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How do mitzvos elevate both body and soul when physical perfection seems impossible in this world? The Ramchal teaches that positive mitzvos create excellence while negative ones remove deficiency, but complete purification requires death and resurrection. Spiritual growth demands strategic planning to subjugate the evil inclination rather than relying on willpower alone.
This shiur explores the Ramchal's teaching in Derech HaShem (ה׳) about the relationship between body and soul, and how mitzvos facilitate spiritual and physical elevation. The Ramchal explains that in this world, the soul has the capability to purify and elevate the body through good deeds, but due to the decree of death resulting from Adam's sin, this purification cannot be completed in our current existence. The body must first undergo death and resurrection before achieving its permanent, perfected state in the world to come. The discussion focuses on how mitzvos serve two fundamental purposes: positive commandments create new levels of excellence and perfection, while negative commandments remove areas of deficiency and darkness. The 248 positive commandments correspond to the 248 limbs of the human body, enabling elevation toward an angelic state, while the 365 negative commandments correspond to the 365 sinews, protecting against degeneration into animalistic behavior.
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Derech HaShem 1:4
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