אִין חֲסִידוּת אִיז פאַראַן צְווֵיי זֵייעֶר כאַראַקטעֶריסטישׁעֶ אוֹיסְשְׁפּראַכעֶן: א) אַ אִיד דעֶרקעֶנט גֶ-טלִיכקַייט אוּן פִילט דִי אִיבּעֶרנאַטִירלִיכקַייט אוּן בּעֶדאַרף אוֹיף דעֶם קֵיין בּאַוַוייזעֶן נִיט האָבּעֶן. ב) אַ אִיד נִיט עֶר וִויל אוּן נִיט עֶר קעֶן זַיין אָפְּגעֶריסעֶן פוּן גֶ-טלִיכקַייט.

דעֶר אֱמֶת אִיז אַז דִי צְוֵויי אוֹיסְשְׁפְּראַכין זַיינעֶן אֵיין זאַך: אַ אִיד דעֶרקעֶנט גֶ-טלִיכְקַייט אוּן פִילט דעֶם לְמַעְלָה מִן הַטֶּבַע, דעֶרפאַר אִיז נִיט עֶר וִויל נִיט עֶר קעֶן זַיין אָפְּגעֶריסעֶן פוּן גֶ-טלִיכקַייט.

There are two statements very characteristic of Chassidus:

(a) “A Jew [innately] recognizes G‑dliness and is [inherently] sensitive to that which is supernatural. He needs no proof of this.”

(b) “No Jew is willing — and no Jew is able — to remain separate from G‑dliness.”1

In truth, these two statements reflect a single point: It is because “a Jew recognizes G‑dliness and is sensitive to that which is supernatural,” that “no Jew desires — and no Jew can — remain separate from Divinity.”2

Delving Deeply

Since the soul of a Jew is “an actual part of G‑d Above,” his connection to G‑d does not depend on his knowledge or understanding; it is an inherent part of his constitution. Just as he knows that he is alive, without fully understanding what life is, so he relates to G‑dliness, though he does not fully comprehend this relationship intellectually.3

Since his connection to G‑d is inherent, it does not allow him to separate himself from G‑dliness. When it is clear to him that a particular act or pattern of behavior will sever his connection with G‑dliness, he will shun it spontaneously, without any inner conflict. For this reason, our Sages say4 that a person will not sin unless he is possessed by a spirit of folly. That spirit of folly confuses him by convincing him that despite the proposed sin, his connection with G‑d will remain intact. Were he to realize that by sinning he would separate himself from G‑dliness, he would never transgress.5