ACTIONS and FEELINGS
Dear Family,
I hope that everyone is well.
Mazal Tov to Alisa and Juan who had a baby girl this week BH. And Mazal Tov to grandparents Reuven and Chana Lieba! Wishing you all much nachas and many simchos!
We want to wish Avi long life for the upcoming Yohrtzeit of his dear father Reb Yisroel Meir ah on Thursday next week. His neshamah should have an Aliyah, and you and your whole Family should know only simchos in the future.
The Hebrew Word of the Week from Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson's book, 'People of the Word', is MAASEH - ACTION, which I found interesting, and would like to share.
The prevailing wisdom in today's society is 'Follow your heart - be true to what you feel.'
In Jewish thought the matter is more complex.
Certainly one's feelings are important, but Judaism is also skeptical about leaving everything up to our whims.
Sometimes action is required regardless of how we may feel at a certain moment.
Following Jewish Law (Halachah) focuses on how we navigate the physical world. Halacha literally means walking, ie a form of ACTION
The Mitzvot themselves are almost entirely focused on TANGIBLE ACTIONS, and give concrete expression to abstract principles such as justice, self-restraint, love for one's neighbour, righteousness, fairness etc
These are things which Torah considers simply too important to put off until we feel inspired by our emotions.
But how can we prevent actions from becoming mechanical and devoid of heart and soul?
Our Sages teach that our feelings can flow and follow from our deeds (Mitzvah 16 in the Chinuch) ie we can consciously cultivate feelings of excitement, passion and pleasure.
This involves work, as with any discipline.
All of this and more is alluded to in the Hebrew word of MAASEH which is related to the word measin meaning "to compel"
This reveals a common thread in Jewish thought, that many of the most fulfilling, impactful, and important things that we need to do in this world, do not come naturally.
We need to compel ourselves to act in accord with our highest values and ideals.
Otherwise our emotions and appetites are bound to lead us astray.
Gut Shabbos to all!