JEWISH SOUL

Reality CheCk

From the Rebbe's Letters

There are many matters that exist wholly outside the person; other [mental health] issues [such as neuroses and psychoses] that at least exist within the individual’s inner [sense of reality and] self; and finally, there are those matters whose entire existence [and reality] is a result of the person’s thinking about them.

Although it would seem that when thinking about a certain thing [whose entire existence is predicated on his thoughts about the matter], there is no difference whether or not his thoughts refer to a factual reality, but in truth this is not so: there always exists within the individual the ability to examine his feelings and their degree of authenticity and certitude.

This assessment affects the person even when his capacity to make a “reality check” is concealed, or to use the common vernacular, lies within his subconscious, which can then be recovered.

Clearly, the thoughts and feelings that you are now experiencing emanate from the latter [of the three forms of reality: they only exist because you insist on thinking about them].

Such types of thoughts and feelings are much easier [to get rid of]; quite often they dissipate on their own by simply ceasing to think these thoughts — either a cessation resulting from an external factor [such as through an intervention by another person], or brought about by the person’s own resolve to stop thinking about them. …We verily observe that hundreds and thousands of people who found themselves in the same frame of mind as you do now were able to rid themselves of these feelings without it having any lasting effect on them at all (from which we understand that this can ultimately be achieved even by those who still retain some vestige of these feelings). [These statistics may not be so well known,] merely because it is human nature to greatly publicize those matters that are entirely in the minority, or those matters that are truly uncommon, [i.e., individuals whose feelings of gloominess overwhelm them,] while the more common experience [of people gaining control of their feelings] is not publicized at all. …Thus, with even minor reflection we realize that it is incumbent on each and every one of us to fulfill our mission in this world; i.e., to increase luminosity within the world and particularly within our own environs, by strengthening and disseminating the light of life in consonance with the directives of our Torah, the Torah of Life.

Since this is the case, we do not even have the luxury of the available time that it takes to contemplate thoughts about ourselves, i.e., thoughts of the type that you have been having.

And although at the beginning it is not easy to replace thoughts concerning ourselves with thoughts concerning our purpose in G‑d’s world, with time and practice it becomes easier to switch our thoughts — particularly so, when we do all the above with joy, the foundation of this joy being that which the Rambam [Maimonides] writes at the conclusion of the Laws of Lulav, [concerning the vital importance of serving G‑d joyfully]…. Leaving the details of your complaints aside, I wish to make several observations: 1. Feeling dissatisfied with oneself is a good sign, for it indicates vitality and an urge to rise and improve oneself, which is accomplished via a two‑way method: withdrawal from the present state, and turning to a higher level. 2. If the urge to improve oneself leads to downheartedness and inertia, then it is the work of the evil inclination, whose job it is to use every means at its disposal to prevent a Jew from carrying out good intentions connected with Torah and mitzvahs.

The false and misleading voice of the evil inclination should be stifled and ignored. Besides, as the Alter Rebbe states (Tanya, ch. 25), even one single good deed creates an everlasting bond and communion with G‑d (ibid.,at length).

Thus a feeling of despondency is not only out of place, it is a stumbling block to the worship of G‑d, as is more fully explained in the above and subsequent chapters of Tanya.... EM

www.jrcc.org

24 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Community calendar, plus thousands of articles, online classes, kids videos, and more. New content every week.