Realizing Redemption

B"H

'Jerusalem received 9/10's of the world's beauty.' -the Talmud

Earlier this afternoon, my friend Yoni took my brother & I on a tour of the old city of Jerusalem. After praying the afternoon service at the Western Wall, we met Yoni at the top of the stairs and proceeded on our tour.
Ascending up a few pairs of narrow stairs, we were suddenly faced with a gorgeous view of the old city.
"There's the direction in which King David came & conquered Jerusalem.
Over there's where we won the hard-fought battle in 1967.
Every inch of this holy city is layered with thousands of years of history; of joy and suffering,
destruction & salvation."

As we wound through the narrow streets & tunnels of this majestic city, we emerged into a large, open square.
As the sun set, we stood together talking while children ran around us kicking a soccer ball, yelling with joy.
My friend motioned to look at the wall next to us, which had inscribed in it the words (in Hebrew):
"And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets." (Zechariah 8:5)

There's a powerful story in the Talmud where this verse is brought:
'Again it happened that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Joshua and Rabbi Akiva went up to Jerusalem. When they reached Mt. Scopus, they tore their garments. When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. The others started weeping; Rabbi Akiva laughed... Said they to him: "A place [so holy] that it is said of it, 'the stranger that approaches it shall die,' and now foxes traverse it, and we shouldn't weep?"Said he to them: "That is why I laugh... the Torah makes Zachariah's prophecy dependent upon Uriah's prophecy. With Uriah, it is written: 'Therefore, because of you, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the Temple Mount like the high places of a forest.'
With Zachariah it is written, 'Old men and women shall yet sit in the streets of Jerusalem. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.' As long as Uriah's prophecy had not been fulfilled, I feared that Zechariah's prophecy may not be fulfilled either. But now that Uriah's prophecy has been fulfilled, it is certain that Zechariah's prophecy will be fulfilled.' With these words they replied to him: "Akiva, you have consoled us! Akiva, you have consoled us!"

As we watched the boys & girls playing all around the square, these words and the accompanying story hit home.
How amazing it was to see with our own eyes the source for Rabbi Akiva's laughter!

But we have to remember, we're not fully there yet. While it is true that we are nearing redemption, we still have to put the finishing touches in our lives and in the world around us to fully realize it. Our sages teach us, that in order to ready the world for the complete Redemption, we need to start viewing our world in, and living with, a redemption mentality.

Now what in the world does that mean?

Well, let me ask you: Why is it that when people bump into each other on the street or in the office hallway, annoyance surfaces? I mean, when a call comes in to firefighters to get moving, and they're slamming into each other in every direction to get their gear and jump on the truck, no one is even close to thinking of getting angry?

The answer is simple. These men are on a mission. They each have a cause on their mind, a purpose that's higher than any pettiness or strife. We can start to live now in exile in a more redemptive way. In the messianic era, there won't be strife or hatred. Let's work on that now. In that time, we will see the good traits in one another. Let's work a bit on that now. In that era we will be occupied in attaining a higher recognition and building our relationship with G-d through learning about Him and connecting. Let's do some of that now. Now it only makes sense that G-d meet our redeemed perspectives with a revealed redemption.

As the 3rd Rebbe of Chabad once said (in Yiddish): "mach da Eretz Yisroel" -"Make Israel here."
This means that even if we're found in CA, NY or Paris, we can live like we're on the streets of Jerusalem. Kedushah, holiness, can be brought into our lives wherever we find ourselves. One coin in a charity box, one smile to a neighbor, one candle lit, can transform the darkness of our exile into the light of redemption.

And through living our lives in such a way, may we merit the complete & ultimate redemption, when there will be no more pain and only joy, and all of our children and elders will play and laugh in the streets, may it happen now!

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel

Jerusalem

The Mystical Meaning of Donuts & Latkas

B"H

Happy Chanukah everyone!
This afternoon, before Shabbat, we light our final 8 candles of the menorah.
I hope the holiday has gone as great for you as it has for us here in Jerusalem.
From dancing at an army base to lighting the menorah by the Western wall, things have been quite fast-paced & exciting here.

Now I don't know about you, but every year it seems my digestive system asks me the same thing: "What's with all of these donuts and Latkas!? Enough already! Spare me, please!!"

Now, I know. You'll tell me that the whole miracle of Chanukah that we commemorate, centers around the finding of oil and that's why we eat all of these oily foods. But let's take a deeper look.

What were the Syrian-Greeks trying to stamp out from the minds and hearts of the Jewish people?
Unlike during the times of Purim where a decree was sent to kill the Jews, the oppression of our people by the Greeks was not on our bodies, but rather on our souls and our beliefs.

The Greeks valued beauty.
Art, music, philosophy, intellectual pursuit. Socrates, Plato, Homer, Aristotle. If one were to look back to the Story of Noah & his 3 sons after the flood, this love of beauty makes perfect sense. Noah cursed Cham (look there for reasons why), blessed his son Shem (whom Abraham descended from) w/ spiritual truth, and blessed his son Yefes (from whom Yavan, the father of the Greek Empire descended) with beauty. Noah wished however, that this beauty "should be found in the tents of Shem." That TRUE beauty should only truly be found when in a G-dly, spiritual context.

Now the Torah is a beautiful work.
It's the #1 best-selling book in History!! [ed. note: I'll have to check Harry Potter statistics later]. Now that's not too shabby. It has a great Author as well you should know.
So what was the Greeks' problem? They should have rejoiced in the fact that they could fulfill the wishes of Noah, that spiritual beauty and aesthetic beauty can bind together in perfect harmony. It's even known that there was a point in history when this harmony resided. It's recorded that the mighty Greek ruler Alexander the Great, when greeting the great Jewish sage Shimon Hatzadik, 'alighted from his chariot and bowed down before him...he exclaimed: Blessed is the G-d of Shimon Hatzadik!'

The later Greeks' annoyance however, centered not on the Torah's intellectual beauty. They liked that. No, the Greeks disliked that the Torah didn't remain just intellectual beauty. Mitzvot and Jewish ritual weren't considered by the Jews as mere customs and tradition. Jews considered Torah and Mitzvot to be G-d's Divine Will.
That there's something beyond what the human intellect can reach on its own.
That there's a higher, divine reality.

Now let's get back to the oily Latkas and Donuts.
Stay with me here, I'm going to need your head on this one:
Jewish mysticism likens oil to the Essence of Torah.
Many examples are given why, one being that just as oil's nature is to pervade through and through whatever it comes in contact with (just ask your mother who had to clean your pant's stain the other night), so too the deepest truths of Torah pervade every fabric of our reality. As the "blueprint of the world", every aspect of our lives and of our world can be found in Torah on some level.

But unfortunately, oil can't be consumed raw!
{There's a discussion in the Talmud as to whether there should be a special blessing for oil. Just like wine has a distinct blessing from its grape source, shouldn't oil have a special blessing from olives, like "borei pri ha'zayit?"
In the talmud its decided against this, since oil on its own is damaging. Try downing a full cup of olive oil every morning...}

For consumption of oil, it has to be cooked or fried with something.
Spiritually speaking (for we are taught that everything physical has its root in the spiritual), this need to mix raw oil with dough, or potatoes and onions, or some other more tangible food, represents the need for the Essence of Torah (oil) to come down in a more tangible, "edible" way.

On its own, pure G-dliness would be too much for us mortals to handle.
It's too lofty; its beyond us.

But through "cooking" and "baking" this divine wisdom into words and teachings that we can understand, we are able to digest and internalize this divine wisdom and message. This is the idea of Torah, and primarily the mystical aspects of it.
G-d Actually cooked the oil (his Essence) into a latka! :) Into the words of our Torah - in its mystical and very much practical teachings and directives.

But Why?
What's the point of this cooking of Divinity into digestible letters? Letters that on paper can even appear as only a beautiful wisdom (As it did to the Greeks).

Ahh, but here's the catch.
Torah, primarily its inner teachings, have a special ability to reveal the essence of our souls. The Supra-rational bond of soul with G-d, Beyond intellect - a bond which the Greeks sought to destroy. The 'oil in the Latka,' the Essence found in Torah & Mitzvot, seeps into one's very being to its core & reveals its essence.
Torah has the ability to reveal our essence, since the soul, Torah, and G-d are all essentially ONE.

May we all take advantage of the 'donuts & latkas' (i.e. Torah and Mitzvot) in our midst throughout the entire year beyond Chanukah, and let the Essential oil reveal our essential connection to Hashem.
And may the 'beauty of Greece' be found in 'the tents of Shem' - the tents of divine purpose and meaning.

I hope your donut & latka eating will never be the same!

Happy Chanukah & Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Jerusalem, Israel

A Modern Day Chanukah Miracle

B"H

Happy Chanukah everyone!

This afternoon (friday), we kick off the 8 day extravaganza of the "Festival of lights" (& donuts and latkas :). We light the 1st candle b4 Shabbat comes in, & tomorrow night after Shabbat ends, & continue for 6 more nights.

As we know, over 2,100 yrs. ago at this time, the Syrian-Greek Hellenists tried to stamp out our Jewish practice and beliefs.
Our Sages explain something very interesting. The Greeks didn't want to necessarily uproot our Torah learning or Mitzvah observance;
on the contrary, being "enlightened" themselves, they appreciated the great wisdom found in the Torah!
Rather, they despised the G-dliness, the holiness, behind our practice. "The commandments that make sense I understand.
'Don't murder.' 'Don't steal.' 'Set up courts of justice.' But eating kosher!? Putting on Tefillin!? That makes no sense!"
The Will of G-d behind Judaism was what the Greeks desired to stamp out.
When the Maccabees were victorious, they miraculously found one jug of undefiled oil to light the menorah.
Why had the Greeks defiled all of the oil they could find?
In kabbalah it's explained that oil represents a level higher than human, natural comprehension. The Greeks desired to eradicate that aspect of divine service from our lives. At this time of year, as we watch the flame of the menorah candles dance, we remind ourselves of the true, eternal divine dimension of our souls & our Judaism.
A holy level beyond intellect, beyond comprehension. A connection to G-d that defies our understanding.

~ To find out your Shabbat times, click here
To explore a treasure load of other insights, stories and guides about Chanukah, click here:
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3 years ago, I was learning in a Yeshiva in Toronto, Canada.
Every friday, we students would scatter throughout the city to meet with Jews we knew; in office buildings, malls, wherever,
to impart a thought on that week's parsha, put on tefillin w/ the men, or give out Shabbat candles to the women.

One friday before Chanukah, I went on a different route with my friend Asher Sossonko. When we visited his friends, he told them an unbelievable story, one which is well known, but I had never heard 1st hand. He relayed the story as follows:

"My grandfather, Asher Sossonkin, was a Jew who practiced real self-sacrifice.
Living in Russia, where it was illegal to practice or teach Torah, he nevertheless did his utmost to teach as many Jewish children as he could, until he was arrested and sent to Siberia, to a labor camp. There my grandfather never gave up, and with his great wisdom and joyful demeanor,
he was a beacon of hope to all of the Jews in the camp.
A particular Russian Jew, who was sent to the labor camp for crimes much less noble than spreading Torah, became very close to my grandfather. He learned a lot about his faith that he had never known, and began secretly to observe as much as he could in the camp.
As Chanukah approached, my grandfather taught this man about the holiday and the menorah.
"But how are we going to light the candles here in the camp!?" this man asked.
My grandfather replied: "Well, I will try and scrape together some potatoes and make holes in them.
I'll place some string inside and light them. It's not ideal, but it's the best we can do."

Now this man would not stand for this. He wanted the best for G-d. So he used the connections he had in camp, and in exchange for a large sum, he was able to have a metal menorah constructed in time for Chanukah.

So every night of Chanukah, with my grandfather leading the lighting, this menorah was lit in the back of their bunkhouse
(to the consternation of their non-Jewish bunkmates).
One night, on the 5th night of Chanukah, my grandfather & this Jew were watching the flames flicker and were silently singing the Chanukah songs, when suddenly they heard a shout:
"The commander's coming!"

Before even having a chance to hide the menorah, the door of the bunk house swung open, and in the entrance stood the commander.
Staring at my grandfather, the commander shouted:
"P'yat!?"(Russian for "five!?")
My grandfather nodded. "P'yat."
The commander nodded back, and with that, he was gone...

My grandfather always said, when recounting this story, that perhaps that "commander" was Elijah the prophet.
If it was, he didn't come in his merit.
He came in the merit of this simple Jew, who in his great desire to make G-d Happy, did his best to commemorate Chanukah in the most beautiful way he could."
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May we all have a great Chanukah, filled with light and warmth,
and may we watch the dancing flames of the Chanukah candles, and listen to what it seems to be shouting at us:
"The Jewish soul is eternal!"

Happy Chanukah!

-Daniel
Jerusalem, Israel

{1. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.
1. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-de-sha-nu Be-mitz-vo-tav Ve-tzi-va-nu Le-had-lik Ner Cha-nu-kah.
2. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.
2. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-olam She-a-sa Ni-sim La-avo-te-nu Ba-ya-mim Ha-hem Bi-z'man Ha-zeh.

(This 3rd blessing is Only said b4 the 1st lighting:)
3. Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.
3. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam She-heche-ya-nu Ve-ki-yi-ma-nu Ve-higi-a-nu Liz-man Ha-zeh.}

The time is Right Now

B"H

"If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now,when?"
- Hillel the Elder, Ethics of our Fathers (Ch. 2, 14)
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Time is priceless. Even as I write this e-mail, I know that I have exactly 1 hr. to finish it before I have
to leave to the village of Kfar Chabad in order to make it there before Shabbat starts. (I will be spending it there with Rabbi Fishel Jacobs, the "Karate Rabbi," maybe some good stories for the next e-mail ;)

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Shneerson, was known for his attention to time and detail. How every second was precious in his eyes. In the late 1940's, the Rebbe moved to New York from war-torn Europe, to join his father-in-Law (The previous Rebbe) in helpingto revamp Jewish life in America. During those years, the Rebbe's father sadly passed away in Russia, and the Rebbe needed to say Kaddish (the mourner's prayer) in his memory. To enable this, a minyan (quorom of 10) students were gathered together every morning of the week for prayers.
One morning, the boys took their time and came 5 min.'s late for the minyan.
Later that day, the Previous Rebbe called in a few of the boys and scolded them:
"How could you come late? By my son-in-law, 5 min.'s are worlds."

As children growing up in Ukraine, the Rebbe and his brother would sit and learn together.
A man who was present in their house, once observed that in 30 minutes the boys had gone through 40 pages of Talmud with the commentary of Rashi and Tosfos (to put into perspective, if I'm lucky, one page w/ those commentaries would take me many hours!) With his time, the Rebbe exemplified:
"And if not now, when?"
But amazingly, we see that later in his life, the Rebbe would spend hours upon hours, the bulk of his precious time, reading letters that Jews around the world sent him. After Shabbat or a holiday, the Rebbe would stand for hours pouring wine and giving a blessing to anyone who walked by. On Sundays he would distribute dollars for charity to the thousands who came to Brooklyn for a blessing and encouragement. True, he could have been spending his time devouring the vast amount of Torah books that called to him. But "if I am only for myself, what am I?"

Yet we saw another amazing thing by the Rebbe, a great lesson to take into our personal lives.
As crucial as time was by him, even when engaging in the task of helping others, the Rebbe made sure to never overlook any individual. It's easy when you're very busy, especially when busy with helping others and engaging in a noble pursuit, to focus on the mission at hand and overlook the bystanders around you.
But not so by the Rebbe.
It's known, that as the Rebbe poured wine to the thousands that filed past, Rabbi Junik would refill his cup from a jug of wine. Rabbi Junik once remarked, "Every single time I refilled the Rebbe's cup, he told me thank you."
Now we're talking about hundreds and hundreds of pourings here. And attention needing to be given to all those filing past him. But no one deserves to be overlooked.
One morning, Rabbi Laibel Groner (the Rebbe's secretary) was making important calls in the Rebbe's office. After calling an associate for the 5th time that morning, the Rebbe remarked to him: "You didn't say good morning."

Sure a Rebbe, a truly holy and special leader of the Jewish people, is someone hard to emulate.
But it's vital that we learn a lesson from this conduct of appreciating our time here on earth, the minutes of our day which can be filled with good deeds. And at the same time, never failing to appreciate those around us deserving of a kind word, a smile, and some encouragement.

To end with one more story:
Rabbi Groner related once, that after the Rebbe suffered a heart-attack in 1977, he was relegated to his bed and forbidden to walk about for the time being. In order to put on tefillin, the Rebbe needed his secretary's help.
When Rabbi Groner opened the desk drawer where the Rebbe kept his tefillin, he found them unwrapped.
After the Rebbe finished his prayers, Rabbi Groner asked him if he should wrap them up, or leave them unwrapped as he had found them? The Rebbe responded that he could definitely wrap them up. "But is there a certain reason behind leaving them unwrapped?" asked Rabbi Groner. The Rebbe responded, "I just didn't have the time."
Again, we're talking about one minute here :)

These lessons of time use and compassion for others were taught to us 2,000 yrs. ago by Hillel the Elder.
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
But the Rebbe was a living example of these traits that we could observe.

May each of us incorporate these special qualities into our lives, appreciating others and using out the precious time allotted to us on this earth, to better our surroundings and form the world into a home which G-d enjoys Dwelling in.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Jerusalem

Our Heros in India

B"H

"And Jacob left Be'ersheva, and he set out for Charan" (Genesis 28:10)

This week marks the One year anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred in Mumbai, India.
One of the targets was the Chabad house, where, together with 4 other innocent Jews, Rabbi Gabi Holtzberg & his wife Rivki died al kidush Hashem - for the sake of G-d, for being Jewish.

Late this Thursday morning, many gathered on the streets below my Yeshiva in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem.
We sang and danced, gathering there to celebrate the inauguration of a newly built office building.
This office for Mayanot (my yeshiva) was named & dedicated in loving memory of the Holtzbergs.

One of the speakers was Rivki's brother, who runs his own "Chabad House" in Northern Israel.
He based his words on a verse found in this week's Torah portion:
"And Jacob left Be'ersheva and he set out for Charan."
He mentioned the explanation of our Rabbis, that Be'ersheva was a place where Jacob had been living serenely for the last 14 years, learning Torah and basking in the spirituality of his serene environment.
Charan, however, where he was headed to work for his uncle and start his family, was an extremely lowly and immoral place.

His sister Rivki, and brother-in-law Gabi, he explained, did the same thing.
They left Israel, where they lived and enjoyed all the physical and spiritual comforts a Jew could ever want, in order to go
to a place where every four steps a new "god" is being worshiped and poverty is rampant. No comforts. No serenity.
But they went nonetheless, in order to build a home of warmth and love for any Jew who found him/her self in Mumbai.
They suffered much hardship (losing 2 children from Tay-sachs disease) and yet always hosted loads of guests every night of the week with great warmth and friendship. They were like Abraham & Sarah of old, a tent of warmth and holiness for any hungry soul that happened to pass their way.

Since I felt I couldn't do justice to their amazing lives of self-sacrifice, I'm posting 1 story here to give a tiny glimpse into the lives of these holy "shluchim" - Chabad emissaries. May their memories inspire us to emulate their beautiful ways.
To learn more about them, check out: Chabad.org

They Had No "Personal Space" or "Down Time"

by Hillary Lewin

Many of you first heard of the Holtzberg family three days ago when news of the Mumbai hostage situation emerged. I feel compelled to write this letter, because I want the world to know who Rivky and Gabi Holtzberg were in life and to tell you what I witnessed of their accomplishments in their brief 27 and 29 years on earth. While I am devastated by their death, I am thankful that my life and so many others were touched by their purity, friendship and spirit.

Before I entered the Chabad house in Mumbai, I thought, "What kind of people would leave a comfortable and secure life in a religious community to live in the middle of Mumbai; a dirty, difficult, crowded city?" As I got to know Rivky and Gabi over the course of this past summer, I understood that G-d creates some truly special people willing to devote their lives to bettering the world.

I was first welcomed by Rivky, who had a big smile on her face and her baby Moishie in her arms. She ushered me and my fellow travelers into the Chabad house and immediately offered us something to eat and a sofa to rest on. We quickly became good friends. We bonded with the Holtzberg family and the staff at Chabad, including Sandra, the heroine who saved baby Moishie's life.

Like his parents, Moishe is a sweet, loving, happy baby. He was so attached to Rivky and Gabi. He got so excited to sing Shabbat Z'mirot (songs) every Friday night with his father, and I could tell by the light on Gabi's face when they were singing together, that he looked forward to it too. It breaks my heart that I can still hear Moishie's voice calling, "Ima, Ima, Ima", and she will no longer be able to hold him or rock him in her arms.

On my second Shabbat at Chabad, Rivky told me there were two Israeli men staying at the house who were just released from an Indian prison. When I saw these men sitting at the dinner table, I was startled. One man had only a front tooth and a raggedy pony tail, and the other looked like an Israeli version of Rambo. I observed the way that Gabi interacted with them and how they were welcomed at the Shabbat table the same way everyone else was, and my fears melted away. Over the course of the night, I learned that these men were not the only prisoners or ex-convicts the Holtzberg's helped. Gabi frequently brought Kosher meals to Israelis in prison, spent time with them, listened to their life stories, and took them in after their release.

I realized that Gabi and Rivky's job was not only to run a Chabad house and provide warm meals and beds for weary Jewish travelers, it was much greater. The Holtzbergs were running a remarkable operation.

They took their jobs as shlichim (emissaries) very seriously. Their lives never stopped. There was no such thing as "personal space" or "down time". The phones rang constantly, people came in and out like a subway station, and all the while Rivky and Gabi were calm, smiling, warm, and welcomed everyone like family.

Rivky spent each day cooking dinner with the chefs for 20-40 people, while Gabi made sure to provide meat for everyone by going to the local markets and schechting (slaughtering) them himself. They also provided travelers with computers for internet access, so that they wouldn't have to pay for internet cafes. They even took care of our laundry. Having spent much time abroad, it was clear to me that Rivky and Gabi were unusual tzadikkim (righteous people).

On my last Shabbat in India, Their apartment was dilapidated and bare but the guest quarters were decorated exquisitely. I slept in Rivky and Gabi's home, the 5th floor of the Chabad house. I noticed that their apartment was dilapidated and bare. They had only a sofa, a bookshelf, a bedroom for Moishie, and a bedroom to sleep in. The paint peeled from the walls, and there were hardly any decorations. Yet, the guest quarters on the two floors below were decorated exquisitely, with American-style beds, expansive bathrooms, air conditioning (a luxury in India) and marble floors. We called these rooms our "healing rooms" because life was so difficult in Mumbai during the week. We knew that when we came to Chabad, Rivky and Gabi would take care of us just like our parents, and their openness and kindness would rejuvenate us for the week to come.

The juxtaposition of their home to the guest rooms was just another example of what selfless, humble people Rivky and Gabi were. They were more concerned about the comfort of their guests than their own.

The Holtzberg's Shabbat table was a new experience each week. Backpackers, businessmen, diplomats and diamond dealers gathered together to connect with their heritage. We always knew we were in for a surprise where an amazing story would be told, either by Gabi or a guest at the table. For each meal, Gabi prepared about seven different divrei torah (words of torah) to share. Though most of them were delivered in Hebrew (and I caught about 25%), his wisdom, knowledge and ability to inspire amazed me. Rivky and Gabi were accepting of everyone who walked through their doors, and they had no hidden agendas. Rivky once told me that there was one holiday where they had no guests. It was just herself, Gabi and Moishie. I expected her to say how relieved she was not to have guests, but she told me it was, in fact, the only lonely holiday they ever spent in India.

I remember asking Gabi if he was afraid of potential terror threats. Although his demeanor was so sweet and gentle, Gabi was also very strong-minded and determined. He told me simply and sharply that if the terrorists were to come, "be my guest, because I'm not leaving this place." Both he and Rivky believed that their mission in Mumbai was far greater than any potential terror threats.

Everything Rivky and Gabi did came from their dedication, love and commitment to the Jewish people and to G-d. I cannot portray in words how remarkable this couple was. If there is anything practical that I can suggest in order to elevate their souls, please try to light candles this Friday night for Shabbat, improve relationships with family members and friends, try to connect to others the way that Rivky and Gabi did: with love, acceptance and open arms. There is so much to learn from them. May their names and influence live on, and inspire us in acts of kindness and love.

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May we all take to heart the inspiration of these spirit driven, selfless, holy souls into our own hearts, and direct our strengths to the good. To add in one positive deed in their memory,
click here:

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Jerusalem

P.S. To view either an:
8 min. very powerful video (might want to skip the beginning) see:
http://www.chabad.org/1043611
or
a 2 min. video of Rivki speaking about her life in India:Click here

When Wearing clothes means Staying True

B"H

~I hope this e-mail finds you in good spirits - if not, may it bring you to them!

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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 could be nearing a close, and 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 (Issac was blind and 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!"

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Now the discussion as to what was really going on here; why Issac wanted to bless the wicked Esau, why Rivkah decided to intervene and "trick" Issac, etc. has many insightful explanations.

I would like to focus primarily on 1 part of the story: Jacob's need to disguise himself in Esau's clothing, in order to receive his father's blessings. If the blessings were 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 blemishless 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 in it's 'raison d'etre' - its reason for being, the soul cannot remain in the spiritual realms, but must rather descend into a coarse, physical body (Esau) - 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 something more. There's an integral message here that we must make sure to never forget while riding in this vehicle called a body, during this stay in the physical world. And that is: Jacob must never forget that he is Jacob.
No matter how long he's wearing Esau's clothes, 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 and succeed in it as best we can, leaving the 'tents of Jacob' and going out to conquer. But we mustn't forget who we really are, and what the purpose is of this excursion into the world.
As it says: "G-d Desired a Dwelling Place in the lower realms." - (Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 16)

Our soul's perpetual mission is to infuse Jacob's pureness into Esau's "clothes" - the physical world. Treating others with kindness and doing favors, doing business honestly and fairly, doing Mitzvot and learning Torah, and keeping a focus on our spiritual side in order to never forget who we are, all brings the world closer to the home G-d Wishes to have.
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
Jerusalem

A marriage of 2 Extremes

B"H

In this week's Torah Portion, Chayei Sarah, we come across a very perplexing thing.
The portion's 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 servant Eliezer travels to Rivkah's town and finds her. Then Rivkah shows great kindness in watering his camels and shows the sterling character necessary as a mate
for the holy Yitzchak.
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 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. Why is this so strange? It's strange because the Torah never wastes words. Every 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 mere hints! Yet we find with Yitzchak and Rivkah's match and subsequent marriage, pages and pages of information, with the event told to us a 2nd time! Why was this so necessary and important to write at such length? The Torah could have just written: "And Yitzchak married Rivkah" - or at least something shorter then what we have.
The inner dimension of the Torah explains 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.

Rivkah, on the other hand, is called in the mystical writings: "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.

May well have a great Shabbat, and continue to try and learn from Yitzchak and Rivkah, to infuse all that we come in contact with, with holiness and good. From saying a blessing on food, to smiling and complimenting a postal worker, we can all change the world and transform it into heaven on earth, uniting the two extremes into a beautiful harmony.

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Jerusalem, Israel

Lessons from a Near Death Experience

B"H

With SO many various important themes being mentioned in this week's Torah portion; The destruction of Sodom & Gemorah, Issac's birth and circumcision, the near-sacrifice of Issac, among many others - I felt overwhelmed to choose from them. I'll leave it up to you to research a bit ;)
So instead, I'm going to write about a fascinating subject I've been reading about lately in a book entitled: G-d, Rationality and Mysticism.
The subject centers on what Dr. Raymond A. Moody, Jr. calls: 'NDEs' - near-death experiences.

The last 2 chapters of the book which deal with this subject, include many amazing 1st-hand accounts by various people who,
after being considered clinically dead, recount everything they saw and experienced before returning to their bodies alive again.

The author of the book, Yitzchak (Irving) Block, describes how he 1st got involved in researching NDE's:

"(After reading Raymond A. Moody's book on the subject) I wondered if it was really as common as Moody claimed.
He had said that in any random group of 30 people, there will be at least 1 person who has had such an experience.
I found this hard to believe and decided to test it.
I was at that time teaching a course in philosophy of religion near London, Ontario...
(and) asked if anyone in the class had ever heard of such a thing. No one raised a hand. After the class was over, one of the young ladies in the class confided to me that she, herself, had had such an experience, but was reticent to talk about it in public. This is the story she told:
'She was pregnant with here 2nd child and hemorrhaged. She fainted from loss of blood and the next thing she knew she was out of her body looking down at it, while her husband was slapping her wrists in an attempt to revive her. She could see an ambulance backing up in the driveway and watched as the two attendants prepared the ambulance to receive her. She even noticed the license plate of the ambulance. She felt herself moving upwards and then realized that she might be 'dead' and was leaving her family behind. She looked into the next room where her two-year old child was sleeping and felt a desire to return to her body to take care of him, and the next thing she knew she was back in her body looking up at her husband who was slapping her wrists.
She later told her husband the entire story, but he refused to believe her until she described how the ambulance was backed up into the driveway, and the license plate of the ambulance which she remembered. Her husband later checked with the ambulance company to see if the number tallied, and it did. That's when he began to believe the reality of what his wife was describing.'

Now, 20 years after my 1st encounter w/ NDEs & some 12 books I have read on the matter since then...in my mind it is not only rational to accept the truth of NDEs, but actually irrational not to accept them in light of all the evidence."

Block goes on to sight cases he's heard from doctors that are quite impossible to doubt; a great read if you ever get the chance.
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Now many, if not all, of the NDErs describe hovering over their bodies & looking down from above, watching it lying lifeless on the ground below.
But what happens next is what is truly amazing and where we can gleam lessons to last us a lifetime.
What these souls experience while they are outside of their bodies, tends to instill in them a greater compassion, kindness,
appreciation of love and learning, an urgency and feeling of purpose in their lives.
Also, "The NDEers live the rest of their lives w/ the conviction that they saw & experienced a realm of reality far superior to the physical world and one to which they look forward to returning to when their time comes to really 'die.'"
What is it that they see?

Unfortunately, there isn't enough room to write all of the various descriptions mentioned.
But a consistent event mentioned by nearly every case is that of a "Life Review."
Similar to watching a movie, one watches a review of every event in one's life, except now you experience it from the point of view
of the other who was helped or hurt. "When I was there in that review there was no covering up. I was the very people that I hurt, and I was the very people I helped to feel good. I wish I could find some way to convey to everyone how good it feels to know that you are responsible & to go through something like this where it is impossible not to face it. It is the most liberating feeling in the world."

One part of Dannion Brinkley's account in his book about his NED is particularly powerful. "...As these visions ended, I had the amazing realization that these Beings were desperately trying to help us, not because we were such good guys, but because without us advancing spiritually here on earth, they could not become successful in their world. "You humans are truly the heroes," a Being told me. "Those who go to earth are heroes and heroines, because you are doing something that no other spiritual beings have the courage to do. You have gone to earth to co-create with G-d."
In 1973, Rachel Noam, a young Israeli woman who grew up on the secular Kibbutz Hashomer Hatzair, was struck on the head by an 18-ft. wooden beam from 5 stories up from a construction site. After describing her initial hovering, then ascent, and then "life review" movie, Rachel describes "...the magnificent stream of light was accompanied by a flow of sublime love, a kind of love I had never before experienced. It was unlike the love of parents toward their children, the love of friends and relatives or the love of Eretz Yisrael. Any love I had ever felt was nothing but a tiny speck compared to this exalted, powerful love. Even if all the sparks of love that abound in this world were to combine they could not equal the powerful, pure love I sensed. Faced with this overpowering love, I felt incapable of remaining an independent entity; I simple melted away...No words can describe the enchantment, the wonder, the incomparable, infinite goodness.
I discerned in it qualities of compassion, spiritual pleasure, strength, happiness and beauty, all in infinite profusion."
Seven years later, Rachel stumbled upon a Siddur (prayer book) at a friend's house in Jerusalem.
The opening words she read on the 1st page were: "Modeh ani lefanecha...I gratefully thank You, O Living and Eternal King, that you returned my soul within me with compassion - abundant is your faithfulness!"
Rachel describes her overwhelming emotions at finally reading what she knew to be true! (Remember that she had never seen a siddur in her life growing up on her kibbutz.) She spent the rest of the night reading it, and slowly grew in her connection to her Jewish observance, enjoying all of the Kabbalah and Chassidut, specifically Tanya, that actually described her soul and spiritual reality.
--------
In Judaism, emphasis on death and the life there-after, while important, is not focused on so much.
For, as Dannion Brinkley heard 1st-hand, the main mission and action is here on earth. While these special accounts of life-after-death can comfort us that the next world is amazing and full of peace and comfort, we must take from them inspiration to focus on our life here in this world, and the preciousness of every moment. Here is where we can fulfill our own unique mission and purpose for our existence.
And as Chassidut explains, the Ultimate intention is really to build this world into a dwelling place for G-d, where He will dwell together with us here on Earth. Why not in heaven?! For, as the mystical techings explain, G-d's Essence, beyond any revelation in the spiritual realms, is found and expressed in this world, and will be revealed with the final Redemption with Moshiach. May it happen now!

I want to end off with one more beautiful account by a woman who's life-review enforced in her the preciousness of life and the importance of the little things done in life, as much as the bigger things:
"For instance, one of the incidents that came across very powerfully in her review was a time when she found a little girl lost in a department store. The girl was crying, and the woman set her up on a counter and talked to her until her mother arrived.
It was those kind of things - the little things you do while not even thinking - that come up most importantly in the review."

I wish you all long life :)
And may we all use out our lives to get in touch with our souls, and to imbue those around us and ourselves with warmth, kindness, and compassion - all in a joyful manner!

Shabbat Shalom!

Daniel
Jerusalem, Israel

Leaving the box

B"H
Hi Everyone, how was your week?
Whatever it was, next week should be way above and beyond your expectations!
In this week's Torah Portion, our forefather Avraham is introduced to us.
What was Avraham's "novelty?"
Was he the first person to believe in G-d?
No.
Was he the first one to learn about G-d?
No.
Avraham not only recognized G-d and then learned about him. He spread this monotheistic belief, not contentin staying in his cocoon of spirituality. The name of this portion is 'lech lecha,' which is translated as "you shall surely go" - but literally means "Leave yourself."Avraham was told by G-d to leave his home and birthplace and go to a foreign land of Israel. But more than that, he was told toleave his own personal limitations. And Avraham's "limitations" were not our limitations - he already was 75 and was living on an extremelyexalted plane of existence. Yet G-d Said to him: "Leave yourself" - go outside of your box, however spiritual it may be, and embrace a new level. Our sages tell us that Avraham bequethed his abilities to his descendants. We have the ability to transcend ourselves whenever we choose too; to leave whatever box we confine ourselves in. Let's transcend our self-imagined limitations and realize that we can accomplish whatever we set our minds to.Let's spread goodness and make our father Avraham proud!

This picture is from my friend Michoel's weekly picture and thought: From: Oneinfocus.org

Life Tastes Good.
By inspiring his guests to make a blessing on food and beverage, Abraham taught others to recognize the Creator in all things.

Surviving the Flood Waters

B"H

This e-mail is dedicated to the speedy recovery of Lior ben Me'irah


In this week's Torah portion, we read the famous story of Noah and the flood, which was brought
upon the earth b/c of the rampant immorailty of the time. Noah was told by G-d to build an ark over a long period of time, to inspire those around him to repent before the upcoming flood. But to no avail. As the rain began to fall and the flood waters rose,
Noah and his family entered the ark which provided them w/ warmth and shelter for the coming year.
Finally the waters began to recede and Noah's ark came to a rest.
Together with his family, Noah left the ark in order to rebuild the world in a righteous manner.

A very nice story.
But what practical application can I apply to my life today from such a story?
I mean, there was a pretty hectic tsunami a few years ago, but in California I'm mainly worried about fires, and a wooden ark wouldn't do me too much good.
In addition, we are taught that every story of the Torah has a relevant lesson
to our lives in whatever generation we find ourselves in.
So what lesson can we learn from Noah, the flood, and the ark?


Chassidic Philosophy explains, that in our day and age, the "flood waters" that threaten to drown us aren't waves of water, but rather the physical and financial worries that inundate us.
For someone who desires to live a meaningful life, how is it possible to get beyond the everyday work-related worries, and the vast amount of daily distractions and hassles?

The answer to our problem can be found in what G-d Told Noah to do when confronted with a flood: "enter the ark." For us today, we are being told: "Enter a place where you can find the inspirational warmth and protection to propel you over the powerful waves of this world."

This spiritual 'ark' can take on many forms.
For example, the Hebrew word written in the Torah for Noah's 'ark' is 'teivah.'
Now approach any Israeli and ask them what 'teivah' means, and they'll respond: 'a word.'

So the 1st way to succeed in surviving these flood waters is to enter the words;
the words of prayer and Torah learning.
These 'words' help us float above the flood of everyday worries, and help guide our lives in a peaceful manner.
Prayer was instituted every day for this very reason. Every morning we wake up to the same flood waters, prodding us constantly to become work obsessed and preaching to our minds the words of Machiavelli that the "end justifies the means." Prayer, and the learning of Torah, strengthen us to remember to every day treat every person we meet with respect and fairness. To propel us to a more meaningful day in all that we do. To realize a higher purpose in our dealings with the world. Business is to be conducted hoenstly. Money is primarily to help our children's education and to help others. Life is to be lived higher...

This is our daily "ark."
But G-d Knew that we would need an extra-special ark that could strengthen us for
our entire week of immersion in the flood waters of life.
And that's Shabbat.
Shabbat is a day to reflect and remember the purpose of life, and to gather spiritual strength.

I heard a nice analogy yesterday.
Imagine you were gazing at a beautiful painting. Admiring the vast intricacies and amazing colors of this work of art, you came to feel great respect for the artist's painting skill.
But what do you feel about the artist himself?
What do you know about him at all?

The 6 days of the week, from Sunday to Friday, are times when we can appreciate G-d's beautiful world. But a special opportunity to try and connect to who G-d Is beyond creation, beyond the 'artwork' - His Intention & Purpose behind this complex and beautiful world, that opportunity comes on Shabbat.

May we all enter whatever ark we can, to help propel us over the flood waters of life with great success, and enter the world to build it into a more pleasant, happy and meaningful world.

Shabbat Shalom!

Daniel
Jerusalem, Israel

The Humble Hut of Trust

B"H

I hope you are having a fantastic Sukkot holiday; If it hasn't been yet, may it begin now! As I'm running from city to city here in Israel w/ my Parents, I've luckily found a keyboard here in Hertzliya. So I thought I'd take advantage to share a short thought on the inspiring message of the holiday of Sukkot - Chag Sameach!

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There was once a traveler passing through a certain Jewish town in Europe. Hearing of a famed Rabbi who resided in that town, the traveler stopped in to meet him.

Upon entering the very modest home, the traveler was shocked to see how poorly furnished the house was for such a famous person.

He looked at the famed sage in wonderment and asked: "Rabbi! Where is all of your furniture?"

"My friend", the Rabbi replied.

"Where is all of your furniture?"

Shocked at such an odd question, the traveler replied,

"But Rabbi, I'm only passing through here..."

The sage replied: "I too am only passing through here."

----

For 8 days every year, Jews the world over leave their comfortable homes for a humble hut called a Sukkah. The term stems from the Hebrew word kisui - "covering," commemorating the clouds of glory that protected the Jewish people when leaving Egypt.

There's something amazing to be learned from every tradition of our rich faith which we observe today. The Sukkah, among other things, emphasises the idea of dependance & trust. It's true that throughout the year I dwell under a sturdy shelter, with all of my comforts met. But who is truly behind this health, wealth, and general wellbeing? The humble Sukkah walls, as I sit inside at night and feel the sky's soft breeze, reminds me that God is my real protector, and not the walls of my house.

But who says? Maybe the dollar bills & marble pillars are my only supporters? Well, just ask New Orleans residents during Huricane Katrina. Or head down to San Diego every summer for fire season. Or more positively, visit Tel Aviv residents during the scud Missile attacks in 1991.I met one yesterday. A kind French man who said he became religiously observant after watching 39 scuds fall, destroying entire buildings, yet exacting Zero casualties. (To give you an idea, one scud hit a U.S. army base in Saudi Arabia killing 27 and injuring 98). He saw God's Protection of His People in an open fashion. [He was also amazed at the time that the Lubavitcher Rebbe repeatedly encouraged that no Jew should leave Israel during the war, stating that God Would Protect every Jew there. This was printed in the papers.]

But for you and I, feeling that my life isn't run just by money and material gains is very hard. Have you ever heard God tell you, "My child, I've got your back. Don't even worry about it." Maybe you have, I'm not doubting. But I'm not that holy :)

But this is the fact, and we personally see this through various events in our lives. The key is to hear God Reminding us through the message of the Sukkah each year. That no matter how comfortable and secure we live (and may it continue to be so!), it is really He Who is Deciding that I should live with such comforts, with whatever I receive.

The very last verse of Psalms, written by King David reads:

Kol ha'neshamoh, tehalel y-uh, halleluy-a - "My entire soul will bless God. May God be blessed." The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught: "Don't read it Ha'neshama (soul), but rather Ha'neshimah (breath). For every breath that we take, we should praise God and acknowledge our fortune. May we all have a joyous and trust inducing Sukkot, one that reminds us that we're onlt travelers here, to thank the One Who Gives us life and breath each day, and to also use out each breath to our fullest potential on this earth.

And don't forget, God's Got your back!

Chag Sameach!

-Daniel

Jerusalem, Israel

Hiding a deck of Cards - a Y. Kippur Meditation

B"H

I wish you a very amazing Yom Kippur

(Sun. Night - Mon. night).

May you and your family have a sweet year, with all blessings materially and spiritually.

May the best of last year, be the worst of this year!

Mendel Futerfas, fondly known by all as "Reb Mendel", was a special Chassid who inspired all who met him. He suffered much hardship in his life on account of his self-sacrifice to teach children Torah in Communist Russia where it was forbidden. He was finally caught at one point, and was sentenced to 15 years of labor in Siberia. He later moved to Israel and taught students there. He passed away in 1995.

A Teacher here in my yeshiva, Rabbi Kaplan, was a student of his many years ago.

He related to us the following story he heard directly from Reb Mendel:

"One night, I was resting in a room shared with many other Russian prisoners. They were playing cards and having a very good time.

All of a sudden we heard footsteps, and in stormed one of the officers.

"Where are the cards!?!" Yelled the officer, "I know you're playing cards and I'm going to catch you." Glancing around the room, the officer gave a final glare at all those around him, and left.

No sooner had he left, than the cards were right back on the table and the playing ensued.

After a few minutes, the door again slammed open.

"I know they're here!"

This time the Officer had brought a fellow officer with him, and they began frisking every prisoner, turning over tables and chairs, searching high and low for the illegal deck of cards. After 15 minutes of searching, the officers left angry & exasperated.

After they had left, the cards were placed back on the table and playing resumed. "I couldn't take it anymore," related Reb Mendel. "I had to know how these prisoners hid the cards with such amazing efficiency! So I asked them, "How do you do it?"

"We can't tell you," one of them answered. "You'll rat on us."

"Come on," Reb mendel argued, "I'm a prisoner just like you. Why would I care to do that?"

"Fine," one of them answered. "I'll tell you.

We prisoners are thieves by trade. We're quick with our hands. Whenever the officer enters, one of us takes the deck and secretly places it in his pocket. It's the only place he never thinks to check."

Reb Mendel sat back to think. In every circumstance and event Reb Mendel found himself in, he always liked to find a lesson to be learned in life and in the service of G-d. What lesson could be gleaned from this situation? At a Chassidic Gathering years later, Reb Mendel explained what he had learned:

"Oftentimes we're so busy checking other people's pockets, that we forget to check our own pockets, where the issue really lies."

--------------

As Yom Kippur nears, it's a propitious time to reflect on how we may have wronged others in our lives, and ask for their forgiveness.

But in our hearts, many of us truly believe that we are not the ones to be blamed.

But we have to check our "pockets."

In marital relationships, a spouse has one of 2 options. To always blame the other for issues of contention that arise, or to have the sense of mind to check one's own pockets to see if he or she has an area which they could fix. This applies to all relationships. We all (including myself) mistakenly spend too much time trying to fix those around us, when we should rather be spending the time working on ourselves. For ultimately, at the end of the day, we only have ourselves to fix. Its much easier to find the faults in others around us. To look within, with honesty, and find areas that need fixing, is truly wise, and truly holy.

With this attitude in mind, our forgiveness of others at this time of year, and our requests for forgiveness, should meet with increased success, and continue throughout the year!

--

To end off with one point about the auspicious day of Yom Kippur itself. Many of us spend the day in Synagogue, fasting, waiting for the day to end, counting the seconds on the clock and fantasizing as to which flavor of Jamba Juice we're going to get when it finishes

(Mango anyone? )

It's very important though, on such a special day, to try and choose a moment or two, to truly meditate on our lives and our connection to G-d and our Judaism.

I heard a nice idea last night. The final prayer of the day of Yom Kippur is called Ne'ilah. This time is usually described as the last chance of the year, as the heavenly "gates" are closing, to send our last pleas and requests to G-d for our coming year.

Chassidic teachings take this a bit deeper.

On Yom Kippur, our souls are awakened to a deeper connection with G-d. As Ne'ilah approaches, and the gates are closing, we are left alone with G-d - behind the gates, inside. It's taught that each of the 5 prayers of the day correspond to one of the *5 levels in of our soul. This is a time to really connect and revel in our close and unbreakable bond with our Maker. Let's take advantage of this day, and springboard into the year with its inspiration!

-Daniel

Jerusalem, Israel

May you be Sealed for a good & sweet year!

-----------

*Classical kabbala identifies four levels of the soul - called 1)Nefesh, 2)Ruach, 3)Neshama, and 4)Neshama l'neshama. Nefesh is the animating principle of the physical body and the senses; ruach is the force vitalizing the emotions; neshama is the vitality of intellect; and neshama l'neshama is the essence of life of the human soul. The Arizal refers to this fourth level of soul as Chaya, signifying its function as the essence of life. However, all these four aspects of the soul he regarded as mere extensions of the essence of the soul, which he called Yechida.

Creating our Universe - a R. Hashana Meditation

B"H

Certain things are taken for granted.
For example, when we turn on a sink faucet, we expect and assume that water will emerge from the tap. Or a child in most households who opens the refrigerator expects to find food on its shelves. In truth, however, neither the water nor the food appear on their own. There is a well-staffed company which maintains the water pipes and pumps necessary to draw water from the reservoir into the residential home, and parents invest incredible energy to stock the refrigerator...

Beginning tomorrow night, Friday (the 1st day of Tishrei) and continuing through Sunday evening, Jews the world over will be petitioning G-d to continue maintaining the universe, like 'water through the tap' for another year. In the absence of the steady flow of Divine energy, all would cease to exist. As we celebrate the momentous holiday of "Rosh Hashana," the anniversary of the creation of the universe, we are not only commemorating creation, but are asking for a renewal of it. Our mystics explain that during these 48 hrs., depending on our requests & will, G-d Will Decide whether to renew the world for another year (and of course, whether that year will be filled w/ wealth, health, and all of our daily needs and desires).
Also, these 48 hrs. are considered the "Rosh" (lit. head) of our year - which, like a head, contains all of the life force for every hr. & day of the coming year (like limbs of the body).

Big Stuff huh?

There's just one hitch to this whole equation: Why in the world (no pun intended) are we commemorating the creation of the world, and are working to have it renewed, on the 1st day of Tishrei!?
"Why not?" you ask.
Well, it just so happens that the Midrash writes that Adam & Eve were created on this 1st day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashana). And we know that they were created on the 6th day of creation.
{ed. note: if you've happen to have been beaten over the head w/ the concept of the world's being formed by chance, check: here , here , or here as food for thought}
Which means that we're really celebrating Rosh Hashana and G-d's Creation on the 6th day of creation. How absurd!

Or is it?

Our Wise Sages explain that this is not by chance. The initial creation of the world came out of G-d's Kindness. But after that, every year the decision to continue creating & enlivening our universe depends on us. That is why we celebrate Rosh Hashana on the 6th day of Creation, for it's on every man and woman to work on our performance of G-d's Will in improving this world and ourselves, in order to elicit G-d's Will for Creation again each year. Our efforts directly affect the creation of the universe.
This idea can be very inspirational, for it shows how vital our efforts really are, in our day to day lives.
The number one focus of the short, precious hours of Rosh Hashana, say our Sages, is to crown Hashem joyfully as our King for another year. For that joy and willingness evokes in G-d the Will to be King for this coming year over His beloved people and world. By contemplating that we are able to give such a pleasure to the Infinite G-d, hopefully this actually can inspire us to really feel joyful when we sit in the synagogue or wherever we are this Rosh Hashana, and inspire us to live a year of more productivity in all areas of good.

May you be inscribed & sealed for a good and sweet year, physically and spiritually, and may all your dreams be fulfilled in all areas of good. And may we all merit to meet together here in Yerushalayim, with the final redemption, may it happen now!!

Daniel
Jerusalem, Israel

P.S. Please forgive me if I have wronged you in any way this yr.!

Perceiving Our inner hum

B"H

A Jewish student at Boston University enrolled in a course on Philosophy. Interestingly enough, this particular Philosophy Professor tended to include many spiritual themes, like "G-d" & "soul" on a frequent basis.One day, as students dragged themselves to class, this student took his seat among them. As they settled down and slowly quieted their chatting and laughing, the Professor stood at his podium looking ready to begin. But what came was nothing but silence. Nothing happened. Minutes ticked by, and the Professor wasn't saying a word! Everyone looked at each other with confused looks, thinking that the Professor must be off his rocker. Time continued to tick. Finally, after much squirming and uncomfortable silence, the Professor opened his mouth: "
Do you hear that?" Now they were certain. This poor guy must have a screw loose somewhere. No one had said a word and there was definitely nothing to "hear"! After a few more minutes of silence, the Professor asked again: "Do any of you hear that?" Again, no one could understand.During this whole perplexing scene, this student began to think as to what the teacher was referring to. "Come to think of it, I never heard the humming of the fan in this room before." After the Professor asked a third time,
this student spoke up: "I can hear the humming of the fan..." "Excellent" said the Professor.
"It was always there, but when all of you were busy talking, you never noticed it. You never heard it.
All of you are dismissed, have a great day."Everyone jumped out of their seats, ecstatic with their early dismissal. But this particular student remained in his seat, bewildered. What message is this guy trying to get across here? After 2 weeks of pestering his teacher, the Professor finally revealed his thinking to his student: "We're so busy talking, moving, being distracted, that we never just take a second to stop and hear our own soul."
(As told by this student to Rabbi Yossi Jacobson) Author Tzvi Freeman once said, that often-times after attending a "farbrengen" (Chassidic gathering) led by the Lubavitcher Rebbe (where hours upon hours of deep material was shared), he would drive from Brooklyn to a secluded place somewhere to quietly think over all that he had heard. "Nowadays," says Tzvi, "if you see someone thinking deeply for a minute, someone will probably walk over to him and gently ask him if everything's alright!"

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We all have souls, souls which our mystics desribe as literally "a spark of G-d."
How come many of us fail to ever feel this extremely powerful force within us?
True, many of us would love to feel that side of us more; to connect more with that deeper, more spiritual part that we all possess inside. So how do we get in touch with it?

As the above stories illustrate, too often we are so immersed in the physical world, and our senses are so bombarded from all sides and angles, we never give our souls a second to make themselves heard in our lives. If we are constantly gossiping, watching TV, talking on the phone, and eating, how can we expect our spiritual side to ever surface?

We need to be able to take a minute from time to time in our busy day, and just stop.
This is by the way, what prayer helps us do. "I'd like to stop from the busying frenzy of my day, but how can I?" This is why prayer was instituted; to force us to take a minute (3 times a day) to re-focus on the deeper things in life, to reveal our spiritual side more.
In a broader sense, this is what Shabbat is. That time in our busy week when we're forced to quiet down our connections to physicality a bit (not completely - we still eat well!) and spend more time on meditation and reflection on the purpose of our lives, and of what's truly important.

It's very difficult at first for one to reveal his spiritual side, because to do so means to perceive the subtlety in life. Rabbi Yosef Y. Shneerson once remarked: "If you can't stop and gaze at a painting, and appreciate it's intricacies and its message, than you will have a tough time meditating on G-d." The same goes for appreciating the rhythm of music, and the harmony of nature. Appreciate that which isn't yelling for attention, but whose beauty is screaming to be noticed.
For myself, sitting in a secluded area in nature (for me it was ideally by the trees near the ocean on my UCSB campus :) and listening to calming music, saying Psalms or just meditating on the wondrousness and detailed beauty of G-d's Creation, all of this helps to feel our souls more and connect. To shut off the laptop and cell phone, I-phone and TV, and just praise Hashem for the ability to breathe and feel and taste, to have family and friends who we love.

We are 1/2 way through this special month of 'Elul', where our Mystics tell us that "the King is in the Field" - G-d is more accessible. Every night when we sleep, our souls ascend to Gan Eden and plead with G-d Asking why they had to leave and descend into this coarse, insensitive world. Let's take advantage of this opportunity to, as the rapper Matisyahu rightly puts it, "Strip away the layers and reveal your soul!"

Just to end off with a quick story: Spiritual yearning often leads many Jews to search in every direction but their own heritage, oftentimes to Eastern Philosophies found primarily in India.
But sadly, many fail to realize that it was always right under their nose!
My good friend here in yeshiva, Diego G. from Chile, a very special soul, told me the other day that he spent many years in India studying their philosophy and living that life. One day, he visited a monk. Upon hearing about Diego's Jewish roots, the monk told him: "Go back and explore your Judaism. It's the true path for you."
Let's cash in on the special diamond of a soul we have and not just ignore it. Let's taste the sweetness of that deeper reality that we all have the ability to actualize.
Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Yerushalayim, Israel

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May you be inscribed & Sealed for a good & sweet year!Remember: Your next deed will change the world. Make it a good one!