July 18th, 2023
Dr. Aryeh (Arnie) Gotfryd, PhD, describes himself as an “accidental expert in Applied Neuroplasticity.” He serves as the Educational Director and CEO of Maxi Mind Learning, which treats ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia with his activity-based, drug-free, focus-through-fun methodology. Aryeh’s career in life sciences, decades of teaching in private schools, and being blessed with plenty of wonderful children to raise, one of whom suffered serious learning challenges have prepared him to share his expertise and ever expanding knowledge in the world of neurodiversity and neuroplasticity.
A chassidic Jew and environmental scientist, Aryeh earned Canada’s first doctorate in Applied Ecology. He designed and taught an accredited, award-winning undergraduate course called Faith and Science which has been the most popular offering at University of Toronto’s New College for many years. He writes and speaks extensively on the interplay of science and faith, and what it all means for the individual and the world at large.
To learn more about Dr. Gotfryd and Maxi Mind Learning, please visit: https://maximind.ca/
I Think I Can
by Dr. Arnie Gotfryd |
From the recognition of how the soul rules the body (the microcosm), it is only a small step to recognizing how G-d rules the universe (the macrocosm). – The Rebbe, Mind Over Matter, p.311.
Paul Bach-y-Rita did not learn about the brain’s ability to rewire itself from science and medicine. True, he was a famous doctor and biomedical engineer, but his extraordinary insights and innovative cures had no basis in the neuroscience of the 60’s when his work first started to shake up the old mechanistic model of the brain.
Nor did he learn about it from kabbala or chassidic philosophy, although theoretically he could have because those sources had long been teaching principles of neuroeducation by then, as we discussed in last week’s newsletter.
Where he did learn about neuroplasticity was from his father, Pedro. This man had unfortunately suffered a massive debilitating stroke that left him half-paralyzed and speechless. After the standard course of rehab leading to minimal recovery, all medical opinion was against any further progress, but Paul’s elder brother George did not give up.
George decided to do train his father in small, progressive increments, as one would a child. He got his father to crawl, first leaning against a wall, then unsupported. After countless painful kilometers of this, he stood, then started to walk, to feed himself, to type, to work in the garden, and to speak. Finally after a year of home therapy, Pedro went back to work which he did for another seven years until he got a heart attack at the age of 72… while mountain climbing!
Paul’s loss was also his gain, for the autopsy revealed something remarkable. Paul realized that his father had recovered near-normal functioning despite the fact that 97% of his brain stem had been destroyed by the stroke. Something clicked in Paul’s brain too. He realized clearly that the only way this could have happened was if his father’s brain had somehow undergone a massive reorganization.
The conclusion seemed obvious but alas, what was incontrovertible fact to Paul was mere idle speculation in the eyes of the scientific establishment. They had been too long indoctrinated in the fixed map, fixed function view of the brain to be influenced by some small exceptional facts. No one took notice.
But with his newfound faith in the brain’s ability to change, Bach-y-Rita set out to use neuroplasticity to train the visual cortex to process touch signals from the back or the tongue instead of light signals from the eye, and it worked! Bach-y-Rita’s BrainPort technology allows people with vertigo to stand and walk for the first time without falling, and blind people to actually detect the size, shape and motion of remote objects in their environment, much as if they were seeing them with their eyes.
We can learn a lot from this story. First, where there is a will there is a way, even when physical obstacles and expert opinion stand in opposition. Also, look at the loyalty and commitment of a son to his father. How exemplary. Witness the humility and tenacity of the father to get down on the floor and crawl around for months, not knowing if this will ever lead to anything more. Be inspired by the wondrous nature of what is probably the most complex and dynamic entity in the cosmos, the human brain, the seat of the soul as well as the intellect that can meditate on its existence and implement its will, while seeming to be nothing more than a highly organized gray blob of chemically enhanced bio-electric spaghetti.
And finally, see what one single scientist can achieve. He can stand alone and press forward to prove his goal, even if the whole establishment of his peers negates or even mocks his views, for he knows that in the end the truth must prevail.
All these lessons are especially relevant in our times, known in Kabbala as “The Footsteps of Moshiach.” It is our will to actualize the redemption and that itself will hasten it and make it happen tangibly. There are definitely forces in opposition but with determination, humility and tenacity we will do whatever it takes, even if it looks odd to others in the interim. We only can take small steps but it is specifically those small steps that are most transformational. Just as Pedro needed specifically small steps to make a spectacular recovery, so too we need all our little mitzvos to add together and tip the scales, bringing the Days of Moshiach to fruition.
There is an allegorical lesson as well. The Jewish people are blessed with a spiritual leader, the Rebbe, whose title is an acronym of “Rosh B’nei Yisrael,” meaning Head of the Children of Israel. This reflects his role as our collective consciousness, like a dynamic and responsive central processor, an unsung inner power with such limitless possibility that however messed up the situation may get, we cannot despair because as with the human brain, we have only scratched the surface of what is possible to achieve.
And finally, there is the commitment to truth. Even if the whole world including all the experts were to say no, it’s not possible, the truth will ultimately prevail. And if this is the case in science, how much more so is it so regarding the ultimate future of humanity, about which leading scientists and theologians alike are coming to a common consent, namely that we do in fact live in an unprecedented era of unity emerging.
So hang in there. Moshiach is coming NOW!
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July 17th, 2023
Professor Samuel J. Levine joined the Touro Law Center faculty in 2010 as Professor of Law and Director of the Jewish Law Institute. He previously served as Professor of Law at Pepperdine University School of Law, and he has served as the Beznos Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University College of Law. He has published two books and more than sixty law review articles and book chapters, and he has lectured throughout the United States and has delivered online presentations on webinars hosted in countries around the world
Professor Levine has been described in the pages of the Notre Dame Law Review as “one of the leading legal-ethics and professional-responsibility scholars of his generation,” and he has been described by the Detroit Legal News as “one of the world’s foremost experts on the interplay of Jewish and American law.”
Professor Levine has received many awards, including the Sanford D. Levy Award from the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Professional Ethics, in recognition of his contributions to the field of legal ethics, and the Presidential Faculty Excellence in Scholarship Award from the Touro College and University System. In 2023, he was inducted into the Touro Law Center Builders Society.
Professor Levine has delivered a number of public and endowed lectures, and he has spoken at numerous law schools and universities and in connection with various other institutions and organizations. He has made CLE presentations at leading law firms, and he has been the organizer and co-organizer of several national conferences.
Professor Levine has served as Chair of the American Association of Law Schools Section on Professional Responsibility, three times as Chair of the AALS Section on Jewish Law, as Co-Chair of the AALS Section on Law and Religion, and on the Executive Committee of the AALS Section on Criminal Justice and the AALS Section on Criminal Procedure. He is Chair of the annual Fred C. Zacharias Memorial Prize for Scholarship in Professional Responsibility, and he served on the New York State Bar Association Committee on Professional Ethics.
Read Professor Levine’s full bio here.
Publications
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July 17th, 2023
Jacki Edry published her first book “Moving Forward: Reflections on Autism, Neurodiversity, Brain Surgery, and Faith” in 2021, and shortly after that, she launched her blog. In addition, she enjoys lecturing about neurodiversity and sensory processing to a wide range of audiences.
Jacki is a Hampshire College graduate with many years of experience in education, writing, lecturing, and marketing. She has been exploring the world of autism and neurodiversity for over thirty-five years.
Jacki is also neurodistinct, a survivor of complex brain surgery, which greatly affected her sensory and perceptual abilities. Her children have been diagnosed with varying forms of neurodivergence, including autism, ADHD, Auditory and Sensory Processing Disorder, Irlen syndrome, dyslexia, and more. Sharing her insights and understanding of neurodiversity has been the driving force behind her work.
Jacki has also spent many years advocating for inclusion and educational reform. Her work as a neurodiversity advocate has been recognized worldwide, and in 2023 she was chosen as one of the top 50 Neurodivirsity Evangelists by ND by design, powered by Dynamis.
Jacki was born and raised in NY, and upon completion of her studies, she made Aliyah to Israel, where she resides with her husband, children, and dog.
To learn more about Jacki’s work and ideas, please visit:
Blog and website: www.jackisbooks.com.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacki-edry-7583346/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackisbooks
Purchase Moving Forward: Reflections on Autism, Neurodiversity, Brain Surgery, and Faith on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Moving-Forward-Reflections-Neurodiversity-Surgery/dp/9655995232/
Read more: Neurodiversity, Neurodivergence, and the Significance of an Inclusive Community
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July 7th, 2023
Hypocritical Ministry: When Rabbis Transgress
Rabbi Simon Jacobson as a guest on Equal Footing with Dov Tzuman: A delicate discussion on how to hold our spiritual guides accountable when they act in contradiction to Jewish values and rules?
Tags: indepedence, founding fathers, democracy, july 4
Posted in Podcasts, MLC in the news, Trending, Social, Podcasts | No Comments »
December 27th, 2022
Which is Greater: Transcendence or Immersion?
As we read this week’s Torah portion about the intensifying Egyptian Exile and the deepening misery of bondage, one of the most powerful lessons that we can glean from the Exodus story is the answer to the big question: How does one survive difficult times? How did a nation endure genocide and brutal oppression and come out stronger than ever – a nation that thrives till this very day and one that has brought civilization to the world?! On an individual level how can each of us maintain balance and grow through suffering?
What is life? Life is energy and energy is about rhythm.
The mystics call it “rotzo v’shuv” (based on a verse in Ezekiel’s vision “v’hachayut rotzo v’shuv,” literally “and the energy runs and returns”). “Rotzo” is a state of yearning and transcendence; “shuv” is a state of immersion and integration.
The very engine of life is driven by the pulsating dance of “rotzo” and “shuv.” This is true on all levels of life. On a cosmic level, all of existence is essentially Divine breath, throbbing energy, constantly recreating existence. And on a microcosmic level, individual life is fueled by the heart beat contracting and expanding, and the breath exhaling and inhaling.
Psychologically too what makes a human being human is a constant ebb and flow – of tension and resolution, transcendence and integration, abstraction and concretization. Human nature is not satisfied with animal bliss; it consistently reaches upward, aspiring, dreaming – seeking to improve itself and beyond. And then we return – re-immersing and integrating the transcendent experience.
All growth is built on the dual principle of first desiring and striving for something we don’t yet have, and then acquiring and internalizing it. Like climbing a ladder: You see the step above you and then you climb and conquer it. As you climb higher broader horizons open up, feeding our hunger for more and than sating that hunger, only to whet our appetite for experiencing higher states of being.
All growth is built on the dual principle of first desiring and striving for something we don’t yet have, and then acquiring and internalizing it.
A healthy life and a fulfilled one is when we master the balance between these two poles: A healthy measure of both angst and calm, of dreams and their fulfillment. Unhealthy situations are usually a result of imbalance between the two, with either too much tension and too little resolution or the other way around. Some people dream well, but don’t implement; others act but don’t imagine.
No one is perfect, and it requires constant vigilance to ensure that the transcendent yearning should be balanced by contained integration, so that we have our heads in the heavens but our feet firmly planted on the ground. Yet, life gets out of control – and this is the root of many maladies – when one of the two dominates to the extreme. Sometimes this takes on the shape of exaggerated exuberance, unrealistic fantasies and illusions of grandeur. On the other end of the spectrum, the lack of aspiration can easily evolve into despair and resignation – with no hope or faith in a better tomorrow.
Life then is essentially a journey. Its essential nature is one of movement and rhythm, characterized by cycles of ups and downs, dynamically flowing back and forth.
If we were all in touch with this basic truth, the fundamental nature of life’s vicissitudes, we would be able to ride through most of our challenges, even the difficult times. The problem is that even if we understand with our minds the cycle of life, our subjective hearts get caught up in the moment, consumed by either the moment of joy or pain, unable to see the spinning wheel.
Which is why the Baal Shem Tov uses the “spiral staircase” as an analogy for life’s cycles: In Yiddish a spiral staircase is called “shvindel trep,” literally: Swindling steps. Why? Because when you climb a regular vertical staircase, you see yourself getting closer to the destination as you climb the stairs. A spiral staircase “swindles” you, because as you get closer to the destination you have to turn completely around, in a 360 degree turn, to the point where you cannot see the apex. As you climb you keep turning your back to the destination, and just before you reach the top, you must turn completely around for the last time. The key is to always remember, even when your eyes cannot see it and your heart cannot feel it, that we are on a climbing staircase, and we must continue to move.
This is all good and fine in the normal flow of life. We can understand that we all will go through our ups and downs, and need to adjust to the rhythms. But unfortunately at times the “downs” manifest in such intense ways – whether it be in a collective tragedy, as in the Egyptian bondage or the Holocaust, or in a personal tragedy – that all the explanations are rendered meaningless.
Yet, even in the deepest darkness we see that the Jewish people enslaved in Egypt – and then time and again in their sufferings throughout history, till the most recent Holocaust – had some superhuman strength that empowered them to hold on, to become stronger and greater, “the more they were oppressed the more they proliferated and spread” (Exodus 1:12).
This can be explained as the strength that comes from being challenged. But we see that not all nations and individuals react quite the same way in face of suffering. Clearly there is something more.
The Jewish people in Egypt, and throughout the ages, survived and thrived due to their profound, inherent faith in the Divine purpose of existence, which insists on the soul descending and immersing in life as we know it in order to transform the darkest and lowest of places into a Divine “home.”
Though the soul naturally flickers like a flame, yearning and returning in its dual “rotzo v’shuv” dance, ultimately the soul is imbued with the need to immerse which is rooted in the Essence and its “desire” to have a “home” in the “lowest of worlds.”
Initially it would appear that the soul is naturally more transcendent (rotzo) than immersive (shuv).
Initially it would appear that the soul is naturally more transcendent (rotzo) than immersive (shuv). A spiritual person is drawn to the sublime rather than the material, and finds it easier to separate from the material world rather immerse in it.
In truth, however, the transcendent nature of the soul is only in the conscious “personality” of the soul; its nature like a flame is always to rise and be engulfed in its source. But the essence of the soul, which is rooted in the Divine Essence, senses in its total selflessness the Divine desire to immerse in life.
Indeed transcendence is possible only outside of the Essence, not inside the Essence. By definition transcendence means that the given entity is in a state of want. Yearning to reach its source and being repelled by its finite groundings propels the entity to gravitate upward into a state of transcendence. Yearning is a direct result of feeling distance from the object you are yearning for. But within the Essence of reality transcendence and yearning is not necessary nor does it make sense.
Thus the power to transcend comes from a more “external” level than the power to immerse. Transcendence is a state of revelation that needs a reason and cause to transcend, unlike immersion which is rooted in the Essence and its “desire” to have a “home” in the “lowest of worlds,” which is not driven by a reason or cause and is beyond any defined state of revelation.
So the need to immerse in life is actually paradoxical: On one hand it is much more difficult than the inclination to transcend. On a conscious level the soul feels the tug from above and therefore finds it more natural to yearn rather than to immerse. On the other hand on the Essence level immersion is the ultimate purpose, but to reveal it requires our complete dedication and hard work.
This ingrained sense, implanted in the deepest recesses of the soul, that we must immerse in the world (and not escape from it) – and the human effort to completely subjugate itself to this cause – is what gave the Jewish nation in Egypt and throughout the history the power to live through it all the unbearable suffering and prevail in invincible fashion.
Usually we would think that transcendence is what allows us to rise above our suffering world. Yet, here it is actually the need to immerse, engage and refine the world that gives us this power.
The practical lesson for us is this: The best way to face the most difficult challenges in life is not to retreat and disengage from life and retreat. Quite the contrary: We must intensify our engagement and double our efforts in refining the world around us, by committing to an extra act of virtue, to an additional mitzvah – to being a better person and inspiring others to improve their lives.
Such an approach definitely demands more effort and is more difficult. But it is this self-generated exertion (not due to any revelatory inspiration) that generates new energy and changes the universe.
Our efforts are not just revealing hidden dimensions, but actually initiating new ones. But to do so, you and I have do something new.
Doing exactly what our natural habits do not want to do is the newest thing you can ever do.
Tags: integration, balance, essence, animal soul, G-dly soul, suffering, spiritual and material, transcendence
Posted in Weekly Parsha, Soul & Mystical, Shmot, Va'eira, Spiritual, Torah | 4 Comments »
July 6th, 2022
How Judaism Impacted July 4th
Rabbi Simon Jacobson as a guest on Equal Footing with Dov Tzuman, discussing the influence of Judaism on the Founding Fathers and the birth of American democracy, together with Dr. Bruce Powell.
Tags: indepedence, founding fathers, democracy, july 4
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April 6th, 2022
On Thursday, April 7, 7 PM EDT Rabbi Simon Jacobson, Senator Joe Lieberman, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Eli Marcus and others, join together for an evening to honor the Rebbe’s 120th Birthday.
Location: The Park East Synagogue, 163 East 67th Street. NY. RSVP: Chabadriverdale.org/celebration120.
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March 16th, 2022
As Jews worldwide prepare to celebrate Purim, the war in Ukraine continues to rage and intensify. What is the connection between a holiday associated with happiness and perseverance and a war that is wreaking havoc and destruction? How can we enter this holiday with the unbridled joy, unwavering spirit and Jewish pride that is usually associated with Purim? And what lessons can we learn to help us cope with our personal lives and current world events? With all the upheaval and uncertainty around us, the powerful messages of Purim resonate now more than ever.
Let us dive into the story of Purim and discover the emerging patterns that will helps us connect all the dots.
One of the most striking elements of the Megillah (the scroll that tells the story Purim, which we read twice on that day) is not an event, but a non-event: G-d’s name is never mentioned in the entire book! Not once.
The primary reason for this is because in the Purim miracle G-d works behind the scenes. Yet, work He does; it’s up to us to recognize the underlying patterns in the ostensibly random events that led up to the miraculous conclusion. The primary reason for this is because in the Purim miracle G-d works behind the scenes. Yet, work He does; it’s up to us to recognize the underlying patterns in the ostensibly random events that led up to the miraculous conclusion.
Purim is a story of extremes. First an impending holocaust is about to decimate the entire Jewish people. Wicked Haman has persuaded King Achashverosh to annihilate all the Jews in his kingdom, which meant the entire Jewish population at the time – who were under the control of the Persian superpower. Then, just as quickly as it came to be the decree is turned around and the Jews are saved, and Haman and his co-conspirers are hanged.
The amazing part of the story is its unobtrusiveness. The entire story from beginning to end takes place in a period of nine years, resulting from events that to the naked eye could have appeared entirely random and circumstantial (see Inexplicable Yet Again). Persian King Achashverosh happens to throw a party. When he invites his wife she happens to rebuff him, and in his anger he has her killed. The Jewess Esther happens to be chosen to become the new queen (no one knows her true identity). A while later Mordechai happens to overhear and foil an assassination attempt against the king. One night years later the king happens to have insomnia, and he happens to be read the story of Mordechai saving his life. He then happens to suddenly reward Mordechai. When Haman is ready to fulfill his evil plot, Esther happens to be there to thwart it.
Long story short – over a period of nine years circumstances are positioned in such a way where all the right people are in the right place and the right time to ensure that Haman does not exterminate the Jewish people!
If we were living then, all these events – spread over 9 years – could have appeared as random, isolated experiences. When you are too close to the events you can sometimes not see the forest from the trees. But in retrospect, when we read the Megillah on Purim, and we hear the sequence of events, we then can connect the dots and see the greater picture emerging – one that leads to an absolute miracle.
The message is clear, on both a global and personal scale.
Global events are all dots, often appearing disjointed. Every event is another dot in a picture. While we live through these events we only see the dots, the trees, not the forest. It is usually in retrospect that we can see the patterns emerging.
The same is with history as a whole. History is a process, with each respective generation making its contribution to the bigger picture. The achievements of each spoke in the wheel of history accumulates, but only when you recognize the process and the greater whole. This message has been lost on many nations and empires. Instead of seeing their role as part of the past and the future, they indulged in their power of the moment, they basked in the glow of their own achievements, failing to see themselves as dots, as links in the chain of history. Thus, their inevitable demise. A dot will be lost if it does not join its neighbors in creating the greater picture.
Purim teaches us to search for the patterns amongst the dots of our time. And when we see them, the 2377 years since Purim originally took place is not a wide span that separates then and now, but these years – the past and the present – become one continuum. Purim is not just some distant memory that we commemorate, but an event that lives on today just as it lived then.
Patterns create eternity. They connect the details, which are isolated on their own, and unite them in one tapestry.
When you connect the dots, you recognize the pattern that this part of the world has some unique power and hold on mankind.
By connecting today’s events to those that took place at in the time of Purim we also can begin to discover answers to many issues that puzzle us about today’s events. Primary among which is that our ultimate power to overcome any challenge is faith.
The Purim message of recognizing these patterns allows us to face our challenges today. The story of Purim teaches us that through prayer and connection to Above, Mordechai and Esther led their people to victory. At the time they did not know how their salvation would come to be. But their faith and conviction allowed them the strength to transcend the individual fragmented ‘dots’ and be ready for the unexpected – that the impossible is possible. Not because of some external, sensational miracle, but because of the absolute faith that there is a ‘hand inside the glove,’ and whether we see it or not, behind the scenes there is a greater force at work.
“Mordechai did not bow.” By not conforming to the social standards and pressures of the time, Mordechai demonstrated true leadership and strength to overcome any challenge. Conformity may be the comfortable choice for the moment, but then you give this moment the power to enslave you forever.
Unity is the theme of Purim. “Assemble all the people.” We send each other food gifts and distribute charitable gifts to the poor. We sit together for a festive Purim meal – all in order to strengthen our bonds in one great show of solidarity, to counter (in Haman’s words) “one nation…scattered and dispersed among the nations.” Yet again, the theme of connecting the fragmented dots.
And finally, the children play a prominent role in Purim. Recognizing the power of the children, Haman planned to target them. To counter that, Mordechai at the time gathered the children to teach them Torah. “Out of the mouths of children and nursing babies You fashioned an invincible might… to still foe and avenger” (Psalms 8:3). So too today, we put special focus on the children during Purim.
Unencumbered by their own egos and material involvements, children are a step closer to the truth than adults. Undistracted by the moment, they can often see the bigger picture, unlike adults who are usually so consumed with the moment.
Children therefore, with their faith cultivated, are our source of strength and a power to counter any adversary. They can help us not be daunted by the immediate events, and recognize the historical patterns that are shaping our lives today.
The Purim message of recognizing these patterns allows us to face our challenges today.
One final ‘dot’ should be mentioned – a ‘dot’ that can help illuminate all the other dots and patterns of current events. To quote a fascinating Midrash – cited extensively by the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson) during the Persian Gulf War in 1991:
The leader of Persia will attack an Arab nation and the Arab king will go to Aram for advice. The leader of Persia will bring destruction to the entire world, and all nations will be outraged and confused… and they will say, “Where shall we come and go?” G-d will answer them: “My children, do not be afraid, everything I have done, I have done for you. Why are you afraid? Do not fear, the time of your Redemption has arrived. (Yalkut Shemoni Isaiah, remez 499)
Can we not easily associate this with Russia attacking Ukraine? And Ukraine is reaching out to the world’s superpowers for help. And all the nations are outraged and confused, asking “Where shall we come wine go?”
Purim today tells us that we need not fear, for a greater picture is emerging. Yes, our confusion and fear is acknowledged, yet we are reassured that the world is poised at the threshold of a new reality, and it is our awareness and actions that help bring it to actualization.
Practically speaking: To connect the dots of global events and of history we begin by connecting the dots in our personal lives:
Each of us in our lives has many dots. More often than not they may appear to be random, circumstantial. Purim teaches us to look closer at our lives; to focus in – it always helps to employ the assistance of an objective friend – and recognize the deeper patterns in our lives. To see your place in this world, your contacts, your profession, all your experiences – positive and negative – as opportunities to fulfill your higher mission, to bring personal and global redemption.
This Purim we must each ask ourselves: What am I doing to see the deeper truths in my own life and in the life of the universe today.
2377 years separate Purim today from the first Purim. Our power lies in bridging these years by recreating and reliving Purim and its message today.
2377 years then become – not a distancing force – but an awesome power of continuity that has overcome every challenge it has faced. Not only survived by thrived. Ask yourself: Do you have a more powerful force in your arsenal?
Tags: Babylon, history, gallus, purpose of life
Posted in Purim, Months & Holidays, Beliefs & Concepts, Miracles, Social, Adar, Torah, Current Events | No Comments »
March 7th, 2022
Four steps are necessary to be free from any given “trap” in our lives, all with the help from above:
1. “I will take you out from the suffering of Egypt.” First you must get out of the immediate line of fire. As long as you remain in an abusive situation, in range of a force that is hurting you, you cannot begin the journey toward freedom.
This first step away from the immediate cause of your suffering is only a first step, but it is critical: If you don’t “stop the bleeding,” healing cannot begin.
This step is often the hardest of them all, because after protracted years of pain you can become resigned and even accustomed to the oppression, to the point that it becomes so much part of your life and your being that it is hard to recognize the “enemy,” or even acknowledge that there is an “enemy” (what we call today: denial, but what was called back then: de (River) Nile), and distinguish friend from foe.
2. “I will deliver you from their bondage.” After you are taken out of the actual destructive situation, you must be delivered from the hold of the oppressive force. Even after their hard labor ended the Jewish people still remained in Egypt, under the effect of extensive exposure to their depraved culture and centuries of genocide. Thus the need to be delivered and break free from the psychological hold of being a “slave” for so long.
3. “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.” Finally you get out of “prison,” but the enemy (or a similar one) is still lurking. At this stage you need an “outstretched arm” to embrace you and hold you tight and secure, reassuring you that you will be safe. And “great judgments” that eliminate the enemy, and ensure it does not return. Even after the Exodus, though Egypt remained a superpower and indeed, they pursued the Jews. Until they were utterly defeated at the Red Sea.
4. “I will take you to Myself as a nation, and I will be to you a G-d.” The first three phases were all about freeing yourself from the enemy. But you still are not free until you discover who you are. Freedom is not merely the absence of slavery – getting away from the past and escaping the negative. True freedom is a state of being on its own – the ability to be true to yourself, your true self, and live up to your inner calling and spiritual destiny.
Even after the enemy is vanquished you want a life that is not defined by the negative, even by being opposed to the enemy (like anti-anti-Semitism). You want to build your life in a way that stands for something great (not against something), and a life that will never again allow you to be enslaved, exploited, or constricted in the first place.
All life’s problems begin by allowing ourselves to be subjected and enslaved to man-made conventions. When you worship money, power, connections and social status – you have brought upon yourself an imposing “master” that will subjugate your freedom and ultimately annihilate your inner dignity.
Ultimate freedom is to not be bound to human devices; to discover your Divine calling and serve it with all you faculties and resources.
Only then can you call yourself a free man or woman.
SOULGYM I MASTERCLASS
Live with Rabbi Simon Jacobson
Beat Swords into Plowshares: From Vision to Victory
Wednesday, March 25, 2026 @8:30pm
Live Stream | Podcast
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Tags: Soul Gym: Servant Leadership
Posted in Soul Gym, Personal Life, Emotions & Psychology | 1 Comment »
