Every year during the month of Elul I feel like It's easier to overcome my desires for lust and masturbation. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur follow and I really think I'm gonna stop for good...forever!. Succos passes and then a few weeks later I'm usually back to where I began....How do I know my 47 days of not lusting will continue for a lifetime. How can I make sure of that?? Its a scary to think you've come so far to know that eventually my streak will be over and Ill go back to my old ways (CHAS V"SHALOM)........

EzraC90876 wrote on 20 Sep 2011 17:40:


If we don't take steps to change ourselves internally, than the likelihood is that it probably will continue this way for the rest of our lives, or at least until we get a very rude awakening call.  What are you doing to make this year different?  Have you read GYE in a nutshell and do you know where you are holding?  Have you read the GYE handbook and attitude books?  Have you signed up for an accountability partner and the chizzuk emails?  Assuming the internet is part of your problem, have you gotten a filter and accountability software?  Have you taken steps to put a filter on your mind?  have you joined one of the 12-step calls?

As Reb Shimshom Pinkus says, our Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are only worth what we invest in them through Elul.  If you take the steps to answer these questions now, you will be on track to make this year different from prior years.  It takes a lot of hard work.  Stick around and post about your issues and with Hashem's help you'll be able to make this year different.

Ksiva Vchasima Tova and this year should be different in a good way for you.

Welcome Ezra,  what works for me is just to deal with today.  As they say, one day at a time.  Who knows, may today will be the rest of my life.

I hope and pray that you do not spend even one second this Rosh haShanah asking for anything for the rest of the year. In fact, I hope you do not even ask for anything for the next day. Consider it hachono, and ossur. (And that is the same every day of the year, no difference on R"H.)

If you are a guy who keeps falling on his tuchess as you described, then we are certainly friends! And I can tell you that our part even on Rosh haShana and Yom Kippur has nothing to do with davening for the rest of the year. Doing that is poison, poison, poison for a person like me.

Our avodah is to daven precisely for the things it says in the machzor: To accept Hashem as Melech right now, to do teshuvah right now, to commit ourselves to Hashem and His holy people and to our lot in life right now. That is, for today. All He really wants is for us to love Him and serve Him today. He wants no promises, asks for no promises for tomorrow. Hayom, period.

Ayyy, so you ask what about the entire idea of davening for good stuff this entire coming year? The answer is simple:

He is the one who gives us a good year. Him. Not you and not your tefillos. For you and me are not G-d (last time we checked). He will do right by us the rest of this year, as He sees fit. He asks us to live right in today, that's all. He makes it that this day affects the rest of our year. But all that is His business, not ours.

This, to me, is the single most important difference between me having yet another R"H/Y"K/Succos that you describe (that plotzes), and what I have been getting from Him for the past few years (stuff that 'sticks'). I do my part, and He does His, and I do not confuse the two any more, be"H. That is huge for me. (And it comes from steps 3, and 7.)

It is a complete 180 for me, be"H. For all I used to know was begging to help me stay clean forever, and to overcome this forever, and to reach this madreigah more and more forever....all sick, sick....and didn't work (as you described so well).

He has much better for you, trust me.

Listen to 1daat.

Hatzlocha!!

The gr"a (I think) as well as some others say that one should not daven for themselves on R"H and Y"K. I know some say you could/should, but even that is supposed to be lmaancha elokim chayim.

There is also the inyan of "Bsoch Ami Anoichi Yosheves", that one should include himself with a tzibbur and not stand out on his own, lest he be judged alone Ch"V....

And I can't think of a better Tzibbur to be a part of than this one.

i dont know what machzorim u guys have

my machzor is full of prayers for Hashems glory to be felt in every corner of the universe

thats all folks

Machzor? Doesn't it say ein machzor lirei'av?

;D

machzoer shmachzor

have a sweet new year!!!!!!!!!!

dov wrote on 21 Sep 2011 18:24:


dov you are really very funny

my whole office wants to know why i am laughing!!

bardichev wrote on 21 Sep 2011 18:26:





Wow and to think that Bards got a whole staff in the truck with him.

In respect to all the people here who I love so much, I will not make any comments on the choice of the term "F-Series".

None at all.

Nyet, nadda, efess.

:

ולך דומיה תהלה


fleegen?

i thought that had its own thread in the bb forum





trying to make your office lafff

who woulda thunk that some of the funniest jokes are in the elul thread?