This week’s portion relates to the important topic of reincarnation. It reminds us that we are not here for the first time; we have been here before, we committed errors in our previous lives, and our purpose is to correct those errors in this one. It was G-d who placed our souls into our bodies, and we should recognize that they are not here willingly. In a way, they are enslaved to us. They don’t want to be here on Earth, at the material level. Of course, they would rather remain in the higher realms, where they can stay pure. On Earth, we make our souls dirty through our wrong actions. They must be cleansed before they can return to the Creator, where they truly belong.

How do we help them get there? How do we clean our souls? By committing ourselves to transformation and making positive changes. The Torah teaches us how.

When we learn about reincarnation, it’s natural to feel panic. It can be frightening to think about what we’ve done to our souls. After all, every time we act badly, we cause them harm. But what does it mean to act badly? Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is right and what is wrong—especially if we depend on the guidance of contradictory worldly voices. That’s why it’s so important to study the Torah, because it provides us with the ultimate guidebook for living correctly. By obeying the words of the Torah, we can cleanse our souls, and in doing so, fulfill our purpose. This will allow our souls to return to the Creator at the end of our lives, and this should be our focus. Just as we exercise and eat healthily to maintain our bodies, we must study and practice spirituality to maintain our souls.

The Torah tells us that we act badly when we follow our five senses. This doesn’t mean that our senses are inherently bad, but that we must be in control of them, not the other way around. For example, we have the gift of hearing. It’s our responsibility to ensure that we make the right judgments and listen to the right things. If we allow ourselves to listen to cruel gossip or eavesdrop on the conversations of others, then we are not controlling this sense; it is controlling us. Similarly, if we use our gift of taste to eat food that is not kosher, then we are misusing one of our senses. The five senses can be a gateway to Hell if we follow them unthinkingly. They bring many temptations through which we can dirty our souls.

Another way we harm our souls is by acting selfishly. When we are selfish, we take up the space that G-d needs to give us our blessings. Our own actions deprive us and cause us pain.

In our lives, we often go through pain. We may wonder why we are forced to endure such suffering, believing that it is unfair. Reincarnation teaches us that pain is not unfair—nothing in life is truly unfair! When we perceive it that way, it’s because we’re not seeing the full picture. In reality, any pain we endure is ultimately positive. It balances the harm we’ve done, and it forces us to learn and become better people.

Love is a powerful force, and when it burns away negative energy, it can hurt. This is how G-d’s love may be experienced as pain sometimes. However, we must always remember that our pain serves us. It is not a punishment inflicted by G-d; it is a necessary process we must go through so our souls can be returned to Him.

Have you ever wished to find your soulmate? Most of us have. But have you ever considered whether your soul is currently worthy of finding its mate? This is an important consideration. Until you’ve made positive changes and cleansed your soul, you will not be able to attract your true soulmate.

Your soulmate will continue to elude you. If your previous relationships have been difficult, it may be a signal that you have work to do on yourself before you can experience this kind of deep connection. Of course, when we try to improve ourselves, we usually focus on reducing negative actions towards others. But this is the wrong approach. Before you can truly improve your relationships with others, you must first reduce negative actions towards yourself.

Until you show kindness and positivity toward yourself, the positivity you show others will not be genuine. In other words, to heal your relationships with others, it’s imperative to first heal yourself. Think about it—most of the harm caused by your negative actions is actually inflicted on yourself. When you are jealous, who really suffers? You do. When you are angry, who suffers? You do. So much of our pain is self-inflicted.

Cleansing your soul will not only bring your soulmate closer, but it will also alleviate the suffering you experience. G-d looks for signs that you’ve truly made a change. You must first show that you are sorry for your negative actions. Then, you will be tested to see if you repeat those actions. If you can resist the temptation and pledge never to repeat them, this is the proof that you’ve undergone a true transformation. Simply trying to change can break the negative decrees and judgments against you, even before you succeed.

There is nothing more beautiful in this world than someone who is actively trying to change, whether they succeed immediately or not. With this in mind, we must also be supportive and compassionate toward others in their process of change. Who are we to judge them and hold onto their past mistakes? Instead, we should encourage them toward a better future.

Community is an essential part of this process. The people you surround yourself with have a huge impact on whether you succeed in making positive changes. Be careful! If you’re surrounded by selfish people, their selfishness can be contagious. Instead, unite with others who are similarly committed to maintaining the purity of their souls.

You are always invited to participate in the Vital Transformation community, where we study, practice, and work towards becoming better people. We all have a purpose to fulfill, and it’s so much easier to do it with the support of like-minded individuals.