There are two ways to get warm on a cold winter day:
a) Build a fire, which warms everyone else in the room as well; or
b) Wrap yourself in furs, which conserves your own warmth but does not generate any heat or warm anyone else.
Thus chassidim would say, “Don’t be a tzaddik in a fur coat!”
The footsteps of man are directed by God (Tehillim 37:23). When a Jew comes to a particular place it is for an inner Divine intent and purpose – to perform a mitzvah, whether a mitzvah between man and God or a mitzvah between man and his fellow-man. ~ The Alter Rebbe zt”l
When one’s actions are motivated not by the desire of his heart but solely by his understanding that he ought to act in a particular manner, then his actions lack vitality.
Learning Torah and observing mitzvot require power and vitality, revealed fear and love of God, which can only be the product of actual, regular meditation on God’s greatness. ~ R’ Shneur Zalman of Liadi zt”l
Said Rabbi Bannaah: There were 24 interpreters of dreams in Jerusalem. Once I had a dream and went around to all of them and they all gave different interpretations, and all were fulfilled, confirming that which is said, “All dreams follow the mouth.” ~ Talmud Berachot 55b
There isn’t anything that is not alluded to in the Torah. ~ Zohar
Even the angel Micha’el – the greatest of the angels – would give up all of his service and his comprehension of Godliness for even a single mitzvah of tzitzit – for one of the four tzitzit that every Jewish male has. ~ The Baal Shem Tov
Take a moment to think about this. Hashem gave each of us a short amount of time to do as many mitzvos as possible. The reward for each mitzvah is beyond understanding, that even Hashem’s top angel would give up his lofty spot in Heaven to perform just one mitzvah!
Are we using our time wisely?
When a person walks along without a thought of Torah in his head, the very ground under his feet cries out: “Clod! What makes you any better than me? By what rights do you step on me? ~ R’ Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch
One Friday evening at twilight in Slobodka, R’ Nosson Zvi Finkel’s sermon lasted longer than usual. When the time for Maariv came, his rebbetzen, who was familiar with her husband’s ways, opened the door a crack and whispered, “They have wives.”
R’ Nosson Zvi instantly stopped his shmuze [sermon] at its climax and began the Maariv prayers of Shabbos. One of the listeners dared to say “Our wives don’t mind.”
“First of all,” answered R’ Nosson Zvi, “I don’t believe you, and you cannot speak for them. Second, your wives are surely hungry, and you are not permitted to delay their eating.”
Despite protests of his listeners, R’ Nosson Zvi davened quickly, hurriedly wished each one “Good Shabbos,” and sent them home. ~ Sparks of Mussar
The seismograph has taught us that a tremor in any part of the world can be felt by a sufficiently sensitive instrument everywhere in the world. The same is true of a person’s deeds. One should not think that his actions do not affect others. Everything one does in some ways affects everyone else in the world. ~R’ Yehucham Levovitz zt”l
Chazal tell us that anger is compared to idol worship. One of the reasons is because neither of them accomplish anything.
It states in Tehillim 115:5 “they have mouths but they can’t speak.”
Anger is also futile as it states in Kidduhsin 41a “whoever becomes angry, all that he has is anger.”
Nothing is accomplished.
