Our mind is a very powerful place. Today, scientifically has been proven that our thought determine our emotions, but the Torah for thousands of years has been telling us to guard our thoughts by guarding what we see,hear and speak. The whole purpose of keeping Torah and Mitzvahs not only connects us to our creator and makes a life of purpose and meaning but it also refines us to the point were we should be aware all the time of what we put into our minds.
There is a story of a man that always had bad thoughts and was highly depressed. He decided to go to the Baal Shem Tov ( mystic of the 1700’s, founder of Chassidic movement)to ask him what he should do and the Baal Shem Tov told him to go to the Maggid of Mezritch (disciple and successor of The Baal Shem Tov).So the man went and when he got to the Maggid’s house he knocked and knocked on his door, but no one answered. After waiting for many hours in the freezing cold and already with hypothermia the Maggid opened the door and gave the man something hot to drink and bundled him up in warm covers next to the fire. After the man was able to regain his strength he asked the Maggid why he had left him outside for such a long time? The Maggid answered you had a question and I just answered it, your mind is your home and you decide who you let in.
