The Sure Path to Victory

While "the storm rages around" us and our eyes are bewildered by the dramatic changes unfolding before us, the entire world is in a state of upheaval. Kingdoms are clashing with one another, and others are falling like a house of cards. From within, groups have arisen against the holy camp—groups that until now waited in silence and did not dare to show such insolence. The House of Israel asks: what shall we do against the many dangers from within and without, and how will an innocent sheep survive against seventy wolves who thirst only for its blood? Many are flocking toward paths that are not ours, forgetting that the root solution is right under our noses.

"Know that to see the downfall of the wicked is only possible through the aspect of Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel)" (Likutey Moharan 55:1). Rebbe Nachman reveals to us that the only way to see the fundamental and final downfall of the enemies of Israel is not through political efforts or unnecessary bowing to the nations of the world; these will only delay us from reaching the true solution. But, a moment before we discover together how Rebbe Nachman will lead us on the sure path to Eretz Yisrael, we should contemplate a wondrous teaching that emerges from the Rebbe's words just a few lines later in the Torah lesson.

Rebbe Nachman reveals to us that now, in this bitter Galus (exile) in which we find ourselves, and when the Jewish people are under the hand of the Sitra Achra (the "Other Side" or forces of evil), the wicked have power through their Ayin Hara (evil eye) to rise against the Tzaddikim (righteous ones), and the power of holiness is unable to reveal itself. And how are we saved from the hand of the wicked?

"And a person is saved from this evil eye by the limud zechut (finding merit) that he finds for the wicked person."

(Ibid. 3).

What? Is this correct? Is it not enough that the wicked person seeks to kill the Tzaddik, that the one who gave his entire being for holiness must now come and humble himself before the wicked? Where is the justice?

Yes, yes—and not only that, but following the Tzaddik's finding of merit for the wicked, "Hashem, in His glory and essence, comes and finds merit for the wicked in order to save the Tzaddik from the evil eye of the wicked, etc., and furthermore, he wins the judgment, as it is said, 'Your judgments are on high, far away from him'" (Ibid.).

And just to slightly strengthen the wonder, let us briefly summarize the things Rebbe Nachman reveals to us regarding Hashem's conduct in the world. There is a wicked, evil person whose entire activity in the world is solely to pursue Tzaddikim and to defy the Creator of the world. On the other side stands the "worm of Jacob," pure and innocent, who only wants to eternalize the name of the Creator. And who has the power? The evil kelipah (evil shell)! Exactly so. Where is the justice? Why should the Tzaddik have to go into bitter exile while the wicked sit openly in the center of the city?

Where is the truth? That the Tzaddik Emes (true righteous leader) who sacrificed his name, his family, his body, and his money for the sake of saving the souls of Israel—and in contrast, the wicked dare to distort reality with infuriating insolence?

But in truth, specifically in this way, the glory of the Creator of the world is revealed, and specifically then it is revealed how great the righteousness of the Rav (Rabbi Berland) truly is. For Hashem "thinks thoughts so that no one is cast away," and just as every parent wants the success of all their children and waits even for those who have strayed more than a little, how much more so does Hashem, the loving Father, wait for His children to return to Him. But what can be done? The world was created with Middas HaDin (the Attribute of Justice); therefore, everyone must wake up and earn their "bread of shame." But because of the compassion of the Creator, He joined the Attribute of Justice with Rachamim (Mercy) and sent into the world in every generation a true Tzaddik who would be willing to sacrifice his entire being for his people, Israel.

So, when the Tzaddik is persecuted, and instead of taking the seemingly expected action and paying back his pursuers twofold, he instead accepts the judgment with love, finds merit, and finds a nekudah tovah (good point) in them. Then, within the framework of the rules He established to govern the world, Hashem can extract even the most distant ones from destruction and bring the bitter exile to its long-awaited end.