If you don’t like something, change it. If you’re unable to change it, change the way you think about it.
Immediately following the epic splitting of the sea in this week’s portion of Beshalach, the Torah recounts how our ancestors came to a place they would ultimately call Marah, which means “bitter”. It was an appropriate name, considering that they had been travelling in the desert for three days without water, and when they eventually did find water, “they couldn’t drink water from Marah, because it was bitter”.
The Jews complained to Moshe, who turned to G-d, at which point G-d instructed him to cast a piece of wood into the water, and the water became sweet.
The Maggid of Mezeritch teaches us a powerful lesson from this story. If we look at the literal translation of the Hebrew words for “because it was bitter”, (ki marim heim), it actually means: “because they were bitter”.
The Maggid explains that the reason the water was undrinkable wasn’t because the water was bitter, but rather they were bitter. The Jewish people were in a negative headspace, in a bitter frame of mind, and therefore everything tasted bitter to them.
Indeed, they had been travelling for three days without water and were frustrated and perhaps even angry. The challenges were real.
The Torah describes how they complained in opposition to Moshe that they needed water. They didn’t consult him or ask respectfully for him to pray for water. Instead, they complained, indicative of their bad mood. Thus, the water they found tasted much like their mood.
This is such a powerful lesson for us. We all face challenges in our lives, some more than others. Load shedding, inflation, and the high cost of living, just to name a few. These challenges are real. They make us anxious and are often overwhelming. But so much depends on our perspective.
As Rabbi Isaac of Homil said, “We all look at the same world, but what we see depends on who we are.”
What are we looking for? What are we focusing on? Are we grateful for the challenges we left behind, and encouraged to find solutions to the problems which lie ahead? Or are we stuck in the difficulties of the moment?
The Jews had experienced the most wondrous of miracles, but three days without water had completely dampened their spirits. As a result, they could see only problems and negativity, leading them to complain bitterly.
It’s true that focusing on the bright side and always being solution oriented is easier said than done. What was the cure to the bitter waters? What’s the antidote to constantly focusing on the negative? Throw a stick of wood into the water.
The Torah is referred to as Eitz Chayim, a Tree of Life. The next time you’re feeling down or overwhelmed by the difficulties on your plate, consider studying some Torah, find a piece of inspiration in G-d’s wisdom, apply it to your life, and realign yourself with the goodness, blessings, and G-dly energy which is ultimately found all around us.
You’ll be amazed at the positive difference it will make to your attitude, and the difference your positive attitude will make to your life.
