Jon NN IGGERES HAMUSSAR THE MUSSAR TREATISE Rav YiSRAEL SALANTER891 THE MUSSAR TREATISE IGGERES HAMUSSAR ‘Man is [ereated tobe] fre in his imagination and bound by his intel- lect! His unbridled imagination draws him mischievously in the way of his heart's desire, without fear of the cereain future — the time ‘when Hashem uill examine al of his affairs. He willbe subjected to severe judgment [for any transgressions that he committe]. There is ro one ele to take his place” He alone will bear the frit of his sins? the transgressor and the punished are one and the same. It is very 1 The imagination i not subject tothe constraints of truth, whereas the pure intellect op- erates within the realm of ruth. Ifuilized forthe good, the imagination is one of the most vital spiritual powers we have; however, if is misused its one ofthe most dangerous. Ray Yisrael reveals chat the primary strategy of the yerer haras to subvert man isthrough the power of his own imagination. Despite the fact that we know intellerually chat Hashem wil judge all ofour deeds at the time of our demise, our imagination simply over- ‘helms thie awareness. Even though intellectually we have no doubs that we face jude ment atthe end of our lives, the yetzerhara manipulate the fee imagination to fantasize that chee i no judgment. When the imagination imposes this notion, man is stricken ‘with spiritual blindnese:he falsely assumes that he can purtue his hears desires with no accountability. 2. Even whena person knowingly transgresses the Torah, he instinctally Blames others for his misdeed. Indeed, in the fist episode of sin in the Torah, Adam HaRishon blames “Hashem fr givin him Chava, who tempted him ro eat of the forbidden fut. Hence, tis necessary fora perton to realize that no one but the perpetrator —Le., he himself— wil be held responsible for his misdeed. 3 Since the entre blame is his, the entire punishment devolves upon him alone. 4 Afver one's demise, his spirit —his thoughts, feelings, and his complete personality —re- rains exactly as it was when he was ail alive. In other words, death s a bodily death, but his inner being continues to live. Hence, let him entertain no delusions that the entity ‘hat will ultimately receive the punishment inthe Next World wil be different than him