Welcome to “Battle Thursday’s,” the day in which we gain tools to fight our Yetzer Hara (evil inclination).
Just as we use physical clothes to protect our body and to express ourselves, the soul too possesses three garments.
These three auxiliary powers, is what allows the soul to express itself in this world. Like garments, they can be donned or shed at will.
These three garments are our THOUGHT, SPEECH, and ACTION and when the soul utilizes them it is clothed in them;when it doesn’t use them, it is divested of them.
The quality of these garments depends on the thoughts the father had while he was creating his child. Depending how pure they were at the moment of conception the quality of this person’s capacity to express himself through his thoughts, speech, and actions is determined. But just as physical clothes can be taken off and changed our capacity to think,speak, and act can also change.
This answers the question if we are bounded by nature or nurture? And the truth is that yes nature and nurture can have and effect on our lives, but ultimately is up to us to choose who we want to be and how we want to relate to our surroundings. As hard as it can be for some people to find the proper expression in their life, they can always hover above it and choose a different path.
With good role models and education one can surpass and elevate himself to higher ways of thinking, speaking, and acting. In this way he will garb his soul in the most dignified and royal clothes.
Some excerpts taken from “Lessons in Tanya” Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi
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