I was once speaking with the Rebbe and mentioned the fact that people find it difficult to believe that tzaddikim today can be as great as those of the past.
The Rebbe replied, “If they believe in God, then they must also believe that there are tzaddikim. Tzaddikim exist in every generation, just as God Himself always exists.”
פַּעַם אַחַת דִּבַּרְתִּי עִמּוֹ ז"ל, מֵעִנְיָן זֶה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם רוֹצִים לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִמְצָאִים עַכְשָׁו צַדִּיקִים גְּדוֹלִים בְּמַעֲלָה מְאֹד כְּמוֹ בַּדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים.
I was once speaking with the Rebbe and mentioned the fact that people find it difficult to believe that tzaddikim today can be as great as those of the past.
עָנָה וְאָמַר: "אִם מַאֲמִינִים בְּהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ? צְרִיכִים לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ צַדִּיקִים גַּם כֵּן. כִּי כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ נִמְצָא בְּוַדַּאי, כְּמוֹ כֵן נִמְצָאִים צַדִּיקִים בְּוַדַּאי, בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר".
The Rebbe replied, “If they believe in God, then they must also believe that there are tzaddikim. Tzaddikim exist in every generation, just as God Himself always exists.”
וְהָבֵן מְאֹד.
Understand this well.