Elul

The typical fellow on GYE is a nice guy. He learns, davens, puts on tzitzis and tefillin, is careful with Shabbos, kashrus, and inyonim bain adam l'chaveiro. His "chart" in shomayim is looking good. Comes Elul, and he asks himself - Can i learn and daven better/more? Can ...

I would like to share an experience I just had, which helped me in my porn addiction struggle. I understand that the following may not be something you feel comfortable sending out, but I thought I would try and contribute. I feel this is particularly poignant during Elul.

Here are the "Four Simplified Steps for Hitbodedut" to help you get started: In a quiet place, with no interruptions, simply talk freely to Hashem in your own words, like to your parent 1) First thank Hashem for what He's given you (does your body work? Thank Him. Do...

The posuk in Tehillim (103) says, “Kirechok mizrach mimaarav,” as far as the east is from the west, “hirchik mimenu es peshoeinu,” that is the distance Hashem has removed us from our sins. Rav Nosson Dovid of Shidlovtza explained that the distance of east from west is es...

As we begin the study of this week’s parsha and encounter the narrative of “aishes yefas toar,” we wonder if there is more here than meets the eye. And there is. While the course of action for a man who went to war, emerged victorious, and then chanced upon a yefas toar ...

ראש חודש אלול. It's that time of year. When I usually sit down and write a list of everything I've done wrong. Of all the ways that I messed up. When I contemplate what a disappointment I've been to myself, my family, and those who don't even have any knowledge of h...

Chazal say: בא חבקוק והעמידן על אחת, צדיק באמונתו יחיה– The prophet Chavakuk came and founded all the Mitzvos of the Torah up on one Mitzva: that of EMUNAH, as the Pasuk (in Chavakuk) says “The righteous one lives in his faith.” This means that all the mitzvos of the Tora...

"One thing I've asked from Hashem, that I dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of my life..." -Psalm 27 "All the days of my life" doesn't mean from now until I go away from this world. It means from the day I was born until the day I pass away from this world. What ...

Dear members of our Chizuk list! I must share with you what's happening lately on the GUE Forum, especially now, so close to Rosh Hashana. The other night, I was reading out loud from the forum to my wife what everyone had written just recently, and after a few minutes I ...

I want to share today a beautiful thread from our forum... "Mevakesh" wrote: Chaza"l say that when one says Krias Shema he should gaze at his Tzitzis. Seeing his Tzitzis (which were blue from Techeiles in the time of Chazal) will make him think of the sky, which is blue,...

It's Elul and we all want to start doing Teshuvah, but we ask ourselves "Where do we start?". Someone posted on the forum yesterday something simple yet profound from the Chofetz Chaim (and we added it to our Teshuva page). The Chofetz Chaim says that the essence of doing...

Dear GaurdYourEyes, I will give you a challenge. I look at porn sometimes but I am B'H not addicted. I have abstained for months at a time but I keep coming back to it. The reason I can't stop altogether is because I believe it is halachically permitted to look at porn ...

No matter how low a person may have fallen and no matter how severe the sins they have done, the doors of true T'shuvah are never closed and G-d's hands are always outstretched and waiting for us to return to him. The main part of T'shuvah is to STOP sinning. The next ste...

Chevra, this is something new and amazing, we're coming to Rosh Hashana with a plan. That's the most important part of Teshuva. And we also have each other. This is great and it's all thanks to guardureyes, he should be blessed with all...

Someone posted on the forum today: I just pulled myself back from the edge of the cliff again, for the second time this week. I usually fall on Sundays. However, in honor of R"H, I didn't fall Sunday. I didn't fall Monday. I didn't fall Tuesday. But ...

Teshuva mi'yirah is basically when one realizes that the sin that he did is not without consequence and he therefore regrets having done it and wants to erase it. In a sense though, he is still living in the self centered fantasy ...

An idea by "Bardichev" It's before Rosh Hashana. Can we completely change our ways? That is doubtful. But we CAN start with small steps. As Bardichev wrote on this thread called "Kabalos for the New Year": LET'S MAKE A SMALL KABBALLA, BUT A HONEST K...

I didn't want to get into my work today (Sundays are always hard to get back to work), so I surfed around. I wanted to surf lightly, not anything too arousing because I didn't want to fall this week. But of course, one thing led to another, and next thing I know, I'm surf...