I am excited to announce I have signed up to attend this incredible event today. The first convention took place last year which I had to miss because of timing constraints. The lineup looks terrific and the opportunity to mingle amongst fellow Jewish bloggers is too great to pass up a second time. If an award is given for the blogger who attends from the greatest distance, I will be in the running for first place! Defending Israel through social media is the session I am looking forward to the most. While I have been a longtime defender of Israel since this blog’s inception, the opportunity to get information firsthand to further my effort is the most precious. The “Scottish Jew” is in constant contact with me, but his aloof nature leads me to believe he will not attend with me. I can’t imagine what this convention will ingrain in my persona, but I hope it meets all my expectations. Would I miss this convention a second time knowing that the current affairs of world stage politics is so tumultuous? Don’t be rucking fidiculous! (And if you see me there, say hello. Not doing it is ridiculous!)http://www.nbn.org.il/

Começamos Yom Kipur com a tefilá de Kol Nidrei, porém será que sabemos realmente o que representa esta tefilá?

Traduzindo as palavras do sidur vemos que nada mais é do que uma afirmação que se fizemos algum tipo de promessa ou juramento durante o ano que passou (e inclusive deste Yom Kipur até o próximo Yom Kipur), nós nos arrependemos deles e pedimos para que não sejam levados em conta.

Não parece uma coisa absurda, justo no Dia do Perdão, começarmos com este tipo de pedido? Inclusive vemos que na tefilá de Kol Nidrei não há qualquer menção que denote se juramos coisas boas ou ruins e sim arrependimento de todos os juramentos e promessas.

Tentaremos enfocar de um modo um pouco diferente do habitual.

A Nefesh (alma) de cada pessoa faz parte do mundo espiritual eterno, suas raízes vêm diretamente do Trono de D’us. Do mesmo jeito que a árvore puxa seu alimento de sua raiz, a alma também tende sempre à sua raiz que é o mundo espiritual eterno.

Porém enquanto nossa alma está “vestida” em nosso corpo é natural que a alma seja “puxada” às necessidades físicas do corpo. O corpo “envolve” a alma desde os pés passando por todo o corpo até a cabeça, do mesmo jeito que os órgãos do corpo estão altamente ligados ao coração através de milhares de vasos pequenos ou maiores.

Mesmo que o coração “saiba” que a parte material do mundo é apenas temporária, não sendo comparável de forma alguma à parte espiritual, é pouco provável que o coração consiga se “desligar” do corpo já que está ligado a ele através destes vasos.

A Teshuvá na verdade é o desligamento das promessas. Não é o não cumprimento destas e sim o reconhecimento de que temos coisas que, apesar de sermos obrigados a fazer, como por exemplo, suprir as necessidades materiais do corpo, não tem que estar atadas a elas e sim às coisas que fazem parte do mundo espiritual eterno. Nós não nos arrependemos dos atos que fizemos e sim da forma como o fizemos.

Não quer dizer que tenhamos que desdenhar o mundo material, mas o que sim temos que fazer é utilizar as ligações fortes para nos atarmos ao mundo espiritual, que é o mundo eterno e as raízes de nossas almas.

O ex shaliach do Bnei Akiva Moshe Pozner deseja a todos Yehi Ratzon. Que D’us nos escreva e carimbe no Livro da Vida, junto à todo Am Israel.

Pearls from the Vilna Gaon – Man vs. Animal, reprinted with the kind authorization of:

***Pearls from the Vilna Gaon*** Man vs. Animal translated by Rabbi Yosef Peretz

Rabbi Eliyahu of Vilna, commonly known as the Gaon (literally “genius”) was probably the most influential Jewish leader in modern history. He never assumed any official position of leadership and spent his time in almost total isolation toiling day and night in torah study. He became the undisputed greatest torah scholar and kabbalist in modern history.

from the Vilna Gaon’s Barak HaShachar commentary on Koheles/Ecclesiastes

“What has a man more

of all his labor wherein

he labors under the

sun?” (Koheles 1:3)

“It is known that in a man there are four powers:

1) Domem (inanimate – minerals, liquids, etc.)

2) Tzomeach (growth-plants)

3) Chai (living-animal)

4) Medaber (speaking-human)

The domem (inanimate) has no nefesh (true soul. it has only a sustaining power.) at all. And its name testifies on itself (domem means ’silent’).

The tzomeach (plant) has one soul, and it is the ‘nefesh tzomachas’ (soul of growth).

The Chai (animal) has in it an additional lifeforce spirit (ruach) with which ends the boundary of the chai (i.e. the animal has no higher connection).

In a man there is an additional intellectual power. He is the ‘medaber’ (speaking), because only through the intellect can one be called ‘medaber’, as is known, because there are also some birds who can speak.

Therefore we find that there are 3 souls in a man, the tzomeach, the chai, and the sichli (intellectual) and they are the nefesh, ruach, and neshama. (see book Shaarei Kedusha for greater details).

The nefesh dwells in the liver, the ruach in the heart, and the neshama in the brain. And each one goes and desires to its root.

The nefesh lusts for food and drink because it nourishes and grows and reproduces, (i.e. it is in charge of all the involuntary body functions), therefore it lusts for these things. And also, it is known that all the gidul (growth) and food comes to the liver and from it to the other limbs (since the liver processes all the blood which contains all the food). And likewise all taavas (lusts for indulgences) come from the liver, as known in the zohar on the verse “Let me swallow, some of this red, red pottage” (Bereishis 25:30). (The Torah also associates the nefesh with blood, as in “The Nefesh of flesh is in the blood.” (Vayikra 17:11).

And the ruach lusts for honor, wealth, because the power of the ruach arouses as is known. And all the midos (traits) of jealousy, arrogance, and the other midos are branches of these – and everything is in the heart. Therefore the Sages said that an evil heart is the root of all bad midos and likewise a good heart to all the good midos, as written (in pirkei avos 2:13) “for in his words (a good heart) yours are included“.

And they are called together the nefesh and ruach behemit (animal) because they are also in an animal. Therefore they desire animal things (food, dominance, etc.).

And the soul is a ‘chelek Eloki mimaal’ (Divine part from on high) , and lusts for G-dly things, and it is in the brain, the place of wisdom and thought, as written in Iyov 28:12 and in mishlei in many places. And likewise thought is the dveikus and yira (clinging to the awareness of G-d’s presence) which all of mishne torah (book of Devarim) emphasizes as written “And now Israel what does G-d ask of you…” and many verses as is known…
And it is known that there are 3 midos which take a person out of this world, they are the roots to all the (bad) midos – kina (jealousy), taava (lust for indulgence), and kavod (honor). And taava is in the nefesh while kina and kavod are in the ruach, and they are the 3 midos of the disciples of the wicked Bilaam
1)”nefesh rechava” (wide nefesh) which refers to taava therefore they used the term ‘nefesh’.
2) “ruach gevoha” (inflated spirit) which refers to honor, hence the use of the term ‘ruach’
3) “ayin raah” (an evil eye) is jealousy…
Those who possess these qualities, even their good deeds are not le shem shamayim (for the sake of heaven, i.e. with pure motives). The one with a nefesh taava does tzedaka only with the remainders of what he can’t put in his stomach as written in the sefer hakane, while the one with a ruach gevoha (inflated spirit) does only to make a name for himself…

…
There are 3 times in a man:
1) the days of aliya (ascent) which are until 20, because then one’s growth has finished as known, and likewise the intellect has finished (matured) therefore then the (primary) neshama comes to a man (from above if he is worthy) as is known that at his birth the nefesh comes. And at 13 the (primary) ruach, and at 20 the neshama which completes his intellect…

And until 20 which is the time of the growing of the body from the tzomeach (nefesh in charge of growth, nourishment, and reproduction) he goes after the hevel (futilities of this world)…
And on the verse “what benefit is there to a man who toils under the sun”, the Sages expounded that this implies that toil below the sun is futile, but toil above the sun is not futile. The “sun” refers to the neshama which shines to a man with wisdom…and this is what is meant by “under the sun” – under the neshama, which refers to the nefesh and ruach which are below it as is known. And it means all of one’s toil, even the toil in torah and mitzvos which he does with them is worth nothing. As he continues “veraiti..” and likewise in the talmud, “lelomdehem lo neemar..”

And it is known that the superiority of a man over an animal is only because of the neshama, as above. And if his toiling is with the ruach and nefesh (selfish motives), he is like an animal. And this is what is meant by “What has a man more of all his labor wherein he labors under the sun?” (Koheles 1:3) – what is he greater as a man in all his toil,etc.
(see the original hebrew (commentary on Koheles) for the full version)

note:This does not mean that the neshama is primary. The primary of a man is the heart (ruach). The heart is the king over him (Vilna Gaon on Yonah) and rules over his decisions and desires. The neshama is there to help to guide him and straighten his ways as the Vilna Gaon writes:

(from lamed likutim sof sefer dtzniuta)
Man and time are male and female. The totality of man and all the souls of men, are one body and are male (all the souls of men existed together in Adam before the sin, while all the souls of women were in Chava). And the totality of all the years of the world (i.e. time) are female – see beginning of tikun 69 (103b), which are nefesh (time) and ruach (man). And the nefesh is the partner of the body, therefore, the days and years become a body for the ruach, in the secret meaning of the verse “the female encircles the man” (Yirmiya 31:22), as written in Tikun 22, that the female is the body of the male.

Therefore (in the body) there are 248 limbs (and likewise 248 positive commandments in the torah) corresponding to the man and 365 negative commandments corresponding to the days of the year. And the Sages have said that “time is man’s friend and loves him”. And time was divided to 3 parts – past, present, and future corresponding to nefesh, ruach, and neshama of a man. And just like the head of a man is honorable (large) and goes and diminishes (down to the jaw), so too time. And just like the heart is the essence of a man, and likewise the ruach, and the neshama only serves to teach a man intelligence to guide him. So too all the focus of time is in the present. But the past is already gone and it is a great and effective, teacher (to learn lessons from past mistakes of self or others). As for the future “do not worry about tomorrow” and a man should not think about it because it is not his. As written therefore “one is worrying about a world which does not belong to him” (Yevamos 63b)…

comment: For an explanation of why G-d created man with an animal and spiritual side, see the unparalleled book “the Way of G-d” by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Gate 1) (Feldheim publishers, Aryeh Kaplan translation). There are also classes online.

see also:
3 Roots of Evil – The Role of the Jews special audio by Rabbi Uziel Milevski, zt’l
(former chief Rabbi of Mexico and senior lecturer at Ohr Somayach, Jerusalem)

I speak with a lot of people about making aliyah. While I can address most financial planning questions, potential aliyaniks have tons of questions about everything: ranging from choosing a bank and bank account to choosing between renting and buying a home. Most of the time, the reason people don’t move to Israel is financial. People think it’s just to hard to make it here.

I recommend to everyone that they speak with Nefesh B’Nefesh, an amazing organization that has really lowered the bar for making aliya from the U.S.

That said, I think that there are 3 financial reasons to make aliyah — right now.

1. Historically low exchange rates: what did he say? If the dollar is so weak right now (3.6 or so, egads), why would I want to move to Israel if the value of my home currency is eroding? That’s the point! Just like investing in the stock market, investors are best served by investing when things are cheap, on sale. The dollar/shekel exchange rate is historically weak right now. When it returns to a more normalized level of, say 4.3, that’s a 20% gain. Instead of the Big Mac index, I like to use the Felafel Index, and that’s a lot of falafel.
2. Smart money is coming to Israel: The Donald did it and Warren Buffett is doing it in a major way. Warren Buffett bought Israel metal works concern, Iscar, for $4 billion. Not only that but he said that everyone at his firm Berkshire Hathaway thinks him the smarter for doing so. Giddy-up.
3. The Internet makes for automated, recurring businesses: Reading Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Work Week should enable anyone with any reservations to make aliyah. Tim addresses how to live like a millionaire, even if you aren’t one yet. Tim’s ideal? Creating recurring revenue streams by setting up an Internet business. This could be an e-commerce business selling Ahava products on eBay or it can be selling research on Israeli companies in newsletter format. There’s even free Wi-Fi on Ben Yehuda.

It’s time to do it. Make the plunge with no regrets.

Vendredi 16 novembre 2007

Leçon N°1 :

02:15 – 03:15

Etude matinale en hébreu 1ère partie – Rav Laitman:”Shamati” 4 traduction simultanée en français

Shamati articles quatre

Quel est le raison de la lourdeur de l’homme face au créateur ?

Le manque de foi.

La foi est un ressenti du monde supérieur du monde de Bina.

Le choix était ressenti de l’existence du créateur et son attirance.

Le Rav fait l’analogie avec une oreillette raillée radio et l’attribut du don : c’est la perception nouvelle de l’amour de l’autre.

La mesure du ressentie de l’attribut du don se fait dans le Kélim.

La perception se fait par équivalent se de forme.

L’homme arrive à la spiritualité touchée par valeurs de respectabilité de la société (le groupe).

L’influence du groupe permet de ressentir l’égoïsme comme « une maladie spirituelle » rendant aveugles aux mondes spirituels dont il veut se débarrasser au plus vite.

Le manque du créateur une fois tournait vers le groupe est personnelle, le manque du groupe par la prière élève, mais pas le manque de personnel.

La progression par Internet est identique que par les élèves d’Israël dans la classe du Rav.

Il y a de l’avenir pour Internet, pour la spiritualité.

Internet tombera et la connexion spirituelle prendra la suite.

Le Rav parle de son décès et de l’avenir de l’apprentissage.

Il est dit qu’il est le dernier kabbaliste de formation traditionnelle depuis Abraham.

Il ne faut pas s’inquiéter de la suite.

Il y a les archives.

La force du livre et de la masse peut se passer de professeur.

On revient au stade de l’apprentissage des premiers temps, du temps de Moïse avec 600 000 hommes parmi 3 millions de personnes.

Si l’objectif prévu par cette méthode.

Tout désir en avant qu’il se matérialise est une prière.

Cela est important et doit être automatique. C’est le désir de don et pas de réception.

Leçon N°2 :

03:20 – 04:20

Cours du Rav Laitman en hébreu, 2ème partie: “Introduction à la sagesse de la Kabbale”, traduction simultanée en français

kabbalah la Matrim

Préface à la sagesse de la kabbale.

La kabbale est une science. Le Rav commente un détail les différentes phases de la réparation.

Il fait apparaître la naissance de la honte, dans la phase trois.

C’est dans la phase quatre, avec la faculté de donner sans intervention de la lumière, il se créait la tête du partsouf.

Le Rav décrite en détail la structure du partsouf.

Cette partie est dense d’explications techniques, et est dédiée aux étudiants nouvellement arrivés.

Les dessins ici sont essentiels pour comprendre.

Le Rav décrit les partsoufims pour chaque lumière.

Exemple du repas avec la honte de recevoir, lors du choix du plat et sa quantité.

Honte d’avoir reçu et à m’empêche de se retrouver dans la même situation.

Est aussi le Rav base ses explications sur des dessins fournis, dense.

Leçon N°3 :

04:20 – 05:20

Cours matinal du Rav Laitman en hébreu 3eme partie: Article du Baal HaSoulam “La Liberté” traduction simultanée en français

Kabbalah la Matrim

La liberté

Article : l’âme et l’homme de Nefesh.

La liberté et l’article le plus basique de la kabbale.

Qu’est-ce que le libre choix ?

La liberté vient du créateur. Elle n’est pas liée à la réalité, à notre parti animal, mais fait partie de l’âme et peut être relié au don de donner.

Le libre choix existe dans le choix dans la construction de l’âme.

Une fois choisie, le chemin de la réparation, le choix disparaît, sauf quand il doit décider, s’il se lie au groupe ou non.

Le Rav explique cela avec un dessin.

Le choix n’est que par rapport au groupe.

Le choix se situe entre l’animalité ou matérialité et spiritualité.

La spiritualité commence à la barrière.

L’action en spiritualité se fait au travers du groupe.

En me liant à eux je progresse.

Les coups ne révèlent que la raison de l’existence mais pas le choix qui est source de spiritualité au travers du groupe.

Les coups étant de plus en plus qualitatif amènent vers la spiritualité.

Ils doivent choisir la kabbale pour se réparer.

Questions sur les étudiants par Internet : réponse page 500 du livre.

Personne ne mérite d’aller vers la spiritualité. On est dans le temps du basculement par la masse et non par les individus.

La distance n’existe pas, seul l’apprentissage précédent crée une différence. Internet a été fait pour nous. Exemples sur les amis du Middle West des USA et de l’étudiant d’Israël qui est le moins présent au cours.

Question :

Dans le degré de l’homme juste non fini, y a-t-il libre-choix ?

Oui, mais très limités.

L’homme a le libre choix d’appartenir au Kli mondial, il est constitué de plusieurs centaines de 1000 personnes.

Les gens seuls ou isolés peuvent constituer un groupe pour une diffusion par journaux.

La diffusion aux proches est interdite.

La diffusion par Bnei Baruch coûte 200 000 $ par mois.

Le Zohar :

08:30 – 10:00

Cours en direct du Rav Laitman ouvert au public, traduction simultanée en français: “Préface au Zohar”.

Les kabbalistes créaient le Kli par la lumière développée. L’image du monde perçu est limitée par l’étroitesse de perception de nos sens.

L’image en tant que telle du monde (complète) et est dans einsoft.

En développant le Kli (âme) le Rav perçoit un monde spirituel et voit sa vie, sans son corps.

Paragraphe neuf

le Zohar ne s’occupe que des âmes.

En fonction de l’influence des mondes sur la lumière blanche, la lumière perçue est différentes.

Les forces dans le monde d’apsilout et sont nommés par lettres.

Le Rav explique la relation des âmes avec les forces et lumières avec un dessin.

Chaque lettre correspond à une force particulière.

Un kabbaliste recevant de la lumière recompose la lumière en lettre est en lit des mots.

C’est mon recompose un texte qui permet d’en exprimer des émotions. Ainsi le livre permet exprimer des émotions.

On ne peut ressentir que la lettre de l’endroit où l’on se trouve. Un kabbaliste agit sur la nature et la change.

Il existe des livres de prières kabbalistes expliquant le mode d’emploi de l’utilisation des lettres.

Tout ce que nous ressentons dans la vie peut être traduit par des lettres qui peuvent être résumées par les 22 lettres, soit 22 situations.

La préface du Zohar par le Baal Hasoulam explique bien le passage dans les mondes.

Paragraphe 11

il y a 4° de l’attente.

L’homme et sa matière, sa forme, et revêtu de sa forme et l’essence de l’homme.

L’essence de l’homme non revêtu de la matière ne peut être discutée car non atteint.

2 % du cerveau fonctionnent avec nos sens habituels.

Il existe beaucoup de formes non connues dit le Rav.

Elles sont imperceptibles par nos sens habituels.

Le Rav et donne plusieurs exemples de forme revêtue ou non à la matière. Les erreurs sont souvent citées dans la religion d’où la crise actuelle.

Le mensonge a fait beaucoup de tort.

L’étude de formes abstraites n’apporte rien à la réparation et n’est pas être lié à la réalité.

La philosophie est basée là-dessus et est source donc de problème.

L’éducation doit changer en fonction de cela.

L’enfant doit être invité à dévoiler le monde.

Questions-réponses : le Rav et parle du théâtre et d’une discussion avec la Russie son interlocuteur de 70 ans n’avait rien compris. La forme abstraite n’est pas tirée de la vie. À nos enfants il faut amener des formes correctes et vraies de la vie.

Le Rav prévoit un jeu interactif ou les émotions vraies permettent de changer.

Le théâtre est bâti sur le mensonge. Les acteurs de théâtre sont mensongers sur eux.

Le Rav prévoit pour les enfants de jouer un rôle sur les âmes.

Les acteurs auraient un rôle vrai, créé par l’habitude. La réalité ne serait pas travestie.

Le cours touchant sa fin, le Rav et nous fait part de son épuisement suite à cette longue journée ayant commencé huit heures avant.