Kick The Habit Before It Kicks You!

 

I’m not sure exactly how old I was when I developed the terrible habit of leaving everything until the last minute. I shirked the wise words, “Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today.” For a long time, my mantra was, “I’ll do it later.”  

I did not sing that song alone. Research shows that 20 percent of adults tend to procrastinate. (Personally, I think the statistic is higher, but potential respondents put off answering the poll).  Nonetheless, as I reflect on my old stymieing habit, I realize that it was not as benign as it sounds. Today, I lament the hours and years lost to dodging and deferring that which needed to be done. 

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Indeed, it is our habits, not our wishes, that shape our lives. Yet still, we become entrenched in unhealthy behaviors which render us into “victims of habit” instead of "victors."  As Samuel Johnson said, “The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” Even phonetically, the word “habit” is soft and subtle, in contrast to words that grate on our ears and sensibilities such as cancer, Al-Qaeda, foreclosure and Coronavirus. But habits, though they be silent infiltrators, often wreak great havoc in our lives. That glass of vodka is ever so comforting as we go through our divorce, our financial troubles, our rough patches, after a hard day’s work or just to keep sociable. But then we come to rely on it. Our Rabbis teach that bad habits and sins enter our lives like guests, but they soon proceed like the host. 

We may rationalize, “So big deal if I text a woman or man who’s not my spouse…… it’s just one cute text! But soon, you find yourself enmeshed in an inappropriate relationship.  What’s one small cookie? Then like a bag of tokens held by a gambler,  the contents quickly disappear. Habits are the momentary appeasers that wear away your will. By easing and pleasing, they are little devils that steal your life away with a smile.

Pharaoh, too, not surprisingly, had bad habits. He liked to sing a familiar refrain, “No, no, no, I will not let them go.”  In this week’s Torah portion Va’eira, we read about seven of the ten plagues, and how Pharaoh’s hardened heart led to the destruction of Egypt.   

One question regarding  Pharaoh that has often arisen is whether he ever had free choice. But Maimonides teaches that the Egyptian ruler was himself responsible for his misfortunes because he used his free will to “deal wisely with the children of Israel” and refused to let them go. During the first five plagues, he hardened his own heart.  By the sixth plague, God blocked him from exercising his free will for he had already established his own trajectory. He developed some pretty bad habits and the more a person engages in wrongdoing, the harder it is for him to change course and do good. Pharaoh became a victim of his own actions. His lash may have enslaved the Jews, but in the repetition of his own wrongs he enslaved himself and prevented himself from repenting 

Satan, like a bacteria, needs just a small point of entry and weakness to come in and start destroying. The initial performance of a wrongdoing or a lazy-lousy habit may arouse serious guilt; but when a person repeats the negative behavior  over and over again, he eventually comes to deem it as permissible and soon elevates it to the status of a good deed: “If I don’t have that drink or weed, I’ll go crazy”; “If I didn’t sleep with that  girl, my marriage would never have survived”; “If I don’t eat that chocolate bar, I’ll faint.” The evil inclination knows he can’t convince us to commit suicide in one shot. So, he coddles us from misdeed to misdeed as we die a slow death from 1000 self-inflicted cuts.

Do we want to be like Pharaoh and self-destructive just because change is challenging? Because we are stubborn, egotistical, too proud and slaves to what we are used to, i.e., friends, houses, foods, sin, routine, particular fashions, social media, unemployment benefits, etc.?  Even Pharaoh’s own servants advised him that his behavior was destructive: “How long will this be a snare for us? Send out the men that they may serve Hashem, their G-d! Do you not know that Egypt is lost?” (Exodus 10:7). A snare! A trap! How often do we ensnare ourselves with our habits? 

Yes, Pharaoh is a great teacher for us all. Whatever he did, we should do the opposite. We shouldn’t harden our hearts and dig in our heels until we dig our own graves. Rather, we should atone every day and kill the Pharaoh within.

Tragically, the majority of  Israelites were influenced by Pharaoh’s stubbornness and even the “habit” of slavery became a comfort zone. Four-fifths of them did not  want to be liberated. Hence, God smote them and 2,400,000 died during the plague of darkness along with the Egyptians.

The moral is clear: Kick the habit before it kicks you! Shabbat Shalom!

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How Quickly They Forget (Shemot)

Both personally and professionally, I’ve known too many people who have a “use them and abuse them” mentality. These egocentrics regard other people as cogs in a system whose sole raison d’etre is to revolve around their needs and ambitions. You are here to serve them and once you’ve done all you can, your usefulness has expired. They will find others to use and abuse. These thankless people may regard themselves as geniuses in their game of life, but the Torah regards them as Pharaohs, as arrogant enemies of Hashem.

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We read in this week’s Torah portion, Shemot, about Joseph’s death and how “a new king arose over Egypt who knew not Joseph”-- the very Joseph who was the only man who could interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and who was appointed viceroy, standing only second to Pharaoh. The Joseph who made the country rich and saved it from ruin; The Joseph about whom  all of Egypt heard when his brothers had arrived. Yes, that famous Joseph, with a coat of many colors, who we all still know about thousands of years later, yet, somehow, Pharaoh just couldn’t seem to remember him. 

After all, remembering comes with a heavy price - we might have to say “Thank you.” And so, the new Pharaoh showed his gratitude by enslaving Israel and murdering their firstborn. Talk about appreciation! Some of our sages explain that the “new Pharaoh” was not a different person at all, but rather the very same Pharaoh who arose with a NEW attitude. Once the bad times were over, he figured the Jews were expendable.  He thought himself a G-d and didn’t want to be outdone or overpowered by the people who made him successful.  

The Torah teaches us a very different lesson about gratitude. After all the Egyptians did to the Israelites over their long years of slavery, the Torah commands us, “You shall not hate an Egyptian, for you were a sojourner in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:8). The Biblical commentator Rashi explains that we are not permitted to despise them because they hosted us in a time of need. If we can’t hate those who tormented us because they were once good to us, imagine how much more we owe those who were good to us. We must appreciate and consider the efforts on their part which made our lives better and easier even if only for a moment. Sometimes it is just a merciful moment that can save us from despair. 

Other examples in Judaism offer us sensitivity training and appreciation:  For instance, if we decide to change the mere casing of a mezuzah wherein a holy parchment was once contained, whether we change it to upgrade our decor or if the prior one was rotten or broken, it can’t just be thrown away in a garbage can. There is a respectful means of disposal;  Moses wouldn’t strike the waters and turn them to blood because the waters had once saved his life; We hide the challah on Shabbat under a cloth so as not to embarrass it when we first pray over the wine. All out of respect and gratitude. The Torah also prohibits needless destruction, directly or indirectly, of anything that may be of use to people.  

Thus, if inanimate objects which served us can’t be dismissed irreverently or disrespected, imagine how much more so are human beings to be treated with appreciation, dignity and gratitude if they helped us. When we are famished, it is easy to thank G-d for the sandwich in front of us. But the Torah commands us to say thank you also when we finish satisfying our appetites.  

It is actually only when we are in a perpetual state of gratitude that our best blessings are yet to come. “King Hezekiah had great messianic potential. G-d made great miracles for him...But because he did not sing a song of praise to G-d for the miracle, he was not appointed to be the Mashiach. (Sanhedrin 94a via Rabbi Avraham Arieh Trugman).  Gratitude is a fundamental of Judaism. In fact, the term "Yehudi"-- Jew, comes from the Hebrew name Yehuda, which means thanks and gratitude. It is thus from the tribe of Yehuda that the Mashiach will come.  

Everything comes from G-d. Even if we can’t stand the “messengers” He uses to execute His will, we have to be thankful. When we are not, we snub not only those who help us, but G-d as well. The Hebrew word for “thank you” is todah 

(תודה); When those same letters are permuted, they spell the word dotah (דותה) which means “illness.” When we are unthankful we are like an emotionally “sick” person and we separate ourselves from the Almighty. 

It seems we often remember what we do for others, even the $5 we lent someone 20 years ago, and insist we are only upset "on principle" that they didn’t pay us back. But when we owe others, we can manufacture excuses a mile a minute as to why the account has been settled. We overvalue ourselves in the giving and undervalue favors when we are taking.  

At the end of the day, it all comes down to one thing. Are you a Pharaoh with a short term convenient memory? Have you rewritten history to fit your own narrative wherein you are a superhero and the other is vilified? Or are you a mensch? Are you a grateful person? 

And for those of us who feel like the steps on the ladder, know that the Hebrew word for ladder (sulam) and Sinai (the host mountain where G-d gave His commandments) both have the same numerical value of 130. So, know you’ve done the right thing and your deeds add up to G-d’s will. He too gives endlessly and gets little thanks. Just be grateful that the Almighty endowed you with something to give. And know that G-d has a long term memory, despite all those who quickly forget!  Shabbat Shalom

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Imitation of Life

My whole life I always hated it when people copied me. Those who love me know it well and hopefully don’t love me less because of it. But I always deemed it as a form of identity theft. I know some will say imitation is the highest form of praise. But for me, imitation is the highest form of irritation.  And I’ve often racked my brain as to why it bothers me so much. Was I afraid that if you wore the same hat and ring that I would mistake you for me? At what point do I risk losing my unique identity altogether? And then I think about it another way and question whether those things which are copyable are really me at all. Some advise and say that if you’re being copied then you must be doing something right. But I’ve concluded that if I am copyable then I’m doing something very wrong. 

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The problem with us is that we each think that the whole universe revolves around us. We live in a fractured generation that nurtures egotism with social media as its bolstering and enabling cohort. What good can come from that? The individual is entrenched in a world of  “I,” selfies and self-promotion causing brother to envy brother and friend to envy friend. Who really cares about their community anymore or even world events? Our potent egos have isolated us and desensitized us. This separateness is antithetical to creation where cohesion and oneness are essential for existence, where elements intrinsically know that they must function as a team, i.e. rain, earth, plants, air, in order for things to work. Like notes in a song which must come together to create a song; we humans must find our “note” and realize that no other can make our unique sound: D♭ (D flat) cannot usurp C# (C sharp). In addition, while copying another in envy we will always be singing out of tune. For each one of us is a unique soul and if we’d be truly pressing ourselves to extricate what is uniquely us we would be as inimitable as a thumb print; we’d love ourselves and all that we’d do in  a healthy way; and we would not be threatened by others nor feel the need to copy or envy them.

In this week’s parasha, Vayechi, the last in the book of Genesis, we read about the imminent death of Jacob who with foresight at the impending moment blessed his sons, the future tribes of Israel. His parting words were by no means a blanket blessing to wish his sons a one-size-fits-all good luck and farewell. Each son received a unique blessing which was intrinsic to his soul and his idiosyncratic and divine destiny. Each tribe would ultimately be represented by a precious stone embedded in the breastplate of the high priest when serving in the Holy Temple. Could the sapphire representing Issachar imitate the pearl which represented Zebulun? Could the emerald representing Judah imitate the turquoise representing Naphtali? Each gem has its own beauty and brilliance to reflect in the world.  Ultimately, scholars descended from Issachar, seafarers from Zebulun, leaders from Judah, judges from Dan, priests from Levi, etc.  Why even bother having 12 tribes if each was destined to be like the other.  Obviously, they were not. “All these are the twelve tribes of Israel...each man, according to his blessing, he blessed them.” (Genesis 49:28)

When we become the best and highest version of ourselves, no one can steal our thunder because we own the sky.  Don’t tell Cecil B DeMille, but the Sages teach that when the Jews left Egypt the Re[e]d Sea didn’t split into two, it actually split into twelve paths, providing a distinct path for each of the twelve tribes. Each one of us should to take an honest, deep look at ourselves and find the gem within that is distinctly us. It’s not only about living a purpose-driven life; it is about living, in heightened form, our own unique purpose. Here I am now at my laptop, writing only what I can write. It is my purpose, it is my soul, it is my thumbprint, it is Aliza. Who are YOU?

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When the Walls Talk Back

As I found myself looking away from my blank computer screen as a reprieve from writer’s block, I found myself staring at a blank wall instead.  It was crying out for décor. And so, when I saw a decorative golden-gilded-masquerade mask embellished by burgundy feathers, I thought it would look great on the bare narrow wall in my office.  I couldn’t get back fast enough from the store to hang it up.  Yet, all my creative efforts to affix it and angle it so as to maximize its beauty failed-- nails, glue, hooks, all for naught. It didn’t fit and that was it.  For the first time, I wasn’t talking to the walls; they were talking to me!  But what were they saying? I speak three languages, but Sheetrock isn’t one of them!

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Nonetheless, that blank wall seemed to be rejecting the mask and was demanding something else.  Did it even know what it wanted or was I supposed to figure it out?   

 

Three days later, with no difficulties at all, I hung up the antidote to the mask and all its duplicitous implications -- three 12X12 paintings, each bearing a bold Hebrew letter: Aleph, Mem & Tav. Together they spelled the word emet (truth).  After all, what better mantra to inspire a writer and teacher of Torah?

 

The problem with most of us is that we are seduced and charmed by masks and false veneers, even our own. They seem to make it easier to interface with the world, and even with ourselves. It is ironic that Moses wore a mask to temper the light and Godliness that emanated from his face, while we wear figurative masks to hide our lies and inner darkness.  We hide behind our titles, money, fashion labels, and some even hide behind religious garb.

 

It takes a great deal of courage to be truthful: both to express it and to accept it.  We all know the saying, “The truth hurts.” But when we hide behind lies, our lives are beset with problems. We then turn to God and ask, “Why is this happening to me?”   We can face the truth only when life hurts more than the truth. When our tears burn like acid. Then we seek the source.

 

Truth involves accountability. It involves the whole story, A-Z, not just the details you want to include. And that is why the three-letter word for truth in Hebrew is comprised of the very first, the middle and the very last letter of the Aleph Bet.  Truth is ALL encompassing. 

 

We saw in last week’s Torah reading that Joseph’s brothers seemed to live without much guilt all those years after selling him as a slave.  They only dared to face the truth after they were beset with terrible troubles when they went down to Egypt to buy food and Joseph accused them of being spies.  The truth was not extraneous to them; it was in them.

 

“They said one to another:  "INDEED (aval), we are guilty for our brother, that we witnessed the distress of his soul when he begged us, and we did not listen. That is why this trouble has come upon us." (Genesis 42:21)

 

The Hebrew word aval (indeed) which initiates the brothers’ long repressed confession is interesting because it can mean many things. The manner in which they used it was honest and free of excuses: “INDEED we are guilty.” Interestingly, the same Hebrew word, aval, also means BUT.

 

Ah, the word “but,” the famous pivot upon which the best excuses swivel: But, I wouldn’t have cheated on her if she had lost weight; but I wouldn’t have stolen a few bucks from the petty cash if they had paid me more; but I did it because they deserved it.  Who said the manufacturing business is dead? We manufacture excuses every day. Instead, we really should be ripping off our masks and taking our true selves to task.

 

Why? Because that same word aval which means both “indeed” and “but” in Hebrew also spells another word, and that word is MOURNING. Erase the Hebrew vowels under the letters and you have no idea if you are reading the word “indeed,” “but” or “mourning.”

 

There are no coincidences in God’s holy language. Mourning is the common denominator of the two roads we can travel. On one road, mourning will heal us. On the other, it will bury us alive. We can mourn our misdeeds, pull off the self-deceptive mask, stop appeasing our conscience, toss out cheap excuses, and retire all the “ifs and buts” as Joseph brother’s ultimately do.  

 

Or, we can perpetually mourn our troubles, continue to justify our misdeeds and invite further suffering upon ourselves -- sometimes to the point of no return --simply because we are stubborn, arrogant or ignorant and look so much better with the mask on. With the mask on, it’s never our fault.

 

It is only when Joseph’s brothers truly repented and came to terms with their misdeeds that Joseph removed  his own mask  and proclaimed  to his brothers "I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt, revealing his true identity. (Genesis 45:4)

 

Instead of getting even with his brothers for their cruelty towards him, he removed an additional mask  and reassured them that what had transpired was all part of  God’s plan.

 

And so it is with us all.  When we start removing the fake and phony in our lives, search deeply and do teshuva, we will begin to see the Hand of G-d and realize that everything that happens to us is part of a   greater plan.  

 

Truth is the very seal of God and when we live a life of lies it distances us from our Creator and obscures reality.

 

The last three letters of the first three words of Genesis spell the Hebrew word Emet. Rabbi Simchah Bunim of P'shis'che pointed out that “It is customary for an author to place his name at  the opening of his book. 

And so, G-d put His byline, Emet, at the beginning of the Torah and in the story of creation itself.

 

Save the masks for Purim my friends and decorate your lives with truth. It needs no nails or glue guns, it stands all on its own.

 

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8th gift for Chanukah--Thank You!

 

My 7th Gift to you--A Mouthful!

 

My 6th gift to you--What we can learn from the shamash

 

You are only where you think you are!

 

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Are you afraid of the dark? Some statistics show that most people are. For, in the darkness there are so many unknowns and we fumble and fear. But even with the lights on, many of us have lost control of our lives and feel that we are experiencing intractable dark circumstances. But my friends, that is because we attempt to see with our physical eyes only. We look for external fake “lights” to lead us to better times and feelings never realizing that the light we need to access most is the internal one, the light of G-d within. When we use that light to go through life we are reinforced with faith and the deep knowledge that all things which appear as darkness are opportunities from Hashem to shine. For, it is the crushed olive which brings forth oil and from that oil we bring forth light to the world. As Judaism teaches, “Oil refers to the inner resolve of our neshama (soul) that emerges in times of challenge.” (Chabad) 

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The Chazon Ish, a renowned rabbi, pointed out to his students as they approached a lit lamppost that the closer they got to the light, the smaller their shadows became; The farther they went from the light their shadows became larger, scarier and disproportionate to the truth.  The lesson is clear: The further we go away from the source of truth, Hashem, the more our lives appear to be vulgar and resemble incomprehensible shadows which deceive us and terrify us. But it is against the backdrop of darkness where our greatness of character and spirit can excel and where impediments and hardships are rendered whetstones  to sharpen our greatness and potential.

The sages teach that where there is sadness blessings cannot reside. And that is why even in the depths of difficulty we must know that G-d is there with us pushing us toward our light. He is pressing us as olives to nurture our faith wherein we will remain positive minded, optimistic and faithful. The evil inclination attempts to push us toward sadness and despair; For he knows in that zone we reach for further darkness, i.e. drugs, food, alcohol, lies, revenge, blasphemy, etc., to coddle us. He is the master of that zone, that pitch-black place, wanting to keep us chained to grief, despair and fear. All conditions which prevent us from serving ourselves and G-d healthily. As the Alter Rebbe taught: “Think good and it will be good.” Note, he said it long before modern day “life coaches” who advocate positive thinking.

It is no coincidence, that the week of Chanukah falls during the time of year when the nights are longest. The menorah stands as a symbolic inspiration of the triumph of light over darkness. And in this week’s Torah reading, Mikeitz, we see that after 12 years of being in a dungeon, Joseph is liberated with such speed that the whole episode of his liberation and his subsequent audience with Pharaoh all happen in one sentence. He believed in G-d regardless of his circumstances; he radiated light in the depths of the pit, the dungeon and the trials of his captivity, and his life changed instantly--an instant end to darkness. The same was true of the Jews’ liberation from Egypt. They were slaves for 210 years and overnight they were rushed out of captivity, so much so that the bread didn’t rise, hence we eat matzah.

In Judaism, we believe that what happened to our ancestors is a sign and a prediction what will happen to us. We too must remain strong and focus on the light and be certain that Hashem will redeem us too from our miseries and heartaches as a nation and as individuals. The Jewish nation is compared to the moon which wanes and sometimes “hides’ but it waxes ever anew, and so can we if we place ourselves in proximity to the light of G-d.

At first glance it appears that Joseph’s own dreams were the cause of his troubles. They evoked envy and defensive behavior in his brothers and resulted in his sale to Egypt. But in the end it was dreams themselves which liberated Joseph from imprisonment when he was summoned to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. And it was dreams which elevated him to the most powerful position in the land just under the Egyptian ruler. In that position his brothers come to bow before him and all people and lands came before him to be saved from the famine.

See the light! Be the light! And as you lick your “wounds” never forget the words of Jeremiah the prophet speaking in the name of G-d: “I will heal you with your own wounds.”  So do not despair and do not fear the darkness of your troubles for the light is always there. Invert your view from “seeing is believing” to “believing is seeing.” Let there be light! 

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You are only where you think you are!

 

My 5th gift to you--Why we see the shadows

 

My 4th gift to you--Your Aura is Showing

 

My 3rd gift to you--The power of a single flame

 

My second gift to you--What you really want

 

My first gift to you--a vial of light

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You are the light

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Getting too Dark to See

"A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness."

I was on a ferry in Connecticut 25 years ago when a man jumped overboard and committed suicide. It was my first time on a ferry, a trip which went from happy to harrowing in an awful instant. My heart ached for that stranger whose name I did not know.

That tragic episode made me deeply question how cruel and sad a world we must live in that some people feel life is not worth living. As an optimistic newlywed then, I remember entertaining the fleeting query, “Could that ever be me?”  Since then, unfortunately, I’ve known other people, some closer to me than others, who have tragically ended their lives, leaving me shocked each time. Every incident catapulted me into deep introspection: How does life become so dark that one can no longer see any light?  At which point does death start looking more attractive than life?

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This article, however, is not about suicide, but rather about the very dark zone, the gravitational black hole, that so many people find themselves in today. And although they don’t contemplate death (I pray), life has become a depressing, meaningless chore where one day blends into the next without distinction. Unhappy marriages, lonely singles, family strife, economic strain, humiliating circumstances, aching voids, health issues and Corona are among the many strands which weave the noose around the neck of our optimism.

Interestingly, it is at this time of year when the nights are longest and darkness seems to prevail that we read about the story of Joseph, who found himself in the darkness of a snake-filled pit into which his brother’s had thrown him. Then, after being sold as a slave and exiled to Egypt, he was thrown into the darkness of Pharaoh’s dungeon. What truly did he have to live for? One day he was living a comfortable life as his father’s beloved favorite son, and the next day, he was in bondage.

Joseph had grown up on the inspiration of his dreams, which saw him ruling over his brothers. But he saw no “happily-ever-after” ending for himself from the depths of the pit. His brothers stripped him not only of his coat of many colors, but also of his pride, his innocence, and the years he could have lived peacefully by his father’s side.

In some measure, the brothers killed everything that made his life meaningful, except his faith and the light of G-d that burned inside him. Fortunately, faith knows no shackles nor taskmasters nor pits or self- pity—it sees only light. The Torah teaches us something very interesting about Joseph’s attitude throughout his great suffering. The dungeon to which he was condemned was called Beit Hasohar, the “house of light.” Even in the depths of a dark dungeon, Joseph maintained his faith in God. He remained optimistic and hopeful as he created his own “light.” It was a house of light because he himself shone. In fact, he is called a “jumping man.” The Midrash tells us that throughout his captivity, he behaved joyously, singing and dancing.

We must learn to emulate Joseph as we go through our own trials and tribulations. We need to keep our faith shining with laser-like intensity until it cuts right through the “dungeon” wall. It is a sin to succumb to despair and it is idol worship to believe that life is worth living only when we are riding high. Throughout time the rabbis have taught there is no blessing where there is sadness and on some level, today, science proves it. “The mere act of smiling can reduce blood pressure, lower stress hormones, boost mood and generate the same level of brain stimulation as up to 2,000 bars of chocolate...”

In the story of Chanukah, the golden Temple menorah was stolen by the Syrian-Greeks, and there was only enough pure olive oil to last one day. The Maccabees didn’t lament the darkness of the circumstance. Instead, they made a metal menorah to replace the golden one. And the one day’s worth of oil miraculously lasted eight days.

We too have much more potential inside ourselves than we realize. We can keep going and shine brightly. If only we would stoke our souls and refine our faith like pure olive oil, the miraculous lights of life would be with us 365 days a year.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe and those before him taught that just as it takes a little light to dispel much darkness, so we must never give up hope or faith, nor feel that the ‘night’ is insurmountable.

Having faith, however, is not a mere a slogan to say while trying to aggressively and craftily manipulate circumstances, thus creating further darkness. If a person really had faith in G-d, he wouldn’t work on the Sabbath because he would have faith that G-d would provide for him. If one had faith, he would not be afraid t to give charity because he would be confident of G-d’s generosity towards him. If one had faith, he would do everything so differently, because a person of faith will “let go and let G-d.” In our worldly affairs, we believe that one hand washes the other. Yet  when it comes to G-d, we are ready to collect with both hands and serve with neither.

All the above is beautiful and inspiring but ultimately useless even if we do have faith in Hashem, but give Him no reason to have faith in us. Joseph did not survive Egypt simply because he had faith; that would just make him a positive thinker. He survived and triumphed because G-d had reason to have faith in him. Despite all the perverse influences around him, he behaved like a mensch and maintained his unique identity.

The most beautiful woman in the world made daily advances at him and he did not succumb because he saw his father’s face and the moral teachings of his faith guided his conscience and his deeds. 

By passing the tests, we create light, just as friction creates a spark.  By keeping the commandments, we become powerful eternal flames. “When the lamp [man] and flame [Torah] unite, they produce a light which fills the house--the world.” (Rabbi Elie Munk). We are not merely candles in the wind or glow-in-the-dark wands that quickly burn out, leaving us terrified and inconsolable in the dark lonely nights. If we see the light, we can be the light!

When a young man once inquired of the Lubavitcher Rebbe what his favorite prayer was, the Rebbe replied, “Modeh Ani.” This 12-word prayer stood out as powerful to him because it affirms that G-d has faith in us, which means all things are possible. And just as the menorah light is “reborn” every night in a crescendo of illumination, a Jew too must strive every day with the outlook that yesterday wasn’t good enough. Today we must shine brighter.

What are you doing with the faith He has entrusted in you? Who have you become while stumbling through the darkness? Hashem is the only light, the Source, awaiting you even when you feel it’s getting too dark to see.

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