ACHIEVING SHALOM

 

ACHIEVING SHALOM

The Rebbe says in Torah כז that healing one's soul and achieving inner peace becomes possible only after going through the bitterness of trials and challenges.

Reb Noson adds that this also holds true when one is ready to go from one level to the next in their avodas Hashem because every new madregah signifies a new level of peace: with Hashem, with other Yidden, and with oneself. So, the beginning of this transition to the next level is necessarily going to be bitter, and only after overcoming this bitterness can one really get there.

The shalom that one needs to reach consists of three aspects:

1. Between the body and the neshamah. Real peace between them becomes possible only when the body is subservient to the neshamah and always heeds its call. What does this look like in real life? When this level is achieved, you're mainly drawn after the spiritual and this is what really gives you pleasure, while engaging in material pursuits gradually becomes more of a necessity than the source of real satisfaction.

2. Between a person and Hashem. This includes (1) being at peace with your life, accepting all the things you can't change (or can't change right now) as Hashem's will; and (2) believing that everything that is happening in your life is for your ultimate best.

3. Between a person and their fellow Jews. Such peace means that you not only avoid machlokes in your dealings with people, but also try to help them and encourage them whenever possible.

Of course, this is not "all or nothing". Achieving real peace in all the three categories takes a lot of time and consists of many stages.

Whenever you're ready to enter the next stage and the next level of shalom, you must first go through the bitterness of trials and challenges. In practice, this means that all the peace you've managed to achieve so far suddenly crumbles: you're once again plagued by material desires, dissatisfaction with your life as well as questions about Hashem, and even manage to get into fights with just about everyone you meet. It seems like all the things that you were sure you had successfully left behind suddenly confront you once again, worse than ever before.

What is the advice in this situation? Reb Noson writes that first, you have to be strong and try as best you can to avoid the negative: drowning in material desires and worries, getting angry with Hashem, or fighting with other people. Then, you should bolster your desire to achieve peace in all its aspects, so that the uncompromising strength of this desire should conquer all the bitterness. When this happens, you will automatically enter this new level of peace that has been waiting for you.

But what if this feels too difficult? Don't worry, you don't have to do it alone. All this work should be done while feeling and strengthening your connection to the tzaddik. The tzaddik has already conquered all the bitterness of this world, and this is why he is called "bris shalom" ("Likutei Moharan", Torah לג). So, when you connect to the tzaddik, you ultimately merit peace in all its aspects.

In addition, there are several things that one should try to work on because they help achieve peace.

1) Simcha (joy). A passuk in Yeshayahu (55-12) says:

כי בשמחה תצאו ובשלום תובלון ("You will go out with joy, and be led forth with peace".) From this we see that joy and peace are closely related, so by trying to be as joyful as you can will automatically bring you closer to peace.

2) Tzedakah.

Try to give tzedakah every day because it says in "Pirkey Avos":

מרבה צדקה, מרבה שלום ("The more charity, the more peace").

3) Learning Torah, particularly halacha.

Torah is also closely connected to peace; this is how it is described in a passuk from "Mishley" (3-17):

דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נֹעַם וְכָל נְתִיבוֹתֶיהָ שָׁלוֹם. ("Its ways are pleasant, and all its pathways are peace").

You should pay special attention to learning halacha because it is also an aspect of shalom: reaching conclusive decisions after the bitterness of machlokes.

4) Shabbos.

Be sure to delight in Shabbos because it is called "shalom", as is evident by the Hebrew greeting "Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach!" that was originated by the Arizal.

5) Emes (truth).

The Rebbe says in "Sefer HaMiddos" ("Peace" A-6):

שלום בא על ידי אמת. ("Truth brings to peace"), so trying to be as truthful as we can will make achieving peace easier.

6) Yirah (fear of Hashem).

Again, it says in "Sefer haMiddos": ("Fear of G-d A-23):

על ידי יראה הקדוש ברוך הוא נותן לו שלום. ("Those who fear G-d, He rewards with peace.")

We should pay particular attention to overcoming all the "fallen fears" so that we're afraid only of transgressing Hashem's will and becoming distant from Him. When we no longer fear people or circumstances, achieving inner peace becomes that much easier.

So, through strengthening the existing peace in all its aspects, as well as connecting to the tzaddik and working on these special practices and behaviors, we become ready for the next level of shalom in both spiritual and physical realms.