Beyond the World of Logic
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Baal Shem Tov Insights – Issue 32: Shemos 5771
I Am A Child and Believe
Beyond the World of Logic
Summary
Who is closer to the truth – adults or children? Ostensibly
it would seem that a mature adult, whose mind and emotions
are fully developed, would be able to access the truth more
than an undeveloped child. Indeed, for many years, until
just recently, secular psychology saw a child as a “dumb”
adult in the making. Religious Puritans even saw children
as “born in sin” and as little savages that needed strong
measures to keep them in line!
The Baal Shem Tov – and Torah in general – sees things,
shall we say, a bit different. Actually quite different;
a perspective which is the exact opposite than the secular
view: A child is the closest possible thing to the truth.
The simplicity of the child touches – far more than any
adult – the simplicity of the Essence of all existence!
Indeed, it is the developed mind of the adult that conceals
and blocks the experience of pure truth…
In this week’s insight, discover the moving way the Baal
Shem Tov describes himself as a child… A powerful story
captures the life-altering words of the Baal Shem Tov to
a great scholar who was left confused in his ponderings
on the existence G-d.
Above all, we will learn how to tap our single most powerful
resource: Your inner child.
* * *
What is a Child?
Who is closer to the truth – adults or children? Ostensibly
it would seem that a mature adult, whose mind and emotions
are fully developed, would be able to access the truth more
than an undeveloped child. Indeed, for many years, until
just recently, secular psychology saw a child as a “dumb”
adult in the making. Religious Puritans even saw children
as “born in sin” and as little savages that needed strong
measures to keep them in line!
The Baal Shem Tov – and Torah in general – sees things,
shall we say, a bit different. Actually quite different;
a perspective which is the exact opposite than the secular
view: A child is the closest possible thing to the truth.
The simplicity of the child touches – far more than any
adult – the simplicity of the Essence of all existence!
Indeed, it is the developed mind of the adult that conceals
and blocks the experience of pure truth…
I Am A Child and Believe
The Midrash on this week’s Torah portion (on the verse [1] “and He said, I am the G-d of your father”) refers to
Moses as a “child.” As it is written: "A pesi
believes everything".
[2] What is the meaning of pesi? A child. Because
in Arabia, they call a child a pasia. [3]
The Baal Shem Tov told his students:
[4] “After all the profound levels of understanding
that I attained in the supernal roots of the Torah and the
mitzvos, and after all the spiritual pleasure that I experienced,
I put everything aside to serve G-d in simple faith. Ich
bin a na’ar un gleib – I am a child/fool [5] and believe! And
[6] even though it is written: "A fool believes
everything," it is also written:
[7] "G-d protects the fools."
The Perplexed Scholar
Rabbi Shmuel Kaminka related the following story with the
Baal Shem Tov: In the city Satinov there was a scholar who
once, on a Friday following the prayers, immersed himself
in deep contemplation on the existence of G-d. Poring over
different philosophical texts from the early philosophers,
the scholar could not reach any clarity, to the point that
he remained perplexed and confused in his ponderings.
Sensing the scholar’s predicament, the Baal Shem Tov came
from Medzibush to see the scholar. The Baal Shem Tov approached
him and said (in Yiddish): “Ihr klert tzi es iz doh a Go-t.
Ich bin a na’ar un gloib.” “You are wondering whether there
is a G-d. I am a child/fool and believe.”
With these words the Baal Shem Tov left him and returned
to Medzibush. The scholar thought to himself: “who
revealed to this man [the Baal Shem Tov] this secret of
what I was thinking? Clearly this is a proof and a sign
that there is a one and only Creator, Who reveals secrets
to those that fear Him.”
The Aristocrat and the Pauper
In another place the Baal Shem Tov offers us a beautiful
and profound analogy to explain King David’s words
in Psalms: [8]
“A prayer of the pauper when he enwraps himself
and pours out his words before G-d.” [9]
Two people were invited to see the great king with the
opportunity to ask for whatever they wish. One, an educated,
sophisticated aristocrat. The other, a poor, illiterate
pauper. The aristocrat was the first one to arrive for his
appointment. As he entered the magnificent palace, he was
taken by all the beautiful architecture and furnishings,
the exquisite collections of art and literature, the wide
variety of exotic fruit, spices and wines from around the
world, the sheer majesty of the king’s glorious domain.
As he made his way from chamber to chamber, he became completely
mesmerized by all the surroundings. In fact, because of
his excellent education and sophisticated taste, his deep
appreciation for all these treasures completely seduced
him, to the point that he lost sense of time and…
missed his appointment with the king!
Then came the pauper. With no education, no taste, no etiquette,
he walked through all the beautiful chambers, oblivious
to the magnificence around him, and went straight into the
king’s inner sanctum. There he asked the king for
everything – for wisdom, riches, beauty and the ability
to appreciate and acquire the majestic treasures of the
king.
Says the Baal Shem Tov: When you stand before the Heavenly
King pray like a pauper. Suspend all your faculties, your
sophistication, your intelligence and knowledge. And just
stand “naked” and innocent before the King,
enwrap yourself and pour out your words before G-d. Then
you will get all your wishes fulfilled, including all the
Divine revelations.
The Power of Innocence
The Baal Shem Tov is obviously not advocating illiteracy.
He is teaching us an invaluable life lesson.
Each of us has two dimensions to our being – mirroring
two dimensions in the Divine experience:
1) Our expression. The way
we express and reveal ourselves through our faculties. In
Chassidic language this is called “giluim,” literally
revelations, defined expressions – which includes all the
ways we manifest in this world. These expressions all have
distinct parameters and limits.
2) Our essence, which is
beyond any form of defined expression and limited parameters.
As human created in the Divine Image, these two dimensions
within us is rooted in and evolved from two dimensions of
the Divine:
1) Giluim. Divine
expressions. How G-d expresses Himself through wisdom, majesty,
beauty and all the Divine emanations and attributes in the
cosmic order. Though they are all expressions and extensions
of the Divine, each has its own definitions and parameters.
2) Atzmus. The Divine
Essence, which is beyond any form of expression and definition.
Touching the Essence
There are times – and perhaps this defines most of our
lives – when we experience and relate to the “revealed”
expressions of the Divine. Just as most of the time we engage
life through our own defined expressions. This is clearly
a very important part of our lives – the way we interact
with each other and with G-d in a defined expressive fashion.
But, when you want to connect with the Essence of G-d,
with G-d Himself as he stands in His pure and innocent Essence,
beyond any form of expression, then you need to suspend
your defined “giluim” and stand like a “pauper,”
stripped of all sophistication, knowledge and taste, and
pour your soul out to G-d the King.
If you allow your aristocratic attainments and your sophisticated
appreciations to control you, then you may reach great heights,
but you will only be able to access and relate to the Divine
revelations. And as such, you will be seduced by the magnificent
manifestations at each station of the journey, but you will
miss your destination – your appointment with the
King Himself, the Divine Essence, as He stands in His own
inner sanctum.
The only way to access Atzmus, the Essence, is to
suspend your faculties and stand like an empty-handed pauper,
like an innocent child, and pour your heart out to the King.
The Power of the Child
This is what the Baal Shem Tov told his students: “After
all the profound levels of understanding that I attained
in the supernal roots of the Torah and the mitzvos, and
after all the spiritual pleasure that I experienced”
– after all the giluim – “I put everything
aside to serve G-d in simple faith. Ich bin a na’ar un
gleib – I am a child and believe! And even though
it is written: "A fool believes everything," it
is also written: "G-d protects the fools."
Based on this, let us now revisit the psyche of the child
and that of the adult. The innocent child, precisely because
his faculties are not yet developed, is the closest we will
ever be to the truth – to our own essence and to the
Essence of G-d.
The simplicity of the child and his innocent faith touches
– far more than any adult – the simplicity of
the Essence of all existence! While the developed mind of
the adult, may experience great revelations, but at the
same time it conceals and blocks the experience of pure
truth.
The sophisticated adult can miss his appointment with the
King. The child will not.
No matter how old you are, each of us has our inner child
intact. Nothing can be healthier than getting – and
staying – in touch with your child, with your own
innocent essence, and allowing it to inform all your giluim,
your defined experiences, expressiond and faculties.
Learn from the Baal Shem Tov – a scholar far greater
than any one of us – how to suspend our intelligence
for something far greater:
I am a child and I believe!
Sometimes, the wisest one of them all is the fool…
Sources: Yesod HaAvodah (by Rabbi Avrohom of Slonim) Letter
24. Likkutei Dibburim vol. 3 491c. Keser Shem Tov Hosafos
section 155-157. Sichas Shabbos Parshas Shemos 5725.
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