QUESTION:
What is the practical way that we can go about the study of the inner
dimension, to connect with the G-dliness in everything?
ANSWER:
A]
The underlying foundation of Chassidus is to look at the wisdom contained in
everything, to attach our thoughts to the inner G-dliness which is found in
everything in the world:
(1)
To look at the inner grace which every Jew has, and at the joy which he gives
Hashem. (2) To connect our thoughts to the inner light within all the Mitzvos
which we do, within the holidays, and other Mitzvos. (3) To always find a way
not to forget Hashem throughout all of our mundane activities, such as eating,
earning a livelihood, and other needs, because we know that the whole world is
just a covering of false charm which hides the light of Hashem. (4) To
strengthen ourselves throughout all types of falls, sadness and worries by
realizing that Hashem is with us everywhere.
It’s
clear that anyone who wants to increase his awareness in these things, to know
more about the inner ways of things, he should study sefarim which discuss the
inner dimension and reveal wondrously how the whole world is but at the bottom
of the chain stemming from spiritual sources which took on material form.
B]
But the Rebbe teaches us that after all of this, the main Yiddishkeit must be
with ‘innocence and simplicity’. In truth, our main searching and struggling
isn’t in order to acquire more knowledge, but to be close to Hashem. Therefore
anyone who bases his Yiddishkeit according to what he knows is standing in
great danger for many reasons:
(1)
When a person derives fulfillment only from those things which he knows and
understands, even if they are true and holy things, still, Hashem’s light is
like the sun’s rays which rises and sets. It’s necessarily so, and it’s
impossible even for the great Tzaddikim to be in a constant enlightened frame
of mind. If a person bases his Yiddishkeit only on knowledge and understanding,
what will he do at the times that the light isn’t shining?
(2)
Hashem’s light in itself is very great, and it can’t be grasped in a material
body. We therefore have to purify and sanctify our bodies and to withstand
trials until we begin to grasp a little of the true inner light.
(3)
As long as a person isn’t properly purified, even if he becomes inspired from
learning sefarim which discuss internal levels and Kabbalah or Chassidus, that
feeling generally comes from the beauty of the novel idea which he has
discovered, and that he now knows new and wonderful things. This is of course
is also very good, that a person’s thoughts should be elevated a little above
the vanities of this world. But usually this only happens the first few times
that he learns that topic and he first discovers that idea. When he wants to go
back and go over it again, it becomes ‘old’ and he loses that first spark which
he originally had.
(4)
Even if he enjoys this type of study, usually there is an element of ego and
pride mixed into it. Not necessarily pride relative to others, but pride within
his own self, that he feels that he’s a person who knows something wonderful
which is not readily seen. This isn’t yet the true enjoyment which he can have
from entering into nullification before Hashem, to realize the truth of Hashem’s
presence in his place.
C]
Therefore, the main Yiddishkeit and fulfillment has to be Emunah with innocence
and simplicity, to keep the simple faith of Hashem and to know that the whole
world is full of His glory, even if he doesn’t see or understand this.
QUESTION:
If so, why do we have to study the sefarim of Tzaddikim? Isn’t it enough
just to go with faith with innocence and simplicity?
ANSWER:
A]
The passuk says, “The desire of a man’s heart is evil from his youth.” The
‘simple’ thoughts of a person are thoughts of fighting and politics, confusion
and doubts, sadness and bitterness, anger and sorrow, and other illnesses.
Therefore,
it’s understood that ‘innocence and simplicity’ doesn’t mean to think about
whatever comes up in our heads without trying to think. This is why we
have to study the books of Tzaddikim.
They teach us what the proper way of
thinking about everything is, what is the true light in this world, how should
we look properly at every situation, how can we remember Hashem every moment,
in good times and otherwise, in every Mitzvah that we do, to know how to
connect with Hashem specifically through this Mitzvah, be it Torah or prayer,
Teffilin, Shabbos, Pesach, etc. how to remember Hashem when we have to take
care of physical material needs, and especially how not to forsake Hashem
during down times.
B]
This is innocence and simplicity: Not to leave the sensible path. On the
contrary, we all have to study and learn as much as we can, and it’s a great
Mitzvah to sharpen our mind (Likutei Moharan I 62). The thing is that in
our learning we are not looking for the knowledge itself, but rather in order
to cling to Hashem.
Therefore,
we learn an idea from the Tzaddikim, and we start to think it over, to believe
in its truth as the Tzaddik revealed it. For example, how to remain connected
to Hashem while in a low, and how Hashem listens to every prayer, and how every
word we study ascends up high, etc. Thus, we liven ourselves up with simplicity
while being connected to the awareness, even though we don’t see it with our
eyes. The light is very great and we don’t have the vessels to contain them as
they are.
C]
The Tzaddikim therefore exerted themselves to reveal to us Torah, to clothe
Hashem’s light with words of Torah, in order to give people a handle on a way
to think properly, with a different teaching and idea all the time, not just
with an overall knowledge of Emunah that “His Glory fills the world”.
The
tool that we have to use to hold onto the Tzaddik’s teaching is innocence, the
simple faith that this is the truth. This is perfection, to connect with light
of understanding with simple faith.
D]
In addition, we have to know that the holy Tzaddikim put a great potency into
their words, that someone who studies them should have the merit to enter a
little into grasping the light of understanding even when he doesn’t deserve it
by himself. The study itself affects a rectification in the subject being
studied. But this is only when a person has the simple faith in Hashem’s light
being revealed through their Torah, even when he doesn’t see it.
E]
Reb Nosson asks in Hilchos Chezkas Karkaos 5, that we find it written that
Yehoshua never left Moshe’s tent. How is that possible? Didn’t he ever have to
take care of his own needs? The Torah doesn’t exaggerate.
Reb
Nosson explains that Yehoshua was so attached to his Rebbe, that even when he
went to take care of his needs he would remember his Rebbe, and thus he was
able to be connected to Hashem constantly through the power of simple faith in
his Rebbe’s words which revealed to him how to always live with Hashem in every
place and situation even when we don’t see anything.
By: Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Kletzky.
Taken from Gates of Emunah.
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