Perek 92

[Bentzion Meltzer]

The phenomenon of "running and returning" exists in the physical world
as well. This is alluded to in the Mishnah, "Make yourself warm near
the fire of the wise,"1 implying not to try and warm oneself from too
far, but at the same time, not to come too close, until one is at the
flame, as the Mishnah concludes, "Be careful from their coals, lest
you be burnt."2

1 Tractate Avoth 2:10
2 Toldoth Yaakov Yoseph, VaYera #2. As the Toldoth explains there,
when one "runs" toward G•d, one's being becomes "dissolved" and
"absorbed" into His Oneness, thus one loses one's own identity and in
a sense, "nullifies" one's very existence. But this is not G•d's wish,
but rather that a world continue to exist in apparent separateness
from Him, so one must "return" to earthly existence and serve G•d from
the "distance." Similarly, if one gets too "close" to the wise, one
may tend to lose one's own identity by being overwhelmed by their
spiritual light, and not grow to become what one oneself is meant to
become. One must thus find the golden median between submission to the
wise and self-actualization.

Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Yehoshua Starrett and reprinted
with the kind permission of the Baal Shem Tov Foundation. Please visit
www.baalshemtov.com

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