Integral Torah Perspectives

ב''ה Even though "machshava" - thought is in general expressed as a lower garment of the soul the truth is that it is actually the ability of the soul that has the closest expression of the very essence. This is why it is only thought that is in a constant flow, unlike all the other abilities and all ideas can only be formed and express using through it. In some ways it is the their starting point. In this context the tought is the starting point where the essence of the soul expresses itself into the formation of ideas. This is why it says ’הרהורי עבירה קשים מעבירה’ - thoughts of sins are 'harder' than sin itself. It does not say that they are 'חמור מעבירה' - more severe in stringency that sin, rather, that they are 'harder' - meaning 'harder' on the soul since it affects and touches a much deeper part. It is because of this fact, that thought touches the essence of the soul that thoughts of sin affect us so deeply. -Mittler Rebbe

ב''ה By the giving over the Torah it says "Yeshikeni Me'neshikot Pihu" - Kiss me with the kisses of your mouth. Why more than one kiss? Isn't one allegorically enough? This can be understood by the parable of a father who plays a game with his young son. The father hides from his son to see how smart he is; to see if he can figure out that he is just hiding. If the son is not smart than he will just give up and cry. However, if the son is smart he will not give up and knows that the father is findable. The son who gives up still gets affection from the father, however, the son who is smart gets a a double measure. When we went into the desert following Moshe it was an act of searching for Hashem, knowing he was there. "lechtech acharai bamidbar" - to search after me into the desert. We eventually found 'our father' at Har Sinai,  where he gave us a double measure of kisses. "neshikot kefulot". -Mittler Rebbe

According to Chassidut Shaul was a great Tzadik and when Shaul said, "hakimoti et dvar Hashem" - I have fulfilled Hashems command, he actually meant it.  He had a reasoning according to kavanot Elyonot - higher divine intent that he knew to bring korbanot from Amalek and even a reason al pi sod - according to the secrets of the Torah to save king Aggag. His mistake was that, even though this was according to the kevana elyona, he was still asked directly by the Navi to do it differently. -Mittler Rebbe

Sofer Sefer and Sipur correspond with Divrei sofrim, torah shebechtav and torah shebal pe. Ayeh sofer refers to how divrei sofrim are higher than torah shebechtav and torah shebal pe.  Yud - chochma - torah shebechtav. Hey - binah torah shebal pe.  The Alef that comes before them is the divrei sofrim. The three Ayeh in the pasuk 'Ayeh Sofer Ayeh Shokel Ayeh Sofer et hamigdalim' are juxtapposed to the the 'Kadosh' of Kedusha. The 'Kadosh' are on the side of bringing downwards (as apposed to Kodesh which is exalted above, not drawn down).  The three 'Ayeh', goes higher and more removed upwards with each one, begging further the question 'where' each time on a higher plane. Just as the yediat hashlila and mitzvot lo ta'se are higher then yediat ha'chiyuv and mitzvot ase, so to the extra stringencies and safe-gaurds put in place by the divrei sofrim are even higher than the mitzvot lo Tase. -Mittler Rebbe - Libcha Ye'...

When a rich man makes a successful business deal his joy is in true monetary wealth. He worked for it and made a real amount of money. The poor person who is given a coin, on the other hand, is also happy. He, however, did not work for the money and it is not an amount of real value. Nonetheless, the poor man's happiness is centered on a deeper concept. The rich man is happy because of the money and accomplishment. The poor man is happy because of the life that the money will actually bring him. With this you can understand the way in which Ballei Teshuva are greater than Tzadikim.  The teshuva of the Bal-Teshuva is like the 'small coin' - of the poor person in comparison to the many and mighty deeds of the Tzadikim. However, the happiness the Bal-Teshuva is from the feeling that they are now close to the king again, while the Tzadik's joy is a composite (simcha moorkevet) of what they have accomplished. -Mittler Rebbe

The days of the week while usually described as corresponding to the midot: chesed, gevurah etc. Can also be described as the first day, ohr,  being Chochma and  the second day, rakia - division of the fimament - being Binah. -Mittler Rebbe Taking this further we might say that the creation of the trees (including etz hadat) corresponds with da'at.  The luminaries on the fourth day would correspond with chesed. The fish birds and crawling things correspond with gevurah.  The birds going upwards might be ha'la of gevurah while the fish in there hidden state, corresponding to the aspect of gevurah that conceals the higher from the lower etc. Friday would be tifferet with the creation of animals and man - 'ke'tiferet adam' perhaps. Shabbat might still correspond to Malchut in this context since the previous three days 'chagat' are a concept that can stand on its own and are the main 'body' of partzuf of Zeir.

Sound awakens intent The concept of 'Kol me'orer ha'kavana' - 'sound arouses inner intention' is not necessarily the human voice. That is, since the human voice is created from the breath in the heart, there would already have to be intention in the heart to create the sound of the voice. However, that is not what it says, rather, sound awakes the intent implies that the sound comes first, before any intent. It is for this reason that there is no differnce between the sound of voice and the sound of notes on a musical instument when serving Hashem. (Since, according to this, it does not matter whether or not the music is coming from a voice, perhaps that is why the Mittler Rebbe did not compose sung niggunim himself, but rather had a 'kapelia' band play for him.) The kavana of 'Halelu Ke-l be'kodsho' is to awaken the simcha above with the 10 types of musical intstuments. The music in order to draw down from the hidden level of 'ch...

Atzvut' - depression is the 'askufa hanidreset' - trampled upon entrance way to enter the 50 gates of tumah leading in to the heichalot d'klipa - palaces of klipa. 'Anavah' - humility is the trampled upon entryway to enter the 50 gates of kedusha that lead into the heichalot d'kedusha - palaces of holiness. There is a story from the Arizal brought in Shivchei Ha'besht about a man from the time of the talmud that still has not found tikun for his neshama. The reason is that he allowed himself to get depressed and lost the 'shmira makif of kedusha' - holy surrounding light that guards a person from sinning.  This is like it says 'almala ozro, lo yuchal lo' - if were not for Hashem helping us, we would not be able to overcome our evil inclination. The chitztonim were then able to get him to do more and more bad things with no end in sight... Haughtiness is the masculine side of klipa while depression is the feminine. It is ...

Eliyahu Hanavi fled to Har Sinai in escape from Queen Izevel. Truthfully, his encounter there is paralleled in the parts of a storm, every time it rains. The wind, then the noise of the thunder, then the fire of the lightning and then, the main hamshacha -divine gift, which is the rain - a soft still voice. -Mittler Rebbe Every time you hear rain it is like Hashem softly speaking to you from Har Sinai. ~~~   יא  וַיֹּאמֶר, צֵא וְעָמַדְתָּ בָהָר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, וְהִנֵּה יְהוָה עֹבֵר וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, לֹא בָרוּחַ יְהוָה; וְאַחַר הָרוּחַ רַעַשׁ, לֹא בָרַעַשׁ יְהוָה.   יב  וְאַחַר הָרַעַשׁ אֵשׁ, לֹא בָאֵשׁ יְהוָה; וְאַחַר הָאֵשׁ, קוֹל דְּמָמָה דַקָּה. מלכים א פרק יט "And he said, "go out and stand on the mountain in front of Hashem, here Hashem passes by and a great strong wind that breaks apart mountain and smashes rocks infront of Hashem, Hashem is not in the wind; after the wind ...

Love of Hashem is not like other loves that are from you to something outside you. Rather it is an internal revelation. -Mittler Rebbe

Ad-nai sefatai tiftach - Hashem, open my mouth. We are compared to a musical instrament that Hashem himself is playing. It is like the harp of David Hamelech that would play on its own. So to our prayers, the prayers of malchut that kari tadir - are constantly calling upward. (We should be in a nullified state and the prayers should well upward on there own, as if were simply Hashem's windchime.) -Mittler Rebbe

While pleasure may be revealed in the more meaningfull things, the highest level of simcha from a new thing is revealed specificly in the most external things and in the 'devarim beteylim' - meaningless things. This is why we brought sacrifices for the nations during all of sukkot even though it is officialy 'zman simchatenu' - the time of our joy, not the time of joy for the nations. It is specificaly in our involvement/interaction with the most external things that the simcha is revealed. -Mittler Rebbe Perhaps we can learn from this that at a simcha, while the actual event brings the deep tanug - pleasure, the simcha - the highest level of joy at the simcha - is revealed mainly by going around chatting with people about the mundane, dancing and other seeming trivialities. This is the first time I have seen an explanation of a 'mayla' ascribed to 'devarim beteylim'

Ahavat Aztmo is usually hidden. It is only revealed at certain times, for example, when a person is in danger.  It is then that a person strives with the utmost and for self preservation. -Mittler Rebbe With this we can, perhaps, get insite into the mitzah of loving ones fellowman like yourself.  First, it is the hidden level that you are loving, not the revealed.  Second, expressing this love means striving to the point of self sacrifice to preserve the well being of another who is in trouble.

There are two kinds of tahara - purity. The first is after cleansing from tumah - impurity.  An example of this is the pasuk "Im rachatz Hashem Tzo'at be'not Tzion" - If Hashem will wash the excrement off the daughters of Tzion." (this is like Yom Kippur) The second kind of purity is Tahara Atzmit - an essential purity that is not for the purpuse of cleansing anything. Rather, it is simply a pure state. This is the level of Shmini Atzeret. -Mittler Rebbe

Before reading this please note that the Mittler Rebbe is know for giving more than one view point on a concept, flourishing at the end of the opposing viewpoint with a 'de'lo k'nal' - 'NOT like we explained before.' ('ke'nal' - 'as was explained' is the more commonly used expresion.) However, note also that in the Mamar brought below, that expression is not used. Also remember that the Mittler Rebbe was a known posek in his own right (and was called "gadol she'be'gedolim" in nigleh by the Rogatchover gaon) and would have every right to pasken on this matter halachlikly. Also, um, I may have misinterpreted the mamar. Feel free to draw your own conclusions. But remember, you heard it here first! :) According to the mamar "Beyom Hashmini Shlach" (a shmini Atzeret Mamar) from the Mittler Rebbe it is implied that the color of the techelet on the tzitzit is black, not blue, as is commonly associated. ...

"Avera mechabe mitzvah aval ein averah mechabe Torah" - A sin can extinguish the light of a mitzvah but it can not extinguish the light of Torah. This is like a king who has a servant who plays beautiful music for him. The servant keeps doing bad things but the king still keeps him on for the music he plays. He does not want to lose it. When the servant looses his ability to play the music, the king then revisits all the misdeeds the servant did in the past.  This is like is says by the destruction of the temple. Hashem was willing to ignore the avoda zara, promiscuity and murder but was not willing to ignore the lack of Torah study. -Mittler Rebbe

"Tachat Asher Lo Avadeta Et Hashem E-lokecha Be'simcha" - because you did not servre Hashem when you had joy (While this usually refers to the way we are supposed to serve Hashem now, A different perspective is:)  This refers to how we were supposed to serve Hashem while he had the Mikdash.  That since we did not serve Hashem with joy when had the mikdash, we now have to serve hashem true tribulations in the exile. That is: the avodah Hashem wants from us now is that even though we have it difficult we still serve with devotion, regardless.  Hashem is looking for us to call out to him specifically from and through our troubles and no longer from the complacent joyous time that we once had.

Now that I know the idea that vision is an outward effect (while hearing is an inward receiving), I am attempting to go through Tanach and understand the vision referred there in this context. What brought this on was someone mentioning to me that before Moshe felt confident to view the land of Israel, he hid his face by the burning bush. When I looked at it I realized that Hashem stopped him from even coming close to the burning bush by saying "al tikrav halom". If so, Moshe was hiding his face even from seeing from 'afar'. However, this needs to be understood within the context of vision as an outward affect. You could say that Moshe did not feel on the level at that time to reveal the hidden "ya're me'habit el ha'E-lokim'. E-lokim being the contracted, 'metzumtzam' concepts. Moshe was afraid he could not break through the tzimtzum to reveal by his 'act' of vision towards it. We also need to understand the story of Moshe...

When you see something you are not only affected by what you see. Rather, and mainly, you affect outward, the things that you view.  This is the difference between vision and hearing. Hearing receives from outside you while sight affects outward. Moshe wanted to see the land of Israel in order to affect it. Just as Hashem had shown him divine inspiration, he wanted to infuse the land of Israel w ith it. Hashem said to him, you can see it from afar. He was therefore only able to affect it in makif; in an encompassing, hidden way. -The Mittler Rebbe We can learn from this that everything we look at has an affect. We envigorate everything we gaze at. If we look at something close up, we affect it more deeply than looking at it far away. It is our job to actively add life to the world through the things we look at just as we affect the world through fulfillment of the Torah's commandments. Thus the Shulchan Aruch Ha'Rav says that when we look at the Torah as it is lifted up, if you...

Parrallels between yosef and tamar Yosef was yefe to'ar - tamar was yafa Yosef wore ketonet pasim - Tamar wore ketonet pasim Yosef's brother's hate him - Amnon's brother Avshalom hates him Yakov sends Yosef to his brothers - Dovid sends Tamar to Amnon Yakov sends Yosef to his brothers - Dovid sends Amnon to Avshalom and his other sons Yosef's brother 'va'yitnaklu oto la'hamito' - Avshalom plots to kill Amnon in the midst of his brothers Yosef's brother's sat down 'le'chol lechem' - Amnon eat 'levivot' (dough boiled in water and fryed in oil) Yosef pretended not to know his brothers - Amnon pretended to be sick The brothers tore the ketonet Pasim and upset Yakov - Tamar tore the ketonet pasim and upset Dovid with what happened Yosef said  'hotziu kol ish me'alai' - amnon also said 'hotziu kol ish me'alai' By Yosef, 'ein ish me'anshei habayit sham ba'bayit - by Tamar 'va'yetzi kol ...

Just as a murder creates an existence of spiritual morality that dictates the murderer should get the death penalty, so too, when someone gives charity, it creates the existence of a morality that dictates the giver should receive life. -Mittler Rebbe

  'Ein bal ha'nes makir be'niso' means, not that you do not recognize the miracles going on. Rather, it means that you do not know what you did to deserve the miracles that happen to you. Usually, divine response is reciprocal.   However, Hashem also gives constantly even if you did not call to him. This is because of 'Ani Yeshena ve'libi er' - Hashem's 'heart' is awake even though he is, so to spe ak, 'asleep' in the exile. This is the concept of Hashem answering you before you ask - 'terem yikre'u ani e'e'ne.' -Mittler Rebbe Perhaps this is parralleled in the pasuk 'nidrashit le'lo sha'alu, nimtzeti le'lo bikshuni, amarti, heneni, hineni el goy lo korah be'shmi' - I am in answer to those who did not ask for me, found by those who did not search for me, I say, "Here I am! Here I am" to a nation who does not even call in my name.' (Yishaya 65:1)

When you are feeling far from Hashem during the three weeks remember, it is compared to the machol dance. Two lines of people get closer, than farther from each other again and again. While they are far apart, they do not turn their backs. Rather they are still looking towards their partners. The whole purpose of going far is obviously for the purpose of drawing close again. Even when far away you don't fret because, hey, its still a dance. -Mittler Rebbe (in the context of Teshuva)

The sea split in the merit of Yakov, as Hashem said to him "u'fartza yama" -can be translated as 'you will spread to the west', or, literally as, 'you will split the sea.' -Medrash

Found today the Rambam's perush on Esther. I did not even know it existed. http://hebrewbooks.org/34547

Tohu - unknowable darkness of the Eretz Tehom - Tohu of the Yam Tohu - Kav Yarok - That is seen across the sky (aurora?) -Radak on Bereishit

The Sukkah is on the level of Sarah imenu (compared to Sarah's tent). The concept of Binah corresponds to the feminine aspect of Sarah (just as Avraham corresponds with Chochma Av-ram - the high father).  The seven days of sukkot correspond to sarah's seven sons, the middot of z''a.  The clouds of the schach correspond to a hidden state 'ayeh' that the angels ask "ayeh makom kevodo". Similarly, the angels who visited Avram asked "ayeh Sarah ishtecha". It was the same unknowable state of G-dliness they were referring to. - Based on the Mittler Rebbe

There are two types of thought - thought bred by intellect (machshevet sechel) and thought bred by emotion (hirhur).  In this light it corresponds to the letters of Hashem's name: yud -intellect hey - the thought it breeds (since this type of thought elaborates binah's understanding) (leah) vov - six fundamental emotions hey - the thoughts bred by the emotions If referring to the concept of speech (Rachel) as bred by thought than the first hey is included in the second hey, since 'the feet of Leah enter the space of Rachel's head.' In this case the hidden thoughts of intellect (Leah) are the source for the will to speak that is in the heart (Rachel) - Mittler Rebbe Mamar - Sos Asis

The Zohar Hakadosh states that because of Adam's sin is a concept of "mixing the dregs with the wine. It is its own concept of the falling of sparks (compare to the death of the kings of Edom).  If you shake up a wine bottle, most dregs still stay on the bottom. As you look up towards the top of the wine bottle, the higher you go, the less dregs you will find. This a way to understand how the higher spiritual realms are less tainted from this sin then the lower ones.

The day of Rosh Hashana is not just the beginning of the coming year, rather it is the lynchpin between the coming year and last. That is why we are judged for all are deeds in the previous year for good that we will receive in the coming year. Each moment can only exist before or after the other, therefore the previous year must go away before the new can come ('ratzo va'shov'). A person breathes in to reconnect with life's source and breaths out to come back down as existence. Rosh Hashana is the point in between the two breaths. - Mittler Rebbe

There is a cry-out that is a voice that comes from the heart. Then there is a deeper level, the cry of the walls of the heart itself, without any voice. This is the the level of the shofar. - Mamarei Admur Ha'emtzai -Nitzavim

The name 'Yeshurun' refers to the concept of the kav ha'emtzai (das, tiferes, yesod) as they are interconnected. It refers to the concept of all Bnei Yisrael as one complete whole with all its parts. The Diaspora, when we are all spread out, the opposite of this concept. The culmination of it; the ingathering of the exiles. - Mamarei Admur Ha'emtzai - Nitzavim

'va'yavo gam ha'nitzav achar ha'lahav = 'the handle of the sword entered (Eglon's fat stomach) after the blade.  The souls of Israel are the 'nitzavim' - 'sword handles' for sword of Hashem's praises. The 'romemot ke-l be'gronam ve'cherev pipiyot beyadam'

ב' My daughter read the title of our copy of "Sense and Sensibility" and asked me what it means. In attempting to give an explanation that is relevant and meaningfull to us I tried to explained to her the difference between Chabad and Chagas Chasidim. I've gone a little overboard with this so please humor me. :) Elinor corresponds with the Chabad Chossid. Mind ruling over the heart, self sacrifice for others and deep analytical powers. Mariane corresponds with the Chagas Chosid. Very emotional, eager to be joyous, but still possesing a discerning mind of what is beautiful. John and Fanny Dashwood correspond with the misnagid. These cold people are still family but do not give credit to the true value of their chasidic brethren. They attempt to convince people that they are the mainstream because of their "wealth" in the things that they are good at. Willoghby is the Carlbach Chassid, he courts the Chagas Chassidim but because o...

The pouring of the water on the chag is mixing the water into the wine that is poured onto the mizbeach. This correponds to the mixing of water and wine at meal since a persons table is a mizbeach. Their is always only joy at a meal (like on the chag) corresponding with the All-mighty's kindess in giving food to all with out regard to the receivers merit. (on the chag as well, offerings were brought for all nations, regardless of merit.)  Tolat Yakov

Ki nimkarnu ani ve'ami - refers to the destruction of the temple Ha'melech Kam be'chamato el Ginat Habeytan - refers to how after mourning over the temple at chatzot the schina enters gan eden to 'frolic' "Lehishtasheya" with the tzadikim who are there. -Sefer Tolat Yakov

families are called 'mate' because they are like a 'planting', each person like a branch or 'shevet' - radak - sefer shorashim