שמעתי בשם אדוני אבי זקיני על פסוק ה' מלך גאות לבש, שדקדק הא איתא (בגמרא מגילה דל"א ע"א ע"ש) בכל מקום שאתה מוצא גדולתו של הקדוש ברוך הוא שם אתה מוצא ענוותנותו, והיכן נרמז כאן ענוותנותו, ואמר ז"ל שהפירוש הוא כך, ה' מלך גאות לבש, היינו שרק הלבוש הוא גאוה, אבל באמת תוכן פנימיותו כביכול אתה מוצא ענוותנותו: (דמ"א בדרוש לפורים)
My grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov] raised a question. The verse says: “G-d is King, he is clothed in pride,” yet it is written: “In every place you find the greatness of the Holy One, there you find His humility.”13Megilah 31a. Where is His humility alluded to here (in the verse from Psalms)? The answer is that only the clothing is pride; in His inner essence, you find His humility.14G-d’s essence is described as “humble” because it is beyond all perception and limitation, just as a truly humble person makes no statement about himself, and is, in a sense, invisible. However, G-d created a “garment” of pride; that is, the created world that allows for a manifestation of divinity. Thus, the Baal Shem Tov reverses the meaning of this Talmudic statement. According to the simple meaning, G-d’s greatness refers to His transcendence: “Thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place…” (Isaiah 57:15), whereas His humility refers to His lowering Himself to show concern for the creation: “[and I dwell] also with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (ibid.). However, to the Baal Shem Tov, G-d’s “greatness” is His manifestation in creation, whereas His “humility,” is His essence, which transcends creation entirely and cannot be perceived. See Likutey Moharan I:4 for a similar explanation. Degel Machane Ephraim, Purim
שמעתי בשם אדוני אבי זקיני על פסוק ה' מלך גאות לבש, שדקדק הא איתא (בגמרא מגילה דל"א ע"א ע"ש) בכל מקום שאתה מוצא גדולתו של הקדוש ברוך הוא שם אתה מוצא ענוותנותו, והיכן נרמז כאן ענוותנותו, ואמר ז"ל שהפירוש הוא כך, ה' מלך גאות לבש, היינו שרק הלבוש הוא גאוה, אבל באמת תוכן פנימיותו כביכול אתה מוצא ענוותנותו:
(דמ"א בדרוש לפורים)
My grandfather [the Baal Shem Tov] raised a question. The verse says: “G-d is King, he is clothed in pride,” yet it is written: “In every place you find the greatness of the Holy One, there you find His humility.”13Megilah 31a. Where is His humility alluded to here (in the verse from Psalms)?
The answer is that only the clothing is pride; in His inner essence, you find His humility.14G-d’s essence is described as “humble” because it is beyond all perception and limitation, just as a truly humble person makes no statement about himself, and is, in a sense, invisible. However, G-d created a “garment” of pride; that is, the created world that allows for a manifestation of divinity. Thus, the Baal Shem Tov reverses the meaning of this Talmudic statement. According to the simple meaning, G-d’s greatness refers to His transcendence: “Thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place…” (Isaiah 57:15), whereas His humility refers to His lowering Himself to show concern for the creation: “[and I dwell] also with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (ibid.). However, to the Baal Shem Tov, G-d’s “greatness” is His manifestation in creation, whereas His “humility,” is His essence, which transcends creation entirely and cannot be perceived. See Likutey Moharan I:4 for a similar explanation.
Degel Machane Ephraim, Purim