There is a saying in Hebrew that goes like this: whatever doesn’t kill you will make you stronger.
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In the Portion of Tazriah the Torah begins to teach the laws of the Tzarat that afflict the Human body, after which it teaches the Tzatras that afflicts garments.
The purification of the metzorah is discussed in the next portion, in Parshat Metzorah. After the purification of the metzorah the Torah returns to discus the laws of Tzarat, this time Tzarat that afflicts the home. Immediately after which the Torah teaches the laws of it’s purification.
In other words when we talk about Tzarat that afflicts the person, the tzarat and it’s purification are taught in two separate portions, when discussing Tzarat of the home, the purification is taught immediately after the Tzarat.
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Anybody who looks at life objectively can understand that any set back can be an opportunity for growth. Challenge has the potential to bring out the best in the human soul.
The one struggling has a very different perspective. To him there is nothing good about the struggle, nothing positive. Only pain and despair. Pain hurts it doesn’t build.
When he finds the strength to overcome the challenges, he fells as if he reached a “new” stage of being. there was a change from the prior challenge and pain.
He finaly finds the courage to turn around and begin a fresh start, only to realize that the person he became is very much a product of the previous challenges that he tried so hard to escape from.
When we are imersed in a chalinging situation all we can feel is pain, we can’t see any good resulting.
From our perspective the Tzarat affliction and it’s purification are written in two distinct portions, the purification is a new beginning.
From Hashem’s perspective however, the purpose of the challenge is only to lead us to greater heights. Although not always can we see it that way.
In describing the Tzarat that afflicts the home the Torah says “When you come to the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I place a lesion of tzara'ath upon a house in the land of your possession”. The medrash teaches that from the tone of the verse we hear that this is in fact good news. The good news was the discovery of treasures that the native Cananites hid in the walls of their homes. When the Tzarat would appear and some stones would have to be removed, the treasures were discovered.
That is the Tzarat from the perspective of Hashem. All we have to do is look beneath the impurity and we will discover the treasures of our soul.
keeping Hashem’s perspective in mind will give us the strength to survive all of the challenges that we face. It will help us grow and find the treasure in our most difficult hours.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Bride
Our Rabbis taught: How does one dance before the bride? Beth Shammai say: The bride as she is. And Beth Hillel say: ‘Beautiful and graceful bride’!
Beth Shammai said to Beth Hillel: If she was lame or blind, does one say of her: ‘Beautiful and graceful bride’? Whereas the Torah said, ‘Distance yourself from a false matter.’
Said Beth Hillel to Beth Shammai: According to your words, if one has made a bad purchase in the market, should one praise it in his eyes or denigrate it in his eyes? Surely, one should praise it in his eyes.
From here the Sages said a persons mind should always be mingled with people.
(Talmud Ketubot 17a)
Hillel's argument would be that since the groom decided to marry her, she must have some detail in her personality that is beautiful. Now, all you have to do is look at her from the groom's perspective and you will find the beautiful aspect of her personality. Hillel's perspective is that as long as one detail is beautiful it is truthful to say that she is beautiful. To illustrate, Say you went to a class that was mostly boring but one detail that you learned had a great impact on you, according to Hillel it would be truthful to say that "it was a good class".
Shammai however looks for the general, he looks for the essence, not at the details. Shammai therefore says that just because one detail is beautiful (Shammai would concede that point) you cannot call her a beautiful bride, because in General she is not beautiful, and Shammai focuses on the general. (Returning to the analogy of the class, Shammai would say it was boring class, he will not be distracted by the interesting detail).
Beth Shammai said to Beth Hillel: If she was lame or blind, does one say of her: ‘Beautiful and graceful bride’? Whereas the Torah said, ‘Distance yourself from a false matter.’
Said Beth Hillel to Beth Shammai: According to your words, if one has made a bad purchase in the market, should one praise it in his eyes or denigrate it in his eyes? Surely, one should praise it in his eyes.
From here the Sages said a persons mind should always be mingled with people.
(Talmud Ketubot 17a)
Hillel's argument would be that since the groom decided to marry her, she must have some detail in her personality that is beautiful. Now, all you have to do is look at her from the groom's perspective and you will find the beautiful aspect of her personality. Hillel's perspective is that as long as one detail is beautiful it is truthful to say that she is beautiful. To illustrate, Say you went to a class that was mostly boring but one detail that you learned had a great impact on you, according to Hillel it would be truthful to say that "it was a good class".
Shammai however looks for the general, he looks for the essence, not at the details. Shammai therefore says that just because one detail is beautiful (Shammai would concede that point) you cannot call her a beautiful bride, because in General she is not beautiful, and Shammai focuses on the general. (Returning to the analogy of the class, Shammai would say it was boring class, he will not be distracted by the interesting detail).
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Chassid or not?
Was Mordechai a Chassid? People generally recognize that there is more to things than what I can understand. That there is higher than understanding in general. Yet who finds virtue in completely leaving reasoning? What purpose is there in going completely crazy?
A chassid does. He lives to leave all constrictions of the world and our minds. Regularly he can't go there or there would be only chaos. But once in a while he'll drop everything to do just that.
Mordechai must have been a Chassid, would a misnagid say to get so drunk until your out of your mind?
A chassid does. He lives to leave all constrictions of the world and our minds. Regularly he can't go there or there would be only chaos. But once in a while he'll drop everything to do just that.
Mordechai must have been a Chassid, would a misnagid say to get so drunk until your out of your mind?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Spiritual Alters
“They shall make for me a sanctuary and I will dwell within them”. This is probably one of the most important commandments in the Torah, the commandment to build a temple, to make a home for G-d in this world.
Throughout most of Jewish history we did not have a physical temple. This does not mean that all of the sections in the Torah describing the building of the Temple and its services do not apply to us. There is a well known explanation on the verse quoted previously. The verse states “and I will dwell within them” employing the plural, the sages explain that G-d is saying “within every individual” every person has a sanctuary within their heart.
The sanctuary within the heart is a general idea. You probably heard it many times. And like any general idea at first it is very inspiring and then the challenge sets in: how can we apply this to our lives?
Chasidus teaches that every detail within the sanctuary represents a spiritual idea and is found in the spiritual service of every individual. When we look at the specific, it is easier to apply the message to ourselves.
Below is a outline of the altars and their spiritual meaning.
Outer Altar – the Altar for the sacrifices.
Refers to the level of Malchus of ATZILUT that descends into the worlds of BIY”A to refine the world that is mixed of good and evil. That’s why it was outside the “holy”, for in the holy worlds ATZILUT there is no evil.
The outer Altar represents the external chambers of the human heart, where it is necessary to battle and ultimately refine the evil. This is accomplished in the early parts of the prayers.
Inner altar – the incense altar
The purpose of the incense is not to refine the lower worlds. Rather it is an intensification of the connection to G-d. Therefore this altar was located inside the “holy”.
The inner altar represents the internal most chambers of the soul. Where the challenge is to increase its connection to G-d. This is accomplished during the later parts of the prayer.
Throughout most of Jewish history we did not have a physical temple. This does not mean that all of the sections in the Torah describing the building of the Temple and its services do not apply to us. There is a well known explanation on the verse quoted previously. The verse states “and I will dwell within them” employing the plural, the sages explain that G-d is saying “within every individual” every person has a sanctuary within their heart.
The sanctuary within the heart is a general idea. You probably heard it many times. And like any general idea at first it is very inspiring and then the challenge sets in: how can we apply this to our lives?
Chasidus teaches that every detail within the sanctuary represents a spiritual idea and is found in the spiritual service of every individual. When we look at the specific, it is easier to apply the message to ourselves.
Below is a outline of the altars and their spiritual meaning.
Outer Altar – the Altar for the sacrifices.
Refers to the level of Malchus of ATZILUT that descends into the worlds of BIY”A to refine the world that is mixed of good and evil. That’s why it was outside the “holy”, for in the holy worlds ATZILUT there is no evil.
The outer Altar represents the external chambers of the human heart, where it is necessary to battle and ultimately refine the evil. This is accomplished in the early parts of the prayers.
Inner altar – the incense altar
The purpose of the incense is not to refine the lower worlds. Rather it is an intensification of the connection to G-d. Therefore this altar was located inside the “holy”.
The inner altar represents the internal most chambers of the soul. Where the challenge is to increase its connection to G-d. This is accomplished during the later parts of the prayer.
Friday, March 7, 2008
770
Right before the Musaf prayers on Yom Kippur the cantor recites a heart moving prayer, it begins with the words "I am the pauper of deed". The theme of the prayer is that he feels totally inadicute for the awesome responsibility to lead the congregation in prayer.
I think of these words today, as I read a poem written by R. yehuda Halevi, were he describes his yearning for zion.
His words stir the soul.
I feel the need to translate a stanza into English. I am totally unfit for this great task to capture in a few words the intensity of emotion that can melt a heart of stone.
________
I can’t help but think of 770 when I hear these words.
אֶבְחַר לְנַפְשִׁי לְהִשְׁתַּפֵּךְ בְּמָקוֹם אֲשֶר
רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים שְׁפוּכָה עַל בְּחִירָיִךְ
מִי יִתְּנֵנִי מְשׁוֹטֵט בַּמְּקוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר
נִגְלוּ אֱלֹהִים לְחוֹזַיִךְ וְצִירָיִךְ
I will chose for my soul to pour out in the place where
the spirit of G-d pored onto your chosen ones.
Who will place me, to (I wish I could), wander in the places that
G-d was revealed to your Seers and your delegates.
I think of these words today, as I read a poem written by R. yehuda Halevi, were he describes his yearning for zion.
His words stir the soul.
I feel the need to translate a stanza into English. I am totally unfit for this great task to capture in a few words the intensity of emotion that can melt a heart of stone.
________
I can’t help but think of 770 when I hear these words.
אֶבְחַר לְנַפְשִׁי לְהִשְׁתַּפֵּךְ בְּמָקוֹם אֲשֶר
רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים שְׁפוּכָה עַל בְּחִירָיִךְ
מִי יִתְּנֵנִי מְשׁוֹטֵט בַּמְּקוֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר
נִגְלוּ אֱלֹהִים לְחוֹזַיִךְ וְצִירָיִךְ
I will chose for my soul to pour out in the place where
the spirit of G-d pored onto your chosen ones.
Who will place me, to (I wish I could), wander in the places that
G-d was revealed to your Seers and your delegates.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
It's up to you
Why don’t we say Hallel on Purim? Asks the Talmud. [Hallel is king David’s praise that is said on every major holiday]
Two reasons are given.
The first is that the reading of the Migillah is Hallel. In other words we do say Hallel, we just offer the praise in a different form.
The second reason given in the Talmud is that we do not say Hallel for a miracle that occurs outside the land of Israel. This second reason is radically different then the first, not only don’t we say Hallel but we are not allowed to say Hallel because the miracle occurred outside Israel.
The Talmud says that “anyone who says Hallel every day is cursing”. G-d performs miracles every day, for the natural order of the world is truly miraculous. However we only offer praise for the miracles that don’t happen every day, for the miracles that are beyond nature.
We recognize that G-d has two general approaches through which he directs the world, the natural, and the supernatural. We say the Hallel as thanks to Hashem for relating to us in a supernatural way.
The Torah describes the land of Israel as “the land that G-d’s eyes are upon it always, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year”. What about the lands that are outside of Israel are G-d’s eyes not upon them? One of the explanations is that G-d’s eyes, G-d’s providence is upon Israel in a revealed way, outside of Israel G-d’s providence is concealed within the garments of nature. Concealed as in the story of Purim were there was not a miracle that defies nature, rather the miracle was in clothed within nature.
This brings us back to the Talmud’s explanation of why we don’t say Hallel on Purim.
If you live in Israel, if you can see G-d’s eyes upon the land wherever you are. If you recognize G-d’s miracles within nature, then you must Say Hallel. The reading of the Megilah which describes G-d’s hand within nature becomes a form of Hallel. If you live outside the land of Israel, if you don’t see G-d “from the beginning of the year to the end of the year”, you see G-d only in the beginning of the year on the high holidays but you don’t see G-d in your day to day life, then you can’t say Hallel. You are outside of Israel and we don’t say Hallel because we don’t say Hallel on the miracles that are in clothed in nature.
It’s up to you. You can look at I any way you want.
(Purim 5622)
Two reasons are given.
The first is that the reading of the Migillah is Hallel. In other words we do say Hallel, we just offer the praise in a different form.
The second reason given in the Talmud is that we do not say Hallel for a miracle that occurs outside the land of Israel. This second reason is radically different then the first, not only don’t we say Hallel but we are not allowed to say Hallel because the miracle occurred outside Israel.
The Talmud says that “anyone who says Hallel every day is cursing”. G-d performs miracles every day, for the natural order of the world is truly miraculous. However we only offer praise for the miracles that don’t happen every day, for the miracles that are beyond nature.
We recognize that G-d has two general approaches through which he directs the world, the natural, and the supernatural. We say the Hallel as thanks to Hashem for relating to us in a supernatural way.
The Torah describes the land of Israel as “the land that G-d’s eyes are upon it always, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year”. What about the lands that are outside of Israel are G-d’s eyes not upon them? One of the explanations is that G-d’s eyes, G-d’s providence is upon Israel in a revealed way, outside of Israel G-d’s providence is concealed within the garments of nature. Concealed as in the story of Purim were there was not a miracle that defies nature, rather the miracle was in clothed within nature.
This brings us back to the Talmud’s explanation of why we don’t say Hallel on Purim.
If you live in Israel, if you can see G-d’s eyes upon the land wherever you are. If you recognize G-d’s miracles within nature, then you must Say Hallel. The reading of the Megilah which describes G-d’s hand within nature becomes a form of Hallel. If you live outside the land of Israel, if you don’t see G-d “from the beginning of the year to the end of the year”, you see G-d only in the beginning of the year on the high holidays but you don’t see G-d in your day to day life, then you can’t say Hallel. You are outside of Israel and we don’t say Hallel because we don’t say Hallel on the miracles that are in clothed in nature.
It’s up to you. You can look at I any way you want.
(Purim 5622)
Sunday, March 2, 2008
On Entertainment and Pleasure
In my free time, if I were not tired busy or distracted, what would I enjoy doing? Lately I am thinking about this question often. I seem to be spending my free time reacting to my surroundings, as opposed to anxiously waiting for s few minutes to be able to do what I really want to do.
This question is very important to me. It touches on such questions as “Who am I?” “What do I love to do?” “What are my pleasures”? Especially in light of the Chasidic explanation that pleasure is the expression closest to the essence of the soul.
I will pick up a book of the previous Rebbe’s talks, and I will find pleasure by being absorbed and pulled into the worlds that the previous Rebbe describes.
I will try to find pleasure in that experience and transformation.
***
In the previous paragraph I originally wrote “I will find entertainment”. I crossed out the word entertainment and replaced it with pleasure. I was uncomfortable with the word entertainment, pleasure felt better.
Is there a difference between entertainment and pleasure?
To the best of my knowledge Chasidus has a lot of discussion about pleasure, its importance, its sanctity, it is described as the expression of the souls essence, yet I have never seen any mention of anything resembling entertainment.
Perhaps I can suggest that pleasure is desirable, it is wholesome, it takes effort to attain, it is delicate and you must be careful not to distract it. Its hard earned and fragile. Entertainment is synonymies with effortless. You just plop down in your seat and expect to be entertained. Nothing good can result from the lazy desire for entertainment. The only enjoyment worth pursuing are the ones that take effort.
This question is very important to me. It touches on such questions as “Who am I?” “What do I love to do?” “What are my pleasures”? Especially in light of the Chasidic explanation that pleasure is the expression closest to the essence of the soul.
I will pick up a book of the previous Rebbe’s talks, and I will find pleasure by being absorbed and pulled into the worlds that the previous Rebbe describes.
I will try to find pleasure in that experience and transformation.
***
In the previous paragraph I originally wrote “I will find entertainment”. I crossed out the word entertainment and replaced it with pleasure. I was uncomfortable with the word entertainment, pleasure felt better.
Is there a difference between entertainment and pleasure?
To the best of my knowledge Chasidus has a lot of discussion about pleasure, its importance, its sanctity, it is described as the expression of the souls essence, yet I have never seen any mention of anything resembling entertainment.
Perhaps I can suggest that pleasure is desirable, it is wholesome, it takes effort to attain, it is delicate and you must be careful not to distract it. Its hard earned and fragile. Entertainment is synonymies with effortless. You just plop down in your seat and expect to be entertained. Nothing good can result from the lazy desire for entertainment. The only enjoyment worth pursuing are the ones that take effort.
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