Kabbalists About Freedom Of Choice, Part 4
Dear Friends, please ask questions about these passages from the great Kabbalists. The commentaries in brackets are mine.
The Influence of the Environment on a Person
From the very beginning of one’s life, one has freedom to choose such an environment, such books, and such guides that impart to him good thoughts. If one does not do that, he is bound to fall into a bad environment, which is abundant and attractive and which will induce him to a misdeed. He will certainly be punished, not because of his evil thoughts or deeds, in which he has no choice, but because he did not choose to be in a good environment, for in that there is definitely a choice.
– Baal HaSulam, “The Freedom”
He who strives to continually choose a better environment is worthy of reward. But here, too, it is not because of his good thoughts and deeds, which come to him without his choice, but because of his effort to acquire a good environment, which brings him these good thoughts and deeds.
– Baal HaSulam, “The Freedom”
[47776]
Related Material:
Kabbalists About Freedom Of Choice, Part 3
Kabbalists About Freedom Of Choice, Part 2
Kabbalists About Freedom Of Choice, Part 1
Laitman.com Comments RSS Feed
Since we can’t “take our feet” or even thoughts to this environment per “Ein Od Milvado,” is it a matter of an intrinsic will within us that causes our consciousness “up through the root” and “down through another branch” in the greater reality of the World of Infinity?
How to say it — would it be as, so to speak, choosing to fall to this side or that between alternate histories per the approach of Everett in his Multiple Worlds Hypothesis of Quantum Mechanics? [Rav has referred to the theory on a number of occasions in his lessons over the years.]