In this profound shiur, given in honor of the Rashash, Rabbi Pinto shares the inspiring story of the sage’s unwavering piety and miraculous ascent, illustrating how humility and faith lead to greatness. He then explores the deep connection between Parnasa (livelihood) and Emunah (faith), using the example of the Manna to show how our spiritual state impacts our sustenance. Rabbi Pinto provides practical guidance on cultivating a “diet for the Neshama,” managing anxiety, and actively replacing negative thoughts with positive ones to foster a healthy spiritual life and achieve true well-being.
5 Key Takeaways:
Humility and Steadfast Faith Lead to Greatness: The story of the Rashash demonstrates that true spiritual elevation often comes through humility, enduring trials with faith, and a commitment to holiness, even when one’s greatness is initially unrecognized.
Parnasa is Directly Linked to Emunah: Our livelihood (Parnasa) mirrors our level of faith (Emunah). Just as the Manna appeared differently based on the Israelites’ spiritual standing, our sustenance is more readily accessible when our trust in Hashem is strong, independent of external market forces.
Cultivate a “Diet for the Neshama”: Spiritual health requires conscious effort, much like physical health. We must be mindful of what we consume spiritually—what we see, hear, say, and think—avoiding “toxins” like lashon hara, improper sights, and negativity to maintain a healthy soul.
Actively Replace Negative Thoughts: The mind can only focus on one dominant thought at a time. To combat worry, anxiety, and negativity, one must proactively replace harmful thoughts with prepared positive, joyous, or goal-oriented thoughts, like a seesaw where one goes up as the other goes down.
Set Achievable Spiritual Goals: While aspiring high is good, it’s crucial to set realistic and attainable spiritual goals. Like the Yale dessert study showed, good intentions can fail if the chosen commitment is too far from one’s current capacity; incremental, sustainable changes are more effective.
Rabbi Pinto: Anxiety & Fears – Conquering Negative Thoughts
