2 Responses to Don’t Leave it Behind

1. Sherrie says:

   August 23, 2012 at 11:58 am

   I don’t get it….?
   Somebody help me understand this one please!

   Reply
   • Neil says:

     August 23, 2012 at 4:46 pm

     It’s a reference to Tohu and Tikkun, lit. “chaos” and “rectification”–Kabbalistic terms you may know. Kabbalah explains that at the beginning of creation, the world was in a spiritual condition called Tohu (chaos), an elevated realm of spiritual existence which lacked the balance and order that characterizes our frame of reference and which therefore “collapsed” in an event called shevirat hakeilim – the breaking of the vessels, when the light departed from them. This “break” was planned by G-d, for it was a “destruction for the purpose of building,” since only then could there exist the orderly world we’re familiar with, the world of tikkun (“rectification” or “order”). This world possesses lesser lights, but the vessels are plentiful. And here’s where the quote comes in: the sparks of holiness that “fell” when the vessels were broken are hidden within various parts of our world, awaiting their “correction” through man’s Divine service. So if you encounter something that isn’t forbidden and can accordingly be used to be elevated back to its source, you should, as you would use an object for a mitzva, e.g., an esrog for the arba minim in five weeks. See:
     http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380805/jewish/Rectifying-Sparks.htm
     http://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380568/jewish/Shattered-Vessels.htm

     Reply