Excitement with Who We Are
Ehrliche Yidden were deeply excited and worked to feel thrilled as they recited the berachah of גוי עשני שלא. We can speak all day about the Yid who would jump for joy when reciting this berachah, yet never become excited about it ourselves. We must work on this. We’re saying the berachah in any case; let’s at least focus on what it means... the true chasm between having been created a Yid and l’havdil if we’d been created a goy.
If a person has a hard day, he would do well to think about what his life would have been like had he been born a goy. Yes, my dilemma is difficult, and the matter has yet to be resolved. But look at me! I retained my identity. I get up in the morning. I moved forward. I even said גם ...לטובה זו. We must jump for joy, always moved beyond the practical mindset of distraction and diverting attention—and bring Hashem into the picture, permeating our situation with Elokus.
