Sukkot 5773 Hag Sukkot Sameah!!

B''SD

Sukkot 5773

 

I always wonder what in the world goyim think we're doing during the week of Sukkot sitting outside in our little makeshift huts in the middle of the fall. If one examines the construct of a Sukkah and considers its function, it would make logical sense to label it as a structure which provides shade from the sun, something to be used during the warmer seasons of the year. But think about it, we use the Sukkah during the fall season when shade is already plentiful. Why would we need to build a structure like a Sukkah during the fall when it functionally does not make sense?

The Sukkah is also an allusion to the Ananei HaKavod, the Clouds of Glory, which protected Benei Yisrael in the midbar (desert) once they left Missrayim, Egypt, in Nisan. By sitting in the Sukkah, we symbolize that HaKadosh Barukh Hu is protecting us no matter where we build our 'home'. But again, didn't we leave Egypt during the spring season? Why are we commemorating this by building a Sukkah during the fall?

Rabbi Avi Heller points out that according to the Midrash, Moshe Rabbenu gathered Benei Yisrael the very day after Yom Kippur and gave them the instruction to build the Mishkan, HaShem's temporary home. Sure enough, they began to build the Mishkan five days after Yom Kippur, which just so happens to be the first day of Sukkot. Says the Vilna Gaon that it was at this time that the Ananei HaKavod returned to Benei Yisrael. And this is why we build the Sukkah at this time; to commemorate the building of the Mishkan and the return of HaShem's Glory and Divine Protection over Benei Yisrael. Our Sukkot are actually a form of the Mishkan where the Shekhinah of HaKadosh Barukh Hu can dwell. It's no coincidence that the gematriya (numerical value) of 'Sukkah' (91) is the same gematriya of both of HaShem's names (A-donai and Yud-Heh-Vav-and Heh) added together….

                Sukkot and Yessiyat Misrayim have even more in common. Just as Benei Yisrael were cleansed from their impurity when they left Missrayim and were renewed as people after emerging from this crucible, we as also just walked out of Yom Kippur where we were purified and rejuvenated from our past 'slavery'. And just as they were enveloped in the Glory of Ribono Shel Olam, we also construct for ourselves a surrounding of Kedushah and glory so that the Presence of HaKadosh Barukh Hu could return to us as well.

In both cases, these structures are portable and temporary. The Mishkan and the Sukkah are both intermediary steps as a preparatory stage to a permanent dwelling place. The Mishkan would ultimately become the Beit HaMikdash and after seven days, we eventually trade in the Sukkah for our permanent homes. What both these parallels have in common is that the temporary dwellings are far less extravagant than the permanent ones we would eventually move into; they are far more simplistic than the latter. For at least a short while, we are meant to nullify all the materialism from our lives in order to acquire a certain level of spirituality in preparation for our permanent dwelling places. Once we tap into this spiritual reserve, once we internalize how Kadosh of a people we can become, only then are we able to move from the Mishkan to something like the Beit HaMikdash in all its glory, and only then can we move into our 'permanent' and more beautiful homes from the simple Sukkah. If we can earn spirituality in a portable home, wherever we go, we certainly can maintain it in a permanent place. We must carry over the Kedushah we earned from our temporary and portable homes into the sturdy and permanent homes we have, infusing our physical world with this very spirituality.

If we think about it, this concept is very similar to the relation between Olam HaZeh, this world and Olam HaBa, the next world. Why? This world is our temporary home, it's our more simple home. It is our preparatory stage for our permanent home, the world to come. In this world, we must rid ourselves of all materialism in order to attain the spirituality that we are meant to carry over to the next world, just like we do with the Sukkah. The less extravagant, the more simple we make our temporary dwelling, the better we can prepare for our permanent dwelling in Olam HaBa, the one that is eternal. Maybe this is why we serve HaShem Yitbarakh with a lulav and etrog, leaves and a simple fruit, and not with gold and silver. Instead of 7 days or 40 years, we have the short time span of only 120 years to live in simplicity in exchange for an everlasting life of spiritual luxury. Wouldn't you trade in a mere 120 years in the grand scheme of things for eternal spiritual wealth? I know I would.

Rabbi Nahman miBreslev puts it beautifully, "Worldly desires are like sunbeams in a dark room; they seem solid until you try to grasp one". The only way to take in sunbeams is through the heart, not the hand. Surround yourself with the light of the Torah HaKedoshah and reflect it unto others. Material things are fleeting, they hinder us from our true mission in life. We must focus on things that will cultivate our Neshamah and only uplift it. We can do this best by focusing on the ruhaniut (spirituality) that fills this world, not the gashmiut (physicality) that unrightfully takes its place.

It says about Sukkot 'Ve'Samahta be'Hagekha', be happy during your holiday. It is the holiday of happiness. It is also the least materialistic holiday. Less Materialism= More happiness.

Be'Ezrat HaShem may we develop the proper priorities in life and understand truly why we are here and identify what our purpose is in the world. May we carry through the Simhah and Kedushah of Sukkot into the rest of the year, and may we be zokhim to move from our provisional Sukkot straight into the Beit HaMikdash, Amen!

Wishing everyone a Hag Sukkot Sameah!

--
www.flyingsoul-o.com 

Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Parashat Haazinu- A Lifelong Song

BS''D

BH Yesterday, on Yom Kippur, the entire Kelal Yisrael was cleansed and purified. We were granted another year of life. We all started new. It is very easy for the magnanimity of this reality to quickly escape us and we will return to the mundane lives we used to live beforehand. Take the inspiration, take the commitment, take this treasure and carry it through the upcoming year. We are standing at an extremely high and holy level right now. We each have it in our potential to maintain this level all year long, as long as we remain aware and appreciative of this gift. In this week's Parashah, Parashat Haazinu, HaKadosh Barukh Hu warns us of exactly this--not to forget, not to be ungrateful, to open your eyes and see where everything is coming from, not to be distracted. You have a gem in your hands right now, don't let it wither away, don't let it erode, don't drop it. Let it shine.

Hold on to this gem so that BH by next Yom Kippur we can place it in our glistening crown along with the many other gems we will collect over the up coming year. BH we will be able to use this very crown to place on the head of the Mashiah when he arrives this year, Amen!

Here is the Devar Torah for this week:

Parashat Haazinu- A Lifelong Song

 

Parashat Haazinu is a written song,

Although reading through it, I felt something was wrong.

I came to realize very soon,

That this was not a happy tune.

One would think it would be filled with praise,

But I think Benei Yisrael have seen better days….

Instead we learn that if has ve'Shalom we go off the path,

We can expect to incur HaShem's wrath.

HaKadosh Barukh Hu warns us not to take things for granted

Because then our priorities become slanted.

When we become too involved with physical things,

The angels inside us begin to lose their wings.

HaShem instructs Moshe Rabbenu to write this Shirah as a 'witness',

Because He knows we won't always maintain our spiritual fitness.

And now that Moshe Rabbenu passes away,

Who will remind us of this every day?

 

We have just recently become very pure

After the Teshuvah and Tefillah of Yom Kippur.

Although it may sound a bit premature,

Be careful not to succumb to life's allures.

We might not stay on this level the entire year long,

So that is why HaShem gave us this song.

My Torah and Missvot don't forget,

Even though right now you think you're all set.

Just go ask the older generations,

How I saved them from the other nations.

Instead of responding with appreciation

They overlooked this Divine salvation.

This is why I warn you today,

From this special path do not stray.

 

As much as you think this doesn't apply to you

Since, with all due respect, 'I just started anew'

HaShem is warning us Listen here,

There will be a time you might forget, My dear.

Don't get too caught up with other distractions,

Otherwise I'll have to take further action.

This itself should fill us with enough understanding and fear

So that Be'Ezrat HaShem we will have a productive and meaningful year!

 

BH may we carry through Yom Kippur's inspiration,

To last us through the year's duration.

To many things we did commit,

Let us do them for our benefit.

In return HaShem should bless us with abundance,

But only to be used for our Neshamot to be enhanced.

Remember not to ever lose touch,

With that spiritual side we value so much.

I ask HaShem to give us strength,

To remember this for the year's length.

BH I am sure,

We'll be more than ready for next Yom Kippur.

 

May we always be close with HaKadosh Barukh Hu,

Through life's ups and downs and squiggles too.

Just in case you didn't realize that rhymed,

Go back and read it a second time ; )

Wishing you all a most wonderful Shabbat Shalom,

In each and every Jewish home!

--
www.flyingsoul-o.com 

Make Your Neshamah Fly!

A Yom Kippur Message

BS''D

Yom Kippur 5773

In New York:

Fast begins by 6:20pm (with the conclusion of Seudat HaMafseket)

Hadlakat Nerot at 6:28pm

**There is a very big merit to daven for your children and give them Berakhot tonight by the candles on Erev Yom Kippur

Fast ends 7:26pm

Rabbenu Tam 7:57pm

Some reminders:

All work that is forbidden on Shabbat is forbidden on Yom Kippur. 

The prohibitions specific to Yom Kippur are:

a) eating and drinking

b) washing the body

c) application of ointments

d) wearing leather shoes

e) marital relations.

*PUT YOUR ENTIRE HEART AND NESHAMAH INTO YOUR TEFILLOT, ESPECIALLY AT NE'ILAH*

May our Teshuvah and Tefillah be completely accepted by HaKadosh Barukh Hu leTovah uBerakhah!

BS''D

Yom Kippur 5773

Tizku leShanim Rabot Ne'imot veTovot!

Barukh HaShem we are now in the process of transitioning from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur. On Rosh HaShanah, we accept HaShem's reign over us as King, and on Yom Kippur we ask for our sins to be pardoned, as is tradition when a new king is coronated, so that we can recommit to Him on a level closer than a king's subjects. I dare to say that on Yom Kippur we go from being the King's subject to being the King's wife….if we are worthy. On Rosh HaShanah we are betrothed to HaShem and on Yom Kippur we marry Him. (Consequently, Sukkot is our Sheva Berakhot….)

                Many people treat their wedding day like Yom Kippur. We all wear white, Ashkenazim fast, it is a day where the Hattan and Kallah have all their averot pardoned, they are in a state of purity. But how many people treat Yom Kippur like their wedding day? Sure, many of us fast, and sure, we all say the right things and bow when we're supposed to….But how do we feel on this day? What are we actually thinking about on Yom Kippur?

                If Yom Kippur is like our wedding day, then on this day we relate to HaKadosh Barukh Hu as our Hattan and we are His Kallah. We are no longer subjects in a kingdom who have to have their books clear so they won't be executed, we are now given the opportunity to become the Queen, we are given the opportunity to establish a stronger bond with HaShem. To do so requires tremendous inner work—after all, the King doesn't marry just anybody. And so, on Yom Kippur it's no longer about clearing our offenses and not having sinned, it's all about becoming a better and more elevated person, a person worthy of being the King's wife.  It's no longer about fending for ourselves, it's about building a relationship with our beloved Hattan.

Rabbi Lander shelit''a explains to us that there are two elements to Yom Kippur--Kapparah (pardon) and Taharah (purification). Kapparah is getting through the radar, just making it, starting with a clean slate. Taharah is of a whole other dimension. Taharah is purifying oneself, becoming a different person, a better person, it's not an account of actions—it's a mindset, a lifestyle.

At this point, even though our accounts may technically be cleared, are we as people purified? Are we a changed person?  Yom Kippur is not only about replacing each sin we did with a Missvah, it is not a system of withdrawals and deposits. It is not that we just 'cleared our debts'; we're building up-not an account- but our credit.It is a cleansing of the self. Teshuvah has the power of an intrinsic change in the human, not just the extrinsic concept of reward and punishment.

On Yom Kippur we ask to be forgiven for sins we did by coercion, sins we were forced to do. Why should I have to ask forgiveness for something I didn't even choose to do? It's true that I did it, but I didn't really do it! We are not legally held accountable for these things! Why is it considered a sin? BECAUSE YOM KIPPUR IS NOT ONLY ABOUT A LEGAL CLEARING, IT IS ABOUT THE PURIFICATION OF THE SELF, ABOUT TAHARAH. Although we do not pay legally for these actions, we are spiritually damaged by them and must beg forgiveness.

We can better internalize this concept with a powerful story. There is a story of a rebellious boy who did not respect his parents at all, HaShem Yerahem. One day he began to understand the severity of his behavior and expressed remorse for his actions. He was instructed that every time he disrespects his parents, he should hammer a nail into the wall. And so he did. One nail, two nails, three nails, forty nails….Until he began to feel terrible and wished to change. He told himself, every time I do something positive for my parents, I will take a nail out. Finally, after some time and some deep Teshuvah, this boy is able to pull every nail out of the wall. He is elated with joy, 'Look! I restored the harm I caused my parents. I fixed the problem. Good as new!' His elders told him, 'Look again my son, for the holes you have created in the wall still remain'. Even though this boy cleared his account, there was still an effect his actions caused that could not be repaired. The damage was done. The only way to fix this wall is to replace it completely, to CHANGE it. And so, this is how we stand at Yom Kippur. Maybe we have cleared our account balance, but have we really purified ourselves? Do we still have residual 'holes' in our Neshamah? On Yom Kippur, not only do we pray for Kapparah, to be pardoned, but we also pray for Tehara; 'Lifnei HaShem Tit'haru', you will be purified before HaShem. This Taharah is what makes us worthy to marry the King.

                A king can have a conversation with someone who hasn't done anything terribly wrong against him, but he can only have a deep relationship with someone who he sees is pure. Fortunately, our King is so loving and so merciful that He is helping us every step of the way to attain this state of Taharah. He wants us to become close to Him, we have to realize that. He wants to have a relationship with us. HaKadosh Barukh Hu wants us to be His Kallah. Us! Yes, us! This takes some effort on our part, but HaShem is more than willing to help if He sees that we want to have such a loving relationship with Him. Yom Kippur is a day where we are filled with immense fear because our fates will be sealed, but do we realize that it is the day of the year where HaKadosh Barukh Hu has the most Rahamim. Take advantage of this. It is you and HaShem under the Huppah so to speak. What a beautiful moment!

                This is the time we are closest to HaShem. The apex of the year is Yom Kippur. The apex of the day is Neilah, the fifth and final Tefillah service of this immensely holy day. This means the high point of the entire year is the moment of Neilah. To me, Neilah is like the Yihoud room between us and HaShem after the Huppah. We can speak with Him even more privately and bond with Him. We can share with Him our aspirations and desires, our Tefillot. We can love each other in such a pure and natural way. This is our last chance of the day to express how we feel, because after this intense moment, the Hattan and Kallah must separate to attend to their Simhah with the rest of the world, and we can only meet again personally next year….

                Be'ezrat HaShem Yitbarakh, may we be zokhim to be granted a full Kapparah, and ever more so, so become completely Tahor, pure. May we deepen our relationship with HaKadosh Barukh Hu to the point that we can feel that we are His Kallah. May we realize that this entails starting a new life as does a Hattan with his Kallah, and being involved in part of a relationship. May we develop the most intimate relationship with the Ribono Shel Olam and may we always love Him truly and immensely. In this merit, may we attain personal zekhouyot and Berakhot on the level of a Kallah and not a king's subject or slave. May we all be personally written and sealed in the Sefer Hayim Tovim, for a year filled with Berakhah, Simhah, and Hasslahah Rabah. May HaKadosh Barukh Hu answer all of our Tefillot leTovah uleBerakhah! After all, we are His beloved Kallah….

 

Gemar Hatimah Tovah to you, your families and all of Kelal Yisrael!

--
www.flyingsoul-o.com 

Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Parashat VaYelekh-Stop, Drop, and Soul

BS''D

Parashat VaYelekh-Stop, Drop, and Soul

In a year in which there is only one Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Sukkot, Parashat Nissavim and VaYelekh are read as a double Parashah on the Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah, and Parashat Haazinu is read the next week, on Shabbat Shuvah (the Shabbat during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah,  between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur). If there are two Shabbatot between Rosh HaShanah and Sukkot, Parashat Nissavim is read before Rosh HaShanah, Parashat VaYelekh is read on Shabbat Shuvah, and Parashat Haazinu is read on the Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot. 

BH this year, we had read Parashat Nissavim last week and will read Parashat VaYelekh this week on Shabbat Shuvah. Obviously, HaKadosh Barukh Hu had set it up specifically this way and so, let's try to understand maybe one potential message of why this year Parashat Nissavim and Vayelekh are read separately.

The word Nissavim means 'standing', while the word VaYelekh implies 'going' or 'walking'. So if we think about it, the Parashah we have read before Rosh HaShanah is about 'standing' in once place, while the Parashah we read after refers to movement. Something must have changed from the first week to the next. What exactly is this change that takes place? And why is it specifically on Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat we 'return' to HaShem that we read Parashat VaYelekh?

 Two questions, one answer.

Parashat Nissavim speaks about the possibility of doing Teshuvah and how to go about it. Here, Benei Yisrael stand still and kind of absorb the message. They haven't done much yet, they're just getting some good tips for the future from Moshe Rabbenu. They stand there and reflect. But in Parashat VaYelekh, that's where the action is at. Here, Moshe Rabbenu transfers his leadership to Yehoshua bin Nuun. Here, Moshe Rabbenu instills courage in the hearts of Kelal Yisrael. Here, they are given the direct commandment to gather all of Benei Yisrael once every seven years on Sukkot for the reading of the Torah HaKedoshah by the King, a Missvah known as Hakel, and the Missvah upon every single Yid to write their own personal Sefer Torah. Here, we learn about leadership, unity, and personal growth. These are not just concepts, they are solid actions. They are movements. We are no longer 'Nissavim', here we are 'VaYelekh', halikhah, to walk, to move—to act.

The theory and concepts in Nissavim are put into action in VaYelekh. Likewise, the theory, concepts and ideals we talk about and take on ourselves before Rosh HaShanah, must be put into action afterwards; they must be put into a state of 'VaYelekh'. On Rosh HaShanah and on Yom Kippur, we are Nissavim most of the time—both literally and figuratively. We stand in Beit Keneset all day and daven our hearts out, we say we want to do Teshuvah, but other than that, we are not so active, we aren't actually tested in our Teshuvah yet, we have only committed to doing it and changing ourselves for the better. But it is not enough to just think about these things, we must do something about them.

There was once a fellow who became uncomfortably ill. He made his way to a doctor, was checked thoroughly and was assigned a prescription. The doctor instructed him to return in three weeks for a follow-up. Three weeks later, he comes back with escalating symptoms. 'I just don't understand Doctor! I took the prescription and read it three times daily just like you said. Why don't I see any improvement??'

It is not just enough to read the prescription, we must follow through and actually do what is prescribed to us. Although we stand for a total of three days in intense prayer and supplication, on top of forty days of reciting selihot, our lip service means nothing if we do not act on it, if we do not follow through with what we are prescribed.

Following through does not only mean to keep up with the commitments we made until the end of Hodesh Tishrei and then forget about it all. Following through means that each and every day, when it gets down to the little things, we still honor our commitments. Following through means that next year this time, we appear in front of HaKadosh Barukh Hu not with the same claims as last year. Following through means that every day from here on we will consciously have in mind the commitments we made, and this translates into every iota of our behavior. No more Nissavim, it's time to get going, it's time for VaYelekh.

There is an event in this Parashah that hints to this concept further. We see in Parashat VaYelekh that it becomes time for Moshe Rabbenu to pass on his leadership to Yehoshua bin Nuun. Moshe Rabbenu is sometimes compared to the sun, being the brightest star in the sky. Therefore, Yehoshua bin Nuun is compared to the moon, which reflects the light of the sun. Here, there is an emphasis on the transition from the sun to the moon. The sun is stationary, it does not move. Rather the world revolves around it. The moon however, is always moving, orbiting the earth. The moon is always changing, moving from one phase to another. HaShem is telling us, until now, as great as you were, as bright as you shine, you were like the sun—you didn't move, you didn't change. But now I demand of you to become more like the moon. This is greater in My Eyes. I ask of you to adopt the characteristic of action, of movement, of change. Break free from your stagnant stance and evolve, wax and wane, grow. This is what I demand of you.

Indeed, this is the spirit of the times. All other hagim coincide on the fifteenth of the month. Yet Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur occur in the beginning of the month, when the moon is small, when the moon is growing. HaShem is telling us, be like the moon. Grow.

Be'Ezrat HaShem Yitbarakh, may we adopt and internalize this concept of growth and positive change, may we break free from our stagnant lives and move upwards. Even if we have been shining bright until now, we can do what we have been doing thus far but better. And so, instead of taking myriads of things upon ourselves that we won't be able to commit to and follow through with, let us make a resolution, not to take new things upon ourselves,but to continue to do the good things we do but better. Like this, we aren't just intensifying how bright we shine, but we are growing and fulfilling our potential in life. We will impersonate the moon. May we have much Hasslahah in this endeavor!

May we all be zokhim of Teshuvah Shelemah, of putting our heartfelt commitments into action, and in this zekhout, may we be escorted by a year full of Berakhah, Simhah and Hasslahah Rabbah!

Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shuvah Shalom uMevorakh!

Ariellah Samimi

Inspiration and information from Rabbi Keleman and Rabbi Avraham Twerski

--
www.flyingsoul-o.com 

Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Parashat VaYelekh-Stop, Drop, and Soul

BS’’D

Parashat VaYelekh-Stop, Drop, and Soul

In a year in which there is only one Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Sukkot, Parashat Nissavim and VaYelekh are read as a double Parashah on the Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah, and Parashat Haazinu is read the next week, on Shabbat Shuvah (the Shabbat during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah,  between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur). If there are two Shabbatot between Rosh HaShanah and Sukkot, Parashat Nissavim is read before Rosh HaShanah, Parashat VaYelekh is read on Shabbat Shuvah, and Parashat Haazinu is read on the Shabbat between Yom Kippur and Sukkot. 

BH this year, we had read Parashat Nissavim last week and will read Parashat VaYelekh this week on Shabbat Shuvah. Obviously, HaKadosh Barukh Hu had set it up specifically this way and so, let’s try to understand maybe one potential message of why this year Parashat Nissavim and Vayelekh are read separately.

The word Nissavim means ‘standing’, while the word VaYelekh implies ‘going’ or ‘walking’. So if we think about it, the Parashah we have read before Rosh HaShanah is about ‘standing’ in once place, while the Parashah we read after refers to movement. Something must have changed from the first week to the next. What exactly is this change that takes place? And why is it specifically on Shabbat Shuvah, the Shabbat we ‘return’ to HaShem that we read Parashat VaYelekh?

 Two questions, one answer.

Parashat Nissavim speaks about the possibility of doing Teshuvah and how to go about it. Here, Benei Yisrael stand still and kind of absorb the message. They haven’t done much yet, they’re just getting some good tips for the future from Moshe Rabbenu. They stand there and reflect. But in Parashat VaYelekh, that’s where the action is at. Here, Moshe Rabbenu transfers his leadership to Yehoshua bin Nuun. Here, Moshe Rabbenu instills courage in the hearts of Kelal Yisrael. Here, they are given the direct commandment to gather all of Benei Yisrael once every seven years on Sukkot for the reading of the Torah HaKedoshah by the King, a Missvah known as Hakel, and the Missvah upon every single Yid to write their own personal Sefer Torah. Here, we learn about leadership, unity, and personal growth. These are not just concepts, they are solid actions. They are movements. We are no longer ‘Nissavim’, here we are ‘VaYelekh’, halikhah, to walk, to move—to act.

The theory and concepts in Nissavim are put into action in VaYelekh. Likewise, the theory, concepts and ideals we talk about and take on ourselves before Rosh HaShanah, must be put into action afterwards; they must be put into a state of ‘VaYelekh’. On Rosh HaShanah and on Yom Kippur, we are Nissavim most of the time—both literally and figuratively. We stand in Beit Keneset all day and daven our hearts out, we say we want to do Teshuvah, but other than that, we are not so active, we aren’t actually tested in our Teshuvah yet, we have only committed to doing it and changing ourselves for the better. But it is not enough to just think about these things, we must do something about them.

There was once a fellow who became uncomfortably ill. He made his way to a doctor, was checked thoroughly and was assigned a prescription. The doctor instructed him to return in three weeks for a follow-up. Three weeks later, he comes back with escalating symptoms. ‘I just don’t understand Doctor! I took the prescription and read it three times daily just like you said. Why don’t I see any improvement??’

It is not just enough to read the prescription, we must follow through and actually do what is prescribed to us. Although we stand for a total of three days in intense prayer and supplication, on top of forty days of reciting selihot, our lip service means nothing if we do not act on it, if we do not follow through with what we are prescribed.

Following through does not only mean to keep up with the commitments we made until the end of Hodesh Tishrei and then forget about it all. Following through means that each and every day, when it gets down to the little things, we still honor our commitments. Following through means that next year this time, we appear in front of HaKadosh Barukh Hu not with the same claims as last year. Following through means that every day from here on we will consciously have in mind the commitments we made, and this translates into every iota of our behavior. No more Nissavim, it’s time to get going, it’s time for VaYelekh.

There is an event in this Parashah that hints to this concept further. We see in Parashat VaYelekh that it becomes time for Moshe Rabbenu to pass on his leadership to Yehoshua bin Nuun. Moshe Rabbenu is sometimes compared to the sun, being the brightest star in the sky. Therefore, Yehoshua bin Nuun is compared to the moon, which reflects the light of the sun. Here, there is an emphasis on the transition from the sun to the moon. The sun is stationary, it does not move. Rather the world revolves around it. The moon however, is always moving, orbiting the earth. The moon is always changing, moving from one phase to another. HaShem is telling us, until now, as great as you were, as bright as you shine, you were like the sun—you didn’t move, you didn’t change. But now I demand of you to become more like the moon. This is greater in My Eyes. I ask of you to adopt the characteristic of action, of movement, of change. Break free from your stagnant stance and evolve, wax and wane, grow. This is what I demand of you.

Indeed, this is the spirit of the times. All other hagim coincide on the fifteenth of the month. Yet Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur occur in the beginning of the month, when the moon is small, when the moon is growing. HaShem is telling us, be like the moon. Grow.

Be’Ezrat HaShem Yitbarakh, may we adopt and internalize this concept of growth and positive change, may we break free from our stagnant lives and move upwards. Even if we have been shining bright until now, we can do what we have been doing thus far but better. And so, instead of taking myriads of things upon ourselves that we won’t be able to commit to and follow through with, let us make a resolution, not to take new things upon ourselves, but to continue to do the good things we do but better. Like this, we aren’t just intensifying how bright we shine, but we are growing and fulfilling our potential in life. We will impersonate the moon. May we have much Hasslahah in this endeavor!

May we all be zokhim of Teshuvah Shelemah, of putting our heartfelt commitments into action, and in this zekhout, may we be escorted by a year full of Berakhah, Simhah and Hasslahah Rabbah!

Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shuvah Shalom uMevorakh!

Ariellah Samimi

Inspiration and information from Rabbi Keleman and Rabbi Avraham Twerski

A Rosh HaShanah Message

BS''D

Tizku leShanim Rabot Ne'imot veTovot,

Here is a letter I wrote to HaKadosh Barukh Hu in anticipation for Rosh HaShanah. It is my hope that by reading it, one will acquire the proper mindset necessary for these upcoming holy and precious days. May HaShem grant us all a wonderful year filled with Berakhah, Simhah, spiritual growth and closeness to Him, Amen!

Riboni Shel Olam, today I stand in immense trepidation before You, wondering if this is a day of joy and elation or one of solemnity and seriousness. Today is 5773 years since You have created the world and declared Your Sovereignty over it. Today is the day You will consider whether we will make it to witness the 5774^th year from Creation. Today, we pass in front of You one by one as herds of sheep, waiting to be judged for the forthcoming year. Am I not to be afraid?

Yet, today we declare You as our King.

Today we will commit ourselves once again to conform with Divine Sovereignty, that Your Will will become our will. We submit to You, HaShem. We accept your Kingship fully. As it says 'Make that His will should be your will, so that He should make your will to be as His will. Nullify your will before His will, so that He should nullify the will of others before your will'. HaKadosh Barukh Hu, I acknowledge that this world runs under Your Sovereignty alone. Everything that has happened in the past year was Your Will and Your Will only. In the same vain, what this upcoming year will yield is also Your Will and Your Will only. I accept your decrees with a full and content heart, knowing that you want the best for your beloved subjects. For this I rejoice.

A king of flesh and blood is coronated by a single, trusted subject, but You HaShem, You are coronated by the entire Kelal Yisrael; the pauper and the prince alike. Today, we all place a crown on Your Head. Today we all declare You our King. And just as each one of us is a partner in your Coronation as King, You reciprocate this relationship, being involved in our lives completely, supervising even the smallest creatures to the greatest of Sadikim. From the breeze that ruffles the grass, to each drop of rain that falls from the Heavens, each fruit that ripens on its time  and each flower that germinates, to the beasts of the fields and the birds of the sky, to each and every member of Kelal Yisrael, You oversee us all; We declare You our Beloved King.

We sound the Shofar to declare your Coronation. The Shofar blasts are akin to the reverberations of trumpets blown when a king is cornoated. One hundred and one times do we declare You as King this way. One hundred and one moments we have to focus on Your Kingship. One hundred and one wake up calls to do Teshuvah. We have one hundred and one opportunities to take upon ourselves Ol Malkhut Shamayim, the responsibility of being your subjects and yielding to Your Sovereignty.

These one hundred and one permutations of cries will allow me to refocus on how I can improve myself in preparation for the upcoming year. I will conjure the moments I regret not taking advantage of the Torah and Missvot to help me do so. I will strike up the moments I compromised commitment for comfort and prayer for pleasure. I will commit to deal with others more lovingly and with more patience. I will realign my Emounah and Bitahon as well as take on a steadfast commitment to Torah and Missvot. From now on I will operate with utmost Ahavat and Yira'at HaShem.

HaShem, consider my newfound dedication to You and pardon my past wrongdoings. Just as when a new king is coronated, he grants amnesty to all his subjects, overlooking their wrongdoings, so too, when we Coronate You as King once again, we are certain that You will grant us amnesty, pardon our sins, and help us start anew. In this way, today we can rejoice. In this way, we can truly say 'Yismehu beMalkhutekha', 'We will rejoice in Your Kingship', with heartfelt meaning.

If that is not enough, if I have no merit of my own to evoke, please HaShem do this for Your sake. On Rosh HaShanah we are called to a din Torah, a court of Jewish law, where You are the plaintiff and we are the defendants. The halakhah tells us that if a poor person and a wealthy person appear at a din Torah, they both must be perceived by the judge as having equal stature. If the wealthy person is dressed in elegant attire, the judge may look at him more favorably than the poor person dressed in rags. Therefore, the wealthy man either has to purchase a similar prestigious garb for the poor person, or must dress rags similar to the poor person so that a fair ruling can be made. HaShem, we are dressed in rags, we are clothed in our sins and You, in Your Purity and Holiness, are not fitting to wear such clothing. Therefore, please share with us your clothing of purity, which can only be vested if our sins our forgiven.  Allow us to don your pristine garb.

HaKadosh Barukh Hu, I call out to You in a heartfelt Tefillah. May You accept our sincere Teshuvah in turn for a wonderful year ahead of us. May this be a year of Berakhah for all of Kelal Yisrael.  May You always judge us favorably and with immense Rahamim, Mercy. May You inscribe and seal us in Sefer Hayim Tovim, the Book of Good Life, so that we may continue to propagate the beauty of Your Torah in this world. May we continue to elevate ourselves higher and higher with Your Divine assistance and grow spiritually each and every day. May we always become a better person than we were the day before. May we be successful in our Avodat Middot and cultivate ourselves into more refined, patient and forgiving beings. May we gain clarity to Your Truths and thereby become even closer to You. Please help us increase our Emounah and Bitahon in You, and to always have the proper Ahavat HaShem and Yira'at Shamayim. May we be zokhim to feel Your Shekhinah at every moment.

HaShem, May there be Shalom Bayit in every single Jewish Home and may Your Shekhinah always rest there. May all of us, Your children, be in a constant state of Simhah. Please grant us all Menouhat Nefesh and Yishouv Daat- free us from our distress and worries, comfort us, protect us. May You grant all of us health and vigor to serve You better and may all the holim have a Refuah Shelemah beKarov. May all the singles find their zivoug hagoun beKarov with ease, clarity and happiness and may they be zokhim to build a Bayit Kadosh veNe'eman beYisrael. May all the childless be blessed with an abundance of healthy and righteous children. May all those off the Derekh please come back rightfully. May You also bless each and every one of us with Parnassah Tovah beShefa so that we can increase our Sedakah and Torah learning. May we only have Bessorot Tovot to share this year and every year after. MAY THIS BE THE YEAR THAT WE WILL WITNESS THE COMING OF MASHIAH BEN DAVID, AMEN!

HaShem, I want to thank You for all you have blessed us with thus far. May You keep and add to these Berakhot and may we always be appreciative of them. Thank You HaShem. I love You very much.

Ketivah veHatimah Tovah! Wishing everyone a Shanah Tovah uMevorekhet!

(Information and inspiration based on the works of Rabbi Avraham J. Twerski, M.D.)

Although I wish I could do this face to face, I would like to personally ask a sincere mehillah (forgiveness) from each and every special person that is part of the FlyingSoul-o group. I deeply apologize if I have ever hurt, offended or embarrassed anyone, or if I have done anything else that would warrant a mehillah, whether it was by speech, thought or action, whether it is known to you or it is not, whether intentional or unintentional. I hope that you could forgive me. BH I am mohelet (forgiving) everyone in advance. I wish upon each and every one of you a Shanah Tovah uMevorekhet full of Shalom, Berakhah ve'Simhah! May HaKadosh Barukh Hu bless us with all that is good and may our beloved FlyingSoul-o group continue to grow more and more! You are all very dear to me. Kol Tuv!!

--
www.flyingsoul-o.com 

Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Parashat Nissavim- There's Treasure in Your Chest...Mouth and Heart, Too.

BS''D

Parashat Nissavim- There's Treasure in Your Chest...Mouth and Heart, Too.
11. For this commandment which I command you this day, is not concealed from you, nor is it far away.			יא. כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ וְלֹא רְחֹקָה הִוא:
12. It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"			יב. לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא לֵאמֹר מִי יַעֲלֶה לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ

The Hafess Hayim (who's Hiloula/Yahrzeit it was this week) once encountered an affluent man wearing a beautiful fur coat whose fur he's never seen before. Curious, he walks up to the man and asks him 'I see your fur coat must be of a rare skin, I've never seen anything like it. It must be so warm! May I ask where you acquired such a thing from?' The man answers, 'To be honest, it's not even so warm.  Something this valuable is made in a land far away overseas, not everyone can get their hands on a beauty like this, and therefore it's considered a true treasure to have. I only wear it for its prestige.'

Our Torah HaKedoshah is a true beauty, it's a treasure-- except unlike the man's coat which was only attainable from somewhere far away, and only by an elite few, our special Torah can be accessed by anyone and from any place despite its infinite value. HaShem wants us to know, the Torah HaKedoshah is within our reach.

In Parashat Nissavim, Moshe Rabbenu affirms to Benei Yisrael, the Torah is not an intangible force that exists in the Heavens; it is right here! In our hands! The missvot are all in our grasp. We are given the capability and the potential to attain every level the Torah offers to us. We just have to seize it. And look! It is not concealed and it isn't even far away as the pasouk says. It literally exists among us. 
HaKadosh Barukh Hu reaffirms this in the Parashah:

14. Rather,[this] thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it.

יד. כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ:

Sometimes, for a college course, I need to access original manuscripts and articles from founding and leading Psychologists in order to strengthen my paper's argument, since they have much authority in the field. If I can use what these Psychologists have to say as my references, then I'm golden. The thing is, it can become very difficult to seize these books sometimes. I would need to see if the book is even available, locate the book, order it to be sent to me, wait a few days for it to circulate and be sent, and then I can finally pick it up. Now the real work begins. Once I do have the book in my hands, it is even more difficult to understand sometimes than the acquisition process. Most of these books have been written in the early 1900's by extremely brilliant authors…. in old English. HaShem Yerahem. Sometimes information found has been disproved or become irrelevant, and I wonder to myself why in the world im stuck here reading this. I rather be davening.

But think about it, isn't it just phenomenal that the Torah was written, not 100 years, but 3,000 years ago and it still makes sense to us? The words of the Torah HaKedoshah are pure Emet, Truth, and have not been disproven. Its content is still completely relevant. Amazing isn't it? And you know what the best part is? There's one sitting right on your shelf (or you probably even have a Torah App on your iphone). You don't have to climb to the Heavens to get a copy.

Moshe Rabbenu warns us not to throw our responsibilities onto another to say 'the Torah is an esoteric and mysterious text that I will never understand. Who can I find to teach it to me, and who even says I will understand its' deep hidden secrets? There is nobody to simplify it for me. I'm not on that level'. Moshe Rabbenun warns us that this attitude is not correct. Especially with the wealth of resources available today, we can all be involved, we can all learn more, we can all do more Missvot. There are no excuses.

Yet we all have an excuse. So think about it. What must be stopping you? Is it your job? Your friends? Your honor? Are you embarrassed? Just remember, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT MATTERS MOST IN THIS WORLD IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HAKADOSH BARUKH HU. All else is secondary. Just focus on doing what is important, what is right, what matters. It is better to look like a fool your ENTIRE life in front of others (but be doing the right thing) than to look like a fool in front of HaShem Yitbarakh for even one moment. We must realize, absolutely everything in our lives comes from HaShem, not from the people that surround us. Do it for Him, there is absolutely no reason not to. HaShem is the Source for all and to Him we must turn. To Him we must be committed.

Let's talk about HaShem and commitment. There are two ways to view our existence in regards to HaKadosh Barukh Hu. Either HaShem exists or He doesn't, right? There are no other possibilities, there is no half deity here. And we know the former is true and that the concept that HaShem exists is more true than it is false. And if He exists, it is one hundred percent (HaShem can't exist only seventy five percent). So we can agree here that HaKadosh Barukh Hu definitely exists. Now, if we know that HaShem FULLY exists, then why is our commitment to Him only PARTIAL? We just rationally proved and agreed that HaKadosh Barukh Hu exists (youdid read this far). Where is my full commitment to Him?

I understand there is a fear of failure here and this may lead us to give up before we even try, and that is completely normal. Just know, if you truly want it and show the effort, HaShem will make it possible for you. Just take the first step. I have personally encountered this Mercy of HaShem Yitbarakh many times. It is said, Pit'hu li petah ke'hudo shel mahat, ve'Ani eftah lakhem pit'ho shel ulam. Open for Me even the smallest hole like that of a needle, and then HaKadosh Barukh Hu will take care of the rest and open for us a large opening like that of a great hall. It just takes a little bit of sincere effort; we don't have to take on the world at once. The greatest part though that it is all available to us.

You have a shiur your can go to, watch, listen to? That's a great way to start. There are also myriads of Sefarim that we can read, including translations of Halakhah books, in order to improve ourselves and our Avodat HaShem. Pick a Missvah and pick a Middah ('character trait') and make it your own.

Just make the commitment-- it's easier and more accessible than you think. It is the Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah. Now is the time.

Parashat Nissavim reassures us, the Torah HaKedoshah is not floating somewhere in the cosmos nor is it trapped between the stratospheres of the sky. My dear friends, our Torah is not hovering in the heavens; it is within our own personal reach. We don't need angels to bring it down for us. I pray HaKadosh Barukh Hu grant us all that extra koah boost we need in order to grasp and to internalize the Kedushah of the Torah and all its teachings. May this renewed commitment to HaKadosh Barukh Hu escort us into the New Year with tremendous Berakhah, Simhah and Hasslahah!

Wishing everybody a wonderful Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorakh! Kol Tuv!

Ariellah Samimi

Parashat Ki Tavo-Heads or Tails?

BS''D

Parashat Ki Tavo-Heads or Tails?

BH this Devar Torah may require a bit more concentration than usual. Prepare yourself, and Enjoy!

'HaShem will make you the head, not the tail; you will always be at the top and never at the bottom — if only you obey and faithfully observe the commandments [of HaShem your G-d that I enjoin upon you this day]' (Sefer Devarim, Parashat Ki Tavo, 28:13).

 Hmmm, this Pasouk from Parashat Ki Tavo sounds familiar. Don't we say something like this on Rosh HaShanah?

We sure do!

In its simple meaning, HaKadosh Barukh Hu gives us the secret to attaining a good year, to being the 'head', on top, and not the 'tail'. All we have to do is obey and observe HaShem's beautiful Missvot. That sounds great, but what is the connection? Why would HaShem specifically make us the head of something and not its tail? Couldn't HaShem just say 'I will bless you with all that is good'? What are the mechanisms at work that actually make this happen? What is actually happening 'behind the scenes' when we follow the Torah and Missvot? 

The Ben Ish Hai brings up the view of the Neshamah as something drawn from a place in Shamayim that is even higher than where the Malakhim, angels, live.  When a person does an averah, transgression, it is considered as an object that has fallen from Shamayim and became lost.  It is a Halakhah of Hashavat Avedah, that when an object is lost, the person closest to it must return it to its rightful owner and to its rightful place.  Therefore, when a person's Neshamah is lost (because they sinned) from its rightful place, Shamayim, HaShem is the One that is closest to it and must 'return it' to its rightful owner, in its rightful place.

We see here that the Neshamah here is being returned from a lower place to a higher one. So far, we're getting the concept of being 'on top' rather than 'on bottom'.

Let's continue.  

Rabbi Yosef Haim points out that Benei Yisrael are known by the two names,  Yaakov (as in Beit Yaakov) and Yisrael (as in Benei Yisrael)—they both are two names to the same person (Yaakov Avinu is known as both 'Yaakov' and 'Yisrael'). Yisrael – the special name given to Ya'akov by HaShem – is considered the greater of the two (afterall, he 'earns' this name after passing a tremendous nisayon, test).  The Ben Ish Hai uses the midrashic method of breaking down words in order to reveal to us what really happens when we do a Missvah and how this makes us 'on top' and not 'the bottom'.

 We're going to need to pay close attention here.

Both names – Yaakov and Yisrael — start with the letter yud:

י עקב 

י שראל

In the name Yaakov, the word 'Akev' (heel) is left. It looks like this:  י +עקב

Yisrael is made up of yud and the remaining letters spell 'le'rosh' (to [become] a head – the very same word used in the Pasouk we started off with). It looks like this:   י +לראש 

The yud of Yaakov stands for the yud at the end of the HaShem's name pronounced A-donai.  This version of HaShem's name according to Kabbalah represents the lowest of the sefirot, the manifestation of Hashem's kingdom, present in the earthly world. The bottom, the heel.

The yud of Yisrael represents the yud in the beginning of Hashem's most sacred name, Yud-Heh-Vav- and Heh.  This form of HaShem's name represents the highest of the sefirot, that of Crown that is absolutely beyond anything earthly—the top, the head.

So when we do a Missvah, we are actually rectifying 'Yaakov' to 'Yisrael'—we literally move from the 'heels' of the spiritual world to its 'head'. By doing so, we actually also bring together and unify both of HaShem's names A-donai (represented by Yaakov) and Yud-Heh-Vav- and Heh(represented by Yisrael) into one.

Want me to prove it?

Let's look at the Pasouk again 'You will always be at the top [למעלה] and never at the bottom [למטה]' – The difference in the gematriya, the numerical value, of these two (and therefore the distance between them) is as follows:

'at the top'              למעלה     175

and                                           -

'at the bottom'       למטה        84

This equals                                91

The numerical value of the two names of HaShem, A-donai and Yud-Heh-Vav- and Heh, is also….91.

Every time you do a Missvah, you are literally bring together the two names of Hashem. You change yourself from a simple Yaakov, 'at the bottom', which has a gematriya of 84 and add the combined numerical value of HaShem's names—the amount you need to 'travel' from high to low –which is 91. This gives us a total of 175, and turns the person performing the Missvah into Yisrael, למעלה, "at the top"—which as we calculated before, has a gematriya of 175. Absolutely AMAZING.

Too much math? No problem. What Hakham Yosef Haiim wants to explain is that our Neshamot have the potential to be at a place even higher than the Malakhim. We really could be there. The thing is that sometimes we get a bit 'lost'. But the best part of all is that HaShem Himself is the One that must return our Neshamot to its rightful place, to a place in Shamayim even higher than the angels.  If we existed below the angels, they would be the ones closest to the lost Neshamot and would have to do the returning. How lucky we are that HaShem is the one to do this for us, since He does this with such compassion. HaShem doesn't say 'That Neshamah sinned, it is not deserving of being returned!' Rather, HaShem facilitates this Neshama's Teshuvah and says 'I will return this Neshamah and allow it to do Teshuvah and live!' We should know that when we are lost and want to 'return', when we so sincerely want to do Teshuvah, HASHEM HIMSELF IS THE ONE WHO HELPS US. Don't ever give up.

This is why HaShem says He will place us 'on top'—on top of the angels. So that HaShem Himself can be directly involved in the process of our return to Him. We have about ten more days until Rosh HaShanah. This is a time when we must be involved in intense Teshuvah, yet we can become very discouraged even thinking about this responsibility. In Parashat Ki Tavo, HaShem Himself is assuring us that He will help us every step of the way. All we have to do is get started! Yalla! You have every capability to shoot your Neshamah up all the way to the highest levels of Shamayim. Don't let anything get in the way.

Look at the tremendous impact that every single Missvah has—the 'big' and 'smaller' ones alike. Won't we think twice now on passing a precious Missvah up? You have a chance to make a Berakhah? Do it. Extra Sedaka to give? Give more. Bikur Holim? Hakhnasat Kallah? Lend a helping hand? Say a Perek of Tehillim? Don't pass these opportunities up-they change worlds, each and every one of them.

Be'Ezrat HaShem, May we all be the 'head' on top, and not the 'heel' on bottom. May we understand the value of each Missvah, and in this pursuit, strengthen our Avodat HaShem. May this direct us on the proper path in preparation for Rosh HaShanah and may we all be inscribed for a wonderful and fulfilled year ahead of us!

Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh!

Ariellah Samimi

Based on the teachings of the Ben Ish Hai, Hakham Yosef Haiim

-- 

www.flyingsoul-o.com 

Make Your Neshamah Fly!

Parashat Ki Tavo-Heads or Tails?

BS’’D

Parashat Ki Tavo-Heads or Tails?

BH this Devar Torah will require a bit more concentration than usual. Prepare yourself, and Enjoy!

‘HaShem will make you the head, not the tail; you will always be at the top and never at the bottom — if only you obey and faithfully observe the commandments [of HaShem your G-d that I enjoin upon you this day]’ (Sefer Devarim, Parashat Ki Tavo, 28:13).

 Hmmm, this Pasouk from Parashat Ki Tavo sounds familiar. Don’t we say something like this on Rosh HaShanah?

We sure do!

In its simple meaning, HaKadosh Barukh Hu gives us the secret to attaining a good year, to being the ‘head’, on top, and not the ‘tail’. All we have to do is obey and observe HaShem’s beautiful Missvot. That sounds great, but what is the connection? Why would HaShem specifically make us the head of something and not its tail? Couldn’t HaShem just say ‘I will bless you with all that is good’? What are the mechanisms at work that actually make this happen? What is actually happening ‘behind the scenes’ when we follow the Torah and Missvot? 

The Ben Ish Hai brings up the view of the Neshamah as something drawn from a place in Shamayim that is even higher than where the Malakhim, angels, live.  When a person does an averah, transgression, it is considered as an object that has fallen from Shamayim and became lost.  It is a Halakhah of Hashavat Avedah, that when an object is lost, the person closest to it must return it to its rightful owner and to its rightful place.  Therefore, when a person’s Neshamah is lost (because they sinned) from its rightful place, Shamayim, HaShem is the One that is closest to it and must ‘return it’ to its rightful owner, in its rightful place.

We see here that the Neshamah here is being returned from a lower place to a higher one. So far, we’re getting the concept of being ‘on top’ rather than ‘on bottom’.

Let’s continue.  

Rabbi Yosef Haim points out that Benei Yisrael are known by the two names,  Yaakov (as in Beit Yaakov) and Yisrael (as in Benei Yisrael)—they both are two names to the same person (Yaakov Avinu is known as both ‘Yaakov’ and ‘Yisrael’). Yisrael – the special name given to Ya’akov by HaShem – is considered the greater of the two (afterall, he ‘earns’ this name after passing a tremendous nisayon, test).  The Ben Ish Hai uses the midrashic method of breaking down words in order to reveal to us what really happens when we do a Missvah and how this makes us ‘on top’ and not ‘the bottom’.

 We’re going to need to pay close attention here.

Both names – Yaakov and Yisrael — start with the letter yud:

י עקב 

י שראל

In the name Yaakov, the word ‘Akev’ (heel) is left. It looks like this:  י +עקב

Yisrael is made up of yud and the remaining letters spell ‘le’rosh’ (to [become] a head – the very same word used in the Pasouk we started off with). It looks like this:   י +לראש 

The yud of Yaakov stands for the yud at the end of the HaShem’s name pronounced A-donai.  This version of HaShem’s name according to Kabbalah represents the lowest of the sefirot, the manifestation of Hashem’s kingdom, present in the earthly world. The bottom, the heel.

The yud of Yisrael represents the yud in the beginning of Hashem’s most sacred name, Yud-Heh-Vav- and Heh.  This form of HaShem’s name represents the highest of the sefirot, that of Crown that is absolutely beyond anything earthly—the top, the head.

So when we do a Missvah, we are actually rectifying ‘Yaakov’ to ‘Yisrael’—we literally move from the ‘heels’ of the spiritual world to its ‘head’. By doing so, we actually also bring together and unify both of HaShem’s names A-donai (represented by Yaakov) and Yud-Heh-Vav- and Heh (represented by Yisrael) into one.

Want me to prove it?

Let’s look at the Pasouk again ‘You will always be at the top [למעלה] and never at the bottom [למטה]’ – The difference in the gematriya, the numerical value, of these two (and therefore the distance between them) is as follows:

‘at the top’              למעלה     175

and                                           -

‘at the bottom’       למטה        84

This equals                                91

The numerical value of the two names of HaShem, A-donai and Yud-Heh-Vav- and Heh, is also….91.

Every time you do a Missvah, you are literally bring together the two names of Hashem. You change yourself from a simple Yaakov, ‘at the bottom’, which has a gematriya of 84 and add the combined numerical value of HaShem’s names—the amount you need to ‘travel’ from high to low –which is 91. This gives us a total of 175, and turns the person performing the Missvah into Yisrael, למעלה, “at the top”—which as we calculated before, has a gematriya of 175. Absolutely AMAZING.

Too much math? No problem. What Hakham Yosef Haiim wants to explain is that our Neshamot have the potential to be at a place even higher than the Malakhim. We really could be there. The thing is that sometimes we get a bit ‘lost’. But the best part of all is that HaShem Himself is the One that must return our Neshamot to its rightful place, to a place in Shamayim even higher than the angels.  If we existed below the angels, they would be the ones closest to the lost Neshamot and would have to do the returning. How lucky we are that HaShem is the one to do this for us, since He does this with such compassion. HaShem doesn’t say ‘That Neshamah sinned, it is not deserving of being returned!’ Rather, HaShem facilitates this Neshama’s Teshuvah and says ‘I will return this Neshamah and allow it to do Teshuvah and live!’ We should know that when we are lost and want to ‘return’, when we so sincerely want to do Teshuvah, HASHEM HIMSELF IS THE ONE WHO HELPS US. Don’t ever give up.

This is why HaShem says He will place us ‘on top’—on top of the angels. So that HaShem Himself can be directly involved in the process of our return to Him. We have about ten more days until Rosh HaShanah. This is a time when we must be involved in intense Teshuvah, yet we can become very discouraged even thinking about this responsibility. In Parashat Ki Tavo, HaShem Himself is assuring us that He will help us every step of the way. All we have to do is get started! Yalla! You have every capability to shoot your Neshamah up all the way to the highest levels of Shamayim. Don’t let anything get in the way.

Look at the tremendous impact that every single Missvah has—the ‘big’ and ‘smaller’ ones alike. Won’t we think twice now on passing a precious Missvah up? You have a chance to make a Berakhah? Do it. Extra Sedaka to give? Give more. Bikur Holim? Hakhnasat Kallah? Lend a helping hand? Say a Perek of Tehillim? Don’t pass these opportunities up-they change worlds, each and every one of them.

Be’Ezrat HaShem, May we all be the ‘head’ on top, and not the ‘heel’ on bottom. May we understand the value of each Missvah, and in this pursuit, strengthen our Avodat HaShem. May this direct us on the proper path in preparation for Rosh HaShanah and may we all be inscribed for a wonderful and fulfilled year ahead of us!

Wishing everyone a Shabbat Shalom uMevorakh!

Ariellah Samimi

Based on the teachings of the Ben Ish Hai, Hakham Yosef Haiim