Shemittah - Overview - II

We have described the superficial view of life, however a glance at the internal view of life shows an unbreakable bond between all the individuals in the Jewish Nation. We are all one soul. The essence of all our lives emanate from one source and receives its liveliness from one spiritual root. When any one person performs a Mitzvah it strengthens the root soul of everyone. When one limb is ill it weakens the entire corpus. Similarly, if one person sins all souls feel it deeply because the source of all good, the light of the Schechinah, is diminished by the sin. Conversely, when a person performs a Mitzva, all of Jewry is blessed by an outpouring of light resulting from the good deed.

Externally we appear to be separate from one another. Internally, however, there is a strong bond of life which is the secret of our power and the source of our existence as one nation, one entity, one soul and one lot in life.

There are some Mitzvoth that can appear to be for the benefit of the individual alone, e.g. Tefillin, Tzitzis, Mezuzah, Matzo, Sukkah, Lulav. But it is the public Mitzvoth that reveal the truth of what lies within the Jewish Nation, These Mitzvoth manifest themselves in a public manner which relates to all facets of the Nation. They remove a person from his self-centered outlook into a life which is infinitely greater. They enable him to feel as part of a larger, broader entity, as part of Klal Yisroel.

These awaken feelings that are similar to those which arise at times of war. Those are times when we feel mutual love and connection, when a feeling of unity flows through the veins of the nation. People care about each other, there are feelings of brotherhood and shared goals are strengthened. The pulse of life of the Jewish Nation is alive and strong at these times and it is evident that we are one nation. During our regular everyday lives each person crawls into his own home and his own business, concerned with his own health and livelihood. At war time people feel that the main thing is the nation. This invests the people with great strength which are rooted in our essential unity.

The same is true of the years of Shemittah and Yovel. They are years of national life, of dedication to the nation and a feeling of connection to the entire family.

Shemittah - Overview - I

The Mitzvos of Shmittah (the Sabbatical year) and Yovel (Jubilee) encompass a broad range of concepts to the extent that they alter the very character of the life of the Jewish Nation. There is almost no area in the national life that is not influenced by the Year of Shemittah and the Year of Yovel. All of commerce, society, physical and spiritual life undergo numerous changes during these years which testifies to the great depth that is hidden with these Mitzvos. Prior to addressing them in detail, we will point out what is unique about these public Mitzvos.

The Jewish Nation is one entity, one powerful and holy Neshama that is revealed by every member of the Nation. The source of holiness of each Jew is the overarching Neshama of the Jewish Nation, the Holy Schechina. A person does not live as an individual and cannot sanctify himself without a relationship to the Jewish Nation, just as a capillary has no life unless it is attached to an artery. Since we are born into a world in which each individual feels his individuality, and feels that his life is not connected to everyone else, it is difficult to grasp this concept. We accept the yoke of Mitzvos with an attitude that it is our own personal pursuit, we express our Judaism through our own Mitzvah fulfillment, we stand alone before God, are responsible for our own life in this world and the World to Come, with no connection to the rest of the people.

It is not easy to feel the truth - that we are one nation, one entity and that all the Mitzvos done by each individual are incorporated within the Divine service of the entire Nation. Together they increase the light of the Schechina and the soul of each individual and the entire nation. When performing a specific Mitzvah, like Tzitzis or Tefillin it is difficult to feel a connection with another. "I am doing this Mitzvah and receiving a reward, and he is wearing Tefillin and getting his reward. There is no connection between my Tefillin and his Tefillin." Naturally, a person will make sure that he has the nicest possible Tefillin for himself, but won't concern himself that someone else should have the nicest Tefillin. All this results from not feeling a real connection between the performance of Mitzvos and one's spiritual life. It seems that everyone is climbing his own stairway to heaven, and will get his own eternal reward for his actions. Superficially, there is no connection between the spiritual efforts of my friend and my lot in life.

Chesed & Din - Internal vs. External

Chesed is the root of the light, the Neshama, in contrast with Din which is the root of the vessels and the body. Din, the power of constriction, creates the vessels within which Chesed shines and lights up the soul. Ergo, Chesed relates to the internal, the soul, and Din to the external, the body. Because of the aspect of Din there are people whose purpose is to focus on all the external issues and to fight against them.

The purpose of judges, the representatives of Din, who are also referred to as אלוקים (Elokim, one of the names of God), is to focus specifically on that which is problematic and needs to be rectified. The Talmud teaches us, "A judge only has that which his eyes see." The judge is not meant to deal with external issues on the basis of understanding the defendant's inner soul. After all, if he judges every person on the basis of his soul, rather than his actions, everyone would be innocent and the judge would not inspire people to rectify their behavior. The Mahara"l and Rav Kook both teach that a judge needs to focus on the superficial and the problems, as his job is to work in the realm of the external and to fix it. This is also the function of the revealed Torah which sees the external of things, sees all the problems, the causes of damage, sins and impurities, and directs how they should be dealt with. This is the function of the Levites who represent Din and they have the mandate to demand purity and the rectification of wrongdoing.

In contrast with the judges who represent Din are the Kohanim who represent Chesed and are skilled in working with inner purity. They awaken the soul that is sleeping within the heart. They do not speak a lot of bone-breaking Mussar (rebuke), but speak softly to the hearts of all with sweet and kind words. With love and compassion, with their great spirit and powerful soul, with good hearts and faith in every Jewish person, they succeed in breaking through the walls and awaken the hearts with holiness. They fill hearts with a deep desire to connect to God. It is specifically their internal view that does not focus on sins and wrongdoing, and does not classify people only on the basis of their actions, which can fill people with hope. The people are comforted from their inner turmoil caused by their distance from God, and their hearts are filled with a loving desire to develop a relationship with the Divine.

The Kohanim stay in the House of God day and night focusing on the merits of the Jewish Nation and saying to God, "The Jews are pure and holy, and if they have fallen in sin, their hearts are burning with a fire that cannot be seen externally. Awake and seeking, awake and feeling pain because of the distance. The desire for God is strong in the heart of every Jew, even in one who is not cognizant of it it is present.

Kabbalistic Integration - III

One way to bring out our point is by giving an example with regards to the Jewish Nation and its sins. We will illustrate this with a parable. There was once a holy and righteous man who had many students. The teacher saw that his best student had the ability to continue his path. Therefore he was extra strict with this student and demanded a lot from him. He reprimanded him for any display of weakness, and didn't smile at him as much as he smiled at the other students. An outsider might assume that this was a weak student who was not valued by his teacher. He might conclude that this is the right way to treat weak students. However, this would be because he was not understanding the daas of the teacher. He only saw the external actions and statements from which he came to erroneous conclusions.

In the same manner, a person can take quotes from the Zohar and other Kabbalistic works about  the repulsiveness of sins, and thereby fill himself with hatred towards other Jews all the while thinking to himself that his attitudes demonstrate his faithfulness to Kabbalistic thought. In reality he has no idea what it is talking about and has not understood the depth of its meaning. He has never seen the relationship between the Zohar and the Chosen Nation which is the only way to appreciate the demands made on them for their stumblings and the filth created by sin. These demands are not made of other nations.

One who can place every quote and principle in its correct place, is one who has understood the depth of the concepts, and has broadened his mindset until he can see the entire breadth and depth. He can place everything where it should be in a word of tikkun shining with the light of holiness. Rabbi Chaim Vital writes that the main lesson of Kabbalah is that things are understood in relationship to one another, and it is necessary to learn how each thing fits into the greater picture.

Kabbalistic Integration - II

The inner Torah contains many topics and expositions, as there are in the other portions of Torah. The number of topics is unfathomable. The most fundamental point is the daas of the inner Torah, the deep understanding of the essential concepts which creates a framework for understanding all the details.

When a person achieves daas within Torah, he is close to understanding the true meaning of the concepts discussed within. This sheds light on all aspects of life and broadens a person's perspective on mankind, the world, life, purpose and every aspect of existence. It is similar to the distinction between the understanding of a child as compared to the understanding of an older adult. The distinction is not measured in terms of the quantity of learning. So, too, the heart of the inner Torah is daas, and one who has it has listened to its whispers. This is like a student who understands the mind of his teacher, who cannot merely repeat the words of his teacher, but knows his mind. He has captured the mindset of his teacher, the foundational thinking which defines all of his teachers outlook.

A person can study the inner Torah from a place of small-mindedness and doesn't truly understand its daas. Another person, with a broader mind, understands its workings. It is like a person deep in a forest who cannot see the forest for the trees. If a climbs a tree his perspective will change and everything will appear differently to him. If he could then fly above the forest and see it in all its wonders, he will appreciate its beauty even more.

The same is true with regards to spirituality, and the manner in which a person understands the inner workings of the Torah and his outlook. A person can know many details, he can even arrange them and organize, ask and answer, but still not understand its daas - he won't truly understand its concepts. He is like someone who enjoys hiking in the forest, but knows nothing and learns nothing about the forest. He is in the midst of something great, but does not know anything of its essence. And, because of his lack of understanding, he has no idea how to reach his goal, he may even be getting further and further away. Because in order to understand the forest you must be able to see from above. Then you can see the goal and where you are in relationship to the goal.

Kabbalistic Integration - I

One can't truly comprehend the deeper portions of the Torah through intellectual study alone. A person needs to raise up the level of his life, by working on his inner will, so that all that he studies doesn't fly away from him, but should integrate within his heart to expand his mind and his worldview on the basis of what he has learned.

Otherwise, he can be an expert in all the intricate discussions of Kabbalistic thought without truly comprehending the depth if its meaning, to what it is referring, and its intent. He is like a child who can repeat conversations about politics  without any understanding of what it entails. The result is that he can entirely misconstrue matters.

Imagine a child who doesn't yet understand the intricacies of relationships, the vicissitudes of life and the concerns of his parents regarding his education and personal growth. This is not because these are such complex issues, but because of the gulf between the mind of a child and the content of these concepts. Without any life's experiences in these areas any discussion about them is lacking in understanding.

The revealed portions of the Torah (nigleh) discuss matters of this world - oxen, donkeys, clothing. It focuses on experiences of the physical world which are experienced by the senses. Matters of Kabbalah are the concepts of the Neshama and the Ruach which may be obvious to our souls but not to our minds that are accustomed to a stunted view of a life that is far from these concepts. Only by bringing oneself closer to these concepts until he can understand them as naturally as he understands matters of the physical world. Without this a person is apt to fill himself with concepts that he doesn't understand, and to discuss them without comprehension. He is so distant from these concepts that any discussion of them is severely lacking.
ה"ו קע"ט

Bridge Building - II

There is another value to uniting people in that it is the foundation for the Bais HaMikdosh (Temple). The Bais HaMikdosh is that house that belongs to all of us, in order to inspire the need for and connection to the home for all of u,s we need to feel as one united family. The way of the world is that a person doesn't feel the need to make a home for strangers. Only a family seeks a home. In order to find the inspiration to rebuild the Bais Hamikdosh we need to be a family.

The house for all of us needs to be built on the foundation of our being one family that needs one home to gather us all and to serve as the expression of our unity and mutual love. Every act that breaks barriers which divide the Nation has a great effect. As each persons approaches a neighbor or acquaintance who comes from a different world, and develops a relationship with him for the purpose of being good neighbors with a pleasant friendship he is infusing unity within the body of the entire Nation, the whole House of Israel. He is joining together the disparate limbs of the Nation which now may be in proximity to one another, but are not attached in a way that forms one living organism.

It is vital that we work diligently to infuse this elixir of life throughout the entire Nation like the sap of a tree. This is accomplished through the many small acts of each individual, and through the efforts of many dedicated to this ideal. These actions have a great effect in Heaven; they demonstrate that we are one Nation and wish to be together and will result in the quickening of the building of the Bais HaMikdosh as we are united. All we need to do is get things started, Hashem will finish it for us.

Also, every movement has difficulty getting started. After some time many people join in. The same is true for this, while it is rough to begin with, it will get easier. People will become accustomed to this idea, and with the help of Hashem this ideal will be sought after as each person will seek another to graze together in a beautiful field, to know each other, to pay attention to and absorb the words of Hashem, as we converse together, creating joy for our mother and father, The Holy One Blessed be He and the Corporation of Israel, who are waiting to see that their children love and honor each other.

Bridge Building - I

We need to understand the value of meeting others within Klal Yisroel. These meetings are extremely valuable especially when they are between people of different religious groups. There is an inherent value  to developing a relationship with others, even before we start to speak of Torah and Jewish values. Creating a relationship between Jews, when the meeting is founded on a good attitude and a desire for closeness, has a great effect in heaven.

A pleasant meeting between two Jews is a manifestation of the idea of Upper Unity that brings forth blessing. A meeting of the minds brings forth an outpouring of blessing upon those who have met. There is a soul-level value for conversation between people when it comes with a good attitude directed towards creating closeness, and to dispelling distance and ignorance. When Hillel spoke of loving people and bringing them close to Torah, he was referring to two things that each have an intrinsic value. Loving people is one principle. It brings forth great Chesed from above rooted in the work of Avraham Avinu who lay the foundation of love in the world and unity in the Jewish Nation as we all come from one father. Subsequently comes bringing people close to Torah. The values of Torah are rooted in Tifereth that trait of Yaakov who fathered all the Shevotim.

Loving people has its own intrinsic value, and a meeting that is rooted in love for others is an amazing event that brings about great blessing. It lays the foundation for the next step of bringing them closer to Torah. The foundation of a connection to Torah is brotherhood in Israel. Similarly, prior to the giving of the Torah the people were "as one man with one heart" as they camped at the mountain. This shows us that the path to Torah is preceded by loving others, just as Avraham preceded Yaakov.

This is also the real meaning of the Torah, Toras Chesed, whose entire purpose is to increase peace in the world, that it should be filled with love, pleasantness, holiness and infinite blessing. One who comes to Torah after first loving others will be connected to its essential nature, the aspect of Chesed.
ה"ו רח"צ

Become Part of a Greater Whole

Perhaps the most important outcome of studying Kabbala is to imbue within oneself the understanding that each person is a part of the Schechina. When a person's grasp of the deeper portions of the Torah broadens and deepens there develops an internal revolution in a person's self-identity. He is able to experience an expanded consciousness which views himself as part and parcel of the Schechina, as part of a much greater existence. All of his desires, thoughts, dreams and ambitions then emanate from a deep desire to be incorporated in this precious source of life, the corporation of Israel (כנסת ישראל), and to work with all his might to improve it and to raise it to its fullness and destiny. This is the source of the deep-felt desire of the Tzaddikim for the rebuilding of the Temple, the glory of Jerusalem, the uplifting of the Schechinah and the perfection of Klal Yisroel.

This concept is the inner soul of the Torah and the sweet fruit of understanding and internalizing the Torah.

This is not achieved through the study of the revealed portions of the Torah, the portion that deals with actions. That subject matter is not aimed at this result. The Shulchan Aruch does not incorporate issues of the meaning of life and its purpose. Even though following the Shulchan Aruch is the only means of action through which a person can achieve his purpose in life. Therefore, by ignoring the inner Torah a person is going without any deep understanding or proper feeling for the path of Torah. A person's desire and intention when fulfilling Mitzvos is apt to be weak and dry, lacking powerful meaning. Similarly, the drive to toil in Torah and Mitzvos cannot reach its pinnacle, to reach places that are more valuable than the World to Come and reward in Gan Eden.

During the time of Exile we could not fully grasp the inner Torah, it speaks of a nation living in the light of the Schechinah and not of crushed bones. All that remained in Exile are the four cubits of Halacha. The world of deeper understanding it all its richness could not be revealed to the Nation except for a few holy individuals who could grasp it. They transmitted the teachings verbally to select students and wrote it in their works and so preserved it until the redemption.
ה"ו קע"ג

Unifying Klal Yisroel - V

We need to empty our hearts from all selfish interests and dedicate our hearts to being a dwelling place for the Schechinah, for the Jewish Nation. To be filled with love for every Jew is the true revelation of the Schechinah. To ask for peace, to chase peace, to love others with all one's might. To pray for one's brothers, his blood relatives. To distance from quarrels arguments and divisions, and to seek the complete unity among Jews. To feel that each Jew is one's brother, with no distinctions between black yarmulka and a knitted one, between a woolen yarmulka and someone for whom the sky is his kippah. With no distinctions between a black hat, a shtriemel or payos, between Sefardim and Ashkenazim. They are all children of Hashem, they are all beloved by Him, and he worries about all of them. He wants a relationship with every one of them...

Unity is the most important thing and is the root of all blessing for Klal Yisroel. We should not start a fight with any Jews no matter what, even if they are literally worshiping idols because as long as we have unity no nation can overcome us. Division and disunity are akin to idol worship as they cause division in the Unity of Hashem. The Unity of God and the Unity of the Jewish Nation are synonymous. We need to strengthen ourselves in this aspect. and ask forgiveness and have more patience for our fellow man, relatives, spouses, children neighbors and acquaintances. We should greet every person we meet, as the Gemara tells us that Rebbe Yochanan greeted the gentiles he met in the street. A person should be pleasant and loving, not get angry, or bear a grudge.

Be aware that any and all success in spirituality or the business world is dependent on love for your fellow Jew and the unity that you seek.
וקרא רנ"ח

Unifying Klal Yisroel - IV

All of these examples demonstrate clearly that the Jewish Nation is returning to Hashem. Their hearts' desire for holiness is growing stronger by the day.

Despite this being the atmosphere within most of the nation there are still a few people in the media and government who are stuck in a dream that we are still in the old state in which ideas of apostasy are in ascendancy. They transmit on a fake frequency on which the assumption is that religion and the country are in opposition, and that the desire for a Jewish identity for the State of Israel is a concern only of the religious.

As a result people who represent the dregs of humanity, who do not represent the will of the people, monopolize that media platforms and speak out of their microphones to the entire Nation. They present a false picture of the state of the Nation.

This attitude influences all of us, and results in our forming our perspective of others based on the message we are hearing. Unfortunately the only meeting place of the various factions is not in a place of truth, rather it is in the media. We assume that the media spokespersons are representing groups that stand behind them. This creates a situation in that if one person denigrates an entire other group in the media, the denigrated group hates not just that one person, but the entire group who they imagine he represents.

Media soundbites create a false impression of the attitudes of people, and cause that we each look at others with warped glasses, that are imposed upon us by virtue of our need for newspapers and radios. 

Unifying Klal Yisroel - III

We need now to focus on a very fundamental point. How do we form our view on the issues facing the Jewish Nation. There are within Judaism two opposite voices. On the one hand there is that which is heard from the media and politicians, and the second emanates from the spirituality that flows through the Nation. The gulf between them is very wide.

One who looks at the Nation of Hashem in our generation will see how it is walking forcefully towards Torah values. Whereas several decades ago there was an anti-religious atmosphere, this has changed for the Nation at large. At this time the clear direction of movement is stepping towards the wellsprings of holiness, to their Father in Heaven. There are countless examples, e.g. the numbers of children enrolled in religious educational institutions is increasing throughout the population in general. Most have Kosher homes. There are more and more Torah classes, and a great desire for Kabbalistic knowledge. Shuls and Mikvaos are being built in Kibbutzim, and theaters are completely filled with people davening on Yom Kippur.

If once upon a time people were embarrassed by their Judaism, today is it de rigueur for well known composers and musicians to  compose modern songs to the words of davening as well as songs that express a turning to religion, expressing Teshuvah and a desire for a relationship with Hashem. These songs, which become part of the popular culture are a window through which you can see the pure heart and spirit of the people. You can see what is really happening to the Jewish public at large.

Unifying Klal Yisroel - II

It is important to mention that efforts to create unity need not be established with fancy titles as attempts to unify different worlds. Rather, they are accomplished with very simple things, to feel brotherhood, plain and simple, with no ulterior motives. We are all brothers, one nation. We should feel this unity, because of its intrinsic truth and beauty, because of its power and blessing and not just because of the fruits that it will produce and how it will solve many issues.

We are brothers, and our brotherhood is stamped in our blood. Together we suffered through 2,000 years in Exile. We suffered together. We rejoiced together. We cried together and dreamed of the opportunity to return to Eretz Yisroel, and to reestablish and to raise from the dust that which we lost when we were exiled from our country and distanced from our land. Summer has awoken, we have arisen. We are here together free of the yoke of the nations, without pogroms and persecution. We should be happy and thank Hashem for this. We should be smiling at each other because of our physical and spiritual redemption,

So let's not get caught up in smallness. Let's not allow the separations to become permanent. Let us not be afraid of coming closer to each other. We will not be damaged or injured by that. There will never be any harm from unity in Klal Yisroel. Nothing will ever be damaged from all of the Jewish Nation joining together. The root and source of all great things are the small measured steps taken by each person with a heart to hear and feel that truth of these words. We need to life our hearts to give a gift to Hashem, to raise the pride of Israel, to reestablish the sanctuary of Jewish unity, which is the real basis for our glorious Bais HaMikdosh, the center of Jewish honor and Godly honor. the honor of Yerushalaim and the Schchinah.

Unifying Klal Yisroel - I

When we look at everything that is occurring to the Jewish Nation, one thing becomes very clear: they are all being orchestrated by Hashem in order that we become more cognizant of two fundamental points, the unity of Klal Yisroel and the movement of Teshuvah. This is the Mitzvah of our generation and it is very necessary. We cannot be lax about it. The pushes from Hashem are many, and are like labor pains to bring forth the child into the world. Rectifying these two areas will heal all the generational ills, all of the internal and external problems that are pushing us to graduate to the new paradigm that awaits us.

We need to listen keenly to all that occurs to us, whether it is in international relations, interactions between disparate Jewish groups, the inner workings of any particular group, or the life of an individual. All will demonstrate that all of the difficulties, the turmoil, and vicissitudes of life both internal and external are directed to encourage us to unite in love and to return to the source of life, to the study of the inner Torah and its light, and through this return to return to the Mitzvos as well.

We therefore need to abandon quarrelsome chatter, to let up on talk that divides, to melt the walls that create strangers and for people to become closer to one another. We will find great light in these endeavors as our souls are more than ready for national unity, for total brotherhood, for the Schechinah which wishes to find its place within us. As soon as we actually begin to meet each other, we will feel the waves of blessing that are bestowed upon us from above. There is a great thirst for this, and the connections of love and closeness between different groups and different people will be like cold water on a tired soul, Each person needs to leave his safe space and meet his brothers.

ה"ו רפ"ה

The Failures of Modern Chinuch and a Solution

We are witnesses to many failures in the Torah educational system. The root of these failures is not due to immaturity and a lust for the secular world, or a lack of interest in Torah study. On the contrary, it is because of their lofty souls which thirst for the the great light of Geulah. The only way to communicate with this generation is through the prism of greatness.

The simple fact is that when souls are cut out for greatness, they can only be satisfied with the light of greatness. It is the only thing that can fill their hearts with life and meaning, and can offer them the incentive to apply themselves to appreciating the waves of light and blessing. Because of this thirst for inner meaning they despise small mindedness and a poor and spiritually constricted educational approach.

The proper path of educating for greatness in this generation, that which will infuse life in the entire Nation, is that each person should feel that there is meaning in his actions; that what he does encompasses more than just his personal life, but influences the entire Nation, and has many other positive results as well. The inner feeling which is true and precise according to the Torah - that each person is very great and his actions have great influence - will inspire people to feel like a soldier on the battlefield whose heart is filled with a lofty life's purpose as he is connected to something much greater than his individual existence.

Even the lowliest Jew feels great inspiration when he fights in battle to save the Nation. He feels the significance of his mission. The same should be true of Jewish youth, those who have the souls of Eretz Yisroel, the souls of Geulah. Words of greatness that are drawn from Kabbalistic thought will fill them with a powerful sense of being alive; they will have a burning desire for Torah and Mitzvos when they recognize the great import of their actions. The holy meaning, the effect on life in general in both the physical and spiritual domains.

Kabbalistic thought demonstrates how serving God in one's daily life has ramifications for the entire world. The result of every good deed, from washing the hands in the morning to saying Shema at bed time is very powerful. Amazing things are instilled in every detail of Halacha and every Mitzva act that carried their blessing up to the heavens. This has all been publicized clearly in the works that discuss the proper Kavanos of davening and the conduct of man each day and throughout the yearly cycle.

Kabbalistic thought broadens the mind of a person until he understands that his actions and movements as he is serving God are like the actions of a spiritual soldier in the army of the living God. He will be powerfully inspired with great joy and a sense of purpose, rather than being depressed, inactive and lacking any inspiration from all the words of Mussar that are tossed in his direction which are taken from the mindset of Galus and cannot stand before the forces of lust and media influences of these times.

Through gradual influence that is drawn from the wellsprings of the secrets of creation, the nation will be given to drink, powerful souls will be educated from the dawn of their youth. They will be infused with the light and come, step-by-step to great depth of understanding, with powerful spirits, expanded minds that  fight and act, rejoicing in the Mitzvos of Hashem, and feel the pulse of life with its fullest meaning.

Helping Hashem

Hashem's most fervent desire is to shine good upon all of His creations, but the evil in the world blocks out the shine of Hashem. When one of His beloved children is inspired to honor his Father and overcomes his base instincts, he is increasing the level of holiness throughout Creation. He weakens the powers of evil permeating existence and causes holiness to spread. He causes great  נחת רוח (pleasure)  for Hashem, as he is increasing the outpouring of blessing and bringing the world closer to fulfilling its purpose. This is a fulfillment of תנו עוז לאלוקים, Give power to Hashem.

Why does this verse use the name אלוקים rather than the name הויה? This is because it is impossible to give power to הויה which is omnipotent and before which nothing can stand. It specifically uses the name אלוקים because this name represents the aspect of גבורה which forms the כלים, the vessels that can receive Hashem's infinite light. הויה represents the light itself, אלוקים, the vessels. The Klipos (forces of impurity) cannot affect the lights at all. Therefore the lights need no "help" to become more powerful. Only the vessels, the worlds that receive, can be affected by other forces, אלוהים אחרים, which can suck out every last bit of life in them. The vessels can be muzzled and stopped up to prevent them from receiving the light, and preventing the light from shining on the vessels. But this would not be because of any blemish within the light, but because of there not being any vessels ready and able to receive.

תנו עז לאלוקים, helping out Hashem is achieved by fixing the vessels, breaking the power of evil, the forces of אלוהים אחרים, the walls that prevent His great light from shining upon us.

The Challenges of Unity

There is one great difficulty in the creation of unity: its significance is not felt strongly in the soul. In contrast to creating a relationship with Hashem through Torah and prayer, things which every person recognizes in his heart and pines for, the advantages of unity within the Jewish Nation do not occupy the space they deserve. It doesn't appear to be something absolutely necessary, and the lack of unity does not create enough inner turmoil.

A person who is lacking a relationship with God feels that lack and it pains him. He is, thereby, awakened to do Teshuvah. By contrast, if a person feels distant from another he doesn't feel what he is lacking as a result. His heart feels no pain, and he is not inspired to correct the situation. Similarly, a person may feel that he is part of a particular group of Jews and he feels no connection to other groups. This is not the optimal situation. Each and every one must feel the glue that binds us, the fact that we are all Jews, and that includes literally every single Jew. We are one nation. Its OK and good that there are different streams and approaches to serving Hashem. But, God forbid that any of these approaches should distant their hearts from another.

Seek that which is Found - I

דרשו ה' בהמצאו קראוהו בהיותו קרוב. אלו עשרה ימים שבין ראש השנה ליום הכפורים

The prophet tells us to seek Hashem when he is found, call to him when he is close. Our sages tell us that this is a reference to the ten days from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur.

This verse is a bit puzzling, The root word דרש, to seek is generally used as a reference to seeking that which is lost. Why then is the prophet telling us here to "seek" Hashem when he is found? If he is present, there is no need to seek.

Similarly, the word קרא is generally used to refer to calling someone who is distant to approach. Why then is the prophet using it here to call to Hashem when he is close? If He is close you have no need to call to Him, you can just speak to Him.

It would seem that the way to understand this verse is that there is no need to tell you to seek Hashem if He is distant; that would be obvious. Similarly, if He is distant it is obvious that you should call to Him. The verse is telling you that even when Hashem is found you should still seek Him, even when Hashem is close you should still call to Him.

I was reading this piece to my wife on Rosh HaShanah and she pointed out to me that so often in life we get our pleasure from the pursuit. Something is withheld from us and we desire it. We relish in the desire, we enjoy the pursuit, as it is is currently mysterious to us and unavailable. But we mistakenly think that the point is to acquire whatever is is we are desiring. We think that acquiring is "winning." And once we have acquired we stop seeking, we stop calling. We think we have accomplished.

So often we do this in relationships. Once we "have" someone we think we know them thoroughly and we stop "seeking" them. The excitement is then gone from the relationship as it was in the pursuit that the excitement was found.

The lesson to take from this is that even when we have found, it is necessary to continuously seek, even when someone is close, never stop calling out to them.

Finding the "Yes!" in the Mess

Imagine a child who is home from school one day. She decides that she wants to surprise her mother  and bake a cake. She knows her mother comes home exhausted from work every day, and, as she loves her mother, she wants to have a delicious cake awaiting her return home. However, she has no experience baking. She succeeds in getting ingredients all over the kitchen, but there is no cake to be found. When her mother arrives and sees the kitchen covered in flour and sugar her reaction will be to become angry with her out of control daughter. All she can see is a house turned upside-down.

There are two ways to calm the mother's anger. One is for her to come before her mother looking all despondent and expressing regret for filthying the kitchen. This may soften the mother's anger, but the kitchen remains recognizably messy. Another approach is that long with the despondence and regret she can explain to her mother that she was trying to make her mother happy my making her a gift to show her love. Yes, she wasn't successful, and instead of a cake there is a mess, but her actions were emanating from a place of love.

This will increase the mother's love for her daughter and completely remove her anger. On the contrary, it will lead her to wanting to draw closer to her daughter. The mess has been transformed into something beautiful when it is viewed in a deeper manner. If you only look at the messy kitchen it will remain a mess forever. The mess cannot be transformed into something different. But if the mother looks at it deeper then her relationship with the mess is something else. Yeah. the mess isn't good. She will have to teach her daughter how to bake and how to clean up after herself. But this will all be done from a perspective of love and closeness.

If we approach Hashem by just saying "I'm sorry," we are hoping that the Middas HaChesed can overcome the Middas HaDin. But those are two separate Middos, and chesed cannot transform din. But if we get inside the actions, at the deepest will that drives us, even our most corrupt behaviors, then we can come to Hashem and show Him that everything we have done was really out of love and a desire to be closer to Him. This awakening of the deepest recesses of the Din will sweeten it and turn it into something beuatiful.

Shofar - II

The Shofar moves a person up to a place where he can see everything in one fell swoop. When he is down below he only saw things piecemeal and from a very constricted vantage point. By rising above he can see everything in its essence, like the light of the sun that shines from above and enables us to see things with clarity. At night we can't see things at a distance. We can only experience those things that are close by. We touch and feel them and experience every last external detail. But our view is limited, partial and apt to lead to confusion.

The view from on high is completely different. Actions are not judged on their external appearance, but on their inner foundations. There is no evil. There is no filth. There is only the desire to fulfill the will of Hashem. We are now free as there is no longer a distinction between ourselves and our will. Nothing is forcing us to into a low form of life that is incompatible with our nature. True freedom is being true to one's real self. As Rav Kook writes, "True freedom is when one is in a situation that allows his true nature to be actualized." Freedom comes from being in touch with your true self. It is the light of Binah that informs all of our actions.

When a person contemplates this deep idea, he can become filled with deep regret on the small minded life he has chosen to live until now as compared to his potential. He returns to himself, to what he is internally. The rebellious slave who is afraid of his king, and is distant from him, the slave on whom there is much criticism, becomes a loving son who removes his outer shell and reveals his inside. His heart. He relates to his king/father, basks under His wings and wants to connect to Him with all his might.

There is no greater sweetening of the Din. No truer meeting the Din at its root than coming to this understanding. This is not merely a correction of certain behaviors, but a change that gives the person a new basis for life. The light of his life, the depth of his will, the source of his deepest hopes and closeness to  his Father in Heaven.

How can there be any prosecution of the beloved son?

Shofar - I

Din sees everything as it is. Standing alone. Superficially. It doesn't examine the inner workings of a person to determine what may be the obstacles to better performance. Whatever is on the table is what is seen, and is where the demands are made. This is symbolized by the תרועה, a string of many separate sounds. It is akin to a gathering of actions that are disconnected, and are not focused on any one goal. These are external behaviors which reflect the person's immersion within the physical world. Each action having is's own restraints. Each action driven by another lust driving the person. Each one to satisfy another craving. Separatedness is a result of superficiality. It lacks an inner purpose and a pure drive that would offer a central purpose.

What must we do? To seek out the root of all actions, to reveal the machinery that drives all behaviors. That is the good desires that lie at the root of all our ambitions and that move us to act. This is the תקיעה, an act of gathering everything together. In the desert the blowing of the trumpets was a sign to gather the entire camp. It symbolizes a union of all behaviors for one inner purpose. This is entry into the inner recesses of our lives.

We demonstrate that even though superficially our actions seem separate, in reality they all emanate from the same source. Within our hearts we have one will, it just gets lost in translation and manifests itself in myriad, mutually contradictory, behaviors. We don't truly have conflicting will within, nor do our wrong doings have roots in our hearts. All the evil is a byproduct of our inability to see our true will. It is so faint and difficult to see that we begin to believe that we want to do those things that are wrong. In truth, we have no desire for them, they are born of mistaken self-understanding.

Judgement Day - II

Each one of us has amazing potential. We have a living ,spiritual soul within ourselves, and we each have the ability to prophecize. We can't even imagine how great we truly are. The spirituality within each of us  is limitless. Even the greatest Tzaddik has a great divide between his potential and what he actually is. When a light is shone on the potential of each individual there is a commensurate Din which demands the ideal accomplishments and is not satisfied with the current mediocrity.

On Rosh HaShanah we are raised on the wings of eagles to taste some of the essential ideal which we can achieve. We each feel the Din piercing our entire being. Who is any of us in comparison with what we should be? The fear of Rosh HaShanah is the gulf that we see between our potential and our actual. For this reason no one can escape the Din. All of this is born of the great love that Hashem has for us. Only those who are destined for greatness are asked why they haven't lived up to their potential. Hashem will not rest until we reach the great light that is fit for our souls.

Someone who has forgotten his inner value is reminded of the great light that he carries within. At times he needs to have roadblocks placed on his path so that he understands that he is facing the wrong direction. All the tribulations of a person are there to remind him of his potential and to block the paths that take him down and away from the light of Hashem. It is like a person whose car is veering out of control. Sometimes the only way to stop him is by purposely damaging a tire.

We often feel only our smallness on Rosh HaShanah. But if we stop to realize that the feeling of smallness comes from an inner knowledge of our potential greatness, it can change our entire experience.

Beware Parents Bearing Gifts

When parents give their children gifts because of their academic success, it is important that they not just be given as rewards. If they are given as rewards then it is like the cashier at the local market who gives milk in exchange for cash, or like a barter system. If the child takes out the garbage and his father gives him a candy in exchange, it is like a business deal. It's not right.

When all the interactions between parents and children are like business deals there is no personal connection, just a meeting of mutual interests. The child wants candy, the father wants to see a good report card. Rather than a dynamic relationship, you have two strangers who are trying to profit off each other. That isn't parenting.

When a parent gives a prize to a child it should be clear that it is being given as an act of love and their happiness with the child which is made even more evident when the child is expending effort and being successful. Indeed, it is unhealthy to give children gifts every day, this unlimited giving will slow the child's development. Parents desire to give, they would love to give every day, but they overcome their daily desire and are glad when they have an opportunity to give and demonstrate their love. Their academic success is an opportunity to show love.

Were the parent to give a gift every day it would show that they lack the understanding of how to show love in a healthy way. They think that love is in the gift, and instead of really loving they substitute money. It feels to the child like he is in a restaurant and not that he is engaged with a loving parent.

Imagine if a husband would bring home a truckload of gifts and tell his wife that any time she feels unloved she should take one of the gifts for herself.

Parents who know how to show personal love, know that it comes from a personal involvement with the child, with a real relationship, sometimes being nice sometimes strict but always from love and a desire to see the child mature. Gifts are secondary and never replace the relationship.

Judgement Day - I

When a servant enters into the king's palace he feels a great sense of pride as he is a living expression of the king's monarchy. He is cognizant of his self-worth, the purpose for which he lives. He contrasts the way he feels now with the small manner in which he generally lives his life. The short-sighted goals. The petty actions. The shallow pursuits which are incommensurate with his true value.

This self-evaluation, the knowledge of what he should be doing as a royal servant leads him to self-criticism of his daily actions. There is a gulf between his true value and the way he lives. Not only does he recognize this, but so does the king. On the one hand he his a royal servant and should be acting in a manner that reflects his position. On the other hand, at many times he seems to forget his purpose. This comparison is the essence of Din. Din is the contrast between the potential and the actual. Din  is the demand for focus. You cannot demand of a person something of which he is incapable. We don't demand of a donkey to speak, as speech is not one of his capabilities.

Din is the focus on the ideal. When the ideal is shining in its full force the gap between the actual and the ideal is self-evident. The act of standing in the king's palace before the king naturally generates a state of Din. Similarly, proclaiming Hashem as king in and of itself creates the powerful Din of Rosh HaShanah. 

The Meaning of the High Holidays - III

The Ariza"l teaches us the inner meaning of these days, their annual renewal, and the reason why they are spread across twenty-one days. They are rooted in the time of Creation, with Adam in the Garden of Eden.

Rosh HaShanah is the day that Adam was created. He incorporated within himself all the souls of the Jewish Nation, the revelation of the Schechinah, the root of the souls of the Jewish nation. In dealing with the inner basis for the holidays of Tishrei the Ariza"l teaches us that were it not for the sin of Adam, had he waited to eat from the Tree of Knowledge until after Shabbat had begun, then all the worlds would have been rectified and come to their perfection and completion. The Sin of Adam threw the worlds down, the falling of the Nukvah into the Klipot and thereby prevented perfection from being achieved. The sin resulted in two outcomes. First of all, it now became impossible to bring about the rectification at one time in one moment. It now became necessary for a 6,000 year process to unfold. Days turned into millennium as each Day of Creation expanded to 1,000 years with Shabbat corresponding to the 7th millennium.

By the way, we are currently approaching the conclusion of the 6th millennium and we can already smell the Shabbos food cooking. We are even trying to taste that food before Shabbat begins. By performing the Mitzvot in Israel in this epoch we are enjoying great spiritual pleasure similar to that of the 7th millennium,

As the 7,000 years correspond to seven days each year contains within it the ability to bring about the complete tikkun, rectification, but only of a small portion of existence. Each year, another portion.

The second result of Adam's Sin is that whereas he had the chance to bring about the tikkun in one moment, had Shabbat begun everything would be perfect, we bring about perfection over the course of twenty-one days. Each aspect of the tikkun is brought about on one of those days as we climb the ladder from Rosh HaShanah until Shemini Atzeret. What should have happened in an instant was slowed by the sin until it developed into a slow process. 

The Meaning of the High Holidays - II

The Ramcha"l, basing himself on the teachings of the Ariza"l, explains the beginning of the world-building process that starts on Rosh HaShanah. He explains that it is a day of Din (judgement) because it is the day of the building of the Nukvah, the capacity to receive for the coming year, the Knesseth Yisroel, the corporate body of the Jewish Nation.

On Rosh HaShanah there is judgement. As this is the anniversary of the creation of the world, the building of the Nukvah is renewed. It needs to be built in a manner that reflects the actions of those within Creation, as the Nukvah is the root of Creation. As such it is necessary to discern how to direct things with the roots as well as the branches. Should they be brought close and offered life, or, God forbid, pushed away and die. Should they receive in abundance and enjoy wealth, or in a limited measure and live in poverty. All sorts of similar things need to be established on Rosh HaShanah in order to determine how the Nukvah should manifest itself in the coming year. This is what leads God to reexamine mankind each and every year.

These are the days when the essence of each person's relationship with God is established and how the relationship will be actualized over the year. The entire standing of the Jewish Nation before God throughout the year is being determined at this time.

The Ariza"l bases this paradigm on the verse, "His left arm is under my head, and his right arm will hug me." This is an allusion to the thread that runs through and unites all the High Holy Days and Sukkoth into one complete experience of relationship between Knesseth Yisroel and its Beloved. In short, it is a love-in involving God and the Jewish Nation.

These are days of continued ascendancy. As we continue to improve the Knesseth Yisroel develops continuously to achieve it full height and strength. The soul of the Jewish Nation is reborn each Rosh haShanah through a process that continues through Shemini Atzeret when we are finally complete.

The Meaning of the High Holidays - I

As we have now entered into the month of Ellul, I will be turning to the Chalban's work on the holidays of the coming month for source material for the next month or so.

The month of Tishrei is a very powerful and lofty month. It is filled with love and spiritual connection. We go from success to success - from anointing God as King and blowing the Shofar, to Kol Nidre, to the amazing days of Sukkah building, and then entering into God's protective quarters the holy, sweet Sukkah, the light of holy friendship, the Lulav and Hoshanoth, and the rejoicing of the Water Drawing. We conclude with the finale of Simchat Torah.

Why did God see fit to compress so many holidays into such a short period of time? Would it not have been better to scatter them through the year rather than having a lengthy holiday season. Scattered holidays which would have caused that people would be more excited for each holiday. If someone has a lot of candy, does he eat it all at one time? He will eat each one at a different time! Similarly, it is difficult to get excited about each of these holidays that arrive consecutively. If there had been a break between them, we could approach each one with more enthusiasm and calm, from both a physical as well as spiritual perspective. Why then do they arrive one after the other? Before the sound of the Shofar stops echoing in our ears, we are already hearing the singing of מי פי קל!

The Ariza"l teaches us the concepts behind these holy days. He leads us through the order of these days, and reveals to us the depth of meaning of these days and why they must be specifically at these times and in such close order. It is clear that the days from Rosh HaShana until Shemini Atzeret are all cut from the same cloth, such that each one builds on that which precedes it. The blowing of the Shofar is not disconnected from the Fast of Yom Kippur. Nor is the Fast disconnected from the Sukkah and Lulav. Together, they form one complete building.

The Ariza"l teaches that these are the days in which the Schechinah, which represents the entire Jewish Nation, is birthed and fully built. As Kabbalistic works teach us, each year the Knesseth Yisroel (i.e. the Schechinah), the Nukvah (feminine) is rebuilt. Each year there is a New World which stands on its own. Each year the heart of the world is rebuilt, in the first days of the year the soul of the year, the light of the Schechinah, the Knesseth Yisroel is reborn. The consecutive days of High Holy Days are this building process, and the establishment of the spirituality that will thereby be bestowed upon the world in the coming year. 

We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better, stronger, faster.

Our eyes must always be turned higher and higher to rise to the loftiest spirituality. We can't compromise with our mediocre state, but aspire to the unbounded infinity. We aim to the infinite and constantly expand our consciousness and our proximity to the loftiest heights. Even though we need to take into account the realities of our limited ability to receive, our inner drive is literally to reach God. We have not traded in this ambition to settle for a limited amount of spiritual light that fits into our finite paradigm.

For this reason the year begins with Gevurah (Din, judgement) to remind us of our purpose. Even though Gevurah is a raging fire that fills our hearts with fear and trepidation, these are sufferings of love. We desire them because we desire our King and don't want to settle for anything less. The purpose of the entirety of Creation is to get to Him. For this reason, "The left hand is under my head, and the right will hug me." First the left builds the head, then the entire body can follow with love. The left comes first in the same way that Tohu proceeds Tikkun. First there is chaos which can then be controlled by entering into holding vessels. This is also why the High Holy Day precede the holiday of Sukkos.

Rav Kook asks:

Why is it that there is Breaking? He explains that if God wishes to give according to His ability and the recipient is limited, then the amount of good that can be shared is limited. He therefore gives infinite good, based on His measure. Infinite spirituality. The recipient can't contain it and it will inevitably shatter. The recipient will then rebuild her vessel because of her great desire to return to the infinite source, to unite with spirituality. In this manner the Creation forms herself and ultimately reaches the Creators level of perfection. It rises above the level of a Creation -something which would have been impossible without an outpouring of good that was beyond her ability to receive.

Later, he writes:

The World of Tohu, its breakage and reconstruction, demonstrate to us that the great desire for Tikkun, building, and existence - all the essence of good- are all very strongly at work. Existence cannot receive the awesome good of God, unlimited strength. The fractured existence disintegrates from too much good, from powerful life, it breaks from its great ambition. This does not prevent the good from following its path. It rebuilds after the Breaking. It builds a beautiful and priceless building. The subsequent measure of good is so great, that it is worth suffering the breakage, all the pain of destruction, in order to end up with a wonderful world which can hold within it a rich life which would otherwise be beyond its grasp.

The Maturation of the Generation

We see, thank G-d, an increase of Torah study in this generation. There are more Yeshivot, more books being written, as Torah spreads throughout the world. There are books written on every Halachic topic for any one who wants, and the number of classes and people studying is steadily increasing. This is due to the spirit which is constantly getting stronger and will eventually result in the renewal of the Sanhedrin in which all the concepts of Torah will be united in one place and teaching will go forth for all of Israel.

We see the budding of movements of people that are seeking loftier levels. The thirst and pining for God is increasing within people's souls and the worlds of prayer and song are constantly becoming more real and manifesting themselves in various ways. The desire for Jewish culture, for an atmosphere of liveliness in divine service emanate from the depths of countless souls. The wellsprings of Torah and Chassidut have prepared much nutritious food for this thirst.

This demonstrates that the time has come for the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdosh, and the intense life of Divine service which will be experienced there. People's souls seek joy, desire and loving connection to God. The place to find all of these is in God's home with the intense dancing of the Simchat Bait HaShoevah during Sukkot, and the singing of Hallel with the offering of the Korban Pesach. This is the epitome of all those life's experiences which seek joy in Divine service, the gathering of friends in holy song, and their joining together to seek God and liveliness in His service.

The great desire in our generation for the secrets of Torah that stand at the pinnacle of the world, are living testimony to the life, the light of prophecy and outpouring that stands beyond the world of  the senses and shines brightly. The need that many Jews have to infuse their lives with the dew of the light of Kabbalah is testimony that these lofty levels are ready to be revealed within us, to carry us to amazing destinations, to holy sanctuaries through which no man has passed and none have seen.

The great Sages of yesteryear who instilled Kabbalistic concepts in their works prepared sustenance for the generation of the Redemption who would approach these sources and through engaging with these holy concepts open up the crown, the life of soul on all its levels, and shine again in Zion the light of God.

Rather than focusing on the external view of this generation, if we look into its heart, we will understand its desires, know its nature and the great possibility that is open to them. If we look at a child and see his inner power, we can know that he is destined for greatness. The same is true of our generation with its desire for refreshing prayer, thirst for eternal secrets. We can know that these are living signs of achievements that are coming closer, beginning to blossom and will soon shed their light, and be revealed constantly and retain their grip for all eternity.

Taking Joy & Pleasure

Many people think that serving God is difficult and tiresome. And standing before God means being in a state of fear and trembling. All of that is true when viewing divine service in an external manner. However, if one enters into a deeper understanding there open up for him gates of joy and love. Gates of amazing pleasure. Until each and every Mitzvah is infused with the amazing taste of Gan Eden which cannot be surpassed.

Kabbalistic thought explains the reasons behind the Torah. Consequently, one who begins this study also has develops a deeper appreciation for study of Torah. A deep and pleasurable taste from each act in that connects him to God. This is even more powerful if one is in the Land of Israel. Israel is the House of Hashem. Returning to Israel means we are sitting at our father's table. This is the service of children, the inner service predicated on love. The father's table is full of delicacies and sweets, and no table is more blessed than that of Hashem where we are connected in an internal manner replete with pleasure, joy, and unsurpassed sweetness and love.

The battle with the Evil Inclination and the forces of lust leads to a greater victory in Israel that without. When one partakes of the sweetness of Godly pleasure, all the delights of this world are worth nothing in comparison. This is especially true if one can involve his mind in Kabbalistic study. The forces of evil only raise their heads to affect a person when he is empty of the richness of life, devoid of spiritual connection. The victory in the Land of Israel over the Evil Inclination comes from the joy, love and great pleasure from serving God. Only through love and joy can a person be filled with spiritual richness until he no longer wants any lowly lusts which is empty and pale in comparison with the rich life and blessing of spiritual outpouring.

These ideas give us an opening to understand the challenges of this generation. Nowadays using a stick to hit those who are not following the ways of God will almost never work as we can see from looking around. This is not a result of the low state of the generation, but because of the great level of souls that are present and rebuke and force do not have any effect. The souls desire a lofty spirit, and a connection full of light, blessing and holiness. Experience shows us that only joy and love draw the hearts and strengthens them with holiness, awe and Mitzvah performance. Oppression and bitterness, frightening rebuke pushes people away as they deliver a message that serving God is unpleasant. These create an atmosphere that is unpleasant and no person wants to remain in an unpleasant place. People's souls are thirsting for the word of God, there is no need to frighten them. Rather one should follow the path of the prophet who taught that at the end of days people will only want the goodness of God.

Bring on the Chesed

The only way to reveal the Middos (Godly traits embodied in the Sefirot) is to embody them oneself. If a person is difficult and acts towards others in a tough manner, it is almost impossible for him to awaken the Godly trait of Chesed (unbounded kindness) from above. Even if the person prays to God that He should conduct himself with Chesed, the person's own soul is very distant from Chesed, and Chesed cannot manifest itself within him. Furthermore, as he is lacking refined character, and he likes a kind eye and mercy towards others, he has no understanding whatsoever of the nature of Chesed and good. When he is praying to awaken Chesed from above, he cannot picture in his mind what Chesed is, what it is that he is requesting, as in his own life he is far from Chesed and its ideals. His prayer will likely be superficial and ineffective.

A person should keep the following in mind, the primary means by which a person can reveal heavenly kindness and mercy is by trying to be merciful and kind himself. At the very least he should want and try to embody these principles. By attempting to come close to these ideals he connects himself to these spiritual traits and can awaken them more and more.

The Reishis Chochma shares that he heard from other that our Sages teach us that when God taught Moshe the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, "God wrapped himself like a Chazzan and showed Moshe, and said to him, "Anytime the Jewish people do this order before Me, I will forgive them." Despite this Godly assurance, there are many time when we recite the Thirteen Attributes and are not answered. Why is this?

Notice that he said "Anytime the Jewish people do this order." Why did he say "do"? Shouldn't he have said "say this order?" The answer is that wrapping oneself in a Tallis is not enough. We have to embody in our own lives, in our interpersonal relationships these Thirteen Attributes, then God will embody them Himself and offer forgiveness.

The Reflection of Man

Every aspect of man was created in the same form as the Divine traits. A person's body, his soul in all of its aspects was each made similar to the Sefirot. In Pasach Eliyahu  the Zohar shows us how the human body is a reflection of the Sefirot. For example, the right hand of a person is rooted in the Divine trait of Chesed (unbounded giving), which is represented on the right side of the Sefirot. The left hand is rooted in Din (judgement, constriction). This is the key to comprehending what a person accomplishes with his physical actions. When a person acts he stirs the commensurate Divine trait which bestows that trait back to humanity. This is why there are a number of Halchot which instruct to have the right precede the left, or to place the right above the left.

This teaches us the great importance of man, and the significance of the form of his limbs and his utilization of his body. When a person is davening Shemoneh Esray and placing the right hand over the left he is using Chesed to overcome Din  and Chesed  is stronger in the world. We see from this how powerful man is and the great light that is contained within his actions and conduct. A person needs to appreciate and value his body and what it can do, as there is great value in human behavior as it is a reflection of the Divine.

People are generally not conscious of this and do not value their bodies and actions, and think that a hand motion lacks meaning. This is due to the fact that they do not understand the concepts of Creation, why he was created, how he came about, how his body is arranged and the spiritual concepts underlying all of these. When a person studies and grasps the holiness of his existence, and the great power which delineated his limbs and formed his body, he can then understand how much holiness is available to him and the meaning of his deeds.

A person should therefore take heed that he doesn't soil his actions, as they have great spiritual ramifications. He should see to it that he engages in good behaviors in order to awaken a commensurate bestowal from above.

Relationships: Face-to-Face or Back-to-Back

Kabbalistic thought describes relationships as primarily being in one of two states. אחורים באחורים achoraim b'achoraim, back-to-back, as well as פנים בפנים, panim b'panim, face-to-face. Panim is related to the word p'nim, meaning inner. A person's face is a reflection of his inner being. It reveals his unique personality, what he chooses and desires in life. The back is a metaphor for the opposite. It reflects those traits which are part of the nature of a person which he cannot escape. A person is truly expressing himself when he exercises his free will, which is reflected upon his panim. When a person is faced with a situation in which he has no choice, his actions are not an expression of his inner self. This is the state of achor, the back. The face is free will, the back is what is forced upon a person.

The back is a metaphor for a relationship which is natural and a person cannot reject. This is in contrast to a relationship which is of one's own volition.

Adam and Chava were initially created back-to-back. It was a relationship born in nature and could not be otherwise. They didn't choose this relationship, but it was simply a fact of their creation. God said that לא טוב היות האדם לבדו. Conventionally this is translated as "It is not good for man to be alone." But the word לבדו can also be understood to mean connected (לבוד). God was saying that it isn't good for a couple to be connected in a relationship because they have no choice. It needs to be of their own free will. So God separated Adam and Chava and presented the possibility for them to create a relationship of their own free will. Not a natural relationship of back-to-back, but one born of free will, from the inside (p'nim), face-to-face and not forced.

This is true for all relationships. Unlike blood relatives who are forced and not given a choice, a husband and wife are connected by choice. It is a unique relationship that is a product of their free will. In order to maintain the aspect of free will God created the possibility of divorce so that we are always aware of the option of separation. As a result, as long as they remain together, it is an expression of their will and not something which is forced upon them. 

The distance from the mind to the heart

A person's thoughts can rise very high and shine a great light, while his heart plods along slowly. Every person has the ability to understand important principles of the ideal ways to conduct his life, but they are much more difficult to actually implement in real life. A person might know how despicable it is to be haughty, yet finds that haughtiness has taken root in his heart despite his intellectual understanding of its repulsiveness. There is a great gulf between the mind and the heart.

Our sages taught us to careful not to be people whose understanding is greater than our deeds. Not to live a life of "Do as I say, and not as I do." Don't be fooled into thinking that just because you have something clear in your mind, that your heart is in touch with it as well. The heart transforms slowly, the mind is much faster. A person need to apply himself to "Instilling within his heart," and not assume that his mind is shining into his heart without specific effort to that end.

A Spiritual Approach to the Challenge of the Internet - II

The proliferation of the Internet and the attendant challenges has come about by God as a means to put pressure on those who are Torah observant to arise with great strength to discover a paradigm that will lead to the purification of the entire nation. The oppressive filth present online is disturbing to every Jew and causes damage in every home. We cannot ignore its effects on the Jewish people. God has orchestrated this in order that observant Jews share the pain which affects other streams of the Jewish Nation and find a cure for the entire generation. A person should not be content with saving himself and his family alone, while the rest of his brethren suffer from this choking filth.

As we contemplate this further, it is clear that even though there is a responsibility to place filters and other safeguards on Internet access, and this should be done with great alacrity in every home and every other location, this is still insufficient protection. Even if a person protects himself and his family by living in a protected environment, if his child desires he can easily find ways to access the filth next door. Therefore, the only cure is one which will result in the entire generation rejecting this filth until it is unwelcome in all places. We need to be a holy people. Not just our families and our neighborhoods, but the entire nation. We need to fight for this goal in ways that exude love. We need to take every Jew into our hearts and share that purity which we wish for our children with every Jewish child. We should not be indifferent to the sight of Jewish children wallowing in immorality which doesn't match the purity of their hearts.

The bottom line is that the Tzaddik needs to be a partner in the burdens of the rest of the people and to feel their pain. He shouldn't assume that isolation will save him. That is not what God assumes. He wants the entire Nation to be complete and sees the righteous as a part of the entire Nation.

Yes, our sages taught, "Distance yourself from an evil neighbor and do not have a relationship with the wicked." However, the first thing to keep in mind is that Jews aren't wicked. Most of them were not raised Torah observant, and in our times the thirst for Torah knowledge is great. Secondly, there is a Mitzvah to encourage every Jews to get closer to God. The admonition to stay away from people are are wicked is only if you are intending to learn from their wickedness. But associating with them in order to positively influence them is a great Mitzvah. And when one is busy influencing, he will not himself be influenced as we see from the many people involved in outreach. Finally, the sages in their warning were not referring to times such as these when so many people are thirsting for Torah and so many wish to share their Torah knowledge.

A Spiritual Approach to the Challenge of the Internet - I

There is a deep connection between the Tzaddikim  (righteous) and the rest of the generation. The entire generation is considered to be one entity and that which is bestowed on the Tzaddikim is meant to be shared by them to shine light upon the others. If, God forbid, the Tzaddikim shun this role and isolate themselves in order not to be soiled by the filth of wickedness, then Divine Providence will arrange matters so that the Tzaddikim engage with the filth in other ways. This is because they need to be forced to engage with the Klipah (spiritual challenge) that affects the rest of the Jewish Nation. When the Tzaddikim are then forced to find self-healing for their own soiled souls, they will also heal the others. This pressure is also intended to prevent them from isolating themselves, and to force them to relate to the rest of the nation and assist the others.

We can compare this to the human body. If a person has an infection in one limb all of his white blood cells rush there to fight the infection. If they ignore their job, the infection will spread to the entire body.

There is a deeper point to be brought out with regards to the holy battle against the Klipah. The holiness and spiritual insight that are bestowed to the generation are specifically those which can conquer the Klipah of the times. If these abilities are not utilized to fight the Klipah, and they are not fully actualized, the Klipah will strengthen and go on the attack. In general, any ability that is not fully actualized will instead cause difficulties and challenges. Therefore, the only way for the Tzaddikim themselves to be immune to the Klipah of the generation is by directly engaging and battling with it themselves. This can be accomplished only by coming to the assistance of others to get them out of prison, and not by cloistering in ivory towers.

Furthermore, the act of isolation, of not assisting those who have fallen, contains within it an element of acquiescence to the Klipah's harming of other Jews. This is yet another reason why it will ultimately attack and destroy the Tzaddik.

These are time-tested principles in God's providence over Israel and in the relationship between Tzaddikim and others. We find in the Talmud that Tzaddikim are responsible for the sins of the generation, "They had the ability to protest, and didn't protest." This is not merely a punishment, rather, the lack of protestation in and of itself permits the Klipah to get a foothold. Consequently, the Tzaddikim themselves share part of the sin.

In our times we are witnesses to the awful stench of sexual immorality that has spread, even among the most educated, through the means of the Internet and related venues. We hear expressions of concern about this breakdown of morality even from non-Jews sources. This sexual immorality extinguishes young hearts and tosses them into the depths of depravity. It wrecks marital bonds until there is no light left in a persons's heart after he is subjugated to this contagious filth.

With the spread of technology this has become a great danger even within the Torah world. The electronic waves pierce the walls surrounding every neighborhood, and every location that attempts to remain sterile. This is extremely difficulty to deal with and has brought downfall to many young people.

We are aware that everything is rooted in Divine Providence, and God always wishes to bring us to the greatest good. That is why he has brought us this amazingly difficult challenge. Eventually, we will overcome this contagious filth and purify the entire Jewish camp. But first we need to ask ourselves, "Why has God done this to us to bring upon us this bitter challenge. Only then can we begin to understand what God wants from us and what is the manner in which we can fight against this powerful Klipah. Even though the Klipah thinks that it is plotting all that it is doing, we know that God directs everything, including the Klipah, and in the depths of the darkness lies a great light. When it shines the Klipah will be subdued.

Redemption in Two Steps - I

The Ramchal elaborates on the steps leading to Redemption. He teaches that there are two primary stages, פקידה וזכירה, Pekidah and Zechira (these are both words that connote remembering. I will continue to refer to them by their transliterated Hebrew names in order to distinguish. CL) In earlier Redemptions such as the exodus from Egypt and the return from Babylon these two stages were present. Our tradition teaches us that they will be present in the future redemption as well. They are described by the prophets as being represented by verses in Micah. "Do not rejoice about me, my enemies," refers to the stage of Pekidah. "As I sit in darkness, God is my light," refers to the stage of Zechira.

At the stage of Pekidah God reveals himself in a hidden manner, under cover of the natural world. The primary focus is the rectification of the external, the national body. To raise Israel up from the dust of exile, to return them from their scattering, and settle them on their land. It is the next stage, that of Zechira, that there will be a light of clarity and everyone will recognize God and His directing hand. In Pekidah, even though there will be great expressions of Redemption, it is still categorized as darkness because there is still no Daat, no clarity of understanding. God is revealed in a hidden manner. Comprehension is like light to a person. And as long as comprehension is lacking, he is sitting in darkness.

There is no clear manifestation of God in Pekidah, He is shining only in the inner recesses of the soul, and is not apparent to man's understanding. When Zechira comes God is clearly manifest. Pekidah is related to the sefira  of Yesod in which God is enveloped within nature and whose primary function is building the physical. This is the stage of Moshiach ben Yosef. Yosef acted within the natural world and provided sustenance to people. Zechira is related to Tiferet which is the manifestation of Torah, the open revelation of Godliness through an outpouring of clarity to all people. 

Illusions

Our world presents things to us in a manner that is often illusory. Take money, for example. It is one of the most desired objects in the world.
Why is there such a lust for money? It would seem that people are driven to acquire money because having money offers a person opportunities that he or she might not have otherwise. Money enables a person to purchase what he wants. Money is the face of opportunity.
But opportunity itself is a cover for something deeper - freedom. A person who has no opportunities is severely limited. Opportunity brings freedom, the absence of boundaries. The essential truth behind the lust for money, is the desire for freedom.
Kabbalistic thought teaches us that a desire for freedom is inherently a desire to connect to God in His infinite state. All of Creation is formed in a bounded, narrow world. The soul desires to return to its source in the broad swaths of infinity. The pining for infinity is the essential truth of all of Creation. As this truth makes its way down through physical manifestations it transitions from infinity to freedom, from freedom to opportunity, and from opportunity to money. Money, while really the face of all these lofty ambitions, is then presented as an end to itself, as if the money has intrinsic value and is not merely a means to an end.
The result ends up turning the entire paradigm upside down. Instead of money being the face of freedom, it becomes the face of servitude. Rather than achieving their desired freedom, people become enslaved to their belongings, and the more one owns, the more he has to be concerned with lest he lose what he has. This leads to a lack of joy and relaxation, and to a loss of a true feeling of being alive. Not only has the external face lost its inner meaning and become an end in its own right, but it has achieved the opposite of the intended result. Instead of inner freedom, there is tiresomeslavery. The person has now lost both worlds, the inner as well as the external. Money that does not lead to a happy state of relaxation is worthless. It is a like a person sitting along in a golden palace. Not only does the gold surrounding him offer no comfort, but it emphasizes the absurdity of his situation.

The Downside to Divisiveness - Conclusion

Certainly a person needs to protect himself from negative influences, but one also needs to distinguish between taking care not to be caught up in the excesses of modern culture on the one hand, and isolation from other Jews and lacking a feeling of connection to all Jews on the other.

Furthermore, the deficiencies of each stream exist as part of a divine plan to encourage all Jews to unite and connect with each other. If there is, unfortunately, little effort to untie Jewry and dissolve barriers, then God creates situations that will force us to unite.

Besides for the well known causes - outside pressures of kings who make Haman-like decrees, wars, international pressure - there are other pressures who effects are more subtle. They are the fact that any deficiency within one group is predicated upon its separation from others. The roots of the cure are found in the neighbor. This will create sufficient pressure to shatter the walls that divide, and to cause each person to connect to another, one group to its neighbor.

Through unity within Jewry all public ills will be cured. There is much more to write on this subject, but that is for another time. If you seek to understand the depths of reality, you will see that the issues we have raised here manifest themselves in countless ways.

The Downside to Divisiveness - III

It is a fundamental principle of Kabbalistic thought that the root of all troubles is a lack of unifying balance between values. This is the distinction between תהו (Tohu - confusion) and תיקון (Tikkun - rectification). In Tohu each light (value) is separate from the others. Consequently, there are impurities and blemishes that result from the tendency of each value to go to the extreme as long as it is not connected to the others. By contrast, the world of Tikkun is one of balance between all values. The values are connected in such a manner that they all complement each other. The world is properly built on the complementary balance of disparate values. It does not exist on extremist values, or by lacking any of life's values, but by a unity replete with holiness and blessing.

The same is true within the Jewish camp. The souls of all Jews form one spiritual corpus. The mere fact that we are in disunity creates a state of deficiency in each group. Clearly, it is impossible for there to be perfection in one group alone. Perfection is present only when the entire nation is united. Were it possible for one group to have perfection alone, then it would possess all the values and that's simply not possible. Each Jew is a light that does not shine elsewhere, and surely the same is true for each group.

A paradigm of isolation, born of a fear of being affected by the deficiencies of ones neighbors, when taken to an extreme causes more harm than good. There can be no greater damage than division within the Jewish Nation. The internal harm that will result to any group because of its isolationist principles is more dangerous than any damaging and corrupting influence that can come from a neighboring group.

Furthermore, if one has a healthy approach, firmly based on positive ideas, and wants to share it with other groups then the focus of the relationship will not be on the weaknesses of each group and will not lead to negative influences. Rather there will be a positive exchange, a mutual sharing of the strong points of each. As long as the focus of the interest is on inner growth, light will shine out into the world.

The Downside to Divisiveness - II

I want to reemphasize that we really do not wish to speak ill of Jews. This is not the path of Torah at its zenith which discusses the merits of the Jewish people and follows God's path of always finding something good to say. We are only writing this because it requires some contemplation in order to learn a lesson. Indeed, if we train ourselves to look with a kind eye we will notice that within each stream of Judaism there is a unique light and blessing. Thank God there are many merits and positive points among Jews, and we are going to point out just a few of them.

In one group there may be mental health and qualitative development of the facets of physical and emotional life. This is something very valuable. Another group may be very God fearing, faithful in Mitzvah performance and Torah study which form the foundations of Jewish life. Yet another is engaged in deep thought and has a broad outlook which includes responsibility for the entire Jewish Nation. This group has a healthy approach which seeks to find the positive in everything and to create unity among the various groups.

This is only a small portion of the blessing within the different parties in Judaism. There is great blessing in each and every one, in each stream, as long as we look with a kind eye and to see that there is no end to the merits, blessing and goodness of all Jews.

Our aim in everything we are saying is to one end - to call for Jewish Unity. This is why we need to reference the disparate streams, even though we would prefer not to as we are all one nation and we should not dwell and discuss those things which separate us. However, in order to call for a new paradigm to which we all need to subscribe, a world in which there is a complete nation with no divisions, we need to somewhat address the current situation. We may be speaking in general terms which seem to be stereotypical, and while that results in comments that are not universally true as there are exceptions to every rule, in order to make our point we need to speak now in general terms. Rather than focusing on individuals, we will be addressing the general attitudes of the public.

Here is our main point, if you look honestly at each stream you will clearly see that that which is lacking in one group is complemented by the strong points of another. The cure for the disease of each group's challenges is found in its neighbor's strong points. It is therefore clear that the weaknesses are a result of a lack of unity. The deficits of each group persist so long as they are resistant  to receiving the healthy values that are found in others.

The Downside to Divisiveness - I

There are countless difficulties that arise from the fact that Jews live in a state of division. There are disparate groups with glass walls separating between them that shatter the feeling of unity that should permeate within the Jewish brotherhood. These walls cause us to distance ourselves from those who are not part of our stream of Judaism. This leads to endless difficulties stemming from this approach to life and this is not the place to get into all of them. But there is one fundamental point that is worthwhile for every reader to contemplate:

Besides for the overall issues that arise from this polarization, and the fact that all dialogue is confrontational in which each party just fortifies its own position and a spirit of unity is conspicuously lacking, there is also the fact that each stream has its own internal issues. Even though it is usually inappropriate to discuss the shortcomings of the Jewish Nation, and we love all Jews to the extent that we desire for this love to cover up all wrongdoing, still, in order for us to discuss the cure, we must first discuss some of the issues that require rectification.

There is no Jewish group that can claim that the lives of its members are perfect and need no improvement. Every aspect of life has its challenges. One stream suffers from too much freedom and permissiveness which results in the loss of appreciation for certain values. Another stream lacks free will and choice and builds numerous external pressures rather than encouraging people to develop their own initiative. This create many difficulties. Another stream is attempting to balance two worlds and ends up blurring the line between the holy and the secular, between what is primary and what is secondary.

The Stirrings of Jewish Nationality

Hashem entered into people's hearts to awaken within them the idea to seek out a land and a government. The people followed their dreams without realizing that it was His will, and without an appreciation of the true meaning of the great events that they were precipitating.

People need to offer a rationale for their actions. We are thinking beings, and don't act without reason. When Hashem awakened within people the desire to return to the land, thinking people had to offer reasons for this desire and they built a political philosophy to explain their actions. Lacking an appreciation of the true reasons they grasped weak reasons which only reflected the external realities of the return. This is the basis of secular Zionism that offered a protective homeland as a reason for building the State of Israel.

Even though there is truth to this, it only reflects the external distinction between Exile and Redemption, and completely misses the spiritual nature of redemption, and the magnitude of spirituality found in the Land of Israel as we renew the days of old when we drew from the wellsprings of prophecy. The secularists saw the dream only as it relates to the body, but they were blind to the soul.

People build great edifices based on ideas that they do not fully comprehend. Even though there is truth to the desire to be strong, to not be dependent on other nationalities, these ideas are missing the core truth. This results in great difficulties for the nation because the people are not truly being directed towards their destiny. Once the task was complete and there was a return to a rebuilt land they lost their way, they had no vision. They can't find the path to solve the difficult challenges of the times.

The path to redemption was begun by childlike people who lacked understanding. They were unaware of the fact that they were being directed by Hashem whose ways are hidden from Man. It will not rest until the light is fully revealed and the blind eyes are opened to see the good of Hashem and say, "This is the God for whom I hoped, and he has saved us."

Now is the time for the opening of the eyes, to the awakening, to a stirring nation which is acquiring the Daat, the mindset of redemption. This is accompanied by a greater awareness of the deeper aspects of Torah which are appropriate only in Israel, similar to prophecy only being possible in the land.