The body has a mind of its own. It wants what it wants, and its strong will to fulfill its desires can be overwhelming at times. How do we manage to listen to the soul, find the discipline necessary to curb the body's appetite, and resist giving into each of its cravings? How do we elevate our lives above the materialistic goal of self-gratification and self-preservation?
The answer lies in this week's Torah portion, Ki Teiztei. There, we learn the directive, "Do not see your fellow's donkey or his ox fallen on the road and ignore it. Help him lift it up." Now, this Mitzvah might seem familiar since a different iteration was introduced to us in the book of Exodus. That one was different since it related to helping your enemy, but this week's seems redundant since if you have to help your enemy's donkey, you should definitely assist your fellow.
The truth is that your fellow's donkey might not just be another person's animal trotting down the road; it might be the animal inside of you. Each of us grapples with our animalistic tendencies; it's not an aberration G-d created us this way. The challenge is to reframe our perspective and stop seeing our animal as an enemy that needs to be destroyed but rather as a fellow who needs to be guided towards a better path. When we stop trying to slay our animal and instead seek to work with it, it becomes more amenable to serving a power greater than itself.
Let's stop living with guilt and shame over our cravings and desires and invite our animal soul to the table. Let's recognize that these passions, when properly refocused, can become an amazing source of energy and enthusiasm in the service of G-d and humanity. Each of us is a beautiful creation in the divine image, both our body and our soul. When we bring the two together, they become an unstoppable team and the ultimate force for good.
Mission: Acknowledge your animalistic desires and their hold on you. Begin talking to your animal in a kind way, and he/she will become more receptive. Then, together, you can really grow onward and upward.