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Author's Foreword

Introduction

Acceptance

True Accomplishments

The Value of Action

The Value of Action(2)

Accepting Advice

Anger

The Positive Side of Arrogance

Faulty Assumptions

Attentiveness

Attitude

Attitude (2)

The Proper Attitude (3)

Awakening the Jewish Spark; The "Pintele Yid"

Jewish Roots - A Sense of Belonging

Bravery

The Benefit of a Broken Heart

Challenge

Change

Child-Rearing

Choices

Honoring G-d's Choices

Compassion

Competition

Concentration

Inner Conflict

Eternal Connection

Crisis

How to Give Criticism

Depression

The Importance of Eating

Education

Effort

Empathy

Channeling Enthusiasm

Equanimity

Balancing One's Excitement

Excuses

Faith

Fame

Finding G-d

Flexibility

The Proper Focus

Goal Setting

Achieving Goals

Gossip

Gratitude

Hastiness

Healing

Good Health

A Happy Home

Humility

Positive Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy (2)

Identity

Influence

Inspiration

The Power of Intellect

Introspection

Judging Others

Judgmentalness

The Wisdom of a True Leader

Lifting Spirits

Creating Light

Living in the Moment

Lust

Materialism

What Matters

Meditation

Moodiness

The Truth About Motivation

Life's True Necessities

Missed Opportunities

The Pitfalls of Perfectionism

Persistence

Advice for Personal Growth

Proper Planning

Finding the Positive in the Negative

Possession

Prayer

True Prayer

Purpose

Quality of Living

Rationalization

Rationalization (2)

Reaching Out to Others

Security

Security (2)

Self-Assessment

Self-Concern

Self-Control

Purposeful Self-Denial

Self-Esteem

Self-Sacrifice

Slander

The Power of Speech

Success

Suffering

The Power of Thought

The Proper Use of Time

Toil

Toil (2)

Understanding Tragedy

Making the Best of Tragedy

Truth and Honesty

Who Are We?

Worry

Maintaining Youth

Chassidic Soul Remedies
Inspirational Insights for Life's Daily Challenges

Channeling Enthusiasm

Rabbi Dovid Shraga Polter

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  EmpathyEquanimity  

It is written that a snake's venom is exceedingly hot. This alludes to a condition in which a Jew becomes so wrapped up and roused by the heat of the material world - namely the excitement in the mundane - that his spiritual inspiration is compromised.

Concerning the scorpion it is stated that his venom is cold, connoting a more insidious situation than that of a snake. When one is enthused and excited - albeit in matters relating to the mundane - at least it is a sign of life. He can then channel that enthusiasm to holiness. However, when one is cold and uninspired - a sign of the opposite of life - it is considered far worse.

This will serve to explain the mishnah: "If one encounters a snake around his ankle during the Shemonah Esreh prayer, he is not to interrupt, whereas when a scorpion is near his ankle he is to interrupt [his prayer] and deal with the impending danger." (Berachos 5:1)

When, in the midst of prayer, one is overwhelmed with passion and excitement for worldly things (comparable to the heat of the snake's venom), he is not to interrupt his prayer. Since he possesses the proper tool for spiritual growth, he must merely learn to channel it in a positive way.

On the other hand, when one is besieged during prayer by a sense of coldness and lack of enthusiasm (comparable to the venom of the scorpion), he must interrupt his prayers, since this indicates that his service to G-d is totally inappropriate and must be reconstructed anew.

Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, p. 374


  EmpathyEquanimity  
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