The distinction between these two approaches can be understood in comparison to a child who comes to his mother to tell her about something that happened to him. He is seeking comfort and to receive pity and understanding כאיש אשר אמו תנחמנו, "like a man whose mother comforts him." If he comes to her and tells her exactly what occurred - all of his suffering and mistreatment - then he awakens her maternal instincts and her heart opens to spread over him her wings of mercy and to let him know how good and precious he is to her her and that she will always love him.
But her reaction would be very different if as he tells her of his suffering he peppers his words with detailed explanations, "Yesterday, I treated my friend in such-and-such a manner because he is jealous of me. As a result today he paid me back and insulted me and hurt me." The explanations shut the mother's heart. Now everything makes logical sense; what more can she say? What can she respond? He prepared a vessel into which to pour his pain, but then closed the pathway to her caring. What can she add now by sharing her love and concern for her son with regards to this behavior that has already been fully explained?
This is the great gulf that exists between the heart and mind. When a tiny bit of the heart opens to Hashem, and then the mind mixes in, it muddies things and clogs them. It lowers all the words of the heart to the level of the mind, with understanding and explanation. There is no room left to awaken the heart. Everything is organized, settled and explained- the heart is absent.
But her reaction would be very different if as he tells her of his suffering he peppers his words with detailed explanations, "Yesterday, I treated my friend in such-and-such a manner because he is jealous of me. As a result today he paid me back and insulted me and hurt me." The explanations shut the mother's heart. Now everything makes logical sense; what more can she say? What can she respond? He prepared a vessel into which to pour his pain, but then closed the pathway to her caring. What can she add now by sharing her love and concern for her son with regards to this behavior that has already been fully explained?
This is the great gulf that exists between the heart and mind. When a tiny bit of the heart opens to Hashem, and then the mind mixes in, it muddies things and clogs them. It lowers all the words of the heart to the level of the mind, with understanding and explanation. There is no room left to awaken the heart. Everything is organized, settled and explained- the heart is absent.
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