Once there was a group of people who studied the fact that every animal has its shadow,
that specifically in that shadow it likes to rest. Conversely, there is a shadow for each
and every animal. Every animal chooses its particular shadow in which it likes to rest.
Every bird, also, has its own unique branch on which it wishes to rest. It does not
want to rest on any other branch. It is on this particular branch that it desires to live
and not on any other branch. A different bird has a different branch which is the *only
place it wants to live. Every bird has its own branch.
In light of this fact, the group raised the following question: Is there a tree in
whose shadow all animals could live, in whose shadow all the animals would choose to rest?
Is there such a tree on whose branches all the birds could rest?
They probed and discovered that such a tree exists.
They wanted to go to the tree, since the wonderful delight in its vicinity is
inestimable. This is because all the animals and birds are there, and because no animal
harms another. They all interact with one another and frolic together. It must be an
extraordinary delight to be near that tree!
They then began to investigate in which direction they should travel in order to reach
the tree. A dispute arose regarding this, and none of them could come to a conclusion.
Some said that they should head east, while others said that it was to the west. One said
it was here, one said it was there. Thus, they could not decide which way to go to come to
the tree.
A wise man came along and said to them, “Why are you trying to discover in which
direction to go to get to the tree? First, try to find out who will be able to approach
the tree, for not everyone can come near it. In order to do so, one must have all the
midot (characteristics, measures) of the tree. The tree has three roots. The first
root is faith, namely to have faith in God, blessed be He; the second root is reverence,
that is, fear/awe of God; the third root is humility, namely not to think too highly of
oneself. The trunk of the tree is truth—the tree itself is truth. It is from there
that the branches come forth. No one can come to the tree unless he has these [four]
midot.”
Not everybody in the group had all these midot, although some of them did.
This group had a great sense of unity; they were concerned about one another and thought
highly of one another. They did not want to separate from one another, that some (those
who had the midot) should go to the tree while the rest would remain behind. They
did not want this because they held each other in high regard. They would have to remain
till each of them strive to gain the midot, in order that they could all come
together to the tree.
They followed this plan. They all waited for the others till they all struggled and
worked to have the midot, until all of them had these attributes. When all of
them had the necessary characteristics, they all had the same idea, and all of them agreed
on one way as being the path to the tree.
They all set out, and after a while, they were able to see the tree at a distance.
However, when they looked at the tree, it was not standing in space! The tree did not
exist in space, and since it did not have a place, how could one get to it?!
I [the hunchbacked beggar] was also with them. I said, “I can bring you to the
tree. This tree does not have any place at all, since it is above the concept of space. It
is also above the concept of little holding much, since this concept is also an aspect of
space. It is obvious that the concept of little holding much always involves the concept
of space, no matter how little space is involved.
“However, the concept of little holding much that I have is at the very end of
space, beyond which there is no space at all. Therefore, I can carry you to the tree,
which is totally above space.”
(The hunchback was on the level of the intermediate concept between space and that
which is above space. He possessed the highest possible concept of little holding much, at
the end of space, above which the word “place” does not apply at all. Anything
higher than this is totally above the concept of space. Therefore, he could carry them
from within space to a concept that is above space. Understand this well.)
I took them and carried them to the tree. Therefore, I have the word of these men that
I possess the highest concept of little holding much. (He appeared to be a hunchback
because he carried much on his shoulders, being a case of little holding much.)
I [the hunchback] am now giving you this as a gift that you should be like me.
When he finished there was great joy and very great rejoicing.
Once there was a group of people who studied the fact that every animal has its shadow,
that specifically in that shadow it likes to rest. Conversely, there is a shadow for each
and every animal. Every animal chooses its particular shadow in which it likes to rest.
Every bird, also, has its own unique branch on which it wishes to rest. It does not
want to rest on any other branch. It is on this particular branch that it desires to live.
A different bird has a different branch which is the only place it wants to live,
and not on any other branch. Every bird has its own branch.
In light of this fact, the group raised the following question: Is there a tree in
whose shadow all animals could live, in whose shadow all the animals would choose to rest?
Is there such a tree on whose branches all the birds could rest? They probed and
discovered that such a tree exists.
Our Sages (Yevamot 79a) tell us that one of the hallmarks of
the Jewish people is that they are gomlei chasadim (kindness do-ers). The members
of the group, who already had a great sense of unity, sought to promote unity among all
living creatures.
The tree is the Torah: “It is a tree of life for those holding on to it” (Proverbs
3:18).
They wanted to go to the tree, since the wonderful delight in its vicinity is
inestimable. This is because all the animals and birds are there, and because no animal
harms another. They all interact with one another and frolic together. It must be an
extraordinary delight to be near that tree!
“They all wanted to go to the tree”—every Jew wants the Torah, just as
was the case by Sinai. Despite any and all appearances to the contrary, each Jew wants to
personify the values of the Torah.
The fact that we sometimes fail, sometimes despair, in one area or other of
Torah-endeavor, is proof of our desire to succeed. Even our anger, resentment or jealousy
of others who do succeed is an indication of our frustrated desire to attain the
Torah-holiness that we want. (Obviously it’s best not to let those bad traits hold
sway over us.)
They then began to investigate in which direction they should travel in order to reach
the tree. A dispute arose regarding this, and none of them could come to a conclusion.
Some said that they should head east, while others said to go west. One said it was here,
one said it was there. Thus, they could not decide which way to go to come to the tree.
“Some said they should head east”—some people think that the answer lies
in making Judaism more like Eastern religions; “while others said that it was to the
west”—others maintain that Judaism has to be observed in its Western,
intellectual version. “One said it was here, one said it was there”—we all
have our notion of what “authentic” Judaism should really look like.
Two Jews and how many opinions? Of course, as long as the dispute continued they went
nowhere.
A wise man came along and said to them, “Why are you trying to discover in which
direction to go to get to the tree? First, try to find out who will be able to approach
the tree! Not everyone can approach it. In order to do so, one must have all the midot
(characteristics, measures) of the tree. The tree has three roots. The first root is
faith, namely to have faith in God, blessed be He; the second root is reverence, that is,
fear/awe of God; the third root is humility, namely not to think too highly of oneself.
The trunk of the tree is truth—the tree itself is truth. It is from there that the
branches come forth. No one can come to the tree unless he has these [four] midot.”
An interesting concept indeed! To approach the Torah one must have these
characteristics. We may have certain trappings of the Torah, we may even have certain
observances of the Torah, but if we are lacking but one of these midot we cannot
in fact come to the Torah. Perhaps this is included in “Derekh eretz (common
decency) precedes the Torah” (VaYikra Rabbah 9:3), perhaps it
asks something more of us.
Notice that the wise man was not initially part of the group. It does not say whether he
stayed with them or not. The hunchback later mentions that he was part of the group, but
only at the end of the story. I would venture to say that the wise man here is in fact the
hunchback. This would parallel what we find in the previous story, The Master of
Prayer, namely, that individuals of the King’s circle find groups that pursue a
value that they personify, but do not reveal who they are until the group is on the
threshold of perfecting itself.
Not everybody in the group had all these midot, although some of them did.
This group had a great sense of unity; they were concerned about and thought highly of one
another. They did not want to separate from one another, that some (those who had the
midot) should go to the tree while the rest would remain behind. They did not want
this because they held each other in high regard. They would have to remain till each of
them strived to gain the midot, in order that they could all come together to the
tree.
There you have it. Everything depends on this. How united are we? Are we willing to
delay our perfection in order to help someone else, or many someone elses, so that they
too can strive and achieve perfection? Or are we unconcerned about whether others reach
perfection as long as we have done so ourselves?
They followed this plan. They all waited for the others till they all struggled and
worked to have the midot. until all of them had these attributes. When all of
them had the necessary characteristics, they all had the same idea, and all of them agreed
on one way as being the path to the tree.
It wasn’t enough for the group that a majority of them had the midot.
They waited till everyone had them!
Notice that Rebbe Nachman does not say which direction they chose! But once a person has
the midot, he will readily admit to the truth and be humble enough to not insist
on being right.
They all set out, and after a while, they were able to see the tree at a distance.
However, when they looked at the tree, it was not standing in space! The tree did not
exist in space, and since it did not have a place, how could one get to it?!
I [the hunchbacked beggar] was also with them. I said, “I can bring you to the
tree. This tree does not have any place at all, since it is above the concept of space. It
is also above the concept of little holding much, since this concept is also an aspect of
space. It is obvious that the concept of little holding much always involves the concept
of space, no matter how little space is involved.
“However, the concept of little holding much that I have is at the very end of
space, beyond which there is no space at all. Therefore, I can carry you to the tree,
which is totally above space.”
“Someone said to Rebbe Nachman, ‘That place is not for me.’ The Rebbe
answered, ‘When a person has a Jewish heart, then he has nothing to do with space.
The heart is Godliness, and God is the place of the world’” (Rabbi
Nachman’s Wisdom #139).
“If a person has a heart, where he is doesn’t matter. On the contrary, he is
the place of the world. Godliness is in the heart: ‘God is the rock of my heart’
(Psalms 73:26). About God it is written, ‘There is place with
Me’—‘the universe is located within Him, He is not located within the
universe’ (Bereishis Rabbah 68:9 on Exodus 33:21).
So, if one has a Jewish heart, it should not occur to him to say that a particular place
is not good for him, because location should be irrelevant to him. On the contrary, the
universe is located within him, he is not located within the universe” (Likutey
MoHaran, II, #56).
(The hunchback was on the level of the intermediate concept between space and that
which is above space. He possessed the highest possible concept of little holding much, at
the end of space, above which the word “place” does not apply at all. Anything
higher than this is totally above the concept of space. Therefore, he could carry them
from within space to a concept that is above space. Understand this well.)
The Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple) that we long for is also an example “of
little holding much” (Rabbi Nachman’s Stories, pp.132, 409).
I took them and carried them to the tree. Therefore, I have the word of these men that
I possess the highest concept of little holding much. (He appeared to be a hunchback
because he carried much on his shoulders, being a case of little holding much.)
I [the hunchback] am now giving you this as a gift that you should be like me.
May we be worthy of being associated with the hunchback, the Messiah, who will unite
all of mankind in peace and harmony (ibid., p.410).
When he finished there was great joy and very great rejoicing.
“Any who mourns for Jerusalem merits seeing her happiness” (Ta’anit
30b).
