“Torah Leads To:

WATCHFULNESS – Zeal – Cleanliness – Separation – Purity –

Saintliness – Humility – Fear of Sin – Holiness – Holy Spirit –

Revival of the Dead”

                As discovered in chapter 1, our purposes here in this world is for the world to come. Our path, guided by Torah, begins with watchfulness and culminates with the resurrection. Watchfulness is just what it sounds like. We need to watch what we are doing - judging our actions and attitudes, correcting as necessary. Tikkun. Teshuva. There are four chapters exploring this first step on our path (the titles of which were found in my hardback book).

Concerning the Trait of Watchfulness (Chapter 2)

                Rabbi Luzzatto eloquently details the obvious. He said his book was not written to teach us new things, but to get us to think about what we already know. Truly, considering our determined purpose on earth, to not pay attention to how we are living our lives is epic insanity.

                It is insanely easy to lose sight of our purpose! Sometimes, I feel like I am chasing my tail, lost in a rat race without a goal line! Prayer time, work, school, go to (PTA/Board/Organization)_, sleep, exercise, cook right, kids should be in _(sport/activity)_, too. What is your career? What are your hobbies? Did you read to your children for _20-30_ minutes, and play with them for _an hour_? Have you had a heart to heart chat with the older ones? Did you spend quality time with your hubby? (No, snoring together does not count.) Study! Learn! Nurture! Teshuva! Tikkun. Arrrgh! Fix the broken _pipe/washer/puter_. Now, back to that ToDo…

                Some time back, we let go of the local school schedule and sports idols. So, this should all be a lot simpler. Right? Sometimes. Then again, I think I exchanged some of my ToDo list items for better ones that still can’t get done. As I have tried explaining to my family during our Read & Discussion time, most of the things we are doing are right and good in their own way. But we lose all perspective. Seriously, I think I can lose perspective, while talking about perspective. That is the battle with the yetzer hara.

                The Yetzer HaRa is a hunter, a warrior, a skilled assassin – if he/it/she/I can get away with it. The Yetzer HaRa and Yetzer HaTov are our bad/evil inclination and our good inclination, respectively. Is that about as clear as mud? I can discuss a few things that can clear the image a bit. The yetzer hatov wants Adonai, Torah, tikkun, and teshuva. Whereas, the yetzer hara is only concerned with earthly matters. The yetzer hara has a limited existence, here, on this earth. So, while its only concerns are this physical world, it also knows it has a limited time to pursue all the pleasures it can. That explains why the worldly drives are so strong and the race never ends. Earthly matters at the expense of Torah, or despite Torah, is bad. Earthly matters in service of Torah is the way we want to go.

                Knowing these truths and overcoming the rat race are two different things. Once again, that’s OK. Adonai knows we are dust with a powerful yetzer hara. He gave us Torah, and He gives us more. If we will be watchful, then He will supply us the way to overcome…

Concerning the Divisions of Watchfulness (Chapter 3)

Concerning the Manner of Acquiring Watchfulness (Chapter 4)

Concerning the Factors Which Detract from Watchfulness

and the Withdrawing of Oneself from Them (Chapter 5)