מָתְנָיו, לְהַכְנִיס עַצְמוֹ לִהְיוֹת הוּא הַבַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ אָמוּד וְתַקִּיף, וְגִבּוֹר חַיִל, וְחָכָם, וְצַדִּיק גָּדוֹל מְאֹד. כִּי צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אָדָם גָּדוֹל וּמֻפְלָג בְּמַעֲלָה מְאֹד. וְיֵשׁ אֶחָד, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִגְמֹר הָעִנְיָן כִּי אִם עִם מִיתָתוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ לָזֶה צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, כִּי יֵשׁ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה גְּדוֹלִים, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ עִם מִיתָתָם לֹא יוֹעִילוּ. רַק אִם יֵשׁ אָדָם גָּדוֹל וּמֻפְלָג בְּמַעֲלָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, יָכוֹל לִגְמֹר מַה שֶּׁצָּרִיךְ בַּחַיִּים חִיּוּתוֹ. כִּי הַרְבֵּה יִסּוּרִין וּדְבָרִים קָשִׁים עוֹבְרִין עָלָיו, אַךְ עַל יְדֵי גַּדְלוּתוֹ וּמַעֲלָתוֹ עוֹבֵר עַל כֻּלָּם, וְעוֹשֶׂה פְּעֻלּוֹת הַשָּׂדֶה כְּמוֹ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ.
(5) 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 . 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. but tends to the field’s .
By Hieronymus Bosch, The Garden of Earthly Delights, inner left wing (Paradise), painted 1490-1500 - Public Domain.
(ו) וּכְשֶׁזּוֹכֶה לְתַקֵּן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת וּלְהַכְנִיסָם, אֲזַי טוֹב וְיָפֶה מְאֹד לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, כִּי אֲזַי הַתְּפִלָּה עַל תִּקּוּנָהּ.
(6) When [the Master of the Field] succeeds in rectifying the souls and bringing them in, it is very good and fitting to pray. For then prayer is perfected.
(ז) וְזֶה הַבַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, הוּא מַשְׁגִּיחַ וּמִשְׁתַּדֵּל תָּמִיד לְהַשְׁקוֹת הָאִילָנוֹת וּלְגַדְּלָם, וּבִשְׁאָר תִּקּוּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה, וּלְהַרְחִיק הָאִילָנוֹת זֶה מִזֶּה הַרְחָקָה הָרָאוּי, שֶׁלֹּא יַכְחִישׁ אֶחָד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, כִּי לִפְעָמִים צָרִיךְ לְהַרְאוֹת לִמְקֹרָב גָּדוֹל הַרְחָקָה גְּדוֹלָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַכְחִישׁ אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ:
(7) 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 [tree/follower] so that [he should not overshadow his friend/it should not interfere with the growth of its fellow].
(א) ב וְדַע, שֶׁכְּשֶׁהַנְּשָׁמוֹת עוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת, שֶׁעוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אֲזַי מְאִירִין עֵינֵי בַּעַל הַשָּׂדֶה, וִיכוֹלִין לִהְיוֹת צוֹפִין וְרוֹאִין בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (במדבר כ״ג:י״ד): שְׂדֵה צוֹפִים. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין רְצוֹנוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אֲזַי נִתְחַשְּׁכִים עֵינָיו, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: שְׂדֵה בּוֹכִים (אהלות פ' יח מועד קטן ה: ע"ש), כִּי בְּכִי הוּא קִלְקוּל הָרְאוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (קהלת י״ב:ב׳): וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגֶּשֶׁם, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קנא:): זֶה הָרְאוּת, שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ אַחַר הַבֶּכִי.
(1) 2. 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) .
Summary and Next Class
Summary
Next Class: Tale: The Wise Man and the Simpleton/The Sophisticate and the Simpleton