Silly Fish

Based on a letter from the Rebbe - 10 Sivan 1981

There are things that Man is able to control and change, and those which he cannot.

In general, the faculties of thought, speech and action are given to Man to control. He can use his thoughts, speech and action as he wishes. However, his essence, being a Human, and the details of his creation such as his eye color, skin color, etc... These - his very being - he cannot change.

The essence of a Jew is the same. It cannot be changed.

Regardless of where a Jew lives, his level of education, religious observance, occupation, etc. since he is a Jew, a part of the Jewish nation, he or she is a child of Avraham, Yitzchok, Yakov, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah.

And at the time of Matan Torah, Hashem said to the Yidden, “You will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...” Hashem didn't command us, “You should be", He told the Yidden that they “will be” a holy nation. Meaning, since Matan Torah, the very being of a Jew has become one whose essence is one of Torah and Mitzvos; that the very nature of a Jewish man or woman is to conduct every aspect of his life as prescribed by the Torah.

Yet, as mentioned before, Man is given the power to control his thoughts, speech, and action, therefore, by extension, a Jew can choose to lead his life according to the Torah, or R”L otherwise.

But, for a Yid, to go against the Torah is to go against his very essence and nature. It is like the fish who wants to live on dry land instead of in the water (as explained by the parable given by Chazal). The fish convinces himself that he is alive and well, “Look! I’m flapping around on dry land!"...

Sadly and obviously, this “life” only lasts for a short while. In fact, even during the “life”, the fish is really merely teetering between life and death, and if the fish does not return soon to the water, to his source of life, the end is obvious.

In his infinite kindness, the Giver of Torah gives Man a long life, and lengthens his days to give him the opportunity to do Teshuva. In fact, Hashem promises a Yid that nothing will stand in the way of Teshuva, and He even gives the Yid the awesome power and ability to do a true Teshuva, and return to the Source of Life – Torah and Mitzvos.

***

The Yetzer Hara tries entices us and tries to convince us to “check out the ‘high life’ on the dry land”, and even proves to us that we are "alive and well", living it up on the dry land…

But we remember that our very being, our life and our very nature is dependent on learning Torah and keeping Mitzvos.

We remember that for a Yid, true life is only possible in the Waters of the Torah.

We know better than to be a silly fish.