G-d speaks in baby language, and we should too

Have you ever spoken baby language?

Almost anyone that interacted with an infant uses this mixture of funny sounds (da-da! Ooh ohh!) and face motions, aka baby language.

Now, let me ask you: does speaking baby language make you feel less of a person?

After all, here we are – grown up, mature adults, intelligent people – making funny sounds and silly faces. Does that diminish who we are?

Of course not. In fact, we use baby language when we are filled with love; and while our true self might usually hide behind structured sentences and articulated ideas, our real essence shines when we show our unconditional love.

Let’s take this idea one step further.

As highly as we think of ourselves, G-d is highest of all highs; he is the ultimate holiness, and his wisdom is infinite and ungraspable.

So why would G-d create a low, materialistic, very-not-perfect world?

Is our world just an afterthought, somewhere at the end of the priority list of G-d?

Just like a loving parent who interacts with their infant in baby language, G-d chose to interact with us in our own “baby language”. He hid his infinite greatness to make space for this world so he can form a loving relationship with us, and to provide us with the ability to discover Him.

Creating this world, was essentially the greatest “I love you” card ever written.

*

This empowering idea was shared by the Rebbe forty years ago, in 1982. It was at a Farbrengen (Chassidic gathering) commemorating the Yahrtzeit of his predecessor as well as the anniversary of the day the Rebbe assumed the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch.

How befitting it was for the Rebbe to share this idea! The Rebbe himself personified the idea of “speaking in baby language”.

As a brilliant Torah scholar, the Rebbe could have dedicated his life exclusively to the deep study of the most profound ideas in the Torah. But instead, the Rebbe devoted thousands of hours to young children, speaking with them, encouraging them to be better kids and better Jews.

And it wasn’t only children. The Rebbe would reply to countless letters and receive thousands of visitors (in his 80s, the Rebbe would see a few thousands visitors every Sunday!), many of them were simple folks, far from being Torah scholars or holy people. The Rebbe would spend time, connect with them, and speak their language.

And the Rebbe would encourage us – all of us! – to do the same: to teach Torah and inspire those around us to do Mitzvot.

“Don’t think that teaching and inspiring others who might not be at your level is something beneath your dignity” the Rebbe would say again and again. “This is something we all need to do”.

After all, if G-d can speak baby language, we should, too.