Atheism is called a burden. On the verse, “How can I alone bear your encumbrance and your burden?” (Deuteronomy 1:12), Rashi explains that “burden” refers to the fact that there were nonbelievers among the Jews in the wilderness.
When a person travels to a tzaddik, he casts aside this heavy burden, because traveling to a tzaddik is an act of faith, the opposite of unbelief (see Likutey Halakhot, Chalukat Shutfin 2:3, 4:5, 5:7).
אֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת נִקְרֵאת "מַשָּׂא" כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב רַשִׁ"י (דְּבָרִים א) עַל "מַשָּׂאֲכֶם" – 'מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ בָּהֶם אֶפִּיקוֹרְסִים'.
Atheism is called a burden. On the verse, “How can I alone bear your encumbrance and your burden?” (Deuteronomy 1:12), Rashi explains that “burden” refers to the fact that there were nonbelievers among the Jews in the wilderness.
עַל־כֵּן כְּשֶׁנּוֹסֵעַ לְהַצַּדִּיק, הוּא מַשְׁלִיךְ מֵעָלָיו מַשּׂוֹי גְדוֹלָה, כִּי מֵאַחַר שֶׁנּוֹסֵעַ כְּבָר יֵשׁ לוֹ אֱמוּנָה, שֶׁהוּא הֵפֶךְ הָאֶפִּיקוֹרְסוּת.
When a person travels to a tzaddik, he casts aside this heavy burden, because traveling to a tzaddik is an act of faith, the opposite of unbelief (see Likutey Halakhot, Chalukat Shutfin 2:3, 4:5, 5:7).