אות-ב

Whoever wishes to draw close to Hashem, may He be blessed, must always seek Hashem in every place where he is, and bind and elevate the aspect of the place where he is to the aspect above all place — namely, to Hashem, may He be blessed, who is the Place of the World. Then he merits to truly serve Hashem, and no place will prevent him. And even one who has fallen, through his sins, to some place that is not good — even to a very low, coarse and defiled place, G-d forbid, G-d have mercy — even so, he must remember Hashem, may He be blessed, who is the Place of the World, where there is place for every single one. Therefore there is no fall in the world at all, for from every place to which he has been driven he can return to Hashem, may He be blessed — as in the aspect of: "And from there you will seek Hashem your G-d" [Deuteronomy 4:29] — from there specifically, from the very place where he is. (Halachos of Tzitzis, Halacha 3, Ois 9) One must know that Hashem, may He be blessed, takes pride even in the most frivolous of the frivolous among Israel — even the sinners of Israel — for as long as the name "Israel" is called upon him, He has a particular glory in him, with which Hashem, may He be blessed, takes pride. Therefore it is forbidden for a person to despair of Hashem, may He be blessed, even if he has corrupted and blemished greatly, G-d forbid — for the beloved love of Hashem, may He be blessed, has not yet ceased from him, as mentioned above. Therefore he can still return to Hashem. And the essential means is through true men [anshay emes] who can find even the good and the glory that exists even in the worst of the worst, and return it all to Hashem, may He be blessed. (ibid., Ois 13) When a person sees that he has been praying and beseeching and urging for so long a time, that he should merit to draw close to His service, may He be blessed — and yet he is not regarded at all and is not heard; on the contrary, it seems to him that they are distancing him from His service in all manner of ways, as though they do not want him at all — and because of this he falls in his resolve and abandons his service of Hashem, G-d forbid: then he must be deeply ashamed within himself for having questioned His ways, may He be blessed. For in truth certainly Hashem, may He be blessed, is gracious and merciful, etc., and certainly wants to draw him close, etc. Therefore he must return and strengthen himself in his resolve to begin anew each time, as mentioned above. (ibid.)