There are those who falsely boast of extraordinary accomplishments and miracles, as if they are capable of everything and there is nothing they cannot do. Some among them are even leaders of the generation. Note! in the main their strength and sustainment come from none other than the great tzaddikim.

For there are true tzaddikim of extremely high levels, whose mouths are holy, whose way it is to speak of extraordinary accomplishments and miracles. And indeed they are capable of worshiping God with all things in the world: eating, drinking, or any other thing. This is as is brought in the Kavanot (Kabbalistic Meditations), that sometimes judgments are sweetened through eating and drinking. Thus, there are true tzaddikim who can effect a redemption through their eating and the like.

Yet the pride that emerges from the holy mouths of these great tzaddikim gives rise to charlatans, who impersonate them just as an ape [imitates a human]. They vaunt themselves with the very same expressions of pride that emerge from the holy mouth of the true tzaddik. This is similar to what we find of the prophets: Yirmiyahu would prophesy in the upper marketplace (Jeremiah 49:35), “Behold, I am going to break the might of Eilam,” and Chananiah ben Azur, a false prophet, would use precisely the same language to prophesy the reverse (Sanhedrin 89a). The same thing happens nowadays, as mentioned above.

Nevertheless, in the main their sustainment comes from none other than tzaddikim such as those whose way it is [to speak of] great accomplishments and miracles. For from the ordinary tzaddikim—those who worship God simply, through Torah, prayer and good deeds—they gain no strength. This is because these tzaddikim do not speak of extraordinary accomplishments, but conduct themselves with simplicity and unaffected worship. Therefore, the falsehood and self-importance of [the charlatans] have hardly any attachment to them. And although it is also possible to find a few charlatans of this sort—e. g., those charlatans who sit wrapped in tallit and tefilin all day long—even so, their ability to deceive people is considerably less than those who boast of extraordinary accomplishments.

For know! the aforementioned true tzaddik receives the speech of his holy mouth from those who are genuinely charitable. This is the meaning of “Please favorably accept the generosity of my mouth, O God” (Psalms 119:108). The tzaddik receives the speech of his mouth from the benevolent of heart, namely, those who are genuinely charitable.

Now, charity is synonymous with water, as in “Who turns the rock into a pool of water” (Psalms 114:8). “The rock” corresponds to “the rock of my heart” (Psalms 73:26), for there is “a heart of stone” (Ezekiel 36:26)—i.e., “the hardhearted, who are far from charity” (Isaiah 46:12). Thus, this is the meaning of “Who turns the rock into a pool of water.” In other words, the heart turns soft, as in “pour out your heart like water before God” (Lamentations 2:19)—i.e., a soft heart able to give charity generously. This is the reason that charity is referred to as water, as it is written (Amos 5:24), “charity like an unfailing stream.” This is also the concept of “Cast your bread upon the waters” (Ecclesiastes 11:1), which is said in regard to charity.

And it is through charity that the holy mouth of the tzaddik is made, as mentioned above. This is the concept of “b’PhIkha (with your mouth)” (Deuteronomy 23:24)—this refers to charity (Rosh HaShanah 6a). The mouth of the tzaddik is made by charity. As for the tzaddik himself, he is the concept of “The firstborn of his oxen, grandeur is his” (Deuteronomy 33:17). And the firstborn takes PI shnayim (“a double portion”). In other words, the speech of his holy mouth carries a double connotation. It is this that enables the aforementioned charlatans to gain strength and sustainment from them, turning [the tzaddik’s] words into their falsehood, since the holy speech is itself ambiguous, the concept of “a double portion.”

2. However, in actual fact, the true tzaddikim benefit from the existence of these charlatans who impersonate them. For there are wicked people who give charity to the tzaddikim, and charity creates the concept YaBoK—Yichud (unification), Berakhah (blessing), Kedushah (holiness). Each of these three concepts is mentioned in connection with water, which corresponds to charity, as mentioned above. Unification, as it is written (Genesis 1:9), “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one area.” Blessing, as it is written (ibid. 1:20), “Let the waters swarm with the swarm of living creatures.” Holiness, as it is written (Numbers 5:17), “the holy water.”

This is the reason there are people who are genuinely charitable yet are adulterous. They sustain themselves from the aforementioned concept of Yabok. In the realm of holiness, Yabok is synonymous with a union of holiness. But in their case this sustainment has been corrupted, and so for them turns into immoral desire; may the Merciful One spare us. Therefore, their charity is detrimental for the tzaddik. For the tzaddik receives the speech of his holy mouth from charity. But when in their case it becomes corrupted, it mars the speech of the tzaddik’s mouth, which he receives from there.

And so, it is a good thing that there are the aforementioned charlatans, because the wicked who give charity turn to them and give to them. This is as the prophet Yirmiyahu stated: “Make them stumble by [sending them] people who are unworthy,” as expounded by our Sages, of blessed memory (Bava Kama 16b). As a result, the true tzaddik is saved from the harm caused by their charity.

Nevertheless, the aforementioned charlatans’ main sustaining power comes from none other than these great tzaddikim whose way it is [to speak] of great accomplishments. But from those who constantly study Torah and conduct themselves simply, they gain no sustenance and strength, as mentioned above.

3. This is the meaning of what Rabbi Zeira asked Rabbi Yehudah: What is the reason that a gamla (camel) is short-tailed and an ox is long-tailed?

Gamla— This alludes to the ordinary tzaddik, as in “nor did I pursue things too great or too wondrous for me… like a nursing child at its mother’s side” (Psalms 131:1, 2). For he conducts himself with simplicity and does not boast of great accomplishments All his devotions are the concept of silence, because he does not speak of great accomplishments and wonders, but instead is “like a GaMuL (nursing child) at its mother’s side”—i.e., the concept of GaMLa.

is short-tailed— This alludes to that which is written (Isaiah 9:14), “the prophet who gives false instruction, he is at the tail.” This refers to the charlatans, the concept of false prophets, whose attachment is solely to the great tzaddikim, as mentioned above. But to the ordinary tzaddikim, who are the concept of gamla, they have hardly any attachment. This is the meaning of “is short-tailed.” And this is:

an ox is long- tailed— This alludes to the great tzaddikim, the concept of “The firstborn of his oxen, grandeur is his,” as mentioned above. “Is long-tailed”— in other words, the main sustainment of “the prophet who gives false instruction,” namely, “the tail,” is from no one but them.

This is the meaning of what [Rabbi Yehudah] answered: Because it eats thorns. These ordinary tzaddikim, who are the concept of gamla, “eat thorns”—they eat and consume the thorns and thistles which surround the Supernal Rose. A “rose” represents holy speech, the concept of “his lips like roses…” (Songs 5:13). For [these tzaddikim] are occupied with Torah study and devotions day and night, consuming all the thorns so that they cannot sustain themselves from holy speech. They are unable to sustain themselves from the simple, unaffected devotions, as mentioned above, because they cannot impersonate them or practice their deception through them, since [these tzaddikim] conduct themselves solely with innocence and simplicity.

An ox is long-tailed because it resides in agamey (swamplands) and needs [a long tail] to swat at the bakey (gnats).

resides in agamey— That is, they receive their holy speech from the genuinely charitable, from the concept of “Who turns the rock into an agam (pool) of water,” as mentioned above. And this is:

it resides in swamplands and needs [a long tail] to swat at the BaKeY— This is the aforementioned concept of YaBoK. One has to expel the Yabok of charity given by the wicked, because in their case the Yabok is corrupted, and is deleterious for the tzaddik who receives his speech from them, as mentioned above. It is therefore a great benefit that “the prophet [who gives false instruction],” namely, “the tail,” draws sustenance from them. Through this, [the great tzaddikim] remove the wicked from themselves. They cause them to stumble by means of the aforementioned charlatans, because [the wicked] turn to them and give them the charity, thus saving the tzaddikim, as mentioned above.