ADVICE Everybody has ideas about the way to live. But as far as the great mass of people are concerned, their ideas are all as bad as each other — they’re all worthless. Don’t pay any attention to their advice. And all the more so, be sure to ignore any guidance offered by wicked people. They are the enemies of truth and the source of everything corrupt and destructive. All they have to offer is the advice of the primordial serpent, which is the antithesis of the Holy Covenant. Anyone who follows it will be covered in filth. He will become alienated from truth, faith and prayer, and he will be unable to come to the Land of Israel. Have nothing to do with their ideas. Bind yourself to the true Tzaddikim and those who follow their ways. Their guidance is the “seed of truth.” Through it you will be able to observe the Covenant in purity. You will attain goodness, truth, faith and prayer and be worthy of coming to the Land of Israel (7:3).
עֵצָה
א. צָרִיךְ לְהִתְרַחֵק מְאֹד מֵעֵצוֹת שֶׁל הַהֲמוֹן עַם שֶׁרֻבָּם כְּכֻלָּם הֵם עֵצוֹת רָעוֹת וּמְקֻלְקָלוֹת מְאֹד. מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן עֲצַת רְשָׁעִים וְחוֹלְקִים וּמִתְנַגְּדִים אֶל הָאֱמֶת, שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהִתְרַחֵק מֵהֶם בְּיוֹתֵר וְיוֹתֵר, כִּי מֵהֶם בָּאִים כָּל הַקִּלְקוּלִים וְהַפְּגָמִים, כִּי עֲצָתָם הוּא בְּחִינַת עֲצַת הַנָּחָשׁ הַקַּדְמוֹנִי. וּכְשֶׁמְּקַבֵּל עֲצָתָם חַ"ו, הֵם מַטִּילִין בּוֹ זֻהֲמָא, וְהֵם בְּחִינַת פְּגַם הַבְּרִית. וּמַרְחִיקִין מֵהָאֱמֶת וְהָאֱמוּנָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וּמִתְּפִלָּה וּמִלָּבוֹא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ לְהִתְרַחֵק מְאֹד מְאֹד מִלֵּילֵךְ אַחַר עֲצָתָם חַ"ו, רַק לְדַבֵּק אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת וְאַנְשֵׁיהֶם הַהוֹלְכִים בְּדַרְכֵיהֶם, שֶׁכָּל עֲצָתָם הֵם בְּחִינַת כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת, בְּחִינַת תִּקּוּן הַבְּרִית. וְעַל־יְדֵי עֲצָתָם זוֹכֶה לְכָל טוּב, לֶאֱמֶת וֶאֱמוּנָה וּתְפִלָּה וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלַעֲשׂוֹת נִסִּים בָּעוֹלָם: (לק"א סי' ז אות ג')
ADVICE
Everybody has ideas about the way to live. But as far as the great mass of people are concerned, their ideas are all as bad as each other — they’re all worthless. Don’t pay any attention to their advice. And all the more so, be sure to ignore any guidance offered by wicked people. They are the enemies of truth and the source of everything corrupt and destructive. All they have to offer is the advice of the primordial serpent, which is the antithesis of the Holy Covenant. Anyone who follows it will be covered in filth. He will become alienated from truth, faith and prayer, and he will be unable to come to the Land of Israel. Have nothing to do with their ideas. Bind yourself to the true Tzaddikim and those who follow their ways. Their guidance is the “seed of truth.” Through it you will be able to observe the Covenant in purity. You will attain goodness, truth, faith and prayer and be worthy of coming to the Land of Israel (7:3).