כה.

This matter — to bring souls close to Hashem Yisburach — is a very difficult and heavy matter. But even so, one is compelled to engage in this.

For it is an obligation upon every one of Israel to engage in this according to his level. For this is the aspect of the settling of the world — that the world be settled by people of true knowledge, to know Hashem and to take them out from sins, etc. And this occupation is very, very precious and important in the eyes of Hashem Yisburach — more than all the service in the world.

For this is the essential greatness and honor of Hashem Yisburach — when the most distant ones draw close to Him. But who is it that knows how to conduct himself in this — whom to bring close and whom not to bring close? Therefore, abundant prayer and supplication are needed for this.

This matter — to bring souls close to Hashem Yisburach — is a very difficult and heavy matter. But even so, one is compelled to engage in this. For it is an obligation upon every one of Israel to engage in this according to his level. For this is the aspect of the settling of the world — that the world be settled by people of true knowledge, to know Hashem and to take them out from sins, etc. And this occupation is very, very precious and important in the eyes of Hashem Yisburach — more than all the service in the world. For this is the essential greatness and honor of Hashem Yisburach — when the most distant ones draw close to Him. But who is it that knows how to conduct himself in this — whom to bring close and whom not to bring close? Therefore, abundant prayer and supplication are needed for this. And this too is difficult to fulfill properly — for who knows how to arrange his prayer properly, especially for such a great matter, upon which all the worlds depend?

Therefore our engagement in this is only through the power of the daas of the true Tzadik — through which specifically Hashem Yisburach illuminates the eyes of all who truly desire the truth — how to engage in this holy building to bring souls close to Hashem Yisburach in truth. Which is incumbent upon every one of Israel who wishes to truly draw close to Hashem Yisburach. For just as it is incumbent upon him to return to Hashem Yisburach and to draw close to Him Yisburach — so too it is incumbent upon him to speak with his friends and to bring them close to the true truth. And they will receive judgment from judgment. But it is impossible to engage in this except through the Tzadik — and through him one can pray one's prayer before Hashem Yisburach — that He save them to truly know how to conduct themselves in this building, how to drive away the evil from themselves and from the souls that draw close to them.

For through the springs of the wisdom of his Torah he illuminates within us true faith — and this faith is itself the source of wisdom. For through it one comes to conceptions of G-dliness — and to see eye to eye His G-dliness and His kingship and His dominion.

Therefore at every time — for this reason I turn to you and entice you to think deep thoughts — to overcome and to exert yourself with a very strong will, in a heartfelt call — to establish yourself in the holy obligation that rests upon you, to meditate in his books every single day, to see the new awesome lights within them. Until the good and holy fragrances within them enter your heart — for fulfillment and for action.

For the adversary always lies in ambush for the person — and especially regarding his end and his outcome. Particularly in these our generations. And it is impossible to leap and to jump over the Gehennom — which is this world — except through the power of the true Tzadik and his counsels and his holy books. Which are filled with his deep and sincere and very simple counsels — for each and every one in every place and at every time. Which bind the souls of Israel to Hashem Yisburach like a seal upon his heart. To bind our souls to Hashem Yisburach like a seal upon his heart.

Chanukah is the aspect of the drawing down of the light of truth — to subdue the filth of falsehood, which is the aspect of the kingship of the slave. And to strengthen the truth — which is the aspect of the holy kingship of the true King's Son.

Through the power of the miracle of Chanukah we merit to draw down the illumination of truth even into the darkness of the night — to nullify the exchange of the slave who was exchanged for the King's Son. So that we merit to clarify the true name — to know who is truly worthy of being called by the name of the slave's son, and who is truly worthy of being called by the name of the King's Son.

The essential prolonging of the exile is through dispute and baseless hatred — for this has been our downfall more than all sins. For even though there are many sins — especially now in these our days — may Hashem save us in the future — even so everything could have been repaired through the true Tzadik. Who illuminates in Israel entirely new holy paths — to return them from their evil ways and to repair them all. But the adversary spreads out in length and in breadth to greatly distance from the true Tzadik who possesses this power.

Remember well, well — all the good things and the miracles and the wonders that Hashem Yisburach performed with us in this generation — in the very extremity of our lowliness — that we have merited to hold ourselves in bonds of love to the true Tzadik. Whose Torah and daas — which he reveals with flashes of fire, in the aspect of "are not my words like fire?" [Jeremiah 23:29] — burns and blazes and consumes all the thorns and the thistles that surround the supernal rose. Which are the aspect of the false faiths of the false prophets — and all the heresies and the difficulties and the confusions that the unbelievers introduce against Hashem Yisburach and against His Torah and His true Tzadikim. From which comes the essential prolonging of the exile.

The adversary strengthens himself and labors through his stratagems to prevent… and to draw close to the true Tzadik, upon whom depends the essential wholeness of the repair of one's soul and all the hope of Israel. And the greater the stature of a person and the higher the level and the aspect within him — the more the adversary strengthens against him to prevent him from drawing close to this Tzadik. For if he were to draw close — who knows what good and repair would sprout from this for all of Israel!

Even though there are many sins especially now — as is found in these our days — very much and greatly — may Hashem save us in the future — even so everything could have been repaired through the true Tzadik. Who illuminates in Israel entirely new holy paths — to return them from their evil ways and to repair them all. But the adversary spreads out in length and in breadth to greatly distance from the true Tzadik who possesses this power.

Chanukah is the aspect of the drawing down of the light of truth — to subdue the filth of falsehood, which is the aspect of the kingly rule of the slave. And to strengthen the truth — which is the aspect of the holy kingship of the true King's Son, who strives and digs to find the waters from which the faith grows.

Hashem Yisburach will certainly complete His own work — and His hand is always uppermost. And all those thoughts of teshuvah that come to a person — not one of them is lost. Even though one has not yet merited to proper teshuvah. And even if the adversary strengthens against him afterwards even more — and he falls lower and lower, Heaven forbid — even so, whatever arousal he was occasionally aroused to — even a small bit as thin as a hairsbreadth — is never lost forever. And in the end he will have repair through this — through the accumulation of the thoughts of teshuvah that he had at times in the days of his life. Through the power of the great Tzadik — who strengthens and gives life to everything — those who dwell above and those who dwell below. And who arouses and gives life to all those who have descended very far below. Through the power of the great Tzadik — who strengthens and gives life to everything — those who dwell above and those who dwell below. And who arouses and gives life to all those who have descended very far below — and makes known to them that "the whole earth is full of His glory" [Isaiah 6:3]. Which is the aspect of "Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust" [Isaiah 26:19].

When a person is exiled and tossed about from the holiness of Israel — in places very distant from Hashem Yisburach — and he has no resting place for the sole of his foot. Then he must strengthen himself greatly in faith in the wise ones. For now the essential repair is only through the power of the true Tzadik in whom he believes — who is the aspect of the general intellect, the supernal wisdom. Through which, when one is truly included in him, all the limits and all the contractions are sweetened — and everything is repaired.

It is fitting for us to understand — that it is not an empty matter, this that we have merited in this generation to such a light! We have no consolation whatsoever for the exile and the darkness that passes over us — except the merit and the power of the Torah and the holy conversations of our holy and awesome Rabbainu, may the memory of the righteous one be for a blessing: "This one will comfort us from our labor" [Genesis 5:29], etc.

Great are the deeds of Hashem — that He performed with us in this generation — that we have merited to be in his holy portion, not to oppose him, Heaven forbid. Far be it from us to forget His faithful kindnesses that He performed with us — such deep and wondrous counsels, such a revelation of Torah — such a revelation! Fortunate are the ears that hear of this — for the like of it has never been heard in the world, etc.

One must seek and request greatly after his lost things. And the lost things are mostly in a place of desolate wilderness — in a place of chaos and emptiness. And one must ensure that in the course of the search, one does not become even more lost. Therefore — anyone who wishes to have compassion upon his soul — how much strengthening he needs! Never to despair from the seeking and the searching, forever — however things may be. Even if it seems to him that he is becoming more and more lost, Heaven forbid, every time — even so he will do his own part and search more, with will and longing and yearning. And even though he finds nothing at all — he must believe that certainly he finds a great deal through the seeking and the searching alone. For the labor and the searching alone — even all the time that one does not find — is a gain without measure, more than all the wealth of the world. All the more so we are certain that we will certainly merit to find everything in the end — if we merit to strengthen ourselves and to seek and to search always.

[The following passage concludes the material preceding Letter 31, continuing directly from Letter 30:]

It is fitting for us to rejoice greatly — that even so, Hashem Yisburach has granted us merit to lean upon such a holy Tzadik who has revealed such awesome things. If you are small in your own eyes — and it seems to you that you are very distant from Hashem Yisburach through your deeds — on the contrary, it is fitting for you to rejoice even more and more. That a person such as myself — even so, Hashem Yisburach has granted me merit to lean upon such a holy Tzadik who has revealed such awesome things.

And this too is difficult to fulfill properly — for who knows how to arrange his prayer properly, especially for such a great matter, upon which all the worlds depend? Therefore our engagement in this is only through the power of the daas of the true Tzadik — through which specifically Hashem Yisburach illuminates the eyes of all who truly desire the truth — how to engage in this holy building to bring souls close to Hashem Yisburach in truth.

Which is incumbent upon every one of Israel who wishes to truly draw close to Hashem Yisburach.

For just as it is incumbent upon him to return to Hashem Yisburach and to draw close to Him Yisburach — so too it is incumbent upon him to speak with his friends and to bring them close to the true truth.

And they will receive judgment from judgment.

Remember well, well — all the kindnesses and the wonders that Hashem Yisburach performed with you. So may Hashem continue with you a thousandfold!

The true Tzadik — all the salvation and all the desire and all the aim of Rabbainu Hakadosh, may his memory be for a blessing — is that we merit to walk with his words. Meaning to fulfill them simply — and to understand one thing from within another. And to find for oneself counsels every single day always, in all that passes over a person at every time and season — by day and by night, in his lying down and in his rising up and in his walking on the way. In the days of his youth and the days of his maturity and the days of his old age — from his beginning to his very end. Whether between himself and himself — or in his conduct with his household and his wife and his children. But it is impossible to engage in this except through the Tzadik — and through him one can pray one's prayer before Hashem Yisburach — that He save them to truly know how to conduct themselves in this building, how to drive away the evil from themselves and from the souls that draw close to them.