Likutay Moharan - Torah-teaching 100

100

Righteous Ones — Whose Temperament and Nature

[In the language of the friends]

Behold, the righteous [צדיקים, *tzaddikim*] — in every generation — all of them are holy, and within them dwells Hashem [ה׳, the Divine Name]. Yet we observe with our very eyes that among them are righteous individuals whose temperament and nature are exceedingly good — and they are good to all. And there are others who, though they are true tzaddikim, their temperament is not agreeable with the multitudes. Sometimes, from such a tzaddik, there appears anger and severity [strict judgment, *din*].

Now it is known: all the righteousness of the tzaddik is drawn from the light of the Torah [אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה, *or haTorah*]. For it is the Torah that teaches the path [as in Proverbs 3:6], and from it his righteousness is derived.

The tzaddik who has attained a great illumination from the light of the Torah, and whose actions are also in alignment — in equal measure — with his level of attainment in Torah, then his righteousness and his Torah are both settled [i.e., balanced and integrated] with calmness and restfulness [שׁוּבָה וָנַחַת, *teshuvah va’nachat*]. Therefore, his mind is at ease with others — his disposition is pleasant among people.

But the tzaddik whose wisdom — the light of Torah that he has attained — far exceeds his deeds, then the Torah boils within him — the holy fire of Torah [הָאֵשׁ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה, *ha’esh hak’doshah shel haTorah*]. And it becomes impossible for his mind to be pleasant with others, or to be blended [socially integrated] with the general populace as with the former tzaddik.

And this is what our Rabbis of blessed memory said (Taanit 4a): “This young Torah scholar (*tzurba mei’rabbanan*) who becomes agitated — it is the Torah that is boiling in him.” That is, in accordance with how greatly his Torah has increased — as explained above.