## Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:1 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:1) **יִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי לַעֲמֹד בַּבֹּקֶר, שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר** (שלחן ערוך ארח חיים סימן א׳). **Sefaria Community Translation:** **KEY CONCEPTS FROM LIKUTEY MOHARAN** **A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the *shachar*, dawn.** [Gloss: **“I set HaShem before me always” (*Tehillim* 16:8)—this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah]** (*Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim* 1:1). This discourse is **based on the lesson *Vayaseiv Elohim*** (LM I, 62), in which Rebbe Nachman discusses how to strengthen one’s *emunah* in HaShem. **Study** the Rebbe’s words **there.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:2 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:2) עַל פִּי הַתּוֹרָה ״וַיַּסֵּב אֱלֹהִים״, עַיֵּן שָׁם (בלקוטי מוהר״ן חלק א׳ סימן סב). **Sefaria Community Translation:** The Rebbe **clarifies there the distinction between** the two types of **questions** of *emunah*. **There are questions whose solution a person can** readily **comprehend. Concerning this** Chazal **stated, “Know what to answer…”**¹ 2:14: “Be diligent in the study of Torah and know what to answer a heretic.” A Jew must know how to answer the heretic’s questions and theological challenges to faith (*Rambam* and *Rabbeinu Yonah*, loc. cit.). **In fact,** with regard to **that which HaShem has placed within the grasp of the human mind, honing the intellect in order to comprehend the matter clearly is a great mitzvah. Hence the dictum: “Know what to answer a heretic.”** footnotes: ¹ Avot ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:3 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:3) מְבֹאָר שָׁם, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִלּוּק בֵּין הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת, כִּי יֵשׁ קֻשְׁיָא, שֶׁיָּכוֹל הָאָדָם לְהָבִין תֵּרוּץ עַל קֻשְׁיָא זוֹ – עלַ זהֶ נאֱֶמַר (אָבות פרק ב): ״וְדַע מַה שֶּׁתָּשִׁיב וְכוּ׳״. כִּי הָאֱמֶת מַה שֶׁהִגְבִּיל הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ לַשֵּׁכֶל הָאֱנוֹשִׁי שֶׁיּוּכַל לְהָבִין – הוּא מִצְוָה גְּדוֹלָה לְחַדֵּד הַשֵּׁכֶל לְהָבִין הַדָּבָר עַל בּוּרְיוֹ. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר: ״וְדַע מַה שֶּׁתָּשִׁיב לָאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹס״. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **But there are** also **questions whose solution is unfathomable to the human intellect. Only in the future will the answer be revealed.**² In the meantime, **a person must not explore** questions of this sort. Regarding **someone who does rely on his intellect to delve into** such questions, **it is written, “Whoever goes to her will not return”**—i.e. to his previous level of devoutness and simple faith.³ 17a). **For when it comes to questions of this sort, one is forbidden to rely on his intellect. Instead,** he must **stand firm in *emunah*.** footnotes: ² Rebbe Nachman also addresses the topic of nonbelief and heresy in LM I, 64:2-3. See also LM I, 21:4. ³ Shlomo HaMelekh likens heresy to a temptress. Rashi explains that the attraction of heresy is so powerful that anyone who succumbs to “her” enticements finds it all but impossible to escape (see also Avodah Zarah ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:4 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:4) אֲבָל יֵשׁ קֻשְׁיָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ בְּאֶפְשָׁרִי לַשֵּכֶׂל הָאֱנוֹשִׁי לְהָבִין תֵּרוּץ עַל קֻשְׁיָא כָּזוֹ, רַק לֶעָתִיד לָבאֹ יִתְגַּלֶּה הַתֵּרוּץ – אָסוּר לָאָדָם לְעַיֵּן בָּהֶם, וְכָל מִי שֶׁסּוֹמֵךְ עַל שִׂכְלוֹ וּמְעַיֵּן בָּהּ, עַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (משלי ב, יט): ״כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן״, כִּי עַל קֻשְׁיָא כָּזוֹ אָסוּר לִסְמֹךְ עַל שִׂכְלוֹ, רַק לְהַעֲמִיד עַל אֱמוּנָה. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Now, even** regarding **those questions that do have an answer,** it **sometimes** happens that **the pathways of** a person’s **intellect become blocked, and he does not know how to respond** to the question. On account of this, the **heresy** of the question **becomes injected into him. This** sort of **heresy exists** in everyone, **in each person relative to his spiritual level.** If he looks within, **he will be able to understand** how **to a greater or a lesser degree** he too has been affected by heresy.⁴, constricted consciousness—he should rely on *emunah*. But when the pathways are unblocked, so that he is in the state of *mochin d’gadlut*, expanded consciousness, it is a mitzvah for him to explore the questions and seek to answer them. footnotes: ⁴ Unlike the comprehensive prohibition against exploring questions whose solutions will be understood only in the future, the prohibition against delving into answerable questions is relative, dependent on the state of a person’s intellect at that moment. When the pathways of his intellect are blocked and a solution eludes him—a state that kabbalistic teaching refers to as mochin d’katnut ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:5 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:5) וַאֲפִלּוּ אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם תְּשׁוּבָה, לִפְעָמִים נִסְתְּמוּ שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל וְאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהָשִׁיב, וְנִזְרְקָה בּוֹ אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת וְכוּ׳. וְזֹאת הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת הִיא לְכָל אֶחָד לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ יָכוֹל לְהָבִין בֵּין רַב למִעְָט. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **One should serve HaShem with both** of his **inclinations,** with the *yetzer hara,* evil inclination, subservient to the *yetzer tov*, good inclination.⁵ **In truth, if a person would really know with his whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory,”** then the pathways of his intellect would never be blocked and he would not succumb to heresy. The extent of this awareness of HaShem’s Immanence is reflected in his conduct during prayer. If he would know **and** internalize **that HaKadosh Barukh Hu stands** over him **when he prays, and** that **He listens to** every single word of **the prayer, he would surely pray with great fervor and be extremely meticulous about concentrating on his words. But,** in general, **because a person does not know this with a whole heart, he is neither very fervent nor meticulous.** footnotes: ⁵ See below in this section and note 9. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:6 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:6) כִּי צָרִיךְ לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה׳ בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרִין וְכוּ׳, וּבֶאֱמֶת אִם הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ הָאָדָם יְדִיעָה בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם שֶׁ״מְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ״ (ישעיה ו, ג), וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה וְשׁוֹמֵעַ הַתְּפִלָּה וַדַּאי הָיָה מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת גָּדוֹל, וְהָיָה מְדַקְדֵּק מְאֹד לְכַוֵּן אֶת דְּבָרָיו. וּבִשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָאָדָם אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ זֹאת יְדִיעָה בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה אֵינוֹ מִתְלַהֵב כָּל־כָּךְ וְאֵינוֹ מְדַקְדֵּק כָּל־כָּךְ וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **And all of this is due to the concealment of the knowledge** of HaShem’s Immanence. This concealment stems **from the element of *machloket***—the dispute in a person’s heart caused by the ascending power of his *yetzer hara*—**as expressed in “their heart is *chalak*.”**⁶ devotion to HaShem and yielding to his *yetzer hara*, his division or dispute) indicates ,מחלקת) inner *maChLoKet* an absence of deep spiritual knowledge, i.e. *daat*, and thus an inability to answer the “personal” heresies that plague his heart and distance him from HaShem. **This refers to questions that arise because the pathways of his intellect have become blocked** and “divide” his heart, **to the point that he does not know what to answer to the heresy in his** own **heart.** footnotes: ⁶ The prophet Hoshea speaks of the idol-worshiping Jews whose hearts were divided against HaShem. Rebbe Nachman teaches that this dividedness stems from conflict within the heart, the dispute between one’s good inclination and its evil counterpart. When divided) between ,חלק) a person’s heart is ChaLaK ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:7 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:7) וְכָל זֶה נִמְשָׁךְ מֵהַסְתָּרַת הַיְדִיעָה, מִבְּחִינַת מַחֲלֹקֶת, בְּחִינַת (הושע י, ב): ״חָלַק לִבָּם״, בְּחִינַת הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁבָּאִין עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנִּסְתְּמוּ שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׁכֶל עַד שֶּׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהָשִׁיב עַל אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִית שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **The** way to **remedy this *machloket* in the heart is by studying the rulings of Jewish law** that cite the disputes between the various legal authorities and come to a clear conclusion.⁷ itself. By studying the disputes of the Sages and how these disputes are resolved as rulings of Jewish law, one fosters inner peace. The *daat* he acquires in learning to distinguish between prohibited and permitted, kosher and unkosher, pure and impure eliminates the *machloket* that divides and plagues his heart with conflict. For a more extensive explanation, see §2 of the Rebbe’s lesson and the notes there. **Through this** study **a person attains** both *daat* and inner **peace, and so merits eliminating the questions in his heart.**⁸ Mishnah’s dictum (*Avot* 2:14): “*Ve-da Mah She-tashiv* Know what to ,ודע מה שתשיב לאפיקורוס) *Le’epikoros* answer a heretic)” (see note 1 above). for “your (לבבך) **He will then be able to pray with a whole heart,** as in Chazal’s exposition of the verse **“with all *levavekha*”** as meaning to pray to HaShem **“with both your inclinations.”**⁹ .(לבך) heart” rather than the more common *libkha* Chazal (*Berakhot* 54a) see the doubling of the letter in *leVaVekha* as an allusion to the heart’s two (ב) *vet* inclinations: “You shall love HaShem your God with *both* your inclinations,” using the energy generated by your *yetzer hara* to serve the objectives of your *yetzer tov*. **This** praying with both inclinations of the heart **is also** alluded to in **“I will praise You with an upright *leivav* when I study Your just laws.”**¹⁰” (see previous note), heart) also has the letter *vet* doubled. Here ,לבב) *leiVaV* too this indicates that one should pray to HaShem with both of the heart’s inclinations. How does one achieve a whole heart? By studying “Your just laws,” namely the rulings of Jewish law. Reb Noson will further expound this second proof-text in §3 below. **Study** the Rebbe’s words **there.**¹¹ footnotes: ⁷ The division in a person’s heart is rooted in the disputes of holiness, namely the disputes of the Tannaim and Amoraim recorded in the Gemara. Uncertainty about how HaShem wants the disputed law fulfilled leaves one’s evil inclination a way-in to undermine not only the dispute of holiness but even the very foundation of emunah ⁸ In §2 of his lesson, Rebbe Nachman notes that peace) is an acrostic for the ,שלום) the word ShaLOM ⁹ The Torah uses the word levavekha ¹⁰ As in “with all leVaVekha ¹¹ See §2 of the Rebbe’s lesson. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:8 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:8) וְהַתִּקּוּן לְזֶה הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת שֶׁבַּלֵּב הוּא לִלְמֹד פּוֹסֵק, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכֶה לְשָׁלוֹם וְכוּ׳, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יִזְכֶּה לְבַטֵּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ, וְזוֹכֶה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, בִּבְחִינַת: ״בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ״ (דברים ו, ה) – ״בִּשְׁנֵי יְצָרֶיךָ״ (ברכות נד.). וְזֶהוּ (תהלים קיט, ז): ״אוֹדְךָ בְּיֹשֶׁר לֵבָב בְּלָמְדִי מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ וְכוּ׳״, עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** However, studying the rulings of Jewish law is effective only in dealing with questions whose answer a person can readily comprehend, **whereas it is forbidden to explore** those **questions for which there are no answers. Rather, one must strengthen oneself with *emunah*.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:9 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:9) אֲבָל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאֵין עֲלֵיהֶם תֵּרוּץ – אָסוּר לְעַיֵּן בָּהֶם, רַק לְחַזֵּק אֶת עַצְמוֹ בֶּאֱמוּנָה. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **And when a person has complete *emunah*,** free of all questions and doubts, **his eating has the power to effect a *yichud*,** unification,¹² is the union of the masculine and feminine aspects of Divinity, HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah, respectively, so that by virtue of their union an abundance of HaShem’s compassion and goodness are revealed in the creation. For *yichud* to transpire, both of these aspects must be in a state of wholeness, which the Kabbalists refer to as *panim* (see note 22 below), i.e. positioned facing each other rather than back-to-back (see *Shaar Maamarei Rashbi* 105 *ff* ). The *mitzvot* that a Jew performs are the primary vehicle for bringing about this union. **between HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah,**¹³, HaShem’s Infinite Essence, in order to directly supervise and govern creation (see Appendix A, p. 225). Whereas the nonbeliever attributes the governance of creation to nature and human agency (see LH, *Masa u-Matan* 4:8), one who possesses complete *emunah* ascribes the supervision of creation—namely the Shekhinah—to HaKadosh Barukh Hu. Such a person therefore eats with full recognition and *emunah* that his sustenance comes from HaShem alone, through the agency of His Indwelling Presence, and in this way effects a *yichud* between HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah (see further, notes 14 and 15). **since food is spiritually refined** and elevated **through *emunah***¹⁴, the food has to have already been refined of the forces of spiritual impurity that were mixed in with it as a result of Adam’s eating from the Tree of Knowledge. Conversely, eating food that contains an admixture of good and evil can cause a person to sin, and sin separates HaKadosh Barukh Hu from the Shekhinah.—through the faith in HaShem displayed by eating in holiness.¹⁵ eats in order to better serve HaShem. He is not gluttonous, eats only kosher food, recites blessings with *kavanah*, studies Torah at the meal, and so on. No less significantly, when a person with complete *emunah* eats, he is grateful to HaShem and acknowledges His *hashgachah*, Divine providence, as the agency through which he obtains his sustenance. footnotes: ¹² Yichud ¹³ The term Shekhinah denotes the Indwelling Presence of HaShem in the world. In its identity as Malkhut, the manifestation of Divine sovereignty, Shekhinah also signifies the contraction of Ein Sof ¹⁴ In his lesson Rebbe Nachman explains that in order for one’s eating to bring about a yichud ¹⁵ A person who has complete emunah ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:10 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:10) וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֱמוּנָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת – יוּכַל לִהְיוֹת עַל־יְדֵי אֲכִילָתוֹ יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּיהּ וְכוּ׳. כִּי הַבֵּרוּר שֶׁל הַמַּאֲכָלִים הוּא עַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Now, *emunah* is perfected and adorned mainly by bringing closer** to HaShem **precisely those who are** most **distant** from Him.¹⁶, those distant from faith in HaShem are the addition that makes it whole. To perfect and adorn *emunah*, they must be brought to belief in HaShem. This is true not just of the nonbelievers among the nations of the world, but also of Jews whose lack of *emunah* in HaShem resembles that of the nations. In neglecting the faith of their forefathers, they have become distant from HaShem and need to be drawn closer. Their newfound recognition of HaShem enhances *emunah*. **However,** to achieve this, **one must** be able to **elevate the sparks of holiness** in the letters **of speech.**¹⁷ 18:4). In an alternate account of the Breaking of the Vessels, the Arizal identifies the letters of speech with the *sefirah*-vessels that house the Light of *Ein Sof* from which all the worlds were formed (*Eitz Chaim* 5:5). At the *shevirah*, these letter-vessels broke into countless shards bearing sparks of the Light, which then fell into the lower realms (see LM I, 54:3; see also Appendix A, p. 231). Man furthers the fall of these holy sparks when he employs his faculty of speech improperly, including reciting the words of his arid, absentminded prayers.. Only the redemption of these holy sparks creates the speech of holiness needed to restore *emunah* to the world. **Then,** once these holy sparks begin to ascend,¹⁸ **the** faculty of **speech turns itself around and gathers up the remaining sparks of holiness from the *kelipot*,** the forces of evil.¹⁹ of Malkhut and the Shekhinah. footnotes: ¹⁶ By definition, perfecting anything means providing it with what it previously lacked. In the case of emunah ¹⁷ The Midrash teaches that the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are the building blocks of Creation (see Bereishit Rabbah ¹⁸ The fallen holy sparks ascend when man purifies his speech through fervent prayer, Torah study, speaking words of faith, and the like; and by abstaining from profanity, slander, mockery, falsehood, and the like. ¹⁹ Speech acts here in its identity as the sefirah ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:11 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:11) וְעִקַּר שְׁלֵמוּת וְקִשּׁוּטֵי אֱמוּנָה הַיְנוּ לְקָרֵב דַּוְקָא הַמְרֻחָקִים וְכוּ׳. וְלָזֶה צְרִיכִין לְהַעֲלוֹת נִיצוֹצֵי הַדִּבּוּר, וְאָז הוֹפֵךְ אֶת עַצְמוֹ הַדִּבּוּר וּמְלַקֵּט שְׁאֵרֵי נִיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה מִן הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **In order to elevate the holy sparks of speech, one needs to fast.** Man’s **cravings for food and drink are the primary physical desires.**²⁰ **When** these desires **become overpowering, *chas ve-shalom*, they draw** the letters of **speech into the exile of Egypt,** making it impossible to speak words of holiness.²¹ They also undermine holy *emunah*, and so people’s questions of faith increase. **At that point it is necessary to attach the back of holiness,**²² and *achor*, “front” and “back.” Here, the “back of holiness” signifies holiness of a lesser intensity and level. Holiness that is in any sense incomplete or inferior needs to be concealed from the evil and impure forces, lest they exploit its imperfection for their own benefit. The idea of *attaching* the back of holiness derives from the kabbalistic teaching regarding *Ze’ir Anpin* (the masculine principle) and Malkhut (the feminine principle). In their rectified state of *gadlut* (lit. “maturity”), these Divine personas (see Appendix A, pp. 233-4) stand face-to-face in preparation for *yichud*. Prior to reaching this wholeness they are in a state of deficiency, *katnut* (lit. “immaturity”). Their “backs”—their elements of lesser holiness—are then exposed to the *kelipot*. In order to safeguard holiness and keep the power of the *kelipot* in check (see following note), it is necessary to conceal holiness by attaching *Ze’ir Anpin* and Malkhut back-toback (*Eitz Chaim* 8:6). to conceal it, **so as to prevent** the *kelipot* **from drawing** any more than a bare minimum of **sustenance** from this lesser holiness.²³ are sustained by *nitzotzot*, sparks of holiness, the life-force without which they could not exist (*Pri Eitz Chaim*, *Shaar HaPurim* 6; see Appendix A, p. 231 *ff* ). However, because HaShem does not want the forces of evil to become overly powerful, their access is limited to the back of holiness, and even there only to the bare minimum of life-force needed to insure their continued survival. Yet there are certain times and situations in which the back of holiness becomes especially vulnerable to the *kelipot*. Then, to insure that their ability to overpower holiness is held in check, the back of holiness must be concealed. **And the way to conceal the back of holiness is through fasting.** Unlike indulging one’s desires for food and drink, fasting denies the *kelipot* access to their source of sustenance, and so breaks any hold they have over holy speech.²⁴, and so thwarts their attempts to prevent the words of holiness from passing through the throat. footnotes: ²⁰ See note 67 to Rebbe Nachman’s lesson, which explains why he considers gluttony, and not immorality or avarice, the primary physical desire. ²¹ See LM I, 45, that quintessentially the Egyptian exile was the exile of speech. ²² To indicate a subject’s wholeness and perfection or lack thereof, Kabbalah employs the terms panim ²³ The Arizal teaches that like all things in creation, the kelipot ²⁴ Fasting subdues man’s physical desires. Thus if a person’s aim in eating and drinking is to satisfy his physical desires rather than elevate the sparks of holiness trapped inside the food, he would do well to serve HaShem by fasting. Keeping food from his throat keeps sustenance from the kelipot ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:12 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:12) וּלְהַעֲלוֹת נִצּוֹצֵי הַדִּבּוּר צָרִיךְ לְתַעֲנִית וְכוּ׳, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, שֶׁהֵם רָאשֵׁי הַתַּאֲווֹת, כְּשֶׁמִּתְגַּבְּרִים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, הֵם מַמְשִׁיכִין אֶת הַדִּבּוּר לְגָלוּת מִצְרַיִם וְכוּ׳, וְאָז צְרִיכִין לְדַבֵּק אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁלֹּא יִינְקוּ, וּדְבֵקוּת אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִית וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **In addition** to subjugating physical desire, fasting is also valuable because it expresses a new beginning.²⁵, fasting expresses one’s desire for a new beginning. Reb Noson fleshes out this idea in §5 below. This is important **because the essence of all things is their beginning,** and **because “all beginnings are difficult.”**²⁶ 2:5. Rebbe Nachman gives two reasons why the beginning of a devotional practice is more meritorious than its continued performance: 1) The beginning is the foundation on which whatever one subsequently accomplishes is built; and 2) “All beginnings are difficult,” since it takes greater effort to change oneself than to maintain a change once it has been instituted and routinized. footnotes: ²⁵ Fasting indicates a person’s recognition that he has to step back from his attachment to the physical pleasures of this world. As an act of teshuvah ²⁶ Mekhilta, Yitro ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:13 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:13) גַּם כִּי עִקַּר כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הֵן הַהַתְחָלָה, כִּי כָּל הַהַתְחָלוֹת קָשׁוֹת וְכוּ׳ וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Once the back of holiness has been concealed** through fasting, **the *kelipot* are unable to enter there and draw sustenance** from the power of holiness. **And** with the capacity of the *kelipot* impaired, **the face of holiness**—the radiance of consummate *emunah*—**is then revealed.** HaShem engineers this **in order to extract from the mouths** of the *kelipot* the holiness **that they have swallowed. And then all those who are spiritually distant turn to the *emunah* of the Jews, as expressed in “Then I will turn the nations to a pure language.” The emphasis is on “turn,”** as the verse can also be read, “I will turn a pure language to the nations.” **It is the “pure language,” meaning the** faculty of **speech that has been refined** and extracted **from the midst** of the *kelipot*, which **turns its face to the nations.** It does this **in order to gather up from them the remaining sparks of holiness. Then** the continuation of the verse, **“that they all proclaim in the Name of HaShem,”** is realized. All those who were spiritually distant are drawn closer to HaShem—**this being the adornment of *emunah*.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:14 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:14) וְאָז כְּשֶׁנִּתְדַּבְּקִין אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהַקְּלִפּוֹת לִכָּנֵס לְשָׁם וְלִינקֹ, וְאָז נִתְגַּלִין הַפָּנִים שֶׁל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה וְכוּ׳, כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא בִּלְעָם מִפִּיהֶם וְכוּ׳, וְאָז פּוֹנִים כָּל הָרְחוֹקִים לְאֱמוּנַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּבְחִינַת (צפניה ג, ט): ״אָז אֶהֱפֹךְ אֶל כָּל הָעַמִּים שָׂפָה בְרוּרָה״, ״אֶהֱפֹךְ״ דַּיְקָא, שֶׁהַשָּׁפָה בְּרוּרָה, בְּחִינַת הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵר מִבֵּינֵיהֶם, הוּא הוֹפֵךְ פָּנָיו אֶל הָעַמִּים כְּדֵי לְלַקֵּט מֵהֶם שְׁאֵרֵי נִצּוֹצוֹת הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, וְאָז נִתְקַיֵּם: ״לִקְרֹא כֻלָּם בְּשֵׁם ה׳ וְכוּ׳״, וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת קִשּׁוּטֵי הָאֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** This perfecting and adorning of *emunah* is alluded to in *Saba d’Mishpatim*,²⁷ recounts the deep mysteries that were revealed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his disciples by several very exalted souls. This section of *Zohar* (II, 94a-14a) is known as *Saba d’Mishpatim*. which states: *Emunah* is like **“the beautiful maiden who has no eyes,** i.e. she is concealed… **She emerges** and is revealed **in the morning, but over the day becomes covered.” For man’s *emunah* renews itself each morning, as in** a rereading of the verse **“They are renewed in the mornings; your *emunah* is great,”** where it is “your *emunah*,” a *person’s* faith, that the psalmist is alluding to.²⁸, “Your *emunah* is great” refers to HaShem’s faithfulness. Rebbe Nachman reads this as referring to *a person’s faith*—to his *emunah* that emerges anew each morning, having been strengthened and made great by his nighttime devotions. See also Rashi’s commentary on this verse in *Eikhah*. **But** subsequently, **“over the day [it] becomes covered”**—**due to the burdens of daily existence, *emunah* becomes** obscured and **concealed.** footnotes: ²⁷ The Zohar ²⁸ In the Book of Eikhah ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:15 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:15) וְזֶהוּ ״עוּלֵימְתָּא שַׁפִּירְתָא דְּלֵית לָהּ עֵינִין וְכוּ׳, נַפְקַת בְּצַפְרָא וְאִתְכַּסְיָא בִּימָמָא״ (זהר משפטים צה:). כִּי הָאֱמוּנָה מִתְחַדֶּשֶׁת אֵצֶל הָאָדָם בְּכָל בֹּקֶר, בִּבְחִינַת (איכה ג, כג): ״חדֲשִָׁים לבַּקְ רִָים רַבּהָ אֱמוּנָתֶךָ״, ״וּמִתְכַסְּיָא בִּימָמָא״ – מֵחֲמַת טִרְדַת עִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם נִתְכַּסָּה הָאֱמוּנָה וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Thus we need to engage in the *tikkun* of *emunah* by drawing the spiritually distant towards holiness. Once perfected, all the questions that would undermine *emunah* are eliminated, and HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah are joined in a state of *yichud*. ***Emunah*,** the Shekhinah, **then** pleads and **advocates before HaShem on behalf of the spiritually distant ones,** asking **that He draw them closer.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:16 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:16) וַאֲזַי הָאֱמוּנָה הִיא מַמְלֶצֶת עַל הָרְחוֹקִים לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיְּקָרֵב אוֹתָם וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **This** *yichud* **is** alluded to in the verse **“Then Yehudah approached [Yosef].”** The commentaries explain that **this is “the drawing close of one king to another king,”**²⁹ 93:2. hinting to the unification of HaKadosh Barukh Hu with the Shekhinah.³⁰ (I, 206b) explains this meeting of kings, Yosef and Yehudah, as the *yichud* of *Ze’ir Anpin*/ HaKadosh Barukh Hu and Malkhut / the Shekhinah. Yosef, as the Biblical exemplar of the *tzaddik*, personifies *Yesod*, the component of *Ze’ir Anpin* that engages in union. Yehudah, as progenitor of the Davidic dynasty, personifies Malkhut, *Ze’ir Anpin’s* mate. Their drawing close signifies the face-to-face *yichud* of these Divine personas. footnotes: ²⁹ Bereishit Rabbah ³⁰ The Zohar ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:17 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:17) וזְֶהוּ (בראשית מד, יח): ״וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה״ – ״דָּא תִּקְרֻבְתָּא דְּמַלְכָּא בְּמַלְכָּא וְכוּ׳״ (זהר ויגש רו.). ״כִּי כָּמוֹךָ כְּפַרְעֹה״. **Sefaria Community Translation:** When joined in *yichud*, the Shekhinah pleads with HaKadosh Barukh Hu to show compassion for the spiritually distant ones. She says, **“For you are just like Pharaoh.”** In other words, “You are known only from *pheraoh*, what is revealed³¹ 32:25), “Moshe realized that the nation was exposed, for Aharon *pheraoh* (had exposed) has the ,פרְָעהֹ) exposed them).” *PheRaOH* Pharaoh). This indicates ,פּרְַעהֹ) same letters as *PaROH* that the name Pharaoh implies revealing (see also *Metzudat Tzion* on *II Divrei HaYamim* 28:19).—namely a world ostensibly governed by nature, in which Your *hashgachah* is hidden. It is this concealment that causes people to err in *emunah*.” Thus the Shekhinah begs HaKadosh Barukh Hu to make His *hashgachah* known to them. How? By allowing those who are distant from Him to witness the *tzaddik* overturning the laws of nature.³² rules through the fear of God’” (*II Shmuel* 23:3). Chazal interpret this verse as HaShem saying, “I am the Ruler of men. And who rules over Me? The *tzaddik*! For I issue a decree and he nullifies it” (*Moed Katan* 16b). Owing to the *tzaddik’s* fear of HaShem, his prayers have the power to annul HaShem’s decrees of illness, poverty, and the like, thereby overriding the laws of nature through which HaShem governs the world. footnotes: ³¹ In its account of Moshe descending from Mount Sinai to discover the Israelites worshiping the golden calf, the Torah states (Shemot ³² “The God of Israel has said, the Rock of Israel has spoken to me, ‘[Become] a ruler of men; a tzaddik ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:18 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:1:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:1:18) מַה פַּרְעֹה גּוֹזֵר וְאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם וְכוּ׳, אַף אַתָּה גּוֹזֵר וְאֵינְךָ מְקַיֵּם (בראשית רבה צג, ו), כִּי הַצַּדִּיק מְבַטֵּל וְכוּ׳, עַיֵּן שָׁם כָּל זֶה הֵיטֵב. **Sefaria Community Translation:** This is the meaning of the Midrash’s teaching “**Just as Pharaoh decrees,** i.e. nature dictates a certain course of cause and effect, **but fails to carry out** its program when a *tzaddik* nullifies it, **You too decree** that the world now be governed by nature **but fail to carry** this **out,” since the *tzaddik*** prays and **nullifies** that too. Seeing You nullify Your will to the will of the *tzaddik* strengthens the *emunah* of those who are distant and brings them closer to You.³³ performs through his prayers prove that the natural order is subject to a Higher Will. People see that in response to the *tzaddik’s* prayers to HaShem, some constant of nature acts inconstantly or some law of physics is inexplicably contravened. From this they deduce that HaShem exists and that everything in creation conforms to His will. Were it otherwise, the *tzaddik’s* prayers would be helpless to effect a change in the set rules of nature. **Study all this well** in the Rebbe’s words **there.**³⁴ footnotes: ³³ The supernatural wonders that the tzaddik ³⁴ See §6 of the Rebbe’s lesson. See also LM I, 62:7 and notes 125-134 there. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:1 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:1) וְזֶה בְּחִינַת ״יִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי לַעֲמֹד בַּבֹּקֶר שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר״. כִּי הָאֱמוּנָה הִיא בְּחִינַת ״מַלְכוּת״ (זהר בלק קצח:), שֶׁנִּקְרֵאת שַׁחַר, בְּחִינַת ״אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר״, כַּיָּדוּעַ (זהר ויקרא כא:). **Sefaria Community Translation:** **2 ■ RISING WITH EMUNAH** Reb Noson begins his discourse on the law that a person should strengthen himself to rise in the morning to serve HaShem by linking it with strengthening *emunah*, especially through studying Torah in the hours before dawn. Now, **this** teaching regarding strengthening *emunah* **bears** directly **on** the first law in the *Shulchan Arukh*, **“A person should strengthen himself like a lion to rise up in the morning … so that it is he who awakens the dawn.”** Awakening the *shachar*, rising before dawn, effectively “awakens” or strengthens *emunah*. **For *emunah* is identified with** the *sefirah* of **Malkhut,**³⁵ #67, p. 97b; *Zohar* III, 198b. Kabbalah teaches that at night Malkhut, the *sefirah* synonymous with the Shekhinah, descends into the lower worlds in order to redeem the sparks of holiness that have fallen there on account of humanity’s sins (*Shaar HaKavanot, Drushei HaAmidah* 2; see also ibid. *Drushei HaLailah* 4). Malkhut is also identified as *emunah*, for by accepting HaShem’s kingship and sovereignty, one displays his *emunah* in Him (see LM I, 35:5). Thus in a world darkened by sin, faith is said to be trapped among the forces of evil. But at midnight, Malkhut / the Shekhinah / *emunah* begins to ascend (ibid. *Drushei HaLailah* 3), particularly through the spiritual devotions of those who, as Reb Noson will explain, “awaken the dawn.” **which is termed *shachar***—as in **the** kabbalistic **concept** known as ***Ayelet HaShachar*.**³⁶ is called *Ayelet HaShachar*. In the kabbalistic lexicon, *Ayelet HaShachar* is an appellation for the Shekhinah (*Zohar* II, 19b), namely Malkhut, Whose rectification and return to wholeness comes with the morning’s dawn. footnotes: ³⁵ Tikkuney Zohar ³⁶ See above, p. 90, note 24, that the light of shachar ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:2 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:2) כִּי עִקַּר שְׁלֵמוּת הָאֱמוּנָה הוּא בַּבֹּקֶר, בִּבְחִינַת: ״חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ״, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת ״נַפְקַת בְּצַפְרָא״, כַּמְבֹאָר לְעֵיל בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ״ל, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה נִקְרֵאת הָאֱמוּנָה ״שַׁחַר״ כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Moreover, *emunah* and morning’s dawn, the *shachar*, are conceptually related. **For the main perfection of faith takes place in the morning, as expressed in “They are renewed in the mornings, your faith is great.”** Every morning the power of *emunah* is regenerated. **This relates to** the *Zohar’s* teaching cited above, that *emunah* is the “beautiful maiden” who **“emerges in the morning”** and is revealed then. **All of this was explained previously, in the** concepts from the Rebbe’s **lesson.**³⁷ cited in §1 above*.* **It is for this reason,** namely that the main perfection of *emunah* occurs in the morning, **that *emunah* is termed *shachar*,** the beginning of the morning. footnotes: ³⁷ See the passage from Saba d’Mishpatim ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:3 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:3) וְעַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְהִתְגַּבֵּר כַּאֲרִי, וּלְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל מְאֹד שֶׁיַּעֲמוֹד בַּבֹּקֶר הַשְׁכֵּם קֹדֶם עֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּעֲסוֹק בְּתוֹרָה וּתְפִלָּה, לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהַשְׁלִים לְגַדֵּל אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת: ״שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר״, בְּחִינַת (תהלים נז, ט): ״אָעִירָה שָׁחַר״, הַיְנוּ שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה עַל־יְדֵי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ קֹדֶם אוֹר הַיּוֹם לְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָאֱמוּנָה, שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לְהַגְדִילָהּ וּלְהַשְׁלִימָהּ עַד אוֹר הַיּוֹם, שֶׁאָז עִקַּר עֲלִיָּתָהּ וּשְׁלֵמוּתָהּ, בִּבְחִינַת ״חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים וְכוּ׳״, בְּחִינַת ״נַפְקַת בְּצַפְרָא״ כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **And so,** in order for *emunah* to be revealed, **every person must “strengthen himself like a lion” and exert great effort to rise up early in the morning, before daybreak, in order to study Torah and pray,** and **to elevate, complete and magnify holy faith.** Perfection of *emunah* depends on his serving HaShem. **This is the meaning of “so that it is he who awakens the *shachar*,” corresponding to** the verse **“I will awaken the *shachar*.” In other words, through a person’s pre-dawn devotions, he merits awakening the *shachar* in its identity as *emunah*, which needs to be magnified and completed up until daybreak. For** morning **is the main time of** *emunah’s* **elevation and perfection, as indicated in “They are renewed in the mornings,” and in** the passage cited from *Saba d’Mishpatim*, **“She emerges in the morning.”** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:4 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:4) וְעִקַּר שְׁלֵמוּת הָעֲבוֹדָה הוּא לְהִתְגַּבֵּר מְאֹד לַעֲמֹד בְּכָל לַיְלָה בַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה, כַּמְבֹאָר בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בְכַמָּה וְכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת (זהר לך לך צב:, בא כז:, בשלח מו.), מִגֹּדֶל הָאַזְהָרָה שֶׁמְחֻיָּב כָּל מִי שֶׁנָּגַע יִרְאַת ה׳ בְּלִבּוֹ לַעֲמֹד בַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה דַּוְקָא. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Thus far Reb Noson has explained that *emunah* is renewed every morning, and that we therefore get up before dawn to elevate and magnify *emunah* through our Torah study and prayer. He next specifies that the optimal time to engage in perfecting *emunah* is after midnight, through the *daat* one acquires by studying the rulings of Jewish law. **Now, the consummate** and most effective **devotion** for strengthening *emunah* **is to strengthen oneself greatly,** exerting utmost willpower, **to rise each night at midnight. The holy *Zohar*, in many places, is clear about how extremely vigilant** one must be regarding this. It teaches **that anyone whose heart has been touched by fear** and awe **of HaShem is obligated to rise specifically at midnight.**³⁸ I, 77b and 92b; *Zohar* II, 46a. See also *Reishit Chokhmah, Shaar HaKedushah* 7, which cites many additional passages from the *Zohar* on the importance of rising at midnight to serve HaShem. footnotes: ³⁸ See Zohar ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:5 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:5) כִּי עִקַּר שְׁלֵמוּת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּבַטְּלִין וּמְשַׁבְּרִין וּמְבַעֲרִין מִדַּעְתּוֹ שְׁנֵי מִינֵי קֻשְׁיוֹת וּכְפִירוֹת הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁהֵם הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְהָשִׁיב עֲלֵיהֶם שׁוּם תְּשׁוּבָה וְתֵרוּץ, כִּי עֲלֵיהֶם נֶאֱמַר: ״כָּל בָּאֶיהָ לֹא יְשׁוּבוּן״, וּצְרִיכִין לִסְמֹךְ רַק עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד וְכַנַּ״ל. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ קֻשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָם וְכוּ׳, וְגַם אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת, לִפְעָמִים נִסְתְּמוּ שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן. וְאֵלוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הֵם לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ, לְפִי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **For holy *emunah* is mainly perfected through voiding, crushing and eradicating from one’s mind the two types of questions and heresies discussed above.** As we have seen, **there are the questions that are** intrinsically **unanswerable and insolvable. Regarding these** the Torah **states, “Whoever goes to her will not return.”** Rather, **one must rely exclusively on *emunah*. In addition, there are the questions that can be resolved,** for which honing one’s intellect is a great mitzvah. **But** with **these questions too** there are pitfalls. It **sometimes** happens that **the pathways of the intellect become blocked and** so even these questions **cannot** presently **be answered.** As a result, an element of heresy enters his heart. **And for each person, these questions** that are unresolvable because the pathways have become blocked **are relative to his spiritual level, commensurate with each person’s intellect.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:6 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:6) וְהַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה לִזְכּוֹת לִפְתֹּחַ אֶת הַדַּעַת וּלְגַלּוֹת שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל הוּא עַל־יְדֵי לִמּוּד פּוֹסְקִים וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל. וְאָז זוֹכִין לְשָׁלוֹם וְנִתְבַּטֵּל הַמַּחֲלֹקֶת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת כְּפִירוּת וְאֶפִּיקוֹרְסִית, וְזוֹכִין לָדַעַת לְהָשִׁיב עַל אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִית שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **The *tikkun* for this, to merit opening the mind and revealing the pathways of the intellect, is through study of the rulings of Jewish law. One then merits peace, and the *machloket***—the dispute in the heart caused by one’s *yetzer hara*, such that the heart is plagued **with denial and heresy**—**is eliminated.** Moreover, through the *daat* a person acquires by studying the rulings of Jewish law, **he merits knowing** how **to answer the heresy in his heart, as discussed above.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:7 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:7) וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה צְרִיכִין לְהִתְגַּבֵּר לָקוּם בַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה, כִּי יוֹם וְלַיְלָה שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת אוֹר וְחשֶׁךְ, הֵם בְּחִינַת דַּעַת וּכְסִילוּת שֶׁהוּא הַסְתָּרַת הַיְּדִיעָה, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ״ל בְּהַתּוֹרָה ״דִּרְשׁוּ וְכוּ׳״ (סימן לז), שֶׁהַדַּעַת הוּא בְּחִינַת אוֹר, וְהַכְּסִילוּת, בְּחִינַת הַסְתָּרַת הַיְּדִיעָה, הוּא בְּחִינַת חֹשֶׁךְ, כִּי הַחֹשֶׁךְ נִמְשָׁךְ מֵחֶשְׁכַּת הַדַּעַת, שֶׁהוּא הַסְתָּרַת הַיְּדִיעָה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִמְשָׁכִין אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הַנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Reb Noson now explains that the darkness of night symbolizes the concealment of *daat*. For the truth is that everyone has a bit of heresy in his heart. **This is why a person needs to strengthen himself to rise at midnight. For day and night, with respect** to their characteristics of **light and darkness, represent *daat* and foolish ignorance, namely the concealment of knowledge. Rebbe Nachman explains this in the lesson *Dirshu*,**³⁹ **that *daat* corresponds to** the revelation of **light, whereas foolish ignorance, being the concealment of knowledge, corresponds to darkness. For the** physical **darkness** of night **stems from the darkening of *daat*, the concealment of the knowledge** one must have of HaShem’s Immanence, **from whence the** heretical **questions** of *emunah* **derive.** footnotes: ³⁹ LM I, 37. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:8 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:8) כּיִ אִיתָא בּזַּהַֹר (עין בסדור קול יעקב הנהגת הלילה): ״כַּד פָּרִישׂ לֵילְיָא גַדְפָהָא, אֲזַי מִסְתַּתְּמִין תַּרְעִין דְּגַן עֵדֶן, וְנִימוּסֵי גַרְדוּנִין נָפְקִין בְּעָלְמָא, וְעָלְמָא אִתְנַהֵג עַל יְדָא דְמַטְרוֹנִיתָא״. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **This** idea, that night suggests spiritual darkness and heresy, **is brought in the *Zohar*: “When night spreads its wings, the gates of Gan Eden close shut. The forces of darkness**⁴⁰ I, 203b, that when night falls, the forces of darkness sent to execute harmful decrees are given free rein to spread *dinim*, elements of judgments, across the world. When day breaks, they return to their places. **are released into the world, and the world is** then **governed through the Matron.”**⁴¹ 14:4), and so the Divine persona of Malkhut, the source of Jewish souls, is also called the Matron and Holy Queen. Being the lowest of the *sefirot*, Malkhut interfaces between the Supernal Worlds and this lower world of corporeality, and thus serves as the agent between HaShem and man. This agency is depicted in the following passage from the *Zohar* (II, 51a) on the relationship between the Holy King (HaKadosh Barukh Hu) and His Queen (the Shekhinah / Malkhut): “Every mission that the King wishes issues from the house of the Matron. Every mission from below to the King ascends first to the house of the Matron, and from there to the King. Thus the Matron is the agent of all, from above to below and from below to above.” Consequently, a world, a time, or a situation governed by the Matron is one that calls for *emunah* rather than *daat*. footnotes: ⁴⁰ Lit. “executors of decrees.” These are the destructive angels that rule the night. See Zohar ⁴¹ This refers to the Shekhinah, which in the works of the early Kabbalists is known as the Matron. “All Israelites are princes” (Mishnah, Shabbat ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:9 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:9) הַיְנוּ כִּי בַּלַּיְלָה אָז מִתְגַּבֵּר הַחֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁהוּא הֶעְדֵר הַדַּעַת, שֶׁהוּא סְתִימַת תַּרְעִין דְּגַן עֵדֶן, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל, וְאָז נִימוּסֵי גַרְדוּנִין נַפְקִין בְּעָלְמָא, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַדִּינִים וְהַקְּלִפּוֹת, שֶׁעִקַּר אֲחִיזָתָם בִּכְפִירוֹת וְקֻשְׁיוֹת הַנִּמְשָׁכִין עַל־יְדֵי הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת סְתִימַת תַּרְעִין דְּגַן עֵדֶן כַּיָּדוּעַ, וְכַנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** As we understand it, **this means that at night** spiritual **darkness becomes overpowering. This is the absence of *daat*, the shutting of the gates of Gan Eden, which are the** gates and **pathways of the intellect.**⁴²). Of the four planes of existence (spiritual, mental, emotional and physical), Beriah corresponds to the mental plane and the mind’s *mochin*, mental faculties. Hence Reb Noson’s link here between the gates of Gan Eden and the pathways of the intellect. **This is** when **“the forces of darkness are released into the world.” These** forces **signify *dinim* and *kelipot*,** the forces of judgment and evil. **Their hold is primarily through the heresies and questions that arise due to the departure of *daat* at night, which corresponds to the closing of the gates of Gan Eden.**⁴³, *Drushei HaLailah* 3, where the Arizal teaches that at night the *mochin* depart entirely. In context here, these are the pathways of the intellect, the gates of Gan Eden that close shut. footnotes: ⁴² Kabbalah teaches that Upper Gan Eden, where the souls reside, is located in the World of Beriah (Kehillat Yaakov, Erekh: Gan ⁴³ See Shaar HaKavanot ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:10 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:10) וּכְדֵין ״עַלְמָא אִתְנַהֵג עַל־יְדָא דְּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא״, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הַמַּלְכָּה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, כִּי בַּלַיְלָה, בְּעֵת הַחֹשֶׁךְ, הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, אָז צְרִיכִין לְהִתְחַזֵּק רַק בֶּאֱמוּנָה לְבַד, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת מַלְכוּת, בְּחִינַת מַטְרוֹנִיתָא הַנַּ״ל, וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (תהלים צב, ג): ״וֶאֱמוּנָתְךָ בַּלֵּילוֹת״, וְכַמּוּבָא בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ״ל בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בלקוטי מוהר״ן חלק א׳ סימן לה), עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **“And then,** at night, **the world is governed through the Matron,”**⁴⁴ I, 20b and *Matok MiDevash* there. The Torah relates that HaShem set two great luminaries in the sky to light up the earth and “to have dominion by day and night” (*Bereishit* 1:18). Commenting on this verse, the *Zohar* teaches that dominion of the day belongs to Man (*Ze’ir Anpin*), and dominion of the night belongs to Woman (Malkhut/the Matron). **namely the** spiritual **aspect of** sovereignty, **“the Holy Queen,” which corresponds to holy *emunah*. For at night, at the time of darkness**—with **the departure of *daat***—**a person has to strengthen himself exclusively with *emunah*.** Earlier we saw **that** *emunah* **is identified with Malkhut,**⁴⁵ the *sefirah* of Sovereignty, **corresponding to the Matron. This is the idea expressed in “your *emunah* in the nights”**—that to survive the darkness, a person must rest his mind and instead rely solely on *his emunah* in HaShem⁴⁶, that it refers to a person’s *emunah* in HaShem’s faithfulness (cf. §1 and note 28 above).—**as the Rebbe discusses elsewhere. Study there.**⁴⁷ footnotes: ⁴⁴ See Zohar ⁴⁵ See above and note 35. ⁴⁶ This agrees with Rashi’s interpretation of this verse in Tehillim ⁴⁷ LM I, 35:3. Reb Noson explains this next; and see note 49 below. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:11 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:11) וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת הַשֵּׁנָה שֶׁבַּלַּיְלָה, כִּי בַּלַּיְלָה אָז נִמְשַׁךְ הַחֹשֶׁךְ בָּעוֹלָם, וְעִקַּר הַחשֶׁךְ נִמְשַׁךְ מֵהַחֹשֶׁךְ הָעֶלְיוֹן, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת עֹמֶק הַמֻּשָּׁג, בְּחִינַת (תהלים יח, יב): ״יָשֶׁת חֹשֶׁךְ סִתְרוֹ״, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן, וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְצֹא עֲלֵיהֶם תֵּרוּץ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן. שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת חֹשֶׁךְ הַמַּסְתִּירִין הִתְגַּלּוּת אֱלֹקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְזֶה הַחֹשֶׁךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְסַלֵּק עַל־יְדֵי שׁוּם דַּעַת כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי אֱמוּנָה לְבַד כַּנַּ״ל, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְצֹא תֵּרוּץ עַל אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת, וּצְרִיכִין לִסְמֹךְ רַק עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** After clarifying that the darkness of night alludes to the darkening of *daat* and so to the heretical questions that undermine faith, Reb Noson addresses the spiritual dimension of sleep and its connection to *emunah*. **Now, this** idea of total reliance on *emunah* at night **relates to nighttime sleep. For at night darkness is drawn into the world. The primary source of this darkness is Supernal Darkness, which signifies the depth of the matter.** It indicates that Divine *daat* is deep and very distant from us,⁴⁸ as **expressed in “He made darkness His concealment.”** HaShem’s “concealment” **alludes to the questions that are impossible to answer, and** for which **it is absolutely impossible to find a solution in this world. For these questions are an aspect of darkness, in that they conceal the revelation of His Godliness. And it is impossible to remove this darkness by means of any *daat*, but solely by means of *emunah*, since it is impossible to find an answer for these questions. Instead, we need to rely on *emunah* alone.** footnotes: ⁴⁸ The mysteries of the Torah are likened to darkness in that they are hidden from general view, veiled by the great depth of their profundity. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:12 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:12) וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה שֶׁל לַיְלָה, כִּי שֵׁנָה הוּא בְּחִינַת הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת. וְאָז בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָה נִכְנַס הַדַּעַת לְתוֹךְ אֱמוּנָה וְנִתְחַדֵּשׁ שָׁם, בִּבְחִינַת: ״חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ״, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ״ל בְּהַתּוֹרָה ״אַשְׁרֵי הָעָם וְכוּ׳״ (בלקוטי מוהר״ן חלק א׳ סימן לה), עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Thus this relates to nighttime sleep, since sleep indicates the departure of *daat*. During sleep** the mind is at rest, and so ***daat* then enters** the realm of ***emunah* and becomes renewed there. This is the meaning of “They are renewed in the mornings; your *emunah* is great,” as Rebbe Nachman explains in the lesson *Ashrei HaAm*. Study** his words **there.**⁴⁹ (I, 213b) that from this verse we learn that when man’s intellect—which he equates there with the soul— is overtaxed, sleep refreshes and renews it. footnotes: ⁴⁹ See LM I, 35:3, where Rebbe Nachman cites the Zohar ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:13 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:13) הַיְנוּ בִּשְׁעַת חֶשְׁכַּת לַיְלָה, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁמַּתְחִילִין לִשְׁלוֹט בָּעוֹלָם אֵלּוּ הַקְּלִפּוֹת וְהַכְּפִירוֹת וְהַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חֶשְׁכַּת לַיְלָה, אָז צְרִיכִין לְשֵׁנָה, שֶׁהִיא תִּקוּן וְנַיְחָא לַמֹּחִין, כִּי אָז צְרִיכִין לְסַלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ לְגַמְרֵי, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה, הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, וְלִסְמֹךְ רַק עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **In other words,** sleep possesses a spiritual dimension linking it to **the darkness of night, when** the forces of darkness **begin to rule the world. These** forces **are the *kelipot*, heresies and insolvable questions associated with the darkness of night. One must sleep at that time,** because sleep **is a *tikkun* and a rest for the *mochin*,** the mental faculties. **For then,** with the onset of night, **a person needs to completely remove his *daat***—**this is the idea of sleep being the departure of *daat***—**and rely solely on *emunah*.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:14 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:2:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:2:14) שֶׁזֶּהוּ עִקַּר בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה שֶׁמְּסַלְּקִין אָז הַדַּעַת לְגַמְרֵי וְסוֹמְכִין רַק עַל אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת קַבָּלַת עוֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם שֶׁמְּקַבְּלִין עַל עַצְמָן קֹדֶם הַשֵּׁנָה עַל־יְדֵי קְרִיאַת־שְׁמַע שֶׁעַל הַמִּטָּה, שֶׁהוּא אֱמוּנַת הַיִּחוּד, כִּי בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָה נִכְנָסִין הַמֹּחִין לְתוֹךְ אֱמוּנָה, כִּי כְּנֶגֶד אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת תֹּקֶף הַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁל לַיְלָה, שָׁם צְרִיכִין לְסַלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ לְגַמְרֵי בִּבְחִינַת שֵׁנָה מַמָּשׁ, וְלִסְמֹךְ רַק עַל אֱמוּנָה לְבַד. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **For this is the fundamental purpose of sleep: that we completely remove *daat* at that time, and rely solely on *emunah*. This is the idea behind “accepting the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven” before sleep.** We do this **by** reciting **Kriat Shema al HaMitah,** through which we declare our ***emunah* in HaShem’s** sovereignty and **absolute unity.** Affirming our submission to HaShem and releasing our souls into His care are necessary then **because at the time of sleep the *mochin* enter into *emunah*. For in the face of those questions that are impossible to answer**—**which correspond to the power of the darkness of night**—***there* we need to completely** release and **remove our *daat*, as in actual sleep, and rely solely on *emunah*.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:1 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:1) וְזֶהוּ בְּחִינַת קִימַת חֲצוֹת, כִּי אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהַשֵּׁנָה הוּא תִּקּוּן גָּדוֹל לְהַמֹּחִין, כִּי נִתְחַדְּשִׁין עַל־יְדֵי הָאֱמוּנָה בִּשְׁעַת שֵׁנָה כַּנַּ״ל, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן צְרִיכִין לִזָּהֵר לָקוּם בַחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **UNBLOCKING DAAT AT MIDNIGHT** Reb Noson next elaborates on the distinctive roles of the two halves of the night, focusing in particular on the hours from midnight until dawn. **This** idea, that we strengthen *emunah* through sleep, **relates to rising at midnight. For although sleep is a major rectification for the *mochin***—**since they are renewed through *emunah* at the time of sleep**—**nevertheless, one must be vigilant to rise at midnight.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:2 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:2) כִּי הַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁהוּא הַחֹשֶׁךְ, הֶעְדֵר הַדַּעַת, כְּלוּלָה מִשְּׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, שֶׁהֵם חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן וַחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הַשֵּׁנִי, כַּמּוּבָא (לך לך צב.). **Sefaria Community Translation:** The reason for this is **that the night**—**which is the darkness,** meaning **the absence of *daat***—**is comprised of two parts. These are the first half of the night,** the hours until midnight, **and the second half of the night,** the remaining hours until dawn, **as discussed** in Kabbalah.⁵⁰ I, 92b. See also *Kehillat Yaakov* (*Erekh: Chatzot*), ,(ליל) that during the first half of the night, called *leil* the *dinim* (also known as *gevurot*) rule; whereas during the ,(לילה) the second half of the night, called *lailah chasadim* prevail. Thus Chazal teach: Whoever studies Torah after midnight is endowed with a touch of *chesed* during the day (*Avodah Zarah* 3b). footnotes: ⁵⁰ Zohar ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:3 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:3) שֶׁהֵם כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵי הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הַנַּ״ל. כִּי חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הָרִאשׁוֹן אָז הַחשֶֹׁךְ וְהַדִּין גָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר, כִּי אָז נִמְשַׁךְ הַחֹשֶׁךְ מִבְּחִינַת הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאֵין עֲלֵיהֶם תְּשׁוּבָה, שֶׁאֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הֵם בְּחִינַת תֹּקֶף הַחֹשֶׁךְ, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּבָׁן. וְעַל־כֵּן אָז צְרִיכִין שֵׁנָה, שֶׁהוּא הִסְתַּלְּקוּת הַדַּעַת, כִּי אָז צְרִיכִין לְסַלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ לְגַמְרֵי וְלִסְמֹךְ רַק עַל אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת שֵׁנָה כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **These** two parts of the night **correspond to the two** types of **questions mentioned above. During the first half of the night,** the **darkness and *din* are most intense, since the darkness at that time derives from the nature of the questions that are insolvable. Those questions represent the deepest darkness, since they cannot be resolved. Therefore a person needs to sleep at that time, since** sleep **is the departure of *daat*. For** during the first half of the night **one needs to completely remove his *daat* and rely solely on *emunah*; this** removal **itself being the aspect of sleep.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:4 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:4) אֲבָל בַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָז נִמְתָּק הַדִּין, וְאָז נִסְתַּלְּקִין מִן הַדַּעַת אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הַנַּ״ל, וְאָז צְרִיכִין לָקוּם וְלַעֲסֹק בְתוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַמְשִׁיכִין הַדַּעַת וּפוֹתְחִין שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׁכֶל כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לְדַעַת שָׁלֵם לְיַשֵּׁב וּלְהָבִין תֵּרוּץ עַל אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **However, at midnight *din* is sweetened,**⁵¹ (lit. “sweetening of judgments”) by mitigating their harshness. In §2 Reb Noson linked the *dinim* with the *kelipot* and destructive forces that rule the night. Transformation of these agents of harm and judgment begins with the second part of the night. **and then those questions** that cannot be resolved **are dispelled from the mind. And** so **that is the time we must rise** from sleep **to study Torah and serve HaShem.**⁵² **By doing so, we draw *daat* and unblock the pathways of the intellect. Our objective** in this **is to merit the complete *data*** necessary **for resolving and comprehending answers for those questions that can be resolved.** footnotes: ⁵¹ This is the kabbalistic concept of hamtakat ha-dinim ⁵² In particular, this devotion includes mourning the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash by reciting Tikkun Chatzot (see p. 95 above). ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:5 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:5) וזְֶהוּ (תהלים קיט, סב): ״חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ״ – ״עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ״ דַּיְקָא, כִּי קִימַת חֲצוֹת לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה כְּדֵי לְהַמְשִׁיךְ הַדַּעַת וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל, זֶהוּ בְּחִינַת לִמּוּד הַפּוֹסְקִים הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַמְשִׁיכִין הַדַּעַת לְיַשֵּׁב אֵלּוּ הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן, שֶׁזֶּה זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי עֵסֶק הַתּוֹרָה בַּחֲצוֹת כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **This is** the meaning of **“At midnight I will rise to praise You for Your just laws”**—**with the emphasis on “for Your just laws.” For rising at midnight to study Torah in order to draw *daat* relates to the idea of studying the previously mentioned rulings of Jewish law. Through this** study one **draws the *daat*** required **to answer those questions that can be resolved, namely** the *daat* **that one merits by studying Torah at midnight.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:6 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:6) וְכַמּוּבָא בַּזֹּהַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ (בשלח נז:) וּבְדִבְרֵי רַבֵּנוּ זַ״ל (סימן קמט), שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי קִימַת חֲצוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁעוֹסְקִין אָז בַּתּוֹרָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִמְשַׁךְ הַדַּעַת. הַיְנוּ כַּנַּ״ל, כִּי אָז בַּחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה הַשֵּׁנִי נִמְתָּק הַדִּין, וְאֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ נִמְשַׁךְ אָז רַק מִבְּחִינַת הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לְיַשְּׁבָן, רַק שֶׁנִּסְתְּמוּ שְׁבִילֵי הַדַּעַת, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת חֶשְׁכַּת לַיְלָה. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **This accords with what is discussed in the holy *Zohar*** ⁵³ II, 57a. **and the teachings of Rebbe Nachman,**⁵⁴ **that rising at midnight and studying Torah at that time draws** down ***daat*. For then, during the second half of the night, *din* is sweetened. Thus the darkness at that time derives only from the nature of the questions that can be resolved.** These questions have answers, **but the pathways of *daat* have become** temporarily **blocked, as symbolized by the darkness of night** that remains even after *din* has been sweetened. footnotes: ⁵³ Zohar ⁵⁴ See LM I, 149. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:7 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:3:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:3:7) וְעַל־כֵּן צְרִיכִין אָז לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה כְּדֵי לִפְתֹּחַ שְׁבִילֵי הַדַּעַת, כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לְדַעַת שָׁלֵם בְּאוֹר הַיּוֹם, כְּדֵי לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְגַדֵּל אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת בַּעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר שֶׁאָז הִיא נִשְׁלֶמֶת, בִּבְחִינַת: ״נַפְקַת בְּצַפְרָא״, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת: ״שֶׁיְּהֵא הוּא מְעוֹרֵר הַשַּׁחַר״, כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Therefore we need to study Torah at that time, in order to unblock the pathways of *daat*** and, **with the light of day, merit perfect *daat***—**i.e. to fully elevate and magnify the *emunah* at dawn. For** morning **is the time that** *emunah* **becomes whole, as in “She emerges in the morning.” This is the** deeper **intent of** the law that a person should rise at midnight **“so that it is he who awakens the *shachar*.”** Waking the *shachar*, as we have seen, strengthens *emunah*.⁵⁵ A person should get up and study Torah after midnight so that *he* is the one who awakens and strengthens *emunah*, enabling it to emerge in the morning whole. Reb Noson has set out the nighttime devotion of a Jew. He sleeps during the first half of the night, and this clears from his mind the questions of *emunah* that have no answer. Then he rises at the start of the second half of the night and studies Torah, gaining the *daat* that will enable him to answer the questions for which answers do exist. footnotes: ⁵⁵ See §2 above. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:1 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:1) וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנִּסְמַךְ שָׁם בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ: ״שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָּמִיד״ זֶה כְּלָל גָּדוֹל בַּתּוֹרָה, כִּי אֵין דּוֹמֶה יְשִׁיבַת הָאָדָם וּתְנוּעוֹתָיו וְכוּ׳, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **PRAYING WITH A WHOLE HEART** Reb Noson now returns to the discourse’s opening citation from the *Shulchan Arukh*. He will explain the juxtaposition of Rama’s gloss to the words of the law, particularly as it relates to elevating *emunah*. **This** emergence of *emunah* **is the reason why in the *Shulchan Arukh*, immediately following** the law of “awakening the dawn,” Rama notes, **“‘I set HaShem before me always’**—**this is a major principle in fulfillment of the Torah … For [when a person is by himself at home] he sits and moves differently [than when in the presence of a great king … All the more so when a person takes to heart that the Great King, HaKadosh Barukh Hu, Whose glory fills the whole world, stands over him and observes his actions],” as explained there.**⁵⁶ footnotes: ⁵⁶ For Rama’s complete gloss, see p. 18 above. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:2 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:2) הַיְנוּ שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לֵידַע וּלְהַאֲמִין שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ, וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹמֵד וְכוּ׳ תָּמִיד לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְכוּ׳. כִּי זֶה זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמְּעוֹרְרִין הַשַּׁחַר, עַל־יְדֵי קִימַת חֲצוֹת, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַמְשִׁיכִין הַדַּעַת וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל, עַד שֶׁזּוֹכִין לִידִיעָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ, כַּמְבֹאָר הֵיטֵב בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **The meaning** of this gloss **is that one has to know and believe** in HaShem’s Immanence, **that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” and that** whether **he is sitting or standing** he is **always in the presence of the King of kings, HaKadosh Barukh Hu. He merits this** steadfast *emunah* **by awakening the dawn,** i.e. **by rising at midnight. Through this he draws the *daat*** that unblocks the intellect, **until he merits knowing completely that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” as is explained clearly in the** Rebbe’s **lesson.**⁵⁷ footnotes: ⁵⁷ See §2 there. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:3 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:3) וְעַל כֵּן נִסְמַךְ בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ ״שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָּמִיד וְכוּ׳״, דְהַיְנוּ לֵידַע שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ – לְהִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשַּׁחַר, כִּי הָא בְּהָא תַּלְיָא כַּנַּ״ל, כִּי זוֹכִין לִידִיעָה שְׁלֵמָה בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הַדַּעַת שֶׁמַּמְשִׁיכִין עַל־יְדֵי קִימַת חֲצוֹת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת לִמּוּד הַפּוֹסְקִים, בְּחִינַת: ״חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ עַל מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ״ כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Therefore** the gloss **in the *Shulchan Arukh*, “I set HaShem before me always”**— **which means knowing that “the whole world is filled with His glory”**—**is juxtaposed with the** idea of **awakening the dawn. For the two are interdependent: we** can **merit knowing completely** and **with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory” by means of the *daat* that we draw** down **by rising** from sleep **at midnight.** This is the *daat* **that relates to studying the rulings of Jewish law, as explained previously** in connection with the verse **“At midnight I will rise to praise You for Your just laws.”** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:4 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:4) וְזֶהוּ: ״לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ״, בְּחִינַת: ״אוֹדְךָ בְּיֹשֶׁר לֵבָב בְּלָמְדִי מִשְׁפְּטֵי צִדְקֶךָ״ הַמְבֹאָר בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁזֶּה זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי חֲצוֹת כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Reb Noson now shows that rising at midnight to study Torah and serve HaShem also enhances the quality of one’s prayers the following morning. **And this is** the inferred meaning of **“to praise You”**—the word *le-hodot* connotes prayer,⁵⁸, who as “to praise” rather than the (להודות) renders *le-hodot* more common “to thank.” as connoting (אודך) **as** does the word *odekha* **in *“odekha* with an upright heart when I study Your just laws,”**⁵⁹ praise. **which is explained in the** Rebbe’s **lesson.**⁶⁰ **We merit** praising HaShem through wholehearted prayer **by** rising at **midnight** to study Torah and serve HaShem.⁶¹ 119 contain most of the discourse’s major topics. Both refer to “Your just laws,” namely Jewish law, and to praising HaShem. But the topics of Torah study and the whole (“upright”) heart needed to pray with *kavanah* are mentioned only in verse 7, whereas rising at midnight appears only in verse 62. By linking them here through their common themes, Reb Noson shows that rising in the night to study Torah is what enables us to pray with *kavanah* in the morning. footnotes: ⁵⁸ The translation here follows Targum Yonatan ⁵⁹ Radak on this verse reads odekha ⁶⁰ See §2 of Rebbe Nachman’s lesson (and note 40 there). He brings this proof-text to show that studying the rulings of Jewish law enables one to pray with both inclinations—i.e. with a whole heart. ⁶¹ Together these two verses from Tehillim ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:5 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:5) וְקִימַת חֲצוֹת זֶהוּ עִקַּר בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשַּׁחַר הַנֶּאֱמַר בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ. כִּי הָעִקָּר לָקוּם בַּחֲצוֹת, וְגַם מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בַּחֲצוֹת, כְּשֶׁמִתְגַּבֵּר עַל כָּל פָּנִים לַעֲמֹד קֹדֶם אוֹר הַיּוֹם לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה פּוֹתֵחַ שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׁכֶל וְכוּ׳, לְפִי בְּחִינָתוֹ כְּפִי עֲבוֹדָתוֹ, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לָדַעַת בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ, כִּי נִסְתַּלְּקִין הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת הַנַּ״ל כַּנַּ״ל. וְעַל־כֵּן נִסְמַךְ לָזֶה: ״שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד וְכוּ׳״, דְּהַיְנוּ לָדַעַת שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ, כִּי הָא בְּהָא תַּלְיָא כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Reb Noson interrupts his discussion linking one’s devotion before dawn with prayer in order to further clarify the meaning of rising at midnight. Thus **rising at midnight is the essence of what the *Shulchan Arukh* calls “awakening the dawn.” For the main thing is to rise at midnight. But even someone who is unable to get up at midnight** can achieve much **when he strengthens himself to at least get up before the light of day to study Torah and serve HaShem. In this way, he unblocks the pathways of the intellect relative to his spiritual level, in accordance with his serving HaShem** in the hours before dawn. **Through** his devotions **he merits knowing with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” because** all his doubts and **questions** of *emunah* **have departed, as explained previously.**⁶² **This is why,** in the *Shulchan Arukh*, **juxtaposed to this** law of awakening of the dawn **is** the gloss **“I set HaShem before me always”**—which means **knowing that “the whole world is filled with His glory”**—**since one is dependent on the other.** footnotes: ⁶² See §3 of the Rebbe’s lesson. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:6 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:6) כִּי עִקַּר הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשַּׁחַר הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל תִּקּוּן הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּשַׁחֲרִית בְּכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Reb Noson now returns to developing the idea that studying Torah and serving HaShem in the night enhances prayer the next morning. And rising at midnight also leads to improved prayer. **For the main** objective in **awakening the dawn is to improve** our **prayer, so as to merit praying in the morning with great *kavanah*** and **a whole heart.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:7 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:7) כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשַּׁחַר שֶׁעוֹסְקִין אָז בְּתוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִפְתָּחִין שְׁבִילֵי הַשֵּׁכֶל וְזוֹכִין לְבַטֵּל הַקֻּשְׁיוֹת וְהָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת, וְאָז זוֹכִין לְדַעַת שָׁלֵם שֶׁמְּלֹא כָּל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת ״שִׁוִּיתִי ה׳ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד וְכוּ׳״, כַּנַּ״ל. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה שֶׁיּוֹדְעִין בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכַוָּנָה גְּדוֹלָה. כִּי כְּשֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ עוֹמֵד עָלָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַתְּפִלָּה, וְשׁוֹמֵעַ וּמַאֲזִין וּמַקְשִׁיב כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מִפִּיו, אֲזַי בְּוַדַּאי יִתְלַהֵב מְאֹד בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ וִידַקְדֵּק מְאֹד לְכַוֵּן דְּבָרָיו, כַּמְבֹאָר לְעֵיל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **By awakening the dawn, engaging at that time** of the night **in Torah** study **and serving HaShem, the pathways of the intellect are unblocked and we merit eliminating the questions** of *emunah* **and the heresy. Following this we merit knowing completely that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” which is** the intention of the gloss in the *Shulchan Arukh* **“I set HaShem before me always.” And** then, **through knowing with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory,” we merit praying with great *kavanah*. For once a person is aware that HaShem stands over him at the time he prays, and** that **He hears, listens and is attentive** to **every single utterance that comes from his mouth, he will surely pray with great fervor and be very careful to focus his attention on what he is saying, as explained above.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:8 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:8) וְלִידִיעָה זוֹ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם שֶׁמְּלֹא כָל הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי קִימַת חֲצוֹת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת הִתְעוֹרְרוּת הַשַּׁחַר כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **And the way to merit this** awareness of HaShem’s Immanence—**knowing with a whole heart,** without any doubts or questions of *emunah*, **that “the whole world is filled with His glory”**—**is by rising at midnight, which is the idea of awakening the dawn.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:9 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:4:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:4:9) נִמְצָא, שֶׁקִּימַת חֲצוֹת מְסֻגָּל לִתְפִלָּה בְּכַוָּנָה. וְכֵן מוּבָן בְּכַוָּנַת הָאֲרִ״י זַ״ל שֶׁקִּימַת חֲצוֹת הוּא תִּקּוּן והֲַכנָהָ לִתְפִלָּה. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **It follows that rising at midnight is spiritually beneficial for praying with *kavanah*. Likewise, from the *Kavanot* of the Arizal, it is understood that rising at midnight is a *tikkun* and a preparation for prayer.**⁶³ 5. Reb Noson has explained that serving HaShem in the night enables a person to become fully aware of HaShem’s Immanence—to know with a whole heart that “the whole world is filled with His glory”—and so to pray with proper devotion in the morning. footnotes: ⁶³ Shaar HaKavanot, Drushei Tefillin ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:1 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:1) וְעַל־כֵּן אָסוּר לֶאֱכוֹל קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה (שלחן ערוך ארח חיים סימן פט סעיף ג), וּבַזֹּהַר (ויקהל רטו:) וּבַכּתְָבִים (עין מגן אברהם פט, יד בשם מהרח״ו) מַחְמִיר מְאֹד מְאֹד, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁקָּם בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה – אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת עַד אַחַר הַתְּפִלָּה, וְכָל הָאוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה אָז, נֶחֱשָׁב כְּעוֹנֵן וּמְנַחֵשׁ, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן, עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **MAKING A NEW START** Reb Noson next discusses the reason why Jewish law forbids eating or drinking before Shacharit, and explains how this safeguards *emunah* and enhances one’s prayer. **Therefore it is forbidden to eat before prayer,** in order to pray Shacharit with devotion.⁶⁴ 89:3. **The *Zohar* and** other kabbalistic **texts are extremely stringent** on this point, stating **that even when** a person **rises** from his sleep **at midnight, he must not eat or drink until after praying** Shacharit. **Whoever does eat and drink at that time is considered like one who practices sorcery**—**may HaShem save us! Study there.**⁶⁵ II, 215b; *Eitz Chaim* 49:3. footnotes: ⁶⁴ Shuchan Arukh, Orach Chaim ⁶⁵ Zohar ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:2 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:2) לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר רַבּוּ עַתָּה הַמִּתְפָּרְצִים בָּעָם לִשְׁתּוֹת קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אֶצְלָם כְּהֶתֵּר, וְתוֹלִין עַצְמָן בְּאִילָן גָּדוֹל, מַה שֶּׁמָּצְאוּ קְצָת צַדִּיקִים שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹלִים גְּדוֹלִים וְשָׁתוּ קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, כִּי הָיוּ מֻכרְָחִים לזָהֶ, והְֵם מִתְדַּמִּים אֲליֵהֶם כּקְוֹף בּפִנְיֵ אָדָם וּמעְקְַּמִין אֶת עצַמְָן אַחֲרֵיהֶם, וּממְַלּאְִים כְּרֵסָם בִּשְׁתִיַּת קַאוֶוי קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, עַד שֶׁנִּמְצָא גַּם קְצָת שֶׁאוֹכְלִין גַּם כֵּן קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, אוֹי לָהֶם! אוֹי לְנַפְשָׁם! כִּי הוּא אִסּוּר חָמוּר מְאֹד, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּדִבְרֵי רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל (ברכות י:), וּבִפרְָט בַּזּהַֹר הַקָּדוֹשׁ וּבַכְּתָבִים. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Yet nowadays, the defiant ones in the nation who drink before prayer have grown in number. It has gone so far that** doing so **has become** completely **permissible to them. And** to justify their behavior, **they base themselves on greater authority,**⁶⁶ **in that they have found several *tzaddikim*** who conducted themselves in this way. However, these were *tzaddikim* **who were very ill and** so **had no choice but to drink before praying.** These defiant ones presumptuously **liken themselves to** those *tzaddikim*, rather **like an ape to a man, and imitate their actions**—all in order to justify **filling their bellies with coffee before prayer. There are even some who also eat before praying. Woe to them! Woe to their souls! For this is a very serious prohibition, as explained in the teachings of Chazal**⁶⁷ 10b. **and especially in the holy *Zohar* and** other kabbalistic **texts.**⁶⁸ footnotes: ⁶⁶ Lit. “suspend themselves on a tall tree.” ⁶⁷ Berakhot ⁶⁸ See note 65 above. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:3 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:3) וְאֵין לָנוּ לְדַמּוֹת עַצְמֵנוּ לְצַדִּיקִים גְּדוֹלִים אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת אִתָּם, וּבִפְרָט שֶׁהָיוּ חוֹלִים גְּדוֹלִים, וְגַם כִּי רֹב הַצַּדִּיקִים לֹא נָהֲגוּ כַּךְ. וְרַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ זַ״ל סִפֵּר, שֶׁמֵּעוֹלָם לֹא שָׁתָה אֲפִלּוּ מַיִם קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁמִּדִּין הַשֻּׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ מֻתָּר לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם, אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא לֹא שָׁתָה אֲפִלּוּ מַיִם קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה (שיחות הר״ן סימן רעז). **Sefaria Community Translation:** **And so we should not compare ourselves to** these **great *tzaddikim*, who are possessed of a different,** higher **spirit.** This is **especially** true since they only drank before praying **because they were very ill** and so were compelled to do so. **Furthermore,** we should not permit this to ourselves **since most of the *tzaddikim* did not engage in this practice. Our holy Rebbe,** Rebbe Nachman, **related that he never as much as drank water before** morning **prayers. Even though according to the law in the *Shulchan Arukh* drinking water is permitted, he did not do even this before praying** Shacharit.⁶⁹ #277. footnotes: ⁶⁹ Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:4 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:4) נַחֲזוֹר לְעִנְיָנֵנוּ, שֶׁעַל פִּי הַנַּ״ל מְבֹאָר קְצָת עִנְיַן הָאִסּוּר לֶאֱכֹֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Let us return to our subject. Based on what was said above** about praying with fervor and focus, **it is a bit clearer why one is forbidden to eat or drink before prayer.** ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:5 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:5) כִּי מְבֹאָר בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ״ל, שֶׁתִּקּוּן הָאֱמוּנָה הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמַּעֲלִין נִצּוֹצֵי הַדִּבּוּר וְכוּ׳, שֶׁזֶּה זוֹכִין עַל־יְדֵי הַתַּעֲנִית וְכוּ׳, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה אֲזַי מִתְגַּבְּרִין הַקְּלִפּוֹת, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת שָׂרֵי פַּרְעֹה, וּמַמְשִׁיכִין אֶת הַדִּבּוּר לְתוֹךְ בְּחִינַת מֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְדַבֵּר שׁוּם דִּבּוּר לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם־יִתְבָּרַךְ וְכוּ׳. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **It is explained in the** Rebbe’s **lesson**⁷⁰ **that the *tikkun* of *emunah* is** achieved **by elevating the sparks of speech** and restoring them to holiness. **One merits** achieving **this** elevation **by fasting. For by** indulging one’s **desire for food and drink, the *kelipot* become stronger.** This is especially true of the forces of evil **embodied as Pharaoh’s officials.**⁷¹ that is empowered when holiness is lacking. He identifies the *kelipot* that parallel the trachea, the esophagus and the jugular veins with Pharaoh’s three officials. The trachea (windpipe), which aids in maintaining the body’s fluids by carrying air to the lungs, corresponds to Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer, in charge of drink. The esophagus (food pipe), which carries food from the mouth to the stomach, corresponds to Pharaoh’s chief baker. The jugular veins that pass through the neck are responsible for draining blood and ,פרעה) so correspond to Pharaoh’s chief butcher. *PaROH* Pharaoh) himself is identified with the *kelipah* that, as the back ,הערף) his name suggests, stands at *HaORePh* of the neck) (*Likutey Torah, Vayeishev;* see also §5 of the Rebbe’s lesson, and notes 66 and 68 there). **They draw** the faculty of **speech into** the exile of Mitzrayim—i.e. **the realm of *meitzar ha-garon*,** the narrowness of the throat.⁷² strait or ,מצר) is etymologically related to *MeitZaR* narrow). The Arizal teaches that “Mitzrayim” signifies *meitzar ha-garon*, the narrowness of the throat. The throat, being a narrow passage between the head and the body, represents constriction and severe judgment. At a time or in a situation of *din*, the throat becomes a bottleneck, referred to here as the exile of Mitzrayim (*Likutey Torah, Vayeishev*). Holy speech is then prevented from exiting,⁷³ In the human body, the organs of speech lie adjacent to the trachea, esophagus and jugular veins. This proximity enables Pharaoh’s three officials—the *kelipot* associated with the throat—to trap the letters of speech in the narrow of the throat. Then Pharaoh, the *kelipah* that stands at the back of the neck, draws sustenance from the holy sparks in the letters of insufficiently holy words. **and one is unable to enunciate a single word before HaShem.**⁷⁴ #88; see also LM I, 9:5). footnotes: ⁷⁰ See §5 there. ⁷¹ The Arizal teaches that each body part has a corresponding kelipah ⁷² The Biblical name for Egypt, MitZRayim ⁷³ Similar to indulging in eating, speaking or praying improperly (e.g. absentminded prayer) strengthens the kelipot. ⁷⁴ See note 21 above, that the Egyptian exile signified the exile of speech. Rebbe Nachman similarly teaches that in Egypt, prayer itself was in exile. The Jews were unable to open their mouths to talk to HaShem (Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:6 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:6) וְהַתִּקּוּן לָזֶה הוּא תַּעֲנִית, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמַּרְעִיב אֶת עַצְמוֹ, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַמְשִׁיךְ מֵימֵי הַחֲסָדִים לְלַחְלֵחַ מֵצַר הַגָּרוֹן, לְקַיֵּם ״קְרָא בְגָרוֹן אַל תַּחְשֹׂךְ וְכוּ׳״ (ישעיה נח, א), וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְתַּקֵּן הָאֱמוּנָה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת וְכוּ׳, כַּמְבֹאָר שָׁם כָּל זֶה הֵיטֵב, עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** Reb Noson next explains that when a person’s speech descends into the exile of Mitzrayim /*meitzar ha-garon*, his inability to speak to HaShem—a “dryness of the throat”— signifies his incomplete *emunah* and the presence of *kelipot*. But if he fasts, he conceals the back of holiness and so breaks any hold Pharaoh’s officials have over holy speech. He is then able to speak and call out to HaShem. **The remedy for this is fasting. By depriving himself of** all **food and drink,** a person conceals the back of holiness and thereby denies sustenance to the *kelipot* associated with the throat. Instead, his fasting **draws the waters of the *chasadim*,** benevolences,⁷⁵ and *gevurot*, the respective root elements of Chesed and Gevurah, together form the inner structure of Daat, the *sefirah* corresponding to the throat. One way in which Kabbalah depicts Daat’s *chasadim* and *gevurot* is as the forces of expansion and constriction. The expansiveness of the *chasadim* is characteristic of water, while the constriction of the *gevurot* is characteristic of fire (*Eitz Chaim* 34:6). Reb Noson explains that when a person fasts, the *chasadim* (whose origin is in the mind) are drawn into the throat to relieve the constriction caused by the “dryness of the throat” (cf. *Tehillim* 69:4). See also LH, *Tisha B’Av u-She’ar Taaneitim* 1:2, where he relates this to fasting in order to bring rain in a time of drought. **to moisten** the throat and so relieve the ***meitzar ha-garon*,** the throat’s constriction. This enables him **to fulfill** the verse **“Cry out from the throat**—**do not hold back!” As a result,** his ***emunah* is entirely rectified.** He is then able to eat in holiness, and through his eating bring HaKadosh Barukh Hu and His Shekhinah into *yichud*. Rebbe Nachman has **thoroughly explained** all **this. Study** his words **there.**⁷⁶ footnotes: ⁷⁵ See above, p. 96, note 52. Chasadim ⁷⁶ See §5 of the Rebbe’s lesson. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:7 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:7) וְעַל־כֵּן אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, כִּי צְרִיכִין לְהַרְעִיב עַצְמוֹ קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת תַּעֲנִית שָׁעוֹת, שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם מַרְעִיבִין עַצְמָן וּמִתְעַנִּין קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה. וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַמְשִׁיכִין הֶאָרָה מִבְּחִינַת תַּעֲנִית לְדַבֵּק אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא הַדִּבּוּר מִמֵּצַר הַגָּרוֹן, כְּדֵי לְקַשֵּׁט הָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה הַמִּתְחַדֶּשֶׁת בְּכָל בֹּקֶר, כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לְדִבּוּר שֶׁל הַתְּפִלָּה בִּשְׁלֵמוּת. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Therefore one is forbidden to eat and drink before prayer, because he needs to deprive himself of food and drink before praying** Shacharit in order to safeguard *emunah*. **This is akin to** the concept in Jewish law known as **a “fast of hours,”**⁷⁷ 562:10. *Taanit sha’ot*, a “fast of hours,” is a voluntary fast that an individual undertakes for a part of the day rather than the entire day. where even a partial-day fast adds to one’s merit. This fast of hours happens all the time, **in that every day people go without food by fasting before prayer. By doing so, they draw the spiritual illumination associated with fasting to conceal the back of holiness.**⁷⁸ emerges in the morning it is vulnerable to attack by the *kelipot*, which draw sustenance from the heretical questions that undermine faith. If a person eats or drinks before Shacharit, he empowers the *kelipot* even more. Therefore it is necessary to conceal the back of holiness by fasting until after prayer. **This enables** them **to extract the** faculty of **speech from the narrow of the throat, and by dint of this, adorn the holy *emunah* that is renewed every morning.**⁷⁹ by bringing closer to HaShem those who are most distant from Him, see §1 and note 16 above; see also further on in that same section. Adorning *emunah* in turn **enables** them **to merit** expressing **speech**— namely the words **of the** Shacharit **prayer**—**with complete** devotion. footnotes: ⁷⁷ Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chaim ⁷⁸ See note 22 above. Before emunah ⁷⁹ On the topic of adorning emunah ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:8 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:8) כִּי הַתְּפִלָּה הִיא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כַּיָדוּעַ, שֶׁהִיא נִשְׁלֶמֶת עַל־יְדֵי תִּקוּן הַדִּבּוּר, כִּי עִקַּר הַתְּפִלָּה הוּא בְּדִבּוּר דַּוְקָא, וּשְׁלֵמוּת הַדִּבּוּר הוּא עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁמַּרְעִיב עַצְמוֹ בְּתַעֲנִית, וּמְשַׁבֵּר תַּאֲוַת אֲכִילָה כַּנַּ״ל. וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה צָרִיךְ כָּל אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל לְהִתְעַנּוֹת וּלְהַרְעִיב עַצְמוֹ עַל כָּל פָּנִים קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁאָז אִסּוּר גָּדוֹל מִדִּינָא לֶאֱכֹל וְלִשְׁתּוֹת כַּנַּ״ל, כִּי צְרִיכִין בְּכָל יוֹם קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה לְהַרְעִיב עַצְמוֹ לְהַמְשִׁיךְ בְּחִינַת תַּעֲנִית, כְּדֵי לְתַקֵּן הַדִּבּוּר שֶׁל הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן וְקִשּׁוּטֵי הָאֱמוּנָה וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל, כַּמְבֹאָר בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ״ל, עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Prayer** itself **is synonymous with *emunah*, as known** from Kabbalah.⁸⁰ is synonymous with prayer. Prayer, as Reb Noson noted above, is identified with Malkhut. And see note 35 above, linking Malkhut with *emunah*. We know too **that** *emunah* **is perfected through the *tikkun* of speech.** This is the reason why **speech in particular is the primary** medium of **prayer. And perfection of speech is** achieved **by depriving oneself through fasting and breaking** one’s excessive **desire for food. On account of this, every single Jew must fast and deprive himself at least before** the Shacharit **prayer, when,** in any case, the basic **law strictly forbids eating and drinking. A person must go without food every day before prayer so that he can draw** illumination from **the** inner **aspect of fasting in order to rectify the words of** his **prayer. This corresponds to the *tikkun* and adornment of *emunah*, as discussed above,** and **as explained in the** Rebbe’s **lesson. Study there.**⁸¹ footnotes: ⁸⁰ See LM 7:1, where Rebbe Nachman teaches that emunah ⁸¹ See §4 of the Rebbe’s lesson. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:9 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:9) גַּם, כִּי הַתַּעֲנִית שֶׁמְּדַבֵּק אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, זֶהוּ בְּחִינַת כֹּחַ הַהַתְחָלָה שֶׁחוֹזְרִין פָּנָיו בְּכָל פַּעַם אֶל הַהַתְחָלָה לְקַבֵּל כֹּחַ מֵהַהַתְחָלָה, שֶׁהוּא עִקָּר, כִּי כָּל הַהַתְחָלוֹת קָשׁוֹת, כַּמְבֹאָר הֵיטֵב בְּהַתּוֹרָה הַנַּ״ל. וְכַמְבֹאָר בְּסוֹפוֹ שָׁם, שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל זֶה צְרִיכִין לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְהַתְחִיל בְּכָל פַּעַם מֵחָדָשׁ, וְלֹא תִהְיֶה הָעֲבוֹדָה יְשָׁנָה אֶצְלוֹ, כִּי עִקַּר כֹּחַ הָעֲבוֹדָה הוּא כְּפִי הַהַתְחָלָה, וְעַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל בְּכָל פַּעַם מֵחָדָשׁ, כִּי אוּלַי לֹא הָיְתָה הַתְחָלָתוֹ בַּתְּחִלָּה כָּרָאוּי, עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל עַתָּה, וְכֵן בְּכָל יוֹם וּבְכָל פַּעַם, עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** In conclusion, Reb Noson discusses the connection between fasting and keeping one’s devotions to HaShem fresh by starting anew each morning. **In addition,** a person must go without food before Shacharit, **since the fast, which conceals the back of holiness, is itself the power of the beginning.**⁸² This means **that** when **a person repeatedly turns *back* toward the beginning** to re-experience the drive and excitement he felt then, he is able **to receive power,** i.e. inspiration, **from the beginning. For** the beginning **is the main thing,** and also **because “all beginnings are difficult,” as explained well in the** Rebbe’s **lesson.**⁸³ **It is also clarified there, at the end** of the lesson, **that because** the primary inspiration for all one’s devotions comes from their beginnings, **one must endeavor to begin afresh every time.** This is **so that his service of HaShem does not become old** and habitual **for him.** It will enable him to succeed in his devotions, **because** one’s **energy in serving HaShem mainly conforms to the beginning. And so each time he must begin anew, since perhaps his** first **beginning,** right there **at the start, was not as it should have been. Therefore he needs to begin** again right **now. Similarly, on each day and with every chance** he gets, he should begin anew. **Study** the Rebbe’s lesson **there.** footnotes: ⁸² Reb Noson introduced these topics from Rebbe Nachman’s lesson—namely fasting, concealing the back of holiness, and beginning anew—in §1 above (see also notes 21 and 25-26 there). ⁸³ See §5 of the Rebbe’s lesson. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:10 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:10) וְעַל־כֵּן בְּכָל בֹּקֶר קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה צְרִיכִין לְהִתְעַנּוֹת – לִבְלִי לֶאֱכֹל קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה, כְּדֵי לְהוֹצִיא הַדִּבּוּר מִמֵּצַר הַגָּרוֹן וְכוּ׳ כַּנַּ״ל, עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁחוֹזְרִין אֶל הַהַתְחָלָה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת דְּבֵקוּת אֲחוֹרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה, שֶׁחוֹזְרִין בְּכָל פַּעַם אֶל הָאוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹן, כַּמְבֹאָר שָׁם, עַיֵּן שָׁם. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **Therefore every morning before praying** Shacharit **a person must fast.** He should **not eat** or drink **before prayer in order to extract the** sparks in the letters of **speech from the narrow of the throat,** since their being trapped there will prevent him from praying with fervor and focus. The way to accomplish this is **by returning to the beginning,** which conceptually underlies the fast.⁸⁴ **This** act of returning, attaching each successive day of fasting to the first day, **is the concept of attaching** and concealing ***achor*, the back, of holiness.** It is analogous to *achorayim*, the “stepping back” method of writing the Name of HaShem, in which **one repeatedly returns to the first letter, as explained** in the Rebbe’s lesson.⁸⁵ by returning to the beginning is analogous to the retrograde method of writing HaShem’s Name known This calls for “stepping back” .(אחוריים) as *AChORayim* and repeating the previous letters before adding the next one, until the entire Name has been written out in full. The *achorayim* of the Holy Name *YHVH* is written then ;(י־ה) then *yod heh* ;(י) as follows: we first write a *yod* In .(י־הוה) and finally *yod heh vav heh* ;(י־הו) *yod heh vav* writing the Name this way, each additional letter draws from the first one, much as each additional day a person fasts draws value from the day his fast began. **Study there.**⁸⁶ footnotes: ⁸⁴ Rebbe Nachman explains in §5 of his lesson that the principal merit a person earns for fasting is from the beginning. When a person fasts two days, the second day is of greater value, but only because we determine the period of his fasting by turning back to the beginning and reckoning the hours he first began his fast. ⁸⁵ Concealing the AChOR ⁸⁶ See §5 of the Rebbe’s lesson. ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:11 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:11) וְזֶה צְרִיכִין בַּבֹּקֶר, כִּי בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם בַּבֹּקֶר צְרִיכִין לְהַתְחִיל לַעֲסֹק בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳ מֵחָדָשׁ, בִּבְחִינַת ״חֲדָשִׁים לַבְּקָרִים וְכוּ׳״, כְּאִלּוּ לֹא הִתְחִיל עֲדַיִן מֵעוֹלָם כְּלָל. וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זַ״ל: ״אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם״ (דברים ו, ו) – ״בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם יִהְיוּ בְּעֵינֶיךָ כַּחֲדָשִׁים״ (ספרי שָׁם). וְכֵן דָּרְשׁוּ עַל פָּסוּק (דברים כז, ט): ״הַסְכֵּת וּשְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִהְיֵיתָ לְעָם וְכוּ׳״, שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם יִהְיֶה דּוֹמֶה בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּאִלּוּ הַיּוֹם בָּאתָ עִמּוֹ בִּבְרִית (רש״י שָׁם). **Sefaria Community Translation:** **This must be** done every **morning, since each and every day, in the morning, a person must make a new start in Divine service, as in “They are renewed in the mornings…”** He should begin his day **as if he had never before begun** serving HaShem. **This accords with Chazal’s teaching** on the verse **“‘that I charge you this day’**—**Each and every day** the words of the Torah **should be in your eyes like new.”**⁸⁷ 6:6 citing *Sifrei, Va’etchanan* 8; also Rashi on *Devarim* 26:16. **They similarly expounded the verse “‘Be attentive and hear, Israel: This day you have become a people’**—**Every day it shall seem to you as if today you have entered into a covenant with Him.”**⁸⁸ 27:9. footnotes: ⁸⁷ As if we had received the Torah this very day at Sinai; see Rashi on Devarim ⁸⁸ Cf. Rashi on Devarim ###### Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:12 [Likutei Halakhot, Orach Chaim, Laws of Morning Conduct 3:5:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Halakhot/s/Orach%20Chaim,_Laws%20of%20Morning%20Conduct/r/3:5:12) נִמְצָא, שֶׁבְּכָל יוֹם צְרִיכִין לְהַתְחִיל מֵחָדָשׁ, עַל־כֵּן אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל קֹדֶם הַתְּפִלָּה בַּבֹּקֶר, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת ״תַּעֲנִית״, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מַמְשִׁיכִין הָאוֹר שֶׁל כֹּחַ הַהַתְחָלָה, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה זוֹכִין לְהַתְחִיל בְּכָל בֹּקֶר מֵחָדָשׁ, כַּנַּ״ל. **Sefaria Community Translation:** **It follows** from this **that** in serving HaShem **we must begin anew every day. Therefore we must not eat before praying in the morning, since** restraining ourselves from eating **is an aspect of fasting,** a return to the beginning.⁸⁹. When a person practices self-control with regard to food, he conceals the back of holiness from the *kelipot*. This is true of all one’s devotions to HaShem. When a person repeatedly returns to the beginning, each time making a fresh start, his renewed fervor conceals the back of holiness. The fallen sparks can then be elevated and restored to the realm of the holy. See also LM I, 261, where Rebbe Nachman teaches, “This is a cardinal principle in the service of HaShem: Literally every day, a person needs to begin anew.” **In this way, we draw the light of the power of the beginning, and as a result of this** inspiration, **merit starting each morning anew.** footnotes: ⁸⁹ Fasting involves returning to the beginning and so is an aspect of achorayim