We entered the Rebbe’s room as usual on the Shabbat of Noah, 5570/1809.302The Shabbat on which the Torah portion of Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32) is read. This occurred on 4 Cheshvan 5570 (October 14, 1809).
The Rebbe said, “What I do with you is a very small thing for me. It is really your task.” [All that he did with us was to draw us to God, and this was a very small thing for him. It was really our task to bring people close to God. The Rebbe himself had a far loftier mission.]
The Rebbe then said: There are naked souls303Tikkuney Zohar #6, 23b; Zohar Chadash 37a. See Tzaddik #48; Alim LeTerufah #350. that cannot enter a body at all. These souls are more pitiful than anyone alive.
When a soul is born into this world, it [comes with] a body; it can give birth to children and observe God’s commandments. But these naked souls have no way of elevating themselves and are most pitiful. They cannot accomplish anything on high and also cannot clothe themselves in a body.
There are also incarnations that have not yet been revealed. [That is, there are many incarnations mentioned in the sacred works of earlier masters. However, other incarnations have never been revealed at all in this world.]
One’s incarnation can also cause him to desire to travel constantly. He makes plans to travel, but they do not materialize, and ultimately he remains at home (see “His Wisdom” #85, #280).
שְׁנַת תק"ע פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ (ד' מַרחֶשְׁוָן) נִכְנַסְנוּ אֵלָיו בַּלַּיְלָה כְּדַרְכֵּנוּ תָּמִיד.
We entered the Rebbe’s room as usual on the Shabbat of Noah, 5570/1809.302The Shabbat on which the Torah portion of Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32) is read. This occurred on 4 Cheshvan 5570 (October 14, 1809).
עָנָה וְאָמַר: "מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּכֶם הוּא דָּבָר קָטָן לְפָנַי. זֶה אַתֶּם צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת" (כַּוָּנָתוֹ: הַיְנוּ מַה שֶּׁהוּא עוֹסֵק עִמָּנוּ לְהַכְנִיסֵנוּ וּלְקָרְבֵנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲפִלּוּ זֹאת הוּא דָּבָר קָטָן לְפָנָיו, וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲנַחְנוּ צְרִיכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת – לְקָרֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם לַעֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. אֲבָל הוּא בְּעַצְמוֹ יֵשׁ לוֹ עֲבוֹדָה גְּבוֹהָה מִזֶּה).
The Rebbe said, “What I do with you is a very small thing for me. It is really your task.” [All that he did with us was to draw us to God, and this was a very small thing for him. It was really our task to bring people close to God. The Rebbe himself had a far loftier mission.]
וְהָיִיתִי עוֹמֵד וּמִשְׁתּוֹמֵם כְּמַתְמִיהַּ, כִּי כְּפִי הַנִּרְאֶה לְדַעְתֵּנוּ – אֵין עֲבוֹדָה גְּבוֹהָה מִזּוֹ לְקָרֵב בְּנֵי אָדָם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
I stood there dumbfounded. What could be greater than bringing people close to God?
עָנָה וְאָמַר: יֵשׁ נְשָׁמוֹת עַרְטִלָּאִין, שֶׁאֵין יְכוֹלִין לִכָּנֵס בַּגּוּף כְּלָל, וְגֹדֶל הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁעֲלֵיהֶם גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם מְאֹד מְאֹד יוֹתֵר מֵעַל הַחַיִּים.
The Rebbe then said: There are naked souls303Tikkuney Zohar #6, 23b; Zohar Chadash 37a. See Tzaddik #48; Alim LeTerufah #350. that cannot enter a body at all. These souls are more pitiful than anyone alive.
כִּי הֵם כְּבָר נִכְנְסוּ בַּגּוּף וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם בָּנִים וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם מִצְווֹת, אֲבָל הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁעַל אֵלּוּ הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָעֲרֻמּוֹת הוּא גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד. כִּי אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָה, וְגַם לְמַטָּה אֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בַּגּוּף כַּנַּ"ל.
When a soul is born into this world, it [comes with] a body; it can give birth to children and observe God’s commandments. But these naked souls have no way of elevating themselves and are most pitiful. They cannot accomplish anything on high and also cannot clothe themselves in a body.
וְיֵשׁ גִּלְגּוּלִים בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נִתְגַּלּוּ כְּלָל בָּעוֹלָם (הַכַּוָּנָה – כִּי יֵשׁ גִּלְגּוּלִים שֶׁדִּבְּרוּ מֵהֶם בַּסְּפָרִים שֶׁנִּתְגַּלּוּ עַל יְדֵי הַקַּדְמוֹנִים. אֲבָל יֵשׁ עוֹד גִּלְגּוּלִים שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא נִתְגַּלּוּ כְּלָל בָּעוֹלָם).
There are also incarnations that have not yet been revealed. [That is, there are many incarnations mentioned in the sacred works of earlier masters. However, other incarnations have never been revealed at all in this world.]
גַּם מִדָּה זוֹ הוּא מִצַּד הַגִּלְגּוּל, שֶׁהַגִּלְגּוּל מְחַיֵּב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ מִדָּה זוֹ שֶׁיִּתְאַוֶּה תָּמִיד לִנְסֹעַ לַדְּרָכִים וְיִהְיֶה מוּכָן לִנְסֹעַ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֵינוֹ עוֹלֶה בְּיָדוֹ וְנִמְנָע מִלִּנְסֹעַ.
One’s incarnation can also cause him to desire to travel constantly. He makes plans to travel, but they do not materialize, and ultimately he remains at home (see “His Wisdom” #85, #280).