The Path to Greatness2 min read

“And Hashem shall distinguish between the flocks of the Jews and the flock of the Egyptians, and nothing shall die from that which belongs to the Jews.”

The Chassidic masters teach that the most definite, unchanging constant in the world is Hashem’s desire for a Jew’s avodas Hashem. Although it may be quite tempting to view the inner voice opining that one’s tefillah or Torah study is worthless to the Master of the world as emanating from the yetzer tov, the tzaddikim warn that this voice is simply the yetzer hara in disguise. Anything that compels us away from Hashem and a relationship with Him, no matter the reason, is a negative force that is to be completely ignored. Reb Nosson of Breslov expresses this idea in his unique style. He writes that even while logical reasoning supporting the notion that an individual deserves to be barred from the pursuit of holiness may indeed represent emes – a level of truth, this truth is completely nullified in the face of the emes l’amito, a deeper level of truth, which states that no Jew is ever held back, under any circumstances, from teshuva and the deepest relationship with our Father in heaven. Indeed, commenting on Acher’s being driven from teshuva due to his erroneous heeding of the heavenly voice which called out “Return, My wayward children – aside from Acher”, the Maharsha teaches that even if God Himself were to tell a Jew that he isn’t wanted and that his spiritual effort and striving are worthless, “lo yishma eilav”, one should not listen to Him.

Everything we experience in our lives is for the purpose of pushing us to our limits and challenging us to assume the best possible version of ourselves. The Ramchal famously writes that the varied life circumstances experienced by the broadest range of Jews each present their own unique set of struggles. While poverty awakens the desire to steal or cheat, wealth opens doors to arrogance and forgetfulness that everything comes from Hashem etc. No matter what one’s life circumstance, a Jew must be ready to meet the challenges presented by his or her unique situation with courage, transforming every twist and turn of the journey into an encounter with the Infinite One. If we meet with spiritual success, we must set sail for new horizons; if we are sunk to the darkest depths of physicality and spiritual rot, we must never give up yearning, longing, and fanning the flames of holiness that flicker yet within.

The holy Dzikover sees these ideas hinted to in our verse.

“V’hifli Hashem”: The way one becomes set aside as “kadosh laShem”, achieving a state of constant closeness with the Master of the world, is “Bein miknei Yisrael”: whether one’s life circumstances are elevated (the word “Yisrael” , whose letters can be rearranged to spell “li rosh”, hints at elevation.) “Ubein miknei Mitzrayim” or whether one’s life circumstances are difficult and constricted (the word Mitzrayim comes from the word “meitzarim”, constraints), “V’lo yamus mikol l’vnei Yisrael davar”:  no challenge in the world can drive this person away from the service of Hashem. This is the true path to spiritual greatness.