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Purim Reboot

by Yehudis Golshevsky
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A Sacred Time

Adar 5

Rebbe Nachman teaches that, although originally, all “beginnings”—the energy that vitalizes all further efforts in Divine service—were from Pesach, now all beginnings are from Purim. The underlying message of Purim is that G-d intervenes to help us even when we feel far…even when we really have distanced ourselves from Him through negative actions. It’s at just such junctures in our lives that we’re gifted with powerful protection and assistance so that we can climb out of whatever morass we’re in and get back onto the right path.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that forgetting is necessary if you want to serve G-d. If we were to remember every one of our flaws and failures all the time, we would really have a hard time feeling happy. So forgetting is the gift that allows us to act as though we were just created and have no past. The freshness and joy that it brings is the best way to prepare for Pesach, for the new beginning of our liberation. Before Pesach, we remove chametz from our domain—the spiritual nature of chometz is the negativity that’s bred when we sit and brood on our flaws until they ferment. Purim presses the restart button so that we can jettison the thoughts of the past that toxify our present.

Beloved Creator! Let me forget my past so that I can heal and restart my life. Instead of obsessing on the past, I want to boldly face the future with a confident heart. Just like You helped us during Purim You will surely help us through all our difficulties and down times. Help me remove the depression of sin by forgetting what can no longer be changed and focusing on joy. When I am able, I will go back and fix what I can. But for now, let me forget and embrace the beautiful times which begin with the Pesach seder and that culminate in receiving the Torah fifty days later!

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