DAY 45, TIFERES OF MALCHUS
Tiferes means beauty or harmony. The first thing to do when seeking to increase Hashem’s honor, and to see the beauty of His Torah is to stop glorifying yourself. Let your mindset be focused on how to bring about kavod shamayim rather than engaging in the ceaseless drive to feel validated, acknowledged, and appreciated on a personal level.
Being a person who lives harmoniously with herself is a way in which Hashem’s glory is expressed. The ultimate statement about what tiferes is, is “perfection”. Harmony includes weaving the side of you that wants to find expression through acting on what you see as being kind, beautiful and giving, together with the self-discipline that is expressed by knowing when to hold back and say no to yourself or to others who seek to distort the values that you want to live with. This combination of “yes” as expressed by genuine chessed, and “no” when you need to be strong and resist what is morally compromised, is what wholeness or perfection is about.
Rambam calls this the “middle path” which leads you to closeness with Hashem. One example that he gives is anger. It is almost always taken to an extreme (the voice is always, “This isn’t how it should be. It should be the way I want it to be – whether the issue is serious or minor, it always plays the same tune TG). Too much anger is when you believe that things must be as you desire with no space for Hashem perhaps having another plan. The other extreme is being as unresponsive as a corpse. The middle (tiferes) is only getting angry at major issues, and only when showing anger will help to prevent recurrence.
WITH OTHER PEOPLE
When you learn or teach torah, aim at getting to the root of the ideas that you learn or present.
Also be sure that your words are absolutely true (it’s easy to get carried away when making a point, and to exaggerate TG)
When you give tzedakah, do it with an eye to bringing beauty to the moment – have a pleasant expression, don’t act as though you are fulfilling a duty that you would just as soon not have to do.
LIMB- THE MOUTH
TIME- BE LIKE KING DAVID AND PRAISE HASHEM A NIGHT
PRAYER- REFAENU
HOLY NAME- YKVK
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DAY 46, NETZACH OF MALCHUS
When you think about the end of the story, when the Shechina is once more felt and “seen”, you want to be there having fought your battle and won.
Remember that there is only one battle that is in your hands to win, and that is with yourself. You have to begin somewhere. Starting with being able to say no when you are about to eat impulsively and waiting, or leaving a bit on the plate is a start.
WITH PEOPLE
Encourage your friends who are interested in deepening their learning to learn on a regular basis, not just when a particular shiur is available at a convenient time and place, and they are in the mood. This sort of commitment is one of the keys to enduring success and victory.
Be steadfast in your commitment to show real validation, appreciation and acknowledgment whenever possible. Use the above criteria on yourself!
Help your friend who despairs of the current situation (TG) because the evil Hamas seems to be winning at times. It is not eternal!
LIMB- LEARN OUT LOUD (MOUTH)
TIME- AT NIGHT
PRAYER- BAREICH ALEINU
HOLY NAME- HASHEM TZIVAKOS
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