How to find inspiration?

relish

Sat, Mar 03 2018, 8:29 pm

This answer is probably not what your looking for, but it's what I do, and I want to share.

It's something I work on every day, all the time. No two moments are alike. It a huge challenge.

1) Being in my body in the moment.
2) Soaking in the essence of the mitzvah in that moment, while letting go of preconceived notions of what it should be.

This does not come easy. I've been working on this alone for over a year, and it seems like it will take a life time. When I lose inspiration, it's because I lost touch with my body. Time to reconnect.

Let me know if you want the source for this. It's talked about by one of the miforshim on the breaking of the luchos.

amother

Apricot

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 5:12 am

Bitachon Hotline 732 719 3898
It totally changed my davening and outlook on Yomim Tovim and my relationships with some people too !
I try to listen as often as I can. It might take a few weeks to start feeling the difference because it was such a new concept at least for me it was.

amother

White

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 5:30 am

amother wrote:

I just called the hotline and heard 2 stories that just happened last week. Some kids lost an important piece of their toy and a man lost his glasses. Neither was able to find what was lost until they reinforced their bitochon. Once they reinforced their bitochon, they found what they had lost. I'm curious what you take from these stories and if they have any value to you. The stories clearly indicate that hashem gives us what we want and ask for as long as we have bitochon. Think shiduchim, health, and parnassah. Do you see a connection between those who are matsliach with regard to their high level of bitochon, and those who are not matsliach who generally have less bitochon?

amother

Apricot

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 5:44 am

There is no question that the more bitachon you work on having the more likely to get what you wanted without your effort on bitachon.
What I take from the hotline is not just the physical benefits of bitachon. It changes my whole relationship with Hashem. Hashem is in my head so much more and I feel a so much closer relationship with him. He really became part of my life on a real emotional level. The things I rely on Hashem for are the springboard which creates and fosters my relationship with him. Nothing is too small to turn to him for. Nothing is too hard for him. And best of all He wants me to keep turning to him for all my stuff... because really it brings me closer to him. I don't have to feel like I don't deserve all I want...he enjoys me thinking of him and talking to him even about my "hangups" and "vents" He really becomes like a real father and a good one...
It takes time. Listen to the hotline for a few weeks to start getting there. It took me time.

amother

Blush

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 6:44 am

relish wrote:

I like this. It’s hard to do as a single mom. I sort of feel like Jewish life was intended for married people... I know I’m in the best place for me right now. But I feel like I need a lot of extra strength to get there and to be in the moment....

amother

Ivory

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 6:47 am

amother wrote:

How does one find inspiration in the rote and mundane? Davening the same words over and over. Working so hard every week to have a nice Shabbos, every week. Seeing the same people. Celebrating the same holidays.

What is your inspiration?

Go out on the street and strike up a conversation with a less fortunate person. I always walk away inspired, and appreciating the mundane.

amother

White

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 6:57 am

amother wrote:

[u]

I wish I could internalize what you are saying in the bolded. It honestly makes no sense to me. If we look around do we see that what you are saying is accurate and true? Do we see that for example, those with strong emunah don't struggle with shiduchim seemingly on the same level is those with less emunah? Look at your classmates from high school. Unfortunately there are probably a few singles. Is it lack of emunah?

relish

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 7:04 am

amother wrote:

I'm with you sister!
Single parenting is awesome, yet the pits for the same reasons.
You can't depend on anyone, so you must build your inner resources.

amother

Apricot

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 8:55 am

amother wrote:

Of course ! Without putting any effort into emuna everything does look like that. If everything was obvious then there wouldn't be a place to work on emuna.
By spending time learning about Hashem and what real bitachon is that's how we can come to this recognition. The bitachon hotline helped me a lot with this. Everyday I internalize more how everything is from Hashem.
There are many answers to your specific questions. Just to give 1 answer.
Each persons hatzlacha and struggles have nothing to do with someone elses. Each person has their own mission in life decreed by Hashem.
Bitachon helps each person improve on their own situation not compared to someone else.

PinkFridge

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 11:47 am

Bitachon isn't a vending machine. Bitachon helps you deal with whatever situation you're in by recognizing it's tailor-made by Hashem for you.
OP, this is the season of hischadshus. We became a people with the first mitzvah being Rosh Chodesh to imbue us with the knowledge that
1. We aren't slaves to Paroh anymore, we have control over our time and use it in our service to Hashem
2. the way to serve Hashem is with newness, not the (just heard this and love it!) fake newness of society with its latest models, constant newsfeeds, etc. There's a gemara that a few chachamim were deliberating over the most important passuk in the Torah. One said, Shema. Another said, v'ahavta l'reiacha kamocha. The third said the passuk about the daily sheep brought for the tomid, morning and afternoon. The first two said that he was correct.
The first pasuk supported the idea that bein adom laMakom is premier. The second, that bein adom lachaveiro is. The third idea is that just as the kohein brought the exact same korban the exact same way day in day out but did it with freshness that's how we need to approach life.

I guess one's inner nature helps one in this quest. I would say, get some religion. The Chazak line has great mini classes, Rav Fischel Schachter, Chai Lifeline's weekly brief messages, and soon, Pesach chizuk. Last year featured several speakers, daily, from about rosh chodosh on including my favorite aunt (ok, she's not related but I've adopted her, I should tell her one day) Miryam Swerdlov.

Hatzlacha and joy getting there!

amother

Apricot

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 12:11 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

Bitachon isn't a vending machine. Bitachon helps you deal with whatever situation you're in by recognizing it's tailor-made by Hashem for you.

I actually learned that bitachon can be a vending machine. Hashem loves us and wants us to be close to him. If truly feel we need him to be our vending machine in order to feel close to him every time we rely on Hashem for something even a chocolate bar we get a mitzvah.

PinkFridge

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 1:03 pm

amother wrote:

Let me clarify:
Nothing, and I mean nothing, happens without the ratzon Hashem. We do our hishtadlus because we have to but that there are what seems to be normal consequences are really only because Hashem wills it.

And of course we all know the story of the guy who was circling for a parking space, made some bargain with G-d, a second later someone pulls out and the guy says, "Oh, it's ok, G-d, I got my space." And we know just how wrong he is. As well as the guy in the flood who waited on his roof for G-d to rescue him as he turned away G-d's messengers. I'm assuming we all have a basic level of sophistication in our knowledge that kochi v'otzem yadi - for absolutely anything - is among the world's greatest and most dangerous fallacies.

But to say that if we believe enough that Hashem will give us something that He will, that's using Hashem as a vending machine. It's saying, I have xyz so I am morally superior to the greatest tzadikim who didn't. And if you say, well maybe your xyz is really not important to such lofty tzadikim, how about the childless tzaddikim and tzidkoniyos that we all know of?

We believe that Hashem can do everything. We certainly daven that He will do certain things, particularly those that according to our script will help us serve Him better. But what do you know, Hashem has a perfect and sometimes different script.

amother

Apricot

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 3:22 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

But to say that if we believe enough that Hashem will give us something that He will, that's using Hashem as a vending machine. It's saying, I have xyz so I am morally superior to the greatest tzadikim who didn't. And if you say, well maybe your xyz is really not important to such lofty tzadikim, how about the childless tzaddikim and tzidkoniyos that we all know of.

Ose Hashem Retzon Yeraiv Hamiyachalim Lechasdo. Hashem WILL do for those that rely on his chessed. No ifs ands or buts.
It's not just about believing. Bitachon is genuine RELIANCE on Hashem. There is a world of a difference. You can daven and ask or you can daven and rely.
This is the mitzvah of bitachon. I don't need a license to be a tzaddik to have bitachon. Even a Rasha can have bitachon and Hashem will be there for him.

We are not using Hashem. Hashem wants to be our vending machine. Because if that what makes our relationship stronger with him then he is thrilled to do it.

Now the challenge is to genuinely rely on Hashem...that is what the mitzvah is. Working on creating that mindset.

(Technically a Rasha could genuinely rely and a Tzaddik not fully rely. Typically it would not happen but it can happen sometimes in some circumstances. There are stories how simple people were able to have more bitachon than the Talmidim of the Alshich because sometimes it is easier to have complete reliance on Hashem if you don't know as much...like a baby trusts a mother more than a teenager)

PinkFridge

Sun, Mar 04 2018, 4:38 pm

amother wrote:

There is relying on Hashem giving us everything we need. Of course.
Then, if we don't get something, we have to accept that Hashem doesn't think we need it now.

amother

Apricot

Mon, Mar 05 2018, 4:32 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

There is relying on Hashem giving us everything we need. Of course.
Then, if we don't get something, we have to accept that Hashem doesn't think we need it now.

Yes 100%. I am a bit passionate about this.
The way I was taught bitachon growing up made it sound like that only tzaddikim have real bitachon and we sort of just are aware of the concept and how we are supposed to believe.
This is such a terrible thing because I never worked or learned how to really have real bitachon myself. Once I learned the concepts I was posting about how we can really rely on Hashem for all our things even small wants just like a chocolate bar or finding a good parking spot it changed my whole perspective. I don't need to become great to have bitachon. Hashem is ready to start the relationship with me at my level with all my petty needs and wants. Just like a real relationship with a person that can only happen if they can connect with the real me not some noble holy version of me.

PinkFridge

Mon, Mar 05 2018, 5:27 pm

amother wrote:

ITA with everything you wrote. Though maybe I should say ITE - I totally endorse - everything you wrote, not having had your exact experiences.