Sometimes it is the most regular of experiences give you a "Aha" moment. One such example I shared with a class this past Wednesday night. (The subject matter in this particular class was the spiritual mood swings that happen to almost everyone. One day one's faith can feel very strong and the next day all sorts of doubts creep in...)
I was on a flight when it was particularly nasty outside. We were flying up through dark storm clouds, but then then suddenly...a beautiful sky emerged.
Is that not a metaphor in life? We all have days when everything feels gray. Little things frustrate us. People annoy us. And we just don’t feel inspired to do good.
And it’s here that JUDAISM offers a powerful insight.
Don’t take the negativity too seriously. Don’t beat yourself up for feeling this way. These voices of doubt are not the real you. You just happen to be in some dark clouds. G-d created a world where forces of negativity exist. They are here to oppose good. It’s not a “flaw” in you – it’s part of feeling human.
This self-awareness is very helpful. It is what allows us to not define ourselves based on these attitudes. Of course, we can't just sit the dark clouds. It's incumbent upon each of us to do whatever we can to "increase altitude” and live from a more elevated place.
There are of many ways to do invite more light in your life. Surround yourself with happy people. Fill up on gratitude. And finally, study and reflect on those things that can introduce more light in your life.
As a Jew I feel so blessed to have access to the countless treasures of light in the Torah. In fact, the word TORAH comes from the word “OR” meaning light.
Within Torah itself, CHASSIDUT, the inner dimension of Torah, is a powerful form of that light. Some 300 years ago, at a time the Jewish People were going through a particularly dark period, the Baal Shem Tov taught the Jewish People how to live with more light - joy, spirituality, clarity, and purpose. Like my flight, these teachings provide "an elevated way to see life", beyond the darkness of mundane living. These mystical teachings were always part of Torah but had, up until that point, been hidden and only available to select individuals.
It was two generations later that the founder of Chabad developed these ideas further, explaining them in a logical and systematic fashion in the book called THE TANYA.
This upcoming Monday night marks the 19th day of Kislev, a day known as the "Rosh Hashana of Chasidism," Throughout the world it is a date dedicated to light, personal growth and elevated living and when we traditionally restart learning the book Tanya. In honor of the 19th of Kislev, and as a personal resolution for my birthday later this month, I would like to launch a “TANYA CLUB.” One morning a week (on zoom), we will discuss a theme from that week’s TANYA STUDY and search for ways these teachings can introduce more light in our life focusing on one or two practical exercises to help us in our daily lives and in our relationships.
If you are interested in learning more about this TANYA CLUB please please let me know your preference of either Wed or Thursday morning. We'll keep the discussion focused and no more than 20-25 minutes.