TOMORROW Author of the Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh will be giving a drasha WOMEN ONLY with live english translation Monday June 29 11:00 20 Rechov Sheshet HaYamim Jerusalem

I am writing for a few reasons.

First, to tell you all how much I loved learning with you.  It was an inspirational experience every single time. B’H.  Thank you for that!

I will miss you in the upcoming weeks as I will be taking off for the summer until (at least) Elul.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email or call me. IYH we will send out an email the week before we will resume classes.

In the meantime, Bryna had a great idea, we can all share in a summer reading together.  The book we can read is called 'Days of Awe', by Rabbi Sutton.  Email me if you would like a copy of it.  We can post our thoughts of the sefer on the blog page called summer reading, in this way we can still stay in touch, while preparing for Elul and yom tov.

Secondly, we finished the ‘Inner Redemption’ handbook and when I complete the entire outline, it will IYH be sent to you.  However, if you would like to see it, as it is posted, then please stay tuned.

Lastly, ~ This is a recent shiur from Rabbanit Yemima that is very special : https://myaccount.dropsend.com/pickup/file/ff9c2f4f087b7937- I will IYH continue to post on the blog any other shiurim as i am able. 

May we meet in Eretz Yisrael at the third Bayis!

Love, 

Aviva Rus

Chapter 8: Lishma, Part 2

Our mission is to negate shelo lishma in us and become integrated with Hashem- we are born with shelo lishma and this helps us reach lishma.

There are three planes of existence:
1. physical world
2. spiritual world
3. Hashem Himself

This applies to our soul's desires as well:
1. desire for physicality
2. desire for spirituality ( but still doing for shelo lishma- to have pleasure, honor, achieve perfection, etc)
3. desire that comes from the deepest part of our soul (yechida) that seeks to integrate with Hashem

Lishma is the desire to integrate with Hashem without any reason.

How do we figure out what our true motivation is?

When it is about what Hashem wants and not what I want- then we know our motivations are pure.

Ask yourself: "why do I want to do the will of Hashem?" If it is for any type of personal gain, then lo lishma is involved. 

The next step to move shelo lishma to lishma involves nullifying our "I" in two ways: a. the emotions (midos) and b.  mental aspect (daas).

(There is another way- which is to begin with total self nullification and lishma and then work your way down into the midos and daas- begin with total selflessness= when man's total concern is to reveal Hashem in his life- then his shelo lishma is simply a garment on his lishma).