Rebbetzin Heller on Chanuhah

Hedonism is a remnet of Greek thought that still exists today. The idea that we should be able to get what we want, when we want it is part of our society today. We have to work to free ourselves of this mindset.

Why not be a Greek? Whats wrong with this mindset?

The problem with this mindset is that it denies the possibility of spirituality. We have to infuse all aspects of our being with spirit.

Don't turn to men- turn only to Hashem

From a Shiur by Babbi Brody, "Don't Despair"

Why did Reuven throw Yosef into a pit, which meant certain death, instead of letting him beg his brothers for mercy?

A person who asks people for salvation will never gain true salvation. Only the person who knows that the only source of salvation is Hashem will gain true salvation and become a Tzadik. Reuven wanted to be sure that Yosef did not lower himself before his brothers. Since Yosef had only Hashem to turn to he was forced to grow spiritually.

Our success is only from Hashem.

Chanukah: Revealing The Essence

From a Shiur By Shira Smiles

http://www.naaleh.com/videos/documents/Torat%20Imecha%20-%20%20%28Dec%208%29%20page%201%20and%202.pdf

It appears that the greatest darkness is failing
to recognize the inherent greatness
contained within each of us. This mindset
cripples us and doesn’t allow us to develop
our true potential.
In Al Hanissim we say, “Rabim beyad
me’atim, the many into the hands of the few.”
The Macabees were few in number but they
pushed themselves to be the vehicle by
which Hashem saved the Jewish people.
There is a concept in the Torah, “Muat
machzik es hameruba. Something small can
hold something great.” In a sense we
personify this concept. We are puny, but we
posses an eternal soul, which is limitless. In
Kabala, the number eight signifies something
above nature. The eight days of Chanuka
have the power to help us escape our natural
confines. It is a time to break out of our mold
and recast ourselves into something different.
There is a special force in the air that whispers
to us, “Find a different dimension, improve,
spread your wings!”
The Chanuka lights contain a spark of the ohr
haganuz, the ethereal light that Hashem hid
away at Creation. We have to ask ourselves,
“What’s stopping me? What inside me is not
letting me grow?”
We are not simply lighting physical candles.
It’s a transformational moment. We are
igniting something within ourselves, and the
sparks of all our ancestors come to join us. It
is a sacred time to introspect, reflect, and
connect with Hashem. It is also an auspicious
time to give charity and to pray for Torah, good
middot, righteous children and blessing in the
home. May we merit to perceive the holiness
within us as reflected in our small, yet deeply
meaningful, Chanuka lights

Feeding our spiritual void.

From Battle Plans by Rebbetzin Heller and Sara Yoheved Rigler

According to the Maharal, the spiritual void within each of us is part of the human condition. This spiritual void is different than biological lacks. For example, if you feel hungry because you haven't eaten for four or five hours, and then you eat dinner, your hunger is satiated. But if you feel hungry because you feel unloved or unappreciated, because you just lost your job or your best friend, and you eat dinner, you'll still feel hungry. You'll gobble down two desserts, and a half-hour later you'll be rummaging through the refrigerator again.

Before you eat that Donut-

Great Quote from a Meeting

You can take a cucumber and turn it into a pickle, but you can not turn a pickle into a cucumber.

Maybe you were a normal eater at one time, but now that you are a compulsive eater you can never go back to being a normal eater.

Rebbetzin Heller on Spiritual Strength

From a Shiur by Rebbetzin Heller
http://www.naaleh.com/viewclass/2345/single/

Nobody gets to where they are without struggle, we give birth to ourselves again and again every day. Our challenges and our choices determine who we are and what we become. We are meant to allow the Godly soul to win the over the animal soul.

When you daven and your mind wanders, that is an example of your animal soul conquering your neshomah. A good way of understanding  the spiritual soul versus the animal soul, is to think to yourself that if this was your last day and your are going to be judged for everything you do and say, what would you do.

We live our lives in self created prisons, Hashem can do whatever he wants.

Our choices count.

Shira Smiles on Chanukah

Chanukah Inspiration from Shira Smiles

http://www.naaleh.com/viewclass/2338/single/

Reb Chaim Shmulevitz asked, "why do we focus most of our energy on the menorah and and oil, when it seems like the real nes is the victory of 13 over an army, which saved the Jewish people." He answers that the survival of the jewish people was nessesary for Hashem's plans to continue, but when Hashem saw the Ahavat Hashem burning in the Hashmoniam, he rewarded them with the "extra" miracle of the oil This was to show Hashem's love for them.

The message of Chanukah is that we need to continue this love ,devotion and passion for Hashem. Aharon Hacohen is the best example of this, for all the years that he lit the menorah he never lost his passion and excitment about lighting the menorah. Chanukah is a time to work on ourselves that we do not fall into the trap of taking things for granted. It is the time of the year when we celabrate our relationship with Hashem. when we are able to establish a loving relatinship with Hashem, to make it as personal as possible.

Chanukah is not about the latkes and donuts, it is a spiritual time to develop a closer relationship with Hashem.

Nishmat Kol Chai

An online session of Hitbodedut (Personal Prayer)

http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/2009/12/longing-for-hashem.html

This is a song written by Rabbi Brody set to a beautiful walk through the forrest.

Rabbi Brody on Chanukah

The message of Chanuakkah is the lesson of the contamination of the oil. The oil is a symbol of the brain. If we purify our minds like the Macabees purified the oil we will be pure and the light of Chanukkah will shine today.

Hellenism is still around, it is the external influences that influence us today. We have to strengthen ourselves in even the smallest ways to make sure that we are pure.

We can not allow outside influences to change our behavior.

Rabbi Mordechai Aderet on Chanukkah

from Torah Anytime

The Ari says that every house has to have lights for Chanukkah. Even if you have to beg or borrow there is no excuse for not having Chanukkah lights. You have to have at least one light each night. The Ari says that the last day of Chanukkah is like the conclusion of the Yamim Noraim. That Hashem gives us another chance to get a better judgement for the rest of the year. This is based on how we keep Chanukkah. We have to behave with Emunah Shalamah, we can't just say B'Ezras Hashem, we have to mean it.
The Koach of the Machabees was that they were willing to fight for Hashem and the Torah against seemingly impossible odds. The Macabees didn't just send the Greeks out, they saved our Neshamahs.

We have to be willing to fight for Hashem no matter how hard the battle seems.

Why did Chava Sin?

from a Shiur by Rebbeztin Heller

http://www.naaleh.com/viewclass/2337/single/

Why did the snake approach Chavah? The snake knew that it would be easier to influence Chavah. He told her that everything desirable is forbidden. Adam and Chavah choose autonomy and pleasure over Hashem's will.

We know that it is not true that everything desirable is forbidden. We should not allow the "snake" to talk to us. We should choose Hashem's will over autonomy and pleasure. It is Hashem's will that we should be healthy.

An amazing insight from Carl Jung on spirituality

Part of a Letter to Bill Wilson (one of the founders of AA)
from Dr.Carl Jung
from http://www.thejaywalker.com/pages/jung_ltr.html

I am strongly convinced that the evil principle prevailing in this world leads the unrecognized spiritual need into perdition, if it is not counteracted either by real religious insight or by the protective wall of human community. An ordinary man, not protected by an action from above and isolated in society, cannot resist the power of evil, which is called very aptly the Devil. But the use of such words arouses so many mistakes that one can only keep aloof from them as much as possible.

These are the reasons why I could not give a full and sufficient explanation to Roland H., but I am risking it with you because I conclude from your very decent and honest letter that you have acquired a point of view above the misleading platitudes one usually hears about alcoholism.

You see, "alcohol" in Latin is "spiritus" and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. The helpful formula therefore is: spiritus contra spiritum.

Dvar Torah from Tonights Meeting 12/2/09

The Iggeres HaRamban says:
"Review your actions in the morning and in the evening, and in this way all your days will contain repentance."

The Tenth Step Says (L'Havdil):
Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

Every meal when we sit down to eat we should review what we did that day from the last meal until this one and we will be doing Teshuva on a constant basis.

I took this picture at the top of Bear Mountain with my cell phone.

What is happiness?

From "For Today" Dec 1

All that is required to feel that here and now is happiness is a simple frugal heart. Nikos kazantzakis

Who is rich, he that is happy with what he has. Pirke Avos