Dvar Torah for Rosh HaShanah

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Beheimah v'Chayah Tehorah 4:45–46

Why do we eat honey with the challah and with the apple the first
night of Rosh HaShanah? Every Jew knows it’s a siman, a sign, that
we should have a sweet year. (It’s a testament to our faith that we
believe that our eating honey has theurgical effect.) But there’s an
even more powerful message in that sweet bite.

For a Jew, one of the most amazing things about honey is that it is
kosher. Bees are not kosher, yet the honey they produce is. No other
non-kosher animal or bird can make that claim! This is even more
amazing when we consider that there's no procedure or mitzvah that we
need to do to make it kosher.

Reb Noson explains that in the on-going journey that mankind is
making, there are two broad categories of tikkunim, rectifications,
that are being made. There are those that we the people are
responsible for, and those that God is doing. We’re supposed serve
Him and obey. We do what we can, imperfectly because we are only
human, and God finishes the job.

But being human we don’t always do what we’re supposed to.
Sometimes our mistakes are unintentional, but sometimes—and let’s
be honest here—they’re quite intentional. How can our mistakes
bring us, as individuals and as a species, to our desired destiny? Reb
Noson quotes Rebbe Nachman who said, “God is constantly getting the
job done.”* What Rebbe Nachman meant, explains Reb Noson, is that no
matter how badly a person or the human race botches the job, God will
fix and steer things to the ending He wants**—if and when we do
teshuvah (return).

That's the lesson of the honey. We haven't been so kosher for much
too long a time. Yet, somehow, in some mysterious, unfathomable way,
God can take all our sick and crazy ideas, our poisonous, filthy
words, our laziness and greed, our cruelty to ourselves and others,
and our disrespect for Him, and turn it all into the sweetest and best
of all possible worlds.

May we live to see it and be part of it. Amen.

May you and yours be immediately written into the Book of the
Tzaddikim.

Copyright 2009 Breslov Research Institute

*Actually, what he said was, “Gott firt tamid ois.”

** WARNING! This is only for past mistakes and unintentional future
mistakes. There is absolutely no license for behaving badly and
relying on God’s kindness to clean up your mess.

--

www.breslov.org

Parashas Nitzovim

"V'haya ki yavou alecha kol ha'devarim ha'eleh ha'bracha v'ha'klalah asher nasati lefanecha vhashevosa el levavecha/And it will be when all these things come to you, the blessing and the curse which I have given before you, and you shall take it to your heart." (Devorim 30:1)

Rav Yonason Eybeshutz explained that every life situation has its unique test of our character and can either be utilized for growth or can cause a person to have new faults. When a person is blessed with financial success, he can free his mind from things that distract his concentration during prayers and Torah study. Poverty, too, can help a person elevate himself by breaking his arrogance and conceit. This will be beneficial in his relationship with Hashem and with his fellowman. On the other hand, wealth can cause a person to commit all kinds of wrongdoings and to distance himself from Hashem. Poverty also can prevent a person from seeking self improvement. Everything is dependent on how a person utilizes or misuses both the good fortune and the difficulties that Hashem sends to test him. Therefore the Torah tells us "you shal take it to heart." It is entirely up to us (with Hashems help of course!) how we respond to various life-tests. Talk to Hashem about it, ask Him what your supposed to learn, which way your supposed to go. As we see in the end of the parasha "Ki karov elecha hadavar meod bficha ubilvavecha la'asoso/The matter is very close to you in your mouth and heart to do it." (Devorim 30:14) As the saying goes "Just do it!!!" And even if you cant at this time just the desire that you have for doing the right thing gets you credit!

Have a great Shabbos. See you in Uman!!!!

Parashas Ki Savo - Rejoice with all the good the Almighty has given you.

"V'samachta bkol hatov asher natan lecha Hashem Elokecha/And you shall rejoice with all the good that the Almighty has given you" (Devarim 26:11)

This is a mitzvah. We are obligated to feel joy with what we were given by Hashem the Almighty. Why do we need a directive to rejoice since we should automatically be happy when we have good things? Man's nature is to constantly want more than he presently has. "He who has one hundred wants two hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34) Our moments of joy are always mixed with a certain amount of sadness over what we lack. The Torah, therefore, commands us to rejoice with what we have. We should always strive to feel a joy that is complete. Lack of joy with what we have is destructive both physically and spiritually. (Rabbi Mordechai Gifter; Pirkei Torah)

It's like Rebbe Nachman always said"Mitzvah Gedolah Lehios B'simcha tamid/It is a great mitzvah to always be happy!!!!!"

Have a wonderful Shabbos and please join me in welcoming The Family Jewels back to the blogging world!!!!
Etan

Dvar Torah for Parshat Tzav

Taken from The Breslov Research Institute

Based on Chayey Moharan/Tzaddik #172 (46)

...the Altar’s fire shall be ignited with [the offerings’ remains]...he shall remove the ashes of the burnt offerings consumed by the fire...he shall take [them] to a ritually pure place outside the camp. The fire of the Altar shall be ignited...Each morning the kohen will kindle...In this way, there will be a constant fire burning on the Altar; it will not be extinguished (Leviticus 6:2–6).

We all have a very human problem: the initial enthusiasm runs out. This is not a bad thing when it comes to a poker game, but for a Jew serious about his Jewishness, it is an occupational hazard. Even we, as holy as we are, can’t capture lightning in a bottle. But there are solutions.

Most of forget that we serve as kohanim (priests) in God’s Temple. True the Temple, the Beit HaMikdash, is in ruins, and maybe you’re not descended from a kohen who served there (or are otherwise ineligible), but nonetheless, a kohen you are (see Exodus 19:6)in the temple that is the world (Zohar, passim). Part of a kohen’s job is keeping the fire on the Altar burning at all times. That entails removing the ashes and lighting it anew every morning or, in our situation, as often as necessary.

Where does the fiery heat, the inspiration, come from? Motion generates heat; thought generates motion. Holy thought generates holy motion (Likutey Moharan I, Lesson #156). To keep the fire burning in our heart, we have to keep our minds regularly engaged in Torah study.

There is no expiration date on the information, faith, holiness or anything we’ve gained from our Torah study. So even after its inspiration has burned out and turned into “ash,” we use the embers to kindle a new round of inspired, inspiring Torah study. After that, the pile of ashes that has grown on the Altar is treated with great respect. Instead of dumping it unceremoniously, we make sure to take it to a “ritually pure place.” That’s the simple meaning.

The Hebrew word for ashes, deshen, also means richness, fatty (Metzudot on Psalms 23:6 and Proverbs 15:30)and elevated (Likutey Moharan II, Lesson #80). On a deeper level, the “ashes” are so rich with holiness we have to elevate them to a higher level, “outside the camp” and realm of ordinary life, to a dimension that is completely pure, untainted by the vagaries of the physical.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that it’s not good to be old, that at no point can we let the fire go out (Rebbe Nachman’s Wisdom #51). We need to perpetuate our initial enthusiasm, a la the Rebbe Reb Zusha, so that it infuses our entire Jewishness (Tzaddik #518). Our Torah study is necessary, a solution that will definitely help.

And so will this second solution: plugging into Rebbe Nachman’s teachings and path. As the Rebbe said (Tzaddik #172), “My fire will burn forever. It will never be extinguished. It will burn until Mashiach comes”—may it be swiftly and soon, in our lifetime. Amen.