The Journey of Self-Reflection and Change

Winston Churchill once said, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

This week’s Torah portion begins with the words, “When you go out to war against your enemies.” The first Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the true enemy lies within us—our default self-centered inclination. Initially, this instinct appears harmless, but over time, it evolves, diminishing our regard for others.

The challenge is that our natural inclination is to love ourselves. Even when we try, we struggle to see our own weaknesses. Remaining vigilant against our selfish tendencies is incredibly difficult.

Change requires tremendous courage and perseverance. This is, in fact, the most challenging journey known to man.

King Solomon says, “He places the world into their hearts.” The mystics explain that the external world is a reflection of the world within us.

Two fundamental lessons arise:

First, we can’t blame the world, its institutions, or its leaders for our misfortunes. They reflect our own weaknesses.

Second, we can change the world only by first changing ourselves. There are no shortcuts.

This profound journey begins by looking inward.

Just as wiping a spot of dirt off a mirror won’t clean your face, we must address our flaws at their source.

Yosef Vogel