Wednesday nights - Rav Benzion's Tanya shiur..........Please continue to daven for the good health of the Rebbe (Yechiel Michel ben Devorah Leah) and Rebbetzin (Feiga bas Sarah).

Monday, July 18, 2011

Finding Meaning in Fasting (audio)

Today after Shachris the Rebbe responded to a question regarding how to make sure that a person is not the same at the end of Shivasar B'Tamuz or Tisha B'Av as he was the day before. In other words, how does one find meaning in fasting when that is the whole avodah of the day (as opposed to Yom Kippur, for example)?

One thing the Rebbe said at a different time (hence it is not in the recording) is that one who wants to "get in touch" with the loss and what it means to be in galus, he can imagine everything he wants to get out of ruchniyus and where he wants to be in a relationship with Hashem, in addition to how good the world could be if everything were right and in its proper place, so to speak. Multiply that by as much as your mind can handle. Then imagine having it all and having it all ripped away. If we felt like that on these fast days, who would be able to stomach anything at all? Towards the end of this three-and-a-half minute recording, the Rebbe talks about the "positive" aspect, as opposed to the aforementioned method, both of which are important.


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