QUESTION:
On one hand I get a lot of chizuk from learning the sefarim of Reb Nosson of Breslov, but on the other hand it’s hard for me to digest the whole “tzaddik” concept, which is such a fundamental concept in his teachings. He says that if someone isn’t close to a tzaddik, his emunah is damaged. What I don’t understand is that many tzzddikim were not close to the types of tzaddikim whom Reb Nosson is describing, so how are we to understand this? Is it all an exaggeration chas v’shalom? Anyone who tastes his sefarim gets revitalized and he sees the truth in it and how futile this world is, and it’s hard to imagine that R’ Nosson was mistaken. On the other hand, it’s hard for my heart to digest the concepts taught in his sefarim.
ANSWER:
According to Breslev, this is the only way to serve Hashem [by being connected to a tzaddik]. But many of our Gedolim held that this was only one of the ways, and that it was not the only way. If we want to understand this more deeply, the path of Breslev is rooted in Chochmah d’Radl”a, which is when the Shaar HaNun d’Kedushah (50th gate of holiness) nurses from the Chochmah d’Radl”a. That is the “secret of opposites”, which is the very concept of the Radl”a, where opposites become integrated together. That is why there are many teachings of Reb Nosson that show “opposite logic.” Above this level is the light of the Keser d’Radl”a, which is above the light of the tzaddik. Understand this.
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