We might think we cannot do certain things because they are too hard, take too much time, or cost too much money. But all we have to do is start. The Zohar says, in the portion of Vayera, "open to me an opening no wider than the eye of a needle and I will open to you the supernal gates." Even though the needle is small, it is complete. So too, any kind of growth can be small in the beginning, but as long as it is done with 100% effort, amazing things can follow.

What activity, hobby, career-change, relationship or spiritual commitment have you been putting off? Today, take a positive action step. All you have to do is to try with all your might. The Light will help you with the rest.

Recently I was reading about an enormous "island" of trash twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean somewhere between San Francisco and Hawaii. The so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch, has been growing since the 1950s, and is comprised of 80 percent plastic and weighs more than 3.5 million tons.

The alarming lesson here is just because our garbage is no longer in front of our face, it doesn't mean it's gone.

And so too with our ‘issues.' Just because we broke up with the girl who was annoying us, doesn't mean our lack of tolerance is gone. Just because we drink and smoke, doesn't mean our loneliness or depression is gone. Just because we boss our employees or children or spouse around, doesn't mean our feelings of inadequacy are gone.

Today, spot the ways in which you push your garbage away. Clean up your junk — correct it, rather. Feel the discomfort and deal with the problem, head on. This is the best way to clean up the polluted waters of your life.

Have you heard about the man who begged God for years to allow him to win the lottery? Every day he got down on his knees and shouted to heaven, "Please let today be the day I win!" After a year of no response, he went to his teacher to ask what he was doing wrong. His teacher asked him, "Did you buy a ticket?"

It's a great place to be when you recognize the existence of the Creator and learn how to humbly ask for help. But the secret to getting your prayers answered is this,

"God translates our prayers based on our actions." (Karen Berg, Simple Light)

Today, do an act of random kindness (especially for someone you don't like.) Resist the temptation to judge people. Go out of your way to help a co-worker. Cross the street to help a stranded stranger. Listen closely to someone you normally drown out. Grab hold of the infinite gifts to help people that the Light throws at you every moment of the day, and open them with gratitude. Every positive action, every restriction, every conscious effort to emulate the attributes of the Light will ensure that your prayers are heard, loud and clear. 

One of the major problems of the world is we sometimes get so carried away in our own spiritual systems that we forget that other people have their set of laws too.

We get caught up in the routine part of our practice and forget the heart part.

If we want to save this world — and it certainly needs saving — then we must constantly be directing our thoughts towards compassion and tolerance for others. Only when you, me and all of us doing the work learn this lesson [and live it in our daily lives] will this world begin to spin in a different direction.

Be tolerant today. Allow others to have their opinions, no matter how wrong they may seem. Release the need to change people, to sway them to your way of thinking. Focus on love - it always does the trick.

In other words, when in doubt, hug it out. OK, maybe that last line was a little cheesy, but I hope you get the point.

You may have read the biblical story of Moses' encounter with the burning bush. One day while wandering in the desert, he hears God calling to him from a burning bush, telling him to free the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. The rest is history.

Here's an interesting fact: the kabbalists say that initially, Moses did not hear God's voice. He actually heard the voice of his own father calling him. Why? He needed to hear a voice that was friendly and familiar in order to draw him closer. He would have been too afraid if he knew who was really calling upon him.

Just as God understood what Moses needed to hear (and the voice he needed to hear it in) God knows what we need. Our Creator meets us where we are on our journey, making sure that the events and people in our lives are tailor-made for our spiritual growth.

Remember this today when you are wondering why you must go through one difficult situation or another.

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