My Father My King – Meditative Music with Added Inspiring Thoughts


   Click the arrow in the black box and in about 15 seconds you will begin a melodic soul journey. The inspiring words are from the Sefer: My Father, My King by Zelig Pliskin. The meditative background music has been taken from popular Jewish songs dating back a good number of years. This is one of  series  that we composed that we hope to offer our blog family, so for now sit back and enjoy.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

CONQUERING ERETZ ISRAEL … AND OURSELVES

                        

                                                 

I was riding on public transportation a few months ago when a
young person, sporting a ponytail and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt peered
over my shoulder at the sefer I was reading.  It was a copy of Mesilas Yesharim with
an English translation.  I imagined that
he would not give it a second glance, but to my surprise, his eyes lit up, he
smiled broadly and asked me, “Is this the new one that’s just out. I read the
first one and it was great.”  Before I
could absorb his comment and respond, he got off.  His reaction aroused my curiosity.  I came to learn that the mussar
movement has attracted adherents from unlikely quarters. They are young secular
people, who, to their great credit, have apparently become disillusioned with
relativistic morality. They appreciate a teaching that says that there is
correct and inappropriate behavior. In a spiritually and morally challenged
world they apparently have found the teachings of mussar to be
comforting and inspiring.

 

However,
the transformation even from a G-d fearing serious minded Jew to the tzaddik
portrayed in the closing chapters of Mesilas Yesharim is quite a
journey.  How much greater is the
distance, we may imagine, for that young man and his colleagues. Yet, we have
learned that our Torah is accessible to all who sincerely strive to attain it.
We do not need to ascend to heaven or cross the seas to find it. Thus, such
transformation must be both feasible and practical.  We therefore can ask ourselves, How does
this journey begin?



 

An answer to this question can
be found as a solution to a puzzling piece of Torah.  In this week’s parasha, when Hashem
promised to drive out the nations that lived in Eretz Canaan, it says, “Hashem,
your G-d will thrust these nations from before you little by little; you will
not be able to annihilate them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase
against you”(Devarim 7:22). Wouldn’t it have been better had Hashem
driven them out all at once?  Wouldn’t it
have been easier for Bnei Yisrael to have subdued the occasional wild
animal that might have crossed their path rather then do battle with the well
armed, well fortified military forces of a number of powerful enemy nations?



 

These
lines of Torah can, perhaps, at one level be understood as a parable – a
parable that explains just how we can begin to walk the path carved out by the
great and profound teachings of mussar and chassidus.

 

Eretz
Yisrael may be compared to the body which can either serve as a vessel for
holiness or its opposite.  The connection
between the land and the people can be seen in the word Yisrael, which
refers to both and represents the spiritual DNA that makes up our personal and
national characteristics.  The letters yud,
shin, reish, alef and lamed which form the word “Yisrael
are an acronym for the names of the Avos and Imahos, the
patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people: Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sara, Rivka,
Rachel, Avraham and Laya whose positive middos, personality traits, were
handed down to us as a spiritual legacy (according to the Ari HaKadosh, Likutei
Torah
, Kisvei Ari, parashas Vayishlach, d’h, Vayikra
es shemo Yisrael
). 

 

The powerful “nations of the land” who built
fortified cities and established military forces are parallel to various forms
of knowledge and information which could be used to construct a thriving
beneficial civilization based on truth and justice or a corrupt society.  When the seven Canaanite nations who occupied
the land chose to use their knowledge to live an immoral existence, those nations
came to represent the seven kelipos, unholy husks, the negative
counterparts of the seven positive spiritual attributes expressive of Hashem’s
goodness and humanity’s true goal (Likutei Torah, Kisvei Ari, Parashas
Devarim
, d’h, Yesh Ladaas). 
These are the middos of chessed, loving kindness for the
sake of Heaven, gevura, directed holiness through discipline, tiferes,
harmony through the Torah, netzach, eternal connection to the Creator’s
will, hod, splendor in the service of Hashem, yesod, moral purity
in righteousness and malchus, the power of royalty to orchestrate and
combine them all.  These middos
are hinted at in our daily prayer of Vayevareich David when we say, Lecha
Hashem
, “Onto you Hashem, we ascribe Hagedula (chessed), Vehagevura,
Vehatiferes …  Thus, in the
hands  of the Canaanite nations, wisdom
or knowledge became a vehicle for the pursuit of  amoral, unprincipled and unethical
diversions.

 

The
“beasts of the field” represent the baser emotions which will clamor for the
fulfillment of personal desires at the expense of loftier goals unless they are
properly channeled. These “beasts of the field” are ruled by the heart and lead
one to self-serving, ego pleasing pleasure seeking.

 

When we enter the Land – meaning when
we begin the process of transforming ourselves, we must confront two fierce
adversaries which have to be subdued and controlled: One is the powerful, well
fortified intellect which navigates through the world using verifiable
scientific and sociological data and submits to society’s codes and mores in
order to promote its survival. 

 

The other is the seat of equally
powerful emotional drives which will urge us to bend or break the rules of
society whenever they interfere with the fulfillment of personal pleasure. We
can harness the intellect and the emotions and use them to aid us in the
acquisition and perfection of the positive attributes that have been handed
down to us, in potential, from our Avos and Imahos.  Indeed, it is the acquisition of the positive
character traits of our Avos and Imahos that earns us the title
of Bnei Yisrael.  In this process,
we are able to affect the soul’s purpose on earth by allowing these lofty goals
to guide our intellectual decisions and control our emotional responses so that
we can achieve the proper service of Hashem. However, the self willed intellect
and the exuberant emotions will not meekly yield to this yoke without a
struggle.

 

It
is to this struggle that our portion of Torah addresses itself. It teaches that
the intellect set upon pursuing misdirected secular goals – the enemy nation –
is not as harmful to us as the unbridled lower emotions – the wild beasts of
the field. Importantly, it teaches that the mind, like the land, is never empty
– it is either occupied by people or by wild animals – meaning by intellectual
pursuits or emotional experiences. 

 

Thus,
if in the conquest of our “land” we try to rid ourselves of non-beneficial
pursuits before Torah driven values, ideas and activities have had a chance to
increase, spread out and occupy our thinking, then the vacuum thus created,
could, if we are not exceedingly careful, be filled by the “beasts of the
field” – the lower passions and desires. Thus our Torah teaches that  “Hashem, your G-d, will thrust these nations
from before you little by little; you will not be able to annihilate
them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase against you.”

                 

Growth
in the service of Hashem is like climbing a ladder.   We must be realistic about our
present level and not try to pretend to a righteousness that is not yet ours.  The transformation from secular ideologies
and their corresponding lifestyles cannot occur all at once, but only “little
by little.”  Just as a person cannot
mature from infancy to adulthood in a brief period of time, so too we cannot
instantly make drastic changes in our natures. The Torah, therefore, warns that
this process of vanquishing inappropriate mindsets and lifestyles needs to take
place little by little to give an opportunity for the Torah driven values that
we have planted to grow and spread and keep the wild beasts of the field at
bay.

 

By
way of example, let us assume that someone has attended an inspiring mussar
shiur
and makes a decision to forgo reading novels and secular newspapers.
For someone who has spent a great many evenings in those pursuits, this is
quite a tall order. The person certainly means well, but does not yet have the
training, the discipline or the motivation to dedicate those long evening hours
exclusively to learning Torah, doing community work or engaging in other constructive
activities.  That person might feel
frustrated or anguished and could, at one extreme, decide that he or she is not
capable of keeping to this newfound resolve and may let go even of spiritual
levels that had already been achieved.

 

Therefore
the Torah wisely informs us that if such a person sincerely wants to change
these aspects of their lifestyle they might choose to begin by looking
critically at what they read and by exchanging certain harmful and debased
subject matter for that which is less so, all the while increasing slowly but
surely their pursuit of a Torah directed lifestyle. 

 

As
Torah values are put in place, unnecessary and unhealthy intellectual pursuits
can be safely removed or transformed into useful ‘servants’ of the soul. Unrefined
emotions will have no foothold because our neshama will have spread out,
filling the potential vacuum with the glory of the Divine Radiance that is
waiting to shine within all of us. This means that as we mature, develop and
apply the attributes that are part of our inheritance from our Avos and
the Imahos, then and only then will Hashem totally remove any connection
with the lifestyle of the other nations. 
Eventually through effort and sincerity we can reach the level of living
life according to the will of and for the sake of the Creator alone. Hopefully,
through this perception and approach to life’s challenges and most importantly
with the help of Hashem, we will succeed in returning to our inheritance and
living within its borders in peace and holiness soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

REFRAMING OUR LIFE

                                      

                                        GIVE UP … AND GET MOVING

 

            When G-d (Hashem) wants us to change, first He gives us an opportunity to do so on our own by providing specially directed means and methods and special days throughout the year in which we  can examine our deeds, choose to make amends and alter our modes of behavior. Sometimes, when we have not quite managed to make the necessary changes by ourselves, He gives us a nudge . . . It is how we react to that “incentive” that determines success or r’l failure. When we see the “nudge” as a positive force directed towards us for our good and our growth then we are “reframing.” 

For most of us, reframing actually begins after we have given up.  Until that point, we see the problem as being outside of ourselves and are busy trying to fix it.  It is only when we realize that we cannot fix it, that we are able to look inside ourselves and find a  deeper and far more lasting source of healing (refuah).  If we “reframe”  an experience that had plunged us into anxiety or despair, we become the beneficiaries of  a most powerful source of  enlightenment, a source capable of guiding us up the ladder to the next step in spiritually  (ruchnius), lighting the way for us in our spiritual journey.

                                          BECAUSE WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL…

 

The first step in the reframing process is fundamental.  It requires our staunch and unyielding determination to accept the fact that we are not in control of what happens to us. The only aspect of our lives over which we are given control is the freedom to try to make the right choices, however final outcomes are out of our control. Why is this outlook a fundamental first step?  Because as long as we believe that we have control over a given situation, we will struggle with trying to fix the circumstances instead of working to accept them. Learning to reframe our negative thoughts and replace them with a positive view comes about by realizing that it is our attitude that we have the ability to modify and not necessarily the situation. Unfortunately, as long as we are stuck in a mindset that tells us that we have to change the circumstances, we will have no incentive to change ourselves. Of course, we must be mindful of the fact that there are situations that do require our effort, and claims of trust (bitachon) and faith (emuna) do not give a license to sit back and wait for change to happen on its own; however, here we are considering only those things that we can not alter.

                                                   READING THE MESSAGE

The second step calls for us to treat the experience as a message or the person who has just insulted us as a messenger. For example, the depth of sorrow we feel when we learn that someone near to us has a serious problem, illness or passing can be seen as a reflective moment to help us put things into perspective and be mindful of what values in life are truly important. Through this we can re-strengthen our interpersonal relationship with others as well as our personal obligations with Hashem.

            Life’s trials are as individualistic and unique as we are, however to a certain extent each of us can attempt to decipher the inner meaning within difficult experiences by asking ourselves – in a form of a prayer, not a complaint: What can I learn and how can I grow from this test? 

            As long as we understand that the events in our lives are perfectly designed, sent to us from Hashem and given to us for our good, we can begin to use these challenges to help change our lives. Once the taxing situation becomes reframed it becomes a positive tool for growth.

                                                       

                                                      THE NEW VIEW

            Reframing trains us to see the will of the Creator in all of the events in our lives, and thus enables us to appeal directly to Hashem as the Source of Everything. It is like the man who is speeding through red lights. When he is stopped, he explains to the officer that he is bringing his wife, who is in labor, to the hospital.  He is likely to get a police escort instead of a ticket.  However, those who see events as “acts of nature” have no where to turn.  They are like the man caught driving through a red light by a traffic surveillance camera that cannot respond to explanations.

            The Creator runs the physical world in the same way He runs the spiritual realm – in order to allow us to understand His ways without having to become mystics or seers.  If a person chooses to believe that events such as disease, famine, flood and accidents are dictated by the laws of nature and are as immutable as the traffic surveillance camera in our earlier example, then for that person any effort at prayer and supplication to G-d will appear to be unavailing and the person will not seek and thus will not find any means for avoiding the consequence.  Indeed, that person is perhaps worse off than the man who ran the red light.  The driver at least knows that he was ticketed because he was caught on a camera. 

The person who does not see G-d’s omnipotence in nature, will not see the connection between his actions and the events that flow from those actions and will not know where to turn to try and exonerate himself.   When a person offers no defense at all in the Heavenly Court, the evidence is considered without his testimony and a harsher judgment is pronounced that might have been ameliorated with a sincere statement from the defendant.

        On the other hand, when we recognize that it is G-d who is directing nature and all events that occur are for the purpose of guiding us toward a more complete recognition of His presence in this world, then we will be able to act as our own advocates, turning directly to the benevolent Creator in times of need.  When this happens, we arouse the attribute of mercy from on High and elicit consideration by the Heavenly Court of the extenuating circumstances that motivated our choices.

                                        IS THIS DIALOGUE NECESSARY?

 

 We could well ask, “Why is this dialogue necessary?”  Doesn’t the Infinite Creator consider our unspoken justification when entering judgment?  G-d does not deny our unspoken rationale but it is we who create a barrier between ourselves and G-d by refusing to acknowledge the fact that He transcends the laws of “nature.”   It is we who refuse to recognize that He can, under appropriate circumstances, vindicate us.

           The one condition for Heavenly reprieve is to admit our errors, and resolve to do better in the future.  When we turn sincerely to the Creator, acknowledge His omnipotence and ask for His help and guidance when we have drifted beyond the permissible boundaries, we will be directed toward a G-dly way of life which will get us where we need to go, when we need to get there without adverse results.

      This is not to suggest that the Creator, in all circumstances, will accept our plea-bargains, but, at the very least, our outlooks will broaden, and we will be able to take a more holistic approach toward understanding and accepting our particular circumstances. The deeper our understanding of the fact that G-d tailors every circumstance in our lives in order  to teach, guide and help us to grow spiritually, the more we  will be filled with  sincere gratitude for our allotted portions.  As we progress through our lives in this manner, following the Torah , Hashem will provide us with the opportunity to enjoy  a new, elevated state of awareness. 

              This intimate relationship with Hashem is available to all, regardless of age, intelligence or skills. The main criteria are belief in G-d, willingness to follow His will and a sincere humility. With these foundational principles in place, the Creator will bestow upon us blessings of health, joy and peace. May we merit to re-enter the Palace of the King soon in our days.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

TuBiShevat – A TIME OF RENEWAL

The Glorious Proliferation of Trees

From the metaphysical to the metaphorical, from the mechanical to
the medicinal, trees are sources of wonder and joy, nourishment and nurture.
Metaphysically speaking, the Torah teaches that the Tree of Life was a link to
eternal existence. Metaphorically speaking, the Torah compares mankind to the
trees in the field (Devarim 20,19),
and indeed, we exist in a symbiotic relationship with them – so much so, that we
speak of ourselves as being “rooted” in reality with ideas that “bear fruit.”

In their mechanical and physical aspects, trees are no less
remarkable. Did you know that there are almost 247 billion trees of all sizes
in the United States?
That is a blessing because even a single tree produces some 260 pounds of
oxygen per year, and thus two mature trees can supply enough oxygen per year to
meet the needs of a family of four. Trees contribute to the water supply, as
well, with our national forests serving as the originating point for drinking
water used by some 3400 communities and 60 million individuals. Trees provide
shade and wind buffering that reduce annual cooling and heating costs by 2.1
billion dollars, reducing the temperature in buildings some 20 degrees in the
summer. Trees are an abundant source of raw material in the form of wood and
paper. An average family uses about 750 pounds of paper every year, and 95% of
the homes built in this country are made of wood. And these figures don’t even
begin to speak of the food that comes from trees.

A Season of Silent Celebration

These statistics bear witness to the extremely productive role
played by trees in the worldwide ecosystem, yet we celebrate their New Year
during their deepest stage of hibernation, in a still and seemingly lifeless
period in the midst of the winter when not a leaf is left to rustle or a fruit
remains to be plucked. What is it that causes us to remember the tree at the
nadir of its yearly cycle, and how can we understand human productivity in this
context?

Indeed, lack of productivity makes many of us uncomfortable and
is particularly difficult for the “movers and shakers” – the trendsetters and
money makers – who spend their lives amidst the constant hustle and bustle of
the fast-paced metropolitan hubs.

In this, the fifth or so generation after the birth of the
“Industrial Age,” the goal has been and continues to be efficiency – cheap,
mass-produced items whose worth is measured in quantity rather than quality.
Indeed, progress in every area of life has come to be based upon that end. In
this regard, fruits are plucked before they have ripened, and all sorts of
services have been “outsourced” or computerized. The secular media mill is
expected to churn out new material each day, and therefore often settles for
banality and mediocrity in an effort to feed the voracious appetites of
readers, listeners and viewers. Children are placed in a school setting which
expects students to learn more and faster by bombarding them with an enormous amount
of facts and figures, often at the expense of quality, sensibility and balance.

Growing up in this world, it is no surprise that many feel very
uncomfortable when faced with periods of dormancy – times when life seems
unproductive, torpid and inactive, and when creativity and inspiration are on
the wane. Therefore, it behooves us to try to get to the root of the matter and
then make concerted efforts to reach up to pluck potentially fruitful insights
that can excite our taste for and appreciation of those periods in our lives
that are relatively “passive” and appear less productive. Let us now discover
from the “tree of life” how to reinvigorate our own lives by learning to view
this phase of “cyclic hibernation” as an essential stage that prepares us for
the next step in our growth and renewal

Growth Beneath the Surface

Although imperceptible to the external observer, on Tu BiShevat,
the life-giving sap, hidden deep within the tree’s core, starts flowing upward,
triggering the tree’s awakening. Although human growth is not necessarily tied
to the seasons, we, too, undergo transformations – spiritual and psychological
restorations that occur well beneath the surface, often hidden even from
ourselves; and it is apparent that the winter months lend themselves to the
kind of solitude and isolation that is conducive to contemplation and inner
change.

As our Sages have informed us, “The greatest of blessings comes
from that which is hidden from the eye.” Nonetheless, we have been instructed
to begin proclaiming at this time the beracha
of “Shehechiyanu,” expressing thanks
and praise for this auspicious time.

 If it is better to keep
this transformative process hidden while it does its work, why do we forgo the
benefits of concealment by openly declaring the greatness of this period
through our berachos? Perhaps we can
venture to say that our proclamation of gratitude and total acknowledgment of
the true Source of blessing enables us to tap into an even greater beracha of renewal and growth than does
our silence. The blessing of Shehechiyanu
acts as a catalyst, catapulting us above and outside the realm of teva (nature), and therefore, we no
longer need be concerned with remaining concealed. Now, all of our potential
mitzvos and ma’asim tovim can
unassumingly begin to be revealed, each in its ideal time and appropriate
place.

The illusionary forces of stagnation that correspond to the depth
of winter only exist in those who don’t recognize from where the “fruit” of
their actions evolves. By binding our souls to the Creator with cords
(blessings) of praise and sincere appreciation, however, as through the beracha of Shehechiyanu, we can overcome all impediments, thereby clearly
recognizing the great value of each and every stage of our existence,
sustenance and development. A seed represents potential. Only after sprouting
and undergoing a lengthy gestation period does the seed gradually grow and
develop until reaching fruit-bearing maturity. So also do we grow and develop
in a slow and gentle unfolding from birth to adulthood. Like trees, however,
people cannot truly reach maturity until they actualize their potential by
producing luscious “fruits,” which are their mitzvos and ma’asim tovim.

Individual Place of Development

There is another insight that can deepen our understanding and
appreciation of the different stages of life. Most trees produce their fruits
after relatively few years. One notable exception, however, is the olive tree,
which does not begin to bear its highly praised and valuable fruit for many,
many years. What can we learn from this phenomenon? Perhaps it is to make us
cognizant of the fact that each person’s potential for development has a
different timetable. Assuming that we are making our best efforts, we should
never become frustrated or envious if we see our peers “succeeding” in ways
that we have not. There are early bloomers and late bloomers, but if each of us
develops our potential, we will, in the proper time and setting, merit to bear
exquisite fruits.

In summary, let us approach this season of potential renewal
realizing that even during the quiet, seemingly less productive, or even
challengingly restrictive periods of our lives, there is hidden within us a
reservoir of potential spiritual influx waiting to be tapped, bringing with it
an elevating surge of renewal and inspiration. By acknowledging our belief in
the absolute governance of the compassionate Creator, we can remove the
personal impediments of imagined limitations, thereby enhancing our potential
for rejuvenation, change and growth. May we all together raise our voices in
thanks, proclaiming Shehechiyanu for
our existence, veki’yemanu for our
growth and sustenance, and vehigianu
for developing and bringing us la’zeman
hazeh
– to this special moment in time.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

THE MANNA – THE HEAVENLY NOURISHMENT FOR THE SOUL

                 “He who recites
the chapter of the (Manna) ‘Heavenly bread’, written in Torah section (Parshas
Beshalach)  (16: 4-36) every day is
assured that he will not lack food” Talmud (Gem. Yerushalmi). The commentator (Levush)
explains that this chapter teaches that G-d provides each day’s substance –
just as He provided the manna each day in the wilderness.

                   Would that we could see with the pure eyes
of a child for whom the world is filled by Hashem with wonder and delight.
Imagine the reaction of the younger members of the generation of the desert (Dor
Hamidbar), who only received their nourishment from the “heavenly bread,”
entered the land (Eretz) Yisrael and saw agricultural produce growing from the ground,
they no doubt considered it a supernatural event.  We, on the other hand, see our food as common
place taking it for granted, but consider the life support system that provided
food, water, and protection to 3,000,000 men, women and children along with
their herds and flocks in the desert for forty years that was truly an open
miracle.  Yet, both systems are part of
G-d’s (Hashem’s) miraculous governance of the world –  a Divine providence (hashgacha) that can be
perceived by us as miraculous if we but choose to take the opportunity to do so.

             The Mann was a wondrous source of nourishment.
The sustenance provided to us in the desert (midbar) did not require the
expenditure of physical effort, nor were needed any of the labor intensive tasks
ordinarily associated with the growth and production of food and its
preparation.  We might, therefore, be
tempted to think that the generation of the midbar was not only freed from the
obligation of earning a living but absolved of all of the challenges related to
this endeavor.  However, such is not the
case.

The unique challenge of the Dor Hamidbar lay in
the fact that they had absolutely no physical control over their food, water or
protection. Thus they were simultaneously confronted with the test of feeling
vulnerable to the elements while at the same time experiencing complete
dependence upon the benevolence of the Creator.

In fact every single necessity upon which their
physical well being depended was not in their “hands”.  They had no fertile land, no rivers teaming
with life, no reservoirs filled with water or towering forests to provide
timber and game.  They had no homes and
no sense of permanency. Although a tremendous surplus of manna fell each day, each
person was allowed to collect only what he or she needed for that day alone. With
the exception of the extra portion that was allotted for Shabbos, the manna was
not permitted to remain for even one extra day for if additional manna was
gathered, it would immediately spoil.  Thus
they were never able to establish any “physical security” or feeling of
independence.  

            Though it would seem
that they were able to obtain manna without effort or exertion, that is far
from the truth. The efforts that the Dor Hamidbar had to make in order to “earn”
their food, was a constant “exercise”  in
(faith) emunah and trust (bitachon) at the highest level, as the Sages inform
us: “Who is strong? One who surrenders his inclination to the will of Hashem.”

The reward for these efforts was a “spiritual food”
that nourished the body by feeding the soul. Like all things spiritual it had
no physical limitations or boundaries and was not the subject of the natural
laws of cause and effect.  Each person
received the same size portion regardless of size or weight and yet each person
felt satiated . (The message to be found within this phenomenon is very
profound in that at the level of pure soul we are all equal and therefore each
individual received the same sized portion.)  However, there were certain differences that
each person experienced dependant on their spiritual level. If the Mann was
left close or far away, and the need of preparation and flavor were based on
the level of one’s righteousness.

  The more virtuous found their portions ready
to eat at the entrance of their tent, while the less upright had to search further
a field and then prepare it according to their needs. These distinctions served
as a daily “bench mark” of one’s spiritual level and thereby served as an
incentive to constantly improve.

          Perhaps we can say that the placement of
the portion of the manna at a specified distance from the recipient reflected
that individual’s level of awareness of Hashem’s governance, the hashgacha
pratis within that person’s life.

        The degree of preparedness of the manna can be
understood as reflecting the dimension of time. The amount of time spent in
excessive preparation is time lost from its potential supernal enjoyment.

 

            Now
perhaps we can understand why Chazal teach us  that those who recite the section (Perek) of
the Mann every day are  assured that they
will not lack food
, because recitation of this chapter is our acknowledgement,  in Divine hashgacha, that it is the Creator who
is the true provider for everything in its right place and proper time.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

A BEHIND THE SCENES GLIMPSE OF OUR EARTHLY “MANNA”

 

             After the exodus from Mitzrayim
and passing through the Yam Suf , the Torah tells us of the miraculous
“Heavenly food” that sustained our entire Jewish Nation for forty years in the
desert. “Hashem said to Moshe, ‘Behold I shall rain down for you food from
heaven; let the people go out and pick each day’s portion on its day, so that I
can test them, whether they will follow My teaching or not’.”  Thus begins the Parsha of the Mann to which it
is taught that whoever recites this parsha every day is assured that they will
not lack sustenance.  The following is an
amazing true story of some of the many forms manna can take.

              Levi married during his third
year of  learning in a ba’al teshuvah
yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael and within the year he and his wife had the first of
what was to be many children. After five years of marriage and their third
child, the Six Day war was about to begin. Levi’s American parents requested
the family return to the States for the duration of the war.  Levi and his wife reluctantly agreed to leave
and within a week landed in New York
only to find himself embroiled in another type of “war”

   After a few days of settling in the family,
in a small rented apartment,  Levi arose
early one morning  so as to have  a proper amount of time for dovening and a
leaning seder before beginning his pursuit of (parnosa) looking for a job.  Soon after Shachris, a dignified stranger approached
Levi and asked whether he said the Parsha of the Mann each day.  The impressive looking man explained that it
was written in the gemora Yerushalmi that whoever said the parsha of the  mann every day was assured of sustenance.

 Levi shyly admitted that he did not and had
not even heard of this minhag.  After the
gentleman left, Levi began to consider his words as he wanted very much to
believe this promise but the many earlier years in the secular world tended to
make him skeptical about any phenomenon that could not be explained rationally.
This was not a battle of physical prowess but a “inner war/struggle” of
overcoming years of  educational and
sociological influences.

Nonetheless, Levi had
a deep desire to bridge the seemingly large gap between his spiritual goals and
his worldly perceptions.  So before he
left the shul, Levi opened the Chumash to the Parsha of the Mann and slowly began
to read it. Someone raised in the religious community would have been able to
complete this  Parsha in about five
minutes, but Levy who hadn’t learn his first words of Hebrew until he was
twenty-four took nearly one half hour trying to be precise in the correct
pronunciation of each letter and phrase while at the same time making a sincere
effort to place the meaning of those words in his heart.

Amazingly within
seconds of  his finishing the Parsha another
elderly man gently tapped Levi on the shoulder and after saying hello and
introducing himself asked, “Young man, I see you are new to the schull, are you
in need of a job?”  Amazed Levi asked him
what he had in mind. The gentle man told him that he had a small factory and
could  use some help at this time of the
year.  Levi was speechless.   Within “toch kidei dibur” while the sounds
of the parsha were still echoing from his lips and for the one and only time in
his thirty years of life, he was approached with a job offer before he applied
or for that matter even began to look for a job.  Levi thanked him profusely, took his telephone
number and said he would consider the kind offer.

               Walking slowly back to his
rented apartment, he contemplated these events, events that most people whom he
grew up with would have allocated to  a
category called “serendipity” or coincidence 
and not given a further thought, but 
now he was deeply thinking about the timing of these events and the
words of our Sages. That part of him that wanted to believe in – haskaka pratis
– Divine intervention excitingly related the chain of mornings events to his
family.

After breakfast, Levi began
his efforts to look for a teaching job by beginning to call some of the local
Yeshivas. Since it was in the middle of the school year, he didn’t expect that he
would be able to get a full time job  but
would be happy even with a substitute position. Amazingly, the Aibishter’s
plans for him were somewhat different.  The
principle of the very first Yeshiva Levi called, after hearing his articulate
English and his educational background, offered him the possibility of a full
time position for the remainder  of the
school year. It was just that morning, the principle offered by way of
explanation, that he learned that one of his teachers was immediately moving
out of the area. The principle invited Levi to a meeting and told him that if
everything was agreeable he could begin that very day.

 Levi may have began the day with a certain narrow
mind-set  but with these two and still further
events would soon solidify a deep seeded respect and awe for words of our holy
Sages. Just as he was about to leave for his teaching interview, the mailmen delivered
their first  letter to this new address. They
quickly opened the envelope and gasped. 
Inside was a note which was from an aunt and uncle who explained that they
could not recall whether they had sent a gift to Levi and his wife when their last
baby was born several months before and added that if they had they should keep
the enclosed check also for their needs. (True the letter was mailed a few days
before but how many of you have received a nice size monetary gift on the first
day you ever said the Parsha of the Mann. 
By now Levi and his wife, who had indeed already received a check from
his aunt and uncle were now starting to feel overwhelmed and at the same time
very comforted that “Someone” above was looking out and arranging for them with
not only for jobs but even bonuses.

                  Hold on to your to hats, folks, for we
are not done yet.   A few minutes later,
Levi decided to hitchhike  to the Yeshiva.
 He watched several cars pass and finally
a young religious man stopped his car and offered him a ride. As they drove Levi
mentioned that he was on his way to begin his new job as an English teacher.
The driver then struggled in   broken English to ask Levi if he had any free
time to tutor him. He explained that  he
was born in Eretz Israel
and was now married and living here and 
really felt the need to learn better English. By now Levi was in sheer
awe by the offer of yet another  source
of income and so he responded that he would be happy to do so if they could
agree on a time and price. Levi took his number, and got out at his
destination.

                 Within minutes of their
meeting, the principle presented  the
conditions of employment, to which he agreed and that very day Levy began
teaching his new class.

            When Levi arrived home later that
evening, he was bubbling with the news of his teaching job and his possible
tutoring job and did not imagine that his wife would be anything other than a
happy excited listener.  That however was
not the case.   His wife “jumped in
first” by saying: “Guess what? While you were gone I got a call from the
principle of the local girl’s school.  She
had apparently gotten my name from one of our new neighbors.”  Levi’s wife continued:  “The principle said she was in desperate need
of a substitute  because her regular
teacher needed to take an abrupt  leave
of absence.” Almost speechless yet at the same time full of thoughtful praise
of the Creator for showing him that Manna can takes many forms, Levi realized
that his previous skepticism was now a thing of the past and that “wars” can be
won, if we cling One who created us.

          P.S. – Oh by the way, Levi did take
that tutoring job which continued twice weekly for more than six months and for
the last thirty plus years he continues to recall these wondrous events
especially as his is melodiously reading over the Parshas ha-Mann daily.

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia

“SEASONING” OURSELVES

             

          Did you ever wonder, what is the deeper
symbolism of the four seasons of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter? This question
is even highlighted more by the fact that when Mashiach comes, hopefully soon
in our days, the seasons as we know them will cease to be , as it will be
springtime all year around.

         At the esoteric level, the four
seasons correspond to four of the Divine attributes. First the patriarchal
spiritual powers – referred to as the sifirah of Aba or Chachmah –– which
symbolizes the essence of universal wisdom. Then second the matriarchal
spiritual powers – referred to as the sifirah of Ema or Bina –– which then expand
and channel that pristine wisdom into understanding. From there the supernal
influx travels through Zair Anpin (which includes the sifirot of teferes to Yesod)
to Nukva (the sifirah of Malchus) which then has the power to connect and
elevate mundane reality with the ethereal realms.

             Abba corresponds to the Fall whereas Ema
corresponds to the spring. Therefore it is no coincidence that their spiritual
“temperature” are already close to the Spring of the time of the Mashiach.  

           In the meanwhile, Zair Anpin corresponds
to the Winter season which can be seen as the time of inner development of our
supernal potential, whereas Nukva corresponds to the Summer season which is the
outer development of the “fruits” of our actions.

             May we soon merit the springtime
bliss of a perfected world!

All articles appearing on this blog are copyrighted by Rabbi Yehoshua Binyamin Falk. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to share/download/copy this information as long as it is accompanied by the copyright. Separately authored/copyrighted materia