I once heard the following from the Rebbe.288This is also cited in Likutey Moharan II, 88. See Likutey Halakhot, Birkat HaPerot 5; Alim LeTerufah #64. I saw a new angel today. I know his name and his deputies. These angels are all holding shofars.
Many things are lost. This is because of desire. It is written, “Ta'avot resha'im toved – The desire of the wicked shall be lost” (Psalms 112:10). The mnemonic for Tekiah, teRuah, Tekiah is TRT. The initial letters of the words in this verse are the same as the mnemonic: Ta'avot (Tekiah), Resha'im (teRuah), Toved (Tekiah).
Even a tzaddik who searches after lost things is himself lost sometimes. Thus it is written, “There is a tzaddik who is lost through his righteousness” (Ecclesiastes 7:15). The tzaddik must then repent for the sin that was responsible for the loss.
Although the sin was not actually committed by the tzaddik, he is still tainted by it. When he repents for that infinitesimal taint of sin, he is then able to recover awesome things that have been lost. When these are found, there is a great tumult and joy on high.
It appears that a person who receives alms can do much damage and make it more difficult to recover lost things. He can also cause things to become lost. This is my understanding [of what the Rebbe meant]. The Rebbe’s words here are awesomely deep.
See what he writes in Likutey Moharan II, 87 and 88. There he states that the Kabbalistic concepts for the month of Elul are very helpful for the blemish of the covenant that results from sexual sins. It also speaks of the mystery of unripe fruit. All this is related to the above.
פַּעַם אַחַת אָמַר לִי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: שֶׁהַיּוֹם נִרְאָה לוֹ מַלְאָךְ חָדָשׁ וְיוֹדֵעַ שְׁמוֹ, וְיֵשׁ תַּחְתָּיו מְמֻנִּים וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם שׁוֹפָרוֹת בְּיָדָם.
I once heard the following from the Rebbe.288This is also cited in Likutey Moharan II, 88. See Likutey Halakhot, Birkat HaPerot 5; Alim LeTerufah #64. I saw a new angel today. I know his name and his deputies. These angels are all holding shofars.
וְהֵם תּוֹקְעִין תְּקִיעָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ תְּרוּעָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ חוֹזְרִים וְתוֹקְעִים תְּקִיעָה.
They first blow a long tekiah, then a staccato teruah, and finally another tekiah.
וְהֵם כֻּלָּם חוֹפְרִים וּמְבַקְּשִׁים אַחַר אֲבֵדוֹת.
These angels seek out lost things.
כִּי יֵשׁ דְּבָרִים אֲבוּדִים הַרְבֵּה. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת "תַּאֲוַת רְשָׁעִים תֹּאבֵד" (תְּהִלִּים קיב) תר"ת – "יַחְפְּרוּ וְיֹאבֵדוּ" (תְּהִלִּים פג־יח).
Many things are lost. This is because of desire. It is written, “Ta'avot resha'im toved – The desire of the wicked shall be lost” (Psalms 112:10). The mnemonic for Tekiah, teRuah, Tekiah is TRT. The initial letters of the words in this verse are the same as the mnemonic: Ta'avot (Tekiah), Resha'im (teRuah), Toved (Tekiah).
וְלִפְעָמִים הַצַּדִּיק בְּעַצְמוֹ, שֶׁמְּחַפֵּשׂ אַחַר אֲבֵדוֹת, הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ אֹבֵד לִפְעָמִים. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת "יֵשׁ צַדִּיק אוֹבֵד בְּצִדְקוֹ" (קֹהֶלֶת ז). וְאָז הַצַּדִּיק עוֹשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה עַל אוֹתוֹ הַחֵטְא שֶׁעַל יָדוֹ בָּאִין אֲבֵדוֹת.
Even a tzaddik who searches after lost things is himself lost sometimes. Thus it is written, “There is a tzaddik who is lost through his righteousness” (Ecclesiastes 7:15). The tzaddik must then repent for the sin that was responsible for the loss.
וּבְוַדַּאי אֵין לְהַצַּדִּיק אוֹתוֹ הַחֵטְא מַמָּשׁ, רַק אֵיזֶה פְּגָם דַּק מִן הַדַּק מֵאוֹתוֹ הַחֵטְא, וַאֲזַי כְּשֶׁעוֹשֶׂה תְּשׁוּבָה שְׁלֵמָה עַל אוֹתוֹ הַפְּגָם הַדַּק שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מֵאוֹתוֹ הַחֵטְא, אֲזַי אַחַר־כָּךְ חוֹזֵר וּמוֹצֵא אֲבֵדוֹת נוֹרָאוֹת. וּכְשֶׁמּוֹצֵא נַעֲשֶׂה שִׂמְחָה וְרַעַשׁ גָּדוֹל.
Although the sin was not actually committed by the tzaddik, he is still tainted by it. When he repents for that infinitesimal taint of sin, he is then able to recover awesome things that have been lost. When these are found, there is a great tumult and joy on high.
וְאָמַר אָז: שֶׁקָּשֶׁה מְאֹד מְאֹד לִהְיוֹת מְקַבֵּל.
The Rebbe then said, “It is very difficult to receive alms.”
וּכְפִי הַנִּרְאֶה הוּא, שֶׁמְּקַבֵּל מַזִּיק וּפוֹגֵם בְּעִנְיַן הָאֲבֵדוֹת, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה בָּאִין אֲבֵדוֹת, כָּךְ נִרְאֶה לִי מִדְּבָרָיו, וְהַדְּבָרִים סְתוּמִים וְנִפְלָאִים וְנוֹרָאִים מְאֹד.
It appears that a person who receives alms can do much damage and make it more difficult to recover lost things. He can also cause things to become lost. This is my understanding [of what the Rebbe meant]. The Rebbe’s words here are awesomely deep.
וְעַיֵּן מִזֶּה בְּסֵפֶר לִקּוּטֵי תִּנְיָנָא מֵעִנְיַן הַכַּוָּנוֹת אֱלוּל שֶׁמְּסֻגָּל לִפְגַם הַבְּרִית וּמֵעִנְיַן הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא נִתְבַּשְּׁלוּ, כִּי הַכֹּל אֶחָד עִם הַנַּ"ל.
See what he writes in Likutey Moharan II, 87 and 88. There he states that the Kabbalistic concepts for the month of Elul are very helpful for the blemish of the covenant that results from sexual sins. It also speaks of the mystery of unripe fruit. All this is related to the above.
כָּךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי בְּפֵרוּשׁ מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ וְאֵין אִתָּנוּ יוֹדֵעַ עַד מָה.
I heard this explicitly from the Rebbe’s holy lips, and no one among us has begun to fathom its depth.