One example of this is when a child struggles socially—he can’t seem to get along with other children in his class. Every time his peers bother him, he breaks down crying. Getting this reaction only encourages the kids to continue bothering him. This child doesn’t understand that if he were only to stand strong for a little bit, not caring so much what they say to him, he could probably get them off his back. By giving them a reaction, he’s only exacerbating the problem.
His view is distorted (not necessarily his fault): He views himself as a fragile leaf who’s powerless against these kids, and he looks at them as towering and powerful. Precisely this is what gives them even more power, and the problem thus only grows worse. When we help him change his outlook, and he stops reacting the way he used to, this changes the reality. His new attitude actually causes a change in reality, and he will be bothered less. Reality changes with our attitude.
A Different Look at the World
When a person feels and believes in the order of the world as nature tells it to him, he gives power to the הטומאה כוחות. They enjoy seeing him become impressed by what the “order of nature” has to say, and the evil forces actually derive strength from this.
When a person shows that he’s impressed by the הטבע עולם, he immediately becomes nervous from everything that happens—he gets a phone call about something, and he immediately begins yelling and screaming and reacting—then the world of nature says, “This is fun... this guy can be easily teased.” The world of nature says, “You want to see this guy lose his mind? Let’s send him a fake phone bill, and we’ll see him completely lose his composure. He’ll start calling and threatening a lawsuit.... It’s fun to prank this person.” Pranks can be played only on someone who’s impressed or moved by the הטבע עולם, the world of nature.
And so, the essence of Shabbos is to know that what we see on the surface in this world is only that: the surface. Removing those layers, piercing this surface, recognizing that everything is really and truly the Aibishter, is the lesson of Shabbos, and the way we move from the days of the week into the holiness of Shabbos.
