Sukkos 5768
BSD
SUKKOS 5768 YERUSHALAYIM IHK
The Time of Simcha, of happiness- that is what Sukkos is called by Chazal. Zman Simchasainu. The Torah tells us that on Sukkos, we are to be Ach Sameach- only happy. How does a person get to that inner place of happiness, of joy, of calm? What happens in our soul as soon as Sukkos begins to allow Simcha, to actually demand Simcha? Can a Jew living outside the
I remember when the American calendar first began to be tampered with. When I was young, we knew when the birthdays of the most important
To a student, this generally meant either two days off from school, or at least one day off with a fun assembly on the other. Later, the calendar was ‘adjusted’ to accommodate economics, politics and who knows what else, and eventually ‘Presidents Day’ was born. Clearly, the founding fathers of
The Jewish calendar is different. It is not just a random event coordinator, able to be manipulated at will for convenience. It is existential. That means, it has inherent energy. On Pesach, the soul experiences freedom, and on Shavuot the soul can hear the Torah being offered. The question then is, are we ‘in tune’ with our soul? Can we ‘hear’ and feel on a conscious level what is absolutely and actually happening within the real us, the soul? And if we cannot yet be on the level of soul consciousness, what can we do to amplify its sound and bring the experiences of the soul into the actual reality that we call life?
To some people, this is not a bothersome topic. They are either so holy that they know how and when to listen to their soul or they are perfectly content to live lives empty of truth and purpose. Most of us, though, are in between. We long for those times of clarity, of inspiration, of knowing in our minds and feeling in our hearts, that Hashem is here, there, everywhere and that He loves us.
The holidays are special times when the soul is receptive and open. The soul can hear, feel and then translate to the mind those aspects of Kedusha that Hashem is constantly shining into us.
When Sukkos begins, the aura of Simcha slowly enters our soul. Not the ordinary happiness which we need to live within, as the Torah commands, but a higher, more personal level of Simcha. On Pesach, we achieve freedom by reliving an event- the Yetzias Mitzrayim. On Shavuot, we relive, Matan Torah. On Sukkos, there is no specific event that we relive- rather there is a mindset we relive- the mindset of the Midbar, the living for 40 years in the desert. There, in the wilderness, Hashem lovingly supported us. He gave us food, water, clothing, and most of all, He gave us His Presence. Daily, hourly, moment by moment, the Jews in the desert felt and experienced the proximity of Hashem. Kirvat Elokim Li Tov. The closeness of Hashem was so good…
Sukkot were those huts, booths, tents that Jews lived in during the desert years. On one hand, they were the most un-private of dwellings. No insulation to keep out the elements, no sound proofing to keep in the arguments or the tender moments. But these same dwellings felt like being in a constant Divine embrace. And that feeling, of being loved, cherished, protected gave birth to such closeness, such gratitude, and eventually to deeply rooted and eternally accessible Simcha.
We can enter into this mindset as we enter the Sukka. It is easier in Eretz Yisrael, where we feel the closeness of Hashem all throughout the year. The Torah teaches us that Hashem is easier to access in Eretz Yisrael. The Hashgacha here is stronger, palpable. This is actually reflected in Halacha- here we receive the Birkat Kohanim daily, whereas in Chutz La’Aretz, it is only given on holidays. Chazal explain that to receive the blessings of the Kohain, a Jew must have a clear, enlarged and open soul-vessel. This is only available to Chutz La’Aretz in times of added joy- on festivals. Here in The Land, this mindset-state of being is the normal daily state of affairs.
Nevertheless, enter your Sukka with gratitude and it will turn into joy. Make your mind focus on what blessings you have, instead of what is still missing from your life. Happiness is an acquired habit, a mindset chosen irrespective of your individual life or circumstances. For some people, whose nature is predisposed to happiness, this is an easy mindset to stay in, and very pleasurable. For others, living with Simcha is a lifetime project.
We know that the weekly Torah reading defines guides, explains and affects the energy of the world. We know that the Parshat Hashavua is a blueprint of current events beginning globally and continuing right down to the details of your private life. When I lived in
This year is Shmitta. Here is
Everyone has many decisions about what type of food they will eat. There is Badatz, which is ensuring that no doubt enter into the Kashrus of the produce under their Hashgacha. They therefore give the OK for imported foods. There are some people who are comfortable with the current Heter Mechira (which is NOT the same as the one Rav Kook issued years ago…). There is also the Otzar Bais Bin produce, which actually collects and distributes fruits that are grown in Shmitta. The Halacha states that fruits that grow naturally and on their own during the regular Shmitta year are permitted to eat. They have something called Kedushat Shviit, Kedushas Shiviis. This makes them ‘holy food’, and they can be eaten only in a respectable way. Olive oil, grape juice and fruit juices made with Kedushas Shviis fruits retain their Kedusha level. Their leftovers can not be just thrown away. The leftovers from fruit, or products made from Kedushas Shviis foods have to be wrapped in a plastic bag, and put into a specially designated Shmitta bin in your house or porch, or just set aside. There, they are left to begin their natural decay, and when this decay is evident, they can be disposed of in a regular garbage can. This year, Otzar HaAretz is also available, based on many Gush Katif practices, and incorporating many ways to help Shmitta farmers.
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It has been exciting and a bit overwhelming for me to re-acquaint myself with the laws and ways of Shmitta, but one Halacha in particular hit home. When I visit my children in
Eating fruit that has Kedushas Shviis is extraordinarily great. It is similar -not the same but similar- to eating from Korbanos. It is in a similar category to eating Matza on Pesach, and to eating in the Sukka, in that the food is elevated ( of course, it is NOT a Torah law- we are not required to eat Shviis fruit- nevertheless, if we do, it has added Kedusha..) There are people here who make it a point to eat as much Kedushas Sheviis produce as possible, despite the added Halachos of how to eat them and how to dispose of the leftovers. People are longing for the added Kedusha of these foods, and to express their commitment to living here in Eretz Yisrael now, after two thousand years of exile. People want to fulfill Shmitta properly, fully and with inspiration.
So, I was very excited to include Kedushas Shviis produce in my life.
And I anticipated the spiritual upgrade this food would have on my family in
Until I learned the Halacha… It is forbidden to bring this holy food outside the
It is forbidden to eat this holy food outside of the
Kedushas Shviis cannot be eaten, ingested, experienced outside of Eretz Yisrael…
This year in
But the only way you can completely grow from Shmitta is if you come here at some point this year and treat yourself and your family to holy food, Kedushas Shviis, the holiness of the seventh year.
Planning to make a trip to
ROSH HASHANA 5768
BSD ROSH HASHANA 5768 YERUSHALAYIM IHK
This is an age of specialization. There are doctors that specialize in individual organs, specific diseases etc. There are schools that specialize in servicing only the gifted, or the less gifted, ADD, ADHD, special ADD etc. There are stores that specialize, cook books that specialize, government offices that specialize. The list is endless.
There are Rabbanim who also specialize- in Halacha, in Hashkafa, in counseling, in Heterim…
There were Tzaddikim who also specialized. Some were miracle workers, some were hidden Tzaddikim, some were great teachers and some were great community leaders. Each Tzaddik and Rav was given a gift to serve his congregation or to serve the greater Jewish congregation.
Rebbe Nachman revealed that his specialty, his gift, was Rosh Hashana. Hashem gave him the power of understanding the true and real meaning and power of Rosh Hashana, and he invited and encouraged all Jews to join him in the davening on Rosh Hashana. Even on the last Rosh Hashana of his life, when he knew that he was leaving this world, he told his students to join him for the next years Rosh Hashana, thus hinting that even after his petira, davening at his resting place would be the same as davening with is when he was alive. The Gemara teaches us that the Tefilla of a Tzaddik for Jews is actually greater and more powerful after the Tzaddik leaves the physical limits of the body. The soul never dies, and certainly the soul of Tzaddikim who spend their entire lives devoted to serving Hashem through helping His People.
Rebbe Nachman gives much advice and explanations about Rosh Hashana and I just want to share a few, in the hope that it will enhance your Rosh Hashana, enhance your year and bring you blessings.
First, he teaches us to stay very positive in our thoughts. Think only happy, blessed, grateful, positive optimistic thoughts. Conjure up only joyful pictures in the theater of your mind. Close the door of your mind to all thoughts that are sad, pessimistic, anxiety ridden, nervous, angry, even regretful/. Thus is reflected in Halacha which states that, despite Rosh Hashanah being the Yom Hadin, we are no allowed to say Vidui or enumerate our sins on the day.
Rebbe Nachman teaches that the energy of the entire year depends on Rosh Hashana. The thoughts of a Jew are powerful and creative, especially on the first day of the year. Going through the mistakes of the year reminds us of our negative behavior, and although we are remembering this behavior specifically to erase it, nevertheless, there is a negative association which Chazal tell us to avoid.
By thinking only plosive, optimistic and happy thoughts, we form the vessels that will allow the years events to be happy, positive and visibly good.
The same is true of speech. Rebbe Nachman advises us to minimize speech- and whatever we do choose to speak should be words that are exquisitely chosen and focused since words also create the energy that forms our upcoming year. This is a challenge for women who are taking care of small children, but along with that challenge comes the extra strength to offer your children cheerful, loving and life building words- and thus ensure a constructive year for them and your relationship with them.
Finally, our actions, our behavior, have to reflect what we want our upcoming year to look like. This is why we all begin the ear with the sweet and simple actions of dipping challa in honey, apple in honey and all the symbolic foods we eat at the first meal of the year. Simple acts that carry powerful energy to form a happy and sweet year.
This is not just simple and good advice from Rebbe Nachman; rather it reflects the inyan of the day. Rosh Hashana, the Yom Hadin, means many things. One thing that Din represents is justice, judgment. However, the primary meaning of Din is constriction, focus and the general task of taking that which is much and filtering it down to that which is accessible. When Hashem created the world, He was Metzamtzem Himself, so to speak. He took His Infinite Light and constricted it, creating vessels that could hold and contain and filter this Light. The entire spectrum of Kabalistic work explains this process in detail. For our purposes though, it is enough to understand that creation is a process of taking the ‘much, whether it is an idea, a felling, a hope, and narrowing it down, defining it, planning about it to finally bring the amorphous idea into the practical reality of this world.
This gets done through thought, speech and finally action. We have a vague experience and we try to catch it with our brain and translate it into a thought. Then, we refine the idea further by speaking about it within our own minds, or speaking it out with someone else. Finally, we create activities and actions that bring forth what we originally intuited as our desire.
Rosh Hashana is the day of construction for the entire upcoming year. Use it wisely, says Rebbe Nachman. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have and then asking for its repair, just focus on the repaired version of your life. Imagine yourself in your healthiest relationship, in your holiest mindset that stretches for the entire year. In the little spare time we have on Rosh Hashana, picture and visualize your life as you want it to be, in all its detail and in all its glory. Hold back no good wish and hope. Verbalize to Hashem all your fantasies for a holy, healthy and perfect year.
And lastly, by taking this advice you are humbling your ego, your most formidable enemy. It is the ego which does not allow you to take advice from people older, wiser and more experienced and worked on than yourself. It is ego that rationalizes all immoral and incorrect behavior, and it is ego that challenges you to ruin your life. And it is finally ego that will bemoan its loss of life if and when you fail. So, immobilize this ego by bending your will to the teachings of those who have proven themselves worthy of the name teacher and guide. Listening to the words of the true Tzaddikim actually links your soul with theirs. And following their advice, besides being practically so brilliant and helpful, also bends your will and allows you the room to hear the voice of Hashem crying out to you.
It is the last days of the year- in these days we do do Teshuva and recount our mistakes. Verbalize to Hashem what you have done wrong and ask Him to forgive you. Say Slicha- apologize. Regret the mess that these mistakes have created in your life. And take upon yourself not to repeat them. If you are not strong enough to go it alone, ask Hashem to help you never to repeat the mistakes. Confide in a good friend if need be to keep on the lookout for your slip ups and help you out of them.
We repeat this process again after Rosh Hashana and it culminates on Yom Kippur. But on the days of Rosh Hashana themselves, its only positive, hopeful and optimistic.
May the Emuna that the Tefillot of Rosh Hashana instill in us empower us this year to finally see the Geula.
Shana Tova Umetuka.
PATTERNS CHAPTER 2
BSD YERUSHALAYIM IHK
Patterns Perek Two
Histakel Be’Oraisa Uvara Olam
Hashem looked into the Torah and created the world.
The concept that the Torah is the blueprint for creation is well founded in Halacha, Hashkafa and kabala. The entire creation is a macrocosm of the outer aspect of Torah; the human is both a microcosm of the outer aspect of Torah and the inner aspect of Torah.
Hashem created with purpose and plan. Humankind, with the power of thought, speech and the resulting power of free choice is the pinnacle of creation. You are the highest level of creation. You, with your inadequacies and loftiness, with your inconsistencies and aspirations, with your good inclination and its opposite. You are the reason Hashem made the universe. He gave Torah as guidance, connection, communication, direction and roadmap. Torah contains all that is. Torah explains all that is. Torah defines and qualifies all that is. Torah is the gift of All That Is.
Torah begins with the letter Beit. This second of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet represents the idea of plurality. Of more than one. Of much and many. This world, this creation, is made of much and many.
The only time Hashem revealed Himself publicly on a grand scale, visually, audibly, conceptually, lovingly and powerfully was at Har Sinai. There He communicated/gave/impregnated into the Children of Yisrael the Ten Utterances, known as the Ten Commandments. And these Utterances began with the letter Alef, the first of the Hebrew letters. Alef represents unity, being one with Hashem.
This is then the task of man. To walk through this creation, which is made of so many things, and to search for Hashem Who is One. To use the many and much of this world in service of Hashem Echad. And this is the conflict that often pulls, tugs or rips apart the consciousness of your being.
Hebrew is the language of Torah and therefore the language that defines everything that exists. It is called Lashon Hakodesh, the holy tongue. The language of The Holy One, Blessed be He. In Hebrew, the root word for creativity is Barah, spelled Bait Raish Alef. Hashem has given us the power to mimic Him by being creative. Chava, the first woman, understood this gift and named her firstborn Kayin, saying that she has created a person in partnership with Hashem. Kabala explains in detail the creative nature of each Mitzva. Each word a Jew utters creates angels, forces. Each action a Jew does is empowered to create angels, forces, attitudes, experiences.
People spend their entire lives being creative, searching for various new ways to satisfy the creative urge and longing within. The creative gift and urge has given birth to the arts, the political scene, the economic scene, the scientific world, the free spirits, the reformers.
But the secret of Lashon Kodesh reveals to us that true, satisfying and eternal creativity means taking the power of the Bait, the multiplicity of things in this world, and restoring them to Hashem. To bring the many and much back to The One. To find the One in the many.
We use the Raish, the middle, connective letter of Barah as our tool in this process. Raish refers to many things. It means the ‘head’, referring to the power of thought and planning. It refers to the level of soul called Ruach, which is spirit, wind or energy. And it means poor, which is the quality of humility, of acknowledging that all we do and have is a gift from Hashem.
Real creativity can still be in the arts, the sciences, politics and society. However, in order for it to be real, lasting and truly satisfying, it must contain the commitment to bring all improvement to the universe for the sake of Hashem becoming more apparent and honored. This is a task and charge upon every person who has felt the burning desire to rise above his petty life, her meaningless chores, and do something worthwhile. Awareness of God as your motivating factor is the soul point of your gift to this world.
And this is the secret between your feeling happy or sad.