One winter, a whole delegation of learned rabbis came to the rebbe of Vedislav, the father of five-year-old Simcha Bunim. The Rebbe served food to the guests, seated them at the table and, when they began to eat, he turned to his son:
- Simha, go find a new interpretation of the laws of hospitality so that you have something to tell our guests.
The boy got up from the table and went into the next room. A few minutes later he returned. The guests were amazed by his quick return. Indeed, Simcha Bunim showed remarkable abilities in studying the Torah, but everyone believed that even he was not able to find a new and unexpected interpretation of the laws of hospitality in such a short time. However, the father smiled welcomingly at the boy and asked:
- So, son, have you found a new interpretation of the Torah?
Simha said that yes, he had found it, and that he would be happy to share it after the guests had finished their meal. When everyone was satisfied, the rebbe turned to his son again.
“I have nothing to say, dad,” said the boy, “but I would like to show you something.”
Father and his guests were expecting a new interpretation of the Law, and now they were somewhat puzzled. Simha said:
- Well, come on, and I’ll show you everything.
Those gathered followed him into the next room. And there everyone really saw his interpretation of hospitality: the boy made the bed for each of the guests; The beds were littered with fluffed pillows and neatly folded blankets.
- And what’s new in your interpretation, baby? - asked one of the guests.
“With all due respect to you, Teacher,” replied Simcha Bunim, “if I simply provided you with new words, you would rest only in your imagination.”
Commentary by Rami Shapiro Hasidim speak of three vestments of the soul, thanks to which the Divine descends into the world. We perceive these vestments as thought, word and deed. A thought entails a word, and in turn, a word entails an action. The quality of each vestment depends on the purity of what precedes it. Thus, ultimately everything is determined by the quality of thought.
All three vestments are given to a person from birth. In the beginning they are pure, but over time they are stained by selfishness, and then they need to be cleansed. You begin to think only about yourself, talk only about your needs, your actions are aimed at satisfying your own needs at the expense of exploiting other people. The purpose of spiritual practice is to cleanse the vestments of the soul.
Where to start? Since thought is the basis, we can assume that we need to start with it. But it’s like washing a window with dirty water—you’ll just smear dirt on the glass. To truly purify a thought, one must not think, but act. This is what Simcha Bunim instinctively understood and what we must understand. If you want to know God, begin to imitate Him in your actions, conforming them with Divine justice and mercy.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru