Even Better

Every soul begins its journey as pure, lucid light. But once she enters this world, she may fall.

Even had the soul remained pure, the descent would still have been worthwhile. All the more so now that she has fallen.

True, she was meant to confine herself to the permissible; she would have enlightened that realm of the world, healed it and carried it upward.

But now that she has fallen, let her return to her true, inner self, and in doing so she will transform to light that which a pure soul would never have touched.

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G-d's Fishing Net

Hit the Road

By Tzvi Freeman

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.

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10 Comments

Rita Forbes MD September 17, 2018

Thank you for sharing timely and much needed wisdom. Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman November 29, 2010

For Liz Not just mitzvot, but the "realm of the permissible." Like kosher food and marital relationships. As opposed to "the realm of the forbidden." Reply

Liz Marietta, Georgia November 29, 2010

Getting it a bit more. Basically, I get it. That the growth we achieve from returning from our sins makes us stronger than if we had not sinned. And that you don't suggest we intentionally sin, just for this purpose. But confusion still lies in the "permissible matters", vs. "non-permissible." Do you just mean mitzvot vs sins?

Thanks so much for helping to clarify. (Thanks to 'kick at the cat' also!) Reply

Mark Ottawa, Ontario November 28, 2010

Apology Rabbi Freeman - Thank you. That does make more sense. I apologize for my grumpiness and I'm grateful that you edited my previous comment; it was mean-minded. It was not my essential self. I'm really a very nice fellow when you get to know me. Reply

Anonymous November 28, 2010

kick at the cat I will offer an interpretation of the item. If i am way wrong, R. Tzvi might step up. The gist of the matter is about one who sins. No matter what his status, by returning to the righteous path (tshuva) he surpasses the status of a tzaddik (righteous person). The tzaddik who has never sinned has engaged in only permissible actions. That circumstance leaves him less able to make our world better (tikkun olam). Tikkun olam is man's purpose. It is to repair the world so that it becomes a dwelling place for G-d, at the site of a third Beit Hamikdash on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. So the upshot is that regular people like you and me (less than 100% righteous) have a huge stake in making the world a better place. Fix ourselves (tshuva) in order to fix the world (tikkun olam). That's about it. Reply

Rabbi Tzvi Freeman November 27, 2010

Re: More on this? Your soul descends from its place above into this world. It's a painful descent, but worth it nonetheless, since here you are able to perform mitzvahs and release the G-dly sparks that are found within the permissible matters of this world.

What if, however, instead of doing mitzvahs, a soul does the opposite? You might think that this is nothing but failure, a futile painful descent.

But now that you have sinned you can return back to your essential self. And when you do so, you will carry with you the sparks that were lost in the non-permissible matters of this world. Since those sparks are of a much higher source--ala "the higher they are the lower they fall"--it turns out that by messing up you end up accomplishing something much greater than one who dealt only with the permissible.

The middle paragraph was inserted to warn a person not to sin in order to achieve even more, since such a gambit has very poor chances of success.

Starting to make sense? Reply

Mark Ottawa, Canada November 27, 2010

Tzadik I know that I am not intellectually stupid, but really, I have only a very hazy supposition of what you are talking about. Perhaps you might try again. Reply

Pacgrovemum Pacific Grove, Ca/usa November 26, 2010

Comprehension As An Investigative "member " Of this religion.. I have only to comment, that my Comprehension is ALWAYS touched as if by a translating angel.. the posted quotes by our Rabbi, are never ever difficult for me to comprehend.
Full blessings shine through, in these ..
I am thankful. I am inspired. I am eternally lovingly grateful. I am always always always moved. No other religious posts touch and are relevant, the way these are. There is just something SO perfect in these. Thank you Rabbi. Reply

Mary Angela San Clemente, CA/USA November 26, 2010

More on this? Could someone elaborate a bit on this subject? I want to know that I am understanding it as was intended. Thanks. Reply

Anonymous November 26, 2010

Judaism It's comforting to know that Judaism understands that the majority of us are imperfect. We don't do wrongs on purpose. They happen. We make wrong decisions as we grow up. Once we get around to Judaism, whether early on or later, it seems to quietly say: it's normal, improve and do more rights/mitzvot going forward and nobody but nobody can look down on you. File those that do as uneducated, others as unenlightened.

One non-mitzvah i have always been cognizant of is to never waste somebody else's time. A polite way to say, i wouldn't waste mine either. Mitzvah-wise, the time taken to post these comments falls under the asset side of elevating/making holy each moment of the commodity of time. Leave it to Judaism to teach this fascinating concept. When you first hear Torah has everything in it and there isn't anything in the Universe that Torah has missed, it sounds like a rather bold claim. Then you see it become more true as time passes.
Good Shabbos ! Reply

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