Lech (5741)

The Alef Kabbala group (16 October 07) studied a discourse by the Lubavitcher Rebbe said on Shabbat Parshat Lech Lecha 5741 (1980) on the theme that the opening words of the Parsha, G-d telling Abraham "go for yourself", mean "go to your own essence". By Abraham and every individual reaching towards his or her own essence, leaving behind negative habits, the limitations of one's [lack of] spiritual education and also the limitations of intellect, one is enabled to fulfil one's task in the world, to descend from the highest level to the lowest and make this world into a realm of gooodness. The journey of 'go for yourself' is thus being understood in two way, from below upwards, and from above downwards.