Sometimes a person may be going through life with an improper attitude about matters. Deep down he may be aware that his behavior is improper but he can manage to rationalize what he is doing and so defend himself in his own mind.
For example, he is well aware that stealing is wrong. He knows it is wrong from a Torah perspective, from a legal perspective, and simply morally wrong. However, he allows himself to rationalize that under certain circumstances stealing is permitted. Perhaps he is stealing from his employer, or taking advantage of unsuspecting customers, and in each case telling himself that for some reason it is OK.
Rationalizations only go so far. As long as a person is running around in life and allowing the tumult of life to keep him from true introspection, he can live with himself and his rationalizations.
All that stops when the person affords himself a few minutes of true Hisbodidus; true personal conversation with Hashem. When he is standing there, really looking at himself, he knows deep in his heart that the rationalizations are just that. He can't really fool himself in the depths of his being.
In that silence, when the noise of life is gone, the truth will be self-evident.
For example, he is well aware that stealing is wrong. He knows it is wrong from a Torah perspective, from a legal perspective, and simply morally wrong. However, he allows himself to rationalize that under certain circumstances stealing is permitted. Perhaps he is stealing from his employer, or taking advantage of unsuspecting customers, and in each case telling himself that for some reason it is OK.
Rationalizations only go so far. As long as a person is running around in life and allowing the tumult of life to keep him from true introspection, he can live with himself and his rationalizations.
All that stops when the person affords himself a few minutes of true Hisbodidus; true personal conversation with Hashem. When he is standing there, really looking at himself, he knows deep in his heart that the rationalizations are just that. He can't really fool himself in the depths of his being.
In that silence, when the noise of life is gone, the truth will be self-evident.
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