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In general, when we quote from Chasidic literature, it is from one of the Chasidic masters who developed a court of thousands of Chasidim, all of whom clung to his words and literally lived with his Torah. Occasionally, though, we go back to the very source of all the Chasidic courts and quote something from the Ba’al Shem Tov, the originator of the Chasidic movement. The Ba’al Shem Tov did not have a “court” in the normal sense; the entire Jewish world was his court. Like our forefather Abraham, he did not wait for people to come to him – he went to them. He delivered the inner dimensions of Torah to the masses, and then he moved on to another Jewish population center and repeated the act. That is how the Chassidic movement got started, and we will quote from him this week regarding our weekly portion – Noach.
Of course, the big event of parshat Noach is the flood – the boiling water that covered the earth for forty days and forty nights, erasing all forms of life (except for the animals and flora the Noach took into the ark with him), and purifying the earth, much like the forty units of water of the mikveh purify man. The word for “ark” in Hebrew is teivah – and the same Hebrew word just happens to mean “word” as well in Hebrew. And that is the basis of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s word of Torah this week. When the flood waters hit, so to speak, then G-d told Noach, Bo el Hateivah – “Come into the ark” (Gen. 7:1). But the Baal Shem Tov tells us that the deeper meaning of the verse is, “Come into the words of Torah and prayer.”
When the waters of the mabul (“flood”) washed over the earth, they came from two sources – from the t’hom rabah (“great chasm”) and from the arubot hashamayim (“portals of the heavens”). That is, they came from both below and above, threatening to overwhelm Noach. And the advice that G-d gave to Noach was to enter the ark – not only Noach, but he and his children and wife and his children’s wives with him, together with all kinds of animals, vegetation and even minerals (rocks).
How are we to understand this in terms of our everyday activities in serving G-d? In general, the waters that descend from above in the form of rain serve as blessings, helping to grow our crops and bringing us water to drink as well. Nevertheless, the waters of the mabul were a threat to mankind. And as is known, Chasidut refers to such water as mayim rabim – “colossal waters” that result from the worries and anxieties of making a living. Still, we say that such “colossal waters are unable to extinguish the love,” meaning that all of the confusing thoughts and worries that wash over us are still unable to overcome the love for G-d that exists in the Jewish heart.
In particular, such worries are divided into two categories. They either come from the “great chasm,” referring to worries about physical matters, or they come from the “portals of the heavens,” referring to worries about spiritual matters, such as supporting a school or yeshiva, for example. Both worries have the potential to disturb us from serving G-d in prayers and Torah study. If the worries come from “higher matters,” such as how to support an educational system, then nevertheless this need not disturb our ability to learn or fulfill mitzvoth. Torah and tefila are what connect man to G-d and draw G-dliness into the world. So, if that is missing, what benefit is there in all of the person’s work on behalf of the public? He may be able to claim that he is too “busy” with “higher matters” to learn and pray as he should, but if so, he is making a mistake. If it disturbs him from doing what the code of Jewish law tells him to do, then he is not doing his job properly, and his so-called justification (that he is involved in “higher matters”) is a claim that comes from his animal soul and not the G-dly soul. And if he fails to take care of his own spiritual needs, by praying and learning properly, then his success with the “higher matters” of public service will also suffer.
The answer in both cases (whether the flood waters are from the “great chasm” or the “heavenly portals”) is, Bo el hateivah – “Come into the words of Torah and tefila (‘prayer’).” For, as the Baal Shem Tov explained, the word teivah refers to the words of Torah and of tefila. And his advice to us is to enter into these worlds, to be surrounded by them, and then without doubt nothing can overwhelm him, and he and his family will be safe.
This begins from the moment that we awaken in the morning, reciting modeh ani – “I acknowledge” – and continues through the morning blessings, wherein we recite the blessing malbish arumim – “He Who clothes the naked.” And why should we recite such a blessing, when our clothes are placed before us and all that we need to do is to put them on? But, from elsewhere in the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov, we know that “the one who is wise is he who sees what is born,” meaning that the wise man is one who detects the G-dly energy in every object, that renews the object every day, every hour and every instant. This is the instantaneous G-dly energy that re-creates the world, and our goal must be to become aware of this constant, ongoing process.
In the Zohar (Part 1, page 199B, as well as Part 2, 62B), the story is told of R’ Yisa Sabah, who would pray every day for food, even though his food was already placed before him. Nevertheless, he would not eat before reciting his prayer requesting food. The obvious question is, why pray regarding what is already placed in front of you? Why request what you already (apparently) possess?
But, the answer is that the food (as well as the clothes we wear) has no existence of its own. If it were not renewed at every instant, it simply would not exist. If it weren’t for the fact that G-d, in His eternal goodness, renews the creation at every instant, there would be no food or clothes (or any other object of creation). And therefore, it is appropriate to pray for the very food and clothes that are placed before us, since however it exists now, it is different than it was one moment ago. The object that is now, did not exist a moment ago, but was re-created by the grace of G-d – and over that we must make a blessing as well as pray so that the process continues and we always receive what we need.
What enables us to develop this ability to “see what is born” – to detect the inner vitality that enlivens creation? It is tefila – “prayer” at the beginning of the day. Before prayer, we operate under the assumption that the world “exists,” that it is an independent entity that maintains itself with its own rules and principles. And therefore when we ask ourselves whether it is permitted to act in this or that way, we might say to ourselves, “as long as I do not know that it is forbidden, I will assume that it is permitted.” But, after tefila, including meditation upon the principles of G-dliness that enliven the world, we conclude that the world is not independent and does not maintain itself – only G-d above determines if and how it is created and re-created. It has no true and real existence, all that really and truly exists is G-d Himself. And therefore when questions arise whether it is permissible to do this, that or the other thing, we conclude that unless told otherwise by the Jewish sources, it must be forbidden. That is, we are more careful, because we are aware of the divine providence that supervises all that takes place, at every instant in the creation. As the Chasidic proverb says, “What is forbidden, is forbidden. And what is permitted – we don’t necessarily need.”
This, then is the message of the Baal Shem Tov; “Come into the words of Torah and tefila” means to be totally immersed and surrounded by them at all times. And once it has penetrated our awareness that in truth nothing but Torah and prayer are important, since nothing truly exists aside from He Himself, then our involvement in physical matters itself becomes an avoda, or a path of spiritual growth. At that point, there is no possibility for the mayim rabim – the “overwhelming waters” – to overwhelm us. The only advice, then, whether regarding the “great chasm” of worries regarding physical income, or the “heavenly portals” of public service is – “Come, enter the ark – the words of Torah and tefila.” There, nothing exists except for holy matters, and all of your needs and matters will then be informed and permeated with G-dliness – Bekol derachecha da’eihu – “In all of your ways, get to know Him.”
From Torat Menachem, vol. 18, page 156 of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, ztz’l Rabbi David Sterne, Jerusalem Connection in the old city of Jerusalem