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“Set and Setting”: Preparing Ourselves for a Transformative Purim Experience
Hi. I have always found Purim to be an incredibly “noisy” day. It’s so easy to become distracted by everything that needs to get done! I’m wondering if you have any practical advice as to how to truly experience the joy and spirituality of Purim. Thank you! Thank you so much for this important question!…
Read MoreHakitzu VeRanenu #23a: “Then, Our Mouths will Fill with Laughter”
Joy is perhaps one of the most sought-after necessities in our generation. It, too, finds its full revelation specifically in the light of the collective, national life-force. This is because simcha, joy, is synonymous with the Shechinah, the mystery of our collective “mother”, as the verse states, “The mother of the children shall rejoice.” (Tehillim…
Read MoreHakitzu VeRanenu #22: The Realization of the Individual and the Light of the National Collective
The movement in our generation to seek personal enlightenment and individual spiritual fulfillment is similarly not to be seen as a step backward from the collective spirit. It is, rather, the early drips emerging from this glorious level. Because when a person arrives at an exacting self-assessment of the very essence of his being, he…
Read MoreHakitzu VeRanenu #21: The General Experience of the Two Stages of Redemption (Part Two)
If we were to be living a nation-oriented life in a spiritual sense, with a perception of our unity and essential identity expressed in our service of Torah and mitzvos, the absence of the Beis HaMikdash, Korban Pesach, and Aliyah l’Regel would penetrate exceedingly, paining us sharply. We would feel like one who is lacking…
Read MoreDeveloping the Kohen Gadol’s Vision
Athough returning home to the United States is exciting in many ways, I found that this experience can be frightening as well. The first few days back home flew by as I enjoyed the luxuries that home has to offer following a long, accomplished zman. It is so incredible to be able to reconnect with…
Read More5 Things I Would Tell My Younger Self
If I could speak to my younger self (who I can still envision sitting alone on the back steps of my yeshiva in a grey sweatshirt, broken hearted in a way very few seemed able to understand, hugging his knees and wondering endlessly) here are five things I’d tell him: 1. Beyond serving as your…
Read MoreHakitzu VeRanenu #21: The General Experience of the Two Stages of Redemption (Part One)
In light of all the above, we are currently standing upon the threshold of the second stage, the mystery of Zechirah, which marks the arrival of the spirit that will bring a completed consciousness to the nation dwelling in its Holy Land, enabling them to live a life of Shechinah – as a single body…
Read MoreOur Heart Skipped a Beat
It was late Purim afternoon in Yerushalayim. Our lively, uplifting seuda winding down, we were getting ready to dance our way into Shabbos preparations. A minute before bentching, I glanced at my phone, and I felt a shock ripple through my being. I couldn’t believe the words I was reading. Maran Sar HaTorah, Rav Chaim…
Read MoreA Yeshiva Bochur’s Search for Meaning
“I’ve had enough!” I clenched my fists quickly, terrified of the repercussions of unleashing my pent-up anger. I swiftly made my way to the forest, my haven for moments like these. The outbursts didn’t occur infrequently anymore, and the serenity and fresh air of the Judean Hills always seemed to calm my nerves. That voice…
Read MoreHakitzu VeRanenu #20: The Danger of Blurring the Lines Between the Holy and the Mundane
There were great tzaddikim who already spoke about the realm of the holy and the realm of the mundane and their manifestation in body and soul. However, in order to comprehend their words in the proper way, it is crucial that we grow and become sanctified with Hashem’s holiness. Otherwise, it is possible to make…
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