The egg and the chick: becoming 'nothing'

Nothing new can grow unless the old form first gives way. An egg must lose its existence as an egg before a chick can emerge, and a seed must decompose before a new plant sprouts. So too, a person who wishes to change and grow must first reach the level of 'ayin' – letting go of self-importance and fixed self-image. In that state of humility, a person becomes a vessel for new blessing. The Maggid connects this to the power of tzaddikim to transform harsh judgment into mercy.