What we do does matter

Dear friends,

I have been listening to an amazing CD by R. Shalom Arush. He makes two incredibly important, yet incredibly simple points: 1. Everything we do matters and when we don't judge and work to correct ourselves, then we are judged above. What that means is that only reason bad things ever happen to us is because we have failed to review the events in our lives, and correct our failings, on a daily basis. We need to be aware that whatever we do that is wrong, haphazard, insensitive, careless, or hurtful causes damage, to ourselves, to our companions and to the universe. Rav Soloveitchik, Z"L, BTW, said the same thing. This that Ha-Shem created really is perfect, and damage, which is imperfection, must be resolved. So either we, ourselves can resolve the damage by judging and correcting ourselves, feeling deep sincere remorse for the harm we have done, and resolving not to hurt ourselves and our world in the same manner again. Or Ha-Shem will be forced to heal the "dis-ease," the imbalance that we have perpetrated, by bringing harsh judgement. This is also alluded to in principle #8 of Traditional Jewish Medicine (TJM), that pain is a gift.

A second significant point he makes, is that before any action we perform, no matter how seemingly insignificant, we need to pray that He should help us, that our actions should meet with His approval, and that they should please Him. This is part of the process of involving and knowing Ha-Shem in all of our ways, and by involving Him, He will smooth all the difficulties that get in the way of our growth and progress, which is principle #1.

Have a wonderful, Joyous Shabbos!