* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Often there is something we need to do, but we just can't bring ourselves to do it; the task feels so onerous that we would prefer to pass it along to someone else or at least to push it off until tomorrow. But the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir of Radin, teaches us to focus on the following three ideas in order to motivate ourselves to move forward: There is only one thing that I need to do; only I can do it; and I have only today to achieve it.
Last week’s Torah portion contains the well-known verse: “Let these matters that I command you today be on your heart.״ From this verse, the Chofetz Chaim derives three ideas that can help us to focus on our Torah learning and accomplish our day-to-day tasks:
1) “These matters” - only these things. Focus on the page in front of you, on the material you are studying right now.
2) “I command you” - you specifically. Remember: God is commanding you personally to do His will. Consider it as if you are the only one in the world who is studying Torah and that the entire world is depending on you.
3) “Today” - right now. Believe that you have only today to accomplish the task before you and that it is impossible to defer or to cancel it. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is yet to be. All you have is today.
When contending with laziness and procrastination, you are encouraged to keep these three phrases in mind: only today, only this, only me. I wish you much success in accomplishing your goals.
