CHANUKAH!
When asking anyone who knows the story of creation in the Torah, “What is G!d’s first creation?”, the answer will be, “Light!”. Of course, we all know the famous verse: “Let there be light!”. But in the verses preceding this one, we read: “...with darkness upon the surface of the deep, and the Divine Presence hovered upon the surface of the waters”. So… it obviously means that light was not the first creation. There was already darkness and water.
We must understand that prior to all of this, the only reality that existed was G!d. Nothing else could exist. So G!d had to make space in order for the world to be created and to exist at all. Kabbalah teaches that G!d had to constrict so to speak, creating a vacuum. We call this “Tzimtzum”. We may deduce that space in this vacuum didn’t have light.
Now, how about the waters? In Judaism, water is always a symbol for Torah. It is also a symbol for life. We see that the entire life potential was already present in the waters, symbolizing Torah. Only after do we have the famous “Let there be light”. Did G!d turn the lights on? This light surely did not come from the sun, it wasn’t created yet, this will come on the fourth day. So again, what was this light? It was G!d’s spiritual light, perhaps the strongest creation of all. It is taught that this light was so powerful that G!d decided to keep it hidden for the use of tzaddikim, righteous people, in the world to come. It is called “Or Haganuz”, “Hidden Light”.
Ultimately, in our world, it is possible to get a glimpse of this spiritual light through tzaddikim. The problem is that if we wish to have this glimpse, we must have the ability to recognize a tzaddik… which is very difficult.
The good news is that for eight days, we have the opportunity to have more than a glimpse. We can see this light each night, expanding day after day. This hidden light of creation is present in your Menorah. This alone is reason enough to celebrate because through these flames, we are connected to the most powerful creation of all: the Primordial Light. We only need to be aware of this fact in order to be connected, and with this connection comes the potential of the miraculous in life.
Something else extremely important also happens. We humans, created in the image of G!d, are an “Olam Katan”, a “miniature Universe”. As such, contained in each of us, is this Primordial Light. It might be hidden, but it is definitely present.
When someone plays a string of a violin, the same string of another violin next to it will vibrate. This is called sympathetic vibration. The sound waves of the first violin cause the second one to vibrate. This is a beautiful phenomenon. The same concept applies to our own hidden Primordial Light. When in the presence of revealed Primordial Light in the Chanukah flames, our own inner flame is activated and has the need to shine outwards. This is when we must also activate the tzaddik in us and make sure we share this light through righteous acts. By doing so, we are truly partners in creation with G!d, revealing some of the Primordial Light in our world.
Many people have brought darkness and many others keep on bringing it. We are Children of Light. We can’t underestimate the power of our own light. The increasing light of Chanukah is calling upon us:
-to increase in acts of righteousness (loving kindness)
-to lovingly and mindfully increase mitzvot performance
-to increase in mindful prayer
-to increase light…
This Chanukah, while you light your candles, take a moment to focus on the outstanding miracles that come from this simple act. Take a moment to stare at the flames, in awe of the privilege of the gift of Chanukah. May your joyful observance of this holiday be a source of revealed miracles in your life, with health, happiness and love.
With blessings, Happy Chanukah!
We must understand that prior to all of this, the only reality that existed was G!d. Nothing else could exist. So G!d had to make space in order for the world to be created and to exist at all. Kabbalah teaches that G!d had to constrict so to speak, creating a vacuum. We call this “Tzimtzum”. We may deduce that space in this vacuum didn’t have light.
Now, how about the waters? In Judaism, water is always a symbol for Torah. It is also a symbol for life. We see that the entire life potential was already present in the waters, symbolizing Torah. Only after do we have the famous “Let there be light”. Did G!d turn the lights on? This light surely did not come from the sun, it wasn’t created yet, this will come on the fourth day. So again, what was this light? It was G!d’s spiritual light, perhaps the strongest creation of all. It is taught that this light was so powerful that G!d decided to keep it hidden for the use of tzaddikim, righteous people, in the world to come. It is called “Or Haganuz”, “Hidden Light”.
Ultimately, in our world, it is possible to get a glimpse of this spiritual light through tzaddikim. The problem is that if we wish to have this glimpse, we must have the ability to recognize a tzaddik… which is very difficult.
The good news is that for eight days, we have the opportunity to have more than a glimpse. We can see this light each night, expanding day after day. This hidden light of creation is present in your Menorah. This alone is reason enough to celebrate because through these flames, we are connected to the most powerful creation of all: the Primordial Light. We only need to be aware of this fact in order to be connected, and with this connection comes the potential of the miraculous in life.
Something else extremely important also happens. We humans, created in the image of G!d, are an “Olam Katan”, a “miniature Universe”. As such, contained in each of us, is this Primordial Light. It might be hidden, but it is definitely present.
When someone plays a string of a violin, the same string of another violin next to it will vibrate. This is called sympathetic vibration. The sound waves of the first violin cause the second one to vibrate. This is a beautiful phenomenon. The same concept applies to our own hidden Primordial Light. When in the presence of revealed Primordial Light in the Chanukah flames, our own inner flame is activated and has the need to shine outwards. This is when we must also activate the tzaddik in us and make sure we share this light through righteous acts. By doing so, we are truly partners in creation with G!d, revealing some of the Primordial Light in our world.
Many people have brought darkness and many others keep on bringing it. We are Children of Light. We can’t underestimate the power of our own light. The increasing light of Chanukah is calling upon us:
-to increase in acts of righteousness (loving kindness)
-to lovingly and mindfully increase mitzvot performance
-to increase in mindful prayer
-to increase light…
This Chanukah, while you light your candles, take a moment to focus on the outstanding miracles that come from this simple act. Take a moment to stare at the flames, in awe of the privilege of the gift of Chanukah. May your joyful observance of this holiday be a source of revealed miracles in your life, with health, happiness and love.
With blessings, Happy Chanukah!
Tachanun
The Holy Days are behind us and what hopefully remains is growth, connection and inspiration. Ideally, the drive to strive for improvement should live on. Teshuvah is not a once-a-year exercise, it is a regular practice that helps us become the awesome human being we are meant to be.
There is a part of the daily liturgy that used to bother me in the past, it is the Tachanun prayer. Tachanun are penitential prayers recited most days after the Amida (the standing prayer). What used to bother me is the nature of this liturgy (why put an emphasis on being penitent?) until I realized the true purpose of Tachanun: to consciously release negativity from the body.
Every day, the body accumulates a certain amount of negativity. It often comes from the outside; from co-workers, bosses, friends or even family members. We generate our own negativity when reacting with anger, jealousy, contempt or fear to any given situation. Negativity also comes from the inside when we decide to re-live a difficult situation, working ourselves up, amplifying anger, jealousy, contempt or fear.
We don’t need to feel guilty about it, humans are made this way. This is why consciously releasing negativity on a daily basis trains us to get rid of this habit. We can change the habit, create a new one, and as a bonus, we become a clean vessel to receive Light and blessings.
Remember, Light and blessings are always there, surrounding us, but if we are filled with negativity, there is no room for blessings! Eventually, we can train ourselves not to create negative feelings. When this is achieved, the release of negativity eventually will be about anything that tries to attach itself to us. People trying to put us down, for example. We don’t want it, so we release it.
Tachanun is really about asking for forgiveness. As a spiritual practice, we need to create a habit asking forgiveness to our Higher Self. There is always a moment when we may not react in the best way. The asking for forgiveness becomes a portal for our soul to grow. What is our Higher Self? It is the part of our soul that still resides in the World of Truth, the Spiritual World. Our soul does not entirely come down when we incarnate in our present body. An important part of it still resides in the Spiritual World, living in bliss. In reality, it doesn’t need us to ask for forgiveness, there is only love and compassion in that realm, but this asking connects us to our Higher Self, which in turn is connected to infinite wisdom. But connecting to it, we open a portal to this infinite wisdom, aligning ourselves with guidance.
Our Higher Self possesses an immense amount of Light; it is unequivocally connected to the Source after all. When we connect to it, we remove any interference and Light reaches us directly.
Once we do this, we must allow G!d to envelop us. Mind you, we are always enveloped, but if we are blind to it, or if we have encrustations of negativity, it doesn’t reach us at full potential. When we consciously remove these incrustations and allow G!d in, wonders happen. We are aligned with synchronicity.
All of this is related to creating a Sacred Space. We must strive to do this wherever we are. We only need to be conscious about it …and pray for it. The moment we do this, it happens. Follow these simple instructions and see incredible things happen in your life!
There is a part of the daily liturgy that used to bother me in the past, it is the Tachanun prayer. Tachanun are penitential prayers recited most days after the Amida (the standing prayer). What used to bother me is the nature of this liturgy (why put an emphasis on being penitent?) until I realized the true purpose of Tachanun: to consciously release negativity from the body.
Every day, the body accumulates a certain amount of negativity. It often comes from the outside; from co-workers, bosses, friends or even family members. We generate our own negativity when reacting with anger, jealousy, contempt or fear to any given situation. Negativity also comes from the inside when we decide to re-live a difficult situation, working ourselves up, amplifying anger, jealousy, contempt or fear.
We don’t need to feel guilty about it, humans are made this way. This is why consciously releasing negativity on a daily basis trains us to get rid of this habit. We can change the habit, create a new one, and as a bonus, we become a clean vessel to receive Light and blessings.
Remember, Light and blessings are always there, surrounding us, but if we are filled with negativity, there is no room for blessings! Eventually, we can train ourselves not to create negative feelings. When this is achieved, the release of negativity eventually will be about anything that tries to attach itself to us. People trying to put us down, for example. We don’t want it, so we release it.
Tachanun is really about asking for forgiveness. As a spiritual practice, we need to create a habit asking forgiveness to our Higher Self. There is always a moment when we may not react in the best way. The asking for forgiveness becomes a portal for our soul to grow. What is our Higher Self? It is the part of our soul that still resides in the World of Truth, the Spiritual World. Our soul does not entirely come down when we incarnate in our present body. An important part of it still resides in the Spiritual World, living in bliss. In reality, it doesn’t need us to ask for forgiveness, there is only love and compassion in that realm, but this asking connects us to our Higher Self, which in turn is connected to infinite wisdom. But connecting to it, we open a portal to this infinite wisdom, aligning ourselves with guidance.
Our Higher Self possesses an immense amount of Light; it is unequivocally connected to the Source after all. When we connect to it, we remove any interference and Light reaches us directly.
Once we do this, we must allow G!d to envelop us. Mind you, we are always enveloped, but if we are blind to it, or if we have encrustations of negativity, it doesn’t reach us at full potential. When we consciously remove these incrustations and allow G!d in, wonders happen. We are aligned with synchronicity.
All of this is related to creating a Sacred Space. We must strive to do this wherever we are. We only need to be conscious about it …and pray for it. The moment we do this, it happens. Follow these simple instructions and see incredible things happen in your life!
High Holy Days
Yom Teruah, Rosh Hashanah, is upon us. This is the day of the blowing of the shofar. It’s hard to explain how this raspy ram’s horn packs out synagogues year after year. What is interesting is that everyone will hear the same sound of the shofar, but most likely, everyone will hear something different. So we can ask: “What does the shofar do for me?” or “What can the shofar do for me?”
A sophisticated city man happened upon a primitive group of villagers who were foolishly trying to fan a big fire by blowing on it. He told them that it would probably work better if they used bellows. They looked at him as if he spoke a foreign language. They had no idea what bellows were and how they worked. Bellows, by the way, is a device that everyone knows. It’s basically a bag with two handles on one end, and a valve on the other. You often see it next to a fireplace. So out of the kindness of his heart he decided to make for them a beautiful pair of bellows and he demonstrated how remarkably effective they were. Everyone was amazed to see how quickly a fire can become a flame with this technology. He left the town with great honor but when he returned he was met with derision. The people claimed that he was a fraud. His bellows didn’t work! He examined them and found them in perfect condition. He couldn’t figure out what the problem could be. He asked them to show him how they were being used. After observing how they blew with the bellows on a pile of wood, he understood immediately what the problem was. He asked them, “Where are your glowing coals?” They were amazed. “You mean we need glowing coals too?” He laughed at their foolishness and told them, “The bellows only produce some air which transforms the burning embers into a fire. If there is no spark to begin with, even the best pair of bellows cannot make a fire.”
The shofar speaks to us like the wind of the bellows. The embers in our heart have the potential to become a passionate flame on Rosh Hashanah. Likewise, just like a flame is always directed towards heaven, but is attached to something physical down on earth, our prayers also have the potential to rise to the highest spheres, while bringing blessings in this physical realm.
I would like to tell you a peculiar story; the story of my shofar.
Years ago, I decided to purchase a shofar. I am a musician myself, so I knew I would want to pick a big, beautiful shofar that had the best sound possible. The other requirement was that the shofar would be easy to blow.
So I went to the Judaica store, at the festival flea market in Hollywood, FL. It was a large store and they had just received a shipment of three big cartons of shofars. Determined to get the best one, I proceeded to try every single one, making different piles. The ones I knew I liked, the maybes, and the ones that I definitely rejected.
After that, I needed to come back to the ones I liked, trying one, and the other, again and again. Finally, after more than an hour, I was down to two… This is when I realized that I was making a lot of noise in the store. So I apologized to the owners. They said, “No, it’s good, it brings customers in!”
Anyway, shortly after this, we moved to Phoenix, AZ, where I worked at Beth El Congregation. One year, during the summer, I received a call from a family. Their father was at Mayo Clinic, and was in critical condition. He’d had a series of medical misfortunes, and the only thing that could perhaps save him was an open heart surgery. The only problem was that the surgeons refused to take the risk to operate, his condition was that bad.
I went to visit this man. He took my hand and started to cry. He said that he wanted to be in Shul for the High Holy Days. He said he wanted to hear the shofar again. He kept repeating this. It was heart wrenching.
Somehow, this man convinced the surgeons to operate. So, I remember that he went on a Monday morning for his open heart surgery. On Tuesday, they had to re-open him again. I was starting to think that they should leave the poor man alone.
On Wednesday, they opened him a third time. At that point, I thought it was ridiculous, it was torture. Sure enough, when I was finally able to visit him, I had to wear a medical protective suit to protect him from any germs. He looked at me, he could only move his eyes. There were tubes everywhere. His eyes were saying: “I can’t believe I am in this situation!”
Weeks went by, and his situation deteriorated to the point where he became unconscious. The day before Rosh Hashanah, the family called me, and they said that he would not survive the night. Would I be able to visit him before the Holy Day? I don’t usually do visits in hospitals on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, but this was definitely a special case. I went and I brought my shofar along. I spoke to him hoping that maybe somewhere he was able to hear me. So I told him that since he couldn’t come this year to Shul for the High Holy Days, he would have to get better to make it next year. I told him that everyone was praying for him, everyone was looking forward to seeing him. I said a “Mi Sheberach” and I told him that since he wouldn’t be able to hear the shofar in Shul, I would blow it there, in his hospital room. So I blew the shofar and wished him Shanah Tovah.
That night, the whole community celebrated the Jewish New Year, and in the morning, someone came to me and said: “He survived the night, and he woke up this morning.”
Six months later, this man was playing golf three times a week, and was coming to Shul every Shabbat…
Another miraculous story happened a year later, at around the same time. A young woman had just joined the synagogue and was looking forward to the High Holy Days. She kept walking with a smile and loved to come to minyan. One morning, a big truck missed a stop sign, and hit her car, leaving only twisted metal and glass scattered over the street. Somehow, she survived, but she had hundreds of pieces of glass in her body. They spent hours removing the glass, while struggling to save her lungs. After a few days, she went into a coma. I went many times to visit, willing her to open her eyes. Then, just before Rosh Hashanah, again, I went to her hospital room, and also spoke to her. I told her that everybody missed her, that her young daughter needed her. And so I also blew the shofar for her. She didn’t move.
But, yes, the day after, someone came to me and said: “She woke up this morning.”
Years later, she is still doing beautifully. Her daughter graduated University and is now married.
As much as I would like to say that this shofar has a special power, it is after all, only an instrument, granted, a holy instrument. Yet I have come to realize that the shofar is an instrument that carries messages from both ends.
On our end, it sends our pleas, our cries, our yearnings, our prayers.
From the other end, it sends us answers to our pleas, our cries, our yearnings, our prayers.
We all know how powerful this instrument is. Remember, the shofar speaks to us like the wind of the bellows. Rosh Hashanah, with the shofar, has the power to transform a small ember of prayer into a beautiful fire.
But also remember, if there are no embers to begin with, the best pair of bellows won’t do anything.
So, look for this spark deep inside of you. Use the energy of the Holy Days and the power of the shofar to transform this spark into a beautiful and passionate fire. Don’t stop until it is big enough to give you inspiration for this entire year.
May you be inscribed for a most beautiful year filled with blessings of health, love and success. May your passion and connection bring you revealed miracles. May the year 5785 be a time of healing and growth for our community.
A sophisticated city man happened upon a primitive group of villagers who were foolishly trying to fan a big fire by blowing on it. He told them that it would probably work better if they used bellows. They looked at him as if he spoke a foreign language. They had no idea what bellows were and how they worked. Bellows, by the way, is a device that everyone knows. It’s basically a bag with two handles on one end, and a valve on the other. You often see it next to a fireplace. So out of the kindness of his heart he decided to make for them a beautiful pair of bellows and he demonstrated how remarkably effective they were. Everyone was amazed to see how quickly a fire can become a flame with this technology. He left the town with great honor but when he returned he was met with derision. The people claimed that he was a fraud. His bellows didn’t work! He examined them and found them in perfect condition. He couldn’t figure out what the problem could be. He asked them to show him how they were being used. After observing how they blew with the bellows on a pile of wood, he understood immediately what the problem was. He asked them, “Where are your glowing coals?” They were amazed. “You mean we need glowing coals too?” He laughed at their foolishness and told them, “The bellows only produce some air which transforms the burning embers into a fire. If there is no spark to begin with, even the best pair of bellows cannot make a fire.”
The shofar speaks to us like the wind of the bellows. The embers in our heart have the potential to become a passionate flame on Rosh Hashanah. Likewise, just like a flame is always directed towards heaven, but is attached to something physical down on earth, our prayers also have the potential to rise to the highest spheres, while bringing blessings in this physical realm.
I would like to tell you a peculiar story; the story of my shofar.
Years ago, I decided to purchase a shofar. I am a musician myself, so I knew I would want to pick a big, beautiful shofar that had the best sound possible. The other requirement was that the shofar would be easy to blow.
So I went to the Judaica store, at the festival flea market in Hollywood, FL. It was a large store and they had just received a shipment of three big cartons of shofars. Determined to get the best one, I proceeded to try every single one, making different piles. The ones I knew I liked, the maybes, and the ones that I definitely rejected.
After that, I needed to come back to the ones I liked, trying one, and the other, again and again. Finally, after more than an hour, I was down to two… This is when I realized that I was making a lot of noise in the store. So I apologized to the owners. They said, “No, it’s good, it brings customers in!”
Anyway, shortly after this, we moved to Phoenix, AZ, where I worked at Beth El Congregation. One year, during the summer, I received a call from a family. Their father was at Mayo Clinic, and was in critical condition. He’d had a series of medical misfortunes, and the only thing that could perhaps save him was an open heart surgery. The only problem was that the surgeons refused to take the risk to operate, his condition was that bad.
I went to visit this man. He took my hand and started to cry. He said that he wanted to be in Shul for the High Holy Days. He said he wanted to hear the shofar again. He kept repeating this. It was heart wrenching.
Somehow, this man convinced the surgeons to operate. So, I remember that he went on a Monday morning for his open heart surgery. On Tuesday, they had to re-open him again. I was starting to think that they should leave the poor man alone.
On Wednesday, they opened him a third time. At that point, I thought it was ridiculous, it was torture. Sure enough, when I was finally able to visit him, I had to wear a medical protective suit to protect him from any germs. He looked at me, he could only move his eyes. There were tubes everywhere. His eyes were saying: “I can’t believe I am in this situation!”
Weeks went by, and his situation deteriorated to the point where he became unconscious. The day before Rosh Hashanah, the family called me, and they said that he would not survive the night. Would I be able to visit him before the Holy Day? I don’t usually do visits in hospitals on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, but this was definitely a special case. I went and I brought my shofar along. I spoke to him hoping that maybe somewhere he was able to hear me. So I told him that since he couldn’t come this year to Shul for the High Holy Days, he would have to get better to make it next year. I told him that everyone was praying for him, everyone was looking forward to seeing him. I said a “Mi Sheberach” and I told him that since he wouldn’t be able to hear the shofar in Shul, I would blow it there, in his hospital room. So I blew the shofar and wished him Shanah Tovah.
That night, the whole community celebrated the Jewish New Year, and in the morning, someone came to me and said: “He survived the night, and he woke up this morning.”
Six months later, this man was playing golf three times a week, and was coming to Shul every Shabbat…
Another miraculous story happened a year later, at around the same time. A young woman had just joined the synagogue and was looking forward to the High Holy Days. She kept walking with a smile and loved to come to minyan. One morning, a big truck missed a stop sign, and hit her car, leaving only twisted metal and glass scattered over the street. Somehow, she survived, but she had hundreds of pieces of glass in her body. They spent hours removing the glass, while struggling to save her lungs. After a few days, she went into a coma. I went many times to visit, willing her to open her eyes. Then, just before Rosh Hashanah, again, I went to her hospital room, and also spoke to her. I told her that everybody missed her, that her young daughter needed her. And so I also blew the shofar for her. She didn’t move.
But, yes, the day after, someone came to me and said: “She woke up this morning.”
Years later, she is still doing beautifully. Her daughter graduated University and is now married.
As much as I would like to say that this shofar has a special power, it is after all, only an instrument, granted, a holy instrument. Yet I have come to realize that the shofar is an instrument that carries messages from both ends.
On our end, it sends our pleas, our cries, our yearnings, our prayers.
From the other end, it sends us answers to our pleas, our cries, our yearnings, our prayers.
We all know how powerful this instrument is. Remember, the shofar speaks to us like the wind of the bellows. Rosh Hashanah, with the shofar, has the power to transform a small ember of prayer into a beautiful fire.
But also remember, if there are no embers to begin with, the best pair of bellows won’t do anything.
So, look for this spark deep inside of you. Use the energy of the Holy Days and the power of the shofar to transform this spark into a beautiful and passionate fire. Don’t stop until it is big enough to give you inspiration for this entire year.
May you be inscribed for a most beautiful year filled with blessings of health, love and success. May your passion and connection bring you revealed miracles. May the year 5785 be a time of healing and growth for our community.
Month of Av
The Hebrew month of Av started in the month of July, gloriously celebrated on a Wednesday morning with a beautiful minyan at Temple Israel.
The energy of this month is particular as it contains the commemoration of Tisha b’Av, the most somber day in the Jewish calendar. It is for this reason that our Sages have instructed that our joy should diminish in the month of Av. Remember, they don’t instruct us to eliminate joy entirely, only to decrease it out of respect for the memory of the destruction of the two holy Temples in Jerusalem. Aligning with the energy, the mood of the month of Av should be an incentive to be determined to bring Light in our world.
There are many ways to bring Light. Performing random acts of lovingkindness wherever we are is a beautiful way to do so. What happens internally, in our heart, is also extremely important and determines how we will treat others. The Psalm 89, verse 30, says that “The world is built by lovingkindness”. If we cultivate love in our hearts for all creatures, our actions will reflect this and the world will evolve in the most beautiful way.
Remember, our Sages teach that the second holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed because of “Sinat Chinam’, random hatred. The only way to rebuild a holy Temple that emanates peace, abundance and healing, is through crazy acts of love. For everyone. Indiscriminately.
A few years ago, I was in Jerusalem for a wedding and I was staying at my old Yeshiva, right next to Zion Gate. On my way back from the reception, the taxi had left me at Jaffa Gate, the main entrance of the Old City. From there, it was only a 15-20 minutes pleasant walk. It was late and few cars were passing by. There was a problem, however, an intifada was going on at that time, with terrorists randomly stabbing Jews on the streets. I suddenly realized that I was an open target, terrorists could either ram their car into me or jump out with a knife. I am never scared in Israel, but that time I was concerned. Suddenly a car stopped next to me, I must admit that my heart skipped a beat. The driver said to me: “Holy Brother, jump in my car, I will take you where you need to go, we never know these days.” I said to him that I was only going to Zion Gate, which was very close. He insisted on safely taking me where I was going, even if it was out of his way. That night, my heart was full of gratitude and love, “Mi k’amcha Israel”, “Who is like Your Nation Israel!”. It was a simple act of lovingkindness for this man, but this act changed my life. We never know how even a smile can change someone’s day. Please, let’s build a Temple together. This Temple is our world, and like the Psalm says, it is built out of love.
The energy of this month is particular as it contains the commemoration of Tisha b’Av, the most somber day in the Jewish calendar. It is for this reason that our Sages have instructed that our joy should diminish in the month of Av. Remember, they don’t instruct us to eliminate joy entirely, only to decrease it out of respect for the memory of the destruction of the two holy Temples in Jerusalem. Aligning with the energy, the mood of the month of Av should be an incentive to be determined to bring Light in our world.
There are many ways to bring Light. Performing random acts of lovingkindness wherever we are is a beautiful way to do so. What happens internally, in our heart, is also extremely important and determines how we will treat others. The Psalm 89, verse 30, says that “The world is built by lovingkindness”. If we cultivate love in our hearts for all creatures, our actions will reflect this and the world will evolve in the most beautiful way.
Remember, our Sages teach that the second holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed because of “Sinat Chinam’, random hatred. The only way to rebuild a holy Temple that emanates peace, abundance and healing, is through crazy acts of love. For everyone. Indiscriminately.
A few years ago, I was in Jerusalem for a wedding and I was staying at my old Yeshiva, right next to Zion Gate. On my way back from the reception, the taxi had left me at Jaffa Gate, the main entrance of the Old City. From there, it was only a 15-20 minutes pleasant walk. It was late and few cars were passing by. There was a problem, however, an intifada was going on at that time, with terrorists randomly stabbing Jews on the streets. I suddenly realized that I was an open target, terrorists could either ram their car into me or jump out with a knife. I am never scared in Israel, but that time I was concerned. Suddenly a car stopped next to me, I must admit that my heart skipped a beat. The driver said to me: “Holy Brother, jump in my car, I will take you where you need to go, we never know these days.” I said to him that I was only going to Zion Gate, which was very close. He insisted on safely taking me where I was going, even if it was out of his way. That night, my heart was full of gratitude and love, “Mi k’amcha Israel”, “Who is like Your Nation Israel!”. It was a simple act of lovingkindness for this man, but this act changed my life. We never know how even a smile can change someone’s day. Please, let’s build a Temple together. This Temple is our world, and like the Psalm says, it is built out of love.
Month of Tammuz
The month of July, which corresponds mostly with the Hebrew month of Tammuz, doesn’t have any Jewish holiday but has an important observance: the fast of 17th of Tammuz, or known as Shivah Asar B’Tammuz in Hebrew. This fast is linked to events that happened thousands of years ago to the Jewish people, so we might ask why this observance is still in the Jewish calendar.
The main reason for this fast is that the walls of Jerusalem were breached in 69 CE by the Romans after a long siege. This breach resulted in the destruction of the holy Temple three weeks later on the 9th of Av, or Tisha b’Av. A fast has been instituted by our sages because of the tragic nature of this event. This date, however, holds more tragedies, which might further explain the fast:
-On that day, Moses broke the tablets of the Ten Commandments when he saw his people worshiping the golden calf.
-During that same period, in 586 BCE, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar also held a siege of Jerusalem (which resulted in the destruction of the first Temple, also on Tisha b’Av) and the Jews were forced to stop Temple offerings because of the lack of sheep.
-Apostomos (a Greek or Roman general, depending on opinions) burned a holy Torah scroll.
-An idol was placed in the Temple.
For these reasons we still fast more than two thousand years after the destruction of the second Temple. We need to understand that a date holding a particularly traumatic event carries the same energy year after year on the anniversary of the event. To observe a fast is to be given the opportunity to transform negativity, or darkness, into blessings. This is the reason why we still have this fast in the Jewish calendar.
What is true for events that concern the entire community also is true for each of us in our personal life. Below is a teaching that explains this deep concept.
Imagine a man at the beach. Bare foot, walking at the edge of the water. The waves come and go. Water comes and goes. The sound of the water comes and goes.
Coming and going.
This is a natural cycle.
It happens in nature, like day and night, the moon. Even the wind, although you may not notice this aspect. In life -and also in heaven- everything is also coming and going.
More precisely, receiving and giving.
What you perceive as a succession of events that are high and low is, in fact, this cycle. You need to know that it isn’t about high and low moments, it is more like water coming and going. It always comes back.
When life, like the water, goes down, it isn’t a low, it is more like taking a breath. You are filling up, but prior to breathing in, yes, there is a letting go, like breathing out what you don’t need.
Water goes down, breathing out, letting go, the sand is now cleansed and sparkles. Energy is then gathered and you breathe in, your lungs expand, the water comes up because G!d breathes out as you breathe in. The ups and downs of water are necessary for life.
Ups and downs in life are not what you think. Your life is not linear, meaning a straight line representing time. Life is shaped like a shell, it goes around.
As you turn around, you unconsciously encounter what has happened before. The question is, how do you react to it this time around? What are your emotions this time? What do you bring to the world this time? This is extremely important!
If you pass by an experience that appears painful, honor your emotions, you may talk to the experience itself. Ask what it is you are supposed to learn. When you learn, you evolve and the emotions will dissolve. When you pass by the experience again, you can acknowledge the event, saying hello and being grateful for the growth that happened.
The example of a painful moment is used, but you see, this is not reality. It only appears to be painful because you have the power to transform this pain into bliss. When you do this, you happen to spread this bliss in the world and everyone can take advantage.
How wonderful.
When you pass by a happy moment, you need to recognize it. If you practice mindfulness and gratitude this feeling will spread and what appears to be uncomfortable moments will slowly dissolve, just like water clears the sand and makes it pristine. Keep this image, imagine water cleansing your soul, your heart. Past events that are tainted are cleansed this way.
Allow the water to flow through you, honor your emotions, and believe that your life is being cleansed. If you let this happen, you will transform a painful moment into bliss.
The main reason for this fast is that the walls of Jerusalem were breached in 69 CE by the Romans after a long siege. This breach resulted in the destruction of the holy Temple three weeks later on the 9th of Av, or Tisha b’Av. A fast has been instituted by our sages because of the tragic nature of this event. This date, however, holds more tragedies, which might further explain the fast:
-On that day, Moses broke the tablets of the Ten Commandments when he saw his people worshiping the golden calf.
-During that same period, in 586 BCE, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar also held a siege of Jerusalem (which resulted in the destruction of the first Temple, also on Tisha b’Av) and the Jews were forced to stop Temple offerings because of the lack of sheep.
-Apostomos (a Greek or Roman general, depending on opinions) burned a holy Torah scroll.
-An idol was placed in the Temple.
For these reasons we still fast more than two thousand years after the destruction of the second Temple. We need to understand that a date holding a particularly traumatic event carries the same energy year after year on the anniversary of the event. To observe a fast is to be given the opportunity to transform negativity, or darkness, into blessings. This is the reason why we still have this fast in the Jewish calendar.
What is true for events that concern the entire community also is true for each of us in our personal life. Below is a teaching that explains this deep concept.
Imagine a man at the beach. Bare foot, walking at the edge of the water. The waves come and go. Water comes and goes. The sound of the water comes and goes.
Coming and going.
This is a natural cycle.
It happens in nature, like day and night, the moon. Even the wind, although you may not notice this aspect. In life -and also in heaven- everything is also coming and going.
More precisely, receiving and giving.
What you perceive as a succession of events that are high and low is, in fact, this cycle. You need to know that it isn’t about high and low moments, it is more like water coming and going. It always comes back.
When life, like the water, goes down, it isn’t a low, it is more like taking a breath. You are filling up, but prior to breathing in, yes, there is a letting go, like breathing out what you don’t need.
Water goes down, breathing out, letting go, the sand is now cleansed and sparkles. Energy is then gathered and you breathe in, your lungs expand, the water comes up because G!d breathes out as you breathe in. The ups and downs of water are necessary for life.
Ups and downs in life are not what you think. Your life is not linear, meaning a straight line representing time. Life is shaped like a shell, it goes around.
As you turn around, you unconsciously encounter what has happened before. The question is, how do you react to it this time around? What are your emotions this time? What do you bring to the world this time? This is extremely important!
If you pass by an experience that appears painful, honor your emotions, you may talk to the experience itself. Ask what it is you are supposed to learn. When you learn, you evolve and the emotions will dissolve. When you pass by the experience again, you can acknowledge the event, saying hello and being grateful for the growth that happened.
The example of a painful moment is used, but you see, this is not reality. It only appears to be painful because you have the power to transform this pain into bliss. When you do this, you happen to spread this bliss in the world and everyone can take advantage.
How wonderful.
When you pass by a happy moment, you need to recognize it. If you practice mindfulness and gratitude this feeling will spread and what appears to be uncomfortable moments will slowly dissolve, just like water clears the sand and makes it pristine. Keep this image, imagine water cleansing your soul, your heart. Past events that are tainted are cleansed this way.
Allow the water to flow through you, honor your emotions, and believe that your life is being cleansed. If you let this happen, you will transform a painful moment into bliss.
Pesach afterOctober 7
A colleague, Rabbi Menachem Creditor, edited a book that recently came out: “Seder Interrupted” (If interested, you may purchase the book at Amazon). It is a haggadah supplement with reflections from different authors on the theme of post October 7. I would like, with his permission, to quote his preface:
“I am at the Seder, but my heart is in October.
Centuries ago, the Spanish Jewish poet Yehuda Halevi expressed both his sense of distance from, and connection to, the land of his ancestors: “Lev bemizrach veanochi besof maarav”, “My heart is in the East, and I am in the furthermost West”. Many of us feel similarly today, in terms of both space and time. Months have passed, but for many Jews around the world, the traumatic events of October 7 feel ever present - and in Israel this sense is even more acute. Many of us in the diaspora feel the emotional connection to Israel, as well as the physical distance, as much as ever. We are here, but our hearts are still in “Shiv’ah be-October” - which can mean both “the 7th of October” and “the shiva [mourning period] of October”.
The time leading to Pesach is all about preparing for freedom and rejoicing in this freedom while celebrating with family and friends. How can I prepare for freedom when part of my heart is sitting in captivity with the hostages? Celebrating with friends and family is always beautiful, but so many of our sisters and brothers are missing family members and friends in the Holy Land... When we break the matzah, we might reflect on the part in our heart that is broken. When dipping karpas in salt water, we might remember our tears that we have shed (and still do for many) and when eating maror, reflect on the collective trauma. We know the narrative of the haggadah: we are eventually freed and we sing Hallel, giving thanks for the wondrous miracles. The most meaningful part, however, happens at the end when we eat the Afikomen. This is when we take the piece of matzah that was broken at the beginning and we put it back together. The brokenness is healed.
This is the message of Pesach.
At the beginning, we sing the song “Vehi sheamda”, we sing that in every generation, enemies will rise up to destroy us, but the Holy One Blessed be He delivers us from their hands. We are living this painfully right now, and just as the first part is true, we must have the certainty that the second part is true as well. The observance itself of Passover is a manifestation of G!d’s Providence. So yes, participate in joyous Seders with family and friends. Enjoy, laugh and eat matza-pizza for example! Our enemies want us to keep mourning and live in fear. We mourned, and now we fearlessly bring ecstatic life to the world. This Pesach should be not only an expression of hope, but a manifestation of the victory of Light over darkness.
“I am at the Seder, but my heart is in October.
Centuries ago, the Spanish Jewish poet Yehuda Halevi expressed both his sense of distance from, and connection to, the land of his ancestors: “Lev bemizrach veanochi besof maarav”, “My heart is in the East, and I am in the furthermost West”. Many of us feel similarly today, in terms of both space and time. Months have passed, but for many Jews around the world, the traumatic events of October 7 feel ever present - and in Israel this sense is even more acute. Many of us in the diaspora feel the emotional connection to Israel, as well as the physical distance, as much as ever. We are here, but our hearts are still in “Shiv’ah be-October” - which can mean both “the 7th of October” and “the shiva [mourning period] of October”.
The time leading to Pesach is all about preparing for freedom and rejoicing in this freedom while celebrating with family and friends. How can I prepare for freedom when part of my heart is sitting in captivity with the hostages? Celebrating with friends and family is always beautiful, but so many of our sisters and brothers are missing family members and friends in the Holy Land... When we break the matzah, we might reflect on the part in our heart that is broken. When dipping karpas in salt water, we might remember our tears that we have shed (and still do for many) and when eating maror, reflect on the collective trauma. We know the narrative of the haggadah: we are eventually freed and we sing Hallel, giving thanks for the wondrous miracles. The most meaningful part, however, happens at the end when we eat the Afikomen. This is when we take the piece of matzah that was broken at the beginning and we put it back together. The brokenness is healed.
This is the message of Pesach.
At the beginning, we sing the song “Vehi sheamda”, we sing that in every generation, enemies will rise up to destroy us, but the Holy One Blessed be He delivers us from their hands. We are living this painfully right now, and just as the first part is true, we must have the certainty that the second part is true as well. The observance itself of Passover is a manifestation of G!d’s Providence. So yes, participate in joyous Seders with family and friends. Enjoy, laugh and eat matza-pizza for example! Our enemies want us to keep mourning and live in fear. We mourned, and now we fearlessly bring ecstatic life to the world. This Pesach should be not only an expression of hope, but a manifestation of the victory of Light over darkness.
Highland Park
My wife Valerie grew up in a lovely, upscale suburb of Chicago. I have visited it many times. It has a world-class summer Music festival, it also offers top quality dining and entertainment as well as one of the best High schools in the nation. My wife was always proud to say she was from Highland Park. Now everyone knows it as the place where an atrocity took place on the 4th of July.
Valerie was deeply shaken that her safe, beautiful hometown was the scene of a mass shooting. It hit home even more since she graduated in the same class as the father of the perpetrator. She could have been there. Our children could have been there. Thank G-d her family and friends are safe, but now there is an entire town that isn’t.There are thousands of people in mourning, thousands praying for the welfare of the wounded and thousands who will suffer from PTSD. How can you happily stroll in the street after witnessing such horror? My wife will never again be able to say she is from Highland Park without people thinking: “Mass Murder”.
All this because of one person. This isn’t a political rant - enough people do that. But it is beyond my understanding that a 22 year-old with emotional issues has access to a semi-automatic weapon of mass murder. One person can bring so much grief, despair, pain. What can - or what should - be our spiritual response to that?
If one person has the power to bring so much darkness into our world, then we in turn have as much power to bring Light. In a situation such as this, it isn’t enough to say that we have the potential to bring Light; we are mandated to bring Light. We absolutely must overcompensate this darkness. Even small random acts of loving-kindness have unbelievable power to bring much needed holiness. We can all spare that dollar someone is begging for in the street (I always bring dollars with me for that purpose), we can all be kind to the person at the cash register, we can all say that word that will make someone feel good. These examples seem insignificant, but don’t be fooled, their ripple effect - like the butterfly effect - creates a tsunami of Light.
Let me quote what the Dalai Lama said in a video on his birthday: “The best gift for me, on my birthday… please keep your own mind, your own heart more compassionate… seriously and genuinely (have a) sense of concern of other’s well-being”. Our world will be the most beautiful place in the universe when enough people put their mind into following this simple advice.
Valerie was deeply shaken that her safe, beautiful hometown was the scene of a mass shooting. It hit home even more since she graduated in the same class as the father of the perpetrator. She could have been there. Our children could have been there. Thank G-d her family and friends are safe, but now there is an entire town that isn’t.There are thousands of people in mourning, thousands praying for the welfare of the wounded and thousands who will suffer from PTSD. How can you happily stroll in the street after witnessing such horror? My wife will never again be able to say she is from Highland Park without people thinking: “Mass Murder”.
All this because of one person. This isn’t a political rant - enough people do that. But it is beyond my understanding that a 22 year-old with emotional issues has access to a semi-automatic weapon of mass murder. One person can bring so much grief, despair, pain. What can - or what should - be our spiritual response to that?
If one person has the power to bring so much darkness into our world, then we in turn have as much power to bring Light. In a situation such as this, it isn’t enough to say that we have the potential to bring Light; we are mandated to bring Light. We absolutely must overcompensate this darkness. Even small random acts of loving-kindness have unbelievable power to bring much needed holiness. We can all spare that dollar someone is begging for in the street (I always bring dollars with me for that purpose), we can all be kind to the person at the cash register, we can all say that word that will make someone feel good. These examples seem insignificant, but don’t be fooled, their ripple effect - like the butterfly effect - creates a tsunami of Light.
Let me quote what the Dalai Lama said in a video on his birthday: “The best gift for me, on my birthday… please keep your own mind, your own heart more compassionate… seriously and genuinely (have a) sense of concern of other’s well-being”. Our world will be the most beautiful place in the universe when enough people put their mind into following this simple advice.
Jacob's blessings
I My name is Israel.
I am old. Very old, and I will die soon.
You know, my name wasn’t always Israel.
When I was born, my mother, Rivkah, named me Yaakov.
I was the second twin to be born, holding on to my brother Esav’s heel.
I was destined to be the first-born, but somehow angels turned us around before we were born and Esav came out first.
Both Esav and I knew it was supposed to be the other way around. We couldn’t understand. Our mother knew also, although she never mentioned it.
To think our father Yitzchak didn’t know would be insanity bordering on blasphemy.
He knew. In a subconscious way, he knew.
He also knew the situation was such because something big was meant to happen. He didn’t know what exactly, but he knew it would shape the future of his people.
~~~~~
Years after our birth, on an uneventful afternoon, my twin brother Esav came home, disheveled, as usual. I was heating up the stew that was always kept on the stove, adding to it every day.
Just like that. On the most unremarkable way, a most meaningful event happened.
A bowl of stew was exchanged for the first-born rights. Esav sold me his first-born rights for a bowl of stew. A life-altering event happening without fanfare.
I knew I couldn’t turn back now, the succession of our spiritual tradition was through me.
~~~~~
Al taster panecha!
Don’t hide your face from me G!d!
Friends, please listen. We all wear a mask in our daily life. Even G!d does! Although, through concealment, G!d brings about the biggest miracles.
So I concealed myself. I put on a mask and costume and pretended to be Esav, my twin brother, inheritor of the first-born blessings. I did this in order to receive the blessing from our father’s soul that were supposed to go to Esav. This was only possible because of Yitzchak’s blindness. The deception was easy since our father knew deep down it was supposed to be this way...
A situation of paradox:
From Isaac’s blindness came forth vision for the future.
From deception, blessing.
From concealment, revelation.
We never know how life brings the deepest lessons.
We never know how life’s situations shape humanity. We never know how a moment, with a simple and random decision can shape history.
My father’s blessing ended up opening my eyes and my ears. Isaac’s blessing opened up in me an awareness of a reality beyond what we see. I could now see beyond our physical reality. I was free to see angels.
I was able to see the ladder linking humanity to the highest realms. I could see the endless flow of angels, constantly coming and going, silently creating miracles for us humans.
I was able to wrestle with my fears and uncertainties. They came in the form of an angel too by the way… I emerged from this struggle stronger than ever and gained a new name: “Israel”, the one who wrestled with G!d and prevailed!
Listen everyone! Shema!
You too are connected to this! You are b’nei Israel! You are Children of Israel, Children of Jacob, my descendants. It is your inheritance! You too have your ladder connecting you to the Source of Life. You too have an endless flow of angels creating miracles –just for you. You too can vanquish your fears and uncertainties!
~~~
This is the end of my life. It is now my turn to bless my children, my family.
I, Jacob, who can see angels. I, Israel, who inherited vision, suddenly have no Divine Inspiration. It has been taken from me.
I am filled with fear!
My entire family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are in front of me, waiting for blessings. But they all look Egyptian. Dress Egyptian. Speak Egyptian.
Is this the end?
Was this all for nothing?
Has my family forgotten about the G-d of Avraham?
“What about G-d, the Master of the Universe!” I yell at them.
And they all respond. In unison.
“Shema Israel, A-donai E-loheinu A-donai echad”.
Listen Israel, listen Jacob, the Lord is our G!d, the Lord is One!
All is good. I breathe a sigh of relief and vision is restored, I recover Divine Inspiration.
I respond “Baruch shem kevod malchuto le’olam va’ed”, Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom forever.
All is good and I bless my family. I’d like you to know that these blessings uttered 3,000 years ago go on to this day. The blessings are alive, in all of you.
I am old. Very old, and I will die soon.
You know, my name wasn’t always Israel.
When I was born, my mother, Rivkah, named me Yaakov.
I was the second twin to be born, holding on to my brother Esav’s heel.
I was destined to be the first-born, but somehow angels turned us around before we were born and Esav came out first.
Both Esav and I knew it was supposed to be the other way around. We couldn’t understand. Our mother knew also, although she never mentioned it.
To think our father Yitzchak didn’t know would be insanity bordering on blasphemy.
He knew. In a subconscious way, he knew.
He also knew the situation was such because something big was meant to happen. He didn’t know what exactly, but he knew it would shape the future of his people.
~~~~~
Years after our birth, on an uneventful afternoon, my twin brother Esav came home, disheveled, as usual. I was heating up the stew that was always kept on the stove, adding to it every day.
Just like that. On the most unremarkable way, a most meaningful event happened.
A bowl of stew was exchanged for the first-born rights. Esav sold me his first-born rights for a bowl of stew. A life-altering event happening without fanfare.
I knew I couldn’t turn back now, the succession of our spiritual tradition was through me.
~~~~~
Al taster panecha!
Don’t hide your face from me G!d!
Friends, please listen. We all wear a mask in our daily life. Even G!d does! Although, through concealment, G!d brings about the biggest miracles.
So I concealed myself. I put on a mask and costume and pretended to be Esav, my twin brother, inheritor of the first-born blessings. I did this in order to receive the blessing from our father’s soul that were supposed to go to Esav. This was only possible because of Yitzchak’s blindness. The deception was easy since our father knew deep down it was supposed to be this way...
A situation of paradox:
From Isaac’s blindness came forth vision for the future.
From deception, blessing.
From concealment, revelation.
We never know how life brings the deepest lessons.
We never know how life’s situations shape humanity. We never know how a moment, with a simple and random decision can shape history.
My father’s blessing ended up opening my eyes and my ears. Isaac’s blessing opened up in me an awareness of a reality beyond what we see. I could now see beyond our physical reality. I was free to see angels.
I was able to see the ladder linking humanity to the highest realms. I could see the endless flow of angels, constantly coming and going, silently creating miracles for us humans.
I was able to wrestle with my fears and uncertainties. They came in the form of an angel too by the way… I emerged from this struggle stronger than ever and gained a new name: “Israel”, the one who wrestled with G!d and prevailed!
Listen everyone! Shema!
You too are connected to this! You are b’nei Israel! You are Children of Israel, Children of Jacob, my descendants. It is your inheritance! You too have your ladder connecting you to the Source of Life. You too have an endless flow of angels creating miracles –just for you. You too can vanquish your fears and uncertainties!
~~~
This is the end of my life. It is now my turn to bless my children, my family.
I, Jacob, who can see angels. I, Israel, who inherited vision, suddenly have no Divine Inspiration. It has been taken from me.
I am filled with fear!
My entire family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are in front of me, waiting for blessings. But they all look Egyptian. Dress Egyptian. Speak Egyptian.
Is this the end?
Was this all for nothing?
Has my family forgotten about the G-d of Avraham?
“What about G-d, the Master of the Universe!” I yell at them.
And they all respond. In unison.
“Shema Israel, A-donai E-loheinu A-donai echad”.
Listen Israel, listen Jacob, the Lord is our G!d, the Lord is One!
All is good. I breathe a sigh of relief and vision is restored, I recover Divine Inspiration.
I respond “Baruch shem kevod malchuto le’olam va’ed”, Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingdom forever.
All is good and I bless my family. I’d like you to know that these blessings uttered 3,000 years ago go on to this day. The blessings are alive, in all of you.
Eight Intentions and Visualizations for Chanukah
(and the rest of the year)
1. Time to Think about Receiving
We know the holiday of Chanukah is all about Light and miracles. We also know we should bring Light to the world and transform darkness into Light. In order to do so, we need to be a source of Light ourselves. Let us not forget that the Creator is the primordial source of Light and blessings and we need to have open vessels so that we may receive them. Too often we sabotage ourselves by closing our vessels, ruminating negative thoughts about ourselves or our environment.
It is time to think about receiving. Let’s open up our vessels by ruminating positive thoughts of gratitude.
2. Receiving/Giving flow
Yes, once we receive, we need to give. Heaven wants to shower us with “Shefa” -abundance-. This abundance will always keep coming if we create a flow of giving as we receive.
Let us not forget the law of attraction, like attracts like. When we are a source of Light and blessings, we become a powerful magnet for an abundance of Light and blessings.
3. Eight Days of Chanukah
The number seven represents completion. Hashem rested on the seventh day and so do we by refraining from creating. Seven symbolizes a perfect cycle in nature. What is eight? Eight is beyond nature, beyond everything. Eight is supernatural.
By increasing Light during eight days and forcing ourselves -and G!d- to remember the miraculous nature of Chanukah, we create a slingshot propelling a potential of miracles for the entire year.
4. About Miracles…
Which miracles do we wish to manifest? Do we want selfish miracles in order to fulfill our egos or do we have in mind the greater good? Are our prayers exclusively self-serving or are they directed around us?
5. Visualizations. Earth
A good visualization is to see ourselves transported above earth. We can see our world from the perspective of outer space, a beautiful planet moving in a perfect choreography with the sun and the moon, creating days and seasons. Let us be in awe of this perfection. From our vantage viewpoint, it is also good to send blessings and love to our home planet, reflecting on what we can contribute to preserve it.
6. Visualizations. Israel
From where we are, we can now zoom in and look at the State of Israel. We can let our heart overflow with gratitude for this small but totally awesome Holy piece of Land. Holiness and blessings radiate from there. From this vantage viewpoint, it is good to let our gratitude send blessings to this Land and reflect on our yearning to breathe its air and our desire to protect it.
7. Visualizations. Home
We may now move west, zooming in our home State, then coming even closer to see our town from above. The land is a creation of G!d and we are one with the soil, the sand and water. Our thoughts of gratitude for the beauty of our home town and our blessings directed towards it are reflected right back at us, filling our souls with delight. Let us reflect on how we can contribute to preserve its beauty.
8. Visualizations. Shul
We may now zoom in our community, our synagogue, our connection to the Divine, the Source of our Inspiration. We may visualize a flow of energy coming from the Universe towards the Holy Land and being directed right into our House of Study and Worship, filling it with the most intense spiritual Light. In this visualization, it is good to remember to be open to receive -and give- Light and blessings. It is good to remember to be a source of miracles in this world because only by being so will we -ourselves- live on the level of miracles.
May you receive an abundance of blessings and witness revealed miracles.
Happy Chanukah!
We know the holiday of Chanukah is all about Light and miracles. We also know we should bring Light to the world and transform darkness into Light. In order to do so, we need to be a source of Light ourselves. Let us not forget that the Creator is the primordial source of Light and blessings and we need to have open vessels so that we may receive them. Too often we sabotage ourselves by closing our vessels, ruminating negative thoughts about ourselves or our environment.
It is time to think about receiving. Let’s open up our vessels by ruminating positive thoughts of gratitude.
2. Receiving/Giving flow
Yes, once we receive, we need to give. Heaven wants to shower us with “Shefa” -abundance-. This abundance will always keep coming if we create a flow of giving as we receive.
Let us not forget the law of attraction, like attracts like. When we are a source of Light and blessings, we become a powerful magnet for an abundance of Light and blessings.
3. Eight Days of Chanukah
The number seven represents completion. Hashem rested on the seventh day and so do we by refraining from creating. Seven symbolizes a perfect cycle in nature. What is eight? Eight is beyond nature, beyond everything. Eight is supernatural.
By increasing Light during eight days and forcing ourselves -and G!d- to remember the miraculous nature of Chanukah, we create a slingshot propelling a potential of miracles for the entire year.
4. About Miracles…
Which miracles do we wish to manifest? Do we want selfish miracles in order to fulfill our egos or do we have in mind the greater good? Are our prayers exclusively self-serving or are they directed around us?
5. Visualizations. Earth
A good visualization is to see ourselves transported above earth. We can see our world from the perspective of outer space, a beautiful planet moving in a perfect choreography with the sun and the moon, creating days and seasons. Let us be in awe of this perfection. From our vantage viewpoint, it is also good to send blessings and love to our home planet, reflecting on what we can contribute to preserve it.
6. Visualizations. Israel
From where we are, we can now zoom in and look at the State of Israel. We can let our heart overflow with gratitude for this small but totally awesome Holy piece of Land. Holiness and blessings radiate from there. From this vantage viewpoint, it is good to let our gratitude send blessings to this Land and reflect on our yearning to breathe its air and our desire to protect it.
7. Visualizations. Home
We may now move west, zooming in our home State, then coming even closer to see our town from above. The land is a creation of G!d and we are one with the soil, the sand and water. Our thoughts of gratitude for the beauty of our home town and our blessings directed towards it are reflected right back at us, filling our souls with delight. Let us reflect on how we can contribute to preserve its beauty.
8. Visualizations. Shul
We may now zoom in our community, our synagogue, our connection to the Divine, the Source of our Inspiration. We may visualize a flow of energy coming from the Universe towards the Holy Land and being directed right into our House of Study and Worship, filling it with the most intense spiritual Light. In this visualization, it is good to remember to be open to receive -and give- Light and blessings. It is good to remember to be a source of miracles in this world because only by being so will we -ourselves- live on the level of miracles.
May you receive an abundance of blessings and witness revealed miracles.
Happy Chanukah!
A Window of Opportunity
“Darkness again”
Mass shootings bringing death, suffering. Also disbelief, anger, helplessness, fear, despair, all terribly negative emotions.
I won’t tell you anything new by saying negative emotions are not healthy. If maintained, we know these emotions will create some type of dis-ease, psychological or physical. Whichever the dis-ease, it will be highly contagious because negative emotions affect everyone around.
This is how negativity - or evil - gains strength. Can we turn this around?
Mysticism teaches that every word, every action creates an entity. Not a physical one, but a spiritual one. This is how powerful we all are, because each of these entities -spiritual beings- has an effect in our physical world. They are pure energy. We can’t see them, but they strongly influence the world we live in.
It is easy to understand that some words or actions will create beings of Light, while others will unfortunately create beings of darkness.
Our emotions have the same power. Negative emotions, such as the anger and the words of anger that are said or written after a mass shooting, create beings of darkness and have the terrible effect of giving strength to the evil that already exists in the world.
Are we stuck in a spiraling vicious circle? Actually not at all.
When the world seems the darkest, there is in fact a window of opportunity. If you find yourself in a dark cave, a small match, a tiny flame has the potential to illuminate the entire place. Likewise, in a time of darkness, a small act of kindness has the potential to illuminate the entire Universe. If you decide to embark on a personal “random-act-of lovingkindness” campaign, YOU have the potential to bring about a new paradigm. You have the power to counteract the darkness that is being brought. Don’t ever underestimate what you can do, it is a super-power. Your positive emotions, words and actions will bring the energy that the world needs for peace.
Mass shootings bringing death, suffering. Also disbelief, anger, helplessness, fear, despair, all terribly negative emotions.
I won’t tell you anything new by saying negative emotions are not healthy. If maintained, we know these emotions will create some type of dis-ease, psychological or physical. Whichever the dis-ease, it will be highly contagious because negative emotions affect everyone around.
This is how negativity - or evil - gains strength. Can we turn this around?
Mysticism teaches that every word, every action creates an entity. Not a physical one, but a spiritual one. This is how powerful we all are, because each of these entities -spiritual beings- has an effect in our physical world. They are pure energy. We can’t see them, but they strongly influence the world we live in.
It is easy to understand that some words or actions will create beings of Light, while others will unfortunately create beings of darkness.
Our emotions have the same power. Negative emotions, such as the anger and the words of anger that are said or written after a mass shooting, create beings of darkness and have the terrible effect of giving strength to the evil that already exists in the world.
Are we stuck in a spiraling vicious circle? Actually not at all.
When the world seems the darkest, there is in fact a window of opportunity. If you find yourself in a dark cave, a small match, a tiny flame has the potential to illuminate the entire place. Likewise, in a time of darkness, a small act of kindness has the potential to illuminate the entire Universe. If you decide to embark on a personal “random-act-of lovingkindness” campaign, YOU have the potential to bring about a new paradigm. You have the power to counteract the darkness that is being brought. Don’t ever underestimate what you can do, it is a super-power. Your positive emotions, words and actions will bring the energy that the world needs for peace.
Holiness in Nicaragua
Six months ago, I had the privilege to be part of a group of three rabbis for the conversion of 114 people in Managua, Nicaragua. Most of these people can trace their Jewish ancestry since the Inquisition in Spain.
In 1492, on Tisha b’Av, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella proclaimed that all Jews in Spain had to either leave Spain (leaving their assets behind), convert to Christianity, or die. Many Jews opted to convert, but in fact practiced Judaism in secret, which prompted the Inquisition. If a convert family was found guilty of Judaizing, they were condemned to be burned at the stake. Of course many families came to America to escape the Inquisition not knowing that it would follow. As a result, even in the New World, these families kept their Judaism secret. This is the reason they are called “Crypto-Jews”, or B’nai Anusim in Hebrew.
After 500 years, most of the descendants are not aware of their Jewish ancestry, but lately, many have been curious and have decided to “return” to Judaism through a conversion process. Moshe Henriquez, the leader of a synagogue in Managua who converted six months ago, is a Crypto-Jew and his ancestor is called Moses Cohen Henriques, a Jewish pirate!
Moses Cohen Henriques started life as a secret Jew living under the Inquisition in his native Portugal. One of the most prominent merchants in Lisbon, he was discovered to be a practicing Jew in 1605 and publicly tortured, along with 150 other hidden Jews. This experience apparently led Cohen to decide to work against Spain and Portugal, the hosts of the brutal Inquisition.
After escaping to Amsterdam, Cohen seemingly became a secret agent for the Dutch navy, and made his way to the New World, settling in Jamaica, which was then a haven for Jews. He worked on behalf of the Netherlands to attack Spanish ships and frustrate Spain’s colonial designs in the New World.
Cohen teamed up with one of the most feared pirates of the time, Sir Henry Morgan, with the tacit backing of both the Dutch and British governments. In 1628, along with Dutch folk hero Admiral Piet Pieterszoon Hein, Cohen captured a Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Cuba. It was the largest theft in the history of the Spanish fleet.
Cohen gave up piracy in old age when Sir Henry Morgan became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica, and pardoned his longtime friend. The two lived out their days in Jamaica, their pirate ways behind them for good.
Not everyone in Managua has such colorful ancestry, but their story is still fascinating. Igor Tiffer is a successful horse breeder and trainer. His grandfather escaped from Germany at the beginning of the war and settled in Managua. He eventually married an Indian woman, but kept Jewish traditions alive. Now, Igor, the grandson who is married with two beautiful girls wanted to bring Judaism back in his family. Six months ago, he, his wife and daughters underwent conversion and they are now a passionate Jewish family. His last name, Tiffer, come from Kabbalistic term “Tiferet”, meaning “harmony”.
This past Chanukah, I was invited to return to Managua as two couples were getting married. One of the couples was previously married but wished to have a Jewish wedding with a Ketubah following their conversion. The evening was magical as they looked at each other’s eyes while getting married –again.
The second wedding was a young couple. They had fallen in love as they were studying for their conversion. I was close to them during the conversion process, we had many lively and interesting conversations. The Jewish community that emerged from the conversions six months ago all came for this wedding. A room full of new Jews, who knew how to pray Mincha perfectly well, and who danced for hours to Jewish music, singing along because they know all the songs by heart. I went there to perform weddings and to teach, but they are the ones who can teach the world about inspiration, passion and love of Judaism.
In 1492, on Tisha b’Av, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella proclaimed that all Jews in Spain had to either leave Spain (leaving their assets behind), convert to Christianity, or die. Many Jews opted to convert, but in fact practiced Judaism in secret, which prompted the Inquisition. If a convert family was found guilty of Judaizing, they were condemned to be burned at the stake. Of course many families came to America to escape the Inquisition not knowing that it would follow. As a result, even in the New World, these families kept their Judaism secret. This is the reason they are called “Crypto-Jews”, or B’nai Anusim in Hebrew.
After 500 years, most of the descendants are not aware of their Jewish ancestry, but lately, many have been curious and have decided to “return” to Judaism through a conversion process. Moshe Henriquez, the leader of a synagogue in Managua who converted six months ago, is a Crypto-Jew and his ancestor is called Moses Cohen Henriques, a Jewish pirate!
Moses Cohen Henriques started life as a secret Jew living under the Inquisition in his native Portugal. One of the most prominent merchants in Lisbon, he was discovered to be a practicing Jew in 1605 and publicly tortured, along with 150 other hidden Jews. This experience apparently led Cohen to decide to work against Spain and Portugal, the hosts of the brutal Inquisition.
After escaping to Amsterdam, Cohen seemingly became a secret agent for the Dutch navy, and made his way to the New World, settling in Jamaica, which was then a haven for Jews. He worked on behalf of the Netherlands to attack Spanish ships and frustrate Spain’s colonial designs in the New World.
Cohen teamed up with one of the most feared pirates of the time, Sir Henry Morgan, with the tacit backing of both the Dutch and British governments. In 1628, along with Dutch folk hero Admiral Piet Pieterszoon Hein, Cohen captured a Spanish treasure fleet off the coast of Cuba. It was the largest theft in the history of the Spanish fleet.
Cohen gave up piracy in old age when Sir Henry Morgan became Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica, and pardoned his longtime friend. The two lived out their days in Jamaica, their pirate ways behind them for good.
Not everyone in Managua has such colorful ancestry, but their story is still fascinating. Igor Tiffer is a successful horse breeder and trainer. His grandfather escaped from Germany at the beginning of the war and settled in Managua. He eventually married an Indian woman, but kept Jewish traditions alive. Now, Igor, the grandson who is married with two beautiful girls wanted to bring Judaism back in his family. Six months ago, he, his wife and daughters underwent conversion and they are now a passionate Jewish family. His last name, Tiffer, come from Kabbalistic term “Tiferet”, meaning “harmony”.
This past Chanukah, I was invited to return to Managua as two couples were getting married. One of the couples was previously married but wished to have a Jewish wedding with a Ketubah following their conversion. The evening was magical as they looked at each other’s eyes while getting married –again.
The second wedding was a young couple. They had fallen in love as they were studying for their conversion. I was close to them during the conversion process, we had many lively and interesting conversations. The Jewish community that emerged from the conversions six months ago all came for this wedding. A room full of new Jews, who knew how to pray Mincha perfectly well, and who danced for hours to Jewish music, singing along because they know all the songs by heart. I went there to perform weddings and to teach, but they are the ones who can teach the world about inspiration, passion and love of Judaism.
