This can be understood by means of a parable:31This was said during the summer of 5569/1809, shortly before Rosh HaShanah (Tzaddik #185; Parparaot LeChokhmah II, 5:5). Once there was a son who became separated from his father. The son greatly yearns for his father, and the father for his son. Eventually, the father decides to visit his son. At the same time, the son makes up his mind to visit his father. They begin to travel toward each other, and as they come closer, their yearning grows all the more.
They continue to travel toward each other until they are separated by just a few short miles. The father begins to feel such great longing for his son that he realizes he will not be able to endure it for the last few miles. The son also realizes that he can no longer hold back his emotions. If he continues for the last few miles, he will be so overcome by them that he will literally die. They both decide to cast aside their yearning and put it out of mind.
Just at that moment, a coach comes along and swiftly brings the son to his father. Imagine the tremendous joy that the driver brings both to the father and to the son who longed so much.
A tzaddik is like a son of God. There is still a barrier separating him from his Father. God has a great longing for the tzaddik, just as the tzaddik yearns to return and come close to God. For they continue to approach each other until they are separated only by a very short distance.
Their yearning becomes so great that they both realize they cannot endure it. They both decide to put their longing out of mind. God says, “Is this My only task? Do I not have many worlds?” The tzaddik also says, “Is this yearning my only duty? Do I not have many other necessary ways of serving God, such as with the talit, tefilin and other mitzvot?” So they both agree to set aside their yearning.
Just at that moment, a Jew comes along driving a coach. He brings the tzaddik his livelihood, and thereby brings him close to God. For “a tzaddik eats to satisfy his soul” (Proverbs 13:25).32The lesson in Likutey Moharan II, 5:3, which also discusses this concept, was given on Rosh HaShanah 5570/1809, shortly after the Rebbe told this parable. See also Likutey Halakhot, Yom Tov 2:2; ibid., Hechsher Keilim 2:2. This is the concept of, “He will satisfy your soul with splendor” (Isaiah 58:11). Through the livelihood that the Jew brings him, the tzaddik eats and attains the lights of splendor.33In Hebrew, tzachtzachim, the lights above the first emanation of Atzilut. See Pardes Rimonim 11; Likutey Moharan I, 24:8. This splendor causes the barrier to vanish, allowing the tzaddik to approach God.
מַעֲלַת הַזּוֹכֶה לִתֵּן מָעוֹת לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת – הִיא גְּדוֹלָה וִיקָרָה מְאֹד מְאֹד.
The level of those who help support a true tzaddik is very great and precious.
לְמָשָׁל, בֵּן שֶׁנִּתְרַחֵק מֵאָבִיו וְהַבֵּן יֵשׁ לוֹ גַּעְגּוּעִים גְּדוֹלִים מְאֹד לְאָבִיו וְכֵן הָאָב יֵשׁ לוֹ גַּעְגּוּעִים גְּדוֹלִים לִבְנוֹ. לְיָמִים נִתְיַשֵּׁב בְּדַעְתּוֹ הָאָב לֵילֵךְ וְלִסַּע לִבְנוֹ. וְכֵן הַבֵּן נִתְיַשֵּׁב גַּם־כֵּן לֵילֵךְ וְלִסַּע לְאָבִיו. וְהָלְכוּ וְנָסְעוּ זֶה לָזֶה, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁנִּתְקָרְבוּ יוֹתֵר נִתְגַּדֵּל בְּיוֹתֵר הַגַּעְגּוּעִים שֶׁלָּהֶם.
This can be understood by means of a parable:31This was said during the summer of 5569/1809, shortly before Rosh HaShanah (Tzaddik #185; Parparaot LeChokhmah II, 5:5). Once there was a son who became separated from his father. The son greatly yearns for his father, and the father for his son. Eventually, the father decides to visit his son. At the same time, the son makes up his mind to visit his father. They begin to travel toward each other, and as they come closer, their yearning grows all the more.
וְהָיוּ הוֹלְכִים וְנוֹסְעִים זֶה לָזֶה. דְּהַיְנוּ הָאָב לְהַבֵּן וְהַבֵּן לְהָאָב, עַד שֶׁנִּתְקָרְבוּ וְלֹא הָיָה בֵּינֵיהֶם כִּי־אִם שְׁתֵּי פַּרְסָאוֹת לְבַד. וְהֵבִין הָאָב בְּגֹדֶל הַגַּעְגּוּעִים שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁאִם יַנִּיחַ עַצְמוֹ לִהְיוֹת נִמְשָׁךְ אַחַר הַגַּעְגּוּעִים, לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ כֹּחַ לִסְבֹּל עוֹד הַגַּעְגּוּעִים שֶׁל אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁתֵּי פַּרְסָאוֹת. וְכֵן הַבֵּן הֵבִין גַּם־כֵּן שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עוֹד כֹּחַ לִסְבֹּל הַגַּעְגּוּעִים שֶׁל אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁתֵּי פַּרְסָאוֹת הָאַחֲרוֹנוֹת, וְאִם יַמְשִׁיךְ עַצְמוֹ אַחֲרֵיהֶם תֵּצֵא נַפְשׁוֹ ח"ו. וְיִשְּׁבוּ עַצְמָן לְהַשְׁלִיךְ לְגַמְרֵי כָּל הַגַּעְגּוּעִים וּלְהַעֲבִירָם מִדַּעְתָּם.
They continue to travel toward each other until they are separated by just a few short miles. The father begins to feel such great longing for his son that he realizes he will not be able to endure it for the last few miles. The son also realizes that he can no longer hold back his emotions. If he continues for the last few miles, he will be so overcome by them that he will literally die. They both decide to cast aside their yearning and put it out of mind.
בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ, בָּא אֶחָד עִם עֲגָלָה וְחָטַף אֶת הַבֵּן וֶהֱבִיאוֹ לְאָבִיו בִּמְהִירוּת גָּדוֹל. כַּמָּה תַּעֲנוּג נִפְלָא וְעָצוּם גָּרַם זֶה הָאִישׁ שֶׁהֵבִיא אֶת הַבֵּן לְהָאָב שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם גַּעְגּוּעִים כָּאֵלֶּה.
Just at that moment, a coach comes along and swiftly brings the son to his father. Imagine the tremendous joy that the driver brings both to the father and to the son who longed so much.
וְכֵן הַצַּדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא בֵּן לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וּמֵחֲמַת מָסָךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל נִתְרַחֵק מֵאָבִיו יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְיֵשׁ גַּעְגּוּעִים כִּבְיָכוֹל לַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ וְכֵן לְהַצַּדִּיק לַחֲזֹר וּלְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וּבְתוֹךְ שֶׁהֵם מִתְקָרְבִים זֶה לָזֶה עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ סְמוּכִים זֶה לָזֶה וְאֵין בֵּינֵיהֶם רַק הֶרְחֵק מְעַט כַּנַּ"ל.
A tzaddik is like a son of God. There is still a barrier separating him from his Father. God has a great longing for the tzaddik, just as the tzaddik yearns to return and come close to God. For they continue to approach each other until they are separated only by a very short distance.
וְהֵבִינוּ שֶׁלְּגֹדֶל הַגַּעְגּוּעִים אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִסְבֹּל עוֹד וְהִסְכִּימוּ לְהַשְׁלִיךְ הַגַּעְגּוּעִים מִדַּעְתָּם. כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ אָמַר: הַאִם אֵין לוֹ רַק עֵסֶק זֶה? הֲלֹא יֵשׁ לוֹ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה עוֹלָמוֹת וְכוּ'?! וְכֵן הַצַּדִּיק אָמַר בְּדַעְתּוֹ: וְכִי אֵין לוֹ רַק זֹאת? (דְּהַיְנוּ גַּעְגּוּעִים הַנַּ"ל) הֲלֹא יֵשׁ כַּמָּה עֻבְדּוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת, כְּגוֹן צִיצִית וּתְפִלִּין וּשְׁאָר מִצְווֹת?! וְהִסְכִּימוּ לְהַעֲבִיר הַגַּעְגּוּעִים מִדַּעְתָּם.
Their yearning becomes so great that they both realize they cannot endure it. They both decide to put their longing out of mind. God says, “Is this My only task? Do I not have many worlds?” The tzaddik also says, “Is this yearning my only duty? Do I not have many other necessary ways of serving God, such as with the talit, tefilin and other mitzvot?” So they both agree to set aside their yearning.
בְּתוֹךְ כָּךְ בָּא אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי אֶחָד עִם עֲגָלָה, וְהַבִיא לְהַצַּדִּיק פַּרְנָסָה וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה קֵרְבוֹ וֶהֱבִיאוֹ אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ. כִּי "צַדִּיק אוֹכֵל לְשׂוֹבַע נַפְשׁוֹ" (מִשְׁלֵי י"ג) וְזֶה בְּחִינַת "וְהִשְׂבִּיעַ בְּצַחְצָחוֹת נַפְשֶׁךָ" (יְשַׁעְיָה נ"ח). וְנִמְצָא שֶׁהַצַּדִּיק הַגָּדוֹל הָאֲמִתִּי זוֹכֶה עַל־יְדֵי פַּרְנָסָתוֹ וַאֲכִילָתוֹ לִבְחִינַת אוֹרוֹת הַצַּחְצָחוֹת, וְעַל־יְדֵי אֵלּוּ הַצַּחְצָחוֹת נִתְבַּטֵּל מָסָךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה נִתְקָרֵב הַצַּדִּיק לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
Just at that moment, a Jew comes along driving a coach. He brings the tzaddik his livelihood, and thereby brings him close to God. For “a tzaddik eats to satisfy his soul” (Proverbs 13:25).32The lesson in Likutey Moharan II, 5:3, which also discusses this concept, was given on Rosh HaShanah 5570/1809, shortly after the Rebbe told this parable. See also Likutey Halakhot, Yom Tov 2:2; ibid., Hechsher Keilim 2:2. This is the concept of, “He will satisfy your soul with splendor” (Isaiah 58:11). Through the livelihood that the Jew brings him, the tzaddik eats and attains the lights of splendor.33In Hebrew, tzachtzachim, the lights above the first emanation of Atzilut. See Pardes Rimonim 11; Likutey Moharan I, 24:8. This splendor causes the barrier to vanish, allowing the tzaddik to approach God.
נִמְצָא כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה תַּעֲנוּג גָּרַם זֶה הָאִישׁ שֶׁהֵבִיא פַּרְנָסָה לְהַצַּדִּיק הָאֲמִתִּי שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הוּא מֵבִיא וּמְקָרֵב אֶת הַצַּדִּיק לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל.
The person who supports a true tzaddik is thereby responsible for the immeasurable joy when the tzaddik is able to be close to God.