Change we can believe in!

          We are soon approaching Chodesh Elul. Hashem is so kind to us that He has given us forty days from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur to do teshuva. Hashem is waiting so patiently for His children to come back to Him and rekindle our relationship with Him. The way to do teshuva is by doing ‘Cheshbon Hanefesh’- checking your actions DAILY. The evil inclination is very wise and even more cunning than you know! It wants to keep you busy with the material world and have you waste your time on trivial things.

Since the evil inclination keeps you so busy, you don’t have time to evaluate your relationship with Hashem. The forty days, from the first of Elul to Yom Kippur, are days where Hashem won’t deny your request to return to Him. He is waiting for you to knock on His door!

 We have to be strong and overcome the challenges we endure. Our desires in this century are fashion, technology and money. To overcome these desires one needs to understand that if Hashem gave you a certain desire there is a cure for it. Hashem doesn’t give His children something they cannot overcome. We need to train ourselves to pick up chumash rather than the remote control! We must strive to fill our precious time with learning Torah and developing ourselves, rather than with chasing worldly pursuits. When we go to the next world we are not taking our savings account, house, clothing etc. with us; however, we are taking our mitzvot!  With that we will be judged.

WORKSHOP:

 Now take five or ten minutes and write down on a piece of paper how you want to change this year in each of the following areas:

1.     Ben Adam L’Chavero_Relationship between man and man:

Ex: judge people favorably, greet someone with a smile, help someone_visit the sick, and babysit for free etc.

2.     Ben Adam L’Makon_Relationship between man and G-d:

Ex: pray with more concentration; stand in one spot while saying Asher Yatzar_prayer after using bathroom etc.

3.     Ben Adam L’Atzmo_Relationship with yourself:

Ex: work on one of your negative character traits; make time to learn Torah etc.

May we all be judged in the book of life, Amen!
Esther Shamayev