Sunday, March 25, 2012

Drop It!

Today I went to deliver the money many fine Jews had donated to the widow and her 12 children. Before I left, my wife asked me "Did you bring the gelt [i.e. money]?" [My wife and I converse in a combination of English, Modern Hebrew, Rabbinic Hebrew, Yiddish, Aramaic, Yeshivish and words I randomly make up that I hope she can figure out from context. "It made me zubbyshubbby!"] I also heard the word "Guilt".

NO!! I don't want to bring my guilt along. Enough already. Some people have and others - have it more. This pervasive sense of guilt, of "I've done something wrong". It is quite destructive and saps one of the vitality needed to be creative and constructive in our world. I walk around with memories of "sins" of commission or omission for days, months and years and frankly it robs me of the menuchas hanefesh for which I yearn. It doesn't consume me and thank G-d I have tremendous simchas chaim but we want shleimus - don't we?

After this exchange with my wife I decided to DROP IT. Just let myself be. No more guilt. Gelt - yes. Guilt - no. When I say shmoneh esrei I will feel guilty as I say סלח לנו but right after I finish the bracha I will feel that my slate is CLEAN! Hashem loves me and wants to forgive me.

You too....

Are you ready and willing to join me???