Editing Man is a Tree of the Field (section)

=== The Higher It Is, The Lower It Falls ===
The Alter Rebbe compares this to a fruit-bearing tree, which has fruits close to the ground and fruits high above. The fruits that are higher, despite being more elevated, when they fall due to wind uprooting them, they fall farther from the tree than those growing lower. Even when the lower fruits fall to the ground, they don't fall as far away. This is like the saying, "From a high roof to a deep pit," or "According to one's greatness was his downfall."

So it is regarding the fruits of the Tree of Life, which are souls. For Israel arose in thought, and the more elevated something is at its root, the greater its fall becomes after descent through sins and the like. Similarly, regarding the breaking of the vessels in the world of Tohu, the higher the source, the greater the fall. That is why the vegetative force gives strength and nourishes animals, and both together nourish humans.

For this reason, when a Torah scholar damages by not fulfilling mitzvos, his sin is greater than a practical transgression of "turn from evil." Consequently, his teshuvah in "do good" must also be greater.

In this way, the Baal Shem Tov said: If I were to take my mind off the Creator of the world for one moment, it would be worse than a simple person committing the sin of forbidden relations.

Similarly, man is compared to a tree of the field regarding "beating," meaning that if the light of Yiddishkeit doesn't enter him, a person must "beat" his yetzer hara, subjugate it, and humble it.
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