Any chizzuk should be lizchus בת שבע בת שרה חיה בתוך שח"י!!!!!!!!!!
והיה עקב תשמעון – את המצות הקלות שאדם דש בעקיביו תשמעון.
What are mitzvos that we routinely trample upon barely noticing if at all?
[Note: None of this applies to YOU. Only to the people around you. And to me. I am telling you so that you can help them - and me.]
Shmiras Einayim is a big one. I am not talking about hard core pornography חס ושלום [even though that is all too common]. Just looking at images of women who aren't properly covered is absolutely ASSUR. In contemporary culture women have zero concept of modesty. The summertime is the worst. So people with Yiras Shomayim have to do all they can to avoid contaminating their Neshamos by looking at these women רחמנא לצלן. Yet, people not only look but send around immodest images and videos to others. אונס is אונס [like if one has to go to work] but there is plenty of מזיד going on in the frum world.
Another one is Lashon Hara. "Frum" Lashon Hara sites [an oxymoron if I ever heard one] are super popular. Comments on any random frum website are filled with Lashon Hara [and ליצנות כפירה ביזיון תלמידי חכמים עם הארצות וכו וכו]. That is besides the usual L"H people speak to each other.
Kedushas Beis Haknesses. It is forbidden to speak divrei chol in a shul. Certainly not to surf the net. Yet it is quite common.
Sinas Chinam. Besides the hard core obvious hatred that abounds there is a more insidious, pernicious Sinas Chinam. The Torah says that Yaakov "hated" Leah. R' Isaac Sher pointed out that it can't be that he literally hated her. He just didn't care for her like he did for Rochel. The Torah calls that "hatred". We are all guilty of apathy and indifference towards others. [What's the difference between ignorance, apathy, and ambivalence? I don't know, and I don't care, one way or another.]
Bittul Zman. No elaboration necessary.
The Rambam says in Hilchos Teshuva that not only do we have to do Teshuva for bad deeds. We also have to do Teshuva for bad middos. Most people are painfully UNAWARE of how much their middos need improvement. First they have to learn what is required and then they can work on achieving the ideal. A searing question: Are our middos better today that they were six months or a year ago? Would we be OK with not having made more money in the last year? So why are we OK with our middos stagnating???
SWEETEST FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!
We can fix EVERYTHING. TODAY!!!! If we choose to take that journey. Start with appreciating your strengths and מעלות and take it from there. And only BI-SIMCHA!!!!
