Be Quiet

There are questions to which G‑d says to be quiet, to be still, to cease to ask.

The quietness, the stillness, the abandonment of being, that itself is an answer.

And so G‑d said to Moses, “Be silent. This is beyond any thought.”

See Maamar Chochom Ma Hu Omer 5730, s’if 3.

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

© Copyright, all rights reserved. The content on this page is provided by our content partner, Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with Chabad.org's copyright policy.

Browse Book

Wisdom to Heal the Earth »

By Tzvi Freeman

Buy Book

Wisdom to Heal the Earth is a revolutionary new look at Tikun Olam based on the teachings of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.

In this Book

Join the Discussion

21 Comments

Newest

Oldest

anonymous May 5, 2026

Oof. Silence is my favorite language. Probably why all of my being said yes at Sinai, to be honest. Reply

Dale Sun City Center, FL May 5, 2026

When I am still and calm I am able to do my best thinking and come to logical decisions about what to say or do, OR: not say or not do. Reply

Frederic April 1, 2024

More often, in the quiet, the most penetrating questions appear. The best answers involve searching for solutions, and those are not to be found in stillness or solitude. Reply

Rita Forbes Clinton April 1, 2024

⚘

Baruch HaShem,

🕊💜 Reply

Rita Forbes Clinton May 5, 2026

in response to Rita Forbes:

GM🌻

Yes, sometimes the answer is in the silence, meditation in GD's word, and listening for the His direction. Thank you.

Baruch HaShem,
🕊💜 Reply

Alex Bukenya Kuwait March 6, 2023

I have also come to a self awareness that the more quietness you be, the more humble you become and the more you hear the real you talking to YOU ..... Reply

Joe October 25, 2018

Where have you found abandonment of being to be an "answer" in the scripture? Reply

Brenda Toronto, Canada October 25, 2018

in response to Joe:

I Abandon Myself For Others Moses instructed his students how to reveal G_d between them: If they could all feel as one heart and think as one mind to aspire to be awarded the benevolent quality of G_d, then in that sublime connection they could receive His Light and detect His presence.

G_d shattered the original one harmonious soul structure in order for us to feel His opposite which is the bad/evil when we live selfishly for my being alone. Our world has come to such a degree where we recognize the consequences of living as a separate, disconnected individual. The well-being of a person and the collective are interdependent. We are connected in a global world.
I must abandon self-serving for serving the others. Then within this collective system we feel G_d's presence, and elevate humanity to His world.
Moses taught how to exit your self-serving nature. This is the whole Torah. Reply

Messen Paris July 8, 2020

in response to Joe:

It’s also the notion of Bitul, much développed in hassidus. But to be well understood it has to be studied. It does not mean abandoning in life but having such confidence in G-d that you abandon yourself in his hands, you just really are trusting Him. Reply

Elaine Georgia, USA October 25, 2018

"There are questions to which G‑d says to be quiet, to be still, to cease to ask."
Since the command comes from G-d, we have the free choice to question or heed, but HE said so. That's works for me. He, our Creator, knows the limits of our intellect, abilities, potentials and intentions. He knows we will not arrive at the correct answer. Why frustrate ourselves over this lack of understanding when we could be investing our thoughts and time in mitzvoth to bless Him?
"The quietness, the stillness, the abandonment of being, that itself is an answer."
"AN" answer, implying there are potentially more answers. But, I'll go with the one stated.
Back to the command once again. Brings to mind more of His Words. "Be still and know that I Am G-d." He, and He alone is the answer. Reply

Brenda Toronto, Canada October 25, 2018

Be Quiet To Be Us My 'I' is constantly bombarded with thoughts from my desire to feel good, comfortable, successful …
This egoistic drive has provided fuel to progress us, to invent, discover...

Now we are at a point when our nature must develop to from an egoistic element to an altruistic connection with all the other parts of humanity. All that noise about doing for me must be directed towards the benefit of others.

G_d has arranged a global interconnected world for us to learn how to interact in a mutual reciprocal way. With this intention we can create a harmonious system in which His Light can flow between us to yield the best answers to all our problems. Reply

Tzvi Freeman February 23, 2017

For Miriam Miriam, I wish I had you as a teacher as a child!

But I also wish I wasn't so vulnerable to being judged by a single incident. I've posted over a thousand of these short thoughts, and so many of them are about questioning, wondering, amazement and questioning again.

And here I get nailed for one post lauding the precious place of quietness at times.

Okay, I guess it goes with the territory—the territory of writing as brief as possible. But please see at least these:
Questions
Faithful Questions Reply

Miriam Florida via coralspringschabad.org February 22, 2017

I can't except this ! As a teacher I asked my students this question : what's more important the question or the answer the smart ones said the question is more important ! You people don't like that idea ? Or do you only like it when the question is within your world of thinking ? Reply

c July 13, 2020

in response to Miriam :

Miriam -- What does "you people" mean? Reply

CK tucson February 19, 2017

Beautiful Statement This is so true, and a most needed reminder for our current information overloaded lives.
Thank you Reply

Margo Carrancejie Anderson IN February 19, 2017

Abandonment of being? To abandon your being when we become still and quiet is not accurate, in fact we are reclaiming ourselves and opens the opportunity of listening to G-d. Reply

Linda KENT,WA May 15, 2016

תודה רבה
This the quiet voice I am listening too! Reply

JS Brooklyn, NY January 28, 2015

your short, and directly to the point, words of wisdom are the best. They reach our core the fastest.

Thanks, Reply

James More Seasaw City January 28, 2015

Selah Listen to god speak to your mind, so be quiet and listen. Reply

Anonymous January 28, 2015

simple answer when you give up on attachment to some types of problematic things of this world, you can see that your path leads elsewhere Reply

Anonymous Arizona, USA March 13, 2013

Be Quiet Because in the abandonment of our beings, the answer to our purpose in this world comes by the presence of the Shekinah. He becomes our whole being. Baruch Hashem. Reply

Be Quiet

More in this section

Join the Discussion

Synagogue Services

Online Academy

Food Pantry

Young Professionals

Students

Kids