In this week’s episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how the Jewish people are a collective. Our actions don’t only impact our individual bodies and souls but affect the entire Jewish body. When we transgress or bring negative energy into the world it affects the whole Jewish body as a collective and when we add positivity into the world it likewise affects the whole Jewish body. We are one organism.
In this week’s episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how God’s all-encompassing energy is what allows us to return and do teshuvah.
In this week’s episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how Hashem channels two types of energies. One is an energy that we internalize and the other is an all-encompassing energy. The internalized energy is measured according to our actions. The encompassing energy remains steady and is not measured according to our actions.
In this week’s episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how nothing can happen in this world without G-d’s stamp of approval. Nothing can exist without G-d. The purpose of evil is to allow us free choice and as humans, we have free choice. When we transgress, we cause a separation between us and G-d. The only thing that allows us to separate from G-d is sin, which is doing the opposite of what G-d wants from us.
In this week's episode of Clearing the Mud, we explore the idea that G-d can indeed be found everywhere. However, we also know that disconnection can occur through sin. Nonetheless, this disconnection does not mean that G-d has departed, but rather that the person is unready to receive G-d’s presence.
In this week's episode of Clearing the Mud, we discuss how our soul originates from Hashem’s breath. Breath is the deepest part of who we are, so we come from the deepest part of Hashem. Every breath we take is Hashem breathing with us. It is through Hashem’s continuous act of breathing life into us that we are able to breathe, every minute, every day.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how we have the internal part of our soul and the external manifestation of our soul. The most crucial aspect of our service is to bring the internal to the external. Thus, we aim to translate our thoughts and emotions into action, shaping the way we live our lives.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how Hashem created the world with the twenty-two letters of the Aleph-Beis, each symbolizing a distinct energy flow to create something from nothing. This explains why our service of Hashem is inherently individual and unique. Within each of us lies a unique energy flow, making no two combinations of energies alike. As a result, our service of Hashem is a direct reflection of our true selves, originating from the depths of our souls.
In this week's episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how the Tetragrammaton consists of four letters and serves as a representation of energy flow within the Divine realm. This flow finds a parallel in the movement of intellect and emotions within one's soul. The interconnectedness of these elements signifies a profound spiritual connection.
In this week’s episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how our souls are a literal piece of the innermost part of Hashem that’s reflected in the name Havayah. We must know where our souls come from so we know where they return to.
In this week’s episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how Teshuva is effective in every case, even for sins that the Zohar states teshuva cannot rectify. For we know that teshuva is one of G-d’s commandments and G-d does not ask of us the impossible.
In this week's episode of Clearing the Mud, we are finally wrapping up the subject of fasting, yay!! Nowadays, we don't use fasting as a means to establish a stronger connection to Hashem. Instead, a common substitute is tzedakah, charity. Just as we wouldn't restrict how much we spend on our physical health, we shouldn’t limit the amount we invest in our spiritual well-being. While it is generally advised not to give more than twenty percent of our income to tzedakah, when it comes to teshuvah, our atonement, there is no limit.
In this week's episode of Clearing the Mud, we talk about how taking upon oneself additional fasts beyond those already on the calendar is not recommended because the generations have weakened. Instead of fasting, one should redirect that resolution toward serving Hashem with an added measure of joy.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how fasting is a way of showing Hashem that we don't just want His forgiveness after we sin, but that we love and respect Him deeply and want to be in His good graces. You can forgive someone and still not want to hang out with them. We want a mutually respectful and loving relationship with Hashem. So even though fasting is not part of the teshuvah process, it is an additional gift we give Hashem to show Him that we want to be in this loving relationship. Fasting also opens up special channels of Divine favor, which can only be accessed through this fasting. This "supernal favor" is part of Hashem’s light untouched by our sins. By giving Hashem the gift of fasting, we receive the gift of “supernal favor” in return.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how when we repent for our transgressions and receive atonement, we are granted a clean slate and are no longer held accountable for that deed. In the World to Come, it won’t even be mentioned. However, atonement alone does not fully restore our relationship with Hashem. While the deed itself won’t come back to haunt you and is fully erased, we still need to work on restoring our relationship with Hashem.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how although verbally confessing our wrongdoings and seeking forgiveness can aid us in achieving atonement, it is not the core aspect of the Teshuva process. The fundamental mitzvah of Teshuva is oriented towards the future and entails accepting God’s authority and committing to altering our behavior. Rather than dwelling on our past transgressions and the associated shame, Teshuvah is about looking ahead and consciously improving ourselves. While fasting was once utilized to accelerate the process of atonement, it is not considered a critical component of Teshuva today.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how Teshuva should be inspired by love, the desire to be closer to God. When one repents out of love rather than social pressure or fear of punishment, then one is essentially expressing their love for Hashem. This expression of love elicits a reciprocation of love and kindness from Hashem in return.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how the mitzvah of Teshuva is to focus on the future. Even though Teshuva is a process of return and repentance, the essence of it is simply to stop the negative behavior and resolve to do something different in the future. Remorse, confession, and begging for forgiveness are teshuva related but not the essence of it. So even when we do something where remorse is appropriate we look ahead. We don’t get stuck in shame or dwelling on the past. This is why learning about teshuvah is really a positive and empowering process, rather than a negative one.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how we relate to challenges/suffering. It is probably the most complex issue we face and the hardest to accept. We do not seek out suffering, yet when it comes, and come it will, we work to accept it with love and by seeing it as part of our soul’s journey. Listen to the class to hear more :).
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how humans can affect so much change. Think about it. When we fulfill a positive command we bring divine light and positive energy to the world and the worlds above. When we transgress, negative energy comes into the world.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how a mitzvah is an act of intimacy with G-D, resembling the intimacy of a marriage.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how positive commandments benefit the universe by stimulating the embodiment of energies in the upper worlds, resulting in a more tangible flow to us.
In this episode of Clearing the Mud we talk about how self reflection is the key to Teshuva; repairing the relationship with oneself, with God, and with others.
