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Rabbi YY Jacobson - Tell Me Where

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Author: Rabbi YY Jacobson
Categories: Religion Psychology
Tags: religion, psychology
Views: 3 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 08:48 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Approach life as an empowered servant and ambassador of G-d rather than as a victim, and let go of a fixed agenda for what your life or success must look like. Rabbi YY Jacobson frames this as a shift from asking Hashem to take care of you to asking "Hashem, where do You want me to be today?" The talk also argues that once you release rigid expectations, you can enjoy life and laugh more.

Key Points

  • The speaker recalls Rabbi Fogman, who came to America in March 1940 and shared this insight from a Shabbos meal in Lakewood: the Hebrew word is spelled with a Hei rather than an Alef, changing its meaning from "please" to "where do You want me to be?"
  • The speaker argues that no one has the authority to define what success looks like, including what a successful mother or a meaningful life should be.
  • He suggests that people may be carrying within their homes deep, important souls and can illuminate the world by living with that sense of purpose.
  • Letting go of an agenda and surrendering to life is presented as a way to embrace life enthusiastically.
  • The speaker says that once life is accepted as difficult, it can also be fun, with room for laughter and humor.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions: Wake up in the morning and say "I have no agenda," then approach the day by asking Hashem where He wants you to be, rather than requesting help for a preset outcome.
  • The speaker names Esther HaMalka as an example of a figure who illuminates the world through Hashem, offered as a model for ordinary people.
  • He notes that the transcript's reasoning rests on the principle that "We don't make images of Hashem," and uses this to challenge people who impose images of what their life should look like.
  • The talk cites a writer who began a book with the line "Life is difficult," and uses it to pivot toward finding fun within difficulty.

Bottom Line

Shifting from a victim mindset to an ambassador mindset, while releasing fixed expectations, is presented as the path to a more joyful and purposeful life.