אות-ו

Sometimes it seems to the person who hears or reflects in holy books and sees the strengthening given to us by the true Tzadikim and their disciples who followed them — that there is no despair in the world, and even if one has fallen as one has, G-d have mercy, even so Hashem is with him and beside him and near him, for "the whole earth is full of His glory" — and even from there Hashem, may He be blessed, awaits his teshuvah at whatever level he is. But because of the weakness of mind he has from his non-good deeds — for a person knows his own soul — and it seems to him that he is worse than everyone, and that these things are not said about him. Even though the Tzadikim explicitly explained that they are speaking even with the worst of the worst — even so it seems to him as if they only want to entice him and lure him and make a compromise with him so that he will not fall even more. But in truth he knows in his soul his lowliness and humility and that Hashem, may He be blessed, is far from him and his hope is already lost, G-d forbid — and similar weaknesses and falls by which the Ba'al Davar wants to mislead and drag him from the path of truth. But those who have merited to be included within the holy gathering, those who hold on to the true Tzadik — they believe truly and with complete faith that all the words of the Tzadik and his encouragement are not in the way of compromise and enticement and misleading, G-d forbid, but that is the very truth absolutely. For through the greatness of their tremendous attainment they have attained the truth: that His mercies and kindnesses, may He be blessed, are innumerable and without limit, and He thinks thoughts so that none driven away shall be cast away from Him — even one who has already been completely driven away, G-d forbid. And all the words by which the Tzadikim strengthen us and comfort us and arouse and awaken us to know that Hashem is still with us and in our very place — "the whole earth is full of His glory" — these words did not come from their own heart; rather, they are literally the words of Hashem Himself, Who communicated to us these holy words through the Tzadikim and their holy disciples who remained after their passing, so that we know that Hashem, may He be blessed, is still with us in every generation and will never abandon us — until He establishes Jerusalem as a praise in the earth. And in the future we will merit to see this with our very eyes, in the aspect of: "And the glory of Hashem shall be revealed… for the mouth of Hashem has spoken" [Isaiah 40:5]. (ibid., Ois 82) One upon whom judgments fall, G-d forbid, and who has some trouble, G-d have mercy — must see to strengthen himself and fortify himself even more to be saved from the evil inclination. For at that time the evil inclination overpowers him even more — for the root-source of the evil inclination is from severities and judgments, G-d have mercy. (ibid.)