Fires of Israel - Part 44

16. There are two concealments. When Hashem is hidden in one concealment, it is certainly very hard to find Him, but nevertheless, since it is only one concealment a person is able to exert himself and search until he finds Him, for at least he knows that Hashem is hidden. However, when Hashem is hidden in a concealment within a concealment, that is, the concealment itself is hidden from the person, in other words, he has no idea that Hashem is hidden from him, then it is extremely difficult to find Him, for he doesn’t even know that Hashem is hidden. (In this atmosphere the Kingdom of Evil prevails, encouraging people to covet and desire to amass and accumulate possessions). Even still certainly G-d is there giving life and sustenance, and when one reads aloud the Torah, which is in fact a composition of the Names of G-d, he is calling G-d to reveal Himself, and all layers of concealment are transformed to be the most profound and intimate presence of G-d! [Likutay Moharan 56]

17. There is no despair in the world whatsoever! [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 78]

18. Wherever a person is, even in the depth of defilement and filth, G-d can be found, even in the lowest places it is G-d who is sustaining everything with the letters of the Torah. However, due to the impurity, the Torah there must be of the most secret and esoteric. Even still, when one holds on to the belief in G-d, and screams out to Him, “Where is my holiness?!” He reveals the signs of G-d, and gains profound G-d Knowledge. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 12]

19. A person must know that “G-d's glory fills the entire world” (Isiah 6), and “There is no place void of Him” (Tikunay Zohar), and “He fills all worlds and surrounds all worlds” (Zohar)… even in the most defiled places there is G-dliness, for He gives life to everything as it says, “And you give life to everything” (Nechemia 9). So even if a person is stuck in the lowest of places, he cannot excuse himself and say, “I cannot serve Hashem here because of all the thickness and materialism that attacks me always,” for even there you can find Him and cling to Him and do complete teshuva (repentance), “For it is not far from you” (Devarim 30), only that in this place there are many garments.” [Likutay Moharan 33]

20. This is the Tikun Haklali, the general rectification. Whoever destroys his sexual impulse, it will be easy for him to get rid of his other evil desires. For all other impulses stem from this one. [Likutay Moharan 36]

21. Whoever breaks free from the lust for food can become a miracle worker. But someone who is stuck in this desire it is a sign that he is a liar. Even a Tzaddik who already freed himself from all desires and then falls back into the desire for food, it must be that something false left his mouth. It also shows that there is judgment upon him from above, and it is a sign of poverty. [Likutay Moharan 47]

22. If you believe that you can damage, then believe that you can rectify! [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 112]

23. It is a great good deed (mitzva) to be happy always. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 24]

24. Sadness is very very damaging. Sadness is from the “other side” (i.e. realm of evil). [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

25. Man has to pass through in this world on a very very narrow bridge, and the principle and main thing is not fear whatsoever. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

26. When one enters the devotion of G-d, he must be obstinate and hold himself up no matter how he much he's thrown down. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

27. When a person is right at the door, the very threshold of entering real holiness, the “other side” (i.e. evil) goes all out with terrible intensity to overpower him, confusing and confounding him. Know this well to be strong and do whatever it takes to break through. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

28. Know that every movement and extraction that you remove and move every time, even the slightest amount, from the physicality to the devotion of the Blessed One, all of these gather and join and bind and come to your aid in time of need. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

29. One should go with the practice of seeking and searching and finding in one's self any merit, any good point, and with the small good that one finds in himself, one should be happy and strengthen himself, and not leave his place even if he fell to what he fell G-d forbid, even still he should strengthen himself in the tiny miniscule good that he still finds in himself, until he will merit to return through this to the Blessed G-d, and all his sins will be turned into merits. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

30. When a person enters into service of Hashem and sees it is so hard for Him, and it seems as if they are distancing him from above and not allowing him at all to enter, he should know that all this feeling of being “distanced” is truthfully only his being “drawn near.” He must remain very very strong not to be discouraged even if many years of hard work go by and he still feels that he is very far and that he didn’t even begin to enter into the gates of holiness, for he sees that he is full of materialism, evil thoughts and the like, and every time he tries to do something holy it is so hard for him and all his crying and pleading with G-d seems to be going to waste… On all this he needs great courage not to pay attention to these delusions at all. Because all this “distancing,” in truth, is only his “drawing near,” and all the great tzaddikim had to go through this kind of experience before they reached their level. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

31. You need to have great stubbornness in the service of Hashem. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 48]

32. You need to greatly encourage yourself in His service as much as you can, even if you are the way you are, you should rely on His abundantly great mercy which is beyond limit, for certainly He will not forsake you, no matter how badly you’ve acted. The past doesn’t exist. The main thing is that from now on you honestly resolve not to do it again. [Likutay Moharan vol. 2, 49]

33. The main thing is to be happy always, and one should make himself happy however possible, usually this is only attainable though foolish things, to act as if he is crazy and do silly funny things or to jump around and dance, in order to come to happiness which is a very great thing. [Life of Our Leader Rabbi Nachman 593; Likutay Moharan 24, 48]

34. When a person falls from his level he should know that it’s Heaven-sent, because going down is needed in order to go up, therefore he fell, in order that he arouses himself more to come close to Hashem. Whenever a person rises from one level to the next, it necessitates that he first has a descent before the ascent. Because the purpose of any descent is always in order to ascend. [Likutay Moharan 261]

35. There is a lot to talk about here (in the above topic). Because each person who fell to the place where he fell thinks that these words weren’t spoken for him, for he imagines that these ideas are only for great people who are always climbing from one level to the next. But truthfully, you should know and believe, that all these words were also said concerning the smallest of the small and the worst of the worst, for Hashem is forever good to all. [Likutay Aitzoas, hischazkus-encouragement 5, based on Likutay Moharan 22:11]