God is One. Simple in concept. Therefore, faith in Him should be kept simple, without sophistication!
Rebbe Nachman often told us how fortunate we were because Moshe showed us the right way. He began the Torah without any philosophical proof, with the simple words (Genesis 1:1): “In the beginning God created…” We are commanded to believe in God through faith alone, and not enter into speculation (Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom #5).
God is One. Simple in concept. Therefore, faith in Him should be kept simple, without sophistication. In addition, Rebbe Nachman taught that the main faith is simple faith (Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom #32). It is the innocent faith of the ordinary people (Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom #33).
When Rebbe Nachman was in Lemberg (1808), he heard someone say, “The old, old, old, God!” Rebbe Nachman found these words very inspiring. He would refer to this time and time again, and on each occasion he would repeat the words “old, old, old” over and over again. The Rebbe’s purpose was clear: We should believe in God with full simplicity that He is the Ancient One – older than the oldest. Our faith is very ancient, an inheritance from our earliest ancestors, the holy patriarchs. It has not appeared recently, nor is it the fruits of someone’s ideas, but stems from the very beginning of the existence of the world (Tzaddik #413).
“In the beginning God created…” We are commanded to believe in God through faith alone, and not enter into speculation!
How does faith work? Do I follow someone blindly? Completely? Or will partial faith do? Must I have faith only in a proven path? Or can I choose where to place my faith? Good question. Very good. There is no one single answer.
Who would think of teaching advanced algebra or calculus to a five-year-old? We teach him one, then one plus one, then simple addition and subtraction. As the child develops his understanding of mathematics, we can proceed to multiplication, division and fractions. Then on to algebra, geometry, trigonometry, etc. Instead of starting with calculus, we start with one. With this foundation established, we build the mathematical structure stage by stage, until we have explained the entire picture.
With faith, it is much the same. What do we really understand about God? About Judaism? So we begin with one. One God. He exists. But we have questions. To answer them and the other questions that inevitably arise, we must learn some basics. So we begin to study. Once our knowledge has grown, we are ready to go on to higher levels. However, as in the study of mathematics, all faith ultimately rests upon One. We must strengthen our faith. We now believe in God, in the One. Then we study more. We grow in knowledge. But again we must return to the basic faith of believing in God . And so it goes.
In order to begin, our faith must be blind. What do we know? We accept God. But, we know nothing of Him or how to recognize Him. So, we start to study the Torah, His teachings, His word. The Torah reveals God’s will, God’s ideals and how we can approach them. As we grow, our faith grows with us. No longer is it blind faith, for we have attained some knowledge of God. But as our knowledge grows, we come to reflect upon a greater level of Godliness – one previously unknown to us. Lacking the means for understanding this new perception, we revert to faith. Our faith helps us transcend all obstacles that, otherwise, may have prevented our comprehension of this level. Then we study more and gain more knowledge. The cycle then repeats itself. Our perceptions grow, we gain greater levels of understanding, but we must again revert to simple faith to carry us even higher.
What do we really understand about God?
Rebbe Nachman teaches: It is necessary to have knowledge together with faith. One who has only faith is likely to fall from his level. He must [combine his faith] with knowledge (Likutey Moharan I, 255). (Though the lesson is about faith in the Tzaddikim it is equally applicable to all aspects of faith). When combined, faith and knowledge complement each other. We must begin with faith, otherwise we lack the foundation upon which to stand. Yet, knowledge is also a necessity. Without it, we can never be certain that our faith is not, God forbid, misplaced. The only way to determine this is by our constant search for truth. As we become increasingly more knowledgeable, we will be able to discern where the truth is located. This is the knowledge that supports faith.
Complete faith is a must, it has to be immediately nourished with knowledge. Faith and then knowledge, faith and then knowledge; over and over again. Judaism is a proven path. It has outlasted all of its oppressors over many millennia. However, Judaism requires faith, strong faith, solid faith. But aren’t there different paths in Judaism? Yes, so choose one and begin to study. Study and study, gain more and more knowledge, but without slackening in faith. Search for the truth. Have patience. There are many paths in Torah. Seek, and go about your search with a combination of faith and knowledge. Eventually, you’ll arrive at your right address.
Thus, Rebbe Nachman teaches: Torah study has the power to direct a person with the proper and correct advice in all of his endeavors. It is vitally important to have faith in the Tzaddikim. Then, by studying their words, the Torah will guide him to his proper course in life (Likutey Moharan I, 61:1).
(taken from the book Crossing the Narrow Bridge: A Practical Guide to Rebbe Nachman’s Teachings; chapter 5, Faith, pp. 68-70)
