If you spent last Shabbat pointlessly stressing about ‘Iran’ – here’s your chance to rectify that.

Don’t stress about it this week.

Or at least, if you really do feel it really, really is the ‘end of the world’ etc etc etc – get yourself some sackcloth and ashes, sit on the floor, and do a proper vidui, as is befitting someone who really, really, really thinks they are about to get nuked and c’est tout.

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If you aren’t reaching for the sackcloth as you read these words – then all your ‘stressing about Iran’ is totally pointless.

Worse than pointless, actually, because putting yourself under that sort of stress all the time is doing awful things to your nervous system, physical health, emuna and joie de vivre.

It’s all a big charade from the yetzer.

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Really?

One of two things will happen with Iran.

Either, there will be another war, lo alenu, and I am telling you now, no nuke (because they don’t exist) – but perhaps something else that will be dressed up as a ‘nuke’.

And if that happens, lo alenu, we’ll have to deal with it.

Or – it won’t happen.

And you will just have wasted more of your precious time and life ‘stressing’ over stuff that you have no ultimate control over.

For what, exactly?

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Again, if you are reaching for the sackcloth and ashes, doing a serious vidui, calling people up and apologising for all the yucky stuff you did, forgiving everyone in your heart who you believe hurt you, saying three Tikkun Haklalis…

Then THAT is a positive outcome, spiritually, of all the stressing about ‘IRAN”.

But if you aren’t?

Climb down the tree, already, and move on with  your life.

Go make something yummy for Shabbat, Plan a nice walk somewhere over the weekend. Call a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while. Make an over-the-top breakfast. Think about what crazy outfit you ARE going to wear, this Purim, instead of acting like an old fart and pretending dressing up is not something you do any more.

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This year, I am trying to dress up as ‘Bigsan’, while my better half will be ‘Teresh’.

I bought some material yesterday, and motzash I have to make some very simple tunics.

I also splashed out on ‘gold material’ to make some Purim curtains and turn my house into the Palace of Shushan, with the help of some crepe paper stuck to the ceiling.

Bottom line: life is meant to be lived.

Every single second of it.

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If you are wondering why I haven’t been putting stuff from the Rav this week, it’s for two reasons:

1. I am rushed off my feet at the mo, like everyone else I know.
2. I couldn’t find anything in the last Shivivei Or that really spoke to me, for translating.

BH, if there is something in this week’s I will try to translate and share it.

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Also, if you are a Breslov-leaning someone who has been feeling a little isolated in your own space, with not a lot of other Breslov-leaning people to get to know and hang out with (outside of whatever happens on ‘Whatsapp’, which in my own experience usually gets taken over and controlled by the psychos pretty fast…) – watch this space.

With the help of a few other people, we are cooking something up to try and bring Anglo Breslov people together a little more, in a nice, respectful, positive atmosphere, where the focus will be on getting to know each other.

BH, I will update you soon on that.

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In the meantime, enjoy Shabbat!

Our holy day of rest.

And if you’re not going to enjoy it because of ‘IRAN’, then at least be sincere about that, and spend the day fasting with sackcloth and ashes on your head…

OK?