What is really good – tov? Humans have been gifted with responsibility that other life forms don’t have. We have the ability to elevate ourselves and be custodians to what has been given to us.
Levels – lowest to highest, what is uniquely human ranks higher
- If an animal would have the same pleasure it is not lofty, anything instinctive, physical, carnal (food, sex, being petted (haha), etc.). Just because it feels good or makes you “happy”, doesn’t mean it ranks high. Enjoying these types of pleasures are “gross” – “pleasure in physical and corporeal things in general, for these are simply animal pleasures. An animal is attracted to whatever it instinctively considers satisfying, and—oblivious of any other form of good but this—is drawn to it.” These types of pleasure become addictive to the smaller self, the animal self. “even indulgence in the permissible, when he seeks pleasure in enjoyments and luxuries beyond the necessities of living (is not good).” Not being moderate, overindulging
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Sweet voice (music?) delighting in music. Delighting in man made things? delighting in the arts, beauty, or delighting in creating – in that state of flow,
- Traits from character – doing acts of kindness in order – generic (ranks lower – natural love A lion protects her cubs.) than doing something specific for someone with purpose and intellect involved. Also lower if this is your natural inclination, versus something you have to work at doing. When man conducts himself with, and derives pleasure from, emotional acts alone without the guidance of intellect, then he is similar to an animal. All of man’s emotions and traits must accord with the dictates of intellect. Abraham’s example: This was his ultimate purpose in generosity. His generosity was not instinctive but purposeful, to bring mankind close to G-d by this means.
“Pleasures may be classified from inferior to superior: pleasure in delicious food and similar bodily enjoyments are the lowliest and are animalistic pleasures; delight in music; pleasure ensuing from purposeful intellectually driven emotions, benefiting the worthy, and when appropriate, even to the un deserving.”
4. Intellectual delights – comprehending a subject under study.
‘This is the finest, the truest, and the most exalted of delights (provided the idea it self is good and valid, for if the study is evil per re, then it would be included among those things forbidden to engage in). Man, the select of creation, should find his supreme delight in matters of the spirit, particularly in intellect. His soul ought to delight specifically in this, for this—the intellect that was given him and the “intelligent soul” that he possesses—is his unique quality above all creatures.”
Every creature in this world has a specific mission, which is its purpose. Its fulfillment is realized when it ascends to a state higher than its own.^’ The vegetable becomes assimilated in the animal; the animal becomes one with the human;“ the human is fulfilled when his spirit ascends and becomes one with the spiritual that is above him.
5. Spiritual delights – Studying the word of God – In this manner the soul of man can ascend, through binding and merging itself with the Divine wisdom.
“Supernal chochmah is the most hidden of all. It is unknown, and is not revealed” {Zohar 1:141b). This is the attribute of chochmah as it is with in keter, or more precisely in arich anpin, the outer dimension of keter.
The fact that the soul of man is of such sublime root should propel him to interest and occupy himself in matters of the spirit and intellect.”
Nietzsche says blessed is the man who eats the lion, but not the man eaten by the lion…. eaten by our animal drives…
There is another advantage in this knowledge of the Inner Torah, and that is its effect on the person. Although this knowledge is limited to knowledge of His existence,^’ none theless, his mind does conceive and attain knowledge ofthe ex istence of the spiritual.^^ The spiritual becomes palpable, as it were, within his soul; he becomes bound up with it, attached to it, and as a result he transcends his own physical nature, and attains a state of tefmement and spirituality. This attainment is inward and personal, both within his own self and also ex ternally, in reference to all his interests and activities. They all become more refined and spiritual; they are not bound up with the physical at all, and they rise above awareness of self.
This is one of the most important things I have ever read. Bind yourself, it manifests both inwardly and externally – in interests and what we seek to do, how we can bring value to those around us. We must rise above our small selves – constantly examining our actions. Who/what do our words, deeds, actions serve?
It goes without saying that his piety is not evident to another, and by no means would he consider doing something to impress anyone.
Man, possessing an intelligent soul and a G-dly soul, must find his pleasure in Torah study; the fulfillment of every be ing is its elevation to a higher stage; through study of the Revealed Torah man unites with G-d’s wisdom and will; through study of Chasidus he binds himself with their inwardness, and becomes refined in everything.
revealed (outer) aspect and a concealed (inner) one