Have a great week!! (Torah-Tzav-attached)

10 New Poems

have a great Shabbos


1

(After hearing of the Tragedy of the loss of 7 precious souls by fire)

Pain
Our nation’s suffering

Feeling every loss
Cutting deeply
Into our souls

It will be
Only God’s revealed Presence
That will heal us

Feel
Every Jew’s pain & joy
As our own

Extremely sensitive
In the presence
Of the anguish
Of our brother’s & sisters

& Yet
Not to curl up
Into a cocoon of pain

To somehow muster the courage
To comfort & to build
Despite our unimaginable losses

We are a kind people
Merciful

We cannot allow
Life’s challenges
To close our hearts
From our innate
Compassion & mercy

2

Often we create Walls
Separating ourselves
From God

These Walls
Are in our soul
Separating us
From our Source

If we feel these walls
Within our souls
What are we to do?

We use them wisely
It has its purpose
To protect
The garden
Within

3

Our collective Soul
Strung together
On one necklace

4

( Why I try to give many small coins to charity in shul)

It’s not (only)
The last drop of water
Creating the hole
In the stone

It’s the collective drops
Of water
Creating the hole
In the heart of stone

Each drop
Contributing
Each quarter
Given to charity
Again & again
Day in & day out
Aside for larger sums

For we do not know
When their collective force
Breaks through
Towards
Our redemption!!!

5

“small things,done in great love
Bring joy & peace”

It’s the key of life

Small things
Sparks of goodness
Connecting to One Life
Constant & habitual
Small acts of light
As you are
What you repeatedly do

Creating the grand structure
Of a beautiful life
Healing the world
Candle to candle
Light to light
As we quietly breath life
To broken hurt souls

6

God
Gives us His signals
Via His Revealed World

We pray to God
To receive these messages
With the correct understanding
So as to do His will
In the life
He gives to us

7

Marriage

Two to One
Part to Whole

Distinct Levels
Into the Circle

Ring of Gold
Simple & Regal
Simultaneously
As physical & spiritual
Intimacy
Is One Expression

8

Essence of Joy
Revealing new gifts
From hidden source within

Joy of a new child
Coming into this world

Joy of a novel Torah thought
Coming from the deep recesses
Of the soul

Joy of a new marriage
Coming from the secret soul connection
In the most highest holy place

Joy of stalks of wheat
Bursting forth in song
From the cracks in the ground

Joy of Intimate talk
With God
Coming from
Our soul’s words
Connecting to Him

Ego blocks this joy
From revealing itself

Complex human machinations
Block
Clear simple truths


9

(Amidah -1)

We connect
With His beloved
Cornerstone of the world
Feeling gratitude
To be the offspring
Of the great ones!!!

Thanking Him
Three times daily
For our great lineage
Humbled by the gift
Of inherited grace
Coming with the responsibility
Of following in their footsteps
As best as we can

10

God
Being One
Never is subject to change

However
His manifestation
In the world
Reveals to us
A glimpse
Of the unfathomable diversity
Creator of myriads
All different
From one another

We must emulate Him
Unchanging & true within
Serving the One God
Through the outer manifestation
Of our service of Him
Varying minute by minute
Taking of infinite forms
All connecting to One

The most shocking and amazing thing I heard from the aftermath of the tragedy was the truly open heart of Mr Sasson. He said repeatedly at the levaya of his seven children that the only way it is possible to to go on at all, is with complete surrender to G-d.

He was not just talking about his pain. He was talking about the futility of life in general. As the RMCh"L put it: This life holds only a fool's hope, for true satisfaction. And then you die and lose even that. That is exactly what he wrotes in the hakdoma to Mesilas Yeshorim. And therefore the only cogent response is total surrender to G-d - which is what the rest of the sefer is about. And the RMCh"L writes motives for this that HE HOLDS OF, for three types of people. And the majority of the kosher motives he suggests are not for G-d's sake or honor, but for our own happiness. Amazing.

Thank G-d as an addict, I have a burr under my butt. For if I were not ill, I would fall far below all the normal people. I'd never, ever do these things and get close to my own G-d. No way. It would be too hard, and I am too comfort-seeking. I take my shtraimel off (when I wear one) to the normals who have a real relationship with their own G-d and can really mean 'Elohai', when they say "Elokai neshoma" and "Elokai netzor", etc. I'm nispo'el.

I only have that because I have no real choice. Not kidding.

Thanks Yechida (whatever your real name is, actually) and have a really good Shabbos...and if u are reading this after it, then have a good motziShabbos!

16 New Poems & Dvar Torah

Have a great week!!!

1

“Tznius”

Modesty
Cover of the soul
Hides & protects
The spark within

This concealment
Revealing the One

Child in Womb
Hidden, covered
That’s where
He/she
Sees the One

Modesty
& True Silence
Are of
The same Root

True Silence
An Art
Not merely
A lack of speech
It’s a craft
To develop humbly
In the garden
Of heart & mind

2

Sanity
Greatest gift to Mankind

Even this can be misused
As many evil men
Are sane
Choosing darkness
Over light

3

(Nissan)

Month of renewal
Spark
Awakening
Spring of life

4
To remember
As we live in a complex world

Life is simple

Clarity & calm
Comes with reaching
That reality

5

Discipline
In healthy dosages
Support
Fun & creativity

May we learn
To balance
Discipline & spontaneity
To work together
Within me

6

May I find
My inner teacher
As well as
Men & women
Of wisdom & compassion
Who can aid me in
Connecting
To my deep counsel
Within

7

Difficulties
Perceived
As a learning process
Alleviates the suffering
& illuminates the soul

8

Matzah
Simple
It is what it is
Intrinsic
Genuine
For the path of faith
Is simple

Not complex
For such
“sophistication”
Breeds
Arrogance
& confusion

So for 7 days
We turn to the essence
Of reality
Of who we are
To Whom we connect
One & Simple
Pure
In essence

9

Balancing
Being & Doing
Feminine & Masculine

Being
Fully present
In the moment
Open ,receptive,awareness

Doing
Moving through time
With focused attention

Being-essence of feminine energy
Doing-essence of masculine energy

We
(both male & female)
Need
Both being & doing
In healthy balance
Within us

10

Too many options
Can often create confusion

There is great pleasure
In simple life

11
As one cannot control weather-
We can only adapt
To the shifting & changing of it-

So too

We can accept
Appreciate
Varieties of our internal weather

12

I am the harp
To your song

13

Blessing on the food
Releases
Its Divine spark
To the eater
Illuminating
His/her soul

14

One who speaks lies
Becomes a lie

Desire to be good isn’t enough

Conviction-clear decision
Is the road to positive action

& will prevail
Even when the desire lies dormant

15

Both Body & Soul
Is
God’s Palace

16

God’s word
Cannot be grasped
With dry intellect
Its light needs to pierce the soul
Filling it with real experience

Gut Voch Friends!!! ( Dvar Torah-Tazria-Metzorah)

Good Shabbos Friends!!!!

Good Shabbos!!

Last several weeks of divrei torah till the end of vayikra

Have a wonderful day my friends!!!

Dvar Torah-Bamidbar attached

Good Shabbos Friends!!!

Dvar Torah-Nasso Attached

Gut Voch Friends

(Last week's & this week's torah attached)

Gut Voch Friends!!! (Chukas, Balak, & Pinchas)

(Most of these written between Pesach & Shevuous)

Every Obstacle
God allowing
Us to overcome
Is our private
Splitting of the sea

2

If America
Would not have inscribed
“In God We Trust”
On their currency
What would this nation
Look like today?


3

Beauty
Of a candle
On the dark night
Illuminating
The soul

4

Children’s inner need
For guidance
Infused with wisdom & love
Spoken softly

5

Shell
Precedes fruit
In the physical realm
Whereas
Fruit precedes shell
In the spiritual realm

6

As with the conception of child
Mother’s influence is revealed
Father’s is hidden

7

Ultimate Compassion
Respects borders
Severity towards evil
Placing kindness
In its intrinsic place

Mercy
Extends to the unworthy
But contains safely
Real evil
Not allowing it
To spread

8

To recognize One
Within Creation
Is to experience
The Divine

9

True Love
Is intermingled with respect
Born of an inner awe
Of the soul
Whom you love

10

Circumcision
Testifies
Our inner desires
Are to God’s
Aligning
Our desires
Are to God’s
Aligning our desires
To His Plan

11

Joy generate Love

12

Withholding
In healthy ways
Promotes
Great flow of blessing

13

See God
With the
Eye of the Mind
As ones true vision
Isn’t in the physical world
He resides in
But to the Creator
As we see with clarity
That we can do nothing
Without God’s life force
Gifted to us

14

See true wisdom
Everywhere
In
Everything
With joy
As we connect
To the Creator
Who is
Everything
&
Everywhere

15

Sweetening
Judgements
Literally saves lives

16

Staring at beautiful women
Blinds a man
From seeing true beauty
That aligns
His body & soul

17

God is everywhere
Even in concealment
Even in double concealment
Beneath it all
God is there

18

Distorted Kindness
Deluge of Water
Sexual misconduct
All break

All break barriers
Of human health

One can’t feed an infant
Prime rib steak

Abundant flow
Even with greatest bounty
Must have healthy channels
Using life’s pleasures
For its intended use

19

Everything one hears
Is God speaking
A lesson to be learnt

(even evil speech
Is God telling you
Abide by My law
In regard
To what you have just heard)

20

Awakening
Of the soul
Spreads kindness & knowledge
To the world

21

Even diligence
Zest & alacrity
Must be
With peace of mind

Clarity in vigor
Not confusion

22

Sin
& its punishment
Are bound as one

23

Connecting to
True wisdom
Of Torah
Is connecting
With
Our Creator

24
Shevuous
Isn’t blintzes
But with the acceptance
Of Torah
We taste Shevuous
In the blintzes

25

Heel of the foot
Our generation
Not to be used
To trample & abuse
But to dance with joy
Run towards good deeds
Taking the head
Where it needs to be !!!

26

Though all the pain & darkness
Has innate good within
We nevertheless
Ask for “revealed” good
For ourselves
For others
For the world

27

We don’t just ask God
For the gift of life
We ask for the manual
The blueprint
How to utilize this greatest gift
The right way

28

Evil inclination
Is truly scary
When enclothed
In “good” intentions

29

Life-giving Rain
Given in droplets

True flow
Of Love
Given
With Awe & Respect

Mother’s Milk
Given to her child
In perfect measure

This is true love
True kindness
True bounty
When one holds back
ONLY
With the intent
To give properly
Not to control
Or cause pain
But to give to the fullest
Without the risk
Of drowning in water
Or dying of infection

It’s the dam of the river
Walls of the reservoir
Its filters
Power of life-giving water
To all of humanity

30

Allow the waves
To flow over you
They will pass
& you
Will live & survive
& thrive

31

Clarity
Peace of mind
Great treasure
Pray & strive
Avoid rushing in life

Vitality
Must be free
Of confusion









1

“old age is the revenge
Of the ugly” (Gordon Livingston)

It needn’t be this way
If we would appreciate every human being
Whatever their physical makeup
At every age
As they are
Working to reveal
God’s Image within
Recognizing it in ourselves
& others

2

Love of husband/wife
Comes from inner essence
Hidden soul connection
Which is why
Intimacy between them
Is expressed privately
Whereas mother/child
Brother/sister
Revealed connections
Manifested more publically

(perhaps this explains
Rachel & Leah
Yaakov/Rachel a revealed love
Yaakov/Leah a concealed love
Though both as wives
There are levels within
Of revealed & concealed love)


3

Love & Awe
Have opposite
Effects
Except in relation
To God
Where Love & Awe
Complement another

Yet even in human relationships
Connecting in a Godly way
Soul’s language of merging
Love & Awe
Integrating as One
So true in marriage
Where fiery love alone
Creates havoc
While awe alone
Creates a vast gap
Beyond repair
So that only healthy respect
Combined with fiery love
Can forge a lasting bond


4

Hidden Light
Whole
Untainted
Even when tapping into it
It remains complete

5

In a true love connection
Even as one turns away
Love spreads
Through the back
Sustaining them both
Until they face one another again
Making the reunion
Much sweeter

6

Broken Heart
Creating positive void
From which salvation comes
Nothing more whole
Than a broken heart

7

Hunger & thirst
Awaken us
To the spark within
The food & drink
Connecting us to the Godly essence
Which is our life force

8

Truth is in exile
We redeem ourselves
By revealing light
From darkness

9

Weeping from joy
More healing
Than overt expressions of joy
Such as smiling & dancing
Because joyous weeping
Elevates prior weepings of pain
Bringing it
To its healthiest expression

10

Often
Sadness stems
From inflated ego
(though rarely perceived
As such)
As one believes
That “I”
Shouldn’t have these struggles
That im sad about

11

A worm
Serves its Creator
With its whole essence
Who am I
To pride myself
For capabilities
Higher than the worm-
Abilities given to me
Without being worthy of it?

12

Focusing
On serving God
Every moment
Leaves no room
For arrogance & anger
There is simply
No time for it

13

National redemption
Is derived
From each individual’s
Personal redemption
Within our nation

Before praying for
Our collective salvation
We pray for
Our individual
Soul redemption

14

Physical exile
Proceeded by spiritual exile

15

As a loyal wife
Dresses beautifully
To
Greet her husband
So too
We dress beautifully
To greet God
On His Shabbos Day

16

How Powerful
Are words
To heal
Drawing blessing
From Above!!!

Life’s essence
Within words
God’s gift of speech
To mankind!!!

How awesome is
The “World of Speech”!!!

Speech
Intimate connection
To the Breather of Life!!!!

Even seemingly trivial speech
One to another
Can be infused
With love & awe
With deep meaning behind them!!!

Each Word
A World!!!

Create the World
With law & love
Unifying all
To its Source!!!!

Have a great Shabbos!!!

1

As I read
Each holy word
From each holy book
I humble my soul
In reverence
To the author
& to God’s message
Coming through
The author’s words
Shining forth
From the pages
Into my mind,heart
& soul

2

It takes wisdom
& inner soul strength
Prayer for both
To be free
Of ulterior motives

3

When one draws a loved one near
One must be careful
Not to attach too close
Running the risk
Of greater distance & harm
As warming oneself
To a flame
Not to close
So as not to be scorched

4

God “pushing away”
With His left
IS a clear manifestation
Of His drawing near
With His right

5

Name
Rooted
In one’s
Essence
& mission

6

Evil People
Hate goodness
For no cause
Whatsoever

7

Strong buildings
Upon
Healthy foundations

8

God’s Infinite Power
Extends
To
His Infinite capacity
Of
Finite creations

9

Already on Sunday
My heart is with Shabbos

10

Sexual outlet
As well as food
Both meant to nourish
& sustain
The soul

11

No Jew
Is uprooted

12

Never get crushed by defeat
That would rob you of the will
To get up again!!

13

By praying for one’s nation
Working beyond ego
Paradoxically
Is when true individuality
Shines forth

14

Before the act:

My Free Will is absolute
So choose wisely!!!


After the act:

Everything is Divinely Ordained

Our minds cannot grasp
This paradox

& yet its God’s will
To live this way

15

Wherever you are
He is here !!!

(its not a joel olstein invention to say..)

Grow
Where you are planted

16

Commitment
To Torah
Even when not “in the mood”

So too in marriage
Even when connection isn’t felt
Loyal commitment
Stays iron strong

17

Beneath every falsehood
We can find the truth
That exposes the lie

18

One must know
His/her level
& serve God within it

Leaping beyond
Can make you lose everything

Always strive higher
But always know
Where you are standing now

19

Modesty in thought
Precedes
Modesty in cloths

20

Kindness is the vessel
Through which
Love flows

21

Isnt it strange?

People wish to be
In another’s place
Never their own!!!

22

Often
Ones beauty
Is too much
For the mind & heart to handle
Making them
Unstable
& even ill

23

Unity within diversity\

When knowledge doesn’t suffice
To connect the dots

When our intellect
Cannot conceive patterns

When emotions overwhelm us
Robbing us of clarity

That when
We tap into
Inner faith
In the One

24

The low spiritual state
Of ourselves
& the world
Helps us realize
That only God
Can draw us out
Of the darkness
Praying to him
To guide us to Him
& His light

25

Connect with God
Each present moment
Not to push this connection
To a future moment
That doesn’t yet exist

26

We don’t do God’s will
For reward
But we believe with full faith
That God provides reward

This belief is strongly needed
To cajole the physical body
As well as the soul chained
To a physical world
To begin to serve God

27

God runs
Towards us
In the same measure
As we run
Towards Him

28

When God shows us
Our spiritual lack
We become broken-hearted

That is when
We rejoice greatly
To serve our King!!!!

This Paradox exists

Pain for our spiritual lack
Rejoicing in the very fact
That we feel
This spiritual lack!!!!


Rejoicing in the very fact
That we don’t just feel the pain
For selfish needs
The very pain of our spiritual failings
IS
Our salvation
& with this
We rejoice in Him!!!

29

Pray for the entire nation
Like the Shunamit
With my people-amongst them
I dwell!!!

As long as God has pleasure
From His children
Whether from me
Or anyone else
I am happy!!!

recommended reading

"unhooked" by Frederick woolverton & susan Schapiro

an insightful book on the nature of addiction & the self understanding needed to heal

Gut Voch Friends!! (Dvar Torah-Matos-Masei)