In the book 'Yalkut Ayeem Rabim', the author, Rabbi Yisrael Aryeh Yitzchak, writes about the virtue of attachment to the true tzaddik:

"It is a very great task to be attached to the true tzaddik, and it is harder than being a tzaddik oneself."

"It is written in the book 'Ramatayim Tzofim' (Tana Devei Eliyahu Chapter 3, page 31): I heard from Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa, who asked the holy Jew zt"l who used to say, all who are connected to the pure are pure, and he asked him, is Hashem lenient, etc.? What logic is there that with a small matter (a light reason) one should have the status of the tzaddik who does not benefit from this world?"

"He answered him: This is a very great task to be attached to the true tzaddik - and it is harder than being a tzaddik oneself, and there is no leniency here at all. And whoever was accustomed to the true tzaddikim knows and discerns these holy words!"

"Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Doeg the Edomite, who were very high tzaddikim, through subtle thoughts about Moshe Rabbeinu came to all this."

"..., and certainly initially there was some subtle thought about Moshe Rabbeinu a"h and they came to all this. And likewise, Doeg and Ahitophel, in whom no hint of God forbid was found, and Doeg was always concerned in his heart about fear of Heaven, and they stumbled through a subtle thought about King David a"h, the tzaddik of the world, he is the Mashiach, and through this they came to what they came to."

"And you should know that one should not have thoughts about any tzaddik, and attach oneself to him and all the tzaddikim in his heart and mind and neshamah (soul), and receive kedushah (holiness) even if he does not travel to him in body truly, and so he shall fulfill 'And you shall love...' and 'Your people are all tzaddikim.'"

"Do not test him with trials and do not ask him for a sign or wonder"

"Our Sages said: 'If the rabbi is like an angel of the Lord of Hosts, seek Torah from his mouth' (Mo'ed Katan 17a). Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli zt"l explained, just as you have never seen an angel and therefore do not test him with trials and do not ask him for a sign or wonder, so is the matter with one's rabbi, one should not test him or ask about him, but one must believe that he is certainly a tzaddik, then Torah should be sought from his mouth."

"When the evil inclination sees that good people receive rebuke from the rabbi, it casts hatred in their eyes so that they will not accept his words"

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On the same topic, in a lesson delivered before the public, Rabbi David Abuhatzeira shlit"a spoke about the virtue of nullification to the tzaddik, these are his holy words:

In attachment and connection to the tzaddik. Rabbi Bunim of Peshischa once went with his rabbi, the holy Jew, to whom he was very connected. The Jew said, "The one connected to the pure is pure."

Rabbi Bunim replied, the measure of justice has been struck, for in order to be connected to the pure, one must ascend through many levels, as the Beraitha of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair says. "Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair said: Torah leads to caution, caution leads to alacrity, alacrity leads to cleanliness, cleanliness leads to abstinence, abstinence leads to purity, purity leads to chassidut, chassidut leads to humility, humility leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to kedushah (holiness), kedushah leads to divine inspiration, divine inspiration leads to the resurrection of the dead" (Tractate Avodah Zarah 20b).

From here, it is clear that to reach purity requires many levels, continued Rabbi Bunim to question.

The holy Jew answered him: "To reach the level of nullification to the tzaddik is much more than the work of purity. In the work of purity, there are only five or six levels, but the work of nullification to the tzaddik is without end and without limit."

The Gemara in Tractate Sukkah says, "And Hezekiah said in the name of Rabbi Yirmiyah in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: I can exempt the entire world from judgment from the day I was created until now, and if Eliezer my son were with me - from the day the world was created until now, and if Yotam ben Uzziah were with us - from the day the world was created until its end."

The author of Toldot Adam asks, "If Rabbi Shimon said he could exempt, then why did he not exempt the world from judgment?"

Toldot Adam answers, the grandson of the holy Jew, "because they did not nullify themselves to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. If there is no nullification to the tzaddik, the tzaddik cannot exempt you from judgment".

To receive influence from the tzaddik, who is the conduit of abundance that continues the influences to the world - one must nullify.

Just as the great ones of the generation would come to Rabbeinu the Noam Elimelech, may his memory be a blessing, to visit on Shabbatot. The "Maor VaShemesh" testifies, I am his student who served him and saw how he would remove the weekday body, hang it on the window, and on Motzei Shabbat he would return it. He would purify himself on Shabbat, an extra neshamah (soul) would be felt on the tzaddik.

Even the maidservants of the "Noam Elimelech" would ask for forgiveness and pardon before Shabbat like on the eve of Yom Kippur. When Shabbat entered for the Noam Elimelech, the entire creation was sanctified.

So one must nullify to Rabbi Shimon, to the tzaddik, in order for him to exempt the world from the measure of judgment. The proof for this, says the Gemara, "Abaye said: Many acted like Rabbi Yishmael - and succeeded, like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai - and did not succeed." They did not succeed because they did not nullify before him.