(14) and do not deviate to the right or to the left from any of the commandments that I enjoin upon you this day and turn to the worship of other gods. (15) But if you do not obey the LORD your God to observe faithfully all His commandments and laws which I enjoin upon you this day, all these curses shall come upon you and take effect: (16) Cursed shall you be in the city and cursed shall you be in the country. (17) Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. (18) Cursed shall be the issue of your womb and the produce of your soil, the calving of your herd and the lambing of your flock. (19) Cursed shall you be in your comings and cursed shall you be in your goings. (20) The LORD will let loose against you calamity, panic, and frustration in all the enterprises you undertake, so that you shall soon be utterly wiped out because of your evildoing in forsaking Me. (21) The LORD will make pestilence cling to you, until He has put an end to you in the land that you are entering to possess. (22) The LORD will strike you with consumption, fever, and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew; they shall hound you until you perish.
(א) כְּשֶׁאָדָם נִכְנָס בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, אֲזַי הַדֶּרֶךְ – שֶׁמַּרְאִין לוֹ הִתְרַחֲקוּת, וְנִדְמֶה לוֹ שֶׁמַּרְחִיקִין אוֹתוֹ מִלְמַעְלָה, וְאֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ כְּלָל לִכָּנֵס לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם, וּבֶאֱמֶת כָּל הַהִתְרַחֲקוּת הוּא רַק כֻּלּוֹ הִתְקָרְבוּת.
(ב) וְצָרִיךְ הִתְחַזְּקוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד לִבְלִי לִפֹּל בְּדַעְתּוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כְּשֶׁרוֹאֶה שֶׁעוֹבְרִים כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה יָמִים וְשָׁנִים, שֶׁהוּא מִתְיַגֵּעַ בִּיגִיעוֹת גְּדוֹלוֹת בִּשְׁבִיל עֲבוֹדוֹת הַשֵּׁם, וַעֲדַיִן הוּא רָחוֹק מְאֹד, וְלֹא הִתְחִיל כְּלָל לִכְנֹס לְשַׁעֲרֵי הַקְּדֻשָּׁה. כִּי רוֹאֶה עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא עֲדַיִן עֲבִיּוּת וְגַשְׁמִיּוּת וְהִרְהוּרִים וּבִלְבּוּלִים גְּדוֹלִים, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁהוּא רוֹצֶה לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם אֵיזֶה דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדֻשָּׁה, אֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ. וְנִדְמֶה לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ אֵין הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מִסְתַּכֵּל עָלָיו כְּלָל, וְאֵין רוֹצֶה כְּלָל בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה שֶׁהוּא צוֹעֵק בְּכָל פַּעַם וּמִתְחַנֵּן וּמִתְנַפֵּל לְפָנָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁיַּעְזְרֵהוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן עֲדַיִן הוּא רָחוֹק מְאֹד מְאֹד. עַל־כֵּן נִדְמֶה לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ אֵין הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מִסְתַּכֵּל עָלָיו כְּלָל וְאֵין פּוֹנֶה אֵלָיו כְּלָל, כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ אֵין רוֹצֶה בּוֹ כְּלָל.
(ג) הֵן עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה צָרִיךְ הִתְחַזְּקוּת גָּדוֹל, לְחַזֵּק עַצְמוֹ מְאֹד מְאֹד, וְלִבְלִי לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל כָּל זֶה כְּלָל. כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת כָּל הַהִתְרַחֲקוּת הוּא רַק כֻּלּוֹ הִתְקָרְבוּת כַּנַּ"ל.
(ד) וְכָל הַנַּ"ל עָבַר עַל כָּל הַצַּדִּיקִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ מִפִּיהֶם בְּפֵרוּשׁ, שֶׁנִּדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ אֵין מִסְתַּכֵּל וּפוֹנֶה אֲלֵיהֶם כְּלָל, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁזֶּה זְמַן רַב שֶׁהֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים וִיגֵעִים וְעוֹשִׂים וְעוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וַעֲדַיִן הֵם רְחוֹקִים מְאֹד מְאֹד, וְאִלּוּ לֹא הָיוּ מְחַזְּקִים עַצְמָן מְאֹד לִבְלִי לְהִסְתַּכֵּל עַל זֶה, הָיוּ נִשְׁאָרִים בִּמְקוֹמָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא הָיוּ זוֹכִים לְמַה שֶּׁזָּכוּ.
(ה) וְהַכְּלָל, אֲהוּבִי אָחִי, חֲזַק וֶאֱמַץ מְאֹד, וֶאֱחֹז עַצְמְךָ בְּכָל הַכֹּחוֹת לִשָּׁאֵר קַיָּם בַּעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ, וְאַל תָּחוּשׁ וְאַל תִּסְתַּכֵּל כְּלָל עַל כָּל הַנַּ"ל אוֹ כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה.
(ו) וְאִם אַתָּה רָחוֹק מְאֹד מְאֹד מִמֶּנּוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְנִדְמֶה לְךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה פּוֹגֵם בְּכָל שָׁעָה מַמָּשׁ נֶגְדּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, עִם כָּל זֶה כְּנֶגֶד זֶה תֵּדַע, שֶׁאִישׁ כָּזֶה שֶׁהוּא מְגֻשָּׁם כָּל־כָּךְ, כָּל תְּנוּעָה וּתְנוּעָה שֶׁהוּא מְנַתֵּק עַצְמוֹ מְעַט מְעַט מִן גַּשְׁמִיּוּתוֹ וּפוֹנֶה לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ הִיא גְּדוֹלָה וִיקָרָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, וַאֲפִלּוּ נְקֻדָּה קְטַנָּה מְאֹד, שֶׁהוּא נֶעְתָּק מִגַּשְׁמִיּוּתוֹ אֵלָיו יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא רָץ בָּזֶה כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה אֲלָפִים פַּרְסָאוֹת בְּעוֹלָמוֹת עֶלְיוֹנִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר תָּבִין הֵיטֵב מִן הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהִתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו מְאֹד הָעַצְבוּת וְכוּ', כַּמּוּבָא אֶצְלֵנוּ.
(ז) וְעַל זֶה יִשְׂמַח מְאֹד וִיחַזֵּק עַצְמוֹ בְּשִׂמְחָה תָּמִיד, כִּי עַצְבוּת מַזִּיק מְאֹד מְאֹד.
(ח) וְדַע, שֶׁתֵּכֶף כְּשֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לִכְנֹס בַּעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲזַי תֵּכֶף הִיא עֲבֵרָה גְּדוֹלָה כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עַצְבוּת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי עַצְבוּת הִיא סִטְרָא־אָחָרָא (זוהר נח דף עא), וְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שׂוֹנֵא אוֹתָהּ:
(1) When a person begins serving God, the way is that they show him rejection. It seems to him that he is being rebuffed from on high and they are altogether preventing him from entering into the service of God. In reality, all distancing is nothing but being brought near.
(2) And so one needs very, very great encouragement to keep from dejection, God forbid, when he sees the passing of many, many days and years, and despite his great exertion in serving God, he is yet very distant and has not in the least begun to enter the gates of holiness. He sees that he is still riddled with crudeness and materialism, and with powerful untoward and confusing thoughts. And whatever holy matter he wants to accomplish in the service of God, they thwart him. It seems to him as if God is completely ignoring him and has no desire whatsoever for his service, because he sees that he repeatedly screams and begs and pleads for God to assist him in his devotions, and despite this he is still very, very distant. It therefore seems to him as if God is completely ignoring him and not turning to him at all, because He, God, does not want him at all.
(3) Surely, concerning all this and matters like it one needs great encouragement. A person has to encourage himself very, very much and pay no attention whatsoever to all this, for in truth all distancing is nothing but being brought near.
(4) And all the aforementioned happened to all the tzaddikim, as we heard explicitly from their mouths. It seemed to them that God was not paying any attention or turning in their direction at all, because they saw that despite spending much time pleading, seeking and devotedly serving God, they were still very, very distant. Had they not encouraged themselves very much to ignore this, they would have remained at their original place, and not merited that which they merited.
(5) And so the rule, my beloved brother, is to be very strong and courageous. Get a grip on yourself with all it takes to remain steadfast in your devotions. Do not be concerned about or pay any attention whatsoever to all the aforementioned, or matters like it.
(6) And if you are very, very distant from God, and it seems to you that you are literally always sinning against Him—even with all this, know that, on the contrary, each and every movement which such a materialistic person makes to detach himself just a bit from his materialism and turn to God, is extremely great and precious. Even if the shift from his materialism toward God is miniscule, in the upper worlds he runs many thousands of miles through this, as you will understand well from the story brought in our teachings of the tzaddik who was overcome with depression….
(7) He should greatly rejoice over this and constantly encourage himself with happiness, because depression is very, very harmful.
(8) And know! once a person wants to enter into the service of God, his becoming depressed, God forbid, immediately becomes a great sin. This is because depression is the Other Side (Zohar I, 71a), and God despises it.
ת"ר איזהו שוטה היוצא יחידי בלילה והלן בבית הקברות והמקרע את כסותו איתמר רב הונא אמר עד שיהו כולן בבת אחת ר' יוחנן אמר אפי' באחת מהן היכי דמי אי דעביד להו דרך שטות אפי' בחדא נמי אי דלא עביד להו דרך שטות אפילו כולהו נמי לא לעולם דקא עביד להו דרך שטות והלן בבית הקברות אימור כדי שתשרה עליו רוח טומאה הוא דקא עביד והיוצא יחידי בלילה אימור גנדריפס אחדיה והמקרע את כסותו אימור בעל מחשבות הוא כיון דעבדינהו לכולהו הוה להו
§ The Sages taught: Who is considered an imbecile (mentally ill person)? One who goes out alone at night, and one who sleeps in a cemetery, and one who rends his garment. It was stated that Rav Huna said: One does not have the halakhic status of an imbecile until there are all of these signs present in him at the same time. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: He is considered an imbecile even due to the appearance of one of these signs. The Gemara asks: What are the circumstances of the case under discussion? If he performs them in a deranged manner, then even the appearance of one sign should be enough to classify him as an imbecile. If he does not perform these actions in a deranged manner, but has a reason to act this way, then even if he performs all of them he should not be deemed an imbecile. The Gemara answers: Actually, the baraita is referring to one who performs these actions in a deranged manner, but each action on its own could be explained rationally. With regard to one who sleeps in the cemetery, one could say that he is doing so in order that an impure spirit should settle upon him. Although it is inappropriate to do this, as there is a reason for this behavior it is not a sign of madness. And with regard to one who goes out alone at night, one could say that perhaps a fever took hold of him and he is trying to cool himself down. And as for one who tears his garments, one could say that he is a man engaged in thought, and out of anxiety he tears his clothing unintentionally.
The Gemara continues to address the issue of suffering and affliction: Rabbi Yoḥanan’s student, Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba, fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? Do you desire to be ill and afflicted? Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: I welcome neither this suffering nor its reward, as one who welcomes this suffering with love is rewarded. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Give me your hand. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba gave him his hand, and Rabbi Yoḥanan stood him up and restored him to health. Similarly, Rabbi Yoḥanan fell ill. Rabbi Ḥanina entered to visit him, and said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: I welcome neither this suffering nor its reward. Rabbi Ḥanina said to him: Give me your hand. He gave him his hand, and Rabbi Ḥanina stood him up and restored him to health. The Gemara asks: Why did Rabbi Yoḥanan wait for Rabbi Ḥanina to restore him to health? If he was able to heal his student, let Rabbi Yoḥanan stand himself up. The Gemara answers, they say: A prisoner cannot generally free himself from prison, but depends on others to release him from his shackles. The Gemara relates that Rabbi Elazar, another of Rabbi Yoḥanan’s students, fell ill. Rabbi Yoḥanan entered to visit him, and saw that he was lying in a dark room. Rabbi Yoḥanan exposed his arm, and light radiated from his flesh, filling the house. He saw that Rabbi Elazar was crying, and said to him: Why are you crying? Thinking that his crying was over the suffering that he endured throughout his life, Rabbi Yoḥanan attempted to comfort him: If you are weeping because you did not study as much Torah as you would have liked, we learned: One who brings a substantial sacrifice and one who brings a meager sacrifice have equal merit, as long as he directs his heart toward Heaven. If you are weeping because you lack sustenance and are unable to earn a livelihood, as Rabbi Elazar was, indeed, quite poor, not every person merits to eat off of two tables, one of wealth and one of Torah, so you need not bemoan the fact that you are not wealthy. If you are crying over children who have died, this is the bone of my tenth son, and suffering of that kind afflicts great people, and they are afflictions of love. Rabbi Elazar said to Rabbi Yoḥanan: I am not crying over my misfortune, but rather, over this beauty of yours that will decompose in the earth, as Rabbi Yoḥanan’s beauty caused him to consider human mortality. Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Over this, it is certainly appropriate to weep. Both cried over the fleeting nature of beauty in the world and death that eventually overcomes all. Meanwhile, Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Is your suffering dear to you? Rabbi Elazar said to him: I welcome neither this suffering nor its reward. Upon hearing this, Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: Give me your hand. Rabbi Elazar gave him his hand, and Rabbi Yoḥanan stood him up and restored him to health.