"The service of the Creator is different, for He has already informed us of the right course to take, commanded us to choose it, and given us the ability to do so. If then we pray to Him in respect to the choice we should make and trust in Him to show us what is good for us, we will err in our words of supplication and be foolish in our trust, since He has already made known to us the ways of His service that will benefit us in this world and the next. Also, in secular matters, commendable means may become reprehensible, and those that are reprehensible may become commendable. This is not so, however, with service of G-d or transgression of His command. In these, that which is reprehensible or commendable remains so and never changes.
Once, on a Motzoei Shabbos, the chasidim were sitting in the bais medrash of the Ruzhiner Rebbe zy”a for Melave Malka. Suddenly, the Rebbe opened the door of his room next to the bais medrash, stood at the entrance, and said, “The Baal Shem Tov was not a deity, and the zaida, the Magid, was not just an ordinary wagon driver. And once, when the holy Baal Shem Tov prayed, his talis fringe fell out of his gartel and dragged on the floor. The Magid approached, picked it up, and put it back in the gartel, but he was trembled with such tremendous fear that he fainted and his life was in danger. They were compelled to rouse the Baal Shem Tov from his deep dveikus in order to calm him.” He then added, “I told you that the Baal Shem Tov was not a deity and my zaida, the Magid, was no wagon driver. Still and all, when he touched the Besht’s garment, he fainted from fear. The entire world is Hashem’s garment. How much fear must we feel to touch this world!” May the memory of the...