Living with Temimus

I apologize for the short break in posting that we've had. I just got back from Eretz Yisroel, where it was difficult for me to find time to write. But, as Tzaddikim have taught us, every break in Kedusha signifies a new potential, and here too, I'd like to share a feeling I had about being in Eretz Yisroel.

It is said over that a chassid once heard his Rebbe discuss the great holiness of Eretz Yisroel. The chassid then asked, which aspect of Eretz Yisroel was the Rebbe refering to? The Rebbe replied, Eretz Yisroel itself. The simple houses and buildings and streets of Eretz Yisroel are holy unto themselves.

A lesson that we may learn from this story is as follows: Many times we do a Mitzvah or something for our Yiddishkeit and closeness to Hashem, yet we don't feel as if something happened or changed. Because of that lack of feeling, we might come to disregard that mitzvah, and not appreciate it for what it's really worth.

But the truth is, the true worth of something is irrelevant and regardless of our present feelings towards it. Because of many reasons, Hashem might decided in His infinite wisdom that we should not feel it the true awesomeness of what we have accomplished. It might be that we are not yet on the spiritual level required in order to have these feelings, or it may be a form of a test, amongst other reasons. But holiness is intrinsic, totally independent of our own personal perceptions.

When we realize this, we can then appreciate things on a much deeper level than fly-by feelings. We can now live with the p'nimiyus of the mitzvah in evry situation. May Hashem help us to serve Him with truth.