Ascending And Descending Wisdom From The Trumbum

In Likutey Moharan I,6, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov teaches that one needs to be an expert in the ascent when serving Hashem (baki b’ratzo), and also be an expert in the descent from peak spiritual experiences when serving Hashem (baki b’shov). Without knowledge and ability how to proceed in both these directions a person can stumble. It can be likened to a person who climbs a tree or a mountain too quickly and then is unable to safely make his way back down.

While running on my treadmill (pronounced "trumbum" by my two year-old daughter) last Thursday night I came to a further understanding of this concept.

When one first starts running he needs to run at a slower speed so he can consistently run for a longer period of time. The more frequently he runs, the faster and farther he will be able to run. If one usually runs at a speed of 7, running on 8 or 9 will quickly tire him out. The person does not need to stop completely when he is out of energy, he only needs to decrease his speed since it is not an "all or nothing" activity.

What does the treadmill have to do with baki b'ratzo and baki b'shov?

Running on the treadmill can be likened to a person’s service of Hashem. We need to start out slowly, increasing our speed as we build up our spiritual muscles. If we run too fast and become exhausted, we don't need to turn off the treadmill and stop, rather we need to temporarily slow down until the time when we are ready to sprint again.