Facing faith, the opening is open. But because of the blemish of the branches, God forbid, they are pushed away from there. That is, they are pushed away from faith and are unable to enter—i.e., to draw closer to their root, which is the aforementioned soul.
For, occasionally, a person is pushed away and cast down from faith. This resembles that which our Sages teach concerning the Holy Land, concerning the dead who are unworthy of being buried in the Holy Land: “They came and they desecrated My land, and My inheritance [they made despicable]” (Jeremiah 2:7).
Now, behold, the aforementioned sealing of the opening—i.e., the faith—because of the blemish of the branches, is only temporary. Afterwards, the opening is opened as before. That is, at the time that it becomes necessary to push out whoever does not deserve to draw closer, at that point the surrounding evil force—which has an opening facing faith—gains strength, draws closer, and spreads also over the aforementioned opening. At that point, it is impossible to enter. Yet, immediately afterwards, the opening returns and is opened as before.
But when, God forbid, there is a plethora of blemishes so that the surrounding action has enough power to spread out over the opening and prevent entry, then we fear and worry lest the opening be sealed totally by the strengthening of the surrounding evil force, God forbid. And so, we put at the opening a God-fearing person who himself stands guard so that no one enters.
And even so, he is a help against the surrounding evil force, as it is not possible for it to draw closer and spread over the opening because of the God-fearing person that stands there.
As a result of self-sacrifice—i.e., a person sacrifices himself in order to travel and come closer to the tzaddik—he is able to attach himself to him. Yet, it is impossible that [the tzaddik] will enlighten him with wisdom—i.e., the mind itself. May God hasten the redemption, for one and all.
2. Study the Zohar, Terumah. It is brought in Pardes, Shaar HaTemurot, Chapter 2: “In the Holy Land, everything is rectified….” Study well that which is written there: “A thin curtain is spread out over the opening.” Based on the aforementioned esoteric teaching, this is the aspect of the God-fearing person. He corresponds to the “thin curtain.” And, as is brought there in the Zohar: Entry is impossible; and it is also impossible for the evil force to spread out over the opening because of the thin curtain. Study there. This is precisely what is written above concerning the God-fearing person. Consider this well and you will understand wonders.
Study also the book Tuv HaAretz, which also speaks of the Land of Israel. Understand the matter well in order to compare one thing to another, for it is one with that which is mentioned above.
כְּשֶׁבָּא נְשָׁמָה קְדוֹשָׁה לָעוֹלָם עִם הָעֲנָפִים הַשַּׁיָּכִים לָהּ, אֲזַי הַקְּלִפָּה מְסַבֶּבֶת אוֹתָהּ. רַק נִשְׁאָר פֶּתַח נֶגֶד אֱמוּנָה,
When a holy soul comes to the world, together with its related branches, it is surrounded by the evil force. Only the opening facing faith remains.
שֶׁכְּנֶגֶד הָאֱמוּנָה הַפֶּתַח פָּתוּחַ. וּמֵחֲמַת פְּגַם הָעֲנָפִים, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מַשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתָם מִשָּׁם, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמַּשְׁלִיכִין אוֹתָם מִן הָאֱמוּנָה. וַאֲזַי אֵין יְכוֹלִין לִכְנֹס, דְּהַיְנוּ לְהִתְקָרֵב אֶל שָׁרְשָׁם, שֶׁהוּא הַנְּשָׁמָה הַנַּ"ל.
Facing faith, the opening is open. But because of the blemish of the branches, God forbid, they are pushed away from there. That is, they are pushed away from faith and are unable to enter—i.e., to draw closer to their root, which is the aforementioned soul.
כִּי לִפְעָמִים מַשְׁלִיכִין וּמַפִּילִין אֶחָד מִן הָאֱמוּנָה, כְּעֵין מַה שֶּׁמָּצִינוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זוהר אחרי דף עב) עַל אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַל הַמֵּתִים שֶׁאֵינָם רְאוּיִים לִקָּבֵר בְּאֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל: וַתָּבוֹאוּ וַתְּטַמְּאוּ אֶת אַרְצִי וְנַחֲלָתִי וְכוּ'.
For, occasionally, a person is pushed away and cast down from faith. This resembles that which our Sages teach concerning the Holy Land, concerning the dead who are unworthy of being buried in the Holy Land: “They came and they desecrated My land, and My inheritance [they made despicable]” (Jeremiah 2:7).
וְהִנֵּה סְתִימַת הַפֶּתַח הַנַּ"ל, דְּהַיְנוּ הָאֱמוּנָה, עַל־יְדֵי פְּגַם הָעֲנָפִים כַּנַּ"ל, הוּא רַק לְפִי שָׁעָה, וְאַחַר־כָּךְ נִפְתָּח הַפֶּתַח כְּבַתְּחִלָּה. הַיְנוּ שֶׁבְּעֵת שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לְהַשְׁלִיךְ לַחוּץ אֶת מִי שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי לְהִתְקָרֵב, אֲזַי הַקְּלִפָּה הַמְסַבֶּבֶת הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ פֶּתַח כְּנֶגֶד אֱמוּנָה כַּנַּ"ל, הִיא מִתְגַּבֶּרֶת וּמִתְקָרֶבֶת וּמִתְפַּשֶּׁטֶת גַּם עַל הַפֶּתַח הַנַּ"ל, וַאֲזַי אֵין יָכוֹל לִכְנֹס, וְתֵכֶף אַחַר־כָּךְ, חוֹזֵר הַפֶּתַח וְנִפְתָּח כְּבַתְּחִלָּה.
Now, behold, the aforementioned sealing of the opening—i.e., the faith—because of the blemish of the branches, is only temporary. Afterwards, the opening is opened as before. That is, at the time that it becomes necessary to push out whoever does not deserve to draw closer, at that point the surrounding evil force—which has an opening facing faith—gains strength, draws closer, and spreads also over the aforementioned opening. At that point, it is impossible to enter. Yet, immediately afterwards, the opening returns and is opened as before.
וּכְשֶׁיֵּשׁ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, רִבּוּי פְּגָמִים הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה יֵשׁ כֹּחַ לְהַסִּבּוּב הַנַּ"ל לְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַל הַפֶּתַח לִבְלִי לְהַנִּיחַ לִכְנֹס כַּנַּ"ל, אֲזַי מִתְיָרְאִין וְחוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁלֹּא יִסָּתֵם הַפֶּתַח לְגַמְרֵי, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, עַל־יְדֵי הִתְגַּבְּרוּת הַקְּלִפָּה הַמְסַבֶּבֶת, וַאֲזַי מַעֲמִידִין שָׁם בַּפֶּתַח הַנַּ"ל יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ עוֹמֵד לִשְׁמֹר שֶׁלֹּא יִכָּנְסוּ שָׁם.
But when, God forbid, there is a plethora of blemishes so that the surrounding action has enough power to spread out over the opening and prevent entry, then we fear and worry lest the opening be sealed totally by the strengthening of the surrounding evil force, God forbid. And so, we put at the opening a God-fearing person who himself stands guard so that no one enters.
וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הוּא תּוֹעֶלֶת נֶגֶד הַקְּלִפָּה הַמְסַבֶּבֶת הַנַּ"ל, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהּ לְהִתְקָרֵב וּלְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַל הַפֶּתַח, מֵחֲמַת הַיְרֵא שָׁמַיִם שֶׁעוֹמֵד שָׁם.
And even so, he is a help against the surrounding evil force, as it is not possible for it to draw closer and spread over the opening because of the God-fearing person that stands there.
וְעַל־יְדֵי מְסִירַת נֶפֶשׁ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמּוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ בִּשְׁבִיל לִנְסֹעַ וּלְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַצַּדִּיק, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְדַבֵּק עַצְמוֹ אֵלָיו. אַךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיָּאִיר אֵלָיו חָכְמָה, דְּהַיְנוּ הַמֹּחַ בְּעַצְמוֹ. וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְמַהֵר הַגְּאֻלָּה בִּכְלָל וּבִפְרָט:
As a result of self-sacrifice—i.e., a person sacrifices himself in order to travel and come closer to the tzaddik—he is able to attach himself to him. Yet, it is impossible that [the tzaddik] will enlighten him with wisdom—i.e., the mind itself. May God hasten the redemption, for one and all.
עַיֵּן בְּזֹהַר תְּרוּמָה (דף קמ: קמא.), הוּבָא בַּפַּרְדֵּס, שַׁעַר הַתְּמוּרוֹת, פֶּרֶק ב: בְּאַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא מִתְתַּקְּנָא כֹּלָּא וְכוּ'; עַיֵּן שָׁם הֵיטֵב מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב שָׁם: פְּרִיסָא קַלִּישָׁא, שֶׁנִּפְרָס עַל הַפֶּתַח. וְעַל־פִּי הַסּוֹד הַנַּ"ל הוּא בְּחִינַת הַיְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת: פְּרִיסָא קַלִּישָׁא, וְכַמְבֹאָר שָׁם בַּזֹּהַר: לְמֵעַל אִי אֶפְשָׁר, וְגַם הַקְּלִפָּה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהּ לְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט עַל הַפֶּתַח מֵחֲמַת הַפְּרִיסָא קַלִּישָׁא, עַיֵּן שָׁם, וְהוּא מַמָּשׁ מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב לְעֵיל בְּעִנְיַן הַיְרֵא שָׁמַיִם, וְדוּק הֵיטֵב וְתָבִין נִפְלָאוֹת.
2. Study the Zohar, Terumah. It is brought in Pardes, Shaar HaTemurot, Chapter 2: “In the Holy Land, everything is rectified….” Study well that which is written there: “A thin curtain is spread out over the opening.” Based on the aforementioned esoteric teaching, this is the aspect of the God-fearing person. He corresponds to the “thin curtain.” And, as is brought there in the Zohar: Entry is impossible; and it is also impossible for the evil force to spread out over the opening because of the thin curtain. Study there. This is precisely what is written above concerning the God-fearing person. Consider this well and you will understand wonders.
וְגַם עַיֵּן בְּסֵפֶר "טוּב הָאָרֶץ", שֶׁשָּׁם מְדַבֵּר גַּם כֵּן מֵעִנְיַן אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְהָבֵן הַדָּבָר הֵיטֵב לְדַמּוֹת מִלְּתָא לְמִלְּתָא, כִּי הַכֹּל אֶחָד עִם הַנַּ"ל:
Study also the book Tuv HaAretz, which also speaks of the Land of Israel. Understand the matter well in order to compare one thing to another, for it is one with that which is mentioned above.