Practical Holiness

There is a common misconception. Many people believe that in order to be "Holy" you must remove yourself from the world. This would be in forms of abstinence, fasting and gnerally avoiding contact with people. This idea however makes holiness into rather a negative experience and not very enticing to people.

Let us therefore redefine.

Holiness means to be Godly. The Torah commands us; You shall be Holy Because I, God, am holy. Let's think aboout Gods holiness for a minute. Doesn't seem to meet the same critria as our holiness at all.

Being a Jew and being holy requires us to go in the way of God which is imitating his actions. Just as He is merciful, so too we must be merciful. Gods creation of the world was only in order to do good for His creations, we should emulate God and be good to His creations as well.

Holiness means smiling at your neighbor. Holiness means helping the little kid who just fell off his bike. Holiness means feeding a cat. Holiness is giving charity.

Yom Ha'atzmaut

Israel Independence Day is coming up this Monday. On this day Israelis take great pride in the fact that they have created an independent state of Israel.

Many parades and celebrations take place all over the country.

Let us not lose focus of the fact that without God nothing would have happened. His help throughout our exile, shining His guiding light down on us and blessing us with the strength and courage to overcome our enemies.

We are not out of the woods yet either. We are still just a small country between millions of people that seek to destroy us.

Let us take this day of independence and declare our subservience to God. Only then can we beg Him to help us further and send us the ultimate redemption!!

Kotel Photos

I have the great privilige of living quite close to the Western (wailing) wall.

I have some pretty good shots of things that go on there and hope to post some now and then.

Happiness

Happiness is the key to a good life.

This is probably the most notable teaching of Rabbi Nachman.

This is so true. A good, healthy and happy attitude can change the most tasking situations into a pleasure.

Remember, it's all in the attitude.

Remember that EVERYTHING comes from God and He knows what He's doing. Even if things are looking rough now, wait a little, have patience and pray, and God will pull you out.

Breslov Studies

Hi. I hope to start publishing thought and ideas based on our chassidic, or hasidic, masters. propbably will be based mostly on the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and his diciple Rebbi Natan.

Their teachins are found mostly in the books Likutey Moharan and Likutey Halachot.

This is very exciting for me and I hope some of you will join me for this.

stay posted....