ב"ה
THEMES of Featured Chasidic Masters Articles
Intermediate
The splitting of the Red Sea is among the greatest revelations ever.
The parting of the physical waters of the sea was a reflection of the parting of the walls that conceal and obscure the inner dimensions of the lights of malchut and keter. For a short period of time, the order of nature - where that which is hidden cannot be revealed - was shattered, and the hidden worlds were apparent to every soul.
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Beginner
The Passover Offering was designed to defeat the astrological powers of Egypt
The divine symbol of Egypt is the sheep; the astrological sign of Aries, a Ram, is predominant in the month of Nissan. G-d commanded us to slaughter the sign of Egyptian divinity for our Passover Offering on the fourteenth of the month, when the moon is full and the predominance of Aries is at peak, to demonstrate to Egypt and to the rest of the world that G-d alone is the the Master of the Universe.
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Beginner
Only in the merit of Shabbat were the Israelites permitted to serve G‑d with self-sacrifice
The frogs voluntarily went into the glowing hot ovens even though they were not commanded concerning the sanctification of G-d's name, nor were they promised any reward for being the agents of the plague. All the more so we, who this mitzvah is incumbent on us, are required to go to any necessary length to ensure the sanctification of G-d's name in the world.
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The purpose of the plagues was to teach us about G-d.
We mortals can only achieve such appreciation of G-d Himself as
we can glean from our perception of G-d as He has chosen to manifest Himself
within Creation.
This limitation on our ability to "reach" G-d as He is in
Himself (i.e. in no way linked to Creation) is represented by the name E-l
Sha-dai.
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Beginner
To draw down the light of Pesach, we must prepare ourselves spiritually.
Light is like a seedling; at the beginning it requires our nurturing and our efforts to foster its growth. Like a field needs plowing and hoeing, weeding and watering, so do we need to prepare ourselves before the festival to enable us to properly praise and glorify G-d for all the miracles and all the good.
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When the four-letter Name comes first, the forces of Loving-kindness prevail; if not, forgetfulness rules.
A person who commits adultery arouses in the [upper] world the aspect of love. Only in the world below do his sins have a bad effect. But when he repents, his deeds have a positive effect, and he repairs everything, for he uplifts the [lower] levels to bina, which is E-kiyeh.
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