What that means for me these days is to liberate myself internally from the voices inside of me that wish me to remain exiled. Not to fight with those voices and self judgement, but rather to recognize that those voices are simply not in touch with the real truth.

 

The challenges I bump against internally are not bad things happening to me, they are not internal demons that need to be fought with, they are a step forward in bringing redemption to my soul.  Redemption being liberation. 

 

Those challenges are G-d’s way of telling me that I’ve experienced redemption yesterday and I have a new and deeper, more profound opportunity for redemption today.

 

The Temples were a place where G-d was openly revealed. Our Safes tell us about the glorious miracles that transpired and were experienced there. In the face of Divine revelation all truth is laid bare.

 

To build my personal Temple, I need to expose G-d inside of me and around me. My spiritual practice. Making G-d real in my life is a daily conscious effort of prayer, study, and mediation. It doesn’t have to be long prayer study or meditation. But, if I don’t put in the effort, my voices come back and drag me back to my body’s preoccupation with self.

 

As the 9th of Av approaches, and we pray for full redemption now, I recommit myself to the Rebbe’s instruction and vision of living redemptively. I pray for all those needing inner as well as external redemption to experience their Moshiach openly now.

 

May our efforts bring the fruits of our labor with Moshiach Now!

 

Good Shabbos and Am Yisrael Chai.

 

With all my love,

 

Rabbi Eliyahu Schusterman