Perspective

The Sefer Yitzirah says there is nothing lower than negah and nothing greater than oneg.  What is this telling us more than just a play on words that have the same letters, ענג ונגע?  We are being taught a tremendous lesson, it is not the events themselves that determine if it’s good or bad, it’s the person’s attitude.  What seems to be a colossal setback can turn into the greatest blessing if it is challenged for the positive.  The difference between ענג and נגע is where the ע' is placed.  Where is the עין of the individual?  If a person is looking at it with a positive look, as a challenge that can lead to improvement, then the situation is ענג.  It is when a person doesn’t look at it with the right עין that it turns not נגע.  It is the person’s attitude that defines the event as נגע.  The two words have the same letters, it’s just a matter of how the energy is used if it is positive or negative.  As we mentioned earlier this week, a נגע contains a tremendous spiritual energy.  It is incumbent on the individual who receives the נגע to see this opportunity and turn his נגע into עונג.