New Chaburah Begins Tonight...

Shabbos

 

“If only the Jewish People would keep two Shabbats as they should be kept, immediately they would be redeemed.” (Shabbat 118a) In each Shabbat, there are two Shabbats: An outer Shabbat, and an inner Shabbat. The outer Shabbat is but an entranceway, a liberation from work. The inner Shabbat is a world inside, a world of contemplation and delight. As a bride is whisked away from the rest of the world to be only to her beloved and no one else, so Shabbat carries us out of a mundane life on earth into the arms of the divine. We can breathe again, our shackles temporarily broken. There is no work to do, because we have left the world of work behind. And that allows us entry to the inner Shabbat, where divine thought breathes here on earth. So we stop, pore over the holy, mystical teachings of our masters, contemplate deeply their words, and wrap ourselves in prayer, in communion with the Knower of all Thoughts. Keep both Shabbats and you will find yourself redeemed.  By Tzvi Freeman   "...find yourself redeemed...I think this is pointing us to the geulah from within. This week, consciously step into Shabbos with these practical steps and see what inner redemption feels like.  aviva

Post Chanukah

 There was something so majestic about sitting with the candles and davening next to them.  

Chanukah always feels like I have entered a different zone of existence in some way and I love it.  

One way I hold onto the connection to Hashem afterwards is by noticing the details of all the gifts He is giving me in each moment...breath, vision, movement...this reminds me that He loves me and is here with me right here, right now.

                                                        Panama - 

When we look at the details, we can reconnect to the majesty that is life and the light of the Infinite. 

Thank You Hashem. 

Repost

 

The cleanse we crave- Yom Kippur

As we tap our hearts, we release the layers covering it.

The layers fall away and what remains is 

our truest emotions and yearnings.

By nightfall our existence is pristine.

There are no barriers left for us to conceal from G-d.

He is once again vivid before us and within us.

The 25th of Elul...

Today, the 25th of Elul, is the start of the creation of the world.  It culminates on Rosh Hashana with the creation of human beings. 

Take a moment each day during these days preceding Rosh Hashana to close your eyes and then slowly open them to notice the details of beauty that surrounds you in a new way.  Envision how you want to see the world and remember- what you put your attention on grows...

On Rosh Hashana, when the shofar is blown, our life force is being blown back into us (and with it free choice enters the world) as we are created anew with absolute love.  The Baal Shem Tov teaches us that our avos brought our deepest desire into the world and etched it into our DNA- oneness with Hashem.  In that moment of shofar- as He lovingly gives us our life- we can step into our deepest desire and offer all that we are back to Him.

Kesiva Vechasima Tova

 

What to do when nations are at war-

Speaking in November of 1983, the Rebbe began by explaining the unique power a Jew has to affect the world around him: 

 Everything in the world revolves around and is dependent upon Jews and their conduct. A Jew’s service to G‑d has tremendous repercussions, and therefore the appropriate response to the increasing trouble in the world is to increase service to G‑d. As long as G‑d is in exile among the nations — they do not recognize His sovereignty — they do not act consonant to His will. When Jews, through an increase in their service, redeem G‑d from exile, the nations will automatically behave properly. 

So how do we save the world? 

 The Rebbe made it as simple and practical as could be imagined: 

  Look at the Jewish world. Is there peace among Jews? Are there situations where Jews, too, are provoking one another? Repair that, and you will repair the world. 

You don’t have to resolve every conflict between human beings. When you bring a little more love and harmony just between the Jews you know, you will bring enlightenment and peace to the nations. But the Rebbe got far more practical: Make this part of your daily morning routine, he said. Before you start your prayers in the morning, make a commitment to show only love to every fellow Jew. And after completing your prayers, make another commitment to support the stability and harmony of the world around you. You may think that’s a small thing. The Rebbe is telling you that you are bringing powerful nations to lay down their arms. Practically speaking: Whatever your prayer routine, whatever prayer book you use, whatever your background or beliefs—take the Rebbe’s advice and say these words before and after your prayers. Ponder them. Follow through on them. As the Rebbe put it, with just a little love and kindness we can bypass any further suffering and welcome in the times of Moshiach right now. 

 1. Start each morning by saying, “I commit myself to fulfill the mitzvah of loving my fellow like myself.” הֲרֵינִי מְקַבֵּל עָלַי מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוךָ: 

 2. After your morning prayers, make sure to say, “Indeed, good people will praise Your name. Upright people will sit in Your presence.” 

אַ֣ךְ צַ֭דִּיקִים יוֹד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ יֵשְׁב֥וּ יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃ 3. Follow Hillel’s golden rule: “If you wouldn’t like it done to you, don't do it to the other guy.” 

 4. Speak only good about fellow Jews. Don’t even listen to a bad word, unless some real benefit will come through your conversation. 

 5. Care for the other guy’s property and possessions as you care for your own. 

 6. Always be on the lookout for opportunities to do a favor, especially for a fellow Jew 

 7. Bring people together, especially Jewish people. Tear down the false barriers of age, affiliation and ethnicity. 

 8. Invite other Jews to share in the most precious thing we have, our Torah and mitzvahs. 

 Taken from essay written by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman; Chabad.org