A Coin in the Eye – Part 2
Rebbe Nachman of Breslev explains that the material world stands before people's eyes, preventing them from seeing the magnificent light of the Torah…
From “The Essential Rebbe Nachman,” by Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum
Connecting to the Tzaddik, Part 2
The Gravitational Pull of the Tzaddik
All things and all creatures stand on the earth all the time. The only way anything can leave the earth is if some countervailing force overcomes the pull of gravity, distancing the object from the earth in accordance with the strength of the countervailing force. As soon as the countervailing force ceases, the object returns to earth.
Thus when a person throws an object upwards, the force that he applies distances it from the earth: the greater his strength, the higher he can throw it. Afterwards, however, when the countervailing force is spent, the object falls back down to the ground because of the gravitational pull of the earth, which draws everything to it. Were it not for this, nothing would stay on earth, because the earth is a round ball and everyone in the world stands on its surface. It is because of the earth’s gravitational pull that a thrown object falls back down to earth as soon as the countervailing force ceases.
The Tzaddik is the “earth”, for “the Tzaddik is the foundation of the world” (Proverbs 10:25 ) and everything rests upon him. The Tzaddik has a gravitational power of attraction that draws everything to him, for the true Tzaddik is the foundation of the world and everything derives from him. All the other Tzaddikim are only branches of the true Tzaddik, each according to his level: one may be a branch while another may be a branch of a branch. For this unique Tzaddik is humble and lowly and makes himself like dust: for “I am dust and ashes” (Genesis 18: 27 ) . He is the foundation of the world precisely because he is “dust” and thus he supports everything.
And it would be fitting for all humanity to be drawn to this Tzaddik who is the “dust” and has this “drawing power”. However , people are separated and distanced from the Tzaddik by a countervailing force, because of the words and deeds of certain individuals who forcibly distance people from the Tzaddik in accordance with the strength of the countervailing force. However, when this countervailing force ceases, the person is once again drawn to the Tzaddik, who is the “dust” and possesses a gravitational force of attraction.
Some people remain very far from the Tzaddik as long as they are still under the influence of the countervailing force. But as soon as this force is interrupted, they draw close again. And when traveling to the Tzaddik, the nearer he comes to the place of the Tzaddik , the greater his desire becomes, because he is approaching the source of attraction. (Likutey Moharan I, 70)
The Coin in Front of the Eye
The sun shines constantly with the same intensity at the beginning and middle of the day. What blocks the light of the sun is only the earth, which intervenes between man and the sun. Owing to the position of the earth, the light spreads only gradually as the day begins but steadily increases until it spreads over the earth.
Similarly, the light of the Tzaddik shines constantly while the barrier is on the side of the receivers. The cause of the barrier is the intervening “earth” – this material world. People are so deeply sunk in the material world that they are unable to receive the light of the Tzaddik.The Torah is enormously great and broad, but a tiny hand breadth – this world – stands before people’s eyes, preventing them from seeing the light of the Torah despite the fact that this entire world is merely a tiny hand breadth in comparison.
How could something so tiny block something thousands of times greater?
To understand this, consider how a small coin held in front of your eyes can prevent you from seeing a great mountain, even though the mountain is countless thousands of times larger than the tiny coin. However, because the coin is directly in front of your eyes, it blocks your entire field of vision.
In the same way, when a person enters this physical world, he remains sunk in the vanities of the world and imagines that there is nothing better. This tiny insignificant world stands in his way, preventing him from seeing the amazing light of the Torah, which is thousands of times greater in comparison. This is exactly parallel to the way the great light of the sun is blocked by the intervening earth even though the sun is many times greater than the earth.
“The path of the Tzaddikim is like a radiant light” (Proverbs 4:18) – a radiant light like the sun, which shines constantly. The only obstacle is the earth, which blocks out the light even though the earth is tiny compared to the sun. In the same way, the Tzaddikim radiate constantly, except that the earth – this-worldliness – intervenes and prevents people from seeing their great light. Despite the greatness of the light of the Tzaddikim and the insignificance of this entire tiny world in comparison, the world nevertheless intervenes, preventing one from seeing their light, as in the example of the coin.
However, if one remove s this tiny barrier from before one’s eyes – averting one’s eyes from this world and instead raising one’s head and lifting one’s eyes beyond the intervening world – one attain s a view of the great and amazing light of the Torah and the Tzaddikim. For in truth their light is countless thousands of times greater than all of this world and its vanities. It is just that this world stands before people’s eyes and does not permit them to lift their eyes upwards to see the light of the Torah and the Tzaddikim. It is like the small coin in front of the eyes that prevents one from seeing a great mountain.
But it is easy to remove the coin from before your eyes – and as soon as you do so you will see the mountain, which is so much larger. Similarly, with a simple movement you can remove this world from before your eyes. You will then be able to see the great light of the Torah and the Tzaddikim, which radiates in all the worlds. (Likutey Moharan I, 133)
Faith and Understanding
If you believe in the Tzaddik without any understanding, you may lose your faith, because from faith alone one can fall. But if you also have some understanding, you cannot lose your faith. (Likutey Moharan I, 255)
The Writing on the Seal
It is impossible to understand the Tzaddik himself since his intrinsic essence is beyond our grasp. Only through the followers of the Tzaddik is it possible to understand the Tzaddik’s greatness. People are nearer to the Tzaddik’s followers than they are to the Tzaddik himself and thus can understand them somewhat when they see them to be mature, hard-working, God-fearing people. One who sees the truth can thus know the greatness of the Tzaddik from his followers.
This is similar to a seal. The writing on the seal is unreadable because the letters are back to front. Only when one takes the seal and stamps it on wax can one understand the letters and designs inscribed on the seal, and one then sees what is written on the seal. Similarly, through the Tzaddik’s followers one can come to understand something of the Tzaddik himself.
Likutey Moharan I, 140
To be continued.
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