T58 (Tinyana) PNC - The Greater the Tzaddik, the More He Sees the World — Yesh vs. Ayin

Some people say that when the tzaddik is great in stature, his very greatness keeps him from being able to gaze and look upon the people of the world — he is far from the world. In truth it is not so. On the contrary: when the tzaddik is very great, he can gaze and look upon the world more. Take Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, who was certainly far greater in stature than the tzaddikim of our time — and yet he said 'oy li im omar, oy li im lo omar' (Keilim 17:16) — meaning he was so familiar with the world that he was afraid to say words of Torah lest the deceivers learn from him. So familiar with the world that, on the contrary, he feared they would learn deceit from him! For in truth, the greater the tzaddik, the more he can gaze and look upon the world. For Hashem yisborach is exceedingly exalted from the world, and yet He gazes with hashgachah pratis upon all of it. The reason: one who is yesh cannot be in every place at once — when he stands here, he is not there; when he is occupied in some avodas Hashem, he cannot look upon the world. But one who is ayin — there is no place where he is not, for he has no place at all. Therefore the more the tzaddik is included in ayin, the more he can gaze upon the world. It is not appropriate to say of him that he is in a high and remote place from the world — for he has no place at all. (See Likutey Moharan I:162 in the name of the Maggid: 'one who wishes to be wise, let him go south.')