I heard from our master, our teacher and our Rabbi, may his memory be for a blessing, that each individual has “something in front of him” and “something behind him,” each one according to his level. [It is forbidden for a person to speculate what is beyond Creation and what is prior to Creation (Chagigah 11b). [Note: Rebbe Nachman is indicating that these limits vary with each individual.]
(קיז) שָׁמַעְתִּי מֵאֲדוֹנֵנוּ מוֹרֵנוּ וְרַבֵּנוּ זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ בְּחִינַת מַה לְּפָנִים וּמַה לְּאָחוֹר לְפִי מַדְרֵגָתוֹ (שָׁם):
I heard from our master, our teacher and our Rabbi, may his memory be for a blessing, that each individual has “something in front of him” and “something behind him,” each one according to his level. [It is forbidden for a person to speculate what is beyond Creation and what is prior to Creation (Chagigah 11b). [Note: Rebbe Nachman is indicating that these limits vary with each individual.]