gershig32

What I am about to say is, most likely, going to be dismissed by many because I am about to quote someone who was a prominent Breslover Mashpia. For many, this alone may be reason to be dismissive. After the petira of the Lubavitcher Rebbe z”l, a good friend of mine, who was once a Lubavitcher, but became a Breslover, went to Rov Elozor Mordechai Kenig zt”l of Tsfat and expressed to him his bother with this idea. Rov Kenig said to my friend, “I have no problem with him being Moshiach, but let him come already.” I personally feel that Rav Kenig had hit the nail on the head. We all agree that Moshiach is coming and want him to come. Let’s focus on the goal and not engage in purposeless argument.

@grass. The point was that the Tzaddik needs us as well as we need him. He can not do his job without us and we can not without him. It is one part of Klal Yisroel attached to the other which the mekubalim refer to as Chelkei haShekhinah. This being held in mind means that he is not an intermediary and if if he could accomplish on his own he is still required to attach himself to the Klal and we are not exempt from davening on our own for whatever. If I view myself as exempt from davening I have made the Tzaddik an intermediary which is assur. כשם שנפרעים מעע״ז נפרעים מאלהיהם.
I would say to check out the Sefer Chayei Nefesh. Rav Kenig’s father discusses it more at length than I can on one foot with sources in Tanach, midrashim, shas, Rishonim, Acharonim and mekubalim with great clarity. You will find many satisfactory answers.

I would like to speak up as someone who was once a Lu and became a Breslover. I was a Talmid of Rav Elozor Kenig zt”l and I am currently following his brother Rav Efraim Kenig. There father ( Rav Gedaliah Kenig) wrote a Sefer on this topic of hiskashrus to Tzaddikim called “Chayei Nefesh”. It is kedai to read because all of these issues are addressed. I want to put out three ideas as food for thought. 1) The relationship between the Tzaddik and Klal Yisroel is symbiotic. The Tzaddik needs the Klal just as much as they need him. 2) The Tzaddik does not have a will of his own. He is entirely nullified to his creator. That being said one still needs to beseech Hashem for what ever they need thus when one asks the Tzaddik to daven for him he must also daven and his prayer with the Tzaddik’s prayer being that they connect to each other becomes Tefillas rabim which Hashem accepts. 3) The Tzaddik does not work for anyone but Hashem. He works with us. These is true of all Tzaddikim before their histalkus and after. These nekudos are explained in Lubavitcher seforim. However, Rav Gedaliah Kenig took the time to explain them at more length than I did and more systematically than in the Lubavitcher sources.