When a person recognizes how simple this shift is to accomplish, and how effective it is in changing Hashem’s conduct toward us, he will become ever more committed to investing in changing his outlook and attitudes. And so, let us see just how simple this is. Two people set a time for a business meeting to explore the possibility of a joint venture. Now, we are already well-versed in the concept that when a person comes with an attitude of ידי, ועוצם כחי my might and the power of my hands, he will merit less siyata diShmaya, and the more he attributes his success and abilities to the Ribbono shel Olam, the more he will merit siyata diShmaya.
But now, let us graduate to another level: Say the tzaddikim, one option is that on the morning of your meeting, during davening you will mouth a prayer for success: “Today, at two o’clock, I will meet with this person... please give me siyata diShmaya.” But a higher level still is to accomplish הדינים המתקת throughout the day! Don’t rely on your morning davening alone. As you’re sitting in your meeting, take a moment to reflect on the great miracle that you’re able to open your mouth to talk! This is a great miracle from the Ribbono shel Olam!
Connecting to Kindness
The Ropshitzer Rav discusses this great miracle of speech in Parashas Pinchas: “The fact that our mouth can speak with such speed, and that our lips can move so fast with the ability to string together letters and create from them words that have meaning and that are understood by other people... it is wonder of wonders!”
From this alone, we can see that there’s a neshamah inside a person. It is a great and exalted miracle. And so, this person who’s meeting with his friend can choose to take that moment to become awed and amazed by the fact that there is אלוקית, התגלות Heavenly Revelation, right here in the room! And the more he will meditate on this as he’s speaking with his associate... he will hold a little note to remind himself of this... through this, he’s connecting with Heavenly kindness instead of din, and he will merit הדינים, המתקת sweetening of the severities.
Closing the Meeting Room Door
The dilemma is always that even if a person was in the right frame of mind during his morning davening... he davened sincerely for siyata diShmaya...it tends to wear off through the course of the day, and when engaged in business, he tends to think with the mindset of ידי, ועוצם כחי and he forgets about the exhortation of תמיד, לנגדי ה' שויתי to place Hashem in front of us always.
This person will say to the Ribbono shel Olam: “I already davened to You in the morning for siyata diShmaya... now let me get down to business. I have a meeting to attend. You can wait outside....” And so, he closes the door and invests his entire self into the business. He is afraid to think about the Ribbono shel Olam for fear that he will miss one precious word from his associate. This person is connecting to the conduct of severity, of din, and what will happen is that the din will find him, R”l. But, on the contrary, when a person remembers that every word that he utters is a miracle, he is connecting to the החסד, מידת and thus all the dinim are sweetened.
