I kinda liked the way this one turned out (despite the fact that it compelled some reader to write that "Lubavich was better off without [me]").
Though I think if I had to rewrite it, I may do it a little differently:
Friday night (p. Vayeira) I was asked to speak at a Shabbos meal arranged for a local Yeshiva. I didn't prepare anything, so I chose to speak on the ideas disussed in the article, and in the course of the talk found the ideas presenting themsleves this way:
For better or for worse, we have each been given the power over own lives, and the ability and freedom to choose how we wish to live it. We know - for the most part - what we need to do. (I highly doubt there are many Bochurim who don't believe the right thing to be doing is utilizing these years for learning, spiritual and intellectual growth, etc. and that certain things may not be the most conducive towards that...)
The problem is that we, for whatever reason, allow ourselves to ignore that which we know to be right to make room for that which we'd rather be doing.
And that's where Kabbalas Ol comes in. Contrary to common misconception, Kabbalas Ol isn't doing certain things because you're too stupid to know what's good for you, and therefore, we'll tell you how to live your lives instead; it's the fact that you know that you can't always rely on yourself to choose to make the right decision. And therefore it's necessary that there are certain rules and authorities you have to allow yourself to be influenced by, to be able to continually progress on your journey of self-discovery and fulfillment in spite of your inclinations otherwise.
So that's the concept. Unfortunately, hanhalos in yeshivos use Kabbalas Ol as the basis for which to deny "room for any individuality, whatsoever" (- verbatim quote from a Rosh Yeshiva of mine). And as long as they continue to treat the bochurim along those lines, the bochurim will continue to despise them, and everyone will continue running around in circles...
(p.s. You can imagine the feedback - the bochurim liked it; Hanahlah - not so much...)
A Llama, a Trumpet, Inspiration and Lots of Other Words...
Once there was a llama. He had a trumpet. And he played his trumpet every day.
Oh, how he loved his trumpet. He was the happiest llama in the world.
But one day he got sick of his trumpet. So he broke it.
No more trumpet. No more happy llama...
(Based on a true story. Sort of.)
Oh, how he loved his trumpet. He was the happiest llama in the world.
But one day he got sick of his trumpet. So he broke it.
No more trumpet. No more happy llama...
(Based on a true story. Sort of.)
--------------------
Inspiration: So amazing. So powerful. So transforming. So ... fleeting.
We all experience it. And we all lose it.
For the time you had it, you were so content; everything felt so right. From the moment you lost it, everything towards which you were so driven became such a drag.
Whatever it was - a job, an undertaking, a mitzvah, a prayer. You enjoyed every minute of every part of it. It was great.
But then those feelings – as feelings tend to do – faded away.
And now it all seems so empty. None of it really excites you anymore. Nothing can spark that enthusiasm.
Problem is, in our daily routines and obligations we don’t have much of a choice to simply drop those things. The show must go on - whether we’re excited about it or not.
So now what?
Once upon a time, the prophet Elisha told an impoverished widow with nothing in her possession but a simple small cruse of oil:
Find empty vessels and pour everything you’ve got into them. Then watch them overflow with an endless supply of the purest of that which you possess.
Sometimes, we run out of all the fire and passion that has been so effectively vitalizing all the actions of our lives. In the motivation field, we’re plain broke.
But who says empty actions don’t have any value?
The truth is, they have a lot more than you think.
You see, emotions and feelings are nice. And they’re great for getting things done. But as wonderful as they may be, there will always be a downside – they remain YOUR feelings and YOUR emotions – with all of the shortcomings that come with them.
They’ll only take you so far. And they’ll only last for so long. And then once they’re gone – so are you and your ambitions.
But sometimes we have to put all that aside, and take things for what they are; we must learn to separate and distinguish between the acts themselves, and everything else that tags along with them.
The true value of something isn’t determined by our feelings towards it; because subjective values will always remain … subjective: subject to OUR moods and OUR situations.
Our reliance on emotions won’t allow us to move beyond our current state and condition – because it’s coming from where we are NOW.
In order to get where we NEED TO BE, it’s sometimes necessary to isolate our actions from our particular feelings and inhibitions. (Or what is referred to in Chassidic literature as “Kabbalas Ol”.)
But that doesn’t mean they need to be lifeless acts. There’s something more we can add: Our selves. The essence of who we are; that part of us that drives us to do the right thing, regardless of the restrictions of our meddling emotions, because it’s simply who we are, and what we have to do.
The prophet is telling us: Don’t minimize the value and significance of an empty vessel, of an action devoid of subjective feelings. On the contrary – you now have the capacity to fill it with that which you must, without having to worry about any obstructing contents.
What have we left to pour in? Our oil. Our soul. Our desire to dip into the essence of who we are, and into the infinite potential of who we can and need to be; and to, of course, gain an appreciation for the thus far lifeless acts of a dormant spirit.
Up until now we had no reason to look beyond the surface. But these obstacles push us to probe farther and dig deeper into our selves, past all the complex layers of mind and emotion. And now what we’re left with is nothing but the essential core of our very beings.
When we take that and invest it within that which we know to be true, we allow our soul to find ultimate expression in the pureness of our actions.
In doing so we will end up with more profit than we could ever have imagined, and find within ourselves a never ending fountain of inspiration.
Insist on operating solely according to emotion and you’ll never be able to reach to the essence of who you really are; begin each undertaking with the pristine aspirations of the very core of your being, and what will follow will be an unsurpassed satisfaction and contentness in your journey of self-discovery, and the awakening of a passionate appreciation for the tasks you surrender yourself to.
Pure acts of pure soul. Acts with no screens, no barriers, no concealments … no limits.
Don’t break the trumpet. Rather, clear your mind of all the monotonous, superficial predefined compositions, and let break though a brand new uninhibited song from the essence of your soul.
You’ve never heard anything quite as beautiful.
Poor llama. Lucky you.
Happy Shabbat.
PLEASE NOTE: NO LLAMAS WERE HARMED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS ARTICLE.
We all experience it. And we all lose it.
For the time you had it, you were so content; everything felt so right. From the moment you lost it, everything towards which you were so driven became such a drag.
Whatever it was - a job, an undertaking, a mitzvah, a prayer. You enjoyed every minute of every part of it. It was great.
But then those feelings – as feelings tend to do – faded away.
And now it all seems so empty. None of it really excites you anymore. Nothing can spark that enthusiasm.
Problem is, in our daily routines and obligations we don’t have much of a choice to simply drop those things. The show must go on - whether we’re excited about it or not.
So now what?
Once upon a time, the prophet Elisha told an impoverished widow with nothing in her possession but a simple small cruse of oil:
Find empty vessels and pour everything you’ve got into them. Then watch them overflow with an endless supply of the purest of that which you possess.
Sometimes, we run out of all the fire and passion that has been so effectively vitalizing all the actions of our lives. In the motivation field, we’re plain broke.
But who says empty actions don’t have any value?
The truth is, they have a lot more than you think.
You see, emotions and feelings are nice. And they’re great for getting things done. But as wonderful as they may be, there will always be a downside – they remain YOUR feelings and YOUR emotions – with all of the shortcomings that come with them.
They’ll only take you so far. And they’ll only last for so long. And then once they’re gone – so are you and your ambitions.
But sometimes we have to put all that aside, and take things for what they are; we must learn to separate and distinguish between the acts themselves, and everything else that tags along with them.
The true value of something isn’t determined by our feelings towards it; because subjective values will always remain … subjective: subject to OUR moods and OUR situations.
Our reliance on emotions won’t allow us to move beyond our current state and condition – because it’s coming from where we are NOW.
In order to get where we NEED TO BE, it’s sometimes necessary to isolate our actions from our particular feelings and inhibitions. (Or what is referred to in Chassidic literature as “Kabbalas Ol”.)
But that doesn’t mean they need to be lifeless acts. There’s something more we can add: Our selves. The essence of who we are; that part of us that drives us to do the right thing, regardless of the restrictions of our meddling emotions, because it’s simply who we are, and what we have to do.
The prophet is telling us: Don’t minimize the value and significance of an empty vessel, of an action devoid of subjective feelings. On the contrary – you now have the capacity to fill it with that which you must, without having to worry about any obstructing contents.
What have we left to pour in? Our oil. Our soul. Our desire to dip into the essence of who we are, and into the infinite potential of who we can and need to be; and to, of course, gain an appreciation for the thus far lifeless acts of a dormant spirit.
Up until now we had no reason to look beyond the surface. But these obstacles push us to probe farther and dig deeper into our selves, past all the complex layers of mind and emotion. And now what we’re left with is nothing but the essential core of our very beings.
When we take that and invest it within that which we know to be true, we allow our soul to find ultimate expression in the pureness of our actions.
In doing so we will end up with more profit than we could ever have imagined, and find within ourselves a never ending fountain of inspiration.
Insist on operating solely according to emotion and you’ll never be able to reach to the essence of who you really are; begin each undertaking with the pristine aspirations of the very core of your being, and what will follow will be an unsurpassed satisfaction and contentness in your journey of self-discovery, and the awakening of a passionate appreciation for the tasks you surrender yourself to.
Pure acts of pure soul. Acts with no screens, no barriers, no concealments … no limits.
Don’t break the trumpet. Rather, clear your mind of all the monotonous, superficial predefined compositions, and let break though a brand new uninhibited song from the essence of your soul.
You’ve never heard anything quite as beautiful.
Poor llama. Lucky you.
Happy Shabbat.
PLEASE NOTE: NO LLAMAS WERE HARMED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS ARTICLE.
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