Reb L's G-dcast
139 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago -Hashkafic musings
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Episodes
GC#82 - Cold As Ice - Perek Shira 13 - Song of The Waters Part 1
June 24, 2020 10:05 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBWe have been speaking about moving from a barren desert to the field. The field is where we can cultivate, till the soil and work on it until we see the yield. But there is still something missing. Without the water, it is no good. Nothing will grow. We have mentioned a number of times that we need to put in the effort and then G-d responds. This is told to us at the beginning of Bereishis, where we see that water only came after humanity was in place - 'Adam was not there to work the groun...
GC#81 - Gestalt Therapy - Perek Shira 12 - Song of the Fields Part 2
June 23, 2020 00:12 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBWe are probably all familiar with the optical illusions of Escher et al. Amongst the most famous visual tricks, is the one where there are two or more vases, placed strategically adjacent to each other. After staring at them for a while, one becomes aware that one is looking at either a face or figure - sometimes multiple forms. When this happens, the vases disappear...until one allows one's focus to revert to the vases. Then the figures disappear. Only one can stay in view at any given time...
GC#80 - Parents' Evening - Perek Shira 11 - Song of the Fields Part 1
June 22, 2020 09:20 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBParents' evenings in school for me were an inevitable exercise in damage limitation. It was never really necessary for my parents to go. I could give them the script beforehand. Come to think of it, I could do the same with regards to my school report... ...The inevitable sentence would be uttered by each teacher - 'He has so much potential...' And yes, as we mentioned previously - also ineveitably - the next word would be 'however', or 'but'. There is a point in our lives where we need to...
GC#79 - The Truth Hurts - Perek Shira 10 - The Desert's Song Part 2
June 19, 2020 02:37 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBPerhaps one of the most poignant one-liners I have encountered is the one which says: ' 'Be yourself', is about the worst advice you can give some people'. We don't always think that some people would find the prospect horrific. As a famous wag once said - 'Why ruin a good story with the truth?' Picture the scene. The pupil runs into the classroom saying, 'Do you know what so and so said?' The most common automatic response to that is: 'That's Loshon Hora'. The complainant retorts: 'But it'...
GC#78 - Your Wish Is My Command - Perek Shira 9 - The Desert's Song Part 1
June 18, 2020 00:12 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBWe know that the spies were not fools. We also know that they were not originally evil. Moshe chose them specifically for their righteousness. But something turned them. What was it? They saw the inherent danger of leaving behind a totally spiritual existence - sustenance on tap, nothing physical to worry about - Paradise in the desert. To enter a land where they would have to work the earth and take time away from spiritual pursuits was anathema to them. They wished to remain in the place ...
GC#77 - Get Out of Jail...Free! - Perek Shira 8 - The Song of Gehinnom Part 2
June 17, 2020 00:10 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBI felt that more explanation was needed on the subject of Gehinnom. We have examined what it means to realise one's potential...and its polar opposite. The burning shame of understanding that we could have been so much greater, is the burning fire of Gehinnom (or indeed the coldness of distance, in terms of lack of connection, for the same reason). But we also firmly believe that it is not the end of the story. We know that that we are given a second chance. Once we have learned our lesson,...
GC#76 - Sisyphean tasks - Perek Shira 7 - The Song of Gehinnom
June 15, 2020 23:28 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBCan you imagine standing in the holiest place on earth and speaking or acting inappropriately? I hope not. But even if you can, I would still hope that it only remains in the imagination. Yet, just outside the Old City of Yerushalayim lies the Valley of Ben Hinnom - a place where child sacrifice took place. The worst of practices right by the holiest place! This is the ultimate form of unrealised potential. One could have connected on the deepest level, but instead went the other way, sacr...
GC#76 - Sisyphean tasks - Perek Shira 7 - The Song of Gehinnom Part 1
June 15, 2020 23:28 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBCan you imagine standing in the holiest place on earth and speaking or acting inappropriately? I hope not. But even if you can, I would still hope that it only remains in the imagination. Yet, just outside the Old City of Yerushalayim lies the Valley of Ben Hinnom - a place where child sacrifice took place. The worst of practices right by the holiest place! This is the ultimate form of unrealised potential. One could have connected on the deepest level, but instead went the other way, sacr...
GC#75 - Eye Spy - Perek Shira 6 - The Song Of Gan Eden
June 15, 2020 01:25 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBWho can claim to have seen Gan Eden - the Garden of Eden? No one that I personally know. Yet the Gemoro in Tamid 32b relates how Alexander the Great found his way there. Refused admittance, he pleaded for a small token of proof that he had at least been at its gates. He was handed a human eyeball with the statement that only righteous people may enter. The eye can be used for good - Ayin tova, or for bad, as we see both at the start of this week's sedra of Shelach lecha, with the spies; and...
GC#74 - Global Warming & World Acclaim - Perek Shira 5 - The Earth Song
June 12, 2020 02:16 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBThere has been much talk in recent years about global warming. There is debate between scientists as to the extent to which we can and are actually affecting the climate on our planet. I'd like to take a more down to Earth approach. (Yes, I did planet!) When a person is described as warming to someone, they are developing a positive attitude towards them. We are told in Sanhedrin how Hashem wanted to make the righteous Chizkiyahu into Moshiach, but because he didn't sing a song of praise af...
GC#73 - The Sky's The Limit - Perek Shira 4 - The Heavens' Song
June 10, 2020 23:19 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBGood Heavens! There is no better way to start an epic piece of music than with an overture. Normally associated with classical music, it is a dramatic introduction to the larger piece which is to follow. It usually contains elements of the subsequent piece . At the same time, it can often serve as an independent piece of music, enthralling the listener and preparing them for what is to come. And this epic piece of music is no different. It begins with the song of the Heavens. The Heavens, ...
GC#72 - The Song That Never Ends - Perek Shira Intro 3
June 09, 2020 23:12 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBThis is a song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friend. This is a song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friend. Etc. However, listen carefully, and you will realise that Perek Shira is a song of harmony. A song of beauty. A song of revelation. And the truth is, it is not one sung by humans. So much so, we will discover that the song sung by the frog is many thousands of times greater than that of any human. Lest you get arrogant, just remember that this apparently low c...
GC#72 - The Song That Never Ends - Perek Shira 3 - Intro 3
June 09, 2020 23:12 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBThis is a song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friend. This is a song that never ends. It just goes on and on my friend. Etc. However, listen carefully, and you will realise that Perek Shira is a song of harmony. A song of beauty. A song of revelation. And the truth is, it is not one sung by humans. So much so, we will discover that the song sung by the frog is many thousands of times greater than that of any human. Lest you get arrogant, just remember that this apparently low c...
GC#71 - The Circle of Life - Perek Shira Intro 2
June 08, 2020 23:17 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBInteresting name... When we spoke about being pieces of a jigsaw puzzle yesterday, we were still missing a few of them. One major element that we need to understand, is what the definition of Shira actually is. Why sing? And what is the etymology of the word Shira? And where do we see it manifest in history? Actually, the various midrashim, looking from different angles, give various groupings of the 'Ten Great Songs' of history. There is something special about seeing a whole picture, a f...
GC#71 - The Circle of Life - Perek Shira 2 - Intro 2
June 08, 2020 23:17 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBInteresting name... When we spoke about being pieces of a jigsaw puzzle yesterday, we were still missing a few of them. One major element that we need to understand, is what the definition of Shira actually is. Why sing? And what is the etymology of the word Shira? And where do we see it manifest in history? Actually, the various midrashim, looking from different angles, give various groupings of the 'Ten Great Songs' of history. There is something special about seeing a whole picture, a f...
GC#70 - Sing a Song of Sixth Sense - Perek Shira Intro 1
June 07, 2020 22:57 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBDo you ever get that feeling of being watched? Sounds creepy, I know. But actually, as one of the myriad elements of creation, we are all pieces in a giant jigsaw puzzle, and as such, just as we may look at the sky and wonder what the point of that beautiful sunset is, so we must mull over the question of our own purpose too. Once you get the corner pieces, then the edges, you start to build a whole picture. We are about to embark on a journey which will see us try to put together a massive...
GC#70 - Sing a Song of Sixth Sense - Perek Shira 1 - Intro 1
June 07, 2020 22:57 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBDo you ever get that feeling of being watched? Sounds creepy, I know. But actually, as one of the myriad elements of creation, we are all pieces in a giant jigsaw puzzle, and as such, just as we may look at the sky and wonder what the point of that beautiful sunset is, so we must mull over the question of our own purpose too. Once you get the corner pieces, then the edges, you start to build a whole picture. We are about to embark on a journey which will see us try to put together a massive...
GC#69 - Jealous Guy
June 04, 2020 23:58 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBThey say that when Oscar Wilde heard an intelligent comment uttered by James Whistler (although I have heard it the other way too), he sighed and said, 'I wish I had said that'. To which Whistler replied (Or Wilde, depending on the version!) - 'You will, Oscar. You will!' Isn't it annoying when you feel that you should have had something and you see someone else with it? A new car, a new contract, or even a good original joke... ...or the Torah. I mean, they were all offered it. I heard on...
GC#68 - No Man Is An Island
June 03, 2020 22:27 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBHow long is this guy going to milk the post Shavuos thing for? Well - at least tonight (you never know - could be more). Yes, we're still coming down the mountain, but in a strange way - like Escher's impossible staircase - we keep finding ourselves at the top. In fact, because we came down the mountain, we are more connected to others and affected - hopefully positively. And there's a massive chain reaction - we smile at another... hopefully that smile will be paid forward. You cannot avoi...
GC#67 - Happy? Clap Along! - The Positive Drug
June 03, 2020 00:48 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBHave you ever done a good deed? Come on - there must have been something. How did it feel? I'm willing to bet that even if it was uncomfortable, it felt good to have done it. This is true in 99% of cases. I believe that this is the secret of a phrase that I had never quite understood...until now - שכר מצוה מצוה - the reward of a Mitzva is another Mitzva. Try telling that to your teenage child! But if you begin to realise that the feel good factor - be it because of the adrenalin, endorphins...
GC#66 - Getting Carried Away
June 01, 2020 23:10 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBAs we struggle to stop Shavuos becoming but a distant memory, we need to learn how to remain connected to the source. Earlier in our series, we discussed the concept of having roots and wings. The ultimate success in this respect, would be to have our roots in the very source of our identity, whilst yet being able to live and breathe in the world around us. Sounds an impossible task - to remain in an elevated state, yet grounded at the same time. The key is the beloved A to Z. In an age o...
GC#65 - Mind The Gap
June 01, 2020 02:03 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBAfter the Lord Mayor's show...post Shavuos - are we just left with the crumbs from the oft-joked about cheesecake? Interesting that one of the reasons for eating it, is the reference to a mountain of 'Gavnunim' - etymologically similar to the word for cheese. We have spoken previously about the symbolism of milk (GC#43 - So Long and Thanks for All The Fish), so I guess it is not so surprising. But I think that the motif of a mountain is not an accident either. Nor is the fact that Har Sinai...
GC#64 - The Call To Arms
May 28, 2020 19:41 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBJust when you thought that I'd finished... Day 50 - or kind of...the Possuk tells us that there the people went out 'chamushim'. That either means 'armed' or 'a fifth' or 'a fiftieth'. What is this all about? That number 50 is not random. Let's have a look a look and see if it's telling us something about how we are meant to approach this auspicious day...
GC#63 - The Return Of The King - Omer Day 49
May 27, 2020 23:36 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBI've been waiting 7 weeks for this one! The culmination of all your hard work - all your efforts. The picture is complete and you are ready to accept the Torah. Or are you? How have we changed since day one, if at all? Do we feel closer now to Hashem? If not, you might start worrying that it's all been a waste of time. But remember - you can spend time preparing the flour, from the grinding and sifting all the way through to the final product. But try eating it as flour...actually - don't. ...
GC#62 - Let the Games Begin - Omer Day 48
May 27, 2020 00:00 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBFunny title to give - right at the end of the Omer. What is meant by a game? Amongst the various dictionary definitions is: 1. 'an activity that one engages in for amusement or fun', and 2. a complete episode or period of play, ending in a final result. So it seems particularly strange that when discussing the lofty concepts of how G-d runs the world, Dovid states: לויתן זה יצרת לשחק בו - 'This Leviathan that You created to play with'. G-d plays games now? This word though, שחק or play an...
GC#61 - Crowning Glory - Omer Day 47
May 25, 2020 23:48 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBWe find ourselves in the strangest of situations. On the one hand, because of technology, we have never found it easier to connect with each other. It has been argued, that this is why the connections themselves do not actually go that deep. I'm afraid to say that the number of 'Facebook friends' that one has, is not a real indicator of any meaningful relationship. On the other hand, that self-same technology has probably been the reason that many people have been kept from going insane in ...
GC#60 - Kiss of Life/Kiss of Death - Omer Day 46
May 25, 2020 00:02 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBToday, we find a connection between one action with two very different implications. When you throw a goodbye kiss to a parent or beloved relative, you are expressing that you will miss them and still connect to them, even though you may not see them for a while. Even the root of the hebrew word is נשק - which means variously to be attached (תשוקה), sustained (with Yosef - ועל פיך ישק כל עמי) or kiss. All imply a longing, a connection, a caring. Dveikus. So when we are told that Orpah kiss...
GC#59 - On A Road From Nowhere - Omer Day 45
May 24, 2020 01:40 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBI once heard a well known comedian parody a politician by imagining the following speech (in part) being given at a party conference: 'We must ask ourselves crucial questions. Where are we? How did we get here? Why did we come? Where do we want to go? How do we want to get to where we want to go? How far do we have to go before we get to where we want to be? How would we know where we were when we got there? HAVE WE GOT A MAP? ' Whilst we can understand the humour behind the cliches, we al...
GC#58 - Living On Borrowed Time - Omer Day 44
May 22, 2020 18:37 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBIn yesteryear, we find people who lived for hundreds of years. As time progressed, Hashem said that this was no good fo humanity. Why not? If you cast your minds back, we titled Podcast number 25: 'Who Wants To Live Forever?'. Perhaps that's rhetorical. After all, they say, you might just get bored. So G-d just didn't want me to get bored? Wrong. He realised that if you have an infinite amount of time, you put off the less appealing things...'Manyana, manyana. I'll do it tomorrow...' Imag...
GC#57 - An Offer You Cannot Refuse - Omer Day 43
May 22, 2020 04:16 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBWe're into the final week of the Omer. The week of Malchus - Kingship. We have said all along that a real king is a servant to his people. We went from being slaves to becoming Mamleches Kohanim - a kingodm of priests. The journey was one of freeing ourselves from being enslaved to our own desires, to becoming masters of self-control. Mind over matter. Head over heart. That way, you are a king. The other way around, you are nothing but a slave. Day one of the final week sees the chesed of...
GC#56 - Showdown - Omer Day 42
May 21, 2020 00:56 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBThere's a lot that I wanted to say about the number 42. Levite cities, journeys and encampments in the wilderness (#howmanyroadsmustamanwalkdown) and one of the Divine names. However, there is too much to say about the epic meeting of Yosef and Dovid, as seen in the very complicated and apparent love-hate relationship between Dovid's ancestor Yehuda - chief of the children of Leah, and the children of Rachel - Yosef and Binyomin. Sometimes they work in tandem and everything is beautiful - t...
GC#55 - Daydream Believer - Omer Day 41
May 20, 2020 00:46 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBGone are the days when dreams were just dismissed as a load of nonsense. They are analysed, sifted through and interpreted. But is this really a new phenomenon? Absolutely not. It is a return to the senstitivities of yesteryear, when it was understood - long before Freud, long before Jung - that there was a substratum of unconscious ideas in the human mind. Is it a dream or a delusion? Is it an unhealthy projection of desire, or is it a real positive ray of hope for the future? It took a m...
GC#54 - I Can See Clearly Now (The Chein Has Shone) - Omer Day 40
May 19, 2020 00:23 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBDay 40. 40 in Jewish thought is a number of renewal, rebirth. Many examples in Tenach abound of this figure and its manifestation. The Flood; years in the Desert, before entry into the land. And indeed many of the tenures of the Judges in Shoftim are a perfect 40 years. It is the minimum amount of Seah in a Kosher Mikveh, and it is only after 40 days from conception that an embryo is considered a fully halachic embryo. So what a perfect day it is to reset ourselves and recalibrate our vis...
GC#53 - Cognitive Dissonance - Omer Day 39
May 18, 2020 00:58 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBMy favourite topic. I 've been waiting for this for a while. We all suffer from cognitive dissonance to a lesser or greater degree. The concept in simple terms, is that information that is hard for me to process - perhaps jarring, or worse, may require me to make uncomfortable changes in my life - will be assimilated (pun half-intended) into something more palatable. My new phone, which turns out to be only the second latest model, will 'obviously be much better than its successor' which i...
GC#52 - 'I know a Guy' - Omer Day 38
May 17, 2020 00:40 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MB...Such a Jewish phrase! It speaks of the idea of connections. There is a well known theory of the six degrees of separation - one is never more than six handshakes away from anyone in the world, or so it is said. The number is slightly smaller in our world - sometimes it is two or three...because 'I know a guy.' He also knows a guy... Jokes aside, it is actually a Gemoro in Bava Basra 39a. A friend has a friend. And a friend of a friend has a friend. When one is connected, one is never alo...
GC#51 - In Your Face! - Omer Day 37
May 15, 2020 15:11 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBMemory is an important thing. But only if the thing that you are remembering is important...just a random bunch of facts and figures is reduced to meaningless lists if there is no purpose. Knowing the phone book by heart may be impressive, but it not reveal a massive niche in the market for that particular skill. Knowing your friends' and family's numbers, on the other hand is more than useful - and not just to win the top prize in 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' The second meeting of Yitz...
GC#50 - Edge Of Reason - Omer Day 36
May 15, 2020 00:43 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBWe've reached the sixth week of the Omer and Podcast number 50! So if you're still listening, a) well done and b) thank you. This is the week that is represented by the incredible Yosef HaTzadik - the perfect Tzadik, who stood firm in the face of adversity and did exactly what we have spoken of so many times in our journey - he went from slave to king. He is an exemplar of self control, as he was dangerously handsome, and incredibly charming. He has temptation thrown his way. Yet he mast...
GC#49 - Head Over Heels - Omer Day 35
May 14, 2020 00:30 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBWe've completed 5 weeks of the Omer. Finally, Malchus/Kingship meets Kehuna/Priesthood. The Hod of Aharon meets the Malchus of Dovid. Interestingly, the Gemoro says that Hod is otherwise known as Malchus. What do they have in common? In Kabbalah, Hod is the right leg, whilst Malchus is the lowest of the Emanations ( expressed by some as the feet, or heels). Yet it is also kingship - and associated with the mouth - in the head, making it higher. This is the secret of a real king - nothing w...
GC#48 - Fixed Mindset v Growth Mindset - Omer Day 34
May 13, 2020 02:00 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBIt's an interesting one. Many follow the custom of Rav Yosef Karo, the Mechaber or author of the Shulchan Aruch - to only permit haircuts and so forth on the 34th day of the Omer. Hmmm - 'Lad B'Omer'. Doesn't have the same ring to it. But there is rhyme and reason to it... As there is to the relationship between the Mechaber and the Rema. Yet, it could have been so different. As we will hear, the Rema had every reason to ignore, be jealous or do his own thing. Instead, he synthesised the w...
GC#47 - Of Barbecues and Barber Queues - Lag B'Omer
May 12, 2020 00:59 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBWhy does it take so long to get a haircut on Lag B'omer? Because of all the barber queues.... I think I dined out on that joke for about 6 months. But seriously, what is this day about? It is referred to in various places for various reasons. It is surely not enough to say that 'hooray, Rabbi Akiva's students stopped dying'. Indeed, as my Rebbe R' Moshe pointed out, they only stopped dying because there was none left to die! And, taking into account Shabbos and Yom tov, there would have b...
GC#46 - Heart of Stone, Heart on Fire - Omer Day 46
May 10, 2020 23:26 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBPeace and eternal truth seem unlikely partners. Yet on day 32 of the Omer, we see the two combine in spectacular alliance. Evidenced by the beautiful fraternal relationship between Moshe and Aharon, who could so easily have had their bond wrecked by jealousy, they form a perfect bond, leading the Jewish people faithfully through the wilderness for 4 decades. In opposition to פרעה, the man with a heart of stone, they both demonstrated a caring heart - a desire to ensure that every individua...
GC#45 - The Johari Window - Omer Day 31
May 10, 2020 00:49 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBThere is a fascinating concept in pscychology, known as the Johari window. Sounding more exotic than it actually is, it is just a combination of the two names Joseph (Luft) and Harrington (Ingham) - the two psychologists who penned it in the fifties. Defined as 'a technique that helps people better understand their relationship with themselves and others', it is a simple, yet brilliant way of gaining insight into ourselves, using introspective techniques of discovering hidden aspects of the ...
GC#44 - Knocking on Heaven's Door - Omer Day 30
May 08, 2020 17:47 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBThe Mon started falling from heaven - in a 'manna' of speaking. Don't excuse the pun - but it is the day of Yitzchok (literally, 'he will laugh'), in the week of Aharon. We have passed Pesach Sheini and are close to Lag B'Omer. This is all about realising that when you think everything is over, finished...it is not. Yitzchok shows us that if we sublimate the ego and commit to change, we get a new lease of life. Aharon sprinkles the ash of the Red Heifer over one who had come in contact wit...
GC#43 - So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish - Omer Day 29 - Pesach Sheini
May 08, 2020 00:55 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBI'm all for giving people another chance, a second bite of the cherry. But a second bite of the matzo? SInce when could I say, 'Sorry I missed your party. Can you do it again for me?' When it's gone, it's gone. Yet, the men carrying Yosef's bones ask for a chance to get a second Pesach. A new law!...and it is granted. How? It seems that there is something about the concept of the Torah Sheba'al Peh, as opposed to the Written Law which allows for Chiddush - invention and innovation...and res...
GC#42 - Life, The Universe and Everything - Omer Day 28
May 07, 2020 00:20 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBThe day before Pesach Sheini and we are at the end of week 4 of the Omer. The nexus of Moshe and Dovid. They both were kings - interestingly, both are referred to as Kohanim (see tehillim 110 and 2 Shmuel 18). One is the symbol of prayer and the other of Torah. And they both sing Shirah. Therein is the clue to their connection. Harmony is defined simply as 'the simultaneous combination of tones, especially when blended into chords pleasing to the ear'. One note is one part of that magnific...
GC#41 - Raider of the Lost Ark - Omer Day 27
May 06, 2020 00:37 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBIf you were taken from your home as a baby, or as an impressionable young man, it would be traumatic. If you went through slavery and then became viceroy, or you were raised as a prince, even though recognisable as a Hebrew, you could very possibly suffer an identity crisis. Both Yosef and Moshe knew of their origins and could easily have turned their back on what could seem like a rejection by their nation. Given Egyptian names, it is enough to confuse anyone. Yet they both came through ex...
GC#40 - So Close, Yet So Far - Omer Day 26
May 05, 2020 00:43 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBJust in case you thought it couldn't get more complicated, well, here it is. I begin to regret my self-imposed obsession of trying to get 90 minutes worth of material into ten minutes... Two brothers, two pillars, two Middos. Two rogue prophets. Two lips. Two perfectly balanced letters. From Moshe's being pulled out of the water, he seems to have been condemned to remain outside of the Promised land. It was indicated even then. But when Moshe heard those words, as we indicated previously, ...
GC#39 - 'Halfway There - Almost Living on a Prayer' - Omer Day 25
May 03, 2020 22:34 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBDay 25. My favourite day in the Omer. Understanding what it means to be perfectly balanced, requires a study of the the foremost of our leaders, Moshe. He led the people tirelessly until the day he died. He tried to emulate G-d in every way possible - as the closest a human being could get to being Divine, he expresses that halfway point - Netzach shebeNetzach - perfectly. He used the 13 principles of Mercy to save the Jewish people. And he is the perfect role model for all prophets - befor...
GC#38 - Know Your Place! - Omer Day 24
May 03, 2020 00:53 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBWhen I started researching this particular episode, I never realise what an epic journey it would lead me on. I had an inkling of a feeling, when I thought about the trait of Netzach - of Moshe, coupled with the glory or truth of Yaakov. I had a phrase in mind which was used by Shmuel when rebuking Shaul for not finishing off Agag, king of Amalek, the eternal nemesis of Israel. But I did not realise how far the connection went. Once you start delving, the comparisons multiply. Shaul - first...
GC#37 - Black & White Fire - Omer Day 23
May 01, 2020 18:25 - 10 minutes - 9.27 MBIt's a beautiful song - 'Bilvovi Mishkan Evneh' - I place a Sanctuary in my heart. But it is so much more than nice poetry. As Pesach passed over, we spoke about connection with Hashem - the 'Dodi' of Shir HaShirim. How we need to let Him into our hearts. This is done by making room for Him - 'Open for Me like the eye of a needle, and I will open up the entrance way of a great hall'. Both Yitzchok and Moshe are exemplars of those who totally got it - both had elements of apparent imperfecti...