Designate Time For a Specific Purpose To Live a Meaningful Life

It’s an interesting phenomena, through G-d’s commandments we learn how he wants us to interact with our word. By telling us to behave a certain way in observing his laws we learn to take that method and use it to live in a higher consciousness. G-d wants us to live a meaningful life, a life with purpose. He wants us to fill our time with actions that are holy. At this point, it’s important to clarify what is holy, “kadosh”? 

What is “Kadosh” Holy?

Kadosh, holy means to sanctify, to separate, to designate. The jewish nation is asked to separate 6 working days from the sabbath, the day of rest. The Shabbat becomes a holy day because we separated and assigned a specific purpose, rest. When we separate days for holidays, we are making them holy simply by designating that time bracket to receive the energy in those days.

In parsha- Emor, G-d commands us to set apart days for holidays. To designate a specific time to celebrate and rejoice in the occasion. 

   “The Lord’s appointed [holy days] that you shall designate as holy occasions”. Leviticus Ch 23

From this point on, most the parsha continues to set aside time for festivals. To designate holy occasions. The year gets laid out by the holidays; each celebrates a specific purpose. By giving us a plan for the year and a very specific purpose in each, in terms fills our year with purpose and with meaning.  

When the world was experiencing a pandemic – Coronavirus19, designating our days for specific purposes became more clear why it is a need. Days and weeks looked the same and no progress was made in any aspects in life if it was not infused with purpose. Life felt still, stagnant. 

We learned how important it is to set aside time for a project if we wanted to complete it. Then, the obvious, the reward and sense of accomplishment when we do reach the goal. We are filled with purpose while working towards our goal. 

In Parashat Emor, we learn a key lesson in accomplishing goals; we need time management. Like G-d who specifies particular times of the year, for a very specific celebration, be it Passover, Rosh Hashanah, we too need to set time during our day for a specific goal we want to accomplish. This is what G-d is telling us, to be holy and purposeful, separate time for a purpose and be fully in, present. 

How can we create purpose and meaning in time? Follow 3 simple steps:

Be Clear, Set Goal, Have Purpose

To live a meaningful life you have to know what you are working towards. Establish specific goals that you want to move forward. Goals that are mostly sectioned into family, health, career, and community. When you are clear on what you want and when you envision the big idea, set practical ways to start doing. 

Make Space

The second step is to set aside specific time and get to the doing. Make room in your life for your goal by setting time to work on it. Our careers demand most of our waking hours, and because we spend specific time, 9-5pm, is why it happens. If you are blessed where you have more flexibility with schedule, set the mornings aside for your project. The human body is programmed to be at its optimal performance early in the day. The important thing is to separate time. 

Repeat Cycle

Be consistent. Show up everyday. G-d designates times though the year for his festivals. The festivals happen every year. This is a cycle that keeps repeating itself year in, year out. To achieve success, the process has to be constant. Energy is flowing, and so must your actions. 

The biggest and most successful companies are not successful because they have the best and brightest. They are successful because they have a culture of self-discipline, they show up and take responsibility in their jobs to move forward. 

Through G-d commandments we learn to live and succeed in our environment. G-d is the greatest teacher and guide. It just takes for us to be open in heart and ear to hear the knowledge bestowed upon us. We have a part of G-d in us. This is why we repeatedly hear G-d say, “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy”. 

We have his essence in us and the power to act like him.