There’s a wonderful Yiddish word which I love, called “haimish”.  It usually refers to one’s home.  It loosely translates into something which is homey, cozy and friendly. 

I get such a deep feeling of warmth and satisfaction when someone enters my home for the first time and uses that word to describe how they feel about my home. When someone says my home is haimish, they’re not commenting on how it looks but how it feels.I would feel a sense of loss if someone didn’t feel haimish in my home, no matter how impressive or unimpressive it looks.

One can have a mansion and feel proud when people enter and say how impressive or gorgeous it looks. But it’s only that, it’s simply appearance. It’s superficial. Someone can spend exorbitant amounts of money on fixtures and furnishings and feel a sense of pride in their home, but it’s a shallow feeling unless their home is also haimish. If both exist, they’ve achieved the best of both worlds.   

Where you live is not just an apartment, a bungalow, a house or a mansion. It’s your home. It’s where your spirit should be at peace. Don’t feel shame if it doesn’t look fancy or impressive. Just make it haimish and you can feel good about your home, just as others will when they are in it. 

We are part of the Omnipresent in the same way that aquatic life is part of the ocean. The ocean surrounds aquatic life. The Omnipresent One surrounds us, along with everything else in the Universe.   

Therefore, no matter what your situation, no matter what your belief system, the King of the Universe is always with you.  You are never, ever alone.

When your heart is about to choose a path, don’t disregard a precious whisper which might come from your subconscious. Listen intently and turn up the volume!  It’s a message from the Omniscient One to help guide you.

If you can’t find happiness because your situation seems so hopeless or bad you just can’t spiritually feel free and joyful, will the rest of your life be miserable? Not necessarily.

Just continue to do good. Regardless of what goes on around you, or how uninspired you feel, your soul will find freedom and joy, either in this life or in the World to Come.

The voice of reason is very compelling, even when it’s quiet. It’s the same with the voice of the Almighty who guides you. You must listen very carefully to hear what is being said to you.

Take a rose and put it in boiling water and the petals will turn white. However, it’s sweet fragrance remains.

You are a rose. Your essence is always with us, even when your external appearance changes.

Love is blind. But so is hate, jealousy, fear, or any emotion which smothers our intellect.

Emotion is so wonderful when you channel it properly. Do this, and bask in a positive and warm experience deep into your soul.

Try not to get too upset or frustrated when others don’t recognize the good or productive things you have done. For the time being, it’s enough that you and the All-knowing are aware of your actions.

So you did a few bad things, or even many bad things. Even though you were emotionally or spiritually hidden from the good, you still have an opportunity to correct your wrongs. It’s never too late.

A new path is there for you. Go on. . . start walking!

Sometimes you will go through a spiritually dark and lonely place filled with fear, despair, and self pity. This is when you must find a way out and let the light in your soul liberate you.

Great people have all done that. Their greatness didn’t come from their suffering. It was an eruption of light from their soul which made them a light for others.

You, too, have that eruption of light waiting to emerge when you are in a dark place. Find it!