אות - קיט

He answered and said: "Be strong and take courage, all you who hope in Hashem" (Psalms 31:25) — "all who hope" specifically. Even if you do not merit any holiness or service, Heaven forbid — only hoping alone — even so: "Be strong and take courage" and do not fall from anything that is in the world, whatever may happen — as has been explained in our words many many times (246). And more and more than this: every person must strengthen his fellow so he does not fall in his mind from anything in the world. And even if one knows about oneself that he is as he is — even so one should strengthen one's fellow, for it is easier to strengthen one's fellow than to strengthen oneself — for "a prisoner cannot free himself" (Berachos 5b). For there is no greater evil than falling. And as our Sages o.b.m. said (247) regarding physical warfare on the verse (Devarim 20:3): "Do not fear and do not be alarmed" etc. — "do not fear from the abundance of warriors and do not be alarmed from the sound of horns etc." — for all these things pass over one who wishes to enter the service of Hashem: many kinds of wars and fears and abundance of warriors and the sound of horns etc. etc. pass over every single person — as is explained in our words about this (248).

And one must stand one's ground — not to abandon one's place in any way whatsoever — and to always await salvation (249), and not to distance oneself and flee from Him blessed He, Heaven forbid. As our Sages o.b.m. said (Sotah 44b) regarding warfare: that the beginning of defeat is flight, may the Merciful One protect us. (Psalms 139:7): "For where would I flee from before You — if I ascend to heaven, You are there; and if I make my bed in Sheol, behold You are there" etc. For Hashem Yisburach is everywhere. For one must be very stubborn in the service of Hashem as is explained in our words, see there (250). And when one merits not to discourage one's fellow — even if one knows about oneself that one is far from His service — on the contrary, one should strengthen him with all manner of strengthening and enliven him and revive him with all manner of words that revive the soul etc. — through this it can be that afterward one will oneself also merit to return and come back to the service of Hashem through this. 246. RAK: See above 3. Likutay Moharan 282. Likutay Tinyana 78. 247. RAK: See Likutay Halachos, Yoreh Deah, Laws of Shaving, section 3.

248. RAK: See Shabbas 31a. 249. RAK: See above 3. 250. RAK: Likutay Moharan Tinyana 48, 51. Likutay Halachos, Orach Chaim, Laws of Prayer 5; Laws of Grace After Meals 4. Nachalei Emunah 34.