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Jewish World Review June 26, 2001 / 5 Tamuz, 5761
http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
IN secular society, the most
altruistic goal is "making the
world a better place." In that
light, it might seem almost
self-centered to put a lot of
effort into refining one's own
character, middos. What, in the broad
scheme of things, does one person's
middos do for the
world?
The secular
world says that what
you are is secondary
to what
you do. Your
value as an artist,
a statesman, an
inventor, a philosopher
is seen as a
separate entity from
your personal ethics and
conduct. To a relgious Jew however,
the real hero is one who
has forged his own character
into a masterpiece.
Rabbi Avraham Chaim
Feuer, noted author and
Rabbi of Kehilas Bais
Avraham in Monsey, New
York, explains how a
legend about the Greek
mathematician Archimedes
(287-212 BCE) illustrates the
power unleashed by the
continuous effort in
character improvement
that the
Torah -- Bible -- requires of
us.
The story
took place
during the
Second
Punic
War, when
the mighty
Roman fleets
were threatening
Greece.
Because of his
reputation as
a man of
genius, Archimedes was
asked to design a strategy to
rescue the hopeless situation.
He advised that the Greek
troops should climb to the top
of a high mountain, carrying
with them huge mirrors,
which were made of highly
polished copper.
They were
to turn the
mirrors
toward the heavens
at an
angle
that
would
reflect
the sun onto the approaching fleet.
This they did, and the enemy
ships went down in flames.
That is the power we can
harness by polishing our own
souls. The brighter they
become, the stronger they
reflect the light of Heaven
into this world. The strength
of that light is enough to
defeat all obstacles and, in the
most real sense, "make the
world a better place."
Inner Excellence
YOUR HEART’S DESIRE
In the second verse of the central
Sh'ma prayer, we are told, "You
should not go after your heart
and your eyes."
The logical question
is: Why this
illogical order?
Don't you have
to see something
before
your heart can
desire it?
The late dean of the Telshe yeshiva in Cleveland, Rabbi Mordechai
Gifter, ZT"L,
explains:
What you see
is very much
dependent on
the direction in
which your heart is turned. A
very simple example of this
principle at work is to ask ten
people, who have just walked
down the same city block,
what they saw. Chances are
good that if one is a real estate
agent, he will have noticed a
"For Rent" sign on a storefront.
A young mother may
have noticed that the children's
clothing store is having
sale. A recent immigrant will
notice several
passersby
speaking in foreign
languages.
A ten-year-old
will notice her
classmate walking
down the
other side of the
street. And so
forth. What each
person sees is
the direct result
of what each
person's heart
desires.
If we think
about what we
notice in various situations,
we can gain some powerful
insight into where our hearts
lie. Where do your eyes focus?
On the flaws, or the good in
your loved ones? On the
slights and insensitivities, or
the favors done for you by
friends? On the inconveniences,
or the bits of Divine providence that occur throughout
the day? On the mundane,
or the higher aspects of
yourself? If your eyes are
always going in one direction,
you can be sure your
heart has preceded them
there. Using this concept, we
can pinpoint the location of
our own inner weaknesses,
and use that information
toward the life-long task of
self-improvement.
A Well-Polished Soul
Chosen Words, a newsletter of spiritual and personal growth, is produced by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation. Comment by clicking here.
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