It was the summer of 1896, and father and myself were strolling in the fields of
Balivka, a hamlet near Lubavitch. The grain was near to ripening, and the wheat
and grass swayed gently in the breeze.
Said father to me: "See G-dliness! Every movement of each stalk and
grass was included in G-d's Primordial Thought of Creation, in G-d's
all-embracing vision of history, and is guided by Divine providence toward a G-dly
purpose."
Walking, we entered the forest. Engrossed in what I had heard, excited by
the gentleness and seriousness of father's words, I absentmindedly tore a leaf
off a passing tree. Holding it a while in my hands, I continued my thoughtful
pacing, occasionally tearing small pieces of leaf and casting them to the winds.
"The Holy Ari,1"
said father to me, "says that not only is
every leaf on a tree a creation invested with Divine life, created for a specific purpose within G-d's intent in creation, but also that within each and every
leaf there is a spark of a soul that has descended to earth to find its
correction and fulfillment.
"The Talmud," father continued, "rules that 'a man is always
responsible for his actions, whether awake or asleep.' The difference between
wakefulness and sleep is in the inner faculties of man, his intellect and
emotions. The external faculties function equally well in sleep, only the inner
faculties are confused. So dreams present us with contradictory truths. A waking
man sees the real world, a sleeping man does not. This is the deeper
significance of wakefulness and sleep: when one is awake one sees Divinity; when
asleep, one does not.
"Nevertheless, our sages maintain that man is always responsible for his
actions, whether awake or asleep. Only this moment we have spoken of Divine
providence, and, unthinkingly, you tore off a leaf, played with it in your
hands, twisting, squashing and tearing it to pieces, throwing it in all
directions.
"How can one be so callous towards a creation of G-d? This leaf was
created by the Almighty towards a specific purpose and is imbued with a Divine
life-force. It has a body and it has its life. In what way is the 'I' of this
leaf inferior to yours?"
