Utterly Removed from Evil

22 Iyar 5782

“After prefacing this meditation by fear of sin, the fear of doing wrong by sinning, in order to become utterly removed from evil, withholding oneself from doing any wrong, to avoid ‘your transgressions interposing between you and G‑d…,’ G‑d forbid.” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 50)

In today’s Tanya the Alter Rebbe reminds us that whatever form one’s excitement with love of G‑d takes, one must first be totally removed from evildoing.

How do we distance ourselves from evil, how do we tame the inner beast in this time of great spiritual ambiguity?

“I will remove wild beasts from the Land” (Vayikra 26:6)

The Rebbe answers the above question as commentary on this verse: “This blessing will come to its fullest fruition in the Messianic era, when ’the wolf will lie with the lamb’ in peace. There will indeed still be wolves, but they will not be predatory.

Both in order to ready ourselves for the Messianic future and in order to hasten its arrival, we should try to live ‘Messianic’ lives now to the fullest extent possible. Therefore, instead of destroying the wild and untamed elements of ourselves and of our world, we should transform them and use them for goodness.”

Nowadays that we are so close to Moshiach, the utter removal of evil, which the Alter Rebbe speaks of above, takes a different form. We can no longer go to war with ourselves, removing our evil inclination through fasts, as did King David, or other forms of self-affliction. In general, sadness or harshness no longer belong to our Divine service. We must be joyful about our current situation, rejoicing in the fact that Hashem put us here exactly to carry out a holy mission. To inspire others and to transform darkness into light. For us to do this, we must use out all our strengths, even those which are currently clothed in elements that are the opposite of good. By doing so, we will spread G‑dliness into the lowest levels, our animal soul and the physical world around us.

“Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and joyfully recount His deeds.” (Tehillim 107:22)

We must offer sacrifices from our animal nature, sacrifices of thanksgiving, of joy in His deeds. We must openly recount who He is and kindle the flame of Moshiach in each other’s hearts, “with patience and friendliness we can prevail in all things” (Hayom Yom, 20 Iyar).