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Orchard of Delights 19 Ki Teitzei
Rebbe’s insight discussed above that the guardrail corresponds to the Judaism refers to this internal enemy as the evil inclination (yetzer
aspect of awe and fear connected to the sefirah of Gevurah.) Thus, hara). As mentioned above in Re’eh, the portion of Ki Teitzei is always
we must realize that in the act of elevation the soul undergoes a dual read during the month of Elul when we are intensely committed to
movement – directed both above (going up to the roof) and below (in spiritual introspection. The evil inclination by nature will not give
the orchestrated, but inevitable, “fall” of humbleness). In doing so, up ground without a fight, and fight we must if we are committed to
the soul fulfills the mystic dynamic known as “run and return.” improving our lots and bettering ourselves. The Slonimer Rebbe often
King David – and by inference the Mashiach, his descendant – is writes that a day spent without confronting one’s evil inclination is
referred to in the Talmud as a miscarriage or, more literally, as a like a day wasted, a day not truly lived.
“fallen one” (bar nafla) (Sanhedrin 96b). The Zohar (1:168a) explains Where does the Jew find the strength to go out into the world and
that David’s soul had not been apportioned time in this world. fulfill the injunction to be a “light unto the nations” (Isaiah 42:6)?
When Adam prophetically foresaw this predicament, he gave David As we learned in Bereishit, the actions of our forefathers engraved
seventy years of his own life. David in fact lived seventy years and this lesson on our collective consciousness. Abraham consistently
Adam, who was supposed to live a thousand years, lived only 930 found the strength to follow God, no matter what stumbling blocks
years. Chassidut explains that David was constantly aware of this were placed before him. He left his country and family to venture
gift, and of how tenuous his soul’s grasp on life was. This sensitivity forth into the unknown, wherever God directed him. After arriving
gave David both an unprecedented ability to praise God for every in the Land of Canaan, famine forced him to leave for Egypt, but he
breath of life, as well as a haunting ability to grasp the existentially returned wealthier than before. And, finally, he passed the test of the
precarious nature of the soul’s presence in this transient world. David Binding of Isaac. Abraham’s devotion paved the way for Israel to
felt as if he was constantly being born, as he says, “God said to me: leave Egypt in the middle of the night, to follow God into the desert
‘You are my son, this day I have given birth to you.’” (Psalms 2:7). and the great unknown, and ultimately to enter the Land of Israel
as a strong nation.
Proverbs (24:16) teaches us that “seven times a tzaddik falls, but
rises.” Although the wisest, not to mention easiest and safest, course When Abraham complained to God that he had no children to
of action sometimes seems to be not going up to the roof at all, this continue his work God “took him outside” where he showed him the
would defeat the very purpose God envisioned when He placed us in stars and promised him that his progeny would be as numerous as
this world. The soul is sent into this world to elevate, rectify, heal, the stars. The Hebrew word for took (hotzi) has the same root as the
struggle, and purify. None of these processes are easy to perform, nor is name of our portion (teitzei). As we learned in Lech Lecha, God taught
there a built in guarantee of success. Some people think that a tzaddik Abraham that he needed to go outside of his nature, to go above the
is born righteous, that he or she is a paradigm of perfection from stars. This same soul power provided Joseph with the strength to
inception, but King Solomon’s words in Proverbs refute this notion. resist Potiphar’s wife, enabling him to run “outside” to escape her
All people (including tzaddikim) most definitely fall; the question is clutches. This power is the inheritance of every Jew – but each and
not whether or not they fall, but how hard the fall is and how many every Jew must work hard to bring that potential to fruition in his
times they get back up. A true tzaddik is one who keeps getting back or her own life.
up. Paradoxically, in many cases the ba’al teshuvah (penitent) only
succeeds in changing his or her ways and drawing nearer to God
after the soul suffers a serious descent. Yet this very fall provides the
motivation, fueling the journey to true rectification and a new life.

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