La nothing IlAlla

A little Introduction:

As we are about to learn an essential part of the Chassidic doctrine known to us, Poylishe Chassidim, as "Leis assar ponoi minei {there is no place devoid of god}," I figured a little introduction would be in order.

({ this line originates in the Zohar, TZ Tikkun 57, which the Chassidim naturally understood to mean that god is actually fully present everywhere and within everything at all the times. See the Alter Rebbe in his letter to his Chassidim {in 1797 while the Gaon is still alive}, “for this is the take of the Gaon on the book “Likutei Amorim” and the like atht explicitly understand “He fills all worlds” and “Leis Assar Panoi Minei” as completely literal, and in the eyes of his honor {the Gaon} it is complete herecy to say that He, Blessed be, is to be found within things completely {mamish} vulgar and low” {Hilman, Igros Baal Hatanye, 97)
Regrettably though, I haven’t been able to trace this textual interpretation and most of the following clearly to the Besht himself, but it sure fits in with general Beshtian understanding- I believe. It is my sincere hope, that with time, we shall either find it clearly in the name of the Besht or have to deem it a later expression and development}).

We are accustomed to think that god is to be found in, at least, primarily holy places. To the Besht that is not so, there is absolutely no separation between world and god. The world, according to the Besht, is no more than god’s outer most expression, garments (so to speak) of the one god that serve not to separate us from our source, but rather to conceal- causing the divine within them to not be felt (the spiritual “seeing”) at first glance.

This belief has tremendous implications, as it does ultimately imply that, everything was all good, even the bad, there was nothing to fear as everything is just our good compassionate father in heaven. At the end of the day, only god/light/good was real, while everything else (including god’s cloths, ultimately) was just an illusion {see an essential shtikel in Besht Al Hatoyreh, Megilas Esther 1 “I have heard in the name of the Besht vechulu”- its from Or Ha’Meir, of which I do not currently have a copy, so I cannot quote- sorry}.

The Besht, accordingly, taught that there was nothing wrong with anybody or anything. The reason some people some times appeared to be bad to us, was just a result of our imaginary separation from god. When we are fully connected to the divine, we can see nothing but the divine {see TYY, end of Lech, Pikudei 77d. see also Rav Yevi Psalms 22 and MDL 69}.

In fact, the bad was merely another opportunity to discover the divine hiding within sin. “Zeh l’umas zeh osoh Eloykim,” the graver the sin, the greater the illusion of separation, but so was the quality of divinity hiding within. In other words, the darker the situation, the greater the opportunity {implied many times and given full experission by Reb Nachman in Likutei Mohran, II, 11 and many other places, and my next (upcoming) post}.

The sinner appeared to be bad only from the external view point of the world of illusion, just as sin is an illusion belonging to the “mountains of darkness, mountains of separation” (only it’s an illusion one could get lost in and end up in the imaginary world of separation, a world of darkness and pain- a world where the illusion of good and evil prevailed) {as far as I know, this too is only implied by the Besht- but very strongly implied}.

Being that evil did not really exist, it did not take much to break through its façade and find/reveal god in there as well. All one had to do for evil to disappear was to connect to the oneness, and “all operators of evil are dispersed,” gone is sin and sinners. What is left is the only thing real, one god.


On a human level it also opens up the opportunity to love all, even the bad and the {spiritually} ugly, knowing that no matter how far things or people may appear to be from god, they are not only close to god- but a divine manifestation.

Not as in the later (watered-down Chabad) version of “We love you while we hate what you did,” but “I love you, if I would hate- I would hate myself for being so far removed from god as to see bad” or something along these lines.

It also separated oneself, ones true existence, from ones deeds. That ones essence precedes thoughts and deeds. Sure enough, the Besht taught that to be sad over ones misdeeds was a part of the world of sin. That one is to be happy regardless of what one did or didn’t do. {I hope to locate the exact quote soon- its out there}.

Practically, it was understood by the Maggid to mean:
“Even if you are certain that you did not fulfill some obligation, because of a variety of obstacles, do not feel depressed. Bear in mind that the Creator, blessed be He, “searches the hearts and minds” (Psalms 7:10). He knows that you wish to do the best but were unable to do so. Thus strengthen yourself to rejoice in the Creator, blessed be He.”{ZH”R 46}
And
“ serve God with all your aspects {“Koychoy” and in ZH”R 3 , one version, more accurately, “bechinoysov” }… God wishes to be served in all possible ways… for sometimes one walks and talks to people and is then unable to study… when on the road, thus unable to pray and studying his usual manner, and he has to resort to serving [God] in other ways. He should not be pained by this. For God wishes to be served in all possible ways, sometimes in this way and sometimes in another. This is why the opportunity arose to go on a journey or talk to people, {it was God’s doing} in order that you serve Him in an alternative way”.
(Ohr Torah, 67a)

Eventually it led Rabbi MY of Izbica to ask the following question: if god is everything {and in a true Izbicer spirit, he adds, “and then {at the end of days} whatever was {whoever was} was more indulgence, the better}, what is wrong with indulgence in desire and sin (“Hispashtus”). He offers the following explanation:

“…in way of a parable, {we} tell a man who is swimming in the river: “do not swim {too} far, for you will {eventually} swim back {to shore}, so even if you could make it across {to the other bank}, the way back will be hard for you”… that a person should not indulge too much in worldly activity, for he will have to come back {…} to the will of God. And one will have to suffer from this {his indulgence}…”{Mei Hashiloach, I, Kohelet “Semach Bochur”}

In other words, its not about good vs. evil, but rather, pain vs. pleasure. Everything has a price, if you’re willing to pay it, go right ahead. Need I say more.