אות-א

Through searching and seeking until one finds within oneself some good points — in order to revive oneself and strengthen oneself in His service, may He be blessed — through this, all the tikunim [rectifications] that were accomplished by the Kohanim [Priests] in their Temple service, and the Levi'im on their platform, and Yisrael at their ma'amad [assembly], are drawn down. And likewise all the tikunim that were drawn down through the sacrificial offerings and the k'tores [incense]. (Halachos of Rising in the Morning, Halacha 1, Ois 5) One who wishes to return to Hashem, may He be blessed, must be proficient in halacha — so that nothing in the world will cause him to fall or push him away, whether in times of ascent or in times of descent. And in whatever passes over him he must strengthen himself — [in Yiddish: der haltin zikh] — and fulfil the verse: "If I ascend to the heavens, there You are; and if I make my bed in the depths, behold You are there" [Psalms 139:8], for even in the lowest depths one can draw close to Hashem, may He be blessed, since He is found there too, as expressed in the verse "and if I make my bed in the depths, behold You are there." (Likutay Moharan, Part I, Siman 6) See also "Teshuvah," Ois Yud. And this is his language there: When a person wishes to walk in the ways of teshuvah, he must be proficient in halacha, and he must possess two kinds of proficiency — namely, bakki b'ratzo [proficient in running forward] and bakki b'shov [proficient in returning back]. This is the aspect of ayeil v'nafik [entering and going out], the aspect of: "If I ascend to the heavens, there You are; and if I make my bed in the depths, behold You are there." That is to say: one who wishes to return to Hashem, may He be blessed, must gird his loins to strengthen himself in the ways of Hashem at all times, whether in ascent or descent — which are the aspects of "If I ascend to the heavens, there You are; and if I make my bed in the depths, behold You are there" — meaning, whether he merits some ascent to some great or small level, even so he must not stand still there, and must not suffice himself with this. He must be very proficient in this, to know and believe that he needs to go further and further, etc. — this being the aspect of "proficient in running forward," etc. And likewise in the opposite direction: even if he falls, G-d forbid, to whatever place he falls — even to the lowest depths, G-d forbid — even there he must never despair of himself in any manner whatsoever, but only seek and ask for Hashem, may He be blessed, and strengthen himself in every place he is and in every way he can. For Hashem, may He be blessed, is found even in the lowest depths, and even from there one can attach oneself to Him, may He be blessed. This is the aspect of "and if I make my bed in the depths, behold You are there" — the aspect of "proficient in returning." For it is impossible to merit teshuvah except when one is proficient in these two proficiencies. And in truth this is a very great proficiency — to merit to know that one must toil and labor in G-d's service constantly, and at all times to yearn to reach an ever higher level. And nevertheless not to fall for any reason, even if things are as they are, G-d forbid — nevertheless not to fall in one's mind at all, and to fulfil "and if I make my bed in the depths, behold You are there," as mentioned above. And when one has these two proficiencies, then one walks in the ways of teshuvah, and then y'min Hashem p'shutah — the right hand of Hashem is outstretched — to receive his teshuvah, and he merits the honor of Hashem, and through this he becomes a human being fit to sit upon the throne. Fortunate is he. (ibid.) Sometimes there is a person who is already near the threshold of holiness, and he turns back. This is because the sitra achra [the Other Side] overwhelms him at that moment, and the Ba'al Davar [the Adversary] strengthens greatly, G-d have mercy, and does not allow him to enter through the gate. Through this he falls in his mind and turns completely backwards, G-d forbid — for such is the way of the Ba'al Davar and the sitra achra: when they see that the person is literally adjacent to the gates of holiness and about to enter, they spread over him with tremendous force, G-d have mercy. Therefore one then requires great fortification against them — to stand firm in one's place, not to abandon one's position, not to pay attention to the falls and descents and confusions that pass over him, but only to strengthen oneself greatly to overpower them and to do what one can in the service of Hashem. And through the passage of many days and years, one will surely enter, with His blessed help, through the gates of holiness — for Hashem, may He be blessed, is full of mercy and greatly desires our service. And know that all the movements and stirrings by which a person detaches and moves even a little away from his materiality toward His service, may He be blessed — they all gather and unite and connect together, and come to his assistance in time of need — that is, when there is, G-d forbid, some pressing distress or time of trouble. And know that there is a tree upon which leaves grow, and each leaf must grow for one hundred years — and presumably during those hundred years, whatever passes over it passes over it. Yet afterward, at the end of the hundred years, it shoots forth with a great sound like a firearm that is called urmatye. The parable is self-understood. (Likutay Moharan, Part II, Siman 48)