According to the Baal Shem Tov, every physical desire in this world really contains an aspect of love for Hashem. When we experience a physical pleasure, it makes it easier to come to love the Source of that pleasure. Since Hashem is the Ultimate Source of Good, connection to Him is the ultimate pleasure we can experience. (M’or Einayim, Parshas VaEschanan)
In reality, a person who is caught up in the pursuit of physical pleasure really is seeking the pleasure of a connection to Hashem. But in this world, that desire has gotten misdirected and disconnected from the Source. The emptiness, sadness, and unhappiness that people feel after experiencing a physical pleasure they thought would make them happy is really Hashem’s call to them, telling them to return, that they are straying from the true path they are meant to follow.
Those who can at least recognize that their desires are misdirected, and yearn for the real pleasure of spiritual growth and connection to Hashem, have already taken a big first step to healing and being who they truly are. We have to recognize that Hashem is speaking to us through the situation, and we have to be willing to listen to what is being said, including the lies that our thoughts are telling us, and yearn for that change by pleading with the Source of change.
As Chazal tell us: “If you change your place, you change your mazal” (Rosh HaShanah 16b. It also means: If you change [yourself], then HaMakom [another name for Hashem] changes your mazal.
In this way, we begin to have a real, two-way conversation with Hashem. We cannot only train ourselves to “hear” Hashem’s Voice calling to us throughout the day, but we can respond, as well, and lay the foundation for our personal kabalas haTorah.
Material was previously published on Shiratmiriam.com.
List of People Who Need
a R’fuah Sh’leimah
(a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Boris Baruch ben Frecha Frida
Alter Shmuel ben Chavah Leah
Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel
Yehudah Yudel ben Miriam Gittel
Chaim Yitzchak ben Feiga Hinda
Yitzchak Chaim ben Altoon Aura
Yosef Yitzchak ben Gittel
Eliezer ben Roma
Yosef Ezriel ben Chayah Michal
Aharon ben Feiga
Menachem Mendel ben Gitta Perel
Moshe ben Rachel
Yitzchak Nissim ben Luna
David ben Zina Priyev
Yosef ben Zackie
Yehoshua ben Miriam
Asher ben Rima
Tinok ben Chanah
Yechiel Nasan ben Sarah
Chaim Shmuel ben Leah
Shlomo Chaim ben Liza
Meir Moshe ben Ilanah
David Yehudah ben Maya Mazal
Avraham Refael ben Esther
Yisrael Meir ben Daphne Bruriah
Rafael ben Zilpah
Eitan Moshe ben Tal
Moshe ben Shoshanah
Miriam bas Orah
Esther Pesel bas Beila Chayah
Minna Rivkah bas Chanah Frahdl
Tovah Yocheved bas Esther Bukas
Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Leah bas Malkah
Avigayil bas Sarah
Ronit bas Olga
Perel bas Nechamah
Tehilah Hadassah bas Elanah
Berta Duchtar bas Rivkah
Avivah bas Yehudis
Chanah Chayah bas Rivkah Breina
Rivkah Esther bas Nina Naomi
Miriam bas Esther
Casey Naomi bas Larisa
Shaindel Frana bas Gittel
Mahnaz Ilanit bas Nosrat
Yaffah bas Nava Natali
Pnir bas Sarah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.