Treasure Island

Our souls are in exile within our bodies. Our people is in exile within a foreign world.

And so there are two things we must know:

That this is not our place.
And that hidden treasure lies buried here; for G‑d dwells in darkness.

If we remember only that this is not our place, we may remain strong, we may even shine in the darkness. But what profit will there be from our exile?

And if we remember only that treasure lies here, we will begin to believe that this is our place, and if so, of what use is the treasure?

Likkutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 438; vol. 5, pp. 459–461.

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Pity on the Cosmos

By Tzvi Freeman

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

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By Tzvi Freeman

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Wisdom to Heal the Earth is a revolutionary new look at Tikun Olam based on the teachings of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.

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14 Comments

Avishai Barbourville, KY July 18, 2023

Our souls are NOT in exile in our bodies, but due to our identifying with our bodies it seems like it.
There is but one Doer, Creator, hidden in what we think of as darkness, and everything is PERFECT. We don’t see the perfection because we are so focused on thought, concepts of language. We need to focus on actualities rather than concepts. The treasure is in this. Life is NOW, thought is always the past. So our focus is not on the living moment, but the previous ones. Reply

max July 18, 2023

it is my belief that we are here to transform 'not our place' to 'our place' through the outworking of the presence of g-d, ruach ha kodesh, from within (darkness) to without (light). Reply

Rita Forbes Clinton July 26, 2019

Dr. Freeman,

The concept presented here are in juxtaposition and lead us to a metaphor of being a scientist or an explorer unlocking hidden treasures for the continued advancement and proliferation of civilization.
We wonder, ask questions, study, and seek to find truth. We are reminded that no matter how profound our work Is, it is not finished and is left for future and more in-depth discoverers. Everything of value is in the earth and must come out, so it is within ourselves and we must contemplate and dig to bring it out. Sometimes, you can go deep within the earth and find beauty, but it is beauty that is rarely explored and seen by the masses.
The hidden treasures (the gifts) are in earthen vessels. Wonder, Ask, Seek, Search, and Find. But leave a pathway, as scientist, for others to explore the wonders of an amazing inner world; bringing it to and outer world; and finding that this is the handiwork of an awesome and majestic
G-d! Abraham Joshua Herschel- "I Ask For Wonder." Reply

Anonymous Canada July 28, 2018

Maybe to come out of the darkness a little more humble ,to make this place a better place. Reply

SJM Mercersburg July 26, 2018

Surely we are not in exile in our bodies. Our bodies are how we become. Reply

O. Turcotte Cambridge, MA July 26, 2018

Post Tenebras Tenebras? To live in the world and not be of the world, never forgetting that we are strangers in this strange land, always looking for the Treasure. Thank you for shedding some light into this dark process... Reply

Nadia Israel July 27, 2014

Faith and trust is where I come from. Hashem is of LIGHT and so it is, for me. Talking about Hashem in the manner above is ignorant and shows, for no faith and trust. My god, Hashem is pure light and is in absolute charge of what is taking place. Masiach is in the process of manifesting the love and light. Reply

zak San Diego July 27, 2014

Finding a friend What is exile other then a movement, who is it that banishes and then returns? Is not this the same as the beginning of the return. For when one exiles, he corrects, as this is love. He who loves them saves them by dispersion forming them in all spaces. For this is the One that saves, knows that the future will also is saved. That when the time for collection comes, He gathers up those who are saved by finding them in the spaces where He placed them for safe keeping, as this is what love does. In the world value, is everywhere, as the value is when we find it, that we return it to whom it belongs to. Reply

Robert Hedaya Chevy Chase, Maryland July 27, 2014

This is scientifically validated. "Read My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor. She also has a TED talk you can check out. She is a highly trained neuroscientist who in her 30's (I believe) had a stroke, wiping out much of her left hemisphere. What she experienced validates and explains Kabbala, Quantum Physics. Basically, the left hemisphere of the brain creates the illusion of separateness; If we can see the light of wholeness, oneness, then we realize the goodness is always there. It is my belief that we were created with the left hemisphere (which is hypertrophied--or overgrown) to experience life through separateness. Our challenge is to balance right and left-wholeness and separateness through Torah, morality, etc...perhaps (although I have not thought of this before this moment) through the Sephirot. Reply

Anonymous France July 18, 2013

so what's the answer? Reply

Brenda Toronto, Canada July 18, 2013

Discovering Treasure Island Where is Treasure island?
It is WITHIN you
- your senses, thoughts, desires
There in nothing out there but a reflection of your egoistic imagined reality- a 'place' we call 'earth'. This gross picture is a scene created from your egoistic filters.

What is the Treasure?
New senses
in which we can perceive everything in G_d's Light of unconditional loving and giving each other in an integrated, whole soul system - the spiritual Real world.
Everyone can sense/feel and simply know others, including the thought of Creation and G_d's presence.

How to get to 'Treasure Island'
Use the vehicle of your mind to imagine that place within -
then you resonate and are able to draw the Light that gradually reforms your senses to bring you to a 'place' closer to G-dliness.
The Kabbalists tell us there are 125 'steps' prepared for us until the fog lifts and we realize we were always in the Light - we just needed to resonate with It - we were totally out of sync.

May we speedily all get there! Reply

Mr. Ryan Pesce January 24, 2012

Finding and Sharing Treasure Thank you Rabbi Schneerson, I can't say that I fully comprehend "Treasure Island," but I think our intangible souls are exiled into these bodies so that this body can search for the treasure that abounds in this world of darkness. The treasure hunt doesn't end until our physical bodies stop living. On this island earth, the treasure is within our people, present and past. When we find G_d's treasure (presence) we must share it, we shouldn't hoard it, we share our treasure so that we may keep it. Finding this treasure, we not only shine brighter, but we share our light and brighten the inner-light, the soul, of another. In doing this, our inner-light will become brighter thereby brightening the souls of those who shared their treasure with us. Rabbi Schneerson brightened my soul today by sharing the treasure of Rabbi Freeman and others going back to King David and Abraham and ultimately G_d. "Our People is..." (singular) We are one with G_d. Reply

sue seattle, Wa January 24, 2012

understanding I am having trouble understanding this . Maybe this is part of the darkness Is there an example of this that I can perceive? Thank you. Reply

Anonymous IL January 24, 2012

Exile Then at least come home and settle The Land which you have been commanded. If you wait for Moshiach, how do you know that you will even merit passage to the Holy Land? Reply

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