Printed from Chabad.org
Contact Us
Visit us on Facebook
Meet the new Chabad.org
Switch to OLD version

Spiritual Disdain

Print
E-mail

Spiritual people tend to disdain all interaction with this world, and strive to minimize it at all costs.

Torah, however, unlocks the G‑dly spark within each thing. Torah enables a spiritual person to engage the world and find there all for which his soul thirsts.

Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
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.
The content on this page is copyrighted by the author, publisher and/or Chabad.org, and is produced by Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with the copyright policy.
Print
E-mail
Sort By:
Discussion (7)
May 20, 2012
On Spirituality...
Spirituality is often thought of as a central tenet of Eastern religions/philosophies. However, there is plenty of spirituality in Judaism! If a Jew wishes to live as a hermit, then that's obviously what G-d wants him to do, but he still has to interact with the world through nature. For example, procuring food and water, contemplating G-d's creations, etc.
Plus, the Jewish meditative practice of hitbodedut, which is used by Breslover Jews as well as other Jews, is a great way to engage with the world and it's Creator.
Justin Roth
Staten Island, NY
May 22, 2009
spiritual disdain
Yes, 'h'. Soul is fulfilled working for G-d in G-d's world.
Anonymous
GAYLORDSVILLE, Ct.
May 22, 2009
you're saying that the torah advocates that the world in all it's splendor and material wealth is more GODLY then the soul itself and the soul remains poor without interacting with this world?
h
May 21, 2009
spiritual disdain
How can we be "a light unto the nations" if we turn our back on the world? Spiritual disdain is rejecting our obligation to the work expected of us.
Anonymous
GAYLORDSVILLE, Ct.
May 21, 2009
Disdain
Actually many G-dly people are active but only on appropriate tasks. Disdaining the world is merely cowardice: we have to pick and choose.

Think rather that He gives us a task everyday, and we can do it and do it right or funk it. Doing it right encourages and stokes the inner light and holding back dampens it.
George Pugh
glen gardner, nj
August 30, 2006
Response to Anonymous
Yes, that is the point of this small thought--that when a spiritual person has Torah, s/he knows how to unlock the G_dly spark within each thing and each person of this world.
Tzvi Freeman
Thornhill, ON
August 25, 2006
I am a spiritual person and yet I hardly disdain contact with the outside world. To do so, would be against the teachings of God. We must be among the people of the world in order to help them.
Anonymous
1000 characters remaining
Email me when new comments are posted.
FEATURED ON CHABAD.ORG