JEWISH HOME LA

Dear Readers,

A tzaddik of a previous generation moves to Eretz Yisroel. There, he encounters the yetzer hara. The tzaddik exclaims, “You’re also here!?!”

The yetzer hara responds, “Sure I’m here! In fact, it’s my agents who I send to the Diaspora; here you get me in person.”

Each yom tov we attain a new spiritual high, a new level of recognition of reality and our place in it. This leads us to feel like we’re sort of above the everyday challenges we experience year round.

But then comes the “day after,” and it seems that just as we grew in our spiritual sensitivities, so did our evil inclination!

Although it’s difficult not to feel down about it, we have to at least recognize that this exactly the purpose of our being here. The Baal HaTanya writes that each year a new G-dly light shines into the world, giving it new opportunity and purpose. As with all spiritual matters, it needs to be earned. The post-yom tov blues are one of the challenges we need to overcome.

Many big changes are taking place in society, and it’s hard to keep up with them all, but as with Noach before the Mabul, just because society believes we’re heading for their objectives doesn’t mean we’re not heading straight for Hashem’s goal. This goal is nothing less than the ultimate and complete redemption, after which there will be no more challenges of working with darkness and concealment.

When that time comes, the world will be filled with a G-dly light as has never been seen before.

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos,

Shalom