Likutei Moharan 66:5/ליקוטי מוהר"ן ס״ו:ה׳

15A. Nor should a person use the obstacle as a means of exempting himself or as an excuse. [He should not] say that he wants to do the thing but cannot because of the obstacle or circumstance, and so should be credited as having done it, as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: If a person intended to do a mitzvah but circumstances prevented him from carrying it out, it is as if he had done it (Kiddushin 40a). The truth is that when circumstances [prevent a person from performing a mitzvah], it is certainly considered as if he carried it out, as our Sages taught.

2However, all this applies to someone who wants to discharge his obligation with this. And so he discharges it <with this>, for what could he do? He was prevented by circumstance. But someone who is not looking to discharge his obligation, but rather wants the mitzvah itself or the holy thing <that he has> to do—he desires that thing itself. In that case, what benefit does he have from this special concession, whereby it is considered as if he had done it? This in no way eases his mind, since he desires, longs and yearns greatly to perform the mitzvah itself, and not to discharge his obligation with an “as if”—that it be considered “as if he had done it.” For in truth, a Jew ought to fulfill his desire and aspiration in regard to all holy matters, turning potential into actual.

3Thus, when his desire is genuinely strong, and his mind is in no way eased by it being considered “as if he had done it,” he will certainly accomplish the thing, turning possibility into reality. Every barrier and circumstance <will be broken and eliminated>. Their sole purpose was for the sake of desire, and so when a person’s desire matches that obstacle—is in proportion to the magnitude of the desired objective—the circumstance or obstacle automatically disappears.

45B. This is the meaning of “‘he descended to Egypt’—compelled by the word [of God]” (Passover Haggadah interpreting Deuteronomy 26:5). When speech descends to the narrow of the throat, which is the aspect of the Egyptian exile, one is “a’noos (compelled) by the word”—i.e., he encounters o’ness (an unavoidable circumstance) or an obstacle, because the letters are lacking vowel points and so he cannot express them from the narrow of the throat. As explained above, this is the root of all the obstacles and circumstances. And this is the meaning of “compelled by the word”: because speech is lacking perfection, he is someone who is compelled [by circumstance].