One Thing That Changes Everything

"Ask not what G-d can do for you; ask what you can do for G-d." Reply

Baruch HaShem
It may be that the most important thing we are needed for (by G-d) may change over time. Life is long (if we are so blessed) and our mental and physical strengths may weaken with the passing decades. G-d surely understands that when we find ourselves performing in a capacity we never intended and were not so happy about because He maneuvered us there, (although we recognized we helped deserving others in major ways), that eventually we might still want to do something else. G-d must know that when we need refreshment after decades of giving what He wanted as He wanted, allowing us to do something that gives us joy will fill up the almost bankrupt human spirit and invigorate our will to say the Modi Ani with gusto! If the idea for the new activity grows out of the service we performed for G-d all those decades and still serves G-d and others, one overflows with long lost excitement for life. This is what is going on with this soul right now. Thank G-d Reply

I am totally confused about my life. The inner dialogue is totally different from my outside circumstances. I am job hunting with little direction. I pray for G_d to put a stone in front of my foot so I can step on it. There is too much going on between my ears to know how to even find the path I am supposed to be on. Reply

For me, it is very clear, where and for what I am needed, but unfortunately, people sometimes do not recognize, that I could give them the key for what ever they need, to find themselve their purpose, they will of course be able to be. But they have to do first the step to be aware of this and in a second step, they have to be aware of their own response, to do their purpose, to stay in a third step on their own way, G'd give them to manage life circumstances. Most need to be lulled in a programm that navigate them in a direction to be with less challenges as possible. But that's not reality. To face own purpose in reality, that will be all what they need to go the path. Reply

It is hard to accept everything is not always "about me", in a culture that promotes self interest and entitlement. It is deeply entrench in human culture this selfishness we are born with in our animal nature. And the media we love to see gives us glossy prints outs of beautiful people advertising what is going to satisfy the "me" inside of us. Trust, worship and prayer along with Torah study bring a much needed balance into our lives. Just knowing the world was created for me as if I were the only person to inhabit it is all the "me" we need. Hashem gives us our validation! Reply

Thank You Dear Rabbi Freeman
I've been reading your Daily Doses for years now and today hit the mark yet again. Why I should be surprised at this, I don't know. They always do.
Thank you for providing such an amazing service. Your writings help me regularly to reconnect to the right stuff, let go of all the extras a bit more and allow Hashem more of a place in my world. What's more, they do this so efficiently, without the need to talk, pause or do anything other than read them.
All the very best to you,
FD Reply

Subliminal Surrender Which is not happening even among leaders nor seekers to surrender. Their needs and want are too great and only the Almighty can handle them. The poor is getting poorer and the rich richer. What a pity. The Teachings, supposedly for the majority, is turning in for the minority rich. Take, and take, and leave the poor is the motto, for they have no desire of survival. They are simpleton. Pity on those who use the Word of G-d for their own gain and disregard the suffering of the poor and destitute. We need to come to the realization that the poor cannot surrender anything because they have nothing to surrender. And as for their love of G-d, He is already aware of their suffering because they cannot make ends meet. Remember the Sephardic Jews/Jewess. They too count. We will all be together when Hashem, blessed be He, bring us all from the four corners of the world. Either for Justice or Glory with Him, and Mashiach. We will ALL be there. Reply

Your Subliminal Secret We are created with the desire to receive pleasure from G_d, the alruistic giver. He craves to give us pleasure. The problem is evident - we become like a spoiled kid - selfish, greedy, use others to grab from them, even harming them in the process. Most importantly we even forget who the giver is to be able to appreciate.

The solution lies in your INTENTION. This intention is your 'subliminal' secret. Only you know what your reason for receiving is - selfish or to receive with intention to give back
All G_d needs you to do is to receive the pleasure with the INTENTION to GIVE him the pleasure that you appreciate the pleasure - The giving and receiving must be mutual. Accept just what you need, then return the 'excess' Light/pleasure (Ohr Hozier) . In this way we give appreciation to the Giver. This gives G-d contentment. The joy is mutual.

Transform you selfish reception with the intention to give back altruistically.
6,000 years (or less) to refine this act. Reply

We Is this a good way of putting it?...

“We want,” "we need,”
“We think such-and-such.”
Even, “We are.” Reply

Volunteer work I work as a volunteer in a Alzheimer's unit teaching Art to Alzheimer's patients but even as I write this I must also write that I can't put alot of time at this volunteer job-I cannot submit my time and energy to volunteerism in life and it is because of what you state here- I feel the world is changing us and we can't be these giving giving giving kinds of souls anymore.-You say the human spirit is being darkened well....I believe that is so-we are being force to think in terms of what we want-want-want and also what we need and its too much already and G-d forbid we ever wanted to get off that treadmill and think about something else than what we want in life...and enjoy a flower blowing in the wind!!! Not for long...This is true What a beautiful section writing here-thank you for writing this-and thank you for reading what I wrote Reply

Subliminal Surrender That means-Maybe it means-no matter how aware or perfect you are -your inner forces make you unaware!!! What a pity..I always thought-as in having a thought, that I would be perfect and aware!!! Reply

As Moses prayed Psalm 90 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Have compassion on your servants. May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendour to their children. Reply

surrender of self, to gg amarillo Thank you. How succinctly put. You really can articulate in one sentence, what others do fuzzily in a page. You really hit the nail on the head.

Thank you again.

Shalom to you Reply

surrender of self Once we surrender ourself, and trust in G-d completely...then we are able to Tikkun Olam....restore the world....
Shalom. Reply

Subliminal Ssurrener I agree. Why then was the heading Subliminal Surrende? Why not a more realistic title like "Self Surrender," or "Conscious Surrender?", or maybe, just "Surrender?" This is serious, not facetiious.

Thank you. Reply

Jumping off the bridge type In codependent families often a jump off the bridge type person is created. This is the scape goat, the scavenged one, the dependable one, the child adult one. There is a psychology created that is unhealthy for all members of the family.

To transform one from this state of being jump off the bridge type to a more live in the world mentality of self surrender requires a person to have a personality and character traits that are pleasing to the world.

The world is not ready to turn their attention to this matter. There are many people that are slipping through the cracks because of the basic uncaring in the world at large based on superficial ways.

The drive seems to be to get the material world and turn it to divine sparks by the ambitious person who needs to learn to be self surrendering.

There are many people who have been caring, stepping aside to model self surrender at a cost to their character and personality. This type of matyrdom depended on the creation of caring people Reply

the point of surrender is giving our will to g-d. not allowing the ego to take over the running of the self. Reply

A focused surrender...and this focus is on HIM as we surrender to HIM.... Reply

so, if self-surrender means to put aside all those concepts, then what should we replace them with? what should we make our actual goal in the pursuit of surrendering the self? and even then, why do we want to surrender? haven't the jewish peple always survived because we refused to surrender to outside influences? we maintained our own and did what we needed to do, even when it meant certain death? Reply