When a person is close to the tzaddik, even if he does not receive anything at all from him, it is also very good. Faith alone—his believing in the tzaddik—is very beneficial for serving God.
For it is the nature of eating that the nourishment is transformed into the nourished. For example, if an animal consumes vegetation, such as grass, the grass, when it enters its stomach, is transformed into animal. The same applies from animal to man. If a man consumes an animal, the animal is transformed into man.
Moreover, wherever the food that is divided among the limbs enters, it is literally transformed into the substance of that limb. For example, the part of the food that enters the brain is transformed into brain, and that which enters the heart is transformed into heart. The same is true of the other limbs.
This is the meaning of: A land that consumes its inhabitants—“Land” corresponds to faith, as it is written (Psalms 37:3), “Dwell in the land and cultivate faith.”
This is: consumes its inhabitants—For when one enters the land, which is the concept of faith, he is consumed by it—i.e., he is transformed into its substance. In other words, when he is attached to and believes in the tzaddik—who is the concept of “land”—he is consumed by the tzaddik and is literally transformed into the tzaddik’s substance.
The Land of Israel itself likewise has this power. Our Sages therefore teach (Ketuvot 111a): Whoever dwells in the Land of Israel resides without iniquity, as in (Isaiah 33:24), “The nation that dwells therein will be forgiven its iniquity.” This is because it is “a land that consumes its inhabitants.” One who dwells there is consumed by it and is transformed into its holy substance. Therefore, someone who walks even only four cubits in the Land of Israel is guaranteed the World to Come, as our Sages taught (Ketuvot, ibid.).
This is also the point explained elsewhere (Likutey Moharan I, 101) concerning the verse, “When evildoers come close to consume my flesh” (Psalms 27:2). The general point there being that when I want to bring close the “two beloveds who do not separate” (Zohar III, 4a), I have to “consume my flesh”—i.e., subdue the corporeality. This is the meaning of, “to consume my flesh”—specifically “to consume,” for the soul must consume the flesh so that it is transformed into its substance.
This is also, “eat, beloved ones” (Song of Songs 5:1)—i.e., the “two beloveds who do not separate.” They are the holy mentalities. For the mind and the holy daat (knowledge) must consume the body, so that the body is transformed into the substance of the holy soul, which is the mind and the daat {as explained elsewhere}. This is the concept of eating: the nourishment is transformed into the nourished, as above.
This is the meaning of, “Dwell in the land and cultivate faith.” That is, you should cultivate and nourish the faith—i.e., be consumed by the faith—the aspect of nourishment that is transformed into the nourished.
However, even so, the main factor is will. If one’s will to draw closer to God and serve Him is very strong, but it is hard for him to break the desires of his body, then, through his closeness to and having faith in the tzaddikim, he is [in] an aspect of eating. He is consumed by the tzaddik—i.e., transformed into his substance.
But if it is not at all one’s will to serve God, no closeness to tzaddikim will be of any help to him. This is the aspect of nourishment which is not transformed into the nourished. For example, if he eats food which by nature he cannot tolerate, then it is neither digested nor transformed into the nourished. Rather, the body vomits it out.
He is exactly like this. He is not at all consumed by the tzaddik, even though he is close to him. This is because the tzaddik cannot tolerate him, and he vomits him out. This corresponds to that which is written about the Land of Israel (Leviticus 18:28), “as it vomited out the nation.” In other words, it cannot tolerate consuming him so that he would be transformed into its substance. Rather, it vomits him out. May God save us.
אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ (במדבר י״ג:ל״ב):
“Eretz Okhelet Yoshveha (A land that consumes its inhabitants).” (Numbers 13:32)
כְּשֶׁמְּקֹרָב לְהַצַּדִּיק, אַף שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל מִמֶּנּוּ כְּלָל, הוּא גַּם כֵּן טוֹב מְאֹד, וְהָאֱמוּנָה לְבַדָּהּ שֶׁמַּאֲמִין בְּהַצַּדִּיק, מוֹעִיל לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
When a person is close to the tzaddik, even if he does not receive anything at all from him, it is also very good. Faith alone—his believing in the tzaddik—is very beneficial for serving God.
כִּי טֶבַע הָאֲכִילָה – שֶׁהַמָּזוֹן נִתְהַפֵּךְ לַנִּזּוֹן, כְּגוֹן כְּשֶׁהַחַי אוֹכֶלֶת צוֹמֵחַ, כְּגוֹן עֲשָׂבִים, נִתְהַפְּכִין הָעֲשָׂבִים לְחַי, כְּשֶׁנִּכְנָסִין בְּתוֹךְ מֵעֶיהָ. וְכֵן מֵחַי לִמְדַבֵּר, כְּשֶׁהַמְדַבֵּר אוֹכֵל הַחַי, נִתְהַפֵּךְ הַחַי לַמְּדַבֵּר.
For it is the nature of eating that the nourishment is transformed into the nourished. For example, if an animal consumes vegetation, such as grass, the grass, when it enters its stomach, is transformed into animal. The same applies from animal to man. If a man consumes an animal, the animal is transformed into man.
וּלְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנִּכְנָס לְשָׁם הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁנִּתְחַלֵּק לְהָאֵיבָרִים, נִתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּת הָאֵיבָר מַמָּשׁ שֶׁנִּכְנָס לְשָׁם. כְּגוֹן הַחֵלֶּק מֵהַמָּזוֹן הַנִּכְנָס לְהַמֹּחַ נִתְהַפֵּךְ לְמֹחַ, וְהַנִּכְנָס לַלֵּב נִתְהַפֵּךְ לְלֵב, וְכֵן לִשְׁאָר הָאֵיבָרִים.
Moreover, wherever the food that is divided among the limbs enters, it is literally transformed into the substance of that limb. For example, the part of the food that enters the brain is transformed into brain, and that which enters the heart is transformed into heart. The same is true of the other limbs.
וְזֶהוּ: אֶרֶץ אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ – כִּי אֶרֶץ הוּא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים לז): שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה.
This is the meaning of: A land that consumes its inhabitants—“Land” corresponds to faith, as it is written (Psalms 37:3), “Dwell in the land and cultivate faith.”
וְזֶהוּ: אֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ – כִּי כְּשֶׁנִּכְנָס לָאָרֶץ, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת אֱמוּנָה, נֶאֱכָל אֶצְלָהּ, הַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּתָהּ. הַיְנוּ כְּשֶׁדָּבוּק לְהַצַּדִּיק וּמַאֲמִין בּוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת אֶרֶץ, נֶאֱכָל לְהַצַּדִּיק וְנִתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּת הַצַּדִּיק מַמָּשׁ:
This is: consumes its inhabitants—For when one enters the land, which is the concept of faith, he is consumed by it—i.e., he is transformed into its substance. In other words, when he is attached to and believes in the tzaddik—who is the concept of “land”—he is consumed by the tzaddik and is literally transformed into the tzaddik’s substance.
וְכֵן אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעַצְמָהּ, יֵשׁ לָהּ גַּם־כֵּן הַכֹּחַ הַזֶּה. וְעַל־כֵּן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (כתובות קיא): כָּל הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁרוּי בְּלֹא עָווֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הָעָם הַיּוֹשֵׁב בָּהּ נְשׂוּא עָוֹן; כִּי הִיא אֶרֶץ אוֹכֶלֶת יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, שֶׁהַיּוֹשֵׁב שָׁם נֶאֱכָל אֶצְלָהּ, וְנִתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּתָהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ. וְעַל כֵּן אֲפִלּוּ הַמְהַלֵּךְ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֻבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן עוֹלָם הַבָּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה שָׁם:
The Land of Israel itself likewise has this power. Our Sages therefore teach (Ketuvot 111a): Whoever dwells in the Land of Israel resides without iniquity, as in (Isaiah 33:24), “The nation that dwells therein will be forgiven its iniquity.” This is because it is “a land that consumes its inhabitants.” One who dwells there is consumed by it and is transformed into its holy substance. Therefore, someone who walks even only four cubits in the Land of Israel is guaranteed the World to Come, as our Sages taught (Ketuvot, ibid.).
וְזֶהוּ גַּם כֵּן עִנְיָן הַמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (לעיל בסימן קא) עַל פָּסוּק: בִּקְרֹב עָלַי מְרֵעִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת בְּשָׂרִי – שֶׁכְּלַל הָעִנְיָן שָׁם, כְּשֶׁאֲנִי רוֹצֶה שֶׁיִּקְרְבוּ תְּרֵין רֵעִין דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשִׁין, אֲנִי צָרִיךְ לֶאֱכֹל אֶת בְּשָׂרִי, הַיְנוּ לְהַכְנִיעַ הַחֹמֶר. וְזֶהוּ: לֶאֱכֹל אֶת בְּשָׂרִי – לֶאֱכֹל דַּיְקָא. שֶׁצָּרִיךְ שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ תֹּאכַל הַבָּשָׂר, שֶׁתִּתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּתָהּ.
This is also the point explained elsewhere (Likutey Moharan I, 101) concerning the verse, “When evildoers come close to consume my flesh” (Psalms 27:2). The general point there being that when I want to bring close the “two beloveds who do not separate” (Zohar III, 4a), I have to “consume my flesh”—i.e., subdue the corporeality. This is the meaning of, “to consume my flesh”—specifically “to consume,” for the soul must consume the flesh so that it is transformed into its substance.
וְזֶהוּ (שיר השירים ה׳:א׳): אִכְלוּ רֵעִים, הַיְנוּ תְּרֵין רֵעִין דְּלָא מִתְפָּרְשִׁין, שֶׁהֵם הַמֹּחִין הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, שֶׁצְּרִיכִים שֶׁהַמֹּחַ וְהַדַּעַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ יֹאכַל אֶת הַגּוּף, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהַגּוּף יִתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּת הַנְּשָׁמָה הַקְּדוֹשָׁה, שֶׁהוּא הַמֹּחַ וְהַדַּעַת (כַּמְבֹאָר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר). שֶׁזֶּהוּ בְּחִינַת אֲכִילָה, שֶׁהַמָּזוֹן נִתְהַפֵּךְ לַנִּזּוֹן כַּנַּ"ל.
This is also, “eat, beloved ones” (Song of Songs 5:1)—i.e., the “two beloveds who do not separate.” They are the holy mentalities. For the mind and the holy daat (knowledge) must consume the body, so that the body is transformed into the substance of the holy soul, which is the mind and the daat {as explained elsewhere}. This is the concept of eating: the nourishment is transformed into the nourished, as above.
וְזֶהוּ: שְׁכָן אֶרֶץ וּרְעֵה אֱמוּנָה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה רוֹעֶה וּמֵזִין אֶת הָאֱמוּנָה, הַיְנוּ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה נֶאֱכָל לְהָאֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, בְּחִינַת הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁנִּתְהַפֵּךְ לַנִּזּוֹן:
This is the meaning of, “Dwell in the land and cultivate faith.” That is, you should cultivate and nourish the faith—i.e., be consumed by the faith—the aspect of nourishment that is transformed into the nourished.
אַךְ אַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הָעִקָּר תָּלוּי בְּרָצוֹן: אִם רְצוֹנוֹ חָזָק מְאֹד לְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְלַעֲבֹד אוֹתוֹ, רַק שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לוֹ לִשְׁבֹּר תַּאֲווֹת גּוּפוֹ, אָז עַל־יְדֵי הִתְקָרְבוּת וֶאֱמוּנַת הַצַּדִּיקִים, הוּא בְּחִינַת אֲכִילָה, וְנֶאֱכָל לְהַצַּדִּיק, הַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּתוֹ כַּנַּ"ל.
However, even so, the main factor is will. If one’s will to draw closer to God and serve Him is very strong, but it is hard for him to break the desires of his body, then, through his closeness to and having faith in the tzaddikim, he is [in] an aspect of eating. He is consumed by the tzaddik—i.e., transformed into his substance.
אַךְ אִם אֵין רְצוֹנוֹ כְּלָל לַעֲבֹד אֶת הַשֵּׁם, לֹא יוֹעִיל לוֹ שׁוּם הִתְקָרְבוּת לְצַדִּיקִים, וְהוּא בְּחִינַת מָזוֹן שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִתְהַפֵּךְ לַנִּזּוֹן. כְּגוֹן אִם אוֹכֵל אֲכִילָה שֶׁאֵין הַטֶּבַע סוֹבֶלֶת אוֹתוֹ, אֲזַי אֵינוֹ מִתְעַכֵּל וְאֵינוֹ מִתְהַפֵּךְ לַנִּזּוֹן, רַק הַגּוּף מֵקִיא אוֹתוֹ.
But if it is not at all one’s will to serve God, no closeness to tzaddikim will be of any help to him. This is the aspect of nourishment which is not transformed into the nourished. For example, if he eats food which by nature he cannot tolerate, then it is neither digested nor transformed into the nourished. Rather, the body vomits it out.
כֵּן הוּא בְּחִינָה זוֹ מַמָּשׁ, כִּי אֵינוֹ נֶאֱכָל כְּלָל לְהַצַּדִּיק, אַף שֶׁמְּקֹרָב אֶצְלוֹ. כִּי הַצַּדִּיק אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְסָבְלוֹ, וּמֵקִיא אוֹתוֹ. וְהוּא בְּחִינַת הַכָּתוּב בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (ויקרא י״ח:כ״ח): כַּאֲשֶׁר קָאָה אֶת הַגּוֹי; דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵינָהּ יְכוֹלָה לְסָבְלוֹ לִהְיוֹת נֶאֱכָל אֶצְלָהּ שֶׁיִּתְהַפֵּךְ לְמַהוּתָהּ, רַק הִיא מְקִיאָה אוֹתוֹ; ה' יַצִּילֵנוּ:
He is exactly like this. He is not at all consumed by the tzaddik, even though he is close to him. This is because the tzaddik cannot tolerate him, and he vomits him out. This corresponds to that which is written about the Land of Israel (Leviticus 18:28), “as it vomited out the nation.” In other words, it cannot tolerate consuming him so that he would be transformed into its substance. Rather, it vomits him out. May God save us.