And so, before we even begin to address the eitzos for ga’avah, we must agree that one’s problems are sourced in foundational thought-processes that are rooted in ga’avah. A person may believe that if he thinks this way, he will become downcast. He would rather hear words of chizuk. But a person must know that if he follows the truth, it will be much better for him.
It is a shame for a person not to know who he truly is. That is: When a person builds his image and persona according to his supposed and illusory successes, he displays those successes to himself and to others, as if to say, “This is who I am...” It feels to him like he’s helping himself, and he’s afraid to abandon this way of thinking—for he says, “If I stop doing this, there will be nothing left of me. Am I supposed to conclude that I am worthless?! No! I won’t go down that road...”
The Real You
But in truth, the opposite is true: When a person builds his persona and his image based upon external things—this prevents him from truly understanding who he really is, from appreciating his true greatness. His ga’avah stands in his way. He cannot see properly what a neshamah is, what a Yid is, what pnimiyus is—because the external factors block his way. If you place these things to the side, then you will be able to feel and see the depth of what a Yid is.
Indeed, we see that when a person experiences yissurim and doesn’t fight them—he accepts them with love—he feels elevated. Why is this? For in that state, all the externals don’t stand in the way, because he isn’t focused on them.
The Jewish Spark That Was Awakened in Captivity
A Yid, a ba’al teshuvah, had been distant from Torah and Yiddishkeit. He fought in one of the wars in Eretz Yisrael, and he was captured by Syria and placed in a dark cell. When asked what it was like to sit for months in confinement without seeing the light of day and without exchanging a word for a living soul, he answered, “It is truly very difficult.
But at the same time, a dormant inner emunah is awakened, and it begins to bubble. And this was my introduction to a life of Torah and mitzvos.”
He explained that when everything is removed from the person... all his “successes,” all his desires and lusts... there are no distractions from the news... there is nothing but you. And since there is nothing else, there is nothing that will distract the person from thinking about who he really is. He related that for that period in captivity, he felt an incredible sense of emunah in the Ribbono shel Olam—the likes of which he had never been taught. And after leaving there, he embraced a life of Torah.
Accessing the Inner Reserves by Getting Real
We can all reach this place—and it doesn’t necessarily need to involve yissurim, R”l. Yissurim are helpful, because they help a person feel vulnerable and helpless and dependent upon the Ribbono shel Olam. The doctor tells him one word, and in an instant all of his illusory successes are gone! But it doesn’t have to be in this way.
The yesod is that the external things distract us from seeing who we really are, and we are thus prevented from feeling elevated. And when we don’t feel elevated, we are likely to gravitate to foreign sources of feeling great. And then we look at the next person, and we say, “He probably feels greater because he gets more kavod.” This becomes our worldview—as though these outer trappings give us true elevation... when in truth, they give nothing.
Alone, What Am I?
It is said regarding the Kedushas Yom Tov of Sighet that he once came to his Rebbe, the Divrei Chaim of Sanz, who loved him dearly. And the Rebbe asked him the following question: “Who are you?” Baffled by the question, he answered, “Rebbe, I am Lipa’le!” But the Divrei Chaim asked again, “Who are you?” The Kedushas Yom Tov thought that perhaps the Rebbe wants to hear his lineage... or perhaps the location of his rabbanus... but the Rebbe was not satisfied. Until he blurted out, “Me, myself, I am nothing!” Hearing this, the Divrei Chaim broke out in a smile, and hugged his dear talmid.
There is an incredible lesson in this incident. A person must recognize that he is a vessel for the Shechinah to rest upon—but only if we don’t push it away. In most cases, we sadly prevent the Shechinah from resting upon us through our preoccupation with outer and illusory perceptions about ourselves. But if we allow Him in, He will rest within us. Yes, HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Who desired a resting place down below, can rest upon you! And when this happens—even for a moment—the pleasure is indescribable.
And the purpose is extremely important—and it is worthwhile for a person should live 80 years in This World only for this moment. HaKadosh Baruch Hu derives pleasure from this. A special yichud takes place: The final part of the neshamah that came down to This World succeeded in reuniting with the Shechinah, and there has been a קודשא ייחוד ושכינתיה הוא בריך.
