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To-Do List for the Soul: Shevat
According to the Kabbalistic text Sefer Yetzirah,
every month of the Jewish calendar is associated with a letter of
the Hebrew alphabet, a sense (one of the five senses or an
emotion), a controlling limb of the body, a zodiac sign and
one of the twelve tribes of Israel. These associations give us
important clues as to how to live in tune with the spiritual energies of
each month, and can help each of us prepare our own personal to-do list
for the soul.
Shevat is the 11th month of the Jewish year.
The word Shevat is closely related to the word Shabbat - the Jewish
Sabbath - a day when we take a break from our work and worries and take
time to enjoy the many blessings God has bestowed on us.
Tu B'Shevat, the "holiday of the trees" that falls on the
15th of the month, is also a day when we are asked
to take time out from our busy lives. On this day, we stop and take note
of the many small miracles in the natural world that we often take for
granted.
The first buds of a fruit tree as it wakes up from its
winter sleep, the sweet taste of a date grown in the Land of Israel -
these miracles of nature awaken our physical senses to the miracle of all
life, including our own.
In the Torah, a human being is compared to the tree of the
field (Deuteronomy 20:19). A tree has its roots in the ground, but
it is dependent upon the rains falling from heaven to grow. When the rains
and soil are in harmony, the result is beautiful, healthy fruit. Human
beings are also a mixture of heaven and earth. When we properly nourish
our bodies and souls, we also produce beautiful fruits - the mitzvot
(good deeds) that we perform in the world.
Shevat then is a time when we pay attention to both body
and soul. By learning to become aware of how much we have to be grateful
for on the physical plane, our souls become inspired to sing words praise
and thanks to the One Who provides for all our needs.*
Letter:
Tzaddik
A tzaddik is a righteous person - a master teacher who
illuminates the spiritual path through his or her own actions.
The letter tzaddik is the first letter in the word
tzelem, the word used in the Torah to describe the creation of
Adam, the first man, who is created b'tzelem elokim - in the
image of God.
The tzaddik is a person who has worked hard to rectify his
unruly emotions and passions and dedicated his entire being to performing
God's will. When you gaze upon the face of a tzaddik or read about her
actions, you feel you have come in touch with the inner spark of holiness
that animates and elevates all life. Yet the Jewish tzaddik is no ascetic
hermit who lives on a misty mountaintop.
The letter tzaddik is also the first letter of the
word zud, which means to hunt. A tzaddik, in his role as Torah
scholar, is someone who hunts for the Divine Light hidden in nature in
order to reveal it to the world. In his role as Rebbe and teacher, he
hunts for - and reveals - the lost sparks of holiness that lie hidden
within every human being.
It shouldn't surprise us to learn that there are only a
few true tzaddikim (plural of tzaddik) in any generation. Therefore, it
may be impossible to ever see a tzaddik face-to-face, let alone receive
individual instruction from one.
Fortunately, however, countless stories have been recorded
that tell of their deeds and illustrate their teachings. There are books
in English and web sites on the Internet devoted to these stories (this
web site too has a section for tzaddik stories, called "The
Rebbe Says…").
On the surface, these stories may appear to be simple
tales from a long ago time that have very little connection to the complex
modern world we live in. Yet our tzaddikim were masters in revealing and
healing the human heart - an organ which hasn't changed much since it was
first created. Therefore, our task for this month is to stop and see how
we can use our treasury of tzaddik stories to hunt out the hidden parts of
our soul that may need repair.
To-Do List for the Soul:
Shevat is a time when we should be seeing the first signs
of success from our previous labors - whether it be the start of new
business project, or trying to teach your children how to be caring human
beings.
If you feel like your "message" is falling on deaf ears,
try using the following short tzaddik story to help you analyze why
you are feeling blocked and not getting the results you want.
The Apple Seller
There once was a woman who came from a good family, but
since she was poor she had to sell apples in the marketplace. Her business
venture, however, was not a success. One day she went to Reb Chaim of Sanz
to pour out her heart.
"Rebbe," the woman cried, "I don't even have money to buy
food for Shabbat!"
"Why? Don't you sell apples?" Reb Chaim asked.
"Yes, I sell them" the woman replied. "But people say my
apples aren't any good, so no one will buy them."
Reb Chaim put on his fur hat and black silk coat and went
with the woman to the marketplace. He picked up one of the apples from her
cart and began to call out, "Apples! First-rate apples! Who wants to buy
beautiful apples!"
Immediately a large crowd of people began to gather around
the apple cart. Within minutes the woman's entire stock of apples was sold
out, and at a good price.
"You see, your apples are fine," the tzaddik said to the
woman. "It's just that the people didn't know it."
Now let's take some time to analyze the story. For the
purposes of this exercise, let's assume that Reb Chaim was right and the
apples are of good quality.
Part One
1. First, write down five possible reasons why the woman
was not successful at selling her apples. Try to be as specific as
possible with your answers.
2. Next, write down five reasons why Reb Chaim was
successful. Again, be specific.
3. What can the woman do to become successful at selling
apples?
4. Do you think she will be successful? List three reasons
why or why not.
5. Write a new ending to the story. If in Question 3 you
answered that the apple seller will be successful, tell how that
happens. If you wrote that the woman will not be successful at selling
apples, write an ending that gives the woman a good solution to her
problem, but that is still rooted in the facts of the story (i.e. don't
give her an easy out by having her win the lottery).
That's it for Part One, so if this is something you want
to work at, please answer the questions above before reading any further.
Of course there are no "right" or "wrong" answers in
analyzing the story. In some aspect of our lives, every single one of us
is the apple seller, and so the answers you write down are the right ones
because they give you a mirror into your soul and what is stopping you
from achieving your goals.
Part Two
1. Now look over the first list. When you wrote down the
reasons for why the apple seller was unsuccessful, did any of them
resonate especially strong in your soul? Were you surprised by any of
the answers you wrote down? Did any of your answers help you see the
problem in a new light? Put a check mark next to every reason that seems
to apply to you and your situation.
2. Take a look at the second list, the one about Reb Chaim.
Do you see yourself in any or all of your answers? Are these qualities
that you possess? Or did you have a specific person in mind when you
wrote down the answers, perhaps someone you view as being successful?
Are there certain reasons for the Rebbe's success that you feel are not
applicable to you and your situation, or seem to be out of your reach?
3. Now take a look at your answer for Question 2, "What can
the woman do to successfully sell her apples." Take your answer for the
apple seller and, in a few sentences, rewrite it so that it is an answer
for the specific problem you are now trying to solve.
In every place where you wrote "she" or "the apple
seller," replace it with the word "I." If you didn't already do so in
the first version, try to address all the negative issues you raised in
Question 1 that you checked off as being applicable to you, and
incorporate all the positive elements of Question 2 into your answer.
4. Finally, read over your answer to the third question,
"Do you think the apple seller will be successful?" The belief we have
in ourselves is a powerful contributor to our ultimate success. Does the
answer you wrote for the apple seller apply to your own chance of
success? Why or why not?
5. If this exercise has inspired you and given you new
insights into how to sell your own "apples" - whatever they may be -
congratulations. Take a few moments to visualize and enjoy your own
happy ending.
If, on the other hand, you feel like you're still stuck
in a dead end - well, maybe you are. Sometimes we pursue careers we
don't believe in or try to instill values into our children that we
don't fully adhere to ourselves - in other words, we need to do a
reality check to see if we're really being honest with ourselves and
those around us.
In this case we need to delve deeper and make several
incremental changes before we can get to the happy ending. If this is
your situation, take a close look at your new ending for the story.
Perhaps you had the apple seller leave the marketplace
behind and had her baking and selling apple pies from her home. Or
perhaps you decided that the woman really hates apples, so you turned
her into a chocolate seller instead. On the other hand, perhaps you
decided that marketing wasn't her field at all, and you gave her some
new profession.
Does your alternative ending help you see your own
situation in a new light? Can you think of alternative endings to your
own story?
The possibilities are endless - and that's the point. We
are never stuck, we just sometimes think we are. We may have to modify
our original plans or do some work on shoring up self-confidence, but if
the "apples" are good (i.e. honest and of good quality), then there is a
way we can successfully sell them.
However, sometimes we really can't solve the problem by
ourselves, and we need to turn to outside help for assistance. In
difficult family situation involving teenagers, for instance, it's often
easier for the kids to listen to advice from therapists or teachers than
their parents. What's important is believe that there is a first-rate
solution to your problem, even if you don't yet know what it is.
Part Three
If you had trouble coming up with an alternative ending to
the story, here's one more exercise that may help get the creative juices
flowing.
The story begins by telling us that the apple seller comes
from a "good family," but she is "poor."
What associations does the word "poor" have for you? In
what areas of your life do you feel "poor"?
What do you think of when you read these words "good
family"? What does it bring to mind when you think of the apple seller?
What does it bring to mind when you think of your own situation? In what
ways do you, too, come from a "good family?" What areas of your life do
you feel good about? Write down your thoughts and be specific.
Sometimes we feel "poor" because we've forgotten how to
see how much good we have in our lives. Simply by becoming aware of this
good and staying focused on it, we can open new doors of creativity and
communication.
If you have discovered or re-discovered something good
about yourself through this story, take a few minutes to say a prayer to
God for giving you this new insight. Then ask Him to please help you gain
additional new insights so you can successfully "sell" your ideas or
services to the people you are trying to reach.
Most tzaddik stories give over a message that can help us
grow. If you are an educator or counselor who would like to learn more
about using tzaddik stories as dynamic tools for personal growth (or you
would like to see tzaddik stories appear in your community's weekly Jewish
newspaper) please contact me at
libia@netvision.net.il.
Zodiac: d'li,
the water carrier of Aquarius.
The Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidut, once remarked
that if you a meet a water carrier carrying pitchers full of water, it's a
sign of blessing.
The month of Shevat occurs at the height of the rainy
season in the Land of Israel. Since the country is totally dependent on
rainfall for its water needs, we know that every drop of water we receive
is, indeed, a blessing.
But as important as rainfall is for the trees and our
drinking water supply, water also plays an important role in keeping our
souls refreshed and clean. So here are some suggestions for both body and
soul for enjoying the waters this month.
To-Do List for the Soul
1. If winter's damp and cold is causing your joints and
muscle to creak and moan, now is a good time to pay a visit to your
neighborhood health spa (check with your doctor first if you have health
problems). A soak in a whirlpool bath can do a lot to revitalize both
body and soul.
2. Take Suggestion 1 and elevate it to a spiritual level.
If you've never been to a mikvah - a ritual bath - Shevat may be
the right time for you to dive into this ancient Jewish method of
spiritual cleansing.
The word mikvah shares the same root as the word
tikvah, which means hope, and immersing in the pure spring waters
of a mikvah can be a profound spiritual experience. Hope tells us
that life is not frozen in time and that our problems are not written in
stone. Wherever we have been, whatever we have done, we can wash away
the impurities of the past and once more connect with the pure waters of
the neshama - the soul part of us that is always pure and has
never been blemished.
3. Water is often used as a metaphor for Torah, and so
Tu B'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees, is also referred to as the New Year for Torah
Learning. At this time when all of nature is awakening from its slumber,
a beautiful book to read and study is Conscious Community - a Guide
to Inner Work by Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira.
Rabbi Shapira, who is also known as the Piaseczner Rebbe,
was a spiritual leader of the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. The
book, which has been translated into English by Andrea Cohen-Kiener for
the publishing house Jason Aronson Inc., provides a step-by-step-guide
for developing mindfulness within a Jewish context. Or, as the Rebbe
says in his own words about the goal of the work:
We do not merely want to do the deeds that God commands,
but to become God's vessels. We do not merely strive to perform sacred
acts, but to become sacred beings.
Sense:
Eating/Taste.
Our Sages say, "The tzaddik eats to satisfy his soul," and
that the tzaddik knows the secret of how to feel "full" and happy with a
little.
Many of us, however, are "challenged" by food. We eat a
lot, yet never feel full. Or we starve ourselves and wonder why we always
feel empty. The month of Shevat gives us an opportunity to see food in a
whole new light, and on Tu B'Shevat we all have the opportunity to achieve
the level of the tzaddikim.
The main way we observe the holiday is to eat fruits that
grow in the Land of Israel. On this day a small piece of fruit becomes a
tangible symbol for all the bounty of the Land of Israel, and it awakens
us to feel gratitude to God for all the many blessings He has bestowed on
us - if we let it.
Here are some tips for elevating the act of eating to a
spiritual act, and they will hopefully help you feel full with a little.
To-Do List for the Soul
A. Food for the Soul
1. Take a piece of fruit - preferably one of the species
that the Land of Israel is known for (figs, dates, grapes, olives, or
pomegranate) and spend a few moments examining it. Note its color and
its texture. Does the fruit's appearance or texture awaken anything in
your soul?
2. Try to put into words how this fruit makes you feel more
connected to the Land of Israel. Is there something about its appearance
that reminds you of Israel? Or is there perhaps an association with a
story or phrase from the Torah?
Think about its "roots," the long journey it had to make
from the time its seed was first planted until it arrived in your home.
Think of all the miracles of the so-called natural world that had to
occur in order for it to germinate and grow.
3. Now that you have in mind how much work its Creator had
to expend to create this piece of fruit, say the blessing for eating it:
Baruch Ata A-do-nai, El-o-hay-nu, Melech ha-olam, bo-ray
pree ha-etz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who
has created the fruit of the tree.
4. As you eat the fruit, take the time to really savor and
enjoy its unique taste. Put into words how this fruit tastes to you.
Listen to the sound that is made when you bite into the fruit. Use all
your senses to fill yourself up with the pleasurable experience of
eating this one piece of fruit.
5. When you are done eating, say thanks to God in your own
words. Tell Him why you are glad that He created this piece of fruit for
you to enjoy.
B. Feed the Birds
Our attitudes towards food are often passed down to our
children, and this topic will be discussed more fully in the next section.
But here's a charming custom related to feeding God's creatures that you
can share with your children this month.
On the Shabbat when we read the Torah Portion Beshalach we read about how the Children of
Israel safely passed through the waters of the Reed Sea. When they saw
that they had safely escaped from the pursuing Egyptian Army, the people
began to sing an exultant song of praise and thanks to God. This Shabbat,
therefore, in known as Shabbat Shira - the Shabbat of Song.
On the Friday afternoon before this Shabbat begins, it is
customary to place breadcrumbs on the windowsills for the birds to eat.
Birds are always grateful for the food they have to eat, and they show
their gratitude through cheerful song. On this Shabbat, we can learn a
lesson from them and make sure to add lots of song to our Shabbat meals.
Controlling Limb:
Stomach
During the month of Kislev, whose controlling limb is the
"Belly," we looked at the foods we eat in terms of how much satisfaction
they give us. The term "belly" is a general term for an area of the body
that includes the stomach and the intestines. During Shevat we take a
closer look at the stomach, the organ that grinds coarse food into fine
particles - to see if we can refine our eating habits.
Study after study shows that obesity becomes a bigger
problem with each passing year, and it is a problem that is increasingly
affecting children. When we have so many healthy foods available, why do
we so often reach for the high calorie-low nutrition alternative?
Rebbe Nachman of Breslov was a Chassidic rabbi who lived
some 200 years ago, but he often wrote about the adage, "You are what you
eat." Like many of our Sages and teachers, he warned that eating the wrong
kinds of food can not only affect one's physical health, but it can also
affect the mind's ability to function properly.
When we choose to eat "junk food" on a regular basis,
we're sending a pretty powerful message to our minds about how we feel
about ourselves. And if we often serve junk food or fast food to our kids,
they may also pick up negative messages about their bodies and develop
feelings of low self-worth.
In a plastic, throw-away world, Judaism begs to differ.
Not only are human beings not "junk," we are in fact royalty - we are all
children of the King. As such, we have a right and a responsibility to
provide our "kingdom" - our bodies - with the nourishing foods they need.
And we also have a right to eat our meals in a setting that is befitting
royalty.
If that sounds like a pretty tall order, here are some
exercises to get you started.
To-Do List for the Soul
You are What You Eat
1. Keep a food diary for a four-day period,
Monday-Thursday. First, create a chart with four columns.
In Column 1, record the time when you eat either a full
meal or snack.
In Column 2, make a list of all the foods you eat and
drink during a particular meal or snack.
In Column 3, note whether eating the meal/snack was your
sole activity at that time, or whether you were also doing some other
activity (i.e. working at the computer, talking on the telephone,
driving).
In Column 4, note whether you were sitting down at a
table when you ate the meal/snack or whether you were standing up or
walking.
2. Now review your chart and try to see if any patterns
emerge. Most of us need to eat three meals a day, and nutritionists say
that breakfast is especially important. Do you eat a healthy breakfast?
Do you often skip meals, or eat at irregular times?
Are you happy with the balance in your diet of fresh,
nutritious foods vs. fast foods or junk foods? Is there any correlation
between what you eat and when you eat and where you eat?
In what way are your eating habits a reflection of how
you see yourself as a person, or view your present situation? Are you a
busy person who is always in the fast lane? Is there a bitterness in
your life that you would like to sweeten?
3. Pick one thing about your eating habits that you would
like to change for the better, and then use Shevat as a time for working
on this one thing.
The Sabbath Queen
There is an old adage that states, "Even more than the
Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jewish people."
Many countries have tried to degrade the Jewish people,
but not one of them has succeeded. We have also held on to our dignity,
even through the most trying times, and one of the reasons for our success
is Shabbat.
Although we are all children of the King every day of the
week, on Shabbat we really feel like royalty. Before the "Sabbath Queen"
arrives, we have already made all the preparations. The house is sparkling
clean. The room glows with the light of the Shabbat candles. The dining
table is draped with a white tablecloth and the best dishes and silverware
are set on it. We, too, are dressed in our finest clothes as we sit down
to enjoy a delicious, home-cooked meal.
And perhaps most important for us, who live in a busy,
non-stop world, on Shabbat we turn off the telephones and the computers
and the palm pilots and the televisions and the radios. When we sit down
to the table with our family and friends, we have only one thing to do:
enjoy. And because it's Shabbat, we have plenty of time to enjoy the food
we are eating and the people we are with.
If you're not yet keeping Shabbat, you can still designate
Friday night as your night to "eat like a king." Prepare a meal that
consists of foods that nourish your body and soul - and then give yourself
time to fully enjoy it.
If you are keeping Shabbat and you feel like you are
conducting the meals by rote, try doing something during Shevat. Learn a
new song each week to sing at the table.. Or select one course and before
you take each bite, say the phrase "l'chvod Shabbat kodesh" - "in honor of
the holy Shabbat." Keep in mind that when we give honor to Shabbat we are
also giving honor to ourselves.
Tribe: Asher
The word "Asher" means pleasure or happiness, and the lot
of the Tribe of Asher was happy, indeed. Their portion of the Land of
Israel was filled with olive trees, and so their cup overflowed with olive
oil - a highly prized luxury.
In ancient times, if you were wealthy you would use olive
oil to soften your body's skin. But olive oil also had a much more exalted
purpose. It was used to anoint the kings of Israel, and it was used to
light the Menorah in the Temple. It was also the preferred oil for
kindling the Shabbat lights because of the pure glow its flame gives off.
As mentioned above, we are all children of the King.
Sometimes, however, because of time or economic restraints, we neglect to
treat ourselves to the little pleasures in life that can do a lot to make
us feel great. Shevat, therefore, is the month to pencil in time for
pleasure - preferably those things that will soothe the body and
illuminate the soul.
To-Do List for the Soul
Be Nice to Your Body Day
Usually oil and water don't mix, but this month let
Shevat's Zodiac sign and Tribe inspire you to spend a day (or half-day)
treating your body like royalty. Get a massage and a new haircut. Treat
yourself to a bowl of homemade soup or brew a fresh batch of herbal tea.
Relax in a bubble bath. Give yourself a facial. You get the idea…
Do Not Disturb
Make a date with yourself for 10 minutes every day - it's
best if you can always "meet" at the same time. During these 10 minutes do
the following: light a candle, put on some soft music, and give yourself
some self-appreciation. Let your "self" know how much you appreciate all
the work you've done at your job and in the home. If you handled a
difficult situation well during the day or learned a new skill, be sure to
pat yourself on the back. If you're in the middle of a difficulty, don't
forget to give yourself some words of encouragement.
A Psalm a Day…
For thousands of years, the Book of Psalms has been
a source of light and inspiration. If you're not yet familiar with the
healing powers of this amazing book, try to begin by reading the following
10 psalms and making them a part of your soul: Psalms 16, 32, 41, 42, 59,
77, 90, 105, 137 and 150.
These 10 psalms comprise what is known as Rebbe Nachman of
Breslov's tikkun (repair). Although all psalms are good to read,
these psalms in particular are a wonderful remedy for soothing the rough
spots of the soul.
* Please note
that the exercises mentioned above should not be construed as
medical, psychological, or professional advice, and the author is not
responsible for consequences that may result from using these exercises.
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