A different view of troublesome events.

Once you realize that the purpose of the world-and your purpose as a player in it-is to attain perfection, you begin to notice Hashem's Hand in your life.  You begin to view troublesome events as challenges that will help you grow.  You no longer take the good for granted, you realize that Hashem is giving you tools with which to advance.  You cease to view events in your life as random occurrences.

from the Sefer-- The Six Constant Mitzvos  based on Lectures by Rabbi Yitzchack Berkowitz

Looking Past this world

When we get to the next world and we look around, we will see that the people who are important are not the people who accomplished a lot with their lives.  It will be the people who made the most of what Hashem gave us.  The person who was given very little ability but made the most of it will be more valued then the person who was given tremendous talents and didn't use them.

The key to judging ourselves is to look at how we used our potential versus how much we were given.  The person who uses 85 percent of limited capacity will be more valued then the person who uses 35 percent of major capacity even though in this world he seemed so great.

From A Shiur by Rabbi Shafier-The Shmuz

Restructure your thoughts

Instead of worrying," will I have what I need". We should be worrying "Will  I will be worthy of Hashem giving me what I need."
from a Shiur by Rabbi Mizrachi.

One source for everything.

Rabbi Noach Weinberg tells the story of a young man who had a frightening accident and went over a cliff.  While hanging on for dear life he prayed and asked Hashem to save him.  He promised that if he was saved he will learn more about being Jewish.  This eventually led him to Aish HaTorah Yeshivah.

Rabbi Weinberg pointed out to him that not only did Hashem save him, he also caused him to go off the cliff, so that he would reach out and connect to Hashem.

In our lives, when things are difficult, we have to remember that there is only one source, and everything is for the best.

Making our Tefilah Real

Rabbi Noach Weinberg says that if we really believe in Hashem our Tefilah will be totally real.  If we are just going through the motions but we are not really talking to Hashem it is worthless.  He quotes the Chofetz Chayim who tells a story about a man who asked to take over a factory, and the owner of the factory wrote out detailed instructions for what to do when he was running the factory.  He made the man promise to review the directions twice a day.  He came back a few months later and found the factory in ruins.  He said, "what about all of my instructions".  The man said, "I reviewed them every day".  The factory owner said, "I gave them to you to follow, not to review"  The Chofetz Chayim said, "This is the Shema, we are told to review it so that we will follow the instructions, not so that we can read it mindlessly" 

Keeping the feeling alive

Rabbi Noach Weinberg talks about the Mitzvah of Emunah.  He tells us that if we have really made our connection with Hashem real, we will truly feel as though we are talking to Hashem when we pray.  If we just mouth the words we have not really made a true connection.

Walking though the old city, in the early morning, rushing to the Kotel to Daven, our connection to Hashem feels so much more real then back in our regular grind.  We have to keep that feeling alive, wherever we are.

Keeping a clean Neshamah.

The Dos Zakainim explains that the reason every korbon must be brought with salt is to remind us that just as salt is a preservative that allows food to last longer, so too the sacrifices are permanently ours to cleanse us from our sins.

He then explains why this concept is crucial. If a man sins and gains atonement from that sin, he is clean and will then be guarded against committing the sin again. However, if he couldn’t become purified, once he sinned, he would repeat the act over and over again. It can be compared to man with a beautiful white garment. When he first puts it on, he is careful to maintain its pristine condition. Once his garment becomes soiled, however, he is no longer careful about avoiding additional stains. So, too, if a man sinned and that sin remained with him, he will continue committing that sin over and over again. This is the concept that “Once a man sins, the sin becomes ‘permitted’ to him.” That is why the Torah gave us the process of teshuvah.

From the Shmuz on the Parsha

Falling into place

When I look back at my life I realize that everytime I thought my life was falling apart it was really falling into place. I just had to get used to falling
From a shiur about Pesach from Rabbi Shais Taub

The museum of dysfunctional attachments

Pesach cleaning is visiting the museum of dysfunctional attachments All the junk that you have saved up and didn't want to throw out You have to take a look at it and say what is this doing in my life

The more junk that you throw out the more ready you are for Peaach

From a shiur by Rabbi Shais Taub