Siman 123

(20.) Before he traveled to Berdichev, he gathered a quorum of ten men and made his case before them against the evil one [the Adversary]. And I do not know this matter well enough to recount it properly. And he said that from that time onward, whatever he wishes to do — the evil one allows himself length and breadth to disrupt it. And because of this it is very difficult to accomplish what he commands — but even so, Hashem Yisburach helps him. And whoever merited to draw close to him saw something of this matter. And Rabbainu o.b.m. had no rest all his days — not even for one moment. For he was always fighting G-d's battle at every time and every moment. הַשְׁמָטָה — FULFILLED ✓ · הַזָּקָן (קכב) · חִדּוּשׁ כָּזֶה (קמ) · תַּנָּאִים וַאֲמוֹרָאִים (קמא) And know that we have in our possession the handwriting of Rabbainu z"l which he himself wrote — this is his language: "Know, my brethren and companions — I will reveal to you a secret, and you shall conceal this secret to remain hidden among you, so as not to multiply controversy in Israel. Know that the Zeide from the city of Shpole — who is Yuda Leib ben Baruch the famous one — know that I am in holiness, and he is against me in impurity. And I am the true elder of holiness — 'elder' [ zokein ] meaning one who has acquired wisdom, matters of the Ancient of Days [ Atik Yomin ]. And he is the elder of impurity — and therefore he is called 'Zeide' [grandfather], for he is the elder of the Sitra Achra — that is, the father of all fathers of impurity. And for this reason he engaged all his days in charity — in order to nullify the power of charity of Israel, the holy people, who give in order to subdue the power of the father of all fathers of impurity, which is the impurity of death, in the aspect of 'Charity saves from death.' And he strove in charity in order to overpower, with his strength G-d forbid, the charities of Israel, the holy people." End of his words. Regarding the aforementioned elder — it is alluded to in the Torah "Know that there is an Arikh Anpin in the Klipa " [Likutay Moharan, Torah 242], and in the Torah "And the ravens I commanded" [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 4], regarding "And I grasped him by his beard." And he said then explicitly after saying the Torah [in Yiddish: "Ich hob im on genumen far dem Zeide" ]: "I grasped him by his beard." And in the Torah "And charity shall be ours" [Likutay Moharan vol. 1, Torah 251], and in other discourses as well. Also see the Tale of the Fly and the Spider in the Legendary Tales. (Said the transcriber:) I heard that once Rabbainu z"l and the aforementioned elder met together — for the world wanted to make peace between them. And the elder said: "Is it possible that an old man like me, who has no teeth, should want controversy?!" And he took Rabbainu's z"l finger and put it into his mouth and showed him that he had no teeth. "Only — I will ask of you several things which you have said: Is it true what you said — that there is a city of Zlatipoleye in the heavens?" Rabbainu z"l said to him: "Is this not the explicit statement of our Rabbis z"l — 'great cities and fortified ones in the heavens' — just as there are cities below, so there are cities above." And afterwards he asked Rabbainu z"l: "Is it true what you said — that in Zlatipoleye you are rectifying the sin of Jeroboam ben Nevat?" He replied: "True." And he told him the matter explained in [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 64] — which speaks there of the rectification of the sin of idolatry, to atone for "These are your gods, O Israel" through "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel" etc. — and this is understood there by allusion. Afterwards he asked him further: "Is it true what you said — that you were in the palace of Mashiach?" Rabbainu z"l replied to him: "And what of it — were you not there yourselves and did not find me?! Only because you are asking me: if you will come with me to my home to drink a cup of tea or coffee together, and you will inform the world that you retract your words which you have said and that you repent of the controversy — I will explain to you the reason and the matter of it." The aforementioned elder replied to him: "I will go first to my home and afterwards I will come to you." And when the elder went away from Rabbainu z"l, Rabbainu z"l heard how he said: "What face will I have before the wealthy patrons if I go to him and make peace with him?" etc. And Rabbainu z"l said: "If from the beginning he had gone to my home as I told him, it would perhaps have been possible for me to have peace with him — but now there will be no peace between me and him and he will persist in the controversy. Only even so, I have no fear of him whatsoever — for has he not already shown me that he has no teeth." (Said the transcriber: See the Tale of the Fly and the Spider, which pertains to our matter as mentioned above — it is explained there that the enemies of the mountain, before they wanted to ascend the mountain, their teeth would fall out and they were unable to ascend.) He said: "I have such an enemy who cools his anger and wrath at me in no other way — except when he sees my blood" [in Yiddish: "Ich hob azoi a soyne vos er kilt zich andersh nit in mir, saydn er zet main blut" ]! And he did not reveal who this enemy is. And this he said on the last Rosh Hashana, after he said the Torah "Blow — Rebuke" [Likutay Tinyana, Torah 8] — when much blood came out of him, as is explained in the book Chayay Moharan and Yimay Moharnat . When the aforementioned elder began to oppose him he said: "I knew the evil inclination — the S"M <and his forces> — would rise up against me. But I am astonished that they handed this over to his hand." And he said a witticism — for our Rabbis of blessed memory said: "Better for a person to throw himself into a lion's den than to be handed over into the hand of his enemies." But what does one do when the enemy himself is a lion? <And afterwards he said that this is the explanation of "And I shall see my enemies" [ v'ani er'eh v'son'ai ]. For at first glance it is puzzling — did not King David, upon him be peace, know that Saul was his enemy? And how could he want to see his punishment? For did not Hashem Yisburach say to him [Mo'ed Katan 16b]: "Were you Saul and he David, I would have destroyed many Davids before him etc."? But this is what David said: "Master of the World — give me eyes so that I can see my enemy — how he stands now, at what level he stands now — and through this I will know clearly my own level." And he then said as a witticism:> But "Many are the thoughts in a man's heart, but the counsel of G-d — it shall stand." And he said that in the Future to Come there will be a beautiful laughter of him [in Yiddish: "oif yener velt vet zain a shein shpilkhen mit ihm" ]. Afterwards Rabbainu z"l said several Torahs regarding the matter of the controversy of the aforementioned elder — see there and you will understand. Blessed is G-d who has separated us from those who stray, and to be in the holy portion of Rabbainu z"l. (וְעַיֵּן הוֹסָפוֹת סִי' צ)