CLD #833

Yesterday's CLD:
It is written in the Gemara, MaShelo Lishmah Ba Lishmah, whatever is done with the intention of doing it not for the sake of Heaven will become an action done for the sake of Heaven. For example, the Gemara is literally telling a Jewish man to go to the Bet Midrash and open up a Torah oriented book and learn Torah for the intention of become a well respected Rabbi! After some time, whether it be five minutes of five years, the person will learn Torah for the sake of Heaven, meaning only for the reason of making Hashem happy.

WAIT. HOLD UP.

You are telling me to go into a Bet Midrash and learn Torah to BOOST MY GA'AVA (self-pride, respect)?! The holy Rambam brings down in his famous book Mishneh Torah that with all middot (characteristics) an individual should go in the path of benoni (average, middle) but in regards to Ga'ava, one should distance as much as possible! How does this make sense with what the Gemara teaches?

[One of] the answers is found in Rav Dessler's Michtav Me'Eliyahu. It says in the first volume that the meaning of Lo Lishmah Ba Lishmah is quite simple. What is a real Ben Torah? An individual knows that he is not a robot and sometimes we do things for other intentions than learning to make Hashem happy. Sometimes we have this little yetzer hara that says: learn so you know how to answer a question, learn so you can quite down people who are not following the way of Torah, learn to be respected, etc.

Therefore, this means that the only way to reach a level of Lishmah, a level of doing Mitzvot and working on our Avodat Hashem is by doing it Lo Lishmah, with a different intention and motivation! How powerful! The Gemara is literally telling us: go in the way of Lo Lishmah, go learn Torah to get respect or greaten your knowledge by having the intention that this will lead you to a place of Lishmah (for the sake of Heaven). This means the next time you have an opportunity to do a Mitzvah, for example giving Tzedaka, tell yourself: okay it might seem right now like I am doing it so people will think I am a good person but I know through this I will reach a level of doing Mitzvot in order to make Hashem happy [just for the sake of Heaven].

Be'ezrat Hashem may we continue in our service of Torah and Mitzvot to change our lives for the best!

Judaism=Think.

All donations are going to our current CLD Fundraising Project: Collecting money for a bride in need (wedding is next Monday)!

Sponsor today’s Halachot for the Ilui Neshama (memory of) or Refua Shlema (the speedy recovery) of your loved one! Click the Donate Button on the Right Sidebar and BH e-mail us (CLDFundraising@gmail.com) with the name(s)! 

Posted in: CLDs