ערך מניעות

Even though one certainly must fulfill the saying of our Sages of blessed memory: "Do not be contemptuous of any person" [Avos 4:3] — and to judge everyone favorably — but one who disputes the true Tzadik and treats him contemptuously and shames him, and all those attached to him, with great shaming and disgrace — and wishes to spill their blood literally, G-d forbid — this one is from the side of Haman-Amalek, of whom it is said: "And he despised in his eyes, etc." [Esther 3:6]. And it is forbidden to acquit him and have compassion upon him. Rather, on the contrary — through striving to bring him down and subdue him — through this one fulfills the commandment of "do not be contemptuous." For through this the power of the Tzadik is strengthened — who fulfills this in perfection. A person must have arichas apayim [long-suffering, slow to anger] — that he be slow to anger in every matter. And not become angry and not be resentful about any matter. And not look at any obstacle or confusion in his service — whether obstacles and confusions he has from himself: from his desires and his thoughts, etc. — or whether obstacles and confusions and hindrances and sufferings he has from the people of the world: from his father or his father-in-law or his wife or his relatives or other people of the world. For it is known and plainly evident that every single time some person — whoever he is — wishes to enter the service of G-d and to begin to pray with intention, etc. etc. — immediately he has countless obstacles without measure. And every person must be bold as a leopard and mighty as a lion to do the will of his Father in Heaven — to overpower everything and to pass through them all — and not to look at them at all. And to strengthen himself greatly to do his part — and to engage in Torah and prayer with intention and in the service of G-d, etc. And this is the aspect of arichas apayim — that his spirit should not be cut short, G-d forbid, interrupting his service through the obstacles and sufferings. Rather — [rather] — he should strengthen himself and be slow to anger in every matter. And not look at any obstacle at all.

To shatter all the obstacles is only through the strength of the desire and the will [cheshek v'ratzon]. For the obstacle comes only for the sake of the desire — as explained in the inner teachings. And the essential intensification of the holy desire is through truth. For if one gazes upon the truth in its truth — and sees his own insignificance and worthlessness and the vanity of the world, which is a passing shadow, etc. — and all his days [are] anger and pain, and his end is dust and worm and maggot, and after all this he must give a full accounting — if he places all his heart upon this in truth, he will certainly understand where the point of truth lies. And if even with all this the obstacles spread against him — until it is difficult for him to shatter them — then at the very least, his desire and his will and his longing should be very strong to draw close to the truth in its truth. For since he knows the truth at least — then even though they do not allow him [to proceed] because of the great abundance of enormous obstacles spreading against him — at the very least his holy desire and will should be very strong. For from desire and longing it is impossible to prevent him — [to prevent him] — in any manner whatsoever. For even so: "I want and I desire the true purpose." As is explained elsewhere — the great stature of holy desire and will. And that one must be a great stubborn one [ikashan gadol] in the matter of holy will and desire. And then through all of this he will merit to be saved from transgression and from all manner of bringing things from potential to actuality that are not of holiness. And he will merit to draw close in truth to the true Tzadik — through whom he will bring all matters of holiness forth from potential to actuality in perfection as he wishes.

To shatter all the obstacles is only through the strength of the desire and the will [cheshek v'ratzon]. For the obstacle comes only for the sake of the desire — as explained in the inner teachings. And the essential intensification of the holy desire is through truth. For if one gazes upon the truth in its truth — and sees his own insignificance and worthlessness and the vanity of the world, which is a passing shadow, etc. — and all his days [are] anger and pain, and his end is dust and worm and maggot, and after all this he must give a full accounting — if he places all his heart upon this in truth, he will certainly understand where the point of truth lies.