חסידות אויף זכריה 3:7

It is necessary to disturb sleep from one's eyes and slumber from one's eyelids, to wander, to request and to increase in prayer and supplications in order to merit to find the true tzaddik, who can heal him and who can bring him to the perception of G-dliness, in order to save his soul from the pit. As King Solomon, peace be upon him, cried out about this in the Book of Proverbs, as it is written (Proverbs 6:4-5) "Give your eyes no sleep, Your pupils no slumber". "Save yourself like a deer out of the hand [of a hunter], Like a bird out of the hand of a fowler". This is (achieved) by searching for the true tzaddik leader until you find him, who will bring you close to Hashem Yisbarach, as it is written there in the verse before this "Do this, then, my son, to extricate yourself, For you have come into the power of your fellow: Go grovel—and badger your fellow" (Proverbs 6:3). Rashi explains, bring many friends who will pray for you before Him; in other words, true tzaddikim who are called brothers and friends of Hashem Yisbarach who must subjugate themselves like a threshold that is crushed underfoot and trampled to request with all of the essence of their strength until we merit to find them. (And see the explanation of Rashi there on the phrase 'go grovel', see there). [Translator's note: Rashi says there 'Humble yourself before Him like a threshold, which is trodden (נרפסת) and stepped on.] And this is what is written there nearby, "A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber, A bit more hugging yourself in bed, And poverty will come calling upon you, And want, like a man with a shield" (Proverbs 6:10-11). We must limit our sleep and slumber in order to request from the true tzaddik - who is called 'like a man with a shield' because tzaddikim are called wanderers for they wander from level to level at all times, as it is written (Zechariah 3:7) "and I will permit you to move about among these attendants". A tzaddik is also called 'a man with a shield', because "He is a shield to all who seek refuge in Him". (Psalms 18:31). And this is 'A bit more sleep, a bit more slumber' etc. until one merits 'poverty will come calling upon you'. The explanation of Rashi, If you do this [keep sleeping], your loss and the thing from which you are impoverished shall come to you immediately, etc. [Rashi continues there, 'like a man walking fast, and your want will come and fill up like an armed man who comes quickly to protect his master. These verses are mainly an allegory concerning those who are [too] lazy to engage in the Torah'.] For all of the shortcomings are filled through the tzaddik, because he draws down all the bounty completely and the vitality/lifeforce by bringing those who are attached to him to the knowledge of G-dliness. Through this all shortcomings are filled, as it is written (Nedarim 41) "you have bought wisdom, what are you lacking?". Therefore, one must break sleep and arise at mid night to mourn, to lament, to cry and to shout greatly on the destruction of the Holt Temple, and to attack the bitterness of exile with the body and soul. All the more so, and more so to cry and shout very very much on the disappearance of the tzaddikim, which makes the destruction of the Holy Temple doubly difficult, as our Sages of Blessed Memory said. On all of the troubles, G-d save us, we suffer because of them, as it is written (Isaiah 57:1) "The righteous man perishes, And no one considers; Pious men are taken away, And no one gives thought That because of evil The righteous was taken away". Therefore, all those that take pity on their souls must shout greatly that they merit, even now, to find a Rebbe and a true leader that can bring them into the knowledge of His G-dliness, may He be blessed. Through this, all the shortcomings will be filled and all the troubles will be nullified and everything will be rectified.

So it is, with all of the levels until the highest of all heights.⁴⁶⁰That no matter what level a soul is on, it can only attain a higher level by means of constriction (tzimtzum). Though the angels are great and lofty, ever gazing into the light of the face of the King, still they are called, “standing,” as it is written (Zekharia, 3:7), “Then I will give you a place to walk among these (angels) that stand.” Angels are called, “standing,” because they always stand on one level. And the people of Israel are called, “walking,” because they always proceed from level to level. Therefore the creation was content in receiving the light through a filter, despite the inevitability that this will lead to suffering.

The words Alufeinu mesubalim (Psalms 144:14), can be interpreted so: when you know that the Master (Aluf) of the Universe is in every action, then you are able to bear (lisbol) everything, and nothing is able to breach this. Moreover, as I heard from my Teacher, that when you comprehend that the presence of the Holy One fills the entire world, and that every action and thought is divine - even if it seems that some words of our prayers say otherwise - even so, "all evildoers shall be scattered." (Psalms 92:10) I also heard this: you need to possess the qualities of submission, distinction and sweetening, which reflect the ancient shattering, by which divine sparks fell within the klippot, the harshness of the world. You need to be able to separate improper thoughts from within the Shechina, the divine presence. Truly, the words of the wise are beautiful! The wise will discern here that there are two aspects, one general and one particular. I have written more about this elsewhere, commenting on the Talmudic passage (Ketubot 16b): "How does one dance before the bride? Beit Shammai say that one praises her as she truly is, while Beit Hillel say that one always calls her a beautiful and modest bride." Beit Shammai hold that during this era of exile, it is enough to treat her [the Shechina] in general as she truly is; Beit Hillel hold a particular method, that she needs to be adorned until she is beautiful and modest, etc. Truly, the words of the wise are beautiful! So too, if you are able to purify your thoughts, how good and wonderful it is to be particular and to use these qualities of submission, distinction and sweetening, since these are very profound. And if not, you should accept that in general, everything is from the Blessed God, and you will be able to stand firm; the klippot will be unable to harm you at any level, since you cleave to God firmly. This is God's promise (Zachariah 3:7) "I will permit you to move about among these standing attendants" - these are the angels, and the external forces will be unable to move you from your firm position.