Every time you stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone you become a new person. The person you were yesterday could not accomplish this; you, on the other hand, can.
If you're bored with your life, If you are looking for meaning, if you want to do something drastically new, no need to drop it all and make a career change. All you need to do is push yourself a Little more then you are used to; be a little more patient, a little more loving, a little kinder, have just a tiny bit more self control.
You’ll be surprised how challenging it is to go the extra step. You’ll be surprised how transformative a teeny step can feel.
Just try it, and the person looking back at you in the mirror tonight will be a totally new person.
(12 Tamuz 5740)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Secret of "Kabalat Ol"
You are the kind of guy who, in Yeshivah, would be called a “kabolas Ol’nik”. Your motivated to do the right thing, and to follow Hashem’s instructions as much as possible. Your not in love, or in awe, or overtaken by the beauty of it all.
Some misunderstand you. They pity you; they assume that you put yourself aside for Hashem leaving no room for personal satisfaction and meaning. Some may even suspect that you have a low self esteem; after all you devote yourself to someone other then yourself.
Nothing is farther from the truth. In fact you hold yourself in high regard and you take yourself very seriously. You understand your own significance, your actions acutely make a difference; Hashem does care, really.
So the heart of the guy who’s in love with Hashem is drawn to Hashem with great passion, but that same heart is sometimes filled with doubt: does he really care? If I do my own thing for an hour would it make a big difference? Do my choices have meaning?
You don’t have these doubts. You understand the importance of every aspect of your life. You respect yourself. After all you're a “kabolas Ol’nik”.
(Bi'ha'loscha Atere"s)
Some misunderstand you. They pity you; they assume that you put yourself aside for Hashem leaving no room for personal satisfaction and meaning. Some may even suspect that you have a low self esteem; after all you devote yourself to someone other then yourself.
Nothing is farther from the truth. In fact you hold yourself in high regard and you take yourself very seriously. You understand your own significance, your actions acutely make a difference; Hashem does care, really.
So the heart of the guy who’s in love with Hashem is drawn to Hashem with great passion, but that same heart is sometimes filled with doubt: does he really care? If I do my own thing for an hour would it make a big difference? Do my choices have meaning?
You don’t have these doubts. You understand the importance of every aspect of your life. You respect yourself. After all you're a “kabolas Ol’nik”.
(Bi'ha'loscha Atere"s)
Monday, June 8, 2009
Listen, He's Talking
Did you ever read an introduction that is more powerful then the actual message? Have you ever enjoyed a forward more then the book?
Well, I have. Perhaps the most powerful verse in the story of the Ten Commandments is the introduction: "and Hashem spoke all these words to say". Beacuse all Jews were present at the giving of the Torah and heard it from Hashem fist hand, the words "to say" can't mean "to say to others" as is their usual meaning. Rather, "to say" means to repeat. When we read a verse in the Torah we are repeating Hashem's words. A Jew, reading a book in her living room in the twenty first century, is experiencing the giving of the Torah; she is repeating the words Hashem is saying at that very moment.
Some times the Torah's massage seems simple and mundane; don't kill, don't steel, don't be jealous. But more powerful then the the commandment is the commander; more powerful then the teaching is the teacher. When I study a verse in Torah here he is, the infinite creator of the world, in all his glory communicating with me.
If I listen carefully I'll hear him.
(Torah Or, Yisro)
Well, I have. Perhaps the most powerful verse in the story of the Ten Commandments is the introduction: "and Hashem spoke all these words to say". Beacuse all Jews were present at the giving of the Torah and heard it from Hashem fist hand, the words "to say" can't mean "to say to others" as is their usual meaning. Rather, "to say" means to repeat. When we read a verse in the Torah we are repeating Hashem's words. A Jew, reading a book in her living room in the twenty first century, is experiencing the giving of the Torah; she is repeating the words Hashem is saying at that very moment.
Some times the Torah's massage seems simple and mundane; don't kill, don't steel, don't be jealous. But more powerful then the the commandment is the commander; more powerful then the teaching is the teacher. When I study a verse in Torah here he is, the infinite creator of the world, in all his glory communicating with me.
If I listen carefully I'll hear him.
(Torah Or, Yisro)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Songs of Praise
Nothing is more uplifting then a great song. A song's inspiration does not come from conveying an intellectual idea, nor is it the excitement of hearing something for the first time; as an old song awakens the spirit perhaps even more then a new one. The song's power is it's abilty to allow the soul to express itself.
Therefore, when the sages instituted that we praise Hashem during prayer, they called the verses of praise "verses of Song". For Hashem's praise must be sung. Like my favorite song, it awakenes my heart every time I sing it. Therefore, although I read the same prayer every day, it never failes to refresh my spirit and touch my heart.
Therefore, when the sages instituted that we praise Hashem during prayer, they called the verses of praise "verses of Song". For Hashem's praise must be sung. Like my favorite song, it awakenes my heart every time I sing it. Therefore, although I read the same prayer every day, it never failes to refresh my spirit and touch my heart.
Just like my favorite song.
(Torah Ohr, Bishalach)
(Torah Ohr, Bishalach)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Teach Me How To Teach
The Zohar tells the following story:
One time the world needed rain, so the students went to their teacher, Rabbi Shimon, and told him about the problem. He said to them: those of you who came for rain as well as those of you who came to hear words of Torah should stay here. He then began to expound on the verse "behold how good and how pleasant is the sitting of brothers together" and miraculously it began to rain.
On Lag Ba'omer 1978 the Rebbe related this story to his students; and asked: weren’t the students very clear about the reason for their coming to him? Did they not state clearly that the world needs rain? So why would he say to them "those of you who came to learn"?
This is a powerful message, says the Rebbe, about a real teacher. He sees within his students more then they can see within themselves. The students may have thought that all they want is rain. But their teacher knew better. He understood that deep down what they really wanted was Torah.
Most teachers address the student who is already seeking wisdom; the exceptional teacher discoverers a yearning for wisdom within every student.
(Lag Baomer 5778)
One time the world needed rain, so the students went to their teacher, Rabbi Shimon, and told him about the problem. He said to them: those of you who came for rain as well as those of you who came to hear words of Torah should stay here. He then began to expound on the verse "behold how good and how pleasant is the sitting of brothers together" and miraculously it began to rain.
On Lag Ba'omer 1978 the Rebbe related this story to his students; and asked: weren’t the students very clear about the reason for their coming to him? Did they not state clearly that the world needs rain? So why would he say to them "those of you who came to learn"?
This is a powerful message, says the Rebbe, about a real teacher. He sees within his students more then they can see within themselves. The students may have thought that all they want is rain. But their teacher knew better. He understood that deep down what they really wanted was Torah.
Most teachers address the student who is already seeking wisdom; the exceptional teacher discoverers a yearning for wisdom within every student.
(Lag Baomer 5778)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Pray For Happiness
Happiness. That all I really want. Not pleasure, not comfort, not meaning but happiness. All the pleasure and comfort in the world is worthless all the meaning in the world is not satisfying unless it is enjoyed by a heart that is open, free, and pure of any trace of sadness.
Happiness is a problem. I am taught to expect and demand the best for myself in this world. I deserve everything I want, I invest my effort and I am entitled to the fruit of my labor. I am therefore never happy, for as much as I have, as blessed as I am, I deserve more.
Prayer is an excellent therapy for this problem.
When I stand alone before Hashem I could be honest with myself; I can confront the reality that I am not as good, or as kind, or as patient, or as loving, or as giving as I should be.
I offer praise to Hashem for I realize that everything I have is a gift form him. He is the one who gives me life, sustains every living being, and shines (the sun) upon the earth and its inhabitants (and upon me) with compassion.
I read the prayer carefully, keep thinking about his kindness to me, and I practice appreciating the gifts he gives me.
Then, for the rest of the day, I am happy.
Happiness is a problem. I am taught to expect and demand the best for myself in this world. I deserve everything I want, I invest my effort and I am entitled to the fruit of my labor. I am therefore never happy, for as much as I have, as blessed as I am, I deserve more.
Prayer is an excellent therapy for this problem.
When I stand alone before Hashem I could be honest with myself; I can confront the reality that I am not as good, or as kind, or as patient, or as loving, or as giving as I should be.
I offer praise to Hashem for I realize that everything I have is a gift form him. He is the one who gives me life, sustains every living being, and shines (the sun) upon the earth and its inhabitants (and upon me) with compassion.
I read the prayer carefully, keep thinking about his kindness to me, and I practice appreciating the gifts he gives me.
Then, for the rest of the day, I am happy.
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Salty Paradox
Is salt tasty? On one hand it does not have a taste on it's own, on the other hand it gives taste to other foods, it's the salty paradox. Salt has an important place in Judaism, as seen in the Torah's commandment to salt all the sacrifices offered in the temple, a commandment that is commemorated until this day by the custom of dipping our bread in salt.
To understand the significance of salt we must look at the analogy the Torah uses to describe itself: bread. Just as the bread eaten is digested, becoming part of the human being, so does the Torah learned become completely united with the mind. In fact this is the great advantage of Torah over all other commandments, in the words of the Tanya "the study of Torah creates a great unity like no other, and this unity has no comparison in the physical realm to be like one from every angle". The significance of Torah is it's ability to be understood, therefore if you just read the Torah without understanding, you are missing the point, there is no unity.
For this reason the great sages of the Talmud spent their entire lives debating matters of law concerning simple and mundane objects, what to do if a ox goers a cow, or if two people are holding a garment, for although it does not feel as spiritual as discussing the spiritual worlds, it offers the opportunity too grasp Hashem's wisdom. Having said that, there is a crucial part of Torah that can't be understood, the light of Hashem that is beyond wisdom that is en-clothed within the Torah. This aspect in Torah is especially evident in the Mitzvah to tread the written Torah even without understanding, here the unity is not as great but we connect to the essence of Hashem which is far greater then his wisdom.
While studying Torah there are two important ideas that we must constantly keep in mind, firstly, we must remember that we can only understand a tip of the iceberg of the Torah's true significance most of which is far beyond our understanding. Secondly, Torah is not just a tasteless, spiritually dull, body of law about a physical reality, rather it is a manifestation of Hashem's will and wisdom.
To help us relate to these two messages the Torah says that whenever we bring an offering we should salt it. Salt represents the mystical secrets of the Torah, that physical beings cannot comprehend, it has no taste, it's salt. It however gives taste to the bread, the reavealed part of Torah. Making us aware of the great paradox: in order to achieve unity we must understand; yet we are uniting with a being who is beyond understanding.
(Likutey Totrah, Vayikra)
To understand the significance of salt we must look at the analogy the Torah uses to describe itself: bread. Just as the bread eaten is digested, becoming part of the human being, so does the Torah learned become completely united with the mind. In fact this is the great advantage of Torah over all other commandments, in the words of the Tanya "the study of Torah creates a great unity like no other, and this unity has no comparison in the physical realm to be like one from every angle". The significance of Torah is it's ability to be understood, therefore if you just read the Torah without understanding, you are missing the point, there is no unity.
For this reason the great sages of the Talmud spent their entire lives debating matters of law concerning simple and mundane objects, what to do if a ox goers a cow, or if two people are holding a garment, for although it does not feel as spiritual as discussing the spiritual worlds, it offers the opportunity too grasp Hashem's wisdom. Having said that, there is a crucial part of Torah that can't be understood, the light of Hashem that is beyond wisdom that is en-clothed within the Torah. This aspect in Torah is especially evident in the Mitzvah to tread the written Torah even without understanding, here the unity is not as great but we connect to the essence of Hashem which is far greater then his wisdom.
While studying Torah there are two important ideas that we must constantly keep in mind, firstly, we must remember that we can only understand a tip of the iceberg of the Torah's true significance most of which is far beyond our understanding. Secondly, Torah is not just a tasteless, spiritually dull, body of law about a physical reality, rather it is a manifestation of Hashem's will and wisdom.
To help us relate to these two messages the Torah says that whenever we bring an offering we should salt it. Salt represents the mystical secrets of the Torah, that physical beings cannot comprehend, it has no taste, it's salt. It however gives taste to the bread, the reavealed part of Torah. Making us aware of the great paradox: in order to achieve unity we must understand; yet we are uniting with a being who is beyond understanding.
(Likutey Totrah, Vayikra)
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