The Invisible Prison

I didn't understand, how does my frustration help? Why would Hashem want that? And then what is the purpose of that? Then what?
I am experiencing exactly this! Feeling like my talents cannot be put to use or like my life is being wasted away. So I scream for help and ask why. I don't see how that does anything yet so far. Reply

Shalom, Yosef [2010]

Let's look at the organization and the operation of an ant colony. They have exceptional teamwork skills and ethics. One ant can carry 5,000 xs it's weight. It only weighs 1-1.5 mg! While the ant is strong, the ant is not required to do a task alone. They divide tasks amongst the ant team members. At the conclusion of the job, the work is accomplished TOGETHER. If the ant can do this, so can we. Focus on what your part is, and do it well. You are not required to carry the whole world on your shoulder; just a nth. Remember, work like ant, like the military - AS A TEAM.

No worries. GD's Got The World In His
Hands. Reply

I can just say I was just reading this today and I never really look at this section it was by clear Hashgacha Protis that I did look at today. I personally recently felt this way like I am in Hashem's Prison like why would I have such a hard time. I felt so stuck in Prison I thought I need end life to get out but, I decided whatever Hashem does is for the good we just have to have that mindset.
Think good and it will be good Reply

The "prison of frustration" may be the impetus for greater achievement. On the other hand, too often I feel pressure from many Jewish and other quarters, whereby nothing is ever good enough, we are supposed to carry the weight of world, we are supposed to "repair the world" and bring it to perfection. Seems to me there could be a certain hubris in this. This causes me confusion between whether my responsibility is solely the world and what you and others think the world should be, or the expression of my own G-D given gifts and deep desires as the "calling" from G-D to fulfill what he/she put me on this earth to do. I may not even know what impact or influence my presence, gifts and deeds may have on this world. But, l know the pressure I feel to fulfill someone else's expectations about what the "world" needs. So how, rabbi, does Judaism address the balance between care of the world and focusing on expressing who I am, which may turn out to be what the world needs? Reply

Rabbi Freeman's ending line in this DD is "Frustration, like the first tzimtzum, is the great juicer of all creativity."

Since the last post on 1-16-19 by Chabad staff, we have all experienced and continue to experience Covid-19. Some of us lived in areas with mandatory lockdowns, others in areas where compliance was voluntary. There were/are no cells, walls or guards, but we were and are "prisoners."

At the very beginning of our voluntary lockdown, we were allowed to leave for essential errands like grocery shopping, picking up medicine, etc.; we were told to wear masks and practice social distancing. I was blessed to see creativity and kindness from neighbors - all religions, races and gender. I watched my first town hall meetings on Zoom, also a funeral of a close friend in my shul who died (not from Covid-19). Who would have thought computers and technology would have allowed us to have human "contact"? B"H

Everything that comes from Hashem is good. B"H Reply

Wonderfully said, Thank you. Wish you could compile the Daily Doses into a book. Reply

This sounds important, compelling. But I'm not sure I get it. Can/will someone please operationalize this for me? Reply

B:H. I am a Bnei Noah. Since reading this quotation,this morning, my immediate thought was something is missing from the quotation. Why would G-d throw me, or anyone else, in this prison and "throw away the key"? If God believed I, or anyone else, is a good person, it simply doesn't make sense. I too have someties wondered if G-d would abandoned me. When I thought about this a bit longer, I became aware G-d has called a "time out" to give me a chance to re-think my personal relationship with G-d and probably my life in general.

Since becoming a Noahide, 1 of perhaps 3 Noahides in Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island) my greatest support has come a now friend and teacher, Nota (aka Norman) Feinstein, in Montreal, which is hundreds of kilometers, from Metro Halifax. I and a few others living far away of Montreal, join his Sunday evening on-line Torah class. Shalom, Don Reply

What is the solution when you are locked up?
Thank you so much for your insightful words.
Baruch HaShem Reply

Thanks Tzvi

There are times G‑d will put a soul in prison—often a very lofty soul, such as Joseph.

It is like being held in a vise. Squeezed with the ultimate of futility, the deepest powers of the soul break through.....

I have read and still don't find G-d helping him everyday, he prays all day every day, reading the torah any moment he can.
But it's not giving me peace or solstice he will be free soon. Help me Tzvi, what should I do. What should I pray over, please G-d answer me? Reply

My husband is a strict jewelry and in prison this seems very harsh words, help me understand more please Reply

I am in the same position as Suzi and anon from Slovenia.... There is a lot of growth happening that we don't see, and we just have to keep trusting in G-d and know that His path is the right one. It's not always easy though. Reply

INVISIBLE PRISON Your words That is when He gets the tastiest essence of your juice squeezed out from you. Nothing in life is futile. It only may appear that way for a time. In the end, it is all with purpose. It's is because this is the way your deepest powers come to the fore."Tzvi Freeman

I try to believe this. What powers came to those in the camps? What powers came to those in Spain who were tortured, killed, or converted? Please know I believe in G=D, I pray, I truly try to learn by reading, listening to religious classes, everything I can do. All my thoughts welcome, want to understand, and feel being Jewish, is a source of pride for me. Nobody has to be Jewish, I was born into it, and choose it. My prayers, hopes, and desires, are to feel the connection, and love, I did when I was young. I pray to be a better person, and a better Jew. Embarrassingly, I admit I have always pleaded for just a tiny sign he cares about me, just something, this may appear childish, and yet would be the best gift. Reply

Prison Sentence We will be "squeezed dry", pressured, receive heavier blows, crises....until we draw the Light to show that we have to ask for a new inner nature for all humanity -- A nature to resemble Him! Reply

In today's daily dose it says "The worst prison is when G-d locks you up. He doesn't need guards or cells or stone walls. He simply decides that, at this point in life, although you have talent, you will not find a way to express it. Although you have wisdom, there is nobody who will listen. Although you have a soul, there is nowhere for it to shine.

And you scream, "Is this why you sent a soul into this world? For such futility?"

That is when He gets the tastiest essence of your juice squeezed out from you."

I feel, at near sixty years of age, like such a person. Not exactly thwarted, but unable to fully express what is within nor able to gain clarity on direction at this transition time. It has been deeply troubling and motivating in terms of looking within. I would so appreciate a little more from Rabbi Freeman that would address what he sees as the "practical" application of such "juicing" to one's daily life - an approach, attitude, steps to take; a new perspective, perhaps. Reply

I have been unable to get this off of my mind. Broken Cup your cry is haunting. How do we get out? Call to Hashem that we are clay in his hands? Reply

And yes, what Suzi Clark from Orlando wrote below rings so true to my ears, the definitive punishment is to go alone through life. And it gets even worse when one is surrounded exclusively by the wrong people. or half-right ones. I've been in this position for more than 14 years. I'd like to think there is a reason. Ugly, all this is so ugly, not being able to justify God. I tried to change myself a lot. I tried so hard, in fact, only to realize that is impossible for me to change. The book of Job consoles me far more than the Song of Songs. Reply