אות - סג

In every land there is a matter that is important in that land, and immediately when that thing begins, there is in it good and evil. And the good is small and the evil is precisely equal in all its aspects to the good, so that one cannot distinguish between the good and the evil. And that thing goes and grows important until the end. For example, in this land the Baal Shem [Master of the Divine Name] is of great importance. And in truth there were several true Baalei Shem who were righteous men. But now many false Baalei Shem have multiplied. And the rule is: anyone who wishes and desires to enter this and engage in that matter which is important in that land — such as being a Baal Shem in this land — he will succeed in that matter even if it is false. For in truth he knows nothing at all — only the matter depends on his arousal and how much he is aroused and desires that thing. And it also depends on the place where he begins to conduct that matter — if the beginning is in a place where people believe in it, or if he begins with women who are in the habit of believing in everything — then he succeeds. And then it can be that afterward those who are far from believing in such a thing will also believe in him. And had he begun in their place they would have mocked him and he would not have succeeded at all — but since he already began in a place where it is important and they have faith, through this even those others can be compelled to believe in him since he is succeeding.

But there is another land where that matter has no importance at all — such as the German lands where they have no faith whatsoever in Baalei Shem — and there there is no success and no beginning for one who wishes to engage in this. And similarly the matter of the conduct and the greatness of Tzadikim in this land — in another land they do not have that same greatness. Such as in the Ishmaelite lands where they are called sages and they do not have that same conduct and greatness at all. And therefore in this land, whoever wishes to engage in this and to conduct himself in the manner of Tzadikim as is customary now — he succeeds in this as mentioned above. May Hashem Yisburach reveal the truth speedily in our days, amen. In a land where wonders are received and conduct proceeds in this way — through that very thing wonders sometimes come to pass, and sometimes it does not work out for him.