Motivation Diamonds & Self Esteem פסח שני אמור תשפ״ג
B”H
Click Here: Chabad Inspiration
Hi
Wishing you Gut Shabbos. Shabbat Shalom!
Candle Lighting Friday May 5 - Iyar 14 Metro New York 7:38pm
Dedicated in honor of the Yortzeit of the Rebbe’s Brother Rabbi Yosroel Arye Leib 13 Iyar (1952)
Motivation Diamonds & Self Esteem
Diamonds and precious stones are beautiful. Yet usually when they are first discovered in the ground, they are covered with sand and dirt etc. But when you clean them and polish them they begin to sparkle and shine. They reveal their pre existing innate beauty. The human being is the same.
In Lekutei Torah -Emor- the Alter Rebbe explains that each person is a precious stone. A Sapphire. When we count the 49 days of the Omer between Passover and Shavuos - the anniversary of the Ten Commandments- we successfully remove the sand and dirt which cover and hide our inner beauty and we repair our personality flaws.
Self Esteem is when you can embrace all of yourself including your past flaws. They helped you learn and grow. When we focus on the reality that we are the beloved precious children of our loving Father In Heaven and we recognize that we are truly His beautiful diamonds, then we are motivated to remove the “shmutz” and allow our true inner beauty to sparkle and shine.
We are His Ambassadors, therefore we have infinite potential!
We are His Ambassadors, therefore we have infinite potential!
The Alter Rebbe explains that a person is like a tree. Although the tree has prickly branches, leaves, tree bark etc. yet the purpose of the tree is the delicious fruit. So too do we work and engage the physical world, with all it’s externalities in order to survive. But we must remember that the entire tree is primarily about the fruit, our good deeds which we all do. The Torah and Mitzvahs which we perform in our life.
We ask G-d in our daily morning prayer to have mercy on us “May we not be embarrassed for eternity”. ולא נבוש ולא נכלם לעולם ועד. The Alter Rebbe explains that this refers to the time when one looks back at life and will recognize the true purpose of life. We don’t want to then be eternally embarrassed because we recognize that we wasted our life. We “took care of the tree” but we forgot about the fruits. Torah and Mitzvahs.
This is why we have Jewish prayers three times daily. The beautiful words of the prayers remind us and inspire our heart and mind to primarily focus on the “fruits” not on the “trappings” of the tree. Yes of course we must engage the physical world in order to survive. But our goal is the delicious fruits. Our good deeds.
This gives us motivation and inspiration:
We are always beautiful and special. Even if our tree seems covered with branches. Even if our Diamond seems covered in sand and dirt. We have the power to immediately clean up and remove the dirt. We can always be a sparkling shining Diamond. We can always produce delicious fruits of good deeds.
Never view your mistakes as your identity. Mistakes are like sand and dirt which can be cleaned and removed. Your true self is precious and delicious fruits. Your good deeds last for eternity.
3 messages based on the teachings of the Rebbe:
1) On the 14th of Iyar we celebrate Pesach Sheini, the second Passover as a “make up” date for those who couldn't bring the Passover sacrifice in it׳s proper time 30 days earlier. Remember that It’s never to late. One can always fix their past. Even if one messed up and is impure. Never be discouraged. You are always welcome to return to the table of our loving Father In Heaven. You are His beloved child and He cherishs you and loves you unconditionally.
2) Lag B’omer, the 18th day of Iyar, is the day of passing of the holy Talmudic sage Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochei. The holy book of Zohar is his mystical teachings. On this holy day we have a special opportunity to connect to the hidden teachings of Torah. Jewish mysticism and Chabad Chassidus. It is an auspicious day for all blessings. Especially for everything connected to children.
3) Rabbi Akiva had 24,000 students who passed away between Passover and Lag B’omer. Rabbi Akiva famously taught that to love your fellow Jew is the great principle of Torah. We must teach every child to love every Jew unconditionally. We must search deep within ourselves and remove all hate and conflict. Our greatest gift to G-d is to love all of His children. Focus on the good of every Jew, on the Divine soul and you will have a life filled with blessings.
Lchayim
Velvl
Rabbi Velvl Butman
Executive Director
Chabad Lubavitch of Westchester County
Sharing the joy and meaning of Judaism unconditionally!
For more Chabad Inspiration:
ChabadInspiration.com