The Best Advice

 

Everyone needs advice. Everyone wants to know how to best solve their problems. Good advice is half the solution, and for that reason we pray: “Set us aright with good counsel from before Your Presence.”

 

Worry is the source of much suffering. One moment we think: “I should do such and such,” and the next moment we change our mind and assume, “No, I really should do the opposite.” Then, we start worrying: “But if I do that, then such and such will happen…so I had better do so and so…” If we knew the best thing to do, we’d be at peace and face our challenges with confidence.

 

It would be wonderful to have a faithful friend who knew how to give us the correct advice whenever we need it – someone who would always be available, who knows everything and understands our situation perfectly. With a friend like that, we’d feel calm and secure.

 

Although proper advice is important when it comes to material matters, it is even more important when it comes to spiritual matter. We all know, for example, that if a person has a personality disorder, he will never be happy – no matter how much he has materially. Therefore, the best possible advice is one that will show us how to be happy, to become better, more complete individuals, at peace with the world and with whatever challenges we face.

 

A depressed person cannot succeed. An angry man fights the entire world and as a result, the doors to success are closed. Problems in the spiritual realm are expressed in the material realm. Illness is often caused by negative emotions such as stress and anger.

 

It’s obvious that we need a faithful and loyal friend to advise and guide us. But does such a friend exist?

 

In one of the first meetings between Rebbe Nachman and his primary disciple, Rebbe Natan, the Rebbe said something that revolutionized his disciple’s life, " In general, it’s a very good thing to converse with G-d just like you’d open your heart to a good, true friend.”

 

Reb Nosson later wrote that these words are the key to fulfilling our purpose in this world. When he them, he felt that his suffering had come to an end. Until that moment, he had brooded over his troubles. Now, however, the Rebbe was instructing him to tell G-d his troubles and worries, as if he was discussing them with a close friend. The Rebbe was telling Reb Nosson that the Creator Himself is our closest and most faithful friend, and that we should turn to Him for everything!

 

But how do we build a relationship with our best friend? Through telling Him whatever is on our heart; through being completely honest and expressing our innermost longings.

 

In Chassidut, this is called hitbodedut.

 

When speaking with our Creator, we should tell Him everything that bothers us, beseech Him to draw us close to Him and redeem us from all our problems and suffering. If we regularly spend time in hitbodedut, we’ll discover that it becomes a source faith and joy, hope and comfort, blessing and success. We’ll want to express our gratitude for all our blessings through song and dance.

 

Dear Jew: Did you spend time in hitbodedut today? If not, it’s never too late! Speak with the best friend that you could ever have, and ask Him for His advice. The key is in your hand, as it says in the Torah (Devarim 30:14): “For this matter is very near to you – in your mouth and your heart – to do.”

 

A man once wanted to know how to find the Garden of Eden. He asked an old man with a shining countenance and the old man responded, “The Garden of Eden…? The Garden of Eden is within me…! The Garden of Eden within in me…!"

 

May G-d help us and grant every one of the Jewish people this marvelous gift – an hour of hitbodedut. And in this merit, may the Mashiach come speedily in our days. Amen.