44. Va'Etchanan: In G-d's Grace ~Building True Self-worth.mp3

The Talmud states that a person would rather have one measurement of his own than nine measurements of another’s. Another teaching states that in Egypt we ate, “Bread of Shame,” and only once we received the Torah, and with it a Cause and Effect relationship with G-d, that, “If in My statutes you will walk and I will give your rains…,” have we begun to eat Bread of Honor. These teachings lend to our relationship with G-d being one of earning our keep, and with this, prayer would become one of bargaining with G-d over what we have earned. However, what we will discover in this lecture is that prayer is anything but bargaining. It is where we open ourselves up to G-d’s grace. Now, true, the Talmud is speaking to us of self-worth, which comes through earning our keep, through responsibility and accountability, and not through receiving unearned kindness. If so, why is prayer all about asking for G-d’s grace? Webster’s definition of grace is, “unmerited divine assistance.” Chassidic teachings tell us that while studying G-d’s Torah we are as a student before our Teacher, and with prayer we are as a child before our Father, pointing out the beauty of our relationship with G-d that is exclusively found through prayer. Why is prayer so intimate and beautiful if it turns to G-d for, “unmerited assistance,” which we just defined as, “Bread of Shame?” This leads us to the concept that we will be exploring through the Modernity Meets Judaism of this lecture. Many people work consciously on building true self-value and self-respect. We work with focus on ripping away co-dependence and on cutting down our reaction to external validation or depreciation. Only, to then once again have the air taken out of our sails by some unexpected event or comment. How does one find true infallible self-worth? In this lecture we will find the ultimate self-worth, which will stand up to any and every attack made by the insecurity, fear, pain, or evil intentions of others or of self. -------- Here is a link to the written notes of this lecture, which will be available until September 1, 2016, after which you can email [email protected] to request them: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4614078/44.%20Va%27Eschanan%205776%20Parsha%20Class.pdf