How does a tree grow from such a small seed ? the idea is similar to concept of smiling back.After a long break (4 weaks) we are back . The Rav is continueing with todays Tania that deals with a very basic concept in Chasidus - כמים הפנים לפנים Kamyim , hapnim lapanim.
like water, the face (shows itself to) the (other) face.
This time we see this in aspect of Tzedaka (giving from your possessions to someone else) . We give to another person and use our Midda of Chessed and by doing so we awaken Hashem's Midda of Chessed toward us.
What is this concept of Kamyim , hapanim lapanim?
The way we live our life and look at the world is the same way the world "looks" at us. We all (or many of us) know that when we wake up smiling the whole world smiles with us. There is even an alternative to saying "Cheese" - you just smile to the kid you are taking a photograph of! When i see someone smiling , even if its a total stranger I am bound to smile back.
Its the same when it comes to spirituality. Or in other words in our relationship with the Hashem. The Alte Rebbe explains this using the Mashal (example) of a Tree growing from a small seed . How does this happen ? there is much more matter in the tree than in the seed. [for the scientific explanation go here ! that is what happens physically. spiritually we say that the seed made a small start in the earth surrounding it. that start encourages the natural growing energies to express them selves join powers to make the actual tree sprout. once its out of the ground we have the sun helping it and so on(Google up for more scientific info)
And that is why one of the Tefillot describes Tzedaka as planting. זורע צדקות מצמיח ישועות
the Tzedaka is a small gesture we do he down here that draws an enormous amount of Chessed in our direction . like planting a seed in order to grow a tree.
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