Achieving Balance Class #13

Excerpted from Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller’s Question and Answer series on Naaleh.com

Question:

I feel as if I have declined spiritually over the last few years. I try to listen to shiurim, but I find that although I am inspired to grow in the short term, after a while I end up letting my observance slack again.  What can I do to get back on track?

                                

Answer:

The Navi tells us that there are times of  ratzo-going forth and times of shov-withdrawing. Everyone has periods when they feel low and periods when they ascend. It is a part of the rhythm of life. The function of katnut d’mochin-small mindedness, is to help us solidify our spiritual levels through mesirut nefesh. Buy a small notebook and write down two things you can do daily to bring yourself back to your previous level. Think of acts that will inspire you. Force yourself to check off both deeds every night. If you can get a friend to do this with you, that would be wonderful.  Put money away for every check mark and buy yourself a treat at the end of the week. This may sound very juvenile but you need to fight the evil inclination with his own weapons. He is dragging you down to physicality and to living a life devoid of spiritual light. Beat him by bribing yourself with something material and commit yourself to not purchasing it until all the check marks are filled in. I guarantee that you will soon find yourself doing the right thing not for the wrong reasons, but because it will make you feel good about yourself. Keep going for another month.  At the beginning of the third month, remove what you have already integrated and add two new practices to the list. Follow the same procedure. Keep removing and adding new things. Slowly you will see yourself moving forward and regaining the spiritual levels you once attained.