[Avodah] What's the message?

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Mon, Dec 21, 2015 at 10:22am IST, R Moshe Zeldman wrote:
: Am Yisroel is facing the threat of militant Islam on many fronts...
:           The Gemara says that when we face yisurim, we're supposed to
: be "mifashpesh b'maasav... nachpesa dracheinu v'nachkora"...

: Is there any way for us to know, specifically, what Hashem wants us
: to improve? Lashon Hara? Tzenius? Learning? Sinai Chinam? Rabbeinu
: Tam teffilin?

I have in the past gone in two directions with this, and even though
they contradict, I find each compelling.

(Students of RYBS can invoke the word "dialectic" here.)

1- We are told how to know "yefashpeish bema'asev", and "nachpesa
daakheinu". When you feel that current events or personal troubles are
shaking you out of your rut and motivating you to change, check your
own actions and see what needs fixing and presents a goal that is in
within reach.

BTW, in Eiruvin 12b, when Batei Shamai veHillel finally conclude that it
would have been pleasanter not to have been created, there are two version
of what they conclude you should do about it: yefashpeish bema'asav or
yemashmeish bema'asav.

The common theme between proposed chiluqim between the two (Rashi,
Ritva, the Arukh) appears to be whether one is mefashpeish past actions
or yemashmeish going forward.

So, do a cheshbon hanefesh, check your own life. Don't ask us for a
one-size-fits-all solution!


2- But there is also a long tradition of gedolim suggesting particular
fixed for their community.

Perhaps (to turn the dialectic into a synthesis) this is with the
awareness that most people aren't sufficient self-aware to do an exact
cheshbon hanefesh, nor would journal for the number of nights it might
take to develop that awareness of what really needs work.

In this vein, I would suggest working on whatever issue the tzarah raises
within you without your trying.

Since we do more naturally express our underlying achdus when we as a
nation face horrible news, why not work on extending that inspiration
beyond the initial reaction to the news, and stretch it into days,
months, a permanent behavior?

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
micha at aishdas.org        I awoke and found that life was duty.
http://www.aishdas.org   I worked and, behold -- duty is joy.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                        - Rabindranath Tagore