Chasidut zu Bereschit 6:16

But the Besht, in the path of hasidism and through his drawing-down, sanctified the body itself alongside worldly things. Therefore, eating itself is holy and a form of avodah, and a person should not afflict himself. Rather, he should strengthen himself little by little to break the power of desire etc... until he arrives at the essential foundation and root of holiness in every physical thing. As cited above from the Noam Elimelekh, an Israelite, when standing in holy service, in prayer or Torah study and the like, becomes so unified with God, reaching even the light of God’s essence, that is, that which is enclothed, not the clothing. Therefore, the awakening of his self, of the impassioned love and fear within him, is the very foundation and instantiation of the kavannot, as said above. It is also the soul of the words of prayer, the words (tevah) he speaks being the body,⁵³⁶In a common hasidic interpretive move, R. Shapiro puns off the dual meaning of the Hebrew tevah, meaning both word and container. and his passion—which is God’s illumination—giving it a soul. A person gives the soul to the word. “Make a window [tzohar] make for the ark [tevah],”⁵³⁷Genesis 6:16.—that is, put brightness and light into it [the word], says the Besht. He also says that when one reads the Torah and see the light of its letters, even if he does not chant correctly, since he reads with great love and passion etc, though he swallows the words...God loves him greatly. “His banner of love [diglo] was upon me⁵³⁸Song of Songs 2:4. —his skipping [dilgo] upon Me is loved.” Furthermore, one who inserts kavannot into his prayer only does so with the kavannot he knows. But when he says the word with great connection, all the kavannot enter into the words on their own. (Likutim Yekarim).⁵³⁹An anthology of teachings attributed to the Besht and other early masters.

"Make an opening [tzohar] for the ark [teivah], closing up to a cubit at the top." (Genesis 6:16) -- The Baal Shem Tov, peace be upon him, explained these words in the following way: let the word (teivah) said in Torah or in prayer radiate light (matzhir)! For in every letter there are worlds, souls and divinity, that rise up and interconnect and cleave to one another and to the divine. Afterwards, these letters connect and conjoin, finally becoming a word. After that, they connect and unify unifications of truth in the Divine - and one must unify one's soul with each of the aforementioned aspects. In this way, all the worlds rise and become as one, and then there is immense joy and immeasurable delight. This is the meaning of "...bottom, second, and third decks," (Genesis 6:16) - that is the worlds, souls and divinities, as it says (Zohar I:159a) "there are three worlds, etc." In each and every word one must listen to what is being spoken, since the Shechina is the world of speech, as it is says (Zohar III:230a) "She speaks and He is Her escort." "Tzohar" - this 'opening' for light - that everything should be illuminated with clarity, giving pleasure to the Creator. One needs great faith (Emunah) for this, since the Shechinah Herself is called Emunat Amen, faithful faith (Zohar II:16b). Without faith, Heaven forbid, She is called (Proverbs 16:28) "A querulous one who alienates their friend." As for the end of the verse, "closing up to a cubit (amah)" -- this is the Mother (Ima). It could be said that after the word leaves one's mouth, it does not need to be remembered again, one does not see that it rises to an elevated place, just as one can not look at the sun, as it says, "closing up at the top." How does one do all this? "Go into the ark [teivah], you and all your household." (Genesis 7:1) -- this means that with all your body and strengths, you shall enter the word [teivah]!

"Make an opening (tzohar) in the ark (teivah)" (Genesis 6:16) --My grandfather, the Baal Shem Tov, may he rest in Eden, illuminated this passage. He said that teivah actually means 'word', and the meaning of making an opening for the word is that you should be careful to bring light into the words that come from your lips. The verse continues: "Make bottom and second and third floors." This seems to be what my grandfather related to me, saying that in every word are worlds, souls, and divinities. This is what is meant by teivah, speech, which also has at its most basic level worlds. The second level is also known as mishneh, secondary, which has the same letters as neshamah, soul - this is the level of souls. And the third level (shelishim) is divinities, which is hinted at in the verse (Exodus 14:7), "Officers (shalishim) [ruling] over all of them," like the Divine who rules over all things. All of these levels you should "Make" - the speech and the word coming out of your mouth should have this intention and be in complete faithfulness, knowing that in each act of speech there are bottom and second and third levels, the worlds, souls and divinities --- Understand this!

The Baal Shem Tov, may his memory guard us, would explain the verse (Genesis 6:16) "Make an opening (tzohar) for the ark (teivah)." Tzohar actually means light, and teivah actually means speech. This means that when a Jew wants to speak, they must make sure that one's thought illuminates the words first, because thought (machshavah) is the same letters and connected to chashav mah, 'think of the object'.

My grandfather of blessed memory explained the secret of the verse (Genesis 6:16) "lower and second and third decks" - that one should make ones petitions from the letters, from the mystery of the divine light that dwells within them, and make the petition come from there, etc.