Short Idea- Parshat Matot 5782💡
Everlasting Love❤️

There is a popular Jewish podcast I enjoy listening to called Meaningful People.💥 This week the guest was a Rabbi, teacher and musician from Israel, Shlomo Katz. At one point during the interview, the podcast co- host, Nachi Gordon, asked Rav Shlomo about a powerful, beautiful song released a few years ago, Everlasting Love🔥💖. Rav Shlomo shared about the powerful experience of how recording that song on an album called Only You had changed his life. The song is based on a prophecy which describes how even if the mountains will crumble and everything will fade away, God’s love for his people will never end, will never fade💪. What we want to feel so deeply and what we want to give over to our loved ones and those around us is Hashem’s eternal love for his people😍. Many times the pain we feel in life is because this everlasting love is hidden from us.😢
How do we reveal this everlasting love more in our lives?🤔
The Zohar Hakadosh teaches that each mitzvah is another way; each mitzvah is a special piece of advice how to connect to Hashem, how to reveal the deep love that exists between us🤗. In Hebrew the word mitzvah is also related to the word צוותא, which means together, connection. Every mitzvah helps us connect to this eternal love. 🙏May this principle help us seek this deep, eternal love each and every day. May it turn our mitzvah observance and our relationships into something so much deeper and more connected. Amen.🙏
Shabbat Shalom

Short Idea- Parshat Pinchas 5782💡
Thank You Hashem🙏
אני אסיר תודה

Last week was our aliya day. The day we merited to make aliya seventeen years ago. I felt a special sense of thankfulness on this day for our life in Israel🙏. Hashem has blessed us with so many gifts. We have so much to be thankful for. There are so many undeserved and unexpected gifts along the way❤️. However, much of the time many of us are not focused on the gifts in our life. We tend to focus on what is lacking, on what bothers us💔. How can we increase our awareness of the chesed, the kindness, which surrounds us?🤔🧐
One avodah which I have been practicing as part of 12 step program is writing down ✍️each day in my journal things that I am thankful for. I try to spend a few minutes each day to contemplate and recognize how many gifts Hashem has blessed me with.💖 Giving time each day to focus and meditate on what we are thankful for can help us change our focus and perspective in life for the better💥. It changes how we see things. Even if there is difficulty and pain, we can still recognize the mercy and kindness which is truly surrounding us.
מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקיים שהחזרתי בי נשמתי רבה אמונתך.
Shabbat Shalom 🕯️🕯️

Short Idea- Parshat Chukat 5782💡
Meditation and Healing

It is taught in the 11th step of the 12 Step program: “We seek by way of tefilah (prayer) and meditation to improve our conscious connection with God,🤔 according to our understanding; our goal in our prayer is only to know God’s will for us and the strength to fulfill His will.”
In our group last week, which is based on the 12 step program with a focus on meditation and introspection, we did a powerful series of breathing exercises, meditating on our emotions and experiences.🧐 Letting ourselves just to be with whatever we were feeling. Through the breathing we were able to accept and release whatever pain or experience came to the surface🤗. Meditation and therapy also helps us with separation. The more that we are able to give our emotions and experiences expression, in a safe space💖, before Hashem and with supportive friends and mentors, the more that it helps us not become mixed up and overwhelmed by difficult emotions. We can embrace all our emotions and not be controlled by them.🤗
This ancient practice of meditation was know to our Sages and forefathers, such as Avraham Avinu💥. As we get closer to the geulah, the ancient wisdom of Jewish meditation techniques and the inner light 🔥of the Torah are being revealed more and more. To find peace and healing in these turbulent times💔, our souls need the healing advice of the secrets of the Torah. They deepen our connection to Hashem and allow us to find inner healing. Amen.🙏
Shabbat Shalom 🕯️🕯️

Short Idea- Parshat Korach 5782💡
אוהבים אותך 💖

In this weeks parsha we learn about the powerful and painful story💔 of Korach and his rebellion against Moshe Rabeinu. According to many tzaddikim and rabbis, Korach, despite his great position and spiritual level, had jealousy of Moshe’s role as leader of the Jewish people😢. The Sages teach that jealousy takes a person out of this world. We see this very clearly with Korach. What can we learn for our lives today from the rebellion and downfall of Korach?🤔
In my opinion, we can learn about working on our love and acceptance of others.🤗
It is a practice in every 12 step group meeting (as far as I’m aware) to say to each group member after they finish sharing, אוהבים אותך, we love you💖. The other group members express love and acceptance of their friend, no matter what they have just shared with the group. We love and accept you the way that you are. We don’t express any judgement or criticism of the other group member🙏. Korach said to Moshe why do you raise yourself up above the rest of us?👺 He wasn’t able to accept Moshe’s role as the leader of Am Yisrael.
We also need to say to ourselves ‘we love you’.😍 I love you, you are good. The more that we work on loving and accepting ourselves, the more we will be able to love and accept others, without judgement and without jealousy.❤️💖
Shabbat Shalom🕯️🕯️

Short Idea- Parshat Shelach 5782💡
From the narrow place- Hashem always helps.

In our parsha, in Moshe Rabeinu’s prayer on behalf of Am Yisrael before Hashem, after the Sin of the Spies, he praises Gd as being patient and full of kindness, ארך אפים ורב חסד.💖
Rebbe Nachman teaches in Likutei Moharan💥, based on the verse in Tehillim “In the sorrow, You have given me an expansion”, that even in the difficulty or sorrow itself Hashem helps us. We can find Hashem’s kindness and help even in the difficulties themselves.🧐 (Likutei Moharan teaching 195)
I had surgery last week in the hospital and BH it was successful.🙏 As I reflected on the experience of the surgery and the recovery process that I’m in,🤔 I thought about this teaching from Rebbe Nachman. I was able to keep up with my daily journal writing✍️ even when I was in the hospital. In addition to turning to Hashem with my fears and pain regarding the surgery, I also was able to write down and reflect on the kindnesses I experienced during the time in the hospital.❤️ I had a nice room. I got a room after just a short wait. The staff were kind and helpful. I had time to rest. I had a really nice roommate. I had all the food I needed. My family was very dedicated and supportive. There were so many kindnesses surrounding me!❤️💖 Even in the difficulties there are so many things to be thankful for.🤗
Thank you Hashem, and thank you everyone for your prayers.🙏
Shabbat Shalom 🕯️🕯️

Short Idea- Parshat Naso 5782💡
My special light of Torah💥

The excitement is building as we prepare for Matan Torah, for Chag Shavuot,🌳 when we receive the Torah anew.
Rebbe Nachman teaches in Likutei Eitzot, Advice🔥, that when a person learns a teaching in the Torah, he needs to find himself in the teaching. He also teaches in Likutei Moharan, 62nd teaching, that a person who merits to reveal new insights in the Torah needs to believe in himself. He needs to believe that Hashem finds great joy and importance in his Torah insights.🤩
We want and we need the Torah to be sweet and meaningful and relevant to us everyday.🤗 I think that part of feeling a personal connection to the Torah happens when we are able to reveal and share our own Torah chidushim, our own original ideas💡🤔. We need to search for our own special potion of the Torah and share our insights. The Torah belongs to all of the Jewish people, and unites the Jewish people. However, each and every one of us has their special letter of the Torah.
An important part of the 12 step program❤️ I have learned recently is doing daily journal writing. Writing our questions, our insights, our pain, and what we are thankful for✍️. We reveal our true, inner voice also through writing. A special part of our soul can be revealed through writing. This part of finding our special light in the Torah. May we all merit to receive the Torah anew and to reveal our own special light of Torah!🕯️
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! 💖

Short Idea- Parshat Bamidbar 5782💡
Walking in the desert

As we begin a new book in the Torah💥, our parsha and this book of the Torah teach us about the Jewish people as they journey toward the land of Israel. There are many obstacles, and many challenges during their years in the desert🧐. The Sin of the Spies, the rebellion of Korach…

The Torah is always teaching us messages for our life today🤔. As I thought about the word, Bamidbar, in the desert, the wilderness, I thought to myself: sometimes it feels in life like we are walking in the desert too. Lost, tired and hungry.😢 Going through so many challenges, on the inside and the outside. Longing to reach our destination, longing to come home.🙏 Longing to live a happy, healthy life. How can we feel inside, and also know that we are not alone in our difficulties? Step 2 of the 12 Step✍️ program teaches us that only a power greater than ourselves, a friend, a mentor, a group and ultimately Gd, can help us find healing and true connection🤗💖. To discover who we truly are and to share our light.🕯️ They can help us return to our sanity, to our true voice.
I have a prayer I want to share, a prayer that came to me as I was writing this week🙏: I pray that we will always feel Hashem walking with us and guiding us; to know that He’s holding our hand. He is always helping us, even on those long journeys in the desert🦶. He is right with us. To feel his embrace and support.❤️
This is the truth, but sometimes it is so hidden from us. May we all begin to feel this more in our lives as we get closer to Chag Shavuot, to receiving the Torah anew. Amen.

Short Idea- Parshat Bechukotai 5782💡
Hod- Gratitude 🙏

The special attribute of this week of the Omer is Hod💥. One of the meanings of hod is l’hodot, which means to thank, to be thankful. Part of the special light of this week, in addition of course to the awesome light of Lag B’Omer and Rebbe Shimon🔥, is looking at what we have to be thankful for. There is so much to be thankful for in our lives.
The first avodah, the first thing which we started working on in the 12 step program I am currently learning in was to keep a journal✍️. The teacher suggested that we write down everyday, in addition to our pains and challenges, a list of things that we are thankful for. This helps us to see that despite the difficulties we might feel and be facing in life, there are also many gifts, many blessings that we have in our lives. Many times or most of the time we are focused on what we are lacking💔. Gratitude helps us to see the good that’s already there right in front of us🤗. It opens our eyes and our hearts to a new perspective.❤️
Rebbe Natan also teaches that giving thanks to Hashem for our blessings also helps us to pray from our hearts for what we want and what we are lacking.  It gives us strength to pray and keep trying. By first giving thanks to Hashem for the good we recognize in our lives, this helps to pour out our hearts in prayer for everything we might be lacking.
To end, I saw a beautiful quote today🤩 from the Thank You Hashem status:
Gratitude is an inner state which is always available to us.
Shabbat Shalom

Short Idea- Parshat Behar 5782💡
Every moment can be eternal

In this special time💥 of the year between Pesach and Shavuot, we have a special mitzvah called Sefirat HaOmer, the counting of the Omer (which was a special sacrifice brought at the beginning of the second day of Pesach). We count the days from Pesach until Shavuot with yearning🙏. Each week of the Omer is connected to a special energy, a unique attribute. This week is the week of Netzach🔥, eternity. As I was contemplating🤔 what to write this week and asking Hashem for help to write something, the words popped into my mind💡, ‘every moment is eternal’. When we are able to focus and be present and connected to the moment, with Hashem’s help, our experience of life changes. Our appreciation for life changes. We can appreciate the moment and the people we share it with.💖 It takes work and prayer. It might be easier said than done, but I think this is part of connecting to the energy of netzach. There is an opportunity🤗 to practice this week. Trying to make our moments and our life eternal. We can try to appreciate the gift of every moment, and make it eternal.🕯️
This week’s parsha also talks about the special mitzvah of Shmitah🌳, an entire year of Shabbat for the land of Israel. Just as every week we have the opportunity to connect to the deep, eternal truth of Hashem creating the world in six days and resting from creation on Shabbat, so too the entire year of Shmitah is an opportunity to connect to this eternal truth.
May we all merit to experience beautiful, eternal moments. Shabbat Shalom

שבת שלום❤️

Short Idea- Parshat Emor 5782💡
Looking for the openings, Striving for more

Every morning as part of my daily learning I read from the letters of Reb Noson z”l, Rebbe Nachman’s top student. His letters, most of which he wrote to one of his sons, are filled with incredible chizuk (encouragement) 🔥and insights. As I was reading one of the letters this week an important idea stood out to me.💥
“You also need to remember what he (Rebbe Nachman) said, that it’s forbidden to give in to Hashem, so to speak. That means, when He gives you an expansion, an opening, it’s forbidden to just settle for that. Rather a person needs to plead and to long for more🙏, each person according to what he is still lacking in his service of Hashem. However, he said that it’s forbidden to become sad when a person sees how much he’s still lacking…”
Reb Noson’s letter teaches us an important principle.🕯️ We need to hold on to two opposite aspects of trying to grow and improve in serving Hashem and being our best self. In Judaism there is room for opposites, and ups and downs. On the one hand we need to always strive for more. To believe that there is so much more we can give and accomplish🤗. To set goals for ourselves. However, on the other hand, if we don’t succeed, or if we have a fall, we still need to try to strengthen ourselves and be happy with where we find ourselves now. Hold on tight and look for your good points!💖 We still have so many good points. Rebbe Nachman calls these two aspects in another teaching running and returning. When things are hard, when we struggle, we need to see how we can strengthen ourselves in simcha.  May we all merit a beautiful month of strengthening ourselves and others. Shabbat Shalom🍷
(Dedicated to the memory of all the soldiers, security forces, and terror victims, kedoshim, who died to protect us)💔