thank the King for restoring the soul
via youtube.com
because my soul is not a raisin
the kindness of kingship
This is the last week of Sefiras haOmer. There is great potential at the end of any process, especially these last days before Shavuos. The Sfas Emas says in Parshas Emor, 5633, that the days of the counting help a person. During this very same time period our ancestors were transformed from the servitude of physicality and materialism to become prepared to receive the Torah. So too now, this potential is within our reach. Don't ignore the opportunity, rather make these last days count!
we need new glasses
A human being was given two eyes to see, his fellow's goodness with one eye and his own blemishes with the other.
Reb Meir of Premishlan
give thanks to Mom
via youtube.com
There are three partners in the creation of a person: The Holy One, Blessed is He, the father, and the mother. (Niddah 31a).
Melech Malchei HaMelachim: the beginning letters spell Mama. It's never too late to say thank you to your mommy.
a unified Yid
The Kotzker Rebbe said: “A gutter iz a nar. A klugger iz an appikores. Un a frummer iz a rasha. Alle drei tsuzammen — a shtikel mentch.” — “A good person is a fool. A smart person is a heretic. And a religious person is cruel. All three together — you got yourself a mentch.”
Meaning, if you’re a kind person without intelligence or piety, you’ll be taken advantage of. If you’re a smart person without piety or kindness, you’ll analyze everything to the point of every idea crumbling into ashes and become a heretic, and if you’re pious, but not kind or intelligent, you’ll judge everyone and everything too severely. Combine them — and you have a chance to pass as a functional Jew.
the Torah of perfect speech
Someone who does not have a desire to learn should not say anything bad about any person.
Slanderous talk causes a person not to have a desire to learn and also to despise the Tzaddik.
Rebbe Nachman, Sefer Middot, Learning:72, Lashon Hara:8
unleash the power of the soul
(download)
A holy brother sent me this song that another holy brother wrote. The words are: יש בורא לעולם ואני עבדך, "there is a creator of the world and I am his servant." The composer is Tuvia Heller and he put it together after learning Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh. If you find the beginning too rough and rocky, skip to wait patiently until 1:19 into it, where the niggun begins. The holy Besht had a tune that he was always singing the words "Ribbon shel Olam", maybe this is it.
desire it
Even if there are many obstacles preventing you from coming close to the Torah, through a great longing for the Torah and wanting to be drawn towards it, the Torah will be given to you as a gift.
Sfas Emes, Parshas Bamidbar 5635
