Thursday, April 24, 2014

The NEW 15 step program. There is value in struggle.



Passover is a tremendous uplifting and life transforming holiday. The Bible says we must experience Passover and the Exodus everyday of our lives. Passover Number 2, a one day commemoration, falls out on May 14, 2014. Here is a summary synopsis of the exodus/Passover journey, applicable in everyone’s life.

First and foremost a person must come to terms that he has a sickness-problem-addiction-bad habit/trait, call it what you want. “Knowledge of a sickness is already half the cure.”  If a person does not accept that there is problem, there is no chance he will address what’s holding him back from happiness and progressing. If a person doesn’t even acknowledge fully the problem, if you don’t even admit there is an enemy in the house, you aren’t going to protect yourself from further harm, and certainly you will not advance towards eliminating the issue.

The next step is to take full responsibility for this situation. One of the requirements for repentance is to verbalize the sin before G-d when asking for forgiveness.  As long as you have excuses you haven’t taken full responsibility. Everyone has influences of all sorts, in life. However, G-d gave every person the freedom to choose. What you choose to allow in your life is your choice. Period, end of story.   These two steps, where the first commandments from G-d in preparation for the Exodus. “Draw and take for yourselves the Passover sacrifice…”

The next step is working on one’s humility. As long as a person is arrogant and walks around with a bloated ego there is no chance for full self-improvement. Arrogance is the seed of all downfalls. Humility is the vessel for all blessings. No man can do life on their own, we need help. A never ending source of help is strengthening ones bond with the Creator of the world, G-d Himself. “G-d is my shepherd (and therefore) I shall not lack.” This is the thrust in making the flat poor man’s bread, the Matzah, as opposed to the bloated bread.

Then, there are the 15 steps of the Passover Seder that help address and shine the details of our characters. Dedicating ourselves fully and totally, to a new path (Kiddush) never to look back, cleansing any residue of the past (Urchatz). Going further to discover and identify past triggers (Karpas) working on the humility and self-effacement (yachatz) realizing all the incidents and experiences that brought us to where we were and where we want to go to. Being grateful for the good and identifying what’s bad (Magid) etc…

Understanding it is impossible to understand everything in this world. We must be more accepting of the unexpected curve balls life throws us. All things happen for a greater good to come. The world that we don’t see, is much greater than the world we do see. What’s hidden from our understanding, comes from a place which is much higher than fitting neatly in our brains.  The tip of the iceberg is precisely that, just the tip and what’s hidden in the water is even greater than what we can see with our eyes. The world in the ocean has many more life forms than on dry land and also takes up much more space.

There is more to life than what we see, and we have faith, because we know, G-d is good, that “this too is for the good.” This is the miracle of finally “going through the Reed Sea, while walking on dry land.”

We must always have faith in better things to come and know what our goals are. We must know that every good deed, word, and even thought, brings us closer to ultimate good, and nothing, even our every attempt to improve ourselves is ever in vain. There is value in struggle. This is the theme of the last day of Passover. Knowledge and faith, joy in the present, for the ultimate redemption, the coming of Moshiach.

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