Life would be quite different with a Navi (prophet). Think about the numerous questions we deal with over the course of our lives. I'm not talking about questions like what type of cereal you should eat in the morning (although, if you are asking me, I'd definitely recommend Honey Bunches of Oats, without a question!), or which hand soap you should use.
I'm talking about big questions that come up that require big decisions. Should I do this for a living or that? Is this person my bashert? What parenting method should I implement for this struggling child? What shul is best for me and my family? What is my particular role in the collective framework of Klal Yisroel? And so on.
In the times of old, you could call up (ok fine, you probably would have to walk to their home and speak in person!) a local reputable Navi, ask him your important questions, and walk out with a great sense of clarity as to what your decision should be. How amazing is that! Of course, this Navi era in Jewish history had its own set of shortcomings, but we can surely appreciate the incredible clarity that must have been felt in times of great question and need.
Today, in the 21st century, we no longer have a Navi to go to. We have Rabbanim, teachers, and mentors, for sure. But an actual Navi, someone who can guide you with a heightened level of Ruach Hakodesh, doesn't exist today.
Or does it? I'd like to share with you an idea based on Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin, in his sefer Tzidkas HaTzadik. The Rebbe explains that every person has some type of deficiency, something that he lacks and fails in. However, in that place of deficiency and failure, therein lies this person's very advantage and path toward success (see Tzidkas HaTzadik, Par. 70, 76, and 181).
It's true, we don't have the technical Navi to guide us. But Jewish wisdom teaches that we certainly have a different type of guide, a "Navi," if you will. It's called our struggles! Our struggles (the areas in life where we have a tendency to fall) are our inner Navi that is meant to guide us toward a path of greatness. Our struggles are not random, and they are certainly not a death sentence; rather, our struggles are actually a G-d-given "prophecy" telling us where exactly we can excel and become great.
People tend to write themselves off as failures in whatever areas they struggle with over a period of time. Take shacharis as an example. A person who has been consistently waking up late and neglecting proper shacharis for years assumes that he's just not a shacharis guy and will never be. This is furthest from the truth. Based on Rav Tzadok's teaching, we see the exact opposite: the mere fact that this person struggles with shacharis is the greatest proof and sign that this person, in particular, can become the most amazing shacharis guy.
Take another example. A person who struggles with Shemiras Einayim tends to think that this is simply his disposition and will remain this way forever. In truth, however, the fact that he struggles with this nisayon is the greatest proof and sign that he can become a person who has tremendous control regarding what he sees. This person's struggles are not random; they are telling him that he can excel in matters of kedusha.
Reframing our struggles from "failures" to "recipes for achieving greatness" is one of the most important things we can do in life.
The Torah tells us (Tzav, 6:18) - במקום אשר תשחט העולה תשחט החטאת, "In the place where the elevation-offering is slaughtered shall the sin-offering be slaughtered." This is perplexing. The Korban Olah (elevation-offering) is brought by someone who wishes to bring a gift to Hashem, and this holy offering is completely elevated to Hashem. In contrast, the Korban Chatas (sin-offering) is brought by someone who committed an actionable sin; he did something wrong.
Yet, the Torah tells us that their offerings are brought in the same exact place. Wild, right!?
But it makes so much sense, because remember: the very place of struggle indicates the place of tremendous growth. The struggles (represented by the sin-offering) are mamish in the same place as the growth (represented by the elevation-offering).
Shabbos HaGadol is a reminder that wherever it is we think we are small, therein lies our ability to be great. Where we think we are קטן, we are capable of becoming גדול. Shabbos HaGadol was the moment that we took the impure god of the Egyptians and used that very deity in the service of our Creator as the Korban Pesach.
Shabbos HaGadol is a time to say those same words we say at a Bris: זה הקטן גדול יהיה - this katan will become a gadol!
Yes, we were on the 49th level of tumah, but it was davka in that place where Hashem took us out and told us that we can become so great!
On this Shabbos, think of the areas in your life where you feel small, think of all the places that you struggle in, and remember that in this very place you can become so incredibly great!
Have a holy Shabbos!
Life would be quite different with a Navi (prophet). Think about the numerous questions we deal with over the course of our lives. I'm not talking about questions like what type of cereal you should eat in the morning (although, if you are asking me, I'd definitely recommend Honey Bunches of Oats, without a question!), or which hand soap you should use.
I'm talking about big questions that come up that require big decisions. Should I do this for a living or that? Is this person my bashert? What parenting method should I implement for this struggling child? What shul is best for me and my family? What is my particular role in the collective framework of Klal Yisroel? And so on.
In the times of old, you could call up (ok fine, you probably would have to walk to their home and speak in person!) a local reputable Navi, ask him your important questions, and walk out with a great sense of clarity as to what your decision should be. How amazing is that! Of course, this Navi era in Jewish history had its own set of shortcomings, but we can surely appreciate the incredible clarity that must have been felt in times of great question and need.
Today, in the 21st century, we no longer have a Navi to go to. We have Rabbanim, teachers, and mentors, for sure. But an actual Navi, someone who can guide you with a heightened level of Ruach Hakodesh, doesn't exist today.
Or does it? I'd like to share with you an idea based on Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin, in his sefer Tzidkas HaTzadik. The Rebbe explains that every person has some type of deficiency, something that he lacks and fails in. However, in that place of deficiency and failure, therein lies this person's very advantage and path toward success (see Tzidkas HaTzadik, Par. 70, 76, and 181).
It's true, we don't have the technical Navi to guide us. But Jewish wisdom teaches that we certainly have a different type of guide, a "Navi," if you will. It's called our struggles! Our struggles (the areas in life where we have a tendency to fall) are our inner Navi that is meant to guide us toward a path of greatness. Our struggles are not random, and they are certainly not a death sentence; rather, our struggles are actually a G-d-given "prophecy" telling us where exactly we can excel and become great.
People tend to write themselves off as failures in whatever areas they struggle with over a period of time. Take shacharis as an example. A person who has been consistently waking up late and neglecting proper shacharis for years assumes that he's just not a shacharis guy and will never be. This is furthest from the truth. Based on Rav Tzadok's teaching, we see the exact opposite: the mere fact that this person struggles with shacharis is the greatest proof and sign that this person, in particular, can become the most amazing shacharis guy.
Take another example. A person who struggles with Shemiras Einayim tends to think that this is simply his disposition and will remain this way forever. In truth, however, the fact that he struggles with this nisayon is the greatest proof and sign that he can become a person who has tremendous control regarding what he sees. This person's struggles are not random; they are telling him that he can excel in matters of kedusha.
Reframing our struggles from "failures" to "recipes for achieving greatness" is one of the most important things we can do in life.
The Torah tells us (Tzav, 6:18) - במקום אשר תשחט העולה תשחט החטאת, "In the place where the elevation-offering is slaughtered shall the sin-offering be slaughtered." This is perplexing. The Korban Olah (elevation-offering) is brought by someone who wishes to bring a gift to Hashem, and this holy offering is completely elevated to Hashem. In contrast, the Korban Chatas (sin-offering) is brought by someone who committed an actionable sin; he did something wrong.
Yet, the Torah tells us that their offerings are brought in the same exact place. Wild, right!?
But it makes so much sense, because remember: the very place of struggle indicates the place of tremendous growth. The struggles (represented by the sin-offering) are mamish in the same place as the growth (represented by the elevation-offering).
Shabbos HaGadol is a reminder that wherever it is we think we are small, therein lies our ability to be great. Where we think we are קטן, we are capable of becoming גדול. Shabbos HaGadol was the moment that we took the impure god of the Egyptians and used that very deity in the service of our Creator as the Korban Pesach.
Shabbos HaGadol is a time to say those same words we say at a Bris: זה הקטן גדול יהיה - this katan will become a gadol!
Yes, we were on the 49th level of tumah, but it was davka in that place where Hashem took us out and told us that we can become so great!
On this Shabbos, think of the areas in your life where you feel small, think of all the places that you struggle in, and remember that in this very place you can become so incredibly great!
Have a holy Shabbos!
