Summary (Begin with the end in mind)
Dovid hamelech describes how he overcomes two different types of fears. Pachad, unknown fears and yira, known fears. He says the solution is to clarify your goals and have bitachon.
Practical Tehillim Power:
1. If someone has a fear or anxiety.
2. When one is trying to clarify their goals and wanting to get in touch with their inner yearnings.
3. If someone has a challenge with their parents or someone they look up to as a mentor. For example if you feel that they do not understand you.
4.
5.
Intro to this Chapter
The Midrash interpets Hashem is Ori 'my light' on Rosh Hashanah. We know that Rosh Hashanah corresponds to the sixth day of the creation of the world, when Adam was formed. He fully comprehended every aspect of the universe. All was revealed to him; no doubts or ignorance existed for him. But lust blinded him and sin extinguished the light. Hashem aids our Teshuva by giving us clarity and brilliance on that day.
The Midrash further explains Yishe 'my salvation' refers to Yom Kippur. After perceiving the light and the truth on Rosh Hashanah the soul yearns to repent fully and to be completely cleansed of sin.
There are two parts to a person. There are two Yomim Tovim that correspond to us as the Adem Hashelem.
Our Yehud - the unique neshama that Hashem gave us.
No two minds are alike, [just as] no two faces are alike (Berachot 58a).
Yeud- The Nesivas Shalom writes Hashem created each person with a special light and mission which is the essence of our neshama and it our job to discover and live our Yeud.
Examples of People who live and lived their Yeud
1. Rabbi Dovid Hofstedter Founder of Dirshu
2. Henny Machlis
3. Rabbi Gissinger
4. Ally a student from our Israel Trip
5. Ac man
Tikkun - We work on the specific areas that we struggle with. This is the purpose of Yom Kippur and the Aseres Yemei Hateshuva.
Why is Rosh Hashanah first?
You need to begin with the Picture of the new You.
Mashal:
Moving to a new city and the packing process.
First seek out your vision and where you want to move and then pack your bags.
There are two ways to motivate human beings
Avoiding pain or seeking the ultimate pleasure. The Torah creates the formula to be proactive with your dreams and not waiting to be frustrated and unhappy.
There are two ways to motivate a diet. 1.The doctor told you 2. You came to the realization on your own.
The choice is yours!
תנו רבנן הרואה אוכלוסי ישראל אומר ברוך חכם הרזים שאין דעתם דומה זה לזה ואין פרצופיהן דומים זה לזה
The Sages taught in a Tosefta: One who sees multitudes of Israel recites: Blessed…Who knows all secrets. Why is this? He sees a whole nation whose minds are unlike each other and whose faces are unlike each other,
(א) יסוד החסידות ושרש העבודה התמימה הוא שיתברר ויתאמת אצל האדם מה חובתו בעולמו ולמה צריך שישים מבטו ומגמתו בכל אשר הוא עמל כל ימי חייו.
(1) The foundation of piety and the root of perfect service [of G-d] is for a man to clarify and come to realize as truth what is his obligation in his world and to what he needs to direct his gaze and his aspiration in all that he toils all the days of his life.
(ב) ה' אורי, היראה הוא מדבר ידוע והפחד הוא מדבר בלתי ידוע, ואשר יתירא אדם מאויבים גלוים הלוחמים אתו נקרא יראה,
Two types of Fear
(2) "The LORD is my light." Yirah is from something that is known, and pahad is from something unknown. When a person is fearful from revealed enemies who battle with him, that is called yirah.
We live with two " fears"
One is the known fears - the areas that we need to work on. For that all we need is ten days.
The unknown fears - our inner greatness. That takes time to reveal that is why we need 40 days for our light to shine.
Our Deepest Fear
By Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness
That most frightens us.
...What I requested in the past is what I still want and will continue to desire in the future, because this one request embodies all of my desires. Sheilah is an expressed request whereas bakasha is the unspoken desire of the heart. Some people ask for one thing with their lips while desiring something different in their heart. I ask only that for which my heart years.
How does one actually fulfill the goal of שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵֽית־יְ֖הֹוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י ?
Rav Hirsch explains that ' sitting in the house of Hashem all the days of my life" cannot mean a physical dwelling in the actual House of Hashem. Even the Kohanim were not constantly in the Mikdash. The passuk rather describes that conception of life and of the fulfillment of its duties which can make of any place a Mikdash. For even the actual building of the Beis Hashem fulfills its purpose only if all of our lives outside the Mikdash walls will be sanctified by the understanding, purity and devotion taught within the Sanctuary, so that the presence of Hashem will be with us wherever we go.
Dovid Hamelech is teaching us what real Malchus is all about.
This brings us to the goal of Rosh Hashanah;
Rabbi Yisroel Salanter would say when we say Shema we can easily be mamlich Hashem over the daled ruchos of the world but we forget to be mamlich Hashem over ourselves.
The greatest way to accept ol malchus shamayim is to to identify your special neshama your tzelem elokim and accept the role that you play in Hashem's army and mission.
The realization that Hashem gave every person their unique neshama with its unique mission and it is our job to identify this and live to fullfill the ratzon Hashem.
The power of Now: Celebrate your future NOW!
Three step process. I identify my kochos = Malchyius
I remove my past and create a clean slate through working on my tikkun and the things that are holding me back = Zichronos
I create a new future for my life right now = Shofros
The Shofar represents Geulah. By blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah we are expressing our confidence that as we take on our new role all of our mistakes will be wiped away so that we will be zochei to the Geulah Shleimah.
What holds us back from this clarity?
1. Hester Panim
(9) Do not hide Your face from me; do not thrust aside Your servant in anger; You have ever been my help. Do not forsake me, do not abandon me, O God, my deliverer.
The second thing that can hold us back from this clarity.
Having the right mentors who can push you and see your greatness.
(10) Though my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will take me in.
The third detractor is me. I get in the way of my own greatness. Instead of believing in the Special Kochos that Hashem has given me. I listen to false testimony.
(12) Do not subject me to the will of my foes, for false witnesses and unjust accusers have appeared against me.
(יג) לׅׄוּלֵׅׄ֗אׅׄ הֶ֭אֱמַנְתִּי לִרְא֥וֹת בְּֽטוּב־יְהוָ֗ה בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חַיִּֽים׃
(13) "Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of the LORD"
Rashi explains I never stopped believing that I too am worthy of a portion in the World to Come and so I ignored those false beliefs and served Hashem with vitality and devotion.
in the land of the living…
Metzudah holds that this world is called 'the land of the life'
When one lives with true ol malchus shamayim fulfilling thier unique role in this world they live with passion and chiyus and experience a leibidike chaim.
...Malbim explains how placing confidence in Hashem differes from putting one's faith in man: Hoping for the aid of flesh and bolld is certainly not a goal to be desired. At best if can be tolerated as an unpleasant means towards an end. Indeed, one longs for the realization of the end purpose so that this means will no longer be necessary. Such is not the case with hoping to Hashem. This hope itself a desirable goal as it demonstrates an intensive level of pure faith.
Rav Hirsch explains Kaveh= wait upon Hashem even if your hopes remain unfulfilled for the present, remain strong and gather new strength from your heart, and never cease to hope.
NEVER GIVE UP ON YOURSELF AND YOUR DREAMS!