אות - עח

What happens when a person begins to enter into the service of Hashem and to draw near to a true Tzadik — that great confusions and disturbances come upon him — this is like the analogy of a vessel of water that initially appears as if the water is clear. And afterward, when one places the vessel near the fire and it begins to cook, then the water becomes turbid and raises all the dross that was at the bottom to the top. And anyone who does not understand would think the water has become worse. But in truth the water was always turbid — it was only that when the vessel was cold the dross settled to the bottom and the water appeared clear. Now that it is being cooked, all the dross and impurity rises to the top — and now it is clarified and becomes clean water.

So too exactly is the matter of drawing near to a true Tzadik and to the service of Hashem. At first — before a person draws near — all his sins and defects lie settled at the bottom, because his blood is cold. But when he begins to draw near to the true Tzadik, who is like fire — then his blood warms and all his defects rise to the top, and confusions and strange thoughts come upon him. But in truth this is a good sign, for everything is rising and being clarified, and afterward he will become pure like clean water.

People have the power to prevent and to entice a person to distance him from the service of the Creator and from the true Tzadikim — more than the Evil Inclination. For the Evil Inclination has power only according to its strength — according to the aspect of Evil Inclination from whatever world it derives from. But a human being is a microcosm, comprising all the worlds — and therefore the obstacles from people are greater than the obstacles of the Evil Inclination (160).