Word Prompt – SHVITZ – Tamir Goodman

One of the benefits of a good shvitz (sweat) is that it helps regulate the body's temperature after it has been pushed through exercise. Spiritually speaking, when our yetzer hara pushes us, it tries to pull us away from our natural, healthy state – our state of oneness with Hashem. It wants us to lose control, become egotistical, angry, reactive, and disconnected.

But we can learn an important lesson from a shvitz. Just as the body seeks to return to its regulated state after being overheated, the soul seeks to return to its natural state of connection with Hashem. The state Hashem wants us to be in is one of calmness, happiness, faith, and inner peace.

When we are pushed too far in sports or physical exertion, our healthy response is not to remain overheated, but to cool down and return to equilibrium. Similarly, when the yetzer hara attacks us, we should not continue under its influence. Instead, we should pause, contemplate where the thoughts and emotions are coming from, identify the source, and return to our nefesh Elokit – our G-dly soul, which is our true and natural state.

When we do this, we experience a genuine feeling of calmness and clarity, a spiritual coolness that is even deeper and more satisfying than the physical relief that comes after a good shvitz.