Falling and Rising: The True Measure of Spiritual Growth

How should we relate to repeated failures, and what's the point of trying to repent if we always fall again?

Rabbi Yaakov Yisrael Lugasi addresses this question in his book "Nafshi B'she'elati" and offers two powerful and uplifting answers:

1. Heaven Doesn't Ask You to Win—Only to Fight

There will be stumbles and falling is inevitable. The temptation to give up is real, but it’s crucial to remember that in the process of teshuvah (repentance), G-d doesn’t demand victory, He only asks for effort. Our responsibility is to keep trying.

As Rabbi Lugasi explains, the real victory is continuing the fight even when you feel like giving up. He compares it to a soldier who is wounded in battle but still bandages himself and pushes forward with the little strength he has left. That soldier, though injured, is worthy of praise for his courage and loyalty.

It’s not realistic to expect a person never to fall. What matters is that we keep struggling and striving. That perseverance is the real win. Over time, the challenges themselves will gradually weaken until they disappear altogether.

2. “A Righteous Person Falls Seven Times and Rises Again”

Who is truly righteous? Not the one who never falls, but the one who knows how to rise each time.

The Steipler Gaon, in his letters, taught that there is no greater spiritual growth than the act of getting up after a fall. When everything flows smoothly, it's easy to keep progressing. When we fall, it may feel like we're back at square one, but that’s where people often make a big mistake. The pain of falling and the disappointment that comes with it can be overwhelming. It may feel like you need to summon the will to live again.

When you're in that state, remember this: “It is merely an illusion—created by the yetzer hara (evil inclination)—trying to convince you that G-d has abandoned you, that He doesn’t want your repentance, and that’s why you failed. In truth however, G-d planned it all for your good: to see you rise from the lowest place and to see you revive yourself from despair. This act of standing up again, and of showing loyalty like a child who clings to their Father no matter the circumstances, is the greatest form of spiritual repair there is. Remember this principle, hold on to it tightly, and despair will no longer have a grip on you.”