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Where Are You Going?

I am always fascinated at how the Hebrew language conveys more meaning than meets the eye. The Hebrew language is a root-based language, meaning words in the Hebrew language are mostly constructed using three main consonants. Since there are a finite number of roots, there are many words that share the same root. This means words may be connected in a meaningful and particular way.

Let’s take, for example, two words that share the same root, conscience and compass. In Hebrew, the word for conscience is matzpoon, written in Hebrew as . The word matzpen (), which means “compass,” also shares the same root of three letters: tzadik, pay, and nun (). By having the words conscience and compass share the same root, the Hebrew language is teaching us something very special.

What is a “conscience”? It is that inner voice or feeling telling us the direction of where we want to go, i.e., the difference between right and wrong. I truly believe human beings are born with this ability, the ability to know intuitively where they need to go, both spiritually and physically. Often, Jewish writings indicate that if you really listen to what your conscience whispers, you will know the correct next step to take.

Although in English these two words, conscience and compass, have nothing in common (at least not in their spelling), in Hebrew they are very much related. By using our matzpen, or compass, we can know the direction we are going, and if we follow our matzpoon, or conscience, we will arrive there safely.

Wait, there is more! This three-letter root also makes up the word that means “hidden,” tzafoon (). What does this all mean? What do these words have in common: conscience, compass, and hidden? Consider this: sometimes our conscience is hidden from us and sometimes where we need to go is hidden from us. Knowledge of having these three Hebrew words connected means that we need to work hard to uncover what is hidden in our lives and then bring this discovery to the surface so it can guide us.

Your Personal Lev Moment

1 1.Have you had a time in your life when you needed to go somewhere but your conscience resisted you? How did you convince yourself to do the right thing? Did you go to someone you trust to ask their advice? If a similar situation happens again, would you have a clearer direction?

2 2.Have you had instances in your life when you felt your spiritual destination, your soul destiny, was hidden from you? What happened that eventually shed light onto the situation? What did you do to find clarity? Did you pray for guidance? At what point did you leave it to the universe, or God, to show you the way? How did it feel to let go of your need to know and be in control?

3 3.This week, focus on the concept of your destination. What destination will make you feel you have used your compass and your conscience to make known all that is hidden to you right now?

4 4.Can you make peace with the idea of not knowing where you are going at times? Can you be satisfied living with situations that seem unclear? Can you hang out in a place that is unknown? How does it make you feel?

Focus on and nourish your conscience this week and make it a week in which you realize your direction, a week when the hidden will become revealed.