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

We have resumed our chaburah- BH.

Avoda number 1/13

Thank you Reitza Sarah for the gorgeous reminder card.

Our chaburah is learning the second half of  'Getting to Know Your Soul'-the 13 forces of the soul.  13 is the gematria of word of echad, ahava, and found in the 13 midos harachamim.

In other words, it's all Hashem and it's all from a space of love that we can't really comprehend.

First step to trying to feel it is to tap into our sense of self: "I exist".  This is a foundational step and the first of the 13 forces in the soul. 

Please email or text me with any thoughts or questions, 

It was so fun to learn together again!

 

A new year

On Rosh Hashana wo/man is created.  With that comes our ability to choose Hashem- a capacity only humans have/ ratzon/ will, and to coronate Him as our king.

When thinking about what self work I want to do for the upcoming year, many possibilities come to mind.  However, when I pare it down to this question: What's stopping me from crowning Him and feeling Hashem in each moment of my day?, clarity is more readily available.

What's holding me back from awareness? Where are my thoughts when I am doing an action that could connect me to Him? 

We've learned over the past 9 years together who we are and why we are here, now the question is, how to live fully as our true beautiful essence/neshama.  We have begun taking steps, now we just have to tweak, hone in, and expand on the final part of feeling, sensing, growing closer every moment.  

For me it begins with breath, connecting to Hashem as He blows life into me in that moment, thanking Him for it, and being humbled by the gift.  The shofar is the ultimate blowing act of renewing us with a new capacity of life- Hashem is breathing life into us for another year- He breathes potential for life that we thought wouldn't be possible. In that moment we can ask Hashem to bring us back to the reality of our true essence and to be able to love from that space only.

This is the geulah from within.  It's within reach for each of us.  This year let's do it.  

Wishing you all a kesiva vechasima tova and may we meet at the third bayis, speedily, in our days.