Charm and Wisdom

Translated by Aaron Yoseph

The Rebbe says that we have to connect to the deeper aspect, to the inherent wisdom of each thing. How do we do this? Hashem should help us to see the inherent wisdom in the Rebbe’s books and teachings, and understand how to apply them to ourselves. The Rebbe didn’t write his sefer (book) for us to sit and say, “I don’t understand this, it isn’t relevant to me.” This sefer speaks to us.

The main connection the Rebbe refers to here is connection to Tsaddikim. They help us find the inherent wisdom in each thing. The true inherent wisdom, the true deeper dimension of each thing, is the light of Hashem expressed in His holy names. These are things that only the very great Tsaddikim truly understand. They live with these things – we don’t. But they come to show us that connection is for each person on his own level. We can’t grasp the spiritual in it’s pure form, we need to have something that we can relate to. Avrahom Avinu loved Hashem. At first we don’t know how to connect to this. The Tsaddikim tell us – “There are things that you do love – like certain foods and taking a rest. That love – it should be for Hashem.” Now we have something to grasp on to. This is inherent wisdom.

We each need to find the inherent wisdom that we can connect to. You’re going through a difficult time – don’t look at it with your own deluded thinking. The Tsaddikim, who really understand what’s going on in this world, have given us ways to look at things. They tell us that what a person goes through in this world is an atonement for his sins. “Oh. Okay, I understand.” Someone else understands more – that it’s a tikkun, a correction for his soul. Another grasps that it’s actually a great kindness, to the point that he can joyously thank Hashem for it. This is inherent wisdom. There are even deeper inherent wisdoms – to raise up the fallen sparks, and how this is all causing great unifications and delight above. We each have to find the level of inherent wisdom that we can sincerely connect to. “Everything comes from Divine Providence,” and be happy.

Who can tell me what level I’m on and what is too high for me? The Rebbe provides us with a measuring stick: The inherent wisdom that enlightens and enlivens us and brings us closer to Hashem – this is the inherent wisdom that we need to connect to. This is inherent wisdom – that when something happens you have the peace of mind to accept it with love and realize that nothing really happened at all. The inherent wisdom shines to you where you are – that Hashem delights in your good points. This is inherent wisdom. You know that there is a deeper dimension to everything that happens in this world.

When the Rebbe says that the inherent wisdom of “every thing” should shine to us, his intention was that the inherent wisdom of whatever it is we are involved in right now should shine to us, whatever we’re going through right now. What we need is a drop of inherent wisdom. One drop is enough to stand up against all the false attractions and craziness of this world. We need to know how to receive things the right way. If something confuses you and takes you further from Hashem – there’s something wrong. This is the measuring stick of whether you’re going in the right direction, or traveling backwards – are you coming closer to Hashem or not? This is a new expression that the Rebbe uses. Other seforim talk about love and fear. The Rebbe speaks about “coming close to Hashem.”

Avraham Avinu passed all his tests by means of his love of Hashem. He made sure that nothing in this world held up any charm for him. Nothing of this world attracted him – he saw how it was all superficial and false. This is why Hashem chose him, he was the first one to discover the true holy charm. Yitzchak Avinu didn’t follow his fathers path. He was full of fear and dread before Hashem. You could feel it from half a kilometer away! Because it really is scary to stand before Hashem, Who is so great and awesome. Fear of the King. This is how Hashem made the world. If you are afraid of something or someone, this is a gift that Hashem has given you, to help you understand what fear is. If you have fears about your health or livelihood, this is so that you’ll understand how to fear Hashem. It’s the same fear. But Hashem is good. You can fear Him, and through this come closer to Him. Then you experience great joy, because you’re close to the King. A person needs to have this fear to keep him within the correct boundaries.

We can learn in these parshiyot (weekly Torah portion) what it means “to come close to Hashem through every thing.” Whatever we do – there’s some degree of love in it. Think for a moment – “I don’t want to love material things. I want to love spiritual things.” That’s enough, that’s all you need to do. This is the essence of this. Don’t trick yourself, just be truthful about where you are, and do hitbodedut about it and ask Hashem to help you with it. There’s never any reason to be broken or upset about it, because what you’re doing is completely kosher and allowed – just that you want that the thing should arouse in you the positive spiritual counterpart of the material pull.

Understand though, that these things have no end, and people don’t know how to do them and get confused when they aren’t done with the right boundaries. The boundary is to be close to Hashem, to have more awe of Hashem and more joy. Joy that, Baruch Hashem, I merited doing something good. “Perhaps there’s more than this?” “I don’t need anything more.” Then Hashem gives you more! Whatever you have in your heart – pull it to the side of good. There are some very problematic things in the world, and we need to cry out to Hashem to help us use our inherent wisdom and keep away from impure thoughts and sin. This is inherent wisdom – to pray and cry out to Hashem to help us turn our attention away from the evil and instead do as much good as we can.

This is what is meant by the ‘inherent wisdom of each thing,’ that we turn our attention away from its negative aspects and become aware of its positive aspects. Then we can come close to Hashem through that thing, and love and fear of Hashem shine to us.

There is nothing to get confused about. Just look – “What brings me closer to Hashem?” Start with something simple. If it works – good. If you can go further, go further. We can learn Likutei Halachot – this is something that gives us the desire to keep progressing, but it takes time. After a person learns for an hour or two for many years, finally things open up for him and he changes. The Rebbe’s seforim contain all the segulot in the world, and he wanted us to understand what he said. We have to seek out what the Rebbe said, what eitzah is relevant to us right now in our situation.

The main thing is “to come close to Hashem through that thing.” Even with simple things – “I did something through which Hashem delights in me.” There’s no reason to get confused, just start with something that brings you closer to Hashem. This is a new expression. The Rebbe didn’t talk about love or fear or “dveikus,” cleaving to Hashem – just to be ‘close to Hashem.” We are all close to Hashem – but for us to really know it. To be close to the great and awesome King, to serve the King and be close to Him, to rely on Him and trust in Him, not to worry, and to know that whatever we need we will for sure get.

Baruch Hashem we’ve spent time going into what charm is and what it means to look at the inherent wisdom of each thing. This is the essence of this Torah, and it seems that the whole sefer was said to help us come to this. Because there are many obstacles to this, as we’ll see in the continuation. We forget, there are forces working against us, we aren’t even sure what we’re meant to do, and even when we do know, it’s easy to make mistakes. The Rebbe will teach us how to keep hold of this in a way of innocence and simplicity.

When we learn Mussar seforim, ethical works, and the seforim of Tsaddikim, it can seem like we aren’t capable of ever achieving the levels described in them. Only the Tzaddik himself can achieve these things – yet we know that the Baal Shem Tov wanted everyone to move. Seeing this, some people simply give up, and others go crazy in their attempt to achieve something that is presently way beyond them. The Rebbe’s way is very simple – “Reb Yid! Be close to Hashem! Look beneath the surface, find the deeper meaning and dimension to what you’re doing, and connect to it as best you can, on your level.” This eitzah contains within it all the other eitzahs.

The Rebbe has laid down the foundations of truth for us – that there’s no need to fear looking deeper, using our inherent wisdom. There is a true Rebbe whom we can connect to and learn from. We can receive from him Emunah and dveikut, and a way to look at the inner dimension of everything we do, in a way that is relevant to each of us. This is what brings us out of depression and worry, and gives meaning to what we do. We start to seek it more and more, and we discuss it with friends. Slowly slowly we progress. This has worked for generations, and it works today too. Hashem should help us – in the meanwhile we should not look at things superficially. Hashem is with us and we can cleave to Him at all times, with all things, and live a good life, Amen.