The Power of the Imagination
Here we are, a day or two before Shavuos, approaching the climax of the last seven weeks' work. We are about to enter into a marriage covenant with Hashem as we excitedly receive His Torah.
What can we do to recommit ourselves to a serious relationship with Him in a real way?
Let's look at what our ancestors did when they were in the midbar/desert, having left Egypt on the lowest possible level of impurity. How did they ready themselves for this epic event?
The verse in Parshas Yisro (19:1) states the following:
“In the third month from the exodus of Israel from Egypt, on this day, they arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai.They journeyed from Refidim and arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness…”
Let's compare this to what you might say if you were going on a trip. Suppose you wrote the following statement:
“On the third day from leaving our house, on that day, we arrived in Yellowstone Park. We journeyed from Sedona and arrived at Yellowstone Park and camped there.”
This is quite obviously an awkward statement. Why did you repeat that you left Sedona and arrived at Yellowstone after you had already stated you arrived at Yellowstone?
What is the Torah telling us by repeating the arrival in the Wilderness of Sinai?
This question is answered in the same way by both the Shem Mishmuel and the Nesivos Shalom. The first time that the Torah mentions their arrival was not in reality. Rather, it was in their imagination, in their mind’s eye. They needed a way to extricate themselves out of the rut of having been attacked by Amalek. At that point, we are told that they were on the lowest possible level of spiritual impurity. They needed to first create a vision of who they really were and were capable of being. Once they imagined it, which is represented by the first time it says they arrived, they were then able to actually leave Refidim and move on to Sinai to receive the Torah.
The power of constructing a vision of your true self is monumental. Few things are as potent as the mind's vivid creations. Conversely, so much potential can go unrealized simply due to lack of precise vision.
Suppose you left with your family for a fantastic vacation. On the way, someone asked you where you were headed.
You answered, “Somewhere really interesting, fun, and…I dunno…enjoyable for everyone.”
“Where exactly is that?”
“I'm not totally sure. It's probably a couple of hours from here, maybe like two or three. It will be really nice, thats for certain.”
Sadly, this is the way some of us approach our personal and spiritual goals. If we don’t know precisely where we are going, how can we expect to get there?
We may be feeling down and hopeless about our achievements at this point. But we always have the power of the mind to help us.
When Yosef was being tempted by the wife of Potifar, it was not fear of punishment that saved him from transgression, nor was it simple willpower. Ultimately, it was a vision in his mind of his holy father Yaakov Avinu which carried him through this difficult test. This vision reminded him of who he really was - the son of Yaakov, grandson of Yitzchok, and great grandson of Avraham Avinu. Here, again, the power of the mind is demonstrated. By experiencing this vision, he saw who he really was at the core and who he really could be.
We are “Bni Bechori Yisrael,” G-ds precious firstborn. That is where we come from. We are destined for the Kisei Hakavod, G-d’s Throne of Glory, after 120 years. With this lofty vision in our minds, we can go far.
Once we know deeply who we are, how do we create a personal vision for ourselves?
This exercise can be done for any area of your life: physical, financial, familial, academic, or emotional. But for now, we will focus on the area of spirituality.
Take ten minutes in a quiet, relaxed state to allow yourself to dream big. As doubts, fears, and negative thoughts enter your mind, simply dismiss them as if they were pesky flies. See yourself as the spiritual person you’ve never dared to picture. What are you like when relating to others? How do you speak? What do you think about? See yourself being this way while going about daily activities. Try to vividly imagine the usual sights and sounds that surround you. It's important that the picture you create is a picture that you really desire and that excites and motivates you. If it feels wrong or contrived, it’s not authentic for you. Continue to allow your mind to flow freely until you come up with a picture that feels right.
Next, take out a piece of paper and describe this spiritual version of yourself in as much detail as possible, using present tense, as if you are already this way. Keep in mind that it can always be edited refined. This will give you a concrete picture to work towards.
Once the Children of Israel created the vision of picking themselves up from the low spiritual level of Refidim and moving towards the level of receiving the Torah, it then states “They left Refidim. “ This means that with the vision intact, they were then able to conquer the nitty gritty to get themselves ready. So, they first created a positive mindframe and were thus able to work on those things they still needed to change.
It is never too late for us to create this vision of who we are and where we are going. Once we have this vividly in our minds, we can tackle the small areas that we may have that need improvement, always with the larger goal as the motivator. Use the power of this time to jumpstart your journey!
I wish all of you and us a wonderful Shavuos of spiritual growth, more than we could have ever imagined.
