A somewhat notable chassid367This individual was R' Yudel, who then became a lifelong follower of the Rebbe (Kokhavey Or, p. 36, #23). He headed a large group of chassidim in Dashev, and when Rabbi Dov of Tcherin told him about the Rebbe, he came with his entire following (Nevey Tzaddikim, p. 24). Rebbe Nachman received a blessing from him before his pilgrimage to Israel (Tzaddik #32). See note 389. came to see the Rebbe. He was an older man and was knowledgeable in the writings of the holy Ari. Wanting to attach himself to the Rebbe, he began to speak in the manner of important chassidim, saying, “ Would the Rebbe teach us the path to serve God.”
The Rebbe looked at him with wonder and quoted the verse, “To know Your path in the earth?” (Psalms 67:3). The Rebbe meant that someone who was still “in the earth” – completely immersed in earthliness – wants to know the path to come close to God.
We see from this anecdote that the Rebbe was provoked because the man spoke in a haughty way, saying that he was seeking the path to God as if he had already perfected himself to the extent that he lacked nothing else but to choose the appropriate path and walk up to God. The Rebbe saw through this and wanted him to speak to him honestly.
סִפְּרוּ לִי שִׂיחָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁחָסִיד אֶחָד בָּא לְפָנָיו שֶׁהָיָה חָשׁוּב קְצָת, וּכְבָר הָיָה בָּא בַּיָּמִים קְצָת, וְהָיָה לוֹ יְדִיעָה בְּכִתְבֵי הָאֲרִ"י ז"ל, וְרָצָה לְהִתְקָרֵב לְרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל. וְהִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר עִם רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, כְּדֶרֶךְ הַחֲסִידִים הַחֲשׁוּבִים. וְאָמַר לְרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: יוֹרֵנוּ רַבֵּנוּ דֶּרֶךְ לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ!.
A somewhat notable chassid367This individual was R' Yudel, who then became a lifelong follower of the Rebbe (Kokhavey Or, p. 36, #23). He headed a large group of chassidim in Dashev, and when Rabbi Dov of Tcherin told him about the Rebbe, he came with his entire following (Nevey Tzaddikim, p. 24). Rebbe Nachman received a blessing from him before his pilgrimage to Israel (Tzaddik #32). See note 389. came to see the Rebbe. He was an older man and was knowledgeable in the writings of the holy Ari. Wanting to attach himself to the Rebbe, he began to speak in the manner of important chassidim, saying, “ Would the Rebbe teach us the path to serve God.”
עָנָה וְאָמַר רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, בִּלְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה: "לָדַעַת בָּאָרֶץ דַּרְכֶּךָ"? (תְּהִלִּים ס"ז) הַיְנוּ מִי שֶׁהוּא עֲדַיִן מְשֻׁקָּע בְּאַרְצִיּוּת גָּמוּר, הוּא רוֹצֶה לָדַעַת דֶּרֶךְ לְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ?
The Rebbe looked at him with wonder and quoted the verse, “To know Your path in the earth?” (Psalms 67:3). The Rebbe meant that someone who was still “in the earth” – completely immersed in earthliness – wants to know the path to come close to God.
וּכְפִי הַמּוּבָן מֵהַסִּפּוּר, שֶׁקְּפֵדָתוֹ הָיָה מַה שֶּׁמְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן גַּדְלוּת שֶׁרוֹצֶה לֵידַע דֶּרֶךְ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כְּאִלּוּ לֹא חָסֵר לוֹ כִּי אִם לֵידַע דְּרָכִים, כִּי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, רָצָה שֶׁיְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ בֶּאֱמֶת.
We see from this anecdote that the Rebbe was provoked because the man spoke in a haughty way, saying that he was seeking the path to God as if he had already perfected himself to the extent that he lacked nothing else but to choose the appropriate path and walk up to God. The Rebbe saw through this and wanted him to speak to him honestly.