Once, a respectable individual from the town of Azoritch had a private audience with the 2nd Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch:[1]
When he entered the audience, the Rebbe was leaning his head in his hands. The Rebbe lifted his eyes and asked the man, “Where are you from?” When he answered the Rebbe that he was from Azoritch, the Rebbe said that “this is a place that raises people to be depressed.”
The Rebbe continued to ask him: “What do you need?”
The man answered: “I suffer from that sickness (of depression).”
The Rebbe advised: “I suggest that you study chassidut. This is because depression comes from the darkness of the kelipot, while chassidut is light. A little bit of light pushes away much darkness.”
The man rejoined: “I have studied chassidut, yet, it has not helped me.”
The Rebbe angrily responded: “Surely you do not know how to study. Were you to study in depth surely you would not suffer from depression.”
When the Rebbe saw that the man was standing fearfully, he came close to him, saying: “The city of Paritch is close to your town, travel to Reb Hillel, he knows chassidut.” As if not enough, after some time he said: “He is a chassid.” After another pause he continued to say: “I know that he is humble to the core.”
[1] Likutei Reshimot Umasiot, Sec. 121
