One has to be very vigilant against sadness and sluggishness. For the bite of the serpent is mainly sadness and sluggishness, as in (Isaiah 65:25), “Dust shall be the serpents food.” “Dust” corresponds to sadness and sluggishness which come from the element of dust, as is brought in the writings. <Study above, Likutey Moharan I, 56:end.>
צָרִיךְ לִזָּהֵר מְאֹד מֵעַצְבוּת וְעַצְלוּת, כִּי עִקַּר נְשִׁיכַת הַנָּחָשׁ הוּא עַצְבוּת וְעַצְלוּת, בִּבְחִינַת (ישעיהו ס״ה:כ״ה): וְנָחָשׁ עָפָר לַחְמוֹ; עָפָר הִיא בְּחִינַת עַצְבוּת וְעַצְלוּת, שֶׁהֵם בָּאִים מִיסוֹד הֶעָפָר, כַּמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים:
One has to be very vigilant against sadness and sluggishness. For the bite of the serpent is mainly sadness and sluggishness, as in (Isaiah 65:25), “Dust shall be the serpents food.” “Dust” corresponds to sadness and sluggishness which come from the element of dust, as is brought in the writings. <Study above, Likutey Moharan I, 56:end.>