Tag: Mesillat Yesharim

We conclude Chapter 4 in our lesson today. The Ramchal takes us to our final destination in the trait of Watchfulness.

The Ramchal is teaching us about the importance of being careful about what we do. We are responsible for everything we do in life. We’re here for a task – to better this world and to better ourselves. To the degree we detract from that, to that detract we will also be liable.

As we move to the core of the fourth chapter, the Ramchal takes us into a journey of some of the great people in the Tanach who themselves stumbled in various decisions they made.

Those who choose to follow the “lazy” path in life – believing that life is about the physical pleasures of this world and that there isn’t really much to consider for their future when they leave this world, will find themselves at a loss when they pass on.

In this world, people have a hard time when they see the success of others in comparison to where they are at. We are not willing to settle for anything less than at least what others have too.

There are different types of people seeking different levels of comfort for their souls. The Ramchal taught us about the perfectionist in our last lesson. This is a person who seeks only the very best of everything. And why not?! But if that person seeks perfection, they should seek it no less in spiritual matters. How sad that individual may feel when upon arriving in the spiritual world above — after their 120 years in this world — they find they had not reached the goal they could actually have attained. What a tragedy! For those who realise what perfection entails and who demand it of themselves in this world, let them not diminish in their demands for expecting the best of themselves in this world.

How does one acquire the trait of Watchfulness? Watchfulness is the very first trait on the ladder to success in terms of real life growth.