Life Is A Struggle

From the blog "How To Be A Passionate Jew" [CHECK IT OUT!!] in the name of Rav Moshe Shapiro Shlita.

There's a Midrash that says when God went to the angels and said, "Let us make man (Genesis 1:26)," the angels began to argue- one angel wanted to make man like this... one angel wanted to make man like that... meanwhile, as the angels bickered... God created man.

What does this mean? Says Rav Moshe Shapiro- THE ORIGIN, THE ROOT, THE CORE OF MAN IS THAT HIS EXISTENCE STEMS FROM A PLACE OF STRUGGLE! We ARE a being of struggle. We were created from that very context. There is no such thing as not being in struggle.

When we embrace this, we will realize that the difficult times of life are not a reason to be down or upset, but a reminder of our purpose in life- to think, to learn, to push and to grow. To become.

I will add to Rav Aryeh's idea that the Jews are called "Yisrael" because כי שרית עם אלקים ואנשים ותוכל - You STRUGGLED with an angel and man and were victorious. Our name means struggle.

I have about 500 people whom I want to reference and say "Hey B.A. - life is a struggle. You'll make it." So consider yourself referenced. ...

:-)