The story is told of one of the ascetics who went to a certain city to teach the service of GD to its inhabitants.  He found that their clothing and personal finery were all alike in color, their graves were near the doors of their homes, and he saw no women among them. When he asked them about this, they said to him, "Our apparel is all of one color so that the poor man be indistinguishable from the rich man so that the wealthy man not become proud and arrogant and the poor man not be disgraced in his own eyes; and that our condition upon the earth be as our condition beneath it. It is told of one of the kings that he would mingle with his servants and was indistinguishable among them because, in his dress and ornaments, he practiced humility. pg 421

 Performing a mitzvah is like a salvatoin for the Schechinah the Divind Presence, since Hakadosh Baruch Hu is united with His Shechinah through the performance of the commandments Mipeninei Noam Elimelech                           כִּֽי־תְשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בְרָכ֣וֹת לָעַ֑ד תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֜שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ: (21:6 תהילים) Joy is called Panim. Through the mitzvot that are done with joy, a holy angel is created.  

If he is concerned about his latter end, his mind is undoubtedly clearer and freer when he is in a state of solitude.  For this reason, the ascetics would leave their relatives and homes for the mountains so as to free their minds for GD service, and the prophets at the time of prophecy would leave their homes and seclude themselves (to concentrate) on their duties to the Creator pg 419

 If one is alone, a stranger in this world, he should consider that he is freed from the heavy burden of supporting relatives and fulfilling obligations toward them and regard this as one of the blessings the Creator has bestowed upon him. For if he is busy with secular interest and providing for his material needs, his labors are lighter without  wife or child, and their absence means rest for him and is beneficial to him pg 419

Chazal states, "Great is a sin done for the sake of Heaven" (Nazir 23b).  The Tzaddik must bring himself down in some way in order to lift up others who are engaging in foolishness, thus sinning for the sake of Heaven.  For example, to rectify someone who lies, the Tzaddik must use similar means to break this trait.  But Heaven forbid that the Tzaddik should not lie.  Rather we find that our Sages permitted bending the truth slightly (for the sake of Heaven) that he can say about himself that he is not pious and righteous (Bava Mezia 23b).  This is a lie since he really is a Tzaddik. By sinning lishma for the sake of Heaven, he can break the trait of dishonesty in the other person.  Mepeninei Noam Elimelech pg 124

 He should bear in mind that the soul is also a stranger in this world and the inhabitants of the earth are like strangers on it. He should think of how anyone who has relatives will, in a short while, be left a solitary stranger; neither relative nor child will help him, not one of them will accompany him. 

 Every person is necessarily in one of two situations either he is a stranger, or he lives among family and friends.  The proper way of relying on GD in these matters is as follows.   If he is a stranger, he should, whenever he feels lonely, find companionship in GD and, in his condition as a stranger, place his trust in Him.   pg 419

 Said in the name of Reb Elimelech, If a person wishes to rise higher in his spiritual level he must see to it that his character traits are whole and perfect on the lower level.  This is because it is impossible to maintain a constant strict level.  A person is like the angels called Chayos,  which run and return for sometimes he rises and sometimes he falls.  And if his lower levels are not perfected, how can he return to them?  The Rebbe compared this to a man climbing a ladder.  The wise and intelligent man will first test all the rungs to make sure that they are whole and intact so that if needs be, he can retrace his steps and return to them. 122  

  The One Who brought me into this world in a certain place and by means of two particular individuals from among all the people in the world- He has determined that I earn a living in a certain land and through a certain individual whom He has made a means to my livelihood for my benefit. pg 417/ 419   

 The Creator has chosen that my livelihood comes to me in the ways most suitable for me and not in other ways.   pg 417

 If his livelihood comes to him in one way and not another in one place and not in another through one individual and not another, he should say to himself, "The One Who created me in a certain form and image with a certain nature and disposition to the exclusion of the other forms, nature, an qualities, as this is best for me. pg 417

 "He switched his hands because Menasheh was the firstborn, the elder."  The Noam Elimelech writes:     This reasoning seems backward.  (It should have said he switched them even though Menasheh was older)  But the Torah wishes to teach us derech eretz, proper manners, and behavior.  Honor your fellow Jew according to what he deserves.  Even though Yaakov could have just as easily switched them around and moved them into the positions he wanted them to be in.. he did not wish to embarrass Menasheh, and therefore he only switched the positions of his hands.  Mipeninei Noam Elimelech pg 109/110 

One who reflects in his heart that the minimum H'shem is providing for him "will not harm me" will be rewarded for this. as the Creator said of our forefathers in the wilderness who were in a similar situation, "The people shall go out and gather that day's portion each day (Shemos 16:4) "Go cry in the ears of Yerushalayim and say ..."how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown"( Yirmeyahu 2:2)  pg 417