Practical Perspectives on the Upcoming Festivals

Dearest friends and comrades. Shalom and Shana Tova. I hope that everyone had a powerful, meaningful and uplifting High Holiday experience.

As the upcoming Sukkot and Simchat Torah festivals approach, I thought that it would be helpful and meaningful to give some practical meaning and perspectives into the deeper meaning of the festivals based on the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. It is my hope that they will enhance the Festival experience.

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AN OVERVIEW

·         The fact that the Festivals end with the joy of dancing with the holy Sefer Torah on Simchat Torah indicates that this is the culmination of the whole High Holiday experience - i.e. the joy and appreciation of connecting with the Torah.

·         Rebbe Nachman teaches (see Likutey Moharan lesson #56 for more details) that Torah study - especially when enunciated and articulated - is the most powerful force in reconnecting to Hashem. 

·         Even those who are "seemingly" totally detached from Hashem can be aroused to come back through the power of the Torah. Thus Torah study is of paramount importance when it comes to reviving the Jewish nation to wake up even from the deepest and darkest concealment.

·         Since everything must contain a trace of Godliness to exist, this must include situations, places and thoughts of even extreme impurity and sin.

·         And since Hashem is directly bound and connected to the Torah which is in essence His Name, thus when studying the Torah, this has the power to reveal the concealed Godliness in any situation, place, condition etc. and convert/reveal from it the "Hidden Torah"/Hashem's Name contained therein.

·         The deeper the concealment - the greater and more deeper is the Torah revelation when aroused through Torah study.

ROSH HASHANAH AND YOM KIPPUR

·         The blowing of the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah commemorates the receiving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai when the blast of the shofar was sounded (see Rosh Hashanah Mussaf prayer in the third section called "Shofarot"). Thus, in a sense, Rosh Hashanah is to reawaken the power and merit of the Torah to help us wake up from our spiritual slumber.

·         Yom Kippur - the day when the Second Tablets were given to Moshe at Mt. Sinai - is meant to tap into the deeper and more hidden Torah which is revealed from the darkest and most impure places which are coined as "the concealment-within-a-concealment".

·         This is so since the Second Tablets were revealed after the sin and atonement of the golden calf when Hashem revealed to Moshe the 13 Attributes of Mercy which were then incorporated into the Second Tablets. These 13 Attributes serve to reveal Hashem's mercy/Name/Torah from the deepest concealment possible.

THE SUKKAH

 

·         In Kabbalistic terminology the Sukkah is called "Imma DiMesakhekha Al Benin" - The Mother That Covers Over Her Sons. Meaning, that the Sukkah corresponds to a very high level of Torah called Binah/Imma (mother) which serves to protect the Jewish Nation from even the lowest impurity/concealement.

·         That the roof/S'khakh of the Sukkah is made of "leftover" vegetation indicates that this Torah level of Binah/Imma is specifically hidden in the leftovers/concealment. Our entering into the sukkah to fulfill our mundane obligations of eating, drinking, sleeping etc. is meant to reveal the Hidden Torah found therein.

THE FOUR SPECIES

·         The Holy Zohar compares the Four Species to a quill (pen) with the hand holding it. This can be seen as follows: the lulav - the quill; the 3 myrtle branches - 3 fingers; the 2 willow branches - 2 fingers. The etrog can be seen as the ink-well (some view it as the palm of the hand).

·         The Rabbis teach that the Etrog is shaped like a heart - Lev in Hebrew. The Lev consists of 2 letters - Lamed and Bet which are the opening and closing letters of the Torah (Bet from 'B'ereishit and Lamed from Yisrae'L'). Thus the quill dipped in the ink-well of the holy Torah is meant to spread the message of the Torah.

·         By shaking the Four Species in all six directions we are trying to spread and disseminate the power of Torah study throughout the world, since this mainly involves the printing of Torah literature.

·         According to the holy Ari, it is preferable to recite the blessing over the Four Species in the Sukkah. In our context we try to connect this "holy quill" with the Hidden Torah/Binah/Imma/leftover vegetation in order to reveal the Hidden Torah from within the concealment-within-the-concealment.

·         This is also the idea of circling the Sefer Torah with the Four Species - that we are trying to spread and disseminate through this "holy quill" the message and light contained within the Torah scroll.

HOSHANA RABBAH

·         To finalize and seal the dissemination of the Torah, we stay up all night hoping and praying for our success in this matter.

·         We recite the entire book of Devarim which is called "Mishneh Torah" - the "doubled" Torah. In a sense it is a repetition of the Torah but also contains the morals and purpose of the Torah and of serving Hashem. Thus, Devarim corresponds to the Hidden Torah in contrast to the first 4 books which are a more revealed Torah.

·         We also recite the entire Book of Psalms which are 5 books corresponding to the 5 books of the Torah/Chumash. We pray that we should succeed in our Torah study to arouse and awaken all the concealed situations and conditions and be able to find Hashem everywhere and at all times.

·         In the morning prayers we circle the Sefer Torah seven times with the Four Species in order to arouse the merit of the Seven Shephards (Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef and David) who were all involved in spreading and teaching Torah.

SIMCHAT TORAH

·         After all of this hard work we are finally able to dance and rejoice with the Torah, as if to say that now we are one with the Torah.

·         This oneness is meant to ensure us that no matter what we may go through during the entire year, no matter how low we may fall, if we maintain a solid connection to the holy Torah, we have major, major hope in reconnecting to Hashem, His Name and His True Compassion (i.e. the 13 Attributes of Mercy).

·         May we merit to truly connect to the holy Torah - both revealed and hidden - to the point where it truly and fully becomes our "life and length of days", Amen.

* * *

Being right before the Yom Tov festivals and expenses, it is a special and propitious time for helping out poor and needy families, especially those residing in Eretz Yisrael, the Holy Land. 

Since Eretz Yisrael is one of three items which are acquired through suffering, it is only proper and fitting to help these families who have sacrificed so much to raise their families in the holy and special atmosphere of Eretz Yisrael.

To send immediate help through paypal:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=43L2R4XSC7GL4

To send by check or money order:

Meir Elkabas

11 Polansky St.

Jerusalem, Israel

95271

For more details or other options please contact me at: 972-57-317-2332.

As a token of appreciation for your help and support, please send me your full Hebrew name and mother's name (if applicable) so that I can add you in my daily prayers here is Jerusalem (which will include sporadic prayers at the holy sites of Eretz Yisrael).

Thank you, Shana Tova and may we all be blessed with a good and sweet year completely sealed and inscribed in the books of good life and peace, Amen.

Sincerely

Meir Elkabas

The Empty Chair [BOOK REVIEW]

Title: The Empty Chair, Finding Hope and Joy—Timeless Wisdom from a Hasidic Master, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Author: Moshe Mykoff
Published by: Jewish Lights Publishing
Manufactured: U.S.
Language: English
Format: 4 x 6, Deluxe Paperback
Pages: 128

Price: $9.99
Official Website: http://www.jewishlights.com/

To some, Rebbe Nachman is best known for stories that possess profound depth and speak to the very soul. To others, his teachings shed light on some of life’s deepest mysteries. Now, as before, he speaks to a spiritually seeking generation in strong and uplifting ways.Teacher, guide and spiritual master, Rebbe Nachman provides vital words of inspiration for life today.

This Rebbe Nachman’s small book is an aphorism collected his holy books, adapted by notable scholar Moshe Mykoff, the same translator of Likutey Moharan, the main series of Torah lessons, dictated by the Rebbe.

The five topics found in the book are:

Living in Tune [To understand the reality of this world and next one]

On the Spiritual Journal [focus on daily devotion, Divine service]

…with Faith, Simplicity and Truth [Master, of blessed memory, teaches us the simple way to unite us with God in real Devekut.

Opening Heaven’s Gate [The personal prayer/meditation labeled as Hitbodedut, as speaking with God every day, every moment.

Leaving Sadness, Finding Hope & Joy [To extract meaning from even our greatest suffering, bad times]

Each and every page, you will find lessons taken from the Likutey Moharan, Advice, Avaneha Barzel, The Aleph-Bet book, Likutey Halakhot, N’tiv Tzaddik, Rabbi Nachman’s Wisdom. Rebbe Nachman’s sweet words can to influence and illuminate positively one’s life is living in despair, doubts, sadness…and return them to God’s light, finding hope, love and joy!

You don’t need to be Breslover, Jew to read and gain great happiness in seconds, Rabbi Nachman teaches us no sophistication about our devotion to Hashem, as we can to go more closer to Creator and surely, one will say to oneself “I feel good”. You can to use the teachings as prayers, meditation and inspiration. 

Direct link to order: http://www.jewishlights.com/page/product/978-1-879045-67-5

This is an excellent book to give as gift in birthday to your best friends.

Reviewed by: Gilson Rodrigues de Arruda.

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR HOLDING ON

BH

Dear good friends who all share a common belief in Hashem, His Torah, and His True Tzaddikim.

Shalom. I hope this letter finds everybody happy, healthy and full of Emuna.

The following is a collection of encouragement for holding on to Emuna in life, along with valuing every drop of good that one can do to please and serve Hashem:

1. Life is like walking along a very narrow bridge - meaning, that there are many "casualties" to the left and to the right who have already fallen off this narrow bridge.... and the odds of us "making it" along this narrow bridge are against us 1000-1 (see Likutey Halakhot, Yoreh Deah, Beitzim #4). Yet, the true tzaddikim exhort us and encourage us not to be afraid and not to give up - that the odds against us are only possible if we allow the "mirage" to fool us. YOU MUST PUT ON BLINKERS AND SIMPLY LOOK FORWARD!

2. You need what's called "holy chutzpah" to make it in life. The Torah was given to the Jews simply because they are brazened-faced, namely for holiness. Be tough and don't let the evil side win you over with depression and thoughts/feelings of futility.

3. What can I say? The tests for personal purity are so difficult in life that only with the help, assistance and merit of the True Tzaddikim can one stand up to all of these tests... This is as the Holy Ari teaches that when a Jew sins and thus goes "off the path" he needs the soul of Moses himself to "enter" into him and help elevate him out of the realm of impurity to the realm of holiness... Thus "attachment to the Tzaddikim" is a very necessary ingredient in coming close to Hashem, and He purposely designed the set up of the application and dissemination of His Torah through receiving from the tzaddikim... As can be seen by the fact that Hashem chose to free the Jews out of Egypt specifically through Moses, as opposed to He Himself taking them out alone... This is a very delicate and "controversial" subject, but it is extremely fundamental to Judaism, as Rebbe Nachman himself says, coming close and travelling to the Tzaddikim is something that "one's whole Judaism is dependent upon" (Likutey Moharan #66).

4. The main thing is to express in words your good desires. Even if your actions totally contradict you inner-desires, still, express them to Hashem, since they have the upper hand in life. And in enough time, when the good desires accumulate, you will eventually get back everything you lost out on in your quest to come closer to Hashem (see Likutey Halakhot, Choshen Mishpat, Matanah 5-end).

5. Hashem's Justice is inconceivable. Why am I going through this? What did I do? Where is Hashem? The list of questions goes on and on. Basically, it boils down to the concept of "The righteous man who has it bad, and the wicked has it good". What to do? How to get out of this dilemma? Only Emuna. With pure crystal-clear faith that Hashem is running the show and that He knows exactly what He's doing with us... this itself is what mitigates the difficulties...

6. For the reason why the "crooked-justice' system was sent our way was simply because of a lack on our part of believing in Hashem's justice system that He knows exactly what He's doing with us. And once we re-accept and reconfirm His presence in our lives "walls begin to move"!

7. Thus a presentable "argument" to Hashem can be: "Hashem! I know that You are running my life. I know that You are just and right in everything you do and deal with me. I recognize that You are behind everything happening to me. But, Hashem, it hurts big time. Please help me accept your justice-system with complete emuna."...

8. The greatest Tzaddikim, by lowering themselves into "filth and dirt" are thereby able to elevate and extract the lowest people - those who almost everybody gave up on - from the lowest depths.

9. The evil one will do "everything" to get you to say the 3 magic words: "I GIVE UP". He will turn your life upside down, your family, etc...... all in order that you should finally "give in". This is so since the one thing he cannot touch is your desire and yearning to be a good Jew and come ever closer to Hashem, His Torah and His Tzaddikim. For that he will uproot everything to get you to drop this. But as long as a person doesn't "give in" there is always hope to retrieve everything which is seemingly lost. This is so since the inner desire and yearning of a person is what maintains the entire Creation. It is the essence of everything else...

10.  So, as the halakhah states in finding lost items (HaShavat Aveidah): so long as we can assume the owner of the item has not given up in retrieving the lost item, it is forbidden for the finder to use or partake of the lost item. So too on a spiritual dimension, all the potential good which is seemingly lost due to the tricks and tests of the evil one, can be found and retrieved so long as the person does not give up in attaining and perceiving them (See Likutey Halakhot, Choshen Mishpat, Matanah #5:end).

*   *   *

As the upcoming High Holidays and Festivals approach ever faster - so do the expenses too!

Those who would like to help poor and needy families here in Jerusalem to get buy with the heavy festival expenses, may do so here in the following ways:

1. through paypal - https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=43L2R4XSC7GL4

2. by mailing a check or money order to: 

 

Meir Elkabas
11 Polansky St.
Jerusalem, Israel
95271

As a token of appreciation for those who can help, please send me back your full Hebrew name (if applicable) so that I can - bli neder - add you in my daily prayer list, which will include sporadic davening by the holy cites of the Holy Land.

Shalom, be well, and may this New Year we all be inscribed in the books of the True Tzaddikim for a good life, peace and true joy, amen.


Sincerely,

Meir Elkabas