Cherish Rebuke

29 Teves 5782

“This constant battle with one’s evil nature truly entails much effort (‘service’) and toil.” (Lessons in Tanya, Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 15)

The service of the beinoni is one of constant vigilance. He must constantly struggle to elevate his behavior and prevent his animal soul from implementing its desires in thought, speech, and action. The way to becoming a beinoni is full of setbacks and mistakes. He must constantly struggle to correct himself and figure out which is the right way for him.

“Let the righteous one strike me with kindness and let him rebuke me; like the finest oil, let my head not refuse it. For as long [as I live], my prayer is [to preserve me] from their harm.”

Sometimes, however, the prospective beinoni gets a gift from above in the form of rebuke from a righteous person. This can serve to take out much badness from his life with sometimes even a minor correction of behavior and self-reflection.

“So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘So said the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?’” (Shemos 10:3)

As such, one must cherish every rebuke and the ensuing moments of self-reflection. They are like a knowledge-packed shiur which allows one to step into the world of a more learned person and receive perfectly condensed and arranged wisdom from him. Therefore, we should be quick to humble ourselves and accept the gentle rebuke of an honest person, with an open heart and determination to implement any insights that may come of it.