Continuing in chapter 38. We continue to compare and contrast the body and soul, the physical and spiritual as it exists in this world. He establishes that on some level, body and soul are equal, as it relates to the contraction of the divine light through the various permutations of existence. The body and soul are different as they relate to being bound up within the material world. We discuss a further debate about action vs. intent, returning again to the importance of both being separate but equal. He continues to suggest the importance of bridging the gap between our physical and spiritual existences.
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Beginning of Chapter 38. This chapter offers another perspective on the duality of speech and thought. We discuss the importance of verbalizing our prayers as it draws light into the body and reveals the light encased in the animal soul. We look at intentionality and the importance of lining up thought and speech, though sometimes speech can be “enough.” I also comment on how we learn intentionality from the sacrifices as it relates to this week’s Torah portion of VaYikra.
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Final section of chapter 37. We take one more look at the importance of Torah study, this time as a calling out to Gd. This is a version of the idea we study Torah like we pray. Through this, we see another perspective on the hierarchy of revealing Gd in the world between action and thought.
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Continuing chapter 37. Today we see another layer of the debate regarding which is the greater thing, action or study. We explore how these are dueling values whose collective goals are revealing light in the world. Action reveals the light hidden in the physical while study connects to the Divine/Ein Sof light. We discuss how we determine priority of which comes first, settling on the notion that action comes first if the action can only be done by the individual, such as prayer. If someone else could fulfill the action, then study would potentially remain the priority.
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It is not simple to be faithful, believing people. The world is complicated. We constantly read about the negative things going on in the world. And even when we read something uplifting and positive, it is easy to fall back into the skeptical, when is the other shoe going to drop mode. We wish we could see things positively but it is quite difficult. Even with all the tools at our disposal, the self-help tips, etc. we still don’t have a single solution other than constant vigilance. Interestingly, Rebbe Nachman offers an approach to strengthening/reinforcing our sense of faith that is simple and profound. He suggests:
Faith depends on a person’s mouth. We must say we believe — say it out loud! As it is written in the Psalms (89:1) “I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.” When a person has a crisis of faith, or even passing doubts, it is very good if he says out loud: “I believe.” Just expressing your faith in words is itself one kind of faith. Through doing this you can come to genuine faith (44).
Very simply, if you want it, verbalize it. Of course, if things were only this simple most of us would not be in this struggle. As such, what is underlying this suggestion?
When we verbalize our thoughts, first and foremost we are narrowing our focus through the words we choose to use. Thoughts can get jumbled and go all over the place. Speaking forces us to hear aloud the thoughts and begin to grapple with them. When it comes to faith and doubt, our mind goes through multileveled analysis, oscillating between faith and skepticism. While it is true we can say “I believe” and not really believe, once we speak those words, we begin to find it a bit harder to maintain the skepticism. Most of the time, our ideal self prefers not to be seen as a lier, even if one is alone.
To me, this verbalization is the concretization of our thoughts and feelings. When we declare to ourselves, I do believe, we are claiming that faithful side for ourselves. Does it get rid of the skepticism? No! But it does begin to guide us towards having genuine faith for it opens the door for us.
If perhaps you are struggling with your faith and desire to strengthen this part of yourself, I would suggest this as another tool to bring to the table along your journey along a path of faith and belief.
Are you struggling with your spiritual growth? Faith? Feeling lost in the midst of the journey of life? Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
Continuation of chapter 37. We continue to explore how to bring out light from our actions. The discussion is the overarching value of charity for enhancing our actions while also dealing with a previous notion that study is equal to all actions, including acts of kindness/charity. We reflect on how both study and action are elements needed to reveal the light of the divine hidden away in the world.
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Continuation of chapter 37 – We continue to look at the results of performing the mitzvot as it leads to revealing the hidden light in the world. This section also touches on the descent of the souls into the world to perfect the world and bring everything back to the original intention of creation.
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Part two of chapter 37. We continue to look at how we can reveal the divine light in the world. This piece looks at how we derive energy from food and drink as items that give us energy to fulfill mitzvot. We review how avoiding transgressions allows the divine energy to continue to influence the world. If we transgress a prohibition, it seems the shells come back. I also offer a small additional point on how preparations allow us to be open to experience the light that is hidden in a mitzvah or in a day, as derived from a book I’m reading called B’Yam Darkecha.
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Do you want to work on taking the actions of your life and find meaning in all you do and who you are? Are you struggling with your spiritual growth. Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
How many times do we suddenly feel a stiffness and have questions as to why this pain is suddenly upon us? I know that often what is ailing me physically is not coming just from sitting or moving the wrong way but from something deeper. We know our physical pain is often the outward manifestation of spiritual, social or emotional pain. This is why good holistic medicine offers people supports that move beyond the questions of just where does it hurt to questions about what is currently going on in one’s life and explorations of current stressors that might need to be expressed. Truth be told, like so much else in modern spirituality and psychology literature, these wisdoms are not new. They are known thoughts and ideas we have been exploring for centuries.
For example, the below quote from Rebbe Nachman suggests when we find ourselves struggling with our faith, as we so often do, we are more susceptible to struggles that cannot be cured by simply taking a pill, calling on Gd to help or even relying on the merits of our ancestors (a deeper topic that isn’t directly tied into my train of thought in this piece). Many of our difficulties stem from the imbalance we might be experiencing. Or, as Rebbe Nachman suggests:
The main thing is emunah (faith). Every person has to search within himself and strengthen himself in faith. The fall of faith brings to astounding afflictions, for which neither medicines, nor prayer, nor ancestral merit helps. Neither is the sick person helped by the sound of his sighs and groans. There are times when such sounds help the sick person by arousing mercy for him. But on account of the fall of faith, this, too, does not help (II 5:1).
Strengthening our sense of faith is a foundation of regular spiritual growth. By faith, I am not speaking in a narrow sense, though Rebbe Nachman would be more limiting as to the word’s definition. I am speaking in the broad sense of recognizing that spiritual contentment and spiritual struggle will have a positive or negative effect, respectively, on our lives. We are tasked to always be strengthening our faith, a theme we have seen in some of the other quotes from Rebbe Nachman. Through this spiritual vigilance, we often have the fortitude to overcome many obstacles.
It is important for me to emphasize that this is not a post suggesting that modern medicine or taking care of our physical health is unimportant. It is of paramount importance to be vigilant with our bodies and couple that with spiritual/emotional vigilance. And while Rebbe Nachman had many negative things to say regarding physicians (keeping in mind in his late 18th century/early 19th century world doctors did not have nearly the amount of knowledge or tools at their disposal as they do today), I think we can read his words in light of our seeing ourselves in the holistic way I mentioned above.
Are you struggling with your spiritual growth? Faith? Feeling lost in the midst of the journey of life? Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
Part one of chapter 37. We continue on our reflection of the power of mitzvot to reveal the light of Gd in the world. The focus here is on raising up the light that is concealed in the physical world. We discuss this on two levels, revealing the light of the materials we use for mitzvot and revealing the light that is buried within the animal soul. The discussion circles back again to how thought and speech are also “actions” of bringing out light.
All episodes can also now be heard on Apple Podcasts – here
Do you want to work on taking the actions of your life and find meaning in all you do and who you are? Are you struggling with your spiritual growth. Contact New Beginnings Spiritual Coaching and Consulting LLC at 732-314-6758 ext. 100 or via email at newbeginningsspiritualcoach@gmail.com
New beginnings: A blog about spirituality, chaplaincy and renewal 