Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The Elephant in Me - Part 3 - The Washdown

As the supervisor has done in the story, the Yetzer Hara is out to prove that the outer layer of nature - our Kabolas Ol - is not our true color.

Pressures in life, doubts about our Tafkid, or a in cooling our Bitachon, are all experiences that can potentially weaken our commitment to our Tafkid.

Sadly, there are times when our resolve is weakened, and the layer of Kabolas Ol starts to peel. The Yetzer Hara exploits and exaggerates the impact of these cracks, with the intention of washing away more and more of our layer of Kabolas Ol, R"L.

"Kabolas Ol is just a layer!" T
he Yetzer Hara argues. "It is not the real you. Wouldn't it be better if it was completely washed away so the true you can shine?"

Yes and no.

True, Kabolas Ol, is a layer that covers our birth-nature. But our birth-nature, too, is a layer. Both being painted on top of our true self - our Neshama.

So, while washing away layers that cover our true self is crucial in finding a true connection to Hashem, we must remember that the true layer is not the one we find under the layer of Kabolas Ol. Our true color is the next color, the one we will find under the layer of the animal soul!

But the Yetzer Hara does not want us to discover our Neshama-true color!

And so, when the layer of Kabolas Ol starts to wash away, and the new "me" of our birth-nature emerges, the Yetzer Hara tries to convince us that the newly discovered (animal-soul) layer is our true self. The Yetzer Hara he argues that we must liberate this "me", so that we can "finally be myself"!

If a person is taken by this compelling argument, he will be easily swayed to allow the newly discovered "me" to take the reins.

The inevitable pitfall is that when indulging the newfound "me", one invariably experiences a certain degree of pleasure and liberation: liberation from an oppressive childhood; liberation from burdensome rules

So while the Neshama is still undiscovered, the person thinks that his real self is the animal soul layer, which he is now catering to and "liberating", by shedding his Kabolas Ol.

"Now I really feel free!"

Really?

Free?

Hardly so.




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