Effecting Change

MyLife Essay Contest

Why Knowledge Really IS Power

Nearly 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Of these, a full 25% can’t stick with them past one week. And just 8% of those resolutions are actually achieved.1  A resolution is usually a commitment to self-improvement2, which necessitates a change from the status quo. It is obvious, then, that change is challenging, grueling, and testing–clearly not for the faint of heart. What is it about change that makes it so desired yet equally so elusive? Chassidus, in its teachings of the makeup of the soul and the link between knowledge, emotions, and actions, provides those answers, as well as a time-honored method for realizing change.

The previous Rebbe teaches that “fixing one’s character traits is that main reason for the descent of the soul [into its Earthly abode]. Through this, the purpose of Creation is realized.”3  If that is indeed true, the changes that we seek (which are manifest in the resolutions we make in this regard) are simply our souls’ striving to achieve their purpose. The inner disquiet which provokes a firm resolution, and the mental, spiritual, and/or physical exertion necessary to reach a goal of self- improvement cannot be explained as a desire merely of the body, rather it is of the soul. It is the soul’s turmoil, and perhaps recall of its true objective (referenced above) that keeps it constantly motivated to do better, to achieve more, and to aspire towards greatness.

Having established that the desire for change stems from the soul’s yearning to fulfill its purpose, let us explore why it is so elusive. As an example: Every teenager knows that texting while driving is dangerous. Yet, as of 2014, 41% of teens admit to texting while driving.4  There is a high probability that the person reading this paper (teenager or not) has texted while driving at least once in his or her lifetime. We all know that it’s dangerous and that doesn’t seem to stop us. The act of texting while driving is a “behavior.” Let us learn about the root of behaviors—Ma’aseh in Chassidic terms—and by doing so, unlock the Chassidic formula for change.

Ma’aseh-action or behavior, is part of a threesome:Machshava(thought), Dibur(speech), and Ma’aseh (action/behavior). This threesome is referred to in Tanya as Levushim, soul “garments” or expressions. A soul is expressed or “presents itself” through the faculties of thought, speech, and action. (The reasons for this term are varied, one being that just as a person has various garments and can exchange them at will, so too—a person’s thought, speech and action can be varied and exchanged at will, without them changing who he is.) What are they—the Levushim—garments of? The soul. If Ma’aseh, behavior, is simply an expression of the soul, let us examine the soul and its makeup—for that is the core of the human being.

[aside] Only when one fully immerses himself in an idea, and not only knows it but connects to it on a level where he feels it to be true, can he then be affected by it. [/aside]

In the beginning of Chapter 3 of Tanya, the Alter Rebbe introduces the 10 Sfirot (powers) which comprise the soul. The 10 powers are divided into 1) the three “mothers” – which make up the Sechel,intellect and 2) the seven Middos, emotional attributes. The first three are termed “mothers,” for it is the intellect that births the emotions. In the Rebbe’s words, “The Middos are the offspring of Chabad[Chochma,Bina,Da’as—wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, respectively].”5  Only when one fully immerses himself in an idea, and not only knows it but  connects to it on a level where he feels it to be true, can he then be affected by it.6  If we take this and work backwards, this means that in order for something to cause one to take action, with fervor and passion, one must have strong feelings. And in order for those feelings to be strong, they need to be “birthed” by strong and comprehensive knowledge and understanding.

The Alter Rebbe in essence establishes the cognitive link between knowledge, emotions, and actions. He teaches that they have a direct relationship. The stronger the cognitive, the stronger the emotions, and they in turn will impact the actions. This is a novel idea, one which partially answers the reason for the failure of resolutions to take hold. In his book, Mini Habits, author Stephen Guise suggests that the reason so many have a hard time implementing change is because their goals are too big. He promotes setting smaller goals, “mini habits,” as a strategy to implement change. His approach is laudable and, as many have attested, successful; yet I believe it is missing a key ingredient. The root of the problem must be addressed. The very reason for change must be firmly established, or the young, new habit is vulnerable to future abandonment. Similar to a skyscraper  on a shaky foundation, if the need for change is not acutely real, then one can have a tower of successful new habits, but they are susceptible to “winds” of change (of heart, in this case), if not firmly entrenched in knowledge.

A perfect example of this is the classic arcade game, where one strikes a hammer onto a pad, causing a row of vertical lights to illuminate. The harder the pad is hit, the higher the row of illuminated bulbs. The knowledge is the force, the hammer the emotions, and the lights, the action. In order to have substantial action, there has to be enough force (knowledge) to drive the emotions which will in turn bring about the practical goal–action.

To illustrate with an example, imagine Scenario 1:
You see a homeless beggar on the street.
Your knowledge is simple: This man is homeless, homelessness is bad, and he probably does not have food for dinner.
Your emotions: You feel pity, compassion.
Your actions/behavior: You give the man $5 from your pocket.

Now imagine Scenario 2:
Your knowledge is more extensive: You were homeless ten years ago when you lost your job. You lived on the street for days, accepting handouts. You rummaged through garbage cans on the curb for scraps of food, until you got lucky and someone had pity on you, offering you a job that kept you off the streets. Then you were able to support yourself and slowly put your life back together. Your knowledge of poverty is first-hand. You KNOW homelessness.
Your emotions: Your heart will summon forth much more than the feelings in scenario 1, and with much more intensity.
Your actions/behavior: You will give the man more than money—perhaps advice, a home for a few nights, a warm meal, or even a job offer.
In order to effect real change, knowledge is KEY.

If, as Chassidus teaches, the seat of the intellect is the brain, and the seat of emotions is the heart, then another famous doctrine applies here. “Moach Shalit al Halev,” though not unique to Chabad Chassidus, is expounded upon by the Alter Rebbe in the Tanya7 where he teaches that not only should the mind rule over the heart, but that “by virtue of its innately created nature8,” it does naturally. The mind and its intellectual capabilities rule over the heart—they control and decidethe intensity of one’s emotions, and consequently, the actions that result. Take a texting teenager mentioned in the above statistic and “embed” him in a group of first responders to the scene of a fatal accident caused by texting, and consider the indelible impact that this first-hand knowledge would have on his behavior.

The answer to the challenge is that we must affectchange, in order toeffectchange. Stated simply, we must change the way we think about change. In order to be real, the desire for change must be comprehensive, penetrating all layers of the human being. Not just speech or action, or even thought—but knowledge itself. And that is where it must begin. One must research, focus, and meditate in order to bring himself to the point where he feels and intimately knows the importance and urgency of the desired change. Practical exercises will include:

• Research of the detrimental results of NOT changing, of keeping the status quo.
• Meditation on the above detrimental results, not just at the present moment, but for the future as well.
• Focus on and contemplation of the very positive benefits that change will bring to one’s life, in a clear and organized list.
• Envisioning one’s life with the implementation of the desired change.

At this point, the implementation of change will no longer be susceptible to apathy or a loss of motivation with the passage of time. One can and must repeat this process so that the knowledg eof the desire for change remains firm and real—unshakable. Only then is the pathway for change laid bare, inviting the individual to traverse its route to a more perfect being.

Bio:

Chanie Wilhelm is the co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Milford, CT together with her husband, Schneur. She teaches Judaic Studies at Bais Chana Academy High School. Chanie is also the co-director of Camp Gan Israel of Greater New Haven.

Footnotes and Sources