Man was created for the purpose of cleaving to G-d.  Only man is placed between perfection and deficiency, with the power to earn perfection. Man is created with both a Good Urge (Yetzer HaTov) and an Evil Urge (Yetzer HaRah).  He has the power to incline himself in whichever direction he desires.

 

In order that G-d's goal be best achieved, the Highest Wisdom decreed that man should consist of two opposites.  These are his pure spiritual soul and his unenlightened physical body.  Each one is drawn toward its nature, so that the body inclines toward the material, while the soul leans toward the spiritual.

 

The two are then in a constant state of battle.  If the soul prevails, it not only elevates itself, but elevates the body as well, and the individual thereby attains his destined perfection.  If he allows the physical to prevail, on the other hand, then besides lowering his body, he also debases his soul.  Such an individual will be unfit for perfection, and will be kept far from it.  G-d forbid.  Even so, he retains the ability to subjugate the physical to his soul and intellect, and thereby achieve perfection.