In the previous post, Reb Ally writes about the inherent emotional capacity in everyone, and how it is only a matter of accessing those emotional wellsprings.
So how do we do it?
One exercise is to affect a certain emotional outpouring, even if it is not true or sincere; the display of emotion is a trigger that releases a larger authentic expression. For example, on Yom Kippur, we are encouraged during Ne'ila (the last part of the Yom Kippur service; we are taught that the gates of Heaven are beginning to swing shut, from the Hebrew word to close or lock) to bring ourselves to tears, by any means necessary- whether or not they are a true expression of feelings.
While tears are by nature a powerful spiritual tool - one that can be implemented despite the lack of any true feelings, and have such an effect to the degree that it can reverse even the most awesome of decrees - part of the idea behind our "forcing" ourselves to cry is the arousal that it will ultimately inspire.
More often than not, once we are crying about one thing - regardless of the source of "inspiration" - it is very easy for that episode of tears to increase and intensify to include other reasons (better reasons) to cry. M'toch sheLo Lishma, bah Lishma, as it were. That "insincere" flow of tears will inspire real tears to flow, and once we have achieved that outpouring of the soul - those tears can shatter the Heavens and break through the barriers. It is one reason why the Kav HaYashar repeatedly stresses the importance of prayer with tears; the tears wrap up even the most pathetic prayer and escorts it past the guards of the Heavenly gates directly to the Throne of Glory...
Monday, August 9, 2010
Emotional Capacity
We are COMMANDED to be deeply emotional people.
We must be INFATUATED with Hashem and love all of His creations as well.
We have to feel a deep sense of awe at the presence of the Creator.
We must be SENSITIVE to the plight of the poor and unfortunate.
We are also taught to feel hope and anticipate better days.
We are PUNISHED if we don't have adequate SIMCHA. תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' בשמחה is a reason for the terrible curses to come upon us.
But hold on! Let's say I am the intellectual type, not the touchy-feely deeply emotional sort?! How am I supposed to fulfill the aforementioned CONSTANT 24/7 mitzvos.
Option A - Give up!
:)
Not here sweetest friends!! Rebbe Nachman POUNDED into me that אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל - There is no room in this world for despair.
So what's the solution? The Rebbe in Hachsharas Avreichim let's us in on a DEEP secret.
All people are emotional beings. Not everybody is able to connect to that part of himself but it lies dormant in the recesses of all of our souls.
I have observed people who I thought were died-in-the wool kalters [cold unemotional people] at emotional times [weddings, funerals etc.] and seen ocean fulls of emotion gushing forth. Wonder of wonders.
It's there sweetest friends.
Just gotta access it.
We must be INFATUATED with Hashem and love all of His creations as well.
We have to feel a deep sense of awe at the presence of the Creator.
We must be SENSITIVE to the plight of the poor and unfortunate.
We are also taught to feel hope and anticipate better days.
We are PUNISHED if we don't have adequate SIMCHA. תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' בשמחה is a reason for the terrible curses to come upon us.
But hold on! Let's say I am the intellectual type, not the touchy-feely deeply emotional sort?! How am I supposed to fulfill the aforementioned CONSTANT 24/7 mitzvos.
Option A - Give up!
:)
Not here sweetest friends!! Rebbe Nachman POUNDED into me that אין שום יאוש בעולם כלל - There is no room in this world for despair.
So what's the solution? The Rebbe in Hachsharas Avreichim let's us in on a DEEP secret.
All people are emotional beings. Not everybody is able to connect to that part of himself but it lies dormant in the recesses of all of our souls.
I have observed people who I thought were died-in-the wool kalters [cold unemotional people] at emotional times [weddings, funerals etc.] and seen ocean fulls of emotion gushing forth. Wonder of wonders.
It's there sweetest friends.
Just gotta access it.
Friday, August 6, 2010
See The Wonder...
Want to strengthen your Emunah (belief in God)?
Rabbeinu Bachya Ibn Paquda prescribes a systematic way to increase one's recognition of the Divine in his daily life by examining and reflecting on the nature of things. The second "gate" in his Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) is devoted entirely to illustrating how we can see the wisdom and kindness with which HaShem created the world and runs it perpetually.
Split into six sections, the Sha'ar HaBechina (the Gate of Reflection) explains:
There is no shortage of apparent examples that can serve to increase our emunah and gratitude to God, if we would only take the time to really look at them and see the inherent divinity in all things.
I once heard a suggestion that that we should all attempt to learn something new about Creation every day, and really devote some time (even if only a few minutes) to reflect upon its significance. Making this a practice every day nurtures a sensitivity, an openness to the world around us.
I personally find that science books geared towards younger audiences are often great sources for such information; they are infused with a wide-eyed sense of awe and wonder this beautiful world that God has placed us in for the duration...
Rabbeinu Bachya Ibn Paquda prescribes a systematic way to increase one's recognition of the Divine in his daily life by examining and reflecting on the nature of things. The second "gate" in his Chovot HaLevavot (Duties of the Heart) is devoted entirely to illustrating how we can see the wisdom and kindness with which HaShem created the world and runs it perpetually.
Split into six sections, the Sha'ar HaBechina (the Gate of Reflection) explains:
- The nature of reflection
- The obligation of reflection
- How to reflect on Creation
- The various different forms and manifestations of wisdom in the physical realm available to reflect upon
- Which manifestations are most appropriate and accessible for us to examine, vis-a-vis our correspondent obligation to reflect on said manifestations;
- What deters/enables reflection.
There is no shortage of apparent examples that can serve to increase our emunah and gratitude to God, if we would only take the time to really look at them and see the inherent divinity in all things.
I once heard a suggestion that that we should all attempt to learn something new about Creation every day, and really devote some time (even if only a few minutes) to reflect upon its significance. Making this a practice every day nurtures a sensitivity, an openness to the world around us.
I personally find that science books geared towards younger audiences are often great sources for such information; they are infused with a wide-eyed sense of awe and wonder this beautiful world that God has placed us in for the duration...
The Paradox Of The Perspective On Death
Recently I unfortunately have had a number of occasions to be involved in the sugya of "death". What is the Jewish approach?
I came across an excellent article in Hadarom [65, by Rav Betzalel Naor Shlita, great Talmid Chochom and father in law of my dear beloved friend Dori Binyamin Ben Yeruba'al Tzvi]: The Rambam says in the thirteenth perek of hilchos avel that one who mourns too much is a fool. Death is part of life [minhago shel olam]. Rather he should mourn as the halacha dictates and then get on with it. Then the Rambam turns around and says that if someone dies it behooves all those around him to search their deeds and do teshuva and if they don't they are cruel because a lack of introspection will just make more terrible things happen.
But wait! T.O. coach!! You just told me that it is minhago shel olam? Nothing out of the ordinary? So why the need to press the internal search button [computer mashal!:)]?
We are multi-dimensional people and we must also look at the world in multi-dimensional ways. We must realize that it is the nature of the world that people die and not allow ourselves to become overwhelmed. But we must ALSO understand that there is something tragic and earthshaking in the death of a human being and quickly do some teshuva so that it doesn't happen so frequently and that when it does, our neshamos will be ready. With enough teshuva, death indeed will one day be eradicated from the earth. [See the whole article.]
Rav Yisroel Salanter says that many people are under the impression that there is a chevre geshtorbenners [a society of people who die], but we are not members of this exclusive group.
Ahhhh sweetest tyere fryndlech, we are ALL members of this group. This means that we must live today as if it our last and remove ourselves from all the nonsense of this world and focus on what is real. As the Rebbe says in the B'nei Machshava Tova הרחק את עצמך מן הבטלה הרחק כמטחוי קשת
Stay miles away from wasting time. There are SOOOOO many good productive things to do.
Let's do them!
Love and blessings!:)
PS - a BIG yashar koach to Reb Shmulie on the "Machshava Tova" of starting this blog. It is nice when Jews have a chaburah whose express purpose is enhancing their Avodas Hashem. The Rebbe created such group in his lifetime and it is a great elevation for his soul that we continue. I have my own blog but I feel that the message is strengthened when we have the koach hatzibbur of the other distinguished members of the chaburah. Tzibbur is an acronym for tzaddikim, benoyniyim and reshoim. In the meantime all I see [besides myself] are tzaddikim....
I came across an excellent article in Hadarom [65, by Rav Betzalel Naor Shlita, great Talmid Chochom and father in law of my dear beloved friend Dori Binyamin Ben Yeruba'al Tzvi]: The Rambam says in the thirteenth perek of hilchos avel that one who mourns too much is a fool. Death is part of life [minhago shel olam]. Rather he should mourn as the halacha dictates and then get on with it. Then the Rambam turns around and says that if someone dies it behooves all those around him to search their deeds and do teshuva and if they don't they are cruel because a lack of introspection will just make more terrible things happen.
But wait! T.O. coach!! You just told me that it is minhago shel olam? Nothing out of the ordinary? So why the need to press the internal search button [computer mashal!:)]?
We are multi-dimensional people and we must also look at the world in multi-dimensional ways. We must realize that it is the nature of the world that people die and not allow ourselves to become overwhelmed. But we must ALSO understand that there is something tragic and earthshaking in the death of a human being and quickly do some teshuva so that it doesn't happen so frequently and that when it does, our neshamos will be ready. With enough teshuva, death indeed will one day be eradicated from the earth. [See the whole article.]
Rav Yisroel Salanter says that many people are under the impression that there is a chevre geshtorbenners [a society of people who die], but we are not members of this exclusive group.
Ahhhh sweetest tyere fryndlech, we are ALL members of this group. This means that we must live today as if it our last and remove ourselves from all the nonsense of this world and focus on what is real. As the Rebbe says in the B'nei Machshava Tova הרחק את עצמך מן הבטלה הרחק כמטחוי קשת
Stay miles away from wasting time. There are SOOOOO many good productive things to do.
Let's do them!
Love and blessings!:)
PS - a BIG yashar koach to Reb Shmulie on the "Machshava Tova" of starting this blog. It is nice when Jews have a chaburah whose express purpose is enhancing their Avodas Hashem. The Rebbe created such group in his lifetime and it is a great elevation for his soul that we continue. I have my own blog but I feel that the message is strengthened when we have the koach hatzibbur of the other distinguished members of the chaburah. Tzibbur is an acronym for tzaddikim, benoyniyim and reshoim. In the meantime all I see [besides myself] are tzaddikim....
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
A Delicious Bracha
You are about to eat something. WAIT!!!
Close your eyes. Think "I am about to do the mitzva of blessing Hashem".
Then say very deliberately "Baruch" - You are the source of ALL blessing!
"Atah" - I am speaking directly to the Master of All Being!:)
"Hashem" - He was, is and will be, the eternal source of mercy and love.
"Elokeinu Melech Ha'olam" - You RUN THE SHOW. The King. Not a flesh and blood king with countless human foibles but PERFECTION.
"Borei Mi'nei Mezonos" - You create cookies, cakes, crackers, pretzels. You are the BEST!!
I LOVE YOU HASHEM!!
Now eat the food. It will taste better than it would have had you not made the bracha because you APPRECIATE it.
But the bracha will be yet tastier.
Do this a hundred times a day - and you will NEVER be the same.
[Based on the Rebbe in BMT and the Alei Shor]
Close your eyes. Think "I am about to do the mitzva of blessing Hashem".
Then say very deliberately "Baruch" - You are the source of ALL blessing!
"Atah" - I am speaking directly to the Master of All Being!:)
"Hashem" - He was, is and will be, the eternal source of mercy and love.
"Elokeinu Melech Ha'olam" - You RUN THE SHOW. The King. Not a flesh and blood king with countless human foibles but PERFECTION.
"Borei Mi'nei Mezonos" - You create cookies, cakes, crackers, pretzels. You are the BEST!!
I LOVE YOU HASHEM!!
Now eat the food. It will taste better than it would have had you not made the bracha because you APPRECIATE it.
But the bracha will be yet tastier.
Do this a hundred times a day - and you will NEVER be the same.
[Based on the Rebbe in BMT and the Alei Shor]
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The 23rd of Av
Somewhere in Retzuat Azza,
the sun set,
the 23th of Av began,
and Gil'ad Shalit turned 24
on his 15,000th day in captivity.
the sun set,
the 23th of Av began,
and Gil'ad Shalit turned 24
on his 15,000th day in captivity.
המקום ירחם עליו
בתוך שאר שבויי והנעדרי ישראל
ויוציאם מצרה לרווחה
מאפלה לאורה
ומשעבוד לגאולה
השתא בעגלא ובזמן קריב
Give Chizuk!
Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld OBM constantly reminded his students to always give each other an encouraging word. There needn't be anything specific in mind; just to wish someone success in any - and all - of his endeavors can have such a powerful effect. As he put it, "it opens up wellsprings!"
Rav Freifeld would marvel at those students who would come to his yeshiva after experiencing one defeat after another, having their spirits crushed by unyielding faculty in other institutions. After a few weeks of firm but gentle encouragement from the fellow students and staff in Shor Yoshuv, they would begin to believe in themselves and start accomplishing beyond their wildest imaginations.
It's important to note that many times there isn't any malicious intent behind the discouragement, either. Often those people think that they are doing the person a favor by "grounding him in reality" and protecting him from his own "too-lofty" aspirations. What they are really doing is shaping the other person's world-view to expect failure and mediocrity.
While we all have to be aware of our capabilities - and limitations - we can still hope for the best and let others know that we believe in them, and want to see them succeed. By doing so, we open up the wellsprings of accomplishment that allow people to realize their potential.
I would suggest that we should all take it upon ourselves to encourage our friends, family and peers. It doesn't have to be overbearing or unnatural; just a sincere wish to see them thrive and do well. The chances are high that we'll make someone's day.
Rav Freifeld would marvel at those students who would come to his yeshiva after experiencing one defeat after another, having their spirits crushed by unyielding faculty in other institutions. After a few weeks of firm but gentle encouragement from the fellow students and staff in Shor Yoshuv, they would begin to believe in themselves and start accomplishing beyond their wildest imaginations.
It's important to note that many times there isn't any malicious intent behind the discouragement, either. Often those people think that they are doing the person a favor by "grounding him in reality" and protecting him from his own "too-lofty" aspirations. What they are really doing is shaping the other person's world-view to expect failure and mediocrity.
While we all have to be aware of our capabilities - and limitations - we can still hope for the best and let others know that we believe in them, and want to see them succeed. By doing so, we open up the wellsprings of accomplishment that allow people to realize their potential.
I would suggest that we should all take it upon ourselves to encourage our friends, family and peers. It doesn't have to be overbearing or unnatural; just a sincere wish to see them thrive and do well. The chances are high that we'll make someone's day.
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