Moshe Hecht and Levi Robin performing on behalf of Lamplighters Yeshiva

An e-mail I received from Moshe Hecht:

         Dearest Friends,

On June 23rd I will be celebrating and performing along side singer/songwriter Levi Robin and artist Noah Lubin (נוח לובין) in support of Lamplighters Yeshivah - the wonderful school that my Son Shney attends. It's going to be an elegant evening of Food/Drinks, Music & Art - all of my favorite things:) I hope you will join me. All of the info is here: LamplightersImpressions.com

From Lamplighters' website:

Every day, Lamplighters Yeshivah empowers students to make their own unique imprint on the world—as people and as Chassidim. Just like the faintest light can dispel the darkest night, even the smallest impressions we make on our young have a power unrivaled. By giving our children not just lessons but experiences that encourage their abilities and challenge their ways of thinking and behaving, their unique splendor comes to life.​Join Lamplighters Yeshivah, New Yorks’s only Chassidic Montessori demonstration school, as we celebrate another successful year of creating lasting impressions on the torchbearers of tomorrow.

I'm not necessarily a fan of Montessori, but its style is helpful for many children. A school that is trying to integrate chassidus as a basic element of its atmosphere gets a vote in my book.

Levi Robin is crazy talented. His EP (below) is fantastic, and he is currently on tour with Matisyahu.



Here is a new song from Moshe Hecht




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My good friend Neil Harris is once again biking the drive on behalf of Chai Lifeline, as we speak.



There's still time to visit his donation page and give something towards this worthy cause. I have a ton of respect for Neil's endeavor, and this is another example of his awesomeness.

Can you FEEL it?

I"A little bit of advice about feeling, kiddo: Don't expect it always to tickle." 

- Judd Hirsch as psychiatrist Dr. Berger in Ordinary People

As painful as it sounds, sometimes we need to recognize the value and necessity of pain. It is often the saving grace that allows us to return from the edge of spiritual despair. In a sense, it is an affirmation that we are not numb, cold, deficient, apathetic.

This is a salient theme in the writings of Rav Shneor Zalman of Liadi; in a ma'amar for the month of Elul, the Ba'al HaTanya expands on this idea as a gauge for one's spiritual status, likening one's internal barometer of closeness to God in sensory terms to the loss of feeling in the extremities of the body...

Acknowledging and embracing feeling does not have to be an intense, cathartic event per se, open and viewed by all. It can - and often for the sake of peace with others, must - be an internal private event. This by no means lessens the experience; in fact it often lends itself to the fullness of the experience when it is so closely held and experienced internally. I've heard this explained in relation to Rebbe Nachman's statement about learning to scream quietly and be fully alone with God, even in a crowded room...

...and now you know "the rest of the story"

This is awesome.

There's a classic story about how when Reb Dov Ber, the holy Maggid of Mezritch would say over Torah to his disciples, he would often begin with a verse from the Torah.

"And God spoke to Moshe..."

Upon hearing these words, Reb Zusia of Hanipoli would become ecstatic. Just think...! The mere idea that the Infinite would speak to a mortal! That there is a time and place where a human could touch the Divine and merit communion...

It was enough to "set off" Reb Zusia to the point where his d'veikut would be so effusive that he would have to be carried put by one of the other disciples.

When this happened - the first time - the other disciples found this to be humorous. Very quickly, the great Maggid put a halt to their mirth.

"The truth is," he said, "that if we were all on that level of spirituality, just such a verse would be enough. We wouldn't need to say anything more."

I always loved that story; it touched me deeply and continues to do so. But then I learned that there is more to that story.

In Mevoh haShearim, Reb Kalonymous Kalman reveals the real punch line of this story:

After the shiur, the students went out to Reb Zusia, who had returned from his experience. When they asked him about it, he proceeded to quote verbatim the Maggid's Torah, even though he couldn't possibly have heard it!

Reb Zusia explained that when the Maggid began his discourse - even before he himself knew what he was going to say - the shefa of that Torah was allowed into the world. Through Reb Zusia's own attachment to the Maggid, he was able to tap into that outpouring of Torah that was being channeled through the Maggid.

Such phenomena happens when one truly works on himself, and attaches to his teacher in the most complete way.

Like an Apple Tree (Rav Kook on Shavuot)

From Silver From The Land of Israel by Rabbi Chanan Morrison:

"Like an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons" (Song 2:3). Why is Israel compared to an apple tree? An apple tree sends forth its fruit before its leaves; so too, Israel promised Na'aseh ("We will do") beforeNishma ("we will understand"). (Shabbat88a)

The Song of Songs is the love-story of a shepherdess and her beloved. It is usually understood as a parable for the love between the Jewish people (the shepherdess) and God; but this Midrash interprets it as portraying the inner ties between the Torah and Israel. According to this interpretation, the shepherdess is the Torah, expressing her love and yearnings for the holiness of the souls of Israel.
But what is the significance of Israel first saying Na'aseh? And how does this relate to the fact that certain species of apple trees form fruit-buds before producing leaves?
Oral and Written
A careful reading of the Torah's description of "Matan Torah" reveals that Moses presented the Torah to the people not once but twice:

"Moses came and told the people all of God's words and all the statutes. All the people answered in one voice, saying: 'All the words that God spoke — we will do.'" (Ex. 24:3)

"Moses wrote all of God's words ... He took the book of the covenant and read it to the people. And they said, 'All that God spoke, we will do and we will understand.'" (Ex. 24:4-7)

Why was the Torah given both orally and in writing? And why did the people respond "we will do" the first time, while at the second revelation they added, "and we will understand"?
The Challenge of Sinai
"Matan Torah" presented a major challenge: how to transmit God's word to an entire people, in a way that all will be able to relate to the Divine message, while avoiding the risk of conflicting and distorted interpretations due to superficial study? To address this concern, two Torahs were transmitted at Sinai: the Oral Torah and the Written Torah.
The primary goal of Torah is that we should know how God expects us to act in this world. This is the purpose of the extensive literature of the Oral Law, the Mishnah and Talmud, which analyzes in detail how to act in the multifarious situations in life.
Additionally, there is a second aspect of Torah: knowing the Torah for its own sake. This is the function of the Written Torah. The Sages wrote that even an ignoramus who does not understand what he is reading still fulfills the mitzvah of Torah study (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:4). Study of the Oral Torah, however, has no value if it is not understood correctly. On the contrary, misunderstanding the Oral Law can lead to erroneous actions.
To acquire a lucid grasp of the Torah's teachings on a practical level requires breadth and depth of Torah scholarship. An entire people cannot be expected to attain such an extensive level of Torah knowledge. Therefore the practical, detailed side of Torah was transmitted orally, so that only those toiling in its study and apprenticing great scholars will truly merit its knowledge. If this part of Torah were written down and revealed to all, even the unlearned would feel qualified to decide practical issues, despite not having properly studied all the relevant issues. An oral transmission ensures that those rending decisions will be dedicated scholars who study Torah thoroughly and diligently.
One might argue that if so, perhaps the entire Torah should be transmitted orally. But were this the case, Torah knowledge would be limited to a select few. The Written Law enables all people to approach the Torah on whatever level they are capable of understanding.
For this reason, it was important that the Jewish people accept both forms of Torah at Sinai, written and oral, thus ensuring that the entire people would feel connected to Torah and yet rely on qualified scholars to render practical decisions.
Following the Sages
It is natural for people to want to understand as much as possible and act according to their understanding. We would expect that the Jewish people would demand to receive the entire Torah in a written form, to allow access for all. The spiritual greatness of the Jewish people at Mount Sinai was their recognition of the advantage of not writing down the Oral Law, so that their actions would be determined by true scholars and thus best fulfill God's Will. This is the significance of their promise, Na'aseh: we will act according to the teachings and instructions of the sages. Since this acceptance was equally relevant to all, regardless of intellectual capabilities and knowledge, the verse emphasizes that "all the people answered in one voice." 
Having accepted upon themselves to properly keep the Torah according to the dictates of the sages, Moses then presented Israel with the Written Torah. We would have expected that the people would have demonstrated their affection for the Written Law — since this was a Torah they could access directly — by immediately stating Nishma — "we will understand." But once again the Jewish people showed their desire to first and foremost fulfill the practical side of Torah. They announced, "we will do," and only afterwards, "we will understand." 
The Fruit and the Leaves
Now we may understand the parable of the apple tree. Fruit needs sunlight to grow and ripen. Too much exposure to the sun, however, can dry up and shrivel the fruit. This is where the leaves come in. The leaves protect the fruit, so they will receive just the right amount of sunlight.
The ultimate goal is, of course, the fruit. With Torah, the goal is the proper action, which is achieved through the Oral Torah. The Written Law, on the other hand, is like the leaves. Just as the leaves protect the fruit, so too the more accessible Written Torah prepares each soul to receive the light of the Oral Torah. In order that the people will accept the Torah and understand the importance of keeping its mitzvot, the entire people needed to be exposed to the Written Torah. Through this direct connection to Torah, they were prepared to accept the instruction of the Oral Torah as taught by the great Torah scholars of each generation.
The apple tree produces fruit-buds before the leaves, since at first the fruit requires direct sunlight. So too, the people first accepted the Oral Law, the detailed Torah given to the sages to interpret and promote, like the sunlight that ripens the fruit.
However, without a direct connection to Torah, the people would eventually come to reject it. Therefore Moses subsequently presented the Written Law, to protect the Oral Law for future generations. The order at Sinai — Oral Law and then Written Law,Na'aseh and then Nishma — thus parallels the development of the apple tree — fruit and then leaves.
(Adapted from Midbar Shur pp. 160-165)

A prerequisite for growth

Life is difficult.

This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult--once we truly understand and accept it--then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.

- M. Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled

Music

I just got the two newest albums from The Heart and the Wellspring ensemble. One is comprised of Chabad niggunim, the other of niggunim from Rav Yitzchak Ginsburg of Gal Einai.



HaMadregot also released a new album recently, one consisting of pizmonim from Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra, one of the foremost commentaries on the Torah and an incredibly complex poet.

Awesome!

Rav Aviner makes some important points in "Not everyone is like Hillel"

Work it good

Nowadays, you have a lot of people who want to live a Shir HaShirim type of Judaism. Everything is beautiful - it's all "Ani l'Dodi" and "hinach yaffeh einayich". It's very emotional and idyllic, taking place in a paradise "basi l'Gani". 

But we sometimes forget that there's also a Megillas Rus type of Judaism - with people working very hard, day in and day out, in the field. Where consistency and perseverance is key, and those who can't make the cut fall to the wayside. It's difficult, but it's real. 

Yes, Shir HaShirim starts off wonderful but what happens at the end? "B'rach Dodi," and we don't know if He's coming back. But Rus starts with terrible conditions: famine, poverty, death - but how does it end? "v'Yishai holid es David" with David HaMelech. Moshiach...

Paraphrased from a comment made by Rav Moshe Weinberger in this shiur.

Someone told me a very important principle when I started school: "You take out of your experiences what you put into it." This is especially true when success is dependent in large part by how much effort is expended. The sad thing is that simply earning a degree in higher education is not necessarily indicative of competence or ability. This is one reason why certain degrees (Doctoral programs and M.D. programs specifically) have such a high degree of selectivity and on top of that a tremendous amount of work that requires great sacrifice of one's leisure and family time. By making it so difficult they set the bar higher than the less-motivated will be inclined to reach.

This yesod has so much significance for our generation. We live in a world where things are made to be increasingly more convenient, but that ease comes at a major cost.

If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Quick fixes and sudden windfalls are rarely sustainable, and nothing replaces hard work.

The same applies to our relationship with God. I personally find it difficult to fathom how people can expect anything remotely lasting to come about from hiring someone to come in for a fleeting "weekend of inspiration". Barring some sort of "real" connection with said entertainer*, it seems to me to be the equivalent of folding one's arms, leaning back, and waiting for it to come. "Here we are now, entertain us."

I don't believe in contracting out inspiration.

I don't mean to discount anyone's enjoyment and inspiration, but I just don't see it as being real. Especially when it's book-ended by lavish meals, and restricted to specific time constraints.

I know it sounds very cynical, and to be honest, it bothers me somewhat that I feel this way. But I recognize that this comes from a realization that inspiration is a delicate blend of hard work and spontaneity, and a facsimile of such an occurrence is weak and ephemeral. That is not to say that it is devoid of value, because I  have seen it serve as a catalyst for growth - but those instances were rare. Exceptions to the rule (that perhaps prove the rule).

* that's a hedging phrase, but I'll elaborate in a different post, God willing.