Getting a Glimpse of an Elevated Perception in the Sukkah

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Spiritual Healing in the Torah Shabbat Sukkot Getting a Glimpse of an Elevated Perception in the Sukkah

Tapping into the Inherent Unity of Sukkot  

Sukkot is one of my favorite holidays. We have gone through so much inner work and soul accounting during the last forty+ days, starting with Rosh Chodesh Elul and culminating in Yom Kippur. Now it’s time to rejoice as it states, “…and to the straight of heart, there is joy” (Tehillim 97:11). On Sukkot we can tap into the unity that is in the air. Rav Kook explains “Every resident among the Israelites shall live in Sukkot (Vayikra 23:42), according to the Talmudic statement “The Israelites were worthy to dwell in one Sukkah” (Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 27b). The underlying reason for the special unity during Sukkot is that as long as our sins tie down our lives with shackles, we are torn apart by our individual negative impulse which prevents us from experiencing the unity of shalom. Only after the light of teshuva has appeared in our world by means of the holiness of Yom Kippur – when all Jews become purified from the crust of sin – can we hope for expanded unity consciousness. Then, the light of the purity of our soul transforms our separateness to become more and more unified. When Sukkot arrives all our separate opinions and worldviews rise to the place of complete unity, and all Jews become worthy to dwell together in one Sukkah (Rav Kook, The Seasons of Rav Kook p. 96). This is the essence of the mitzvah of the Sukkah, to strive for all-inclusive love and shalom together with the entire Jewish people, to the extent that it will be considered as if all of Israel dwells in one unified Sukkah (Rebbe Natan of Breslev). When we hear the sound of all the neighbors – including the wailing of a baby, or the loud voices of a heated discussion – from the thin walls of our Sukkah, the noise is transformed into the sweetest music of the unified Sukkot experience.  

 

Elevating Ourselves to Experiencing Joy from Our Rarified Relationships in the Sukkah 

I love gazing at the sparkling stars from the roof of the Sukkah palm branches. We use our own palm branches that my husband became an expert in cutting. The date palm near the entrance of our home needs to be pruned annually, and if you know me, you know how much it means to me to avoid wasting by all means. Using the garden refuse as the roof of our Sukkah reminds us that nothing goes to waste. Everything has a purpose and a time to be elevated on high.  

Elevations are what bring about the greatest joy. After having elevated ourselves on Yom Kippur, the Sukkah itself is the most inviting space for experiencing such joy – especially when we celebrate together with loved ones within the Sukkah – eating beautiful foods, singing, and sharing the deepest Sukkah Torah. At times we get a taste of true joy that comes from the rarified relationships with parents, spouses, children, friends, neighbors – our relationships with our community, with our Creator, and with the scattered parts of ourselves that we elevate and gather into the Sukkah.  

 

Gaining a Higher Perception in the Sukkah Beyond the Material Layer 

The Hebrew word סֻכָּה/sukkah – ‘booth’ has the same root as the word סוֹכָה/Sochah – ‘perceiving with Divine Inspiration.’ Our Mother, Sarah’s prophetic spirit is learned from her second name יִסְכָּה/Yisca, which also shares the same root. Since the Sukkah embodies the Clouds of Glory – a manifestation of the Divine Indwelling Presence – it makes sense that this Divine presence imbues us with a higher perception. The Sukkah is also a miniature Beit Hamikdash – ‘Temple,’ and so we refer to the destroyed Temples as “the Sukkah of David that fell.” The Temple has always been linked to prophecy (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Batra 12a), and likewise, we can tap into Divine Inspiration in the Sukkah. You don’t need to be a psychic to fathom how the simple Sukkah gives us a glimpse of how the accumulation of stuff is far from essential. Possessions may provide a rush when first acquired, but the soul is not satiated, which is why possessions create the need for more. According to the Talmud, human nature is such that “one who has one hundred wants two hundred… The realization that material possessions don’t make us happy is the gate to gaining a higher perspective. In the Sukkah, we come to recognize that earthly matters in and of themselves are only temporary. We may also realize that this entire world is like a Sukkah – a temporary dwelling – only an antechamber to the next world. While sitting in the Sukkah, under Hashem’s Clouds of Glory, we gain an understanding of the transient nature of everything connected to this world and its temporary pleasures. However, when we use worldly matters for the sake of Heaven, we make our Sukkah an abode for Divinity. When we realize that the only thing that matters is cleaving to Hashem, this world and everything in it merge with the coming world to become one permanent dwelling for G-d. Wherever we are right now, let us pray for a higher perception to dwell in Hashem’s house forever.   

 

EmunaHealing Exercise for Peeking into the Divine Inspiration Available in the Sukkah  

1. Enter your Sukkah or if you don’t have your own enter any Sukkah. The Sukkah is the perfect place for meditation and spiritual healing, for in the Sukkah we are enveloped by Hashem’s Protecting Clouds of Glory. Make yourself comfortable as you take refuge under the shade of Hashem’s protective wings. Inhale the holy air enveloping you in the Sukkah, and exhale what no longer serves you. Let’s repeat this mindful breathing four more times.               

2. After having been cleansed by the Days of Awe you emerge upright and whole as you take in the Sukkah energy. The word for the name of the Sukkah roof ‘Sechach’ shares the root of the name of the holiday ‘Sukkot.’ Raise your eyes towards the Sechach and look for the stars in the gaps between the palm branches and between each part of the leaves. Can you get a glimpse of a twinkling star? 

3. You have left the comfort zone of your home, to dwell in this flimsy, temporary structure. You have left so many of your possessions behind in your ‘old home’ together with your own outer shell. Now you are alone with your essence. How does it feel to be stripped of all the extras? What else can you shed together with your material possessions that you no longer need? Are there old thinking patterns that block your ability to express your kind, loving, caring empathy, and reflect the Divine Presence? 

4. Breathe the Sukkah energy into your head and heart and breathe out any old and stale negative emotion that holds you back from experiencing the joy of Sukkot.  

5. As you peel off the old layers of pain, hurt feelings, and past traumas, let yourself tap into the expanded consciousness available in the Sukkah. Breathe in a feeling of calmness into every part of your body: Your head with its eyes, nose, and mouth, your throat, chin, and neck, your lungs, heart, and stomach, and all of your inner organs. Allow the calm, serene feeling of the Sukkah to penetrate each part of your being.  

6. The word סֻכָּה/Sukkah is related to סוֹכָה/Sochah – ‘perceiving with Divine Inspiration.’ Imagine opening yourself to receive the Divine inspiration available in the Sukkah, right now. You may focus on a vital life question that you have pondered for a while. Breathe into this question as you relax even more in the holy Sukkah. Close your eyes and cup your hands in front of your chest, shoulder distance apart, ready to receive. Pay attention to your breath and to any thought or feeling coming to you right now. Perhaps you sense a spiritual clue for you to decipher and apply to your life.   

7. As you tap into the expanded perception of the Sukkah, open and finetune all your senses. Allow the sounds of the Sukkah to enter your awareness, can you hear your neighbors singing and celebrating? Tune into the nearness of everyone around you through the thin walls of the Sukkah. Can you feel how it is as if all our sukkots are merging to become one big Sukkah? Perhaps you can get a glimpse of the supreme Sukkah as it states, “The Israelites were worthy to dwell in one Sukkah” (Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 27b).  ___________________________

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How Can We Become More Forgiving by Rising to the Heavenly Realm?

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Parashat Ha’azinu  

How Can We Become More Forgiving by Rising to the Heavenly Realm? 

Practicing Forgiveness on our Forgiveness  

We have come full circle and entered the holiest time of the year. Now, we have the opportunity more than any other time to “Seek G‑d while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Yesha’yahu 55:6). At this time, I’m struggling to forgive an increasing number of people who I feel have wronged me lately. I’m keenly aware of the adverse effects of keeping these grudges, and their negative implications on my physical and emotional health, my relationships, and my judgment by Hashem, etc. Therefore, I was crying out to Hashem to remove this bitterness from my heart, and I was surprised to experience how it actually worked! The very same day that I implored Hashem profusely on my weekly hitboddedut walk, I experienced an immediate release that I have never experienced so fast and to that extent. When, later during that day, I thought about all the painful things people had done against me, the pain had subsided, and the bitterness was almost completely gone. I can only attribute my feeling so light and free from emotional pain to the divine assistance available to us at this time. Even when it is not always possible to work out everything that happened with the various people involved, we can still forgive them on a deeper and deeper level at this time. Like Rebbe Nachman says, “You need to do teshuva on your teshuva,” I’d like to say, “You need to practice forgiveness on your forgiveness.” Perhaps the reason why it is much easier to make rectifications during the Ten Days of Teshuva, which seemed impossible all year long, is because this time brings us closer to heaven. It is like we are being lifted above all the nitty gritty earthly things that bug us down with all our petty expectations of others, and our oversensitivity to their painful ruthlessness. 

Connecting with Heaven During the Ten Days of Teshuva 

On Shabbat Teshuva we usually read Parashat Ha’azinu that opens with Moshe’s addressing heaven and earth: 

ספר דברים פרק לב פסוק א הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי פִי: 

“Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!” (Devarim 32:1). 

Reading Parashat Ha’azinu before Yom Kippur highlights the fact that each of us is “close to the heavens” at this time. Moshe’s words are reflected by the prophet Yesha’yahu: 

ספר ישעיה פרק א פסוק ב שִׁמְעוּ שָׁמַיִם וְהַאֲזִינִי אֶרֶץ כִּי הָשֵׁם דִּבֵּר בָּנִים גִּדַּלְתִּי וְרוֹמַמְתִּי וְהֵם פָּשְׁעוּ בִי: 

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for Hashem spoken; Children I have raised and exalted, yet they have rebelled against Me” (Yesha’yahu 1:2). 

Drawing Down Heaven and Elevating Earth 

The word הַאֲזִינוּ/ha’azinu, from the root א-ז-נ alef/zayin/nun – ‘ear’ literally ‘give ear,’ is a stronger verbiage than שְׁמַע/shema – ‘hear.’ Comparing Moshe and Yesha’yahu’s prophecy, Moshe addressed the heavens with the word ha’azinu because he was “close to the heavens, and far from the earth.” Therefore, he was able to address the heavens at close range. Yeshayahu, by contrast, was still “close to the earth, and far from the heavens.” Thus, he used the word ha’azinu to address the earth (Sifri, Devarim 32:1). Moshe Rabbeinu’s perception paralleled that of the world of Atzilut, which refers to being unified and at one with G‑d. Although Moshe had a physical body, he perceived everything as an extension of G‑dliness. Even when living in this world – and especially during the Ten Days of Teshuva – we can connect with the world of Atzilut and feel the direct awareness of G‑d and the closeness to Him. 

Yeshayahu, who related to the world of Beriah, by contrast, saw G‑d from afar. He addressed the earth from close range with the word ha’azinu. The angels whom he describes proclaim: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is Hashem of Hosts” (Yesha’yahu 6:3), which also refers to being distinct and separate. Why did Moshe address the earth as well as the heavens? And why did Yeshayahu address the heavens as well as the earth? Why did they not confine themselves to speaking to the realm closest to them? This is because it is a major principle of the Torah to connect heaven and earth. Judaism involves drawing down spiritual reality until it meshes with worldly experience (Moshe’s contribution) while elevating worldly experience until a bond with the spiritual is established (Yeshayahu’s contribution). By revealing the Torah, Moshe endowed every individual with the potential to become “close to the heavens.” Yeshayahu developed the connection further, making it possible for a person to experience being “close to the heavens” while being “close to the earth,” involved in the mundane details of material life (Eli Touger, Close to the Heavens).  

Taking Charge of Creating Our Heavenly Reality 

When Yeshayahu said, “Hear, heavens, and give ear, earth,” many prosecutors came to break his head. A voice resounded, and asked, who dared to speak this way? Who is that who wishes to shake worlds?! Then he opened with the words, it is not I nor is it mine, but “Hashem has spoken” (Yesha’yahu 1:2). Of Moshe it is written, “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,” I and no other. “I will speak” without fear, “and hear O earth, the words of my mouth” and not anybody else’s. Blessed is his portion. (Zohar 3:286b). When Yeshayahu’s said, “For Hashem has spoken” he distinguished himself from Moshe who said, “Listen O heavens, and I will speak.” He himself would speak. Just as Moshe forty years previously had split the sea, so is Moshe now taking charge by saying, “Listen O heavens, and I will speak.” He is taking initiative and actualizing creation. This is what happens on Rosh Hashana when the world returns to Bereishit – the beginning. We can receive the very Light of Creation when we accept that we are here to be creators. When we let go of the anger, resentment, and feelings of victimization, make space for forgiveness, give the benefit of the doubt, and share love, when we see in all things an opportunity for growth and creation, and when we understand that everything is for the good, then we draw down abundance and blessings for the coming year – we draw down heaven on earth. 

EmunaHealing Exercise for Elevating Ourselves to the Heavenly Realm 

1. Find your perfect place to be alone with yourself and Hashem. Take several slow and relaxed breaths and become mindful of your body sitting or lying relaxed on the chair, cushion, or the ground.  

2. Breathe celestial light into every part of your body and breathe out tension and discomfort from each limb and organ. Start with the top of your head, then your eyebrows, and move your breath to your eyes, nose, mouth, and chin. Move your breath to your shoulders, lungs, and heart. Keep breathing in and out of your stomach, the liver to the right below your ribcage, and your spleen to the left. Breathe good energy into the kidneys on your back.  

3. Then be still and allow yourself to be aware of your body, becoming more and more relaxed and illuminated. Each of your limbs is charged with Divine energy now. 

4. Tune into your heart – that delicate flower – where so much emotion is stored. Allow yourself to feel whatever pain you have experienced in the past, and also in more recent times. Bring painful incidents with other people to your attention and recall the upset each of these challenging encounters caused you. Pay attention to where in your body this discomfort and pain reside. 

5. Envision the heaven above you – the upper realm where we all are united, and everything is one. Imagine being so light and so weightless, like a ball of feathers. Visualize yourself levitating above the earth rising higher and higher like a helium balloon flying upwards. As you rise, envision being lifted above all the nitty gritty earthly things that bug you down with all your petty expectations of others, and your oversensitivity to their painful seemingly ruthlessness. You are leaving all these petty clashes and conflicts behind as you rise higher and higher to the heavenly realm. 

6.  הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה/Ha’azinu HaShamayuim v’adabera… “Give ear O heaven and I will speak…” Speak to Hashem about how you are forgiving and forgetting all your past frictions with others. Now from this elevated place you are in, you can see a greater perspective. You can perceive the other side. You become aware of where these other people, who caused you so much agony, are coming from. You are now able to transform your oversensitivity to becoming sensitive to the pain of others from which they operate. Understanding their perspective transmutes the impact of their words and actions to no longer cause you pain.  

7. You are creating your positive reality with your speech. Just as Moshe himself would take initiative and actualize creation through his speech, you too can receive the very Light of Creation when you let go of the anger, resentment, and feelings of victimization, and make space for forgiveness. You can draw down abundance and blessings for the coming year by giving the benefit of the doubt, sharing love, and seeing everything as an opportunity for growth and creation. As you learn to truly understand that everything is for the good, then you can draw down heaven on earth! 

Sarah’s Role in the Akeida and in the Shofar of Rosh Hashana

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A Torah message from Rebbetzin Chana Bracha Siegelbaum, Rosh Hashana 5768

Sarah’s Role in the Akeida and in the Shofar of Rosh Hashana

We blow the shofar (Ram’s horn) on Rosh Hashana to remember Avraham’s near sacrifice of his favorite son Yitzchak. We hear a lot about Avraham’s greatness concerning the Akeida (binding of Yitzchak), but what about Sarah? What was her involvement in the Akeida? Did she know about it beforehand, or did Avraham keep it hidden from her? Did she play any part whatsoever in this self-sacrificing act? The commentaries are surprisingly silent regarding this matter.

Sarah is known to be Avraham’s devoted wife. She worked in a team with Avraham in all his great accomplishments, yet we never hear anything about Sarah’s merit regarding the Akeida, could it be possible that she had no part in his greatest most exemplary deed?

Midrash Tanchuma interprets the entire Eishet Chail verse by verse as the eulogy Avraham lamented for Sarah after her demise. When it states: “She rose while it was still night,” the midrash explains that this refers to the time when “Avraham rose early”. There are two instances when the Torah describes Avraham rising early: at the sending away of Yishmael with Hagar and at the Akeida. Etz Yosef comments: When “Avraham rose early” Sarah too rose early and went on the way with them to escort them. Perhaps this implies that Sarah indeed did have a role not only in expelling Yismael but also in the near sacrifice of Yitzchak.

Several Midrashic sources and Rashi link the Akeida with Sarah’s death. He explains that when Sarah heard that Yitzchak was almost sacrificed her soul flew out of her body and she died. The midrash offers more details. …Satan went to Sarah and asked: “Did you hear what happened in the world?” She answered, “No.” He said, “Avraham took Yitzchak his son, and slaughtered him, offering him up on the altar as a sacrifice.” Sarah began to cry and moan the sound of three wails, which corresponded to the three blasts of the shofar, and then her soul burst forth from her, and she died.

There are several different interpretations of how the broken, crying sounds of the shofar are linked to Sarah’s cries when she hears about the near sacrifice of Yitzchak. According to another midrash we are commanded to blow six tekiyot – uninterrupted shofar sounds – on Rosh Hashana corresponding to Sara's six cries. It is interesting to note that the name Sarah comprises the initials of Shofar Rosh Hashana, indicating an intrinsic connection between Sarah and the significance of the Shofar.

According to Aviva Zornberg, the shofar on Rosh Hashana is supposed to help us re-enter the state of Sarah’s pain. She dies in a haunted cry of ecstasy beyond civilization. It is the sound that bridges the ecstasy experienced at a wedding with the ecstasy of grief. There is no criticism of the way Sarah cried when she was dying. On the contrary, we are asked to enter into her state of mind. Sarah dies in the middle of the six cries. If she had managed to complete her cries she would perhaps have gone to a different level. On Rosh Hashana, we complete Sarah’s cries.

If Sarah already intuitively sensed the Akeida when she rose in the middle of the night to prepare the provisions she sent with Avraham and Yitzchak, why would she die from shock when she heard about it? How is it possible that this righteous woman to whom Avraham is inferior in respect of prophecy could so easily fall prey to the tricks of the Satan?

Sefer Avodat Hashem on Parashat Chayei Sarah explains that Sarah’s death was not the result of shock, but rather she deliberately handed over her soul at the very climax of the Akeida. Sarah perceived the holiness that was engendered by means of the great holy unification. Since the place of the Akeida was far from her to walk, to participate in it; she decided to unify with the act from afar by giving over her soul in love and purity at the moment of this great holiness.

The Zohar explains that Yitzchak was born with a feminine soul and an essential attachment to his mother Sarah. At the Akeida Yitzchak had a near-death experience, the feminine aspect of his soul departed and he received his masculine soul which enabled him to detach from his mother and afterward cleave to his wife. This is why the description of the birth of Rivkah is juxtaposed to the Akeida, Prior to the Akeida, without his masculine soul, Yitzchak would have been unable to bear progeny. Since Yitzchak’s feminine soul was intrinsically attached to the soul of his mother Sarah, at the moment when his feminine soul left him, Sarah’s soul also had to depart from this world. This explains why Sarah was bound to pass on during the split second of the binding of Yitzchak, the exact moment before Avraham was told to put down his knife.

Perhaps we may venture to say that in this way Sarah’s role in the Akeida had an aspect that was even greater than Avraham’s, while Avraham got up early in the morning, Sarah rose even beforehand while it was still night. In a super-conscious way Sarah “knew” even before Avraham, and while Avraham was willing to sacrifice his favorite son, she was willing to sacrifice her own soul for the sake of her only son Yitzchak. Through her death she enabled the birth of his masculine soul, giving over her life for the sake of allowing Yitzchak to beget life and become his independent ultimate self, get married, and raise his own family. In this way, Sarah’s cries from which we model the sounds of the shofar are both the wails of mourning for death and ecstasy of birth. They emanate from the very deepest place where death and life are one.

You have the ability to continue Sarah’s self-sacrifice for the sake of building families in the Land of Israel, and you can make a great difference without having to give over your own life. You can ensure life both in This World and the Next through your generous donation to support Women’s Torah learning in the Land of Israel. By donating to Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin you are supporting the Jewish families of tomorrow. It is almost Rosh Hashana, please increase your merits by donating to Midreshet B’erot Bat Ayin.

Shana Tova, Tikateivu V’Tichateimu l’Alter Chayim Tovim!!!!
May you be inscribed in the Book of Life!
With Blessings of the Torah & the Land, Chana Bracha Siegelbaum

How Will the Process of Circumcising our Hearts Unblock our Childhood Wounds?

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Parashat Nitavim, Vayelech

How Will the Process of Circumcising our Hearts  Unblock our Childhood Wounds?

It is only the Blocks that Conceal the Essential Goodness of the Jewish Soul

The main work of EmunaHealing is to identify the blocks that make us stuck and impede us from moving forward in life and remove them through directed prayer. This is based on the central belief that whenever a person is unable to heal a certain area of her life or reach her goals, it is due to spiritual, emotional, or physical blocks, most commonly, emotional blocks. These blocks are caused by childhood wounds, traumas, or misguided stories that we have been telling ourselves and which have become self-fulfilling prophecies. The more we succeed in removing these blocks and rewriting our stories through guided imagery and positive affirmations, the better a person we will become. In this way EmunaHealing facilitates teshuva – return to our true selves, which have been hiding behind the various blocks that block us from being who we really are. Behind the belief that it is only the exterior blocks that prevent our light from shining forth, is the faith in the essential good of every single Jew. We are all an extension of the Divine. Once we uncover the external husks that conceal our inner soul, then the light of our divine spark is revealed in all its radiance. “Do not gaze upon me, because I am swarthy, for the sun has scorched me…” (Song of Songs 1:6). Rashi explains that the swarthy ugliness that a person may exude is not inherent, but only external, caused by the tanning of the sun. My darkness can easily be lifted so I will become white and pure again.

This principle of EmunaHealing is based on Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook’s optimistic perspective on the nature of a Jew: “The essence of the desire to be good to all, without any limitation at all in the world, whether in terms of the quantity of those benefiting nor the quality of the good bestowed – this is the inner core of the essence of the soul of Knesset Yisrael (Community of Israel)” (Orot, p. 139). This is its inheritance and the legacy from its ancestors, and this is the secret of the nation’s longing for redemption which gives it strength to live and exist, to the wonderment of every thinking person” (Rav Kook, Orot Yisra'el, 1:4).

Shedding the External Layers and Returning to the Essence of Who and What We Are

Teshuva – is not so much about what we are returning from – but more about what we are returning to. During the month of Elul, my students and I sing the famous Carlebach tune, “Return Again” with the help of The B’erot Bat Ayin Songbook with Guitar Chords & Torah Tidbits. The words, “Return to who you are, return to what you are!” reverberate over and over in my head. As I lead my students with my guitar, I pray to unblock all the negative character traits and return to my essential beautiful self. I yearn to return to my naked soul without the exterior blocks that conceal its light. As Rav Kook puts it: “In order to remove every partition that separates between the general Divine good and the soul who thirst for it, we need to separate from every ethical blemish, which impedes the refinement of all our character traits… To also remove that which inhibits and prevents our garments of divine good, we must remove everything that prevents and inhibits the Jewish soul. This is the vital feature for complete teshuva in all its details from every kind of sin according to the written and the oral Torah, which completely reflects the divine soul linked to every Jew (Rav Kook, Orot Hateshuva 13:2). Now during Elul is the time for soul reflection, meditating and systematically removing the partitions and blocks that prevent us to return to who we really are behind all the negative character-traits and actions caused by the accumulated pain and trauma we have experienced throughout our lives.

Circumcising our Hearts – Healing Emotional and Spiritual Wounds During Elul

Parashat Nitzavim brings the comfort of Hashem’s promise that He will circumcise our hearts. This circumcision does not refer to an open-heart surgery but rather to removing the heart walls of resentments, hurt feelings, grudges, and any block that prevents us from accessing our soul. Even the circumcision of the male organ is not to create or build something new but rather to uncover the blocking skin to reveal the crown. These blocks are also what impedes us from being in a loving relationship with Hashem, with others, and with ourselves.

ספר דברים פרק ל פסוק ו 

וּמָל הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ לְאַהֲבָה אֶת הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ:

“Then Hashem, your G-d, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, [so that you may] love Hashem your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life” (Devarim 30:6).

As we are moving closer to the final redemption when Hashem will circumcise our hearts, our desire for emotional health is growing, as we reckon from the popularity of numerous self-help books and courses. To bring the geulah, which we all await we need to first do our work of removing negative emotions, so we will be ready for Hashem to complete our efforts. This is why we are first told to circumcise our hearts by ourselves:

ספר דברים פרק י פסוק טז וּמַלְתֶּם אֵת עָרְלַת לְבַבְכֶם וְעָרְפְּכֶם לֹא תַקְשׁוּ עוֹד:

“You must circumcise the orlah [foreskin] of your hearts, and be no longer stiff-necked” (Devarim 10:16).

Since no one can accomplish anything without Hashem’s help, when we have tried our best to unblock our hearts, Hashem gives His promise to circumcise our hearts and open our hearts to learn to truly love. The optimal time for unblocking our hearts is during the month of Elul as the acronym of our Torah verse alludes:

וּמָל הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת לְבָבְךָ וְאֶת לְבַב...Elul

Through Unblocking Our Own Hearts, We Can Influence Our Children to do Teshuva

When our children grow up, we may lose some of the connection we had when they were young, and certainly our ability to teach and influence them. There comes a time when they yearn to be completely independent of us, and no matter how good advice we give them, they don’t want to hear it from us. If their friend tells them the exact same thing that we have said numerous times, they may excitedly follow his words as if they heard it for the very first time. Yet, through teshuva and unblocking of our hearts, we can retain the soul connection with our children and the ability to influence them for good. Rebbe Nachman asks, why does our pasuk mention that G-d will circumcise not only our heart but also the heart of our offspring? He explains that when we truly do the work of unblocking our hearts this will affect our descendants. As long as our heart is uncircumcised and sealed, it is impossible for us to truly feel. (We become numb). Yet when our hearts are unblocked, we are overcome by emotions so strong that they will spill over and affect our descendants and cause their repentance. This is the meaning of “Hashem your G-d will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed.” When G-d circumcises our hearts, the hearts of our offspring will become circumcised as well. Then our children will also experience thoughts of repentance love of Hashem due to the circumcision of their parent’s heart (Likutei Moharan, Mahadura Kama 141). Through the various pains and traumas, we have experienced, we have learned to numb ourselves to protect ourselves from feeling distress and discomfort. However, when we close our hearts to avoid pain, we automatically also close our hearts to feel anything at all. So, we numb ourselves from feeling the love of G-d and from feeling the pleasures He bestows upon our lives. Being able to feel love is vital for truly being alive! Therefore, we await when Hashem will complete the process of circumcising our hearts “for the sake of our lives”!

EmunaHealing Exercise for Unblocking Your Life and Opening Your Heart
1. It’s the end of Elul – the time for you to take time for meditation and inner reflection. Close your eyes, turn your attention inward, and become aware of your breath. Allow your breath to be what it wants without trying to control it.

2. How are you feeling right now? Rather than quickly answering the habitual “fine,” or “Baruch Hashem!” Breathe into this question and let yourself feel what you are feeling. We all struggle with pain and discomfort. Besides physical pain, there are emotional hurts. People often don’t respond to you the way you expect. Perhaps you feel ignored and not included, or you may feel judged and disrespected by others. Whatever you feel, allow yourself to feel what you are feeling.

3. You may also harbor negative feelings about yourself. We all struggle with various versions of, “I’m not good enough.” Allow yourself to feel where you fall short. Breathe into this feeling without judgment. You are not alone in feeling this way. Tune into the spark of goodness within your feeling of inadequacy. Your spark of wanting to improve and rectify your flaws is a sign of your inherent goodness. Breathe into your goodness of always yearning to become better.

4. Recall Rav Kook’s heartening words: “The essence of the desire to be good– this is the inner core of the essence of the soul of the community of Israel.” Deep down you are really good and deserving of Hashem’s love. It is only the external blocks that prevent you from accessing this Divine goodness within you. Even if you cannot feel it yet, connect with the notion that despite your many flaws, you are essentially good and beloved.

5. There may be many layers of blocks concealing the goodness of your heart. Heartwalls may numb you and block you from feeling the love of Hashem, others, and yourself. Envision the Heartwalls as piles of rocks surrounding the most beautiful red rose. To get to the rose you need to shed layers of Heartwalls and penetrate the piles of rocks.

6. Envision breaking the rockpiles with your bare arms. If you need you can imagine wearing gloves as you disintegrate the rockpiles by removing the rocks one by one. Some are small and easy to remove, but others are big and heavy. It takes all your strength to remove them.

7. Each rock represents a hardship in life that has made you close your heart. As you imagine working through rock by rock, pay attention to which hardship each rock represents and what its message is for you. You have worked through many difficulties in life, and you have emerged to become a better person through your struggles. Although you are opening your heart the very best you can, there are still more rocks blocking it from opening completely. Do everything possible and Hashem will do the impossible!

8. Envision how the Divine hand works with you to remove the rest of the rocks that are too heavy for you to carry off by yourself. Hashem is completing your work of circumcising and opening your heart to once again truly feel what you are feeling. Notice all the love streaming through your heart now! Allow yourself to feel your deepest love for Hashem, your Creator, Who bestows all this kindness on you. You can now open your heart and let it fill with love and gratitude for all the blessings in your life. Now you can truly love Hashem, others, and yourself!

Why Would Performing the Mitzvah of Bikkurim (First Fruit Offering) Enable us to Merit the Land?

Printable Version

Parashat Ki Tavo

Why Would Performing the Mitzvah of Bikkurim (First Fruit Offering) Enable Us to Merit the Land?

In the Land of Israel, the Physical and the Spiritual Realms are Intertwined

Since my last international speaking tour just prior to COVID-19, it seems that so many of our friends and supporters have made Aliyah, and even more are working on making Aliyah. In fact, some 70,000 new immigrants from 95 countries made aliyah in 2022. It was the largest number of olim to arrive in 23 years and a dramatic increase over the previous year when only 28,600 new immigrants were welcomed. COVID-19 generated a paradigm shift that made us face our mortality, contemplate the purpose of life, and our role in the world. Many Torah-observant Jews realized that the true place for a Jew is to live in the Promised Land. Here in Israel, even the mundane and earthly realm is imbued with spirituality as it states, “A Land in which you do not eat bread in measure, you will not be lacking anything in it” (Devarim 8:9). This teaches us that when the Jewish people live in the Land of Israel, we may merit to be on such a level, that acquisition of wealth even luxuries won’t damage our true spiritual perfection. Rather, our wealth will help us increase strength and spiritual perfection in Hashem’s straight path. Through physical abundance, our spiritual level will rise (Rav Kook, Ein Aya, Berachot 6:15). There has been a gap and disunity between body and soul, holy and mundane, ever since the magnificent physical building of our holy Temple exuding the highest spiritual light was destroyed. Throughout our exiles, the spiritual realm has been disengaged from the physical to the extent that teachings such as the Talmudic statement that a Talmid Chacham (Torah scholar) may not walk in public with a stain on his clothing (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 114a) were given little weight. Since the founding of the State of Israel, we began the process of integrating the physical within the spiritual realm. It’s hard to describe how this principle plays out in our daily day life in Israel. All I can say is that when living in Israel you really experience that every tree, flower, and fruit is holy. As I look out of my window behind my computer I see my neighbor’s holy grape-wines winding themselves along our laundry line on the backdrop of the most brilliant, bluest sky. Yes, in Land of Israel heaven and earth are truly one!

Why Would Performing the Mitzvah of Bikkurim Enable Us to Merit the Land?

We usually read Parashat Ki Tavo at the beginning of the fig harvest, the fruit which is especially singled out for the first fruit offering as it states, A person goes down into his field and sees a fig that has ripened. He winds a reed around it for a sign and declares: “This is the בִּכּוּרִים/bikkurim – “first fruit” (Mishnah Bikkurim 3:1; Rashi, Devarim 26:2). We’re excitedly awaiting the time to be able to perform this mitzvah from the Torah with the shiny fruits of our labor:

ספר דברים פרק כו פסוק א 

וְהָיָה כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ: (ב) וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא וְהָלַכְתָּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם:

“It shall be, when you come into the land which Hashem, your G-d, gives you for an inheritance, and you possess it and settle in it, that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which you will bring from your land, which Hashem, your G-d, is giving you. Then you shall put [them] into a basket and go to the place which Hashem, your G-d, will choose to have His Name dwell there” (Devarim 26:1-2).

The authoritative halachic midrash, Sifrei, teaches that through performing the mitzvah of bikkurim we will merit of entering the land [of Israel]” (Sifrei, Devarim, Parashat Ki Tavo 1).

Why would performing the mitzvah of bikkurim (first fruit) enable us to merit the land? Moreover, since this mitzvah could only be performed after the lengthy process of conquering and dividing the land, which lasted 14 years, how could it bring about entering the land that happened several years prior?

Acquiring the Two Foundations of a Jew: Kedusha (Holiness) and Emunah (Faith)

Netivot Shalom explains that to merit the Land of Israel we need to acquire two main foundations of serving Hashem: Emunah (faith) and Kedusha (holiness). Emunah implies believing that only Hashem runs the world, and none of our own efforts, strengths, or the might of our hands bring about anything without Hashem willing it. Kedusha is to subjugate our cravings and hand over our enjoyment and lusts to Hashem. When the Temple will be rebuilt B”H, I will infuse myself with holiness, as I go down to my orchard and tie a red string around one of the most succulent figs. I will be subjugating my base desire to gobble it up myself, while I proclaim that it is bikkurim. Offering the first and the best to Hashem will ingrain my emunah that absolutely nothing can exist or grow without Hashem bringing it into creation. During our wandering in the wilderness, we by default acquired the two foundations of kedusha and emunah by quenching our thirst through the holy, miraculous well of Miriam and receiving bread directly from heaven. Whereas regular food arouses lust, eating the manna directly from Hashem’s hand imbued us with the highest holiness. The wilderness wandering experience moreover strengthened our emunah by imprinting within our consciousness how no one but Hashem led us through individual providence.

Through the mitzvah of Bikkurim we Can Enter the Physical Realm of the Land while Maintaining our levels of Emunah and Kedusha

When we were on the verge of entering the Land of Israel, we were afraid of losing our high levels of kedusha and emunah of the wilderness, as we would have to work within the physical realm to sustain ourselves. When doing all the work necessary to grow the fruits of the land, it would be much harder to maintain the clear belief that everything emanates from Hashem, rather than from the power of our own hands. Therefore, Hashem gave us the mitzvah of bikkurim to enable us to enter the Land of Israel and be occupied in earthly pursuits while maintaining our levels of emunah and kedusha. Although we work so hard plowing, sowing, weeding, composting, etc. for the fruit of our labor, the mitzvah of bikkurim – offering the first fruits to Hashem – ensures our emunah that “it is Hashem our G-d, who gives us strength to make wealth…” Rather than being enticed by the erroneous belief that “My strength and the might of my hand has accumulated this wealth for me.” (Devarim 8:17-18). Moreover, our willingness to hand over to Hashem our cravings to grab the first fruit for ourselves – which naturally is the object of our greatest desire – elevates us to the level of holiness. Thus, by offering our earthly goods to Hashem through the mitzvah of bikkurim we can strengthen our clarity of emunah and sanctify ourselves in kedusha while being involved in earthly pursuits. Therefore, this mitzvah enables us to merit to enter the land of Israel.

Overcoming the two Worst Husks Opposing our Jewish Essence: Emunah and Kedusha

The declaration that accompanies the mitzvah of bikkurim establishes the two foundations of Judaism: Emunah and kedusha. The declaration opens by mentioning their two opposing forces: “You shall call out and say before Hashem, your G-d, ‘An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people, and there, he became a great, mighty, and numerous nation…’” (Devarim 26:5). The Aramean refers to Lavan, who embodied the husk of כְּפִירָה/kefirah – ‘heresy,’ which is the opposite of emunah. He claimed that everything belonged to himself rather than to Hashem, saying, “The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the animals are my animals, and all that you see is mine” (Bereishit 31:43). Therefore, we proclaim that Lavan is destroyed and lost as the word אֹבֵד/oved can be understood to not only refer to Lavan’s desire to destroy Israel but also to Lavan’s own destruction. Mentioning the Egyptian exile refers to the husk of unholiness, for Egypt is known as the nakedness of the land – the source of unholy lusts. In the bikkurim recital, we distance ourselves from the two worst husks: Lavan and Egypt – who are diametrically opposed to the two main foundations of the Torah, emunah and kedusha. Thus, through the mitzvah of bikkurim, we can maintain our spiritual level while being involved in working the physical land. Only in the Land of Israel does heaven and earth meet. This is alluded to in the first word of Parashat Ki Tavo is וְהָיָה /vehaya – ‘It shall be.’ The letters of this word are the initials of יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ(The heavens will rejoice, and the earth will exult). When a Jew elevates all the earthly, it arouses happiness above. This is the work of these days of teshuva, during the month of Elul, through which we Jews must elevate everything we have to Hashem. Thereby, we can establish, “When you enter the land…” – elevating the aspect of entering the land and the earthly to the source of holiness (Based on Netivot Shalom on Devarim pp.160-162).

EmunaHealing Exercise for Integrating Emunah and Kedusha Available in the Land of Israel

1. Close your eyes and settle down on the ground or relax in your chair. Take several deep breaths and center yourself. Allow all thoughts to pass through you, noticing them without judgment.

2. Tap into your ancestral memory or imagine you are wandering in the wilderness together with your fellow Jews. As Hashem takes care of you, leads you through His cloud of glory and pillar of fire, and feeds you the ethereal manna, allow yourself to feel how you are completely enveloped by the emunah that everything is from G-d. Enjoy this carefree feeling of letting go of all control to Hashem. All is G-d and G-d is all, you are part of this ‘allness’ – this oneness as you glide through the desert following Hashem’s lead.

3. Imagine receiving the manna from heaven and ingesting this spiritually nurturing nourishment. You are completely free of any earthly cravings as you enjoy your divine meal. Can you feel how kedusha enters you with every single bite? Revel in the holiness you experience within you, feeling light and illuminated.

4. Soon you will be leaving your safe and holy incubation, and entering an earthly place, where you will fight wars, till the earth, and be sustained by the fruits of your labor.

5. Get in touch with the challenge of remembering that everything is Hashem, even as we employ our own efforts to succeed. How can we maintain the clarity that it is Hashem and only Hashem Who gives us strength to make wealth and succeed in any of our endeavors? Feel the tension and the challenge to recognize that no matter how wise and clever we are to bring about successful abundance, these results are ONLY due to Hashem.

6. Allow yourself to experience the feeling of your earthly desires like when munching on juicy grapes or a crisp steak, or any other favorite food of yours. Imagine the feeling of wanting more and the challenge of eating slowly and chewing every bite.

7. Recall that through the power of the most uplifted holiness of the land of Israel, a Jew can elevate all earthly matters to Hashem. Envision yourself being in the holy land of Israel right now. Visualize the rolling hills, the intensity of the blueness of the sky, and the beauty of the fruits of the land. Breathe in all of this beauty through which the physical and the spiritual realms unite.

8. The physical land of Israel is imbued with holiness. In Israel every rock and pebble, every grain of sand every drop of dew is holy. Breathe into the notion that in the land of Israel, you can elevate the physical realm to be included in the spiritual.

9. Recite the first word of Parashat Ki Tavo is וְהָיָה /vehaya – “It shall be” softly, barely audibly. Repeat it as many times as you like, breathe into this word וְהָיָה /vehaya וְהָיָה /vehaya וְהָיָה /vehaya. This word is the initials of יִשְׂמְחוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵל הָאָרֶץ/yismechu hashamayim vetagel ha’aretz (The heavens will rejoice, and the earth will exult). Tap into the unity between heaven and earth that can be experienced in the Land of Israel. Breathe into it and get in touch with your desire to truly live a life of holiness and faith in the Land of Israel. You may open your eyes when you are ready to return to your reality wherever you are right now.