Surfing Lessons

When traveling the world, I'm often asked where I'm coming from. When hearing that I hail from Southern California, the topic of surfing is often raised. "I never learned how to surf well... so I never got into it," I reply, a bit ashamed for having never really taken advantage of my own backyard: the Pacific Ocean.



Now, before you judge me, know this: the water's cold! And when you're bad at surfing, it ain't fun either! But I know, I know. No excuses. I must repent. But I had a Q: what was so special about the ocean, that it pulls so many people to it, like a magnet? This past week, I spoke to a friend about the wonder of the ocean's waves & the feeling of a surfer, and gained a great insight into the ocean's spiritual force and the life lessons we can learn from Surfing. As the Chassidic Rebbe - the Baal Shem Tov - often said: "Every single thing that a person sees or hears, is an instruction to him
in his service of G‑d."

As a surfer sits on his or her board, drifting, waiting to catch a wave, there is only the present. NOTHING else in the world exists now; no materiality that usually holds sway on our lives, matters at this time. Just the endless ocean. The perfect, beautiful, infinite ocean. {Like when praying/connecting to G-d, trying to form a bond with His Infinite Being. No material distractions matter right now.
Just you and Him}.
The ocean feels like it's being pulled and moved by an inexplicable hidden force that you can't see, but can feel. {Like the events of our lives. We think we're the only ones in control, but deep down we sense a Higher plan, dictating the events & direction our lives are taking}.

As the wave rises you, you know this: either you're heading for the ride of your life {all of the openly positive events in life}, or you're wiping out, sometimes lightly, sometimes hard {like the life lessons we get, occurrences that don't appear very good at all}.

But at the end of the day, if you know you've given it your all, and you attempted to surf; to experience that which was greater than yourself, you leave the ocean a new person: relaxed, on a spiritual high, ready to live on a higher plane. {Like after a good spiritual experience, in learning Torah, praying or performing a Mitzvah).
By delving into Jewish spirituality, as well as the beauty of nature G-d Has Created, one is headed toward a good feeling of spiritual equilibrium.

But with my newfound interest in surfing kindled, who's got the patience to teach me when I get back home? ;)

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Living up to your Name

This week we are 1st introduced to probably the holiest person to have ever existed: Moshe (Moses).
As I was reading about Moshe’s early life in the Torah, I began to wonder about something. After Moshe was born, he was placed in a basket and sent down the river Nile by his mother,
to avoid certain death in the hands of the Egyptians. Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh, found the ‘Hebrew boy,’ and with compassion, took him in. She named him “Moshe,”
'For I drew him from the water.’
We are told that Moshe had other names given to him by his family, yet for the 770 times his name comes up in the Tanach, he is called “Moshe.”
How come this holy leader retained the name given by the daughter of an evil Egyptian man? The Kabbalah teaches us that one's name is connected to one's inner soul and purpose.
By taking a deeper look into the life of Moshe, perhaps we can uncover the meaning behind this name.

"It happened in those days that Moses grew up and went out to his brethren and saw their burdens…And he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man." Moshe, the adopted grandson of the most powerful man in Egypt, is faced with a tough situation.
Ignore, and retain your royal status of luxury, or take action and endanger – not only your high position – but your life as well!
Moshe didn't think twice, but sided with the victim: "(He) struck the Egyptian down and hid him in the sand."

"…He went out the next day, and behold! Two Hebrew men were fighting.” Come on. This time, no one’s life is at stake. These men are choosing to fight. Yet again, Moshe immediately acts: "(And he) said to the wicked one, 'Why would you strike your fellow?'" This action would end up costing him dearly. These wicked men informed on Moshe’s prior killing, and: "Pharaoh heard about this matter and sought to kill Moses; so Moses fled from before Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian. He sat at the well." But in Midian, Moshe still could not avoid challenging situations.
"The minister of Midian had seven daughters; they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father's sheep. The shepherds came out and drove them away.”

Now logic would dictate (together with instincts of self-preservation), that avoiding altercations in one’s new city of residence is most prudent. Moshe chose, rather, to stand up & do what was right: "Moses got up and saved them, and watered their sheep." We can now understand the Torah’s emphasis on this special name Moshe, given by Pharaoh’s daughter. For by saving the Hebrew baby, she was taking a massive risk, going so far as to disobey the rule set up by her very own father! Yet she did not hesitate: "Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe by the river… She saw a basket among the reeds… She opened it and saw a boy crying. She took pity on him and said, 'This is one of the Hebrew boys,'…and he was a son to her." How fitting a name for Moshe, who would grow to do the same for others.

As we go through life, we encounter many situations and circumstances that require our action. People who need help. Let's try to stand up for what's right and true, emulating our ancestor Moshe. Let's take action!

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

{Based on Sichos Kodesh 5740 vol. 1 pp. 784-788, and Rabbi Mendel Kalmenson of Chabad.org}

15 Violins

There's a story told of a music reporter who was looking for a good article. Hearing of an exceptional violinist living in his own very town, the man set out to contact him for an exclusive interview. The violinist acquiesced and a date was set.
As the interview neared, the reporter received a call from the violinist,
regretfully informing him that he wouldn't be able to make it. "There is a very special violin ensemble playing in concert that night. It will be aired on the radio and I can't bare to miss it."

Knowing that he could learn a lot by just observing this great musician, the reporter quickly responded: "No problem! I'd be happy to come by and just listen to the concert with you."
"Are you sure? Well, fine. But I don't want to hear a PEEP from you during this concert." The reporter agreed, and at the appointed night, he appeared at the violinist's door.
"Not a peep!" said the musician, as they settled into their chairs. With a nod, the radio was turned on, and the concert began. The violinist immediately began focusing intensely on the music
coming from the radio. The reporter, meanwhile, observed the violinist, searching his facial expressions to glean any reaction he may have to the music being played.

As the music flowed, the reporter forgot the man seated next to him for a moment, and found himself enjoying the great beauty of the violin. Each violinist seemed to be playing off each other, complimenting one another seamlessly; the sound so soothing to the soul. Glancing at the great violinist seated next to him, he was surprised to see him grimacing. 'How can he POSSIBLY not be
enjoying this!?' He thought to himself. But true to his word, he remained silent. As the concert continued, the same scene repeated itself; the reporter loving the music, the violinist frowning.

As the concert concluded to a standing ovation, the radio was turned off, and the reporter took the opportunity to question the violinist. "I thought the concert was beautiful. But it seemed as though you disliked the performance....?" The great violinist turned to the reporter, and explained: "You are an amateur, and therefore enjoyed it. I am an expert, and noticed that this musical piece was supposed to be played with 15 violinists. There were only 14, and the piece was off. This is what ruined it for me."

~~~

Such a big world. Full of noise and action.
But where does little me come in?
"Front and center" - says G-d. Without you, the concert is ruined.
On one hand, the world doesn't revolve only around me and my needs. I must appreciate the individual song every soul plays.
But I must always remember that my song - my soul and its purpose in this world - is a unique, central one.
One so vital that, without it, the entire symphony of history
becomes ruined. The grand purpose of all of creation can only be completed through me. Otherwise, why did G-d Find it so necessary to create me?

Shabbat Shalom (and an easy fast)!

-Daniel

Crying for Another

In this week's Torah portion, we read about one of the most dramatic stories ever to be recorded.
The story of Joseph and his 11 brothers.
After being sold into slavery, spending 12 years in prison, and then emerging as viceroy to Pharaoh,
Joseph meets his brothers once again. When he sees his youngest brother (Benjamin) Binyomin, after being separated from him for so many years,
the Torah says: "He fell upon his brother Binyomin's neck and wept, and Binyomin wept upon his neck."

Now we know that every word in the Torah is exact and lad
en with layers & layers of deep meaning.
Why can't the Torah just say: "And they wept on each other's necks" or just "they wept." Why mention neck twice?
The 12th-century Torah Commentator Rashi explains: 'Joseph wept for the 2 temples that would be built in Binyomin's territory in Israel & that would later be destroyed.
And Binyomin wept for the Tabernacle in Shiloh, Joseph's territory, which would be destroyed.'
What connection does the tabernacle and the temple (where the holy ark which contained the two tablets resided)
have to do with the neck specifically?

Where is the neck positioned?
The neck connects the body with the head.
The head contains the brain which controls the body; also, it contains the senses of sight, hearing, tasting, smelling - all of the acute, powerful abilities of a person.
The body, in comparison, leaves much to be desired in these areas of human experience.
The temple was the neck of the universe.
A place where people, and G-d, could connect.
Where the physical, mundane world and the infinite G-d could meet and bond.

~~~~~~

But one question remains: Why didn't they cry for their own, personal destructions in their own territories??

From this we can learn a fundamental lesson in our own lives:
When my "temple" is at threat of being destructed - when my spiritual or physical situation is at risk, the obligation is on me to fix it.
If hard times occur in life, one must turn to G-d for Help, but must also work with utmost energy to fix the problem.
And if what appears to be something bad occurs, we must trust that G-d Had a good intention behind it, and try to accept it as such.

BUT, when misfortune occurs to another, we mustn't expect them to take care of themselves, and turn away, trusting that it was all for the good.
We must cry for them and feel every ounce of their pain.
We can't be content with a hidden good, but rather we must demand for a revealed good.
We learn this all from our forefathers Yosef and Binyomin:
Try feeling for someone else, rather than just ourselves.

May there be no more pain or tears for anybody anymore!
May Moshaich come now before Shabbat and take all of us to Jerusalem with the rebuilding of the 3rd & final Temple!

Shabbat Shalom,

Daniel

Chanukah - The One Jar of Oil

Tonight - Wed. the 1st of December - Jews worldwide will be celebrating the 1st night of Chanukah.

As we say the blessings and gaze at the light of the candles, we remind ourselves of the miracles which G-d Performed for our ancestors in Jerusalem, some 2,000 years ago.
Every Jewish observance (mitzvah) we perform has an outer reality and an inner reality; a body and a soul. On an external level, we celebrate on Chanukah the miraculous military victory of the Maccabees, as well as the finding of a single jar of pure olive oil, with the seal of the Kohen Gadol (the high priest), used to re-light the Holy Temple's menorah in Jerusalem. The jar contained only enough oil to light the Menorah for one day, but miraculously the oil lasted for 8 days. That is why we light menorahs in our homes for 8 nights, beginning from the 25th day of Kislev, just as our ancestors did then in the Temple. But what is the inner significance of this one jar of oil that was found, and that we commemorate each year? How come the Greeks were so intent on defiling every other jar they could get their hands on?

Our Sages explain a very interesting thing. The Greeks who ruled over the Jews in ancient Israel, actually appreciated Judaism! They enjoyed the intellectual rigor of the Talmudic wisdom, the interesting “rituals” and customs of the Jews, the ethical morality of the Torah. It’s actually not so hard to understand this. My mother mentioned to me once that our family began keeping Shabbat before even believing in G-d! It just seemed like a great way to shut off the TV and phone for family time to spend together. A great idea! Or take a Biblical Hebrew professor I had in college. He had an expensive set of Talmud in his classroom that he loved to learn! It was simply very enjoyable. The Philosophically modern Greeks enjoyed Judaism in theory. There was just one, small problem: The G-d part. Do the commandments! Learn the Torah! Just don’t do it b/c G-d Said so. Study & do the Mitzvot b/c it makes sense. Period!

The Jewish Mystics explain, that oil represents Divine Wisdom. The G-dly Wisdom which underlies all of Torah & its Mitzvot. Like oil which rises to the top of anything it touches, this Wisdom is above and beyond our mortal intellects. Many things in Judaism we do not understand - but do only b/c G-d Told us to. This connection of Torah & mitzvot - with G-d – is what the Greeks Desired to destroy amongst the Jewish People. Besides for rape and murder, the Greeks used a very familiar, more subtle technique to end Jewish commitment to Torah, one we see so often today: the lure of assimilation. Greece represented modernity – Get with the times people! And many Jews abandoned their faith for the Greek way of life. But no matter how assimilated we became (or have become today), no matter how far each of us feels from our connection with G-d, there will always be the ‘one jar of oil with the seal of the Kohen Gadol.’ Spiritually speaking, this is that one Divine point in every Jew’s soul that can never be tarnished by any outside forces. The essence of our souls inside, that forever remains pure and attached to G-d. We can always tap into that divinity inside and re-connect to our source. The Maccabees aroused this level within themselves and the Jewish People, triggering a spirit of self sacrifice for what was right and true. No enemy or exile can ever touch this level within us.

As we gaze at the candles this Chanukah, let’s remember that a little light dispels a lot of darkness, and any candle of goodness, of Torah and mitzvot, that we light – will lead us & the world closer to the final redemption when light will forever displace darkness.

Happy Chanukah!

-Daniel

{To see a great resource for Chanukah info, check: Chanukah}

God & Pancakes

After 53 days of imprisonment on an island fortress off the Neva River in Petersburg, Russia, Rabbi Shneur Zalman (A.K.A. the Alter Rebbe) left a free man. Tonight, the 19th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, we celebrate the 212th anniversary of his release.

The Alter Rebbe founded a system of serving G-d known as Chabad, which stands for chochmah (wisdom), binah (understanding), and da'at (knowledge). He taught Jewish mysticism with great explanations, spreading the concepts of the unity of G-d and His oneness with this world as never before. Imprisoned on charges that "his teachings and activities threatened the imperial authority of the czar," the Alter Rebbe viewed his imprisonment rather as a decree from on high. Did G-d Deem His teachings proper for his time? Jewish mysticism ha din the past been kept secret to only the greatest of Rabbis!

The Alter Rebbe viewed his release, his pardon from death, as a sign of approval from G-d, and began teaching and spreading his teachings, known as "Chassidus," more & more. What's the essential message the Alter Rebbe was trying to convey in his teachings?

Many wonder what life will be like Moshiach comes. "Will we all be living in cramped apartments in Jerusalem?" "Will we be spending the whole day watching sacrifices in the temple?" "Will we be riding on donkeys?" "Miracles all day long?" Chassidus explains that, to understand what will be, we must take a look at the very words in Hebrew for "exile" and "redemption". Exile is "גולה-Golah", Redemption is "גאולה-Geulah."
The only difference between our lives now and in the messianic era, is the letter א, which refers to the one G-d.

Everything will be the same. Cars, houses, parks, Wal-Mart, even pancakes!
Except for one little thing.
We will see how really everything we experience in this world is created and enlivened with G-d's Divine Energy.
That sweet taste when eating those pancakes, stems directly from its spiritual source and energy, the sweetness from above.
By learning Chassidus now, we can start envisioning this Divine reality now in our every day lives.
Everything in this world is an expression of G-d. We can therefore learn a lesson from every moment, every nuance of creation.
Like the smile or frown on a friend's face, the world's movements and wonders show us the inner dimension, what's behind the "face."

Until ultimately G-d will stop the hiding, as the prophet Isaiah says, Ch. 40:5: "And G-d's glory will be revealed, and all mankind will see it together."
May it happen now.
Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Soul Journeying

~Hey Everyone! We are 2 weeks away from arguably my favorite holiday: Chanukah! This is the month of miracles, Divine Providence above & beyond nature, so I wish you much success beyond your imagined expectations, in all things good~


This week’s Torah portion is "Vayishlach" meaning "And He sent." “Yakov sent angels before him to greet Esav, his brother.” Afraid of his brother's evil intentions, Yakov sends him messengers with gifts, as well as a message: “Im Lavan garti — With Lavan I have sojourned.” After 20 years away from home, working with his deceptive uncle Lavan, Yakov summed up the approach he had taken throughout these years: “With Lavan I have sojourned." During all those years, Yakov treated his situation like a stranger making a stop in a foreign place. He was sojourning - just passing through.

There is an awesome story told about the foremost disciple of the Baal Shem Tov - Dov Ber of Mezeritch. It happened once that a Jewish traveler was passing through the city of Mezeritch, and decided it would be wise to visit the holy Dov Ber. Knocking on the door, unsure of what to expect, the traveler was shocked to find a decrepit, empty room, save one chair and a table. "For such a great man, this is how he lives!?" Sensing his thoughts, Rabbi Dov Ber asked him: "Where are all of your belongings? Your furniture, your jewels?" Puzzled, the man answered: "But Rabbi, I'm only passing through your town!" The Rabbi, surveying the room, smiled and said: "I am also just passing through."

During our allotted years on this earth (may we live many happy and healthy years!) we are travelers on a mission. We mustn't get too comfortable and attached to all the materiality offered by the world. We must stay focused on doing and contributing good; on our mission. It's interesting to note that the numerical equivalent of the word "garti (I sojourned)" is 613. Through Yakov's treating of the materialism around him as secondary, he was better able to perform the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah.

So the next time you see a 50% sale at the Quicksilver store...give 20$ to charity! (say what?) Or if you're cheap, put on Tefillin (boy) or light Shabbos candles (girl), for through this we succeed in turning the world that we're traveling in,
into a true home for Hashem and ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

True Preparation

B"H

Last week we left Jacob after he had just received his father's blessings.
Understandably angry, his brother Esau wants to kill him. So Jacob is sent off by his very wise mother Rivkah to go live by her brother Lavan.
There, he is to find a wife and establish his family. It is time now to leave the "tent of Torah," his secure, holy environment, and enter the material world.
A world, whose Hebrew name 'olam' is connected to another Hebrew word 'he'elam' meaning hidden. G-d Isn't so revealed in Vegas!
Kinda sucks for Jacob. But he's gotta do what he's gotta do, right?

Now, how is a good Jewish boy like Jacob supposed to adapt to his upcoming new surroundings?
One would think he should study what life is going to be like in his new city. Perhaps study under a craftsman or filed laborer to learn the tricks of the trade?
At least buy new clothing to fit his new environment? Jacob does neither. "Vayifga b'makom" - "And he reached the place (and prayed)" [Genesis 28:2].

The actions of our forefathers are lessons to us as descendants for all time.
When involving ourselves in the world, now more than ever we need spiritual re-enforcement, to make sure we don't get lost in our activities.
To always remember our purpose and our ultimate goals while involved in family life & business, we must make sure to plug in to learning and prayer.
The Torah continues and states, that on the way to his new home, Jacob stops for rest & surrounds his head with stones.
The Q: is asked: what was the point? Rashi explains "in order to protect himself from wild beasts." But how much protection can 3-inch stones really offer?
And if Jacob was relying totally on G-d's Supernatural Protection, why put stones at all!?

In Jewish Mysticism it's explained that Jacob's action represented every Jew's need to protect what's in their head from danger.
Jacon knew that, as long as all of the values and Torah that he had learned and integrated into his life until now were kept secure,
he would do just fine in his new environment, and sanctify his surroundings. Not to be lowered by them - but rather to uplift.

May we be empowered by our father Jacob to always keep our Jewish values & Wisdom intact as we interact with the world around us.

~Shabbat Shalom!~

-Daniel
Crown Heights, New York

Dressed for the Occasion

In this week's Torah portion, Toldot, we read about the birth and early years of Jacob & Esau. Born to righteous parents Issac & Rivkah, Jacob & Esau end up going separate paths, as the Torah says: "And the youths grew up, and Esau was a man who understood hunting, a man of the field, whereas Jacob was an innocent man, dwelling in tents."
While Jacob lived preoccupied in learning and character refinement, Esau went out into the world, ready to conquer.

As time passes, Issac realizes that his life may be nearing to a close. He therefore calls his son Esau to fetch for him food, where upon his return, he will be blessed by his father. When Rivkah overhears this (believing that Jacob is more deserving of blessing), she immediately commands her son Jacob to enter his father's tent with food she will prepare, and receive Issac's blessings instead of Esau. Since Esau happened to be very hairy, Rivkah dresses Jacob in a hairy animal's clothing, and Jacob enters his father's tent (Being blind, Issac could only feel the difference in skin).

And Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come closer, so that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."
So Jacob drew near to Isaac his father, and he felt him, and he said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
And he came closer, and he kissed him, and he smelled the fragrance of his garments, and he blessed him, and he said, "Behold, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field, which G-d has blessed!"

So what was really going on here? Why did Issac want to bless the wicked Esau? Why did Rivkah decide to intervene and "trick" Issac?
There are many insightful explanations to the meaning of these events, but I would like to focus primarily on one part: Jacob's need to disguise himself in Esau's clothing. If the blessings were ultimately meant for him by G-d, why was it set up in such a way that he had to go with a disguise in order to receive them?

Our Chassidic Masters explain the inner meaning behind this fascinating story of our forefathers. Jacob, the unblemished one, is a symbol for a Jew's G-dly soul.
Esau, the hunter, the worldly one, is a symbol for a Jew's body. Now in order for the soul (Jacob) to receive G-d's Blessing - in order to succeed & fulfill its reason for being - the soul cannot remain in the spiritual realms, but must rather descend into a coarse, physical body (Esau's clothing) and into a physical world. For in order to affect the physical world, the soul alone is just not gonna cut it. It needs a body to work with. A soul cannot put on tefillin or light Shabbos candles or put up a mezuzah, but hands can.
The body is the vehicle in which the soul can succeed in its mission on earth.

But there's one more point here. While riding in this vehicle called a body, during this stay in the physical world, Jacob must never forget that he is Jacob.
No matter how long he's wearing "Esau's clothing", he must never forget who he truly is, who he must identify with. The soul, us, must never forget that we are souls on a mission. Yes, we're in bodies that need food, showers and pampering. And yes, we have to work in the world, leaving the 'tents of Jacob' in order to succeed in it as best we can.
But we mustn't forget who we really are, and what the purpose is of this excursion into Esau's clothing.
As it says: "G-d Desired a Dwelling Place in the lower realms." - (Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 16)
When the twins Jacob & Esau were born, the Torah says Esau went out 1st, and Jacob's "hand was grasping Esau's heel."
The soul must have a hold on the physical, in order to uplift it. But we musn't get consumed by the world's flashy "appeal." We are Jacob underneath the clothes of Esau. We must remain true to our essence.

As Issac put it best: "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau."
Through the voice of Jacob, Torah and prayer, we can succeed in enriching our hands' work in this world to be the way it should be.
And then we will receive all of the blessings possible, both materially and spiritually, in all that we need.

Have a wonderful Shabbat!

-Daniel
Crown Heights, NY

A Rose among Thorns

In this week's Torah Portion, Chayei Sarah, we come across a very perplexing thing.

The content centers around the events leading to the marriage of our great grand-parents, Yitzchak (Issac) and Rivkah (Rebecca).
We are told in great detail and at great length, how Avraham's trusted servant Eliezer travels to Rivkah's town and finds her.
Rivkah then shows great kindness and sensitivity in providing water for each of his camels, showing the sterling character befitting as holy a mate as Yitzchak (note to those looking for a spouse: Kindness!)
Then, when he reaches the home of Rivkah's family, the ENTIRE episode is re-told to us in the Torah, as Eliezer explains the miraculous events that led to his finding Rivkah. This saga ends happily, as Rivkah agrees to marry Yitzchak and comes with Eliezer. Rivkah and Yitzchak then embark on their special lives of purity and spreading of good, and in the ultimate creation of the beginnings of the Jewish people.
Ummm, why is this so strange again?
It's strange because the Torah never wastes words. Every single letter & word is learned from & pored over by our sages. To teach us critical laws and Mitzvot about how we are to live our lives for all generations, the Torah generally suffices with very few words. Sometimes it suffices with hints in 1 letter!
Yet we find with Yitzchak and Rivkah's match and subsequent marriage, pages and pages of information told to us, not once but twice! This is the A.D.D. generation man!
Why write at such great length? The Torah could have just written:"And Yitzchak married Rivkah" - or at least something shorter than what we have.

The inner dimension of the Torah bails us out as usual, explaining to us what's really going on here.

Before his marriage, Yitzchak had reached an amazing degree of spiritual perfection. He was the 1st Jew to have a circumcision at 8 days, was then guided & educated by his father Avraham. He later showed an eagerness to sacrifice his Life for G-d, from which point he attained an extremely elevated level and was considered as a blemish-less being. He wasn't allowed to even leave the land of Israel because of his great sanctity.
Rivkah, on the other hand, is described in the mystical writings, quoting the Song of Songs, as: "A rose among the thorns."
She was born in a wicked, idolatrous family, far removed from Issac's pure upbringing.
THUS, the union of Yitzchak & Rivkah was a meeting of extremes. It is for this very reason that the Torah goes to such lengths to focus on and expound the events leading to their coming together. For Torah is a guide to uniting extremes. Whenever a mitzvah is fulfilled, a mundane physical object becomes infused with G-dliness.
The marriage of Yitzchak & Rivkah thus represents the marriage of the physical and the spiritual.
This meeting precipitated the meeting & marriage of G-d & the Jewish people under the canopy of Mt. Sinai, with the giving of the Torah, a Torah which when followed produces a fusion of physical and spiritual. A blessing of praise to G-d upon eating a salad, fuses its physicality with a spiritual force.

May we all succeed in following our parents Yitzchak and Rivkah, using this ability we all have to unite the 2 extremes of this physical existence & its spiritual counterpart -
into a beautiful harmony that can be tangibly felt.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

10 Tests Minus a Furnace

Hey Everyone! I hope you had a good week and will have an even better Shabbat & weekend!

There is so much to talk about this week in regards to the Torah Portion. Avraham and Sarah finally have a child, Issac. Sodom is destroyed because of its immorality, and many other exciting events happen. But let's focus on one specific interesting idea found this week. Our Sages teach us that G-d Tested Avraham with 10 tests, to verify Avraham's true devotion to Him:
"Our forefather Abraham was tested with ten trials and withstood all of them. This demonstrates how beloved our forefather Abraham of blessed memory was." - (Ethics of Our Fathers, Ch. 5, Mishna 4)

Some tests include leaving his birthplace for the land of Israel, circumcising himself, and ultimately being willing to sacrifice his beloved son Issac to G-d.
But practically nowhere is there mentioned an event that most of us would surely expect to be included as 1 of the 10!
When Avraham 1st comes to the conclusion that there must be a G-d that exists, he tries to spread this monotheistic belief. Unfortunately for him, his father doesn't
quite enjoy the fact that Avraham smashed all of the idols in his idol shop, and sends his own son (c'mon dad!) to King Nimrod for judgement (not to be mistaken with the Green Day CD).

Nimrod isn't too happy with this rebel Avraham, and says: "If you don't relinquish your belief in G-d, I'm throwing you into this furnace!"
Avraham stayed true to his beliefs and was thrown in. He wasn't harmed inside the flames, and ended up running away into hiding.

Now this is pretty crazy stuff! How come it isn't mentioned as 1 of his 10 tests!?

The Answer given in the mystical writings is a powerful one.

What is 1 difference we can find between Avraham's experience in Nimrod's furnace, and, let's say, the last of the 10 tests, being asked to sacrifice his son?
By the furnace, Avraham, based on his own inner feeling and will, was willing to give his life up for G-d. By the near sacrific of Isaac, G-d Asked Avraham to do it.
So what's the big difference?
When you do an amazing thing for someone, it's obviously a special thing. But it's on your terms. When someone asks for something they want, it's on their terms.
G-d Enjoys when we give over of ourselves and our emotions to Him. But greater is doing what He Asks for, for then the deed isn't mortal, it's G-dly.
The Mystics liken this to a wife and husband. Let's say they are together, and she asks her husband for a glass of water. "But I want to be with you," answers the husband.
"Yes," she responds. "But if you really loved me, you would do what I asked for."
True love and devotion is doing what another asks for, and not just what we feel like doing, even if with good intentions.
This is true in human relationships, and it is true with the Torah & Mitzvot in our relationship with G-d.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Issac & Ishmael - 8 vs. 13

In this week's Torah portion, we are introduced to the father of Judaism - and through it many of today's major belief systems.
How did Avraham become the father of various religions? What role did his 2 sons play?

While living in Israel, Avraham & his wife Sarah experienced a great famine that hit the land of Israel.
Forced to traverse down to Egypt to acquire food, the couple runs into some problems, with Sarah taken by guards to marry her to Pharaoh.
G-d Saves Sarah by striking Pharaoh's household with a plague, and Pharaoh sends Avraham & Sarah away with great riches.
But during his short acquaintance with the holy Avraham & Sarah, after witnessing miracles wrought for them, Pharaoh, greatly impressed, sends his daughter Hagar to be a hand-maid
to Sarah, saying: "Greater a helper to Sarah, than a princess here."

Childless, Sarah asks Avraham to marry Hagar and they have a child, "Ishmael." In this week's Torah reading, Avraham is commanded to circumcise himself and the males of his household. Ishmael is 13 at the time. Soon Sarah is granted by G-d a child, Issac, and he is circumcised at 8 days old as commanded by G-d.

We are told in the Midrash, that one day, Issac and Ishmael were having an argument. Ishmael was gloating to Issac, saying:
"I am greater than you, for I had my circumcision at 13 yrs. old! I made my own decision, I chose to dedicate myself to G-d!
You were 8 days old and had no choice!" Issac answered him: "That may be, but I was circumcised & thereby dedicated to G-d at 8 days old, beyond my choice, because I am dedicated to G-d beyond
reason and understanding; beyond intellect." The nature of a Jew is his dedication to G-d, his commitment beyond reason. To be sure, Judaism places a central role on understanding
as much as possible about Judaism & G-d, but through thick & thin, as we've seen throughout history, even when it doesn't seem to make sense, we stay committed. And that's why Issac, his son Jacob, the 12 tribes, and all of the future Jewish People, had to be circumcised at 8 days old. A time when one doesn't yet "understand" G-d, but is bound with Him - body & soul.

Ishmael was born naturally, while Isaac was born miraculously, from a mother of 90 yrs. old who had always been barren. Sarah had no womb. Ever.
Every person in the world has a connection with G-d, and a spiritual self that must be nurtured, and Jews must help this happen.
It is our duty.
But to do that, we must always remember who we are, a people whose nature, as bequeathed to us spiritually by our forefathers, is a bound with G-d
that defies all logic and nature. An unalterable bond that defies any laws of a nature, any enemy, any circumstance.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

To Live with the Times

"We all must live with the times."



Those were the words of the Rebbe Shneur Zalman to his disciples before he secluded himself in his room. But what could they mean?
Could he possibly mean that the Divine intention was for man to keep up with the latest fashion and news?
So Rabbi Yehuda Leib, the Rebbe's brother, explained to the Chassidim that 'Living with the times' meant to connect with, learn from, & live with every week's Torah Portion.

Well, let's take a look at the week we find ourselves in.
As we leave the high holiday spirit that coursed throughout the Hebrew month of Tishrei, with Rosh Hashana,Yom Kippur, and who could forget Sukkot & Simchat Torah, we find ourselves ready to enter the month of Cheshvan.
Cheshvan? Check your calendars people, there's no special holiday of note (except for the weekly Shabbat of course).
Talk about a downer! From a month full of inspiration - to nada??

This week's Torah portion is Noah. Let's see if we can find in it any help to this problem and "live with the times."
In the portion we see Noah's building of a massive ark at G-d's Command, saving his family & members of the animal kingdom,and together surviving a tumultuous flood, finally arriving on land in order to restore goodness to a once corrupt earth....
Well, it looks like the 1st life lesson for this time of year is clear in our parsha! How so?

Life in this physical world is full of tests and challenges, physical & financial, troubles that engulf us like flood waters.
G-d Knows this and therefore Gives us a respite at times from these worries of the physical world, by granting us holy slots in time to take a step back.
He Brings us into an ark of holiness. Our Sages tell us that in Noah's ark, no animal attacked another, despite the cramped area and mixture of predators with prey. This is because the ark contained a holiness within it, a pervasive holiness akin to the time of the future redemption, when "The wolf shall live with a lamb, and a leopard shall lie with a young goat." (Isaiah 11:6)

Noah's ark symbolizes the month of Tishrei, an "ark" that contained us within it & shielded us from the troublesome waters of the mundanity of everyday affairs. But like we see with Noah, the purpose of the protection of the ark from the flood was not in order to only remain in it's holy environment, but in order to be strengthened to eventually re-enter the world and replenish it for the good.

As we leave the ark of Tishrei & enter the new world of Cheshvan, let's live with Noah and his mission to re-enter the world fresh and invigorated,
ready to make the world into the world G-d Intended it to be. A world full of Torah and Mitzvot, good deeds and kind words, love and joy.
The inspiration of Tishrei has strengthened us to re-invigorate the world for good.
So let's get to it!

Shabbat Shalom!

Daniel

This is My Torah Scroll

Hey Everyone!
Tonight is the Jewish holiday of "Shemini Atzeret," while tomorrow Night (Thursday) is the joyous holiday of "Simchat Torah" - full of dancing with Torahs & saying "L'chaim!" We celebrate the completion of the Torah by dancing with the Torah, every Jew together, scholar and beginner alike, for in essence we are all equal and have an equal share in the Torah given to all of us by G-d at Mt. Sinai.
Below is an amazing true story that I've always loved - I hope you enjoy.
May you have a very happy holiday! (For more info on the holiday, see: Simchat Torah)

By Ruth Benjamin


Henryk was very young in 1945, when the War ended and solitary survivors tried frantically to trace their relatives. He had spent what seemed to be most of his life with his nanny, who had hidden him away from the Nazis at his father's request. There was great personal risk involved, but the woman had readily taken it, as she loved the boy.



All the Jews were being killed, and Henryk's nanny did not think for a moment that the father,Joseph Foxman, would survive the infamous destruction of the Vilna Ghetto. He would surely have been transferred to Auschwitz -— and everyone knew that nobody ever came back from Auschwitz. She therefore had no scruples about adopting the boy, having him baptized into the Catholic Church and taught catechism by the local priest.

He told his son that he was a Jew and that his name was Avraham
It was Simchat Torah when his father came to take him. The heartbroken nanny had packed all his clothing and his small catechism book, stressing to the father that the boy had become a good Catholic. Joseph Foxman took his son by the hand and led him directly to the Great Synagogue of Vilna. On the way, he told his son that he was a Jew and that his name was Avraham.

Not far from the house, they passed the church and the boy reverently crossed himself, causing his father great anguish. Just then, a priest emerged who knew the boy, and when Henryk rushed over to kiss his hand, the priest spoke to him, reminding him of his Catholic faith.

Everything inside of Joseph wanted to drag his son away from the priest and from the church. But he knew that this was not the way to do things. He nodded to the priest, holding his son more closely. After all, these people had harbored his child and saved the child's life. He had to show his son Judaism, living Judaism, and in this way all these foreign beliefs would be naturally abandoned and forgotten.

They entered the Great Synagogue of Vilna, now a remnant of a past, vibrant Jewish era. There they found some Jewish survivors from Auschwitz who had made their way back to Vilna and were now rebuilding their lives and their Jewish spirits. Amid the stark reality of their suffering and terrible loss, in much diminished numbers, they were singing and dancing with real joy while celebrating Simchat Torah.

Avraham stared wide-eyed around him and picked up a tattered prayer book with a touch of affection. Something deep inside of him responded to the atmosphere, and he was happy to be there with the father he barely knew. He held back, though, from joining the dancing.

A Jewish man wearing a Soviet Army uniform could not take his eyes off the boy, and he came over to Joseph. "Is this child... Jewish?" he asked, a touch of awe in his voice.

"This is the first live Jewish child I have come across in all this time..."
The father answered that the boy was Jewish and introduced his son. As the soldier stared at Henryk-Avraham, he fought to hold back tears. "Over these four terrible years, I have traveled thousands of miles, and this is the first live Jewish child I have come across in all this time. Would you like to dance with me on my shoulders?" he asked the boy, who was staring back at him, fascinated.

The father nodded permission, and the soldier hoisted the boy high onto his shoulders. With tears now coursing down his cheeks and a heart full of real joy, the soldier joined in the dancing.

"This is my Torah scroll," he cried.

Abe Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League -- the Avraham in our story -- remembers this as his first conscious feeling of a connection with Judaism and of being a Jew.

Beneath the Surface

Tom. night & Saturday, this coming Shabbat, is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar - Yom Kippur.
A day of fasting, lengthy prayer service, and secret day dreams of the break-fast meal... But what is the significance & power of this day really, at its core?

The answer is exactly that: the core. On this day we have the ability to reach into our core, the essence
of who we truly are. For generally we identify ourselves with what we do, not who we are.
Behind every experience, there's an I experiencing it.
And no matter what path we have led so far in life, no matter what negative actions we have done, the true "I" in us
remains unscathed. At our core we are pure and limitless, our essence unscathed through all the mud.
We are not our actions - and must always remember that our inner light can never be extinguished, through thick & thin.
At this time of year we often blow the shofar, for the shofar represents the simple cry of the soul - beyond our usual words & outer expression.

On Yom Kippur, Jewish Mysticism explains, this core of our beings, this essence of our souls known as "Yechidah" - is revealed
throughout the day, but primarily during "ne'ilah" - the 5th & last prayer which corresponds to this 5th level of the soul. Ne'ilah means "closing" - representing the closing of the heavenly gates at the end of Yom Kippur. But our mystics explain, that the gates aren't closing with us on the outside, but we are closed in with G-d on the inside, in the deepest connection and embrace.
Thus, we have the power on this day to not just focus on the break-fast meal of cream cheese & lox, or even just the prayer pages,
but to try and peer past the physical, material world around us - to the deeper core of the world & our inner selves.
For much of the other 364 days of the year, society succeeds in getting our attention diverted from ever thinking about our
personal purpose for existing. From ever trying to realize our fullest potential.

"Teshuvah," often translated as "Repentance," really translates as "Return." While possible throughout the entire year,
in these 24 hrs. G-d Gives us a special, sanctified haven in time to re-connect and return to our true selves, beyond our actions.
And then in turn we connect with G-d on a level beyond our usual relationship - to a place beyond our sins & mistakes, where all can be forgiven.

So Let's take advantage! Have an easy fast :)

-Daniel
S. Diego, CA
P.S. Please forgive me if I have ever wronged you, and may you & yours be blessed & sealed for a sweet yr. materially, physically, & spiritually!

Why the 6th Day?

Tomorrow night (Wed. Night - Fri. Night), Jews worldwide will be celebrating Rosh Hashana, the special holiday which marks the time in which we crown G-d as our King, renewing our desire to connect to and serve Him for another year.

But let's take a closer look at this holiday.
Rosh Hashana literally means "the Beginning of the year," and is a time which marks G-d's Creation of the world.
But the truth is, that the 1st day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, the day in which we observe Rosh Hashana, is marked as the 6th day of creation, not the 1st! If Rosh Hashana marks the creation of the world, Why would G-d not have rather Commanded us to celebrate Rosh Hashana on the day in which marks the 1st day of creation!?

The answer to this question is a very profound one - an answer which actually points out our Raison d'etre (sorry, I just left France) - our very purpose of existence and reason for being. Our Sages explain in the mystical writings, that G-d's Intention for all of creation - from the multitude of spiritual worlds to the innumerable amount of galaxies and creatures that rove our planet - was all for the sake of the human being. All for the 6th day of creation, the 1st day of Tishrei, when Adam and Chava (Eve) were created. That is why we celebrate Rosh Hashanah on this day. Why?
We are told (as quoted in Psalms) that on the 1st day of Creation, Adam brought all created beings together, saying:
"Bo'u Nishtachaveh, V'nichra'ah..." - Come, let us prostrate ourselves and bow down; let us bend the knee before the L-rd, our Maker. (Psalms 95:6)
Man & woman were created in order to perfect creation, the only ones able & entrusted to bring the world to an awareness of G-d and Truth.

But have we done the job?
A quick glance at history might suggest the opposite.
Human beings have done great things, but they've also messed the world up quite badly. Man is capable of the most amazingly great things, but is also capable of the very worst evil.
G-d Had this in mind when he gave Abraham's descendants the Torah. Torah means "Lesson", a guidebook for the journey
of life, showing us the way in which we can perfect the world.
Through adhering to the Torah, the Jewish People would help all to perfect the world - to be a 'Light onto the Nations'.
And we have. As bad as history has been, much growth and progress has occurred. So much goodness and light have shone in the world.
From Ethical Monotheism to equal rights, charity to education, freedom & valueing loving-kindness, the Torah & the Jewish People have reshaped the world.
As the 2nd President of the U.S., John Adams, said in 1808:
“I will insist the Hebrews have [contributed] more to civilize men than any other nation. If I was an atheist and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations. They have given religion to three-quarters of the globe and have influenced the affairs of mankind more and more happily than any other nation, ancient or modern.”



But there is so much more to do. Moshiach hasn't come yet, the world is still entrenched in hate, serenity escapes us.
The other day I was in Pompeii, Italy, perusing through the ruins of this once glorious city of Roman life. Great pillars and gardens, mosaics and statues.
The greatest dominance & brilliance the world had ever seen. But all that was left from this hedonistic culture were ruins.
Rome's dynasty is no more.
What has remained though are the Jews, bearers of the Torah and proclaimers of G-d's Unity. We have remained for a reason. G-d's Desire for Creating a world wasn't merely for us to indulge in material pleasures and ignore a higher purpose, but to lead the world to a recognition of G-d & a higher Intention.

Rosh Hashana is an opportune, special time for us to re-direct ourselves to this sacred mission of man, entrusted to us from the beginning of creation.

May you have a Chag Sameach! And may you & yours be written & sealed for a sweet year both materially & spiritually!

-Daniel
Venice, Italy

P.S. To see a guide to Rosh Hashana and stories, click here
--
May you be written & sealed for a good & sweet year!

A Lesson in Warmth

This e-mail is dedicated to my special cousin Danell, on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah. Mazal Tov!!

~~~
On this coming Shabbat, the Hebrew date of the 18th of Elul,
we commemorate the birth date of the holy Baal Shem Tov, in 1698.
The Baal Shem Tov emerged following a very difficult time in Jewish History in Eastern Europe, primarily with the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-1657, that killed between 100-500,000 Jews!
Still reeling from these massacres, Jews felt colder toward Judaism, G-d, and life itself.
The Baal Shem Tov arrived - emphasizing joy, pure faith, and trust in Hashem. He revitalized the importance of loving every fellow Jew like yourself, and how much G-d Loves us & how dear he beholds every Jew: "Like an only child born to an elderly couple in their old age, except much more so!" (not exactly the classic image of a powerful king in the sky with lightning bolts :)

There is one story of the Baal Shem Tov that I've always loved, and which I think best shows 2 things he focused on so much: Serving G-d with joy & vitality, and learning from everything 1 sees.

Once, the Baal Shem Tov and his many students were journeying through a forest. As they entered a clearing, they saw a vast, frozen lake. That wouldn't have been too bad, except for the cross that was carved into it. "Rabbi!" Exclaimed his students, "You've always taught us that everything we see and experience is a lesson in life and in the service of G-d. But what in the world could be the purpose of G-d Showing us this!?"

The Baal Shem Tov paused for a moment, and then turned to his students. "Why are you able to see such an image?"
"Because the water is frozen," they answered.
"But if the water were to be warmed up, this image would not be able to exist, correct...?"
The students understood the message.
When one's relationship with G-d is a cold one, lacking joy and excitement, it can lead to the worst of things for a Jew.

We must always remember how lucky we are, the children of the King, who loves us and cherishes His Relationship with us, every moment of our lives. Like a young child whose every movement and motion is cherished by his parents, we must always remember how beloved we are, and how every effort we make to connect to our Father is beloved to Him.
We may fall down from time to time, but like a child beginning to learn how to walk, surely the child's father smiles the entire way, as long as the child is trying his best to stand up.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Nice, France
--
May you be written & sealed for a good & sweet year!
Remember: Your next deed will change the world.So make it a good 1!

A Convert's Tale

With only 2 weeks left in Israel, I knew I had to take advantage of the Shabbats I had left. So off I went to the mystical city of Tzfat in the north.
After a great Shabbat experience flew by, I found myself sitting on the late Sat. Night bus headed back home to Jerusalem.
With my I-pod earphones in, I was ready for a quiet, relaxing long trip... But G-d Had some other plans in Mind.
Jumping on board and plopping onto the seat next to me was a fascinating guy named Shalev.
A musician, Shalev, a father of 12, had lived in Israel for the last 26 yrs. - 17 of them in the city of Hebron.
He had been a victim of 4 terrorist attacks, 1 of them where his car was riddled with 15 bullets and he miraculously emerged unscathed (minus a few cuts).
"G-d Must Really Have a plan for you!" I smiled.
With a twinkle in his eye, he then proceeded to tell me his life story.

Growing up as a Christian in New York, Shalev always was attracted to Judaism.
He really enjoyed the synagogue he visited for his friend's bar mitzvah. He even started learning Hebrew.
One day, he was speaking to his priest at church. "Why don't you ever get married?" he asked. He didn't receive an answer.
Intrigued, but with no encouragement, he slowly dropped his Jewish learning. As life went on, he forgot all about His Jewish faze.
One day in college, he met a Rabbi, and started asking him question after question, renewing his interest in Judaism. But one Q: really hit him hard.
"Do you Rabbis ever get married?" he asked. "Sure, why not?" Answered the Rabbi. "Perhaps it's considered sinful?"

The Rabbi looked at him and said: 'Marriage' in Hebrew, is called Kiddushin - sanctification. Being engaged with the physical world, the Rabbi explained,
is the entire purpose of creation. By elevating the physical world in the proper way, by using it out for the good, its purpose for existing is realized.
On nearly every holy day in Judaism, we sanctify the day over a cup of wine. In Hebrew, this is also called Kiddush.
We reveal the spiritual within the physical,
and we sanctify the spiritual with the physical.
The 2 unite, fused into 1.



Awed at the contrast between the 2 perspectives, Shalev slowly progressed in his Jewish learning and observance until eventually converting...

Now this isn't an attempt to disrespect other religions. Much beauty is to be found in all religions (well, since most came from ours, they
must have some, right? :) What inspired me about Shalev's account, is the highlighting of the beauty of what Judaism teaches us.
The material isn't to be shunned, but to be elevated. Not only that, but through elevating it we can achieve a higher level of G-dly Light than is found even amongst the angels.
But we must engage the world in order to elevate it, not to be lowered by it.
It's true that everything in our world is mixed with good and bad, and either can be highlighted. Every day is a challenge to highlight the good, the holy, in everything we see and come in contact with. As hard as it is, that is our mission as Jews. The Ba'al Shem Tov even taught that a person's desire for the physical, is in essence his soul's desire to extricate the spiritual sparks found in that physical thing.

May this fusion of physical & spiritual lead us to the world's ultimate fusion with spirituality, with the coming of Moshaich. We are taught that during the Messianic era, nothing will really change; only that the spiritual, G-dly core of every physical thing will be revealed as the underlying reality of the world which it truly is.

Have a Shabbat Shalom and a fantastic Kiddush!

-Daniel
--
May you be written & sealed for a good & sweet year!

The King is in the Field

Hi everyone!
I hope you had a great week and have an even better weekend!
Yesterday, August the 11th, marked the 1st day of the last Hebrew month of the Jewish year - Elul.
Elul is the month that precedes Tishrei - with the high holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
The Jewish Mystics liken Rosh Hashanah to a time when the people come to crown the King in His palace.


But in the month of Elul, the King comes to the field to visit His People. In a spiritual sense, G-d Reveals Himself to our souls and Draws us closer.
He Gives us a special opportunity & ability to connect to Him in this month, to get in touch with our Judaism and Spirituality much more smoothly.
This experience of re-connecting is known as 'Teshuva.' Improperly translated as repentance, it really means to "return."
But to return to our soul and its mission means to change from our daily patterns, and who wants to change?

Many, myself included, suffer from what psychologists define as a "victim mentality."
Let's take a pauper for example: Sadly there are times when a person feels the need to resort to begging for his livelihood. At first ashamed, one who begs can oftentimes pass a certain point where it isn't hard anymore for him to beg. It even becomes hard to stop! To extract himself from his new mentality. My friend once saw a guy in Brooklyn who always begged in his neighborhood -
driving a nice volvo that same day!
Someone explained to him that the guy was now comfortable with it.

We may not be paupers (thank G-d), but we can still be suffering from a victim mentality in our personal lives.
We're stuck, we're in a rut. So many things we do, we do b/c it's become a part of our routine, our mentality. It's become who we are.
I can slip to such a point that I think this is me!
Teshuva means returning to your real self.
But we all know how hard it is to realize how far one has fallen, and even harder to extract oneself from this new mentality.
Comes the month of Elul - a special, opportune time to take the things you thought were you, but really aren't,
and get in touch with who you really are. Not the worldly mentality we have become accustomed to,
but rather the internal, Divine mentality our souls naturally possess.
The King is Ready - All we have to do is go out to greet Him.

Shabbat Shalom!

Daniel
--
May you be written & sealed for a good & sweet year!

Beyond Freud

Freud, Adler, Frankl.
3 Jews that revolutionized psychotherapy and the way we look at the human being and what drives him.
But what differentiated them?
Unfortunately, there isn't enough room here to do justice to each man's theories.
But let's take a quick glance, 1st into the outlook of Sigmund Freud:
Everything we do is out of a desire for pleasure, or alternatively out of a fear of pain.
Alfred Adler: By incorporating Nietzsche's Will to Power, Adler emphasized that every person desires to be heard; to succeed and reach the top. Power. Success.
Viktor Frankl: Founding "logo-therapy," Frankl, using evidence from his experiences in the concentration camps (see his bestselling book Man's Search for Meaning),
expounded his belief that it is the striving to find a meaning in one's life that is the primary, most powerful motivating and driving force in a human's life.
So here we have the will to pleasure, power, and meaning. What did Frankl see that Freud and Adler didn't?

To be happy, said Frankl, one MUST transcend his/herself, instead of focusing solely on one's self-centered needs.
(Adler emphasized "self-actualization" - to make sure everything is good for you 1st. For ex. give your child EVERYTHING: Good schooling, $, languages, music, leads to happiness).
But, argued Frankl, there will always be a flaw, someone that has more than me. No! A person's happiest time in life is when he forgot himself, even for just a moment,
and helped someone else, showed kindness to a spouse, contributed to a greater cause than just self. To leave one's constraints and go beyond self.
There's a book entitled "Generation Me" that shows through statistics that this generation is more self-centered than any before it.
But shouldn't emphasizing "me" lead to joy?
Maybe for the body; but not for the soul...


Which leads us to Jewish Mysticism.
We are taught that each of us possesses 2 souls: an animal soul, and a G-dly soul.
Freud and Adler peered deep into the human soul and found, essentially, dirt.
Desire, lust, power, selfishness, arrogance, ego.
And they were right.
They peered into the animal soul, and that's what they found.
But they failed to look a bit deeper. Beyond the animal soul and into the G-dly Aspect we all possess - the Divine Soul.
A soul which desires kindness, purpose, selflessness; a pursuit of truth and meaning.
Freud wasn't wrong; he just didn't peer deep enough.

What lies at the core of our being, as Frankl discovered in the hell of a concentration camp, is a desire for meaning. That's what keeps us going, that's what drives us.
Not the pursuit of, but rather the transcendence of - the mundane.
It was interesting to see Basketball star Amare Stoudemire, straight off one of the biggest deals in NBA history, searching for meaning here in Israel (see here if you think I'm lying).

Whether he's Jewish or not is still unclear, but regardless, here's a man who could, and has, attained most material fantasies & stardom any person could ever dream of, and yet is running off looking into the Torah & Mitzvot for meaning in his life.
This search for meaning is a trend seen by many of the world's "stars" and it signifies a human desire for something beyond the "self" - a truth and a deeper meaning to life.
The pursuit of pleasure alone cannot bring joy. It only encapsulates a minute part of our daily lives. And negativity is ALWAYS easier to remember. Rather, do for another, live a purpose filled life and happiness will come, for happiness is not attained, but is rather a by-product of purposeful living.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

P.S. To read a fascinating story regarding Frankl which I highly recommend, click here

Souler Powered

B"H

Does the spiritual exist? Do I have a soul? Is there a Divine Life-force beyond the physical?

Well, let's take a trip back in time for a moment and imagine we were sitting in a preschool class (Oh the good old days :).

The teacher takes out a few pictures depicting the weather:



The 1st picture depicts a sunny day. "What's the weather?" The teacher asks. "Sunny!" Everyone yells.
How did they know? Because they saw the sun and its rays.
Next comes a picture depicting a rainy day. The children all guess correctly again, pointing to the dark clouds and numerous rain drops.

Now comes the 3rd picture.



"What's the weather here?" Asks the teacher.
"It's windy!" Everyone yells.
But wait! How did they know?? There's no wind to point to!
Well, one can see the effects of the wind - the leaves flying off, the man and kite bending backward, etc.
Let's take Love. It can't be seen, it can't be weighed or heard. But its effects are blatant.
Radio waves are everywhere. But I don't see them!? Well, bring a radio into your room, turn it on, and you'll hear the waves.
The waves just needed a proper vessel to express themselves.

The SOUL can't be seen. It can't be heard.
But its effects are apparent. And like radio waves, the soul too needs a body to express itself and to carry out its mission.
If you look at the Hebrew words for wind and rain, you discover something fascinating.
Wind in Hebrew is Ruach, as is the word for soul or spirit. Spirituality is Ruchaniyut (Wind, like that which is spiritual, can't be seen.)
Rain is Geshem; physicality is Gashmiut. (Rain, like all things physical, is seen.)
So too by the Spiritual G-dly Life Force that sustains our world. It may not be seen, but through its effects (like Divine Providence - see last email ;)
and the world's vitality, we can deduce its existence.
{To see more on the subject, look here}.

May we keep our eyes and ears attuned to that which isn't openly seen or heard, and sense the subtleties of this world; the
silent underlying force behind life - in the world & in us.
'...And a great and strong wind splitting mountains and shattering boulders before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake-not in the earthquake was the Lord. After the earthquake - fire, not in the fire was the Lord. And after the fire a still, soft sound.' (Melachim-I Kings, Ch.19 verses 11-12)
Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Lights, Camera, Action!

"Everything is by Divine Providence. If a leaf is turned over by a breeze, it is only because this has been specifically ordained by G‑d to serve a particular function within the purpose of creation." - Yisrael "Baal Shem Tov"

Lights! Camera! Action!
CNN cameraman motioning. Massive microphone in my face. A regret for agreeing to this interview begins to mount...

But let's rewind a few hours.
I'm preparing for the long fast of Tisha B'av (see last email), downing as much water as I can get my hands on.
Hearing about my yeshiva's plans to go to the Western Wall for evening services, I'm feeling a bit apprehensive.
"I'll be fasting and will need to conserve my energy and strength for the next 24 hours! Why go?"
In the end though, my holier (and less lazy) side won, and I was off to the Wall to share in my people's pain over this near-2000 year exile.
After a very special service, as I was preparing to leave, a friend comes running over and asks me to take his place for an interview.
With G-d's Help I somehow do the interview, and hopefully make a Kiddush Hashem -an honoring of G-d's Name- in the process.
{The video can be seen here: http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2010/07/21/nat.jewish.holiday.cnn}

After nearly not going at all, I end up perhaps affecting thousands of people worldwide who I will probably never meet.
Afterwards, I felt that this was real Hashgachoh Pratis - Divine Providence, G-d's Directing of the events in my life as part of His Great Plan.
Many of us experience "out of the ordinary" events in our lives. But what is their purpose? Oftentimes they just come and go. Granted, they're pretty cool and inspiring, and they may even cause us to point and say: "wow! That was real Divine Providence!"
But the truth is, that everything that happens in our lives is by Divine Providence. Nothing is up to chance.
G-d Has a Plan for each of us - a very detailed plan that precluded our soul's descent into this particular place & time in history. No moment is ordinary.

So what's with G-d Giving us these moments where we realize for only a moment that something Divinely orchestrated just happened?
WELL, imagine you one day decided to go to Nordstrom. like any high-class store, as you enter you hear a beautiful piano melody playing.
Not paying much attention, you decide it's one of those pianos that are automated to play on their own. As you're perusing the 3rd-floor clothing, you all of a sudden hear a mistake in the melody. Now you realize that there was someone behind the piano - playing the melody the entire time.



G-d Doesn't Make Mistakes, but sometimes He will Change the natural flow of things in our lives. Why? To remind us, that He's REALLY behind the piano the whole time. He's Orchestrating your life & my life from morning until night. Our job is to just be sensitive enough to notice these open acts of Divine Providence - these glitches in the song - and apply that to the rest of the 'ordinary' events of our lives.

'All is in the Hands of Heaven, except for the awe of heaven itself.' - the Talmud
When it comes to moral decisions, that's up to us.
But everything else, from a traffic jam to a baby's diaper - is planned for us from above. WE just have to give every moment our very best shot.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
CNN Middle East Correspondent to Religious Affairs

Speaking Face to Face

{This Mon. Night - Tues. Night marks the 1,940th anniversary of the destruction of our holy temple in Jerusalem known as "Tisha B'av." We fast and implore G-d to once again re-build our temple & Reside among us. To see more, click here}



To touch on the significance of Tisha B'av, I'd like to start off with a simple question:
If We believe that G-d is everywhere, how come we pray every day towards Jerusalem??
Let's just pray in whichever direction we please!
To A: this Q:, let me ask you one more: When speaking to a friend, why do you look at their face? Their soul & inner life force encompasses their entire body. Speak to their toes!

So what's the answer?
The face is the place where a person's soul is revealed most - where it shines.
As the famous saying goes: "The eyes are the windows to the soul."
This can explain also why we Jews aim toward Jerusalem when we pray to G-d: There is where His Presence is most Revealed.

Never was this more apparent then at the time of our temple's existence, known as the "Beit Hamikdash." There G-d's Presence Resided. There heaven & earth kissed. The spiritual melded with the physical, and all, Jew & non-Jew alike, could come to witness G-dliness in this world.
Miracles were commonplace. Not b/c G-d Liked doing miracles there, but rather b/c the area itself was G-dly, and therefore miracles exuded naturally.
"Jerusalem is the light of the world... and who is the light of Jerusalem? The Holy One, blessed be He." -Bereshit Rabbah 59:8.
So how can we get it back?
Well, for one thing, we have to want to see it back.
In 2010, where the average Joe on the street lives a better life materially than a French King did 300 yrs. ago (see showers), why should I want an old temple??
Well, besides for the peace and joy, the ending of disease, strife and suffering that will reign throughout the world when the redemption occurs, there will also be one very special thing:



G-d won't be hidden any more.
Any evil that occurs in this world is rooted in G-d Being Hidden from view,
while only revealed good reigns when G-d Is in view.
As our Sages said, if only the Romans knew the benefit the temple had for them as well, they would have never destroyed it.

The exile we find ourselves in now is called a "doubled darkness."
Why "doubled?" B/C when in darkness, one at least knows he or she is in darkness.
But in the darkness of today's world, we don't even realize we are in darkness - in exile.
For myself, living in Jerusalem, it's a bit easier. Whenever I visit the Western wall, I see a golden dome resting where our glorious temple once stood. I see the tears of elderly ladies at the wall, beseeching G-d for mercy on their families, friends, and on His People worldwide.

May you have an easy fast, and remember the words of Maimonides:
One should see the world, and see himself as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil.
One good thought, speech, or deed - can tip the scale and bring the redemption now!

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel