But there is the other part of me: the peasant. It too has desires; it too has needs. It is made up of all of the instincts and drives found in the animal kingdom. This part has no wisdom or self-control; it is comprised of hungers and appetites. It was programmed with all that man needs to keep alive and functioning in this world.
The conscious I, the part that thinks and remembers, is made up of both of these parts- the princess and the peasant. The reason that man has such difficulty achieving peace of mind is that both spirits move him in opposite directions-each pulls toward its own nature. The peasant part of man’s soul desires everything that is here and now. It is simple. It can’t see the future. It can only relate to that which is revealed and obvious. Based in the physical world, all that it knows are things of a material nature. Give it a place to sleep and something to eat, and it is happy. The other part of me, the princess, desires so much more. She finds no satisfaction from anything in this world; she views all luxuries and material possessions as cheap tinsel. She finds every pleasure of this world coarse and unattractive. Bring her all the luxuries that money can buy, and still she remains unmoved. It means nothing to her because she comes from a much higher place.
This part, the nishamah, also hungers-but not for food and drink; it hungers for meaning and purpose. It wants to grow, to accomplish, to change itself and the world it lives in. More than anything, it craves a relationship with its Creator.
One of the most elusive thoughts that seems ever to escape us is that I am a combination of these two elements. The conscious I, the part that thinks, feels, and remembers is comprised of both components. I am the princess, and I am the peasant. And because there are two sides to me, I desire very conflicting things. One moment I desire everything good and proper, and the very next moment, my entire focus is on things base and empty.
The strange part of it all is that I am normal. I don’t have multiple personalities. I am a fully functional, sane human being. That, however, is the point. I am a human, and that is the way that Hashem made us humans.
Until a person comes to grips with these two parts of his personality, he won’t understand what makes him tick, and his own motives and drives will remain a mystery-even to him. Once he focuses on these two parts of “I,” then everything makes sense. The utter contradictions that make up our desires, the conflicting interests and needs that we experience, the competing sides to our nature, all come from this duality-the two parts of me.
Just as the peasant cries out for food and drink, the princess cries out for meaning and purpose, and for that reason we have such a difficult time enjoying this world. When a man lives his life in one dimension, filling his belly and then his pocketbook, the princess looks down her nose and says, “This is what I came to this world for? This is what life is all about?” And she lets him know her lack of satisfaction in very clear terms. She gives him no rest.
Man has two sides to him. When he meets the needs of both, he achieves a state of balance and harmony. He is at peace with himself. When that comes about, everything is beautiful. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and everything is wonderful. It may be raining outside, and you can’t pay your mortgage, but it is okay, because things have meaning. You understand life. You understand what you are doing here. And you experience true joy and fulfillment. You are happy.
The purpose of life isn’t happiness, and the Torah isn’t merely a “self-help happiness guide.” But a direct outcome of leading a Torah lifestyle is that you will be happy. The Torah is the guidebook to living a successful life. It was written by the only One who truly understands man-his Creator. When a person follows its ways, he is at peace with himself. Both the peasant and the princess have their needs met, and the person is in sync with himself.
Hashem Wants Us to Be Happy
Hashem wants us to be happy. Hashem created everything to give of His good to us. Even though the purpose of life is our station in the World to Come, Hashem wants us to be happy in this world as well. For that reason, He created so many amenities strictly for us to enjoy. But to enjoy them, a person must learn to use this world properly. When man follows the Torah’s path, he grows, he accomplishes, and he achieves his purpose in Creation-and he is happy. In that state, he can enjoy all of the beauty of this world. It doesn’t distract him; it is a tool that he uses to further serve his Creator and enhance his growth. The challenge of life is not to get lost, not to get so caught up on the here and now that we forget that there is a tomorrow.
This segment has been previously published by InFashion. InFashion is a magazine that stresses halacha and hashkafa and is widely read. For more information contact Mr. Lib by email to sales [at] infashionft [dot] com