The Great Importance of Searching for the Tzaddik

Published in the "Emek HaNachal" journal in the year 5728 (1968)

The Great Importance of Searching for the Tzaddik

Reb Nosson zy"a (Likutey Halachos, Shluchin 5) speaks extensively about the matter of searching for the Tzaddik. He explains that it is an obligation upon every person to go on his hands and feet from one end of the world to the other to search for the Tzaddik. Then, through a single word of the Tzaddik, we can find the entire tikkun (rectification) of our soul, from the beginning of creation until the end of all generations. As Rebbe Nachman writes in Sefer HaMiddot (Letter Tzaddik, Section 91), "Through a light word of the Tzaddik, a great light is opened." And in Sichos HaRan (174), it states, "When a person is worthy and his mind is opened, he can attain in fifteen minutes the perceptions of seventy years." Furthermore, Rebbe Nachman relates in Chayei Moharan (298) regarding the merit of Avshalom: because King David mentioned him eight times, he immediately exited all seven chambers of Geinnom (Hell) and entered directly into Olam HaBa (the World to Come).

When a person sees these words, he should immediately cast aside all his business dealings, actions, and paths—whether material or spiritual—and go out immediately to search for the Tzaddik with all his heart, soul, and might. For if Avshalom, who was the wicked of the wicked—about whom the Tosafot in tractate Yoma (38b) opines regarding the verse "the name of the wicked shall rot," that it is forbidden even to name a child after him—nevertheless received his complete rectification through the Tzaddik, what shall we say? We, who are the smallest of the small, about whom Rebbe Nachman writes in Chayei Moharan (God's Knowledge), "Do all your days suffice to repent for even one sin?" Therefore, our rectification will certainly not come through our Torah learning nor through our prayers, but only by meriting to find the Tzaddik with true mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice). And what self-sacrifice does Rebbe Nachman require of us? Does he demand that we ascend to the heavens to see him, or travel across the sea and literally hand ourselves over to death? He demands nothing from us but true temimus (simplicity and earnestness). It is with this verse that Likutey Moharan opens: "Ashrei temimei derech—Happy are those of the upright way, who walk in the Torah of Hashem." The entire Torah is completely temimus. A person must reach his greatest rectification and the highest possible level through the advice of the holy Rebbe, as Rebbe Nachman writes (Sichos HaRan 163 and Chayei Moharan 330): "I will make you tzaddikim (righteous) and God-fearing."

There is a talk from Reb Nosson (Siach Sarfei Kodesh 1:613) where he said before his passing that he feared he had not fulfilled the obligation of the Rebbe's temimus. The main obligation of the Rebbe's temimus is the testament he left us: that we should hold ourselves together in very great love. Regarding this, Rebbe Nachman writes in Torah 27: "Through the peace that exists between people, as they investigate and explain the truth to one another, through this, each man casts away the idols of his money and draws himself close to the Truth."

This was the primary level of the "Tam" (the Simple One from Rebbe Nachman's story The Sophisticate and the Simpleton) who said: "What is that to me? That is his work, and this is my work. Furthermore, why should we speak of others? Let us start calculating how much I earn with this shoe from start to finish. The leather costs this much, the tar and threads, etc., cost that much, and the other things like the laftis (the filler between the leather layers) cost that much. Now, I earn a net profit of ten gedolim (coins). And what do I care about such a profit from hand to hand?" He was simply full of joy and happiness always. To the world, he was a mockery; they achieved their desire through him, finding someone to mock as they pleased, for he seemed like a madman.

It emerges that the main mockery and "madness" attributed to a person occurs when he casts away the idols of his money and the idols of his gold, and not only that, but he remains happy and full of joy and gladness always. This is the essence of the "madness," to the point that people ask, "Of what use is this joy?"

To reach such truth is impossible except through peace and great love among the students of the Tzaddik. As Rebbe Nachman says (in Torah 13), according to the number of souls that come together to the Tzaddik, "If there are more, we make the breath lighter." Consequently, the "breath" of heresy becomes lighter, as does the "breath" of the lust for money—about which Rebbe Nachman says (ibid.) that all idolatries are rooted in money. This also applies to heresy, for regarding the lust for money it is said, "My strength and the might of my hand made me this wealth."

However, the Rebbe's advice—including his counsel of love, brotherhood, peace, and friendship—is also far from us. We need to fulfill what Rebbe Nachman said at the end of Torah 49: "Ihr darft zich zeyer yagen ihr zolt noch eppes chapen" (You need to hurry very much, so that you may still grab and achieve something else). Reb Nosson explains in Likutey Halachos (Tefilat HaMincha 7:79) the intention of Rebbe Nachman's words regarding the verse, "He rejoices like a strong man to run the course." It was on this that he said his words, "You need to hurry very much..."—referring to the connection, with a brave and strong bond, to the true Tzaddik. Then the verse "He rejoices like a strong man to run the course" is fulfilled, for the Tzaddik is the "Strong Man" (Gibor). He runs the entire path for us—the path where we were rebuked and stuck before him—and he rectifies all the necessary tikkunim for us. By meriting to find the Tzaddik through love and peace between one person and his friend—whereby through explaining the truth to one another, the light of Truth is revealed (which is the main object of the search)—we will then merit for the light of Truth to be literally revealed. This is achieved by meriting to be worthy students, about whom Rebbe Nachman applies the verse (in Torah 7, Part 2), "Who have no changes" (chalifos), meaning it is considered as if the Tzaddik literally exists in the world.