Makeovers Joy & Positivity פרשת שמות תשפ״ג
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Makeovers Joy & Positivity
Self improvement and self help are some of the most popular sections of modern book stores and online articles. People around the world are searching for ways to maximize their potential, improve their life and live with joy, contentment and happiness.
In Torah Or -Shmos- the Alter Rebbe gives us tools how to become a better person. The Alter Rebbe begins by analyzing the purpose of the exile to Egypt. Exile is an unnatural state of existence for a Jew. Exile represents darkness and a sense of disconnection from our loving Father in Heaven.
The Talmud says that the Egyptians intentionally forced the Jewish men to do the work which ordinarily women are used to doing, and they forced the Jewish women to do the work which men are ordinarily used to doing. By forcing the men and the woman to do things which they were not accustomed to they made their life and their misery more painful.
The Alter Rebbe explains that we to must learn from the Jews of Egypt to go out of our way, to go the extra mile and do things which require us to go out of our comfort zone. We cannot satisfy ourselves by just doing things which we enjoy and which we are comfortable doing.
Additionally, we must learn from the Jews in Egypt how to have a “soft mouth“. בפרך, פה רך. As king Solomon teaches us:
מַעֲנֶה רַּךְ יָשִׁיב חֵמָה “a soft answer will send back anger”. When we encounter anger we must learn to respond softly and gently, which causes an angry person to calm down and for the anger to melt away.
מַעֲנֶה רַּךְ יָשִׁיב חֵמָה “a soft answer will send back anger”. When we encounter anger we must learn to respond softly and gently, which causes an angry person to calm down and for the anger to melt away.
On a deeper level, the Alter Rebbe explains, that we must soften and fix the source of our own personal flaws, including anger, jealousy and ego which all come our harshness and hardness. גבורה. We must soften our harshness and refine ourselves, repair our character and become kinder, gentler and nicer.
When we soften our personality and character then we can remedy and cure our own ugly characteristics including anger, jealousy and ego. We can transform ourselves and become soft, kind and sweet people.
This gives us motivation and inspiration:
If we have a personality flaw, we need not become discouraged. We must recognize that the purpose of our descent into exile is for the ascent and liberation of redemption. The flaw has a purpose. Everything has a purpose. We have a Divine mission to refine ourselves and transform darkness into light, bitter into sweet, evil into good.
Our flaws are not a punishment, they are the mission and purpose for which we were born. To fix and repair our personal Divine garden.
Our flaws are not a punishment, they are the mission and purpose for which we were born. To fix and repair our personal Divine garden.
Flaws and personality challenges are opportunities to help us grow and reach higher and better. Like a springboard which paradoxically, the lower you push down on the springs the further the springs will propel you to new heights.
The Rebbe tells us to publicize to the world that Moshiach Is On His Way. These are the last moments of exile. Now is our moment to maximize our opportunity and transform exile into redemption. By doing our part we become a partner with our Father in Heaven in all of Creation.
If not now when. If not you, then who? The world is in your hands. Celebrate your gift and opportunity!
3 messages based on the teachings of the Rebbe:
1) Your good and positive thoughts have the power to change your reality, your life and your future. When a person has absolute trust in G-d, like a child who has absolute trust in his father, then G-d makes sure that everything will be good. The results and outcome are in your hands. This idea was expressed by the Tzemach Tzedek in Yiddish: טראכט גוט וועט זיין גוט. “Think good and it will be good”!
2) Life is a precious gift. Every moment of time, every minute, hour, day, month and year is given to you in order for you to utilize it for the purpose for which you were born. Fill your time with positive good things. With Torah and Mitzvah, this is true life and it continues for eternity.
A person who lives a life of Torah and Mitzvah is not only fulfilling Divine commandments, but they are also bringing down blessings of health and happiness for themselves and for their loved ones. Our loving Father in Heaven rewards every person for every effort and for every good deed.
A person who lives a life of Torah and Mitzvah is not only fulfilling Divine commandments, but they are also bringing down blessings of health and happiness for themselves and for their loved ones. Our loving Father in Heaven rewards every person for every effort and for every good deed.
3) The 24th day of Teves is the Hillula day of the passing of the Alter Rebbe. The 20th day of Teves is the Hillula day of passing of Maimonedes, Rambam. Both of these holy giants taught us how to internalize Judaism into our daily personal life. They both taught us how to delve deeper into our soul. They taught us how to fill our life with true, lasting and authentic joy.
They both teach us how the foundation of all foundations, is to develop a personal bond with our loving Father in Heaven, by studying and internalizing Jewish faith and heritage with our rational mind. To know the purpose of life and to inspire our heart and mind with the knowledge and love Jewish wisdom and to prepare the world for the coming of Moshiach. May you maximize your potential in good health and with your heart filled with joy and happiness.
Special thought in honor of the Alter Rebbe:
There are Jewish sources and thinkers throughout Jewish history who explain rational and logical reasons why the Creator chose to create the world. Including the famous explanation that He wanted to share His kindness and benevolence with His creations.
However the Alter Rebbe in his revolutionary Chabad Chassidus and Tanya, quotes the Medrash which states clearly and unequivocally that the Creator had a desire to create a home for himself in our lowest world. It's not logic. It is a desire from the essence of G-d.
As explained in Chabad Chassidus, Creation has no logical explanation other than the fact that the Creator chose to do so out of His own free will, because of His own desire. Paradoxically, now that the world does exist, it's existence and our personal existence are relevant and important to the essence of the Creator.
Every good deed, every Mitzvah which we do, has a direct connection with the essence of the Creator. If our existence and our good deeds were only as valuable as the logical reason behind creation, then by definition our good deeds are limited, just like the logic is limited. But since a desire comes from the essence. It’s not about logic, therefore according to the Alter Rebbe we are directly connected to the essence of the Creator.
Since our good deeds connect us to the essence of the Creator himself, then just like the Creator is infinite so too is the importance of our doing the Mitzvah Infinite and our potential is unlimited. Consequently our connection and bond with the Creator is infinite.
Only in Chabad Chassidus do we have this amazing paradox. On the one hand, the world has no self existence, no credit for it’s accomplishments because everything comes from the Creator. on the other hand, because our existence is rooted in the desire of the essence of the creator, therefore everything we do has the greatest importance because it is connected to the essence of the Creator Himself.
Never look at yourself as just a small creation amongst billions of people, countless animals, trees, fish, stars and planets. Your existence is directly linked to the essence of the Creator. When you recognize that you are representing your Creator then you paradoxically become empowered to be כל יכול. You can accomplish and reach the infinite.
Celebrate and rejoice because you are blessed and fortunate to represent the infinite Creator. So maximize your infinite potential. All of Creation needs you and is waiting for you. The entire world needs you!
Special thought in honor of the Alter Rebbe:
There are Jewish sources and thinkers throughout Jewish history who explain rational and logical reasons why the Creator chose to create the world. Including the famous explanation that He wanted to share His kindness and benevolence with His creations.
However the Alter Rebbe in his revolutionary Chabad Chassidus and Tanya, quotes the Medrash which states clearly and unequivocally that the Creator had a desire to create a home for himself in our lowest world. It's not logic. It is a desire from the essence of G-d.
As explained in Chabad Chassidus, Creation has no logical explanation other than the fact that the Creator chose to do so out of His own free will, because of His own desire. Paradoxically, now that the world does exist, it's existence and our personal existence are relevant and important to the essence of the Creator.
Every good deed, every Mitzvah which we do, has a direct connection with the essence of the Creator. If our existence and our good deeds were only as valuable as the logical reason behind creation, then by definition our good deeds are limited, just like the logic is limited. But since a desire comes from the essence. It’s not about logic, therefore according to the Alter Rebbe we are directly connected to the essence of the Creator.
Since our good deeds connect us to the essence of the Creator himself, then just like the Creator is infinite so too is the importance of our doing the Mitzvah Infinite and our potential is unlimited. Consequently our connection and bond with the Creator is infinite.
Only in Chabad Chassidus do we have this amazing paradox. On the one hand, the world has no self existence, no credit for it’s accomplishments because everything comes from the Creator. on the other hand, because our existence is rooted in the desire of the essence of the creator, therefore everything we do has the greatest importance because it is connected to the essence of the Creator Himself.
Never look at yourself as just a small creation amongst billions of people, countless animals, trees, fish, stars and planets. Your existence is directly linked to the essence of the Creator. When you recognize that you are representing your Creator then you paradoxically become empowered to be כל יכול. You can accomplish and reach the infinite.
Celebrate and rejoice because you are blessed and fortunate to represent the infinite Creator. So maximize your infinite potential. All of Creation needs you and is waiting for you. The entire world needs you!
Lchayim
Velvl
Rabbi Velvl Butman
Executive Director
Chabad Lubavitch of Westchester County
Sharing the joy and meaning of Judaism unconditionally!
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