Growing Pains
From a post by Rabbi Lazer Brody:
Linda, you ask the question, "Why have I changed? Who has changed me?" Here's a bombshell for your parents and teachers: Hashem is changing you. Hashem is using your bad decisions for your own good, because He loves you so much. He doesn't want you to be a shallow Jewish girl that discusses wigs and clothes styles all day long. Since you haven't developed a personal relationship with Hashem up until now, He wants you to do so by starting from scratch.
Along these lines, the Ramban indeed says that the purpose of a nisayon, a spiritual test, is to bring out the best in the person that passes it. Teshuva can also make bad decisions into something positive.
Of course, there can be nisyonos, teshuvah, and nekudas habechirah on different levels, no matter how frum one is. Indeed any growth needs reflection and challenge, rather than shallowness, as explained here.
Read more...
Linda, you ask the question, "Why have I changed? Who has changed me?" Here's a bombshell for your parents and teachers: Hashem is changing you. Hashem is using your bad decisions for your own good, because He loves you so much. He doesn't want you to be a shallow Jewish girl that discusses wigs and clothes styles all day long. Since you haven't developed a personal relationship with Hashem up until now, He wants you to do so by starting from scratch.
Along these lines, the Ramban indeed says that the purpose of a nisayon, a spiritual test, is to bring out the best in the person that passes it. Teshuva can also make bad decisions into something positive.
Of course, there can be nisyonos, teshuvah, and nekudas habechirah on different levels, no matter how frum one is. Indeed any growth needs reflection and challenge, rather than shallowness, as explained here.
Read more...
posted by Baruch Horowitz at 11:17 PM
