Coming to the Tzaddik

COMING TO THE TZADDIK

Throughout the ages, getting to see the Tzaddikim of the generation has always been fraught with difficulties and obstacles. Here, we bring a little of Rav Natan’s words from Likutey Etzot and Likutey Moharan, about the benefits - and the obstacles - connected to seeing the Tzaddikim of the generation in person.

EACH OF THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE SAGE OF THE GENERATION HAS A CERTAIN YEARNING FOR GOOD WITHIN HIM. THE TZADDIK ELEVATES ALL THESE GOOD INTENTIONS AND RENEWS THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO COME TO HIM….EACH INDIVIDUAL MUST SEE TO IT THAT HE WORKS ON HIMSELF AND COMES TO THE TZADDIK WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS AND A POWERFUL YEARNING FOR GOD. THEN HIS SOUL WILL BE RENEWED WITH EVEN GREATER STRENGTH. - TZADDIK, 20, LIKUTEY ETZOT

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THE GREATER THE NUMBER OF SOULS GATHERED ABOUT THE TZADDIK TO HEAR HIS LESSON AND RECEIVE TORAH, THE MORE THE BREATH OF WICKEDNESS WHICH BLOWS OVER THE EARTH IS CURTAILED AND NULLIFIED. THE ‘BREATH OF WICKEDNESS’ CONSISTS OF ALL THE ARGUMENTS PUT FORWARD BY THE ATHEISTS WHEN THEY SEE THAT THE JUST SUFFER, AND THE WICKER PROSPER.- TZADDIK 23, LIKUTEY ETZOT

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PEOPLE ASK: ‘WHY DO WE HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THE TZADDIK AND HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY DIRECTLY? ISN’T IT ENOUGH JUST TO STUDY THE MUSSAR BOOKS, WHICH DEALS WITH SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT?’ IN FACT, THERE IS A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE, BECAUSE SOMEONE WHO HEARS THE TZADDIK HIMSELF RECEIVES THE WORDS OF THE HOLY TONGUE IN ALL THEIR COMPLETENESS, AND THEN HE CAN SUBJUGATE AND NULLIFY THE BASIS OF ALL EVIL…THROUGH THE AWE WHICH IS AROUSED WITHIN HIM….BUT ONE WHO ONLY HEARS AT SECOND HAND, AND PARTICULARLY ONE WHO MERELY READS A BOOK, REMAINS FAR FROM ALL THIS. - TZADDIK, 31, LIKUTEY ETZOT

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WHEN A PERSON IS BOUND TO THE TZADDIK HE CAN FREE HIMSELF FROM THE DESIRE FOR WEALTH, WHICH IS A FORM OF IDOLATRY AND DEATH, AND THEN HE WILL BE FREE FROM THE WORLD’S BITTERNESS - ALL THE WORRIES AND STRUGGLES INVOLVED IN EARNING A LIVING AND MAKING MONEY. - TZADDIK, 36, LIKUTEY ETZOT

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KNOW, THE OBSTACLES THAT EACH PERSON FACES IN THE SERVICE OF GOD, SUCH AS REGARDING A JOURNEY TO THE TRUE TZADDIK…THE OBSTACLES THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL FACES ARE ONLY ACCORDING TO HIS CAPABILITY, ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH HE CAN BEAR AND WITHSTAND IF HE WANTS TO. BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT THERE ARE NO OBSTACLES AT ALL, FOR GOD HIMSELF IS HIDDEN WITHIN THE VERY OBSTACLE, AS EXPLAINED ELSEWHERE (IN LIKUTEY MOHARAN 115).

THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE OF ALL THEN, IS THE MENTAL OBSTACLE, IN THAT ONE’S MIND AND HEART ARE IN DISSENT WITH GOD OR WITH THE TZADDIK, FOR EVEN WHEN ONE BREAKS THROUGH ONE’S OBSTACLES IN TRAVELLING TO THE TRUE TZADDIK AND ARRIVES THERE, WHEN ONE’S MIND IS IN DISSENT, HE WILL HAVE QUESTIONS AGAINST THE TZADDIK AND HIS HEART WILL BE DISTORTED AGAINST HIM.

THIS OBSTACLE WILL OBSTRUCT HIM MORE THAN ALL THE OTHER OBSTACLES TOGETHER. - LIKUTEY MOHARAN I:46

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Over on the sidebar, you can see the next meetings scheduled for when Rav Eliezer Berland, shlita, could be coming to a town near you.

There may well be obstacles in the path to coming to see the tzaddik - the hour could be late, the location could be distant, the venue could be subject to change - and we apologize profusely for any inconveniences and difficulties all this may cause.

But strengthen yourself and remember:

> “the truth is that there are no obstacles at all, for God Himself is hidden within the very obstacle.”