The Letter Chet – On the Purpose of Life

When a person enters the world, their lofty and pure soul is initially like raw material, as it is not yet shaped to receive the abundance of divine goodness and delight for which it was created. Only when a person properly contends with the trials and temptations of this world and observes a commandment or refrains from transgression, does he shape and build his soul, elevating it to become a spiritual vessel through the light created and emerging from the good deeds he performed according to the soul's Creator's instructions. It is composed of 248 parts and 365 sinews corresponding to the 248 parts and 365 sinews of the body (whose parts are formed according to the parts of the soul like a garment stitched according to the shape and structure of the body), resembling the 248 positive commandments and 365 prohibitive commandments of the Torah, as all this is explained in the holy Zohar. Thus, by this process, man shapes and crafts his soul from spiritual raw material into a masterpiece capable of serving as a vessel and connecting to divine abundance. Then, it may "delight in Hashem and enjoy the radiance of His presence, which is the true pleasure and the greatest refinement of all refinements that can be found," as expressed by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto at the beginning of his esteemed book 'Mesilat Yesharim'.

Mystic sages explained that this process of bringing a spiritual soul into this material world within a physical body, serving it as a construction tool, was destined by Hashem, wishing to bestow perfect goodness upon His creatures without a sense of "bread of shame" – as a pauper receiving charity in grace. Just as divine goodness is intrinsic good, so His wisdom established that man's goodness would also be intrinsic, so he would not receive goodness as a bread of grace.

Therefore, man was created from material and spirit, placed in a world of desires and challenges, and was given a guidebook at a noble and awe-inspiring gathering before the entire people, so he may know what is right and good and what is but a deceitful desire leading to harm.

It turns out that only the trials of this world elevate the person who withstands them. (A 'trial' comes from the word flag-raising because we may ask, doesn't Hashem know that the righteous will stand the test, so why try him? The purpose of the trial is to allow the person to elevate himself to a higher spiritual level in practice because only through struggle and overcoming does man's spiritual soul truly build and elevate itself, thus expressing and fulfilling the divine will to reward man's work rather than giving him kindness as a gift. This is the meaning of the verse "And Hashem tested Abraham" – uplifting and elevating by directing the sacrifice of Isaac).

However, as long as man is in this material world, his physical body considerably blocks the light of his spiritually elevated soul and it's not apparent how much he has built his inner world. During the soul's stay in the body, it is likened to a budding flower whose beauty is not apparent. But when the soul discards the body as it transitions to the spiritual realm, like a newborn discarding its membrane moving to this world, the soul flourishes in its glory according to its actions, revealing its full splendor like a blooming flower displaying all its vibrant colors and aromas. It delights in the divine radiance according to its level, clinging to Hashem with a sublime spiritual delight according to its worthiness. This is the upper Garden of Eden – the place where the soul finds pleasure until the resurrection of the dead when it returns to a refined and purified body, cleansed from the serpent's sin after melting in death and being rebuilt and purified, like an earthenware vessel that becomes pure by breaking. When the soul returns to a pure and refined body, as was the state of the first man's body before he sinned, it shines through the bright body in all its majesty. It delights endlessly in the perfected world of the Messiah era, as the delight of the upper Garden of Eden then merges with the perfected world. Like the first man who lived in a body and ate and drank in the Garden of Eden in this world. This time after the resurrection is called "the life of the world to come," which is actually the next stage of this world in the Messianic era.

From a positive perspective, the letter Chet symbolizes the God-fearing person who stands in awe before Hashem. This individual's soul is pure and free from transgressions, radiating light upon their face, and is graceful in the eyes of all who see him. 'Chen' comes from the root meaning 'grace.' That is to say, he is beloved and appreciated by others without any apparent reason. As it is said about Yosef the Righteous: "And Hashem was with Yosef and he was shown grace, and he received favor in the eyes of the prison warden." There is physical beauty dictated by the structure and form of a person's face, and there is spiritual grace, which is an aura that envelops a person's face and originates from pure spirituality emanating from his soul. It is higher than beauty.

Conversely, from a negative perspective, the letter Chet symbolizes the sinner who fails with transgressions, thus missing the purpose for which he was created.

The letter Chet contains in its name the word 'chai' (alive), as it expresses the living person, which is its essence. Yet, the addition of the letter Tav creates an animalistic implication, like "the beast of the earth," indicating man's free choice, which allows him, instead of standing in awe before Hashem, to behave like a beast of the earth. If he doesn't work on improving his character, he can misuse the nearby letter, the letter Zayin – a weapon and letter of war, like an angry man taking a weapon out of rage and becoming violent, wild, and animalistic. For such a person, 'chayut' (life force) turns into 'chet' (sin).

On the other hand, it is stated: "Your fear and dread shall be upon all the beasts of the earth." Because when a person stands in fear before Hashem, the divine image in him is apparent, and all creatures below him become fearful and reverent of him, like servants who fear the minister faithfully representing the king. Therefore, they are called 'animals' not only due to the life spirit in them, but the added letter Tav at the end of their name indicates their natural trait of fearing the true man who has not strayed from the right path and naturally hasn't altered his appearance, casting fear. This is the secret of Israel's great ones with whom wild beasts and other harmful creatures held no sway, such as Yosef the Righteous and Daniel in earlier generations, Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar, and Rabbi Shimon Lavi (composer of the song "Bar Yochai") in later generations, and other great figures of Israel.

The trait of the God-fearing individual standing in awe before Hashem is further expressed by the letter Chet. 'Chit' connotes 'gathering,' as one who collects and gathers mitzvot out of reverence, fearing the awe of elevation, and rejoicing in bringing pleasure to Hashem. Even if, Heaven forbid, such an individual errs and sins, he immediately corrects himself with heartfelt repentance and thus is elevated by the very sin. As stated in the Midrash 'Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva':

"Chet, do not read it as 'Chet' but as 'sin'. Because they sinned, it is considered for Israel's sinners as righteousness [meaning, precisely because of the sin they committed, after repenting, they merit reaching a higher level than even complete righteous ones. As it continues, 'not only that, but they elevate']. How is this? At the time they see etc., and since they elevate themselves and repent before Hashem, immediately they are accepted in the presence of the Shekhinah like righteous and pious ones who have never sinned. They receive reward for each sin they had committed, as if it was righteousness. As is stated: "When a wicked person turns from his wickedness and does justice and righteousness, he shall live by them." It teaches that they [for their sins] shall live the life of the world to come with the righteous, the pious, the perfect, the just, the charitable, the benevolent, and the people of faith, in the world to come. Not only that, but they shall be elevated and seated with the Shekhinah because they broke their hearts in repentance before Hashem, as it states: "Hashem is close to the broken-hearted and saves those crushed in spirit."

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