Our Mishna on Amud Beis describes the halachic status of a renter who lives in the attic and what are his rights should it become uninhabitable, such as a caved-in floor:

מַתְנִי׳ הַבַּיִת וְהָעֲלִיָּיה. נִפְחֲתָה הָעֲלִיָּיה, וְאֵין בַּעַל הַבַּיִת רוֹצֶה לְתַקֵּן – הֲרֵי בַּעַל הָעֲלִיָּיה יוֹרֵד וְדָר לְמַטָּה, עַד שֶׁיְּתַקֵּן לוֹ אֶת הָעֲלִיָּיה.

MISHNA: If there was a house and an upper story owned by one person, and the upper story was rented out to another, if the floor of the upper story was broken, i.e., it fell in or collapsed, and the owner of the house does not want to repair it, the resident of the upper story can go down and live in the house below until the owner repairs the upper story for him.

Ya’aros Devash (2:16) explains this Gemara metaphorically as referring to the way in which a person may be faltering spiritually and Hashem sends a tzaddik to bring him out of his depths of sin. This is not merely a physical idea, such as a tzaddik bring the person back to judaism through kiruv, but also a much deeper kabbalistic idea, known as “Sod Haibbur”, which literally translates as the “Secret of the Leap Year”.  “Sod Haibbur” is a borrowed term which means the secret of an embryonic addition or growth. Our ancient sages possessed a secret mathematical tradition of how to calculate when to make a leap year that had to do with esoteric orbital calculations, also known as “Sod Haibbur”, the “Secret of the Leap Year”.  However this borrowed term refers to a mystical secret, having to do with the way in which a tzaddik can assist another soul, by a form of benign possession. (In mysticism, phonetic and idiomatic parallels also represent spiritual parallels, and therefore the idea that God created the world where the Sanhedrin had to occasionally adjust the months and years, speaks of a manner in which the tzaddik builds on, and intervenes in, the spiritual via the physical.)

The Gemara in Chagigah (15b) speaks of how Rabbi Yochanan had the ability to pull the infamous apostate, Elisha ben Avuya, out of Gehenom.  Ben Yehoyada asks, how is the fair or justice? He answers that really Elisha ben Avuya was not to get off scot free. Rather, it means that he would be reincarnated. However, due to his extremely corrupted state, he might not have been able to overcome his challenges even as reincarnated person without extra help. Rabbi Yochanan offered to piggyback on Elisha ben Avuya’s soul, via “Sod Haibbur”, and assist him in his mission in life.

This is a fascinating mystical idea that is like reincarnation, but not a full reincarnation. It is a temporary possession, or shall we say, enhancement of a person’s soul from one or many other souls, possibly ancestors. There even can be multiple soul possessions while both are still alive in other bodies. (See Rav Chaim Vital, Shaar Hagilgulim, Introduction 4, and chapter 5, as well as Magid Meisharim Vayishlach.)

We cannot understand these ideas in the fullest sense, but psychologically we can relate to these ideas on a symbolic level.  How many times have we been so inspired by an idea and/or a person that we feel possessed?  What is that state of mind?  What actually occurs in our consciousness?  Just because science does not give these experiences formal names, does not mean they aren’t meaningful or as real as anything else.

Similar to this, we find in chassidus the idea that the Tzaddik sometimes must not merely reach out to the sinners, but to even descend and speak in their common language, even if beneath their dignity, in order to draw the sinners back up.  Rav Nachman (Likkutei Moharan Part II, Torah 91:2) explains this doctrine:

אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים הֵם מְקַשְּׁרִים חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה בְּחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, כִּי שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים אֲמִתִּיִּים שֶׁהֵם מְשִׂיחִין וּמְסַפְּרִים שִׂיחַת חֻלִּין, הִיא יְקָרָה מְאֹד מְאֹד, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ע"ז יט): שִׂיחָתָן שֶׁל תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים צְרִיכִין לִמּוּד, כִּי הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת בּוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹת הַחֲרֵבִין וּמַגְבִּיהַּ חָכְמָה תַּתָּאָה וּמְקַשְּׁרָהּ לְחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה עַל־יְדֵי שִׂיחָתוֹ וְסִפּוּרֵי דְּבָרָיו שֶׁמְּדַבֵּר עִם הֲמוֹן־עַם. כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הֲמוֹן־עַם שֶׁאֵינָם מְקַשְּׁרִים אוֹתוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, הוּא נִפְרָד מֵחָכְמָה עִלָּאָה, אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת מְקַשֵּׁר הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁל הֶהָמוֹן, אֲפִלּוּ הַשֵּׂכֶל וְהַחָכְמָה שֶׁל הָרָשָׁע, לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. 

The true tzaddikim, however, bind lower wisdom with upper wisdom. This is because the conversation of true tzaddikim, their and chatting, is very, very precious. This is as our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: The chat of Torah scholars requires study (Avodah Zarah 19b). For the true tzaddik rebuilds destroyed worlds and elevates lower wisdom, binding it to upper wisdom by chatting with the common folk. This is because the intellect of the common people, who do not bind it to God, is detached from upper wisdom. But the true tzaddik binds the common people’s intellect—even the intellect and the wisdom of the wicked man—to God. 

וְזֶה עִנְיַן מַה שֶּׁהַצַּדִּיקִים מְדַבְּרִים עִם אֲנָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינָם הֲגוּנִים אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ עִם עַכּוּ"ם (אַךְ כְּשֶּׁמְּדַבֵּר עִם עַכּוּ"ם, אֲזַי הַצַּדִּיק מוֹצִיא הַטּוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא נִשְׁאָר אֶפֶס וָרֵיק, שֶׁזֶּה בְּחִינַת מַה שֶּׁהָרַג מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַמִּצְרִי), כִּי כְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיק מְדַבֵּר עִם רְשָׁעִים, וְהַצַּדִּיק מַגְבִּיהַּ שִׂכְלוֹ וּמְקַשְּׁרוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲזַי מַעֲלֶה וּמְקַשֵּׁר שִׂכְלָם מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁהֵם לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ. כִּי הַצַּדִּיק הָאֱמֶת מְצַמְצֵם שִׂכְלוֹ, וּמְדַבֵּר עִמָּם בְּחָכְמָה נִפְלָאָה וּבִמְלָאכָה גְּדוֹלָה, וּמְקַשֵּׁר כָּל הַדִּבּוּרִים לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה מְבִיאָם לִידֵי תְּשׁוּבָה. 

This is the matter of tzaddikim talking with unworthy individuals or even with idolaters. {However, when he talks with an idolater, the tzaddik extracts the good in him and the idolater is left spent and empty, this being the deeper reason for Moshe killing the Egyptian.} For as the tzaddik talks with wicked individuals, and the tzaddik elevates his intellect and binds it to God, he is elevating and binding their minds to God from their level. This is because the true tzaddik contracts his intellect and converses with them using amazing wisdom and great craft to bind all the words to God. Through this he brings them to repentance. 

וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (דברים ל״ג:ג׳): וְהֵם תֻּכּוּ לְרַגְלֶךָ יִשָּׂא מִדַּבְּרֹתֶיךָ, וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ב"ב ח): אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי־חֲכָמִים שֶׁהוֹלְכִים וּמְכַתְּתִים רַגְלֵיהֶם מֵעִיר לְעִיר וְנוֹשְׂאִים וְנוֹתְנִין בִּדְבָרָיו שֶׁל מָקוֹם. כִּי הַצַּדִּיקִים הָאֲמִתִּיִּים מְדַבְּרִים לִפְעָמִים עִם רְשָׁעִים וּמְסַפְּרִים עִמָּהֶם מֵעִסְקֵי מִלְחָמוֹת וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה מֵעִסְקֵי הָעוֹלָם, אַךְ הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ בָּזֶה הָאוֹר הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁל הַתּוֹרָה, כִּי הוּא מַלְבִּישׁ אוֹר הַתּוֹרָה בִּלְבוּשִׁים שׁוֹנִים זֶה מִזֶּה, עַד שֶׁמַּלְבִּישׁוֹ בַּדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, וְהָאוֹר הַתּוֹרָה מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּצֵרוּפִים אֲחֵרִים. 

And this is the meaning of “They TuKu (placed themselves) at Your feet, accepting Your word” (Deuteronomy 33:3). Our Sages, of blessed memory, taught: These are the Torah scholars, who KiTetu (pound) their feet going from city to city… accepting and giving the words of the Omnipresent (Bava Batra 8a). For the true tzaddikim sometimes talk with wicked individuals and chat with them about the news of war and, similarly, about the news of the world. However, he enclothes in this the great light of the Torah. For he garbs the Torah’s light in various different garments, until he garbs it in these words, so that the Torah’s light enclothes itself in other permutations. 

And, finally, an insightful final piece is related by Rav Nachman at the end:

כִּי אִם הָיָה הַצַּדִּיק מְדַבֵּר תֵּכֶף תּוֹרָה בְּפֵרוּשׁ עִם הָרָשָׁע, הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהִתְפַּקֵּר יוֹתֵר וְהָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה רָשָׁע יוֹתֵר. כִּי צַדִּיקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם וּפֹשְׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָם (הושע י״ד:י׳). כִּי זָכָה – נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ סַם חַיִּים; לֹא זָכָה – נַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ סַם מָוֶת (יומא עב:). וְעַל־כֵּן אִם הָיוּ מְגַלִּין לוֹ תּוֹרָה כְּמוֹת שֶׁהִיא, הָיָה מִתְפַּקֵּר יוֹתֵר, כִּי הָיָה נַעֲשֶׂה אֶצְלוֹ סַם מָוֶת, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כִּי הוּא רָחוֹק מִן הַתּוֹרָה. 

For if the tzaddik had straightaway spoken explicit Torah with the wicked man, he might have become more heretical and so become more wicked. This is because “the righteous walk in them whereas the sinners stumble in them” (Hosea 14:10). If one is deserving, the Torah becomes an elixir of life for him. But if one is not deserving, it becomes a fatal poison for him (Yoma 72b). And so, if they would reveal to him Torah as it is, he would become more heretical. In his case it would be a fatal poison, God forbid, because he is distant from the Torah. 

It seems intuitively true that a person who is not ready for Torah can be harmed by it.  Think of all the strange sounding Gemaras and how they might affect a person without the proper preparation and foundation.  The Tzaddik knows what stories and seemingly idle chatter could bring about enlightenment.  

On the other hand, I am always amazed, surprised and impressed at how Chabad Sheluchim expose unaffiliated Jews to all kinds of rituals and study, without necessarily going into deep philosophical discussion.  I suppose the Jewish soul thirsts for Torah, and even when learning what might seem strange, they still can become enamored and captivated.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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