Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. SchneersonMore articles... |
From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. To order Rabbi Freeman’s book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here.
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Reader Comments Latest Comments:
Posted: May 19, 2011
Re: Confusing?
I admit it is a tad counter-intuitive. Those steeped in standard Christian ethics, in particular, will have trouble with it. Perhaps this will help unravel this idea for you:
Judaism is about healing the world. Just as angels can't be social workers, the rich can't run a soup kitchen, and someone who has never been ill will have a hard time being a sympathetic nurse, so too those who never experience the burning desire of temptation cannot heal the world.
To effect real change, you need two feet on the ground, and you need to understand and feel what life on planet earth is all about. Someone who never feels an urge to sin is not entirely on planet earth.
Posted By Rabbi Tzvi Freeman
Posted: May 18, 2011
destroying sin in a sinful world
The citizens of this world were born into sin...the citizens of this world are those who desire to sin everyday in this world of sin. If not for sinful citizens of this world, and if not for the sin in this world, we would not be redirected into looking at ourselves to see what desires we have and if they are sinful....then we need to examine our sinful world, and discern if we want to live in this world of sin and keep on desiring sin. Once God destroyed sin by flooding the earth....this next time Father will burn the earth....it gets the evil out better.....I suppose.
Posted By Ms.Gigi Garroutte, ama, tx
Posted: May 18, 2011
Innocence of a Child
I believe it is G-d's very desire for us to live a pure and holy life. (I wish we could but we fail at times). I would rather live in a world without sin than with but because we have a sinful nature that is not possible. Think of how much better it would be.... I would rather have the purity and innocence of a child one filled with trust, kindness, love for all and giving. Sin causes nothing but heartaches, it destroys. It is like the weeds in the garden it starts off small but if you don't get it out it can soon take over someone's life. :) Have a wonderful day !
Posted By Mrs. Nicole Martin
Posted: May 18, 2011
Confusing?
It seems contradictory - Someone explain this in simple terms please
Posted By Avraham, Atlanta, USA
Posted: May 18, 2011
Destroy Man's desire to Sin
Sin is an offence against GOD. if the sages say that offences against GOD make the world live and do not destroy the world, these sages, with due respect are insane. Perhaps one has misinterpreted the sages. Man chooses between perversity and good. Those who have purified themselves hardly sin, through the power & strength they receive from GOD.
Posted By Stella H Howell, Wokingham, United Kingdom
Posted: Oct 3, 2008
Another question
Someone asked: If so, in the time to come, when there will be no sin, the world will be destroyed!
I responded: The problem is that the pleasures of this world that drive us to build are the same pleasures that drive us to destroy.
In the time to come, the pleasures of this world will be elevated and become G_dly pleasures. We will find G_d within them and they will drive us even closer to Him.
(There is a maamar to this effect from the Alter Rebbe, but I can't find it right now.)
Posted By Tzvi Freeman, Thornhill, Ontario
Posted: Oct 1, 2008
contradiction?
Think a little deeper: If we were all angelic creatures with no earthly desires, we would have no struggle with the world, and therefore never change anything. Changing the world has to be an inside job.
Posted By Tzvi Freeman, Thornhill, Ontario
Posted: Sep 28, 2008
that's such a contradiction!! how would one that way destroy sin from earth?
Posted By Michelle DeVita , Saint Cloud, FL
Posted: Sep 10, 2008
Desire to sin
How is the desire to sin related to the possibility of changing the world, as it is implied here?