Of course you shouldn’t ask

 

But one can’t help it

 

Why?

 

Before we Jews got the Torah, God didn’t say, “would you like to pick and choose,” he just said, “I have a bunch of rules, would you like all of them?” and being so enamored with God we said “sure!” “we will do and then we will seek their explanations.”

 

In fact, a gentile once taunted Rabbi Akiva (if I recall correctly) “you made too hasty a decision.”

 

Why?

 

Well the truth is, that, that, is the correct approach, for man needs a higher being to control him, for man is incapable of controlling himself.

 

I just read an interesting article in Nefesh magazine about a painter who became religious and he said, to adhere to Judaism is to control your passions and to control your passions is to be free, for then you are not controlled by your will rather you control your will.

 

In other words, the basic desires of man ironically is not the false freedom of fulfilling every stupid whim based on every stupid scene you see in the world and currently on TV movies etc. etc. rather the reverse is true.

 

The only true person is one who is a servant to Torah.

 

Why?

 

You see, will is the most powerful force in the world.

 

Imagine a GPS which could drive a car.

 

Now put in a destination and you will drive there.

 

Now if you are going in a destination that isn’t good for you or is contrary to your soul, to your innate compassion and goodness, not to mention your selfish drive, versus your human and humane need for greater good and peace and harmony to be the lot of humanity, well then you will find yourself torn asunder.

 

Your heart and your legs will be running in opposite directions, like a schizophrenic, your mind will be driving you in separate directions and before long you will feel like the rope in the tug-a-war.

 

But what if you could find a remedy, a diet, a wisdom, a purpose that could shut down the narcissistic instinctual GPS and now all you have is your higher conscience, your true spirit of goodness?!

 

What if, indeed!?