מעשה ח-מרב ובן יחיד

An awesome and wondrous story — a powerful moral lesson about how the Adversary intensifies and labors with his schemes to prevent drawing close to the true Tzadik. Especially: the greater a person is, and the higher his level and spiritual quality, the more the Adversary works against him to prevent him — for had this one drawn close, who knows what goodness and rectification would have sprung from it for all of Israel and for all the worlds entirely. This is clear from the story itself — for even this Tzadik [to whom the rabbi's son was sent] was known, and there were people of Israel who were close to him. For some of those who counseled the rabbi's son to travel to this Tzadik were themselves among the close ones. And it was precisely upon the rabbi's son that the Adversary intensified his efforts, because this son possessed a lofty quality — he had merited to the aspect of the "lesser luminary." And had he drawn close to this Tzadik, who was in the aspect of the "greater luminary," it would have meant the rectification of the entire world.

Therefore the Adversary intensified against him. The essence of the intensification was to prevent him from drawing close specifically to this Tzadik. But the Adversary was content for him to draw close to other Tzadikim. And it is possible that those Tzadikim to whom the Adversary pointed him (when they first encountered him) were also true Tzadikim — it is only that they were not at the level and degree of this particular Tzadik, upon whom depended the completeness of the rabbi's son's soul and the complete rectification of the entire world. It is also understood from this story that in matters such as these one should not place tests — [asking] whether things will proceed in an orderly fashion. On the contrary: most of the time, if the matter is truly great, the Adversary and the accusers will certainly intensify at the outset to arrange circumstances that are "not in order," so as to prevent him thereby. And one must pray greatly to G-d not to bring one into tests and circumstances that could prevent him, G-d forbid. As in the proclamation of David, King of Israel: "I am a sojourner in the land; do not hide Your commandments from me" [Psalms 119:19]. And if one sees that the obstacles are intensifying against him, then he must intensify against them with even greater desire and passion. As explained in many places in Rebbe Nachman's writings on this. And the principal need is to strengthen oneself against obstacles of the mind — for the Adversary intensifies himself to twist the heart and mind with false and erroneous reasoning. For even in this story the principal obstacle was of the mind: at first the obstacle came from his father, who said to him, "You are a greater Torah scholar and more distinguished than this Tzadik — it is not fitting for you to travel to him." And afterward when he set a test about whether things would proceed in order — that too was from an obstruction of the mind. And so after the horse fell from the bridge and the carriage overturned — and again when two handles of the wagon broke — did these truly constitute an actual prevention from traveling to the Tzadik? No — it was only through these that the obstacles of the mind intensified. Particularly on the third journey, when they had decided no longer to place such tests — unless there would be something truly palpable and significant — yet were prevented when the merchant they encountered spoke slander and falsehoods about the Tzadik.

Is encountering such a merchant something truly palpable and significant? It is well known that the world is full of falsehoods, as the verse states: "Let the lying lips be silenced, those who speak arrogantly against the righteous" [Psalms 31:19]. And it is known and widely recognized that against most of the great leaders of Israel — especially against the exceptional individuals of the generations — there arose against them much controversy, and much falsehood and deception was spoken against them. And afterward how they were so held back by what the merchant said in his simplicity — who knows if it was truly in simplicity? Perhaps he was one of those who disputed and hated him, and when he heard them beginning to speak of the Tzadik, answered them according to his way of thinking. From all this it is clear to all that the essence of the obstacles in this matter was only obstacles of the mind. Therefore one must pray greatly to G-d to be saved from this. The essential thing: reduce one's own honor and increase the honor of the Almighty, and let all one's actions be solely for the sake of Heaven in truth. Then G-d will be his help to stand and overcome all the obstacles, and he will merit to walk on the true path — as understood also from this story, where the obstacle from his father the Rabbi came only from concern for dignity, for he said to him: "You are a Torah scholar and more distinguished than him, and it is not fitting for you to travel to him." In truth, the perfection and completeness of a person does not depend on being a Torah scholar and distinguished — everything depends on the greatness of one's deeds. And as Rebbe Nachman hinted in this very story — that it says there that the son in question performed a certain mitzvah through which he came to the aspect of the "lesser luminary." He did not say simply that the son was of the aspect of the lesser luminary — he specifically explained that he came to this level through a mitzvah he performed.

For everything depends on the greatness of one's deeds. No more can be elaborated on this here, as explained elsewhere. As long as a person does not merit to truly draw close to the true Tzadik, although he studies and prays constantly, he does not merit to feel true flavor in his learning and prayer. And if he were to truly take it to heart he would feel within himself that something is lacking, though he cannot name what it is. (In truth, the deficiency is because he has not merited to draw close to a true Tzadik who would illuminate the truth for him.) Fortunate is the one who merits to draw close to the true Tzadik in this world, during his lifetime — for the Adversary exerts great effort his whole life to prevent him from this, since the perfection of his Jewish holiness depends entirely on this. And sometimes a person performs a mitzvah through which he comes to the aspect of the "lesser luminary" — and had this person merited to draw close to the true Tzadik who is the aspect of the "greater luminary," Mashiach would already have come and the world would have been fully rectified. Yet the Adversary intensifies against this person and arranges many obstacles for him — especially obstacles of the mind. And the principal obstacle comes through the Adversary disguising himself in those who dispute and fabricate falsehoods about the Tzadik. Therefore one must pray greatly to G-d to merit to break through all obstacles and to truly draw close to the true Tzadik.