ב"ה
THEMES of Featured Ascent Lights
G-d creates challenges in order that we perfect ourselves.
A soul is taught the entire Torah before it is born into a body, and just before birth, an angel comes and taps the baby and all that has been learned is forgotten. Even though forgotten, an impression still remains that allows one to reach a higher spiritual level. G-d will not completely take away the knowledge that was originally given to the soul, and He will not allow us to be judged as though we were independent and fully responsible for all of our actions.
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Beginner
Our opponents attack is the sweet secret of our success.
One of the most important concepts in Judaism is that G-d constantly maintains His creation; the universe is being re-created each and every instant. Similar to all of Creation, we too are also being constantly renewed from nothing and naught.
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Beginner
Deep insights into the lessons of the Biblical character Enoch
After his grievous sin of killing his brother Abel, Cain begat a son named Enoch; when he was born, he built a city and named it after him. Thus did Cain complete his repentance.
The Torah reminds us at the very beginning of our new year that complete repentance involves not only admission and regret but also requires an action that reverses the negative consequences of the sin. |
Our job is to take the physical and reveal its spiritual core.
The Baal Shem Tov taught that all the days of the year receive extra power from Shabbat Bereishit. The Lubavitcher Rebbe added that the way in which people behave during Shabbat Bereishit is how they will act the entire year. Therefore tone should behave as much as possible in a manner actualizing one's fullest potential. Remember, Shabbat Bereishit is a new beginning.
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Beginner
What G-d really expects from us is that everything should be part of our service to G-d.
Although the primary purpose of the Torah is to teach the Jewish people about the commandments, we see that Bereishit opens with the story of Creation and not with a mitzvah. This is a lesson to us.
Everything you do should be for the sake of heaven. To serve G-d when we are involved with a specific commandment is nice, but what G-d really expects from us is that ”everything” should be part of our service to G-d. |
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The smaller, plain text is the explanation of the translator/editor.
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