Davar Acher: Finding Shleimut
February 8, 2010
Torah
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by Adam B. Grossman
(Originally published in Ten Minutes of Torah and Reform Voices of Torah)
 Life can be challenging! Daily, no matter our situation or our lifestyle, we deal with a lot of things. There are household duties we have to fulfill, office or school deadlines that have to be met, and, in addition, there are always various other concerns pulling us in countless directions. Even though we try to balance our schedules, something usually gets overlooked. In prioritizing our activities, many of us sacrifice our personal well-being for the sake of others. Sadly, this inattentiveness to our mental and physical needs limits our potential to achieve shleimut, "wholeness" in our lives. And ultimately, it stunts our ability to truly help those around us.
Working to secure shleimut can seem daunting considering how our everyday routines unfold. It requires setting time aside to harness and cultivate intellectual, spiritual, and physical pursuits, even when our schedules might deem it impossible. In commenting on the importance of internal balance, Maimonides, one of Judaism's greatest sages, stated, "A good, sound body, which does not disturb the equilibrium in man, is a divine gift. The well-being of the soul can be obtained only after that of the body has been secured" (see Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed, part 3, chapters 8, 27).
Our parashah, Mishpatim, also known as the Book of the Covenant,
offers us a simple method to finding harmony in our lives. The opening
line reads, "These are the rules that you shall set . . ." (Exodus
21:1). While literally the line introduces the law code God commands
the Israelites to follow, these beginning words more poignantly inspire
us to institute a personal shleimut plan. By establishing daily rules,
which force us each to take time for intellectual stimulation and
physical exercise, we can guarantee that our overall well-being does
not suffer. When we follow through with our personal regulations, we
will find that we are more motivated to touch even more lives than we already do.
Adam B. Grossman is an assistant rabbi at Temple Israel in Memphis, Tennessee.
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