_Da Es Atzmecha and Bilvavi Book one:
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Our plan this week is to finish reading chapter four in Da es Atzmecha and sections 38-45 in Bilvavi book one.
The avodah is to take a few minutes a day to ask Hashem (cry and beg) for geulah in our lives- use two minutes a day to connect to who you really are, a pure neshama and speak it out with Hashem even if it feels odd in the beginning...
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Da Es Atzmecha
Chapter four
Chapter 4:
Gaining a Positive Self-image from the Soul
"When a person has a low self-esteem, the solution cannot come from the bodily forces. The solution is to let the soul's light shine, and then, one will truly enjoy a positive self-concept (pg 76)". (Elokai neshama shenasata bi...)
In other words, when you identify with your soul, you will attain positive self esteem.
This is a gift from Hashem and is not something to be arrogant about. Recognize the truth: "I am good, because that is how Hashem created me (pg 77).
{Nefesh Hachaim: after the sin of Adam, the external aspect of evil became internalized. We now thought evil was a part of our "I". The moment we sin, we think the evil is a part of us, when in actuality, we are a pure soul and the evil is a garment. Therefore, if you have negative self image, the solution is to teach ourselves that our essence is good.}
"If a person has a simple basis of emunah in Hashem, and believes that the Torah is true, he must believe that he (and all of mankind) is very good (pg 82)".
"A person should train himself to think this way at all times....No fault in the world can uproot the truth of "Hashem, the soul You placed in me is pure."(82)
Wake up your soul! How?
1. Torah and Mitzvos
2. Believe in the soul's existence
3. Contemplate "I am a neshama".
4. Contemplate the "I" is very good
This method of contemplation will expose your soul, and since it comes from a higher realm than the body, the soul will win over the body- and you will then come to a more positive outlook. (If you see self as a body, then the body rules over the soul)- If you identify with the soul, you reveal goodness and expand its lights, and win over the power of evil within (87).
Where does sadness come from? Not from a situation, rather from not identifying with who you really are, a soul. "Sadness applies when there is no soul." (86) Therefore, the most intense period of sadness is when there is a body without a soul. (87)
What is true love?(connection through bodies is temporary and illusory)91
1. It comes from the neshama, no stinginess or envy involved
2. Inner love comes from your true self, the soul and creates a spiritual connection
3. two people who both see themselves as souls covered with garments=love not dependent on anything
4. deeper love= join with Hashem, eternal love, no pause in this love.
One of six constant mitzvos: ahavas Hashem: deepest pleasure comes from loving Hashem and feeling loved by Him.
So, when we remove evil and start associating and seeing ourselves as a soul, then bring forth the positive feelings, this "true world of love". (92)
Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh: Book one (sorry for the odd numbers, I will explain on the call iyH)
34:
Must toil to merit to recognize Hashem, not through intellectual knowledge, but a perception of the soul- not through abstract definition.
35:
- (yaakov and yosef- strongest attachment was short lived) However, with Hashem we can be in state of always attached and bound with Him=this is the “soul's inner bond with Hashem. This is the condition of a Jew who is in touch with his true inner self.”36:
- Even when on cel phone be in state of attached to Hashem. This is the “only unseverable bond” that a person can have in this world and next one. A true friend is Hashem, take Him everywhere, He will never abandon you even for a moment.37:
- The greater the soul's closeness with Hashem, the more he will sense Hashem next to Him.38:
- First decide if you want to feel attached at all times, if not, daven to Hashem that you should.39:
- Ramchal: “Man is created solely to delight in Hashem and enjoy the radiance of His shechinah.”- whatever attached to in this world is mirrored in the World to Come40:
- Take as much time as you need to recognize your life is solely for deveikus to Hashem.41:
- Many err and think if I learn Torah and keep mitzvos closeness will come automatically
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41.Many err and think if I learn Torah and keep mitzvos closeness will come automatically
- 42.(pomegranate seeds) deeds are empty from each other with nothing unifying them” “What is this inner element? Deveikus to Hashem! Torah and mitzvos have one inner goal, which is closeness and deveikus to Hashem.”
- 43.What will we do if at the end of our life we wake up and see we haven't experienced closeness to Hashem? Therefore, “examine oneself well and be very skeptical, whether his way is genuine or not...ultimately each person must choose a definite path that will bring him deveikus to Hashem, and ask Hashem to constantly help him find the correct path that is suited for his needs.”
Finished
Section one.
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