In this section, Rebbe Nachman explains the source of the specific type of confusion that creates foolish questions in our minds. In reality, we all know that if a glass window breaks, the first question we have is, “How can I fix it?” The obvious answer is that we need to buy new glass. So, the next questions that come to mind are, “Where can I go buy a new glass? How much will it cost? Where can I get the money? When is a good time to go?” and so on. This is a productive line of questioning that, with Hashem’s help, will lead to solving the problem.
However, in the example that Rebbe Nachman brings, the person trying to confuse the child doesn’t go in that direction at all. Instead of thinking about the right way to fix the issue, the person begins with the assumption that the solution is to replace the first pane of glass with the second one. Then, based on this assumption, there is a problem with the bird entering through the space of the second pane of glass. Thus, the question that the person asks the child – “Couldn’t the bird fly through the space of the second pane?” – is really the answer to the mistaken assumption: we shouldn’t take the second pane out of place to begin with! But since the person presenting this scenario includes the answer in the question itself, the child gets confused and doesn’t realize that there was a mistaken assumption to begin with.
In other words, this line of thinking has three problems: 1) a false assumption; 2) a misleading question based on the false assumption; and 3) the fact that the real answer is mixed up with the misleading question.
