Love of Gd

Hi,

"One's love of Gd should be... like the love of a son for his father, which is a natural love; his nature compels him to love his father... The true test of one's love of Gd is during a time of strain and trouble."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzato, Path of the Just Chapter 19)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The energizing effect of Gratitude

Hi,

"When a person understands the truth of the great value of the mitzvot, and the greatness of his obligation, his heart will certainly be energized for his task and he will not be weak in it.

"What will increase his energy, though, will be an examination of the great good which Gd performs with each person at every instant, and the great miracles He performs with a person from the moment of birth until the final day."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim [Path of the Just], Chapter 8)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Loving Gd

Hi,

"'Loving Gd' means that one should thirst, and truly desire, to be close to Gd. One should run after His holiness just as he would run after anything he strongly wanted, to such a point that even the mention of Gd's Name, or description of His glory, or involvement in His Torah will itself be pleasant and enjoyable for him. It should be like love for the spouse of one's youth, or one's only child, a powerful love. Even speaking about it should be enjoyable to him."

(Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just), Chapter 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Prepare yourself

Hi,

"A person can elevate himself to a trait of purity if he prepares himself for service of Gd and performance of mitzvot. This means that he doesn't enter into fulfillment of a mitzvah suddenly, without a settled mind and without first contemplating what he is about to do.

"Rather, one should dedicate himself to the purpose, and patiently prepare his heart until he enters the deed through contemplation, thinking about what he is going to do.

"When one enters a deed with this level of examination, it is easy to remove from himself the external motivations and establish in one's heart the true and desirable focus."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim Chapter 17)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

True humility

Hi,

"There are four elements in humble behavior:
a. Functioning in a humble manner;
b. Bearing one's own embarrassment patiently;
c. Fleeing from honor;
d. Treating others with respect."

(Mesilat Yesharim [Path of the Righteous], R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Chapter 23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Loving Gd

Hi,

"'Loving Gd' means that one should thirst, and truly desire, to be close to Gd. One should run after His holiness just as he would run after anything he strongly wanted, to such a point that even the mention of Gd's Name, or description of His glory, or involvement in His Torah will
itself be pleasant and enjoyable for him. It should be like love for the spouse of one's youth, or one's only child, a powerful love. Even speaking about it should be enjoyable to him."

(Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just), Chapter 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

True joy

Hi,

"This is true joy: That a person's heart celebrates because he merits to serve before the incomparable Gd, to be immersed in Gd's Torah and mitzvot, which are true completeness and eternal splendor."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim Chapter 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Unacceptable Asceticism

Hi,

"A bad form of asceticism is one in which a person will not only refrain from unnecessary material things, but even from those material things which are necessary.

"They will pain themselves with suffering and strange activities, for which Gd has no desire. Just the opposite, the Sages taught (Taanit 22), 'It is prohibited to cause pain to one's self!'"

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Path of the Just, Chapter 13)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Take care in choosing your associates

Hi,

"One who has eyes in his head will be more careful and will examine the deeds of the person he wishes to befriend or to take as a counselor or to hire in his home, to a greater extent than he will examine his food and drink. Food and drink can only harm his body, but friends and the people he hires can destroy his soul and his wealth and his reputation."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Want to be humble? Avoid flatterers

Hi,

"Another way to dimish one's humility is to associate with, or make use of, people who flatter. They steal his heart with their flattery, praising him and exalting him so that he will be good to them."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Master yourself!

Hi,

"One who wishes to eat his meals with full peace and rest and to sleep without disruption, who refuses to walk if not at his own leisure, and similar behaviors, will find it difficult to rise early to synagogue in the morning, or to shorten his meal for the Minchah prayer in the afternoon, or to go engage in a mitzvah if it is not the ideal time, or certainnly to hurry himself for a mitzvah pursuit or for Torah study.

"One who accustoms himself to such behaviors is not a master of himself, free to do the opposite if he should so choose, for his will is already imprisoned in the prison of habit, which becomes second nature."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Remember Gd

Hi,

"The essence of awe of Gd (Yirat HaShem) is awe of Gd's greatness; a person must think, while he prays or performs a mitzvah, that he is praying or performing that action before the King of Kings."

(R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 19)

Have a great day,
Mordechai