Chasidut zu Amos 3:17

What is this revelation of Elijah in one’s intellect? Merely comprehension, God forbid? No—rather, that his intellect became a chariot for prophecy (not only that that which they grasped in the sefirot and upper worlds was intellectual prophecy, but that actual prophecy was revealed to them via their intellects). See Zohar Shemot (6b) that after the prophecy about what God would do in the future was revealed to them, “Rabbi Elazar said, ‘[That of the bird, of the children,] is all supernal prophecy…’Surely God does nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets,”³⁰⁵Amos 3:7 and ‘sages are superior to prophets,’” –then, actual prophecy was revealed to them. And R. Yehudah concluded, “the wisdom of R. Elazar surpasses them all.”

And if you should ask, "What is Chassidut and what is the advantage of a chassid who serves God, over one who is not a chassid who serves God" - know that it is impossible to explain the matter to you any more, since Chassidut is not just an intellectual matter that bears explanation. As the intellectual component of Chassidut is only one part of it, and it comes only with work. It is just like it is impossible to intellectually explain the content of prophecy - for only the prophet knows what it is. And for him, it was so simple that he did not understand why others did not see it - as the prophet said (Amos 3:8), "the Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?" For he did not understand how someone could not prophesy when God spoke. So too is Chassidut, which is the revelation of a certain spark of a spark of prophecy that is found in the Jew (as it is stated in the Gemara, Pesachim 66a, "Israel... are the sons of prophets."). It is impossible to only explain it intellectually - not its service and not the way it looks [at things] - how a chassid prays, enthuses and connects his spirit with the higher holiness and how he sees the pleasant beauty of the Radiance of the world in the Torah and in the commandments and how a spark of the power of the Divine Presence hovers over the whole world. And so too when the chassid himself is elevated and enthused, he sees the matter with him as simple and certain. But afterwards if he falls, he no longer understands his previous [state] or vision. However all of this is beyond you for right now, Jewish young man. It is bigger and greater than your place to know or even want things like these. But if you have internalized our words, you have already reached the tip of Chassidut and you have already tasted 'from the honeycomb with the tip of the staff.' And if you are consistent in working on this, you will, God willing, become a chassid - you will be shielded in the shadow of God, and the power of the Divine Presence will hover over you.

The idea that for the individual who has achieved spiritual wholeness, yet at times turns his mind away from God, the Divine providence will only be upon him when he concentrates on God, is also found written in the Zohar (Shemot, 17b): Once Rabbi Yossi was quietly musing over worldly matters [instead of studying Torah]. With him was Rabbi Aha, who was contemplating the Torah. Suddenly Rabbi Yossi saw a dangerous snake running after him.¹⁰⁴Not a physical snake, but a spiritual force coming to punish him. As Rabbi Yossei possessed a high level of sanctity, God was more exacting with him for turning his mind away from the Torah. He said to Rabbi Aha, “Did you see that big snake that was running after me?” Rabbi Aha said, “I didn’t see it.” Rabbi Yossi bolted, the snake running after him. He fell, and when he got up blood was dripping from his nose. He heard that they were saying (Amos, 3:2), “Only you have I known among all the families of the earth, and therefore I will be exacting with you for your sins.” Rabbi Yossi said, “If I was punished in this way for because of one moment, imagine the punishment for those who give up completely!” Rabbi Yossi opened and with the verses, “For God has blessed you in all the work of your hands, He knows how you went into the great wilderness these forty years, God has been with you all the while, you have lacked nothing. (Devarim, 2:7)” “He leads you into the terrible wilderness, a place of venomous snakes and scorpions…” He explained, “Why does the verse say, ‘venomous snakes’? This was to exact punishment from Israel for any time that they separate from the Tree of Life, as it is written (Devarim, 30:20), ‘For (the Torah) is your very life and the length of your days.’ “