Sunday Nissan 27, 5703 12th day of the Omer **
Torah Lessons (5703)	Chumash: K'doshim, First parsha with Rashi. Tehillim: 120-134. Tanya: This quality of (p. 231)...The Esoteric Discipline. (p. 231).

The permissible, when done for one's pleasure, [1] is completely evil, as the Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya, Chapter 7, for we are commanded, "sanctify yourself with what is permitted to you." [2]

One must introduce sanctity into those matters that are permissible so that they serve the purpose of enhancing one's Torah, mitzvot, fear- of-G-d and good character traits.

   

Notes:

1. (Back to text) E.g. eating kosher meat but like a glutton, etc.

2. (Back to text) Vayikra 19:2 and Ramban; Yevamot 20a.

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Day five of week 2 (12th day of the Omer)

Hod of gevurah

The results of discipline and might without humility are obvious. The greatest catastrophes have occurred as a result of people sitting in arrogant judgement of others. Am I arrogant in the name of justice (what I consider as just)? Do I ever think that I sit on a higher pedestal and bestow judgement on my subjects below? What about my children? Students?

A judge has to be the most humble of creatures, recognizing that he sits in judgement not by his own merit but only because G-d gave the right to judge His children.

Exercise for the day: Don't judge anyone unless you are doing so selflessly with no personal bias.

From:

A Spiritual Guide to the counting of the Omer

Forty-Nine Steps to Personal Refinement

The Forty-Nine Days of Sefirah

by Simon Jacobson

$7.95 Soft Cover

Copyright © 1996 by - Vaad Hanochos Hatmimim

788 Eastern Parkway - Brooklyn NY 11213

718-774-6448 - email: wisdomreb@aol.com

Now, [therefore], each individual Jew, whoever he may be, [i.e., whatever his spiritual state], when he ponders upon this for a considerable time each day - how G-d is truly omnipresent in the higher and lower [worlds], and the actual heaven and earth [i.e., not only the spiritual heaven and earth, the Supernal Sefirot, but the actual heaven and earth itself] is truly filled with His glory, and that He looks, seeks and searches his "kidneys and heart" [i.e., his inner thoughts and emotions] and all his actions and words, and counts his every step - then fear will be implanted in his heart throughout the day, [even when he is occupied with other matters and cannot contemplate the above], when he will again meditate on this, even with a superficial reflection [that does not demand a particular effort and a set time];

At any time[21] or moment, he will [thus] turn away from evil and do good, [i.e., he will refrain from transgressing negative commands and perform positive commands] in thought, speech and deed, so as not to rebel, G-d forbid, in the sight of His glory whereof the whole world is filled.

This is in accord with the statement[22] of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai to his disciples, quoted above, [viz., "May it be G-d's Will that the fear of heaven be upon you (and keep you from sinning) like the fear of a human being [who by observing your actions keeps you from sinning]."

This, then, is the meaning of the verse:[23] "[G-d demands of you] only to fear the L-rd your G-d, to walk in all His ways."

[The question arises: Is attaining the fear of G-d such an easy thing that the verse says, "only to fear Him"?

The answer which is given ("For Moses it is a simple matter") is difficult to comprehend, for the verse speaks of what "G-d demands of you" - of every Jew.

The explanation is as follows: the verse is referring here to a level of fear which is indeed simple for every Jew to reach, that level being fear that leads one to "walk in all His ways]."

For this is the fear that leads to the fulfillment of G-d's commandments, [which involve] turning away from evil and doing good. This is the "lower-level fear" which has been discussed earlier.

[Accordingly, the Gemara's answer ("For Moses it is a simple matter") is now understandable. It means]:

As it applies to "Moses", that is to say, in relation to the quality of Daat that is in the divine soul of every Jew, [this quality being the quality of Moses found within "you", within each Jewish soul], this is [indeed] a minor thing, as has been stated above - [that when a Jew reflects with his Daat upon matters that arouse fear of G-d, he will surely succeed in attaining it].

([11] For Daat is [the faculty] which connects the hidden understanding of the heart with revelation in actual thought, as is known to those who are familiar with the Esoteric Discipline).

[As mentioned earlier, all Jews possess a "hidden treasure of fear of heaven" in their hearts. Through the faculty of Daat, this fear of heaven is revealed and felt in one's thought, and also affects his speech and actions].

   

Notes:

11. (Back to text) Parentheses are in the original text.

21. (Back to text) Note of the Rebbe Shlita: At first glance it would seem that there is no compelling evidence as to whether "at any time or moment" is connected to the earlier clause ("when he will again meditate... even with a superficial reflection at any time or moment"), or whether it is connected to the following clause ("at any time or moment, he will turn away from evil and do good...").

    However, since "any time or moment" is mentioned in ch. 14 with regard to a person's ability to become a Beinoni, and the Alter Rebbe explains there that this phrase refers to his thought, speech and deed, it follows that here, too, "at any time or moment" relates to the following clause - "he will turn away from evil and do good, in thought, speech and deed."

22. (Back to text) Berachot 28b.

23. (Back to text) Devarim 10:12.

Negative Mitzvah 355: It is forbidden to take a woman as a wife without marriage
Deuteronomy 23:18 "There shall be no indecent women among the daughters of Israel"

A Jewish marriage must be held according to the law of the Torah.

This includes the entire wedding ceremony with all its details and procedures and the signing of the marriage contract.

A person is forbidden to take a woman as a wife without fulfilling these requirements.

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Working for a living is good. G-d wants us to be involved in the material world in order to make it spiritual. What's not good are the anxieties over making a living. Don't let your inner self get involved in your business. That inner self must be preserved for fulfilling your purpose in life. Making lots of money is not your purpose in life.

From: Bringing Heaven Down to Earth by Tzvi Freeman - tzvif@aol.com