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1. True holiness is achieved through Mitzvah fulfillment:

Our sages teach us that abstinence from pleasures brings towards holiness and holiness brings towards humility and humility brings towards fear of heaven. Now, the main aspect of holiness is accomplished through the fulfillment of Mitzvah’s, as alluded to in the blessing said before one performs a Mitzvah “Asher Kidishanu Bimitzvosav.” The reason for this is because the Mitzvah’s are the main purpose of creation and of man’s mission in this world, as it states in the verse in scripture “Hakol Nishma Es Haelokim Yira Vies Mitzvosav Shmor Ki Zeh Kol Hadam/Everything is heard, fear G-d and guard his commands, as this of the entire person.” It is through the Mitzvah’s that one becomes sanctified to G-d. Sanctification is the idea of separation and elevation from the norm. This can only be accomplished through Mitzvah fulfillment. All of the experiences of the garden of Eden and the world to come are a mere glimmer of G-dliness, while the fulfillment of a Mitzvah draws down a great and essential revelation from G-d’s holiness to the person fulfilling it. Hence, we see that it is specifically Mitzvah fulfillment that can bring a person to true sanctification and closeness to G-d.

• The Divine lesson: Many people, including even those who are Torah observant, search for spiritual meaning within their lives. This usually leads a person to search for fields of study that satiate and quench the search for spiritual experience, such as the study of Kabbalah and Chassidus. Others join Hasidic gatherings and Tishim of Rebbe’s, or a Kumzitz, or journey to faraway holy burial sites of Tzadikim, in order to vividly experience a spiritual uplifting. Others spend much time in prayer, singing the prayer with a joyful and soulful melody which express the yearning of their soul for G-d. Unfortunately, some turn to foreign sources to quench their spiritual thirst, such as meditations that come from other religions and fields of study outside Judaism. All in all, whatever source one chooses to quench his spiritual thirst, the above teaching helps us put things into proper perspective. None of the above can truly bring a person to sanctification and closeness to G-d, as this can only be accomplished through Mitzvah fulfillment. This should imbue a new perspective and excitement within us when we fulfill the Mitzvahs of Hashem. Rather than being a dry action that fulfills a chore that G-d wants us to do for him, it should be viewed as it truthfully is, as an action that draws an infinite level of G-dliness to us, and truly sanctifies us to G-d and satiates our yearning for spiritual experience more than anything else on the planet.

Sheviras Hakeilim-The background of creation of separate beings:[1]

In the history of the spiritual worlds there existed a world called “Tohu.” This world was made up of a similar dynamic to that found in the other spiritual worlds, only that the Sefiros of this world did not act in unison. The reason for this is because the G-dliness that was found in these Sefiros was very intense and incapable of uniting with an opposite intensity Sefira. Thus, Chesed of Tohu could not work together with Gevurah of Tohu. This intensity eventually caused a rupture of the vessels in Tohu, which became known as Sheviras Hakeilim. The rupture occurred in the seven Middos of Tohu and the broken parts descended into the lower spiritual worlds of Beriya, Yetzira, and Assiya. These broken parts became the source and cause for all creation. The reason is as follows: The common denominator of all creations is that they are existences which feel themselves as separate beings from G-d, known as Yeish. If a creation were to be denied his feeling of self due his nullification to G-d then his entire existence would be compromised, as in order to exist with a personality one must be able to feel his existence. It is precisely the broken shards of Tohu which fell into the spiritual worlds of Biyah that serve as the source for this feeling of separate existence. Prior to the breakage of the vessels in Tohu the entire existence was filled with G-dliness. Now, in face of this G-dly energy it is impossible for creations to maintain a self existence, as their feeling of identity would be overpowered by the G-dly revelation. When the vessels of Tohu broke they created a new reality in which there now existed an item that is devoid of G-dliness, as just as a broken cup loses its water, similarly the broken shards of Tohu no longer contained the G-dliness they housed within them, and this then gave room for self existence to transpire. These shards which are devoid of G-dliness descended into the lower worlds of Biyah and became the active force of allowing creations to maintain self existence.

• The Divine lesson: The teachings of Chassidus speak extensively on the subject of nullification and Bittul. This can lead one to understand that self existence and Yeishus is intrinsically bad and evil and that the stronger the personality that one has the more evil that he is. In truth, while certainly a person with a strong personality is more inclined to perform matters of actual evil, whether between man and his fellow or between man and God, nonetheless, this does not mean that his strong personality is intrinsically evil. God desired Yeishus to be created and for this reason arranged for the breaking of the vessels of Tohu. Ego is a most necessary component for a person to endeavor in productivity, and in giving to the world. If everyone felt that they were absolutely nothing then they would never try to stick out and do something out of the ordinary, as who are they? This attitude would cause the world to lose ability to benefit from many useful productions that have resulted from people who have had the ego to innovate them. Likewise, with this attitude, the Jewish people would never have any leaders who accept a leadership position. Hence, not only is ego intrinsically not something bad, but in fact it is a most necessary component for the sake of one fulfilling one’s life’s mission. Nonetheless, as all matters, it must be heavily mitigated and watched so that it remains only productive, and does not become destructive to oneself or to people that surround him which it so easily can become. Don’t destroy your ego, simply channel it to a productive direction and stir it away from all matters of sin, and offense to another.
• Maaseh Sheayah: An individual who became a self-proclaimed master in a certain field of study in mysticism and character improvement, and had published several titles on the subject, was having an open conversation with other individuals, when he was suddenly approached by someone who was much younger than he who was a professor on the general field of mysticism in a university. They got into an argument over a certain subject, and after a few moments the self-proclaimed author and master threw his cup of coke at the other individual, staining his white shirt, while telling him that he knows nothing. Of course, those who saw this transpire were most taken aback as to how someone who has claimed to master a certain field of wisdom that works in character development, can express such a great lack of character. In another incident, an individual who serves as a Mashpia and gives fiery and captivating lectures in mysticism and self-improvement to many audiences of youth and young adults was witnessed to spit at one of his coworkers after a misunderstanding took place. How can someone who lectures on the subject behave in the exact opposite manner? The explanation becomes clear based on the above teaching. Ego, which is expressed in having a strong personality, can be channeled for purposes of holiness and can explain the success and charisma and passion that one may have for a certain subject of holiness. However, ego will always remain ego, and hence unless one holds the reins of his horse from going wild, it can and will express itself in the negative as well, through indulging in forbidden lusts, or hurting and offending others in ways that people of much lesser status would act. This is one’s own personal Sheviras Hakeilim, as if he does not mitigate the ego that motivates his passion for holiness, the ego will burst through the holiness and be used also for evil. Perhaps this is the inner meaning behind the statement of the sages that the more the righteous, the greater the evil inclination. Obviously, there is no excuse for a person of spiritual leadership to act contrary to the values that he preaches, but at least this can help other people understand how such individuals can succumb to such behavior, and remove some of the shell shock that occurs when people who stand on high moral ground are exposed to be less than moral. The lesson of all the above is that even [and perhaps especially] one who is truly righteous must be careful that his righteousness doesn’t get to his head, and that he does not become drunk on the power of his fame, or accomplishments. If he does, the mistakes that he may make will be much greater and severe than the mistakes of an average person who does not have his level of ego motivating it.

[1] Likkutei Torah p. 82b

What happens to a food when one makes a vow to abstain from it?[1]

The Mishneh states that a vow is only valid if one stated that it be considered like a Karban. The reason for this is as follows: When one makes a Neder/vow against a food he is not just making a promise to abstain from the food, but is actually making a spiritual change to the food itself, similar to the change that the animal undergoes when it is consecrated as a Karban. When one states the words “This food shall be to me like a Karban” those words actually draw down G-dliness from the level of Soveiv Kol Almin, and penetrate the existence of this food. It is for this reason that the Sages state that whoever makes a vow is considered to have vowed on the head of the king, as in truth a vow draw’s down light from the head of the king, from the level of Soveiv Kol Almin.

• The Divine lesson: Not observing a vow that one made is considered one of the most severe transgressions in the Torah, and carries with it very harsh punishments.^[2] Furthermore, even one who makes a vow and fulfills it is considered a sinner.^[3] The reason for this is because a vow is playing with fire, which is the holiness of the root of the item in the world of Tohu, as a vow elevates the item to its root. Hence, when one transgresses the vow, he is considered to have performed sacrilege with the holiest and highest of levels, hence explaining its severity. For this reason our Sages relate that one who makes a vow is considered like one who built a Bama at a time that building Bamos are forbidden. One who fulfills the vow is considered as if he has brought a sacrifice on a Bama altar [and is liable for Shechutei Chutz], as it is better to revoke the vow through a sage than to fulfill it.^[4]

[1] Likkutei Torah p. 83b

[2] One who is not careful regarding fulfilling his vows can cause r”l death to his wife [and young children]. [Shabbos 32b; Zevachim 29b; Rosh Hashanah 6a; Alef Hamagen 581:102 based on Zohar Pekudei includes young children]

[3] Michaber Yoreh Deah 203:1; Nedarim 20a; 22a; 77b

[4] Michaber Yoreh Deah 203:3; Nedarim 22a