why the geulah has not arrived yet.
But I do know that this yom tov felt a bit more geulah-dik than last year for all of us.
Why?
I think and hope it is because it is nearing and the avodah we are doing inwardly is bringing the geulah from within!
I have spoken with some of you, and all of us feel bereft of the sukkah and the month of Hashem in the field with us.
Yet, there remains the longing to connect with Hashem in the deepest possible way and to continue to grow to be the person each of us are meant to be.
Hence, our chaburah!!! yayayayay!
The plan: to deepen our relationship with Hashem until it pulsates through us every moment.
The avodah: speaking out loud to Hashem 1-10 minutes a day
We will iyH meet next week, Monday, October 7, at 12 pm NY time to continue our learning together.
Anyone who needs the number or access to the classes that have been recorded please email Shira at:
Thank you SHIRA for organizing the recordings of the past classes and the future ones iyH.
Here is the reading for the upcoming week (stay tuned for the outlines to be posted shortly iyH)
Chapter 23 in Bilvavi book 2
pages 177-183 InForest Fields
Chapter 6 (54-63) Jewish Meditation
I missed you ! Love, aviva rus
ps: mazal tov to Tammy on the engagement of her son!
Please come visit if you can!
Remember: the mitzvah is SIMCHA!!!! JOY JOY JOY (fourth day is Rav Nachman yartzheit; remember the joy he taught us...hisbodedus...speaking out loud to Hashem)
Love, Aviva Rus
The avodah for the next 48 hours is teshuva.
Avoid all other distractions.
Just DO it.
Practically; have food ready for before the fast and prepare your machzor and tefilos inside of it (if you want a copy of the 13 midos based on a shiur by Rebbetzin Tehilla Abramov that Reitza Sarah compiled- please email me at aviva@aberman.net).
Emotionally; know without a doubt that Hashem loves you unconditionally and wants you to return to your original untainted love that you had with Him. In order to do that, you have to face the emotions and coverings and DO the teshuva! Important step: after teshuva forgive yourself or the yetzer hara still has a hold on you.
Spiritually; speak out loud to Hashem about how you want the next 48 hours to unfold and then surrender it all to Him and simply take the steps and make the effort. (give thanks to Him as if it has happened just as you want!)
Know that He loves you so much that the next 48 hours will unfold in a way that is perfect for you.
May Hashem answer our tefilos l'tova and bring us the final geulah.
Love, aviva rus
We actually finished our review, Boruch Hashem!
It was amazing to see how every single thing we learned together is actually necessary in our avodas Hashem for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkos. (Thank You, Hashem, for communicating to us in such a clear way through Torah!)
Today we saw how the hisbodedus that we are learning to do In Forest Field can be used to accomplish extremely deep teshuva.
Please take advantage of these special days of teshuva and use it to return to your original state of deveikus to Hashem.
(stay tuned for updated recipe card on hisbodedus)
Thank you Shira for downloading onto mp3 files.
Gmar Chasima Tova!
love, aviva rus
Let's go through a final check list.
Practically, don't forget about the yartzeit candle, eiruv tavshilin, leave on a flame, a oven, urn, hmmm- any other ideas?
Emotionally, remember to feel the simcha and the chesed that is pouring down from Hashem.
He loves us and just wants to be close to us.
(tip from Rabbanit Yemima on how to stay in simcha zone; pick a thought that makes you happy and turn to it every time you start feeling upset or sad)
Spiritually: We are crowning Hashem as our king and showing that we only want to do His will. When the shofar blows our soul is speaking! We go deep inside ourselves and offer our nishmas chaim to serve Hashem (listen to yesterdays class for a deeper understanding of this idea).
Use a few minutes each day (today and tomorrow) to describe to Hashem how you would like Rosh Hashana and the year to unfold and then tell Him that after all you said, you are now giving it over to Him and simply want to be His.
May Hashem bless us with so much that it overflows and brings the geulah!
Good Yom Tov, aviva rus
