A Chassidic View on the Elections

MyLife: Chassidus Applied Episode 136, with Rabbi Simon Jacobson.

The impending presidential election has captured the country’s attention like never before. The low standard and the sheer nastiness of the candidates seems unprecedented. How should we view this election in light of Torah and Chassidus?

What personal lessons can be learned from Zayin Cheshvan and Parshas Lech Lecha?

Bad relationships often leave people emotionally paralyzed. Emotional trust once breached is difficult to regain. How can one rise above the effects of previous bad relationships?

“How can I get on with my life and find another relationship after being intentionally hurt by someone whom I trusted to have my back. I was treated with contempt and a total lack of care. I’m shocked and emotionally frozen to the extent that, when I’m introduced to people, they sense my pain and fear. No one wants to see me a second time. I try to be nice, supportive and friendly, but no relationships eventuate. I need help metabolizing and understanding why and how someone would act with such contempt and advice in placing distance between myself and the relationship.”

Only supermen can live a demanding life and have no outlet. As Chassidim, life has us constantly focused and engaged, whether it’s actively or in the mind. What are appropriate outlets for a chassid? What can he do when he’s in desperate need of a little retreat or slowing down?

“Before I decided to dedicate this portion of my life to learning in yeshiva, video games and movies always served as my temporary escape from reality and allowed me to recuperate from difficulties in my life. Now that I’m in Yeshiva, I feel uneasy about doing the same things. Compared to my life before Yeshiva, it is now a lot more taxing due to the intense schedule and demanding mashpiim and so I feel I need these things even more. The issue is, I feel as if I’m leading a dishonest life now, constantly hiding these things from people. I feel that if I had some sort of validation for these things that this dishonest feeling would go away. Is it ok to do these things to relax? Is it really all that different than watching sports (which many yeshiva students do openly)?”

In addition to these topics, Rabbi Jacobson will also review the following essays submitted in this year’s MyLife: Chassidus Applied essay contest: “Clearing the Closet with the Powers of the Soul” by Yehudis Eichenblatt, “Finding Purpose in the Mundane” by Dina Goldberg, and “ Uprooting Apathy” by Shalom Yehuda Leib Ginzburg. These and other essays can be read online at meaningfullife.com/essays.

And finally, the Chassidus question of the week: What are the כלים of the ספירות and why are they called כלים? What would a good English translation be? Normally the word “vessels” is used, but since when have we seen a vessel to contain light? I have thought of them as colored lightbulbs, with the electricity flowing to the filament being the אור, but I don’t know if that analogy is correct, and I have never thought of using the word כלים for lightbulbs out of this context. Are we meant to try to visualize the ספירות at all, and if yes, what do you think of when you use the word כלים?

This hour-long dose of insights is meant to inform, inspire and empower us by applying the teachings of Chassidus to help us face practical and emotional challenges and difficulties in our personal lives and relationships. To have your question addressed, please submit it at meaningfullife.com/mylife.

The topics in this Sunday’s hour-long broadcast will include:

· Chassidus Applied to Lech Lecha and Zayin Cheshvan

· How should a chassid view the upcoming elections?

· What is the significance of karbanos?

· Should I remain friendly with an accused abuser?

· How to rise above the effects of previous bad relationships?

· Can video games and sports be used as a healthy outlet?

· Chassidus and Psychology: follow-up

· Chassidus Question: How are we to translate and understand the concept of Keilim in a palpable way?

· MyLife Essays: Clearing the Closet with the Powers of the Soul, Finding Purpose in the Mundane, Uprooting Apathy

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Questions may be submitted anonymously at meaningfullife.com/mylife