Wednesday, July 25, 2012

"Respect for Variety vs detecting a valid threat" : Av The Tikkun of Hearing part 2

Excerpt from the 12 Dimensions of Israel Nechama Sarah Nadborny:


     Sorting out both the inner and the outer voices is not always easy.  Truth is a very quiet whisper which sounds forth from the deepest recesses of the soul, beyond the individual, where all souls are linked together.  It is the song of ultimate love and compassion for everyone and everything, even for that which must be destroyed for the sake of the ultimate good....
    When passions for truth are not maturely channeled through a purely altruistic path they can trun into conflict and hatred for another as well as self-hatred.  Similarly, the destruction of both Temples during this month was due to causeless hatred.  Our inherited noble energy backfired.  As a result, we were cast into exile which still engulfs us.  One of the symptoms of the exile is a lack of tolerance and respect for another whose soul was created to reveal divinity in a unique way whether they be from another tribe in Israel or another nation.
   In other words, this causeless hatred is the unrectified passion for justice and truth.  Perhaps we may despise another in our hearts because we feel that their life-expression is not synchronized with our perceptions of Eternity.  This disrespect is a result of our lack of humility and perception that we are all facets of one soul.  We need to fine tune our hearing of the twelve main melodies comprising one grand symphony.  From this point we may discriminate which tunes are purely cacophonous and must therefore be challenged.  
     Because of the dangers of Shimon's temprement, his tribe was particularly assigned to the role of elementary school teachers.  dealing with the unrefined emotions of the child gave the teachers of Shimon perspective on their own passionate tendencies and their negative repercussions.  Thus while being equipped to best understand and relate to the children, he was able to learn form them

Secrets of Redemption Maamar Ha Geulah- Ramchal #4

Excerpts from Secrets of Redemption, Maamar Ha Geulah: Ramchal pages 5,6

"Do not rejoice, you than brings enmity upon me, for although I fell, I rose up; when I dwell in darkness. Hashem is a light unto me' (Michah 7:8)  This verse aknowledges the sod of Yisrael's trust and their yearnings to be redeemed, completely and speedily in our days, Amen."

Rabbi Nissim, the translator and commentor:
     The Ramchal begins by quoting the verse from Micah which encapsulated the entire redemption process.  It refers to the 1st Beis Hamikdash period where Micah predicts the downfall of Yisrael and Yerushalayim, and the subsequent  ascent towards times of peace and global redemption.

This verse is referred to several times in this work.  It describes the two fundamental stages of world development.  The Ramchal calls these stages pekidah and zecihra.  The first part is the process where hashem safeguards us in the Diaspora and is described by the verse, "I fell".  Towards the end of the period of pekidah, the internal perfection of Yisrael will come into effect.  For this reason the verse continues, "I rose up".

The later stage of the Diaspora occurs when society will begin to perceive Hashem.  Initially society is devoid of godliness and empty of spirituality, and therefore this is referred to as darkness, as  ot says "When I dwell in darkness"  However, once society starts to perceive Hashem they will realize that throughout the period of darkness Hashem was maintaining them.  Therefore the verse concludes that "Hashem is a light unto me".  This later stage is called zechira, since it is as if G-d is called into the world by society.  


*I added the bold

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Tikkun for Av: The month of sovereignty and humility

From the Twelve dimensions of Israel: Nechama Sarah Nadborny


Attributes for this month:
Tribe:Shimon
letter: tet
sovereignty
humility
left kidney
hearing
Menachem Av (July-August)
Leo
hei-vav-yud-hei

The Risk of Self Expression
     Sometimes we must take the risk and follow the deepest voice that we can hear in order to really be alive, to take the chance and live.  We might later discover that it was yet another sound frequency through which we had to pass in order to arrive at the innermost recesses of the soul.  This process required intense faith and prayer in order to cut through our deep-seated tendency to deprecate ourselves (left kidney) on the one hand, or indiscriminately justify ourselves (right kidney) on the other hand.  This inner journey towards the collective soul, the eternal symphony in the paradoxical harmony with individual existence, must be accompanied by a purification of both of these tendencies.  The grand orchestration of truth and rectification can only be heard if every instrument (need and/or desire) is tuned to reverberate with the whole.

     This is illustrated in the vital role that Shimon plays in securing our sovereignty.  When Yehudah was commanded to go up and conquer the land, he took his brother Shimon with him.  Thus we learn that Shimon is a necessary part of redemption.  The sefira of malchut, soverignty embodied in the land) is a facet of this dimension.  The ultimate claims of personal and national soverighnty require a risk of passionate expression.  However, there is always a  chance that such expression can counteract one's goal.

     Although the Moshiach will come from the tribe of Yehudah, he is born on Tisha B'Av, the month of Shimon.   This also teaches that the quality of Shimon's fiery passion for justice is necessary for the final redemption, both personal and collective...The extent to which our Shimon dimension is pure and balanced, the more we deserved our claim.

*I added the bold

To be continued...  (Respect for Variety vs a valid threat)


Sunday, July 22, 2012

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Secrets of Redemption Book- Maamar Ha Geulah #3- Thoughts on the Beit Hamikdash

**This post is a continuation idea from the commentary on the Chatam Sofer post a couple of days ago, see previous post...


From the translator and commentor Rabbi Mordechai Nissim:
Personal vision
"While we are expected to maintain this tightrope of yearning for the future while remembering our loss, focusing on past tragedy can lead to disenchantment.  Therefore our priority should be to focus on renewal.  After the fall of Yerushalayim and the Beis Ha Mikdash ever generation found itself experiencing spiritual confinement in a foreign environment. It is within this context that the idea of rekindling the Divine spiritual light in this world and, thereby bringing about the ultimate end comes into play.
     Consequently it becomes incumbent upon every individual to create a personal vision of the future, his or her own vision of Yerushalayim.  This is expressed by King David in the verse, "Then our mouths will be filled with joy" (tehillim 126:2)  The Talmud expounds that the joy mention here which in hebrew is s'chok, is only permitted in the future....Like the future state of Yeryushalayim, this joy cannot be expressed now and will not find fullfillment until the future.  We thus find a disparity between the mourning of our loss while at the same time we yearn for the sense of joy.  We visualize our future happiness, even though it is not tangible.  By keeping this mental vision of the future alive we have transcended the limitations of time, no matter what historical epoch we find ourselves in.  The Ramchal explains further that the morner actually becomes like a brand that is connected to it.  Therefore when Yerushalayim is rebuilt, those who have mourned its loss will automatically share in the experience of its rebuilding, since they share its fate. "

**This reminds me of one Tisha BAv when I was at the kotel and it felt so unbelievably peaceful.  There was a lot of "light" and it was packed with people.  It was such a wonderful feeling that it almost felt like one of the 3 regalaim.... how it will be in the future please G-d may we return to the actualization of that quickly.  My other thought is that the first stage one really needs to identify with the pain...What is this place of pain, what is its true source?  How I experience it on a physical level, in my body is one of the deepest places of never ending pain.  It is the pain of potentially loosing one's connection with G-d,- which is in my experience the place of the most "existential/spiritual" pain and therefore for those who can feel its counterpart in the body the most "physical" pain in the world.  However when we feel this, we have a ticket to re connection.  And this can provide what the author states as the "rekindling of the spiritual light in the world".  I was speaking to a friend this week who said "Even though the 3 weeks are hard, when I cry I feel the closest to Hashem right now".  This is the ikkar of the work right now...May we be blessed to feel so united with Hakadosh Baruch Hu during this open window for re-connection!!!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Please Daven for a young mother in Am Yisrael

A young mother with 2 children under the age of 2 with cancer that has spread to breast, spine, liver, and brain.  Please say tehillim for Ayala Pamela bat Leah.  You can also visualize sending her the love and support of the nation, and sending her trust in Hashem our true healer during these difficult times of chemo.  May we hear good new soon for all of Klal Yisrael.  Kol Arevim zeh la zeh.  Keep sending out love to your fellow...we need it right now!

Thoughts on the Yeshiva Draft and the Parshat Matot Maasei- Rabbi Pinchas Winston

http://www.shaarnun.org/ShaarNun_Productions/Perceptions.html

The Rabbi raises important points from both sides that should be deeply considered.  This is not a simple issue.  My 2 cents from the "emunah front" are that we need to put extra focus into our Amidah , especially the brachot.   #1 The brachot about giving us daat.  We can pray for our leaders to receive Hashem's true daat about what to do in this situation.  #2 the bracha about "returning us our judges as in earlier times, and our conselors as at first; removing us from sorrow and groan; and reining over us you Hashem, alone." #3 Of course the one about bringing us your geulah with extra kavannah would not hurt either :)  There is confusion in the land and we really need guidance now more than ever so we can come out with more achdut through following the True will of Hashem ...May we be blessed to have righteous leaders who can hear Hashem's true voice and know how to guide us clearly in Hashem's path for us...

Monday, July 16, 2012

The Chatam Sofer before Tisha B'Av

From Aish.com
    Once, on the afternoon before Tisha B'Av, the Chasam Sofer would neither study Torah nor write responsa. He simply closed himself in a room.
    One of his disciples, Reb Moshe, could not restrain his curiosity and he quietly opened the door of the room. He saw the Chasam Sofer weeping bitterly over the destruction of the Temple, his tears falling into a glass in front of him.
    At the meal before the fast, the Chasam Sofer drank from the tears collected in the glass, in fulfillment of the verse (Psalms 80:6): "You fed them with the bread of tears, and gave them tears to drink in great measure."
We must feel the pain of exile if we have any hope of reversing it. Like orphans who never knew their parents, we risk going about our daily lives insensitive to the lack of a healthy spiritual world. On Tisha B'Av, we strive to understand what the loss of the Temple means - and how we can connect with our destiny, our struggle, our mission and our identity as a people.
When the Jewish People were slaves in Egypt, the redemption did not come about until they cried out to G-d (see Exodus 3:7). So too, the future redemption will follow the same pattern: When the Jewish People cry out to the Almighty, He will hear their cry and redeem them.
The Talmud (Brachot 32b) teaches that when the Temple was destroyed, all the Gates of Heaven were closed - except for one. That is the Gate of Tears. This Tisha B'Av, we must remember that the tears we shed for the destruction are precisely those tears which bring about redemption.

thanks to Rabbi Aryeh Leib Nivin

The Month of Tammuz- Tikkun of Sight part 2

Excerpts from The Twelve Dimensions of Israel, Nechama Sarah Nadborny :

Reuven (from the hebrew root, re'eh, "to see")...or another exposition on the name is Reu Ben ("see the difference " Leah says between my son Reuven and Esav, the brother of Jacob)..
There is one particular incident in which Reuven lacked this ability to accept the reality of the past and the present.  As a result, his emotions caused him to overstep his boundaries as Yaakov's son and to interfere with his fathers household.  After the death of Rachel, Reuven expected Yaakov to move into the tent of his mother, Leah.  Instead Yaakov abided with Bilhah.  Rachels half-sister and maidservant.  The painful realization of the lack of propriety that his mother held in his father's life caused him to react passionately rather than wisely.
       In the terminology of Kabbalah the "son" represents the emotive characteristics of the heart and  the "father" represents wisdom.  The drama between Yaakov and his son Reuven is an archetype of all transgressions which are are a result of human needs, emotions and unrectified behavior suffering from incomplete healing, thereby clouding clarity and dictating our actions.                                                                                                                                                                                               
      However, because of his ability to admit his mistake and take responsibility for his actions he was able to do teshuvah-to take a negative action, a transgression, and elevate it to the point where he could gain the power of insight to go beyond the fragmentation.  We learn in retrospect- only in retrospect that the trangression itself was ultimately a vehicle for bringing us closer to G-d.  After the fact, the transgression provides a unique channel for the light of keter to tap our consciousness.  The entire process of tehuvah beomes an intimate learning experience through which the deepest, most beautiful secrets are revealed.  One acquires an individual teaching: like a direct whisper form G-d whose value exceeds all teachings....

Sunday, July 15, 2012

The month of Tammuz- The Tikkun of sight part 1

Excerpts from The Twelve Dimensions of Israel , Nechama Sarah Nadborny

According to the Sefer Yetzira, these aspects are associated with Tammuz

Tribe:Reuven
letter: Chet
severity
awe, fear
right hand
sight
Cancer
hei-vav-hei-yud

Reuven, Reuven can you see now 
That the world is just a mosiac
of His Unity
and a lie is just a reflection
Of the deepest truth
And before you sinned you were already
Forgiven

     Through this dimension we refine the vision of the inner eye of our soul.  Past inappropriate behavior created veils between ourselves and our perceptions of G-d's Unity.  However, once we have chosen to live a more conscious life we are presented with situations that are similar to ones which we have experienced in the past.  A visual symmetry of out inner life begins to unfold a as we are given the opportunity to chose a wiser course of action.
     This entire process begins to expose the transparent rawness of our emotions, which are both part of our instinctive nature and have been molded by past experiences.  Our abberant rawness is rooted in those experiences during which we were not basking in the light of the keter but rather lurking in the shadows of a light yet to be revealed.  As we begin to see through our instinctive responses, our choices become clear.  We may now decide whether or not to struggle with incorporating a higher truth into our present behavior or relax into the familiar.  The correct choice in the present actually serves to elevate the energy expended in the past.  Thus we become part of a process which enables us to reach an even deeper level of insight than the primal state of clear perception.  The initial light of Gan Eden in which Adam and Eve basked, the awesome light, the light of ecstacy and joy, of child innocence is replaced by an even deeper vision of unity that encompasses the paradox of division and oneness.  Our memories create a new symmetry with our present challenges.



Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Secrets of Redemption Ma'amar Ha Geulah #2

The Ramchal explains:
 "Regarding the (two) Mashiachs, it states, "And the scholars (maskilim) will shine like the radiance of the heavens"  These are the two Mashiachs, according to the sod of netzach and of hod.  "And the teachers of righteousness will be like the stars"  These are the rest of the ministering forces who will arise to guide Yisrael under the Mashiachs.  They will be the stars that receive the light form the sun.
     He the explains in another discourse "Know that when these spiritual light radiate with this beauty and longing, then a great and intense spiritual light is drawn to all of the neshmos of Yisrael.  Amd even if it is not our outwardly manifest, nonetheless, their neshamos receive this spiritual light and it implants within their hearts to return to Hashem their G-d and seek Him out.  Regarding this matter, it is written "When you are in trouble at the end of Days you will return unto hashem your G-d and hearken unto His voice" (Devarim)
     Rabbi Nissim the commentor: The Ramchal is describing how at the End of Days there will be a huge spiritual awakening very similar to the baal teshuva movement we are witnessing in out own days.  Furthermoe, individuals involved in this process are described as "teachers of righteousness"-they share in the job of Mashiach to sheperd Yisrael.  May we have the merit to share in this Divine process, and then the "scholars will shine like the radiance of the heaven"


Lets keep bloggin away and imyirtze Hashem we can be zoche to be some part of this :)




Monday, July 9, 2012

Question from a blogger regarding the source of my letters to the nation with my reply


Question:
I have a question and I hope you don't take it as criticism. How does a human being of flesh and blood write a letter as if the Boreh Olam Himself is writing it? We have love letters from Hashem in Torah and TaNaCh. Again, I hope I am not hurting your feelings but I have never in my life see a Jew do this.

Answer: I am so happy that you asked this question, as I think that anyone who is reading this post should inquire the source of the information. I realize that you are asking from a place of love and good intentions and it should definitely be clarified publicly.  Just to share a little about myself, I am a Charedi leumi woman who feels very connected to the soul of Am Yisrael.    I write these posts Beezrat Hashem from a place in my Neshama, after morning shacharit (during hitbodedut), where I hear the words within .  I say them in the exact way that I hear them inside.  I do not say that these are the words of Hashem, the title is just a creative expression of what I hear my Neshama saying.  As we are all parts of the collective soul of Am Yisrael, each Neshama is a chelek elokai mimal,  each soul can determine on its own if this resonates as Truth on whatever level for them.  I am a constant seeker of Truth and  Chas VChalilah I would ever put words that did not reflect the ikkar of Tanach to Am Yisrael.  As I have seen so far nothing I have written seems to contradict what I have seen in all of our sources as nothing seems to be "new under the sun".  In addition before I put out the first letter I felt very ill at ease about what I was going to do, though I felt the push inside so overwhelmingly strong , I felt that I did not have the choice but to write what I heard inside(My name is Devora, I  guess that explains it :)  
     As I write the letters I am usually a little bit shaky even during it.  I spent much time trying to get clarity about how to proceed and so  I asked advice from Rav Moshe, a Kabbalist who answers shailot for the Am at the kever of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai.  I read him on of the letters, and told him that I do not want people to think I am saying  I am a prophetess or something of the sort (despite the title of the blog I have much fear and trepidation about this).  After he heard  one he just kept say "wow, wow wow", and that the one I had read to him was even reflecting the Torah portion of the week  ".  He said that I have to write them and continue to be a "warrior" for Am Yisrael, especially starting in the month of Tammuz, and that I have a blessing to write them as they come from a place of Yirat Shamayim and from a kol pnimi.  He gave me full blessing to do this and said that I will be needing to write a lot more in the future.  Again please take these words according to your own Truth sensor from your own Neshama...as that is what we have to rely on now in this world until Moshiach Tzidekenu comes and our prophets are brought back to us. 

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Letter to my Holy Nation #10

You are My beloved nation.  I have been waiting so long to return to you completely.  Please return to Me as well.  There is no time left.  My love for you is boundless.  Beyond all the seas and the mountains of the entire world.  I wait for you every day.  I have created life for you on Earth to come to know Me forever.  I am rebuilding the Beit Hamikdash now in Shamayim.  You need to get ready to receive it here on Earth.  Your vessel needs to be larger.  Filled with more torah, and mitzvot to receive the holy light I want to shower you with at this moment.  Am Yisrael please do your part.  You are My holy children.  Walk in my ways.  Know that you are chosen to do this important task in the world, and Do it to the best of your ability now.  Don't say "tommorrow I'll make more time to learn, to go to shul, to keep shabbat,"  Start today.  Know that there is One above you always and that this Is the plan for the fixing of all of creation.  Don't be reticent to reach out to Me.  To ask Me for assistance, to talk to Me.  My children where are All of you?  So many more can reach out to Me.  So many bright neshamot that I planted in the world.  Shake the dust off and return to your Abba.      Don't run towards your idols of culture and materialism. Don't feel the need to run and seek pleasure from other sources that are outside(anything material devoid of kedusha)... Run towards me!!  Keep kashrut.  Don't run towards treif restaurants.  Keep your soul pure.  Don't run to seek what others have.  Be happy with your intrinsic holiness that I gave you.  This is your birthright.  Don't tarnish it!! In the end Know that Only your connection to Me will bring you the Truth, happiness, contentment, True love, True peace, and True Freedom that you are seeking.

**If you are seeking practical advice of how to reach these goals, I would love to support B'simcha

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Use the 3 weeks to Connect with the Light of the Creator


"We just began a period of three weeks from the 17th of Tammuz (Cancer) until the 9th of Av (Leo). The name came from the verse in Lamentation 1:3, it says “גָּלְתָה יְהוּדָה מֵעֹנִי, וּמֵרֹב עֲבֹדָה–הִיא יָשְׁבָה בַגּוֹיִם, לֹא מָצְאָה מָנוֹחַ; כָּל-רֹדְפֶיהָ הִשִּׂיגוּהָ, בֵּין הַמְּצָרִים”
“Judah is gone into exile because of affliction, and because of great servitude; she dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest; all her pursuers overtook her within the straits”
During this time the elements of judgment (Left) are stronger that Chessed (Right). Besides the destruction of the two Holy Temples, the history is full of negative events that happened to the Israelites. The month of Tammuz (Cancer) is full of confusion and doubts in the ways of God. The sin of the Golden calf was in Tammuz and that created a cosmic event that is repeated every year. The main impact is on the level of connection between us and the Light of the Creator. The forces of the negative side with the help of the Erev Rav has greater ability to bring chaos on us.
On the 9th of Av, at the end of the three weeks (21 days), we read the entire book of Lamentation. It is written in special orders of the 22 Hebrew letters to correction and bring the light in order that will shine 7 days after, on the 15th of Av that we know as the day with the highest level of unification between the light and the vessel..
The remedy to overcome the situation of “all her pursuers overtook her within the straits” is a stronger connection to the sources of light that is available to us. We start with the Zohar to help us get charged with the energy of love to each other. Especially during this period we should avoid conflicts because negativity can easily set a burning fire in every situation.
Until the 9th of Av, we should be carefull with every action that we do and avoid judgment as much as you can. Starting new or buying new things may include more of the aspect of judgment so we better avoid purchasing anything unless it is vital to our daily routines, personal or business."
Source Daily Zohar .  ** I added the bolding.  **I realize that this is an "unorthodox" website in its approach to open kabbalah learning for all, and at the same time this really spoke to me

Friday, July 6, 2012

Collective/personal Tikkun and the Beit Hamikdash


  During the omer period as I was trying to internalize the concept of the 2nd Beit Hamikdash being destroyed in connection to Sinat Chinam (baseless hatred), I had a vision of the Beit Hamikdash burning and felt that I was some how a part of this. The part of my collective Neshama which felt the unbelievable pain of Hashem's "abandonment,"(Hashem really just hid his face and withdrew some of his light), intuited that if I am in so much pain, then I must have been a part of the cause (At least as much as I am a collective Neshama of the nation if not more).  I felt that I was also responsible for the fact that the nation was not in alignment with Hashem's will during this period and consequently its destruction.  Therefore I  feel a responsibility on soul level to do Teshuvah.  Without going into gilgulim etc. the sages also explain simply: “Every generation for which the Temple is not rebuilt, is as though the Temple was destroyed for that generation.” 
     I have also felt this similar experience in relation to the Shoah.  After having many bodily experiences over the years where I felt like I must have had a gilgul in the Shoah, instead of staying in a place of victimization, I turned within and tried to look at how I could due teshuvah on the past.  What I witnessed was various memories where I had no knowledge of Hashem during that time period.  I felt very strongly that if I had known Hashem at all and followed his Torah, and listened to his guidance within, my experience may have looked different.  This sparked much Teshuvah/tikkun on both forgiving Hashem, myself, and allowing myself to re-enter into a relationship with Him.

A practical thought for collective teshuvah during this period:

  1. To ask Hashem during a period of prayer of meditation to please forgive the part where your Neshama may have had a part in any specific or collective aspect of the destruction of the first or 2nd temple.  (The first temple being connected to horrible idol worship). Then  to say that this should be a full Teshuvah from love, and should be replaced Beezrat Hashem by this current relationship of love, or desire to get closer to Him.   
  2. To allow yourself to be forgiven as well and feel Hashem's love (That despite anything that we have done Hashem never "severs the tie" and always loves us.  Remember that the Shechina even went with us straight into the darkness of Galut!!
*Of course these are my own thoughts I have not had the time to research the idea of collective teshuvah in the sources, though I know that there is some concepts that overlap of the Baal Shem Tov.  If someone has some sources, send them my way. Thanks and blessings 

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

To my Holy nation letter #9

Am Yisrael, the time is closing in fast and the work is great.  Do not close your eyes or be scared, Trust in your Abba Bshamayim.  Know that My deep love for you guides all of your challenges right now.  Know that this is All from Me to get you ready to receive again anew all the light that awaits you.  Don't be scared.  Know that this is all for the Good of the planet.  Do not buckle under the weight being placed upon you.  Search Me out for all of the answers and I will whisper them to you in a still small silent voice.  I will guide you on your path as much as you put all of your reliance and trust in only Me.  Move forward.  Trudge ahead like proud warriors in My army.  Your wholeness is linked to you linking and binding yourself to Me forever.  When you link yourself to Torah and mitzvot, then there is eternal life as the soul never dies.  Do not fear.  No one can bring you into a place of fear under my wings other than yourself.  You are my beloved children.  Where do you find me? Within yourself and within all of creation.  I love you all equally.  Each and every Jew (as well as  goyim who seek me out) has an opportunity to come close to me.  It does not matter what your past was until now.  Just open your hearts and begin to follow my ways.  My Torah and Mitzvot are the bridges that link us together continually.  Every mitzvah adds another reinforcement to this bridge.  Feel me within you and you will not be frightened.


Living with the Creator

In Bilvivavi Miskan Evneh the author states that the goal in life is to feel that the Creator is right near him.  According to the Ramchal this is one of the most difficult levels to achieve.  As the Ramchal says, our senses contradict this truth. (Mesilat yesharim, ch 19).  But when a person gradually accustoms himself to attain it, Hashem will certainly help him until he really feels Him right nearby, and he can talk to his Creator "as one talks to a friend"  This may at first seem beyond a person, but if one accustoms oneself to have all his activities center around Hashem and talks to him throughout the day, it will become much easier.  he will grown in this lofty avodah of feeling that hashem is there and speak to him at all times as if to a friend.  This will become very simple and natural.  This was the way of the great rabbis in all the generations.  they sense a most tangible way that Hashem was present right next to them. 

Here is an inside look at two special Jew's conversations with Hashem.  Blessings to them for posting these internal private experiences for us to have a glimpse into the active workings of hitbodedut. Fields of Judah and A Thunderous Reply

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

We are one Soul

I am reminded every day as I live my life as a Jew, that every Jewish soul is my soul and that we are in seperable in our mission.  I felt this as I wept after seeing someone who used to be religious without tzizit and kippa anymore.   The feeling I experience is that any Jewish soul's struggles and challenges are my challenges and responsibility as we are" Kol Arevim Zeh La Zeh".  He is part of my soul and I am part of his. The chiddush I took in response to this scenario however, was instead of placing judgment in the world, I davened for him and intuited that he had felt sad and disconnected from Hashem. I try to send him energy that he should feel enveloped in Hashem's light  As our souls are always pure, Beezrat Hashem they will all will be guided to return to their truest soul light.
        Another positive example I had of this was davening at the Kotel this week.  As a woman with small children who does not go to shul all of my davening is not in tzibbur (with the pulic).  Hearing the shalich tzibbu r(the prayer leader) at the Kotel was such a beautful mirroring of my own soul.  This same feeling happened when I listened to the video Tzion (see post below for video), and another occasion on hearing a beautiful chassid singing tehillim with his whole soul out loud one day.  I felt so strongly in all these instances that we are one nation, there is only One Torah, and none of us should ever feel alone in our mission in Am Yisrael.  They are singing and yearning my deepest beliefs from inside of them and I am singing and yearning their deepest beliefs inside of me.  And why does it make me cry because Hashem placed this same exact True Torah and therefore same exact yearning inside all of Am Yisrael!!!  We all feel it because this torah is who we all are.  May we all be blessed to keep elevating each other to our highest potential as Jews.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Secrets of the Redemption- Excerpt from the Book Ma'aamar Ha Geulah from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato #1

Important intro from the translator and commentor Rabbi Mordechai Nissim:

While our actions do not compare to the actions of righteous people in earlier generations, we can still contribute to the tapestry of endeavor in the Divine plan.  The challenge is not for history to repeat itself, but for every new moment to bring new light into this world as part of a creative process.  In this work, the Ramchal often expresses the exile as a period in which the Schechina-the Divine Presence-is in exile.  It should be understood that it is not the essence of G-d that is exile since nothing can effect the omnipotence of the Infinite One.  However, it is the holiness and spirituality within physical matter that is in hiding.  The Divine presence is seemingly lost in the secular world.  This further fuels the need to reconnect with the source of light.
     The Supreme Creator has fashioned this unique structure in order to give humans the elements of free choice,so that as the inexorable process of human history unfolds, there are many episodes of darkness, due to man's free will.  Ultimately, however the freedom to choose will culminate in an independence that brings mankind to take responsibility for the universe and to recognize the oneness of existence through technological advances.  This process will lead man to the sole Creator and his Divine plan.  Yerushalayim represents that perfected state, and the individual carries the responsibility to contribute towards this vision of Yerushalayim.  


*As we are getting closer to our Redemption Beezrat Hashem, this work from the Ramchal helps one understand and inkling more of the process.  Im Yirtze Hashem I will post small important sections from this work. I included the bolding, not the author.  

May A Kohen leave Eretz Yisrael? Halacha

http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?PageIndex=&ClipID=2343