14 Nissan: I Could Never Do That

I COULD NEVER DO THAT The positive commandments reveal in us G-d’s attributes, but the negative commandments reveal in us G-d’s Essence. (Tikkunei Zohar 4a) Judaism is full of “do nots.” At first, this might seem very negative and restrictive. However, specifically these prohibitions reveal our essential connection to G-d and the deepest point of our faith. Sometimes a person feels that he could never do a particular thing. This restraint does not come from a bad experience; instead, it comes from a sense of self. The prohibitions in the Torah are designed to cultivate this sensitivity, attuning us to our G-dly core. In this sense, what we don’t do cultivates our free spirit more than anything else. A key sign of personal liberation is a sense of dignity and integrity. When nothing in the world can sway you to compromise your values, that is true freedom. Rambam Hilchos Me’ila (end)