How bad is it not to listen?

An answer from the Rebbe written to R' Moshe Yitzchak Hecht A"H was recently shared online. The Rebbe says, when people close to the Rebbe are happy, that makes the Rebbe happy and vice versa.

In another, now famous, answer the Rebbe tells him that before he complained his request was answered and we sent Moshe Yitzchak Hecht, you should get to know him, and quickly, and things will be much better...

 R' Moshe writes to the Rebbe and the Rebbe responds; be happy! And he writes again and the Rebbe responds; be happy!

Please check out some of the correspondence here http://chabad.org.il/Magazines/Article.asp?ArticleID=6351&CategoryID=1340.

When he passed away the Rebbe spoke about him: "חסיד ומקושר לכ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר נשיא דורנו, ששלחו ומסר על-ידו הקמת וניהול מוסדות של הפצת התורה והיהדות, והמעיינות חוצה, ובמילוי שליחות זו היתה התעסקותו כל משך ימי חייו"

"He's a Chassid, connected to the Rebbe, a Shliach his entire life" and so on.

Looking at the 'bigger picture' to me this is so inspiring! A man, a Chassid and even a Shliach who struggles with dejection, the Rebbe deals with him. Receives some of the most exceptional answers from the Rebbe. And complains again. And the Rebbe deals with it again! And then when he passes away the Rebbe speaks about how special a person he was!

We can struggle. We write in. Goes by some time and we write in again, about the exact same thing. Goes by some time and we do it again. And again.

Does that make us 'bad' Chassidim? Or is that just part of what we're doing here?

Tiferes

To add another dimension of Tiferes (after the previous post): Chesed is the desire of the Mashpia to give. Yet Chesed is too generous. If Chesed is not tempered then what he gives will be too much. That's when Gevurah slows down the Chesed. But then the Mashpia might not give enough or not give at all. Then Tiferes pulls back from Gevurah so that there will be a Hashpa'ah. And now it will be a balanced Hashpa'ah.

V'chol Banaich 5689 - Derushei Chasunah

The Middle Column

Compassion, explains the Kabbalah, is a blend between the two extremes of Kindness/giving and Strength/Judgment/withholding.

The conventional explanation is that this statement explains to whom the giving attribute is directed: kindness argue that all are worthy of receiving, Strength/Judgement argues that very few are worthy of receiving. Compassion is a blend of both perspectives. While it agrees with strength/judgment that not all are worthy of receiving, it nevertheless agrees with Kindness’s bottom line that all shall receive; for compassion applies to those who are undeserving as well.

There is however another reason why compassion is considered the “middle” and a mix of Kindness and strength, not based on to who the attribute is directed bit because of the properties of the attribute itself. Because kindness is weak. a person must have a soft spot to another in order to give. Judgment however is strong and forceful (hence the Kabbalistic name for Judgment: “strength”).

Compassion, however is a blend of the two. for although it gives - thus it is similar to kindness - it nevertheless gives with strength - incorporating and using the quality of strength into it's giving. 

(Leku"s Mikets 15 Sicha 2)

Thank You

Why are people so ungrateful? Why don't your teenage children appreciate all that you do for them? Why does your spouse take you for granted? Why do your co-workers not thank you for your important contribution to the team? It could be argued that  what strains so many of our relationships is that the person we are so desperately trying to connect to does not acknowledge our effort.

Indeed, acknowledge is the key word.

The Hebrew word for thank you, Hodaah, is the same word As acknowledge - as in 'I may disagree with your point of view but I acknowledge that you have your own perspective'.

Why is thanking so connected to acknowledgement, to the extent that the Hebrew puts them in the same word? The answer is simple, only by acknowledging the other's perspective can you truly thank her. To illustrate: my mother did and continues to do so much for me. My biggest obstacle to thanking her is that from my perspective everything she does is because, as a mother, she is supposed to, I mean isn't that her job? The only way I can genuinely thank her is if I adopt her perspective. If I can appreciate all the sacrifices she sacrificed of herself for me, all those times thy she could have taken care of herself yet she lovingly dedicated the time to me. Only when I acknowledge her perspective - "Hodaah" - can I say - "Todah" - thank you.

The same is true for our long standing dispute with G-d. Our perspective is that our life, health ,and success is due to our independent efforts, and the only person we need to thank is ourselves. From G-d's perspective, however, the entire universe is being brought into existence every moment by the word of G-d. From his perspectives the only true reality is the Godly vitality within every created being.

The only way we can thank him is if, even if we cannot fully adopt his perspectives, we are open minded enough to acknowledge that there is another perspective in addition to our own.

Simchas Torah by the Rebbe

At the Farbrengen of Simchas Torah 5727 the Rebbe tells the story of the first time the Alter Rebbe saw the Baal Shem Tov while he, the Alter Rebbe, was awake. And then quotes the Rebbeim that just like "Yehoshua never departed from Moshe's tent" so too the Alter Rebbe never departed from the Maggid's 'tent'. And asks: the Maggid was Rebbe for 13 years and the Alter Rebbe was by the Maggid for only 32 months, how is that never departing the Maggid's tent?

The Rebbe answers that when the Alter Rebbe left the Maggid he did so as a Shliach and the Meshalayach is always with the Shliach. That is how the Alter Rebbe never left the Maggid's tent.

Therefore, the Rebbe explains, there are those who aren't here by the Farbrengen because they are on Tahalucha, in other Shuls making Jews happy. Some are so far they can't even make it to Hakafos. And some can't even be here for Shabbos Bereishis. They should know that the Rebbe is with them and they can even see the Rebbe and even while they're awake!

What I "took" from this Sicha is that trying to relive the Rebbe's Hakofos, reading and studying about it, hearing about it and then picturing it, is important to know what my Hakafos should aspire to be. Yet if I want to actually be by the Rebbe's Hakafos then I must find another Jew and simply make him happy! And that's the Rebbe's Hakafos!

I had also read Rabbi Yossi Lew's description of Simchas Torah 5748. What stuck out for me was how the Rebbe encouraged everyone to dance. The Rebbe would turn to a section of the Shul till they where dancing their hearts out, then the Rebbe turn to the next section and so on. At one point the Rebbe even turned to the elderly Chassidim and didn't stop encouraging them until every single one was dancing and jumping! This is our job! Take one person and dance your heart out with them
then go to the next one...!

One thing I couldn't relate to was seeing the Rebbe while we're awake. For people like us?

Comes Hakafos I grab a Jew, that I don't really know, I can't even remember who he was, and start dancing with him. Dancing hard for a little while. We slow down and he stars gushing about what I just did for him... Thanking me... I grab someone else, dancing hard... He opens up to me... Starts telling me about himself... I grabbed a few more Jews...

The next day after musaf everyone went to eat and I'm sitting with a couple of 'anash' telling them this insight. A congregant sticks his head in and asks if he could also listen in. Sure! After I finish talking about finding a Jew and dancing with him. This person says but you didn't dance with me! So I say "let's dance now!" We get up dance hard for a while and then he got all emotional and starts crying! He sits down and it takes quite a while to he gets back to himself...!

Seeing the Rebbe while we're awake means, to paraphrase the Rebbe Maharash, literally. But it did feel real close!

A Rebbe's vort

Mas. R"H 21A

Hichriz R' Yochanan:
R"Y made an announcement; That since it takes longer for Shluchim to get the message out about the Chodesh in Tishrei than in Nissan (because there is an extra day or three some years ((R"H & Y"K)) that they are not allowed to travel on), there are some cities that are right on the dividing line of one day and two day YomTov and therefore they get the message about the Chodesh in time for Pesach but not for Sukkos, they should still celebrate two days Pesach YomTov like the rest of Galus. Why? Because they might make a mistake come Sukkos and celebrate only one day, even though they hadn't heard from the Shluchei B"D, saying our custom is just one day just like we do on Pesach and possibly come to chilul Y"T.
One time two students of R"Y were visiting such a city and they saw them celebrate only one day Y"T and they didn't protest. When they returned to R'Y he heard about it and Ikpid.
They themselves celebrated two days when they were in that city, and you can be medayek that from Rashi D"H v'avdei chada yoma. Rashi wrights Bnei HaMakom the inhabitants.
Why didn't they say anything?
Possibly, since they were just visiting they didn't feel comfortable mixing in. Maybe the city had its own Rov that they didn't want to show up. Possibly the announcement by R'Y wasn't even widely known or accepted. The city wasn't even doing anything wrong. The Shluchim had shown up and told them what day Rosh Chodesh was! Because maybe by Tishrei they would make a mistake which even then might not lead to an Issur (if they guess correct). "Let's just mix out" they might have thought.
Ikpid Rebbi Yochanan.
They as Talmidim had a responsibility to mix in and educate the community.

Akeida

People have always struggled with the Akeida.
Sure it was only a test (which explains Hashem) but Avrohom was going to do it!
An answer I always give is that Yitzchok knew what was going on (he was 37) as Rashi explains.
But still.. It just doesn't sit so right.
An idea I had, is that to properly understand this we have to know where Avrohom was coming from. And we know he came from a place and an era where idol worship was rampant and this included child sacrifice. Which only strengthens the question Avrohom had moved away completely from the lifestyle of child sacrifice, then how could he entertain the thought that Hashem Echad would want this. (why for the purposes of passing the test could he not just say no thanks?)
If he would have said no, would he have failed the test? What was Hashem testing, How far  he could go before being stopped?
When thinking about Mitzvos and how we have to fulfill them because Hashem commanded us to and not because they make sense. What is moral? The only true morals are those given and made by Hashem. And this is the point hat Avrohom had to confront. He knew that sacrificing ones own was wrong and so did a lot of others. But why was it wrong because it didn't feel right? He knew that what makes something right or wrong is Hashem's command and that is what Hashem was testing, the understanding of what makes something moral.

Mi K'Amcha Yisrael

I was speaking to my mother and she was telling me about a teenager who is not a poster child for chassidishkeit. There was a question what would you do with the money if you would win the lottery. And the girl answered about different mosdos and Chabad Houses that she would donate to. My mother commented that her children also fit this behaviour the first things they would mention would be the Tzdoka they would give.
Mi K'Amcha Yisrael
On a side note, I remember fantasies I had as a teen, that I would gain access to the notorious Jew room in the CIA and there would be recordings of all the Shabbos farbrengens and Tkios and Hakofos.

Story told by Zaidy Mendel

After the war Zaidy was living in Germany and the Germans gave them a place to live. They had kicked out the Germans living there and given it to Jewish survivors. He was living with all different types of Jews and only one other Lubavitcher Aharon Elyah (? Author of Gershuni?). Aharon Elyah was well versed in chakirah philosophy.  The Chassidim where in Poking so for Yomim Tovim they would travel to Poking. It would take 3 trains to get there so they would get out at 2 stations. 

The antisemitism was very bad. The Jews and non Jews would sit separately. To identify if the person was a Jew they would say to the person "Amecha?" If the person would respond Amecha they would know he's Jewish. That was the code. 

It was a Yud Beis Tammuz and Zaidy and Aharon Elyah traveled to poking. At the secon station they got out and it was just a beautiful day. They went outside where there was a large and beautiful 'kikar' with trees grass etc. 

They where looking to find some Jews and saw 4 people talking. They walked over and said "Amecha?" And they responded Amecha. So they joined them.

The first guy was saying the great miracles HaShem had done for them during the holocaust that saved his family. One night he was walking by the fence surrounding the camp when a polish fellow threw a note over the fence and walked away. He opens the note and there's the address of this guy and says that if you can escape and come to this address I'll protect you till the end of the war.

He starts walking around the perimeter camp trying to find a place to escape. And finds a hole in the fence. He gets out goes to the address and shows the guy the note. The polish guy welcomes him in and says he'll of course help him and even his family if he can get them out.

So he would sneak into the camp and get his family members out one by one until he had gotten his whole family out and they hid in this polish guys house till after the war. So he was saying how amazing the miracles HaShem did for them. 

The second guy responds "so you're telling me that your family must have been greater tzaddikim then my father!? You see my father would sit and wear talis and Tefilin all day and completely removed himself from the world. The breadwinner was my mother. When the Germans came they ripped the Tefilin off my father's head and arm. Searched and took anything valuable in the house. Like the silver candlesticks and the like. Put them in a bag and tied them up with the Tefilin straps. Then killed my entire family. I'm the only one that survived. Since then I stopped believing.

The third guy then says you shouldn't say that. He said it in clear yiddish which is quite surprising based on the story he told. "By me my parents where completely assimilated. So much so that I didn't even know I was Jewish. When the Germans came they found out we're Jewish and came to take us away. As they where taking us my father says you should know we're actually Jewish. 

"I came to the camp and now that I found out I was Jewish I wanted to know what it means. So I started asking and learning whatever I could from the Jews. I then made a promise to HaShem that if I make it out of the camps I'll buy a pair of Tefilin put them on every day and do everything I can to do what HaShem wants me to do. 

"I found out that this holocaust isn't the first time this happened to us but that thousands of years ago it happened. If this happened so long ago and we're still here then how can you stop believing? I started believing!"

The fourth guy a young man responds, by asking questions the third guy about HaShem and faith. Aharon Elyah then turns to me and says this guy is good, he's asking deep questions, the others won't be able to answer I must mix in. And Aharon Elyah starts answering. The guy asks, Aharon Elyah answers or asks something back and the 2 are going back and forth one on one. Then the train blows its horn. It's about to leave so the conversation stops and they all get on the train separately. Again they ask a passenger "Amecha?" Someone responds "Amecha" and they sit down. 

A little later this fourth guy comes through the train from behind them. Passes them by goes to the end of the train and turns around and sees them. He comes over and says "I was looking for you!" 

They squeeze and make room for him and says; "you think I don't believe? Actually I'm a great believer. I'm now 22 years old and was taken to the camps at 14. I don't read any "empty" books. I just want to find out one thing is there a G-d? I read every book on the subject and I've come to the conclusion, you don't need faith to believe in G-d. It is was makes sense. Because all the books against belief don't answer any questions they just make them bigger!"

"But" he says, "I don't believe in the Torah being divine. But if I don't believe the Torah is from HaShem why do I get punished if I don't do them"? And he starts crying! Remember he was a 22 year old kid!

"So I told him a story of the Tzemach Tzedek. Someone once came to the Tzemach Tzedek saying he has doubts in his faith. So the Tzemach Tzedek asked him "nu, so what's wrong?" So he says "but I'm a Jew!" And starts crying. So the Tzemach Tzedek said "so then you believe!"

Forgiveness

What is Yom Kippur?

What is the most serious day of the year? What is forgiveness?

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year and we spend all day confessing our sins. Is that the holiest thing we can do?

R' Mendel when he came to New York he sees a few bochurim studying a maamer and sees the words "cheshbon hanefesh" and asks them what is a cheshbon hanefesh. They wait for him to respond so he says: "on Yom Kippur you think about all the sins you did in Cheshvan. Then the sins you did in Kislev and so on. Right? That's a cheshbon hanefesh, right?

"Feh! So many Yidden get together, fasting, praying, dressed up in a kittel, resemble angels, wrapped in a talis, and they're all thinking machshovos zoros - innappropriate thoughts!? And ones that they've long forgotten, they dredge back up!? Feh!

So what is a cheshbon hanefesh? Standing Yom Kippur you recall how wonderful Hashem was to you in Cheshvan. And how kind He was to you in Kislev and so on. And yet I was so callous, so careless, I hardly thought about Him at all, I went against so much of what He asks me. That's a cheshbon hanefesh."

The point is like this: forgiveness, Teshuvah is not about feeling regret or feeling guilty. Those usually come from the yetzer harah. It's the yetzer harah's tool to take control over us. Besides, what exactly do you regret? You didn't like sinning? It wasn't fun? It didn't meet your expectations?

You ask yourself "how could I have done it"? What, you can't believe it? You're just fooling yourself. If you can't believe you did it then you don't know yourself.

The same with forgiveness. How can you forgive? What does it mean you forgive? If the damage is done then the damage is done. You can't undo that. So you forgive anyway. Does that mean you really didn't care in the first place?

Yom Kippur and forgiveness are both about a relationship. We have a relationship with Hashem and in this context forgiveness makes sense. I forgive you means that our relationship means more to me then the damage done. I can't fix the damage. But you are more important to me and let's get back together.

What this means is: that as long as I'm focused on myself, if it's about me, which is what regret and guilt are, then there's no forgiveness. When I'm here for you that's where forgiveness is.

And that's why Teshuvah must be with joy. If it's about guilt then there's no joy. It's very depressing. But if it's about our relationship then when I lose myself and start focusing on you, the closeness brings great joy.

This is why Yom Kippur is not the most serious day. It's an awesome day. A joyous day. It's when we come so close to our Father in heaven.

Issues

Why are we getting down on ourselves?

Let's be honest: How much of my sins and mistakes are my fault? I know we have free choice so I had 100% freedom to choose not to do it but come on, who set me up to it? Who made the sin? Who made me want the sin? Who made me that I should desire sin? Or desire anything unG-dly? Or with my weak personality that I keep on giving in? Who made my personality?

So how much is really my fault? 5%? 4%? Less?

We must first of all realize that the way I am is the way I am meant to be. With all the issues, desires, weaknesses etc. I am exactly as Hashem intended me to be! There's nothing wrong with me! So why am I getting so hung up on my issues?

What I should be doing is understand that if this is the way Hashem intended me to be, so now what does He want me to do about it? That's really my only problem the rest is His problem.

And more globally; we look around and spiritually and morally we're at an all time low. Communities that seem so safe are losing children and values like never before. The public schools and the kids getting into who knows what?

But who's problem is that? Who's fault is it? Not mine. Not yours. It's His problem. Who made the world like it is? Who created internet where kids at the youngest ages know and might have seen stuff which adults in the past might have never known? Who made people enjoy doing bad?

The world is just the way it's meant to be!

So if people are losing faith is that surprising? If morality is at an all time low is that surprising? Kids on drugs, surprising...?

What is surprising is there are boys and girls out there who do the right thing! Who actually go against the grain and try their best! There are top quality chassidishe boys and girls. That's surprising! And possibly the greatest miracle of our time! Or maybe of all time!

Teshuvah

The HaYom Yom of 3 Tishrei:

The Tzemach Tzedek had yechidus with the Alter Rebbe on Monday of Teitzei, 6 Elul 5564 (1804); the Rebbe told him: "On Shabbat Tavo 5528 (1768), my Rebbe (the Maggid of Mezritch) said a "Torah" beginning V'shavta ad Havayeh Elokecha He explained that the avoda of teshuva must attain a level at which Havayeh, transcendent Divinity beyond worlds, becomes Elokecha - Elokim being numerically equivalent to hateva (nature), and as we find, "in the beginning Elokim created the heavens and the earth etc." All the Holy Society (disciples of the Maggid) were profoundly stirred by this teaching. The tzadik R. Meshulam Zusya of Anipoli said that he could not attain the heights of such a teshuva; he would therefore break down teshuva to its components, for each letter of the word teshuva is the initial of a verse:

T: Tamim - "Be sincere with the Eternal your G-d."

Sh: Shiviti - "I have set G-d before me always."

U: V'ahavta - "Love your fellow as yourself."

V: B'chol - "In all your ways, know Him."

H: Hatznei'a - "Walk discreetly with your G-d."

When my father told me this, he concluded: "The word teshuva comprises five (Hebrew) letters, each letter a path and a method in the avoda of teshuva." (He explained each method at length). Each moves from a potential state to actuality through the avoda of davening.

1. Isn't it interesting that a Rebbe says something to his Chassidim, they are very inspired and one of them says this is beyond me!? Your Rebbe just told you something and you say it's not for you?

What's even more interesting is that what R' Zushe says is what is then elaborated on! Not only do we accept his comment but we even study it and the original statement of the Maggid is almost like a side to the main idea!

And even more then that; the Alter Rebbe has an entire maamer in Lku"t explaining the concept of "the avoda of teshuva must attain a level at which Havayeh, transcendent Divinity beyond worlds, becomes Elokecha"! And that was said to his Chassidim and Chassidim afterwards till us! If R' Zushe couldn't handle it then why should we?!

2. What is the connection between the statement of the Maggid and the way R' Zushe breaks down the Avoda of Teshuvah. It seems the he was inspired by the Maggid's Torah that brought him to realize the 5 ways of Teshuvah. 

3. Something this HaYom Yom seems to be saying: 

Teshuvah always seemed to be a 'fix it'. You make a mistake then you got to fix it and that's Teshuvah. That's what you learn as a kid and that basically is what Teshuvah is.

Chassidus of course adds that Teshuvah can be done even without making a mistake because even the greatest Tzaddik is so distant from Hashem that he must return-Teshuvah. Yet it's still only about fixing a problem and very one dimensional.

This Hayom Yom gives a whole new life to Teshuvah. It's multifaceted, it has different paths, Teshuvah is a whole way of life unto it's own! And of course it's not depressing! It has so much to it!

Preparing for Yom Kippur maybe the message is stop doing Teshuvah! At least the way you've always understood it. The time is too holy, too awesome. Hashem's too close to be spending so much effort trying to depress yourself. Get up and join the race to the highest point of the year. The Achas Bashanah! Take any of the five tracks and get moving. You don't want to let this opportunity slip by!

Why All The Prayer?

Howard and I we're having lunch at the Kiddush one Shabbat afternoon. Howard was new in town, he had just migrated from overseas, and he has not been to a synagogue on Shabbat in many years.

Howard then asked me the question I new he would ask; the question that so many people ask the first time they take a careful look at the prayer book: "why are we spending so much time praising and thanking G-d? Is his self esteem so low that he'll have a bad weekend if we don't spend all Shabbat Morning praising him?"

I tried to answer to the best of my ability, but it did not seem to satisfy him. Well, what can I do other then continue eating my bagel.

Then we started talking about his children adjusting to life in the U.S.; he tells me: "Menachem, the problem with the U.S. is that the children here are so privileged yet they take it for granted and they don't appreciate it. Therefore all their blessings do not create happier children.

I said: "my friend, this may just be the reason why we pray and thank G-d so much. Look around this society, how many people take the time to appreciate their life, their health, their children and the blessing in their life. If we ant to appreciate life and enjoy it to it's fullest we must acknowledge the awesome blessing that is life itself. The more we thankful for the miracles that G-d performs for us every day, the more we will reap the fruit of the blessing". 

HaYom Yom 20 & 21 Tammuz

A very interesting contrast:

HaYom Yom is "Yeder Tog Iz Gelebt" with HaYom Yom every day comes alive! (Source?)

So on 20 Tammuz you 'get up' with there being 3 levels of contemplation (hisbonenus); during learning, before davening and during davening. And concludes that sometimes you may be able to have feelings for G-dliness without working on it but that's unusual. Generally speaking, when working on yourself, you need these 3 steps (ayin sham).

This seems to be a blueprint for a structure of how you work on yourself.

The next day on 21 Tammuz you 'get up' and discover that in exile, in golus, the structure is gone. The place (of the Beis Hamikdash) is still holy, your foundation is still intact but the building above the foundation is destroyed.

Weren't we working on the structure yesterday? To discover today it's gone?

Your comments would be greatly appreciated!

Drawing Down Intellect Into Emotions

HaYom Yom 22 Elul

"Before you rebuke you must cut your nails, for every shtach is klipah."

Presumably this means that not only should you not deliberately hurt the person. But that your words shouldn't sting.

"Then you wash your hands which means draw down intellect into emotions."

Seemingly we must approach HaYom Yom with the same way the Rebbe taught us to study Rashi. HaYom Yom is a Chassidic saying or custom for every day, for every Chassid. It's therefore understood that the saying must be understandable to every Chassid including, as the Rebbe put it regarding Rashi, even to the "Ben chomesh limikrah"- the five your old just beginning to study Torah.

Therefore when we see a saying that seemingly needs prior understanding we must ask how's does a "five year old" understand and relate to this idea?

What then does "draw intellect into emotions mean?

Perhaps we can understand this in 3 ways (this is without looking up the source of the saying):

1. When your rebuking your too emotional. You're too heated up and therefore after you take out the sting you must also temper the emotion. You got to calm down before you give the rebuke or else it might come out too harsh. When we draw intellect into emotion we temper the emotion. Our mind tames our heart.

2. Or possibly you're rebuke is coming from an abstract place. From your mind. You believe it's the right thing to do, but you're not in it. A cold, rational rebuke. You've removed the sting but you don't care either. Then you've got to bring it own to the emotions. You must awaken your love for the one your rebuking. If not then they're not words that leave the heart and therefore won't penetrate the heart.

3. After you "remove the nails" you must ask yourself, why? Why am I rebuking? For what reason? And how will I make sure that my words help instead of hurt? We got to draw down common sense so the rebuke has the strongest impact

Jerusalem

When the Jewish people were camped at the bank of the Jordan River, ready to enter the land of Israel, Moshe has already given them almost all of the law. Yet, curiously, Moshe passed away without telling them one crucial piece of information: what was the location of the spiritual capital city of Israel? Where should they build the Holy Temple?

It is surprising to realize that the Torah inform us of many details of the laws of the sacrifices, yet the place all this should happen is undisclosed. A number of times, in the book of Deuteronomy, Moshe uses the phrase “The place which G-d will choose to rest his name there”. Why did the Torah not disclose the location of “The place which G-d will choose”?

The answer is that G-d will choose Jerusalem only after the people themselves choose a place that they feel is appropriate for G-d's home. As the verse quoted above continues “You shall seek his presence and come there”. The verse teaches that only the human being, who is part and parcel of the physical reality, can create a permanent dwelling place for G-d in this physical world. Only once King David choose the site of Jerusalem as the place he felt would be the perfect home for G-d, did G-d, through the prophet agree with the choice making Jerusalem, and the Temple Mountain, the spiritual capital of the world.

It's fascinating to contemplate that all the places that G-d chose for divine revelation, Mount Sinai the location of the sanctuary while the Jewish people traveled in the dessert for forty years led by the cloud of , were all temporary. The one place that was picked by the human being as a place for G-d to choose achieves permanent holiness.

Perhaps this is a lesson on our life. The gifts we receive, from parents, friends, teachers, as well as inspiration directly from G-d, will not have a permanent affect on our life unless we choose to get involved and become a partner. The inspiration will not change you unless you commit to do your part to “seek his presence” and take part in the building of your spiritual Jerusalem. 

The Burning Bush

The first time Moshe has a divine revelation he is at the burning bush, astonished to discover that the bush is burning with fire, “but the bush is not consumed”. At the end of his life, however, In the book of Deuteronomy, Moshe refers to G-d as a "consuming fire", This begs the question: is G-d a consuming fire or a fire that does not consume?

As the Bible tells it G-d is a consuming fire. Any revelation of G-d causes the soul to try to escape the confines of the physical and become one with the fire that “consumes” the confining material reality. This is what the Jewish people experienced at the revelation at Sinai when the people cried to Moshe that man cannot see G-d and survive. This is what happened to the children of Aron, who died because of the ecstasy of their spiritual connection to G-d. And this is exactly what G-d does not want.

G-d's first message to Moshe was that the “bush is not consumed” - the fire should not lead you to escape the physical. The consuming fire of G-d must burn in your heart, yet, paradoxically, you cannot be consumed. You may be the greatest prophet of all times, you may be the lawgiver, you may speak to G-d “like a man speaks to his friend”, but you may not be consumed by the fire. You must not abandon the reality in which you live, you must not forget about the people around you, you must be like the flame surging upward yet grounded by it's wick.

Only at the end of his life when his soul is about to depart from this world and unite the infinite light of G-d does he articulate the the truth as he is about to experience it. Only when he knows that his mission on this earth is complete, only when he is preparing to return his soul to it's father in heaven does he speak of G-d's true essence, saying that the G-d is indeed a consuming fire.

On Ownership and Despair

You are walking down fifth avenue and you see a wallet fall out of someone's pocket. You hear that person despairing of ever finding the wallet, saying something like “what a shame I lost this wallet I will never find it again”. According to Jewish law, as surprising as this may seem, although it would be nice for you to return the wallet, the wallet is legally yours to keep.

The explanation that according to Jewish law ownership is strongly associated with knowledge of the mind, therefore if one despairs it is as if she disowned the wallet, has always been a hard “sell” to people.

This week I was enlightened by a participant in our Torah class, who happens to be a descendant of Mimanodies, to a powerful message that lies within this law:

The Torah is telling you that if you want to achieve anything in this world, from basic survival to achieving greatness, you must believe it to be possible. If you don't see how you will survive, or thrive, or earn that degree, or right that book, or be that person you want to be, and you despair then spiritually you lose the energy necessary to succeed That energy, even if destined for you, is no longer yours.

This law, which traditionally is the first that children study in the Talmud, may be the secret to Jewish survival. If we achieved all that we have, as a people and as individuals, despite the odds stacked against us, it's because we refused to despair. We would not give up ownership on the internal spiritual strength that we know is within our soul.  

Road Map

You're given a map. The map has precise directions. Go this many feet
in this direction that many feet in that direction etc. The directions
are very clear down to the last detail. Everything is spelled out
exactly and precisely. There's one problem, the map doesn't indicate
where the starting point is. The map is useless.

This is how Larry described learning Kabbalah from the wrong places.
All the details are correct. They're just missing the whole point.

Been Here All Along

The child locks her mother out of the home - with the only key on the kitchen table. when the mother overcomes her panic she is able to couch her daughter and instruct her how to open the door with the key.

Mother never felt so vulnerable in her life.

The Kabbalists were troubled by this. The Arizal taught that in order for G-d to create the world he first had to create a "vacuum and empty space" by "moving his light to the side", and only then, after the world is created, can the human being draw the infinite light back into the "vacuum and empty space". Now, if we are the child who through our divine service we "draw" G-d into this world, then does that not mean that G-d is weak? Isn't the Kabbalah's only acceptable definition of G-d is that he is complete - "Shleimut" - and there can be nothing incomplete about him?

So we need to scrap that parable and think about this one instead:

Mother and daughter are both home. Daughter does not realize that mother is home (or she does not recognize this person to be her mother). Mother is therefore locked out, not of the home but, of her daughter's perception. When the daughter discovers the mother and brings her into her own perception she did not affect any change in her mother, because, objectively, mother has been here all along. The "vacuum and empty space" created by G-d, should not be taken literally. G-d's conceals his infinite light so that in our perception there is a "vacuum and empty space". 

So open your heart and mind and allow the divine presence into your world. But remember: He has been here all along.

(While learning Likutey Torah Parshas Balak)

Masada

Yesterday, on Shabbat, I read a book about the Chabad Chasisidim in Russia under Soviet rule. Stories about great men and woman who were exiled or killed in waves of persecution in the late twenties late thirties and again in the late forties. I personally know many of their children, grandchildren and relatives. 

This morning my friend sent me an email about his thoughts on visiting Masada. I replied: 

"When I read your email this morning I thought to myself that Soviet Russia was the Chabad Masada. And, like the original Masada, it forces me to ask myself what would I risk my like for?" 

The Red Cow

All you need to know for your spiritual life lies in this one law.

The opening words of the law of the red cow, who's ashes were mixed with water and sprinkled to purify the ritually impure, are: “This is the decree of the Torah”. Meaning that this law captures the essence if all the Torah wants to teach. We therefore do not have the luxury to skip this portion and move on to the more exciting parts of the Torah. If it's the “the” decree of the Torah, then we must figure out the message of this law to us living in the twenty first century when we have no Holy Temple and no physical red cow.

All you need to know for your spiritual life lies in this one law.

The purifying waters have two ingredients that are opposites:the ashes which are produced by fire and water. In essence the law is telling us that our approach to spirituality must contain of the opposing extremes of fire - the gravity defying passion and yearning to escape the confines of the physical reality. And water – the downward flow, the “return” from the yearning to the world, imbuing the physical existence with spirituality.

Conventional wisdom teaches that to be spiritual one must escape to the Himalaya and abandon the challenges of materialism that present themselves in every day life.

“Not true!” cries the red cow, you must have the water that nourishes all life on earth. If you want to connect G-d you must find him on this earth. Yet, just as important, you must have the other essential ingredient: the ashes produced by fire. Because in order for your “bowl of water”, your material life, to become holy and not swallow up your spirit – you must mix the ashes in to the water, balancing the extremes, for only by yearning to escape the confines of the earth can we imbue are life on earth with meaning.  

Children

Why should we have more children?
The answer I have recently been giving, is that there is every reason not to and that is the strongest argument for.
So certainly it says it in the Torah, Pru u'Rvu. But why does the Torah say that?
And asking the question in light of a world population boom, the Torah's words are timeless not only for the olden days when there weren't that many people around.
Simply put it is a Mitzvah for Yidden (interesting that the mitzva is basically only two children but they have to have children. In light of statistics we know that on average one needs to have 2.1 children for society to stay the same. And taking into account having grandchildren, takes care of the concern for the point 1 for cases of infant mortality etc. But that still isn't multiplying that's just treading water?).
We need more Yidden and not just in context of the holocaust. And not just because we give charity at higher percentage and therefore it is better for the world if there are more Yidden.
But especially because Yidden doing Mitzvos will make it a better world for them. Through Ruchnius and through them seeing how one should live their lives. And certainly then this imperative is incumbent especially on frum Yidden and especially Chassidim and especially Shluchim where we can live a life of self-sacrifice as a lesson for all to see.

Discussion Starter

A question, to get a good discussion started, is gold I have found.
One I have used is, If G-d would destroy the universe, how would he do it?
It ends up being an eyeopening conversation on creation.

Do you have any others that you love?

Gaming V

Movies began when people realized you can make a bunch of still pictures. You then change them rapidly and that makes it look like the thing is moving. At first the changing was slow so it looked different than something actually moving. As time goes on they're making it faster and faster which makes it look very smooth and real. It's called the refresh rate. Which means the amount of times the screen erases the old picture and loads the new picture in a second. That's what 60Hz, 120Hz and so on means. Which would mean 60 or 120 times per
second.

Do we have a refresh rate? And if yes, how many times per second?

Gaming IV

Our previous post leads to something I find mind boggling. How many programmers, programming, testing, betas etc. does it take to make one app because each picture is its own 'creation' and every little detail has to be programmed into each little part.

Now Hashem is making everything happen at every moment. So when I pick up a rock it's not me picking it up I just do the motions Hashem's making it go up. And He's doing that with everything! Talking about enormous! 


What is mind boggling is that He never messes up! Just think what it takes to make one iPhone and an iPhone is not even alive! And not even a fraction of the 'programming' that goes into even one insect! And to think about how many insects are in my yard alone! And then multiply that with yards, neighborhoods, cities, countries, species etc. etc.! And no ant ever had a leg disappear because He wasn't paying attention for a second! Or your fingers start seeing because there's been a glitch. Everything is so predictable!
And when you think about how He's doing each and everything that's happening everywhere, it's mind blowing.

When I play computer games there's always glitches. Like playing Subway Surfer your guy hits a wall, doesn't die. He's like running in one place. The cop chasing him but not catching him. Cause he's also running in one place. You realize your guy ain't dying so you move out of the way and the game continues. Mamash nimnah hanimnaos! Or there's a part of the screen with nothing. The picture is missing, so you have just emptiness (for a screen that would just be the black screen).

So when was the last time you where walking down the street and there was a part of existence just not there because there was a glitch and Hashem just missed that part?

It's just amazing how nothing ever goes wrong. There is never a glitch. Like even miracles, you might say, manipulate the system but don't fail it. 

Gaming III

On a computer there's no cause and effect. In the 'real' world when you turn a knob that, in turn, turns a wheel, which moves something else and makes the thing happen. On a computer when you turn the knob it's not even turning. It's just still pictures moving so fast it seems to be moving. So there's actually no relation between the wheel being in spot A and then afterwards in spot B. Every position is a completely new 'creation'. Which that in turn doesn't turn anything else. It sends a message to the program that when I do this make that happen.

This is why a computer games takes up a tremendous amount of memory because each scene has to be completely recreated. So if a picture takes up so many kilobytes on your computer, you then need a picture for each scenario that can possibly happen in the game. So for instance each inch you drive in a car game has to be   completely new picture and not only that but each position of the car and of any other car in the game has to be another picture. And if there are multiple options your able to do then each option has to be programmed into each picture. Now that's a lot of pictures and programming. That's also why you need so much testing for any program because the amount of possibilities for glitches are enormous.

If you think about it, the amount of programming to just move screens and click on an app on a touch screen is a lot. And then all the programming in an iPhone is mind boggling. And it's all because when I move my finger along the screen it doesn't cause anything on the screen. It is sending messages to the program which then makes a new picture and so on.

In the 'real' world when I pick up a stone does my hand pick up stones or is it Hashem doing it and only making it  seem like I'm picking up the stone?

Gaming II

Everything in the world is made up of a mixture of good and bad. It's up to us to choose the good and discard the bad. We do this by understanding that the good in everything is life and the bad is death.  Because life comes from Hashem, therefore everything connected to Hashem is life and that which is not connected is the opposite. So when we eat the food for a G-dly purpose we've chosen life. As in "U'vacharta BaChayim...".

Let's look at how we can better understand this through computer games: When we play a computer game we build and destroy worlds. We then turn it off and there's nothing left. Death. That's the story of life when one chooses only the mundane. It's gone like all the worlds, personalities and anything else one has built in that game.

Do we exist?

Do we really exist? Chassidus is all about this question. Over time they say we've lost very important analogies for Chassidus. Like the king for example. We don't have kings we can compare to. But maybe we've gotten a few more. One seems to be, of all things, the video/gaming/internet world.

But first Chassidus concepts, it seems, should not be complicated. They should be simple. If the idea is not simple then one probably doesn't understand it and therefore cannot be effected in a life changing way. So one way to understand something simply, is to find where we already know the concept regarding something else.

Is Super Mario real? Does he exist?

No he doesn't! But of course he exists, everyone knows Super Mario. I didn't make him up!

But he only exists in our minds. He's what we call a completely made up character. And that's why if your child asks you is Super Mario real you say no!

So do we exist?

The Morality of the Lost Article

It was the very first piece of Talmud I ever studied.

I was in the forth grade, thus old enough to begin Talmud study, and the topic was the laws of returning lost articles. In a nutshell, the underlying logic of the law is that if the owner despairs from ever finding the lost object, the finder can keep it. The sweet words of the Chapter, “Elu Metsiot Shelo” - “these are the findings that he may keep”, ring in my ears to this day. 

Years later, when I had the opportunity to teach this very piece of Talmud, I ran into a problem. I seemed that most people in the class had a greater sense of morality then the Talmud. Everyone around the table was surprised to learn that the Talmud would allow the finder to keep the article just because the owner despaired; in fact, many of the people shared stories about how they themselves went to great lengths to return a lost article - even in cases where the Talmud would assume that the owner would despair.

The best I could do was to point out that the Talmud itself agrees that the finder can go 'beyond the letter of the law' and return the item although it legally belongs to the finder.

But somehow that did not feel satisfactory. Because isn't the purpose of the Torah law, unlike secular law which is utilitarian, to lead people to the moral choice? By saying that one can go 'beyond the letter of the law' and make the moral choice, are we not acknowledging that Torah law itself is not the ultimate morality?

The answer, I think, is this:  

By ruling that the article belongs to the finder (because the owner's despair is a form of 'abandonment', and ownership us premised on consciousness - but that is for it's own post), the Torah teaches an important principle about itself. The purpose of the Torah is not to guilt us into doing what is morally just by issuing a commandment, and declaring that anybody who does not live up to the highest level of morality is in violation of the Torah's precepts. Rather, the Torah chooses to enforce the basic standard of morality - namely justice. It then defines a higher degree of morality, but  states unequivocally that one can be a moral person by fulfilling the basic level of morality, thus allowing the person to arrive at the higher state of morality, if he so chooses to, by his own choice.

The Torah understands that the ultimate impact it can have, is to allow a person to make a moral choice on her own, and that to do so you must give her the space to choose. In other words, for any law to be the ultimate level of morality, it cannot be legislated. It can be taught, but the people must choose it on their own.  

Two Twenty Two

The letters that comprise the Hebrew word for first born - “Bichor“ - are “Bet”, ”Chaf”, and “Reish”. The numerical value of the three letters are 2, 20, and 200. What message do all those twos send to the child who is, in fact, number one - the first child in the family? 

When the first child is born he receives the undivided, complete, nonstop attention from his parents. He is the center of the household. Then the second child is born. This is a disaster for the first child. All of the sudden the first child feels cast out of the spotlight, while the second child occupies the place he himself once enjoyed. Inevitably he will resent his number 2. One need not look farther then the book of Genesis to discover the constant animosity between the first born and the later siblings.

This then is the message the Hebrew language sends to the first born. It tells the first born: “you were born first, you are the only child, you have a special connection to your parents; but with this privilege comes great responsibility. You must always care for number 2. You have this special time with your parents so you can help them take responsibility and look after your younger siblings. You maybe number one but your numerical value is 222 to remind you to look after the number 2”.

And that is why, initially, G-d chose the first born to be the “Kohanim” - the Priests who perform the service in the temple. After all the “Kohen” is essentially a first born – he has a unique relationship with G-d – as the first born has with his parents, yet the purpose of his “number one” status is to look out and help his fellow brethren, the figurative “number 2's”.

The problem was that many of the Biblical first born did not live up to the “222” message; and the first born Jews were, not only unable to protect their brethren from sin but they themselves participated in the sin of the golden calf.

So G-d decided that the “Kehunah” - the Priesthood - will transfer from the first born to the Aaron and his descendants   “Why Aaron?” you ask. Because Aaron was the quintessential embodiment of the “222” quality. He was an older brother who, not only was not jealous of the success of Moses – his younger brother - but, was happy that Moses ascended to greatness, as G-d tells Moses “Aaron will see you and he will rejoice in his heart”.

Before G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people he said that each Jew is a member of “a kingdom of priests”. We are all empowered to follow the example of Aaron. We must understand that no matter the heights we reach, no matter how “number one” we feel we are, G-d blessed us with greatness so that we can share it with our fellow.

Yizkor

I was thinking about the reasons for saying Yizkor on YomTov but hadn't found anything truly satisfying.
There is an explanation that since on YomTov we gather our family it is an opportune time to remember our family members who are not with us anymore.
There is the also an explanation that since we pledge Tzedakah that is similar to a main theme of YomTov of helping the poor but it left me feeling unsatisfied.
Connected to that thought, I was thinking about what it says in Rambam, about someone who refuses to invite guests on YomTov, that he is not celebrating YomTov at his meal rather he is celebrating the gluttony of his stomach. That a main component of YomTov is helping out someone who is less fortunate than one is. Which led me to think about those who have passed that they are the ultimate unniyim since they can't do Mitzvos anymore! So how do we help them out? Through doing Mitzvos on their behalf and in their memory and when we live a Jewish life and they helped raise us and give us life to be who we are we are able to tally Mitzvos on their score sheet.

Never Ending Stories

I'm reading the "Making Of Chassidim" (Der Leinger Briv) again. Who knows how many times it's been? And I'm glued to it. Getting all sad that the story (stories!) just gets cut off!

Here's the question: How can there be story, that you've read numerous times and it still consumes you completely? Are there any other stories like that? That you can read again and again, know every detail and still be swept off your feet? Hey, there might be, but this just blew me away!

The Child Within

If I were old I would be discouraged.

In the Ethics of our Fathers, Elisha Ben Avuyah teaches: One who learns Torah in his childhood, what is this comparable to? To ink inscribed on fresh paper. One who learns Torah in his old age, what is this comparable to? To ink inscribed on erased paper."

I get the first half of the statement. We want to encourage the young to learn while their mind is still fresh and impressionable; but why the second half of the statement that puts down the older learner? Were we not educated on the story of Rabbi Akiva, one of the all time greatest Torah scholars, who began to study Torah at age forty? If Rabbi Akiva would have learnt about the "ink written on erased paper" would he not have been discouraged from learning and the Jewish people would have lost one if greatest minds?

The answer is as simple as it is profound:

The Mishnah is not telling us to learn when we are a child; rather to learn like a child. Not to avoid learning when at old age rather to avoid learning like an older person.

You see, the old person has seen it all. Often, He feels he's got all the answers to all the questions  A new idea cannot creep into his mind unless it squeeze trough his existing knowledge. His subconscious mind is not interested in revolutions, it is interested in ideas that confirm, and conform to, his existing knowledge.

The child, on the other hand, is curious, open to new insights, and intrigued by the mysteries of the universe.

So when your mother told you to "always remain a child", she may have been trying to articulate the Mishnah's point. She wasn't telling you to keep playing in the sand box, she was saying: "you may have a PHD at the end of your name, but next time you pick up a book, do so with an open mind". 

You'll have plenty of time to evaluate and assess at a later point, but at the moment, read like a child.

The Essene of Pleasure

The Hebrew word for affliction - נגע - is made up of the same letters as the Hebrew word for pleasure - ענג. The book of formation, the first work of Kabbalah ever to be written, explains the highest level one can achieve, the greatest pleasure one can experience, is from transforming a negative experience to positivity. Transforming the affliction to pleasure. 

Students of Tradition

Two interesting things happen in the second chapter of the Ethics of our Fathers: 1: The Ethics stops telling us that each Rabbi it quotes received the oral tradition from the previous rabbi (unlike chapter 1 which emphasizes who each rabbi received the oral tradition from). 2. Rabbi Yochanan Ben Zakay asks his students to offer their own insight (unlike chapter 1 where the teacher is the one doing all the talking).

Perhaps these two are related. After the period of Shammay and Hillel many disagreements broke out amongst the Rabbis. The reason for all the disagreement was that post Shammay and Hillel some of the oral tradition was lost, thus many points needed to be decided through using logic (obviously based on the principles of the oral tradition) rather than through tradition alone.

That is why Rabbi Yochanan turns to his students, because while tradition comes from the previous generation, insight comes from your students.

Briah Yesh M'ayin

In general it is explained in Chassidus that Hashem didn't just create the world as a wristwatch and twist the hand and leave it to its own devices. Rather it is a creation something from nothing and therefore needs a constant creating input. Similar to someone who throws a ball into the air and as long as his power is invested in it it can defy gravity (nature) but once it is finished it falls back and reverts to its resting state. Perhaps a slight weakness in the example is that since one does not clearly see the power constantly invested in the upthrown ball it would seem to be somewhat similar to setting things in motion and leaving and for G-d he just can throw things very strong and far maybe for a billion years.
I was thinking that perhaps a more updated example might be the synthetic elements in the periodic table which have a very limited half-life. Some even just a few instants. That once the creative power ceases they almost instantly cease to exist.
But perhaps a better example might be a little more basic. Similar to a thrown ball. They have an electric blower blowing air and you can place a ball at the top of the jet stream and it will stay there hovering only going as high as the jet stream. And once the motor is turned off it immediately falls down.

Shlichus

In Chelek Yud Zain Lku"s the first sicha, the Rebbe speaks about the contrast, as related in a story of the Alter Rebbe, between the big Aleph of Adam (recognition of one's greatness) and the small Aleph of Moshe (a sense of Bitul). The Rebbe goes on to be meadayek in the Alter Rebbe's wording that Adam still had the advantage of a big Aleph (ac"p b'helem) even after the Chet Etz HaDas.
The Rebbe learns from here a deeper explanation (Ois Zayin) in V'amech Kulam Tzadikkim that we all have this level of Adam HaRishon inherited to us. And therefore even if we were once in a situation the opposite of good (similar to Adam HaRishon l'achrei HaChet), but now we are involved with Torah and Mitzvos we are considered to be doing the Avoda of a tzadik (similar to Adam who after the Chet still had the big Aleph (according to the diyuk in the Alter rebbe's words)). And the Rebbe then contrasts this person with one who has the status of a baal Tshuvah that still needs a shmira me'ula shleo yachzor l'suro even after he is living a Torah life.

Now this whole paragraph seems to be without source, in that it is original, it is the Rebbe's vort. It seems to somewhat fit a gaang of the Rebbe's that even if one is not necessarily holding by a high madreiga it is still incumbent upon him to fir zich, accord himself, with behaviours and hergashos at times that are higher than his level e.g. the Alter Rebbe's deveikus of "ich vill nor dich alayn" and others.

A question that comes up is, what is the difference between the ball tshuvah at the end who needs a shmira me'ula and the yid in the beginning who once did not good things, like Adam once did, though now that he is engaged in Torah and Mitzvos is at the darga of a Tzadik with no connection to evil?

Yesh Lomar, that perhaps the difference is a baal tshuvah who is on shlichus. Maybe there is even a halchaik question if a baal tshuvah is allowed to go on shlichus? Since he needs a shmira me'ula maybe he shouldn't be going into such circumstances where he is surrounded by his former lifestyle. And the Rebbe writes that since he is engaged in Torah and Mitzos he is on the level of a tzadik and doesn't need all of these precautions.

The Mishkan and G-d's Immanence

These ideas are incomplete thoughts, please help me develop them further. Thanks.
The Mishkan is a replacement of Hashem's revealed presence throughout the Jewish camp (as a result of the sin of the golden calf).
If G-d is immanent (Memaleh) (everywhere), why is there a need for a Mishkan?
So simply, the explanation as we all know it, is that we need to reveal G-d's presence in this world. And for that we need a Mishkan. And this applies to Olum (Beis Hamikdosh), Shanah (Shabbos) and Nefesh (Yidden) that each category has its "leader" that infuses the rest with their holiness or revealed state of G-dliness.
And I was thinking about this concept through the lens of pantheism and panentheism. And I felt it gave some extra clarity.
(Now like every time we use any term, it should truly be defined, because there are always different understandings of terms. So for the purpose of this conversation, let me define pantheism as the belief that all is God and that God is not anything more than that. And all is defined as nature. This is attributed to Spinoza.
And panentheism as that that G-d is in all (nature) though he is not confined by it but he is more than that as well. In other osios perhaps, G-d is not just memaleh (immanent) but sovev (transcendent) as well.)
Spinoza wasn't frum, he was put in cherem, but there are letters that say that he rejected in part the idea that G-d wasn't greater than nature as well as part of nature. So the question would be what was wrong in what he believed?
Well for one, Moses Mendelsohn was a supporter of his ideas, so that's not a good sign.
An idea came to me on types of potential relationships between Hashem and the world.
So starting again from the question that if the whole world is G-dly, why do we need a specific location?
How do we make everything holy? Is it by giving autonomy to everything (empowering and calling everything God) or is it by subjugating everything to a higher power? In other words by the idea of pantheism, all is God, we are in a certain way creating a moral equivalency, how can one behaviour be more right than another, since everything is God?
 But the Jewish way that G-d is in everything and gives everything directives how to be properly utilized, therefore creates a paradigm on how everything can become truly, in a revealed state, G-dly.

Infinity

I love the word infinity. Somehow it captures the imagination and evokes images of a beautiful night sky extending endlessly.

You can imagine my disappointment when I, a lover of the Hebrew language, realized that Hebrew does not have a positive word for infinity. Instead the Hebrew uses the negative term of “Bli-Gevul” - without limit.

I mean, could a language as powerful as Hebrew not offer a positive and direct word? Especially that Biblical Hebrew is in the business of describing an infinite G-d so the lack of a positive term to describe the infinity of G-d so essential to it's couture is striking.

It finally occurred to me.

The language is teaching us something. It's saying that we cannot grasp infinity. Sure we can coin a word, but the word cannot help us understand something so foreign to our experience.

“It is impossible for a finite being to know the infinite creator”, argues Maimonides, the best we can do is have “negative knowledge”, meaning we can no what he is not, but we'll never have direct knowledge of what he is.

By using the term “Bli-Gevul” - without limit – Hebrew is reminding us to be humble and acknowledge the limit of our understanding. We must remember that while we try to describe G-d, ultimately we can only know him indirectly – knowing what he is not, but we can never know what he is.

Thank you Hebrew for the philosophic idea embedded in your choice of words.