A
wandering merchant came to a town square offering to sell the elixir of
life. Of course, large crowds would
surround him, each person eager to purchase eternal youth. When pressed, the merchant would bring out
the Book of Psalms and show them the verse: “Who desires life? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from
guile.”
Rabbi
Artson tells that tale as it demonstrates the greatest truth of life: what we
do influences how we live. On one plane,
it is widely accepted that healthy eating produces a healthier lifestyle. Yet, it is equally true that our outward
behavior towards others crafts the inner image of our identity.
Show
me a kind-hearted person, generous with deed and word, and I will show you a
happy person. The opposite is also true-
a foul-mouthed, mean-spirited person will harbor a nasty cauldron of inner
bitterness.
We
control how we act and how we act controls how we construct our thoughts.
Rumi
and so many other inspired poets speak of following your heart while our faith
says the opposite, “Your heart will be drawn after your actions.” In other words humans have the propensity to
justify what we do, even when it is bad.
We merge into one being with what we say. In stead, the Jewish attitude is to do
mitzvot and your heart will follow.
We
are headed into the season when the measure of our self is taken, both by God
and us. As we approach the end of the
summer we see our reflection mirrored in the eyes of those with whom we
interact. When we see their disapproving
glance we can fend off the negativity or be brave – as God would have it - and
ask, “How did I create this?” Equally
so, watch for the look of love in another’s eyes and you will find joyful
validation.
One
man seeking wholeness went to see a mystic.
He yearned for healing. Half
starved, the mystic ordered the man to be fed and then had him repeat the viduy
(confession), ashammnu, bgadnu, gazalmu
etc- “we have sinned, we have betrayed, we have stolen…..”
In
the course of repeating the list of sins he fainted. When he came to the mystic sent him away
ordering him to never again forget that some words are important as deeds, some
words are actually deeds and some deeds take control of our self. They and us become one.
Don’t
have a happy New Year, make it a good one through your actions.
