Do not pursue what is base, otherwise you will become exactly that. Whatever you attach yourself to, you become, or since you are receiving from it, you become lower – called radical descent.
When this person descends and is attracted to unworthy goals, and finds satis faction in them for his soul, he is inferior to the brute animal that has no intelligence or awareness of anything superior to itself and its affairs. Man however, has a mind, and when he acts like an animal,‘*״ he is lower than it. (This is especially true in light of what we noted (in chapter 1), that “sanctify yourself even with the permissible” is a positive command ment by the Torah. But at the moment that man engages in physical pursuits for his satisfaction and his pleasure, he falls into total evil until he returns to the service of G-d and the study of His Torah, as explained in Tanya, (chapter 7; men- tinned above in chapter 1).
“Is it good for me, in terms of the greatness of the soul given me? Is this the purpose of my existence?” On the contrary; when he is urged that something looks attractive, that in itselfshould make him sus picious, and he ought to shun it thoroughly to avoid de meaning himself, G־d forbid.
When a person is attracted to bodily pleasures he demeans himself, binding himself to an inferior to receive from it, and he is lower than the un thinking animal; lust turns even the permissible into evil for that moment. All this is the work of the yetzer hara that makes a fool of man.
Monumental stupidity can come in the form a person – a person who thinks only of themselves and how to satisfy themselves.
Radically ascending means binding yourself with that which is truly life-giving and meaningful. Be careful what you attach yourself to. Think of your every action. Even if your thoughts haven’t quite caught up, aren’t as directed and Holy as you’d like, you first take action. Let the thoughts pass, name them to help yourself.
Be present (surrender and accept) and grateful for where you are. Surround yourself with people who really respect, value and love you.