תורה 37

3. Now, every person must subordinate the matter—i.e., the aspect of death, the aspect of the foolishness of the body’s four elements. As is written in the Zohar: “God, the Lord, took the man” (Genesis 2:15). From where did he take him? From his four elements…. He separated him from [being drawn to] their lustfulness (Zohar I, 27a).

This is accomplished by fasting. By fasting, we weaken the four elements. Thus the matter is nullified—the aspects of matter: foolishness, darkness, forgetfulness, animal—while the aspects of the intellect and the form—the light, memory, man—gain strength and ascend. This is as our Sages taught: The reward for fasting is charity (Berakhot 6b). For charity hints to light, as is written (Malachi 3:20), “But a benevolent sun will shine upon you who fear My name.”

[Charity] is also the Torah, as is written in the Zohar: “Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from charity” (Isaiah 46:12) —who are far from Torah (Zohar I, 76b). And [Torah] corresponds to man, as is written (Numbers 19:14), “This is the Torah: a man.”

This is also the letters ADaM (man). The closed- Mem is an aspect of fasting, which is an aspect of the World to Come in which there is no eating or drinking (Tikkuney Zohar #21, p.56a). The Dalet hints to the four elements, which are subordinated by means of fasting, so that the intellect—which is hinted at by the ALePh, as is written (Job 33:33), “and AaLePhkha (I will teach you) wisdom”—ascends.

And this is what is written in the Zohar: “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26) —by fasting, the aspect of man is made. Here it is written, “naASeh (Let us make),” and there it is written, “The name of the man with whom ASiti (I worked)” (Ruth 2:19). Just as there [the subject] is charity, here, too, it is charity (Zohar, Introduction, p. 13b).

{The explanation is: It is explained there in the Zohar that by giving charity a person assumes the form of man. This is learned there from this verse “Let us make man.” Here it is written ASiyaH and there it is written, “The name of the man with whom ASiti …,” in connection with charity. Rebbe Nachman, of blessed memory, then brings this as a proof with regard to fasting. This is because charity and fasting are one aspect, as “the reward for fasting is charity.” Thus it is clear from this that by fasting, which is an aspect of charity, we are brought into the category of man. This is the true daat of the Torah, which is an aspect of light and soul, etc. For subordinating the matter and the body—the aspect of animal, etc.—to the soul, which is the aspect of man, is achieved by means of fasting, which is an aspect of charity, as explained.}