Fast Inspiration [pun intended! :-)]

Hey guys. I hope you are having an easy and meaningful fast.

A fast day can sometimes lose its meaning. We’re hungry, we have half a day of school, and sometime veg out in front of the TV.

I just want to share a small bit of inspiration to try and raise our fast. Rabbi Noach Weinberg says that a fast day is a time of reckoning, a time to correct a previous mistake. Usually a mistake that is found in Jewish History.
When we learn the history of this fast it doesn’t seem too spectacular. What is it that we are correcting?
The fast of Asara B’tevet [10th of tevet] is in remembrance of the siege that was placed around Yerushalayim. That means the army came around Yerushalayim and placed guards at all the entrances. No one could leave or enter. But it was relatively peaceful. There was no fighting, no blood spilled, nobody died.

So why are we fasting? And what is the lesson that we, in 2007 can learn from this?

Rabbi Weinberg tells us that it was a wake up call for the Jews. They SHOULD have woken up and fixed their flaws. They should have started to work on themselves. But they ignored it. The result of that is history. Our holy Bais Hamikdash was destroyed. G-d sent us into exile. Etc.

The message is pretty clear. Asara B'tevet is about hearing that wake up call and doing something about it! Today has the spiritual power of change in it. A fast day is a reflective day and a day for change. Let’s take the message of Asara B’tevet and do something positive with it.

Take on something small that will last. If we take on one small thing every fast day, we will have accumulated a whole lot of ‘small’ acts by the end of the year.

It's always frustrating to try and figure out what ONE thing to do. Here's a list of suggestions of what you can take on. Don’t do all of it!! J

Hashem should bless us with the will power to change. May you always find comfort outside of your comfort zone, because that is where true growth occurs.
I will give someone a big smile
I will make a conscious effort to kiss the mezuzah and remember that it represents Hashem’s constant protection of me and my family
I will go outside in the afternoon and take pictures of things that inspire me. I will hang them up in a place that I will always see [my room, locker, planner etc]
I will write a thank you letter
I will sit down for 10 minutes and write all the things that I am grateful for
I will picture myself by next Rosh Hashana. Where do I want to be? What do I want to look like? What would I like to be different or stay the same? And what am I going to do to get there?
I will daven mincha
I will sign up for a chesed organization near me. There are plenty of them on the internet, and there is always a need for volunteers.
I will bentch from a bentcher once a day
I will be careful about saying my Amen’s – remembering that these are a huge source of protection.
I will take on a half hour to not speak lashon hara
I will download a shiur onto my ipod and listen to it on the way to school [www.simpletoremember.com ]
I will remember to make a beracha achrona.
I will contact a nursing home and ask if there are any lonely people who would appreciate a penpal. I will write a letter once a week.
I will leave a post it for my parents just to say hi and tell them that I love them.
I will say “I love you Hashem!” and mean it.
In a moment that I am about to complain – I will remember that everything happens for a reason, and put on a big smile instead.
I will save something special for Shabbos.
I will wash my hands generously in the morning, remembering that this helps to ward off depression and get rid of the tumah that is on my hands.
I will use my talent in order to give back to Hashem.
I will ask myself ‘is what I am about to do going to make Hashem proud?’ if it is, then I will do it with joy and if it isn’t I will stop.
I will look for inspiration and pass it on to others
I will hang up an asher yatzar card outside of the bathroom and say it with the proper intentions.
I will clean my room for Shabbos. Thus honoring Shabbos and my parents.
I will wake up in the morning and say ‘modeh ani’ with a joyful smile instead of my usual groaning ‘I don’t want to get out of bed yet’
I will learn about one part of davening and really try to concentrate on it.
I will make it a point to pray for other people first.
I will learn something about the parsha weekly.
I will make sure that I learn a piece of Torah at least once a day
I will try hard not to exaggerate a story
I will not watch anything inappropriate on TV for 2 weeks. I will be honest in my assessment of what is actually inappropriate.
I will place post-its around my room to remind me of how much Hashem loves me.
I will try not to go to sleep angry at any person, or with any person angry at me.
I will learn how to say “I’m sorry” and mean it
I will say “Likavod Shabbos Kodesh” before I eat on Shabbos
I will make enough bread to take challah with a bracha at least once a month
I will say krias shema al hamittah before I go to sleep at night
I will make sure to eat shaleshudos on Shabbos
I will make it my business to eat melaveh malkah after Shabbos
I will be mindful of modesty in the way that I act when I am outside
I will be careful to not make sarcastic remarks that might hurt someone
I will try to look at everyone with an ayin tovah – finding the good in everyone
I will use my time wisely and not waste hours on doing nothing. Relaxing is fine, but wasting time is not.
I will set a goal and reach it.
I will bake challah once a week and daven hard for Klal yisroel because I know that the time of kneading dough is the most important time to daven.
I will not make fun of any teacher or student for a week. At all.
I will try something new
I will buy food for a homeless person
I will make a phone call to someone who could really use it once a week
I will eat something once a day in order to make a bracha. [and not the opposite – make a bracha in order to eat]
I will picture what it will be like when Moshiach comes, and yearn for it every day.
I will pick a mitzvah that I have been lax in. I will read and learn about it so that I can perform it properly.
I will have a positive self-talk because I am made in the image of G-d.
I will study hard for my tests knowing that good grades will eventually help me support my future family.
I will choose one difficult situation and look for the best in it ALWAYS.
I will thank Hashem for everything He has given me, close my door and DANCE for Him!

With love