Right now, we are smack in the middle of the parshiot of our national redemption, our freedom from the bondage of Mitzrayim – but, as with everything in the Torah, there is more to the story. These parshiot are not just dealing with a historical, national redemption, they are a blueprint for each and everyone of us…for our own personal redemption, for our own spiritual emancipation. The more we examine the story and the details, the more we can learn about how to free our selves from the slavery of our lives and the slavery of a spiritual “Mitzrayim”.
Let’s go back to the very beginning, what was Pharaoh’s plan? How did he keep the Jewish people in line and break their spirits to make sure that they didn’t break free? The Mesilat Yesharim explains to us exactly what the method was,
והרי זו מעין עצת פרעה הרשע שאמר (שמות ה): תכבד העבודה על האנשים וגו’, שהיה מתכוין שלא להניח להם ריוח כלל לבלתי יתנו לב או ישימו עצה נגדו, אלא היה משתדל להפריע לבם מכל התבוננות בכח התמדת העבודה הבלתי מפסקת כן היא עצת היצר הרע ממש על בני האדם
This is the plan of the evil Pharoah, he said, “Add more work for the men, so that they will be too busy…” his intention was that the Jewish people shouldn’t have even one minute to pay attention to what was happening or think of a plan against him. Rather, he tried extremely hard to distract their hearts and minds from all types of thought through the involvement with their work – without any break – this is also exactly the plan of the Yetzer Harah (Evil Inclination) against mankind.
This is the ultimate trick the Yetzer Harah uses against us! It isn’t delicious food, it isn’t shomer negiah, it isn’t even laziness – the strongest tool used to trick us out of being free, out of doing what we know is right, out of attaining true redemption is…being busy. We spend so much time running around…moving through life…doing important things…being so busy that we don’t have time to think…we don’t have time to pay attention to what’s going on and because of this constant movement, our ‘hearts are distracted’.
We don’t even have a moment to think.
That isn’t to say that the things we are doing aren’t important, many of them probably are, but we need to have focus. If we are just cruising through life without thinking, without focus, without heart, then what kind of life are we living?
So, what’s the solution? How do we defeat this ‘plan of Pharaoh’? How do we break free from the clutches of being busy? Thankfully, the Mesilat Yesharim goes on to teach us the secret. He draws a parable to a person walking through a garden maze, if that person just decides which path to take as he or she is confronted with the dead-end in front of them, they may end up getting closer to their goal or further…but, if that person can see the maze from above (or has a trusted guide) he or she can chart a course and be sure that the path chosen is one which will lead to the goal.
If we chart a course and plan, we can be sure we will reach our goal.
A person needs to be in control of their time, to have a calendar and schedule themselves – this seeming restriction is actually the first step to really being free. If you plan your day and block off time to do those things which are important to you and which will get you closer to your goals you will see two important benefits:
- You will be able to make decisions about what you use your time for, what is valuable and what matters.
- You won’t have time for other things, things which distract you from your goals and from what you really want to be doing.
The second step to real freedom is one of the simplest things I have ever learned – it is called Cheshbon Ha’Nefesh, which is roughly translated as taking stock of yourself. It is simple and ancient, it doesn’t require a computer, an iPhone or any special technology – all you need is a pen a piece of paper and an open heart.
Take the paper and on one side write down the things that are important to you – the things you want to do with your life – and be honest with yourself. Take some time to talk with your mentors, your friends, your parents, and your teachers and then take some time alone, go to the beach or the mountains or sit down somewhere quiet and just be alone with yourself and figure out what’s important in your life. On the other side of the paper write down what you are doing with your time, how you spend your days, your nights, your weekends.
Now, compare the two sides of the paper.
If the two sides don’t match up, you need to start planning your life to get them closer and closer to each other.
Once you have your plan, you just need to keep checking up on yourself: each month (and maybe eventually every week or every day) take out the piece of paper and a new, clean sheet of paper. Write down what things you need to work on for that month, between you and yourself, you and other people and you and God. Then flip the paper over and write down some concrete actions you can take to actually accomplish these goals.
Make your life count. Make a plan. Be FREE.