Once upon a time, everyone – simple and intelligent alike – knew that one should awaken and pray.
People may not have known why.
Nobody provided subtle explanations about the vibrations and metaphysics of the thing; but they knew they had to get up and get moving.
Now, people are no longer aware of that, because they are sophisticated.
And sophistication kills.
On the face of things, sophistication only seems to add more refined structures of thought.
If so, why not build these Rococo towers even higher? Why not add filigree of thought, the more the better?
It turns out, however, that these thought-towers destroy the foundations from which they sprout.
They destroy the most basic concepts: “no,” “yes,” “I am for,” “I am against” – all those things that are simple, rudimentary, elementary, perhaps even somewhat foolish.
But they are life.
—Rabbi Adin Even Israel Steinsaltz