וּמֵעֵין זֶה מַה שֶּׁמְּסַפְּרִים בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב, זֵכֶר צַדִּיק וְקָדוֹשׁ לִבְרָכָה, מָשָׁל, שֶׁמֶּלֶךְ אֶחָד הִנִּיחַ אוֹצָר גָּדוֹל בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְסִבֵּב בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה חוֹמוֹת סְבִיב הָאוֹצָר, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ בְּנֵי־אָדָם לְאֵלּוּ הַחוֹמוֹת, נִדְמֶה לָהֶם שֶׁהֵם חוֹמוֹת מַמָּשׁ, וְקָשֶׁה לְשַׁבְּרָם. וּקְצָתָם חָזְרוּ תֵּכֶף, וּקְצָתָם שִׁבְּרוּ חוֹמָה אַחַת, וּבָאוּ אֶל הַשְּׁנִיָּה, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְשַׁבְּרָהּ, וּקְצָתָם שִׁבְּרוּ יוֹתֵר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לִשְׁבֹּר הַנִּשְׁאָרִים, עַד שֶׁבָּא הַבֶּן־מֶלֶךְ, אָמַר: אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁכָּל הַחוֹמוֹת הֵם רַק בַּאֲחִיזַת־עֵינַיִם, וּבֶאֱמֶת אֵין שׁוּם חוֹמָה כְּלָל, וְהָלַךְ לָבֶטַח עַד שֶׁעָבַר עַל כֻּלָּם. 4. This is akin to the parable told in the name of the Baal Shem Tov, may the memory of the holy man and tzaddik be a blessing, about a king who placed a great treasure in a certain place and, using the power of illusion, enclosed the treasure within many walls. When people came to these walls, it seemed to them that the walls were real, and difficult to breach. Some immediately turned back. Others broke through the first wall and reached the second one, but could not breach it. A few broke through further, but could not breach the rest. Finally, the prince arrived, and said, “I know that all the walls are only an illusion, and in reality there isn’t any wall at all!” He proceeded confidently until he had passed through them all.
וּמִזֶּה יָבִין הַמַּשְׂכִּיל הַנִּמְשָׁל מֵאֵלָיו עַל כָּל הַמְּנִיעוֹת וְהַהֲסָתוֹת וּפִתּוּיִים, שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת חוֹמוֹת, שֶׁיֵּשׁ עַל אוֹצָר שֶׁל יִרְאַת־שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת אֵינָם כְּלוּם. One who is wise will understand the parable on his own, as referring to all the obstacles, lures and enticements, which conceptually are walls surrounding the treasure of God-fearingness. In reality, they are nothing.
וְהָעִקָּר – לֵב חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ, וְאָז אֵין לוֹ שׁוּם מְנִיעָה וּבִפְרָט הַמְּנִיעוֹת בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת, כְּגוֹן מֵחֲמַת מָמוֹן אוֹ שֶׁמּוֹנֵעַ אוֹתוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבָנָיו וְחוֹתְנוֹ אוֹ אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ וְכוּ', וְכַיּוֹצֵא, הֵם כֻּלָּם בְּטֵלִים וּמְבֻטָּלִים לְמִי שֶׁלִּבּוֹ חָזָק וְאַמִּיץ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְגַם אֲפִלּוּ גְבוּרָה שֶׁל הַגִּבּוֹרִים, הוּא רַק מֵחֹזֶק וְאֹמֶץ הַלֵּב, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ לֵב חָזָק בְּיוֹתֵר לָרוּץ בְּקִשְׁרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה, כַּמּוּבָא בַּסְּפָרִים: The main thing is a mighty and courageous heart, as then one has no obstacles, especially the physical kind, such as on account of money; or those his wife, children, father-in-law or parents put in his way; or something similar. They are all completely nullified when one’s heart is mighty and courageous for God. And even a warrior’s strength stems only from the might and courage of the heart; his heart’s exceptional might enables him to charge into the thick of the battle, as is brought in the holy books.