Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), The Land of Israel 12-20 (end)

The Land of Israel (continued)

12. The command of halla corresponds to inheriting the Land of Israel because through halla one merits to draw the light of the merit of the Forefathers, and through that, one merits to reveal the holiness of the Land of Israel and to all that is stated above. (From Likutei Moharan I, 55)

13. One whose intent is truly for Heaven, that he travels to the Land of Israel in order to return through that to HaShem, the Land of Israel will definitely benefit him very much. For through entering the Land of Israel alone one is consumed by her and is changed into her holy essence. Therefore, even "walking four cubits in the Land of Israel [one is assured to have a place in the world to come]"; but if his will is not at all for serving HaShem, to annul his evil - what will settling the Land of Israel benefit him? For she spews him out in the aspect of "which spewed...". (From Likutei Moharan I, 129)

14. Through the holiness of the Land of Israel one merits faith, and through this, one merits patience; meaning to break anger, depression, laziness, heaviness and he will quicken himself very much in serving HaShem and no obstacle or delay can confuse him, for he becomes patient to suffer everything. (From Likutei Moharan I, 155; see sec. Faith, 35)

15. One must request from HaShem that he'll have longing and yearning for the Land of Israel until he merits to go there; and also [he must request] to have longing for the tzadikim of the Land of Israel, which is a segula to cancel out anger and depression. (There^)

16. How HaShem pays a person measure for measure is a great mercy, in order that he can scrutinize his deeds through this, and this idea is essentially in the Land of Israel. (From Likutei Moharan I, 187)

17. The Land of Israel is the summation of holiness of all [kinds of] holiness and there can one merit to leave the natural and know and believe that everything is of [divine] providence alone. This is the summation of holiness whereby one can be able to imitate HaShem and to distinguish between light and darkness. Then one merits to tell tales of true tzadikim, for he knows to distinguish between the deeds of the true tzadikim and the opposite. Then he merits to purify thought via the tales of the tzadikim and to sweeten judgments. Through this one is saved from all troubles. (From Likutei Moharan I, 234)

18. The essence of the mind and wisdom is only in the Land of Israel. Even Israel outside the Land receive and feed all their mind and wisdom from the Land of Israel. Everyone among Israel has a portion in the Land of Israel and according to his portion thus he sustains and receives his wisdom from the Land of Israel. However, when one damages the honor of HaShem, God forbid, through this he falls from the mind of the Land of Israel to the mind of outside the Land and by this dispute and quarrels are made for the mind of outside the Land corresponds to dispute. (From Likutei Moharan II, 71)

19. The mind of the Land of Israel corresponds to pleasantry, corresponding to the pleasantness of the Torah, corresponding to peace. Through charity, particularly charity for the Land of Israel, a vessel is created to receive the impacts of this pleasantry. Then one is able to repair even the mind of outside the Land. However, when the mind of outside the Land is damaged very much, through people having damaged the honor of HaShem, then they can't repair it. Rather, this mind of outside the Land also damages the mind of the Land of Israel which corresponds to peace. Thus, dispute is also made in the Land of Israel. This is the matter, that now there is dispute in the Land of Israel and abroad. (There^)

20. The graves of the true tzadikim are holy with the holiness of the Land of Israel, literally. As it is written, "tzadikim will inherit the Land", and the Land of Israel is a great remedy for damaging the brit. Therefore, one must make an effort to come to their graves, for the place of their graves is holy and it is a great remedy for a damage of the brit. (From Likutei Moharan II, 109)

(Continue to the next section, Brit - Its Damage and Rectification)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), The Land of Israel 1-11

The Land of Israel

1. The essence of faith which corresponds to prayer and miracles is only in Israel. There, is the main elevation of prayers and one can do with his prayer what is needed and to do true miracles and wonders in the world. (From Likutei Moharan I, 7)

2. When some damage [the concept of] the Land of Israel which corresponds to faith and prayer, then they descend into exile; the principle is that prayer descends into exile and it is impossible to pray and do miracles in the world. (There^)

3. One who wants to be true man of Israel, meaning to walk from level to level, it is impossible except through the holiness of the Land of Israel, for all the ascents that need to rise to holiness is only through the Land of Israel. Thus, all ascents of prayer are only in the Land of Israel. (From Likutei Moharan I, 20)

4. In the merit of the Torah that one draws, he merits the Land of Israel. Also, through being present by the tzadik at the time he draws Torah and teaches in public - then one will also have a portion in the Torah that the tzadik draws. Through this, he also merits to come to the Land of Israel. (There^)

5. It is impossible to come to the Land of Israel except through hardships. The main part of the hardships are the wicked ones who prevent, who raise slander about the Land; but through the drawing of the Torah as stated above, one merits to subdue all the obstacles and the hardships. According to the wholeness of the Torah that one merits to draw is the amount of rectification made. As such, one merits to subdue those who prevent coming to the Land of Israel. (There^)

6. When a person comes to the aspect of the Land of Israel, then he is called a firm warrior. For before coming to the aspect of the Land of Israel, then "One who girds [the sword] shall not boast as one who ungirds [it]" (I Kings 20:11), but afterward when he succeeds, then he's called a man of war. (There^)

7. Through giving charity to the Land of Israel one becomes included in the air of the Land of Israel, which corresponds to holy breath in which is no sin. Through this, one cancels out judgment and darkness from the world. Also, through this one is spared from foreign thoughts during prayer and his mind and thought becomes pure, which corresponds to tikun habrit. (From Likutei Moharan I, 44)

8. The Land of Israel is a segula for [having] children, and it saves from argument and dispute. Also, through the holiness of the Land of Israel one merits to know the true Rabbi in the generation and the truth will be revealed in the world. All return to HaShem, even the nations of the world, to serve him in one accord. (From Likutei Moharan I, 48)

9. Through powerful prayer, one merits to come to the Land of Israel, and also through the command of the suka. For the suka, powerful prayer, and the Land of Israel are one aspect and each is dependent on the other. (There^)

10. It is impossible to see the fall of the wicked except through the aspect of the Land of Israel. (From Likutei Moharan I, 55)

11. Through rectified prayer (as is explained in sec. Prayer, 51-56) the light of the merit of the Forefathers shines, and through this is drawn the aspect of the holiness of the Land of Israel even now in exile when it is under the power of the forces of evil when it's holiness cannot be revealed. Although this is so, one can reveal and draw its holiness even in this bitter exile via the sparkling light of the merit of the Forefathers. Through the holiness of the Land of Israel becoming revealed, one merits to see the fall of the wicked. It is not enough that the person is saved from the wicked, but even that he'll also see of the wicked what the wicked wanted to see of him. All this is done through learning merit out of [the good points of] the wicked. Also, through this, tzadikim who do good are meritorious before HaShem. (There^)

(Continue to the second part)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Hospitality 1-2 (end)

Hospitality

1. Through bringing in true Torah scholars as guests into one's home, one merits faith and to break denial. Through that, the fallen Torah of the unfit Torah scholars, who are the aspect of Jewish demons, is fixed; all the opposition against those who fear HaShem comes from them, so through this, [inviting true Torah scholars], one merits to overpower the opponents. (From Likutei Moharan I, 28)

2. Bringing in Torah scholars as guests is a rectification for prayer. For everyone has bad prayers which confuse him when he stands to pray a prayer that is proper to pray. Bringing in a Torah scholar is a rectification for this. (From Likutei Moharan I, 209)

(Continue to the next section, The Land of Israel)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Eating 14-26 (end)

Eating (continued)

14. The lust for food is one of the three lusts that damage and cause the loss of the fear [of HaShem] that is in the heart. Through receiving the festival of Sukot properly, knowledge is drawn to repair the lust for food and then one merits fear and prayer. (From Likutei Moharan II, 1; see sec. Fear, 19-21)

15. Sometimes through the food that is eaten a dream is damaged, corresponding to a dream that is through a demon, God forbid, and one can come to a nocturnal emission through this, God forbid. The remedy for this is joy and to strengthen oneself to be joyous always. (From Likutei Moharan II, 5)

16. One who merits a true Rabbi that knows how to properly illuminate holy enlightening [holy knowledge] in Israel, [this Rabbi] who is a man of valor and not the opposite, which they call a shleimazelnik, through this one is able to receive an enormous illumination of desire at the time of eating; that the desire will illuminate for him at the time of eating and he will become silent and yearn a lot for HaShem with an enormous desire without measure and without knowledge. He won't know at all what he wants, just [he will have] a soul consuming desire for HaShem. (From Likutei Moharan II, 7)

17. Through sustenance of the body, meaning the lust for eating and drinking, the sustenance of the soul is weakened and fear, which corresponds to good smell and is the sustenance of the soul, is damaged. ((From Likutei Moharan II, 8)

18. Through receiving reprimand from the true tzadik who is able to reprimand Israel properly, the sustenance of the soul overpowers the sustenance of the body.

19. The main point of eating is for clarifications, in order that the food will be clarified and that pleasant words will be made from it, which are the blessings that are blessed over it and the prayer, learning, serving HaShem by the power of the food. Everyone needs to intend this at the time of eating, and then the food becomes the aspect of the incense and one merits joy. From this is made a crown of mercy and loving-kindness for King Solomon, about which is said, "go out and see...the crown..." (from Song of Songs), and through this one merits an easy livelihood. (From Likutei Moharan II, 16)

20. Everyone among Israel, even a great tzadik needs to have some kind of sorrow every day. And the more one has knowledge, his sorrow is all the much greater; but through eating in holiness and in fear of Heaven, the sorrow is sweetened so it won't overpower, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan II, 77)

21. Through eating in holiness and in fear of Heaven the mouth is made into the aspect of the human level, and one merits to come through this to the aspect of the divine presence speaking from his throat. However, one whose eating isn't in holiness, then his mouth that eats is in the category of an animal, and he is really an animal, God forbid. (There^)

22. The main fear [of God] comes and meets a person at the time of eating. Therefore, one must be very careful to eat in holiness and to draw upon himself the fear that comes upon himself then. Through that, he merits everything mentioned in 20 and 21 above.

23.One must be very careful not to eat a fruit before it ripens entirely on the tree because one can lose his soul over this. It is also forbidden to pluck fruit before its ripening as it is forbidden to cut a tree before its time. (From Likutei Moharan II, 88)

24. When one properly blesses the blessing over fruit with great intention and with fear of Heaven, through this he merits to be saved from losing his soul over an unripened fruit. All must be very careful with the blessings of benefit, particularly in the blessings on fruit, for they have many lost things in them which must be clarified and elevated. (There^)

25. Also when fruit ripens inside one's house, it doesn't benefit in order to make unripened fruit that didn't ripen on the tree permissible to eat. However, if the fruit that didn't finish [ripening] are placed detached some time until they are made ripe by themselves - this benefits and it's permissible to eat them. (There^)

26. Be careful not to eat forcefully, meaning to eat quickly like a glutton, because this corresponds to "pour me, please [some of this pottage]..." (Genesis 25), only [one should] regulate himself to eat in moderation, in a settled mind, and with manners; like how people eat with manners when an important person is sitting at the table - thus should a person eat always, even when he eats alone. (From Hayyei Moharan 69)

See 3, above, fortunate is one who merits this.

(Continue to next section, Hospitality)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Eating 1-13

Eating

1. Through eating properly, as is fitting, which is to eat in moderation and not eating in a forceful manner, the intellect is repaired and foolishness is suppressed. However, when one eats like a glutton and drunkard, through this foolishness overpowers the intellect and through that the light of the tzadik becomes darkened and one is not able to receive from him fear and love [of HaShem]. (From Likutei Moharan I, 17)

2. Through [giving] charity to the true tzadikim and to fitting poor people (that is, poor people worthy of receiving charity), through this converts are made and damage in eating is repaired. Through that, the intellect is made whole and one merits to see the light of the tzadik, meriting to receive from him fear and love. (There^)

3. One who has a completeness of holy tongue and has shmirat habrit is able to arouse the sparks of the [Hebrew] letters that are in everything[, from which everything was created by HaShem's utterance], and then his eating and drinking and all his enjoyments are only from the sparks of the letters and his heart shines from this. Through this, his face shines and he merits to purify his face so much so that he is able to arouse others to repentance via them looking at his face only. For everyone will see their own face in his like a mirror and they'll see how sunken in darkness they are, until without rebuke and without reprimand he'll arouse is friend to repentance only from him looking at his face alone. (From Likutei Moharan I, 19)

4. When a person feels some hunger, that the lust for eating overpowers him, he should know that he has enemies. Therefore, he should rob and break his animalistic [instinct] that craves eating, for the essence of hunger is for the animalistic, and through that he is saved from his enemies. (From Likutei Moharan I, 39)

5. Through the lust for eating comes dispute, that people will insult and degrade him. And when one breaks the lust for eating he merits peace, and then there is also peace in his [HaShem's] heights above and thus great satiation is revealed and increased in the world. (There^)

6. One who is sunken in the lust for eating, it is definite that he is far from the truth and it is definite that judgments are out over him. Also, this is a sign of poverty and he will also come to disgrace and shame. (From Likutei Moharan I, 47)

7. One who breaks the lust for eating, the Holy One Blessed is He will do wonders through by his hand. (There^)

8. There are two [kinds of] people who sleep [away] their days and there are those who fell into the aspect of sleep through lusts and bad deeds. There are those who are good and pleasant people, only that their fall is through eating, for sometimes when a person eats a food that isn't clarified yet to [the category of] human food (in other words, that he did not eat the food the proper way, instead he ate it like an animal -translator's note). Through this his mind falls to the aspect of sleep, for when one eats in holiness and purity, then it enlightens his face, that is, his intellect - through his eating. However, when his eating is not in holiness, then the food brings wickedness to the heart and through that he looses his face and falls into the category of sleep. Even if it seems to the world that he is serving HaShem and busying in Torah and prayer, even so he is in the aspect of sleep, for all his service remains below and HaShem has no satisfaction from it. One must awaken him him from his sleep, but it is impossible to awaken him except if he awakens himself a little bit at first.  The awakening from sleep, that not to spend one's days, God forbid, in sleep one merits through the tales of the tzadikim of truth. Fortunate is the one who merits to come to a tzadik like this who is able to awaken him from his sleep, so he won't sleep his days [away], God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 60)

9. The food of the man of Israel needs to be food after it has been clarified and has no mixture from the forces of evil because through food like this that has a mixture in it a person can [come to] sin. The clarification of foods is through faith that one merits through fasting. Then, through his eating, a face to face unification between the Holy One Blessed is He and his divine presence is made. (From Likutei Moharan I, 62)

10. All the lusts are the aspect of 'shells' and 'extras' (these terms are used to denote forces of evil, demonic forces -translator's note), for without lusts, the body would [still] be able to exist. And when the lusts overpower a person, it is the overpowering of the 'shells' over holiness. The head of the lusts are the lust for eating and drinking; all lusts are drawn after them and when they overpower, they draw speech into exile and then one is in the aspect of "their throats are parched", and one is unable to speak a word before HaShem. The remedy for this is fasting, then one can speak. Through this, one can bring distant ones closer to HaShem which is the essential completeness of faith, and then one's eating will be very precious because a great unification is made through his eating. (There^)

11. Through the lust for eating, holy honor is damaged and then the brazen-faced of the generation overpower because the honor falls to the wicked nations and the brazen-faced of the generation who take up all honor and rule. Thus, it is the aspect of 'the hiding of the face' corresponding to the overpowering of judgments, God forbid. However, when one breaks the lust for eating, through this is 'the elevation of the face' corresponding to the cancelling out of judgments - and then holy honor is whole and there is no authority and honor for the brazen-faced. (From Likutei Moharan I, 67)

12. One must be exact in not eating more than his need because when one eats more than his need, it harms him a lot. For even the remaining food (all that which was eaten before one exceeded the amount necessary -translator's note) joins together with this food (all the food one ate after he exceeded what he needed -translator's note) and they harm him much. (From Likutei Moharan I, 257)

13. When a person eats excessive food, he is like an animal because the category of human is to eat only according to what is necessary; and when one eats more [than this], it is exactly the behavior of an animal. Through this, eating excessive food, comes the sickness of the fever, God forbid. Also, through not yet clarified food occurring within one's food, comes the sickness of the fever, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 263)

(Continue to the second part)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Sighing 1-4 (end)

Sighing

1. The sighing and groaning of a man of Israel is very precious, for it is the making whole of all that lacks. However, it is impossible to make a lack whole through sighing except through drawing closer to the [particular] tzadik who is the true Rabbi of in the generation. For from him the spirit of life is received to make whole any lack via sighing. (From Likutei Moharan I, 8; see sec. Tzadik, 11)

2. When a person prays properly, with devekut, or one who does hitbodedut properly, but in the middle [of it] he falls from his level - that is a result of damaged faith. Thus, he needs to break his heart within him and become ashamed of himself for having fallen and been thrown down from Heaven to earth; and he should have mercy on himself until he sighs. Through the sigh he will return to his level. (From Likutei Moharan I, 108)

3. Sighing of holiness is very precious because through one sighing over being far from holiness one is released from the cord of impurity and is hooked up to the cord of purity. Also, when one sighs over [as a result of] some lust that he yearns for - the opposite [happens], God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan I, 109)

4. The sighing that a person sighs over his signs or over his lack of attainment [of holiness, Torah, etc] - this is better than several mortifications and fasts. (there^)

See more about the idea of sighing in sec. Brazenness, 2 and 3 that through the sighing of holiness, one breaks the brazenness of the body and then the soul can draw closer to the body and make known to it the attainments [of Heavenly wisdom] that it reaches, and more; see there.

(Continue to next section, Eating)

Likutei Etzot (Compilations of Advice), Truth and Faith 30-58 (end)

Truth and Faith (continued)

30. As a result of faith not being complete, through this many stumble in error and make intermediary means between them and HaShem. In other words, that they believe in HaShem but they believe also in an intermediary and say they need the means. Meaning they believe, for example, in the means of livelihood which is doing business. They say, "The means of doing business is the main point", as if, God forbid, that without the means of doing business the hand of HaShem is unable to give them a livelihood. Or that the means of healing is through medicine, and they make it the main point. As if, God forbid, that without medicine, the hand of HaShem is unable to heal. But the matter is not so! For HaShem is the means of all means and he is the grounds for all grounds and no one needs [other] means. And our business with these means needs faith in HaShem only and not to make the means the main point. (From Likutei Moharan I, 62)

31. The principle is that everything we do, whether it be prayer, learning Torah, doing commandments - everything is in order to reveal HaShem's kingdom and faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 77)

32. When one is very strong in faith, he merits afterward to come to intellect. All the more he strengthens in faith, he comes to greater intellect. Because the thing that was necessary to be understood first, because he didn't understand it [and thus had faith that it is so], afterwards he merits to understand it with the intellect through strong faith. Even afterward, there are higher things that are hidden from him and he is not able to understand them with his intellect. Thus, he needs to strengthen himself more in faith and to believe in that which is hidden from him now, which he can't understand with his intellect, until he merits to understand these things also with the intellect; thus it [repeats like this] forever. However, the faith needs to very, very strong until the faith spreads to all of his limbs. Then he will be able to merit to come to the intellect via the faith. (From Likutei Moharan I, 91)

33. The [urge for] winning doesn't tolerate the truth. And even if a true matter will be clarified before him, he pushes it away because of [his will for] winning. Therefore, one who wants the ultimate truth must remove from himself the trait of [wanting to] win first; then he'll be able to see the truth if he wants to. (From Likutei Moharan I, 122)

34. Faith is correlated to the power of growth and the power of sprouting forth, and this is the aspect of patience. In other words, when faith is complete, one grows and sprouts forth in serving HaShem, no matter what happens, because no confusion or obstacle can confuse him. Rather, he makes himself patient to suffer whatever will come upon him, for all the obstacles and confusions to serving HaShem in which he doesn't draw closer to those who fear HaShem, is all a result of laziness and depression and the heaviness that comes from a lack of faith. Because if his faith in the truth was complete as is proper, he certainly would run and be very speedy to draw closer to them. Thus, that he does not pray properly is also a result of laziness and heaviness that comes from a lack of faith. Certainly, if he had complete faith and he would believe that HaShem was standing over him and listening to every word by word that comes out of his mouth and heard the sound of his prayer, he would definitely pray properly, with enthusiasm and great desire. Rather, the main confusion of prayer is from a lack of faith and thus, all of the distancing from tzadikim, God-fearers, and from truly serving HaShem - all of it is from a lack of faith through which laziness, depression, and heaviness come upon him. However, when he has complete faith, nothing can hold him back. Rather, he becomes patient to suffer anything, and he grows and sprouts forth in serving HaShem, as it should be. (From Likutei Moharan I, 155)

35. To merit faith and patience is through the Land of Israel. Everyone needs to request from HaShem to have a longing and yearning for the Land of Israel, until he merits to go there. Also, to have yearnings for all the tzadikim of the Land of Israel, which is a segula to cancel out anger and depression; for the faith and patience that one merits in the Land of Israel are the opposite of anger and depression. (There^)

36. The essential completeness of faith is to strengthen oneself in strong faith so much so that it will be very pure and clear. Until it seems to him that he actually sees with his eyes the thing that he believes, as is explained above.

37. Through dispute the thoughts of the wicked fall; which are thoughts of denial about good people. The remedy for this is to be silent and give over the battle to HaShem. (From Likutei Moharan I, 251)

38. A man of truth that does all the commandments with precision between himself and his Creator, just as he would before people - there is no division by him at all. For he has no amount of deceit [that he would] do, God forbid, some action in serving HaShem that is for [the sight of] people. He draws to himself the power of all righteousness (or charity) and through that cancels out thoughts of denial. (There^)

39. When a person is in some sort of trouble, God forbid, then the truth is damaged. Therefore, he needs to guard himself a lot, exceedingly, that he won't be trapped in some mistake or lie via the trouble, God forbid. (From Likutei Moharan II, 2)

40. Through thanking HaShem at every time for everything that happens to him, particularly when he leaves some trouble, God forbid - and also through learning halakhot - the truth enlightens his speech and makes all the parts of speech whole. For the main existence and wholeness of speech is only through truth. He will also merit to pray in truth, which is the main wholeness of prayer; and he merits to receive the Torah of truth from a true Rabbi that will teach him the path of truth in his real Torah. He also merits to make true shidukhim, that HaShem will order for him and for his children their true mates. All this one merits through praising and thanking HaShem and through learning halakhot, as stated above. Through this, one merits to draw the blessing, holiness, and joy of the Sabbath to the six days of the week and through that, the simple oneness of HaShem is revealed through various workings; to believe and to know truly that all the various workings are drawn from the simple oneness of HaShem. This is a very precious aspect above, in all the worlds, and even by HaShem it is an amazing thing and very precious and important. (There^)

41. The main principle is faith. And everyone needs to search themselves [to determine] if their faith is whole and to strengthen themselves in faith, always. Because through a damage in faith come incredible blows which nothing can help - not medicine, not prayer, and not the merit of the Forefathers. Also, crying out of moaning and groaning will not benefit the sick, because sometimes these sounds can benefit the sick, that [Heaven] has mercy on him by this - but through a fall in faith, even these sounds don't help. (From Likutei Moharan II, 5)

42. When a person falls from faith, God forbid, then even crying out without speaking doesn't help. Then one must cry out from the depth of the heart, in the aspect of "from the depths I have called you, HaShem", from the depths of the heart. Through that, deep advice is revealed and via them faith grows and is fixed. Further through this, everything we mentioned above returns and is fixed, namely healing, prayer, and merit of the Forefathers. (There^)

43. Through a fall of holy faith, false beliefs are made and strengthened. Also to the opposite: when the holy faith is elevated and fixed, false beliefs are weakened and they fall; then the idolatrous nations come back and return from their false faiths to the our holy faith and converts are made. Sometimes potential converts are made, meaning that even though they don't come to actually convert, they recognize HaShem from the place they are at and they know and believe that there is a Single, Ancient One. Other times, actual converts are made who come and convert. These converts harm Israel and bring pride and promiscuity in Israel; they yet need many remedies for these. (There^, also see below sec. Tefillin 6)

44. The essence of complete faith is merited by drawing closer to the true tzadik that has ruah hakodesh, that through this, the medame is fixed. Through that is the main completeness of faith that one merits to believe in HaShem and in the renewal of the world which is the foundation of everything and the whole universe depends on it. (From Likutei Moharan II, 8, also see below in sec. Tzadik 98)

45. Faith depends on the mouth of a person, that one needs to speak faith with the mouth as it is written: "I will make known your faith with my mouth". Therefore, when a person falls from faith, God forbid, the advice for that is to speak the belief with his mouth, that he should say with a fullness of mouth that he believes etc. The person himself that speaks words of faith with his mouth, he himself is the aspect of faith. Also, through this he merits to come to complete faith, for faith depends on the mouth of a person as we've explained. (There^)

46. Also to the opposite, God forbid, one needs to be very careful not to bring upon his lips any statement of denial or heresy, God forbid, even by way of jest. In other words, that his heart believes, but he is saying a statement of denial in the name of someone else and is mocking it - even this is greatly forbidden, for it harms faith. For it is forbidden to say jesting matters about HaShem, even by way of joking [about the unbelievers]. (There^)

47. One needs to be very careful not to glance at all at books that talk about philosophy, because they're very harmful and damage the holy faith. It's already been explained in several places, but one must repeat this warning several times, so as not to lose one's world (i.e. his eternal life) for a moment, God forbid. (There^)

48. It is better to believe even in idiocies  and lies in order to also believe in the truth, rather than to deny everything, God forbid. Meaning to deny the idiocies and lies and through that everything becomes jest to him and he [ends up] denying also the truth. (From Sihot HaRan, 103)

49. Completeness of faith is only through believing in HaShem without any 'wisdom' at all, nor any sign or wonder at all, nor any philosophy at all - only to believe with simplicity and innocence, as the women and common folk of Israel believe. (From Sihot HaRan, 33)

50. There are sages which are sages even in the wisdom of Torah, but they have no faith. These 'sages' are called ba`alei rathan, and one needs to distance himself from them and from their dwellings with every kind of distancing, as our Sages of blessed memory warned to distance oneself from ba`alei rathan because the breath of their mouths harms an acceptable person very much. Also, one can fall to the lust for promiscuity, God forbid, through the breath of their mouth. These 'sages' are, by and large, greatly promiscuous. (From Likutei Moharan II, 81)

51. Through the joy of Torah and commandments until one dances as a result of the joy, the holy faith is elevated. (From Likutei Moharan II, 80)

52. When there is constriction of and damage of faith, one must do difficult service, for example fasting and the like; however, when the faith is whole, one can serve HaShem in everything, for the Holy One Blessed is He does not come to complaint with his creations. (From Likutei Moharan II, 86)

53. Faith is considered as charity/righteousness. (From Sihot HaRan , 34)

54. Through faith one merits children/sons. Faith is the same numerical value as children. (There^)

55. Faith is a very strong thing. Through faith and innocence without any wisdom one merits the aspect of desire which is above even holy wisdom, in other words that one will merit an extreme desire for HaShem with a great, intense craving to the point that he won't know what to do from the greatness of the craving and he will cry out with longing of the soul. (From Sihot HaRan, 32)

56. There are some who have [negative] thoughts about the holy faith come upon them as a result of not having been born in holiness as is proper. There are some whose bad deeds added [these thoughts] themselves, for there are sins which bring on thoughts of denial in a person. Therefore, this person needs [to feel] shame and [have] a broken heart, since one who has philosophies and thoughts like these, God forbid, that are against our holy faith - it is proper for him to be very, very ashamed for having come to this by his sins. And through shame and a broken heart, these denials are broken and cut off. Also, a great advice has already been explained for faith - to say and speak the faith with the mouth. (There^, see 45 above)

57. One who has faith, his life is life! However, one without faith, God forbid, does not have life at all. For there is no one who won't have great hardships, journeys, and troubles; for a man was born for toil. But when he has faith, then even when hardships and troubles come upon him, God forbid, he can comfort himself that HaShem will have mercy on him and will make his end good; and that the hardships are for his good and his atonement, for all that HaShem does is definitely a great good! However, a philosopher who that doesn't have faith - when some difficulty comes upon him, he has no one to turn to and nothing to enliven himself or to console himself with. Therefore, he has no life whatsoever, since he walks without HaShem and without [divine] supervision, God forbid. Through faith, however, one's life is always good. (From Sihot HaRan, 53)

58. The main belief in the Oneness is through the true tzadikim who are the edge of the letter dalet of "one" (in the Shema`. That is, the edge of the dalet distinguishes the letter dalet from a resh. If the word "one", "ehad" is spelled with a resh (ר) instead of dalet (ד), it reads "another", "aher" - in other words, the tzadikim who are likened to the edge of the dalet, make HaShem "one" in the world, removing idolatry which is "another" god -Translator's note). As it is brought in the holy Zohar that the tzadik is the edge of the letter dalet. (Sihot HaRan, 280)

(Continue to next section, Sighing)