Doing what we can

With all the things going on, it can be very overwhelming. This happens and that etc. and it really hurts. But our positive acts can make a difference. These times are like birth pangs. However, we should remember that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. may the redemption come soon -

Two halves of a whole

man and woman, two halves of a whole.
so different and yet also similar.
Both with a different important role,
each one serving Hashem(G-d)

They find each other and
come together in marriage
becoming one soul again.

The Shabbos candles shine bright as
She brings in the shabbos with a prayer,
and brings light to the world.
He makes the kiddish blessing over the wine,
and the world is elevated.

Their relationship is rejuvenated with the
mitzvah of family purity and mikvah, and
bring blessing to the home.

They share in the reward of
his Torah learning.
Her modest clothes,
bring out her inner beauty.

she and him raise the next generation
as they pass their heritage down
to their children and help them grow.

Two people, one soul
fulfilling their mission

For candle lighting articles, the kiddush blessing and other info
http://www.aish.com/sh/

On family purity and mikvah
http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=675&o=71

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Alleviating Hardships

Rabbi Arush in the book 'The Garden of Emunah' gives some good advice to alleviate hardships. Here's a general message from different parts of the book.

His message is that in life, different situations are annoying, worrisome, sad or painful. But we should understand that it is Hashem(G-d) who gives us these situations. Why does He? We don't know. Since we don't see the big picture, we don't totally understand. That's where emunah(faith) comes in and says, even though I don't understand, I trust it is for my benefit because Hashem knows what is best for me. (This level of thinking is very hard but helps in these situations)

One of the things we should do is introspection and see what we need to improve on. Plus, since we might have made a mistake that we either remember or don't remember, we should pray for forgiveness and assistance to improve. (And make an effort).

Understand that challenges cleanse us and help us to grow stronger and reach our potential. (It's like how excersize is hard work but grows muscle.) Hashem cares about us and knows we can do it.
When we understand this, we can thank Hashem for cleansing us and helping us to grow strong. This is very hard to do, but it has an impact on improving the situation, whether quickly or slowly. If we take time to reflect on this each day, it will help immensely- G-d willing.
Every effort counts -

Note that in life, we will continue to have challenges, but this advice helps to deal with it productively and turn it into a tool for growth

For the book buy it here Online or from your local Judaica store

Spreading the light

This video is of a family that has many guests in their home for Shabbos. Them and the guests are participating in Havadalah( a prayer before welcoming the new week)
What's so special is that besides sharing Shabbos with others in their own home, they have a website to help others share Shabbos together by matching up hosts with guests shabbat.com Baruch Hashem, may they continue their excellent work.

Successfully handing our faith

Firstly, how do you like my new design??


Okay, Tips for handing down our heritage and faith


In regards to chinuch, many are mainly taught just what to do when practicing, but don't really understand or feel it inside. We need to know why to do it, so it's meaningful. For example, besides because it's our obligation, it's also food for our soul. It connects us to Ha-shem and also brings light to the world.

Both reverence and love for G-d are important. If we are a good example of both reverence and love of G-d, it'll encourage others to keep the message.

I heard awhile ago a good explanation of how awe should be taught. For example, we see how precious our spouse is, and we are in awe of them. We don't want to hurt the relationship because there's consequences and we disconnect. - Of course, since we are human, we make mistakes sometimes. However, we have the chance to get back up and go forward. Hashem forgives and brings us back if we make the effort.

Love of G-d and Torah should be taught by showing the beauty and joy. Make Shabbos very special with zemiros and quality time together. Inspire youth to pray from the heart and appreciate our blessings. And when we learn, feel that G-d is speaking to us -

Help them to feel that Hashem is always there providing for us. And when we have challenges, we should trust it's for the best, and He will help us through it

Plus, encourage their questions, and search for information together in order to strengthen emunah. I took a class in which we really delve deep into the Chumash, and learned a lot that I didn't know. This is great for any study. Many who do this find it very intellectually stimulating.

If parents and teachers are good examples of middos, wisdom, caring, and emunah, and give youth what they need both emotionally and intellectually, then the youth will internalize it and want to keep it with them

going higher

Over time as we practice,
routine sets in.
praying, and other things
become a shell without a core.
And there's also the struggle
for concentration

With self encouragment
I focus on the meaning
and picture what the prayer
is talking about.
With the morning prayer,
I imagine Hashem providing us
with what we need
like clothing and so on,
and being grateful.

With effort,
feeling that connection to Above
as I say the words from my heart
like in Birkas hamazon,
racheim na, u'vney...

It happens sometimes that I
just say straight through.
But then I try to encourage myself
to say it with feeling.

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Prayer is a great time to talk to Hashem, ask for assistance, and say Thanks for the blessings we have, big and small.

Importance of knowing why

Many are taught what to do in regards to our tradition, and we know different information about it. - Sometimes we feel it inside, and other times we don't. What helps us to continue it is to know 'why', then we understand the importance of doing what we are taught. Here's the basics to help encourage us

Energy and spreading light
First, lets look what happens with our actions and behaviors. We know our actions have an impact on the world. But besides having a physical impact, they also have a spiritual impact, in which we either bring down good or bad energy, depending on whether we do mitzvos or aveiros. It is our choice what we do. Everyone does both of them. We all have ups and downs. What people need to do is pause and think about what effect a certain action might have, whether the action is between person and person, or one between person and G-d. For example, giving to others what they need, and lighting Shabbat candles before sun-down, bring light and blessing. But gossiping Unnecessarily about So and so brings negative energy. There are times when we need to say something about someone, but there are rules how to do it. Each mitzvah teaches us something important.
Nourishment 
Besides that, there's our neshama(soul). Our neshama needs food just like our body. Thus we have Torah and mitzvos. It's our source of nourishment and connects us to Hashem. Each bit of learning and practicing brings us closer to Him. Where as, aveiros pull us away. We might not feel inspired sometimes, and it might just feel like rituals. That's why it helps to learn the meaning of a mitzvah, and try to do the mitzvah with Joy. With continuous effort, personal prayer, and time, the feeling inside will grow. And if you need to, seek guidence from someone to help along the way. Remember, every effort counts. Sometimes, we have challenges in life. But these are to help us grow. Just like excersize can be hard but makes us strong, so too challenges in life make us stronger. This way we can receive more Divine light as Rabbi Arush teaches in "The Garden of Emunah"

Purpose
Finally, we should remember that it is our obligation to uphold the laws, traditions, ethics and values that we Jews are meant to keep, ever since that everlasting promise at Mount Sinai, and therefore be the holy nation that we should be. It is for our benefit, the Torah and mitzvos, which Hashem(G-d) gave us to bring light to the world and nourish our soul and connect to G-d. Therefore we should do it with JOY


If you want more info you can ask and read here or ask someone in person

Strengthening Kavana

For many of us, it is hard to have kavanah sometimes while praying. And sometimes we have it more than other times.

I think that inorder for us to improve in our kavanah, we need to work on strengthening our relationship with Hashem first. We should each find our own thing to help us with this. For example, it can be working on personally talking to G-d while in your room or somewhere else, or we can use song and sing from the heart which helps to lift us up, or we can make a list of things we're grateful for having, etc. This way we strengthen our connection to Hashem and improve our kavanah.

What so important about this closeness? It's because deep down, this is what our soul needs. It doesn't want to be caught up in the sea of materalism. It wants to be connected to it's Source. Thus we have Torah, mitzvos, and prayer to do that. And there are, within Jewish law, many different ways to do it. - Growth is not meant to be easy, but take effort, because then it is internally rewarding. It's kind of like receiveing an A in calculus.

Our mission here in this world is to spread goodness in the world and connect to Hashem. Of course, sometimes we mess up because we're human. However, we can and should pick ourself back up and go forward.

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Speaking of what I mentioned above about music, here's a video below of a kumzits. It reminds me of when me and my girlfriends to use sing together at my friends house. This vid is of the Yaakov chesed band and their friends.

Post edited
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Israel's Protection

She's given two types of protection

One physical, the other spiritual.

Both help in different ways

Both are needed;

The physical is easy to see,

The brave individuals who do

so much for us.

The spiritual though is harder to notice;

However, the positive energy

from prayer, learning and

good deeds, helps in many ways

and makes an impact.

We might become discouraged,

With diff things going on.

However, don't lose hope;

Our job is to stay strong

With each other and Hashem

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btw, there's a great message at this link about holding on during these times Click here

On the purpose and the meaning of...

I'm putting this with my earlier posts

Anyway in regards to modesty, it can be hard for many to keep hearing in the communtity about tznius this and tznius that, and you feel like you want people to talk about something else, a different topic. - Plus, it's hard for some to be limited in clothing options and behaviors.

At first, this mitzva looks very small compared to other things we need to do. But spiritually, it's just as important as shabbos and good middos(traits) and keeping kosher. - With good middos, we understand the importance because we see the impact it has all around. However with spir things like shabbos and tznius etc, it's difficult to see the impact since it's spiritual. Maybe people wouldn't have such a hard time with tznuis if it wasn't mentioned so much, and there weren't so many restrictions in certain places. I feel, there should be a balance, like for ex. when I saw a song and dance performance for women only, and they had a lot of beautiful dancing.

What's so important about this mitzvah? The importance is to protect our holiness that's within by covering ourselves, like puting a baseball card in a case, or covering a precious Torah scroll. Of course, being tznius is just one way to keep ourself and our home holy. There are other things we need to do as well, for example, family purity and mikva, and make an effort(both spouses) to keep a peaceful home by communicating calmly, and so on.

Being tznius can actually be a beautiful thing because then people focus on our inner beauty and what's in our mind and heart, instead of only our body; Think of it like this, we are children of the King and should look the part by dressing modestly. There are plenty of clothes out there that are both modest and stylish at the same time. Besides this, we also need to act appropriately, so our wisdom and other good traits shine through.

Men too should also be modest. I spoke to someone once who mentioned that he use to wear whatever. And then he went with a friend to a traffic court to help him with something, and they both wore nice clothes. Then he realized that if he chooses to wear nice clothes in front of a human judge, how much more so should he when he davens before Hashem.

While it might be hard for some, we just need to make sure that our body, elbows and knees are covered, and that it’s not so tight that our form shows. As for head coverings, there’s many choices. - I prefer a hat or tichel or scarf when I marry because a wig looks too real, and I feel misses the point. Although, I would combine a hat with a wig. :)

In general, the many mitzvos we Jews have, both the ones b/t person & person, and the ones b/t person and G-d, help us to be holy, connect to G-d, and spread light throughout the world.

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6 TIPS

The 3 weeks is coming soon, starting on Thursday. I was recently looking at a certain website and it gave some great tips on what we can all work on. I'm writing this in my own words.

update, 7 tips

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Character traits - we can each look inside and think of something to work on and improve on about ourself. By working on this, we become better friends, parents, spouses, neighbors, etc. - I understand how some people feel when it seems like you're the only one doing something. But, I have to come realize that we still need to do it because it's the right thing to do, even if we feel alone in doing it.

Prayer - Learn the meaning of the words so it is more meaningful for you and you have more kavanah. Also, when you have a little time to yourself, either during the day or at night, make a personal prayer and say what is on your mind. This helps with strenghtening our connection to Hashem

Seek, keep searching for and learn Jewish info that will help you to build your knowledge. Then with that knowledge, we can improve our practice.

Emunah - This one is very hard for most of us. But it is important to work on.
- Just like parents who love their children, want what's best for them, so too Hashem wants what is best for us. - And just like children don't always understand their parents, we sometimes are bewildered at the situations that happen to us and wonder why they happen. However, we must understand that everything is for the best. There's this story I read in which this lady was going through a very hard time and she had to take off time from work to recuperate. During those weeks, she spent more time with her family. She writes that eventhough she went through what she did, she's in a better situation now because it helped her with her priorities. Plus, her children are happier with her being there.
Also, remember that if you're worried about something, work on trusting in Hashem that He'll help you through it

Love - This can be either hard or easy, depending on who we are around. Some people are easier to like and some are harder. However, we must remember that we Jews are a family. Eventhough we fight, we still deep down care about each other.

Joy - Do something with joy, whether it is when you light shabbos candles, or say a blessing on food and think about being glad to have it, or some other mitzvah. When you do it with joy, it becomes more meaningful and pleasureble.

Appreciate - Think about the things that you are grateful for. For example, being healthy, having friends, having shelter, nourishment, clothing, etc. I read an article in which someone suggested that couples should have a gratitued notebook. In it they should write what they appreciate about their spouse. By focusing on their love for each other, they strengthen their relationship.

Well I hope this is helpful, have a good week

The beauty of Challah

Last night I went to an interesting get together that is on every Monday night. This place has different activities and this time we did a class about making challah and the meaning behind it. It's amazing how spiritual this mitzvah is if one knows the message in it, learns how to do it, and does it with kavanah.
After the lady who was helping us gave us the lesson about it, she put the ingredients together. Then we gave her some names to pray for others while she kneaded the dough. We each received a piece and braided our own to take home
I haven't gone in awhile, but I'm glad I went to this one

always keep trying

Encouragement for anyone who feels this -

Always keep trying
--
She had difficulty connecting
to the One who encompasses
the universe -
So she decided to take a break
for awhile.
The spark within was still there though,
eventhough it was hidden.

Later she found a few helpful things.
She read some info to strengthen
her emunah(faith).
Spoke to someone that can give her
guidence with different Jewish areas.
And prayed to Hashem
her own personal prayer,
pouring out her heart to Him

She knows it will take some time
for that connection to grow,
but she keeps trying
because her effort is what counts

Great song

I was looking at youtube and I found this song I know, which in my opinion, is classic

Time to say good shabbos

Prayer

They looked into
The siddur and
Stared at the
Words in front.
Prayer poured
out of their mouth
But their heart
didn't feel it.
They decided
to learn the meaning
And proceeded on
to do so.

The beauty sprang forth.
The words and their heart
came together
Now their prayer
took on a new life

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Nice article here on the essence of prayer
the essence of prayer

Seize the moment

.
This elul, we have the oppertunity to think of how to improve for the following year. Lets grab it and use it wisely. And remember, when working on a goal, it's best to do it gradually so we have a higher chance of being successful.


Sidenote, I'm going on a trip this week. And so I'll talk to you later. Have a good week.

Going up

Eh, I decided to save my break for another time so I can share with you something that I wrote for Shavuos.

Going Up

Looking up and looking all around
He is everywhere.
Larger than life
And encompassing the universe.

We walk around as days go by
Not noticing until later a certain need.
What is it?
We search and search
And finally find it.
Our neshama is crying out to be
Connected to Him.

The week ends and Shabbos comes.
We pray, reaching up
To that world that's beyond.
And gather at home with
Family and friends.
Our neshama says,
"Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Our journey continues
As we go further.
Choosing to learn and practice about
Guarding our tounge from gossip.
It is so challenging, yet so
Internally rewarding.
And our journey keeps continuing
As we go up the ladder of life.

Thank you Hashem for the Torah
That's helps us connect to you.
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Here's some good info
For Jews
And
For Non Jews

Inner Peace

Here's a beautiful article on inner peace

'The Words of Prayer'

Beautiful article
http://www.innernet.org.il/article.php?aid=375