Massei
The journey of life is perpetual. Every stop is a start in the right direction.
The children of Israel made forty-two stops and encampments in the wilderness, from the slavery of Egypt to the plains on the border of the Promised Land. The borders of the Holy Land are herein inscribed. The Cities of Refuge, shielding the mistakes one makes, are safe havens in a dangerous world. When a land is divided by the Divine it is truly united as one; when tribes are divide by Heaven, they may gel together in true unison. These are the journeys of life. Safe travels.
The Paradox of Pain
From Parshat Maasei & the period of the 3 Weeks we learn not to view difficulty as a wholly negative experience, but as the greatest facilitator of growth.
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Wisdom and Wonder
The laws of “vows” grant the authority & ability to define with our words & actions the very nature of our environment to ordinary, mortal man.
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The Eastern Colonists
Chassidic explanation of the difference between the Spies and later the Tribes of Reuben and Gad who requested land east of the Jordan re divine sparks.
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Informed Debate
A Chassidic story of Rabbi Naftali of Ropshitz inspiring two argumentative combatants to criticise themselves instead of each other.
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Signpost: Cities of Refuge
Discover the spiritual meaning of the Biblical cities of refuge. You can create spiritual cities of refuge in your life. The imperative to build cities of refuge has special meaning to us today, when the roads of life are teeming with spiritual refugees. It is our sacred duty to station ourselves at all the crossroads and serve as living signposts, calling out “Refuge! Refuge!” and pointing the way to the haven of Torah.
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Matos Massei: Attack in Bulgaria
The angrier you get about events surrounding Israel, the more you should channel that intensity into positive action to create a spiritual revolution in your life, in your home, in your community and in your corner of the world. This is the true conquest of Israel.
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Matos-Massei: One Small Step
If our “one step” on the moon can humbly remind us that the internal “moon” of our own inner malchus/dignity remains intact, and that it can actually experience rebirth and renewal, than this indeed is “one giant leap for mankind.”
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42 Journeys Part 7
This column has been following these journeys as we read through the book of Numbers – in an attempt to decipher the personal application and psycho-spiritual meaning and significance of the 42 journeys.
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Matos-Masei: 1967: The Summer of Awakening Part II
This week’s essay – a sequel to last week – discusses the power of inspiration and the profound consequences of not acting on a call from above….
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Matos-Massei: Why is Jerusalem Still Burning
Torah chapters read in the Three Weeks of destruction address issues of Jerusalem under siege: the link between Hezbollah and the Babylonians & Romans.
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