Overcoming terrifying obstacles: A parable from the Baal Shem Tov

There is a very powerful king whose glory fills the entire world. However, there are many great walls and barriers that conceal the glory of the king. An announcement is made proclaiming that whoever can overcome these obstacles and reach the king will be greatly rewarded. Even though the walls are daunting, af first, there are a number of people who are willing to take on the challenge.

The first wall is very scary and is surrounded by a mote and other difficult obstacles. Despite this, there are some people who climb it successfully. However, now we reach another part of the challenge. Before progressing to the next barrier, officers of the king are waiting and offering to  greatly reward anyone who halts their trek. Just don’t go on to the next barrier, they say, and you will be greatly rewarded. The choice is tempting. The next wall is even more terrifying than the first and is surrounded with wild animals. The choice of just taking it easy and reveling in one’s accomplishments is very hard to reject.

However, there are a few people who are willing to continue the journey. They know that it will not be easy. However, they realize that they have not yet reached the king. So they continue. However, each subsequent wall becomes more terrifying than the next.

And the officers of the king do not relent as they are offering, after each barrier, even greater sums of reward-just to stop the journey. Anyone who is willing to proceed at this point is experiencing terrifying states of consciousness. To relent is much easier than to proceed.

Finally, we get to the final wall. At this point, there is only one person left: the son of the king. Broken and crushed, with his last bit of energy, he climbs the final obstacle.When he finally reaches his father the king, he collapses and cries out, ” Father, what did you do to me! I was almost destroyed!”

Suddenly, the father, the king, takes his son and lifts his wand. A great light is revealed and he tells his son to take a look. There are no walls. No terrifying barriers. No officers. Only the  light of the king fills all of existence.

This is the mashul. Now, when we focus on interpreting the ‘nimshal’ ( the lesson), I think that there are 4 key points to emphasize here.

1.) Fear is one of the main forces that can block a person from discovering Hashem in a real way. It may be fear of others. It may be an overinflated fear that says a divine centered life is not practical for our day and age, etc. It may be a fear of discovering our true self. However, fear is a real obstacle that must be overcome.

 2.) Another major factor that inhibits continued growth in Avodas Hashem is complacency. We may have worked hard to reach a certain level and are too lazy or afraid to try to reach the next level. There is a common phenomenon in which younger yeshiva students learn with more zeal than older ones. The latter may suffer from complacency which is not always easily overcome. However, King David writes in the books of Psalms that “I am constantly yearning” אני תמיד איחל.

3.) Achdus Hashem, Divine Unity, fills the entire universe. Even those things that may seem to hide Hashem’s presence ultimately are one with His essence as they could not exist for a second without it. This is the true deeper understanding of Divine Unity: Not only is there not any other Creator but ultimately no other reality. For all of the created world only gets its power from His ultimate life force. The true understanding of Achdus Hashem is Ein Od Milvado.

4.) Even  though Hashem is one and His presence fills the entire world-we have to work very hard in order to connect with it. The challenges are quite formidable as the divine concealment is quite great. However, the son of the king does not let this stop him. He yearns for his father like he yearns for his own life. Through his incredible effort, he is able to achieve a state in which the light of the king shines through him. May we all be zoche!

-Ariel