BS’D
The process that the soul must go through in this world to attach itself to Hashem is laden with struggles. As the soul ascends from level to level in its attempt to complete its mission, it will experience downfalls. This should be expected and planned for. There is no need to despair since this is part and parcel of its refinement process.
Principally speaking, these spiritual falls are intended to increase our drive to come closer to Hashem and build our relationship. As part of the effort to regain attachment, we begin doing teshuva and take inventory of our spiritual standing. Thus, Rebbe Nachman ztk’l teaches this is a descent for the purpose of an ascent.
From here we conclude a remarkable lesson: this lowly world provides our soul with the precise environment it needs to battle, overcome and B’H elevate itself to those levels that it would not be able to attain if stayed on high. This world is ‘boot camp’ for the soul where we experience countless ups and downs so that we may increase our ratzon (intense desire) and determination to attach ourselves to higher and higher spiritual levels.
Living life with the knowledge that we will periodically receive a ‘wake-up’ call through those challenges so that we do not miss ‘our mark’ is heartening to say the least. The goal is to keep reminding ourselves that this is what life is all about and not to get sidetracked with other thoughts and goals in mind.
