BS’D
Today’s daily dose is dedicated to the refuah shleimah of Gila bat Sarah Amalia. May Hashem shower her with a complete healing b’riut hanefesh v’b’riut haguf among all of those sick and suffering in Klal Yisrael, Amen.
How do we awaken ourselves to serve Hashem with enthusiasm? It is common for us to feel drawn down by routine behavior. How do we remain inspired? Connected? Chazal offer us some practical insights.
Though our hearts may not be fully enthused to do a mitzvah, as the Nike commercial goes, ‘Just do it!!’ We learn this trait from Avraham Avinu ztk’l when he rose early in the morning to perform Hashem’s command. When the opportunity rises to be involved in performing a mitzvah, see it as an invitation from Hashem, a one-time call just for you! Just do it!
Another essential ingredient to remain inspired is to be weary of the negative trait of laziness. Rav Luzzatto ztk’l in his famous book ‘Path of the Just’ teaches that mankind is controlled by the force of gravity, pulling him down into a state of heaviness. It is ‘natural’ to feel ‘heavy’ and ‘weighed down’; it is beyond our control. Yet we choose how to react to this ‘natural tendency’. Will we allow ourselves to be manipulated by that little voice inside that attempts to keep us from fulfilling our mission with zest and joy? That soft whisper that invades our mind telling us, ‘You’re tired, why bother? It makes no difference.’ Remain oblivious to this scheming tactic of the yetzer hara. Pull yourself up and get moving.
Lastly, let us remember that we are allotted a quota of energy in our lives. When we over-extend our strength towards the pursuit of comforts and worldly pleasures, we deplete ourselves from the vitality needed to invest in our spiritual pursuits. Let’s use our energy wisely.
