| Related Parshah Studies: |
|---|
| Passive Labor |
| The 40th Labor |
| In Search of Balance |
| Related Videos: |
|---|
| I Need Some Balance! |
| Flowers in Space |
| Related Articles: |
|---|
| Time for a Rest Stop |
| Divergent Paths |
Are We Obsessed with Work?: A Taste of Text—Vayakhel
Do you define yourself by who you are, or by what you do?
| Switch to Video |
Chana Weisberg is host of the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories podcast and curator of advanced learning experiences on Chabad.org. She lectures internationally on issues relating to women, relationships, meaning, self-esteem and the Jewish soul. She is the author of six books. Her latest book, Shabbat Delights, is a two-volume series on the weekly Torah portion.
© Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with Chabad.org's copyright policy.
More in this section
Join the Discussion
T Y
March 7, 2021
Very beautiful. Thank you for sharing Reply
Dietz Ziechmann
Cleveland Heights
April 29, 2018
Thank you for this elucidation. Todah. Reply
Alicia
Madrid
February 29, 2016
So grateful I used to work so much, too much, everyday, till something bad happened. Now I have realized how important, to get closer to G-d and to my beloved, is having a free day, to rest properly my mind. After taking that breath, everything is more clear and defined. Thanks, to remind us. Reply
Kate
Brisbane
February 21, 2014
Thanks I really needed to listen to the lesson this week - I have been struggling with feelings of inadequacy and have always suspected that it was rooted in placing too much weight in "what" I do, rather than my attitude and intent and dedication to do everything as unto G-d. Reply
Anonymous
Austin, TX
March 15, 2012
Question In the handout, in the section by Rambam from the Laws of Idolatry, the individual mentioned is the son of Seth, right? I know the translations vary, but usually the man in the 3rd generation is called Enosh in English, while the 7th generation man, the son of Jared (in English), is named Enoch. The handout refers to the former doesn't it? Reply
chana weisberg
Thornhill
March 14, 2012
to mina That's a very interesting thought and I do agree with you. We are SO obsessed with validation. But did you ever notice something interesting? The more validation we seem to be giving as a society, the more we seem to thirst for it and need it. So maybe what we are all really missing is more of this sense of "being" and if we had that real sense of being, we wouldn't need to be constantly "doing" for the sake of validation, but we would feel an inherent sense of self-worth. I wonder what you'll think of this article: Why Hasn't the Self-Esteem Movement Givne us Self-Esteem www.chabad.org/1073778 Reply
mina
bklyn, NY? USA
March 13, 2012
obsession Thanks so much for your wonderful classes. i feel that we all in this day and age have an obsession with validation. Just a thought. Reply
ANNETTE HAYES
Sacramento, California
March 11, 2012
ARE WE OBSESSED WITH WORK?
Wonderful, wonderful text. I enjoyed this talk with Chana and the ladies SO MUCH. So much did I earn and realize about who I am... THAT WHAT I DO IS NOT WHO I AM. I am so grateful for this video and Chabad...THANK YOU EVERYONE!! Oh, by the way, I have shared this video with others.
SHALOM
Reply
Gil
Great Neck, NY/U.S.A.
March 11, 2012
Work "By your deeds shall ye be known." Isaiah " Idle hands are the devil's playmates." Your question: "Who are you? can be answered many different ways - And each answer can be philosophically, gramatically, hallachically, and technically correct. It all depends upon what the interrogator has as a preconceived notion. Sometimes a simple title such as rabbi, doctor, professor, may suffice. Further elucidation may further define the individual being questioned. Nothing at all may be inferred that the individual is "obsessed." Reply
This is EXACTLY what I needed! Thanks so much, Chana, for helping me see that work has a place, but shouldn’t be my identity.