Tuesday, September 3/ ג’ אלול

Reflect that I have intelligence and insight.  I was given good middos and noble qualities and characteristics.

Additional insights from HoRav Malinowitz:

How often do we think about, appreciate, our abilities as human beings to be sane, thoughtful, intelligent, creative creatures — to be problem-solvers, to be discerning?

Interesting how the rational process primarily focused on in our birkos hashachar —hanosain lasechvi vinah — is the ability to discern differences (see Mishnah Berurah 46:4).

When was the last time you thanked HaShem for being sane?  Would you care to visit facilities where they take care of people who aren’t?

When was the last time you contemplated and appreciated our human qualities of midos tovos, and character development?

And so we should use our faculties of intelligence to understand and to say –Thank you HaShem for my intelligence!