This Shabbos!!!

Shabbos Chazon (vision): 

The vision of destruction can turn into the vision of the Bais Hamikdash rebuilt... 

How?

Parshas Devarim: Through the use of your words (dibur), your tefilos, prayers, can change everything.

(based on Rabbi Moshe Weinberger's lectures: Davening during the three weeks)

May we greet each other next at the rebuilt Bais Hamikdash.

Love, aviva rus

Reminder: Tomorrow at 12 ny time, Da es Atzmecha and Bilvavi 1

We will IYH review what we have accomplished so far and then take a break until after Rosh Chodesh Elul.  I hope to meet you in person, in Israel, way before then! 


The call in number is:

Israel: 972 76 599 0060
Canada:559-670-1000
US: 209-255-1000
England: 44-0-784-843-2913
Australia: 61 1300 051 796
South Africa: 27 87 825 0150


access code: 572926

Yesterday, as I walked outside I saw the sun streaming through the clouds, and thought, this is exactly what it looks like, when our neshama shines through the darkness with the light Hashem gives it, so I took a picture... May all of our lights cut through the layers and shine!

I will miss you over the next few weeks.

Love, Aviva Rus

9:45 am Tuesday, Bilvavi 2 and In Forest Fields

It will be taped (if someone can remind me again-please!), it may be a bit longer than thirty minutes, but hopefully not.

Here is the call in number: 530-881-1200 access: 1091004#


Here is the recording number: 530-881-1299; access code: 1091004##

I can't wait to hear you live!

Likutei Moharan 1:66

                                                                   Hashem,
                          teach me to be true to myself.
Never let me be swayed by the approval or disapproval of others.
              Help me learn to depend on no one but You,
                            and to look nowhere but within
                            to come to know my true self-
                                   that person I really am.

From Bilvavi.net- Rav Schwartz

The Rambam (De'ot 6:1) writes that one must live in the desert. 

You can live with other people and yet be as in a desert. 

One can live on his own, without copying anyone else. 

The true life is when you build your own way of life with your own personal understanding....

The influences in this world are very strong.

 The values are all wrong and our thinking can become distorted. 

The proper way is to discover the truth on your own. 

Then you will receive your own life from your own neshamah. 

Then you will merit being like Adam before the sin. He had no one to emulate other than Hashem.

The Geulah will come when we don't copy others, but live from our own discovered truth.

Good Shabbos!

Natural Response	Menachem Av 1, 5772 · July 20, 2012
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson	Print this Page

There is an easy path to fulfill the Torah as it is meant to be fulfilled. Not by forcing yourself, nor by convincing yourself, but by achieving awareness:

A constant awareness that all you see and hear, the wind against your face, the pulse of your own heart, the stars in the heavens and the earth beneath your feet, all things of this cosmos and beyond . . .

. . . all are but the outer garments of an inner consciousness, a projection of His will and thoughts. Nothing more than His words to us, within which He is concealed.

And the Master of that consciousness speaks to you and asks you to join Him in the mystic union of deed and study.

In such a state of mind, could you possibly choose otherwise?

And the final post of the day...

Good Chodesh and Good Shabbos!


Parshas Matos- Masei.


 Three years ago, my oldest son had his bar mitzvah on this Shabbos.  We were in Eretz Yisrael in Yerushalayim for the Shabbos.  We had his bo bayom (the hebrew date he was born on) in Chevron by Maaras Hamachpeila.


I remember thinking, what should I take from this moment, aside from immense gratitude to Hashem, how can I grow and serve Him even more, and be zoche to all that He gives?


This week's parsha shows us how important gratitude is.  It's important enough that Moshe Rabbeinu sent an emissary to avenge against the Midianites, because he was raised in Midyan, and couldn't harm them himself (Rav Chaim Shmulevitz ; Miriam Aflalo article.)


Gratitude?  How can I show Hashem?


As I davened near where Sarah Imeinu is buried, a thought popped into my head, 'emulate greatness, try to be like her- be gracious, giving, and shine with the light of Torah'.  


But...  It's not so easy to just change....


Hashem sent the answer by sending me Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh and Da es Atzmecha (and Rabbi Nivin before that). Don't change, rather, uncover what's already inside; Feel the connection to Hashem that He gifts me with, in a way unique to me, and live it, share it, and let it grow, so others can feel theirs and live theirs, and the geulah will arrive. Amen. Bimheira Biyameinu-(speedily in our days)


One last thought, (from Rav Moshe Weinberger, davening in the three weeks)


Bimheira Biyameinu, actually means as a result of our days, depending on how we spend our days, especially during the three weeks, we can either build or, chas veshalom destroy the Bais Hamikdash.


During these three weeks, particularly, we are empowered to find how each of us in our own spectacular way we can build the Bais Hasmikdash.


May you each be blessed with the clarity to know your chelek(part) in avodas (serving) Hashem that will bring the geulah.


Thanks for the deep moments we shared together and for being a part of my soul family! :-)(-:

Another great thought...

Humble Heroes	Tammuz 25, 5772 · July 15, 2012
Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson	Print this Page

The bravest of heroes are the humblest among men.

G‑d made the hearts of David and his soldiers strong and brave, so they would win in battle against Israel’s enemies.

He made the hearts of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Akiva stubborn, so they could traverse the highway from ignorance to enlightenment in their adulthood.

They were all humble men, nothing in their own eyes.

But the courage G‑d put in their hearts, that they would not surrender.

Rebecca from chaburah sent this daily dose:

Don't think too much.


(I am adding:once you clear out some thoughts, then incorporate this into your thinking :


"Is this the will of Hashem?  Is this how He wants me to treat His creations?")

We will IYH meet next week and then take a break until Rosh Chodesh Elul

Next week we will iyH review what we have accomplished so far.  There is no new material being covered.  

Thank you for the amazing questions, insights, stories, and clarifications that you each added to the group.

I hope we greet the geulah together way before Rosh Chodesh Elul! :-)

Enjoy the break and please continue the avodah!

Chaburah Thursday at 12 (ny time) IYH; Da es Atzmecha and Bilvavi 1

HI.:-)

_Da Es Atzmecha and Bilvavi Book one:

Israel: 972 76 599 0060
Canada:559-670-1000
US: 209-255-1000
England: 44-0-784-843-2913
Australia: 61 1300 051 796
South Africa: 27 87 825 0150


access code: 572926

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...

------------------------------------------------------------------

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:

25. (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:
26. 
    
    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:
27. The greater the soul's closeness with Hashem, the more he will sense Hashem next to Him.
    
    
    38:
28. 
    
    First decide if you want to feel attached at all times, if not, daven to Hashem that you should.
    
    
    39:
29. 
    
    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 Come
    
    
    40:
30. 
    
    Take as much time as you need to recognize your life is solely for deveikus to Hashem.
    
    
    41:
31. 
    
    Many err and think if I learn Torah and keep mitzvos closeness will come automatically

25. 41.Many err and think if I learn Torah and keep mitzvos closeness will come automatically
26. 
    
    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.”
27. 
    
    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.

Tuesday, 9:45 am chaburah: Bilvavi 2 and In Forest Fields

Hi! 

The call in number is : 530-881-1200
access code; 1091004#


Our avodah this past week was:

listen to someone who truly speaks from his soul and find a way to speak gentle words on your own

continue one minute or more of personal speech to Hashem, daily.

and to read chapter six in Bivavi 2 and pages 67-70 In Forest Fields

Chapter 6: Gentle words Flow from Inner Clarity

Returning to Hashem through an awakening from above:

-emunah is the foundation of all the mitzvos

-emunah is in the heart, awareness of Hashem's existence (as aware of hand and foot)

-the soul possesses this awareness, and yearns for its partner, Hashem

So: our main work in emunah is a clear recognition that Hashem is bound with our souls and is our source of holiness.

How do we access this awareness?

(the Jewish people are considered female and Hashem the male, in gemara Kiddushin states that the male seeks out the female, that is the proper way)

The source of the search must be an awakening from above- returning too our tru condition, uncovering our true essence, this is real teshuva (return, repentance;39)

How do we awaken this state?

1. gentle words: soul suffices with simple gentle words that have a high degree of clarity- it wants the holiness so words to guide it is all it needs, no yelling necessary.
2. Clear words: “soul comes from a clear world, take the simplest facts and repeat them, not with intellectual analysis, but with a basic understanding that these are true facts.”
3. know what you are pondering is true- Hashem breathes in you the soul of life
4. review this idea until it is clear and seems absolutely true

___________________________________________________________________


In Forest Fields:


Ask ourselves, what's the point of all the bodily lusts? to bring us to self evaluation which Rav Nachman says is self composure.


Daily self evaluation is an opportunity to take stock of our thoughts, speech, and actions, and see where we can do teshuva and see what is good for ourselves.


Ramchal states, otherwise we are stuck in a maze of  paths trapping us, we have no clarity which is the path to take.


He says to set aside time to take a good look at ourselves, and begin to purify our deeds, and character, and in this way realize our personal potential. (68)


Rebbe Nachman says with self evaluation and confession of sin to Hashem every day, achieve true soul correction, because Hashem guides you to it, and fulfill your mission here on earth.


To be a true Baal Teshuva, need to do teshuva daily, and an hour a day of personal prayer then hastens the geulah!!! (70) "angels are created from one's personal prayers, and implant desire in others to seek Hashem"


Rambam says we don't need to expose our faults to anyone, just between Hashem and you.

Good Shabbos!

Parshas Pinchas:


Who was Pinchas?


Well, according to what we are learning, we would say a pure neshama, with his own special light, a gift from Hashem, to shine into the world.


It says in the Pasuk (Bamidbar, 25;7) that Pinchas "rose from amid the congregation" (Miriam Aflalo cites Rav Meir Robman, Zichron Meir to explain these words as:) Pinchas was one of the masses, but Hashem gave him clarity on the halacha, and Pinchas rose to do Hashem's will, thereby shining his unique light.


We all have a special quality to bring to this world.  That's why we are here.  Hashem gives us the opportunity to use it at the right moments.  Even if it takes a neis to make it happen.  In fact, Hashem made Moshe forget the halacha, so that Pinchas could shine and be zoche (worthy) to become a kohen. (Rashi)


What can we see from this? We just have to have the desire to do Hashem's will and to shine our light in the world, and Hashem will take care of the details!


Have a beautiful Shabbos- holy women- and thank you for sharing your light with me. ;-)

Thursday chaburah:12:00 pm NY time

_Da Es Atzmecha and Bilvavi Book one:



Israel: 972 76 599 0060
Canada:559-670-1000
US: 209-255-1000
England: 44-0-784-843-2913
Australia: 61 1300 051 796
South Africa: 27 87 825 0150


access code: 572926


Reminder of what we were focusing on:

2. set a timer for two minutes of quiet time (observe which thoughts are not you) - or spend time for two plus minutes a day in the space of sensing Hashem (some of you go outdoors, ocean, yard, or run to get to this space)


3. continue to download into your mind: 
 "My purpose in this world is to have deveikus to Hashem" (to sense and breathe it!)

4. Begin chapter four in Da Es Atzmecha pages 80-92

 and...

5.  Please read section 35-40 in Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh

------------------------------------------------------------------

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:

25. (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:
26. 
    
    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:
27. The greater the soul's closeness with Hashem, the more he will sense Hashem next to Him.
    
    
    38:
28. 
    
    First decide if you want to feel attached at all times, if not, daven to Hashem that you should.
    
    
    39:
29. 
    
    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 Come
    
    
    40:
30. 
    
    Take as much time as you need to recognize your life is solely for deveikus to Hashem.
    
    
    41:
31. 
    
    Many err and think if I learn Torah and keep mitzvos closeness will come automatically