HH
What is so terrible
about having an improper thought? Yes, we know it is forbidden, and
it causes damage in the supernal world, and that really those worlds
are very much the actual reality, and that it will G-d forbid lead
from one thing to the next until it really brings one to no good, but
even still we say to ourselves, let me be for a bit, a few thoughts,
a little pleasure, what's the big deal?
So here's something
to consider. G-d is completely above the paradigm of existence, He
created existence, however in the existence He created, He also
exists, and this existence of His is infinite. Anyone familiar with
algebra knows that infinite can remain in a very small value – as a
number approaches another in different increments, increasingly
getting closer but never reaching. Such are the various classes that
G-d created, the worlds of doing, speaking, thinking (asseeya,
yetzeerah, breeya) and infinitely more, as the worlds approach G-d
Himself, never reaching, but infinitely getting closer, each one in
it's own class and restraint. In all of this, the prophet refers to
G-d as continuously hiding Himself (Ail misstattair). The direction
of the infinite existence of G-d in the whole layout of existence is
to the esoteric, the more spiritual and hidden. The Ramchal asserts
that the entire study of Kabbala – the study of G-d and how He runs
the world, can be summarized as inner and outer (peneemeeyoos and
cheetzoaneeyus). Always the inner, which is more spiritual, more
refined and hidden, is the soul of the outer body, and completely
encompasses it, rules it, and is it's very lifesource. Except for the
final world in which man exists, where the body has a certain
independence not recognizing its soul. The Torah (even the "revealed Torah") as well must be kept hidden and should not be taught in public places (Moed Kutun 16a).
All sexual
gratification (which the Vilna Goan clearly classifies as a sin
between a person and himself, any damage done to another person by
this sin is purely collateral) is the body's insurgency over the
soul. This is hijacking a person's manifest, from going in the way of
G-d, and ever increasingly give strength to the unseen, the soul of
yet a more esoteric plane, which by the way is the ultimate eminence
of the traits of humility and tznius (modesty), where one hides
himself preferring to reach further inwards than to show an outward,
superficial exploitation, and all of this is hijacked and reversed by
even a small improper thought and desire, which empowers the body,
giving it precedence, giving it the dominion to drag and subjugate
the direction of the soul to be reduced to an expression of the body
(and if a person G-d forbids generates seed wantonly, this is the
actual reduction of the ultimate spiritual manifest, to a coarse
superficial coarse goal, HY).
The idea I presented
above is actually found explicitly in the holy books, particularly in
Rabbainu's Likutay Moharan, regarding fasting. Rabbainu reveals that
on a day that a person eats, the food goes to his stomach and inners,
and from there energy is sent up to the brain, it is the liver that
is propelling the brain. When a person fasts, the direction is the
opposite, the brain rules over the body (MeLeCh – king, rule –
Moach – brain, Lev – heart, Cuvaid – liver, as opposed to the
reverse order of CuLaiM – meaning embarrasment/incarceration –
locked into the embarrassing control of the body).
The main thing is to
sing Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman, which is the ultimate direction!
NNNNM!
How does one eat and at the same time give power to the soul. In other words, not fasting. Rebbeinu said that once he discovered Hitbodedut, he wouldn't have fasted and caused himself affliction.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the highest avodah when we can worship Hashem by elevating the physical in this world?
HH first of all there is always taanis shu-oas - limited fasting for a few hours only. Also bear in mind that Rabbainu was extremely makpid (particular) and stressed the importance of not eating from midnight till after shacharis (morning prayer).
ReplyDeletesecond. there are plenty occasions when eating is a mitzva, and a very great elevation, and also the very bare minimal amount of eating is also obviously a mitzva (it is said that Rabbi Yisroel Karduner asked Rabbainu whether he should take on fasting, and in reply Rabbainu held up a small piece of bread showing him to opt for sufficing with that rather than fasting).
third. by sanctifying ourselves we are elevating ourselves - our physical selves, a most awesome pinnacle of avoda!!!
Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman!