Dec. 5, 2024

Persistence and Chutzpah: Rachel's Legacy of Transforming Rejection into Triumph - UNSTOPPABLE

When the world tells you "no," how do you respond? We explore this vital question by journeying through the inspiring tale of Rachel, the biblical matriarch who transformed divine rejection into triumph with relentless persistence. Just as Rachel named her son Naftali to reflect her unyielding determination, we draw parallels to how you can cultivate a stubborn spirit in the face of adversity. Engaging storytelling and insightful interpretations of sacred texts guide us in understanding the mindset necessary to turn setbacks into stepping stones, much like Moshe Rabbeinu did through his undeterred pleas to enter the Promised Land.

We dive into the incredible power of stubbornness and perseverance, showcasing how our ancestors' rugged stubbornness can inspire us to strive toward our dreams with newfound vigor. Discover how the Naftali mindset can teach you to kick open doors closed in your face, ensuring that your journey toward personal and spiritual success is steadfast and unwavering. Whether through prayer, good deeds, or sheer persistence, learn how the lessons of our forebears can help you achieve the goals you hold dear, even when the path ahead seems blocked.

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Transcript
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What are you supposed to do when your dreams come crashing down to burn?

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What are you supposed to do when you want to shittah so badly but Hashem keeps saying no?

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What are you supposed to do when you gotta make some money cause funds are getting tight, but your investors have just pulled their money from your big deal and now you're left to deal with a mess because Hashem told you a big fat no.

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What are you supposed to do?

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You just want to give birth, hold the little Jewish baby and give it a kiss, but Hashem has told you no.

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The answer is you change your name to Naftali, and I'll tell you why.

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Because our great foremother, matriarch, rechel Imenu.

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She also got a no.

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She was told you are not going to spawn offspring no womb for you, no spawning the shift day.

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But your sister Leah, she has the merits.

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She'll spawn children for Yaakov, not you.

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No.

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What did Rachel do?

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How did she respond?

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Well, says Rashi, she named one of the children that she eventually had, naftali.

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Because how did she merit success?

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The name Naftali translate Rashi speaking for himself.

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I have been persistent and I've made many untiring importun opportunities and wrestlings with God.

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I have been unyielding.

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I have been immortal cutthroat, unwilling to quit and give up on my dreams and my prayer and in my avodah to bring success into fruition.

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I was stubborn.

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That's what Naftali means.

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She called her son Stubborn, crooked and perverse.

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Because when it comes to your ruchnius, nobody taught you this, but I quote the Gemara for you that chutzpah, however you translate that Akshonos when it comes to your relationship to Hashem in heaven, it helps.

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The difference between us and our matriarchs, our patriarchs, moshe Rabbeinu, is that when we want something, yeah, we daven, maybe even we cry out in pain and have an incredible tefillah for a week, but, moshe Rabbeinu, ve'eschanan el Hashem.

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You know what that means?

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515 straight Shemona Esre's over and over, until Hashem you'll let me into Eretz Yisrael over and over ve'eschanan pleading, until Hashem eventually said Rablochem, enough, no more prayer, too much persistence, otherwise I'm going to have to listen.

00:03:08.847 --> 00:03:14.539
We must be more stubborn.

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If we want Hatzlacha in the areas that we crave so badly, we must be more rugged when it comes to Ruchnius, all of the great ones we crave so badly.

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We must be more rugged when it comes to Ruchnius, all of the great ones who have accomplished great things.

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They will tell you the horrible setbacks and pitfalls that came their way on their quest to accomplish this.

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They gotta know.

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But instead of falling down, instead of giving up, when they got the door closed on their face, they kicked the door down with an aftali mindset and said enough, I'm getting it done.

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Prayer, schosim mitzvos, over and over, with an akshanos, with a stubbornness, with a straight spined and a perfectly erect head over and over, praying and praying.

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With a bit of stubbornness, even Hannah went as far, in the most convoluted, unethical way, to threaten God that she would seclude herself with another man and then drink the soto waters just so that she can be blessed to have a child.

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If there's any lesson that we can take from all of the Rashi's in Torah, and from the great Rabbi Yeruchim as he explains this Rashi, it's this that when you want to close the deal, that when you want a shidduch, that when you want to hold a little baby and give it a kiss, when you want hatzlacha, you gotta be stubborn, sometimes, ikesh upsaltol, never giving up, never quitting Cutthroat about it, because with that mentality, the Moshe Rabbeinu V'ezchanan El Hashem, that's how you merit, like Rachel Imenu, to hold the little baby that you craved so badly.

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You give it a name called Naftali and you give it a kiss and eventually you start to see success and Hatzlacha, maybe even Hashem, gives you a yes.