Rebbe Nachman of Breslov tells us: “It is not sufficient to merely guard your mind against alien ideas (ideas contrary to the Torah). Constantly try to bring new vitality into your mind as this will revive and refresh your soul. For the mind is a manifestation of the soul” (Likutey Moharan I, 35).
Today, thank G-d, there is a great proliferation of holy books in the world. There are also thousands upon thousands of Torah lectures one can access through the internet and modern technology. It wasn’t always like this. Years ago, all types of holy books were difficult to obtain, and books about the deeper inner dimension of the Torah were so rare that only the greatest individuals had access to them. Today, even these books are available to everyone. Why is it that in our generation, which is on a much lower spiritual level, even the secrets of the Torah are easily available?
This can be understood by means of a parable Rebbe Nachman taught about a king’s son who became critically ill. According to the doctors, there was only one medicine that could cure the prince, but it was fabulously expensive due to how rare and precious it was. Every drop cost a fortune. In addition, the doctors weren’t sure whether the medicine would even be effective. Although a single drop was enough to cure the disease, the prince was so sick that whenever he tried to swallow anything, he immediately vomited it out. Nevertheless, the king emptied the royal treasury to buy the medicine, and he stood by the bedside of his son, pouring cup after cup of the medicine into the prince’s mouth, in the hope that a single drop would be absorbed (Chayei Moharan 391).
This is the story of our generation. Hashem has blessed us with holy books and Torah lectures of every type. He has given us the treasures of the Torah, secrets that were never available in the past to ordinary people. He has poured down upon us an abundance of light and holiness. And it is all for one purpose: so that a little bit should eventually enter our hearts and our souls, so that we should wake up from our spiritual slumber and return to Him so that we should be continually renewed by the light of Divine wisdom.
May we all merit to feel revived and renewed in our service of Hashem as we enter the month of redemption.
