Sunday, January 7, 2018

Is Despair Helpful?

לזכות ידיד נפשי הרה"ג ר' אליעזר זאב בן דבורה וכל בני ביתו לברכה והצלחה!!!!



היאוש שבא בתוך הלב הוא בעצמו מורה על מרדות [ר' צבי יהודה ביאר "מוסר" "הכנעה"] פנימית עדינה, הנובעת מתוך הכרה עליונה של מוסר ושל קדושה, ע''כ ראוי הוא שהיאוש בעצמו יחזק לבו של אדם, שלא יפחד וישוב מכל חטא בתשובה מלאה שלוה ואומץ רוח.

The despair that enters the heart is itself a sign of a gentle inner subordination 
issuing from the higher consciousness of morality and holiness, it is therefore appropriate that the despair itself should strengthen the person not to be afraid, 
and to return from all sin with a teshuva filled with serenity and spiritual courage.

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AMAZING!! If you are feeling despair due to all of your follies and failings - that is good sign!!:-) It means that you have internalized the severity of what you did. Now you can let go and be filled with peace, serenity and courage. 

Note A - The Rav was [in my mind] unquestionably the greatest psychologist of the 20th century [besides being a Gaon and Tzadik etc.]. He put Freud, Alder and the rest of them in his back pocket. Learn his writings and you will see. 

Note B - I am no expert on Freud, Adler, or the rest of them. But from what I have seen....:-)  

Note C - I saw someone translate מרדות פנימית as "inner rebellion".  This is inaccurate. 

Note D - Beware of faulty translations:-) [including mine, although I do my best to accurately adapt into the spoken langauge].