“Your Soul is not a Mistake; Something is Happening...” p: 68

AyinBase with R' Paltiel Sunday 2 Nissan 5772  

Page 68 – at about 9 lines from the end of the page (line starts, 'bechinat pnimiut...') For text, see link top right of the blog. Or for text right click here.

Bechirah/choice is not according to sechel/mind. With sechel/mind we can identify it, but not fully understand it.

It takes place in the essence/atzmus itself. And already that is a contradiction – something 'takes place' in essence?! So bechirah/choice is not 'a place taking activity'. Yet something is happening...

even though thinking is inner and pure, yet it too has a structure and 'takes space, takes place'. We say 'there's room to say...' This means there's reality to it, but it doesn't take up room.

So when we say the choice takes place, we don't mean space, we mean an expression of the etzem. 

He chose that His essence is revealed through Torah and Israel.

A man chooses a house and says, 'this is where I'm going to live'. And this becomes his home and defines him. His essence is expressed there. The house is not just functional. This defines his real place in the world. A king is the only presence in the world that will not curtail his pursuit due to lack of resources. He doesn't choose this house over that house due to lack of resources. His choice is of great significance. It captures what he is. It correctly reflects him and he relates to it fully. 

Bechirah/choice is a true expression of him. He feels perfectly at home because it is him.

Now if he can relate to this house and only this house, how is this choice...? It seems like he is being compelled. It is a choice, yet is is something that fits him perfectly. A man is not a man till he has a home. It is his choice that makes a man. He realizes he is an adam/man is only after he has the house. On a much higher level than logic and rationale the choice is made... the choice is the jump... there's nothing there... he can't relate to it...

Here's a truth that is beyond reason: the choice regarding the house, 'it is a matter of choice is to make the purchase', he doesn't need to get into the project. It is a choice that comes from the essence of the human being. What is a human being? Did he make himself or did G-d make him? G-d made everything – humans and animals. But there is a fundamental difference. The animal was made to be what it is – what you see is what it is. The human was also made by Him, but he was made to be a human being – he was made complete, but what is the reality of man? 'not what he is unto himself, but his knowledge of Him. His  presence in the man is what he is. The man is not a worldly entity. The scientists understands the world from a worldly context and says correctly that the man is an anomaly. He cannot and does not exist within the worldly mold. The world is not real to the sechel without the Creator. 

Man as he is within the worldly context is not real. He needs to have a home and a G-dly presence. This is why he has this principle. Howard Hughes had no home. He lived in luxury. But in real terms he did not live one day. Why? 'cos his life was based on worldly phenomena. All function. Hotels and restaurants.

The discussion of the house is a metaphor/mashal for G-d's choice of Isreal. 

The world does not represent essence. There is nothing real in the world. Nothing real in and of itself. The principle of essence/etzem is known only because we are not independent of Him. From a worldly perspective there is nothing positive, just avoidance of negative experience...

so when we say bechira/choice – this is present only in the human being. The human being is not limited to the world. The way he stands indicates this truth...