Selfless, Visionary, Trusting

27 Kislev 5782

“Just as the ten supernal sefirot are divided into two general categories, so, too, with the human soul [and its ten faculties]” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 3)

A G-dly soul has three recognizable characteristics: It is selfless, visionary, and trusting. An animal soul also has three recognizable characteristics: It is selfish, constrained, and fearful. If we listen to our G-dly soul we will be selfless, visionary and optimistic/trusting in G-d. If we listen to our animal soul we will be selfish, hampered by tunnel vision and fearful of every occurrence. The choice is ours. (Rav Yehoshua B. Gordon Z"L)

“Pharaoh said to all Egypt, ‘Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you to.’” (Bereishis 41:55)

“Egyptian society was steeped in the pursuit of self-serving carnal pleasure, which is reduced by circumcision. Thus, by having the Egyptians circumcised, Joseph subdued their obsession with carnal indulgence. Pharaoh himself instructed them to go along with Joseph’s condition; thus, even the living symbol of Egyptian corruption was willing to be refined, at least somewhat.” (Lubavitcher Rebbe)

“For the rod of wickedness will never come to rest upon the lot of the righteous; therefore the righteous need not stretch their hand to iniquity.” (Tehillim 125:3)

We have the G-d given gift of being born into a more refined spiritual state. Every Jew has within him the spark of G-dliness which allows him at every moment to shake off the constraints of the physical world and go over and above. A Jew does not have to fight with the world, he doesn’t have to go down to that level. He can choose to follow his G-dly soul and everything else will be taken care of.