Likutei Moharan 31:13/ליקוטי מוהר"ן ל״א:י״ג

113. This is the meaning of: Four entered the Orchard. Rabbi Akiva entered in peace and exited in peace; Ben Azai gazed and <died>; Ben Zoma gazed and <was stricken>; Acher cut the plantings (Chagigah 14b). These four aspects correspond to the righteous and the wicked, the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him. These appear in the verse (Malachi 3:18), “Then you will return and see the difference between the righteous….”

2Now these four aspects can be found among all human beings who want to enter into the service of God and draw close to the tzaddik and teacher of the generation. For there is the one who enters and draws close to the tzaddik, and he receives from him an upright path to serve God in line with his level and stature. He corresponds to “the righteous,” to Rabbi Akiva who “entered and exited in peace.”

3And there is one who corresponds to “gazed and died, gazed and was stricken.” That is, his heart becomes very excited due to the great light and enthusiasm which the tzaddik illuminates into him with great intensity, beyond his level. As a result of this, it is possible for him to die—the aspects of “he gazed and died,” and of “one who serves God.” And there is one who goes out of his mind, because he ascends higher than his level—the aspects of “he gazed and was stricken,” and of “one who does not serve Him.” Be that as it may, even the “gazed and died, gazed and was stricken” both correspond to the tzaddik. Of them it is also said, “The tzaddikim go in them.” It is only that they did not “enter and exit in peace” like Rabbi Akiva.

4And there is one who draws close to the tzaddik and “cuts plantings” and heretically denies everything, God forbid. He is called wicked, corresponding to Acher, and certainly had a grievance in his heart, as our Sages taught about Acher (ibid. 15a). Therefore, perforce he finds that which belongs to him by the tzaddik—he finds something with which to “cut plantings.” Of him it is said, “the wicked stumble in them.” For the teacher must have both these qualities, as explained.

5And this is the concept of “an angel of the God of Hosts.” As our Sages said there about Acher: What did he see? He saw Metat sitting…. And he said, <“It is possible that there are two Authorities.”> Rabbi Akiva expounded: “The God of TZeVAOT is His name”—he is an OT (sign) in His TZaVA (army).

6Therefore, the teacher must have both these qualities: the aspect of “angel”/Metat, and the aspect of “the God of Hosts.” This is the meaning of, “like an angel of the God of Hosts.” And then, it is possible for the one who enters and draws closer to him to “cut plantings” because of the aspect of “angel.” This is what happened to Acher who “cut plantings” when he saw Metat, who was an angel, sitting. As a result of this he erred, saying that he was an independent Authority, God forbid. Or, it is possible to “enter and exit in peace” because of the aspect of “the God of Hosts,” like Rabbi Akiva.

7For every tzaddik has to be a scholar in Torah and a saint by virtue of good deeds. For if he is not a scholar, our Sages taught: An unlearned person cannot be a saint. And to be only a scholar is certainly worthless, for it is possible to be <an outstanding> scholar and completely wicked—“and if he is not worthy, it becomes a potion of death.”

8He therefore has to be a scholar and a saint. These two qualities are the aspects of “an angel of the God of Hosts.” This that he is a scholar corresponds to the aspect of “angel,” which is Metat. As is written, “God said, ‘Let there be a firmament… to divide between water and water’” (Genesis 1:6) —this is Metat. He corresponds to the Mishnah, which separates between clear waters and sullied waters, between impure and pure, between forbidden and permitted, etc. (Tikkuney Zohar 30, p.83a). And he has to resemble his Maker, being a saint through his good deeds; the aspect of “the God of Hosts.”

9But one who mistakenly supposes that the aspect of scholar-only is the main thing, corresponds to Acher who “cut plantings” because he thought that the angel Metat was himself an Authority, God forbid. For the truth is that Metat himself, without the Holy One, is nothing and has no authority. So, too, the Torah without good deeds is nothing. On the contrary, “if he is not worthy, [it becomes a potion of death].”

10And because of these two qualities, that the tzaddik has to be a scholar and a saint, the aspects of “an angel of the God of Hosts,” the tzaddik has the two powers of the Torah: an elixir of life and a potion of death. And it is possible for the one who draws close to him to find in him the means to either “cut plantings” or “enter and exit in peace.”

11This is the meaning of: “If the teacher is like an angel of the God of Hosts.” That is, he is a Torah scholar and serves God, and through this he animates the letters of the Torah for good. Then, “seek Torah from his mouth.” The letters of the Torah seek to receive vowel points and to be animated by his mouth. This is because his mouth will articulate his holy longings and yearnings—through which the souls are completed and come forth—and thus make vowel points for the letters so that they are animated and become vessels to receive good. For, as explained, it is through the vowel points that the letters unite and combine.