Feeling Like its Aseres Yemei T’shuva

Many people complain that they just don’t feel the special quality of the Aseres Yemei Tshuva. In their heads, they know how important these days are and how we must do t’shuva, but they have trouble feeling it in their hearts.

As a bochur in yeshiva, its much easier to be inspired. There are extra mussar sedorim, shmuzen, and the whole environment puts one in the right spirit. However, as a working person, there is no ruach, no mussar seder, and therefore no feeling the uniqueness of these days. A friend of mine took off a few days to go to Eretz Yisroel for the Aseres Yemei Tshuva related to me how Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel gave a shmuz in the Mir Yeshiva, and at the end of the shmuz led the entire yeshiva of 3,000 people in the recital of a kapittel tehilim, “in order that we should be zoche to do T’shuva Shlaima.” My friend said, “There is no words to describe the emotion that I felt at that moment.”

How do we attempt to make these days meaningful to us?

1. The Chazon Ish said that since we live in a generation of falseness one has no choice but to run and escape to the beis medrash and envelop himself in the truth of Torah. While most working people don’t have the ability to sit and learn all day, everyone has the opportunity to have a serious seder every single day. If someone has a serious learning seder every day, not only will it change his entire day, he will also find that special times take on new meaning.
2. Stop for a moment and realize what we are working so hard for. We don’t work so that we become rich and buy lots of stuff. Stuff doesn’t make people happy. We work so we can provide for our families needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and tuition. Therefore, our working is a spiritual exercise on its own right. Having this proper attitude about what you do all day will help break through the barriers of materialism and falseness which dull our sensitivities to the special time we are now in,

These days only come once a year, and they will go by in a flash. Don’t cheat yourself out of an experience that will change you for the better.In just a few moments, you can make a positive change in your life that will affect your relationship with Hashem, your wife, and best of all – yourself.

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Filed Under: aseres yemei tshuva • Inspiration • Self Improvement

Tags: kabbalos