אות-ה

Every person of Israel who wishes to spare his soul and emerge from his defilement and draw close to the true Tzadikim, and whose intention is truly to return to Hashem — must know that many many waves and storms of the sea, and aspects and trials and purifications, will inevitably pass over him. And if he does not abandon his place through whatever passes over him, he will certainly in the end merit eternal good. And for all this one receives strength only from the true Tzadik — the aspect of Moshe — who uses many wonderful strategems of wisdom in order to revive and sustain all the souls who desire to draw close to Hashem. This is the aspect of the Tzadik who sometimes nullifies himself from his attainments and his d'veykus [cleaving to Hashem] in order to revive and strengthen all the simple people who are idle from Torah — and likewise the scholars at the time when they need to nullify themselves. For inevitably they must sometimes nullify themselves, since the service must be in the aspect of ratzo vashuv [running and returning], ayeil v'nafik [entering and going out] — this being the aspect of all the ascents and descents that every person must pass through. And this is the aspect of the hafsakos [breaks] between Torah portions — the aspect of the Tzadik's self-nullification each time — in order to revive and strengthen all those in the aspect of idleness, as mentioned. And this is alluded to in the Talmudic teaching: "What did the breaks serve? To give Moshe respite… all the more so for an ordinary person who learns from an ordinary teacher." For the essential thing for all common people to strengthen themselves in times of their idleness and descent is only through these breaks. (ibid., Ois 38) There are many aspects of the evil inclination. Most people's evil inclination is very low and gross — truly a spirit of folly. And one who has any pure understanding at all, who contemplates to some degree the greatness of the Creator, may He be blessed, will certainly find that this evil inclination is great folly and madness for him — and even the trial of the desire for licentiousness [ta'ava d'ni'uf] is for him folly and requires no overcoming. Rather, he has a different, much higher evil inclination. But the evil inclination of most people is truly great folly for one who has even simple true understanding. (ibid.)