Lazer Brody's Blog, page 4

Wallflower

Dear Rabbi Lazer,

I'm 16, going into eleventh grade, and very unhappy. My best girlfriend is really popular at school and shul (we're conservative), and I'm not. In all honesty, I'm just as attractive as she is, and my grades are just as good as hers. At first, I thought maybe my clothes were out of style, so I went out and begged my mom to buy be the same clothes as my girlfriend. But, at any party or function, people flock to her and I feel like a tagalong. It���s really the pits. I do my best to talk and act like my girlfriend, but she's considered campus queen and I'm ignored like a wallflower. Rabbi, can you give me some kind of spiritual advice to make me popular too? I know you're busy with serious problems, but this is hurts me a lot, so please try to give me a quick answer. And thanks for the advice you give on your blog. Respectfully, Melanie from Canada

Dear Melanie,

Imagine that a tractor didn't like its own appearance, and tried to imitate a Mercedes. The whole world would laugh! Then, the tractor would neither perform its function as a tractor - plowing fields, hauling produce, and the like - and certainly would fail miserably as a Mercedes. On the other hand, if a Mercedes tried to do the job of a tractor, it would get stuck in the mud and fail within a minute.

Melanie, The Almighty gave you your own very special package of abilities and aptitudes for performing your task in this world. When you try to be someone else, you have a double failure: First, you can't succeed in being the other person, because you lack the emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual tools that Hashem gave to that person. Second, when you attempt to be someone you're not, you fail to develop and to utilize your own unique Heaven-imbued attributes and skills.

The Talmud teaches that when a person seeks prestige, prestige eludes the person. Stop trying to be popular, and don't try to imitate your girlfriend. Be yourself: How? Act, speak, and dress in a manner that's natural and comfortable for you. Often, it's better to sit at home reading a good book, writing a poem or an entry to your diary, or baking a cake for Shabbat than it is to hang out with a bunch of peers that just gossip and waste time, if they don���t do things much worse. Also, stop tagging along as your girlfriend's prime groupie. Accept the fact that she's classroom queen. You should start fulfilling your own role as a cherished daughter of the King (Hashem) - the daughter of The King beats the classroom queen any day of the week.

When we need the approval of others, we become emotionally crippled because we make our happiness depend on the way they react to us. Not only is that ridiculous on our part, but being an emotional cripple and dependent on others for approval is just as problematic as being a physical cripple who might be dependent on crutches or a beggar looking for a handout. The only way to attain true emotional freedom from peer pressure and from others is to cling to Hashem ��� that will give you tremendous strength.

One additional important point: When high school boys flock around you, they're not looking to discuss the Rambam, European history or the theory of relativity. Being popular with them is dead-end cheap popularity. Genuine popularity comes from being an upright human - compassionate, kind, charitable, modest, yet firm and courageous in your beliefs.

The entire world respects the bold nonconformist that stands up for his or her principles. Do you know why? It���s simple - Hashem respects such a person. When The Almighty is pleased with a person's actions, He grants that person a divine aura, an indescribable spiritual light that emanates from the face and serves as a magnet to attract other people. Possessing such a divine aura is genuine popularity.

I do suggest that you eat healthfully and get regular exercise, especially during these summer months. The better you feel in shape, the more self-confidence you'll have. Also, I strongly suggest that you read "Path to Your Peak" - it will help you feel so much better about yourself.

Thanks for writing, Melanie. May Hashem help you make the right choices in life. Blessings always, LB

One Good Thought

Here is effective first-aid to prevent an onslaught of negative thoughts from overcoming you.

Body Politic

A lot of the fad diets have penetrated the Jewish world, which is infamous for unhealthy eating especially on Shabbat. For example, after Shabbat morning services, many congregations sponsor a "Kiddush" brunch of Coca Cola, liquor and pastry, followed by a meal of white Challa, potato and noodle kugels and cholent, with desserts of more cakes, roasted nuts and parve ice cream. Sure, one "cheat day" a week is legitimate, when we loosen up on our diet discipline and partake of a sweet or two, but that doesn't mean a total lack of restraint and going carb-crazy.

What happens? Many have turned to fad diets that promise quick weight loss. And guess what - the quickest weight loss results from loss of muscle mass. Muscle weighs a lot more than fat. Therefore, don't be impressed when you see that adherents of the fad diets have lost tons of weight, fast. Notice that they don't exercise. As a result, their bodies look like big empty burlap sacks draped on bone. At least when they were fat, their muscles had to work to carry the extra weight. But now, nothing. No muscle tone, just empty flab.

Modern society has become so focused on weight loss, that any weight loss seems to be good. It certainly is not. You look better and feel better when you increase your muscle-to-fat ratio. In other words, by exercising and increasing caloric intake - especially with quality protein and good HDL-producing fats - you gain weight big time without adding a millimeter to your waist or hips. In fact, your trousers or skirt fits better than ever.

The impressive initial weight loss of the "effortless" fad diets comes from losing the strategic and vital area of your body - your muscle mass. Therefore, the goal of dieting should be to improve body composition, the percentage or ratio of muscle to body fat, like we said. You do that by losing fat without losing muscle tissue. Maintaining and even increasing muscle mass is critical to weight control, because the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. What's more, as you exercise and add resistance/strength training to your routine, you can actually look thinner and have a smaller waistline, but the scale shows that you gained weight! How can that be? Simple - muscles take up less space in your body, so body weight may stay the same or even go up as you add compact, tight muscle mass. In density, muscle is 22% more dense than fat. In other words, if you've been doing strength /resistance training, your waist is thinner, your skirt or trousers fit great, you look and feel great, but you weigh more! Maybe at 145 lbs, you could only do 20 pushups, but now at 155, you can do 50! Yes, you weigh more but you're much more healthy. Keep on liftin', bro and sis, and put the bathroom scale in the closet!

That's what I call "Body Politic". So, forget about your weight and just be strong and healthy. When you eat right - as natural as possible - and exercise, you'll burn fat and build muscle anyway. G-d willing, we hope to post more body-health and fitness pointers in the near future. Meanwhile, eat responsibly and stay healthy!

Setbacks and Comebacks

For sure, it really hurts. Maybe you just now flunked your driving exam. Or maybe you just received a rejection letter from the school or job of your choice, or from the person you were hoping to settle down long-term with. Anyone hurts all over from a setback; that's natural and expected. Remember, we're flesh and blood. Emuna - pure and simple faith - does not mean that we fake it and deny the pain! That's lying to ourselves and lying to G-d.

So where does emuna pick us up? Emuna teaches us that despite our lack of understanding how and why, our loving Father in Heaven does everything for the best. Emuna's good news is that there's no law that one must stay down from a setback. Indeed, getting back on our feet requires far more faith and strength of character than staying on our feet without ever having been knocked down. For that reason, King Solomon, the wisest individual who ever walked the face of the earth, said, "A righteous man falls seven times, and gets up again" (Proverbs 24:16). In other words, he doesn't merit the title "righteous" until he has fallen at least seven times.

Don't let a setback get you down. You can't have a comeback until you've had the setback. Don't forget too that even the quarterback, halfback and the linebacker of the winning team are full of bruises and sore muscles.

Take five minutes and ponder the following five points ��� one point per minute. They'll put you back on your feet and give you the motivation and power to make your own fantastic comeback.

Only doers fail. People who drive sometimes get traffic tickets. People who don't drive don't ever make wrong turns. Wouldn't it be ridiculous if an elderly person bragged that he never committed a traffic violation, if he never drove a car? The first consolation of a setback is the knowledge that you are a doer.
Setbacks teach, and usually trigger a stronger second effort. Failure guards us against complacency and arrogance. When we fail, we realize that we need to improve. Oftentimes, a second effort is far superior to even a best first effort. Don't be angry with yourself; just try harder. Failure is like your soccer team losing a goal ��� the other team may have scored a point, but the game's not over! A setback helps us try harder and reach higher, thereby enabling us to fulfill a higher level of our potential. And, if you've failed that driving test, it simply means that with a few more lessons and additional practice, you'll be a much better driver on the road, for your own safety and for the safety of everyone else on the road.
Setbacks strengthen faith. If we were constantly successful, we'd probably walk around with our noses in the air. Then, we'd be ugly, heaven forbid, because few things are uglier than arrogance. The Creator loves humility and wants us to realize that He is the source of both our setbacks and comebacks, failures and successes. He gives us a setback (yup, it's not your fault!) because He wants us to pray a lot harder and earnestly seek His assistance for our next effort. If our lives were a perfect string of successes, we'd almost certainly neglect our spiritual development.
Experience is life's best teacher. The experience of a setback, especially a painful one, drives a lesson home immediately. Usually, we are slow in internalizing and implementing what we learn. After a setback, we have a golden opportunity to better ourselves immediately.
Small-scale setbacks assures large-scale success. Where would an actor prefer to forget a line, in rehearsal or on stage? A failure in rehearsal often assures a better performance on stage, since the actor makes a special effort to polish the rough edges of his or her performance. Sometimes, small failures are none other than preparations for large successes. Rejections are Divine filters to keep you away from unwanted paths. Rejected? Don't be dejected. Something much better (job, soul-mate, etc.) is on the way.

Therefore:

Don't ever despair when you have a setback. Try harder, ask the Creator for help, and then be positive that you'll do much better the next time. Depression and despair stem from the dark, spiritually impure side, and prevent you from being happy. Despair perpetuates inner turmoil and creates a barrier between you and Divine light. With these five minutes of motivating ourselves, we now mobilize the strength within us to make a great comeback. It's the real deal.

The Pep-Talk Selfie

The secret of winning coaches and mentors is knowing how to motivate their players, to "fire them up".

Even if you don't have a coach or a mentor, you can fire yourself up with "positive self-talk." Essentially, this is a pep-talk selfie.

Use positive language to describe what you hope to accomplish today, tomorrow and in the future. Tell it to God, pray for it, and solicit His help - He's waiting for you to turn to Him. People complain that the Almighty didn't help them, but the Almighty simply counters, "You didn't ask for My help."

Unfortunately, people are constantly using statements that cause them to berate themselves, their efforts, or their abilities. They need to learn how to turn these into positive statements around, and include the Almighty. That's "positive self-talk."  You certainly know how to take a selfie with your cellphone camera, right? This is just as easy - give yourself a pep-talk selfie! Make 5 to 10 strong statements that reflect your aspirations and abilities. Share them too with the Creator, and tell Him that you're positive that He hears you and that He'll help you. Do this all day long and you'll go a long way. Try these:

With the Almighty's help, I will succeed!
Hashem, I know that You are with me.
With God's help, I'm going to win!
Hashem, you've helped me in tougher challenges than this. With Your help, it'll be a cinch.
Heavenly Father, help me do what I know how to do.
Loving Father in Heaven, I am Your child - help me make You especially proud of me today.

Don't ever forget though: real emuna and true personal growth doesn't come easy. There is big resistance on the field. A winning fighter gets hurt on the way to victory, but the victory sure feels great.

Pilates-Breathing: Bomb-Shelter Tested Stress Reliever

Sad but true - experience is the best teacher. From here in the south of Ashdod, from the moment the Red Alert siren starts to wail, one has 31 seconds to get to a shelter or sheltered area. That's pretty luxurious, for our neighbors to the south in Ashkelon have only 21 seconds, while our brothers and sisters in the Sderot area have barely 14 seconds. It's no joke...

Now, once inside the shelter, there's a bigger challenge - staying calm, and calming the children. Words of emuna and encouragement, together with a nice chunk of Israeli chocolate, work wonders. 

Our children have just as effective radar as the Iron Dome missile defense does. They can immediately detect in adults' faces if there's reason to worry or not. That behooves all of us to stay extra calm.

How does one maintain inner calm and composure when missiles are exploding outside?

Only a few weeks ago, with Hamas getting their new Iranian-technology multi-missile launchers, we experienced the heaviest series of missile barrages in Ashdod that I ever remember. It wasn't easy to stay calm, for the explosions we could hear outside were frequent and thunderous. I gave a breathing lesson to my family members and taught them Pilates breathing...

Pilates breathing is in itself a relaxing warmup that soothes body and soul. You take ten as-deep-as-you-can inhales through your nose, then slowly exhale ten times through your mouth until your lungs are totally emptied. Now repeat, and do this six times. Even better, put a rug or a Yoga mat on the floor, and as you inhale, arch your spine. As you exhale, do a "Pilates imprint" until there's no daylight between your spine and the floor. This way, you get a wonderful spine-massage benefit that's great for your posture and general good feeling. This type of breathing also promotes abdominal engagement, which the Pilates method is famous for.

This form of breathing is not only conducive to relaxation, but it's a stress-buster as well. If it works under rocket barrages in Ashdod, it will certainly help you neutralize your stress and anxiety anywhere else. So there you have it, bomb-shelter-tried and tested. Try it! May we all hear good news from each other, and blessings for everything good, amen!

Hashem Loves You

If we take the tiniest look at the magnificent universe that the Creator created, it all declares just how much He personally supervises our lives and loves us so much.

Hashem Loves You from lazerbrody on Vimeo.

The Rubber Ball

When we were little kids, a rubber ball was something that was passed down from an older sibling. It lasted forever. Rubber balls were lost, but they were never destroyed, unless they were run over with a Mack truck...

The other day, I went out for a power-walk carrying a brand new rubber "guaranteed grip developing" ball, made in China. One of my neighbors, a Karate teacher, gave it to me. He carries these things around all the time, and goes through them like a person eating popcorn. Subconsciously, I expected the little ball to last for a long time. But, by the time my walk was barely halfway through, the ball disintegrated. Luckily, Ashdod is well equipped with adequate trash bins in our many parks and walkways, for that's exactly where the little disposable ball found its fate.

Car enthusiasts, do you remember the old '56 Ford with the classic straight V-6 engine that was so simple to maintain? There were plenty of them on the road in the early 1980's, for any normal driver could get 25 years out of that car. Today's cars, with all their sophistication, look like absolute jalopies after seven or eight years, if they last that long.

Any honest computer dealer will tell you to praise Hashem if you're able to squeeze four years of use out of your new computer; they're not built to last any longer.

Remember the old battle-ax mechanical washing machines? Only Sherman tanks were built stronger. People used to buy a new washing machine once in a lifetime. Nowadays, with the electronic cycles and easy-erodible bodies, don't expect the washing machine to last any longer than five or six years at best.

Yes, that little rubber ball disintegrating in my hand during my walk triggered some probing thought; for sure, the Almighty was teaching me something about body and soul...

The cheapo rubber ball showed me that the more society modernizes and becomes sophisticated, the more it renders things cheap and disposable, for limited use only, then to be discarded.

Look at marriage today. Many people change their partners like they change their socks. The more that the family unit and the sanctity of the marital unit break down, the more marriage becomes a disposable commodity. People treat each other like throw-away utensils - used once, then discarded. Hollywood and the media glorify cheapness; no wonder people treat each other cheaply.

Notice that the more something is spiritual, the longer it lasts and the greater its value. Why? The spiritual world closely resembles The Creator; like Him, it is eternal. The wisdom of Torah, unlike hi-tech, doesn't become outdated after a few short years. 

Let's take a necessary deeper look at ourselves. Each of us has two sides; a disposable side (the body), and an indestructible everlasting side (the soul). The body is here today and gone tomorrow, destined to decompose in the earth (and that's as gentle as one can describe...). Yet the soul, a priceless tiny part of G-dliness, lasts for posterity.

Isn't it ridiculous to invest so much in something that's finite and disposable while neglecting something that lasts forever? Why do we so carefully select our clothes yet exercise so little discretion about what affects our souls? Why do we choose a hairdresser or investment broker with far more care than we'd choose a spiritual guide? Why do we happily sit for two hours watching an inconsequential Major-league baseball game on TV yet begrudge our souls 15 measly minutes of centering and spending one-on-one time speaking your heart out to G-d every day?

Since we lack spiritual priorities, we make our bodies even more disposable than they already are.

If a person regards his or her body as the housing of the soul, then according to our sages, the body earns a measure of immortality; the more a body becomes subservient to the soul, the less it is subject to the process of decomposing. In this generation, bodies of truly righteous men whose graves were moved, were found completely intact - literally fresh - after years of burial. One such example is the body of the holy Karliner Rebbe, Rebbe Yochanan Perlov of saintly and blessed memory, whose grave was moved from Brooklyn to Tiberias in the 1950's.

People who don't treat their bodies as housings of the soul do terrible things to their bodies, such as filling them with junk food, alcohol, and tobacco. Here's a rule of thumb: any type of indulgence or substance that is detrimental to the body is also detrimental to the soul. How? The Creator created the body to serve the soul. No wonder that such despicable diseases such as AIDS come from bodily indulgence that is devastating to the soul. 

Before we do anything in life, we should ask ourselves what we're doing and why we're doing it. Part of our daily self-assessment should be evaluating whether we're investing in the disposable or the eternal side of ourselves. Those who do such daily self-assessment saves themselves limitless anguish - both physical and spiritual - both in this world and in the next.

Nurturing a personal connection with G-d is an investment for posterity. Let's increase its percentage in our life's portfolio. Why make the world - and our own limited go-around on this earth - more disposable than they already are? Have a happy and meaningful summer with all the right priorities, amen!

Personal Conservation

Kabbalah defines the three dimensions of Divine influence on our lives and refers to them as olam, shana, and nefesh, or the dimensions of place, time, and body. 

The message of olam, shana, and nefesh - place, time, and body ��� teaches us vital information about ourselves and how to properly utilize our resources. The Talmud says that the human being is a miniature universe. With that in mind, just as conserving the earth's resources is vital to our sustenance, we must learn to conserve our own resources. Now that we're aware that Divine influences are manifest on three levels, we can do much to improve the quality of our lives.

The Creator enables our souls to fulfill their specific mission also by giving us the three dimensions of influence ��� place, time, and body. These are the soul's prime resources, which it must utilize effectively for a person to feel happy, fulfilled and successful. Consequently, when an individual squanders these vital resources, the soul suffers in the same manner that the entire world suffers when its natural resources are misused. Let's see how this works on an individual level:

Olam, Place

One should always consent with a capable spiritual guide before moving or changing one's place of employment or learning. Why? Just as each plant thrives on certain soil and in a certain location that provides optimal conditions for that plant's growth, each soul thrives in its optimal place. Suppose you were sent to this world to heal people; you won't thrive on a desert island living in solitude. But, if you were sent to this world to refrain from idle chatter, then a desert island is a great place to be.

Our olam is divided into our general place and our specific places. One's general place is Brooklyn, for example, and his specific places might be his home, his place of employment, his place of personal prayer, and his place of learning and worship. The Creator sends this person influences of abundance in these four places.

How is one's resource of olam squandered? If he is in a bar drinking beer rather than in his place of study or employment, he squanders Divine abundance and influence. Clearly, if he's roaming around in a shopping mall when he should be in school or at work, he'll see an immediate loss of Divine abundance and influence in the form of a stiff reprimand from his employer or teacher, a fine, and maybe even total failure such as losing his job or flunking out of school. We therefore must be careful about being at the right place in the right time. For a soldier on guard in a border outpost, this meanings staying alive.

Shana, Time

Conserving the priceless resource of our time is the easiest concept of olam, shana, nefesh to understand. Each of us has a predetermined allotment of time on this earth, depending on the nature of our task on earth and our needed soul correction.

If one systematically squanders time, he will not only fail to accomplish his mission on earth, but he won't be happy, fulfilled or successful. If a pre-Med student spends the night before final exams in a billiards parlor or in a discotheque instead of reviewing his organic chemistry notes and getting a good night's rest, he seriously jeopardizes his chances of scoring high on the final exam and being accepted to medical school. His entire future is at stake because of one evening's wasted time.

Woe to the children whose parents social-media and chatroom addicts or those who aimlessly surf for hours on the web. Can they justifiably complain that they don't have time to devote to family? Hashem has given them the time to devote to enhancing their marriage or raising wonderful children, but they've squandered it.

The hallmark of history's spiritual luminaries was their utilization of time. It's mind-boggling to think about what the father of Kabbalah, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenaz1 (1534-1572) accomplished in his brief lifespan of 38 years. We therefore want to utilize each day to the max and be especially careful about what we do with our time.

Nefesh, Body

The body is the housing of the soul. We must protect it and use it for the right purposes. For example, the Creator gives us a heart, whose task is to pump blood through a slim and healthy body for 120 years. If a person overeats and indulges in junk food ��� which are detrimental to the health of body and soul ��� his body will accumulate fat cells. The poor heart must now supply blood to these wasted areas of the body, which unlike the bones and the muscles, contribute little to performing one's task on earth. To add insult to injury, the cholesterol and saturated fats of junk food will clog the arteries, cause a rise in blood pressure, and make the heart's job of providing blood to the ���dead-beat��� fat deposits even more difficult.

Our prime consideration in utilizing nefesh should be the question of what's good for nefesh rather than what's comfortable, convenient, or tasty. A proper workout in the gym may be excruciating and uncomfortable, but the nefesh will thrive as a result. Hashem gives us certain parts of nefesh to perform specific commandments, such as procreation and granting marital bliss. When these parts of nefesh are misused, the flow of Divine abundance to the soul is sorely impaired.

* * *

Practically, we should all strive to be our own personal conservation agencies, using the resources that Hashem gives us for the very best. Start with one resource, such as time, and make a conscious effort to improve while asking the Almighty in your personal prayers to help you. Wait and see how happy and successful you become. An awareness of  olam, shana, nefesh can help a person lose weight when no other diet would help, and is a wonderful aid in helping us find our mission on earth. May we all be blessed to utilize the wonderful resources that the Creator gives us for the very best, amen!

Conservation in the Mini-Universe

Kabbalah defines the three dimensions of Divine influence on our lives and refers to them as olam, shana, and nefesh, or the dimensions of place, time, and body. 

The message of olam, shana, and nefesh - place, time, and body ��� teaches us vital information about ourselves and how to properly utilize our resources. The Talmud says that the human being is a miniature universe. With that in mind, just as conserving the earth's resources is vital to our sustenance, we must learn to conserve our own resources. Now that we're aware that Divine influences are manifest on three levels, we can do much to improve the quality of our lives.

The Creator enables our souls to fulfill their specific mission also by giving us the three dimensions of influence ��� place, time, and body. These are the soul's prime resources, which it must utilize effectively for a person to feel happy, fulfilled and successful. Consequently, when an individual squanders these vital resources, the soul suffers in the same manner that the entire world suffers when its natural resources are misused. Let's see how this works on an individual level:

Olam, Place

One should always consent with a capable spiritual guide before moving or changing one's place of employment or learning. Why? Just as each plant thrives on certain soil and in a certain location that provides optimal conditions for that plant's growth, each soul thrives in its optimal place. Suppose you were sent to this world to heal people; you won't thrive on a desert island living in solitude. But, if you were sent to this world to refrain from idle chatter, then a desert island is a great place to be.

Our olam is divided into our general place and our specific places. One's general place is Brooklyn, for example, and his specific places might be his home, his place of employment, his place of personal prayer, and his place of learning and worship. The Creator sends this person influences of abundance in these four places.

How is one's resource of olam squandered? If he is in a bar drinking beer rather than in his place of study or employment, he squanders Divine abundance and influence. Clearly, if he's roaming around in a shopping mall when he should be in school or at work, he'll see an immediate loss of Divine abundance and influence in the form of a stiff reprimand from his employer or teacher, a fine, and maybe even total failure such as losing his job or flunking out of school. We therefore must be careful about being at the right place in the right time. For a soldier on guard in a border outpost, this meanings staying alive.

Shana, Time

Conserving the priceless resource of our time is the easiest concept of olam, shana, nefesh to understand. Each of us has a predetermined allotment of time on this earth, depending on the nature of our task on earth and our needed soul correction.

If one systematically squanders time, he will not only fail to accomplish his mission on earth, but he won't be happy, fulfilled or successful. If a pre-Med student spends the night before final exams in a billiards parlor or in a discotheque instead of reviewing his organic chemistry notes and getting a good night's rest, he seriously jeopardizes his chances of scoring high on the final exam and being accepted to medical school. His entire future is at stake because of one evening's wasted time.

Woe to the children whose parents social-media and chatroom addicts or those who aimlessly surf for hours on the web. Can they justifiably complain that they don't have time to devote to family? Hashem has given them the time to devote to enhancing their marriage or raising wonderful children, but they've squandered it.

The hallmark of history's spiritual luminaries was their utilization of time. It's mind-boggling to think about what the father of Kabbalah, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenaz1 (1534-1572) accomplished in his brief lifespan of 38 years. We therefore want to utilize each day to the max and be especially careful about what we do with our time.

Nefesh, Body

The body is the housing of the soul. We must protect it and use it for the right purposes. For example, the Creator gives us a heart, whose task is to pump blood through a slim and healthy body for 120 years. If a person overeats and indulges in junk food ��� which are detrimental to the health of body and soul ��� his body will accumulate fat cells. The poor heart must now supply blood to these wasted areas of the body, which unlike the bones and the muscles, contribute little to performing one's task on earth. To add insult to injury, the cholesterol and saturated fats of junk food will clog the arteries, cause a rise in blood pressure, and make the heart's job of providing blood to the ���dead-beat��� fat deposits even more difficult.

Our prime consideration in utilizing nefesh should be the question of what's good for nefesh rather than what's comfortable, convenient, or tasty. A proper workout in the gym may be excruciating and uncomfortable, but the nefesh will thrive as a result. Hashem gives us certain parts of nefesh to perform specific commandments, such as procreation and granting marital bliss. When these parts of nefesh are misused, the flow of Divine abundance to the soul is sorely impaired.

* * *

Practically, we should all strive to be our own personal conservation agencies, using the resources that Hashem gives us for the very best. Start with one resource, such as time, and make a conscious effort to improve while asking the Almighty in your personal prayers to help you. Wait and see how happy and successful you become. An awareness of  olam, shana, nefesh can help a person lose weight when no other diet would help, and is a wonderful aid in helping us find our mission on earth. May we all be blessed to utilize the wonderful resources that the Creator gives us for the very best, amen!