If You Improve Yourself

Lesson from weekly Torah reading: Parashat Bereshit (Gen 1:1-6:8)

Contrary to what most people believe that we need a supernatural savior to save us from our sin, G-d teaches us that Man can always repent and He will forgive him.

"Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rests at the door. Its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it." (Gen 4:7)

G-d here tried to teach Cain that if an individual learns from his errors, his slate can be wiped clean. Though we never succeed in removing our base inclinations from our heart, we can control them, for the mind rules the heart. Though we have little control over our desires and emotions, we can control their means of expression, their "garments": our conscious thoughts, words and deeds. We can think, speak, and act in a positive way, regardless of our natural drives.

This verse is a balm to those of us who frustrated by their inability to rid themselves of their mundande instincts and feelings. Our mission in life is to focus on improving the "garments". Through the struggle of keeping this pure, our soul can reach a greater intimacy with G-d than it could otherwise.

Once Rabbi Bunam of Pzsyha asked his disciples: "How can you tell when a sin you have committed has been pardoned ?" His disciples gave various answer but none of them pleased the rabbi.

"We can tell", he said, "by the fact that we no longer commit that sin."

That is improvement.

Source: Artscroll Chumash, Kehot Chumash, Jewish Literacy