Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hello again!

Boruch Hashem we are all ok but due to power loss-I have to cancel all chaburohs for this week. IyH next week we can resume.

I hope!

Love,aviva rus

Monday, October 29, 2012

Hi!!!

I don't know who will have electricity tomorrow (I hope we all do).  However, just in case we don't have power,  the chaburah is cancelled for tomorrow-

Continue with the avodah...and hope we will learn together again next Tuesday!

Love, aviva rus~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"All the world's problems stem from light being withheld.

Our job then, is to correct this.  Wherever we find light, we must rip away its castings, exposing it to all, letting it shine forth to the darkest ends of the earth.

Especially the light you yourself hold." (Rabbi Tzvi Freeman)

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Good Shabbos!!!


Parsha Lech Lecha:

There are three steps we must take in order to feel Hashem right next to us.  They are hinted to in the three places Avraham is told to leave:

1. me'artzecha(from your land- acquired habits): 

change the power of desire that is natural in us, such as eating, from  unconscious doing to conscious= doing it l'sheim shamayim (for the sake of His name).  This will bring us to fear of Hashem (yiras Hashem).

2. me'moloditicha(where you were born-inborn traits)

uproot negative midos you are born with from day one (i.e., anger, sadness) and use them only in order to serve Hashem.  This will bring you to feel love of Hashem (ahavas Hashem).

3. M'beis Avicha( from your fathers house)

Find your own unique connection to Hashem.  It may be in a different way than the household you grew up in achieved it.  Take pleasure in your newfound connection to Hashem. This will bring us Tiferes/ harmony in your life.

 (Noam Elimelech- lech lecha)

This is our goal: uplift every moment with kedusha and sanctify His name so we can feel the true pleasure of deveikus to Him.  

What we are learning together is our tool box to use in order to bring the geulah from within. AMEN!

Thanks for an amazing week of chaburahs! I really enjoyed every minute and love you!

aviva rus

  


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Reminder: Da es Atzmecha and Bilvavi 1

Tomorrow at 1 ny time:

Please go onto the web version of the blog to see the outlines and call in numbers.

Remember the avodah...diminishing negative thoughts.

I'm looking forward to hearing your experience with the pasukim.

By the way, the pasuk "aish tamid tukad al hamizbeach lo tichbe" is found in vayikra 6:6 (but I have not been able to find a source that it is a segula that gets rid of negative thoughts).

Reitza Sarah does it again!


Monday, October 22, 2012

Bilvavi 2 and in Forest Fields:

Reminder: Tomorrow we are meeting at 9:45 am IYH, 
please check the side tabs for call in number, and outlines.
email me at aviva@aberman.net with any questions.

Looking forward!! 

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Good Shabbos! and one correction....

Correction for Bilvavi Book 1 and Da es Atzmecha chaburah:

I am so sorry to all my friends in other countries.  I completely wasn't thinking about the time difference- 4 am in Australia! So I will record the class and it will be available for one week for anyone who cannot be on live.  Please excuse my brain, it's still in recovery mode from yom tov!

This weeks recording number for chaburah on Thursdays is: (if you need the call in number for your country, please email me at aviva@aberman.net- no emails come to this blog)

US:209-255-1099

access code: 572926 # 9 #

Parshas Noach:

Someone just asked me what is the significance of forty women baking challah for a refuah for a choleh (sick person).  I don't know that answer.

But, I see in this weeks parsha that the mabul was forty days long!  Why forty??? What is it's significance?   I asked my husband and he pointed out that we had to wait forty days to receive the Torah!  

Hmmm...investigation was required.  

Here is what I found written by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh (in red letters)


 The number 40 is of great significance, not only in mysticism, but also in the simple understanding of the Torah. For example, the 40 days that Moses was in heaven to receive the Torah, 40 days of the Flood. In addition, 40 relates to the 40 days from the beginning of pregnancy until the fetus is well formed. This is a very important stage in pregnancy. 

(all you Rabbi Nivin ladies will know this is exactly the point we are up to in the spiritual world of the Jewish people, our spiritual fetus is being formed!)

40 is also the value of the letter mem, which means water. This is why 40 refers both to the Torah, which is water, and also to the Flood. In the future the flood will be a positive concept--the flood of knowledge of G-d. This is the inner soul of the Torah which will fill the earth just as water covers the seabed. Water covering the seabed is the secret of the lettermem and the number 40.

(exactly what we are trying to do in our chaburah!!!)

In addition, when one becomes 40 years old he receives the deepest measure of understanding, in order to understand the Torah. This is especially in order to understand the deep intention that his teacher had that he was not able to comprehend initially. At the age of 40 one understands his teacher's inner meaning.

 (For all of us forty plus year olds...yay! and for everyone else, something to look forward to...)

So....now we can see why forty is used exclusively for major happenings.  It IS a major number that brings depth and overflowing daas of Hashem. 

May this week be filled in connection to Hashem for you and overflowing with clarity, emes,,, Torah!


Good Shabbos, love, aviva rus

ps- check your avodah pages for reminder of what to focus on this week.




Tuesday, October 16, 2012

CHANGES: for Thursday at 1 pm NY time

Da Es Atzmecha and Bilvavi Mishkna Evneh book 1.

Hi! 

Change number 1: the time has changed to 1 pm on Thursday
Change number 2: no more recordings available of the chaburahs that i facilitate.
Change number 3: Please check the outline page and avodah page to catch up each week, rather than me sending out all that information each week.

Remember-our goal is deveikus to Hashem.  In order to experience this, we need to know who we are and why we are here without doubts!

Iy"H we will review the first five chapters and begin chapter six of Da es Atzmecha and review section 1 of Bilvavi and begin section 2.

We each are on our own unique journey in uncovering and discovering our individualized relationship to Hashem.  In order to grow together as a chaburah and on an individual basis, we must be able to discuss (live) our insights and where we may be stuck.

For the purposes of our chaburah, a recording is not useful.  I feel that it doesn't benefit our group, rather the recording makes the group less cohesive. In addition, as I grow (i hope spiritually only!) I am finding that the material is becoming deeper ingrained inside of me, and Hashem is sending new insights.  It is actually a disservice to post old recordings, as they are for that time period and each moment is a new one, with no mistakes in it ;-).

If you have any questions, please call or email me.

Love, aviva rus



The call in number: 

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

Monday, October 15, 2012

Reminder: Tomorrow....(yayayay, it's been too long!)

Tuesday at 9:45 am NY time

IyH we will be continuing Bilvavi 2, chapter 9 and In Forest Fields pages 77-81


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




Bilvavi 2; chapter 9: For You are with Me.

Our avodah: integrating the knowledge of Hashem in our hearts

  1. contemplate the fact that Hashem created each thing (one by one) then verbalize the thought: Hashem, You created this object, it didnt get here by itself.
  2. Set aside time each day devoted to contemplation and remind yourself hourly of Hashem as our infinite Creator of all.
How do we know when we can move further in our avodah?

Our soul “demands the remembrance” rather than external factors. We will begin to feel a “sense of vitality from our faith”.(64)

If you get vitality from other things and emunah is still information that doesnt excite you, not ready to progress. “But after you have been privileged to live with the knowledge of the Creator and your soul demands to continually live with it, you may progress to the next stage.”(64)

The next stage is being able to answer these questions:

  1. What are the attributes of Hashem and how do they relate to me? (not answered yet)

  2. Where is He found? Hashem is everywhere: shivisi Hashem l'negdi tamid: but we can't see Him, so we need emunah for this, our avodah is “to reach true awareness that Hashem is with us in the room.. with each person..wherever you are.

How do I awaken my soul to this simple awareness that Hashem is with me =present right now?

First stop being so focussed on yourself, because then you can naturally sense Hashem.

Then through SPEECH- say out loud: 

“I don't see You, but I believe that You are right here” (68)- it must emerge from the depths of your soul and not your intellect...inner feeling of emunah that Hashem is here- although you don't feel it yet, the soul trust Chazal who taught Hashem is present”(68)

see examples that follow

Homework: set a timer to contemplate and speak to Hashem, (Rav Schwartz recommends an hour a day :-O

and every day recite:“I don't see You, but I believe that You are right here” if you are not sensing His presence.

In Forest Fields 77-81:

Chapter 2: For I am Compassionate

Basic foundation of emunah: Hashem's mercy

(aramaic word for prayer: rachmei= Hebrew word for mercy)

The purpose of creation is so Hashem can express His infinite mercy (Zohar) so the main aspect of emunah is to believe in Hashem's mercy.

This emunah will lead to joy and recognition of truth.

Hashem listens to the cry  of all suffering people who call out to Him, even if they are not righteous.

He gives us a wallet "full of spiritual credit cards" and says use them, call my name and receive whatever you need"

What stops us??? Yetzer hara- see page 80 for all excuses it comes up with.  

See page 81 for what words to use to speak to Hashem if you are stuck.

Wehn we strengthen ourselves in emunah, believe in Hashem's mercy, we will begin to see huge miracles....amen!!! geulah please Hashem...





Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Bereishis!!!!Good Shabbos!

Last night, a friend asked me if I feel like a new person.  After all, that is what the past month was about; dropping the parts of me that were covering up the real me.

Bereishis:

Translation:

 "In the beginning..."(The Stone Chumash)

"With wisdom"  (Rabbi Yosef Serebryanski)

 "Beis Reishis: the beis (house) first"...(Rabbi Tatz)

and I wonder if we can combine all the meanings to understand the new me and the new you.

Perhaps in our new beginning the new you and new me use our wisdom to create a home which shines with the light of Torah and with deveikus to Hashem= where shamayim/heaven and aretz/earth meet, soul to body and soul to soul.

Indeed, that would be a wondrous beginning.


Next week, we will iyH meet on Tuesday at 9:45 am (Bilvavi 2 and In forest fields) and Thursday at 12 pm Bilvavi 1 and Da es atzmecha). 

Looking forward as always!