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An Immigrant in This World Welcome to our special Elul series of Cheshbon HaNefesh (Soul-Searching). We've now completed our 30th reflection, which prompts us to view ourselves as immigrants in this world. This is a celebration of our journey through these 30 spiritual units. Imagine a transient immigrant arriving in a foreign land. He knows no one, and no one knows him. But a compassionate, powerful person takes him in, provides his daily food, and gives him a set of instructions to follow, with clear consequences for disobedience. This guide tells him how to act and that he will eventually leave this land, though the time of departure is unknown. How should this immigrant act? Lessons from the Immigrant Humility: He should be humble, shedding all pride and arrogance. He is a sojourner, not a judge of others, as Lot was told: " One came to sojourn, and he would now judge? " Readiness: He must be ready to leave at a moment's notice and should not become too comfortable. As God says in Vayikra , " The land is Mine, for you are strangers and sojourners with Me. " Understanding the Laws: He must diligently learn the laws and statutes of the land and his obligations. King David expressed this perfectly in Tehillim : " I am a foreigner in the land; do not hide Your commandments from me. " Love for Others: As an immigrant, he should feel a special bond with other foreigners and help them. The Torah commands us, " Love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. " Another verse in Vayikra says, " The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself. " The Ramban suggests that this command, " Love him as yourself, " is even stronger than the general command to love one's neighbor, as we ourselves are immigrants. Clinging to the Guide: He must dedicate himself to the service of the one who is guiding him, as this is the only person who will truly have compassion for him and come to his aid. Like King David, who said, " I looked to my right and I saw that no one was with me; refuge was lost to me; no one cared for my soul. " Unlike the Shunammite woman who felt secure among her own people, we are truly alone but for our Creator. Contentment: He should be content with the minimal necessities provided—food, shelter, and clothing. He should not put excessive effort into accumulating possessions, as he must be ready to travel at any time. The smallest gift should bring him great joy, and he should never stop giving thanks. Tolerance: He should tolerate difficulties and not complain about simple discomforts like a lack of air conditioning, because he is grateful just to be in the country. Our True State My friends, we must accept these conditions of being an alien, because we truly are strangers here. We might think we have friends and allies, but this is an illusion. The proof is how we came into this world. No one was there to help you develop in your mother's womb. No one but God could make your limbs grow and your heart beat. And just as you were alone in the womb, you are alone in this world. No person can truly help you without God. No one can add to your life or take days away from it. As the author asks, " What relationship do you truly have with other people? " You are an immigrant in this world, and you are neither helped by the many nor harmed by the few. You are an isolated individual whose only true ally is your Creator. No one has compassion for you but Him. There may be many distractions in the world, but ultimately there is only one force to focus on. Therefore, dedicate yourself to His service, just as He dedicates Himself to creating, guiding, and sustaining you in life and in death. Keep His Torah before your eyes, hope for His reward, and fear His punishment. By accepting your alien state in this world, you will truly enjoy the delights of the world to come. This powerful message is especially fitting for Erev Rosh Hashanah , as this is what the day is all about—our special one-on-one connection with God. As God says, " I am the Lord, your God " in the singular. We must deal with Him directly, for no one else can truly affect us. This is our final reflection.
29th Heshbon
Sunday, September 21, 2025 • Duration
The Value of the Soul Over the Body Welcome to the Chovot HaLevavot series. We are on Cheshbon 29 , a deep introspection that prompts us to consider the value of our soul over our body. This idea helps us understand why some people hold more weight than others, not in a physical sense, but in their spiritual and moral worth. The Gemara says that a certain person is as valuable as a thousand people. For instance, Moshe Rabbeinu was considered to be worth 600,000 people. This wasn't because he was physically strong, but because of his immense spiritual stature. The Chovot HaLevavot author proves this point by quoting a verse from Shmuel II , chapter 18, verse 3. When King David was going to war, his people insisted he stay behind, saying, " You are worth ten thousand of us ." Targum Yonatan explains this was because David would pray for them. This shows that King David's true value was in his spiritual strength, not his physical might. The Importance of Inner Beauty The same principle applies to a beautiful woman. Her true quality isn't just her physical beauty. If a person is physically beautiful but lacks intellect or has poor character traits, they ultimately aren't attractive. The author quotes a verse from Mishlei (Proverbs): " A gold ring in a swine's snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. " This verse, "Isha yafah v'sarat ta'am," means her beauty is worthless because she is "missing her flavor"—her proper character traits and actions. Another verse from Mishlei, "Sheker ha-chein v'hevel ha-yofi," teaches that charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting. Physical beauty, which is tied to the body, only has true value when it is accompanied by a beautiful soul. Once we realize this, we understand that our true value is our spiritual worth. You Are Not Your Body To illustrate this point, consider the story of actor Christopher Reeve, who played Superman. After a horse-riding accident left him paralyzed, he fell into a deep depression. For a year, he withdrew from the public eye. When he finally re-emerged, he was asked what gave him the strength to do so. His answer was profound: " I realized I'm not my body. " This is a powerful statement we should all internalize. Our true qualities are spiritual. When we understand this, we realize the importance of prioritizing our soul over our body. When God looks at us, He sees the merits and blemishes of our souls. He looks at our midot tovot (good character traits), and our choices to follow either our good or evil inclinations. What makes us special is what's inside, not what's outside. A Spiritual Spa As we prepare for the High Holidays, our focus must be on our spiritual well-being. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz once said, " Elul is a spa. " The month of Elul and especially the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah (Ten Days of Repentance) are like going to a spa. Just as a physical spa uses massages, salts, and minerals to make the body stronger and healthier, these 40 days are a spiritual spa. They give us the ability to enhance and improve everything about ourselves. We must tend to our soul more than our body, knowing that it is easier to cure our body from a grave disease than to heal our soul from the sickness of sin and the yetzer hara (evil inclination). Another verse from Mishlei, "Ru'ach ish y'chalkeil machaleihu, v'ru'ach n'ka'ah mi yisa'ena," translates to: " A person's spirit can endure a physical ailment, but who can bear a crushed spirit? " This teaches us that a spiritual ailment is far more difficult to bear than a physical one. This is why another verse in Mishlei says, "Mi-kol mishmar, netzor libecha," —" Guard your heart above all else. " We put fences, gates, and security around our homes, our money, and other valuables. But the most precious commodity we have is our heart and spirit. It needs the most guarding and protection of all.
28th Heshbon
Friday, September 19, 2025 • Duration
What Happens When Trust Is Tested? This text is a discussion of the 28th cheshbon (reckoning) from Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh (Gate of Introspection), focusing on a high level of bitachon (trust in God) and what happens when that trust is tested. The highest level of bitachon isn't just relying on God to get what you want. It's about complete self-surrender—giving your life, your money, and your children to God, trusting that He knows what's best. The true test of this trust comes when things don't go the way you expected, and God gives you something you didn't bargain for. To explain this, the text uses a parable: imagine a man gives his nephew a house and a field as an outright gift. The nephew then decides to tear down the house and rebuild it. If the uncle returns years later and finds his gift unrecognizable, does he have a right to be upset? Of course not, because he gave it away completely. It's now the nephews to do with as he pleases. Similarly, if we dedicate our soul and our resources to God, we can't complain or mourn when He does something we don't like. We must trust that He knows what's best, even if it doesn't look that way to us. We should not retract our commitment or show expressions of pain and upset, especially since God has been taking care of us all our lives. The text then references several biblical sources to support this idea: Hosea 11:3-4 : God says, "I trained Ephraim, I took them by My arms, but they didn't know that I healed them." This verse highlights that God is often working behind the scenes to help us, and we are not always aware of His care. Rabbenu Yonah in his commentary to Mishlei (Chapter 3) adds some other sources: Psalm 31:6 : We say nightly, "Into Your hands I commit my spirit." This isn't just a bedtime prayer; it's a declaration of trust, asking God to guide our path because He knows what is best for us. Job 2:10 : When Job's wife tells him to curse God, he replies, "Shall we accept good from God, and not accept evil?" This shows that we must accept all that comes from God, both good and bad, as part of His plan. Proverbs 3:12 : "For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, just as a father rebukes the son whom he favors." This verse teaches that hardships are not punishments but a sign of God's love and a means for our growth, just as a father disciplines a child he loves. This introspection reminds us that even when life doesn't go as planned, our trust in God should remain unshaken. He is always working for our benefit, even when we don't understand it.
27th Heshbon
Thursday, September 18, 2025 • Duration
Two Ways to Tolerate Suffering The Chovot HaLevavot emphasizes that there are two ways to endure suffering ( sevel ). The first is to accept the "load" God has given you willingly and with a good heart. This is the positive approach. The second is to carry it against your will, with complaints and anger. The Chovot HaLevavot contrasts these two approaches using two verses from the book of Yeshiah: The positive way: "I am waiting for God, who is hiding His face... and I hope for Him." This verse describes a person who knows God is present, even when He seems hidden, and they remain hopeful. The negative way: "And when he becomes hungry, he gets angry and curses his king and his God." This verse illustrates a person who reacts to hardship with rage and defiance. Abraham's Example and the Desert Generation To further illustrate the difference, the Chovot HaLevavot uses two examples from Jewish tradition: Abraham: He was praised not for simply enduring his ten trials, but because he accepted them willingly and with a good heart ( beratzon uvetov levav ). The verse "You found his heart faithful before You" highlights his faithful mindset. The Desert Generation: Their sin was not simply that they faced difficulties, but that they were "upset and their heart was not with God and with Moses." The verse "their heart was not honest with Him" shows that their negative reaction was what made them guilty. The Purpose of Challenges The Chovot HaLevavot highlights that there are different types of challenges and their purpose may not always be clear. They can be: Tests: To help you grow and earn a greater reward. The speaker emphasizes that these are not necessarily a punishment for wrongdoing. Punishments: To help you atone for your sins and get back on the right path. We will never know which of these purposes a specific challenge serves. It's important to remember that challenges are not always an indication that you've done something wrong. Regardless of the reason, all of God's ways are either kindness ( chesed ) or truth ( emet ), as stated in Psalms: "All the ways of God are kind and true." They are either meant to increase your reward (kindness) or to help you atone and get back on track (truth). The Importance of Mindset The Chovot HaLevavot concludes with a powerful message: "Do not fail to think about this all the time." By consistently reflecting on the idea that challenges are here to help us grow and find atonement, you can: Strengthen your ability to tolerate hardship. Make it easier to weather life's storms. Show that you accept God's will. This understanding brings comfort, as King David said: "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." It also shows faith ( bitachon ), and strengthens the heart of all who hope in God.
26th Heshbon
Wednesday, September 17, 2025 • Duration
The Fear of Punishment and the Fear of God Welcome to the "Heshbon HaNefesh" (Soul Accounting) series. The 26th reflection asks: What happens when a person in authority gives you a command and you're afraid of being punished if you don't listen? The parallel for us today isn't a king, but a police officer, a mayor, or a governor. Think about driving on the highway and seeing a police car with its lights on in your rearview mirror. Your heart drops in fear of getting a ticket, and then you realize the officer is chasing someone else. That moment of relief can be a powerful trigger for self-reflection. This event is a mashal (parable or analogy) for our relationship with God. Why are we so concerned with the arbitrary rules of society—like a speed limit that can change from 35 mph to 25 mph—and so afraid of their consequences, yet we are not equally concerned with God's commandments? The fear of getting a ticket feels immediate and real, but the fear of God's punishment often feels distant. What's the difference? A human authority figure has limitations. They can't always see you and are often distracted. God, on the other hand, is constantly watching. He is never preoccupied or deterred. This realization should lead to a profound question: Why do I not have a similar fear of God? Lessons from Judgment and the High Holidays This is especially relevant as we approach the High Holidays. There is a story about a great rabbi who would visit a court during the month of Elul (leading up to the High Holidays). He would sit and watch people's fear as they were judged, observing how much time and effort they put into their cases. This, for him, was a living mashal for the coming Day of Judgment. Rabbeinu Yonah , in the second gate of his work Shaarei Teshuva , discusses the Aseret Yemei Teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance). He uses the example of a person in a real-life court case to inspire repentance. He writes that an intelligent person should feel a certain shame. Here we are, standing before God, whose decrees are everlasting and who is constantly overseeing our actions, yet we go through life without a fear of God or a fear of punishment, continuing to sin while He watches. The Supernatural Disconnect Rav Yitzchak of Petersburg , a student of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter , offered a profound insight: There is an almost supernatural trait in humans that prevents us from fearing God as we fear people. If we truly grasped that God is all-powerful, ever-present, and could punish us at any moment, our free will might disappear. We would be so terrified that we could never sin. God, in His mercy, created this "disconnect" that allows us to ignore this fear and maintain our freedom of choice. This is the deeper meaning behind the famous story of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai telling his students on his deathbed, "May you fear God as you fear a human." When they responded, "Is that all?" he replied, "Would that it were! Fearing a human is a great thing." We are able to be ashamed of our actions in front of others, but we struggle with the same shame before God. Arrogance and Inattentional Blindness So why do we lack this fear? A verse from Psalms (10:4) may provide an answer: "Due to his arrogance, the wicked one does not seek; all his thoughts are, 'There is no God.'" The verse uses the term " bal yidrosh " ("he does not seek"), which is particularly striking when we remember that the Ten Days of Repentance are called "Drashu Hashem Behimatzo" ("Seek God when He is to be found"). The wicked person's arrogance blocks them from seeking God. This is also supported by another verse: "Your heart will become arrogant, and you will forget." Arrogance causes us to forget God. This concept can be understood through "inattentional blindness," a psychological phenomenon where a person fails to notice a fully visible, unexpected object because their attention is focused on something else. We are so focused on our own affairs and our own ego that we fail to see God's presence in the world. Our arrogance creates an interference. It's not just inattention; it's an attentional blindness driven by our desire to see ourselves, not God. Like a clinician who is so hyper-focused on looking for one specific thing on an X-ray that they miss something else, we become so focused on our own lives that we don't see God unless we actively look for Him. Arrogance causes us to not want to see Him. That's why we fear the police officer but not God—our arrogance gets in the way. This leads to the crucial first step of Rosh Hashanah : humility . By humbling ourselves, we can remove the arrogance that blinds us. Only then can we begin to see God and truly turn back to Him.
25th Heshbon
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 • Duration
Welcome to Our Elul Project: The Journey of the Soul Welcome to "Sha'ar Cheshbon HaNefesh," our 30-day Elul project. Today, we're on "cheshbon" number 25. This reflection is for those moments when we realize we're too fixated on this world, giving it more attention than the next one. This is a common human tendency, and as the text says, we have to actively work on strengthening our love for the world to come. How do we do this? By comparing the two. This world is short-lived, while the next is eternal. The Ba'alei Mussar (scholars of ethical teachings) offer a powerful "mashal" (parable) to help us grasp the concept of eternity. Imagine a stadium completely filled with sand. Once every 100 years, a single bird comes and removes just one grain. The time it would take for the entire stadium to be emptied is still not eternity. This helps us understand that forever is a concept our minds can't fully grasp. The Two Worlds: A Painful Conflict Chovot HaLevavot teaches that just as you can't have fire and water in the same pot; similarly, you can't have love for this world and the next world in your heart at the same time. While we all have earthly interests, the key is determining which is the dominant force. The text compares the two worlds to a man with two wives. The Hebrew word for a second wife, "tzarah," literally means "pain" because they're in a painful rivalry for their husband's attention. In this parable, we are the husband, and both worlds are vying for our focus. The Talmud reinforces this idea with a similar story. Two students were learning from their rabbi: one wanted to study Mussar (ethical teachings) and the other Gemara (Talmudic law). The rabbi couldn't satisfy both. He shared a parable about a man in his 40s with both black and white hair, who was married to a young wife and an old wife. The young wife would pluck out his white hairs to make him look younger, while the old wife would pluck out his black hairs to make him look older. In the end, he was left with no hair at all. This illustrates that we can't please both worlds; we must choose one as our primary focus. Caring for Both Body and Soul The text explains that we have both a body and a soul, and both require proper care. To strengthen the soul, we need Mussar (ethical teachings), wisdom, and self-control. To strengthen the body, we need food, drink, and proper health care. While we can't completely ignore either, one must be in charge. We should prioritize the soul, which is everlasting, over the short-lived body. A person who focuses too much on their body will ultimately weaken both their body and soul. We can draw some parallels between the two: Your body needs three meals a day, and your soul needs three prayers a day ( Shacharit, Mincha, and Ma'ariv ). Your body has physical health; your soul has spiritual health. Your body has 248 organs and 365 sinews, and your soul has 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments. Rabbi Wolbe used to say that he made a point to spread out his "meals" of prayer throughout the day, praying Shacharit in the morning, Mincha in the early afternoon, and Ma'ariv in the evening. This ensures that the soul receives consistent nourishment, just as the body does with regular meals. The Middle Path and Your Yearly Check-Up A verse from Kohelet cautions us against extremes: "Don't be overly righteous or overly wise, why destroy yourself? Don't be overly wicked or a fool, why die ahead of your time?" This means we must avoid either extreme, finding a balance where our main focus is the soul, but we also care for the body so it can be a healthy vessel for the soul. The text clarifies that "dying ahead of your time" doesn't mean a physical death, but rather the death of one's soul, which can be drowned in a sea of desire. The phrase "hold on to your destiny" means to stay connected to your spiritual purpose, but "do not detach yourself from this world." We need this world to reach the next one. As the saying goes, "This world is a vestibule to the world to come." We prepare ourselves in this world for the ultimate palace. Rabbi Miller taught that a key to greatness is to spend at least 60 seconds a day thinking about the world to come. This is especially relevant during the High Holidays. Our sages teach us that on Rosh Hashanah , the righteous are sealed for life, the wicked for death, and those in the middle have until Yom Kippur. Tosafot clarifies that this "life and death" doesn't refer to physical existence, but rather our spiritual life in the world to come. Every year, we are judged on the spiritual health of our souls, based on the Torah, mitzvot (commandments), and chesed (kindness) we've performed. The High Holidays are our "yearly spiritual physical." We use this time to get our spiritual lives in shape, just as we work out to improve our physical health. Through these "cheshbonot," or spiritual reckonings, we are performing a 30-point physical to ensure everything is in proper order, securing a more meaningful destiny in the world to come. What's one small step you can take today to focus more on your soul?
24th Heshbon
Monday, September 15, 2025 • Duration
Heshbon 24: Re-enlightening Our Learning Welcome to the 24th lesson in our Heshbon HaNefesh (Accounting of the Soul) series. Today's lesson is a continuation of our previous one, but instead of focusing on the physical world, we turn our curious minds inward to the realm of Torah knowledge. This lesson is about re-examining the spiritual concepts we have known since childhood—the stories of the Torah , the words of our Sages, and the liturgy of our prayers. When we are young, we learn these things on a simple, foundational level. As we grow older, our intellectual capacity to understand them deepens, but a new challenge arises: complacency. We become so familiar with these concepts that we stop looking for more. Do you truly understand the stories of the Avot or Adam and Chava in their full depth? We must not be satisfied with the understanding we gained in our youth. Instead, we should approach the Torah and the words of the prophets as if we are reading them for the very first time. Probe the words, analyze the concepts, and seek out their deeper meanings. The Dangers of Arrogance and the Power of Humility The same is true for our prayers. Many of us say our daily prayers without a full understanding of the words. It is crucial to get a Hebrew-English Siddur (prayer book) and strive to understand what you are saying. Don't settle for the level of comprehension you had as a child. Chovot HaLevavot offers a critical piece of advice: "Do not let your arrogance seduce you" ( Al Tasi'acha HaGaavah ). Arrogance is the main obstacle to deeper understanding. It makes us think, "I know this story already; there's nothing new here." We are often too proud to admit that we have been looking at things superficially for years. It's difficult to acknowledge a gap in our knowledge and say, "Wow, I never heard that before. I didn't know that!" For example, a person might hear that Pinchas was not a Kohen when he killed Zimri and only became one afterward. The first reaction might be, "That can't be! No one ever told me that." It is hard to admit such ignorance. But this arrogance is the work of the Yetzer HaRa (Evil Inclination), which tries to prevent us from delving deeper, making us believe we are already full-fledged sages. The Wise Man and the Fool The Book of Proverbs says, "Do you see a person wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him." In contrast, "The wise man's eyes are in his head." What does this mean? It means the wise person constantly re-evaluates and strengthens his old ideas. A fool, on the other hand, is like a person traveling a long road in the dark who never looks back. The verse says, "The fool walks in darkness." King Solomon says, "I saw that wisdom is better than folly, as light is better than darkness." The fool walks in darkness, and the only way to turn the lights back on is by delving into the words of Torah , by analyzing them. This is why we pray every day, "Enlighten our eyes in Your Torah ." ( V'Ha'er Eineinu B'Toratecha ). This enlightenment doesn't happen by rote repetition. It happens by pushing ourselves to understand, by breaking away from our preconceived notions, and by allowing the light of Torah to truly illuminate our souls. This is our Heshbon .
23rd Heshbon
Sunday, September 14, 2025 • Duration
Heshbon 23: The Curious Mind Welcome to the 23rd lesson in our special Elul series. Today's heshbon , or accounting, focuses on how we view the world, cultivating what we'll call a "curious mind" or a "learner's approach." This concept is rooted in Shaar HaBechinah , the "Gate of Probing." Bechinah means to examine, to test, to constantly feel and probe everything around you. It's about looking for and trying to understand the smallest creations as well as the largest—from inanimate objects to human beings, from the sun and moon to the wind and rain, from a newborn baby to all the wonders of nature. Each of these creations reveals God's perfect wisdom, His power, His supervision, and His profound mercy over all that exists. Overcoming Apathy: The Constant Miracle So why don't we do this? Chovot HaLevavot warns us not to be seduced by the familiar. We are so used to seeing these things that we lose our sense of awe. The "wow" effect is gone. We may be amazed by something we've never seen before, like a solar eclipse, but we fail to see the daily miracle of the sun and moon, the constant rain, or the regular wind. As the Chazon Ish once said, the only difference between a miracle and nature is that nature is a constant miracle. We don't get amazed by what is constant. We are excited by a strange animal at the zoo but not by the familiar trees on our street. We would be amazed if manna fell from the heavens today, but we are apathetic to the equally miraculous fact that wheat grows from the ground, providing us with bread. The only difference is that one we're used to, and one we're not. The problem is that we got used to these miracles when we were young, before our intellect was fully developed. As we've gotten older, our familiarity has led us to stop thinking, looking, and wondering. Seeing with New Eyes The goal is to look at the world as if you've never seen it before. Try this exercise: on Rosh Hashanah morning, open your eyes and look at the world like a Martian who has just landed. Look at a tree and ask: "What is this hard, wooden thing growing out of the soft dirt? How does it grow? How do the leaves come out of it?" We walk past trees every day, but by looking at them with a child's curiosity, we rediscover their wondrous nature. Chovot HaLevavot suggests that in a sense, we are all "blind" until we open our "mind's eye." The fool, he says, is like the blind person. When he begins to open his mind's eye, he becomes a seeing person. This is what happened when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge. The verse says, "Their eyes were opened" ( Va'Tifkachena Einei Sh'neihem ). They were not physically blind beforehand; rather, they gained intellectual understanding. This idea of a "mind's eye" is also reflected in the Four Species of Sukkot. The three myrtle branches ( hadasim ) represent our eyes. We have two physical eyes, but a third one is for our mind—for our curiosity. This "third eye" also needs to be perfected. Lift Your Eyes to the Heavens Don't ignore this essential part of your soul. Do not continue on the same path you've been on until now. Start opening your eyes. A sage once said, "The heart of the wise has eyes," meaning they see what fools do not. The prophet Isaiah cries out, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the beginning?" He then implores us, "Lift up your eyes on high and see! Who created these?" ( S'u Marom Eineichem U'Reu Mi Bara Eileh ). God brings out the stars by number, calling each by name, "because of His great might and strong power." This is our job: to lift our eyes to the heavens and to all of creation. Interestingly, the first Hebrew letters of S'u Marom Eineichem spell Shema ( Shin , Mem , Ayin ). Before we say the Shema prayer, we are meant to appreciate the very things God created, as mentioned in the blessing of Yotzer HaMe'orot (Who creates the luminaries). It's all there for us to see. Our job is to be curious and to keep our youthful sense of wonder alive.
22nd Heshbon
Saturday, September 13, 2025 • Duration
Uniting for a Shared Burden: An Elul Reflection on Human Interaction Welcome to our special Elul series, a journey through the principles of Shaar HaCheshbon HaNefesh (Gate of the Accounting of the Soul). In this 22nd lesson, we focus on how to approach our interactions with others, whether it's in business, community, or daily life. The core principle to embody is "Love your friend like yourself" ( V'ahavta L're'acha Kamocha ). This means you should desire for others what you desire for yourself, and feel aversion for them regarding what you would not want for yourself. Treat everyone with compassion and mercy, and strive to ensure their well-being. This concept, though applicable year-round, is especially crucial as we prepare for Rosh Hashanah, a time when we stand together as one unit to accept God as our King. The Parable of the Travelers Imagine a small group of people traveling to a distant country. The path is steep and difficult, requiring them to spend many nights camping together. Each person has a heavy load, and they must constantly load and unload their animals on their own. If they were to work together, helping one another with the burdens and easing the overall effort, they would surely succeed. But if they are incompatible, unable to agree on a shared plan, and each person only looks out for their own interests, they will all become exhausted. This is a parable for the world we live in today. He states, "The world bears down on its inhabitants" ( Kaved HaOlam Al Yoshvav ). Why is so much effort required? Because everyone focuses on their own portion, wanting more than their due. When people demand what is not theirs, they end up losing even what is rightfully theirs. Think of it like traffic gridlock. If every driver only cared about themselves, trying to squeeze ahead and run a red light, the entire flow of traffic would stop. Nobody would get to their destination smoothly. This is a metaphor for life. Life is a constant gridlock because people lack patience and concern for others. This is why we are so often dissatisfied and complain—we demand too much from the world, and in turn, the world withholds even our essential needs, forcing us to overexert ourselves. The Benefits of a Collective Mindset If people were satisfied with what they have and worked to improve their own well-being alongside everyone else's, they would "conquer their world" ( Hayu Menatzchim Olamam ) and "get even more than they want out of it" ( U'Magi'im El Yoter MiChaftzam Bo ). Instead, not only do people fail to help one another, they often hinder each other, diluting everyone's abilities and preventing anyone from getting what they truly need. This is further illustrated by a parable found in the Siddur HaGra (Prayer Book of the Vilna Gaon): Imagine a town that catches fire. In those days, everyone would run with pails of water to put out the blaze. But what did those who lacked concern for the common good do? They would pour their water directly on their own storefronts. This might stop the fire from spreading to their property, but the fire would still rage and burn down many other buildings. If everyone had gone with their pails to the source of the fire and worked together, the fire would have been extinguished entirely. This is the lesson for Rosh Hashanah and for every day of the year. We must be concerned with God's kingdom, the success of the Jewish people as a whole, and our collective service to God. If we stop looking at our own "storefronts" and instead unite our prayers and energy at the source of the fire—the spiritual "fire" of the world's brokenness—then redemption will come. The Power of Empathy and Good Counsel Therefore, strive to live your life in a way that reflects this mindset. Seek out loyal friends and interact with them in an honest and wholehearted manner. The Book of Proverbs states, "Oil and incense gladden the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's heartfelt counsel." ( Shemen U'Ktoret Yesamach Lev, U'Metek Rei'ehu Mei'Atzat Nafesh ). Giving someone good counsel is more valuable than any physical gift or comfort. Focus on the betterment of your family, your community, and the world at large. This may seem like an act of selflessness, but as explained, in the end, it is truly an act of enlightened self-interest , because a world that is whole and harmonious benefits everyone.
21st Heshbon
Friday, September 12, 2025 • Duration
Elul Introspection: Breaking Through Spiritual Plateaus Welcome to our special Elul series on C hovot HaLevavot**. In this 21st introspection, we'll explore how to overcome spiritual dead ends—those moments when you feel you can't grow or develop beyond your current level. The path to spiritual growth isn't always a smooth upward climb. Sometimes we hit a plateau, a point where our current efforts seem to yield no further progress. The key is to not give up. Here's a powerful framework for breaking through these barriers. The Power of Sincere Desire and Prayer First, you must sincerely desire to grow. As the author explains, the first step is to "yiksof lo bilvav" —to desire in your heart. Let the next step in your spiritual journey be on your "wish list," constantly on your mind. Next, and most importantly, ask God for help . Pray for the ability to understand and to act. When you consistently ask God for assistance, He will eventually fulfill your needs. He will "open up the gates of understanding" and strengthen you to do what was previously beyond your capacity. This concept is rooted in the verse from Isaiah 48:17 : "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you for your benefit, who leads you on the path you should take." This verse is the source for the famous statement in the Talmud: "On the path a person wants to go, they are led." If you take the initial step, God will guide you, revealing shortcuts and insights you never knew existed. Incremental Effort, Divine Assistance This principle applies not just to spiritual growth but to all areas of life, from crafts to academic study. A teacher of geometry, for example, starts with practical problems before moving to theory. As the student masters the basics and continues to strive, God reveals the deeper theoretical principles to them. This idea is highlighted by the Gemara in Bava Batra 12b which says, "A wise man is greater than a prophet." The author applies this to all wisdom, explaining that there's a level of "prophecy" in every discipline. When you push your abilities to the maximum, God grants you a deeper, intuitive understanding beyond what you learned. This is the essence of our entire spiritual service. The Chovot HaEivarim (external commandments) are meant to awaken the Chovot HaLevavot (internal commandments). Our physical actions have the power to arouse our hearts. The verse in Devarim 30:14 says, "For the matter is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it." This means that by doing God's will with our bodies, we will eventually be able to do it with our hearts. Since our natural human desires often create obstacles, it is through our dedicated physical efforts that God opens the gates to spiritual enlightenment. The author uses the analogy of a person planting trees. The farmer's job is to prepare the soil, water the saplings, and fertilize them. He does all he can and then relies on God to bring the fruit. You cannot neglect your responsibilities and expect a miracle. Similarly, in Avodat Hashem (service of God), if you make an earnest effort, God will grant you abilities far beyond your natural capacity. The Ladder of Spiritual Growth This concept also sheds light on the Mishnah in Pirkei Avot 4:9 : "One who fulfills the Torah in poverty will ultimately fulfill it in wealth." While this can mean a person who serves God with limited money will eventually be blessed with wealth, the author offers a deeper interpretation: One who starts with a "poverty of abilities" but makes a sincere effort, will ultimately be given a "wealth of abilities" by God. This is the entire premise of the Mesilat Yesharim's spiritual ladder, which progresses from Torah to Zehirot (diligence), to Zerizut (alacrity), and so on, ultimately reaching the level of prophecy. Each step is a prerequisite for the next, with God providing the help needed to ascend. The key takeaway is clear: God gives us help when we maximize our own abilities. If we ignore what we can do, we cannot expect divine assistance. As Rabbeinu Yonah writes in the beginning of Sha'arei Teshuvah , a person's effort leads to God giving them abilities beyond their natural ones. This is akin to God "circumcising your heart," removing the spiritual impediments that are too difficult for us to remove on our own—but only after we have done everything we can.
