The Very Narrow Bridge

This is a writeup from notes for a dvar torah I gave to madrichim (student leaders) at a meal on precamp for Bnei Akiva Summer Machane (camp) 5783.

I’ve heard this in the name of Rav Lichtenstein but not been able to find it in any of his writings. Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l was known for treating topics with an impressive breadth and a remarkably delicate sense of balance.

He discussed the classic metaphor of the very narrow bridge that we walk in our hashkafic lives. We have the song and all the breslovy stuff. The idea that we have top ovecome fear and maintain faith and courage in the face of life’s challenges.

But Rav Lichtenstein focuses more on what’s under the bridge. He brings an idea that there’s an abyss on either side. To the right, the abyss of fire and, to the left, the abyss of ice.

The fire to the right of the bridge is that of zealous absolutism. Every detail in halachic life is black and white. Everything is right or wrong. The ice to the left is that of uncertainty and doubt. The shechina is very much concealed – nothing is quite certain to us.

Both extremes are spiritually very dangerous. Straying to the right, into the abyss of fire, risks straying into Avoda zara – losing track of whats important while getting lost in the weeds of the details, a life where every action is clear. The shiechina is obviouslt imminent. Everything is either part the solution, or part of the problem and must therefore be destroyed.

Straying to the left risks straying into kefirah. It easily become heresy and denial of hashem and leads to cynicism and religious paralysis. In a world of nothing but grey, everything is a machloket. The divine is so transcendent and unknowable that ultimately nothing we do makes a difference.

I urge you, there is no better place to learn to tread this narrow bridge. Machane – even more so precamp – is a perfect place to learn how to walk between the two abysses (abyssees?) and to teach our chanichim, by example, and through the chinuch we do every day how to toe that line too.