This was posted last year but I think it's a very important message and good to reread.
Now that we are in Elul and it's a time for all of us to do teshuva, I feel that there is something very important to remember.
There are so many areas in which we can all improve. I don't know if there is anyone who can say that they feel that Elul is here and they don't know what to work on.
If you need some ideas, here they are - working on anger, patience, respecting your parents and people older than you, shmiras halashon, judging favorably, saying brachos with kavannah, tefillah, noticing Hashem in your life more, thanking Hashem, complimenting others, spending time wisely = not wasting time, jealously and the list goes on and on...
Anyway, what I wanted to point out is that when a person tries to work on something and then feels like that specific thing they chose to fix is becoming soo much harder to do, here's what you can think of.
Here's the mashal: When someone is walking down the street holding a bag of garbage, he doesn't have to think for a minute that someone will rob him and try to steal his dirty bag. But when someone is holding a bag full of diamonds, he has to be careful with it and make sure that no one steal it! The robber wont bother chasing the guy who is on his way to throw out his garbage but he will look out for someone carrying those diamonds and jewels.
It works the same way with the yetzer hara - whenever he sees that you have something valuable to gain, that's precisely when he will go and "chase you" and make it hard for you to succeed! Only because he knows that you have something really great at the end, if he loses, that's when he goes and makes it hard for you! That's when it's worth the fight for him!
So when you are trying to work on something and that specific thing gets hard for you (like, you are working sooo hard on talking respectfully to your parents, why is it that today you feel this massive urge to answer back?!), just remember that the yetzer hara is putting up a fight because he sees that you will get major zechusim if you win!
So keep trying - especially when it's hard for you, because know that when you win, you will be on top and your reward is even greater than all the diamonds and jewels!!
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Thanks for this! I really needed to read something like this, especially with the high holidays coming up!
ReplyDeleteWOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is just so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so AAAAMMMMMAAZINGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you so much for sharing this! i love the way this was all nicely put together!
ReplyDeletei also realy neaded to hear something like this! Gosh in a way i think this year is much more scary than other years because Rosh Hashana is in only 2weeks and in past years it hasn't been so close as this after camp!
wow!!!!!!!!!! its so true. this yr i worked on myself & during the "battle" it became almost impossible. i wanted to give up, but i got a lot of encouragement & continued until i completed where i wanted to get up until. now i didnt want to continue working on myself (to much energy) & after i read this, i think i will!!
ReplyDeletei think its important to remember that even when we work on something its never laid to rest. we can never relax it bcz as soon as we put down our guard the yetzer hara seizes the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteSarah-I'm so glad you liked it. Keep coming back for more inspiration!
ReplyDeleteLiat-that's true. But if you realize how little time you have left, hopefully you will take advantage and use every moment!
Anon-thanks, I'm so happy this helped give you the push you needed to continue. Don't let that yetzer hara win!
am-that's a really good point. It's like the mashal with someone standing on an escalator that's going downwards. If s/he stops moving for even a moment, the fall begins. We must keep climbing and never stop!