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<font size=3>From
<a href="http://www.torah.org/learning/tefilah/lion.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.torah.org/learning/tefilah/lion.html<br><br>
</a></font><h3><font face="arial" size=4><b>Like A
Lion</b></font></h3><font face="arial" size=3>"Arise like a lion to
serve your Creator in the morning" (Shulchan Aruch 1,1). <br><br>
</font>Take a look at
<a href="http://www.predatorconservation.com/video/lions_wakeup.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://www.predatorconservation.com/video/lions_wakeup.htm</a> It seems
that lions do take their time getting up after they have been asleep. So,
Kum k"Ari must not mean that one gets up very quickly! <br><br>
I am sure that this is good news for all those who have a hard time
getting out of bed in the morning. :-) <br><br>
Isn't it wonderful how the secular world can give us insight into Torah!
hooray for TIDE! >:-}<br><br>
In fairness, the web site
<a href="http://www.torah.org/learning/tefilah/lion.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.torah.org/learning/tefilah/lion.html</a> explains what this
means:<br><br>
<font face="arial" size=3>As Jews, we are taught that if we have the
mindset of a lion, we will successfully overcome the challenge of getting
ourselves out of bed in the morning. What is the significance of this
analogy? <br><br>
Over two thousand years ago, our Sages recognized that the urge to
worship idols was too powerful for the Jewish people to resist, and they
prayed that it should be removed. Hashem complied and a fire-like lion
ascended from the Holy of Holies. Our Sages captured this negative
inclination (yeitzer hara), preventing it from having further influence
(Yuma 69). <br><br>
From this Talmudic story, we see that this negative inclination takes
the form of lion. Strategically speaking, if we want to defeat it, we
must also act like lions. For this reason, the Shulchan Aruch advises us
to start our day like a lion (ibid. Shaarei Teshuva 1,1). <br><br>
Lions are unique in the animal kingdom in that they are the only beasts
which fear nothing. Even an armed man, who is more dangerous than a lion,
does not arouse fear in this majestic creature. <br><br>
When confronting the yeitzer hara, we must employ similar tactics. Even
though the negative inclination is stronger than man, we must fight it
with all our might, turning to Hashem to aid us in this struggle and
never fearing defeat. In this way, we will win the battle (Taz 1,1).
<br><br>
Waking up in the morning is the first battle of the day. Generally, as
soon as the alarm clock rings, we immediately think of many reasons why
we should stay in bed a few minutes longer. It is at that moment we must
become lion-like, pushing away the cunning arguments of the negative
inclination and escaping from his grip – and from the lures of
sleepiness. <br><br>
Getting out of bed is our first challenge of the day. Modeh ani and the
blessings of netilas yadayim, asher yatzar, and Elokai neshama, express
our thanks to Hashem for aiding us to be victorious in this battle.
<br><br>
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Yitzchok Levine </body>
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