[66]

Four are required to offer thankful acknowledgment:[67] Sea[farers], the infirm, [those released from] prison,[68] [travelers through a] desert.[69]

The analogies to these situations in spiritual terms can be explained as follows:

The sea refers to the sea of wisdom.[70]

The infirm, Choleh, is numerically equivalent to 49. One has attained 49 Gates of Understanding and is lacking only the 50th.[71] The concept of a sick person being healed is that he is granted also the 50th gate.

Imprisonment is the opposite of progress and growth, i.e., one is imprisoned in his place. This refers to Zaer Anpin, the emotional attributes of the realm of Atzilus, as they are confined in the throat.[72]

The desert refers to the "desert of the nations,"[73] an open mem,[74] "an unsown land."[75]

Thus these four situations parallel the four spiritual levels:

1. Chochmah - the sea;

2. Binah - sickness;

3. Zaer Anpin - prison; and

4. Malchus - the desert.

Our Sages teach us that in these four situations, thanksgiving is required. Thankful acknowledgment transcends intellect.[76] Implied is that even after a person comprehends all the above levels, attaining consummate fulfillment within the spiritual levels that are within mortal grasp, he makes a commitment that transcends intellect, "like beasts, I was with you."[77]

Alternatively, our Sages' teaching can be explained differently. The soul is continually alive, as reflected in our praise to G-d for "returning my soul to me."[78] Nevertheless, the soul must be joined to the body. This is accomplished through blood that is brought into being by eating and drinking. The blood is lodged in the left ventricle of the heart and "the spirit of life" is lodged in the right ventricle (Likkutei Torah, Shir Shirim, p. 31a).

To relate this to the four situations above:

Prison - The person possesses everything in a complete sense. The danger is merely external.

Sickness - The lack exists within the person's limbs in and of themselves.

Desert - I.e., hunger and sickness, as the verse states.[79] (See the maamar entitled Hinach Yafah in Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim.) This refers to a lack of food and drink which weakens the connection between the body and the soul established through the blood.

Or Sea - i.e., one who is in danger of drowning. This parallels strangulation as stated in Sanhedrin 37b and Kesuvos 30b, i.e., the danger is posed to "the spirit of life."[80]

According to Chassidus,[81] the sea is associated with the hidden realms, planes of existence that are submerged within the encompassing light of G-dliness. The beings in these realms cannot exist outside their spiritual source. If they would emerge on dry land, they would die.[82]

{Were they to die, their bodies would still continue to exist, for the source of their bodies is not the sea itself. It is merely the source for their life-energy (see the series of maamarim entitled BeShaah SheHikdimu, 5672).[83] On the surface, a question arises based on the quote concerning immersion cited directly afterwards. That quote implies that even the actual physical body is not a separate entity, for it speaks about immersing in the body of the object itself. Perhaps it is possible to explain that the immersion is acceptable, because the body is buttel to its life-energy. Clarification is still necessary.}

For this reason, our Sages state (Mikvaos 6:7) that it is permitted to immerse in a mass of red insects in the sea. Since they were created from the water, even their bodies are not a separate entity. Similarly, this opinion is stated in Zevachim 22a in the name of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel.

To focus on the counterpart to this concept in our Divine service: The sea alludes to the concept of mesirus nefesh, that one is entirely buttel. Nevertheless, mesirus nefesh alone is not sufficient, for "He did not create [the world] for chaos."[84] Instead, it is necessary that an activity also be performed within the context of our physical world.

This is the counterpart of "setting out to sea" in our Divine service every day, the recitation of the Shema at which time one has the intent of giving over his soul to G-d. But since one cannot merely "cast oneself in the sea" - i.e., be involved in the spiritual without a connection to our physical world - one must set out to sea in a ship. As stated in the explanation to the maamar entitled Lo Sashbis in Likkutei Torah and in Biurei HaZohar,[85] this refers to the observance of the mitzvos which maintain a person's connection to this material world.

These two motifs are also expressed in the distinction between the Torah and its mitzvos. The Torah relates primarily to the G-dly soul which studies it (although the study must also be understood by the animal soul, for in this way, the animal soul is healed). The analogy of fish in the sea in Berachos, loc. cit., applies to the G-dly soul, because the soul does not require a ship (clarification is necessary[86]), for it is continuously faithful to Him. Nevertheless, the soul must "set out to sea," set its own self aside when studying the Torah, as implied by the phrases: "I am the mishnah being spoken by your mouth,"[87] and "It was said."[88]

Mitzvos must be performed with kabbalas ol and involve service within the material world. In this vein, the relationship between the Torah and its mitzvos can be compared to that between the oros (lights) and kelim (vessels). Alternatively, a person who devotes himself to Torah study can be described with the analogy of an officer or a son, while one who devotes himself to mitzvos can be described with the analogy of a servant.

A sick person[89] - This refers to one who is lovesick.[90] It is related that the Alter Rebbe was sick and the doctors explained that the reason for his sickness was that his heart desired something which it could not attain. {See Likkutei Dibburim, issue 9,[91] to clarify this point.}In 5663, the Rebbe Rashab was sick and the doctors in Vienna said... {see Likkutei Dibburim, issue 9, my notes[92]}. These reflect examples of being "lovesick."

The fundamental place where this sickness is felt is in the heart{note the conclusion of Iggeres HaKodesh and the maamar entitled Samchuni in Derech Mitzvosecha, Vol. II;[93] see also Shabbos 11a, "All sickness..."; this should be clarified based on sec. 2 of what the Tzemach Tzedek wrote to the Rav of Amtzislav}. More precisely, based on the above, it appears that sickness involves that part of the mind which relates to the heart, i.e., the powers of comprehension within the attribute of Binah.

On the surface, it is the very opposite of logic for a person to remain content after what the mind conceives is transformed into the desire of the heart. For "a person will not die having accomplished half his desires,"[94] for one's desire is continually growing. "Whoever possesses 100, desires 200."[95] Accordingly, for a sick person to be healed is above the limits of reason. This relates to the fiftieth Gate of Understanding. This gate was granted to Moshe at the time of his passing as alluded to in the name of his burial place <1-- ðáå - --> Nevo which can be divided as Nun Bo, "50 is contained within." That level is above comprehension, therefore it could not be grasped by others, as Sotah 14a, says of Moshe's gravesite: "To those above, it appeared below...."

   

Notes:

66. (Back to text) [It would appear that these notes were written shortly after (or perhaps shortly before) the Rebbe left Vichy for Nice in the midst of his journey to escape the Nazis.]

67. (Back to text) [Berachos 57b. The intent is that these four categories of people are obligated to recite the Thanksgiving Blessing, Bircas HaGomel.]

    Kanfei Yonah, Vol. III, sec. 6 or sec. 2.

68. (Back to text) A fetus is considered as one in prison (Moed Kattan 14a). [There our Sages say: "There is no greater prison than {the womb}."]

69. (Back to text) The Talmud, Berachos 54b, lists these four individuals in the following order: seafarers, desert travelers, the infirm, and those released from prison. The verse (Tehillim, ch. 107, which is the source for the Talmud's statements), by contrast, mentions them in the order: desert travelers, those released from prison, the infirm, and seafarers. Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Berachos 10:8, cites the order as the infirm, those released from prison, seafarers, and desert travelers.

    Tosafos (Berachos, loc. cit; Shabbos 2a) states in the name of Rav Hai Gaon that the verse mentions those who are in the greatest danger first, while the Talmud mentions the situations in the order of frequency. Note, however, the Aruch [who makes the same distinction, but explains (also citing Rav Hai Gaon) in the opposite manner: that the verse mentions the order of frequency, while our Sages list the situations according to the severity of the danger].

70. (Back to text) [See Kehillas Yaakov, erech yam.]

71. (Back to text) [See R. Chayim Vital's Taamei HaMitzvos, Parshas Vayeira; the Alter Rebbe's Likkutei Torah, Devarim, p. 97b.]

72. (Back to text) [Chassidus (see Torah Or, p. 58b, et al) explains that often a person understands a concept that should provoke emotional stimulation, but the transfer from the mind to the heart does not follow directly. Just as in a physical sense, the head is broader, there is a contraction in the area of the throat and neck, and then the trunk of a person's body (where his heart is located) is even wider than the head; so, too, in a personal sense, at first, within the intellect, there is an expansion. Afterwards, as a transition is made to emotion, there is a contraction, and then within the emotions a further - and greater - expansion.]

73. (Back to text) [Yechezkel 20:35.]

74. (Back to text) [See Likkutei Torah, Bamidbar, p. 2b, which explains that an open mem refers to the Sefirah of Malchus as it descends into the lower realms where it allows the external forces to derive nurture.]

75. (Back to text) [Yirmeyahu 2:2.]

76. (Back to text) [I.e., one acknowledges the existence of a level that one does not understand.]

77. (Back to text) [Tehillim 73:22. As explained in Tanya, ch. 18, this refers to a commitment that is unfettered by intellect, but instead, unrestrained and in that way, animalistic in nature.]

78. (Back to text) [The Modeh Ani prayer. The words imply that the soul exists above, in the spiritual realms, even before being connected to the body]

79. (Back to text) [Tehillim 107 4-5.]

80. (Back to text) [There our Sages state: "{After the Sanhedrin ceased administering execution by the court,} a person who is liable for execution by strangulation would die through drowning.]

81. (Back to text) [See Likkutei Torah, Vayikra, p. 14b ff.; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XX, p. 172.]

82. (Back to text) [See Berachos 61b.]

83. (Back to text) [Perhaps the intent is the series of maamarim entitled BeShaah SheHikdimu, 5672, Vol. I, sec. 154, which states that the body has an independent source of nurture in addition to the life energy it receives from the soul.]

84. (Back to text) [Yeshayahu 45:18. Tohu, translated as "chaos," refers to a spiritual framework of existence higher than the one which prevails within our world at present.]

85. (Back to text) [Parshas Beshallach, p. 43a]

86. (Back to text) [The need for clarification may stem from the fact that Likkutei Torah,, loc. cit., states that the soul also needs ships.]

87. (Back to text) [Likkutei Torah, Pekudei 6a, quotes this expression from the Maggid Meisherim. The intent is that the Mishnah is "being spoken by your mouth," i.e., through his study the person is identifying with existing spiritual truth. He is not creating anything new on his own.]

88. (Back to text) [Likkutei Torah, loc. cit, notes that this expression is used by the Talmud when referring to a teaching. The implication is that the Talmudic Sage who mentions the concept is not its author. Instead, the teaching is G-d's word which was said on its own, as it were.]

89. (Back to text) Berachos 57b states that there are six matters that are beneficial for sickness (Choli). Bava Kama 92b mentions 83 diseases (Machlois) dependent on the gall-bladder. The series of maamarim entitled BeShaah SheHikdimu, 5672, Vol. I, p. 376, explains that Machlah, disease, is the source for Choli, the sickness itself.

90. (Back to text) [Shir HaShirim 5:2.]

91. (Back to text) [This issue of Likkutei Dibburim was never printed.]

92. (Back to text) [In the Rebbe's notes from Lag BaOmer, 5692, he writes that the Rebbe Rashab's condition was diagnosed as coming about because "The mind understands something which the heart cannot bear."

93. (Back to text) [See also the Sefer HaChakirah by Tzemach Tzedek, p. 84b ff.]

94. (Back to text) [Cf. Koheles Rabbah 1:13; 3:10.]

95. (Back to text) [The commentaries of Ramban and Rabbeinu Bacheya, the conclusion of Parshas Chayei Sarah.]