Jewish Center for Wellbeing
Successful Living Through a Discovery
​ of ​One's Own Wisdom & Wellbeing
​
  • Home
    • About >
      • Testimonials about Innate Health
  • Offerings
    • Weekly TeleForum >
      • Stream TeleForum
      • Download MP3 Teleforum
    • The Heart of Parenting >
      • Parenting Blog
    • Podcast: Partners In Creation
    • Podcast: Spiritual Foundations of Mental Health
    • Speaking & Counseling
  • Videos/Testimonials
    • Prior IH Conferences
    • Spark
  • Donate
  • Blog
  • Kinyan Mesechta/Archive
    • Chagiga Ch. 1
    • Chagiga Ch. 2
    • Chagiga Ch. 3

Peaceful Power

3/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz points out a contradiction between two statements in the Talmud regarding the nature of a person’s power.

On the one hand, it says, “Who is the strong person?  The one who masters his inner drives.”

Elsewhere it says, “Every day a person’s inner drives overpower him and attempt to kill him; were it not for Divine blessing, he wouldn’t survive.”

According to source one, his power is that he master his drives – he does it.  According to source two, there is no such thing as one who masters his drives; he always needs divine help.

Rav Chaim explains the apparent contradiction.  The power of the one who “masters” is not found in his conquering his drives – or anything for that matter.  His power is found in his peaceful understanding that mastery requires help.  He knows he cannot do it alone and so he persists, free from the despair that would otherwise arise from his inability to deliver the goods.   That humble persistence is his power and it will bring Divine blessing.

I saw this the other night as I listened to my son share a subtle point of Talmud he’s learning.  He became unclear about his train of thought for a moment.  I tried to assist him.  It didn’t help.  He became frustrated and furrowed his brow, summoning even greater exertion.

While I felt nachas from his efforts, I could also see he was becoming discouraged: “Why can’t I figure this thing out?”

Results are gifts; it’s peaceful power, not anxious exertion, that position us to receive them.

Shabbat Shalom,
Henry Harris
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    September 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    August 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    March 2016
    October 2015
    August 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2022, Jewish Center for Wellbeing.  All rights reserved.
Mailing Address: 136 Kingsland Road, #1044, Clifton, NJ 07014
About
Blog
Contact
Phone: 
(845) 393-1529