Actualizing Holy Desire1 min read

“If his offering is a burnt offering… He shall bring it to the entrance of the Ohel Moed, in accordance with his will before Hashem…”

The Mei HaShiloach sees an important message hinted to in the word “L’R’tzono”, which means that the Olah must reflect the desire of the one who offers it. The two uppermost levels of the Jewish soul, Yechidah, and Chayah, are constantly bound to a realm of holiness and perfect consciousness of the ultimate purpose of the world and life within it. The holy desire which pulses within the essence of the Jewish soul comes to expression in the next level of the soul, Neshamah – the capacity of thought. In great moments of clarity, even the lowliest Jew entertains thoughts of teshuvah stemming from a deep-seated desire to fulfill his mission in this world and draw close to his Creator. However, while the manifestation of holy desire in positive thoughts is a seamless, natural progression, the manifestation of thoughts within the final two levels of the soul, Ruach – speech and Nefesh – action, is not as palpable.

Powerful as our desire to return to a life of sweetness and elevation, we find it very difficult to manifest this yearning in concrete action. Before we know it, the yearning passes and we find ourselves behaving in the same ways as we had before the “Bas Kol” echoed within, calling us to teshuvah.

The holy Ishbitzer says that while the most important element of avodas Hashem is the desire and emotion we invest in our efforts, it is imperative that we immediately manifest our positive thoughts in action so as to grant them a vessel in which they can remain and expand. This is the meaning of our pasuk: When a Jew would bring a Korban, it was “L’R’tzono” – for the purpose of embodying his holy desire in action so it could sink into his bones and affect him on the deepest of levels, uplifting the entirety of his existence.

May this teaching stick with us so that the next time we have a thought of teshuvah, we will act on that feeling immediately, allowing it to flourish practically in our day to day lives!