This isn’t really a question, because the real reason UAlbany hosted a (very talented) illusionist on the first night of freshmen move-in was for entertainment purposes and a form of enjoyable bonding on a night that could be full of stress and anxiety. But the Baal Shem Tov taught that everything (even the most trivial) has layers of meaning, and we can and should learn life messages from all that we see, hear and experience.
At first glance, an illusionist doesn’t seem to be the most appropriate entry to college life. What message are we sending? Are we saying that it’s all a facade, nothing is real, don’t take us seriously, we’re just playing with your minds?
We asked this question of UAlbany students at Shabbos Lunch. Here are some of their insights:
I had a friend who was struggling a lot, and had issues with self-esteem. A few friends of ours started to encourage him and made a point to consistently highlight his strengths. Lo and behold, over some time, he started to blossom, those strengths were amplified and he was doing much better. Truth be told he was the same guy as before. Nothing really changed. The only thing that changed was how we “tricked” his mind. Sometimes we need to push ourselves, to tell ourselves things that we might not see on our own. That can be something learned from an illusionist. – Jack S.
Sometimes you need a “suspension of disbelief”, you have to let go and allow yourself to believe, to trust, to stop resisting and go with the flow. If your mind keeps blocking things out and filtering everything it will be hard to experience or learn something new. – Adi P.
When I watch shows like an illusionist my mind keeps spinning with questions. How does this work? How does he/she do that? What’s the trick or method behind what I am seeing? That’s fitting for college which is supposed to be a time to get our minds working, to keep asking questions, to see what is behind what we are seeing on the surface, what makes this work? – Mordechai R.
And here’s a thought I remember from the Chassidus of my youth, from my Yeshiva days:
The Maamar (Ner Chanukah 5643) first discusses how all the physical world as we know it is a mere facade or mirage for the Divine energy that animates it within. Somewhat similar to how scientists see microscopic molecules and cells where regular people see and sense with their five senses. But then the Maamar shifts using a Talmudic expression from tractate Sanhedrin, differentiating between the “picking gourds” via magic or via illusion. The Maamar uses this to emphasize that no matter how essential and defining the Divine energy is hidden within the world, this does not detract from the actual fact and reality of worldly existence. And both perspectives are possible and encouraged at the same time – yes, there is a real world, and no that reality is not all that there is!