## Likutei Moharan, Part II

###### Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:1
[Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Moharan/s/Part%20II/r/86:1:1)

דַּע, שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הֵם מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה, עַל־כֵּן הֵם צְרִיכִים לְתַעֲנִית, דְּהַיְנוּ עֲבוֹדוֹת קָשׁוֹת. כִּי בְּוַדַּאי יָדוּעַ, שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לַעֲבֹד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל דָּבָר, כִּי אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא בָּא בִּטְרוּנְיָא עִם בְּרִיּוֹתָיו (ע"ז ג),

**Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012:**
Know! because people are of little faith they need fasting—i.e., difficult devotions. For it is certainly known that it is possible to serve God with all things, because the Blessed Holy One does not make unreasonable demands of His creations (Avodah Zarah 3a).


###### Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:2
[Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Moharan/s/Part%20II/r/86:1:2)

אַךְ מַה שֶּׁצְּרִיכִין לִפְעָמִים לַעֲבוֹדוֹת קָשׁוֹת, הוּא בִּבְחִינַת מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זנהדרין עד:): בִּשְׁעַת שְׁמָד אֲפִלּוּ אַעַרְקְתָא דִּמְסָאנֵי יֵהָרֵג וְאַל יַעֲבֹר. נִמְצָא שֶׁאַף שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵין רָאוּי שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג עַל זֶה, אַךְ מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהוּא שְׁעַת שְׁמָד, וְהֵם מִתְגַּבְּרִים וְרוֹצִים דַּיְקָא לְהַעֲבִירוֹ עַל דָּת וְלַהֲבִיאוֹ לִכְפִירוֹת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, עַל־כֵּן הוּא מֻכְרָח לִמְסֹר נַפְשׁוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר קַל.

**Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012:**
Nevertheless, when difficult devotions are necessary, it relates to what our Sages, of blessed memory, taught (Sanhedrin 74a-b) : In a time of religious oppression, even to change one’s shoelaces is a matter of “be killed rather than transgress.” It follows, that although it is actually not right that he be killed for this, nevertheless, it is a time of religious oppression, and they are powerful and in particular want to cause him to leave religion and bring him to heresy, God forbid. He must therefore give up his life even for something minor.


###### Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:3
[Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Moharan/s/Part%20II/r/86:1:3)

וְהָעֲבוֹדָה־זָרָה וְהַכְּפִירוֹת הֵם בִּבְחִינַת (תהלים קלה): אַף אֵין יֵשׁ רוּחַ בָּהֶם – שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם שׁוּם רוּחַ כְּלָל. וְהַקְּטַנֵּי־אֲמָנָה הֵם בִּבְחִינַת מִקֹּצֶר־רוּחַ, שֶׁהוּא כְּמוֹ מְמֻצָּע, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם אֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת מַאֲרִיךְ רוּחוֹ, כַּמּוּבָא בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר (בְּלִקּוּטֵי א סִימָן קנה), וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן אֵינָם כּוֹפְרִים לְגַמְרֵי, שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שׁוּם רוּחַ כְּלָל, רַק הֵם כְּמוֹ מְמֻצָּע, וְרוּחָם קְצָרָה, בְּחִינַת מִקֹּצֶר־רוּחַ.

**Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012:**
Idolatry and atheism are the concept of “nor is there any *ruach* (breath) in their mouths” (Psalms 135:17)—they have no *ruach* (spirit) in them whatsoever. Those of little faith correspond to “shortness of spirit,” which resembles a middle ground. In other words, they lack complete faith, which corresponds to extending one’s *ruach,* as brought elsewhere; even so, they are not complete heretics, who have no *ruach* whatsoever. Rather, they resemble a middle ground. Their *ruach* is short, the concept of “because of a shortness of spirit.”


###### Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:4
[Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Moharan/s/Part%20II/r/86:1:4)

וְזֶהוּ (שמות ו׳:ט׳): מִקֹּצֶר־רוּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה – שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת שֶׁהֵם בִּבְחִינַת קֹצֶר־רוּחַ, מֵחֲמַת שֶׁהֵם קְטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה כַּנַּ"ל, עַל־יְדֵי־זֶה צְרִיכִין לַעֲבוֹדוֹת קָשׁוֹת וּלְתַעֲנִיתִים כַּנַּ"ל. כְּמוֹ שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַשְּׁמָד שֶׁהִיא קִלְקוּל אֱמוּנָה לְגַמְרֵי, צְרִיכִין אֲפִלּוּ לִמְסֹר נַפְשָׁם מַמָּשׁ אֲפִלּוּ עַל דָּבָר קַל, כְּמוֹ־כֵן כְּשֶׁיֵּשׁ קַטְנוּת וּפְגָם בֶּאֱמוּנָה, צְרִיכִין לַעֲשׂוֹת עֲבוֹדוֹת קָשׁוֹת כַּנַּ"ל.

**Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012:**
This is the meaning of “because of a shortness of *ruach* and *avodah kashah* (hard labor)” (Exodus 6:9). Because they conceptually correspond to “shortness of *ruach,*” on account of their being of little faith, they therefore need *avodot kashot* (difficult devotions) and fasting, as mentioned above. Just as in a time of religious oppression, which is the utter corruption of faith, one even has to actually give up his life even for something minor, so too when there is “smallness” and blemished faith, one has to perform difficult devotions.


###### Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:5
[Likutei Moharan, Part II 86:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Likutei%20Moharan/s/Part%20II/r/86:1:5)

וְיֵשׁ כַּמָּה בְּחִינוֹת בִּקְטַנֵּי אֱמוּנָה. כִּי יֵשׁ אֲפִלּוּ צַדִּיקִים שֶׁהֵם קְטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה מח:) עַל פָּסוּק: כִּי מִי בַז לְיוֹם קְטַנּוֹת – מִי גָּרַם לַצַּדִּיקִים וְכוּ' [י]:

**Likutey Moharan Volumes 12-15, trans. by Moshe Mykoff. Breslov Research Inst., 1986-2012:**
Now, there are many levels of little faith. There are even tzaddikim of little faith, as our Sages, of blessed memory, interpreted the verse: “For who has despised the day of small things” (Zechariah 4:10)—who caused the tzaddikim…? (Sotah 48b).