30- Turn Away from Evil and Do Good – 1

Man’s work begins with “Do good,” and then he can keep the “Turn away from evil,” since by education he cannot perceive the bad as bad. Rather, man yearns to satisfy his wishes because he feels great pleasure is satisfying his passions.

When one is told that satisfying his desires is bad, he does not know why. Instead, he must believe above reason that this is bad and he must turn away from this path.

Also, when one comes to engage in doing good, such as to wear a Tzitzit [a Jewish fringed undergarment], he does not feel anything good about it because he feels no pleasure when wearing the Tzitzit so he can say about it that it is good. Instead, he must believe above reason that it is good.

But later, when he walks in this way above reason, whether in good or in bad, he is given from above some taste of “Do good.” To the extent that he feels good when doing the commandment to do, he begins to taste a bad taste in bad things. At that time, he has a good feeling in “Do good,” and a bad feeling in “Turn away from evil.” In that state, he has reward and punishment in this world.

But for those who work in order to receive reward, through faith in reward and punishment they observe the “Turn away from evil,” even though they feel a passion for pleasure. Nevertheless, they turn away from the pleasures because they cannot tolerate punishments in the next world.

Also, when one observes “Do good,” he can also observe the commandments to do although he does not feel any flavor in it, but he believes that he will be paid a reward for this, so he has the strength to observe.

But when he wants to engage not in order to receive reward, the question is, Why does he observe the “Turn away from evil and do good”? Clearly, he must understand that this is the King’s commandment. Yet, why does the King need it? After all, He is not deficient, lacking the Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] of the lower ones.

Evidently, this is for us, so we may correct ourselves. At that time, a person begins to scrutinize the benefit that he derives from this. For this reason, the first work is in faith above reason, and then he gets help from above, which is called an “illumination from above,” until he obtains the NRNHY of his soul.