Restoring Vision after Destruction (Tish'ah beAv / Likutei Moharan 2:67)

Herod said to him: I am he. Had I known that the Sages were so cautious I would not have killed them. Now, what is that man’s remedy, i.e., what can I do to repent for my sinful actions? Bava ben Buta said to him: He who extinguished the light of the world by killing the Torah Sages, as it is written: “For the mitzva is a lamp, and the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23), should go and occupy himself with the light of the world, the Temple, as it is written with regard to the Temple: “And all the nations shall flow [venaharu] unto it” (Isaiah 2:2), the word venaharu alluding to light [nehora]. There are those who say that this is what he said to him: He who blinded the eye of the world, as it is written in reference to the Sages: “And if it be committed through ignorance by the eyes of the congregation” (Numbers 15:24), should go and occupy himself with the eye of the world, the Temple, as it is written: “I will desecrate my Temple, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes” (Ezekiel 24:21).

ג Also in bitterness cried the tribes of Jacob. And even the constellations shed a tear.

ד The banners of Jeshurun covered their heads. And the face Pleiades and Orion ​​​​​​​was darkened.

(663) Happy is the eye that saw our Temple

(664) amidst the joy of our people;

(665) for to mention it

(666) makes our souls grieve.

May You cause Your light to rise over the darkness...

May You enlighten the darkness of the Widow. May You shine upon the chaos of the Crying One...

The Beautiful Maiden: Now without Eyes

Rachel is crying for her children (Jeremiah 31:15) -- This is related to the "beautiful maiden who has no eyes" (Zohar Mishpatim 95). For Rachel was "shapely and beautiful" (Genesis 29:17). Therefore the birthing of Tzaddik/ the Righteous, associated with Joseph, who was "shapely and beautiful," associated with the glory (p'er) and beauty of the world, comes from Rachel.

However, now, in the Exile, following the Destruction, she has the aspect of "Rachel crying for her children." Therefore, she has the aspect of "the beautiful maiden who has no eyes," for the light of the eyes is extinguished by crying.

The Loss of Vision

... Bereishit / In the beginning (Genesis 1:1)... le'einei kol Yisrael / [and for all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed] before the eyes of all Israel (Deuteronomy 34:12).

There are clouds that cover the eye, which are the Great Rome and the Small Romes (Zohar). This is related to "the clouds come back again after the rain" (Kohelet 12:2)--that refers to the light of the eyes, which departs after crying. For the Rabbis of Blessed Memory said (Shabbat 151b) that, as a result of crying the light of the eyes departs. This is related to the setting of the sun in the west... All of this is related to the aspect of crying, as a result of which the light of the eyes departs... For ma`arav / west [can be understood as] an anagram of the first letters of "Rachel Mevakah `al Baneha / Rachel is crying for her children [R-M-`-B = M`RB or Ma`aRaV, west], she refuses to be consoled for her children for they are no more" (Jeremiah 31:15). She cries over the trouble of Israel, who are scattered among the nations and are no longer in their place. For this reason, the setting of the light is in the West, for the light of the eyes departs as a result of crying...

This is linked to the Western Wall, where the Shechinah cries and wails over the Destruction of the Temple, for it is in the West that Rachel cries for her children.

There are light-sources of light and light-sources of fire (me'orei ha'esh). When the light-sources of light are in force, then the light-sources of fire are overcome. Conversely, when the light-sources of light are overcome and depart, Heaven forfend, then the light-sources of fire are strengthened. This is related to the Destruction of the Temple and to the verse, "From above He sent a fire, Down into my bones" (Eichah 1:13). For the light-sources of fire became powerful as a result of the departure of the light-sources of light, in the aspect of "Rachel is crying for her children."...

Where does vision come from? How is it maintained?

[The foregoing] is linked conceptually to disappearance, for the beauty and glory of the world have disappeared. For there is a righteous one/tzaddik who is the beauty and glory and grace of the entire world, in the aspect of "Now Joseph was shapely and beautiful (or, shapely and handsome)" (Genesis 39:6).... When this beauty and glory are revealed in the world...then the eyes of the world (i.e. of people) are opened, for anyone who is included in the true grace of this righteous one...his eyes are opened and he is able to see,

and the essential thing (ikkar) is to look closely at oneself...

R. Nachman explains that the tzaddik is linked to the Kabbalistic principle of Yesod/Foundation, as in the phrase "Tzaddik yesod olam/the righteous is the foundation of the world" (Proverbs 10:25). From the simple Foundation derive the four traditional Foundations/ Elements of matter [earth, wind/air, water, fire].

When one becomes close to the Tzaddik... one's eyes are opened and he can see and look closely at himself, [to see] how his he grasps/is connected to all measures, which are drawn from the Four Foundations/ Elements...

and one is able to see and to look closely at the greatness of the Name and to look closely at the world...

R. Nachman explains that the Name (Hashem) is inherently a simple unity, as in the verse, "ה' is one and His Name is one" (Zechariah 14:9). 'Below,' in the created world, His Name is linked to the four aspects of the eye--three colors (white, black, and the color of the iris) and the eye itself, which are related to the Four Letters of the Name. From the four aspects of the eye are derived the Four Elements.

The connection between the four aspects of the eye, the Four Elements, and the Tzaddik can be seen in God's election of Betzalel to oversee the work of building the Mishkan/Tabernacle: "See, the LORD has singled out by name Bezalel" (Exodus 35:30). This can be understood as See, the Lord has called Betzalel by the Name, meaning that Betzalel, who is Tzaddik, is united with the Name of God. Since Betzalel is united with the Name of God, which is related to the eye, he makes seeing possible.

Seeing and Mishkan are also linked with Shabbat:

This is linked conceptually to Shabbat, Shin + Bat. Shin refers to the three colors of the eye, and Bat [=Bat Ayin] refers to the eye itself. Shabbat is also the Name of the Holy One Blessed be He (Zohar Yitro 88b). ... Thus, "See that the Name has given you Shabbat" (Exodus 16:29)--precisely "See"--for Shabbat, which is the Name of the Holy One Blessed be He, is conceptually related to the sense of sight... Therefore, wherever the building of the Beit HaMikdash is mentioned, Shabbat is mentioned, as it is written, "You shall keep My Shabbat and show reverence to My Sanctuary/Mikdash" (Leviticus 19). Similarly, wherever the Torah commands concerning the work of the Mishkan, it first commands concerning Shabbat, for Shabbat illuminates the Beit Hamikdash. For the Mikdash is also related to eyes, as it is written, "(I am going to desecrate My Sanctuary,) your pride and glory, the delight of your eyes" (Ezekiel 24:21). ...

Vision links Macrocosm (World) to Microcosm (Beit HaMikdash)

... The Tzaddikim/ Righteous are called "the eyes of the community" (Numbers 15), for, through them, eyes are opened. Then, when the glory and the beauty of the true righteous one is revealed and his name/reputation spreads, which is linked to the aggrandizement of His Name, so to speak, such that, in this way, Minds and the power of Sight are formed, and eyes are opened. Then the world has a Baal haBayit / Householder, who oversees the world. This is conceptually linked to Bereishit / Beginning, an anagram of Rosh Bayit / Head of the House. "Head" is linked to "Minds;" "House" is linked to Beit HaMikdash/Temple, which is preserved primarily through the aspect of Mind, which is linked to the three colors of the eye and the eye itself, and to Shabbat, which illumines the Beit HaMikdash, as mentioned above. "House" is also linked to the Battim / houses-boxes of tefillin, where Minds are, as in the verse, "I have endowed him [=Betzalel] with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft" (Exodus 31:3)...

How to restore Vision and Temple

Now, what's past is past, for our Temple has already been burnt. However, now, since Hashem seeks to return to us and to (re)build our Temple, it is appropriate for us not to delay the building of the Temple. Rather, one must be actively involved in its rebuilding. Therefore one must be careful to rise at midnight in order to mourn the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash...

R. Nachman is referring to the tradition of reciting Tikkun Chatzot, the 'Reparation at Midnight,' which includes a prayer known as Tikkun Rachel, the 'Reparation of Rachel.'

Hashem has promised to any who mourns over Zion "To provide for the mourners in Zion— To give them a turban instead of ashes" (Isaiah 61:3). Precisely: Pe'er/ פאר / Turban-Glory instead of 'Efer / אפר / Ashes. "Turban" is linked to Mind, to Tefillin, to "the Head of the House,"...to the three colors of the eye and the eye itself, to the light-sources of light, to Shabbat that illuminates the Temple, as stated above.

"Instead of Ashes"--Ashes are linked to the light-sources of fire. The light-sources of fire, by which the Temple was burnt, will be overcome. The light-sources of light, which preserve the Temple will predominate. Thus there will be Turban/glory instead of Ashes.

Thus, by mourning the Temple, one subdues the light-sources of fire so that the light-sources of light, which are linked to Shabbat, may predominate. "Mourning / Mit'abel / מתאבל is an anagram for the first letters of Lo T'va`aru 'eish b'khol moshvoteichem לתאב"מ/ You shall kindle no fire throughout your settlements (on the day of Shabbat) (Exodus 35:3).

As for the verse, "observing the sabbath throughout the ages / le-dorotam" (Exodus 31:3): The sages of blessed memory said (Zohar Pinchas 243b) that le-dorotam can be read as le-diratam - 'for their dwelling place.' That is, as a result of (observing/celebrating) Shabbat which is related to the light-sources of light, a dwelling-place is made, which is linked to the Temple, which is preserved by Shabbat, as stated above. ...

(16) For these things do I weep, My eyes flow with tears: Far from me is any comforter Who might revive my spirit; My children are forlorn, For the foe has prevailed.