Time-management

15 Teves 5782

“When a person causes his divine soul to prevail over the animal soul, and when he wages war against the animal soul” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 10)

“The Baal Shem Tov teaches, one of the problems we have is not having an organized methodology (time-management) to our Divine service – one must regret (Teshuvah) this, and make a positive resolution.” (Keser Shem Tov)

Similar to an actual war, our battle to make our divine soul prevail over our animal soul must be fought with an order and precision. Once we have found such an order - when to daven, when to learn, when to fabreng - we must strictly adhere to it. Otherwise, our yetzer hara has many opportunities to derail us.

“And they embittered their lives with hard labor, with clay and with bricks and with all kinds of labor in the fields, all their work that they worked with them with back breaking labor.” (Shemos 1:14)

When we lose control of our day-to-day, even our avodat hashem can become like back breaking labor. It is only when we have the security of a daily routine that we can fully unfold our potential, and find a rhythm.

“And he tended them with the integrity of his heart, and led them with the skill of his hands.” (Tehillim 78:72)

This verse in Tehillim describes king David’s simplicity and skill. Here we see that a large part of our success in our divine service also comes from our own abilities and activities. For these to fully unfold, we must be organized and precise.