Vanquishing moral confusion with the light of Torah

The Rebbe writes:

If every person was granted the potential to change worldly events in a positive direction, and even to introduce a novelty, this is surely true of the Jewish nation. Its very existence is a deviation from the order of the world, and it has been assigned with the role of serving as “A light unto the nations (Yeshaya 42:6).”


Since this description is given by our Torah, “a Torah of truth (Blessings on the Torah)” it is exact in all its details. This includes the fact that light represents a force that, although apparently not introducing any novelty, displays and reveals the true nature of the object [being illuminated]. Usually, this light is essential to discern between good and evil, holiness and impurity, health and sickness, and between those who call evil, good, and sickness, health.

Nitzutzei Ohr, p. 83.

There are plenty of very smart, well-educated, and even refined people in the world who search and strive for truth and morality. Yet all around us, we see moral confusion, and in particular the philosophy of moral relativism, the idea that there does not and cannot exist any one absolute truth, universal morality, or grand purpose to the cosmos. Rather, there are many opinions on these matters, all equally valid and equally irrelevant in daily life.


How can such smart people fail so miserably? Because they lack the tools of discernment that Hashem gave us. No matter how hard they try, they are not able to truly discern between right and wrong, truth from falsehood. They can get it right some of the time, but never all of the time. This is an ability that has been granted to the Jewish people alone, through the teachings of the Torah. Since it is the wisdom of Hashem, Who is the G–d of Truth, it alone is the repository of absolute Truth.


When we are truly aware of the sublime gift that we have been given, we will go out and humbly but confidently share it with Jews who are not yet aware of its true nature, by teaching them how to fulfil their obligations as Jews, and with non-Jews, by teaching them how to serve Hashem according to the Noahide laws.

An excuse is emes lo

One type of person is filled with excuses, and is really convinced that they’re true. He does what he likes, and then explains with a totally straight face why he wasn’t to blame, or that what he did was “not so terrible,” or wasn’t wrong in the first place. This inability to admit wrongdoing, to face up to imperfection, to allow one’s fallibility to become known, stems from arrogance.

However, one who is humble is honest with himself. He doesn’t pretend to be perfect when he knows that he is very far from it. He makes no excuses for his failures. He doesn’t fool himself into thinking that his actions or inactions are justifiable, and he doesn’t try to fool others either. He can admit that he has free choice and full control over his actions, for “nothing stands in the way of willpower”; “if one said I exerted effort but I did not find, do not believe him”; and “I [Hashem] only ask of them [the Jewish people] according to their ability.”

This acknowledgment is the key to change. “Knowing the sickness is half the cure” (cf. Sefer HaSichos 5703 p. 18). The person must fully accept that he did wrong, that his actions or inactions are inexcusable; conversely, he must know that it is always possible to do Teshuvah, repentance. Then he is able and motivated to rectify this situation.

The same goes for being a chossid. The Rebbe has issued many hora’os, instructions, to his Chassidim. We refer to the Rebbe as adoneinu, our master. If one’s identity as a chossid is to be meaningful, the chossid must obey his Rebbe. Thus, those who are serious about their relationship with the Rebbe and their identity as chassidim will make it their business to fulfill the Rebbe’s hora’os despite inconvenience, difficulty, and even personal sacrifice.

However, those who are not serious will wear the levush (the distinctive garments of a chossid) and follow some customs, but neglect the areas that they find difficult and demanding, and cover up their weakness with an elaborate repertoire of sophisticated excuses and defense mechanisms.

One may have the best excuses in the world, but excuses do not make one a chossid. “Inability to perform an act due to circumstances beyond one’s control are not considered like an action” (Yerushalmi Kiddushin, 3:2). One becomes a chossid through action.

The Hebrew word for excuse, amaslo, is short for emes lo—not the truth. If we seek a true relationship with Hashem, we must be humble enough to remove the word excuse from our vocabulary, and then start doing.

Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 1, p. 129 ff.