The Rabbi of Kotzk asks: "What is the meaning of the commandment 'Do not steal'?"

His disciples reply, "That's obvious: it means 'Do not rob your neighbor.'"

"No," responds the Rabbi. "It means 'Do not rob yourself.'"

What is "not robbing yourself"? Leaving yourself wide open. If you do not leave yourself wide open to life, if you protect yourself from life, you are robbing yourself of fundamental instructions about yourself and about life that cannot be obtained through discernment.

Nilton Bonder, Yiddishe Kop