CONTROLLING UNWANTED URGES

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is keeping well.

Tonight is the yohrtzeit of the Alte Rebbe, Reb Shneur Zalman of Liadi.

He was the author of the famous Tanya, among his many writings.

In this week's Tanya, we learn more about the level of a Beinoni. (Chap 14), and connected, I saw 2 interesting letters from the Rebbe.

Basically (and this is in very simple terms) the Beinoni is an intermediate between an evil person and a Tzadik. Within himself (or herself), his animal soul remains strong and desires evil, but these desires do not find practical expression, due to the restraining force of his or her Divine soul, and also help from Hashem.

This rank of Beinoni is attainable by everyone, because everyone can at any time or hour be a Beinoni.

Every man is given the choice, ability, and freedom, to act, speak and think, even on items which are contrary to the desire of his heart, and diametrically opposed to it!!

He knows that even the most 'unworthy' Jew is capable of sacrificing his life for Hashem, if he is forced to deny Him, because of the hidden love to Hashem deep within his heart. Therefore he reasons that he also has this hidden love, even although he may not feel it.

Therefore he will attempt to divert his attention when challenged to do, or say or think something evil, and he will say to himself, 'I do not want to be a rasha, even for a moment, because under no circumstances do I want to be parted from the One G-d.

Instead, I desire to unite my soul with Hashem through action, speech, and thought connected to His Torah and His Commandments.

As for the 'unworthy' Jew, the reason he sins is because he forgets about this hidden love for God within his heart. But as for me, I have no desire to be such a fool, to deny the Truth.'

The two letters that I saw this week from the Rebbe, connected to the above, were questions about UNWANTED URGES, and mental health.

The Rebbe answers:

Unwanted urges

Hashem asks of a person, based on his abilities.

There are people who were born with anger, kleptomania (the urge to steal), the nature to hit others etc. Yet Hashem commands that these are severe prohibitions?!

Therefore these people must have been equipped with additional powers to overcome their natural urges.

When these powers are utilised, it is certain that they will be successful.

In order to make it easier, it is advised that these urges should be dealt with medically as well (obviously only if this is too severe an issue)

Mental health

Mental health, whatever its cause, consists of dissonance between the actual facts (reality) around the person, and the way he or she sees and perceives these things in his mind.

As a result he experiences anxiety, or fear that someone wishes to harm him, and so on.

From time to time there are changes from one extreme to another, from unreasonable fear to unreasonable exuberance, a total fragmentation of the psyche and perspective.

We are taught (through the Mitzvah of Tefillin) to subordinate our heart (emotions) and mind (intellect) to the True G-d, about whom it is written, 'I am Hashem who does not change.'

This automatically causes harmony between one's intellect, emotions, and the surrounding reality.

Wishing everyone a very happy Shabbos