Where Are You?

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Russia (d. 1813) was imprisoned because his way of life was opposed by his adversaries. While awaiting trial, he was visited by the chief of police, who questioned him about Scripture.

The chief asked, “How are we to understand that God, who knows all things, said to Adam, ‘Where are you?’”

The Rabbi replied, “Do you believe that Scripture is eternal - that every age, every generation, and every person is included within it?”

“I do,” said the chief.

“Then,” the Rabbi answered, “in every age, God calls to each person: ‘Where are you in your world?’ You have lived forty-six years. How far along are you?”

The chief steadied himself when the Rabbi mentioned his age, but his heart trembled.

—

The point of the story is that we are all Adam. Each of us is invited to answer the question: “Where are you?”

God does not ask the question in order to learn something He does not already know. Rather, the question is meant to awaken something within us. It invites us to turn inward and honestly examine our lives.

Like Adam, we often hide to avoid responsibility for the way we live. And the longer we remain hidden, the more deeply entrenched our self-deception becomes.

The question “Where are you?” is meant to draw us out of hiding and back into awareness of God's loving presence - a presence that compassionately offers a way forward.

The challenge is to face the voice. Like the chief in the story, our hearts may tremble when the question is put to us. Yet it is by God's grace, together with the defenses that protect us, that we are gradually able to hear the voice that leads us to confront ourselves.

No matter what success, pleasure, power, or accomplishments we attain, life remains directionless as long as we avoid the voice that asks, “Where are you?”

Adam responds to that voice by admitting, “I hid myself.” This act of honest acknowledgement marks the beginning of the human journey.

*This blog summarizes the first chapter of Martin Buber's book The Way of Man (1948).

**AI was used for editing and clarity purposes.