OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
The Previous Rebbe was once asked, “Why should I continue to work to refine my character and develop true love and fear for Hashem through prayer [Avoda] when it's not working!?"
The Rebbe answered with a parable: A poor man borrowed a rich man's clothes and wore them to a wedding. Although the poor man was dressed as a wealthy person, in reality, it was just a show--inside, he remained a poor man. Meanwhile, the rich man did not attend the wedding, he stayed home involved with his own concerns.
The object of the parable is how many people approach Avodah. Only the external garments [trying to think and speak and act correctly]] are involved. Really, the process has to be reversed. The “rich man” which corresponds to the essence of the soul must be fully present, while the external garments must be elsewhere.
To illustrate, the Previous Rebbe recalled his childhood. Back then, he loved to sit home and look out the window. His teacher, Reb Shmuel Bitzalel asked, “Why do you sit inside and look out? It is much better to be outside, looking in!"
Reb Shmuel Bitzalel's intention was not that watching street activity might harm the boy's psyche because, after all, what was going on in the streets of Lubavitch?
Our Rebbe explains by citing a lesson of the Baal Shem Tov: “Where a person's desire is, that's where he can be found." Accordingly, it's better to be outside looking in. In other words, if one focuses on his essential “me” –his soul, which is a piece of Hashem, his service eventually will accomplish its purpose. At that point, he will be completely “inside”—his “me” together with his garments. And even if he can only look in for a short time, this effort will be useful. [over]
How do we apply this?
Before davening, one should use one's intellect to contemplate:
- the greatness of Hashem
- the lowliness of a person
On the surface, contemplating a person's lowness is not a mitzvah. So why not dispense with it and only contemplate the greatness of Hashem, which as the Tanya tells us is a great and exalted mitzvah? However, if we contemplate a person's lowliness, we will eventually reach the level of “standing outside and looking in!" and our Avodah will achieve its goal.
[Sinchas Torah night 5726]
