This Transient World

All bad character traits are derived from the sitra achra, the unholy side of existence.  Unholiness, by its very nature, seeks to assert itself and to conceal the true source of all being, which is holiness.  With a little reflection, we will realize that the main reason we give in to bad traits is that we attribute too much importance to this temporary world and we waste our days and years worrying over material possessions.  “How much money did we spend?  Was the price too high or too low?  Who still owes us money?  Why haven’t they paid us back?”  A person whose life revolves around such questions will constantly be involved in arguments and he will spend his time and energy proving that he is right and the other person wrong.

 

If we would only realize how little time we have in this world and that ultimately the body returns to the earth, we would understand how unimportant such things are.  If we would only comprehend that our true goal in this fleeting world is to acquire Torah and mitzvot – eternal possessions – then our entire view of life would be different.  All our negative character traits are the result of the evil inclination, and of the concealment that is imposed by the physical world.  That is what allows us to be attracted to material things and to imagine that the goal of life is the fulfillment of physical desires. 

 

If, on the other hand, we remember that our main purpose is the life of the World to Come, we will be able to relate to material things with an easygoing attitude, an attitude rooted in holiness.  We won’t be upset if we lose a few pennies here and there or pay a bit more than we should.  We will realize that this world is transient, and it doesn’t make sense to take such temporary things so seriously.

 

The whole world is filled with strife, as Rebbe Nachman said (See Sichot HaRan 77), and no one takes to heart the true purpose of existence.  Every day a person dies a little bit more, and the day that passes will never return.  Each day brings us closer to our final destination and hence we should fill our days with Torah study, prayer and good deeds.

 

According to Rebbe Nachman, strife and selfishness are among the major causes that make us forget our true purpose in life, which is to come close to God both in this world and in the next.  If we want to remember this, we should avoid looking at other people in a small-minded, selfish way, for such a perspective deadens a person’s heart (Likutey Moharan I:54,4).

 

 

The real purpose of life is recognized even by non-religious Jews, and even by people who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of pleasure and financial gain. For when somebody leaves the world and his friends and relatives gather at the funeral to eulogize him, how do they praise him?  Do they speak about how much he ate and drank or how many pleasures he indulged in?

 

Rather, at that moment of truth, they speak about the person’s good deeds, his kindness and compassion, his connection, however slight, to the ideal of Judaism and Torah.  That is the only thing they mention, while all their other interest and pursuits in life are completely ignored. 

 

Thus we see for ourselves that in the end, the truth comes out. Everyone admits to the falseness and vanity of a life that is devoted to pleasure, and everyone recognizes the true purpose of life in this world.

 

 

All this comes under the category of being “crafty in the fear of God” (Berachot 17a).  Usually, our desire for revenge and our unwillingness to make concessions are a response to what someone has done to us.  Then the evil inclination conceals itself in a garment of righteousness and tries to convince us that our impulses are justified.  “It’s my duty to rebuke him, so he won’t make this mistake again,” we tell ourselves.  In this way we permit ourselves to act cruelly and spitefully for reasons that are supposedly pure and selfless.

 

I heard a story that illustrates this.  There was once a Tzaddik who was also a wealthy man.  One day a poor Jew came to him in desperate need of a large sum of money for his daughter’s wedding.  After listening to his story, the Tzaddik concluded that it was indeed a worthy cause and he decided to given him the entire amount.  But just at that moment, another thought entered his mind:  “There are so many needy people in the world.  Why should I give the entire sum to only one man?  Perhaps it would be better to divide the money among the poor people.”  The Tzaddik sat quietly for a minute, not knowing what to do.

 

Suddenly, God granted him an insight that put an end to his confusion.  If the second thought was the correct one, why hadn’t he thought of it earlier?  Why, in fact, hadn’t he already distributed small sums of money to many different poor people?  Why did such a thought only occur to him now, when he had already made up his mind to do an important mitzvah?  Clearly, the second thought was from the evil inclination, which was trying to prevent him from doing a mitzvah.  With this, the Tzaddik overcame his hesitation and gave the man the full amount.

 

This story reflects and important principle we should always remember: holiness never comes to destroy, it only comes to build.

 

 

Life can be truly enjoyable when we cultivate the traits of patience and forgiveness and it can be truly bitter when we let every little thing annoy us and think only of maximizing our material gains.  If we would use those same mental energies for Torah, prayer and good deeds, we would gain something far more valuable – a long life in this world, and place in the World to Come.  The Gemara tells us that Rabbi Nechuniah ben HaKaneh was granted “length of days” because he was easygoing and willing to make concessions with his own money (Megillah 28b).  In fact, the money is only mentioned as an example and the Gemara really means that Rabbi Nechuniah was conciliatory in every area of life.  As a result, he was granted “length of days.”

 

The simple meaning of “length of days” is that he lived for many years.  On a deeper level, however, Rebbe Nachman says it means that each day of his life was utilized to the utmost and blessed with success (See Likutey Moharan I:84).  For if God helps us, we can accomplish in a single day more than we ever dreamed possible; we can grow spiritually in one day more than we ever dreamed possible.  We can grow spiritually in one day more than another person might grow in an entire year.  This is the true meaning of “length of days.”  But if we let our days slip by without using them to the fullest, then our days are short.

 

That was the question the Sages asked Rabbi Nechuniah.  By what merit had he succeeded in reaching such a high level of spirituality?  How had he managed to fill his life with so much Torah and holiness?  And the answer was because he was patient and forgiving in every area of life.

 

To be continued…

 

 

(Excerpt from The Scent of Gan Eden, by Rabbi Yaakov Meir Shechter, Keren Ohr Publications. Used with author’s permission.)