Oatzar HaYeerah — Emunah §§176–213 · Final

176. The essential completeness of faith in the Sages is when one merits to support them with one's money. And through this very act all the contractions and judgments clothed in the money — which derives from the aspect of the left side, from which the essential contraction derives — are sweetened. And through this all one's money is rectified through the money one gives to the sage of the generation — who himself is the aspect of the all-encompassing supernal intellect, the supreme wisdom, from which all contractions and judgments are sweetened as above. ibid. §5

177. Emunah is the foundation of all. And as long as a person strengthens himself in complete Emunah — knowing and believing that Hashem is in every place, and there is no place devoid of Him whatsoever, and in every place His sovereignty rules — even in all the falls of the world, there too Hashem is found, for "His kingship rules over all" [Psalms 103:19]. For He created all in His kindness and sustains all in His kindness alone — for He is one who desires kindness, and the kindnesses of Hashem have not ended and His compassions have never ceased. And as long as one knows and believes this, there is never any fall or descent — for one always has hope still to find Hashem and return to Him in truth. ibid. 3:4

178. The essential sustaining and completeness of the brain depends on Emunah. And the essential guarding of Emunah so that it not be blemished and so that the external forces not draw sustenance from it, G-d forbid, is through Emes — namely through the aspect of "speaking truth in one's heart" [Psalms 15:2]. Hil. Nezikin 2

179. Regarding the nullification of the view of the sectarians who say that all the commandments of the Torah are only matters of social convention — only for the sake of civil order and love of neighbor, G-d forbid — and how one must believe that everything that passes over a person is all for his good so that he may merit attainment of Divinity through it; and that the essential virtue of peace is also only for the sake of this genuine ultimate purpose — see "Shalom" [Peace] §55. cross-reference

180. Regarding the matter of the stormy wind, great cloud, and flaming fire [Ezekiel 1:4] that now greatly storms, darkens, and blazes in the world through the sects of the heretics who intensify each day — and who knows what the day will bring, Heaven have mercy. But Hashem has already preceded the remedy to the wound through the great genuine Tzadikim, and so forth — see "Tzadik" [The Tzadik] §§274, 276. cross-reference

181. The essential holy wisdom is to elevate and connect all things to the source of life — through walking in the ways of our holy ancestors, to believe that all things are connected to the Living of Lives. For He in His will created them from absolute nothingness — yesh me'ayin — and He gives life and sustains all of them at every moment, as it is written: "and You give life to all of them" [Nehemiah 9:6]. But the heretics — the naturalists who wish to make the wisdom of nature supreme in the world — through this they wish to uproot all things from the source and root of their vitality. Therefore they are called "dead in their lifetime" — since they do not draw vitality from the source of life according to their evil and foolish outlook. Therefore they are impure and defile with very severe impurity — for they are from the aspect of the side of death which is the utmost root of all impurity. But of Israel it is written: "and you who cleave to Hashem your G-d — you are all alive today" [Deuteronomy 4:4]. Hil. Nezikin 4:33

182. All the damages in the world derive from the blemish of Emunah and from the blemish of the covenant (בְּרִית) . ibid. 5:2, 4

183. Through the blemish of pride, the holy livelihood is blemished — and from this Emunah is automatically blemished as well, as explained there. Therefore our Rabbis truly said: "whoever is arrogant is as if worshipping idols." And similarly through adultery, Emunah is blemished. And the blemish of eating is the blemish of Emunah. And through the blemish of justice, Emunah is blemished — therefore our Rabbis said: "one who appoints an unworthy judge is as if planting an asheirah " [an idolatrous tree, Sanhedrin 7b] , as above. ibid. §6

184. One must ask very much of Hashem to merit being included in the holy gathering of the academy where the true Rebbe engages with his holy students to draw Emunah into the world through their learning. And this is the aspect of "one thing I asked of Hashem… to dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of my life" [Psalms 27:4] — for there is the essential house of Hashem, as explained there. ibid. §20; see also Rosh HaShanah §§192–193; Tzadik §279

185. The essential vitality comes from holy Emunah — for it is the aspect of life, a shining countenance (אַנְפִּין נְהִירִין) . And the essential growth of Emunah is through the holy counsels — the aspect of the 613 counsels of the Torah, which are the totality of the commandments of the Torah. This is the aspect of "all Your commandments are Emunah" [Psalms 119:86]. And when one blemishes, G-d forbid, any positive or negative commandment — one thereby blemishes Emunah according to the blemish of the commandment one has transgressed. But there are commandments whose transgression, even though the blemish is certainly very great, nonetheless does not seal the essential wellspring from which Emunah grows. But there are severe commandments whose transgression, G-d forbid, thereby seals the wellspring from which holy Emunah grows. But when one falls, the other rises — for through this power is given to false beliefs. Their essential power comes specifically when these holy wellsprings and wells from which Emunah grows are sealed. Therefore they always strive to seal these holy wells — in the aspect of "and all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the days of Avraham, the Philistines stopped them up" [Genesis 26:15]. And one who transgresses such a transgression, G-d forbid, is liable to kares (כָּרֵת — spiritual excision) and death — for he is cut off from the source of his vitality which is holy Emunah, through having caused, G-d forbid, the waters to be sealed from which it essentially grows. And sometimes one blemishes so much that the court itself must remove him from the world — in the aspect of "and you shall burn out the evil from your midst" [Deuteronomy 13:6]. For he could cause even greater harm, G-d forbid, by giving more power to heresies and false beliefs. And all according to how Hashem in His holy wisdom assessed the value of each commandment at its root. Hil. Me'abed Mamon Chaveiro uMasor 4

186. The essential completeness of Emunah is faith in the Sages. For Emunah is the aspect of malchus , the aspect of lower wisdom (חָכְמָה תַתָּאָה) , which is clothed in and receives vitality from supernal wisdom and so forth. Therefore when faith in the Sages is complete, the lower wisdom-Emunah receives Emunah from the supernal wisdom through one's believing in the Sages — and through this all judgments are sweetened. Hil. Periyah vaRiviyah 1:1, 7

187. The essential complete rectification of the covenant (בְּרִית) is through faith in the Sages. ibid. §10

188. All our vitality and holiness is in the aspect of the sense of hearing (חוּשׁ הַשְּׁמִיעָה) — for we are obligated to listen to the voice of our holy ancestors who transmitted to us the holy Torah and holy Emunah from generation to generation. And this is the aspect of "Hear O Israel, Hashem is our G-d…" — for the essential knowledge of holy Emunah is in the aspect of hearing that depends on the heart, in the aspect of "her husband is known in the gates" [Proverbs 31:23] — each one according to what he assesses in his heart. ibid. 3:16; see also Neginah §11

189. The essential totality of Torah and commandments depends on Emunah, as it is written: "all Your commandments are Emunah" [Psalms 119:86]. And conversely: the essential evil inclination, desires, and transgressions, G-d forbid, are the aspect of the blemish of Emunah — the aspect of "another god," heresies. And the essential foothold of the heresies which is the evil inclination is through the aspect of the returning voice (קוֹל הַחוֹזֵר) . For if all could hear the straight voice (קוֹל הַיָּשָׁר) itself — which is as it were Hashem's own voice through which He created all the worlds and through which He still gives life and sustains all the worlds. For His words are alive and enduring — and all the voices and utterances through which He created heaven and earth as it is written: "by the word of Hashem the heavens were made" and so forth — they are alive and enduring even now, and His blessed voice as it were has not ceased, and they give life to all the worlds even now. As it is written: "forever, O Hashem, Your word stands in the heavens" [Psalms 119:89] — as stated in the name of the holy Ba'al Shem Tov [the founder of the Chassidic movement] . And if all could hear this voice of Hashem through which He created and sustains the world as above — there would certainly be no free choice at all, since all would see and hear that He Himself gives life to the world through the breath of His mouth. But in truth this straight voice in its essence cannot be heard — for if one were to hear His blessed voice, all would be nullified in existence. For even at the time of the Giving of the Torah — when Israel was very refined and at a very high level — they said: "for who is all flesh that has heard the voice of the living G-d…" [Deuteronomy 5:23]. Therefore it is impossible to hear the straight voice in its essence. And the essential aspect of the attainment of voices that one hears from His greatness and Divinity is from the aspect of the returning voice — which is the aspect of awe and judgment, in the aspect of "O Hashem, I heard Your report — I was in awe" [Habakkuk 3:2]. And this is the aspect of free choice — since the essential hearing of His greatness derives from the returning voice, therefore there is free choice. For one who is genuinely wise and inclines his mind toward truth — like the Patriarchs of the world who inclined their ears toward truth until they merited to understand from where this returning voice derived — attained and understood that this returning voice has no independent existence at all. Rather the essential is the straight voice derived from Him — only since He drew it through the partition of the first tzimtzum, the voice emerged as it were like an echo striking within the partition of the tzimtzum. And through this the returning voice was heard — which is the aspect of judgment. But in truth the essential is the straight voice — for this returning voice has no independent existence whatsoever, only it is the reflection of the straight voice itself as above. Therefore they cleaved themselves only to the straight voice — which is the aspect of the essential vitality of Hashem clothed in all the worlds. And they joined and unified the returning voice together with the straight voice — and through this they separated all the foothold of judgment and kelipas which are the heresies grasping in the returning voice. For they knew and believed that the returning voice has no independent existence, G-d forbid — only it is the reflection of the straight voice itself as above. But the heretics and deniers do not incline their minds toward truth — and are unwilling to hear anything except the returning voice in itself. And they do not incline their minds at all to know and believe in the original root of the existence of the voice and the vitality that gives life to all the worlds. For this is the foolish way of the rationalists and philosophers: all their wisdom and investigation concerns everything after the creation — the things of nature alone — to know and understand the power, property, medicine, and nature of each particular of creation. And the ultimate intention of all their investigations and wisdom-inventions is only for the vanities of this world: for honor and glory, or money, and the like. Not one of them sets his heart to place all his heart and mind to cleave himself to the light of life — to think about his eternal purpose and end, and what will ultimately be of him. This is the aspect of the holiness of Israel's wisdom received from our holy ancestors: which is the essential genuine and eternal wisdom. And all our wisdom is to fulfill all the words of this Torah — through which one merits eternal life and the eternal good of a world that is entirely long and good. Only this is called genuine wisdom. For Israel surpasses all their wisdoms — for they do not wish to investigate at all in matters of this fleeting physical world. And would that we did not know even what every person knows of the matters of the desires and vanities of this world. For would that we separated ourselves even from these and became completely wholehearted like the early Tzadikim — some of whom did not even recognize the form of a coin. Only that most of the world cannot attain this — and the Holy Blessed One does not deal tyrannically with His creatures, and one must necessarily know what is necessary for the sustaining of the world: namely commerce and the like that are most essential. But to devise schemes in matters of this world more and more for the desires of this world — even if one invents great wisdom — there is no greater foolishness. For through this one will not succeed in the eternal world. Most of them become great heretics through this, and their end is destroyed in this world and in the World to Come, as explained elsewhere. Therefore the holy people Israel do not investigate at all in physical matters that are not so essential for them — they set their entire purpose to cleave to the living G-d through the fulfillment of Torah and commandments. And they surpass all the wisdoms — for they know the genuine and eternal wisdom which is holy Emunah: they know and believe that the entire world and its fullness — inanimate, vegetative, animal, and speaking — from beginning to end, they and all within them and all their powers with all their precise details and particulars and all kinds of wisdoms and devices within them — all of it, entirely, Hashem created through His great Name, and He gives life to all of them at every moment and every hour. And all were created for the sake of lowly Man — so that he should know this with complete Emunah and engage all his days to cleave to Hashem who gives life and sustains all of them through the engagement of Torah and commandments. And this wisdom which is the genuine Emunah surpasses all the wisdoms. It emerges that all the wisdom of the rationalists is only in the aspect of the returning voice — hearing nothing at all of His blessed voice in essence. They look only after the creation, after nature alone, and investigate all matters that come after nature. But they do not turn their face to incline their hearts to understand and comprehend well from whose womb this voice came — in order to set all their yearning to cleave to Him. They are wise only to do evil — and to do good they do not know. And they wish to separate, G-d forbid, the returning voice from the straight voice — as if the returning voice, G-d forbid, has its own independent existence. This is the aspect of "a whisperer who separates the prince" — who separates the Prince of the world and "cuts among the plantings." They are like one who is in a forest and hears an echo, and imagines and errs that this is actually a genuine independent voice — certainly such a one is a fool, a simpleton, an idiot, and a madman. For the returning voice has no existence at all — only it is the extension and reflection of the straight voice. So too exactly is all their wisdom: investigating after nature without returning their face to connect the returning voice to the straight voice — that is, to connect all the wisdoms to their root, to know and believe that everything derives from Him — and to spend all one's mind and wisdom all one's days to connect oneself to Him. This surpasses all the wisdoms in the world, and in it all the wisdoms are included and subordinate. And one merits eternal life for ever and ever. Moreover: one who merits to cleave with ultimate completeness to the genuine wisdom which is wholeness — to serve Him with wholeness in Torah and service in simplicity — can afterward merit to attain even all the wisdoms of the world themselves without any toil whatsoever. As has indeed been the case with several Tzadikim who merited this. But even one who does not reach this — has no need of it at all, and can spend all his days well without any knowledge of these wisdoms. And in the World to Come they are certainly not needed at all — on the contrary, for simple people who have not yet shattered all desires, these wisdoms can uproot them from both worlds, G-d forbid, as is clearly seen. For only the very great Tzadikim can make use of them for what is needed for their service — for they can connect all the wisdoms to their supernal root. For they know that everything derives from Him. ibid. §§19–20, 27

190. The essential creation and sustaining of the world is through the aspect of the third voice (קוֹל הַשְּׁלִישִׁי) — the deciding voice between the straight voice and the returning voice. For it is comprised and composed of both. For the very essence of the straight voice itself certainly cannot be revealed — lest all be nullified in existence. Therefore at first the thought arose to create the world through the attribute of judgment — which is the aspect of the returning voice. He saw that the world could not be sustained — for heresy would multiply greatly and it would be impossible for Man to attain at all that everything was created and derives from Him, which is the aspect of the connection of the returning voice to the straight voice. Therefore He stood and combined the attribute of compassion with the attribute of judgment — which is the aspect of the third voice: the composed voice comprised of both. And through this the world has sustaining — for now we have the power to cleave ourselves to the light of life, to know and attain the holy Emunah that everything derives from Him. And even all the wisdoms and crookedness of heart that derive from the aspect of the returning voice — which is the aspect of judgment — all derives from Him in His very self for the sake of free choice. For the returning voice has no existence except from the straight voice as above. And this is the aspect of the Ten Utterances through which the world was created. And our Rabbis said: "Bereishis" is also an utterance — only since "Bereishis" is the first utterance, which is the aspect of the straight voice in which all the utterances are included, therefore it is a sealed utterance. For the aspect of this voice and speech cannot be heard or attained at all — lest all be nullified in existence. Only after the straight voice that is the aspect of "Bereishis" encompassing all went forth — then through the aspect of the tzimtzum preceding creation, the aspect of the reflection of the straight voice immediately came into being in the aspect of the returning voice. And then Hashem composed the two voices together — which is the aspect of the above-mentioned third voice. And through it He created all. This is the aspect of all the utterances that were spoken afterward. And therefore now the essential of our service is to include all in the aspect of "Bereishis" — to return all to its root, to know and believe that everything derives from Him alone. For the returning voice has no existence at all except from the straight voice. ibid. §21

191. The essential cleaving (דְּבֵקוּת) is through Emunah — which is the aspect of returning the returning voice to the straight voice as above. ibid.

192. Holy melody (נְגִינָה דִּקְדֻשָּׁה) is propitious for Emunah and for cleaving to Hashem. And this is the aspect of the joy drawn through melody — for the essential joy is knowing and believing in Him: that He acted and made all as above. ibid. §§21, 23; see Neginah §13

193. It is known and explained elsewhere that before the creation everything was Infinite and there was no place for the creation of the world. And when Hashem wished to create the world, He contracted His Divinity to the sides until the empty space was formed in the middle — and there He drew the light through a line. And through this all the worlds were created, as explained in Etz Chayyim . And this contraction is the aspect of the place and partition of all the worlds — for without the contraction everything would be Infinite and there would be no place for creation. And immediately after the contraction, when the aspect of the empty space was formed — Hashem then drew His light through a straight line which is the aspect of the straight voice through which all was created, as it is written: "by the word of Hashem the heavens were made" and so forth. And since this straight voice struck the point of the center which is the ultimate extent of the partition of the tzimtzum — as is known that the essential ultimate extent of the tzimtzum is the point of the center, which is at the farthest possible distance from all the infinite light surrounding the empty space — when the straight voice struck this partition of the tzimtzum which is the point of the center, immediately the aspect of the returning voice was formed: which is as it were the aspect of an echo. And because of the great distance of the echo from the beginning of the straight voice, the echo appears to be an independent voice — to the point where it is possible to err as if this echo, G-d forbid, is the essential voice. And this is the essential aspect of free choice as above. And in truth all this above-mentioned tzimtzum of the empty space is only in the brain and the da'as — as explained elsewhere: the essential tzimtzum is what He contracted as it were the brain and the da'as , so that the brain and da'as cannot attain His Divinity through wisdom — except through Emunah alone. From this derive all the questions of the rationalists that cannot be settled — for they derive from the aspect of the tzimtzum of the empty space, where His Divinity cannot be found through wisdom and intellect — only through Emunah alone. And from this you will understand and comprehend the virtue of holy Emunah which surpasses all the wisdoms. ibid. §33

194. All the voices of this physical world that are not of holiness — in truth all of them are certainly lacking. For they all derive from the above-mentioned aspect of the returning voice — from which all judgments and all lacks in the world derive. For all the sufferings and lacks that any person in the world has — all are because of the attribute of judgment and contraction that delays the overflow and salvation. And through this all the lacks and sufferings come, G-d forbid. And the essential intensification of judgment, G-d forbid — from which the lacks come — is through the returning voice which is the echo as above. Namely through hearing only the returning voice in itself and not inclining one's ear and heart well to the straight voice through which all was created — to believe and know that everything derives only from the straight voice. And each one according to how much he blemishes this — which is the aspect of the blemish of Emunah, G-d forbid — thereby separates the overflow of all goodness derived from the straight voice to the totality of the worlds in which the returning voice is heard. And from this all lacks come. For in truth the essential aspect of the returning voice at its root derives from the aspect of lack — namely from the aspect of the beginning of the tzimtzum which is the aspect of lack as it were: what Hashem contracted and diminished His Divinity and goodness and greatness from the place of the empty space. For the tzimtzum is the aspect of the withholding of overflow as is known. And from there the aspect of the returning voice came into being — when the aspect of the straight voice which is the root of vitality of all creation struck the partition of this tzimtzum and produced as it were the returning voice. It emerges that the returning voice derives only from the aspect of lack and withholding of overflow. Therefore whoever is drawn after this voice is always full of lacks. And the more one is drawn after this returning voice, the more numerous and greater are one's lacks. This is the aspect of "if you lack da'as — what have you acquired?" [Vayikra Rabbah 1:6] — for the essential da'as is knowing that Hashem is G-d, there is none besides Him. This is the da'as of holy Emunah — which is the da'as of the totality of Israel the holy people, believers children of believers, who believe in Hashem and Moshe His servant and fulfill the Torah. This is the essential da'as and wisdom — for whoever is drawn after the investigations and wisdoms of this world is always lacking, since he does not connect all the wisdoms and vitality to Hashem who is the essential completeness. For there is no completeness except in Hashem — and whoever knows of Him, namely through complete Emunah, is included in Him and possesses all completeness, as mentioned elsewhere. But the moment one closes one's ears and hears only the returning voice derived from the tzimtzum of the da'as as above — which is the aspect of lack — one is therefore always full of lacks. And this is the aspect of all the lacks of the entire world — all of which derive from lack of da'as . And the essential lack of da'as is lack of Emunah. For one who has complete Emunah in Hashem and knows that everything is under His providence alone — for "G-d judges…" [Psalms 75:8] — certainly lives a good life always. For everything the Merciful One does, He does for good — and certainly His intention is for good. Therefore all lacks come only from lack of Emunah. Therefore in truth the lives of the wise men and rationalists are no life at all — for they are far from the Living of Lives through their wisdom and investigation that uproots them from their root. And they are always entangled after the wisdoms of the post-natural world where there are lacks. For this world is full of lacks, anger, and pain — and no one fully satisfies his desire in this world. And in the end what profit does one have from all one's toil? And even the wisdoms themselves are lacking — to the point where most of them admit themselves that they know nothing at all. As is evident from their own words — how many disputes, doubts, confusions, and conflicting opinions there are in the sciences; particularly in the science of medicine which appears to serve the world's good by saving a person from illness — yet we see with our own eyes how many thousands and tens of thousands of souls have drowned and died specifically through the doctors and healers. And as they themselves admit that they have already investigated the science of medicine so much that now they know nothing at all — and there are many disputes and conflicting opinions among them, so that according to the view of one group it is clear that the other group which chose a different approach in this science of medicine is literally killing the patients with their own hands; and according to the opponent's view it is the reverse. As is explained elsewhere. And similarly in the other wisdoms. And even if sometimes some good emerges on one side from their wisdom, it is harmful from another side. And even the side of the good itself is sometimes genuinely a great harm — for in this world there is no good whatsoever, as explained there. And in general: all who are drawn after the ways of investigation and wisdoms have no life at all — even physically. And they live a life more bitter than death — always full of lacks without end. For they want everything to be perfect for them in every detail — in their clothing, homes, and household vessels — to the point where their needs multiply greatly. So much so that it is common among them that many kill themselves with firearms and the like, and take their own lives knowingly, because of the multitude of their desires that they pursued all their days and never attained. And in truth even the upright of Israel need great battle with their inclination not to pursue luxuries — to suffice with a minimum from this world as much as possible. For whoever wishes to fill one's lack more from this world thereby has even more and more lacks, as is clearly seen. For even the necessities that a person absolutely requires are also very many — and one must ask much of Hashem that the necessities not distract one from the service of Hashem. All the more so must one be very careful not to pursue luxuries, G-d forbid. But nonetheless, the ordinary holy Israelites — even those who are keen after wealth and have not broken the desires of this world and its vanities — since they have Emunah in any case and conduct themselves in the ways of our ancestors of old, not walking in their ways of dress and customs, and not educating their children to study their books and languages and so forth — these people, even though they too have many worries from the multitude of their needs since they lack the proper measure of contentment, nonetheless have some vitality and joy on Sabbaths and festivals and the like. And they hope to Hashem that He will do good with them in the future — and console themselves with the fact that they send their children to Torah study and strive that their children walk in the straight path, in the way of the Torah, in the way of our eternal ancestors. All the more so the God-fearing and upright who suffice from this world with the minimum needed for sustenance in an austere way. All the more so the genuine Tzadikim who have completely turned their backs from the desires of this world and its vanities, and connect themselves all the days of their lives to the Living of Lives — they merit the essential life in truth, genuine life that has no lack whatsoever. And in general: this entire world is full of lacks, and whoever is entangled after it always has lacks. And whoever is more and more entangled after it — even if it seems superficially that he has wealth and the desires of this world — nonetheless one who stands from afar and looks with the eye of truth, who has some genuine understanding, sees well that he is full of lacks, anger, and pain. All the more so the above-mentioned wise men and rationalists who walk in all their customs specifically in the ways of the idolaters — certainly none of those who come to her will return [Proverbs 2:19] , and they will not attain the paths of life. For they have no life at all even in this world — all the more so in the World to Come. And all their days are full of anger and much pain, and they have nothing with which to console themselves — since they are far from Hashem and the holiness of His Torah and commandments and the holiness of our sacred beliefs which are the essential genuine life. And one who wishes to have life in this world cannot attain it except when one suffices with the absolute minimum from this world for one's bare sustenance — and even this little should be intended only for the sake of Heaven so that one can serve Hashem. And the more one distances oneself from the desires of this world and connects oneself to Hashem and the holy Torah, the more one's lacks diminish — for one is included in greater completeness. For Hashem is the essential completeness. And the more one distances from this world and draws close to Hashem, the more one distances from lacks and is included in completeness. And the essential is through holy Emunah — through which one merits to stop one's ears from all the voices of this world, which are all from the aspect of lacks. For they are from the aspect of the returning voice which is from the aspect of tzimtzum and lack as above. And one is completely deaf to these voices and they do not enter one's ears at all — for one lives a good life with no lack. Since one cleaves only to the aspect of the straight voice derived from the Living of Lives — there is the essential completeness without any lack or contraction, and He gives life to all. For there is the root of good life without any lack whatsoever — since one cleaves there, certainly one has no lack. For there is the completeness as above. And this is the aspect of "the deaf shall hear" and so forth [Isaiah 29:18] , the aspect of "wise of the craftsmen" (חֲכַם חֲרָשִׁים) . For this one who is deaf — who stops one's ears from all the voices of this world — hears more than anyone in the world and one's wisdom surpasses all. For only this is the essential wisdom: to surpass all the wisdoms of this world derived from the returning voice, and to cleave to the straight voice derived from the Living of Lives. There is the essential genuine life — the above-mentioned good life. Happy is one who merits it. ibid. §§33–34

195. The essential creation and sustaining of the world is so that holy Emunah should be drawn from generation to generation, in the aspect of "to generation and generation Your faithfulness — You established the earth and it stands" [Psalms 119:90]. ibid. 4

196. The difference and distinction between those who merit to believe in all the homiletical interpretations of our Rabbis and their hints and sacred mysteries in the Oral Torah — all of which returns to one place: the fulfillment of the Torah and commandments as their plain meaning, as our Rabbis transmitted to us. And the Oral Torah is connected and included in complete unity with the Written Torah — and there is no matter that is not alluded to in the Torah — but those who interpret the Torah and the reasons for the commandments according to the ways of philosophy: not only are they complete deniers of the Oral Torah and deride the homilies of our Rabbis and their explanations and mysteries — they also throw off entirely even the Written Torah as is clearly seen. And they are in the aspect of "begins with connection and ends with separation" as explained there. ibid. 5:21; see also Torah Study §110

197. There is general knowledge (יְדִיעָה בִּכְלָל) — namely what one knows and believes in Hashem in general: that there is a single existing being, Master of all, who conducts and rules. And afterward one must know in particularity (בִּפְרָטִיּוּת) — which is the aspect of the attainment of Divinity that each person merits according to what he assesses in his heart — according to how much he merits to shatter the desires of this world and accumulate commandments and good deeds. And these two kinds of knowledge — general knowledge and particular knowledge — are the aspect of Written Torah and Oral Torah. For Written Torah is the aspect of general knowledge, and Oral Torah is the aspect of particular knowledge — for it explains to us all the commandments of the Torah in their particulars with all their details, precisions, mysteries, and intentions. And within the Written Torah itself there is also the aspect of general and particular — and therefore the root of the Torah is "Anochi" and "Lo yih'yeh lecha" [the first two of the Ten Commandments] which we heard from the Almighty — which is the aspect of general knowledge. And all the remaining commandments of the Torah are the aspect of particular knowledge: knowing His blessed will — that it is to put on tefillin each day with all the precisions and particulars of tefillin , and similarly to wrap oneself in tzitzis and so forth with all the commandments. And therefore through each and every commandment we fulfill, we merit to attain and know of Him in particularity — each one according to what he assesses in his heart and according to his holiness and purity. This is the essential border and distinction that will be in the future between Israel and the nations, and between Israel themselves, as it is written: "you shall return and see between the righteous and the wicked — between one who serves G-d and one who does not serve Him" [Malachi 3:18]. The essential difference will be in the aspect of the above-mentioned particular knowledge: whoever toiled more in the service of Hashem and separated himself more from this world and brought more contentment to his Maker in truth — will merit greater additional attainment in the above-mentioned particular knowledge. And there are righteous and upright people who even in this world merit something of the above-mentioned particular knowledge — this is the aspect of the holy attainments of all the genuine Tzadikim who attain in this world what they attain. Happy are they in this world, and assuredly in the future in the World to Come they will merit even more wondrous, awesome, and sublime attainment and knowledge without limit. And in truth both kinds of knowledge — general and particular — which are the aspects of Written Torah and Oral Torah — in truth they are both one, in the aspect of "Hashem is one and His Name is one" [Zechariah 14:9]. For all that the genuine Tzadikim know and attain of His blessed will and divine attainments in the aspect of particular knowledge — they always return to the general: knowing all in a simple sense, which is the aspect of the general knowledge — the completeness of the Emunah of all Israel who believe in Him in general. This is the essential. And from all the particular knowledge and great attainments — one must return there, which is the aspect of "general, particular, and general" [a hermeneutical principle where the specific example is understood within the general rule] . For at first one knows in the general — and then one who merits some attainment in the aspect of particular knowledge must return at every time to the aspect of general knowledge. For "the ultimate of knowledge — that we cannot know." It emerges that one always returns to the general — only through the particular knowledge of the genuine Tzadikim: even though they always return to the general as above, nonetheless through this the general knowledge is strengthened more and more each time. For the more divine attainments they attain in the aspect of particular knowledge, the more complete Emunah they draw for us — which is the aspect of general knowledge. And in truth all is one — and both kinds of knowledge need each other, in the aspect of "the general needing the particular, and the particular needing the general." For both are simple unity without distinction. And so too regarding Written Torah and Oral Torah: in truth they are both one — for Oral Torah exists not without Written Torah, for there is no matter not alluded to in the Torah. And similarly one cannot fully know any commandment from Written Torah alone — only through the Oral Torah. Therefore one who denies even one matter of rabbinic enactment is a heretic regarding the entire Torah — like the Karaites whose legal status is now like non-Jews. For since they deny the Oral Torah, they have no share in the Written Torah either — for one cannot know anything from the Written Torah without the Oral Torah. For neither exists without the other. And similarly regarding the above-mentioned knowledge: it is impossible to know of Him even in the general — except through Torah and commandments which are the aspect of particular knowledge. And conversely: it is impossible to attain any particular attainment and knowledge in completeness — except when one returns at every time to the aspect of general knowledge: which is the aspect of the completeness of general Emunah as above. Therefore the essential complete Emunah is merited only by Israel through their fulfillment of Torah and commandments. But the nations — and particularly the philosophers and rationalists — even though they acknowledge the general Emunah in His Divinity and unity as well — nonetheless they became confused and strayed into very foreign and corrupt opinions through their wishing to enter into the particular knowledge without Torah and commandments. Therefore they strayed and became confused in great heresies and much foolishness, to the point where they are truly far even from the aspect of general knowledge. For it is impossible to know of Him except through Torah, commandments, holiness, purity, and separation from the desires of this world as above. Hil. Kidushin 3:18

198. The two above-mentioned kinds of knowledge are the aspects of revealed and hidden. For this general knowledge is the aspect of the revealed — for it must be revealed to all human beings, from great to small: to know, make known, and be known that He is the Former and Creator and so forth. This is the aspect of the Written Torah which was given to be written. For the aspect of general knowledge can be written clearly in writing — that Hashem is the singular primordial One who created all from absolute nothingness after complete non-existence. This is the aspect of how the Written Torah begins: "in the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth" — and it must be written specifically in order to draw the illumination of this knowledge into the aspect of Action (עֲשִׂיָּה) . For this is the essential to draw complete Emunah — which is the aspect of general knowledge — all the way to physical Action: which is the aspect of writing by hand which is the aspect of Action. For through the writing of the Torah one draws this illumination of knowledge — which is the aspect of completeness of Emunah — into Action. This is the essential intention of the creation of all the worlds: so that even in this physical World of Action there should be knowledge of His unity and Divinity, as stated in the holy books. But the particular knowledge — the aspect of Oral Torah — is the aspect of the hidden. It is the aspect of the mysteries of the Torah: the aspect of divine attainment that the complete Tzadikim attain — each one according to what he assesses in his heart. These attainments cannot be written at all — and even orally cannot be spoken of them except after clothing in many garments and contractions. Then the mouth can reveal a hint of them from mouth to ear to a sage who understands on his own — as our Rabbis said: "not the Merkavah to one alone unless he was a sage who understands on his own." And this is the essential aspect of the Oral Torah derived from this particular knowledge — and therefore it is forbidden to write it. But after the destruction of the Temple — in the force of the intensification of exile — our Rabbis permitted the writing of the Oral Torah because of "it is a time to act for Hashem — they have violated Your Torah" [Psalms 119:126]. For they saw that heresy was beginning to spread in the world with its evil views (see there at length regarding the enormity of this great and bitter trouble more than all troubles — how in our many sins in these generations the heretics and philosophers have spread and intensified greatly with their evil studies, educating the youth of Israel in those above-mentioned studies, uprooting them from both worlds and leading them away from the faith, Heaven have mercy) . And because of the force of the bitterness of this exile — which is the heresies and heresy that have spread, which is the essential exile of the Shechinah and the Community of Israel, from which the essential forgetting of Torah derives — our Rabbis permitted the writing of even the Oral Torah so that the Torah should not be forgotten from Israel. For the more the exile continues, the closer it is to the coming of Moshiach — and the closer to the coming of Moshiach, the more the secrets of Torah are revealed, as stated in the holy Zohar and the writings of the holy Ari. Therefore indeed they permitted also the writing and printing of the books of the holy Zohar and Tikkunim and the writings of the holy Ari — which are the hidden mysteries of the Torah that could not be revealed so much in earlier days. For Hashem precedes the remedy to the wound — and since He saw that such wicked people and heretics would intensify in the world who would wish to remove Israel from the faith through their evil studies — therefore Hashem preceded the remedy to the wound. For there had already been in the world awesome Tzadikim who revealed awesome secrets and drew the revelation of Divinity into the world, to the point where many hidden things became revealed. And through this Emunah was strengthened more and more. For the genuine Tzadikim — the more particular knowledge of divine attainments they attain — the more they return and go back to the general and strengthen the general knowledge and Emunah more and more. But their attainments were too lofty for us and it was impossible for us to receive from them except a mere hint. But now there have already been such awesome Tzadikim who merited to attain divine attainment in ultimate completeness of attainment and ultimate excellence — to the point where they merited to contract their attainments through wondrous and awesome ways, until they had the ability to reveal their awesome attainments to us. And through this they instilled complete Emunah in Israel — for the more particular knowledge of the Oral Torah increases, the more the aspect of general knowledge and Emunah is strengthened more and more, which is the aspect of Written Torah as above. And therefore now one must write everything — for all the attainments and Torah innovations that all upright Israel innovate, which are the aspect of Oral Torah, all must be written and immediately included within Written Torah in order to strengthen holy Emunah, to draw the strengthening of Emunah into the aspect of Action which is the aspect of writing as above. For now we have this ability through the great Tzadikim who preceded us, who made such rectifications that we can draw the aspect of Oral Torah — the aspect of the mysteries of the Torah — into the aspect of writing which is the aspect of the revealed. In order to draw the strengthening of Emunah in wondrous revelation to all those who come into the world — so that all the peoples of the earth may know that Hashem is G-d, there is none other. ibid. §20

199. How very much one must distance oneself from books of investigation — see "Sefarim" [Books] and so forth, §26. cross-reference

200. That through the ways of the analogies and reasonings of philosophy it is impossible to arrive at the attainment of Divinity in any way — only through Emunah and the ways of the holy Torah and commandments. And our ways are not their ways and so forth — see "Hasagos Elokhus" [Attainments of Divinity] §26. cross-reference

201. That the essential blemish of the covenant and adultery comes only through the kelipas which are the aspect of the external wisdoms — which are a spirit of foolishness in the fullest sense, for they are complete stupidity and foolishness in opposition to genuine wisdom — see "Bris" [Covenant] §113. cross-reference

202. The essential vitality, sustaining, and governance of the world — and all the changes that occur in the world — and all the combinations in the world — and all the aspect of the births of the generations — all of it is through the aspect of faith in the Sages which is the aspect of the Oral Torah. Hil. Yibum vaChalizah 3:2, 4; see also Banim §§43–44

203. The essential garments a person merits to be clothed in after his passing derive from faith in the Sages. And therefore they are called chaluka d'rabbanan (חֲלוּקָא דְּרַבָּנָן — the rabbinic garment) — specifically "d'rabbanan" — for they derive specifically through the Sages: the aspect of faith in the Sages, Oral Torah, upon which all the Torah depends specifically. And through this the garments of the soul are made — the aspect of the chaluka d'rabbanan . ibid. §5

204. The essential blemish of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the aspect of the blemish of faith in the Sages, as explained there. And also: the essential clarification of the halachic rulings of the Torah — to separate and distinguish between good and evil, between forbidden and permitted, impure and pure and so forth — is all only through faith in the Sages, to whom the Torah was given to expound and explain. And one who does not believe in their words, G-d forbid, overturns the words of the living G-d and mixes good and evil, forbidden and permitted and so forth — saying that what is forbidden is permitted and so forth. And therefore the blemish came through eating — for the essential rectification of the holy eating is through faith in the Sages, as explained there. And this is the aspect of "for I am naked" — stated about the First Man after the blemish. For the essential garments derive from there — the aspect of the above-mentioned chaluka d'rabbanan . And therefore death was decreed upon him for the generations — and there is no person who escapes this. For against the blemish of faith in the Sages no remedy in the world avails — in the aspect of "perhaps the snake of the Rabbis bit him" [an Aramaic idiom from the Talmud, Shabbos 110a, indicating that a spiritual blemish that even medicine cannot heal] . And this is the specific "snake of the Rabbis" — the aspect of the filth of the serpent cast into Chavah through the blemish of faith in the Sages. For this is the essential filth of the serpent: when faith in the Sages is blemished. And as long as the blemish of faith in the Sages is not yet fully rectified — it is impossible to escape death. And the essential completion of the rectification will be at the coming of Moshiach — for even the coming of Moshiach depends on the rectification of faith in the Sages, as explained there. ibid.

205. The essential rectification and clarification of the sin of the First Man — to nullify the filth of the serpent — is in every generation through the wisdom of each generation which is the aspect of Oral Torah. For the common people and simple folk have no power to rectify and clarify the filth of the serpent by themselves. Therefore their essential rectification and clarification is only when they merit faith in the Sages and to draw close to them. Through this is their essential rectification and clarification. Therefore one who breaches the fence of the Sages — of him it is said: "and the breacher of a fence — the serpent will bite him" [Ecclesiastes 10:8] — the aspect of "perhaps the snake of the Rabbis bit him." For this is the essential filth of the serpent: when faith in the Sages — the aspect of Oral Torah — is blemished, G-d forbid. And the essential faith in the Sages is to believe in the Sages of every generation. As our Rabbis said: "you have only the judge who is in your days" [Rosh HaShanah 25b] . For in every generation Hashem sends us genuine Sages according to the generation. And they innovate various halachos, innovations, and new homilies through the thirteen hermeneutical principles through which the Torah is expounded — all according to that time and that generation. And according to their homilies and innovations, so the world is conducted. And we must believe in them and not swerve from the words of the genuine Sages of every generation. And this is the essential rectification of the world as above. ibid. §16

206. Faith in the Sages is the totality of the entire Torah — for it is impossible to know any matter from the Torah except through the Sages: the aspect of the Oral Torah. Therefore one who blemishes faith in the Sages blemishes the entire Torah — written and oral — for all is one, in the aspect of "Hashem is one and His Name is one" [Zechariah 14:9]. Moreover: through the blemish of faith in the Sages one falls into animality, in the aspect of "but Man in honor does not endure — he is compared to the silent animals" [Psalms 49:13]. And through the rectification of faith in the Sages one ascends from the animal to the human. ibid. §§27–28

207. One who has complete Emunah — it is as if he sees with his own eyes the matter in which he believes. Therefore one who merits complete Emunah — all the heavens are open before him and he sees divine visions eye to eye because of the force of his genuine complete Emunah. And this is: the letters of Emunah (אֱמוּנָה) are the initial letters of: "the heavens were opened and I saw visions of G-d" (נִפְתְּחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וָאֶרְאֶה מַרְאוֹת אֱלֹקִים) [Ezekiel 1:1] — as above. see near Choshen Mishpat, Hil. Dayanim 1

208. Regarding the fact that in earlier generations certain well-known heretics labored in this matter — and in our generations this disease has spread also somewhat among the upright — to bring proofs from the words of our Rabbis that Israel is obligated to learn the languages of the nations: all their words are vanity altogether. For can it rise in the mind that when one individual arose through whom salvation came through understanding their language, that because of this it should be an obligation upon all Israel to learn their languages? For have we not found many people who understand their languages yet through whom no salvation came? Particularly in our generations — it is known that on the contrary, most of them were the cause of our downfall, and most of the troubles and decrees upon Israel came through them, as is known and publicized. And in us was fulfilled, in our many sins, what is written in the rebuke of Bechukosai : "and your enemies shall rule over you" [Leviticus 26:17]. And Rashi explains: "I will not set enemies over you from outside, but from among you and within you." And similarly what is said: "and they shall stumble, each man over his brother" [Leviticus 26:37] and so forth — and it is impossible to elaborate on this. And in the earlier generations specifically — when they were not accustomed to learning their languages — and nonetheless there were several Tzadikim who saved Israel with many wondrous salvations. And it is already known and publicized that one of them debated with a certain sage from the upright of Israel who wished to prove to him the obligation upon Israel to learn their languages from the miracle that occurred in the days of Mordechai and Esther — through what Mordechai communicated to Esther when Bigsan and Seresh conspired — and our Rabbis expounded that this was because Mordechai knew the Tarsi language. And he replied to him: "no proof can be brought from Mordechai, who was from the Sanhedrin who were obligated to know seventy languages." And moreover on the contrary: from there is a proof for our words — for the miracle occurred specifically because Bigsan and Seresh were not careful not to speak before Mordechai, since they assumed he presumably did not know the Tarsi language — for Israel was not so accustomed to the languages of the nations. And if afterward the miracle came through Mordechai's knowing the Tarsi language — that was only by the will of Hashem that the salvation of Israel should come through this reason. And similarly in later generations: if sometimes some salvation of Israel came through a certain Tzadik who understood their languages — for this was Hashem's will. And from an unusual event no inference may be drawn. And there is much salvation and deliverance before Him — and if, G-d forbid, Hashem does not guard the city and so forth [Psalms 127:1] , and vain is the salvation of Man and so forth. Particularly those who trust in their languages — a tongue that speaks great things, who said: "with our tongue we will prevail — our lips are with us" and so forth [Psalms 12:5] . from the holy discourses

209. And regarding the matter of those who opened their mouths to mock and turned the bowl completely upside down to say that all the commandments of the Torah — the essential is for the sake of social convention: namely the commandments between man and his fellow and so forth — let their lying lips be silenced and so forth. And it is forbidden to repeat these words aloud or even to think them, G-d forbid. For through this they deny all the pillars and foundations of the holy Torah written and oral. For in truth most of the commandments of the Torah — even those between man and his fellow — it is impossible to understand them through human intellect at all, as explained there. Rather they contain many hidden mysteries in every particular detail — according to what arose in His blessed will, and not according to social convention and human intellect. As Rashi explains on the verse "against You alone have I sinned…" [Psalms 51:6]: "even what I sinned against Uriyah — I only sinned against You, for You warned about the matter." And because of this specifically one must be careful in them also in every particular detail — and to believe that in every particular detail of them there are very high and very hidden matters, higher and higher still, and above them all: the fact that such arose in His blessed will according to His hidden wisdom. And about this David said: "wondrous are Your testimonies — therefore my soul guards them" [Psalms 119:129] — for only through this does a person merit to guard the commandments and fulfill them: believing that his soul's life depends on this for ever and ever eternally. But according to the false reasonings of the above-mentioned ones — that the commandments are matters of social convention, G-d forbid, only for the order of the state — certainly it would be very hard for a person to break his bodily desires for the sake of state conventions. Particularly in matters that have no connection whatsoever to all this — such as the prohibition of mixing wool and linen (שַׁעַטְנֵז) and the like. Therefore we see that those who follow these lies and falsehoods as above — most of them become completely lawless, Heaven have mercy, and are suspect of all the evils in the world: both in matters between man and G-d and in matters between man and his fellow. And it is unnecessary to elaborate on things that are open and known to all. And from this there is obvious rebuke also for the somewhat upright who are clever in bringing the commandments of the Torah also close to human intellect — and therefore give many reasons for the commandments of the Torah according to their natural human intellect. And they think in their minds that through this the honor of the Torah will be elevated and exalted — since even natural human intellect agrees with it. And in truth this is not the right path for the light to dwell — for on the contrary: through this the honor of the Torah is lowered, G-d forbid, since even with human intellect one can arrive at and attain its ways. And why did the Holy Blessed One descend on Mount Sinai and reveal Himself in pure clouds of darkness to teach His people Torah and commandments — and spoke with them face to face, and we heard His words from within the fire in such a wondrous and awesome revelation? And as Moshe Rabbeinu himself marveled at this and said: "has there ever been such a great thing…" [Deuteronomy 4:32]. And already mentioned in our words is what our Rebbe said regarding the questions hard regarding the conduct of Hashem — that it is impossible to understand His ways. And he said: it is fitting and beautiful for the Creator that He be elevated and exalted above our minds — through which these questions are hard. And if His blessed conduct were according to the necessity of our minds — then His mind would be, G-d forbid, like our minds. It emerges that it is great foolishness for a person when he wishes to attain the knowledge of Hashem through the low intellect, as it were. And this is also included in the above-mentioned matter that David said — that what guards the commandments of the Torah is not because natural human intellect agrees with it. On the contrary: specifically because "wondrous are Your testimonies" — and human intellect cannot attain them at all. (And even in matters that human intellect does agree with — still His blessed thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are exalted above our ways. And in every particular precision of the commandments He has hidden and wondrous ways, mysteries of mysteries and hidden secrets.) And therefore specifically "my soul guards them" as above. And what we find even in the words of the early great ones who gave natural reasons for the commandments — who knows what was behind this? Perhaps the generations of their times required it. And already King Solomon said: "do not ponder the path of life — her ways are meandering and you cannot know" [Proverbs 5:6] — as Rashi explains there. And it is written: "to every limit I have seen an end — Your commandment is very broad" [Psalms 119:96]. from his holy discourses with some additional explanation

210. It is explained in the Sabba [the Old Man, in Zohar Mishpatim] that the Other Side and the serpent begin with connection and end with separation. And this is after the manner of the saying of our Rabbis: any lie that has no truth at its beginning cannot be sustained in the end — for truth is one, as explained elsewhere. This is the aspect of "connection" — for unity is connected together. But falsehood is the aspect of multiplicity — which is the aspect of separation. For there is no separation except in a place of multiplicity which is the aspect of falsehood as above. And this is what it says: "begins with connection" — for most of the rationalists begin their heresy from some matter of truth: the primary axioms which they lay as a foundation and introduction to their words. But afterward through this truth they proceed from reasoning to reasoning and from opinion to opinion and so forth, until they become confused in distant investigations, until they distance themselves entirely from truth and come to complete lies and heresies. And from this aspect come all the deceptions and incitements of the evil inclination — which deceives a person in many kinds of errors. And at first it begins by clothing itself in some truth — such as some genuine question that is hard, or some genuine suffering that one has. And through this it deceives one to very evil things and entices and misleads one to what it misleads, Heaven have mercy. And the general principle: against all kinds of questions that are hard for a person regarding Hashem, or regarding the Tzadikim, or regarding Israel — one must strengthen oneself only in Emunah and so forth. And one must be very ashamed of having corrupted and blemished one's brain and mind so greatly that these questions arise in one's mind. For if one were genuinely holy and pure as befits a Jewish person — certainly these questions and confusions — which are genuine foolishness — would not arise in one's mind. And similarly regarding suffering and the pressure of livelihood that every person has — one must rely only on Hashem and strengthen oneself in trust, and be pushed back by the moment and bear the suffering until compassion comes from Heaven. For there is no wisdom, understanding, or counsel against Hashem. And if one can engage in some kosher business according to the Torah — good. As our Rabbis said one must engage in some livelihood, as it is written: "and He will bless you in all that you do" [Deuteronomy 15:18]. But if one finds no way to earn — what is one to do? It is impossible to force the moment in any way, as our Rabbis said: "all who force the moment and so forth." All the more so one must not throw oneself to distant places and abandon oneself from this world and the World to Come for the sake of one's livelihood — Heaven have mercy on such opinions. Only to bear and wait for Hashem's salvation, and to trust in Hashem that He will certainly not abandon one entirely, G-d forbid. And it has already been explained elsewhere that it is impossible to pass through this world in completeness except through the attribute of patience — for one must endure much physically and spiritually and wait and hope for Hashem's salvation. And our Rabbis already said: "the remedy for suffering — silence and acceptance." And similarly regarding the falls (נְפִילוֹת) — that many people fall in their minds because they know the truth that they have transgressed very greatly. And some have fallen into transgressions, Heaven have mercy — and because of this they fall in their minds and despair entirely from the service of Hashem. And some fall very very deeply, Heaven have mercy. And all this is only through the schemes of the evil inclination — for the fall and despair is worse than all the transgressions one committed. And one must reply to the evil inclination: "but what would be the reasoning — what else" — namely that even though it is certainly true that one blemished and spoiled greatly, but if so — because of this should one spoil even more?! As our Rabbis said on the verse "and do not be excessively wicked" [Ecclesiastes 7:17]. For should one who ate garlic and whose breath smells go back and eat more garlic so that the smell intensifies even more?! Certainly a person must return to Hashem with a very broken heart — feeling the greatness of one's distance from Hashem. But not to distance oneself even further, G-d forbid, through the lacks one feels in oneself and the questions hard for one about oneself. And if one sees in some book that is very severe about this matter that one has transgressed — one should take well to heart that the intention of this book's words is only for life and not for death: namely so that one will be aroused through this to return and draw close to Hashem. But not to distance oneself even further through this, G-d forbid. And about this it is said: "and live by them" — "and not that he should die through them" and so forth. And it has already been explained in our words many times that the essential completeness of wisdom is when through it one merits genuine counsels. And this applies also to the above-mentioned matter — for instance regarding the above-mentioned falls: a person must reflect the truth in one's heart: "I know myself that I have corrupted greatly and transgressed much and so forth. But even so — is this the counsel: to fall in my mind entirely, to the point where one could come through this to what one might come to, Heaven have mercy?!" And similarly in many matters — such as people who have great suffering from their wives and because of this wish to divorce them. But usually it is impossible for them to carry out their thoughts in actual deed — for the wife does not consent, or due to other impediments. And because of this they cause themselves most of the time very difficult and bitter suffering and are full of quarrels and disputes, anger and pain constantly. And usually they wander and are displaced and suffer enormous suffering because of this. And they must be asked: "is this the counsel?!" Even if one could fulfill one's wish and divorce one's wife because one genuinely suffers greatly from her — but who knows? Perhaps one's second wife would be even worse and more evil? As is indeed usually the case. And particularly since our Rabbis warned not to divorce one's first wife and so forth. And particularly since one also has impediments to this — is this the counsel: to spend one's days in quarrels, disputes, anger, and pain — and constantly deepen one's thoughts about the lacks in one's wife and the suffering one bears from her, and devise schemes as to how to be saved from them — when in truth there is no counsel or device for this, except: "when Hashem is pleased with a man's ways — even his enemies make peace with him" [Proverbs 16:7], and our Rabbis expounded: this refers to one's wife. And our Rabbis have already said: "the lot that fell to your portion — good or bad — accept it" [Bereishis Rabbah] . And similarly with other kinds of suffering and lacks that pass over a person who seeks schemes and counsels for how to be saved from them and rectify them. But one must think the matter through well — not to fall through one's schemes and devices into sufferings more harsh and bitter, and into foreign and worse matters. Therefore one must take this to heart and ask oneself: "it is true that the suffering is so great and bitter and hard to bear — but is this the counsel?!" For there are many confused paths and corrupt counsels — whose counsels are far worse than the harsh suffering thousands of times over and so forth. And this matter also touches on what those above-mentioned people who have strayed and become confused after the ways of investigation and philosophy are accustomed to finding fault with the sacred and finding lacks and questions in the customs of Israel. And sometimes they find some matter that is indeed a lack and question — only it is hard to rectify the matter because of many impediments. As for instance regarding the custom that existed in earlier times to acquire the rabbinate from the lords and masters. And in truth this custom was very corrupt and was done against the will of the wise and upright of Israel — as the early ones cried out about this, as mentioned in the Maharsha and so forth. But nonetheless one must reply to those above-mentioned ones: "but what would be the reasoning — what else" — for even though the truth is that this matter is certainly a great perversion and must be rectified (and by the help of G-d this matter was already rectified and this custom abolished in days of old) — but nonetheless as long as it was hard to rectify the matter because of many impediments — or even if there is still some corrupt custom, G-d forbid, among some people of Israel (which derives from the multitude of the troubles and exiles and many tribulations, Heaven have mercy, that have passed over Israel) — is it because of this better to walk in the ways of the completely lawless who deny all the words of our Rabbis and turn the bowl completely upside down, Heaven have mercy — who are entirely distant from the holiness of Israel and wish to guide Israel and lead them in their customs and ways? This shall not be in Israel, G-d forbid! For Hashem will not forsake His people and so forth. And if there is some perversion in some people of Israel (which derives from the multitude of the troubles and exiles and tribulations that have passed over Israel, Heaven have mercy) — we trust in Hashem that everything will be rectified through the genuine Tzadikim and leaders of Israel. And see there at length more of what is elaborated on distancing from the ways of investigation and so forth — and how the early ones too cried out much about this: such as Rav Hai Gaon and the Rashba and many other great and righteous ones among the Rishonim and Acharonim. And see there more of what explains the wretchedness and foolishness of the reasonings of those who wish to equate the wisdom of investigation and philosophy with the wisdom of Kabbalah — (who say this only superficially, for most of the above-mentioned people deny all the words of our Rabbis, even matters close to human intellect — all the more so the wisdom of Kabbalah). And in truth — besides the fact that the wisdom of Kabbalah is very, very high and sublime above the wisdom of investigation and philosophy, which is built only on human intellect and contains many disputes, errors, and confusions — the holy wisdom of Kabbalah comes only from Sinai, from the mouth of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be upon him. (And similarly the later ones who merited to study this wisdom from the mouth of Eliyahu the Prophet, peace be upon him — or those who merited at any rate to genuine holy spirit: pure, clear, bright, and holy to ultimate holiness and genuine attainment — from whom the sages of philosophy and even the upright among them are entirely distant in all the above-mentioned aspects.) Moreover: on the contrary — in most matters the wisdom of Kabbalah completely contradicts the ways of investigation and philosophy. Particularly the intentions of the holy commandments — which it is certainly impossible to understand at all through investigation and so forth. Therefore what do they have to do with us? Let them have what is theirs, and we in the Name of Hashem our G-d will call out and so forth. from the above-mentioned holy discourses

211. Once he [Rebbe Nachman of Breslov] said to someone: I will reveal to you a secret — that there will be great heresy in the world. For from above heresy will come into the world for the sake of a trial. And I know that my people — even without this — will strengthen themselves in Emunah in truth and remain enduring in their Emunah. But I am revealing this to you so that they will strengthen themselves even more when they see that this was spoken of beforehand. And words such as these were heard from his holy mouth several times — and he sighed very deeply about this and said: "Woe! How will a few people be able to stand against the entire world?" And behold — very soon after his passing [Rebbe Nachman passed away in 1810] we saw with our own eyes: that immediately great heresy began to spread in the world — the likes of which had never been since ancient days. For even though this blight of disease had already begun to sprout in distant lands — the well-known heretics there, as is publicized, who composed evil compositions, particularly the journal HaMe'asef [a Haskalah publication] and so forth — but the blight had not yet spread in our region. Until in our days, after his passing and the passing of yet other great and holy Tzadikim — the evil blight spread also in our region. And already the Tzadikim and upright of these generations cried out like cranes [an expression of desperate outcry] and no one heard them — for their hand was mighty, in our many sins. Woe to us for what has befallen us in these generations. And through this, in our days, the evil decree was born that was drawn through them — woe, what has happened to us! And in our many sins what our awesome Admo"r [our Master, Teacher, and Rebbe] had informed beforehand through his holy spirit was fulfilled. And they still go and spread at every time — woe, who knows what will be in the days to come! And we have already written what he said: that all our prophets prophesied about this — particularly Daniel, who said: "many shall be purified, whitened, and refined…" [Daniel 12:10]. That their entire intention was that in the final days of these times Israel will be tested and refined in Emunah — for many will arise and stand wishing to mislead them from holy Emunah: they are the heretics and rationalists of our days. And since it has already been informed beforehand that this will be the trial — it would have been fitting to stand in the trial. But nonetheless it will be a great trial — to the point where many will stumble greatly. But nonetheless we write all this — so that those who genuinely desire our holy Emunah should know that he has already informed us of all this beforehand. So that they will have sustenance and strengthening and fortification — when they see that this was already spoken of beforehand. Sichos HaRan §220

212. And he said that great heresy is going in the world. And he related many times that great heresy is going and spreading — in our many sins — in the world. Happy is one who holds oneself firm in Emunah in these times! And he said: even though it avails nothing that he relates this — that there will be heresy in the world and that one must strengthen oneself in Emunah — for even though he says this, the heresy and confusions still intensify. For did not Daniel and the like also inform of this beforehand: that before Moshiach comes, many will be purified, whitened, and refined — and the wicked will act wickedly, while the wise will understand and so forth [Daniel 12:10] ? And if so — since it was already informed beforehand that this will be the trial before the coming of Moshiach, that many would be purified and refined and smelted in Emunah, and one who merits to stand in the trial and remain firm in one's Emunah is happy and will merit all the goodness set to come to us speedily in our days — as all our prophets and sages prophesied beforehand — if so it would have been fitting for each person to be wise and care for oneself to remain strong and firm in one's Emunah and to have no further trial or refinement at all, since this was already informed beforehand. And in truth, even though this was informed beforehand, it will nonetheless be a great trial and many will act wickedly, as it is written: "and the wicked shall act wickedly." But nonetheless I inform this beforehand for the sake of those few upright ones — that they should strengthen themselves in their Emunah. And they will certainly have great battles in their minds — so that this should be sustenance and strengthening and fortification for them: when they see that this was already spoken of beforehand. ibid.

213. And he said: there will yet be a time when one who is a simple upright person will be a great wonder — like the Ba'al Shem Tov, of blessed memory.