ב"ה
THEMES of Featured Chasidic Masters Articles
Even one's desire to serve G-d is a gift granted as a result of effort invested.
A person should always realize that no matter how much effort one has put into his spiritual quest, any success one achieves is not really one's own. Authentic love and fear of G‑d are gifts from Him.
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Beginner
Kabbalah and the tikkun of healing the world.
Every act of ours in this world that fulfills G‑d’s will serves to restore sparks of holiness to their place, and thus to bring the world ever closer to perfection. All suffering that a man undergoes is for a reason and for a specific tikun.
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This portion filled with Torah laws begins with an infrequently applied one regarding the acquisition and treatment of Jewish slaves – why?
We are told that the Jewish slave can serve for no more than six years, and must then be set free. The Torah is telling us about the limits of the powers of darkness. The six years represent the six external aspects of the soul – those which are affiliated with the body, which must be perfected and refined.
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Advanced
Moses imparted divine consciousness to the souls of his generation.
In general, there are two types of souls: the souls of Atzilut, "human seed", and the souls of the lower worlds, "animal seed" - like animals, they lack daat. When a person has wisdom and understanding without daat - i.e. they are not internalized - his religious experience is not real. In contrast, the consciousness of Atzilut is one of existential nullification.
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Beginner
Jewish mysticism teaches that justice is often served in hidden ways.
The Zohar comments: "These are the cycles of reincarnation..." on verses dealing with monetary laws,
explaining that at times the law may seem quite unjust.
However, the Creator of the world and of all souls knows what occurred between individuals in previous lives, and directs His world accordingly, with love and compassion, with righteousness and true justice. |
