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Title: TALES OF RABBI NACHMAN OF BRESLOV Language: en
I'll tell you about being happy!
The King Who Transferred His Kingdom To His Son During His Lifetime
A tale. Once there was a King who had an only son. The King wanted to
transfer the kingdom to his son during his lifetime, so he threw a grand
party (which they call a "ball"). Now, when the King throws a ball there
is certainly great merriment, so especially now that he was transferring
the kingdom to his son during his lifetime, there was certainly a very
great celebration. And there at the ball were all the royal officers and
all the dukes and gentry, and people were very merry at the ball. And
the country too was enjoying this — the king's transferring his kingdom
to his son in his lifetime — for it is a great honorific event for the
King. So a very great celebration took place there, and there were all
types of festivities there: song groups, drama groups and so forth, as
well as everything useful just for merriment — it was all there at the
ball.
And when they had waxed very merry, the King got up and said to his son,
"Being that I am a stargazer, I see that you will at some time fall from
the kingship. Therefore see to it that you have no sadness (that is, no
grief) when you fall from reign; just be happy. And if you will be
happy, I will also be happy. Even if you will have sadness I will still
be happy that you are not king, since you are not fit to be king if you
cannot keep yourself happy. (In other words, if you are the kind of man
that you cannot keep yourself happy even when you fall from reign then
you aren't fit to be any sort of king). But when you will be happy then
I will be extraordinarily happy."
The King's son took over the reign very sharply, appointing his own
royal officers, and he had dukes, gentry and soldiers. Now, this son of
the King was a clever person and loved wisdom very much, and very great
intellectuals accompanied him. And whoever came to him with some sort of
wisdom was very esteemed by him, and he would grant them honor and
riches for their wisdom. Whatever each one wanted, he gave him: one
wanted money — he gave him money; another wanted honor — he gave him
honor; anything for wisdom. And because studying was so important to
him, they all took to wisdom and the entire country was occupied with
philosophies [chokhmoth], because this one desired money — in order to
get money for it [being his motive] — and that one desired status and
honor. And because all of them were busy only with philosophies,
therefore they all forgot there in that country the strategies of war
(in other words, how to wage a war), for they were all busy exclusively
with philosophies, to such a degree that the smallest person in that
country was the greatest sage in another country, while their own wise
men were utterly wild scholars. And on account of their philosophies
those wise men of the country fell into heresy and drew the son of the
King too into their heresy. Albeit the simple folk were not harmed and
did not become disbelievers, for there was great depth and subtlety in
the sages' wisdom, so the common folk were not able to enter into their
wisdoms, therefore it did not harm them. Only the wise men and the
King's son became heretics.
And the King's son, because there was good in him, for he was born with
goodness and had good character traits, would frequently remind himself,
"Where am I in the world? What am I doing?" etc. and would make a very
big groan and sigh deeply over it. He would ponder, "What is this? I
should be carried away with such things?! What's going on with me? Where
am I in this world?" as he kept sighing intensely. Albeit as soon as he
began to use his intellect the heretical philosophy became strong again
in him. This happened numerous times, that he would still contemplate
where he is in the world, what he is doing, etc. as above, with groaning
and sighing — but as soon as he began using his intellect the heretical
belief became strong in him again, as above.
The Exodus, and the Boy and Girl Get Lost; the Beggars Come and Feed
Them
And the day came to pass — there was a flight in a certain country —
everyone fled, and as they were fleeing they went through a forest,
losing two children there, a male and a female; someone lost a male and
someone lost a female. And they were still little children of four or
five years and did not have anything to eat, and they screamed and cried
because they had nothing to eat. Meanwhile there came up to them a
beggar going along with his sacks (which are called torbes), carrying
bread in them, and these children started to nudge him and huddle after
him. He gave them bread and they ate. He asked them, "Where have you
come here from?" They answered him, "We don't know," for they were
little children. And he started going away from them and they asked him
to take them with him. He said to them, "This I do not want, that you
should go with me." Meanwhile they took a look — the beggar is blind! It
was a marvel for them: since he is blind, how does he know how to go?
(But in truth this itself is a novelty, that such a question should
occur to them, for they were still young children. However, they were
clever children; therefore it was a wonder to them.) He blessed them
(this blind beggar), "You should be as I am; you should be as old as I,"
and he left them more bread and went away, and the children understood
that Hashem Yithbarakh was watching over them and had sent them here a
blind beggar to give them food.
Afterwards their bread ran out, and again they started screaming for
food. After that it became night and they passed the night there. In the
morning they still had nothing to eat so they screamed and cried.
Meanwhile again a beggar comes up who is deaf; they started talking to
him and he shows them with his hands and says to them, "I don't hear
anything whatsoever." And this beggar also gave them bread to eat and
started going away from them. They also wanted him to take them with him
but he did not want. And he too blessed them, "That you should be as I
am!" and also left them bread and went his way.
Later on their bread also ran out and again they screamed as above.
Again there came to them a beggar who was tongue-tied (that is, he
stammered with his mouth). They began to speak with him and he was
mumbling his speech so they didn't know what he was saying — but he did
know what they were saying — only they did not know what he was saying,
because he was stammering. This beggar also gave them bread to eat, and
also started to go away as before and also blessed them that they should
be as he, and he went away, all as before.
Then there came again a beggar who had a crooked neck and it transpired
as before. Then there came again a beggar who was hunchbacked (which is
called hoikir). Then there came again a beggar without hands. Then there
came a beggar without feet. And each one of them gave them bread and
blessed them that they should be like him, just as the other beggars.
Afterwards the bread ran out by them yet again and they started walking
toward a settlement until they came to a way. They went with that way
until they came to a village. They (these children) went into a house,
and they had pity on them and gave them bread. They continued into
another house and there too they gave them bread, so they kept going
around into houses and they saw [things are] good for them and they are
being given bread. The children decided between them that they should
always be together, and they made themselves large sacks (which are
called torbes) and went around to the houses, and went to all happy
occasions, to brissim [rite of circumcision] and to weddings. And they
continued further along, going into cities, to the houses; and went to
market fairs, and would sit among the beggars in the same way they sit
there on the prizbes [banks of earth] with a teller [a plate for
collecting alms], until these children became famous already among all
the beggars, for all of them recognized them and knew of them; that they
were the children who had been lost in the forest as mentioned.
The Beggars Match the Boy and the Girl
One time there was a big fair in a big city, and all the beggars went
there, as well as the children too. It came to the mind of the beggars
that they should match the children; that they should marry each other.
And as soon as they started discussing it, it pleased all of them and
they were matched. But how to make them a wedding? They came to the
decision, inasmuch as on such and such a day the King would have his
birthday feast (which is called a myenines) [<Slavic myena name, i.e.
"name day"], all the beggars would go there, and from what they would
request for themselves there, meat and bread, they would make a wedding.
And so it was; all the beggars went to the myenines and requested out
for themselves bread and meat and also collected what was left over from
the banquet, meat and bread, which is called kolitch [big loaves special
for celebrations]. And they went ahead and dug out a big trench which
could contain a hundred people and covered it with sticks, earth and
trash, and they all went inside and married the children there, setting
up a chuppah for them, and they were very, very happy there; and the
groom and bride also were extremely happy. Now the groom and bride
started recalling the kindnesses Hashem Yithbarakh had done for them
when they were in the forest, and started crying and greatly yearning,
"How can the first beggar, the blind one, be brought here, who brought
us bread in the forest?"
First Day
And just as they were longing very much for the blind beggar he
immediately calls out and says: I am here. I have come to you for the
wedding, and I'm presenting you with a derashah geshenk [commonly
meaning gifts given to the groom in reward for his pre-chuppah derashah,
lecture; but possibly meaning a gift that is free for the seeking,
derashah, as per Ps. 24, Deut. 4:29 etc.], that you should be old as I.
For previously I had blessed you with this, that you should be as old as
I; now I present it to you as a completely free gift, derashah geshenk,
that you should live as long as I. You think that I am blind. I am not
blind at all, except all the time of the whole world does not come
across me as much as an eye blink (thus he appears blind, for he doesn't
peek into the world whatsoever, for all the entire world's time doesn't
come across him whatsoever, even as an eyeblink, therefore no sight or
any glimpse of the world at all is relevant to him), because I am very
old and I am yet entirely young [Heb. yanik, suckling, i.e. infantile]
and have not yet begun living at all — but I am still very old. And it
is not I alone that say this; on the contrary I have an approval upon it
from the Great Eagle. I will tell you a story. (All this the blind
beggar is saying.)
The Great Eagle and the Conversation Regarding First Memories
One time there were people traveling on many ships on the sea. A storm
wind came and broke the ships, and the people were saved. The people
came to a tower; they went up on it and found there all kinds of food,
drink, clothing, and whatever one needs. And all good was there, and all
the delights in the world. They spoke up and said that each one should
tell an old story — what he remembers from his first memory, that is,
what he remembers since his memory began. There were old and young there
and they honored the biggest zaken [elder, old; akin to zakan, beard]
among them to tell first.
He answered and said, "What shall I tell you? I remember back when they
cut the apple off the branch." No one at all knew what he was saying,
however there were wise men there and they said, "Oowah! — that is a
totally old story." Then they honored the second zaken, who was younger
than the first, that he should tell. The second one replied, "That there
is an old story?!" (expressing wonder) "I remember that story, but I
remember back even when the candle was burning." Those who were there
replied, "That story there is older yet than the first," and it was a
marvel to them that the second one is younger than the first, yet
remembers an older story than the first. Then they honored the third
zaken, that he should tell. The third one, who was younger yet, spoke up
saying, "I remember back even when the construction of the fruit was
just beginning; when the fruit was just starting to become a fruit. They
answered there, "This is an even older story." Then the fourth spoke up,
who was even yet younger, "I remember back even when they were bringing
the seed so as to plant the fruit."
The fifth answered, who was even yet younger, "I recall even the sages
who thought up and brought out the seed." The sixth, who was even yet
younger, called out, "I remember even the taste of the fruit before the
taste entered into the fruit." The seventh called out, "I recall even
the smell of the fruit before the smell entered the fruit. The eighth
answered and said, "I remember even the appearance of the fruit before
it went upon the fruit."
And I at the time was just an infant (that is, the blind beggar who is
telling all this), and I too was there and I announced, "I remember all
these stories — plus I remember absolutely nothing (un ich gidenk gor
nisht). They replied, "That is a story completely older than all of
them," and it was a great marvel to them that the child remembers more
than them all. In the midst of this came a Great Eagle and knocked on
the tower and said to them, "Cease being poor! Return to your treasures
and use your treasures," and he said to them that they should go out
from the tower age by age; whoever is oldest should go out first. He
took them all out from the tower, removing the babe first, for
truthfully he is, after all, older than all of them, and likewise
whoever was younger he brought out first, and the hoariest elder he
brought out at the very end, for the one who was younger was in fact
older (because the younger he was, the older a story he kept telling),
and the most aged elder was younger than all of them.
The Great Eagle replied to them, "I will explain to you all the stories
that everyone told. The one who told that he remembers back when they
cut the apple off the branch means: he remembers back even when they
cropped his navel (that is, even what happened to him immediately as
soon as he was born — when they cut his navel cord — even this he
remembers); and the second who said that he remembers back even when the
candle was burning means: he remembers back even when he was in utero,
when a candle burns over one's head (for it says in the Gemara that when
a child is in the mother's womb a candle burns over his head etc.); and
he who said that he remembers back even when the fruit began to form, it
is that he remembers back even when his body began to take form, when
the fetus was only beginning to take form; and the one who remembers
back when they were bringing the seed to plant the fruit, it means he
remembers back even when the droplet was being drawn down [during
relations]. And he who remembers the sages bringing out the seed means
he remembers back even when the droplet was still in the brain (for the
brains emit the droplet); and the one who remembers the taste — it is
the nefesh [vital lifeforce]; and the smell — it is the ruach [spirit];
and the appearance — it is the neshamah [uppermost soul]. And the babe
said that he remembers "absolutely nothing" because he is greater than
all of them and remembers even what he was prior to nefesh, ruach and
neshamah; thus he said he recalls absolute nothingness. (In other words
he recalls not existing at all; he remembers even what was happening
there, which is highest of all.)" And the Great Eagle said to them,
"Return to your ships, which are your bodies which have been broken and
will be rebuilt; now return to them," and he blessed them. And to me
(that is, the blind beggar [who was a babe then] who is telling all
this) said the Great Eagle, "You come with me, for you are like me, for
you are 'very old and completely young' and haven't at all started to
live and are yet nonetheless very old. And I am like that too, for I am
very old and still entirely young, etc." It follows I have a testimonial
from the Great Eagle that I am very old and completely youthful, etc.
Now I present it to you as a completely free gift, derashah geshenk,
that you should be as old as I. There was a great celebration there with
great jubilation and they were extremely happy.
Second Day
On the following day of the seven days of mishteh [lit. drinking
(celebration)] the chathan-kallah [lit. groom-bride (unit)] thought back
again about the other beggar, who was deaf, who had enlivened them and
given them bread. And they were crying and longing, "How can the deaf
beggar, who enlivened us, be brought here?" Meanwhile as they were
longing after him he comes in and says, "I am here!" And he fell upon
them, kissed them and said to them, "Today I present you in a gift that
you should be as I am, that you should live as good a life as I do.
Because previously I had blessed you with this; today I give you my good
life in a full gift, derashah geshenk. You think that I am deaf. I am
not deaf at all, except that the whole world does not matter to me
whatever so that I should hear their lacking. For, each and every voice
in the world is only about needs, since everybody screams about his
deficit, that is, what he hasn't got; and even all the world's
celebrations are all exclusively about deficits, as someone rejoices
over what he didn't have whereas now he has what he didn't have. But the
entire world doesn't come across me at all, that I should hear their
deficit, for I live such a good life that it hasn't any lack at all; and
I have an attestation about this, that I live a good life, from the Land
of Wealth." And his good life was: he ate bread and drank water. (He
told them:)
The Land of Riches and the Conversation Regarding Good Life
Inasmuch as there is a land where there is great wealth — they have
enormous fortunes — one time the wealthy people gathered together and
each one began boasting of his good life, how he lives such a good life,
and each one described the routine of his good life.
I spoke up and said to them (that is, the deaf beggar who is telling all
this): I live a better "good life" than you, and this is the proof: for
if you live the good life, help out that country — for there is a
country where they had a garden, and in the garden were fruits having
all kinds of tastes in the world and all kinds of smells in the world;
there too in the garden were all kinds of shapes of every color and all
the kvetin [flowers] in the world; everything was there in the garden.
And over the garden was an agradnik [gardener] [that is, someone who
sees to the garden], and the people of the country would live a good
life through the garden. The gardener there got lost, so naturally
whatever there is in the garden must surely cease to exist since the
gardener is no longer there to see to the garden and go about with what
needs to be done around the garden. But despite this, they would have
been able to live from the garden's aftergrowth (that is, from the
regrowth, that is, what grows in a garden by itself from that which
falls down).
A cruel (in other words, merciless) king came over the country and could
do nothing against them, so he went and spoiled the country's good life
that they had from the garden. It was not that he spoiled the garden,
rather he left behind in the country three crews of henchmen and
commanded them to do what he ordered them. And by doing there what the
king ordered them they ruined the taste, for through what they did there
they made it that whoever wanted to feel any taste, it would have the
taste of rotten carcass. And similarly they ruined the smell so that all
the smells would have the smell of galbanum, and similarly they
destroyed the appearance, for they made it be dark in the eyes just like
when it's cloudy. (All this did the three crews of workers accomplish in
the country by doing there what the king ordered them, as mentioned.)
Now if you live the good life let me see if you can help out that
country. (So is the deaf beggar still saying to the Land of Wealth which
had bragged that they live the good life, as mentioned.) And I say to
you: if you won't help them out, it will harm you too (that is, the fact
that in that country the appearance, taste and smell were ruined, will
reach you too).
The Rich Ones and the Deaf One Go to the Land
The rich men mentioned above got up to go to that country, and I went
with them too, and on the way they lived their good life, each his own,
for they had fortunes as mentioned. When they came nigh to the country,
there began to spoil also by them the taste and the other things, and
they felt in themselves that it had become spoiled with them. I spoke up
to them, "Just consider — if now when you have not yet entered the
country, the taste, appearance and smell have already become spoiled for
you, how will it be when you go in? And all the more so, how can you
still help them?" I took my bread and my water and gave it to them. They
felt in my bread and water all the tastes (and all the smells etc.) and
everything became corrected that had been ruined for them (that is, the
taste, appearance and smell).
The People of the Land Send Messengers, Meeting Up With Them
And the other country, that is, the country where the garden was (where
the taste etc. had been ruined, as mentioned), started to look around to
repair the country's ruined taste and so forth. They came to a decision:
inasmuch as there is a Land of Wealth (that is, that very land mentioned
above with whom the beggar had spoken, as mentioned), it felt to them
(that is, it felt to the country where the garden was) that their
gardener who had become lost (through whom they had lived the good life)
is from the same root as [the people of] the Land of Riches who also
live the good life; therefore they liked the idea that they should send
off to the Land of Wealth — they will surely help them! They did so and
sent messengers to the Land of Wealth. The messengers went, and they
encountered each other (that is, the emissaries came up against the
people of that very Land of Riches on the way, for the Land of Wealth
themselves wanted to go to them, as mentioned). They asked the
messengers, "Where are you going?" They answered, "We are going to the
Land of Wealth so that they will help us." They spoke up, "We ourselves
are that rich country and we are going to you."
I spoke up (that is, the deaf beggar who is telling all this) to them,
"Don't you need me? For you cannot go there and help them," as mentioned
above (because when they only so much as came near the country, they
themselves were already affected; all the more so when etc. as
mentioned). "Therefore you stay here and I will go with the emissaries
to help them."
The Deaf One Goes With the Messengers to Help Them
I went with the emissaries, arrived at the country and entered a city. I
saw people approaching and one of them saying a vartel [a word of
mockery], and then more people came up, until a small crowd was formed
and they said vartlach [wisecracks] and they laughed. I listened up to
what they were shmoozing about and heard them speaking lewd speech
[nivul peh]. This one says a quip of lewd speech, that one says a bit
finer, this one laughs, that one enjoys, and so forth, as their way is.
Later I went further to another city (of that country) and saw two
people fighting with each other on account of some trade transaction.
They went to the courthouse to bring suit and the court decided for
them: this one is entitled and that one is obligated — and they went out
from the court. Afterward they again bickered with each other, and said
that they no longer want this courthouse — they just want another
courthouse — and they chose for themselves another courthouse and
brought their case before the other courthouse. Afterward one of them
again got into an argument with someone else, and again they selected a
different courthouse, and so they fought on and on there, this one with
that one and that one with this one, always choosing a different court,
until the entire city was filled with courthouses. I took a look and saw
that this was due to there being no truth there; now this one tilts the
verdict and favors this one (in other words he curries favor with him
and decides in his favor), and later the other one favors him (in other
words later the other decides in his favor in return), for they take
bribery and they have no truth there.
Afterwards I saw that they are full of adultery, and there are so many
illicit relations there that it has already become like an altogether
permissible thing for them. And I said to them that on account of this,
the taste, the smell and the vision were ruined for them, for the
aforementioned cruel king had left them the three aforementioned squads
of agents so that they should go and ruin the country. For they went
around and spoke lewd speech among them, bringing lewd speech into the
country, and through lewd speech the result was that the taste was
ruined, so that all the tastes had the same taste as nevelah [carcass of
an animal that died on its own; same root as nivul < nbl decayed]. And
likewise they brought bribery into the country, and thereby their vision
was ruined and it got dark in their eyes, for so it states, "Ki
hashochad ye`aver `einei chakhamim," in other words bribery blinds the
eyes of the wise [Deut. 16:19]. And similarly the henchmen brought
lechery into the country, and through this the smell was ruined, for
lechery results in ruined smell (and look in another place in our words
[Likutei Moharan II 1:12] that lechery blemishes one's smell). Therefore
you should see that you repair the country from these three sins and
seek after these people (that is, the agents who brought the three sins
into the country, as mentioned) and drive them out. And when you do so
and you purge the country from the three sins, I say to you that not
only will the taste, vision and smell be repaired, but that moreover
even the gardener who was lost from you will also be recoverable.
They did so, and they began cleansing the country of the three sins. And
they sought out the people (that is, the henchmen mentioned above) and
they would grab someone and ask him, "From where did you come here?" —
until they caught the cruel king's agents and drove them out, and they
cleaned out the country from the sins. Meanwhile a noise was made: Maybe
the insane one is the gardener after all? For there is an insane man
going about who keeps saying that he is the gardener, and everyone holds
him to be insane, and stones are thrown at him and he is driven away —
but maybe he in fact is the true gardener?! They went out and brought
him (that is, before these ones who sat and repaired the country; and
also he, namely the deaf beggar who is telling all this, was there). And
I said, "Of course he is the gardener!" (That is, the one whom they had
previously called insane.) Hence, I have a testament from there that I
live the good life, for I myself repaired the Land. Now I present you
with my good life as a gift.
A big celebration and great blissfulness started up there, and they were
extremely happy. The first one had given them chayim arukhim, that is,
long life, and the other had given them chayim tovim, that is, good
life. And so all the beggars came afterwards to the wedding and gave
them for a wedding-discourse present the same thing that they had
previously blessed them, to be like themselves; they now gave this to
them in total gift, derashah geshenk [for a] (wedding-discourse
present).
Third Day
On the third day the groom and bride again thought back, crying and
longing, "How can the third beggar be brought here, who was a kaved-peh
[tongue-tied]?" (That is, who stammered with his mouth.)
Meanwhile in he comes and says, "I am here!" And he fell on them, kissed
them, and he too said to them as before: Previously I had blessed you to
be like me. Now I give you, derashah geshenk, that you be like me. You
think I am speech-impaired. I am not speech-impaired at all, rather: the
utterances of the world which are not praises to the Supernal One have
no integrity (in other words thus he appears like a tongue-tied person
who cannot talk, for he has absolutely no wish to speak any worldly
speech which is not praise to Hashem Yithbarakh; since talk that is not
praise to Hashem Yithbarakh has no integrity, thus he stammers in his
speech). But in truth I am not speech-impaired at all. On the contrary I
am an orator and a speaker, that is, one wild novelty of a good talker.
And I can say such wildly innovative riddles, poems and songs that when
I begin to speak my riddles, poems and songs, there can be no creature
in the world that will not want to hear me (in other words there is not
a creature in the world that will not want to hear his poems etc.). And
contained in them (that is, in the riddles and poems that he says) are
all the wisdoms. And I have testimony to this from that great man who is
called "The Truly Gracious Man" (Der Grosser Man; Der Emetir Ish Chesed
— with these terms did Rabbeinu of blessed memory tell it). And there is
a whole story to this.
The Conversation Regarding Wisdoms
For, once upon a time all the wise men sat, and each one boasted of his
wisdom. {1} This one boasted that with his wisdom he had invented the
production of iron (that is, the ability to make iron from earth is what
he brought out to the world), {2} that one boasted that he had invented
another type of metal (that is, another type of metallurgy: zinc or lead
etc.), {3} another boasted that with his wisdom he had invented the
production of silver — this is already more momentous (that is, the
ability to make silver is what he had brought out); {4} another boasted
that he had invented the ability to make gold, {5} and another boasted
that he had invented weapons of war (that is, the instruments with which
war is conducted, namely guns, cannons and so forth — the technology of
making these instruments is what he brought out); {6} yet another
boasted he can produce metal wares without those things that they
produce these metals from, {7} and another boasted of other wisdoms, for
there are numerous things in the world that have been invented through
wisdoms, namely saltpeter, gunpowder and the like. So each one boasted
of his wisdom.
Someone there called out, "I am cleverer than you all, for I am wise as
the day." No one there understood what he was saying, that he is "wise
as the day." He replied to them, "Because all your wisdoms can be put
together and they will constitute no more than one hour, even though
each wisdom is obtained from a different day, according to the creation
that came into being on that day. For all of those wisdoms are
composites (that is, several things are mixed together and from them the
thing is produced; therefore each wisdom is taken from the day in which
God created the things from which the materials are taken and combined
with wisdom to make the thing they want to make: silver, copper and so
forth); in spite of this, all of these wisdoms of yours can be put
together by wisdom, constituting no more than one hour. But I am wise
like an entire day." (So did that final wise man boast.) I (that is, the
tongue-tied who is telling all this) called out to him, "Like which
day?" (In other words, "Like which day are you wise?") He (the wise one
mentioned) responded, "This one here (that is, the tongue-tied) is wiser
than me for he's asking like which day. But like whatever day you wish,
that's how wise I am." However, why, after all, is he smarter for having
asked like which day, if the wise man himself is also as smart as any
day he wishes? But there is a whole story:
The Heart and the Spring
For, the Truly Gracious Man is in truth a very great man. And I (that
is, the speech-impaired who is telling all this) go about, gathering up
all true generosities, and bring them to the Truly Gracious Man. And the
root of time's genesis (that is, that [such a thing as] time should
exist, for time itself, that is, the very existence of years and days in
the world, is itself also created by Hashem Yithbarakh) is solely
through true kindnesses. And I go about and gather up all true
kindnesses and bring them to the Truly Gracious Man, resulting in time
coming into being.
And there is a Mountain, and on the Mountain stands a Stone, and from
the Stone emerges a Spring. Now, every thing has a heart, and the entire
world also has a heart, and the Heart of the World is a complete
structure, with face, hands, feet etc. But the nail of the foot of the
World's Heart is heartier [Yid. hertziker] than the heart of anything
else. And the Mountain with the Stone and the Spring stands at one end
of the world, while this Heart of the World stands at another end of the
world, and the Heart stands facing the Spring, desiring and hoping
continuously, exceedingly, that it should come to the Spring, and the
longing and desire of the Heart to come to the Spring is just
extraordinary. It screams nonstop, the Heart, to come to the Source, and
the Source longs for the Heart too.
Now, the Heart has two things that make it weak. One, because the sun
pursues it exceedingly and scorches it (because it always yearns and
desires to come to the Source), and the second thing that tires the
Heart is due to yearning and desiring, that the Heart constantly yearns
and wishes; it keeps pouring out its soul for the Source and screaming
and so forth, as above, so as to come to the Source, for the Heart is
always standing facing the Source, and screams "Na! Gevald!" [Yid.
Please! Woe!], and keeps on yearning most exceedingly for the Source, as
mentioned.
However, when the Heart needs to rest a bit, so as to draw a little
breath [Yid. oyf zoyfn] then comes a Big Bird and spreads its wings
above it, shielding it from the sun; then the Heart gets a little rest.
But even then while resting it also looks facing the Spring and still
longs for it. But since it longs so much for the Source, why does it not
go to the Source? Only, as soon as the Heart wants to go close to the
Mountain upon which is the Source then it no longer sees the peak; it
cannot look at the Spring — and as soon as it would not look at the
Spring it would expire, for the Heart's entire vitality is only from the
Source, so when it stands facing the Mountain then it sees the Mountain
peak where the Spring is, but immediately as soon as it wants to go to
the Mountain, the peak no longer appears (for such indeed is the way
with a tall mountain; standing from afar the peak is visible, but upon
going nearer the peak is no longer visible). Then it can no longer look
at the Source and could — Mercy save us! — expire, and if this Heart —
Mercy save us! — would expire the whole world would be destroyed, for
the Heart is the very vitality of every thing, and how can the world
endure without the Heart? Therefore the Heart cannot go to the Spring;
it only stands facing the Spring, longing and screaming without cease to
be able to come to it, as mentioned.
And the Spring is completely timeless, for the Spring is not within time
at all (in other words the Spring has no time at all, that is, because
it is completely above worldly time). So how can the Spring exist in the
world? (For in the world nothing can exist without a time.) But all the
Spring's time is simply the Heart giving the Spring a day as a gift. And
when it comes time for the day to be let out and terminated — and should
the day go away the Source would no longer have any time and would
depart from the world — then when the Source is no longer, the Heart
itself would also expire, Mercy save us, then the whole world would
become nil, Mercy save us, as mentioned. Thus, when it gets very close
to the end of the day then they begin to take leave of each other (which
is called gizeginin) [wishes and blessings upon departing] — the Heart
and the Source — and begin saying wonderful riddles, poems and songs to
one another — very fine riddles and songs — with great love and
tremendous yearning (one for the other, the Heart for the Source and the
Source for the Heart).
Now, the Truly Gracious Man supervises and keeps watch over this, and
when the day reaches its very end and needs only to give out (at which
very instant when the day lets out and the Source shall no longer have
any day, as mentioned, it will pass away and thus, Mercy save us, the
Heart will expire too; the whole world will be destroyed) — at that
moment the Truly Gracious Man arrives and gives the Heart a day and the
Heart gives the day to the Source; thus the Spring once again has time
(that is, that day the Source can again maintain its existence and
consequently the Heart too can maintain its existence, etc.). And when
this day comes from the place whence it comes, it comes along with
riddles too and with fine poetry which contains all wisdoms. And there
are distinctions between the days, for there is a Sunday, a Monday,
etc., and similarly there is a first of the month and holidays (in other
words, according to what sort of day comes along, with such poetry does
it arrive).
And all the time that the Truly Gracious Man has, is entirely through me
(that is, through the tongue-tied one who is telling all this). For I go
along and gather up all true generosities, from which all the time comes
to exist, as mentioned. (And therefore the tongue-tied one is even
smarter than the sage who boasted he is wise like any day one wishes,
for time itself and its days altogether come to exist entirely through
him, the days coming along with poetry and riddles containing all
wisdoms, etc., as mentioned). Hence I have a testimony from the Truly
Gracious Man that I can say riddles and poetry containing all the
sciences (because all the days, with the riddles and their poetry, come
to exist entirely through him, as mentioned). Today I present you in a
full gift, derashah geshenk, that you should be like me. There was a
grand celebration and superb gladness there, and they had a ball (Zey
hobn a Hilva giton)!
Fourth Day
When they had completed that day's celebration and passed the night
afterwards, in the morning they again thought back and yearned, and so
forth, for the beggar who had a crooked neck. Meanwhile in he comes and
says: I am here! (and so forth...) Previously I had blessed you to be
like me. Today I present it to you, derashah geshenk, that you should be
like me. You think I have a crooked neck. I have no crooked neck
whatsoever. On the contrary, I have a very even neck, a very beautiful
neck, except there are vapors [havalim] of the world (that is, worldly
nonsense), and I wish to release no breath or spirit [Yid. duch]
whatsoever into the world's vanities (and therefore it appears his neck
is crooked, since he twists his neck from the world's vanities world and
wants to release no breath or spirit whatsoever into the world's
vanities). But in truth I have a very beautiful neck, an extremely fine
neck. For I have a superb voice, and all kinds of sounds [qolot] in the
world, which are only sound without speech — I can mimic all of them
with my voice, for I have a very superb neck and voice. And I have
testament to this from that country —
The Country of Musical Experts and the Conversation Regarding Musical
Prowess
For there is a country where they are all expert in the science of music
making, and they are all involved there in this wisdom, even little
children. There is not a child there who cannot play on some musical
instrument. And the most minor person that is in that country is the
greatest expert in another country in musical knowledge. And the sages
and king of that country, and the cappellas [song groups], are
extraordinarily great masters of that wisdom.
One time the country's sages were sitting together and each one boasted
of his musical prowess [chokhmah]. {1} This one boasted he could play on
this musical instrument, {2} that one boasted he could play that musical
instrument, {3} and another boasted: on another musical instrument. {4}
Someone else boasted he could play several musical instruments, {5} and
another boasted he could play on all kinds of musical instruments. {6}
This one boasted he could perform with his voice like a certain musical
instrument, {7} that one boasted he could perform with his voice like a
certain musical instrument, {8} and another boasted he could perform
with his voice like several musical instruments. {9} Still another
boasted he could perform with his voice exactly like a drum (which is
called poyk) when it is struck, {10} and another boasted he could
perform with his voice like shooting from cannons (which are called
urmatis) [?<Ukr. garmata, cannon]. And I too was there (that is, the one
with the crooked neck who is telling all this). I spoke up and said to
them: My voice is better that your voices, and this is the proof:
because if you are indeed such experts in musical sound, help the two
lands —
The Two Lands, One Thousand Miles Apart
For there are two lands, a thousand miles apart from each other. And
there in these two countries when night arrives no one can sleep, for
when it becomes night they all begin crying out with wailing voices —
men, women and children. If a stone were to rest there it would melt
down, for at night they hear an exceedingly wailing sound, and because
of it, all of them there must start wailing — men, women and little
children, etc. (And this happens in both countries), for in one country
they hear the wailing sound and must all lament as mentioned, and
likewise in the other land it too is so, and the two countries are a
thousand miles apart. So if you are such expert musicians (that is, you
can play and sing), let me see if you can help the two countries, or at
least reproduce the sounds (that is, mimic the wailing sound that is
heard there). They said to him, "Will you take us there?" He said, "Yes,
I take you there [present tense]," and they arose to all go there.
They went and arrived there (that is, at one of the two aforementioned
countries). When night came, it was as always — they all began wailing,
and the experts too wailed as well. (So they saw for sure they could not
help the countries.) He said to them (that is, the one whose neck was
crooked said to the aforementioned sages), "Anyway, tell me where this
comes from, that they hear this wailing sound. Where is the sound from?"
They said to him, "And do you know?" He replied, "I know indeed."
The Two Birds
"For, there are two birds, one male and one female, and they are just
one pair in the world. The female got lost. He seeks her and she seeks
him. They had sought each other very long, until they lost their ways
and saw they can no longer find each other, so they stood still and made
themselves nests. He made him a nest nearby one of the two countries —
and not actually near it, except that in consideration of the bird's
voice it is called near, since from the place where he stopped and made
him a nest they can already hear his voice in that country. And likewise
she also made her a nest near the second country (that is, likewise, not
right nearby, except from there her voice could be heard over there).
And when night comes then this pair of birds begin both wailing, for he
bemoans her and she bemoans him, wailing with a very big yell. And this
is the wailing sound heard in these two countries, because of which they
must all begin wailing intensely there and they cannot sleep." (So did
the crooked-neck continue telling.) But they would not believe this, and
said to him, "Will you lead us there (that is, to the birds)?"
He said, "Yes, I can lead you there. Except how can you come there? For
if even here you cannot bear the sound and must all wail — when you will
come there you will surely be unable to stand it at all! And by day one
cannot stand the joy there, for by day the birds gather together by each
of them separately, that is, to him and to her, and console them and
make them happy with extremely great joys, and they tell them words of
consolation: "You will still find each other," making them very happy,
so much so that by day it is impossible to bear the joy there. And the
sound of the birds making them happy is not heard from afar, but only
when one arrives there. But the sound of the pair wailing at night — it
is heard far away; you cannot, therefore, come there." They said to him,
"Can you correct this?"
He replied, "Yes, I can correct it. For I can mimic all the world's
sounds (that is, all kinds of sounds in the world, he can emit them with
his voice, making it exactly like any sound at all); furthermore I can
throw voices, that is, I can throw a sound which here, in the place
where I let it out, will not be heard at all — only somewhere far away
will it be heard — and therefore I can throw her voice to him, that is,
the sound which I will let out will arrive close to the place where he
is, and likewise I can throw his voice so that it arrives close to her;
thereby will I draw them together" (until he brings them together). But
who would believe this?
Sounds in the Forest
He went and led them into a forest. They heard as if someone opens a
door, shuts it again and slams the bolt shut (which is called a
klaymke); and firing from gun (which is called a biks), sending the dog
to fetch (the thing that he was shooting), and the dog thrashing in the
snow [Yid. gigraznit in shney]. The sages heard all this, and they
looked around — they saw nothing at all, and also from him they heard
nothing at all. (It could only be that he, the crooked neck, was
throwing those sounds. So they saw for sure that he can replicate all
kinds of sounds exactly, and also throw sounds.) (And he did not tell
more about this, but went up afterwards.) Hence I have testament from
that country that I have a wonderfully fine voice and I can replicate
all the world's sounds. Today I present this to you completely in a
gift, derashah geshenk, to be like me. There was a grand celebration
there, and extremely high spirits.
Fifth Day
On the fifth day they were also happy. They remembered the beggar who
was a hunchback [Yid. hoikir], and they yearned very much, "How can that
hunchback beggar be taken here? For if he were here, the joy would be
immense." In the midst of this he arrives and says, "I am here! I have
come to you for the wedding." And he fell on them, hugged them and
kissed them, and said to them:
Previously I had blessed you that you be like me; today I present you,
derashah geshenk, that you should be like me. And I am not hunchback
[hoikir] whatsoever. On the contrary, I have the sort of shoulders [Yid.
pleytses] that are the little that holds the much. And I have a
testament to this.
The Conversation Regarding the Little That Holds the Much; They Scoff at
One
For, there was once a conversation in which people boasted about this
matter, each one boasting that he has this feature of the little holding
the much (in other words, a small space containing very much). They
laughed and scoffed at one of them; and the rest who boasted about this
feature of the little holding the much were accepted. But my little that
holds the much is greater than all of them.
For, one of them boasted that his brain is a "little that holds the
much," for he carries in his brain thousands and myriads of people with
all their needs, all their customs, and all their discussions and
movements. He carries all this entirely in his brain, so he is a little
that holds the much, since a bit of his brain bears on it so many people
with their needs and so forth. (Therefore he is called a little that
holds the much, that is, a bit of space containing and bearing so much,
namely the bit of brain bearing so many people with all their affairs
etc.) They laughed him off and those present there replied, "You are
nothing and your people are nothing."
One of them spoke up and said, "I have seen such a 'little that holds
the much.' For, once I was passing by before a mountain and I saw a huge
amount of garbage and filth on it. It was a novelty for me — from where
does so much garbage and filth come on the mountain? There was a man
there by that mountain. The man said, 'It's all mine.' For he was
dwelling there beside the mountain, and kept throwing on the mountain
his garbage and secretions from his eating and drinking, and defecated
there, until there was so much garbage and feces from him on the
mountain. So this man is a 'little that holds the much,' insofar as so
much garbage comes about from one man. That's what this is too." (That
is, so is the little-that-holds-the-much of the one who boasted that his
brain bears so many people etc.)
The Bit of Countryside, and the Orchard
One of them boasted he has the feature of the little that holds the
much, inasmuch as: He has a bit of countryside that produces a great
quantity of fruits. Afterwards they reckon the fruit that the country
has produced and they see that the country does not in any way hold as
much space as the fruits need to take up; there is not at all in the
country so much space as the fruits need to occupy. So this is what a
little that holds the much is (namely, a little space that holds so
much). His words pleased them, for in truth this is certainly a little
that holds the much.
One of them said inasmuch as he has an orchard [Heb. pardes] (namely, a
garden) — a very fine one — where there are fruits and so forth: A great
many people and noblemen travel there, for it is quite a nice orchard.
And when summer comes, very many people and noblemen travel there to
take walks there, and in truth there is in no way to be found in the
orchard so much space as to contain that many people. This, then, is a
little that holds the much. His words also pleased them.
The Secretary, and the Reticent One
One of them said that his speech is a little that holds the much, for he
is a private secretary for a great king, and to the king very many
people come. One comes with praises to the king (that is, each one says
a praise to the king), another comes with petitions for the king, and so
forth; and the king certainly cannot hear out all of this. "I gather up
all their words into just a few words, and tell the king just these few
words. Contained in them are all their praises and petitions, with all
their words entering into my few words which I tell the king. Therefore
my speech is a little holding the much."
One of them said that his keeping silent is a little that holds the
much, for he has against him very many accusers and slanderers who
gossip very much about him, for they argue with him and talk about him
very much. And to whatever they slander him, bicker with him, and accuse
him with much gossip, he performs some silence, and that is the solution
to all the questions and all the utterances spoken against him. Hence
his silence is a little holding the much.
The Small Person Leading the Blind Giant, and the Tree That is Beyond
Space
One of them said that he is a little that holds the much, for there is a
poor person who is "well-visioned" [that is, blind] and very large,
whereas he (that is, the one who was boasting and telling this) is very
small and leads about the large poor one who is blind. Hence he is a
little holding the much, for the blind one could slip and fall, but he
holds him up with his guidance, and due to this he is a little that
holds the much, since he is a small person and holds the big blind one.
And I (that is, the hunchback who was telling all this) was also there.
I declared: It is true that you have the feature of the little that
holds the much. And I know what all of you meant (that is, all those who
boasted one by one of their little that holds the much — he knows what
each of them meant); even the final one who boasted that he leads around
the big blind one. He is greater than all of you. But I am still greater
and higher than all of you. For, he who boasted that he walks the big
blind one, his meaning is that he conducts the lunar cycle (that is, the
heavenly orb where the moon is), for the moon is called "blind," for she
does not shine in-and-of herself, and she has nothing of her own
whatsoever [veleith lah migarmah klum], and he (that is, he who boasted
in this) conducts the moon, even though he is small and the moon is very
great; and this gives the entire world sustenance (in other words, by
means of this the entire world has existence), for the world needs the
moon. Hence he is definitely a little that holds the much, for sure.
However, all the same, my little that holds the much is completely
higher than all of them. And here is the proof:
For, once there was a group that investigated: Inasmuch as every beast
has its shade (that is, its shadow) in which it specifically wants to
rest, and conversely there is a special shadow for each animal, because
each and every beast chooses for itself some shadow, and only in that
shadow specifically does it want to rest; similarly, each bird has its
branch on which it specifically wants to rest, and not on any other
branch, while another bird has its own branch and only there can it rest
and not on any other; and so each and every bird has its own special
branch — therefore the group investigated if there could be found such a
tree in whose shadow all the beasts could rest, in that all the beasts
would want to dwell in the shadow of that tree, and upon whose branches
all the birds of the sky [tziperei shemaya, Dan. 4] would rest. And they
discovered that there is such a tree. They wanted to go there to that
tree, for the delight that there is there by that tree is absolutely
limitless, since all the birds and all the beasts are found there, and
there there is no harm whatsoever from any animal (that is to say, no
beast injures anyone there), and all the animals there are freely mixed.
They all engage in play there and it is certainly a very wonderful
pleasure to be there at that tree. They began to examine rationally
which side [Heb. tzad] they needed to go to come to that tree, and there
fell a dispute between them regarding this, without there being anyone
among them to decide, for one said that they needed to go to this side
to the east, and another said to the west side they needed to go; one
said here, another said there, and so on, until they could not discern
the right side to go to in order to come to that tree.
A sage came along and said to them, "Why are you investigating by which
side to go to the tree? Find out first who are the people who can come
to the tree! Because to that tree not every man can come, since no one
can come to the tree except one who has the tree's attributes (Heb.
midoth). For, this tree has three roots: One root is faith (that one
should believe in God, blessed be He), the other is awe, and the third
is humility (that is, to not have special regard for oneself), and truth
is the tree's body, that is, the tree itself is truth, and from there go
out branches. Therefore no one can come to the tree but one who has
these traits of the tree." (That is, faith — he should believe in God;
fear — he should have fear of God, and humility — he should not have any
special regard for himself; and truth. So did the sage say to the
group.)
The group, however, did not all have these attributes; only some of them
had in them these traits. But they had between them very great unity
(that is, the group all loved each other and held themselves tightly
together). They did not want to separate from each other in order that
some of them should go to the tree (that is, those who already had these
traits of the tree) and the rest should stay behind — they did not want
this, for they held themselves very much together. Instead they had to
wait until the rest of the men would exert themselves in attaining these
attributes so that they could all come to the tree.
And so they did, toiling until they all came to those traits mentioned
above. (That is, they all waited for each other until each had toiled
and they all came to those virtues mentioned above, that is, by now they
all have faith, fear and so on, as mentioned.) No sooner did they all
come to the attributes, when they all came to one mindset and all agreed
on one way by which to go to the tree. They all went. They went along
for a while until they could see the tree from afar. Meanwhile, they
take a look and the tree is standing on no place at all, for the tree
has no space whatsoever. And since it has no place whatsoever, how can
anyone come to it?
And I (that is, the hunchback) was also there with them. I announced to
them, "I can bring you to the tree. For the tree has no place
whatsoever, for the tree is completely above space (in other words, it
is higher than worldly space; it has no place whatsoever), and the
aspect of the little that holds the much still takes place in space, for
although it is a little that holds the much, that is, a little space
holding much more than can be put in the space, in any case it still
takes place in space, because after all it still occupies some sort of
space in any case. But I (that is, the hunchback) have such a little
that holds the much that it is the absolute edge of the place beyond
which there is no space whatsoever. Therefore I can carry you all to the
tree, which is above space completely. (For, this hunchback is something
like an intermediary, that is, a midpoint, between space and above
space, for he is the ultimate degree of the little holding the much,
which is the actual end of space, above which there is no unit of space
whatsoever, since from there and above is the aspect of completely
beyond space. Therefore he can take them out of space and bring them
above space. Understand this.) I took them and carried them to the tree.
Hence I have a testament that I have such an ultimate degree of the
little holding the much. (And that is why he appeared as a hunchbacked
person, for he carries a great deal on him, for he is a little holding
the much.) Today I give you this very thing in a gift, that you should
be like me. A great joy took place there, and a superb gladness.
Sixth Day
On the sixth day they also rejoiced, but they also yearned, "How can the
one without hands be brought here?" Meanwhile in he comes and says, "I
am here! I have come to you for the wedding." And he too spoke to them
as the others, falling on them, kissing them and saying to them: You
think I am crippled in the hands. I am not at all crippled in the hands.
I do have power in the hands, only I do not use the power in my hands in
this world, for I need the power for something else — and regarding this
I have a testament from the Watery Castle (fun das vasirikn shloss).
The Conversation Regarding Power in the Hands
For, once several of us were sitting together. Each one was boasting of
his power he has in his hands. This one boasted he has such a strength
in his hands, that one boasted he has such a strength in his hands, and
so each one boasted of his strength he has in his hands.
Retrieving Arrows
Namely, one was boasting that he has such a power and a strength in his
hands, that when he shoots an arrow he can pull it back to him again,
for he has such a power in his hands, that although he has already shot
the arrow, he can yet turn it around and tow it back to him again.
I asked him, "What kind of arrow can you pull back?" For there are ten
kinds of arrows, since there are ten kinds of poison. For, when one
wants to shoot an arrow, one smears it with a poison. There are ten
kinds of poison, and when they soak it in one poison, it injures like
so, and when they soak it in another poison it does more damage. And so
there are ten kinds of poison, each one worse than the other, that is,
more harmful. (And this in itself is ten kinds of arrows, for the arrows
are one sort; it is only because of the variety of the poisons that they
smear the arrows in, which are ten kinds as mentioned above, that they
are called ten kinds of arrows.)
So he asked him, "What kind of arrow can you pull back?" In addition he
asked him whether [only] before the arrow has struck someone he can pull
it back, or whether even after the arrow has already struck someone he
could also pull it back. Upon this the other answered: "Even after the
arrow has already struck someone, I can still pull it back." "But still,
which sort of arrow can you pull back?" He answered: Why, this-and-this
kind I can pull back.
I (that is, the one [without hands] who is telling all this) called out
to him, "You cannot heal the Queen's Daughter. If you can pull back no
more than one kind of arrow, you cannot heal the Queen's Daughter."
Giving by Receiving
One was boasting that he has such a power in his hands that whoever he
receives from, he gives to (that is, by his very getting something from
someone, he gives to that person), and hence he is a master of charity.
I asked him, "What kind of charity do you give?" (For there are ten
kinds of charity.) He replied: he gives tithe. I called out to him, "If
so, you cannot heal the Queen's Daughter, for you cannot at all come to
her place (because you only give tithe), for you can enter in no more
than one wall (in the place where she is dwelling), therefore you cannot
come to her place."
Conferring Wisdom, and Knowing Pulses
One boasted that he has the following power in his hands: "Inasmuch as
there are officials in the world (that is, senior men who are encharged
with giving orders over a city, a country, etc.), each one needing
wisdom: I have such a power in my hands, that with my hands I can give
him wisdom, by laying my hands on him." I asked him, "What kind of
wisdom can you give with your hands?" For there are ten measures (kabin)
of wisdom (that is, ten varieties of knowledge). He replied:
Such-and-such a wisdom I can give. I called out to him, "If so, you
cannot heal the Queen's Daughter, for you cannot even know her pulse,
because there are ten varieties of pulses, and you cannot know but one
pulse, since you can only give one wisdom with your hands."
Restraining Wind, and Playing Melodies
One boasted that he has such a power in his hands: when there is a ruach
se'arah [lit. tempest spirit] (that is, a storm wind) he can detain the
storm wind with his hands. He can seize the storm wind with his hands,
restraining it, and can moreover with his hands make the wind with a
mass, that it should be the sort of wind that is needed; with the
[proper] weight.
I asked him, "What kind of wind can you grasp with your hands?" There
are ten varieties of winds. He replied: Such-and-such a wind. I called
out, "You cannot heal the Queen's Daughter, for you cannot at all play
the melody for her. For there are ten varieties of melody, and the
Queen's Daughter's healing is through melody, and you can play for her
no more than one melody."
The Watery Castle
They called out, "What can you do?" He replied, "I can do what you all
cannot do, namely, all the nine parts of each thing that each one
boasted of, which you cannot do, I can do. For, there is a story:
"For, one time a king desired (lit. cooked himself up about) a Queen's
Daughter, involving himself with executing schemes to capture her, until
the thing was attained and he caught her; then she was with him. One
time the king dreamed that the Queen's Daughter stood over him and
killed him. He awoke sharply (lit. caught himself up), and the dream
entered deep in his heart. He called all the dream interpreters and they
interpreted it for him according to its simple meaning, that the dream
would be fulfilled according to its simple meaning, that she would kill
him. The king could not give himself any counsel, what to do with her.
To kill her — would pain him; to send her away from him — this vexed him
severely, for another man would take her, and this vexed him very much,
for he had made so much effort for her, and now she would come to
another man's hand, and moreover if he let her go and she came to
another man's hand, then certainly the dream could be fulfilled that she
would kill him, since she was by another. To hold her fast by him — he
feared because of the dream, lest she kill him. So the king did not know
what to do to her. Meanwhile his love for her perished little by little
because of the dream (that is, he no longer loved her so much as before)
and at each moment the love perished more and more, and likewise by her
the love perished more each moment, until it became by her a hatred of
him. She fled from him.
"The king sent after her to seek her, and they came and told him that
she was circling around the Watery Castle. For there is a Watery Castle,
and there are ten walls there, one inside the other, and all ten walls
are completely of water, and also the ground in the Castle that they
walk on is also of water. And likewise the garden, with its trees and
their fruits, are entirely of water. As for the beauty of the Castle and
the novelty of this Castle, there is no need to talk, for it is
certainly a very wonderful novelty, for the whole Castle is of water.
Entering the Castle is certainly impossible, for one would drown, for
the whole Castle is entirely of water. Now the Queen's Daughter, upon
fleeing, reached the Castle and was circling there around the Castle.
They told the king that she was circling there around the Castle.
"The king and his soldiers went to catch her. When the Queen's Daughter
saw this she decided she would run into the Castle, for she wanted more
to drown in water than that the king should catch her and she be with
him; and perhaps she would be saved after all and she could slip into
the Watery Castle. When the king saw this, that she was running into the
water, he said, "If that is the case, well then..." He ordered to shoot
her; if she dies, she dies. They shot her and all the ten types of
arrows that are smeared with the ten types of poisons struck her. And
she, the Queen's Daughter, ran into the Watery Castle and entered into
its interior, passing through all the doors of the watery walls. For
there are doors there in the watery walls, so she passed through all the
doors of all the ten walls of the Watery Castle, until she entered into
the Castle's interior, fell down and remained faint.
"And I (that is, the handless one who is telling all this) heal her. For
whoever does not have in his hands all the ten varieties of charities
cannot enter past all the ten walls of the Watery Castle, for he would
be drowned in water. So the king and his soldiers pursued after the
Queen's Daughter and were all drowned in water. But I can enter past all
the ten walls of the Watery Castle.
"Now, the walls of water are sea waves standing like a wall. The winds
are what erect the waves of the sea and hold the waves up. And these
waves, which are what the ten walls are, stand there constantly, but it
is the winds that hold the waves and erect the waves. And I can enter
past all the ten walls of the Watery Castle, and I can pull out from her
(that is, from the Queen's Daughter) all the ten varieties of arrows.
"And I know all the ten varieties of pulsebeats through the ten fingers,
for through each finger of the ten fingers one can know a particular
pulsebeat from the ten varieties of pulsebeats, and I can heal the
Queen's Daughter through all the ten varieties of melodies (for her
healing is through melodies, as mentioned). Therefore I do, in fact,
heal the Queen's Daughter. Hence I have such a power in the hands. Today
I give you this very thing as a gift." There was a grand celebration
there, and they were superbly happy.
[Notes Following the Story][edit]
[Rabbi Nachman said:] This story is very hard for me to tell, but
because I've already begun telling it, now I have to finish it. [But he
did not actually finish telling it.] In this story there is not one word
that will be void of meaning, and whoever is adept and versed in sefarim
[mystical Judaic texts] can at least understand some of the hints. And
the arrows — of which that [character] boasted he could pull back arrows
— this is found in the verse, "[Im shanothi beraq charbi/ If I have
twofold [unleashed] My sword [like] lightning {i.e. as lightning flashes
from one end of the sky across to the other end, against My people in
retribution}, wethochez bemishpat yadi/ My hand will yet have hold on
[strict] justice..." [Deut. 32:41], and as Rashi explains, "Flesh and
blood shoots an arrow and cannot retrieve it, but the Holy One, Blessed
be He, shoots an arrow and does have the ability to retrieve it [as if
He were holding them in His hand]." And the charity which safeguards
against the walls of water — this is also found in a verse: "[Lu
hikshavta lemitzvothai; wayhi kanahar shelomekha/ If you would listen to
My commandments then your peace would be as a river] wetzidkathekha
kegalei hayam/ and your charity (righteousness) as the waves of the
sea." [Isa., 48:18]. And the wind — his grasping it in is hands — this
is found in, "Mi asaf-ruach bechofnaw/ Who has grasped the wind in his
fists?" [Prov. 30:4] (Which is an aspect of producing melody, as
explained elsewhere [Likutei Moharan #54].) And the ten types of pulses
and ten kinds of melody — this is already explained in the Zohar [and
see LM II pg. 32a (#24)]. [Rabbi Nathan adds:] All this we heard
explicitly. But who, when and what? (Beyond this he said nothing more,
that is to say, who they all are, what this is, and when this all took
place — this is unknowable.)
The conclusion of the story — that is, what happened on the Seventh Day
with the footless beggar, and the conclusion of the King's son with whom
the story began — he did not tell; and he said he would not tell any
more, and it will not be heard until Mashiach comes — speedily in our
days, Amen!
He also said, "If I did not know any other thing besides this story, I
would still be wild news." He said so explicitly. For this story is very
wild news. Contained here in it are very many moral lessons and much
Torah, for it contains many teachings and speaks of many ancient
tzaddikim; of King Dawidh, peace be upon him, for King Dawidh stood at
the world's edge and cried out to the Spring that flows from the Rock
that is on the Mountain, as mentioned above, as written in Tehilim [Ps.
61:3], "Miqtzeh ha'aretz eleikha eqra, be`atof libi; betzur-yarum mimeni
tancheni/ From the end of the earth I will cry unto You, when my heart
is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
(All this we heard from his mouth explicitly. And what is understood
from his words is that King Dawidh, peace be upon him, is the aspect of
the Heart, as has been transmitted [Zohar Shemoth 108], and he is hinted
to in the story regarding the Heart of the world, which stands at the
end of the earth, facing the Spring, crying and longing for it
constantly etc. But still the words are closed up; fortunate is whoever
will merit attaining secrets of this story.)
The matter of King Dawidh and the aforementioned scripture, "From the
ends of the earth," that is hinted to in the story, pertains to the
Third Day, because there it speaks about the Heart and the Spring; look
there and you will see wonders, how in each matter wonderful things are
hinted. [In Yiddish: In this story are found very, very great secrets of
the Torah, from beginning to end. All the stories of this book are
thoroughly great secrets of the Torah; each word and each thing means
something completely different — but this story is above them all.] And
of the greatness of the awesomeness of this story it is not possible at
all to tell, for it is above all of them. Exceedingly fortunate [ashrei
ashrei] is whoever will merit even in the Coming World to know of it
just a little bit. And whoever has [a] brain in his skull, let the hairs
of his flesh stand on end; let him understand a little of the greatness
of the Creator, Blessed be He, and the greatness of the true Tzaddikim,
when he looks well into this awesome story, the likes of which will not
be heard.
The matter of the verse, "From the ends of the earth," mentioned above,
pertaining to the story of the Third Day — this I heard explicitly from
his holy and awesome mouth, of blessed memory. Furthermore, look at this
which I found afterwards — that the majority of the words of the chapter
of Tehilim where this verse is written, which is Ch. 61 — virtually all
of it is explained there [in] hints of the lofty secrets of the story of
the Third Day mentioned above: "You will add days onto the days of the
King" etc. — for he always needs that they should add days to his days
etc. as mentioned. "Chesed we'emeth, man yintzeruhu/ Summon mercy and
truth, that he may preserve it" — this is the True Man of Kindness etc.,
"Der Groyser Man; Der Emesir Ish Chesed" — because all the time and the
days are made via the Great Man, who is the True Man of Kindness as
mentioned there in the story, and he gives and adds at each moment, days
to the days of the king, who is the Heart, which is the concept of King
Dawidh, peace be upon him, as mentioned. And this is, "that he may
preserve it" — because he guards and protects, for as soon as the day
comes very close to ending — and then the Spring and the Heart and the
entire world would end, God forbid — then the True Man of Kindness
protects and guards this, and comes and gives a day to the Heart etc. as
mentioned. And this is, "So will I sing praise unto Your name forever,
that I may perform my vows day by day [yom yom]" — because each and
every day which He gives him, he comes with songs and poems etc. as
mentioned. "I will trust in the covert of Your wings, Selah" — for when
the Heart needs to rest, a Great Bird comes and spreads Its wings over
it etc., and this is, "I will trust in the covert of Your wings" etc.
Pertaining to the First Day: The matter of the elders, that each one
boasted of what he could remember, where one boasted that he remembers
even when they cut his umbilical cord etc. and he was the youngest elder
of them all, etc. — our Rebbe of blessed memory said that in the Gemara
(Yerushalmi) something similar is recorded: that Shmuel boasted that he
remembers the pain of his circumcision etc.; see there.
Who can glorify or tell? Who can evaluate? Who can estimate even one
minuscule of the millions or billions of hitnotzetzoth [branchings/
revelations/ illuminations], a bit of the clues of wonders of wonders
from the very, very awesome and high secrets of this awesome story,
which is full of secrets of secrets from beginning to end? One who is
enlightened in the matter will find goodness, and hitnotzetzuth of
certain clues according to his capacity.