אות - קעג

I heard from the aforementioned Rabbi Shimon that Rabbainu o.b.m. said to him here in Breslov toward the end of his days: Just as you see me now — all that I labored and exerted and accomplished through my service from my beginning until today — now I am able to accomplish all of this in one day. And afterward in another time he said to him that now he can accomplish all of this in one hour. And afterward he said that now he can accomplish all of this in one moment. And understand well how far the matters reach — for at the time he said this to Rabbi Shimon, he had already attained what he had attained. And he had already said many times by that time that all the service and attainment from before is not reckoned as anything compared to what he attained now — even though even previously his attainment was extreme and very lofty beyond measure. And so it had been many many times until that time — for even before the Land of Israel his attainment was very very great beyond measure. And afterward when he came from the Land of Israel, all the attainment before the Land of Israel was in his eyes reckoned as nothing, and he was very ashamed of it. And also afterward he rose higher and higher without measure and reckoning — what the mouth cannot speak and the heart cannot think etc. etc. — as is understood a little from the stories of earlier times. And afterward he said as mentioned above. See and behold and understand from the stories of earlier times and then you will understand a little from the intensity of the greatness of these matters. And I also heard in his name that he said: When one merits to complete knowledge [daas shalem], then one can do and serve Hashem Yisburach in a quarter of an hour what another person needs to serve and labor for seventy years.

Before the Land of Israel he said: I do not know how the Tzadikim make a pidyon [redemption]. For one must know all the twenty-four courts of law (352). For when one brings the pidyon one must know in which court of law he is being judged. For perhaps he is making a pidyon and sweetening of the judgment belonging to one court of law — while in truth he is being judged in another court of law. Therefore one must know in which court he is being judged and know the pidyon and sweetening of that court.

I know all the twenty-four courts of law, and I can make an "apilatsye" [appeal] from court to court through all the twenty-four courts — meaning I can say that the judgment of this court does not seem right to me and I wish to be judged in another court. And so from court to court through all of them. And presumably it certainly helps — for in any case one way or another the judgment is drawn out and delayed. And when it is delayed it is easier, since in the meantime that person performs some mitzvah and the like. And even if it does not help, I can make an "andensenye" [petition] — meaning to send the matter to the Emperor himself (353). And this is a great craft and great wisdom. No one in the generation knows this. And no person has yet known of this. For it is a great craft to insert all the request within some words in number — and also to give proper honor to the Emperor, as is fitting. For certainly one cannot send many things to the Emperor etc.