Tag: Rabbi David Aaron

SPIRITUAL JOURNEY OR EGO TRIP: Parshat Korach By Rabbi David Aaron

Post author By Admin
Post date July 4, 2024

In this week’s Torah portion Korach, a member of Moses’ tribe the Levites and other communal leaders challenge Moses’s leadership and the appointment of priesthood to Moses’ brother Aaron. Motivated by envy toward Moses and Aaron they argue for equality. We are all holy. How can there be a hierarchy in holiness within Israel?

They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?

Moses responded to Korach:

Now listen, you Levites! Isn’t it enough for you that the G-d of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near Himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near Himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is a divine mission. If Korach would have understood this, then he would have realized that no one has a better or more important mission.

It is ridiculous to ever be envious of another person’s lot. Don’t ever think that the president of the United States is any more important than a waiter in a restaurant. If G-d is with us in our mission, then one person’s mission cannot be more important than another’s, because everyone’s mission is actually G-d’s mission.

Real success does not depend on how much we accomplish on earth. And it does not have anything to do with how much attention the accomplishment gains in the public eye. What really matters is your intention and the quality of your deeds. Did you put your soul into your mission and live your life for G-d’s sake, seeking to grow, striving to become better, concerned about improving yourself and the world?

The great Torah sages taught: I am a creation and my friend (even one who is uneducated) is a creation. Just as he is not an expert in what I do, I am not an expert in what he does. Do not think that I do more and he does less. That is incorrect. It does not matter whether he accomplishes seemingly big deeds or little ones. What really matters is whether his intentions are for the sake of heaven.

This lesson does not make any apparent sense. These great sages made historic contributions to human spiritual and ethical development. Their names will be remembered forever. How could they have possibly compared themselves to simple people who were unlearned, whose deeds could never have earned them world recognition, and who will surely be forgotten in the annals of history? How could they say that what really matters is the purity of one’s intentions and the power of one’s commitment to act on behalf of G-d?

These sages understood that each and every one of us has a mission in life — a calling. The thing you must always remember is who is calling. G-d is calling you to be His agent on earth, and the mission He is asking you to fulfill is not only your mission but G-d’s mission.
If we are all working for G-d, then there is no such thing as a small mission. How could one divine mission be less than another divine mission? Can either one ever be any less than the ultimate?

If we would internalize this truth, we would free ourselves of the foolish habit of comparing ourselves with others. We would heal ourselves of a debilitating disease that rots our bones — jealousy.

The Talmud tells a story about a fellow who got a glimpse of the afterlife. He was surprised to see that the next world was upside down. He saw some people who during their lives on earth were very respected and famous, but in the next world they were nobody. Although these people were once recognized as significant members of the upper echelons of society, they were now considered part of the lower class. He also saw people who in their lifetimes were simple workers but now were prominent members of the highest order. It was a shock to him.

Imagine you are a world-renowned actor and wherever you go people look at you in great awe and admiration. Then the curtain falls on your life, and you find yourself in a new world — the afterlife. To your surprise, in this world nobody even notices you. Suddenly you see a familiar face, and it is your maid surrounded by a crowd of angelic fans. In the afterlife she may be the celebrity and you the shlepper. How is this possible? It all depends on the quality of your deeds and your attitude. Did you invite G-d into your work? Did you work with the intention of being G-d’s agent — serving to perform a divine mission — or was it just an ego trip?

If you are interested in more readings and videos from this Rabbi please visit this YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/RabbiDavidAaron

If you are interested in receiving these Torah-Share.com posts via email please subscribe here: https://torah-share.com/subscribe/

Tags korach, Rabbi David Aaron, torah learning, torah share, torah-share.com, weekly torah portion

Jewish Holidays

TU B’SHVAT: CELEBRATING PLEASURE ~ By Rabbi David Aaron

Post author By Admin
Post date January 24, 2024

The celebration of Tu B’Shevat — the 15th of the month of Shevat on the Hebrew calendar — is not mentioned in the Bible. The oldest reference is found in the Talmud, where Tu B’Shevat is called “the new year of the trees.” The Talmud ascribes significance to this date only in terms of the legal implications of taking tithes (10%) from fruits. However, more than 400 years ago, the Kabbalists of Safed revealed the deeper meaning of Tu B’Shevat. They taught that Tu B’Shevat is an opportune time for fixing the transgression of Adam and Eve. Amazingly, through the simple act of eating fruit during the Tu B’Shevat festive dinner, we are able to contribute to this cosmic repair.

Let us explore the transgression of Adam and Eve, and then we can understand the mystical meaning of the Tu B’Shevat holiday, and why eating fruit is the way we celebrate it.

The Torah says that G d put Adam and Eve in the garden “to work it and to guard it.” The Jewish oral tradition teaches us that this refers to the do’s and don’ts–the positive mitzvahs and the negative mitzvahs–of the Torah. Adam and Eve were given very little to do: eat from all the trees of the garden. And their only don’t–their single prohibition–was not to eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. What was that about?

The Torah teaches that G d created the world so that we could experience goodness in general and His goodness in particular. Experiencing His goodness—bonding with G d—is the greatest joy imaginable. G d empowers us to bond with Him by serving His purpose for creation. Just as when we do for others, we feel connected to them, so, too, serving G d enables us to bond with Him. Ironically, serving G d is actually self-serving—profoundly fulfilling and pleasurable.

If we eat and enjoy the fruits of this world for G d’s sake—because this is what He asks of us—then we are actually serving G d and bonding with Him. We serve G d by acknowledging that the fruits of this world are His gifts to us and by willfully accepting and enjoying those gifts.

The root of Jewish life is, in fact, enjoyment—the pleasure of connecting to G d. We connect to G d by serving Him, and this means obeying His command to enjoy the fruits of this world.

While in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve’s entire obligation was to enjoy all the lush fruits—with the notable exception of one forbidden fruit. Sure enough, they went after that one. This misdeed demonstrated their confused orientation to the real meaning of pleasure. Rather than seeing the fruits as pleasurable because they are G d’s gifts and enjoying them as part of their service to G d, they wanted to partake of them independently of G d—in fact, contrary to His will.

As already explained, real pleasure is experiencing a connection with G d. We enjoy the ultimate spiritual pleasure when we enjoy the physical pleasures of this world as part of our divine service. Then, the act of receiving and enjoying G d’s gifts to us is amazingly transformed into a selfless act of serving G d.

We can understand now that G d’s only desire in giving Adam and Eve those two mitzvahs was to give them the ultimate pleasure—bonding with Him. True pleasure was not in the taste of the fruits, but in eating and enjoying these gifts from G d. This was the way to serve and connect with Him—the Ultimate Pleasure.

But Adam and Eve misunderstood this. They did not see physical pleasure as a conduit to the spiritual pleasure of bonding with G d. Rather, they sought pleasure independent of G d.

This is the root of all wrongdoing. Do we see the pleasures of this world as a gift from G d, enjoying them in the service of G d, and using them as conduits to a connection to G d? Or, do we seek pleasure independent of any connection to G d? In other words, is the pleasure about us, or is the pleasure about our relationship with G d?

Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit, because they were totally confused about their purpose on earth and, consequently, what is truly pleasurable in this world. They were clueless about what would bring them meaning and joy in life.

Following Adam and Eve’s fatal mistake, G d told them, “Because you ate from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from, the earth has become cursed.” G d was not punishing the earth because of Adam and Eve’s transgression, rather He was informing them that their distorted orientation towards physical pleasures has turned the earth into a source of curse rather than blessing for them and for their descendants.

Depending on how we view the physical world, it is cursed or blessed. If we look at the physical world as a conduit to a connection with G d, and if, as a service to G d, we gratefully receive His gift of delicious fruits, we thereby experience His presence and the physical world becomes blessed. The physical world then becomes a bridge between the human and the divine. But if we fixate on the physical, independent of any relationship with G d, and mistakenly perceive this world as the source of our pleasure rather than as a bridge to G d, then this world becomes a barrier to G d and a curse for us.

Now that we understand the transgression of Adam and Eve, we can begin to appreciate how we can contribute to its fixing on Tu B’Shevat.

On Tu B’Shevat, the new sap begins to rise up into the trees. And we bring abundance to this process when we celebrate Tu B’Shevat.

The Talmud says that more than the baby wants to suck, a mother wants to nurse. The mother not only gets tremendous pleasure from nursing her baby, but the flow of her milk is actually generated by its sucking. The more the baby wants to suck, the more milk the mother has to give. This principle also applies to our relationship to G d.

G d wants to give us the greatest of all pleasures which is a connection with Him. But if we don’t recognize that to be the greatest pleasure, and we don’t want it, then He can’t give it to us. Of course, G d could give it to us, but it would just be a waste, because we wouldn’t recognize it for what it is.

The Power of a Blessing
On Tu B’Shevat, we attempt to fix the transgression of Adam and Eve when we enjoy the fruits of the earth preceded by the recitation of an appreciative blessing to G d—”Blessed are you, G d…..” in other words, “G d, You are the source of this blessing.”

Tu B’Shevat is an opportune time to celebrate how eating and enjoying the fruits of trees can be a bridge to G d, and how it can bring back the blessing to the earth.
When we enjoy the fruits of the previous year as wonderful gifts from G d and affirm our
yearning for G d’s presence manifest in the fruit, we are like a baby sucking his mother’s milk with great appetite. We draw forth with great abundance the “milk of the earth”—the sap in the trees rises up with great abundance, so that they will bear much fruit in the coming year.

Unlike Adam and Eve who sought pleasure separate from G d and who turned physical pleasure into a barrier to G d, we—on Tu B’Shevat—enjoy the fruits as G d’s gift and experience their pleasure as a connection to G d. In this way we fix the transgression of Adam and Eve. We free the earth from being a curse for us—a barrier to G d. We transform it into a bridge, so that it becomes a wellspring of blessing and G d-given pleasure.

[Adapted from Inviting G d In: The True Meaning of the Jewish Holy Days (Trumpeter/Random House).] Shared on Torah-Share.com with permission by the Author.

If you are interested in more content from this Rabbi please visit his Website: http://www.rabbidavidaaron.com/

If you are interested in receiving these Torah-Share.com posts via email please subscribe here: https://torah-share.com/subscribe/

Tags Rabbi David Aaron, the tree, torah learning, torah share, torah-share.com, tu bishvat

Jewish Holidays

Yom Kippur: The Fast Track to Love and Forgiveness By Rabbi David Aaron

Post author By Admin
Post date September 24, 2023

Yom Kippur is all about love and forgiveness. It’s about how we are always inseparably one with G-d. On Yom Kippur we get a glimpse of ourselves, our choices and our relationship to G-d from another perspective — G-d’s perspective. This is the transformational power that makes it into a Day of Atonement and forgiveness.

There is a cryptic verse in the Book of Psalms (139:16), which, the Sages say, refers to Yom Kippur:

The days were formed, and one of them is His.

Everyday of the year we see the world from our perspective but, on Yom Kippur we get a glimpse of the way the world looks from G-d’s perspective and everything changes in light of that perspective. We see it all from the perspective of the World to Come where you get to see the whole picture.

The Talmud teaches that in this world when something good happens to us, we praise G-d — “Blessed is He Who is good and does good.” When something bad happens we must say — “Blessed is He Who is a true Judge.” However, in the future we will say – “Blessed is He Who is good and does good,” even about the misfortunes in our lives.

In other words, when we will look back and see the whole picture, we will realize that every bad event that happened to us contributed to G-d’s plan to bring upon us ultimate goodness. This is also true about every bad act we that we did.

According to Jewish Mysticism, although we have the free choice to do other than G-d’s will, G-d is always in control. In other words, even when we can do other than G-d’s will we cannot oppose His will or undermine His plan.

Therefore, when we have done wrong and are sorry for that, we must realize that no matter what we have done, it can all be recycled back into G-d’s plan and contribute to the ultimate good of the world. Of course this does not mean that we can just go ahead and do wrong. The path of transgression removes us from G-d. This distance causes us feelings of alienation and spiritual anguish which may become manifest as physical ailment.

However, if you sincerely regret your wrongdoings and resolve never to do them again then you are forgiven and your past will be recycled and put towards future good.

Yom Kippur is an amazing day of transformation where your darkest deeds from the past turn into light. This is because the light of the World to Come, so to speak, is shining into our world on this day. You can receive this light and be transformed by it if you plug yourself into the expanded consciousness of Yom Kippur through the proper acts, prayers and thoughts prescribed for the day.

THE DAY OF AT-ONE-MENT
The joyous truth of G-d’s oneness is shining bright and clear on Yom Kippur. Torah teaches that G-d is not just the one and only ruling power and there are no other G-ds, but that G-d is absolutely the one and only reality — there is nothing but G-d and we exist within G-d. That does not mean that you and I are the Almighty G-d. However, we are souls — sparks, aspects and expressions of G-d. We do not exist apart from Him but rather within Him.

In other words, as it is explained in Jewish Mysticism, G-d created a space within Himself, so to speak, and created beings other than Himself. This self-imposed limitation is called Tzimtzum — the restriction or the withdrawal of divinity. G-d withdraws and limits His endless presence to create a space and a place for beings other than Himself — free beings who can do other than His will.

We exist within G-d similar to the existence of an idea within the mind of its thinker. The difference, however, is that an idea has no free choice. We, however, have free choice but mysteriously any choice we make still remains within the context of G-d and the confines of G-d’s will. Therefore, we are free and yet, ironically, G-d is still absolutely in control. We are free to disobey and do other than G-d’s will, but we are not able to oppose G-d’s will or undermine His plan. This, of course, is a paradox that cannot be comprehended by our rational minds.

What difference, then, do our choices make?

Our real choice is whether to become a conscious partner to G-d in the making of history or an unconscious tool for G-d. We can choose to do G-d’s will and contribute to His plan in an active and conscious way, and thereby, experience the ecstasy of the unchangeable truth that G-d is one and we are one with G-d. Or, we can choose to oppose G-d’s will and ironically, through our own choices, fulfill G-d’s plan without even knowing it. When we do this, however, we deny ourselves the joyous knowledge of our inseparable connection to G-d and instead painfully suffer feelings of alienation and separation from G-d.

We only choose to disobey G-d’s will when we mistakenly think that we exist separate and independent from G-d. When we do that, we support and nurture these illusions about ourselves. In essence our wrongdoings are actually our own punishment. They make us feel disconnected, alienated and isolated from G-d, who is actually the ground, context and essence of our very existence.

In other words, our choices create our own heaven or hell.
FEELING ONE-DERFUL
The purpose of a mitzvah is to promote G-d’s oneness and our oneness with G-d. Sins, on the other hand, promote separateness and create feelings of conflict and alienation. But when the separateness is recycled to promote the oneness, then really what you have is a mitzvah. Therefore, your sins can be converted into the value of mitzvot. This can happen only when your penitence is motivated by your love for G-d and your desire to experience G-d’s oneness and your oneness with G-d.

Penitence motivated by fear of punishment does not accomplish this transformation. Penitence out of fear is based on the perspective that I exist separate and independent of G-d, I am here on earth and G-d is over there in heaven and I should not act against G-d’s will for fear of punishment. Penitence from fear cancels out the negative effects of sins but it cannot transform them into the positive force of mitzvos.
THE FAST TRACK TO ONENESS
The Talmud teaches that in the World to Come we do not eat or drink, we are simply satiated by our feelings of closeness to G-d. On Yom Kippur, because we are basking in the light of the World to Come we too are satiated by our intimate experience with G-d. When the light of G-d’s oneness is shining we do not want our bodies to create shadows. It is the body that promotes the illusion that we exist independent and separate from G-d. Our bodies suggest that we exist in this sack of skin separate from the rest of existence. Therefore we fast, we do not feed our bodies, nor do we even relate to our bodies on Yom Kippur. We abstain not only from eating and drinking but also from all bodily pleasures — sexual relations, washing and anointing ourselves with any types of skin cream.

We also don’t wear leather shoes on this day because they represent the body, which we do not want to relate to on Yom Kippur.

When Moses approached the burning bush G-d told him to take off his shoes, which also metaphorically meant to take off his body. The shoe to the body is like the body to the soul. Not wearing leather shoes on Yom Kippur is an external act that reflects an internal state of being.

On Yom Kippur I disassociate myself, for one day, from my body so that my body does not separate me from immersing into the mikvah of G-d’s oneness. In this way I acknowledge the truth of how I exist within G-d. I am one with Him and I am loved by Him with the very love that He loves Himself because I am an aspect of His very Self. Yom Kippur offers the perfect ambiance to return to G-d in love, redeem your dark past and turn it into light. On Yom Kippur we realize that only love is real; everything else is illusion.

If you are interested in more readings and videos from this Rabbi please visit this YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/RabbiDavidAaron

If you are interested in receiving these Torah-Share.com posts via email please subscribe here: http://torah-share.com/subscribe/

Tags love, Rabbi David Aaron, torah learning, torah share, torah-share.com, yom kippur