Monday, December 25, 2017

Chanukah is past....

but we are grabbing onto the inspiration we took from the candles with our new chaburah- based on the shiurim by Rav Schwartz titled "Reaching Your Essence"- for more info. please contact shira at geulafromwithin@gmail.com





Wednesday, December 6, 2017

CHANUKAH BA!



I was thinking about Chanukah and the special power of the lights of the menorah.

Rabbanit Yemima Mizrachi writes we can have a yeshua (salvation) if we sit and stare at the candles after we light and daven by them.  Rabbi Nivin mentions in his Chanukah class that the candles have the ability to heal our vision in a spiritual sense and we should sit and look at them.


Imagine if while we looked at the candles we asked Hashem to heal our view of the world- that instead of seeing the negative things in ourselves and others, we could clearly see everyone for who we really are- a pure neshama- connected to Hashem without pause.

What a geulah from within that would be....

Chag Sameach.  

Love, aviva rus


Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Shiur by Rav Weinberger

Rav Weinberger's Thursday Phone-In Shiur

Rav Weinberger will continue to give his Thursday afternoon phone-in shiur while he is in Eretz Yisroel. Starting tomorrow, Thursday, November 16, Rav Weinberger will begin teaching Da Es Midosecha by Rav Itamar Schwartz. Source sheets can be accessed here. Rav Weinberger will give the shiur at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. You may listen by dialing  605-475-6333 then 183654#.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Good Shabbos- Parshas Lech Lecha


While we are waiting for the global geulah to arrive, Hashem is sending us many ways to learn how to step into our own personal redemption.

There is Rabbi Schwartz's monthly call- called Inner Redemption, Rabbi Cable's -Living in the Present- weekly call, and even a daily 5 minute learning with Rabbi Shmuel Braun (available on sound cloud and whats app- if you have whatsapp and need help joining please email me -aviva@aberman.net with your phone number and I can ask him to add you in).

Even more, we have the Torah,  the weekly Parsha, our guide in moments of darkness.  This week Nesivos Shalom asks questions of the pasuk: lech lecha el artzecha... (Bereishis;12,1)

Why does the pasuk say "lech-go" instead of "tzei -go away from" as the pasuk in parshas noach used "tzei min hateiva" go from the ark.  What's the difference in these words?

Why does the Pasuk start telling Avraham to leave his land and then tell him to leave his parents home- usually when one leaves a city, they must leave the home first and then leave the city?

Nesivos Shalom quotes Rashi and other meforshim as saying; The Torah is teaching us about a spiritual journey.  In order to feel  taanug (pleasure) from deveikus with Hashem, one must first separate from the land's customs and contaminations (each land and neighbor has influences that we may not see with our eyes but seeps into us), and then the pasuk says to go away from the inherited customs (minhagim)  from our ancestors, and finally, to leave his parent's homes.  The things we learn from our parents homes are deeper within us and more difficult to uproot.  

Back to the first question- why use the word lech instead of tzei... the word tzei means go out- without a specific destination.  However, Hashem is sending Avraham to a specific destination- the "land that I will show you"- the whole purpose of his going away from these places is to come the the place Hashem will show him, because in coming to that place - spiritually and physically, there will be the taanug in deveikus to Hashem.

May we all be zoche to leave the impurity of our surroundings- wherever they may be found- and reach the land that brings us taanug in Hashem.

Love, aviva


Thursday, October 19, 2017

Parshas Noach - Good Shabbos!

Thank You Yikrat for posting this and sending all of Rabbanit Yemima's Torah around- Anyone can  join these email lists by contacting Yikrat
The little baby was born, and I showed her to her older brother, 
my eldest grandchild.
"This is the sister you've been waiting for," we told him.
He looked. He looked back at us.
"That's not her."

That's 5778 for you.
How much did you daven for this baby of a new year?
"This is the conception of the world," you declared on Roah HaShanah,
And you anticipated the arrival of the amazing new baby.
You waited for amazing Chaggim.
You waited for awesome Simchat Torah.
You waited for the Chaggim to end with highlight
...and the baby 5778 turned out to be, well, disappointing.
You look at her, young 5778, and say: "That can't be right. This isn't what I davened for."

I'm telling you, wait. Soon her face will look normal.
She'll stop going cross-eyed, trying to see the angels
Soon she'll grow hair in the right places (and not just her ears)
5778 has to grow into itself; everything always works out in the end.

In the meantime, what do you do when nothing is in order?
When there's such injustice in the world?
When you're inundated? Flooded?

That's why we're here, with a new issue of Rabbanit Yemima's Torah (attached to this message).
Yikrat

NoachYom Chamishi, Tishrei 29, 5778 (October 19, 2017 #35 Bull’s Eye
Parashat Noach – about the man who, when he ֶזה :was born, people pointed to him with relief Thisonewillconsole–ְיַנֲחֵמנוִּמַמֲּעֵשׂנוּוֵּמִעְצּבֹוןָיֵדינוּ us from our work and the toil of our hands. It’s been what, two parashot so far? The world was just created – we need comforting already?
Even Hashem Himself, at the end of last week’s ַוִיָּנֶּחםה'ִכּיָעָשׂהֶאתָהאָָדם:parasha,needsnechama Hashem regretted – ָבּאֶָרץ ַוִיּ ְת ַע ֵצּב ֶאל ִלבֹּו [Vayinnachem] that He made man on the Earth, and was saddened in His heart. Good grief, what happened?
In the haftarah, which we read not long ago after Tisha B’Av, describes a woman in need of ֲעִנָיּהֹסֲעָרהאנָֻחָמהִהֵנּהאָֹנִכיַמְרִבּיץַבּפּוּ:comforting – Poor, in upheaval, lacking consolation – ֲא ָב ַנ ִי behold I will place your stones with fair colors.1 Ribbono Shel Olam, what’s going on? Why have You created a world that constantly needs comforting and holding?
This week we learned The Ramban’s introduction to his commentary on the Torah, in which he writes: if you were to ask me why I wrote the להניח דעת התלמידים יגעי הגלות commentary, it is to calm the nerves of disciples rendered – והצרות
1 Yeshayahu 54:11.
fatigued by exile and troubles.2 He also sees the need to comfort the depressed. We are left wondering:why?Whybother?Sodon’tcreatethe world. Why create a world that constantly needs comforting? I’m comforting people all day long – singles, married women, pregnant, giving birth, thin women, beautiful women... they all need consolation, so what gives? Why is it like that?
The world needs consolation. That’s what emerges from the first Rashi on the Torah. Why did it start with Bereshit? Because people will come along and say: “You conquered that land! You’re thieves!” So we just show them Bereshit. “Actually no,” we can answer. “We’re not thieves. Look, this means Hashem gives or takes the land to whomever He chooses, and He chose to give it to us.”3
In other words, the world needs consolation because on the surface it appears that it’s a world of things taken by force. A world in which might makes right, in which the successful, the rich, the powerful, the attractive, take everything for themselves. Whereas the delicate, the sensitive, the weak, the modest, the not-so-hot, won’t get accepted to yeshiva, won’t get the desirable shidduch, and so on. Because your figure isn’t good enough, you don’t figure into anyone’s plans for
2 Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, introduction, commentary on the Torah.
3 Rashi on Bereshit 1:1.
the good life. It looks like a might-makes-right world.
That’s what characterized the generation of the ַוִיְּראוְּבֵני-ָהֱאִהיםֶאתְבּנֹותָהאָָדםִכּיֹטֹבתֵהָנּה:Flood The sons of God – ַוִיְּקחוּ ָל ֶהם ָנ ִשׁים ִמ ֹכּל ֲא ֶשׁר ָבּ ָחרוּ saw the daughters of man, thay they were good, and they took as wives as they pleased. Who were these “sons of God?” Most commentators agree they were people who thought themselves superior. So they snatched up the beauties and left the rest. Might makes right.
I listened to a lecture. Someone was talking about Steve Jobs, inventor of the iPhone, the iPad, and recalled that the way Jobs did things was to steal ideas from people who were little cogs in the system, brilliant ideas from brilliant people, and present them as his own. He stole from them. And Hashem paved his way to success. That’s what the world looks like. A world where power reigns, where humility, delicateness, and weakness stand no chance.
And Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz of Mir says: if you don’t read the Torah in order week by week, to you the world will indeed resemble Flood-like chaos. (In fact the proper term in the yeshiva world for what we call the “parasha” is the “seder,” meaning “order.”)
In his golden words:
אני הרואה את התועלת הנעלה אשר רוכש כל בן ישראל אשר ממשיך את לימוד החומש תמידים כ ִסדרם, מדי שבוע בשבוע, כי רק על ידי זה הוא נעשה איש-סדר. וממהלך וסדר הבריאה יראה, איך הכל מיושב על מקומו ושעתו, בהמשך נכון ויראה את זהותו ועצמיותו מאוחדים, מחוברים הם איבריו ולא מדולדלים. קרוב הוא לעצמו ולנצחיותו.
כי מהלך שלם יש בעולם ועם הפסוק הראשון של "בראשית ברא", תיכף יחוש האדם שהבריאה אינה הפקר.4
הרב ירוחם ליבוביץ' ממיר, בהקדמה לפירושו "דעת תורה". 4
I see the lofty purpose that Yisrael attains
By continuing to study the Chumash regularly, Week by week, for only that way one becomes a person of Order.
From the process and order of Creation he will see How everything has its designated place and time, properly attuned,
And he will thus see his personal sovereignty and identity unified,
Connected to his limbs and not disjointed.
He is thus close to himself and his eternal purpose.

For there is an entire plan to this world,
And from the first verse of “In the Beginning”
A person can sense that Creation is not chaotic.
5
Just beautiful.
Only someone who follows the weekly Torah reading will not be buffeted by the Flood that is this world. By the greed and violence. Lady, you will always need comforting, because those who have power/beauty/clout/money will always look like they’re robbing everyone else – but that’s only a partial picture, only what’s revealed. Because really it’s not like that. There is order, justice, and a Judge in the world.
We’re on the cusp of the month of Cheshvan, which the Neviim call ֶי ַרח בּוּל – the month of Bul.6 It used to be called “the month of Mabbul” – of the Flood, the devastation, writes the B’nei Yissaschar, because that’s when the Deluge began, and even after the Flood, each year that month continued to see the onset of 40 days of stormy rains (it still overlaps with hurricane season). Only when Shlomo built the Beit HaMikdash did that
5 Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz of Mir, introduction to Daat Torah.
6 I Melachim 6:38.
stop. The mem, the forty days, from Mabbul disappeared, and we were left with Bul.7
Mabbul and Bul are opposites. Mabbul is total disorder, whereas Bul is a precise Bullseye.
Says the Bnei Yissaschar: take this Torah, week by week. You’ll watch as everything in your life starts to fall into place, bullseye. The first letter of the Torah is the bet of Bereshit; the last letter is the lammed of Yisrael; and the middle letter of the Torah (you’re welcome to count) is the second vav in כל ההולך על גחון – all that walks upon its belly,8 from Parashat Shmini. In order, they spell out Bul. Everything is precisely laid out. Bul.
And if you don’t accept order? You’ll be in all that ַעל ְגּ ֹח ְנ ֵת ֵל walks upon its belly – the snake, as in – on your belly you shall walk, and what’s more, anddustshalleatallthe–ְוָעָפרֹתּאַכלָכּלְיֵמיַחֶיּי days of your life.9 Nothing you eat will have any taste.10 You’ll end up walking around in the world as if on your belly, feeling there’s not taste, not taam, no sense, no purpose. The snake will say to you: “You see how much effort you put into things, and for nothing?”
For that reason Rashi opens his commentary with – מה טעם פתח בבראשית – ?the question Mah taam for what reason did the Torah start with Bereshit? Because this world seems like a huge chaotic flood, a world of violence and greed, a world of might makes right. So take this Torah! Nothing gives better consolation. Each weak it will reassure you, “There, there, ֶזה ְי ַנ ֲח ֵמנוּ this will console you from the toil of your soul.” The order of the Torah will organize your brain. You’ll feel that even when you’re crawling on your belly and everything seems senseless, that’s just because you’re only
7 Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, B’nei Yssaschar for the month of Cheshvan.
8 Vaykira 11:42.
9 Bereshit 3:14.
10 Bnei Yssaschar, Ibid.
seeing the middle of things. Everything is in order. You can’t really believe this is a world of chaos and theft.
That’s why no one can “steal” Eretz Yisrael. It decides whether we belong there. Why do I mention it? Because this week I heard a study of Israeli students, a large percentage of whom said they plan to leave the country once they finish school because there’s no housing here for young couples. Brain drain!
Indeed. Some people are leaking brains, just as one might lose calcium. If you don’t want to be here, it’s not because you don’t want to, but because the land doesn’t want you. As Rashi says: ֶאר ֶצה it’s called Eretz because that’s shorthand for – I desire – whether you live here depends on my, the land’s, desire. Whoever isn’t worthy doesn’t gettostay.
Only someone who learns the Torah in order will grasp this epic system. Everything looks entropic now, after the Chaggim: “Where do I even begin?” It’s OK – hold on to the Torah, and you’ll get exactly where you need to go. Bullseye, B’ezrat Hashem.
Translated by Rav David Swidler 

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Gmar Chasima Tova

Thank you -Reitza Sarah- for sending this shiur given by Rav Moshe Weinberger on this past Motzai Shabbos.  If you have limited, listen to the first thirty minutes and the last 8.



Tomorrow at 4:30 pm NY time Rabbi Doniel Katz will be giving a shiur- in case you listened to the one from Rosh Hashana and wanted to follow up with his Yom Kippur one- it is posted on facebook on his elevation seminar page.  I don't have facebook so I can't guide you in that but Shuli will IYH send me the link to listen and I can forward to anyone that wants it.

Shuli also sent this uplifting message that made me smile:)
The great Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev was very calm when Yom Kippur falls on Shabbat and explained why it was so. It is known we are commanded as not to write on Shabbat, that it is a desecration of the holy Shabbat! Just for saving a life one is allowed to write. And therefore G-d can only write us in for a year of life as writing is only permitted for saving lives but for no other exception. We will surely be blessed and inscribed and sealed for a great year filled with all good both physically and spiritually!

G-ddirecttorah.com has shiurim given by Rabbi Cable, Rabbi Schwartz (and many more) to help us keep focussed and clear on how to achieve lasting deveikus, teshuva.

Hoping we all meet in Eretz Yisrael, NOW

Aviva Rus







Monday, September 18, 2017

Wishing you a KESIVA VECHATIMA TOVA!

I hope you all had the chance to listen to Rabbi Schwartz and his inner redemption series.  His clarity in how to achieve this and the simplicity with how he breaks it down for us, makes it feel achievable! IY'H.  See last 2 posts for how to join.  

The Rav spoke about our ratzon, will, at the very end of the shiur and Rav Nivin also discussed ratzon in his Rosh Hashana drasha- connecting to your true will rather than identifying with all the other retzonos that hide the true one.  (you can buy Rav Nivin's drasha from his website if you want to listen to it).

Devorah Yaffa has generously shared her workshop on how to reveal your true ratzon:

Activing Will in our Avodat Hashem: https://app.box.com/s/20vwvtegd06jz0ywhvxe (given as part of Devorah Yaffa's  on-line series Lights of Emunah)




Thank you everyone for the forwarding of amazing shiurim.

Below are a few of the forwarded shiurim.

If you would like the two minute video with Charlie Harary that Tootle Miriam Dolly sent to me, email me for a copy.  I can't upload it on this blog.

This is from Nomi:

Rabbi Doniel Katz:

In this 2 part practical meditation session, based entirelyly on authentic Torah sources, you will get a hold new tool-kit of extraordinary meditational techniques that will take your Yomim Noraim davening to whole new level. 

It also including kavanos and avodos to do as the shofar blows. 

This is perhaps one of the most profound workshops we have done, and according to what the Besht teachings us, if all klal Yisroel would hear and do this, we would, bring ourselves a huge step closer to geulah. 

It's worth making the time to sit through. You won't regret it.

And you're welcome to forward this email to anyone else you think would appreciate it. 

Doniel


-- 

This is from Shuli:


This is from Rav Tuvia from the Bilvavi website:
ROSH HASHANAH 3 
1.1 | Feeding Your Soul 4 
1.2 | L’Chayim L’chayim 14 
1.3 | Five Minutes A Day of Introspection 28 
1.4 | Getting Out Of Your Self 30 
1.5 | Mussar Vs. Chassidus 39 
1.6 | Nothing But The Truth 43 
1.7 | Preparing For Rosh HaShanah 51 
1.8 | Simanim Of Rosh HaShanah 64 
1.9 | Motivations In Prayer 70 
1.10 | The Avodah of Rosh HaShanah 78 
1.11 | A Mother Prepares for Rosh Hashanah 81 
1.12 | Meriting A Good Judgment 84 
1.13 | Praying For Others 89 
1.14 | Fear & Closeness of Rosh HaShanah 94 
1.15 | Joy On Rosh HaShanah 106 
1.16 | “One Thing I Seek” 113 
1.17 | Avoiding Self-Absorption On Rosh HaShanah 121 
1.18 | Nitzavim – Rosh HaShanah’s New Yetzer Hora 126
YOM KIPPUR 133 
2.1 | Ten Days of Seeking Hashem Himself 134 
2.2 | Getting to the Root of Sin 137 
2.3 | Forgiving Others 142 
2.4 | Finding Favor Again By Hashem 147 
2.5 | How To Do Teshuvah 152 
2.6 | Yom Kippur – Disconnecting from the Pleasure of Sin 160 
2.7 | Yom Kippur – A Day of Purity 174 
2.8 | Inner Teshuvah 184 
2.9 | Returning To Your Inner Purity 193 
2.10 | The Growth of Yomim Noraim – Before and After 201 
2:11 | Yom Kippur: Teshuvah and Beyond 205 
2.12 | Vayeilech – Yom Kippur – Atonement 213





Thursday, August 24, 2017

Happy birthday Rav Moshe Weinberger

In celebration of the 60th birthday of Rabbi Moshe Weinberger,  a few of us got together to surprise him for a special birthday present. Together with my brother Eitan, Chaim Dovid and Yosef Karduner we went into the studio to record a song, based on words from R’ Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook ZT”L, whose 82nd Yahrtzeit is tonight, the 3rd of Elul.

I had the privilege of composing the melody to this precious poem, a poem that was one of the first teachings which R’ Weinberger himself learned from the Torahs of R’ Kook.

We are honored and excited to be sharing this song with you, as we have begun to discover who we really are, during the month of Elul.

What will emerge from this year's discovery?

Within each and every one of us lies a special instrument, a violin, a guitar, a flute or a drum. Sometimes it takes a while until we learn how to play our own instrument, but from the moment one begins to swim into the sea of Teshuvah, a song begins to sprout forth from the depths of one's soul. It is this song which expresses our inner essence, and brings hope and inspiration to all who hear it.

Poet of tshuvah, Have you been born yet?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fYrT4_C5AvA

Monday, August 14, 2017

Inner Redemption By Rav Schwartz!


INNER REDEMPTION SERIES 1
בס"ד
Thank you for expressing an interest in this amazing opportunity to learn with Bilvavi author Rav Itamar Schwartz, Shlit”a in our upcoming INNER REDEMPTION SERIES.
This 4TH monthly phone chaburah, meets every first Sunday of every chodesh at 8:00 pm IST; 1:00 pm EST. Our first meeting will be September 17th. Class is always on Sunday. I always let everyone know a few days in advance to remind them of upcoming class.
Cost for the upcoming round of 12 classes is $180. ($15 per class)
» All classes will be recorded and are available via phone playback or mp3 recording for your listening convenience.
»
If you do not have access to internet, recordings will also be available on Kol Loshon’s phone service with a special access code for chaburah members only.
» Audio file w/ english translation will be posted within 1 day on the
www.bilvavi.net site.
» English transcript will be available within 3 days on the
www.bilvavi.net site.
» Hebrew only audio version will also be available within 3 days on the
www.bilvavi.net site.
This is a closed chaburah. Therefore, all recordings, mp3 links and access numbers are for the express review purposes of those registered for the chaburah and should not be forwarded to anyone who is not registered. Upon confirmation, you will receive the access numbers for the live classes to come and all recordings of classes you might have missed.
Please note: according to poskim, the cost of the chabura is 100% maaserable as the proceeds are going directly toward the publishing of the author's sefarim.
Format of the Class
The Rav will be speaking in hebrew accompanied by english translation throughout the course of the shiur. The Rav will speak on the topic for 45 minutes. Then we will open up the call to the women to ask the Rav questions for 30 minutes. Know in advance that your questions (via recording) will be made available to whoever registers. All questions should be focused and specific to the topic at hand and one minute only will be allotted to ask each question. Click here for a sample recording from our last INNER SILENCE chaburah with Rabbi Schwartz.

INNER REDEMPTION SERIES 2
To confirm your registration for the chaburah, please follow one of the payment options below
Online Payment
A Paypal account has been set up to receive registration. Anyone wanting to pay via Paypal/credit card should go to: www.paypal.com ; account name is: Robert@Aberman.net . Please make sure to save your Paypal receipt for future reference. Anyone paying via Paypal, add $8 to cover the extra processing costs that paypal automatically takes off the top of each payment. This should be done as one payment.
Payment by Check
Checks sent in the US are tax deductible should be made payable to: “Yeshivas Radin” and mailed to: c/o Rabbi Zvi Cohen, 14 N Crest Place, Lakewood, NJ 08701
Once you have put the check in the mail or paid via paypal, reply to DevorahYaffa@G-dDirectTorah.com. At this point you are considered “confirmed” and you will receive the recordings and access codes and dial-in information to be a part of this live and interactive opportunity to learn with Rabbi Schwartz. Register before September 1st and receive a FREE bonus ebook: “The Best of Bilvavi.”
If anyone has any questions that I did not address above, please email me at:
DevorahYaffa@G-dDirectTorah.com
If you did not register on the www.bilvavi.net site, then we need the following info: Last name: __________________________________________________
First name: __________________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________________

City: _______________________________________________________ Country: ____________________________________________________ How did you hear of this series? _________________________________
This can be faxed to: +972 3-548-0529 | or in Israel to 03-548-0529 Additional info: USA 973.484.9396 | Israel 02-930-9965 

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Good Shabbos



chabad.org
בְּחוֹרֶף תרנ"ב כַּאֲשֶׁר אַאַמוּ"ר לָמַד עִמִּי בְּסֵפֶר הַתַּנְיָא "וְנֶפֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִית בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא חֵלֶק אֱלֹקַהּ מִמַּעַל מַמָּשׁ", הִסְבִּיר כִּי הַנּוֹשְׂאִים בְּתֵּיבַת מִמַּעַל וּבְתֵיבַת מַמָּשׁ הֵם הֲפָכִים. מִמַּעַל תּוֹאֲרוֹ רוּחָנִיּוּת שֶׁבְּרוּחָנִיוּת וּמַמָּשׁ תּוֹאֲרוֹ גַּשְׁמִיוּת שֶׁבְּגַשְׁמִיוּת. וַיְבַאֵר כִּי זֶהוּ מַעֲלַת נֶפֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִית, שֶׁעִם הֱיוֹתָה רוּחָנִיוּת שֶׁבְּרוּחָנִיוּת פּוֹעֶלֶת בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת שֶׁבְּגַשְׁמִיוּת.
In the winter of 5652 (1891),1 my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], taught me the statement in Tanya2 that “the second soul3 of a Jew is an actual part of G‑d Above.” He pointed out that the terms “actual” (mamash4 ) and “from above” (mimaal) are contradictory. “From above” alludes to the very highest levels of spirituality,5 whereas “actual” denotes the most palpable physicality.6
This, he explained, is the unique gift of the Divine soul.7 Though it is sheer ethereal spirituality, it impacts physicality at its most palpable.8

A Story with an Echo
A certain middle-aged American Jew was relocating in a new city. He had been attending Friday evening meals at the local Chabad House for several weeks, and soon began attending classes. His questions were intelligent and relevant, and while he enjoyed any subject that was meaty and intellectual, he was particularly drawn to Chassidus.
Suddenly he stopped attending not only classes, but even the convivial Friday evening meal. He had not left a phone number, and the Chabad House rabbis were unable to locate him.

Three weeks later he reappeared. He was wearing a kippah, his beard had begun to surface, and he enquired where he could purchase mezuzos, how he could kasher his home, and the like. When asked about this development, he explained that in the last class he had attended, he had learned something that made him feel challenged — the concept of the Jewish soul’s being “an actual part of G‑d.” If it was true, he sensed, he would have to develop an entirely different sense of identity from the one he had grown up with in secular America. He had had to wrestle with this issue — and do so alone.

Ultimately, he decided to identify with the Tanya’s image of a Jew. Having made that decision, the beard, the mezuzos, kashrus, and all the other mitzvos, came naturally. When the Torah became the source of his identity, the totality of Jewish observance followed as a natural consequence.
Footnotes
1.
When the Rebbe Rayatz was eleven-and-a-half years old.
2.
Ch. 2. See also the entry for 13 Kislev.
3.
I.e., the nefesh Elokis — the Divine soul.
4.
Mamash is related to mishush (“touching something palpable”) and to mamashus (“substantiality”). Cf. Rashi on Shmos 10:21.
5.
In the original, ruchniyus sheberuchniyus.
6.
In the original, gashmiyus shebegashmiyus.
7.
In the original, “the second soul.”
8.
Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe Rayatz, letter #1056, Heb. Vol. 4, p. 404.

Monday, July 24, 2017

Nine days...



 Our homework this week is to remember that every moment is filled with Divine Providence- hashgacha pratis.  In fact, the only thing we have control over is our yiras Hashem.  

We are reminding ourselves of this throughout the day, when we speak to others and when we are alone and speak directly to Hashem.  

Hashem, You cause rain to fall, grass to grow, flowers to bloom...Sometimes I think that my efforts (or my gardeners) are causing the results but in every moment I know in fact it is YOU that create the results.  Thank You Hashem.

Monday, July 10, 2017

TODAY

We reviewed chapter 2 in Da Es Atzmecha and read this excerpt from bilvavi.net.  

Please continue with the avodah and add in the concept of ain od milvado.  

Next week there will not be live class but I hope (iy'H) to pre-record the third constant mitzvah which ties in with the Torah below.
    • Tefillah - 120 Finding The Shechinah
The Concept of the Shechinah
In the blessing ofולירושלים, we ask Hashem ותשכון בתוכה, that He should return His Shechinah (Holy Presence) back to Jerusalem.
When we had the Beis HaMikdash, the Shechinah was mainly present in the Beis HaMikdash. Before the Beis HaMikdash, the Shechinah was still in Eretz Yisrael, but after the Beis HaMikdash was built, the Shechinah was mainly found in the Beis HaMikdash. It was mainly in the camp of the Leviim, and even more specifically, in the “camp of the Shechinah”, and to be even more specific, in the Holy of Holies, inside the Aron (the Ark).
What exactly is the concept of the Shechinah (Hashem’s Holy Presence)? The Shechinah can be hidden or revealed. The Vilna Gaon writes that the Shechinah is essentially a revelation of Hashem’s existence onto the world. And when the Shechinah goes into exile, Hashem’s Presence is concealed from the world, and instead Hashem’s Presence becomes hidden from the world.
Shechinah is from the word shachein, “neighbor” – for a person to feel that Hashem dwells in him like a neighbor that resides in him.
“Ain Od Milvado”: Nothing Except Revelation or Concealment
When Hashem’s Presence is hidden from the world, this is called he’elam (hiddenness). It is also called hester (concealment). There are a few facets to the concept of he’elam\hester; we will explain.
To give a general description, before Hashem created the world, there were no creations, and it was clear in Creation that He was the only One in creation. This is expressed in our emunah that Hashem is the One who existed before all creations.
After Creation, it seems that there are “many” other Creations within Creation, but the truth is that this is only the external surface of the Creation. In the inner essence of Creation, there is no one but Hashem. “Ain Od” – There is nothing besides for Him in the Creation. There are many ways to explain this concept, but what pertains to our discussion is, that there is nothing besides for Hashem in Creation.
All he’elam\hester in Creation – all the concealment that is going on, which conceals Hashem’s Presence from us – is all taking place on the outer layer of Creation. The world olam, world, is from the word he’elam, because the world itself conceals the reality of Hashem from us. But in the inner layer of Creation – the true depth of reality – there is nothing but giluy, the revelation of Hashem.
There are always two sides to the same coin (the fact that there is nothing in Creation other than Hashem) – giluy and he’elam. The purpose of the world is to reach giluy, and he’elam is what we see in front of us, but they are both two angles of the same reality: Hashem is all that exists, and there is nothing besides Him. This is all that is going on in Creation – there is literally nothing else taking place other than either giluy or he’elam. This is the depth behind the concept of Achdus HaBeriah, that all details of Creation are really unified in its essence.
Changing Your View on Reality
In the world we see in front of us, there is much separation and strife going on. But that is only when we view the world through a superficial lens. If we look at Creation through an inner way, we will see the inner layer of reality, which is that Creation is entirely unified. All of Creation is unified through the fact that there is nothing except for Hashem – Ain Od Milvado. Since there is really nothing besides for Hashem, every detail of Creation is unified through the inner perspective. There is nothing going on in Creation except for either giluy – revelation of Hashem - and heelam, the concealment of this.
When we absorb this knowledge that all of Creation is entirely giluy and heelam, when it penetrates in our heart – it will transforms us. It is the true perspective on all of life. When it penetrates into our heart, this is the true way to view reality. It will enable us to live a constant awareness of Hashem’s Presence.
We can compare this to a person who gets sick, who begins to appreciate his life more now that he has become sick. If he used to run after nonsense, now he will seek truth. His whole perspective towards life changes. The knowledge that there is nothing other than giluy and he’elam is what changes our perspective on life and causes us to live life very differently.
When people don’t think about truth, they go through the motions of life as usual. But when a person thinks about this concept and he lets it penetrate into his heart, he becomes a new person. All he we will see in Creation is nothing but giluy and heelam, and he will then feel Hashem on a regular basis.
Ain Od Milvado” is not just another fact we come across. It is rather a piece of knowledge which totally destroys all superficial perspectives on life. When a person doesn’t internalize Ain Od Milvado, he is susceptible to sin; Chazal say that when a person sins, a ruach shtus (spirit of folly) enters him[1]. The ruach shtus is essentially when a person is unaware of Ain Od Milvado, and that is why he can be vulnerable to sin.
D’veykus to Hashem Through Daas of the Mind and Daas of the Heart
It is written, “And you will know today, and you shall settle the matter upon your heart.” We have an avodah to internalize our mind’s knowledge into our heart. Understandably, there are levels to how much we can internalize emunah into our heart. We have a mind and a heart; the awareness of Hashem we have in our mind needs to become felt in our heart, but that is still the first level of internalization. This is the daas of our mind, which we can then internalize into our heart. But there is a second level of internalization, and it is called acquiring “daas of the heart.” This is when we can actually sense, in our heart, Hashem. It is when we feel “nochach” – “opposite” Hashem.
These are two different kinds of d’veykus with Hashem – through our mind and heart - and these are the two root goals of all our Avodah.
When a person learns Torah, he tends to think that d’veykus to Hashem is solely through learning Torah, as the Nefesh HaChaim writes; his d’veykus to Hashem is entirely experienced through his intellect. Another kind of d’veykus to Hashem is to cry to Hashem from one’s heart and feel nochach. These are the two kinds of d’veykus with Hashem one can reach, but each of these alone does not suffice.
To be more precise, learning Torah is the way to get to d’veykus with Hashem, and when we penetrate to the Torah’s depths, we can get to the innermost point of the Torah, which is the depth of the knowledge about Ain Od Milvado – that there is nothing in Creation except for giluy and heelam. There, we can know and feel that Hashem is “sasra v’galya” (Hidden and Revealed at once). This is the depth of “daas of the heart.”
Of course, just because a person senses Hashem in his heart, this does not mean that he will never succumb to sin anymore. There are always failures in our Avodas Hashem, but the point is, that in spite of our many failings and drops in our spiritual level, we are always able to palpably feel Hashem in our life.
These are the two parts to our d’veykus – becoming attached with Hashem through the mind (through Torah study) and through the heart (feeling Hashem’s existence). The d’veykus through the heart is not as known to most people. Those who truly seek Hashem can feel what daas of the heart is; but it is hidden from most people. Even the first kind of d’veykus, which is clarity through the mind about the truth, is also very hidden from people.
When a person reaches either one of these two kinds of d’veykus, this is the Shechinah he can reveal. It is hidden at first, and a person can reveal it, when he reaches d’veykus to Hashem within himself.
In the Beis HaMikdash, a person was able to sense Hashem completely, no less than how a person can feel when he is happy or sad. It was “daas of the heart” – a palpable sense of awareness to Hashem, not just an intellectual awareness, and not just a feeling. Just like a person can feel hot or cold, happy or sad, so could a person simply feel Hashem there. It was not just a feeling - it was daas of the heart; it was internalized that Ain Od Milvado, that there is nothing but giluy and heelam.
Connecting With the Shechinah
We were exiled due to our sins. We daven every day for the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash. Even when we got the second Beis HaMikdash, the Shechinah did not return. We don’t have a Beis HaMikdash, and we surely don’t have the Shechinah. We pray and await the return of the Shechinah. We should merit it soon. But what should we due in the meantime, when we have no Beis HaMikdash and no Shechinah?
It is written, “I dwell amongst them [even] amidst their impurity.” Hashem is always with us. Also, the sefarim hakedoshim revealed the concept of Olam (World\Place), Shanah (Year\Time), and Nefesh (Soul), that everything in Creation takes place on three planes. For everything that is contained in a place in the world, we can find it manifested in time, and we can find every place and time in our soul as well. In the world, the place where the Beis HaMikdash was found was in the Holy of Holies. In time, the Shechinah is found on Shabbos and Yom Tov, as the sefarim hakedoshim tell us; that a person can reach a degree of Shechinah on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
And in our soul, we can also find Shechinah. How? The Gemara says that 36 tzaddikim greet the Shechinah every day. So we still have some of the Shechinah even though there is no Beis HaMikdash. The 36 tzaddikim have the revelation of the Shechinah. The Steipler zt”l explained this to mean that these tzaddikim greet the Shechinah every day because they can feel Hashem very palpably.
How can a person possibly find the Shechinah nowadays? Where is it revealed? The simple understanding of this is that although we live in a time of hester (concealment of Hashem’s radiance), we can still see miracles sometimes; we see Hashgacha Peratis sometimes. We do not have the full revelation of the Shechinah, but we can still see a spark of it. There are times where we can feel Hashem’s Presence as we go through a difficulty, such as when are zoche to find a shidduch [for ourselves, or for our children] or when we have parnassah, and other such times.
But there is yet a deeper way to feel the Shechinah today. How? It is because the real perspective we are supposed to have on Creation is that the entire Creation is really Ain Od Milvado!! There is nothing besides Hashem! There is no difference if the hester going on is big or small. It’s all a hester – it’s all “concealing” and “hiding” the reality of Ain Od Milvado. When a person absorbs that there is nothing in Creation other than giluy and hester, he can see through all the hester panim. It’s all “one” – two sides of the same coin of Ain Od Milvado, of the reality of Hashem: giluy and hester.
This is not a mere attempt at trying to define reality. It is the reality itself.
Although we live in a world filled with impurity, more than it ever was, it’s all a hester. There is more hester than ever. But it’s all a hester – it is covering over the true reality. It’s all hiding the one, single point which defines reality as it is: Ain Od Milvado. All the hester we see, all the disparity, evil, and impurity going on in the world – is all just hester. It’s not the real reality. It’s all just hiding and concealing from us the fact of Ain Od Milvado.
By absorbing this, a person can see through it all and see how there is only One thing going on: Hashem. There is nothing except either the giluy of His presence or the hester of His presence.
Seeing through the hester panim does not just mean that we can notice Hashgacha Peratis (Divine Providence). Our Rabbis did write than in the era preceding Moshiach, when there will be a lot of hester panim, we can still see Hashgacha Peratis, especially when it comes to shidduchim (finding a spouse). This is certainly true, but there is more to it.
It is not just that we are in darkness now and that in the future we will have all the light. Even right now, you can penetrate the darkness and see a spark of what lies ahead. Although we haven’t yet merited Moshiach, each person can merit the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash in his soul. Who merits this? The ones who realize that all of Creation is nothing but giluy and he’elam of Hashem.
We ask Hashem during the tefillos of Rosh HaShanah that the world become filled with the knowledge of Him. But although we haven’t yet merited this revelation completely, in our soul, we can merit it. You can have the Beis HaMikdash in your own soul, in the present moment – when you feel the Shechinah in your heart, when you feel how much He exists.
This is through both daas of your mind and daas of your heart, together. This is the life of nochach p’nei Hashem, always feeling that Hashem is in front of us.
This is the true way to look at life – for anyone who truly seeks Hashem.



[1] Sotah 2a