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This week's question I feel is a very important one. Can you please give us some Hashkafic insights on utilizing physical talents, art, music, dance, drama, athleticism, intellect, etc. If a person is gifted and doesn't use it directly for Avodah Hashem, will they be held accountable? To what extent should a person focus on such talents? And in what ways can they be used to strengthen their relationship with Hashem? I'd like to start off with a story. A person was Hoser Bechuvah and he wrote a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. asking if he could be an artist while being a practicing observant Jew. And the Rebbe responded very simply, If you're an artist, you're an artist. Sometimes when it comes to these talents, whether you're an artist, a musician, a dancer, an actor, an athlete, You can't turn these things off. They're a part of who you are. The only question then becomes, what are you doing with these talents? In Judaism, we have three categories. The first category are mitzvos,
things we're obligated to do, dvaram shebe k'dusha. The last category is things that are asar, things that we bring out the spark of k'dusha by abstaining from doing them. So we don't eat certain foods, for example. If we eat those foods, then we have a different way of extracting the k'dusha. That's called tshuva. But there are two extreme categories, either dvaram shebe k'dusha and things that are not k'dush at all and we have to abstain from. But then there's a third category, and the third category is the middle category, and it encompasses most of life. And those things are called klipas noga. Klipas noga means that they are an erbovya, a mixture of tov and ra. And it's our job as Jews to reveal the godly spark within these parv activities. So, for example, dance is not a mitzvah. It's also not asr. But, the question is, in what context are you using it? If you use it in a denigrating way, so then obviously it becomes something that's inappropriate.
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But if you use it in a positive way, then you can elevate the entire concept of dance. Now, if we choose not to engage in a positive way, then we've lost a tremendous opportunity. The opportunity in this world is to reveal Hakadosh Baruch Hu in a place that's totally other than Him. That's what it means to reveal Hashem in this world, and that's why Hakadosh Baruch Hu created the world. God desired to have a dwelling place in this world. We reveal God in this world by doing these three things. The mitzvot that He tells us to do, staying away from the aveiras that He tells us not to do, and engaging all of the parv, klipas, and noga activities in a way that reveals Hakadosh Baruch Hu in this world. So if you're an athlete, that's great. Use your athleticism for the sake of being MeKadosh Shem Shamaim. Now, what would that look like? Obviously, number one, on the basketball court or whatever sport you're playing. Play in a way that's marba kvot shamayim, play with decency, play with honesty, be a team player, be someone who has tremendous sportsmanship.
If you're playing sports, do it so that you can get a break and then go back to serving Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The break becomes part of the service when we focus on the fact that we're doing this in order to get the break that we need. When it comes to these talents like being an artist, a musician, a dancer, an athlete, an actor, whatever it is, they can all be utilized in a way that's marba kvot shamayim. So to what extent should we focus on them? If Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave them to you, and this is a part of who you are, how could you not focus on them? It's like saying to someone, you're not allowed to breathe. It's who they are. But the question is, what's the focus? If our focus is that this becomes part of our service of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, then it's the most incredible thing in the world. I don't know if it's called a mitzvah, but it's part of our service of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The challenge is for so many people that they feel that in order to be the people they want to be, they have to turn themselves off, and that's not true. Part of serving Hakadosh Baruch Hu is recognizing the talents that He gave you,
and using them in an appropriate fashion. So if you're an actor or you're an actress, what are the plays you're performing in? What are the messages that they're sending? If you're a dancer, what message are you communicating? If you're a musician, what type of music are you playing? Are you playing music that when somebody listens to it, it inspires them and it stirs their soul towards greater yearning and passion for Hashem. All of those things are mar'ba k'vot shamayim in this world and a person should absolutely develop these talents if they have them. It's a core part of being an Eved Hashem in a true and authentic way.
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