אות - סא

The matter of "Hadarai bi" [I retract / it returned into me] stated in the Gemara (118) — this was a matter of repentance: he repented over having corrupted the Torah by speaking words that were not fitting and proper. And immediately when his colleague challenged him he understood at once that he had erred, and repented immediately. For there is repentance that is in potential [b'koach] and has not yet emerged into actuality, and because of this a person sometimes attains levels beyond his normal station — from the light that shines from the lofty repentance that is in potential within him, which can elevate him above his actual station. And this is the explanation of "Hadarai bi" — that the repentance was within him from the beginning, only it was in potential as mentioned, and now it emerged into actuality. (For by attaining a level beyond his station, he came to speak words not in their proper context, and then his colleague challenged him and he was aroused at once and understood he had erred, and repented immediately. It is found that through this the repentance emerged from potential into actuality.)

118. RAK: Rabbi Aryeh Leib of Volchinsk, one of the great disciples of the Maggid of Mezeritch. His son Rabbi Pinchas was betrothed to Rabbainu's third daughter Miriam in Elul 5560. The wedding was in Cheshvan 5565.

Know that there are great powers within human beings, for they are able to bring about through their thoughts what they are thinking. And even scarcity, Heaven forbid, comes from the thoughts of people. For when thought is entirely grasped and cleaved to one thing — that it should be thus — meaning all the aspects that exist in thought, namely the inner dimension and outer dimension and the remaining aspects down to the very point, and when all of them together are grasped and cleaved, thinking that it shall be so without confusion or deviation toward another thought — through this they act so that it will necessarily come to be as they think. And also the thought must be in precise particulars, not in a general manner — for example one should think: if such and such occurs then thus and thus will result in their particulars. But when one thinks in a general manner it is in the aspect of "unfinished vessels" (Kelim 12:6; Chullin 25a) and one can err, as Nevat erred when he saw fire going forth etc. (Sanhedrin 101b) (118*).

And this also applies in the matter of Torah study. If one's thought is very firm as mentioned above, it will certainly come to be. Provided the thought is firm and grasped very strongly in this, as mentioned — for example, that one think in one's mind that one will merit to study and complete all four Shulchan Aruchs with all the major commentaries. And one should think and picture in one's mind in what manner one will study them and in how much time — for example, that one will merit to study five folios per day until one merits to complete them all in one year. And one should insert one's thought into this very well, with very great firmness, until the thought is very firm and grasped in this. And similarly regarding other studies of the holy Torah such as the Shas with the Rif (119) and the Rosh (120) and the Turim (121) etc., and Tanach and the like — one should long and yearn and think about this greatly with great firmness, and then one will merit that it should be so. And he said that this is hinted in the words of our Sages o.b.m. (Sanhedrin 26b) in what they said: "Thought is effective even for matters of Torah" — effective literally, meaning it is effective and helps in this, even for matters of Torah. And even though Rashi there explained it in another sense — even so it is thus. And he did not complete the explanation further. And both these and these are words of the living G-d.

119. RAK: Rabbi Leib and his son Rabbi Pinchas ascended to the Land of Israel in the summer of 5565. See Sichos HaRan 159.

120. RAK: This was on the Shabbos of Consolation in the year 5570, about two months before Rabbainu's passing.

121. RAK: See Sichos HaRan 157; Chayai Moharan, His Journey and Sojourn in Uman, entry 31.

In every land there is a matter that is important in that land, and immediately when that thing begins, there is in it good and evil. And the good is small and the evil is precisely equal in all its aspects to the good, so that one cannot distinguish between the good and the evil. And that thing goes and grows important until the end. For example, in this land the Baal Shem [Master of the Divine Name] is of great importance. And in truth there were several true Baalei Shem who were righteous men. But now many false Baalei Shem have multiplied.

And the rule is: anyone who wishes and desires to enter this and engage in that matter which is important in that land — such as being a Baal Shem in this land — he will succeed in that matter even if it is false. For in truth he knows nothing at all — only the matter depends on his arousal and how much he is aroused and desires that thing. And it also depends on the place where he begins to conduct that matter — if the beginning is in a place where people believe in it, or if he begins with women who are in the habit of believing in everything — then he succeeds. And then it can be that afterward those who are far from believing in such a thing will also believe in him. And had he begun in their place they would have mocked him and he would not have succeeded at all — but since he already began in a place where it is important and they have faith, through this even those others can be compelled to believe in him since he is succeeding.

But there is another land where that matter has no importance at all — such as the German lands where they have no faith whatsoever in Baalei Shem — and there there is no success and no beginning for one who wishes to engage in this. And similarly the matter of the conduct and the greatness of Tzadikim in this land — in another land they do not have that same greatness. Such as in the Ishmaelite lands where they are called sages and they do not have that same conduct and greatness at all. And therefore in this land, whoever wishes to engage in this and to conduct himself in the manner of Tzadikim as is customary now — he succeeds in this as mentioned above. May Hashem Yisburach reveal the truth speedily in our days, amen.

In a land where wonders are received and conduct proceeds in this way — through that very thing wonders sometimes come to pass, and sometimes it does not work out for him.