Letter 206

Sh. To my beloved, my dearest, the pleasant and sweet one — Mr….

…Even if he is a great scholar and very wise — and even if he has good deeds… For to the eternal purpose — which is the attainment of G-dliness — it is impossible to arrive except through the true Tzadik and his disciples and the disciples of his disciples, etc.

But this coercive force that disrupts — must necessarily cease and be nullified. And then — when the coercive force is removed — one will return and draw close with great speed to the true Tzadik — who has the power of attraction — to draw down His G-dliness Yisburach below — and to draw all of Israel and the entire world and the worlds to Hashem Yisburach. For if not — they would not be able to exist upon it. For it would be fitting to fall from it — because it is spherical — and all the people of the world stand around it — as is known. But because it has a power of attraction — therefore when the coercive force ceases — the thing returns and falls below to the earth.

The closer one gets to below — the more he flies and falls below with greater speed. This is because he has drawn close to the power of attraction of the earth — therefore he falls below with greater speed. And the true Tzadik is in the aspect of earth — and all things stand upon him. And he has a power of attraction — to draw all things to him. For the Tzadik alone in the world — he is the foundation of the world — from which all things are drawn.

For this one Tzadik in the world — is humble and lowly — and makes himself like the earth. In the aspect of "And I am dust and ashes" [Genesis 18:27]. And therefore he is the foundation of the world — namely the aspect of the earth — for all things are upon him. And behold — it would be fitting that all people be drawn to this Tzadik — who is the aspect of the earth — who has the power of attraction. But through the coercive force — they are disrupted and distanced from him. Meaning: there are contentious people who through their speech and their deeds coerce people to disrupt them and to distance them from the Tzadik. (And according to the coercive force — so one becomes distanced from the Tzadik.)

Meaning: there are contentious people — who prevent and disrupt through many and many kinds of preventions — from drawing close to the true Tzadik and to the Torah and to the path of truth (that he reveals) through their speech and their deeds. Who multiply words of vain wisdoms — through many kinds of false and cunning tongues. And clothe themselves in mitzvos and piety as though they wish his repair, etc. The immensity of the multitude of the ways of their evil words — which cannot be explained — who come on behalf of the adversary — to coerce and to prevent and to disrupt and to entirely distance the one who walks straight — from drawing close to Hashem Yisburach and His Torah — and from being drawn after the true Tzadik — who is the aspect of the earth.