Siman 593

(150.) He walked here and there in the special room he had here in Breslov — and spoke with me about the ways of the service of G-d. That there are sometimes — for the most part — great sufferings in His service. And afterwards they let one rest a little — and one has some repose as is known to one who has entered somewhat into the service of G-d. He answered and said: "One may not give in to Hashem Yisburach." And he said in Yiddish: "me tor dem Eibershtn nit noch gebn" — meaning: in times when they let one rest a little, one should not... ...meaning: in times when they let one rest a little, one should not say that Hashem Yisburach has already filled his request and one need not entreat Him further — for in truth Hashem Yisburach has not yet given the salvation in completeness. And one must still look toward the salvation, and entreat before Him much — like a son who entreats before his father — and to increase the yearnings and pleadings etc., that Hashem Yisburach help him more and more etc. Afterwards he said: "But for you — there is no need to say this, for you must be in joy always." Meaning: that if we sense at all times — even when Hashem Yisburach grants us a little — to always reckon the lack of the salvation that we still necessarily need, then, G-d forbid, the melancholy and the very great sadness would grow. For this trait of sadness damages our service of Him, may He be blessed, more than everything. And every person must strengthen himself to be in joy always, however it is. Therefore, even at a time of pain and distance from His service, one must strengthen oneself to be only joyful always — and to gladden oneself in whatever is possible, with what one finds in oneself some good point still, and in that one merited that He did not make him a gentile and the like — and to transform all the gloom and sighing and pain and sufferings into joy. To say: even though I am as I am, even so I merited to be of the seed of Israel, and to fulfill several commandments each day — ritual fringes, phylacteries, the recitation of the Shema, charity, and the like. And even though the commandments one does are as they are, even so, in any event, there are in them very good points, from which great delights are made above — even through the commandments done by the transgressors of Israel. For as long as the name of Israel is called upon him, Hashem Yisburach glories in him greatly — in the aspect of [Isaiah 49]: "Israel, in whom I will be glorified." And as is explained in our words in this matter — chains upon chains of laws — how many and how many ways of counsel to gladden oneself always, however it may be. Fortunate is one who grasps them. And very much one must gladden oneself with words of folly — to do matters of laughter and words of mirth — in order to gladden oneself in whatever way is possible. And very often it is impossible to gladden oneself except through this. For the melancholy and sadness overcome a person more than everything — and it is hard to break them more than all the traits — and they damage a person very much, more than everything. And the entire essence of every person's distance from Hashem Yisburach is only because of sadness and melancholy. Therefore one must see to gladden oneself with all one's strength in whatever is possible — even when it is hard for a person and he is very pressed, in physicality and in spirituality — whether in the livelihood of the soul, whether in the livelihood of the body. Even so one must see to trust in Hashem always — that in the ultimate end Hashem will not abandon him forever, Heaven forbid — and to gladden oneself in whatever is possible. How much more so when Hashem Yisburach expands for him at the time of his trouble and his pressure has eased somewhat, and he has some repose in the world — certainly one must be in joy always, and increase the joy exceedingly. And understand these words, for the words of Rabbainu z"l are very deep — and the essence of the depth is to understand the words so as to establish them in complete simplicity. And even though afterwards it appeared as though Rabbainu z"l were himself contradicting the words he had said before — that one need not give in to Hashem Yisburach — because we must be in joy always — even so, the words are very necessary beforehand and beforehand for people of our age. For I understood his intention somewhat: that he wants that we not fall, G-d forbid, into sadness through this — because we always reckon, even at the time of expansion, the lack of the salvation still lacking. For in truth one must be in joy always, even in the very height of the pressures in the service of Hashem and in the great distance. And also if one has, besides this, other sufferings from livelihood and hindrances etc. — even so one must gladden oneself with what one can, as mentioned. How much more so when Hashem Yisburach in His mercies allows him and expands for him a little. But even so, it should not enter his mind that he has already reached what he needs, and that nothing is lacking to him in the service of Him, may He be blessed — as though Hashem Yisburach has already given him his entire request. For in truth there remain with Hashem Yisburach abundant salvations — and one need not give in to Him, may He be blessed, etc. — only, even so, one should be in joy always. For however it is, we must be in joy always. "And one who goes in simplicity" will be able to understand these words in simplicity.