The Rebbe’s lesson on the verse, “And they did not listen to Moses because of their constricted spirit and cruel bondage” (Exodus 6:9) appears in Likutey Moharan II, 86. This lesson states that through lack of faith one must work harder in one’s devotions.²¹⁶ 61:8). Reb Noson had arrived in Breslov on Saturday night for Selichot and spoke to the Rebbe after the service. A week later on Rosh HaShanah, the lesson, “Rabbi Shimon rejoiced,” mentioned below, was revealed (Yemey Moharnat #25; Tzaddik #185). When the Rebbe addressed this lesson to me, I was quite shocked. I always thought of myself as having faith and could not understand his implication.

footnotes: ²¹⁶ This lesson was given shortly before Rosh HaShanah 5558/1797 (Parparaot LeChokhmah

When I mentioned this to the Rebbe, he answered me with some impatience, “Hast-di in dir kein emunah nit – You may have faith, but you have no faith in yourself.”

The Rebbe told me this: It is written, “Who is scornful on the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10). The Talmud comments on this verse, “Why are the tables of the tzaddikim despised in the World to Come? Because of their own smallness” (Sotah 48b). That is, because they do not believe in themselves.

Rashi explains “their own smallness” to mean that their faith was small. But the exact words of the Talmud literally say, “the smallness they had in themselves.” Hence, the Rebbe’s comment that their main lack was that of confidence in themselves.

The Talmud concludes by stating, “There were some among them who did not believe in God.” If they were tzaddikim, how is this possible? But according to the Rebbe’s interpretation, this means that they did not have enough faith in God’s goodness to believe they were important to Him.

This is why the Talmud speaks of their “smallness.” Their lack of belief was really lack of faith in themselves. This can also be fitted into Rashi’s commentary.

The main lesson here is that you must have faith in yourself. Believe that even you are dear in the eyes of God. A measure of God’s goodness is every individual’s importance to Him.

Experiencing humility does not mean putting yourself into a state of constricted consciousness, but rather that you should constantly ask God to help you achieve true humility.²¹⁷ II, 22 and 72.

footnotes: ²¹⁷ This is discussed at length in Likutey Moharan

Shortly after the Rebbe taught the above lesson, he gave another lesson on the section of the Zohar beginning, “Rabbi Shimon rejoiced” (Zohar II, 128a). There he states that there are tzaddikim who suffer from opposition because of their lack of faith in themselves (Likutey Moharan I, 61:5).