ב"ה
As the festival of our freedom as a People approaches, I like to contemplate what freedom truly is.
Even though some people, like British philosopher Bertrand Russell, define freedom as the “absence of obstacles to the realization of desires”, I think it can't mean just any desire.
Is freedom really the ability to do whatever I choose? If we all do exactly as we please then the world would not necessarily be a pretty place – complete anarchy basically. If I choose to kill, I can. If I choose to steal, I’m free to do that as well. Anarchy takes away our freedom and security.
So perhaps freedom to live a civilized existence is true freedom. But then who is to define what ‘civilized’ is? And if I create the definition, who’s to say someone else won’t re-define it in a way that is detrimental to others? That’s not freedom either.
When G-d took us out of Egypt he took us out “so that you shall serve me” (Exodus 7:16). We were freed from servitude under Pharaoh in order to serve G-d. Doesn’t seem like much time for freedom in between or perhaps that’s just what true freedom actually is.
If you think about when we feel most free, it’s usually when we are comfortable in our surroundings. When at home, amongst people we feel comfortable with and not being forced to do things that go against our grain, we are the most able to express who we are. No feelings of self consciousness or concern about critique get in the way. It is in that environment that we feel most happy and calm. Natural and free.
Chassidism teaches that the deepest and most essential part of us is our soul, and that a soul is a “part of G-d Himself, literally” (Tanya chapter 2). Therefore, a soul has a natural and constant desire to connect with its source and do what G-d wants it to. The time at which the soul feels most free and natural is when the body surrounding it is in sync with its source.
We are actually free when serving G-d because at the very core of our beings, that is what we want. It is an integral and unchangeable part of our selves. And with that freedom comes a sense of happiness and calm that’s all pervasive.
As we celebrate this year’s holiday of freedom, let’s thank G-d for the ability to serve Him freely. We don’t have to look as far back into our history as our stint as slaves in Egypt, to know that how we live today is an incredible blessing. Anything that gets in the way of our serving our Maker is usually self-imposed.
Let’s think about the soul within each and every one of us and set it free:)
Wishing you and yours a kosher and very happy Passover.
May we merit the final redemption!
~Nechama~
Picture of the week:
Chabad Leadership Committee met with Mr. Ilan Kaufthal, Senior Advisor at Irving Place Capital during a mentoring trip to NY.