The current Hebrew month of Av has as its spiritual sense the sense of hearing (all months are endowed with a special spiritual sense according to Sefer Yetzirah). Generally, Av is seen as a month of mourning because many tragedies befell the Jewish people. The origin of the ‘curse’ of Read more…
“I, the victim of Auschwitz, figured out that I had the power to forgive,” Mrs. Kor said. “No one could give it to me and no one could take it away. I, the little guinea pig, had the power to forgive the God of Auschwitz. I immediately felt the pain lift from my shoulders. Finally I was no longer a prisoner of Auschwitz.”
The day following Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av) commemorating the tragedies of the Jewish people, thirty people participated in our annual Kabbalah Experience Reincarnation workshop. There are a number of books specifically addressing the reincarnation of souls of those who were murdered by the Nazis. “A generation comes and generation goes” is interpreted by Rabbi Akiva as a generation that already has come. In this regard his words pertain to the re-generation of our people from the Holocaust until now.
As I was recounting a number of stories of reincarnation from the Holocaust, my mind and body became very still—perhaps unnoticed by those listening –as a sensation, inchoate at first but then pulsating, entered my consciousness.
For the past few months I have often heard; “so it must be you?”—a second set of twins. Until yesterday I placed no meaning on this. I discounted people’s comments knowing that there is no scientific basis for the genetics of a father having fraternal and identical twins. The blessing of twins I saw as coming from the Divine, if cause was important to discern, it was more spiritual than genetic. It had not gone further than that until yesterday. (more…)
May we continue to grow and fulfill the teachings of the ARI in lifting the sparks of holiness in the world. We will do it though in an egalitarian way in which each individual, no matter what their background learns to be a part of the tikkun (rectification) as promoted by the spiritual insights of the Kabbalah.
There may be ideas or beliefs worth dying for but there are none that I can imagine worth murdering for.
Yesterday was the start of a Jewish period of mourning that lasts for 3 weeks—it starts with a fast (the Fast of Tammuz 17) and ends with a fast (the Fast of Av 9). I went to the funeral of Michael Nowak, husband of our student Nancy to be with her and to honor Michael. I left with great inspiration. There is a famous quote from the book of Kohelet-Ecclesiastes: “Better is it for one to attend the house of mourning than to attend a festivity—for this is our common end.” Is this the musings of a melancholic preacher or sound advice for the soul?
I don’t believe King Solomon (the author of Kohelet) was moribund in his approach to life—though Kohelet is filled with fatalistic philosophy. Funerals, as was Michel Nowak’s, are often the one time in a person’s life that they hear from those who knew them best how much they meant to them—how celebrated a life they lead in the eyes of others. (more…)
it is with the flood of anger. Waiting a few moments—coming back to calmness and breath. It is but a few moments—that allow us to pass by with ease or sputter, cause damage and drain our engines in the process.
Rabbis from the Rocky Mountain Rabbinical Council participated in the first Kabbalah Intensive for Rabbi’s course offered by Kabbalah Experience. Over the 4 weeks, 12 Rabbis learned with Dr. David Sanders, Executive Director of Kabbalah Experience.
Relationships have been said to begin with a metaphor — the desire to invent a narrative that weaves your lives together in a way that you can read as destiny. I came across this quote in an article on twiblings but it struck me as applicable in another way—the relationship Read more…
I started writing a diary last night about the first week of Eva and Isabel’s life. I kept a monthly diary for my three older children until they were Bat and Bar Mitzvah’ed noting milestones, experiences and people in their lives. The best memories I have from keeping the diary Read more…
There are many opportunities to look deep into one’s own essence. Challenging situations such as a life threatening illness can cause us to heightening our awareness (Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight is one among many). Joy is also a wonderful opportunity for heightened awareness. As I watched the birth Read more…
