Parshas Eikev, 5766
excerpt from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

The opening words of this week’s parsha are: “and it will be at the heels if you will listen.” The word "and it will be" always marks an incident of joy. In this context, it refers to the great joy and nachas that we give Hashem by faithfully serving Him despite the difficulties of the ikvesa d’Moshicha.

A person who hosts a celebration such as a wedding or bar mitzva is called a “baal simcha.” The Chozeh of Lublin explained this quite literally to mean “master of joy” - since at the time of his celebration he is granted the power to draw Heavenly joy and blessing into the world. So too, when we give Hashem joy and nachas through our mitzvos in the ikvesa d’Moshicha, we make Him into a “baal simcha”, granting Him the ability to pour joy and blessing into our lives.

Read the rest of this post »

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.

Albert Schweitzer

Shalom Aleichem good friends and holy Yidden!

It's been a crazy month but I have finally finished my first sefer torah (Baruch Hashem, Hodo LaShem Key Tov, thank God, etc. etc.)

I got really busy and could not devote any time to raisinsoul. Sounds funny, right? I mean, of course we are always working on raisin' our soul but i was not up to posting during this time. 

At first I felt awful about it but then I got used to staying away from "internet attraction", news, opinions, and all forms of virtual interaction. Now, I do not know what to do. Should I reignite the fire?

My wife says that I should get back to raisinsoul but I am not so sure. How many people were ever following this "blog"? I have no idea.

Truth is, that I always envisioned something a little more interactive, a virtual Conscious Community, à la Aish Kodesh. That was not what happened.

So who really needs this? Is it worth investing time posting for an unknown few? If you have any thoughts on the subject, please let me know. You can email me at: raisinsoul at gmail.

Ely and Abby, thanks for commenting.

Gut Shabbos and Shabbot Shalom to all.

D.A.

Parshas Balak, 5766
excerpts from a discourse of Rav Itchie Mayer Morgenstern

The verse says, “Come, my people, enter you into your chambers, and shut your doors about you; hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation passes over.” (Yeshayah 26:20) Whenever a person confronts obstacles in his avodas Hashem, when all of his good desires and longing to act in accordance with Hashem’s will seem to come to naught no matter how many times he tries, it is because the sitra achra has set many internal and external pitfalls so that he should give up in despair.

This is the “indignation” of which the verse speaks - this feeling of distance from Hashem and failure. The solution is to, “enter into your chambers, and shut your doors about you,” to seek out a private place and sit there with Hashem alone. There, one can speak all of his heart out to Hashem and tell Him of all his desires for holiness. This is what mitigates the judgment, “the indignation passes over.”

Read the rest of this post »

Parshas Balak, 5767
excerpt from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

Spiritual awareness is a gift from Heaven, but it is not enough to make one into a good person. Man perfects himself only though his own efforts to improve his character and adapt his life to fit the wisdom he receives, since the goal of life is not just abstract spirituality, but the perfection of behavior on a day-to-day basis. If spirituality is not coupled with a commitment to self-improvement, it can actually corrupt a person, deluding him into thinking that he is better and holier than others, and thus more deserving of wealth and honor. This is the path towards arrogance - the greatest of all evils.

Read the rest of this post »

To be nobody but yourself in a world that is night and day trying to make you just like everybody else means to fight the hardest fight any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.

e. e. cummings

Chazon Ish
Emunah Ubitochon 1:9

When a person merits becoming aware of the reality of the Almighty's existence, he will experience limiltess joy. All the pleasures of the flesh immediately disappear. His soul is enveloped in sanctity and it is as if it has left the body and floats in the upper heavens. When a person transcends to this level, an etirely new world is open to him. It is possible for a person to be momentarily like a celestial being in this world. All of the pleasures of this world are as nothing compared to the intense pleasure of a person cleaving to his Creator.

Parshas Chukas
excerpt from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

The Torah portion discussing the parah adumah is called “Taharasan shel kol Yisrael - the purification of the entire Jewish people,”16 not just, “the purification of the impure,” since the essentials of humility that underlie the parah adumah apply equally to us all. No one is perfect. Through honest, humble introspection we can recognize our faults, improve our lives and cleanse our souls from the stains of selfishness and conceit.

Read the rest of this post »