| Friday | Menachem Av 5 | 5703 | | Torah lessons: | Chumash: Devarim, Shishi with Rashi. | | Tehillim: 29-34. | | Tanya: "My sin is (p. 383) ...are passed over. (p. 385). | |
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.1
The Baal Shem Tov commented: Every physical object whose use is permissible possesses good and evil elements.* The material element is evil, and the G-dly life-force that gives life to the physical is good. The person utilizing the physical object must "turn from evil" - not desire the physical pleasure which is in its materiality, and "do good," i.e. he should desire to be nourished and supported by the G-dly vitality in that object. "Seek peace and pursue it": Whoever fulfills "turn from evil and do good" must seek and pursue means for making peace2 between the physical and the G-dly life-force that vitalizes it.
