1. Likutey Moharan #7. Rebbe Nachman had a vision in which his great-grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov, came to him and said, "When people spoil things in the Land of Israel, they fall into exile. This is alluded to in the verse (Genesis 49:24), And from there the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel." Rebbe Nachman explains this vision here and again in Lesson #9. Both teachings were given during the winter of 5563 (1802-03). See Tzaddik # 129; Until the Mashiach, p.93.

This lesson opens with the first verse of the Torah portion Mishpatim (Laws). Rebbe Nachman quotes both a Talmudic passage and a Mekhilta, each of which explains what the words "that you must place before them" come to teach. The Talmudic passage in Kiddushin (also in Bava Kama 15a) focuses on the implication of the word "them," which is plural. The Mekhilta, on the other hand, explains the directive itself: "that you must place before them."

Rebbe Nachman unites both these explanations and weaves them into his lesson.

This lesson is leshon Rabbeinu z'l. Any lesson designated as such was either a) copied verbatim from Rebbe Nachman's manuscripts which Reb Noson had in his possession, or b) dictated by Rebbe Nachman to Reb Noon. The remaining lessons (excluding the few which were written down by some of the other followers) were recorded by Reb Noson after he had heard the teaching from the Rebbe. He would prepare the written version and present it to Rebbe Nachman for approval.