Description: Chapter 4 - 02
Derech Hashem
Chapter 4 – 02
We have explained that every person is created with very little control over their physical self, their gashmiyos. It rules over them for a long time, as the mind develops little by little. Even after a person has developed, the physical self still has the upper hand unless a person immerses themselves into the Torah and it’s values. With everything, the neshamah is at a disadvantage, because it is connected and bound by the guf. Not only does the guf drag it down, but the world is mainly physical and gashmi as well.
Yet it’s precisely this setup which Hashem’s wisdom decreed that the physical self can reach its perfection. Specifically, because it is so low, it’s able to achieve tremendous greatness. The words of the Ramchal are, ‘Hashpa’laso sih’yeh hagbah’haso’, its lowliness will be its elevation. From this position we can attain tremendous value and honor because we have transformed utter darkness into shining light.
Hashem created many restrictions and procedures for us, to direct us how to utilize the world and its creations, and to what purpose we should put them. When a person does act within those guidelines that Hashem created for him, then the physical act, and the gashmiyos world itself brings about perfection. The physical activities will strengthen the level of spirituality that a person has, and lift him up from his humble beginnings. Hashem created and understands every tiny aspect of our physical self, and all its failings and difficulties, and imperfections. Hashem created the world and set up a process and designed guidelines, to address all those failings, and enable a person to gain true levels of holiness so that he can truly connect to Hashem and benefit from His goodness.
Hashem decreed a person should die, although if He wouldn’t have then every act we would take that would fit into Hashem’s plan, would have the effect of strengthening our neshamah and weakening our guf, and they would both achieve connection to Hashem. But after the fact that there is a decree of death, the actions and good deeds we do, strengthen the neshamah, and that power remains dormant and potential energy within the neshamah, and the guf is purified within its essence, although it doesn’t have a practical effect on the guf, until after techiyas hameisim, when Hashem will allow the power stored within the guf to truly elevate it and purify and perfect it.
The concept that the Ramchal is explaining here is how powerful the mitzvos and maasim tovim we do are. Essentially, they have the power to totally transform the guf into something spiritual. We all should become malachim through our mitzvos. We should become so spiritual that we would be capable of connecting to Hashem each one of us, with our bodies, on the level that neshamos do in Gan Eden. We would become eternal beings. But Hashem doesn’t allow that to happen, so all that power is there within us, just controlled and restrained, but it’s a tremendous amount of potential energy, which will be allowed to have its effect once Moshiach comes and there is techiyas hameisim.
Derech Hashem
Chapter 4 – 02
We have explained that every person is created with very little control over their physical self, their gashmiyos. It rules over them for a long time, as the mind develops little by little. Even after a person has developed, the physical self still has the upper hand unless a person immerses themselves into the Torah and it’s values. With everything, the neshamah is at a disadvantage, because it is connected and bound by the guf. Not only does the guf drag it down, but the world is mainly physical and gashmi as well.
Yet it’s precisely this setup which Hashem’s wisdom decreed that the physical self can reach its perfection. Specifically, because it is so low, it’s able to achieve tremendous greatness. The words of the Ramchal are, ‘Hashpa’laso sih’yeh hagbah’haso’, its lowliness will be its elevation. From this position we can attain tremendous value and honor because we have transformed utter darkness into shining light.
Hashem created many restrictions and procedures for us, to direct us how to utilize the world and its creations, and to what purpose we should put them. When a person does act within those guidelines that Hashem created for him, then the physical act, and the gashmiyos world itself brings about perfection. The physical activities will strengthen the level of spirituality that a person has, and lift him up from his humble beginnings. Hashem created and understands every tiny aspect of our physical self, and all its failings and difficulties, and imperfections. Hashem created the world and set up a process and designed guidelines, to address all those failings, and enable a person to gain true levels of holiness so that he can truly connect to Hashem and benefit from His goodness.
Hashem decreed a person should die, although if He wouldn’t have then every act we would take that would fit into Hashem’s plan, would have the effect of strengthening our neshamah and weakening our guf, and they would both achieve connection to Hashem. But after the fact that there is a decree of death, the actions and good deeds we do, strengthen the neshamah, and that power remains dormant and potential energy within the neshamah, and the guf is purified within its essence, although it doesn’t have a practical effect on the guf, until after techiyas hameisim, when Hashem will allow the power stored within the guf to truly elevate it and purify and perfect it.
The concept that the Ramchal is explaining here is how powerful the mitzvos and maasim tovim we do are. Essentially, they have the power to totally transform the guf into something spiritual. We all should become malachim through our mitzvos. We should become so spiritual that we would be capable of connecting to Hashem each one of us, with our bodies, on the level that neshamos do in Gan Eden. We would become eternal beings. But Hashem doesn’t allow that to happen, so all that power is there within us, just controlled and restrained, but it’s a tremendous amount of potential energy, which will be allowed to have its effect once Moshiach comes and there is techiyas hameisim.