Lazer Beams

Our Way

When things don't go our way, it's because our ego is getting in Hashem's way.

Hashem does everything for the absolute best, so let's put our own sorely limited intellect aside and let Hashem run the world.

"Ratzon", Will

Our ratzon - the will, efforts, and yearning to seek Hashem - is a prime vessel for the Divine illumination of emuna just as a crystal goblet is for a fine wine. We wouldn't want to pour a thirty year-old Chateau de Rothschild Cabernet wine in a broken or dirty glass, for the wine would either spill on the floor or become ruined. A fine wine necessitates a whole and immaculately clean goblet. By the same token, without proper vessels, a person can't receive Divine illumination. Hashem doesn't want to spill His "fine wine" on the floor – we must be able to contain it. -from the "Garden of Yearning"

Your Individual Path

Each of us has his or her own individual personal path. Our path in life is as unique as our fingerprint, in accordance with our mission in life, former reincarnations, and our individual tikkun. Although there are general tasks that each person must do on this earth, each person has a unique and individual way of completing a given task. One cannot attain happiness or fulfillment in life without ascertaining his or her unique path. Without personal prayer, this is virtually impossible. Personal prayer can't be found in any book; not only does it change from person to person, it changes within a person himself from day to day and from hour to hour, according to a person's current circumstances and according to the stimuli that Hashem sends at that given moment. - The Garden of Yearning

Prayer for Fortitude

There are many not-so-well-meaning folks out there that are constantly trying to persuade us to do things that we know are wrong. We therefore should always pray that Hashem gives us the strength to do the right thing. Have a great Shabbat!

Servitude as Freedom

Freedom from physical bondage is only bottom-level freedom. Freedom from bodily urges, such as substance dependancy, overeating and debauchery is higher level freedom; alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and lust incarcerate a person worse than a state pentitentiary.

Highest level freedom is freedom of the mind, when a person breaks the ball-and-chain servitude to conformity. One reaches the pinnacle of freedom when mobilizing his or her entire mental and physical resources in the service of The Creator. A servant of G-d is a master of body and soul.

The great benefit of being The King's servant is that one is free from serving anyone and everyone else. No feeling is as refreshing and exhilerating as real freedom, doing what you know and believe is right.

Setbacks

A setback in life is really beneficial, as long as a person doesn't lose heart from it. If a setback stimulates a new beginning and a better second effort, it's wonderful! Rebbe Nachman cites Jonah's cry from deep inside the belly of the whale (see Rebbe Nachman's Discourses, 302) as the type of prayer we should all strive for. Only the earnest cries of a broken heart can pierce all barriers, and uplift the world from the depths of impurity

Rather than losing heart from the setback, one needs to arouse oneself and earnestly seek to reveal the concealed emuna, which makes the person – and the world – much more beautiful than if the emuna were never concealed at all. A setback and its subsequent yearning and renewed effort bring out the best in a person. Life's extreme difficulties reveal such lofty traits as valor and dedication, which make a person and the world so much more beautiful.  

This Shabbat is Shabbat HaGadol - "The Great Shabbat". It is especially conducive for turning a setback - like all the painful events of recent weeks - into a marvelous triumph. All we have to do is to believe that Hashem loves us and to do our very best to get closer to Him. Shabbat Shalom!     

Ploy for An Easy Birth

Rachel T. from Israel has discovered a ploy for an easy birth.

The doctors told her to expect a rough delivery because of certain complications, in this, her fourth childbirth. Rachel strengthened herself in emuna, and reminded herself that Hashem decides what kind of childbirth experience she'll have and not the doctors.

Rachel wrote me an email and said: "I went into labor at 9 AM on Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh Nissan, Rebbe Nachman's birthday. I figured that the best thing I could do would be to fulfill Rebbe Nachman's advice, to do an hour of hitbodedut (personal prayer). I went into hitbodedut, and started talking to Hashem. The stronger the contractions, the more I spoke with intent to Hashem. At exactly 10 AM, when I finished my hour, a healthy baby boy was born naturally with no complications. This was the easiest childbirth I ever had. You can guess what the baby's name will be..."

Hitbodedut in labor - what an idea for an easy birth! Mazal Tov to Rachel T & family. We here at the Beams pray that all expecting mothers have healthy pregnancies and safe and easy deliveries, amen!