The passuk says, “Ki seitzei la’milchamah”—”When you go out to war.” The seforim teach that this is a hint to the lifelong battle every Yid fights against the yetzer hara. The Tiferes Shlomo explains that sometimes we fight our yetzer hara and overcome it, but a few days later we find ourselves fighting the very same battle again. This can make us feel as though we have made no progress at all.
But that is not true. Hashem did not send our neshamos into this world to finish the battle. He sent us here to keep fighting it. As long as we continue trying, we are fulfilling the purpose for which we came into this world. In fact, says the Tiferes Shlomo, someone who has completely finished this war no longer needs to remain in this world.
That is the deeper meaning of “Ki seitzei la’milchamah.” Our neshamos left the higher worlds and came down here for one purpose—to wage this battle. So if you find yourself still struggling, don’t become discouraged. For as long as you are alive in this world, the goal is to keep fighting, and not to completely win the battle.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 95.