Letter 378

[This letter opens mid-sentence in the source text.]

…Who is not hungry for bread and not thirsty for water — only to hear the voice of the truly wise one. The father of the wise ones — the singular wonder among all the singular ones of the generations. (Who lowers himself to the very force of the depth of the descent of each one — and elevates him to the ultimate ascent.)

But it is impossible to come to this, etc.

…Who labors with you in most wondrous and awesome ways — to give you life and to bring you close to Hashem Yisburach…

One who has already come to most lowly and most distant places — and has been separated from Hashem Yisburach — when he merits afterwards to return in complete teshuvah to Hashem Yisburach — he then returns and restores and elevates everything to Hashem Yisburach. All the places. For this is the essential (wholeness) mission. And therefore his loftiness is greater than that of a complete Tzadik.

What has already become distanced through his sins — it is certainly difficult for him to return. And especially if he has already — Heaven forbid — sinned greatly. Then the essential repair — if he wishes to have compassion upon himself — to deliver his soul from the pit… (who roll about and drown within the torrent of the insolent waters — which are the foolishnesses and the errors of the heresies and the heresy and the false faiths) — is only through drawing close to the true Tzadik. And let him look only upon the truly true truth — and choose only the truth. And not deceive himself — Heaven forbid. And through the truth — he will merit to know that even there — in his place — the Providence of Hashem Yisburach illuminates. And through the faith in Providence — one is able to return to Hashem Yisburach from every place where one may be.

…Who roll about and drown within the torrent of the insolent waters — which are the foolishnesses and the errors of the heresies and the heresy and the false faiths…