Truth and Faith
1. The essence of redemption is based upon faith, for the essence of exile isn't for anything other than a lack of faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 7).
2. Faith, prayer, miracles, and the Land of Israel all correspond and each rely upon one another. (There^)
3. There are people who cover up all miracles by way of nature. And when these apikorsim who have no belief in miracles expire, and when faith will increase in the world - then the Messiah will come, for the redemption is based upon faith. (There^)
4. It is impossible to come to faith except through truth. (In other words, the essence of faith is only for that which the intellect doesn't comprehend, for in the place where the intellect understands, faith is not appropriate. If so, when the intellect doesn't understand, how will it come to believe in that which is needs to believe? Therefore, the essence of faith relies on on truth; that if a person wants to look upon the absolute truth, he will understand from it that one must believe the holy faith in HaShem, in the true tzadikim, and in his holy Torah even though it is impossible for our physical minds to understand this. For through looking upon the truth with a truthful eye, one will understand from a distance that the truth is such - only it is impossible to understand it with the intellect. One must only strengthen himself in complete faith. Understand well). (There^)
5. It is impossible to come to the truth except through drawing closer to the true tzadikim and to walk in the way of their advice; neither to turn to the right or to the left of their words. Through this one engraves truth in himself and merits faith. Also, one needs to distance himself from the advice of the wicked and of those who oppose and dispute the truth. one can succeed to all this through the commandment of tzitzit which corresponds to guarding against promiscuity which corresponds to the advice of the wicked; [thus, through this] one merits tikun habrit, which corresponds to the advice of tzadikim. (There^)
6. Through praying with might and putting all one's strength into the letters of the prayer, through this one succeeds to faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 9)
7. These people who deny all miracles and say that all goes according to nature and if they see some miracle, they cover the miracle up with 'according to nature' and say that this is all by way of natural course - they damage faith very much and they damage prayer and the Land of Israel, as well as lengthening the exile. (There^)
8. According to the lessening of faith is the [level of] the hiding of HaShem's face and his blazing anger, God forbid, and thence the tzadikim run away from authority and honor, and the world lacks a true leader. Through breaking anger via mercy, the blazing anger is sweetened, and thereby true tzadikim receive honor and leadership and [the world] merits a true leader, that all should come to the true end goal. (From Likutei Moharan I, 18)
9. A man should not accept leadership and authority unless his faith is so complete there is no completeness beyond it. Even one who believes in something of way of the Amorites, for example if a deer stops in the path [he believes it is an omen of something] - even though he believes in HaShem, he should not accept leadership. Even when a person thinks about himself that he has mercy on the world and therefore wants to lead them - truly, he is running after honor and he excuses his running [after honor] on [his having] mercy. Through this, one can come to apostasy and heresy, God forbid, but from Heaven they have mercy on him and don't place leadership in his hands. (There^)
10. One must guard faith very well, that it not become damaged, God forbid. For through a breach in faith one cannot receive correction from those who reprimand in truth. Peace is damaged while disassociation and controversy are formed, God forbid, and one comes to denial, idolatry, and false beliefs. For faith is the main upper seal of holiness and one must guard it very much since through [guarding] it all holiness is [also] guarded. (From Likutei Moharan I, 22)
11. It is impossible to merit complete faith except through coming to the true tzadikim of the generation, for they draw the essence of the faith of Israel to the generation, for they are the generality of holiness. (There^)
12. Truth and faith correspond to 'the shining face', joy, life, and thereby one merits length of days. Also to the opposite: deceit shortens days, for deceit corresponds to death, 'the dark face', idolatry, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 23)
13. Faith is the latter days, for upon her stands all the character traits, for faith is the foundation and source of all holiness. It has already been clarified above that through truth one comes to faith. (There^)
14. Even one who merits to draw some holy intellect needs to draw faith into the intellect, because one shouldn't rely on the intellect itself. (From Likutei Moharan I, 24)
15. Through [the existence of] improper Torah scholars who speak fallen Torahs come denial, contempt of, and opposition to those who fear HaShem. The remedy for this is bringing in true Torah scholars as guests. Through that, one merits faith and to break the denial and contempt and to overpower the opponents. (From Likutei Moharan I, 28)
16. The main importance of charity and its completeness is through faith. All the blessings and bounties that come with charity do not have completeness except through faith which is the source of all blessings. One succeeds to the essence of faith through keeping the holy Sabbath. (From Likutei Moharan I, 31)
17. Also, the completeness of all things is faith. Without faith all things are lacking. Also, the completeness of the Torah, which is knowledge, is only through faith, for the whole Torah is founded upon faith, for the main point is faith. (There^)
18. The main sustaining of faith is through shmirat habrit. (There^)
19. Through faith one renews the mind, which is the neshama, during the time of sleep. And one merits to receive through the sleep a new intellect and a new neshama from the light of the Face. (From Likutei Moharan I, 35)
20. A breach in faith, God forbid, corresponds to idolatry and through it rain is held back and there is no satiation, no peace, a man does not help his friend, and everyone needs to travel and journey from place to place for their livelihood. (From Likutei Moharan I, 40)
21. The essence of wealth comes from truth, and when one damages truth, poverty comes upon him, along with contempt and shame. However, one who holds to the aspect of truth - his livelihood gains. (From Likutei Moharan I, 47)
22. Deceit harms the eyes physically and spiritually. (From Likutei Moharan I, 51)
23. When one tells a lie, the fouling of blood grows stronger from which comes the black bile and the tears that damage the eyes. For it is impossible to speak lies without one's blood spoiling. Also, it is impossible to speak truth except through purifying the blood beforehand. (There^).
24. Deceit is evil, impure, and through it the supervision of HaShem is removed from one. However, through truth the supervision of HaShem is upon him wholly. (There^).
25. Truth is one and deceit is many, for it is impossible to speak truth about a thing unless it is one, in other words [to say it] like it is, specifically. For example, silver - it is silver. Gold is gold. However, deceit is many for one can tell lies without end. For example, about silver that it is copper, tin, or lead - or other names without measure. Therefore, at the final end the truth will definitely be revealed and opposition will be nullified because all opposition is a result of the increase of deceit without measure, that from there comes all opposition because with regard to oneness, opposition does not belong. Therefore the truth which is definitely one will stay and thrive forever, because the truth is HaShem's oneness. All lies, from which opposition comes, will be lost and it [truth] will stand forever, for the truth of HaShem is forever. (There^)
26. When you want to be incorporated in oneness until after-creation will be incorporated into before-creation, wherein it is all one, all good, all holy, as it was before creation - guard yourself from deceit and speak truth. Be a man of complete truth and through this you'll be incorporated into oneness, for truth is one as we have already stated. (There^)
27. Through faith the gates of holiness are opened up. (The initial letters of the verse "the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God" spell faith, in Hebrew).
28. Faith is not appropriate except to a thing that has no reason. Even though this is so, by the believer the thing seems revealed as if he sees the thing he believes in with his eyes, as a result of the greatness of his complete faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 62)
29. The main completion of faith is through drawing distant people closer to HaShem. One merits this through fasting, because then one merits that through his eating the Holy One Blessed is He becomes unified with his divine presence, face to face. (There^)
(Continue to the second part)
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