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GOOD MORNING! Would you like to be great? Our sages tell us that if we want to be great, we should do a nightly cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of our deeds. Before you go to bed, sit for a few minutes in the quiet and ask yourself (and answer) four questions: (1) What am I living for? (2) What did I do towards my goal today? (3) What did I do counter to my goal today? (4) What is something that is more important to live for? Do that every night before you go to sleep and you have a guarantee of making more out of your life.

___There is an old witticism, "Remember, you are unique - just like everyone else." The fact is that while each and every human being is precious and special, there are inner aspirations which are common to all of us. One of my goals with the Shabbat Shalom Fax is to help people reach their potential - to be all they can and to get the most out of life. In line with this goal, I present to you The Universals - needs and desires common to mankind. If you recognize that these are beliefs or values that are a part of you, then focus on how you could lead your life towards greater fulfillment by living them.

___Combine the Universals and the above questions with the nightly accounting... and you will be on your way to greatness ... and a much more meaningful life!

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REACHING YOUR POTENTIAL

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Torah Portion of the Week
Pinchas

___In last week's Torah portion, Pinchas acted to stop a public display of immorality. He thus stemmed the plague of retribution which was killing the multitudes. He is rewarded by being made a Cohen - by Divine decree.

___The Almighty commands Moshe to attack the Midianites in retribution for the licentious plot the Midianites perpetrated upon the Israelites. A new census is taken of the Jewish people revealing that there are 601,730 men available for army duty. God directs the division of the Land of Israel amongst the tribes. The Levites are tallied. The daughters of Tzelafchad come forward to petition Moshe regarding their right of inheritance. Moshe inquires of the Almighty Who answers in their favor.

___Moshe asks the Almighty to appoint a successor and the Almighty directs Moshe to designate Yehoshua (Joshua). The Torah portion concludes with the various offerings - daily, Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh and holidays.

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Dvar Torah
based on Love Your Neighbor by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

___The Torah states:

___Why does the Torah trace Pinchas's heritage to Aharon, his grandfather?

___Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz, the former Rosh HaYeshiva (head of the yeshiva) Mir, answers that only someone who is a true lover of the Jewish people, such as Aharon who loved peace and pursued it, can react with such zealousness. Zimri brazenly committed an immoral act with a Midianite in public. In response, Pinchas killed them both. Pinchas's reaction might appear cruel and could have conceivably have been motivated by a tendency towards violence or by a personal hatred. If one is a true Ohaiv Yisroel, a lover of Jews (as was Pinchas), however, we can be sure that he is motivated solely by his great love for the Almighty and the Jewish people.

___Rabbi Chaim of Brisk once said about zealousness: "Both the owner of a house and a cat want to destroy mice. The sole difference lies in their attitudes. The owner really wants to be rid of them. The cat, however, wants to have mice to attack. The same applies to protests against misdeeds. One must sincerely not want the misdeeds. One should not just use the misdeed as an opportunity to engage in protesting.