Podcasts about Yetzirah

“The Jewish voice must be heard, not because it's more right or less right, but it's there. The suffering is there, the grief is there, and human grief is human grief.” As Jews around the world mark Tisha B'Av, we're joined by Columbia University professor and award-winning poet Owen Lewis, whose new collection, “A Prayer of Six Wings,” offers a powerful reflection on grief in the aftermath of October 7th. In this conversation, Lewis explores the healing power of poetry in the face of trauma, what it means to be a Jewish professor in today's campus climate, and how poetry can foster empathy, encourage dialogue, and resist the pull of division. *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.   Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod:  Latest Episodes:  An Orange Tie and A Grieving Crowd: Comedian Yohay Sponder on Jewish Resilience From Broadway to Jewish Advocacy: Jonah Platt on Identity, Antisemitism, and Israel Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: The Dinah Project's Quest to Hold Hamas Accountable Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview:   Owen Lewis:   Overheard in a New York Restaurant.   I can't talk about Israel tonight.    I know.    I can't not talk about Israel tonight.    I know.    Can we talk about . . .   Here? Sure. Let's try to talk about here.   Manya Brachear Pashman:   On Saturday night, Jews around the world will commemorate Tisha B'av. Known as the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, the culmination of a three week period of mourning to commemorate several tragedies throughout early Jewish history.  As a list of tragedies throughout modern Jewish history has continued to grow, many people spend this day fasting, listening to the book of Lamentations in synagogue, or visiting the graves of loved ones. Some might spend the day reading poetry.  Owen Lewis is a Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics at Columbia University. But he's also the award-winning author of four poetry collections which have won accolades, including the EE Cummings Prize and the Rumi Prize for Poetry.  His most recent collection, A Prayer of Six Wings documents in verse his grief since the October 7 terror attacks. Owen is with us now to talk about the role of poetry in times of violence and war, what it's been like to be a Jewish professor on the Columbia campus, and a Jewish father with children and grandchildren in Israel. And also, how to keep writing amid a climate of rising antisemitism. Owen, welcome to People of the Pod. Owen Lewis:   Thank you so much, Manya. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So you opened with that short poem titled overheard in a New York restaurant. I asked you to read that because I wanted to ask whether it reflected how you felt about poetry after October 7.  Did you find yourself in a place where you couldn't write about Israel, but yet you couldn't not write about Israel? Owen Lewis:   Among the many difficult things of that First Year, not only the war, not only the flagrant attacks on the posters of the hostages one block from where I live, 79th and Broadway, every day, taken down every day, put back up again, defaced. It was as if the war were being fought right here on 79th and Broadway.  Another aspect that made this all so painful was watching the artistic and literary world turn against Israel. This past spring, 2000 writers and artists signed a petition, it was published, there was an oped about it in The Times, boycotting Israeli cultural institutions.  And I thought: artists don't have a right to shut their ears. We all need to listen to each other's grief, and if we poets and artists can't listen to one another, what do we expect of statesmen? Statesmen, yeah, they can create a ceasefire. That's not the same as creating peace. And peace can only come when we really listen to each other. To feel ostracized by the poetry community and the intellectual community was very painful. Fortunately, last summer, as well as this past summer, I was a fellow at the Yetzirah conference. Yetzirah is an organization of Jewish American poets, although we're starting to branch out. And this kind of in-gathering of like-minded people gave me so much strength.  So this dilemma, I can't talk about it, because we just can't take the trauma. We can't take hearing one more thing about it, but not talk about it…it's a compulsion to talk about it, and that's a way to process trauma. And that was the same with this poetry, this particular book.  I feel in many ways, it just kind of blew through me, and it was at the same time it blew through me, created this container in which I could express myself, and it actually held me together for that year. I mean, still, in many ways, the writing does that, but not as immediately and acutely as I felt that year.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   This book has been praised as not being for the ideological but for the intellectually and emotionally engaged. So it's not it's not something that ideologically minded readers will necessarily be able to connect to, or is it actually quite the opposite?  Owen Lewis:  Well, it's very much written from the gut, from the experience, from in a sense, being on the ground, both in Israel and here in New York and on campus, and trying to keep a presence in the world of poetry and writers. So what comes from emotion should speak to emotion. There are a few wisps of political statements, but it's not essentially a politically motivated piece of writing.  I feel that I have no problem keeping my sympathies with Israel and with Jews. I can still be critical of aspects of the government, and my sympathies can also be with the thousands of Palestinians, killed, hurt, displaced. I don't see a contradiction. I don't have to take sides.  But the first poem is called My Partisan Grief, and it begins on October 7. I was originally going to call the bookMy Partisan Grief, because I felt that American, Jewish, and Israeli grief was being silenced, was being marginalized. And I wanted to say, this is our grief. Listen to it. You must listen to this. It doesn't privilege this grief over another grief. Grief is grief. But I wanted ultimately to move past that title into something broader, more encompassing, more humanitarian. Manya Brachear Pashman:  And did that decision come as the death toll in Gaza rose and this war kept going and going and the hostages remained in captivity, did that kind of sway your thinking in terms of how to approach the book and frame it?  Owen Lewis:  Yes, but even more than those kind of headlines, which can be impersonal, the poetry of some remarkable Palestinian poets move me into a broader look. Abu Toha was first one who comes to mind Fady Joudah, who's also a physician, by the way. I mean his poetry, I mean many others, but it's gorgeous, moving poetry.  Some of it is a diatribe, and you know, some of it is ideological, and people can do that with poetry, but when poetry really drills down into human experience, that's what I find so compelling and moving. And that's what I think can move the peace process. I know it sounds quite idealistic, but I really think poetry has a role in the peace process here. Manya Brachear Pashman:  I want to I want to unpack that a little bit later. But first, I want to go back to the protests that were roiling Columbia's campus over the past year and a half, two years. What was it like to be, one, writing this book, but also, teaching on campus as a Jewish professor?  Owen Lewis:  Most of my teaching takes place up at the Medical Center at 168th Street. And there I have to say, I didn't feel battered in any way by what was happening. I had a very shocking experience. I had a meeting that I needed to attend on, or that had been scheduled, I hadn't been quite paying attention. I mean, I knew about the encampments, but I hadn't seen them, and I come face to face with a blocked campus. I couldn't get on the campus. And what I'm staring at are signs to the effect, send the Jews back to Poland. I'm thinking, Where am I? What is this? I mean, protest, sure. I mean we expect undergraduates, we expect humans, to protest when things really aren't fair. But what did this have to do…why invoke the Holocaust and re-invoke it, as if to imply the Jews should be punished? All Jews.  And what it fails to account for are the diversity of Jewish opinion. And you know, for some Jews, it's a black or white matter, but for most thinking Jews that I know, we all struggle very much with a loyalty to Israel, to the Jewish people, to the homeland and larger humanitarian values. So that was quite a shock. And I wrote a piece called “The Scars of Encampment,” in which I say, I can't unsee that. " And I go to campus, and, okay, it's a little bit more security to get onto campus. It's a beautiful campus. It's like an oasis there, but at the same time, I'm seeing what was as if it still is. And in a way, that's the nature of trauma that things from the past just roil and are present with almost as much emotion as when first encountered. Manya Brachear Pashman:  So did you need to tune out those voices, or did that fuel your work? Owen Lewis:  No, that fueled my work. I mean, if anything, it made me feel much more, a sense of mission with this book. And a commitment, despite criticism that I may receive, and no position I take is that outlandish, except to sympathize with the murdered on October 7th, to sympathize with their families, to resonate with what it must be like to have family members as hostages in brutal, brutal conditions. Not knowing whether they're dead or alive. So I really felt that the Jewish voice must be heard, not because it's more right or less right, but it's there. The suffering is there, the grief is there, and human grief is human grief. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Owen, if you wouldn't mind reading another poem from the collection. Of course, many of us remember the news out of Israel on Thanksgiving Day 2023, right after October 7th. And this poem is titled, “Waiting for the Next Release, Reported by the New York Times, November 23 2023”. Owen Lewis:  Waiting For the Next Release, Reported N.Y. Times, Nov. 23, 2023    Maybe tomorrow, if distrust  doesn't flare like a missile,  some families will be reunited.    How awful this lottery of choice; Solomon would not deliberate. Poster faces always before my eyes,   Among them, Emma & Yuli Cunio.  Twins age 3, Raz Katz-Asher, age 4, Ariel Bibas, another four year old.    What do their four year old minds make  of captivity? What will they say? What would my Noa say?    What will the other Noas say?  Remembering Noa Argamani, age 26,  thrown across the motorcycle    to laughter and Hamas joy.   I have almost forgotten this American day,  Thanks- giving,   With its cornucopian harvests,  I am thinking of the cornucopian  jails of human bounty.    (What matter now who is to blame?) Manya Brachear Pashman:  Really beautiful, and it really captures all of our emotions that day. You have children and grandchildren in Israel, as I mentioned and as you mentioned in that poem, your granddaughter, Noa. So your grief and your fear, it's not only a collective grief and fear that we all share, but also very personal, which you weave throughout the collection.  In another poem, “In a Van to JFK”, you talk about just wanting to spend one more hour with your family before they fly off to Israel. And it's very moving.  But in addition to many of the poems, like the one you just read, they are based on and somewhat named for newspaper headlines, you said that kind of establishes a timeline. But are there other reasons why you transformed those headlines into verse? Owen Lewis:  Yes, William Carlos Williams in his poem Asphodel, says, and I'm going to paraphrase it badly. You won't get news from poems yet, men die every day for wanting what is found there. And I think it's a very interesting juxtaposition of journalism and poetry. And I mean, I'm not writing news, I'm writing where my reflections, where my heart, goes in response to the news, and trying to bring another element to the news that, you know, we were confronted.  I mean, in any time of high stress, you swear off – I'm not watching any more TV. I'm not even gonna look at the newspaper. And then, of course, you do. I can't talk about Israel today. I can't not talk about it. I can't read the paper. I can't not read the paper. It's kind of that back and forth. But what is driving that? And so I'm trying to get at that next dimension of what's resonating behind each one of these headlines, or resonating for me. I mean, I'm not claiming this is an interpretation of news. It's my reaction, but people do react, and there's that other dimension to headlines. Manya Brachear Pashman:  That seems like it might be therapeutic, no? Owen Lewis:  Oh, totally, totally. You know, I'm very fortunate that having started a career in medicine, in psychiatry, and particularly in child and adolescent psychiatry. I always had one foot in the door academically. I spent, you know, my life as, I still teach, but I'm very fortunate to have, maybe 10+ years ago, been introduced to a basically a woman who created the field of Narrative Medicine, Rita Sharon. And now at Columbia in the medical school, we have a free-standing Department of Medical Humanities and Ethics, of which she's chairman.  So I've had the fortune of bringing psychiatry and medicine and writing together in a very integrated way. And yes, writing is therapeutic, especially, I could say in medicine, which has given itself over to electronic medical record keeping, but our whole society is moving towards the electronic. And what happens when you sit and write, and what happens when you then sit and read, you reflect. Your mind engages in a different way that is a bit slower than the fast pace of electronic communications and instant communications and instant thinking. And now with AI, instant analysis of any situation you want to feed data from.  So that's sorely lacking in the human experience. And the act of writing, the act of reading has huge therapeutic values, huge salutary benefits for humans in general, but particularly in times of stress. In a lot of work on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, finding an outlet, an artistic outlet, it doesn't have to be writing, but that's often a way of transcending the trauma.  And medicine is filled with trauma. People trying to come to terms with acute illnesses, chronic illnesses. Doctors and caregivers trying to come to terms with what they can and can't do. And you know, we're coming up against limitations. But how do you make peace with those limitations? And it's not that it's a magical panacea, but it's a process of engagement, not only with the subject, but with yourself in relation to the subject. Manya Brachear Pashman:  I mean, I imagine dialogue is really the healthiest way of conversation and speaking through and interacting with a topic. And so I would imagine poetry, or, as you said, any art form, responding to news reports, it makes that a two way conversation when you're able to process and it's not just the headlines shouting at you, you're actually interacting and processing it by writing and reaction, or painting and reaction, whatever you choose to do. Owen Lewis:  Exactly. Manya Brachear Pashman:  You have said that poetry can serve a purpose during times of war. Is this one of the purposes to to be therapeutic or are you talking more in terms of what statesmen could learn from it?  Owen Lewis:  Well, yes, of course, what statesmen could learn from it, but it's human nature to want to take sides. I mean, that's kind of just what we do. But I think we can always do better than that. So I'm really talking about the people. I mean, there are also many Jews who are so angry at Israel that they can't listen to the story of Jewish grief. They should be reading mine and others poetries from this era. I wish the Palestinian poets were. I wish the Palestinian people. I mean, of course, in their current situation, they don't have time when you're starving, when you're looking for your next glass of fresh water. You don't have time for anything beyond survival.  But once we get beyond that, how long are these positions going to be hardened. I mean, I think when the people of all sides of the dilemma really listen to the others, I mean, they're, I mean, if, unless as Hamas has expressed, you know, wants to push Israel into the sea, if Israel is going to coexist with the Palestinian people, whether they're in a nation or not in a nation, each has to listen to the other.  And it's, you know, it's not one side is right, one side is wrong. It's far too complex a history to reduce it to that kind of simplicity. And I think poetry, everyone's poetry, gets at the complexity of experience, which includes wanting to take sides and questioning your wanting to take sides and moving towards something more humanitarian.  Manya Brachear Pashman:  You said earlier, you recommend Abu Toha, Fady Joudah, two Palestinian poets who have written some beautiful verse about– tragically beautiful verse–about what's happening. But there have been some really deep rifts in the literary world over this war. I mean, as you mentioned before, there was a letter written by authors and entertainers who pledged to boycott Israeli cultural institutions. Some authors have refused to sell rights to their books to publishers in Israel. So why not reciprocate? And I know the answer. I think you've already addressed it pretty well. What's wrong with that approach? Owen Lewis:  In any conflict, there are at least three sides to the conflict. I mean, claims to nationhood, claims to who shoved first, who. I mean, you don't entangle things by aggressively reacting. I mean, if we learned anything from Mahatma Gandhi, it's what happens when we don't retaliate, right? And what happens when we go the extra mile to create bridges and connections.  There are a host of people in Israel who continue to help Palestinians get to medical facilities, driving them back and forth, working for peace. I mean, there's a Palestinian on the Supreme Court of Israel, and well, he should be there. You know, that's the part of Israel that I am deeply proud of. So why not retaliate? I think it entrenches positions and never moves anything forward. Manya Brachear Pashman:  So have you gotten any negative feedback from your writing colleagues? Owen Lewis:  Some cold shoulders, yes. I mean not nothing overtly. I haven't been slammed in a review yet. Maybe that's coming. But when I publish pieces, I tend not to look at them. I had an oped in the LA Times. I've had some other pieces, you know, that precipitates blogs, and I started to read them.  And the first blog that came off of the the LA Times oped was, God, is he an opportunist, just taking advantage of having a daughter in Israel? And trying to make a name for himself or something. And I said, You know what, you can't put yourself out and take a position without getting some kind of flack. So occasionally, those things filter back, it's par for the course. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Right, not really worth reading some of those. You included Midrash in this book. You also spelled God in the traditional sense in the poems. Why did you choose to do that? Owen Lewis:  Well, I felt it honors a tradition of Jewish writing. It mean we have yud, hey, vav, hey, you know, which in English comes down as Yahweh, but it's unpronounceable. The name of God is unpronounceable. And, you know, yud, hey, vav, hey is just a representation. It isn't God's name. And there's a tradition that the name of God, when it's written down, can't be destroyed. And it's a way of honoring that tradition. Millennium of Jewish writers, you know, it's similar to say Elokim, instead of Elohim when the text is written. To sort of substitute. We know what we're talking about, but really to honor tradition, to pay respect and sort of to stay in the mind frame that, if there is a God, he, she, they, are unknowable. And somehow it creates, for me, a little bit of that mystery by leaving a letter out. It's like, G, O, D, seems more knowable than G-d. It's leaving that white space right for something bigger, grander, and mysterious, for the presence of that  right in the word itself. Manya Brachear Pashman:  And what about including Midrash? Owen Lewis: That's a very interesting question. You know Midrash for me, when you steep yourself in traditional Midrash, there's stories that exemplify principles and they fill in gaps. I mean, some of the most important. I mean, we have this notion of Abraham breaking the idols of his father before he left. No. That's Midrash, thats not in the Torah. And yet, nine out of ten Jews will say that's in the Torah, right? So, it kind of expands our understanding of the traditional text. But it also very much allows a writer to creatively engage with the text and expand it. It's like a commentary, but it's a commentary in story, and it's a commentary in terms that evoke human responses, not necessarily intellectual responses. So frankly, I think it's every Jews' responsibility to write Midrash. That reinvigorates the stories, the texts, and the meanings, and then we write midrashes upon midrashes. And you know, we get a whole community buzzing about a single story. Manya Brachear Pashman:  Which is very much what you've done with this collection, you know, writing poetry in response to news stories and engaging it in that way. It's very Jewish response, I would argue.  Do you observe Tisha B'av? Owen Lewis:  You know what I do. You're gonna laugh. My grandmother always warned us, don't go in the water on Tisha B'av, the sea will swallow you up. So I'm a big swimmer. I love swimming. I don't swim on Tisha B'av, because I hear my grandmother's voice, I'm going to be swallowed up. Manya Brachear Pashman:  If you could please wrap up this conversation by sharing a poem of your choice from your latest collection. Owen Lewis:  A poem I love to read again starts with a headline.   2000 Pound Bombs Drop, Reported N.Y. Times, Dec,, 22 2023.   In Khan Younis, the call to prayer  is the call of a dazed Palestinian child crying baba, standing at the brim of a cavernous pit of rubble   biting his knuckles–baba, baba . . .  It's so close to the abba of the dazed  Israeli children of Be'eri, Kfar Azza. There is no comfort. From his uncles   he's heard the calls for revenge– for his home and school, for his bed  of nighttime stories, for his nana's  whisper-song of G-d's many names.   His Allah, his neighbor's Adonai,  cry the same tears for death  and shun more blood. No miracle these waters turning red. Who called forth    the fleets of avenging angels? By viral post: Jewish Plagues on Gaza! A firstborn lost,  then a second, a third. What other plagues  pass over? Hail from the tepid sky?   From on high it falls and keeps falling.  Though we've “seen terrible things,” will you tell us, Adonai, Allah, tell us– do You remember the forgotten promise?   From the pile once home of rubble stone, a father's hand reaching out, baba, abba crushed by the load. We know the silence  of the lost child . . . G-d “has injured us   but will bind up our wounds . . .” Mothers  Look for us, called by the name yamma, calling  the name imma. Our father of mercy, not the god of sacrifice. Our many crying heads explode. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Owen Lewis, thank you so much for talking to us about how this book came about and for sharing some of these verses. Owen Lewis:   Thank you so much. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to listen to my conversation with Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2025. Hear how his Jewish identity shapes his work, how his comedy has evolved since the Hamas terror attacks, and what he says to those who try to silence him.

Sefer Yetzirah: Finitude Within Infinity:The Creative Force Expressed in Speech &Procreation

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Sefer Yetzirah :Decoding The Book of Creation. Writing the Story of Our Lives (Lecture 2)

Sefer Yetzirah : The Mysterious Book of Creation Decoded. (Lecture 1).

Unravel the hidden wisdom behind the viral sensation "Chi-Chi-Wa-Wa" with our esteemed guest, Rav Yussie Zachatinsky. Known for his profound insights, this revered Rav, Mashpia, and Tzadik sheds light on the cultural and spiritual phenomena stirred by Mendy Worsh and Thank You Hashem's unexpected hit. Discover how the seemingly whimsical metaphor of a Chihuahua becomes a powerful tool for personal growth, ultimately transforming our approach to life's challenges. From grocery aisles to family homes, this catchy tune has united generations, yet its true impact lies in the deeper message of elevating oneself above everyday struggles.Join us on an engaging journey as we explore how adopting a "Chi-Chi-Wa-Wa" mindset can lead to overcoming the notorious Yetzirah. Instead of confronting hardship head-on, embrace elevation through immersion in Torah and mitzvahs, as explained by Reb Yussie Zachatinsky. Let the nagging distractions of life fall away, much like dismissing a persistent Chihuahua tugging at your pants leg. With vivid anecdotes and enlightening perspectives, this episode invites listeners to apply these simple yet profound lessons to their own lives, celebrating the enduring resonance of this musical phenomenon.Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!Elevate your impact by becoming a TMC Emerald Donor! Your much-needed backing is crucial for our mission of disseminating the wisdom of the Torah. Join today for just $18.00 per month. (Use your maaser money!) https://buy.stripe.com/00g8xl5IT8dFcKc5ky---------------- SUBSCRIBE to The Weekly Parsha for an insightful weekly talk on the week's Parsha. Listen on Spotify or 24six! Access all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org ----------------Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Can sourdough challah rise without commercial yeast? Discover the science and artistry behind this enigmatic bread as we delve into the natural fermentation process that harnesses wild yeast and bacteria from the air. We'll guide you through the fascinating steps of creating a sourdough starter, demonstrating how water and flour can yield such unique flavors and textures. You'll learn why sourdough challah has garnered such acclaim and how this traditional method stands apart from modern baking techniques.Join us for a philosophical journey where we draw thought-provoking parallels between the natural yeast in the air and the concept of the Yetzirah from Jewish teachings. Explore how the ever-present wild yeast symbolizes life's challenges, urging us to stay humble and vigilant. Through the lens of baking sourdough challah, we reflect on the importance of self-awareness and humility. This episode is about baking and nurturing the soul, offering profound insights into the human condition. Don't miss this deeply engaging and reflective conversation!Support the showJoin The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!Elevate your impact by becoming a TMC Emerald Donor! Your much-needed backing is crucial for our mission of disseminating the wisdom of the Torah. Join today for just $18.00 per month. (Use your maaser money!) https://buy.stripe.com/00g8xl5IT8dFcKc5ky---------------- SUBSCRIBE to The Weekly Parsha for an insightful weekly talk on the week's Parsha. Listen on Spotify or 24six! Access all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org ----------------Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Sefer YetzirahAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if you could transform your spiritual life with just 60 seconds of contemplation a week? Discover how the teachings of the Ramchal provide the "Golden Key" to self-control and overcoming the Yetzirah, and learn how to ignite the dormant knowledge of God within you. Through reflection, we uncover the profound lessons from Parsha Chukas, recounting the pivotal losses of Miriam and Aaron HaKoen, Moshe's punishment for striking the rock, and the Israelites' dramatic encounter with Sihon, King of the Amorites. Witness the extraordinary power and support of Hakadosh Baruch Hu as these events unfold.Join us on an enriching journey as we explore the life-changing practice of cheshbon, or self-contemplation, inspired by the profound teachings of the Ramchal. We'll dive into the lives of exemplary figures like Moshe, Aaron HaKoen, Rashi, and David HaMelech to understand how honest reflection can lead to true success and fulfillment. By dedicating just 60 seconds weekly to pondering fundamental questions about our existence and role in God's world, you can foster genuine self-control and spiritual growth. Prepare to take a "vacation to the town of Hezbon" and achieve remarkable personal and spiritual development with us.Support the Show.Join The Motivation Congregation WhatsApp community for daily motivational Torah content!------------------Check out our other Torah Podcasts and content! SUBSCRIBE to The Motivation Congregation Podcast for daily motivational Mussar! Listen on Spotify or 24six! Find all Torah talks and listen to featured episodes on our website, themotivationcongregation.org Questions or Comments? Please email me @ michaelbrooke97@gmail.com

Description: The Rav's Zohar Session with the Sefer Yetzirah on the month of Tammuz (the astrological sign of Cancer)Date: 1989Track Number: 2 of 2Locations: Queens, New York, USALength: 60 minutesSources: The Sefer Yetzirah & The Zohar

Description: The Rav's Zohar Session with the Sefer Yetzirah on the month of Tammuz (the astrological sign of Cancer)Date: 1989Track Number: 1 of 2Locations: Queens, New York, USALength: 60 minutesSources: The Sefer Yetzirah & The Zohar

2 Sivan | Day 191 | Leap Year The Brains of the Worlds of Beriah and Yetzirah: Intellectual Torah and emotional Torah -- Can you spare four minutes a day to gain deeper insight into yourself, your soul, your spiritual make-up, your personal purpose, and how to enjoy a meaningful relationship with G-d? If yes, Let's Talk Tanya. Tanya, the seminal work of Chabad Chasidism, is the personal owner's manual for the Jew who seeks to serve G-d and live a life suffused with holiness, purpose, and joy. Let's Talk Tanya is a daily series that attempts to translate the Tanya into resonant and relevant language Tanya is divided into daily portions. Following this regimen, one concludes the Tanya every year. Let's Talk Tanya, in 4 minutes on average, briefly reviews the day's segment, conveys its basic ideas, and zooms in on one large idea. To watch, listen, or subscribe to Let's Talk Tanya: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkTanya Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3uFNrie Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3BqG9Tm Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3FMnvrs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letstalktanya/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetsTalkTanya www.letstalktanya.com To donate or for dedication opportunities, please visit letstalktanya.com/donate or reach us at contact@letstalktanya.com Have Tanya questions? Submit questions for possible inclusion in a future Tanya Q&A Segment: letstalktanya@gmail.com __ The full text of the daily Tanya is available at: www.Chabad.org/DailyTanya

One of the earliest works of Kabbalah is the Sefer Yetzirah - The Book of Formation, a very short book that describes the mystical building blocks of creation. The Talmud describes how the book was used by scholars to create a person.  A fascinating discussion about Sefer Yetzirah, its history, its impact and its teachings. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/zalman-gordon/support

On Thursday June 11th, 2020 the Hermetic Hour with host Poke Runyon will present a discussion on the Pagan Hermetic origins of the Sepher Yetzirah. This ancient book is the Philosophical and mystical foundation of the Medieval Hebrew Kabbalah. And eventually the Hermetic Qabalah which seems to recover its actual origins. It is traditionally attributed, by the Hebrews, to Father Abraham and was said to have been written by him in Harran where he is said to have “Made Souls” The Harranians were star-worshipers who preserved the star lore of ancient Babylon and eventually joined the Pythgorean - Hermetic magical tradition. The Sepher Yetzirah or Book of Creation describes how the Universe was created by the Word of God, using the proto-Hebrew Phoenician alphabet, the first alpha-numeric letter system. Which acquired twenty-four letters to accommodate the entire celestial sphere and the elements, and then became the origin of ancient Greek—which passed on its alpha-numeric heritage to Medieval Hebrew and Arabic. It has even been suggested that the second century Valentinian Magician Marcus wrote the earliest version of the Sepher Yetzirah. Even Gershom Scholem admits that the philosophy of the Sepher Yetzirah is Pythagorean. So, if you want to delve in to the depths of the mysteries join us for an hour of speculation on the origins of The Book of Creation. 

This week Jack and John dive into actual Jewish ritual magic and touch on meditation, golems, spells and commanding angels to do supernatural tasks.----------------------------------------------------- Find Jack on Twitter or his Website Find John on Twitter or his Website GET OUR READING LIST! Shop Aggadah Try It Books Intro and outro music ‘Skin and Bones' composed by Yoshie Fruchter and performed by Pitom, on Tzadik records

Welcome to the Rav Dror's Freedom Through Faith channel where Jewish spirituality and faith intersect to bring you profound insights and inspiration. Please Donate to support Rav Dror's work https://emunah.com/donate [We're a 501(c)3 non-profit] Store, Consultations & more https://linktr.ee/ravdror Emunah Project Inc website https://www.emunah.com Welcome to our Monday Learning session with the inspiring Rav Dror as he delves into the profound teachings of Kabbalah, focusing on the timeless wisdom from the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation). In this session, Rav Dror will guide us through the practical applications of Kabbalistic principles, offering valuable insights and techniques to enrich our lives and deepen our spiritual connection. Learn how to unlock the secrets of Sefer Yetzirah, gaining a profound understanding of creation, the universe, and our place within it. Subscribe and find engaging talks rooted in Torah teachings ranging from Kabbalah and Chasidic wisdom (especially from Rabbi Nachman of Breslov) to Torah and the Hebrew Bible. Rav Dror's talks are infused with personal stories and explore the power of faith, personal prayer (Hitbodedut), the beauty of Jewish heritage, and the results of the pursuit of inner strength. Discover how to navigate life's challenges, cultivate mindfulness, and awaken your soul to a higher purpose. Tune in to Rav Dror's captivating discussions and embark on a spiritual awakening that will empower you to live a life filled with meaning, joy, and freedom.

29 Iyar | Day 159 The Brain of the World of Yetzirah: The Torah that speaks in the language of emotions -- Can you spare four minutes a day to gain deeper insight into yourself, your soul, your spiritual make-up, your personal purpose, and how to enjoy a meaningful relationship with G-d? If yes, Let's Talk Tanya. Tanya, the seminal work of Chabad Chasidism, is the personal owner's manual for the Jew who seeks to serve G-d and live a life suffused with holiness, purpose, and joy. Let's Talk Tanya is a daily series that attempts to translate the Tanya into resonant and relevant language Tanya is divided into daily portions. Following this regimen, one concludes the Tanya every year. Let's Talk Tanya, in 4 minutes on average, briefly reviews the day's segment, conveys its basic ideas, and zooms in on one large idea. To watch, listen, or subscribe to Let's Talk Tanya: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkTanya Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3uFNrie Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3BqG9Tm Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3FMnvrs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letstalktanya/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetsTalkTanya www.letstalktanya.com To donate or for dedication opportunities, please visit letstalktanya.com/donate or reach us at contact@letstalktanya.com Have Tanya questions? Submit questions for possible inclusion in a future Tanya Q&A Segment: letstalktanya@gmail.com __ The full text of the daily Tanya is available at: www.Chabad.org/DailyTanya

From the interplay of Sovereignty and Intellect, comes forth the birth and creation of the next world. Each world further conceals G-d's intense light. Each of the worlds represents another part of Torah. Yetzirah is the level in which Mishnah, and angels are found.

The emanation of light from ChaBaD of Briah and Yetzirah which is the spiritual source for the Halachic laws, such an emanation cannot in fact serve as a source of created beings. Rather, this process resembles the drop that brings about a birth. For this reason, it is possible that created beings should result even from ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah.

Chapter 6.5, question 20

Chapter 6.1, question 2

Chapter 6.2, question 5

Chapter 6.3, question 12

Chapter 6.4, question 17

Chapter 6.6, question 26

Chapter 5.1, question 4

Chapter 5.2, question 7

Chapter 5.3, question 12

Chapter 5.4, question 17

Acts of holiness naturally rise beyond this world. When someone studies Torah without the intention to connect to Hashem, then the study does not rise to become incorporated with the ten sefirot. But it does rise! Torah is essentially holy and so its natural place is in a place of holiness, in the spiritual worlds above ours. In fact, angels are created from these acts of holiness either in our world of Asiya, or in the world of Yetzirah. All this is true so long as there were no contrary intentions. However, if the study was motivated by selfish interest, it remains trapped below in this world.

Chapter 4.2, question 11

Chapter 4.4 question 23

Chapter 4.6, question 26

Chapter 4.7, question 29

Chapter 4.1, question 6

Chapter 3:12, question 43

Chapter 3:11, question 40

Chapter 3:6-9, question 35

Chapter 3:10, question 38

Chapter 3:2, question 17

Chapter 3:5, question 29

Chapter 3:4, Question 27

Chapter 3:1 question 10

There's a distinction between the soul that serves and the service that it performs. Depending on the level of intention, the soul's service of Torah and mitzvot rise to be incorporated within the ten sefirot, the Divine life force, in the higher worlds of either Beriah or Yetzirah. But ultimately, the ten sefirot of the world of Atzilus, which are one with their Emanator, the blessed Infinite One, are within the ten sefirot of every world. The soul, on the other hand, remains in abodes and chambers of the world, as a separate being who delights in the radiance of the Shechina –– which turns out to be the radiance of his or her own Divine acts of Torah and mitzvos which they generated when they served down below in this world.

Normally, a soul who served Hashem with instinctive love and fear abides in the world of Yetzirah, as does the “ruach” of a righteous person's soul. However, on special occasions the soul gets to rise to a world beyond its normal self, a privilege not available to angels. Why this special treatment? Because an angel doesn't have to fight a dark side in order to implement its natural emotions. But a soul clothed in a physical body must resist evil in order to access its natural holiness, and that is tremendous!

In order to “inhabit” a world, there must be a common bond between the “self” and the “world.” The world of Yetzirah is a world of holy emotion and the angels who serve Hashem with their emotional instinct abide there. Emotions are their mode and so that is their world. The world of Beriah is a world where the Divine intellect, the source of the holy emotions, radiates. Righteous people who served Hashem with intellectually generated emotions abide in this higher world, where the setting is one of deeper identification with the Divine. 

Animals are instinctive beings of our physical world. But there are instinctive beings in the higher worlds too – these are the angels. Their powerful instincts of love or fear of Hashem are sublime and magnificent. However, it is a nature which they did not create by choice, by which they simply operate. From this we can appreciate the power of our own service, even if we cannot produce any new emotions, serving Hashem by tapping into the instincts of our soul. Our service then is at least as powerful as that of these mighty instinctive beings, the angels. Since the angels operate by instinct, their abode is in the world of Yetzirah. But the abode of the righteous who serve Hashem with intellectual love and fear, created out of free choice, is beyond that of the angels in the world of Beriah.

Submit your question now at https://www.chassidusapplied.com/ask-rabbi-jacobson, or email: info@chassidusapplied.com. WEBSITE: https://www.chassidusapplied.com/ EMAIL US: info@chassidusapplied.com SPONSOR A MYLIFE: CHASSIDUS APPLIED EPISODE, OR EXPLORE OTHER GIVING OPPORTUNITIES: https://www.meaningfullife.com/sponsorships THIS WEEK'S TOPICS: • Chassidus applied to Tazria and HaChodesh o What lessons do we learn from this week's Torah chapters? 2:02 o Is it possible to achieve renewal in our lives? 05:02 o What can we learn from people with tzaras leprosy being forced to quarantine? 09:04 o Why was it considered a good tiding if someone's house had leprosy? 12:09 • Shemini Follow-up: o Did Nadav and Avihu sin or did they sanctify G-d as ones who were “close” to Him”? 14:16 o How do we explain their behavior? 16:00 • Is there a connection between the four parshios of Shekalim, Zachar, Parah and HaChodesh and the four worlds of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah? 20:09 • Do we continue to increase in joy in the days of Adar after Purim? • How do we explain the ad d'lo yoda joy of Purim? • Which redemption is greater: Purim or Passover? • What is the significance of this year's Hebrew calendar? • Please provide perspective on the passing of Reb Chaim Kanievsky z”l • Follow-up: Should we be compassionate to Ukrainians? • Is it permissible to use a car and a phone on Shabbos during a war? • How do I begin the process of growing through my difficult life? • Reporting sexual abuse to the police? Follow-up • Chassidus question: What is the difference between shalosh klippos ha'tmayos and klipas nogah? MyLife: Chassidus Applied is a weekly video webcast candidly answering questions from the public about all life matters and challenges, covering the entire spectrum of the human experience. The objective of the program is to provide people with inspired guidance and direction, empowering them to deal with any issue they may face. MyLife demonstrates how Chassidus provides us with a comprehensive blueprint of the human psyche as a microcosm of the cosmos, and offers us all the guidance we need to live the healthiest possible life and build nurturing homes and families, bringing up the healthiest possible children, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.

Visit www.ProjectLikkuteiTorah.com for more resourcesOn the posuk “ki toc dodecha m'yayin”, Chazal explain “areivim ali divrei sofrim yoser miyaina shen torah”. What is the meaning of this explanation? And whay do we say “ali” and not “li”?There are two types of love for Hashem: The love that results from our recognition that Hashem is the source of creation and of our individual existence in particular (ki hu chayecha). However, this love is not at the level of Mesiras Nefesh, Bchol Nafshecha, because it is 1) rooted in our reason and 2) relates to the aspect of Hashem that is invested in creation (Chochma).The love that is innate to every Nefesh Elokis, which is has a natural desire to be one with Hashem, above all reasoning. This level of Love relates to Ein Sof (beyond Chochma), and is always present in a hidden state in every Jew. The way to reveal this level of love is through Torah and Mitzvos, “yaina shel torah”, which come from Hashems' Ratzon, beyond Chochma.Mitzvos draw down the level of MMK”A. However, the brachos that we make on Mitzvos come from the level of SOK”A (ali). The meaning of birchos hamitzvos: “Baruch Atah”= drawing Ein Sof into Shem Havayeh, the general framework of Seder Hishtalshelus.“Elokeinu Melech HaOlam”= drawing into Malchus, and ultimately our world.“Asher kidshanu…..”= the way Atsmus/Taanug is invested in Mitzvos.The Bracha has aspects of Ratzu v'Shuv, which is necessary to draw down anything from above, because all expressions of Hashem occur in a manner of Ratzu v'Shuv. Two types of Love for Hashem: 1) because He is the source of your existence, 2)Because you just can't be separate.Mitzvos vs. Birchas Hamitzvos.Libcha Yehegeh“Libcha yehege aima, ayeh sofer ayeh shokel”. Kav is the measuring function of Hashem: it decides how much has to go where, when (sofer, shokel). So too, Torah and Mitzvos are limited expressions of Hashems will in this world.One could think that the limited nature of these things implies that they are in some way sperate from Hashem, who is limitless and beyond definition. “Ayeh sofer, ayeh shokel”= Ayeh= Sovev Kol Almin. This means that the limiting and constraining aspect of Hashem is not distinct from (or a distinct power within) Hashem, but rather is rooted specifically in Hashem's Infinity.“Libcha yehegeh aima”= when one realizes that every aspect of existence, including his particular physical needs, comes from the deepest level of Hashem, he will be filled with awe, and will simultaneously disregard his fear of not having all that he needs. The limited expressions of Hashem come from His Unlimited nature, and thus are not sepeartye from Him in any way. Habaim Yesharesh Yaakov Part 1“Habaim yesharesh Yaakov, yatzitz uperach Yisroel”. Q1- what's the connection between yesharesh and Mitzrayim?Q2- Why is Yaakov connected to Briah and Yisroel to Yetzirah; seemingly, it ought to be reversed?The purpose of creation is for BN”Y, “reishis tvuascha”. Q: What is the meaning of “tvua”?Mitzvos= levushim (in Gan Eden). A neshama needs to fulfill of the Mitzvos. Mitzvos are also referred to as “peiros”.The meaning of DB”T.The unique qualities of Mitzvos and Neshamos.  Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=SVCNKGSMCEANE)

Yetzirah Vargas no visita y nos presenta: "Y SI TE VAS" disponible ya en todas la plataformas digitales. Nos platica donde y como fue la grabación del video el cual podrás ver en su canal de YouTube. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jayaustriaphoto/donations