Good shabbos and chag sameach!

The Shem m'Shmuel writes that the reason we do na'anuim by waving the lulav away from and then to the heart is because while on Y"K we got our mind in order and now understand mentally what we need to do with out lives, we need to bring the lesson into our hearts, and that's what Sukkos is for.
(From Divrei chaim blog)
I hope your Yom Kippur was meaningful!  IyH we will greet each other at the third bayis- now! -by living from our hearts!




Love, aviva rus

Perfect for aseres ymei teshuva...

From Reitza Sarah- Thank you!

"Saw this in the emunah Rabbi Ashear email, and thought you would appreciate".

https://app.box.com/s/kwbo9zbzr8hdztqpv8xizaa2bd0awmu9

Shana tova u'metuka!

               KESIVA VECHATIMA TOVA-

               May your year be filled with 
            Torah and Deveikus to Hashem.

If you have an hour of time- our chaburah members sent:

1. another phenomenal shiur (that expounds on the third type of teshuva that Rav Weinberger discusses in the last shiur I posted).  Thank you Yocheved for sending-

Given by: Yechiel Yehoshua Frischman:

http://maayonyisroel.com/category/classes/page/2/

2. link for those trying to lose weight, this is another tool for our tool box...: Thank you Chava for sending-

Mind-over-Matter Weight Loss: Candle Meditation By Ramel Rones on Sep 08, 2015 10:24 am

Inspiring our teshuva- while OUR KING is in the field...

WATCHING RAV MOSHE WEINBERGER'S SELICHOS

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/ywn-videos/339992/watch-first-night-selichos-5775-at-congregation-aish-kodesh-in-woodmere.html

RAV MOSHE WEINBERGER INSPIRING US TO BE THE "NEW" PERSON WE CAN BE-

http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/840686/Rabbi_Moshe_Weinberger/Pre-Selichos_5775_-Begging_Forgiveness_By_Renewing_Our_Vows-

FROM REITZA SARAH (THANK YOU FOR SENDING OUR WAY!)

Some daily Avoda for ellul from rabbi goldhars  shiur.

1. Keep a "What did I do right today?" Cheshbon HaNefesh. 

2. Recognize the awe of Hashgacha Pratis, and the fact we are entering the system to impact the entire year, during the Yomim Noraim. 

3. Acknowledge your belief and trust in hashgacha pratis, of Hashem's active involvement in your life. 

4. Make choices based on that trust. 

5. When situations arise, that Hashem is putting you in, determine the emesdik response, ie. what is being demanded of you spiritually. 

6. Keep moving forward with increasing belief and trust, making choices that are emesdik, knowing that Hashem wants to be active in your life, and not hidden.

Last night...

was our final class until after the chagim, IYH, we should meet by the third Bayis!

We spoke about teshuva and why we aren't doing it, even though we know how important it is.  The class was recorded so please listen to all the brilliant thoughts that our holy chaburah soul sisters shared.   One chaburah member added that whatever reason we aren't doing teshuva, we should set aside time, starting now (even a minute a day) to actually do the four steps of teshuva, even if we don't feel like it.

We also discussed the concept of silence (and then this email from chabad.org came my way and I just have to share it)

There are things that are important to us, so we speak about them. There are things so important to us that the words flow out in a burst of emotion, rich words, expressive and vibrant. And then there are things that shake us to the core.  Things that do not care for the mind's permission or for the right words—for the mind cannot fathom them, the most poignant words could not contain them.  Things that can only break out in a cry, in a scream, and then in silence. This is the sound of the shofar: The very core of our souls crying, "Father! Father!" Wishing you a kesiva vechasima tova,  B'ahava gamur,  Aviva Rus

Join with a projected 500,000

Jews around the world

in a Day of Unity and Prayer on September 8 

between the hours

of 7am-12pm

http://dayofjewishunity.com/

Jews around the world will be joining together

to recite 2 chapters of Psalms in an attempt to deflect

the acute danger that would result from allowing Iran

a path to obtain nuclear warheads. -The Acheinu organization.

Review from motzai Shabbos

Here we are, Elul, in the field with our Beloved....  (My favorite parts of the day in a field=  sunrise and sunset)

Last week we discussed how to use teshuva inwardly.  This week we added the idea of creating a vision of who we want to be in this new year, so that we have a map to follow in order to get there.  

We looked at three parts of ourselves; emotional, spiritual, and physical, and wrote one thing we wanted to see changed in each area.  Then we added one small step to take in each area, in order to get there, iyH. 

Someone mentioned that they sometimes feel stuck- one of our chabura members emailed this idea when she feels stuck: 

"I tell Hashem that I am stretching my arms as much as possible in His direction, but, since His arms are longer; I request that He also reach towards me and help bring me closer".

This is a similar idea to what we discussed about drawing Hashem into our actions, thoughts, and feelings.  Whenever we turn to Him and allow Him in, the entire situation shifts.  We simply need to take that step.

Some beautiful shiurim sent to me about Elul that I have had the chance to listen to so far (in case any of you have free time;)

1.Rabbi Wallerstein on Torah Anytime and 
2. Rav Moshe Weinberger on YU Torah. 
3."Dixie Yid" I Only Have Eyes for You - Elul - Rav Moshe Weinberger's Shabbos Morning Drasha - Ki Seitzei

Looking forward to this motzai Shabbos,

and ever hopeful for the geulah, 

Aviva Rus