There is a story related about the great Rabbi Akiva and his students who were traveling one day on the road together. As they were traveling someone passed them and Rabbi Akiva was taken aback by a great spiritual light which shone on this man's face. Rabbi Akiva turned to his students and asked them who is the man. They responded that this man was "Natan the lowly sinner", he is a known sinner who doesn't hold himself back from even the worst sins. Rabbi Akiva said to them do you see something special about his face? They responded by saying they see nothing. Rabbi Akiva understood that his students where not on a high enough spiritual level to see the "light" shinning upon Natan's face. Rabbi Akiva ordered his students to call Natan over so he could speak to him. Natan approached Rabbi Akiva and the great sage asked what great merit did he have that a spiritual light shone upon his face? Natan said that he is a lowly person and commits all sorts of sins, but a few days ago he was overcome with desire to commit a certain sin which he had transgressed many times, but this time he held himself back. In the merit of that time that he held himself back this spiritual light shone upon his face. Natan developed a close relationship with Rebbi Akiva and ultimately became one of his students. He studied diligently with Rebbi Akiva until he become a great sage in his own right.

We are constantly faced with tests and temptations. We may have given into our desires many of times but even holding ourselves back just once has a tremendous impact on our soul. Each tests is a new opportunity, it doesn't make a difference what was yesterday or the day before, we have the opportunity to totally remake ourselves in a spiritual sense. Every time we refrain from a sin or perform a mitzvah we should not take it lightly as our sages say a person should consider that the entire world is in balance and his one action will tip the scales.

Shabbat Shalom,

Heath