THE SEVEN PILLARS (חלוקי הנחל) by Reb Yitzchok Breiter
A Digest of Breslov Philosophy

PILLAR 1--The Hand of G-d

The most foundational, essential concept which we merited to draw from the "waters of the flowing brook" (referring to Rebbe Nachman's teachings) is to know and recognize that everything which happens to a person, whether spiritually or physically, intentionally or accidentally, coercisively or willingly--everything is a decree of the Creator. For if a person is not yet befitting and hasn't yet merited to draw close enough to Kedushah to perform a certain mitzvah, then from Heaven he will experience confusions to distract him from the mitzvah. For distracting thoughts will circulate in his consciousness that prevent him from doing the holy thing, even if he actually wanted to do it.

Now, all this is not, G-d forbid, Hashem's vengeance, rather it is His Mercy for He is compassionate with all His creatures--the Absolutley Omniscient True Judge. For it is impossible to draw a person towards Good except by way of letting him realize how very far he is from Good, that he is holding at such a low level, and that nothing is going to help him except to cry out to Hashem about his existential lowliness. That he tell Hashem everything, pouring forth his heart in supplications, entreating Hashem through earnest conversation, asking and begging for his very soul, that Hashem will give him the merit to draw close to that [level of ability to perform that particular act of] Kedushah.

And this whole [reality of Hashem's conduct with us] is unfathomably wondrous. Every single teaching and Torah in Likutei Moharan touches upon and issues forth from this foundational concept, and gives all kinds of encouragement--especially the Torah "Azamra!" (LM 282) which stresses the need to judge oneself and others favorably. For this is the main way to give oneself and others the benefit of the doubt regarding all the spiritual descents and declines intentional or inadvertant, whether by coersion or by desire--everything is from Heaven in order to draw one closer through the very falling itself.

However, those who are distant from the True Tzaddik do not understand the above. Even an actual disciple needs great merit to always remember this--that for everything one undergoes, one must redouble himself in prayer to Hashem to be able to draw close through the very descent itself, as opposed to letting the decline distance him, G-d forbid.

Similarly, LM Tinyana 82 deals with matters of orderly vs. disorderly within spirituality and physicality, i.e. how much power we actually have [to control the way things come out, whether sweetly and flowing as opposed to through difficulty and the need to overcome obstacles.] May it be that the merit of this revelation [of the above principles] will empower us to conduct ourselves accordingly. Amen!