<I also heard from the Rav:> When a person learns <Torah>, it is good to explain the thing in the vernacular which he understands. <It is also good for the world.>
The matter is as follows: Each tzaddik of the generation is an aspect of Moshe. [Moshe] is an aspect of Mashiach, as it is written (Genesis 49:10), “Until Shiloh will come”—this is Mashiach. And ShILoH is numerically equivalent to MoSheH. Thus, the Sages of the Talmud called one another “Moshe,” as it is written (Shabbat 101b): “Moshe, you said it well.” {“The earth was without form and empty… but the ruach -spirit of God hovered over the water’s surface” (Genesis 1:2) .}
Thus, when one originates some insight into the Torah, these original insights are an aspect of Moshe-Mashiach. As it is written in the Zohar (I, 192b): “the ruach-spirit of God”—this is the ruach -spirit of the Mashiach; “hovered over the water’s surface”—this is the Torah. This is what we said, that the Torah insights which he originates are themselves an aspect of the Mashiach, for that is where his ruach -spirit hovers. This is “the ruach -breath of his mouth” (Psalms 33:6)—“a speaking ruach -breath” (Onkelos, Genesis 2:7).
Our Sages also teach (Sanhedrin 98b): Mashiach will suffer sickness on behalf of all Israel, as it is written (Isaiah 53:5), “He was stricken because of our transgressions.” As such, every tzaddik of the generation also suffers affliction for the Jewish people, to make it easier for them, for he is an aspect of the Mashiach, as above.
In the Zohar it is written (III, 280a), “‘He was m’ChOLal (stricken) because of our transgressions’—he was made ChOL (unhallowed) because of us.” This is also the meaning of “he suffers sickness.”
This is what we said, that one has to explain the thing [he learns] in the language he understands. By doing this it takes on the aspect of chol. This is because explaining it in his own tongue is an unhallowed manner vis-à-vis the great holiness of the thing in its original form—in comparison to the way it emanated on high from the mouth of the tzaddik. As a result of this, he is m’cholal—he becomes chol. And in this sense, he suffers sickness in order to gain atonement for Israel.
Yet all of this is specifically “because of our transgressions.” As a result of our transgressions, we cannot perceive the things except in an unhallowed manner, as mentioned, and he suffers sickness. However, with regard to more exalted individuals, they have no need for this. For they perceive the things as they are, as they emanated from the tzaddik.
כְּשֶׁלּוֹמֵד אֵיזֶה דָּבָר, טוֹב לְפָרֵשׁ הַדָּבָר בִּלְשׁוֹן אַשְׁכְּנַז שֶׁמֵּבִין, [וְהוּא טוֹבָה לְהָעוֹלָם].
<I also heard from the Rav:> When a person learns <Torah>, it is good to explain the thing in the vernacular which he understands. <It is also good for the world.>
וְהָעִנְיָן – כִּי כָּל צַדִּיק הַדּוֹר הוּא בְּחִינַת מֹשֶׁה, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת מָשִׁיחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית מ״ט:י׳): עַד כִּי יָבֹא שִׁילֹה; הַיְנוּ מָשִׁיחַ. וְ"שִׁילֹה" בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא "מֹשֶׁה". וְעַל־כֵּן קָרְאוּ הַתַּנָּאִים אֶחָד לַחֲבֵרוֹ מֹשֶׁה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שבת קא:): מֹשֶׁה שַׁפִּיר קָאָמְרַתְּ.
The matter is as follows: Each tzaddik of the generation is an aspect of Moshe. [Moshe] is an aspect of Mashiach, as it is written (Genesis 49:10), “Until Shiloh will come”—this is Mashiach. And ShILoH is numerically equivalent to MoSheH. Thus, the Sages of the Talmud called one another “Moshe,” as it is written (Shabbat 101b): “Moshe, you said it well.” {“The earth was without form and empty… but the ruach -spirit of God hovered over the water’s surface” (Genesis 1:2) .}
וּכְשֶׁמְּחַדֵּשׁ דָּבָר בַּתּוֹרָה, אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל הַחִדּוּשׁ הֵם בִּבְחִינַת מֹשֶׁה מָשִׁיחַ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (וישב דף קצב:): וְרוּחַ אֱלֹקִים – דָּא רוּחָא דְּמָשִׁיחַ, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם – הַיְנוּ הַתּוֹרָה. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, כִּי הַחִדּוּשֵׁי תּוֹרָה שֶׁמְּחַדֵּשׁ, הֵם בְּעַצְמָם בִּבְחִינַת מָשִׁיחַ, כִּי שָׁם רוּחוֹ מְרַחֶפֶת. וְהַיְנוּ רוּחַ פִּיו, רוּחַ מְמַלְּלָא.
Thus, when one originates some insight into the Torah, these original insights are an aspect of Moshe-Mashiach. As it is written in the Zohar (I, 192b): “the ruach-spirit of God”—this is the ruach -spirit of the Mashiach; “hovered over the water’s surface”—this is the Torah. This is what we said, that the Torah insights which he originates are themselves an aspect of the Mashiach, for that is where his ruach -spirit hovers. This is “the ruach -breath of his mouth” (Psalms 33:6)—“a speaking ruach -breath” (Onkelos, Genesis 2:7).
וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, כִּי מָשִׁיחַ סָבֵל מַרְעִין עֲבוּר כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (ישעיהו נ״ג:ה׳): וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵינוּ. בְּכֵן כָּל צַדִּיק הַדּוֹר הוּא גַּם כֵּן סוֹבֵל יִסּוּרִין בִּשְׁבִיל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְהָקֵל מֵעֲלֵיהֶם, כִּי הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מָשִׁיחַ כַּנַּ"ל.
Our Sages also teach (Sanhedrin 98b): Mashiach will suffer sickness on behalf of all Israel, as it is written (Isaiah 53:5), “He was stricken because of our transgressions.” As such, every tzaddik of the generation also suffers affliction for the Jewish people, to make it easier for them, for he is an aspect of the Mashiach, as above.
וְכָתוּב בַּזֹּהַר (תצא רפ): וְהוּא מְחֹלָל מִפְּשָׁעֵינוּ – דְּאִתְעֲבִד חֹל בְּגִינַיְהוּ. וְזֶהוּ: דְּסָבֵל מַרְעִין.
In the Zohar it is written (III, 280a), “‘He was m’ChOLal (stricken) because of our transgressions’—he was made ChOL (unhallowed) because of us.” This is also the meaning of “he suffers sickness.”
וְהַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ, שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְפָרֵשׁ הַדָּבָר בְּלָשׁוֹן שֶׁמֵּבִין, כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה נַעֲשֶׂה בִּבְחִינַת חֹל. כִּי כְּשֶׁמְּפָרֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ, הוּא דֶּרֶךְ חֹל לְעֵרֶךְ גֹּדֶל קְדֻשַּׁת הַדְּבָרִים בִּמְקוֹמָם, כְּפִי מַה שֶּׁיָּצְאוּ מִפִּי הַצַּדִּיק בְּגָבְהֵי מְרוֹמִים. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה הוּא מְחֹלָל, דְּאִתְעֲבִד חֹל, וּבִבְחִינָה זוֹ סָבֵל מַרְעִין לְכַפֵּר עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
This is what we said, that one has to explain the thing [he learns] in the language he understands. By doing this it takes on the aspect of chol. This is because explaining it in his own tongue is an unhallowed manner vis-à-vis the great holiness of the thing in its original form—in comparison to the way it emanated on high from the mouth of the tzaddik. As a result of this, he is m’cholal—he becomes chol. And in this sense, he suffers sickness in order to gain atonement for Israel.
אַךְ כָּל זֶה הוּא מִפְּשָׁעֵינוּ דַּיְקָא, כִּי מֵחֲמַת פְּשָׁעֵינוּ, אֵין אָנוּ מַשִּׂיגִין הַדְּבָרִים רַק בְּדֶרֶךְ חֹל כַּנַּ"ל, וְהוּא סָבֵל מַרְעִין. אַךְ לְגַבֵּי אֲנָשִׁים הָרָמִים אֵינָם צְרִיכִים לָזֶה, כִּי הֵם מַשִּׂיגִים הַדְּבָרִים כְּמוֹת שֶׁהֵם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיָּצָא מֵהַצַּדִּיק:
Yet all of this is specifically “because of our transgressions.” As a result of our transgressions, we cannot perceive the things except in an unhallowed manner, as mentioned, and he suffers sickness. However, with regard to more exalted individuals, they have no need for this. For they perceive the things as they are, as they emanated from the tzaddik.