Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)

One of the main goals for creation is the achievement of joy and peace. G-d is the source of all true joy, and one of life’s struggles is to find G-d/joy in every situation though uniting with G-d.  This brings a person to live in a state of eternal joy and peace. We must earn this eternal happiness by going through the difficulties we encounter in this world.  The pain and frustrations that we experience in our daily lives will not last forever. Suffering is not without purpose and is only intended to help a person reach G-d.  Even though it is extremely difficult to see it much of the time, G-d's intention for creating this world is that everyone's end should be good. The verse says: "G-d is good to all, His mercy encompasses all His works" (Psalms 145:9). G-d designs and navigates the path of everyone's life, that each person's end and final outcome should be good. The verse says: "She (the soul] will laugh at the final day (the hereafter)" (Proverbs 31:25). Another verse adds: "Then [in the future world] will our mouths be filled [eternally) with laughter" (Psalms 126:2). To arrive at this destination, we must first experience the turbulence of the journey.

Everyone strives and uses all kinds of methods and strategies to obtain peace for themselves. Peace is the most important goal that there is in this world, for our Sages teach: "Raban Shimon ben Gamliel says: This world endures on three things - justice, truth, and peace" (Talmud: Avot 1:18). Rabbah son of Rav Shila said: "A man should pray for peace even to the last clod of earth (is thrown upon his grave]" (Talmud: Brachot 8a) "Peace is the seal of all blessings, because without peace, prosperity, health, food, and drink are worthless" (Sifre).

There are two critical areas where one must strive to attain peace. One must try to achieve balance and peace between the needs of the body and the needs of the soul.  One must also try to achieve peace on a cosmic level. This means that one must create harmony between one's own circle of encounter (friends, family, and neighbors), every level of this world (Jews, Gentiles, animals, plant-life, minerals, earth, water, fire, and air) and all the upper spiritual worlds.  The only way to accomplish such a great and difficult task is only through prayer.

Through prayer one can bring the urges of the body to be subservient to one's soul. One must ask G-d for help to be able to follow the Torah. The Talmud tells us that the evil inclination and the urges of the body are so strong that no one could resist them. It is only through G-d's gift of mercy that he provides us with the strength to stand up to these temptations. Therefore, we must pray for G-d's help for us to overcome these strong obstacles. Prayer also spiritually nourishes and unifies this world and all the upper spiritual worlds. This brings peace to all of these worlds.

The Talmud tells us that there is always a struggle between the yearnings of the soul and the urges of the body. Inner conflict and turmoil are not good for the body or the soul. Doubt and confusion comes from the forces of evil. Therefore, to avoid conflict, one of them must have dominion over the other. This  occurs in any situation, where there is a divergence of goals, such as is found in the other person. Our minds limit our understanding of others and this could cause disputes. The only way to overcome the limitations of our minds and thus avoid dispute is to divest ourselves of the limitations of our bodies. This is done through connecting our bodies to G-d, through following his Torah. By doing this we elevate our limited bodies to the infinite. Then we are able to understand the other guy and thus have compassion on him. This situation eliminates dispute.

To achieve peace, compromise is necessary.  Each person or group has different needs. When people or groups get together, it is their different needs that could cause a conflict to erupt.  Therefore, the only solution is compromise. Compromise is where each person or group limits their individual needs and actions to avoid violating the rights of the other. In this way, two different parties can coexist together, despite their differences. The safety and independence of both parties are protected.

The basis for all the laws found in the Torah is compromise. The laws of the Torah are a set of compromises, which mediates the disputes between the yearnings of the soul and the needs of the body. There are laws where we are commanded to eat and celebrate. There are laws that restrict the person's involvement in this world. When the Torah is followed, both body and soul are each given its proper share.  One will not overly infringe on the needs and rights of the other.

It is forbidden to destroy or harm one's body in any way, whether physically or emotionally. Rabbi Nachman said: "One must be very good to one's body. The body is a precious vehicle with which to serve G-d. If the vehicle is damaged in any way it becomes harder to serve G-d.” One should not emotionally or physically abuse one's mind or body. One is not permitted to be overly strict in the practice of ritual law, which is called in Hebrew chumrot yesayrot.  If a person is overly strict, he will demoralize and harm his body. G-d wants us to be happy. Since the body is an integral part of the person, we must follow the laws of G-d in a way that our bodies feel comfortable with. Just because someone learns about a law in the Torah, it doesn't mean that he must fulfill this law on its highest level immediately. His body is not ready to practice this law on such a high level as yet. He must at first follow the law on its lowest level of practice. Then when his body becomes more comfortable with the practice of this law, then he could fulfill the law on a higher level.  If a person immediately tries to fulfill a law on its highest level he will not succeed. He will be unable to merge the Torah and his soul with his body.

G-d desires truth. If a person practices Torah in a way that isn't on his true level, he is not being honest with himself. G-d loves honesty. If one's body doesn't feel comfortable and feels excessive strain from any religious practice this is an indication that one is not on this level of practice and this level of practice should be reduced. In this case one should only fulfill the minimum requirement of the law. it is not wise and necessary to violate any Torah Law.    If one is unable fulfill a higher standard of the law, then the lower standard should first be fulfilled. Torah law almost always provides clauses for special and hardship cases. This is how the soul could take more of its fair share and hurt the body. The Torah does not allow or want this. This is not peace and therefore not the way of the Torah.   The verse says "Its [the Torah's] ways are ways of pleasantness and all its paths (lead to] peace" (Proverbs 3:17).  Therefore, if one's practice causes conflict and unpleasantness, it is a sign he is not adhering to the Torah in the proper way. We could have quoted dozens of verses to support everything that we mentioned in this paragraph, however any government or family, there must be a leader. A leader helps any system run more efficiently and helps keep conflicts down to a minimum. Since it is one's spiritual assets that have any real and eternal value, it is the spiritually oriented person or item that should dominate and lead. Therefore, the Talmud says that the only way to create peace between the body and soul is that one must allow the soul to lead and dominate one's body. This will make both body and soul happy. It is the domination of the soul over one's body that causes both of them to be happy and at peace.  It is being connected to G-d that makes everyone happy, for G-d is the source of all joy. When one's soul and body are at peace through being connected  to G-d, one can achieve both mental and physical health.

 The soul must have dominion over the body, because the body limits and confines one's potential and perception of G-d. The urges of the body limits one's ability to come close to G-d and to enjoy the fruits that this Joy brings. Not only does the bodies limitations cause each person to have a lack of understanding of G-d, but the limitations of our bodies cause us to have a lack of understanding of each other. How could we condemn G-d, who is infinite, for doing things to us that we don't understand, when we are not even unable to understand many of the actions of our fellow man? It is our lack of understanding and the limitations of the scope of human intelligence that bring a person to misunderstand and hate another. It is these very limitations of the human mind that bring about disputes between people. Since G-d's scope is unlimited, He is able to understand and fathom the motives behind every action of every individual. Since G-d is able to see every aspect of every individual, G-d is able to understand and have true compassion every creature on this earth. This is why anyone who is able to have compassion on another is termed wise. The Talmud teaches: Hillel said: "Do not judge your follow until you have reached his place" (Talmud: Avot 2:5). Since G-d is unlimited, and contains each place and is found in every place, only G-d alone is able to evaluate another.

Due to the nature of people and of this world, compassion can not be uniformly given to every person and in every situation. For example, let us take the case of a murderer. Before he murdered his victim, we apply one type of level of compassion to him. After he murdered, according to the law of G-d, we must apply another. As long as this person did not harm anyone, we must assist and sustain this person's life in any way possible. This is the level of compassion that is presently most beneficial to this person. However, after he murdered someone, a different level and  form of compassion must be applied to the murderer. This murderer has taken a  life. He has not only harmed another, but he has even done far worse. He has diminished G-d's glory in the world. Each human being was created in G-d's image, in order that each person can reflect a different aspect of G-d to the world. No one else in the entire world was given this privilege to show that part of G-d that he was chosen to represent. Now that the victim's life has been taken, that aspect of G-d that the victim contributed to the world is now lost. The entire universe will now suffer this loss. The world will now be unable to learn and benefit from that part of G-d that the victim revealed to the world, and the valuable lessons that this person could have taught the world about G-d are now gone. Therefore, the level of compassion for the murder is to have the murderer's life taken. By murdering, and thus destroying part of G-d's image, the murderer has severely damaged his own connection and image of G-d that he once possessed. He is no longer able to reflect G-d's image to the world, for he lost it by murdering. His lack of his ability to reflect the image of G-d to the world has reduced his value and has taken away G-d's purpose for allowing him to continue living. Therefore, the only solution and the most compassionate thing to do in certain situations is to repair the murderer's damaged image of G-d by reuniting him with G-d. Therefore, there are situations in which we must take the murderer's own life.

If the body commits a sin and thus takes more than its fair share away from the soul, the body has hurt the soul. In this case, there is no peace between the body and the soul.  If a person follows the Torah, and avoids sinning and partakes in the physical pleasures that the Torah permits, both one's soul and one’s body are content and they can coexist in peace. Both the soul and the body will enjoy themselves but not at the expense of the other. Therefore, it is through compromise, as outlined by the Torah, that both the body and the soul are able to coexist.

Just as we must yield to the wishes of G-d to be able to become merged in His light, so must everyone acknowledge and yield to the needs of his fellow man to be able to live in peace with him. The Zohar says: "The Torah, the Jews, and G-d are all one unit." Therefore, it is not only important to merge oneself with G-d, but one must merge oneself with one's fellow man. To do this a person must respect and not violate the rights of others. Hillel taught that this is the most important law of the Torah. Each party involved in a relationship must respect each other's rights. Yet, each party must still maintain his own identity and individualism, and this is termed true peace. After reaching this level of coexistence, the relationship between the two parties can progress to a even higher level of peace. This is where each of the parties respects each other's rights to such a degree, that they expand the scope of their relationship. This includes that the parties involved defer to the wishes of the other party without insisting that their own needs be fulfilled. It in the giving of both sides that totally eliminates the barriers between the two parties.  In this way, the needs of both parties are fulfilled, but in a different way. Instead of the person fighting to fulfill his needs by his own efforts, his needs are fulfilled by the other party and visa versa. In this way both parties are able to become totally merged with each other. one must strive to reach this level with both man and G-d. With man, as the verse says: "You shall love your fellow as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). With G-d: "Treat His [G- d's will as if it were your own will, so that He (G-d) will treat your will as if it were His will. (Talmud Avot 2:4).

When someone gives charity or lends an article to his follow, the giver or lender has attained the higher level of peace. He selflessly allowed another to use his property without expecting compensation. The lender has gained nothing by lending his belongings to the borrower. The lender has totally deferred to the needs of his fellow, without receiving in return. This act has created a strong bond of love, respect and peace between the parties involved. Therefore, if the borrowed item is destroyed, even through an incident which is beyond anyone's ability to prevent, such as through a flood etc., the lender must be compensated for his loss. The reason for this is that the lender has reached the higher level of peace, through his act of generosity. Therefore, the law does not tolerate that the lender should suffer any sort of loss for his kind act.  On the spiritual level, the lender has attained to a small degree, by his act of generosity, the era of the Messiah. In the era of the Messiah there will be universal peace, as the verse says: "And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb (in peace]" (Isaiah 11:6). In the era of the Messiah there will be no damages caused to people through wild animals, natural disasters, violent robbers etc. Since the lender has attained the era of Messiah through this act the loss of the borrowed item was not caused through any spiritual or physical blemish an the side of the lender. Therefore, the lender should not suffer any sort of loss, for he is not the spiritual cause for the item's loss. The blame for the loss of his property solely rests on the borrower, who has committed some sort of spiritual blemish, which resulted in the loss of the borrowed item. Therefore, the borrower must compensate the lender in the event of the loss of the borrowed item. no matter what the cause.

A renter is requested to compensate the owner in cases of theft of the rented item and in cases of loss, which was preventable. For a loss that was not humanly preventable the renter is not obligated to pay compensation for. The case of renting is the lower form of peace. The owner did provide the rentee with his needs, while the owner himself also gained. However, the renter failed to reach the higher level of peace, that of the era of the Messiah. Therefore, the loss of the rented item, through circumstances beyond anyone's control to prevent must be the result of a spiritual blemish found in the owner. It is not the renter's fault that the lose occurred. He was humanly unable to prevent the loss from happening, and the loss must be the result of sin committed by the renter. Therefore, the rentee doesn't have to compensate the renter for his loss.

The rentee, however, is held responsible for theft and loss that was preventable. It takes an intelligent person to be able to live in peace with others. The era of the Messiah will be an era of universal peace. The era of the Messiah will also be a time of great knowledge and wisdom. The verse says: "They shall not do evil nor destroy on all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the sea (in the Messianic Era]" (Isaiah 11:9). The first phrase of this verse talks about that there will be peace. The end of the verse talks about that there will be great wisdom in the Messianic Era.  From this verse we can derive that a lack of peace is the result of a lack of intelligence.

The renter did reach a level of peace, even though it was on the lower level, for he did provide the rentee with his needs. This lower level of peace was enough of a connection to the peace of the Messianic Era to prevent theft and loss that was humanly preventable. It was the renter's spiritual blemish for not having the intelligence to be at peace that caused the loss of the rented item to occur. Therefore, the rentee is required to compensate the owner for this type of loss.

From this we can see that it is a lack of peace between one's body and soul, and the lack of peace between people that causes one to suffer pain, damage and afflictions  in this world. Each person is held responsible for any lack of peace found in  the world by G-d. One is held responsible for the sin of being overly strict in his fulfillment of the commandments. One is also held responsible for the sin of not fulfilling them at all, or for the harm he causes his fellow in any way without cause. Since he is responsible for the lack of peace, G-d will physically show the person the results of his actions. G-d will afflict this person and take away his peace so he will wake up and realize that he has caused a lack of peace to himself and the world. He must then work to be at peace within himself and with his fellow man. This is what happens to a person who doesn't want to work for peace. The verse says: "I was silent from the good [of G-d's ways of peace) and my pain was stirred" (Psalms 39:3). The only way to avoid pain because of a one's failure to make peace is to bring peace to the world, by the fulfillment of Torah Laws and the love of our fellow man. (Lekutai Halachot: Choshen Mishpat: Hilchot Shocher 2:4)