As you expand your consciousness of kindness, you create a more spiritual life. Your kindness and compassion for the Creator’s children is an expression of your love for our Father, our King, Creator and Sustainer of the universe.
With your kindness and compassion you emulate God. As you help others, you create an inner light that illuminates your entire being.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book “Kindness.”
“Part of being careful is not to be excessively careful.”
If a person is excessively careful about not doing anything unless he is absolutely certain of success, he will not accomplish very much. While we should be careful not to take rash risks, calculated risks are necessary for anyone who wishes to utilize his potential.
Before taking a risk, list the pros and cons and weigh them carefully. But don’t demand absolute certainty before taking action.
Sources: Chovos Halevovos, Introduction; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.259
The biggest blessing for a person is when someone points out to him not only his strengths and virtues, but also his weaknesses and shortcomings.
We see this in the Torah when Yaakov blessed his children before he died. Yet we see that he reprimanded some sons for having faults such as impulsiveness and acting in anger. But that itself was the blessing! When Yaakov told Revuen that he acted impulsively and Shimon and Levi that they acted in anger, he was helping them to focus on the traits they needed to improve. This is the way to self-completion and it is the best blessing possible!
Today, think of a weakness that someone pointed out to you that you need to overcome. Think about how you can improve in this area and turn this criticism into a blessing!
(Sources: see Genesis 49:1, 2, 28; Rabbi Chaim Mordechai Katz – Beair Mechokaik, pp.83-4)
“Even if you are in the midst of great suffering, do not give up hope” (Pirkei Avos 1:7; Rashi). Life situations might at times seem so bleak and desperate that you see no hope for the future. You might tell yourself things like, “My life is a terrible mess, and I don’t think it will ever improve.” Such thinking leads to very painful feelings. The Sages advised us never to give up hope. Ask yourself, “What proof do I have that things will never improve?” While you might not have a guarantee that things will be better, you can never be certain that they will not improve. Don’t give up hope when in a very short time your whole situation might change dramatically for the better.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s “Gateway to Happiness,” p.372
Allison Mack – Photo Credit: R. Umar Abbasi
Guilty pleasures confession time. I used to be a huge fan of the television series Smallville (2001-2011). I’ve watched every episode at least once, and I love the theme song (YouTube).
In case you don’t know, “Smallville” followed the adventures of young High School student Clark Kent for the ten years before he put on Superman’s tights and cape. Actor Tom Welling starred as Clark, and supporting actors included Kristin Kreuk as love interest Lana Lang and Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan, a sort of High School newspaper version of Lois Lane.
I heard of Mack’s arrest last April on sex trafficking charges and was stunned. In her role as Sullivan, her character started out with a girl-next-door charm and a nose for bizarre news stories, plus she was as cute as a button. Of course, that has nothing to do with who the actress was as a human being.
Mack’s in the news again, this time professing her innocence in documents filed in Brooklyn’s Federal Court, basically saying that if Scientology can get away with it, she should be able to as well. Notice, at no time does she actually say she never committed the acts of sex trafficking of which she’s accused.
More’s the pity.
Even if a doctor says there is no chance of recovery, one should not despair. There are an extremely large amount of cases when doctors have given up hope and nevertheless the patient recovered. While it is irresponsible to disregard reliable medical advice when something practical can be done, doctors are only human and are fallible. It is important for doctors themselves to realize this and even when the situation appears bleak, they should realize that while we cannot rely on miracles, medical miracles do occur.
Whenever Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin was told that a doctor had given up hope on a patient, Rabbi Diskin would comment, “A doctor has a right to heal, but who gave him the authority to despair?”
Sources: Amud Aish, p.158; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.377
Courage builds self-respect. When you sacrifice for principles and ideas, you increase your self-respect. When you face a painful situation and react with dignity, you increase your self-respect.
When you say, “No,” to temptation even though others will try to persuade you to say, “Yes,” you increase your self-respect. When you don’t allow opposition to stop you from doing what you know must be done, you increase your self-respect.
In short, every act of courage makes you feel better about yourself.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s book, “Courage”
One person who frequently lost his temper, finally learned to control it with the following method:
Whenever he felt angry at someone, he would take a sip of water and hold it in his mouth for five minutes. Only after the five minutes passed would he criticize someone.
During this time his anger subsided and he was able to talk calmly.
Sources: Erech Apayim, p. 85; Rabbi Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.211
Try to become as great as you can. Some people are afraid to accomplish because they might make mistakes — and those mistakes will be more serious than if they remained simple!
This is not valid reasoning. Each person is obligated to develop himself to the best of his ability. The smallest person has potential for greatness if he utilizes all that is within him.
Sources: Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch – Shiurai Daas, vol.3, p.130; Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.131
Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.
If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.
While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.
-from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin’s Gateway to Happiness, p.180
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