Im starting this thread with the purpose to post chizuk that inspired me and insights that gave me clarity, with the hope that if it had an effect on me, maybe some of the other holy warriors will also benefit from it. I will only post something that touched me. Absolutely no lecturing ch"v nor any Gihenom and brimstone type of chizuk, that never worked for me (I"m not  holding there yet!!!)


The[i] great tzadik [b]R Noach Weinberg ztsa"l[/b]/i] once said

meaning the clearer thing are in my mind,  the more motivated I will be TO ACT ON THEM!

Of course feel free to post your own vertlach of chizuk that touched your heart !!!! maybe you will also touch my heart

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם אֲשֶׁר יָצַר אֶת הָאָדָם בְּחָכְמָה וּבָרָא בו נְקָבִים נְקָבִים חֲלוּלִים חֲלוּלִים.
גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ לִפְנֵי כִסֵּא כְבודֶךָ שֶׁאִם יִפָּתֵחַ אֶחָד מֵהֶם או יִסָּתֵם אֶחָד מֵהֶם אִי אֶפְשַׁר לְהִתְקַיֵּם וְלַעֲמוד לְפָנֶיךָ אֲפִילוּ שָׁעָה אֶחָת:

the other day it hit me that this blessing could also be understood from an emotional/psychological  and spiritual perspective if we relate it  to the pathways that exist between  the mind to the heart and vice-versa from the heart back to the mind.

וידעת היום
my mind knows a tremendous amount!! (I'm  planning on working  on humility at some future date:D), for example my mind knows that Ribono shel olom created me out of absolute nothing for a lofty purpose, He sent me here to this world to  fulfill a destiny that only I can fill!!! He also endowed me with a soul that is a חלק אלוקה ממעל!!!!  my mind is absolutely clear about all this without a shadow of a doubt.
והשיבותה אל לבביך
now my mind is trying to communicate all this to my heart. when it gets the following error message

"the connection to your device cannot be established at this time. Please see your network administrator for assistance" :D :D :D

this is what we can daven in  אֲשֶׁר יָצַר

Hashem You created me with  wisdom and you endowed me with infinite amounts of  wisdom  "מים עמוקים עצה בלב איש"

Please Hashem, if the lines of communication between my mind and heart become  סתום stuffed up

אִי אֶפְשַׁר לְהִתְקַיֵּם וְלַעֲמוד לְפָנֶיךָ אֲפִילוּ שָׁעָה אֶחָת

then I don't have a fighting chance to stand and endure before YOU HASHEM, not even for one second!!

to be continued IY"H i gottaa go to bed

Dear Noorah B Amram,

I love your interpretation of Asher Yatzar! The biggest problem for many of us is to acquire real "Daas". We can try many times but since we are fighting against a malach, "Ilmolai Hakodush Ozro ain yochol lo". Therefore, since we are outmatched, without real tefilo to Hashem we won't get anywhere.

This morning I was thinking about a vort I heard from My Tanya Rebbi. He said that when Moishe Rabbeinu was looking at the burning bush, he was puzzled why it wasn't being consumed by the flames. Hashem then told him to take off the shoes from his feet because he is standing on holy ground.

The bush is a symbol of a Heiliger Yiddeshe Neshama, a Jewish Soul. The fire is the Taava of Mitzrayim which was lust. Moshe Rabbeinu who was the Tzaddik nd didn't experience this fight, couldn't relate to the fact that the fire of lust was burning away at the Jewish Soul and the soul was not burnt up!

Hashem then told him to take the shoes off his feet out of respect for the non-tzaddikim because their fight is a holy fight and he is now experiencing Admas Kodesh, holy ground

Pintele Yid

Holy Pintele,

Its "verter" like the one u just said that I have in mind when I started the tis thread. The interpertation of  possuk that speaks directly to what I need to hear!!!
Thank you very much for sharing it!!
And yes ww nees to be "koneh the daas" mloshon kinyan, ownership.
NB

Holy brothers,
I continue my thoughts from my previous post:

Sometimes the mind send the heart erroneous messages, what in psychology is referred to as "cognitive distortions" for example.
All or nothing thinking or disqualifying the positive, jumping to conclusions
If the heart "takes it to heart" then this leads to all kind depression.

This is another example how the asher yatzer prayer can be adapted.

Please Hashem don't let the pathways to my heart be open and susceptible to all the cognitive distortions that my mind is erroneously sending it.

Ps there is a great book from Dr David Burns called Feeling Good, where he explains the whole concept of cognitive distortions and how to recognize and identify them and how to deal with these distortions of reality. The premise being, its not the reality of a given situation that upsets us rather its our perception of the reality that upsets us.  He is the Guru in this area. The book benefited me greatly.

NB

I one heard the following in the name of the Dubno magid (with a leeeetle bit of my own added )

You don't have to teach a bird to fly all you have to do is unclip his wings and fly he does!!  The same is with the Jew. The Yid doesen't need to be taught to love Hashem,  the natural default setting of a the immortal  Yid is to soar to Hashem, all that's required is to unclip the wings, the chains and bonds of lust and self (zich zich zich un nur zich )  that keep the "little bird" grounded in the "muck!!

The little bird is crying .....
The little bird is Yisrael..... The nest is the Bais Hamikdosh

Meemakim kroseecha Hashem.............From the depths I call out to You Hashem, please please unclip my wings,  remove my bonds, that I may soar up to You .....
Mee  yitein lee aiver kayonah, aoofah........
If only I had wings like a dove, then I would fly..... (Tehilim 55)

With Eternal Love to All
NB

Some good Jews on the site have encouraged me to say more Tehillim and to  to make it a habit.

Tehillim 42:3

הָֽיְתָה־לִּי דִמְעָתִי לֶחֶם יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה בֶּאֱמֹר אֵלַי כָּל־הַיּוֹם אַיֵּה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ

"My tears have been my bread day and night, when they say to me "where is your G-d?""

If I can interpret this pasuk  על פי דרך העבודה (to paraphrase the holy Nesivos Shalom ) and apply it to our struggle.

Question: Who is asking "where is your G-d?  
Answer: its my soul, my neshoma that is shouting  to me "who is your G-d?

The  neshoma is asking me  "Who do I serve?

Is it Hashem my Creator who I serve? or is it my lust?
do  I worship at the temple of "desire"? or do I serve Hashem in my Bais Hamikdash?

this is the secret of my crying day and nigh.

The "חלק אלוקה ממעל" the " the part of the Divine" within me is SCREAMING  "WHO IS YOUR G_D?"

As long as I still hear that scream, the crying is a good thing, its when I hit the silence button and no longer hear the question of "who is your G-d?", then I really need to cry!!! :'( :'( :'( :'(.

I, Noorah B cry because I don't  cry!!

the Bais Medrash wouldn't be complete with out the famous Torah thought from the holy Chofets Chaim (I think!) on this weeks parsha that is so relevant the battle we all share on this site.

לט. וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְצִיצִת וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת יְ־הֹוָ־ה וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם
15:39. This shall be fringes for you, and when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Hashem to perform them,

וְלֹא תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם
and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes after which you are going astray.

מ. לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם:
So that you shall remember and perform all My commandments and you shall be holy to your God.

2 questions:

first question:
there is an obvious redundancy here, 

you will remember all the commandments of  Hashem to perform them and in the next pasuk  So that you shall remember and perform all My commandments and you shall be holy to your God

Second question:
it well known that the tzitzis is supposed to remind us of the 613 mitzvos and the tchieles
[/i]to the כסא הכבוד G-d's Throne of Glory

the question is, how come I can look at the tzitzis all day and it doesn't remind me anything about Judaism, Torah, mitzvos  or Hashem's throne of Glory?

the answer is, the passuk is teaching us, the only time the segula (cant translate it!!!!!!!!help me out someone please:) )that is inherent in the tzitzis is when the eyes and the heart are in a healthy and pure state.

In other words, only if I fulfill the dictate of  not wandering  and straying  after those  eyes and  heart , then and only then will I remember all about things as  Torah, Holiness,  mitzvos,Jews, Judaisim and G_d ;D ;D ;D ;D

I be beg for any feedback, Pleeeeeeeeeeze!!!!!

with love to all and warmest wishes for  a lictigeh zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeseh sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet shabbos

An inspiring vort it is!

I have nothing to add.

E.L.

Noorah BAmram wrote on 19 Jun 2009 18:51:


Holy Fire,

That is so true. Emes L'amito!

As our keilim shel machchava dibur and maaseh, which are the brain, mouth and eyes (the start of all maaseh) become holier, they start working better. No different than cleaning any machinery

I thought of another answer to your question of why it says it twice.
The first וַעֲשִׂיתֶם  is referring to "Sur Mayra", avoiding evil. That is why it is immediately followed by וְלֹא תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם
and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes after which you are going astray.
The second וַעֲשִׂיתֶם  is referring to "Asay Tov", performing the mitzvos". That is why it is immediately follwed by  וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים לֵאלֹהֵיכֶם, since a person brings Kedusha upon himself when he performs the Mitzvos.

A wonderful Shabbos to all!

Pnintele Yid

Pinteleh tiereh,
Take a look at sefer shmiras halashon vol 2 chapter 2 where he says what u r saying with a beautiful moshol that if the house is full of "dirt" all the adornments in the world is not going to the house into Home Beautiful;) first get rid of the "sewage" and then call in the interior decorator;)
Ok this forum is becoming an addictio in itself with no known 12 stepsgroups and I promised my wife that a little helping hand......
Gut Shabbos to all (for real now;)) I'm sighning out
NB

Reb Yaakov טייערע,
on shabbos i learned over the gmorah in sukka that you quoted


as a possible explanations and understanding to what will take place then  its necessary to understand what the YH really  is.
let me share with you a most beautiful vort  in the name of one of the previous Roshei Yeshiva in Radin

the possuk in koheles says as follows:
עיר קטנה, ואנשים בה מעט; ובא-אליה מלך גדול, וסבב אותה, ובנה עליה, מצודים גדולים.  ומצא בה, איש מסכן חכם, ומילט-הוא את-העיר, בחכמתו; ואדם לא זכר, את-האיש המסכן ההוא
There was once a small city with few inhabitants.
There came a great king who encircled the city and laid a great siege upon the city
In the city lived a poor wise  man, who with his wisdom save the entire city 

Question; what piece of  wisdom did this poor old man say  or do  that was able to save the city from the GREAT SIEGE BY THIS ALL POWERFUL KING WITH HIS MIGHT ARMIES ?
what wisdom could there possibly be to use against such an all powerful army ?

the story is told about a group of kidnappers that captured a man and hypnotized him to tho think that he was on a lonely island all alone surrounded by the ocean on all sides. Of course this was all an ILLUSION, the  reality was, he was  in the midst of the city with nothing restraining him from his freedom.
[img][/img]
one day our  "prisoner" gingerly placed his toe in the imaginary "ocean" and what do you know, lo and behold it was asphalt, cement, G-d sweet earth,

there was nothing, no ocean, no island, no prison, he was as free as can be!!!!!!!!!!! 

How did the poor man save the city from the siege?
he save the city by showing ..................
THERE WAS NO SIEGE. PERIOD. IT WAS ALL A MIRAGE!! AN ILLUSION!!!!! A DIRTY LITTLE  MIND TRICK!!!

with this we can understand what will take place on the day of the slaughter of the YH.
the slaughtering of the YH means just that, that once and for all, we will all realize, that all the YH  was and is one great BLUFFER!!!!!!!!!!!!
one  MEAN ILLUSIONIST!!!! THE KING OF BLUFF!!!!!!!!!!
and HIS BLUFFING IS OVER FOR GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

the tzadikim will cry how they overcame this MIGHTY KING the YH and all his tremendous bag of mean tricks,  with  all his great BLUFFS!!!!!!!!!!! and the wicked will cry when they realize that it was all nothing!!! a mirage!!!!!!!!!!!

I beg for feedback pppllleeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeee 

N.B.

Thank you for that Mashal.  It was so straight forward.  I hope to address this when we get deeper.  Meaning, is the yetzer hara all about imagination or is it a real drive? We shall see that it may depend on the person.

But for now, I understand in your mashal why the reshaim are crying.  They feel so fooled.  It is frustrating knowing that it was all a dimyon. But still what use is there to cry now.  The game is over.
Also, why are the tzaddikim crying.  I think you were addressing this, but I did not understand.  Shouldn't they rejoice that they figured out the plan.  And why is the yetzer hara so big.  Was he not in fact so small?

Once again, thanks for taking on these gemoros.

Maybe they are crying from HAPPINESS. That they forged ahead anyhow. 

Interesting!  I never thought of that.  That is so beautiful.  I can definitely relate.  In fact I just started crying myself (out of happiness).

Thank you!