To everyone:
This may be my last post until after R"H. I would like to wish everyone a Chasiva V'chasima Tovah.......
It is important to point out to everyone, myself included. When Chaza"l say that even the greatest tzadik cannot stand where a Ba'al Tshuva stands, this is not referring to a Ba'al Tshuvah that was not brought up frum, and then came to take on mitzvos, i.e. a tinuk Sh'nishbah. (this is my understanding). But, rather, to those of us who have been keeping mitzvos, then left and gone astray to taste the "forbidden fruits", and then even after having experienced the "enjoyment" of sin, give it all up for Hashem. Why, because Hashem is King! This is the one that the complete tzadik, (one that has never ever tasted these sins) cannot stand in his place, the place of the one who has left, and then returned to Hashem.
When we do return to Hashem, then it turns out that those very nafilos, the very low places that we went to, they themselves become the catalysts for catapulting us to places even higher than those of the complete tzadik.
And now something from the sefer Shomer Emunim from Rav Rotha Zt"l. Through Hashems kindess. There is not one avodah that is ever lost. This means that even if one wishes to give tzdakah, but he does not have the opportunity, his desire to give does not get lost, but rather when someone else does give tzdakah, (and he really doesn't want to part with his money), his action of giving becomes connected with the desire of the one who couldn't give, and then the avodah becomes complete and it goes up. For the avodah to go up, it must be complete. One who gives tzdakah, but he really doesn't want to, he has the physical action but he is lacking the heart behind it.
So, I was thinking. All of us who have a true desire to purify ourselves, just this desire alone is so great, that it will never be lost. Even if there is a fall here and there, the desire alone is so kadosh that it will be combined somewhere with another's physical shmirat habrit, (one who has no temptations), and...his shmirah is combined with the others ratzone (desire) to be shomer, and both of their avodahs go up whole and complete to shamayim before Hashem.
Hashem loves All of Us