Parshat Breishis classes 1 and 2

[Moderator]

Rabbi Reichman quoted the Shem MiShmuel in discussing the Kabbalistic ideas of tzimtzum and nitzotzot kedusha.  How do you apply the principle of elevating nitzotzot to your daily life?  Do you think that we are supposed to look for opportunities to elevate nitzotzot, or do you think that we should be more passive, and only if such an opportunity comes our way, we should then react using the philosophy of elevating nitzotzot?

[Ayala1]

It seems that it is important for a person to be aware of the possibility for elevating nitzotzot, so that when an oportunity comes their way they will elevate it correctly. However, one should not put themselves into a bad situation in order to get out nitzotzot. One should not ask for a test. We know that David HaMelech asked for a test and failed. Because Hashem knows what our level is and can send us the proper tests that we need without our seeking them out. I have heard that this was also the failure of Adam, that he said, if I don't eat from the aitz hada'at then it's so easy to serve Hashem, but if I eat from it then I'll realy have to struggle, but when I do right it will be on such a higher level. But this was the wrong attitude, and was a big cheit on his part. We can not take our lives into our hands because we may fall, and then will be so much lower, and the potential for failure is so much greater. That is why chazal say it's better for man not to be born, because the potential for goodness doesn't counterballance the potential pitfalls of the bad. However, now that we were born, and Hashem descided that this is the right thing for us, we must do good and try to elevate ourselves and the rest of the world as much as we can.