Ki Savoh 5773.Indd

PARSHAS KI SAVOH 18 ELUL 5773 | AUGUST 24, ‘13 on the Parsha R’ Ben Tzion Shafier ashi is troubled by Moshe’s use that experience in his mind, and it affects of the word today, implying that his performance later. He has already been HASHEM first commanded the there and done that. RJews to do the mitzvahs that day when in re- Using The results of using visualizations are pow- ality, HASHEM gave the Jewish people the erful. Studies show that not only do athletes mitzvahs almost 40 years earlier. who use them improve, so do many other Rashi answers this question by explaining Visualiza- people whose activities require peak perfor- that Moshe was telling them that, “Every mance. From a salesman going on a new call day, in your eyes, it should be as if you to a surgeon performing a difficult opera- were commanded in them today.” In other tions tion, performance can be greatly increased words, there should be an excitement with by seeing the event happen successfully. which we do the mitzvahs, a freshness and g new energy, as if this was the first time that “Moshe Rabbeinu told the Jewish people, This seems to be the answer for this Rashi. we are hearing about them. “Today HASHEM has commanded you The Torah is telling us that a person can and to fulfill all of the statues and laws. .” should view the mitzvahs as if they are brand new, as if I heard about them for the very first ³ — Devarim 26:16 — HOW CAN THE TORAH time today. In my mind, I can feel that new- EXPECT IT TO STILL BE NEW? ness if I use this technique to visualize that I This Rashi is difficult to understand because sons. One of its functions is to make a scene, have first heard about them today. And this we know that for every experience, there is a time, or an event real. It can bring me to can bring freshness and a new energy to the a first time. When something is new, it is a different time, to a land I never saw, to manner in which I perform these mitzvahs. original, exciting, and fresh, but that new- an experience that I never had, and yet it is This concept is something that is very useful ness quickly fades; the excitement wanes. me right there. I feel it. I experience it. And in our Avodas HASHEM. The value of the experience isn’t any less, but in my mind’s eye, those events are actually that certain crisp newness is gone. That is a happening to me. I may even have physi- ³ reality of life. So how can the Torah expect MORE PRECIOUS ological reactions to the event; my heart THAN FINE GOLD the Jewish people to look at old mitzvahs as rate will quicken, my blood pressure will if they were given that day, when it just isn’t increase, and my palms will begin sweating Dovid Ha’Melech describes that, “The To- so? And how can the Torah expect me today, as I live that experience. If you have ever rah is more precious to me than fine gold.” thousands of years after the mitzvahs were cried when you read a book even though Chazal tell us that “a mere whiff of the given, to view each mitzvah as if this is the you knew the events in it never happened, World to Come is more pleasurable than all very first time that I am fulfilling it? it is a classic example of this phenomenon. of the enjoyments of this world.” Could you The answer to this question lies in under- imagine the impact it would have on your standing certain tools that HASHEM gave ³ USING VISUALIZATIONS life if you actually felt that way? Could you to man. imagine the effect it would have on your Imagination is also a tool that can help a enthusiasm for the mitzvahs if for one min- ³ THE POWER OF IMAGINATION person achieve success. Olympic athletes ute you sensed that? The change in your life are trained to use visualizations. A diver would be enormous. If you remember reading a well-written will see himself standing high on the plat- The problem is that I don’t feel that way. It’s novel as a child, you may have found your- form, the water glistening below. He is there not that I don’t want to; I just don’t. Grant- self somewhere you had never been before. in the stadium with the crowd cheering as th ed mitzvahs are important, and I recognize You might have been brought to the 17 he flawlessly performs his dive. He is living century as a pirate sailing the seven seas. their place, but to actually feel that they are There you were, out on the ocean with the more precious than gold and silver just isn’t buck and the sway of the waves, fighting off real. But it can become real if I close my eyes your enemy as he tried to board your ship. the and imagine a king’s treasure room, filled The sun glinting in your eyes, you pulled with chests and chests of gold coins, dia- Marriage12 PART COMPREHENSIVE monds, sapphires, and pearls. and then I your sword from its scabbard, prepared for the battle. The enemy boarded your vessel; seminar GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE imagine that every time that I open a sefer to you dug your feet into the deck, tightening learn or daven appropriately, I am deposit- your fist on your sword, ready to pounce. smart ing another precious stone in my storehouse And suddenly, your mother called you to very of fine gems. dinner. Gone was the pirate ship, gone was dumb mistakes The Torah is teaching us that visualizations the scabbard and sword, and rudely you really work, and we can use them. Our imagina- were pulled back to reality. 10 tion is vivid and power- That is an example of imagination at work. that ful. The key is to use it GET THE APP! Imagination is a powerful tool that HASH- Tuesday, couples Aug. make! 27 without letting it control EM put into a person for a number of rea- >>> see back for details us. The SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR LIVE SHMUZ, WEEKLY SHMUZ ON Shmuz For more on this topic please listen to Shmuz #61 - Heroes “The .com Shmuz”, an engaging and motivating Torah lecture that deals with real THE PARSHA & CD AND MAGNet DISTRIBUTION. PLEASE CONTACT life issues is available for FREE at www.TheShmuz.com. THE SHMUZ @ WWW.THESHMUZ.COM OR 866.613-TORAH (8672) for Iphone & Android.

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