Enable Introspection

As long as we keep playing the Blame Game it’s hard to grow spiritually

Yom Kippur is a day for deep introspection. We examine ourselves — searching for weaknesses and beg Hashem to help us correct them. Intuitively we realize that straightening out our crooked parts will bring us greater joy — our thoughts and feelings will not be distorted by negativity. Lying judging gossiping coveting — these sins and all the others — bring suffering to ourselves and the world around us. Unfortunately our negativity refuses to remain tucked inside a private chamber. Rather its vibrations pulse outward into our homes our communities and ultimately the universe. Achieving internal harmony then is a benefit we provide not only to ourselves but to all of creation.

The Blame Game

Unfortunately it is impossible to perfect ourselves when we blame our negativity on those around us. Consider the musings of Aviva:

“I’m really jealous of my friends who have nice husbands. Their lives are so easy; I see how happy they are. My husband is depressed and irritable most of the time. There’s no way I’ll ever be happy living with him.”