During the intermediate days of Passover, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto delivered a powerful lecture in Manhattan that drew many students from across New York. At the heart of the lecture stood a profound metaphor.
“The human body is like a nation,” Rabbi Pinto began. “Within a nation, there are different people – each with their own desires, opinions, and passions. For a country to function properly, all these forces must be directed toward a single purpose. The same is true for a person – within us are anger, lust, jealousy, pride, good inclinations, and negative ones – and our mission is to bring all these desires under control.”
Rabbi Pinto emphasized that true freedom is not dependent on external circumstances but on one’s internal ability to govern oneself. “When a person is ruled by their anger, or their lust, or their need for honor – they are a slave. A slave to emotions, a slave to impulses. But when a person manages to align their desire with their ability – only then are they truly free.”
He clarified that self-mastery does not mean suppressing emotions but managing them wisely: “It’s not that anger disappears, but it no longer controls you. You control it. It’s not that lust vanishes – but you lead it, it doesn’t lead you.”
Rabbi Pinto concluded the lecture with a sharp and clear message: “A truly free person is one who governs the nation called ‘his body and soul.’ If he lets negative desires take over – he has no path to freedom. But if he governs them – he truly rules.”
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel