Questions for today:
Yesterday's advice, to fear G-d 'at least' like a peer, needs advice. How can something 'I know about' impact my behavior as much as something I can see?
We discussed having a relationship with the Creator, inspired by fear. We said that we should feel this at least on the level of someone who resists his temptation to steal an apple because a person is watching them.
However, how can we compare the way we act when we see a person watching us, versus when we know that G-d is watching us? One is based on something we physically see with our eyes, and one is based on something that we know in the recesses of our minds?
Here is the idea. When we see a person watching the apples, the gaurd’s intellect is what prevents us from stealing. We are not afraid of his body and clothing seeing us, we are afraid of his persona and intellect knowing. However, when we see his body and clothing, we know that they are the vehicle containing his intellect and soul.
We can train ourselves to see the world around us as clothing of the Creator and to constantly be able to see the existence of the Creator within nature. This way, when we see the world around us, we will see G-d watching us.
To stress this idea further, there are times when we don't even see another person, we see people we know behaving with respect and fear to something they see, and we are impacted and act fearfully as well.
When we think of ourselves as the center of the universe, this means that all the galaxies and stars that are constantly moving in a westerly direction are humbly bowing to the Creator.
This can also have a impact on us, to share this humility.
128 Tanya Nissan 28 ~ m153 Nissan 24
Tanya book 1, ch 42, Pt 5
We can "see" the Creator.
When we fear a security guard, we are afraid of the person, but what we see is the uniform.
We need to practice seeing the world around us as G-d's clothing.
Study today’s Tanya in full:
https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=4/25/2022
See today’s video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rsgPbc9dfc&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKIBRnjBvHe&index=127