People have the wrong idea about restrictions: They imagine that if you restrict what you eat and what you do not, when you work and when you meditate and pray, what you wear, where you go—all these restrictions will suffocate any sense of inspiration.
The truth is, without any restrictions your inspiration will quickly dissipate. Focus your light like a laser into an intense, powerful beam, and it will last.
As one might imagine, that by the time one has lived 75 years one has gone through many ups and downs. The same is true about the State of Israel which is also 75 years old (this run). Restrictions and resistance come in many forms, through many scenarios, and so do successes. What seems at one time of ultimate importance often fades into memory, seemingly unfulfilled. But that is only when it is our personal desire, belief or felt obligations that seem to fail...never the Creator’s desire. He is always successful, although we may not understand that is on the agenda.
Always it is our task to submit to the Divine Will, and ignore ours if otherwise. As babies we are very willful, then trying everything until teens, then insisting on everything, until we become parents. Everything is so important...or is it? Time is imagined, existing only in thought, Life is only Now. To succeed, release, let go and let G-d. That is the real meaning of Emuna.
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Good Morning, Avishai
I am grateful for your keen insight. I especially love your last sentence, "To succeed, release, let go, and let GD." Be Blessed!
Baruch HaShem,
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Saved This One To The Bookmarks Bar ! My husband is 60 years old & hates any kind of restriction! He's always been a fly by the seat of your pants guy & to this day I wonder if he will ever accept that hashem does indeed love us so much that he gave us safe boundaries in which to live a more safe, enjoyable & blessed life??? Thank you Rabbi for yet another blessing... Reply
Restrictions The G-d we serve impose restriction(s) to His people, and the purpose, is that they may receive His un-denying and multifold blessings. Reply
TY! Needed to hear that. Reply
Laser Power What does one do when we use our restrictions and discipline as mentioned above and others continually tell us we are too "Strict" and should Lighten up? Great wisdom the Rebbe had Reply
WOW! I have never thought of "restrictions" in such a way. This brief explanation struck me like a thunderbolt! At my old(er) age, it is inspiring to read such powerful thoughts. Thank you. Reply
Restrictions What I would add about this topic is that many "restrictions" do not represent deprivation or lack of choice but discipline. Reply
restrict the light Too much light can overwhelm us. We need to restrict how much can come in and use this light not for us to keep but to give back to the Creator. Reply
Laser Power
What I love most about Jewish thought and the sayings of the Rabbis; is that a "truth" is so often spoken so simply and yet with great beauty and light.
I think it is some sort of "laser communication" yes?
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The most powerful divine intention is to aim our minds and hearts in mutual guarantee towards one another.
The more we focus our intention outwards to become one interdependent, interconnected network, the more powerful Light we will draw towards humanity.
The power of this oneness creates a laser beam radiating from our minds and hearts.
It will raise us to the next level of existence.
Be part of this beam towards humanity!