Lessons in Tanya – Lesson 15 – “Touching God” – Hugging the King – Chapter 4

Crown

The Torah is the manifestation of God into the physical realms. The Torah descends like water from a high place to a low place and so the revelation of God in the physical world is an exact likeness of God as He exists in the higher worlds of spirituality and even above this (so to speak.)

The Alter Rebbe teaches us that when we perform Mitzvot and study Torah, we are able to literally grab a hold of God. The physical Mitzvot and the letters of Torah are not something separate from God – but rather they are completely attached to God in a complete unity.

When we study Torah, we attach ourselves to God. When we perform Mitzvot, we hug God as He allows us to within the physical realm. This is even higher than the levels of sublime joy we encounter in the higher realms, because there, we find only a glimmer of God’s light. Here, in this physical world, we can “touch” God (so to speak) as we embrace the Torah and the Mitzvot – just like a person would hug the king – even if he had many garments on. What an inspiring teaching that will help us to feel excited about the Torah we study and the Mitzvot that we perform!

Lessons in Derech Hashem – The Way of God – The Limits of Evil – Lesson 14 of Section 3

Fence

We conclude our chapter discussing the limits of evil in the world. It is true that there is the aspect of evil. There are spiritual beings that have the power to infringe on activities in the physical world. But with all that, we must constantly be aware that nothing within the realm of evil has any power unless God Himself allows that power to express itself.

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How to Make a Kulmus – a Superb Video

Quill

In this beautiful video, Dr Michael Khanin (Expert Sofer Stam) shows us how to make an Ashkenazi Kulmus. In addition, the viewer will see a lot more about the beauty of the letters that are written in the various sacred writings of the Torah. Sofrut must surely be one of the most beautiful and meaningful professions in the Jewish world and it can become a lifetime of activity for those who wish to bring holiness into all their work! Enjoy the video!

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Lessons in Talmud – Tractate Berachot – Lesson 9 Daf 4b & 5a part 1 (using Koren Talmud Bavli)

The Kotel

If the Sages said that we must join the Geulah (Redemption i.e. the blessing that follows from the recitation of the Shema and precedes the Amidah prayer) directly with the Amidah prayer then we have a problem with regards to the way the prayers were fixed. In truth, in the evening prayers we recite two blessings after the Keriat Shema.

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Lessons in Tanya – Lesson 14 – Garments of the Soul – Chapter 4

Tanach

We continue in Chapter 4 discussing the garments of the Godly soul and how we make use of them to connect with God. we must be aware that in the event that we transgress the Mitzvot that we literally give life to the forces of the Other Side (of holiness).

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Lessons in Talmud – Tractate Berachot – Lesson 8 Daf 4a end & 4b part 1 (using Koren Talmud Bavli)

Fence

It seems from the wording of Tehillim that King David considered himself to be a Chassid (a pious, righteous person). Occupied with purifying women (validating that various blood markings were not to be considered impure) so that they would be permissible to their husbands and dealing with various cases of afterbirths, King David may have imagined himself to have been on the path of righteousness.

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Lessons in Talmud – Tractate Berachot – Lesson 7 – Daf 4a (Part 1) (Using Koren Talmud Bavli)

Harp

How did King David know when it was midnight so that he could awaken to pray and sing songs to God? If he knew, why did he need a “Kinor” to let him know?

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