And He said, I am the G-d of your father. (Exodus 3:6) This is what is written: “A fool (pesi) believes in everything” (Proverbs 14:15). What is the meaning of “a fool”? A child. Because in Arabia, they call a child a pasia. Midrash Rabbah, Shemos 3 The Baal Shem Tov told his students: “Despite the profound levels of understanding that I attained in the [supernal] roots of the Torah and the mitzvos, and despite all the spiritual ecstasy that I experienced, I put everything aside to serve G-d in simple faith. I am a fool and believe – *Ich bin a naar un gleib!*¹, is similar to the Yiddish word for fool. And even though it is written: “A fool believes in everything,” it is also written: “G-d protects the fools” (Psalms 116:6). Yesod Ha’Avodah, letter 24

footnotes: ¹ The Baal Shem Tov is making a word-play on the statement of the Midrash, above. The Hebrew word for child, na’ar