10 Kislev 5771
Ever hear that adage, "when you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on"? I love that one, as well as the image of the kitten hanging onto the rope for dear life. I think of it often.
Do you get the feeling that "there's a whole lot of (spiritual) shakin' goin' on" and it's getting harder and harder to hold tight? I've noticed a downward trend lately and I just wondered if it was the same by you. Everything seems to be sliding downhill. Women who once wore only skirts have taken up wearing pants. Those who previously wore pants now wear shorts. Those who minimally covered their hair have stopped covering it altogether. And a lot of people are leaving Eretz Yisrael.
Welcome to chevlei Mashiach and the process of birur. Nobody ever said it would be easy. But there is a guaranteed reward for your faithfulness. NEVER GIVE UP!!
I'm so glad you wrote this.
ReplyDeleteYes I am noticing a "downward trend" but it's so much more than that.
All around me (and others) are people coming to their biggest tests in life. Either it is money, or sickness, or worse.
It is definitely a time to hold on tight. People's emunah is being tested big time.
I definitely hear it and I'm feeling it. I'd like to describe it as something other than torment, but I can't. I am missing the mark. I know I could be a better Jew, should be doing certain things, and I'm not. I'm keeping kosher and shomer Shabbos, I'm not immodest - if anything I'm totally to the right of that. But I'm lacking..My emotions are churned up. Being unemployed does not help and the money is almost gone. Swinging in a wide arc from complete emuna to imagining the worst: how can we ever get to Israel if we can't pay the bills and are upside down on the house. This happens many time a day..
ReplyDelete"All around me (and others) are people coming to their biggest tests in life. Either it is money, or sickness, or worse."
ReplyDeleteThis says it all...
"...but it's so much more than that."
ReplyDeleteExactly. But what do we do when we see our own child coming to this test and chucking it all? This is absolutely my hardest test.
Your child, my child, so many peoples' children, but they have their own tests in life and must go their own way. We can't do it for them. Born into this insane generation, where there are virtually no decent rabbis left (not where I live anyway)... no leaders to look up, it's hard enough for the parents, never mind our kids.
ReplyDeleteBlessings. there may be downtrends sometines in some areas. but there are always more upward trends . i admit where i am , i may not see it due my own faults but there is more good in this world and ibelieve it because the holy sages say so. everything is good and everything is for good.
ReplyDeleteIts my rabbis who keep me above the waters and many times devash and shirat's sites.
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Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditshev saw a Yid smoking on Yom Kipper and asked him if he knew it was Yom Kipper today. The Yid answered affirmatively. "Maybe you don't realize that smoking is prohibited on Yom Kipper ?" Again, he said he knew. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditshev lifted up his holy eyes to heaven and exclaimed: "Ribono Shel Olam, look at your children, they won't lie on Yom Kippur, even if they smoke in public!"
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its your holy sages words that keeps me going here in my own environment. many times i have written to my rabbis asking what am i doing here, in this place, and they used to tell me for some reason, Hashem has brought me out of idolatry and to the children of isr to study the laws He meant for us, the 70 nations. for some reason, the prayers i say here is needed for my own surroundings, because its the prayers from the holy torah. the greatest blessing is to be a jew, the greatest blessing for the 70 nations is to be a believing gentile. and you, devash, and shirat just cant know how many souls you have touched .