Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk
Rebbe Elimelech once fell on a nail, and he showed the wound to his wife, to ask her how deep it was. Her first thought was to shout out in distress, because it was a very deep wound. But she learned from her husband the importance of maintaining a joyous mood. So she steeled herself and said, “Kein ayin hara, you can put an entire bale of hay in there.” Rebbe Elimelech laughed, and later remarked that the laughter helped cure him.
Chesed L’Avraham
The Yidden in Mitzrayim rid themselves of avodah zara by bringing the Egyptian idols – sheep – as a Korban Pesach, in preparation for their geula.
That energy of teshuvah still shines brightly during each of the thirty days between Purim and Pesach, and there is a special Heavenly assistance for anyone who wants to return to Hashem during this time.
Sfas Emes
Shushan Purim is considered the day of rest, after the Jews were able to battle against and destroy their enemies. Even though Purim is the day of victory, the goal of battle is not just to kill your enemies – that’s only the preparation for the real goal, which is to live in peace without your enemies. Amalek tries to take away our ability to pursue G-dliness in peace, and so the ultimate day of celebration is the time after Amalek is destroyed, when we can peacefully return to serving Hashem!
Reb Yaakov Klein
Before we begin Shemoneh Esrei, we take three steps back, ostensibly so we can then take three steps forward into a new realm, into the embrace of the Divine. But if you think about it, it’s really a bit performative, since those three steps forward only take us into… the very space we were already standing only seconds earlier. We were always in Hashem’s embrace. Always.
Rebbe Nosson of Breslov
It is false humility to think that you don’t have a lofty neshamah. Every Yiddishe neshamah, without exception, is lofty and contains within it the strength to stand up against every temptation in the world.
Rebbe Nosson of Breslov
Someone once proposed to Rebbe Nosson that we should daven quickly in order to avoid distracting thoughts. He replied, “If you daven quickly, you might spend the entire time absorbed in a single distraction. But if you daven slowly, at least there will likely be some moments when your mind is truly focused.”
Beis Aharon:
There are two things that are reshus, permitted but not required, and they have the greatest impact in all of Yiddishkeit: mikvah and atzvus (sadness). There’s nothing as impactful as going to the mikvah, and there’s nothing worse than atzvus.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 28.