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Chabad.org » Inspiration & Entertainment » Daily Dose of Wisdom » Bringing Heaven Down to Earth » From Despair to Joy » Despair
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Book Title Bringing Heaven Down to Earth
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson
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103. Despair

Despair is the ultimate form of self-worship --the perception that you have the capacity to truly mess up, to take the world's destiny out of its Creator's hands and sabotage His plans.

Know that the world is in a constant state of elevation, rocketing upwards towards its ultimate wholeness at every moment. Every quivering of every leaf, every subtle breeze, every slightest motion of any particle of our universe is another move in that same direction. Even those events that seem to thrust downward are in truth only a part of the ascent --like the poise of an athlete before he leaps, the contraction of a spring before its energy is released.

There is not a thing you could do halt that dynamic even for a moment. True, you must take responsibility for your deeds and work hard, very hard, to clean up your own mess. But when all the dust settles, you are exactly in the space where you were meant to be: One step closer.


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Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson   More articles...  |   RSS Listing of Newest Articles by this Author


From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. To order Rabbi Freeman’s book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here.

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: Nov 6, 2010
Okay, this is an interesting perspective. But what it assumes is that our goal in life is completely ego-less. That all we are to care about is ascent of the world as a whole - and not our individual lives.

Clearly, people's individual lives can and do get destroyed. If you want to tell people that this is no cause to despair because the world is going to continue to ascend despite their personal tragedy - then okay - fine.

But... maybe some people are not 100% altruistic and do care about their individual lives as well as the fate of the whole world.
Posted By bb

Posted: Mar 14, 2005
Response to Bay City, Texas
The point here is not that we do not take responsibility, but that we can never despair.
Posted By Tzvi Freeman

Posted: Mar 13, 2005
Despair
It is true G-d makes the final decision in everything. However, we have the ability to try to change Hashem's mind. It is so easy to say "oh well, it's been ordained." I refuse to blame G-d, rather I blame myself for not trying a different way, getting other's help, etc., Then when all that can be done is done, I yield to the will of Hashem.
Posted By Anonymous, Bay City, Texas



 


From Despair to Joy
Denying Reality
Self-Destruction
Despair
Joy
Simple Path
Joyful Prognostics
Humble Joy
Mindfull
All of You
Out of the Center
Impact
Despair on Purpose
Self Confidence
Focus
Childish Joy
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