By Tzvi Freeman
You cannot blame yourself, never mind persecute yourself, for how you feel. But you can rejoice in the battle of controlling and sublimating those feelings.
Every small victory within yourself is a major triumph over the darkness of this world. Indeed, this is why this darkness was placed within you, in order that you may transform it into great light.
Crowned with Emuna
BS'D
The Rambam writes (Hilchot Teshuva 8:2), “The righteous sit with crowns on their heads and enjoy the radiance of the Shechina.” But those crowns? We craft them here, in this world, each time we strengthen our emuna.
Every moment you recognize that Hashem is holding you, guiding you, sustaining you — even when you don’t understand the how or the why — you are polishing your crown in the World to Come. The Kuzari teaches that if Hashem’s supervision were removed even for a second, nothing would remain. Your every breath is a Divine miracle.
The Nefesh HaChaim reminds us to thank Hashem for both the sweet and the bitter, for even the harshest decrees come from eyes that see what we cannot. Hashem sees with perfect vision, beyond the illusion of this world, into the realm of revealed good.
Let this truth soak into your heart. You are not alone. You are seen, guided, and loved.
The tangled branches of the banyan tree once caught my attention, and in them I saw a reflection of the human mind.
Its vast, complex structure mirrors the way our thoughts move—many streams flowing at once, intersecting, overlapping, competing for space. At times, it feels like heavy traffic every time we step out into the world: noisy, crowded, and overwhelming. What an ordeal!
Yet nature offers us a quiet lesson.
Despite its density and complexity, the banyan tree does not remain confined. Its branches rise upward, stretching patiently toward the sky, instinctively drawn to light.
Our mind, too, holds this immense potential. When scattered, it entangles us. When consciously guided, it becomes a force of clarity, creativity, and growth.
Mastery of the mind is not effortless. It demands continuous awareness, discipline, perseverance, and deep commitment. There are no shortcuts—only steady practice and gentle persistence.
But once the journey toward self-realisation begins, there is no turning back.
Obstacles will arise, as they always do. Yet, when you stay on the path, what no longer serves your purpose begins to fall away. And slowly, naturally, you rise—toward light, truth, and inner freedom.
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Your journey is yours alone. Never measure your pace against someone else’s steps – no two paths were meant to look the same. Hashem entrusts each soul with a specific piece of the sacred puzzle, a task that only they can fulfill. Every person carries a unique spark, a quality, a strength, a goodness that only they possess.
You were given a fingerprint nobody else has so that you can leave an imprint nobody else can. From the beginning of time until the end of time, there never has been and there never will be someone quite like you. Your circumstances, your personality, your abilities, your challenges are all custom tailored by divine design.
True unity doesn’t come from sameness. Shalom – peace – is not the erasure or dissolution of individuality, but its balanced blend. Like a symphony, peace is created when distinct notes, each with its own sound and purpose, merge toward a shared goal of creating a harmonious melody. Unity is not uniformity, and equality is not conformity. It is the recognition and celebration of difference. When individuality is cherished rather than suppressed, and when that individuality is used to contribute to the whole, something far more beautiful emerges – a seamless harmony that could not otherwise exist.
You were placed in this world to make a difference. Your life carries weight, purpose, and eternal value. When you honor your uniqueness, you honor the mission you were sent here to complete. Focus on your path, embrace what makes you different, and remind yourself often that your presence here matters. You are quite literally one of a kind, and the world needs exactly what only you can offer.
Inspired by the teachings of Rabbi DovBer Pinson