Friday  ~  Erev Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha
12 Cheshvan, 5770  ~  October 30, 2009

 
In Today’s Issue
 
·  Anecdote of the Day (1): "Lost my Internet for the Night"
·  Anecdote of the Day (2): "Holy Rage"
·  Torah Thought of the Day: The Bright Colors of Sedom
·  Attitude Tip of the Day: "Surrender" – Part 1
·  Personal Victory of the Day: "Surrender" – Part 2
·  Daily Dose of Dov: Self Knowledge
·  Saying of the Day: The Challenge
 
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Don't Live in the Problem, Live in the Solution.

 
Today I want to share some big Yesodos that I learned from Dov. (If anyone has experience with what really works, it's Dov. Once a slave to an all-consuming lust addiction, Dov is now sober for over 11 years! See Dov's story here).
It often takes a lot of trying and failing before we are finally able to say in all honesty – as Chazal say, "If Hashem would not help him, there is no way he can beat him (the Yetzer Hara)". …

Q & A of the Day
Won't Marriage Solve my Problems?

I've been slipping a lot lately, doing things and going places I know shouldn't. It's so hard to fight this addiction. I feel a desperate …

Am I a Failure?

Q. I'm failing in guarding myself from mental stimulation and I have not been able to control my eyes properly. I keep fantasizing about whoever is dressed immodestly on the street.

A. Dear spiritual soldier! Don't be discouraged. You should know that guarding the eyes and the mind is a constant work. …

How can I ever start again fresh?

Q. I stopped looking at forbidden things a while ago. But they are still in my memory. Even if I do teshuva, my aveiros can never be erased completely. The eraser marks will still be there. The images are implanted in my memory and will never go away. I'm sick over it. Your website is like a rope being thrown to …

R' Avraham J. Twerski, MD, is the founder and medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Center and is one of the world's leading experts on addictions today. He is also the author of over 50 books and a Gadol in Klal Yisrael. Rabbi Twerski offers GuardYourEyes vital guidance and often contributes articles to our network. (Click on the picture of Rabbi Twerski to view a page of various tips, articles and correspondence that we have had with Rabbi Twerski in the past).

Rabbi Twerski sent us the following …

A BIG Mazal Tov to Yakov Schwartz
for reaching half a year clean!

"Ykv_schwartz" (not his real name on Earth, but probably the name he will be greeted with after 120!) started his journey to sobriety (with us) on Feb. 5, at the Levaya of Rav Noach Weinberg z"l. He reached 90 days and joined the "Wall of Hashem's Honor" during the Seffira on the day of "Yesod She'binetzach". Yesod represents Shmiras Habris, and Netzach means FOREVER!!
And what better and more appropriate day could there be for hitting half …

"Va'Yishman Yeshurun Va'Yivat"
And the Jewish people became fat and kicked

A person who just found out that he has a serious disease, for example, or someone who is ill, in pain, or just lost a large sum of money, it's unlikely that he would be having a difficult struggle with shmiras ainayim or improper thoughts at that time. Suddenly these type of desires would have no meaning; they become irrelevant in light of "more important matters" at hand. It's only …

Not long ago, an amazing warrior joined our ranks. At first he called himself "Jerusalem addict", but as he got more comfortable in the amazing community on the forum, he started to call himself "Uri". Today everyone on the forum knows and LOVES Uri. He has been fighting a bitter battle against his addiction, but at the same time, he has been posting amazing Divrei Chizuk and Divrei Torah to inspire us all. There is a great soul in this Uri, and although he had a fall recently, he was …

The Gemara in Sotah (9a) says:

"One who puts his eyes on that which is not his, not only will he not achieve his desires, but he will lose even that which he has."
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We are commanded to bring the Korban Tamid in the Beis Hamikdash twice a day. The Torah uses the following words; "zeh ha'ishe asher takrivu la'hashem – this is the fire …