The Secret of Dancing: The Path to Nullify Pride and Merit the Light of the Tzaddik
Lesson No. 131 | Wednesday, Parashas Mishpatim, 22 Shevat 5758 - Opening lesson at the "Chut Shel Chessed" Yeshiva (on Shmuel HaNavi Street)
The true tzaddik is completely clean of any trace of pride, and when his spirit blows within a person, it awakens them to dance and clap their hands. Dancing is the only way to uproot the source of pride, to nullify the feeling of "my power and the might of my hand," and to recognize that Hashem is the sole Master over our lives.
The Rambam writes that most people are devoid of wisdom. The true tzaddik is one who has not a single thought of pride. As Rebbe Nachman says, he is like pure skin that even if you press and squeeze it, no bad odor will emanate from it. He can withstand all types of tests in the world. Such a tzaddik, who is completely clean of all desires, truly despises this world—he does not seek honor, nor desires, nor food, nor sleep.
Such a tzaddik is unique among the multitudes, and only one will be found in a hundred generations. Such pure and refined souls, a clear and polished light like Moshe Rabbeinu, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, the holy Arizal, and the Baal Shem Tov, descend to the world only once in several generations. Fortunate is the one who merits to know and draw close to such a true tzaddik, who can elevate all thoughts and words back to their root.
The Spirit of the Tzaddik that Makes the Heart Dance
When a person merits to know the true tzaddik, the spirit of the tzaddik begins to blow within him. The moment a person begins to feel illumination and vitality from the tzaddik, he begins to dance and leap on his own. Why do we sing and dance? Rebbe Nachman said: "I only need to play the melody—and he will dance." In order to hear the Rebbe's melody, one needs purity of heart and tremendous humility.
The supernal rectifications are accomplished through clapping hands. When a person merits this, his heart is refined and purified to the ultimate peak of purity. The dancing and clapping of hands are drawn down by the spirit that blows in the heart, and then the heart dances on its own and the hands clap against each other on their own.
The Pride that Prevents Dancing
The only way to nullify pride is through dancing, in the aspect of:
"Let not the foot of pride overtake me" (Tehillim 36:12).
Why doesn't a person dance? Because he is full of pride. He thinks to himself: "I am an important person, why on earth should I dance? That is fitting for small children, for young men whose blood is boiling and need to let off steam. I am a polite person; I will stand on the side, have a friendly conversation about matters that stand at the height of the world, and wait patiently for the dancing to end."
What prevents a person from dancing are only his thoughts of pride, which cause him to feel more important than everyone else. A person who has a lot of pride cannot dance, because the spirit of the tzaddik does not blow within him. In contrast, those who have less pride—they dance, and the spirit of the tzaddik blows within them and draws them close.
The Idolatry of "My Power and the Might of My Hand"
Avraham Avinu would say to all his guests: "And wash your feet." Rebbe Nachman explains that this is the secret of dancing. Avraham would teach them dances and songs, and through this, he would nullify their pride, and consequently, they would have a vessel for the resting of the Shechinah (Divine Presence).
The idolatry of those Arabs was that they bowed down to the dust of their feet. What is the dust of the feet? This is the secret of "my power and the might of my hand." A person bows down to his own feet—he feels that he has strong legs, he can run, work, stand on the ground. He bows down to his own intellect, to his hands and his feet, and thinks that he succeeds by his own power.
Only dancing nullifies this idolatry. In dancing, a person sees that he does nothing and is capable of nothing. When the feet are elevated through dancing, in the aspect of "his heart lifted his feet," the pride in the heart is nullified, and space is created for the resting of the Shechinah and the entry of the light of the tzaddik.
Illness as a Cure for Pride
Pride is literal idolatry, because the haughty person bows down to himself. Regarding this it is said:
"There shall be no strange god within you" (Tehillim 81:10).
Do not make a strange god out of yourself! A person forgets that the words, the thoughts, and the hands—everything is from Hashem. The moment a person thinks for even one second that he is "something," strict judgments are immediately awakened against him. He becomes ill, or someone in his family becomes ill, and he can no longer go to the yeshiva or to work. Every illness comes only to remind a person: "It is not your hand, it is not your foot, it is not your body! You are not the master over your life."
When a person is allowed to run and succeed without interruption, this is sometimes in the aspect of "and dust shall be the serpent's food" – they throw him all his needs so that he won't have to pray. But the closer a person is to Hashem, the more strictly he is judged, so that he will remember that he is not the master of his own plans. Suddenly he falls ill, and all his plans are canceled. Then he understands: "Master of the Universe, I thought I was the master of the world, but everything is Yours – the plans, the will, and the legs."
When pride and heresy are nullified through dancing, emunah (faith) increases, and then we merit to fulfill:
"My foot stands on an even place" (Psalms 26:12).
The foot stands on the level plane of emunah (faith), and all idolatry is completely nullified.
Part 1 of 2 — Lesson No. 131
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