Likutei Moharan 24:10/ליקוטי מוהר"ן כ״ד:י׳

110. This is the meaning of what the Wise Men of Athens asked:

2“Where is the center of the universe?” He pointed up with his finger and said, “Here!” “Who says so?” they said to him. “Bring a measuring rope and measure it,” he answered them.

3They asked him: “How is it possible to grasp the Light of the Infinite One?”—for He is the center of the universe, from whom everything draws vitality and bounty.

4He pointed up with his finger — This is the concept of blessings, corresponding to, “Aharon raised up his hands and blessed them,” as explained. In other words, through the blessings, the mentalities collide with the Keter and chambers are created.

5Who says so? they said to him — Who is it that enters the Chambers of Exchanges, the domain of the evil forces, to elevate the holiness from there—the concept of the incense—and so that through its elevation, the blessings are elevated?

6This is the meaning of, “mi yeiMaR (who says so).” Linguistically this resembles teMuRah (exchange), as in (Leviticus 27:33), “if haMeR y’MiRenu (he exchanges it)…” And he answered them:

7Bring a measuring rope and measure it — In other words, the primary elevation of holiness is through joy. And in the Future, when the Jewish people will go out of the exile with joy, as in, “For you will go out with joy”—then the evil forces will be totally destroyed.

8This is the meaning of “bring a measuring rope.” That is, through you and against your will, the evil forces will be eliminated. For you yourselves [the gentiles] will bring the House of Israel from the exile. They [the House of Israel] are called a “measuring rope,” namely, “the rope of His inheritance” (Deuteronomy 32:9). As it is written (Isaiah 66:20), “And they will bring [all] your brethren”—the House of Israel.

9With his hands, each and every gentile will bring the House of Israel from exile, by virtue of the abundant joy that will exist at that time. As is written (Psalms 126:2,3), “Then they will declare among the nations, ‘God has done greatly with these’… we were joyous.”

10And through the joy, the evil forces will be eliminated, corresponding to (2 Samuel 8:2), “And they measured them with a rope, making them lie down on the ground.” This is the meaning of, “measure it”: namely, the measuring to destroy them.