If we indulge the “animal” side of our personalities, always giving in to what it insists are its “needs,” it will quickly learn to assert itself and make increasing demands on us. Instead, we should accustom it to make do with the minimum, while we strive for greater and greater fulfillment in spiritual areas. On the other hand, if we try to change our animal side too abruptly, it will simply refuse to comply. We must accustom it gently and gradually, showing it step by step how spiritual fulfillment is even more satisfying than material satisfaction.
Once our material drives have been trained in this way, we can make a quantum leap and wean them entirely of their material orientation, just like the quantum leap from the last day of Sukot to Shemini Atzeret, when the number of bulls offered up drops from seven to one.1
Oh, my goodness that wretched word materiality! Oh, how I pray that material wants and needs could be explained away. I struggle with this everyday of my life. Something always seems to catch my eyes that make me stop for a second or even a third glance. Should I buy it, do I need it, or should I keep on walking and never look back? The answer to this horrible problem is to lock yourself in your home, don’t go online, and don’t open a magazine! No, I’m just kidding, but actually the solution does resemble something like those solutions. We’ve got to practice restraint and believe me it’s not easy, especially when you’re a woman. But I’m working diligently on the problem and praying every morning, it does help, at least it reminds you where to look and where not to look. Focus on the beauty G d placed all around each of us.