Dedicated to my esteemed Chavrusa
In chapter four, the Ramchal divides humanity into three broad categories: the intelligentsia, the second-class, and “the masses.” For each category he proposes a suitable thought exercise that will motivate them to Zehirus.
Luzzatto’s proposal for the masses is that they consider “reward and punishment.” Apparently, even people who have made peace with their flaws and are unconcerned with getting a good seat in the World to Come can still be motivated by the simple truth that there are consequences for our behavior.
Although he mentions both reward and punishment when he initially introduced the idea, Luzzatto quickly sidelines reward and focuses solely on the theme of punishment for the remainder of the chapter. He cites no less than six examples of Biblical characters who, despite their extraordinary righteousness, were punished for their misdeeds. All this is brought in support of the Talmudic teaching that “God is stringent with his Chassidim to the strand of a hair” (Yevamos 121b).
The problem here is the relevance of these sources to the discussion at hand. We are dealing with inspiring the masses and Luzzatto is telling us that if nothing else works, the simple folk should motivate themselves with thoughts of divine retribution. (It is worth noting that in chapter twenty-four Luzzatto derides this kind of fear as far from ideal.) But how is the average Jo motivated by the fact that Avraham, Yaakov and Yosef were punished when they erred? The rebuttal is obvious:
“Of course God punished them! God has high expectations of such spiritual supermen. But I am no Abraham. I’m just a regular guy with a host of flaws and weaknesses. God made me this way and He is surely not surprised to discover that I sin on a regular basis. He won’t punish me.”
In short, what does the average Jo have in common with greatest Tzaddikim who ever lived?
In short, what does the average Jo have in common with greatest Tzaddikim who ever lived?
The answer is that no healthy person thinks they are a lowlife. The typical narrative that people tell themselves runs something like this:
“I may be imperfect and commit sins, but I also do a lot of good. I’m basically an OK guy.”
That is a normal way of thinking and an integral aspect of a healthy self-esteem. It is also advocated by the Rambam. In the Laws of Teshuva (3:4) the Rambam writes that no one should think they are a bad person. Rather, we should view ourselves as average, balanced in-between a Tzaddik and a Rasha.
A positive self-image is nothing less than a Halachic imperative. The Torah famously states, "Love your friend as you love yourself" (Vayikra 19:18). Not only does this verse clearly presuppose self love, it also implies another basic truth: we are incapable of loving others if we don't love ourselves.
We love ourselves and it is only natural to assume that God shares our perspective and loves us too. It may well be presumptuous, but we can't possibly go through life thinking the alternative.
It may be essential for our mental health, but it poses a dangerous challenge to Zehirus. If God loves me no matter what I do, then why does it matter what I do? The infinitely compassionate God loves me unconditionally! How do we combat this line of thinking?
Luzzatto tells that we should never debate a healthy self-image. It is a given: despite our flaws, we are decent people and God loves us. This is why he writes that we should first focus on the heavenly reward in store for our Mitzvos. "Even the emptiest Jew is filled with Mitzvos like [the seeds of] a pomegranate" (Berachos 57a). And, as Luzzatto wrote in chapter one, Mitzvos are rewarded in the World to Come with the bliss of being with the Shechina, i.e., the unfiltered love of God. "Every Jew has a portion in the World to Come" (Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:1); ergo, God loves every Jew. According to Luzzatto, awareness of this truth is a foundation of spiritual growth.
Yes, Rabbi Denbo, I admit it. God does love each and every one of us. But here comes the kicker. God also loved Avraham. A lot. Luzzatto quotes the verse, “Avraham, my beloved” (Yeshayah 41:8). Nonetheless, Avraham was punished for his failings because, albeit in a very limited sense, he failed to live up to his potential. We should expect similar treatment. Unconditional divine love does not mean that Hashem doesn't make demands and follow through with the consequences when we fail.
With this message Luzzatto proposes to rouse the average Jo to Zehirus. It is strong medicine and may only be taken following Dr. Luzzatto's instructions. Before we speak of punishment for sin, the doctor insists that we first reinforce a positive self image with the affirmation of divine love and the innate goodness of the simplest Jew.
