B-H
I hope that with G-d’s help I have been able to explain in my previous essays on the Higgs boson the nothingness of the physical world in which we exist, in a short but clear way.
The fundamental question comes to mind, a question that may change our entire view of who we are: What is our goal in the life? What should we do to achieve this goal?
The question is as follows: Are we physical beings equipped with some spiritual, Divine element or our true self is taken from the Divine, and physicality — our bodies and all the creation around — serves some other purpose?
Is religion just a means to help us go through difficult moments of life or give some additional taste to the sweeter parts of it? Or is the service of the Creator fundamental and the only reason for our existence?
Does this absolute service make our life more difficult, perhaps sober or even sad because there are so many limitations? Will it bring peace to the relationship we have with our surroundings (not necessary with other human beings, as the spirit of Amalek is still thriving) and, most important, with the One who gave us our existence?
Too many questions? There are more.
Someone may ask, “Isn’t it the domain of theology and religion to answer these questions?” “Why do we need physics to understand this? Didn’t Chazal — our sages, of blessed memory — reveal this to us long ago?
Yes they did, but somehow for so many of us this awareness that Chazal gave us has not stayed in our consciousness long enough to keep our life elevated according to the guidance of the revelation. Somehow, at the shiur, the lecture, we understand about the fascinating teachings, that there was tzimtzum and nothingness was separated and that there are sefirot distancing us and at the same time connecting to Ein Sof — the Unknown. But this awareness doesn’t last; even after such lectures about the depths of our Torah, we soon forget all of these lofty thoughts when we get caught up in the mundane activities we do each day.
There is nothing wrong with doing mundane things. We were put here on this earth, in this physical realty, to do mundane activities but we were told to do them in certain way. We were also told not to do other things, most of the time without even explanation why we shouldn’t do them. We were also made aware that this temporary situation is only a means to test us, as the reason for our creation can only be executed in this physical world. Only by doing or restraining ourselves from doing can we make choices, and the ability to choose freely is the reason for which we were created. By choosing, we are show that we are created b’tzelem Elokim – in the likeness of G-d. Only He has real power of choice, but out of his love He decided to share it with us. He gave the power of choice to the lowest of the spiritual creatures. We are the lowest due to our physical makeup, but we have the greatest potential to became highest, to the extent of unification with the Unknown.
But how often are we aware of this fundamental truth?
How often do we realize that what we treasure so much, what we running after, what we spend our life looking for, what we sacrifice so much for, what we give up our principles for, is really nothing.
Nothing — because it exists only due to the extensive withdrawal of spirituality.
Nothing, because even if it shines and glows, attracting our senses, but is made from material matter, which is “nothing” in its essence, the final product that we are foolishly running after is also nothing.
It is almost like projection (almost, because the quantum effect is more than mere projection) of our consciousness. It is our true selves, the spiritual being — temporary residents of these clay structures called bodies — that are causing this physical universe to “exist.”
Do you feel it? Do we grasp the naked true about our existence in this universe?
This universe has no other reason to be, other than serving as the battlefield in our struggle with the yetzer hara urges. It has no other reason than to give us opportunity to elevate our true self, win the battle, and became who we were intended to be, free of struggle and pain, united with our G-d, in reality closer to the Unknown, a reality often called by the name “Heaven.”
We are so tired of our leaders telling us again and again about the gashmiyus that we are running after. Once again we are dismayed to say that they don’t like how we enjoy life though some of them appear to get caught in the very materialism they so often condemn.
To achieve, to get to utilize some of the “gear” giving us moments of pleasure, we invest our time and emotions, and many times we compromise what we believe in. What counts at these moments is the sensation of temporary fulfillment, calm, or what the public calls “happiness.”
Other times we just kill time. We see almost nothing wrong with it. We engage in activities that don’t do anything good for us or are so far removed from the possibility to do any good for us.
On the other hand, there are lot of activities that the Torah and Chazal direct us to do, including those giving enjoyment, health, or pleasure to our bodies and to our mind. All of this is good, as long as we remember Who gave us the senses to serve Him with our enjoyment, and bodies to engage in His happy service.
The essence of all of this comes to one thing: enjoyment and pleasure happen in our physical body; more, they give health and strength to the body. However, these feelings originate in a nonmaterial reality where the brain is only a transmitter of those higher sensations. The direct profiteer of these sensations is the body and for our body we undertake these pleasant actions. On the higher plane, though, what is happening is that our bechirah — G-d-given free choice — is being used. Depending on whether we achieve the permitted or even advised pleasures, or forbidden pleasures by permitted or forbidden means, we realize the goal of our existence. It is our spiritual self — our real self, who can profit or lose as a result of these choices.
Ksime ve Chasime Tova a git un gebenched yur to all.
Matys Weiser
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