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The Language of the Birds
Rabbi Arje of Polnoy was an ambitious teacher who nurtured a burning admiration of the Baal Shem. Wanting to acquire the miraculous knowledge of the Master, he visited the Baal Shem and tried time after time to find out his secret for understanding the language of the living creatures, particularly the birds. He hoped, with this wonderful art, to be able to enthrall the minds of all men and in his innermost soul he lusted after the power this would bestow on him. The Master saw what Rabbi Arje wanted and eventually invited him to participate on a nocturnal journey together with his disciples. The road passed through the forest. As the new day dawned, the Baal Shem revealed the secret, and Rabbi Arje, with one ear began to understand the sweet language of the birds. His joy knew no bounds. When they got to their destination, the Baal Shem asked Rabbi Arje if he had understood the essence of the explanation. However, since Arje, in his eagerness, had only listened to the birds, he had not absorbed the Master's vital words. The Baal Shem smiled, then stroked Rabbi Arje’s forehead with his fingers and the Rabbi immediately forgot everything he had heard about the language of the birds.
"They have a mouth, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; they have a nose, but cannot smell;... " (Hallet, Psalm 115:6)
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