Likutei Moharan, Part II
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כְּשֶׁחוֹלְקִין עַל הָאָדָם, נִמְצָא שֶׁרוֹדְפִין אוֹתוֹ, וְהוּא בּוֹרֵחַ בְּכָל פַּעַם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְכָל מַה שֶּׁחוֹלְקִין עָלָיו יוֹתֵר, מְקָרְבִין אוֹתוֹ יוֹתֵר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ בְּכָל מָקוֹם, בִּבְחִינַת (תהילים קל״ט:ח׳): אִם אֶסַּק שָׁמַיִם שָׁם אָתָּה, וְאַצִּיעָה שְׁאוֹל הִנֶךָּ, נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם בּוֹרֵחַ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
When people oppose a person, they are, in effect, pursuing him. As a result, he time and again runs to God. And the more they oppose him, the closer they bring him to God. For God is everywhere, as in “If I ascend to heaven—You are there; and if I make my bed in hell—here You are” (Psalms 139:8). It follows, that wherever it is, he is running to God.
וְזֶה בְּחִינַת: וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב – שֶׁהִקְרִיב אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבִיהֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם (מ"ר בשלח פ' כא), שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי רְדִיפָתוֹ אוֹתָם נִתְקָרְבוּ יוֹתֵר לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ כַּנַּ"ל:
This is the concept of “Then Pharaoh hikriv (drew close)” (Exodus 14:10)—he brought Israel closer to their Father in heaven (Shemot Rabbah 21:5). As a result of his chasing after them, they drew even closer to God.